"Big bro…What do you think of the new kid?"
Luna asked as she leaned forward on the railings of the school's roof, fondling taking out a cigar from the pack and lighting it.
"Be more specific." Kairo replied, he was next to her but he had his back leaned on the railings instead.
The scientist took a drag from the cigar and exhaled. "I mean…Do you think he has potential? You know since he's a Deviant and all."
Kairo stayed quiet for a moment looking up at the night sky. "Depends…"
"On what exactly?" Luna looked at him, raising a brow.
"On how much he's willing to adapt." the Werewolf crossed his arms. "If he's going to survive in this sh*tty war, he needs to know how to adapt...
"Not only him, all of them need to…Human nature—Adaptation is the key to survival, without it, he'll just end up behind others."
Luna sighed, a puff of smoke followed. "You are one complex person. I can't tell if you're trying to help the boy or not.
"But, I think you're right, he needs to get used to his new world."
The braided man turned his gaze at the other. "So what are the reports on his Deviancy."
The woman gave the cigar a longer draw, exhausting it before she flicked it away. "Yep, It's a downer too."
"What is it?"
"Well, for starters he's ability might come a little late, which isn't all that bad seeing that he hasn't known about his heritage for a while.
"Secondly, he will be able to partially change some parts of his body with practice but the simulation showed that it would be near impossible for a full body morph."
"So he can't fully transform?"
"Bingo." Luna took yet another stick and lighting it handing the pack to the Werewolf.
"A Werewolf that's unable to fully transform…Now that's the absurd thing I've ever heard…even for a Deviant." Kairo said as he pushed away Luna's 'gift' with a finger.
Mythics had various categories in which the grouped themselves one of these where the Transformational Mythics.
These Mythics had the ability to transform their entire body, Full Morph, or a part of it, Partial Morph, into their original form. Werewolves were one of these examples.
"Yep, that's what the simulation says." Luna shrugged as she pocketed the pack inside her coat.
"I see…Well then," Kairo pushed off the railings and walked towards the exit door. "I'm heading out now…and also quit smoking already, it's bad for your health."
Luna beamed, the lit cigar dangling in her mouth. "Aww, you do really care about me, Big bro!"
Kairo rolled his eyes, "As if. Later you gremlin." He added flatly.
The door shut before Luna could speak, leaving her on the roof alone.
She smiled to herself. "Riven…you really got a nice teacher…but you've gotta get stronger yourself too."
_____
Lucian looked down at the boy beneath him with a disdainful expression.
"Man, I thought you were strong but you're just weak sh*t!" He shouted as he drove his foot into the young Werewolf's side. "All that talk and no real strength behind it."
Riven clutched his side, doubling over, he glared at the Vampire. "B-Bastard!"
Lucian gave a bored sigh, crouching down to Riven's level. "Tsk, I just wasted my precious energy on you…I should get back to marking flags, beats fighting sh*t like you."
The spiky haired teenager got up and turned walking away from the beaten Riven.
"Get back here. NOW. I'm gonna make you eat those words!" Riven hissed, his teeth slick with blood.
Lucian just nonchalantly gestured a hand without turning back.
No—No! It's happening all over again! I can't do anything!
The image of the Hunter of that night flashed briefly as Riven saw Lucian's retreating figure.
Pathetic…Am I really that pathetic? I couldn't do anything then…and now!
He's right…I am just a coward. All this time I've just been hiding under a veil I call perfection because I was scared…
The teenager's fists dug into the earth as his eyes began to well up.
I was scared of everything…of everything changing. I didn't want things to change but I was stupid to think that.
It was then that Riven remember a certain moment in the past.
***
"Mom, I'm home." A younger Riven said as he shut the door behind him.
"Welcome home, How was…Oh my God!"
Alice gasped as she saw her son in bruises and scratches, his hair and clothes were all ruffled and messed up with a few leaves on them, along with a black eye.
Her motherly instincts kicked in at once, she rushed over, grabbing some band-aid and bandages from the kitchen drawer.
She sat him on their couch and patched up the small scratches on his face and put an ice pack over his eye, before she asked what any other mother would do when they saw their child in this state: "What happened?"
"I got in a fight." The boy muttered under his breath
Alice immediately shot her son a look. "Why?"
The younger Riven flinched. "W-Well, I-It was—err—t-they…"
The middle-aged raised her brow even higher. "They what?"
"Made fun of my hair…They said I was a freak." The middle-schooler admitted dropping his head.
Alice looked at her son for a moment before she gave a small sigh. "Riven…Do you think you're a freak?"
He shook his head.
"Good. Do you know why you're born like this?"
"No…" Riven said looking into his mother's eyes.
"Well, it's simple…"Alice said giving a sweet smile "You're very special…"
"I…am?" the thirteen-year-old slowly lifted the ice pack off his eye.
The woman nodded her smile growing bigger. "You bet. That's why you can never let them get to you." she touched a finger at her child's chest.
"Instead use their resentment as fuel to get stronger than them so you can prove it to them that you're not a freak but special…you can do it…I believe in you."
Riven's eyes brightened as the last words came up. "You…believe in me?"
"Of course I do…I am your mother after all, and even I weren't I still would."
"Mom…I—"
"I'M HUNGRY!" Another voice yelled from the hallway ruining the moment.
Duke popped out the corner with the poutiest expression on his face. He had his arms crossed and was tapping his feet impatiently.
"You promised you'd make me a snack when we got home…So where is it?" The boy stopped when he saw his brother's state. "What the heck happened to you?"
"I tripped on my feet and fell into a bush." The older boy lied, shrugging casually
The lie would have never have fooled anyone he told. Fortunately, kids the age of little brother were pretty gullible and easily fooled as well.
"Really, you must be biggest clutz in the universe." The younger boy, taunted.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!"
The black haired woman gave a long sigh. "Okay. Okay, enough you two. I'll whip you a snack alright Duke, just be patient."
"But I've been hella patient already." Duke sighed and slumped his shoulders giving his mother puppy-dog eyes.
Alice rolled her eyes at her son antics to get her attention, but in the end, she decided to just go along with it.
As they went into the kitchen, Riven looked down at his other hand, remembering his mother's last words.
He clenched his fist.
I can do it…I'll become stronger to prove it to everyone…And to protect you and Duke…I swear it.
***
At that moment, the Werewolf snapped back into the present.
Slowly he turned his head towards the Vampire who was almost out of sight.
"I'm done…" he rasped
The Vampire had fortunately been able to her these words, as he glanced over his shoulder.
He was a bit surprised that the bi-colored haired boy had retained consciousness after the beaten he had gone through but he was still annoyed by the fact as well
"You just don't stay down, do you? Do you expect me to tell you sit or something?" Lucian turned fully at the other. "Or do you prefer I beat the sense into that thick skull of—"
Before he knew it, there was a loud boom followed by the sound of something cutting through the air.
He had managed to tilt his head slightly to avoid it, only to feel a sharp gash on his check followed by the warm feeling of something trickling down.
"I'm done with all of it…with being perfect—no, I'm done with pretending to be prefect"
Riven stood up from behind Lucian, turning at the stunned teenager.
He narrowed his amber eyes at Lucian and pointed a clawed finger at him.
"Right here, right now. I'M GOING TO MOP THE FLOOR WITH YOUR SH*TTY ASS!"