Bab 8: A Gift from the Asphoes
Chapter 8: A Gift from the Asphoes
Lucas went to his apartment and dealt with his thought overnight. He was so confused and has no one to ask for help. He didn't want to disturb Moon with handling his problems. They were cousins but that was futile and he respected his time.
He became willing at joining the tournament, but now, what if his friends were there, too? And that school, that was not just a school he can neglect with a due time of less than a week. He had cherished that school ever since he was in High School.
He also cherished those friends that made his Aspho years wonderful. Those years weren't just anger towards the system and anger towards Vacio. Many students were nice to him and they treat each other as family. Without Vacio in sight, it was still a reputable place.
Lucas spent the night while crying, as he covered himself inside his blanket. He over cried himself and didn't know that he had fallen asleep.
After that night of overthinking that he will face his previous friends and foes from Aspho High, Lucas attended late at school. His hair was messy, his uniforms weren't prepared well.
He walked past the hallway of the ground floor and saw students willfully talking to each other with smiles on their faces. No one ever spared to give him a glance. Sure, his presence wasn't even known to most of the students here.
Staring at the railings on the floor, he had happened to see Moon and Doll conversing at the corners. He stopped and stared at them with a dull expression.
Doll and Moon approached him.
"What had happened the last day?" Moon curiously inquired. "You almost pass out from paleness!" He had some concern with the tone of his voice like they were waiting for this moment to ask Lucas.
Lucas expressionlessly stared at Moon as he touched his forehead to massage his temple. His worried cousin was so irritating this time.
"I can't talk to you yesterday at the apartment, as you won't stop crying inside your blanket," Moon added. "What had happened? What was the topic Principal Lyns discussed with you?"
Lucas didn't reply. He just heaved a sigh.
Doll stared at Lucas and patted his left shoulder. "Don't worry, I heard that Principal Lyns went to Aspho High and complained about our burning canteen yesterday…"
Hmph.
Lucas faked a smile. But inside his mind, he was asking. Why? Why did Lyns even go to punish Aspho High without knowing the truth? Such wannabe-good principal into a transferee.
"You know what…" Lucas uttered with an unclear, low voice. His voice was shaking. "Lyns suggested that I should join the upcoming Skill Trial. She was looking up that I will be selected."
His dull eyes were intimidating. It was as if he has gotten cold as ice and anyone can't dare to touch him, nor talk to him. His resting face hid many emotions.
Moon almost froze in shock with what Lucas had said. He also wanted to partake in the Trial, but he was also driven into confusion when—
"But Aspho High was one of the Schools that belonged to the competing Academies." Lucas finished sadly. "I don't want to fight our dearest friends there…"
Lucas' voice was weak and cracky. His evident dark patches circling his eyes made him even messy looking.
Doll bowed her head. Was the situation truly hard for the two boys? They can fight, couldn't they? Sure for Lucas. He went and fought Winter. His bravery sure was high.
Uhm, but after all, they spend all of their High School life at Aspho High. They made good friends, good memories, and good life there. And it was hard to fight them by the school's contradiction.
The situation was sure a test for most of the people. If someone looked at things differently, they may say that fate was playing with them. But they can play with the situation as well. It was a win-win situation for someone who knew all of it.
"You don't have to worry," Doll spoke herself out of silence within the place. "I also heard that some of Asphoes will visit us here, to have dealings of that contradiction between you Lucas, and them."
Doll felt a little awkward by what she had said. She bowed her head and stepped back alarmingly. She didn't want to confuse Lucas even more. The two showed their evident shock. Lucas' fist closed momentarily.
"What? They will be visiting?" Moon loudly gasped. "Were they crazy? They expelled Lucas and then suddenly become gratifying?" Moon complained. He stared at Doll as if she was the one who will visit.
Sure that Moon already knew what Aspho High was planning. They surely realized they lost some big deal from expelling a Fire Starter with the Tournament going near. But that wasn't just the case with Aspho.
As per his perspective, Aspho won't deal with a school knowing that Lucas was a very insignificant student there. This has to be deeper. Aspho was planning something under this decoy.
But to Lucas, it was laughable. They have Shad Cagney by their side having the skills to burn canteens. Why would they need him? To ask Aspho that he should not join because they were scared to lose?
"And I am sure that Mister Vacio will be there," Doll continued, but her hesitancy remotely arose as she bowed her head, "and Shad Cagney."
