This chapter is a chaotic mess, especially towards the middle.

Year Two: Send a Goose

[12:25 PM]

Group Chat - SA Babes
Members: Daniel, Merida, James, Angela, Xavier

Xavier: I don't give a crap where you guys are or what you're doing. Get to my dorm NOW!

-o-

Edison Residence - 12:28 PM

James reads the text and shoots back a quick response saying he'll be there when he finishes one important thing. He said he'll wait for Daniel to get back so they'll go together but that's a lie. That one thing he had to do? For some reason, James decided that today will be the day he finds the code of conduct book for his dorm. Or, former code, he should say. He just wants the new version with The Emily Stark Protocol in it. Daniel couldn't care less about it since he finds it ridiculous.

He's looked in the back of his dresser and Daniel's, and behind their beds with no luck. He looks in the back of his closet and finds a box of crackers instead. Whose are these? He doesn't remember putting those there. One of the corners is dented and it expires in two years.

It's fine. He'll bring it. He can look for the rulebook later.

-o-

Hudson Residence - 12:32 PM

Ashton skipped all the syllabus days. He didn't have to be reminded of how the school year worked because he'll figure it out as the days go on or Xavier will tell him. Besides, the dorms would be easier to move into when there weren't hundreds of other people rolling their bags in and walking around the parking lot.

Now, he's searching his pockets for his dorm keys. Once he finds them, he opens the door. He expects to see Xavier already marked his territory or maybe he's currently in the room. But, when Ashton walks in, he makes direct eye contact with a goose. He didn't think a goose would be marking its territory but look at that.

He's not sure about anything. He could ask all the possible questions but all he won't get anything from that goose's blank and dead stare.

Cautiously, Ashton puts his bags down at the door. His eyes never leave the goose, who follows his every movement with that long neck. Once Ashton's stuff is on the ground, he zips out the door, closing it behind him. At least the bird was on Xavier's bed. Ashton leans against the door and sees Xavier running up to their room.

"Don't worry, I'm handling it," Xavier says as the goose squawks from inside.

"Good, because I won't," Ashton says before leaving. He left Xavier alone for a few days and the man has a goose.

-o-

Moments later, Angela, Xavier, Merida, Daniel, and James are in the dorm with the goose. Everyone except James is staring at the bird because James sits next to it on the bed, feeding it the crackers he found in his closet. Nobody, not even Xavier, thought they would ever be in this situation. After everything they've been through in their eighteen years of existence, this goose takes the cake.

"Orchid got it," Xavier explains. "I don't know how since I missed it. She did it in literally a blink of an eye. Anyways, I don't know what to do with it but, James, you're getting crumbs on my bed."

James gives Xavier a really face as he looks away from the goose. "There's a fucking goose on your bed and the crumbs are your problem?"

The goose squawks, probably to call them idiots, before it goes back to the crackers. They don't speak goose, but that's what any outside eyes would call them in this situation. Or any situation.

"God help us if there's a dorm inspection right now…" Angela mutters. "There's no explanation for this. Where's some wood to knock on?"

Merida knocks on Xavier's head.

"I regret everything," Xavier says. "This is ridiculous."

James, who was ignoring everything else going on, pets the bird who continues to eat beside him. "Who's a good goosie?"

Daniel takes a photo of that moment not only to keep and cherish forever but to send to Emily. She'll love it and then ask what's happening. "This is the weirdest thing I've ever seen and we've seen some shit."

Xavier nods, pointing at Daniel. "Speaking of shit, James, stop feeding it."

"What?"

The goose squawks again. This time aimed at Xavier. Xavier gives the bird a dirty look but takes a step back anyways. He isn't taking any chances with something that flies and has a savage reputation.

"Can we keep it?" James asks excitedly.

"No!" They all yell back. The goose squawks again.

"How is your RA not hearing this?" Daniel asks. Xavier shrugs since he's had bigger issues on his mind.

"How is anyone not hearing this?" Angela questions.

Merida scoffs. "It's Jersey."

"Can we take the goose back outside?"

Xavier steps forwards, facing his friends. His back is turned to James and the goose. "We're already reaching a breaking point. Let's just try and send that goose to Asgard."

Angela doesn't bother to point out how stupid that sentence sounded, especially since Xavier didn't register it as ridiculous. She sighs tiredly. "Whatever. What should we say?"

"How about a dear message about Britney growing up in quicksand and Apollo getting in it as well," Merida suggests. Everyone, including the goose, looks at her alarmed that she said that. "Ask if maybe they both sunk and that's why they didn't come back."

