Chapter 22: Origin Technique

Monica, Una, Harley, and Lera finally saw Howard appear like a long awaited sunset after a horrible day.

Howard got into the bus, and found Monica had already scooted over to let him sit next to her for the rest of the ride. Harley, smiling at him, gently pushed him onto the bus before shutting the bus doors with the black lever to her right.

"You took forever. Did you leave those girls alone?" Harley yawned and looked down at a map before turning on the ignition. "I thought we'd have time for 3 Shrines. Turns out, we have to go to the West Branch now."

"Sorry, I'm a little hard headed." Howard laughed and took a seat next to Monica, finding her in a blue striped dress with stockings on. "Anyways, why are you dressed so nicely."

"It's your birthday. Did you think you could keep it a secret?" Monica folded her arms together and puckered out her lips. "Now, I think you owe me something." Monica shut her eyes and pointed at her lips. "Quickly, before I change my mind."

"Ha, what a great present!" Howard pulled Monica's green hair into a bunch and thrust her head forward, causing the love in the air to almost shake out of her. Gently placing his lips against hers, he kissed her sweetly before finding the entire bus had grown silent.

"Uhm, do I have to pay to watch?" Lera joked and moved a seat closer to them. "I-I'm shocked at how bold you're being, Monica."

"I-I did it to prove a point!" Monica turned to look out the window and saw Harley blankly staring at her. "The-that's the only kiss you're getting for now, do you hear me!"

"Wait, but how did you know?" Howard smiled, his skin flushing red while a warmth spread down his body. "How did you find out about my birthday?"

"The news," Harley said with a yawn. "Monica remembered your birthday on the news. Now can we please go? I want to get to the West Branch before your birthday is over?"

'Why?" Howard said, raising his brows. "I already have all I need."

"Kid, you're in Hell's Academy. The Aresoul are constantly trying to kill us, and zombies constantly are trying to rip us to shreds. Can we please celebrate for once!" Harley stepped on the gas and began speeding down the road. "Anyways, how about we sing the longest, most painful, excruciating happy birthday. Shall we?"

"Heh, you guys are the best!" Howard said nodding his head. "It's why I refuse to change. Because if anything bad happens to one of you, I'll destroy everything."

###

West Branch, Nighttime,

A bus heading over 120 miles an hour neared a hundred foot high set of steel iron gates.

A large, palatial building seemed to be floating in the distance, with a clock tower, and two large spirals on its left and right side.

It looked like a modern castle, with dozens of glass windows, but with a steel exterior that seemed to block out even the night. On a few guard towers, dozens of shadows could be seen marching back and forth, looking into the night for any strange movements.

A second later, the bus soon got burned by a bright light, appearing out of the hand of a teenage girl walking down the gravel road. Three ice spears floated around her body, as she held a miniscule sun in the palm of her hands.

"Stop! Or I'll turn you to ash!" A deep voice came out of the girl's mouth, "Is that you Harley?"

"Hey boss," Harley stopped the bus, spinning the wheel and causing the back of the bus to shift in a circle until it spun to a stop. Jumping out, Harley yawned, and created a small globe of fire and fury of her own, walking down the gravel road. "I brought visitors, and a package from Annibell."

"Teacher? What did she send?" The small girl smiled and ran onto the bus, finding Howard and Monica pressed against the walls. "Who are these two? Where is our present?"

"She-she needs to learn to drive!" Una got off the bus and tossed a small fire ball at Harley. "Are you trying to kill us?"

"Nope, make you crazy for me," Harley yawned and created three more fireballs, lightning up the expanse. "Anyways, boss, did the Varlen stop bothering us?"

"Nope, they came last night," The young woman picked up a large package from the back of the bus, with large fingerprints scattered on it, and exited the chassis. "They seem to be worried about something. I'm afraid we won't have peace tonight."

"It's a shame. It's Howards birthday," Harley said with a smile on her face. "Me and Monica are both dating him, so hands off."

"We're not both dating him!" Monica fumed and ran off the bus, finding Howard's laugh causing her to nearly burst into tears. "He's mine until the day I die!"

"I see you made friends," The teenage girl sighed and walked over to Una. "Nice to see you again, Una. How's it going back near Dark Bloodlands? Is Teacher Annibell still scaring away the hordes?"

"It's complicated. Let's not talk around the young ones," Una patted Reece on the shoulder, and began walking towards the opening steel gates with dozens of carvings on each bar. "Something happened on my last expedition."

"Well, I guess it can wait until after Howard get spoiled tonight," Reece put her arm arounds Howard back, causing him to turn towards her chest and gulp. "Monica, do you mind? We don't do anything bad to him, we swear."

"Nope, the happier he is, the deeper he is in my grasp!" Monica laughed wickedly and entered into the gates of the camp.

Upstairs, a large table with dozens of different types of canned food, mixed in with a single fruit, greeted them. Sitting down at the table, Monica grabbed Howard's hand so tight she nearly broke the air in half. "Howard, you enjoying yourself yet," Monica said while twitching with anger.

A few meters from her, Reece had decided to put on a beautiful white dress, while three girls she didn't recognize came out with a cake. "You-you better have eyes for me only tomorrow, again, okay."

'Does that mean I get to sleep in their beds tonight?" Howard said with a smile, before his hand nearly got crushed out of existence. "Heh, I'm kidding. Of course, we're sleeping together tonight."

"Happy birthday, young one," Reece put down the candles and then tossed a small trinket into the air. "This is a technique I made just for you, catch."