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Orion bursted into the main hall of Protectors, holding something in his hands behind his back. He swiftly looked around the room, trying to spot a specific someone.
"Vega!" Orion called out at the busy woman, who was battling through stacks of paperwork.
Vega looked up at him, her eyes drooping. She looked exhausted, and a mess. Her eyes were half open and a little red, her mascara was running, The only fuel she was running on were coffee, and a biscuit that most likely was expired.
"What is it? Why the whimsical attitude?" She mumbled, followed by a yawn.
Orion was practically prancing in place, clearly very excited to show his co-worker what he found.
"Ehh, nothing too special." Orion said with a chuckle. He paused for a second, observing Vega's complete mess of a look. "Are...you okay though? You look...enervated."
Vega slowly sat up from her seat, stretching. She clearly was sitting for a long time via the loud cracks of her joints. "I have been here..since four o' clock in the morning filing all of this paper."
"Interesting..."
"Its been so stressful. I actually had a cry session like an hour ago." She pointed at her mascara that has clearly ran a marathon, and pulled out a piece of paper that had her stained teardrops on them. It looked like it was soaked in Niagara Falls. "I'm fine now though."
"Well...I do hope the remains of your worries will be ceased after I show you what I've found!" Orion pulled out the gift he was hiding behind is back. It was rectangular, and wrapped in red wrapping paper.
Vega raised an eyebrow, she grabbed the gift from Orion, and carefully teared away at the wrapping paper. She continued to unravel it enough where she could see what was hidden underneath. She paused, processing the surprise. Her eyes widened. She looked up at Orion who was giggling profusely.
"No way..." Vega suddenly began ripping the wrapping paper to shreds, in utter disbelief at what she was seeing. Clearly her exhaustion has worn off by now. "There's actually no way..."
"YES way." Orion beamed as he watched Vega completely unravel the gift. It was a book, but not just any book. A high school yearbook to be exact.
Vega let out a hearty laugh. "Did you seriously keep it for this long?! I lost mine like eight years ago!"
"I like to preserve the memory of my youth. Especially when I had hair...how I miss my glorious hair." Orion put his hand on his bald ass head. Gently rubbing it over his scalp. He did have hair at one point, and it was glamorous. It was the number one thing about him he was most proud of. Everyone was jealous of his voluminous 4C hair.
"The most tragic loss of all time. Your hair shall never be forgotten." Vega mournfully lowered her head and shut her eyes, slightly giggling.
Soon the other Protectors walked into the room. All chatting with each other. Orion looked to them, and back to Vega. An idea sparking in that bald ass head of his.
"Hey, everyone." He called out to the others as they flooded the room. They all averted their attention to the co-chief. "Wanna look through mine and Vega's senior yearbook?" He said with glee.
Vega glanced at him. "Don't you dare." She followed with an awkward chuckle. She was clearly embarrassed about something...
It was too late. Everyone already gathered around Vega and Orion, very excited to see their chiefs when they were just simple teenagers.
"Why?" Orion teased. "Embarrassed of a certain phase of yours?"
"Oh shut up. You had that phase too." Vega gently smacked Orion's arm. "Well, I sort of influenced you."
Sofia walked up to Orion and Vega. "Oh, your phases couldn't have been that embarrassing." She paused. "What was the phase exactly..?"
"You're about to find out, princess Sofia." Orion placed the book on the table, flipping through the pages.
"Oh gods...I cannot right now." Vega groaned covering her face with her hands, walking away before Chrysta flew after her, pushing her back to the table.
"Oh no no no. You ain't goin' NOWHERE." Chrysta laughed. Vega whined, but still had a smile on her face. "Also, whats up with your mascara?"
Vega realized that her face was still a mess, and began aggressively wiping the dried up mascara off her face. "No reason."
Everyone crowded around Orion who was still searching for him and Vega's photos. Flipping past the school events, pep rallies, and sports, until he finally found them. There they were right next to each other. Everyone gasped. Their jaws dropped at the images of the chiefs in their adolescent years. They were especially shocked at the "fashion choices" of the two, and the fact Orion had a full head of hair. LOTS of hair actually.
