Lunch

This is Carly. She is a normal student in her daily life and a Ringmaster in her job life. She is only 17 and already looking like the next best thing, or at least that's how it looks on paper.She was only 4 years old when her mom and dad separated. The memories of their fights were vivid in her mind, the loud arguments and harsh words echoing through her childhood home."ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?! We had to get this done by today and you still haven't got it done!" her dad shouted one evening. Carly was playing with her toys in the living room, the raised voices pulling her attention away."I didn't have time," her mom, Paulie, retorted. "I needed to take care of little Carly and check on some things.""You're a Ringmaster for Christ's sake! How can you miss out on paying bills when you earn in the hundreds of thousands?!" her dad, Joe, countered, his face red with anger."Joe, I just missed the date by one day. I will pay it today," Paulie replied, trying to remain calm."Oh really? How am I supposed to do my job when we haven't had our bills paid?" Joe said, frustration seeping into his every word."If you're going to be so cranky about it, why don't you pay it, Joe?" Paulie snapped back."I am busy, Paulie! Can't you see? Unlike you, I have to work day and night," Joe responded, his voice dripping with sarcasm."Oh really? I am here busting my ass, fighting Undergrounders every day, and you want to talk about working day and night while you just keep your ass stuck to a chair?!" Paulie's voice was rising, her patience thinning.Their fights were a constant background noise in Carly's life. She remembered another instance vividly. It was late at night, and she was supposed to be asleep. Instead, she lay awake, listening to the argument brewing in the kitchen."You spent all that money on what? More weapons? More gear? What about our family, Paulie?" Joe's voice was loud, filled with resentment."I'm doing what I need to protect us, Joe. You think it's easy out there? You think I don't want to spend more time with Carly?" Paulie shot back."You're never here! You're always out, fighting or whatever it is you do, leaving me to pick up the pieces," Joe replied, his voice breaking slightly."Don't you dare make it seem like I don't care about our family," Paulie hissed. "I am doing this for us. For Carly.""Well, maybe Carly needs a mom more than she needs a superhero," Joe said coldly.These words stung Carly deeply, embedding themselves in her young mind. She started to see her mom as the reason for their broken family. Every argument, every fight, added fuel to the growing resentment she felt towards Paulie.On another occasion, Carly had come home from school, excited to share her day with her parents. But as she opened the door, she was met with the sight of her mom and dad standing in the hallway, faces inches apart, their voices raised in anger."You think you can just come and go as you please? That's not how a family works, Paulie!" Joe yelled."I'm doing my best, Joe! You think I don't feel guilty every time I leave? You think I don't wish things were different?" Paulie's eyes were filled with tears, but her voice was still strong."Your best isn't good enough. Carly deserves better. I deserve better," Joe said, his voice full of finality.Carly stood there, her small frame trembling, tears streaming down her face. She watched as her mom tried to reach out to her, but she recoiled, running to her dad instead. Joe scooped her up, holding her close as Paulie watched, her face a mask of pain and regret.From that moment, Carly's feelings towards her mom hardened. She saw her as the reason for all their troubles, the cause of her dad's sadness and their family's breakdown. The bitterness took root and grew, shaping her perception of Paulie and their strained relationship.The separation was inevitable. Paulie moved out, and Carly stayed with her dad. Every visit with her mom was strained, filled with awkward silences and forced smiles. Carly couldn't let go of the anger she felt, the sense of betrayal that her mom's career as a Ringmaster had taken precedence over their family.Even as she grew older and followed in her mom's footsteps, becoming a Ringmaster herself, the resentment lingered. She couldn't forget the arguments, the pain, and the sense of abandonment. And so, Carly harbored a deep-seated hatred towards her mom, a wound that time had yet to heal.At the headquarters' entrance, Arata walks past Paulie, who is at the reception. "Hey, Arata!" Paulie calls out."Yeah?" Arata asks, stopping."Can you get this lunch to Carly? Don't tell her I made it, just tell her that you got it, alright?" Paulie asks, handing him a lunchbox.Arata nods, "Sure." As he walks out, Paulie watches him go, smiling wistfully. "Boy, I wish the girl is alright," she murmurs to herself.At school, Carly's mind wanders, feeling the weight of the day's monotony. Suddenly, the sound of heavy armor reverberates through the class. Her classmates buzz with excitement. "Yo, is that a Ringmaster?" one student says, eyeing the figure in reddish armor carrying a book."He looks like one," another