...Blue.
The walls, the ceiling - everything was blue. It was like the world around him had become dyed in a single, mysterious color. For a moment, he was dazed, but soon fell into a cumbersome relaxation. The feeling of wary lessened as a beautiful opera danced through the throat of the loudspeakers.
However, the world in front of him was bizarre. He was sitting in a concrete space: the walls and ceiling made entirely of stone and bars preventing him from leaving. Upon closer inspection, he realized he was sitting in a thin bed, hardly comfortable whatsoever. Strapped to his wrists were thick iron handcuffs with a thin chain in between the cuffs. On his left ankle was another cuff, only this one was connected to a large ball that sat in the corner of the room. Above him, chains dangled from the ceiling.
"What...?" he wondered in surprise. He could have sworn he as was on board a train. "Where is...?"
A throaty chuckle caught his attention. "It's been quite some time, since we've last had such an intriguing guest."
He turned his head. Past the bars, he could make out a large space. It was hard to make out, but as he approached, he could make out more and more of the room. It was circular, lined with more cells, the floor entirely made of bricks, save for the center which was covered by a dark blue carpet with a golden "V". In the center, behind a dark brown desk with a lamp and a stack of papers and seated comfortably on a blue chair, there was an elderly man. He was dressed in a fine black suit, which did little to hide his unusually slim figure. His gloved hugged his slender fingers tightly, and the black tie around his neck was tucked neatly into the suit. His face was bizarre: a wide grin that was impossible to have, bloodshot eyes so wide they were bulging, and a long nose.
Beside him stood a young girl, wearing a dress that was similar to the room. Compared to the old man, she looked positively normal, but there was something off about her. Something that didn't seem right. Her molten gold eyes stared back at him with barely concealed interest, platinum silver hair falling past her shoulders. In hand was an unusually large book, far bigger than any almanac.
"Welcome to the Velvet Room." the old man said in a nasally voice, addressing him in a cordial manner. "My name is Igor. I am pleased to make your acquaintance. It has been many years since we've had a guest." He then swung his arm, gesturing to the young girl at his side. "This is Lavenza. She is a resident of this place, like myself."
"It is a pleasure to meet you." the girl, Lavenza, bowed humbly.
"This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter." Igor continued. "It is a room that only those, who are bound by a contract, may enter. It seems that such a fate awaits you in the near future." At this, the old man chuckled again at something only he seemed to understand. "Now then, why don't you introduce yourself, my dear young man?"
He stared at Igor for a moment, wondering if he was dreaming. "I... My name is..."
A Persona 5 x UnOrdinary Crossover:
"unORDINARY THIEVES"
Le Début:
un nouveau voyage pour vous
John Doe woke with a start as the train hit what felt like a bump in the rail, or something along those lines. His world was distorted for a moment, uneven before he slowly came back to his senses. He was sitting in one of the many seats that lined the walls of the train car, surrounded by throes of people, old and young, male and female alike. He then looked down at his attire, finding himself in his dingy gray hoodie and black v-neck shirt with his jeans still sitting firmly on his legs, held in place by a leather belt. By his feet, the doufflebag swayed together with the constant motions of the train.
He sighed and palmed his forehead, realizing that he had been sweating. "What a weird dream. Am I that stressed out from all this?"
[Attention. We will be arriving at Wellston City shortly. Please gather all your belongings before departing. Make sure you are standing behind the red line for your own safety, and exit the car in a calm and orderly fashion.]
"Already?" John muttered as he stood up, cracking his neck. "How long was I out?" Regardless, he grabbed his baggage and shifted through the crowds. Soon, the train began to slow to a crawl and came to a halt. A few seconds later, the doors slid open, allowing John to escape the stuffy atmosphere and out into the station, blending in with the crowd.
It took a bit of work, needing to ask for directions, but John had eventually managed to find his way out into ground level. The sight would have been grand for someone who grew up in the suburbs or in a small little outing. Wellston City was a large place, perhaps even more than his old home. At the same time, however, it felt like a typical city: streets bustling with people coming and going like waves and buildings standing over them like giants. Looking up, the sky was already beginning to fall into the horizon, thus tinting the sky orange.
"It's already this late." he muttered as he took out his phone, opening up his messages. "Let's see... 'Meet me at Cafe Arsène at 5:50 PM.' Where is that...?" Closing his message box, John returned to his normal menu before he saw something unusual on his screen. It was an app that he had no memory of installing, as he would have remembered an app that had a strange red eye with a star as its pupil. "What is this?"
It didn't even have a name on his home screen, yet it was there dead center. John shook his head. Must be someone's attempt at hacking him through malware. He quickly moved to delete it.
Now he just had to find the cafe.
The first thing John learned about Wellston City was that it had no shortage of assholes. Really, the first couple dozen people he had asked directions either brushed him off, chewed him out for wasting their time or just outright bit his head off. Seriously, what the hell? He sincerely hoped the person he was going to meet wasn't anything like those people.
Eventually, he had found someone pleasant enough to point him in the right direction. Cafe Arsène wasn't too far from the station, perhaps the reason why they asked him to come to this place particularly. It wasn't like modern cafes, but there was a rustic feeling of nostalgia to it, with round-shaped stool seats and small booths meant to fit parties of three or four at best. To the left was the barista, standing behind the table with a rag in one hand and a glass in the other. She didn't look up to see who had entered, but she had heard the bell ring.
"Welcome." she greeted in a clipped tone.
John bowed his head in greeting before he looked around. There were a few people here. John had no idea who he was supposed to be looking for. All he knew was that the person he was going to be meeting was to be his guardian for the year. From what little his father knew, they had a part-time job at the local police department. Aside from that, nothing. Scanning the crowd, John didn't find anyone that looked like they had a job with law enforcement, but then sighed. He really had nothing to go on. Running a hand through his hair, he set his bag down next to the stool and took a seat at the counter.
"What will you have?"
"Weakest cup of caffeine you have, please." he said as he pulled out his wallet and gave her two dollars. The barista nodded and immediately went to work, immediately leaving John to his lonesome. Guess he was just going to have to wait for the guy to show up...if he ever did. Chances are he probably forgot about him. He was really hoping that wasn't the case. He only had enough cash to buy food to last him for a week or so, and he didn't have enough to even attempt trying to sleep at a motel. And he definitely wasn't about to go sleeping out on the streets. Lord knows what would happen, Ability or no Ability.
'This really is the worst.'
"Here you go." John looked up, finding the barista holding a cut out for him. Nodding gratefully, he took it and set it down and accepted the change. "Are you looking for someone? You keep looking around the cafe."
