Chapter 4

A month has passed and it was time for students to go back and visit their families at home. A lot of students went away early in the morning, while Fruto and Ponjie decided not to go. Ponjie reasoned that it was time for him to rebel since his parents did not even tell him about their plan to send him to the academy. Fruto also did not plan to visit his uncle since there is nothing to talk about. He was clear about what his uncle wanted. 

For him to be able to build a life he doesn’t need to escape from.

He was busy folding his clothes that he washed from the laundry room in the basement when Ponjie tapped him on the shoulder.

One month was enough to see the kind of person his friend was. Ponjie cleans really well when he’s around, but is always messy when left unsupervised. For example, their study table will be filled with lots of papers and unorganized books that Fruto had to manage him like a housewife. While Ponjie is really easy to get along with, the guy can be so cold and indifferent to others who he does not treat as a part of his circle. Fruto was the same. They are two lone wolves sticking together.

The rumors also died out after a week, but something has changed with the way fellow students look at them. It was full of burdening worship and unnecessary reverence.

They also haven’t been with Roy that much but they see and greet each other. Although Ponjie still can’t forget about the incident that had happened between them last time. He would be so cold and sometimes wouldn’t even look Roy in the eyes. 

With this, Fruto is really helpless. It’s not as if he can control Ponjie. He has already taken the role of mother hen for him. 

“We’ve been holed up in the academy for a while. Why don’t we spend the afternoon outside and go back just before dark?” Ponjie proposed while sitting across the other bed, expecting Fruto to agree. 

Fruto did, to his surprise. 

“Sure.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Ponjie suddenly yelled, “Woohoo!” and jumped in the air. Fruto got surprised that he unintentionally threw his shirt on the floor. He glared at Ponjie and turned his back on him. Before going outside, he will finish his homeworks first. There’s only three left. 

“Ponjie, we will not go outside unless we finish homework first.”

Hearing that made Ponjie wilt. He wanted to escape but Fruto will get mad and then he’ll have no friend for the rest of his life. 

Realizing this, Ponjie got inspired to finish homework faster than Fruto would. “Okay, I will start now!”

“Let me copy your Math homework.”

“Don’t worry I’ll be finished soon.”

Fruto stared at his friend’s back who seemed to be injected by chicken blood. He smiled and saw through Ponjie’s plan. He interrupted his whistle and said, “You have to make sure that more than half of the homework is correct.”

The whistling halted and the person wilted.

Such is the harmonious scene inside room 4F.

**********

“The town centre is so crowded, why did you choose it here?” Fruto complained.

“Well, it has various fun places to go to! Like the arcade, the karaoke, the fast foods! But if you don’t want to go here, we can go to other places–”

“No need, let’s just enjoy it here.”

“Okay!”

They really went to every place Ponjie mentioned. And Fruto already felt his social battery draining. Ponjie, however, was more enthusiastic than anyone else he met. It makes him think how Ponjie can have a good time anytime, anywhere. He asked him this and Ponjie answered,

“It’s not really about the place. It’s about who you’re with. I did not have friends before who could do all these things with me. And I used to get jealous with other people who always have fun. But now that I have you, I am more grateful than ever! Did you know, this is just the start. I have planned so many things like trips to places we will go to every other month. Because next month I’ll have to visit my family. And then, what country we should visit in our anniversary—”

Fruto punched him then Ponjie dramatically kneeled on the floor. Seeing that he’ll continue his antics, Fruto turned away and started to walk.

“Wait, don’t leave me! I’m not kidding with you. I’ll show you the schedule and list I made on the spreadsheet file later. You can also change anything you want to change.”

Fruto didn’t reply and just looked around the mall. 

“I think I should get a part-time job soon.”

“Huh? But we can’t even go outside the school everyday.”

Ponjie saw an ice cream stand and started to salivate. Fruto saw him and so they headed toward the ice cream man along with a few kids who wanted the same. 

“Not really going outside. I’ll just have to find something on the internet. After all, I am not an adult yet.”

“Ohh! That makes sense. Wait, i'm going to buy an ice cream. Which flavor do you want?”

“Chocolate.”

“Okay.” Ponjie bought ice cream while Fruto waited for him a few meters away. He observed the halls decked with bright lights when he spotted a few of the people he saw in school.

So, they are also here. 

On his left came Roy and someone very familiar. It was the guy who led them to the entrance! The two guys were talking seriously and did not even notice that they passed by Fruto. Fruto just followed them with a stare until they were out of sight.

Ponjie came back with two big cones. “What are you looking at?”

