Jasper
"And that's that." Mrs. Evans picked up the documents, straightening them against the desk. "I'll have these sent to New York, tomorrow morning you need to come in to sign them. I'll go ahead and get you into your classes today. Pick up your schedule then." She turned out of office, supposedly heading to a fax machine.
We heaved a collective sigh of relief, turning to my two companions I said, "Well, now that that's been taken care of, we have some time to kill. I didn't actually ever have a class in NOT."
"Yeah, my mother is heading to New York now, should only be a few hours." Genevieve nodded, standing out of her seat. "Going to go meet Carter at the library, you guys headed to the gym?"
"Unfortunately. He has me working another day, this time we got weapons." Elizabeth flopped back in her chair, sliding down the back.
"Good luck, have fun."
"I won't!" She called as Genevieve left. I grimaced, somewhat concerned.
"Do you really not like to train, to fight?" My tone was serious, prompting a look of confusion.
"What is that supposed to mean?" She blinked at me, head turning slightly.
"Well, if you hate training and learning to use weapons, why do it? There are other that could take Watin down."
"Well..." She stopped for a moment, bunching her eyebrows together. "I want to be the one to do it. And more than that, I'm your meister, and even past that… I kinda do enjoy it." That made me laugh.
"If you enjoy it why do always complain?" My tone was lighter now, almost teasing.
"Because annoying you is fun? I don't know." She got out of her chair, heading to the gym, or so I thought. "Let's go to the park, it'll be winter soon and I want to enjoy it."
"This is Nevada, specifically the desert, those season things don't really exist."
"I'm from New York, we have winter. I'm used to it. Stop laughing!" I was slightly chuckling but stopped when she shoved me away.
"Okay, okay, lets get going. If we get there early we can probably find a partner for at least an hour or so." And so we went, traversing the streets took some time do our unfamiliarity, but in time we found it. When we walked in a group was sparring, different meisters in the green with multiple spectators.
"Hey, you guys need another pair?" I thought I was friendly enough, approaching a girl with long blonde hair, and at first the group was smiling at me, then they looked to my side. As soon as the girl we approached caught sight of Elizabeth she seemed to panic, but she recovered quickly.
"Sorry, but we don't really need anyone else, two squads training together, sorry." Elizabeth sighed quietly, looking away. This girl was lying.
"If you have to be hateful at the very least don't be so half-assed about it." My mood quickly turned to annoyance, this girl some how recognized my meister, so she excluded us, and didn't even have the courage to actually say it.
Her surprise was short lived, she turned on Elizabeth, anger showing. "You looked didn't you! They were right you are a bitch, get the fuck out of here!" She went to push my partner, but I grabbed her wrist, not bothering to hold back on my grip.
"You touch her and I'll snap you in two." I pulled her arm up slightly before tossing her onto the ground. The rest of her group had their attention focused on us now, glaring.
"What the hell man? Calm down, I'm sure we can resolve this somewhat peacefully." Another guy came forward, helping the original girl up.
"Jasper, leave it. Its unavoidable. Not a big deal." Elizabeth's tone was resigned, but I was still angry. Despite that I let her pull me back, turning back to the exit.
"You don't think its a big deal to stare at people's souls?! Shows a lot about you!" Bad fucking move.
I whirled on them, attention focused on the cheeky brat that dared to utter the words. She wasn't the first girl, this one hair shorter black hair. I grabbed her by the collar of her shirt, pulling her to my level. "Step in the green, weapon or not, your choice. Lets settle your attitude with fists you cheeky bitch." My challenge stood as I once again threw a girl to the ground. I stepped into the green, waiting.
The girl with the black hair looked to the first one, with the blonde hair. She nodded, a green light turned her into the form of a machete. I motioned Elizabeth forward before turning into my own weapon form, choosing the scythe.
'Do you think is going to solve anything?'
'No, but I'll feel better, kick her ass.'
'You need to curb that cursing habit, been getting worse the last few days.
'And you need to focus, we'll be switching weapon forms mid battle. Gun mode. Lets show them how freaky we can be.' I heard her internal sigh, but she went along with it.
