- 3rd August 2138, Afternoon, GCA Campus Gym Entry -
So far, Finnegan had fallen in this brawl between students. This left Hayden and I fighting tooth and nail. Hayden was not a weak fighter. He was strong, like his brother, and quick to react. Fortunately, he did not have as much training.
There was a chance I could win this fight. I was taking a beating, getting tired. Every hit felt harder than the last, and I was struggling to stand up. Until I reached an epiphany...
I wasn't going to let these two idiots step all over me.
I wished not to be the rat in the sewers, feeding on waste. I'd always wanted to be the strongest, no matter what it took. With this determination and motivation coursing through my blood, I felt as if I could do great things I'd never dreamt of before. It was as if the world was slowing down around me, air like thick honey.
Hayden moved towards me in what looked like slow motion as I effortlessly dodged away from his strike, casting a {Zeigen}, slamming the ball of electrical energy straight into his abdomen. Shocking him momentarily. Allowing me to trip him and cast {Zeigen} at his head, further injuring him. This wasn't enough though. He needed to be out cold. He needed to suffer.
"You. Little. Rat. Know. Your. Place" Exploded my voice as I spoke.
I repeatedly cast {Zeigen} at his face, the sound of crackling electricity repeating over and over until I didn't even need to chant anymore. Absentmindedly casting Zeigens at his now bloodied face until I felt a sudden pain in my head.
In my state of bloodlust, I'd used far too much energy. Weakness engulfing my body, I limped to the gym. falling like a felled tree at the entrance. Though Warmund wasn't there... Was I early? My hearing and sight went blurring until I heard a familiar gruff voice in front of me.
"You fought well Shrimp. I'm proud of you!" Shouted Warmund, pulling out his Violin to play a familiar song. With a white glow, my body felt restored.
Unfortunately the same couldn't be said for my EX-Energy which remained drained. It was a beautiful moment. I had just fought tooth and nail against a powerful opponent and come out victorious. And now my quasi-training instructor, Warmund, was playing a song of praise and healing for me.
"I just kept fighting and fighting, it felt like a home to me." I gasped, catching my breath. Heaving truckloads of air with each breath.
"Yup! You have the fighting spirit!"
"So... Training?" I inquired to the brute of a man standing before me.
"I'd love to. But you need rest, that fight there was more than enough training."
He was right. Even though I'd been healed, that didn't stop all the aches I felt. I asked Siska to come to my apartment. Though she was frankly deranged, It'd be a good opportunity to tell her what'd happened. Siska considered me her best friend, and I knew that she would try to understand what I was going through better than anyone else. Even though she was a little cooky, I knew that she would be there for me no matter what. In her weird way of doing things.
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Arriving at my Apartment I saw a familiar tawny face. It was Siska, her familiar blue hair in a high ponytail. She looked as if she'd recently been training. As soon as she noticed me she did her usual crazy act of running goofily towards me and hugging me.
I could never get over how affectionate she was to everyone around her. Though it did carry an odd charisma to it, any cuteness was immutably canceled out by the fact she took a machete with her everywhere she went. Touting something about it being an 'important family object~' or however.
"ERIKKKKKK, WHAT HAPPENED?" She shouted at the top of her lungs, in the overly emotional voice I'd come to expect from her.
"I got into a fight. Though I won! Please stop yelling." I pridefully replied, hand to my chest.
"OH MY GOD, DID THEY HURT YOU?" She asked as she ran over to me and laid her soft hand carefully on my cheek.
"No, No I'm fine! I swear! I won easily!" I lied, flustered. Gently pushing her hand away. I didn't like it when people touched my face.
"THAT'S GOOOOOD~" Siska exclaimed as she ran to the door, dancing on the spot and waiting for me to open it.
"Siska, my Extrinsics, how many times do I have to tell you to stop yelling like that?" I asked, exasperated. Pulling out my InfoComm to scan the door and open it.
Siska pouted and crossed her arms. "It's better than moping around ALL THE TIME!"
"I don't mope!" I retorted. Defending myself from such false accusations.
She raised an eyebrow. "You've been moping since we met, you little ball of SAD!" She said, pulling a silly face.
Siska had let herself in ahead of me and sat on my couch. Making herself comfortable, pulling out her InfoComm, and beginning to play some odd game about clowns in a city.
I set my bag down on my kitchen counter, took off my jacket, and hung it up. Then made my way over to the couch and sat down next to her. Briefly using my singularity to form a yellow, Flame-like aura around my left eye, checking up on Siska.
================
[Name: Siska Gacy]
[Age: 16]
[Mood]: Bashful
[Attribution]: Phenom
-[Rank]: A
-[Affinity]: Momentum
[E-Signature]: 171M
================
Bashful? Why'd she felt that around me? Perhaps being all crazy was her way of acting out? I couldn't make any sense of it. She was always so happy and bubbly around me, so it was confusing that she'd feel like this. Banishing the thought in the back of my mind, I focused on enjoying the night. I deserved it.
-------:-
Hours passed as we chatted organically from time to time. Until Siska asked me a rather odd question.
"That watch of yours. Have can I look-see~" She asked, using a quieter but still very silly voice.
It seemed she didn't want to wake those in neighboring apartments. It was nice to know she had some respect for those around her.
Pulling it out of my pocket its shiny silver surface glinting in the light, I complied. Opening it for her to have a look at. It was very important for me, as the last vestige of my late grandfather. Though I trusted Siska, despite being rather unhinged she had a heart of pure, untainted gold.
"It's beautiful." Siska said after a long moment of silence, "Can I hold it?"
"Of course," I said, handing it over to her.
Siska held the watch up to the light, turning it this way and that. A kaleidoscope of beautiful light refracting off its silver facets, like a disco of resplendent beauty.
"It's so old." She said finally, "How did your old grandpappy-poo come by it?"
"He found it." I said, "Or so he told me. He never said where."
"And you're sure it's for realsies?" Siska asked, her eyes wide with exasperated shock.
"As far as I can tell." I replied, "I had it appraised a few years ago. It's worth a small fortune."
Passing it back to me she stood up and turned to me, a very cheeky look on her face.
"I'm sleeping the night here! Hehehe~" She giggled.
This was not going to happen.
"No." I retorted.
I didn't even think I was permitted to have other students sleep in my apartment. Though despite that, why would I let Siska sleepover? I could already imagine all the rumors people would spread if they knew of it.
-------:-
Thankfully, I ended up shooing her out with a promise of letting her sleep when we were closer friends. There's a chance I may let her sleep over willfully in the future. But for today? I wasn't ready. We probably wouldn't have gotten any sleep anyway, with her craziness. It was close to midnight when I finally got her to leave.
I was exhausted, both from trying to keep up with her and from the emotional roller coaster she put me through. I was relieved when she finally left, but I also felt a little bit bad. I wasn't sure if I was doing the right thing, but I knew I needed some time to think.
Peering into the mirror, I saw myself, ebony hair and all. I looked tired and exhausted. Thankfully it was a Saturday tomorrow, meaning that I'd be able to get some training done and potentially work on cultivating my EX-Energy via the Enhancement method Alastar had given me.
I was grateful to have him as a teacher, and even more grateful that I hadn't turned out like my father. Thinking of such an alternative made me shudder in pure disgust.
I felt rather elated at what'd happened today.
Until I opened my InfoComm to see a message from the disciplinary sector of the GCA's staff...