Chapter 8 - A Test

"This is terrible!" Cain cried.
"You're telling me," Sonic said, "he basically disgraced the Italian language back there!"
"Not that," he said, "how can Penders just make a decision at the last minute like that?" 
"You're forgetting it's Penders we're talking about," Epiphany reminded him, "he'd change the properties of potions if he had the power."
"I'm just worried that something might happen to them," Cain said.
"I understand. But maybe this might cheer you all up," Epiphany said, in her own attempt to use humor to lighten the tense atmosphere, "I wrote a new funny riddle about Coach Kahn:
What's the difference between an elephant and Coach Kahn? One is big and wrinkly, has a goofy nose, smells terrible, and the other is an elephant."
"That's so true!" Sonic couldn't help but chuckle.
"If only Penders can see that Coach Kahn is as obvious as an elephant in a room," Knuckles said.
"Yes, but we have to think harder to think of a plan," said Cain.
"You don't have to," Amy said, "we've gotten ourselves out of tight spots before."
"But in this case," Knuckles mentioned, "it might be even tighter. They won't take us as seriously here no matter what we do because of our ages."
"He has a point," Tails said.
"Who signed you up for this academy?" Epiphany asked.
"Irrika Vexus," Amy said, "the third richest woman in Queens."
"Then maybe you can call her and ask her to help you sort this out."
They all looked at each other.
"We don't really have a choice," Cream admitted.
"Fine," Tails said, "we'll call her, if just to help us tell  Penders and Coach Kahn that they misunderstood the situation."
"If anything happens," Cain began, grabbing Amy's hand.
She turned around and looked into his eyes.
"Nothing's going to happen to us, so don't worry about it. We'll see you later."
And with that, they all walked out of the dorm to ask Penders if they can phone Irrika.
"Who'd have thought we'd be so helpless in a situation to actually need help from an adult?" Knuckles questioned.
"This must be another bizarre world," Sonic said, "like when we were on Earth."
"I know it's weird," Tails said, "but it's the only thing we can do to prove our innocence and find out what Coach Kahn is really up to."
Tails was the one to knock before the Deputy Headmaster opened his office door.
"I see you managed to go out of your way to speak to me again," Penders said, sounding unimpressed, "that's 25 points subtracted from Dragonthorn."
"Fair enough," Amy said, "we just want to know if we can call Irrika Vexus so you can talk to her about this and maybe she can be the equalizer to this situation."
Penders' eye twitched for a second. 
"Very well, then," he said in a dull tone, "you may phone your guardian."
Tails took out the business card she gave them and picked up the phone and did not pay attention to the stare that he got from Penders.
"Hello?" said when Irrika picked up the phone.
"Yes," Irrika answered, "whom may I ask is calling?"
"It's, Tails" he said, "the deputy Headmaster is accusing us of cheating at a sports event because a new coach called foul play. But what happened was clearly an accident."
"Oh," Irrika said, "that's unfortunate."
"Yes," Tails said, "and we need you to help us clear our names, since we're not the cheating type and we can prove it."
"I may have known you for only a day," Irrika said, "but know that you know that cheating is not cool. I'll be there in a while. Ta-ta," and she hung up.
"Well," Penders said, "you can go ahead and meet the professors on the lawn and by that time, your guardian might be able to make it here. Only then can we decide if you're cheaters that deserve to be expelled."
Sonic, Knuckles, and Amy made annoyed expressions with their backs turned to Penders as they walked out. 
"Yes, sir," Cream said, as to not draw negative attention.
As they made their way downstairs and out of the building out to the lawn, halfway through their trek, we're they surprised. 
"Irrika!" Amy said, surprised.
"You sure got here fast," Sonic said.
"Since I understand how bad this situation is," she answered, " I knew I had to waste no time, and called in a few favors." 
"The test is starting soon," Tails said, "so you should just follow us."
"Actually," Irrika said, "I was thinking that we should have a more private discussion. So you should follow me."
They followed her to the nearby forest, by the pit they had encountered on the first day.
"I'm sure nobody would think to come here," Irrika said.
"Even though they said this forest was off-limits," Cream said.
"Even so," Sonic said, "it doesn't matter what they say is 'off-limits', as long as they won't get in our business."
"I like that attitude," Irrika complimented, "it's very cool."
"No need to tell me," Sonic said.
"Ok," Irrika said, "we'll have to make extra sure nobody is listening. Let's see if anyone is in that pit."
"Nobody in their right mind would think to hide in there," said Amy.
"And it's too dark to see inside," Cream added.
"Let's just listen in, then," Irrika suggested, "you can never tell in a place like this."
They silently agreed and leaned in carefully to listen.
"Maybe a bit deeper," Irrika suggested.
Without warning, she gave a light roundhouse kick and they all fell into the pit.
On their way down, they could hear Irrika laughing wickedly and they were able to make out her saying:
"Lerich is a cool guy! And he taught me to be a great actress!"

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