Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING! How to Train Your Dragon belongs to DreamWorks, and Amphibia belongs to Disney.


Fate.

Destiny.

The events leading up to both.

These are such peculiar concepts that go beyond humanity's understanding. The ability to choose has been the foundation of humankind since the dawn of time. And it has groomed many individuals into being the people they were born to be. If one chooses to work hard, save money and help those in need, they end up living a good life. If one were to lie and cheat at the top of the food chain, they inevitably would get caught and suffer the consequences. Naturally, paying for their mistakes and lose everything they've built for themselves.

And they have guided many people to find their place in the world. Whether it would be a construction worker, a server, or even the CEO of a very successful company, most people are already born into theirs, some people discover theirs, and some make a place for themselves. Making tough decisions ultimately end with them sacrificing a part of themselves to survive and thrive.

The world changes around those people. And their places are eventually turned to dust, bringing many back to those same questions in their darkest hours. Ultimately it causes some to fall victim to conspiracy theories and falsehoods in the media and use those theories as excuses for their downfall. Holding onto the past until it eventually rips them apart, rendering them of any form of sanity and causing them to descend slowly into a state of depression and madness.

Though for others, they learn to embrace the changes in their lives and start anew, discovering a new purpose for themselves and regaining their place in the world. And strive to find inner peace within their lives and flourish through hard work and dedication. And in Los Angeles, this was the average citizen who went through constant changes every so often. They were going about their days making good and bad choices, determining where they fit in this just society.

Of course, the odds are some are still looking for their place. Who still question where they fit in the world or who they are. This simple fact couldn't be more true for a young thirteen-year-old Taiwanese-American girl with a green barrette on the side of her head. Who was in the middle of the hallways of her school, attending to her locker.

She wore a grey-blue colored hoodie with a small 'SJMS' emblem stitched across the chest, with a bigger one on her back. Along with that, she also wore a short green skirt and a pair of brown school shoes. Apart from that, her skin was slightly darker, and she had a green barrette on the side of her head.

To everyone who knew her, the girl went by Marcy Wu. However, her friends call her Marce or Mar-Mar for short. He was known for her geeky yet resourceful personality. She is always willing to learn new things and do tons of research. At the school she now attends, St. James Middle, she was said to be above the ordinary intelligence of the average kid. The only real exception is gym class because she continuously reads during class. She also was known to be very clumsy at times. She has a record of tripping over herself numerous times and falling into a trash can from here and there.

Though what made her special was her expansive imagination. Mostly involving fantasy books and video games, which she considered her comfort zone. Though the thing is, they are called comfort zones for a reason. The world was already cold and harsh. And stuff like fantasy books and video games was that they were warm and soft. Above all, they were well-calculated distractions. Distractions helped shield one's innocence from the horrors of the real world.

Of course, Marcy understood that one could never run and hide from it forever. She knew this as she stared into her locker, putting the notebooks from her previous class inside it while looking at a small picture of her and her two other girls, who were somewhere else at the moment. After taking a good look at the photo, the Taiwanese-American girl sighed and closed the locker door. Shortly after that, the school bell rang, signaling the beginning of lunch. Her stomach ached as her legs began to move on autopilot, constantly weaving through the bustling crowd of her fellow students at Saint James Middle School.

She couldn't stop thinking about the countless homework assignments she would later need to complete. Despite being an A-student, Marcy was amazed by how she could keep up with it. The school's relentless grading system had stressed her out, and the expectations her parents set from the beginning. She wished the day was over so she could go back home and play with her switch.

Once she stepped into the cafeteria, she saw it was packed with many bodies. Many from which she was familiar. As she grabbed a tray and got in the lunch line, she saw two girls sitting at an empty table in the middle of the cafeteria, revealing her two best friends, Sasha Waybright and Anne Boonchuy. And the weight of the pressures of life had dissolved instantly.

Throughout the portion of the line, a thousand things ran through the mind of the Taiwanese-American girl as her gaze was firmly locked onto the two girls as they gossiped about frog knows what. The mere images of Sasha's tall, muscular form and Anne's small yet adorable figure gave Marcy a warm yet fuzzy feeling. These were the friends she would do anything for, and in return, they would do anything for her.

There was no one she would not trust or count on more than them. And she knew it. But before she could give the matter any further thought, a pair of fingers snapped before her face, causing the girl to slightly shaking her head. When she looked up, she saw the cafeteria cook raise an eyebrow before nodding for her to move.

"Hate to break it to you, kid," he said sternly. "But you're holding up the line!"

"Oh, sorry," she said instinctively.

Without further delay, she grabbed her tray and went off so the next person would get their share.

Then she rushed off to the tables, closely dodging a couple in the way. Afterward, she went to the table where her two friends were sitting. And to her amazement, she was met with delighted smiles the moment they saw her coming. However, her much-needed gratification was shattered when her eyes failed to see the inconvenient apple cord on the floor, causing her to trip on herself for the five hundredth time. The tray of food flew high up in the air yet was miraculously caught by a pair of pale hands.

While another pair caught Marcy before her head could make contact with the ground.

"Easy there, Mar-Mar," she reassured her friend.

Afterward, the Thai girl helped and guided her to the table where they both sat. She was then met with the second pair of eyes from across the table,

who seemed amused with the situation.

"You know, I'm starting to wonder whether or not you tripped yourself out of the womb when you were, Marce," Sasha teased with a chuckle before sitting the tray in front of her. "No offense intended, of course."

In return, Marcy rolled her eyes while battling the redness in her cheeks. Rubbing her head to hide the awkwardness marked all across her face.

"None was taken, Sashi," she replied. "Just got caught off guard, that's all."

"Well, it's a new record, too," Sasha said. "That was the longest time you've gone since you last tripped."

"I'll say, the last time we saw you fall on yourself was last week," Anne added. "I forgot, was it during art class?"

"Did you guys seriously have to keep count?" Marcy questioned.

"Don't we always?" Sasha asked again.

The Taiwanese-American girl thought about it for a moment before considering that her blonde-haired friend had a point.

"Fair point," she stated with a shrug.

Marcy returned her gaze to her tray and food and was about to take her first bite when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her in a loving embrace. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Anne coddling her as if she were a giant fluffy teddy bear. At the same time, she was earning an envious stare from the girl across from them.

"Oh, come on, Anne," Sasha sneered. "Do you have to do that in front of me?"

"Hey, Sash, it's my turn to be on Marcy duty today," Anne retorted. "So don't judge me!"

"Yeah, really not fond of you calling it that," Marcy derided with a sigh. "Especially when I'm right here!"

Though to her dismay, the A-student was met with two matching grins, which started to devise on her best friends' faces. And they began to form a look that Marcy knew all too well.

"Oh no," she groaned. "I know that look, you guys. Please don't!"

On top of that, Anne Boonchuy, in all her beautiful, distracting glory, started giggling as she eyeballed Sasha. Who also started laughing at what was about to come next.

"Or, we could always call it-," she started.

"Please don't!" Marcy scorned, covering her ears as they carried on.

"-the grand guarding of-," Sasha picked up.

"Don't say it, please," Marcy practically begged.

"QUEEN REGINA!" they both exclaimed in unison.

