Back To School: A Sequel

Pierre's Second Level: Art:

After they escaped from Harmoni, Pierre was stuck wandering around the various hallways of the school. Tired and heavy, they slowly walked around until they decided to go to the art room. They got there and entered, the teacher sat at her desk and didn't even notice when Pierre came in, she was too busy doing something.

"Karen." They stood, waiting.

"Hm- oh hi Pierre!" She turned to them. "I guess you're looking for your item."

"Yeah. where is it?"

"Well... I don't really know-"

Pierre stood there, they couldn't bring themself to be angry at the inconvenience.

"How do you just not know what it is?" They asked.

"It's a piece of art in the closet, I just forgot which one it is." She replied.

"I'm not sorting through all of that art, not now at least." They took a seat at one of the large desks, the room was oddly quiet but they could've sworn that they heard a faint sound of bells.

"Looking back on all of that art may be good for you, it always reminds me of better times." Karen said to them.

"Yeah, sure," Pierre replied. "I honestly don't know what I would've done without this class."

"You were a great student, Pierre." She said, fidgeting with her hands and continuously glancing under her desk. "Honestly, I think you're why we always won contests."

Pierre took a notice to her glancing away, it was always to a specific spot. They tried to lean their head to see what she could have possibly been looking at, but she'd move slightly and it would stop them from seeing whatever it was.

"What's going on, Karen?" Pierre stood up suddenly.

"Nothing. What are you doing?" Karen stayed by her desk.

"It sure doesn't seem like nothing." They went closer until they were behind the desk too and looked down to see a small door on the wall.

Pierre heard the bells once again, this time they were louder.

Karen & Pierre just looked at each other for a bit, waiting in silence. Karen's eyes began to water but Pierre's face was void of emotion. They could still hear the bells.

"Okay fine!" She sobbed out. "I got lots of help from these tiny magic creatures so that we would never lose any sort of contest! They were all basically rigged!"

Pierre stood still. That conclusion did not make the 'adventure' they were having any better than it already was.

"So... It was all a lie?"

"No! You guys always had good art, I just- I just was scared- I never wanted to risk anything!"

"You lied to me..." Pierre trembled. "You were always lying to me!"

"Pierre I-"

"Everytime I had my doubts... Everytime you reassured me of my 'skills'... It was all FAKE? Now I know that I truly am talentless!" Pierre yelled.

Karen sobbed at her desk as Pierre stormed to the art closet, which held all the projects from their highschool years.

"I'll find my damn item, but I'm not going to let any of my other mistakes stay here and taint this closet."

And so, they smashed their old statues, pots, and paintings, leaving broken pieces on the ground. They sobbed and yelled as they destroyed everything, saddened at the thought that nothing that they did or made had ever mattered and that none of it was good. They destroyed almost all of it, eventually reaching the back of the closet and finding the final piece of art that it held. It was a small blue vase, with painted illustrations of people on it.

"T-that's your item!" Karen yelled before they could destroy it.

Pierre held it, feeling the cold ceramic in their hands, but they were unable to admire the true beauty of the piece. It was made by them, so it was ugly and worthless-

'Just like me,' they thought.

Pierre walked out without a goodbye. Karen looked somberly at all of the broken works of art littering the ground.

Then, she heard the sound of bells. She began crying again.