"I wanna live a life from a new perspective."
- New Perspective (Panic! at the Disco)
Every time I get on a bus and speak over these crowd of busy people, I start to hate myself even more. It feels so humiliating for me to hand these pieces of paper with the prices of the pens I sell. But it's not like I have much of a choice. Desperation makes the toughest men crumble at their feet.
18 years ago, I thought things would be way different. Vincent Reyes was going to start working his way through school and actually do something with his life.
I ended up knocking some chick up and dropping out of college. I was on my own. What little money I had was supposed to be enough for just me and 4 years of college. It was such a waste. My little girl is my life now. With her mom out of the picture, I'm all she has. And for years, I have struggled so desperately to make sure that I didn't spend all the money I had left. I did every job humanely possible without a degree. But even that couldn't stop Annie from getting leukemia. Now she's fighting so desperately to stay alive and I've lost practically all I have just to keep her breathing in that hospital bed.
The thing about passing these notes is that no matter how much of my desperation I put in these, they don't necessarily work. I can't call these people bad, but I know that to them, I'm just another annoying bus vendor. The way they look away whenever I force the paper on their laps. The teenagers who max their music's volume as I speak. The especially annoyed ones that drop the paper. One or two of the people on the bus would take pity on me and buy something. But 20 Pesos cannot pay for my daughter's hospital bills. Once I've reached the end of the bus I'm on, I know that I've only managed to secure one sale today. I sigh and start walking back, collecting my papers from each one. Some return it apologetically and some just let me pick it up. A teenage girl is the one who ends up buying a pen. "God bless you po." She says and hands me an extra 5 Pesos.
God huh? I haven't really prayed in forever. He's abandoned me already. Why bother asking for his help?
As I'm almost back to the entrance, a guy in a suit hands me back my paper but stops me from leaving. "I can't buy your pens. But I can offer you something better."
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"Take a seat. Let me give you an offer that can save your little girl." A chill runs down my spine as I stand there trying to rationalize what is happening. This stranger is offering some way to help my daughter. Is he a drug addict?
"I need to get off the next stop." I say.
He chuckles, scratching his cheek as his brown eyes stay on mine. "Frankly sir, I can see why you'd be wary of me. But give me the benefit of the doubt."
He hands me a matte black card with silver lettering on it.
YMV Infinity
Changing Lives For The Better
09178447310
"Think about it." He places the card on my hand and turns away.
The bus slowed as the next stop came closer. I quickly gather what cards I had gave out and prepare to leave.
Annie remained asleep with Doctors coming in and out of her room to feed her more medicine. It's not fair for her to have to deal with this.
"Hey man." Josh Alagano, one of the few friends that still stuck around, visited. He had a large teddy bear with him and placed it next to Annie. "How are you holding up?"
"Badly. I've made about 120 Pesos. And that's about it."
Josh reached into his pocket and handed me a crisp 1000 peso bill. "Take it man. I know I can't really give you a lot, but I can at least help you buy some medicine."
Josh was my friend from high school. Out of all the friends I had, he's the only one who's found at least some form of mild success as an engineer. We remained in touch because.. Frankly, I don't know why he or anyone in my life still sticks around.
"Thank you." A month ago when the leukemia was first diagnosed, I would have outright refused any form of help. But these days, I'll take what I can get. "But what I really need is a job..."
"I can't help you there. All of my connections require a degree. And with you having been unable to finish your course, I can't get you into my or any company."
I knew that. But being reminded hurts sometimes.
The door opened and Doctor Garcia enters. "May I speak to you, Mister Reyes?"
"Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on her." Josh smiles and turns his attention to my daughter.
I follow the Doctor outside, waiting for whatever could be wrong.
"It's getting worse." She tells me. "The medicine is not fighting off the leukemia. We're gonna have to start chemotherapy and maybe transfer her to another hospital with better facilities."
I could feel my heart begin to race as I cross my arms.
"How much do I have to pay for all of that?"
"Mister Reyes, that's--"
I honestly wanted to shout. But instead, I turned my head and ended up releasing a choked sob as I spoke. "How much... will it cost... to save my daughter?"
The doctor looked down and clutched her clipboard to her chest. "Way more expensive than everything we currently provide."
She lets out a sigh and looks at me. "Mister Reyes, we don't have to talk about this right now. We need to focus on saving her first. Excuse me."
I'm left standing at the hallway as Doctor Garcia strode away.
What else could I still possibly do? I'm running out of options. Maybe I should just sell my kidney...
I enter the room and take a seat.
"What's wrong?" Josh asks.
"It's getting worse." I say.
"Vince..." He takes out his phone and starts dialing something.
"What are you doing?" I ask.
"I'm calling my wife. Maybe Rina can help you too."
I make him drop his phone and we sit in silence. "You don't need to give your wife any more stress. I know she cares too, but I'll think of something."
He remains silent for a moment before standing up. "You might not like my next idea. But maybe you should call your parents."
I didn't need to answer for him to understand that I was never calling my family again. It took me years of planning just to escape my parents. I didn't need their help before. I wasn't going to get on my knees for their help now.
"I need to go." Josh says. "I have to go pick up some groceries. I'll see you again."
"Thanks." And he's gone.
My daughter stirs from the bed and opens her eyes. She lets out a vibrant smile despite the pain she is enduring. "Daddy."
She squeals to find the bear next to her. "Is this from Uncle Josh?"
I nod and watch her carefully snuggle up to the toy.
This was the pure bliss that Annie deserves to have on a daily basis. Not to be pricked by thousands of big needles.
There has to be something I could do. With my desperation, I'm willing to do anything just to make sure she can keep smiling like this until she's old enough to fall in love and live a nice life.
As I take my phone out to search for more jobs, a card falls from my pocket.
The business card from that creepy guy on the bus.
"YMV Infinity... Changing lives for the better..." My hands grip the card tightly. Am I really this desperate to trust this kind of shady company?
...Yes.
"Annie, I'll be right back." I step out and dial the number.
After about 4 rings, someone picks up.
