"And how did you know it was AAA?" asked the Nimmo.

"Who else goes into the electronics lab after hours?" She smoothed back her hair cutely.

Miss Penny frowned. "I suppose that's true..."

"You're kidding, right?" replied Aristotle A. Avinroo incredulously. "It CAN'T be me! I haven't tinkered with game controllers there for ages! I'm just going there for some peace and quiet while I hammer out this year's Daily Dare--"

"Well, with no other leads, I'm afraid I'm going to have to send you to the dean's office," the Nimmo said with a sigh.

AAA grumbled and stood up from his desk, his game controller slung over his shoulder. This wasn't fair, this wasn't right! He did NOT cause the explosion in the Electronics Lab -- he was too smart to do something so stupid!

The Blumaroo glared at his accuser, teacher's pet, "little miss perfect" -- Maryweather Woolsworth Tuffington III -- and clenched his fist. She had been out to get him since the day he entered Brightvale University to study Electrical Engineering and Game Design -- he was sure of it. Mary had gotten him in all sorts of trouble; he was certain she had found SOME way to frame him for this heinous explosive act.

He stormed off to the dean's office. He was ready to clear his name, give his side of the story, and hopefully unearth the real mystery of what he infamously dubbed the Electronics Lab Explosion...

As he passed by row upon row of lockers, each locked up tight with their own secret code, he pondered his predicament. He had to vindicate himself...he just didn't know how. He needed evidence.

Nearing the end of the hall, he noticed one locker ajar. Not only was it ajar...it was glowing.

He reached to open it...

“Hey, what are you doing?” the voice grated. Instinctively, he scowled. Maryweather.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in class, Tuffington?” he bit out.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in the Dean’s office?” she tossed back.

He glared at the locker in front of him. She was right, and he had no retort. She was worse than Abigail sometimes. At least Abigail was often clever enough not to interrupt him when he was doing something monumental. Well, sometimes clever enough.

“What do you want, Tuffington?” he growled.

“I just wanted to follow up and make sure you’d made it to the Dean all right,” Maryweather said sweetly.

“I’m fine. Go back to class,” AAA ground out, closing his eyes. He really could have done without this Acara.

“What…what is that?” she asked, and her tone of voice had changed.

Opening his eyes, AAA saw that the light from the locker had begun to pulse. Wrinkling his brow, he reached out and opened the locker; instead was a small device, periodically emitting flashes of glowing green light.

The Blumaroo stared at it, perplexed, but it was Maryweather’s gasp that gave him pause. “Oh no - AAA, put that down! That’s a….”

"Wait what?" AAA said puzzled. He quickly placed the device back where he had found it.

"This has to be what was used to cause the explosion in the electronics lab." Replied Maryweather. "So I guess it wasn't you."

"We have to turn in whoever did this." AAA replied confidently. "Let's look through the locker and find out who this stuff belongs to."

AAA and Mary started searching through the items and the papers in the locker.

Mary stopped suddenly and dropped a textbook that was in her hands. She let out a huge gasp.

AAA looked to see what Mary had found and noticed a name on the inside cover of the book that was on the floor. It read Chadrick Woolsworth Tuffington IV...

AAA clenched his fists and scowled. Mary might have been blindsided by the revelation, but to AAA it was the missing piece of the puzzle that had fallen into place. "To get me into trouble," he spat. "He did it knowing you don't like me and therefore that you would frame me!"

"No, no that can't be right. You... you were just trying to plant that in his locker and frame him!" Mary stammered, shaking her head, still staring at the textbook.

The Blumaroo rolled his eyes. "He's been sulking for years trying to get back at me for what happened after the Daily Dare he tried to run. It can't be a coincidence that he pulled this with this year's Daily Dare right around the corner. And if I know him, this isn't the only thing he's rigged up."

AAA grabbed Maryweather's paw and dragged her away from the locker. "Wh-what are you doing?" Mary demanded.

AAA whipped around to look at her. "Chadley is trying to use you to get me into trouble. Forgetting about me for the moment, are you really going to let him play you like a fiddle to keep his own dirty hands out of this?" he asked.

Mary paused for a moment and glanced between the explosive device, the book on the ground, and AAA. "I guess you're right," she said after a pause. "What's the plan?"

AAA grinned, for the revenge had already been starting to form in his head. "I'm glad you asked, Mary," he chuckled. "The first thing we'll need to do is..."

"Right," Mary nodded.

"One of us will need to keep a lookout here, make sure no one touches the device. Can you help me with that?" AAA inquired.

"Okay," Mary agreed, and attesting to that, she stood right in front of the locker.

"Thanks, now I'll go to the Dean's office." With that, AAA eased into a light jog, not wanting to waste much time.

However, when he arrived at the location...

“Aristotle A. Avinroo, where have you been? I was pulled out of class because the student I sent to the Dean no-showed!” the Nimmo said angrily.

AAA blinked. He hadn’t thought it had taken that long…but he did tend to lose track of time. He shook his head. “I’m sorry, but there’s -“ he began.

“No excuse for such behavior? I agree!” the Dean said, with a cold stare, “Do you have any idea how much the equipment in that lab cost?”

“No, but -“ he tried again.

“Really, when you were admitted to University, we knew you had potential for mischief, but you’re so bright! What a waste!” the Dean said, shaking his head.

