Grand Academy For Future Villains II: Attack of the Sequel, Chapter 0: Prologue. A commentary for Three.
Like Maedryn in this chapter, I am also back on my bullshit.
General CW for the whole thing: parental abuse, internalised dehumanisation as a trauma response. Three’s not doing well. They’re doing worse than usual in this specific chapter.
That would explain the swarms of clones, you think dimly through the haze of the flashback, but not why they're me….
No. You hadn't been a mindless copy at all. You had been disappointingly independent, an individual in your own right, so instead of simply recycling you as perhaps she should have, Maedryn had raised you like her own child. Of course, you were still intended as a tool to carry out her grand designs; what kind of villain would she have been if she had simply loved and cherished you?
Professor Cerebrist had wanted your mother's replication technology for himself. When you, the living prototype of your mother's early research, showed up in his freshman Evil Genius 101 class, he saw his opportunity. In your first year at the Academy, you found yourself as the battleground in the war between your mother and her mentor. Even though it never came down to a fight between you, your loyalties were tested.
In the chaos of the battle between the rebel faculty, the attacking heroes, and the beleaguered Grand Academy administration, you'd called on your mother for help, and she'd come through. She'd defeated the Professor and taken his place.
Clearly your mother has finally perfected her replication technology and taken the place of her former mentor. But if she already has everything she wanted…why has she unleashed swarms of mindless yous upon the Academy?
It’s… not a great start to Three’s sophomore year. They weren’t looking forward to having their mother on campus in the first place, but they'd hoped she would wait at least a little while before getting back on her bullshit. (Not that that’s a phrase they’d ever use, having only heard it in the context of Scorpius informing them that ze’s very sadly back on zir bullshit, before throwing a box of scorpions at them and running off before Three could ask what ze was talking about. But Maedryn is, unfortunately, very much back on her bullshit here.)
They don’t know what she’s doing with the clones, but right now, that’s not as big of a concern as the fact that the clones are here at all. Looking like Three. And making person-like screams. And probably getting their outfits and hair messy. In public. Three is… somewhat disgruntled that after all the effort they’ve put in to turning themself into a tool, erasing any displays of personhood and imperfection, Maedryn would simply create some new tools that don’t bother with any of that at all. But which still let other people see Three as a messy, screaming person.
The very noticeable, very public appearance isn’t helpful for Three’s desire to remain unnoticed and not draw attention to themself, either. It’s an interesting paradox; they can blend into the janitorial staff perfectly, but they stick out as The Student Who Looks Like All The Clone Janitors. There’s a similar thing going on with their name, actually. They like having a name that suggests a lack of personhood, but it does have the unfortunate side effect of having people consider it odd, unique and even memorable.
...That first explanatory paragraph up there is spot-on Three characterisation though.
#"But what an impressive job you've done of it! I'm so proud you're my mother!"
She looks at you critically. "A bit grovelly, but appropriate; it was and you should be."
Three’s probably not quite this grovelly. Apart from disliking the exuberance of the exclamation marks, they’ve had nineteen years to learn to measure quite how much grovelling Maedryn likes. But a little grovelling in this situation is only appropriate, particularly when they’re not certain exactly what she might have read from their thoughts on the flashback gun.
"Some of you may remember," says the Head, in ponderous tones, "the attempted establishment of a second and rival school on our campus last year, calling itself the Polytechnic Institute for Antagonism and Moral Complexity. This institution is hereby forcibly dissolved, thanks to the clone armies contributed by our loyal faculty. There is but one school on this campus, and it will tolerate no challenge, share no power, and show no mercy!"
The judgment of the remnant of the ill-fated Polytechnic Institute for Antagonism and Moral Complexity is summary, arbitrary, and surprisingly creative. The fates of the rebel faculty, announced and executed by DarkBoard, range from "Probation, with Extra Probes" for Professor Ulik, to "Dismissal Before Expiration of Contract" for the senior Professor Dethclot, to "Disciplinary Suspension" for the ringleader, Professor Mortwain. This last didn't sound so bad, until you see that it involves being suspended in a vat of clear Jell-O and set on the plinth in the courtyard as a warning to traitors.
The rebel students are all expelled, which is to say they are one by one dropped through a trapdoor in the floor. Presumably it ends up somewhere in the dungeons, but the geography of the Grand Academy is dubious at the best of times, and you figure they're lucky if they end up somewhere with a breathable atmosphere and not floating in the void.
Three thought they’d long grown out of feeling sorry and disappointed for idealists who tried to act against their mother. Of course, they hadn’t known Maedryn had cared about the Polytechnic Institute for Antagonism and Moral Complexity, but on reflection, they don’t know why they ever expected the School Head to have any more mercy than Maedryn had. It’s unexpected and unpleasant, having these feelings come up again, and there’s a deeper despair they’re not sure they remember feeling before.
They could have been part of the Professor Mortwain’s Institute. They’d thought before this that they should have been. It was only cowardness that stopped them. But they’ve known all along that going against authority never ends well. This just shows they were right. This just proves any ideas they had about standing for their own beliefs in future were foolish and naive, and they knew better than Mortwain and Ulik and Phil and everyone else in the firing line now. So why do they still feel like they should be standing there with them?
"That," the School Head tells the surviving students and staff, "was a Refreshing Display of School Spirit."