"Hello. Thank you for calling YMV Infinity. How can I help you?"
"Yes. One of your employees gave me this card on a bus. Can you really help me solve my problem?
"That's right, Mister Reyes. Our company strives to change lives and eliminate all of our clients problems."
"How did you know my name?"
"That's the least of your worries, Sir. If I were you, I'd close my eyes for what's about to happen next."
"What do you mean?" I shut my eyes anyway. "What's going to happen?"
The sounds of bustling doctors ceased and the smell of medication vanished.
When I open my eyes, I'm no longer at the hospital. Rather, I've been transported into some sort of forest.
The guy on the phone hung up, but I could still hear his voice from somewhere.
"Welcome to YMV's Life Alter program. As you all know, you've been brought here after looking for a solution to your problems. And we will give you just that."
"And how does this even work?" I whisper to myself. "How am I here, even? Magic."
"We want to test the worth of what you fight for." the voice says. "To earn our help, all you need to do... is to kill the other contestants."
Authors notes:
This story was inspired by pen vendors that come to the bus to sell pens for various reasons. Stay tuned for part 2.
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Wellston's Other Deck: An unOrdinary Fanfiction - The Life of Battle
"Kill for Kill
Eye for Eye
Blood for Blood
It's time to die.
Retribution tastes so sweet"
-One Thing(Casey Lee Williams)
Note: To understand this story, please read unOrdinary by Uru Chan at Webtoon.
Read the previous chapter here.
"I swear." Cain huffed, staring angrily at his rejected paper on Joker. "Ever since Arlo kicked Cecille out and put Isen in charge, our papers have been getting lamer."
"How so?" Emma asked, fiddling with the tips of her blue hair.
Cain sighed. "Ever since John-- Er, Joker, started his rampage, our writers have been writing articles about him left and write. But all of them have been rejected. If Cecille were still in charge, we'd have at least 3 out on the paper. She's no saint, but she did get the truth out. These days, the press team has been trying to keep each article safe thanks to Isen. What a pussy."
Emma crossed her arms. "It doesn't take Aya reading his mind to know that he knows about John."
"You think Cecille knows about John too? You think that's why she got fired?"
Emma shook her head. "Aya said it's cause she exposed Seraphina being powerless."
She stared out the third floor building, watching as students begin to gather somewhere around the courtyard. "Speaking of Cecille, John is beating the living shit out of her."
The two walked over to a window way closer to the fight. Oliver and Aya were already there watching.
"I guess she doesn't know about John." Cain said.
"On the contrary..." Aya interjected. "...those two are working together."
"It's a show." Oliver added. "A very realistic and brutal show."
Cecille was knocked flat to a wall, watching as John approached her. While it was just a show, being beaten to the floor with her own power embarrassed her.
Aya and Cain looked away as John proceeded to skewer Cecille again and again.
",,,"Cain ruffled his silver hair. "That's just cruel."
"Hey..." Aya looked up. "Do you guys ever miss... Fighting?"
The four looked at each other, tense air building up as the question remained unanswered."
"No." Oliver turned around, the wind blowing through his short, green hair. "I... I don't want that kind of life anymore."
"Same." Emma cracked her knuckles. "I'm... going to head to class. Oli, you mind?"
"Sure." Oli's eyes glowed a tinted grey. His power was active. He pat Emma's shoulder and she vanished. "I'll go on ahead too."
Aya and Cain didn't get a chance to respond as he vanished as well.
"Do you?" Cain asked her.
Aya shook her head. "No... But it's still part of our past. We can't exactly just forget it happened."
She straightened her backpack, waved goodbye to Cain and began to walk away.
"Our past, huh?"
4 years ago...
Cain stood firm, waiting for their opponents to arrive for the turf wars.
Tisca Middle School was a small name among many districts fighting the Turf Wars. But the school was a name to be feared. They were an underground whisper among rookies. Schools they've fought have gone home badly defeated. And none could understand how Tisca's strongest students manage to eliminate them without much effort.
The representatives of Galden Middle arrived with smug grins in their faces.
One of the big mid tier school disctricts
Oliver and Emma had done their research carefully, as always.
A meticulous method in preparing to bring honor to the school.
"So this is the notorious Tisca." Galden's King, Randy, stretched. "Guess we'll be packing this up sooner than I thought."
"He's as arrogant as he is ugly." Aya said under her breathe.
She turned to Tisca's healer, Faust. "You think we'll be coming out of this unscathed?"
"Definitely." She turned to Oliver. "How are we going to do this?"
Oliver stared at Galden's representatives and remembered the data he had gathered.
Kyle
Rank: Ace
Level: 6.0
Power: Mirror Shift
Randy
Rank: King
Level: 5.7
Power: Hail
Eloisa
Rank: Queen
Level: 5.1
Power: Clones
Bernadette
Rank: Jack
Level: 4.4
Power: Pyrokinesis
Ben
Rank: Healer
Level 3.8
Power: Heal
"The only real threat is Kyle. We'll leave our Ace to deal with theirs." Cain nods. "As for the rest... I'd say Emma alone is enough. But I think we all want to have a little fun, don't we?"
They all laughed, surprising Galden's students.
"What's so funny?!" Eloisa shouted. "You think you're better than us?"
"Well..." Aya started.
"Don't worry." Emma interjected. "We were just making chit chat. Let's go with the flush rules."
"You want a rank by rank fight?" Ben asked.
"You got a problem with that?" Cain said.
"Fine! Bring it on!" Kyle shouted. "Jacks! You go first!"
Bernadette and Emma took the stand.
Bernadette's hair was a scorching red and her eyes were burning with the desire to fight. So far from the bored look Emma returned to her and the calm blue hair her aura's color takes after.
"You scared?" She taunted Emma, showing off her flames at her palm.
"Hardly." Emma retorted.
"Begin!" The healers shouted.
As Oliver had predicted in their briefs, it was Bernadette who made the first move. She swung her hands forward, shooting large flames where Emma stood, and causing a burning pillar to erupt at her.
"I think it's safe to say this is over." Randy whispered to Kyle.
