Opening ceremony

“¡And there it is, the great o´l wall!”Big it was, a temple to the islands might. The immense metallic wall sealed off the space between two great mountains upon the distance, with a great volcano far away behind it and on its center behind a smaller white wall and an iron gate there was the school itself surround by a large plaza whit a tall wooden platform upon its center, as tall as a building with the school behind it. We could only look at the sealed door in awe, as we stood together gathered below it.“¿That wooden platform is the execution platform, correct?” Irvin asked his friend as they make themselves some room among the crowd.“Yep, you have just seen one of our big tourist attractions, just like you saw on the tv, all public executions are done right in front of the school itself.” Right and beyond the gran wall it’s the road to Salvatore´s manor, although I doubt there is an entrance here at the school.In front of the execution platform there was a huge poster of the director himself staring at us all from above; He was a man of brown skin with a short white moustache just below his silver mask he never took off and a small goat beard. His outfit was a famous one, a long black coat with golden adornments, huge gold-colored shoulder pads with ribbons of formal military attire. He wore a tall black tricorn hat above his head and plenty of medals upon his chest; it was very extravagant attire and made the man feel like the sort of unbelievable villain he has proved to be. Domingo Salvatore. To think I might have a glimpse at that atrocious man in flesh and bone now…the villain that may actually conquer the world.The alarm stopped and Irvin heard a loud screeching of tires as a huge vehicle rushed from within the academy and towards the execution platform; It had two long caterpillar tires like a tank, but its shape was something else entirely. Its upper part resembled a humanoid torso, but circular in the shape of a green sphere with immense arms to its sides and a head with long bull´s horns of steel sculpted in its center. At its back there where multiple exhaust pipes letting loose a path of smoke. It was quite huge, but moved remarkable fast reaching the front of the school gate and took a turn to look towards the confused students, the machines face had two square holes resembled eyes and a speaker for a mouth.The giant robot raised both fists in to the air and stood completely still. After his sudden pause the horrible noise was gone, now replaced by virtuous symphony. Dino helped Irvin stand up while song waved over them. That’s Salvatore´s hymn, “Danza en rojo y marcha en negro.” A dance in red and a Black parade.“¡Good evening to all new students!”- A woman´s voice came from the machines mouth, gaining everyone’s attention and attracting their anger as well. The green sphere on its torso opened and a girl stepped with one foot on the border. She wore peculiar green uniform jacket with coat tails and small golden shoulder pads that lead to a black long cape that fell only on her right side, white gloves and tall back boots to go with her white riding pants. She had long black hair that fell behind her and welcomed them all with a gentle smile that radiate her confidence, her brown skin looking perfectly smooth she was quite beautiful with a radiant and confident smile, but her presence was anything but welcomed and she made it she had her guard at the ready by the sword at her hip, the crowd around Irvin remained silent. “Buenos Dias, good days. My name is Dominica Salvatore, president of the student council- It’s my honor to welcome you fine villains and ruffians to our prideful little school.” She ended her introduction by waving us hello. “Your apartments will of course depend of how much you paid, but our main school building welcomes you all. “ Irvin and Dino remained at their place feeling the disgust of the crowd’s surrounding them. ¿You are just the school president? ¿How modest of you, our dear future ruler. Salvatore´s daughter and heir I´m surprise she came to greet us like that, she seems a bit too welcoming to be honest.” “You must all have your reasons for coming here and I must kindly say; we do not care about any of them. We intend to aid you in learning to control your powers and if your abilities are sufficient you may be recruited within our armies.” Of course, but if so why teach to those who won´t join? That´s the question. “If you people are lacking in thought and decide not to. Well you´re free to do as you please with your new knowledge. Outside of Salvatore´s territory that is.” She raised her hands as she spoken to accentuate her words. ¿Won´t the whole world be his territory someday though? “Ey…there is something strange with that guy.” Dino Distracted her as she began her speech I had no interest in, but he was right someone was passing through the crowd rather desperate. A young teen with a black shirt and a black cowboy hat, passed roughly among the other student with sweat falling down his pimpled face. “¿Should we do something?”