Freaks - an MCYT high school AU fanfiction

Chapter 37: Scott

'Scott, I have magic.'

I blink back at Jimmy as he stands there, halfway through breakfast. I drop my toast back onto my plate.

'What?'

'I have magic. And I think I'm also Lizzie's brother.'

'Hang on. I'm still getting over the first half of that. You... can't have magic.'

'But... but you're alright with other people having magic! Please don't tell the Principal.'

'No, not that way. As in... I don't believe you because if you had magic you would've told me or revealed it ages ago...'

'I only found out about it the other day!'

I'm silent. How can Jimmy have only found out about being magic?! But then again, he's Jimmy.

'Ok. What kind of magic do you have?'

'I'm a fish.'

'What.' I cross my arms looking by previously un-fish-ish boyfriend up and down. 'You don't LOOK like a fish.' 

'I'm... a cod... person. Or something. Something to do with being a fish. And Lizzie's also a fish. Or... an axolotl. I don't know, but I wanted to tell you.' 

'How am I not surprised that you've lived your entire life without knowing you're a fish?'

'You know, just ask Lizzie about it. Because I don't really understand it myself.' Jimmy returns to eating, and I frown, just staring at him. He's clearly embarrassed, or ashamed, or both. 

I stand up, and walk over to him before giving him a hug. 

'Jimmy, you're my boyfriend. You probably being a fish doesn't affect that.' 

He hugs me back as I slowly realise. If anyone else finds out... I'm not going to let anyone take him. He'll be fine.

'Scott?'

'Yeah?' 

'Can I... continue eating?'

'Oh, yeah, sure.' It's my turn to be embarrassed. 'We have elytra first today, right?' 

'I think so.' Replies Jimmy through a mouthful of food as I return to my seat and continue eating. It doesn't take long for food to be gone, and I excuse myself to get dressed. 

T-shirt, denim jacket, jeans... I quickly brush my hair a bit and check my reflection in a the mirror before leaving. Jimmy's dressed in that time too, and looks as adorable as always as we head off. 

It's a regular day outside. Well... new regular. I smile at False as she joins us. 

'Hey guys. Elytra this morning... Jimmy got extra pads on?'

'I know how to fly, you know!' He replies.

'Yeah... no.' 

Someone pushes past us, running and disappearing the wrong way for lessons. False frowns.

'What's Joe doing rushing around?' 

'As in Joehills? I don't know.'

'Well, he's his own person. Let's keep going.'

The journey to class continues without any more issue. And now Grian and Scar aren't here, Xisuma's taken over in being late. A tap on my shoulder distracts me and I look back to see Joel.

'Why's Impulse just staring at him?' He mutters, pointing. I manage to spot the class murderer, who blinks away from Xisuma moments after. 

'That's weird...' 

'Right, today I'll be teaching how to take off without using the platforms. It's easier than you'd expect, but still a very important class... come inside and grab elytras and fireworks and we can start.' 

We obey, and the lesson begins. In between repeated exercises I see Impulse staring at Xisuma a total of 5 times, stopped by Skizz assumedly trying to ask what he's doing. Eventually we start actually trying to fly, one by one down the line. It's my turn soon enough, and I focus again. Jump, open the wing, shoot a firework and...

I'm airborne, straight up into the air and nosediving down before...

Too late, I remember to fire another rocket to keep myself in the air. It shoots me straight forwards...

Into the ground. 

I'm low enough that it doesn't hurt me badly, managing an emergency landing like we were taught previously, tumbling over on my sideand ending up lying down, bleeding, staring up at the sky. 

'Ow.' Is all I can say, struggling to my feet and limping back to where Jimmy does the exact same thing, only he doesn't manage the landing and hits the ground face-first. 

'And... that is how you don't do it.' Xisuma sighs, helping Jimmy to his feet and checking he's ok. From his lack of concern, there's no lasting damagel

And then the fire alarm goes off. 

'No one panic, and follow me over to the main playground to line up!' Xisuma calls. No one instantly obeys, but eventually we all start, a stampede of students... I grab Jimmy's hand as we go. There's no smoke anywhere, everything seems normal except the masses lining up in sets of dormitories. Muttering from every direction... I crane my neck to see where Impulse is, a couple of rows down. Skizz is talking to him, Tango and Zedaph just behind, also talking until there's a yell back I can barely hear as 'SHUT UP!' Everyone near enough looks over at him, and the mass of students goes silent. 

Suddenly, there's a yell for help. My head whips around and I see Joe, sprinting across the playground, right in the gap between mine and the younger year group, towards the gate. 

'He can't get over that!' Insists Jimmy. 'Why's... why's he running.'

The question's instantly answered. A couple of guards follow behind, and then the Principal themselves... tall, thin, and barely visible. 

'Kill him.' 

The two words send a shiver down my neck and Jimmy steps closer. 

'I KNOW WHERE THE MAGIC PEOPLE ARE BEING TRAPPED!' 

'I SAID KILL HIM!' 

The nearest guard doesn't need to be asked a third time, firing an arrow. Joe's scream sticks in my head even after it cuts sharply off. 

'Let this be a warning to every single one of you. You do not disobey. You do not skip classes. You do not try to find out about the freaks me and my helper have so bravely stopped from hurting anyone. Or you end up like him. Return to class.'  

Yeah.

I understand why Impulse told him everything. 

I hadn't even realised the firebell had stopped going off until the Principal demands our dismissal. Numb, I begin the walk back to class.

'Scott! Scott!' Martyn quickly catches up with me. 'Wait!' 

'What?' 

'The people who were taken aren't dead.'

'Yeah, Joe knew where they were.'

'No... just hear me out. Joe was just killed just there. Tommy was just killed before. It's only the people with magic they've taken... they tried to kill me when they killed Ren. Even... even Techno, before he escaped. Grian and Jack said they tried to kill him too.'

'And all the people kept alive have magic.'

'No, they're being kept alive because they have magic. Something's happening to them. And I don't think it's as far away as they want us to believe.'