Blyke repeatedly tapped his pencil against his desk as he worked through solving the algebraic problem he was on.
Wait, so if 29 = x, then how is y supposed to come from an even number? Wait, we do need these answers to be whole numbers, right? Fuck, the Smash Bros all-nighter was a bad idea after all. I completely slept through homeroom.
I blame Isen for all my bad decisions.
His earbuds weren't on a high volume, so he was able to overhear the knock at his dorm door, room 311.
Speak of the devil. Blyke stood and stretched out, currently wearing a black tank top and shorts, then headed to the door. That's probably him right now. I'm gonna kill him if he tries to bring me along for another pen shopping spree...where he only buys one fucking set. He could at least take us somewhere to eat afterward.
"Alright, what do you want this time as—". Blyke stopped his sentence short, realizing the two in front of him were not, in fact, Isen.
It was Keene and a boy that Blyke's never seen before, dressed in a polo and khakis, with messy black hair. The boy gave Blyke a small wave.
"Blyke, how's it been?" Keene asked cheerfully.
"Fine, I guess." Blyke then snaps a finger, remembering a tidbit he was told some days ago. "So, this guy must be my new roommate then?"
"Yup, look's like it! Can we come in?" Keene asked.
"Yeah, sure." Blyke moved back, allowing Keene and the boy in.
"Go on, introduce yourself." Keene instructed the boy.
He offered a handshake. "I'm John, I just transferred here and I'll be your roommate from now on, I guess. Hope we get along."
"Uh, sure." Blyke accepted. "Yeah, let's be chill."
"Alright! Off to a great start already!" Keene said, upbeat. "You can handle things from here?" He asked John. Once John confirmed, he headed out, wishing the two boys a good day.
It was rather awkward between the two, not sure how to proceed from here.
"I guess I'll show you your room." Blyke walked to the hallway and John followed after. "A bit of a late transfer, yeah?" He commented.
"Y-Yeah, there was a lot of stuff going on in my life so it took a bit for me to attend."
Blyke shrugged, wasn't much of his business anyway. "Well, welcome, I guess. If you were assigned with me as a roommate, you must be around my level, what's yours?" Blyke asked, not thinking much about it.
It was silent from behind Blyke, confusing him.
"Actually, I don't have an ability." The sentence that broke it.
Blyke came to an abrupt stop, turning back to face his new roommate. "You're saying you're a...?"
"A cripple, yeah." John confirmed with a look in his eyes that Blyke didn't notice. Anticipation?
That's...kind of weird. Why put him with me in that case? Do they want me to...protect him or something?
"That...sucks. Sorry to hear that." It was a bit stiff, but he offered his condolences. "Best to keep your head down and mind your business then. But, if someone causes you trouble...I guess just tell me and I'll stop them." If he's my roommate, I guess I have an obligation.
At Blyke's response, John smiled, even laughing a little. "I appreciate that. But you won't have to worry about me." The next time John opened his eyes, they glowed for a moment before stopping. "I'm not actually a cripple."
Now that caught Blyke off-guard and slightly irked him as well. "So what'd you lie about it for?"
John rubbed his neck sheepishly. "Sorry. I...I've seen what happens to low-tiers and people without abilities when the people around them find out."
The disgust, the sadistic glees of torment, being treated like you're not a person.
"There are certain people I don't want to be around, so I wanted to see what kind of person you were. But thankfully, you seem like a good guy. I'm glad you're my roommate."
Blyke took in what John said. This guy is a bit confusing, but I guess I can see where he's coming from.
"Well, it's not that big a deal. Just don't be doing that kind of stuff often, two-face people tick me off." That sentence made a very punchable face run through Blyke's mind. "While we're on the topic, word of advice, stay far away from Zeke."
John cocked his head. "Zeke? Who's that?"
"He's a dickhead that loves getting people to do what he says whenever he's not kissing up to people stronger than him. Once he hears about a new student, he'll probably try to fuck with you. But if you're around my strength, you'll be able to deal with him. And you are around my level, right? Be honest this time."
John chuckled. "I will. Your level's around 4, right?"
Blyke nodded. "4.1, last time I got it measured."
John nodded with a smile. "Yeah, I'm stronger than that. And I promise, I'm being honest."
Blyke cocked an eyebrow. "Really? How strong are you?"
John waved his hand. "Sorry, don't feel like spilling that. But we can have a spar if you want to find out first-hand." John offered, sounding friendly.
