Blair wakes up to the sound of her alarm clock.
Blair: *groans* I hate mornings…
Blair turns off the alarm clock.
Blair: Whatever, it’s summer. I’m going back to b-
Blair’s Mom: *downstairs* BLAIR! COME DOWN HERE AND EAT BREAKFAST!
Blair gives a hard eye roll.
Blair: I hate my life…
Blair gets dressed and heads downstairs into her family’s kitchen, where her mom cooks pancakes for Blair’s twelve-year-old sister, Cari.
Blair’s Mom: I can’t believe you were going to sleep past your alarm! You know that’s not good for you, right?
Blair: Mom, school is out, and it’s Sunday! I can sleep in!
Blair’s Mom: Then don’t set the alarm. Once you’re up, you’re up; going back to better after being woken up isn’t good for you.
Cari: Mom is right, Blair. You have to be really careful with your beauty sleep.
Blair grinds her teeth.
Blair: What’s that supposed to mean!
Cari: I think you and I both know.
Blair: God, I hope puberty is as cruel to you as it was to me.
Cari drinks a full glass of milk.
Cari: Never! I refuse to be flat-chested like you!
Blair punches her palm.
Blair: Say that one more-
Blair’s Mom: Girls! Cut that out! Cari, Blair’s chest is perfect as it is, and Blair, don’t threaten your sister!
Blair: *groans*
Cari: Anger isn’t attractive either.
Blair stares at Cari.
Blair’s Mom: So what are you planning on doing today, Blair?
Blair sits down at the table.
Blair: The girls from my class and I are gonna eat at the new sushi restaurant downtown tonight.
Blair’s Mom: Is that girl Saige that you don’t get along with going to be there?
Blair: No, she’s in Seattle visiting her friends from U.A. West, so it’s just the six of us tonight.
Blair’s Mom: You should try spending time with some of the boys from your class.
Blair: *sighs* I see them all the time at school.
Blair’s Mom: I saw the Sports Festival. I know there are a couple good looking ones.
Blair: Yes, mom…
Cari: The one with the wings is handsome. The rest are pretty average-looking.
Blair’s Mom: Oh, I like him too! You should go out with him, Blair!
Blair: (Oh god… Angel…) No… I’ll pass.
Cari: Not that he’d like you either.
Blair: Do you ever shut up!
Blair’s Mom: Cari, that was mean. Blair, you’re almost 18 now. You’re in a class of highly hardworking and impressive boys. You should be trying to get one!
Blair: I hate this…
Blair’s Mom: *sighs* Okay, Blair…
Blair’s Mom remembers something.
Blair’s Mom: Oh, Blair, by the way, your brother wants to meet you for lunch.
Blair: Uh… really? Why?
Blair’s Mom: He called me last night and told me he just finished up a big project at his hero work-study and is heading home today. He wants to hear all about how your final exams went.
Blair: Oh… okay.
Blair looks concerned.
Blair: (Of course he does…)
Hayze enters the front gates of U.A. and sees that the massive arena from the final exams has been converted into the smaller arenas.
Hayze: (Man, it’s like it was never there… sometimes I forget how high-tech U.A. is.)
Hayze enters the main building and walks down the guidance hall.
“ Calm: (You have an exam to finish, that answer will distract you, wait until this is over and talk to Adrian.) “ - Chapter 74
Hayze: (I already know the answer… but I need to hear it to fully believe it.)
Hayze reaches Adrian’s office and knocks on the door.
Adrian: *muffled* Come in!
Hayze opens the door and walks in. They’re silent for a few moments.
Hayze: I think you know why I’m here.
Adrian: Yeah… I know… let’s talk.
Hayze sits down in front of Adrian’s desk.
Adrian: What do you want to know?
Hayze: Everything.
Adrian leans forward in his seat.
Adrian: What do you want to know first?
Hayze: Did I kill Adonis?
Adrian stares at Hayze.
Adrian: No.
Hayze stands up in anger.
Hayze: Don’t lie to me!
Hayze’s eyes change to red, and Adrian’s expression is blank.
Adrian: If you know what happened, why are you asking me?
Hayze: You did something to my memory, you made me forget, you lied to me, you’ve been lying to me, YOU STILL ARE LYING TO ME!
Adrian: You didn’t kill Adonis! Khaos did!
Hayze: What?
Adrian: I’m not saying that to make you feel better… Please sit down and listen to what I have to say.
