High School Revolution

Chapter 35: Save Eliza! The Thunder Storm Group Project Looms!

Ken finally noticed a sign before Strider could and drifted into another lane.

"Seriously, how is she leaving these trails?"

"Easy. She had her purse bag on her before she was attacked, right?"

Ken had to think about it, eventually realizing she did. "So she probably managed to break her restraints a bit. Princess is almost as smart as she sounds."

"Like a college english professor?"

"Eh, I was going to say those sniffling old farts in business that act like they know everything even though anyone with a brain can tell they're delusional."

That was, oddly specific, Strider thought, but got what he meant. He texted Kevin, who told him to hold on. Someone was coming to help them in a few minutes. Strider wasn't sure who, since he had absolutely no idea how Krystal and Tori could get there that fast, having no idea whether a car was fast enough to keep up with a motorcycle. Then, their help flew right in front of him.

"Raven!" The robotic bird landed on top of his head. "I didn't even notice when you left," grabbing and snuggling him. "Guess you went off to enjoy the rest of the festival," with Raven's cheering beeping all but confirming them.

"So Kevin sent you. Great," getting serious. "We're up against someone with guns, and I'mma need your help. When the time is right, can you do that energy absorbing move like before?"

Raven nodded to his relief. "We're set then."

Ken briefly looked back with a face that asked why on earth he was talking to a robotic bird. "I thought that was a computer servant. It's alive?"

"Of course she, wait, they are. Might be artificial, but they're still sentient."

"And you understand them?"

Strider petted his ally. "Raven wants to do their best to help people. They wouldn't have come here if they didn't want to. And I feel the same way."

"Like they'll be able to."

He caressed Raven, who stretched their wings. "They're tired. We can't do everything on our own, but we can contribute something. I can relate."

"Really?"

"Yeah, the only way I was able to beat Kevin was because of th- ," and he stopped himself from giving out any more information just to be safe. "Because of um, Krystal's help."

Ken gave him a suspicious look but dismissed it. At the same time, Raven waved to Strider.

"Rest on my head for now. I had a lot of fun today, wish you were around to see it."

Raven climbed up to his head, and Strider drifted into his dream world. There, he saw his stress spirits, both the dragon and the raven flying around the black hurricane he'd used as a shield against the cruelty of the world. But this time, the hurricane was wider, revealing a suburban-urban hybrid of people: kids playing beyblade together, another kid being helped up and invited by others to play soccer, a girl saving a group of kids from bullying and training them in martial arts. Raven appeared behind him, and Strider saw him take in both the stress spirits, fusing them both into a black and pink raven-dragon hybrid.

The creature blew Strider up in the air and flew under him, allowing him to ride them until they reached a circle containing a massive heart shaped object, and several fractured black and pink pieces on the floor The shape itself was barely filled up, with only a few pieces adding up from the body. Strider looked up to see Raven pointing at three large heart shapes.

"You want me to? But," hesitant, "I'm not sure I'm ready."

Raven just gave him a thumbs up, grabbed one of the pieces, and rested it on his hands. It was heavy as all hell and Strider could barely hold on as he tried walking forward. Then he felt a surge of wind blow him towards the cracked heart. With all his might, he ultimately placed it above one of the pieces he managed to fit in.