34 More than a Ribbon

Centra found Liza and DJ in the common area of their dorm room. "How was the rest of class?"

DJ smiled and said, "A little awkward, but you should have seen James fight. It was adorable."

Centra slipped an arm around DJ's warm back. DJ smiled as he turned from the vegetables he was prepping to give Centra a kiss.

Centra was smiling as she turned to grab a knife. She grabbed some mouth-watering strawberries to slice for DJ's salad. "When did you start describing James' fights as adorable?"

Liza was perched on a stool on the other side of the counter. She was doodling on piece of paper. "It was pretty adorable." Liza smiled as she looked up at Centra. "His cool guy image has definitely been tainted." Liza repressed a chuckle.

Centra glanced from Liza to DJ. "What happened?"

"One of our underclassmen has the ability to temporarily turn someone into a kid. And he fought James." DJ put the vegetables in a bowl.

Liza's giggling disrupted her doodling. She stopped and smiled at her picture. That bout was great.

DJ continued, "James was adorable as a kid. Most of his clothes didn't fit so he was running around in his oversized shirt. The people he was supposed to be fighting couldn't stand the idea of hurting him. So, it turned into a game of chase.

"Fel was so annoyed. He ended the bout, but James was still having fun running around. And the underclassmen whose ability turned James into a kid said he wasn't very good at reversing the process. So Fel ended up chasing James around the arena until Syra tricked James into getting close enough for her to catch him. It was great!"

Centra smiled she wished she'd seen that. Centra tossed a strawberry piece at DJ.

As DJ caught it with his mouth Centra realized something. "If James couldn't be turned back, will he be okay?"

Liza answered for the still chewing DJ. "Yep. It didn't last too long. He's already back to normal."

"That's good."

DJ finished putting the dressing on as he asked, "How's Corson?"

"He's okay-ish." Centra tightened her grip on the knife. She wished Corson's injury wasn't permeant. If only Kyrie hadn't screwed up. What was she going to do when he showed up? Send him off. He didn't belong here. Not now, maybe never.

The door to their dorm room opened and a still blushing Jasper entered. "Hey Jasper…" Centra trailed off as she saw Kyrie come in and close the door behind him. She couldn't do it. She couldn't say it, not in so many words.

Centra grabbed the salad from in front of DJ and took it to the table. "Lunch is ready. You should join us Jasper." And Kyrie should go.

DJ glanced from Kyrie to Centra. And decided to get the dishes for lunch. He didn't want to pick sides between his love and a friend.

DJ grabbed enough dishes for five and claimed a seat at the table. Jasper wandered over – he was still dazed from what happened. He was also a little afraid of Kyrie. Or rather he was afraid that Centra was going to piss Kyrie off. And he'd just seen what that could result in.

Kyrie shifted awkwardly as he watched Centra. She didn't want him here. He should go. Kyrie glanced at his teammates gathered around the table. He gestured to his room as he spoke. "I… I'll just get a few things and go." Kyrie headed for his room. Taru rested heavily on his back.

As Kyrie passed Centra, she asked, "Did you do it on purpose?"

"No." Kyrie turned his back on his room. He faced Centra as he told her, "It was an accident. I forgot to remove the theft protection."

Centra's hand was clenched in her lap and her other on the cold wood of her chair. "You forgot?! My brother got hurt, permanently, because you forgot! Jasper and I nearly died because you forgot. What are you going to forget next!? And who's going to pay for your next forgetful action!?" Which of us will be killed? No, she wouldn't let it come to that.

Centra turned her back on Kyrie and said, "Get out before you get one of us killed." She stared guiltily at her holo-watch. She'd been warned and hadn't listened. Kyrie was no hero. He was a monster, a legend.

DJ tried to place a hand on Centra's shoulder, but she quickly shrugged it off. "Centra, I know-"

"No, you don't. Raven Clof told me he's dangerous. He told me to keep an eye on him. I did. I'm done." Centra looked at DJ with tears in her eyes. "I let you sleep in the same room as him. I shouldn't have. I put you in danger. I…" Centra hiccupped as she tried to keep from crying.

