AN: Once again, this is a crossover story using my WRPG characters and Kate's WRPG characters. Thanks go out again to Kate for letting me use her characters for my story! E-mail all comments to FrankMayn@comcast.net
Frank's group left the lobby of the school and turned right in the hallway. He lead his friends upstairs to the second floor, and to room 2-4, which was his homeroom and where his locker was, along with Ellen's and the rest of his classmates.
"Hmm... not bad, Frank..." Janet said as she looked around. From what she could tell, the classrooms we're big... that and the fact that the cafeteria took up the entire southern wing of the second floor...
"I've never seen the cafeteria at your school, Frank... last time I was here... it was locked up tight." Kate said as she rounded the corner.
"Oh?" Yuki asked the curious Woren. "Kate, when was the last time you were here? None of us remember you or Frank coming through here recently."
Tellka spoke up. "A dungeon in the form of this place... We had to go through it to find a relic."
Yuki just nodded. Frank then stopped in front of a set of lockers.
"That one's yours, isn't it, Frank?" Kate said as she pointed toward a locker.
"Yeah. Ellen's is right below mine." Frank said as he opened his locker. What surprised him is that the poster that he took down the last time he was in St. Hermelin was still there. He shrugged, and took it, along with the obligatory Twinkie. After securing the poster in his pack. He reached into his locker and pulled out a leather jacket with a design on the back.
Janet blinked after seeing the design. On the back of Frank's jacket was an angel, holding something. Above it in intricate writing were the words "Made in Heaven."
"Nice design... I see you have some taste after all..." Janet commented dryly.
"Gee, thanks. This was a present given to me from mom and dad..." Frank said before shaking his head. He then continued. "I saw the design in a video game, then in real life. So I asked, and I got it. It's an angel dropping a bomb." Frank explained.
Janet continued to stare at the image on the back of Frank's bomber jacket, even after he slipped it on.
Yuki opened Ellen's locker, since it wasn't locked. She pulled a jacket out, which had a valkyrie on the back holding a spear and surrounded by flames. Above the image, the words "Let Me Live" were painted.
"Nice..." Yuki said as she opened her locker.
"Yuki? Think Alex would mind if we borrowed his letter jacket?" Frank said.
"I doubt it. Go on, he always leaves his locker open." Yuki said as she pulled a dark green coat from her locker.
Frank was about to open the locker, when...
"Mr. MAYNARD! Just what the hell do you think you're doing???"
"Aw crud... It's Dean!" Frank said quietly.
"Who?" Janet asked.
"Dean Harding..." Yuki simply replied.
Dean Harding: Dean of administrations at St. Hermelin High. He hates students with a passion. He was nicknamed "Dean Vader" by the student body of St. Hermelin.
The group turned to see a balding old man with a nervous twitch stalking toward them. Upon further inspection, they could tell that he was wearing a well worn green suit with a matching tie.
"Dean..." Frank said, but was cut off.
"Shut up, Maynard! Where the hell did you and your damn friends go? You know, we're responsible for your damn asses!" Dean Harding screamed into Frank's face.
Janet looked at Dean. "Oh lay off! He just came up to get his jacket-"
Dean turned and glared at Janet. "Where the hell do you get off talking like that? You don't even attend this school!" Dean squinted at the emblem on Janet's uniform. "Windia High? What the hell kind of school is that, having students as ignorant as you!"
Janet was about to say something, when a hand from Kate stopped her. Frank looked, and saw that Dean was scaring her.
"Dean... please... you're scaring..." Suddenly, a hand grabbed Frank by his uniform jacket and slammed him into the lockers with a metallic clang.
"Hey! He didn't do anything!" Yuki said.
Dean turned to Yuki. "Ms. Kauro, I suggest that you shut your mouth before I give you a one way ticket to detention!"
Frank struggled against the lockers, as Dean turned to glare at him. "Listen, you little slacker..." Dean growled at him.
"Put him down NOW!" Tellka yelled at Dean. Dean turned to look at Tellka, who by now had a fierce look on her face and had a battle staff drawn.
"What the hell are you supposed to be anyway? Where's your scratching post, kitty?" Dean said with a smirk.
Tellka growled. "Oh that is it..." She muttered. She was about to leap at Dean, when Kate stopped her.
"Tellka... please..." Kate said softly.
"Kate... he's scaring you, and on the verge of hurting Frank! And you're telling me to stay calm??? I just want to wipe that smirk off of his face."
"Tellka... just calm down... Please. I don't want a scene here..." Tellka continued to stare and Kate, and then just simply nodded.
"It's students like you that I really hate..." Dean said to Frank.
Frank continued to struggle. "What'd I do?"
