Leo Hernandez
My arm was set in a cast, which was painstakingly plain and boring. Of course, I had to decorate it. Sarah used unique shades of metallic materials to draw hearts and those cute little designs that make everything look better, while I took up the liberty of using the brightest pink color I could find to draw my personal mascot – the chili-cheese dog, oh noble meal of the west. I've actually been working on a national anthem, but most of my ideas aren't good enough for the food that gives me strength.
I guess an update on everyone is due. Alright, let's see...
Well, with the Reaper and Cerberus being unsuccessful in their attack, there's been talk of what everyone is going to do once this all blows over...if something as monumental as this just "blows over." More like a monsoon comes in, sweeps this sucker up and, hopefully, carries it far, far away and... You know what? Never mind.
Anyways, word of Elektra tracking down her birth parents has spread around the dojo like wildfire. We've all been really supportive of her, and have offered our help to her countless times, but each time she thanks us but rejects our help. Since the attack, Elektra seems a lot more...approachable. She's still got that cutting-edge glare, the aura of "I will kill you," and the animalistic grunts to accompany her short responses, but it's all different now. Those glares, turns out, are just her natural face, which she adopted from a young age of having to adapt to a harsh lifestyle. The aura of the typical villain still stands, but it's been adjusted to "I will kill you if you offend me, glare at me, bother me, or try to kill one of my acquaintances." Those lousy grunts she gives us now aren't paired with a reluctance to speak, anymore. Elektra hasn't opened up yet, but she's opened up to the idea of opening up.
She still calls me things like "twiggy" and "skinny," but who would Elektra be without those fun and exciting nicknames?
Ever since Kya woke up, Ren's been at her bedside, or so I'm told. I haven't been able to sneak a peek and check up on her. Ren has Sages guarding the door, giving access to only Ren, the healers, and the water bending specialist. I'm not surprised, though. Something feral and brutal made a presence in Ren the instant we learned Kya was in danger. Again, I remember that look on his face when he was out of strength, then saw Kya. It was like the world flipped upside down and he suddenly stood a chance. Often, that's how I feel with Sarah. And when Ren finally reached Kya, despite how urgent and impatient he was to save her, he took his time and met her needs before his own. I don't know about you, but I sense love in the air.
Then again, I've sensed love in the air for a long time between those two.
Up next, we have Sarah; the prettiest, smartest, perfect-est woman I've ever met. I have been vying for her for five years. Five years. And at last, when we're in the most dangerous situation of our lives, Sarah confesses not only that she has feelings for me, but that she loves me. The main reason I never told her about my feelings sooner, like on the Ferris Wheel in Yokohama, was because I didn't want to burden her with so many other things going on. But now I don't have to worry about such trivial things like that anymore. We love each other. We always have, I think. It's just nice to have it admitted to each other.
As for Sarah, herself, she's still petrified of her own scars. I've been coaxing her to take off her jacket every now and then, or wear shorts around the dojo. Sometimes I think she's about to give in, but her eyes get this hazy look of nostalgia before refocusing and refusing to change. I wonder if there was one fight in particular that Sarah is really scarred from, or if it's the amount of times she's used her power that freaks her out. Whenever I try to pry for answers, she holds my hand and promises me she'll tell all, just not yet. I trust her. I've waited five years to be able to tell her I love her. I'll wait for five more eternities if I have to.
But I'll never stop asking her, no matter how much she blushes and yells at me, to create a masterpiece of my master piece. I will not stop this war until I've won.
Lastly, that brings me: the main attraction. I saved the best for last for a reason! Anyways, I told the Sages about my new power, as well as performed a few demonstrations with my good arm. I asked my personal trainer what sub-power this was, and she laughed at me. She called me a hopeless idiot with a nice smile and a girlfriend who was too good for me (out of love, of course), and told me that this newfound discovery wasn't a sub-power, but my mind reading was. All this time, I've been using my mind reading like it's my main attribute, but in reality, it was just a little something-something. My main power is...drum roll, please...telekinesis! How freaking awesome is that? Soon, Leo with the useless power will be upgraded to Leo 2.0. I might even be able to take on Kya...Kya...I really hope she gets better.
Sarah and I are sitting at a table with Elektra and her thugs, vicariously scarfing down ramen. "So, exactly who are you guys? Where did you come from?" I inquire with my mouth full, not bothering to practice manners in times like these...or ever.
The four men and women size each other up. They're all dressed in darker colors, and each of them looks 30-years-old and up. The Sages confiscated their guns when they entered the dojo, but they still look kind of threatening. A male with the beginnings of a rugged beard speaks up, black hair kept short and brushed upwards. His eyes are a dull, pale brown that appear older than their years. "We're more of a transport team, smuggling guns to countries where it's illegal to have them."
Sarah wiggles her eyebrows at me then leans over the table. "You mean, a gun-running gang?"
The man considers this for a moment, taking a ponderous bite of sushi. "I guess so."
I nudge Elektra, who gives me a heart-warming glare of death. "You picked 'em good."
"Is that sarcasm, Skinny?"