Afterward, they both burst into laughter as Marcy's cheeks brightened even more. Earning a long, agonizing groan from their Taiwanese-American friend before she buried her head against the table and she hid her embarrassment.

"I hate you!" she scoffed spitefully. "You guys are so mean!"

"Ah, come on, Mar-Mar," Anne reassured. "We're just playing around."

"Yeah, there's no shame in making jokes about our Queen," Sasha added with a snicker.

"I'm gonna find another music box and warp you both in it," Marcy joked. "And if I become a princess in that world, my first decree will be to gag you guys up and throw you in the desert."

Sasha chuckled. She found Marcy wallowing in her misery very amusing.

"Aw, Marce," she said while taking a sip from her drink. "We all know you love us too much to do that."

The A-student perked her head back up when the "L" word entered her brain cells, which earned another giggle from her messy-haired friend.

"I don't know, Sasha," Anne redacted, rubbing Marcy's shoulders to keep her relaxed. "Her Highness seems pretty serious. And treason is a serious crime. One that's punishable by death."

In response, Sasha released an exaggerated gasp before leaning against the counter and grasping one of her hands while giving her pleading eyes.

"Please, your Royal Majesty," she begged. "Please, have mercy on this poor soul."

Marcy giggled. She found it cute whenever Sasha begged. Or couldn't stand the sight of her groveling. But either way, she won her over. She took a moment to clear her voice before finally speaking.

"Fine, you're off the hook," she said before eating. " But next time, I won't be so merciful."

"Oh, thank you, Queen Marcy!" Sasha exclaimed. "Frog bless your soul."

This earned yet another chuckle from her and Anne as she quickly finished her meal, fighting the urge to blush again when Sasha joined in with the laughter.

Along that, a warm feeling came across Marcy's chest. A sense that brought about a familiar emotion. One that brought her joy and comfort. And would shield her from what the real world had to offer her. But then she frowned mentally. She knew this wouldn't last forever. And it was only a matter of time before this warm feeling inside of her would finally end. And soon, she would need to find out where she belonged in the world.

It has been two months since she, Sasha, and Anne left Amphibia. The adventures that they had and the hardships that they've heard about felt like a distant memory. When she first returned to her parent's house, she was afraid they would be mad at her for running off. But to her surprise, they weren't. Instead, they were relieved that their daughter was finally safe, giving her a warm embrace and serving her a hot meal at best.

As it turned out, ever since she went missing, they've been completely heartbroken. And, as soon as they got her back, they treated her much more fairly than before. But despite the heartwarming reunion, nothing changed regarding moving out of California, which Marcy had finally embraced since returning from the frog world.

However, to Marcy's surprise, they have decided to postpone the moving day to the end of the school year. They acted hastily when rushing to move without considering their daughter's feelings. Plus, moving in the middle of the school year would mean that Marcy would have to repeat the eighth grade and further compromise her education. Not only that, but it was also unhealthy to pull her away from the only two friends she had ever had since she was young so early. So there was some logic to it.

And Marcy accepted these terms, seeing it as a way to spend as much time with her friends before moving away while embracing whatever changes lay before her. And in return, they accepted this as well.

Agreeing to set up scheduled meetings. With a minimum of three days a week. Which would typically involve a sleepover or a shopping spree at the mall. Beyond that, they would do their best to branch out and do other things.

Yet even after everything that happened two months ago, life hasn't been the kindest to the three girls. The amount of catching up they had to do with the many months of going missing from school greatly affected them—especially Sasha, who hated math with every inch of her body.

However, regardless of the work they had to endure, each experienced significant changes in their lives. Sasha was the first who had changed the most out of them. Going from the manipulative control freak, she used to be to a more caring, emotionally aware person who will always be there whenever Marcy and Anne need to be. Of course, the cheerleader's old snark wasn't completely gone, but it was less so than it was before.

Then there was Anne, who was probably the most grown-up. Since Amphibia, she learned never to slack off when it came to what she needed to get done and finally own up to her responsibilities. Not only that, but she was now more confident in making her own choices and having more control over her life now that she was considered a hero in not one but two worlds. Which was something no one she ever knew would pull off. Save for both Sasha and Marcy.

As for Marcy herself, while she had learned to be more open-minded with Anne and Sasha's feelings and had grown past many of her codependency issues, she was still the massive nerd they considered her always to be. To which there was no shame since it was her passion. And she would still go on for hours about her favorite book or video game if one of them gave her a chance.

Despite this, however, Marcy still felt...a bit off. Of course, she had already come to terms with the fact that she would eventually leave her friends behind, let alone embrace the fact that Amphibia was now in the past. But some of her still wished she would return to how things were back in the frog world. At least before everything went wrong.

She would lie to herself if she said she didn't have a great time there. Remembering how happy she was when she was up on that stage in Wartwood, singing 'No Big Deal' with her two best friends. Or more explicitly, during her time as a respected ranger in Newtopia. Fighting pirates with Yunnan, attending parties with Lady Olivia, or reading with King Andrias in the library. It was there that she was at her most robust state of being.

It was there that she grew to be a more confident person. No more was she that clumsy, klutzy Marcy that everyone would belittle her for. But now that they were back here, that confidence had been all but history. It brought her back to the socially-awkward dork she had once been. Yet it was a revelation that had made peace in the long run, more or less.

However, this did not come with significant side effects. Despite the good times she had in Amphibia, the trauma that she endured under the control of that monstrous being known as The Core, and her actions that would start all of it, to begin with, have left an ever-lasting effect on the poor girl. There were days when she could hear its voice—whispering to her like a lover or a jailer. But she would not listen to it. Not after everything she and her friends had gone through to free her from its influence.

"Hey, I know that look, Mar-Mar. What's wrong?" Anne asked, bringing the half-Asian girl out of her trance.

The former ranger didn't answer at first. Coughing a bit while finding a voice in the expression of the two girls sitting across from her.

"It's nothing," she responded. "Sorry. I blanked out for a sec."

The two other girls looked at each other for a moment, contemplating whether or not their friend was telling them the truth. However, it wouldn't be the first time.

"Are you sure, Marce?" Sasha questioned. Leaning against the table. "You've been quiet these past few weeks."

"Yeah, I haven't seen you this out of it since you turned down that guy in our English class," Anne added. "Granted, he was a creep, but you get the point."

"I'm fine, girls, really," Marcy reassured, though she wasn't being sincere in her answer.

"I've been overworked these past few days, that's all. You both know how the teachers can sometimes be."

Anne knew there was more to it than what Marcy was implying. But respected her sense of privacy and decided not to press any further out of fear of making her best friend uncomfortable. Yet it unsettled the Taiwanese girl's inability to open up to her friends. She swore to them she wouldn't keep any more secrets from them.

"Though, now that I think about it," she admitted. "I've been so caught up in the studies that I haven't done anything different lately."

"What do you mean?" Sasha asked, now genuinely curious."

"I don't know, it just seems like every day, I'm just doing the same old thing," Marcy explained. "Sleep, eat, go to school, do homework, repeat. It's almost like I'm a robot programmed to do a certain thing every day. And it's getting bland and meaningless if you ask me."

This puzzled Anne and Sasha since it was most unusual for a girl like Marcy, who was constantly doing something.

"Don't you have that big chess match in a few days?" Anne claimed.

"They postponed it for another month."

