Sorry for the delay: I forgot to post this. It just makes it more horrible how late this is because it was never meant to be a hugely significant chapter.
Abyss High has many things that they celebrate. Some things we would consider ridiculous but others were held in the highest honor. By nature, the school praised academic achievement for those very few students that couldn't excel in anything else. While physical activity is supposed to be a privilege, here it would forever remain mandatory. Too many students with sharp tongue and quick reflexes to not make self defense and offense absolutely necessary. Could you possibly imagine all the chaos, violence and law suits there would be? They'd have to start putting up security cameras and spend money they didn't have on stuff they certainly didn't need. Nothing a couple of beat downs couldn't solve that is.
The most common sport played here was track 'n field. Although track 'n field contains many events, all were quite popular at Abyss High. If you could run, jump or throw, you were worshiped. So, naturally, if you could do all three then everybody knew you.
This was the case for a lovely pair of half brothers: Sync and Ion.
The two were both gifted with an incredible athletic talent that the father they shared lacked completely. Both were also intellectual but it was the track where they soared and challenged themselves.
However, it wasn't because of this that everyone knew who they were ...
"Sync: you're slipping. You've not only lost your usual enthusiasm but you've added seconds to your average rate. Is something the matter?" Leave it to Professor Largo (combat teacher) to rub in your faults.
At least, that was how Sync saw him.
"Ah, come on Professor. Sync is just tired, aren't you?" Ion bent down to glance over at Sync, who was bent over and panting slightly.
Look at that smug look, that taunting expression. Ion was completely mocking him and he was enjoying this-
"I'm fine! I'm not tired, shut up!" Sync snapped angrily and stood up immediately, looking up at Largo rather desperately. "Honest sir, I can do better. Nothing is the matter but I guess I just got a bit distracted. I've been putting in a lot of extra training hours."
Ion blinked and then grinned which Sync only glared at. Ion didn't notice.
Largo looked hopelessly between the two and gave a short sigh. "Maybe you should take a rest then while Ion takes his laps. Go on, on the bench." He pointed which Sync knew he'd have to go along with. No wasn't a word in Largo's vocabulary because apparently there was no such thing as a limit to natural talent.
Ion smiled to Sync as he passed. "You can have some of my water if you want."
"I don't need your damn water! Run your stupid laps." He growled and waved at him as he slumped onto the bench, glaring at Largo. The teacher didn't miss it but instead he chose to ignore it. Pulling up his stop watch again, he looked from it to Ion and then nodded his head toward the track. It was a regular course and this was regular special attention. Ion turned to face the track in his white shirt three times as big as he was and the dark gold shorts that went down to his knees. Almost as soon as he was in a proper position, Largo gave the command and Ion took off.
Sync turned his head in disgust.
"You're awfully rude." A voice condemned Sync from behind. "A complete jerk; what's the matter with you?"
He turned around so quickly that his head spun and it took a moment to realize that whomever was behind him was certainly someone he'd never seen before in his life. He just stared at this dumb little girl with gray ponytails and red ribbons before deciding to ignore her completely.
"I see you're one to prove the point too. Perfect: my first attempt at student socialization and he's an idiot. So Mr. Perfect, why are you sitting on the bench instead of running like that kid over there?"
Sync growled lightly, hoping she'd take it as a warning to back off. Too bad he didn't already know her.
"Excuse me?" She snapped and stomped her way around so she was standing right in front of him. Even sitting, Sync was the same height as her: and he was slouching.
She was glaring at him with poison in her gaze. "I haven't even met you yet and I already don't like you. How can you be so mean to that kid when he was only trying to be polite? What's the matter with you?"
"And who are you?" Sync replied, trying his best to settle his frustrated nerves into a more calm and mockery state.
"Anise Tatlin and I think you owe that boy an apology." She pointed.
Sync scowled at her a moment before the expression slipped into something more 'you're-nothing-but-scum'. "I owe him nothing. Besides, he should be used to it by now and I have no idea why I need to explain myself to some little twig that can't take the hint to take a hike!"
"Who: me?" She questioned and pointed now to herself as innocently as she could manage.
The boy didn't even bother to try and cover up his distaste. "Stop distracting me. Go ... do homework or something. Don't you have class?"
"I'm on an errand from Vice Principal Curtiss." She replied quickly.
"Then shouldn't you be doing that?"
"I am. I'm supposed to talk with Professor Largo, Master of Combat."
"He's right behind you so why not leave me alone now?"
"I thought you might have been someone worth my interest. Thanks so much for proving me wrong."
"Excuse me?!"
"Oh Professor! Professor! Could I have a word?"
Sync couldn't believe how she could have done that: flip him off like he didn't exist at all. Nobody ever did that!
"Hey!" He called to her but she was already speaking with Largo. She looked very excited and from afar, Sync couldn't tell if she was just trying to act cute to win the teacher's favor or if that was how she normally acted.
What a freak.
