Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7: IT WAS THE BEST OF TIMES, IT WAS THE WORST OF TIMES

(quick note, i know i have a few things to fix up in this chapter, and i'm starting to do that soon, but i just wanted this up cuz it's a cool chapter ^_^)


*Two hours before*
“Jeff, where's that tape?”
“Right here, Jess. Isn't it weird our names are nearly the same-”
“Ssh!” She flattened herself into the high, un-mowed grass, her hand pressing on the back of Jeff's head and into the dirt. He attempted not to cough as she glared through the blades of green. Jeff mumbled something and Jess let him up, “Yeah, he's gone. Get the tape, there's students coming out.”
Jess looked through the grasses, watching students with swords, flaming hands, even wings file out through a back door. Jeff set up the camera and started to tape.
“Today, we shall spar with each other. I will team you up based of gifts and skills. Fire, to the left, wings behind me, and sword-to-sword to the right. NOW!”
The students stumbled around, mumbling “sorry” and “Ouch!” and “didn't see you there.” When all were where they were supposed to be, the teacher, a large, strong man who's muscles bulged through his shirt, and a buzz cut of brown hair and blue eyes started to walk through the ranks, pull some students out, throw them aside with each other, until everyone was facing another opponent.
“Ready?”
Some shouted things, others responded with silent nods, and the teacher held up a whistle. “Ready, set-” The shrill shriek of the whistle that sent ears bleeding, and all were off. Winged ones took into the air, tackling each other and slamming back into the ground, dirt flying up, while a few others rammed each other in the air, gripped legs and threw them into the trees nearing the building, or even into the building itself. On the ground, which Jeff kept switching too every now and then with his small, hand-held camera, were people completely on fire, or some with only a tad bit on fire, circling each other, throwing punches and using the fire as a boost into the air to slam down onto opponents. One kid ended up passed out on the ground from one such incident landing on his oh-so fragile head. Jess stifled a gasp.
The swordsmen were the worst. They wore no armor, flinging knives that simply appeared in the air at each other, and bring shields to appear before them as protection from their comrade's attack. One did not guard himself quickly enough, and the knife lodged itself into his forehead. He staggered back, blood spewing, then gripped the hilt, and simply pulled it out and threw it at his attacker.
“That was a good hit!” shouted the teacher above the roar of battle, “Not easy to break a fighter's skin!”
“Thank you, Captain!”
“I can't believe they're doing this!” Jeff breathed, his eyes wide as more horrors continued to play out.
“They..they're monsters! Freaks! Mutants!” Jess listed, her eyes widening as a winged got thrown into a war between fire and fire. The winged girl shouted something at the guy who burnt her wing, jumped into the air, clapped her wings together, and blew out his fire all together with a gust that sent the grass flat. The no-long-on-fire guy laughed and waved her away while his attacker stared into the eyes of Jess. He stared, his jet black hair spiked to a point, his sharp and handsome features pushed into a confused look. He seemed to see why she was here, losing her memory about that very incident on that one day, going back to the studio without knowing why there was a gash in her back. Jeff had no memory either, and they had come back in search for answers. And then just like that, the wind stopped and only he still stood there staring at her, and the oblivious Jeff, who mumbled quietly to the live audience they were broadcasting too. Everyone was too occupied fighting each other to have noticed them, but that split second of a break for the teenager caused him to glimpse the weird shinning thing in the grass, and look over at it.
“Captain! Skin alert!”
The teacher grumbled and walked over to him, “Whats wrong?”
The kid mumbled something, his eyes still on Jess. Jess couldn't move and everyone slowly stopped fighting, mumbling, “Code red? Is it a code red?”
“CODE RED!” Captain roared, “Flighters, scan!” The winged humans took off like jet planes, even those injured, and it was not long before Jeff and Jess were surrounded. Jeff tucked his camera in his pocket quickly, and Jess stumbled to her feet when the teacher, Captain, ordered her and Jeff to do so.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE ON PRIVATE GROUNDS!?” he roared, “Have you any reason to do so!?”
“Uh-I-” Jess started.
“You people are monsters!” Jeff shouted, Jess' eyes going wide. She turn and clamped her hand around her mouth and smiled sheepishly, “He's uh, just in shock.”
“And you?” One of the students pipped up, “or are you one of us?”
Jess saw the opportunity, and nodded hurriedly, “Yes, I'm one of you.” Jeff looked at her in shock, then saw the gleam in her eye and it clicked for him too. He twisted out of her grip, “Yes..I-I'm sorry. She's been my friend for some time, but it's just different the way you train.”
