Chapter 22: The Nymphaeaceae
The time has come to get you.
The girl looked at a picture she was holding.
You thought you can hide everywhere and no one will find you. But you're wrong!
She stood up and switched the lights on. She looked at the wall with lots of pictures of the students of Section Anima.
I should have killed him before you came.
She looked at the picture revealing 9 while looking a picture of Dipper.
You are unable to get out right now, but I know a perfect solution on how to get you out!
She wrapped a red thread on the picture of 9 and pin it beside Dipper. She put a black pin on Dipper connecting to the thread that wraps 9.
Starting by suffering the one I was supposed to kill.
You could see the gem on 9's brooch begins to taint. Then something glimmering was pointed to the gem. Almost like stabbing it.
Don't worry, I'll get you out...
Bridget.
Then two eyes are opened and the person shot awake from his bed. The brown haired boy breathes heavily from the dream he had. He looked to his side revealing a girl with brown hair and almost looked like him. As in fact they are twins.
He then calms down and looked at a book with a hand that has a number 3 in it.
Am I next?
In an unknown dorm, two brown gloved hands carries a pair of clothes and put it to its suitcase. He looked to the window with a little reflection of his two ears going down as an expression of sadness. His eyes shines upon the sun. He sighs as he closes his suitcase. He left his room seeing Aliana along with a tall masked man and a robot with green eyes. On their side were a raccoon, a turtle in a wheelchair, and a hippopotamus. Aliana's side was a boy with an ottsel in his shoulders.
Aliana: It's time to go, Ratchet.
Ratchet: Wait, don't I have time to say goodbye?
Aliana: 30 seconds. Go.
Ratchet: *grips firmly to his suitcase, then sighs* So...I guess I was being too smart from the test, ain't I?
Sly: Don't think so.
Clank: You should be proud of yourself, Ratchet. You are now with the advance class of Charles-Emile Reynaud School.
Ratchet: I could have sworn it was you that was passed.
Jak: Indeed, it is a wonder but it is a miracle for you.
Ratchet: I know, but what about those homework we got?
Sly: We got that covered. Bentley, Murray and I got something a permission from the principal.
Bentley: Thankfully, Murray asked her nicely.
Aliana: 20 seconds.
Clank: You should go now, Ratchet. Or you might be late for the class.
Ratchet: Right. *felt being choked, looks to his back* Qwark?
Qwark: Sorry, but the feeling of a goodbye...*to Aliana* Do you really have to get him?
Aliana: He scored to the passing score, Leslie. And if a student passed the test, he or she will go to Section Anima. Whether they liked it or not. Luckily for you, I wouldn't have to use my Taser Sword or Ratchet's Stunderwear to shock you. Now, will you PLEASE release Ratchet *pulls out her Taser Sword* or I'll rather use FORCE to release him.
Qwark: Alright *puts Ratchet down*, at least I wouldn't be shocked by his 'Guardian Angel' *murmurs* and I could have his room! *gets shocked by Aliana*
Aliana: I've heard that, Leslie. And you know it is disrespectful to tease a strict teacher. *to Ratchet* Ratchet, let us leave. Your 30 seconds is up. *to Clank* Clank, lock Ratchet's room. I don't want *gestured to Qwark* SOMEBODY to touch any of Ratchet's things while he is gone. *to Sly and Jak* You will help us moving his things to his new room, right?
Sly: Yes.
Jak: As you wish.
Qwark: *sighs* So much for having a bigger room.
Daxter: Don't worry, Leslie. Maybe someday, you'll get a good room if we got a score.
Aliana: Are you done?
Ratchet: *hungs his head down slowly, looks to Clank and the others* See you soon, guys.
Jak: For today.
Sly: We'll see each other someday, you know.
Clank: *waves saadly* Goodbye, Ratchet.
When Ratchet and Aliana left, Clank went to Ratchet's room and locked it with a key. He hung his head in guilt. Ratchet passed the test, so that's good. But he knew that something was wrong. Very wrong. They noticed this. Especially Clank tell this to them except Ratchet.
Daxter: Upset from what happened?
Clank: I think so. But I did the right thing. For Ratchet.
Jak: You did the right thing. You did this for the safety of him. Of us.
Sly: This is the secret that he mustn't know. Otherwise he would get upset why Clank did that.
Clank: *hangs his head down, closes eyes* Perhaps so...
I am sorry, Ratchet.
Aliana and Ratchet arrived at the classroom. By the time Ratchet entered the room, he sees someone he didn't want to look at. Jet returned from having a neck brace on his neck. He looked even more mad from the last time he was humiliated when he left the classroom. He was even one chair away from 9. Jet looked to Ratchet, then to Twilight.
