Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Early Years (Ongoing)

Chapter 10: Plots

Archer honestly didn't like to admit it to himself, but he liked being at the table without the others and with strangers instead. It felt more welcoming somehow, but now, he had his obligation to hang out with his friends during recess. He floated over to his friends, who had made their way to their usual spot they claimed on the playground in school.

Cameron turned to Archer as he came over. "There he is! We need to talk about how to get Dart down a notch!" Cameron grumbled under his breath, though it was still audible. "And get Lucia to see how bad she's messed up."

Archer hid a wince. So, Cameron really was serious about a plan with Dart to make him seem a less good option as a friend. And something at the start of the school year would really do a number on him for the rest of it. Archer felt like he should at least try to curve that option. "Maybe we could just keep up more of the same, right? Now that school's back, Lucia is going to be an outcast as long as she's with Dart, so it won't be too long until she er... doesn't hang out with him?"

It sounded weak, even to Archer. She already was an outcast before school, everyone she met her age that wasn't Dart was sure to be standoffish with him around, and she didn't seem to care either. Jason said what was clear to everyone. "It's not going to work, we need something big!"

Cameron nodded. "That's right! And besides, I think if we wait then it might not work out for us..."

Everyone looked confused at that. Archer didn't know what he meant. What wouldn't go their way? Or, at least, what would happen that's worse than just not having Lucia tag in as part of the group?

Then, Cameron continued. "Lewis said that the one kid... foreign one, whatshisface, is crushing on Lucia. Lucia gave her seat to Grace so she didn't have to sit next to me, Lucia said "nobody deserves to sit next to me."." He snarled as he went on. "We're losing control around here. We need to make an example of Dart to get Lucia. And if that doesn't work... we gotta make an example out of both of them!"

That caught everyone off guard. Cameron seemed dead-set on getting her to join them, but painting it now as an image of control, one person isn't as important as the group. Archer got that feeling—a sinking feeling, a pit in his stomach... He didn't belong here with whatever plans were being made, but... he did belong with his friends, and he sure couldn't just avoid the topic altogether. "So... what do you have in mind?"

Cameron thought for a minute. He wasn't the brightest by any means, but he was cruel enough to make up for what he lacked in smarts. Then, Cameron looked around and gestured for the group to huddle around, which they all do. "I've got the perfect plan. Dart, our favorite water-type, is able to make a good mess of the school... and Mr. Cadacrest's classroom. Say, there's an incident after school with some water. Who's to say that Dart isn't the one who did it?"

The first one to notice an issue with this plan was the one who it had the biggest chance on backfiring the most—Lewis, who spoke up immediately. "Wait a minute, there's only three water types in that class... They won't think it's the weird Mudkip, so... If they don't suspect Dart, they're going to think it's me!"

Cameron just laughed. "Don't worryyy!" His expression then got a bit more sinister as he continued, looking at Lewis to reassure him. "That teacher doesn't have a spine." He then looked to everyone else. "And neither does anyone else in that class who isn't with us."

Archer, still hoping to avoid this situation as a whole, tried his best to poke a hole into the plot. "But that doesn't change that it's going to be a he said she said thing, Cameron... Lewis could still get in trouble."

Cameron smirked at Archer, a smirk that Archer never liked to see on Cameron's face as he spoke. "That's where you're wrong, my ghosty friend. Because nobody has a spine in that class, all we have to do is get one or two others to say that Dart did it. What then? It's going to be a six on one accusation, and the teacher's just going to go with it! Lewis gets off free, Dart gets in trouble, and if we get Lucia's stuff especially she's not going to trust Dart again!"