Chapter 46: Hilda & Nasos: Trail of Bodies
''Ow! Owowowowow! Don't pull too hard!''
''Heheh. Sorry. I almost got it!''
Hilda attempted to assure Nasos as she pulled at the piece of gum in her friend's hair once more.
Nasos winced at every pull, something Hilda just couldn't prevent. The most she could do is make it quick and clean. She did a couple small tugs to confirm for herself that the gum was loose enough and with one last motion, pulled hard.
''Argh!'' Nasos could feel the unwanted chewable substance leave her hair. It wasn't exactly pleasant.
''Ahahaha~ It's out now!'' Hilda held up the gum in her fingers.
Nasos took a bit to even register that, being too focused on the stinging sensation on her head. Soon enough though, she took note of not just the gum, but the strains of hair caught in it.
''How bad is it this time?'' She said, urging Hilda to look at the still sore spot.
''Not as ba-hehehe-d as last time. No bald spot there.''
Nasos rubbed the spot and went straight to the nearby mirror. Thankfully, no damage was done indeed.
''Oh thank goodness. Last time was the worst.''
Hilda nodded in agreement, silently watching her friend do some small adjustments in the mirror to not look unkempt.
''At least we got off easy this time.'' Nasos mused.
''Sure did. Incu-pfft~ Incubus could have too, if he just had been quiet.''
''He'll never get the hint that Schezo only avoids him because he finds him irritating.''
Neither of the girls were sure on whether to shake their heads or pity the anti-flirt for ruining his chances to get away.
A little of both sounded about right.
Once Nasos adjusted herself, the duo left the room they retreated into, only to be met with quite the sight.
The entire hall, filled with tormented students. Some tried to collect themselves. Some winced on the ground, still not over the wet willies and noogies they received. Yet again others could be heard banging against their locker doors from inside or were wedgied to any kind of hook that could be found.
No matter what grade they went to. No matter if they were boys or girls. No matter how tall or short, they all had one thing in common:
They had fallen victim to Schez&Co.
Both pinkheads winced at the sight in front of them. Entire halls filled with completely defeated students who were unfortunate to have been found by the bullies.
''Been a while since the-snrk-their last rampage. I don't think even la-pffft!-last time was as bad as this.'' Hilda tried her best to hold back the curse induced laughter, because the last thing she wanted was to come off as mocking her fallen schoolmates.
Nasos for her part could only shake her head.
''What a bunch of brutes. To think they'll get away with this too.''
Hilda nodded in agreement, visibly disappointed that the school staff somehow never caught on to any of this. Not for themselves at any rate.
''Hehe, change of haha topic, how did the thing with that black thing go?'' Hilda attempted to change the subject to something else.
''Hm? Same as usual. I think I see it and it's gone again and I can't prove any of it. I have no idea what-...huh?'' Nasos stopped her rant mid-sentence, suddenly listening in to something.
''What's up?'' A confused Hilda asked.
Nasos only motioned for Hilda to follow her. Quietly she went for the corner of the next room, listening in for something.
Once the two made their turn, it didn't take long to make out the source of the sound. It was the muffled screams of a girl stuck head-first in a trash can.
The two best friends couldn't help but to stare a bit, pitying the girl for her humiliating predicament, watching her struggle, unable to do anything to free herself on her own.
''Uff, tha-hahaha!-that's awfu-...''Hilda's eyes widened when she took note of the girl's shoes. They looked genie-like and then those matching socks too….
Nasos quickly caught onto her best friends' sudden shock and looked at what she could see of the girl again, yep. No doubt.
Without another word, the two silently agreed to help out. First they both slowly and gently toppled the can over. After that all, they needed to do was put one foot each on the can, grab the girl's legs and pull.
It took a bit of sweat and effort, thanks to how stuffed the can was, but soon enough, the girl was free and indeed, it was Jaan.
The genie girl just kept lying on the ground for a bit, breathing in and out to enjoy the no doubt better air. She looked fatigued, defeated and had garbage stuck in her hair. She was visibly too exhausted to pay that any mind at the moment though.
''Jaan! Are you okay?'' Nasos called out to her younger friend, who finally appeared to have collected herself a little.
''I couldn't warn them in time….I couldn't save them. No magic…'' The genie weakly replied.
''The others…'' Nasos mused to herself. It's true, she had yet to see any of the others around.
''I'm here.'' As if on cue a voice came from the girls' bathroom, soon revealed to be Marvett.
She held her glasses in her hand with a towel around it to dry them off.
''They gave me the flush and almost flushed my pen down the drain. Still feeling unclean and pretty sure Rabbie does as well.'' The aspiring writer dryly remarked, her literal spirit animal still shivering in disgust and panic.
