章 47: The Mutant equation
Tyr sat in the back of his biology class, his arms crossed and his eyes fixed on the chalkboard. The teacher was droning on about genetic mutations, a topic that had captured the attention of the room for all the wrong reasons.
"Now, genetic anomalies like these are not uncommon," the teacher said, pointing to a diagram of DNA on the board. "But mutations that lead to observable, superhuman traits... well, that's a different story."
The room rippled with barely suppressed laughter and murmurs.
"Yeah, like blowing up buildings or brainwashing people," one student whispered loudly, drawing chuckles from their peers.
Another chimed in, smirking. "Or leveling cities. You know, typical mutant stuff."
Tyr's jaw tightened as he glanced at Oliver, who sat stiffly in his seat, his hands clenched into fists beneath the desk. Oliver kept his head down, but Tyr could see the tension radiating from him.
The teacher, either oblivious or indifferent to the comments, continued, "Mutations have always been a natural part of evolution, though the public perception of them has become... complicated."
Complicated? Tyr thought, his anger simmering. Try 'toxic.'
The bell rang, signaling the end of class, and Tyr watched as Oliver bolted for the door. He followed him out into the hallway, weaving through the crowd until he caught up.
"Hey," Tyr said, gripping Oliver's shoulder. "You okay?"
Oliver stopped but didn't turn around. "I'm fine," he muttered.
"You don't look fine," Tyr pressed, his voice softening. "That class was brutal."
Oliver shook his head, finally meeting Tyr's gaze. "It's just... It's not like this is new. People have always hated mutants. It's just harder now, you know? Knowing that I'm one of them."
Tyr didn't respond right away. He couldn't argue with Oliver's feelings—he wasn't a mutant, after all. But he could relate to feeling like the world was against you.
"People suck," Tyr said simply. "But screw them. You're not the problem, they are."
Oliver cracked a faint smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Thanks, man. I'll see you later."
As Oliver walked off, Tyr couldn't shake the growing urge to drop out of school entirely.
During lunch, Tyr's Force sense flickered—a faint pulse of warning that set his nerves on edge. He scanned the crowded cafeteria, his eyes landing on someone he didn't recognize.
The girl stood near the entrance, her posture relaxed yet confident. She looked completely at ease despite the chaos around her, her gaze sweeping the room like a predator surveying its prey.
Tyr stiffened as her eyes locked onto his. A chill ran down his spine, but he quickly masked his reaction, focusing on his meal as if nothing had happened.
The girl strode across the cafeteria, her movements fluid and deliberate. She stopped in front of Tyr's table, her lips curling into a faint smile.
"Tyr," she said, her voice smooth and melodic.
Tyr raised an eyebrow, keeping his expression neutral. "Do I know you?"
"Not yet," she replied cryptically, leaning slightly closer. "But I know you. And I know what you do at night."
His grip on the table tightened, but he kept his voice steady. "You've got the wrong guy."
The girl's smile widened, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Sure I do. Enjoy your lunch, Violet."
Before he could respond, she straightened and walked away, disappearing into the crowd.
Tyr sat frozen for a moment, his heart pounding. Whoever she was, she was dangerous.
Later that day, in gym class, disaster struck.
The students were playing dodgeball, the game descending into its usual chaotic mess of shouting and flying rubber balls. Oliver, who was still shaken from the morning, tried to stay out of the action.
But when a ball came hurtling toward him at full speed, something inside him reacted instinctively.
The ball didn't just bounce off him—it exploded, disintegrating in a flash of energy that sent shockwaves through the gym.
The entire class fell silent, all eyes turning to Oliver as he stood frozen in the center of the court.
"What the hell was that?!" one student shouted.
"Freak!" another yelled.
The gym erupted into chaos, students pointing and whispering as Oliver's face went pale. He took a step back, panic flashing in his eyes.
Tyr acted quickly, stepping between Oliver and the crowd. "Calm down!" he barked, his tone authoritative. "It was just static electricity or something. Chill out."
The students didn't look convinced, but the teacher quickly stepped in, ushering everyone to the locker rooms and diffusing the situation.
As they changed, Tyr leaned close to Oliver and whispered, "We need to talk. Tonight."
That evening, Tyr suited up as Violet and patrolled the city. Argos's usual updates were eerily quiet—no crimes, no disturbances, nothing out of the ordinary.
"It's like everyone's scared to step out at night," Tyr muttered.
"Your reputation precedes you," Argos replied. "The small-time criminals appear to have adjusted their schedules to avoid your interference."
"Great," Tyr said dryly. "But something still feels off. Keep scanning."
His Force sense tingled again, the same warning pulse he'd felt in the cafeteria.
The rooftop he landed on seemed normal, but as he turned, a figure emerged from the shadows—the girl from school.
"You really need to work on your instincts," she said, her tone mocking.
Tyr tensed, drawing his sword. "You've got about ten seconds to explain yourself."
The girl chuckled, her posture relaxed. "You'll find out soon enough."
Before he could react, she vanished in a swirl of black mist, leaving him alone with the uneasy feeling that he was being watched.
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