Recap (don't read if you already know what's going on):
- Vhalerie's beast accidentally killed Roger.
- Trent and Vhalerie returned Medallion to the witch who actually went inside Vhalerie's mind, helping her see old memories she had when she was a kid.
- Vhalerie realizes she's a HERO.
- Witch disappears and Trent throws a bitch-fit before shit goes down outside the tent. The two check it out.
+ the 20 when the ships go down +
"The witch," Trent whispered under his breath.
"The bitch?" I asked.
"The witch. She kept her end of the deal. Sorta."
I furrowed my brows, watching the Citizens chomp down on two foot long sandwiches caked in mayonnaise and deli meat.
A Citizen put two sandwiches in Trent's hand and he looked down at them. "When I asked for food, I didn't think the witch would give us sandwiches."
"Maybe it was Roger," I suggested and took the sandwich from his hand. I chomped at least a quarter of it down before adding, "Has Roger become one with the force?"
"This ain't Roger's doing, sugar bean. This is the power of a witch. What did you do back there in the tent?" The other sandwich remained untouched in his hand and I quickly grabbed it, wolfing down my current one and then munched on his.
"Why can't it be Roger?" I insisted.
"Roger's line has come to an end. He ain't coming back," Trent said as a Citizen placed another sandwich in his hand.
I sent a sharp glare and smacked the sandwich off his palm, it falling apart across the sand. "No he's not. Because we're going to Hero High and take him to those idiots who caused this fucking war in the first place and make them fix Roger."
"Vhalerie, your parents aren't the one who started the war—"
"I don't care!" Wet piece of bread sprayed over his face as I yelled. "They used me, Trent. They sent me off to Villain stupid Academy to work as some undercover agent for the Heroes. They used me to get dirt about the Villains, that way I could destroy the Beast of Villains. I am a hero. They wanted me to kill Roger. And now they're going to have to undo it."
"That isn't how it works, candy cane." He opened his mouth, but I cut any words off before they even began.
"Bossing me around isn't the road you wanna take, jelly bean."
"However—"
I shoved the rest of my sandwich down my throat, swallowed hard and poked his nose. "No. I've experienced six different emotions in the past five minutes, including the uncomfortable feeling where a witch stuck her hand into my fucking mind and forced me to be inside my three year old body. I'm living proof of burning rage and sickened madness and I am a breath away from turning you into dust that I will gladly sniff up my nose to get high off your ashes."
Roger would've taken a slow, settle step back.
Archer would've screamed and called me crazy.
Headmistress Alice would've slapped me across the face.
But Trent took my hands, squeezed them and held my crazy eyes with his stern gaze. "You are still heavily seduced by the witch's magic. Sit down, get your shit together and breathe without killing anyone. Now."
A part of me wanted to disagree, but the witch's power was draining me. I let out a frustrated sigh and plonked down on the sand, hands crossing over my knees. "I want to leave by morning," I whispered.
"The Beast of Citizens is out there and we need to find it before it gets you. And it wants you dead—especially now that you killed the Beast of Villains."
"That beast of Villains has a name. Its name is Roger," I muttered. "And who gives a flying duck's ass!" I kicked up sand with my heel. "The Beast of Citizens can tear my limbs for all I care."
"If this is your way of coping with Roger's death, then I suggest you find a better method." Trent bent down next to me, another sandwich in his hand again. He ripped it in half and offered the piece.
I took it and we silently ate our way through sundown.
+++
I lowered down next to Archer, his wrists still shackled with Lance's. The guards straightened up, keeping a close eye on the silent prisoner.
"I've never seen you this ugly," I first said, putting on knee into the sand as I took a look of him.
"I haven't felt his alive in years," he sarcastically drawled. Thinner than before, his hair smelled worse than the Devil's asshole and his pupils were burning red. The guards told me he never slept, even when Lance insisted him to. Idiot.
"The swelling has gone down," I mentioned, pointing to his less purple face.
"Bummer. The bruises really flattered my skin tone," he responded.
