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Camilla watched with an amused gaze as Jerome snuck around the biology classroom handing out leaflets for ping pong trials. The boy had come to realise that Alfie had bucket loads of enthusiasm but was a danger to all those around him when he played ping pong. It wasn't until he handed a leaflet to Eddie that Alfie noticed what was going on.
"What's this?" Eddie asked Jerome as he glanced down at the paper now in his hands.
Jerome sighed and wandered back over to him, pointing to the words on the paper as he spoke, "Ping Pong trials this lunchtime."
"Thanks." Eddie sarcastically remarked as Jerome walked off.
"what was that about Ping Pong?" Alfie asked Jerome as he sat down at his seat.
"Oh nothing," Jerome waved off the offer as Eddie sat down next to Camilla, handing her the leaflet causing her to roll her eyes. "just chatting with good old Eddio," This caused both Camilla and Eddie to shoot Jerome a confused look. "right Eddie?"
"Whatever, sure." Eddie sarcastically responded, before turning his attention back to Camilla's jotter where the two were having a game of hangman – though the game had gone a little off the rails as the two had given up on guessing the long complicated word Joy had given them and were now focusing on making the man who was being hung look more and more like a cartoon version of Mr Sweet.
Across the room, Nina and Fabian were testing some of the chemicals from the tunnels. Camilla could see them whispering together but she didn't know what was being said. If it was important, she'd be caught up when they tell the rest of the Sibuna's. though she knew of the pressure that was expected of her to solve the riddles and mix the chemicals because she was 'the witch' of the group. Not that she was a witch. She wasn't a witch. She didn't care what badges Alfie was threatening to make she wasn't a witch.
"Alfie?" the shout of Mara caused Camilla and Eddie to look up as they put shading to the bowtie on Mini Mr Sweet. It was one of those serious tones they were used to hearing in their direction when they did something wrong, that's why they looked up. Alfie was holding some green liquid waving it about with a curious look on his face, Mara sat opposite him with a worried look on her face. "you shouldn't mix chemicals if you don't know what they are." She warned him.
"Sorry Mara," Alfie smiled at the girl as he picked up a bright orange chemical, "very sensible," he told her with a nod, "but it's very boring," this caused Jerome to laugh and Eddie and Camilla to share a smile. Alfie was going to get them out of science class and they both knew it. "I do know what they are," Alfie insisted as he poured the green chemical into a large glass jug, "stinky green," he glanced at the orange liquid before pouring it into the glass too, "and lumpy orange."
"Alfie what did I say!" Mara screamed as she watched him mix the chemicals.
"Alfie, what are you doing?" Fabian screamed as he and Nina turned just in time to see him pour the orange liquid into the glass, Fabian shooting his sister a disapproving look as she sat behind him and laughed along with Eddie.
"I AM EXPERIMENTING!" Alfie informed them all in a mad scientist like voice.
The effects were almost instantaneous. Within seconds a horrible smell of rotten eggs, a food bin that hadn't been cleaned out and something like mouldy feet drifted around the room causing them all to grab their noses and try to stop themselves to being sick at the horrid smell.
"Stop that immediately!" Mr Sweet got up from his desk using his handkerchief as a way to block the smell from his own nose as he rushed to Alfie. "that is incredibly dangerous!"
Camilla glanced at the door as Mr Sweet tried clean up the mess, just in time to see Victor lurk in. It was time for her Magic classes. Normally he'd make a huge display just to embarrass Camilla but the moment he stepped foot into the room he too was greeted by the horrid smell.
"What is going on here?" Victor demanded as he noticed the class wasn't working like normal.
"I have everything under control!" Mr Sweet reassured him.
"I beg to differ," Victor told the man as he watched Alfie pour the last of the orange liquid into the glass. "it appears to me that what you have here, is a class full of dunces!"
"Hey!" Camilla spoke up causing Victor to wave her off as if he didn't mean her.
"Who should not be interfering in things they do not understand." This last threat was aimed at the Sibuna's and they all knew it. "Miss Rutter came with me," he spoke as he finally had to give up and put a hand over his nose, he waved Camilla to come with him and the girl didn't need to be told twice, as she grabbed her bag and rush from the room. Both her and Victor coughing as they reached the fresh air of the corridor.
