Reversal (School For Good And Evil)

Bad Decisions

Agatha's POV:
After Agatha left Sophie in the Good castle, she was determined to get to work. To discover something, no matter how small, about their situation - perhaps these discoveries would help to quench her seemingly never-ending barrage of questions. Who was the Schoolmaster really? Why did Sophie not remember their night in the tower? How were they going to escape from the school? But as Agatha was pondering these questions, she couldn't help but notice a heavy, sinking feeling developing in her stomach. Sophie did not know how easily Agatha saw through her facades. Did not know that Agatha could sense the fake worry, the imitated curiosity, could see through all the shiny plastic layers, as easily as if they were glass, to the real Sophie below. The Sophie that wanted to stay. Agatha had seen it in her eyes as the other girl had suggested they investigate further, a ploy to distract. To deceive. Agatha had observed Sophie's eyes as they lit with the tell-tale sparkle of victory, when Agatha had agreed. But even if Sophie did not care about what had happened, Agatha still did. She would get to the bottom of everything, and by that time Sophie would have to see the truth - there was no school, boy, or kingdom, that could triumph the love and connection between them. It was too strong - and undying bond. And Agatha determined that it would stay that way.

Forever.

Sophie's POV:
Sophie strutted down the corridor, proud at having fooled Agatha into believing that she wanted to stay at the school to investigate. To investigate! As if she, Sophie, the third Ever in the rankings, before Tedros and Beatrix (which was no doubt going to change as soon as Sophie stopped tromping around in towers and around schools at night, when she should be getting her beauty sleep) would want to leave! Everything was perfect here - the people, (excluding spiteful Beatrix) the lessons, indeed the whole school in general.
Sophie felt as if it had been designed with her in mind - even the duvets were exactly to her liking, soft, but not too heavy - if they were she'd sweat in her sleep and wait up looking like a particularly bedraggled hobgoblin. So no, she would not be leaving unless it was in a carriage, with Tedros on her arm and a Kingdom to go to. Which reminded her - she was going to be late once again to Beautification with Professor Anemone. She really needed to get a watch, although it wasn't her fault that they were extremely unfashionable as of late.
"Sophie, you are three minutes late," Beatrix crooned upon her arrival, and Sophie had to fight the urge not to scoff - it was only three minutes after all.
"So sorry I offended you Beatrix," Sophie cooed, in return, her voice dripping with the false honey of passive-aggressiveness.
"I clearly had better things to do,"
Unfortunately for Sophie, Professor Anemone overheard their exchange, and chided Sophie - "Nothing is more important than looking your best, dear Sophie, for if you are ugly," she paused to shiver a little, which Sophie thought was slightly over the top, "Then which prince will choose you?"
This only served as a reminder for the Evers - the Snow Ball was mere months away, and they all needed to secure a prince in order not to fail.
If Agatha was here she would hate this, Sophie thought, brushing away the dangerous thoughts filling her head.
They shouldn't need a boy to succeed. It was ridiculous, outdated and she ought to give the Schoolmaster a piece of her - wait a second - the Schoolmaster. Right before Agatha had left, she had made Sophie promise that she would try her best to find at least a bit of information regarding him, but Sophie had been so engrossed in life as an Ever, that she had completely forgotten about it! Sophie felt panic rising inside of her - what if Agatha saw through her and discovered her true motives for staying? If she didn't help at all then surely it would be obvious - even to Agatha! (For Sophie thought herself intellectually superior to all of her peers - Agatha included). She would just have to find something then, and quick , because they had planned to meet on the next full moon, at the bridge between the schools. That was now only two days away.
Sophie would just have to improvise...

Agatha's POV:
Uglification was by far Agatha's favourite lesson. Taught by Professor Manley, it helped her to relax, to unwind after a usually stressful day. In Uglification, Agatha felt that she could be herself. She didn't have to hide anything, mask her imperfections, she could just be. So that was why she was made even more annoyed when Hort failed, for the third time, to make their elixir correctly. She and Professor Manley were on relatively good terms, and she didn't want to ruin their positive relationship through Hort's stupidity.
"No, you're not listening to me," she said, exasperated. "The hag's toenail goes in after the frog's wart!"
"Sorry," he mumbled in response. "It's just hard to concentrate with you being so bossy all of the time!
"I wouldn't have to be if you could actually get this right!"
Agatha disliked arguing, however Hort's infuriating temperament made it impossible not to. They bickered and shouted, voices rising until they reached such volumes that Professor Manley turned towards them.
"Hort, Agatha, what is the matter with you two! You are being completely irresponsib-"
At that moment, Hort stumbled back, crashing into the table and spilling a dark purple solution into their already spoiled concoction,
"What have you done?" Professor Manley's face paled. "Everyone, get back! Agatha, Hort, move away! Quickly, QUICKLY!"
But there wasn't enough time. The mixture started to bubble over its delicate glass vial, spitting and hissing, until it changed colour entirely, from a murky green, to a deep, fathomless black.
"It's too late," Agatha whispered, knowledgeable of the consequences of such a mistake - she was a star student, after all.
Following her timely prediction, the potion exploded, coating them all in a lukewarm, gooey liquid that promptly started to steam on their skin. Students began to scream and black spots covered Agatha's vision.
One by one, her senses failed her.
First she couldn't see.
Couldn't hear.
Couldn't taste the iron in her mouth from her tongue, surely bitten to shreds.
Couldn't feel the ground as she collapsed onto it, limbs weak, rubbery and useless.
Couldn't smell the repugnant liquid stuck to her arms, her face.
She was senseless. Helpless. Hopeless.

And alone.