Happy New Year readers! Here's to making sure this year is better than the last!
For the story itself, the first major arc is starting and while this chapter won't really have too much action but hopefully it will make up for that with some character interactions and development.
Enjoy!
The knocking at his bedroom door signaled another very early morning for Brendan.
"Does this guy ever sleep in?" He grumbled softly to himself. As he slowly slid out of bed with a groggy look on his face, Brendan stretched before grabbing his bath robe. If there was anything that would certainly wake him up, it would be a cold shower. No matter how much he didn't want to take one, it would be no use going back to bed now.
As he exited his room he could see Kolm sitting down on his sofa-bed with a focused look on his face.
"Good morning, be ready quickly, we will need all the energy we can muster when we go to that school that boy goes to." He stated.
"We're not going to the school today." Brendan replied.
"And why ever not?" Kolm raised an eyebrow.
"Because today is Sunday. Schools are closed until tomorrow."
Kolm grumbled for a moment before letting out a sigh. "So then what shall we do today?"
"Well I have to go to work later. I'll be done in the afternoon so we can use the rest of the day to actually plan our move for when we do head to the school tomorrow."
"And what exactly am I meant to do in the meantime?"
"Well I have a TV so you can watch something on that to keep yourself occupied." Brendan explained, pointing to the currently turned off widescreen that was situated opposite of the sofa. Kolm stared at the reflection of himself with a blank expression on the screen for a moment before turning back to his bookkeeper.
"You expect me to look at my own reflection?"
"You have to turn it on first." Brendan sighed before grabbing the remote from a small table that was right by the sofa and showing it to the Mamodo, who was beginning to look on in a mix of confusion, curiosity and a bit of apprehension. With a push of the power button, the tv turned on, showing an infomercial about some sort of food processor.
"Bleh, infomercials. Well, this is what's on at this hour. The morning news should be on in a bit." Brendan scoffed, Kolm however had his eyes locked onto the infomercial as the human went to go make breakfast.
"And with Super Chopper, you can have restaurant quality salsa at the push of a button!" Brendan could hear the tv droning on as he cooked eggs and bacon. His disinterest at the drek that was playing was clear enough and he had too many questions and things to worry about already. The fact that he had decided to go to Adrian's school would mean that he effectively would be taking on a second job and coupling that with his classes was enough for him to start freaking out.
The sound of toast popping out of the toaster grabbed Brendan's attention. As he plated his food he resumed his thoughts, this was going to be his last year of school and when he thought it would be his toughest, this was not what he was expecting. Brendan handed Kolm his plate, which the Mamodo took without even looking in his direction as his eyes were still locked onto the infomercials. A quick glance at the clock showed Brendan that the 6 a.m. news would come on in just a little bit. He would have to go to work in four hours; far more than he really needed but Brendan knew Kolm wouldn't let him go back to sleep, he was wide awake now anyway so it wouldn't matter.
With nothing else to do Brendan took out Kolm's book, their fight with Adrian and Windsor made it glow as it had unlocked a new spell. He was tempted to read it aloud since the first spell was one that simply empowered Kolm's physical strength and gave him armor. This new one could be something similar but there was no way to be sure until it was used and there was no way he was going to risk damaging his apartment to test it.
As the sound of the morning news came on, Brendan turned his attention to Kolm himself, who seemed to be enthralled with the fact that the tv was showing anything rather than the news itself. The Mamodo had mentioned a few times that he was looking for another and he was always rather somber when mentioning them. Who exactly was this Mamodo? Was it a sibling? A friend? A lover? He thought about asking but part of him wasn't even sure Kolm would hear him with his focus on the television. Showing that to him might have been a mistake that Brendan might live to regret later in the future but for now it wasn't hurting either of them.
With how much of a fish out of water Kolm was in this world, Brendan was surprised to see how calm he was about this, especially since Kolm said that he lived in a rural village in the Mamodo world. With that thought in his head, Brendan thought about what JT and Zoey thought about Kolm based on their interactions yesterday. He had taken the time to talk to both separately, JT thought he was a little weird but chalked it up to him being a country guy. He was definitely impressed with Kolm's muscular build though. Brendan couldn't help but laugh a bit to himself when JT asked what Kolm's workout routine was.
