Toby wakes up to the sound of ringing.
He groans from his bed, his face buried into his pillow. Without looking up his hand reaches out to his desk, searching for his phone to shut off the piercing ringing. He squints at the fierce light of his phone.
7.00 AM
Toby groans again debating whether to ignore his phone and get a few moments' rest. But then his mother would inevitably come knocking asking why Toby hadn't woken up yet and go on yet another one of her rants on his poor performance at school.
The thought earned a third groan. Toby rolls off the bed his muscles tenses at the sudden movement. Gaining new powers and fighting in the Gorm had taken a lot out of Toby. He pulls the towel hanging from his desk chair and drags his feet to the bathroom. Every step required more than what he had, his body sluggish and limp.
Making sure to lock the door, Toby sluggishly strips his clothes and enters the shower. The cool water already doing a better job of waking him up than his phone alarm. Closing his eyes, Toby soaks in the cool water. His mind blanking, entering a meditative state.
He thinks back to the car ride home after their fight in Gorm. Toby was eager to hear how the others fared in their mental battle against their orbs but Lucas was the only one willing to share. Jessica seemed a bit bothered by the question, quickly summarising events, though Toby suspects she's hiding more than she's letting on.
A sudden prickling near both sides of his neck jolts him out of his trance. It didn't hurt but the sensation was noticeable and new. Toby presses a hand to the nape of his neck. The skin there feels weirdly softer than usual. Ticklish and flappy.
Flappy?
Toby steps out of the shower, the water still running. He faces himself in the mirror. From afar everything seemed to look normal but on closer inspection, Toby had 2 slits on both sides of his neck. There was no way it could've been a cut. The slits were slightly curved in a horizontal 's' shape and evenly separated. It was too clean to be a mere accident.
Now fully awakened, Toby's face glowed with an epiphany. He scurries to the bathtub, putting the plug into the slot and filling up the bathtub until it was reasonably full. He leaves the tap running.
Then he dunks his head into the water and takes a deep breath in.
To his surprise, he doesn't instantly jut his head up in a hacking mess. No, he's legit breathing underwater outside his gormiti form.
"Holy shit!"
He pops his head out gasping loudly, a huge smile on his face. Since when could he do that?
A huge wave of water sploshes to the bathroom floor, wetting Toby's toes and his mother's beloved Hawaiian surfboard-designed floor mat.
"Shit!" Toby hurries to turn the tap off but the damage was already done.
"Toby?!" His mother knocks on the door. "Did you leave the tap running again?"
"N-no…"
Praise the orbs he remembered to lock the door this time.
"I'll be back in an hour!" Jessica closes the door behind her, the cold breeze of mid-October coldness sends her shivering to her bones. The regret to wear only a pink camo sports bra with matching leggings incoming, but at least she looked cute.
"Jess!" Mark calls from her porch, already making it to her house, donning a loose tank top, low collar exposing his muscular somewhat sweaty chest. He's gotten a head start on their morning jog. "Are you ready?"
"Just wait a second!" Jessica leaps back into her home, the immediate heat feeling like whiplash, running up the steps to grab a light jacket before running back down and out to Mark. "Good to go!"
Their usual route is to head to the Venture Falls forests following a shortcut from Jessica's neighbour then circle back to Jessica's house.
They start off running at the same pace taking it slow and then, just like usual, Jessica would be feeling a bit competitive, slightly pushing ahead of Mark.
But only a few minutes into their run in the forest and Jessica's already huffing and puffing red in the face tailing behind Mark. Her legs grow sore, every breath squeezing out of her lungs.
"Do you need to take a break?" Mark asks. Gosh, why does he look like an absolute snack when he's sweaty and breathing hard?!
Jessica shakes her head, though Mark stops anyways forcing Jessica to rest.
Jessica sits by a tree stump already zipping down her Jacket, dying for the cold air to cool her down.
"It's not like you to tire out so quickly," he comments.
"I don't know. Maybe I'm feeling ill?"
"We should call your mom if you're not up for walking back."