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Victor had the book of Isis out, along with a notebook of his own, as he watched Camilla stand in their practice circle trying to do some basic defensive spells and movements. Her opponent was a test dummy and so far, she wasn't doing so good. Camilla wasn't sure when Victor had done a full 180 about training but she wasn't moaning too much as she swung the pole at the dummy once again. The pole was representing her future staff (she didn't have one because it had yet called out to her but all Mage's had one according to Victor so better practice with something similar now)
"You're holding back," Victor commented as he watched Camilla swing at the dummy's neck with a grunt. They had done some basic punches and kicks over the last few weeks until he was ready for her to start training for her future staff. The books all said a Staff would guide its Mage but he was under the belief that the Mage still needed to know how to defend themselves without it. So, the physical training too. "maybe try to use some magic along with your hitting."
Camilla stopped and looked at him in disbelief, who was this man scribbling away in his notebook. "Do you honestly think I want to feel that out of control? I'm barely hitting bob with the stick as it is, I don't want to explode the stick and him as I add magic into the mix," this comment caused the man to look up from his writing properly. His pen dropping to the table full of papers. She had noticed many of his notes on the book of Isis had found their way to the Lab over the last few weeks, including the missing 13 pages. Victor was making one of the crazy murder boards with all his research and part of her wanted to think it was because he didn't think his office was safe anymore. The Sibuna's didn't know about the Book of Isis but Camilla knew Vera did. She couldn't help but wonder why he was being so secretive about it all around the woman all of a sudden.
"Anyway," Camilla decided glanced to Bob the dummy (she decided to name him because that's who she was as a person. Things needed names, her phone was called Humphry for example), "Bob and you..." she sighed looking back to Victor both of them knowing sometimes her magic got out of hand and even though she was in a magic protection ring her magic had gotten out a few times already, "you're not the ones I want to hurt."
"Give me a name." the demand in Victor's tone was something Camilla hadn't heard her way in a very long time. It was old school, Victor, before she knew about this Guardian side of him. He had stood up and was looking at her intensely as if somehow him wiping out one person would solve all the issues the young protector had.
Camilla smiled and dropped her pole, walking over to the circle and rubbing a little away with her foot causing the bubble she had been fighting in to pop slightly and she could exit. "it's not that easy." She started as she grabbed a jumper and threw it on over her now sweaty gym clothes, "because I don't know who it is either."
Victor gave the curious girl a look and pointed to the stool opposite him as he sat back down.
"since little breakdown and nap, I've been doing some thinking." Camilla explained as she sat herself down, "my group think you are the bad guy, because well they don't know you as I do," she told him causing a small smile to quirk onto the man's face, Camilla didn't bother to tell him about the whole meddling spirit who was also not helping his case when it came to Nina and the Sibuna's. "but I think there is someone else... but I don't know what they want. All I know is Jasper is involved, and maybe Vera..."
"Who is this other person."
"they call themselves The Collector; he was at the exhibition launch." Camilla explained softly, "he forced Jasper to give him his keys to look for something but whatever it was he didn't find it, or at least I don't think so. Nothing was missing from the exhibition anyway,"
Victor frowned for a second as he took in the girls' words. If there was someone else out there, he needed to keep a closer eye on the children, and if Vera was involved like Camilla suspected maybe he'd have to keep a closer eye on her too.
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"Eddie almost begged me to Prank him the other day, it was kind of undignified" Patricia's voice caught Camilla's attention as she wandered back to the school after a hot shower, just in time for the end of lunch. She was hoping to watch the disaster that was going to be the ping pong tournament. "What?"
Camilla glanced over at the girl's words clearly she had laughed loudly enough for Patricia and Joy to hear her. Though the smile on Joy's face told Camilla she agreed with her.
"Isn't it obvious?" Camilla asked as she wandered over, using the small wall as a lean-to talk to the girls. Patricia shook her head at Camilla's words.
"he wants you to keep pranking him," Joy explained in a way Patricia would understand. "He's loving the attention. It shows you care about him."
