Trixx's POV
"Oh hi Chloe!" I squealed as I waved enthusiastically at the scowling girl.
"Oh my plague," Tikki whispered behind me. I swiveled around with a wide smile, making sure my over-the-top twirling knocked away some chairs in the progress.
"Oh, hi Tikki!" I shrilled as I wrapped my arms around and pulled her into a hug.
Tikki took a deep breath. "Look, Trixx, I need to tell you something. I think it's best to put a shield around your essence. Just to make sure it doesn't get hurt accidentally by others."
I smiled sweetly, "Are you telling this because Wayzz complained about it or because you were actually planning on it?"
Tikki bit her lip, looking hurt. "I was going to tell you, Trixx, but you vanished yesterday."
"Oh yeah, it's all my fault all the time, right?" I rolled my eyes then resumed smiling. "Oh and Tikki, I don't know if you're doing this on purpose but I can't cast a shield without Wayzz's permission. My powers are tied to his, thanks for Master Fu."
"Then go ask him!" Tikki said with an equal fake-ness. Then she sighed, "Come on, Trixx. I get why you're doing this; to annoy Wayzz. But you should respect his way."
"Then respect mine as well," I snapped before flinging away from her. "Tikki, you tell me to grow up but what if you're the only adult here?"
Sometimes, no one got me.
#
Nino's POV
Awkward tension alert. Awkward tension alert.
"So Patrick, do you want my cheese?" Trixie said as she dumped all her cheese at Patrick, who seemed overwhelmed.
Trixie's disease didn't cease as lunch arrived. But her disease somehow made Wayzz shut up for the rest of the day.
"Oh, hi Nino!" Trixie 'smiled'. She winked at me. "Do you want me to set you up with Alya?"
I almost choked.
Alya rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right," she laughed. Then she turned to me with a serious face. "No offense to you, big boy, but my heart is reserved for someone very special . . . like . . . Chat noir!"
Adrien almost choked.
Alya didn't seem to notice and continued, "I'm just kidding! But it should be someone very extra ordinary." Her eyes were dreamy. "I don't know. Someone that's kind, caring, listening, and not caring a single bit that I'm crazy."
I drank water like it was lava.
"Hey," Patrick said. "That actually sounds like someone I know. His name is Jade Turtle."
There was silence.
Alya turned brick red as she blabbered, "Um, no, because Jade Turtle is just an arrogant butt. He always yanks off Volpina like she's nothing! He's really disrespectful . . . used to be . . ." Then her voice trailed away.
"Ooh, someone's in love," Trixie said, raising an eye brow at Alya. "So when did you start liking Jade Turtle? The first time you interviewed him?"
Alya shifted and stabbed her water. Yes, I said 'stabbed her water'.
"Come on spill," Trixie probed on.
Alya sighed, "Fine. I might have a teeny, tiny crush on Jade Turtle but that's it. I don't know where he lives. I don't know who he is. I don't even know what he is doing right now!"
Hey, is it just me or does it feel like everyone except Marinette and Adrien snapped their heads at me?
"Cool," I shrugged. "Why don't you go talk to him?"
"Maybe I should," Alya said thoughtfully. "He's really witty and gentle. But sometimes he can get a little arrogant." Her eyes filled with stars.
"Jade Turtle is a nice person," Wayzz said for the first time, everyone looked at him, who was fiddling his fork around the noodles. "I'm sure he would like you."
"Yeah, I only wish he was a little bit more considerate," Trixie sweetly chimed, smiling at Wayzz. "Like I don't know, he should've thought things through before putting them in action knowing that it might endanger someone special to him?"
Wayzz nonchalantly shrugged. "Then obviousy that someone isn't special to him."
Trixie froze but I don't think anyone noticed it.
"But like seriously, try talking to him," Tyler chimed in, her blue eyes twinkling with delight and amusement.
"What if he doesn't like me?" Alya asked, her face screwed up her eyes shining beautifully.
"He will like you," I said with reassurance.
"Oh, thanks," Alya smiled at me. Then she paused and added, "Yeah but Jade Turtle is second level wise sometimes. Like one moment he's all old and wise and next moment he's just talking about how Chat noir looks stupid."
Adrien almost choked again.
"He can't be that wise as he seems or logical," Adrien jumped in. "I mean . . . maybe he only acts that way when he's a superhero. Like it's part of the magic. So he actually didn't meant what he said. Like Chat noir can't look stupid!" He seemed desperate to get rid of the fact that Chat noir looks stupid.
"But," Alya argued. "I like him when he's all dorky. It's cute!" Then she hastily added, "At least that's what I think from that short amount of time I met him."
I stared at the ground, registering what she said. It was all Wayzz behind all those moments she fell in love with. It wasn't me, it was all Wayzz. Wayzz channeled confidence and logic into my brain and hastened my conclusion to wisdom. It wasn't me.
