Aaron walked out of the dojo. 'Well I guess it's normal that I had lost all my fights, I can't concentrate.' he walked up to his car groaning all the while, he was pretty beaten up.
Just his luck that today was the sparring sessions.
He approached the car whilst in pain.
"I guess Michelle is still taking up most of your concentration huh?" Adam said as a statement. Aaron looked back to see Adam appear with an unknown woman, she had silver hair and brown eyes and was just a little shorter than he was, she had an intimidating presence.
Aaron nodded slowly. "It's just going to take time to get over the whole…thing," Aaron said. His curiosity overwhelming him. "Who is she?" Asked Aaron as he looked at the new woman. "She a friend of yours?" Asked Aaron.
"You could say that." Said Adam as he looked at Aaron. "Well, I called her to help you."
"Help?" Questioned Aaron, he was thoroughly confused.
Adam nodded as he looked at Aaron. "She will make you a little stronger and more durable just in case you are attacked and none of us are around, if something throws you against a wall you won't become wall art." Said Adam.
Aaron nodded slowly. "Okay…then maybe-" He started but was cut off.
"Don't get any funny ideas, you can't even take on a Low-tier Class-10 creature with the boost she will give you, it will just increase your chances of survival, a little, think of yourself as a High-tier Class-11 creature" Said Adam almost reading his mind.
Aaron's face fell at the comment. "Cheer up, at least you will have a better chance at survival." Countered Adam.
"Ya…whatever." Said Aaron with even less enthusiasm. "Hi, my name is Aaron Black." Aaron introduced himself.
"My name is Layya." She responded. Once pleasantries were exchanged they got in the car and drove back.
Aaron and Adam arrived back at his house a couple of minutes later with their guest.
Jasmine was the first one out to greet their returning friends. "Guys! You're back!" Said Jasmine as she saw Aaron's face. "Someone got a beating."
Aaron looked at her and groaned as he smiled. "Yep… I went up against a really good fighter, and… man did I get a beating." Aaron said.
Jasmine stared at Aaron for a few seconds. "Layya!" Her attention shifted. "It's been a while" As she hugged her and ignored Aaron which he happily accepted as he walked into the house.
Aaron, Adam, Jasmine, and the stranger entered the house.
Aaron was greeted by Dean with a grin. "Told you the house would be fine." Aaron chuckled but didn't answer.
"Layya, how have you been?" Asked Dean.
Layya smiled back and answered. "I've been good, Adam reached out to me a day ago and came and got me, he said he needed me to do something and explained on the way back." She explained, Dean nodded.
"So what are you guys doing now?" Asked Aaron as they entered the lounge to find everyone there, Brianne was talking to Michelle and the conversation seemed serious but it stopped as soon as they saw everyone. "Hey, guys." Greeted both Michelle and Brianne at the same time.
Brianne looked at Aaron as she went over his face. "Ouch, you must have had a serious beat down today, there is a lot of blood flowing just below your skin on your face." Said Brianne as she smiled, Aaron only looked sheepish as he avoided the comment with silence.
Brianne and Michelle's eyes lit up when they saw the Layya. Brianne stood up and walked towards her and hugged her. "You look good." Said Brianne as Michelle nodded.
Layya smiled. "Yes, everything is fine now." Said Layya as she turned Adam. "You said they would be surprised but this is a warm welcome."
Adam only smiled as he sat down. "Well, I told you didn't I? You're like family." Said Adam as Dean smiled.
Jasmine walked in from behind. "What are you supposed to do exactly?" Asked Jasmine as she sat down and everyone followed suit.
"I am supposed to make him a little more durable and stronger so he can survive a bit longer in case of emergencies." Said Layya, Aaron just kept quiet, honestly, he was starting to feel a little like a piece of meat that everyone was trying to eat.
Layya looked at him. "I must tell you the process is extremely painful." Said Layya. Aaron just sighed. "Yeah no problem, but can you guys excuse me for a short while I need to get some fresh air." As he walked out of the room and towards his balcony.
'Just when I thought things could get slightly better. This is all so overwhelming, maybe I am just not cut out for this? Like I was ever cut out for this…' Thought Aaron as the wind blew by him.
He saw the sunset in the distance and decided to get lost in his thoughts, he was brought out of his thoughts when he heard a voice. "Are you alright?" Asked the voice, Aaron turned surprised. "Michelle…" Said Aaron surprised as he looked at her with a silent yearning in his eyes. "I-I'm fine, just needed to clear my head." Said Aaron as he turned back to his balcony view, Michelle walked up next to him and stared at the sunset as well.
