After I finished the setup, I got ready for bed, usually tonight would be one of the nights I go on patrol, but for now; now I just need to get used to the place.
Obviously, it takes an extra few hours to fall asleep, considering the environmental change, the lack of comfort, and constant worry of things like getting caught and such.
But I do somehow manage to get some sleep, and of course I had school the following morning. Now not that it was an actual problem, but couldn't it be a Saturday; I just don't want to deal with it.
I guess it's a good thing it's Friday though, because this way I get the chance to scope out the school and figure out how I can get into the gym to use the showers there.
All I have to do is figure out the rout and I can see what locks it is I'll need to either pick or just stop from being locked.
»»--««
The start of school wasn't too bad, I did decide to keep up with appearances and ended up jumping over the back gate before running around and walking in the front at the same time I would if everything was the same.
First class was boring, somehow sleeping at a desk is why more comfortable than sleeping on a shelf. Honestly, it'd be pretty funny if I brough in an old spare desk to the shed and slept on that.
Wouldn't be practical, but I guess the reason that thought it is my mind is because right now I'm asleep on my desk in maths class dreaming about being in the shed, waking up on the desk and being caught by the police because the school called in an intruder, and I was still in my vigilante costume.
It's not that I was woken up by the nightmare, but from the lunch bell going and kids laughing swarming me and even a few poking me.
"Oh my god stop!"
"Eww you're getting germs!"
"I bet she got kicked out!"
"Guy's she's probably got some disease."
"Stop saying 'she' that thing doesn't deserve to be considered human."
"Oh my god you're so right!"
"Wait. Guys. I think it's awake!"
And I rise my head and watch them run off and out the hallways. It's not that they're scared of being told off or anything, nor do I think they know that I'm actually not sleeping in a house.
I'm guessing they just assumed that because of how I was sleeping a bunch, and I'm also guessing they ran off because they were probably trying to aggravate me and didn't want to see how I'd react.
And honestly, with how little sleep I've gotten and how tired I still am, I don't want to know what emotional me would do either.
But I end up just leaving it alone, honestly I'm too tired to deal with a bunch of bullies that don't even have the courage to stand up to their actions.
»»--««
I would like for lunch to be normal, but I notice a bunch of kids swarming around my garden, kicking the rocks around and pulling at the plants.
And again, I'm too tired to deal with them; so, I just turn around and make my way back to the shed, hopping nobody notices or sees me.
I end up managing to get there unnoticed, I mean being invisible to people unless they want to bully me, it does have some positives.
I just sit there doing what I usually do, this time it seems way more… well depressing, being sat along listening to music eating well… nothing because I've got to savour my foods until I can figure out how to supply myself with that.
And this time I'm not in a garden bed where it looks even slightly aesthetic or normal, I'm sitting inside an old practically abandoned equipment shed.
At this point I end up just taking a nap, putting alarms on my phone to make sure I wake up like five minutes before the bell, and another one a minute before the bell, just in case I don't actually wake up or ignore the alarm.
»»--««
And like usual, I end up doing the same as the morning, walking out the front before running around the back and jumping back inside to get back to my shed.
I am slightly surprised, and a tad bit concerned that nobody is checking the school before closing it for the weekend. But I guess it makes sense in a way; like who would want to check through the entire school every Friday when the likelihood that someone would voluntarily sneak inside a school, that, that is a very slim one to say. But it's all still slightly concerning.
»»--««
I end up sneaking back into the school to use the showers an hour or so after the last teacher leaves.
Who knew teachers stay back too late? I get being back like maybe an hour or so, but some teachers are out at school for like sometimes four hours.
Making my way to the sports changerooms and taking a well needed shower. Sure, there isn't any soap or anything, but I just need to at least rinse off and cause the illusion of a shower to keep my sanity.
»»--««
And that's how life went for a while, the only difference in my life was the fact I was living in my school illegally, that I had no actual soaps to cleans myself with, and my vigilante routine.
And the only reason why that was changed is because I don't want Nullforce or Electroblast to catch me whilst I'm on patrol.
Because I do remember when he beat me multiple times in chasing me, and I'm smart enough to try avoiding that to the best of my abilities.
So, I change my schedule a bit… totally not a lot of changes… right?
Well seeing as this change is over a long period of time and I have no actual plan for what this is going to be like… I have no idea how it'll affect my body.
No harm in that… right?
I've for whatever reason decided to go out more? That doesn't seem to be the safest idea I've had… and I'm living inside of an abandoned shed in my school illegally.
Oh well, you do what you gotta do I guess… although I guess I technically don't have to do this… oh well.
Life's life, you just gotta suck it up sometimes. I mean I am willingly doing every bit of vigilantism, like, I'm choosing to do it all. Like I'm going against the law to do it, so it's not like I'm being forced into it or anything.
»»--««
And like every other main character of every other story out there, it only lasts so long before I get caught. And when I say caught I mean Nullforce stumbles into me and starts chasing me. "Oii, get back here!"
Running literally anywhere, trying my best to shake him off, doing the same things I'd done back when we first had a similar encounter like this.
"Aether get back here!" I'm still not all that used to hearing Nullforce yelling whilst in costume. I mean he's an underground hero who strives on stealth and surprise attacks, lurking in the dark and always taking the chance to get ahead.
But with him yelling it's like he's asking to get called out, for me to be able to track how far behind he is, for me to be able to tell if he's picking up the pace or dropping behind… it feels like he's trying to give me false hope in a way.
Like I feels like he's creating the illusion that I have a chance, just so he's able to just blast ahead and catch me in that final moment. It's like he's wanting me to feel a sense of hope, probably having the idea that if I feel that sensation of loss hope when he captures me, that I won't try running away again.
But I know me, I know that even if that is his big game plan that I will still find a way out. But as a good of a mentor, underground hero/vigilante bond we have, I don't see him as a guardian, and I probably never will.
And frankly, I don't want to, I mean as bazar as it is, I quite like staying in the schools old sports shed. It's a bit small, and there's limited sanitation, but it is quite cozy if you take a moment to make things work.
Either way, I can't let him get to me, I can't let him catch up to me; my life will be a thousand times easier if I just… just a bit faster… just a bit… faster.
"Not going to happen kiddo." I swear. How does this man manage to read my mind every time I need him to just… well not. It's like he has a damn mind reading ability as well.
Having a grip on my right forearm, he pulls be a bit closer and to a steady halt, turning me around so that I'm facing him.
"Why're you running? You know I'd beat you in any sort of race every time." The fact that he was actually right, and I was being an unrealistic idiot getting my hopes up.
"I just… what do you want?" There really is no way to explain to him why without… I just don't know how to I guess, the wording and the fact that he's not actually done anything wrong.
"I asked your first kid, why're you running?" How do I tell him? How is anyone supposed to tell someone that you're running away from them for a reason they can't do anything about and hadn't done anything to make it happen.
"… I don't know… I just… don't want to stay there." I mean how else am I supposed to say it?
"You don't want to go… back to my place?" The tone wasn't one of sadness, or any negative emotion. But one of confusion, maybe a puzzling thought in there somewhere with him trying to figure it out.
"I just… I don't want to see you as… as um… well as a parental figure… I guess." I kind of just stand there… collecting my thoughts for a bit longer. "I'm not… I'm not trying to be rude or anything I just… I'm used to living a life where I live my life by myself… basically only relying on my father for money and the occasional shopping or cleaning… I'm not… I don't want to change that lifestyle because it's one I'm used to and one I enjoy and I just…. I want to keep doing it that way; I mean I'm nearly 16 in a few months and I have almost everything sorted out."
The moment I say the last few words I kind of just take in a shaky breath, hoping I wasn't dragging on about something just for him to ignore everything I said.
"Okay… okay well… here's my proposal, okay so tonight, you get a basics bag and come stay at mine and Riely's tonight, we figure out the logistics and whatnot, you go to school, and you keep doing what you're doing or whatever it is we agreed on… that seem okay?"
Honestly, the man didn't even take that long to figure out something, either he was half paying attention to my blabbering, or he was just throwing together an idea on the spot. Either or, I don't care how, why, or whatever, the proposal is enough reason to trust him to stay the night.
I mean the fact that he phrased it as a proposal and not as a plan, giving me that sense of choice; and well… I am starting too stink. Can only last so long without a soaping shower.
"So? What'da say kiddo?" Raising his eye in an invitational question, awaiting my response. It was obvious I was going to agree… guess he just needs that clarification before I just run off and have the chance to just not respond and get away with ditching… again.
"I mean, sure… but just the one night." Jokingly rolling his eyes in a laugh, he nods his head agreeingly before letting me set off back on my patrol.
»»--««
I re-packed everything, and I mean everything because I came here with just the one bag and everything else is things like chargers and such that can squeeze in or things I found here in the shed.
The amazing thing about loopholes it that he never did clarify, or well even specify when he wants me to head back over to hid place; meaning I can just chill here for a bit.
