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[h1][color=9e0039]𝓤𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰, 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮 & 𝓗𝓪𝓽𝓮[/color][/h1]
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[hider=Chapter VII: Power & Confidence]
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[img]http://i.imgur.com/Fb1UXSA.png[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/FWMorlL.png[/img]
[h2][color=9e0039]Angélique[/color] | [color=00a99d]Ernest[/color][/h2]
[color=silver][hr]𝕊𝕖𝕡𝕥. 𝟙𝟝, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘   / /   𝕃𝕒 ℙ𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕒, 𝕄𝕒𝕣𝕪𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕   / /   ℍ𝕠𝕤𝕡𝕚𝕥𝕒𝕝  / /   𝟘𝟠𝟘𝟘
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[sub]Collab with [@banjoanjo][/sub]
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Ernie stood outside the doors of the hospital, bracing himself for his visit to Cal. His weapon of choice, a canvas bag filled with assorted convenience store goods. His armor, a beanie covering his buzzcut scalp and a cheap scarf to hide his mark. Hopefully they would be effective enough conversation starters, distractions to keep him from breaching that forbidden topic. He eyed the guards and roaming nurses warily as he stepped into the lobby.

First thing to do was find to someone for Cal's room number. But who to ask?

His saving grace came in the form of Angelique making her way out from the hospital. He jogged to her without thinking too much about it. [color 00a99d]"Hey, Angelique!"[/color]

The growling in Angel’s stomach just wouldn’t stop. Ever since she woke up this morning and went to train with Brent in the early hours of the morning, she was hungry from the lack of proper feeding ever since yesterday morning.
 
Not intending to eat the crappy kind of food hospital cafeteria usually serves, Angélique wondered if she could find her classmates somewhere in town and ask them if they had suggestions for a place to eat breakfast.
 
As the elevators doors opened, the raven-haired Aberration left quickly, but was soon to be intercepted by what seemed to be Ernie’s voice. But his appearance seemed to have changed… greatly. Unless her light-blindness really was pulling tricks on her.
 
[color=9e0039]“Ernie? What have you done to your hair?”[/color]

The boy blushed, suddenly self-conscious. It didn't look that bad did it? He stepped back from Angelique's squint.

[color 00a99d]"Um, I cut it?"[/color] Ernie replied tentatively, [color 00a99d]"Wisford messed it up pretty badly."[/color]

It felt stupid to be complaining about his hair when Angelique had suffered so much worse than him. He looked at her again, faintly surprised to see no lingering scars or injuries on her face. Thank god her only treatment wasn't his mess of bandaids.

[color 00a99d]"Your face is okay."[/color]

[color=9e0039]"Yeah, it is. Thanks to Christmas once more. I swear, I don’t know what we would be doing without him. I’m… just mad he gets treated like a walking healing blood dispenser here. But the institute is allowing it, and we can’t just go against their orders.”[/color]
 
Angel paused, her eyes narrowing as she tried to take a closer look upon Ernest’s new haircut, or at least the beanie he was wearing.
 
[color=9e0039]“You know, it doesn’t look half-bad. Gives you that street punk look. In fact, I think it looks cool? Build some more muscles and get some tattoos to complete the look."[/color] the raven-haired singer chuckled.

[color 00a99d]"Really?"[/color] Ernie lit up instantly. He never thought that Angelique Lachance of all people would compliment him. He was probably grinning like an idiot now but he couldn't seem to care, [color 00a99d]"Thanks, I'll take that into account. Hell, maybe I'll ask Brent for workout tips!"[/color]

Ernie held his tongue at the mention of Christmas' powers being used. To him, it seemed like the most sensible method of using that power. But he wasn't looking to start a fight here.

[color 00a99d]"So where you off to? Nowhere too wild, hopefully? The news guys haven't budged since last night so it's kinda hard to get around town."[/color]

Angel’s jaw dropped at the mention of media coverage going around town. Fuck, what if her face was caught on camera and people now knew her whereabouts? By now, anyone following her would know she was incarcerated in USARILN. She hoped the fandom would die down with what happened in Montréal and she would stop worrying about her public image. But the opposite actually happened. A lot of Regulars had turned their back on her, but now that a popular personality had become a Subnatural, activists that had been agreeing to her earlier stance on Subnaturals and more of them, both Arbiters and Aberrations that could relate to her, began surging on social media and express their idolization for the fallen Aberration rockstar.
 
This whole thing made her feel uneasy. But since Ernest seemed to know a bit more about this town than her, maybe he could guide her around without raising suspicion. 
 
[color=9e0039]“Well, you just happened to appear at the right moment. I was thinking of finding one of you guys. I’m dying to eat something, but I literally have no idea where to head to.”[/color] Angel explained while she was tying her hair into a ponytail and brushing her signature long bangs behind her ears. 
 
She wasn’t exactly clothed the way she used to be, and wasn’t wearing her shades for once, much to her dismay. Maybe the cameras won’t recognize her if she changed her hairstyle too during her stay in town.

Breakfast, huh? That would be a fine way to delay his visit. It only occurred after he said it that former celebrity would have the most trouble with the press out of everyone in the class. But the thought of having breakfast with a rockstar quickly overshadowed his doubts. He was determined to make this fun for both of them.

[color 00a99d]"The most obvious place to avoid is the motel. You wouldn't believe how hard it was to get out of there last night,"[/color] Ernie scratched his head, formulating a plan, [color 00a99d]"Looks like most of them don't have the guts to enter the hospital, though. Or maybe they just don't know that some of us are here."[/color]

If he'd known that this would be happening he would have brought another scarf.

[color 00a99d]"Do you want to eat here instead? I could just get some stuff from the surrounding stores and bring 'em back to the hospital."[/color]

Angel looked hesitant to Ernest’s proposal. Part of her didn’t want to try her luck and come face to face with the media. But she really wanted to eat somewhere else than in the hospital. Actually, she probably had enough of being in that hospital. She wanted to be somewhere else. A quiet place she could spend the rest of their days in La Plata in peace.
 
She really was torn apart there. In that case, there was only one thing to do…
 
[color=9e0039]“Eeeeh… I really don’t know. Tell you what. You call the shots this morning.”[/color]

[color 00a99d]"Oh, me?"[/color] he swiped sheepishly at his nose, sniffling slightly from the cold air. He could understand if she wasn't keen on the idea of eating at the hospital, with the guards and chemical smells constantly wafting about. The stench of disinfectant was nothing he wasn't used to, but he supposed that Angelique didn't feel the same way. He looked out the doors a brief moment before turning back to the singer with a smile.

[color 00a99d]"I might take a while. Hold this for me, will you?"[/color] he said, handing his giftbag to Angel before running out.

Angel slowly nodded as she held onto Ernie's bag, tilting her head slightly in curiosity as she watched the teenage Aberration leave the hospital. While Ernie was gone, the young woman mostly kept to herself and took a seat in the corner of the room, adjusting her leather choker. She wondered if that thing was still good enough to hide her mark?

Fifteen minutes later, he returned, one hand holding a plastic bag overladen with wrapped goods, the other carrying a cardboard cup holder with four different drinks sitting in the spaces. A second scarf was hanging from his neck, which he promptly draped over Angel's shoulders as soon as he set down the food. He left the girl to wrap her own scarf though.

[color 00a99d]"I found a nice place nearby, follow me."[/color]

A soft smile crept on Angelique's face with the proposal and what he gave to her. The scarf was just about perfect to complete the disguise. She draped it around her neck and the lower part of her face, stopping just under her nose.

The place in question was a gazebo behind the church, a quiet place to sit that was a fair distance from the footpath. With the distance and the scarves in the way, it was highly unlikely that any passersby would see their X-marks.

[color 00a99d]"The cold might be a problem but, well, you're Canadian so I'm hoping it'll be okay for you,"[/color] Ernie made small talk as he unwrapped one of the burgers he'd gotten from the nearby diner. The morning sky was cloudy and bright, but the chilliness was manageable. Distant cars and neighbourly conversations could be heard from where they were sitting.

[color=9e0039]"Ha, don't worry about that. I've always enjoyed the autumn's breeze. I find it... refreshing. It's quite moderate when compared to the heat of summers and the chill of winters. I kind of like autumns and springs for that."[/color] Angel chuckled slightly as she unwrapped one burger. 
 
Been a while she did not have this much junk food. Yesterday was fried chicken for late night dinner, today is burgers for breakfast. At least she could count on Brent's hellish training to burn off the fat.
 
The black-haired Aberration paused between two bites, swallowing her mouthful of food before turning her black circles-ridden eyes towards Ernest.
 
[color=9e0039]"Thank you Ernie, for helping out."[/color] she said, for the first time using the guy's nickname.

[color 00a99d]"Yeah, fall is a neat season. This town is pretty nice too."[/color] Unlike its residents.

Ernie felt his spirits lift when Angelique finally used the nickname. He would've eventually asked her to do so anyway, just because of that weird feeling he got when someone called him his proper name. It was a superficial thing to dwell on, but it was definitely more comfortable to leave all traces of his past behind. Even if it was just a name.

[color 00a99d]"It's no problem, really. I want to hang out with you,"[/color] Ernie chuckled into his burger, [color 00a99d]"But it really should be me thanking you. For yesterday. I might not be even sitting here if you hadn't been there."[/color]

[color=9e0039]"Oh..."[/color]
 
Angel didn't expect the small talk to suddenly shift to what happened yesterday. As a matter of fact, she tried to not talk too much about it, especially about the part when Hazel lost it and started attacking her own teammates.
 
[color=9e0039]"You don't need to thank me. You guys shouldn't have been involved in this mess. I made a bad decision that time. It's only right that I should try and make up for the things I do wrong."[/color]
 
Angel lowered her burger, a bitter expression slowly crawling out from her fading smile.
 