"So, I'm guessing you wish that everything was as simple as you once thought it was." Said Michelle as she turned to look at him.
Aaron looked back at her. "Well, really my whole being desperately wishes for it to return to normal…" Said Aaron as he looked at her, quickly realizing he was staring, he turned his gaze back to the sunset.
Aaron thought back to the conversation he had with his mother, the main thought on his mind was. 'Should he tell her how he feels?' or 'Should he keep his mouth shut and let the moment pass.'
Michelle saw his internal struggle and frowned slightly an air of curiosity orbiting her as she stared at him, she grabbed his hand gently but he pulled his hand away before she could fully grasp it.
Aaron felt so torn, he didn't know what to do. "Sorry…I guess I'm still jumpy from the fact that you are a Dragon" Said Aaron. 'Liar!' He thought, but what else was he supposed to say?
She flinched at the comment. "I understand…I guess I'll see you back inside…" She lowered her hand and turned to walk away.
She only got a couple of steps until he grabbed her wrist, she looked back at him a little confused and surprised.
Aaron looked at her.
'Are his hands shaking?' Michelle stared at his hand.
"You know, my mother told me something…yesterday before she left with my dad, she said that I will never know until I try." Her eyebrows scrunched together, almost as if she was trying to figure out what he was saying.
'Is he that afraid of me?'
He swallowed the lump in his throat before he continued. "Listen Michelle…" Said Aaron but saw Adam in the back shaking his head slowly, silently telling him not to, Aaron glanced at Adam and continued. "For a long time now, I have felt a certain way about you…." Michelle looked at him.
"What do you mean?" Asked Michelle, her hand shaking ever so slightly. She calmly looked him in the eyes.
"It means that I really like you, Michelle, and…more than a friend…and I can't keep it a secret any longer, even with everything that came to light, I feel like if there will ever be a time…it won't be any other time but…right now, right here…with you, I need to know how you feel about me? I love you." Said Aaron as he stared right into her eyes, the sunset sky shining ever so lightly with the red-orange hue. He was unconsciously taking short breaths.
Her face was unreadable, in fact, the only expression Aaron could discern was confusion.
"But, I'm not even human...just now…you said you were still jumpy…"
"That was a lie…I could care less if you are a Dragon, I fell in love with…you…"
"..."
"..."
"Aaron…I'm sorry but I don't feel the same way. I do care about you but I can't reciprocate your feelings." She turned. "You are human and I can't be with a human, your lifespan is too short, besides I'm getting married." Her words were as cold as ice. Her icy gaze freezing Aaron to the core.
His chest painfully constricted, he felt a cold empty feeling grab a hold of his heart, his eyes were close to releasing the massive amount of pressure hidden behind them.
Michelle took her leave as soon as she finished what she said. "I'm sorry." As she vanished into the house. Walking past Adam.
Michelle walked past but didn't even bother to look his way. Adam watched her retreating form and looked to Aaron once she left. He could see Aaron was in pain, the pain of rejection.
"Come on…I know what you need, it's not what most people would think would work but it does." Said Adam as Aaron looked to him with a very weak stare, one that wasn't in the mood, but it was filled with sadness.
"Please don't tell me it's hanging out with other girls…because…that's not going to work." Said Aaron dryly.
Adam smiled sadly. "No it's not, it's the body ritual that Layya will put you through, it will ease your mind with mind-numbing pain, with heartbreak as bad as yours it will let you concentrate on something else, less you want to feel like you're dying." Said Adam as Aaron thought it over. "Let's go." He said. "I need to…I need something to distract me." Adam stared at his friend in pity.
"When do we begin this ritual?" Asked Aaron. 'At this point, I might as well just try to get…stronger.' The last thought was weak.
Adam offered a small smile. "Any time you want it to start." He waited for Aaron's answer he couldn't help but also feel somewhat relieved at the fact that Michelle didn't have the same feelings for Aaron that he had for her.
"Yeah let's do it now," Said Aaron as he waited for Adam to lead the way, which he did.
They entered the house and Aaron followed Adam they saw Layya talking to Dean.
"Layya, he says he wants to do it now, you know, get it over and done with." Said Adam as she looked to Aaron and nodded before speaking. "Are you dead sure you want to do it now?" Asked Layya. "Don't you want anytime to mentally prepare yourself? This pain isn't something that you will be able to shrug off." Warned Layya.
Aaron nodded absentmindedly. It would be a good time to unload his tears. "Yes…so where do we do this?" Asked Aaron. The group could hear something was wrong.
