I really enjoyed writing this chapter. In fact, I had about 75% of it done the week after my last update. Unfortunately life got in the way, big time, so forgive my lateness.
…Hmm, there hasn't been nearly enough Stark abuse of late, has there? Enjoy!
"This is it. The tyranny must end. A score must be settled. Revenge must be taken for all those who have been disgraced. It's time to oppress those that will oppress, and to shove the proverbial stick farther up the proverbial back end of your enemy and give it a nice big twist. Are you with me?"
"Nice speech, but that's unnecessary," replied Alexa. It's not that she didn't like discovering Drake Flare, Flynn Woods and Kitz Bee at her door, but she'd been planning on spending her free time today by herself.
"Oh no you don't," said Drake, who foiled her attempt at closing the door by wedging his boot into the frame. "We have a plan afoot with Stark Maverick's name on it, and you're going to help."
To her dismay the three boys filed in and made themselves at home. This was very unsettling for Alexa who never before had a boy enter her room, which was the only place of privacy and asylum in the academy.
"By the way, whatever happened to the whole 'Doyens don't hang out with Accepted' thing?" Flynn asked Drake as he settled on to the bed Alexa just vacated. Alexa hovered around her closet, annoyed at herself for feeling so uncomfortable in her own room. All because of some stupid boys.
The Doyen crossed his arms and grinned. "Oh, that rule's still in effect. But it can be managed as long as you treat me, as your elder, with the proper respect. 'Sir' or 'Mr.' will do." Ignoring Flynn's look of disbelief, he continued. "Besides, this situation calls for immediate action and that requires all the hands we can get."
"But there isn't a situation, Drake," tried Alexa.
"Is Alexa exempt from the respect rule, sir?" questioned Kitz, raising his hand as if he were in class.
"Quiet, Bee," retorted Drake dismissively. "And of course there's a situation! It has come to my attention that there's a certain bully who's been making your life miserable. Never let your enemy have the last laugh! That's a rule. Plus, everything's fair game at the academy, as long as you don't get caught."
Alexa held back a groan. There was no way she'd risk getting in trouble again. That fight in the basement had been a defining point in her life last year; a disaster that ended up helping her, though a disaster that she did not want to repeat in any way, shape or form. Since that time things have settled into a tense stalemate. And here was Drake wanting to stir the whole mess up again.
"Listen Alex, if you don't stand up to this guy he will continue to push you down every chance he gets. You too, Woods; I saw that lewd hand gesture in the food line at lunch. You both need to show him you're not targets for his harassment."
"And we accomplish that by pranking him instead?" Alexa wasn't sure this would solve anything. And did he even notice he called her 'Alex'?
"You two don't know how good you have it, having a rival," said Drake wistfully. "I wish I had one. Then all my genius ideas wouldn't go to waste."
"Aha! So you just want to carry out some elaborate scheme and need a victim," said Flynn. He stared at the older boy with frown on his face before his mouth tilted up into a grin. "Count me in."
"You mean 'Count me in, sir'."
"But Stark hasn't done anything in a while," argued Alexa, preventing Flynn from supplying a retort. Sure Stark still glared every time they looked at one other, but he and his gang had given up physically abusing her. It was nice not having dirt kicked in her face, or scraped palms and knees from being tripped in the hallway. She glanced over at the small collection of books at her desk, which Kitz was perusing. There hadn't been any more breaking-and-entering issues either.
"That's not the point. That Maverick kid doesn't respect you; hence why he's spreading the whole name incident all over the school, trying to make you a laughingstock. Don't try to tell me he 'hasn't done anything in a while.' He will never respect you unless you show him that you're someone to reckon with."
"But I don't really mind being called Alex that much. It's technically a girl's name too," she tried.
Drake didn't buy it. "It doesn't matter that you don't mind it. This concerns honor now. Stark Maverick is going down. But first I need details. Woods, you were saying something about the gardening punishment from Gradern?"
Alexa looked sharply at Flynn, who cleared his throat uncomfortably. "How do you know about that?" she accused. She had never mentioned the punishment to anyone, except to Vincent in passing. That was a day she tried to forget.