"I'm sorry, you both had EMO PHASES?!" Galial shrieked excitingly. Everyone giggled, not in a mean way, but in an amusing manner as they shoved each other to see Vega and Orion's photo.
"Where do you think this red streak came from?" Vega ran her fingers through the one streak of red in her hair.
"And you kept it?! Thats crazy."
"Well, I think It STILL looks good on me." Vega dramatically flipped her hair. Vega and Orion's phases were pretty crazy, but it was the hype back then, and both of them rocked those looks. The chokers, skinny ripped pants. spiked bracelets, and of course, the dramatic makeup. Only difference between the two were Vega preferred the long sleeves, and jackets. Orion preferred short sleeves and T-shirts.
Orion began flipping back through the book to find another page. "I'm pretty sure theres a more clearer shot of me and Vega somewhere in the background, or something...ah-hah! Found it!" He pointed to a photo of a sport event. Rugby to be specific, and Vega was right there in the field, while Orion was in the background on the bleachers, cheering her on.
"You played Rugby?" Chrysta landed next to Vega.
"I dabbled." She said with confidence. She in fact did lots more than just dabble. She was a beast when it came to Rugby. "It was a great way to let out some aggression. Lots of aggression." Vega crossed her arms.
"Huh. Never took you for the aggressive type, chief Vega." Garish said.
"I had some...issues back then. Trust me I am much more passive now than in my teens." She let out a short breath, recalling her high school years in her mind.
"I can speak as a witness. The amount of fights she got into was crazy." Orion walked next to Vega. She gave him a look as she furrowed her eyebrows.
"Not all of them were my fault." She muttered. "Only one time I let my emotions get the better of me, and ended up with me swinging first. Other than that, the rest were complete self defense!"
"Yes, but I was always the one who had to drag you out of your messes." Orion chuckled.
Sofia looked at the yearbook, then back to Vega, multiple times back and forth. "You got into fights in high school?!"
"They weren't my proudest moments."
"Like...physical fights..? Not just yelling?"
"Pretty much."
"...Jeez." Sofia continued to look at the photo. Seeing Vega's face in it, and how aggressive she looked tackling her opponents to the ground as her teammate ran with the ball to the try-line. Meanwhile Orion, was standing on the bleachers, cheering as loud and passionate as he could for his best friend. It was truly a sight to see for the others.
"Hey do you remember the one fight you had with that one girl where you sent her straight to the infirmary, and you got suspended?" Orion began flipping back to the photos to try and find the girl.
"You mean the girl who spread rumours that I was a harlot because I happened to be partnered up with her boyfriend for a project? How could I forget." Vega scoffed.
"Whats a harlot?" Sofia whispered to Chrysta.
"You don't wanna know, princess." Chrysta shook her head.
"Yeah, her! What was her name again? was it...Halley?" Orion continued flipping till he found her in a photo of yet another school event. The Wassailia gift donations for sick children. "Oh yeah, I was right. says right here." He pointed to a photo of her where she won a contest for most gifts donated. "'Halley Eta Aquariids donated the most gifts for the Mystic Isles Childrens House of Healing. With over 100 dollars worth of gifts, the ill children of the Mystic Isles can sleep well knowing they weren't forgotten on Santa's list this year.'"
"Oh wow. She seems generous!" Sofia looked at the page of Halley shaking hands with the headmaster of the school.
Vega snorted. "If you could call her that."
Orion closed the book. "Ha! Oh, how I remember that fight like it was yesterday."
"I think I was reason she got a nose job before graduation." Vega chuckled.
It was a thursday, at lunch. In the school cafeteria.
11 years ago...
The cafeteria was obnoxiously loud, just as always when you put several hundred teens in a room with each other. Orion stood against the wall of the cafeteria, waiting for Vega.
Vega walked past Orion, not even greeting him. He ran after her, and walked next to her and soon as he caught up with the girl.
"Wait-where are you going? Are you not gon' get food?" Orion grabbed her shoulder stopping her.
Vega turned around to look at him. "No! I'm not." She said in a very aggressive tone. Something was clearly bugging her. Orion sighed, he was used to Vega's sudden bursts of anger and frustration.