"Not yet." Kyle said.
They looked on, watching as the flames died out, and was surprised to find Emma standing there, unscathed.
"H-How..." Bernadette bit her lip and shot fireballs at her.
Emma did not move and was once again engulfed in a large burst of fire.
But instead of waiting for the fire to fizzle out, a straight, blue beam of hard mana shot straight out from the condensed fire.
The surprised Bernadette took a direct hit, flailing to the ground as the force knocks her back.
She stood up, breathing heavily as she burned every limb on her body and ran at Emma.
She ran at Emma, swinging her arms to toss fire at her. Instead of taking it, Emma flicked her wrist and let blast of mana deflect it to the ground. This exchange went on for a while before Bernadette reached her and attempted to scratch her burning nails at Emma.
Emma coated her arm in mana and took the swing with her right arm and earned nothing more than annoyance. Bernadette could not move as Emma held on to her hard. Emma raised her left hand, A particle of Mana charging up. Was it a laser?
"LET GO OF ME YOU BITCH!" Bernadette shouted.
Ben stepped forward. "Stop! This fight is--"
Suddenly, Emma slapped Bernadette's face with her empowered hand, smashing the beam directly at her, and blowing her atleast 10 meters away.
"...over." Ben finished.
Emma dusted sand off her shoulder and watched as the loud woman she had fought earlier crumble to silence.
"That was pathetic." She said so coldly. Their opponents smug aura had diminished. They knew they couldn't take Tisca lightly anymore.
"Bern, are you okay?" Ben knelt next to her, healing the pained women.
"What else you got?" This time, it was Aya who reflected the smugness back at them.
"You're the queen, right?" Eloisa stepped forward. She wanted to say she was being brave, but if their Jack seemed to be at a level much higher then her, then she was afraid of what Tisca's queen could do.
And of course, Aya knew how Eloisa was feeling. After all... No thought was safe from her.
She stepped forward, her hazel eyes glinting to activate her power.
"El, are you sure about this?" Ben asked.
"She's not." Aya said, a smug grin planted at her face.
"Shut up." Eloisa retorted. Aya rolled her eyes. "I can beat you. You're nothing."
Aya smirked at the empty words. "Prove it."
Eloisa's turquoise eyes glinted. Suddenly, she multiplied and ran at Aya.
Aya feigned surprise as the clones surrounded her.
As they closed in,she let out a loud shriek as she shrank inside clones that engulfed her.
"Just all talk after all." Eloisa said.
She was about to deactivate her powers when she noticed something strange about her clones.
They all backed up and lined up in a uniform straight line.
"Did you really think I'd scream from something like this?" Aya stood up from the spot she had seemingly been crushed.
She clenched her hand and half the clones were crushed by an invisible force and vanished.
Eloisa winced. She does not take much damage when her clones as attacked or destroyed. But the sheer number was enough to inflict some pain.
Aya flicked her hand and the remaining clones flew right at her.
Eloisa quickly deactivated her power, causing the clones to disappear, and reactivate it. around 3 clones appeared at Aya's sides.
But as they attempt to grapple her, they are pushed aside.
Aya began walking towards Eloisa.
Eloisa swung her arms, causing a clone to shoot forward out of nowhere.
Another fruitless attack.
As Aya closed in, Eloisa tried again. But she found her hand unable to move.
Aya grabbed her by the cheeks. "It's over."
Eloisa's eyes widened, wondering what Aya would do to her next.
Was she going to toss her to the air and bang her again and again until all her bones are broken?
Aya leaned in, closing her face into her ear.
The others couldn't quite hear what she said, but Cain knew it was their victory.
After a while, Aya released her and Eloisa calmly lowered her hands.
Her eyes were dull and deprived of any spirit.
"I surrender." She said so monotonously.
Kyle and Randy were wide eyed as the most ambitious person they knew surrendered.
"But... Why?" Ben asked.
"I..." And suddenly, she passed out.
"Flashy wins are nice and all, but this is far more humiliating." Aya announced. She winked and gave a peace sign. "That's 2-0 now!"
Randy looked at Oliver next. Oliver returned the gaze with a calculating glare.
He wanted to say he felt a shiver run down his spine, but his passive prevents any form of temperature or shiver to bother his skin. The past two students were terrifying on their own. What could the king of Tisca do? What was this monster capable of?
For a moment, he felt fear as he stepped forward to fight.
But he looked back at his friends. Bernadette, their most enthusiastic fighter beaten in a one sided battle. Eloisa, conceding from a simple whisper.
He felt burning rage. He was not going to allow this unknown school shame them, a popular mid tier school.
He glared back, his purple eyes glinting to show that he activated his powers.
"Come on then!"
He swung his arms back, ready to shoot ice forward at him.
Olivers eyes glinted green and suddenly vanished.
With a simple shove, Randy fell to the ground. It wasn't even a powerful push.
Was it super speed? No. It was instant.
"Teleportation." He muttered. It was far more simple compared to their Queen and Jack. Their school had teleporters too. They were pushovers.
How did he become king?! He thought.
He couldn't even make his next move when Oliver vanished and appeared 5 feet above him.
He smashed his foot right at Randy's gut.
"You asshole!" Randy swung his hand, a flurry of ice shot forward at Oliver. Or at least, where Oliver was.
Oliver had teleported backward and cartwheeled away.
"I know how you teleporters work." Randy exclaimed proudly. "I'm not letting you move for another second."
Oliver said nothing as Randy pointed straight for Oliver's feet.
Ice suddenly encased them and seemingly immobilized his movements. A limitation that most teleporters in Galden had.
"You're dead!" He raised his arms and a hailstorm shot straight at Oliver. He saw the wind hit Oiver's face and blow right through his hair. But something was wrong.
Where was the ice?
Oliver pointed up, revealing the hail had been teleported right above Randy's head.
As Randy looked up, his own attack fell straight at him and pelted his body.
As the flurry ended, Randy looked forward and prepared to attack with more caution. But Oliver was already gone. The ice that encased Oliver was all that's left.
"You really shouldn't lump me with the losers at your school."