"Stark was complaining about it," the other Accepted replied. From the look on his face it wasn't a pleasant memory. "He had to do chores for an extra day, and came back muttering about how you got off easy and how unfair it was that he had to work in the kitchens like hired help. We didn't hear the end of it for a week. It took him hours to clean the dirt from under his nails, and he wouldn't even look at a potato product for weeks."
Flynn had been Stark's best friend for most of last year, though that detail tended to slip her mind since both boys usually ignored one another. Even though she didn't like the whole prank idea, she realized Flynn would love to get back at the boy who mercilessly kicked him out of their group of friends.
"Okay, so what do we do?" Alexa finally said to the Doyen's satisfaction.
"Steal his hair gel," offered Flynn.
Drake shook his head. "Not subtle enough. Besides, that'll just get him ticked off. You want him humiliated." The boy walked around the room, plotting. "We could add dye to his shampoo. Do you think he'd like to find himself with a bright orange head?"
"Aren't the instructors bound to notice that?" piped up Kitz, who had returned his attention to the discussion. "What happened to pulling pranks but not getting caught… um, Your Honor?"
"Those were your own rules," Flynn accused Drake.
He waved his hand dismissively. "Right, right. The prank needs to be confined to one area, like his room. That way it won't cause a huge commotion and other people are less likely to get caught in the crossfire."
"Crossfire?" Alexa was liking this idea less and less. What in the world would these guys come up with? But… even with the horrific possibilities, she couldn't help but feel that nervous excitement that came from planning to do something not exactly in line with the rules. Having been a good kid her whole life, she had to admit rarely feeling like this. Her father would certainly not approve, but he wasn't here and she was due for some mischief.
"How about having a bucket of water dump on him when he opens his door?" said Flynn.
Drake mulled it over before replying, "The old bucket trick, huh? You're on the right track there Woods, but water isn't quite right. It has to be edgier, more unique…" He snapped his fingers. "I got it! It's perfect!"
"What is?"
The boy grinned at Alexa. "That's going to be a surprise for now. When's your afternoon class over?"
"5:15," she answered, mystified.
"Good. And is Maverick in your class?"
"Yeah."
"And he probably goes to dinner after that, doesn't he?"
"I guess so."
Drake nodded and told the group, "I'll complete the necessary prep work. After class you guys meet me on this level across from the stairwell. We'll carry out our scheme while everyone's eating."
"You aren't going to tell us what we're actually doing?" demanded Flynn.
"We're doing your bucket idea." Flynn made shooing motions with his hands. "Now everyone get going. Can't you see Alexa wants some alone time?"
xxxxx
While the rest of the Accepted headed to the cafeteria, Alexa, Flynn and Kitz took the stairs up to their living quarters. Alexa was feeling nervous by unwilling to turn tail and leave her friends to pull the prank by themselves.
"Hey Kitz, where are you going? Drake wants us to wait here."
"I'll be back in a minute," he replied, walking down the hall my himself. "I need to get something from my room."
They were still waiting for Kitz to return when Drake arrived.
"Nice bucket," said Flynn. The container in Drake's hands was nothing more than a plastic laundry detergent bottle with the top portion cut off. "So, are we dumping bleach on him?"
"Don't be an idiot," chided Drake. "I just needed something to hold our little 'gift' and there weren't many options."
"What exactly is in there?" asked Alexa, taking a little step forward to try and peer inside. It looked dark and lumpy, and a foul odor was wafting from Drake's vicinity.
"Potatoes," stated Kitz, who returned at that precise moment.
"How do you know that?" wondered Flynn, but then angrily rounded on Drake.
Hey, you told him! What happened to it being a secret?"
The Doyen rolled his eyes. "Of course I told him. I needed him to make something for me. And mind your rank."
Flynn called him a royal something under his breath as Drake handed the makeshift bucket to Alexa, so he could in turn receive a small contraption from Kitz. Alexa peered inside the container, wrinkling her nose as the smell hit her. It certainly was potatoes—potato peels, in fact. They were slimy and turning green, and a large portion of it was being held together by what looked like congealed macaroni and cheese.
"Did you get this out of the garbage?"