[color=9e0039]"I'm sorry to have you two exposing yourselves to danger like this. And for getting you caught in my power's range. I... guess I still need to train on that control thing, huh?"[/color]

[color 00a99d]"No! No, you can't blame yourself. I should've waited for you guys to take out the second collector instead of rushing out with Christmas. And it wasn't your fault that Hazel..."[/color]

It was his fault. They might have had a chance to sneak away if he hadn't lost it and drawn that monster's attention with panicked gunshots.

[color 00a99d]"I mean, at least you weren't actively trying to kill us. I can get over a few scrapes if it means you saving my life. Control will come with experience. And I know you can do it."[/color]

A thoughtless steadfastness. His half-blind adoration had pushed the words out before his experience-tinged cynicism could stop them.

Angel was taken aback, slightly startled as Ernest abrupt negative answer shook her out of this self-blaming cycle. His words held some truth to it, and she was thankful of him being so kind to her, even though she could not completely shift off the weight of her responsability from her shoulders. 

[color=9e0039]"T-thanks for believing in me. I... appreciate it."[/color]

It somewhat felt good to have someone who wanted to believe in her and encourage her. Sort of like Brent, even though his approach had been way more direct and harsh. But still, to be surrounded by people believing in her strength, even though she was still lacking, it brought more conviction into becoming stronger.

The uneasiness of the whole event just called for a change of subject.

[color=9e0039]"So... where were you heading with those bags inside the hospital in the first place? Wanted to deliver something to someone in particular?"[/color]

Angel tried to shy away from the discussion about yesterday's battle, wanting to focus on something else more enjoyable happening at the present time. 

Ernie nodded, accepting the sudden subject change. He wasn't keen on talking about the battle either.

[color 00a99d]"Uh, yeah, I was meaning to visit Cal. I should've done it last night but..."[/color]

He still didn't know if he needed to be afraid of her. Ernie shrugged.

[color 00a99d]"I didn't really know what to get her, so I just got a bit of everything. Do you think she'll like it?"[/color]

[color=9e0039]“I know it’ll sound corny as hell, but I think it’s the thought that matters. I’m sure she’ll appreciate the gesture.”[/color]
 
Memories of yesterday evening replayed in her head; of the moment she went to visit Callan in her hospital room. A lingering sadness that was difficult to watch.
 
[color=9e0039]“She’s… quite down from what happened yesterday. I think she needs emotional support from her friends.”[/color]

[color 00a99d]"Emotional support?"[/color] Ernie repeated, taking another bite from his burger. Him, actually going good with his words? He laughed at the notion, [color 00a99d]"I don't think I'm the right guy for that. My words have never really... helped."[/color]

[color=9e0039]“It doesn’t have to be with words though. Just going to check up on her, making sure she’s alright and bringing food to share is just as good as any speech.”[/color] Angel promptly corrected Ernest, her brows furrowing as he was underestimating his own cheering capabilities.
 
[color=9e0039]“Plus, you shouldn’t be so quick to denigrate yourself. I mean, I did find your words meaningful and helpful when I wasn’t feeling well last week."

[i]And just now too.[/i][/color]
 
Angel took a bit of her burger, savoring this delicacy she always did enjoy. For a moment, she looked thoughtful.
 
[color=9e0039]“You know, I’ve been taking you up on your advice. Every day, in the afternoon, I went to Ground Zero. To release pent-up stress, aggression and ease my mind. You were right, in the end. Whatever crap I tried before just couldn’t measure up to wrecking something in there.”[/color]
 
There was a solemn tone in her voice. She was willing to admit she was wrong and he was right, a small defeat that however turned into a victory.
 
[color=9e0039]“But I used this opportunity to train as well. I may not have become more powerful, but…”[/color] a grin flashed on the Aberration girl’s lips before she continued speaking.
 
[color=9e0039]“At the very least I managed to gain more control.”[/color] she continued, her voice however did not come out from her mouth. Instead, it echoed behind Ernie.

He'd... helped? But he hadn't even meant most of what he said that day. Still, Angelique's comforting words warmed him better than the food ever could. It gave him that small bit of pride he never knew he needed.

He did want to see that Cal was okay, really. Any intrusive doubts about her background could wait for the time being.

A "thank you" was about to leave his mouth before a sudden voice, Angel's, sounded from behind him. He jumped from his seat and yelped, stood and looked behind him to find the source. Once he saw the grin on Angel's face, he let himself relax, his own smile forming.

[color 00a99d]"Was that you?"[/color] he asked incredulously with a small chuckle.

The obsidian-haired Canadian tried to stifle a laugh, but Ernest’s startled expression emancipated that which she was trying to suppress.
 
[color=9e0039]“Unless I have an invisible twin sister, of course it was.”[/color] The girl explained, still giggling from seeing her classmate’s incredulous face.
 
[color=9e0039]“Whatever happened out there yesterday, after seeing those visions again…”[/color] Angel spoke, but her voice eerily coming to Ernie’s left side. 
 
[color=9e0039]“I gained enough control over my voice to project it elsewhere. Think of it like a ventriloquist, only that the range is far more greater.”[/color] Angel’s voice this time switched to Ernie’s right side.
 
[color=9e0039]“It’s not only that. After training for a whole week, I managed to gain more control on my sonic blasts. Sure it takes some focus and a good aim, but I can make precise enough shots to hit a single target, instead of an area.”[/color] Angel further explained, her voice however returning where it belonged.
 
Angélique wanted to tell Ernie that she also felt the rushing tides of darkness being blocked out by something powerful, but the concept was so vague and so unknown even to the Aberration that she was reluctant of talking about it. One thing was certain though. Her last improvements gave her control beyond what she would have thought possible when she first started discovering her powers at the institute. It had brought her some hope concerning herself. If she could only try and find a way to further improve her power and her control.

Ernie laughed like a child, leaning away from side to side as the voices rang out.

[color 00a99d]"God, that can be really creepy when you want it to be. I can already think up some pranks you'd be able to do with that."[/color]

Visions, though. That was an interesting topic. He'd known many subnaturals in his time so he was confident in his knowledge of power progression among mages in that, well...

Subnatural powers didn't develop sudden new perks. They didn't evolve the way he and Angel's apparently did.

Mages, whether they were white streaks or X-marks, were generally stuck with the base power they had been given by their Awakening. If they wanted to get better then they had to just train and work to make the most of their abilities, form their own techniques and skillsets, or wait until they transformed into an Ardor or Animus. There was never anything in-between, no small packages of new abilities granted without the prerequisite training like what he (and now Angel) had gotten. And there were definitely no visions involved.

For the longest time, Ernie was alone with these once-in-a-while dreams. It had never been comforting or terrifying, it was just...strange. But now that he had found another, someone else who saw the same thing and reaped even more than he had, he wasn't sure what to feel. Relief, maybe. But there was something else, something much more familiar.

Jealousy.

[color 00a99d][i]"Yet another stronger classmate. You just keep getting left behind, don't you?"[/i][/color] a sadistic voice taunted him.

Shut up. At least Angelique actually liked him. Ernie tried his best to be happy for her. Plus, this was a very strange situation he wanted to explore. The rate at which her powers were changing was something to discuss.

[color 00a99d]"Your powers change after you get visions too? Can you tell me more about that?"[/color]

Angel thoughtfully chewed into the final remnants of her burger, finishing it before starting onto this new turning point of their discussion.
 
And it kind of slapped her in the face. Why did she went through all the trouble of asking on Death and Taxes about those vision when this one experienced Aberration was part of her class? Ernest is probably one of the oldest running Mage of her experimental group. He probably had seen and know a lot more about Mages than any other person she could actually trust here.
 
[color=9e0039]"Not simply changing. Improving, I dare say. Range, control, power. Hell, I think even the strain my sonic screams inflict on my vocal chords also lessened."[/color]
 
Angel paused, thinking about the visions for a moment. Would it be alright if she talked to him about those? Was there a way to even describe coherently what she saw?
 
[color=9e0039]"How could I put it in words... Every time, it feels like... the ocean comes to me. An endless, dark abyss trying to consume me. But instead, it slowly drips into me. Each time it happened, I felt... dirty? But recently, it just feels right, especially ever since that unknown force just showed up quite recently and started blocking the ocean. Retaliate against it even."[/color]
 
Angel showed some enlightenment as she was speaking about her visions. Nothing made sense, but at the same time, it sort of did. At least that's what she was trying to believe.
 
[color=9e0039]"As a matter of fact... ever since that force showed up, I only gained more control over my powers, as opposite to the times the ocean was left unopposed. Before, the ocean seemed... content by feeding me more power to the destructive side of my abilities."[/color]
 
The Aberration girl stopped, looking at her classmate before rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment, smiling earnestly.
 
[color=9e0039]"I'm sorry if I don't make much sense. This whole thing is still pretty much vague even though it happened a few times already."[/color]

Ernie stared and listened attentively. He hadn't been expecting her to open up so much about it and was suddenly worried over whether or not he'd provide a satisfactory answer. There were parts that he could relate to but also just as many that he'd never experienced. It seemed that Angel knew and had received much more than him, even if she didn't know it yet.

[color 00a99d][i]"So much info! And she didn't even have to fester for years in a Senators den to obtain it. Jealous?"[/i][/color]

Of course. Shut up.

[color 00a99d]"Nah, no need to apologise, I get what you mean,"[/color] Ernie waved her concerns off with a smile, providing zero indication of his inner thoughts.

[color 00a99d]"I've seen that ocean. And I've felt that dirty feeling. But...I think you know a lot more than me about whatever those visions are. I don't really know what you mean when you talk about that force. My ocean's always just done whatever it wanted."[/color]

He chuckled.

[color 00a99d]"It sounds like I'm describing that Disney movie. But yeah, looks like your power's evolving a lot quicker than mine too. How often do you see these visions? It's only been a month or so since you got your powers, right?"[/color]

[color=9e0039]"Honestly, I don't know for sure. They... just happen when they need to? I could spend a week without experiencing them, just as they can happen two times in the span of a single day."[/color]
 
Looking back at it, it was pretty much what happened to her. She spent her first two weeks without seeing a vision other than The Awakening a month ago before being imprisoned at USARILN. Then, on the night of her first battle, she saw the vision for the first time. A few days after, she saw another one during the Flags and Seek game. It took almost a whole week afterwards to happen again, then not even a whole day passed before she saw the fourth one in Wisford.
 
