7:00 AM. Not the time Janna was expecting to wake up that morning. After all she didn't have school anymore, so why was she up this morning.
"Star! Get up, we gotta go back to school!" Marco yelled from downstairs. His voice echoed throughout the house and had succeeded in waking up Janna on accident. God dang it Marco, why can't you lower your sweet voice to a 3?
"Could you please hurry it up Star? If I were you I would rather not be late for my first day back at school." Angel scolded her from downstairs. Janna always hated the way 'old' Angel talked. So regal and fancy, it ticked her off.
"COMING!" Star yelled as she burst out of her room door and started running down the stairs, bumping into walls and railings much to Janna's annoyance. Why did she have to be so loud? Despite these 3 being one of her few friends, they all had something that really bugged her. Of course she could forgive Marco, but the other two not so much.
Sigh, endure it Janna. It's all for Marco remember? It's all for Marco. She had to remind herself. She had it bad for Marco, that much was obvious yo everyone including her. Even Star had some kind of hunch, despite how....airheaded she can be. The only person who didn't know was Marco surprisingly. He thought that the Janna who kissed him back then was just one being controlled by her lust.
The idiot didn't even realize those were my true feelings...Yare yare, I thought this would be easier... Janna sighed to herself. She sat up and looked outside her window to see Marco, Angel, and Star running as fast as they could to the school. Janna grunted as she sat up and made her way downstairs.
"Great...looks like it's gonna be another boring day." She said to herself as she reached for the cereal. That is until something clasped her shoulder.
"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that hunny." The intruder had said to Janna. She dropped her spoon on fear and felt a chill go down her spine. She was a fool to think they wouldn't come after her. She sighed and collected herself.
"What do you want, Greed?" She asked with a dangerous edge to her voice as she addressed the intruder. They let out a hearty laugh at her attempt to scare them back.
"Oh please Janna, drop the formalities. " They said as they forced Janna to face them. She made the mistake of looking into their eyes. She suddenly felt...odd. Like she couldn't control herself...
"How about you run a little errand for me?"
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"Good grief Marco, why didn't you just do your cool little portal thingy to get us here faster?" Star complained as she rubbed her feet which hurt from running.
"Star, we can't use our powers for everything, that'll make us lazy and plus, I prefer not getting stared at everytime I come out of nowhere." Marco answered her.
"Plus Star, me and you are already getting enough stares as it is." Angel said. Due to Star's sudden wardrobe change and the fact she almost is identical to Angel has caused her to get alot of stares, especially from the boys. The two were quickly becoming know as the "Twin Beauties", a name given to the pair by the males in the school.
"I know...I just hate running, cuz then my legs get tired and then I start feeling like bleeehhhhh." Star responded. She may fight monsters almost everyday of the week, but she wasn't in the best shape she could be in. She knew it and so did the others.
"Well, perhaps-"
"Alright alright class, settle down." Mr. T had told the students as he walked in. "As of today, we will be having a new student join our class. He comes from a foreign country so please try to respect him and treat him well."
A boy sporting a green open jacket strolled into the class. He had one hand in his pocket of his brown pants and one carrying his green backpack. What Marco immediately noticed was that the new kid loved the color green. His grey shirt read on it "Good things come to those who aren't greedy."
"Top of the morning to ya folks! Name's Jack, Jack Irish! And no, the irony on my name is not lost on me." Jack said as he introduced himself with vigor, causing his raven hair with green streaks in them to frizzle up. Some of the kids chuckled to themselves while others just stared at him quizzically.
"This guy seems...hyper."
"Might give Star a run for her money.
"Doesn't he remind you of-?"
"Ok students settle down. I expect you all to treat Jack with the same respect you treat others. Go ahead and sit wherever you like Jack." Mr. T told him. He nodded and looked around until his eyes landed on Marco, Angel, and Star. His smile brightened even more as he made his over to them. Angel immediately grew wary while he was strolling over to them.
"Heya new guy, my name is Star Butterfly! Nice to meet you!" Star shook Jack's hand with excitement which stunned him at first until he smiled again and shook back just as excited.
"Likewise!" He responded as Marco sighed.
Greattt, two hyper active supernovas in one school...what could be better, Marco tough in exasperation.
Hey it could be worse, he could be a shadow knight. His Shadow chimed in, making Marco groan inwardly. ...I probably just jinxed us didn't I?
You think? Marco asked sarcastically. He sighed as he put a smile on and tried to think positive about all of this. He could be a really cool guy.
"Ello miss?" Jack asked as he greeted Angel with a handshake.
"...Angel." she said looking at his hand before slightly glaring at him. He put his hands up and backed up slightly as he chuckled slightly.
"A-ah ok, that's a nice name." He said nervously. She kat scoffed and looked away.
