Surprised he was, he quickly composed himself. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but soon stopped and pointed in a certain direction.
"Fwuh, here he is. Thanks!"
Reinard quickly went over to Mino.
Both the person and the one he was looking for were dumbfounded, but for different reasons.
Reinard, for Mino's battered appearance and Mino, for the former's sudden appearance.
"You look like you took quite a beating, Mino."
"Well, what do you have to tell me sir?"
"Regarding your mysterious injury yesterday."
"Oh. Let's go to the infirmary then..."
Both of them turned around and started heading over to the infirmary. By the time they stopped, it was already too late. The three others continuously pestered him to let in.
He avoided leaking any details and answering the curious trio. But as soon as he heard Mino's words, he involuntarily let out a gasp.
"They persuaded me a lot. I told them about my injury."
"he?! Aaahhh you fool..."
Reinard turned back and faced the three students sticking to him like gum and glue.
"Huffff.... you guys come in."
As he opened the door, Mino was greeted by the bright empty....
No.
It was not empty.
There were seven people. Their hair was so colourful that it seemed as if it was a part of a flower garden.
Four of them were lying on beds, bandaged. They looked severely hurt.
Standing, a blonde haired girl, an inky blue haired girl, a dull olive haired boy and Dr. Reinard. The first two girls were extremely familiar
An silver haired man, a man with flaming red hair, a boy with blonde hair who for some reason looked strangely familiar as well.
There was an inconspicuous man sitting upright, all others were lying down. He had slick, chestnut coloured hair, a bit lighter than Amene's. He twisted his body to look at the newcomers. In the process of doing so, he let out a squeal of pain.
"Ugh!"
"Matrix! Don't move about so much. You may be less injured but that doesn't mean you can do anything you want now."
Reinard's alarmed voice rang out. His concern was not formal but genuine and familial.
Mino was a tad surprised, for many reasons. Amene, Royo and Warret probably shared two of the reasons too. Firstly, he had never seen Sir Doc being this concerned. Secondly, [Just who the hell are they?! How the fuck did they get in, and why the fuck is Sir Doc treating them? The last but not the least, Mino felt he had seen the blonde haired guy somewhere before.
Feeling Mino's gaze, Barn smiled and waved his hand a little. Apparently, he was quite friendly. He took the initiative and started a conversation, "Hi! I'm Barn. You?"
Mino was pleased by Barn's approach, as mostly nobody in the school took the initiative to talk to him.
"I have this feeling that I've met you before, Barn."
"Of course you will, cuz we have actually met before!"
"Eeeeehhhhh! How so!"
Everyone present in the room was dumbstruck at this surprising revelation. The silly look on Reinard's face slowly turned into one of realisation.
"Hey Barn... you aren't gonna tell him that are you." Yaleena looked alarmed! She was sternly against telling normal people about their speciality.
[Damn! Is he really going to say it!]
["Please stop Barn!"]
But nobody came forward to help despite Yaleena's commands. They were too interested, and that incuded Jeryl too. Actually, he was sure Mino wouldn't buy whatever Barn had to say.
"Actually Mino!"
Barn started talking loudly to drown out the protests of his friends.
"errr Yes! What's it?"
A nervous reply came in sharp contrast to the bright voice.
"You know who I am very well, don't you?"
"Ermm.. I can't remember properly."
Mino tried focussing his mind. His voice and height were familiar... he had definitely seen his figure... but never his face.
[W-wait! Can it mean...!]
His expression turned into one of shock. Barn smiled, while everyone else except Jeryl and Reinard were confused.
"Are you the one..."
He was going to ask a very important question while he was interrupted by Barn himself.
"Indeed I am. But you look pretty battered now."
"W-what is he saying Mino?"
Warret asked, while Amene stood silently, lost in thought.
"Maybe... he's the one whom I met yesterday... after colliding with the post..."
"!.....!.....!"
Wordless gasps sounded. Even Yaleena looked shocked.
"Well... so how did you heal me?"
Mino tried testing Barn.
"Using the power of light!"
"...."
"W-what! You don't believe me! That there are people who can control elements! You know, you can be one too!"
"Ok. A rumble was heard this morning. Do you know the reason?!"
"Sure I do! We were having a high speed aerial battle! This guy here..."
Barn pointed at man with flaming red hair while Mino was growing was more and more incredulous by the second.
"Hey Sephir! Didn't you create and shoot a beam of concentrated fire?! C'mon convince him!"
Meanwhile Sephir was in trouble. He knew Barn was a person who wanted others to know their existence, but he himself was unsure of what to do. He looked at the two leaders for help. Yaleena was facepalming and Jeryl was grinning.
"Heh Barn, I told you it's not easy to make them believe about these things."
"Sir Doc, they are not of the school. Why have you brought them here?"
"Aahhh err..." He was unable to explain instantaneously.
Barn said, "Because he's our friend! Anyways, Sephir, please answer."
"So you claim that rumbling sound to be a beam of coverged superhot fire?"
"Yup!"
"Actually, that sounds convincing, since a superhot fire beam as hot as lightning can easily make a sound resembling a clap of thunder. The question is, how are you all alive? Why didn't the shooter die? What technology did you use to create such a hot fire?"
Barn found himself helpless as Mino bombarded him with questions. Suddenly...
"Ahem!"
Clearing his throat to attract attention, Warret began, "Yesterday a civilian was struck down. He was supposedly hit with a black flash and not a sniper bullet, as reported by an old man. Do you have any knowledge about that?"
He asked this question with a serious tone. He asked this question after some discussion with Amene.
"The shooter was tailing us. And it was a dark flash, not anything else? Also, he died? Anyone can tell the symptoms?"
Finishing her words which gradually grew duller, Yaleena looked down, her shoulders slumping. Yet another person who lost their life because of her weakness.
Amene looked at Yaleena curiously. Then, "Necrosis. That is, body parts started getting black. Even after he passed away, it kept on spreading."
"Just as I expected."
"Do you know the reason?"
"Will you believe me if I say it's the [dark element]?"
"Of course not!"
"See! You won't! Then what will you do?"
"I'll assume you are hiding something and will report to the police."
"Haaaaahhhh.... why the fuck did you even bring them here Reinard? By the way, where's Mira?"
The four students jolted in shock. So their "Miss-Match" was a part of the crazy weirdos too?!
Reinard promptly replied, "She hasn't responded since morning... she had taken one of my cellphones, the one with my favourite ringtone, but I couldn't track her with my second phone..."
"Anyways, let's leave that in the back burner... Well you guys, do you have anything to say?" asked Barn, smiling affably.
"Y'all are crazy weirdos who have played too much fantasy games. Don't buy their shit Warret." Royo declared angrily this as he left the room.
All of the people, including Dr. Rein, were smiling wryly.
"Mino. Tell me, do you believe in whatever junk this guy said?" he asked, pointing towards Barn.
"My brother isn't lying you know..."
This came from Barnie.
"Hey Maina? Do you?" Warret couldn't help but ask her. She had a strangely solemn face.
"I... if you ask me... then I will reply... I do.... I do believe in what they are saying. As for why, I don't know. Perhaps there's really something like that, and we don't know it exists just because we haven't been exposed to them or we haven't observed them. But I would really like a proof."