Young Writers Society

"Oh, I'm wonderful!" Carter bounced up and down. "This place is so cool!"

Valeri glanced at him. "Um, kid, we're gonna have to return you to your mother soon. You know that, right?"

Carter giggled. “No I don’t! She probably hasn’t noticed that I’m gone. I’ve been away from her for a lot longer than this.”

Vendetta frowned. “Wait, really?”

Carter nodded. “Uh-huh!”

"Wha--" Valeri was interrupted by Carter rushing to the table.

"Cool! Waffles!" He filled their plate with waffles and fruits, then happily dug into the food.

Before Valeri could talk to Carter again, Josephinzo entered the room. "Greetings, my dear WANNABES!"

“Good morning, The Great Josephinzo,” every single WANNABE said in unison. Well, maybe not worm veil girl. She didn’t seem to say anything ever.

Josephinzo grinned. “Today we have three new members among you.”

Vendetta cleared their throat. “Actual, Carter’s not-“

“And two of them are out prophesied heroes!”

The WANNABES clapped in unison. "Hail, prophesied heroes!"

Valeri cringed. "Um..."

Josephinzo raised his arms and grinned even wider. "Now our heroes shall set forth to investigate the evil Malacoda the Dark Sun! Wish them well on their heroic, fantastic, wonderful, heroic quest."

"You've said heroic like four times now..."

The table trembled as the WANNABES thumped glasses, silverware, whatever they could find and cheered.

“Wait! We’re already going after this guy? We don’t know any of you!” Vendetta cringed at the WANNABE screaming.

Guy stood up, a scowl set on his face. “Wait, Great Josephinzo! I don’t trust these lowlife losers.”

Everyone fell silent at once.

About forty pairs of eyes watched Guy as he stalked over to the as-of-yet-unnamed group and crossed his arms. "I bet these puny people can't even match a tenth of my might."

Valeri frowned. "Oh yeah? Well, who cares? Brains over brawn, you know."

"You calling me stupid?" Guy's frown deepened.

“Well, it would be smarter to be a bit nicer.” Vendetta crossed their arms. “We’ve done nothing to you to deserve this treatment.”

Guy growled. “Oh, really? Well, you’re breathing my air. You’re contaminating it with your punyness!”

Valeri half-snorted, half-coughed.

"And now your laughter is causing more air pollution!"

Valeri looked at the WANNABES, most of whom looked equally skeptical of Guy. She sighed. "Look, come on, we really don't need to fight. We'll just take a look at Malacoda's home like Josephinzo said, then we'll be out of your hair! Forever!"

A new WANNABE stood. This guy looked pretty normal, minus the fact that he was dressed exactly like Josephinzo, down to the way he tied his shoes. “Alright, Guy. If you don’t trust them, then Otto, Wormy, and I will prove that you can trust them.”

All of the new WANNABES gasped. Guy just scowled. “Oh really? How so?”

“The Great Josephinzo tasked us with an important quest. If the V siblings and Carter succeed in helping us, you’ll have to trust them.”

"If you succeed. That's a big if." Guy smirked. "Fine then, José, go on your quest and prove me right. I'll be waiting for word of your humiliation." He sauntered away.

Josephinzo looked up from where he'd been battling his cloak and gave them a strained smile. "Wonderful!" He paused to unwrap a corner of the cloak from his neck. "Go now, and gather intel on the evil Mala-- urfugh!" The cloak wrapped around his mouth like a gag. Josephinzo struggled for a bit, then gave up and made a shooing motion with his hand.

Valeri turned to face José, Otto, and Wormy.

José waved. “Uh, hi! I’m José. Obviously.” He gestured to the person with the wedding veil. “That’s Wormy, and that’s-“ He pointed at the guy wearing pants for a shirt. “-Otto.” He smiled.

Wormy waved.

Otto frowned. “Uoy teem ot ecin!”

"Uhh..." Valeri frowned. "Sorry, I didn't catch that."

"Oot uoy teem ot ecin!" Carter grinned at Otto.

While Valeri was wondering what language Carter and Otto were speaking, Dawn and Dusk floated into the room.

Dawn yawned. "So, what'd we miss?"

Vendetta sighed. “We have a new quest to prove that we’re worth Josephinzo’s time. I mean, I though awakening you was proof enough, but to Guy.”

Dusk hummed. “Which guy?”

Vendetta shook their head. “Not a guy. Just Guy. He’s over there scowling over his steak.”

Guy angrily stabbed his steak, shoveling it into his mouth.

“…who eats steak for breakfast?” asked Dusk.

“Shh, don’t judge.” Dawn hummed.

“Anyways, seems like we’re going on a quest with these new WANNABES…” Valeri gestured skeptically at José, who was fruitlessly waving a copy of Josephinzo’s staff; Otto, who was walking backwards towards them; and Wormy, who was just standing there with her worms.