The Misadventures of the Toys R Us Trio
Episode 1 - Pyrited Heroes
The adrenaline from yesterday slowly fades from Nari's mind. It was now replaced by the mundane task of getting ready for school. Mondays were always dreadful. The alarm clock on their phone beeps over and over, but they were already awake before it even rang. They just laid on their mattress, a frown on their face.
Nari's home was in the much poorer regions of the city. It was almost near the outskirts, far away from their highschool which was in the glorified center of the city, so they had to take a bus and a train ride. They live in one of the abandoned buildings no one dares to go inside, probably because it was old and as the sign suggests, condemned. They didn't care. They lived on the second floor, their only way in and out was the fire escape. The place was not as half bad as you would expect it to be. Sure it was old, but Nari can manage.
It was a small studio type apartment with a bathroom, with, surprisingly lucky for them, had running water. Nari however, had to fix up several stolen generators just to get some electricity. The walls were a boring gray, the paint chipping off, but they can't be bothered. There was a cork board with a calendar and series of notes and posters. Their desk, which was a lucky find, had notebooks and books scattered around, with some metal scraps parts here and there and a very unfinished tech they don't even know what was for. Their chair has one leg gone, so they had to improvise with a box stuffed with peanut packaging. Their bed was... on the floor, a mattress they found lying around, they cleaned it of course, along with one death beat pillow and thin blanket. Off to the kitchen area, the cupboards had, keyword had, many packets of instant noodles and cup ramen. There were canned foods there as well, and various easy made food products. The bread was almost out, with margarine half way finished as well. They don't have a fridge, but they have a tiny cooler.
"Rona you better shut that phone up it's killing my ears." Ron says, appearing beside Nari. They glared at him before shutting the alarm up.
"You don't have ears dipshit."
Ron countered this by forming freakishly humanlike ears in his blood form.
Nari sluggishly stood up. Pausing for a moment when their felt dizzy and their vision suddenly blurring, turning dark. Ron hands them their glasses, shooting up and placing it on their face.
They flip them off, grabbing some set of clothes from a box and their towel, heading straight to the bathroom...
Soon enough, Nari was ready to head on to school... yay...
You can see them opening the window to their apartment, climbing down the fire escape with Ron stuffed in their bag. They look vastly different from what they looked yesterday. No one knows they were a pick pocket, no one knows that they managed to steal from them without getting caught. It's safer to dress up differently than the fucking purple hair, goggles wearing bandana person from the news.
They were lucky. Nari with their premade disguise and Ron covering up Rial's face at the last second. No one knows who fought the demon rampaging, which was a good thing in their book.
There was a split public opinion about them. The other half was thankful for the save, and very thankful for less property damage to their homes, Laz made sure to move to places where less buildings were gonna get hit, only leaving the road cracked and scoarched with a few broken windows, a trash on fire, and two lamp posts down. Less than the property damage the city's resident heroes have in one fight. The second half was... mad at them. They viewed the fight as "two demons quarreling". That they didn't save no one because they caused the problem in the first place. It doesn't really matter though.
Nari sat down on a bench at the nearest bus stop. Their hair was hidden under a gray and white beanie with some hair sticking out. They wore a dark saturated purple long sleeved shirt with a print out that says "Mind f ck", yes the u was removed because dress code. They wore simple jeans, a black converse and their beloved choker. They kind of looked very bland, but don't worry, that's what they want.
"Do you think we would see Rial again?"
The two fell in comfortable silence...
Walking into school was frustrating. Grand Rappids Science and Technology Highschool was a real sight to behold. It was large and looked like everyone who got in there was rich. Nari is not rich.
In fact, the only reason they were here and not some crappy ass normal high school near where they live is because of a scholarship they managed to snag from their previous elementary. It did them real well, that's the the only reason why they were still in this city. It's difficult to forge a new identity every time, it costs money after all.
So there they were, walking into the gates that proudly displaying their name.
It makes them feel like a god awful filipino wattpad protagonist. Everyone around them seem so fancy while there they were, wearing flimsy glasses wrapped with tape and hand cheap trift store shirts. It's alright, as long as they get to graduate they would go far far away from this cliche ridden city once and for all. It only took them three steps into the gate when a blur almost tackles them to the ground.
"You're in the same school as me!"
Nari was about to start yanking the person's hair before they realize who it was. Putting their hands on the person's shoulder, they see Rial.
What an interesting coincidence.
Rial was wearing an open jacket, a skirt over some leggings and doll shoes. She managed to get another hair band pulling her bangs back. Her eyes were shining. She was grasping the straps of her bags in excitement.
