Hannah strode along the path, stepping from shadow to shadow. Her cloak rippled in the gusts of the day.
Simply ridiculous, she thought to herself testily. Putting their offensive plans on hold, simply because their enemy was holding back. Now was the time to strike, when Angel was the weakest. They could defeat her, and force her to tell them how to get to God. I could finally, finally, tell him that-
"Hannah!" a raucously cheerful voice sounded at her ear. She jumped a neat three feet in the air.
"I'm so glad to see you, I-" Luke continued, chattering, then trailing off. He stared at the knife that had whistled to his forehead. "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you."
She withdrew her weapon reluctantly. "Habit. You surprised me." Her face darkened. "Shameful… I allowed myself to become distracted, simply pathetic."
"Pathetic? What are you talking about?" Luke asked, skipping over to walk in step with her as she strode along. A ring of potato chip crumbs still glistened on his ruddy cheeks."You're the most amazing person I know! I mean, you can do anything, fight Angel, play baseball, climb into HQ using the drainpipe and piece of string…"
She stopped suddenly. "What do you want? Go away." She had been intending to ride out this mission in her gym shed, where she could train in solitude. This moron was obstructing her path.
Luke's eyes widened at the rebuke, but he didn't give up. "Sorry! Sorry… I just wanted to see, if, you wanted to come and teepee the student council room with the rest of us. I mean, you're always off in that shed, I thought… maybe you might be lonely. Maybe you would hang with the rest of us, for a bit?"
So annoying, she growled to herself. There must be some way to rid herself of this pest. "How about this…" she spoke, adopting a sickeningly cheerful tone that dripped with menace. "You can come with me to the gym room… And, 'assist' me in my training…"
The threat flew over Luke's head by at least five miles. "Sure!" he agreed happily. "I'd love to help. Any way that I can be of use. Come, let's go!"
Winnie stole along, leaping from roof to roof. As she went, she kept an eye out on the ground below.
I bet everyone else is relaxing right about now, she thought to herself. When something weird turns up in this wacko world, it's always me that has to figure out what we do.
Okay, that's enough complaining, she chided herself.. They trust me to take care of things. I have a responsibility, she thought to herself. She glanced down.
Kyle, the student council higher-up she'd been tailing, had stopped outside the gym, and waved. He's seen someone. Winnie crouched.
Another figure clad in the dark male uniform of the student council appeared. Winnie's heart began to beat faster. It was Lecher.
She saw him stop in front of his subordinate. He seemed agitated; a twisted frown split his face. They were talking, but she couldn't make out the words. That weird cap Albert liked to wear blocked most of his face. Maybe he-
Winnie couldn't resist gasping as the first blow struck. With no warning, Lecher viciously attack his underling, striking him first in the face, then the chest. As Kyle fell, Albert began to kick him, the impacts sending the boy onto his stomach. But Kyle didn't fight back. He didn't cry out, he barely reacted.
Winnie watched the scene in terrible fascination. Albert continued on his work, no emotion but strangled fury on his pale face. Winnie backed away from the roof's edge. Then, she stood up, and began to run.
Mike trundled back to class after a decent interval had passed; he'd left his wallet by his seat. He knew the NPC's were supposed to represent normal students, and therefor wasn't entirely sure he'd see it again. He poked his head through the door, and then quickly withdrew it.
His breath started to come in puffs. Angel was still in there, all alone. She was just studying in the light from the window.
Mike glanced back through the door. She didn't look particularly threatening, just sitting there, copying lists of vocabulary words. And lo and behold, he could see his wallet, behind her chair. Cautiously, he slipped in, and sat down in the chair behind her. He was reaching down to pick it up when she spoke.
"Several students made an attempt to pocket that," she told him quietly. "I asked them not to." She paused. "I know I am no longer the Student Body President… and should therefor stay out of the business of others… I hope I wasn't being assuming."
Mike gazed at her. Looking over her shoulder, he realized that she had broken off from her copying, right in the middle of "antidisestablishmentarianism," and had created a small doodle of a flower over the word. Boy, he knew that feeling.
Mike suddenly felt something tumble in his gut, as a thought occurred to him. He pulled at the neck of his collar, and swallowed.
"Hey, do you feel hungry?" he asked.
She paused momentarily, and then continued in her work. "Not really. And besides, it is a strange time to have a meal."
"You know…" he said. "The school cafeteria has this infamous curry… Everyone says it's too hot to eat."
His fingers played with the corner of the desk, as he continued to look away. What on earth am I doing, he cursed at himself. Do I want to kill myself? It's just… If I took the meal from her… it only makes sense to give it back. "But… I tried it, and actually… I thought it was really good." He glanced at her quickly, and then looked away. "And, uh, well… I was, uh, wondering… if you might want to go try some, in the cafeteria? I'll treat you."
Angel stopped writing. She abruptly stood up and started to walk. Mike was sure he'd grievously offended her by, as a mere mortal, failing to give her respect as a higher being.
But she stopped at his desk, and looked at him, her hazel eyes finding his. "I would like that, Mr. Carter," she replied stiffly. If Mike hadn't known better, he would have thought she was feeling unsure. "Thank you."