The Watcher-Prime: New Order

Chapter 2: Admin Meeting

Above Image: Great Hall (Admin Meeting Place)

"Pffftttt-" Grian snorted as he choked on his words. "PhAhAhAHAHAHAHA."

"...Xel?" Pearl frowned,

"Who is?" Grian managed at last.

"Who?"

"Who's challenging me?"

"Dream."

"Dream's a level - what again - seven?" Grian frowned and chuckled.

"Eight."

"Since when?"

"Recently." Pearl shrugged. In truth she couldn't remember. The past few months had been a blur.

"That's ridiculous - he watched me beat that comrade of his - Blaide? Techno? Anyhow, he should know that he doesn't stand a chance."

"Oh, I don't think he actually wants to fight you." A man's voice sang from behind a potted plant.

"ARGH!" Grian yelped, starting away-

"How long have you been listening, Scar?" Pearl massaged her temple.

"Oh, I was just around thereabouts-" Scar gestured vaguely, "And I had to stop and water my plants-"

"Scar, those are Gem's plants." Grian's forehead wrinkled.

"They looked thirsty, Grian!" Scar admonished the Prime Admin.

"Right." Grian spoke tersely, "anyhow, what were you saying then?"

"Oh, probably nothing." Scar shrugged, spinning around to make off to who knows where.

"FOR THE LOVE OF PANDAS, SCAR." Grian groaned.

"Pandas? That's a lot of love there, Grian." Scar grinned. "Anywho, all I was saying is that the higher level admins are probably just trying to lure us out. I'm sure they'll back out of the challenge. The thing is, you haven't exactly gone anywhere near basically any non-prime ever since your dramatic performance-"

"It was not a performance, Scar!" Grian tched.

"...Right. Anyhow, they probably have some kind of fancy ulterior motive." Scar shrugged. "I'll just be off then - these plants really need watering." Scar pranced off, and Grian didn't bother stopping him. He turned to Pearl.

"Do you think Scar's right?" Grian spoke finally.

"I haven't the faintest clue. It's Scar after all." Pearl threw her hands up in defeat.

"Well if they're trying to lure me out I really don't have a choice, do I?" Grian deadpanned. "I have to meet the challenger. This means we need to call a meeting, right?"

Pearl blanched. "Yes I suppose it does." Pearl loathed conflict, and she had wanted to ride out the backlash without answering a dozen questions about whether or not her partner was a crazy Watcher criminal. "Then again we could put it off if I schedule enough drills. It could all blow over."

"What's this I see? Is the Prim and Proper Admin Code Etiquette Pearl trying to get out of an Admin Meeting?" Grian gasped, clutching a fist to his heart and blinking.

"Oh, you." Pearl growled. Then, "I suppose as Prime Admin I really do have to schedule an Admin Meeting."

"...That I can attend as Grian?" Grian tried.

"Of course."

"...Really?" Grian gaped,

"NO. Go get Gem, I need someone who knows what's going on to help me figure out seating."

"We don't have seating."

"That's why I told you to go get someone who knows what's going on." Pearl's fists balled up.

"Going now." Grian peeped.

For the first time in his life, Grian somehow found himself dreading an admin meeting more than usual. And usually these kinds of meetings ended with someone on fire. More specifically, their pants.

. . .

The large hall had survived the battle unscathed. As it was, tall marble pillars decked in white and gold ribbons stood in an octagonal prism. The sky glittered over the tiers of oblique seating. Eight sections of rows, all tiered towards the center platform. The largest of those being the Second Tier, the smallest being the Eighth. Flowered vines crawled over the golden net hanging over the arena. 

Grian, Pearl, Scar, and Gem currently stood on the central platform, an ornate elevated stage of sorts that was circular in shape. The admins just couldn't see them yet. 

This has to be some kind of record, Grian noted the sheer number of admins who had showed up. They usually only got this many (if even) at Pearl's infamously mandatory bi-annual meetings.  Pearl seemed to share his thoughts, because she looked rather shaky.

Grian's purple eyes locked on his challenger's face in the crowd. Dream sat in the front row of the level eight section. He looked very pale, but Grian had seen paler faces when he spoke.

Pearl and Grian exchanged grim looks. Grian nodded. Pearl exhaled and appeared.

"Admins! Admins!" Pearl called for silence. Immediately the crowd hushed, eager to hear what happened next. "We've called you here today to stand witness to a challenge!" None of the admins looked surprised. They had seen the comm alert.

"We call Dream Notfond to the arena!"

The admins all murmured, turning to find Dream in the crowd. Dream made no move to get up. Indeed, his face had turned paper white and he looked visibly rattled. Pearl tapped her foot.

"Dream Notfond." She called again. At last,

"Where's the challenged?" Dream asked.

"This is not standard protocol." Pearl hissed. "You have two options, Dream, sir. Either get on stage and fight or this meeting is over."

Dreams eyes darted around furiously, as if looking for an escape. "The challenged must show to battle, or he forfeits primeship." Dream mumbled at last.

"The challenged is here. You have not yet stepped up to the challenge. I will give you one last chance, Notfond." 

"This is not fair!" Dream cried at last, "How can you expect me to fight a watcher to lead the admins!" 

Immediately the crowd began to roar in agreement, and some color returned to Dream's face.

"Watchers are criminals!" Someone shouted.

"Prime 2 should be impeached!"

"We can't have a tyrant ruling us!"

"He probably killed Prime 1!"

"This meeting is over!" Pearl yelled over the hubbub. "You are all dismissed immediately!"

None of the admins made move to listen.

"Call the vanishers!" Pearl yelled. "NOW!" 

The younger admins began to scream. Immediately the crowd started opening portals. The Great Hall was a panicked frenzy. 

Three men in long white robes with fuzzed-over faces rose from a platform under the stage. On second look, they weren't men at all. They looked like statues come alive, and they held large silver contraptions. 

"WAIT!" Dream shrieked, jumping to his feet. "I challenge the physical prime!" Dream stumbled onto the platform, eyes panicked. The admin straightened, hands shaking. "Prime 2... show yourself."

Pearl hissed but waved the vanishers away as she looked at Grian. Grian groaned and shifted his face back to it's natural form. Then, with a long sigh, the physical Prime Admin appeared.