"Don't mind her, she's...not a morning person. Name's Marco Diaz." Marco told him as he put a hand back. Jack's normal smile returned as he shook his hand.
"Nice to met you Marco, mind if I take the seat next to yours?" Jack asked.
"Go ahead, and try not to get to shaken up by Angel, she just takes some time to get used to new people. She'll come around soon enough." Marco encouraged Jack.
"Ok, I'll give her some time then." Jack told him as he sat down. Ok Jack, this is your chance to make some new friends and maybe even get a nice lass along the way. Don't screw this up.
"Ok class, today is going to be a dsy to just make up any missed work or work on assignments from other classes. You can work in partners if you want to, but keep the noise down, otherwise you work by yourself." Mr. T told the class as he pulled out his phone and began texting.
Excellent! This is the opportunity I needed. Now, let's play our cards right. Jack thought to himself.
"Hey Angel, do you-?"
"No." She quickly answered.
Sigh...rough start as usual...Jack thought to himself. However, had he not be thinking of how to befriend Angel, he would've heard something peculiar...
Hehe...the purist type of Greed you can get...
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"Well I can definitely say that I hate math!" Star confidently said as she munched on a chicken nugget.
"Star, basic algebra isn't that hard. And if you're gonna rule on day, you need to know this." Marco scolded her.
"Ughhhhh you sound like mommmmm." Star complained. Marco and Angel chuckled at her antics. Angel abruptly stopped as she noticed Jack walk by her and sit at their table with a smile.
"Sure you wanna sit here Jack? We're kinda outcasts." Marco asked him.
"That's fine, you seem like a really cool group of a lad and ladies. Plus I kinda don't have the courage to sit anywhere else." Jack admitted sheepishly.
"Well why not come to our table? We'd love to hear about where you came from. And I just love boys with accents." Britney said as he walked behind Jack and played with his hair.
"Um, I think I'm-"
"He already choose to sit here Britney, that's his choice." Marco told her. She sneered at him and turned to Jack and smiled.
"Jack-y-poo, don't you wanna make more friends? Especially with pretty girls like me?" Britney asked him in a sultry tone.
"W-well I umm....I think I'll-"
"You know what Jack, why don't you go with her? I thin you'll enjoy her company alot more than ours." Angel said harshly. Marco and Star stared in shock at her while Jack looked hurt but quickly put up a sad smile.
"I think...I'm just gonna go eat in the halls.." He told them as he stood up, took the apple from his tray which he put in the trash afterwards and left for the hallway.
"Ugh, whatever. I'll just recruit him later." Britney said as she whipped her hair and walked away.
"Angel, why did you say that to him?" Star asked in confusion and a little bit of dissapointment.
"Tch, I didn't say anything that wasn't true. I just spoke my mind." Angel responded.
"He was just trying to be friendly Angel, what was so wrong with that?" Marco asked. She sighed in exasperation. She knew she didn't have any right judging him like this so quickly, but she was just so suspicious. A new kid showing up so soon after Janna joins their team? It's almost too...appropriately timed. Still...
"Fine...I'll go apologize yo him. But only to get you guys off my back." She told them. She was half lying about this, she was going to apologize bring also run a...test of sorts.
"Ok, but I'm gonna ask him later if you did, so don't try to weasel your way out of it." Marco told her.
"Ok okkkk. I'm off." She said as she walked in the same direction as Jack.
"Think he'll accept her apology?" Star asked.
"We'll just have to hope." Marco answered her.
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Well, great going Jack-y boy. You managed to make two friends and a nice lass hate you all in one day. That's a new record. Jack thought to himself as he ate his apple in the hall. All the students are either at lunch, in the gym, or in classes.
"Maybe I'll get a job soon. Save up and move again to a different town and go to a school where people don't hate me..." Jack told himself his plan. "I mean, maybe school number 47 will be...*sigh*, who am I kidding..." Jack said as he finished his apple and tossed it in the trash. He wandered around the school, looking for access to the roof. When he finally found it he chuckled darkly.
"I think...it's time to take a long break..."
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"Guys I can't find the idiot." Angel told them. She had searched all around the school for him, despite her protests earlier.
"What? But he was just there wasn't he?" Marco asked in confusion.
"I guess? I don't know, all I saw was his apple he hadn't finished in the trash. I don't know where he went." Angel told him, surprisingly in a worried tone. Suddenly someone let out a terrifying scream.
"Oh god, he's going to jump!" A student yelled and pointed. Everyone looked outside of the windows and was shocked. Standing on the edge of the roof of Echo Creek was Jack himself. He had his hood over his head and was looking at the sky.
