Alice and Deborah's Story
A Few Years Ago
"Everyone, I'd like for you guys to meet our new student, she was homeschooled so please make her feel welcomed," The teacher explained to the students.
"Yes, ma'am," The students said synchronically.
The girl had olive-brown pigtails, she walked in awkwardly. Her face was red.
"Hi, I'm Alice Bequin, I'm practice puppetry and it's very nice to meet you all," She said. She had been practicing saying that all night in front of a mirror. She was happy that she didn't scuff it up.
"Bequin?" A girl asked. "As the name of the 3rd overlord?" She asked.
The class anticipated her answer.
"Yes, I'm her granddaughter," She smiled.
But she didn't realize a superiority barrier had now been placed.
"Deborah, there's an empty seat behind you right?" The teacher asked the girl sewing.
"Yes madam," She said, without looking.
"Alice, that's your seat," The teacher instructed.
"Yes ma'am," Alice nodded.
She smiled at the students as she sat behind the girl.
"Doesn't the teacher get mad? I see on TV that teachers normally get mad when students are focused on other things." Alice reminisced from a show she had watched a few weeks ago.
"This is no 'other things' and it's break time right now," She claimed. "I had an idea about building dozens of puppets then trying to control them all. I know it gonna..." Deborah stopped herself. "You don't care much do you?"
She turned back around.
"No I do, and I have been thinking about this for years now," Alice smiled.
"I guess it's not very original," Deborah mumbled. "Why are you even interested in this?"
"I use puppetry also," Alice smiled. "I did say it a few moments ago,"
"You did, must've skipped me," She chuckled awkwardly.
"I'm Deborah Suchel, and people don't confuse me with Sandra okay, really annoys me," She turned to her twin sister, who was sitting 2 rows away from her. The teacher had moved them because they disrupted the class too much.
"Ohh, you two really do alike," Alice said. "If it wasn't for your hair, you guys would be like the same people,"
"yeah, I know, I had to give a little red highlight," Deborah said.
"It looks good on you," Alice smiled. "I can help you out on the puppets, it's not like I have anything better to do,"
"Sure, if you know how to do it of course, here's the template I drew,"
"Whoaa, that's soo cool," Alice said amazed.
"I know right, my sister said it looked the same as a regular wooden puppet," Deborah said, annoyed.
"Is that bamboo covered around it?" Alice asked.
"Yes, bamboo is very durable, which makes it very hard to break. On the other hand, it's flexible and contains such elasticity."
Alice nodded in total agreement. "Is it iron?"
"Mhm." Deborah nodded. "I could've gone with Steel or aluminum but I chose iron,"
"Is it because it's relatively a good conductor of heat other than most metals?" Alice asked.
"Mhm,"
"You guys are like puppet nerds," A great haired sitting next to them teased.
"Shut up Lizzy," Deborah smiled. She finally had someone that had the same interest as her.
"Hi Alice, I'm Elizabeth Tonan, but call me Liz," She shook Alices' hand.
"You're Insunya's younger sister right?" Alice asked.
"You know my brother?" Liz asked.
"Yeah, I see him with my older sister a lot," Alice said.
"So he's cheating on Love?" Liz assumed.
"Cheating? Oh no. They just spar most of the time. And he teaches her some stuff, they never go in detail though,"
"Suspicious, I'll ask him later on today," Liz said.
"Okay, break time is over. You got your ten minutes of socialization, now hush," The teacher said.
"You can come over to my house after school if you want. We can work in my room and I have a few things I think you might like," Alice said.
"If we think it's okay then sure," Deborah smiled.
2 Years Later
Alice waited eagerly for her best friend. A white car pulled up in front of her house.
"Ah, home sweet home," A woman came out from the backseat.
Alice immediately bowed to her.
"Welcome back mother," She said with her head down. "It's been far too long,"
"Thank you, and yes it has." She said. "At ease my child."
"Thank you, mother,"
"Were you waiting for someone?'" She asked.
"No mother, I was out for fresh air," Alice lied. She knew that her mother would not approve of her friendship with Deborah.
"Please, don't show up," She begged in her head. "please,"
"If you say so," Mrs. Bequin said. "How's your puppetry been going?"
"It's great mother," She said.
She heard footsteps echoing.
"Alice, I'm here, sorry for keeping you waiting, the bus driver was throwing a tantrum," She laughed.
"Shit," Alice mumbled.
"And who are you?" Mrs. Bequin asked.
"I'm Deborah Suchel ma'am, I'm Alices' friend," She smiled.
"Suchel? Friend?" She turned to Alice. "May I ask you why such filth is standing in front of me, and she didn't even bow to me, an unmannered little scum is your friend? Disgraceful."
"She helps me with my puppetry,"
The slap echoed.
"Know your place, Alice," Mrs. Bequin said. "You're the granddaughter of a Paladin for goodness sake. Your father is in the counsel of ten and you tell me you befriended a nobody like her,"
"You don't need friends, you need only councilmen. You need only strength and skill. No daughter of mine is going to live off some rich-boy,"
"You did exactly the same," She mumbled.
"You say something?" She smacked her once more.
"Please stop hitting her," Deborah cried out. "It's all my fault,"
She turned her attention to you. "I can feed you to Landers right now. And I know it's your fault. So I'll give you one more chance at life, stay away from my house and daughter, alright?"
"No," She tried to rebel.
"I won't talk to her again mother," Alice cried out. She knew that if her mother wanted to kill Deborah, she would do it right now. "And besides, you're right. Royalty like me doesn't need friends like her, to us they're just filth. I don't know what came upon me mother."
"What about our puppets?" Deborah said, trying to comprehend what she was saying.
"Didn't you hear her?" Alice screamed. "Leave now, or I'll kill you myself."
In a split second, the puppets she was going to show Deborah surrounded her, with blades circling over them.
"You're gonna use our own creation to attack me?" Deborah couldn't believe her eyes. The eyes flooded with tears. "very well then, I'm sorry I ever stepped foot in your house and I'm sorry I bothered you," Deborah ran away crying.
Alice broke down.
"No need to cry over filth, my dear," Mrs. Bequin said.
"Right mother," Alice tried to keep her tears inside. "Paladins don't cry," She proclaimed.