"But we've barely had any time together..." Mark's been so wrapped up in dance practices for the big competition in 5 days time, he barely had any time with Jessica or their friends. And the competition meant a lot to Mark - his dance team getting to compete in Paris if they win. Jessica wanted to support him in any way possible. She isn't going to be like one of those girlfriends who required her boyfriend to be with her 24/7. That and between planning his Halloween birthday party (not every day you have someone who's born on freaking Halloween. Oh, he must be sick of the Halloween-themed birthday parties by now.) and Gorm duties, Jessica finds it hard herself to make time for him as well.
Jessica gets to her feet. "We can talk for a while?"
Mark's got a sly smile on his face. "I've got a better idea."
Mark leans in for a kiss, soft lips interlocking with hers. Jessica is taken aback by the suddenness but returns the kiss. Crafty hands wander over her body, feeling the creased outlines of her abs to her sculpted back.
"Mark…" Jessica whines. Her voice betrays her true feelings.
"Come on, Jess. It is my birthday month after all."
Jessica giggles, "Okay. But no neck biting." She couldn't have a repeat of last time.
"Gotcha."
Their lips interlock again, the couple getting into a heated, deep, passionate kiss.
After yesterday, a yummy-licious kissing session is very much needed. She really should stop or keep an eye out for anyone but God, how can she when male Aphrodite over here can't keep his guitar-playing hands off her? Mark's intoxicating breath, his wandering hands left her mind blank, left her needy and desperate for him. It's pure bliss, heaven.
Unbeknownst to the couple, a third presence watches them. Its dark beady eyes glued to their romantic play.
The onlooker flies over to them. They still haven't noticed their audience and their little viewer decides to make his presence aware the best way he knows how.
He relieves himself on Jessica.
Jessica jumps out of the kiss at the feel of something plopping down on her head. A white substance drips from her hair to her nose.
"Oh, oh god."
"Is- is that -"
"DON'T! Don't say it!"
And just when they were having a moment!
"Can you call my mom? I can't get any reception here and I'm still feeling a little winded." Jessica pleads.
"Uh, yeah, sure."
She gives her thanks to Mark, then making sure he is completely out of sight, Jessica sets her attention towards the bird. "You!"
The sparrow looks around aimlessly, as if not understanding Jessica. Oh, but Jessica knows he understands.
"You did this on purpose! What was that for!?"
The sparrow doesn't respond. Instead it flies to a branch on the tree and continues to stare at a heated Jessica.
"Don't play dumb! I know you understand me!"
It blinks.
"Aargh!" Jessica screams in frustration, messing up her hair. "For once, can I have a moment to relax!?"
The sparrow chirps.
"How is this my fault?!"
It chirps again.
"Well if you didn't like it, you have two fully functional wings to fly off to another tree!"
Another chirp.
Jessica gasps. "The nerve! How dare you call me that!"
Jessica had enough of arguing, feeling light as if her feet were off the ground. Wait, when did the tree get shorter? And when was the bird so close? And why does she feel so floaty?
"You've got to be kidding me." She says deadpan. She didn't want to look down, already knowing what transpired but she couldn't avoid the urge to look. Yep, she's floating.
"Jess?" Mark yells out her name from afar.
This can't be good. How does she get back down? As a gormiti it came second nature to her, her wings doing as she commands. But she doesn't have any wings and willing herself to the ground doesn't seem to do anything.
Mark calls for her again. He's now within her sight.
Jessica waves her arms madly, commanding herself in her head to float down. But she's floating further into the air. She grabs onto a thick branch and latching herself onto it. She'd make a pretty cute sloth.
The bird chirps again, purposely loud to garner Mark's attention.
That sly little b-
"Jess? How - What are you doing up there?" Mark asks bewildered.
"Um…The bird! His wings were caught between branches!" Jessica lies. The bird hops onto her head, making itself cosy. Oh, does Jessica have a special lightning bolt for this little critter.
"Can you get down?"
