Archaic ||Peterick||

The Phoenix

Pete suddenly became very aware of his surroundings. He could feel the eyes of all the students watching them and when he looked up he could see familiar faces in the surrounding crowd. He looked at Gabe, William, Alicia and Ray helplessly. Lindsey wasn't there, or he couldn't see her.

They all looked on in dismay, the only ones who truly knew what was happening. Pete couldn't face the pitying looks they were sending. He adverted his tear filled eyes.

At the other side of the circle, he could see the boy from New Jersey. Pete thought his name was Frank or something of the sort. That's what the contact had read when he'd answered the phone for Patrick. That felt like centuries ago. Frank was pressed between Gerard and Ashlee. Pete choked back any kind of noise that would make him seem weak.

The room went silent when Patrick stopped yelling. He seemed to completely freeze, like someone had a pause button over him. Pete stared at him, not knowing what was next. Nobody moved, nobody spoke.

Suddenly, a man broke through the crowd roughly. He split the crowd like the Red Sea. He was quite tall and angry looking. He had a moustache, a beard and long shoulder length hair. He looked gruff. He was flanked by two other people. Gabe had told them about these.

It was the principle, flanked by two of the school protecters. Pete wondered what had taken them so long. It felt like peace had been years ago.

"What's going on?" Spencer boomed. His voice was commanding, almost threatening someone to antagonise him.

Chaos broke out around him and Patrick, everyone trying to explain or complain. Limbs flailed widely and words spilled from students' mouths like waterfalls.

Pete stared back at Patrick again. He looked horrible and still. There wasn't one moment Pete could remember that Patrick voluntarily didn't move. Pete wanted to crawl forward and embrace him but he knew it wouldn't end well. He stared at Patrick, tears falling down his face rapidly.

Loudly, a voice cut through the silence. It had a thick Jersey accent and when Pete looked up, his eyes locked on Frank Iero. Pete looked confused, this man lived in New Jersey, why the hell was he at the academy? Maybe he'd followed them.

Frank began to explain to Spencer from the very beginning. "It all started with our exams-" he glanced at Patrick's weak form.

Frank followed Patrick down the damp cement steps and into the murky basement. He and Patrick had had a competition going since they both begun going to the academy. They were both striving to be the best, to get the best. Patrick had always been book smart, Frank the opposite.

Frank looked around the corner and took in the scene before him. It was dark but Frank could make out that there was a boy with him. Frank recognised him from Defence class. Ryan Ross, Patrick's best friend. They were never usually seen without each other.

Ryan looked scared. "What's happening Patrick?"

"Don't speak." Patrick commanded though there was something else in his voice. Frank couldn't place it. Fear? Regret?

Ryan's head was suddenly thrown back, his mouth open in a silent scream. Frank watched in horror as the boy he'd seen around campus levitated and was ripped apart right in front of him.

"Leave him be. Stay in your room, your exams begun." Frank heard a voice hiss. He knew that voice well.

Patrick nodded and quickly scrambled passed his once friend. Frank quickly pressed himself against the dark wall as Patrick passed him in a flurry. Frank chanced one more glance around the corner. He fled quickly. He hadn't stuck around to see what had happened to his own sacrifice.

"Patrick cheated. He gave up the life of his friend, Ryan Ross, in order to pass." Frank told him, leaving out the fact that he himself had cheated. A murmur broke out around the students.

"Patrick here, was turned. Gerard Way turned him." Frank smirked at the disbelief amongst the crowd.

Petes head snapped over to look at them. He looked at where Gerard had stood moments before. He was no longer there. Pete glanced around but couldn't find anyone that even resembled him.

Frank dropped to his knees in front of Gerard, his hands clasped together. "Please!" He begged.

Gerard groaned. "Frank, no. Get up. I'm not doing it."

"Gerard!"

"Why Frank?! Why is it so important to you?!"

Frank groaned and tugged at his hair. "It just is!"

Gerard rolled his eyes and turned to walk away. "I'm not getting caught up in your stupid rival with Patrick Stump. Me turning him would just make him more powerful wouldn't it?"

Frank grabbed his ankle quickly. "No. Gerard, please don't walk away. I'll do anything!"

Gerard looked at his childhood friend and sighed. "I- what do I get in return?"

"Anything. I'll owe you, big time."

Gerard sighed and nodded. He walked out of the room.

"What was that about?"

"Did no one ever tell you not to eavesdrop, Mikey?"

"Yes. But as Pete taught me, the best things you hear in life are the things you're not meant to." Mikey said with a proud smirk. Gerard rolled his eyes and walked away. He didn't hide his dislike for Mikeys boyfriend, he was corrupting his baby brother.

Whispers broke out amongst the crowd again but were quickly silenced. Pete watched as Patrick suddenly gained control of himself again.

"Patrick Stumph. Prepare to have your magic revoked."

Patrick squeezed his eyes shut, he knew what he deserved. All his life, all his learning, had gone to waste over one stupid mistake. Too much stress had been put on him and his only concern was to make it stop. He had robbed his only friends humanity.

Suddenly, the sprinklers turned on in the hall, the holy water finally catching up to the schools system. The students flinched as their clothes were slowly soaked through, but no one moved.

Pete gasped at the burning sensation. He felt as though his whole body had been lit on fire and there was nowhere he could run for cover. He choked on his own saliva and opened his mouth in a silent scream.

Patrick yelled out, unable to keep his composure as his flesh was burnt. Patrick could feel fire spread throughout his body, as though it was being carried through his veins by his blood.

A fire erupted out of him, the white flames licking their way through the hall and surrounding everything in and out of sight.