That tackle hug did fucking hurt though.
"I... Didn't know you go to school here..." They say.
"Oh I don't. I'm new here. My uhm... Group home decided to enroll me here." She says. "Sure is fancy."
Nari looks around, cringing a bit as people started to look at them and whisper. They laugh, grabbing Rial by her wrist and drag her with them inside. Yeesh, they really do need to teach them the ABCs of highschool.
The smell of rot and mold fills the air. The place was dark and murky, unlike the bright sky outside. The cave was eerie, the sound of sloshing water and the drip drip drip filled the silent atmosphere. As you go deeper and deeper within the cave you will see a figure in the darkness.
They wear a cloak, an old ragged one that has obviously seen some better days. The only source of life was a glowing green pool of water. In the water swam figures, all screaming and groaning, whispering cries of help. They looked like shadowy souls trapped in an endless pool of despair.
In the middle of the pool was a projection.
A shadowy creature shifting and changing shape, restraining a demonness.
A feral grinning demon with white powdery skin and sharp claws, swiping and dodging fiery projectiles.
A small teenager in a bandana and goggles waving a dusted pocket knife, throwing a perfume bottle at a demon.
The figure hums to himself, a deep smooth voice echoed throughout the cave.
Nari ended up leading Rial to the guidance councillor's office for the combination of her locker and her schedule. It was nice talking with her again. Although they hated going in that air-conditioned flower scented room. They avoided the place like the plague. Not because they already got in trouble before, it was because the place smelled like a car and it made Nari want to throw up.
"This place is pretty huge, huh." Rial comments.
The two stared at each other. Both not wanting to knock. Simultaneously, they bopped their closed hands together. Nari formed a paper with their hand while Rial did a scissors.
"Fuck you." Rial could only giggle.
Nari anxiously picked at their shirt, they really did not want to go in there. They knocked and opened the door, immediately, cool air washed over their faces, Nari made the concious effoet to breath through their mouth.
"Good morning..." They say, Rial scrambling a greeting a beat later.
The guidance councilor looked up from her typing. She was a rather busy woman. She wore her hair in a high tight bun, red lipstick stained their lips and their glasses a sharp square frame. Despite looking real intimidating, she was really nice. She smiled at them.
"Oh hello there Hiraeth. I see you brought the new student in." She said, her voice sweet but straight to the point. "Grab a candy. And who might you be...?"
Rial coughs nervously. "Uh- Rial Foundman..."
Ms. Fern typed on her laptop, the keys clickity clacking as she searches through the data bases. Nari occupied themselves with grabbing the strawberry flavored hard candy, sneaking a few and passing them to Ron, who eagerly grabbed it of their hand. They shoved two candies in their mouth.
"Ah I see... Ms. Foundman. Just enrolled a week ago." She said. "Just so you know since you've miss a month of the first quarter, you will be taking special tests to catch up to your classmates." She opened her drawers, ignoring the fact Rial looked like she was about to throw up thinking about the workload. She emerged again, giving them two pieces of paper. "This is your locker password and number, and that's your schedule. Now off you go, can't get you to miss the bells."
The two nod before going over to the door, the coldness of the room was getting annoying now. "Hiraeth?" Nari almost swallowed the can die sin their mouth. "Why don't you be a sweetie and be your little friend's tour guide for the day? I'll make sure to add that to an extra credit. It's alright if you refuse."
Rial side eyed them, giving them a smirk. Nari sighed, nodding silently at the woman's request.
With that, Rial grabbed Nari's hand, the poor teen pulling their beanie down to hide an embarrassed blush and they rush off.
Their first stop was the lockers. It was a surprise to find they have theirs right next to each other. The coincidences are making Nari's head spin. Opening their locker, they checked the tapes schedule before grabbing the necessary things. Rial took a peak and saw notebooks and binders, there were sticky notes all over the door, Ron in his blob form was doodled in one of them. There was a notebook labeled "tech ideas" at the very back.
They close the door shut.
"My first class for today is English, what's yours?" They ask, peering over Rial's shoulder to see her schedule.
Ron pops up from Nari's bag. "Hello"
Rial almost jumps. Ron was about to laugh when Nari shoved him back in, warning to take his candy as the bell rang.
"The English classroom is near here, just follow me."
The two of them followed the squabbling teens trying to find their respective classrooms. At one point someone passed them, Nari sticking their foot our and making them trip much to Rial's delight. No one seem to notice as well.