"Give me a second!" More like a couple of minutes. She couldn't let go in fears of floating into the stratosphere! Of all times her powers had to go off now? The bird feeling pretty coy, (must've read her thoughts) hops from Jessica's head to her hands holding the branch for dear life. It pokes its beak at Jessica's grasp.
"Ouch! Knock it off!" Jessica swats at the bird with one hand free. Though the bird out-manoeuvres her and pokes at her head.
"Wah!" Stunned, Jessica's feet give way and she slips off the branch.
"Jess!" Mark races to the tree.
"I'm okay!" Her hands still clutching the tree but despite whatever strength she had from constant gym workouts, her hands were slipping.
"Jump! I'll catch you!"
"Are you sure?" Jessica screams back, she looks down at the boy. The situation doesn't call for it but Jessica had to admit Mark looks super cute worried.
Mark nods.
Well, time to put her luck in fate's hands. She should've written a will.
She lets go and falls.
Good grace, her powers stopped!
Wait! Shit, she's falling!
With a certain swiftness and fast reflexes, Mark catches Jessica. Though if Jessica were to ever recount the experience, she'd say she fell on top of him.
"Seriously Jess, what the hell were you thinking climbing a tree like that?" Mark berates.
How would she manage to excuse her way of this situation?
"I get that you don't like to look weak but sometimes you take it too far."
Or not.
"Ah!" Mark grimaces when he tries to stand up.
"Mark! Is your foot okay?"
"I'm fine." He's able to get to his feet. He helps Jessica up.
"But your dance competition-"
"I'm fine. Something like this shouldn't affect my dancing."
"But if I'm responsible for you not being able to compete -"
"Your mom should be waiting." Mark cuts her off, not wanting to discuss the worst case, "You can walk, right? Let's go."
"I-" no time to retaliate, Mark grabs Jessica's hands, walking off to wherever her mother is parked.
Jessica looks back at the tree, the little fellow still perched on that branch. They both exchange gazes before the bird flees, probably to spread its chaos elsewhere. Though Jessica couldn't focus on the troublemaker, or the drying bird shit on her head. Her powers feel different like they've evolved. A crazy power deep inside her, waiting to manifest.
Nick insistently taps his desk, eyes hanging to the doorway of the classroom. There would be a class physics test soon and Nick had hoped Kagami would show. But as more students flocked into the classroom, the possibility of her appearing drops closer to zero by the second.
He looks at his phone. 8:58 am.
Two minutes. There's still time.
He couldn't lose faith. It's Kagami! Sure, her perfect attendance is forever ruined by his no-good too lame-for-school, dumbass of a brother but she'd never miss an exam! This is the same girl who always wears a face mask to school 2 weeks before finals so she wouldn't get sick and have to defer.
Mr. Rose, their physics teacher arrives with a stack of what looks to be test papers. "Phones off. The test is about to start."
"But it's 2 minutes to 9! Class hasn't officially started yet!" Nick exclaims.
"That's right and you all can pass these test sheets around while you switch off your phones". Mr. Rose hands a bundle of test sheets to the students in the front row, and the test sheets begin to make their rounds.
Nick's gaze darts from the door to his phone and back.
8:59
Come on Kagami.
Mr. Rose goes to shut the door. "Has everyone got a test sheet? Then the test will begin."
"Wait -"
The door flings open.
"Kagami?!"
"Has the test already started?!"
Nick sulks.
"It looks like you made it just in time, Serena." Mr. Rose says.
"Gracias a Dios!" Serena sighs, plucking a test sheet from Mr. Rose's desk.
"But what about Kagami?! She is your best student sir!" Nick couldn't just let him start without Kagami.
"I'm sorry Nick but it's already passed 9. And besides, she has not shown up for class in the past few days."
"But-"
"I'm not going to amuse you any further. You can go out and search for her if you'd like. But know you'll automatically get a fail if you do." Mr. Rose takes a seat at his desk, immersing himself in his work.
Though Nick wanted to risk it, throw in the towel and run out the classroom. Scream widely for Kagami until his throat was hoarse. But that thought was a mere velleity. Kagami would not come.