[color=9e0039]"I've been meaning to ask, now that we are talking about it. Are those visions a rare occurrence to Mages? The way it sounded like when I asked on the Death and Taxes chatroom, it felt like very few knew what I was talking about, thinking it was the work of a Dream Mage."[/color]

The green-eyed monster's jeers only multiplied as Angelique kept talking, and Ernie felt it become more and more difficult to smile with every passing moment. The strong always took their gifts for granted. That was a fact he had bitterly come to terms with long ago.

His eyebrows raised at the mention of the subnatural forum. If he recalled correctly, the conversation she was referring to had a few people admitting to their own visions. Ernie pulled out his phone, scrolling through the backlog and ignoring his companion for the moment.

References to a sea. A flash. And the evolution of abilities resulting from it.

It looked like there were at least two people beside him that had experienced what he knew. And it was definitely not the work of a dream mage, despite what the moderator suggested. Ernie turned to Angelique and showed her what was on his screen. He pointed to the username 'Misfortune'.

[color 00a99d]"This is you?"[/color]

[color=9e0039]"Who knows?"[/color] Angel faked a grin to hide her embarrassment, leaving the boy to piece the puzzle together.
 
Looks like she blew her secret identity for over there. Well, only to Ernie at least. Surely he wasn't going to scream in every dorm her online persona.
 
Her question was left unanswered though. She had expected him to at least follow up on her question after having so diligently revealed details most Mages either kept for themselves or simply were ignorant of.
 
[color=9e0039]"You see? It doesn't look like a lot of people, even the moderators, know about it. Was it the same in West?"[/color]

Ernie raised a quizzical but amused eyebrow at Angelique's sudden coyness. He decided to count that as a yes, though he understood why she was so secretive about her online status. He'd made some pretty bold claims himself in the chatroom under the guise of anonymity. If anyone found out that it was him, it would be pretty embarrassing.

[color 00a99d]"Yeah, there was no vision talk at West. Or on the old DnT either, the one that wasn't just for East students."[/color]

He still had some things he wanted to investigate before he revealed all his cards. He pointed to another username, the only other person who seemed to have visions like them. 'Anon'.

[color 00a99d]"Wait, isn't Anon that dragon guy in our class? I prepped a suit for him a few days ago. Shouldn't we ask him for info too?"[/color]
 
[color=9e0039]"No, I don't think Christopher knows any more than we do. That wasn't the impression I got from him anyways."[/color]

Ernie was silent for a second.

[color 00a99d]"Angelique, I've been an Aberration since I was nine. I've met more mages than I can remember, even before West. Hell, I probably know more about subnatural life outside of the Institutes than anyone at this school. Which is why I find all of this so [i]weird[/i]."[/color]

Hazel eyes met green with utmost seriousness.

[color 00a99d]"Powers aren't supposed to change like they do for us. That's the way it is for literally every subnatural I know, except for Animi and Ardors. But that's the thing, right? When a mage undergoes that giant transformation, that's the only time their powers evolve so noticeably. The only time, except for us apparently."[/color]

His brow furrowed and he looked away, deep in thought.

[color 00a99d]"I've known strong mages for stretches of months and years. They got stronger because they learnt to use their power better and practiced, not because they were suddenly granted new sub-abilities by a magic dream ocean. I mean, look at this!"[/color]

Ernie demonstrated by summoning his rope and throwing out his hand, sending his rope flying towards one of the gazebo's posts and automatically tying a noose around it.

[color 00a99d]"I couldn't even do this auto-latch thing until last week! If no one else is getting upgrades like us, then they're almost definitely not getting any visions either. For years, I thought that I was the only one getting these. But now there's you and this Anon person and all three of us are at East for some reason..."[/color]

The rope was dissipated and Ernie took a deep breath. This was a lot more rambling than he'd expected to do this morning. An idea came to mind and he looked to Angelique once more.

[color 00a99d]"Do you know anyone else who's had this happening to them too? Besides Dragon Boy? There's something seriously weird going on."[/color]

[color=9e0039]"You don't need to look that far away to find out who else are affected by those visions, if we go according to sudden surge of new powers."[/color] Angel paused, taking in account everything she had witnessed so far.
 
[color=9e0039]"Our whole class is made of those people. Grant keeps sprouting more chains; Hazel can actually make things explode now, not to mention I've noticed her projected arms growing longer. Christopher keeps becoming a bigger dragon by the weeks; Allison's blade is also getting longer; Zoe can make her rotting ability spread from one person to another. And I'm skipping a lot because I haven't seen them fight yesterday or on the first day we were brought here."[/color]
 
Angel sighed, the whole situation having turned into some sort of weird conspiracy theory.
 
[color=9e0039]"Take a closer look at our classmates. Some exhibit new powers each time we get into a fight, while some are more discreet about it. But point remains. We're Experimental Unit B, and it doesn't seem to be a coincidence to have all these... 'Gifted' people united in a single classroom, if we are that few in number, as you told me."[/color]
 
Angel looked thoughtful, wondering if anyone from her team had been hit by visions yesterday, just after their fight with the clockwork army ended.
 
[color=9e0039]"I suspect everyone else from our class has had these flashes of insight at least once."[/color]

[color 00a99d]"Our whole...class?"[/color] Ernie paled.

Well, there went his inferiority complex again. No wonder he was surrounded by such strong classmates. It wasn't just an East thing after all. He tried to deny the disappointment of losing what had just been [i]his[/i] thing to seventeen other people but failed. Seventeen people who not just had his speciality, but were apparently better at it too. They got more out of it over the span of a week or two than he had gotten from over more than half a decade. Seventeen strong mages, moving on while he remained frozen, exactly the same. Nothing ever changed. The strong got the spotlight and he was just...there, barely holding on.

[color 00a99d][i]"It's Reno all over again! You'll get over it eventually."[/i][/color]

But that wasn't even the worst of it. Angelique was right in that it wasn't a coincidence that twenty or so kids experiencing the same visions had been sought out and put in the same class. That was his biggest concern. How did they round up all these subnaturals with these specifications? Ernie's eyes widened with a horrible realisation.

USARILN was a Regular-run government organisation. Regulars. How did [i]they[/i] know about all this? [i]Did[/i] they know?

Perhaps. But they weren't all unpowered oppressors. His mind went back to Monday, to a particular pair of subnaturals. A suave, lanky man and a short, peppy woman, both bearing white streaks on their faces. But even if they were fellow subs, Ernie didn't trust them. They were USARILN staff after all. There was another thing. Ernie knew it was close-minded and childish, but he couldn't help but think of them as traitors of a kind. They had probably been captured when they were still young, and probably had no choice but to be affiliated with the organisation. Even if they were doing their best to make the transition comfortable for new kids, they were still just submitting to their tyrant Regulars without a fight. He couldn't help but feel a bit of resentment for that. If they did have answers for this conundrum then he doubted that they'd be reliable.

Ernie sighed before remembering that he still had a conversation he needed to devote his attention to. There would be plenty of time to think afterwards.

[color 00a99d]"Guess we're not so special after all, huh?"[/color] he smiled weakly.

'We're'? He knew that he was only referring to one person.

Angelique raised an eyebrow at this statement. Now that was a weird way to view things. Wasn't being a Mage good enough for him? As a matter of fact, she was a bit caught off-guard by how he seemed okay with being a special case of Aberration. Until yesterday, after her talk with Brent, she always was lamenting that she had taken the wrong decision, becoming a being of destruction rather than a being of harmony.
 
[color=9e0039]"I wouldn't exactly say that, Ernie."[/color] Angel's fingers drummed on the table, now that she had nothing to eat and her fingers ached to play with something when she was feeling anxious.
 
[color=9e0039]"Out of the billions of people on this earth, you're one of the few thousands to have become a Mage. And out of those thousands of Mages, you're part of a group experiencing visions that probably doesn't number more than half a hundred, at least from what we believe. If that doesn't make you feel special, then fuck man, we can't all be Precursors, Animi or Ardors. But at the very least, we're breaking away from the 'mold' and walking down a path few Mages had treaded."[/color]
 
Her shadow-ridden eyes, despite looking tired, brightened to their vivid emerald color as some sort of burning conviction was blazing in them. An aura of confidence she was exuding akin to what she was emanating in her career before.
 
[color=9e0039]"Who knows? Perhaps, one day, we'll be at the top. Those gifts granted to us will elevate us into powerful people who could actually do something of the fucking mess that is the world right now. Even if the visions don't, then I'm just as willing as to work my ass off 'till I become that something. Hell, if whatever is making us so special in the first place is helping us survive and fight back the monsters, then fuck yeah I'll gracefully accept it and make sure I live another day to fight and protect people I care about."[/color]

Ernie stared in awe as Angel delivered her speech. A strange feeling overcame him, one he struggled to identify at first. It was the same feeling he got when he watched a video of one of his favourite rockstar's live performances or watched one of her interviews. That limitless energy and confidence she seemed to radiate, the one that could bring thousands of people jumping to their feet. The one that was bringing a smile to his sullen face right now.

He couldn't help it. Ernie burst out laughing, louder and more genuine than he could ever remember. He knew it was a weird, maybe even inappropriate, reaction. But it was what he felt like doing. The joyous sound continued trickling out even after he tried to restrain himself.

She was right. Absolutely right. It all seemed so simple when she laid out the numbers like that. Eighteen subnaturals out of the thousands in the world, all with powers with unlimited potential. And he got to be one of them.

With everything going on in the past week, it was easy to forget that his powers were comparitively stronger than most. Seven months at West had confirmed that for him. Hell, even some of the bigger guys at Reno would have had trouble fighting him at the level he was now.