Hayze hesitates but then sits down.
Adrian: I had only known you for a few days, but… when I looked into Khaos’ eyes, I didn’t see you. No part of you was influencing him. He was his own man inside your body. He chose to kill Adonis, not you.
Hayze can’t look Adrian in the eye.
Hayze: If that’s true, why did you erase my memory? Why did you let me go the last five months without the truth? What were you afraid of?
Adrian: I’ll show you why.
Adrian opens a drawer and pulls out a ring box.
Hayze: Huh? What’s that?
Adrian places the box on the table in front of Hayze.
Adrian: Before Adonis and his gang showed up, I told you a story, and I revealed to you why I was living on that mountain. Your memories were going to be wiped no matter what because of that… Khaos’ appearance, however, complicated things…
Hayze grabs the box and opens it revealing the Theta Ring.
Hayze: What kind of story was so important that you needed to erase my memories?
Adrian: I’ll tell it to you again, and you’ll see why.
Elsewhere, Isaiah, Demetri, and Alden are doing push-ups in a forest. They are drenched in sweat.
Aaron: Good work so far, men! Just 500 more!
All three of them groan.
Aaron: Oh? You don’t like that? Well, how do you like this!
Aaron places a cinder block on each of their backs.
Alden: WHY!
Demetri: WE’RE SORRY! WE DIDN’T MEAN IT!
Isaiah: WE’VE LEARNED OUR LESSON!
Aaron laughs.
Aaron: No, you’re LEARNING your lesson, now you have 700 left, AND you have to do it with those cinder blocks, and if I hear one complaint, all of you are getting a second block!
None of them make a peep.
Aaron: That’s what I thought.
Wes is sitting at the base of a tree.
Wes: Aaron… I think you’re going to kill them.
Aaron: Hey! They asked me to be their personal trainer! So if they can’t take my lessons, then they can leave!
Aaron looks at all three of them, and they start doing push-ups faster out of fear.
Aaron: Exactly.
Wes: *sighs* Is this because they were below the red line?
Aaron: Probably.
Wes: You guys realize that those were our scores on the WRITTEN exam, right? That means you should be studying more, not killing yourself at Bootcamp.
Isaiah, Demetri, and Alden all freeze.
Aaron: HEY! Who said you could stop! 100 more for every second you stay stopped!
All three of them resume their push-ups.
Aaron: Maybe, but they could use a little more muscle.
Wes: Yeah… I guess.
Aaron: You could use some work, too, Wes. You didn’t even make it past day 3.
Wes: I got out of the hospital yesterday! I ain’t doing shit!
Aaron shrugs.
Aaron: Suit yourself, but when you’re still as weak as ever at the start of next year, don’t come crying to me.
Wes: *frustrated grunt* Whatever…
Aaron starts barking orders at the useless brothers.
Wes: (He’s got a point… I rarely push myself, and look where it’s gotten me. I was out by day 3 of the practical and was 16th in our class on the written exam. I thought beating Bruno would make me feel better about myself, but I can see that that wasn’t nearly enough to become a valuable member of our class…)
Wes stands up.
Wes: Alright, fine, what do you-
Aaron tosses Wes a cinder block.
Wes: WHAT THE HELL!
Aaron: Lift that over your head for the next hour. For every word out of your mouth, you get another block.
Wes: Wh-
Aaron hands Wes a second cinder block.
Wes: *sighs*
Aaron hands Wes a third cinder block.
Wes: Wh- that’s not-
Aaron hands Wes three more blocks.
Wes: (Just… just take the fucking blocks.)
Back at U.A.
Adrian: And that’s it… that’s why you needed your memories to be erased.
Hayze: So why do I get to keep my memories this time?
Adrian: Because it didn’t work. I’ve talked to Ewing, he’s okay with you knowing, but you have to promise me you won’t tell a soul what you’ve heard.
Hayze: I won’t… but some things still don't add up to me.
Adrian: Wh- what? What is it?
Hayze: First, why do you still have this? If Iota is trying to collect these rings, why wouldn’t you have it hidden somewhere safer?
Adrian: Iota was a guardian. He knows the protocol; once a guardian’s identity is revealed, the ring changes hands. So, we decided that keeping it would be the last thing he would expect.
Hayze: Hidden in plain sight, huh?
Adrian: Yup, now what was your other thing?
Hayze: I get why you had to wipe my memories of the rings… but why didn’t you at least tell me the truth about what happened with Khaos? Why did you let me believe a lie for so long?