Nick returns to his seat and flips open the test sheet. This would be the first Kagami missed a test. He never thought something like that would ever happen but he also thought Kagami's perfect attendance or grades wouldn't ever falter. Only in a universe where there exists a parallel dimension filled with elemental creatures and evil lava goons trying to take over both worlds where something like this could occur. And of course, Nick had to live in that universe.
"Kagami hasn't shown up to school in a while."
"Yeah, I heard she got a C for one of Ms. McGuck's impromptu tests."
"Yikes! She must be disappointed."
Nick should have brought his headphones to school today. Getting up in the morning was already tough to begin with. The thought of no longer waiting outside the school for Mr. Ono's signature jeep to show up. To see Kagami step out, looking ever too polished and pristine. Her long dark lavender hair blowing in the wind, their eyes meet, and her greeting him with a sweet, angelic smile. Their conversations in the hallway about student council and schoolwork, the endless study session Nick wishes could go on forever, them exchanging lunches together and Kagami constant complaints of her grandfather packing too much food. All of that gone.
The pain Nick feels, unable to go about his daily routine with Kagami, to say it hurt is an understatement. Everything he went through in the Gorm, brainwashing, curses, almost falling to his death, the beatings – all of that doesn't compare to the gut-wrenching, heart mushing despair of simply missing his best friend.
And by the orbs he misses her.
Nick reaches his locker. Upon opening it, he's faced with a photo of himself and Kagami at their sophomore school dance. Darn it, she looked so cute in that red pencil dress.
"…don't you think she's being a bit of a drama queen? A 'C' is no big deal, no need to go crazy and lock herself in her room all day."
"But Shane and Andrew told me she went back to Japan!"
Nick's knuckles whiten, holding onto his locker in a crushing grip.
"Ha? She really took a one-way flight to another continent because of a lousy grade?"
He rumbles his steel locker like it were fabric.
"Kagami needs a reality check. The world doesn't revolve around her. Sheesh!"
Nick slams his locker shut with a force never seen before. The bang startles the gossiping girls. One even shrieked. The hinges of Nick's locker become undone and the door falls, clattering to the floor.
The girls stare at Nick and instantly recognize him.
"Fuck it's Nick Tripp!" one of the girls whispers faintly. She eyes him up in a disgusted, yet scared glare. "Kagami's boy-toy." Nick heard. What he lacked in eyesight he made up for in his hearing. To be considered Kagami's boy toy, he took it as a compliment.
"Let's just go." Another whispers. The three girls scurry away, only turning back to give him judgemental looks, like he was a freak.
Nick sighs and sheepishly scratches the back of his head, the stares from the surrounding student body making him feel self-conscious.
He bends down to attempt to fix his locker. Not that he could do anything without a set of new bolts and a screwdriver.
"Here, let me help." A new pair of dainty hands reach out for the locker too. Nick's eyes lock onto a pair of blues.
"Jenny?"
Both lift the door up to its former position. Almost former.
"What those girls said back there must've really pissed you off, huh?" Jenny says looking at the distinct outline of pocketed bags where Nick's fingers once laid.
"Hehe…I guess so." Nick tried to play off his displeasure but on the inside, he'd dare those girls to say those things again and see what happens next.
"Is it okay if I ask you something?"
"Shoot."
"Can I talk to you about…" Jenny pauses, unsure to complete her sentence, "talk to you...about...Kagami?"
Gina yawns, having stayed up a little later than usually preparing for Mr. O Brian's pop quiz. PE wasn't on Gina's top spot for favourite school subjects but it got her out in the fresh outdoors. Plus the sun was out, complementing her naturally tanned skin.
She fiddles with her hair, bringing it back into a makeshift ponytail. Kagami's disappearance has been the brouhaha of the school, though Gina suspects it has something to do with her C on her presentation. She had to feel bad for Nick, his 'incident' by the lockers making the rounds. Poor guy. He was the closest to Kagami after all, borderline into complete and desperate infatuation if you asked Gina. Even Gina isn't that desperate.
