To Each Their Own

The following Monday, Yuuki arrives in Jessica’s room to pick her up for school. She half expected to be yelled at for leaving without a word on Friday, but there’s no mention of it nor does she sense any anger.

Yuuki follows through with Kahler’s request to ask Jessica if she wants to know the whole truth of what’s going on. She doesn’t specify how much would be told, like how it started, why it’s happening, and what will happen, but without a second thought Jessica simply says “no” surprising Yuuki for the second time this morning.

“Out of everyone I thought for sure you’d want to know.”

“So I was the last person you asked.” Jessica didn’t need any hints for her to figure that out. She is the newest member in the group. “Even with how I reacted before, I think I’m better off not knowing.”

“I agree. It’s nice when you’re given the opportunity to choose.”

Vague comments seem to be Yuuki’s favorite. There are a lot of things Jessica would like to ask her. She’s still the most mysterious, even compared to Kahler, but there’s no way she’ll get a clear answer. Despite that belief, she decides to put it to the test.

“I am curious about…how you met Kahler. Did he always have that face?” Jessica looks at her with a doubtful expression.

Yuuki’s eyes widen and then she lets out a laugh, “Yeah, I almost killed him because of it.” her laugh continues and finishes with a heavy breath, “It happened so long ago I forgot. Thank you.”

Jessica is unable to hide her shock while Yuuki displays a serene smile. People can find a reason to laugh after remembering a bad memory, seeing it in a different light after time passes, but to react like that about almost killing someone?

Jessica closes her eyes and sighs while Yuuki places her hand on her shoulder before teleporting to school.

Every question brings about a strange answer. Yeah, I’m better off not knowing.

*************************************

Since crime was so low following October 30th, there was no need to go out and cleanse the city. Everyone still met in room 313 after school, but only to have light conversations, usually due to having to wait for Yuuki to take them home. Otherwise, they all kept to themselves even after leaving.

Shayna

Whenever Shayna is dropped off after work, Yuuki takes her right to her bedroom since her foster parents are always asleep by that time. If she’s home earlier, she’s taken to the apartment hallway. Her current parents live in a small, 2 floor apartment building with their rental being on the second floor.

The week the saviors were on break, she didn’t have much else to do beside study. She doesn’t have friends she talks to or hangs out with regularly, just a few classmates who interact strictly at school, and she can’t go out due to Yuuki’s suggestion, though it comes off as more like a rule. It is safer to stay indoors anyway.

Her routine that week was; come home, greet her parents if they were there, study, eat dinner, maybe study some more before bed. It’s not exactly exciting, but she found no reason to complain.

Of course, her coming home earlier every day didn’t go unnoticed. By midweek, her mother peeks into Shayna’s room to see she’s hard at work. She quickly exits before being noticed and resumes making dinner.

An hour later, the table is set and the family of three take a seat to enjoy the pork, green bean, and sweet mashed potato dinner. Shayna has been with this set of parents for about 3 months now and they haven’t had any issues getting along, but the most they do together is eat dinner and discuss their day. Since Shayna stays at school late, this occurs less than half the days in a week.

The two parents nod at each other before the mother speaks.

“You don’t have any after school activities this week?”

“We accomplished a lot recently and all decided to take a break.”

Shayna can’t tell them the true reason, although the fact that they did a lot isn’t a lie.

“Then, do you want to watch a movie or play an old game?” The mother asks.

“We gave an old fashioned board game…what was it called? Money-opoly?” The father says.

“That’s not right, but close enough.” The mother says with a laugh.

Board games have more or less become obsolete. Although some have been turned into mobile or video games, interactive online games such as RPGs have been the preferred choice for decades now. This also caused almost every board game to become discontinued.

Despite not hearing an answer, her parents can’t hide their joy. They’ve been looking for some time to spend together to make up for the days they can’t have dinner due to Shayna staying out late, but all of them have been busy recently, with work or school, which made it difficult.

