Coming back from the "mission" wasn't relaxing at all. Take a shower, get your clothes, and go back to your dorm. The standard procedure. The trip wasn't nice, the soldiers staring back and forth at Cain and his sword.
The little show he put on was enough to sour the mood of the trip. Worse still, having to shower with other guys again wasn't nice at all, too. "Maybe staying in the city wasn't a bad choice…" Lawrence, Tyler, and Elliot aren't having it easy, this much he can know without direct contact, but their type of problems may be less troublesome than his…
With a sigh, he walks away from the showers. 'I'm too tired.' So tired that skipping dinner is no longer an option but a reality. No point in trying to eat when you don't want to. Suddenly, a familiar brunette runs past him.
The teenage boy with the Nemean lion powers— Konrad. "Oh, it is you. Hello, eeh, mister Kyrie?" Asking shyly, the boy looks him in the eyes with a face of resolution and strength. "What did you do to become strong?"
What a troublesome question… "I don't know. I was just a normal dude before this all happened. Let me get this straight: I am not strong, I'm just… confused." No lies, just the raw truth.
James is strong, Spencer can control his powers, and Cain does what he does. In comparison to them, he is just a lost boy with a big sword who someone else knows more about than him. Everything about it is frustrating, everything about it is outrageous, but this is the hand he got.
The only hand he has. Life truly is not fair, even when he has superpowers, what is the meaning of them if he doesn't know how to use them and someone can just hurt themselves by touching the sword with wrong intentions? "I see… thought you could help me with my powers."
"Tom" had said something about a guy who can't control his powers well back in the Holy Oak School… so it must be Konrad. "Look, I can't help you, but I can see with a friend who also has electric powers, and a guy with strength to help you. It depends on their moods, though."
Not the best alternative or option, but the only one he has. Who knows when his power will get out of control, while training could help, it could also make things haywire. Too risky, too dangerous to test.
Konrad's face lights up. "Thanks!" Then he runs to some place, probably the mess hall. When he was at that age, he used to eat as often as breathing… gotta need those nutrients, more so because of their predicament…
"I said I would see, not that I would succeed…" Now it is too late to complete his thoughts, Konrad already run away. Only time, and how many "missions" they get in between, will tell if training will help the boy or not.
If James and Spencer agree to help… 'Know what? I should just go on. Life has too many "ifs" lately.' Stopping to think about each one will be a headache. Shaking his head, K.J walks forward.
'Cain must be in the showers right now…' No point in waiting for him— he knows the path to the dorm. It would be better to go back alone, to just lie down on a bed and sleep his problems away.
He picks up his cell phone with some surprise. Despite the rough times, it still works as intended. Unlocking it, he checks the notifications. No new notifications since 3:07 p.m. Looking at the clock, it marks 7:30 p.m.
The day went by quickly… 'We will be called for night shit or other bullshit like that?' The hope is for nothing like that to ever happen, but in consideration of how insane things got, it is quite possible.
Will Spencer and James be there too? Or they will be somewhere else? Chances are they may be in the mass hall too. 'No more messages. Maybe the internet stopped working? Or I get out of range?'
It would make sense. A shame he didn't see what hour they went to the "mission" If he did, it would be easier to know what caused the internet to stop… 'Since it still isn't back, or something broke inside my cell phone, or the internet is down…'
The latter is way scarier, however. If the internet is already down, then what is happening to the wider world? "No, this is just paranoia." Putting the cell phone back in the pocket, K.J clears his mind, to avoid depressing or paranoid thoughts.
The walk towards the dorm is tranquil, with no problem arising midday or finding somebody he knows— "You left without saying goodbye, again." An accusatory voice echoes from inside the dorm.
She jumps on him, hugging him tightly. "You— will make me worry sick." This time, he didn't leave Lily without warning, he left her in good hands… just like the first time. In her eye, it probably is the same mistake made twice in a row…
Opening and clenching his mouth, K.J tries to think of a way to comfort her, reassure her, and explain his reasoning, but nothing comes. Is he such a failure to not be able to comfort a child, again? "You are no failure, mister… I just… just… I don't want to lose you too."
Good thing he didn't go to dinner— the bitter taste would be unbearable if he ate something… "I'm sorry… I thought you would be better here, you were sleeping, I—" A tired sigh comes from the back of the room.
"Don't worry, K.J. I explained to her those things. Doesn't mean she agreed with any of them." James rises, walking towards him. "She just wanted to see you. Don't go impostor over yourself about that."
James and Lily share a quick stare, nodding at each other. If James is here, then he was taking care of her, right? "Where is your sword, Kyrie? Thought you would keep it with you, always."
They fought for hours yesterday, the sword must have left quite an impression. "It wasn't worth the hassle. The soldiers carried it over to a safe place in case it explodes—" Cutting him off, the little girl asks worriedly:
"Your sword can explode? Isn't it dangerous to you, Mister?!" James furrows his eyebrows, clearly thinking the same thing as Lily, the most reasonable reaction when your friend tells you his sword can randomly explode.
How troublesome. "It doesn't explode randomly, not with me at least. Cain touched it and made it go "boom". Don't know the details, but I know it has to do with something only he knows."
James frowns while Lily winces, for some reason. 'Are they in sync or something like that?' His redheaded friend isn't good at expressing his emotions or words. If they bonded in the span of a few hours, it is nothing short of a miracle.
Seizing the opportunity, his friend asks the obvious question: "How could Cain know more about your sword than you?" This type of question will be asked a lot if today is any indication.
"Who knows? He just does. Will have to ask him later. He must be showering by now. Since I was away for a few hours, did anything happen here? Or you and Spencer spent it here doing nothing?"
James looks at the ceiling, trying to think of something. As if struck by a realization, James changed his view to stare at him. "Oh, the internet stopped working. I don't think it is going well."
So it wasn't just an instance… everyone got cut off from the internet already. Things must be pretty bleak already for it to stop working… Suddenly, Lily tugs at his shirt, staring with a sulking expression. 'Ain't you too old to be sulking…?'
'No, given the circumstances—' With a sigh, K.J chose to terminate that line of thought, sitting on patting her head as a gesture of apology. She stops sulking immediately. 'At least she is easy to please… my brothers would make a show if they wanted something…'
They should be okay with his father and uncle. Pests are, also very tough, and will find a way to survive should the push come to shove. In comparison, handling them would be harder than Lily, if her past actions are anything to go by…
Looking at James, for some reason he is smiling and nodding. Did he go mad too? "K.J, you weren't good with children back then, even with your brothers. You're getting along with her is heartwarming."
Muttering something, Lily looks up. "How are you brothers, mister? Are they like you? Are they okay?" She says calmly and somewhat politely for a child. Despite her politeness, a clear childish wonder lingers behind her calm tone.
There shouldn't be a problem telling her this type of stuff. "Yeah, I have two. They are… a handful. They should be okay. They are too stubborn to fail to survive and get their way." If anything, those two have better powers and the ability to control them than him.
They were always show-offs with too much talent when compared to him. The short end of the stick is all he could get over his brothers.