"Sort of. I'm supposed to meet with a guy who knows my father." Not the truth, but not exactly a lie either. "Sorry if I'm being a bother."
"Nah. It's alright. It's not like your loitering or anything. Believe it or not, this place is a popular meeting spot for people. Hopefully you'll see who you're looking for soon."
John wasn't surprised. The place looked like it was made for socializing, even for complete strangers. The barista then went back to her work. John brought the cup of coffee to his lips, only to cringe. He had asked for the weakest blend they had, but the bitter taste was still pungent.
'Least it isn't decaff.' he thought with some consolation.
The bell chimed again as the door swung open, revealing a new customer. "Welcome." the barista greeted. Unlike before when she greeted John, there was a smile on her face. "The usual, Rei?"
"Love to, but I'm actually supposed to meet someone here." a male voice said.
John looked over his shoulder, finding a young man standing next to the entrance. He wore a buttoned-up white shirt with a striped tie and black slacks, a pale gray blue jacket slung over his shoulder. He had messy teal green hair and gold eyes. If John would have to guess, he kinda looked like a detective or a business man. Then it connected. Meeting someone? Possible detective? Could this be the guy?
The young man, Rei, looked around the cafe before his eyes settled on John. They widened in recognition, then a pleasant smile formed as he walked over to him. "You're John, right?" he asked. John nodded. "Sorry I'm late. Something happened over at work. Anyways, it's nice to meet you. I'm Rei." He held out a hand in greeting. "I'll be in charge of looking after you for the year."
"L-likewise..." The teen accepted the hand with a firm shake. It seemed like Rei was different than the other rude people he saw along the way here, but looks can be deceiving. He would have to wait to get to know him better. "Nice to meet you."
The drive to the apartment complex where Rei lived was a fairly short one. Throughout the drive, the young man had attempted a few conversations, but John, still a bundle of nervousness and unease, made them short-lived. The rest of the trip was done in silence.
The apartment was nice, at least. It looked quite comfortable and homely, with a couch on one end of the room and a plasma screen TV on the other end. Connecting the room was a small hallway, which had a shelf containing books and DVDs. "I'm sorry it isn't really much to look at, but it's fairly comfy." Rei said, closing the door behind him. "You're stuff's already been delivered. You'll be taking the guest room, down the end of the hall. Hard to miss, really, what with the lightning bolt seared on it and all." John blinked and stared at Rei, who shrugged. "Blame my kid sister for that. Anyway, let's set up some ground rules. Curfew is 10 PM at the latest. If you're late by even a minute, that's strike one. Three strikes, and you'll be on your own, okay?" John nodded. He more or less expected this to happen. "Secondly, you aren't allowed to go into my sister's room. Do that, and you'll end up fried. Remi has a tendency to go overboard. Third is probably the most obvious: no stealing anything in my home. If I find anything gone from where it's supposed to be, I'm kicking your ass to the curb."
"I understand." John nodded.
Rei stared at John for a moment, as if studying him. "Hm." Rei put a hand to his chin, tilting his head. "You know, when I read your file, I was expecting to see a troublemaker. Not a kid who looks like I just shot his puppy." The black-haired teenager felt his eyebrow twitch, but kept his face calm. "I heard about your case, or at the very least the basics. To put it simply, you beat up your entire senior class, but took it too far and hospitalized a few of them. Afterwards, you were expelled from your school and was threatened by the parents of the students of being sued. You were then arrested, and got labelled with a criminal record. Do I have that right?"
"...Pretty much..." John mumbled. He really didn't want to remember that. It was bad enough back at the rehabilitation center.
"Okay." Rei nodded. "And following that, you were granted by an appeal and now serve a probation period. If you stay on your best behavior, then you can go back to normal life. If not, then you'll have to go to the detainment center."
John nodded again. The young man then sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I'll be honest. I was a little hesitant to look after you, considering I already have my hands full looking after Rei. But, if you keep your head low and don't cause any trouble, you'll be off the hook That'll be something to look forward to at least, yeah?" John nodded again, albeit a bit weak. "I'll be expecting you up bright and early first thing in the morning. We'll be heading off to go see the Principal of Wellston High School - the school you'll be attending for the year."
"Yes, sir." John nodded.
"Also, please don't call me sir. Makes me fell old."
Rei smiled and patted John on the shoulder. "In the meantime, why don't you go unpack? I'm sure your parents made sure to get everything from your room. Excluding any porn magazines, I hope."
John rolled his eyes, but smiled nonetheless. It seemed like Rei meant well. That was good, at least. Rei then handed him the keys to his door, warning him that there weren't any spares and that he would have to use his own money to make another key. Taking this information and filing it away for later, John then went into the guest room. It had obviously been cleaned up recently, as there was little signs of dust. Cardboard boxes also sat off to the far side, right next to the small desk in the far corner of the room.
It was actually better than he was expecting. It may be a bit musty, but nothing a little elbow grease and cleaning wipes couldn't fix.
He quickly went to work, cleaning up the dust and dirt first before arranging his personal belongings.
His father had more or less brought him stuff from his room that he thought were most important. Any posters he had were rolled up neatly into a thin tube, books alphabetically stacked in the biggest box, and other personal effects were left in the smaller ones. Additionally, several pairs of shirts, pants, undies and socks were packed away in another box, though John had made a mental note to wash them later. He didn't have a bookcase to put his books yet, so he stuffed the box away for later. He had a closet, so there was a place for his clothes when he had time to wash them. As for his posters and other menial objects, he was able to decorate his room once he was finished cleaning.
Twenty minutes later or so, and his new room looked adequate for his taste. Posters of games and his favorite shows from way back when decorated the walls while his gaming system was hooked up and sitting on his desk, along with a few notebooks. The small television set was in between the notebooks and the gaming system, though naturally, it wasn't as high-end as Rei's own TV. Not that John, really cared.
Besides, given his situation, he most likely wouldn't have time to play games anyway.
"...a year." John muttered under his breath as he sat down on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. His face twisted into bitterness, hands shaking. "So I'm stuck here for a whole year, huh?"
That was the punishment he was given. A probation period for a full year at Wellston. Punishment for his actions of aggravated assault on the student populace at New Bostin.
He sucked in a breath, and laid down on his bed. He felt so tired. It must've been due to the train lag. He had been on t for a while. Maybe he'll just take a nap...
"I'm home!"
Rei looked up from his small feast of Chinese food, finding his sister entering the apartment. "Welcome home, little sis." he greeted with a smile, waving. "How was school today?"
