Chapter 17: Back 2 bluestone
The chime from the doorbell rings as the group enter the late-night diner. They grab a large booth and are handed menus from a waiter. They thank them before discussing further plans with each other.
Jace: “So, when do we strike?”
Luke: “What?”
Jace: “You heard me. There’s five of us and one of him, I say we kick his ass tomorrow!”
Henry shushes Jace and shouts through his teeth.
Henry: “You can’t go around yelling about how much you wanna beat someone up!”
Kien: “Ooh, ooh! I wanna beat someone up!”
Luke: “Mythril, shut that thing up too!”
Mythril tries to grab Kien’s mouth, but it simply moves to a different part of his skin.
Kien: “A thing? I have feelings too, y’know?”
Luke: “I don’t care.”
Ana: “Tomorrow’s too early.”
Her serious demeanor calms everyone down.
Jace: “Huh?”
Ana: “We just got done fearing for our lives over in Morning Glory, we are not ready to take on someone like him.”
Jace: “Well, then what do you think we should do?”
Ana: “I was going to go by the house you burnt down and practice my Pulse. I want this punch to crack bones soon.”
Henry: “You can train your aura?”
Ana: “Yeah? It’s all about the mental image. I imagine myself hitting harder, then I keep throwing punches until I like the results.”
Henry: “I wonder what I could do if I put my mind to it…”
Luke: “Do you think I could manifest different weapons?”
Ana: “Totally! The more focus and confidence you have, the greater and more complex auras you can create!”
Jace: “How the hell do you even know this stuff?”
Ana: “You learn a lot when you have no one to teach you anything, so you rely on your imagination."
Everyone falls silent and has trouble responding. The waiter returns with drinks for everyone. They thank them once again before placing their orders.
Jace: “I know what it’s like to be alone.”
Luke: “Same.”
Henry: “Yup.”
Mythril: “Me too.”
Ana: “Oh? I never really asked you all about your pasts, but maybe I shouldn’t.”
Jace: “You all now know I suffered an event so traumatic, it can bring me back to the very moment. I’m kinda an open book now.”
Ana: “I heard what you said when you regained consciousness, I’m sorry for whatever happened. I don’t want the details.”
Luke: “So, tomorrow we gather around South Bluestone and train until we’re satisfied and sore?”
Jace: “Hell yeah! To the Pitied Party!”
He raises his glass of sweet tea, the ice cubes clink against the glass.
Everyone: “SHUT UP!”
Mythril awkwardly raises his glass of water next to Jace’s.
Jace: “See? It’s growing on y’all.”
Henry: “Whatever.”
Mythril: “So, uhm, where will we be sleeping tonight?”
Luke: “We were graciously given an apartment to live in while we do what we do. We just occasionally do some 'community service’ for them in return.”
Mythril: “Community service?”
Henry: “We beat the shit out of thugs, thieves, and people like that.”
Mythril’s eyes widen and he goes silent.
Jace: “Ah, shit. Do we have enough space for him?”
Luke: “You didn’t even consider how many people could fit in our apartment?”
Henry: “I always guessed like, eight people maximum.”
Ana: “There’s another bedroom in the apartment, he can have that one.”
Mythril’s eyes light up. He tilts his neck up to face Ana.
Mythril: “A bedroom? I’ve never had one of those before. What’s it like?”
Ana: “It’s a room where you can isolate yourself from the world around you…and these chucklefucks. Pure heaven for me.”
Mythril: “I may need that sense of aloneness when things become too much for me.”
Kien: “Don’t worry, I start swinging for him when he’s over-stimulated.”
Henry: “Thaaaat won’t be necessary, thank you. The room is yours.”
Jace: “Make sure to write a list for Henry, so he can run out and steal whatever it is you’ve asked for.”
Mythril: “Didn’t you all just say that you beat up people that steal, at least from the apartment’s owners?”
The four freeze and greet glances before focusing their eyes back on Mythril.
Ana: “Jace, you idiot! We don’t steal, we thrift! There’s a difference!”
Mythril: “There is?”
Jace: “There is?”