“No need Dino, let’s just see it play out.” The daughter of the worst villain of the world, I had nothing to do with her, but dealing with her will be unavoidable…so let´s see if we can learn something about her here and now.“So then I ask of you all only this, show to us all that you are people that won’t bend in vain, show us that you have the strength to be citizens of this empire of this school, show to me that you are villains that will follow your own desires to the very end.”The deafening sound of a gun firing stopped her speech and made the crew go into frenzy, Dino and I kept our eyes on the shooter.The man in the black coat had pulled and looking revolver and shoot straight where the school president stood and she, she had merely moved her head to the side, her expression unreadable and her eye closed, it was clear to me he had shoot straight into her head and yet with a calm gesture she made the shoot whiff. “¡Yes…just like that!”The president jumped from her machine putting her hands on her blade and rose to the air with great agility on a single leap straight towards him even if he was still hidden among the crowd, she reached him in a second and the whole plaza heard a terrified scream.The cowboy fell to the ground dropping his fire arm as he clenched his arm in pain. He was bleeding terrible and Domina was now behind him with her back to him as she sheathed her sword gracefully. “¡You god damm bastard!” The wounded man got to his feet and began to wrap his scar on the wound. His eyes showed anger, but he dared not to grab his gun and honestly with how his hand was he probably couldn´t any more. The crowd mad space by moving away from them, most of them didn´t look scared somewhere even laughing at the bleeding man.“¿You are Danny Storm? Of all people to try and assassinate me I was not expecting the grandson of a teacher here.” He stood up with fury on his brow eyes as she looked at him unconcerned, not even angry much less afraid. “Jej, I know if you get killed anyone who does could become Salvatore´s heir… You lot heard that, if you kill her you could own the world her father said so!” He screamed at the rest of the crowd as if it was something obvious to everyone, but everyone ignored him.“If you can take my life do so, Mr. Storm but know that you´ll face my judgment as well if you are to fail, we are free to do as we please on this island after all.” The shooter that had almost killed her stared at her with all the anger he could muster, but he slowly walked back as he gritted his teeth and held his wounded arm.“This was your first offence so I´ll let you with a warning. I´ll be unfair for your school life to end so soon, especially if you are anything like your grandmother.” She opened her arms wide with her blade already sheeted. “I’m sure you´ll learn how to use with your remaining good arm.” The man reached for his revolver gun and ran away to disappear in the crowd cursing as he ran traces of blood following him till he was gone from my sight, but my eyes and her meet as she turned back to see us both.“You there, is that symbol in your tie what I think it is.” She marched forward and point to my tie with her black gloved hand, I remained unmoving letting her touch my yellow tie and what had call her attention an elegant letter M drawn in cursives like expanding thorns.“So it’s true you do are alive, it’s strange we never meet with how our parents where friends Mr. Irvin Maximillian.” She let go off me I looked back at Dino who was clearly concern as his right hand had grown claws subconsciously.“Yes, my accidental fall wasn´t the end but it made me lose my memories for a while I must shamefully say.”“If you say so, well I suppose you want to see your mother.”“She is a busy woman so she will call for me when she can, so no need to concern you Ms. Salvatore.” Her sharp green eyes stared at all of my slowly before she gave me a strong clap in my shoulder.“No problem, take it easy and call me president if you will.” She smiled with a friendly, but her smile looked almost condescending to me.“Thank you very much.” This conversation was something I really needed to be over as soon as possible but much to my concern she grabbed me by the shoulders.