"No," I answer. "Well...I don't think so. Sarah, was that sarcasm?"
"I don't think so," she tells me. "It's hard to tell, sometimes."
"Dear God..." I tremble. "What have I become?"
Elektra rolls her light green eyes. "Ninety pounds of obnoxious."
The doors to the cafeteria open, and everyone instantly recognize the Sage as Ren's righthand man. "Master Walker has sent me to announce a number of things. One, that Kya Carter is recovering from an additional mark, and that her specialty Sage will be looking into ways to make the suffering easier should it repeat itself. Two, that due to Reaper's loss today in the bunker, it is highly unlikely that she will attack anytime soon, and you should enjoy yourselves today. Three, Master Walker has sent us out to purchase some items that might help to ease the tension. I've set up a projector in our screening room, along with recliners and snacks. I've picked an assortment of movies that are waiting for your selection. Do enjoy." And with that, the Sage goes back to where he came from, leaving us to ourselves.
"Movie and snacks?" Elektra growls, stabbing at her meal with force. "What are we? A couple of immature teenagers on a date?"
Sarah and I stare at each other and freeze mid-chew. Slowly, a grin that looks as stupid as it feels, cracks across my face. "Yes," I answer, grabbing Sarah's wrist. "And we're going to get the best seats in the house." Without waiting for her approval, I jackknife up from the table, and drag Sarah with me as we sprint to the theater.
Behind me, I hear the man with black hair ask, "Is he always like that?"
It feels odd to run with my arm in a giant, hard-cased marshmallow, but I manage, anyways. The hallway gets darker as we approach the room, and when we open the doors, I'm surprised by how modern the old Sages managed to make this place look. Leather cushioned recliners are aligned to face a massive screen. The lights are dim so we can find our way around, as well as read the movie titles on the shelves, which are filled to the brim with all kinds of movies. I expected like three or four little flicks, but there are hundreds. These Sages really know how to outdo themselves.
Footsteps echo from the hallway, and in comes Elektra. "You guys are really going to watch a movie?" she begrudgingly questions, leaning against the doorframe.
"I haven't even heard of like, half of these," Sarah gapes, ignoring Elektra's inquiry. "What genre should we pick?"
Simultaneously, Elektra and I shout, "Something gory," and "something funny." I bet you can tell who said what.
Sarah's lavender eyes skim the spines of the movie cases. "I think we can find some way to compromise," she brightly quips, reaching for something.
Elektra furrows her light brown eyebrows. "Something both gory and funny exists?"
My girl plucks something from the shelf and holds it up. "Aren't these movies about making fun of scary ones? I bet it's what we're looking for."
Zeus nods in approval. "I'm impressed."
Excited to watch a movie and to earn respect from Elektra, Sarah bounces down the central aisle between chairs and to a DVD player linked to the projector. "You're smiling like an idiot," Elektra points out, sinking into a recliner.
"I am an idiot," I remind her.
"This is true," she agrees. "But you're not too bad."
I look over, wondering if I heard her incorrectly. I go to ask her if she mispronounced a word or something, but Sarah calls, "The projector isn't on and I don't know how to work it."
"I got it!" Elektra and I both call out. Competitively, we narrow our eyes at each other, both of us prepared to race to fix some trifling little machine. At the same time, both of us extend a hand towards the projector, me reaching out with my invisible hand of telekinesis, Elektra reaching out with a glowing arm to use her electricity. I feel my power reach over first, turning on the right buttons and securing the loose cables.
Elektra grumbles, "You win this time, you spastic dork."
Sarah sits next to me on a recliner as commercials for other movies dates years ago roll by on the screen. "When you've got an adorable cutie like this," I gesture to Sarah and wink. "I'm always a winner."
"...so cheesy," Sarah sighs. "Oh, darn, I forgot to turn off the lights."
"I got it!" Elektra shouts, jumping out of her seat with the expression of a malevolent psychopath, extending her arm as her lightning glows in the room. The lights instantly turn off, and Elektra lets out a self-satisfactory chuckle. She pumps a fist to her side as she sits back in her chair. "Suckers."
Blankly, Sarah and I share a perplexing stare. Is Elektra unwittingly engaging in playful banter and rivalry? Our Elektra? Cautiously, I turn my head back to her, watching as she buries her hand into a bag of popcorn from the snack rack. The colors of the film flash across her skin, and when she finds the entertainment too quiet, she flicks her finger up, igniting with light, to turn it up. Who'd have thought that Elektra, Zeus who nearly fried Ren on his first day here and never showed any signs of even remotely enjoying life, would be indulging in a movie with us?
Who would've thought that I'd even be sitting here with Sarah, who loves me?
As I recline in my chair and reach out my good hand to grasp Sarah's, I can't help but feel light and warm. Despite all the disaster and pain and obstacles we've endured so far, this is the best I've ever felt. "What's going through your mind?" Sarah asks as someone screams on the projector screen.
I take a deep breath, riding out this ecstasy. "I'm just really happy," is all I say, because if I truly tried to express this sensation with words, I'd be even more of a bumbling idiot than I already am.