It was a new day- a free day! Luckily for them, the 5th of May landed on a Friday, and today was the 6th. Meaning Rose and Alex could have the day for themselves and hang out since there was no homework assigned yet. Side by side, the pink-eyed Star strutted with his Justice comrade down the hallway toward the girls' dorm- before mechanical doors spread wide to reveal a plethora of on-campus stores and shops. Mostly for food and drinks. A coffee shop was the closest to the duo, Al peering outside, Ed quaking a brow above the lid hovering about his eyeball. Seeing as how nothing could go wrong, he shrugged and followed his roommate through the exit to the stores & shops.
"I didn't know this was here,"
Commented Amara, glancing around to see students sitting together at tables outdoors talking amongst themselves, laughing at inaudible jokes. Behind an alone brunette with a sun necklace tied around her neck, in between her cleavage, he noticed, besides her breasts- a fast food restaurant. Like a mini McDonald's that decided to sell out to Rivera Manufacturing, it seemed, though it wasn't exactly that brand. It did sell fries, nuggets, burgers, chicken fingers, the works. Foaming at the mouth, the vision of shoving such delicious unhealthy food into his mouth and down his throat sounded spectacular.
"You look like my sister every time she sees a guy with abs. Here, if you want to get food over there, take this. Get me somethin' too,"
Handing him a $20 bill, the younger boy of the two sent a firm nod to his new ally, confidently walking past everyone as he glanced momentarily at their trays of delicious calories. Sure, he got some judgmental looks, but if you saw something so tasty- you'd do the same. Plus, it'd been like a whole day since he ate something good. While the cafeteria food was good, unlike his previous school, they only served vegetables and fruits on that day. So he had to eat an apple, some of Rose's lunch she'd bought, and cookies Ed made before they went to bed.
10 minutes later, the time was 12:45 P.M., with his bag in hand, he dug through the paper to throw salty fries into his mouth. Teeth sinking into the potatoes turned yellow, he gave out a pleasured moan and nodded as the steam emerging from the heated snack flushed his cheeks to turn them a bright ruby. Then, it hit him, he had to meet Rose and Ed on the roof. About to head there, he felt the yanking sensation of a hand tightening around the fabric of his hoodie. Her grip against the sweater was so tight it sent him to sit right beside her on the table, face against the wood before rising to see the girl's features. She was the one with the exposed breasts and sun-themed necklace, his hand gripping the table tightening his extremities against it. Frantically, he searched the ground to make sure that none of his bought food didn't slide out the tip of the bag, with a relieved sigh, he placed it by his side on the seat. Head-turning to make eye contact with the girl, he recognized her face- she had yellow eyes, twiddling her fork into her food stuck in the tray,
"Uh, you're pretty hot and stuff, but I have to go see my-"
"Tell me, Alexander Amara, do you enjoy praying on innocent girls who can't hear anything?"
"Wh… what..?"
A shockwave emitted as she slammed his face into the wood, a part of his nose shattering, a small pool of fluids leaking from his insides. Snarling in anger, his aura burst out from his soul as students widened their eyes, some even attempting to try and stop her from breaking his skull. A simple glimpse upward along with the flick of her right wrist just sent them sliding back on the metal floor that acted as if it were concrete, a blue-haired girl scoffing. The thud of her rear meeting the mineral caused her to walk away, as Lynn spoke to her so-called 'classmate'.
"Let's get one thing straight, Alexander, you're never going to talk to Hazel Adams ever again. She's been through enough with people like you-"
Abruptly, in the middle of her speech, her wrist had snapped back, knuckles meeting her nostrils and snapping them to the side. Suddenly, she'd been bleeding, the same as Amara, sitting up as the bag hovered beside him. Revealing herself from the camouflaged state, the Hermit, Hazel, was now there, wiping the blood from his nostrils with a napkin she'd slipped out from her pocket. Then handing Alex the bag, he went about his merry way before Lynn could try to touch him again-
"WHAT THE HELL, HAZEL?!"