“Oh. I just saw Roy and the senior who led us to the entrance.” Fruto took the chocolate ice cream and they began walking again.

“They must know each other maybe because they’re classmates?”

“Hmm.”

A moment of silence reigned between the two while they were walking. They savored the relaxing atmosphere after a very productive day. 

“Where do we go next?” Fruto asked.

Ponjie thought for a minute before saying, “To the park.”

The park was wide and full of tall trees. The trees are all majestic and refreshing to look at. Flowerbeds were lined everywhere, looking well-maintained. The air smelled so good and the breeze was light and comforting. It is past five in the afternoon and most people have gone home. 

Fruto has never been here before. And neither was Ponjie. Both of them were immersed in their own little world that the exploration for adventures did not happen at an earlier time. 

Finally, Fruto flashed a very carefree smile. Ponjie saw it and instantly he was happy too. He suddenly tackled Fruto on the ground, but ended up getting his arm twisted instead.

“Ugh! I’m down! I’m down! K.O! K.O!” he pounded on the ground a few times but Fruto just laughed at him. “Man, where the hell is the referee!!! Mommy!!! Help!!!!”

Fruto saw that Ponjie started having painful expressions on his face so he burst out laughing and decided to let his friend go. 

“God, you’re a savage!” Ponjie exclaimed while rubbing his arm. It didn’t really hurt much but his pride has caught all the damage since Fruto, who is shorter than him, was much stronger. He may have some brains but he can’t use it properly. He needs to train hard too.

It marked on his mind, but Ponjie also wanted to enjoy the rare time he gets to spend with a friend. So they played around some more, including the playground since there were no kids around. 

They played until it was dark. 

That was the first mistake they have made. 

The air shifted from cool to chilling. Since it was dark, there were a few lamp posts that provided light for the surroundings. The atmosphere felt strange. And Fruto was able to perceive the eerie transition.

He stopped swinging and Ponjie followed suit. 

“It doesn’t feel right.” Fruto looked around to make sure that there was no danger. But his instinct still felt that something was wrong. He slowly stood up. 

At the edge of the park was a forest. Fruto squinted his eyes but it was too dark to see anything. He looked behind.

The trees shook lightly and a cold harsh wind swept through. 

“Run!” Fruto bolted right after he yelled and Ponjie did not even ask him anything before he also went running like mad. They were going past the park and almost headed into the deep forest.

“Don’t go that way!” Ponjie shouted before he pulled Fruto and they turned to the right. “The forest isn’t good, let's just run round the block and exit the way we came!”

Fruto nodded.

When they reached the entrance of the park, they panted heavily. Ponjie leaned on his knees while Fruto sat on the ground.

“What…what was…that?” Ponjie asked. Fruto gulped before answering.

“I saw a large…thing. It blended in the shadows just behind us and it suddenly went straight to attack us. I felt a killing intent so I told you to run.”

“A large…what? Damn, and there were no people at all! Let’s head back to school, it’s dangerous.”

They were about to go when a rapid force hurled in their direction.

Fruto’s head snapped alert and shouted, “Duck, Ponjie!!!!”

Something slammed into the area between the two of them, and the force sent Fruto and Ponjie in separate directions. Fruto hit the flowerbeds while Ponjie crashed on a tree.

There was an outburst of pain in their body but they paid no attention. Fruto was able to regain balance while Ponjie broke an arm as he leaned on the tree. At the same time, the two young men raised their heads only to see a large ugly creature right in front of them!

“Holy cow! This thing is fucking ugly!” Ponjie cried in pain! He’s clutching his arm while trying to keep calm. It was a monster! A wolf-like monster who has sharp fangs and a drooling mouth! It stood on its all fours, it has no fur but a slimy skin instead, and its nails are as pointed as blades! The monster was even as tall as the trees!

It heard what Ponjie said so it turned its glowing red eyes on him and growled. Ponjie felt like this was the last time he'd get to see the world. He closed his eyes and chanted his goodbye.

“Idiot, don’t just stand there!” Fruto shouted in exasperation. Ponjie snapped awake and he avoided an attack by jumping on his left and running on Fruto’s side. It was so quick that his momentum was unstoppable and Fruto had to meet him halfway and pull him into safety.

The monster punched the tall tree and it made a loud groan before breaking in half. The noise echoed in the park and the birds on the tree screeched before flying away. 

The monster turned to face the boys before howling. The sound scared Fruto and Ponjie that they flinched and slowly backed away. 

For the first time in their lives, they thought about the logic of the world.

