Chapter 12: Nassap

Chapter 12: Nassap

31st December, 2024 (Revamped on April 30th, 2025)

Gateau’s limp body slammed into the ground, landing right beneath Mutafakir’s foot.

Mutafakir: “What a coincidence.”

He looked down at his dead brother’s body—his expression full of contempt.

Mutafakir: “You were never a good role model… Let Mom rot in that hospital bed, tried to kill me too?”

He crouched beside Gateau, not a hint of sorrow in his voice.

Mutafakir: “Not even angry. Not disappointed either.”

He narrowed his eyes.

Mutafakir: “To think… my own brother. Flesh and blood.”

His words dripped with disdain.

Mutafakir: “All of this… over some pathetic gambling addiction?”

He clicked his tongue.

Mutafakir: “Not trying to be racist, but you threw away everything and became a walking stereotype—drinking, smoking, drugs… What was even good about that lifestyle?”

He grabbed Gateau’s wrist.

Mutafakir: “And you even renamed yourself ‘Gateau’… when your real name was something pure—Mohammed. Mohammed Gabriel.”

Running his fingers along the wrist in a single smooth motion, the skin opened up without a single cut—like magic.

A small, brown pouch tumbled out. Blue powder.

Mutafakir pocketed the pouch, extracting the Disposition from his brother.

Mutafakir: “I’ll be keeping this… just in case you ever wake up again.”

⸻

Elsewhere.

Mutakamel finished sketching something bizarre: a creature made of solid stone, with a huge, round head and floating arms orbiting it. Its face wore an eerie smirk.

The creature burst out of the paper, landing with a thunderous crash—like someone dropping a giant boulder.

Mutakamel: “So it’s true. She wasn’t lying.”

He gently placed the red book aside, looking unimpressed.

Mutakamel: “Now then… what should I name you?”

???: “I cheat in every game. I’ll call myself—Nassap.”

Mutakamel sighed, rising from his chair with both hands in his pockets.

Mutakamel: “Fine, Nassap. Test your ability on the people outside.”

He stepped onto the balcony, his gaze locked on Tariq’s house—not far at all.

The reason no one noticed Mutakamel’s home was simple: he used his ability, Author’s Drawings, to make it appear haunted. It was both effective and oddly stylish.

Mutakamel: “Just taste someone’s Disposition… I’ll be watching closely. Go.”

Nassap launched himself from the balcony, transforming mid-air into a compact ball. He spun like a cannonball, barreling straight toward Tariq’s house.

⸻

Back at Tariq’s house…

Tariq had just finished recounting a story. Harith, meanwhile, was zoning out, head slowly lowering onto the table.

Suddenly—

RING RING!

Amina’s phone buzzed in her pocket.

Harith swiftly snatched it.

Amina: “Harith, what the hell?! Give that back! Who’s even calling?!”

She lunged for it, but Harith stood up, blocking her attempts with his body.

Harith (on phone): “Yeah? My order’s ready?!”

Harith: “You’re throwing it out ‘cause no one picked it up?!”

He ended the call and gently placed the phone on the table.

Amina: “What was that—”

Before she could finish, Harith burst out the front door like a bullet.

Tariq: “Seriously?! You order food when I’m your best friend—and the best chef in Egypt?! Shame on you.”

He scoffed in mock offense, shouting after Harith—who didn’t bother replying.

Amina: “Come back here! What even is this food situation?!”

She took off after him—

—but was suddenly run over by something fast, spherical, and brutal.

She vanished without a trace.

⸻

Amina found herself plummeting through a surreal dimension: a void swirling with dark purple and ever-changing colors.

She fell fast—but not helplessly.

Activating her Disposition, she summoned a blue parachute and slowed her descent.

Below, the massive ball—Nassap—sat with his head in his palm, clearly bored, flicking imaginary dust with his other hand.

He casually reached out, grabbed Amina mid-air, and set her down gently.

Nassap: “Could’ve just told me you were arriving. I was dying of boredom.”

His voice had a weird, nerdy tone.

Amina: “And how was I supposed to know some giant ball would break my fall?”

She crossed her arms, unimpressed.

Amina: “So? Who are you, you oversized dodgeball?”

Nassap: “Thought I was famous by now…”

He pouted in mock sadness.

