Hexagon
Chapter 21: Gone
::kicks open door:: I'M BAAAACK!
*silence*
It's been less than a month and I've already failed to stick to my update schedule. ::shakes head, bewildered:: How do people do it?!
SO NO ONE GETS CONFUSED, THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN RESUBMITTED. Phew. Writing in all caps is annoying.
Anyway, thank you to the following people for reviewing:
-Azureflower (x2)
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Let's get on with the chapter, shall we?
…
Ivypool's POV:
Bluestar's voice was calm and even, but the steely glint in her eyes gave her away. You could practically feel her burning glare even through the television screen.
"..despite our efforts, we regretfully announce that no new leads have revealed themselves in the investigation concerning the occurrences at the Halloween Dance. We strongly urge any individuals possessing potentially useful information to step forward…"
"They didn't find ANYTHING?", Hollyleaf groused out. "Like as in ABSOLUTELY NOTHING?"
"Unfortunately not", Jayfeather responded. "They found a few fingerprints on the glass, but they were too smudged to be useful."
"I don't know why they're bothering with this whole investigation garbage. I mean, we all know it was Heathertail and her army of skanks. Done. End of story", Lionblaze muttered.
"While I'm also convinced that it was her, there's no proof. So we can speculate all we want, but she's innocent until proven guilty. That's all there is to it." Jayfeather leaned back, before adding, "That doesn't mean it's okay. This far into the investigation, it's unlikely they're going to find anything. So as much as it pains me, she's going to get away with it."
There was silence, and then the sound of Lionblaze throwing a flower vase across the room. I shot him a death glare as I was sprayed with water.
"Lionblaze, can you not?", came the weary voice from under the covers. "That was a get well present from Rosepetal." The blond soccer player cringed and started gathering the fallen flowers from the floor. Cinderheart pushed the sheets down, and ran a hand tiredly through her messy silver hair. She lifted her left foot. It was tightly wrapped in pristine white bandages and smelled faintly of disinfectant.
"This sucks ass", she muttered. "I'd better be able to play in the game against Rushing Water Academy." Hollyleaf gawked. "That's what you're worried about?! Not the crazy psycho bitch who put glass in your shoes?"
I finally decided to join the conversation. "Speaking of which, Ashfur sent everyone on the team an email about that." I pulled my phone out of my back pocket and read aloud:
By: Ashfur
Subject: Re: Soccer practice schedule and the InterClan Classic
Date: 11/2/64
To: Toadstep, Berrynose, Bumblestripe, Icecloud, Lionblaze, Ivypool..
Guys (and girls):
As I'm sure you all know, we start the InterClan Classic on 11/18/64, beginning with our game against Rushing Water Academy. Our practice schedule has been all over the place recently because of the other sports teams using the gym, but I am pleased to say we're going back to our regular Monday, Wednesday, and Friday practices going from 4:30 to 6:00. Until then, I urge all of you to stay safe (I'm looking at you, Cinderheart)
-Ashfur
I read the last part directed at my silver haired teammate aloud with a smirk. The silverette mimed banging her forehead on the headboard. Icecloud, who had been texting Toadstep, looked up.
"So you heard what happened at the dance, Ivypool?" I stared at her, confused. "What do you mean?", I asked, bewildered. "I was there. The whole night long."
"Yeah!", Hazeltail piped up, and slung an arm around my shoulder. "We were chatting up the DJ. Turns out we both love hip-hop!" She grinned widely. "Lexica forever, baby!" She turned to me, raising her hand. "Give me five, girl!"
One awkward high five later, the group directed their attention back to the TV. Bluestar had started speaking again. "...on a more exciting note, I'm pleased to announce that the quarter-final tests are approaching us with breakneck speed!" Jayfeather raised an eyebrow. "...aaand this is her idea of 'exciting news'? That actually explains a lot." "For those of you who are returning Hexagon students, you know how this works, but for the benefit of those of you who are new here, I'll explain the Hexagon testing system."
Cinderheart, who had been looking at the television with half-hearted interest, suddenly was paying more attention.
