After this, there's only one more chapter left to go. And then I'm done!
Also, what I've written down here is much different than what I wrote in the first draft. Rewriting is important.
Standing atop a grassy hill on Monday morning. Gandhi gets a good look at Clone High, standing in all its glory under a rainbow.
He'll be attending classes again soon, but with what's been going on, he has no way to know what he'll be going through today. 2024 is nothing like 2003. Things have gotten much scarier.
He took a deep breath. Then began to kick off the song he had once sung so long ago. "Everything's normal! Nobody's mopin'!"
He looks over to see JFK right beside him. He's changed since before he got frozen. He couldn't wait to hear more of his story.
JFK began to sing the next part of the song. "Let's take it for granted! The campus is open!"
Joining them are the clones of Frida Kahlo, Harriet Tubman, Confucius, and this guy who calls himself Topher Bus. They had been instructed to sing the next part of the song together.
"Our freedom wil be here! That is a-given!"
Abe Lincoln, now no longer wearing a face covering, gets in the center of it all.
"I'm Abraham Lincoln! To wokeness I'm driven!"
He shut his eyes as he sang along with everybody else.
"Organically awesome! Fantastical bliss! If something bad happens-"
Everybody then stopped singing, as they heard the sound of chanting getting closer.
"YOU! WILL NOT! REPLACE US! YOU! WILL NOT! REPLACE US!"
That's when everybody froze up. It's a sight that they're not used to seeing. A group of about twenty men. Looking exactly like the ones Abe had fought last Friday.
In the center of it all was Amerigo Vespucci. Wearing a white face covering. Possibly to hide his identity from anyone with a camera.
Immediately, the two groups took their opposing sides in the field. Abe Lincoln steps forward. Closer to the opposition than anybody else.
He stares at Amerigo, and in return, gets stared at by him. Everything's gone quiet. Then Amerigo spoke.
"Woke Abe… When I heard that three of my guys had their asses handed to them, I knew it couldn't have been anyone else but you."
Listening in on them, Gandhi leans closer to JFK. "That's the guy that beat you up, right?"
"Right." JFK answers. "He's unlike anyone else I've ever fought before. But I'm still not sure how they all came here this fast."
It was then that he felt Harriet tap him on the shoulder. She pointed at a nearby road where a U-Haul truck is parked. When JFK put two and two together, he found himself holding back a laugh.
"So they all jammed themselves in that box? What, they couldn't afford to rent a bus? Packing themselves in like a bunch of sardines!?"
Abe sees Amerigo looking at JFK. "Glad to see he's doing well."
Now it's Abe's turn to speak. "You didn't have to come over here, but you did. We've never met before, but I know I already got you figured out. This ideology of yours… Somebody duped you into investing in it. You've been told a very well crafted lie. You ended up believing things that you shouldn't. Whatever your plans are with me, or this school, I hope to stop you before it's too late."
"You're no different than everyone else." Amerigo shook his head. "You should already know by now: If you're not with us, you're AGAINST us! I don't care that you're the clone of the greatest president that has ever served this country! If you turn a blind eye to the ongoing problems that are crippling the country, transforming it into something it isn't, you and everyone you love deserve all the pain that's coming your way."
Abe couldn't help but smile. "Sounds like somebody from Patriot Front would say."
(Patriot Front is a far-right extremist group identical to Replacement Rebellion.)
He then sees some of the members from RR softly speak to each other. Amerigo was quick to speak. "Patriot Front… they're Plan B for those guys. In case things don't work out here. It's good to have a backup plan."
"I gotta be honest with you, man." Said Abe. "If I was younger… and stupider… I would have drank in every word you preach to me. Back then I found it easier to blindly agree with people because thinking for myself required more effort than what I was willing to put in. But when the lies become obvious, and everything feels nothing like before, you don't need to be smart to make the right choice. Because people… they're not born evil."
He points at himself with his thumb. "The original Abraham Lincoln knew this… Consider me his messenger."
Amerigo shook his head. "Lincoln… You have a very, very twisted idea of what 'the right choice' is.
You embrace the idea of… open borders… killing unborn children… introducing children to the perverted idea that men can become women… taking guns away from innocent citizens because a few violent people did something they didn't agree with.
That's not the America I want to live in!"
The men behind Amerigo began chanting. "Amerigo! Amerigo! Amerigo!"
"It's not the America WE want to live in!"
As the men began to chant louder, Amerigo places his hand over his heart as if he's reciting the Pledge of Allegience.
"No matter how loud the voices that try to discredit us get, the simple fact remains within all of us! From the moment we were born, it has never left us! When we die, it will be how we are remembered!"
In unison, the extremist group shouted at the students of Clone High.
"WE ARE AMERICA!"
Hearing all that, Gandhi crosses his arms. "I have this… overwhelming urge to duct tape that guy's mouth shut."