“They had a camera.”
And then everything came crashing down, Jess thought bitterly, trying to casually seek out the kid who would dare say that.
“A camera? Where is it?!” Captain growled, glaring at both the accused.
“We don't have one.”
“What's going on here-you.” Mr. Linkin came into the circled crowd, glaring at Jess and Jeff. “Why are you here!?”
“They were taping us!” A kid shouted, and a roar of responses of punishments were hurtled at the principal.
“Kill em!”
“Burn em!”
“Let's see how they like 'monsters'!”
“I'll take em up high and drop em!”
“Quiet, all of you! Get your heads back on, students! Your too high off adrenaline. Get these kids out of here, coach.”
The coach nodded, shouted out orders, and the students, grumbling the entire way, slumped back into the school.
The story would be out as soon as they saw their friends.
“Now. What to do with these two-”
“Run!” Jeff shouted, grabbing Jess and turning to run away.
But Jess suddenly felt very dizzy. The world started to spin and when she could finally make sense of where she was going, hallucinations clouded her vision.
A wolf crouched not far away from her, readying to pounce. The red-eyed, black beast then leapt, jaw opened wide. Jess screamed and ducked, her hands shaking, “Get away! Get away!”
“Jess, what are you-OH MY GOD!” he fell backward, the black beast attacking him now too. He held his arm as if it were injured, ripping his jeans and tying it off around his shoulder tightly, his eyes wide. Jess saw no blood upon the man. She did, however, see it all over her, and she began to feel faint from the lack of it. Jeff looked over at her, “I bleeding badly, but you can still get to the truck! Hurry!”
Jess looked at him as if he were insane; did he not see the blood that pored from her body?
But she didn't care about that now.
All she cared about was how dark it was getting, and that she really should start heading home.
***

“Hey, hear bout the snoopers?”
“I think everyone has.”
“But why would they be so stupid?”
“Humans ain't the brightest beings on the planet.”
“I don't exactly remember you having any powers. So aren't you one of them?”
“Shut up.” Kat growled, fists tightening.
“Oh? Blindy upset? Whatcha ganna do bout it? You can't exactly hit me, being-”
Kat swung at him, hitting him dead in the nose, a jarring crack! resinating through the chubby boy's very skull. “That accurate enough?” Kat snarled, sticking her hands quickly in her pockets. A chill entered the air, the kid's face going pale. Blood started to seep through the fatty's broken skin, then through his fingers when he clenched his fist around it. His eyes grew wide, staring at the girl who was still looking blindly ahead, hands in pockets.
“What was that!? How did you-oh God this hurts!” he turned and ran off.
Kat grumbled to herself, in no mood for teasing of any sort. She turned, shifted her bag on her shoulder, and headed down the hallway.
Today was their anniversary.
They would probably be out at lunch right now. Most likely that place near the peer with the fish and chips that she loved so much, Kat thought. He would probably have bought her a dozen flowers and reserved her favorite seat. He would have had made it so the room they were in was dark, lit with candles. He would get down and pretend to propose like he always did. When they finished eating the would come get me. Then we'd all go out for dinner after homework to his favorite steak house and we'd eat and talk till late, then they'd drop me off at home and go to some hotel where he first saw her.
Kat sighed and turned a corner, walking into her class room and sitting down. The thing was, was that she couldn't share this with anyone. They'd send her to some place with others like her, and she'd be forced away from her house when someone decided that they wanted her, signed the papers, and took her to Lord-knows-where. She set her bag down but did not sit down. Instead she reached down and flicked the tack off her seat, then settled herself down in it. Murmurs raced around the room but Kat ignored them. The quicker this day went by, the better.
Then a boy came in, ripped from head to tow, a thin shirt over his chest, and she could tell by the loosening and use of less muscles around his cheeks that he was smiling. At who? None other than Miss Katara herself. She sucked in a breath, lucky that she could 'stare' at this kid without him ever knowing, and that she was able to lean over her desk just so that her hair swung before her cheeks so the redness had no audience. This kid gathered his stuff and sat next to her, and she grew slightly stiff. That strange weight in his step, the strange muscle twitching and awkward smile muscle moving just so..what? He's just a new kid, she told herself, it's probably nothing.
“Hey. I'm Jerry.”
He didn't make the mistake of holding out his hand like new teachers did, nor did he raise his hand, waiting for a high-five as some of the wannabe-gangsters did when they met her. She smiled and looked in his direction, “Kat.”
“Cat?”
“With a 'k'. Short for Katara.”
He smiled, “But it's a pretty name. Why use a nickname?”
