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2.a bitter child

Opal's focus quickly perished as he started gazing at the outside world through the window. Time seemed to slow down at school, and hours took a lot to end, but lunchtime was enjoyable, as people got to reunite with their friends.

"Xancore, this is the year, right?

-yes, Opal, this is the year when the remaining three of the five holders of the Akroborka tribe get to know their true identities. The holders of Hyner, Yinx and Zelta. As for Sothpheria and Xancora, their holders have already figured out who they are. You hold me, and another person holds Sothpheria

-still don't want to tell me who they are?

-the holder of Sothpheria's identity shall remain hidden until they decide to reveal it, when I get a message from Sothpheria telling me that they are ready, I will tell you who they are.

-what about the others?

-it is not fair for you to get to know their true identities before themselves. They need to know first, and I'll tell you a short while after.

-I understand. Well, excited to see how this gets slowly revealed"

"Opal, opal..." Opal didn't notice his friends calling out his name as he was busy telepathically talking to his spirit. He snapped back into reality and apologized, then invited her to sit next to him.

In the corner of the dining hall, sat Jin alone, it was the first day of her last year of school but she already looked done.

Jin has always favored isolation, she never liked talking to people, not even her own family, the only entity she talks to is Sothpheria, her spirit. She could still remember the day she met her: unlike normal kids, Jin did not gain consciousness at five years old, she had it since the second she was born, she has always been aware of her surroundings, and unlike the other holders, her spirit didn't reveal itself at sixteen, it revealed itself since she has been in the womb, even before that.

"Sothpheria

-yes, dear.

-you may reveal my identity to Xancore, it is time I get to meet this kid.

-very well, dear."

The school day finally ended, and Opal can go back home to igby

"I'm very excited for this year, Igby, I'm going to start feeling less alone, I will be meeting people with magic, just like myself

-it's about time, igby said while chuckling, you'll have someone else to annoy besides me.

-igby? Stop. I don't annoy you.

-sure, whatever makes you sleep better at night.

-shut up. Tell me, will we be training tonight?

-I don't see a point, it's your first day of school, go over your schedule, think of tomorrow's outfit, post a story, do the cliché teenage things.

-you know I've never been into that. I'd rather stay in bed work on a little project

-a project? Like a school project?

-well, no. You know all of the songs I've sang to you throughout the years? I was thinking of crafting ten songs very carefully, make them into an album, perform it at the school's stadium one day, I have a lot I want to say.

-what will the songs talk about? Your songs usually have meaning, if you're going to make one that caters to your school you need to make sure it isn't controversial

-hah, like I care. I will be voicing my mind, I will not cave into any peer pressure this society wants to put on me.

-as you wish, but be careful, remember you don't live in the US, you live in Du, homosexuality is still illegal here, religion still embodies the minds of the people, you can't simply write any song and perform it and expect yourself not to be in danger, knowing what you typically write, it doesn't fly by easily.

-watch me."

The next day during PE class, the teacher asked the two most athletic kids to pick their teammates one by one. The leader of the teams were Bo and Flynn, as always Opal got picked last, and he was on Flynn's team. It's not that Opal isn't athletic, he's been active in multiple sports for most of his life, but he has bad memories with PE class, so he made the decision a long time ago to never put any effort into it again, the aggressive competitiveness that thickens the air makes him sick, people's moods get affected so much by some imaginary score of an ultimately meaningless game, they get worked up over nothing, he never understood why.

And of course, Opal's lack of will to participate made his team lose, which in return turned Flynn mad, and he let Opal have it at the locker room

"You ever look at someone and just want to beat them up until their blood paints the walls? That's how I'm feeling right now looking at you

-there isn't one thing you could say to me I haven't said to myself already. Save your energy, I've been bullied enough, nothing works anymore.

-well maybe this will work" Said Flynn as he grabbed Opal by the collar

"I don't think you'd be immune to punches as much as you're immune to words?

-how mature, hitting me over a basketball game, which will make me magically better at the game, and change our loss to a win miraculously. If that's what's going to happen if you hit me, then by all means, please do"

Flynn slammed him to the wall out of frustration then released him, Opal adjusted his clothes and left. Flynn went back home, he realized what Opal said was true,

As soon as he entered he heard a lot of commotion, his mom and dad were fighting again, they've been going at it for months and it has drained him and made him go insane, he immediately left home to head to the gym, where he can empty out his build-up of anger, and enjoy a brief moment of peace and quiet.

...

"What is it, Opal?

-it's Flynn, igby

-your bully? What did he do to you today?

-he's not a bully, he's a projector. When he looked me in the eyes while threatening to punch me today I could see so much misery in his eyes, he's bearing a lot of weight on his shoulders, but he does not speak of it. I wish I could help him in any way I could

-you don't hate him after all that he's done to you over the years?

-I never look at people's acts, Igby, I look at their intentions, I know a malicious soul when I see one, his is pure, it's just littered, I don't know by who exactly, but I smell his parents in the story. I think I know what the first track of my album will be talking about."

...

Later that night, Flynn couldn't sleep, he tossed around in his bed for hours to no luck, so he decided to go on a late night walk, it was very risky given the place he lives in but he couldn't think of something bad happening to him that hasn't already happened.

He reached the pond of the city, the same pond that Opal sang to igby in years ago, and he sat there, coincidentally in the same exact place Opal sat in. The calm pond water started getting disturbed, Flynn took note of the disturbance and got up a bit frazzled, his chest started glowing, he tried to scream but he lost his voice, and he tried to run but he lost his mobility, all he could do is sit there in silence and look. Out of his chest came out Zelta.