"Oh crap! Guys we gotta-!" Marco was saying until Angel bolted and ran through the doors into the hallway. She raced throughout the halls until she found access to the roof. She saved herself sometime and flew up the stairs with her wings. She grimaced slightly as she realized that she wasn't fully recovered from her spar with Star. She busted through the door leading to the roof and was panting slightly. Jack slightly turned to face her, surprised but feeling too empty to care
"Angel? What're you doing here? Let me guess, you want to push me yourself right? Sorry, but that'll make you a wanted criminal, can't be having that now can we?" Jack chuckled darkly. His normal smile was replaced with a hollow, melancholy smile.
"What? No I...I came to apologize. I really I've been unreasonably hostile towards you. I'm not good around new people, but Marco is right, I warm up to them eventually. So just give me some time and-"
"How do I know you won't hate me again as soon as I mess up?" Jack interupted her. She flinched at his sudden nature change. He glared at her, which is something he hasn't done in a long time.
"Jack, I don't hate-"
"Then what do you call it? Distain, revolt, reject? Face it, you hate me, and you're not the first person to...but you will be the last." He said sadly with a smile. He began leaning towards the open air.
"Wait! You don't have to do this! I'm serious about changing Jack, just give me some-"
"Time's up. Goodbye Angel, you were...a nice lass." Jack said as he finally tilted all the way back. He sighed in relief as he gave himself to the open air and closed his eyes.
"No!" Angel yelled as she dashed as fast as she could over the edge. She dive bombed towards him and flapped her wings. She grabbed his waist, making him open his eyes in surprise. He glanced up at Angel, who had tears in her eyes as she glared at him and flapped her wings again. The two slowed down and glided towards the school garden. Luckily no one was in it at the moment so they tumbled onto the pavement and entangling themselves. Jack had wrapped his arms around Angel to take the brunt of the fall. They finally came to a halt with Angel on top of Jack.
"You...you idiot! You're the most insensitive jerk I've ever met! You were going to kill yourself over my stupid feelngs!? Don't you know how much guilt I would've felt!? How much I wouldn't be able to live with myself!? I would've joined you if that happened! You stupid, insensitive, asshole!" Angel yelled at him. He just stares at her in shock and awe and a lot of guilt. She just glared at him and hiccuped as her years kept falling.
"I'm...sorry Angel. I just-"
"Shut the hell up! Shut your godamn mouth! I don't wanna hear it!" She yelled as she burst into more tears and got off him and flew off. He felt his mouth drop at the sight but shook his head and trailed her. Marco and Star just appeared where they just were through a shadow portal and looked around for them.
"Marco look!" Star yelled. A trail of feathers and tears had went in a trail until disappearing. But it was enough for Marco to give him a good idea where Angel went.
"Somehow, it always ends up back at that place doesn't it?" He asked to himself.
"What do you meannnnnnnnnn!?" Star was asking until she feel into the portal Marco had just created.
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"Idiot....idiot idiot idiot!" Angel yelled as she said in the same area where her and Marco fought the first time. She wasn't sure if she was calling Jack an idiot or herself. All she knows is that there were idiotic moves made today.
"Angel! Where are you?" Jack called out in the distance.
"Go away Jack!" She yelled at him. In hindsight had she not said anything, he might've not found her. But nonetheless here he was, behind her and out of breath.
"Angel..I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry...I never meant to hurt you...I just...didn't want to go on anymore.." He told her.
"...why are you apologizing so much...? I'm the one who drove you to do that..I should be sayings sorry." Angel said dismally and more calm.
"But I'm the one who-"
"On second thought Jack, how about we just share the blame, otherwise we'll be here all day." She offered.
"Well...I wouldn't mind being here all day with you." He casually told her. Her heart thumped for a second. She usually only felt this when it was Marco...now she's feeling it with this new guy as well?
"Idiot...that's dumb. You're dumb." Angel told him, responding to that in the only way her brain knew how to.
"Hehe, maybe I am an idiot. I've done some stupid stuff today." Jack chuckled and joked with her. She huffed slightly but it was more of a slight chuckle if anything. She stood up and walked to him. She held out her hand.
"Angelica Eliza Swan." She said formerly. Jack realized she was re-introducing herself and smiled brightly and shook her hand with less vigor, for her sake.
"Jack Septic Irish, at your service milady." He finished with a silly bow, making her chuckle.
"It's a start Jack, it's a start. So shall we...Janna?" Angel asked in surprise as Jack turned around and saw Janna standing there. "What're you doing here? I thought you were at the house still." Janna never answered back, making Angel worried and she slowly walked over to her. And at that moment, two things she never expected to happen well, happened.
SCHLCK
Drip...drip...drip.
"*hack* O...k. I didn't think *gasp* it would hurt that much." Jack admitted as he coughed up blood. Angel couldn't comprehend what was happening in front of her.