It's not like I'm going back on my word or anything… although there is like nothing to do here other than sit or lay scrolling through my phone. Like, I could do my homework… but like that is something I don't want to do at the moment seeing as conversations like the one I'm bound to have soon usually get stressful and doing homework right before it won't do me any good.
»»--««
*Knock, knock, knock*
Opening the door for me Riely steps aside to welcome me inside. Slipping my shoes off at the front door a placing my bag beside the shoe rack.
"Hey kiddo," Walking over Seth motions his head over to the living room closest to the kitchen. "mind having that chat now?"
"… sure, I mean I am here for that I guess." I say, making sure to at least say hello to Riely before following Seth. "So… you have any ideas? You have a tendency to think quickly."
"Yeah, yeah… uh I had two like base ideas, obviously you might want to change something or whatever, but we'll talk about that after I say everything." Sitting down across from him I let him continue talking. "Okay, idea a; you stay here in the spare room, and you do things you way, there isn't any way Riely nor myself will be neglectful in anyway, but we will try our bests to simulate the isolating independence you want. This one is probably my preferred choice… but I do have another idea if you don't necessarily like this one."
"I mean I guess that plan isn't too bad… a good back up if something happens to plan b." The thought of it does seem pretty intriguing… but I do have to hear out plan b, I want to make sure just in case it's somehow better.
"Okay, well I like the sound of that. Plan b, if you want to hear it, is that if you want to continue staying wherever you are at the moment, and then once a week Riley and myself will go out on a date night, the house will be empty and you have access to here so that you're able to come and get whatever you need, have a shower, wash your clothes, refill waters, stock up on foods, etc; now I don't necessarily like this idea, or plan, whatever you want to call it… but it is there if you do want to keep going the way you are."
I'm not going to lie I do like the sound of this plan; I mean it's basically just me continuing what I'm doing but with the weekly reliability of having the things I need.
"I'm going to give you the night to think it over… actually, take tonight and tomorrow to think it over, text me at the end of the day; and don't you dare think that I'm not going to let you change your mind… and yes that does mean you can choose the first one and decide to go to the other one. As much as I prefer plan a, I'm not going to force you to do anything you don't want, but you have to at least let me help you in the smaller sides."
It makes sense, I guess him and Riely are now my legal guardians, so he does have an obligation to make sure I'm safe and have everything I need… honestly, I'm not going to be caught dead saying this; but I am glad he was able to catch me and convince me to have this conversation.
"Yeah okay… I mean I do like both ideas." Giving an airy laugh he goes to stand up, making his way to the kitchen.
"You want a coffee or anything?" Following along, I shake my head, making my way over to the spare room I had used the last time I was here.
»»--««
It doesn't take too long to unpack everything; I didn't bring too much… I honestly don't even have too much. I still haven't gotten all my stuff from the apartment, so that does kind of make it easier. No matter what one I choose I'll still have like 99% of my clothing's here, no point wasting room when there's a room here for me that I'm able to leave it.
I spend most of my time in the bedroom, I mean I don't want to limit how much Seth and Riely can move around in their own house.
»»--««
I end up making myself a basic bowl of noodles and eating it at the kitchen bench before Seth and Riely make their way down to have dinner as well.
I'm not entirely used to having people in the house that have time to talk for more than even just 20 minutes is a stretch for dear ol' dad.
»»--««
I only did end up falling asleep at like three or four am, but in my defence I was stuck thinking about what to do, and I particularly have the best track record for spacing off in class.
I mean thinking about it for hours upon hours late at night won't help me stop thinking about it in class… I guess I was just hoping to figure it out then so that I didn't have to even worry about it in class; or well at all in that matter.
»»--««
"Aris Hale." I don't think I've ever had a teacher actually say my last name before… mustn't be good.
"Um, yes sir?" I say, looking over to the classroom doorway, almost the entire class doing the stereotypical 'oooooh'ing.
"Come with me to the office please," Packing up my stuff and putting it in my bag, looking up at the man, unsure if I need to bring my bag or not. "yes bring your bag."
»»--««
"Ah, Aris," Stepping inside the principal's office I see …Wallace? "take a seat."
Sitting in the seat beside Wallace and opposing the principle, I give Wallace a confused glance, unsure as to why he's here and if he knows it's me.
"Um, what do you need sir?" I ask, fiddling with my fingers, confused about everything at the moment.
"I'm sure you're aware of the rumours about your identity spreading; and officer Wallace here has been sent to inquire about it." Well. That's… how should I take this? I mean if this were me from even just at the start of the year I would be so scared. But now; now I'm not too sure, I had that experience with the hero commission before, I helped them and was the one who captured a wanted cri-… villain.
"I've requested you come talk back at the office if you're okay with it." I mean… oh well, what can I lose, it's the hero commission department, they're most definitely going to figure out who I am at some point, and it'll be best for me if I'm cooperative and I'm not trying to keep it from them.
"I um, don't you need to ask my guardian first?" Sure, I'm willing to go, but I need to make sure that I'm actually allowed to go in the first place.
"I'll give him a call if you want to go, but I thought I'd ask you first before concerning him." Which is a fair enough reasoning.
"Sure, I mean there's no reason why not." Giving me a nod he motions to me, probably expecting me to be the one to call… right, he still hasn't updated the emergency contact numbers and stuff.
Getting out my phone I go to call him, I still need to figure out whether I want to stay at his or back at the school, but I still need to ask him this now.
"Hey what's up kiddo? You're supposed to be in class are you not?" I mean at least he did give somewhat of a proper 'hey' instead of some people skipping the formalities… basic formalities.
"Oh, so I'm at the principal's office right now, and no, I'm not in any trouble; but I just need your consent for me to go off to the hero commission office with officer Wallace." I do try to give all the information I need to help reassure him that I'm not in any trouble or anything.
"And why are you going to the hero commission with Willson? And what do you mean with him? Is he at your school right now?"
"Oh um, yeah he's here now, and well with rumours spreading and Aether's kind of identity reveal they're just wanting to see if it is me or another Aris or something."
"Do you want to do this? I'm sure I can figure out a way for you to not do it if you don't want to."
"No, no, it's fine; so, can I go?"
"Sure, but I do request you have your location shared with me; just for this, once you get back to school you can turn it off again."
"Yeah okay, thanks. See you later." I say, hanging up the phone before confirming with the others in the room that I had gotten his consent, making sure I turn my location on before following Willson outside and into the car.
»»--««
Making our way into one of the smaller questioning rooms, it's on the same floor and general area of the meeting room I had been in before. Although this time I was a questioning room, but it was a more… casual and comfortable one compared to the one at the police station.
I guess it being a casual consenting and even if I am found guilty of engaging in vigilante-like activities, then it's not like I'm going to prison or anything… at least I don't hope so.
"So; what do you need from me exactly?" I get what they're doing, but what do they need from me to confirm or deny my identity as Aether.
"Right now, I just need you to answer a few questions." Man, this guy really needs to figure out how to speak… less coldly.
"Cool, I can do that I guess." Putting my bag beside me I sit on one of the couches, him having been sat at one furthest from the door.
"Alright, first up I need your consent to this conversation being recorded." Placing a recording device on the table between up, having started the recording before asking.
"Yes, sure, go ahead." I say, him nodding before stating the date and time and his name and badge number and yada, yada.
"Before I ask anything, is there anything you want to ask me yourself?" Okay… okay this will be kind of helpful.
"Yeah um, I'm just curious; I mean almost everyone it, but what'll happen to Aether when you catch her? I guess this is a reasonable question seeing as you assume it's me and I guess it's like me asking you what my punishment will be if found guilty." Let's just pray that I worded it, so it doesn't give anything away.
"Seeing as she's assisted in arresting one of the most wanted criminals; I'd say we'd have another conference like we have in the past and she's proven helpful, useful, and responsible. The hero commission has decided to invite her to be one of the few to take the hero license exams." Well, that seems like I don't have too much to worry about when they inevitably figure me out.
"Okay that seems pretty cool; I guess that's it for me and questions." I guess no matter what I should be safe.
"Okay then;" Getting out his notepad, that probably has some questions pre-written on them. "Have you heard the recording released of Aether admitting that Terra is her father?"
"Yes sir, seemed like a pretty emotional situation." I say, trying to just answer the question and let this be over with.
"And you're aware that his identity has been revealed as Victor Hale?" I agree, letting him continue. "And you're aware that when his identity was revealed the vigilante Aether's name was revealed."
"Yes that is correct."
"And you know that her name was revealed as Aris Hale?"
"Yes sir."
"And if I'm not mistaken that is your name, is it not?" Welp, I guess there really isn't much I can really do, like my identity was caught the second Terra got caught.
"Yes, that is also right." Let's just see how this goes, kind of scared, but I really don't see Wallace to be the type to lie about what'll happen to me, nor does he really have any reason to.
"And do you admit that you are the vigilante Aether?" Well, I guess that there really is no point in hiding it, again it's been obvious it was me since Terra was caught.