Frightened by the screaming, she evaporated into thin-air and rendered herself invisible, the pitter-patter of her sneakers hitting the concrete as Lynn reached out her hand. A realized gasp escaped the girl's mouth, eyes now staring at the blood staining her palm, whispers of a man she'd grown to despise slipping into her ears. Praising her for the sinful deed she'd committed, not understanding that it was a basic misunderstanding on her part; why else would Hazel come to defend him if he'd done anything bad? Sunni saw herself in the reflection of the metal floor as the concrete platform beneath her soles peeled away, the blood falling from her closed fist to splatter onto the material- and reveal his figure. Strong, muscular, bloodied with his victims' internal liquids. She scratched her nape for a brief point in time and fled the area to her destination.
She felt like a ticking time bomb ready to explode at any point in time; she needed to do something. Before she lost herself to his corruption. Once and for all.
But unbeknownst to her, a boy with black hair and a purple streak going through it peered around the corner to stare at her from behind. Then, he went about his merry way going to his scheduled meeting… with the Headmaster.
As he arrived to his intended destination, he bent and held his knees. The chilly air slid his hair to flow with the mid-spring air as it turned to summer second by second, the cries of his friend yelling his name being the cause of the tilting of his skull to the right,
"Yo, Al! Over 'ere!"
Sitting at a bench against the holographic fence protecting the edge, Ed and Rose waved over to the Justice. Reaching out his limbs to grab the paper bag his newer ally had bought from the restaurant on campus, his extremities dug into it to grab into the specific order he'd texted. A burger with some medium fries, basic, really. While Alex was still a child inside and had gotten chicken fingers with fries, the trio eating together on that bench. Rose covered her lip with her pointer finger's knuckle for a brief point as she swallowed a cut piece of pizza in a plastic container. Some people are weird, and she was one of those rarities,
"So- how'd you two become friends? Some gay lover shit happened last night, I'm assuming-?"
"I-"
"Yes, actually!"
Popping up from his seat against the wood, he wrapped his arm around the nape of his comrade abs chuckled while answering his childhood friend. A chuckle escaped the throat of Alexander, taking a quick bite of Ed's burger he'd been holding close to his lips,
"It was super fun! He knew this weird little tongue thing, and oooh, it was super hot,"
Joked the Justice, Rose interjecting as she leaned forward with her elbow pressing against her knee gazing into the eyes of her lifelong companion. A smirk spread across her red lips, smeared with lipstick that she'd put on early this morning. Parting them so she could respond to Amara with a cheeky question,
"Maybe I can join next time then?~"
"Hah! You wish, bitch! Bros only, no girls allowed!!"
Declared the Justice, the Lovers laughing at his response and leaning back as she dug another piece of pizza into her throat with her fork. Limb still locked around Eddie's neck, Al quirked a brow above his right eyelid and tilted his head at the apparent 'sobs' clawing out the boy's gullet. It was unavoidable, the feeling of love and warmth, an emotion Edward had long forgotten when he was just a boy. Before his mother was scared to even touch his skin, should she even go near his hands. But they weren't scared, not of him, not of his powers- they liked him for who he was. Ed rose to show the tears streaming down his cheeks; Al about to pull back, worried for his friend's mental state- Rose stopped her best friend to take control. Palms clasped against his white skin, so he could feel it in his veins, her face wasn't full of fear or disgust like he was used to with females. Rather; hope and love for the future, and so, she removed her hands from his face and clasped his hands together. Unsheathing the gloves concealing his fingers and palms, his eyes widened, attempting to throw himself backward. Oddly; his feet were locked in place by an ethereal hand courtesy of watching Alex. Who just stood with his arms crossed, wiping the blood from his nostrils pooling downward and his glow burned brighter.
"You don't have to be alone anymore…"
It wasn't just a statement, they weren't empty words created by those to tame his powers they were scared of. No longer were the people he called 'friends' inspired by fear, they were inspired by him. Rosalyn Thomas… Alexander Amara… Ace Detective Karlo… and the Headmaster. All of them saw something in him he was blind to, his potential as a friend, his potential as a student, and his potential as a human. She was right, he didn't need to be afraid anymore. With a final embrace, he sobbed in the middle as their arms wrapped around him.