"What about that big convention you were talking about last week," Sasha added.

"It got canceled last minute due to 'safety' concerns."

"Art project?"

"Finished and presented yesterday."

"That game I bought you once after I broke your phone charger?"

"Played through it three times and finished it two days ago," Marcy answered, earning a blush from Sasha because of the admission.

With every offered activity they brought up that they knew she was best interested in, Marcy quickly answered. It was cute that her two best friends named all of her interests that they'd generally expect her to do, despite ignoring them for most of their friendship. But if their goal were to help her branch out and ease the quietness, then they'd be disappointed.

Two weeks after returning to Amphibia, Anne took the precaution of joining a science club, which asked that she meet at least three days a week. In addition of having to attend science fairs that occur every two months. As for Sasha, she re-assumed her role as captain of the school's cheerleading team. And since basketball season was around the corner, she would be constantly busy. Then there was Marcy, who was correct about her previous statements. And with every new opportunity to branch out, Marcy grew bored of it instantly.

Leaving her to this endless cycle of both school and homework. It warmed her heart to see her friends try to help her.

"I see what your problem is," Sasha said.

"Should I go to law school?" Marcy asked randomly.

"No! Anything but that," the blonde girl quickly redacted. "I meant to say that you need to break out of that boring routine."

"Really? How?"

At that moment, the former warrior queen stood up, taking a deep breath before unleashing good advice.

"It's simple," she started. "Throw out the old act. Get out there, and who knows what you're going to do. Make it up as you go along."

"Hmm?"

"You know, make it fresh."

"Fresh, huh," Marcy stated, slightly confused. "I think I can do fresh."

"Trust me, Mar-Mar," Sasha assured. "It works for me all the time."

"Only cause you were the one who used to make all the decisions," Marcy added.

"Still work, though, didn't it?"

Marcy sipped her juice with content, considering making things 'fresh', though she had yet to learn how that worked or if she was any good at it.

"You know what, Sasha," Anne stated. "You make an excellent point."

"I do?" the blonde girl asked, feeling surprised and baffled at the same time.

"She does?" Marcy backed up.

"Now hear me out,' Anne said, inching closer to Marcy so she could have her undivided attention. "You're a very good person. You are intelligent and kind and can quickly get out of tricky situations. But you're not the best when it comes to talking to people. It would help if you had a change in environment. That way, you can meet people who have the same interests as you. That's how I got into the science club.

For a moment, a part of Marcy felt slightly self-conscious about Anne's compliments, and another part of her was still confused about what her messy-haired friend was trying to tell her.

"I'll tell you what, Mar-Mar," Anne proposed. "Maggie is hosting a party tonight to celebrate her 13th birthday at her new house. Every kid in the school's going to be there. Why don't we all go there tonight? We can hang out, have fun, tell silly jokes, and maybe you'll find someone to relate to. Does that sound fair?

Although Marcy was still trying to recover from Anne's enticing compliments, she found her proposal most intriguing. While she wasn't very fond of going to crowded places or events, especially parties, the thought of as much time with her friends as possible while also having her be the main focus of it was something Marcy had always wanted in the past. This time, this would be her friend's idea instead of hers.

"Hmm," she said, slightly biting her lip. Though the bell rang the moment, she was about to answer. Marking the end of the lunch period."I'll give it some thought, girls. My parents expect me to be home as soon as school ends. But I'll consider it."

She then grabbed her bag and prepared to leave for her next class. Though, before she could take off, a hand grasped her own. When she spun around, she saw it was Anne's. And tried her very best to fight the red-hot blush on her cheeks.

"Good," the messy hair girl said. "But know, you don't have to pressure yourself into deciding. Whatever you decide, know that we'll always support you."

Marcy, in response, smiled while squeezing her hand simultaneously.

"Duly noted," she replied. "See you guys after school?"

"Yup," Sasha said as the three girls gave a friendly embrace. "Till we meet again, Queen Regina."

Marcy groaned and rolled her eyes at the very mention of that nickname. Earning a small giggle from the two girls.

"You know we're just gonna keep calling you that like every other time," Sasha added, earning a frown from Marcy. "So, you might as well get used to it."

"I might as well find myself a new pair of best friends while I'm at it, then," Marcy joked.

The three girls then shared one more laugh before giving each other one last embrace before taking off to their respective classes. Marcy looked back at the risk of being late for her next class and gave them a small wave. Then she turned back towards the cafeteria exit, heading to her last period of the school day.


Five Minutes Later

Marcy didn't take long to find her way to the class she was supposed to be in. Nor did it take her long to take her seat, which was directly in the middle of the classroom, with two seats to her left and two other centers to her right. It wasn't a huge classroom, but it was big enough to hold at least twenty students. All of them were chatting amongst themselves, waiting for the school bell to ring so that class could begin.

To pass the time, Marcy took out her journal, one she'd always kept since she was younger, and quickly started jotting down a few notes. As she did, she looked up to see the teacher on the whiteboard, drawing up today's lecture. The man appeared to be a middle-aged man with blonde hair, brown eyes, a short beard and wore a pair of glasses, which was a typical look for the average history teacher. And he went by the name Martin Patterson.

If there was one class that Marcy had a personal liking toward out of all the other courses in the school, it was probably her history class. Primarily because the teacher was just so cool, at least to all the students at the school, it was said that every other teacher in the school either hated teaching over there or was so by the book that their teachings nearly bored the students.

But he was neither. Instead of that, he loved it. And the content he taught his class was something that didn't go by the book. Instead of going through the usual stuff about histories like the American Revolution or the Fall of the Roman Empire, he taught exciting novel stories. Ranging from the Hunger Games, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter and His Dark Materials. But the one he led the most, at least from what Marcy could recount, was A Song of Ice and Fire.

Which was considered to be one of the most famous novel series to date. And was also one of Marcy's favorite novels. Considering that it had everything from epic strategic battles, excessive drama, and, most importantly, magical fantasy creatures that would send shivers down one's spleen. Some things that spoke to her. Oh, and the fact that he lets everyone watch movies on Fridays. When the school bell rang, everyone took their seats and waited for the class teacher to start the lecture.

"Good afternoon, everyone," the teacher greeted. "I trust you all had a pleasant lunch break."

"Yes, Mr. Patterson," all the students said in unison.

"That's great to hear," he said warmly. "Now, let's begin, shall we? Take out your copies of 'Fire and Blood.' And turn to page 134."

And with that, they all took their versions of the class topic out, including Marcy, who was in perfect condition. When she opened it up, she looked at the page from which she was instructed to turn. Though the whole book was flawlessly annotated, she did in advance to be further ahead.

"Alright, now will someone refresh our memories on what we last read from yesterday?" Mr. Patterson asked the class.

Now, if one were to ask Marcy to do something like this in front of the entire school, they'd be kidding themselves, for she tended to have a habit of being socially awkward. This was typical for someone who sometimes has trouble looking people in the eye.

Yet before she could get ahead of herself, one of the other students bravely took it upon themselves to start, which was a student who went by the name of Alejandro.

"Aegon and his army prepared to set sail to Westeros after Argilac, the Arrogant of Storm's End, sent his the hands of his envoy back to him in Dragonstone," he explained. "Saying, 'These are the only hands you will receive.' Before that, he sent ravens to all of the Lords of the Seven kingdoms. Carrying the same message."