DJ pulled her into his arms. Centra held him tight as she continued, "I didn't even tell you. I should have said something, believed my brother that he's dangerous. A monster. I-"

Kyrie turned from his teammates, opened the door to his room, closed it, and sat on his bed. He stared at his dresser. Centra was right.

He'd forgotten those things and gotten others hurt. And he'd forgotten more. He'd lost an entire year and he hadn't realized it. He was a monster.

Just a few minutes ago he'd been threatening another student. Threatening the lives of all who lived in the city. He hadn't meant it. He'd never choose to kill everyone in a city. But Masaki… that threat he'd meant. He was becoming the monster rumors made him out to be. He was losing himself and changing.

How long would it be before he was just another hero, following the same path as all the heroes before him?

Centra was right. He should leave. He could live in the forest like he wanted. It was almost summer, he could gather enough food before the first snow. Out there, he could be free. He'd never have to worry about hurting others. Free.

Kyrie stood up and started packing slowly. Would it really be freedom to run and hide?

In the common area, Liza said, "Did Grandpa really tell you Kyrie was dangerous?"

Centra wiped her eyes and pulled back from DJ's hold. "Yeah."

Liza sat in silence as she glanced from Centra to Kyrie's door. If her Grandfather really thought Kyrie was too dangerous to handle, then he wouldn't have placed him on the same team as them. "I think Grandpa would be really disappointed in us if we give up on being a team." Liza stood up and said, "I'm going to talk to Kyrie." Liza paused at Kyrie and DJ's room. "We don't have to be friends or like each other right now. But we have to work together." Liza opened the door.

Kyrie paused as he glanced at Liza, some of his clothes in hand. "Do you really want me to stay?" Kyrie placed his clothes in Taru's case. She couldn't have meant it.

"Yeah. There have been bad accidents but," Liza shrugged and continued, "We're still learning." Liza turned and looked at Centra. She was watching Liza talk with Kyrie. "Some of us just have different things to learn."

Kyrie looked past Liza and at his other teammates. "Are you okay with it? With us trying to be a team again?" He hoped they'd say yes and also hoped they wouldn't. Going alone was familiar – something he knew how to do. Yet, spending time with others and helping them was what he'd yearned to do for years.

Jasper pondered for a bit. He recalled a recent conversation and knew his answer. "Okay." Things would be better this way.

DJ glanced at Centra. He placed a hand on hers and squeezed it gently. "Let's give it another shot?"

Centra sighed. Her brother was in pain and that was worrying her. But she was already regretting her behavior. She was supposed to be their leader, and she didn't feel like she was doing a very good job. "Alright… I'm sorry I snapped. Only one of those was your fault and it was an accident."

Kyrie gave Centra a sad smile. "It's okay. And I think I have been forgetting too many things." Kyrie walked over to Centra and held out his fist. "Teammates?"

Centra nodded and bumped her fist against Kyrie's. "Teammates."

♢ ♢ ♢

It was dark out when Kyrie left the dorms. He'd realized he'd forgotten his laundry in Raven Clof's quarters. After he'd picked up his clothes, he crossed paths with Corson on his way back. The two stood in the dark, lit by the faint pink of the barrier and the porch lights on the dorm.

"How are you doing?"

"Like I'd tell you." Corson scoffed and crossed his arms. He carefully kept his tender right palm from touching anything. It was scarred and bandage free.

Kyrie pulled a ribbon he'd put through the wash free of his clothes. "Here." He placed it on Corson's palm. "It'll help."

Corson clenched his hand around the ribbon that felt like a cool balm on his burning hand. "I'm not keeping it. You damned monster." But Corson wasn't letting go either. It felt too good in his hand. It really was helping, and it didn't come with the mental fog pain meds did. Maybe he would keep it. But it was from him.

Kyrie nodded but didn't reach for the ribbon. "If you really going to kill me, you're going to need that." Kyrie turned from Corson and headed for the door, "Your aura now flows out your right arm easier. Learn to control it and one day you may just kill me." Kyrie opened the door and whispered to himself, "I'll be counting on you, hero."

The door closed and Corson stared at his palm. One day he'd do it. One day he'd kill that hero. Someday he'd protect everyone. And if Kyrie wanted to help him, he'd accept it, with a grain of salt.