“By the way don´t worry about what happened to Mr. Naga yesterday there was no way you could have known we needed to speak to him, such was his fate, so was his luck on our isla Franca.”“I couldn´t thank you enough Ms. President.” I gulped her grip on me, it seemed she wanted to be encouraging, but her grip was just too forceful and had me pinned before I had noticed.“Besides everything worked out fine on our end, please call the student council if you have any questions about our fine school Mr. Maximillian till then do your best to become a fine villain like your mother, hahaja.”“I will.” She finally let go off me and walked off with the red cape fluttering as did her hair, the crowd moved to the sides to allow her pass and quickly stared at me with all kinds of unpleasant looks.“¡Well then there you have fellow students. Please remember that you´re free to do as you please, but so do us of the student council, but be wary that only heroes let one live after a defeat!” Domina jumped to a ladder at the side of the mechanical beast. The machine roared released a black smoke from its back as its wheels begun to turn. The entire crowd seemed terribly angry, but they made no moves whatsoever. Irvin was finally returned to his usual aloof self. Don´t mess with the wrong people or be stronger than them. I suppose that´s their way of thinking, but it means nothing to a weak man like me. I won´t be playing by their rules. I´ll have no chance that way so won’t bother considering their way of life from here on out.“¡Fight for yourselves and conquer our school you will need it in your future lives, Because what you see here shall one day be our whole world!- The huge machine rolled in front of the crowd making some of them jump back in fear as she rushed away from the plaza. Dino walked closer to me as we stared at the machine disappearing thought the great metal gate, neither of us seemed to know what to say but he broke the silent first as he always did.“¿So what did she even do?”“Same as her father only what she need to win.”There is no doubt about it, that skill she had is the greatest threat to my plans and unless I can surpass it I will only end dying in vain, but she is still human and so is her father. “She is quite interesting don´t you think, Dino?” Irvin said . “That´s not the word I would use.” Dino was still quite shaking as he felt his old friend will be going away once more. “Still, if she has any of her father´s strength that arrogance is befitting.” Dino just shrugged. “Yeah, she´s spouting his nonsense too, they are the same garbage at heart.”“I´m not sure she is the same as him.” Irvin fixed his tie again and walked towards the school grounds.“¿Wha´ ya talking about now?” Dino followed him. “That is way too boring and lame, beside she didn´t kill that man.” “Whatever man she is nothing but danger for the both of us” Irvin looked around him hearing the students flaunt about how they were going to murder her one day and other unneeded commentary. “For this being the very heart of Salvatore´s kingdom the people sure do, hate him.” “There isn’t any patriotism here, villains we are just here to get better at breaking havoc later, in allied countries turf..” Yes Salvatore demands individuality and an inherit selfishness that is the basis of his governance. ¿How can he keep it going, a kingdom this chaotic shouldn´t be able to hold on? Well it doesn´t have to anyway..“¿So Dino shall we head toward your apartment then?” “¿Huh?” “Well I wasn’t able to afford any of the dorms, but I´ll figure you were going to give me a hand.” “¿You figured?” Dino walked off and Irvin ended up running after him again. “Well I´ll make things easier going forward it seems you can´t take proper care of yourself just yet Dino.” “Shut up.” The both of them walked away from the school building towards the apartment complex. Soon enough they find themselves leaving the dirty street´s behind them. “Remember that it’s my lair so ya´gonna follow my rules.” Dino told him for the last time“We´ll discuss that later” Irvin said “No we won´t” They were both walking through a green and vivid jungle. The sort a pacific island like this would be renown for. Irvin was finding it hot and obnoxious especially due to the lack of roads. “¿You really live around here?” “Yep, the jungle lairs are just the place for me, brings me back to my childhood home again, man.” “I can see that, it’s like how graveyards always remind me of mom.” Dino stretched his arm while laughing happily; Irvin followed his footsteps with difficulty as his lab coat kept getting stuck in roots and his feet on the mud. I know there is no point to complain at this point. But I really want to.”