"Attention campers, due to delays of Psychonaut duties, levitation training with Agent Vodello has been moved to first thing tomorrow morning. Rest well and stay sharp." I gave Lili a sad look as we reached the heart of the camp, the sun setting slightly in the distance as I kicked a stone begrudgingly.
"Aw, man."
"Don't be a spoiled sport, Raz." Lili laughed a little as she reached over and knocked me on the shoulder with her knuckles. It wasn't too hard of a punch, but it was enough to move my shoulder just a tad. "You'll still get your levitation lesson."
"Yeah, but I was hoping on meeting her today. I got to meet Sasha Nein after all. Was just wishing it could be two birds with one stone."
"Yeah, sorry about that." Lili shrugged a little as she looked up toward the sky. "Once it starts getting dark, Milla thinks it's best to stop training lessons. But I think that's just the mother in her kicking in." I gave her a curious look as she brought her attention back toward me.
"She's a mom?"
"No, but she worked with kids before becoming an agent. Some orphanage in Brazil."
"Oh, that's cool."
"Kinda? She doesn't talk about it too much."
"Huh." I reached up and scratched the back of my head awkwardly as we kept walking together. "I get it I guess. My dad doesn't talk about his time at the orphanage back in Grulovia much either."
"That was during the war, right?"
"At the end of it, yeah."
"Do you think you'll ever go to Grulovia one day? Like, to see where your family came from and all?" I shook my head as we came to a stop before the girl's cabin.
"Not really. And honestly? Once they hear my name, I would probably be chased out."
"Well, that blows." I shrugged as I shoved my hands into my jacket's pockets.
"I don't really have a reason to anyway and it's not like my dad or my Nona would want to go back anytime soon."
"To be fair, I wouldn't blame them." Lili shrugged a little before leaning against the cabin wall. "Can I ask you another question? You can tell me if I'm poking too much or something." I gave her a soft smile as I rolled my shoulders back a little.
"I'm an open book. Well, as open as I can be."
"You said something about your family being in a circus right? To make ends meet?"
"Yeah?"
"How long as that been a thing?" I couldn't help but laugh a little as a wide smile took over my lips.
"For as long as I existed at the very least. I think it's what my dad found out was the easiest way of going about things. We don't have to say our family name if we don't want to, we can leave whenever we need to, and we're always on the move so no one can like purposely mess with us." I pulled my hands out of my pockets to show my undershirt a little more. The faded strips and patches still held strong no matter how many times Nona had fixed it. "This is actually one of my practice shirts. I didn't bring my performance clothes cause I didn't see the point in it."
"Shit that looks like it's been through hell."
"Thank you for the subtle way of calling me poor." I chuckled a little at my own remark.
"You know what I meant." She narrowed her eyes at me as I just laughed a little more.
"Just messing, Lils."
"Lils, huh?" She gave a wide smirk as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I like the sound of that." I felt a burning feeling engulf my cheeks as I reached up and scratched the back of my neck awkwardly.
"Y-Yeah?"
"Totally."
"Hey!" I snapped my head to the voice joining us as I saw the red-headed asshole from before coming in our direction. "I need a word with you!" I rolled my eyes as the kid came closer to us.
"Hello, Captain Camp Ass. How may I help you?" Sarcasm dripped off my words as I gave the other boy a small bow.
"You leaving is how you can help me." Bobby put a lot of spite into his words as he took a step closer to me. "You fucking Aquato!"
A-Aquato?
"Step off, Zilch." Lili calmly stepped between the two of us as I felt the color drain from my face. "What makes you call him that anyway?"
"Oh come on! Do you really think no one else saw his little 'tricks'?" He put air quotes on the word in question as he gestured at me with his left hand.
Tricks? Shit shit shit. Was he at the lake? Did he see me playing with the water? Or Galochio? Fuck! I should have-!
"It's obvious how he's got Agent Nein and him on his side! From those stupid Maligula mind shit!"
"Are you claiming he's using mind control?" Lili scuffed at the other boy, as I could tell she was rolling her eyes at him. "Even then, Maligula wasn't known for mind control and things along those lines. Only hydrokinesis, jackass." Bobby huffed as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"You're only saying that cause he's got you trapped under it too."
"Trapped under what? You're IQ? I thought it would have to be a lot higher for me to be trapped under it."
