Hazard_course - Pre-enrollment: At_the_crack_of_evening - Part_6-7

Part 6

18:20 – July 21st.

The Sunflower district streets were pretty empty at the time. A lot of cars and fast trains were moving back to the other side of the city, Martin on the other hand was in deep philosophical thinking about what was he going to have for dinner.

(Should I ask for steamed pork with rice or go for soup today? Maybe I should get something from the supermarket, but I do not know where they are…)

Then he pulled out his phone and started to look through his files to see if there was a map app.

“Now where are you…”

(For as long as I remember the map of the city was implanted into my phone after the teacher took it for the exams.)

After a couple of seconds of aggressive searching, he finally found it…

“…What?! Can`t open!? How can`t I open it!”

(Wait…It has to be a different app…)

His anger and frustration on his face went to a disappointed and sad kid who was just told that Santa Claus does not exist.

(Just my luck…I guess I will go home starved to death...)

The wind at the time was starting to go faster with each second, he headed back. As he was going down, he saw that most of the people were walking on the other side of the street.

(? More space for I guess…)

“AAahh! Help me!”

Martin's Spidey-senses were off the charts.

(What the hell was that!?)

He stopped, started to look around, and waited for the scream to come again.

“Help!”

(Second alley before the subway!)

Martin then started to run.

(I should have a battery to call right…)

Something buzzed.

“What now…”

He pulled out his phone - *Low on battery…* - and the screen went black.

(Fantastic…Dammit!)

He then took a left into the alley.

“Help, pleas-”

Martin was finally able to find the source of the noise but another problem occurred:

(There are at least five people there and one down!)

He was able to hide himself and his presence behind a garbage container. Then he peeked.

(!)

“My, my, my, pretty boy! Why are you trying to complicate things!”

Martin`s heart was aching very hard. He couldn`t wrap his head around what was happening.

(What…Am I…seeing…)

Emotions suddenly started to fly through his mind: rage, confusion, anxiety, shock.

A clique of girls was surrounding a little-looking boy which was bruised up at all places, was out of breath, and was now curled up like a ball against the wall.

(I should better watch what happens for now…)

His blood started to boil faster and faster with every second he watched.

“Now, now little guy you know the rules, if you do not play by the rules, you will be punished! ✰” said the girl in the middle.

“Yes, yes, you heard her, it`s time to punish you!” she giggled.

The skinny boy decided to give a last shout.

“If there is somebody there, please, help me!”

His cry was meaningless. The girls surrounding him (Although good-looking), were twice or thrice the size of him. They were all laughing at him at how desperate he was. It was like Seniors picking on juniors’ kind of scene, but just as they were about to advance…

“STOP!”

The clique turnaround to see a girl (again good-looking) coming from another alley with a pair of gloves in one of her hands.

Martin on the other hand was at the opposite entrance, looking from behind the garbage container.

(What the hell are you doing alone girl!?? And why are you holding the gloves like that!?)

“Ho, is this your boyfriend?” she said poking at the bruised boy.

(Dammit…Why…are…you…here…)

The middle girl got to him and started to press his cheeks aggressively.

“Huh, why did you get cozy all of a sudden?! You think that you are okay!?”

The clique then laughed.

“Oh, my, your savior has come! But why is it your girlfriend? Don`t you have friends or something or maybe that is your only friend and girlfriend because you are an insignificant and ugly loser!” she continued yelling at him.

The boy did not answer, he looked at her straight in the face trying not to show emotion.

“Oh, so you are now a tough guy, huh?”

Then she stopped pinching his cheeks and punched him in the chest as hard as she could. The next thing Martin knew was the boy slamming against the wall and then falling to the ground.

“Noo!” cried out the girl with the gloves.

The bruised boy tried to stand up to reassure that he was okay, but he could not even pull himself. The clique finally moved their attention to the girl who came.

“As you can see, he is quite busy with us, so why not leave him be after all aren`t you insecure for not letting him play with us?”

The girl did not say anything. She quietly put her gloves on and got into a battle position. The clique was laughing as they saw that she was going to put on a fight. The girl did not move, she was just standing without flinching to their laughs. The clique saw that the girl was determined to do what she has to do which caused the clique to get annoyed and angry.

“Do you underestimate us?” the girl in the middle said.

“Do you think you can beat us?” provoked one of the other girls.

“Do you think that you are better than us!” they yelled together and then dashed off at her head-on.

Martin forgot about calling the police. He was way too focused on what was happening in front of him.

“Say hello to the doctor from me!” yelled the first girl with a kick that was flying toward the girl`s face.

