Inazuma Eleven Highschool - James vs Orion

Chapter 16 - Camping Trip

"You two are off your game." Thierry said, "don't you understand why we're here?"

"We're here to finish a job." Jayden shot.

"The perpetrator is literally in the class!" Thierry retorted with frustration, "our priority should be to go on that trip! I know that we don't know you that well Jayden but to finish the job we have to go on the trip and put whatever's happened in the past behind us."

"If you really want to waste time on that frivolous trip then sure let's do it." Jayden snapped as he sped off, leaving the others as he turned the upcoming corner.

"Jayden!" Tessa called.

"Let him be." James said as he put his hand on her shoulder and gave a forced smile.

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"Welcome back." Tessa's parents smiled, "did you all enjoy your first day?"

"Yeah...."

"Where's Jayden?"

"He decided to take a detour." Tessa answered.

"Ah, so are you any closer to figuring out this murderer person?"

"Not really. And there's a trip that everyone's going to and we think it would be beneficial to go. Mr Trig said you've been sent an email about it."

"That's fine, we'll look at the email and complete all the required."

Jayden continued to go on his own way, he knew the path like the back of his hand, he didn't know why he had decided to go where he was going, maybe to clear his thoughts and feelings, he needed to embrace his past and to visit the places that built him, but as he drew near the familiar street that he once called home, he wasn't able to summon the courage required and turned back to return to Tessa's house.

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"Attention everyone! Let me go through the register to check that everyone is here." Mr Trig shouted as he stood in front of the coach, he accomplished the register without any difficulty and continued, "please board the bus in an orderly manner. Remember, you will be moved if you misbehave."

There was a scrummage to get to the backseats of the bus, but luckily, James, Jayden, Tessa, Alex and Thierry managed to secure the two pairs of seats at the back. Tessa and Thierry were on one side while James, Jayden and Alex were on the other side.

"Alex do you have to sit here? There are only two seats and now we're squashed..." James said.

"It's fine stop complaining." Alex said as Jayden rolled his eyes.

Maybe I can get a good rest, James thought as he slumped down on his chair and lowered his head.

Have time to talk?

Sure. We do have unfinished business.

I thought you had forgotten.

Me forget? That's a new one.

Anyway, what was it that you wanted to talk about?

Are you my brother? If you had a power that allowed for me to talk to you inside my head... it's the only explanation I can think of, since you said you weren't a part of my own conscious. You just naming yourself Archaf because of my Moroccan blood makes me think you might be.

It's true, I am your brother.

I knew it! When can I get to meet you?

No. You won't be able to meet me.

Because?

I'm dead.

What do you mean? Then how am I talking with you?

As you know, Irina took me straight at birth and I was kept away secretly and trained by her, and then when she became the head of Orion I was quickly instilled as one of the agents, but I eventually figured out that  what Irina wanted was wrong so I tried to think of a way to expose her but it seems she knew of my intentions and I was ambushed by Allan and Adrian, just before I died, I joined onto their conscious and then you sat next to Adrian in a bus during the FFI and then I joined onto your consciousness so I was able to take over your body during the match against Russia.

So joining onto people's conscious is your power?

Yeah, if there's contact with me and someone else, then I can join onto their conscious, but the only problem is that then my body becomes a doll basically.

How did Adrian not notice you?

You didn't notice I was part of your conscious until I spoke, so I just didn't speak.

I see, at least you're safe with me now. Anyway, I'm going to sleep.

Goodnight.

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Once James awoke again his heart began racing when he saw who was now next to him....

"Finally awake after your little nap?" Luke sneered.

"Wh-where's Jayden?" James panicked as he suddenly stood up, "and the others?"

"Calm down. Your friends are still here." He said.

"How come they moved then?" James asked.

"Talking to me today are you?" Luke said, "we made a stop while you were napping and some people didn't get back onto the bus quick enough."

"Oh."

"Now that you're awake and talking, why don't we have a friendly chat?"

"........"

"You think you're entitled to be the best don't you." James heard him grumble as he started to lose consciousness.

That's why he hates me? What an idiot.

You should at least try to clear up the misconception right?

No.

"Wake up." Luke said as he shook James violently, "we've arrived."

"How long was the journey?" James mumbled rhetorically, seeing that it was already dark outside.

They all unloaded their things from the bus and started what would be a short walk that would have them deeper in the forest. Mr Trig claimed that he camps here every weekend, but Luke was leading the class at the front while Mr Trig was fumbling with his map and struggling to read it properly.

The class continued down a dirt path that was littered with twigs, logs to walk over and the occasional rabbit or fox that intrigued the class but only got Mr Trig to try and get the class to walk faster.

After a few minutes they arrived at their camp spot and since it was edging towards the latter stages of the day, it was getting colder so Mr Trig decided to get started on the tents. 

He said he didn't need help but nobody believed him after seeing him struggle to read a map properly, so he reluctantly accepted the help of some of his students to help him. 

"Right then. While we set up the tents, Luke, James and Jayden, can you three go and collect firewood?"

Though he framed it as a question, James and Jayden felt compelled to go with Luke to collect firewood, something they both didn't want to do as their bodies felt sluggish and in dire need of rest despite sleeping almost all the way to the site.

"You two just follow my lead." He said smugly, "I am the one who got us here after all."

James and Jayden rolled their eyes and internally sighed as they prepared for the traversal for firewood which would surely be one of the worst experiences of the day.

References

[1] - Mr Trig is the same teacher from Ares/Orion fanfic, if you read it, he decided to stay in the UK in the OG timeline.