"Ugh, boring..." Remi groaned as she walked over and flopped on the couch, face planted into the seat next to him. "Seraphina dragged me into the Student Council room and make me her gofer for the whole day. And Arlo just stood there and watched with that stupid smirk on his face!"
"Ouch. So Arlo is still acting like an ass?" He questioned in good nature.
"Yep. He's been that way ever since he became King. I miss the days when you were King, Rei..."
"Well, nothing you can do about that." the elder sibling said with a grin as he ruffled his sister's hair. "I am in my twenties, after all. Also, a little heads up. Our new guest is here."
Remi perked up, raising her head. "That delinquent the department asked you to look after?"
"A little harsh calling him a delinquent, don't you think?" Rei sweatdropped. "You haven't even met the guy yet. Poor guy looks like crap, so how about you give him some space, alright?"
"You warned him what happens if he goes into my room, right?"
"After what you did to Blyke that one time, yes. I warned him." The poor red haired teen still has occasional muscle spasms from the electricity.
"Good! No one goes into my room without permission." Honestly, it really was weird. One would usually expect the older brother to do the deed of harming the guy who entered into his sister's room without permission, not the girl herself. However, Rei wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth and decided it was likely for the best, though he would step in if Remi went too far. "So, what's he like?"
"John, you mean?" Rei hummed and rubbed his chin. "Well, from what I remember reading about him, he was a late bloomer. Before that, he was bullied extensively, so it was only natural the poor kid exploded the way he did. He is doing pretty well academically, so I don't think you'd have to worry about him slacking off. I think he's still reeling from the court's decision to have him tried." Rei then shook his head, eyes reflecting his sadness for John's circumstances. "He's lucky that all he has to go through his probation. It would've been a hell of a lot worse for him."
Remi didn't know whether to agree or not. She never met this John person. Just what she knew from her brother. Considering why he was expelled from New Bostin for excessive violence, she thought he must've been pretty angry or violent. Still, maybe she was wrong and he might actually be pleasant.
Either way, she'd know more, come tomorrow morning.
Bloody. Beaten. Broken.
That was all they were now. All of them came here trying to beat him down. Overthrow him from his throne. Instead, they were just another number on the list of people John had destroyed. Everyone from the third-year class was laid out before him, lying on the ground. Some could barely muster the strength to stand. Others were beaten unconscious. The only people who were conscious was John himself, who stood in the middle of this scene of carnage and another, who was kneeling on the ground, bangs covering their eyes.
John panted heavily, his body sore. Blood dribbled from the corner of his mouth. It didn't matter how many came at him, he'd crush them all beneath his heel all the same. They were nothing against him and his power.
Now that all was left was the girl...the one person who started all of this. John looked at her, eyes narrowed and teeth gritted. What the hell was she even doing here in the first place? Was this some kind of joke?
He stepped forward, hand reached out to her. He was about to demand answers when she raised her head. When she did, John suddenly recoiled, as if struck with eyes wide.
"...monster."
"Aaaah!" John snapped upright in bed, his face broken out in a cold sweat. He breathed heavily as the adrenaline settled down.
"...fuck." he promptly cursed as he pressed a hand to his forehead, wiping away the sweat. He glanced out the window, finding the moon hanging out high in the starry night sky. A shame. He was hoping he would have woken up early. With that damned nightmare, he was now wide-awake and wouldn't be going back to sleep anytime soon. Shaking his head, he stood up and pulled himself off his bed, heading over to the box containing his books. Maybe some literature would help him get things off his mind.
John pulled open the tabs, revealing the contents to him. As he searched for something - anything that could bore him to sleep or entertain him long enough to forget that dream, his eyes settled on one book. It didn't have any interesting covers. Instead, the title was written out in front for all to see.
"UnOrdinary - by William H. Doe"
John smiled thinly, picking up the book with care before he opened it up to the first page.
'In this world, over ninety percent of the entire population has some kind of power. Pyrokinesis, slowing down time, altering matter - the list goes on. As a result, the world came to be shaped in the same vein as Charles Darwin's famous "survival of the fittest" theory. That those who cannot adapt to harsh changes will inevitably be stamped out and killed. Conflicts took place with people using these powers to their advantage. Weapons became replaced with living fireballs and walking metal golems. Fantasy and science fiction had become reality.
But ten percent of the rest of the population weren't so lucky. They didn't have any special powers. They were useless in the eyes of society. Dead weight.
They were the Cripples.
My father wrote a book sometime during the days of my trial. In it, he described a world where only one person had powers. In that world, that person used his powers to help others less fortunate.
That, was UnOrdinary.
The day he published the book, he gave me the first printed copy. Unfortunately, UnOrdinary's life would be cut short as its content had become deemed too controversial and was pulled from further publication. However, the effect it had caused a few individuals to begin using their powers to protect other people.
Of course, even that craze was short lived when vigilantes began to be killed off at the hands of a group called EMBER.
No one knows what EMBER exactly is or why they're targeting vigilantes, but the media definitely capitalized on these stories. As a result, they greatly discouraged feats of vigilantism, claiming it is too dangerous and disruptive.
There are a few reports of vigilantism here and there, but compared to when UnOrdinary had been published, it wasn't as prominent.
However, people knew that this book had been dedicated to the author's son, because of what was written on the first page.
-to the young man, who was lost in the dark
I was the only person who understood what those words meant. And each time I read UnOrdinary, both during and after the trial, the more I started to realize how fucked up everything was.
Those with power trampled on those without it. Even with that, those who held more power lorded it over those weaker than them. It was a vicious cycle, this hierarchy. Without power, you are worthless. If you're not strong, then you are only slightly less than worthless.
Only the strong and mighty flourished, and no one gives a damn about the consequences.
And I was among the former.
And that sickened me. In a way, Claire was right. I was a monster.
And now, I am a monster bound in chains.'
Rei opened the door to the guest room, which had been unlocked, to find a most peculiar sight. Passed out on the floor was John, a feet away from his bed with a book in his hand. "Seriously?" he questioned in slight exasperation. "Isn't that really bad for your health?" Sighing, he walked over to John and bent down to pick up the book, only to stop when he saw the cover. His eyes widened when he saw it, then looked back at John. "Oh..."
The cover stared back at him. UnOrdinary. The same controversial book that was banned worldwide. The book responsible for the rise of vigilantes.
...the book that Rei himself was a proud owner of one of its copies.
