Editing HS40K (section)

==Chapter Two==

"Hey, Macha," said Scout, not looking up from the spreadsheet on the computer screen, "We're not gonna have enough for punch."

"Yes we will. That's why we do this planning in advance. We'll work something out...a fundraiser or something." Macha was chewing on a strand of her long red hair as she leaned over Scout's shoulder to peer disapprovingly at the uncooperative numbers.

Scout sighed. "Macha, there's not nearly enough time before prom for a fundraiser. Why the hell did you blow the entire budget booking Doomrider and the Emperor's Children?"

She folded her arms and looked down her nose at him. "If you have a problem with the committee decision-making process, you shouldn't be in Student Government."

Scout spun around in his chair to face her. "I'm only in it because I need the extracurricular. What's your excuse?"

"If you aren't going to take it seriously, then..."

Scout gave her a tired smile. "Oh, come on, Macha. You don't like sitting through those meetings any more than I do."

She frowned. "Nonsense. I chair every meeting, I...um."

"Heh...yeah, and after the first ten minutes you start sounding like my friend Lolcron. You're bored to tears. Aw, Empra, Vice Principle Eldrad makes you do it, doesn't he?"

"Well, uh, yes, my father is of the opinion that Student Government builds character, and I agree."

Scout slumped in his chair. "Sure you do. So because of him, you wind up head of the prom planning committee, and I wind up staying after school helping you figure out how many plastic cups we can buy if we get off-brand cola."

Macha bristled. "It's not like I forced you into it, stupid. But you can't quit now, you made a commitment! Don't you care about prom?"

"Honestly? Not particularly. I wasn't planning on going." He spun the chair again, and stared out the door at the people walking by in the hallway. He caught a glimpse of ripped black fabric and tattoos.

"Whaaat?" Macha was fuming now, her face going almost as red as the stripes on her cheek. "But you said..."

"Look, can we finish this tomorrow?" Scout grabbed his bag and headed for the door. "Sorry, I really gotta go."

"Scout! You're being really immature! You can't..." He didn't catch the rest of her harangue as he shut the door behind him and hurried down the hall. He skidded around the corner, and saw his target, strolling along and chatting with the weird one-horned girl with the BO problem.

"Cultist-chan! Hey! Cultist-chan!"

The two girls turned and looked up in surprise as Scout jogged up to them. He stopped, panting, and realized he hadn't thought this far ahead. "Uh...hi," he muttered.

There were several seconds of silence. Then the horned girl grinned widely. "Ohhhhhhh, Cultist, is this the guy? He's cuuute!"

Scout froze. Cultist-chan froze. The horned girl looked confused for a moment.

Then she looked uncomfortable.

Then she belched. It was a hearty, solid belch, lasting about three seconds and echoing up and down the hallway. A foul stench washed over them, curling the edges of the posters stuck to the walls.

Cultist-chan broke into a snaggle-toothed grin and started cackling wildly. "Plaguebearer-chaaaan! Thaat one had thee power of thee daark gods!"

The daemon girl watched her for a moment, then began to snort with laughter. Scout bit his lip, but couldn't stop a snicker.

Cultist-chan was still giggling. Scout thought back to his training, his indoctrination. He must have courage, lest he disgrace the name of the Adeptus Astartes. "So, um, Cultist-chan, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Cultist-chan wiped a tear from her eye. "Eef that ees your weeesh..."

Plaguebearer slapped her friend on the back and attempted a wink; difficult, because she only had one eye. "I'll see you later, girl!" She laughed, and walked away down the hall, leaving the two alone.

Scout coughed. "So...uh. What are you doing here so late?"

"Hwee await transportaayshunn."

"Um...your ride's pretty late, huh?"

"Daddy Abaddon lost hees liscense. Hee's been uneemployed seence thee last crusade, hand hee dreenks... Hwee must wait for Uncle Kharn to geef us ay ryyde."

Scout stammered. "Oh, Emperor, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...wait, Coach Kharn's your uncle?"

She stared at her shoes. "Eeet ees soo. Hwee awaait thee end of practeeece."

"Oh, I gotcha. Um. My brother's on the team. You wanna walk over to the field and see them?"

She smiled at him, teeth crooked and filed. "Whatever hyoo desire."

They walked together, sneaking glances at each other, through the halls and out into the warmth of the late afternoon sunlight. Soon as they approached the field, they could hear the raucous cries and vicious crunches of Bloodbowl practice.

Scout paused, thinking of his brother. Huge, handsome, perfectly muscled, resplendent in his gleaming blue power armor. And a total asshole. The last person Scout wanted to see right then.

Cultist-Chan walked a step further, then turned to look at Scout. "Hwaaat ees wrong?"

Scout swallowed. It was now or never. For the Primarch. For the honor of the Adeptus Astartes. For the Emperor Himself. If he was ever going to purge a heretic, he had to speak now. He closed his eyes, for a moment, and with a supreme effort of will ripped the words out of his throat and into existence.

"Um...you wanna go see a movie tomorrow?"

She flushed and grinned, shuffling her feet. "Hweee liiike moovieees."

"Uh. I'll pick you up at...um..."

"Eight eees my faaayvorite number."

"Right. Uh. I'll see you at eight. Um. Bye then, Cultist-chan."

"Fare whell..."

Still blushing, he walked quickly back to the school. Through the halls and out the other side was probably the quickest way to the parking lot where Angry was supposed to pick him up. He was probably already there, and getting more and more pissed at having to wait.

Lost in thought, Scout turned a corner, only to find himself staring into an abyss. A single great eye filled the hallway, surrounded by a corona of multicolored, crackling fire. The massive pupil seemed a portal to another realm, a dark and swirling void where scintillating points of light chased and multiplied and devoured each other.

"Oh. Um, hi Principal Tzeench."

The vortex seemed to stare at him, through him. Then it narrowed, peering at him. Its voice boomed down the hallway, subtly warping reality as it passed. "PROCEED."

"Um. OK. Bye, Principal Tzeench."

Scout hurried away down the sunlit hallway, his mind filled with swirling darkness and a snaggle-toothed smile.