“We see about that!” replied the girl while evading her kick.

“Did you forget about me!” came in the second with a fist.

Then the third girl came in and finally all.

“Come on, girls! Take her down!”

“Yes!”

They were now all focused on her.

After the shout of the girls, Martin snapped back.

(I did it again…)

He then looked at the boy.

(I need to get him out of there while they are not watching…)

He started to move when… (Ah! My head!) his shoes began to emit a shining bluish-green light, making his shoes heavy and also changing their appearance.

(I can`t stop now! It`s now or never!)

The bruised boy saw a figure coming toward him and put his hands in front of him.

(It`s over for me…) thought the bruised boy but when the figure spoke:

“Don`t worry I am here to get you out!”

The figure and the girl met gazes and exchanged a few nodes.

“Wait! You need…” he immediately shut down.

“Don`t worry, I will get you out of here.”

After placing him in a comfortable position for Martin to run fast with him, he looked over to the fight.

(!)

Coincidentally he managed to exchange a glance with the girl who was just looking at them.

(Run!)

(Got it. I will be back.)

He then ran into the darkness.

Now they were gone.

“Okay, you snakes! Have a taste of your own medicine!”

“Ha! Aren`t you delu-”

One girl got shot down.

“You damn wh-”

Then another.

“It`s not over-”

And another one.

“Take this!”

(!)

The boxer evaded and then…” Time for a knockout!” A fist flew right into the girl`s chin.

Only the leader was left.

(Why! Why! What happened to her!)

They lost too much ground and time on her. She was about to break down when…

(Wait! The boy! We can still do it!)

But to her surprise, he was gone.

“Where did he go!?”

“He, he…You aren`t that powerful, are you!”

It was a sure victory for her now…Or was it.

(?)

The fallen girls were slowly picking themselves up.

“For God’s sake, you are very stubborn, aren`t you!” said one of the knocked down girls.

Something was off.

“Did you forget that you were still alone?!!”

Then the girls` leader eyes who were facing the other way started to light up in bluish-white red. The same light appeared on one of the fallen.

“Oh, thank god, I thought that you wouldn`t do this.”

“Shut up! Help me revive the rest!”

“Alright-”

She then received a punch right into her face.

“Enough chit-chat, I am taking you all down.”

“Oh really? How when we are all ready to fight you again.”

(!)

The boxer was careless. Almost all of the girls were ready to go for a second round.

“Tch!”

(She isn`t easy to deal with at all, the intel lied to us…Huh?)

“Leader, somebody was watching us from shadows! I found footprints behind one of one garbage containers!”

(Dammit!)

“I need an assassin right now!”

“Don`t worry I will go!” said one of the girls.

“Fine…Go and find that boy, we need him for the mission.”

“I will find him as soon as possible.”

“Be quick! If you lose him you`re done!”

Then the girls laughed.

“Let`s see if your helper can escape from her, shall we!?”

The girl with the boxing gloves was not following behind either, as soon as she saw that their eyes started shining, she knew that there was no evading it. Her eyes then lit up in a blackish-green light which then caused her to move her punches faster and stronger as well. After that, she fell back to punch her in the stomach but was just in time to evade the second girl`s hit.

“Dam you peasants!”

“Hate us all you want, but your guy is a sure meal for us, ha, ha, ha!”

Or at least that was what they hoped.

Martin`s footsteps were getting heavier and heavier with each second.

(Gosh, what is he made of!? Rocks?!)

He had to stop for a second.

“Pant, pant. Okay, I have to find a hospital ASAP or he is going to be a goner but without a map I am useless…”

His phone buzzed.

(?)

An unregistered file had just downloaded onto his phone.

(What the…Okay…Who is listening to me?)

It was a map of S city.

“Okay, then we are going northwest.”

(Wait… It might be better to go to the Security Dormitories. They are going to deal with him as well as provide him aid…There should be combat doctors, right?)

Unsure, he decided to go northeast. As he was about to go his gut sense was ringing trouble again.

(Somebody is coming.)

His tiredness suddenly disappeared and he started to run with the boy on him.

(I can feel that I am being pursued…Strange…Anyhow I need to lose him or we are in trouble.)

He started going zig-zag between the alleys, eventually going to a very different part of the city.

(Finally, a public area! He won`t attack us here.)

There were a lot of supermarkets, boutiques, fast food shops, and much more stores where he was at.

(Okay, I found a spot to rest for a moment.)

As Martin was about to head towards the destination, an immediate imaginary pain went through his body causing him to move aside.