Adrian is silent for a few moments.
Adrian: I picked you for the internship because of what I saw during the Sports Festival… I heard your story, and I understood that your reasoning for becoming a hero was something important to you. You want to save people, not kill. I lied to you, and I told Saige to lie to you because I knew you wouldn’t be able to understand that you and Khaos are different people, and telling you what Khaos did would only hurt you, not help you.
Hayze thinks for a second.
Hayze: He’s me… I know the “Rules of Khaos” from my dreams. He can only kill what I hate; he’s just my hatred amplified.
Adrian: You really believe that?
Adrian goes to leave.
Hayze: Wh- where are you going!
Adrian: I’ll be back in a second!
Hayze looks confused. Adrian returns with an apple.
Adrian: Look at this apple.
Hayze: Wh- what?
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Adrian breaks the apple in half and removes one of the seeds.
Adrian: If this seed were to grow into an apple, would it be the same as it came from?
Hayze: I get what you’re saying, but humans aren’t apples.
Adrian is visibly frustrated.
Adrian: This is why I lied to you. I knew you’d have it deadset in your mind that you killed Adonis when you never did.
Hayze: I don’t know how you could’ve expected me to brush this off like it’s nothing! How am I supposed to go on being a hero if I feel deep down in my heart that I’m a murderer!
Adrian sits back down.
Adrian: Murderer? That guy tried kidnapping your friends; he would have killed you if Khaos didn’t take control. Khaos didn’t kill an innocent man. He killed a known criminal.
Hayze sits back down as well.
Hayze: Aren’t heroes supposed to never kill? Isn’t that what separates us from the bad guys? Even if what you're saying is true, the line between me being a hero or villain is blurred…
Adrian: So I guess I’m a villain too?
Hayze: Wh… what?
Adrian: I was going to kill ALL of them.
Hayze’s eyes widen.
Adrian: Technically, you getting captured saved two lives. Adonis wasn’t leaving that mountain alive either way.
Hayze: You… you were really going to do that? I know they’re villains, but they’re still people!
Adrian thinks for a moment.
Adrian: Let me give you a hypothetical. Pick two of your classmates.
Hayze: Uh… Aaron and Wes, I guess.
Adrian: Now imagine you three are heroes someday, and you’re called in to take out a villain. However, he can crush internal organs with his thoughts. How do you stop him without lethal force?
Hayze doesn’t have a response.
Adrian: That’s what we call an S-Rank quirk, and it’s why we as a society have special laws in place for people with S-Rank quirks. They have surveillance and monitors on them at almost all times, and, most of the time, it keeps everyone safe, but sometimes… they break surveillance, and they become villains.
Ivy flashes through Hayze’s mind.
Hayze: Y- yeah…
Adrian: Heroes in this society aren’t like the heroes from comic books, we have people we need to protect at all costs, and we won’t allow them to kill people, so we kill them. Do you remember what Walker told you and your class during the attack in the forest?
Hayze: He told us we could kill…
Adrian: Yes, because he was afraid you’d hold back. Your lives were on the line, and E.M.D. was already dead. He needed you guys to fight like your lives depended on it, and if push came to shove, he wanted you to do EVERYTHING you could to survive.
Hayze is in deep thought.
Adrian: All heroes B-Rank or higher have permission to kill if they deem it necessary. A-Rank and S-Rank can grant permission to kill to heroes as low down as sidekicks. Walker being an A-Rank and having a teaching license allowed him to give your class deadly force privileges. Heroes have to kill if it means protecting the greater good. I was going to kill all three of those villains because they were after the Theta Ring, and if they were successful, the consequences would have been dire.
Hayze looks confused.
Hayze: Then… then why did you… give up?
Adrian: I had my reasons…
Hayze: Like what?
Adrian gets quiet.
Adrian: *sighs* I didn’t want you to die. That’s all.
Hayze: I… o- okay.
Awkward silence.
Hayze: So… what happens next?
Adrian: Well, we need to get your quirk under control and fast. I can see that the stress of the final exams didn’t help. Your quirk is turning on without your knowledge now.
Hayze: What? When?
Adrian: Right after you found out about the showcase and right now.
Hayze looks in the window and sees his reflection; he quickly powers down.
Adrian: Sorry, I didn’t have a good moment to mention it.
