Chapter 8: An After-School Mission
After agreeing to investigate the strange accidents, Briar and the others are walking down Main Street to get to the school so they can investigate.
"So now that we have to investigate the strange accidents, how are we going to start with the investigation?" Jasper asks.
"Well, the first thing we need to do is talk to the victims who got into the accidents," Briar says.
"But how are we going to find them?" Sereia asks.
"Well, the first place we should go to is the school infirmary. They probably have the students who were recently hurt in there for their injuries," Briar says.
"Sounds like a very reasonable idea. We should question them there," Tanzanite says.
In the school infirmary, many of the students are in the medical bed to have their injuries checked. The door opens and Briar along with the group walk in.
Grim calls out, "All right, where's this guy who hurt his ankle."
The first Heartslabyul student lying in the bed with a bandage wrapped around his ankle sit up along with his classmate
"Huh?" The first student says.
The second student turns to them and recognizes them, "Hey, it's the ones from Ramshackle House! They were at the unbirthday party! What are you guys doing here?
But Grim ignores them and happily says, "Get a load o' that! We're totally famous!"
"Right grim," Jasper says, rolling his eyes.
Briar turns to the student, "We were asked by the headmage to investigate the accidents that's been going on. We like to ask you some questions. Do you have any idea how it happened?
The injured student answers, "I wish I knew what happened myself, man. I was walking along, talking to my friend. And next thing I knew, BOOM! I was tumbling down the stairs.
"Yeah. I didn't even see him stumbling or anything," The classmate says.
Then the injured student says, "It was like my body just lurched forward by itself. I can't really explain it."
Briar then writes down the information on a notepad of the accident.
"Hm. Hmmm. Interesting. Veeery interesting," Grim replies.
Sereia and Trinket nod their heads.
"Thank you for letting me know," Briar says.
Then turns to the others, "Let's investigate the others."
Grim and the others nod their heads in reply.
Briar and the group talk to the other victims in the infirmary and what's strange, their accidents are similar to the first student they talk to.
After talking to the students in the infirmary, they head to one of the classrooms to ask the other students about it. They walk inside to see two of the Pomefiore students.
Grim calls out, "Hey, you. You had an accident and almost got hurt real bad, right? Give us the deets."
"Grim," Jasper sternly says.
The first Pomefiore student questions, "And why should I answer to you, exactly?"
Briar notices that he's wearing a cast on his right arm along with a sling.
"He was in peak condition for the Spelldrive tournament and got hurt so bad that he can't even play now!" The second student.
"And you're here to…" The first student says.
But stop and ask, "what, rub salt in my wound?"
Then angrily says, "We throw down the gauntlet! Duel us!"
"We'll give you a fight," Jasper says, and holds out his magepen.
"Yeah," Grim says.
But Briar pulls the two away and sternly says, "That's enough you two. We're not here to cause a fight."
Then Briar turns to the two Pomefiore students, "We're not here to cause any trouble. We were asked by the headmage to investigate the accidents that's been going around in the school. We like to ask you two what happened that led to the incident."
The injured student sighs and says, "Alright, we'll tell you, but only because the headmage is involved in it."
Then the second student explains, "It happened in the laboratory. We were boiling up a potion when his hands suddenly shot out and grabbed the screaming hot cauldron. He dumped out every last drop. It was bizarre! Made a real mess too.
"Oh, so YOU'RE gonna do all the talking?!" the first student says, annoyed.
"Hm. Hmmm. Interesting. Veeery interesting," Grim replies.
"And neither one of you have noticed anything strange or out of the ordinary?" Tanzanite asks.
"Not really, but it's strange. It felt like my arm moved on its own," The injured student says.
"Well, thank you for your time," Briar says.
Then turns to the others, "Let's head back to the dorm and go over the interviews."
Sometime later, the group returns to the Ramshackle dorm to go over the notes.
"I dunno, this just looks like a bunch of absent-minded kids hurtin' themselves to me," Grim says.
"Maybe, but it's strange how a lot of the students are getting into accidents and don't seem to have much control over their bodies," Briar says.
"And none of the students seem to know why it happened," Tanzanite replies.
Jasper crosses his arms, "Maybe all of this is just a coincidence. The students didn' notice anything or seen anything out of the ordinary.
If there's a scandal here. I ain't seein' it!" Grim says.
Suddenly, they hear a buzzing sound.
"Huh? Whozzat?" Grim says, confused.
Grim then opens the door and sees Ace at the door.
"Mornin'. Guess you're feeling better now, huh, Grim?" Ace replies.
"Oh, it's you," Grim says, not giving a care.
Then says, "We're kinda busy right now. No time for kid stuff. Scram."
"Grim, that's not nice," Sereia says
"Busy? What, you got a lot of homework?" Ace asks.
"Well, it's not homework. We're actually working on something else, and it's kind of important," Briar says.
"What is it?" Ace asks.
"Well, the thing is…" Briar says.
In the lounge, Briar and the others explain to Ace about the assignment Crowley has them do and what they've learned from their investigation.
"Injuries from suspicious accidents, huh?" Ace replies, interested.
"But nothin' we heard sounded all that suspicious. It seemed like they were all just excited about the tournament, got distracted, and hurt themselves somehow," Grim says.
"Maybe, but it's strange that a lot of the students end up getting injured, and all the ones we asked were players in the Spelldrive teams. Even some of the students from your dorm got injuries," Briar says.
"And it's odd that no one has seen or heard anything out of the ordinary," Tanzanite says.
"And their bodies end up moving like they have a mind of their own. At least from what the victims were saying," Sereia says
Then Jasper says, "Yeah. And none seems to understand why it happened."
Trinket nods her head in reply.
"That's weird," Ace replies.
Briar places her hand under her chin and says, "Something very odd is going on, and I'm not convinced all of them were just coincidence or accidents."
Suddenly, they hear the door burst open and running into the lounge is Deuce.
In a panic state, Deuce calls out, "Ace! We've got a big problem!"
This catches everyone by surprise.
"Dial it down, Loosey-Deucey. What is it?" Ace asks.
"What got you in such a panic?" Jasper asks.
"Trey fell down the stairs! He's hurt!" Deuce answers.
This causes everyone in deep shock, "What?!"
Then Grim says, "Myah! He's the sneaky one with the glasses, yeah?"
"Trey has gotten hurt too!" Sereia says, shocked.
"He never struck me as being absent-minded," Jasper says, just as shocked.
"Yeah, Trey wouldn't just trip and eat dirt," Ace says.
Briar says, "Now I know that these so-called accidents were not coincidences."
Trinket tinks and points her finger and moves her hand.
"I think Trinket is saying that we should go see Trey. He might be the victim of these recent accidents as well," Tanzanite says.
"Yeah! Let's go see what he's got to say!" Grim says.
Briar turns to Deuce, "Deuce, where is Trey right now."
"He's with the Housewarden and Cater in his room," Deuce says.
"Can you take us there?" Briar asks.
Deuce nods his head, "Of course. Let's go."
And with that, everyone leaves the Ramshackle Dorm to get to the Heartslabyul Dorm to see Trey, ask to see if he's okay, and to ask him about his story.