(!)

To his surprise, a pink-haired girl wearing a black jumpsuit with some strange object attached to it had just kissed the wall of the building in front of them. She then collapsed to the ground like a flopped pancaked against the ceiling.

“Um, excuse but are alright?” asked the young gentlemen.

As he was about to approach her, he got an ominous feeling from as well as his gut telling him to stay away. Something felt wrong about her in every possible way.

(You know what? I am not helping her, crazy girls are all over the world, so let`s get going…)

After he turned around the girl stood up almost immediately.

(Oh, hey stinky man! How about you wait for me!)

“Aghh!”

Martin was knocked down.

“Haven`t they taught you to help a lady in need!?”

(Agh! My back…)

He had to turn around and see what happened.

“Who are you? Did you do this?”

“And what if I did?”

Her face was giggly and puffed at the same time. Her silhouette was like that imaginary waifu you all see on a poster put on a wall or those giant pillows. Indeed, this town for sure had beautiful and crazy girls all over town.

“What the hell is your problem!?” Martin groaned from the ground.

“Well, I wanted you to help me, but you did not, so a gave you a lesson. Now be a good boy and hand over, actually no, carry back with me the boy you just stole away from us. ✰”

(!)

Martin got goosebumps.

“Who stole what from who?”

The pink-haired girl then pointed at the bruised boy.

“You stole him from us. Now you have to face the consequences.”

(?)

She was now in front of him with another kick ready to pass onto him.

“Agh!”

Martin was kicked hard into the chest even sending him somehow flying a little bit from her prowess.

“Cough, cough!”

(Why…Why…Why!)

His mind was falling little by little into a despair

“Oh, please don`t be like that…You will ruin my mood!”

She made it to him in a matter of seconds without giving him a chance to blink.

Martin was stunned again.

“How!”

“Don`t ask me!”

She hit him again but this time with lesser strength.

“Ugh…”

Martin was done for. He couldn`t do anything. Expect one thing…

(I am NOT going to fall now!)

He stood up.

“Oh…Thankfully you are still a man…Thankfully…”

(Why in the fricking hell am I helping this sucker!?? For justice!? Pride!? Fame? Goddammit!)

He was angry now but Martin didn`t show it. He was only calm on the outside. The girl on the other hand…Everything around her got suddenly very ominous. Martin`s gut was telling him to go but he still stood there unshaken by her figure.

“Why not check if you are really a man!”

She continuously punched him and kicked him as if he was a sandbag while Martin got into a defensive posture to protect himself. The result was him falling from the pressure.

“Heh. You got me warmed up I am not going to lie to you.”

Martin on the other hand was all in bruises.

“Ughhh…”

“What is it? Is this the best that you got!? My, aren`t you pathetic!”

The young man`s mind was going haywire.

“Ughhhh…” Martin fell to the ground on his knees.

“What a baby. You can`t even handle a punch.”

Her expression was cold.

“Okay, I am tired of this, let`s end it once and for all.”

A strange light appeared around her She was about to right leg. Martin was still focused on his bruises, so he didn`t realize what was awaiting him. But…

“Hey, man I am telling ya, that girl definitely gave her number!”

“Man, can you stop being a prick for five seconds when we go out with girls, jeez.”

“I know right.”

A group of boys was coming by around the corner.

“Oh, just when was about to get interesting…Or maybe.”

She got another wicked idea.

Suddenly she lit up again and slammed herself into the wall. The boys got startled.

“What was that!”

“It came from around this corner!”

“Let`s check it out!”

“Nah man, it might be dangerous.”

The wicked puppeteer overheard everything and sighed.

(I guess I need to give them an incentive.)

The girl coughed and gave out a very loud soft shout. Meanwhile, Martin was coming little by little back to his senses.

“Help, please! I need help!”

(!)

“It`s a girl! Quick!”

“Oh, man! I knew this day would come!”

“Hero time!”

The boys pulled up to see a sexy distressed little pink-haired girl lying on the ground while a few meters down the road was a tall, suspicious, bushy-looking man who was covered up in bruises probably from falling too much.

(And let the show begin!)

“Let us lift you first!”

“Thank you! You are my saviors.”

The two boys who were lifting her blushed.

“Oh, please! That was our responsibility.”

“Anyway, what happened” asked the third boy.

After she was lifted, she immediately hugged the third boy intensely.

“Please, help me! This man is harassing me!” pointing at Martin.

Her legs were shaking as well as burying her face into the boy`s shirt.

The gorilla, mosquito, and crocodile suddenly got very angry.

