Lyza sat at the picnic tables, just outside the school's courtyard. While recess was normally the time for her to run and play, for the past two days she did neither. The first couple days of the week they had stayed in, though she skipped Monday. Wednesday and yesterday it kind of drizzled in the morning, and even thought it was kind of wet and muddy they were still allowed outside. Today, the sun had finally come out for a bit, and made everything feel like a swamp.
She flipped the page of her book, R-T, Margaret, and the Rats of NIMH. As a class, they had read Mrs. Frisby. For her book report, she and Emeral had read Racso. She found there was a third book, and decided to start reading it. So, yesterday, she checked it out of the library.
She was already more than a third of the way through.
”Out of bounds!” Came a shout to her left. She turned her head just in time to see a soccer ball bounce into the shallow concrete drainage-ditch a few feet from where she sat. It rolled upwards on her side of the half-pipe, and then back the other way, before finally settling in the middle.
A boy with muddy jeans came to retrieve it. As he righted, before he turned, he stared at Lyza for a moment. Under the silent gaze, the boy seemed to recognize her, and smiled. “Nice job last week,” he said, before he was beckoned by the other kids to hurry up.
He quickly turned and ran away.
Lyza slowly closed the book, and set it on the table. She looked at it, but not really. Since last week, that was the fourth time a stranger mentioned something related to the spelling bee. She hated being reminded. And at the same time, she knew the people who mentioned it weren't being mean. They were giving compliments, but...
”Hey. What're you doing over here?”
Panda sat at the picnic table in front of her.
She took her eyes away from the book. “Just reading,” she said, fiddling with the object.
”Rini give you any trouble lately?”
She glanced back down. “No. Why?”
”Just askin',” the panda said. “Gotta make sure my friends are okay. Wanna go see what Ket and Emmy are up to?”
Lyza shook her head. “I kinda just wanna read,” she said, one eye glancing up at the bear for just a moment.
”Oh... okay,” he smiled all the same. “I guess I'll leave ya to it then.” He drummed on the table, then stood. “I think they're over by the dome, if you change your mind.”
”Thanks.” She said, watching for a moment as Panda walked away. She sighed.
Rini.
The prissy rat hadn't bothered her at all since Friday. That was the weird part.
Yesterday, Rini said “Hi,” as she sat down in her seat.
The thing Lyza couldn't figure out was: who was she saying it to? There wasn't anyone around her desk that she normally talked to.
It couldn't have been directed at her, of that she was sure.
Opening the book once more, she took in a breath, and continued reading.
* * *
Panda slowly jogged across the playground, heading toward the jungle-gym dome. Even from yards away, he could see the two tigers resting at the structure; Emeral sitting upon the second level of the dome, while Ket sat on the ground. He was spotted as he drew nearer.
Emeral waved.
”Hey!” He waved back.
Emeral hopped off to greet him. As she ran, the wind began to pick up, blowing her hair in her face. She made a spittle noise as she held it back. “Pffffth, wow, where'd that come from?”
They both looked at the sky, wary of any rain that may come. It was the first day of April, after all.
”Dunno,” Panda said. “But it's really nice out today, so I hope it doesn't rain.”
”Me too,” Emmy replied. “Hey,” she got in close. “Can you do me a favor?”
”Wh-what?” The bear asked nervously.
”Ket's working on a project, and he's asking me what I think about it... but I honestly don't know what to say. Maybe you can help me out?”
The bear bit his lip. “I... I can try.”
She smiled. “Thanks,” she took his hand.
With a little trepidation, the bear was led to the jungle-gym dome. She let go when they reached the brim of the sand, and he walked the rest of the way. He leaned on the first level, while Emeral returned to her perch.
Ket looked up at Panda. “Yo.”
”Nǐ hǎo.”
For a second there was a bit of awkward silence. Emeral looked at the bear, and then at the tiger. She took in a breath. “So... Ket. Wanna show Pan your...uh... Padodo—”
”Pa-go-da,” he corrected.
”Uh... y-yeah,” her neck disappeared as she cringed, giving the bear a look of please help me!