Oh well. Kagami will be back before everyone knows it and Nick will be back clinging to Kagami like a lost puppy.
In the meantime, Gina has her eyes on a certain plant-fanatic stretching.
Lucas is looking particularly attractive today sporting a tank top, revealing his arms. Lucas is always cute, his hypnotic emerald stare is his strong point, but puberty hit him like a speeding car on the way to deliver some finger-licking good KFC. He wasn't sexy like Mark, but he does have his charms.
His love for plants and nature titter into obsession, but Gina found it inspiring. To dedicate himself wholeheartedly to something, and his countless efforts to preserve the natural environment with his eco group. And it's not just with the environment, Lucas helps out with other problems as well. Whether it be volunteering in nursing homes, raising money for charities, and occasionally helping the homeless, Lucas is there to lend a helping hand.
Not forgetting he's a total sweetheart too. Gina saw him offer his lunch money to Kemi after she forgot hers yesterday. He's an all-round great guy, a true inspiration compared to Gina. Maybe she should take a hint and stop partying so much.
Amongst the student body, Mark would be 1# boyfriend material, but to Gina, Lucas would always be her number one.
Gina bites her lip, her sharp eyes liking how the sun highlights the defined shape of Lucas' muscles. They were nowhere near as big or mouth-wateringly mesmerizing as Mark's, not that Mark is bulky in general, but Lucas' were more prominent than before. The last time he wore that tank top (last week precisely) his arms weren't nearly that sculpted.
Gina hums to herself. To think that Lucas might have become a gym junkie. Maybe he goes to the same gym as Gina and Jessica.
Now is a good time as ever to strike up a conversation before PE officially begins. But first, Gina lurks into her pockets to pull out her nude-coloured lip gloss. She smears it neatly onto her lips, hoping that the extra flare would attract Lucas' gaze towards them. Tucking a hair strand behind her ear, Gina makes her approach.
"Hey, Lucas!" Gina greets her crush, her voice a little higher pitched than normal.
"Oh, hi Gina."
"How are you doing? I heard from Jess you guys arrived home late."
Lucas stretches his arms, not wanting to stop moving. "I slept like a log last night. I feel energised and ready to go."
"That's good to hear," Gina says though her inner self squeals at the close-up view of those jaw-dropping muscles. "Have you been working out lately? Your muscles are more noticeable on your arms." She takes the opportunity to get a feel of those muscles. Insert more inner fangirling.
"I don't do much besides running." Lucas also looks at his arms and an 'oh' escapes his lips. The difference was small but noticeable nonetheless.
Through Lucas' shock, Gina clutches his arm, her body now leaning into him and her wandering fingers getting a better feeling on the intricate details of his muscles. "There's a gym Jessica and I go to. You can come too if you're interested. Student fees are so much cheaper there."
The PE teacher blows his whistle, signalling the start of PE class. Lucas wriggles his arm free of Gina's hold. "Yeah, let me get back to you on that."
Right off the bat, the kids are already running 3 laps around the sports field. The dread of PE breaks Gina from her high of inner fangirling. It's not that she hates running, but the PE teacher can be intense sometimes and the same old exercises can get repetitive. However, Lucas' new found figure wouldn't be the only thing shaking up the PE experience.
Abel is always ahead of the crowd whenever it came to running laps. He's part of the school's track team after all. Gina swears the guy secretly likes the attention he gets for always being in the lead. Though today would be different.
Lucas speeds past the bundle of students catching up to Abel. Abel couldn't resist looking back and Gina swears she saw Abel's smirk drop to utter despair, the runner suddenly picking up more speed as Lucas gains on him.
Abel soon tires himself out, Lucas overtaking him and eventually widening the gap. The students cheering at the feat and how could they not. Nobody, and Gina means nobody, has overtaken Abel in an entire year since his twin brother Alvis got into that skiing accident. The guy could never run the same again.