Only a handful of people, which included Arlo and Remi, knew that he was in possession of that book. If people found out he had it, he would definitely lose his job. Still, the fact that John was in possession of a copy didn't surprise him, given that he was aware of who his father was. He had to admit, he wasn't expecting the trouble child the department dumped on him to be the son of William Doe, but he wasn't about to question it. Not after he saw how the kid was.
Gently, and making sure not to disturb the kid's sleep, he pulled the book out of his grasp and set it back into the box, folding it close and pushing it up against the wall. He was sure John didn't want him seeing it anyway. Then Rei bent down and gently shook his shoulder. "Hey, John. Wake up. We need to get going." No response. He sighed and shook his head before he held up his hand, which began to spark with electricity. "Don't say I didn't warn ya."
Rei then touched John's shoulder. In the next second, John bolted upright and screamed.
"Did you have to shock me?"
"You weren't waking up. What else was I supposed to do?"
John growled grumpily as they walked to Wellston High School. Rei's apartment had been close enough to the school that it took only an hourly walk to get there. Normally, they would've drove or took the bus, but Rei thought this would be a good opportunity to get to know John more, since he would be living with him for the next year, hopefully.
"A bucket of ice water could've done the trick. Better than electrocution..."
"Maybe." Rei conceited with a small grin. "But where's the fun in that? Anyway, a bit of a heads up for you. Wellston's academics are pretty high up there, so if I were you, I'd make sure my grades are up to snuff and all that." John nodded seriously. "And before you ask, yes. The school has Royals."
That...wasn't what he was going to ask, but he supposed it was good for future reference. "Is it like other schools?"
Rei understood what he meant and briefly stopped, running a hand through his hair with a sigh. "Unfortunately, yes. Admittedly, I graduated a few years ago, but unless you're a Mid-tier or higher, you're treated like shit."
"Oh...so it is like other schools." John deflated.
"Yeah...sorry about that. I tried to change things back when I was King...but not everyone agreed with me." Rei shook his head. "So, yeah, best to keep your head down."
John bit his lip. He felt frustrated, but otherwise he nodded. He was hoping that Wellston would be different, but he supposed that was a little much to ask.
At least it wouldn't be another New Bostin...
Headmaster Vaughn, much to John's surprise, was much warmer in his reception towards him than he thought, especially considering his status.
"This will be your student pass." the man said as he handed it to John, who accepted it gratefully before looking at the man. He looked to be well in his mid-forties, sporting a bluish green beard and neatly styled hair with thin-rimmed glasses. "Do take care not to lose it. If you do, you will have to pay a fee to obtain another one."
"Yes sir." John nodded.
"Good. I'm looking forward to seeing you around, Mr. Doe. Please be on your best behavior." the Headmaster gently warned. "If you cause any trouble, we will have no choice but to expel you." John nodded again. The man then smiled. A genuine warm one, at that. "I know Wellston may not look like much, but I'm sure you'll be able to make plenty of friends."
'He has to be joking.'
Either that, or the man obviously had no idea what it was like in a school were people with powers were constantly hounding each other, trying to prove who had the bigger dick. There was no chance of him making friends. At least, not if they weren't aware of his past. His initial plans depended on how the school's environment would be like. If they focused on academics, he could pretend to be a Cripple. Someone with no power whatsoever. Now that he knew that Wellston was just like New Bostin, where power determined where you ranked in school, that plan had gone out the window. Even so, he was hesitant to tell everyone about his powers.
Whatever the case, starting tomorrow, he would be in a classroom with all eyes painted on his backs.
"If that's everything Headmaster, we'll be leaving."
"Of course, Rei." Headmaster Vaughn nodded. "I have to say, when I heard we would be receiving a new student, I wasn't expecting you to be his guardian."
"Yeah, well, I know his dad, and he contacted me since he needed to give John a place to stay during his time here. I did owe him one, so I thought it would be a good way to repay him."
John raised an eyebrow at that, but said nothing. Once the pleasantries were exchanged, the two left the school.
Unlike the Headmaster, a few teachers weren't so pleased to learn that they would be having a troublesome student in their halls starting tomorrow. Some were concerned of another incident like what happened in New Bostin. Others were just worried about the reputation of the school.
Darren was more annoyed by the prospect and idea that he might get used to seeing fights occur in the hallways and receiving troublesome patients. It was bad enough fights were a daily occurrence when the first Wednesday of the month rolled around. Seriously, why the hell do idiots go fighting over a damned slice of cake? It was just a damn chocolate cake! So what if they only serve it once a month? It's not worth beating up everyone to grab a slice and send the injured to him, making him work harder.
He continues to question why he even took a job as a school nurse in the first place. Adding to his troubles was that he would be John Doe's homeroom teacher. Personally speaking, he had nothing against the brat. So long as he didn't bring him any pains in the ass. Which he fully expected. After all, at least once a day he usually ends up with someone getting the shit kicked out of them and then sent over. After that, he has to take care of them and deal with their crap.
Then again, he did have his Ability to make sure they didn't cause him unnecessary trouble. It also worked to great effect whenever he was particularly annoyed.
Sundays were arguably one of the few days when he wasn't so stressed out. Instead of looking after injured kids, he had to deal with a small pile of paperwork. Much easier to manage then dealing with than kids.
Sure it may be boring and tedious, but he would much prefer it over treating their injuries since they keep coming back and disregard their injuries in the first place.
"Working hard, eh Darren?"
...okay, well scratch that. There was one thing that did want to make him focus on his patients. And that was namely the person who entered the infirmary. Looking over his shoulder, he saw a young woman, somewhere between her mid to late-thirties with dark red hair and eyes that seemed to look over you like a predator would when gazing at its prey. Her attire was little more than a black shirt that hugged her modest-sized breasts nicely and exposed her midriff, with a dark blue winbreaker over it. Below, she wore tight leggings and combat boots.
Anyone who met her for the first time would say she was a knockout. Anyone who knew her would say she was a monster.
Darren was of the latter. "What do you want now, Marie?" he asked in annoyance. "If you can't see, I'm busy."
"Aw...is that any way to treat a fellow co-worker? I just wanted to drop by."
"Are you dropping off a patient or are you just here to annoy me?" the doctor asked, irritated. Of all the people that had to visit him on his day off, it had to be this woman. "If it's the latter, leave."
"So cold..." Marie pouted as she leaned against the door frame. "What happened to that kind co-worker I used to know?"
"I found out she was a bitch when she broke two boys' arms and forced the Boxing Club to disband." Darren replied, eyes glowing as a menacing aura began to develop around him. "You're lucky the Headmaster was kind enough to let you continue teaching here. If it were up to me, I'd kick your ass out of here."