Jet: *scoffs* Another one? I thought the Pony Know-It-All was the only student to be enrolled this year.
Twilight: Excuse me?
Aliana: I thought so too, but I didn't know there are two people passed the test.
Jet: *murmurs* That wasn't an excuse for being a strict teacher.
Aliana: If it wasn't an excuse then tell me a good excuse IN FRONT OF THE CLASS.
Jet: *glaring*
Aliana: I thought so. Ratchet, you may sit down between Jet and Elijah.
Jet: *to Ratchet, whispering* Beware of the stench, Orphan!
Ratchet: Stench? *ears drooped down*
Jet: Told you so!
Aliana: BE QUIET!
She slammed the board in anger that it left small crack. All of the students were surprised from the noise. The veterans already got used to this, but the new ones have to cover their ears. Ratchet already had a rough day and this is what came to him from the first day of classes. Especially her infamous 'Divine Karate Chop' made his ears go scramble.
6 Hours Ago
9 woke up when was unconscious from the attack the monster gave him. He sat up slowly until he saw the monster is going to blast him in a split second. He braced himself for impact until Dib came with a glass shard in his hand.
Time became slow as Dib created more crystals. He lifted his shard in front of his eye like a mirror. Except a reflection of Crystal's eye was shown. He then throw the shard following the crystals to the monster like a bunch of bullets heading towards it. Phineas then draws a symbol from his umbrella then threw it with Dib's crystals.
The sun begins to rise as the rays of the Sun that was conducted by Mickey and Tails reflects the mirror to the monster. Kyoko, Mordecai, and Finn ran towards the monster. Kyoko slides her machete forming a big sword from the machete, Mordecai created multiple rings of fire and Finn draws a halo around him.
But before they defeated the monster, the clock strikes at 6:00. Then it became a chain of event when the monster disappeared as Phineas and Dib's attack accidentally hit Finn and Kyoko while Mordecai got glomped by Finn and Kyoko. The Sun's rays hit Phineas and Dib while the remaining shards almost hit Tails and Mickey.
9 opened his eyes as he sees his classmates recovered from the chain of events. He stands up even the pain still sting on him slightly. Mordecai looked at the ground of ashes. His face shows no good from what happened.
Mordecai: The monster escaped...Just right before we kill it.
Kyoko: That's just great! It's even morning already. *to Mickey* Next time, slow down time. Will you?
Mickey: We just fought the monster at 4 am.
Tails: And it's almost October. The Autumnal Equinox just started 10 days ago.
Kyoko: And we just didn't defeat the monster in 2 hours? We're getting weaker and weaker as usual.
Finn: No, the monsters are getting stronger and stronger as usual.
Kyoko: If it wasn't for HIM exactly.
Finn: Kyoko...
Mordecai: You two, cut it out. We need to get some sleep. At least we can rest.
Finn: Guess so.
The 8 of them walked away without any concern to 9. He stared as his classmates went farther than him. His emotions hurt than his pain physically. He took a step forward until he fell down...to Ratchet.
9 accidentally tripped and fell on top of Ratchet. The students went out of the classroom and went to the park's garden. It is either for their Biology class or Aliana asked someone to fix the board that she leave a crack to it. 9 recovers from the trip and gasped. His flashback of what happened distracts him and now he didn't know that he was in the garden while he was on top of Ratchet. 9 quickly stands up while Ratchet recovers from being at the bottom of the other freshmen. When he looked to 9, he was concerned for 9 as he was bullied emotionally. Especially 9 was having a hard time getting along ever since Bri-, I mean, SHE passed away.
Ratchet: Are you okay?
9: I...I-I'm okay. Did I hurt you?
Ratchet: No, I'm fine. Are you sure you're okay?
9: I'm sure. I'm sorry I tripped on you.
Ratchet: No need to think about that. It's nothing really.
9 hung his head down and walked away. He is possibly upset for tripping Ratchet, even though Ratchet didn't mind about it. Ratchet watched as 9 walked away. He felt sorry for him. It wasn't a good day in Section Anima and now he is 'hurting' 9. Jet noticed about this and walked towards Ratchet. He smiles as the two suffered.
Jet: Nice hurting Empty Sack, Orphan.
Ratchet: I wasn't hurting him or he hurt me, Jet.
Jet: *scoffs* Whatever, too bad Empty Sack already suffering because of you. *walks away* Good luck comforting him, Orphan.