JFK pats him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, buddy. If you're feeling this way… It only means you haven't gone insane."
Having finished with his chant, Amerigo looks at Abe. "This… is patriotism, Abe. Something YOU'VE forgotten all about when you went on that… woke journey of yours. We both know what has to happen now… Mono e mono.
One who loves the country that's named after him and will do anything to fix it… against one who wants to redefine everything about it and then call THAT a country… Are you ready?"
Abe nods at his opponent. "I've been ready since I've finished reading what I needed to."
Everybody thought the two of them would just crash into each other almost immediately. But they were surprised to find out that they're both just pacing back and forth. Not taking their eyes off of each other for even a second.
"Hey, what gives?" Gandhi scratches his head. "They know they're in a fight, right? Why aren't they… you know? Fighting?"
Joan looks at Gandhi before looking at Abe again. "I'm not an expert when it comes to fighting… But what's happening right now is something only I could see Abe pull off.
Right now, they're both envisioning what a potential fight could be. How can you do the most damage to your enemy in the shortest amount of time? Also, what is your enemy capable of and how can you get around it?
Abe had JFK's fight to learn from and Amerigo had Abe's fight with the other members to learn from."
JFK's eyes widened. "That's why he wanted all the details from my fight. He was thinking that far ahead. Heh. It seems like there's more stuff that he'd keep secret from me."
"This is getting tense." Said Cleo. "Who's gonna make the first move?"
As soon as she said that, Abe stopped moving. His feet now firmly planted on the ground. In response to this, Amerigo stops moving. Still unsure what to do next, he sees Abe begin to smile.
"Alright." Abe then rushes towards him. Closing the distance between the two.
He threw a right hook aimed at his face, Amerigo only needed to see it coming a short distance away. He moved in time to dodge the punch. Before he could come up with a counterattack plan of his own however, Abe took a step back and delivered a kick to the stomach, using his height to his advantage.
Amerigo lost his footing and fell to the ground; clutching his stomach in pain. A few people on his side stepped forward in an attempt to help him, but he waved them away. "I'm fine! I'm fine!"
He continues staring at Abe as he gets back on his feet. There's no denying it anymore. He's going to have to hurt him really bad before he sees things his way.
It shouldn't be a problem. Growing up, Amerigo just couldn't stay away from a fight. Adults began scolding him for fighting the kids who he was bullied by. For as long as he could remember, he is usually the only one in the room with the right opinion. He got used to people not caring about what he goes through every day at school. Every new way he discovers how he can hurt somebody excites him enough to keep moving forward.
Now with the clone of Abraham Lincoln staring him down, Amerigo took this opportunity to show what all his years of training led up to. It's clear that Abe can't beat him. He hadn't been fighting as long.
Abe took a step back as he noticed Amerigo moving his head, alongside his shoulders, from left to right to left again. He must be pumping himself up.
Amerigo then closes the distance between them. This time moving quicker than Abe had anticipated. Throwing punch after punch as Abe guards himself. Watching from a distance, JFK comments. "Come on, Abe… Come on."
As tough as Abe is, he has to admit that he doesn't have an answer to the quick punches Amerigo is throwing at him. Tiring him out may seem like the best option for him at the moment, but the problem with that is he's going to get tired alongside him. He'd never admit it to anyone, including Gandhi, but he's starting to feel himself slipping a little.
Everything he learned about fighting was in a few crash courses. There was always some amount of luck that's in his favor every time he fought. He can only hope it doesn't run out before this fight's over.
Without a face covering on, it was easier to breathe at least. But as soon as Amerigo noticed Abe begin to inhale with his mouth, he knew there was an opportunity for him.
Abe only needed a second, but that was exactly all the time Amerigo would need. He jumps in the air and kicks Abe in the chest with both his feet. Causing him to stumble backward onto the ground. "AAUGH!"
In an instant, Amerigo lifts himself up. He looks down at Abe, who's clutching his right wrist. He must have landed on it as he fell down.
Abe's friends and classmates could only look in shock as Abe struggled to twist his hand. Amerigo had successfully disabled his opponent.
With a wrist brace, it would take Abe's injury at least a week to heal, and that's if he doesn't get into any fights during that time.
Amerigo smiles. Feeling proud of what he had done. "You know what they say, Abe!" He taunts. "The bigger they are, the harder they fall!" The men behind him began chanting again. "AMERIGO! AMERIGO! AMERIGO!"
His wrist hurting like hell, Abe starts to get back up on his feet again. He then hears Frida call out to him.
"Maybe we should start running! It's not worth getting hurt, Abe!" She points at Amerigo. "HE isn't worth it!"
Abe shook his head. "No… it isn't over yet. I'm too far into this to give up. I'm not gonna start now."
