Chapter 8: Chapter 7
"Hey! Stop that or I'll turn you into a sizzling, quacking duck!" Harley screams as he runs in an alley.
"This guy is a monster! He will hurt us!" says one of the kids while pointing at Grock who is hiding timidly.
Someone older and bigger guy comes out from the shadows and looks down on Harley.
"Who do you think you are?" he spits. He folds the sleeves of his shirt to show his muscles. "Just because you were born in the lineage of strong mages doesn't mean you could do whatever you want. This stone giant you are taking care of is nothing but a curse in Magical City! So shut your mouth and go back where you came from. We'll take care of this monster."
"Grock is not a bad monster," the stone giant said but one of the kids hits him with a bronze sword that clanged against his hard skin. This scene almost snap Harley from his sanity but hurting them is a huge, big NO!
He, who never wanted to be looked down upon, stares back at the guy even if it means he has to look up since he is a bit shorter.
"Have you heard why I was put into detention in the academy?" he asks haughtily. "Have you heard that I had burned the laboratory into ashes in Lion Academy?"
"So what if you did?" the guys scoffs. His huge size hovering over the small build of Harley. "Look at this midget trying to act brave."
The kids laugh at him which only made him angrier. Harley lets out a sigh before looking at Grock who is curled up in the corner. His blue eyes look sad.
"Let that giant go," he negotiates, "Then, I shall let you off the hook in exchange."
They laugh at him more with their fingers pointed at him. It is mortifying but in Harley's case, no one does that to him.
He brings out his wand and waves it in front of the other kids.
"You're going to cast a spell on us?" the guy asks but then laughs again. "Don't try to scare us, we may not attend that academy but we know that if you use magic against us, you'll be stripped off with every magic you have. Then, you'll be casted out to the streets as you cry out your mama's name!"
Harley smiles at him deviously and continues to wave his wand.
"You're quite knowledgeable. But let me ask, what else is the use of a wand?" he asks them.
"To pick on your booger!" another kid replies which made them burst into laughter once again.
Harley stops waving it and tightly grips it with a smirk plastered on his face. He may be short-tempered but he has to endure for this kind of situation would make him more childish if he gets mad at them.
"Wrong," he says and with his free hand, he swings his open palm across the biggest guy's face. The slap is so hard that the sound echoed in the alley and turned them from haughty kids to shaking and scared mice.
"Ah, there was a fly on your cheek," he says as he wipes off his hand with a hanky. "I hate flies. They go flying on dirty shits and they go buzzing right in front of you as if saying 'Hey, dude, Imma touch you and leave the shit on you.' Now, who wants the next sweet slap from me?"
No one responded and they all run away with their screams. Harley sighs in relief for he had ended it rather peacefully than expected.
"Grock is upset with Harley!" the stone giant says after seeing what happened.
"Hey, I just saved you from those bullies and you tell me that? Where's the justice here?" Harley says in disbelief.
"Harley just hurt someone," Grock states as he gets out from where he is sitting down. "Harley is the same as them."
"Ah," Harley simply responded. "What you saw is just an illusion to make them shut up. Plus, I'd never land a blow on someone who cannot even lift a finger to hurt me. I'd look so pathetically foolish if I hurt people weaker than I am."
"Illusion?" Grock asks in confusion.
Harley smirks at him for it is time again for him to make someone feel awed by his magic. He waves his wand and mists slowly appear. Figures of him and the kids stand before them with the perfect replica of each of them. What happened a minute ago is being replayed and Grock saw that Harley was actually summoning the mist when he was waving his wand.
"See? I did not land a slap on that fragile boy. He'd die if ever I did that," he says. "Now, let's go back. You said you wanted to see the prettiest flowers here in Magical City."
"Harley will go with Grock?" asks the giant with glee.
"Of course. There is no best tour guide that has ever lived in Magical City than I am," he replies proudly as he leads him out from the alley.
The two walks for about twenty minutes and Grock is growing tired.