Marie rolled her eyes. "I have no idea what you mean." she said with an innocent smile on her face. "I just gave those boys educational guidance."
"I reiterate. You broke two boys' arms. One of which will never be able to complete in any boxing match ever again." he said, aura growing fiercer and more malevolent.
"Well, that's what he gets for assaulting a teacher? I was simply defending myself."
'Liar. The only reason the others bought your excuse was because of your Ability.' Darren wanted to say, but he kept himself calm. Getting upset at this woman would do him little.
"Besides," Marie continued with a smirk. "He seems to be doing well for himself as the school's Jack, wouldn't you agree?" She paused for a moment before she let her distaste show. "Speaking of Royals... We're supposed to be receiving New Bostin's troublesome brat, right?"
Darren raised an eyebrow at her inquiry, but indulged her. "What of it?"
"What of it? I've seen his report! He damn near killed the senior class." she scowled as she put a hand on her hip. "What's the Headmaster thinking, letting someone like that into this school?!"
"It's part of his probation period and rehabilitation. He already went through the correctional facility."
"He should have stayed there, in my opinion." the red-haired woman scoffed. Clearly, she didn't hold a high opinion of the kid. Then again, did she have a high opinion about anyone? "At any rate, I suppose I should get back to my own work. I'll talk to you later, Nurse."
Darren scowled, watching her leave with that smile on her face. She always did know what buttons to push. "Troublesome woman..."
When John and Rei returned to the latter's apartment, two people were found sitting on the floor and surrounding the small coffee table. The first girl was obviously Remi, Rei's sister if the sparks she was letting out were any indication. The other was a girl with magenta colored hair tied into a long ponytail and blue eyes.
"Remi..." Rei sighed in exasperation while John watched the two in slight curiosity. They looked like they were playing a board game or something. "What have I told you about using your powers indoors? And for Pete's sake, stop sparking up a storm."
"Hush, big brother." Remi said with intense focus, glaring at the woman on the opposite side of the table. "I'm this close to beating Seraphina!"
The girl with the ponytail raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that?"
"Yes, I am!" She nodded resolutely.
"Then why don't you try it?"
"Then I will! My turn!"
"What're you two even playing?" Rei asked.
"Uno!"
John sweatdropped alongside his guardian. '...seriously?'
"Take this, Sera! Plus 4!" Remi slammed the card down.
Seraphina gave her a flat store before she revealed the card in her hand. "You were saying?" Remi's jaw kissed the floor, the cards in her hand falling to the table. The girl then smirked as she folded her arms. "That makes win number twenty-seven."
"Nooooo! I was so close!"
"...you know what? I don't even want to know." Rei shook his head, unsure whether or not he should be worried about his sister's mental welfare. "Anyway, it's a pleasure seeing you again, Seraphina."
"Same to you." the girl replied with a curt nod before her eyes fell on John. "And who's he?"
"Ah. This is John. He'll be transferring to your school, starting tomorrow." Remi stopped the crocodile tears and whipped her head around, laying her eyes on the so-called 'delinquent' for the first time. Her first immediate thought was on his hair. It was slicked down and had a light sheen, meaning he had gelled it. In all honesty, he looked like a total dork, ruining her mental image of him. "John, as you could tell, this is my younger sister, Remi. A second-year at Wellston. And her friend is Seraphina, the Student Council President."
"...pleasure." John said, breaking out of his trance and bowing his head. Last thing he wanted to do was address someone like her with disrespect. Then again, perhaps the sentiment was unneeded. Chances are, even she would be made aware of his past and circumstances.
Seraphina looked at him critically, as if taking in everything there was to know about his appearance. Then she replied, "Nice to meet you." And that was that. Her tone made it clear that she didn't want to continue the conversation further. She flashed a smile at Remi as she stood up. "I'll have to get going. I have to fill out some paperwork back at my dorm."
"Seriously?" Remi whined pitifully. "Fine... But I fully expect you to hang out with me and Blyke the next time we hit the arcade!"
"Whatever makes you happy." the girl replied. She then nodded to Rei and slipped between him and John, making her exit.
She never made eye contact with John after speaking to him. 'Talk about the cold shoulder...' John thought with mirth.
Remi sighed. "And there she goes... And here I thought this would be the perfect chance for her to unwind."
"Well, you know how she is." Rei shrugged. "The past attempts haven't worked, so this one wouldn't have either."
"Even still..." Remi sighed. Ever since Seraphina came to Wellston, she had seen how uptight she was. Not to mention so distant. It had taken a lot of work just to get her attention, and even more so to try and become her friend, albeit in the loosest definition possible. She didn't know she kept everyone at an arm's length, but she made it her personal mission to get the girl to open up to her.
Wanting to think on it later and find a new way to get Seraphina to open up to her, she put her attention to John, standing up from the floor. "So, you're the guy my bro's been asked to look after, huh?" she said as she examined him from different angles. The raven-haired boy shuffled his feet, unnerved. What was this girl's deal? "...you know, I was expecting a guy that was freaking ripped, ten feet tall and with scars and band-aids, not, well...a geek."
John choked. Wh-what? A geek?! "Remi!" Rei admonished her. "It's rude to say things like that! Especially when they're right in front of you!"
"But I'm being serious! The guy looks like he couldn't hurt a fly! Or are you telling me the geek look is a disguise?"
The two siblings entered some kind of bickering, leading John to groan and promptly remove himself, heading into his room. He felt tired all of a sudden. Whether it was from the walk or all this was up in the air.
He didn't remember going to sleep that night, either.
Monday dreadfully arrived. And worse, it seemed like it wanted to make John's life as miserable as possible as it was pouring cats and dogs outside. By the time Rei had made sure he was ready for school, giving him another rundown of the rules while at Wellston and whatnot, the streets were positively soaked.
And to make matters worse, he had forgotten his damn umbrella. As if to add further insult to injury, he had arrived at the bus stop to find the damn thing already halfway down the street, forcing him to sprint through the rain in search of shelter.
"Talk about a shitty first day!" he cursed his bad luck, his gelled-up hair now soaked and the upper-half of his blazer and shirt sticking to his skin like a rag. He had managed to find refuge underneath a store's banner. Relieved, he checked his bag to find that most of his stuff was dry. The same, however, could not be said about himself. "Dammit, this sucks..."
What a way to start his new school life...drenched and running late. Why not add more salt to the wound and strike him with lightning?
Actually, no. Wait. Forget that. Last thing he needed was to get jinxed.
