Ms. Daisy: “'They’? When you say ‘they’, you also mean to include that...that wild – haired child? But – but he’s hardly received a single scratch--!

…

Unless…

...has a deeper problem arisen?”

Mr. Abrams: “*Nods* He’s been poisoned. I decided to not touch it since one wrong move made by somebody inexperienced could potentially cause things to worsen.”

Ms. Daisy: “Smart choice you made. We don’t know the extent of this poison’s damage, or if there are any magical elements involved. If you used magic to try and extract the poison, who knows what would’ve happened.

Although you could have at LEAST patched it up with a bandage to stop his blood from leaking out like a faucet. Not applying magic to stop the bleeding is one thing – not even using a gauze is another.”

Mr. Abrams: “I’d rather not when you were only a second away via teleport. Should we grab anybody else, or is it just you?”

Ms. Daisy: “Just me...Oh! Two more actually. That girl lying down over there. I wish to...check her, more extensively. Next is a group of nurses with Dome that should be making their way over here...if Dome did his side of things properly, that is. You will have to find them, as I might require their assistance with these ones. *Points to Rise, Noel and Four*”

---

...

While they discussed their plans to warp back with those in desperate need of an examination, the silent kids began to stir.

Leos: “(To…To be honest…I…I never expected to see him like this. I mean, back at Unforgivable Watts’s island – right smack dab above the old ass-hat’s laboratory, he WAS bleeding. Quite a lot, actually. Could he really be strong, or is he as weak as the rest of us? I never knew the answer to that question. Not throughout the entire two years I’ve been recovering alongside Rebeccah.

After all, none of us knew how much effort was needed to actually PUT the professor down. Nobody knew, because nobody ever managed to succeed in attacking him! No one ever got close enough to try, and MANY have tried. His traps were too much for all the assassins sent over, and instead, they became his test subjects. As did he… It was clear that even in death, the Professor was a fearsome man not to be trifled with. Even in death, his killer became an experiment. His final experiment.

Rebeccah argued that Noel, although she just called him ‘the killer kid’ or ‘that boy’... She said that he might’ve only succeeded because the professor WANTED him to get close. To perform some...strange experiment – THAT strange experiment. But I think differently. He was a cold – blooded murderer.

A killer!

He only had to leave after killing the Professor and we would’ve thanked him...but then…! Then he went and…!)”

The black – haired boy trembles while holding back an overflow of tears. Even the simple act of remembering his past led to an overflux of emotions he wasn’t ready to bear.

Leos: “He killed them!”

Leos is forced to look around, hoping he didn’t alarm anybody with his outburst. Thankfully, no one paid him any attention.

Leos: “(Chuma. Fabian… If I had an OUNCE of power back then, I would never have let them take you. I would have fought against that...that feeling of not being able to control my body and rescued you both!

…Somehow…

I don’t know if this guy, if HE was responsible for your deaths or the Unforgivable Watts, or both! And I don’t care! They both need to pay – SOMEBODY needs to pay! And it can’t be that - that madman since he’s already dead! I didn’t know if he was even still alive before, so I swallowed up my anger for two years. Two years…! And now…

Now I meet him again, today. Hearing his voice...it reminded me of those times when Rebeccah and I both argued about whether he was truly weak or strong. Both of us ended up agreeing and believing… believing that he was let in by Unforgivable Watts with his guard lowered and THAT’S what really killed him. NOT because some 10 year old could kill such a legendary figure who we feared. NOT because the kid was strong enough to accomplish what we couldn’t!

.

.

.

My beliefs stuck until today. At the assembly...he got close enough to kill me. He chose not to, I was SPARED by his … stupid whim! THEN he kicked me. Again, to save me, but it was an EXCUSE to hurt me! To show me that MIGHT was right! He wanted to send a message, that he can kill me whenever I open my mouth. He wanted to PROVE that it really was him that eliminated the professor! I know this was his intentions...I know because that kick… it broke something! Something inside me CRACKED after his kick! …

…

…

…But if he really IS strong, then why does he look like he’s about to die? If he really DID save me, in order to show his strength, then...why stay and fight somebody he couldn’t win against? Why not use us as shields – I mean...what’s another life lost to somebody responsible for twenty three thousand others?