“And here it is. Dino´s very own hideout.” He excitedly presented to Irvin a rope on the middle of a huge tree and in an instant began to climb it; Irvin remained looking at the rope in utter defeat. This is all for my ambitions….yes, my ambitions. And so his climb began and ended in just a half hour of painful effort. “Ya gonna need to get used to that; cause there is no stairs here.” Irvin was on the floor breathing heavily. “I’m making one. That I swear.” Dino tapped his shoulder and smile with his sharped teeth.“Anyway, how ya´ liking my place. ¿Wild no?” “That´s a word for it.” This wooden tree house was actually quite spacious and fairly civilized even though, but a tree house it remained. There were lights a computer a small kitchen and the living room with a single sofa with red cushions and plenty of garbage littered everywhere. There was no bed, just a pair of hammocks on a sturdy looking. “The outside is quite a sight, but the interior isn´t.” Irvin raised his finger to emphasize. “Let’s begin by cleaning up this. “ “Ya think you´re my mother of something. It’s my mess pal and I like it this way.” Irvin walked forward ignoring him as he leaned down“Nonsense you don´t live alone anymore, so don´t be so selfish. This will be needed for our mutual wellbeing.” Dino just straight up punched him lightly in the head. “Arg… I mean I’ll give you a hand. It´s one of my specialties if I wasn´t a villain I´ll be totally into interior design.” Dino crashed back in the couch after hearing his answer stretching his arms completely. “Fine, but do it yourself. I did more than enough for you today.” Saying that Dino put on his audiphones and soon enough fell asleep, snoring. Irving got on his feet and stretched his black leather gloves. “Perfect.” Irvin said satisfied as he arranged his white surgical gloves. Eventually Dino returned back from his dream to see that he rest of the room was now utterly clean; Dino had even forgotten he actually had carpets. “¿What the hell?” He groaned as he composed himself while scratching the back of his neckIrvin played with his mechanical bird by showing it a small device that he kept trying to eat at no avail. “Good morning, look what I found.” “That better not be any of my stuff.” “These are pests. Bugs, Salvatore has been spying on you. It’s probably the same for every student thought I wouldn´t put much thought in to it.” “Well I hope they enjoyed hearing my winning at variety TV and music contest shows.” Irvin feed his bird another spying bug. “Now that no one is listening, it’s time we finally have a talk, Dino.” He finished off by throwing the rest of them into the birds mouth. “Yeah do that before I made you do it. ¿Where did you disappear to, all this time? Irvin walked off toward the balcony that showed the surrounding jungle. “¿Does it even matter? Where I come from isn´t import what I came to do it’s truly what matters.” Dino crossed his arms. “Figures you´re still just a cryptic little rat.” Irvin looked back at him while stretching his arms wide “It’s all for the plan Dino.” He stared into the distance where the frightening volcano could still be seen. Along with the sun that set down for the day.“¿What´s your fancy plan then?” The mechanical bird flayed to his side settling down at the wooden fence. “¿Dino don´t you think this whole place to be hypocritical?” “¿Ya´ mean its insincere or something? Cuz that´s like totally obvious.” “I meant that this place for all he denies it still caters to his orders, to his law, to his justice. ¿What sort of villain is that?” “A fascist I guess. Honestly I´m just here for the free lounge and because it’s not like someone like me will be welcomed anywhere else.” Irvin turned around grinning, and Dino felt a sudden and very familiar anxiety.“Sure, but they can’t be called villains anymore. The ones protecting the institutions and the law are the heroes and we are the ones who broke them. If they become the institution, they´re no longer fit to be villains.” Dino lighted at his answer. “Talk about being old fashioned. There are no rules to be a villain, we just do what we feel like” “If selfishness makes us into villains then this world is made of nothing but villains. Nonsense I can’t allow Salvatore and his generals to keep on playing heroes. ¡Yes, this people need a villain!” Irvin raised his arms excitingly, looking completely happy as he took another turn. “That is us; we will spread chaos on their kingdom, shaking them to their very foundation.” Dino didn’t seem as excited. “¿So you want the old man´s throne?” “No, there will be no throne to take when my plan is done. That´s how things should be. ¿Tell me it doesn’t excite you my friend? ¡To conquer this mountain with our own hands!” Irvin reached out for the volcano in the distance.