The girl attacked first, swinging her weapon in a wide arc, it was no match for our reach. Elizabeth backed up, attacking at the end of her range. Unlike some of our slower opponents this one simply stepped back ever so slightly. Bad choice, because now we had momentum. Elizabeth continued the spin around her body, flipping me over one shoulder and attacking from the opposite side. The blade came upward, catching the girl off guard, now was the time!
"Switch!" Elizabeth shouted it for effect while my light shined to reveal her pistol. With a quick squeeze of the trigger the opponent was on the ground, coughing from the hit to her stomach. With another flash the weapons were back in human form.
"Woah! Scythe and gun! That's a weird mixture of weapons." One of the guys made the obvious declaration.
"Oh, it gets better." I smirked. The flashing started, an interval between each one just long enough to see the weapon I had become, and finally to top it off, a machete. In one final flash I stayed in human form. "Any and all weapons, that is what I'm capable of." I said, the venom leeching into my words. "We are the weirdest pair this world has ever known, so have a good day." Turning on my heel we left the group standing in, what I would call, awe-inspired fear.
"That is going to come back to bite us." Elizabeth had a slight smile, she didn't really care, just pointing it out.
"Yeah, probably."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"So first you hate her, tell us about her, betray all of Death City, then join her squad? You are a fucking joke." The girl pushed me against the wall, glaring at me in some way that I took to be an intimidation attempt.
"Surprise surprise, mind controlling warlocks are a bitch. Now fuck off, because you are too." I pushed past, coming out of the dark hallway into the main hall. I knew that it would come, I led the charge against Elizabeth and now we were friends once again. I also led that charge that hurt a 'few' meisters and weapons. I shook my head, even if that was me, it wasn't me, I had to remember that. I wouldn't have done it if it weren't for that accursed weapon.
Speaking of weapons, mine came up behind me. "Should I have intervened?" Aaron ran a hand through his hair, ruffling the already messy white mop.
"I can handle a few of prissy girls. No need to help." I smiled my devilish smile before turning to him, stopping in the hallway. "Did you get it?"
"But of course, this much is easy, you gave me a full night." He held out a flash drive, I would put this to good use later. For now I had classes, those vile things. "Pulled strings, squad has suddenly been transferred into one home room, yours had the least in the grade so guess where we get dumped."
"You do good work."
"Naturally, my dearest Victoria." He bowed ever so slightly, a mocking smile on his lips.
"Cut it out. Let's go, we have class." When I walked into the room Elizabeth was digging through her bag, pulling out various books. The cover had sharpie all over it, flipping one open a bunch of the text had been inked out, unreadable.
"Frick, Vic, can I share your books, I'll tell Jasper I forgot mine. If he sees this he'll be pissed."
"I have a better plan." I grabbed Aaron's shirt, pulling him down. Whispering into his ear I said, "Top left of the room, blonde hair, lip piercing, grab her books. All of them." He nodded, moving up, to most people it just looked like he passed her on the way to talk to some guy, but I was looking. He grabbed the pile of books out of her bag on the back of her chair, acting like he always had them.
After some unknown chatter he came back, placing the books in front of Elizabeth. "Fresh text books, I'll deal with these." He grabbed her inked copies, placing them on the shelf below the table. It was like a lecture hall, several long tables where you could sit anywhere. "Do you think I could paint her as some wildly devout cultist that disagrees with modern math and science, and... hates Shakespeare, I guess."
"No! You did enough, she deserves having to pay for new text books, not a ruined social life!" Sometimes Elizabeth was too nice for her own good, and this was one of those times. But I had a flash drive to help with that, Aaron knew it too but just shrugged.
One good thing about being the one to incite these people was knowing just who was likely to be responsible, this girl in particular had mentioned a plan of this nature, I didn't think she would actually do it though.
Eventually Jasper came in, Genevieve and Carter in tow. "Imagine my surprise when we get here and are told that our home room has been spontaneously switched to better balance the classes." Carter put his book bag down, shooting me a knowing look. Now with everyone here I could see what uniforms they had chosen.
Genevieve's was simple, a sailor uniform (?) with a blue flap, red bow, and blue skirt. Elizabeth and Jasper were matching, dark blue blazers and tan pants/skirt. Carter was wearing a black jacket over his white shirt, it had a collar, and looked like it could be buttoned up all the way to the neck. He lacked a tie, and his shirt wasn't buttoned, so the light orange undershirt was visible.