Henry: “Ugh, yes! You steal when you’re taking something that isn’t yours. You thrift when you take something someone doesn’t want anymore. I’m a titan at thrifting.”
Ana: “Exactly! There’s absolutely no harm in what we do! Right, Jace?”
Ana slowly turns her head to Jace. He can feel her aura beginning to manifest. If he answers wrong, he’s going to have his entire life thrifted.
Jace: “Y-Yeah! That’s right, Ana!”
Jace wraps his arm around Ana’s shoulders and they both smile. Mythril exchanges a smile with them and they all continue on with their dinner.
Ana: “If you ever place your arm on me like that ever again, so help me I will kick your ass so hard they’ll confuse you for roadkill.”
She mutters next to Jace. His eyes widen and he blinks rapidly for a second. The waiter returns with everyone’s orders. For Jace, a simple cheeseburger with the usual toppings. Luke gets a veggie wrap and Henry receives a steak. Ana helps the waiter and grabs her personal pizza along with Mythril’s salad. They all thank the waiter and examine their orders.
Jace: “This is beautiful.”
Henry: “It’s a fucking burger.”
Jace: “Yeah, yeah, everyone’s a critic.”
Luke: “What’s on the pizza, Ana?”
Ana: “Uhh, I see pepperoni, sausage, green peppers, aaaand onions!”
Jace: “Phew, I thought you were gonna say something gross like anchovies or olives.”
Luke: “Don’t you dare disrespect olives!”
Jace: “Why?! You got some olives in that wrap, Olive-Boy?!”
Henry and Ana burst out in laughter over Jace’s lame insult. He frowns and finally takes a bite out of his burger.
Luke: “There are. Same with Mythril’s salad. Is he an ‘olive-boy’ too?”
Jace: “You’re no fun. Henry, how do you like your steaks?”
Henry: “Rare. I like to dip fries and bread in the blood of the steak.”
Mythril shudders, but continues to eat his salad. The others look at Henry with a stunned, yet understanding stare. Jace takes another bite out of his burger.
Jace: “I can’t get over how good this burger is.”
Mythril: “My salad’s pretty good too.”
Ana: “Yeah? What do you like about it?”
Mythril: “I agree with Luke that the olives are really good. I’m not the biggest fan of onions, but that’s okay. I picked them off.”
Ana: “Can I have them?”
Mythril: “Oh…sure!”
He scoots his plate towards Ana. She pokes into the small bundle of onion slices with her fork before meticulously placing them onto her pizza. They all eat their meals and pay for the tab. Heading out, the stars illuminate the night. The path they walk on is as clear as ever, shining down on the road straight back to Bluestone. Before long, they can see the town in the distance.
Jace: “There it is! Bluestone, my beloved home.”
Henry: “Were you getting tired of walking?”
Jace: “Shove it. You remember earlier.”
Ana: “We’re here, so what? Are you trying to be some sorta tour guide? We know where we are!”
Luke: “Well, not all of us know where we are.”
Luke softly points at Mythril and the others turn to face him. He’s starstruck by the scenery. Mountains, oceans, rows upon rows of buildings, so many new faces, and it’s all for him to experience. Kien forms an eye on Mythril’s neck to observe the new environment too.
Jace: “You’re gonna like it here, I’m sure. Tell me where you wanna go tomorrow and I’ll show you the way.”
Mythril: “May I see the water? I’ve never seen that much in person, only through pictures back in the hospital.”
Jace’s eyes light up and he snaps his neck towards the other four. He forms a goofy smile because he’s been ready to drag everyone to the beach for days now. Luke grumbles and rests his hand on his forehead.
Jace: “You hear that? We’re training at the beach!”
Henry: “I don’t have a swimsuit!”
Jace: “You don’t need one, pasty. Just bring yourself.”
Luke: “I’m going to get sunburnt!”
Jace: “I hope you do! Live a little.”
Ana: “The sand provides a better cushion than concrete. I’m in.”
Jace: “Holy shit, even Ana’s game! C’mon, we’re going!”
Henry: “Fuck…”
Luke: “Off…”