Now Lucas is way past the group, already completing his 2nd lap while everyone is still stuck on their first. Abel just stops running, jaws dropped at Lucas' speed.
By the time Gina finished, she was beat and drenched in sweat (another reason why she hated PE. She looked and smelled awful after all that exercise. Gross.) However, Lucas is fine. No sign of tiredness or sweat (to Gina's misfortune. Hey, sweat on a guy is kinda hot!)
Gina just had to confront Lucas. "Are you on steroids or something? Lucas that was amazing! Since when can you run that fast?"
"I-I don't know. I just started running and my feet just moved on their own!"
"Lucas!" It's Abel who had finished his laps and running towards them. He falls to his knees, though not from exhaustion as Gina first thought. "Please join the track team!" Abel screams bowing his head to the grass.
"That form! That speed! You were just like Alvis in his prime!" Abel clings to Lucas' waist, hugging him for dear life. "I'll do anything you ask! Please!"
Lucas looks to Gina for advice. The girl just shrugs.
"Uh…sure?"
Then Abel gets to his feet and pulls poor Lucas into a bear-crushing hug, crying.
Though Lucas can't really focus on joining the track team, or the rest of PE. His overnight muscles and crazy speed were too unnatural for liking. It must be Gorm-related.
Nick had followed Jenny to an empty classroom away from the noise and the rumour mill that is the student body.
Jenny closes the door and lets her exterior down, visibly sulking. "Nick, you're close with Kagami. Do you know how she's doing?"
"Yeah. Her grandfather said she went back to Japan. Her grandmother is sick."
Jenny relaxes, hand on her heart as if she was waiting for some major upsetting news. "Oh, that's good to hear. Have you two been in contact lately? Did she say anything about the student council?"
Jenny moved a bit too close to Nick for his liking. "Uh no she hasn't replied to my texts."
"Oh." Jenny steps away and the sour sulk returns to her face. "She's been ignoring my messages. I was hoping she'd at least answer yours…"
"But I'm sure she's okay! She'll be back in no time!"
"You don't know when she'll be back, do you?"
"No." He couldn't lie about that to Jenny.
Jenny plops down onto a desk beside him. "I'm sorry Nick. With Kagami gone the student council has become a mess."
Though this might sound rude, Kagami really did carry the student council on her own. The rest of them were useless sobs mooching off Kagami's efforts and success, only using their titles to look good on their college resumes. Kagami took her role seriously and she didn't complain about the added workload. And that was what made her amazing.
"Damnit, I feel like total shit!" Jenny slams her fist to the desk, startling Nick. Jenny had always had a calming, approachable presence from the few times he's talked to her with Kagami. He's never seen her not be a bundle of joyful optimism.
"I should've been a good friend and checked in on her! Instead I let her take all the workload for the student council!"
"It's okay Jen. It's not your fault Kagami left." Nick bends down to reach Jenny's level. Sure, their acquaintanceship is tethered together by a mutual friendship with Kagami but Nick didn't like seeing Jenny so distraught when she definitely wasn't the cause for Kagami's sudden departure.
"But it feels like it is!" Jenny lashes back. "Maybe it wasn't the main reason, but it must've added to her stress!"
If only Jenny knew how wrong she was…
"That's why I've decided -" Jenny rises from the chair, both arms at her waist. " - to completely overhaul the student council! I'll whip those slackers up into a dependable student council that'll rock Kagami's socks off! Wait, she doesn't wear socks, eh tights?...no that sounded weird."
They both laugh at Jenny's weird speech but it wasn't enough to lift Jenny's spirits up.
"Something tells me she won't come back," Jenny admits.
Nick stands to his feet, pumping a fist to his chest. "She'll come back. I'll make sure of it."
Jenny looks to Nick, shocked at his exclamation. She lets out an airy huff. "You must really miss her, huh?"
"More than anything."
The room is dyed in an orange tone, indicating the evening has set. Sunlight peaks through from the window, shining its rays down on the teacher's front desk where the clunky old computer in desperate need of an upgrade laid. Nick reminisces of the times he and Kagami spent in similar classrooms. Everything, even sitting here in this lovely classroom setting is incomplete without Kagami. It should be him and Kagami together here, not him and Jenny.
