Sous was handed a big fat pink teddy bear at the concession stand after shooting at some plastic ducks. She danced around with the teddy bear while little baby basilisk coiled itself around the neck of the bear. Her friends looked on annoyed they weren't winning of the festival games. By the time the afternoon had come, Sous was walking around with numerous stuffed animals and toys. None of which she would share or give to the others.
"Nope, I won them all by myself." Sous said as she gave little kisses to her friends.
"Sous, yer have, like, seven animals, yer don't want to give us none. Not even Tany?" Pixie Boy asked.
"Nnnnope!"
Sous could be a selfish little brat when she wanted to be. The concession stands started to close for the day when Faye took Sous' arm and led her to the small courtyard. Sous looked at her while eating cotton candy.
"Where'd you get that cotton candy?"
"Over yonder." Sous said with her cheeks as full and filled like a chipmunk. She nodded her head back in the direction of the concession stands. Faye took out her threading needles from her palm and quickly swung to the stand then came right back to Sous with a blue cotton candy.
The two girls stood there smacking their cotton candy loudly, licking the pole then their fingers. Once done, they looked at one another once more befuddled.
"Oh yeah," Faye snapped her fingers. She took Sous' arm and they managed to get back into the school. They walked down the hall toward the library. While other students made their way to the auditorium to watch the The Tale of Two Loves, Sous and Faye walked toward the back end of the library.
Sous stopped by the dorm room to put away her stuffed animals. She sat them all on her bed then stood back to get a good look at them. Not liking how they were arranged, she proceeded to pick and mess with them until they sat in a position on her bed that she liked.
Faye stood by the door frame with her hands on her hips, she then transitioned to having her arms crossed.
"Sous, they're toys."
"Hey! You're just jealous you didn't win as many as me. Imma make sure they look good on my bed."
Once done, Sous ran to catch up to Faye who was walking rather briskly. Since they were supposed to be watching the play, they had to crouch down to make sure none of the hall monitors saw them.
They were in a dead end when Faye smiled at Sous then said. "If you don't tell on me, I won't tell on you. If you tell on me then I'll tell on you."
The book cases began to crumble and open for the two girls. Bugged eye Sous stood silent watching the magic unfold. Faye beckoned Sous to follow her and once they stepped inside of the secret passage, the book case was put together again.
"Whoa! How you know about this?"
"My older siblings."
"You have siblings?"
The two girls began to walk in the secret passageway with Faye in the lead. Sous took out her wand and lighted the tip using the Ignis.
"Hmm hmm, an older brother in second year, older brother in third year, older sister in fourth and fifth and two older brothers in sixth and seventh."
"Wow, your parents sure do love each other." The girls laughed at Sous' comment. They were heading to Headmaster Fanu's office. If they had went in the direction of simply going up the staircase from the main hall then they would have been met with hall monitors. Everyone was supposed to be watching the play that won the student body vote. Since Sous wasn't good at the crossing over the spirits, Sous was to keep watch while Faye did what she could to cross them over, as many as she could.
The passageway stopped at a wall where there was a painting. Faye lifted the painting and they were able to climb out and tip toe to Master Fanu's office.
Faye was able to simply open it.
"It wasn't locked?" Sous asked, both of the girls suspicious of the following. Still, they went into the office. Faye headed toward the double door closet, opening it, revealing all the dolls. Sous ran to the door to keep an eye out. She wanted to see watch Faye perform the ritual but once the white light blasted, it was difficult for Sous to get a goos look and keep watch of the door at the same time.
Watching Faye perform the ritual was a sight to behold. The way she weaved her needles through one another, the way she guided the spirits into the light, them bowing their heads to her. No wonder she wanted to put an end to pocessed voodoo dolls. She could feel the pain and the calling of the spirits.
The ritual was performed about four times since Faye could only do about thirty dolls per ritual. The spirit catchers had caught about a hundred or so spirits. When she was done, Faye smiled at Sous. Waisting no time, Sous placed her hand on the knob but the door came open to reveal Thibodeux, Jacquis, and other members of the spirit catching club. They had more dolls in the procession.
Thibodeux glared when she saw Faye. She looked over at the dolls sitting on cases in the closet.
"What did you do?"
Faye and Sous attempted to run out of the office but one of the spirit catchers through their thread at Sous, stabbing her in the arm. Sous turned around and pointed her wand at them.
"Ignis!" The fire spell went toward the member but another member blocked the spell from hitting her cohort. They charged at the two girls. "Gladius!" Faye got her needles out.
Clank, Clank!
Metal on metal, weapon on weapon. They fought in close range of one another because of the office and yet they were careful to not knock anything off the headmaster's desk, not even a piece of paper.
"Parare!" Sous placed her shield up as Thibodeux was coming at her hard, plus she was still bleeding from the earlier wound. Thibodeux slashed at her with her needles. One needle slashing Sous' arm. She hissed in pain, flipping over Thibodeux, landing on the wall. She dived at Thibodeux, going under her legs, twisting around and slashing her in the back knee, bringing Thibodeux down to her knee.
"What is going on?!"
The students stopped in their tracks and turned to look at the Headmaster who stood in the doorway. He slowly walked in, pleased to see there was no mess but he wanted answers to why they were in his office to begin with.
He looked at the closet filled with voodoo dolls.
"Why is that open?" Headmaster Fanu asked.
"Why are you allowing them to capture spirits and sell them? Who are you selling them to?" Faye yelled out.
He generally seemed confused by what Faye was asking. He turned to the vice president of the student council.
"What is she talking about?"
Thibodeux flexed her jaw, unsure of how to answer because what she said mostly would lead to her losing her position or getting expelled.
"Vice President?" He asked once more.
"She's going to the cemetery in the bayous and trapping tormented spirits. She's then selling them." Faye yelled out.
"That's what you're doing?" He turned to look at the teenager once more.
"I'm bleeding..."
"Who are you selling the dolls to?" The conversation continued on with all ignoring Sous and her wounds. Thibodeux didn't answer the question and simply turned her head. "Right." The headmaster looked at Sous and Faye. "Everyone please leave the office. And Thibodeux please come to my office on Dies Lunae first thing in the morning. Please put the dolls down so I can cross them over to the other side."
As the students left his office and headed toward the play that was wrapping up, Thibodeux walked beside Sous.
"I didn't realize you were playing the field with her, suga." Thibodeux said.
"She's a new friend and I think she's right. Those spirits need help crossing over, not being trapped in doll."
Thibodeux chuckled at Sous' word, finding them annoying.
"Tell me, suga, do you know who Krampus is?"
They stood outside the auditorium with Faye and the spirit catchers already having gone in. Sous glared her brows at the older girl. "Its a monster."
Thibodeux nodded her head; she leaned in to whisper in Sous' ear. "That money is headed for one of your friends. I wonder who?" She disappeared into the auditorium as Sous took her hand away from her wound. She looked at the blood on her and proceeded to heal herself using one of the health potions she carried on her potion belt. She sighed and went to the restroom to clean herself up.