Kat laughed, “Easier to say, I guess. What bout you?”
“Jerry's short for Jerry.” A grin played on his lips. Katara chuckled, “That's pretty original. So you're a new kid, eh?”
“Guess so. Shipped me off here as soon as my powers showed up. You?”
“Been here since I was four.”
“Woah, no way! You seriously hung out in these classrooms since you were four!?”
Kat grinned, “Yep. After I went blind I developed my power quicker than most. It was kinda important in my getting around, so it's understandable.”
“What is it?”
“Good-morning class,” said the teacher, saving Kat from an unspeakable doom.
“Good-morning Rogo,” the class responded, all but Jerry of course.
“Today we'll be working with shifting. Alright?”
“Shifting?” Jerry whispered.
“Yeah,” Kat murmured back, “all shifters are put in this class.”
“So I get to see what you are?”
Kat shook her head, “It's under wraps.”
The muscles by Jerry's brow furrowed, tensing and pushing down, “Why?”
“One of a kind, thank you very much.” Kat dipped her head as if bowing, a large grin on her face.
“Katara, it'd be nice if you stop flirting and pay attention.”
Kat reddened and couldn't think of an excuse quick enough before the class started laughing, Jerry the hardest and loudest. Kat hissed something under her breath and sent him evil mind messages carrying his doom in several forms of torture.
“Thank you. Now, Kat, if you would come with me-”
“Aww, c'mon!” shouted a kid in the back, one of Kat's admirers. “We never get to see her shift!”
“Yeah!” Shouted a girl who just loved to humor the class with jokes of blind kids.
“Kat?” Rogo asked, cocking an eyebrow.
“Don't think so.” Kat said, standing, gathering her bags, and heading to her teacher. “Shall we go?” she asked before someone could convince Rogo to pressure her into shifting for all to see.
Not likely, best luck next time.
“Alright, let's go. Everyone, watch the video. You know I'll be able to hear every word.” He clicked the remote, and a picture flickered upon the screen and started playing the basics of changing.
Kat and her teacher walked down the hall way, and into a room with no windows. The strongest protectors were in there too, all teachers of course, and Kat set her bags down.
“Alright. This time you'll be training in your form.” A teacher began.
“Have we actually thought of a name for it?” Kat asked, leaning against the wall, annoyed that, due to the protectors, her senses did not go further than the room she was in. No way to see what other people were doing to entertain herself during the boring session.
“No. That's off topic. Now, we have a few students-”
“We agreed no students. My parents wouldn't like this.”
“There is no one else your level, Katara.”
Kat crossed her arms, “Then I ain't shiftin'.”
A protector growled something out, and a nearby teacher translated, “He wants to know about the droids. Couldn't they spar with her?”
“We don't know if they can be her level.”
“I'm up for a challenge,” Kat hissed, “I'm not weak, I can actually fight, even if I'm blind.”
“Fine,” retorted one of teachers sharply, leaving to go gather one. Moments later he was back, the small room was cleared of desks, and protectors were set against the walls. The teacher that was the sparring master, Captain, activated the droid. It's eyes lit up red, it's rigid and dusty body shook awake, and it lifted its gun and waited to be attacked.
Kat sucked in a breath and closed her eyes. Her form grew close together, her face elongated and grew skinner, her eyes separated and her nostrils moved. Her ears went to the back of her head and grew tipped. Her tail bone ripped from her back and was quickly covered in muscles, veins, skin, then fur. Her hands closed in on themselves and grew sharp nails and pads to soften her walk. When she came back to her senses she had her feet separate, vines taking their place and clinging to the ground. The forest green color of her fur stood on end and her vined feet whipped up to the ceiling and swung her into her opponent.
The droid fired as it saw her approaching, hitting her dead in the stomach, a gaping hole smelling of burnt plants. Red vines whipped around and connected themselves to each other, healing the wound within seconds, just as she rammed into her opponent. The droid stumbled backwards, wielding its gun, and fired again. This time she evaded it, her hind paws ripping into vines, clinging to the ceiling, and pulling her quickly out of the way of the blue beam. Then she pushed away from the wall, her gleaming white fangs burying themselves into the metal neck of the droid, and she ripped away, its head falling back and off.
Her audience stood in awe, some clapped. She did a mock bow the best she could in her form, her sash irritating her ears where it was tied behind. She barked out a answer to questions, which no one understood, and reformed her paws. Then she shifted human, tightener her sash, and started to head out. She pushed the door out and as she was leaving, she overheard a few passing words, “We tell him today.” The door slammed shut.