The Witch Chronicles (In Bloom Book 2.5)

Stage in Playful Land Part 8

The Playful Land theater, once filled with hundreds of other guests-turned puppets had been emptied out. By now, they would be sent off as cargo to anyone who desired a living wooden doll. They would be sold off to the highest bidder.

Though the most valuable of them all were imprisoned on the main stage. The boys of Night Raven College had observed the growing agitation within Fellow. Every few minutes, he would step out of the room in order to answer a phone call only to return with a deep scowl on his face.

"Nice going, Floyd." Jack muttered. "Fellow was already cranky, now you've really pissed him off."

"What did I do?!" Floyd asked in annoyance.

"Do you think you can heal dolls and equipment for free after that rampage of yours?!" Fellow's anger echoed throughout the theater before he recollected himself. "The repairs will be costly. I can't even imagine what my boss will say."

"You mean the 'boss' you can't stand? How does it feel takin' orders from a person like that?" Leona smirked. "Color me intrigued."

"Do you think I would take on such a simple provocation?" Fellow scoffed. "I'll admit, I'm quite disappointed. I thought being students of the prestigious Night Raven College meant you'd be smarter than the rest. You all are just like any other dimwitted children."

"Now, let me see....plankton with no chance of getting ahead, perpetual small fry, unlucky fish.." Jade began to list off before catching himself. "Oh, I'm not talking about you, Mr. Fellow. I was just thinking about how I don't want to be an adult like that."

Lilia gasped, "What a coincidence, Jade! I was just thinking about how I didn't want to be a sleazebag who helps the strong and turns on the weak."

Cater joined in, "No matter how low I get, I'm not gonna toss away my pride."

"You said it," Leona agreed, "There ain't anyone like him at our school, but if you know anyone like that, you just gotta pity 'em, yeah?"

Fellow restrained himself from reacting to them. With each addition of the Night Raven College group, there was a new wave of snide comments.

He readjusted his jacket," Well, I suppose I should allow you to converse while you can. I'll just be collecting the others."

"Nah, it's gonna be the other way around," Grim snickered. "My Cassie doesn't get caught very easily. And she's gonna kick your butt when she gets here. You should start planning your funeral already."

"Heh. I'm not frightened of a little witch that is Cassandra," Fellow caught Trey squinting at him, "What are you looking at?"

"Oh, don't mind me," Trey assured him with a friendly smile. "I just remembered in the wooden puppet story, his nose grew every time he lied. For a second, your nose looked a few centimeters longer."

"I bet you the witch could figure out that spell in no time at all," Leona commented. "She'd probably make it permanent too."

Fellow was about to answer when the entry doors to the theater parted open. Several wooden puppets carried another individual.

"Be careful with how you handle me!" the incoming visitor complained. "Hey! Don't lower my face below my heart level! That's going to make my face swell!"

"Oh come on...." Leona groaned. "How on earth did you get caught?"

"There were unavoidable circumstances," Vil explained.

"And you left Ace, Kalim, Ortho, and Cassandra alone."

"They can handle themselves."

"Ah! Vil Schoenheit, lovely to see you," Fellow used the head of his cane to tilt Vil's chin upwards. "Even as a doll your beauty doesn't fade. Your magic is top notch, too. This is looking very promising."

"Glad to see you know that I'm valuable. Which begs the question: do you really think you can avoid such a large search party? Our school certainly won't sit by and watch."

"Did you hear that, Gidel? We have to face their school!" from his frightened act, Fellow burst into a fit of laughter. "This is rich! You see, our investors supporting us are quite prominent. We don't need to worry about cleaning up the mess left behind."

Grim growled, "You're an awful person, you know that?"

"It's just how the real-world works, Grim. This just goes to show what they teach you in school is absolutely worthless."

"Geez, what's his problem?" Jack muttered. "Why's he so hostile towards us?"

Lilia thought, "I think he's more hostile towards school in general rather than us students specifically."

"But school is great though! I've moved around a lot, so I've gone to a lot of different schools. Each one has been a little different, but knowing that has been fun. All the memories I've had with my friends are with tags like #BFF, #precioustime, that sort of a thing. You can learn about yourself and another people," Cater explained.

Trey added, "It's true, that every day is full of surprises, sometimes troubles too, but that's how we all learn. For that, I think school has a meaning for each of us."

From there, each of the students shared their own valuable insight as to what school has to offer to each of them.

Secretly, they hoped to change Fellow's perception of school. If they could convince him how valuable an educational experience could be, he just might release them.

Though the fox only grew more agitated. However, the cat only became curious.

"What do you think, Gidel?" Grim asked. "You got that same look that Cassie does whenever she has somethin' on her mind."

Fellow positioned himself in front of Gidel, as if to shield him, "Don't get too close! I would appreciate it if you all refrained from instilling unnecessary ideas into his head. I don't want him to be disappointed about what school is like."

"Whatever is the issue?" Jade inquired. "We're all merely discussing how wonderful school is."

"School is wonderful place...for talented, magical scholars like yourselves, that is. But what about us? Those who are immediately turned away right at the door. We aren't given any opportunities to learn because we don't possess any talent. When we do get the chance, we are ridiculed and "put in our place," as the saying goes. School," Fellow said the word with the greatest amount of disgust. "It's a place only meant for the privileged."

Lilia chortled, 'Well, aren't you a man of small caliber."

"Keep laughing, you all are just the same. You're spoiled bratty, children who take school for granted. You've never thought about what a miserable life people with modest talents live, have you?"

"It doesn't matter whether or not you can use magic. Even if you can't get into an elite magic school, there's still plenty you can do."

Jack agreed, "Exactly! My younger brother, he can't use magic at all, but he's the most popular kid at his school and is at the top of his class."

Fellow shook his head, "You don't get it do you? Let me put this into another perspective. Imagine you have such high expectations placed on you, but you just disappointed everyone.  You are then tossed off to the side and people pretend like they don't even know you or that you exist. You don't even realize how easy of a life you have it just because you possess magic."

"Are you tryin' to make us feel bad?" Floyd asked in confusion. "Just because we go to school? What the heck happened to you in the past?"

"Oh, cry me a river!" Grim rolled his eyes. "I don't care what tragic backstory you got in your back pocket. You're still a greedy dirtbag!"

"I actually respect you. Schools are the 'fountains of knowledge,' aren't they? " Fellow passed by each of the cages. "Though, I sometimes do wish that such a fountain only blessed a select few. Until that day happens, you all will never understand how we feel."

"Seriously?" Leona groaned. "If that's the way you're gonna think, then I suggest staying sulky and brooding like that for the rest of your lives. You ain't the only ones struggling."

"Fellow, Gidel, think about it," Lilia advised. "Is it school that you hate? Or are you jealous your desire to learn was never satisfied?"