Chapter 11 - Farewell & Exam

Moshi~ Moshi~

Give STONEEES and enjoy~

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After months of arduous hard work, Leo felt confident that he could take this exam and pass, maybe not with flying colors since he wasn't cocky enough to believe he was a top dog.

All he knew was his best was the result, no half-asses.

And now, sitting in front of him, was his mom. "Well, by next week, you'll be going to Washington, D. C. to attend the exam," she said with a smile. Her eyes radiated pride in what she had accomplished in raising such a fine young boy.

Frankly, Leo turning out to be the way he is is just pure luck in her eyes. He didn't make it harder on her; however, there were rough times at the start, which got ironed out by the friends they made.

"Leo," she said and grabbed hold of his hand, her son reciprocating it, "I was thinking. Since you won't be here, I applied for a job at I-Island as a Quirk Researcher. Fortunately, I got accepted. But what are your thoughts on the matter?"

The news blindsided Leo, but he was only happy for his mom! Standing up, he immediately hugged her frame and spun her around, "Haha! Mom! That's great news! Of course, I support your decision. For me to want you to stay here would be selfish of me."

Hearing his words, Lucy reciprocated the hug from her son. Ending their sweet moment, "But... we have to break this to the McKenzies. We can't just up and leave without saying anything," Leo frowned, expressing his concern.

Slapping his shoulder, Lucy barked, "Do you genuinely think I would just leave without a word? I have raised you better to think so low of your mother," resting her hands on her hips.

Raising his hand in defense, "And I thought of no such thing, haha! But... Siren would surely cry from this. I mean, she's already been hogging my entire time, which I love," his smile laced in bitterness.

Raising her brow, Lucy prodded, "Oh~ Did the friendship finally develop into young love? Has puberty finally struck?" she jested with wiggling eyebrows.

With a flat face but slightly pinked cheeks at the thought, "*Sigh* No, mom. We grew up to see each other as siblings, nothing more, I swear," waving the question away, "plus, she would probably hurl at the thought, you know how she jokes."

"Sigh," Lucy defeated, "Son, all I'm saying is if you bring home a girl, make sure she's bright as the sun and not faking it like the moon. You get what I mean?" she finished with an advise.

Leo could only shake his head, "You know, you and dad have a way with words. Has anyone ever told you that?"

A smirk was all he received.

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At the McKenzie household, a melody and a tune were played in perfect harmony. Leo played the keys of the piano while Siren used the gift of her voice.

One started out as a saddened child but was aided through things by the piano, while the other was trapped by her quirked voice, now able to speak and sing to her loved ones.

Both had struggles growing up, yet found something to help each other with.

As Leo played to the melody, he couldn't help but reminisce about their arrival in the U.S. Everything was just confusion around those times. Now, he couldn't help but feel blessed.

He was in the zone, key after key, and Siren felt it.

'As long as they are around... I will get through this goal of mine,' he continued to press and press onto the keyboard while in thought. 'When the Hunter takes too long to hunt, they fail to realize the prey becomes a Hunter too...'

Soon after, the duo ended their little performance for the two families and began chowing down with content smeared on their faces.

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Portland International Jetport, Maine

Well, three people with sobbing tears stood with an awkward young teen. Evident from his body language, he didn't know how to console them. Patting them on the back and hugging them tightly was all he knew. And hug and pat he did!

After the two adults said their wishes to Leo, all that was left was Siren.

Leo wiped her tears away softly, coddling her like a little sister. "Look at you; the same girl that boys swoon over is crying like a baby!" He teased with a mocked grin, trying to ease her feelings.

This, at least, got her to smile. "Tsk! You promise you'll come back~?" she asked worriedly. Afraid that Leo would forget her once he becomes busy.

Placing his large hands on her shoulders, he only realized that she had a much smaller frame than he had imagined. "Look... Siren, I promise to come back. Maine will always be my home. You being there is enough reason to go back."

Squinting her eyes unassured,, "Okay, but as assurance, I get to do this~!" And slowly, she pressed her virgin lips onto Leo's. Stunning both mothers who didn't expect such a thing, even Leo!

After a second or maybe three... they separated. "I read on the internet that if you kiss a friend, they will surely come back in the future. So, remember, come back~!"

Still, in bewilderment, all Leo could reply was, "Don't believe everything on the internet!" As he grabbed both her cheeks and pulled. "O.W. ~! LEWT GEW~!"

After some bickering, the two went their ways, one to the terminal while the other went back to two stunned mothers.

'My first kiss was stolen because of an internet read... that Siren!'

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Meanwhile, with Siren.

"SIREN, DEAR! WHAT WAS THAT!?"

"HUN, WHY ONLY NOW!?"

Siren could only stare confusedly, "What?" she asked with raised hands, "You and dad do it; the internet says to do it, so why shouldn't I do it for my brother, who's leaving?" No hint of lies, blushing, just pure confusion at their questions.

Oh, the innocence raged strong.

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After several hours, a teen could be seen walking out of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport with luggage in tow.

In a new place, he naturally looked around, and people of all colors (literally) walked in and out of the airport entrance. There was even a guy with a pale octopus for a head; talk about quirky!

But him staring too much garnered the recipient's attention and glared at Leo, making Leo remember that what he did was rude. He mouthed an apology and walked away, not wanting any trouble.

With a height of 6ft, he wasn't seen as a thirteen-year-old kid unless he were to introduce himself as so. And if one were to observe his features, he didn't have a speck of shaved facial hair, only baby, highlighting his youth.