"Well, I didn't get it from underneath Director Gradern's office desk," replied Drake, who rolled his eyes. "Now pay attention." He held up Kitz' invention, which looked like a metal hook on a rope with a round heavy object dangling from the other end. "This magnet goes on the door near the handle. The string goes straight up where it's connected to the wall above the door. You have the tape, right Bee?"
Kitz confirmed with a nod and dug out a tan adhesive roll from his pocket. "I couldn't find anything more heavy duty, sir. But I did the calculations and with a few layers this tape should be strong enough to withstand the resistance."
"Well done. And then the rope goes around the fire alarm above the door. The bucket rests on the ledge, the handle looped over the fire alarm too. The hook is attached to the far rim of the bucket. So when the door is opened, the rope gets pulled and tips the bucket. Then you have a head dripping with rotten vegetables." He rubbed his palms together. "Now let's get to it."
"So how do we get in?" asked Alexa. Their prank would be useless if they couldn't get in to set it up.
"I can do it," replied Flynn. With a shrug of embarrassment he explained, "It's the same way as how we got into your room."
"Oh." She had wondered how Stark and his friends managed to break in last year; the door had been locked when she arrived and there was no sign of forced entry. And even though her treasured book had been damaged, Alexa wasn't going to make a scene now by bringing up what had happened. She had forgiven Flynn for his membership in Stark's gang and wasn't going to hold that incident against him.
Both she and Kitz watched as the other two boys went up to Stark's door. Flynn took out his ID card and inserted it into the metal groove where the door vanished into the wall above it. Drake meanwhile was pressing his hands against the door with a significant amount of pressure.
"Find it yet?" asked Drake.
"I'm working on it."
"What are they doing?" Alexa whispered to Kitz. She had been expecting them to pick the lock or something.
"All the doors in the academy can be electronically unlocked from the main control room, even those that use keys and under normal circumstances are physically pulled open," stated Kitz, who had no doubt read a manual or blueprints of the academy for fun. "It's a fire precaution, so people can be evacuated quickly. It also works in reverse, so all the doors can be shut in case there are intruders. Apparently the system can be manually overridden, which is what Flynn is trying to attempt."
Twenty seconds later there was a loud click from somewhere in the door's metal frame and Flynn retracted the card from the crevice. Drake pushed the door open with difficulty, pushing a limb in the way of the door so it wouldn't shut by mistake like it was obviously trying to do.
"Okay. Woods, it's your job to make sure this doesn't close on us," he ordered.
Being the strongest of the group, Flynn accepted without complaint. He squeezed himself into the doorway and pushed against the door that was straining to close. Alexa and Kitz followed Drake into the room, passing under Flynn's arms like he was a bridge.
"Okay, so we need to hook the bucket over the fire alarm and balance it on the ledge of the doorway," Drake explained to Alexa. The volume of his voice had decreased now that they were in action, but his tone was humming with excitement. "You want to do it?"
She shook her head. "Me? But I'm too short."
"Then grab that chair. And don't sound so scared." The Doyen gave her a little wink. "Live a little, have fun. You can't waste your life away like a couch potato."
"Oh Shiva, no puns," commented Flynn, sounding a little taxed from keeping the door in place.
Drake held up a slimy potato peel in response. "I think, therefore I yam." Seeing Alexa still was unsure, he added, "Hey Bee, why don't you go keep watch. Give a sign if you hear someone coming."
"Of course, Mr. Flare," answered Kitz, who ducked under Flynn on his way out. "Though a potato would make a better lookout. They keep their eyes peeled."
"Hmm, so the nerd has a sense of humor," mused Drake with a chuckle. Hearing Flynn's aggravated groan he said, "What's the matter? Think this plan is half-baked? It was your idea in the first place."
Alexa grinned at Flynn's expression. "Your brain is mashed," she told Drake.
Drake laughed as she went over to borrow the desk chair. The jokes did help steady her nerves, but she couldn't help cringing at any little noise. A creak from the floor above or the sound of the air conditioner kicking in was an instructor bearing down on them to her ears. Surely someone was going to notice.
