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Alec looked down at Five's motionless body in shock for about 5 seconds. This was just another scenario that was steadily engraving the fact into his brain that he should NEVER make Seven angry.

Once the moment was done though Alec looked back at Seven, not really sure what to do with the comment she just gave him. "Wait, what? Who said anything about leading you all? I was planning on racing myself. There's no way I'd be able to coordinate all your moves. Besides, you're all computers. I figured you'd be able to handle the logistics fairly well on your own."

(( xD He's not that close to the school guys.... They'll hear it... but it's not like it'll rock the foundation, also, you can blame our fearless leader for the song choice. *points to get rid of all blame*))

(( xD For an exact measurement guys? Let's say it's about a hundred yards (football field length) away from the school))

Loss.

How does one explain away the inevitable?

Shuffling down the hallways, Ace stared at the happy. Ace stared at the carefree. He stared at the joyous. He was losing his grips on reality, his thoughts streaking out of control. No longer was the rational the law, the weight of true loss was pressing down upon him from all angles; a nagging, inescapable feeling that shadowed him like some foul beast stalking its prey. A fan of an American Indie band known as Modest Mouse, the lyrics to one of his favorite songs now openly mocked him as he wallowed in his self-hate.

"Woke up this morning and it seemed to me, that every night turns out to be a little bit more like Bukowski. And yeah, I know he's a pretty good read. But God who'd wanna be? God who'd wanna be such an a*****e? God who'd wanna be? God who'd wanna be such an a*****e?

Well we sat on the edge of the river, the crowd screamed "Sacrifice the liver!" If God takes life, he's an Indian giver. So tell me now why you'll tell me never. Who would wanna be? Who would wanna be such a control freak? Well who would wanna be? Who would wanna be such a control freak?

Well see what you wanna see. You should see it all.
Well take what you want from me. You deserve it all.
Nine times out of ten, our hearts just get dissolved.
Well I want a better place or just a better way to fall.
But one time out of ten, everything is perfect for us all.
Well I want a better place or just a better way to fall.

Here we go!
If God controls the land and disease, and keeps a watchful eye on me, if he's really so damn mighty, well my problem is that I can't see, well who'd wanna be? Who'd wanna be such a control freak? Well who would wanna be? Who would wanna be such a control freak?

Evil home stereo, what good songs do you know?
Evil me, oh yeah I know, what good curves can you throw?
Well all that icing and all that cake, I can't make it to your wedding, but I'm sure I'm gonna be at your wake. You were talk, talk, talk, talkin' in circles that day, when you get to the point make sure that I'm still awake, OK?

Went to bed and didn't see why every day turns out to be a little bit more like Bukowski. And yeah, I know he's a pretty good read. But God who'd wanna be? God who'd wanna be such an a*****e?"

His parents were dead. Car crash. A call came in the early hours of the morning. The irony was blatant; there had been estimates that he would never die, and yet his parents lives were ended by something so trivial and worthless as a young man falling asleep behind the wheel.

He collapsed, right there in his tracks, and within time he was hauled off to the clinic.

"Hello Lin," Professor Akakios replied, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned. "I accept your apology. You don’t have to be so embarrassed in front of me.” He looked down at his desk, also wondering where the sapphire might have gone to. They weren’t impossible to get, for someone of his status, but it was still difficult.

“If you remember what it looked like, perhaps you can use a summoning spell to find it?” He looked back up at her and smiled. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t angry about Lin going through his private storage, but it was on him, if a student was able to get in. And, it was Lin Yin – the most trustworthy and responsible student Ophi knew.

A loud noise started, and Ophiuchus jumped, startled. After a moment, he recognized it as music, but he was not familiar with the song at all. He didn’t really like it that much, either.

“Someone,” the professor said tersely, “Is playing music. Loudly. Not that loudly, but loud enough.” He paused, and clapped his hands together. “You need to find that sapphire and finish that potion first, if you were thinking of going to see who was singing. I don’t recognize the voice, but then again, I can’t really make it out very well.”

“PROFESSOR!” An older student barged through the doors of the clinic. Ophiuchus whirled around, his eyes narrowed. The student was thrown for a moment, but shook it off – he was carrying (more like dragging) another boy, one who was unconscious, and looked rather miserable.

“Let’s get him on a cot,” Ophiuchus said, his tone commanding, but not harsh. “And you,” he said to the student, “Go back to class. Thank you for bringing him to me, I’ll take care of things from here.”

Somehow, Ophiuchus got the feeling that it would be business as usual – that is, at least for Mystic Fountain High School, dramatic, unplanned, and probably meant more all-nighters in order to finish lesson plans and grade papers.

"Lin, you probably want to help, don't you?" he asked his best student. "Finish that potion frist."

Lin had covered her ears when the music started. To her sensitive ears, it sounded very loud and very close, even if it wasn't. She did hear her professor, though. Once the shock of the loud music wore off, she could focus her hearing on her professor, the music fading to background music. When this happened, she slowly removed her hands from her ears and sighed softly.