"… well, yeah." I have a tendency to look away when in social situations like this; but this time I for whatever reason keep my eye contact with him.
"From what I'd seen in the conferences I was expecting it to be as simple as this. But it's still annoying that you didn't just tell me earlier." What? Doest this guy really not understand why vigilantes keep their identities hidden.
He said it himself that the only reasons why I'm not going to get in trouble is because I had the rare chance to work with the hero commission and was smart enough to not do anything that'd get me in trouble… also because that's just what I'd usually do in any situation like that if I was in a situation like that.
"Yeah, sorry, but I didn't really feel like outing myself with the risk of getting any sort of punishment." He literally just nods, standing up to turn off the recording and go to the landline to well, obviously to call someone… but who?
»»--««
"For crying out loud kid, you really are making this a big thing aren't you?" Wait Nullforce? What's he doing here?
"What? No, I was corporative and answered all the questions truthfully and didn't try stop or slow anyone from finding out it was me. I knew that I was going to get caught sooner or later since Terra was caught." Simply nodding and walking over to sit beside me on the couch.
"What's going on? Why's he here?" He kind of gives me a 'how dare you' look, I just roll my eyes and look back at Wallace, waiting to figure out what exactly is going on.
"Well; Nullforce here seems to be the one that you're closest to, and looking at your files is also your current guardian. So, I thought he'd like to be here when I formally invite you to take the hero licence exam." Does he not remember when he told me not half an hour ago that if the vigilante was caught then I'd be invited to take the exam?
"When is it? How long does she have to train and study?" Okay… so it is good that he was invited, because I wouldn't have thought to ask him that.
"Next month, the… 15h of June I believe." Well, it's the 10th of May, so I have just over a month to train and… study? Is there a written portion? I guess that makes sense. Reaching over to the bench where he placed a packaged file that he had gotten while we were waiting for Nullforce, he hands it over to me, inviting me to open it.
Carefully ripping the seal and pulling out a card paper which looks like some legal documents or something, I skim through it, realising it's the forms needed to allow me to take the exam underage.
»»--««
After all the signing was done and dusted, we went over to his place, seeing as I still wasn't 100% sure what I wanted to do, and he offered to have me over for dinner and I mean… as awkward as it is for me I still feel like having a dinner with him and Riely would be nice…I guess.
»»--««
"We're back!" Walking inside, still in my uniform and him in his costume, we make our way to the bedrooms to change before I go say hi to Riely.
And am I glad that I have spare clothes here to change into. It just a casual trackpants and hoodie, but it's still something; better than wearing my uniform all day.
"Oh, hey Aris, didn't know you would be here." Walking into the living room closest to the kitchen I end up chilling on the couch with Riely.
"Well, I still haven't decided what I want to do, and we were just at the hero commission head office so Seth offered to take me back here for dinner." Speak of the angel, walking into the living room.
"What're you two talking about?" Sitting beside Riely, the three of us continue to have a generic conversation about school or work, the topic of my vigilantism hadn't popped up yet though.
»»--««
We ended up having lasagne for dinner, regards to Riely, an amazing cook. I also ended up deciding to stay at the school for a bit longer, saying I wanted to trail it for a few weeks, maybe even a month or two, unless I want to just keep living like that.
I ended up going back to the school shed around an hour after dinner, I kind of just hung out with them for a bit and sat on my phone for a while too.
»»--««
And then life continued as such, although I did go on patrols more often, also taking every week I had the chance to use the gym at the Heath household, needing the training to help with my physical exam.
I did end up spending my breaks doing studying for the written portion of the exam. I'm still not too sure what to expect on the written portion, so I ended up studying the laws and guidelines.
Usually, I'd only worry myself about the laws that affect me, but with the exam that I really do need to pass I end up studying the entire thing.
I do end up falling behind in my typical class works, but I'd rather fail classwork rather than fail the exams. I mean if I pass the exams and get my license then I'd be getting paid to go on patrols and such, meaning that schooling isn't something I need to worry myself with. I still want to get my schooling done so I set the right example to younger generations.
»»--««
June 15th rolls around, and like every exam ever, I'm prepared as much as I can be… just don't feel it in the moment.
First up is the written exam, for whatever reason even if you fail that you're still able to go onto the physical. I guess they don't have time to grade that many exams in however long it is between exams.
I end up wearing something more comfortable, it's just the written one and I don't want to get uncomfortable sitting there already stressed. Although in the physical I will most likely end up wearing my vigilante costume; that is if there isn't a costume given to us for whatever reason.
Having Nullforce take me, we make our way to the registration office where everyone signs in, him handing in the paperwork instead of the I.D cards everyone else probably got given when sent their acceptance letters.
"Name, date of birth and age." The reception man asks, presumably for documentations.
"Aris Hale, 30th September, 15 years old." After writing something on the monitor in front of him he opens the electronic gate beside the office booth.
"Room 207, any parents, guardians or chaperones will need to wait either in the waiting room down here or go somewhere else." Handing me my I.D, I walk down the hall looking for the respected room.
Walking inside using my I.D card I notice that instead of a large hall for everyone to sit in on together, there's an examination booth for everyone to take their exam in.
A single computer monitors on the desk with a simplistic wooden chair in the room with a camera in the corner of the room above the doorway and facing towards the computer.
Having gotten here half an hour early I get that half hour to spend studying before the computer automatically turns off (with a timer in the corner so I can tell how long there is left) and an examiner will bring me the exam papers, the speaker in the room opposing the camera will call out the instructions and tell us when to start.
And with the cameras people will be idiotic to even consider starting or even trying to look at the papers before instructed.
»»--««
I do spend the entire time going over the laws, skimming through them and testing myself every now and then, going back over the laws I had the most trouble with.
The second the computer turns off I sit down in the corner of the room on the floor, knowing that it'll take a moment for the examiners to get to me, so I spend the time calming myself down and reciting the answers.
*Knock, knock, knock*
Entering the room a woman in a black suit walks inside, placing the exam papers faced down in the centre of the desk, turning to face me.
"Your exam has been prepared, as I'm sure you've noticed there's a camera in case any cheating has been detected. The speaker will announce when you're allowed to flip over your exam and start; you have two hours to complete this exam, the speaker will announce the last ten and five minutes, and then when it's over. The second it's over you must place your papers neatly on the desk and walk out. Any questions?"
Honestly, I think she gave a pretty decent summary of the rules. But now is the only chance I have at asking anything.
"Am I allowed to take the exam here on the floor? I'll make sure the camera sees everything; I just think I'll be more comfortable down here." Please just say yes.
"I see no reason why not, move around the examination room as much as you need, the room will be locked from the inside the moment the examination starts unless any emergency, so as long as you're not doing anything and purposely hiding from the camera then it'll be fine." Thank the lord all mighty.
"Okay thank you." She walks out of them room and continues her rounds.
Waiting for the speaker to announce the start of the exam I recite the laws in my mind, occupying my mind so there's no room to worry.
»»--««
"*Beep* The examination will now start, turn over your page and begin the two hours."
Walking over and grabbing the pages and reading through them one at a time, making sure I read them all before answering a single question.
Once I'd read the entire stack I lay them out around the room in a way that makes sense in my mind.
Walking around I go to the different pages and fill out the questions. It's not a typical way of doing an exam but it's how I've always studied and having the entire room to myself and the permission to take the exam however I please I do it this way.
I start to struggle a bit more with the questions after the first hour, having knocked out the simplest questions at the start, now moving onto the ones that'll be even more of a struggle.
It's not a relatively hard exam per say, just a stressful and long one that honestly I don't want to take… but who wants to take any exam?
the final ten minutes arrive as if there had only been ten minutes into the exam, luckily I was up to the final questions meaning I'd have time to go through the questions before the end… as long as the questions I'm on now aren't too hard.
"*Beep* The exam is over, neatly stack the papers on the desk and make your way out of the rooms."
It takes a moment to stack the pages in the correct order, luckily for me there's page numbers on the bottom left.
Stacking it, leaving it on the desk, and walking out I notice about one or two hundred people in the hallways, some grown adults, and others freshly 19 years old.
And then me, a 15-year-old that god special treatment, and not only gets to take the test three years early, but also gets to skip a stage in the exams and not have to take the provisional license that takes a year before you can even apply for this license.
Once everyone makes it to the main mezzanine, directed by the light-up arrows along the hallways. One of the examiners stands on the stage and does some big announcement, also mentioning that the physical exam will be the following week and lists all the rules.
Apparently as long as it doesn't kill anyone then it's fine, there had nurse having a healing ability able to heal almost any injuries. But it doesn't mean to do more than necessary, anyone who does more than necessary will be marked down, and there's cameras everywhere so they will know.
But me… well I've delt with both criminals and villains so I know how to hold back when I need to. But it will be a bit annoying trying to figure out what is and isn't necessary as these are fake criminals and not real ones. I'll figure it out though. I'm sure I'll make it work.