Hayze: It’s okay. It also happened during the exam…
Adrian: It’s nothing to be alarmed about… yet. I have a solution in the works, and it should be ready by the time of the Showcase.
Hayze: What is it?
Adrian: I can’t tell you, but I’ll be gone for the next couple of days. After I get back, we’ll resume your training.
Hayze: Alright…
Adrian stands up.
Adrian: I’ve got somewhere to be, so I’ll be leaving now. Promise me one thing, though: don’t fight or get into trouble.
Hayze: I wasn’t planning on it, but okay.
Adrian: With your control being as weak as it is, the door is wide open for Khaos to return, and this time he isn’t going to pull any punches…
Hayze: What do you mean by that?
Adrian: On the mountain, he only killed one person because of a lack of opportunity, not a lack of drive. The time limit was breathing down his neck. But you’ve come a long way with that problem since then, so he takes over now…
Hayze: He’ll be able to stick around much longer…
Adrian: Precisely.
Hayze looks concerned. Adrian pats his shoulder.
Adrian: Don’t worry, I’m going to let that happen.
Hayze: Right…
Adrian grabs his bag, walks over to the door, and reaches for the knob.
Adrian: Oh, and one more thing.
Hayze: Hm?
Adrian: Pick wisely when it comes to the Showcase. Just because you’re expected to lose doesn’t mean you’re not expected to put up a fight-
The door slams open, crushing Adrian against the wall.
Fatal: WHY ARE YOU LATE? I TOLD Y-
Fatal sees just Hayze is there.
Fatal: Oh… hey Hayze… uh… is Adrian here?
Hayze points at the door.
Adrian: Ow…
Fatal: Godammit! Every time!
Elsewhere, in Iota’s lair, Ivy inspects the test tubes.
Ivy: So this is why you had us steal this equipment a few months ago to build this?
Iota: While the movement’s current roster has been precisely what we needed for the missions we’ve been running. If we want to cause absolute chaos, we need soldiers that could rival A-Rank heroes.
Zaire looks around, confused.
Zaire: Well… where are they?
Iota: I had a feeling you would notice that, Zaire. We’re not going to create artificial soldiers. We’re going to develop clones, and to do that, we need a base model.
Ivy looks at Iota.
Ivy: Base model?
Iota: Mhm, our clone army will need a strong one too. They must be powerful enough to keep even the strongest heroes at bay.
Zaire: “Strongest heroes?” So, we’re attacking the Top 10?
Iota: Right now, we’re allowing the fear of the most recent U.A. attack to marinate. Nobody trusts that school to produce the next generation of heroes. So now, all we need to do is take down the current generation, and a new wave of villainy will form.
Zaire: By villainy, you don’t just mean the movement, do you?
Iota: No, the balance of power is leaning heavily on the heroes’ side. Villains are afraid to act because of the hope and peace that flows through society. More specifically, they’re scared of one man and one man alone.
Ivy and Zaire: Colossus.
Iota: Exactly, so we need to take him down.
Ivy kneels before Iota.
Ivy: If you need a base for your army Master, I volunteer.
Iota smiles.
Iota: No, Ivy, I don’t think you’d be the right person.
Ivy: What! But Master! I’m your strongest soldier. So why wouldn’t you want your army to have my power!
Iota: Because Ivy, when I die someday, the world will belong to you.
Ivy: Wh... what?
Iota: And if there are thousands of you, then I don’t think our new society will be able to follow your lead.
Ivy: M- me?
Iota: I want someone powerful, but I need them to be expendable… and maybe as a bonus, I want their quirk to be unique.
Ivy thinks for a moment.
Ivy: H- how about Hayze?
Iota: Hayze? I thought you wanted him dead?
Ivy: If it serves your cause further, Master, I will happily drop my vendetta. With his quirk, you could create an army of elemental warriors that could annihilate swarms of heroes.
Iota thinks for a moment.
Iota: You bring up a good point… but how could we convince him to join our movement?
Ivy: Join? I thought… I thought we would just kidnap him…
Iota: No, no, Ivy, I’d want Hayze to join you two as the main lieutenants of my army. Kidnapping him would be a waste. We’d have to hold him here and have someone watch him. It’s much easier to simply convince him to join us.
Ivy: How do you plan on doing that?
Iota: The same way I always do… I’ll show him the light.
The Iota ring glows. Ivy stands up.
Ivy: I’m ready for whatever mission you assign to me next, Master.
Iota: Good, you’re dismissed.