It casts its gaze about the hall. Then those eyes land directly on you. "Are there any remaining students in this body," it says, "that we should know about, that participated in activities unbecoming the Grand Academy for Future Villains?"
You scan the hall, trying to find someone to betray. Not Rathna, you were known to be enemies. Not Miriel the Bloodshrike, you actually like her. Not Aurion either, the Head is known to favor him.
There. Leaning back in his chair, you spot the perfect mark. Phil, a casual friend from last year. Permanent upperclassman, villainous slacker, and known supporter of the rebel college, insofar as he could be bothered to support anything at all.
The Head's baleful gaze has not left you. It's waiting.
Seriously, why am I being told I’m enemies with Rathna now? And that I like Miriel? Anyway, Three doesn’t particularly want to betray anyone. Certainly not Aurion, their Not Best Friend, or Rathna, who they get along well with, and turning on anyone from the Shadow Council could be dangerous. But with the Head looking right at them, betraying someone else might be the only way to keep themself safe. A few months ago, they wouldn’t have hesitated before giving Phil up; they’d thought he was too lazy and useless to deserve a place here anyway. Then he’d beaten them, and shown a commitment to his cause Three wished they could have, and inspired them to do better. Which obviously, in the end, was a bad decision on Phil’s part and got neither of them anywhere.
#Say nothing and hope no one notices.
You can't bear to betray him. However, your mother—despite the effort of controlling all the replicas in the room—notices your hesitation, and intervenes. Phil isn't any help. He doesn't put up a fight, doesn't even really seem to notice what's happening until he's hauled off to the trapdoor by two of your blank-faced replicas.
You think you hear him call your name. "What are you—" You shift guiltily in your seat, but he's addressing the clones.
Did he even notice that they weren't you? Did he even care that there were suddenly swarms of you when last year there'd been only one? Hurtful. He deserves whatever he's going to get. Or so you tell yourself as the trapdoor closes with a final clang.
Three doesn’t really feel hurt (at least not by Phil). After all, why shouldn’t he think the clones are controlled by them? Or that Three’s at least part of the dissolution of the Polytechnic Institute for Antagonism and Moral Complexity? They were working with the School Head to stop it last year, and they’re sitting with Maedryn now. And they never thanked him for what he did. And they never apologised.
Three doesn’t have many thoughts on the rest of the announcements, mostly because they’re dissociating during them. Which is fine. That stops them having feelings, and tools don’t have feelings. None of the Probably Much More Useful Than Three Is clones have feelings. Does Maedryn even need them for anything now she has the clones?
“I think I’ve finally come to terms with Ruinali. Now it’s a matter of practicing what I preach so she doesn’t see my apology as empty words.”
What is the closest thing you’ve had to “love at first sight?
“I was introduced to Maedryn by my friend Jaen. Well, really it wasn’t intentional. Mae came to our guild house looking for Jaen. But at any rate, the moment I saw Mae, I thought that he was beautiful. He was vibrant, apple green skin and golden hair. His smile was more radiant than the sunlight. As we got to know each other, I learned that he was just as beautiful on the inside. So kind, so generous.…Sorry, I’m getting sentimental.”
Who currently occupies your thought?
“Oh, so many people. I worry about Ras, of course. I leave him by himself far too much. He’s so private in his thoughts. I hope one day he can trust me to help him carry that weight. I wish that he were here too. I long for his company.
Del is injured, like me. I’m trying to stay strong and keep her company while we recover. I’ll ask her if she wants to walk around the manse later.”
There’s also many people I am grateful to. Airia for her comfort and for opening her home to me. Yhedda and Bakari for their gentle, swift care, despite have risked themselves on the same mission.”
I’m very lucky to have such strong allies and friends.”
Do you honestly find intellect attractive, or just admirable, in a person?
“I certainly don’t find it unattractive! But I think that there are many different types of intelligence. I’m a bookish type, for example. I tend to gravitate toward those with street smarts or survival skills. I don’t know why.”
What makes you feel at peace?
“Staying the night at Airia’s manse or Ras’s house. There’s a lot of pleasure in domestic tranquility, sitting down to breakfast with your loved ones after a good night’s sleep. Drinking coffee, reading the paper. It reminds me that there’s life outside of work and war.”
Ideally, how would you like to tell somebody you are romantically interested in them?
“That’s hard. I prefer to let someone come to me. I couldn’t handle the possibility of rejection. That said, I like rather physical declarations of love. Like kissing. Your partner pulls you into their arms and lays his lips on yours. It’s great.”
Which of your friends have you seen the least recently?
“Poor Skiena. I should send her a letter, but I don’t want to disturb her while she’s on duty. I feel terrible though, that we don’t talk much anymore. I hope she knows that I still love her.”
Aurion in Game 1, with his very bland and forgettable face
Aurion in Game 2, doing better at the Evil
Kinistra, in Princess Outfit
Phil
Xi. Not 100% happy with the mod I used for their skin but cyborgs are Difficult. (I kind of want to try making a Sona Sim but the mods would be a Pain. I’m not sure it’s even possible to try and make a Dev.)
Maedryn, in crown and lab coat. Sadly Sims will not let me make her features asymetrical, but at least her hair is.
And Professor Ulik, bc she is both mine and Three’s favourite teacher
