"How is it that none of us have ever met this guy before?" asked Harriet.
"Gavin and I sort of met him in that we followed him from a distance a couple of weeks ago," said Jupiter.
"And I met him once before that," said Gavin. "In the library. He was talking to Barry Zipper."
"So you HAVE met him?"
Gavin shook his head. "I never knew his name. And I've never seen him in any classes. Or in the cafeteria. Or, really, pretty much anywhere else."
"I saw him enter the teacher's lounge once," offered Samantha Ruby. "I thought he was a substitute teacher."
The four stood in the entry hall, dressed in the Sunday Best. Unfortunately for Gavin, his Sunday Best consisted of clean bluejeans and a blue-and-white striped button-down shirt. The three girls had all done much better, with Samantha and Harriet dressed in light, summer dresses and Jupiter in a long, rose-colored skirt and an orange blouse. Gavin felt distinctly underdressed.
"Alright boys and girls," said Mitchell, walking up to them. "Just let me do the talking and everything'll be fine."
Jupiter glowered. "You don't even know what we're supposed to be doing once we get there."
"It doesn't matter," he answered. "As long as I do the talking, we'll dominate. And Gavin, maybe you should stay behind me. You know, so we can make a good impression." He grinned a cruel grin and Gavin turned away. Mitchell wore a sharp, black suit and tie, which made Gavin's jeans stand out even more.
"Do you know the other guy?" asked Samantha, changing the subject. "Snell?"
Mitchell shrugged. "He's no friend of mine. I think I've seen him around here and there, but I've never paid much attention to him."
He wandered to the other end of the entry hall, as if he couldn't be bothered to hang out near the other students. Gavin peered up through the dim rays of light at a large clock on the wall. It had been more than an hour since the assembly, and he was getting antsy. They still hadn't been told much about what was going on. Only that they were going for a dinner. He hoped it wasn't an overly-formal affair. He'd never been to a formal dinner and didn't know how to behave. Didn't these things give you more than one fork? He was sure he'd use the wrong one.
"No sign of Mrs. Gruber?" asked Mrs. Ackachack, entering the hall in a long, elegant dress of dark blue with sequins along the bottom.
"You look stunning, Mrs. Ackachack!" said Samantha.
"Why thank you, Miss Ruby," the teacher responded. "Ophelia did ask us to dress up. Oh, Mr. Mallard, you probably still have time if you hurry."
Gavin blushed and threw a glance at Mitchell to make sure the bully hadn't heard this remark. "I'm sorry, Ma'am," he said. "This is all I have. I didn't bring anything fancy to school."
"Oh. Well, you look handsome enough, I suppose." The woman's narrowed eyes suggested otherwise.
"Has the bus left? Have I missed it?" A short, bald man in an ill-fitting tan suit hurried into the entry hall carrying a brown, leather briefcase.
"You haven't missed anything, Artemis," responded Mrs. Ackachack. "We're still waiting for our headmaster and Mr. Hollowind."
"Oh, good. Good." He absently brushed his fingers through greasy-looking hair. "I didn't want to miss this. It's very exciting, visiting the School of Heroics. Very exciting."
"If you say so," muttered Jupiter.
"Oh, I do! I do! Students from The Very Special Academy are so rarely invited to the School of Heroics," he continued. "You're just not good enough. No offense. And when I say you, I actually mean we. You see, I am a graduate of this fine institution myself." He beamed with pride, then shook his head. "But I never received an invitation to visit the School of Heroics. No, indeed."
The conversation petered out at that point, but it was perfect timing as Mrs. Gruber and Mr. Hollowind chose that moment to enter the hallway. Mr. Hollowind looked smashing in a black suit and tie, while Mrs. Gruber wore a white pantsuit with a mauve shawl wrapped around her shoulders.
"Are we all here?" asked Mrs. Gruber, looking around. When she spotted Gavin, she frowned. "Jeans, Mr. Mallard?"
Again, Gavin blushed with shame. "They're... they're all I have," he admitted.
"You should have said something," said Mr. Hollowind. "We could have rustled you up a suit."
"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."
"Hhmp," grunted Mrs. Gruber. "So it would seem. No matter, just stay in the back."
This brought forth a sneering laugh from Mitchell, who had rejoined everyone with the entrance of the headmistress.
"Something funny, Mr. Warner?" asked Mr. Hollowind.
"No, Sir." The bully smiled a very fake smile. Mr. Hollowind frowned, but Mrs. Gruber cut off any response.
"Everyone board the bus," she announced. "We're late as it is."
