"You again?!"
As Wu showed up to the doorstep of the next college over once again, the training partner trio grunted in annoyance.
"Why are you acting so down?" Wu laughed before tightening up his gauntlet, "Did we establish how you are paid each time I am stopped? You are also getting paid too!"
"Tsk." The Manifester clicked his teeth together before turning to the side.
"ARGHH! I WANT TO FIGHT TOO!" The Channeler grunted loudly when Wu snapped his fingers and pointed at him.
"And you are going to! I want to fight both you and Caster today!" Wu said, "Same rules."
"Same rules." The Caster said, standing up from the side and stretching his arms under the sun, "Shit. At this rate, we would have sucked a dick just to get paid."
"Don't say it like that." Wu chuckled before slowly winding up his gauntlet as Channeler jumped into the air with excitement as the Manifester sat back and napped.
Over the past few days, Wu had gained a lot of ground in not only his individual combat abilities not only when it comes to facing off against the three Wave users, but also when it comes to manipulating the subtle interpersonal dynamics between Charlie and those three. They had struck a deal, and for each time that they pushed back Wu, a Cast at the doorway will record as such and distribute the payment automatically.
Charlie soon lost interest in the continuous and daily check-ins with Wu, as he also had other things going on in his life, including trying to get with Ita. Therefore, as long as Wu is kept in check, he doesn't really care what's going on with him anymore.
With the knowledge of the deal in mind after the Channeler revealed it in the midst of combat, Wu then cycled his battles with each of the three Wave users, fighting against them on a twice-a-day frequency and only to the point where either side nears their defeat. Then, Wu will run with his tails in between his legs and fake a cry as he went back into the college, carrying away with him more combat experiences to refine his own style of battle.
He eventually got the hang of individual combat in a matter of days. The Channeler had a predictable yet powerful move set, the Caster seemed to just be a run-of-the-mill competent type with a standard Cast set. The Manifester is the one true X factor, as it should be. He had strategies when fighting against each of the individually, though he never really revealed the true extent of those in battle, keeping it as trump cards within him.
As Wu looked to stumble and barely avoid the Channeler's attacks, the Caster behind him casted out multiple buffing Casts, increasing the Channeler's movements before Wu was knocked back up into the air with a furious strike delivered by the hulking man.
Wu shielded the majority of the blow with his bubble bubble before taking the air time and fully charging up his One-Shotter gauntlet. At that moment, the brightest flash the Caster had ever seen formed in between Wu and the two, and the sky darkened as the only source of light became that from the legendary weapon.
The Caster held his breathe, his body stiffened by the sheer magnitude of power that was briefly displayed by Wu, as the Channeler instinctually jumped in front and tried to parry this potentially devastating blow. At the same time, the Manifester also shot up from his supine position and reached out his hand.
"AH!'
Much to the surprise of the three, Wu was the one to scream first, and he landed on the ground, holding onto his right hand as the orb of energy was yanked back into the gauntlet. It felt as if he forcibly stopped his own peeing, and the mass shift in pressure caused his gauntlet to tighten and heat up.
The Caster relaxed and the Channeler went ahead to push Wu back down onto the ground, declaring their victory once again.
As Wu stumbled back into the college, he carried a hidden smile on his face. There was no question that he had just cracked the code, and he almost went through with his massive attack. But now...it's too soon. Still way too soon.
As he passed the gate and registered yet another payment towards the three, Wu made a beeline to the canteen, grabbing some quick bites of food before heading straight into his bedroom. However, for some reason, the lingering smell of piss in their little corridor was cleared away, replaced by a gentle citrusy aroma.
He entered his own room with a piece of bread hanging off the corner of his mouth, and he saw Ita's slender body in a thin sleeping gown sitting on his bed. She's looking outward onto the views outside of her window, and when Wu entered, she rapidly turned with fear and shock written all over her face, as a massive bruise around her eye became immediately evident.
Wu felt his entire body tighten, and he swiftly closed the door behind him before dropping off the fruits on his table.
"What happened." Wu asked, anticipating the answer.
Ita sniffed slightly before she bit onto her lips and looked out towards the window. That was when he saw that she's still gripping onto the jacket in her hands he gave her ever since the initiation day. Then, she slowly opened her mouth, her trembling voice recalling the story of what happened earlier.
Charlie had always been rather handsy with her, and despite her continuous denial and pushbacks, he still maintained his behavior. With time, his fingers got closer and closer to the more uncomfortable of areas, and last night, Charlie took Ita back into his room despite her constant protest.