The gave a cold stare at Martin.

“Hey, that guy looks like that evil little, skinny, hunchbacked, gross, narcissistic pervert that lures little girls with a lollipop to his creaking old house.”

“Say, why not…Call the cops? Or even better Beat him up?” said the hugged gorilla.

“Sure…But what about him?”

“Why to worry, your punches won`t even leave a scar.” said the third boy.

“Jackass…Who is first?”

“Me.” Said the first boy. “Okay, little girl please get off me. I have to teach that guy a lesson.”

“Oh…Please do.” Her voice got even timider which let to infuriate him even more.

(That guy is dead!)

Martin finally got up.

(! When did they come!?)

“Now…” said the approaching monster “I will make you regret that you were even born!” it swung his right arm right into the supposed evildoer.

“Agh!”

“You`re evading huh?” said the big monster. “We will see for how long can you do it! “

(What the hell is happening.)

Martin helplessly tried to evade every punch that was sent by that big thing. For a split second, he saw her. With other boys. And she was smiling at him saying even things.

(This is over for you.)

Martin stopped to evade. Meanwhile, the monster was super sweaty.

“You realized that it is over for you, ha, pant!”

The evildoer did not say anything. He only stood there motionless.

(What a pity…He looked so good…Well, anyway I will find another one how hard can it be…)

“Say goodnight!”

He swung his right arm…Martin stood and watched how it comes to him…It was a sure punch in the stomach…Or it was.

(!)

“Oh, you managed to catch my punch! But that-”

“Shut up…”

Martin`s left arm began to suddenly glow.

Shut up and go back to your little shits!”

Martin swung his left fist into his chest sending him exactly where the group was. By the time of the collision, the girl had already left the scene.

“Puff, puff…I need to get out of here…”

He looked around for his buddy who somehow landed on a pile of garbage.

“Where do you think you are going perverted old man?”

The voice came from somewhere above. A familiar one.

(I have to move fast!)

It was that little girl.

Martin suddenly felt an immense flow of energy as if he was never tired but he was unaware of it.

(Let`s move!)

He started running with the supposed package. And she followed him after…Slowly as if a predator was observing its prey…Waiting to get exhausted or find somewhere to isolate from the main herd by scaring it…But there was a slight problem.

(That bastard is fast! I didn`t want to use my abilities for this…)

Martin was moving at insanely high speed, his shoes were shining even brighter now, and his mind was set only on one thing now:

(We need to hide somewhere from this or we might get cooked for somebody`s dinner tonight!)

She was still following closely behind him… With a smirk on her face.

(Let`s try to maneuver somehow.)

Alas, that failed. He was running too fast. But worst of all she managed to catch up to him due to this mistake.

“How are you doing pretty boy?”

“Get lost!”

“How about you!”

She tried to trip him but failed. Martin on the other hand managed to become an acrobatic fellow for a few seconds.

“Phew…”

She crashed somewhere in the dark. Time for a breather the gentleman thought…Boy was wrong.

“It`s not over yet!”

A knife came out of the dark trying to slice Martin`s head.

“Agh!”

He started to run again. The girl was back on track again.

(This is going nowhere… Time to finish this!)

“M-M-S-K.”

Then a couple of daggers materialized in front of her and went to their respective pockets on her. After that, she focused all of her attention on him.

“G-S-T!”

Daggers were sent toward Martin. This was it. His monkey game was about to end. No more running. Or that was what she hoped.

(!)

The dagger went exactly right for his left foot, but again due to Martin`s keen senses was evaded.

(I guess I have to stop the hunt for now…)

(Huff, Huff… Finally, I am here!)

They were now officially in District Amusement.

Part 7

His senses were starting to go back to normal. Suddenly he felt heavy and intense pain in his muscles.

(Agh! It hurts so much! I need to find somewhere to sit ASAP!)

He saw a bench in the distance and immediately made a beeline for it. He finally could put the injured boy down.

“Hey, how are you?”

“I am fine-”

he threw up immediately after he was put down.

“You good now?”

“Well not as good as you are.”

“You make me look as if I am okay!”

“Heh heh…”

The boy was exhausted. He laid back on the bench for a while.

Martin then went to the nearest stand and got some cloth to clean the vomit on his face. After that there met with some… unexpected acquaintances.

“Oh, if this isn`t my neighbor!”

(!)

A girl with a kitten strip watch was coming from an underwear shop with some other girls accompanying her as well.

(Why now do you appear! Ugh…)

“How are you? Doing well?”

“Yeah, pretty well.” He forced a smile.