Oliver appeared in front of Randy. "I've gone way past the limitations of your average teleporter."
"How did you--" Randy raised his fist, trying to strike Oliver.
But he vanished, teleporting right behind him.
"But that's okay." Oliver pat him in the back. "Many people make the same mistake."
"Wh--" Randy suddenly found himself 20 feet into the air.
He screamed, terrified as he began to descend to the ground.
"Randy!" Ky;e shouted.
"This is way too much!" Ben shouted. "Stop! He's had enough."
Oliver turned his head to the Galden's healer. Perhaps he was more reasonable. "Your king's a big boy. If he really is a high tier, then he can scrape himself out of this one." Oliver looked up, a cold smile planted on his face. "Right? King of Galden!"
The terrified king lost all fear and screamed at Oliver. "DON'T MOCK ME!"
Randy shot a giant block of ice at him.
Oliver simply teleported a meter away.
The top ends of the ice is weak and filled with some water. Randy thought. I can cushion myself with this. The ice and water won't hurt me.
Oliver rubbed his chin and touched the ice. "We can't have this now, can we?"
The ice vanished and teleported right above Randy. The block adhered to gravity and quickly rammed Randy from the back. The shock and pain was so intense that Randy lost any form of composure and passed out as he descended straight to the ground.
"HOLY SHIT!" Kyle couldn't keep his composure as he watched his best friend plummet with a giant block of ice slamming him down. "PLEASE! NO! STOP! HE MIGHT NOT SURVIVE!"
Oliver gave him a bored look and looked to Cain.
Cain shrugged.
"I beg you!" Kyle knelt. "Teleport him to the ground."
Oliver looked at him, watching as Galden's ace try to bargain for his King's life.
"Fine." Oliver vanished and teleported Randy to the ground safely.
"Thank you..." Kyle exhaled in relief. "Thank you so mu--"
Suddenly, the ice fell right at Randy.
"I never said I was going to teleport the ice out of the way."
The ace looked dumbfounded. Lost for words as he tried to process the cruelty of Tisca's king had just displayed before he walked back to his team.
"How could you be so evil?" He suddenly said to Oliver. "Why would you do that?"
"I'd hardly call what I did evil compared to your team brutalizing people with burns, bruises,, psychological assault, and frosbite before sending them to the hospital." Oliver retorted.
"It's the way Turf War works." Emma added. "Eat or be eaten. Isn't that what you said to our friends from Hallingway?"
"And now it's my turn." Cain stepped forward and waited as Galden's ace tried to gain composure. He was kneeling by the ice where his friend was buried. While the block's temperature would not affect him, the weight had surely inflicted tremendous damage.
"Fine. I'll teach you a lesson." Kyle almost never stepped in. But this was one fight he could not afford to lose.
But Kyle was much more cautious than his friends. He activated his powers, watching as his opponent did the same.
They both stood their, knowing that whoever made the first move would give himself a disadvantage.
What was his power? He asked himself.
"If you're not going to attack, then I will!" Cain ran forward, his hand clenched to a fist. Was he.... Was he going to punch me?
Kyle sidestepped.
He felt a little dizzy as he focused his power.
A long shard of mirror appeared from his arm and shot straight at Cain.
Cain moved his head back, narrowly evading the attack.
He looked up, surprised to find that the Galden's ace had vanished. So did everyone else. He's been trapped in a circle of mirrors.
So this is Mirror Shift. He thought to himself.
Suddenly, Kyle appeared out of one side and tried slicing at him. He disappeared as he reached atone end.
"I see." Kyle shot half his body forward from a mirror and attempted to slice Cain with his hand that has shifted into a mirror shard.
Cain did not move and raised his hand at the attack.
"You'll be losing an arm today!" He shouted.
But where he should have felt blood splashing from Cain's skin, he only felt Cain's grip on his wrist.
"Huh?" The other half of his body appeared as the mirrors vanished. Everyone reappeared.
"Checkmate."
"But how..." He scowled and raised his other hand and attempted to form another mirror shard. It took quite a while as his eyes glinted intensely.
Cain gripped his wrist harder. The glint in Kyle's eyes vanished as did his mirror shard.
Cain kneed him on the gut and slammed him to the ground.
Kyle was still conscious and had energy. But he couldn't activate his powers anymore. No matter how hard he tried, he only got dizzy.
"Be thankful I'm far merciful than my friends." He kicked Galden's ace. "Well, maybe not that Merciful."
He turned to the Tisca team. "Let's go."
They had left the badly beaten Galden to their healer and went off to report their victory.
At the time, they thought that this fighting wouldn't be much. But...
Present time.
As nice as it is to be respected like that. Cain thought to himself, looking down at his rejected report. It's just not worth what we almost lost.
He watched as John walk away from Cecille.
"Maybe we're a lot more like John than we think..."
Eye for Eye
Blood for Blood
It's time to die.
Retribution tastes so sweet"
-One Thing(Casey Lee Williams)
Note: To understand this story, please read unOrdinary by Uru Chan at Webtoon.
Read the previous chapter here.
"I swear." Cain huffed, staring angrily at his rejected paper on Joker. "Ever since Arlo kicked Cecille out and put Isen in charge, our papers have been getting lamer."
"How so?" Emma asked, fiddling with the tips of her blue hair.
Cain sighed. "Ever since John-- Er, Joker, started his rampage, our writers have been writing articles about him left and write. But all of them have been rejected. If Cecille were still in charge, we'd have at least 3 out on the paper. She's no saint, but she did get the truth out. These days, the press team has been trying to keep each article safe thanks to Isen. What a pussy."
Emma crossed her arms. "It doesn't take Aya reading his mind to know that he knows about John."
"You think Cecille knows about John too? You think that's why she got fired?"
Emma shook her head. "Aya said it's cause she exposed Seraphina being powerless."
She stared out the third floor building, watching as students begin to gather somewhere around the courtyard. "Speaking of Cecille, John is beating the living shit out of her."
The two walked over to a window way closer to the fight. Oliver and Aya were already there watching.