Aaron simply wore a black pants, a white button up that was in fact, not buttoned, to reveal a black shirt. I just had a light blue polo and grey skirt that looked like the same material office chairs were made of. And of course, there was one consistent detail, a Death logo over our hearts.
My examinations were cut short by a shout from behind. "Homeroom, lets go." The teacher was actually rather non-descript, his slightly balding scalp poorly covered by a comb over. He looked like what I would expect out of a high school math teacher, which he was.
"Very quickly, I will go over it one more time for our new transfers and any who forgot over the week long break. I am Mr. Lee, I moved from here from New York where I taught Soul Sight training to young talent. Now I am putting my math degree to use here at DWMA." He paused, seeing if anyone had anything to say, when they didn't he continued. "We have five new transfers, as part of a rebalancing of the classes. Carter Denson, Genevieve Marl, Aaron Nimo, Jasper Nimo, and… Elizabeth Ekler?" He looked up making eye contact with our squad member.
"Nice to see you again, Mr. Lee." She nodded, confirming his suspicion.
"I thought you decided not to become a meister! Good to see you once again, look here, this one is quite the talent." He nodded smiling, not catching Elizabeth trying to shrink in her chair. "Now, lets take attendance."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"I hate school." I put my tray on the table, maybe a little too angrily.
"The afternoon has more to do with fighting and the like, so truck on." Aaron sat down next to me now that we had managed to find a table with just enough seats for the squad.
"You hear what they're calling you this morning? Apparently someone did a little research on the Nimo, found out about the Omni weapon." Carter sat down, pausing to scoot in his chair. "The Cursed Pair. Care to explain who you pissed off yesterday?" Jasper sighed before telling us about the events of the park yesterday.
"Deserved it." I laid my judgment out, punctuated by the snap of me biting into an apple.
"I agree, girls a bitch." Aaron backed me up, Carter also nodded his head.
"Maybe she was being a little uppity, but couldn't you have been somewhat peaceful?" Genevieve sighed, returning to her soup. "Maybe just walk away once in awhile."
"I defend my actions as appropr-" Jasper was stopped by two chairs being brought to our table. We turned our heads, examining the new additions. They were looking at us, clearly nervous, no lunch trays.
"Can we help you?" Jasper was guarded, he expected something from them.
"Uh, well, we came to talk to Elizabeth, about your, uh, talents." One of the guys, the one with the shorter blonde hair, talked first, quickly added on by the brown haired guy.
"We have a friend, she's really shy, she wants to partner with this guy. So, we want you to check the compatibility between them, reassure her that she's a good match." Elizabeth looked taken aback, a piece of pineapple half way to her mouth.
"Uh well, without both parties agreeing I'm not really comfrota-" The brown hair raised his hand.
"That's the thing. The guys a total coward, won't try himself. If he could be sure that they would mesh, I think he would do it. We talked to him about it, we just need to get them in your field of view together."
"How did you know that I could even do it? Its a really advanced skill."
"We heard you don't have limits on it when you focus. Even shape can be seen, apparently, a talent like that hasn't been seen in a student since Maka Alburn, sorry, Mrs. Evans. We need you to do it."
"Payment?" I raised an eyebrow, they had a grim look, not realizing what I meant. "Not money, that would cost a lot, not even your allowances could cover. A favor, we do one for you, you owe us." They breathed a sigh of relief, they would be useful, no need to do the foot work myself.
"Deal." He pointed the two targets out of the lunch room. "Her and him. If you need it we can get them closer."
"Shhh." Jasper raised a hand to his lips. Elizabeth was already in the zone, looking at the little hints and bumps the two had, seeing if it would work. Those eyes still sent shivers up my spine, ever since she evaluated Aaron and I, her sight was different for me. It was something to be feared, in the hands of anyone but her.
"Done. 83.28%, well above the necessary measure." This number was way more specific than her last one, and faster, eyebrows raised at her. "What, it got better, I spent half a week training."
"Well, uh, thanks. We'll tell them. I would expect baked goods appearing at your doors. She bakes." They stood up, before they could leave I grabbed one.
"I'll be cashing in that favor early tomorrow morning, be here before six." I let him go, watching them split up, each to a different potential partner.
"Are you planning on making us into that student mafia back in Maine?!" Carter looked toward me, incredulous.
"Nah, I just needed a little help. What? Were you gonna make them pay her, or do it for free? Don't worry, just a little physical labor." He seemed reassured, but I was expecting a tongue lashing the next morning. If only they knew.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"What the HELL Victoria?!" Carter put his head in his hands.
"Paybacks a bitch?" I shrugged, trying to joke off my actions.
"Those pictures were indecent!" Genevieve was red in the face once more.
"She had that coming, leading around three guys? I mean come on." Reasoning wasn't going to work. Elizabeth just sat there in silence, looking at me, she had gotten used to my antics in the past years, but this blew them out of the water.
"How did you even get all that?" Jasper was still chuckling, thinking of the shocked faces and screaming teenagers that desperately tried to collect the pages.
"Aaron, gathered it. I just put their dirty little secrets on some paper and distributed. Well, the two we helped yesterday put them in the lockers but." I had Aaron gather pictures and secrets on those I knew to be sowing seeds of hatred toward our squad, and this was my message back, it would only get worse if they tried something now.
"That was amazing, how many secret bullies did you just out?" Jasper seemed to have agreed with what I did, but I knew he would. To him, Elizabeth meant… a lot.
"Victoria Jacalenn Black." I winced at the use of my full name, I was in trouble. "The only reason I'm not mad is because this won't ruin all of them, and if it does, they deserved it, but please, don't do this again."
"Dear god, fanfiction about Edward Cullin and Jacob, how did you even link that to him?" Jasper was leafing through the packet, turning in on its side. "Damn, flexible." Genevieve snapped it away from him, stomping it on the ground.
"Indecent!"
"A picture of a dude in a leotard, a sparkly pink leotard. To each his own, but that guy was known for being a tough-guy boxer." He laughed a little more before giving out a final breath. "Death, I never want to be on your guys' bad side."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The day after Victoria had distributed her papers, I was in the bathroom when I heard a familiar voice.
"I hear you're in a squad with the Cursed Pair?" I turned, the threat was in the words, not the tone but still, I tensed. It was Tyler, the one who convinced me to attack Elizabeth.
"What of it?"
"Nothing, just came to give you something." He came forward, putting a piece of paper to my chest. Whispering he said. "I thought when you were alone would be the best time to approach you with this. Plans to mess with your squads lockers, this is my way to atone, I guess."
I nodded, somber. "Thanks. Call it even. I needed something like this, this squad will be strong, and I'm gonna need my name out there."
"Good luck kid. Sorry about our past. This is it." He walked past, leaving me with the instructions.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"Shameful, truly." I came from behind the corner, two pairs of third years staring at me, spray paint in hand. "To think that people who are responsible for the world would act like high school thugs." I swung my weapon for emphasis.
"Oh hey, you're the pretentious brat that joined the Cursed Pair, Denson was it? I heard your father hit the drink. Ever clean up?" They snickered to themselves.
"My father is a pro-meister, show some respect. Now stand at attention, because I'll end this in a single strike." I raised my rapier to shoulder level. Their weapons transformed, and that was all the lee way I gave them before my charge began. Pulse out, back, out again, the waves growing till they were sent over the edge.
"The bright light of the Holy Rapier! Shine!" We went through the group sending them flying with the energy surrounding us, straight into the lockers. They groaned as they fell to the floor, already defeated.
"Was that all you're capable of? Not surprising, of those with such horrible attitudes. Take your responsibilities a little more seriously, or I'll be back. Our squad will not be touched." I pulled my phone from my pocket as Genevieve transformed back to human form, with a quick text the school nurse had been alerted to the hurt students.
Genevieve took the paper from her pocket, moving toward one of the group. "We knew where you would be, next time we will really crush you." She slipped it into the guy's breast pocket before standing back up to follow me out.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"We should get a nick name." Victoria was kicking her legs on the swing, watching me flip off the poles of the swing set.
"Like the Cursed Pair? You realize that they earned that through getting into a fight and some one being a particular large dick." I flipped once more, shaking the play-set yet again.