"Thank you, Alejandro," said Mr. Patterson. "And do you remember what Aegon's message was to all of the Lords of the Seven Kingdoms?"

"He said, 'From this day forth, there would only be one king in Westeros," the boy explained further. "Those who would bend the knee to Aegon of House Targaryen would be allowed to keep their lands and titles. But those who took up arms against him would be thrown down humbled and destroyed.'"

After that, the teacher stood up. Looking at the whiteboard before looking back at his students.

"Yes, and it would be here that he starts his conquest," he said. "His first strike was at Harrenhal, King Harren of House Hoare ruled. At the same time, his hand Orys Baratheon fought King Argilac on the hills outside Storm's End. "

The history teacher took a moment to draw the exact locations from which he spoke—marking both locations with black and yellow. Black for Harrenhal and yellow for Storm's End.

"Now, for a man with only a handful of soldiers, and few lords supporting his cause, you'd think that this would be a losing fight, wouldn't you agree, Gwen?"

The girl he referred to wasn't even paying attention and was too busy playing with her hair. And only picked up the wind of this the moment she realized the teacher was calling her name.

"Umm, yes! Sir!" she guessed. "It was!"

In return, the teacher dismissed her optimism with a nod before pressing on.

"It was a complicated situation for the young conqueror at that time," he explained. "After all, both kingdoms had larger armies, ships, castles, and thousands of years of rule. Harrenhal was considered to be the most impregnable house in all seven kingdoms. And Argilac's host outnumbered Orys's three to one. And rumors were spread that House Gardener of the Reach and House Lannister of the Rock had joined forces to fight the would-be Conqueror. Which was never happened in a thousand years. "

Marcy was busy doodling on scratch paper as the teacher continued the lecture, marking the Westerlands and the Reach on the whiteboard with red and orange. She drew a makeshift version of a butterfly on a grassy field. At the same time, she was reading through the pages at the same time.

Though many would consider this distracting, this was a way for Marcy to pass the time while also considering it a personal hobby. However, after an hour and Marcy continued to draw, she noticed that a picture in the corner she had drawn was in the shape of a lidless eye. Followed by several other eyes surrounding it. Until they were surrounded by a large circle with antlers covering the edges. Almost looking too similar to...

'No!' she whispered to herself. 'Not again!'

In an instant, Marcy erased the drawing and turned her gaze back to her book. Yet what came next sent a cool chill up her spine. For in the abstract silence of the classroom, a tiny whisper was heard from the back of her head. She was causing Marcy to drop her pencil and freeze for a moment. For it was all too familiar to the girl. Half a second later, another one was heard. And another, and another. Until she finally realized who the culprit of the voices was.

From which would be from the echoing remnants of The Core. Or at least from what she interpreted. She had that thing inside her head long enough to notice its voice. She did her best to shrug them off, but with each passing second, the voices started getting louder and louder. It was finally loud enough for her not to be ignored any further.

"Why do you keep resisting?" it spoke more clearly than ever. "Choosing to live this primitive life when you could live in paradise?"

Marcy fought with every nerve in her body to ignore the voice. Trying to think of other things to distract her. But it became too evident that the vote was not going away soon.

"You can keep trying to deny the truth, but it changes nothing," it continued. "You will always be that weak, pathetic little creature we used when we took you as our host."

At that moment, Marcy closed her eyes. She covered her face with her hands to hide her tears so that no one saw.

"Leave me alone," she whimpered, barely hearing the sound of her voice. 'Get out of my head!'

"You will never escape us," the Core goaded. "We will always be here. Now, and always!"

The Taiwanese girl wanted nothing more than to shout at the voice. Telling it to leave her be and that she never wanted to see or hear it again. But deep down, she knew that it was right. At least about the part where it would always haunt her. A piece of the Core still lived in her, even in death.

And she would never truly be rid of the damnable thing, no matter how many times she wanted to. And knowing this made Marcy slowly break into tears. To the point where some dropped onto her paper. Despite her misfortune, the teen girl's mental breakdown would not go unnoticed.

"Marcy?" a voice asked her. When she looked up, she noticed the teacher standing over her. Looking slightly concerned for her. "Is everything alright?"

She looked around to see that everyone was staring at her. Making her highly embarrassed. Though some students didn't mind it, she could hear snickering from behind her, coming from two girls sitting two seats to her left.

"Um, yes, sir," she answered quickly. Trying to relapse before anyone could ask. "Just dozed off for a bit. You were saying?"

At first glance, she could tell that the teacher wasn't too happy with her half-truth answer. But she could also tell he understood that it was none of her business. And instead went right back to the topic.

"When both kings Loren Lannister and Mern Gardner met Aegon's forces at Goldengrove," he spoke. "How would you describe the Conqueror's response?"

Now, if he had asked her this at any other time, she would've answered the question immediately. But here she was, caught off guard. Too busy doodling and hiding her tears than paying attention to the lecture. The last thing that she remembered reading about was the Burning of Harrenhal.

"Well, you see, sir... Aegon's..." she stuttered. Finding it difficult to put it into words. "The Conqueror...he set up..."

Before she could continue, she heard a voice cut her off from behind her.

"Dork's too busy with her doodles; she can barely even speak English," she heard. When she turned, she saw that one of the girls, presumably the one she had heard snickering from before staring right at her with a sinister grin across her face. She had long black hair, wore earrings, a half-cut t-shirt with the school logo at the center, and wore a pair of sandals. And had the snobby and spoiled demeanor that would make most girls shiver in fear. "Bet she's too dumb even to answer a simple question. Like all you freaks do."

The girl's venom struck through Marcy like a dagger to the heart. She was used to being made fun of by the other kids. Heck, she even made it to be a hobby. But that right there made her heart stop. The amount of disrespect this girl had was unwavering, even in her most vulnerable state. Luckily for her, the teacher did not seem to take this very well.

"Oh, is that right?" Mr. Patterson challenged, moving past Marcy and standing over the other girl. "Then how would you describe it, Ms. Tracy Chandler? Since your so eager to respond while another student is speaking?!"

Despite the teacher's shift in demeanor, the other student remained unfazed. And instead had a headstrong posture. Looking all high and mighty, with the confidence of a bald eagle.

"It's simple," she answered. "Aegon met with the two kings with a million men. With lots of swords and lots of horses. He led the charge with white and shiny armor when the battle started. The battle lasted for hours. With Aegon slaying dozens of men with his mighty sword. Until both kings turned and ran back to the castled they came from."

Now, many teachers would pat her on the back for her straightforward answer. But there was only one problem.

Her statement was completely inaccurate.

From what Marcy could recall, both Loren and Mern outnumbered the Targaryen force ten to one. And it was Lord Jon of House Mooton who led the charge, not Aegon. And their mounted knights smashed through the center before he could even enter the fight. And when he did join the battle, he certainly did not ride any horse that day.

And it was now that she began to realize this as the smirking brat painted her nails, which was a further sign of disrespect. Not that she seemed to care. However, this presented Marcy with an opportunity which could tip the balance of power in her favor. For if there was anything that she was good at, it was being very knowledgeable about this subject. And she would be damned if someone else twisted it into their inaccurate versions. She wouldn't have it.