"Pretty messed up..." Patricia scoffed at the girl's words.
"So if you both know the ground rules, what's the problem?" Camilla asked clearly curious. Eddie was smitten with Patricia and Patricia him, they just needed to kiss already.
"he just... gets to me." Patricia sighed looking between her friends, "he knows I like him, and he knows that makes me..."
"Human?" Joy offered.
"Not a robot?" Camilla offered too causing Patricia to laugh at their words.
"I was thinking weak."
"Love isn't a weakness..." Camilla said softly, "if Harry Potter taught us anything, it's the greatest power of them all." With that, she pushed off from the wall.
"Where are you off to miss wisdom?" Joy laughed.
Camilla pointed to the school, "I have a hair date with Amber, and I ping pong trial to laugh at," with that she waved at her friends before rushing into the school. Letting Joy deal with the Peddy drama for once.
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"What the hell have you been doing?" was Amber's response when she saw Camilla run through the school to her, the two going to sit in on the ping pong trials.
"Magic Classes," Camilla whispered as she looped her arm in Ambers, noting the large bag of magazines she had with her, "what are you planning on doing?"
"what have you done with your hair?!" Camilla knew that tone of voice and allowed Amber to drag her into the student lounge so her hair could be fixed.
The trials hadn't started yet and they were still waiting for people as Amber finished Camilla's new look, a messy but stylish bun, causing the pair time to sit in two seats in the corner looking over the fashion magazines Amber had brought in. Amber's favourite game was to look at the new styles and tell Camilla how she'd fix or change them depending on the body shape. She felt everyone no matter what body shape or colour could look good and she was determined to have that be her legacy one day. Camilla was the first of the guinea pigs to help her with it.
Both girls looked up as the door squeaked open and Alfie walked in, waving at him and watching as he approached Jerome, "Dude! What are you doing?" he demanded of his friend as he looked around the room at the people applying for his place on the ping pong team. "are you looking for a new ping pong partner?"
"Why would you even think that?" Jerome asked as he watched the first pair play with a critical eye.
Alfie pointed to the large poster Jerome had put up on the wall, "it says, be my ping pong partner..."
"Ah," was the response from Jerome, "yes, I suppose I am."
"what about our deal? You gave me your word!" Alfie screamed, "this was my chance to shine!"
Jerome rolled his eyes before rushing over to Alfie who was getting louder by the minute, "yeah, and you still might, but..." he paused to try to think of a good way to say what he needed to say without hurting Alfie's feelings, "you saw the other team. We can't take any chances, right? Come on man, your still on the list."
Alfie paused to look at the list, "Eh, no I'm not!"
Jerome quickly took the pen and scribbled Alfie's name onto the list, "you are now. Suit up, and show these losers...no offence... how the Alf-mister rolls." Jerome told Alfie in a mini pep talk that honestly seemed to work a little much to the surprise of both Jerome and Camilla who had kept watching the exchange – Amber having gotten bored and started to brush her hair as she looked at a new magazine.
So, the trials started, and boy where they were well worth the entertainment. Amber was of course there because Camilla wanted to laugh at the people trying for the team so didn't care as much as Camilla did. Alfie started the trials and due to the many, many, many ping pong balls that endangered almost anyone in the area everyone else who had signed up to play left the room.
That was until something magical was discovered.
Alfie hit a ball to Jerome who hit it back a little wide, making it go flying towards the girls in the corner. With so much ease that Amber didn't even look up from the magazine, in fact, she pointed something out to Camilla as she did it, she hit the ball back to Jerome with her hairbrush.
"What?" the boy spoke softly, looking over to the girls in awe.
Almost to make sure it wasn't just some one-off miracle, Jerome hit a ball over at them again. Once again Amber hit it back at him with her hairbrush not even looking his way but keeping up the conversation about how she'd adapt the dress in the glossy pages on her knee for Nina.
"How did you do that?" Jerome asked.
Both girls looked at him confused.
"Do what?" Amber asked.
"Do it again."
"Do what again..." Amber spoke but before she could argue with Jerome, he threw a ball directly at Camilla causing Amber to reach up and hit it back at him with the brush.