"Are there yet?" he asks.
"Just a bit more walking. Grock, be more patient. C'mon," Harley replies as he pushes him from behind.
As they approach the city's Garden of Nyx, Harley halts and stops Grock as well.
"Grock wants to see the garden," the giant says but the mage hushes him. He grabs him and they stealthily hide behind a bush.
"Stay put," Harley whispers and he pokes his head on the bush as careful as he can in order not to make any noise.
His eyes narrow at the girl whose hair is pink that flows with the wind. His hands turn into fist upon seeing the dark-haired guy he saw back in the academy.
"Why the hell are they here?" he thinks while gritting his teeth. "And of all men, why did sis choose that mysterious guy?"
Lesley's face is serious, and in her eyes reflect the pain that Harley had never seen before.
"Could it be that Granger is rejecting my sister?" Harley thinks as he tried to pry on their conversation.
But much to his disappointment, he could not hear anything from them.
"Lesley!" Grock calls out as he waves the fortress in midair. He is standing behind Harley who thought he is behaving on the corner. The mage covered his face with gritted teeth as Grock smiles widely.
"Grock, Harley, what brought you here?" the woman asks.
Harley and Granger gaze at each other. No, scratch that, Harley is glaring daggers at the man who does not give him much attention.
"Grock wants to see the flowers. Harley brought Grock here," replies the giant as he approaches her while dragging Harley behind him.
"Sis, what are you doing here with this guy?" the mage asks without looking away from Granger.
"We were just discussing something about work," Lesley replies. She notices the glares that her younger brother throws at Granger which made her giggle.
"What?" Harley scoffs, "You feel butterflies in your stomach? Shall I cut your abdomen open and kill them off?"
"Your brother is quite amusing," Granger states which surprised him. His voice is more manly than Harley thought and he is getting the vibe of indescribable strength from him. He could be a good sparring partner for his sister.
"I told you he's like this," the pink-haired woman replies.
"Don't try to get me on your side, emo," Harley says which eventually leads Lesley to whack him on the head.
"Don't even try to defend him!" he tells her.
"I do not remember teaching you how to be rude!" Lesley tells him off while pinching his ear.
"Lesley, Harley helped Grock today so do not hurt him," says the giant.
"Do enjoy the view here in the Garden of Nyx. Granger and I need to talk about something," Lesley says as she softly pats her brother's shoulder.
Before Granger could follow Lesley, Harley shoots him one last glare. When the two are out of earshot, Gusion appears behind Harley.
"Don't just appear like a cursed mushroom!" Harley yelps in surprise.
"What do you think of the two? Were they lovers?" Gusion asks.
Harley rolls his eyes in irritation as he steps away from him.
"Don't come near me, freak," he says, "And do not follow my sister like a stupid stalker!"
The two of them may be both curious about the relationship between Lesley and Granger but that ain't enough reason for Harley to be acting goody-good with him.
"If I remember it right, Lesley has a crush on me. How come she easily falls for someone like Granger. Like come on, admit it, Harley, I am way too good looking and far better compared to that emo," Gusion speaks which is immediately followed by a loud yelp.
Harley can not tolerate men like Gusion who thinks highly of themselves, only him get to do that. Why? Because he's a Vance. And the Paxley family is just a so-so for him.
Harley threw his cards right on Gusion, resulting in some strands of his hair to be cut.
"Hey, hey, midget," Gusion grits his teeth as he tries to stop himself from jumping on him and squash him to death. "You better show some respect to your senior. Don't be so arrogant before I could step on your ego."
Harley scoffs with his head still held high. Just like his sister, backing out on a fight is never an option.
"Well, die-hard trying, baby face!" Harley spits at him.
"You really are the replica of that woman," Gusion snaps. "Come here and I'll cut off your sharp tongue!"
"You wish! And whatever happens, you and my sister won't ever be together!" Harley responded as he disappeared, only his purple hat left on his stead.
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