What the…? No…no way…
"Why is my left eye this weird green color? Since when have I had heterochromia? This is all so…pathetic."
Astonished by what the girl's bathroom mirror reflects, Thena turns away from it and slides her back down a nearby wall, completely slumped on the floor..
I can't believe that I, of all people, is resorting to this. Running out of class to hide in the girl's bathroom? What am I, four? Now I know something is wrong with me–I'm on the bathroom floor and I couldn't care less…
"My eye wasn't green this morning, it seemed perfectly normal. I don't know anyone in our family that has that shade of green for eye color, so there's no way that I randomly inherited it so suddenly….wait, that green is familiar…! I remember! That's the exact same shade of green as that pendant!"
It all makes sense. The pendant is the one that told me to swallow it. Since then, my curse has been greatly enhanced to levels I never could have achieved. The same voice that told me to swallow it is the same voice that was in my head telling me to make Miss Honey shut-up. And now, right after the incident, my left eye changed color.
"Everything is that awful pendant's fault! Maybe there's still a chance for me to clear things up. I can just explain to everyone the truth with Gene has my alibi! After that, the nurse should be able to diagnose me and cure me. Throwing up doesn't seem to work, so there has to be another method…But how the heck am I supposed to explain that a talking piece of jewelry made me lash out and hurt my teacher? I'll look like a deranged lunatic!"
Thena slowly rises onto her feet, using every ounce of her strength to push herself. Once she is completely upright, she exhales deeply and dusts herself off.
"Well, I probably look like a psychopath to everyone anyway. My reputation can't get any worse than that…"
The bathroom door swings open, two students walk in, absorbed in their conversation. The very moment their eyes lock with Thena's, they completely pause with their mouths slightly agape, resulting in an awkward time freeze.
"What's your deal? I'm not stopping you two from peeing or anything so–"
"Is that really her?"
"It must be! She's the girl who attacked a teacher!"
"Isn't she dead now? What if she kills us next?!"
The girls' words pierced Thena's heart asunder; her expression morphs into anguish.
"Aren't you a grade below me? How did you hear about that so quickly?!"
"Look, she's getting angry with us for finding her!"
"Let's get out of here, I don't want to die!"
The girls run out of the bathroom in full panic that's no different from a reaction to a dangerous force. Thena hurridley chases after them, sprinting down the hallway in desperation.
"Wait! At least let me explain!"
It hasn't even been 15 minutes after the incident, yet somehow even the underclass men know about the situation. That look they gave me…that look of fear in their eyes. The same fear one would have of a monster.
"I'm not a monster. I'm not a monster! Please, listen to me!"
"EEEEK! Somebody save us!"
"You dolts, cut it out already! Stop running!"
Responding like a defense force, the nearby students in the hallway surround Thena, completely blocking her path.
"Hey, look–it really is her!"
"It's Thena, the teacher murderer!"
"Quick, someone tell the principal! We've finally found her!"
"Stay right there, you murderer! You will be dealt with soon!"
One after another, students berate Thena and move in on her in an attempt to pin her down. Her frustration only gets more visible.
"Why won't anyone listen to me?! Everyone in this school is really pissing me off!"
Forget trying to explain my situation to these knuckleheads–I give up! I'm heading to the fountain outside; if any reasonable person wants to stop being an idiot and let me explain, then they can meet me there.
If they refuse to listen, then I will run away and go home from there. Just wait until I tell my dad about their mistreatment!
"Why is she so mad? Does she not feel any remorse for her crime?"
"If a couple of you can pin her down, I can use my curse on her to make sure she stays frozen in place."
"Good idea!"
A couple of girls who are slightly taller than Thena cautiously approach her, reaching their hands out towards her. A male student walks behind at a safe distance, using the girls as a buffer.
Make them never bother you again.
Urgh, it's you again!
Thena closes her eyes and rubs her temples. Small veins pop out of her forehead.
"...Make them never bother me aga–what am I saying?!"
"EeEEEK!!!"
