Chapter 2: Bus Ride to the School
Yes, it was true that Lucas Martin did start the fire at Aspho High's Canteen. He was indeed a Fire Starter, but after that, he was shocked that he was able to do such.
Only with the mere thought of finding out he can create a fire that can be utilized with his palms powerful enough to turn a whole canteen to ashes, he can only heave a sigh. But he can't feel that this was some big revelation. He knew someone from his childhood who almost hinted at it.
The only one that he trusted back then before all the things in this world started to darken. Victor, his foster father.
Throughout his orphan life, Victor helped him know what he had known now. But nothing is permanent. Still, he grew up as a teen alone and wanted to be a good and independent man that was capable of surviving this world full of dirt. He also wanted to protect his cousin Moon, who was also an orphan at a young age just like him.
If he can start a fire and use it as defense and offenses at the time of stakes, he can protect anyone whom he treasured —Moon, at this very moment.
But that wasn't what he thought in the early stages of finding out what ability he has in this world where magic can seldom be acquired.
As he stood with noodle feet and a swirling vision, the canteen fire was raging and everyone was running away for their safety. Any act of heroism was not present in that incident.
He stared at his right palm which was smoking. His hands were trembling with worry and he became aware of his peripherals. His obvious unawareness and his nervousness gave him severe sweating.
He can feel that his lips were pulsating as he stared at how huge the fire have grown. It was devouring the surroundings. Even the lights that bounced back onto his face looked reddish.
The whole canteen place was fiery. He can't think properly, knowing that he did such a hideous act. He repetitively stared in every direction.
Some onlookers were gazing at him with their mouths into a gasp. They wore the same uniform as him. Above all of it, the screams of burning students stuck in the canteen overlap the gasping and buzzing noises that he was hearing.
"Help! Help! Help!"
He was hearing everyone that was left inside the huge and crowded canteen asking for rescue. The sounds of crisp and aggressive fire echoed at him. He was conscious of the surrounding but he cannot process what was happening. All the sounds were deafening. He can hear them all. His ears have gotten too sensitive that even the hiss of a fallen paper was loud enough for his hearing.
Piles of wood that were burnt occasionally fell out of the ceiling, as Utility officers wandered the area while rescuing everyone that was still inside the canteen.
After a sinister noise rang inside his head, he felt blank all of a sudden. Many men dressed like firemen were bumping him, not even giving him a mere stare. He cannot think properly.
He seemed to be deaf to his surroundings. His heart was pounding, as he repeatedly stepped backward to avoid being stampeded. He almost staggered. He has no other choice but to run away from the crowd.
All the alarms flashed red and blue lights alternately as if they were buzzing with deafening sirens. But to him, all he can hear were those eerie ringing inside his head like he was about to be deaf.
No one can be easily traced as everyone was panicking. He ran outside the school through the crowded gate and escaped. He ran the pavements and ended up in an alley and sat. One question was inside his mind:
How come I was able to start a fire?
He sulked at the corner of the alley. He shook his head and can't help cursing himself. His hands… it was smoking. It started to fire out of nowhere! He cannot remember properly how it all started. All he can recall was he was inside the canteen and something triggered him to be angry. All the details regarding that were blurred.
The thing that he remembered the most was when he looked angrily, a fire started appearing at the back of the canteen and scorched down quickly. It all happened fast, and here he was now.
He heaved a sigh as he ended up reminiscing. He shook his head and grinned comically. "And that's what happened," he smiled, as he sat beside Moon. They were riding inside a bus.
Unlike his reminiscing, the surroundings here were quiet. He rested on his travel pillow. It was still a little strange to him, but this time, he can feel better than that day he figured out his skills. But there was still a dull feeling he felt deep inside him.
It was his luck that the bus ride was chill, with relaxing 80's music playing along in the background. Small chit-chats were no longer recognizable. Moon just laughed after he had narrated what truly happened at that canteen fire.
He can't help but gaze at the window beside him, as occasional buildings were competing what was the tallest among them.
"You're such a troublemaker, bro!" Moon laughed hard while tapping his hair. His wide smile always showed his white and almost perfect teeth. Right now, he was patting him like a kid.
Hmph.
He can't help but let an airy laugh out of his mouth.
Right now, they were heading to the renowned White Day High to start their new class. Mister Vacio already expelled them days ago. After what happened inside the Principal's Office, not a mere sight of any Lucas should be left at Aspho. He was really mad at them, and he immediately wanted him out of school. It also caused havoc with everyone inside Aspho who has Martin as their surname. They were also expelled.
But that was the least of his concern. What he was curious about were Mister Vacio's powers. He teleported and held him in a chokehold. Until now, it scared him as if he was still suspended in midair, hands choking his neck.
At that moment, he didn't expect to feel fear. He was still convincing himself that it was not it, but some emotions that he cannot pinpoint.
But as he sat inside the bus, apart from them who were riding in, it has many vacant seats left to be occupied when they entered earlier, and almost few of them were there, ten to fifteen to presume. They were the recent passenger and the flow of the ride was relaxing. It was like that, not until it stopped midway through his comfort.
He gazed at the window near him. A bus stop was beside them, and there were many teenagers dressed in uniform clothing; they started entering the bus.
This was the most disgusting part of riding a bus for him —the loading part. Lots of people who smelled badly will enter and try to sit next to them. Luckily, Moon was already beside him, and there was no seat apart from those two in their row.
Lots of passengers came aboard, much to his annoyance. He rested his back to his comfort. What can someone expect from people? They were all the same. No one was quite recognizable. Those new passengers were normal people, and none of them was exciting enough—
No.
One girl caught his attention. He looked at Moon by his side and noticed that his cousin looked excited as well.
Before them, a girl walked inside the bus, trying to get a vacant seat. She has her dark, leathery jacket hugging her lime shirt. Her bags were classy, as she walked elegantly toward the middle of the bus. Despite them being many, those entering passengers suddenly vanished in his vision.
Her shoulder-length blue hair flowed naturally graceful, sparkling in a slow-mo version of it. Tied by ribbons, her hair was in a small ponytail at the back of her head. He was staring directly at her. His eyes were in awe, and there felt no tinge of his irritation from the stop earlier.
Knowing that his cousin also has his eyes on this upcoming girl, he tried to talk to Moon about her, but he was surprised that Moon disappeared! Where was he? He tried looking back and was dismayed to see Moon standing before a vacated seat behind him.
What was Moon doing there just now?
Hmph.
"There's a free seat, Miss,"
He heard Moon utter clearly in a gentle way to that girl, as he was at the back set of seats behind him. He heaved a loud sigh. Moon was such a playboy punk. But who else would girls admire? There's no way that he can be. He was famous for being a war freak back at Aspho High, ever since he transferred there.
He bowed his head and moved his feet rhythmically into the music playing inside the bus. Beside his feet were the foods they have packed for the trip, chips and crackers that almost all were unopened.
He turned his head up and noticed that all the passengers were sitting. He cannot see the girl from before. He looked back and saw that the girl was next to Moon, still finding a seat.
"Who are you, Miss?" Moon gently asked the girl in his natural voice. It was as if he tried to show no signs of changing or lowering of pitch.
"I'm Doll. Doll Nova," the girl beautifully smiled, as she sat at the chair near the window of the seats Moon offered. She glanced and took a look at the bus stop before the driver started the engine again. The bus finally made its way to continue the trip.
He saw Moon has lost his balance a little, but with his quick reflex, he held the horizontal rod placed at the ceiling of the bus and smiled at that girl who claimed her name as Doll. Moon wiped his hands and shook his clothes, tried sitting beside the girl, and smiled again.
Doll smiled back and placed her bag between her and Moon. "By the way, are you transferees? Going through White Day High?" she asked cheerfully, dilating her eyes.
Despite hardly staring at them until now, his attention was caught off-guard by the two's conversation. She was talking about the school they were about to enter soon. She knew White Day. He has to immerse himself. With the huge seats, he can only see Doll and not Moon.
"My cousin Lucas was expelled due to his carelessness."
He heard Moon speaking. He felt a sudden throbbing. Crap! How dare Moon spoke about his shameful acts and carelessness now with a total stranger?
"He even clashed with the Principal!" Moon added.
He saw Doll chuckle, as she covered her mouth with sophistication, much to his dismay. How can Moon trust people too soon? She may be a student at White Day but that doesn't make her different from people at Aspho.
He felt disgusted. HMPH! HOW ANNOYING!
After managing her chuckle, he saw Doll get her bag. She opened it and carefully scanned it to find something. She revealed a small notebook and opened it to reveal her diary notes.
"Since you're transferees, I will tell you some basic info about the school. Don't worry, I'm a student at White Day. Uhm, let me start with… The White Day High was a nice place to study at," he saw her informing Moon as she pointed her fingers at the phrases she was reading. She also stared at him. "Principal Lyns is also nice and gentle." she ended and closed the book.
It was new to his ears but he can't feel any amazement.