Alya loved Jade Turtle, not me.
There was a difference.
There was a difference.
I felt like crying.
#
Wayzz's POV
No one noticed it except Nino. I think my powers are rubbing off him, I should be careful. He immediately caught it when Trixx froze in utter shock. She swirled and shuffled back into her introvert-self.
I caught Nino's look of dismay. I didn't have to ask him what it was about. I knew it was wisest to stay out of his emotions.
Tikki tapped me by the shoulder.
"Did you cast the shield?" she asked, near begging.
I frowned, "What shield?"
"The one around Trixx's essence!" Tikki quickly explained. "I told Trixx but she wouldn't give in asking you for help. I could just see it in her face; her ego's too big for you, Wayzz."
"I'll take care of that," I answered. "But Tikki . . . is this really necessary?"
Tikki frowned, "Of course it is! I don't want the tragedy striking being affected by neither you or Trixx. I want it to stay as small as possible, harmless as possible."
"I understand that," I said. I was slightly frustrated but I didn't show. "But why only me and Trixx? Why not all the other Kwamis? I feel like you're forcing a permanent curse on Trixx. I mean, she already has to deal with all the energy drainage she gets from me."
Trixx looked at me in a strange way and that's when I knew I slipped and let my feelings run me.
"Wayzz, are you letting your mask down?" she asked, amused.
"Of course not," I smirked. "I was just curious."
"Well, that sounded like pure concern to me," Tikki mumbled. "But the sole reason is that you and Trixx are more vulnerable since . . . Hiroshima and you guys might be harmed and that might mean harm on others as well."
I wanted to say a lot of things at Tikki that moment, even yell at her in irritation. But I nonchalantly nodded and turned away, knowing it wasn't wise.
Now . . . how do I get the fox out of its den?
You bait it.
"Hey," Adrien said, smiling. "Does anyone wanna come see the new marvel movie with me? I talked to some friends and they thought it was great."
"I'll go," Marinette volunteered.
"I'll go again," Alya chirped.
Then there was silence.
Trixx was fiddling with her lock of hair, Tikki didn't seem to care, Plagg was in deep thought, and Nino looked dismayed. We were all in the same room but our minds weren't here.
"Okay, then," Adrien said, uneasily. "Then I'll just go with Marinette and Alya." He seemed confused.
Everyone was.
I glanced at Trixx, who was stabbing at her salad. I could feel anxiety and anger rushing into, pulsing me, almost driving me to do insane things. But I stayed still, like she was.
I reached out for a cup stacked neatly beside Trixx. Our hands brushed.
Trixx squirmed away from me, inching away from all of us. She returned the what-are-you doing looks with a, "What?"
That shut everyone up.
Plagg hissed in my ear. "Hey, Wayzz, I know you're smart and all but maybe you should know that when girls are moody for longer than a week, they're going to explode soon. Trust me, Tikki was bad enough."
Tikki jabbed him in the ribs.
I gulped down the water, trying to soothe Trixx's emotions in me.
"Anyone want my tomatoes?" Alya asked, trying to break the tension.
"Maybe the tomatoes wants to be free," Trixx shrugged, still smiling. "But they're too weak and pathetic so they pretend to want to be eaten."
I raised an eye brow.
"Or," I opened my mouth. "Maybe the tomatoes are just too strong."
Trixx turned bright red. "Well, maybe the tomatoes want justice! Maybe the tomatoes think that something wrong is going on and that it needs to be fixed!"
"Maybe the tomatoes are mistaken," I shrugged nonchalantly.
"Maybe the tomatoes aren't!" Trixx fumed, her violet eyes smoldering. "All the tomatoes want is some light of justice to some really screwed up vegetable but no one listens to them because . . . because they're tomatoes!"
"Tomatoes might be . . . misunderstood, sure, but it still doesn't change that tomatoes are tomatoes," I said. "They're still vegetables and they were meant to be eaten."
"There is nothing 'meant to be'," Trixx yelled, making quotation marks with her fingers. "Tomatoes have the right to make their own freedom! But maybe some other vegetables are too much of a coward."
There was a pause.
"So . . . nobody wants my tomatoes, I guess," Alya quietly said.
"Everyone should want tomatoes!" Trixx stood up. "Tomatoes are amazing, wonderful, and beautiful but no one sees it! Everyone just thinks they're just . . . tomatoes!"
I didn't say anything.
"Maybe the tomatoes are insecure."
Trixx froze once more. She grabbed my glass of water and raised it into my face.
Splash!
"What are you doing?" Tikki shot up, shocked. She looked at me. "Oh my gosh, are you alright?"
The water was dripping down my face and it was cold but I answered, "Yeah, I'm fine." Plagg handed me a tissue but I put it away. I was going to take the consequence.
Trixx looked startled at her own actions, staring down at the empty cup.
Clank!