More annoying screaming?! I swear–
"?!"
Thena finally opens her eyes, unable to ignore the loud screeching ringing in her ears. The immediate radius around her is covered in slime; the students nearest to her are completely suspended in slime, appearing like lifeless manikins.
"Huh?! When did I…how did I…?"
She looks back at the remaining students, they return her bewildered gaze with gazes of horror. Without Thena even moving a muscle, they slowly back away from her.
"You…you really are a monster!
"She deserves to be–"
Before they could continue to berate her, using the situation to clear the path to outside, Thena escapes with supreme effort.
"I'm ignoring all distractions. I just need to get outside–some fresh air can clear my head."
As Thena marathons down the long hall, she catches the unfavorable attention of other students and teachers. Even still, she fights through it and arrives outside to the destination she sought after: the school fountain. A familiar acquaintance is standing there by himself.
"Gene!"
"Thena? Where have you been–?!"
Before another word could come from Gene, he is tightly hugged by Thena's powerful grip.
"Finally, someone that I actually care about! I can finally talk to someone I don't hate!
I'm sorry for pushing you away earlier…I was just frustrated. Well, I still am but–"
"It's okay. Please calm down."
Gene removes himself from Thena's embrace. He looks detached, as if he has something on his mind that he can't bring himself to express.
"Gene, I need you to listen carefully. Remember the pendant I told you about? Long story short, I swallowed it and it has made my curse very strong, but its voice keeps speaking to me and telling me what to do, even though I don't really want to do it…I'm sorry if that was too much to take in. But I believe that someone like you can get it…"
"Thena, I think I finally understand…"
"You do? Thank you for acting like my friend instead of a hypersensitive idiot!"
"...you aren't my friend. My friend would never have blood on her hands."
"...what?"
Thena feeling of relief instantly fades away, all that remains is devastation as she looks at Gene speechlessly– he looks at her in return, coldly and detached.
"No, no no no! Not you too, Gene! I thought…I thought you would–"
"Stop right there, Thena Tackle, don't move!"
"?!"
A mass of students and staff pour out of the school and surround Thena and Gene around the fountain. Leading the group, the principal charges at Thena as an interrogation officer.
"Thena Tackle, do you confess to being the one who suffocated Miss Honey, ultimately resulting in her death?"
"No, Mrs. Fren, I–"
"Did you suffocate Miss Honey, causing her death?"
"No, it's not like that! I–"
"Yes or no, did you kill Miss Honey?"
"..."
"Hmph, your silence is enough evidence. Gene, restrain her please."
"Yes ma'am."
Gene restrains Thena's arms behind her back, preventing her movement. Refusing to be easily subdued, Thena tries to break free but struggles.
"What the heck? Since when were you so strong?! Why are you even listening to her? Explain to her what I told you!"
"Gene, what is this girl blabbering about?"
"She told me that a pendant that she swallowed has been speaking to her, enhancing her slime curse to harm people she's frustrated with. I'm afraid she's too far gone, Mrs. Fren."
"Hey, you are explaining it all wrong! It's not my fault, I'm being forced to do things that I wouldn't normally do!"
"I figured it was too late. Fortunately, I've called your parents. They'll get to speak with you one last time before you are expelled and put into confinement."
Fight back.
"Confinement? You mean that I'm going to prison?! But I didn't do anything illegal!"
All of this is a huge overreaction! Just give me detention or expel me. This is giving me a migraine…
Fight back.
"Last time I checked, assaulting a teacher and murdering her is very much illegal. Wouldn't you also agree, Mr. and Mrs. Tackle?"
Fren looks behind Thena, noticing that her parents have arrived. Thena turns her head around, only to end up seeing their concerned expressions.
"Mom, dad…"
She locks eyes with her parents, they do the same. However, the longer they stare, the more rapidly their concerned expression shifts into one of disgust.
"...Why are you looking at me like that? I'm your daughter–you have never looked at me with those faces before!"