student agrees. Carly's eyes widen in disbelief as she recognizes the figure. "No fucking way…" she mutters, her heart racing."Hello, students. I am your new homeroom teacher, Uriel Uriel. Nice to meet you all!" Uriel announces, standing tall in his suit and pants over the armor."You have to be shitting me, dude… An Undergrounder as my homeroom teacher? What the actual fuck?!" Carly struggles to contain her emotions, her hands trembling slightly."No fucking way…WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, URIEL?!" Carly's shock erupts into anger."Correct, that is my name, and that's Professor Uriel to you," Uriel corrects her calmly."Are you shitting me? What are you planning?" Carly's voice rises as she reaches for her ring, a desperate attempt to transform and confront him. "Transform, Vulture!" But nothing happens."What?" Carly looks confused, her face flushed with frustration."Transformation at schools and colleges not allowed," a message plays over the intercom."No way…" Carly whispers, her disbelief turning into helplessness. The students around her snicker and mock her. "Look at her thinking she can transform."Uriel steps in, "Now, now, not everyone can be a Ringmaster and not everyone is a monster. I am here to teach literature." His calm demeanor contrasts sharply with Carly's turmoil.Carly sits down, feeling defeated and humiliated. She watches Uriel begin his lesson, her mind a swirl of confusion and anger. "What sort of shitty mess is this," she mutters under her breath, holding her head in her hands, trying to make sense of the chaos around her.Arata reaches the school at the perfect time for lunch. As he enters the cafeteria, heads turn, and whispers spread like wildfire. It's almost as if a celebrity has walked in. Students glance up from their trays, admiring his presence. He spots Elio and Carly sitting together and smiles warmly, heading toward them with a purposeful stride."Yo, sorry I was a bit late. I brought some extra lunch if you guys want?" Arata asks, his voice cheerful.Elio looks up from his meal, a homemade lunch meticulously prepared by Lila. "You really are going overboard with your spendings," Elio remarks, taking a bite of his food. Beside him, Carly is eating the lunch she made for herself, each bite methodical, her mind still reeling from the morning's events.Without giving much of a hint about Paulie's lunch, Arata smoothly places the plastic bag in the middle of the table, between Elio's and Carly's meals. Inside the bag, there's a carefully packed bento box, with compartments holding an assortment of delicious-looking food: rice balls with savory fillings, colorful pickled vegetables, tender pieces of teriyaki chicken, and a small section of fresh fruit slices.Carly glances at the bag curiously but doesn't say anything. Elio continues eating, occasionally glancing at Arata with mild amusement. The aroma from the bento box starts to mix with the other scents in the cafeteria, creating a tempting blend that catches the attention of nearby students."Excuse me, sir, can I know who you are?" A staff member approaches Arata, his expression a mix of curiosity and authority."Oh, I am here to deliver their lunches," Arata responds, maintaining a polite smile."Have you done so?" the staff member asks, eyeing the table.Arata nods, still smiling. "Yes, I have.""Alright, I will have you leave the premises now, sir," the staff member says, his tone firm but not unkind.Arata nods again, offering a friendly wave to Elio and Carly. "Enjoy your lunch, guys," he says before turning to leave. He walks away with a confident stride, his presence lingering even as he exits the cafeteria. The staff member follows him, ensuring he leaves as per the rules."He's a good guy," Elio says, his voice sincere."Yeah, but he is very immature in terms of combat," Carly responds, a hint of frustration in her tone as she finishes the last bite of her homemade lunch.Elio looks at her, puzzled. "What makes you say that? Didn't you tell me after I joined that when you first arrived, you saw him fight Sir Alex and he went toe-to-toe with him?"Carly sighs, placing her fork down and looking thoughtfully at the table. "It feels like that Arata and this Arata are quite different," she says slowly. "He was very calm and collected, and he's shown in some instances that he can be really good at something if he puts his mind to it. Like the time when he fought Gilbert, or when our team was breaking up, and he fixed it by searching for you."She reaches for the plastic bag and pulls out the lunch Arata had brought, unwrapping it carefully. The sight of the neatly packed bento box momentarily distracts her, and she smiles slightly at the thoughtfulness behind it. She picks up a piece of teriyaki chicken with her chopsticks and takes a bite, savoring the flavor before continuing."But at the same time, there have been so many times when he failed to really leave an impact. Like when fighting Uriel, Butter, or even the Vampire bat," Carly says, her expression growing serious again. "It makes me think he just passed on a fluke."Elio watches her, a thoughtful look on his face. "What about you? You