"What happened this time..?" He raised an eyebrow, his voice slightly cracking.
Vega looked around before moving closer to Orion, lowering her voice. "Y'know that bitch Halley?"
Orion widened his eyes at Vega's use of profanity, but slowly nodded, as if he knew where this was going. "Yeah...she was in calc' last semester with me. What about her?"
"Well, shes been running her mouth telling everyone I'm some type of HARLOT cuz' her man was my partner for a project!"
Orion stared at her in disbelief. "She did not."
"Oh yes she did!" Vega turned around and continued walking. Orion ran after her, but stopped in front of her, blocking her.
"Wait, what are doing?!" Orion grabbed Vega's wrist, but she lightly pushed him to side.
"What do you think? I'm gonna beat her ass."
Orion shook his head. Vega was always getting into some form of scuffles and fights. Ever since freshman year, she always had someone to beef with. They both became friends during their training years, and were inseparable. They both shared the same interests and goals, to become the best Protectors the Mystic Isles had ever seen. So it was obvious that they'd become the best of friends. Except the only different thing about them was that Vega was outgoing, and not afraid to speak her mind, while Orion was a little timid, and mostly kept to himself. He followed Vega around like a lost puppy, and she lead. Whatever Vega got into, Orion was always apart of.
"Vega, cmon dude. You can't get into another fight now, you'll get suspended...again!" Orion sped walked beside her as she walked at her own regular pace. She was always more athletically inclined than he was.
"I don't care! My uncle always told me: "If someone is runnin' their mouth, make their face run with blood."
Orion stood there with his jaw dropped. "That is not something anyone should say to their niece.."
"Are you saying my uncle's teachings are wrong..?!" Vega got up close to Orion's face with a scowl, her wings flapping and fluttering in an aggressive way, sending him taken aback.
"No! no...of course not." He waved his hands while shaking his head.
"Good. Now, I'm gonna fight her."
Orion sighed, he followed for a little before stopping, watching as Vega approached the table Halley was sitting at with her friends. Orion prepared for the worst.
Vega aggressively shook Halley’s shoulder to get her attention. Halley turned around, looking Vega up and down with disgust. “The hell is your problem?” Halley said.
“My problem?! What is your problem?! You telling everyone I’m a ‘harlot’…what the hell is wrong with you?!” Vega shouted, getting most peoples attention from other tables.
Halley stood up from her seat, tilting her head as she moved closer to Vega. “Maybe because I know you’re trying to hook up with my man. Don’t deny it.”
Vega looked at her with confusion and utter disbelief. “Were you dropped as a fucking baby?! I never even touched ‘your man’. I don’t even like him like that. He was just my partner for ONE project.”
“Oh sureeee.” Halley scoffed “As if you aren’t trying to suck him off in the library. I know you want him, and I want you to back off.”
Vega felt her face getting red with anger, she clenched her fists, and gritted her teeth. “What is your problem with thinking the whole school wants your man?! Trust me, no one wants him. He is ALL yours.”
Vega glanced over to Halley’s boyfriend who was sitting at the table in shock. Halley had some sort of delusion that everyone was after him and wanted him. He was kind of attractive, but to Vega, he just looked like every other guy. Nothing interesting.
Halley tsked. “MY man is training to be a model for the Mystic Magazine.” That specific magazine company was filled with top models, with only the what is deemed attractive people and creatures of the Mystic Isles. “Unless you are some type of lesbo, which you probably are judging by you, everyone wants him.”
That one word. That two syllable word sent Vega over the edge. Without realizing, her balled fist immediately struck Halley in the face, sucker punching her.
She fell to the floor grasping the area Vega hit her in. Everyone gasped, and squealed, as the fight of the school year was about to begin. Orion simply watched in horror.
“Say that shit to my face again! I DARE you!” Vega stood over Halley as she stumbled to get up.
Halley grabbed her lunch tray as she stood up, and swiftly smacked Vega with the metal plate, sending her backwards, but Vega quickly brushed it off, and waited for Halley’s next move.