"Principal Fren told us everything…everything you did. I can't bear to hear anymore."
"Listen to your own daughter! Dad I'm sure you told mom about our trip by now. The secret that I kept from you is that I stole the peridot pendant that that Crawley guy told you about and then I swallowed it to use its power to escape, but it's been taking over my thoughts and–"
"That's enough Thena! We may be treasure hunters, but we would never stoop so low as to kill innocent people. You need to take full responsibility for your actions–it was you who did this, not the inanimate object! No daughter of ours would ever do this…farewell."
Fight back.
"No way…no way…even you guys are treating me like a stranger? You dare disown me over this?! It's like I don't even know anyone anymore!"
"Mrs. Fren, the girl is in your hands."
"Yes ma'am, I will be sure that she will be transferred to the proper authorities with all fidelity."
Fight back.
As her parents walk away, she tries reaching out for them but is restrained by Gene before she could take another step.
"Gene, let me go or I'll kick you in your tiny nuts!"
Thena squirms her body, trying to break free from Gene's grasp. Gene can only look at her one-sided struggle with pity.
"Please don't make this harder than it already is…"
Fight back.
"Thena Tackle, you still have the gall to insist your innocence? Even after you suffocated a teacher, you just entrapped your fellow students into slime, cutting their oxygen. There's no doubt that they will share the same fate you casted upon Miss Honey–death."
Fight back.
Thena stops moving, she hangs her head down.
"..."
They are right…it's all my fault.
Fight back.
I'm the one who chose to steal the pendant.
Fight back.
I'm the one who chose to cave in to its demand to swallow it.
Fight back.
I'm the one who got frustrated with Miss Honey and attacked her with slime.
Fight back.
I'm the one who ended up suffocating her to death.
Fight back.
I'm the one who suffocated those students who were surrounding me.
Fight back.
I guess there are some things one can never walk back from, no matter what the original intent was…
So why bother?
"All right, settle down everyone. Teachers, please guide your students back to their classrooms expeditiously. We need to make room for the incoming authorities, as well as some ambulances."
The staff nod in affirmation, they begin to usher the students back into the school.
Fight back.
Fight back.
Fight back.
Fight back.
Fight back.
Fight back.
Fight back.
Fight back.
Fight back.
"...haha…hahhahhah…AAAAHAHAHA!"
Her sudden deranged laugh grows louder and louder, regaining the attention of everyone back to Thena. Though everyone looks perplexed to some degree, Gene, who is still restraining her, looks the most concerned. Fren, however, is unamused.
"Thena?"
"Gene, I finally accept it–the voice is me! Isn't that hilarious?!"
"Sigh, not in the slightest. Gene, would you please put your hand over her noisy mouth for a moment–"
"Slime. Nuke."
SPLAAAAT!
"?!!!!"
Feeling immense energy from deep within my body, I finally release it upon the world. It has begged me long enough; only a cruel caretaker wouldn't let her pet roam free for a moment.
I refuse to open my eyes until my pet is done playing. I will listen for its signal…
Screams?
Surprise?
Fear?
Pain?
Regret?
It's like I can hear those things, but in reality, all I can hear is…
Deafening silence, as though nothing exists.
Thena opens her eyes, witnessing the carnage she has caused. Slime covers the entire area around her completely–even the school is mostly dissolved. Not a trace of anything left behind. Thena has bits of slime on her, but it does not affect her.
"I can finally make this world pay for what it's done to me."
"Stay right where you are, don't move!"
"?"
Arriving at the scene of the crime, the noble guard police force have their weapons drawn at Thena, completely freaked out by the carnage.
"For the crimes you have committed, you have been deemed a domestic threat that must be stopped by any means necessary! Failure to comply with orders will result in your swift execution!"
"..."
I can feel something…somthing within my soul that yearns to be released. This feeling…this feeling feels so good. I want to share it with the whole world!
Thena raises both of her hands towards the police, palms open–her eyes radiant green. They brace themselves, preparing to strike.
"We're gonna have so much fun!"