»»--««
Then, on the 22nd of June, the day of the physical exam, Nullforce takes me to the exam hall again. The building having been so large, but I didn't realise that it was large enough to be host for both written and physical exams.
Handing in the second set of paper works and my I.D to the reception guy, Nullforce being allowed to also come to watch as long as he gave in his I.D as well. "Follow the arrows and you'll be in change room 46 with three other girls. And you sir can keep going down the hallway following the arrows to the stadium, there isn't any specific seats."
Thanking the man and walking down the hallways, the two of us talk strategies, mostly him explaining what he had and what he'd expect to be similar, but also him telling me a million times that they change all the time, and I shouldn't rely on just what he's told me.
And I mean I know that, of course these things are going to change, I mean it's really good that they're constantly changing; learning from past mistakes or improvements. It all helps the next hero generation get stronger and make sure that the people fighting on the streets know what they're doing and aren't a bunch of uneducated idiots.
»»--««
Using my I.D card to get into my change room, I walk inside to see that only one of the three other girls was there already. "Um, hey."
"Oh hey, you must be one of the people I'm teaming with." She says, looking up from her phone… just sitting there. Why isn't she training or anything? I guess she's the type to use the time to calm down or strategize rather than training.
"… Wait did you say teaming with? What's that about?" Closing the door behind me I step inside, putting my bag down in one of the four lockers, about waist height hidden off to the side, two stacked on the other two.
"Wait you didn't know? Wait how old even are you? you seem pretty young to be here?" Right, she's like probably in her early twenties, so I look pretty young, being like five years younger than her.
"Oh right, um… well I'm 15, 16 in September; I'm um, you know the vigilante Aether, well yeah that's me. Surprise; haha." I say, giving jazz hands when saying surprise.
"Oh damn, okay well that helps having someone with extra experience… right, anyways, as you were asking. After the provisional exams rumours spread that this time the physical exam will have team-built exercises as lots of heroes now days are struggling with their teamwork because they've spent their entire life working on themselves or something." I guess that logic make sense, but it's still a rumour so I still have to be careful with what I do and don't share with her.
"Well, being a vigilante, I'm used to working alone, but I guess recently I've gotten some sort of help so I shouldn't be too bad at the whole teamwork thing." The two of us talk for a bit longer, explaining the basics of our abilities, and only the basics, just in case it's only a rumour used as a ploy to get people to fall for it and reveal their true strength before the exam even starts.
It is a cheap and dirty trick, but I mean everything goes here, so I guess it's kind of smart. But I mean I don't think I'd ever stoop that low, tricking others that don't deserve it for my own gain, that's just… that's just sad, having to stoop that low.
»»--««
It's only around twenty minutes later does the next 'teammate' arrive. She introduces herself and we go through the basics of our abilities again. I end up doing my workout while the conversations kind of just float around, there's not much to converse about when we're not even 100% sure we're team-mates and the last one isn't even here.
And then an additional half hour passes before the 'final teammate' arrives; and yet again the four of us go through the basics of our abilities. This time we strategize and try convincing one another if it is a rumour or if it's come from the examiners themselves.
None of us know, but we decide to have two of us trying to convince the others as to why it's a rumour and vies verse. And whatever reasoning makes most sense, we'll go with that and hope for the best.
Worst comes to worst, we reveal out true strengths, we can worry about it later and have all agreed to that fate and are willing to take the gamble.
"*Beep* The physical examination will commence in 10 minutes." The speakers announce, only now does the first girl join in on working out, but it's just a basic warm up. The other two having joined me not too long after coming here.
We ended up deciding not to share our abilities, but did agree that if there was any way to group up and we found each other we'd stick together.
»»--««
Making our way out and onto the football like stadium oval, it's a similar size, with the seating almost identical, but there's some rocky areas and some more plain like areas, but it's mostly rocks, the only plains being surrounded by rock-like shard walls.
"*Beep* Every examinee will be handed a card by and examiner, do not lose it."
And as if it were on que… well… okay anyways; a swarm of examiners walk out of one of the entrances, making their way to different examinees.
"I.D please," One of them says, walking up to me. Getting out my I.D from one of my zip up pockets I show it to them before handing me a folded card. "Do not lose this, doesn't matter who you show, you can lie, we don't care, just don't lose it, and don't hurt anyone beyond repair." And then they walk off.
"Well okay then… what even is this?" I end up just mumbling to myself, opening the card to see the word in a big bold word: HERO well I guess everyone else got a different role, well… I mean we just got divided in two. Wonder if its split evenly or not?
"*Beep* Everyone should have gotten a card telling them their respected role. If you got the role of hero then you need to use your resources you can find to capture and send the villains to the prison, villains can only get out if another one tags them out. You can lie about your role, so be on your guard and don't trust anyone. Villains can also capture heroes, and take them to their base, which you have gotten a map to on your card. Heroes have to find the base or capture as many villains as possible to pass, villains have to capture heroes and avoid being captured themselves to pass. If you get captured it effects your marks, rescuing someone from your team will result in additional points. There is a time limit, but you won't know until the next announcement."
Well, that was probably the only time the speaker did the explaining. Looking back at my card I decide to put it in my pocket with my I.D, I'm sure I'd be able to sneak in as a villain and claim that a hero stole my card to find the base.
Either way, my card is staying in my pocket with my I.D card, I can't risk losing it. It's not like it has our names on it or anything; they just told us not to lose it and I really don't want to know what happens if I do.
Hang on… I mean sure I've got the role of hero… no I can't… but I mean, I wonder what will happen if I steal someone's card.
Let's just hope nobody else thought of that and is planning to do it to me… oh well, I'll deal with it then if it comes to that. For safety measures though, I guess I'll just zip up and button up all my pockets, just so it's even that much harder for them to figure out where it is.
Sure, it only gives me a few extra seconds if they do decide to do it, but it also reveals them and allows me to fight them before they have the chance to get it… unless they chose the right one first try… oh well.
"I'm presuming the fighting has already started, I mean there's no count down in real life so why would there be one here?" I mumble to myself, wondering around, the speaker only said that the villain roles had maps on the back, but the hero ones do too, though these maps are only of where the 'prison' is. I'm going to assume that that villain card has the 'prison' on it too, I mean that's how it usually works in the real world.
"Come on man, I'm telling you I'm a hero, why would I lie about that?" I hear someone arguing from around the corner, keeping my presence hidden seeing as neither one of them had noticed me, I decide to spy on them, if they fight then I'll let them fight each other off before I go in and take both of them for myself.
"Because you can't fake being a villain because you don't know where the base is, but everyone knows where the police station is." Okay, so my theory about the maps was right, all I have to do is try figure out what one each other these guys are so I know who I do and don't need to take out.
"Come on dude, I promise I'm a hero." The first one says, I'm just hoping the other guy asks for proof, that'll help me a bunch. "I'll do anything dude, I just don't want to fight these guys alone, they handpicked everyone, so the villains are probably stronger than me."
"How have you managed to get this far with that attitude?" He just took those words out of my mouth, this guy seems like a literal child; and I am a child, like how childish do you have to be for a fifteen-year-old to call you childish. "Either way, I'm not going to believe you until you show me your card."
"Dude I don't want to lose it, I'm not taking it out of my pocket, who knows what's going to happen if I lose it? They never told us and I'm not going to risk it, please just pair up with me." Honestly, kind of suspicious, the guys probably a villain trying to lour the other one to their base.
"Sorry dude but I'm not risking it." The second, and smarter guy, says walking off. Honestly, I respect him walking away and not getting involved, but why isn't he fighting? Like that's the whole point of the exercise… I mean unless they know each other, by the way they were talking I'm going to assume that they were either in the same group or they know each other personally.
"Dude please, you know I can't fight without someone's help." Well, he's not going to get far in the hero world, let alone life, with that crap attitude.
"I'm not going to be your damn puppet Mason!" Okay, so either they know each other personally or they had a really deep talk about their abilities earlier in their change room.
"Charlie you know that I won't do anything like that to you, you've let me do it before." Okay, so defiantly a personal relation and not just teammates… or well… recent comrades I'd say.
"Mason this is different, we're not training anymore and both of us agreed we wouldn't give each other special treatment today." That seems like a reasonable agreement, wonder what Mason's ability is though.
"Charlie come on, I need someone and you're the only one I can trust enough to team up with." I can feel the tension, and most defiantly how badly Mason is annoyed with having to repetitively turn down Charlie.
"Mason I swear to god if you ask me one more I'm going to actually start fighting you; like physically, I'm not doing it, so either walk away and try tick someone else into being your damn puppet, or we fight and if you beat me I'll be your damn puppet." That seems like a decent proposal, but I've never even seen either of these two before so let's hope this Charlie guy has the strength to back up his words.
"Charlie… Charlie no, please." Honestly, it's like Mason has no life without Charlie, I kind of feel bad for Charlie.
"Mason I swear…" Not even two seconds later Charlie swings his fist into Masons face, it was hard to hold in my laughter, but honestly this is going to be fun to watch.
