Factions 4.3 was authored by Faria Lyton as a part of Co-Op Mode. This chapter is reposted as part of A Bug in the Game with permission. This chapter starts halfway through Guild Invites 4.5

Factions 4.3

It goes without saying that I hate being in the principal's office. It doesn't help that I just got a notice that Blackwell considers me a «Troublemaker». Kinda suspected, but didn't know. Think I preferred it that way.

Principal Blackwell is tall and thin and wears all black with one of those bowl cuts that look wrong on either gender. Dirty blonde is the worst color for… okay, red would be worse. Still, it's bad. Her office matches her style. It's stark, black, and ugly. The chairs aren't exactly friendly either. Right angles don't make for good posture, just uncomfortable sitting.

As I try futilely to find a comfortable position, Blackwell just leaves her comfortable looking leather office chair vacant. "Ms. Hebert, I need to search you before we begin."

Uh, what? "What? Why?"

"I'm not required to give a reason. Please hand me your backpack and remove the jacket."

Not 'required' to give a reason? At least that much is bullshit, and I'm not letting her get away with it. "I don't believe you. Lockers are one thing; they're school property. Taylor's backpack is her private property. Without reasonable cause, you have no right to search her property." She starts to say something, but I'm well aware of what most 'authority figures' say when I question them. "And, no, I am not taking your word for it. Taylor shouldn't either."

"It's alright, James. I have nothing to hide." But that's not the point! Taylor just hands over her backpack like this isn't… gah! And Blackwell doesn't just rifle through her things, she empties it out on her desk, inspects every single item, then just leaves it spread out on her desk. At least there wasn't anything interesting in there. Well, other than what looks like an art assignment. Not bad.

"Please stand. I'm going to do a pat down search as well."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! You're not a cop. You can't just search students for no reason." She'd better not be planning to pull this crap on me next. Even teenage hormones can't make getting felt up by her appealing. "A pat down? That's just wrong. We have rights in this country."

She's frowning at me like I'm the one doing something wrong. "Mr. Barron, if read your student handbook that you signed," I don't recall getting one, but Mom did have me sign a few things at the start of the school year, "you'll find that faculty have broad powers of discretion. Numerous court decisions support that. All that I am required to have is a reasonable suspicion," which you haven't told us yet, "which in this case I have." In this case? As opposed to other occasions? "Ms. Hebert, there have been allegations that you have drugs in your possession." Fucking Trio. "If you're innocent, it is in your best interest to have this allegation addressed. Now, you can either submit to a pat down search by me, or I can have the resource officer and the school nurse perform a strip search in the infirmary. Which do you prefer?"

Fucking bullshit. I'll be looking this crap up as soon as I can. Taylor doesn't deserve this, I really don't think anything those bitches said counts as 'reasonable suspicion', and this is completely ruining any future fantasies involving frisking.

"I'll take the pat down. I have nothing to hide." Taylor twitches slightly.

"Thank you for your cooperative attitude, Ms. Hebert. Mr. Barron, could I ask you to turn and face the wall please?"

Face the wall? Seriously? I'm at least certain she isn't supposed to do this with any male in the room, and she's supposed to have a witness that she doesn't do anything untoward. But Taylor isn't protesting, so I sigh and turn. Who chooses charcoal paint for a room they're going to be in all day? It's really boring. And making it difficult to ignore rustling noises.

"Turn out your pockets, please." Blackwell sounds like she's found something.

"Two hundred and ten dollars, in tens. Freshly pressed, but non-sequential. That's an awful lot of money to be carrying to school." Crap. Taylor has to stash things in real space. That much money does look suspicious. There's a pause before Blackwell presses on. "Care to explain why you're carrying so much cash, Ms. Hebert?"

"I planned to go shopping after school." Taylor is on the ball.

"You can put away your backpack and your cash. I recommend you don't bring that kind of cash to Winslow again. Students have been knifed for less money." I gape at the wall. If you know how bad it is out there, do something about it! It's your damn job!

"You can turn around, James." Taylor is still a little red-faced when I finish resettling. She doesn't deserve to be treated this way.

Blackwell finally sits. She's still focused on Taylor. "So this will be the first time in my office for both of you," No, it isn't, "but not the first incident between you, James, and the three young ladies who just left. I would think you," now she's looking at me, "and Miss Clements had learned your lesson about fighting from your last altercation."

Seriously? She attacked me for trying to help her victim. Everyone knows now that Taylor was in the locker, but she's still acting like that was a fight? Seriously? I just… I… Fuck it. "I didn't start it then, and I didn't start it today." I'd say «Gamer's Mind» was keeping me even, but this is just how I try to handle arguments: be oppressively rational, no matter what.

