While on a fieldtrip, Nate, Ash, Shane, and Jason have to investigate as part of a mission, suspecting iellegal testing. But, Ash seems to become part of the testing too. In a side story, back at school, Sharmane and Ash are nominated for Winter Queen for the upcoming dance.
Chapter 27: Fishy Fieldtrip Pt.2
--ASH'S POV--
I just kept starring at myself in the mirror. I sighed. There really was no turning back. I took off my red and orange cat ear hat and threw it onto the floor.
"Ash, Ash where are you?" I heard Nate call from my earring.
I ignored him and looked at my watch. Nate was using this to track me down. I took it off and thew it on the floor. It landed beside my hat and I watched it with an emotionless face.
"Hey," said a female voice from behind me.
I jumped and turned my head around, ready to fight. Until, I saw another girl. She was just like me, green scaly skin. Except, she wore a torn up simple blue dress and her hair was mid back and Blondie.
"W-Who are you?" I managed to speak out.
"Ash!" I heard Nate call from outside the bathroom door. "Ash you're in there!"
"Nate," I said in a worried whisper.
I felt a hand grab my wrist. "Come on. I know how you can get away."
I decided to trust her and we walked to the wall. She opened a door that seemed like a secret passage way, much to my surprise.
"And this field trip gets weirder and weirder," I said to myself as she pulled me along, the door closing behind me.
"Ash come on open up!" I shouted, banging on the door. I sighed heavily and pushed the door open. To my surprise the place was empty. "Hello?" I called into the small bathroom. "Anyway in here?"
I looked at the five stalls. Ash might have been hiding in one of then with her feet up. But then, I saw her hat, and her G.R.A.Y watch, resting on the floor right in front of me. "Ash." I ran to the two objects and knelt down, picking them both up. She'd never leave these behind. Just where the heck was she?
I arrived in this room, it looked like a pool room. "Where are we?" I asked curiously.
"My tank," the girl said as we finally arrived in some light.
I looked at the oversized swimming pool in front of me. "Your tank?"
She nodded. "I live here, unfortunately."
My head turned to her. I knew she wasn't a threat.
"You're confused, too," she said as if reading my mind. "My name's Madeline."
I smiled at her. "I'm Ash."
She nodded and let go of my hand, sitting at the edge of the water. Now that we were in the light, I could see her fully. Her entire body was green, and her toes and fingers were webbed, like mine. She had fins on her elbows too.
"Were you always like this?" I asked.
Madeline shook her head. "No. My dad's the head scientist here. He used me as a subject for one of his testing experiments."
My face saddened. Who'd do that to their own daughter?
"We weren't that close, so I don't blame him for not caring. Then again, I don't have a lot of friends, so I didn't loose anything really. But now I'm not allowed to roam the lab, or anywhere at that matter."
I looked at my hand. "What am I exactly?"
"I don't know," Madeline replied. "But you inherited certain traits. For one, you can breath and swim fast underwater."
My head jumped. "Wow."
"Yeah, seems amazing, but I'd do anything to be free."
"Ah, so you're the one we're looking for."
She starred at me with a confused face. "What are you talking about?"
I brought my worst up, but I remembered I threw away my watch. "Actually, three of my classmates and I are spies from an organization called G.R.A.Y. We were on a mission to find proof of an affected human test subject and save the person if we could. But, it seems I won't be any help anymore."
"So someone's really looking for me?" she asked with hope.
I nodded. "Yeah. My teammates are at least. I've found you, but I can't do anything in this state. I'm probably stuck this way forever."
"I'm sure if you let your teammates find you we'll be ok."
"It's not that simple, Madeline. My teammates and I are really close friends. They'd probably never look at me the same if they ever saw me."
"Well if they were real friends they wouldn't care if you grew a third head."
I sighed. "I wish."
"Well, who's your best friend?"
A smile drew upon my face. "I'd have to say Nate."
Madeline's head jumped. "That boy at the door?"
I nodded. "That's him."
"He sounded very worried about you, Ash," Madeline said with a small smile. "He must really care about you."
"Just as much as I care about him," I said, still smiling. "Maybe even more."
She tilted her head. "You mean you like him?"
A blush went to my green face. "N-No, n-nothing like that!"
