The Homecoming

I was feeling better, so I went out of the house. As I roamed my eyes, I saw festival flags hanging on every corner of the village. They repainted the murals, so it became livelier. Kids were playing around; some were passing by while eating cotton candies and ice creams.

I walk past vendors who were selling street food. I don’t even know how they made it, but I tasted it anyway. The smoke didn’t bother me at all. I don’t have money but the seller gave me the food for free since I have helped them eliminate the Changelings. I was ashamed because I’ve eaten lots of it. Their food makes me crave for more, so I walked out before I could eat everything.

There were also statues which I assumed, Apollo and Asteria. They look heroic and true warriors wearing only clothes made of animal skin with bow and arrow in their hands. They filled their eyes with passion and courage.

“You’re our hero, too.”

I glanced at the person beside me. Her face was fresh to me.

“Ugh, thanks. All of us are heroes of our own battles,” I said and forced a smile.

“I heard you’re going to leave this place later,” she said.

“Yes. My stay here was longer than I expected, I must worry my family. I have an important matter to deal with at home, but I am happy that I could help this village. I did something that I rarely do,” I said.

“Well, I will also do something that I rarely do,” she said.

Before I knew it, her lips touched mine. That moment, my eyes widened, and I had goosebumps. As our lips parted, she smiled and left me frozen. Then, I realized I am Vad Wagner, and he looks irresistibly charismatic to women with poor eyesight.

A girl kissed me, and I don’t know what to feel. I am as straight as a ruler and I can’t believe that a stranger stole my first kiss! I have reserved my first kiss for Treyton. What am I going to do now that it’s gone?

“Vad, I’ve been looking for you. The train will leave soon. I have prepared your things,” Hesu said.

“I don’t remember having baggage when I arrived here.”

“What I mean is my wife packed you some food.”

“Really? I’ve been waiting for you to say that,” I said, almost drooling.

After lunch, we went to the train station. I bid goodbye to them. I flashed my brightest smile that hides the regret of a stolen first kiss.

The days went smoothly. It was the most peaceful day of my life as Vad Wagner. I have prepared myself for the worst-case scenario, like Wagner beating the shit out of me. When I finally arrived, I stopped a few meters away from our house.

One thing I worry about was my Mom. I don’t know how she will react or maybe she wouldn’t act much because I was always giving her a headache. Everything seems normal. There was no sign of the neighborhood being destroyed or the sign of my body being dragged to a mental institution. There was no sign of Wagner waiting for me with a rifle in his hands.

A sigh escaped from my mouth. I was walking with my hands inside my pocket, thinking about how to avoid Wagner’s punches. A phone rang somewhere, which made me stop overthinking. I found it on the ground, someone must have lost it. I answered it, not knowing that I was about to face my grim reaper.

“Hello?” I asked.

The person on the other line took a long time to answer.

“Who the hell are you?”

My heart was beating rapidly, like I was about to face a death sentence.

“Vad. Vad Wagner,” I replied.

“Shit, man. You mean Kylo.”

Surely, this is the end of me.

“Y-yes. I guess you’ve figured it out.”

“Wow. I can’t believe I was expecting you to say sorry after everything you’ve done. I guess you’ve figured it out? The nerve of you to say that.”

He sounds pissed and ready to kill me in one shot with one hand.

“The sorry comes next, but let’s not talk over the phone,” I said.

“Are you sure about that? Do you want to face me? Just so you know, I could knock you down with my left hand, you brat... and I am not a lefty.”

“I know. I’m ready to face my punishment. Let’s talk at home. Let me handle my Mom. Just go with the flow,” I said before hanging up.

A few minutes passed, and I arrived in front of our house. Unfortunately, I came face to face with Wagner, who was inside my body. He looked at me from head to toe.

“What the hell happened to you, huh? Look what you have done to my body. You’ve covered it with bruises. I don’t even know how this happened. This will ruin my entire life, don’t you know that?” he said.

“I’m sorry, it was my fault. I got these bruises after escaping from a bunch of criminals. A man with cowboy attire caught me. He tied me up and was planning to kill me, but he failed. I got lost in the middle of the forest where I have to face the Changelings. Then here I am, still intact.”

“Still intact? I don’t even understand what you’re talking about. Do you want me to thank you for saving me? Or do you want me to turn you into pieces so you won’t be intact?”

He looks mad with his eyes getting large and saliva spilling all over my face.

“Look, I’m sorry. I can’t turn back time, but we can make this right. Before that, follow the script that I’m about to tell you. We have to put up some act for others not to find out the shit we’re in, especially my Mom. Please cooperate,” I said with utmost sincerity.

“I can’t believe a kid is ordering me around.”

After telling him my plan, I knocked at the door of our house. My Mom opened it and made her confused about what she was seeing.

“Mom, I want you to meet my friend Vad,” Wagner said.

I looked at my mother and smiled. It’s weird that a 17-year-old girl has a friend in his 30s, especially in my case that I don’t have any friends at school. I’m one of those outcasts.

“Hi, I’m Kylo’s mother,” she said and shook my hand.

“Come in.”

We entered the house, and it was the best feeling in the world, being home after almost a week. I felt it was the safest place where there are no changelings, strangers, and a crazy girl who would steal someone’s first kiss. But there’s an agent who could slit my throat anytime. We sat on the sofa while Mom was making us some coffee.

