3 Chapter 2: Self-defense

"So, can you?" Erin pressed.

"Of course we can," Cole said delightedly. "Follow me," Cole motioned to Erin as the three boys started to walk off. Erin followed while relaying a message to V, "I think I found some people to guide us to the headmaster's office. They're students so I think it's safe to say we'll be there in no time."

"Aren't students supposed to be in class right now though?" V shot back.

"It doesn't matter, as long as we get to the headmaster...we'll be ok."

"Ugh, alright. If we get jumped by these class-skippers, it's your fault."

"Ok ok. I take full responsibility, cross my heart, and hope to die," replied Erin.

The group headed through a door outside, the door closed behind Erin as he walked out. As the door swung closed there was a noise...*click*...Erin looked around to see, from what he could tell, the back of the school. "Hey guys, I don't think this is the Headmaster's place," Erin said, looking back at the door.

"Well boys, look what we caught ourselves today! A new pretty boy just for us," Cole said with a wide-toothed grin. Oh my, when we're done here, I should remind him to visit a dentist, thought Erin.

"So, where is the Headmaster?" Erin asked confused. Cole moved closer to Erin and looked down, "Looks like we need to teach someone some manners on how to talk to their upperclassmen," the two boys in the back started whispering to each other.

"Manners?"

"Manners." Cole quipped.

In a flash, Cole reached down and grabbed Erin's shirt collar. "You are receiving my first beatdown of the year, you should be grateful." Cole spouted out in Erin's face. Cole raised his hand into the air. "...on...me...," Erin stirred. "What was that?!" Cole Yelled out, more spit flying from his mouth.

The air around Cole's fist started to vibrate, causing an orange aura to reverberate around it. The aura started to take on the form of flames.

Then, the orange flame-like aura was blown out, like a match in the wind. Cole looked at his hand dumbfounded. He surely had just used his ability just then. Cole dropped his grip on Erin and tried to activate it again. The Flame-like aura manifested again just like before, but then blown out...again. Again and Again, "Hey Cole, just beat the punk, what are you waiting for?" One of the boys in the back spoke out. "Shut Up!" Cole shot back at him.

"...spit...on...me..." Erin mumbled, still looking down at the ground.

"Ugh, just shut up!" Cole launched an uncharged fist at the small kid in front of him.

****

Cole was a prideful man. Ruling the school through force and intimidation. He was big for his age, combined with his above-average psionic capabilities, he was relatively untouchable at this school. There was no student above him in combat, except the student council. Those guys are just monsters, Cole thought to himself, closing his eyes to relish in the feeling of bones breaking under the weight of his fist. Even though he didn't enhance his attack, he knew he would still hit the little weakling in front of him.

Nothing.

No cracks.

No sounds.

Just air.

Cole opened his eyes to reveal...a wall? Cole looked around, trying to find where the kid went. He looked over to Greg and Thomas in the back, "Where did he go?!", Cole yelled back at them. "We don't know!" they spoke back flinching from his stare. A blur moved through his vision. He felt something hit his side. Cole closed his eyes and opened them to find himself hurtling through the air and crash into a shack.

That didn't hurt? Cole asked himself. He looked up at Thomas and Greg. Their Horrified faces explained it all. He looked down at his body. A Leg Bent in 2 different directions, The Other...where is it? Looking down at his deformed lower half he tried to find his right leg. From then, he saw a figure walking towards him. All Danger sensors in his brain going off with the combined sound of multiple fire alarms.

Through his blurry vision, the figure stopped at his side and crouched down, looking face to face. The figure spoke clearly enough that Cole could hear, though unbeknownst to Cole, His eardrums were shattered on impact.

"Now, let's start back off with a question," The figure asked. The sounds got louder as the figure came nearer.

"Get...away." Cole managed to squeeze out. An extreme agony suddenly possessed his body, as if his body finally realized what had happened. After a few seconds, the pain stopped, like somebody just pushed the off button on whatever few neurons Cole still had in his body. The figure wore a calm expression. "Why did you spit on me?" The figure asked.

"..."

The same agonizing pain returned, only stronger than before. "...I-I...I don-...I don't know...," He managed to say to the figure. The pain stopped. "I see," the figure's face was now that of disgust one would only wear when looking at a bug.

A palpable aura came from the being in front of him, although it was the same kid from before, Cole didn't remember who he picked up that day in the hallway, he only remembered the names of those who were worth remembering, and it...was worthy.

There was no more fear, for fear was replaced by unwavering awe of the superficial being in front of him. He was seen as nothing but an ant to this man, an ant that could be stepped on at any time if he wished to do so. The man radiated an absolute power that Cole had never felt before in his life, not even from the Headmaster nor the Student Council.

Darkness started encroaching the corners of his vision, his head feeling lighter as his consciousness faded out. All he could do was slowly succumb to the cold darkness that awaited.

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