Chapter 10: Prepare for Battle
Tristan and Jesselyn stared impatiently at the clock, which was almost 5 O'clock. Tristan was wearing a black and red striped T-shirt, blue jeans, and a grey small jacket. Jesselyn was wearing a green hoodie and black jeans.
"What's taking Ericha so long?" Tristan asked, looking annoyed.
"She said that she's doing the finishing touches on her hair," Jesselyn replied. "I will never understand older girls."
While they impatiently waited for their sister, Blaze was sitting on the couch with Geoff, watching a hockey game.
"GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!" Geoff cheered. His shouting caused the little Houndour to jump back tumbling on the couch."WHOO! YEAH!"
"Dad...DAD!" Jesselyn called out to her father, getting his attention. "Are you trying to make Blaze deaf?"
Geoff looked down at Blaze who was upside down on the chair. "Oh, sorry Blaze."
"It's no problem," Blaze answered, as he fell forward onto his feet. "So who are you rooting for?"
"The Senators," Geoff answered while staring at the game. "They're tied up against the Maple Leaves. If they get one more point, they'll make it to the playoffs!"
Blaze slowly nodded. He didn't understand what Geoff meant, but he just shook it off and watched the game.
Sheila came into the living room, but stopped and turned behind her. "Come on out Ericha!"
"Hold on!" She called out.
After a few seconds, Ericha slowly, walked out causing everyone besides Geoff to stare at her. Ericha was wearing a blue dress with small, white flowers covering the upper part of it. The lower part has a long, light blue skirt that slightly touches the ground.
"How do I look?" She asked as she twirled once around.
"You look amazing honey," Geoff answered, while still watching the game on the TV.
"Geoff!" Sheila said sternly, causing the man to turn to his wife, who gesture him to look at Ericha.
Once Geoff noticed his daughter's dress, he whistled. "Wow! You look amazing!"
Sheila rolled her eyes, while Ericha giggled. "Thanks, dad."
"If you're done showing off your dress, then let's go!" Jesselyn said looking impatient.
Ericha turned to her and Tristan with an odd look. "You guys do realize that this dance is only for Grade 6 students right?"
"We're not going to your stupid dance!" Jesselyn scoffed. "My teacher is throwing a pizza party upstairs in our classroom."
"Yeah, and we're having gonna have a Super Smash Bros competition!" Tristan added.
"Wow! That sounds fun!" Blaze said looking amazed. "Can I come with you guys?"
Tristan turned to her mother. "Yeah, can he come!?"
"Tristan!" Jesselyn growled as she jammed her elbow into his stomach, causing the boy to turn to her with a "What did I say? expression.
"Sorry Blaze," Ericha said with a sad look on her face. "It's too risky for you to come with us. There's been an incident not too far from here, involving a gunman. So they send in policemen to guard the school during the dance, and if they caught you, then…"
"I understand," The Houndour replied while adding a soft smile. "Sorry I asked. I was just really excited."
Ericha knelt down to Blaze's level, and playfully rubbed his forehead, causing the fur on his head to ruffle up. "Don't worry Blaze. When we get home, I'll tell you everything about the dance."
"And the pizza party!" Jesselyn added.
"Don't forget the Super Smash Bros tournament!" Tristan blurted out. "You'll see me coming home with a big trophy, that has my name on it!"
The two older females giggled at his cocky ego, causing the boy to face them. "What's so funny?"
"I doubt my teacher would have a huge golden trophy just for winning a Smash Bros game," Jesselyn replied. She tried to hold back her grin but failed horribly.
"You three better get going before the dance is over," Geoff reminded. Ericha eyes widened realizing that it was quarter past five.
"Gotta go! Bye!" Ericha immediately grabbed her sibling's arms and dashed out the door, before Blaze and Geoff could say anything.
"Jeez, she really wants to see her friends that badly?" Geoff mumbled.
Sheila chuckled a little as she knelt down beside the animated puppy. "Blaze, would you like to help me make some popcorn?"
"Did you say popcorn?" Blaze asked without looking at Sheila. After a couple of silence, the Houndour turned to her with a confused look on his face. "What is popcorn?"
Red and blue lights flickered, violently in the night sky, as two police cars were parked parallel at an entrance at the back. Two policemen were leaning back on the small black gate, munching on doughnuts and watching carefully as the students walked into the schoolyard. Ericha, Tristan, and Jesselyn were able to get by the policemen without getting a suspicious look from them.
When they got inside the school, they were greeted by students singing, Katy Perry's Fireworks in the gymnasium. There were snack tables in the hall that leads to the entrance of the gymnasium, which was dark and filled with students jumping around to the beat of the music.
Tristan and Jesselyn wasted no time getting away from Ericha as they bolted upstairs. Ericha was scanning the area for Curtis, Anya or Ashely, but instead, she saw someone she wasn't expecting to see here.
