The Fallen Empath - Welcome to the Villain's World

Chapter Eleven: Window Scrubbing

 Grim and I enter the cafeteria, the windows in here will definitely keep us busy for the day. There aren't a hundred, but they are tall. There is a giant chandelier that looks like the roots of a tree hanging in the center of the room and a fireplace on the left wall under it.

"I'm already exhausted from a full day of cleanin'. I can't believe we still gotta wash a hundred windows!" Grim complains.

"The quicker we get started, the quicker we finish." I give a small smile.

"What's buggin' me is, Ace ain't even here yet! To make us wait, after what he did." Grim grumbles

"Yeah, Ace isn't here yet is he? I'm sure he's just running late."

I start washing windows as we wait for Ace to show up.

~ ~ ~

Grim groans loudly. "Now he's super late! I bet he up and bailed on us!"

"I'm sure he just forgot, it is his first day of school. Maybe we should go look for him." I start to climb down the ladder.

Grim nods his head. "Ain't no way I'm doin' his punishment for him! C'mon, Yuna. I don't care if we gotta drag him kickin' and screamin', he's washin' those windows!" Grim runs out of the room on all fours.

"Wait, Grim!" I ran after him.

~ ~ ~

Grim barges into an empty classroom. "Hey! Ace! Get over here! Try to hide from me, will ya!" He searches all over the room even under the desks. "Huh... Maybe there's really no one here?"

"Classes are supposed to be over for the day, Grim." I say softly.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that. I'm here." A painting of a top hat-wearing gentleman speaks, spooking me and Grim.

"Bwaaah! That painting just talked!" Grim shouts.

"Yes, and...? Is a talking painting really such an oddity at this school? The lady in the portrait on that wall talks too. As does the gentleman in the portrait on this one. As long as a painting has a mouth, why wouldn't it be able to talk? Is that really so strange?"

"Well, we do have ghosts in our dorm, so I guess this isn't that much of a surprise." I think.

"Unlike those restless spirits, always wandering hither and thither, I've been contentedly hanging on this wall for over fifty years. Now, you seem to be searching for someone." The portrait brings us back on track.

"We're lookin' for this guy called Ace. He's got messy hair and a heart drawn on his face." Grim puts his paws on his hips.

The painting closes his eyes in thought. "Ah, I know the one. A new student, I believe? Today was his first day of school. I think he went back to his dorm a while ago."

"Myaaah! So it's true! He's tryin' to ditch us! Do you know which way he went?" Grim growls lowly.

"The hall of mirrors is in the eastern building." The painting directs us.

"Let's chase after him, Yuna!" Grim sprints out the door again.

I ran after him but not before thanking the gentleman.