AN~ This time around, the chapter went in a whole new direction. I was kind of surprised, but I think I like it better, actually. Thanks to everyone who offered their sympathy about my massive mistake.
Also, an announcement! I feel that you all, as wonderful reviewers, deserve something special! So I've got awards for three randomly chosen review numbers (annoyingly enough, one of the numbers happened to be from my sister, which is strange) so, Winged Water, Deathprincess2343, and loverofbooks4eva, review this chapter and you'll receive your prize! Not sure what it will be yet, so feel free to make suggestions.
Cheeky Chica: Did I say that about your story? (now I feel like a jerk) Isn't it? I'm still very much in awe that there is a manga being made about MY fanfiction!
Purpleflower23: Made mine, too! :) I've rewritten it, now. I live in a place where the farms are dying out and being replaced by monotonyvilles.
Puckabrina: Thanks for that, I will finish it, but the mistake there just kind of got me down. By the by, why did you write half your review as if you were writing to someone other than the author (me)? I'm glad you like my writing style, I'm just confused.
Scarlet Wolf: Yeah, it was a long time...
"New assignment, kiddos!" The Beast called in class the next Monday, holding up a pair of handcuffs.
"Why are there handcuffs?" Bella whispered to Sabrina.
Sabrina shrugged in response, saying, "I don't know, but I don't like it. Anything involving handcuffs and me is never good."
Bella blinked at her. "What have you ever done that involved handcuffs?"
"Well, see, first there was this one set of foster parents that handcuffed me and Daphne to a radiator." Sabrina began, "But then, before you moved in, Puck-"
"Oooh, Puck handcuffed you?" Bella waggled her eyebrows. "I didn't think you'd agree to anything like that, Sabrina."
Sabrina glared at Bella and smacked her lightly. "Not like that, you perv. I'll explain when we get home."
"All right." Bella agreed. "But why do you think he has them?"
"I don't- Oh no." Sabrina finished.
"Oh no what?" Bella asked.
"I have a guess." Sabrina said. "Let's just hope I'm wrong."
"Wrong about what?" Bella asked again.
But the Beast continued then, effectively cutting off any response from Sabrina by shouting, "You'll each have a partner in this project. I've picked them already, based on gender, position in the war, and one other factor. It's up to the two of you to figure out what that factor is. You'll find the list on the back of the door. When you find your name, come see me, unless there's a check by your partner. Then go back to your seat."
"I knew it." Sabrina groaned, as the class got up as a whole and clustered by the sign, trying to see their names.
Sabrina forced her way through the crowd, using a combination of force, agility, and sneakiness to get close enough to the board to see who her partner was- Red. Without checking to see who else was partnered with who, she turned around and fought her way back out, grabbing Red- she was standing on the outskirts, waiting miserably for the crowd to die down a bit- on the way back, and pulling her to the Beast.
"We're partners." Sabrina said. "Now the only questions are how long, if any of the adults know, and what we're supposed to get out of it- but I think I can guess that one."
"What's that?" Red asked, but by then they'd reached the Beast, and it was too late to explain.
Sabrina's theory was right- the two were handcuffed together, and then they headed back to a pair of seats to wait for the rest of the class to finish.
"What do you think we're supposed to get out of it?" Red asked. "And why do we have to figure it out for ourselves?"
"I bet you it's because it's different for everybody." Sabrina said. "And I also bet you can figure it out for yourself. What would you and I gain from being stuck to each other?"
"Um, well, I'm quiet and you're loud." Red said. "So... I don't know. Won't it kind of just be normal?"
Sabrina smiled grimly. "It could be, but I bet we're supposed to learn from each other. Which means you're supposed to speak out, and I'm supposed to step back out of the leadership role." She dropped her head onto the table and moaned, "This is going to be impossible, isn't it?"
"Well, we could just be normal." Red suggested.
Sabrina shook her head. "We'll get a horrible grade. We need to do this right. Besides, you should speak out. You have good ideas. And I probably should shut up and listen more."
Red almost nodded, then stopped herself. Sabrina smiled dryly.
"All right, buckos, questions?" The Beast called.
Puck, who was handcuffed to Peter, raised his hand and asked, "Can I switch partners?"
"No." The Beast said shortly. "Next."
Daphne raised her hand, pulling Bella's along with it accidentally, and asked, "How long are we stuck like this?"
"You get the handcuffs off next Monday in class." The Beast said, then nodded to Renee, whose hand was also up.
"Can I be exempt?" She asked, then looked at Peaseblossom and added, "No offense meant to my partner, it's just-"
"No, you cannot." The Beast cut her off. "Next."
Art, handcuffed to Tim, asked, "How are we supposed to get to all our classes and stuff? For that matter, how are we supposed to get home? Most of us live across town from our partners."