Over the past days, Ita had been exerting her own little sphere of influence, reaching out to a few of the people that are relegated to the corners and lowest levels of the college. Eventually, she managed to turn over even Olivia, suggesting that she help her move away from Charlie, so his attention will be focused on Olivia solely once again.
It appeared that Olivia revealed that fact to Charlie the night prior, or rather, Charlie forced that fact out of her. After giving Olivia the same bruise that Ita had now, Charlie became far more aggressive in his demeanor, eventually forcing himself onto Ita as he bound her body to the wall and forcibly spread her legs apart.
"You should have never gone behind my back What's with you rookies and rebelling?!" Charlie snarled as he reached forward for Ita's unform and tore it apart, revealing her white undergarments. At that moment, Ita unleashed her reserved strength, unloading her full power against Charlie.
As her long white hair broke free from Charlie's bind, Ita then lunged at Charlie's throat with the fastest step she had ever taken. The distance between them rapidly shortened before suddenly, she felt a tug underneath her feet before she nearly lost her balance.
Regathering herself, she knocked Charlie aside as he tried to tackle her down. That was when Charlie rolled out from the room and placed his hands on the wall, activating the Cast that was embedded into this part of the college.
The walls and ceilings collapsed inwards, pressuring Ita as she tried to hold her own in all directions.
"GIVE IT UP!" Charlie cursed, sweat going down his entire body as he continued pouring more and more of the Wave into controlling the structure of his bedroom, "Submit to me! Or die!"
"CHARLIE!" Olivia shouted, her voice piercing through the corridor, "What the hell are you doing?!"
"Just teaching this bitch a lesson." Charlie growled back before he let go of the collapsing bedroom and sent the wall surging out, knocking Ita in the back and towards him.
Then, with a clenched fist, he clubbed Ita right around the eye.
Wu looked at Ita and sighed. Then, he picked up a berrange and handed it to her.
"You...okay now?" Wu asked, sitting down by the desk.
Ita held onto the piece of fruit, and she shook her head slowly, "Nope. How about you?"
"I am actually doing pretty good, ironically." Wu smiled and shook his head, "Believe it or not, I have always been a loner, so being left alone is actually not the worst thing to have happened. Plus...I have been reading a rather inspiring story before I go to bed every night."
Ita looked at him, and she spoke with a calm voice and a look of anticipation, "What was it?"
"Stories of Legends." Wu said, observing Ita just as closely, "A friend recommended that book to me, and it has helped me figure myself out in the worst of times..."
Ita lowered her head and tried to hide her smile. She nodded and bit into the fruit, the rich sweet juice exploding in her mouth, "I am glad..."
Wu smiled more, pulling out a chair and sitting at her eye level. Then, he looked into her eyes as she blushed.
"Are you ready to fight back now?"
"I can't." Ita shook her head before the two shared a knowing glance. They do not have the best of memories together, but with a common enemy in sight, they will work together, "Not like this, not when he could control every single inch of the college."
"Through a Structure Cast, obviously." Wu said, thinking back to the Remnant's cave underneath the Dweller's settlements, "And every Structure Cast has a weakness and a switch. If we can figure out where that is, we can disable it and level the battlefield."
Ita nodded slowly before putting the stem of the fruit down on Wu's bed much to his dismay, "You seem to be special, Wu. I couldn't sense you at all through the Wave. How is that possible?"
"I am an Outlier. I have the lowest of Wave capacities and affinities." Wu filled his response with half-truths to the point that Ita couldn't tell if he's hiding something or not, "I use my gauntlet as the way I fight. Kind of limiting, yes, but it's also what I have for now. However, if you can use your connections to find out if there is a place that Charlie's extremely cautious about or a place that he never let anyone else near, then I will go in there and disable it."
Ita nodded slowly again, and she sat there in complete silence and breathed slowly.
"I...am doing this only for me. You know." She said, looking at Wu with a red face, "It's not like I feel bad for you, or anything!"
"Of course." Wu smiled, "However, I am doing this for you, and then me. Who doesn't want to rescue a princess in need and fight with them against the big bad monster?"
Ita's face became as red as an apple, and her heart nearly jumped out of her throat. She hopped back onto her feet and jogged back to her room in embarrassment, leaving behind a few strands of her white hair and a single phrase, "Check the note later."
As Wu picked up the snow-white hair left behind by Ita and finished the rest of his food, Ita sat behind her door and curled up in a ball.
Just...what is this strange feeling inside of her...