Halley charged at Vega, aiming for her torso, attempting to knock her down, but Vega saw this coming and wrapped her arms around Halley’s waist as she got closer, lifting her up into the air, and smashed her to the ground. Halley let out a loud groan and whimper of pain as she hit the ground face first. The circle of students surrounding them roared with cheer and surprise. Clearly this was the most entertaining thing to happen this year.
Vega turned Halley around, got on top of her, and began punching her. Pulling her hair. Anything she could do to inflict pain. All she felt was rage. Halley tried to kick and push Vega off, but Vega was taller, and had significantly more muscle mass than Halley did.
Orion watched from the sidelines, he knew this was getting out of hand. Vega could kill Halley if she wanted too, she wouldn’t do that…right?! Orion wasn’t too sure at this point. He never saw Vega be this angry and aggressive before. The fact she was the one who threw the first punch was shocking enough. Orion knew he had to do something. He immediately rushed in, and grabbed Vega, pulling her off of Halley as she laid there, crying her eyes out while choking on her own blood, her face was covered in it. Her nose, smushed. A few teeth of hers were missing. Her eyes were blackened and bruised. Halley’s boyfriend immediately ran up to check on her. Orion pulled Vega away from the fight and into the courtyard.
“What. The. FUCK VEGA?!” Orion shouted. His voice cracked, which Vega wanted to giggle at but she was too mad to.
“What did you want me to do Orion?! Let her keep talking shit?! No! Someone had to put her in her place!”
“You could’ve done that with a little less blood! You almost KILLED her!” Orion smacked his forehead knowing Vega was bound to get into lots of trouble.
“Okay…yeah, I did go a little too far, but she called me a..” Vega was cut off by Orion.
“A harlot. Yeah. I get it. That’s bad, but holy shit dude!”
“Not just that!” Vega’s breath became heavier. “She called me…” Her voice lowered.
Orion’s facial expressions relaxed. “What else did she call you?”
Vega paused for a second, thinking about the word Halley called her. “She called me a lesbo.”
Orion’s eyes widened. “Actually..?”
Vega simply nodded, her anger was soon turning into sadness as tears welled up in her eyes. Orion immediately noticed this, and pulled Vega into a hug, letting her cry into his shoulder.
Orion sighed. “That’s messed up.” He whispered softly. Although he wasn’t told much, he knew a word like that was hurtful, but especially hurtful to Vega, knowing her secret that only Orion knew of. “I’m starting to have second thoughts about what your uncle said. He was right, 100%. I like his teachings.”
Vega giggled. She pulled away from the hug, wiping the tears away. “Told ya.”
They both paused for a second, before Orion finally spoke up. “Wanna skip the last two periods?”
Vega nodded. “Yeah. I am so not in the mood for class now.”
They both spread their wings, and took off. Leaving all that just happened behind them.
Present Day
“Doesn’t she live in the EverRealm now? I think I saw her once when travelling with my family.” Orion scratched his chin.
“I don’t know. I don’t keep track of past high school drama.”
The room when quiet before Chrysta interjected. “Okay, how are ya’ll gon’ tell us that whole WAR flashback, and just brush it off like nothing?! Like, I have my own experience with high school drama, but that…that was DRAMA.”
Everyone laughed. “Well, thats all it is really, drama, and memories.” Orion shut the book.
“Are you still mad about Halley, and her calling you all those mean things?” Sofia asked as she walked up to Vega.
Vega smiled. “No, not really. It was hurtful, yes, but I’ve learned to not hold grudges about silly squabbles that happened years ago. Halley was acting immature, and was clearly insecure. What ever she thought, thats in her own mind. I’m not gonna let one mean word someone said haunt me for the rest of my life. I instead pay attention to the nice things people say about me.”
“Hm, interesting! I’m sure to keep that in mind!” Sofia said with enthusiasm.
Vega lowered herself on one knee to get to eye level with Sofia. “When you get older, and eventually get to high school, make sure you don’t make the same mistakes I did, and don’t let the negative things someone says bring you down. Because trust me, high school is full of negativity.”
“Promise!” Sofia held out a pinky finger, Vega chuckled, and held out hers, interlocking them, sealing the promise.
High school is hard, yes, but the important thing is to surround yourself with people who enjoy your company, and don’t bring you down. We are social creatures after all, and we all play a big influence on each other.