"Just promise me you won't do anything stupid like fly off to Japan alone after her, okay?"
"What?" Oh yeah, the lie.
Jenny sticks her pinkie finger right up to his face, almost shoving it up one of his nostrils. "Promise."
Nick interlinks his pinkie with Jenny. It's not like it's a hard promise to make. He doesn't have to go that far for Kagami.
"I'll be rooting for you when she comes back." she says, the cheeriness in her tone returning.
What did Jenny mean by she'll root for him?
Jenny bounces off the desk, giving Nick no time to ask her to elaborate. "In the meantime why don't I treat you to lunch?"
Jenny goes to pull out something from her pocket, her phone but a card falls out too and slides right underneath one of the cabinets by the windowed wall.
"My lunch card!" Jenny goes to retrieve her card, sticking her hand underneath the small gap between the underside of the cabin and the floor but the gap was too small for her fingers.
"This day couldn't get any worse." She tries lifting the cabin. "Urgh, this thing weighs a tonne! What the hell is in here?" And Jenny could not find out either. There was a firm lock put in place.
"Let me try." Nick goes and effortlessly lifts the cabin at an angle to his surprise and Jenny's too.
Jenny's stunned into a daze at Nick's surprising display of strength but soon comes out of her daze and plucks her card off the ground. Nick didn't look to struggle, easily setting the cabin down.
"Wow, Nick, first your locker and now this? Are you secretly a superhero?"
Nick laughs awkwardly. "Whaa? Pfft, noooo?"
Technically he's not wrong.
In a circular arena at Volcano Mountain, fire balls rain from above. Kagami swiftly dodges them with a twirl, spin and cartwheel and slides behind a stone pillar.
She deducts there are four lava gormiti attacking from above and given the spacing of attacks, they must be positioned roughly 40 degrees apart. Another attack hits the stone pillar, crushing it.
Nonetheless, Kagami didn't have time to catch a break. Her cover is blown by another attack.
"There! Fire cannon!" Kagami's hand morphs into a dragon-head-shaped cannon and blasts 3 rounds at her assailant.
"Waaah!" another opponent rushes at her, but in a swift and precise motion, she slashes at the opponent. No time to react, he was down, his last vision was Kagami standing over him, a bright burning sword at her side.
But it wasn't over.
A metal chain wraps around her left arm, then another catches her right, another around her neck. Her arms are pulled back, her shoulder joints ached. Were they trying to rip her arms off?! The flames of her armour re-alight, burning harder - bigger, brighter!
'I. won't. lose.'
A tornado of fire and Kagami soars upwards, spinning the chains off flinging the two lava gormiti straight into a pool of lava. Her knees wobble but she's still able to stand. Hand on heart, she takes a deep breath.
"I did it," Kagami says to herself, a smile creeping onto her face. However a murderous cackling from above turns her smile to a frown.
"Fire – Aargh!" A hit to the chest and Kagami's on the floor.
"Fire –"Kagami repeats, attempting to summon her cannon, but a flurry of red skydives at her, pinning her there on the ground.
"A weakling like you stands no chance against me." Fireblaze, the loyal servant to Lord Magor, taunts at the girl.
Kagami responds in a grunt, her eyes flash a hidden flame. "Fire – cannon..." she struggles to lift her arm held down by Fireblaze and yelps as he tightens his grip.
His gaze locks onto the fire orb, glowing on Kagami's chest. "So this is the lost fire orb."
Kagami stares him down, taunting him for another insult.
"I bet I'd put Lord Magor in a real good mood if I rip that orb clean from your chest." Still atop the girl, he brings his hand closer to the orb, entranced he lusts for a touch of the awesome power of the orb. The orb Magor oh so desired.
Kagami snatches his hand, crushing it in a devastating hold. Her eyes light up and the glowing marking of her armour follows suit. "I won't let the likes of you lay a finger on my orb!" Kagami threatens, her hand radiating intense heat.