"I guess she doesn't know about John." Cain said.
"On the contrary..." Aya interjected. "...those two are working together."
"It's a show." Oliver added. "A very realistic and brutal show."
Cecille was knocked flat to a wall, watching as John approached her. While it was just a show, being beaten to the floor with her own power embarrassed her.
Aya and Cain looked away as John proceeded to skewer Cecille again and again.
",,,"Cain ruffled his silver hair. "That's just cruel."
"Hey..." Aya looked up. "Do you guys ever miss... Fighting?"
The four looked at each other, tense air building up as the question remained unanswered."
"No." Oliver turned around, the wind blowing through his short, green hair. "I... I don't want that kind of life anymore."
"Same." Emma cracked her knuckles. "I'm... going to head to class. Oli, you mind?"
"Sure." Oli's eyes glowed a tinted grey. His power was active. He pat Emma's shoulder and she vanished. "I'll go on ahead too."
Aya and Cain didn't get a chance to respond as he vanished as well.
"Do you?" Cain asked her.
Aya shook her head. "No... But it's still part of our past. We can't exactly just forget it happened."
She straightened her backpack, waved goodbye to Cain and began to walk away.
"Our past, huh?"
4 years ago...
Cain stood firm, waiting for their opponents to arrive for the turf wars.
Tisca Middle School was a small name among many districts fighting the Turf Wars. But the school was a name to be feared. They were an underground whisper among rookies. Schools they've fought have gone home badly defeated. And none could understand how Tisca's strongest students manage to eliminate them without much effort.
The representatives of Galden Middle arrived with smug grins in their faces.
One of the big mid tier school disctricts
Oliver and Emma had done their research carefully, as always.
A meticulous method in preparing to bring honor to the school.
"So this is the notorious Tisca." Galden's King, Randy, stretched. "Guess we'll be packing this up sooner than I thought."
"He's as arrogant as he is ugly." Aya said under her breathe.
She turned to Tisca's healer, Faust. "You think we'll be coming out of this unscathed?"
"Definitely." She turned to Oliver. "How are we going to do this?"
Oliver stared at Galden's representatives and remembered the data he had gathered.
Kyle
Rank: Ace
Level: 6.0
Power: Mirror Shift
Randy
Rank: King
Level: 5.7
Power: Hail
Eloisa
Rank: Queen
Level: 5.1
Power: Clones
Bernadette
Rank: Jack
Level: 4.4
Power: Pyrokinesis
Ben
Rank: Healer
Level 3.8
Power: Heal
"The only real threat is Kyle. We'll leave our Ace to deal with theirs." Cain nods. "As for the rest... I'd say Emma alone is enough. But I think we all want to have a little fun, don't we?"
They all laughed, surprising Galden's students.
"What's so funny?!" Eloisa shouted. "You think you're better than us?"
"Well..." Aya started.
"Don't worry." Emma interjected. "We were just making chit chat. Let's go with the flush rules."
"You want a rank by rank fight?" Ben asked.
"You got a problem with that?" Cain said.
"Fine! Bring it on!" Kyle shouted. "Jacks! You go first!"
Bernadette and Emma took the stand.
Bernadette's hair was a scorching red and her eyes were burning with the desire to fight. So far from the bored look Emma returned to her and the calm blue hair her aura's color takes after.
"You scared?" She taunted Emma, showing off her flames at her palm.
"Hardly." Emma retorted.
"Begin!" The healers shouted.
As Oliver had predicted in their briefs, it was Bernadette who made the first move. She swung her hands forward, shooting large flames where Emma stood, and causing a burning pillar to erupt at her.
"I think it's safe to say this is over." Randy whispered to Kyle.
"Not yet." Kyle said.
They looked on, watching as the flames died out, and was surprised to find Emma standing there, unscathed.
"H-How..." Bernadette bit her lip and shot fireballs at her.
Emma did not move and was once again engulfed in a large burst of fire.
But instead of waiting for the fire to fizzle out, a straight, blue beam of hard mana shot straight out from the condensed fire.
The surprised Bernadette took a direct hit, flailing to the ground as the force knocks her back.
She stood up, breathing heavily as she burned every limb on her body and ran at Emma.
She ran at Emma, swinging her arms to toss fire at her. Instead of taking it, Emma flicked her wrist and let blast of mana deflect it to the ground. This exchange went on for a while before Bernadette reached her and attempted to scratch her burning nails at Emma.
Emma coated her arm in mana and took the swing with her right arm and earned nothing more than annoyance. Bernadette could not move as Emma held on to her hard. Emma raised her left hand, A particle of Mana charging up. Was it a laser?
"LET GO OF ME YOU BITCH!" Bernadette shouted.
Ben stepped forward. "Stop! This fight is--"
Suddenly, Emma slapped Bernadette's face with her empowered hand, smashing the beam directly at her, and blowing her atleast 10 meters away.
"...over." Ben finished.
Emma dusted sand off her shoulder and watched as the loud woman she had fought earlier crumble to silence.
"That was pathetic." She said so coldly. Their opponents smug aura had diminished. They knew they couldn't take Tisca lightly anymore.
"Bern, are you okay?" Ben knelt next to her, healing the pained women.
"What else you got?" This time, it was Aya who reflected the smugness back at them.
"You're the queen, right?" Eloisa stepped forward. She wanted to say she was being brave, but if their Jack seemed to be at a level much higher then her, then she was afraid of what Tisca's queen could do.
And of course, Aya knew how Eloisa was feeling. After all... No thought was safe from her.
She stepped forward, her hazel eyes glinting to activate her power.
"El, are you sure about this?" Ben asked.
"She's not." Aya said, a smug grin planted at her face.
"Shut up." Eloisa retorted. Aya rolled her eyes. "I can beat you. You're nothing."
Aya smirked at the empty words. "Prove it."
Eloisa's turquoise eyes glinted. Suddenly, she multiplied and ran at Aya.
Aya feigned surprise as the clones surrounded her.
As they closed in,she let out a loud shriek as she shrank inside clones that engulfed her.