Lucas felt a little uncomfortable. He should go out of this school! This was all crazy! The longer he stayed here, things began worsening. Aspho had gotten too mad that they became uncontrollable with their wants. Just to get what they wanted, all barriers has to turn down.
"I didn't know if I am the only one feeling it but, what Mister Vacio surely planning was to tell the school that I shouldn't join the tournament."
Lucas' fist showed evident veins. His anger intensified. Curse that! Lucas hated dealings like this! His hands were itching. It was itching to cause flames. His jaws were clenching and his teeth were grinding due to his anger towards Vacio. But his face remained dull. His face began sweating.
"Are you telling me that they were afraid?" Doll asked Lucas.
No, it wasn't just a question. It was rather a rhetorical one. Aspho wouldn't be afraid. Even if White Day High has the power, they were more powerful than anyone.
School of cheating can never be defeated. If Aspho High won multiple yet one-sided battles, was there a reason for them to be afraid and scared of any opponent?
Lucas just gave Doll a tinge of nostalgia, that was cringing about her obvious question. Of course, Aspho wasn't afraid. There's no reason for them to feel that.
"Let's go away!" Moon suggested, as he held Doll's hands and started walking. He looked back at Lucas and saw that his cousin hasn't moved. He gave him a narrow stare.
Lucas didn't reply any response. He seemed to be thinking straight. He wasn't even looking at Moon. But it was intended.
Passerby walked back and forth in the hallway as the students started to become numerous within the path. The time passed and surely classes will begin at any time.
Moon stepped in Lucas' direction.
"Are you afraid, too? We both know what Aspho High could do at moments like this!" Moon shouted at Lucas.
Deliberately, Lucas remained expressionless.
Moon knew it. He knew what Aspho High could do. He also knew that the students who studied at the worst school before… was them! They studied at that messy school with a rotten system.
"Lucas!" he added.
Before Moon can have the chance to grab Lucas' hands and start their escapade to avoid anyone else interfering, a sinister voice cut him out of it.
"Don't lose your minds, and don't waste your efforts. The moment I let you transfer here, it was futile. We won't do something that will bother the Martin cousins, b**ches!"
Lucas, Moon, and Doll looked back. They saw a man wearing a full black suit and black pants. His remarkable tan skin paired with his grimacing angry face were all evident. The renowned and the strict Principal of Aspho High was there!
It was Mister Vacio, standing straight right before in front of the three. He stepped slowly closer to them. "You looked very afraid of me." He grimaced, "Why is that?"
Lucas stiffened up, unable to react quickly.
However, Mister Vacio started tiptoeing slowly as he snapped his fingers while staring maniacally at Lucas. He kept this irritating move until he was right before Lucas. Moon and Doll kept staring at them at a distance.
"Lyns settled things very crucial. Well, I was taken aback. If they think it scared me, well, it's my highest respect to her boastfulness."
He took his time managing to irritate Lucas.
"By the way, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm your—"
"Vacio!"
"Oh? Mister Lucas Martin, nice to see you again!" Vacio slowly uttered. It was clear and thick. The lights from the open hallway where they stood were striking at Mister Vacio and Lucas. "We went here not to negotiate with you to decline Lyns' request. We came here—"
"Well, I don't really care at all." Lucas blatantly shouted, trying to surpass the shakiness in his voice.
"Again. I'm really impressed." Vacio started clapping. Gradually decreasing its tempo and pace —slowing to the point it echoed irritatingly. "Few have used that tone to me. I admire your bravery…"
No. In fact, Lucas has no courage at all. There was a pause before Lucas chuckled. Poor Vacio, his insistence to make him all in this cahoots won't work with Lucas anymore.
"Why don't you leave already? It was White Day High. You have no rights in here!"
"Not too soon. For now, let's talk about us instead, my dear student." Mister Vacio's smirk was provoking.
Moon and Doll felt they have sunk into the scene. Terrors all over the place.
But Lucas didn't even move. "There's nothing to talk about between us!"
Vacio gave him a shrug. "Just come here silently, or else…" he cleared his throat. "I had to end up helping you instead." he chuckled.
Lucas felt the threat and the danger Vacio had posed that lurked in the surroundings. This gentler voice of him meant horrific handlings. Oppositions were his forte.