"Shermar!" Ericha called out to the boy sitting on the bench. He didn't look casual as the others. he wore black jeans pants with a red T-shirt.
"Hi Ericha," He greeted not looking surprised.
"What are you doing here?" Ericha asked. She realized how loud she was, and got closer to him to whispered. "I mean, you do know that Curtis is planning on humiliating you in front of everyone right?"
"I know," Shermar answered. "But my parents didn't want me to be alone in the house while they go to dinner. So they forced me out."
Before Ericha could reply to his answer, she caught a glance of her best friends walking to the hall that leads to the stage.
"Sorry Shermar, I have to go meet my friends, " Ericha quickly followed them, leaving Shermar alone on the bench.
Ericha noticed the two talking amongst themselves. "Hey, guys!"
When they noticed her, they immediately turned around and disappeared into the left of the hallway. Ericha felt a bit confused by their reaction as she continued to follow them.
When she got to the steps, she noticed the two along with Curtis in the middle of the stage, which the curtains were closed so the teachers or the students wouldn't notice them preparing for the prank.
"Hey, guys!" Ericha called out again. However, Anya and Ashely didn't answer while Curtis who was pushing a big fan, noticed her and waved.
"Hey Ericha, you're just in time to help me push this thing," Curtis said. Ericha sighed and walked towards Curtis and help him push the fan to the other side. She could feel her two best friends staring at the back of her head, causing Ericha to feel nervous.
In the computer lab, shards of glass scattered on the floor. Some black fur on the ground leads to the corner of the room which reveal Mizella and Remoraid who was slowly waking up when they heard a stampede of footsteps coming from outside.
"Mmng!" Mizella groaned as she slowly sat from her curled up position. There were claw marks all over her body as well as some pile of black fur under her feet. "Stupid, Persian ripoffs."
"AHH!" Remoraid yelled, causing the Pokemon's hair to tense up. Looking well alarmed, the fish Pokemon scanned the area for a second and then sighed in relief
However, he held his breath when he noticed Mizella's eerie red eye. "You better have a good explanation why you made my fur look like a porcupine."
"Wah! I'm sorry!" Remoraid apologized. "I just had a horrible nightmare. I was in the forest, surrounded by those vicious Meowth and Persian imposter's. They have this fierce look on their eyes like I was sushi."
"You mean like that?" Mizella pointed to the pair of eyes staring at them from the broken window.
"T-they're back!" Remoraid gulped.
"Don't worry it's just one Meowth ripoff," As soon as she finished her sentence, multiple eyes appeared on the window.
"YAH!" Remoraid screamed.
" MEOWRRR!" The cats hissed and started pouncing on the two. Outside the computer lab, Tristan stopped when he faintly heard the ruckus.
"What was that?" Tristan asked.
"Hurry up Tristan!" Jesselyn shouted down the hall.
"H-Hey Wait for me!" He ignored the noises coming from the room and ran after his sister. He didn't notice one cat face-planted into the door window.
The four were able to finish up the final touches of the prank. There were two big fans hidden behind the red curtains on each side of the stage, and beside them was a box full of pillow feathers,
Exhausted from moving the big fan, Ericha leaned against the back of the stage wall, and slowly slid down until her but touched the floor. She was eager to lay out on the stage floor, but she restrains herself from doing that as she slowly turned to Ashely and Anya who were at the other side of the stage, delivering quick glances at her.
"Okay guys listen up," Curtis got the girls attention. "Since Ericha wasn't here with us during our brainstorming session, why don't we give her the rundown on the prank."
"Whateves," Anya said without looking at Ericha.
"Alright," Curtis didn't witness the attention between the three girls. "I will announce Shermar to come up on stage to get his prize."
Curtis walks over to the corner of the stage where there's a thick rope dangled out. "Then as soon as I give him the plastic trophy, I will pull this rope, causing 200 ounces of sticky green glue to fall on him."
Ericha flinched, as he walked towards the left side of the stage near the fans. "Then, you and Ashely will turn on the fan and drop the feathers in front of it sending them flying towards Shermar. Due to the glue all over his body, it should stick to him."
'"Finally, I will pull this rope on the other side of the stage for the grand final," Hearing that made her body stiffen up. Ericha turned to Ashely and Anya. Anya gave her a suspicious stare, while Ashely just looks down. They both acted like she was going to abandon them.
"So any questions?" Curtis asked. The three girls ignored him as they were having their own staring contest. They were silent for a couple of seconds until Curtis spoke again. "Good, now if you girls need me, I'll be in the bathroom, draining out ten cups of Pepsi before they get on my pants!"
The girls watch as Curtis dashed down the stage, leaving the three of them alone on the stage. The sound of Justin Bieber voice caused one-half of the students to scream like crazy fans, while the others groaned hearing him singing 'Baby.'
Couldn't take the awkward silence, Ericha finally spoke. "What the hell is wrong with you two?"