"Just all talk after all." Eloisa said.
She was about to deactivate her powers when she noticed something strange about her clones.
They all backed up and lined up in a uniform straight line.
"Did you really think I'd scream from something like this?" Aya stood up from the spot she had seemingly been crushed.
She clenched her hand and half the clones were crushed by an invisible force and vanished.
Eloisa winced. She does not take much damage when her clones as attacked or destroyed. But the sheer number was enough to inflict some pain.
Aya flicked her hand and the remaining clones flew right at her.
Eloisa quickly deactivated her power, causing the clones to disappear, and reactivate it. around 3 clones appeared at Aya's sides.
But as they attempt to grapple her, they are pushed aside.
Aya began walking towards Eloisa.
Eloisa swung her arms, causing a clone to shoot forward out of nowhere.
Another fruitless attack.
As Aya closed in, Eloisa tried again. But she found her hand unable to move.
Aya grabbed her by the cheeks. "It's over."
Eloisa's eyes widened, wondering what Aya would do to her next.
Was she going to toss her to the air and bang her again and again until all her bones are broken?
Aya leaned in, closing her face into her ear.
The others couldn't quite hear what she said, but Cain knew it was their victory.
After a while, Aya released her and Eloisa calmly lowered her hands.
Her eyes were dull and deprived of any spirit.
"I surrender." She said so monotonously.
Kyle and Randy were wide eyed as the most ambitious person they knew surrendered.
"But... Why?" Ben asked.
"I..." And suddenly, she passed out.
"Flashy wins are nice and all, but this is far more humiliating." Aya announced. She winked and gave a peace sign. "That's 2-0 now!"
Randy looked at Oliver next. Oliver returned the gaze with a calculating glare.
He wanted to say he felt a shiver run down his spine, but his passive prevents any form of temperature or shiver to bother his skin. The past two students were terrifying on their own. What could the king of Tisca do? What was this monster capable of?
For a moment, he felt fear as he stepped forward to fight.
But he looked back at his friends. Bernadette, their most enthusiastic fighter beaten in a one sided battle. Eloisa, conceding from a simple whisper.
He felt burning rage. He was not going to allow this unknown school shame them, a popular mid tier school.
He glared back, his purple eyes glinting to show that he activated his powers.
"Come on then!"
He swung his arms back, ready to shoot ice forward at him.
Olivers eyes glinted green and suddenly vanished.
With a simple shove, Randy fell to the ground. It wasn't even a powerful push.
Was it super speed? No. It was instant.
"Teleportation." He muttered. It was far more simple compared to their Queen and Jack. Their school had teleporters too. They were pushovers.
How did he become king?! He thought.
He couldn't even make his next move when Oliver vanished and appeared 5 feet above him.
He smashed his foot right at Randy's gut.
"You asshole!" Randy swung his hand, a flurry of ice shot forward at Oliver. Or at least, where Oliver was.
Oliver had teleported backward and cartwheeled away.
"I know how you teleporters work." Randy exclaimed proudly. "I'm not letting you move for another second."
Oliver said nothing as Randy pointed straight for Oliver's feet.
Ice suddenly encased them and seemingly immobilized his movements. A limitation that most teleporters in Galden had.
"You're dead!" He raised his arms and a hailstorm shot straight at Oliver. He saw the wind hit Oiver's face and blow right through his hair. But something was wrong.
Where was the ice?
Oliver pointed up, revealing the hail had been teleported right above Randy's head.
As Randy looked up, his own attack fell straight at him and pelted his body.
As the flurry ended, Randy looked forward and prepared to attack with more caution. But Oliver was already gone. The ice that encased Oliver was all that's left.
"You really shouldn't lump me with the losers at your school."
Oliver appeared in front of Randy. "I've gone way past the limitations of your average teleporter."
"How did you--" Randy raised his fist, trying to strike Oliver.
But he vanished, teleporting right behind him.
"But that's okay." Oliver pat him in the back. "Many people make the same mistake."
"Wh--" Randy suddenly found himself 20 feet into the air.
He screamed, terrified as he began to descend to the ground.
"Randy!" Ky;e shouted.
"This is way too much!" Ben shouted. "Stop! He's had enough."
Oliver turned his head to the Galden's healer. Perhaps he was more reasonable. "Your king's a big boy. If he really is a high tier, then he can scrape himself out of this one." Oliver looked up, a cold smile planted on his face. "Right? King of Galden!"
The terrified king lost all fear and screamed at Oliver. "DON'T MOCK ME!"
Randy shot a giant block of ice at him.
Oliver simply teleported a meter away.
The top ends of the ice is weak and filled with some water. Randy thought. I can cushion myself with this. The ice and water won't hurt me.
Oliver rubbed his chin and touched the ice. "We can't have this now, can we?"
The ice vanished and teleported right above Randy. The block adhered to gravity and quickly rammed Randy from the back. The shock and pain was so intense that Randy lost any form of composure and passed out as he descended straight to the ground.
"HOLY SHIT!" Kyle couldn't keep his composure as he watched his best friend plummet with a giant block of ice slamming him down. "PLEASE! NO! STOP! HE MIGHT NOT SURVIVE!"
Oliver gave him a bored look and looked to Cain.
Cain shrugged.
"I beg you!" Kyle knelt. "Teleport him to the ground."
Oliver looked at him, watching as Galden's ace try to bargain for his King's life.
"Fine." Oliver vanished and teleported Randy to the ground safely.
"Thank you..." Kyle exhaled in relief. "Thank you so mu--"
Suddenly, the ice fell right at Randy.
"I never said I was going to teleport the ice out of the way."
The ace looked dumbfounded. Lost for words as he tried to process the cruelty of Tisca's king had just displayed before he walked back to his team.
"How could you be so evil?" He suddenly said to Oliver. "Why would you do that?"
"I'd hardly call what I did evil compared to your team brutalizing people with burns, bruises,, psychological assault, and frosbite before sending them to the hospital." Oliver retorted.
"It's the way Turf War works." Emma added. "Eat or be eaten. Isn't that what you said to our friends from Hallingway?"