They enter the classroom. There were various educational posters strewn about, a croodly drawn cartoon depiction of a humanoid apple was near the chalk board, it's green eyes seemingly watched them as they walked. Nari went straight to the back row, dumping their bag ont he floor, making Ron silently curse. They simply grinned. Rial followed in suit, although they laced their bag gently on the floor this time.
Nari took a peach notebook out and a purple colored pen for notes. Rial noticed and does the same.
"Hey Rona." Rial looks over to the desk on Nari's other side.
A tall lanky guy in a blue button up waved at them. He had thick boxy glasses and braces, his brown hair curly and resting on one side of his face. He awkwardly smiled at their way.
"Hi Oswald." Nari replies not even looking at the side.
"uh... I was... Wondering what... Score you got on last week's pop quiz-"
"Really? I got a 15, it was relatively easy. I thought you loved English, your scores seem to be slipping lately and-"
He was silenced by a glare.
The bell rings once more, the teacher enters, a short woman with long hair tied into a half bun smiled at them.
"Rial." Nari whispers under their breath. They were a master of not getting caught, so whispering to their friend was easy. "Before we go on, I'll explain to you the rules you need to know in surviving highschool."
Rial made an o with her mouth.
Nari smiled. While writing down notes, they continued to talk.
"Rule number one. Be ordinary."
Rial cocks her head to the side, but nods anyways, jotting down what they had said.
"You don't want to be labeled a geek like Oswald obviously is. No offense, I know you're eavesdropping."
Oswald blushed and turned away, guilty. "None... None t-taken."
"People love labels here and as long as you are in the normal zone, you're good. You don't want to have a lot of friends, the more the friends the more the gossip. You don't to have no friends, you would be labeled as the loner kid. You need to have at least one, and you already check the bill."
"Why would I not want to have attention?"
"Your reputation is your life line, remember that."
Rial nods eagerly. Jotting what Nari has just said.
"Second rule is keep up. People here are either super rich or hella smart. As long as you have the money, they won't fail you, as long you have the brains, they would keep you. Stay in the average smarts or above it."
"Last rule and the very important one."
Rial looks at Nari weirdly. "Only three rules?"
"There's 35, but this is the shorter much more important version." Nari clicks at their pen multiple times. "Final rule. Don't fucking interact with the ripoff Heathers."
"The certified Mean girls trademark of this school. The richest, prettiest and smuggest bitches that got in not because of smarts but by being absolutely fucking loaded."
The scene shifts to the cafeteria, with Nari adjusting their glasses properly and tucking loose strands of purple hair back in their beanie. Ron was under the table, munching on a salad Nari despide with all intents and purposes. Rial sat across from them, eating their own cafeteria food.
"Rebecca Salt." Nari says. In goes a girl with ginger hair and bright green eyes wearing an obviously should've been dresscoded crop top that they manage to excuse because she wore a cardigan. "Resident school reporter. She's the news anchor for Rappids School News that airs live every Friday. They're pretty average in all other subjects but journalism is their highlight. She knows all the fucking gossip in this cafeteria room alone."
"Woah... Sounds like a grade A bitch"
"She definitely is." Nari takes a long sip from their chocolate milk carton. They then gesture to an Asian girl with short black hair typing in their phone. "That's Cheri Tang. She's dumb as a dog's ass but her parents paid a fuck ton for this school so they pass her anyways. She's not great academically but she's a great manipulator. Already snagged two fucking victims for an elaborate love triangle bullshit she wants to pull."
"Ah... Always wondering when she would fucking show up."
All the boys turn their heads to see a goddess walk in the cafeteria room. There, a beautiful teen walked, wabing at her friends with so much grace it makes a ballerina cry away in shame. Her golden hair shimmered like gold, her blue eyes clear and bright as the sky. She smiles, making everyone have hearts in their eyes. Nari was looking away, their own cheeks dusted with pink.
"She's the bitch it of all of them." Nari says, they started to pick at the dried skin off their lips. "She's beautiful as you can tell. The school accepted her for her fucking face, she won us so many competitions already. Don't be fooled though, she's also hella smart. Smart and athletic. She's in the debate club AND cheerleading."
Rial smiled as she watched the blond take a seat. "She seems nice."
"That's what she wants you to think."
"Huh? Of course beautiful bitches are the worse. Except you~"
Nari looks away. "I swear to Satan control that fucking parasite." They pulled their beanie down heir face.
"Shut." Nari said, pointing an accusing finger at Rial. "Where was I? Oh right..."