“Aha…You sure because it seems that somebody has played in the dirt for a long time.”

“Ah, this…It`s nothing, you should see me when a get really serious about it.”

He fell silent for a moment. The clique was standing silently waiting for their friend to come to them.

“Are you sure that you are fine? You are all covered in bruises.”

“I am fine, Today I even went to take my exams, so wish me luck!”

“Aha… Is that your friend over there?”

‘Yeah…”

“And you are okay I mean… You looked like you were overrun by a herd of wild animals.”

“What do you mean?”

“What do I mean? You look awful! Awful with big A!”

Martin then both looked at his new friend as well as at him. Dirty, swollen, covered in bruises as well as there is blood here and there. But he did not factor in the fact that his shoes were different.

(God damn…I haven`t realized that we look like that.)

“Sure, we do look like that.”

“Ah, so you figured it out.”

(Why is she so angry…And also what is with this face?)

Her face was bloated as if she was making it on purpose because she was teased.

“As you can see me and my buddy over here had a rough day so… Please do not bother us.”

The young man smiled then.

“Oh really…” said the devil “Please tell me and my friends as well, we don`t have anything to do anyway.”

(Damn my holy powers do not work on her…)

“Well, with my new friend over there, we were playing ball in one of the parks after we finished our exams, and then suddenly started to rain, then we looked for our ball, eventually he fell to the ground bad and because I do not know where are the hospitals or somewhere to even treat him, I arrived here.”

“Oh really?”

“Yes!”

A moment of silence came around.

(Was this enough?)

“Pffft…”

The girls burst to laugh.

(Oh god dammit…)

The girls knew that he was lying, almost someone of them was about to give themself out for knowing that they are being pulled by the leg. But that person got even angrier.

“Raining you say?” She asked almost laughing. “Tell me, did you know what was the weather for today? Also, what was the district you were playing ball in?”

“Well yes, sunny all day…”

One girl gave herself away with just a quick burst, but she too knew that his effort to fool them was futile.

(Ah, shit…I am doing it anyways.)

“We were playing in District Mother nature of course!”

“Aha… but from university to the nearest field is 30 minutes. Also, today the parks are closed due to maintenance. Also, did you know that this district has no fields, only the campus district and the local have?”

“How do you know this? Do you run this every day?”

“Who knows, what if I do?”

“…I do not know but I am happy for you or sorry, pick one yourself.”

The clique giggled.

“I will pick happy thank you very much.” She answered with a grin on her face.

“You`re welcome, should I continue examining you or stop here?”

“You`re getting on my nerves!”

“Oh, sorry, sorry, didn`t mean to do that. It just happens you know?”

(This is infuriating! As if trying to pull a tooth out of his mouth!)

“Can you tell me what happened?”

He only shook his head.

“I cannot.”

“Why?”

“Because I already told you.”

“I know that you are lying.”

“How? I am saying the truth.”

“Phahah! Really, because you didn`t convince me!”

“Well, believe what you want to believe I am just saying the truth.” Shaking his arms.

Her expression quickly changed. She was despondent and furious at what he said. Almost sickened by it.

“You are awful.”

“Huh?”

She got close to his face.

“You-are-awful.”

Martin`s smile quickly faded off.

“What is your problem?”

“I am asking you a question!”

“And I answered it!”

“You are lying!”

“What evidence do you have?”

“I don`t.”

“Maybe you`re just worried about me because you like me.”

Now she was truly furious. Her face got red.

“IS SO HARD TO JUST TELL PEOPLE WHAT HAPPENED OR HAD TO BE KEPT A SECRET EVERY TIME!”

“Calm down, it was just a joke.”

“I AM NOT JOKING THOUGH!”

“Well, I can`t tell you anything while you are in this state…”

“WHAT STATE, WHICH STATE, DOESN`T MATTER! YOU ARE A BIG LYING IDIOT!”

(Guess I have to play this game then…)

“IS IT YOUR BUSINESS TO KNOW THEN!”

“IT MAY NOT BE, BUT IT APPEARS THAT YOU CAN NOT HANDLE IT YOURSELF!”

“AND WHAT DO YOU KNOW? MAYBE YOU ARE A GURU OR SOMETHING?”

“I MAY NOT BE BUT AT LEAST I KNOW MORE THAN YOU!”

“OH PLEASE, SHOW ME HOW MUCH YOU KNOW!”

People were starting to circle to hear their chatter. The girls who were in the background were having truly a wonderful time with an exclusive front seat to the barking of back and forth. Funny to everyone gathering, nobody even paid attention to his “friend” not even in the slightest. The boy had fallen asleep a while ago and finally woke up…at an unfortunate time.