“So how did you become friends? Kylo wasn’t the friendly type,” Mom said.

It’s not because I’m not friendly. I had a few friends, but they were fake, so I’d rather be alone.

“I was walking by the road, not knowing where to go. She was with a group of teenagers her age. They were bullying her, poor girl. I stepped in the scene and received their punches because I don’t like beating children, I might go to jail,” I said.

With this act, I deserve an Oscar.

“Sweetie, why didn’t you tell me?” Mom asked.

“That’s why we’re telling you. I owe him a lot, but we have another problem. Vad has amnesia. He couldn’t remember anything. I was the one who invented his name,” Wagner replied.

It shocked Mom.

“What? Are you alright? We have to send him to the hospital,” Mom said worriedly.

“No, you don’t have to. I’m fine, this could be temporary. In the meantime, I’ll look for a place to stay,” I said.

“Why don’t you stay here? You helped my daughter, so it’s right for us to help you too.”

“Thank you, I would gladly accept the kind gesture.”

Mom cleaned up what used to be my dad’s room. I’ll be using it for a while until this shitty situation ends. I dragged Wagner into my room while Mom was busy setting up the other room. How I missed the softness of our sofa as I sat on it. My mess was still there, the pattern I made for the ritual, the candles, and the handbook.

“Your mother told me you locked your room for almost a week.”

“I guess while I was having an adventure, you were asleep.”

“Adventure, huh? So that’s how you got that weird outfit.”

I was still wearing the villager’s clothes. I realized I look insane.

“Yes. I know you wouldn’t believe me, but everything I said was true.”

“Look, kid. I don’t have time for this. I have a mission and with this condition, I doubt I could succeed.”

“I also want to fix this as soon as possible, but everything became complicated.”

“So do you know how to turn us back to normal?”

“I have to be honest with you... I don’t know how. We have to do our research. For the time being, we have to deal with it. Act like me and I’ll do the same,” I explained.

Wagner walks back and forth in front of me.

“Your honesty makes me feel enraged. Trust me, I want to put a bullet in your head, but that’s not practical. I guess that’s the best option we have. I’ll just take this as another mission and I have to stay undercover,” Wagner said.

“We have to know each other so no one can suspect us,” I replied.

I thought Wagner would kill me because I thought that he’s a dangerous person. He is, but he will cooperate with me. Rather than being emotional and put it all on me, he was being strategic. He’s indeed legendary. He reminds me of my dad, except that he wasn’t hot-headed. 

“I am Kylo Morris, a 17-year-old 10th grader. My father died in a car accident 10 years ago. I live with my Mom. You should also know my bullies, namely Agatha Parker, Jasmine Suarez, Rhein Miller, John Mifflin, and Raphael Cortez. If they do something, let them do it. Don’t even think of fighting back because their families are powerful. I might get kick out and I don’t want my mother to get involved with my issues. Don’t do something that could put me inside the principal’s office, guidance office, or being suspended,” I said.

“Well, don’t expect too much from me. I will try to be patient with those kids, but I don’t really like people stepping on me. Still, I will try,” Wagner said, crossing his arms.

“You better not act like yourself because that’s my body, not yours.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

I bet he’s always been sarcastic.

“One more thing, I am dumb so you better act like one.”

“I thought being patient was the hardest thing to do, but being dumb is an impossible thing for me.”

“I get that you’re highly intelligent, but spare me with your bragging,” I said, emphasizing the word highly intelligent.

“It must be difficult to be you.”

“Oh, shut up, Mr. Perfect. Anyway, as a normal student, I have a crush. His name is Treyton Statham. Don’t you dare do something stupid in front of him?”

“So you’re not stupid enough? You even call yourself normal,” he murmured.

I shook my head. This man exalts himself, I could foresee that he’s going to create an enormous mess. I also taught him how to act like a lady, which was not that hard to do since he’s been doing undercover all his life.

“It’s my turn to teach you how to be me. I doubt you can copy me, but still try. I guess you already know that I am the best IIF agent. My title itself is difficult to maintain. To be me, you need to have all the virtues in the world. I have the agility of a cheetah, the eyes of an eagle, the longest endurance—”

“And the highest pride. You’re exaggerating.”

“In short, there’s nothing I can’t do.”

Wagner was unbelievable. He was the humblest person I have ever met in my entire life. He reminds me of our top one in class who thinks that he’s unbeatable.

“My specialty is my fighting skill. I don’t surrender unless I die,” he said.

Now, that sounds cool if it didn’t come from him.

“But I’m not a fighter. I’m weak,” I replied.

I would look like a meme if I come face to face with criminals. I can’t even fight back against my bullies.

“That’s a big problem. I can’t let you put my name in vain. My title... It’s too precious to lose.”

He talks like he’s some kind of God. He thinks only of himself.

“Well, you have amnesia. Can you just act like you don’t have a title to lose? Forget everything about being the great Vad Wagner, because right now, you are no one,” I firmly said.

“I see you are blunt, but I’m afraid that I can’t do that.”

As expected, I can’t convince him. Words from a dumb and weak kid will not move his ego. I could feel some kind of electric shock in between us, a sign that things will not be easy for us in the coming days.