"That's up to you to figure out." The Beast said.
Moth, who was handcuffed to Natalie, asked, "Do our parents know about this?"
"No." The Beast said.
"What about the teachers?" Ariel, attached to Jonas, asked.
"Of course they know." The Beast said. "They had to be informed you'd be missing half your classes, didn't they?"
Sabrina very much wanted to point out that it might be nice for the parents to know that half their kids wouldn't be home, but she held her tongue.
"Can we switch partners?" Natalie asked, looking distastefully at Moth, who sneered right back. "Like, can I have a girl who's not a complete drama queen that hates physical activity?"
"Nat." The Beast said quietly. "I gave you your partner for a reason. So that you could learn something. And I put a lot of thought into this, so you'd better appreciate it, and stop complaining. Kay?"
Natalie nodded, and Sabrina watched with interest, noting that The Beast had given Natalie a nickname. There appeared to be some fondness between those two after all.
"Any other questions?" The Beast asked, back to his usual loud mode again.
Puck raised his hand. "You do know I can pick locks, right?"
"Doesn't matter, the cuffs are enchanted." The Beast said. "And if you get out of them, I'll know, and you will most definitely get a bad grade. Any morelegitimate questions?"
Nobody said anything.
"Good." The Beast said matter-of-fact-ly. "Then I'll leave you to it. I expect you to at least have a guess about why you were paired together by Wednesday, and I want a final answer by Friday."
Sabrina turned back to Red, saying, "Well, we're good, then, I guess. 'Cause I'm pretty sure I'm right. What do you think?"
"Probably." Red said. "Like Moth and Natalie are opposites- Moth's all cunning and Natalie can take anything."
"Exactly." Sabrina said, marveling a little at how much Red noticed. "So, for classes. Which do you think we should go to?"
Red stared at her. "How should I know?"
"Red, you have to make decisions." Sabrina reminded her. "As in, for this project."
"But..." Red trailed off, "but I don't know how to make decisions."
"'Course you do, silly." Sabrina smiled, a little exasperated. "You put on clothes this morning, right? That was a decision. Now go on, tell me how you think we should split it up?"
"Well, I guess we could just go to... I dunno, my classes today and yours tomorrow, and then mine again Thursday and yours Friday?" Red suggested tentatively.
"Sounds great!" Sabrina encouraged, trying not to lay it on too thickly, happy that Red had picked something she agreed made sense. "What about Monday, though? Do you want to go to your classes or mine? Or split it? And what about next period? It's a good thing this is the second to last class of the day, it gives us time to work it out. So, what do you think?"
Red, looking overwhelmed, said, "I... I dunno. I have art today. I'd kind of like to go to that. What do you have? Is it OK if you miss it?"
Sabrina nodded. "It's just English, one day won't kill me."
Red smiled. "Thanks. I have a project due, and I'd like to finish it today."
"And what about Monday?" Sabrina asked. "Do you want to-"
But Sabrina was cut off by the bell ringing, and it was suddenly time to head off to last period. The two girls stood and tried to worm their way through a crowd of people who were trying to pull their partners in opposite directions. Without thinking about it, Sabrina took charge and ducked and swerved through the crowd, not hesitating as she saw openings and pathways between the crowd. Red followed meekly.
They'd reached Red's art class by the time Sabrina realized what she'd done, and she smacked herself in the forehead.
"What?" Red asked, sitting.
Sabrina sat, too, saying, "I completely forgot to let you take charge. All my good intentions, and I blow the project in the first hour."
"It's OK." Red said. "If I'd been leading, we would have been late." The bell rang, then, emphasizing her point. "What if..."
"What if what?" Sabrina asked, when it became evident that Red wasn't going to finish.
"It's nothing." Red shook her head. "A stupid idea."
Sabrina looked at Red skeptically and said, "You have yet to have a stupid idea that I've heard about. You notice everything, and you have a very unique way of looking at things. What's your idea?"
"Well, since you're good at leading and I'm good at following, maybe we shouldn't just... expect each other to switch roles all of a sudden." Red said tentatively. "'Cause we're not designed like that. Maybe we should sort of coach each other on how to do it when we can, and when we can't we should just do what we're best at. 'Cause there might be an emergency or something, and we won't want me leading then unless I absolutely have to."
Sabrina smiled at Red. "Smart. Why didn't I think of that?"
Red shrugged. "You were probably too busy trying to make sure you did the best you could on the project. You try way too hard for that class sometimes."
"It's the only one I'm good at!" Sabrina protested. "Plus, it's kind of one of three that I'm taking that have any bearing on real life."
"What are the others?" Red asked.
