My Dream

Selfish Three

"Leave! Leave!! Leave!!" The monster roared at them. It swung its clawed hand. Deuce grunted at it hit him, slamming him into a wall.

"Stand back if you have no control, Mr. Serious!" Ace said, whipping out his pen. "I'll stop it!"

The wind that whipped fiercely threw the halls did nothing to it. The monster simply howled with anger. It swung a hand at Ace, sending him slamming into the wall as well.

Grim hissed from his spot in front of Gwen. "Stay away!" He blew out a torrent of fire. The monster growled. "It's not working at all!" Grim cried.

Gwen took a step back in terror. The monster flashed. Wait, that wasn't right. It came from behind the monster. "Golly! I can see something sparkle!" She announced.

"Behind that thing!" Ace realized. "At the end of the tunnel, something..."

"That light, is it a magic crystal?" Deuce wondered.

The monster growled in anger. "WON'T GIVE!!" It howled.

"Let's get out of here!" Grim cried. "We're done for at this rate!"

Gwen took a deep breath, summoning her courage. Then she bolted over to Ace and Deuce, helping them stand back up. "You heard the cat!" She said, dragging them along. "We gotta get out of here!"

"I'm not a cat!" Grim protested, running behind them.

The monster growled at their escape, but didn't chase them. The four ran all the way out of the mines and all the way back to the cottage.

"Is this far enough?" Grim asked, panting.

"Owwww." Ace groaned, looking sore. "What in the world was that? No one said anything about that!"

"It didn't seem like any old ghost." Deuce noted.

"Let's give up and go home." Ace said. "I'd rather get expelled than die fighting that thing."

Deuce and Gwen looked at him with alarm. "Wha?!" Deuce gasped. "Don't screw with me! I'd rather die than face expulsion! There's a magic crystal right in front of us and you wanna go home!"

Ace laughed. "You talk big for someone worse at magic than me. Go alone if you want. I'm done."

"Ooh, that right?" Deuce asked loudly, punching a fist into his palm. "Then stay right there cowering like a spineless coward!"

"Huh? Coward?" Ace had a jovial tone, but the look in his face warned Deuce to drop it. "Who exactly are you talking about?"

"Uh, Deuce." Grim interrupted. "Did you switch up your character?" He asked.

Gwen had to agree with Grim. It was like someone completely different had taken over Deuce.

Deuce's eyes went wide, and he seemed to return to normal. He cleared his throat. "My bad. I lost my composure a bit."

"Can magic help us at all?" Gwen asked. She wanted, no, needed to get this done. She had to prove she wasn't worthless. She had to show Headmaster Crowley she could do it.

Deuce shook his head. "Like the headmaster said earlier, magic isn't all-powerful. If you can't imagine it then it won't materialize." He explained. "Large-scale or complicated magic require a lot of training to use."

"But that's why we have schools for magic." Ace added. "You have to practice a lot to use magic just as it comes to mind. Bluntly, you'll screw up if you lose your cool."

"So that's why Grim can only use fire!" Gwen realized. "But, I've also seen everyone use it willy-nilly."

"Stuff you're good at you can go off instinct." Ace replied.

"At any rate, I'm going in there." Deuce said. "I'll figure out how to beat that thing and come back with a magic crystal."

"I'll go with you!" Gwen insisted.

"No." Deuce said. "You've been a big help, but without magic, it's too dangerous for you. Besides, this is my assignment, not yours. You'd be better off returning to the school."

Gwen took a step back. She- she wasn't worthless. She could still do this! Gwen blinked back the tears. She didn't understand. Why weren't they letting her help?

"However." Ace interrupted her thoughts. "Judging by the chandelier incident, you're a complete idiot. You couldn't land a single hit earlier but now you'll 'figure it out'? It's going to end the same."

"Come again?!" Deuce asked, anger in his tone. "You think of..."

"Here they go again." Grim complained. His ears perked up at the sound of heavy breathing. "Gwen?" He asked.

"I'm not worthless!" Gwen said.

Grim rushed to her side. "No one was saying that you were!"

Ace and Deuce stopped fighting to look over at them. "Hey, girlie!" Ace called. "What's up with you?"

"I'M NOT USELESS!" Gwen shouted.

The boys flinched. "Why are you shouting?" Grim asked.

"Is she okay?" Ace asked.

"I promise I'm trying!" Gwen continued. "I know I messed up, that I keep messing up, that I always mess up! But I swear, I'm trying!" The tears came faster and faster, her sobs trying to choke her.

"Gwen..." Deuce took a step towards her.

"I have to do this!" Gwen said. "I have to prove I can do something right for once! I know I don't have magic, but I can still help!"

Deuce held out his arms and Gwen collapsed in them. "Why won't you let me help?!" Gwen demanded.

"You're right." Deuce agreed. "I shouldn't have tried to send you away like that. Let's fight together." He said.

"How?" Gwen sniffled, starting to calm down. "I can't even keep the three of you from fighting."

"Then we'll work together this time." Ace promised, resting a hand on her head.

"But what exactly can we do?" Deuce asked.

Gwen pushed away from him, wiping her tears away. I am such a crybaby... "We have to come up with a proper strategy." She said.

"Yeah, I just said that so you'd stop crying." Ace replied. "You mean you actually want us to get along and work together?" Ace laughed. "Ha! That's cold. You have no problem saying lame things with a serious face, huh."

"Agreed." Deuce said. "No way I'm working with this loser.

Gwen growled. She was sick and tired of these three idiots and their attitudes. Her hands shot out and grabbed their ears. "Oh! I'm sorry!" She said as both boys tried to escape her grip. "Which one of us doesn't have to be here? Who's going out of her way to help you?" She demanded.

"Why are you this strong?!" Ace asked.

"Yeah, this hurts!" Deuce agreed.

"I'll let go if you promise to listen." Gwen said, a serene smile on her face.

"Yes!/Deal!" Both boys shot up and began rubbing their ears once she released them.

"Gwen has a point." Grim pointed out, relieved he had been spared her wrath. "I feel it's way lamer to get expelled on the first day of school."

"Uhh, that's..." Ace couldn't come up with a good argument.

Gwen picked up Grim and stroked under his chin. "Now then, if you boys can manage your egos." She began. "I do have an idea, but..."

"Fine!" Ace agreed, throwing his hands in the air. "We just have to get it done, right!" He grinned at Gwen. "So, what's your plan?"

Grim stood with others at the entrance to the mines. "You... really think it'll go as planned?" He asked Gwen. "I'm sca... no, just nervous."

Gwen smiled reassuringly. "No worries, Grim. We can do this."

Ace laughed. "You're too stiff. Just go with the flow. Let's get this over with!"