Xavier storms up to her and Merida keeps a straight face. "Don't say that. That's insane."

"You have a goose in your room!" Merida yells back at him. "That's fucking insane!"

The goose squawks at her.

Merida turns around towards the goose. "Shut up!"

The goose hisses and Merida backs off. She shouldn't have yelled at it.

"Now you provoked it," James tells her.

"You shut up too," Merida responds.

James hisses at her.

"Now, we're all insane," Angela mutters.

"We're sinking in Britney's quicksand," Merida whispers, opening her arms to show that her point is proven. "At least we'll all be together."

"Shut up," Xavier tells her.

Merida hisses at him and he hisses back.

"Okay!" Daniel exclaims, getting everyone's attention by walking towards James and the goose. "I'm getting the goose out of here."

Daniel grabs the box of crackers and uses it to lure the goose out. The bird jumps off of Xavier's bed and follows Daniel. Angela opens the door for him and they watch as Daniel leads the bird out. Nobody's concerned about the neighbouring dorms because it's not their business and who cares. It's not that surprising. Besides, they could easily lie that the goose just flew in here. Then again, they're only being paranoid.

Angela closes the door and leans against it. She rests there, looking at everyone else in the room.

Nobody has anything to say. They didn't even have a message for Asgard.

-o-

Daniel made it outside without any interference. He was even in the elevator with people who didn't spare him or the goose a second look. Thank you, cellphones. Daniel was more relieved that the goose followed him outside. He was scared the bird would've flown through the halls of Hudson the moment Angela opened the door. Thankfully, that wasn't the case. He even had to hold the door open to let the goose walk out first. Not his proudest moment. Even when they're standing outside, the goose remains by his side, looking up at him blankly since there are no more crackers. James already imprinted himself on it.

Daniel sighs. He can't believe he's about to do this. He looks at the goose who's already looking at him. " … if you actually do get to Asgard and find Apollo and Britney, can you say something to them?"

The goose squawks before flying away. Daniel could've waited a few seconds before looking like an idiot who talks to geese. But maybe the goose understood him and is now on its way to Asgard? He could only hope.

"Good enough," Daniel mutters.

Before he heads back inside, he catches Keith walking by. Keith is currently giving Daniel a strange face. Daniel isn't sure what it means, but he knows that Keith saw everything with the goose. He smiles, hoping Keith would just walk by and maybe nod on the way over, but no.

Daniel clears his throat. Time to come up with a bullshit excuse. "It's for a - a - ah, fuck it. I don't even know. But if you ever need a goose, contact Orchid Vermillion, Operations, Weight Class B."

Keith isn't sure how to respond. " … thanks?"

-o-

Later in the evening, Ashton finally decides to return to his dorm. He hesitates before opening the door but, instead of seeing a goose, he sees Xavier. Their entire room reeks heavily of bleach and he can tell that's because Xavier skipped all his classes for the remainder of the day to disinfect the room. Everything in sight that can be washed has been washed twice. It got completed quickly since there was no lineup in the laundry. The school year just started, who already has a pile of dirty clothes?

By tomorrow, Xavier wants to forget this day ever happened.

"So, how was your summer?" Xavier asks as Ashton closes the door behind him.

Ashton gives Xavier a face. "You had a goose in our room and you're asking me how my summer was?"

"Yes."

"It was great."

"You're not going to ask about the goose?"

"Nope."

Xavier's taken aback. " … really?"

"Orchid and Brody explained it."

"Good." Xavier nods although he has no idea what they said. "Because I didn't want to talk about it."

"But where are Apollo and Britney?"

Xavier pauses as his breath sharpens. How does he explain Asgard without explaining Asgard? Instead, Xavier vaguely points up and Ashton gasps a little, understanding with a nod. Xavier lowers his hand. As long as Ashton got some sort of idea, it works for him. Maybe Xavier will explain Asgard one day but he isn't sure if it's his story to tell. He feels more like a character in it than the narrator.

"Canada's great," Ashton states. "The goose makes so much sense now."

So I never expected to do weekly updates or for this long but now we've run into a timing dilemma on my part. (I don't regret the weekly updates. People have told me it helped them throughout quarantine and I'm so grateful because they've helped me too). The next chapter I had planned is for the story's first anniversary. I was about to switch some chapters around but didn't want to disrupt any flow I might have created.

With that said, I will be back on October 21st for the story's first anniversary!