Spencer looked around nervously at the new lunch room. It seemed so different. So bland, colorless, and what made it worse, his friends weren't there to enjoy it with him. The atmosphere was a welcome change from the cluttered mess that he was used to, but it just didn't feel right. Maybe he shouldn't have taken the class after all. As Spencer sat at the table, stirring his...what appeared to be macaroni, he tried not to think of how much he was beginning to miss home.

"Hey! Bro-Nosaur! Check this out! I can put a carrot through my ear!"

Spencer looked up from his food to see Billy sticking a carrot in and out of his ear. He tried to suppress the urge to giggle as Billy did so.

"Billy, that's gross."

"Nah, it's just awesome! I can't wait to show the Raj-Man!...Oh wait. I forgot, he's...nevermind."

Spencer frowned again, returning to his food.

"Do you think I made the right choice coming here?"

"Yeah! I mean, how many other chances to go to an elite movie class-dealeo do you get?"

"I just don't feel like I'll be getting used to this place any time soon."

Billy set the carrot down and sat next to Spencer.

"Look, you have two choices. Quit now, and never, ever get another chance again; or, go through this, and in three months, go home with the coolest movie ever!"

Spencer smiled. At least he still had Billy to talk to. Suddenly, two boys sat next to Spencer. It was...Randy and that kid? Spencer hadn't remembered his name all that well, but it started with an H. Howard,was it?

"Um, hey, again?"

"So, liking the new school, Spencer?"

Randy asked with a charming grin.

"Yeah,...I guess?"

"Make any new friends?"

"Well, I-"

Howard cut Spencer off, copying Randy's facade.

"If not, there's a couple of guys I know who might be looking for a third wheel."

Randy's grinned vanished.

"Howard? Mind if I see you for a second? Under the lunch table?"

"Sure. Be right back, Spence!"

Billy scoffed at this, and growled.

"HEY! ONLY I CALL SPENCE...SPENCE!"

Randy grabbed Howard by the shoulder, and hoisted him under the table. As he went, Howard hit his head on the table corner, and rubbed it before Randy pulled him under again. As the two sat under the dark table, Randy persecuted Howard with an angry and acussing glare. After a minute or so of uncomfortable silence, Randy snapped.

"Since when were we looking for a third wheel?!"

"Chill, man. It'll be fine!"

"No, it won't be fine! You remembered what happened last time you tried to make another friend?"

Howard stared at Randy with a confused look on his face. What was he talking about? Then he remembered Franz, the transfer student who had turned out to be a robot set to catch Randy and announce his identity.

"You have to be kidding me. That was over two months ago, and there is no way this guy is a robot. You're just paranoid."

"No! I'm just peeved that you said that without my consultance!"

Howard hushed Randy and motioned towards Spencer.

"Come on! Hanging with him will do so much for our rep! Just play along, alright?"

Randy folded his arms, skeptical of his friends idea, but soon gave in. It wouldn't hurt to make a new friend anyway, right? That's when randy heard a strange noise. It was coming from his backpack. Randy took it off, and opened it. A red glow was coming from it. It was the Nomicon. Randy motioned for Howard to go back up to the surface. After he did, he waited a while, listening to he and Spencer talk. The book began to shake violently.

"Okay! Alright! I'll read you! Just be patient!"

Randy opened the book, but upon doing so, fell face forward into the book. As usual, the journey was accompanied with a series of ancient drawings and neon writing. But this time, it started out in a creepy, desolate house. A palace, of sorts. As Randy walked through the dark and empty halls, he couldn't help but shiver. Cold drafts floated aloft the ground and drifted up his spine.

"Come on, Nommie, I get the message. Now what do you want to tell me?!"

As if by magic, in a cloud of blue smoke, the anticipated phrase appeared.

"The mirage of the deceased has yet to truly die. You shall see this when your fates entwine. What?"

The book didn't give him a chance to comprehend what it had said before pulling him back out of his trance. Randy leapt up, hitting his head on the top of the table.

"OW!"

Randy climbed out from under the table and rubbed his head. Howard and Spencer seemed to be getting along well enough.

"-So then I was all 'Oh yeah? Well, I'm gonna beat your high-score! And I'll do it with my pants on!'"

Spencer laughed. Randy put the Nommicon back in his backpack and grinned.

"What're we talking about now?"

"Oh, hey! Your friend...erm..."

"Howard?"

"Yeah, he was telling me about some Grave Punchers throw-down. I didn't know you played it too!"

Randy tried to remember what he was talking about. What Grave Punchers throw down? There had been so many, it had become difficult to catalog them all. But it was nice to have another kid who played it assembly as much as they did. Maybe he would warm up to this new kid after all? Suddenly, Randy felt a chill go up his spine. One that for some odd reason was exactly like the one he had experienced with the Nommicon. Randy clutched his shoulders and looked around. Where was that drafty feeling emminating from? As far as he could remember, he had put on underwear that morning. No, it had to be something else.

"Hey, Howard, you feel like, a cold feeling?"

Howard only shrugged in reply.

"Nope. Maybe you just forgot to wear underwear this morning."

"No, I deinetly did not forget that. Especially after last time...like, a cold feeling. Icy. Almost like someone's sticking their arm through my head."

Spencer's eyes widened and he chuckled nervously. Pulling at his collar, he diverted his eyes away from the two.

"IllyBay! utCay itway outway ithway ethay armway ingthay!"

He whispered in a hoarse and rash tone. He had hoped they hadn't heard him, but he needed him to stop. Billy, who had been previously trying to give Randy a wet-willy simply shook his head, refusing to stop.

"No way, Bro-Seph! This is too much fun!"

Billy looked at Randy, drifting back a while. He noticed the back pack Randy was clutching.

"Ding-a-ling! Hey Spence, watch this!"

Billy quickly snatched up the faded orange backpack, Nommicon, mask, and all, and flew off. Randy, Howard, and Spencer all stood up at once.

"BILLY! NO!"

"THE NOMMICON!"

"MY FIVE BUCKS!"

Randy gave Howard and accusing glare before dashing off towards the bag. Spencer and Howard soon joined pursuit, chasing after Randy and the bag. As they ran, Spencer shouted at Billy.

"BILLY! PUT THE BAG DOWN!"

"WHO THE CHEESE IS BILLY?!"

Randy yelled. Spencer tried to think of an answer, stuttering as he ran, but when none came to mind, he simply continued, not giving any sort of regard to the question at hand.

"STOP!"

He yelled, turning a sharp corner and passing Randy. Spencer leapt into the air, arms extended and open. He grabbed Billy by the shoulders and tackled him to the ground. Billy laughed and tossed the bag in the air. He caught it, then proceeded to hoist it up into the air at a height none of them could reach. Spencer sat up and tried to grab the bag. Billy only held it higher. As Howard and Randy turned the corner, they saw the strangest sight. The bag was actually floating in the air! Not that they weren't used to strange things happening, but this was certainly something new. Randy pointed at the floating bag and gasped.

"What's going on here?!"

Spencer looked at Randy sheepishly, and managed to grab the backpack from Billy. He handed it to him.

"What was that, man?! Do you realize how important this thing is?"

"Yeah, sorry! He didn't mean to, I mean I didn't mean to do that."

"It's cool. Just don't do that again. Whatever it was you did."

Suddenly, there was a loud shriek.

"WHAT THE JUICE IS THAT?!"