Shayna passes all tests with flying colors and very rarely gets a B or lower on assignments. The main reason her parents never opposed her coming home late during the week is because her grades were never affected.

She planned to study a bit of each subject every night so as to not fall behind on anything, but there’s nothing wrong with setting it aside for now, right? Oftentimes, Shayna wanted to suggest the same thing to her foster parents, but she became discouraged since she would sometimes only be in a home for a month or less before being sent elsewhere. Moving around so much, she almost forgot what she wanted with a family of her own.

With a bright smile, Shayna gives her answer, “That sounds like fun!”

It doesn’t matter if it’s an old game no kids these days would want. So long as they can be together, she’s happy to join.

Marquise

The dorm Marquise lives in mainly houses orphans and has a program that is designed to help them achieve their career goals. From art to technology to engineering, there’s no limit to the categories. Of course this also includes sports. Attached is a large complex that focuses purely on such activities, allowing residents to practice whenever they want.

Recruiters stop by twice a year to observe students with the intent of giving out scholarships. A majority of schools don’t have any sports teams, meaning this could be their only chance of getting one if they can’t afford college themselves. Besides needing steady grades, you can’t apply before reaching 12th grade, so Marquise still has 2 years until he gets his chance.

Currently, the recruiters are focusing on basketball, soccer, and football scholarships, the latter of which is Marquise’s dream. Since the fields are occupied by potential future stars, he is on the sidelines with a few dormmates who are also interested in football. They can’t hide their excitement as they follow each pass with gleaming eyes.

“What position are you gunning for?” a boy asks Marquise, “With your build probably a defensive lineman?”

“A lineman or center, I haven’t really decided. Either way I hope to play in Philly.”

“Really? I figured you’d want to get the hell out of here like the rest of us.”

“It’s not all that bad. Plus, the stadium is at the edge of the city and practice facilities are in Jersey so you can avoid the danger.”

“I never thought of it like that…I’ll still hope to play for a different team.”

When Marquise first arrived here 9 years ago at the age of 7, he would have agreed with him. Before his father and brother were arrested, they were members of a gang that aided in distributing dangerous drugs throughout the country. Whenever a druggie or opposing gang members discovered their address, they would break in, steal drugs and money, or shoot up the place. As a result Marquise was in constant fear of losing his life. So much so that he almost never left his room.

Although he didn’t contribute anything at his young age, his family was always sure to take him when they moved, with the hopes of him joining their gang in the future. Marquise was grateful to have been saved when he was. It took some time, but he eventually became brave enough to walk to school last year at the start of 9th grade, not exploring beyond those 4 blocks.

The positivity of the saviors helped him look past the crimes and see other aspects of the city he never noticed before, awakening his love for the city. Going out each night is the first instance he found beauty in this place he once feared. He already dreamed of becoming a professional football player, but that piqued his interest in representing the city through the sport. Something he is determined to make come true.

Jessica

One day after Jessica is dropped off at home, she feels the urge to go outside. She doesn’t have anywhere specific in mind. She simply wants to enjoy the fresh air since the saviors have been coming straight home after school.

While thinking of where to go, she looks up at the roof. This apartment doesn’t have a rooftop deck for residents to enjoy, but to Jessica, that’s perfect since she’s more likely to be alone.

She takes the elevator to the top floor before going up one flight of stairs. This building has a total of 22 floors with a roof that is many feet long and wide. Luckily for her, the door is unlocked.

Immediately after opening the door, she gets a clear view of the city. Looking over everything from this height became one of her favorite experiences from going out to work so many times. Since she lives beside the river, the scent of water overpowers any stench the city may produce. Officials made sure the water remained unpolluted since it was considered a valuable source for drinking.

With the vast roof before her, Jessica can’t help running at top speed, finally able to utilize her ability. This may only be for personal entertainment, but it’s still more than enough.