"Ophelia Jones is all nice outside, but she's rotten. I have spent so many time in the streets to know body language and I can tell she's faking it. All she wants is to be at the top no matter what, and it's true. Inside she's just an attention whore. A fucking snake waiting for you to boop it's nose before it slithers up your arms and choke you to death."
Rial laughs. "It can't be that bad! Geez Rona what kind of metaphor is that. It's morbid. I'm sure she's.... Not whatever you just described her as."
Nari takes a bite out of their sandwich swiping Ron with their leg when he tried to steal their nuggets.
"Suit yourself. But I did warn you. Just... Don't go near them... At all."
Rial rolls her eyes at them. She stands up, having confidence she thought she never had, giving some sort of a smug grin at Nari's way. They narrow their eyes, kicking Ron from under the table, the shadow grumbled before launching himself, latching on to Rial's ankle, practically tying her to their seats. "Ron don't let go"
Ron looked up, if he has a mouth, you would probably see him frown. He was confused from the two voices mashing together. "Who the fuck am i suppose to follow here?"
"Me." "Me." Nari laughed in their chocolate milk drink. Rial sighs, crouching down and patting Ron, surprisingly enough he let's g, followed by a very offended scream of his name by Nari.
Rial slowly approached the trio of mean girls at their table, Nari silently panicking, thinking about whether or not they should yoink them away.
"She accidentally pushed m in the trashcan last week when i scored higher than her on a test!" They whispered yell anything they could think off that made them absolutely hate Ophelia. "She passively aggressively trashed talk my fucking shirts! You better stop your fucking walking!"
A girl with dark skin and pigtails passed Rial, giving her a sort of warning glance when she realized what she was trying to do. She even attempted dropping her books in front of her, but Rial was stubborn.
"You are going to regret this, you do know that."
"I won't, I'll be fine, Laz. Don't get worried."
"I'm not worried about you, I'm worried about you fucking whining to me once we get back to that stupid group home, now get your fucking ass back to your friends' fucking table."
Rial smiled brightly at the girls, who but one, didn't notice her. Everyone practically stopped talking, there wasn't a single peep of chatter.
"Do you have a problem?" Rebecca asked, looking up from her laptop.
"Then get the hell out." Cheri said, blwoing the gum in her mouth a bit too close to Rial for comfort.
Ophelia laughed, everyone melted. "Don't be like that Cheri." She said, clapping her hands together. Her blue eyes looked at Rial from head to feet, smile turning a bit too forced. "Who are you? I certainly have never seen you at all."
"Oh. Well I'm pretty new here, and I thought that maybe I should try and be more outgoing. From what i heard..." There was a whisper of fresh meat between Cheri and Rebecca, making the poor girl pause for a bit. She was well aware of the stares by now but she was in too deep that she can't stop now. She glanced over at Nari, who was resting their head on their table, their beanie pushed down to cover their face, one arm clutching their stomach as if they felt really sick. (This is what my anxiety feels like) Oswald was hovering close to theim, not knowing what to do, Nari seemed to not be breathing. From under their table Ron was tapping at their leg, giving them counts.
"Oh shit..." Rial heard in her head. Oh shit indeed.
"Oh so you're a newbie?" Ophelia asked, eyebrow raised, a devious smile gracing her lips. "How's..." hand on her cheek, elbow resting on the table. "How's our golden school? Do you like it so far."
"Don't answer that, it's a trick question." "It's great! It's really super fancy though, despite being a public school."
Their eyes locked on a target. The people around them simply waited for the show to begin.
"Oh god i can't watch this!" Oswald exclaimed, sitting down and almost slamming his head on the table, mimicking Nari's already suffering position.
"With that fashion sense?" Rebecca piped up, the flash of Cheri's camera heard loud and clear, Rial backed away a bit. "You're a second year, right? Act like it or go back to elementary."
"Honey, you meddled with the wrong sort of crowed!" Cheri said, hand gesturing towards Nari's table. The poor teenager shot upright, adjusting her beanie, eyes blown wide. People were then in turn was staring at them, their cheeks blooming pink. Rial's face fell, she was warned about what she was doing.
"Rona!" Rebecca walked forward as she called out, Cheri following close, Nari made a weird growling noise in her throat, or was it Ron? "Should've known you'd be so desperate to have a friend you sneaky little shark! Sinking your teeth in new meat right of the bat!"
Ophelia remained on their table, smiling in amusement. Rial could only watch the verbal beat down. "You're... you're not going to help them?"