"It was a glorious day for Aegon, with his white armor and handsome face," Tracy pondered. "And he returned to his castle with-"

"Mr. Patterson," Marcy interrupted, looking straight at Tracy before returning her gaze to the teacher. "It wasn't just Aegon who participated in the Field of Fire. It was also his sisters, Visenya and Rhaenys. And it wasn't their men or horses that gave them victory. It was also their dragons. "

The entirety of the class froze with Marcy's analysis. Yet the straight A-student seemed to need more time to be done with her take on the lecture.

"Visenya rode Vhagar, whose fire could melt through armor," Marcy continued. "Rhaeneys rode atop Meraxes, whose jaws were big enough to swallow three horses. But the greatest of them all was Balerion the Black Dread, with fire dark as night and whose wings were so huge that entire towns were covered in shadow when he flew overhead. And he was ridden by King Aegon himself."

"When Loren and Miren's knights cut off the center of Aegon's flanks, he unleashed all his dragons, not on the soldiers, but on the fields around them. More than four thousand men died that day. Ten thousand more returned home burned and scarred for life. Earning its name 'The Field of Fire.' "

When she was about, the whole finished class stared in awe, Tracy looking baffled by the Taiwanese girl's interruption with her friend's mouth agape. As for the teacher, he was entirely moved by her answer. Never had he seen this type of performance in all his life. And the fact she was able to lay out the details specifically made him very impressed.

"Very well said, Marcy," he praised. "At least one person in this classroom has taste in knowledge. One like some of you kids, who'd rather waste their time taking selfies and braiding their hair than learning."

All of the students gasped at his remark. His foul words felt like a punch to the gut for Tracy, whose pride was more wounded than a pigeon on an electric wire. And Marcy could tell by the redness in the cool girl's cheeks that she was livid.

"No offense Mr.," she retaliated. "But why are you even bothering to teach us this garbage in the first place? Shouldn't you be teaching us stuff that ACTUALLY happened? Like George Washington and the Queen of England?"

Marcy heard a few oohs and aahs from the other students. But the teacher remained casual in his expression. She could hear a chuckle escape the history instructor's lips. Almost as if he was more intrigued by her outburst rather than insulted.

"Because it all boils down to the same thing," he answered. "All those important figures you see in the history books, Washington, Columbus, Stalin, Hitler, do you know what they all have in common?"

No one answered. Yet the teacher did not expect anyone to give one.

"They can be anything anyone would want them to be," he continued. "Hitler can be a tyrant to some people and a hero to others. George Washington can be seen as an honorable man who fights for his country but can be portrayed as a cowardly traitor that turned his back on his forefathers."

"The thirst for absolute power," he implored. "The desire to dominate, use whatever resources they have, whether dragons and machines or nuclear bombs. The need to bend others to their will is essential. And has been a crucial part of our history, building the world we now live in."

He finally wrapped up his monolog by staring straight at Tracy, looking her dead in the eye without a second thought.

"That is why I teach what I teach," he confirmed. "To teach all of you the true meaning of human nature. Cause if we don't mind our histories, then it will do the same to us as it did to them. But who am I to say? I'm just a history teacher. The decisions are entirely up to you. I only advise that you all choose carefully."

Shortly after that, the school bell rang. Signally the end of the day. And already, most students had grabbed their bags and started heading for the door.

"And that is all for today's lesson, students," he finalized. "Don't forget to review four, five, and six."

Marcy was one of the few people that were the last to start packing. Before she could finish, she was roughly shoved by Tracy, squeezing her way through the rows, which caused Marcy to drop her bag, journal, and her books. She was forced to pick them up as Heather sneered on her way out.

Of course, it wasn't always like this. Tracy had just arrived at the school two months ago, joining at the beginning of the semester for some weird reason. However, it didn't take her long to climb up the social hierarchy in the school, making her the second most popular girl, right underneath Sasha.

Still, Marcy couldn't help but think about her witty remark during the class and how she knew more about the lecture than her supposed adversary. It felt pretty satisfying at the time. But at the same time, she figured she would have something for her later. Knowing that girl's ego and pride reminded her of Sasha before Amphibia.

As she continued picking up her items and stuffing them in her bag, she was about to pick up her book when another hand grabbed it, revealing it to be the teacher's hand.

"Let me help you with that," he offered kindly.

"Thank you," she replied.

By then, he handed her book and helped zip her bag up. But before she could leave, he stopped her out of curiosity.

"Are you sure you're doing alright, Marcy?" he asked. "This is the third breakdown you've had this week. I've never seen you like this."

"Oh, sorry, Mr. Patterson, I've just been stressed out these last couple of months," she answered, trying to ease the tension. "All this homework and catching up since-"

"-Since the day you and your friends went missing?"

Her eyes widened. She was not very comfortable with anyone mentioning what happened that day. Especially now after everything she had been through. What her friends had been through. What she had put her friends through. It was just something that she was susceptible to. Yet she knew she had to play it off, or she'll never hear the end of it.

"Yeah," she said, giving a half smile. "Something like that."

In response, Mr. Patterson sighed before pulling out a pen and a yellow sticky mark. She briefly watched him write down his phone number before handing it to her.

"Well, if you ever need anything," he told her. "Whether it's for school, homework, or to chat. Please, feel free to call me or drop by my office. My door is always open."

Marcy looked up at the teacher to see him smiling down at her. She could tell that he knew she was going through a hard time. And quite frankly, she was. But it was nice that he was offering her his support like this. None of the teachers of this school had the courtesy of providing such aid.

"Um, thanks," she acknowledged. "I'll be sure to keep this in mind."

"Of course," Mr. Patterson responded. "Now, I'm sure your friends are waiting for you. Run along."

And with that, Marcy started to head toward the door. But before she could finally exit the classroom, the teacher made one last remark to her on the way out.

"And good work today Marcy," he told her. "You're still my best student."

As she finally left the class, this put a smile on the Taiwanese girl's face. Heading off to go to her locker and regroup with Sasha and Anne.


Two Minutes Later

Marcy didn't take long to find her way to her locker in the middle of the hallway, two isles away from Sasha and Anne's. Though it disheartened her that her locker was so far away from Anne and Sasha's, she didn't make too much of a big deal about it. After all, it has always been like this since she first applied to this school.

When she opened her locker, she saw that all her books and items were neatly stashed. When she opened her locker, she saw that all her books and articles were neatly collected. Then as quickly as she could, she swapped her readers with her notes and stuffed all her homework papers into her bag. Though as she rummaged through all her stuff, she managed to notice that she kept a whole lot of old binders inside. Perhaps way too many.

Yet it didn't surprise her, considering her preference to bring as many binders and notebooks to school as possible. It didn't take her too long to finish up, ending with tugging out her journal with a satisfied expression, then shoving it in her bag before looking at the mirror on the door of her locker, which had a little picture of her and her friends from a couple of years back.

She took a moment to admire it. Taking back to all the fun times she had with them. She knew sooner or later that she would have to let go of it. It was bound to be inevitable. However, she couldn't help but think about what the future would hold for her once it was done. But that was a topic for another day. Now she just had to find them.

Yet unfortunately for her, as she continued to stare into the mirror, looking at her self-image, she noticed three familiar girls approaching her from behind. And they weren't Sasha and Anne. Instead, it was that insufferable Tracy accompanied by her friends Courtney (who sat next to her in class) and Gwen tailing from behind.

