Henry stared at the monster before him. Fear was welling up from the depths of his body. [This thing is like that bastard.]
**BANG-CRACK**
Both Henry and Bart’s fists were knocked back. However, Bart started laughing. “Subarashī! (Japanese word for wonderful.)” Bart’s smile miraculously grew even wider. Bart was enveloped in a thick and pure aura. An aura that was suffocating Henry.
Bart readied his fists and started firing off rapid shots. Henry quickly raised his hands.
{POWER BARRAGE}
{Warped Wall}
An invisible barrier started to shatter as Bart started laughing manically. Henry on the other hand was sweating intensely and gasping for breath. He was well beyond his usual limit.
“I think that is enough of that.”
Bart turned around to find Maximum standing behind him. Bart’s smile faded for a fraction of a second before he threw a punch. Maximum caught it, resulting in his right sleeve tearing from the shear wind pressure. “Well, shit. Why would you do that?”
Henry stared in disbelief at Maximum. [Yeah. That bastard is still as monstrous as ever.] “Haha.”
Maximum frowned before talking. “Why are you laughing? You picked a fight like a b-list villain.” Bart backed off and started yelling as his body mass increased yet again. “Not only that, but you lost.”
Henry looked between the two monsters before him. “And who’s fault do you think that is!” [One was basically the walking definition of a monster, while the other…] Henry looked at Maximum. His face held a rare smile. Something Henry still fears to this day. [Is far worse.]
Bart raised his fist before Maximum. Maximum raised his fists in response. “Oh, a challenge then.”
Bart closed the distance between himself and Maximum. “POWER!”
“Absolute Strength.” Maximum met the punch head on. Fight power with overwhelming strength. “Oh, well that is a bit of a surprise.” Maximum looked at Bart’s fist. He then locked eyes with Bart he tilted his head to the side a bit and relaxed his stance. “I thought for sure you would only have one arm left.”
Bart recalled his arm and threw a quick Jab at Maximum’s face, leaving a blood stain. Maximum touched the top of his head and wiped the blood off. “You should be more-” Maximum watched as Bart’s hand healed in seconds. “Nevermind.” Maximum started walking towards Bart. “I no longer need to be as careful.” Maximum’s smile showed pure ecstasy. His eyes only showed a hint of excitement.
***
In the distance, D was sitting on the solid section of the void. He was waiting for the fighting to end. He had given up even bothering to interfere. He would only get himself killed if he tried.
**BANG**
**BANG**
**BANG**
The sounds wouldn’t cease. D was well aware that each clash carried more than enough energy to off him several times over. However, despite the excessive energy usage, the fight continued to rage on with no end in sight. The fight left D with plenty of time to think about things. Things he had been putting off for a while.
The void started to shatter. However, the energy seemed to be increasing even further. D got up and started to walk forward. His eyes were red. He had been crying for a while. He ran out of tears to shed a while ago.
The void shattered, leaving a green haired kid collapsed on the ground. Along with a bloodied body with Maximum sitting on its back. After a few seconds the body shifted back into a familiar form. Bart was covered in blood, but otherwise uninjured.
“Took you long enough.” D looked at Maximum. “I was wondering how long you were going to take to stand up.” Maximum stood up and pointed behind himself. “This one was starting to get repetitive. He will definitely need more lessons.”
D didn’t respond to Maximum’s banter. Instead, he stared at him. His eyes were empty.
Maximum looked into D’s eyes for a minute. “You know, it’s a bit hard to tell, but I see a hint of red in your eyes. Pretty cool right?” Silence. “Whelp, I tried.”
Maximum grabbed D for a second before sighing and letting him go. Maximum walked past D. “You have some potential.” Maximum stopped after passing D. “However, I doubt you will be the so called ‘monsters’ you want to compete with.”
D walked over and picked up Bart and started walking down the hallway. Maximum didn’t bother moving from his spot. “The nurse’s office isn’t that way.”
D paused before walking over to Maximum. Maximum was a touch surprised to see a hint of determination in D’s eyes. A smile started to blossom on Maximum’s face. “Looks like you at least have some drive. I guess that’s a start.” Maximum walked over and picked up Henry. “By the way, I hope you don’t mind me putting this guy in your group. I actually want to make money.”
D paused. “Will your training help me?”
Maximum paused. His smile was gone. “Doubt it.” Maximum continued walking and passed D. “If you think I have enough power to make such a declaration…” Maximum looked over his shoulder and locked eyes with D. The golden light in his eye was both brighter and darker than before, as if it contained a darkness that was bursting from the seams yet held an untold warmth within. “Then you have to learn how to read people better.” Maximum turned forward. “The only person who can help you improve is yourself. I don’t have the power to help those that refuse it.”
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***
The walk to the clinic was silent.
Maximum and D laid Bart and Henry on two free beds. A rarity in the room they were in, despite the abundance of beds surrounding them. A man walked forward with a cup of coffee in his hand. “Seriously Max? Couldn’t you give me a break. Even I have limits.”
“Sure you do, old man. Keep telling yourself that and maybe someone will eventually believe your bullshit.”
“Says the literal raging alcoholic who would literally take a job to annoy me. You have a problem.” Mark traded his coffee for a clipboard. He started flipping through the pages. “Was it because of the ‘intervention’ I hosted?”
Maximum narrowed his eyes. “No. Also, your comeback sucked.”
Mark gave him a quick glace before pulling out a pen and writing a few notes. “Denial. Back to that are we.” Mark switched to a different page and started making new notes. “I have my hands full. How bad?”
“Two have aura exhaustion while the other one has a… broken arm.”
Mark glanced at the ‘broken’ arm before looking at Maximum. “That looks a touch worse than broken.”
