3rd Person POV
"E, what are you doing?" MG asks as Ethan gets dressed in his room
"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm getting ready to train." Ethan says
"Not after what happened last night." MG tells him
"I'm feeling a lot better." Ethan promises
"But you can't be using your powers until we figure out what's wrong with you." MG says
"MG, I think you're overreacting a little bit." Ethan says, standing up
"You just phased out of your sneakers." MG points out and Ethan looks down
"Okay. Maybe I'm under-reacting." Ethan says. "The last time I got benched because of an injury, I lost my entire future, not to mention all of my friends."
"E, that was football." MG reminds him. "The game that we're playing has much higher stakes, and I need you for it at 100%, okay?"
"Then what's our plan to get him there?" Lizzie questions, pulling Sadie into the room with her. "Sorry, but also not sorry because vamp hearing is kind of awesome."
"Why are we here?" Sadie asks Lizzie
"Lizzie, I got this, and you both should be resting." MG says. "Even Hope is..."
"Vamp healing is even more awesome, so while I'm glad Hope is getting her beauty sleep, I am back in the game." Lizzie says. "And that game is apologizing for all of the stupid things I did, including going after a god without you. You must be pretty mad at me, huh?" She asks MG
"Not at all." MG says
"I don't buy it, but it doesn't matter because my dad told me that the best way to make amends is to listen to what people need, and here you are, clearly in need of help fixing Ethan's powers." Lizzie says
"Look, I-I appreciate the offer, okay, but I'm gonna go hit the books alone." MG says
"Don't bother, because you know what all those books are gonna tell you?" Lizzie says. "Is that you need magic. And did I mention, as a Heretic, I can do that, too?"
"Sadie has magic." MG points out
"Blonde Squad is a package deal." Lizzie tells him
"Do you actually think that you can fix whatever's wrong with me?" Ethan asks
"I do. What say you, MG?" Lizzie asks
***
"That thing is weird as frak." Sadie notes, looking at the Pukwudgie as Lizzie puts a collar on it
"I think he's cute, but I don't see how this collar or this monster's gonna help us with our Ethan problem." MG says
"Well, the way I see it, the Pukwudgie... which we should probably give a name, so we don't have to keep saying that, has the same powers as Ethan, right?" Lizzie says. "So, we can gather data using this device, that I've magically enchanted. Hence why you needed my help."
"What kind of data?" Sadie asks, crossing her arms and looking over at Lizzie
"Every time the Pukwudgie... there's that word again... phases, this collar will track the distance and frequency of its jumps." Lizzie says. "That way, we can know how far and how often he uses his powers before he runs out of juice, like Ethan. And, therefore, how long they both need to rest in order to recover."
"Makes sense, but how do we get him to phase?" MG asks
"That's where you come in." Lizzie tells him. "Chuck this bad boy as far as you can." She says, handing him a tennis ball
"Are you sure? I got a cannon." MG tells her
"Good." Lizzie says. "Because the farther you throw that ball, the farther this little guy's gonna have to phase to get it."
"And then the quicker this experiment will be done." MG says. "Sounds good to me." Sadie shoots a look at Lizzie to see her sigh slightly. MG throws the ball and the Pukwudgie phases away. Lizzie begins to walk. "Wait, where are you going? Won't it just fetch?" MG asks
"It's not a trained dog, MG, but there's a bright side, going after it will give us plenty of time to get to the bottom of why you're mad at me." Lizzie says
"Lizzie, for the last time, I am not mad at you." MG tells her
"Do I really need to be here for this?" Sadie questions
"Yes." Lizzie tells Sadie. "And, tell that to the ball, MG." Lizzie says, referring to how far and hard he threw the ball
"Okay, fine, into the woods." MG says and the group makes their way into the woods
"That's the spirit." Lizzie says. "And in that same spirit, I have compiled a comprehensive list of all the reasons you might be mad at me, in ascending order according to severity."
"Oh lord." Sadie mumbles as they walk
***
"Was that triggering?" Lizzie asks after yet another one of the items she asks MG about
"Not at all, like the other hundred things you've asked me about." MG tells her
"We're only on item 62." Lizzie says
"It's been a long walk." Sadie mumbles as Lizzie continues to speak
"Speaking of, I once told you comic books were for people with baby brains." Lizzie says. "I warned you that these are in ascending order."
"It's all good, but you know what isn't? I tossed that ball into a super public space." MG says as the group nears a park
"Then let's just cut to the chase." Lizzie says. "I tried to kill Hope."
"But you didn't." MG tells her as Sadie stands next to the two, surveying the area. "Plus, you were grieving."
"And then she actually killed me, and I lied to you about it." Lizzie says
"You were sire-bonded." MG tells her
"Then, making matters worse, I died with vampire blood I stole from the school in my system." Lizzie says. "Turned me into a Heretic."
"It, uh, happens to the best of us." MG says with a shrug
"Then what is it? I know you, Milton Greasley." Lizzie says
"Or maybe you're just wrong." MG tells her
"Or maybe you're just being stubborn, and dragging this out, making me feel even worse than I already do." Lizzie says
"I would never do that." MG promises. "But if you know me so well, how could you make a list that long and still not know what's bothering me? Much less do it in the first place?"