“Sir, I didn’t-“ AAA said, irritation coloring his words.

“Don’t take that tone with me, Mr. Avinroo. As it is, you’re looking at expulsion,” the Dean said with a glower.

AAA’s jaw dropped. “Expulsion? But I - but - but -“ he sputtered, completely derailed. Expelled?! This could not be happening!

“Don’t you have anything to say for yourself, Aristotle? You’ve been such a good student!” Miss Penny implored.

“Yes! I need help!” he cried, the words spilling out without thought.

Miss Penny’s expression softened. “Let’s see what we can do. You’ve been a fine student so far -“ she started.

“No, you don’t understand! Maryweather and I found a bomb - we’re all in danger!” he blurted.

For a moment, there was stunned silence, and then the Dean jumped to her feet - given that she was a Tonu, the impact reverberated beneath everyone else’s feet, too. “Show us,” the Dean urged, and then muttered, “But there better be something there.”

AAA nodded and ran out the door, leading them to the locker he and Mary had found. But when he got there, Mary was gone…

The Dean opened the locker to reveal nothing inside. "This locker is empty, is this some kind of joke?"

"But.." stammered AAA, "it was here a few minutes ago."

"You are in a lot of trouble young man." Replied the Dean.

Before AAA got a chance to respond Mary came skipping up to them with a sly smile on her face. "Dean, come quick," she said. "I just found what I think is an explosive device in AAA's locker." Mary gave AAA a sideways glance and a sneaky smile.

"What?" Said the Dean, "AAA come with us to your locker, if anything is in there you are definitely being expelled."

"But," protested AAA.

"NOW!" Said the Dean.

When they got to AAA's locker the Dean grabbed the door and opened it to reveal...

"What is the meaning of this," the Dean spoke, voice devoid of any warmth. "Seems like you are too eager to leave the school."

"No wait, I was framed-"

"And that's what every culprit will say when they are caught red-handed." Miss Penny huffed. "AAA, you need not come to school starting from tomorrow."

But I was innocent, AAA wanted to scream, it was not me! Why can't you see?!

He only swallowed his denials, feeling a lump in his throat and the burning in his eyes. He knew, no one would be listening to his side of the story, not with Maryweather's 'angelic' smile and her backstabbing ways.

The aforementioned Acara sneered at AAA when the teachers were not looking.

The situation was so hopeless, until...

"Fine," AAA said resolutely, to everyone's surprise. "I'll just get my things."

Mary eyed AAA suspiciously as AAA began to stuff his books in his backpack. He was up to something; she was sure of it. There was just no way the stubborn Blumaroo would accept expulsion so easily...but it wasn't like he had a choice.

AAA slowly filled his backpack, stalling for time as he worked out the final details of his revenge. As he packed, he was looking for something he kept in his locker for emergencies, but he had to be subtle. He couldn't let them see...

The clever Blumaroo found the item he sought and swiftly stuffed it in an inner jacket pocket before straightening up, leaving his backpack on the floor. The Dean and Miss Penny, who had been murmuring to each other, stopped talking. Mary watched him warily, but still managed to look pretty smug.

"Well, Mr. Avinroo, if you're ready, let's go," Miss Penny said with an air of sadness.

"Of course, Miss Penny," AAA said politely. "I just have one more thing to take care of." And with that, AAA reached into his inner jacket pocket and...

How will the story end?

"This is a lie detector," AAA said, holding the device out for everyone to have a look. "Teachers, could you please give me one last chance to prove my innocence?"

"No!" Mary stated with a hint of panic, glaring at AAA. Turning to the two teachers, she said, "He's up to something, please, expel him from school now, or else he'll worm himself out of this situation!"

AAA smirked. "Why so defensive, Maryweather?" He tutted mockingly. "One would almost think... that you have lied right through your teeth, to the teachers no less!"

There was a contemplative look on both Miss Penny and the Dean's face. Finally, the Dean said, "fine, we'll allow you one last chance."

"Thank you, sir," AAA responded. Then, he raised his lie detector up, explaining the mechanics of the device. "It will make a sound if it senses a lie." As he said his next line, his was sure he had a evil grin on his face. "Now, Maryweather, did you shift the explosive device from Chadley's locker to mine?"

"Of course not--"

A loud chime sounded, cutting the Acara from saying any further.

"Once more, Maryweather. Did you wrongly accuse me of the crime that I did not commit?"

Mary, face ashen, denied weakly, "no..."

The detector chimed again.

With that, the tables had turned.

"Maryweather Woolsworth Tuffington III," the Dean said gravely. "It seems that we should have a long, nice chat in my office. Come with me right now!"

As the two disappeared down the corridor to the Dean's office, Miss Penny spoke up, "AAA, I'm... sorry to have jumped to conclusions so quickly. You have my apologies."

AAA smiled. "As long as you would judge Neopians fairly from now on."

Miss Penny reciprocated the gesture. "Of course. Now, let us head back to class. We have an exam coming up soon..."

Nothing could stop the groan that escaped AAA at the mention of the dreaded test.

One might have thought that the entire incident had concluded, but the questions remained:

Exactly who had set off the explosion in the Electronics Labs?

Why did Chadley's locker house an explosive device?

And where was Chadley all along?

The End.