He was home.
"Whitney Myers, 18-years-old. Arrested for conspiracy to commit second-degree kidnapping, from this report, it states that there's no direct evidence against you. Only your mother and father were able to be arrested for any crimes. Her name was Penelope May, wasn't it? "
A light flickered on in the Office, The Detective Prince situated across from the teenage boy with his fingers touching their tips. He was supposed to be scared, supposed to be frightened at what Karlo would do to him if he didn't comply. Yet there was no such emotion visible on this boy's face, but boredom. Or so it seemed. Flashes of her face echoed in the chambers and labyrinthic halls of his mind, pleading for help as he stood and watched the screen. Even then he could hear the screams, Vivian advising him not to go as she reached for his wrist. He was a witness, a victim to their parents' power but… he felt more like an accomplice than anything. And maybe he was. Azazel recognized that apathetic look, it was a signature to his greatest rival when he was but a young boy of 16. Young, confused and determined- that's who August Rivera was. He had to stay strong for his friend, wherever he may be; and go on with the interrogation. Shaking his head and returning from the momentary daze, the Detective pushed himself forward, previously, his back against the cushion of the chair.
"I know how you feel, kid. Truly, I get it. You feel nothing, right? You act like you don't care about anything, anybody, but the truth is, you only act like that because you care too much..."
Whitney didn't falter; he continued to stare as if nothing bothered him whatsoever, the darkness engulfing everything except for the Detective and the student. Myers was then given important information by the Professor, a bombshell dropped that had been concealed from the Hunger's brains.
"Penelope Ross is still alive, Whitney,"
With that, Whitney's purple eyes let out a bright hue, leading up from his legs and head, his body turned as black as a shadow. He had disappeared into Karlo's shadow, it seemed maybe his suspicions had been true. Rates of kidnapping going up hadn't been a coincidence, right? The rest of the lights brightened up the workplace, the Headmaster's previously shadowed features revealed by the light as he lifted his spectacles from his desk. Chewing at the ends like he did when he was a teenager, ears picking up the sounds given to him by his partner.
"I will gain the Answer to this burning question, Headmaster Rivera. The Return of the Demons will not come into fruition, I guarantee-"
"Thank you, Detective Karlo. That will be all for now,"
Eyes shaking at the demand, Azazel looked to the ground as the Headmaster raised his hand to his Android assistant so she could shut up. Standing from his seat, his right hand locked onto the shoulder of the Detective. Like a father proud of his son, Ben looked at Azazel with impressed eyes and nodded. He did good work being able to interrogate an 'innocent boy' and not faltering. There were no other words spoken between the duo, and as the younger Karlo fled through the opening then closing doors- he resumed his seating.
Documents, files, police reports, news articles: all popped up on his screen; thought to be a straight black visor that had now emitted a transparent hologram. Kidnapping rates, especially with young girls, have gone up exponentially since 2046, and they didn't show any sign of stopping. The Emperor couldn't rule out the possibility that Whitney was working with his mother and father to kidnap this 'Penelope'. The reflection of the light glistened, shining onto the walls and metal desk cluttered with items from the past. Lifting a frame from the right side of the table, he started into the eyes of his mother with her bright smile that shined as bright as the hovering sun. He still wondered about how she was fairing, wherever she resided. Though he fought angels, they didn't seem as angelic from the stories his grandmother told him from the Bible. So, Heaven, Hell, whatever afterlife her soul was stuck inside- he hoped for her, August, even Ryder, that they all lived together. In harmony and peace, the sun's rays peered through the blinds tilting upward, the line being yanked by an artificial fleshy hand.
"Artemis, darling- keep an eye on the Lynn girl. I feel as though her feelings are in disarray. Please, Artemis,"
A simple nod was all the confirmation he needed, the Android left the chamber, a drone emerging from the tips of her fingers. Immediately, it camouflaged and registered itself invisible to the human eye while the Fool Detective gritted his teeth entering his classroom.