"So there is something." Lizzie says
"Right. Fine. But it's not what you think. So, let's just find our missing monster and go home, okay?" MG says
"Yeah, about that." Sadie says, pointing forward to where the Pukwudgie is phasing in and out around people and people are screaming
"He's a show dog!" Lizzie exclaims to the people. "Super rare!" She looks at MG. "Do you want to compel them, or should I?" The Pukwudgie phases over to the group of three, drops the ball, and falls over. "Good boy. That's how you play dead."
"Uh, Lizzie? I don't think he's playing." Sadie says
"How can you be so sure?" Lizzie asks
"Wolf, remember?" Sadie tells her, covering her nose. "Smells like dead."
***
"I'm ready for this day to be over." MG says, walking into the classroom where Lizzie and Sadie are coming up with solutions. "I went to bury the Pukwudgie, and it dematerialized. It just disappeared in my hands. But at least now I don't have to hide the body from Pedro."
"You and I are both pretty good at hiding things when the need arises." Lizzie says. "So, while we wait to find out how similar Ethan's body chemistry is to our former four-legged friend, let's break the cycle. What were you gonna say to me earlier?"
"It's-it's nothing." MG tells her
"Then I take it back." Lizzie tells him. "You suck at hiding things."
"I-I just... I'm not sure that it's the right time, considering the circumstances." MG says
"Is there ever a right time around here?" Lizzie asks
"If there was, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now." MG tells her
"Oh..." Sadie whispers, standing up from her spot. "...I'm gonna...imma go." She says, rushing out of the room so Lizzie and MG can talk
"Honestly?" MG tells her. "It's the opposite of nothing. It's everything. That's what you are to me, and I have been waiting years to tell you and I could spend even more telling you why. But it seems that there's always something in the way. Sebastian, Alyssa, Malivore, the-the Merge."
"All those things are gone now." Lizzie whispers
"Ethan isn't." MG says. "And when your back was against the wall, when you really needed someone, you went to him."
"That's why you're mad?" Lizzie questions
"Not even." MG says. "E's the best guy I know. I don't blame you or anything, it just... it hurts. Cause I kind of hoped that it would be me. Because it has... and always will be you, Lizzie Saltzman. And I don't even remember anything on that list, any of the bad things you've said or done. Because I love you...with all of my heart and all of my soul. And that's all I got to say." It's silent for a moment but then the liquid in the beakers starts to boil. "I'm guessing that's not good?"
"Worse." Lizzie says. "Sadie, get your ass in here!" She calls and Sadie runs in
"What's wrong?" Sadie asks
"Remember that theory I was pitching to you?" Lizzie asks
"Yes." Sadie says
"It was right." Lizzie says
"But you said it was hypothetical...." Sadie tells her
"And now it's real." Lizzie says
"Does someone wanna clue me in?" MG asks. "What's going on?"
"The Pukwudgie's powers are finite." Lizzie says. "Its life span only lasts as long as its powers do, and the more it phases, the quicker it dies."
"All right, let's-let's not get ahead of ourselves until we, until we test Ethan's blood." MG stammers
"MG..." Lizzie whispers. "That was Ethan's blood."
"Oh...god..." Sadie whispers before leaving the room
***
"That's a bold move." Dr Saltzman notes as Ben moves a chess piece
"It must be bold if we intend to defeat my father." Ben says. "Now move the phallus to C7."
"You're still playing?" Sadie asks, walking into the room
"We haven't won yet." Dr Saltzman tells her as she goes over to sit by Hope's unconscious body on the couch. "The rook is my daughter." Dr Saltzman points out to Ben but he still does the move. It fails
"Your very dead daughter." Ben says. "As are all the rest. Hundredth time's the charm, right?"
"Let's run it again." Dr Saltzman says
"You're not using your queen." Hope's voice says as she wakes up, somehow undetected by Sadie who hugs Hope tightly. "Hey, Sades." She says with a smile and then the girls pull away as Hope looks to Dr Saltzman and Ben. "That's a big mistake. Everyone knows she's the most dangerous piece."
"Well, she wasn't on the board... until now." Dr Saltzman says. "Ben's on our side, too. I think. And he was just leaving." And with that, Ben leaves
"I take it this is going as well as it did the last time?" Hope asks
"Well, Ben has increased our win probability to... five percent." Dr Saltzman says. "How'd you sleep?"
"Mm, like the dead." Hope says. "Landon says hi."
"You were in Limbo." Dr Saltzman realizes
"Okay, I wanna hear all about that." Sadie tells her
"And you will." Hope promises. It's a long story." Hope says. "The moral of which is... that there are some battles we can't win alone."
"It's good to have you back, Hope." Dr Saltzman tells her. "Your move."
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Hope you all enjoyed that chapter! Make sure to vote and comment! Next chapter up NEXT MONDAY
-MC