Puppet Under Strings (unOrdinary)

Episode 9

Looking back, he was really suffering. He kept on shouting and yelling. Calling me another name. His mental state was awful. Yet I turned my back on him that quickly and focused just on my personal things. 

But I still wanted to know some things at least. So I asked Isen to hook me up with the Claire John called me. Long story short, she helped John acquire his ability with her own by seeing into the future. He and his two friends helped him climb the ranks and defeat multiple people who fought him. But slowly, he became more aggressive which turned Claire to rally people behind him to knock some sense back into him. However, they were all beaten and she was the last one standing. John's view as himself as a monster was Claire's final exclamation before being punched by her former friend. After that, his friend called the authorities and had him expelled to readjustment classes.

After the Royals were defeated, Remi started a Safe House where students could chill and hang out without fearing for their lives. But instead, John stated it wouldn't work and used Zeke and his lackeys to scare the students away from our business.

I still wanted to learn more about John's past and looked up the authorities for this Keon guy. John was really scared by him a long while back after being called to an office meeting by the headmaster. His ability was Memory Recall.

I decided to share the information I got with the others, namely our current Royals chat crew. They were pretty surprised with the information I got from Claire. It reminded Remi, Blyke, and Isen of that one time when they were accused of setting off a smoke bomb in Kovoro Mall and were cuffed by the workers for about an hour. But the thing was that John was stuck in the same room cuffed for 3 months. What kind of hell did they put him through? I needed to know.

I came to John later that day with the others to talk about the authorities with him. But as he was the current ruthless and cold John, he yelled at me for prying into his past.

~~~Flashback~~~

"You only want to help me now because I'm King, don't you? Cowards! You don't actually care! All of you, go fuck yourselves!" John shouted. A single tear dripped from his eye. "It's a cycle. Claire, Arlo, and now Seraphina. I should've known that all of those friendships would've ended in despair. Nothing can ever go right for me. Because I'm a monster."

"John, I..." I raised my hand to his arm.

He snapped and pulled away. "Don't touch me! I'm still angry at you!"

"But...you're crying..." I contradicted.

"I'm not! Don't you see? I can't be weak!" John wiped the tears from his face, but they just kept on coming. After they stopped, he finally sighed with a blank expression. "At this point, I'll have to transfer schools again..."

"What?! You're joking, John! After putting Wellston in such a state, you'd just leave the mess for us to clean up? We're not your servants! You can't just do whatever you want!" Arlo was pissed.

John sighed. "Really, Arlo? Cause last time I checked when you ruled the school, you did whatever the hell you wanted. So I don't know why you have a problem with me."

He turned around and started walking away. "Disappointment." he muttered.

"John! If you're really going to leave, then at least tell me what happened in the past!" I told him.

"Huh?! You're really not concerned about the fact that this guy'll just dip? Or even bring more destruction to the next school he transfers to?" Isen was so confused.

"I have nothing to say to a traitor." John replied coldly.

I then mentioned Keon to him. He flinched. It was clear that he had been visibly shaken by that name.

"John. I'm serious. If you keep me in the dark, I can't know anything. So please! Let me help you!" I raised my hand towards him.

John shivered, taking a step back. 

Oh. Maybe I shouldn't have said that.

"Here!" Claire's scribbled out face raised a hand to a beaten John. "Let me help you!"

He fell on his knees and let it all out. The drops of water fell to the ground. I took a deep breath and walked over to him. I bent down and put my hands on his shoulders. 

"It's over, John. You don't have to suffer anymore. I'll be here."

I hugged him.

~~~Flashback End~~~

I closed my eyes and smiled. I sighed. But not in disappointment. In happiness. 

John, if you really are going to die, I'll at least be satisfied with my life. 

You showed me so much that I couldn't imagine.

 You're so awesome. 

I was so lucky to have met you...

Narrator's POV

At Wellston Hospital...

John is in his assigned room, lying on the bed. The heartbeat monitor continues to beep slowly.

Twitch.

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