"Charlie no stop please." But even with his whining pleads Charlie just keeps on punching him, getting him to fall over and onto the ground.
"Show me your card or I'm knocking you unconscious, I'm giving you the choice here Mason, don't make me do it." Honestly, my life would be easier if Mason didn't listen and gets knocked unconscious.
"Please… Charlie ple-" Before he can even finish his please he gets knocked out cold. Taking the chance, Charlie is distracted with the fact he just knocked his friend out, and thankful for the final quietness.
"Hey there, Charlie is it?" I say, having snuck up right behind him, and right as he turns around to face me hold my hands up, making sure he doesn't assume I'm here to fight. "Mind if I take Masons card?"
"Why do you want it? If you're a villain you should already know where your base is." I'm liking this Charlie guy more and more by the second.
"Oh no, no I'm not a villain, I'm hero. An ally if you're also hero… unless you're a freakishly good actor and knew that Mason wasn't lying and knew I was here and wanted me to think you're a hero." It's honestly one of my many theories I usually keep in my head, usually I'd come up with random theories, but for whatever reason I felt the need to say this one aloud.
"Wild assumption, but sorry I'm a hero." Pulling out his card he proves his innocence before putting it back in his pocket as fast as he took it out.
"Alright, I guess it's only fair I prove myself to you, seeing as you willingly let yourself lose to vulnerability in front of me to prove yourself." I say, also showing my card. "So do you mind if I take Mason's card?"
"What are you going to do with it?" I mean I guess Charlie was the one to take him down so it's only fair the card goes to him, but I still want to just get a villain card the easy way.
"Oh, well you see I want to meet up with a friend, but I don't know if she's hero or villain and if I can convince her to shoe me her card firs then if it's villain then I'll have Mason's card to show her and trick her into thinking I'm an ally and then I can take her down in a venerable moment." I know, I know, its brutal… but I really don't have any friend in mind, I just want to do this as many times as I need.
"I guess so, but Mason is my catch, and I get to know where the villain base is first." An acceptable request, I'm liking this guy.
"That's fair… say Charlie, if we cross paths again, why not team up? I mean you seem pretty cool and honestly this place is pretty big so if we manage to see each other again why not let fate do its thing and team up?" I ask as he goes through Masons pockets on a search for his card.
"I guess so, but not now, I've got to take this guy in, and you have some plan you seemingly put a bunch of thought into, but we'll see I guess." Finally finding the card he uses his nail do make an indent in his card in the same spot the villain base is on Mason's card. "Here you go."
"Thanks, see you around." I say, taking the card and putting it in another pocket, going to leave.
"Wait, what's your name?" I do that big dramatic, stopping in my tracks but not turning around.
"You can call me Aether for now." I say, running off, no idea where I'm even going. Wonder if he knows who I am? I mean everyone here had their provisional license, so they must've known the big news, so surely they know who I am?
It takes me a while, but I end up finding someone that looks like their trying to be stealthy… someone badly trying to be a villain.
"Hey, you want to team up?" I ask, spooking her, her spinning straight around. "Woah, woah, calm down haha, thought you'd like some help catching some heroes."
"Oh, sorry, contrary to typical heroes I get startled easily," How on earth are you going to be a hero like that‽ "but I mean sure… you're not a hero are you?"
I show her 'my' villain card, her showing me hers before I explain to her the basics of stealth, and how to make it not obvious that she's trying to spy on people. Also attempting at helping her not get startled easily.
I mean if I'm going to exploit her obvious weaknesses I might as well help her so that next time she takes this exam she'll have a better idea of what to train for.
It doesn't take long before we find someone to target, and the moment that she's finished restraining her opponent and put her in the 'villain base', I knock her unconscious as fast as Charlie knocked out Mason… okay probably a bit faster… or did it take longer because I had to put it all to the test?
Either way I free the hero, and the two of us fight our way out of there, getting a lot of 'villains' along the way, with a few bonus hero savings. Using my ability, I grab all the unconscious or surrendered 'villains' and put them in an air prison and fly them over to the 'jail', earning me a bunch of points… possibly, I still don't have a proper understanding of how this all works.
»»--««
Nullforce: Make sure you take their cards
Nullforce: I saw how many you caught
Nullforce: I'd be careful to make sure you get all the cards and not forget any
Me: Right, nearly forgot
Me: But am I really allowed to be texting you right now?
Me: Are you allowed to be telling me this?
Nullforce: The only rule is that you're not allowed to hurt anyone beyond repair
Nullforce: Texting is fine
Nullforce: This has been going on for years, if they had a problem with it, it would've been addressed
Me: I guess so
Me: Anyways, gotta run
Me: Thanks for the reminder
»»--««
Running around the pile of unconscious 'villains' and checking pockets for their cards, then going to the ones that chickened out and surrendered, forcing them to give me their cards… I probably scared them with my fighting style earlier when they saw how easily I took out half the people left on base defence.
I end up having all of my pockets filled with cards, with only the one hero card…mine.
After finishing that I end up just walking around, only now do I notice that there's a bunch of people that don't seem to be acting 'heroic' nor 'villainous' assumably actors to be civilians. Meaning that there's presumably going to be some sort of disaster resulting in the risk of civilian safety.
I guess I hadn't really thought of that possibility, but I mean anything can happen now days, I mean I can literally fly, so there isn't much left to the imagination in this day and age.
"Hey Aether!" Looking around I find Charlie on top of a rocky mountain not too far away, with something on his lap, presumably an examiner, but I can't tell from this far out.
Flying over there I land down next to him to see… well whoever it is they're so badly roughed up they could apply for an acting role in any zombie or horror movie.
"Woah… not going to lie, looks sick. But I know better than to no understand the excruciating pain." I say, fumbling around my pockets before finding a few spare standard bandages I have on me, I mean with how beat up the guy is it's tot doing too much, but luckily it's mostly bruises and a dislocated shoulder, with a bunch of cuts on his face.
But luckily the cuts aren't too big for the bandages I have on me, and I can easily pop his shoulder back in place.
"Okay, so I know how to fix the shoulder if you want me to get it over and done with before we move you around as I get you to the recovery area, otherwise it'll be a bunch of pain while I take you over there just for them to pop it back in." I explain, making sure they have a say, but making sure they understand that me popping it back in now is the best bet.
"Just get it over with, I don't want to be here any longer." They say, wincing as Charlie puts on the last of the bandages I handed to him before I started looking at the shoulder properly.
Positioning him in a way that I had the best grip I used my earth manipulation to get a bit of rock to put in his mouth to muffle the screaming, but obviously with a thick layer of… well… squishy air? It's hard to describe, seeing as air is stereotypically only a gas, but it's basically got the same consistency as a thick layer of memory foam.
Forcing his shoulder back in place, I give him a second to readjust before getting Charlie to help me put him on my back as I take him over to the recovery station, Charlie joining us of course to tell the nurse on standby what happened.
"Do you know who did it?" I ask, the three of us almost there, luckily there's a few stations around, meaning that no matter where you are there should be one nearby.
"Nah, I ran over to him when I heard him screaming in pain, surprised you didn't hear him." At this point, the poor guy was still in pain, enough pain that he wasn't able to join the conversation with his mind not being able to stop the thoughts of the pain.
"I mean in my defence I just finished fighting off the defence at the villain base and was pre-occupied dealing with them and their cries of pain to notice." The two of us continue to converse as we drop him off at the station, Charlie and myself giving our statement before being dismissed and let off to continue our 'heroic duties' or whatever that means.
And like we agreed earlier, the two of us stick together, explaining to one another about what we had gotten up to since we last saw each other. It wasn't long, but with how much had gone on you'd think it's been days.
Apparently he had taken on the role of saving rather than defeating, in the sense that the 'villains' had noticed that here are civilians that they can beat up. It's really one of the only ways to show off their combat skills without fighting someone who is strong enough to be participating in the exam.
But it just gave Charlie and apparently a few others the chance to help save civilians and capture those 'villains' deeming their victory.
"Aris! Jee I've been looking for you for a while now." Turning around I see one of the girls from the change room.
"Oh hey, Sandra; you've been looking for me?" I ask, Charlie obviously confused at the moment, but I will explain in a bit, I just need to figure out if whatever Sandra was on about was an emergency or not first.
"Yeah… one sec, got to catch my breath really quick." Taking a few deep breaths, having arched over with hands on her knees, she stands up and extends her hand to Charlie. "I'm Sandra, Aris and myself were in the same change rooms and we got to chatting while we were waiting. Thought I'd try coming to find you when I saw something rather concerning."
"Well, that doesn't seem good, I'm Charlie, Aether here decided to spy on me mid fight so when I won she decided to well… I don't really understand it all too well, but I'm on her side so that's all that really matters I guess."
"Okay, back to whatever you came looking for me for; what happened and why me?" I ask, Sandra leading us in the direction we first saw her from.