I held back an eye roll, and glimpsed at Lance who was still sleeping next to him, one side of his cheek buried in the sand. Unlike everyone else, these two slept outside the tents, the cooling night of the dessert their only blanket. Well that, and the stars.
"Did you know I was a Hero?" I asked him.
His pupils widened in alarm and he jerked his head over. "You're what?"
"That answers that," I mumbled and shifted so I had both knees in the sand, leaning closer. "So you knew nothing of my family or their plans?"
He hesitated, but with one sweep of his surroundings, the look of defeat collapsed over his face. "Lance, Price and I were sent to Villain Academy to find the Beast of Villains and perhaps the two other beasts, but that was it. We weren't given names or features. The leader of Hero High told us we'd just know who the Beast was. It was in our blood."
I snapped one finger. "Gosh darnit. I kinda wished you did know some dirt, that way I could've beat it out of ya. But you seem like your job is done." I watched him lazily slump in his position. "Clearly."
"It's over. The Beast of Citizens and you are gonna end it all. There's no hope for the Villains now that their beast is dead."
"There's no hope for anyone until we get to Hero High," I said and stood up.
"What did you do now?" Archer grumbled.
"I accidentally murdered Roger. And my parents are going to bring him back," I replied and started walking away.
"Wait—what?!"
+++
A days trip later.
The castle was as big as I remembered it.
It was still the half glass, half stone monstrosity that sat on the shore of the ocean, the lands greener than money on this side of the world.
Stupid Heroes had everything: nice grass, nice architecture, cuter boys.
Trent decided to come with me to Hero High, afraid I'd get hunted or some lame excuse like that. Personally, I thought the Civilian kinda dug me.
The Roger dying incident took a big bite out of my good mood so this Trent guy was a real ego booster.
Most of the time.
"And not bring home some pie? How rude. This is a family reunion, you know," Trent said. We still stood outside the castle, waiting on my command to enter. Trent brought a couple of other Citizens to join our trip, the four of them holding torches up for the past few hours.
"I hate reunions." I cracked my neck. "And I hate family."
"Who hurt you as a child," whispered Trent.
The stars were already out, several lights still on inside the building. The chilly wind nipped at my cheeks, pink hair stale and crunchy from lack of showering. Okay, so we all smelled like a Devil's asshole.
I stared down that entrance door to the high school, long enough for Trent to tap my shoulder. "There's this thing we do," he began. "It's called knocking. We like to do that to doors. It's how we get into places."
"No." I turned away from the door.
"No?" Trent spun on his heel and put a hand on my shoulder. "You can't just screw my mind like that. I need to prepare for these things, daisy. Whatdoyamean 'no'?"
I waved my hand across my tattered clothes. "My parents can't see me like this! This is technically our official first encounter. I have to make an impression. They should see me for who I've become."
"But you're already dressed as a whore. What else is there to do?" I socked him in the stomach and let out a painful laugh, hunching over. "Too far?" he choked.
"Nah. I just felt like punching you." I opened my palm out, claws breaking past my nails as fur grew out of my skin. Scales burst past my flesh, muscles and bones expanding as I could feel the power in my chest growing. I felt the strength of my beast humming in my chest.
Trent scratched his head. "So you want your parents to think you grew up ugly?"
I let out a beastly roar and a crooked grin widened over his lips.
"Welcome home, Vhalerie," he said.
+++
A/N:
I am so ashamed of this chapter. It looks like it was written by a rushed 9 year old.
BUT this was my #JustWriteIt challenge so I wrote this story in 30 days so all these chapters are crap and unedited and sometimes I try to edit them but...
I'm lazy. I'm a teenager.
That should be a good enough reason, right?
Guy, I'm freaking out about Ariana Grande's new song "Dangerous Woman". SO GOOD.
Anyway, does anyone even like Trent?
To be honest, I see him as a Greaser:
I seriously need to stick with single, short topics on these author notes...
Thanks for sticking around! Sorry for the late update. I've been so busy with university and all.
Please vote and comment your thoughts! :)
Xx twist