«Self-control causes your WIS to go up by 1!»

"I haven't been here before, Principal Blackwell, but you've spoken to my father before. Or have you completely forgotten the locker incident where the three…" Taylor pauses, clearly censoring herself, "girls that just left your office shut me in my locker and left me to rot in a pile of human waste?"

Oh, look, Blackwell is trying to stare down Taylor. That's funny. "I clearly haven't forgotten that incident. I just referenced it. It is plain to me that there is bad blood between the two of you and Ms. Hess, Ms. Barnes, and Ms. Clements." She's acknowledging it now? "They were wrong to laugh at what happened to you," Wait, what? Is that the story now? "but we investigated," doubt it, "and found zero evidence that they were involved in the planning or execution of that prank was found." Prank? ...unlawful confinement, assault to put her there in the first place, whatever legal term applies to biohazardous waste… If that's a prank, Noah really only needed a mop. "We are not going to rehash what happened in January. We're going to talk about what happened today. Now, which one of you wants to go first?"

What am I supposed to say? 'Crazy bitch was going to punch me, so I punched her first'? Taylor jumps in quickly. "If by bad blood, you mean they've been bullying me for the past year and a half, then yes, there is bad blood between us. Today they pulled one of their usual tricks. Emma, Sophia, and Madison and a bunch of their friends cornered me and started insulting me -"

Blackwell interrupts, "Cornered you, Ms. Herbert? Did they grab you? Were you restrained?" She said 'cornered', you idiot. It was hard enough for me to get past them, and they weren't focused on me. ...did she just say 'HER-bert'? She got it right a moment ago, didn't she?

"It's Hebert. Not Herbert. They weren't holding me in place if that's what you mean. But I would have had to push my way through to get past. I was surrounded." And if she had, they would say she attacked them.

"I see," said the willfully blind woman. "Continue."

"Emma said something especially hurtful…" Taylor pauses to rephrase. "We were friends once… She… knows how to twist the knife. She used a personal confidence against me. I was crying," remind me to speak with Emma about that later… "And that's when James came up. He tried to help, and Sophia took exception and tried to punch him, but she missed." Sure, let's call it that. "Then Emma attacked James from behind. I pushed her aside." Oh, that's what that was. Thanks, Taylor. "Tiffany tried to claw my face, and I spun her away. Then several others attacked me and I defended myself."

Our ignoble principal is skeptical. "Pushed her aside? Spun her away? Defended yourself?" Okay, self-defense has never sounded so unacceptable before. "Rather vague answers. I have nine injured girls and neither of you seem hurt at all." Not my fault I don't show wounds and Taylor is awesome. "What did you do to them?"

Kicked their bullying asses? "I threw them. I used Aikido. I've been studying some self-defense."

"Where at?" Please have a good answer, Taylor.

"We were in the hallway outside Mr. Gladly's class." Um… "In fact, you can ask him. He saw me surrounded by all the girls and did nothing." Really? I already thought he was a poor teacher, but this is news…

"I'll be sure to ask Mr. Gladly," Blackwell writes a quick note, "but what I meant was where have you been studying self-defense? I may want to have a word with your instructor about how you've been using his lessons." Come to think of it, I kinda count as her teacher, in a roundabout way. So I guess her instructor approves. Like any decent human should.

"Oh, I don't have a sensei. I've been learning on my own. Just out of a book."

That really doesn't sound convincing, given how much ass she kicked. "Mr. Barron, do you know Aikido as well?"

"Nothing so nice. Taylor's happy moving attackers aside." Hint that Taylor was being gentle. I almost admit to «Jeet Kune Do», but someone might eventually connect the dots. "I'm a bit more direct. Sophia tried to hit me. I just…" Don't say hit her first, "did it better than her." Seriously, self-defense. Not a crime.

"So let me summarize: I have two students that claim that after an exchange of taunts Ms. Hess attacked first, missed, and then all the other girls also attacked first. None of them hurt you two at all, but you injured all of them. Do I have your version correct?" Our version? This is worse than trying to explain Madison to Mom.

"You twisted our words around, but mostly."

"Do tell." Has anyone ever used that phrase without being condescending? "How did I twist them?"

Taylor closes off, gives up. She might have a weakness to bullies (which clearly includes Blackheart here), but I don't. I tighten the reins on my voice, she's not getting any excuse to discount what I say now. "Taylor was crying when I arrived. They had her surrounded and Sophia had her foot on Taylor's bag." Just in case she tries to ignore that… "Deliberately. They've been attacking her every day for months and you and the teachers never do anything! We told you what happened in January. You ignored us then, and now you're trying to make today sound like our fault. You're just another bully, like them."

