Post by Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford on Aug 8, 2007 21:39:21 GMT
Madeleine raced up from the catacombs to the Assembly Hall, catching her breath as she got to the doors.
"You're late," a dry voice rang out.
Knowing who it would be, Madeleine raised her eyes from the parquet floor tiles to meet the sarcastic ones of Levi Ryder beside her.
"I was on important business with Professor Hoodham," she said, coolly, and was rewarded by the flash of annoyance that crossed his face.
"You're still late," he snapped, and turned away.
Madeleine caught his arm. "Levi," she said in a low voice.
"What?" he scowled.
"Not today," she answered. "Let's just bury the hatchet, just for today. Just in case."
His lip curled, and for a second, Madeleine was sure he was going to refuse. But he smiled weakly. "Just for today."
"Thank you," she said, letting go of him.
As he walked off, she walked up the stairs to the stage. Ignoring the microphone on the podium, she clapped her hands three times and watched as the entire body of Warriors turned to her.
She felt a rush of pride and affection run through her. Affection for her Warriors - the guys and girls that were risking their lives for her friend. For Macy.
And pride for the fact that they were all prepared. They were all standing there, united... and they were listening to her, Madeleine. Who was she, that she should command them?
She hadn't worked that out yet, but for the time being, the fact that they did listen to her was enough, she supposed.
"Okay guys," she called out, in a clear voice. "This is it."
They all stared back at her, their eyes full of determination and grit... and something else that Madeleine couldn't quite place.
"We're going out soon, and we're going to get her back. That's what the aim is, and that's what we're going to do," she said, looking at each of them. Anna, Jack, Damien, Lily...
"We're ready. We've always been ready. That's why we're Warriors." She was answered by a few brief smiles. "That's why we're here, I guess. So... you all know the plan, and that's basically what we're going to do, but I'll want a few more of you to stay behind in the school defense section.
"Professor Hoodham thinks it's a good idea if a section is led back here at the gates to the school. Some of the enemy camp might decide to sneak off and attack the school while they think we're too busy to defend ourselves. And while we had already planned for that, it might help if we had even just a couple more, because while out attack is good, our defence hasn't been planned quite so well. You'll be helped by another source, also, so anyone who wouldn't mind staying... and it would be good if we had someone to lead them."
Involuntarily she glanced at Levi, the one Warrior that (oddly) she knew she could trust as a leader,, who immediately shook his head, looking at her as if to say "No, I'm not staying behind here, I want to fight."
However, a few people did shuffle over to the defence group.
"Thanks," Madeleine said gratefully. "It's nice to see that you're all prepared..." she glanced over them, seeing that they were all ready to go, armed and ready and waiting. Out of the corner of her eye, she couls see the girl from the principal's office earlier.
She sighed. "Look, I've already given you the pep talk, do I really need to give it again? All I can say is... thank you for doing this. Thanks for wanting to do this. And you can do it. I know you can. All of you. So... go for it. Okay?"
Then, she realised what it was that was in all of their eyes.
Bloodlust.
The thirst for revenge.
She shivered involuntarily, recognising the look from every time she looked in the mirror. Please let this be it, she found herself praying. Please let me get my revenge, so I can rest again. So I don't need to look like that anymore.
She stared back at all of the Orchid Hill Warriors. "We're all in this together. No one sing."
A few people laughed.
"All of us are doing this for Macy. And we all have to look after each other. So... all for one, and one for all."
This is for you, Shaun.
A smile slowly started to spread on her face as she looked out of the door to outside. "Alright then," she said, smiling at them all. "Let's kick some ass."
"You're late," a dry voice rang out.
Knowing who it would be, Madeleine raised her eyes from the parquet floor tiles to meet the sarcastic ones of Levi Ryder beside her.
"I was on important business with Professor Hoodham," she said, coolly, and was rewarded by the flash of annoyance that crossed his face.
"You're still late," he snapped, and turned away.
Madeleine caught his arm. "Levi," she said in a low voice.
"What?" he scowled.
"Not today," she answered. "Let's just bury the hatchet, just for today. Just in case."
His lip curled, and for a second, Madeleine was sure he was going to refuse. But he smiled weakly. "Just for today."
"Thank you," she said, letting go of him.
As he walked off, she walked up the stairs to the stage. Ignoring the microphone on the podium, she clapped her hands three times and watched as the entire body of Warriors turned to her.
She felt a rush of pride and affection run through her. Affection for her Warriors - the guys and girls that were risking their lives for her friend. For Macy.
And pride for the fact that they were all prepared. They were all standing there, united... and they were listening to her, Madeleine. Who was she, that she should command them?
She hadn't worked that out yet, but for the time being, the fact that they did listen to her was enough, she supposed.
"Okay guys," she called out, in a clear voice. "This is it."
They all stared back at her, their eyes full of determination and grit... and something else that Madeleine couldn't quite place.
"We're going out soon, and we're going to get her back. That's what the aim is, and that's what we're going to do," she said, looking at each of them. Anna, Jack, Damien, Lily...
"We're ready. We've always been ready. That's why we're Warriors." She was answered by a few brief smiles. "That's why we're here, I guess. So... you all know the plan, and that's basically what we're going to do, but I'll want a few more of you to stay behind in the school defense section.
"Professor Hoodham thinks it's a good idea if a section is led back here at the gates to the school. Some of the enemy camp might decide to sneak off and attack the school while they think we're too busy to defend ourselves. And while we had already planned for that, it might help if we had even just a couple more, because while out attack is good, our defence hasn't been planned quite so well. You'll be helped by another source, also, so anyone who wouldn't mind staying... and it would be good if we had someone to lead them."
Involuntarily she glanced at Levi, the one Warrior that (oddly) she knew she could trust as a leader,, who immediately shook his head, looking at her as if to say "No, I'm not staying behind here, I want to fight."
However, a few people did shuffle over to the defence group.
"Thanks," Madeleine said gratefully. "It's nice to see that you're all prepared..." she glanced over them, seeing that they were all ready to go, armed and ready and waiting. Out of the corner of her eye, she couls see the girl from the principal's office earlier.
She sighed. "Look, I've already given you the pep talk, do I really need to give it again? All I can say is... thank you for doing this. Thanks for wanting to do this. And you can do it. I know you can. All of you. So... go for it. Okay?"
Then, she realised what it was that was in all of their eyes.
Bloodlust.
The thirst for revenge.
She shivered involuntarily, recognising the look from every time she looked in the mirror. Please let this be it, she found herself praying. Please let me get my revenge, so I can rest again. So I don't need to look like that anymore.
She stared back at all of the Orchid Hill Warriors. "We're all in this together. No one sing."
A few people laughed.
"All of us are doing this for Macy. And we all have to look after each other. So... all for one, and one for all."
This is for you, Shaun.
A smile slowly started to spread on her face as she looked out of the door to outside. "Alright then," she said, smiling at them all. "Let's kick some ass."