"And now it's my turn." Cain stepped forward and waited as Galden's ace tried to gain composure. He was kneeling by the ice where his friend was buried. While the block's temperature would not affect him, the weight had surely inflicted tremendous damage.
"Fine. I'll teach you a lesson." Kyle almost never stepped in. But this was one fight he could not afford to lose.
But Kyle was much more cautious than his friends. He activated his powers, watching as his opponent did the same.
They both stood their, knowing that whoever made the first move would give himself a disadvantage.
What was his power? He asked himself.
"If you're not going to attack, then I will!" Cain ran forward, his hand clenched to a fist. Was he.... Was he going to punch me?
Kyle sidestepped.
He felt a little dizzy as he focused his power.
A long shard of mirror appeared from his arm and shot straight at Cain.
Cain moved his head back, narrowly evading the attack.
He looked up, surprised to find that the Galden's ace had vanished. So did everyone else. He's been trapped in a circle of mirrors.
So this is Mirror Shift. He thought to himself.
Suddenly, Kyle appeared out of one side and tried slicing at him. He disappeared as he reached atone end.
"I see." Kyle shot half his body forward from a mirror and attempted to slice Cain with his hand that has shifted into a mirror shard.
Cain did not move and raised his hand at the attack.
"You'll be losing an arm today!" He shouted.
But where he should have felt blood splashing from Cain's skin, he only felt Cain's grip on his wrist.
"Huh?" The other half of his body appeared as the mirrors vanished. Everyone reappeared.
"Checkmate."
"But how..." He scowled and raised his other hand and attempted to form another mirror shard. It took quite a while as his eyes glinted intensely.
Cain gripped his wrist harder. The glint in Kyle's eyes vanished as did his mirror shard.
Cain kneed him on the gut and slammed him to the ground.
Kyle was still conscious and had energy. But he couldn't activate his powers anymore. No matter how hard he tried, he only got dizzy.
"Be thankful I'm far merciful than my friends." He kicked Galden's ace. "Well, maybe not that Merciful."
He turned to the Tisca team. "Let's go."
They had left the badly beaten Galden to their healer and went off to report their victory.
At the time, they thought that this fighting wouldn't be much. But...
Present time.
As nice as it is to be respected like that. Cain thought to himself, looking down at his rejected report. It's just not worth what we almost lost.
He watched as John walk away from Cecille.
"Maybe we're a lot more like John than we think..."
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Wellston’s Other Deck: An unOrdinary Fanfiction: In Plain Sight
“Is this path right? Or is it made of lies?
We're looking in ourselves
And trusting in the light
A miracle is all we need
But there isn't one in sight”
- Miracle (Jeff and Casey Lee Williams
We're looking in ourselves
And trusting in the light
A miracle is all we need
But there isn't one in sight”
- Miracle (Jeff and Casey Lee Williams
Note: To understand this story, please read unOrdinary by Uru Chan at Webtoon.
The Other Royals by Cain Devon
"Like any school, Wellston Academy has its own 7
wonders. The mysterious 16th
student of Class 203. The shifting step numbers of the third wing staircase.
The Shadow King.
One of them has been a recurring mystery that students of have tried and failed to solve.
The Second Royalty Deck. To the public and Wellston’s students, their hierarchy consisted of Their Ace, Seraphina. Their King, Arlo. The Queen, Remi. And their Jack, Blyke.
But there have been stories and unconfirmed accounts of another set of royals treading amongst the students. But no one could ever identify them. Some say they’re so strong that they could not be ranked because Seraphina had taken their strongest spot. Some say that those royals eliminated anyone who found out their secret. Some say they hide amongst Mid Tiers and posing as regular students. But to this day, no one knows what they really are."
One of them has been a recurring mystery that students of have tried and failed to solve.
The Second Royalty Deck. To the public and Wellston’s students, their hierarchy consisted of Their Ace, Seraphina. Their King, Arlo. The Queen, Remi. And their Jack, Blyke.
But there have been stories and unconfirmed accounts of another set of royals treading amongst the students. But no one could ever identify them. Some say they’re so strong that they could not be ranked because Seraphina had taken their strongest spot. Some say that those royals eliminated anyone who found out their secret. Some say they hide amongst Mid Tiers and posing as regular students. But to this day, no one knows what they really are."
Emma sighed. “It’s like you’re trying to get us
caught.”
Cain scratched his cheek. “I’m just trying to make people think I’m the next one on “their” tail. It’s not like I’m trying to out ourselves.”
The sample paper in Emma’s hand hovered and crumbled into a tiny ball. Emma was not amused.
With a sudden whoosh, Oliver appeared out of thin air.
“Here’s your iced tea.” He handed Emma the drink from his left hand.
Emma’s eyes glinted blue. Her power activated.
She inclined her head slightly. The drink floated towards her and she sipped the drink from a straw. “What’s your take on all this, Aya?”
“It’s a smart idea on paper.” Aya said. “But I dunno if it would work.”
“Look, I just want to secure that our little secret never comes out.” Cain stretched his arms. “It’s already a surprise people somehow know about us.”
“And who’s fault is that?” Oliver retorted. “Maybe show a little restraint the next time you beat someone up at night. If Aya hadn’t erased that bully’s mind, we would have probably been exposed.”
Cain sighed and picked up the ball of paper. “Look, whatever. I’m just making sure we have a solid way of manipulating the press. Isen’s good and all, but he’ll headline any little thing he can sniff out.”
Emma looked out the window, watching as the Joker strode towards Blyke. They all knew that Blyke was going to be no match.
“Considering that John… Or rather, Joker is terrifying the students, I think it’s safe to say that their attention will be off of us for a while.” Aya said.
With Aya’s power, she was able to quickly identify Joker’s identity by reading his mind. So the more they watched, they were amused how the school cripple is taking out Wellston’s elite.
They all nod and looked out the window, watching the one sided battle go on.
“Don’t you want to help him, Void?” Cain shushed Oliver.
“Don’t blow my cover.”