"Well, if it isn't our favorite dork," she mocked. Trying to get a rise out of the valedictorian geek. "You managed to put on an impressive show during class. Not that it did anything to help me, if I'm being honest."

But Marcy knew better. And instead squinted suspiciously through the mirror before turning back to her locker. She learned the hard way that others would do anything to put her down. And even though she was not up to hearing her banter, she figured that if she let her talk, Tracy would get bored and leave. Though to her dismay, it didn't seem like she was going away any time soon.

"What do you want, Tracy?!" she questioned.

"Oh, don't be like that, Wu," Tracy dismissed, trying to put on fake personnel. "The way I see it, we're considered besties."

"Yeah, well, you sure didn't seem like it when you called me a freak," Marcy dismissed, zipping up her bag in the process. "Besides, I already have two besties."

"Oh yeah, and who's that?" Tracy pressed on. "I doubt any person in this stupid school would be done enough to be friends with you."

Marcy froze at that moment. The girl's words to her stung like venom, yet at the same time, it almost made her laugh. Knowing too well who her friends were.

"That's... none of your business," Marcy then finalized before closing her locker and spinning to face the spoiled snob. "And even if I didn't have any friends, I sure wouldn't want to be friends or besties with the likes of you."

Tracy's eyes widened at Marcy's remark. Behind her, she could hear her friends Courtney and Gwen struggling to hide their chuckles. However, they were quick to silence themselves when the spoiled girl glared at them from the corner of her eye. From the looks of things, Tracy did not appreciate any of this. Nor did she understand the amount of disrespect Marcy was giving her. Yet when she looked back, she saw that Marcy was already walking away.

Now in a situation like this, anyone with any semblance of common sense would let this go and carry on with her day. But Tracy was not like most people. Instead, a stunt like this further wounded her pride, which she takes very seriously. And any person who disrespected her like this would threaten her ego, especially a nerd like Marcy. No. She would not allow it.

And before Marcy could be given a chance to leave her sight, Tracy grabbed the base of the Taiwanese girl's backpack and pulled her backward.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" Marcy yelled.

"Teaching you a lesson on manners!" Tracy answered back.

Before Marcy could strike back, the brunette teen placed her free hand on Marcy's chest and pushed her up against the wall. She tried to push back and free herself, but Tracy grabbed her risked and firmly pinned them against the locker behind her. Having her completely cornered and immobilized.

"Listen here, little miss know it all!" she exclaimed. "There's a natural order of things. Where I am at the top, and you are at the bottom!"

There was nothing Marcy could do at that moment since she was cornered against the wall with the other girls standing beside Tracy so no one could see them. Making her feel virtually powerless. But she did not break. If there was one thing she learned back in Amphibia, she had faced worse things than this.

"You and your kind are nothing but the dirt that people like me tread on!" Tracy continued to mock. "And you need to be put in your place! Starting now!"

She then raised her right-hand high. Ready to bring it down on Marcy as hard and fast as she imagined. In return, Marcy closed her eyes and whimpered. She was silently praying that someone would notice and come to her rescue. Before her cute, cheeky face could meet Tracy's firm hand, her prayer was answered.

"HEY!" a voice called from a distance.

The four girls turned to their right to see an enraged Anne Boonchuy marching at them. With Sasha hastily tailing her from behind. From afar, Marcy could see the fire in Anne's eyes. And it didn't take long for the other three girls to notice either. Upon her approach, Courtney and Gwen backed away. Taking their chances and not risking provoking the Thai girl's wrath.

Tracy, on the other hand, stood her ground. Feeling more baffled than intimidated. Her friends tried to urge her to let go by pulling at her shoulder, but the haughty girl's pride kept her from doing so. Instead, shrugging them off arrogantly, and turned back to face Anne as she charged at her with murderous intent.

"Take your flipping hands off her!" Anne declared.

"Oh yeah?" Tracy challenged. Trying to call her bluff. "Or what? Are you going to tell the teacher about me? Or call the school principal and-"

Before she could finish her taunt, Tracy felt a dusk of wind rush up and a pair of hands wrapping around the base of her neck before she could even blink. Forcing her to let go of Marcy, who slumped down against the wall and attempted to try to pry off Anne's hands with her own. At that moment, Marcy watched as the spoiled teenager started gagging and choking. Forcing her to let go of Marcy, who slumped down against the wall and attempted to try to pry off Anne's hands with her own. At that moment, Marcy watched as the spoiled teenager started gagging and choking. Her face turned slightly red as Anne clenched her hands tighter.

"Don't you ever touch her again!" she warned the snobby girl. "Do you hear me!"

"Anne, that's enough!" Sasha stated, trying to ease her off. "Let her go!"

"But she hurt my friend!" Anne rebuked. "She needs to"

"I said let her go, " Sasha said again, this time more clearly. "Now!"

In return, Anne stared back at Tracy with daggers in her eyes. Though she was not as aggressive as Sasha, Anne took a high offense regarding her friends being picked on. Especially one of her closest friends. Marcy knew this all too well since they both had their fair share of being picked on. Yet it only took her a few seconds to finally realize what she was doing. And eventually retracted her grip on Tracy's neck.

The girl collapsed on her knees, coughing from the seconds of having her throat grappled. Anne took a few steps, allowing the girl to catch her breath while barely grasping the sheer thought of what she just did. But before she could go any further, Sasha lightly grabbed her shoulder to get her attention.

"Go check on Mar-Mar," she instructed. "She needs us."

Anne had to process this for a moment before eventually nodding her head.

"Yes, yes, definitely," she replied.

She then went over to Marcy, who was still shriveled up against the wall watching the scene unfold. Tracy took this as an opportunity to slip away as the two girls focused on their half-Asian friend. Before she could even move an inch, she was unfortunately stopped when Sasha grabbed her hand. Before blocking her way with her body.

"Don't think that you're off the hook either, Tracy!" said Sasha, looking her directly in the eye.

"You can't do this to me!" Tracy retaliated, looking all butt hurt. "My father-"

"-is a valuable contributor to our squad's fundraiser," Sasha cuts off. "From which I am happy to have his support. For both of your sake, I hope you stay on our team..Pull a stunt like this again, and you won't! Got it?!"

At that moment, Tracy had no other words. The nerve these girls had to even lay a finger on her was unbearable. Heck, there would be no way she would allow this to slide. But in the end, Sasha was right. And there was nothing she could do about it because Waybright was the most popular girl in the school. Making her second-best. And she knew that if anyone crossed her, they would soon regret that.

She looked back to the other two girls, both giving her scornful looks. And then looked in different directions to see the other students just standing there in reverence to Sasha. And she could not do or say anything to have anyone back her up. Leaving the snobby brat on her own. Humiliated in front of her friends and the other bystanders that came to watch the scene, Tracy scampered off.

Not bothering to give Marcy a second glance on her way down the hall. Her friends followed behind her. Reluctant to say anything to cheer her up. But before she went any further, she spun back around, determined to utter the last word.

"This isn't over, Waybright," she swore. "This isn't over by a long shot!"

After that, she was gone, vanished without a trace. The other bystanders followed suit shortly after. Knowing there was no point in staying since the drama had finally been brought to rest. With that matter settled, both girls turned their attention to their downed friend. Who seemed highly relieved that her valiant saviors came to her rescue.