But according to rumors he have heard, White Day High was a different school. It was focused on professions such as archery, martial arts, sword fights, and the like. They seldom offer academic study, but rather produce massive Olympic-ready learners.
But that was something fishy there because they haven't won for the past few years. Or maybe it was his bad for not focusing on that survival game every senior student will go through at his early age at Aspho.
Yet, he was now at a senior age compared to everyone in a High School. Will he be part of that survival game where every year, schools will mourn about a dead student going back inside a coffin?
No!
But unaware of him, Moon and Doll continued to befriend each other, as he continued reminiscing what he have heard about that school. He ducked and got himself snacks. He opened a bag of chips and started eating them. Now, it was his strike back for Moon neglecting him for that girl.
It was Moon who bought all of their food throughout the trip, and the chips were almost empty. Half of them were already consumed by merely him.
"You're happy there, huh..."
His childish thought made him a wide smile. He ate almost all the foods in just an instant, getting payback by being ignored. But that was beneficial for him also. Being alone doesn't mean—
"I AM AN EXORCIST!"
Doll's voice woke his consciousness, thus returning his focus to the two. Exorcist? Should White Day include those in their studies? Wasn't that beyond what the school should offer?
But why was he thinking about that? He can't even focus on overhearing the conversation between the two. He sneakingly glanced at them, now with the use of the rearview mirror of the bus. He tried spotting the best angle to view how Moon and Doll talk to each other.
"Lucas!" Moon shouted.
He cannot help and show his panic. He shook his head and has to appear calm. He looked behind and smiled at Doll in shame. He tried spotting Moon with brows raised but the seats were just big. What was he even doing?
He heard Moon clear his throat. "Where do you think we should enroll? This school is completely different back at Aspho High's offerings…"
He also tried considering that. "Is there anything related to fire…?" he said with confidence, not even hesitating.
"We have Fire Dancers…" Doll chuckled. He stared at her and saw she bowed her head to hide her laugh. She closed her eyes as if imagining him performing Fire Dances.
Crap! Stop this!
The laughing revved up as he heard Moon start laughing as well, leaving him in complete dismay.
It was futile to comprehend! He started ignoring the two and placed his travel pillow onto his nape and rested comfortably. Putting on his comical blindfold that looked like an open eye, he prepared to sleep.
This was his comfort —getting rid of people at some time. He yawned loudly and didn't mind if the people will notice him. As long as he can sleep, it was fine with him. Knowing his cousin's attitude, Moon will just neglect him as well.
Hmph.
Moon and Doll continued to chat as the passengers inside the bus were waiting for each of their destinations.
Some were sleeping like Lucas, and some were using their mobile phones. The 80's songs that were playing were humming chants that deceived the passengers' minds. It lulled them back to slumber and let them sleep soundly throughout the trip.
The conductor walked past Lucas and signal something to the driver. Noticing it, the driver looked into the rearview mirror and smiled at the bus conductor.
The bus stopped, cutting everyone from what they were doing. They checked the surroundings.
Lucas felt the discomfort again.
He irritatingly removed his blindfold and his travel pillow. What happened? He gazed at the driver whose hands were waving towards the right. What was the commotion this time? Is there a bus stop again?
He can't get some sleep! Curse this—
"Learners of White Day High, you can all go down, the school is right in front of us!"
White Day? The school?
He unconsciously turned his gaze to the transparent window beside him, seeing an unnecessarily huge city-like academy filled with people.
Yes, it was massive. But this school may be like Aspho again. He tried staring at Moon and Doll who were behind him.
"Shall we go?" Doll asked him and stood from her seat. He faked a smile at her and stood to leave his seat.
He cannot feel much excitement. They walked towards the bus door. Many students accompanied them exiting the bus, very much to his annoyance. The wind blew his body just right when he stepped onto the solid ground.
This felt like a new start… That was the most optimistic thing he can think of. He blankly stared at every building. They have varying sizes, similar to Aspho. Moon tapped his shoulder but he neglected him.
He heard Moon sigh as he removed his hand from him. He turned back to see him holding Doll's hand and helping her go down the bus. They stared at the gate in front of them.
The gate was painted bluish-white, and the guard present there opened it for them. He walked and stared at the surroundings, entering the school Mister Vacio decided for him to transfer to.
What lies ahead past this gate?
He can't help but reminisce about his new days at Aspho. But that was all in the past. It was the new start of his hellish life, now right in front of his eyes. He stepped inside normally, entering White Day High where he blindly hoped he can start over.
Right now, he felt that he was not an Aspho.