As John attempted to dry himself off, another student darted under the safety of the store banner. He couldn't see their face, as they had a hood drawn over their face. He could tell they were female, given their small bust, shaped hips and skirt. The girl then pulled back her hood, revealing it to be none other than Seraphina herself.
'Well. This is going to be awkward.' John thought with trepidation. She didn't seem to notice him yet, as she was focused on wiping away the small sheet of water from her shoulders. The teen snuck a glance at her, looking at her face. 'Huh... She's kind of cute, now that I look.' The thought then made him roll his eyes. Cute she may be, he sincerely doubted he would ever have time for romance. And even if he had, he doubted a girl like that would want to date him. Especially if she was aware of his circumstances. Given her position, the odds were high. 'Just great. I missed the bus, I'm almost late and now I'm with the Student Council President. Things couldn't possibly get-no. Won't finish that thought.'
Unfortunately for him, Seraphina had finally taken notice of him, making him cringe inwardly. She stared at him for a moment, blue eyes soaking him in, before she extended a hand. John tensed, bracing himself as he thought she was going to strike him.
Instead, she plucked something from his hair. "You had this stuck in your hair." Blinking, John found a small orange leaf in between her fingers. "It looked like it was sticking to your hair."
"O-oh..." John sighed and rubbed his neck. Dammit, he really needed to stop being so on guard all the time. "Thank you."
Seraphina shrugged. "Whatever. All I did was just pick it out."
The conversation ended there, as he expected. John peered out from the store banner, looking at the sky. 'Looks like it's starting to lighten up somewhat.'
A silver car rolled up to the street. The window rolled down to reveal the driver: a beautiful woman with dark red hair and eyes. "I thought that was you, Seraphina." the woman smiled somewhat, looking at the magenta-haired girl. "You're going to be late, you know. Did you want a lift?"
"Thanks, Professor." Seraphina bowed her head gratefully. She gave John a look before she left, going to the other side of the car.
As she got into the car, the teacher looked at John. "How about you? Do you need a ride too?"
"N-no, I'm fine." he said. The woman shrugged and rolled up her window. Just before it rolled up, John caught the look on the woman's face and recoiled somewhat.
It was anger and disgust. All aimed at him. 'The hell?'
The car then pulled away from the sidewalk. John watched it go with a frown. Why did that woman give him that look? Who even was she? Seraphina called her 'Professor.' Did that mean she was a teacher? A red-haired student suddenly rushed past him, only to stop a few feet away. "Dammit!" he cursed loudly, kicking the ground. "Screw that military bitch!"
"M-military bitch...?"
The red-haired teen rounded on John, allowing him to get a better look. He wore the Wellston uniform, but the blazer was discarded, leaving the button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the forearms. Much like John, he was also soaked, and could faintly make out a black undershirt.
"What?" the red-haired teen scowled. "You going to rat me out to Marie?"
"Who?" John frowned. He didn't like how the guy was glaring at him. "You mean that woman earlier?"
"Who else would I be talking about?" the red-haired teen scoffed, looking at the street in anger. "Bitch thinks Wellston's her own little prison. What do you think?"
"I, uh, really don't know. So she's a teacher at Wellston?"
The red-haired teen raised an eyebrow, staring at John. Then he looked more closely realized something. "Wait... The pin on your collar. You're a second-year, aren't you? I've never seen you before."
"Y-yeah." John nodded, scratching the back of his head. "I just transferred here today. My name's John."
"Huh. No wonder you don't know Marie." the teen said before he took out his phone and promptly scowled. "Only twenty minutes before homeroom starts. You're running late, right? I know a shortcut we can take." John thanked him. It seemed like they had gotten off on the wrong foot earlier. Still, from the sound of it, this Marie woman was something mighty unpleasant. "Dammit, I really don't want to go to school today."
Before either young man could move, there was a subtle shift in the world around them. Both teens found themselves stumbling somewhat, a wave of nausea passing through them, shortly followed by a headache. "Urgh... Dammit, the hell?" the red-haired teen shook his head, looking unwell. "My head hurts..."
John never noticed that the strange app on his phone had returned, nor that it now encompassed the whole screen. He followed him through the streets, passing through alleys and twists as they made their way to Wellston, unaware of the changes that were taking place around them.
By the time they reached where the school was supposed to be, the red head stopped in his tracks while John nearly bumped into him.
"Wh-what the hell...?! What is this?!" His eyes were glued on the bizarre sight before him.
Instead of a normal school building, there stood a dreary, concrete fortress surrounded by tall stone walls and wire fences. Searchlights were positioned at the top and scanned the area, as if looking for someone. What was supposed to be a school gate stood a heavy, wrought-iron one. He wasn't sure if the bizarre sight could get any crazier, but the red head could swear he saw turrets mounted on the wall.
Even stranger still was the sky. It should've been dark, gray and angry. Instead, it looked like a twisted mix of blue, red and purple and jumbled up together.
"Is..." John swallowed. "Is this Wellston?"
"It-it should be..." the red head replied, shaken. "It says so on the front gate. But, what is this?" The two looked at one another in confusion, then back at the front entrance. "It doesn't look like a prank or event."
"Y-yeah...I don't think that even with Abilities, that they were able to remodel the whole place overnight..." John agreed. "But, this IS Wellston, right?"
"Only one way to find out..."
The two gave each other a wary look before they reluctantly entered the bizarre structure before them. Just as they crossed the giant metal gate, the world behind them shimmered, revealing a distorted Wellston High School.
"...Okay, this DEFINITELY wasn't how the lobby looked before." John commented as they entered the building.
If the outside was creepy, the inside was downright disturbing. It certainly looked like a lobby, except there were chains dangling from the ceiling, along with iron cages. Steel doors, all of which bolted shut with some kind of mechanism latched to the front, lined the walls. Stairs ran up higher, but vanished from sight as they dwindled in the corridors. In front of the two students was the entrance to what looked like a great hall of some kind. However, it was barred by a giant metal gate, chained up with an assortment of locks.
"What the hell is this?" the red head asked, agitated and confused. He took out his cell phone about to call one of his friends, only to grunt in annoyance. "No service? Figures."
John looked around, feeling uneasy. Something about this place felt...wrong. Very wrong. "H-hey. Why don't we get out of here and double back? Maybe we took a wrong turn."
Before the red head could respond to that, the two heard footsteps. Turning, they found a tall, lanky figure enter their line of sight. It was male by physique alone, but their clothes were jet black with red accents. In was reminsicent to a military uniform, complete with a broad cap. Plastered over the man's face was a dark green mask of some kind, with glowing red eyeholes and a frown plastered across the mask's face. In hand was a nightstick.