Aliana asked them to group into 4. Too bad Jet was with Mickey, Lettuce and Finn, Jet was the 'leader' his group much to their dismay. Phineas was the leader of the other group with Mordecai, Kyoko and Dib. And since there were 3 freshmen of the class, Aliana grouped them along with tails. The group were asked to bring a flower according to Aliana's choice of place. 9's group were chosen to bring a flower from the water. Aliana knew that the only flower in the aquatic habitat in the school is a 'Nymphaeaceae' or a common name that Twilight knew is...a Water Lily. Mostly the Water Lilies we found in the old fountain that is still working despite its 'dirty' structure.
Twilight: *sighs* Too bad we have to get the whole part of the Water Lily. We have to get it from underwater to pull the roots out.
9: I can get the Water Lily for you.
Twilight: Are you sure?
9: *nods* Yes.
Tails: I can help you to get it, Elijah.
9: You can wait for us at the garden while we get the Water Lily.
Twilight: Ok, but we'll go to you if Aliana called us.
The two nodded in approval and went to the fountain. Twilight and Ratchet waited for them for a minute. Ratchet looked up at the sky. It looked clear while the clouds were like feathers. He was still wondering about 9. 9 was a new student from as Ratchet heard from Qwark. He was the one who sabotaged the Quiz Bee last time. Like Twilight, he didn't believe that 9 did it. Ratchet looked to Twilight as if she was also wondering about something. He decided to ask her since she was the first to enroll before he does.
Ratchet: Say, the doll who tripped over me was the one who 'sabotaged' the Quiz Bee. Is it true? I mean, you're one of the students who got shocked by the electricity.
Twilight: He is, but I don't think he sabotaged the Quiz Bee even the device was actually on his table along with Mirai Hibino. *sighs* I haven't seen him for a while.
Ratchet: I know, that shock really get him big time. About the doll, do you know who he his and where did he come from?
Twilight: He said he didn't know anything about his past, he didn't even know his family.
Ratchet: Really?
Twilight: Really.
Ratchet: That's so sad of him.
Twilight: I know. A student without a family is a student without any friendship to experience. I even see it from what happened to him last night. Ratchet, do you know the vigilantes from the news?
Ratchet: I do.
Twilight: Let's just keep this. *whispering* When I was in his room, the lights went out. The door was locked and I couldn't get out so I looked to the window. I saw the monster is battling the vigilantes, but they weren't 8. They were 9 of them. But the 9th one is having a hard time. I knew something was familiar about him until the hood of his cloak went down. It was him, Ratchet. It was Elijah.
The ground begins to shake.
A big ripple came from the fountain as 9 pulled out the Water Lily from the water. When 9 stepped on the ground, the ground begins to shake. Tails pulled a necklace that is a sapphire gem with white frosting. He raise it as a white light came out of his necklace. He was transformed into his other form. He pulled out a baton and ran. But not until he look back to 9, which he knew what he says and transform with the Water Lily.
On Twilight and Ratchet's place, the students and Aliana was nowhere to be seen. The two looked everywhere to find them but no avail. Then all of a sudden they felt a strong fresh wind passed to them. When the wind was gone, Ratchet saw the Water Lily along with the roots. He picked it up while a flash of red light came to the far side of the park. Twilight and Ratchet ran to the location of the light and saw their classmates fighting the same monster that escaped before the sun rises.
They still having a hard time defeating it. As if someone made it stronger for a purpose. The group were doing the same attack from the last time, hoping this time it will work. However, it didn't work as the monster actually sends a powerful blast to the students. The blast was powerful for 9 that he was thrown high while his staff was on the ground.
3 days of having new powers and he didn't have the ability to use it! He felt so useless! Aliana didn't even help him at this kind of situation! His classmates weren't help him or even concern to him. When his classmates left without saying 'Follow us' or 'Come on' to him, his body aches as his emotions gave him pain in his heart.
9 recovered from that hard fall he had when all of a sudden his staff was nowhere to be seen. He looked around and sees a familiar person with a hat. He even had 9's staff in his hands.
9: Dipper?!
Dipper: *fixes his hat, tears forming on his eyes* Sorry, Elijah.
9: What?! Wait!
Dipper ignored 9 and just ran to the monster. A strong wind flew Dipper's hat and float slowly until it lands to the ground.
Someone from above is watching what Dipper going to do. She laughed as she pulled out a small pocket remote.
She pressed it as the chain of events at Dipper's place. Dipper was about to defeat the monster until a flash of blinding light came to the monster's body that it explodes as the light made the others to cover their eyes.
When the lights faded, the students were in great shock. Dipper's hat was now lying on the ground with a familiar wounded hand beside it with 9's staff on the other side.
Twilight and Ratchet were shocked from what happened.
So shocked that Ratchet dropped 9's Water Lily on the ground as the figure walked away in triumph.
Dipper!
End of Day 13