"History, 'cause it's about what happened to the everafter after their stories ended, 'cause it explains their motives and stuff, so that we all understand each other, and English, 'cause it's the original fairy tales." Sabrina said. "I don't get why you guys have to take those. They're about you."
"Well, we're-" Red stopped, because the teacher was standing.
He was a young Asian guy, not much older than Sabrina, with a buzz cut and the fuzzy beginnings of a mustache. He had a paintbrush tucked behind his ear, but as he began to speak, he began to fiddle with it. "You all know what to do. Supplies and your artwork are in the other room. Get to work. Oh, if you're a guest, come see me. I'll give you an assignment."
"Want to get your assignment first?" Red asked. "That way we only have to make one trip to the supply closet."
Sabrina eyed the crowd around the supply closet warily. Nobody seemed to be doing much better at working with their partner here than in her previous class. "Sure." She nodded. "That way we can avoid the horde."
The two stood and headed over to the desk, where a few other handcuffed couples were standing.
"Most of you have taken some sort of art class before now." He said, nodding at the familiar faces. "I'd like you all to draw or paint me a picture of the person you're attached to. But show me a side of them we don't normally see. It's due Friday. Your partners can show you where the supplies are. And those of you who are in my class, once you've finished your project, I want you to do the same thing, but you can have an extension if you don't finish in time. Get to work!"
The others headed off, but Red didn't seem to want to move, so Sabrina studied the art teacher, whose name she didn't know. He looked like he was of an age to share classes with Peaseblossom, and he had gotten a glint in his eyes as he looked at her, an almost absolute sign of Scarlet Hand membership. A few months ago, she would have decided right then that he was the enemy and she hated him, but... well, The Beast had a human side, too. Maybe this boy had a reason.
"Excuse me, Stephen?" Red asked quietly, as the man/boy hadn't noticed her standing there.
"Huh?" Stephen looked up, "Oh, it's you, Red. What is it?"
"Your name is Stephen?" Sabrina blinked. "That's... not what I was expecting."
"It was Ybin before." Stephen said. "I Americanized it."
"So, Stephen, can I borrow your paintbrush?" Red asked, her voice getting softer as she went on.
Stephen stared at her, then, after a long pause, said, "If this was anyone else, I'd say no. Actually, I should say no now. We're enemies, Red, even if this is a neutral zone."
"But..." Red trailed off. "But we're artists. And art brings people together."
"How do I know you won't use it to paint monsters that will bring our side down?" Stephen asked.
"You don't, I guess." Red shrugged. "But your paintbrush is what I need for the final touches. I've done everything else, all I need is the highlights and a few little things. I... I swear I'll give it back as soon as I'm finished. I swear on anything you like." She finished with rush.
Stephen looked at his paintbrush for a long minute, then, with a sigh, handed it over. "But don't let anyone see, or they'll all want to use it. I'm a teacher, I can't be playing favorites. But you're right. There aren't many real artists around here, and we have to stick together, I guess."
Red smiled at him and took the paintbrush, then hurried over to the other room as Sabrina followed.
The art room was on the highest floor of classrooms, and hadn't been changed much from its original state as a one-bedroom apartment. The kitchen had been turned into the machinery room, where they kept all the pottery equipment and some for glassblowing and glazing and such, the bathroom remained what it had been, the bedroom had become the supply closet, and the living room the classroom. All four of the rooms on this floor were set up similarly, because about halfway through converting the building, the crew had had a stroke of genius and realized how much less work that would be.
"What were you saying about everafters taking history and English like we have them?" Sabrina asked, grabbing a piece of paper from the pile Red pointed out. "Before class started?"
"Well, we don't know all our histories." Red said, starting to fill a cup with water, then turning to the shelf that held the paint. "We mostly just know our own and a few friends. I don't really know anyone else's. I mean, I was kind of... out of it for a while, but still. It's like... I dunno. But we don't really associate with everyone. We know of each other, most of the time, but we don't really know each other. And there's some fairy tales I've never heard."
Sabrina nodded, grabbing a pencil and an eraser. "Makes sense. After all, if there's three hundred or so kids alone, not counting those who were kids but then grew up, how many adults must there be?"
"A lot." Red said, simply grabbing the rest of the paint and dumping it into a crate. There wasn't much left. "Do you need anything else?"
Sabrina shook her head. "I don't even know where to start. And I'm not a very good artist, so it won't matter anyway."
"Don't say that." Red said. "You're not terrible. I'll help you."
"But I don't want you to see it." Sabrina said. "Not 'til I'm done."
"All right." Red smiled, only the tiniest bit hurt. "I understand."
"Actually..." Sabrina raced back, pulling Red with her and almost spilling the water, "I'd like it if you helped me get better. How about I get a practice sheet?"
"Okay." Red smiled, steadying her armload. "That sounds good. Let's get started!"