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Quietly, in the dead of night, long past lights out, there was a knock on Cherri’ and Shulk door. Well, it would be their shared dorm, except Shulk never came home. The last time she’s seen them was the mess with the headmaster.
Still, while Cherri goes to see who it is at her door, she tries not to get her hopes up. It’s probably not Shulk. He’s probably just rooming with that Magic kid. She vaguely remembers something about along those lines.
Standing on the other side is Nuke, awkwardly holding his hat in his hands with a backpack stuffed full of fabric. Nuke, Cherri’s only remaining friend. The one dude who doesn’t hate her in this hellhole of a school.
Cherri silently lets him in and guides him to a small kitchen table. Nothing like home.
“Soo any reason in particular you’re here?” She asks, sitting down at the head of the table. Although the more she looks at his hat, the more rips and stains she sees. Ones that were not there at the tour.
“Kayne kicked me out after I put on my sleepy tunes playlist. Apparently ‘that’s too much noise to sleep through’” he says with heavy sarcasm leaching through his voice. “Ugh, this place is nothing like home.” Nuke continues, covering his face with his hands.
Cherri hums before gently saying, “Last night was the first time I’ve ever left my hometown. We stayed at a hotel to make it to the orientation, and that was the loudest night I’ve ever experienced. The… oh what do you call it? The buzzing thing?” She asks. Oh, it’s on the tip of her tongue. Oh, come one. The humming noise, like a bee curling her head. What’s it called?
“Electricity?” Nuke wonders out loud, head still buried in his arms.
“Yes! That! Oh my gosh, electricity is so, so loud! It’s a wonder anyone is able to sleep with all that buzzing!” Cherri exclaims.
Nuke raises his head to look at Cherri, “Most people are used to it,” He says, yawning. “Most people lived around from the day they were born till the day they died. I sleep better when I can hear my dad sewing. Good odd peace of mind”,
Cherri glanced at the bunk bed before quickly making her mind. Shulk isn't heading back here anytime soon.
“No one is using the bottom bunk. Feel free to take it, dude.” She says, sparing a look at the bunk in question. Not a single sheet out of place.
“Isn’t that Shulk's bed, though? I don’t want to kick him out of her own bed.” He mumbles, already halfway asleep.
Cherri shrugs. “I haven't seen her since…..” she says, trailing off. Since she ratted him out to the rest of the evil kids. Since Shulk stormed off. Since Cherri lost one of the few friends she has in this hell.
“Oh! You haven’t seen her at all?” Nuke asks. Gossip spreads fast, after all, Nuke is willingly putting a target on his back by coming here. Although it can’t be bigger than one on his head.
“Nope” Cherri responded, “Pretty sure I heard something about them knowing Magic? That’s probably where he is.” Who knows, perhaps Shulk managed to talk Headmaster Etho into letting her join the school of good. Perhaps her parents sent a raven demanding them to fix their mistake. Perhaps his parents pulled them from the school completely.
“Yeah, probably” Nuke shrugs before pulling out an odd rectangle block with a wire connected to it. “By any chance, do you know where the outlets are?” he continues.
She just stares at him blankly and shrugs, “No clue man, I think the tv thingie is electric. Try over by that? That's my best bet”.
After Nuke described what exactly an ‘outlet’ is and what it looks like, the two of them set off on an adventure of rearranging furniture and checking every nook and cranny. Yet, the only two outlets were by the tv and an odd box called a microwave.
Nuke then begin to pull in the wire connected to the microwave while Cherri stood by. It's like a train wreak. Unable to stop watching.
“Are you sure you should pull on that wire? What if it explodes or something?” She asks, trying to figure out what she might be able to use as a shield if something does happen.
"Oh, I’m sure It’ll be fine!” Nuke reassures Cherri only to be interrupted by sparks flying from the outlet just barely missing them.
“ Okay then! Let’s try the tv instead! Are ya a big tv watcher?” He asks, making his way over to the tv where hopefully he won’t try to electrocute himself this time. Second times the charm! Or least she thinks that’s the phase.
“Nope, mostly grew up reading. What are you trying to put into this outlet?” Cherri asks, seeing Nuke wrestle with the tv wire. If he starts a fire and burns down the dorms, then at least that's one way to get out of here.
“Oh, it’s my phone! It lets me call my dad whenever!” Nuke explains. Cherri cannot help but be a little hurt by that. Her parents had an option to stay in contact? To communicate without the delay of a raven? Yet they turned it down?
With Nuke’s phone now charging, and a letter drafted to Cherri’s parents, they quite easily fell into a routine, Cherri turning off the candles, Nuke doing the same for the lamps. It is only then, in the dead of the night with does of the in their receptive beds, does Cherri hear someone mumbling.
“Psst, Nuke, did you say something?” Cherri whispers, peering her head over the guard rail.
“Thanks for letting me spend the night.” He whispers back.
“Good night Nuke.”
“Good night Cherri.”
Seconds later, the faint sound of music filled the room.
“Nuke.” Cherri groans, blindly grabbing a pillow and tossing it vaguely in his direction. With the sound of Nuke’s laughter blocking out the sound, she's finally able to sleep and to dream. Hopefully, she’ll wake up and find out it's been a bad dream.