"Mr. Barron, you will talk to me in a respectful tone." Respect is earned, and you're not exactly doing any of that now. "This is your chance to tell your side of things. If you raise your voice again, I'll decide based on the facts I already have in hand." Is that a threat? "You won't like that result, either one of you." Did she just try to use Taylor as leverage against me? "Now, to address your point, if there has been months of bullying, why am I just now hearing about it?"

«Gamer's Mind» keeps me from exploding, but leaves me with access to my full scorn for this. "I. Have not. Raised. My. Voice. Yet. If you would like me to raise my voice, I'd be happy to demonstrate the difference." Okay, that's a little too controlled. Deep breath. "What facts? You've only spoken to those liars so far. And did you say you're only hearing about the bullying now? That's a bald-faced lie. I was in this…" fucking. "Very office, three months ago, telling you about the locker." With a broken collarbone, because you wouldn't let anyone call my parents or an ambulance until things were 'sorted out'. "Or have you forgotten all about that?" Because I sure haven't.

«A skill has been created through a special action.»
«A skill to frighten your opponents or get them to act in a way that benefits you, [Intimidate], as been created.»
«Intimidate (Active) Lvl 1 Exp 0.0% 10 MP»
«+10% to intimidation rolls. Circumstantial and gear bonuses may apply.»
«Requires a verbal threat or display of prowess. Targets must make a save vs. fear.»
«Now who's going to clean up that puddle?»

"We did increase our observation of Ms. Hebert following that incident." Increase? "No bullying was reported to me." Either she's a lying liar that lies, or someone else is covering things up.

Taylor positively blurts out: "I have a journal. Dates, times, email addresses from hate mails, even photographs of bruises going back to the start of this school year." That's… very thorough. And I didn't know about the hate mail. What the actual fuck is wrong with those girls?

Blackheart makes a face, but only for a moment. I bet she didn't expect that. "Ms. Hebert, that won't impact what I will decide today. Documentation like that is good, but you should have been bringing it to the attention of the faculty from the moment it started, There is an escalation path we have to follow: teaching warning, office referral, parent conferences. All of those can prevent things from getting to the sad state they did today. By not involving us earlier, you've made a difficult situation worse." Did she just blame us? "If you'll bring them in, we'll review the incidents, but it's going to be difficult to prove an allegation months after the events. You'll have to start at square one." She's… she's trying to talk Taylor out of proving things by discrediting everything she's done so far.

"I did try to tell at first. No one listened. No one took action. They always took their side." Taylor looks so hurt, I kinda want to hug her. Of course, I'm sure Blackheart here would say that's against the rules somehow.

The principal is completely unsympathetic. "I can assure you, Ms. Hebert, if you make official complaints in writing to the office, they will not be ignored."

Well, if you're going to give me that kind of an opening… "Got a pen I can borrow?"

"We aren't discussing that issue at this time, Mr. Barron." Actually, yeah. We kinda were. "Do you have anything to add in your defense?"

I've got tons of things I'd like to say, but none she'd like to hear. Still, she just handed me that opening. "Yeah. Do your job. If people are allowed to hit me, I'm allowed to hit them back. If those…" bitches, "girls are allowed to attack Taylor, she shouldn't have to just stand there and let them."

«Intimidate's level increases by 1!»

"Anything you would like to add, Ms. Hebert?"

Taylor shrugs the shrug of the truly fed-up. "No."

"Very well. I have nine witnesses that claim that Ms. Hebert was unwelcome and asked to leave and didn't." What do you know, no reflexive snort. I do one on purpose. "The same witnesses say that you struck Ms. Hess first, and then Ms. Hebert shoved Ms. Barnes. I have visible injuries on eight of the nine girls. Both sides have made more severe allegations, but this is America, and here at Winslow we assign punishments based on evidence." What 'evidence'? "The other nine girls will all be suspended for a day. Before you argue about this being a token punishment, this can impact their eligibility for extracurricular activities."

"So Sophia might not be able to compete in track? I'll believe it when I see it," Taylor's skeptical. Good. I wouldn't believe this woman if she told me Scion saves lives, let alone that she'd ever actually punish her star runner.

