Chapter 17: Early Monday Morning

A week has passed since the giant porcupine incident, and to say that nothing happened with in the week would be a huge stinking lie! We're talking about Hazard here, so of course disaster was everywhere.

As per agreement to their contract, Jonathan brought back Laurens' laboratory... Except nobody expected his laboratory to be an old stinky van that looked like it was brought back from the ocean after decades of it being missing.

However, considering Laurens' circumstances before, a stinky old van would be understandable as he was only a poor student before this mutant crazed school accepted him.

"So, why exactly did you want this old piece of crap back?" Asked Jonathan curiously.

"Hehe, great question father!" Laurens excitedly replied.

The word "father" echoed within Jonathan's mind, it was as if he had cought a glimpse to heaven for a second. Jace and the others looked at Jonathan like he was some kind of pervert, which was not inaccurate.

"As you may know, I have found out recently that I have the power of alchemy! Although I still can't wrap my head around it, I have somewhat of an understanding about this 'mysterious' power... AND SO!"

Laurens ran into his van to search for an object bewildering his current audience in the school's parking lot... After a short while, the boy came back with a briefcase that had warning signs all over it.

"I decided to experiment about this power!" Laurens enthusiastically announced.

"Okay... And what's with the briefcase?" Milliania questioned confused.

Was the boy in front of them gonna show them something? Or was the briefcase just a prop? Why did he call them out on the parking lot in the middle of the night on a Monday? These were the questions being asked by the group including Milliania.

"Oh, this thing was corroding everything inside so I had to take it out" His uncaring tone match his expression perfectly, Laurens did NOT give a shit about the briefcase.

"Anyway, BEHOLD!" Laurens exclaimed.

The boy pulled out a state of the art pen that that had unexplained runes carved onto it, however, this kind of pen was not a shocker, there's already an existing pen that looks exactly like it! People call it a "stylus pen", it's used for digital arts and stuff.

However, before anyone could make a sassy remark about the pen. Laurens started to wiggle the pen in mid air as if he was casting a spell with a magic wand, the hypnotizing way he moved it around seem to pique the interest of his audience, and after given a few seconds a line started to form from the pen's traces. It was certainly not just an ordinary stylus pen, it was a pen that could write on actual mid-air!

"Incredible right? I was told that alchemy is the law of equivalent exchange however, it is something more than just that! It's a mysterious power and not much is known about it! That's why I decided to try an experiment" Laurence enthusiastically exclaimed.

"And that experiment is this?" Asked Jace.

"Yes! You know, this idea of mine have been in my mind for years! A pen that can write on any surface even on air? the hypothesis was possible and the materials were available but the process was non-existent. HOWEVER, alchemy solves that problem, since creating objects with alchemy skips the process. That is how I made this and..." The raven haired boy continued to rant incomprehensible things.

He was running around writing theories and explaining ideas with his glow in the dark magic pen that can write on air, he was like a 3 year old kid given a cool new toy. As much as the group wanted to stick around to inquire about the object that could've led to another scientific breakthrough, the lads were too tired to comprehend his words... and they had school in 4 hours, so they decided to leave the kid alone and went back to their respective homes.

Laurens continued with his lectures and only Jace remained with him on the parking lot. The blonde didn't have the slightest clue on how to get back to their house, so he just remained there bored out of his mind.

"So, I plan to create something and I need your guys' hel- Hey? Where did everybody go?" The bewildered Laurens could only see a tired Jace in his pajamas in the parking lot.

"Oh, they went back. School's in 3 hours" Jace replied lazily.

"Well that's a bit rude, I haven't even told them the-"

"Shhhh! I get it, you're a crackhead, no need to state the obvious. I'm tired, so let's go back, I beg you!" Jace rudely interrupted.

Laurens rolled his eyes back and heaved a sigh before locking his van and picking up the briefcase as well as kicking Jace awake to go home.

The two boys walked back home safely.

Unbeknownst to the two, there were creatures lurking in the shadows spying at them in the darkness. They have a peculiar set of ears, it was long and pointed, almost like an elf's.

~°~°~°~

Somewhere along the path leading to the Death Forest of the Hazard Island, the sound of helicopter blades filled the serenity of the deserted land. As the helicopter began it's landing a woman jumped from inside the flying vehicle. Her beautiful crimson hair seem to paint the moonlight red, enchanting everyone who witnessed her magnificent glory.

As her landing neared, the wind seem to gather by her feet to present her a safe cusion, those who have witnessed her power stared in awe. And right on time, the helicopter landed behind her revealing two other mysterious figures. One was a blue haired girl who's icy beauty freezes Athena herself and the other was a normal middle aged man who has a smoking addiction.

The three figures was approached by a grey haired old man in a familiar Hawaiian Shirt.

"Welcome to Hazard, Dear guests"