One moment she was moving towards Janna...
The next she's on the ground while Jack is standing between her and Janna...
With a rapier protruding from his back, right under his ribcage. The bloody rapier tip was inches away from Angel's face as it dripped blood on her face. Apparently Janna had used the entire length of the rapier and was trying to skewer Angel.
"J...Jack? What're you...?" She tried to ask but was too shocked. It never even registered with her that Jack had moved faster than she and even himself expected.
"Just...protecting...milady." He told her before his body slumped standing, being supported by the rapier.
"Jack! Jack, wake up!" Angel yelled from behind him. No response. Janna then attempted to pull her rapier out.
Only go Jack's hands to grasp it tightly. She looked up in surprise as Jack suddenly gained a green glow on him. He pulled a fist back and curled all his fingers slowly.
"Lights out." He announced before slugging Janna right across the face. The impact was so strong, it sent out shock waves across the entire field. Janna's eyes widened and Angel could see a faint green glow in them before it dissappeared and she fell backwards, unconscious. However, this meant she pulled the rapier out if Jack and had his blood sprayed across the field. He stumbled backwards until Angel stood up and caught him.
"Jack, stay with me!" She yelled at him as a black portal opened up in front of her.
"Will do mam.." He answered weakly. She put her hand over the wound and was emitting a white glow on her hand as Marco and Star hopped out of the portal. They looked around at the sight of blood and saw Jack on the ground with a concerned and scared Angel hearing a wound on his stomach while Janna laid there unconcious and funny enough, snoring.
"Marco...he...I-"
"Explain later, I'll take us all back to the house. We have bandages there. Plus, I don't think we can fool the hospital twice. Hop in." Marco told her as he created another portal. Star helped Angel and Jack go through it while he picked up Janna and hopped inside. Meanwhile another figure was watching from a distance chuckling.
"And so, another piece appears on the board, the question is, how is his role going to be played?"
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"Ngh...hmm? Where...am I?" Jack asked as he tried to sit up but was only met with pain and a strange weight on his chest. He looked down and saw a sleeping Angel on his chest, snoring softly and peacefully.
"You're at my house Jack. I took you here cuz I thought it would be easier and cheaper than the hospital." Marco answered from the small couch next to the one Jack and Angel were laying on.
"Oh, thanks Marco. I think you and Angel saved my life." Jack thanked him.
"Yank Angel more, her healing magic was what kept you alive the most. If not for her, you'd be wosre off. Possibly comatose." Marco explained to him.
"Ah I see, well thank you anyways." Jack said again.
"You're...taking this all surprisingly well." Marco noticed.
"Well...I honestly don't know how. I mean I'm shocked and yet, calm." Jack admitted.
"Well I hope you can keep that demeanor. Cuz seeing as how you got hurt cuz of all this, I feel the need to explain what's going on to you. So hold on to your butt, cuz it's a long story..."
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"Geez...you weren't kidding when you said it was a long story..." Jack said, still in shock of what he heard. Shadow knights, magic, Ludo. It sounds so much like a fairy tale and yet...it's real. It's real and it's really happening in his first day at school.
"Told you. Now the question is how do you feel about this. Because if you don't wanna stay involved with this I understand. But if you do, you have to stay here and stay with us. We have to all keep each other safe. Janna...I don't know why she did that but I'll talk to her about it, but she's our friend too. So...what do you say?" Marco asked.
"Of course I am." He answered quickly. He looked down at Angel and smirked. "I kinda...have a duty you know?" Jack explained. Marco chuckled.
"Of course, I'll help move your stuff here tomorrow and have Star make another room for you. For now just get some rest alright?" Marco requested.
"Will do Marco." Jack obeyed. Marco proceeded to walk up the stairs and dissappear out of sight. Jack again looks down at Angel and smiles.
"Today I've made friends, an enemy, been seduced, pushed away and rejected, attempted suicide, followed a literal angel, made friends with her who used to be my enemy, saved her and gotten stabbed in the torso, glowed green, knocked out the girl who stabbed me in one punch, and are now roped up in magic and live in someone else's house. All on the first day of school." Jack summarized to himself. He rubbed Angel's head and she hummed blissfully.
"Jack...you idiot..."she said happily in her sleep.
"Heh, not bad for a first day.."
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And finally, after months of being a lazy bum and people requesting for me to update as much as possible, a new chapter is out! And this isn't just any chapter. It's the end of the filler chapters and the start of the next arc! The 'Tainted Light and Pure Shadow's' arc! I hope you're all looking forward to it and if are excited for it, smash that vote button and comment your favorite moments! Or complain about how long this took. Or what you hated, idk. Anyways until next time( which is hopefully soon), SEE YA!
(Also did you guys like the names? If so lemme know ;) )