Did he really go that far, all to let Oliviera and I escape…? I…)”

-

Brennan: “Oh God...Oh God. That blood. The bo-HUUURK! - HUUURR--

*BLEAGH!*”

Oliviera: “...Scary..”

Li Shun: “This isn’t real...this can’t be real…! Didn’t...didn’t everybody...everyone get saved by that bright, white light? It brought everyone back to life...Right?”

Ophelia: “The light...we were saved by it, but our enemies didn’t vanish. It didn’t erase any villains on our side either after we were healed. I did that.”

Li Shun: “…”

Ian: “(Erased, she says…)”

Brennan: “….Erased...”

Ophelia: “*Looks around*

...I don’t mean to be rude, but really. To believe Noel was working with the villains...or even assuming that all of his actions were planned for this attack...! *Clenches fist*

It’s a little...infuriating.”

Alyandrea: “Don’t worry about being rude! It was these creeps that pushed their nonsensical ‘hidden agenda’ conspiracy theory onto everyone!”

Ophelia: “But…...Elijah apologized…”

Alyandrea: “Mmmmmm…! You wishy – washy, weak - willed musclehead!

…

Haah. Sorry, you ain’t no musclehead. You’re a good person, that’s all. A REALLY good person – TOO good of a person.”

Ophelia: “Hearing you point that out kind of stings… just a little. But thanks for apologizing.

(Noel...I should have been there with you. I should have ignored everybody else’s good intentions and just gone…! Maybe… maybe things would have worked themselves out like they did at the Colosseum! I got lost pretty early on in those maze – like hallways too. I couldn’t tell the difference between my up, down, left or right … but *clenches fist* I found my way out! Better than that time, this place is a forest! An open space! If I could jump high enough… I know for sure that the signs of his battle would be easy to see!

I … I want to know… If you’re strong, then...

How did you receive those injuries? I remember what you did near the classrooms. You also protected me somehow against the gang of bullies. I’m not...stupid.

...Or am I? Did I just...imagine all of his strength…

Convince myself Noel was strong, because he said he would be my friend?)”

Wayne: “…I guess he wasn’t in league with them… sorry Ophelia. Sorry Alyandrea.

(He was covered in blood. ‘Reckless’ was probably right. To think that a guy two years younger than me would choose to stand behind and fight, when he’s just a powerless liability…

…

…this is what he gets! Am I supposed to feel bad for him, when he CHOSE to stick around and die? No! Survival is all about being smart! Especially for the powerless, like us! Overwhelming your own sense of reasoning with baseless notions like… like sympathy! He deserved those injuries! Maybe next time he won’t be so rash! He’ll value his own life more! Cherish it more and not try to throw it away!)”

Ian: “...I hope you guys feel proud of yourselves. After seeing the condition he was in, I really hope you’ll think twice about making those baseless remarks of yours. Reckless? Yes. Stupid? Maybe, that one can be argued, however, since he DID stay behind to help Rise fight. Although he couldn’t possibly do much, regardless if he stayed or left.

He also asked Oliviera and Wayne to escape...even though he should have just gone with them...

...

My POINT is, his actions were controversially stupid and reckless, but he was NOT working in cahoots with them. To even bring that sort of thing up… just how someone - ANYONE could believe such a thing is beyond me.”

Wayne: “Oh gee, sorry that I might have grown paranoid after so many strange things happened ON MY FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! We already found out that Ophelia AND maybe even Rise have superpowers. One destroyed our school’s freaking prized arena and the other fought a villain and only has one scratch on his neck! THAT guy over there *Points to Elijah* is a former top student too!

PLUS I almost died today. WE almost died today in a school full of SUPERHEROES! So, *Cough* so excuse me if I’m not exactly limiting myself to just believing everything at face value!”

Ian: “Oh PLEASE! Both Rise and Ophelia LOOK the part – just check out their muscles for yourself! No offense by the way, Ophelia.”

Ophelia: “…”

---