I looked up. Trixx had dropped the cup, a flicker of fear flashing across her eyes. Then she slowly backed away, her eyes widened.
I got the fox out of her den.
I swiftly strode across to her and grabbed her wrist. She didn't protest or resist when I steered her out of the cafeteria.
Behind me I heard Plagg say, "It's a trend."
#
Trixx's POV
I have no idea what happened just right there. It was just like that time I froze time. I didn't do it on purpose, it just happened. And that thing happened again.
"Trixx, listen to me," Wayzz said.
I blinked, snapping out of my trance. I realized I was staring up at a pair of mischievous emerald eyes. Hey, when did we come out of the cafeteria?
"I'm not going to listen to you!" I snapped. "You're just like the others! I thought maybe I was not a burden to you!"
"I was wrong," Wayzz quickly said.
"Well I thought you actually cared about me! Woo hoo! We're both wrong; we're even!" I failed my arms wildly. "And don't you dare tell me that I was the one who disappeared, you guys never found me. I was right where I always was."
Wayzz inhaled deeply. It was like he was holding back something.
"And fine, if you want me to stop being so . . . individual, I'll stop because or else someone's going to shove threats and guilt down my throat," I yelled at him. "I thought I was insecure because I wasn't brave enough. But no, it was just because I had a crappy friend!"
Wayzz grabbed me by the arm painfully twisting it. I cried in alarm, trying to wrench out of his grasp but he was too strong.
Something weird rushed into me. Something that was both strange and forced.
Then he let go.
"What are you doing?" I cried in disbelief. "Now that I'm not worth holding up your fake mask to, you're going to be throwing it away? Were you a monster beneath that stupid mask?"
Wayzz's face was deathly still.
"Well thank you very much, Mr. Perfect!" I shouted. "Thank you for making me feel bad!"
Then I huffed out.
I wasn't going to lose.
#
Wayzz's POV
I punched the wall. Twice.
I saw the look on her face. I was the despair and anger channeling out of it. And I wanted to do so many things to her but I did the exact opposite; hurting her. I didn't want to do it. I didn't want to.
"How did it go?" Tikki asked. "Did you solve it wisely?"
I realized that I had walked blankly back into the cafeteria. Plagg discreetly wrapped a tissue around my bleeding fist, looking at me understandingly.
"I didn't want to do it," I whispered. "I didn't want to be wise for once."
It was barely audible, no one heard it.
For once in my eternity, I wanted to chuck out my reputation and throw out all those fancy logic out of my head and start all over. And be there for Trixx.
But I couldn't.
But I was still trapped in that fence I was born to.
Plagg had once told me that Tikki had said he couldn't escape the fate his name bore: plague. But he also told me that he was going to fight his way out and build his own fate.
Tikki once told me that Plagg had said she was incapable of magic because it was dependent on her emotions too much.
Now I think of about, they're both brave.
I couldn't be like them.
I wouldn't.
I had to smile.
#
Trixx's POV
I was looking for a shovel to bonk Wayzz in the head and bury him right at school. I searched and searched, but all the school faculty staff looked kinda overwhelmed.
"Tikki!" I screeched as I stopped her in the middle of the hallway. "Do you have a shovel?"
"I'm sorry, no?" Tikki looked really confused. Then she brightened up. "Oh have you fixed things with Wayzz? He looked real happy in biology."
Oh happy? Take that back, I'm going to need a pitchfork.
"The reason why he's happy is because we haven't fixed things out," I retorted. "So I'm guessing you don't have a shovel or a pitchfork so I'll move on."
I brushed past her and grabbed Plagg.
"Do you have a shovel or a pitchfork?" I yelled over the loud cheers and noises. Honestly, humans were too loud.
"I used to," Plagg smirked. "What do you need it for?"
"Kill Wayzz," I replied with a glare.
Plagg looked thoughtful. "Oh Wayzz got hurt by the way," he added.
I raised an eye brow. "Do I look like I care?"
Plagg recoiled. "Okay, bye."
I groaned in frustration as I weaved through the crowd, trying to locate someone who would have a shovel or a pitchfork. Since when did people stop carrying around those useful and handy tools? It was like everyone had just stopped being fun.
Twirling through the crowd, I accidentally bumped into my nemesis.
"Do you have a shovel or a pitchfork?" I screamed at him angrily.
"I'm nice!" Wayzz yelled back, his lips curved into a cheeky smile. It was fake. Totally fake. That monster.
My eyes trailed down and noticed that his hand was wrapped in bandages, red splotches spreading slowly. I didn't say anything but I shoved him away from me and stomped away.
Then I halted.
Oh my plague.
My shield was cast.
I'm so sorry. I am ashamed. I am so sorry. I am ashamed. I rlly am. I actually thought it might turn out to be something good but nooooooo I messed up. I tried to keep the climax duration similar to My Other Half but now I see things are a lot more complicated and faster here.
Jue