In which someone leaves the school's campus
[It was an idea that could only be born of twin genius, really. No one had suspected a thing. A fight that had been scheduled by chance, involving by two allies. An opportunity not to be missed. As they had fought, the illusion had been completed and whisked away into the Eggship, the entire school believed her kidnapped.
Not so. Merely an elaborate scheme, hatched from Robotnik's own mind, where the loss of a few robots would equal more than enough back in worth at finding out how Sonic fought with his new form (look, the man was obsessed with his nemesis, Lash could dig that), along with testing out a few prototype robots. A plan that had been explained to her just a few hours before her fight. She had told no one, of course. The reaction had to be natural for everyone to fall for it. Sorry Hawke. Soryr Maxwell. Sorry...everyone. Sure the bombs going off during the time when she was supposed to hit him with a well-timed attack seemed overkill, but no one had expected them to come out like that. After that, it couldn't have been any better; Sonic fell for it, hook, line and sinker.
She felt bad not being able to tell anyone, but looked at it this way; no one was hurt. It removed the guilt away from Robotnik (his robot was malfunctioning, it's not HIS fault), Metal Sonic (He was hit by a shot by Lash, not HIS fault!) and even herself (Who knew shooting a robot would cause it to kidnap her and take over a man's entire ship?) Devious. Beautiful. Brilliant. Sometimes she wondered if Robotnik's 300 IQ claim was true, but this more than solidified it.
And for her troubles? Lash got a lot of plans and designs and promises of thousands of shiny new toys. It seemed more than a fair bargain, especially when she made Robotnik promise not to harm anyone but Sonic during the 'kidnapping'.
...So why did she feel so conflicted about everything again?
Lash had been down that road before. A lot of times, it seemed. When she felt too nice she tended to accept these opportunities without a moment's hesitation, when she started feeling too cruel, she found herself wanting to hide it from those who cared about her and seemed to place their hope and trust in her. It was like a junkie, cheating in the background, pretending nothing was wrong. Or was it just herself wanting to return to who she was? Maybe it was inevitable.
Two-Faced Lash. That's what she should call herself.
The jolt Zapdos had given her had awaken more than a nasty headache, it had gotten her thinking about a lot of things. Of her leadership skills. Of the people she liked and trusted. If she couldn't be a trainer, then maybe it was time she learned about other things too...like her feelings and how to deal with them.
She didn't want to do like last year, that had been too brutal, too selfish, dragging too many down with her and almost ending a few friendships, risking Hawke's plans being discovered. If she was going to do something now and figure out what to do, she was going to do it away from everyone. Maybe if she was alone for a while, she'd finally understand. Something, at least. Or maybe something would pop into her head. Or maybe they'd tried to find her. Or maybe she was afraid she'd just end up being alone.
Fear of solitude. Well, that was a good start. What better way to face that fear than head on? She could try that. Maybe the answer would come to her, easily enough. Or maybe it would take days, weeks, months...years? Hopefully not years. Hell, Hawke had done something like that before himself, right? She was an adult. She should do that too, and Lash had a lot of questions to ask herself about everything and figure out her place in life.
But really, how does the soul-searching stuff work ?
By midnight her side of the room was mostly tidied up in locked boxes, with a note to Kumatora before she closed the door, pocketing the key in her coat. It was just a matter of leaving and apart from the security cameras watching her, there was no one else in the corridors. Good. Besides, she was a teacher and could go as she pleased, an advantage she could use and abuse right now.
As she stepped outside she realized she still had no idea where she was going. Just...away. The air was chilly and cold and she adjusted the hat on her hair, moving her backpack and gazing up at her neotank. The growing Skaromory perched itself on the tank's gun and tilted his head looking at her in a questioning manner. Lash grinned and held out her arm so he could land on it. Maybe she wasn't quite alone for this, but it was a start.
"Well...let's go."
--------
[At 2am that morning there is a message posted on the network, long after Lash is gone.]
Demolition Classes are now under the temporary care of Slippy until noted otherwise.
[/Private]
[Private Note to Kumatora]
[There is a note to her saying she can help herself to those seven toasters and anything while she's gone, including weapons and explosives.]
[Private]
[Private to Slippy]
[Lash send you all of her notes for the course until the end of the year, along with her plans for next year. Yeah, she planned ahead for a pretty long time. There are also notes that you are free to change anything around you see fit.]
[/Private]
[Private note left to Hawke]
I'm sorry birdbrain.
I'm disobeying you again.
If When I come back, discipline me as you like.
I
[There are also very detailed Black-Hole coded plans for various weapons of war and tools that seem to be very Robotnik inspired]
[/Private]
[Private note left to Vinnie]
[True to her word, there is a Metal Boat Oar left next door. It has an very detailed instruction manual]
[/Private]
[Private package left to Raiden]
[Raiden Lash's video game collection has somehow found its way in your room with a note to keep it safe. Or else]
[/Private]
[Private package left to Maxwell]
[There is a tea dispersing machine. And robot turtlewax polish (what) and her best craft work ever.]
[Maxwell has a package]
[Private packages left to friends]
[Lash left you a few things like food, candies, explosives...well okay n-yeah she left explosives, a few of her inventions]
[/Private]
[Private package left to Zapdos]
[A single yellow Jello cup.