Panda smiled. “Oh, cool!” He squatted, noticing what Ket held in his hands. “You're making a pagoda?”
”You... know what those are?” The tiger asked, a bit surprised.
”Can I see it?”
Reluctantly, Ket relinquished his half-finished project.
Panda looked at the figure, carved in wood. “I took a trip to China a few years ago, and got to see a few of these buildings. Some of them are only a couple stories, but some are really tall.”
As he examined the block of wood, he gave a side-glance at Emeral, as if to say: You're welcome.
”Really?” Ket seemed to warm up just a bit. “Does that look close to one? I was going by some pictures I found online...”
The bear rolled it on its axis of height, looking at it as if he were an expert on just such a subject. “Well, yeah, I think it—oof!”
Emeral only just saw Virgil out of the corner of her eye. She had been so focused on the object of discussion, that she barely had time to react. She leapt from the jungle-gym dome, but when she landed her knees buckled. A wash of sparkles overcame her vision as she fell victim to a blood-rush. She grunted as her knee scraped the earth.
”Emmy, are you okay?”
”Get the Dodo, ya Dodo!” She yelled at her boyfriend, batting him away. He looked at her dumbly for a second. “Go!”
”I'll help her,” Panda stated.
Satisfied, the tiger gave chase, but he was far behind.
Virgil made his way toward the Cabbage Patch, vaulting over the cement tunnels along the way.
As Ket wove between them, a beaver-kid poked his head out, chewing on his nails. The tiger felt his lungs tiring already. He was athletic, he liked to think, but running was not his forte.
Virgil was good at anything. Especially running, given he was a cheetah.
Even still, Ket was gaining.
As Virgil hopped over the ditch that separated the Cabbage Patch from the old playground, the tiger was only a second or two behind him.
Anger and adrenaline were on the tiger's side.
The Patch was flat and grassy, with few bumps and tufts on the ground, and the tiger used this as his last push to get to the cheetah. He began to sprint, feeling the lactic acid in his calves compound by the second.
Then, suddenly, Virgil turned around, as if he had lured the tiger into a trap.
Ket didn't slow down at all, even as he heard the cheetah shout, “Go long!” The block of wood flicked from the cheetah's hand, and the tiger watched as it arched across the cloudy sky.
Ket couldn't turn, though. He had committed to this pursuit, and so he crashed into the cheetah. They both grunted, but Ket pushed away at the last second, using the cheetah like a springboard to pivot in the opposite direction. Leaving the athlete groaning on his rear, the tiger witnessed as Goren caught the block of wood and ran in the opposite direction, toward the new playground.
* * *
Lyza set her book down. She was getting anxious. She wanted to get home and study.
She rubbed her eyes. Her brother would probably give her another little talk if he saw her studying close to bed-time again. She probably couldn't get away with skipping her flute lessons this week, either. She kind of wished she was back at Connalake. At least there she had started making tangible progress.
Maybe that was the problem. She missed archery. That must be it... why else would she—
”Keep-away!”
”Huh?” Lyza stood up from the table. The shout came from down by the old playgrounds. She stepped across the little ditch, onto the playground proper, and walked parallel to it for just a few seconds, before she saw.
Goren was running between the old and new playgrounds, towards the outer fence. Behind him, Ket was charging after.
Something happened. Deep in her gut something began to boil. She grit her teeth and narrowed her eyes. She got angry; very angry. Whatever Goren was doing, she didn't care. He was being a dick to Ket and that just pissed her off!
* * *
Ritzer, you idiot. Goren huffed as he ran, and looked behind him to see the tiger still at least two yards behind. This isn't that stupid thing, it's just a block of wood! It isn't even the right color!
He squeezed the artifact in his palm, at a bit of a loss for what to do. He turned, heading along the fence toward the gym. This was ridiculous, but what else was he gonna do? Stop and be like, Sorry this isn't your gold thing so I don't have to steal it. No, he was just gonna have to take whatever this is, and Ritzer was gonna have to deal with it.