The older boy directed Alexa step by step as they constructed the trap. An extra piece of rope served as a handle for the makeshift bucket, and then the hook was pushed through the rim ninety degrees from the handle. Carefully they balanced it on the two-inch space atop the door. Once the rope was attached in the other appropriate places, Drake announced they were done.
"Okay, now slip through the door. Carefully, carefully."
The students eased themselves out of the room without tripping the trap. Flynn was the last one out, easing the door close behind him.
"Mission complete," Drake said with a mischievous wink for Alexa. "Tell me how it goes."
"Wait, you're not sticking around?"
He shook his head, his blond curls flailing emphatically. "No way. A Doyen hanging out on the Accepted dorm level? It's too suspicious."
"Are you sure it's going to work?" commented Flynn doubtfully as he starred at the door. "It would be lame if it doesn't, not to mention a waste of time." For emphasis he stretched his arm, rubbing his sore bicep.
"You want to test it?" Drake countered with a raised eyebrow.
The tall Accepted just grunted.
"Okay, there's still time before anyone's expected back. Head to dinner if you want. Just don't get caught hanging around here with your noses pressed on Maverick's door." The boy turned and waved behind him as he left. "Later."
"So, who's up for dinner?" asked Flynn when they were alone. "I am, as long as it isn't potatoes."
"Shouldn't we stay here? Otherwise we'll miss Stark coming back," said Kitz.
"True. The prank isn't worthwhile if we aren't here for it." Flynn began walking back to his own room. "But like Flare said, we shouldn't be out here watching and eating popcorn either."
xxxxx
Half an hour later Alexa was in the bathroom when she heard some boys coming down the hall. It was immediately obvious who it was.
"I received a letter today from my father," said a haughty voice. "He's obtained permission for me to leave Shinra Academy for the weekend to preview the latest construction stage of the casino. They've finally came up with a name, did you hear? The Gold Saucer." There was a pause for the obligatory laughs of his comrades. "Not a very majestic name, in my opinion. It's a shame Father is only financially backing this operation; if he was the owner, I'm sure he would have named the place properly. This Dio fellow will turn the casino into an amusement park for commoners, mark my words."
Stark's voice faded as he and his friend's walked around the corner. Alexa held her breath. They weren't heading to Stark's room now, were they? Suddenly she was in a panic. Maybe this prank wasn't a good idea after all. Of course Alexa and Flynn were going to get blamed. Who else had a motive and would be stupid enough to pull something like that? The potatoes were a dead giveaway too. With that in mind, she snuck out of the restroom and crept quickly to the stairs.
For the next few minutes she didn't have a clue where of her destination other than "away from Stark's gang." It seemed cowardly to leave after she had been waiting for Stark in the first place, to hear him trip their trap. But at the moment he arrived she didn't want anything to do with it. Alexa eventually found herself on the main floor, wandering past dark empty classrooms. Perhaps she should go to the cafeteria, where she could blend in with the crowd and try to look innocent. But that would probably be one of the first locations Stark would search, and he would no doubt demand a confession. And Alexa didn't think she could pull off a convincing lie.
Two men were strolling down the hallway, so she mechanically moved over to the side to let them pass. Her brain was still in survival-plan mode so she didn't notice the identity of one of the men straight away. It was the black multi-layered traveling cloak that caught her eye.
She hadn't seen Dr. Valentine since she was little, but he was almost exactly as she remembered. But would the paleontologist recognize her? Probably not, Alexa decided and quickly averted her eyes from the approaching men.
But the second later she heard herself being addressed. "Why, Miss Spero! How wonderful it is to run into you."
Alexa looked back and with a startled but pleased smile replied, "Hello, Dr. Valentine."
The man stopped in front of her and shook her hand. His gloves were worn and flecked with dirt, as if he had just come from a dig. "Please call me Grimoire. I can't allow the daughter of an old friend to call me anything else." He turned to his companion and said, "Darwin, please go on ahead. I'll join you shortly."
The other man, a science instructor judging by his Shinra-issued white lab coat, nodded quickly and continued on his way, muttering something about staying on schedule. Dr. Valentine gave her a smile. His dark eyes, so much like his son's, reflected the warmth of his expression.