No one spoke as the two were guarding themselves against the monster. They were in a defensive stance with Ponjie hiding behind Fruto. He was really agitated and hurt that he let out a cough of blood. 

The monster disappeared in front of them and appeared again just near where they’re standing, thrusting its fist to crush Fruto and Ponjie into bits. 

At this moment, Fruto squinted his eyes and launched himself like lightning at the monster. He jumped lightly on the monster’s fist, using the force to jump once more. He raised his knees in the air, twisted his hips and delivered a powerful side kick in the monster’s eyes. 

It occurred so fast that the monster’s fist did not reach them before it roared in pain and stumbled a few steps away. It held its eyes while it continued roaring. Fruto somersaulted and landed on the ground on one knee. He did not waste time as he carried Ponjie on his back to run away. 

“Y–you’re so cool!” Ponjie said in amazement. “I wasn’t even looking at the monster, I was looking at you! I don’t feel scared at all now!”

Fruto rolled his eyes. “Then, should I leave you here?”

“No! Well, now I’m scared again! Can I pee on your back?”

“Do you want me to kill you?”

 Pojie looked back and saw that there was no trace of the monster behind. His eyes widened and he said, “Fruto!!!”

Fruto knew what he meant without asking, he hopped backwards, avoiding the areas where he predicted the monster would attack. True enough, on his left, the monster appeared with much more hatred and anger than earlier. The ground broke with its strength. And it stopped shortly to measure Fruto up. 

Fruto finally understood. He bent down to drop Ponjie lightly.

“Hey, what are you doing? Are you stupid? We can’t fight him!” With worry, Ponjie tried to stop Fruto. 

They were just happy earlier, and now they’re dying together. What bad luck!

“The monster won’t stop chasing us. I’ll buy some time while you call for reinforcements. Can I rely on you?” Fruto stared sincerely at Ponjie. He's deeply thinking that with his skills, he might be able to exhaust the barbaric creature. And Ponjie just needs to be safe. But it's a gamble.

“I won’t leave.” Ponjie announced. “I won’t leave you.”

They stared at each other when another punch came swinging in the air and they had to avoid the attack once more. This time, Ponjie surprisingly became more alert and serious. His instincts heightened and his heartbeat was rapid. He felt his senses become clear and a strong goal rose in his heart. He can never leave his friend behind. 

“I can help you fight. You know my punches are the strongest in the class, right?” 

Fruto was taken aback. He lowered his lids carefully and nodded. It is true. Ponjie may have a beginner’s skills in the arts of fighting, but he developed faster than normal. His punches were the strongest too. 

Fruto is willing to put all his trust in his friend. 

**********

Sir London fetched all the scraggly teenagers and brought them back to school safely. Without even counting heads, he knew that four of them were still missing. He had to locate them as soon as possible. People who were born with abilities attract dangers especially in an unprotected area. 

He scratched his head and felt that kids are trouble. 

He went back and forth through the roads circling around town when he got near the park. Sir London’s pupils contracted and he smelled the air. 

One mid-creature, probably a mutated wolf. And two students with powerful abilities.

He hit the gas and drove fast to the area. The smell of abilities, specifically the powerful ones, are like food to these monsters. They will soon gather in the area if the smell spreads. 

He started drawing powerful runes in the air and sealed the park. A gold light flashed and sweat came out of his forehead. He felt for his breast pocket and fished out a phone to dial the headmaster. 

Mid-ranked creatures are no joke. They can destroy half of the town if they band together. Luckily, he intervened in time. 

“I see.” That was all for the headmaster’s response after he reported the situation. Sir London still has to find the other two that did not return. 

When he drove past the playground, he recognized two students running to where he was headed too. He stepped on the brakes and opened the door. 

“Get in!” He shouted. 

Roy and Milan entered the school bus and expressed their thanks to Sir London.

“What the hell are you doing so late outside? You know how dangerous it will be if you stay in an unprotected area for long!”

“Huh?” Roy said. “Don’t accuse us, Sir London! We were originally returning to the academy when we smelled the air!”

“That’s right! The smell was so strong that we knew we had to assist the students trapped by a mid-ranked creature!”

“What do you know? Mid-ranked creatures aren’t easy to deal with!”

They hurried on the area with their hearts on their throats hoping that whoever students were in danger, would still be in complete pieces by the time they got there. 

 **********

“Didn’t I say to monitor them?” Headmaster Aloysius asked his butler.

The butler bowed his head and admitted, “The people we sent to monitor the children have died.”