''Gross.'' Was all Hilda could bring out before devolving into a cursed giggle fit. Nasos for her part still tended to Jaan along with Marvett. The two slowly cleaned her up a bit, removing the pieces of trash stuck over her hair and clothes.
The girls all stood up, they still weren't all here. The boys were missing. With no other options all they could do was move forward and hope they'd run into them. Not like the trail of tormented students didn't give them a lead to go off of.
Their search proved to be short-lived, because not long afterwards they could make out two figures at the end of the hall. It was a ageddown Lagnus, struggling to carry a barely moving Sig with an arm over his shoulder.
A brief gasp escaped all the girls present, but they had no time to waste, they all ran as fast as they could to make it to the duo.
''Hey guys. Some help please.'' An exhausted Lagnus pleaded to his friends. He collapsed into Marvett's arms, while Hilda caught Sig, who was visibly conscious, but unwell.
The girls took both boys near the lockers. Marvett was still holding Lagnus like the tired kid he technically was at the moment while Hilda sat Sig next to the wall near them.
''What happened to you?'' Jaan asked in shock.
''They caught us…'' Lagnus began to explain. ''Bonked our heads together. My curse kicked in and Carrie gave me a noogie." Langus tried to hold it together, but it was clear he was doing his best not to cry. "Sig got slammed into the lockers by the small, blonde kid and nearly fell unconscious.''
''Sig. Sig sa-hehehe-ay are you okay?'' Hilda tried to rattle her friend, shook by the story, desperately trying to get him to react more.
The boy looked her in the eyes. Or tried to at least, he seemed very disoriented.
''…bit dizzy is all.'' He finally said, wincing a bit when he felt Jaan feel up the bump in the back of his head.
''Well duh, I can feel that bump on your noggin there.'' Jaan concluded, trying to suppress her inner fury at the short bully. Now was not the time for anger.
''I'll go get a ice pack.'' Marvett declared, motioning for Nasos to hold Lagnus, which the older girl did, granting the cursed kid some comforting hands to rest in.
It took a little for Sig to respond. "'Kay. Thanks."
"I wish I could turn into an ice pack on the spot…" Jaan mumbled.
''How are you holding up?'' Nasos asked Lagnus gently, without trying to talk down to him like a kid. She knew he did not take that well.
''Been worse. I'm just confused. The others pulled that blonde shrimp away after he hurt Sig like they weren't happy about it.''
''Well yeah, they don't want to cross a line that gets them suspended.'' Jaan figured.
''Bullies and restraint? Yeah right.'' Lagnus spat, clearly not believing it. Not like anyone could even blame him for it.
"I know. Like… this isn't a line?" The genie pointed at the carnage.
Hilda returned her attention to Sig, who was trying to get up on his own. Hilda stopped him, keeping an arm around the boy's waist.
''You rest. We don't want yo-snrk-you to collapse.'' She told him softly with a comforting smile that made the boy visibly relax.
''Did they get you too?'' Sig suddenly asked his older friend, finally getting more talk-active.
''Yeah. Only a wet willy-hihihihi~ for me and some gum in the hair for Nasos. Nothing big. Sweet of you to ask though~'' She playfully thanked him, tightening her grip on him for emphasis.
''The gum was already bad enough...'' Nasos mumbled to herself in return.
Not long afterwards, Marvett returned with the ice pack for Sig, urging him to keep it on his bump for a while.
The teens sat together, just trying to recover from all that madness. They all remained quiet for a bit to collect themselves and let everything pass them by.
''This better not happen regularly again.'' Lagnus was uncomfortable at the mere thought.
''Or that I can warn you and we can flee in time.'' Jaan still silently kicked herself.
''At least we look out for each o-hahahhah~ other.'' Hilda spun things into a more optimistic direction.
Everyone around could agree with the sentiment. That was something no bully could take away from them.
''Agreed. To think that this kind of thing is how we even met you.'' Marvett directed at her senior grade friends.
Sig nodded, gazing directly at Hilda, who was still holding him.
''You're always here for us. Thanks.'' He exchanged looks with both pink-heads in the room, both of whom were a little flustered at not just Sig's comment, but Marvett, Lagnus and Jaan visibly sharing the sentiment.
''Heheh~ Hey, we know can count on you guys too!'' Hilda leaned even closer into Sig.
''And that's what friends are for.'' Nasos patted Lagnus on his shoulder in a supportive fashion.
Without any words, Jaan gestured for everyone to come together, leading into a big group hug between the friends. Not like more needed to be said.
This display of companionship within this group of teens did not go unnoticed by a certain girl with green hair, who was watching the scene from farther away.
It did not take long for the girl to stop watching and take her leave. More than a few thoughts went through her mind, but now was not the time for it.
Above all else, she was set on her own ambitions. Once those were accomplished, she'd get what she wanted for certain.