Amerigo couldn't help but feel an unusually cold wind on his face as Abe walks closer to him. The students of Clone High are cheering him on again.
Curious, he asks him a question. "Just how do you hope to win this fight with only one working wrist?"
Abe tilts his head to the side. Amerigo unintentionally mimics him.
"I will win… Just not in the way you'd expect."
This only raised questions rather than answer them, Amerigo thought. Not in the way he'd expect? What exactly does Abe have in mind? And why is he just now saying this AFTER injuring his right wrist? Anybody else would have thrown in the towel by now. He isn't sure if he even wants the answer.
As Abe closes the distance between them, Amerigo prepares himself for anything he has to throw at him.
With his left hand, Abe began to give the impression that he was about to throw a punch, Amerigo counters by throwing one of his own, but Abe never intended to hit him. He put him in a position where he's able to grab his arm mid-punch. His right wrist still stung. Possibly the worst pain he's ever experienced, but he knows he has to endure it. Using all his weight, he pulls Amerigo's arm forward like a rope. Making him lose his balance.
He wasn't just pulling him in a straight line either. There was a bit of a circular motion involved. Abe goes on to pin down Amerigo's body with his own. Finally giving his injured wrist some relief.
Confused, Confucius points at Abe. "What the heck is Abe doing?"
Gandhi crosses his arms. He grins at his new friend. "THAT, my friend, is something he taught himself over the weekend. A certain kind of martial art that focuses on restraining your attacker… but at the same time, not hurting him.
It's called… AIKIDO!"
Confucius's face lit up. "Aikido… not THAT seems like something more suited for me!"
As Amerigo struggles under Abe's weight, he could see that he's no longer trying to hurt him. The expression he's giving off explains it all. He's disappointed. Not angry like he's used to seeing in others.
He couldn't really blame him. From Abe's point of view, Amerigo is somebody who's not worth saving. He's too far gone. He looks at his former classmates to see that they're not looking at him like they're condemning him. They look more heartbroken than anything else.
It's weird. It's almost as if they're willing to forgive him for everything he's said and done. There's only one thing he needs to do.
He looks at his fellow members of RR. He couldn't read their emotions. That should be obvious. Everybody's hiding their faces. But that's just it, isn't it? They're only perceived as powerful as long as they can hide themselves from the public.
It really is true what they say: Give a man a mask and he'll show you his true face. Well maybe now it's time for him to stop wearing a mask.
Who is saying that he isn't capable of change? He can change if he wants to. He can open himself up to others if they're willing to listen to what he has to say. He can still believe in whatever he wants, but maybe this time he needs to try to not disappoint others. Become more friendly towards everyone. Regardless of who they are or where they came from.
It won't be easy. But at least he'd be giving people a reason to not hate him anymore.
He speaks to Abe, who's still holding him down. "I've made a huge mistake, haven't I? I just… don't take the time to think things through and I… hurt people… In more ways than one."
Abe speaks in a calm voice. "What's done is done, Amerigo. It really doesn't matter anymore how badly you screw up. The only way you can go from here is forward. Into a new chapter in your life."
Amerigo couldn't help but chuckle at that. "A new chapter… That sounds like something I need right now."
"Hey what the hell are you two talking about!?" A member of RR shouted. "Don't make me step in!"
As the group of extremists inch closer to Abe, Amerigo reaches out to them. "NO! STAY BACK! STAY BACK!"
They didn't get very far, however. As the sound of police sirens rang in their ears. Everybody looked to see half a dozen cop cars surrounding the U-Haul truck.
"Well well well…" The Sheriff of Exclamation steps out of his car. "Another dime-a-dozen extremist group. People with no business being near a school campus! Just wait until the State Attorney General hears about this!"
One of the RR members began speaking to the others in the group.
"The only thing you should be telling them is your name, date of birth, and you're an activist wishing to peacefully assemble. That's the only thing you tell them."
Abe looked into the distance and gave a thumbs up. Looking back at him is Vince Frankenclone, the guy who made the call to send cops to Clone High. He returns the thumbs up. Principal Scudworth and Mr. Butlertron, who is getting caught up in current events, are alongside him.
Abe then sees a police officer look at him. Pointing at Amerigo, he says. "Not this one, officer. He's with us."
With tears starting to gather in his eyes, Amerigo went on to hug Abe. The people he had been trying to impress are now in police custody. For the first time in a long time, he finally feels loved. "Thank you… Thank you… Thank you…"
As Abe hugged him back, he felt like there wasn't much else he could do except look at the clear, blue sky above him. He couldn't exactly explain how, but it's as if he could tell that the original Abraham Lincoln is smiling at him from wherever he may be.
Amerigo Vespucci isn't the only one who has started a new chapter. The same could be said for everybody else who welcomed him back to school with open arms. There's still a lot more work to be done, but now everybody's willing to do their part.