Yes, that was another thing to remember. Like his classmates, he was also improving, even if it was at a slower rate than he would've liked. But his time would come eventually.

[color 00a99d][i]"Will you even be alive long enough to see it?"[/i][/color]

Who knows?

[color 00a99d][i]"Being 'special' won't help you survive Sander. It won't back you up when you're outnumbered by Emma. It won't let you withstand Hazel's disintegration."[/i][/color]

Those thoughts were right, of course. Always right. But Ernie didn't care. Angel's words had moved him, and for that brief, rapturous moment he actually felt [i]good[/i] about himself. No matter how delusional this feeling was, he was going to cling to it for as long as he could.

After all, it wasn't every day that he got to recieve a tailor-made pep talk from a rockstar.

[color 00a99d]"How did you find exactly the right words to say?"[/color] he grinned widely, wiping a stray tear from the corner of his eye, [color 00a99d]"Is that another one of your upgrades?"[/color]

He coughed out the last of his fit before turning back to her with shining, grateful eyes.

[color 00a99d]"Really though, thanks. The transfer's been sorta rough on me and, well, I guess there was some other stuff from before that too. I think I just really needed to hear that. Sorry for laughing, it just...it just surprised me, I guess, how better I feel now."[/color]

Ernie scratched his head, slightly embarrassed. But he felt like this was the best time to take a risk.

[color 00a99d]"You're seriously inspiring, Angel. That's probably why you're one of my favourite musicians."[/color]

Ernie's laughter did indeed surprise the rockstar off her socks. Her fingers stopped drumming as she wondered what she said that was so funny. But hearing that genuine laughter, she could not help but smile warmly.
 
Angel scratched her cheek, a bit self-aware of her position. She had always known her words had great impact on others. That's why she had always tried so hard to set herself up on the right track and become an example. She had many fans in the past. It was only right for her conscience to lead those people down a good road rather than exhibit the same debauchery many of her past bandmates showed. Angel wasn't only in the music show-business for the music in itself and the fame, but largely to inspire people in these dark times.
 
[color=9e0039]"It has always been who I was. You said it yourself. I am Angelique Lachance and forever will be."[/color] Angel took up on a more solemn look as she recalled their first discussion [color=9e0039]"You just happened to catch me at a bad time, at the gym. A moment of weakness that I wish you would have never met. And yet, at the same time, maybe it was for the best you saw me that way. Otherwise you probably would never had come see me and offered me help."[/color]
 
Her heart sank though when Ernest revealed she probably was one of his favorite musicians. It was difficult, to hear someone say those words after what she had done to her fans a few weeks back. But she promised herself she would stop crying like a little bitch about it. Move forward and kill the past, like Brent suggested. Still, it was a hard thing to come to term with, but perhaps the first step to healing was to accept it?
 
[color=9e0039]"I... I'm sorry for what happened in Montreal. I just wanted to impress my fans with my newfound power. I didn't mean to maim people with it."[/color] Angel said, her voice filled with honest mourning, without however lamenting over it. [color=9e0039]"I don't know how you still can be able to say that despite what I did. But… I'm somewhat thankful you can look past that, even if I probably don't deserve it."[/color]
 
The raven-haired fallen idol sighed, her eyes slowly looking up and closing as the intensity of the ambient light was a bit too much when looking at the sky.
 
[color=9e0039]"I'm not trying to look pitiful here. I think I've done enough of it for the past weeks to finally understand that moping about it isn't going to help me here. I just… wanted to let you know that I'm sorry if I've become a huge let-down because of it. That's exactly why I'll be working double on becoming a stronger Mage. To make up for the people that died that day, and for the people I will want to protect in the future, like you guys. Moving on from that tragedy won't be easy, but if I can turn it into a stepping stone to my ascension as a greater Mage, then I can surely find solace in that."[/color]

[color 00a99d]"I'm glad I saw you that day too. It might sound kinda messed up here but,"[/color] Ernie shrugged, [color 00a99d]"I liked that I didn't have to see you as one of my idols. I could talk to you like a person I could relate to, like maybe even a...friend."[/color]

He cringed at the sappiness of it all and got to work folding up the wrappings from their shared breakfast and putting them back into the bag.

Montreal was an...interesting topic for the boy. To this day he still hadn't figured out how he felt about an idol suddenly revealing her self as an X-marked subnatural and causing a small massacre. Surprised, definitely. But any resentment that could have lingered had faded immediately once he saw that picture of a tear-streaked Angelique in an article regarding her trial and sentence. There was no way she was as bloodthirsty and evil as the people he had lived with, no matter what the Stigma said. He was glad he didn't stop believing.

[color 00a99d]"Nah, it's cool. I know that we shouldn't wave off something this big so easily, even if it was an accident. But you've shown me the guts you've got. You've saved me once already so I know you'll be saving others just as well. And I can see that you're gonna work your ass off. Makes me more than sure you'll make up for what happened someday real soon."[/color]

He chuckled again, crumpling the collected rubbish into a strangely neat package.

[color 00a99d]"Makes me want to work hard too. Maybe I should start with those muscles and tattoos you were suggesting earlier."[/color]

Angel's solemn face returned to her earlier smile as she heard Ernest encouraging her even if she had been confronting his beliefs for her past deeds. Even if it was just him, it felt good to have someone believe in her. 
 
She chuckled in turn at his last statement. [color=9e0039]"Then work hard man. It would be enjoyable to see you standing on top with the rest of us."[/color]
 
The black-haired Aberration fell silent, thinking about what her classmate just said. About being an idol and talking to a friend.
 
[color=9e0039]"Say, Ernie. Since we're both stuck at USARILN for the time being as classmates, and I'm no longer continuing my career as a rockstar for obvious reasons, wouldn't you want... to become my friend instead of a fan? If it means to break the walls of idolization and discuss of things we could both relate to each other, I would very much like that."[/color]

Ernie nodded eagerly, [color 00a99d]"I'd like that too."[/color]

He toyed with the trash bundle in his hands, seeing his giftbag for Cal at his feet. He didn't feel much like stalling now. That pep talk had really done a number on him. The boy stood.

[color 00a99d]"Well. Guess I should go see Cal now. It took some weird turns but..."[/color]

He smiled brightly. Innocently. That wasn't a word he'd use to describe himself often.

[color 00a99d]"I really enjoyed our talk. Catch you later then?"[/color]

[color=9e0039]"Oh! Yes, of course! I'm sorry I took some of your visiting time. Please do go and see her. Cheer her up!"
 
[i]Just like you have done for me.[/i][/color]
 
Angel stood up as well. However the destination she had in mind was elsewhere. 
 
[color=9e0039]"And Ernie... thank you for believing in me. I'm glad we've got to sit down and talk about all this"[/color]

He was tempted to say that he'd never stopped, but that snarky cynicism rudely reminded him of the impatience he'd felt at her weakness during that first meeting. He wasn't sure what part of his belief she was referring to so he said nothing. Instead, he just nodded again and dashed off, feeling a lot braver than he had been that morning.
[/hider]

[hider=Chapter VIII: Love Through Music]
[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4345484]Collab here![/url]
[/hider]

[hider=Chapter IX: Words Best Left Unspoken]
[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4343609]See 9/15 – Emma and Angel: Words Better Left Unsaid[/url]
[/hider]

[hider=Chapter ???: A Grim Reminder]
[center]
[color=silver][hr] [color=9e0039] 𝕊𝕖𝕡𝕥. 𝟙𝟝, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘   / /   𝕃𝕒 ℙ𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕒, 𝕄𝕒𝕣𝕪𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕   / /   𝕄𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕝   / /  ℕ𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥
[/color] [hr][/color]
[/center]

Ever since Angélique had become an Aberration, it was incredibly hard for her to go to sleep. Her mind had been plagued with the fear of what kind of nightmare will visit her at night and filled of events replaying in her mind. Moments of shame, or guilt, of sadness, of pain. It would usually take several hours before the fallen musician would fall asleep. 

Tonight was no exception. After her talk with Emma, the voices in her head kept screaming how weak she was, how unworthy of her trust and love the others were, how worthless she had proven herself to be so far. Angel still was seeping within the depths of Angel’s soul from Emma’s outburst. She was mad that the girl, whom she looked up to her for she seemed to be so calm, peaceful  and in control of herself, was hiding such poison and was adept at delivering it through venomous words.

She was mad that she did not understand her point of view. Angel was mad at herself for having fallen prey to the wrath that had corroded the walls of her steely resolve. She had always wanted to talk with Emma, befriend her and be part of the little dinning group they have set up ever since everyone arrived at USARILN. But it was a dream best left forgotten now. Hate and animosity was probably the only thing between them now. As Brent told her, it’s best to forget about how things could have been now that it already happened. And yet, it was hard to accept. It felt only bitter to have developed this kind of relationship with someone Angel was looking forward to be friends with.

Through her grieving, sleep had finally managed to sneak its way onto the tearful Aberration, crying herself to sleep.

[color=silver][hr][/color]
[i]
[color=f7976a]“Good job today, Angie! With that song finalized, we’ll be able to launch the album very soon! I’m amazed just how quickly you guys managed to work on that one! We’re far ahead from the schedule we’ve promised to the fans. Since the new album is finished so soon, I thought you guys could use what time we have left to do a marketing campaign. We’ll organize a few events to advertise the soundtrack and rile up the fan hype. That way, we’ll be able to get even more fans, and already existing fans will be so hyped they’ll throw themselves at the more costly time-limited merchandise.”[/color]

Annika had been Angélique’s newest manager for not very long. The business woman was quite the marketing saleswoman and mostly thought about ways to rack up profits rather than pleasing the fans. Money was the center of her decisions and talks. To be quite honest with herself, it made the young rockstar sick. Money doesn’t buy the hearts of people, performance did. 