Vacio began sizing him down. "Be good." he laughed. "If things aren't as clear as what Lyns have told you, go with me and I'll make things much more than you could ever imagine."
Too bizarre. Lucas felt nostalgic with that sentence. That year he decided to study at Aspho with his consent— it was unclear to him why. Unfortunately, he wasn't the young Lucas he used to trick before.
His voice had gotten hoarse. "What exactly do you need?"
Vacio instantly smiled after hearing Lucas and tried to help it by biting his lips. "You've gotten so good since you went here."
Lucas continued to look dull. This talk didn't give him any reason to feel interested at all. It was exhausting. He stared at Mister Vacio with narrowed eyes, waiting for him to answer his question.
Vacio didn't hesitate but gazed at Lucas with all of his might to scare the boy. Midway through their staring contest, Vacio's eyes widened as if seeing something off of Lucas.
"Why do you look shocked? Just answer me: what do you want?"
Vacio became tattered. The corridor behind Lucas that appeared vacated before started to have a glimpse of someone walking towards them.
"He came here to replace you, Lucas, with three of the most uniquely powered students from Aspho!" someone from behind Lucas bravely interrupted. "Don't approve to that man!"
Lucas looked back and noticed her. The structure of her body, the aura, the get-up… Principal Lyns was the one who interrupted! He was brimming with gratitude. "Principal Lyns."
Doll and Moon stepped aback. They stared at Principal Lyns who came from the intersection of the hallway. Her stance was still fixated and her authority remained present.
This was getting more intense. Two Principals of two different schools fighting with one another just for a student. Aspho High sure has the power to turn every table. But can they pass through the barrier Lyns have set? They even wanted Lucas back!
Upon seeing that the three has gotten lower-handed by Vacio, Lyns' brows furrowed, as she did a hand signal. The stare given by Vacio towards Lucas had intensified. The atmosphere turned into silence.
There was a pause before Principal Lyns chuckled. "They expelled you, and then suddenly wanting you back? Such immaturity!" Lyns shouted, her laugh was hissed into anger.
Vacio stared at her with contempt and sophistication. His brows were raised into an arch, as he stood with authority, hands clasped. He even chuckled slightly, and after that, he became serious.
However, Lyns continued to shame Vacio in front of the three. Staring sharply at him, she began walking in their direction.
"Aspho High even blame you for the thing you didn't commit! You, people at Aspho High, are really interesting, huh?" she smirked while walking still. She imitated how Vacio snapped his fingers while tiptoeing.
Mister Vacio smirked as well. He wiped off some dirt on his suit and refolded the sleeves of it. "Lyns, it was a private matter."
Lucas started to have a bitter smile. He had a glimpse of what would happen. But still, he was afraid that Vacio's rationale will turn Principal Lyns away immediately. Also, after he neglected her offer, payoffs should be given. If Lyns wanted to ignore Lucas and just let him be humiliated by Vacio, it was her perfect time to do that.
Yet, she just gave a curious look at Mister Vacio. "Transferees like Lucas have no private matters."
Lucas can't help but laugh. Anyways, Principal Lyns was right —students were insignificant, as more of a transferee. There wasn't any divide between what was public and private to them.
"Lyns, I knew you have your spy at our school, but sadly, you came up with the wrong information." Mister Vacio smiled with a maniacal demeanor. "I am grateful if you accept my present to your school. Three uniquely powered Students that will surely raise you all…"
Lyns gave him a stare, with a tinge of disgust and hatred. She stood straight while dominating her ground. Her eyes were intimidating, ready to battle Vacio at any point.
Lucas just heaved a loud sigh. Mister Vacio can't help but gaze at him. He looked at the Principal and let a huge smile paint his face.
"Sorry, Mister Vacio. On the Principal's behalf, I won't accept your present…" Lucas uttered slowly, and in a second, he has his head held low. "I hate dealings like this, so you better shut your mouth up!" he shouted shakily. His fist remained closed.
"Blaze Harper…" Mister Vacio whispered. "I'd like to be good at you at first but you were forcing my limits time and time again." he grimly continued.
Lucas stared at Mister Vacio as if provoking him. His past reactions, dull and expressionless face, now have obvious excitement on them.
Also, Mister Vacio let a smirk out on his face, and in a maniacal manner, he uttered, "Fine, let us do this the hard way!"
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone