Chapter 27
A Festive Future
After the return of Vanelis Kiralexia was in a terrible mood for almost the entire day. Not even Ashido or Toga could ease him. When Vanelis tried to speak with Kiralexia more, Kiralexia punched a hole through the wall and left, yet not before throwing a knife into his shoulder. He then barricaded himself into his room and was trying to figure things out. Afterall, it was his fault that the war was more of a disaster then it should've been. Yet when night came Kiralexia looked up and sighed. He was preparing for this day and didn't want it to go to waste. Thus he got the items he bought everyone and went downstairs where he saw Vanelis speaking with the students. When he wasn't fighting he was, calm.
His manner of speaking was a bit unnerving but at least it wasn't to bad. If anything while he was clearly insane, more so then even Toga, he had a bit of a charm to him. His laughter at his own jokes was odd, hell the jokes were morbid as hell, but he was relaxed and didn't do anything, stupid. Kiralexia wasn't exactly pleased as the situation but was overall okay with the current events. He sat down on the chair and simply said:
"Not a word out of you to me BOY. I'm only here to celebrate the festivities."
Vanelis simply shrugged at that and went on with a conversation he was having with Kirishima. He was impressed he was the first to strike him so wanted to speak more to him. Turns out Vanelis respected all of the students trying there hardest to take him down. He spoke to them on how to improve on tactics and everything. All well and good, all accept for Kiralexia, who was just staring him down looking ever more pissed off. Whatever the issue be, it seemed to be bothering him hard.
Vanelis noticed easily but ignored it even if he did show a bit of sweat. Kiralexia simply scoffed when he saw that, knowing the truth above all others. Vanelis then remembered something and pulled out two big boxes with bow wrappers on them. He smiled as he brought them out, wait how'd he hide them so easily? Awe well anyways, Kiralexia himself was a bit surprised seeing the big boxes and simply tilted his head to the side when he looked them over.
"What are they?"
"Gifts for all of you. couldn't fit them in one so I had to use two instead."
"Well why do you give them to use when you've only just met us?"
'Because it is a show of appreciation to train you and me all at once."
"Huh?" Everyone said in unison at that remark which just made Vanelis give an eerie smile.
"Well yes of course you trained me as well kids. Afterall how piss poor must you be as a trainer to not enhance your own style of combat alongside your students?" Vanelis said looking towards Kiralexia.
Kiralexia could tell where he was pinning blame and did not care for it. He always made sure to adapt his training styles against the students yet Vanelis wasn't seeing that. Perhaps time has been unkind to him as well. Kiralexia simply looked away while Vanelis smirked a bit before placing the boxes in the center of the chair arraignment.
Kiralexia noticed and snapped his fingers. Suddenly more gifts appeared and everyone was shocked at the sight of the new gifts. Kiralexia looked like he was showing off against Vanelis and Vanelis looked a bit miffed. Kiralexia stood up and grabbed one of his gifts and tossed it to Kirishima. It was a book on athletics and body workout routines. Kirishima looked up a bit happy at that and Kiralexia finally explained what was going on.
"I figured with how long I've been here and with how you all have been treating me, I give you something in return. All of these are from me, might not be as personal as say, your parents but I have tried." Kiralexia said with everyone seeming very pleased and touched by his statement.
He still seemed to be distant tonight yet that was perhaps due to Vanelis being around. Afterall not much was known on the falling out the two had, or better yet what even happened in full during the war. To there knowledge Vanelis did, or didn't do something and that costed the Militia greatly. Whatever the case may be Vanelis wouldn't lose the opportunity to have this night be at least tolerable for him.
"Well if you got one from him take one from me that way we clear our gifts together and can compare them."
"Sure degrade me more like you already haven't done that enough to last a lifetime." Kiralexia retorted looking ever more pissed.
Vanelis sighed before having Kirishima take the gift he pulled out from the first box. It was metal bracing for the arms over boxing gloves. Smaller variations, not the cartoony ones, and Vanelis said, 'to improve striking strength.' Kirishima thanked him and Kiralexia sighed and looked away. He then stood up again and tossed a gift for Jirou. A bit of a bigger box and in it were an assortment of music items. Blue tooth speaker, album discs of various artists, and a rolled up poster of an Irish rock band. They were called 'Ulster's Red Angels.' a group consisting of two girls and three boys, at least now they do. Had to replace someone after they suddenly died, but either way the band has kept it's head held high and sings an assortment of traditional songs and originals like, 'Northern fury, The Yellow turncoats, and most famous, Winter rain.
Kiralexia showed the band and many others from both Ireland and Europe, alongside American ones, to Jirou a while ago and she was enjoying the beats a lot. So as a show of appreciation he went out got a poster of one of there albums, and the album itself, alongside Kiss, Bon Jovi, and even a German disco artist, whose name alluded him at the time but he remembered the song names. Jirou thanked him as she received her gift from Vanelis, which was a pair of earmuffs that also had a visor on them.
'To aid sight when hearing is nulled." He said to which Jirou just said thanks shyly.
In short gifts from Kiralexia were more personal and a show of affection and thanks after so long being around him while gifts from Vanelis would aid in combat. Something that made Kiralexia extra annoyed but he was fine for the most part. He smirked at his gag gift he gave Bakugou but then gave him a pack that was a mix of coupons to spicy food areas and firework stands, and just straight up a few new games he's been asking for. Ashido's made him smile a lot which was a punk aesthetic make up kit, and earring's of flames with a raindrop/acid drop in the center. She loved them and thanked Vanelis just as much for his gift, which were tubes to store her acid in and use as either bombs, backup sprays, or something else she could think outside the box for.
With each gift Kiralexia got more and more angry, or at least showed more signs of distress. Vanelis noticed this while the students all talked about there gifts and how happy they were to meet these people. He said nothing as of now but he could tell something was making him angry. Eventually when the last gift was given, he had enough and stood up. He then walked out of the building looking very pissed off. Vanelis wanted to follow but decided it was for the best to leave him alone.
While Kiralexia was outside the dorm he thought about what to do. Vanelis was putting a front on he could tell easily what was going on. He never did many of these things back at the Militia, he'd usually stay in the back and keep to himself. Of course others would enjoy him for how much he LOVED to fight, For god's sake Rasputin always went into spars with him when he could and loved every second of it. Yet now, he was calm, something he rarely ever saw, most of the time he'd be making dark jokes or doing something else. Yet gifts, not exactly something commonly given, especially on holidays. Yet the students all believed it, of course they would, they just met him afterall. Kiralexia groaned heavily as he stared off into the distance. He then rubbed his eyes around trying to lose the strain in them. Hard to keep composure when you know something isn't right. Just then when he was still trying to think of something, the door opened and Vanelis came out.
Kiralexia sneered at him before looking away. Vanelis simply shrugged a bit before pulling something from his side. He then showed it to Kiralexia who turned to see. It was a whiskey bottle with a little ribbon on it. Kiralexia scoffed a bit before taking the bottle and opening it. Vanelis seemed a bit more at ease now knowing that Kiralexia accepted his gift.
"SO we good now old friend?" Vanelis said with Kiralexia looking at him.
He took a drink of the whiskey bottle before forming a knife and cutting a side of his collarbone. He then punched him in the face so hard, his jaw dislocated. Vanelis recoiled from the strike before looking back at him jaw completely fucked up.
"Ow, Ohay I-" Vanelis tried to speak but nothing understandable came out.
He then grabbed his lower jaw and began to relocate it. After many attempts, with each one having small cracking noise come from the attempts, he was able to get it. With a loud crack his jaw came back aligned and he cracked his jaw around to make sure it was fully aligned. Kiralexia smirked a bit as Vanelis sighed before speaking again.
"Alright I deserved that somewhat but was it really necessary?"
"More so then you'd remember." Kiralexia retorted back still clearly upset at him. Vanelis sighed.
"I understand why you hate me but this won't fix the past."
"You're right but it makes me feel better seeing you in pain."
"Is my pain really enough to heal the wounds?"
"What are you on about? Why are you acting like this, you never were like this back in the Militia." Kiralexia asked with Vanelis quick to respond.
"Sometimes the best way forward is change. I am still mostly the same but I have become more, sloth like."
"Slow and smelly? That sounds right for you."
"No, docile and relaxed."
"Explain what the hell that training was then."
"That side of me will never fade, nor die. I love to fight it's in my blood to fight." Vanelis said with a small weak smile.
Kiralexia simply looked away when he said that. Loved to fight, if that were true things would've ended differently fives years ago. Kiralexia thought this well and clearly, even if he was drinking alcohol. Such things rarely affected him and he'd stay sober for many drinks until. Yet that one statement, it made his blood boil.
"If that's the case why did you fight less during the war? You could've ended it with us yet you never did. Why is that?"
"It's complicated old friend. Time is fickle and I have seen my death, if I fought then, then the timeline would've been ruined."
"Sure make up more excuses, you've never been able to see into the future or timelines like Sir Nighteye or that one man over 200 years ago. All you could do was fight and use your abilities whenever you wanted to, spice things up."
"Heh ya, look you and I may never be friends again."
"We were friends? Friends don't abandon each other, nor lie to them when they want to."
"Okay, partners."
"Better, now continue before I gouge your eye out." Kiralexia said looking away from Vanelis.
"Anyways, friends, partners, whatever we were, it may have past us already. But know I am not one to antagonize you."
'Bullshit you did that yesterday when you first trained 1-A."
"That was just for fun, and besides you got back up didn't you?" Vanelis asked with Kiralexia smacking him in the face again.
"This is why I shall never forgive you, if you act like this! You always never see the consequences of what you do before it happens. you're reckless, selfish, cruel, and overall just a. a. A SLIMY PIECE OF GARBAGE I SHOULD'VE THROWN OUT YEARS AGO!" Kiralexia out lashed at Vanelis looking ever more pissed off.
This was Vanelis's goal to begin with, to allow him to vent. He admits, many of what he said was true, but the last one was, somewhat of a stretch for him. He himself wasn't happy at the outburst but he was at least able to allow himself the outburst. Vanelis himself would bottle things up and knew that Kiralexia was in a broken state. That was made clear when Kiralexia suddenly began to break down.
"Heheheheheheh. What am I even doing yelling at you? You never really listened, only did what you wanted to, fighting, fighting, more fighting. Rasputin and Rose Dawn loved it, but me and many others could never fully trust you for that. Hell you sided with All For One once, and yet you still have the nerves to come over here and train heroes? Heheheheh hahahah. I have seen to much shit, and to many people have gone and FUCKED ME IN THE ASS, AND ALL FOR WHAT!? Because I am bad with emotions, I am quick to judge, I just don't fall into the norms of society?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!" Kiralexia yelled out asking with Vanelis simply giving him a solemn look before patting hit head while he curled up on the ground.
"Perhaps I am at fault here. I left you without explaining at all why. You are more broken then I had thought you were. I don't think even Ms Hatsume could fix what is wrong with you internally. However you are surrounded by good people, not me by a long shot oh no, I mean them." Vanelis said pointing back into the dorms.
There Kiralexia looked and saw the students all having a jolly good time. Midoriya enjoying a good time with Toga and Uraraka, telling jokes or just talking, hard to tell. Bakugou playing video games against Kaminari. Yet it was Toga that got Kiralexia's attention, he saw how she smiled at the surrounding area and the pure joy she showed. Kiralexia, while in tears was able to feel, happy seeing that. He got up and wiped his face from tears.
"See what I mean, I am not going to try and heal the wounds of the past. However I am hear to train, and perhaps try to move forwards."
"Perhaps so, but as of now, I won't forgive you."
"Fine, I did do something, reckless even for MY standards. However if I can move on from the past then so should you, right?" Vanelis asked with Kiralexia thinking for a moment.
He looked up to the stars and seemed to be fixated on them. He remembered the nights staring up to the stars with his brother and friends. How they'd speak of space, the journey beyond home, and even, how he changed lives. He took in a deep breath and spoke.
"I don't think I can move on even if I wanted to. it's so hard to do so when all I have known to either this school, what has come after the war, and even all those that I once knew are gone. I am uncertain I can move forward with such thoughts."
'Then maybe one day we can fix that. However that day is not today."
"Damn straight, so what will you do now that you are a trainer?"
"Well, train, and do some other odd jobs when I can, life is never dull afterall." Vanelis then sighed and looked over to Kiralexia. "Look, I shall not say sorry, for it cannot fix a damn thing, however I will say that I must leave now."
"Really you're not staying?"
"Nah, I'm not one for such events anyways. Plus I have a job to do next light so I want to sleep."
"Well, then take care, even if that means little from me now." Kiralexia said rolling his eyes a bit as Vanelis began to walk off the porch.
As he was walking Kiralexia took another drink of whiskey and seemed to be feeling much more at ease. Just then Vanelis stopped and turned around to face Kiralexia. He raised and eyebrow and Vanelis took something out of his pocket. He then tossed it to Kiralexia who caught it easily. It was a flash drive, odd and Kiralexia thought this two.
"Hey that's stuff has information you may want. Things about the Militia, could help in the future, figured this is my way of showing forgiveness to you. See you on new Years, and happy holidays partner." Vanelis said before saluting and moving on into the night.
Kiralexia smiled a bit at that, he didn't think he'd do that after what he just said yet he always showed surprises on and off the battlefield. Kiralexia sighed as he took a drink of whiskey some more and looked to the stars. Whatever comes ahead of him, he'll be ready. Until then, he'd have himself a festive, holiday night, and enjoy the rest of the year with his new family.