The Aberrations of S.I.D.E.

No. 5: First Revenge Heist of the Year!

The first few weeks of junior year were actually a lot less stressful than Virgil had anticipated.

Well, okay, there was the obligatory adjustment to his new schedule, plus the fact that he had Ability Usage at a later time. But the workload wasn't even that heavy, and now that he was (for the most part) with people his age, Virgil had a little more ground than he did the year before---and Julian, who was apparently staying in Toronto for the time being, had offered to help them out if they ever needed it.

Plus, he wasn't starting late. That counted for something.

Sadly, no school year at S.I.D.E. was complete without a professor or student pissing off Janus in some way. And apparently, that was Virgil's problem now.

About three weeks into the school year, he was on his way to Spanish class when Janus intercepted him.

"Virgil!" he sang, throwing an arm around him. "My best and dearest friend! How are you?"

"No," Virgil told him, shrugging him off.

"What?"

"You're gonna try and rope me into one of your schemes. The answer is no."

"Do you really think so little of me, Virgil?" Janus said, pressing a hand to his heart. "Can't I just say hello to one of my favorite people?"

Virgil gave him a look.

"All right, yes, I do need your help," he admitted. "So, they found a new Aberration over the summer---they didn't call me, because it was summer and they didn't want me getting kidnapped again---and he's in freshman year, and he is a complete terror. Like, he makes your boyfriend look like the picture of humility. Won't stop prattling about how he was the star of his football team back home---only because he has superstrength, mind you---and he already has a team of followers."

"Sounds like a world-class jerk," Virgil commented.

"And how."

"So... what did he do to you, exactly?"

"Oh, it's not what he did to me," Janus corrected. "He won't stop bothering Persephone."

Virgil frowned. "What kind of bothering are we talking about here? Being-mean bothering, or flirting-bothering?"

"An unholy combination of both. I think he was raised on that insane idea that girls like it when you make fun of them."

"What's the kid's name?"

Janus gagged. "Dexter. A name reserved for only the most wicked of aresholes."

"He needs to die," Virgil decided.

"Not die," Janus said. "Have his room covered in balloons that are all secretly glitter bombs, yes. Remember, I've got a 'confuse, don't abuse' policy now."

"Well, I don't, and I'm gonna put a couple of shadow monsters in his closet."

Janus considered it. "You know what, that's actually not a bad idea."

"I say we threaten this guy first, though," Virgil added. "If he backs off, we let him be. If he doesn't, we go for the glitter and shadows."

"Tally-ho, then," Janus said, shrugging.

"You are so British."

"It comes from growing up in Britain."

..........

After Spanish class, Janus and Virgil made their way to the Science & Tech building as quickly as possible. Inside, multiple students were streaming out of the classrooms.