Replacing the Woodhull Hospital from before, a new and improved took its place, honoring who funded the project. The People's Healthcare was the new name for this medical infrastructure, his purple hair illuminated in the sun as he sat by her side. Her scars pushed into her flesh as she stood still, listening to his words that entered her ears. Fingers locked together with his hands holding one another, the Hunger leaned forward,
"Hasn't been that bad, really. I mean, no one really talks to me because of what happened… I saw Rose again though,"
The mention of the rich ginger caused Ross to tilt her head to the left more, eyelids spreading, revealing her shocked expression as she laid in anguish. Whitney leaned back against the chair pressed onto the wall, and fiddled with a strand of his hair. He needed to cut it, but could he even do that?
"I could've told her what happened to you, maybe she could've helped with her influence. Her power, her money… but I was too weak. Too weak to save you, too weak to kill them right where they stood-"
"There was nothing you could've done. If it were my parents, I wouldn't know what to do either. Don't beat yourself up over… over this,"
"Pene-"
As he was about to call for help, she slid to the right and rested on her side for a moment. There was a brand on her neck, one identical to the ones demons used in media and otherwise. A pentagram, likely carved into her skin by immense heat and not by a sharp edge like a knife. His mother and father weren't doing this for him, they used that excuse merely as a ploy for something far worse. They'd receive their justice- all he needed to do was slaughter the rest. With the intent of doing that, he stood up and towered over her body, shadow concealing her anatomy as he knelt down closer. Moving her hair away from her ear, he pecked his lips against the girl's cheek and whispered,
"You're going to be okay…"
His figure sunk into the depths of the shadow world, creatures under his control made of that dark material tilting their head as they watched him walk. Light leaking in through openings above his head, a snarl echoing through this realm as those monsters followed their master and a bloody promise came out his mouth in the form of a snarl,
"I'll make sure of it,"
Back in the Academy, the trio of Ed, Alex and Rose had been located by the Hermit, Hazel and dragged to the girls' dorm. Right now, she was in the kitchen throwing snacks onto a place with the three blindfolded together. Ed beside Rose on the left bed while Alex was alone on the right one, nervously muttering and twiddling his thumbs together. ~If that crazy bitch finds me sitting on her bed… I don't know if I should run or fight. Now that I think about it, probably the first one- she's pretty strong~
"Okeyyyyy!"
Broken english and all, she skipped happily into the bed area, the smell of heated chocolate seeping through the trio's noses. Drooling saliva fell from the edges of her mouth, Rose reaching downward so she could lift a cookie up with her teeth and chomp on it as it fell from her mouth into her pale palms. Ed carefully took the signal of a flick against his forehead as he slipped the blindfold over his head and ruffled his light brown hair, lifting a cookie up with his bare fingers. Alex and Rose watched as he carefully took a bite of the sugary sweetness, the chips bursting out of the cookie to swirl around in his mouth. Hazel giggled at the audible complement of his happy sobs, he was able to feel a cookie without it exploding!
-These taste amazing, Haze! Did you make these or did you use a recipe?-
"Um…"
It was clear that neither Ed and Rose understood sign language, she wasn't really good at reading lips. So she pulled at his shirt, the fabric yanking in her direction as he rubbed his chin while Ed and Rose lowly chatted with one another. Noticing the confused and lost look on her face, full of guilt, he reached out to whisper something so she could hear it with the aids.
-I'll teach you English. It won't be as good, and you won't be perfect at it- but I'll try my best- "Hazey,"
His lips moved as he signed the nickname to her, eyes sparkling with tears as she was informed with this information. Hazel couldn't believe it; he was a true kind soul, he didn't want her for anything crude or disgusting. He didn't ask for anything in return, he did it for her; not like her father or mother who demanded her to do something rudely. As if her feelings didn't matter in the slightest... but she cared, she was now surrounded by friends who loved and minded her emotions. She was home, and she would never run away.
Her head in his side, Ed chuckled at the sight as Rose slowly dug her skull into his shoulder, using his arm to drape it around her body. A blush creeped over his cheeks and made him red hot, as she smirked and winked at her new friend. He looked to the side nonchalantly and whistled as if nothing ever happened: but she was fine with it. She ate from the hovering plate of cookies that dashed into her mouth on command and smiled. It felt warm.