Ivy leaves. Zaire stares at Iota.
Zaire: You were planning on going after Hayze already… weren’t you.
Iota laughs.
Iota: Oh, Zaire, you know me too well.
Zaire: Your approach with her has been different since her initial contact with Hayze. Not only did you lie to her about what will happen when you die, but you also made her think going after Hayze was her idea. That’s why you’re the master, Master.
Iota starts walking towards the door.
Iota: Hayze has been a thorn in my side in the past. I’ll admit I’ve handled him poorly at times, but now he might be my ticket to becoming the symbol of chaos.
Zaire: And where does Ivy fall in all of this?
Iota: What do you mean by that?
Zaire: Hayze figured out Ivy’s insecurities in a single conversation and used them to make her abandon a mission objective for the first time ever. He’s smart, and he’s perceptive. Are you sure he won’t be able to turn things around on you when it comes to Ivy?
Iota stares at Zaire.
Iota: Your concerns are appreciated, Zaire, but I have a plan.
Zaire: Can I ask what it is? I highly doubt you’ll convince Hayze to join you.
Iota: He’s not the one I have to convince.
Zaire: What?
Iota: You’ll see soon, Zaire.
Iota leaves.
Zaire: (Master is a genius, but he shouldn’t underestimate someone as perceptive as Hayze.)
Hayze is walking down the city streets.
Hayze: (It’s nice to see Adrian and Fatal getting along well… I know he’s been trying hard to rebuild his friendships. I wonder what he meant by “solution in the works” and why couldn’t he tell me?)
Hayze sees Blair standing outside of a restaurant.
Hayze: (Is that… Blair?)
Blair is looking down at her phone.
Blair: (He’s sure taking his sweet time paying… I bet he’s flirting again…)
Hayze: *from afar* Blair?
Blair: (Is that?)
Blair turns her head and sees Hayze. She gets flustered.
Blair: Oh… Hey Hayze… What brings you here?
Hayze: Oh, I was just going to get groceries. I had to meet Adrian for a quirk advisory back at U.A.
Blair: Ah… that’s cool… Well, it was nice seeing you, bye!
Awkward silence.
Hayze: Are uh… Do you want me to leave?
Blair: No… just ignore me…
Hayze: Okay… what are you up to?
Blair tenses up.
Blair: Oh, you know, eating… alone.
Hayze: (Is she on a date? I shouldn’t bother her then.) Oh, alright, well, I’ll see you around.
Blair: You too, bye!
Hayze starts walking away.
Hayze: Oh, by the way, back in the forest, you said you wanted to do fire shaping training. Do you still want to do that?
Blair: Oh, of course I do! I just-
Voice: Woah, Sis! Who is this?
Blair: (Oh no…)
A handsome man in a full suit walks out of the restaurant.
Hayze: (Huh? Sis?)
Blair looks mortified.
Blair: This is Hayze… he’s from my class.
Blair’s Brother: Blair, I know who he is. I’m just wondering who he is to you?
Blair: A classmate…
He laughs and turns to Hayze and offers him a handshake.
Aster: The name is Aster. I’m Blair’s older brother.
Hayze: Oh…
Hayze shakes Aster’s hand.
Hayze: Blair, I didn’t know you had a brother.
Aster: She also has a sister. She doesn’t like talking about us much.
Blair: We’re fraternal twins… which is why it pisses me off that he says older!
Aster: Three minutes is a long time, Blair.
Blair: Shut up…
Aster: She’s so cute when she’s angry, right, Hayze?
Hayze: Uh… I-
Blair: Hayze, don’t answer him.
Aster smiles.
Aster: Sorry about that, Hayze. I shouldn’t bring you into our family matters.
Hayze: Uh… right. (This guy is weird, he gives a friendly vibe, but he’s wearing a full suit in the middle of the day.)
Aster: I hear you helped my sister out during the first-year final exams. Thanks for that.
Hayze: Sure, but Blair did a lot on her own.
Aster: Oh, I know, it’s just Blair can get a little worked up every now again, but that’s why we love her.
Blair: Please stop talking about me like I’m not here! It’s annoying!
Aster: Oh, come on, Blair, I’m just messing with you.
Blair: *under her breath* You always do this when I’m around guys my age.
Aster: Do what?
Blair: Shut up.
Hayze watches as the two of them squabble.
Hayze: (It’s interesting Blair with a family member, she’s a bit more reserved than usual.) So uh… Aster… why the suit?