"Theodore told me that you were sent to the academy. When I was invited as a guest speaker I promised him that I would check up on you," he said. "How's school going? Keeping out of trouble?"
"Classes are hard, but I like them," Alexa answered, avoiding the second inquiry. She couldn't help but cast a quick glance upwards at the ceiling, wondering if Stark had stopped yelling yet. Were half-decomposed vegetables and cheese considered a biological health hazard?
Fortunately the paleontologist didn't seem to notice her behavior. "I must admit, I'm surprised not to find you in the science department. Theodore tells me you're quite the scholar."
She blushed. "I don't know about that. I just like reading."
"All that matters is following the path you set yourself on and not giving up despite the struggles. I wish you luck." Dr. Valentine took out a golden pocket watch and checked the time. "Well, I best be off. My colleagues are no doubt in a tizzy due to my absence. Take care, Alexa."
"Thanks Dr. Valentine, you too," called Alexa. She watched the man stride quickly down the hall before going on her own way.
Had her father not told Dr. Valentine the reason she was at the academy? Surely he had; they were old friends, after all. Then wouldn't he have known that she did not have the luxury to decide whether the science or military path was right for her? She sighed. I didn't set myself on this path, but I'll keep going until my legs give out.
A group of Doyens were exiting the cafeteria, and she looked through the open doors but didn't find either Drake or Vincent. The older students headed for the stairwell, pushing each other and fooling around. On a whim Alexa decided to follow them. Up and up they went. Alexa held her breath as she passed the Accepted floor, but she couldn't hear anything over the noise of the group ahead of her. She continued up until the boys exited onto the Doyen hall level.
One of the boys held the door open for her. "Is this your stop?" he asked. He eyed her up and down, but if he thought she was too young to be here he didn't say anything.
"Thanks," Alexa replied quickly, and walked through the door. This time she went in the opposite direction of the group.
She had never been on this floor before. It looked the same as the Accepted living quarters, except as she walked around she noticed the floor tiles in the different wings were not the same color. Vincent had mentioned that the Doyens were segregated by specialty. Too bad she didn't have a clue as to what specialties the different colors represented.
"Hey you!"
Alexa froze as she felt a hard grip on her shoulder. She turned around and found herself facing a tough-looking Doyen boy.
"Are you lost, small fry?" asked the stranger.
"No," she replied defensively, slightly irritated at being called small fry. She was sixteen for Shiva's sake. But on second thought, it looked rather peculiar that she was wandering around up here for no reason. "Actually, yes I am… I'm looking for my friend Drake."
He gave her a smile, softening a bit. "Drake Flare? Well, you're going in the opposite direction. Let me take you to his room."
"Thanks," she replied with a sigh of relief.
The boy raised his hand. "No problem. And the name's Clair Tailwind."
Alexa did a double-take. "You're a girl?" she asked before she could sensor herself. "Oh, I'm sorry!"
Clair laughed at her mortified expression. "Yea, I get that a lot. Whatever, I'm comfortable with who I am. I'm one of the best pilots in my year, you know."
Alexa smiled weakly. "I'm Alexa Spero."
The other girl nodded. "Nice to meet you."
Introductions made, they made their way down the hall. All the while Alexa kept sneaking glances at her guide, who chatted in a bright energetic manner. At first Clair did seem like a boy, with her short brown hair and the way she dressed and carried herself. But she had a delicate jaw line and long eyelashes, and beneath her baggy shirt was a subtle hint of breasts.
"So this is the SOLDIER area," Clair explained as they entered the red-tiled wing. This section of the level was louder, and the doors to many of the rooms were open and students could be seen hanging out and laughing.
At last they stopped at a closed door with the name Flare written on the plaque. Clair knocked loudly but there was no sound coming from inside. She tried the door handle, but it was locked.
"Don't worry," she said to Alexa's disappointment. "Drake is rarely in his own room. He'll be around here somewhere; he tends to bum off of his hallmates. Let's have a look."
Clair boldly went to each of the open rooms to enquire on Drake's whereabouts, but none of the SOLDIER Doyens knew. "Check Turk territory," one of them offered. "And then come back, Clair. We're starting a game of poker."