Zoey, being the ray of sunshine that she was didn't seem to really care about Kolm being a bit strange. In fact, she told Brendan that she passes by people that look crazier on a daily basis considering they live in New York and after taking some time to think about that, Brendan couldn't help but agree. Still, he was glad both of them seemed to like Kolm, after the two made it back to the apartment, Brendan asked the mountain of a man what he thought of them and thankfully Kolm seemed to like both of them as well. Inevitably, Brendan's mind wandered over to Savannah and with a frustrated sigh, Brendan hid his face in his hands in embarrassment. He definitely acted like a dork in front of her. The next time he saw her on campus he would have to try talking to her again, hopefully not making an idiot of himself.
Opting to shift his thoughts somewhere else, Brendan finished his breakfast and went to check on the computer in his bedroom. He had contacted Algonquin High yesterday shortly after they returned from the mall, he wasn't expecting an answer so soon and sure enough, there wasn't one yet but it was six in the morning so it wasn't likely he would hear back yet. Still, the thought of what awaited him at the school when the time came to see what was going on over there was both exciting and a bit nerve wracking. However, he would have to deal with that when the time came, for now, he would have to get ready for work.
As the clock reached 9:00 a.m. Brendan grabbed his apartment keys and headed for the door, turning back to his Mamodo companion who had his attention still locked on the television, which had moved on to some game show that Brendan had no interest in.
"I'm heading off to work now, there's food in the fridge if you get hungry and I'll be back by four."
For the first time since Kolm was shown the tv, he looked away and towards Brendan.
"I see, but what if you are to be attacked by an enemy while you are away?" He asked.
"I'm not going to have the book with me, if both you and it are here then there shouldn't be a problem. Nobody would be dumb or crazy enough to try attacking you on your own in a populated building in a city as big as this. If they did there's no way they're getting away."
Brendan's explanation seemed to make sense to Kolm as he responded with a sigh and nod of his head.
"Alright, I'll see you later."
Once the door shut Kolm immediately resumed putting his attention onto the tv, which was showing some commercials.
"A man with a murky past..." The commercial began, showing the image of a man with shoulder length black hair, sharp icy-blue eyes and a scar on his left cheek wearing a cassock and holding a package with a stern look on his face approaching a foreboding looking house. The video immediately made Kolm raise an eyebrow. "Torn away from his family through deception and hardships outside of his control..."
The religious looking man was suddenly in a room with a woman wearing a red sweater and blue jeans, the woman was with tears while the man remained stoic but on the brink of breaking down.
"You can't just leave like this, that girl is our daughter!" The woman cried.
"I know... but this is the path I have chosen and I must see it through." The man replied, the names of the two actors appearing on the screen as they appeared.
"Now he is left fighting to learn the truth and to keep his faith..." The narrator continued. Kolm found himself leaning in interest at the advertisement.
"He is - Father Ordonez! Series premiere starting at high noon! Followed by America's Craziest Criminals! Only on ATN!"
Kolm looked at the nearest clock in excitement, it would be a few hours before the show began but now he had something to look forward to!
The commute to his job felt like a return to normalcy for Brendan as he approached the auto body shop he and JT worked in. Speaking of JT, the man waved to Brendan before grabbing a jug of oil for the car he was working on. Brendan quickly went over to a locker room towards the back of the shop and changed into a grey jumpsuit with a logo consisting of a classic 50's car on it and went over to join his friend.
"Hey man." Brendan greeted.
"Yo." JT replied.
"How's the grind so far?"
"Not too bad, pretty chill for a Sunday morning. How's your boy getting along?" JT asked.
"He's managing for now. He's never seen anything on tv before so that'll give him something to occupy him until I get back." Brendan replied.
"Ah, the good ol' idiot box! Never fails to keep people occupied."
"Hehe, yeah, he might still be sitting there when I get back home. I just hope he doesn't completely empty my fridge when I do."
"HAH! Does he have that big of a stomach? I mean he's built like a linebacker so it makes sense."
"Yeah, apparently the farm life will do that to ya'!" Brendan laughed. "Still, I'm surprised he hasn't flipped out over how fast-paced this place can be."
"Be thankful he didn't wander into Times Square or something. That place would probably kill him!" JT added. "What about you though? Keeping him around while still in college has gotta be a pain, especially on your wallet."
"Don't remind me..." Brendan groaned, the grimace that grew on his face quickly shifting to a more positive smirk. "But, I am trying to get in touch with Algonquin High for a position there."
"No fooling? Sheeeesh, you might wanna hold off on telling the old man though, he'd flip out if he lost you!" JT replied, pointing to an office close to where the two were working. The door was slightly open to show a middle aged man with a receding grey hairline wearing a similar jumpsuit to the one the two young men wore.