"Yeah! It would be awesome, Carter and Genevieve are even starting to get a rep, the Holy Pair, they say. He used a Soul Resonance in a fight yesterday, and they're opponents took it very literally." She jumped off the swing, landing in a crouch. "And so, we should get one too. We can all match." She stalked forward, devilish smile on.
"I think you just want to have a title like the others." I flipped once more before continuing. "But then again we can't be out done can we?" I smirked as well, plan forming in my mind.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"So, we are going to go for the Pair of Storms? For our souls? Got it, but how do we convey that in a fight again?" Victoria kicked up some dirt, hands on her head.
"Simple, we force our Soul Wavelength outward, make it obvious to the spectators. To put it into normal terms, bring up that feeling, make it obvious in your body language, and then let go of your control on your soul. You're the natural type of fighter, so it should just happen. Ready?"
"Got it, also, how did you get these guys to come and attack us." She looked around her, the ring forming steadily. They were starting to close in now, anger on their faces.
"Not important. Le-"
"Are you gonna keep talking while being surrounded?" One of them called out. Apparently talking while people you intended to fight closed in was frowned upon, but that was apart of crafting the image as well.
Instead of continuing I turned into my weapon form. Victoria tossed me up in the air ever so slightly, flipping me each time, before bursting off. She moved fast, weaving between the weapon-less meisters, slashing at every opening, they couldn't keep track of her. But soon, she could be heard, a slight chuckle there, a bold laugh over there. She mocked them through the whole brawl, grabbing them to use as shields, knocking them over then moving on. By the end they were running away, clutching various wounds while we stood in the field, slightly laughing.
"Remember this, our team is the strongest in DWMA, the Cursed Pair, the Holy Pair, and us the Pair of Storms! Spread the word, lest we send a few of your friends to the hospital for daring to stand in our way!" Victoria puncuated it with a bitter laugh, quieting down when she was sure they were gone.
"That was tiring, they didn't put up much of a fight, not sure that I really let out the wavelength either." She shrugged, heading out of the park.
"It was fine, just the ending words would have probably been enough. They probably think that we already had the name and that they didn't know yet. Also, want to sound a little more like an awkward villain?"
"Ah, good. I guess we see the results tomorrow, later." She turned toward the female dorms, expecting me to head the other way. Instead I followed her.
"Where are you going, the guys dorms are that way." She pointed behind her.
"Walking you home. I can be a gentleman occasionally." She gave a singular laugh, but said nothing else till we were at the gate.
"Thanks for walking me back, see you tomorrow." My partner smiled, a genuine smile, not one with mischevious intentions, a real one. I nodded, turned back, and went back to my room. Hiding my face the entire way.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"This is great." Jasper was reading the school newspaper, specifically an article that had six very familiar pictures on it. "'The team that claims to be the strongest currently in DWMA, each pair has recieved nick names for the way they act and their abilities. The strange pair, Jasper Nimo and Elizabeth Ekler show abilities no one thought possible, to a terrifying degree, and are deemed the Cursed Pair.'" He stopped to laugh slightly before continuing.
"'Carter Denson and Genevieve Marl have been deemed the Holy Pair for their high morals, specifically that Carter believes all meisters and weapons are to be held toa high level of conduct, and the pairs Soul Resonance chant. Finally, Aaron Nimo, cousin of Jasper Nimo, and Victoria Black, the one that was reportedly mind-controlled by Watin, have been dubbed the Storm Pair. Apparently fighting them is like walking into a 'perfect storm' as described by one who fought them in a nearby park. Faculty refuses to comment on the squad, as they are not yet official, or its members.'" He was really struggling not to burst out laughing.
I grabbed the paper away. "Jasper this is not funny, I wanted to lay low and you guys are all putting us in the spotlight." I put my head in my hands, sighing.
He took some pity, rubbing my back he said. "Remember, you plan to have the Watin on your kill list, I think having every student in the building know who we are when we walk in a room in just the first week is an accomplishment, but I see where you're coming form." I arched my back, pushing it into his hand.
"Hey there, how's everyone this morning." Victoria placed her bag down, grabbing the now crumpled paper from me.
"Oh hey it worked! I should tell Aaron, who thought that it would only take till the next morning!" With another sigh my head fell to the table. "What do you mean we aren't official?"