She giggled that innocent giggle. "I'd think otherwise."
I sighed in defeat. "Not you too."
"Ash!" Nate's voice called.
"She's somewhere in there!" I heard Jason yell too.
"Ugh, Jason must have found me from my earring," I said in a low whisper.
"Do you really not want to be seen by them?" Madeline asked.
I nodded. And before I knew it, Madeline dove into the water. She stuck her head back up. "Come on. We'll hide under the water."
I obeyed her and dove into the water as well. And to my surprise, my sight was better, I didn't have to move a muscle to swim, and I could breath. It was like flying in midair. I was about to just stare into space until I felt Madeline grab my arm and pull me deeper, since I could still be seem staying this close to the surface.
"That's weird, I thought I heard someone in here before," I heard Jason say above. Wow, my hearing is good.
"Are you sure this is where you tracked her down, Jason?" Ember asked.
"Positive," he answered. "She's still in here somewhere."
"She's gotta be here," Nate said. His footsteps were heavy, we was running.
"Poor Nate," I heard Ember mumble. "He's so worried."
"When isn't he worried when it comes to Ash?" Shane laughed.
I made an annoyed face. "Shane you're dead for that comment-"
Madeline covered my mouth. "Quiet. Remember you can talk under here. They might hear you."
"You guys hear Ash?" Shane asked.
"Told you," Madeline said.
Nate was breathing hard and sat down on a chair. "Geez Ash where are you?"
I heard Jason sit down next to Nate. "I'm sure wherever she is she's alright."
"You don't know that," Nate said.
"Maybe she's hiding," Ember said, catching my attention.
"Why should she be hiding?" Nate asked.
"I saw her before with green skin. Ever since she's been acting real weird," Ember said.
"Great, perfect timing to go through puberty, Ash."
We heard Ember whack Shane upside the head. "You moron, it's not puberty."
"Then what is it?" Jason asked.
Ember sighed. "Ash will have to tell us that."
"Oh, Ash we have to tell them," Madeline begged.
I shook my head. "No. You go. you can get some help back at the G.R.A.Y labs. I'll stay here and take your place."
Madeline rolled her eyes. "Ash come on. Do you seriously not ever want to see your friends again? Do you not want to see Nate again?"
Even though we were in the water, I felt my eyes well up. I squinted them and shook my head. Madeline smiled and swam up, dragging me along with her.
"AHHH!" Shane shouted, jumping back and falling onto Ember. Jason and Nate just starred at us.
"Get off me. You're heavy," Ember groaned.
"Ash?" Nate asked, making eye contact with me.
I shyly hid behind Madeline. She just chuckled a bit. "Hehe, um, yeah, that's Ash."
"Ash what happened to you?" Jason asked, walking up to the pool.
I shrugged, still not making eye contact. Right now I didn't want to say it was Sharmane. "I don't know. I guess some time along the day I was injected with this animal DNA and I turned into this."
"And her?" Jason asked, meaning Madeline.
"Um, she's the one we're looking for," I said.
Nate sighed from relief. "At least we found you. Ash I was worried sick. "
Jason rolled his eyes. "That'd be an understatement."
I looked up. "You mean you don't think I'm some freak?"
Nate shook his head. "Ash, you're fine. And you're my best friend. So what if you're green and scaly?"
I pouted. "Ok who are you?"
Nate laughed. "Boy do I feel offended."
Jason smiled. "Let's get you two out of here."
--
I was at the school's gym, having the Winter Ball. I was wearing formal, a nice dress. I was with Ember at the food table talking, until the guys showed up.
"Told you I saw them here!" Shane said with that grin on his face.
Ember smiled. "Hi guys."
I looked at them, seeing them wearing black dress pants alone with button down shirts and ties. "Wow, you guys clean up good."
Nate smiled. "I could say the same for you guys."
"My mom made us wear these," I said, looking at myself. "Do we look weird?"
"Not at all," Nate said smiling.
Shane laughed. "Someones blushing."
Nate sent Shane a glare while I blinked. I didn't hear what Shane mumbled. "What are they talking about?"
Jason shook his head. "Don't worry about them."
"So," Shane said, looking at Ember. "Did you find a date?"