(My goodness! What a freakshow…At least I am not in this mess.)

He was able to stand and walk properly this time despite looking like a zombie.

(I should better get going and call her to see if she is alright.)

Bruised up and almost tired to death, he started slowly to move, from wall to wall, eventually leaving the site. The audience was pretty big after he left. They were all excited to see some drama and anything out of the ordinary due to their monotonic lives.

Martin was so in the conversation that he even forgot to look after his ‘friend’.

(What! Where did he go?)

“Where is he!?”

“Don`t you try to evade me! Come on, we haven`t even started yet!”

“Forget it! I need to find him!”

The girl`s face suddenly grinned.

“Find who?”

Martin`s heartbeat suddenly went up. He forgot who the boy was. He didn`t actually ask for the boy`s name. He was cornered.

“Find who,” he said jokingly “you know…My friend of course!”

“I know but what is his name?” her stare was almost devilish.

“…”

He started playing with his fingers.

(I knew it.)

“You don`t his name, right?”

“Maybe…”

(!)

“Maybe because it is our first day and I forgot to ask about his name.”

(Oh goddammit!)

“Stop making up excuses, we all know that you are lying!”

“Anyway,” He was about to get up, but suddenly felt immense pain in his feet. “Agh!”

(?)

Why was He screaming? Pain?

(Oh, that is going to be interesting…)

Her devilish look faded away when she saw his shoes.

(What are those shoes…No…)

She couldn`t believe what her eyes were seeing. She looked at him again – pure authentic yell from pain.

(Yeah, probably that idiot hasn`t realized it yet.)

“Martin.”

He stopped screaming.

“Yes?”

“Look at your feet.”

He immediately looked.

“What is it? Have I stepped in mud or something? Or do not like my shoes?”

“No, your shoes are…”

She trailed off as soon as she saw his shoes. They were back to normal.

(What? They were different a second ago…This guy probably didn`t know that his shoes were different. This explains why he is bruised up as well…to an extent. I need more information on what happened.)

She looked at her friends, but to her anticipation of solving to big mystery, they stood upright, half asleep. Amazing.

(Those little!)

“Hey! Wake up you bunch of hens!”

Now they were awake and alert.

“So, what was the reason for it?”

“Have felt something happening to you lately?”

“Well, I have felt lots of things lately what specifically?”

She starting to get pissed off again.

“Like pain, dizziness, nausea, etc.”

The gentleman got silent for a moment.

“I have felt a lot of today, especially pain and dizziness.”

(Finally, a clue!)

“When!”

“Right now.”

“…”

The girl was truly pissed off at him from before, but now with all of this nonsense and her true comrades sleeping on their job.

“Are you so stupid as a monkey?! Have not felt something happening to you at all?! Or you are just playing dumb to just make me angry?!”

Martin was starting to get confused.

“Today, I had to get up early, go around and do work for my parents, so they could give me money, had to wait for my friends to all gather up, wait for one of my friends to fix her makeup, then we went around the all the shops and I have thought that my clothes would be in stock, just to be told in every shop that there would be no restock until September!”

(Where is this going?)

“AND YOU! I do not know you, nor do I have the intention to, but somehow you managed for two days to upset me! Well, congratulations my friend! You are the worst boy I have ever met, ever! Not only do you act like a two-year-old, but you are so out of a touch with reality! Please, when you try to hold a conversation, behave like an adult!”

(…)

“So!?”

“Was this a complaint?”

“Maybe!” she crossed her hands.

“Why? What have I done? Took your virginity? Did I hit you or something? Or did I tell you that you an annoying little no-life kid?”

She grinned her teeth.

(This guy!)

“Did you hear what I just said!?”

“Yes, but that doesn`t matter. Answer the question.”

“What do you mean it doesn’t matter!? It does-”

“Answer the question!”

His aura changed. His silliness suddenly turned into heavy cold air which was almost suffocating. That managed to scare the little girl.

Her boldness suddenly reversed to shyness.

“Well! Did I do something of what have I just said?”

The girl was silent.

“Answer!”

“No!”

“Then what`s the problem?”

“It is…”

She couldn`t bring herself to term after this.

(Why am I afraid of him? He is just a silly man!)

“It is?”

She looked to the side blushing.

“Nothing.”

“Then leave. And stop bothering people like that, it`s annoying, almost give me a headache.”

Her emotions swapped again

(This guy!!)