"Aren't you tired of losing gil to me?" she responded with a grin. "Fair enough. I'll be back in a bit."
She's pretty popular, noted Alexa as they continued on and the tiles changed to blue. Clair wasn't even in the SOLDIER program, yet the guys knew and respected her. She had thought all the girls at the academy weren't well liked. What had Clair done to win their respect?
They came to a door marked Valentine and Alexa perked out of her pensive mood. The older girl knocked once before opening the door. Vincent was sitting at his desk, a book propped opened in his lap as he typed on a computer. He looked over, not seeming surprised at the disturbance.
"Hiya Valentine," called Clair with a wink and a wave of her callused tan hand. "This girl's looking for Drake. Do you know where he is?"
"He's working Mr. Fair, making up for the time he slept through his SOLDIER seminar," replied Vincent. He then turned his attention to Alexa and said, "If you need to talk to him, you're welcome to wait here until he gets back."
"I'll see you around then, Spero."
Alexa nodded gratefully and the female Doyen took her leave. "Thanks for your help."
"Any time."
Vincent indicated at the spare wooden chair in the corner and returned his attention to his work. Alexa sat down and proceeded to scan her surroundings, her curiosity berating her for the fact that she had never visited before.
The boy's room was the same dimensions as her own, but the furnishings were much newer and of higher quality. The gold trophy from last year's shooting tournament stood on the shelf, propping up a line of textbooks. A second trophy would no doubt be up there by the end of the year, so he'd have a set to use as bookends. Everything was neat and tidy except for the bed, which stood out blatantly against the orderly arrangement. The striped sheets were twisted and dangling off the mattress with the comforter wrinkled and pulled up seemingly as an afterthought.
"What brings you up here? Drake didn't manage to coerce you into pulling a joke on that Stark, did he?" asked Vincent. Alexa suppressed a grimace and he gave a knowing smile. "He's tried to rope me into his schemes numerous times over the years. Actually, a wayward prank involving peanut butter and a pair of rock snakes was the reason we first met. Thankfully I had class today, or Drake would have tried to get me involved."
I wish I had the same excuse, Alexa thought to herself. Maybe then she wouldn't be in hiding.
"What are you working on?" she eventually asked, inquisitive as to what kind of work she would find herself doing in two years time. From the looks of things the Doyen was knee deep in a rather long writing assignment.
"An essay on multifaceted interrogation strategies," replied Vincent.
"Sounds hard."
"It's an interesting topic, but boring to write about."
"Do you normally have a lot of work?"
He shrugged, slipping a pen in the book and closing it before turning to face her. "Yes, but you get used to it. There's a lot to learn, but it helps to have this knowledge when you're out in the real world. Though that doesn't mean you won't die. You just have a better chance not getting yourself killed when you can avoid it."
"And Drake has just as much classwork too?" wondered Alexa.
"He does, but he blows off a lot of the written work. Hence why he's trying to salvage his grade right now."
"What are grades for anyway?" She had never had the guts to ask, for fear of looking like an idiot. But she knew Vincent enough to know he wouldn't make fun of her.
"Not that much, really. It mostly corresponds to where you're located after the academy; those with the highest marks get into better squadrons, hours on duty, housing. Things of that sort."
"Oh." She breathed a sigh of relief, glad that all her hard work would pay off in the long run. As long as she graduated, anyway.
Silence fell after that, only the soft noise of page turning and fingers thrumming on the keyboard sounding in the room as Vincent returned to his essay. Alexa wished she had brought her bag with her. At least then she could read or pretend to do work.
"I ran into your dad," she finally decided to admit. After seeing how Vincent had reacted on the rooftop two days ago -withdrawing more than usual and refusing to speak of Dr. Valentine even when Kitz had asked questions about his line of work- she thought it best to leave the subject of his visit alone. But if would feel wrong to hide the fact she had a pleasant conversation with him in the hall, especially to his own son.
The boy's fingers barely hesitated before continuing to type at an even faster pace. "Oh," he responded disinterestedly, suddenly putting an exerted effort into his writing.
"Yeah, we met in the hall. So… have you seen him yet?"