"Help her?" The blonde said smoothly. "She doesn't need my help."
Nari blocked out the laughter around them, almost kicking Ron a bit too hard from under the table. They will not fall for their stupid little trap again. "Rona... Rona! Don't let them to this to you again!" Ron whispered.
"Not going to talk?" Cheri taunts. "Are you dumb?"
Don't be petty... don't be petty... don't be petty...
"Hey?! Why aren't you stopping them?!" Rial frowns, trying to push Laz to the back of her mind. "Stop your friends!"
The laughter and snickering became a enough, the dam finally broke. Red face, Nari stood up. Ron wrapped himself around their ankle, shaping himself like an ankle. Instead of their usual outburst.
Nari was known for having a very bad temper.
Before Nari can escape to the bathrooms to escape the large laughing crowd, there was a loud shriek. They turned, Cheri was still screaming, something dribbling down her face, a brown sticky liquid. There was a scandalous gasp from Ophelia.
There, Rial, her arm still up in the air, if you look closely, it was white.
The pool of swirling green magic seems to sizzle, following this are groans and shrieks. The murky water emits light, revealing a scene of a cafeteria. It was complete utter chaos. Students throwing food left and right, some hid behind upturned stairs, others rushing out only to get hit by some mushy cafeteria food.
"Such a beautiful sight... is it not?" The cloaked figure asked. A caw echoes through the cave, two crows swooped down and perched on his shoulders. "The screaming, if not childish... and look at that..."
The scene changes to an asian teenager crying her eyes out, the definitely not allowed makeup ruined by the salty tears. Her hair was sticky, with bits of food. Her shriek was the loudest out of all of them. "MY HAIR!"
The cloaked man frowned. "Disgusting... oh well." He snapped his fingers. "That suffering is enough."
With a snap of his finger, the water lit up a toxic green color. Smoke arise, forming different twisted shapes. It twists and turns before zooming off. It was glowing, passing through pipes and sewers. Soon enough the screams and laughter of the cafeteria was heard. The smoke seeps through the floor, right under Cheri as she cries for her stupid fucking hair.
No one noticed her screaming becoming shrill and horrifying.
The smoke forced it's way up her nostrils, mouth, ears and eyes. She struggled, trying to grab the smoke, but it passes through, her screams muffled, she collapses back, trying her very best to grab someone's attention.
She was dying... was she dying? She-
"Holy fucking shit!" Nari cheers. "I managed to land a pudding on Rebbeca's fucking face! Ron give me more ammo!"
The trio were positioned behind an upturned chair. Nari had their sleeves pulled up, their left arm bandaged up. Rial was laughing wildly, holding a tray, using it like a shield. "I bet you can't hit that bitches face over there." Laz said, using Rial's hand to gesture over at Ophelia, who was somehow still clean.
"Is that a challenge i hear~" Nari said. "I'm going to hit them with spinach!"
The trio paused, there was a shrill unhuman screech in the center of the cafeteria. The three peered over their table, the sight they saw was horryfing.
In the middle of the room was a monster, a possessed one at that. It was that of a girl, probably of a classmate. Her skin was so pale they could see her blue veins, her eyes lacked the pupils and irises, it was pure white, her mouth was open in a silent scream. She was suspended in midair by her hair, it was swishing and swiping at anyone that comes near. It grabbed a jock, making him scream, trying his best to get out of the tendrils, but it was proving difficult when it just squeezed him tighter.
"Holy shit it's Cheri!" Rebecca shouts. At the sound of her voice, the monster turned to her, letting her hair drag her away.
"We have to do something no! No way, We are not dealing with this!"
Because of how Laz raised her voice, the monster looked at their way.
As the hair lashed forward, Nari was dragged away by the back of their shirt, Rial's body moved on it's own without moments of hesitation. The other two landed in the kitchen, the cafeteria lady shrieked as they crashed into the wall, causing plates to fall.
"Fuck-!" Nari exclaimed. black tendrils began to slowly approach them, the cafeteria lady still screaming, the hair lashed out, throwing her out. Their glasses fall, vision blurring. "Shit! Shit shit shit shit! Get away from me!"
The monster's face, who bore Cheri's, scowled. Nari backed away, but there was no way out.
The monster's hair wrapped around their neck, slowly lifting them up, they started to choke, they air ways squeezed tight, they can't... they can't breath... THEY CAN'T BREATH-
kianamaiart
stormborns
dededos
tangentwithtanner
dailybridgerton
gummygunk
blakekathryn
theartofmadeline
pixelskylines