She wished that she could punch him at the moment. She had to keep it for herself for now. Then sighed. His situation was beyond repair.

“Honesty, have you ever talked to a girl?”

He tilted his head slightly.

“What does this have to do with me?”

“Everything.”

“Elaborate please.”

“Don`t you think that you are…”

“Yes?”

“Well…you know?”

Martin was starting to get pissed off now.

“Yesss?”

“You are…”

“WHAT AM I!?”

“Rude!”

He went silent for a moment, then again tried to get up, but could not. He then sighed.

“Was that it?”

She averted her look again.

“Yes.”

“Sigh… I have to find my friend and send him to a hospital.”

(Friend?)

“Why friend?”

Martin was dumbfounded.

“What do mean!? What do you call a person you have met and spent time with and also laughed together?”

“Could be an acquaintance.”

(Damn…She has a point.)

“Well, he is my friend!”

(Again this!)

“Your friend, your friend, your friend. If it was truly „your friend “won`t you call him by his name?”

“…”

“I am waiting.”

Martin`s heartbeat went rapid fire.

(I got exposed!)

“Now that I think about it, was that the people you are hanging around with? Or was it just for show?”

Martin now started to avert his gaze.

“Who knows.”

“Well, I know!”

But something went wrong with the bruised warrior.

“Ughh!”

He placed his left hand on his head.

(What is happening!?)

He suddenly felt as if he was pierced with a spear. His expression suddenly changed. All over again, he felt it. The anger. The fear.

The kitten looked at him closely. From top to bottom. She and the clique got shocked at what was happening.

(His shoes are lighting up again…)

She clapped loudly to wake up her clique a little more.

“Girls, we have a job to do.”

Marin gave her a confused look. She only grinned.

“What are you talking about?”

“Well, you tell us!”

Her eyes began to emit all kinds of colored lights. After that one by one, all girls began to do the same, but with only a couple of colored lights. Then grinned as well. Martin gulped and got an ominous feeling about what was about to happen.

(What are they going to do?)

“What do you think I am going to tell you?”

“What happened of course.” she said bluntly.

“What do you mean!? I have to you everything!”

“Well, I do not what this answer though…What the other one.” She got close to him.

The girls giggled at his blunt answer because they knew what was going to happen. Her grin faded off and turned very devilish.

(She won`t kick my bro, right? I have suffered enough today…)

Martin was almost terrified when he saw what his answer led him to.

“If you do not tell me what happened, I can either beat you or send you to jail due to thinking that you have been taking part in illegal fights.

“Or doing both.” She placed one of her fingers on her lips.

Martin froze.

(Jail…This going to get too troublesome…)

“So, choose wisely. Cooperate or go to jail. Come on I am even friendly right now.”

She saw that he was frozen due to everything happening at the time, she clapped again causing him to do the same reaction as before.

Martin got back to his senses. He looked at her and then at the girls. They were really scary right now. At least for him. He had to make a choice.

“I…”

(Are you going to chicken out!? Or were you always a chicken, ha?)

He stuttered. Was he going to go home beaten up without even taking care of somebody who was in danger? He did what he could to this point, so why not go home? Why not be a good boy, go home, eat and go to bed? Today was pure chaos. It was time to rest but he knew he couldn`t. He looked at them again. Although they were scary now, they were still kids.

Martin`s brain started work at that particular moment on a very sensitive subject.

(Who will send a kid to do his work? What is wrong with the people here!?)

He got frustrated.

“I am not telling you.”

She looked at him with full doubt and coldness. She leaned in again.

“S-F”

Her face started to glow lightly. As she leaned an immense amount of fear lashed at Martin. Martin did not know why, but he felt as if he was looking at a dinosaur or something even more terrifying. He could even make a sound.

“Are you sure?”

(What the hell is happening!?)

He and she were looking at each other. She was waiting patiently for him to give up without even flinching and waiting for him to say something. She even sat on the ground as well as placed her hand on his feet and then looked straight at him from the ground. Martin began to have a big headache. He began to sweat as well.

(Why? Why I am so terrified of her!? Is there a special deodorant or something!?)

“UGhhhhh…”

(It feels like I am about to puke but I can`t!)

He began to lose consciousness.

(How cute.)

The little devil was watching him almost as if she was in love with him. Seeing that it hadn`t started working she started to run her finger up and down his one foot. His fear was amplified by her tenfold.

“AGHHHH!!”

He was feeling very dizzy at this point.

“My, my, are we tough nut?”

“Huff, huff…”

She got behind and started to massage his head.