"That orb belongs to Lord Magor! A mere human like you should know your place."
"Enough!" Vestalt calls out from a distance. "Fireblaze get off her, we're done here."
Fireblaze grunts before reluctantly obliging. Nonetheless, he leaves Kagami to get up on her own, ambling out of the arena with a scowl on his face.
"You've done well for someone who's never fought before." Vestalt complements. It's only been a day and Kagami has shown tremendous improvement.
Kagami scratches the side of her cheek, not knowing how to take the compliment. "Thank you, Vestalt."
"But you can do better."
Kagami sulks. Vestalt's complements didn't come at a cost.
"You're too over-confident in your abilities. Confidence is good but don't underestimate your opponent even for a second. That'll lead to your downfall. Do you understand?"
"Understood." Kagami pouts her lips like a child.
Vestalt notices Kagami's disappointment at her criticisms but she doesn't pursue further. "Take a break for today. We'll resume your training tomorrow."
Not a moment too soon, Flamma comes running into the arena.
"Did you find Orrore?" Vestalt cuts to the chase, her voice taking on some emotion compared to her deadpan criticism of Kagami.
"Yeah," Flamma says out of breath, "the forest gormiti have him locked away in the forest fortress."
"Good, then I'll let you handle it Flamma."
"What?! On my own?!"
"You haven't heard from Anchor yet? The lords have gained new powers from their orbs and now have a way of converting the beasts back to gormiti."
A heartbeat pulsed a little harder at Kagami's chest. She looks down to her feet. The lords of nature, they're Nick, Toby, Jessica and Lucas. She was suspicious of them when she went to stay at the Tripp's place but for them to be the new lords of nature? That was a major shock to the system.
Vestalt continues. "We can't wait any longer. If they get to Orrore first, he may divulge our secrets. We can't allow them to gain the upper hand."
"Then let me go with Flamma," Kagami speaks up, drawing their attention to her. "You've seen how fast I learnt to fight; I can help. And I won't underestimate the lords."
"Kagami, tell me this." Vestalt starts, her eyes pierce through Kagami's entire being, analysing her. "Can you cast your friendship with the lords of nature aside? Can you strike without hesitation? Are you willing to kill for our cause?"
"I-I can." She diverts her gaze from Vestalt.
"You hesitated. And you couldn't look me in the eye either. That's all I need to know." With that, Vestalt left the arena. "Flamma are you coming? We have much to discuss and little time." Vestalt calls to the other gormiti. Flamma wanted to stay by Kagami's side, but she didn't know what to say really other than "Sorry. Maybe next time?"
Kagami stayed alone in the arena, Vestalt's words echoing to her ears. "Why -" Kagami grits her teeth. "why did it have to be them?"
A/N: I wasn't planning on releasing this chapter so early. Wanted to do a weekly release for the next 3 chapters but it's Halloween and this chapter was already done so why the heck not?!
Hope you've enjoyed the start of part 2 of part 2! Bit of a mellow chapter but trust me, there'll be more action and ̶r̶e̶l̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶s̶h̶i̶p̶ d-d-d-drama in coming chapters.
Looks like Mark's birthday is coming up (which is literally today. Happy bday! H̶o̶p̶e̶ ̶e̶v̶e̶r̶y̶o̶n̶e̶ ̶w̶o̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶o̶ ̶m̶a̶d̶ ̶a̶t̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶a̶l̶l̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶s̶t̶u̶p̶i̶d̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶'̶r̶e̶ ̶a̶b̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶p̶u̶l̶l̶.̶ ̶S̶h̶o̶o̶t̶!̶ ̶I̶'̶v̶e̶ ̶s̶a̶i̶d̶ ̶t̶o̶o̶ ̶m̶u̶c̶h̶.̶ ̶ε̶=̶ε̶=̶┌̶(̶ ̶_̶)̶┘̶ )
hmm, I wonder what'll happen on his special day? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) (⊙_⊙)