Villain To Be: Chapter 3

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(Please insert background music: “Eye of the Tiger” here, thank you)

*~Ten! Den-den-den!~

~Ten! Den-den-den!~

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*tightens the knot on the cloth, with words “FIGHT!”, around her head*

*stretches her arms and legs for warm-up, she glared at the road in front of her*

“FIGHT-O!” and off she jogs under the early morning mist!

Following right behind her is a white orb of light discharging some sparks once a while. After she passed around fifty meters the white orb cautiously get near her and spoke, “Child, please, I apologize for a thousand times. It was insensitive of me. Really, there is no need to go this far! It may possibly stunt your growth! Please be reasonable… please.”

“Humph!”

The girl did not only ignore the pleading orb, she also quickened her pace. The morning mist slowly dissipated as the soft hues of the early sun crept throughout the earth. The girl inhaled the fresh air and as she exhaled, she relaxed and eased her pace. A quick turn to the left and the girl slowly reached a small clearing and a pond. Kneeling near the body of water she cupped a handful of water and drink, she then looked at its surface blankly. There reflected a young girl with an egg shaped face, some of its chestnut brown hair became undone from its pony tail and its clear brown eyes stared back at her. A smile formed on its small pink lips as the owner of the reflection did so while thinking, “This is stupid.” A drop of sweat touched the surface of the water and in an instant, the image was disturbed.

“Sigh…” she tries to recall what urged her for a morning jog even though it’s so out of her character. And then a flashback appeared in her mind… “… it is pleasant to see such a healthy child…” was said by an innocent mythical white horse but what registered was “…healthy…” and then it became “chubby” and then “it” has been unlocked - the three letter taboo word has been irrevocably thrown! The earth shook and split into two as the hot lava from the deepest of hell crept to the surface. BOOOM!

“I.AM.NOT.FAT!!!!!!!!” and that was the last of her recollection.

The white orb of light became curious as to the girl’s sudden silence so it slowly approached her and tried to finally ‘talk’ with her but as if on cue the girl’s head snapped towards it. Her eyes flared with determination as she declared, “I’ll make you regret calling me fat!” She then splashed water into her face as a wakeup gesture, and after shaking off the remaining water her vigor was revitalized and she went:

“FIGHT-O!!!!!!!!”

…so what about the exam? What happened then?... nobody cares.

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~The eye of the tiger~

*~Ten! Den-den-den!~

~Eye of the tiger~

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It is past one o’clock in the afternoon as shown on the face of the small pocket watch in the hand of a young boy. Though it seem like it would still be for a couple of years before he is to be declared an adult, no one could deny the maturity and wisdom embedded in his deep obsidian eyes. He sat crossed leg on the small sofa just across the desk where the head of the house sat himself.

Had the boy been an ordinary individual such casual gestures would appear rude specially when the one before him is titled Duke. Yet, without a sense of insecurity the boy exchanged words with the man as if they were on par with each other, as if they are in equal standing, if not, him being the one with a higher standing between the two. He, whose ashen hair proves he is not of royalty from this, nor from any other country, is like an enigma to whoever would look.

Two attendants stand behind the young boy while one stood behind the Duke. Being the professional that they are, they stood there as if merging with the background as their masters exchanged words. They didn’t even flinch when a sudden *clamp* resounded when the young boy flicked his wrist and closed his pocket watch.

“Then I will leave it up to you Duke Fireheart. It will be great if no more major casualties occur.”

“Ah… indeed.”

The Duke immediately stands up after the young boy intending to accompany him until the exit. Despite the heat of the midday sun, the Duke is having a chill across his spine just by being in the presence of the young boy. Even though he can somehow hide the turmoil of his thoughts, his palms were still drenched in sweat, he is nervous… who wouldn’t be?

This young boy… no, this sly and dangerous monster wearing the image of a young boy is not someone you can easily handle. He is wiser, stronger, and most surely older than the Duke. He is of an ancient race, a race that was beyond his own. He is a Vampire.

“Say…” the young boy stopped just before they reach the bottom of the stairs to the entrance of the mansion.

“Yes?” the Duke quietly asked.

“Where’s Emilia?”

Hearing the name of his daughter come out from the mouth of the young boy, the Duke’s heart rate increased. Various thoughts crossed his mind, yet he remained poker faced. He beckoned a maid who in turn reported the whereabouts of his daughter.

“Shall I call her here?” the Duke asked, praying for a negative response.

“No.”

The Duke let out a relieved sigh only to stiffen at his next words.

“I’ll go meet her instead.”

Then with a snap of a finger, the young boy vanished in thin air leaving his two attendants behind. Seeing this, the Dukes spirits became down yet he hid his true feelings behind his poker face. He did not bother talking with the remaining attendants as he turned back and up the stair case again. He is afraid of the thought that the Vampire would harm his only daughter yet deep down, he knows whatever that monster would do, he can never even dream of fighting against him. It may be seen as him being a coward, or it can also be seen as the wisest move to make… that is, not to provoke.

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“What’re you doing?~”

“KYAAA!”

Emilia reflexively threw the pestle she was holding towards the person who suddenly appeared in front of her. The projectile however only hit the wall as the young boy easily dodged.

“That was dangerous you know?”

“YOU are dangerous you know! You just popped out of nowhere! I almost got a heart attack!”

“Ohhh~ by chance, did your heart skipped a beat?”

“Yeah… I even feared that instead of just a skip, it would actually jump out of my chest! I thought I told you not to do that?”

“Eh~ buuuuttt~”

“Tsk!”

“Hey, a lady shouldn’t click her tongue you know.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. So what is the great perverted granpa doing here anyway?”

“How cruel! I’m hurt~”

Emelia could only look at him with suspicion. Seeing this, the young boy gave a mischievous smile.

“So will you forgive me if I do this?” then, POOF! The young boy is nowhere to be seen and in his stead is a deviously handsome young man. He eyed Emilia with interest. She on the other hand had a change in expression. Her face softened into an image of tranquility. She smiled tenderly as she spoke, “What is there to forgive?” her voice is like the calm flowing water. After the exchange is a meaningful pause…

27… 28… 29… the handsome young man counted inside his head and after a while…

“CHILD!!!” a small orb of light frantically circled around the now bleeding… nose-bleeding... Emilia whose face remained as tranquil as before but is now muttering something along the lines… “Ikemen are justice… my eyes are cured… I’m in heaven… and… those delicious collar bones, I wanna bite them…”