"You are amazing..." Jerome spoke up in awe looking at Amber.
"Thank you, Jerome, but I already knew that." Amber rolled her eyes at Camilla causing her friend to let out a small laugh.
"I need you to be my partner. Please I'm begging you." Jerome spoke up approaching them, Camilla knowing something epic was going to happen and quickly getting her phone out to record it.
"Grovel Clarke, Grovel. And let me film it for your little sister," Camilla muttered loud enough Alfie heard her as he wandered over to hear the conversation too.
"aww, when you put it that way..." Amber faked being interested, "no. I got sick of ping pong when I was under 13's county ping pong champion."
"under 13's county ping pong champion..." Alfie and Jerome spoke in awe as one as if Amber was the last golden ticket left to find to go to the chocolate factory.
"3 years running..." Camilla added for Amber causing the girl to smile up at her. Camilla did pay attention to what she said.
"3 years running." Jerome whispered, before looking at Alfie, "sorry Alfie," he took the bat from him and got onto his knees next to Amber holding it up to her.
"No." Amber bluntly spoke.
Jerome, however, ignored her, much like he was ignoring the camera he knew was recording him in Camilla's hand, "for the fame? Fortune? Immortality." Amber gave the boy a look as if to say she didn't care about them. "Okay, it's none of those things. Amber, but, I will make sure that you get to wear a really cute outfit."
"No offence Jerome," Amber pipped up, "but I have to insist we leave the outfits to me."
"Agreed..." Jerome spoke as if he couldn't believe his luck, "so you'll do it?"
Amber nodded her head before turning her back on Jerome and focusing back on Camilla. Leaving the boys to celebrate in their own weird way.
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Fabian and Camilla glanced up as they heard the clinking of bottles in the hallway, Camilla not bothering to move from her seat as Nina and Fabian scurried out of theirs to see what was going on.
"I've got a bad feeling about this..." Fabian murmured as they turned back around to face Camilla, grabbing his sister's hand and pulling her from the couch as Nina ran to the fake oven in the kitchen. They were off to the cellar once again.
The Cellar wasn't as creepy during the day thankfully, and Camilla, Fabian and Nina all hid behind the wall peaking around to watch Victor as he experimented with chemicals. For once Camilla wasn't the only one who understood the experimentation of Victor but unlike Fabian and Nina, she couldn't help but smile. Victor was going to help them get through to the next challenge, which would seriously help her out a lot. "Thank you, Vicky," she couldn't help but murmur to herself. The other two missing the comment as they watched on worried.
"What is he doing with all those chemicals?" Fabian whispered to the girls.
"do you think he's working on the task?" Nina asked.
"How does he know about..." Fabian trailed off as he subtly glanced at Camilla seeing the look in her eye to tell him she had spoken to Victor about the task, "he doesn't have an amulet," Fabian reassured Nina. He was going to back his twin on this, if Camilla had spoken to Victor it must have been for a good reason.
"I just know," Nina started once again, "Victor, plus cellar usually means bad news." This got two very different reactions from the twins. Camilla rolling her eyes VERY dramatically whereas Fabian bit his lip. He was caught between the girl he loved and his twin and both girls were very stubborn and had very strong opinions. He really didn't want to take sides at that moment.
Thankfully he didn't have to take sides as Victor made a noise causing the three students to look back over at him.
"Maybe he's brewing the elixir?" Nina asked the twins again.
"maybe yeah..." Fabian whispered with a slight smile. "good."
"Eh, no." Nina scoffed softly, "not good guys."
"eh? If he is brewing the elixir then he isn't dealing with the tunnels... plus we've hidden the cup. The elixir is harmless." Camilla argued softly.
Nina shot the girl a look but let out a nod once she computed the words. Fabian touched their arms and the three snuck back out of the cellar leaving Victor to do what he was doing.
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Wee life update for you all;
Your gal got a new job. my last one was at a pub and honestly it was destroying my mental health. so I start a new job :) gives me 3 days off a week and its constant hours so its gonna just make my whole life so much better :)
so that means hopefully more chapters and more uploads for you!!!
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Love ya
Sarah xxx