Issue 3: Trial One

Avonari: Venessa, wake up!

Avonari shakes Venessa awake. Venessa rubs her eyes.

Venessa: What is it? It’s five in the morning.

Avonari: We have school!

Venessa: School?

Avonari: Yeah! You’re starting school today. 

Venessa: But it’s my first night here and the universe is starting to feel like a dumpster fire of Lost episodes…

Avonari: You still have to go to school! Now, c’mon! 

Venessa reluctantly stands up from her bed and completes her morning routine. Then, she heads downstairs and sits beside Avonari at the dining table. Annelise is already making breakfast. 

Annelise: Well, you two are up early. School doesn’t start until eight.

Venessa narrows her eyes at Avonari.

Avonari shrugs: I wanted to stop by Cleo’s before school.

Venessa: Cleo’s?

Avonari: It’s a coffee shop. Now, before you ask why I would want to go to a coffee shop when I can’t eat real food, I simply like the decor and vibe of the place.

Annelise: Are you sure that you have permission to go to Cleo’s?

Avonari sighs: Can we go, Annelise? Please?

Annelise smiles: Alright. Just be careful and don’t be late for school, okay?

Avonari: Yes! Thank you!

Annelise sets a plate of food on the table for Venessa, which she begins eating. 

Venessa: Wait…I’m not even registered for this school. 

Annelise shakes her head: We registered you right before you were brought to the headquarters.

Venessa wants to ask another question, but she thinks better of it: So, is this like a school for powered children? Is it through the Keepers of the Realm?

Avonari: Nah, it’s your generic public high school.

Venessa’s expression brightens: Really?

Annelise nods.

Venessa smiles as she continues eating her breakfast. Avonari goes upstairs and returns with normal, flesh-colored skin instead of her usual green. A headscarf covers her head and the lower half of her face, hiding her spiral ears and lack of mouth.

Venessa: How did you change your skin color?

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Avonari: Oh, I take a pill for it every morning. Lasts twelve hours.

Venessa nods. The two girls then head out the door.

Annelise: Wait!

Avonari turns around: What is it?

Annelise: You’ll have to take the VeloTrak if you want to make it to school on time. Just so you know.

She kisses Avonari’s forehead. Annelise turns toward Venessa, who shies away slightly. Annelise waves goodbye to both of them as they head into the streets.

The girls walk into a Cleo’s. Spooky decorations are projected from the walls, a reminder that Halloween is a week away. Self-fixing robotic coffee machines with self-checkouts beside them stand along the walls.

Avonari: Well, aren’t you gonna get a coffee?

Venessa: I just came out of a psychiatric facility, Avonari. I’m broke.

Avonari: Here, I’ll lend you some money.

Avonari hands Venessa her clear debit card tablet.

Avonari: Punch in how much money you want to take out and put the tablet in the self-checkout machine. Just…don’t get a Double XL Espresso. I made the mistake of doing that when I came from…

Avonari looks around. As usual, no one’s paying attention.

Avonari:...When I came from Anthra. I reacted very poorly.

Venessa nods: I was thinking about getting something sweeter.

Venessa places the tablet on the self-checkout machine, and it scans. 

Coffee Machine: Hello. What can I make you today?

Venessa: Can I have…hmmm…a medium pumpkin spice latte?

Coffee Machine: I see that you are a generic American. One medium pumpkin spice latte.

Venessa: Ugh! Rude!

Avonari laughs: I bet whoever programmed this machine got a kick out of it.

The machine gives Venessa her coffee and the two of them sit down at one of the tables. On their way, Avonari bumps into a woman.

Stranger: Watch it!

Avonari: I’m sorry, ma’am. I didn’t mean to bump into you…

Stranger: Just leave me be! Your age group drives me mad.

Avonari shrugs and the two of them sit down.

Avonari: What kind of person says ‘your age group’? Why can’t she just say that she hates teenagers?

Venessa: I would rather her just not speak to us at all.

Avonari: That’s a good point. So, some of the girls in our grade are wanting to have a horror movie marathon at Penny’s house and sleep over. I was wondering if you might wanna come.

Venessa: Why would they invite me? It’s my first day at their school today. They don’t even know me.

Avonari: Relax. They’ll love you. 

Venessa laughs to herself. She looks over at the other tables.

Venessa: I think the rude old lady’s still glaring at us over there.

Avonari shrugs: I’ve met ruder people.*she checks her projector watch* Oh, we’ve gotta catch the VeloTrak!

The two of them rush out of the coffee shop and into the underground VeloTrak station. Avonari scans her member card and selects the amount of people as ‘two’. The girls then wait beside the track. 

Avonari: I have this theory that the English teacher, Mrs. Kennan, is a witch.

Venessa: How do you know what a witch is?

Avonari: The legends are basically the same here as where I come from. Except, in Anthra, the way they get their powers is much more graphic.

Venessa nods: Good to know. I’m guessing that you don’t know what werewolves, vampires, or ghosts are.

Avonari: I know ghosts, but not vampires and werewolves. You’ll have to tell me about those.*she looks to her left* Hey, it’s that old lady! She must be taking the same VeloTrak as we are.

Venessa: She’s starting to freak me out a little bit.

Avonari: I see the same people here all the time. It’s not a big deal. 

Venessa searches for the old lady: She’s gone!

Avonari: Really?

Venessa: Yeah, really.

Just then, the VeloTrak speeds into the station. As soon as it stops, the large hatch doors hiss open and people come out.

Avonari: This is our ride.