"Right..." Brendan sighed. "Speaking of which, we should probably get back to work before we have to sit through another lecture from the guy."
Resuming his work, Brendan approached a car sitting in the garage and grabbed an alternator belt that needed to be installed. As he worked, he couldn't help but wonder how Kolm was holding up by himself.
Kolm sat in front of the tv with a sandwich, bag of chips and glass of juice. His eyes locked on the show as it continued and chips being stuffed into his mouth.
"You wear the robes of a holy man." A man in the show said, his tone full of shock and awe. "Yet you chased down that criminal ruthlessly and showed him now mercy! Are... are you a bounty hunter?"
The camera then cut to a stoic looking man who appeared to be Hispanic. His hair was nearly jet black and neatly combed with a mustache that made his expression even more serious. His eyes covered by a pair of aviator sunglasses, yet a hint of regret slightly visible behind them. Just as the man before him said, he wore a cassock under an old duster coat with cowboy boots.
"No." The man replied. "Bounty hunters seek a reward for their work. I need not money nor praise for what I do. I simply wish to have those that do wrong repent for what they have done."
The first man looked shocked as he shook his head. "You... Just who exactly are you?"
"I am but a simple man who follows the Lord's will. Those that sin and harm those that are near and dear to me must face punishment! I am a a holy man, I am a father... I am Father Esteban Ordonez!"
As Father Ordonez finished his proclamation, the man walked away with a stride in his step as the credits began to roll. While Kolm looked to be in awe at the show, the sight of the ending credits quickly dampened his mood.
"That... That's it? But what about the woman from earlier? She said Father Ordonez had a daughter! Just like..."
The sight of the words 'Next Time' silenced the Mamodo as a preview of the next episode brought his mood back up again. As he leaned back into the sofa and thought about the show, paying little mind to the show that followed.
From across town in a small suburban cul-de-sac, Adrian and Windsor pondered the results of their fight yesterday in the basement of the human boy. Well it was mostly the latter as Adrian was finishing up the last of his homework. The basement itself was rather spacious and well put together with bright bulbs, several desks and bookshelves and even a bed, mini fridge and stairwell leading to the backyard.
"How?" Windsor began. "How could we let ourselves lose to such an uncouth team?!"
"Will you drop it already?" Adrian sighed. "We're lucky that they let us go. Only thing is, why would they want to go to my school? If anything I would have figured they'd rather avoid unnecessary fights. At least that other bookkeeper seemed that way."
"Clearly he's the brains of that team, that Mamodo is such a brute!" Windsor exclaimed as Adrian rolled his eyes. "Still, I don't know why we didn't go after that club of bookkeepers as soon as we formed our team."
"Because, just like what that other pair said, going in there without a plan is suicide, quite possibly for both of us. Plus we only have one spell to use. I may not know how exactly your book works but if I can figure it out and unlock more spells, we'll have a better chance of survival. Having those two fight alongside us also furthers our own chances of winning and possibly learning more about this game." Adrian explained.
"Perhaps, but I will leave the burden of planning to you, it would be uncouth if someone as regal as me went into combat with an undignified level of strength!" Windsor boasted before resting on a mattress towards the back of the room.
"Yeah, you do that." Adrian replied as he finished up his homework and began to head to his room upstairs. 'Still.' He thought to himself. 'That duo is strong, even if they were just starting out like we are. If there really are just two-hundred of these Mamodo around the world then they might be a team to look out for. Plus I doubt every one of those two-hundred survived for however long this fight has been going on for. Perhaps I should talk to those two and see if they have taken out a Mamodo or two.'
As the sun continued to pass through the sky, the door to Brendan's apartment began to open as the young man entered his home.
"I'm back." He announced, a slight look of relief on his face as he returned to his home. His return was welcomed by Kolm, who was just about to take a bite out of his second sandwich, the gallon of juice Brendan had in his fridge was now down to a quarter capacity as opposed to being nearly full when Brendan left as it stood next to a cup right by Kolm himself. The Mamodo setting down his sandwich and regaining a serious expression as he addressed his bookkeeper.
"You've returned." He said.
"Yeah, and it looks like you definitely made yourself at home." Brendan sighed.
"Oh... yes, pardon the mess. I got a little... excited over watching a certain program on your television."
"It must have been one hell of a show! Don't worry about the mess, it isn't the worst this place has seen. I'll start making dinner in a bit."