"Each school year is split into two semesters. At the end of the first semester, so halfway through the year, we have the half-final tests. This is your halfway checkpoint in the year, and it does make for a massive part of your final grade. Halfway through each semester, so a quarter through the year, we have the quarter-finals. These tests aren't as important as the other ones but they still carry weight, so make sure to study, Warriors! Then at the end of the year we have the infamous finals, which determine if you pass to the next year, so these are the tests you definitely want to do well on…"
Hollyleaf was staring at the television screen as if she had been struck by lightning. "Oh my Stars!", she wailed. "I completely forgot! Now what am I supposed to do?! I have to go study!"
-Time Skip-
Turns out Hollyleaf wasn't the only one with that idea. Less than two hours later, the school was in an uproar. The library was filled to the brim with students, but the place was silent with the exception of the occasional despairing groan.
Icecloud, Cinderheart, and I pushed open the doors only to almost get run over by a bleary eyed student clutching a cup of coffee like it was the Holy Grail. Cinderheart shifted on her crutches and raised an eyebrow.
"Well then", she remarked. The library was a large room with a vaulted ceiling and many windows, causing the whole room to be flooded in clean light. The place was jam packed full of students, but somehow, the whole place was eerily silent. Someone in the far corner sneezed, resulting in a wide variety of death glares and a collective "SHHHHHHH!"
"Stars", Cinderheart muttered. "It's just the quarter-final. You'd think these are the SATs." I sighed. "If you think this is intense, just wait for the final examination. Everybody goes absolutely nuts. We're not one of the number one schools in the world for nothing, you know." I watched as two juniors silently argued over a textbook. "It's competitive."
Hollyleaf, whose books were taking up an entire desk, waved us over. She patted the three empty seats and signalled for us to sit down. Her notebook was flipped open in front of her, neatly color coded and labeled with tiny post-it notes. My own notes, which looked like a variety of different colored highlighters threw up on them, paled in comparison.
Hollyleaf threw a worried glance around the library to make sure everyone was busy, and then said in a hushed whisper, "You guys know Beetlewhisker, right?" Icecloud looked confused. "I'm drawing a blank. Who now?"
"The guy from River with the black man-bun and the golden earring. Right?" I spun. Lionblaze and Jayfeather were standing behind us. The blind medic drew up a chair and sat down. "I'm assuming that's who we're talking about?"
Hollyleaf sighed. "No, you're right." I leaned in. "Well?", I asked. "What about him?" The ravenette threw another cautious glance around. "He's gone, disappeared without a trace. No one's seen him since yesterday afternoon, before the dance. The teachers are launching a full scale search for him as we speak."
"Is it a secret or something?", Icecloud asked, confused. Hollyleaf nodded. "Technically, yes. The teachers want to keep it hushed up so no one starts panicking."
"Why though?", Lionblaze asked. "He probably got sick of this place and bolted."
The ravenette looked worried. "That's what I thought at first, too. But the Teleportix hasn't been activated for the past three months. And none of the windows have been shattered either, so he couldn't have jumped ship. So where the hell is he?"
Uneasy silence fell over the small group. Then an idea hit me, and I seized Lionblaze's arm and dragged him over to me. I kept my voice low as I asked, "Hey, isn't Beetlewhisker a part of the Dark Forest?" The blonde's voice was quiet as he answered, "Now that I think about it, he is", he muttered. "I even fought against him a few times, but I haven't seen him in a while. I don't think he's been attending the meetings for a while now." He looked at me, wide-eyed. "Do you think there could be a connection?"
I huffed. "Don't ask me. I'm not part of the Dark Forest anymore. It's not my problem." I was met with a fierce amber glare. "If the Dark Forest is planning something, it will be your problem. And you know very well that if they gain power, no one will be safe. Not Dark Forest members, and definitely not all the students who didn't associate themselves with the psychotic assholes that are somehow still a part of this school."
I raised an eyebrow. "You don't sound very loyal", I sneered. "Why are still part of it if you hate them so much?" "Really?", he asked sarcastically, nodding at the scar that was peeking out from under my sleeve. "You quit. How well did that go for you?"
"Guys!", Honeyfern ran into the library, ignoring the death glares from all the studying students. "They found Beetlewhisker!" Hollyleaf stood up, the chair screeching as it was pushed back. She looked relieved. "How is he? Is he okay?"
Honeyfern looked down, squeezing her eyes shut.
"He's dead."
End Chapter 21
Dun dun DUUUUN! And the plot thickens!
::Azra's muse walks on screen holding a bag labeled Reviews Go Here::
Me: ::shrugs:: Well then…
Thank you for reading! Azra out!