“Was it a mid-ranked creature?”

The butler nodded. 

Aloysius slipped his coat off and uncuffed his sleeves. He rolled them up to his elbow while saying, “Settle the people who sacrificed their lives for the safety of this town. Compensate their family well. I will go there once I am done dealing with this.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Aloysius opened the window of his office and jumped in the air. He landed softly on the rooftop of the school’s building and observed the whole town. His hair was getting whipped gently and after a few seconds, he located the seal that London built. 

He bent slightly and his whole body teleported on the area.

The night sky twinkled, unbothered by the disturbance below.

**********

The monster was getting pissed. That was the first thing that Fruto noticed after the unsuccessful attempts it released on them. They were holding the fort quite strongly. It surprised Fruto. He was in charge of tricking the monster and Ponjie was the one to land strong attacks on it. 

There was something about this fight that affected their bodies. It felt light, and their senses were clear. Ponjie was getting stronger while Fruto was getting faster. They got used to the creature’s ugly shape even though it was the first time that they had encountered this situation!

If it wasn’t for the danger and risks, this can be called thrilling!

Fruto jumped behind and did a roundhouse kick to the nape of the monster. He made sure to hit the critical area so the monster would fall at least a few meters away from the ground. 

Ponjie saw this as an opportunity to strike again. He was getting near the monster when it suddenly moved and bit his arm! 

“Shit!” Fruto ran through the monster’s body and landed a kick on its teeth. The fangs were strong and corroded with acid. His feet immediately got scalded and the skin peeled away.

It hurts!

But Ponjie was much more in pain. His arm was totally damaged inside the monster’s mouth!

Ponjie was anxious to break free. He willed his broken arm to move and he put all his strength and faith in this one punch. The monster felt a strong force coming on his mouth but it was too late when Fruto kicked him again and Ponjie’s punch finally reached his jaw. 

An earth-shattering crack resounded on the place where it stood.

Another loud roar.

Ponjie took back his arms and staggered, almost fainting. He cursed under his breath and gulped many times. He was sweating a lot from pain and from hate after seeing that half of his arms turned into bones!

Fruto was also getting weaker. His left foot that had come into contact with the monster’s acidic saliva, was melted into bones too. He staggered slightly while walking toward Ponjie. His right eye was closed and swollen. It knocked on the monster’s spine earlier. 

“That…that was a good fight.” He managed to say in gritted teeth.

Their strength was getting sapped away from them. As if they have already used what was inside their body. 

Despite the pain, Ponjie laughed and leaned on his friend. They both fell on the ground while listening to the monster crying in pain.

Ponjie felt his tears coming.

“Fuck, that was a monster we fought! And he’s fucking crying!” He exclaimed. He looked at Fruto and saw his friend’s side profile and swollen eyes. His heart was filled with gratitude. If he’s going to die, at least he has someone beside him. His friend, who had all the chances to run away, did not leave a useless person like him.

Fruto felt the same way. But he couldn’t say it out loud. He just agreed with Ponjie and smiled. “That monster is a fucking loser.”

They felt as if their consciousness was fading away. For the last time, they looked at the monster whose body got dented in so many places. Its teeth were broken too and one of its eye sockets was now empty. 

Fruto and Ponjie giggled.

“Serves you right, ugly monster.” Ponjie whispered and added, “You were amazing, Fruto.”

“I couldn’t have done it without you, Ponjie.”

They grinned at each other and made a fist bump before slipping away from the rest of the world.

Right after they closed their eyes, Headmaster Aloysius came and saw the scene. A few seconds later, the school bus stopped. Sir London, Roy and Milan got off in a quick manner and were able to see the headmaster, the monster who was mangled—kneeling in pain and did not even pay attention to them, and the students who lay broken on the ground, and the wrecked park. 

“Headmaster!” the students greeted. 

Aloysius looked at them and nodded. Sir London immediately sealed the monster. They are not allowed to kill unless the headmaster says so. 

“Thank you for rescuing them, Headmaster. The two boys looked pitiful. They must have been shocked.”

The headmaster shook his head with Sir London’s words. 

“I did not rescue them.”

Roy and Milan, who were getting the first aid kit from the bus, stopped on their tracks.

“I just came before you.” The headmaster clarified, “The ones who beat the monster up were the two students here.”

The ones who heard his words could not believe it.

The monster’s jaw was destroyed and acidic blood oozed out from it. One eye was kicked on the back of its skull and some of its bones on the upper body got ripped. 

And it was all due to the two students who looked as if they had returned to the deep Earth!