She was about to answer her professor about the color of the sapphire and try the spell Professor Akakios suggested. She couldn't believe she hadn't thought of that herself. Before Lin could do this, however, the clinic's doors burst open and a student was dragging another student behind him. Lin gasped and started to run toward him to help, but Ophiuchus quickly told her to finish the potion.

Even though she knew better, especially after just being caught of going through Professor Akakios' ingredients, Lin had to protest. "Professor Akakios, I can help! I am not suggesting that you need help, but it might go faster if you did. At least let me observe you, please?"

Her bright eyes were gazing upon her professor with hope.

"Elimination," Seven mused to herself, absolutely unconcerned with the music. She was still focused on the race, on whatever it took to free Master Ialo. The sooner he was back here, the safer the school, the students, and the Fountain would be.

She offered a hand to her brother, and help him up, only politely smiling as he growled and muttered, detailing his plans for petty revenge.

"Come on, we have work to do," she said to Five. He couldn't disagree with that.

Quietly, they both left, leaving Alec at the concert. Seven liked him, but not enough to be distracted from her mission...

Alec was too enthralled by the music to notice that Seven and Five had managed to sneak away without him knowing. They were surprisingly quiet for computers. Alec would later think back on that and surmise that they must use satellite hookups rather than phone lines.

But that was neither here nor there, as Alec was getting an idea. He needed to make an announcement about the race, and he doubted that Silas was going to do anything about it. Why would he advertise something like that to the competition after all? He'd have nothing to gain. So it was up to Alec to make the announcement. And honestly? Most of the better racers and gear heads would probably be at a concert like this anyway.

So with that, Alec waited for the song to wind down to a close. As soon as the last notes had sailed their course, Alec poofed onto the stage in a small column of flame. He looked back at the band members and nodded his head respectively. "Sorry guys, but I'm jacking your stage. I'll only be a minute." Alec then turned around and took the mic from one of the stands and began to talk into it. The mic was loud enough that most of the school would be able to hear him even if they WEREN'T at the concert.

Alec loved loud music sometimes.

"Hey! How ya'll doing?" Alec got a couple of cheers, a couple of boos, and even a few 'Ow ow!'s from the crowd. Alec smiled at this. "Alright! Glad to see you guys are enjoying the show!"Alec cleared his throat a bit before he continued. "So anyway, I hate to cut into the mood, but I have an announcement." More boo's this time. Alec put up his hand apologetically. "I know, I know. Bear with me. I'll only be a minute." Alec began to pace back and forth across the stage as he set the stage for what he had to say. "So, who here has had the pleasure of meeting our old headmaster Ialo Enlil?" Alec heard a few cheers and a couple of boos, but mostly cheers.

This was good, it made Alec feel like he was fighting for a lost cause to hear the support verbally from so many students. "Good! And who's had the DISpleasure of meeting our new headmaster Silas Lyme?" Nearly half the crowd erupted into a wild mob, throwing bottles and other such debris in the general direction of the school and Silas' office (incidentally). Alec smiled widely at this, glad for once that Silas' natural ability to piss people off had a positive outcome. "And who here wants Ialo back so he can kick this loser to the curb?" Nearly the entire crowd erupted into applause at this idea. Alec laughed at the enthusiasm of the youth in front of him. "GOOD! Then I've got some exciting news!"

"It's recently come about that the school and Silas have reached an agreement. We have officially challenged Silas and his 'team' to a drag race! We don't know a lot of details yet, but any student at the school is welcome to enter into the race for the schools team! I highly encourage you to consider it if you have the skills to handle a car at high speeds. The more people we have on our team the better chance we have of winning. The first team across the finish line wins. And if we win, Silas steps down as headmaster and brings Ialo back!" The crowd cheered at this, glad to have Silas gone for good. Not exactly to have Ialo back, but ANYONE was better than Silas. Alec's tone got a bit more serious as he continued. "BUT! If we LOSE, Silas is gonna tear down the school!" The entire crowd booed at this, some of them sharpening weapons and others prepping spells and other powers, as if ready for a fight. Alec was glad of this, he needed enthusiasm if they were ever going to hope to win the race. "Good! I'm glad that none of you want to see that. Now! If any of you want to participate I suggest you practice your skills, draw up some designs, and be ready at any time. I'll be sure to keep you guys updated on specifics as I get them. And PLEASE! Don't try to sabotage Silas. We're not going to sink to his level on this." There were a few growls of discontent at this last statement, but for the most part the crowd was ready and willing to fight for their school. Alec smiled one last time, put the mic back, and turned back to the band performers. "Alright guys, play on. And get these guys pumped! We'll need it."

And with that Alec poofed away just as he had before, this time landing in his room up in the tower dormitories. Alec walked over to his bed and sat down with a soft thump. He held his head in his hands once again, but this time he wasn't upset. Alec's smile from before had stayed on his face. He was ready and willing to fight for the school, and for Ialo's freedom. And with the support he saw at the concert, he was beginning to think that they could win.