I came out and said it. He'll tear me to pieces. I glimpsed behind him at the window. My reflection revealed a face I've never seen before. My eyes actually turned black.
He didn't expect my response, either.
He clicked his tongue, and he was about to stand up when the driver interrupted him. "Sit down! We are leaving"
I could swear I heard the bus groan when the driver sat in his seat. I'm sure even his shirt is suffering from the excessive belly fat that's trying to pour out.
Hang in there buttons. I'm rooting for you.
Sitting behind him was a girl with silky long black hair, and in front of me sat the bully.
Trapped, with no way out, I kept glancing back and forth.
I had my fill with these heroes. Their presence annoyed me. What frustrated me the most was the way they carried themselves. As if they were the center of the universe.
I said it at the moment's spur, but it's a possibility. It's ironic actually. A member of a family of superheroes turned out to be a villain.
If a piece of information like that got out, reporters would rip us apart.
I put a brake on my thoughts when the view outside the bus changed. This is the first time I left Luna City.
Not really sure how that felt. Mixed emotions of enjoyment and fear collided with one another.
The scenery changed from concrete buildings to a tapestry of green and wildflowers that dotted it with colors.
This time, the reflection on the window revealed a smile. Understandable for someone who only ever saw concrete. Of course, our yard had trees and flowers, but not in this abundance.
The bus pulled over and the driver in a haste got off. The vehicle found its balance after he got off and let out creaks of happiness. "Stay inside! We are entering the Etherons' domain"
Etherons' domain? That was fast. According to dad, these creatures are remnants of the old civilization. He said we could work together for a better future but the others dismissed him.
Instead, they tried many times to fight and exterminate them. Time and time again they failed. The last attack took place last semester.
Those heroes returned defeated. A little while later, that portal happened. Maybe these events have a connection. I'll investigate that later, I guess.
How's that guy doing?
The middle-aged driver, as fast as he could, made some adjustments to the vehicle and rushed back inside.
He sat in his chair and turned to us. "Fasten your seatbelts kids!"
He pushed a button and belts came out of the seats. We did as we were told. He made sure that everyone had a seatbelt on and returned facing forward. "Here we go!"
He pushed a lever down and the bus went through a transformation of sorts. Like a ship, it spawned sails. The driver spun the helm and a couple of jet propellers popped at the back.
He pulled the helm back, and the jet engines shot us up. The pressure alone caused a few heroes to lose consciousness.
At first, it affected me as well. I could feel my face tear, but the black smoke made something like a film, which surrounded my body, and the pressure had no impact on me afterward.
The old bus turned into a ship that flew. All of us shared the same expressions of excitement.
Our seats vibrated as we soared through the skies.
After we gained enough altitude, it turned into a smooth ride. The loud explosions targeted at our ship soon overwrote the serene scenery.
The driver maneuvered the large vessel in his attempt to avoid the attacks. We suffered a few successful hits, but soon we were out of range since the explosions thinned out.
Mountain peaks surrounded us as the ship descended. Our presence felt unwanted since the tree brunches flogged and torn the sails.
It touched down and halted. Once again, the driver in a hurry rushed out and made modifications. With the same speed, he came back in and pushed the button. The sails fell off, and the bus turned back to normal.
It took a while, but we got back on the road towards the Academy.
We arrived at the gates of the imposing building that looked like a castle right out of a fairy tale.
We got off the bus and walked in front of the formidable structure.
There was an actual moat that surrounded it. The liquid inside doesn't look like the typical water for this kind of defense strategy. How peculiar. It even gurgled a few times as if it was hot.
The driver interrupted my thoughts. "That's acid. Keep clear from it!"
Acid? Yikes!
On the walls, there were cannons aimed the way we came from.
Besides these measures, which were probably aimed at Etherons, the rest of the valley seemed tranquil.
Even in this intense heat, birds chirped with joy without a care in the world.
The middle-aged bus driver stood in front of us and shouted. "I brought the new students. Open the gates!"
Two guards stood in front of the entrance. They lowered the bridge over the acidic moat.
The gates opened, and a well-dressed man walked outside. By his side were two beautiful women.
The leader of the bullies turned and looked at me. He smirked and walked forward. "Hey, dad"
The well-dressed man greeted him with a forced smile. "Jared, you arrived! I arranged for your stay at the dorms. Make the family proud, son"
So, his name is Jared. I don't want to remember that.
One woman jested. "Keep out of trouble, little brother!"
The other one sneered at her. "Your brother is a good young man! Don't bully him, Ciera"
Annoyed, the well-dressed man interrupted them. "Enough. Let him go back and rest!"
Such a rotten family. Father ignored him, Sister messed with him, and mother pampered him in front of everyone. I wonder what would take place if they were alone. No wonder he's a bully.
My eyes followed his movements. My blood boiled as I stared at him. There's no room for mercy. He will answer for his crimes.
The sister drew a circle in the air, and a blinding light enveloped them. In an instant, they disappeared from in front of us.
Ja… Jamon? Anyway, returned to his previous position, while he sneered at the rest of us.
The driver's eyes sparkled. "Students behold! That was Ciera. A prodigy Hero and master of teleportation!"
Sure, that was cool. But can she go through chairs? Ugh, I really hope I didn't bite more than I can chew when I challenged him.
Moments later, another person walked out. He had long white hair, but his face was young. With a polite smile, he greeted the driver. "Good morning, Dro! How was your trip?"
The driver lifted his chin. "Sir, we run into some trouble with Etherons, but I brought everyone here safe!"
This person glanced at us. I don't know for the others, but my feet definitely felt weak. He then turned to the middle-aged driver. "Good work! Off you go now"
The driver bowed a few times and returned to his bus.
"You guys should rest. Find Madam Reena at the front desk and she'll guide you to your rooms"
The moment I stepped forward, I felt a hand on my shoulder that kept me from advancing with the others. He whispered in my ears. "Wait"
"What's the matter, sir?"
"I know you are new to this. Might One told me how you just awakened your abilities. It's difficult to control them at once so try to be patient and not to get in any trouble"
I know shouldn't lie to this person, but he just had a meeting with that guy's parents.
I nodded at him. "I'll try"
He smiled at me and uttered. "By the way, because it was a last-minute call, we didn't have time to prepare your room. Is it ok if you stay at women's dorms?"
Huh? What is this person talking about? "Seriously? I'll probably get killed if I stay there…"
"Bahaha! I'm kidding! You have your own room."
What's wrong with this person?
I nodded at him and left.
As I walked away, I could still hear him.
"You are too stiff. Try to loosen up a little and enjoy yourself!"
Right before I entered the castle, an invisible layer got attached to my body. "What is this thing?"
A woman behind a desk stood up and answered me. "That's the protective membrane for all who enter our Academy. It's harmless!"
"You must be Madam Reena. Nice to meet you, I'm Rikeron!"
She lost her words. The woman stared at me. Her eyes watered and jumped out of her desk. "In all these years I've been doing this job, you are the first student to greet me"
She rushed over and hugged me. While doing so, she whispered. "Thank you!"