[color=9e0039]“No. We’ll launch the album ahead of time in a surprise event. Fans will be intrigued by the event, and the surprise announcement will just pop out of nowhere. I believe that will greatly please them. I’d rather have them happy of getting that album sooner and further bolster their loyalty than have them go through meaningless purchases. I want people to enjoy what I make with minimum cost than sucking them dry and leave them bitter.”[/color]
 
That’s what she had loved about Sandra, her previous and first manager. That woman had found many ways of making the small bud that was Angel bloom into a radiant flower, ravishing the hearts of many in the process. Fans were her main concern; money could come second as far as she was concerned. The raven-haired singer lamented her retirement as the brand name Angel had been working under decided to put an end to her contract and find a replacement. The house knew just how profitable Angélique Lachance’s fame was. Sandra’s ways were too soft now that she managed to bring out her full potential. They needed someone ruthless and effective, someone like Annika. 

[color=f7976a]“But… just think about the possibilities of pleasing your fans through all the events we will be organizing! They love your stage presence, your appearances on talk-shows and the small live performances all around town. Surely you can’t pass up on this opportunity making your fans happy?”[/color] 

The auburn-haired manager flinched at Angel’s flat rejection. The girl had become increasingly difficult to bargain with the more her fame grew. She despised artists with that kind of attitude. They had their heads so stuck up in the clouds that they forgot just how costly it is to massively distribute material of that quality. The house was lucky that Angel’s popularity had sky-rocketed through her various public opinions and claims to cover up for the lack of profit she was causing them by her bad decisions.

[color=9e0039]“Fine. But we’ll still release the album ahead of time.  By the end of August, instead of October. We’ll organize a homecoming concert in Montréal. We’ll perform this year’s most successful hits and give them a one song sneak peek of the new album at the climax of the show. Sounds good enough of a compromise?”[/color]

There was one thing that Annika’s predecessor had done that she despised the most. Feeling she was just about to be put in retirement, from watching the administration growing restless, she managed to present a renewing contract to both parties – the owners and Angélique Lachance – that would make it very profitable for the brand, but give a lot more freedom for the rising superstar. Basically, Angel relinquished the vast majority of her rights, including profits, to the music she produced. In exchange, she was given free reign of organizing her events and her appearances. It was hard to come to an agreement. Threats of finding a new brand to work with have been made and negotiations went on for a long time. It was probably what sealed Sandra’s fate. But at the very least, she managed to keep Angel’s freedom intact even after her departure. And that was what Annika had started to feel as a pain in the ass.

[color=f7976a]“That sounds more reasonable, I agree. Alright then, I’ll start to make preparations for the tour, then.”[/color] 

[color=9e0039]“That won’t be necessary.”[/color]

[color=f7976a]“What?”[/color]

[color=9e0039]“I’m taking charge of deciding what we’re doing. Like you said, I’ve got a lot of free time now that we’re ahead of schedule.”[/color]

The formerly-dressed woman let out a snarling click of her tongue, her face growing visibly displeased by the decision. But she could not go against her. Her contract allowed her to be the one taking the decisions, no matter how hard she tried to take control as her manager. Now she was getting out of hand.

[color=f7976a]“Pompous little brat…”[/color] the older lady muttered as she turned her heels in frustration and walked away.

[color=9e0039]“Excuse me?”[/color] Angel called out, an equivalent frown etched on her face as she thought her keen hearing picked up an insult.

But that was where the memory was ending. Angel could remember Annika turning back to her, faking a smile and telling her a bold lie about having told her farewell. But instead...

[color=f7976a]“You selfish little bitch!”[/color]

Angel flinched, caught off guard by the now distorted voice. When did she suddenly changed voice, and what were those words she never heard before? [color=9e0039]“W-what?”[/color]

[color=f7976a]“You heard me, you fucking child. You’re a selfish little girl, thinking the world revolves around you, like all those pathetic self-important rising stars.”[/color]

Angélique’s wrath started surging from deep within, finding the burning resolve to go up against the now-familiar voice, but still out of place from the woman’s mouth. 

[color=9e0039]“T-This isn’t true! I do what I do for the pleasure of others! I do it to entertain them, to distract them from how shit the world has become, to inspire them!”[/color]

[color=f7976a]“Stop lying to yourself and the others! You do it for your own ego. You don’t cheer others out of concern for their well-being; you do it so you can feel satisfied with yourself. There is no compassion within you, only the desire to stand above the rest and look at them below like the unimportant peons they are.”[/color]

The enraged young girl grinded her teeth, about to scream at the being that had taken the form of her manager. But as she was oh so close to let her searing fury out, familiar figures began appearing in front of the manager, like a line of soldiers protecting their commander.

[color=f7976a]“Mathieu, Joël, Cassandra, Mike, Éric, Sylvie, Anthony, James, Marie, Xavier. Those are the name of all the people you discarded simply because you didn’t like them. You denied them the dream of working with a successful rockstar and casted them back to whatever pathetic lives they were having before meeting you. You could have led them on the path to success, but because of your selfish ambitions, you left hem behind to rot.”[/color]

Angel’s wrath turned to sorrow. It was true, there was no denying it. No matter how hard she would try to convince herself otherwise, she had fired those musicians because they were either lacking, made her look bad, were indecent to her and the fans she cherished so much, or simply didn’t like working with them. It had become a running gag on social media to take bets about how long would a new band member would last under Angélique’s lead.

Then appeared an army of silhouettes, slowly materializing into each and every member of her classroom. The ones she had barely spoken to were at the far back of the group – such as Gregory, Sophia, Grant, Kusari, Callan, Christmas, Sander and Hazel - while people she knew gradually appearing at the forefront.

[color=f7976a]“Emma; the person your despise the most because you want to find the perfect target for lashing out against.”

“Marcus; who you joke and laugh with because you desperately want to find a way to escape from this harsh reality.”

“Lilianna; the girl you shower with pity for her amnesia because deep down you wish you would be the one that had forgotten everything.”

“Zoe; the monster you try to tame because you fear your own inner demons and require validation for your sins.”

“Christopher; whom you desperately tried to coax out of his lonely shell because you feel the need to have a weak-willed boy at your beck and call.”

“Ernest; a fellow X-Marked you keep having around on because you still want to feel what it feels like to be idolized.

“Siena; the girl that you want to protect like a little sister because of your obsession of being perceived as someone strong and reliable.”

“Brent; the guy you consider a brother and keep hanging around with because you need an emotional crutch to support your weak self.

“Allison; your first love that you cherish above all else because all your life you wanted someone to love you wholly and fill that void you’ve always insisted on keeping unfulfilled.”[/color]

Just as she thought it was over with, a silhouette slowly appeared, seemingly manifesting from the shadows themselves. It morphed its amorphous shape until a clear shape remained, complete with clothes and features. Angel trembled at the sight of what could only be described as a reflection of her dark soul.

[color=f7976a]“Angélique Lachance; the fallen idol that keeps fighting against who she really is because she fears the opinions of others. She fears to not be liked, not be idolized, not be loved. She fears of being looked down upon, of being seen as a pathetic weakling and an unsuccessful loser. A brat that will only lie her way to others’ heart only to validate her very existence into the eyes of everyone.”[/color]
[/i]

Before she knew it, Angélique woke up crying, a muted scream escaping her lips. 

There was no time to think about it though. It was nearly time to join Brent into their morning training routine. 
[/hider]

[center][h1][color=9e0039]𝓕𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓓𝓪𝓻𝓴𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓼[/color][/h1][/center]
[hider=Chapter X: Conspiracy Theory]
[center]
[img]http://i.imgur.com/Fb1UXSA.png[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/tTVHMCk.jpg[/img] 
[h2] [color=9e0039]Angélique[/color] | [color=B0C4DE]Brent[/color][/h2]
[color=silver][hr] 𝕊𝕖𝕡𝕥. 𝟙𝟞, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘   / /   𝕃𝕒 ℙ𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕒, 𝕄𝕒𝕣𝕪𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕   / /   𝟘𝟟𝟘𝟘
[hr][/color]
[/center]

For the second time ever since Angélique resolved herself to change, both Brent and her finished their daily morning hellish workout. Well, for Angel at least. Kickboxing and jogging for a few hours paled in comparison to what Brent was used to do early in the morning. She had been working out like she never did before, to the point she could barely move a muscle through the aching.
 
But nonetheless, it felt goddamn good to surpass her physical limits every time. To her mind plagued by her Stigma, it felt good to destroy herself physically this way as a substitute of slowly destroying her vocal chords in Ground Zero. Angel felt dirty, to have grown addicted to use that place to sate her appetite for destruction. It’s just as she feared when she first talked to Ernest. Ground Zero did indeed feel like a drug to Aberrations.
 
The fallen idol’s glistening skin and dripping beads of sweat was proof of her hard work and will to achieve results. However, Angel felt more distant, less friendly during this training session than the day before. As a matter of fact, a frown was etched face all morning long, not complimenting her already awful-looking visage ridden with dark shadows underneath her eyes.
 
Angélique sighed her exhaustion away. Her stigma was burdening her less for some reason after this workout, having her mind focused on destroying every fiber of her body to pay any mind to the whispers.
 
[color=9e0039]“Well… I suppose that’s that. Thanks  for coaching me again today. It feels… satisfying.”[/color] the womanly Aberration said as her tired eyes turned to the Arbiter accompanying her.
 
Another morning conquered. Rolling his shoulders, Brent felt a satisfying crack from his shoulder blades, before he moved on to making sure his legs loosened up properly after such intense physical activity. It really was nice, having someone to go through the same routine he did. A partner? A rival? Yeah, Angelic may become something like that.

There was always a different feel when you can encourage yourself with the presence of another.

[color=B0C4DE]"No problem,"[/color] he said, offering her a can of iced coffee, [color=B0C4DE]"Gotta pay you back for teaching me all those kickboxing techniques, after all, and it's always encouraging to see others grow."[/color]

The young man paused, his eyes turning towards a sun that was slowly beginning to rise. The mornings were growing colder, but for now, his blood still roared and his heart still hammered. The cool breeze and the transforming skyscape. Those were all sights that only early risers got.