The girls were lulled to sleep in the comfort of the boys' arms, Alex and Ed shared a bro high five and winked at one another. Not that they were thinking anything dirty, but if you had two girls resting on you and your bro, you'd share the moment quietly too.
There was no doubt about it, the correlation between the markers was no simple coincidence! Someone had been making pawns of them; Penelope, Lynn, and now he was beginning to be a part of this diabolical scheme. Whitney leaped out for a shadow cast by a light in the girls' dorm, speed walking to find the Sun's dorm as he bit on his knuckle and dug his hand into the pouch of his purple and black hoodie. A simple quarter had flown out of his pocket to land onto the backside of his palm, shining in the sun's light at 3:27 P.M.
The door to Hazel and Sunni's room was barged through, the door destroyed as Whitney quirked a brow seeing the brown-haired girl run inside. Then disappearing behind those closed doors, he vanished into another shadow cast by the sun beneath his very feet. The quartet of teens was shot awake by this sudden appearance of the girl, Lynn shook her head and assumed that Hazel was okay. These people- if she could trust them then so could she, and they wouldn't judge her for what she was about to inform them all about. She was sure of it.
"Uhh… I have something to tell you all,"
Alex signed what Sunni had announced to Hazel so they could all get into their positions, as Lynn readied herself to spill her guts. But, she never got the chance to as Whitney emerged from the dark portal beneath his feet as if an elevator elevated him upwards. Interrupting her and finishing the Sun's sentence all at once so she couldn't a chance to talk,
"Her father is the Ringleader of this kidnapping organization that's been dominating the news. She wants them all to head to her parents' house so you can find and ambush, don't you?"
How could she deny such a clear reading of her true intentions? It was true, that was what she had intended- a shameful nod rolling off her cranium as Hazel shivered at the thought of fighting. Same with Ed, with his powers; he could accidentally kill someone and blow them up from the inside out. While Whitney had explained what she wanted to do with the group, Myers didn't object to this proposal and instead, waited for the other four to see if they were to agree. And as anticipated, the goody two- shoes of Alexander Amara rose from his seated position,
"I'll go with you to intercept your father's meeting. My parents always told me to look out for those in need. No matter the cost, my health didn't matter, they mattered more- because they were in pain. I can't allow one of my friends to be in pain any longer- especially when their family is hurting innocent people… like my parents were. If you two are going, as am I and Rose. She's not a pussy and can handle herself with her hands if her powers go out of whack,"
Rose jumped up and giggled with a firm nod, tongue sticking out to tease Whitney- all he could do was simply turn his head and snarl at the gesture. And finally, Hazel and Ed sat up as well, now ready to face the world with their gifts. Ed tightened his fists as the explosions popped above the tips of his extremities, radiating a pink aura from his soul as Hazel nodded with her hands and fingers together.
"We'll go too, Miss!"
"Yeh!"
Again, with her broken English, she spoke out loud, able to hear Eddie's decree. Fist slowly resuming its position, previously charged to the skies, it stood by her side as Alex ruffled her blonde hair. And leaving her to turn away and blush as Whitney rolled his eyes at such pathetic displays of affection. Ed and Hazel were in his debt, Alex gave them freedom and a place to feel warm and loved. The same with Rose, she was his best friend- and this was personal for Lynn. However, Alex couldn't help but wonder about the brooding one in the middle of the room. Speaking without words, their hands stood on his body as he towered over them all with his height, except for Alex and Ed.
Was he truly emotionless, a bloodthirsty maniac… or a man of justice? The Major Arcana fled the Academy's woman's dorm as the drone had watched the entire thing, returning to her master while the Headmaster nodded. Intervening would lead to a disarray of plans, no doubt that it would disorganize the teenagers and their plan. So, he watched. The signature Whitney's shadow portals gave off had once again reappeared… in Queens, Forest Hill. He watched with the Detective and Artemis by his side, the group popping out of the ground as a lamppost manufactured their shadows.
Would the Major Arcana be able to ambush the Sun's father; the so-called ringleader of this diabolical organization kidnapping young women? Find out in Chapter Four, coming soon.