School dragged by at an all-time slow for Tonya. Her head wasn’t in the game, what with her thoughts clouded by memories of yesterday’s exploits and her interaction with Eddie. It didn’t help that the entire class’s workload was being doubled, an unwelcome side effect from the upcoming exams. She groaned aloud when the teacher returned her math homework, a low letter grade jarring her from her thoughts. How was she going to explain that to her father? She couldn’t rightly make the excuse that she’d been fighting a supervillain and had been too fatigued to focus on the equations. The teacher seemed to be about to share a few stern words with Tonya over her scores when Tonya’s phone began to buzz angrily in her pocket.
“Did you not switch your phone off?” The teacher demanded, holding out her hand. “I’ll be taking that.”
Crossly Tonya reached down to take her phone from her pocket when something slithered on the base of her neck, causing her to tense up. A tiny hushed voice tickled her ear. “Miss Tabbet, a great urgency must be attended to. Your companions need you.”
“Not now Ossar.” Tonya hissed back.
“What was that Miss Tabbet?” The teacher snapped. “Don’t get snippety with me young lady.”
“Time is of the essence sweet daughter of Tabbet.” The snake kwami insisted. “Our mission resides before all else.”
“Shush!”
“What did you just say to me!?”
“Nothing ma’am.” Tonya grumbled, producing her phone and handing it over. Now the entire class was watching and listening. Tonya’s face burned and she swept back her hair trying to sweep Ossar back into her shirt but only succeeding in appearing incredibly sassy. The teacher was looking livid now, and opened her mouth to deliver a withering scolding, meanwhile Ossar crept in close to Tonya’s ears once more.
“Miss Tonya, I must insist we are punctual.”
“SHUT UP!”
“Miss Tabbet!” The teacher roared, fire and brimstone flashing in her eyes. “I have had quite enough of this attitude, you may excuse yourself from my classroom at once and wait outside the Principal’s Office. I daresay your family will be hearing about this, in full detail!”
Sour faced Tonya shoved her school books away marching from the classroom much the same way she’d entered. Angry and embarrassed and the eyes of all her classmates following her as she strode purposely from the room, her bag slung over one shoulder. Storming down the hall Tonya took the all too familiar route down to the office, giving the door a heavy mournful knock when she finally reached it.
Nobody answered.
Tonya tried again, the end result comparable. He must be off doing something else she decided, flopping down in one of the hard, uncomfortable plastic chairs lined up outside. Crossing her arms Tonya fumed for a moment over the unfairness of it all when a movement at the base of her neck reminded her of Ossar. Reaching back Tonya snatched the serpent kwami, sweeping him around to face her. He coiled in her hand, staring up at her his dark eyes large and purposeful.
“Well done in escaping the confines of the school so high. We must act at once. Swiftly utterance the words and let us make haste and bring welcome aid to our companions and this city.”
“What? No, I can’t.” Tonya dropped her hand, letting the snake levitate under his own power. “You got me in trouble and now I have to stay here, or I’ll get into even more trouble.” Tonya closed her eyes and clenched her jaw just thinking about the repercussions to come. “My dad is going to kill me. This is the third time this year, and I’ve never even heard of someone telling the teacher to shut up. They won’t believe me if I told them it was directed towards the stupid little magic snake that wouldn’t stay quiet. I’ll be in detention for years!”
To his credit the kwami seemed deeply grieved by this proclamation and he lowered his brightly colored head in shame. “Alas, I knew not. Please accept my most humble apologies sweet daughter of Tabbet.”
The silence between them grew long and unbroken. Tonya drooped her head, miserable, brooding over what she’d say, to the principle, her father, the teacher when she would have to inevitably apologize for her rudeness, perhaps even in front of the entire class. A single tear formed under her eyes and Tonya moved to brush them away, furious with herself to so easily be driven to tears at something to selfish and pathetic. Something brushed against her forehead and Tonya looked up, surprised to see Ossar so close, his elongated muzzle pressed against her brow in a serpents kiss. With shocking strength the tiny kwami pressed hard, raising her head until it was high and proud.
“Weep not brave one.” Ossar hushed. “Thou are young, too young to be given this responsibility but banish your fear. Your father seems a kind, wise man who will find forgiveness in his heart and never resort to violence, no matter your transgressions. We must instead remain focused upon the greater good, as even the most nobles paths are wrought with treacherous choices. I see now that you must be torn asunder by good intentions, but you have been given responsibility beyond that of all others. To forsake it is comparable to forsaking a holy vow. Suffering is inadequate to selflessness.”
“Are you saying I have to risk getting into even more trouble with my life here, to go help the other heroes?” Tonya asked almost accusingly, trying to unravel the serpent’s words.
“In the end I can only advise, the choice is yours.” Ossar assured. “I shall respect that which you choose.”
Tonya dwelt on this for a long time, running her fingers through her hair as she considered all the options available. It seemed wrong to her, to betray the trust of her father and her betters so massively and still have it be the right thing to do. And yet people could be in danger, and their lives might even now be saved if she acted. “Has everyone else gone to help?” She inquired at last.
“I cannot say for sure, other than the hero Talon who wished to communicate to everyone something of great importance.”
Grimacing Tonya glanced back at the Principal’s door, her decision made. “Alright, alright. I just have to make it back before he does. Easy. Alright, here we go, ‘ STRIPES ALIGN .’” In a blinding flash Ossar became fused within the Miraculous and the snakeish armor formed across Tonya’s body changing her identity into the daring superhero Serpentine. Unlatching one of her battle fans from her utility belt and pressing a button located on its haft Serpentine waited for the screen to appear. A moment later spectral images of the other heroes’ materialized. “Sorry if I’m a bit late.” She told them, sprinting for the nearest exit. “I’ll be there in a moment. What’s happening by the way? Because it better be really, really important.”
