Chapter Three: Violet Dremeriquai's Point of View

Chapter Three: We Find a Recruit

            Once we’re parked, the bus driver uses his intercom to tell us which schools we’re to search.  Mallory, Scarlett, Colette, and I are assigned to a sixth grade class in a middle school near the parking garage. 

            “Don’t, under any circumstances, take out your notepads.  The normal society hasn’t even developed computers yet,” he instructs us.  “Make sure the children you recruit are agitated, because the Balanced can easily be confused with the gymnasts.  Good luck, and meet back here in an hour.”

            We walk to the school, trying to map out how exactly we’re going to break it to some new recruit that we have magical powers.

            “How about, ‘Hey dude!  I’m Colette and I have magic powers and so do you.  Come back to our technologically advanced society and train with us!’?” Colette jokes.

            “Nope.  That’ll never work.  Let’s be all serious, like, ‘you’re gonna die if you don’t come with us.’” says Scarlett.  We all crack up at our worthless jokes.

            At the school, I use my Hypnosis powers to convince the teacher that we have been students all year.  We climb on top of the monkey bars to get a better look at the class.  There’s a boy being harassed by some bigger kids.  The boy scampers up a tree and almost falls, then expertly balances on his very tiptoes.  The bigger boys start throwing rocks at the one in the tree, and he leaps out of his tree and scales the building.  The other boys go away to pick on other people and we go to the side of the building.  I use my power to get him down.

            “I’m Violet,” I say.  “and this is Colette, Mallory, and Scarlett.”

            “Ryan,” says the boy.  I once again use my power to get him on the bus, where he is shown a short film about the Seers and who we are, et cetera. 

            We make it to school in time for lunch, and even with our constant joking, Scarlett just stares at her salad with a perpetual blush.  She doesn’t do much of anything. 

            “Hey Scarlett, what’s the matter?” I ask.

            “Oh, nothing . . . it’s just . . . wasn’t Ryan so . . . dreamy?” she asks. 

            “Ooh!  Someone’s sweet on Ryan!” Colette says in a funny voice.  Everyone starts laughing their heads off.  Scarlett stands up, an indignant look on her face, and blasts us all with water.  We just laugh harder.  Then it becomes a full-out battle of the elements, with me throwing fireballs, and random people growing vines and shooting lightning bolts and throwing pizza.  Then Vickatecht stands up on his table and screams.

            “STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!”

            Everyone freezes.  The room is completely silent.  “WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING?”

            Lots of people just shrug and look around, since the cause of this fight is only known to four of us.  Vickatecht gets off the table and grabs me and Colette’s wrist in one hand and Mallory and Scarlett’s hands in his other.  He walks – pulls – us to the headmaster’s office. 

            Mr. Crow sits at his desk.  He has a pile of detention forms in front of him and a pen in his hand.  I brace myself for what’s about to come.  Instead of lecturing us, his face breaks into a huge smile.

            “That was a wonderful use of your talents, ladies!” he praises.  We are all shocked. 

            “Aren’t you going to . . . give us detention or something?” Mallory asks him. 

            “No.” – he shakes his head – “That sounded like great fun, and I heard Miss Scarlett mastered water jets.  I’m a Current myself, and I know that those are very hard.  Congratulations!”

            Colette and I exchange a glance.  Scarlett shrugs.  Mal just stares.

            “Well, go along to your cabin.  I’m giving you the rest of the day off to cool down.  Great work, girls!  I hope the security cameras captured that one!” says Mr. Crow.  He waves to us as we walk out. 

            In the cabin, we tell jokes and make fun of the commanders, especially Vickatecht.  Before we know it, two hours have passed.  Katie, Luna, and Lois walk in the door.

            “Why are you guys here early?” Lois says, her eyes yellow, meaning she is confused.  “Oh,” she answers herself, having heard someone’s thoughts.

            Katie scampers off and comes back with seven cans of soda.  We each take one and Mallory, Scarlett, Colette, and I plop down on the couch.

            “Flying couch please?” Colette asks Luna.  I feel the couch rise.  We all relax and we tell the story from up on the couch.  Just as we’re about to tell the part about Mr. Crow, the couch slams into the ground and Scarlett shrieks.  Lois’s eyes are straight black.  She’s scared.  Luna’s eyes are locked on something in the doorway.  Katie has somehow ended up on the wall.

            In the doorway are two men, both wearing blue hats and uniforms.  The outfits are unlike any I’ve ever seen before.  They have clubs in their hands and pistols in holsters on their belts.  We stare at each other for a good five minutes before a man says something.

            “Was that couch just floating?”