Amina: “Yeah, sure. Running over people is the fastest way to fame these days. What do you want?”

Nassap: “Oh, not much. Just doing a little… test.”

He paused, analyzing her with curious eyes.

Nassap: “Actually, you seem too dumb to understand. Let’s just say I needed someone to try my Disposition on. Tag—you’re it!”

Amina: “I’m the dumb one? You look like a toddler’s scribble. Fine then, Globular. Let’s go.”

Suddenly, Nassap slammed his palm to the ground and dragged it sideways. Massive marbles burst from beneath his hand. The first one glowed a vibrant, unnatural purple.

Nassap: “If you’re a real Egyptian, you know how to play marbles.”

Amina: “Of course I do. I was a master. I just… outgrew it.”

She frowned sarcastically.

Amina: “So you drag me here just to play a kid’s game? You could’ve picked someone from a schoolyard. Guess you want to lose to the master.”

She summoned her own blue marbles.

Nassap: “Ah ah ah!”

A wave of invisible energy burst from him—instantly nullifying her marbles.

Nassap: “We play by my rules here.”

Amina: “So what’s the game?”

Nassap: “Throwing. The rules are—”

Amina (interrupting): “Don’t insult me. I’ve played before.”

She reached for the purple marble—but in a flash, Nassap flicked her away with a single finger.

She shot backward at frightening speed.

Then, without hesitation, he snatched her out of midair by the collar.

Nassap: “Whoops. Miscalculated. Totally not on purpose!”

His nerdy sarcasm stung.

He gently returned her to her spot. Amina clutched her shoulder, grimacing in pain.

Amina: “Y-you…”

Nassap: “Instead of saying ‘Y-you,’ how about you start the game already? Save us both some time.”

She scowled and tried lifting one of the giant marbles. Too heavy.

Amina: “It’s not that heavy… Whatever.”

She activated her Disposition again, forming spectral blue arms over her own.

Now she could lift the marbles with ease.

Amina: “You’re going down, ball-boy.”

Sweat beaded on her forehead. She gripped the marble, aimed, and threw.

It rolled hard, bouncing toward the hole…

Then—snap.

A faint, purple electrical pulse radiated through the space—barely visible.

The marble stopped just before the hole.

Nassap: “Oopsies! Time for a penalty!”

He slammed his giant palm down without warning.

The impact blasted dust into the air and launched Amina skyward.

Before she could recover, he grabbed her again by the back of her sweater.

Nassap: “You look like a doll. Can’t take a ‘light’ slap? You call yourself strong? Pathetic.”

Her eyes flared—burning with a reddish glow. From her wrist, a reddish-blue blade formed. She slashed—cleanly slicing off Nassap’s rocky fingers.

He recoiled.

Nassap: “Feisty… I like that. Maybe you are a challenge.”

The marble Amina missed began spinning around Nassap.

Nassap: “Every ball you miss spins around me, giving me a power boost. I could just let you lose, gather your marbles, and grind you down—like tossing you into a jet engine!”

Amina: “That just proves you’re cheating. Your name literally means ‘cheater’ in Arabic.”

Nassap said nothing. He picked up the purple marble and launched it—trick shot style—over his shoulder.

A second later, a ding echoed.

He clenched his fist triumphantly.

Nassap: “I’m just that good.”

He tried snapping with his right hand—then remembered she’d cut off those fingers.

Nassap: “Oh… right. You’ll pay for that.”

He snapped with his left, and the severed fingers flew back toward him.

Amina’s voice echoed across the space.

Amina: “What do you know about playing fair? I’ll teach you, Globular Head.”

Her aura flared—blue streaked with red.

Amina: “I’ll bury you right here, Nassap.”

Nassap: “You better beat me first before saying that, ‘Main Character.’”

He halted the spinning marble and flicked it at her with sniper precision.

Amina saw the marble flying like a bullet—and used her spectral right arm to crush it mid-air.

Nassap: “Oh? You’ve got some tricks, huh?”

He pushed a marble gently toward her.

Nassap: “Let’s see what you’ve got, angry girl.”

To be continued…

Character spotlight:

Nassap: Good for me, bad for you! Type of dude. His Disposition is called “The deceiver and the swindler”.