Episode 1: Play With Fire.
"So I conclude. Overall, this lesson is to show you all that choice, in a way, is controversial. Some believe in it, that fate is all up to you, but many people don't. Some think that it's in the hands of the others around you, SOME think that there is no free will. That those above you have already... scripted you, and what you are able to do. So, my question is, what is choice to you?"
••••••
"Wake up."
...
Awaken from captivity.
...
"WAKE UP!"
Just like that, Palutena woke up from her nap. Her consciousness was slowly pulling together as she fluttered her eyes open and looked up.
"Really, dear?"
"Er, sorry, Ms. Bayonetta... I... had a long night, and—"
Bayonetta sighed. "Say no more, darling. Get your belongings and pack up. School ended 10 minutes ago."
Palutena stayed in place for a few seconds before grabbing her books and shoving them into her bag. She slowly got up from her seat as she yawned quietly. After collecting herself, she made her way down to the front of the room where the exit was.
"I hope you at least paid attention to some of my lesson," Bayonetta called to her from the back of the room. "It's important. I have a link to the lesson on our class site. Go to that."
"Got it."
Palutena walked out of the room and out into the hallway. There were almost no students in sight, as they already went home.
The girl took her time down the hall, studying the locker numbers and the posters on the bulletin board. There was really nothing going on. Just people asking you to join their clubs and advertising a town outing and such.
Palutena looked to the left of the hall, looking closely at the locker numbers. She passed by some lockers of the people she knows. Like Peach, and Zelda... but she stopped at one in particular.
It looked normal. Just one of the other lockers. Palutena didn't know if the books were still in there, but unfortunately she didn't know the code to the locker.
She rested her head on the small blue door.
It's been three years.
She didn't know how to move on.
"Uhh, Palutena?"
"Huh?"
Palutena turned away from the locker to see who called her name.
"Hey Zelda."
Zelda walked up to Palutena and rested her hand on the other girl's back.
"Are you okay?"
"Of course."
"Pat, stop lying."
"I'm not!" Palutena exclaimed.
"Oh, of course you're not. Besides! You're resting your head on her locker 10 minutes after school ended."
Zelda put her hands on her hips. "Just tell the truth."
"Okay. I slept during class and I'm tired so I stopped at a locker to rest at."
"And that's as good as we can get..."
Zelda took Palutena by the arm and dragged her out of the hallway and outside where her car was.
"You're sitting in the middle row." Zelda said bluntly.
The two made their way to the car, Palutena climbing in the backseat and Zelda going around to the driver's seat.
Palutena sighed. "Hey Link."
"What was it today, Pat? A scold from a teacher or falling asleep." Link asked.
"Falling asleep."
"I knew it."
"She also made a 5 minute stop." Zelda added as she kissed Link's cheek and started the car.
They drove in silence. Well, the radio played, but the three didn't speak. Finally, after a few minutes of driving, the car stopped.
"Here's your stop, Palutena." Zelda said as she pressed the button to unlock the car doors.
"Thanks for the ride." The girl replied as she stepped out of the car and started making her way onto the lawn and to the front door.
Zelda started up the car again and soon enough, it started driving off. Palutena watched it go by before she stepped to the front door, taking out the house keys that were stuffed into her pocket.
She fiddled with the ring of keys for a few seconds before she found the right one and opened the door.
Palutena was glad she didn't have to bunk with any of the others and have her own place. Well, she used to bunk with someone else. But that's apparently all in the past now.
"Pull yourself together, goddess..." Palutena muttered as she walked into the kitchen, grabbing a half-empty coffee mug that was left from this morning.
She took a long sip.
She lived in the same house. The same house that housed two people, her being one, before the other left... before the other was gone.
Lucina.
Her room was still the same as it was, although a bit tidied up from Palutena's stop by's.
Palutena remembered the funeral which was held not too long from after she died. It wasn't an open casket. Apparently her body wasn't presentable... wounds.
She remembered when the police came... as her body was found... She never even got the chance to see her.
Palutena quickly shoved that flashback away, not wanting to remember that horrific moment.
Palutena set the mug down, her eyes looking down at the mug but her mind wandering.
Then her phone rang.
It took the girl a few seconds to figure out if she wanted to accept the call or not, but realizing that it was Peach was a forced 'accept'.
...
"Hello..."
"Hey Palutena!"
Palutena's mood was no match to Peach's high-pitched voice.
"What's goin on?"
"Eh, I was just bored. Is it okay if we chat for a while?" Peach asked.
Palutena muted herself before she sighed heavily, then unmuting and saying yes.
••••••
"Have you gotten the homework done?" Peach asked. They were now several hours into the call, with it now being 10:00 PM.
"...uh, I need to uh... I need to go review the lesson first." Palutena responded.
"Were you not paying attention? I mean, pretty much everyone got it. I mean, it was about life stuff. Those words stick, wether they're meaningless or meaningful."
Palutena let Peach rant on about the lesson as the green-haired girl sat on her bed, laptop in front of her, pulling up the lesson.
The bright purple background on the website lit up the dark room just a little bit, with every object anywhere in front of the screen gaining a purple tint.
"This website looks like a damned cultist site..." Palutena said.
"Maybe making it look like that was the trick to get the dum-dums to learn something." Peach replied.
"Why are we having this type of lesson... on choice, and life, and futurism, and other junk."
"Well don't ask me."
Palutena read more. It was actually quite easy to remember. Damn, the next tests are gonna get those grades up, that's for certain.
Palutena felt a little content.
She scrolled down to the next subject.
WHAT DEATH HAS IN STORE, was the heading.
Vicious flashbacks shot into her head. This made Palutena more than uneasy, choking before covering her mouth, her fist hitting the bed.
"Pat? Are you okay?!" Peach asked from the other line.
"I gotta go."
"Pat—!"
She instantly hung up, then closed her computer.
It was now pitch black, her eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness, where she was able to see the silhouette of her hand.
Finding a way to calm herself, Palutena got up from the bed, and walked to Lucina's room.
She went to her dresser, where she rummaged through the bottom drawer.
Palutena found a pack of cigarettes, taking one and leaving the room. She lit it with the flame from one of the candles out in the hallway, sticking it in the side of her mouth as she made her way back to the room.
She opened up the computer again, the purple reflecting around the room once more.
She exhaled heavily. The bitterness of the smoke in the air was fine, but god she had to admit it did not feel good in her mouth.
She didn't smoke often... but when she did it was a way to calm herself as a last resort.
After about ten minutes, she finished reading. Palutena closed her laptop and went to the bathroom out in the hall.
Since there wasn't really anyone to hide from, she left the bathroom door open as she turned on the lights.
She spit the cigarette into the sink. The flame slightly rising.
She watched the small fire dance, not being able to spread from what the sink was crafted from.
Palutena watched it for a few minutes before she simply turned the faucet on, the water splashing on the cigarette.
Palutena sighed
As she watched the flame die out
Before her very eyes.
Where she could do nothing to save it.
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