***
The ride to Lord Thumbledown's School of Heroics took them across the town and up a steep, grass-covered hill. A majestic mansion sat atop the hill, sparkling in the fading sunlight. THe bus rolled up to a wrought iron gate, where a sharply-dressed individual (Gavin couldn't tell if it was a woman or a man) opened the gate wide and ushered them through. They drove up a winding driveway bordered by a crisp, clean expanse of lawn extending as far as the eye could see. Finally, they rolled into a circular drive surrounding a large fountain which was currently dormant. The bus came to a stop, and they lined up and exited the bus top step on the hallowed grounds of Lord Thumbledown's School of Heroics.
Waiting for them on the steps were six imposing Thumbledown students spread out along the top row. One step below them stood a short woman, a tall man, and a medium-sized individual of indeterminate gender. Symphonius stood in front of them, his huge face open and smiling, his arms spread wide.
"Aquatica! We are honored by your presence!"
Mrs. Gruber led her contingent to the bottom of the steps, looked up at the Thumbledown retinue, then turned to face her school.
"Children, line up in two rows. Girls in the front, boys in the back. Idris, Lia, Artemis, you're behind them." She waited until everyone was in the proper position. Gavin found himself in the middle of the line of boys, with Mitchell on one side and Maximilian on the other. He stood behind Samantha Ruby and tried not to fidget too much.
When everyone was in place, Mrs. Gruber finally turned back to her counterpart. "Symphonius," she said coldly. "Thank you for the invitation. You're looking boisterous, as usual."
Symphonius laughed a huge, jolly laugh, like he was a big, black Santa Claus. "I've always loved your biting wit, Aquatica," he replied. "But come! No need to stand out here! Everyone inside! Our guests have arrived! Let the festivities begin!
***
They were ushered into an immense room lined floor to ceiling with bookshelves. There, servants in tuxedos offered trays of finger foods or glasses of juice. The six Thumbledown students who were apparently joining them for dinner were all dressed in their very finest, black tuxedos for the three boys, colorful evening gowns for the three girls. The only one Gavin recognised from the hide and seek match was Austin Cragmire, the cocky jerk who had practically tortured the girl when Gavin was hiding in the butterfly garden. He owned the room, and it was obvious the other five regarded him as their leader.
One person Gavin didn't see was the one called Phantom, for which Gavin was grateful. He still got shivers thinking about that kid.
As much as Gavin hated to admit it, Mitchell was in his element, and he had entered into a conversation with two of the Thumbledown girls who were actually smiling at him. Gavin wondered if he'd told them that his talent was nothing but a stupid light show.
Jupiter and Harriet had engaged the third Thumbledown girl in conversation, while Samantha was off on her own. The three Thumbledown boys remained in a pack centered on Cragmire, and the six professors mingled amongst one another. Mrs, Gruber and Symphonius stood apart from everyone, eyeing their charges like scientists studying rats in a maze.
Maximilian Snell, he noticed, wasn't in the room. Neither, he noticed, was Mr. Folly.
"Gavin! Get over here!" Harriet motioned for Gavin, so he grabbed something that looked like baked cheese off a tray and joined her and Jupiter. "This is Ryanne Junker. She creates portals!"
Gavin vaguely recognised the girl from when she helped the Lord Thumbledown bus make its dramatic entrance before the hide and seek match. She smiled and held out her hand. "Hey," she said.
Gavin took the offered hand and gave it a shake. "That's pretty impressive," he said. "THe whole portal thing. You can go anywhere in the world with that?"
She nodded. "As long as I've already been there before," she explained with a shrug. "I can't open a portal into some place I've never been. I have to know it. But other than that... yeah. How about you? What's your ability?"
Gavin groaned inwardly, but forced himself to reply. "My head is squishy," he said, feeling lame.
Ryanne nodded for a moment. "Cool."
"He's being modest," said Harriet. "He shoved his head through a late book slot!" Nobody responded, and Harriet deflated a little. "...which doesn't sound nearly as impressive as it seemed at the time."
Ryanne laughed playfully. "Oh, don't worry. I think it's cool. Really."
Her positive attitude helped ease the tension in Gavin and he was able to actually join in the conversation. The four of them mainly talked about life at the two schools. Ryanne proved just as interested in St. Hibbard's as Gavin and his friends were in Lord Thumbledown's.
"Why is it dark all the time?" she asked.
"Nobody knows," said Jupiter. "But most people assume it's Mrs. Gruber's doing."
This brought forth plenty of laughter. When it died down, Ryanne sighed and said, "It sounds cool. I hope I'll get a chance to visit some day. I'd like to check it out."
"No way," joked Harriet. "You just want to see it so you can open a portal into it whenever you want."
"That, too," admitted Ryanne to another round of laughter.
Just then, a bell rang out, snatching everyone's attention. Yet another young man in a tuxedo stood next to Symphonius, ringing the hand bell a few more times until he got a nod from his headmaster.
"Thank you, Jaques," said Symphonius. The boy bowed his head and left the room. Symphonius faced the assembled group and spread his hands wide. "My friends," he said. "Dinner is served."