If Justice is blind, her delinquent kid sister, Injustice, is deaf. Blackwell completely ignores Taylor. "You two, as the instigators, are suspended for a week." Fu- wait, it's not really that bad. I hear they won't even count any assignments from that week as late. This just gives me a week of morning training sessions. Unless my parents find out. Grounding is one thing, no one will notice if I'm not actually sulking in my room. And that's with me sharing a bedroom. But if I don't have school, Mom will probably insist on having me spend the day in her office. "That's not optional on my part. We have too much gang activity here. I will not tolerate fighting in my school. When you return, I'll be glad to look at this journal, Ms. Hebert. I don't tolerate bullying either, but I demand evidence." Unless the accusation is made by her pet psychopaths. "Do you two understand?"

"Yes." Taylor packs a lot of meaning into one word.

There's so much more I want to say, but there's no point. Nothing I can do now. "...Yes."

Blackwell seems satisfied by that. "Then you're dismissed. Go see Alice and she'll give you the paperwork for your suspension. Make sure you have it signed by your parents." I can probably forge that. Might get a skill out of it... "Alice will be calling them this afternoon." F-f-fuck. She pointedly ignores us, swiveling to her computer.

Taylor leads the way out. The only stop between us and freedom is grabbing our suspension forms. Paperwork, for being punished. Recursively evil.

I'm just taking a moment to appreciate the freedom in the air when Taylor whispers sideways, "Sorry that I dragged you into that."

"Don't be. It's not your fault." It's more my fault than hers. And it's not really my fault either. Even if I did punch Sophia.

«New Quest Alert: Bring Justice to Winslow»
«Reveal Emma Barnes, Sophia Hess and Madison Clements as the lying bullies they are.»
«Reward: 10,000 XP, Increased reputation with Winslow Staff and Winslow Students, matching piece of equipment, and the satisfaction of justice being done.»
«Failure: Humiliation, injury, criminal charges, and/or loss of reputation with Winslow Staff and Winslow Students»
«Bonus Goals: Reveal the complicity of Winslow Staff »
«Bonus Reward: 10,000 XP, Increased reputation with ?, Increased relationship with ?»
«Accept?»
«Yes» «No»

"Oh hell yes! Tell me you got that quest, too." There's that grin again. I'm glad my power can help in this way, along with everything else.

"Now that's my kind of quest. We should go somewhere private and plan out how to finish it."

I've known Taylor for years. I'd forgotten just how wide her mouth is. Just one of the things you get used to, I guess. But right now, she's beaming in a way most faces couldn't handle. "Let's go to my place. My dad shouldn't be home for at least a few more hours. I'll even «Cook», I got a skill for it earlier."

"Nice." Considering just how absurd these skills get… "Well, if you want help grinding that up, I'd be happy to lend you my stomach."

"Speaking of new skills, I got «Sprint» this morning."

I love my power. "Race you?" Taylor beats me by a second, but the two levels I earn on «Sprint» is more than enough consolation prize for me.

..ooOoo..

The first visit to someone's house is always awkward. Especially when the only other person there has abandoned me in the living room while she cooks lunch. I don't know what I'm allowed to touch, there's no one to talk to, and I don't know where the restroom is. Not exactly a pressing need or anything, but I like to know where it is. I only last a minute or two before following Taylor to the kitchen. She's carefully scooping tomatoes out of a pot of boiling water with a wooden spoon and peeling them.

"So, I've been thinking. We've each got a couple hundred to burn; how about we go shopping after lunch? We could both use a «First Aid» skill and «Parkour» seems like an essential skill for any cape who can't fly. And who knows what else we might find?" On a whim, I start retrieving the tomatoes with my bare hands. «-14 HP» Ow. This may not have been my best idea. «-14 HP»

"What are you doing?!" Taylor's shock takes me a moment to process.

"«Elemental Resistance» training?" A pop-up tells me it's working.

She rolls her eyes. "Try not to do something like that around other people." She starts pulping the skinned tomatoes, then pauses. "That's just not fair. If I trained like that, I'd be lucky to just burn my hands and put myself out of action for days." She gives that a moment to sink in before changing the topic. "Don't forget the skill cap. We're going to have to be selective about what skills we get. Like this," she gestures at the red pulp before scrapping it into a saucepan. "«Cooking» isn't a bad skill, but I don't want all my INT going to housewife skills. No matter how useful they are."

"I've still got about ten left, but I get your point. Maybe we should take turns trying out different chores. See which chores are safe to do and which skills are worth earning? And if one of us finds anything useless, the other can just avoid it. I'll even go first."

"That's not a bad idea. You can start with the dishes."

Game stats: «+2 Intimidate», «+2 Sprint», «+Elemental Resistance», «+1 WIS»