Always Is Not Forever | Hope Mikaelson

Chapter 4

     After last night, she crashed in her room, she didn't even turn to look at the door when her roommate, Alyssa Chang, came into their room.

Artemis was now sitting next to Lizzie in the assembly hall. She looked around and saw Hope sitting next to MG, how ironic, she thought, that the girl she was falling for was next to the guy who broke her heart. She turned back to face their headmaster right as he started his speech.

    "For ten years, we've gone undetected. Protecting you, protecting our secret, has been our singular mission. Tonight, I need your help to find Landon Kirby..." Alaric paused, " before he exposes us all." The student body erupted, everyone beginning to discuss how that was possible and what that meant for them. Artemis turned to face Lizzie and Josie with a shocked expression on her face. She had a feeling about this. A feeling that it was just the beginning.

//

As Artemis sat on her bed reading a book, she heard a knock. She waved her hand, opening the door, without even looking up from her book to see who it was.

"I need your help." Hope spoke. Those four words definitely were enough for Artemis to put her book down, without even bookmarking it.

"Tell me Mikaelson, and maybe I'll help you." the Cuetlachtli girl said, trying to hide a smile. If Artemis was being honest, she was glad Hope had gone to her for help.

"This stuff with Landon is my fault. I can fix it. I know how to track him, but it involves dark magic..." she trailed off.

"As thrilling as that sounds, we're not supposed to do dark magic." replied Artemis, as much as she wanted to help Hope, she didn't want to get in trouble.

"Says the girl who just threw her boyfriend into a building." Artemis's eyes widened at the statement.

"Ex-boyfriend, and was that blackmail Mikaelson?" she raised an eyebrow and smirked. She was surprised that Hope was still trying to convince her, she didn't go to anyone else.

"No, I'm just looking for a kindred spirit in revenge." she smiled.

"Okay, but we're doing this in your room, if Alyssa Chang catches us she'll never shut up about it."

//

Hope, Alaric, and Artemis went to meet Matt Donovan by route 29. They were all shocked when they saw the bus.

"Oh my god, Landon Kirby did that?" Artemis said. Hope elbowed her in the ribs. Artemis did the same back.

"Called in a favor with a buddy at State Patrol, asked him to lockdown the scene until we got here. Local PD thinks it's a chemical spill." Hope and Alaric looked horrified, Artemis kept a calm face, inside, she was terrified how the gangly boy could cause such destruction.

"What's the actual story?" asked Alaric. Matt's face was hard to read, well at least for Artemis.

"I'll leave that for you to figure out." said the Sheriff. Alaric nodded.

"All right. Thanks Sheriff." Alaric, Hope, and Artemis headed towards the bus.

Every person on the bus had been burned to a crisp. They were almost burnt beyond recognition. The bodies resembled mummies. The only body that wasn't present, was the one of Landon Kirby.

//

"Artemis stop doing your makeup, we're going after Landon" Hope said as she walked into Artemis and Alyssa's room. Artemis set down her eyeliner.

"I can't. It's game day and I wanna be there when Lizzie goes all Santana Lopez on Dana." Artemis replied.

"Come on, it was just a full moon, we could use your strength, I could use your strength." Hope sighed. Of course she had to bring up the Celestial Coven and the strength they gained from the moon.

"I have to be here for the school hope, the team needs their running back. Anyways you're strong enough on your own. You don't need me. You'll be fine without me for one day." she picked up her eyeliner and continued.

//

"All right guys, let's have a good, clean, entirely uneventful game." said Dorian, emphasizing the last couple of words, looking at Lizzie, Josie, and Artemis.

"Like we do every year when we beat your asses down." said Connor. Artemis simply rolled her eyes, turned to Josie and mumbled something about white cis-het men. Connor trailed on mocking the Stallions.

"Not exactly the spirit Connor." replied Dorian, shutting him down. The referee pulled out a coin to decide who would get the ball first. "All right, call in the air"

    "Tails never fails." said Dana, giving Lizzie a look. Once the coin fell to the ground the all looked to find that coin was in fact tails side up.

    "Guess not." replied Dorian. Connor and Dana low-five each other. At this point Artemis got annoyed and decided to no longer listen to the banter.

//

    The Stallions and the Timberwolves are standing in two separate lines to shake hands to show good sportsmanship. Josie is about to about to pass Dana when she turns to kindly address her,

    "Good game." she said. Dana gave her a look, hatred obvious in her eyes.

    "Suck it, loser." replied Dana. Lizzie, being Lizzie, couldn't just let the comment slide.

    "Not now, Dana!" exclaimed the blonde, punching Dana in the process. Kaleb tried to hold Lizzie back while Josie tried to stop Dana. Artemis took the opportunity to knock Connor to the ground, he was being a dick the entire game, not that he was acting any different than usual. Dana punched Lizzie back. Everyone in the stands came running towards the field, basically starting a riot.

//

    The next morning all the upper-level witches were in a spell casting class led by Dorian. All of the witches sat in a circle, where they began to hold hands as Dorian spoke,

    "All right, gather together", he stepped out of the circle before he continued, "Chain spells are about fluid movement of energy from witch to witch." As he looked around to circle he realized a witch was missing. "Where's Penelope Park?" Lizzie smirks before replying to the librarian.

    "Um, lady cramps, Mr. Williams." Dorian only rolled his eyes before continuing with the lesson.

    "Sorry I asked. A disharmonious group makes for an uneven flow." a couple students laugh at the unintentional pun, causing Dorian to only become more annoyed. "Okay..." Before he had a chance to continue his lecture, a piece of parchment appeared above their heads before falling into Dorians hands. Josie sees the writing on the page and realizes its a summons to her father's office.

    "Uh-oh. Who's in trouble with the headmaster?" Hope, who seemed annoyed, rolls her eyes and gives Lizzie a look.

    "I still stand that I tripped and fell on Connor" a couple students laughed at her comment. Dorian opened the note and read it aloud.

    "Artemis Cuetlachtli, Lizzie Saltzman, Josie Saltzman," Dorian turns to look at Hope in the eyes, indicating that she, too, is being summoned. "And baby makes four. Off you go."  The four witches share confused and confused looks before getting up to leave.