"Well, I can assume you've already found the villain base, so I'm sure you've been busy over there. But while I've been over on the other side I notice some big fight, I didn't want to get involved, I'm smart enough to back out and get help when I know I don't stand a chance, thought you'd be able to help. Whoever this guy she's super strong and I swear has taken down over a dozen people." As the group of us gets closer I start to hear the commission and all the fighting going on.
I start to run faster, eventually flying over as it's way faster and I just need to figure out what's going on so I can stop whatever it is that's going on.
"IS SOEMONE FLYING‽" For a second I forget that there's like over a hundred people in this one arena so there's definitely going to be people noticing someone flying at top speed towards the loud commotion.
Getting there I land on the tallest rock in the area, noticing some chick all bloodied up punching some poor guy that's obviously surrendered and kicking around unconscious or brutally injured people.
Jumping down I hover myself just above the psychotic girl, making an earth barrier around her, she needs to know what happening, so that when I use my air abilities she won't understand everything and will be throw off guard… or I could only use my air abilities… we'll see what happens.
"Oii, what the f-" I cut her off, giving her a little air bubble so she can breathe, but not talk.
"No swearing please, I'm a minor." I say, jumping down through my invisible platform, into the barricaded section. "Now, I've heard you've been doing some pretty unheroic things, and I saw for a bit, but I don't think my job is to watch, so I decided to give you someone at your own level you can fight."
"You know you're the type of 'hero' I hate the most, acting like you're so high and mighty, doing all this talk. Just fight me and you'll see how wrong you are about being at my level." Well, she sure is a pain, an arrogant pain to be exact.
"If that's what you want, then sure." Lowering the rocky barrier around us, I replace it with a larger, barrier of fog, similar to the one in the fight against Terra… but a lot smaller.
"What the hell is this‽" I swear, does she not know how to keep her mouth away from pyrophanites or something?
"It's a barrier of fog, I don't want anyone else getting hurt. So, there's an impenetrable barrier of fog, with the exception of where the cameras are, you can't see in or out of here." I explain, this time the fog stays around the barrier. I would have it everywhere, but sometimes I can't do that with endangered civilian's, and in this case the cameras.
I just stand in the rough middle of the barriered area, watching as she circles me, mimicking a wild animal hunting their pray.
I keep my composure, letting her hit the first strike, I need to mimic the impression that I'm not scared of her, and I'm not going to let her get me emotionally involved in the fight, the worst thing anyone can do is let their emotions interrupt their thoughts while in a battle.
"Come on, hit me, I dare you!" I just keep watching her, I can't rile her up any more than she already is, and I need her to assume and get the impression that I'm mocking her, if she thinks that, then she is the one that'll get emotional. "I said hit me! Fight me! Kick me! Stab me! Just fight me already!"
And like predicted, she's getting emotional… although a lot faster than I thought. I mean I'm not going to let that bother me, I mean it's definitely something I want, the sooner the better.
But I need her to hit me first, I'm used to the opponent hitting me first as I can usually get away with it being self-defence as I'm still used to doing it the way a vigilante will.
And like needed, she ends up running at me, trying to hit me square in the face, but I obviously see it coming and lean back in a dodge, avoiding the impact.
"Aghh, just fight me properly!" She really does need to get help, her anger issues aren't healthy and maintainable enough for her to be a legalised hero, how did she even pass the provisional?
I counterattack with a headbutt, throwing her off balance, giving me the chance to sweep her feet and have her falling over.
Obviously with how riled up she is, she immediately grabs at my collar, pulling me closer, but I just punch her in the face, grabbing her wrist and flinging it to the side and away from me.
"Aaghh, just fight me properly!" Honestly, what does she think fighting is? I'm fighting her, and she's losing… has she really never lost a fight. I guess that could explain the anger issues, if she hasn't lost it gives her no reason to think that anyone can boss her around.
Grabbing her by her collar, I lift her up and drop her back on the ground, repeating this over and over. Obviously, she tries to get me to stop, but all that does is drop her again before I grab her again.
"Stop. Stop, just stop! I give up!" I drop her a final time before standing back up properly, obviously still on guard and making sure that she doesn't try to do anything funny. "Who the f-"
"I already asked you to not swear around me, again, I'm a minor and you're a hero in training. Even some of the villains I've fought have better manners than you when it comes to these profanities." She just rolls her eyes but seeing as I bet her she doesn't retaliate.
"Who are you?" She scoffs, obviously upset that I've even managed to scold her for how she talks. "You're a minor, how'd you get in?"
"I'm glad you asked," I say, lowering the barrier around us and helping her up as I put rocky handcuffs around her as I escort her to the 'prison'. "well, you see I've been a vigilante for the past three years. Being as popular as I am, the hero commission noticed me and requested my assistance in a mission, which landed me the opportunity to take these exams to get my license so I'll be legalised so they can request my help again."
"Again, who the… hell are you?" I swear… I guess that's… better in a way. I mean she did try I guess.
"The name is Aris, or well Aether." I say, she goes quiet for a moment, either in shock or trying to figure out if she knows me or why the names sound familiar.
Once we get to the 'prison' I keep her cuffed in place, but with her feet also attached and an air barrier around her so that nobody can tag her free even if they want to.
"You get maximum security, seeing as that doesn't exist in this, I'm making it myself with a barrier of my impenetrable air with you being cuffed as well.
"Whatever." She scoffs, looking away. I end up turning around and running off to go get all the injured to the nurse stations.
Running over I end up gathering all the victims together and putting them on platforms and walking with them as I take them to different stations, filling up the first before going to the next and so on.
With how many there are I do have to take them to about three different stations, how on earth has this girl managed to hurt this many people without me hearing it at all? She was a screaming mess earlier, surely she was yelling in rage as she beat them up.
»»--««
"*Beep* The examination is over, stop what you're doing and make your way back to the changing rooms." It wasn't too long after the fight with the crazy girl, but I did manage to get a few more cards from people.
Making my way over to the glowing arrow pointing to the exit, I make my way slowly getting to the change room 46.
"How'd you guys get here so fast? That crowd was huge." I comment, the three of them turning around, staring at me. "What?"
"How'd you stay in for the entire time?" What're they talking about? Why would anyone want leave early?
"What're you talking about? Everyone stayed the entire time did they not?" The three of them glance at each other for a second.
"After I got you to go deal with that girl who was beating everyone up, I ended up getting caught by the villains in an ambush and they took my card." Sandra explains… well, tries to explain, because I still don't understand what they meant when asking how I stayed there the whole time.
"What she's trying to say is that once you don't have your card with you anymore, whether that be because it got stolen or you misplaced or dropped it, you're disqualified." One of the other girls explains… wait how many people had I disqualified then‽
"Wait… but that means, that means I've disqualified at least twenty people… are you kidding me?" Saying it out loud do I only now realise just how many people I've fought against.
"How did you manage to get so many‽" They all exclaim in their own ways.
"I mean I guess I could while we wait for the results." And so, I ended up sitting with them and basically explaining everything to them, obviously a summary with interruptions every now and then. "What're we even doing here? Is there anything we're waiting for?"
"I keep forgetting you don't know like anything going on. Basically, we have to wait for them to clean up the place and then we'll each gather in there for some big assembly about how we're the next big thing, and a bit about the process of getting our results and if you pass your license card and that stuff." How do these guys even know all of this stuff?
Like sure I get the basic things like what' we're probably going to be doing on the exam, and what's the most likely to happen. But how'd they know about what's happening now, and how're they so sure?
"Oh, alright then… how long will that take?" The four of us again start to chat, I was smart enough to bring a protein bar for now.
I knew I'd be exhausted, and I know my body, and what I need after something like that is something to eat. Obviously not a full meal, that'd probably make me throw up, a protein bar is usually the best bet, seeing as it's small, but also because of the protein.
The assembly wasn't too bad, although the crowding was quite annoying, obviously there was more than enough room, but because everyone wants to be at the front everyone ended up squishing and compacting themselves.
I obviously sit myself on a platform above the others in a way that I'm not in the way from anyone's view, but also so that I'm not too far away to hear anything. There're a few others flying, but all of them have wings or are being held by people with wings.
Most of what the guy running it said was exactly like what I'd been told in the change rooms, apparently I'll get a letter sent to my apartment, which I have to deal with it getting sent to Seth's place instead, and about how we have to come back here whenever the letter says, and we can get our license.
The rest of that speech thing was about how we're the next big generation of heroes and one day one of us will be the number one and we need to make sure we do the right thing and set a good name for the hero society.
»»--««
"You seemed pretty bored." Nullforce comments, the two of us making our way back to his place.
"You can't tell me you weren't bored when you had to sit through that speech when you heard it for the first time, let alone again just now." He just laughs, rolling his eyes.
"I was, but this time I understand how they thought the message would get across, whether it be because I've been a hero for a while or because I've heard a similar one before. I guess this time the speech made more sense and less boring."
»»--««
"We're back!" Walking inside, the two of us make our way to our respected room, changing out of our costumes. Throughout the time I've spent doing these exams and training for them I guess I've just gotten to the point where I understand that I'd prefer living in the school shed with the weekly chance to come here for foods and clothing.