"No."
Alexa frowned and asked, "Are you going to his lecture then?"
Vincent turned in his chair to lock gazes with her, the expression in his black eyes serious. "No, I'm not. I fully intend to stay as far as possible from the main floor and the lecture hall until he leaves."
She was completely baffled. "You don't want to see your own father? But, you mustn't have seen him since you came to the academy." Her throat tightened at the thought. She hadn't seen her own father in one and a half years now. To think it would be twice as long before she'd be able to again. Most of the students here don't get to see their families the entire time they're enrolled at Shinra Academy. Why was Vincent wasting this rare opportunity?
"Not everyone has as good a relationship with their parents as you do, Alexa." The Turk Doyen dropped his gaze and sighed, his face softening a bit. "Do you remember telling me last year how you're here because of your father?" He gave a small mirthless laugh. "Well, I'm here because of my father too.
"Father and I… don't exactly see eye to eye. He paid to reserve my spot at Shinra Academy when it was still being built, seven years before I was even the right age to attend. My whole life I was prepared to follow in my father's footsteps, to become a great researcher like him." He snorted derisively and slammed his textbook shut, dropping it unceremoniously onto his desk. "Of course I wanted no part in it. Why would I want to walk a path I was forced on to? I hated everything my father stood for."
Alexa listened in shock. She would have never expected such an outburst from Vincent, whom she had grown to know as calm and in control. Maybe she didn't know him as well as she thought. "But your dad seems like such a nice man."
He made a disgusted sound. "My father lives and breathes for his work. That's his passion. He cares more about crumbling artifacts he digs out of the dirt than for his family." He turned to stare out the window, his long bangs shielding his eyes, though his frown was still visible. "Luckily only my name had been registered when I was young and not the program I would be attending. When the time came to enter the academy, I was able to fill out my paperwork for the military program. My father didn't know what I was doing at the time, and I let him live with his assumptions until it was too late."
She had no idea what do say. Instead of taking an academic research path, Vincent signed up for the most dangerous, dirty job Shinra offered because he didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps. Weakly, she asked, "What did your father do when he found out?"
"By then there was nothing he could do. I was at the end of my second year and had already been accepted into the Turks' training program."
"When was the last time you spoke with your father?" she asked quietly.
"A few months before I left home. He was in the middle of an important excavation and didn't have time to take me to the academy himself. But it's not like I saw much of him when I was younger either."
Suddenly the door burst open and slammed against the wall, scaring Alexa half to death. "Never fear, I have arrived," said Drake with his usual lopsided grin. He saw Alexa and his smile widened. "Hey. Clair mentioned you were here."
He leaped onto the bed and sprawled out, making himself at home. So that's why Vincent doesn't bother to make his bed, she noted.
"When are you going to grow up?" Vincent asked him tersely. With a sigh he picked up his textbook and opened it again. "In a few months we'll be out in the real world, remember?"
"Somebody's in a mood," Drake responded, rolling his eyes. "That's why the prank was a necessity. We need to live and have fun before it's too late. Once you get a job, it's like the death of all enjoyment." He adjusted himself so he wasn't lying atop a knot of sheets and added, "We're leaving for our final mission next week, after all, so we need to squeeze in as much fun as possible."
"It's that soon?" Alexa's heart dropped a little at the news. Sure she knew the two boys would have their month-long Doyen mission, but she didn't think the time would come this quickly.
"Yep. Say goodbye to real beds and hot showers." Drake propped his head up and gave her a grin. "So Alex, how'd Mr. Maverick enjoy his surprise?"
So, what do you think Drake was planning with peanut butter and snakes…?
Just to note, I mentioned earlier in the story that Vincent doesn't have red eyes, so Grimoire also does not. It's my personal preference; I like imagining the color change was a byproduct of Hojo's experiments (the same way I'm upset at Advent Children/DoC for making Vinnie have a gauntlet and not a mechanical arm, since I was under the impression that it was when I first played the original game.) Oh well, I'm sure you wonderful readers don't mind :)
Also, I know this chapter was pretty long (I had a lot to pack in.) Would you rather have long chapters like this, or should I keep them shorter?