--
"Professo– ohh my gosh, I am so sorry!!" Anise called, covering her face as she turned her body.
The boy she'd caught with his shirt half way off was Ion, who stood there wondering what on earth was so horrifying. "Uhh ... hello. Can I help you?"
Anise shock her head intensely, hands still over her face. "Mmm, 'm so sorry ... I didn't realize where I was going."
Ion laughed as he grabbed a regular t-shirt and pulled it on. "I understand. I was a bit confused too when I came here. The middle school doesn't have change rooms after all. Probably a big surprise." He looked around like he was scanning over very familiar territory. Which ... it was.
That wasn't exactly what Anise was surprised to find ... "Is Professor Largo around?"
"He should be in his office. Come on, I'll take you there." Ion replied cheerfully.
Anise was quiet a moment before her voice popped up again. "This is going to come out weird but ... are you changed now?"
"Wha-? Of course!" Ion grinned and waited for Anise to turn around (very cautiously ...) before waving her toward him. "This way."
Anise looked a bit spooked to move anywhere but this only caused Ion to laugh. He scooted over to her and snagged up one of her hands with a wide grin. "No need to be scared: I'm the only one here so you don't have to worry about anybody else popping out behind lockers. Coach Largo's office is this way." He spoke, tugging at her hand while she just let him pull her along.
Over the break from when she'd encountered Sync and when she had to return to the Vice Principal afterward, she'd found out they were half brothers:
"That's correct." Jade spoke with a smile. "They are the greatest pair of rivals to ever come to Abyss High: even greater then Luke and Asch though neither would ever admit to such a thing."
"Who?" Anise questioned.
"A pair of hooligans." Principal Peony put in before Jade got to reply. Anise looked over at him curiously as he leaned forward. "You'll notice them: they aren't hard to miss. The one with long hair isn't some one you should get mad unless you're someone like Jade or I who can get away with it but the one with short hair isn't someone you want to get mad either." Peony thought over what he said and leaned back to ponder it.
"He has a much more playful reaction." Jade added.
Anise made a face. "Playful on who's part?"
"Ours, naturally." Jade smiled and Anise shifted her feet. In the couple weeks she'd known him, she still wasn't sure if she should be uncomfortable or just flat out terrified of him.
Anise placed her hands on her hips. "Well whoever they are, one of them certainly has a really bad attitude. Someone should teach him a lesson in manners and respect."
"Oh, I agree completely. Do us the honors, will you?" Peony smiled, folding his fingers before him and resting his chin there.
"He's really rude and he was so mean to that other boy. For no reason!!" Anise grumbled.
Jade chuckled. "Oh, the fact that the other exists is plenty of reason for the one you speak of to hate him."
Anise tried processing that.
"The one your talking about is named Sync. The one he was being rude to was most likely Ion. They're half brothers." Jade tried again.
"Half brothers? Really?" Anise gasped.
Peony nodded. "Sync needs a good back hand if you ask me."
"We didn't." Jade replied quickly, making the gesture to roll his eyes.
The principal ignored him. "I think you'd get along perfectly with Ion though: such a helpful boy and you never see him without a smile. So unlike his brother ... or his father for that matter ... like father like son, I suppose."
Jade didn't even bother to comment that Peony shouldn't have been putting down parents. Not because he didn't have anything to say but because it was just too difficult to disagree.
"Are you Ion?" Anise questioned as Ion turned right and nearly nailed himself with an open locker door.
As he closed it, he turned to give her a smile. "I am, why do you ask?"
She grinned, energy filled her. "No reason: I'm-"
"Anise Tatlin, right? Sync told me every bad thing he could possibly come up with about you. Though ... you don't look like a Gorgon to me. You're quite pretty."
Anise flushed lightly at the random compliment.
"So ... do you mind if I ask why you need to see Coach? It seemed important." Ion questioned softly.
"Ah!" Anise perked up. "Vice Principal Curtiss thought I'd be a lot more productive in a Combat class then Artes so we're trying to see if Professor Largo can fit me into one of his classes."
"Really? That's amazing! Maybe you'll be in one of my classes. It's possible. My brother and I both have double Combat periods with different classes. Different grades to be exact."
"Wow ..." Anise gushed lightly. "You must be really strong ..."
Ion glanced back and gave her a smile. "I'm not the greatest but I get by."
"He certainly does." A deep voice cut into their conversation.
Ion halted before Professor Largo with a grin, still holding onto Anise's fingers. "Thank you, sir. I'm honored."
Largo waved at Ion to move to the side, which he complied to easily. "I can take it from here, Ion. Best head to your next class."
"Yes, sir." He nodded and gave a slight bow. He turned to Anise, gave her a smile and a wave before turning on his heels and leaving.
Anise watched him go with a little interest. What an adorable kid ...
"So." Largo's voice carried her back to the topic on hand. "What's this I hear about you having a fighting spirit?"
TBC ...
Review, please!
