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Elaine was staring the alarm clock, 3:00 am and she still couldn't close her eyes. She looked in direction of Sera's room, wondering if she was sleeping, she knew that her roomate was pretty shaken when she discovered that her best friend was the Joker... She wasn't the only one acting out of herself latly, same goes for Arlo, he was completely defeated, Arlo, the same Arlo who rebuilt the school after the chaos left by Rei's departure, was now just watching while the school was burning...How... How did they get here ?
The ring of her phone get her out of her thought, who can call her at this hour ? She took her phone and frown when she see Blyke name, what does he want that late ?
- Blyke ?
- Elaine ?... You're awake ?... He said with a mixed of surprise and relief.
- Well I guess ? What do you want ?
- ... I... I need your help... Can you rejoin me in front of the girls dorm ?... Alone please...
She began to worry, his voice sounded pretty weak, was he hurt ? Or maybe Remi ?
- Blyke ?! What happend ?!
- Don't ask question please...
- ... Ok... I'm coming, just give me a second.
- Thanks...
She hang up the phone and jump of her bed, she just take a vest she put on above her pyjamas and left the room without a sound. She shivered when she got outside, it was cold and dark, she couldn't see at 3 meter so she used her phone as a flashlight.
- Blyke ?... Are you here ?... She whispered.
- Just here Elaine.
She turned around to see him curled up in a corner, his clothe stained with blood, a pained expression on his face. She ran towards him, immediatlely activating her ability, there were so much injuries, she didn't even know how he managed to crawl in front of the girls dorms.
- What happend to you ?! She asked worried. How did you end up in this state ?... Was... Was it John ?...
- ... No... It wasn't John.
- Then who ?
I didn't answer, looking away.
- You said you will not ask question... Don't talk about this please... Neither to Arlo, Remi or even Isen.
She look at him with a mixture of anger and concern.
- So that's how it works ? You crawl all bloodied in front of my room in the middle of night and I'm supposed to let you go without even an explanation !
- Elaine...
- It's always like that with all of you ! Elaine come to heal me but forbidden to talk about John ability, Elaine come to heal Sera but don't ask about the mad organization which stole her power, Elaine come to heal Remi but not a word about the superhero stuff !!! I'm tired of all these !!! Why I am supposed to just watch all my friends falling apart without saying a word ?! I... I... I just...
And she began to cry, big tears runing down her cheeks.
- Elaine... I'm sorry... We shouldn't have imposed this on you...
He took her in his arms in a both gentle and akward embrace. She was still angry against him but she needed so much this comfort that she decided to hug him back, adding tears to the blood on his hoodie. He let out a sigh, seeming hesitant and finally began to talk.
- I... I decided to become a superhero, to become stronger and stand up against John.
She immediatlely broke the embrace, staring at him like he was crazy.
- Are you insane !!! You want to be killed ? Have you forget about Ember ?! You don't remember how it end up the last time with Remi ?!
- That's not the same thing ! The last time we wanted to catch Ember attention, now I just want to being stronger, I get the stuff done and I leave, that's all.
- How that's not the same thing ?! Did you look at yourself right now ?!
- You don't understand ! My ability have been improving like crazy since I'm doing this ! If I keep that way maybe, maybe I could stand up against John... Last time he destroyed everyone in front of me and I couldn't do anything about it... I'm supposed to be the next king but how could I make this school safe when I'm not even able to protect my friends ?... I want to be strong to protect everyone... You... You can understand that right ?...
She doesn't answered, of course she can understand cause she was just feeling the same, with her ability, she was totally useless at fighting, all she could do was watching her friends apart and trying to fix them the best she can.
- Why things must have turned this way ?... I don't want anybody to be hurt... I... I just want everything go back to normal... When Arlo was the king, when the school wasn't total chaos, when everything was great...
- Things weren't great Elaine... Low-tier were bullied all the time... All the fake Jokers going all around, they are mad because we didn't do anything to protect them against the bullies. The school is running wild because we didn't do our job properly... But that can change.
He stand up looking in the distance awhile then turned around, looking at her determinedly.
- Trust me ! I know that for now I'm still too weak to do anything, but I'm training hard, and when my time will come, things will not come back as they were before, they will be better ! I'm sure, with Remi, Isen, you and the other high-ranked, we can make Wellston a safe place for everyone including low-tier ! I will work hard for that... Just wait for it...
She knew that was stupid, Blyke will never win against John, and even if by some miracle he actually succeed, make Wellston a safe place for everyone was a foolish dream, Arlo failed and before him Rei, how Blyke, who was weaker than this two could do something ? She should tell him to stop that nonsense, that it was dangerous, that he would end up killed... But right now, with his confident look shining in the dark, the moonlight reflecting in his red hair, he looked so strong, so great, so bright, like a light at the end of a dark tunnel... At this moment, she just wanted to believe him.
- Ok... I will wait for it...