He just had to get behind the gym and throw it over the fence, where Ritzer was waiting. ...Then what? He wasn't really given a chance to think this one through—just an ultimatum. Get the thing, or Rini—“Hhh!?”
Goren passed behind the gym, only to see someone running beside him. Some rabbit-girl, her ears pulled back and twitching like wind-streamers. She had an angry look on her face, and then suddenly she disappeared from his focus, tripping and falling.
But then his ankle hit something, and then it caught his shin; then his other leg. He tasted dirt and his lip stung, and felt his head lurch as a bright flash whipped across his eyes. With a groan, he rolled onto his back, and sat up.
Beside him, the rabbit groaned, too. She clutched her side, folding into a fetal curl.
Lyza could barely breath after the wind was kicked out of her. She couldn't do anything but give a single groan, and then let her lungs quiver and shake as they fought to regain their rhythm. It didn't help that her heart was racing and her head was swimming. But, she caught him. She heard him groaning too, and by the sound of it he wasn't too happy. She found the breath to cough, and in its midst she managed to chuckle.
”Oh my gosh, are you okay? Here, c'mon, sit up.”
”I'm alright,” Lyza managed to weakly say, taking in a big gulp of air. “Just a bit dizzy. Thanks, Emmy.”
”I'm not Emmy,” the voice said, waving a hand in front of her face. “Are you sure you're okay?”
Lyza realized, as the almost-white hand waved in front of her vision, that the hand was almost white. It was more a color like the foam on a root-beer float. She trailed the arm to the torso, and saw a face that suddenly brought back all that anger she had felt just a few moments ago.
”Whoa!”
”Get away from me!” Lyza shouted, flailing her arm as she scurried to a stand. She hissed, wincing and grabbing at her side. Her shirt had been stained with dirt at that spot. It almost hurt to take a full breath.
”Calm down, Lyz.” Rini stated, holding her hands up in a calming gesture. “You should go see the nurse, I'll walk you.”
”I don't need to see the freakin' nurse. I'm fine.” Lyza clutched her side, and, without giving the rat another chance to say anything, walked to the thing that had fallen when she dove in front of Goren. She picked it up, and walked back toward the playground. Along the way, she came across Ket; out of breath, his fingers clutching the chain-link fence. She went over to him, trying not to clutch her side to dramatically, and he looked up at her as she approached.
She swung her arm up, proffering the block of wood. “Here.”
He took a collective breath, and then took the pagoda back. “Thanks?” He said, a little bit surprised that she had it.
She waved her hand, Don't mention it, as she walked back to the picnic table. Her book was still there, waiting for her. She sat down, her legs finally shaking away all the stress from her sudden ordeal. With also-trembling hands she cracked the book back open, and started reading again.
Damn did that feel really good.
* * *
As soon as Rini entered the room, she looked to her left. “There you are.” She declared, making her way through the desk toward Ritzer.
”Ha'dy,” he said, smiling up at her.
”Don't sweet talk me, Richard.” She glared, her palms resting on his desk. “I talked to Goren at recess.”
”'Eh didja?”
”Let's get this straight,” the rat spoke curtly. “On my list of things that scare me, Care Bears ranks higher than you. So if you think you can go threatening people, especially people I know, think twice—or at least once.”
The lion cub looked down at her hands and then back at her face. “Yes'm.” He replied, with as much sincerity as a desert has oceans.
”And one more thing,” the rat leaned in; “Goren is my boyfriend, before he's your lackey.”
She pushed off, walking over to her own desk. Some kids had already filed in, and had stopped to watch that little conversation. She ignored them, it didn't matter. If anything it gave them a bit of comfort to know that someone had the balls to stand up to the big Kahuna.
Rini refocused her attitude as she plopped down at her desk. But immediately, something wasn't right. The seat of her capris suddenly felt very different. It didn't take her long to realize what had happened.
But while she took that time, Lyza had passed her. Just as Rini saw the rabbit leave the corner of her vision, she identified the water that was soaked into her pants. As if by reflex, she whipped around in her seat and tried to warn her only row-mate: “Wait-don't—”
Too late. Lyza settled into her seat, and her eyes went a little wide for a moment.