Aya looked away as Joker brutalized Blyke with his own power. After knocking him out, Joker strode away and left onlooking students terrified.
“If we were public royals, we’d be fighting him too.” Oliver said.
Emma shrugged. “It’s not our problem. As long as we’re living our peaceful mid-tier lives, John will leave us alone.”
The bell rang and they began to walk off to their classes.
“Cain, try to not be superhero again tonight, okay?” Emma said. “Just take a break for once.”
“I won’t” Cain smiled.
“He’s lying” Aya replied. “It’s not like we can do anything about it.”
Oliver stopped at his classroom’s door. He sighed and waited for the students in the hallway thinned. “Just try not to be reckless for once.”
He pat Cain, causing him to vanish as he is teleported to his class.
Emma gave Oliver a high five and vanished as well.
And finally, he flicked Aya’s nose and she teleported away.
As he was about to enter his class, John walked up the room. He gave Oliver a slight glance before entering.
Why does he have to be in my class?
Emma:
Rank: Mid-Tier(Jack)
Ability: Mental Push (Manakinesis)
Level: 2.4 (5.7)
Oliver:
Rank: Mid-Tier(King)
Ability: Blink (Teleport)
Level: 2.3 (6.4)
Aya:
Rank: Mid-Tier(Queen)
Ability: Suggestion(Telekinesis)
Level: 2.1 (6.1)
Cain scratched his cheek. “I’m just trying to make people think I’m the next one on “their” tail. It’s not like I’m trying to out ourselves.”
The sample paper in Emma’s hand hovered and crumbled into a tiny ball. Emma was not amused.
With a sudden whoosh, Oliver appeared out of thin air.
“Here’s your iced tea.” He handed Emma the drink from his left hand.
Emma’s eyes glinted blue. Her power activated.
She inclined her head slightly. The drink floated towards her and she sipped the drink from a straw. “What’s your take on all this, Aya?”
“It’s a smart idea on paper.” Aya said. “But I dunno if it would work.”
“Look, I just want to secure that our little secret never comes out.” Cain stretched his arms. “It’s already a surprise people somehow know about us.”
“And who’s fault is that?” Oliver retorted. “Maybe show a little restraint the next time you beat someone up at night. If Aya hadn’t erased that bully’s mind, we would have probably been exposed.”
Cain sighed and picked up the ball of paper. “Look, whatever. I’m just making sure we have a solid way of manipulating the press. Isen’s good and all, but he’ll headline any little thing he can sniff out.”
Emma looked out the window, watching as the Joker strode towards Blyke. They all knew that Blyke was going to be no match.
“Considering that John… Or rather, Joker is terrifying the students, I think it’s safe to say that their attention will be off of us for a while.” Aya said.
With Aya’s power, she was able to quickly identify Joker’s identity by reading his mind. So the more they watched, they were amused how the school cripple is taking out Wellston’s elite.
They all nod and looked out the window, watching the one sided battle go on.
“Don’t you want to help him, Void?” Cain shushed Oliver.
“Don’t blow my cover.”
Aya looked away as Joker brutalized Blyke with his own power. After knocking him out, Joker strode away and left onlooking students terrified.
“If we were public royals, we’d be fighting him too.” Oliver said.
Emma shrugged. “It’s not our problem. As long as we’re living our peaceful mid-tier lives, John will leave us alone.”
The bell rang and they began to walk off to their classes.
“Cain, try to not be superhero again tonight, okay?” Emma said. “Just take a break for once.”
“I won’t” Cain smiled.
“He’s lying” Aya replied. “It’s not like we can do anything about it.”
Oliver stopped at his classroom’s door. He sighed and waited for the students in the hallway thinned. “Just try not to be reckless for once.”
He pat Cain, causing him to vanish as he is teleported to his class.
Emma gave Oliver a high five and vanished as well.
And finally, he flicked Aya’s nose and she teleported away.
As he was about to enter his class, John walked up the room. He gave Oliver a slight glance before entering.
Why does he have to be in my class?
Emma:
Rank: Mid-Tier(Jack)
Ability: Mental Push (Manakinesis)
Level: 2.4 (5.7)
Oliver:
Rank: Mid-Tier(King)
Ability: Blink (Teleport)
Level: 2.3 (6.4)
Aya:
Rank: Mid-Tier(Queen)
Ability: Suggestion(Telekinesis)
Level: 2.1 (6.1)
Cain:
Rank: Mid-Tier(Ace)
Ability: Distort (Nullify)
Level: 2.6 (8)
To be Continued...
Rank: Mid-Tier(Ace)
Ability: Distort (Nullify)
Level: 2.6 (8)
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
Always
In the majestic space of time
Strings tied forth in red
Fingers to the sky
The bonds of fate beats within me
The heart beats for that longing
Always for that longing
Erase this hole that broke through
My blood seeping out
The pain you inflict is tremendous
And leave me paralyzed
But I am still a fool
Always reaching out
My dear friend
Armed with silence
My fears your ammo
The gun aimed at me
My pained screams for you to understand
And I still come forward
Through your shots fired
Still, I come forth
Always for your understanding
With what little is left of me
I dive in
My mind never silenced.
And above I wait
I wait for the courage
To jump to the eternity
To silence my mind
In that free fall
It will always be for that understanding
For that forgiveness
For the memories
My bitter murmur
My pained heart
If only you can silence them as well
My friend
Strings tied forth in red
Fingers to the sky
The bonds of fate beats within me
The heart beats for that longing
Always for that longing
Erase this hole that broke through
My blood seeping out
The pain you inflict is tremendous
And leave me paralyzed
But I am still a fool
Always reaching out
My dear friend
Armed with silence
My fears your ammo
The gun aimed at me
My pained screams for you to understand
And I still come forward
Through your shots fired
Still, I come forth
Always for your understanding
With what little is left of me
I dive in
My mind never silenced.
And above I wait
I wait for the courage
To jump to the eternity
To silence my mind
In that free fall
It will always be for that understanding
For that forgiveness
For the memories
My bitter murmur
My pained heart
If only you can silence them as well
My friend
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