Layya nodded and looked to everyone else including Michelle and Brianne as they entered the lounge. "All of you please take a step back." She showed Aaron where to sit, which he did, and waited as she sat in front of him and spoke again.
"I am going to explain how this will work" As she got comfortable. "You will start feeling absolutely nothing and the pain will start rising until you will feel like every fiber of your body is broken, there is a high possibility that you will pass out from the pain, and that is when the ritual fails, you cannot lose consciousness."
"There is a trick, think of something that hurt you, whether a family member passed or a life-changing moment happened, if it affects you emotionally it can help you, it will help you stay awake, if you fall unconscious you will be like that for a while." Said Layya.
As prepared, she took out a couple of things, a vial filled with orange liquid and blue powder in a canister, Aaron nodded. "Ok, you will need to drink this and inhale this." As she motioned towards the orange vial and blue canister, she handed him the tube which he drank.
"Tastes like oranges," Said Aaron as he gave the tube back to her.
"If only he knew," Said Adam with a grin as he looked to Jasmine who looked sick at the sight of Aaron swallowing it, Dean's face was red as he contained his laughter.
"I will blow this and you need to inhale it." Said Layya as she took a hand full of powder and blew it as Aaron inhaled but coughed afterward. "That stuff is nasty." Said Aaron.
"Actually, this is pixie dust." Said Layya as she motioned to the powder. "The tube of liquid you so easily swallowed is Devil urine." Said Layya as Aaron's face lost color and Dean burst out laughing.
"Sorry bro, I couldn't keep it in any longer." Said Dean as he wiped away a tear.
Aaron gagged but this was just a one-time thing and he will never have to do it again…hopefully. "Ok…that's gross but what's next?" Asked Aaron as Layya's eyes changed to a bright blue. She started the ritual and black wings appeared on her back. "Nature Magic Art; Lessor Body Enhancing." Started Layya.
Aaron sat still in no pain at all, he was covered in a very transparent aura that was white until an annoying pain started in his hand. "How long is it anyway?" Asked Aaron. "One hour, but don't worry the worst is the last ten minutes before it ends," Said Layya as Aaron nodded.
Everyone sat and watched the whole ordeal, Aaron became very uncomfortable thirty minutes into the ritual. "Man the pain is getting a bit much now, it's more like an annoyance than anything else but man it's like an itch I can't scratch." Said Aaron as he continued waiting, nineteen minutes passed and Layya looked Aaron straight in the eye.
"Brace yourself the pain is about to take a serious notch up." Said Layya as Aaron braced himself, honestly, he was starting to panic.
Michelle watched as the light aura changed to a deep golden color. She was startled by the sudden piercing scream.
Aaron was struggling to move even an inch of his body. "This…i-is…s-so…ARGH!!" Yelled Aaron as he started to sweat a lot and the pain became even worse if that was possible, Aaron's eyes started to burn again but this time because it felt like he was being torn apart, he was on the verge of passing out until Layya yelled over his screaming. "FOCUS! REMEMBER WHAT I SAID, KEEP YOUR MIND AWAKE!" Yelled Layya.
Michelle was watching the scene with a stoic expression. 'Hang in there Aaron…' She thought Aaron glanced at her and his eyes started to water slightly, did he just think of her?
Aaron sat still as the pain ravaged his body, the only thing he felt right now was extreme pain, he felt utterly broken as he started to see dots. 'I can't stay…awake' Thought Aaron.
'Why…why am I going through all this?' He wondered. 'First I nearly get killed, then I find out there is a massive world just behind the curtain of my life, and, and all my friends are in it, then the girl I love breaks me with no remorse…maybe I am being childish or am I just losing my mind?' Thought Aaron as his tears started to flow, he was changing, for the better or the worst? He didn't care, he didn't care about anything right now, he was numb, and all he knew was that he is weak and fragile in a world full of super-powered beings and he couldn't do a single thing.
He. Was. Useless. And he knew it.
Aaron gave out another scream but it wasn't one of pain, it was one of anger, he couldn't handle it anymore, his heart was turned to stone, his soul to dust, what was left of his body was a feeling of broken bones, Aaron's anger-filled scream became louder until the ground started to vibrate lightly.
Layya's eyes narrowed as he made eye contact with her, the look in his eyes was almost evil. 'No human has ever caused the ground to vibrate.' it was a first experience for her.
Adam smiled sadly, if he knew one thing, Aaron had some ironclad willpower, if he was determined to do something, nothing would stop him until it destroyed that part of him.
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