This guy really is confusing. Blyke's never been around someone who wasn't interested in talking about their ability or level, maybe if they were weak but if John's at least as strong as he is or even stronger...
Blyke was unsure of how to approach the situation now. Maybe John's still fucking with him and he's on Blyke's level or lower, but he honestly had to doubt it. This guy had confidence. It wasn't arrogance or him being cocky, he knew his strength and what he could do with it, who he could take on.
Not only that but what Blyke felt. It wasn't for long, but when John activated his ability, Blyke could feel a presence that he only felt around people like Cecile and Arlo. And even Remi more recently.
Could he be on the same tier as those three? Maybe...Seraphina? How should I interact with this guy?
"Maybe some other time." Blyke replied.
"Okay. Is that my room?" John pointed to the room off to the side at the end of the hallway.
"Oh, yeah, that'd be it."
"Cool, guess I'll start unpacking." John walked past.
"Do you...need any help?" Blyke offered.
"Oh, no, not at all. I don't have much. Thanks for asking though."
Blyke was left befuddled by the interaction as John went into his room. Yup, definitely weird. But, he doesn't seem like a bad dude.
"And with that..." John fixed up his bed, flattening out the blanket and sheets. "We are set!"
There wasn't much to the room; a rather nice bed, a desk for work, and a closet for clothes. But, John didn't have much in materials anyways. Clothes, school supplies, hygiene products, just basic stuff.
John lay on his bed, taking in today. Tomorrow's my first day back in school in just about a year. I know one thing for sure, schoolwork's gonna kick my ass. But, I hope I can befriend people too. Those who can see the faults in the hierarchy.
He thought of Blyke. Someone strong like him, offering sympathy and help to someone who said they were a cripple, that's rare.
I have no clue about the strength of the King, Queen, or Jack, It'd probably be best not to do anything too flashy...for now at least.
John heard a knock on the door. He opened it to find Blyke with a paper and pencil in his hand.
"You any good at formulas?" He asked.
"Let me see." John took the paper and spent a couple of minutes looking through the problems.
"Well?"
John shook his head. "This is a lost cause, I'm of no help. Consult the internet."
"Damn, alright." Blyke left, and his hope of getting through the homework without cheating dwindled to nothing.
John stood by his door for a moment. Blyke's not the King, but he's the strongest guy here at the dorms, could he be Jack?
John returned to his bed and picked up Unordinary, throwing and catching it a couple of times. He opened it back to chapter seven, where he last left off his reread.
Nothing much else to do.
Vaughn sat on his desk, looking at the updated files on their new transfer student.
He recalled how Darren came into his office, dropped off the papers, called John a "Busted-ass kid", then left. He would be chuckling at that for a while.
"So, how are we feeling about him?" Keene asked, eating another apple.
"Hmm. Charismatic, empathetic, and powerful. He possesses all the traits I wish for the students to foster here at Wellston." He takes a sip of his tea.
"From what's been shown from his records, he certainly has made a positive change." Keene noted.
"It's not only that." The grip on his teacup tightens. "Having been put through the conditions of the Readjustment Facility could've ruined his life forever, but his will and the support of those close to him allowed him to break through that fate."
A fate that's not so easily broken. Vaughn didn't want to count the number of times he's seen it.
"You seem particularly interested in him."
"Having been born a late bloomer allows him a unique perspective, to see the hierarchy from both sides. I am interested in how he will choose to use his power."
"In regards to that, what is his level now?"
Vaughn smiled. "7.7"
Keene's eyes widened. "So that means he—"
"He stands above all of Wellston, though Seraphina does come close." Vaughn glanced down at John's papers once again, reading through the notes on his ability.
John is Wellston's strongest as of today. How much stronger can he become?
How much stronger can I become? John himself questioned, the thought coming to him after he finished another read-through of Unordinary. It's something I never thought about since back then at New Bostin. Maybe because the idea made me remember how I was back then?
He places a hand on his chest, feeling the aura pulse through his channels. But, what I've done this past year has shown me I can use this power for the better. It...inspired Adrion at least and I was able to make him stronger. So maybe, it's worth trying to make myself stronger?
..There was that thing I was practicing with Adrion—
A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.
Hopefully, he's not gonna ask about schoolwork again.
"What's up?"
Blyke stood there, holding a couple of takeout bags with grease spots on them. "Feeling hungry?"
...