[/Private]
[Private to Uxie, unhackable]
(But she also left you some sour candies? Lash make up up your mind :| )
[/Private]
Not so. Merely an elaborate scheme, hatched from Robotnik's own mind, where the loss of a few robots would equal more than enough back in worth at finding out how Sonic fought with his new form (look, the man was obsessed with his nemesis, Lash could dig that), along with testing out a few prototype robots. A plan that had been explained to her just a few hours before her fight. She had told no one, of course. The reaction had to be natural for everyone to fall for it. Sorry Hawke. Soryr Maxwell. Sorry...everyone. Sure the bombs going off during the time when she was supposed to hit him with a well-timed attack seemed overkill, but no one had expected them to come out like that. After that, it couldn't have been any better; Sonic fell for it, hook, line and sinker.
She felt bad not being able to tell anyone, but looked at it this way; no one was hurt. It removed the guilt away from Robotnik (his robot was malfunctioning, it's not HIS fault), Metal Sonic (He was hit by a shot by Lash, not HIS fault!) and even herself (Who knew shooting a robot would cause it to kidnap her and take over a man's entire ship?) Devious. Beautiful. Brilliant. Sometimes she wondered if Robotnik's 300 IQ claim was true, but this more than solidified it.
And for her troubles? Lash got a lot of plans and designs and promises of thousands of shiny new toys. It seemed more than a fair bargain, especially when she made Robotnik promise not to harm anyone but Sonic during the 'kidnapping'.
...So why did she feel so conflicted about everything again?
Lash had been down that road before. A lot of times, it seemed. When she felt too nice she tended to accept these opportunities without a moment's hesitation, when she started feeling too cruel, she found herself wanting to hide it from those who cared about her and seemed to place their hope and trust in her. It was like a junkie, cheating in the background, pretending nothing was wrong. Or was it just herself wanting to return to who she was? Maybe it was inevitable.
Two-Faced Lash. That's what she should call herself.
The jolt Zapdos had given her had awaken more than a nasty headache, it had gotten her thinking about a lot of things. Of her leadership skills. Of the people she liked and trusted. If she couldn't be a trainer, then maybe it was time she learned about other things too...like her feelings and how to deal with them.
She didn't want to do like last year, that had been too brutal, too selfish, dragging too many down with her and almost ending a few friendships, risking Hawke's plans being discovered. If she was going to do something now and figure out what to do, she was going to do it away from everyone. Maybe if she was alone for a while, she'd finally understand. Something, at least. Or maybe something would pop into her head. Or maybe they'd tried to find her. Or maybe she was afraid she'd just end up being alone.
Fear of solitude. Well, that was a good start. What better way to face that fear than head on? She could try that. Maybe the answer would come to her, easily enough. Or maybe it would take days, weeks, months...years? Hopefully not years. Hell, Hawke had done something like that before himself, right? She was an adult. She should do that too, and Lash had a lot of questions to ask herself about everything and figure out her place in life.
But really, how does the soul-searching stuff work ?
By midnight her side of the room was mostly tidied up in locked boxes, with a note to Kumatora before she closed the door, pocketing the key in her coat. It was just a matter of leaving and apart from the security cameras watching her, there was no one else in the corridors. Good. Besides, she was a teacher and could go as she pleased, an advantage she could use and abuse right now.
As she stepped outside she realized she still had no idea where she was going. Just...away. The air was chilly and cold and she adjusted the hat on her hair, moving her backpack and gazing up at her neotank. The growing Skaromory perched itself on the tank's gun and tilted his head looking at her in a questioning manner. Lash grinned and held out her arm so he could land on it. Maybe she wasn't quite alone for this, but it was a start.
"Well...let's go."
--------
[At 2am that morning there is a message posted on the network, long after Lash is gone.]
Demolition Classes are now under the temporary care of Slippy until noted otherwise.
[/Private]
[Private Note to Kumatora]
[There is a note to her saying she can help herself to those seven toasters and anything while she's gone, including weapons and explosives.]
[Private]
[Private to Slippy]
[Lash send you all of her notes for the course until the end of the year, along with her plans for next year. Yeah, she planned ahead for a pretty long time. There are also notes that you are free to change anything around you see fit.]
[/Private]
[Private note left to Hawke]
I'm sorry birdbrain.
I'm disobeying you again.
If When I come back, discipline me as you like.
I
[There are also very detailed Black-Hole coded plans for various weapons of war and tools that seem to be very Robotnik inspired]
[/Private]
[Private note left to Vinnie]
[True to her word, there is a Metal Boat Oar left next door. It has an very detailed instruction manual]
[/Private]
[Private package left to Raiden]
[Raiden Lash's video game collection has somehow found its way in your room with a note to keep it safe. Or else]
[/Private]
[Private package left to Maxwell]
[There is a tea dispersing machine. And robot turtlewax polish (what) and her best craft work ever.]
[Maxwell has a package]
[Private packages left to friends]
[Lash left you a few things like food, candies, explosives...well okay n-yeah she left explosives, a few of her inventions]
[/Private]
[Private package left to Zapdos]
[A single yellow Jello cup.
[/Private]
[Private to Uxie, unhackable]
(But she also left you some sour candies? Lash make up up your mind :| )
[/Private]