Ember kept her eyes closed. "You know I don't date, Gray. And what about you? I figured you'd have one out of pity by now."
Shane kept a still face, trying to think up a good comeback to that.
Jason looked between them and sighed, grabbin their backs and pushing them onto the dance floors. "Ah just forget it and dance already." In no time the three were lost in the huge crowd.
Nate looked at me. "Well, looks likes things are back to normal."
"For the mean time," I said, looking at my hand. "At least Madeline and I aren't all green and scaly anymore."
"But why'd you have to run away from me, though?" Nate asked. I avoided eye contact with him still by looking at the floor.
"I didn't want you to freak out when you saw me," I admitted. "I thought you'd think I was some sorta freak. Now a days, all guys care about in a girl are looks. That's pretty much how Sharmane's gonna win."
"Ash, I admitt there's some truth in that, that guys care about looks in a girl. But that's just because we're guys. I mean, don't you like guys who look good or something?"
I gave Nate a confused look. "I've never liked anyone so I wouldn't know. Unless you want me to try-"
"Keep it at that," Nate interupted, turning his head away with a blush. "What I'm saying is, that if you really had a good relationship with a guy, they wouldn't care. I don't care. Like this, if I turned green and scaly, would you still be friends with me?"
I sighed. "Why must you be right about this stuff?"
Nate smiled and hugged me. I loved it when we hugged. It made me feel safe.
"And now for the winner of Winter Queen!" Principal Koel said on stage.
All attention went to him whiled I drank my punch aagin. "Well Nate, ready for that dance with the Queen?"
Nick blushed. "Oh yeah."
I was about to go sit by the bleachers until I heard the unbelievable. "And the winner is Ashley Drame!" My eyes shot open as the entire gym erupted into applause. I couldn't even see Sharmane's expression, wondering why she didn't win.
"I-I..." I said, utterly shocked.
I felt Nate's hands push me behind me. "Go on, they're waiting for you on stage."
Eventually I was moved up to the front of the gym and onto stage. Principal Koel smiled and placed a small tiara on my head. Ha, good thing I wasn't wearing my cat ear hat at the time.
"Congratulations," Principal Koel said as the dance floor cleared. A slow song started and I nervously walked down the stage. People starred at me as I blushed, but the lights made them invisible. I guess it was time for the Winter Queen Dance, but, I had no one to dance with. I heard some people whispering. Apparently I was the first freshman to win Winter Queen. That made me feel good inside, but I was still dead nervous. That is, until I saw Nate turn me around from behind.
"Ah," I said as I was turned around. "N-Nate?"
He put his hand around my waist and the other in my hand. "What? I did say I wanted to dance."
I smiled as we started. Some of the other couples started dancing too. "I thought you wanted to dance with Sharmane."
"Yeah, but I said I wanted to dance with the queen. And look, and I'm dancing with her," Nate said.
I continued smiling and looked down. I brought my head back up. "You are too good a friend to me, Nate."
"Only the best for her majesty the queen," he said as he spun me. I laughed, definitely enjoying myself. I guess beauty really doesn't matter. Because believe me, Sharmane would win in that categorycatagory. I guess, I won because of my personality. And look what I got as my prize, a dance with my best friend... I do think of him as my best friend... don't I?
NEXT CHAPTER...
"Timothy Pallet."
I arched my eyebrows. "Who's Timothy Pallet?"
"That'd be me," said a guy behind us. "Hey you're Ash right? The girl who got the part of Juliane?"
I blushed and nodded my head under my cat ear hat. "Y-Yeah. T-That'd be me."
"Sfter we get our scrip in homeroom, wanna go out somewhere, get something to eat while we go over our lines? Like a date?"
--
"Well, looks like Ash is finally becoming your normal teenage girl," Shane said.
"A little to fast if you ak me," Nate mumbled.
--
"Nate you've gotta follow her," Shane said right after I shut the door.
Nate starred at him. "What why?"
"Well obviously we'll get caught if we all go. If it's only you it's better," Shane replied.
"Wait. Are you saying you want me to spy on Ash and her date?" Nate clarified.
"I wouldn't think of it as spying really," Jason said. "You can say it's like, looking around the night city for the mission."
--ASH'S POV--
--NATE'S POV--
