If You Trust Me - An Onward Fan-Novel

◊ Chapter 8 ◊

Previously on Onward...

As Ian and Barley continue to feel tense around each other, Ian comes across a wanted poster of the hooded jewel thief—unaware that he is after the S.S. Medallion. Meanwhile, the faculty of New Mushroomton High discover the damage the same thief has done to the building's security system. And while discovering this crime scene herself, Sadalia is determined to investigate.

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◊ With or Without ◊

Ian approached the doors of his history classroom, where he and Mr. Vance promised to meet to look at the S.S. Medallion together. After taking a short breath in and out, the teenage elf knocked. Then opening the right door slightly, he peeped his head through and looked inside. In an instant, he saw Mr. Vance.

"Ah, Ian, come in!" the teacher said happily.

"Hey, Mr. Vance," Ian said as he swiftly went through the door.

The bespectacled elf was sitting at Ms. Traven's desk. Though for some reason, he'd rearranged it so that—instead of having the person sitting there face the wall where the blackboard was—it was now facing the doors.

Something about that told Ian that Ms. Traven wasn't coming back anytime soon like Mr. Vance had said, and that the new teacher was making himself comfortable. But he also knew that Mr. Vance was expecting to see the medallion in person, and was going to be disappointed when he realized the teenage elf didn't bring it. Sensing this moment coming, Ian wanted to find some quick way to stall time temporarily. That's when he also noticed that the lights in the classroom were turned off.

"Want me to turn on the lights for you?" he asked Mr. Vance, reaching an index finger towards the room's light switch.

"Oh, no, no, no, you can leave them...if that's all right with you," the teacher said. "Personally, I'm not a huge fan of lights. Especially on a day like today where it is absolutely bright and sunny outside. But now that I think about it, would you mind shutting that door for me?"

Ian nodded, then did as he was asked. Afterwards, he walked towards Mr. Vance. He really wasn't sure how his teacher would take him not having the medallion. But as he made it to the teacher's desk, the teenage elf figured he could just spit it out at this point.

"I...I'm sorry, Mr. Vance, but I...I didn't bring the medallion with me," he finally admitted while rubbing the back of his neck in nervousness.

At first, Mr. Vance seemed a little triggered, but then he held his composure. "Is there any reason why?" he asked, slowly and calmly.

Ian sighed. "It's Barley. You see, he and I...well..." he began to say as placed both of his hands under his armpits. "W-we...we were, uh...originally going to research the medallion together 'cause, you know, w-we both found it, and-and Barley is really into magic, quests, and all that stuff." He paused briefly, then turned his head to the side, looking away from Mr. Vance. "But then when I told him about wanting to bring the medallion to you today...y-you know, for you to look at...he, um...he got kinda mad."

"Oh, and why is that?" Mr. Vance asked with concern, now leaning inward.

A pensive Ian shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, he just...really wanted to keep this whole talisman research between the two of us," he explained, then he gave a small chuckle. "We've gotten pretty close after we went on this epic quest together."

"I see," Mr. Vance said. Then leaning back in his chair, he added, "well, I completely understand if you don't want to bring the talisman to me."

That's it? Ian thought. He's that cool with this?