"Is that...supposed to be a guard? Wait, is it one of the students? Are they pranking us with this?"
"Hey, you inmates! What are you doing outside your cells?!" The supposed guard took notice of them.
"Wait, what?!"
Inmates?! The red head was the first to react, especially when he saw the guard stomp, holding his night stick threateningly. His eyes glowed like fire and threw his hand out, releasing a red blast of energy that slammed straight into the guard's chest, knocking him off his feet and on to the ground. John gaped and stared at the red head in shock, but the latter was not in the mood. "C'mon! We're outta here!" he called to the teen.
They didn't get ten steps in before they found themselves suddenly surrounded. "Dammit!" the red head cursed as he readied himself. Before he could attack, he found himself suddenly tackled to the ground. "Agh! Lay off, you bastard!"
"H-hey!"
John attempted to intervene, but a solid blow to the back of his head threw him to the ground. The last thing he saw before his vision went black were two guards approaching.
Darren looked up from his desk, his elateyebrow twitching. "...he's ."
When John regained consciousness, he heard the red head cursing up a storm. Groaning, he pushed himself up from the dingy cot he was on, finding his apparent companion blasting away at a steel door with energy blast after energy blast. "Why the hell won't it break?" the teen panted, sweat caking his skin. "How strong is it?!"
"What..." John rasped, finding his throat dry. "What happened?"
"Oh, good. You're awake! Help me bust down this door!"
"Wait, door?!" John shook his head to get his bearings.
"Yeah, we're locked in! We gotta get out of here! Use your ability with mine and...wait, what is your ability anyway?"
John took a moment to think before he answered. He would say he's a Cripple, but given the present situation and circumstances, he doubted playing that card here would work in his favor. Especially not when they had essentially been kidnapped. John opened his mouth-
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"
-only for a high-pitched scream to pierce the air, leaving the two shaken. "What the hell...?" the red head faltered, staring at the door with wide eyes. "Was that a scream just now?! Where the hell are we?"
Something smacked against the steel door, causing the two to jump. "Listen up, inmates!" a voice growled from the other side. "The warden's decided on your punishment! The two of you are to be executed! Effective immediately!"
"Executed?!" the red head took a step back before he bared his teeth, shooting an energy blast at the door. "And who the hell gets to decide that!"
Rather than the male voice from earlier, another cut in. Feminine, and bearing a sharp edge that sent shivers down John's spine. "That would be me, foolish prisoner."
The door opened with a loud creak. Stepping inside were two guards, flanking the entrance. The third figure that stepped inside was radically different from the others. It was a woman with an hourglass figure, the leather uniform greatly emphasizing her curves and the jacket exposing a large amount of cleavage. Dark red hair spilled out from underneath her cap, falling over her left shoulder. The cap was slightly slanted, covering the left eye. The right eye was exposed, revealing a glowing gold eye. However, the glow felt radically different from the one that was prominent when one activated their ability. It felt cold, malicious even. Like an unearthly light that shouldn't exist.
Just like this whole damn place.
"I have to say..." the woman drawled, her voice warped as she leveled an amused glare at the red head, who stared at her in a mix of shock and anger. "When I heard two inmates were found escaping, I didn't expect one of them to be you, Blyke. Why must you be so disobedient?"
"Marie...?!" the now-named Blyke gritted his teeth. "What? You suddenly got into cosplay or something?"
"Silence." Marie(?) snapped. "A dog should know better than to howl at his master." Blyke let out a roar of rage, lunging at her with a palm outstretched, no doubt intending to blast her face in. Faster than humanely possible, Marie(?) closed the gap and slammed her fist into his stomach, knocking the wind right out of him and knocking him straight into the wall, right above the bed John woke up in. The wall caved, leaving behind an indent. Blyke gasped, spit flying out of his mouth as he crumpled to the ground, clutching his stomach. "There. That look suits you better."
John stared at the scene with wide-eyes. 'What-what's going on here?' he thought. He couldn't understand what was going on whatsoever. They should be at Wellston, but instead here they were, in some kind of prison. Even worse, this woman had showed up and claimed she was going to execute them. None of this was making any sense. He looked at Blyke, who weakly tried to get up on his feet. Then back at the woman, who stared down at him with a smug look.
Surprisingly, his mouth moved before he could stop himself. "What are you doing?!"
"Oh?" the woman craned her head. "Another howling mutt? It seems there's quite a bit of a riot here in my prison." She walked over to John and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her. "Perhaps you all need to be re-educated. If you have forgotten, this is MY prison. And I am your keeper and master, dog. You had best remember that."
"Shut up!" Blyke hissed, staggering back up to his feet. "You...you leave him out of this, you bitch!"
Marie(?) sighed, letting go of John before she swiftly kicked him down to the ground and returned her attention to the red head. "Must you be so loud?" she said with annoyance. "If you insist on barking like a mad dog, perhaps I'll put you down like one." She looked over at the guards. "Men! Execute this worthless dog at once!"
"Yes, Warden!" The guards flooded in and restrained the prep boys. One of them held Blyke on the ground, pinning him with its knee while two grabbed John by the arms. The remaining guards aimed their rifles and them.
"H-hey! Is this some kind of joke!"
"Men! Ready!"
'T-this is for real...' John thought, horror sinking into his very being. 'You gotta be shittin' me... This is real. This is actually happening. She's going to kill him!' And she was going to kill him once she was done with Blyke. But this was insane! This woman, she was supposed to be the teacher, right? Why was she going to kill a student?! What even was this?! Was this some kind of nightmare?! Someone using their Ability to play tricks on them?!
"Aim!"
'I-I...' He started hyperventalate. His heart was beating rapidly. 'I have to get out of here. I need to get out. I need to-I need to-
WHAT'S THE MATTER? ARE YOU TERRIFIED OF BEING IN THE SAME SITUATION AS THOSE YOU BEAT INTO THE GROUND?
Time suddenly slowed to a crawl. The world froze. A voice echoed in John's head as an incredible bout of intense pain erupted inside his skull, causing him to gasp in pain, thrashing in pain.
IT'S QUITE THE HORRIFYING REALITY, ISN'T IT? BEING THE ONE WHO'S ON THE RECEIVING END. THAT KID WILL DIE, AND SO WILL YOU IF YOU DON'T DO SOMETHING.
'Wh-who is that?' John thought, barely able to think. The pain was beginning to spread to his body. 'Is that my voice?'