"You okay, Mar-Mar?" Sasha asked, kneeling on Marcy's right side and rubbing the side of her head.

"She didn't hurt you, did she?" Anne added. "If she even laid a scratch on you, I'm gonna-"

"It's okay, girls. I'm fine," Marcy assured. "I'm just glad you guys are here."

This put a smile on their faces. Yet Sasha's quickly redacted and turned into a slight frown.

"We can't keep doing this, Marce," Sasha stated. "You need to learn to stick up for yourself."

"I know, Sasha, I know," the Taiwanese girl defended. "And I did! I was seconds from walking away!"

"Then what went wrong?"

"I don't know! Maybe I just-"

"Marce, if you let her push you around like that, she'll have your way with you," Anne added, backing Sasha's claim. "That's how you get stepped on!"

"You don't think I know that?"

"Of course, we know you do, but you have to do this, or you'll-"

"I KNOW!"

Marcy, finally at her breaking point, poured out her heart and spirit into that one statement. Causing both girls to briefly pause, with their eyes widened and their pupils looking like tiny dots. Both felt highly mesmerized by Marcy's sudden outburst. And she started to notice this herself. She then took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

Before sighing, "I know."

There the two girls just stood. When it became abundantly clear that they wouldn't keep rambling, the nerdy chest master inhaled, looking up at her best friends before continuing.

"I know you guys are trying to help me," she said, nearly at the edge of breaking into tears. "And I'm trying to handle things on my own...but I'm not as strong or as confident as you two."

The two girls just stood there. Looking at the ground before looking at each other. They knew she was right. Being the third wheel of the group and the most socially awkward trio, it was hard to imagine Marcy being as bold and confident as Anne and Sasha. That was part of why she dragged them to Amphibia in the first place. And that was a pretty big deal to them. Still, that didn't mean that they still cared about her. And wanted what was best for her.

She was still their friend, their best friend, to be exact. And friends always have each other's backs. No matter how close they are or how far they get.

They looked up at their friend and smiled. Anne gently caressed the side of Marcy's hair with her fingers.

"We know you are," the Thai girl admitted. "But know that we're still going to help you. No matter what."

"Even if we have to fight every kid in this school if it ever comes down to it," Sasha included. "But hopefully, that day will never come."

Marcy, in response, smiled a little. She can always count on them for emotional support, even at her lowest point. They shared a brief embrace before Sasha took a peek at her watch.

"We should probably get going," she said. "It's already past five minutes."

"Agreed," both Anne and Marcy said in unison.

Then as quickly as they could, Anne and Sasha helped Marcy up and started heading toward the school's exit. They would soon be met with the fresh scent of after-school freedom.


Outside

At the front of the school, the girls had a spare moment to chat amongst themselves before hitting the road

on their bikes. It mostly had to deal with some boy staring at Anne during her biology class and Sasha having to put up with her obnoxious math teacher. Halfway into the conversation, Marcy remembered something Anne and Sasha had said they would do for her.

"So, are we still doing that thing tonight?" Marcy asked, grabbing the girls' attention.

"What thing?" Anne questioned.

"You know, that thing you mentioned at lunch," Marcy briefly reminded. "About going to this party that Maggie's supposedly throwing tonight?"

At first, the two girls didn't know what the geeky teenager was referring to, but it didn't take very long to hit them finally.

"Oh yeah," Anne recalled. "Yes! We're doing that tonight."

"Cool, when should I be ready?"

"I'll drop by at Anne's first and then pick you up at your place," Sasha said. "I'd say you should be ready to go around...5 to 6 ish?"

"That sounds good to me."

"Alright, well, I'm gonna head home and take a shower," Sasha stated, untying her bicycle and hopping on top. "Hopefully, nobody holds me up on the way back."

"Okay, see you then, Waybright!"

"By Sashi!"

After that, both girls gleefully watched Sahsa take off, heading due south toward home. Anne was about to follow suit when she stopped and looked at Marcy.

"You sure you don't want a ride, Mar-Mar?"

The Thai girl knew well that Marcy didn't take a bike to school. Nor did she take the bus either. Marcy knew that the bus would take too long to pick her up. Even on days when she needed to get to school early. It made Anne feel bad for Marcy, but it seemed that the Taiwanese girl didn't mind it. Her house wasn't that far from the school. 'And she would get more out of walking than taking the bus. So it was no big deal.

"I'm good, Anna-Banana," she replied. "But maybe next time."

"Okay, well, Sasha and I will let you know when we'll be picking you up. Mark my words Wu, tonight's going to be epic!"

"Can't wait."

"But until then, I humbly bid you farewell, my Queen," Anne smirked.

This made Marcy chuckle in embarrassment as she watched her best friend take off. The sun was close to the setting as she witnessed her other comfort zone vanish before her very eyes. And that gentle smile that crossed her face slowly faded into a slight frown. To think she was in a similar situation back in Amphibia. And she would have to relive that for a second time. No matter how many times she tries to hide it.

It was only a matter of time before she had to let her go. To let Sasha go. To let all the happy memories she had with them go. And start anew at whatever place Marcy ends up moving to. Though for now, she can only cherish her time with them while she still can. It's all she can do now.

But in the end, it would all be worth it to her because nothing in the world could take her friendship with them away from her. Not time or distance. Yet as she thought about it, she had no idea what the future had in store for her. It could involve her being alone most of her life. But that was a topic for another time. And now would be the time she went home.

And with that, she started heading in the direction that would lead away from the school. However, despite the change she was going through, nothing would prepare her for what was bound to happen, as a very peculiar event was about to unfold elsewhere, far from her Reach.


FBI Base, 5:00 p.m

It would be chaos if one could describe the exact condition in the very heart of the fortress from which Mr. X and his assistants resided. Complete and utter chaos as men ran aimlessly all over the place. Each was tasked with their assignments, whether relaying intel to their superiors or guarding the base's most vital artifacts.

It was pretty much all hands on deck at this point. Furthermore, it seemed to take a much more enormous toll on the agent and his colleagues than everyone else. If Dr. Terri's theories were correct, they could have a massive invasion from inter-dimensional beings on their hands. Moreover, if they did not know any better, the last invaders would have almost destroyed the entire city of Los Angeles if it was not for the valiant efforts of Anne and her friends.

To have another one on their hands would mean disaster for the country. Not to mention the amount of fear and paranoia that's spreading from here to D.C. The mere fact that beings from other worlds are more potent than humanity's strongest country has done a good number of citizens who believe in the safety and security of the United States.

However, considering Andrias was defeated almost two months ago, some of that paranoia was to rest. Nevertheless, that does not mean that they should not take their chances with this next incoming threat. Not while Mr. X was still working and breathing. It has been a couple of days since their sensors went missing, and they already had the base on high alert. Within the first couple of hours, it became all hands on deck.

As for his colleagues, they had begun to work tirelessly. They were trying to pinpoint the exact location from where these invaders would appear, or if they would appear at all, which put much stress on poor Terri to get her calculations and hypothesis correct without any validation errors. However, it was a task that she dedicated herself to seeing through her success, whatever the outcome. At least for the sake of their world.