“Did it not look broken.” Maximum shrugged and continued staring at Mark. “Do it for a friend? I need him to make me money in the tournament. It was already hard enough tri- persuade people to give me half of their earnings for a few lessons.”
Mark raised an eyebrow. “Now that’s a first.”
Maximum scoffed at the remark. “This isn’t the first time I have taught.”
Mark paused for a fraction of a second. “I meant doing something legal for money.”
“Wait, this is considered legal?”
Mark finished making a comment before looking at Maximum. “What are you implying?”
“I thought the wet noodles at the student union would call me out for extortion. Again.”
Mark went back to his work. “They would, but the disciplinary committee is in charge this time so its fine.”
Maximum pulled out his phone and started typing something. “I see, but shouldn’t they care more.”
“They have a different set of rules. You would be fine since it was a deal for services on the condition they actually win something. Since you are registered as their instructor, you have to put up with a bit, but it should be fine.”
Maximum froze for a second. He looked at Mark with a scrutinizing gaze. “What are you talking about.”
A smile filled Maximum with fear. “I already registered and approved your forms.” Mark took a page off the clipboard and handed to Maximum. “I hope these are the FOUR you were planning to train.”
Maximum’s face went pale. “You submitted this already? When?”
“As you walked in. So yes, by extension. Also, THIS was my comeback.” Mark moved towards one of the patients. His hand started to glow orange as he touched the patient. A myriad of cracking and squishing sounds could be heard as the patient’s body started to squirming and rearranging itself. “You weren’t trying to place your bets on multiple teams right? That would be sabotage after all and would be grounds for a fine. A fine over 10 times the total winnings. It would be a shame if a mentor was ‘sabotaging’ their portages.”
Maximum collapsed to the ground. “My easy money.”
Mark released the patient and walked over to give Maximum a pat on the shoulder. “Next time, don’t make an enemy of someone with the power to fuck you over so much for pocket change. Especially if they take grudges as seriously as me.”
“It’s over, how am I going to train them to win? I only have two weeks.” Each word that escaped Maximum’s mouth caused him to sink a bit lower. “I spent all day hunting down promising suckers to get the bottom of the barrel?”
“Good luck Max. We both know you need it.”
Maximum looked at Mark. He shut his eyes for a second. “I see. So you are challenging me old man.” Maximum opened his eyes and got to his feet. “Till next time then.” Maximum left the room with tears streaming down his face.
D watched as Maximum left. He wasn’t in the mood to give a retort. Instead, he looked at his empty right hand. It still shook a bit, but it was better. If only by a bit.
***
Over an hour passed before D was brought to a room with an x-ray machine. “A touch old fashion, I know. However, more than capable of getting the job done.” Mark started up the machine as D was scanned. “So, how are you feeling?”
D remained silent. Mark grabbed a new clipboard and attached a new paper. “Guess I’ll take it as not well. Pain?” No response. “Alright, I’ll assume high pain tolerance.” Mark never even bothered to look at D. He just continued writing notes on the clipboard. “Alight. I just need to run some tests.”
Mark had D go to a new machine. This one wasn’t a device D recognized, but he didn’t care. There was no point.
***
“And that should do it.” Mark removed his hand from D’s freshly recovered left arm. Mark put the clipboard down and grabbed a bottle. “Thake these just in case.” D caught the bottle and looked at them. “Anti-depressants. Not sure if you need them, but I have seen plenty of people like you.” Mark grabbed a different clipboard off of the bed adjacent to D. “However, they typically fall into three categories. The first are the ones that lose all motivation and stop. The second…” Mark looked at D, he looked at his eyes. A crimson flame was buried deep within. “End up like you. I haven’t seen many fall under the third category. However, the second category is barely a step above the first. Try to…”
D met Mark’s eyes. For a second, Mark could see a young man with a scar over his eye. [They really are alike.] “Personally, I would recommend being content with yourself, but I doubt your pride will allow that.”
“What was the third category?” D finally asked a question. The flames in his eyes were unwavering.
“Haha.” Mark chuckled softly as he returned his focus to his clipboard. “They were the people who were content with what they had and made the most of it. They typically set realistic goals and experience an overall better life.”
“Your right.” D got up and started heading for the exit. “I don’t think I would fall into the category.”
***
D wandered through the halls for a bit. His phone had long since died. He wasn’t even sure where his dorm was. However, he didn’t care. For the first time he had felt so powerless. It was frustrating. It was humiliating. It was heartbreaking.
D found a giant wooden door that seemed different from all the other doors. He pushed it open and walked towards a giant water fountain. It was beautiful. Almost as beautiful as the night sky above him. It was absolutely breadth taking. However, it was different from his usual sky.
The sky was riddled with countless twinkling stars with dashes of color here and there. Instead of a single moon, there were three celestial bodies orbiting overhead. One of them was reflecting a brilliant red light, while another seemed to reflect a somber golden glow. Another was completely different from the others. It seemed to shine and sparkled like a diamond reflecting light. It held a myriad of colors within it. The fountain reflected this nightly view and miraculously combined the colors into a seamless pattern.
“Haha.” D stared into the sky for so long. He was captivated by the giant diamond like body above him. It gave off a breadth taking rainbow glow. However, this led to many more questions. Questions that D didn’t have time for. **Sigh** D looked at his empty hand. He clenched it tightly. [One step at a time.]
D started walking back towards the school. He took one last look at the night sky. “Nothing good comes to those who wait. Do or die it is.” D shut the door as he continued within the school.
***
Maximum watched as D returned to the school. He narrowed his eyes and frowned. “We really are alike.” Maximum turned towards the sky. “What would you say now.” He waited for a minute before giving a somber smile and jumping off the roof, landing perfectly before the fountain. “Nothing, I guess. Though what’s new.”
Maximum walked leisurely around the fountain with his hands on his neck.