“¿What about your mother?” Irvin grabbed the fence from the sudden surprise of the question and took a moment to calm down. “This isn’t a petty grudge I will deal with her eventually…” He turned around towards Dino who looked at him in apprehension. “This is about so much more.” Dino didn´t seem satisfied with that answer and yet simply shrugged his shoulders. “No need to say anything more. This place, well it means nothing to me either. “ Irvin started playing whit his tie as he looked to the ground. “I can´t do this alone. I won´t survive this place without your help. I know that much.” Dino Began to laugh.“Man, I have waited way to long for a chance to go wild.” Dino showed him all of his sharp long teeth, when he smiles like that he didn’t look human anymore. “¡Let´s go man, to reap this whole damn place to shreds!”That´s the spirit, Dino, only you would follow me in this madness of a plan. The road will be hard, more than what you have considered yet. And dear mother, even if I´m quite scared to even think about it. I´m sure at this point she already knows that I’m here. General Aria Maximillian, the plague of Chernobyl whenever it concerns or not, you should know that I’m back home again and now our previous conversation will finally reach its conclusion now. ***At a far and secluded are of the island, a manor stood painted in pure black, immense in its size and presence. A manor of gothic of European design standing upon a hill surrounded only by dead scorched earth, stared into the seas at the very border of the island. The land behind was completely and permanently dead, the very jungle of the island keeps its distance in fear of it and in its place a grand graveyard was built. Nothing, but dead black leaves welcomed a lonely cab into the manor, but a person came to visit still and was welcomed to the manor by two tall men in black military uniforms let it enter. Bothe men wore a metallic respiratory mask whit glowing red eyes and heavy leather gloves and boots. “Still so tacky, their fashion really hasn´t improved.” Said the visitor who now walked on a red carpet among a dozen paintings all of people with various degrees of skin damage and mutation. Finally it reached a cold black door.“Do step in” A cheerful voice singed. The old wooden door opened into a dim-lighted office adorned with all sorts of stuffed monsters, animal´s with shape that were a little bit off. The wall adorned with pictures showing a close off to eyes of different colors each, one with a purple iris clearly set upon the center of the wall and at end behind a huge desk and in front of a window that showed the distant setting sun, was a woman.“¿Ohh if it´s little Jeann, why the visit dear?” The woman seemed as unwelcoming as the room itself. She wore a huge gas mask that showed nothing of her face, her long blond hair as pale as white falling down behind her and to her. She wore black long coat with its entire buttons tightly shut, along with black leather gloves it looked quite formal while making her form disappear in a slender black contour, a pure black outfit that practically melted into a single shape, the only color on her entire wardrobe was a neck tie, with a bright yellow and black stripes and the symbol of an M in cursives which lower strokes turned into bended vines. She was Pure black, so much she shinned. Even so she waved happily at her guest, her voice welcoming in opposition to the oppressive feeling of her looks and her old cold office.“Nice dress you got there, boy. It fits.” The woman said as she put her elbows over the desk, intertwined her fingers. So she could rest her chin at the back of her hands.“Thank you, General Aria. I picked it myself, but I’m not a boy.”Jeanne bowed to her. A Caucasian person with a slim and feminine built that wore a white sleeveless dress with a blue neck that came all the way to their knees, their hair black and combed into an old fashion American white brimmed with a small blue ribbon a fine attire for an already passed age. It was elegant but Jeanne didn´t show a harmless appearance at all as their arms and legs where mechanical contraptions resembling plates of armor painted gold. Jeanne´s fingers in particular were long like claws, their green eyes staring into black lenses of the woman´s mask.