also passed because you followed Arata, right?"Carly shakes her head, chewing on a piece of rice thoughtfully. "No, even if I didn't. I have a feeling my mom would have pulled some strings from the background."Elio nods, understanding dawning on his face. "Just like my dad."Carly looks at him, confused. "What?""My dad is Jeremy Taylor from Squad A. He works closely with the commanders and is one of the best Ringmasters there ever was, is, and will be," Elio explains, his voice filled with a mix of pride and resignation. "I'm just a regular researcher. I wanted to follow in my dad's footsteps, but I didn't have the courage… My sister, though, she's doing fine."He smiles, thinking about how Lila transformed into the Eel Ringmaster. Carly smiles back, recognizing the pride in his eyes. "Crazy how both of us have someone connected inside Hex," she says, her tone lighter."I know, right? I feel bad for Arata… More bad performances and he might be stripped of being a Ringmaster," Carly says, her face falling into a sad expression.Elio looks down at his tray, his appetite waning as he thinks about their friend. "Yeah, it's tough," he says softly."You students think too much," Uriel says, his voice cutting through the heavy atmosphere. Carly and Elio both jump, their heads snapping towards him in surprise."When the hell… did you appear?" Elio asks, his eyes wide with shock."Been here for some time," Uriel replies nonchalantly, casually eating from a lunchbox that seems to have materialized out of nowhere. Carly and Elio exchange bewildered glances, each wondering the same thing."How the hell does he even eat?" Elio mutters, staring at Uriel in disbelief. Even as the narrator, I find myself sharing the same perplexity.Uriel's presence feels oddly unsettling, his calm demeanor contrasting sharply with the tense emotions that had filled the cafeteria moments before. Carly watches him warily, her earlier frustration now mingling with confusion. She takes another bite of her lunch, chewing slowly as she tries to process the bizarre situation."We should have told Arata about this problem," Elio adds, his voice low as he leans closer to Carly."Oh yeah, he would have relayed the message to Sir Alex," Carly agrees, nodding thoughtfully. She fiddles with the chopsticks in her hand, tapping them lightly against her lunchbox as she contemplates their next move. The idea of informing Arata brings a small measure of comfort, a potential solution to the oddity of having an Undergrounder as their homeroom teacher.Uriel, meanwhile, seems utterly unfazed by their discussion. He takes another bite of his meal, his eyes flicking between Carly and Elio with an unreadable expression. The students around them continue to whisper and point, their curiosity and fear palpable.Carly feels a mix of annoyance and determination bubbling up inside her. She had always prided herself on her composure, but Uriel's unexpected presence was testing her limits. She glances at Elio, who is still watching Uriel with a mix of suspicion and intrigue."I just don't get it," Carly whispers, more to herself than to Elio. "What's his game?"Elio shrugs, a helpless gesture. "Maybe he's here to keep an eye on us. Or maybe it's something else entirely.""Sorry, kids, I am not looking for a fight. I am just looking for a ring." Uriel speaks while eating, a sound that oddly conveys a smile despite the mysterious nature of how he manages to eat or talk through his visor. "Now, if you didn't know, there was another candidate who passed when he was only 14.""What?" Carly looks baffled, her brow furrowing in confusion."Well, there's a reason why no one chose him, even though he has The Ring of Bull," Uriel continues."The Ring of Bull…" Elio muses, his mind working to recall the information. "It's a modern ring, I believe it comes from India.""That's right. The Indian research team created that ring, giving it serious powers," Uriel confirms. "And the person who wields it—or rather, has it—is..." Uriel's gaze shifts behind them.At the back of the cafeteria, a skinny nerd sits alone, his posture hunched and his glasses slipping down his nose. His hair is unkempt, and he wears a slightly oversized uniform that seems to swallow his thin frame. His eyes dart nervously around, a constant state of alertness that suggests he's used to being bullied."Oye, get your ass up, right now! That's my seat!" a loud, rough voice echoes through the cafeteria. The speaker is a tall, muscular delinquent with a scowl permanently etched on his face. His uniform is disheveled, tie loose, and shirt untucked. A smirk plays on his lips as he towers over the nerd."But…I…" the nerd stammers, adjusting his glasses in a futile attempt to appear brave."I said, THAT IS MY SEAT!" the delinquent roars, grabbing the nerd by the collar and yanking him out of his chair. The force nearly knocks the glasses off the nerd's face, but he manages to catch them just in time. His hands shake as he fixes his glasses, his face flushed with a mix of fear and anger.The delinquent sneers, throwing the nerd to the side. "Pathetic," he mutters, dropping into the now-empty seat.The nerd, however, doesn't