Dean spat at Frank. "That's MR. HARDING TO YOU!!!" Dean yelled in his right ear.
Dean would have continued on his tirade, when another voice stopped him.
"Mr. Harding! That is ENOUGH!" A stern, female voice yelled. The rest of Frank's group turned to see a woman in a business suit, with a serious look on her face. The woman slowly pushed her glasses up,
"Thank God... Dr. Kotter..." Yuki said to the rest of the group.
Dr. Kotter: Principal at St. Hermelin High School. She loves flowers and is always concerned about the well being of her students. She was responsible for the plants in the courtyard.
Dean abruptly let Frank go and stalked off.
"Frank? Are you okay?" Kate said as she rushed up to him.
"Jeez... Dean was never that bad before... What's up with him?" Frank said as he smoothed out his uniform.
Dr. Kotter sighed. "Frank... he's just upset that all this phenomenon has occurred... But still..." Dr. Kotter looked at Frank with a look of concern on her face. "Are you ok? He didn't hurt you, did he?"
"I'm fine, ma'am. Thank you for asking." Frank said with a smile.
Yuki spoke up. "We need to get these jackets, ma'am. What with the snow storm and all... we've got to go out and find something to stop it."
Dr. Kotter nodded. After witnessing her school turned upside down, she knew that these students... the ones with special powers... could help out. After all, she was told by someone named Philemon about her students... And where Frank, Ellen, and Nate went. She decided not to ask them about their new home.
"All right. Frank, Yuki, you two had better be careful... If you get hurt..." Dr. Kotter said quietly.
"We'll be fine, ma'am..." Yuki said with a smile.
"I shouldn't be worrying... I mean, you two have that power that Alana, Tad and Tammy have." Dr. Kotter replied, while smiling at Yuki and Frank.
Frank looked at his group. Frank heard a purring noise from Kate, which obviously meant that she liked his principal. Tellka just kept staring at the direction that Dean went, and Janet was looking at Dr. Kotter suspiciously. After seeing what Dean Harding was like, she had her doubts about some of the faculty at St. Hermelin High.
"Frank..." Dr. Kotter said quietly.
"Yes ma'am?" Frank replied.
"When this is all over, please promise me that you and Ellen will come and say good bye to us. We'll miss you both, and... I'm sorry about your parents..." She said quietly.
Frank's eyes went wide. "What? How... how did..."
"When the school iced over, a God named Philemon told me about you, Ellen, and Nate. I am sorry... You didn't need to see anything like that..." She said as she gave her student a hug.
"Thank you... thank you Dr. Kotter. I promise Ellen and I will come back..." Frank said as he returned the hug.
Dr. Kotter separated from her student. "And to think... you, Ellen, or Nate won't be here next year... Dean's becoming the principal at Seven Sisters High in Sumaru City... this is his last year here."
"Really? I didn't know..." Frank said
Dr. Kotter nodded at the group. "As for the rest of you, please keep an eye on Frank and Yuki. All right? Now I've got to finish checking up on my students... If you need my help later, I'll be in my office."
The group of students nodded, and went back to collecting gear for their trek outside.
While Frank's group was busy upstairs, Ellen and Alex entered the infirmary.
Upon entering, they were greeted by an oriental looking teenager, holding a rapier.
"Stay back! You're not getting in here!" The teenager said as he pushed his glasses back up.
A girl with short reddish-brown hair rolled her eyes. "Honestly Tad... You're too jumpy..."
Tad turned to the girl. "Shut up Tammy! Like you know what you're talking about!"
Tad Williams: Former number one seed of the St. Hermelin Fencing team, as well as a Persona user. He lost his rank to Tammy when she transferred to St. Hermelin. His dad owns the pharmacy in Sun Mall.
Tammy Jackson: A Persona user, as well as a Devil Summoner. She gained this ability when a similar incident struck her old hometown. However, she needs a computer to do this. She's the top seed in St. Hermelin's fencing team.
Tammy shot a glance at Tad. "It's not a demon. It's Ellen... and someone from the world that she was sent to."
Tad took a good long look before sheathing his rapier. "Ellen! Long time! How've you been?"
Ellen smiled at her friends. "Tad, I've been fine... I'd like for you to meet my boyfriend... Alex Brandshire."
At the mention of the word boyfriend, Tad shrank back, leaving Tammy laughing. Tad once had a crush on Ellen, but that changed when Tammy moved to Lunarvale.
"Please excuse Tad's shyness, Alex. You're Woren, right? Philemon told us about the world where Ellen and Frank were sent to..." Tammy said with a smile.
Alex's tail waved. "You seem to know a lot, Tammy... you're like Ellie?"