The two sat on the couch, with 3 burgers and a bunch of fries for each on the plates.
"This is quite a bit of food. Were you gonna eat it all yourself if I wasn't hungry?" John chuckled.
"Yeah."
"...For real?"
"I can put down a lot of food, I hadn't eaten much today anyways." Blyke shrugged, digging into the first burger.
John followed after. "Mmm! This is good! Really fucking good!" He said through chewing and lip-smacking.
Blyke smiled proudly. "I know, right? They have the best burgers around here!Go on, try their fries."
John did as Blyke recommended. "It's like they've found the perfect salt ratio and crispiness."
"E-fucking-xactly!"
John puts his hands together and bows his head before Blyke. "I thank you for opening my eyes to burger cuisine. I'll pay you back for it."
Blyke waved it off with a smile. "It's no big deal, you don't owe me anything."
"No way, I have to." John snapped his fingers. "You ever been to Woaba Boba?"
"Woaba Boba?" That name rang a bell. "Oh! I've seen one around here but I've never gone."
John was excited. "There we go! Let's go there tomorrow after school, my treat!"
Blyke was never one to turn down free food or drinks. "Alright, sure. Thanks."
He found himself relatively surprised by how well it was going with John. He was an easy guy to talk to and didn't take himself seriously, it's hard to think that he could be in the same realm of power that the other high-tiers are in.
"So, John, where'd you transfer from?" He figured he could start breaking the ice with his roommate.
"New Bostin." John responded, licking the sauce from the burger off his thumb.
"New Bostin...Where's that at?" He wasn't the best at Geography.
"It's quite far away from here. About 1000 miles if I recall correctly." John chased down the food with his drink. Cola, nice.
"Woah far away is right. Is that where you went to school before?"
John spent a rather long minute sipping his drink before answering. "Yeah, I did. But after some time, I couldn't stand to be in that place, so my dad and I figured we'd give this school a shot."
Blyke recalled what John said about not wanting to be around certain types of people. Is what happened there tied to his behavior? Blyke wondered but kept to himself.
"Is it just your dad you live with?"
John nodded. "Yeah...mom left us when I was young." He looked down at his drink, a solemn look on his face.
Blyke mentally facepalmed. "Shit, I'm sorry to bring that up, man."
"It's fine, happened when I was really young so I don't even remember her much." John waved it off.
"If it's any help, I get how it is." John sent a curious look to Blyke. "My mom raised me and my little sister on her own after she found out about our dad cheating on her. It was...difficult for her, but she did her best for us, always."
"Wow, fuck that guy." John smiled. "Big brother, huh? You do seem like the type."
Blyke shrugged. "I did whatever I could to help ease the burden off her, so I guess I just got used to having responsibilities."
John finished his second burger. "You have a lot of good qualities Blyke, you ever thought of becoming a Royal?"
Blyke looked up, pondering. "I have thought about it and I wouldn't mind it, I'm just not strong enough to be considered for it. Arlo's on a whole other level."
Another unfamiliar name for John, but he could guess. "Arlo, that's the King I'm assuming?"
"Oh, right, you wouldn't know. Yeah, he is. He's got a nasty barrier ability, no one can touch him." Blyke then thought about it more. "Except, maybe Seraphina, she's the Queen." Blyke explained, seeing John begin to speak.
"She must have a pretty strong ability then."
Blyke leaned back into the couch. "Honestly, I got no clue what her ability even is. All I've heard is that anyone she faces gets defeated in seconds, pretty scary if I'm being honest."
"Then, what about being Jack?" John asked.
"That spot's being occupied by Remi, she's a high-tier so I have a ways to go if I want to surpass her." Blyke admitted. "She's a close friend of mine actually."
John finished his last burger. So even their Jack is a High-Tier, and with how he's described the other two, they could even be God-Tiers. I may have my work cut out for me.
"John, mind if I ask you something?" Blyke asked.
John hummed. Blyke had given him a good amount of info through their conversation, so he supposed if Blyke had a question about him, he could answer. "Sure, go ahead."
"Well, look, even if you don't want to talk about your level, I get the feeling that you're a pretty strong guy regardless. If you were being honest about being stronger than me before, do you plan on becoming a royal?" Blyke was always a direct person.
John rested his head on his palm, thinking of an answer. But, he didn't need long, probably didn't need to bother anyway.
"Nah, no way."
I want nothing to do with the hierarchy.