YOU HAVE THE POWER TO SAVE HIM, DON'T YOU? SO WHAT'S STOPPING YOU? SCARED OF BECOMING THE TYRANT AGAIN, JUST BECAUSE YOU'LL BE USING YOUR ABILITY?
John grit his teeth, the voice striking a nerve.
HOW MUCH LONGER ARE YOU GOING TO PITY YOURSELF? THE PAST IS THE PAST. FOCUS ON WHAT LIES AHEAD OF YOU. YOU HAVE THE POWER TO SAVE THAT BOY, SO WHAT'S STOPPING YOU?
'I...'
DON'T YOU WANT TO BE THE PERSON YOUR FATHER WROTE ABOUT IN THAT BOOK OF HIS? THE ONE HE MADE FOR YOU?
'I...but I can't...'
WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T? ARE YOU GOING TO LET THE PAST DEFINE YOU? WHAT IS IT YOU'RE SO AFRAID OF?
John knew the voice didn't have to ask that question, because he knew it already knew the answer. Even now, that damned look on her face haunted him.
'...monster.'
'I...' John clenched his fists. 'This is wrong... I don't get it. Why am I just standing here? That guy, Blyke...! He's going to die if I don't do something! But what can I do?! I can't use my Ability if he can't!' A part of him came unshackled. Yes. This whole situation was wrong. His father wanted to show him a possibility. What he could use his Abilities for. What people should strive to use them for! 'I have to fight... I don't care if it ends with me getting sent back to that shithole!'
EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE NO MEANS TO FIGHT?
'I don't give a damn! Helping Blyke... It isn't a mistake!'
For a moment, there was silence. Then a "pulse" ran through John's being, sending him into a fit of pain as his eyes suddenly bulged, overwhelmed by a sickly yellow light. A soundless scream ripped from his throat as he thrashed against his bindings.
IT'S ABOUT TIME... YOU KEPT ME WAITING LONG ENOUGH!
I AM THOU. THOU ART I. YOUR NAME HAS ALREADY BEEN DISGRACED, SO WHY NOT RAISE YOUR GUN AT THOSE WHO WOULD SHACKLE YOU AND WREAK HAVOC? THE "OTHER SELF" WITHIN YOU DESIRES IT!
THERE IS NO GOING BACK! CALL FOR ME, AND RELEASE THAT WHITE-HOT RAGE! EVEN IF IT MEANS BEING CHAINED INTO HELL, FIGHT! GUN THEM ALL DOWN, UNTIL THERE'S NO EVIL LEFT IN THIS WORLD!
Another "pulse." Time resumed. Just as Marie(?) was about to sentence Blyke to his last moment, John suddenly found himself laughing. The act caught her off guard, whirling around to see him throwing his head back, tears in his eyes.
"What's the matter? Finally cracked?"
John laughed a few seconds longer before he calmed down, lowering his head with his shoulders shaking. "Sorry. It's just..." He raised his head and gave the woman a toothy grin. "I don't think I've ever met a more pathetic person in all of my life!" Marie(?)'s eyes widened in shock, but it was quickly swallowed by anger. "Really! A warden? Get real! You're nothing but a bitch, starving for attention!"
"Why you...!" Marie(?)'s form trembled in anger, lips quivering before her eye burned in rage. "If you're so eager to die first, fine! Take aim, men!"
The guards raised their rifles at John, who glared back in defiance. Blyke watched weakly from the ground, struggling to break free. The guards cocked the hammers back, fingers squeezing the trigger.
In the back of his mind, John felt something snap. Then he smirked.
"FIRE!"
The guards pulled the triggers. Gunshots rung out, but not a single bullet reached John as his eyes suddenly began to glow. A gust of wind erupted from his being, knocking the guards pinning him down away and obliterating the bullets. The guards restraining Blyke were also thrown aside, slamming into the walls. Marie(?) stood her ground, shielding her face. As the winds died down, she lowered her arms to find John standing there, unharmed.
There was a change, however. Over his face was a jet black mask, marked with symmetrical red lines that circled around the eyeholes and the outer rims of the mask. It looked as if it were made of steel. John felt it's presence over his face and attempted to remove it. It refused to budge. He gripped it with both hands and began to pull. A scream ripped from his throat as he tore the mask off his face. To Blyke's horror, blood splashed across his face while the mask hanged in his hand, dripping red liquid.
Yet John didn't feel any pain. Instead, he felt something building up inside of him. He raised his head, revealing his glowing golden eyes before the blood that marred the upper half of his face suddenly began to burn, erupting into azure flames that slowly consumed his being. A chilling laugh echoed across the room as the flames ran down his body, swallowing him up. In seconds, John was a walking blue inferno.
The flames then began to pull back. John stood there, unharmed but now wearing different clothing. His school uniform was nowhere to be seen. Instead, he wore black slacks with knee-high laced up boots with metal bits covering the front of his legs and feet, which also wrapped around the back of his heels. Two belts wrapped around his waist. One was little more than a torn up red sash and the other a dark gray belt with studs, a holster also attached to the left side. Over a gray button-up shirt was a black jacket with padded shoulders. Over his forearms were silver metal bracers, crawling up to the back of his hands. Around his neck was a tattered red scarf. His hair was now messy, completely unkempt. Add that to the feral grin on his face, and he looked positively wild.
But that all paled in comparison to the towering figure behind him. It was thin, garbed in black clothes and a knee-length waistcoat with red accents. A wide-brimmed Cowboy's hat sat atop its head while a mask covered the lower half of its face, resembling steel fangs. Under the shadows casted by the brim of its hat was a glowing red eye that glared back at the individuals before John, promising a very painful death. In hand was a gigantic firearm that looked like a cross between a revolver and a grenade launcher, the barrel three times as long as its arm.
"What..." Blyke gasped. "What the hell?!"
John smiled wickedly. This rush of power... It was insane. It felt just like the time he first used his Ability to its full extent! His eyes settled on the startled Marie(?), who gawked in disbelief like she couldn't believe what she was seeing. She had attempted to kill him and Blyke, hadn't she? Then it was time to return the favor.
"Shoot 'em dead," John said, his smile becoming a fanged smirk as she swung his arm, destroying the chains that bound the figure behind him and allowing it to take aim, using its own arm as a stand. "Billy the Kid!"
-Chapter (the start of a new journey): END-
The Next Heist
"I'm not your captain anymore!"
"Hmph. What could you possibly do?"
"Who could've leaked my record...?"
"With this power... There's no way I'll lose!"
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