I mean it's not like I don't appreciate the help and everything Seth and Riely are offering and have been giving; but I guess I'm just too far gone and used to the isolation, and I need that sense of well the sense that I'm doing everything myself and have the satisfaction that I'm able to live my life as it is.
"Hey Aris, how'd it go? Seth tells me you kicked butt." Laughing, the Riely and myself make conversation while she makes dinner for the three of us.
"Oh yeah, I got like at least twenty people disqualifies and I didn't even realise until I got told after the exam." The two of us laugh and I talk about the exam, I'm still not 100% used to talking to people about my day and having time to properly talk about it and make conversation without them leaving halfway through.
»»--««
*Knock, knock, knock*
"Dinner time kiddo." I had gone off to 'my room' while we were waiting for the food to cook.
"Alright, one sec." I say, putting my phone on charge before getting up and going out to the dining room.
And then I told them about my decision of staying 'where I stay' and coming here for resets in food and clothing once a week.
I could tell they felt bad that I've had a life such as the one I have that it led me to choose the choice I chose, but they understood and well they gave it as an option so they really can't be mad at me.
They do convince me to have the night here, having their main argument being that I just did some big physical exam, and I need to let my body get proper rest before going to school the following day.
So, that's what I did, I spent the night there, went to school the following day. And I continued to stay at the school shed, I did have to go to the examination hall to sort out my change of address, but other than that I spent the next few weeks pretty normally.
»»--««
Nullforce: Hey
Nullforce: Oii
Nullforce: Kiddo
Nullforce: Kiddo hey
Me: Jee what?
Me: Stop spamming me
Nullforce: Your results are in!
Me: Alright
Me: I'm on my way now
»»--««
Finally, finally I get to go get my marks back on my exams and get to know if and when I get my physical license.
Making my way down to the Heath household, I walk inside to see Seth and Riely sitting on the couch in the front room, the file on the coffee table.
"Hey Aris," Gretting the two, I sit on the couch opposing them, going to grab the file. "wonder how long it'll be until you get your license."
"We don't even know if I got in or not." I say, tearing open the package.
"I was there Aris; I know for sure you got in." I just roll my eyes, pulling out the papers, one of the first bundles is of my written exam, red pen all over it.
But for whatever reason hey commented on every, single, answer. There were quite a few pages and a lot of examinees, so I'm surprised they managed to do that in such a short period of time.
I got a 69.44% on the exam, meaning I got 50/126 , that's pretty good, I mean I passed, that's all that really matters. I do skim through the pages, there being three questions per single sided page, looking through the answers and what I got wrong.
"So? What'd you get?" I swear it's like these two are as impatient as a toddler going to an ice-cream van.
"I got 70ish percent." I say, handing over the stack of papers, having read through most of it already. Pulling out the other pair of papers, it seeming to be my results… it's two pages, font size 20 of the reasons why I did or didn't get points in the physical exam, the second page being an explanation as to when and how I'll get my physical hero license.
"Hey, you did really well kiddo," Seth says, placing the stappled stack of paper onto the coffee table, be handing over the pair of papers. "ooh, the 13th, that's only what? Two weeks away?"
And just like that, the 13th rolls around, I guess recently time has been flying by, I mean school is still a pain, and I'm still behind per usual, but with the newfound excitement I guess I've just been having something better to look forward to.
Meeting up with Nullforce and Electroblast as the three of us make out way to the examination hall, planning on going out to dinner as a celebration for my legalization.
"You excited Aris?" Electroblast asks, the three of us getting in the car, Nullforce driving with Electroblast as passenger and me in the back behind Electroblast.
"Honestly I feel like you two are more excited about this than I am, it's not like I don't already go on patrols and stuff, the only difference is that I can't get told off now." I say, looking out the window, as much as I hate light pollution, the views when sunset hits are always an amazing sight to see.
"Come on, you get paid too, don't tell me you forgot about that? You'll be able to drop out of that horrible school of yours and do hero work full time." It was mainly Electroblast and myself talking, Nullforce preferred to not converse when driving, claiming car accidents are prone to happen when there isn't 100% attention on the road.
"I mean yeah, I have thought about it, but honestly you guys know me enough to know I prefer the simplistic life, I don't really care all too much about the money, like money is money, I'm not going to turn it down, but it's not a string enough motive for me." I say, obviously I have been scrolling through my phone looking for apartments, I mean I can't stay on a school campus forever.
Getting to the examination hall, we make our way inside, there were only a few others there, I'd hate to get my license last, I mean I'm closer to the last lot getting their license, but being the last to get it would suck.
"I.D, name and date of birth and age." The reception man says, it being the same one from the other times, I swear this man must have long hours, better be good pay.
"Aris Hale; 30th September; 15-years-old." I state, handing him my I.D, he looks at it for a second before looking through files and handing me an envelope.
"If for whatever reason you lose it come in and order another card, it'll take about a week or so for it to come in, and you cannot do any hero work in that week. Specific details will be talked about in the moment if that ever happens, which it shouldn't." Nodding and thanking the man, the three of us make out way to a nearby restaurant that Nullforce had made a reservation at earlier.
"So, how's it feel being a legal hero now?" I swear these two are making such a big deal out of nothing, what's the big deal about any of this?
"Literally no different, I don't get what the fuss is all about," I say, the three of us being seated at a private booth. "okay, come on, a private booth? Why do you feel the need to be so extra?"
"Come on kiddo, let us spoil you this once? You won't stay with us so why can't we just treat you to a nice dinner?" It's like they don't understand why I'm not staying with them, I want to be isolated and independent, not having private booths and celebrating something I'm already doing.
"You do know that I'm not staying with you guys because I want the isolation and to do thing independently; right?" Nullforce kind of just sighs before the three of us grab the menus and look through them.
Seeing how busy the place is regardless how late it is, I'm surprised how quicky we get our orders taken. I end up getting a basic cheeseburger with a side of hot chips with mayonnaise and the restaurants 'special sauce'.
Now getting the food obviously took longer than usual, but again, faster than it should've for the amount of people here.
I'm still not 100% sure why people go out to dinner for celebrating, like you get there, eat, talk, and leave. And you can do that at someone's house for way cheaper.
»»--««
And so, I ended up being a legal hero. Although my case is different to most, seeing as I'm still in school, already had a patrol schedule and a specific rout I did most of the time.
So, Willson requested a meeting with me to figure out what'll happen with my schedule and those finer details of my legalisation.
"Name and I.D please." The reception lady asks, I'd seen her the past time's I've been here, but I've always gone in with Nullforce and this time I'm going myself, so I guess it makes sense. Especially with how big this place is on the hierarchy.
"Aris Hale – Aether." I say, handing over my currently acquired hero license. She looks it over before handing it back to me, looking at something on her computer.
"Floor 3, room 14; it's on the right when you leave the elevator." She states, I thank her before going to the familiar elevator.
It's a specialised one where it's only powered if someone with a registered hero license or special permissions taps on before entering.
Making my way up the floors and down the hallways, I manage to find the room labelled '14'.
*Knock, knock, knock*
"Come in," I hear, walking in I see Willson sitting at a desk, another man opposing him at said desk on a less comfortable chair. "ah, Aether; I'm sorry but we'll have to have this conversation later, I have a rather important meeting scheduled."
At first I thought he was talking to me, but then go to shake hands with the man, him doing similarly to what I did the first time I met him, ignoring the offer.
"Excuse me for his behaviour, our discussions weren't the lightest of topics." He states, offering me a seat opposing him, where the other man was.
Walking over and taking a seat we begin our discussions. It was mostly about my schedule and him having it written down so that he had a copy, but it was a completely different schedule, but honestly I prefer this one better.
I do have less hours, but I guess I was pushing myself too much before, especially before the exams, so I guess having this less stressful schedule will help.
And with the schedule came the pay, seeing as I'm a minor and it isn't very common to have minors in this profession, it does get a bit difficult, but we manage to agree on something. And making it per month I get paid roughly $540 per month. So, frankly, I can't be too mad, but I mean with how much renting costs these days I guess I'll have to save up for now and drop out of school next year when I'm 16 and do online schooling so I can have more time to get more pay.
All in all, I'm getting paid decently, and we've gotten an agreed plan for my hero scheduling, he did also request my phone number, but seeing as I'm about to be getting paid, I said once I save up enough to get another phone for my hero work, then I'll let him have my number.
I mean I need to have a work number for things like emergencies and I mean I'll need my phone on 24/7 in case of emergency but sometimes I need my phone turned off so if I have a separate phone then I'll be able to turn off the stuff that isn't an emergency and still have my work phone turned on.
The meeting wasn't very fast, but it wasn't necessarily long, especially for it being a meeting; a scheduled one for that matter.
»»--««
Either way, school goes on pretty much the same, although I am less tired with this better schedule, I mean sure I'll be getting paid less than I would be if I were still on my other schedule, but I guess they have laws they need to abide to and what not.