Tammy grinned. "Let's just say that I pay attention when Philemon speaks to us, I listen... Especially since the last incident where I became a Devil Summoner..."
Alex's ear twitched in confusion. "Devil Summoner? What?"
Ellen giggled. "She's got the power to summon demons to help her. Of course, since she's not evil... they help her out in a good way."
Tammy spoke up. "In order to do so, I need my laptop computer... I left that at home, outside of the Plasma Barrier..."
Tad cleared his throat. "So that's probably why Philemon gave her the power of Persona..."
Ellen was about to reply, when the door of the infirmary burst open, revealing an angry looking Dean Harding standing in the doorway.
"Oh no... It's Dean..." Ellen said quietly.
Alex looked at his girlfriend. "He's a teacher... how bad..."
Alex never finished. Dean stalked over to Ellen and began yelling.
"Ms. JOHNSON! Where the hell did you and your damn loser friends go?!" Ellen was about to reply, when Dean began yelling again. "I want answers, Ms. Johnson! And I want them NOW!"
"Dean..." Tad started.
Dean Harding turned to Tad. "Mr. Willams! I am not talking to you! The next time you interrupt me, so help you God, you'll be suspended for an entire week!"
"Dean Harding... Tad just meant..." Tammy started, before Dean began to yell at her.
"SHUT THE HELL UP, MS. JACKSON! I don't believe that I was talking to you!" Dean screamed into her face.
Dean turned to Ellen. "One last time, Ms. Johnson... or you'll wind up in in-house!"
Ellen was going to say something, when Alex spoke up.
"Hey! You're a teacher! You've got no right to insult your students like that!" Alex growled at Dean Harding.
Dean whirled around and came face to face with an angry looking Alex, who at that point had his ears laying back.
"What the hell is it with you damn furballs anyway? First, the ones with that slacker student upstairs, and now this one?" Dean growled at him. "Windia High? You're just as ignorant as that girl I met upstairs!"
Alex wanted to say something back to Dean Harding, but seeing as he was a student, and he respected any type of authority, he decided to hold back his retort.
"What's the matter, furball? Cat got your tongue?" Dean said with a smirk before turning back to Ellen.
"Last chance, Ms. Johnson! You'd better speak up, or else..." Dean was once again interrupted by the sound of a door opening. In the doorway was an angry Dr. Kotter, and a woman with long red hair who was wearing a doctor's coat.
"Nurse Beverly! Dr. Kotter!" Tad said.
Nurse Beverly: Head of the infirmary at St. Hermelin. Like Ms. Smith and Dr. Kotter, she too cares about her students. Cooking is not one of her specialties, however...
"Dean Harding! We are supposed to be checking on the students! Not harassing them!" Dr. Kotter said as she patiently tapped her foot.
"Honestly, Dean... you need to lighten up!" Nurse Beverly said as she folded her arms.
Dean just glared at the two women, then pushed his way out of the infirmary.
Dr. Kotter approached Ellen. "I'm sorry Ellen... he did the same thing to Frank upstairs..."
"Dr. Kotter... he's never been this bad before..." Ellen said quietly.
Nurse Beverly spoke up. "He's got a lot on his mind, Ellen. He's transferring to a new school after this year... He's going to become principal at Seven Sisters High in Sumaru City..."
"Really?" Tad said from where he was sitting.
Dr. Kotter looked at Tad. "He is, and frankly, after seeing the way he treats students... I worry about the kids at Seven Sisters..."
Tammy spoke up. "Hopefully, he'll lighten up..."
Dr. Kotter approached Ellen. "Ellen... I know about everything that's happened to you, Frank, and Nate... When this is over... please come back to the school and at least say good-bye..."
Ellen smiled. "I will, Dr. Kotter... I promise..."
Nurse Beverly approached Alex. "And you... take care of Ellen... she seems to be special to you... um..."
Alex chuckled lightly. "Alex Brandshire, ma'am. And I will take care of her... She means the world to me."
Nurse Beverly smiled. "All right you two... why don't you go and meet your friends? I'm sure you can help save our town..."
Alex and Ellen nodded before leaving the infirmary.
Meanwhile, Brad, Diane, and Neko-Chan were exploring the gym and it's rooms. Diane tried to drag Brad and Neko-Chan into the fencing room, but it was closed since most of the equipment was rented out. Brad sighed in relief, since he remembered Tad's taste in posters... Tad had posters of bikini-clad women all over the place. Diane did go to the archery room, and was looking around. The lone student in there was confused, until Brad entered.
"Brad..." The shy girl with short, purple dyed hair said quietly.
"Hey T.J. They're with me... don't worry about it..."