Taking a deep breath of fresh air, he noticed that it smelled vastly different from Maine. In Maine, it smelled like a waft of the ocean if he was at his home since it was a house by the shore. But around his school? It smells like pines and blueberries, considering all the pine trees and whatnot.

But here in D.C.? It smells like a planty smell... but musky (Weed)? Unknown to him, this is apparently the smell of D.C. during the summer seasons. However, it still beats New Yorks City's garbage odor by miles.

When he was just about to line up for a taxi, his phone buzzed wrapped on his wrist, a gift from Puter when he found out Leo applied for SHIELD Academy. The phone was highly flexible and thin. Hell, its feature was to be strapped around the wrist.

Puter didn't make it. Oh no, he stole blueprints from various phone companies, merged them, and even programmed it himself, stating that nothing but him could hack his phone.

Answering the phone, the Bluetooth earpieces on both ears sounded a voice, one so familiar. "Is that the little Lad from three yers' ago? Haha! You've grown massive!" Who else calls him Lad but Talos?

"Old man!?" he blurted, swiveling his head around, trying to see if he could spot him from among the crowd. Next, he heard a grizzled laugh, "Haha! Lad, if ya could spot a shapeshifter, then hats off to you."

"Anyhow, bring yer luggage at the fifth cab parked; that's me over there," following Talos' instructions, Leo spotted a man waving from the driver's seat.

Leo glanced at the 'familiar' face and rushed to the cab. With the windows rolled down, Leo asked for assurance. "Just makin' sure, you're the Old Man Talos, right?" With a small plea to the Heavens, the teen hoped this wasn't a stranger.

When the red-haired man with small black front horns didn't respond, Leo was about to apologize but not before the person broke into a mad cackle.

"HAHA!" Talos laughed, "Huh~ Fuckin' with people is always the best!" He looked Leo in the face and gestured to come in. "Put yer things in the back and hop in, Lad!"

Without a minute to lose, he did so with gusto!

Entering the front seat, Leo couldn't help but ask, "So... how didja know about me being in D.C.? I'm pretty sure I didn't spread the word around," his voice laced with interest.

Talos waited to answer, but he chose to drive off first, "Well, yer mom called me in and asked if I had the time to look after yer behind," he said with a smile, remembering the call.

"Really? Well, that's neat. I was just planning to go directly to the Hotel mom booked for me and call in room service for food and stuff," Leo expressed his supposed plan. But that's in the drain now.

The elder, still in his earlier form, looked at Leo incredulously. "Lad, the moment yer mother leaves you to fend for yerself is the moment Hell freezes over."

With a moment to reflect, Leo agreed. He has never been too far away from his mother, only now. "I suppose so," agreeing to the elder's comment.

"Oh, and another thing, that hotel yer mom booked was a spare. On the off chance that I had an emergency that would make me unable to pick you up."

'Hmm, mom really patched every hole that could appear,' his cheeks warmed up at the thought.

"Then, where are we going to stay?" Leo asked, guessing any other hotel that he browsed with his mother.

"All you got to know is that... shit's tight," his small phrase at the end caught Leo for a loop, "You said a curse word?"

Talos couldn't help but chuckle, "Kid, moments like these remind me you ain't eighteen with that height of yours, and your mom raised you a bit too right, HAHA!"

"Wha? No! I mean, what's up with the word? You never used such language before. Why now?" Leo said, palming his face with scrunched red cheeks. 'God! I sounded like an innocent goody two shoes a minute ago!'

"You need some boy roughness in ya, Lad! Anyway, I can't curse in front yer' mother. She'd prolly wrangle my ass for speaking this way to ya, HAHA!" His rough grizzled voice sounded, "So, don't tattle tail, got it?"

Leo could only shake his head.

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Days passed, and it was the day of the exam. He was in his luxurious hotel room that Puter provided(hacked) for them, watching the T.V. while bath robed.

The T.V. broadcasted the news, armies of reporters stationed at the entrance to SHIELD Academy trying to gain an interview for any applicants that could spare their time.

Although an army, the reporters seemed tame. They didn't try and hound test takers, a weird observation Leo made. Usually or always the case, the more reporters there were, the braver they got.

Making final checks like papers, he reached for a metallic briefcase with a note attached.

[A gift from the McKenzie Family.]

Chuckling at the short message, knowing it was Siren's father who wrote it. He is a man of few words but still expresses his love for his family in his own ways.

Opening the case only now since Siren said it would be a surprise and best opened on the day itself. And what Leo saw was a rather black and heavy form-fitting bodysuit. Well, heavy for clothing.

Seeing another note inside, he picked it up and read it. [Whenever you use your quirk to the max, your clothes get ripped, and my daughter's eyes scarred. Hence, this bodysuit was tailor-made for you. It's stretchy and durable but meets the Academy's exam price limit for specialized clothing. Good Luck.]

Excited, he dressed the suit on with glee. Looking at the mirror, there was no excess or tightness, genuinely tailor-made.

Wanting to stress test it, he flexed his sleeping quirk. The golden markings on his body roared to life, and his relaxed muscles bulked slightly and hardened, filling the bodysuit even more.

"No ripped stitches?" he questioned, inspecting himself. After all, buck naked in the exam would be humiliating. And no one deserves a 6ft teen barreling at them with jingle balls flopping around.

Impressed and satisfied, he layered his casual clothes over it. An oversized hoody for simplicity and sweatpants, accompanied with a sports shoe.

Ready and set, he goes to the exam.

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CHEERS!