(AGHHHHHH!! THIS KILLING ME!!!)

He even closed his eyes due to the immense pain and fear.

“Well? Are you going to tell me?”

Martin`s inner thoughts began to derail even faster.

(My body…won`t…listen…to…me)

(?)

The little tiger looked at the tortured soul`s face to see if it could speak.

(Maybe I got a little overboard…)

She stopped the massage to let Martin go back to his original self.

Martin only opened his eyes. The effect was still there. But to his relief, the pain stopped. She got in front of him to see her.

“Huff…Huff…”

“You`re going to speak” she prepared her hands “or I am going to continue? Choose wisely.”

Now that he experienced hell, will he spit the beans out? Or will he continue to be silent?

“I-I…”

He hesitated a lot.

(Why…Am I…In this mess…Most importantly…Why is she doing this…I am not letting…Little girls doing…Things like that…)

He was suffering a lot. Scene was horrible.

(This guy…)

She had to keep her composure and not get sentimental.

“Come on, we don`t have all day!”

(I can end it…But…)

He looked at her face determined with a smile.

“I-I a-m not telling you.”

She sighed.

(Let`s see how tough are you, outsider.)

Nobody has ever been standing proud so long without finally falling all over to spit everything, only and only to stop the suffering. He was the third one who had stood the test of time and had not done anything reckless or told them everything.

“Well, if you so tough with me alone, will you be with the six of us!?”

(Oh…This will be an overkill…But…They won`t kill me!)

“You can`t kill a civilian, right?”

They didn`t say anything.

“Come on it`s in every jurisdiction!”

“What are you trying to say?”

“That you can`t kill me! And if I die, you will get in big trouble!”

“Even though you are hiding illegal evidence?”

“Who said that it was?”

“Then why not tell us?”

“It`s in my right to speak and share what I want.”

” It`s in my right to interrogate and get out information from people who are deemed as suspicious or guilty by jurisdiction as well! What now?”

Martin still had one more move. The public opinion.

(Rules are made to keep people in line. Weak ones. But if one dares to challenge, who looks righteous and kind…Then things get interesting…)

“Come all at me! I won`t say a thing! Torture me or do whatever you want, I won`t talk!”

The girls got confused and taken aback by that comment.

“What hell is wrong with you?”

The audience was starting to panic and get intrigued at the same time. They were all watching Martin now.

“Come on! Try and get some!”

The girls were getting worried.

(What is happening!? Why is so confident now!? Is it?)

The kitten looked at the crowd. They seemed angry. Despondent. Violent. But still passive. They looked at them as if looking at a peasant. Her legs began to shake a little.

(Am I afraid?)

She looked at the girls. Their aura was faint as hers.

(No! Get a grip!)

She couldn`t. The public was a trump card that nobody expected to use.

(!)

“Okay, that`s enough.”

Somebody said from the crowd.

A man with slicked-back hair wearing a green tie, a blue bulletproof vest, and some strange equipment approached the group. Martin then averted his gaze towards him. His face suddenly lighted up intensely.

(Finally, somebody reliable.)

The man gave Martin a very cold look. He looked at them then back at Martin. He then looked at the girls. He was not satisfied with what was happening right now at all.

“Is it so hard to interrogate somebody these days? Or is that you are incompetent!?”

This caught the attention of the leader.

(It`s the leader!)

“Sir we`re trying our b…”

A slap came by.

(!)

He felt it.

(This bastard!)

“You had one job #0682. I will let this pass, but no second chances, got it?”

He then moved his attention to Martin.

“Well, hello there, dear sir.”

Martin couldn`t follow his movements at all. Suddenly he was in front of him.

(He`s too fast!)

The man then did the same as the girl, but this time he had to step down. This time he had to stop or he will be a goner. He couldn`t even look directly at him.

(He is a tough and scary bastard!)

“H-h-hello.”

“It appears that you were a tough nut, but in reality, you were just trying to show off, weren`t you?”

He then gave off a very disturbing smile.

(Yuck! What a frog!)

“Now, please tell me what happened or you know the consequences.”

(Ugh, straight to the point, huh?)

Martin was still hesitant despite the immense fear. He tried looking at him directly.

(I need to look him in the eyes for this!)

He slowly averted his downgaze up to tell him right in his face. His back thought even though smaller now was still not breaking.

“W-ho ar-e you?”

He laughed.

“Who am I? Boy, are you serious?”

“Ye-s, y-es I am.”

They were both looking at each other.

“Okay then let me present myself: I am Matthias Sullivan. A senior officer of AMPC.”