T.J. Brians: A shy and quiet girl who is Mary's best friend. T.J.'s family is poor, so she works part time to help make ends meet. Unlike Frank and Ellen, she is not a Persona user, but does know about the powers of the students.
"Um... Brad... are they... from that world... Yuki told me about?"
Brad turned to T.J. "Yeah, T.J. Diane is, anyhow... and Neko-Chan here is a Nekomata demoness that Frank saved outside... don't worry... she's on our side..."
T.J. nodded and began to watch the two newcomers.
"Wow... th' bows are even diff'rent! What are they made of???" Diane said as she examined a composite bow.
Neko-Chan was transfixed on the arrows in a rack, since they we're shining.
Diane glanced over, then began to chuckle. As she looked around the room, she noticed arrows stuck into the wall. When she saw the sign, she began to laugh.
"No practice in the room? I guess th' students here have no where else t' go..." Diane said as she pulled an arrow from the wall and looked at it.
"Meow... shiny... Meow... Meow..." Neko-Chan said in a sort of chant.
Brad chuckled, and was going to say something when the door slammed open, showing an angry Dean Harding glaring at the students and the demoness.
"Aw crud... not Dean..." Brad said quietly.
Dean Harding stomped over to Brad. "Mr. Terranama! Do you have anything important to say, or is that damn mouth of yours again just flapping???" Dean ended his sentence by poking Brad in the chest hard.
"Dean..." Brad started.
Like with Frank before, Dean slammed Brad into the lockers. "You shut the hell up, Mr. Terranama, unless you've got something important to say!"
"Hey! Lay offa him! He was jes gunna answer yer question!" Diane shouted at Dean.
Dean let go of Brad and stomped over to Diane. "You've got no respect, you mangy little furball... Let me guess... Windia High? You damn kids have no respect for those older than you..."
Diane's ears started to lay back. "I normally do, but people like ya... who tend to abuse their power..."
Dean glared at Diane, then pushed her into a set of lockers. "You know... you're not a student here... So you've got no right to speak to me with that damned mouth of yours!" Dean yelled right into one of Diane's sensitive ears.
"Dean Harding! That's enough!" Dr. Kotter's voice rang out.
"Dean, calm down..." A calm, male voice said.
"Mr. LeVert... Dr. Kotter..." T.J. said quietly.
Mr. LeVert: One of Frank's teachers at St. Hermelin. Oddly enough, he taught at Frank's old school and transferred when Frank did. He teaches Religion and the History of Cathedrals.
Dean took a look at the teacher and the principal. "I swear... you're too soft on the students, you know that? When I get to Seven Sisters next year..." Dean Harding then stormed out of the room.
"Brad... are you and your friend all right?" Mr. Levert said as he approached both of them.
"We're fine, Mr. LeVert... Wait... did he say Seven Sisters?" Brad said as he dusted himself off.
Dr. Kotter nodded. "I guess the truth is out... he's transferring to Seven Sisters High in Sumaru City."
Diane shook her head. "If he hates th' students here... then when he get to where he's goin'..."
Mr. LeVert looked at Diane. "You're right, young lady... I'm worried about the students there..."
Dr. Kotter looked at Neko-Chan. "Hey... you're one of those demons that prowled around here... but your type didn't attack anyone..."
Neko-Chan purred. "I don't like to fight, unless I have to, meow... I'd rather try and talk things out... Frank saved me out there, so I'm helping him and trying to avenge my friends, meow."
"Frank... always caring... He was like that back at the school I used to teach at." Mr. LeVert said quietly.
Dr. Kotter nodded. "All right you three... Frank's waiting at the walkway entrance... We passed him on our way here."
"Thanks, Dr. Kotter! Diane! Neko-Chan! C'mon!" Brad said.
Diane ran after Brad after she scooped up a bow and some arrows. Neko-Chan, of course, followed both of them purring.
Brad's group met the others in the walkway.
"Bad news..." Frank said as Brad entered. "We can't leave through the front. Dean's guarding it, snapping at any student who passes by."
Tellka growled. "Frank... this teacher of yours..."
Janet finished up. "Is a major pain in the ass! How in Ladon's name did he manage to get a job here?"
Frank shrugged. It was then that Dr. Kotter and Mr. LeVert entered the walkway.
"We heard..." Dr. Kotter said.
"There's a hole in the wall that leads to the outside, Frank. Move that dumpster, and you and your friends can get out." Mr. LeVert explain.
Frank nodded, and he and Alex proceeded to move the dumpster. Luckily, the snow outside wasn't too deep.
"Promise me that you'll come back when it's over." Dr. Kotter said quietly.
"Ma'am, we will. I promise." Frank said.
"All right. Now be careful out there." Mr. LeVert replied.
Frank smiled, then lead his group outside.