[color=B0C4DE]"How's your Stigma been treating you?"[/color] he asked, out of the blue.

[color=9e0039]“It’s shit, to be honest with you. At the very least what we are doing pipes it down a bit. Doesn’t compare to Ground Zero, but it helps.”[/color] Angel answered, her gaze avoiding the source of Brent’s attention now that the light had started growing brighter with the rising of the sun.
 
She however kept to herself the reason why her Stigma had grown restless. The talk with Emma, then the nightmares, combined with the amount of time that passed without her giving into the grim desires of her inner darkness.

[color=B0C4DE]"Glad it does then,"[/color] Brent replied, pulling out a couple of energy bars from his plastic bag of goodies. Tossing one towards Angelic, he unwrapped his own and finished it off in two quick bites, balling the wrapper up and tossing it into the trash. [color=B0C4DE]"Always been curious. How does it feel to sate a Stigma? Does the urge disappear? Or does it try to 'encourage' you to sate it more?"[/color]

[color=9e0039]"No, it doesn't disappear at all. I told you about my voices before, didn't I? Well, days like today, they are just unbearably loud. Sating the Stigma down simply turns the volume down, but never mutes them. Quite frankly, it's the opposite actually. The Stigma want me to sate it, but I do. You'd figure us Aberrations sound like junkies if I'm saying this, but it makes us feel so damn good when we fuck things up to calm it down."[/color]

And that was the reason why it felt so damn good to scream, whether she was using her power or not. It was one of the few rare times she actually got to mute the voices, by screaming louder than they did. If it wasn’t for the limits her vocal chords imposed on her being, she probably would be spending so much more time at Ground Zero.

[color=B0C4DE]"So it encourages,"[/color] he replied, thinking back to that problem with Hazel that he had decided to ignore, back to battle fury that Sander had displayed on the first day. No wonder Hazel needed a collar. Her stigma must have been horrible. But on the other hand, outside of that one moment of weakness, Sander had been rather stable, rather controlled. So...ultimately...was it Hazel's self control being inferior to Sander's? Or was there a different problem?

No, in the end, that wasn't what he wanted to talk about. What he did was...

[color=B0C4DE]"Angelic,"[/color]he began, carefully, [color=B0C4DE]"In Montreal, was it you? Or your Stigma?"[/color]


Of all the subjects Angel had considered talking about, her last concert's freak accident was the last thing that came in mind. And yet, she should have expected it. Expected a classmate to know and confront her about it. And who else would be more likely to bring that up than Brent.
 
Angel's face froze. Her stigma had been bad enough this morning, but being reminded of that horrible event, her mind started replaying in loop the day all over again. The people she murdered or disabled accidentally. The remorse, the guilt, the pain, the shame. They started gripping her heart. Before she even knew it, tears had begun to form into her eyes, bringing a sad upbringing of life into that frozen face.
 
[color=9e0039]"N-no! I didn't want anyone to die! I just wanted my fans to be impressed with my new voice!"[/color]
 
And it was the truth. She did not expect her power to be THIS strong when she hit that screaming note with everything she had. She did not expect the sheer volume of the amplified scream to bust out those speakers and send shrapnel flying everywhere. She did expect that scream to be loud enough to cause permanent hearing damage.
 
It was all her fault. Not the Stigma's, only her own foolishness. By now, streaks of tears had managed to pour all the way to her chin. So much for resolving herself to stop crying like a bitch.
 
[color=9e0039]"It wasn't... my Stigma. Simply... ignorance. Stupidity..."[/color]
 
Realization hit Angel harder than a hammer swing. Did Brent heard what the Regulars news stations were saying about her? How much of a bloodthirsty monster or scheming terrorist she apparently was? Was he thinking of her like such?
 
[color=9e0039]Brent..."[/color] Angel's pleading eyes turned to Brent's. Her gaze had been avoiding his in shame, but right now, she only sought validation. [color=9e0039]"Do you believe... what they said about me?"[/color]
 
Those tears again. Tears that evoked sympathy, seeking forgiveness. So real, but at the same time...all Brent knew were smiles. This was a different sort of territory for him. A different type of deception, if it came to that. So instead, he began to speak, slowly going over the 'facts' that the news articles have brought up.

[color=B0C4DE]"What was reported,"[/color] he began, [color=B0C4DE]"was that your voice was powerful enough that the speakers exploded with enough force to rival that of grenades, killing those in the front rows, deafening those in the middle rows, and sickening those in the back rows. The casualties easily numbered in the dozens, and the backlash pretty much destroyed your personal brand, as well as the record label that hired you."[/color]

He looked her in the eye. A part of him wanted to look away.

[color=B0C4DE]"Is that what actually happened?"[/color]

[color=9e0039]"From what I can remember, and what they presented at the trial... yes."[/color] Angel replied quietly, wiping the streaks of tears away from her face.

[color=B0C4DE]"...do you not see how absurd that situation is? That speakers, of all things, had the same destructive force of a grenade just by attempting to amplify an already loud noise?"[/color] There was definitely something that didn't match up now, and Brent really didn't like it. Of course, if Angelic had admitted that it WASN'T the speakers, that it was just her own power, there was nothing he could say, but...

[color=B0C4DE]"Have you seen machines overheat before? They don't explode into fiery bits. They may violently shake, but their circuitry will soon be fried and they will burn. Don't neglect the training we had together. Your screams were magical in every way, to the extent that my speakers [i]couldn't[/i] amplify it further. Even assuming you directly struck the speakers, there has never been a point where your screams demonstrated the ability to cause them to explode."[/color]

[i]This[/i] was the root of what brought her to USARILN? What could have gotten her charged with the death penalty?

[color=B0C4DE]"Angelic, be very detailed."[/color] He let out a breath. This was becoming dislikeable. [color=B0C4DE]"What do you remember?"[/color]

Angélique listened to Brent giving his opinion on the matter. As she listened to him, her mind aligned with the things that didn’t make any sense to him. To be truthful to herself, while the fallen rockstar had quickly put the blame on her, she had started to develop doubts concerning the incident. He was right; her powers didn’t quite match what she was currently able to do.
 
[color=9e0039]“Of course I know about speakers. I fried my fair deal of those with my band in the past. A loud popping noise, smoke and a burnt smell, right?. I can still remember Mathieu trying to overheat them at least once per practicing session.”[/color] Angel explained with a nostalgic expression. 
 
[color=9e0039]“I don’t know so much about my powers. I’ve heard we instinctively [i]know[/i] what we can do, but most of the times I just seem to learn as I experience. Perhaps something happened unconsciously that I was never able to reproduce? Unless…”[/color]
 
The raven-haired Aberration closed her eyes. For once, she allowed herself to be consumed by the flooding memories that her Stigma kept replaying in her mind. 
 
[color=9e0039]“The shouts of joy, the crowd, the music, I can remember them all too well, as if it had happened yesterday. Everything had started well, until we reached the final song. Something I was keeping a secret from my fans. I wanted to surprise them with a new song I was secretly writing. Then, as I went for the climax of the song and used my power to put more intensity in my voice to hit that note I had been working on, I screamed, and all hell broke loose. Speakers exploded all around me, miraculously not sending shrapnel my way, but on the crowd instead. People suddenly dropped like flies. Screams of joy became screams of terror as the people at the back started fleeing.”[/color]
 
As the girl began recalling the event that had led her to being taken into custody by the police and put on trial, her face was visibly showing mental pain as she delved into her memories of that event. 
 
[color=9e0039]“There… was no impact. I screamed, and the speakers just… exploded without signs of being affected in the first place? Nothing budged from the scream. People just… dropped in on themselves, as if they just blacked out all of a sudden.”[/color]
 
[color=9e0039]“You know, this isn’t the first time I hear something about the speakers. During my trial, a prosecutor had suggested that I had planned a terrorist attack. That I’ve set up bombs in the speakers. But that theory was dismissed as the police department’s bomb squad found no trace of explosives after the incident. The jury however still believed I was to be blamed for the explosions, that my power as an X-Mark had caused the things to explode.”[/color]
 
[color=B0C4DE]"No trace of explosives..."[/color] Yeah, if the police did detect something, it would be on the news, wouldn't it? On the other hand, this was the era of martial law and subnatural discrimination. It could just as easily be that they hid such information from the public, because a subnatural scapegoat was the easiest focus of the public's hatred.

Brent pursed his lips, before taking a bottle of water and offering it to Angelic. She still needed to rehydrate, after all.

[color=B0C4DE]"If I were a subnatural with a pounding Stigma, and the only way for me to release that Stigma was by killing others, the best way to do it is to let someone else take the fall for me,"[/color] Brent began. [color=B0C4DE]"A power to scream loudly may deafen and disorientate, but there is a different power that causes inanimate objects to violently explode."[/color]

There were more reasons, more theories, but for now, all the arbiter wanted to do was to knock some sense into Angelic.

[color=B0C4DE]"You are still at fault for deafening and traumatizing your fans, Angelic, but don't write yourself off as a mass murderer."[/color] He placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing lightly.[color=B0C4DE] "Until there is definitive evidence, you are still innocent, taking the burden of someone else's crime. I can understand that this is a painful subject, but..."

"Would you rather let it rest, knowing that your hands aren't as dirty as you once believed? Or would you resolve to pick at the scab and search for the true perpetrators?"[/color]

The young woman listened with keen interest to Brent as she downed the bottle of water he gave to her. What started as a thought ad developed into a conspiracy theory. 
 
[color=9e0039]“So you’re saying that… someone else is framing me?”[/color]
 
Angel did not know whether she should be angry over hearing that possibility, or be glad that she wasn’t the murdering psychopath she had believed herself to be from what everyone was saying of her. Brent offered a nice compromise though. To still be blamed for what she did, yet not blame herself for what she didn’t. At least until hard evidence was found.
 