Initially running from one ledge to the next, she steadily accelerates and then jumps and spins in the air. When she lands on her feet, she blinks her eyes a few times, amazed by how high she was able to jump. She’s done it before, going from building to building, but this was the first time she started with a long run.

Just then, she feels a heavy gust of wind that nearly knocks her over, making her realize she probably shouldn’t do that again. She would rather not risk being blown into the city.

Jessica gleefully sits by the ledge facing the city to watch the sunset. She isn’t sure why it took her so long to do this, maybe she got too used to Yuuki teleporting her everywhere, but she’s glad she did.

Andres

After working late on mischief night, Andres hasn’t had any energy. He’s simply been sleeping, sleeping, and sleeping some more, using all the strength he could muster to get a drink or use the bathroom. His aide only stops by during the week, making getting through the weekend a grueling endeavor.

The one thing that helped the most, were messages from Jessica. She would send a ‘good morning’ after waking and before getting into discussing anything else. He regretted not being able to reply right away, but every message received brought a smile no matter the physical pain he felt.

Despite it being a sunny afternoon, his room is dark due to the blackout curtains covering the windows. The only light is from the TV. He always leaves it on, but hardly watches anything, using it as background noise. He found it to be comforting, choosing that over a dreary, quiet room.

Currently resting in bed, Andres hears his phone ‘ping’ causing his eyebrow to twitch. He opens his eyes and glances around to look for his phone. With it nowhere in sight, he can only assume it’s behind him. He has yet to get out of bed today and always keeps it near him.

After groaning, he pushes himself to lay on his back, and then his right side. There, he sees what he’s been looking for. He picks it up and swipes the screen to see another message from Jessica on SL.

‘An early g’morning’

Andres can’t help smiling at her simple words. She could just send him ‘hi’ and he would still react the same way. Jessica became the light of his life, with moments like these something he looks forward to the most.

However, she’ll have to wait for a response, as exhaustion pulls him into a deep sleep once more.

Yuuki

Late one night, Yuuki finds it difficult to fall asleep. Although she went to bed when she usually would after working, she didn’t expel much energy throughout the day comparatively and feels restless. She puts on some light clothes, a jacket and walks past Kahler in room 313.

“I’m going out for a bit.”

“Don’t stay out too-”

Kahler tries to respond, but when he looks up, she’s gone, possibly having teleported before he spoke.

Sitting atop the tallest building on John F. Kennedy Boulevard, she didn’t come here to watch the city or anything like that. Unlike the others, she doesn’t find it to be beautiful. To her, it’s an irredeemable trash heap filled with repulsive people.

Instead, she wants to enjoy the weather. Yuuki leans back to feel the cold breeze. Her long, black hair gracefully following the flow. When she closes her eyes, memories of the final days with her mother resurface.

It was the month of December in Japan, and it was just as chilly. When she was young, Yuuki’s mother would walk her to school in the morning, then leave until the next day when it was time for school once more. She never understood where she went, but didn’t feel the need to ask. So long as she could see her each day, none of that mattered.

Then all of a sudden, her mother entrusted her with the sword she still carries, along with some cryptic words, before vanishing completely. Yuuki wishes she could erase the events that followed from her mind, but they’re vivid as if they just occurred yesterday—

“This may be the first time I’ve seen you out here alone.”

Yuuki opens her eyes and to her right is Michael, standing on the roof, displaying his irritating, mischievous smile. She remains as is, but grips her sword and stays on guard.

“How did you find me?”

“I just happened to be in the area.” he says with a hum.

Considering all the recent encounters, she finds that hard to believe. Rather than leave in an instant using her ability, she decides to give him a chance to explain himself. If he approached her, there must be a reason.

“I figured I’d try asking, would you consider giving me that sword?” Michael asks as he holds out his hand.

Yuuki is baffled. Does he really think she would let go of the biggest thing that gives her group an advantage? Why bother asking when the answer is obvious? She sits up and stares him straight in the face, bluntly stating, “Absolutely not.”

