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The Very Picture of Innocence

Main Street

Trey	Talk about a run-in with good luck! I'm glad I bumped into you, Ace. Thanks for helping me carry all this.

Ace	Hey, for what you're offerin', this is a heck of a bargain. You're really gonna make sure I get the piece of tart with the most cherries at the dorm's tea party tomorrow?

Trey	It's already got your name on it. Though I didn't think a little thing like THAT was enough to get you to put in a workout. You must really like cherries.

Ace	You know it! They've always been my favorite fruit.

Trey	But does anyone like fruit that much? You don't have some ulterior motive, do you?

Ace	Me? You wound me, Trey! You're lookin' at the very picture of innocence over here! Anyway, this stuff is SO heavy! Do you really need this much to make fruit tarts? There's four whole bags!

Trey	Nah. They're only heavy because I loaded up on sugar and flour.

Ace	Are you for real?! Did you do that 'cause you knew someone else would carry them?!

Trey	Hah. My bad. My family runs a patisserie, so I've been helping stock up on ingredients since I was a kid. Guess it turned into a full-blown habit of buying out the shop while stuff was on sale.

Ace	Whoa. So you've been making pastries since you were little?

Trey	I mean, I helped. My younger siblings would always pester me to bake for them, too.

Ace	Must be nice to have an older brother who bakes. MY brother sure didn't know a cake from a steak.

Trey	Oh, yeah? Let me guess: you're the baby in the family.

Ace	And just what about me makes you think I'm the baby?! ...Not that you're wrong. But it was just us two kids. My brother used to take me just about everywhere before I came here.

Trey	Huh. Is he that much older than you?

Ace	Yup! Seven years older. He graduated from Night Raven College, too.

Trey	Nice! It must have helped having someone who could tell you what was what around here.

Ace	Well...it's not like he held my hand or whatever, but he did tell me how to kill time in the dorms. Speaking of, what do you do while all holed up in your room, Trey?

Trey	Me? Hmm... I do homework, read...nothing special.

Ace	You're a model student, huh?

Trey	Hardly. I'm more on the average side, really. It's not like you need to always hit the books in your free time, but try to at least get your homework out of the way. Don't wanna fall behind.

Ace	Hey! I do my homework! I just...you know, might have to use someone else's as a guide every once in a while.

Trey	Or as most put it, "copy." I'm telling you, you better learn to do it yourself, or second year's gonna be a rude awakening for you.

Ace	Oh, come on! I doubt you were that serious about studying from day one.

Trey	When I knew Riddle was coming the year after me? Of course I was. Could you imagine what he would have said if I'd flunked any one of my classes?

Ace	Good point... He'd go redder than his own hair if that happened. "I study better in my dreams! Off with your head!"

Trey	Pfft! Ahh... The resemblance is uncanny.

Ace	Haha! Well, I try. By the way... ...while we're on the topic, which countries were featured on your first-year history exam? Ours is gonna cover the Queendom of Roses, Shaftlands, and Sunset Savanna.

Trey	I knew something was up. You're trying to squeeze the answers out of me, aren't you?

Ace	What? No way. I would never!

Trey	Uh-huh. Don't try and play cute with me now. I knew there had to be another reason you were willing to help carry my bags!

Ace

M-maybe I am,, but look at it this way: I knew you would be the perfect source for info! You should be praising me for going outta my way NOT to fail! Plus you got a pack mule out of it! Come on! Help a buddy out. Pleeease? Come on, you knew right from the start that I wasn't doing this just for a bunch of cherries.

Trey	Don't tell me all that talk about loving cherries was a lie, too?

Ace	Oh, no. That's hundo-p true. My brother said the most convincing lies are sprinkled with a dash of truth.

Trey	sigh* I've never met him, but having known you, him telling you that doesn't surprise me one bit. All you had to do was ask, though. I would've been more than happy to help even without you being so roundabout.

Ace	And you'd just spill the answers for me if I did that? No way, right? You're just gonna tell me to study my butt off!

Trey	As you should. Slack off now and you're only gonna regret it later. Tell you what. If you swear to study—and I mean really, actually study—then I'll get you on the right track. Deal?

Ace	See, this is why I went with the roundabout approach.

Trey	Would you be more tempted if I invited Deuce and made it more of a study group thing?

Ace	We're not a married couple, you know!

Trey	Sure, sure. Whatever kicks you into studying gear. Remember, you'll have Riddle to contend with if you fail.

Ace	Oh, fine... Man, and I was this close to weaseling it out of you. At least you'll be a lot nicer of a tutor than Riddle.

Trey	How about we make our first session after classes tomorrow? Bring a list of what you're struggling with and we can get right to it.

Ace	I can't wait...