Introducing Me
Dear Vice Principal Torrance,
We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever sins we committed.
And, yes, the things we did were wrong. But, we think you’re crazy to make us write this essay telling you who we think we are.
What do you care?
You see us as you want to see us.
In the simplest of terms and the most convenient definitions: you see us as a nerd, a jock, a princess, a weird kid, a ninja, a narc, a madman, a basket case, and a criminal.
Correct?
That’s the way we saw each other at seven o’clock this morning.
We were brainwashed…
=/=
<Don’t You (Forget About Me) by Simple Minds begins to play in the background>
Aria Montgomery (Pretty Little Liars Series) sighed as her friend Spencer’s (Pretty Little Liars Series) classic black car pulled up into the driveway.
“I’ve got an interview for Brown at three,” She began. “so if I end up running late, Emily (Pretty Little Liars Series) or Hanna (Pretty Little Liars Series) will come to pick you up at four.”
“Considering how Mom and Dad are currently avoiding me like the plague,” The dark-haired girl sighed. “Can’t really say I’m surprised.”
“They’re not avoiding you,” Spencer soothed. “they’re just, not talking to you at all right now.”
“Same difference,” Aria replied with a mirthless smile.
Sighing sympathetically, Spencer unlocked the car and pulled the other girl into a one-armed hug. “The girls and I will be here if you need us.”
“Thanks,” Aria said, returning the hug, reaching into the back seat to grab her book bag and climb out of the car. “I love you guys.”
“Stay safe!” Spencer called as she began to drive off. Stopping in surprise when she saw a small Asian girl with short dark hair rush across the pickup lane and sprint across the lawn, only stopping upon reaching the front entrance of the school.
“Bye, Vincent (Final Fantasy Series)!” She cried, waving to a tall, dark-haired man in red who waved back.
As Spencer drove off, an older boy with tussled, steel grey hair dressed head to toe in grays and blacks she recognized as resident delinquent Mercury Black (RWBY) walked to the front entrance through her rear-view mirror.
Mercury looked over and saw the small girl, recognizing her as aspiring gymnast Yuffie Kisaragi (Final Fantasy Series) waving to the older man in red he knew to be her foster father from the pickup lanes after school.
Turning to the left, Mercury spotted a goth boy with short, spiky fire-engine red hair and unnaturally pale skin dressed head to toe in black practically crawl out of a sleek Cadillac Escalade and frantically sprint towards the building. This was Jack Spicer (Xiaolin Showdown), a science, mathematics, and engineering prodigy of San Joaquin Valley origin who had skipped two grades and was famous (or, rather infamous) for the recent NSFW broadcast the previous day during morning announcements (not of himself, obviously). Had it not been for his brains (or, more specifically, his very rich family’s wealth and influence) Mercury knew that the brat would’ve been expelled for sure.
As Mercury walked towards the front entrance he waved to the pale-haired Luna Lovegood (Harry Potter Series), an eccentric, sweet-natured Irish outcast friendly to all despite not belonging to any particular clique. She had a natural wide-eyed disposition and armed with a vast knowledge of the literary fantastical and supernatural.
Academic beauty Yaoyorozu Momo (My Hero Academia) felt her stomach drop as her godfather James Ironwood’s (RWBY) navy blue SUV pulled up to the front of the school.
“I can’t believe this is happening to me.” She whimpered.
“That’s the way of the world hon,” Her uncle shrugged. “you commit a crime, you do the time.”
“What if this goes on my permanent record?” Momo worried.
“Your parents and I talked things over with Principal Goodwitch (RWBY) and Superintendent Ozpin (RWBY).” He explained. “All you have to do is give up this one Saturday in detention and everything else will go away.”
Momo slumped.
“Besides,” The dark-haired man continued nonchalantly. “it’s not like you did anything too serious. Like, immediate expulsion or thrown in juvie serious.”
“I ditched school to go shopping.” She moaned.
“You could’ve said no,” James pointed out. “You didn’t have to listen to Ashido (My Hero Academia).”
“But she’s my friend,” Momo replied. “and you guys told me to get out more and make friends this year, and I have.”
“I know that,” The older man soothed, his gloved fingers fondly ruffling through the younger girl's shiny dark hair. “and we’re very proud of you. But there is a thing called boundaries. And if someone is crossing those boundaries, then you have every right to say ‘no’ and enforce them.”
Sighing, Momo gave the older man a one-armed hug, grabbed her backpack and stepped out of the car.
At the same time, a beat-up moss green pickup truck belonging to one Alice Liddell’s (American McGee’s Alice Series) roommate pulled up near the school.
“Liddell,” Her roommate, small-statured military vet Levi Ackerman (Attack on Titan) sighed. “I thought things were getting better.”
“They are.” Alice insisted weakly.
“What happened on Wednesday says otherwise.” He deadpanned, delicate pale face impassive. The guy was an oxymoron in an of itself. Then again, the man was a decorated war vet who stood at 5’2 tall, with a resting bitch face to rival most deadpan snarkers, and an unnaturally low voice for someone who physically resembled a china doll.
“I, I got, low is all.” She said, head lowered.
Sighing, Levi looked up at her, silver-blue eyes narrowed in mild suspicion. “No more locker secrets?”
“No more locker secrets.” Alice promised.
“I’ll be holding you to that.” Handing the younger woman her book bag he said, “I’ll pick you up at four.” and unlocked the doors.
As Alice walked towards the front entrance where the other students were gathered she heard a nasal voice call out, “Bye, Grandpa!”
Turning she saw underclassman Gary Oak (Pokémon Adventures) bid goodbye to his grandfather, standing a little ways away from her. She watched the older, grey-haired man dressed in dark red scrubs climb into a modest blue car and drive off before heading towards the front entrance.
As football player Eugene “Flash” Thompson (Marvel Comics) walked towards the school he rubbed the back of his shoulder, wincing at the cantaloupe-sized bruise growing on his back.
At least it wasn’t his face this time.
“Hey, Luna!” He called with a wave.
“Hello, Flash.” She greeted, bell-like voice soft and sweet as a doves coo.
“Hey, jarhead.” Causal acquaintance Mercury greeted with a sardonic smile. “Nice to see you here, didn’t think you’d show up.”
“Fuck you,” Flash replied flippantly. “Could you get up and let me through?”
“Can’t do that bro.” Spicer cut in. “The door’s locked.”
“What?” Yuffie whined.
“Damn,” Alice swore.
“Wait a minute,” Momo said, peering through the glass. “I see somebody.”
Stepping away, the students saw the doorknobs jiggle and the doors opened, revealing a friendly-looking blond man in a janitor’s uniform.
“Good morning, Will (Good Will Hunting).” Alice grinned.
“Somebody’s gotta keep this place up and running when you’re not around.” He replied, tucking the keys into the pocket of his front vest. “Come on, I’ll show you guys to the library.”
And with that said, Will opened the doors and let the princess, the jock, the nerd, the ninja, the weird kid, the Narc, the madman, the basket case and the criminal inside the empty school and into the library to spend their Saturday detention...