On the other hand, Jenny was in charge of informing their superiors about their discovery. From which he responded with proficient expediency. Telling the agent's assistant about his arrival within the next couple of days and giving them little time to prepare their case.

"How are you holding up, Terri?" X asked, feeling some concern over his co-worker.

"Going as fast as I can, sir," she responded quickly, not taking her eyes off the screen she was working with. "But as it turns out, these calculations are much harder to analyze than I anticipated."

"Well, take as much time as you can," he reassures. "We may be in a bit of a hurry, but if we do not get this right, there will be a good chance that Washington will not believe us."

"Will not believe us?" Terri laughed. "They believed you when the amphibians invaded. Furthermore, the calculations have been anything but incorrect."

"Which is why we need to get this right," X reminded. "Otherwise, they will dismiss us and bury our evidence in the archives."

"I know, I know," Terri defuses. "But still, it is hard to pinpoint the exact locations under such stress."

"Again, which means there is no need to rush," X reassures again, this time more fluently. "I have faith that we will get the coordinates before-"

Suddenly, he was interrupted when Jenny came bursting through the door. As urgent as the men running all over the place.

"He is here," she stated.

"Already?" X questioned, looking just as shocked as his assistant. "Were were supposed to be expecting him tomorrow."

"He took a chopper," Jenny answered. "Seemed pretty eager to get here as fast as he could."

This sudden news left Mr. X in a trance. They were nowhere near ready to show their boss their findings. Nevertheless, what other choice did he have now than to show them what they would find? After all, he did call him for this. Moreover, if Terri was right, then there should be no reason for him to doubt the effectiveness of her research. All he can do now is in the hands of faith. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Send him through," he spoke in confidence.

Furthermore, with haste, Jenny returned to the door and let Mr. X's superior inside. Who was a tall, middle-aged man with gray hair and a blue tuxedo. Accompanying him were two other men with black tuxedos and worse sunglasses. And was considered to be the Director of the Fbi. Upon entering the room, Mr. X stood up to confront his boss. Who looked just as severe and straightforward compared to the last time he saw him.

"What is the situation, Mr. X?" he questioned, dispensing any pleasantries Mr. X was thinking of applying.

"Sir, we have just picked up something massive on our motion sensors, indicating that something is coming to Earth through inter-dimensional travel," Mr. X explained. "My assistant here theorizes that these extraterrestrials will arrive somewhere in America. Most likely in the same area where the Amphibians arrived."

"And you are certain about this?" the superior asked.

"Explicitly, sir," Terri backed up. "I lost two of my sensors specifically designed to detect such anomalies. Moreover, the other sensors have been going off the charts since then. If my theories are correct, then they should be"

"Washington does not care about feelings!" the Director inserted harshly. "We need the exact location from which these extraterrestrials may be landing. Alternatively, if there are even any at all."

Terri paused for a moment. She was disheartened by being rudely interrupted during her explanation. However, rather than testing the agent's patience, she carries on.

"Well, as I said," she continued, bringing up the monitor on the screen. "If I am right, the exact location where these terrestrials should arrive is everywhere from here..."

She scrolls her mouse to the places she had marked on her computer beforehand as part of her calculations.

-to here."

As the four people in the room stood at the monitor, much turmoil ran through the superior agent's mind. It took them months to figure the amphibians out. Moreover, they did not know how powerful they were until the invasion. However, here, they were going into the unknown. Completely unaware of what exactly it was that was coming or if it was coming. However, something in his head told him that the assistant was telling the truth. Despite him, they almost wanted to deny it.

"And you are sure they are coming?" he questioned one last time.

"Trust me," she said honestly. "They are coming. Furthermore, they should be here within the next few days. So whatever you are thinking of doing, do it fast."

The room went silent for a moment. If Mr. X's boss did not have any fears for the future before, he certainly does now. However, despite the certainty of the situation, they were in a much more difficult spot, considering they had no idea what they were up against. Which meant that whatever was coming may be worse than the amphibians.

"All right, we need to get this to President," he said calmly. "But until we find out what we are dealing with, I am issuing a high alert for law enforcement."

"Sir?" Mr. X said, looking somewhat confused.

"And I expect you three in Washington to report your findings to the White House as soon as," the Director added. "

"If what you say is true, then the President will want to hear it."

This new intel made X and his assistants drop their jaws. Few have ever been honored to step foot in the White House to meet the President of the United States. Moreover, fewer have ever had the opportunity to have a conversation with them. Particularly anything important. For Mr. X, it was like meeting our heroes. For Terri, it was something she would never have imagined doing.

"In the meantime," the superior concluded, heading towards the exit with haste. "I am leaving General Jack Hoffman in charge of handling the reports in your absence.

"Hoffman, sir?" Mr. X queries out of curiosity. "I don't think I've ever heard of him."

"He just got promoted to general last year," the Director explained. "Heck, he was even rewarded with a medal of honor for his efforts in some battle in Afghanistan. "

Mr. X felt puzzled by his boss's description of the guy. He had never heard of a soldier getting promoted to general in a short period. If that were the case, he would've had to do some heroic deeds. When he looked at Jenny and Terri in question, they shrugged, unaware of what the agent was implying.

"He and his army boys have been experimenting a little over the past few months," his boss continued. "Poured most of the city's funding into a project to solve all our problems. He said that it would' Bring the ultimate change in America forever.'"

For a moment, there was a long sullen silence. Everyone judges whether or not the people in the room should take this man's words seriously. Even the superior agent himself cringed as he spoke the words.

"What do you think, sir?" Terri asked.

The Director sighed.

"If I'm gonna be honest, I think it's just another excuse for him not to pay his taxes," he gave his most straightforward and honest answer. "But I can assure you that he'll get the job done. There's no other man I would not trust with this task except for him."

Mr. X seemed skeptical of this 'Police Chief,' given it is not much about him. However, he trusted his boss enough to believe that the man he suggested was dependable for this line of work.

"Well, if you think this man is up for the job," he puts. "Who am I to argue."

"Thank you, X," the Director acknowledges. "Now, if you will all excuse me, I have a flight to catch. See you guys in Washington."

He then exits the room with his bodyguards in tow. The agent and his two assistants were relieved that this unexpected visit went well. Terri was somewhat impressed that X's boss believed in her discovery. Since she already knew how incompetent most government officials are these days.

However, now was not the time to gloat about their much-needed victory. Moreover, this was indeed a dire situation we were all about to face. Furthermore, if Mr. X cannot convince the President of their findings, it is game over for them. And perhaps the future of this country and the entire world as well.

"So, what do we do now?" she turns to X, questioning their next move.

"Now, we pack our things," he speaks accordingly, with excitement on his face. "We are going to Washington."


Hello everyone! That's right. I LIVE! And chapter 2 is finally here. I know it's been a long while but it's finally here! And hopefully more will follow shortly after. However, before I end this I just want to say a few things. Firstly, I own all of the OC characters. If anyone has any questions in regards to their design feel free to pm me or write a review asking about them. Secondly, if there is anyone who thinks of writing negative reviews about this chapter in terms of the grammar, know that it took me months to put it together. So please don't be too harsh about it. And finally, please let me know in the review section of how I'm doing. I will still need all the support I can get in the chapters to come. And that's about it. That's all for now folks, Gunslinger signing off!