The patrols weren't much different either, we managed to figure out a rout that is similar enough to what I'm used to, but something that'll be more beneficial for the hero commission and their roster system or whatever it is.
The first night Nullforce insisted on going with me, I was hesitant, but I did end up agreeing to it.
»»--««
The next big thing on my to do list, was getting a debit card, at the moment my payment was stocking up aside waiting for me to get a card for the commission to transfer to.
Nullforce did offer to hold onto it so that I could spend money if I wanted to, but I decided not to, I need to make sure I don't get into any bad spending habits, and that means not letting myself have the chance to spend money without seeing how much I have and letting it pile up first so that if I do spend money it won't be as big of a dent than it would be if I hadn't saved.
That was probably the most boring of the trips, last time it was a meeting and was all social things and negotiations, but this time it was just paperwork and boring things.
»»--««
Then, I guess it was a waiting game, saving up money, waiting until I can comfortably get myself a phone and so that I can get myself a basic cheap phone plan.
It only took a few months, I mean I was going for the cheapest phone plan that didn't look like a total scam, and decent phone, I only really needed it for phone calls, so storage and camera quality weren't things I really needed in the phone.
I did get myself a big more of an expensive case though, I needed a sturdier case that could handle the harsh environments I was going to be putting it through on patrols and training.
I added Nullforce and Electroblast to my phone, my location turned off for the reason that I don't want them to know I'm sleeping at my school, but I do turn it on just after leaving and on my way to patrol.
At some point Nullforce gave my number to Willson, he only got my location when I go on assigned missions, but I haven't had one yet, so he has to wait his turn for that.
»»--««
And then, well the next and last thing on my to do list is get an apartment and move in. And that's way easier said than done, I've got to save up so much.
And honestly this is a multiple step task, first of I have to turn 16, which is a few months away, finish the school year, which isn't too long after my 16th, find an online school and start paying for that.
Nullforce someone convinced me to let him pay for half of it; and then while I do that I have to continue my hero work and save up. Then once I'm out of school I can request more hours, get more pay, and then I can start apartment hunting and saving up for that.
And if you haven't noticed, that's a pretty long list. So, we'll pick at it one at a time; turn 16, now I can't speed that up, but I can give you guys a time skip, so here you go.
»»--««
Boom, it's my birthday, 30th September. Seth is somehow amazing at convincing me to do things I don't want to do; he gets a compromise at minimum.
Either way, I'm spending the day with him and Riley, now it is a Monday, but I'm so far behind in school that I decided to just skip today, I mean I can always just hold myself back a year and redo this year during my online course, that was I actually learn the curriculum.
Anyways, I did manage to limit how much we're doing for my birthday, dumbing it down to a beach day and an hour of (unpaid) patrol tonight. It took a bit of convincing for the patrolling, but I got my way when good ol' Riely helped me out and double teamed against Seth.
"I still can't believe we're only staying at the beach today; you're 100% sure you don't want to do anything else?" We were in the car on our way down to the beach, it was a good hour away, but we… Seth, wanted it to be 'perfect' so we ended up deciding to go to the 'best beach' in the area.
"Yes I'm sure, I swear you ask me again and I'll just fly back, and I won't do anything with you, be glad I even decided to skip school for this." I huff, knowing that it was completely my idea to skip school and do it today rather than the day before.
The beach was probably more fun than I thought it would be, I did go in for a swim and stuff for a while, but the rest of the time was either spent exploring, or sunbathing, I don't get out in the sun nearly enough, so I really do need the extra vitamin D.
It's not like I'm some kid that ever goes outside, do… it's just always after sunset because I'm too busy with school and I'm used to having the routine of a vigilante that cannot risk being seen in daylight.
Seth isn't too thrilled at the fact I'm spending a lot of my time laying around, but Riely not so secretly tells me to just tell him that I'm the birthday girl and this is what's fun for me.
And I mean it works, sometimes I really do enjoy hanging out with these two, I mean in some ways I guess I do kind of see them as family. But I still do really want to just have my own place and live on my own, I mean it's not like once I move into an apartment I'll start ghosting them.
Like I'm not living with them now either, or I'm still hanging out with them much to my dismay. But it's fun, I have even slept over a few times, and when I say a few times, I mean only like twice.
And I mean yeah, it is more than most people would in the span of a few months, but I mean most people aren't living on the streets and having sleepovers at their parent or guardians house. Like my situation makes it so that the uncommon number of sleepovers I have is less than normal.
After the beach Seth managed to sneak in a dinner with me, claiming he wanted to make sure that if I was going to go on patrol for an hour even though I wasn't even supposed to be doing one today, that he needed to know that I was eating properly.
And then snuck in cake saying he just happened to made it the day before and they were left over slices and it had nothing to do with it being my birthday.
And I mean it's obvious he was lying, but I mean I still hate wasting food, so I did end up taking a slice. I would have a second, but I don't want to get sick with all the jumping and running after eating too much cake.
»»--««
And then I was 16, next on the list, finish school; and much like my birthday, it's not something I can just speed up… well, not in real life, so time skip to graduation day where I pass with an overall average of 57.43%... 7.44% away from failing.
Oh well, I mean, I'm still going to re-take this year, so it's not like I'm going to do anything drastic… although it would've been nice to not re-take an entire years' worth of learning.
This time I did manage to have no celebration, Seeth was adamant that it's a big milestone seeing as I'm not going to be going to that school anymore, and I'll be moving onto a bigger chapter in life, or something like that.
But I mean, I'm still doing the same thing, I'm just doing it, so I get paid more and am out of that wretched place.
I found an app for online schooling, it doesn't cost nearly as much as it would for a standard school, and I mean it makes sense because there're things they can't teach us like social skills and physical things in science are useless because there's no professional supervision.
And I know I had the conversation with Seth about school fees, but he managed to convince me to let him pay for it all, using the excuse that it's cheaper and it's less of a worry for him to pay for it than it would be for me while I save up.
Neither Seth nor Riely knows what I'm saving up for, and I mean I've just been telling them that I'm trying to just get into a good habit with money spending, so I don't do anything stupid while I have so much money.
And now that I'm out of school…I have to request for more hours, and for the first time on this life; I'm able to choose when this one happens, and obviously, I request a meeting almost instantly.
With how busy the commission is, it makes sense I can't just walk in and talk to Willson, but with the number of workers there are their schedules are immaculate, meaning I do get a chance to meet up with him in a about a week.
"Ah, how've you been Aether?" Willson asks, greeting me back into room 14 on the 3rd floor.
"Been doing pretty alright, thanks; and you?" This time it was Riely that convinced me to do something… to learn better social matters, and she's not trying to be rude or anything, she just knows that I'm not the best at it and as a hero I need to understand social expectations, so I don't do anything stupid.
"Yeah alright," Taking a seat opposing him, this time I do take his extended hand, apparently ignoring it is ruder than I initially thought. "so, you're wanting more hours I hear."
"Yes, I graduated from school and went into online schooling, my reasoning for dropping out is more than just for the hours so don't think I'm ruining my life for money or whatever." I state, I mean we've not really gotten to know each other enough for him to know that I'm not a greedy idiot that ruins their entire life for the chance of money.
"Well then, let's get started." Pulling out the same book he had written the last schedule in, the two of us start to figure out a second and improved schedule. Meaning I get $832 per month, and as much as it sounds, it still isn't enough to get an apartment. But it will do for now, saving up more and more. I mean to be fair I still need to rank up higher in the hero charts before I get better pay. That's just the way of the world, the better you are, the more you get paid.
And so, that was my life for a while, I ended up staying at Airbnb's seeing as it's cheaper than hotels or motels. I mean I get enough pay that it isn't too much of a worry, but I still do get to save most of my pay.
»»--««
"So, how're the new hours?" On either Monday or Tuesday nights, depending on when I have patrol, I go and have dinner with Seth and Riely. They, and when I say they I mean Seth, convinced me that it's a normal thing people do when they move out.
And I mean, I'm not the best at what is and isn't normal, but I mean I guess I have overheard some kids talking about how sometimes they go to their grandparents for dinner just because they can.
"Honestly, not too bad. I mean there hasn't been too much to do, a robber here and there, but I mean it's kind of chill."
"You got a decent pay increase didn't you? You know what you're saving up for? I mean with how much you're getting a lot of people I know made the mistake of spending it all at once and took a hard fall when their work couldn't keep up." Riely says, and I mean, honestly I'm honestly kind of glad I grew up in the financial situation I did, my understanding of money is way better.
"Oh yeah… so I guess I'm saving up for an apartment." And that's how Seth and Riely started taking me apartment hunting, claiming that they'd pay for rent for the first few months, and to think of it as a loan or as a present for doing so well.
And so, I got my first apartment, I'm a legalised hero, and I'm rising up. It only took me about 3 years for me to get up to the top 10, another year to rise past and become top 5, and then a following two years later I was the #1 Hero.