If Roberta was a tour guide, Theodora would certainly have given her a really big tip for her orchestration around the school.

  Maybe it was simply because she'd been kind enough to take Theodora this trek in the first place that was making it enjoyable. Or maybe it was because the pink-haired girl seemed to have a way of donating that information that made her stand at attention. For example, the lunch hall wasn't just a place where students ate and talked, it was also "where cliques are formed, empires are founded, alliances crumble, and stomachs are filled." It was a lot of fancy words that she didn't quite see the parallels between the two, but it did make her feel hungry.

  The classrooms were "training quarters for those who'll change the country." The library was "A flowing river of information that used our brains as boats to sail the seas of knowledge with" (Was it a river or an ocean?), and even the washroom was "the utopia for the socially malnourished and overstimulated to go and rest before commencing their upcoming trials." Theodora would never look at a stall the same way again.

  Their next stop would be around the eastern part of the school, within another building. "And if you take your pretty little self this way..." Roberta would skip ahead. "You'll hear the sweat from one's brow turn to rain against the hard floor...you'll hear a stampede of shoes marching around to the beat of muscular rhythm..." A grin as she'd place her hands at the seat of a window. "You have..."

  She'd lean in, peering through the window while standing on her tip toes. "The gym!"

  Theodora would do the same, but without needing to make herself taller. Though she'd quickly lean her head down the moment that she spotted other people inside. Other people specifically meant a bunch of boys who could have bent steel with a single flex of a muscle. Did she just spot a bunch of adults? "I-Isn't this kind of wrong?"

  "What? No one's naked."

  "H-HUH!!!?" Theodora would place both hands over her mouth before shaking her head. "W-What would we have done if someone was...you know...that."

  Roberta would roll of the eyes. "Relax...we're not peeking into the locker room..." And follow up with a sneaky little giggle as she'd peak in once more. "We're just getting a nice view of the premier athletes of the future...think of it as a photoshoot of the mind before they get their own private photoshoots...if you get what I mean."

  "I...don't?"

  Roberta would sigh and press a finger to the middle of her brow. "Ah you sweet summer child." Though she would get her own sly little smirk on her expression as she'd turn around, putting her hands behind her back as she'd lean in. "Or...would you be peeking in if there were some girls in there?"

  Theodora's eyes would almost sink into her skull and down her throat as she'd cover her own mouth. "I-Is that something friend's talk about on the first meeting!?" Roberta would let out a solid chuckle before having to copy the hazel-eyed girl in the realm of mouth covering. Though hers was to make sure she didn't break the glass with a laugh. Theodora would sigh out as she'd place her hand to her heart. "Don't scare me like that..."

  "Kinda hard when you're so easy to frighten..." Roberta would rest her back to the wall before speaking in a sing-song voice. "Don't worry your pretty little head, okay? You need a drink? I'll get you whatever you'd like!"

  Ah...that was kind of her. Theodora would lean up a little as she would press her fingertips together, turning her head away from the window so that she didn't accidentally catch a glance at someone's shirt about to burst. "Um...sure..." Anything to get her away from here.

  If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  Thankfully there was a vending machine close by.

  Unfortunately, it seemed like a greedy goblin had possessed it because it ate both of Roberta's dollar and wouldn't even give her a soda.

  Theodora was confused. Roberta's eye would twitch but otherwise, she'd keep a smile on her face. "Well I'm glad that in the centuries that they've been around, that these things are still unreliable. That's two dollars that I'm never getting back."

  Instant guilt would hit Theodora's gut as she'd reach into her pocket. "I-I'll pay you back!"

  Roberta would hold her hand out to wave it off. "Girl relax, it's two dollars..."

  A quick head shake would follow. "Y-You never know how much those two dollars can count. W-What if you're paying your taxes...b-but you spent too much money on a pizza party...a-and the extra pepperoni cost-"

  A quick fair flick from pink to green would catch the nat'd girl's attention and gave Roberta a moment to speak. "What're you doing worrying about taxes? Do we look like we live in Asphodel?" She wouldn't much flinch as she'd cross her arms over her chest. "We can always just fetch some milk late-"

  A sudden loud bang would actually shock Roberta as she'd leap into the air, being caught in Theodora's arms in a bridal carry as the fashionista's pigtails would land onto her face and turn into a solid dark blue, covering her eyes and causing her to stammer from the triple threat of a sudden loud noise, being blinded, and the chattering of a thousand words per second machine gunning her ear as she'd almost stumble back.

  Through those locks, Theodora could barely make out something colossal in the corner of her eyes. A shadow that was there one moment, seemed to block out the sun, before simply slithering away without a single noise.

  "Huh?" Theodora would stare out, confused, until she noticed that she still had a girl in her arms. "S-Sorry!" She'd help lower Roberta to her feet, both girls working together to swipe away the hair that had started to cling to Theodora's forehead.

  "Okay! There's my one heart attack of the day..." Roberta would start to fan herself a little while keeping a crooked smile on her face, eyes darting around with a tiny bit of panic. "Did someone just chuck a shot put at us?"

  "I don't...think so?" A quick glance to the floor would show that a thick metal ball hadn't been flung their direction. Theodora would look around...before turning the corner. She didn't see anyone or anything...but she had a weird feeling that something did pass by this way. Yet before she could even glance down for a foot print, another call came from Roberta, except a more excited one.

  "Oh sweet!" She'd approach Theodora with not one, but two sodas in hand. "Not sure what that was, but hey, now you don't owe me two dollars!" She'd casually drop one into Theodora's hand before cracking the lid open and strolling away, pretty much forgetting about what just happened in an instant.

  As for Theodora...she wasn't sure how to react. Simply staring down at her soda and wondering if the stress of the day was just creeping back in to maybe haunt her a little. It was probably...just someone playing a little too roughly in the gym...right? "Yeah...we can say that..." She'd speak out loud, before gently taking the lid of the soda and popping it open. "Just...a little bit of stress-" She'd go to take a sip...

  Only to immediately spit out the bubbly soda after her eyes glanced over and noticed a huge divot in the machine itself, her lungs almost going on fire from the mixture of carbonated drink and sheer and utter shock as she'd cover her mouth with her forearm, coughing up a storm and doing a double, triple, quadruple take of what she just saw.

  Theodora would stare at the divot, the corners of her mouth twitching as soda continued to drip from them. She'd reach up and place her hand onto the hole, only to realize that she could likely put both hands, both feet, and maybe Roberta's hands into this crater and still have room for candy and soda. She actually felt herself turning pale as she'd gingerly back away from the vending machine on shaky legs.

  Whatever the heck hit the vending machine wasn't a shot put ball. Or even a bowling ball (that was the only other really huge ball she knew about). It wouldn't have shocked her if she turned and saw a rocket launcher or some other insane gadget from all those military movies Mr. Meraki watched.

  But what was that shadow? Did whoever unleash that rambunctious assault pick up what they threw and left? Or did...they...

  "Theodora!" Roberta's voice would reverb from around the corner. "Did you get lost? Hurry up!"

  "C-Coming!" Theodora would cover her mouth, hoping and praying that Roberta had an extra napkin. There was no way she'd know peace until she figured out who actually caused that dent...

  If nothing else...to thank them for saving her two dollars.