"There are no more tasks you need to complete before we go to that school tomorrow?" Kolm asked.
"Nope. We're heading there tomorrow morning. It's a fair distance away so we'll take the subway, thankfully it isn't too crowded in the morning but let's hope we don't run into any trouble."
"Are you expecting to run into any enemies on the way there?"
"Not exactly. Well at least not any other Mamodo. It's just that New York subways can sometimes get crazy, even before this whole Mamodo brawl started."
The following morning was rather uneventful, just as Brendan hoped the subway commute was uneventful as most people weren't awake yet. Kolm wore a red hoodie with a yellow hawk design on it, black jeans and white sneakers in order to not draw attention to himself. As the two exited the subway they found themselves in a much more affluent suburban neighborhood with much nicer looking homes and stores than the more urban sprawl that Brendan lived in. A large building soon came into the view of the two men, it was built with an old gothic architecture that one would think would clash with the 1990's-era suburban homes, yet it seemed to pair with it well. The main building took up the most space with a clock tower being part of it and a rather spacious gym building close by it. A three-story garage sat opposite of the gymnasium with a few cars heading inside. The early morning rays of sunlight gave the campus an ethereal, yet ominous aura.
"Alright." Brendan began. "This is it: Algonquin High School."
"So how exactly are we going to do this again?" Kolm asked.
"Just like we went over last night, we wait for this kid to show up so he can show me around the school, specifically to the principal's office so I can talk about a position there. In the meantime, the other Mamodo will stick with you so you two can lay low until either school lets out for the day or there's a good opening for you to enter without causing a scene. From there we can start looking for the other bookkeepers and see what we can do from there."
"Very well then."
It didn't take much longer for Adrian and Windsor to arrive, the latter flying high above in order to not disturb any passing people. Adrian stopped in front of the duo and gave them a serious, yet polite greeting.
"Good morning gentlemen, I see that you held up your part in our little arrangement. I would say we should head inside but I'm curious as to what your Mamodo will do as he can't exactly join us inside."
"That's something I was hoping you might have an answer to." Brendan replied. "Is there anywhere Kolm and Windsor can stay while we do what we need to?"
"Hmm... I believe Windsor mentioned that he stayed in the old shed by our school's football field. It isn't used much to my knowledge and the only thing that's kept there are seasonal decorations."
"But what if an enemy were to make their move while we are separated? Judging by the first team we encountered before you, there are individuals who will not care about people or property in their way." Kolm asked.
"I had actually planned for something like that!" Adrian asserted as he dug in his bag and took out four small, box shaped machines that had only a red button and a light bulb on it. "I made these beacons last night, just push the button and it will send a signal to the others in a one mile radius, which is much more distance than necessary but you can never be too careful. This way if anything happens to us or to you, just push the button and we'll make our way to you as soon as possible. Hopefully we won't actually need these though."
"Here's hoping." Brendan sighed. "Alright, call down Windsor so he can show Kolm where this shed is."
The three hurried over to an unpopulated area near the school before Adrian pulled out a small mirror and reflected the sun's light into the air near Windsor. The Mamodo swooped down quickly and landed gracefully by them.
"You called?" Windsor asked.
"We need you to show Kolm the place you hid when in before we first met. You two will stay there until either the school day ends. If anything happens we'll call you or you can call us." Adrian explained.
"Very well." Windsor huffed before fluttering onto Kolm's shoulders. "Come, you."
With a quick gasp at the sudden liftoff, Kolm flew upwards into the air, dangling from Windsor's talons as the two entered the school's airspace.
"Well then." Adrian continued, turning to Brendan. "Shall we head inside?"
"We shall." Brendan answered. The two walked towards the front entrance of the school amongst the crowd of students now entering, one of which was a young girl who appeared to be Asian. Her hair was raven colored and her eyes were crystal blue, like Adrian she wore a school uniform though instead of the slacks Adrian wore, she had a knee-length plaid skirt. This girl had watched the entire conversation between the two boys including Windsor carrying Kolm off. With a hum of suspicion, the girl followed the two from a safe distance as the three entered the school's halls.
And scene!
I had intended for this chapter to come out earlier in the month but work and school starting up again for me kind of delayed it. Nonetheless, this chapter could technically be considered a "filler" chapter before we truly enter the meat of the first arc. We're finally going to be getting some action next chapter, so look forward to it!
Next time: The School of Hard Blocks