The rat's hand lowered, for she had raised it to press her palm in a stop gesture. She watched as the rabbit's expression went from brief shock, to a mix of mild irritation and—oddly—acceptance?
”What the heck?” Other kids began to murmur about the room.
”No one sit down!” Rini instructed, waving her arms. “Don't sit in your chairs!”
Emeral heard the warning just as she entered the room. More than half the class was already in their chairs, and everyone seemed to be talking about something. She went to her own desk and looked. Nothing out of the ord—wait. She reached her hand down and put her palm on her seat. A layer of water was there, waiting for her.
The bell rang, and Ms. Hupp came through the door. “Okay everyone,” she clapped, “That's the bell. Get those derrieres in those cherrieres.
”No! No one siddown!” Rini shouted.
The raccoon blinked. “Excuse me, young lady—”
”No, Ms. Hupp, please, listen!” Rini huffed, getting out of her chair. She turned around, revealing her soaked behind. “This is why.”
”Oh my gosh,” the teacher looked about, and found the nearest desk.
”It's true, Ms. Hupp,” Emmy spoke out. “My chair's got water on it.”
”Mine too,” Justin spoke meekly, too embarrassed to get up and show everyone like Rini had.
”I guess I got lucky...” Squeaky Kimberly said aloud, standing up to prove she was dry.
”Okay, fine. I guess no one sit down then, unless you check your seat. Anyone want to claim responsibility or am I just going to have to hold you all in for recess next week?”
She let a moment pass with silence.
”One...”
”Well I think it was Ritzer.” Rini spoke up.
”Aw shurr!” He slapped his desk. “Blame me 'uh? You guys s'blaym'n me fer ever'thin' an' iss get'n real'i'nnoyin'.”
”Then why were you in the room before I got here?” The rat questioned. “And I didn't see you at recess.” She pointed out. “That sounds awfully suspicious to me.”
”Tha'don't mean nuthin'.” The lion declared.
”Sounds pretty solid to me.” Rini declared back.
”Actually he's right,” Lyza muttered. “It's just circumstantial evidence.”
”Hm?” The rat's ears heard her voice, but... “What'd you say?” She turned to the rabbit whom sat behind her.
”N—nothing.” Lyza shook her head. “I didn't say anything.” Why did she have to say that aloud?
”No, really,” Rini said genuinely; “I wanna know what you said. Something... circle-dance?”
Lyza grit her teeth. “Look, what I meant was: Just cuz he was in the room before you, doesn't mean he did it. Where was he before he was in the room?”
”The library,” their teacher stated, “as a matter of fact.”
Rini's lips opened in disbelief. “But... Goren said...” She trailed, the stories not adding up at all.
”Not that it's anyone's business, really, but Ritzer was doing some make-up work since he's been absent for a while. Ms. Starwick was with him the whole time, so for once even I think our little class clown is off the hook.” She looked over at him; he smiled at her. “This time,” she amended dryly.
”B'sides,” Ritzer said, standing up. “Iffit were me, y' thin'd be stupid'nuff to do it t'myself?” Sure enough, he turned around and revealed that he, too, was a victim of the serial seat-soaker.
Rini folded her arms. “Not unless you wanted to make it look like you were pranked,” she pointed out.
”That's enough, Rini.” Ms. Hupp scolded. “I'm not wasting any more time with this. Either fess up, or everyone is just going to have to deal with having wet pants for the rest of the day, and staying in from recess for all of next week.”
Again, she let a few moments of silence fill the room. Still, no one said a word.
”All right. Well, maybe it's someone from another room. If that's the case, someone better figure it out. If your seat is wet, grab some paper towels when you come back from lunch. And yes, I get it, April Fools and all that. But, if anything else happens today: whoever the prankster is, is going to have to play the fool in front of Mr. Pretty. Kapische?”
The class vocalized their understanding.
In the corner of the room, just as the bell for lunch rang, Shy William bit his lip to keep a smile from flashing on his muzzle.
