My Dream

The Chandelier

The trio chased the cat all the way to the cafeteria. "Crap!" Ace shouted. "He's darting around everywhere!"

Grim snickered as he dodged their attempts to grab him. "Catch me if you can suckers!" Gwen gasped as Grim floated all the way up to the chandelier.

"Getting on the chandelier is an underhanded move!" Deuce said. "We haven't learned the magic to fly yet..." A look of deep thought crossed his face. "We need something to get up there, and also catch him..." He trailed off into a mutter.

"Grim!" Gwen called. "Get down from there right now!" She demanded.

"Make me!" Grim replied, sticking his tongue out.

"Oh, real mature!" Gwen shouted back.

"Ah, I've got it!" Deuce shouted, pulling out his wand.

"I've gotta think of an idea..." Ace muttered. He took a look at Deuce and then did a double take. "Whoa, whoa, wait a sec! Why are you pointing your magical pen at me?!"

Deuce grinned. "I'll just throw you!" He explained.

"You're gonna do WHAT?!" Gwen cried, head whipping around so fast she got whiplash. "Please don't!" She begged. Gwen had a horrible feeling about this.

"You're joking?!" Ace took a step back, but ended up floating up off the ground. "Whoa Don't make me float!" His arms flailed uselessly as he levitated a few inches off the ground.

"Catch him, ya hear!" Deuce commanded, floating Ace up even higher. "Take aim... fire!"

Ace screamed as he was launched upwards. Grim screamed as he saw a floating Ace come barreling at him. Gwen screamed because she knew this wasn't going to end well.

The good news is that he caught Grim. The bad news is that he brought the chandelier down with him. Gwen screamed as it came falling to the floor. Luckily, no one seemed to badly hurt.

"It's broken!" Gwen cried. Her head whipped around to Deuce. "What were you thinking?!?" She grabbed her hair at the roots and began tugging. "Headmaster Crowley is going to literally kill me!"

Ace coughed from all the dust flying around. "I can't believe it!" He said as he stood back up.

Grim groaned, dazed by his fall and unmoving.

Deuce had a look of panic on his face. "I screwed up! I didn't think about the landing!"

"Are you..." Ace looked furious. "AN IDIOT?!??!??!?" He screamed. He was going to say more, but was interrupted by a chocked sob.

Ace and Deuce turned to see Gwen sobbing heavily. "Uh... Miss?" Deuce asked in concern.

"You're both idiots!" Gwen sobbed. "What were you thinking?!" She demanded. "Crowley gave me a job to do, and I couldn't do it! I couldn't stop Grim from causing a fight. It's my fault the statue got burned. And now the chandelier is ruined!"

"No, it's not!" Ace said awkwardly. "Well, yeah, the chandelier is ruined but it's not you're fault!"

Deuce nodded. "This is all on us! You were even trying to tell us, but we didn't listen!"

"Well." A voice said, paralyzing everyone with terror. "Good to exactly who's to blame for this." Everyone slowly turned their heads to see Headmaster Crowley in the doorway. Gwen shivered in fear. Crowley's anger this morning was nothing compared to the rage she could sense radiating off him in waves.

"Ah... Headmaster..." Ace muttered, taking a step back.

Crowley walked further into the room, Ace and Deuce taking a step back for every step he took forward. Gwen was petrified where she sat, not moving even when Crowley stood besides her. "Just. What. Exactly." Every word was tense and sharp. "ARE YOU ALL DOING?!" Crowley screamed, the room seeming to shake with his wrath.

Grim whimpered, still stunned. "The room is spinning..."

"You weren't satisfied with just damaging the statue so you decided to destroy the chandelier?!" He asked, sweeping an arm towards the mess.

Gwen sniffled, wiping at her face. She noticed oddly that the Headmaster's rage seemed entirely focused on Grim and the boys. Wasn't he mad at her? This was all her fault!

"This is the last straw." Crowley said. "I will have all three of you expelled!"

Deuce and Ace looked terrified. "Please!" Deuce begged. "Anything but that! I have things I have to do at this school!"

"You have nothing to blame but your own idiocy." Crowley replied sharply. "Did you not confess yourself that you ignored all of Miss Brookes' warnings?"

"I will pay for all damages if I have to!" Deuce declared.

Crowley crossed his arms. "This is no normal chandelier." He said. "This is a magical chandelier that uses candles that will burn for eternity. It is a masterpiece made by a legendary master of magical tools." He looked down at the ruined remains. "It has been entrusted to the school since its very foundation..." He put a hand to his chin. "Taking into consideration it's historical value, it would cost no less than a billion madol." He looked back at Deuce. "Can you pay those damages?"

Deuce's jaw dropped. "A billion madol?!"

Ace grinned nervously. "But teacher, can't you just fix it up with magic?"

"Magic is not all powerful." Crowley corrected. "More importantly, what we call the heart of any magical tool, the magic crystal, was shattered. No two magic crystals are the same. This chandelier will never be lit again."

"How can that..." Ace looked forlorn.

Deuce blinked back tears. "Crap... what am I doing... what am I going to tell mom..."

Crowley was about to say something else, but was cut off by a tugging at his cloak. He looked down at Gwen. Her face was flushed and her eyes were red. "Headmaster." Her voice sounded hoarse. "Please, this was all my fault. I should be the one getting kicked out, not them."

Crowley sighed. "That's right." He said finally. "There's one way." He patted Gwen's head. "There might be one way to fix the chandelier."

"Eh?" A look of hope dawned on everyone's faces.

"The magic crystal for this chandelier was mined in the Dwarf's Mine." Crowley explained. "If we have a magic crystal of the same kind as the original, repairs might be possible."

"I will go find a magic crystal!" Deuce declared. "Please, allow me to go!"

"However, I have no guarantee that there are any left in the mine." Crowley warned. "The mine has been closed for a while and it's very possible it's exhausted of crystals."

"I'll do anything to get the expulsion rescinded." Deuce said again.

"Fine." Crowley said after a long pause. "I shall give you three one night. Come to me with a magic crystal by tomorrow morning, or face expulsion."

"Yes!" Deuce agreed. "Thank you very much!"

"I suppose." Ace said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Let's go get that magic crystal and be done with it."

Gwen finally found the strength to stand. "Headmaster... I'm going with them." She said.

Crowley blinked in surprise. "Miss Brookes... you aren't being punished. There's no need for you too..." He trailed off at the look on her face and sighed. "Very well then. Use the gate in the Mirror Chamber to go directly to Dwarfs' Mine."

"Yes sir/Headmaster!" Deuce and Gwen said in unison.

Gwen gently picked up Grim, the cat beginning to stir in her arms. "What now?" Grim asked woozily. "What exactly did I..."

"You really messed up." Gwen informed him. "You might've been happier staying unconscious."

"Eh?" Grim looked confused.

Gwen followed Ace and Deuce out of the cafeteria. "You've lost tuna privileges for two weeks." She informed him.

"What?!? That's too harsh!"