“Yes of course… ¿So what brings Vice president Jeanne Weiss to my working place? I hope it´s not just a visit. I hate visitors, a lot.” She tilted her head slightly like some sort of cat.“Of course not Ma´am this was a command from Domina herself; otherwise, why come to such depressive ol´ rut. The smell, the color. It´s like a dying tree. Black dead leaves as far the eye can see. It sure fits you Ma´am, it really does, such a bore.”Aria sustained her head in one palm in silence. “That’s cute, in any case. ¿What brought you here? I detest to waste time, as there is never enough of it. So hurry now.” She egged him on with her other palm. “So dull general, but yes. I came here to tell you of a strange encounter our dearest Miss President had. “Vice president Jeanne walked slowly as they stared at the many pictures on the wall specially the purple iris eye. “¿Would you care for a seat?” Aria Said, as she pointed at one chair in front of her desk in clear irritation.“No, thank you. As I was saying, the Miss found something of yours. Your son, that is.” Jeanne had walked behind Aria to a huge window at the room´s end. Aria remained seated without looking back at them. “Weird, I´m pretty sure he was dead, yes quite sure of it.” Jeanne lay back against the window, looking at the setting sun, and what lay below it. “¿Wouldn’t he be on that beautiful graveyard, then?” Outside the window a mausoleum surrounded by countless tiny graves without any crosses or flowers gave their back to the sea and the red sun on the horizon. The general´s attention was once more sorely on the papers that swarmed her desk. “I suppose even people that believe in nothing, need to mourn.” Aria tapped her hand watch. “It’s not for mourning; it’s merely a record of my mistakes.” “If it’s for everyone you killed there couldn´t be enough graves.” Jeann said leaning against the wall as their golden arm touched the drapes “Dear, it’s only for those who have died for the cause. “The important ones.” Jeanne smiled as they kept walking behind her. “In any case, General. A boy of white hair calling himself Irvin Maximillian was spotted. I suppose he could be an imitator of sorts. ¿Would you care to check?” “¡No time! ¡No time!” She disregarded him by waving her hand. “If it’s my son he should at the least made the effort of finding me, otherwise fake or not. He is just not that interesting.” Jeanne walked back in front of her to lean over her desk. “¿If so we will simply ignore him, regardless of what issues may arise?” Jeanne whispered to the masked woman, who just looked at her watch, again. “Sure if he simply dies out there such was his worth, I´m busy. Always busy. So let me keep to my work now vice present.” Jeanne leaned closer as their dedicated metal-plated fingers reached for the notes on her desk. “Also, old man Salvatore wants to know if your project is close to being ready… Salvatore is starting to question, what’s its real nature might even be” Aria grabbed their arm, her gloves released a colorless steam, and the metallic limb began to corrode rapidly, Jeanne jumped back. To stare at their hand as it seemed to melt on the carpet.“Scary, if it wasn´t a prosthesis I´ll be a mess now.” “I don´t like kids. ¿You know that, yes? Tell Salvatore that we are on schedule.“ ¿Meaning?” Jeanne unhooked their elbow releasing the right arm to the floor. The woman simple crocked her neck. “In a year, it will be ended.” She said. Jeanne stared remained staring at their arm melting with serenity, as he returned a smile to her. “Sure thing I´ll tell the both of them.” Aria waved them off again. “I´ll pay for your arm, so don´t make a fuss. But seriously kid getting caught like that is just sloppy for a professional assassin.” She said, looking back again at the papers upon her desk. “I have rusted a bit, that’s all.” Jeanne gave a bow with his only remained arm and left the room with the same cat-like grin. As soon as Jeanne was gone Aria cracked her neck. “All righty, time to work.” And she immediately threw all the papers from her desk to reveal a small laptop below it. She aimed to raise the screen… but stopped as if she froze in place. “Curious. I’m pretty sure he is dead. I did the deed myself.” Aria suddenly slapped herself. “Foolish old me, of course. It was that wretch of a man…” She took a glance at a picture frame that was turned upside down over the desk. “Doesn´t matter now. The plan will move forward, and in a year those trivialities will be done. In time for winter, right in schedule. Just as intended. ¿Won´t it? ¿Me?” The woman cracked her fingers and returned to type endlessly on her computer.