"Doesn't stop it from being true!" Bobby nearly yelled out the statement as he looked over toward me. "You're an Aquato! I know it! And you bastards shouldn't be stepping a single foot in he-!"
"And what would you do if I was?" I cut him off sharply as I narrowed my eyes at the boy. "Huh? Beat me up? Chase me off? Attack me in my sleep? What, huh?" This caused the boy to stammer as I continued. "Because I can assure you, there's nothing you can do that I haven't had done to me before."
"Raz." Lili turned toward me as if she wanted to save me from myself. "You don't have to tell him anything." I swallowed hard as I weighed the options for a moment in my mind.
I could carry on as this living secret within this camp. As if no one would be able to figure it out, though I know they will accordingly. Hell, I bet everyone would see it in levitation training for sure.
I closed my eyes as I knew exactly what I was going to do.
Or instead of letting this asshole out me like a shameful bastard,
I opened my eyes slowly as I heard the boy gasp. Letting me be fully aware of the change in my eyes as I decided my new path.
Or take it with pride.
"I'm not ashamed of my family. I'm not shameful of my origin and where my blood comes from. Truthfully, the only reason I hid it at first was because of how I thought bastards like you would run me out of here." I stepped to the side so I could stare at him directly with Lili watching from beside me. "But now, I know kids like you have no say in that. That the agents themselves see no harm in me being here and training like anyone else."
"S-So you-'re?"
"Razputin Augustus Aquato," I smirked proudly as I took a small bow, as I had done before. "Nice to meet your dreadful acquaintance." This caused Bobby to swallow hard and shrink into himself just a tad. "What?" I stood up straight as I put my hands in my pockets. "Cat got your tongue now? Not gonna say how I shouldn't have 'stepped a single foot in here'?" This caused him to stumble back a little as he yelled out.
"St-Stay back you freak!" I closed my eyes for a second and opened them once more as I knew they had then changed back to their original form.
"Luckily for you, I don't like hurting people. I'm too empathetic for that."
"And unluckily for him," I turned my head to look toward Lili, who now stepped forward between us once more. "This Aquato is friends with a Zanotto. So if you even think about giving him issues, I wouldn't hesitate to get my dad to step into the situation. Understood?" I watched as Bobby narrowed his eyes toward both of us once more before stepping back again.
"Freaks sticking with freaks. I'm out of here." He turned on his heels and started jogging off before stopping and yelling back at us once more. "Killer!" I rolled my eyes as Bobby then continued onto his path.
"Asshole." I looked over at Lili as a small pang hit me in my chest. "You didn't need to threaten him for me."
"I said what I said and I meant it." The girl crossed her arms over her chest as she turned her full attention toward me.
"Even the being your friend part?" I grew kinda sheepish as the question escaped me before I could even think about it. "Even with my little secret being out?"
"I was the first to tell you were different." Lili smiled proudly as she reached out with a fist to knock it into my shoulder. "And I think we're on a friendly level here. Despite it being less than twenty-four hours and all."
"Well it is longer than I'm used to being in one place," I smirked as Lili gave a small laugh in reply.
"Joking in the face of hell, huh?" Lili smirked at me back as I shrugged a little.
"Looks like the good old Maligula eyes go a long way with the people here if Bobby is any kind of reference. And with you threatening him like that, I doubt he'll actually do anything."
"That was honestly really cool." She crossed her arms over her chest once more. "They were all glowing and golden."
"Yeah, every time I tap into my psychic energy and all, it happens." I reached up and tapped on the lens of my goggles with a smile. "Which is why I have these."
"Smart." She shrugged before continuing with a sly smile. "Though I prefer the green. It's more you." I felt the heat swelling my cheeks once more as she reached out and placed a hand on my shoulder. "But if anyone tries anything, you let me know. Okay?" I gave a small nod as I tried my best to respond.
"Y-Yeah. Totally."
"Good." She smiled wide before retracting her hand. "I guess I should head in for the night. Rest well, alright Aquato?" Her smile only grew as it sounded as if she took great pride in being able to call me that out in the heart of the camp.
"Rest well, Zanotto." With then, I watched her leave me lonely in the dimming sunset as she retreated into the girl's cabin.
An Aquato and Zanotto being friends.
I felt myself smile like a fool as I turned on my heels and walked over toward the boy's cabin.
Worth whatever hell Bobby wants to try and stir.