[color=9e0039]“I…”[/color]Angel found the guy’s last question difficult to answer. Would she leave it be and believe she was less tainted than before? Or would she make this into a new object of her obsession of finding out the truth?
 
[color=9e0039]“I’ll give it some thought. I’ve lived with this burden for a month now. It’s not like I can completely erase the guilt I felt since then all of a sudden. But… what you say makes sense. And if there’s a possibility that someone goes around and frame Mages for things they did not do, then turning a blind eye to this would probably the same as letting them win. I won’t accept it.”[/color]
 
And just like that, the sorrow that was etched on her face this morning faintly gave away to an aura of conviction. If she was not entirely to blame for what happened in Montréal, then it was up to her for cleaning her own mess and find out the truth behind all this. At the very least, it will put a definitive conclusion to that incident. That would seal her fate either as a murderer or a victim.
 
Feeling Brent’s warm touch on her shoulder, the girl felt herself overwhelmed by gratitude. Just how many times Brent came unto her during her moments of weakness and brought her back to her senses? It felt as if the amethyst-eyes youth had become a buoy to save her from drowning and being lost to this ocean that was trying to claim her. A beacon that she desperately tried to cling onto.
 
Replying to his reassuring gesture with her own sign of affection, Angel threw herself onto Brent’s firm being, embracing the brunette with a comforting hug. [color=9e0039]“Thank you… for everything you do for me. I don’t know what I would do without you. I just wish… I could return the favor.”[/color]

It was too tight, and Angelic was still incredibly damp from all their training, but Brent relaxed as she wrapped her arms around him, squeezing. He didn't fully deserve it, really. After all, there were still too many holes in his own theory, and he hadn't even mentioned the possibility of the police ignoring the evidence just so they can get another subnatural out of their sight. There were anti-subnatural groups that could easily have been the true cause, wanting to pin the blame on a celebrity-turned-subnatural in order to convince more people that, no matter how adored they are, all subnaturals are monsters.

So many possibilities that Angelic was going to have to pick through, but for now...

He was fine just seeing the light in her eyes. There was no life without light, after all.

His own hands remained at his sides as Angelic spoke, her breath tickling his ear. Too tight, too sweaty, but so warm.

[color=B0C4DE]"You're welcome. Anyone would have done the same,"[/color] he said finally, [color=B0C4DE]"But Angelic, if you want to return the favor?"[/color]

A cheeky grin emerged on Brent.

[color=B0C4DE]"Next time, shower before you hug me."[/color]

The sweaty Aberration only laughed in return, disengaging herself from Brent. [color=9e0039]"C'mon! It's just a bit of sweat. It's not like you aren't going to take a shower after anyway."[/color] A grin reflected the Abiter's own.

[color=B0C4DE]"Ouch,"[/color] he grasped at his heart, [color=B0C4DE]"Even meatheads care about personal hygiene, you know?'[/color]

[color=9e0039]"Meathead? That's... a rather harsh view on yourself."[/color] Angélique chuckled, finishing the last drops of the bottled water before starting to walk towards the motel's direction. [color=9e0039]"But yeah, can't wait to get cleaned. I just really want to be back and have something else to wear than these dirty war-torn clothes."[/color]

Angel could barely believe what she had just said. Looking forward to return to USARILN? Did she get so used to it now that she was ready to call it 'home' now?

[color=B0C4DE]"Yeah, same,"[/color] he replied, somewhat wistfully, [color=B0C4DE]"Really miss being able to cook for myself. Still gotta show 'ena the true power of corndogs too."[/color]

He pondered on that for a moment, before asking, [color=B0C4DE]"Think the motel staff will let me borrow their kitchen?"[/color]

[color=9e0039]"Yeah, I miss eating a good homemade meal..."[/color] the Aberration girl said, thinking back to the dinner she had prepared two weeks ago. [color=9e0039]"I actually tried to go over their kitchen and prepare dinner yesterday. One of the guards stopped me and told me it was off-limits. Room service would take care of our meals."[/color] Angélique added bitterly.

[color=9e0039]"If I just could stop spending my allowance in clothing, I'll actually buy food to cook a few things for myself over next month. Now that I've filled up my closet, I should get to stock up that refrigerator."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Well, $500 in groceries is definitely enough for one person, but you know, I always wanted to try asking the cafeteria staff if they could just like...hand over their ingredients,"[/color] Brent replied. [color=B0C4DE]"I mean, the food is basically free anyways, right? Unless there's some sort of nefarious plot where all the food in the cafeteria actually comes from Dreamcatcher monsters."

"Didn't know you cooked though, Angelic."[/color]

[color=9e0039]Mhm. If I wasn't on tour, I usually spent at least one day in the weekend experimenting with new recipes. I tried asking for using the kitchen at the institute for the dinner I made for the former members of my first team. I got denied the access though. Dunno if they would be willing to let go of their ingredients though. I suppose it's worth filling a request form for that?"[/color]

[color=9e0039]"Wow, a culinary explorer as well as a divine singer? How impressive,"[/color] Brent said, overtly reverent, [color=9e0039]"And yeah, that's totally worth. Shopping bags are heavy when they don't even buy cars for you, after all."

"That being said, Angelic, wanna help me with something? Not now, but once we get back?"[/color]

[color=9e0039]"Sure, what would that be?"[/color] Angel flashed a smile, her earlier words about paying him back in kind still echoing.

[color=B0C4DE]"It's a secret for now. Just gotta know if you're in or out."[/color] He paused, before realizing that 'sure' was basically 'in'. [color=B0C4DE]"...I'll tell you more when it's time. Just expect lots of frying."[/color]

Angel quirked up an eyebrow in curiosity [color=9e0039]"You know that sounds hella suspicious, right?"[/color] the bright-green eyes young woman commented with a mischievous grin. [color=9e0039]"But I'm game nonetheless. You got me intrigued by the secrecy of your devious plotting."[/color] she chuckled cheerfully.

[color=B0C4DE]"I'm basically a super suspicious guy anyways,"[/color] Brent laughed, [color=B0C4DE]"What sort of man would go around creeping in the hospital rooms of cute girls without having inhumanly insidious schemes in place? My gambits stretch on for thousands of years, Angelic, and your fealty is but one part of my plan for galactic conquest."[/color]

[color=9e0039]"Wow, such a daring ladies man."[/color] Angel laughed at how ridiculously exaggerated the whole scheme was. [color=9e0039]"But don't overestimate yourself. Who knows, perhaps it is you who has fallen into my hands. Welcome to my angelic harem, Brent."[/color] the fallen idol added, playfully faking a seductive tone as she traced her index on one of Brent's bulging biceps..

[color=B0C4DE]"Oh no, but how can this be?"[/color] Brent said, melancholically, [color=B0C4DE]"To think it was I who was the prey all along, falling into hands of a demon in heavenly garbs~"[/color]

Swooning dramatically, the arbiter's expression turned into one of longing. [color=B0C4DE]"But, alas, the time has come for us to part, fair Angelica. I must attend to my tyrant of a father now, for his is the business of enslavement, and thus...adieu."[/color]

[color=9e0039]"Yeah yeah, see you around, Roméo. Don't go slave driving them too hard now."[/color] Angélique giggled as she offered the Arbiter dramaturge a farewell hand wave before going her separate way.

While the sweat she worked out gave her a feeling of satisfaction, she needed to wash that away as Brent suggested. Can't go around smelling like that around the others.
[/hider]

[hider=Chapter XI: Taming the Dragon (Part 2)]
[center]
[img]http://i.imgur.com/qdJ8I7l.jpg[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/Fb1UXSA.png[/img] 
[h2] [color=red]Christopher[/color] | [color=9e0039]Angélique[/color] [/h2]
[color=silver][hr]𝕊𝕖𝕡𝕥. 𝟙𝟞, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘   / /   𝕃𝕒 ℙ𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕒, 𝕄𝕒𝕣𝕪𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕   / /   𝕄𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕝  / /   𝟘𝟟𝟛𝟘
[hr][/color]
[sub]Collab with [@dragonmancer][/sub]
[/center]

This week has gone to shit.

The whole ordeal of metal constructs they had to save a town from was stressful enough, but now Chris has to deal with the thought of Brent, someone he had started to look up to, run off with his crush. And that other brat that mocks him...What was his name?

It didn’t matter, he'd find out eventually. Revenge was tempting but he couldn't do anything extreme to satisfy that inner demon, it was something for him to plan and wait for an opportunity. He didn't have any intent on hurting them too bad, just enough to get across his trivial sense of personal justice.

Today however wasn't a day of plotting. The angry arbiter merely sat in the lobby of the motel. He was visibly in a bad mood, he had been staring at the window with a hand on his chin.

Coming back from her new daily morning routine with Brent, Angélique entered the motel’s lobby in sweat, as if she had run a marathon just before getting there. There wasn’t a lot of people around in the morning. As a matter of fat, she was surprised to see someone sitting all by his lonesome self at this time. It wasn’t hard to recognize the Dragon Arbiter from his unique appearance. 
 
She eyed him from afar, looking at what he was doing. He didn’t seem to be doing something really interesting. The hardened features on his face suggested he wasn’t in the best of moods. Was he brooding?
 
Angélique shrugged. She supposed she could try and talk to Christopher for a bit. They haven’t spoken at all ever since the ride to Wisford. Perhaps it would be a good idea to know how he was faring. Of course, Wisford battle was a huge bummer for everyone in Experimental Unit B, but if she could lift Chris’ spirits up like she did with the others, then maybe it was worth a shot to talk to him.
 
[color=9e0039]“Yo. What’s with the long face, Chris? Got something on your mind?”[/color] Angélique spoke directly as she let her aching and sweaty body slump on the chair in front of the Arbiter. For sure, her blunt tone and crude manner of speech sure sounded different than her usual carefully-crafted words.