retreat entirely. He stands up, his back straightening as a spark of defiance lights in his eyes. His hands clench into fists at his sides, and for a moment, it looks like he might fight back. But then, his shoulders slump in resignation. With one last glare at the delinquent, he adjusts his glasses again and quietly moves to find another seat.Carly watches the interaction with a mix of pity and frustration. Her fists tighten around her chopsticks, the sight of the bullying stirring a deep anger within her. Elio, too, looks on with a furrowed brow, clearly disturbed by the scene.Uriel, meanwhile, continues to eat calmly, his eyes gleaming with interest as he observes the cafeteria drama unfold. "The person who has the Ring of Bull," he says, a slight chuckle in his voice, "is our friend over there. Quite the character, don't you think?""That nerd, because he is such a pussy, the ring doesn't really help him. The Ring of Bull needs someone who can step up and not be a pussy," Uriel says, his voice dripping with disdain as he takes another bite of his mysterious lunch. "Now, I just need one more ring, and I'm thinking Ring of Bull."Carly's jaw tightens, her eyes narrowing at Uriel's casual cruelty. Elio's face hardens, a mix of confusion and anger brewing behind his calm facade. They both sit tensely, waiting for Uriel to continue."Why are you telling all this to us? What advantage do you get?" Elio asks, his voice edged with suspicion.Uriel chuckles, the sound muffled but still menacing. "Well, you know how we are not much of a threat to Hex?""What about it?" Carly asks, her fingers drumming nervously on the table, her mind racing with possibilities."That's the same way you guys are not a big threat to us. You guys can fight us millions of times, and you will still fail. The only one capable of winning against at least one of us is Lion," Uriel says, standing up and brushing crumbs off his suit.Carly's eyes flash with defiance, a surge of determination rising within her. Elio shifts uncomfortably in his seat, his mind replaying every failed battle, every time they fell short. He clenches his fists, the memory of their struggles fueling his resolve."But even he is scared to fight," Uriel continues, his tone almost pitying. He takes a step back, his presence looming over them, a constant reminder of their inadequacies. Carly's heart pounds in her chest, anger and frustration bubbling to the surface. Elio, too, feels a burning resolve, a need to prove their worth, to show Uriel they are not as weak as he believes.Uriel turns on his heel, walking away with a confident stride, leaving Carly and Elio in stunned silence. They exchange a glance, both feeling a mixture of fear and determination. The weight of Uriel's words hangs heavy in the air, a challenge they cannot ignore.Carly grips the edge of the table, her knuckles white with tension. "We can't let him get away with this," she mutters, her voice trembling with anger.Elio nods, his eyes dark with resolve. "We need to find a way to fight back. We need to get stronger."Uriel's figure disappears into the crowd, leaving behind a sense of foreboding and uncertainty. Carly and Elio sit in silence, the enormity of their task sinking in. They know they have a long way to go.In a sunlit alleyway, the bright afternoon light cast stark shadows, contrasting the scene's intensity. The nerd stood defiantly, his once timid demeanor replaced by fierce determination. His glasses glinted in the daylight, and his disheveled hair fell over his eyes, which now burned with fiery intensity. "I will take you down, Dan! It doesn't matter what happens!" he shouted, his voice echoing off the alley's brick walls. Suddenly, a dark energy portal swirled open behind him, casting an eerie glow even in the broad daylight. From the portal emerged a shadowy figure, its presence both commanding and sinister. The nerd's heart raced as he turned to face this unknown entity, his fear mingling with desperate hope. "Do you want power, boy?" the Undergrounder's heavy voice resonated through the alley, sending a shiver down the nerd's spine despite the warmth of the sun. The nerd's breath hitched, his mind racing with thoughts of revenge and redemption. "Will you… give me power?" he asked, his voice trembling but resolute. "Indeed!" the Undergrounder declared. A thick, twisted branch shot out from the portal, piercing the nerd's heart. He gasped, his eyes widening in shock and pain as the transformation began. His body convulsed, his skin darkening and hardening like the bark of a tree. Three eyes emerged on his face, glowing with malevolent light. His mouth elongated, teeth sharpening into rows of deadly, shark-like fangs. His entire body became covered in spiky, cactus-like protrusions, exuding a palpable aura of danger. "I WILL KILL YOU, DAN! YOU ARE MINE!" the newly transformed Undergrounder screamed, his voice now a guttural roar filled with rage and unrestrained power. His transformation complete, he stood in the sunlight, a monstrous figure driven by vengeance and fueled by the dark power bestowed upon him and a ring that fell in the school's alleyway. The Ring of Bull…