A/N: -beep beep-
Consider this an oasis in the midst of insanity; things are really going to start heating up soon!
The Puzzle
"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!"
Victor opened his eyes to the group standing above him.
Well, okay, it wasn't the group, just Cricket and Amanda. Everyone else was asleep.
"Whazzit?" Victor mumbled, rubbing his eyes. He noticed that his hair was disheveled and his clothes were messed up.
Cricket frowned. "You made a mile deep gash in Barkis' hand and passed out."
"Oh…well, yes. Yes, of course…"
Pebbled sat down, along with Cricket. "But get this. Barkis said that a black door had appeared in front of HIM, promising wealth and riches. Greedy little-"
Cricket cut her off. "Anyway, Barkis was taken care of, and we're all okay. We want you to help us figure out the puzzle, that's why we woke you up, you dingbat."
Erik suddenly appeared at Pebbles' side. "I'm going to help."
Victor gaped. "Don't you even sleep, Erik?"
"No, not really." He grinned.
Pebbles rolled her eyes and sighed. "Someone just fetch some paper and a pen and a flashlight, and we'll just…" She trailed off, seeing the look on the characters' faces. "Oh, all right, FINE. I'LL get them."
After getting the needed materials, Erik headed the paper "Notes" in his awesome handwriting and asked, "So…what is one of the clues?"
Victor pointed at the paper. "The doors, the doors."
Erik wrote:
Barkis- door promising riches
Fop-door promising the ever so elusive Opera Ghost
"Don't flatter, yourself, Erik," Pebbles giggled. "What else?"
Cricket thought, then coughed. "The weirdo diseases and the fact that they lasted for a certain time, discovered or ended at a certain time, and appeared right before a character did."
Erik wrote it down quickly. "Keep going, there's more."
Pebbles added, "You said something about a key when you were sick."
Erik wrote:
Key
"And the song that Willy hummed…"
It was written down.
"Willy said something about a queen coming, a boy coming, and a girl being back…"
Erik scribbled it down.
"And there was a person with messy hair at the foot of my bed when Willy became normal and fell asleep…but they weren't there for long."
Down it went.
"Oh! Character note!"
Erik laughed, writing it down. "Far too many notes for my taste…"
"And most of them are about Christine!" Pebbles sang happily.
Victor looked confused. "None of them are about anybody named Christine…"
Pebbles and Erik exchanged knowing glances. "It's an inside joke."
Cricket giggled. "I get it! Anyway, VICTOR," she put emphasis on the name, glaring in a playful way at Victor, "said something about a dead person coming for one of us in this group, and he said something about a ruler, a chosen one, and an imposter."
Erik wrote it down. "Anything else?"
Pebbles shrugged. "Nope. That's about it, unless you count the thing about everyone having powers."
As Erik wrote down the "last" clue, Victor, who seemed fit to burst, held his hand up. "Wait. I-I-oh dear…"
He sighed and looked down, then looked back up, gazing at each person in turn. "I…received a note as well…"
He dug through his pockets, and withdrew a crumpled piece of paper. He smoothed it out as best as he could, and handed it to Pebbles.
The group read through the letter quickly while Victor stared at his shoes. "I-I-I'm sorry I didn't give it to you earlier…"
There was a pause.
Pebbles started laughing.
"Not much of a clue, is it?" She whacked the paper with her hand. "These are actually the names of songs!"
"Songs?" Victor snatched back the paper and read it through again. "Those are very odd names for songs, aren't they?"
"Yeah, but the songs are pretty creepy…Blue Skies and Tourniquet are really gothic, but Theatre is really good to listen to before a performance or when you don't feel too hot," Cricket added, grabbing the paper and pen from Erik and scribbling it down. "They might hold hidden clues or something."
Erik took the paper back and skimmed over the notes. "It seems that's…it." He glared at the group. "Unless someone ELSE has a note?"
Everyone shook their head.
"Well, then, off to bed with you all."
When everyone else was asleep again, Pebbles lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.
A note appeared on her stomach. She picked it up and read it.
One away from the tree.
A/N: Omg…tomorrow is the last day before break! –cheers-