[color=red]"Nothing regarding you."[/color] He said with eyes narrowed, still staring at the window instead of Angelique. The coldness in his voice made it clear he wasn't in the mood to talk.  With Angelique present, it reminded him of his fear of death, how he wanted to make bonds with others. A decision he now started to resent, as he was starting to believe he was better off on his own as always.

The raven-haired Aberration quirked up an eyebrow in disbelief at hearing Christopher's words. He might have had as well told her to fuck off and she'd probably take it less personal than his pathetic attempt at pushing her away. She remembered the rough attitude the Dragon Mage was exhibiting in his first days at USARILN, but she thought the guy had become a bit more tame after having that talk with him after the Flags and Seek game.

A part of herself felt worries about him. Usually, they had friendly talks and were going alone well. This morning though, flags were raised for the sudden outburst of negativity. But this morning, with her Stigma going full throttle in her head, she could humor him. If he wanted to be an ass to her, then she will show him she's not one to be stepped on just because he felt a bit gruffly.

[color=9e0039]"Tch, someone rose from the wrong side of the bed this morning. What happened to all that friendliness towards a fellow training partner?"[/color]

[color=red]"I was a fool to think something like that would help me. Connections like that only lead into disaster and further despair. We all have our burdens to carry, and besides, I'm not sure who I can trust anymore.."[/color] He went off, the frustration that had been building up for the past three days finally came fourth charged full of standoff-ish negativity. Angelique was perhaps the only one some part of him still trusted as a friend, since she was after all the most he'd have talked to aside from Siena. That same part of him grew anxious of talking to her further for fear she will betray him too. His eyes were fixed on the outside. The gaze reminded him that they were all in a prison, and likely sentenced for life with executions as the only escape.

Well, talk about a melodramatic fellow. Not that she knew who else Chris had close ties with to be saying stuff like that. She didn't do anything regarding him in that matter. Or perhaps lack thereof made him feel that way? The only other person that came into Angel's mind was Siena, whom she had learned from Christopher two days ago that he and her had a date. Could it be that...

[color=9e0039]"Christ, take a chill pill and tell me what happened."[/color] she said, her face growing serious and her tone graver.

He shot a glance at Angelique from the side. He studied her face as if trying to read her intentions. A few seconds of making up his mind resulted in  a sigh. Angelique was for now the last hope of believing anyone in this school had some remnants of loyalty. So he started the rant that he didn't even know how badly he wanted to share it until now. [color=red]"Well I started to branch out. Brent was one of the guys I trained with, and during the last fight I started to look up to him. Though I was a bit jealous he got to help Siena more then I it wasn't anything suspicious or anything. Just being a good teammates and all. We also had a nice chat on the way back but when we got in the van he gave me this smug-ass grin and took a seat by Siena before I got the chance. At the hospital I went to go check up on Siena myself but to further insult me Brent was already there spending time with and...." He paused. "I spied on them a bit to confirm my suspicious and some other student with a stupid smile on his face starting mocking me. It was that same twerp that mocked me after flag football, the guy that can rewind time or whatever....If there wasn't any damned guards or civilians nearby I would have slugged the fucker harder."[/color] His fist clenched with his finishing statement, He didn't expect he'd be swearing so much out loud yet the profanity had some comfort to his dramatic stress.

[color=red] "I'm sorry I don't usually like to talk that much."[/color] He had suddenly shifted back to that cold tone upon realizing the mistake of opening up so much and leaving himself vulnerable. He was half expecting Angelique to do something to betray his former trust. His arms were crossed from how weak and exposed he felt.

Angélique listened with intent as Christopher started his rant. Clearly, she didn't expect him to be so petty. So he simply got jealous of Brent for trying to befriend her? And what about Marcus? She did have him figured out for quite a buffoon, but she didn't expected him to be messing around like that towards a classmate. Was there some sort of animosity between the two of them that she was not aware of? Well, considering Chris had been spying and on Siena and Marcus had seen him spying on his roommate, of all people. Of course he would have witty comments about that him. But to come down to fisticuffs for that, now that was just stupid. 

Had she been clear-minded, she would have given him a speech to raise his morale and defuse the whole situation. But the constant whispers in her head had eroded her patience and she really didn't feel like beating around the bush and prettying up her opinion on the subject.

[color=9e0039]"Wait... so you're feeling like shit because you're jealous of Brent trying to be friends with Siena? Just what did Marcus say that was so horrible as to earn a fist in his face?"[/color]

And there it is.

The arbiter shook his head. [color=red]"No I don't think Brent's intentions are to be just friends. The first comment Marcus made was enough to piss me off. I started to walk away from it but the bastard wouldn't shut his trap."[/color] He looked the other way, her questioning had already made it clear Angelique didn't care enough for his side. No one could understand his pain, just as he couldn't understand their pain. His attention was back to the window, he didn't have any more reason to be a part of this conversation.

Angel sighed and rolled her eyes at hearing all this. she felt like she was talking with a middle schooler, whining about the boy next seat flirting with his crush and the class' clown making jokes on him. She could have expected Marcus to get himself in trouble for all she knew, jokes taken too far when directed on an immature individual are bound to make shit happen. But Brent flirting with Siena? Now she had trouble believing that. Brent didn't strike Angel as a ladies man. If at all, Chris might have interpreted Brent's awkward straight-forwardness into a confession or whatever it is he had heard.

[color=9e0039]You [i]think[/i] you know about Brent's intentions? Did you, like, confronted him about how you felt towards Siena, or asked him how HE felt about her? You just can't speculate things like that when it comes down to relationships and let this slip if you really love Siena, man. At the very least, dig deeper to figure out Brent's true intentions. And ask Siena to confirm whether she wants to be in a relationship with you. Her feelings matter too you know."[/color]

Despite sounding so frustrated of hearing Chris bad-mouthing the people she considered like soul siblings in their classroom, it was not like she wanted to create more unnecessary drama in this whole mess. At the very least, she wanted to help sort this situation out. It's not like she had a bone to pick against Christopher. In fact, she wanted to help him down a better road than the self-imposed lonesome bullshit he was craving so hard to return to.

[color=red]"Why bother? Last fight we lost a subnatural, everyone fight we've had so far we've lost at least one student. Were all dropping like flies and connections like that become a weakness..." [/color]He paused, his eyes squinting once more. [color=red]"I’ve lost too many loved ones before I joined this damned school to see the same thing happen on repeat.."[/color]

[color=9e0039]"So fucking what? You're just going to admit defeat in the face of adversity, give up on everyone and be fending off for yourself from now on? Just what good is a team if everyone thinks like you do. I'll tell you what would have happened. We would have fucking lost not only Savannah, but a lot more people. If Zoe didn't show up out of concern for y'all safety and killed all the Mages by herself, a lot more people would have probably died two days ago. Whether you like it or not, we're now neck deep in this shit and we're going to see people dying. But why do I keep trying to make new bonds? Because I want to have a reason to get out there, stay alive and keep them alive too, so that we can enjoy another good moment together. You just can't strive out for yourself in this mess, because sooner or later, that loneliness is going to gnaw at you, and one day you'll wake up and find out that the world you're living in is complete bullshit and not worth fighting for it anymore. In the long run, you'll just pointlessly try to put an end to your suffering, or you're going to end up living long enough and growing powerful enough to become a monster like Cat's Cradle or Garrote."[/color]

Angel did not expected to go on into a speech so early in the morning already, but seeing someone as pathetic as Christopher sinking so low into their solitary acting, she could not help but morally kick his ass. 

Another sigh escaped the dramatic arbiter. [color=red]"You're not wrong. But I would still like to be alone right now. Once everything gets back to 'normal' and I am confined to that infernal cursed room I'll get right to asking Siena everything."[/color] He wasn't lying, but his tone was still bitter. Angelique's advice wasn't something that offended him directly, but it came a bit off like a parent lecturing a child. He didn't want to deal with anyone right now.

[color=9e0039]A'right. I think I can understand now. Well, as long as you're [i]trying[/i] to makes things right instead of letting them fester, I suppose I should cut you some slack."[/color] Angel got up from her chair, leaving Chris to be alone just as he wished. [color=9e0039]"And about Marcus, try not to let his jeering get into you. You're letting him win by having him get under your skin. Violence isn't going to get you anywhere but a tour inside a confinement cell after being tased. Take it like a man, not like a middle-grade schooler."[/color]

Chris nodded, though his hands clenched on the last comment. Referring to him as a child was an insult, but he supposed she was right. He was being foolish. He had let such darkness cloud him once more. It was still too early to tell if he wanted that darkness back in his life or not, but with inspiration he planned to at least get things straight with Siena. No more misunderstandings. Once they're back in school...

[color=red]"Thanks for listening Angelique.."[/color] He muttered as he watched the grass drift in the breeze outside.

[color=9e0039]No problem. Remember, I'm always around if you need to talk. . Like I told you before, there's no need to be alone in this. At the very least, if you lost faith in everyone else, you can count on me."[/color] That last part sounded a bit too much presumptuous of herself, but all things considered, if he was able to put up with her darker side without coming out of the discussion as a nemesis like what happened with Emma, then they could go through any hardship with a steely bond of trust.

Before leaving the room to head towards the showers, Angel stopped, actually thinking about how much of a condescending bitch she sounded like this morning with Christopher. Maybe he deserved it, maybe not. But still, it left a bad aftertaste in her mouth. Not as intense as what happened yesterday evening, but still...

[color=9e0039]I'm... sorry if I just sounded harsh on you right now. I'm not feeling all that well too... Anyway, take care, Chris."[/color] Angélique manage to voice an apology despite the protesting of the voices inside. She really needed to cool her head down and scrub off that sweat.

[color=red] "Like I said, we all have crosses to bear. If you need help carrying yours like I did mine, well I got nothing else to do." [/color] His cold tone softened into something more melancholy. Though he hid it, there was a tear forming at his left eye.
[/hider]

[hider=Chapter XII: A Scream in the Night]
[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4346208]Collab here![/url]
[/hider]