The two were startled by her outburst, but Ashely kept it together. "What are you talking abo-?"
"Cut the act," Ericha harshly interrupted. "You two were giving me the cold shoulder ever since I've got here like I've betrayed you gu-"
"You did betray us!" Anya snapped, startling the two. "You've betrayed us ever since that loser came into this school!"
"His name is Shermar!" Ericha shot back.
"That proving my point!" Anya argued. "Why are you being so nice to him? He likes baby shows like Pokemon, and always writing these bizarre stories involving them, and other dumb shows. That proves that he's a los-."
"SHUT THE HELL UP!"
If the volume on the radio wasn't on high volume, everyone would of avert their eyes to the stage, noticing three shadows on the curtain. Ericha breathing heavily as she stared sternly at Anya who was shocked by her outburst.
Feeling that she has power over her best friend, she continued. "Why can't you just leave him alone!? Ever since he came here, you three made him your primal target!"
"Why are you sticking up for him?" Anya angrily questioned. "That loser is the one who told the principle on you during Grade 4!"
"No, he didn't!" Ericha argued. "He was just asking for a towel to dry himself off with because the whole school soaked him with water balloons!"
"We were just having a little fun with him," Anya defended.
"That's a load of bullshit!" Ericha snapped. "Every scheme you and Curtis planned after that incident, almost got Shermar expelled or arrested! And even though I was protecting him, I was also trying not to tell the teacher on you three because we are best friends!"
"Are we?" Anya asked coldly, taking a step closer to Ericha. "Because I don't remember being friends with someone who hangs out with a Poke-freak!"
"Well, I would rather be friends with a Poke-freak than a jerk!" Ericha angrily yelled back.
"STOP IT YOU TWO!" Ashely got between the two, and pushed them away, worried that fist will start flying.
Ericha turned to Ashely. "Ashely, how can you go along with their pranks like that? Don't you remember when Curtis told everyone at school that you and your family are working in a gun shop?"
"Y-yeah," Ashely hesitated to answer. "I was really hurt by what Curtis said, but you and Anya told me that he didn't mean it."
"So you think that making others miserable is just a joke then?" Ericha questioned. Ashely was about to say something, but nothing came out. She started fiddling with her thumbs, nervously.
"Leave her alone!" Anya butted in when she noticed Ashely's thumb fiddling. "She has nothing to do with the fact that you're hanging out with a los-"
SMACK!
Anya was interrupted when she suddenly felt a painful sting coming from her cheeks. She along with Ashely stared at Ericha in shocked by her sudden action.
"That's my friend you're insulting you b-bastard," Ericha growled. She then glances at Ashely with a sorry look, before walking away from the two.
"That right, go to your loser friend loser!" Anya yelled, but the blond ignored her and continued walking until they were out of her sight. She felt a slight pain of guilt for leaving Ashely who was also once a victim to their bullying.
Once she made it to the lobby, Ericha began scouting the area for any teachers, but couldn't find any. She was about to talk to the policemen outside but decided against it because of how one of Curtis's pranks made the police lose their trust in her.
Ericha decided to go upstairs, remembering that Jesselyn's teacher was having a pizza party there. While climbing the stairs, Ericha was in deep thought about her relationship with Anya. It was hard for her to forget the fun times she had with Anya, but the mean things she and Curtis did to Ashely and Shermar over the school years gave her a reason to break her relationship with her.
When she opened the door that led to the second floor, a sudden crashing noise made Ericha sounded like someone just threw a computer on the floor. She turned to the computer lab door, slowly closing the door behind her.
She tiptoed to the center of the hallway but heard the same sound followed by a cat meowing. Ericha stared at the computer lab door with a puzzled by the noise. 'A cat? How did it get inside the computer la-.!'
Suddenly, the door burst open by a powerful beam, causing Ericha to scream as it hit the wall. Luckily, she was nowhere in the path where it was aiming.
Ericha slowly took a step back in shocked, until her back hit the wall behind her. She noticed a bunch of cats running out, frightened by the blast.
"That right you better run, I've got more where that came from!" She heard a small yet strong voice coming from the dust cloud.
A sudden smack was heard. "Idiot! You almost hit me with that attack!"
"Hey, I told you to duck, didn't I?"
"Next time said that before you charge up!"
The blond didn't know what was going on. She kept quiet as she felt like her heart was pounding out of her chest.
As the dust cloud cleared up, her eyes widen in shocked as she saw a certain black hyena carrying a weird looking fish inside a fishbowl.
"Jeez, those Persian ripoffs were annoying," The hyena growled. She started licking herself. "Look what they did to my beautiful fur."
"Well, at least you weren't inside their mouths," The fish mumbled under his breath.
The hyena creature heard the fish's comment but ignored it when she noticed the shivering blond teen staring at her. The two stared at each other silently. One pair of eyes looked intimidating, while the other looked like she was about to wet her pants.
To Be Continued