Aster: Huh? Oh, this? I’ve got a bit of a reputation to uphold, so I like to look my best at all times, you see?
Hayze: Reputation for what? If you don’t mind me-
Aster: Say… now that I think about it, aren’t you the guy representing the first hero course students in the Showcase Festival?
Hayze: Yeah, I am.
Blair looks away.
Aster: That’s awesome. Good for you, dude. Be sure to make a powerful team. I hear you’re going up against a tough customer.
Hayze: Yeah, the Top Student at U.A., I’m a little nervous, but I’m up for the challenge.
Aster: Well, I’ll be rooting for you. Say, mind keeping Blair company while I go get my car?
Hayze: Sure?
Aster: Sweet, thanks, man.
Aster walks off.
Hayze: So… you have a twin brother?
Blair: Yeah, my parents decided that he should start school a year earlier than me, so even though we’re the same age, he’s a year ahead of me.
Hayze: Huh? Why’d they do that?
Blair: Just so we could be looked at as individuals, my mom had a fear we’d always get looked at as “the Maddox twins” rather than Aster and Blair.
Hayze: Make sense. He seems like an alright dude.
Blair: He’s a good brother. He just does that thing all older siblings do where they feel the need to embarrass their young sibling in public.
Hayze laughs.
Blair: Um… so what were you thinking for your team during the Showcase?
Hayze: I haven’t put much thought into it yet. We’ve still got a little more than two weeks. Saige already told me she doesn’t want to compete, leaving me with 5 spots for 9 people.
Blair: R- right.
Hayze: Do you want to be one of them?
Blair is surprised. She hesitates to answer.
Blair: This is like… an offer or?
Hayze: I’d be happy to have you on the team.
Blair: Well, I want to, but…
Hayze: But what?
Blair: There’s kind of… a weird detail…
Hayze: Huh? What?
Blair: You see, Aster is-
Aster drives up next to them in his car. He rolls down his window.
Aster: Ready to go, sis?
Blair: Y- yeah… let’s go.
Blair turns to Hayze.
Blair: We can talk some other time, okay?
Hayze: Okay.
Blair gets in the car with Aster.
Aster: Nice to meet you, Hayze. See you at the Showcase.
Aster and Blair drive off.
Hayze: (Hm… I wonder what Blair was going to say?)
Demetri, Isaiah, Wes, and Alden are sweating profusely and exhausted.
Wes: Why- why did I ever agree to this!
Demetri: Aaron, where are my muscles! You said you’d work us into shape!
Isaiah: I’m so dead…
Alden: I just want to be hot for my darling, Ash!
Aaron takes off his backpack.
Aaron: Bootcamp isn’t over yet, men!
Demetri, Isaiah, Wes, and Alden: WHAT!
Aaron: If you guys want to be muscular badasses, you need to do more work!
Demetri, Isaiah, Wes, and Alden: *groan*
Aaron takes out four steaks and some gorilla glue.
Aaron: Now it’s time for your run back home.
Aaron starts gluing the steaks to their backs.
Wes: Wh- what are you doing?
Aaron: Giving you guys incentive to go fast.
Wes: Wh- what do you mean by that-
They hear growling.
Isaiah: Oh no…
Demetri: Don’t tell me…
Wes: AARON, YOU FUCKING PSYCHO!
A pack of at least 15 coyotes has emerged from the bushes.
Aaron: Your goal is to survive! Go!
Demetri starts running.
Demetri: EVERY MAN FOR THEMSELVES!
Isaiah: DEMETRI, WAIT UP!
Isaiah, Alden, and Wes also start running with coyotes chasing after them.
Isaiah: OH GOD, WHAT DO WE DO!
Wes: WE THIN THE HERD!
Wes trips Alden.
Alden: NOOOOO!
Ten coyotes start mauling Alden.
Alden: AHHHHHHHHH!
The other five coyotes continue chasing after Demetri, Isaiah, and Wes.
Aaron: (Was this a mean thing to do? Yeah, probably… but I’ve been pretty pissed off lately, so this is an excellent way to vent my frustrations.)
Aaron pulls out his phone and opens the call app. It shows three unanswered calls to Alexis.
Aaron: (Why is she ignoring me? And why do I care so much? Seriously… what kind of idiot thinks about a girl this much.)
Aaron turns off his phone.
Aaron: (If she doesn’t want to talk to me, fine. I’m not playing any games.)