“I thought as much. Then let’s look at this from a different angle.” Michael pulls back his hand and his smirk disappears, “At this stage, what reason do you have to play a part in all this? Out of everyone, you should know you’re the most irrelevant.”

Those words strike a nerve. Not finding it necessary to listen any further, Yuuki teleports elsewhere, leaving Michael to complain.

“And that ability is the most inconvenient.”

Although she could just as easily go back to the school, Yuuki decides to hide out in an empty building for a few hours. She’s confident Michael can’t track her, but wants to stay on the safe side.

The windows and doors are boarded up so she shouldn’t have to worry about someone sneaking up on her. She leans against a wall, still holding her sword and slips to the floor, letting out a sigh in the process. She was only able to enjoy 5 minutes of peace before being interrupted. Not that she would describe all of those memories as ‘peaceful’ in the first place. Setting aside Michael’s harsh words, she attempts to get some sleep.

Hours later, Yuuki is awoken by a car horn beeping in the street. She has nothing on her that tells her the time, but can see some light peeking through the boarded window so it must be close to the start of school.

When she arrives in class 313, no one is there. It’s still early, but Kahler must have gone to sleep already. Standing in the quiet room, Michael’s comment, ‘most irrelevant’, brings a tinge of loneliness.

“I already know that.” Yuuki says as she grits her teeth, not needing him to spell it out for her.

However, after getting so involved, she can’t just back out now. Especially not with how much everyone relies on her. If they couldn’t utilize the teleportation ability, they no doubt wouldn’t have accomplished nearly as much as they have, making her one of the most important members in the group.

“That’s right.” She says to reassure herself. Her mental fatigue must be worse than she realized if she allowed Michael’s comment to get to her like such.

After taking a moment to consider, she decides today is the perfect day to skip school, grinning at the thought. She then proceeds to pick everyone up so she can get some much needed rest.

Kahler

After Yuuki leaves, Kahler gets back to what he was doing. Her actions are a little strange, but she’s always been good at taking care of herself, leaving him with little to worry about.

When not focusing on their mission, Kahler enjoys spending free time studying. Any workbooks he completed are stacked on the table. There’s one for social studies, science, literature, and language. The only one he has yet to finish is math, which quickly became his least favorite. At first, he was moving at a steady pace, and then it all came to a screeching halt once he reached the final subject.

“Was this made more difficult on purpose? Maybe I shouldn’t have saved it for last.”

While the other books took a little over a month each for him to finish, the current count has reached 78 days with it only half complete. He set a personal deadline, in other words his graduation, for December 31st and it’s coming quicker than he’d like. The fact that he’s close to the end keeps him motivated. Staring at his past accomplishments, the other subjects, does the same.

Kahler then slams the book shut and leans on his arm, looking out the window. Unfortunately, there isn’t much else he can do. If he leaves the school, there’s a risk of Michael finding him and that could also put the others in danger. Yuuki often stays up to chat or help with his studies, but she decided to spend the night elsewhere.

If someone asked Kahler if he ever feels lonely, he wouldn’t be sure how to answer. He enjoys company as much as the next person, but knew what to expect from taking part in this mission. As a result, he has become accustomed to spending time alone, coming up with different distractions to keep that thought far from his mind.

Only a measly 30 seconds pass until Kahler opens the book with fury and decides to get back to work. He’s determined to complete it and feels he has to use every minute available.

Hours later at 6 am, he was able to get through 7 more pages, which is practically nothing considering how many are left. It will have to do for now. The school doors are open and students are flooding the halls. Soon, the saviors will be here as well and he prefers to fall asleep before then. That’s when he remembers-

“Come to think of it, Yuuki didn’t come back, did she?”

The only room she teleports to and from is 313 so there’s no way he missed her. He considers something may have happened, but regardless, there’s nothing that can be done. The most he can hope for is to listen to any complaints she has this evening, just as he always does.