Chapter 196 - 196. Face Slapping

While art voiced his strong emotions and committed himself to his goal the metal ball he had been trying to separate split itself in tow. Then three. Then four. Before Art even realized there were eight pieces of round levitating metal.

"Art, look what you just did!" Asher tried to point the actions of the metal ball to Art who suddenly jerked his head to stare at them. His eyes landed on them just as the balls fell. His emotional state changing and leaving him with shock and curiosity. 

"What was that? Did I just do that? Where is the ball I was trying to break?" Art was cautious to believe he had actually accomplished his goal at all. 

"That was the metal ball. You got all intense and it kept splitting until it hit eight pieces. As soon as you lost your focus it fell. Try it again." Jane was demanding that Art try to do the same thing to another ball and even tossed a similar sized one at him. 

Art managed to catch the ball giving Jane and Asher a sad looks since he wasn't sure he had actually just caused the ball to split. With the new metal ball in his hand, he tried to focus himself on it and cause it to split. The two watched as Art started to cause the ball to flatten and warp but there was no splitting after five minutes. 

"You need that focus and drive from before. I know you weren't focused on the metal ball itself but the goals you had. You are trying too hard and let me guess, expecting failure?"Asher had hit the nail on the head. Art was expecting the ball to bend and twist but did not actually believe he could break it. He was his own worst enemy at this moment. 

"I really am trying. It just keeps pushing back at me. I try to use my powers to force it to break and the next thing I know it is bending, then when I try to force it apart it suddenly twists." Art was about to throw the ball away in defeat when Asher opened his hand and unleashed a vicious slap. 

"Do you like that feeling?" Asher had fully slapped Art in the face leaving his best friend completely shocked. "Because that is how it will feel every time your brother beats you. You will never equal him or surpass him and your parents will be unable to do a thing. You think because your parents work and still try to see you outside the house that it still feels like a family? No, you should earn your seat at the table and sit with them. Any trouble and anything your brother is trying to do will have to go through you when you surpass him. If you can't rise to that point using your own strength then what is the point in trying." 

Asher stormed out of the cabin and sat on the porch outside. "Wait, Asher!" Jane rushed after him and found he was sitting on the front steps. There were a few silent tears falling down his cheek "Why did you just do that?" Jane had taken a softer tone afraid that she would harm Asher more. 

"I am his best friend but that was all I could do. He needed the motivation and I went to the extreme...But I still just hit my best friend…" Asher knew that he could have just pushed away his best friend, but he had the hope he had just pushed Art to his limit and would help him improve." Jane immediately understood and decided to stay outside with Asher and wait. She did not like the method, yet she knew that Art needed the harsh touch of reality. 

The three had more than decided on their future goals, however, Art was still trapped in his own head when it came to his family and life in general. He wouldn't take things with full seriousness and let them slip away too easily. He had frown up with his brother always surpassing him and allowed it to be this way. His mother still babied him due to this and it had only made him hold himself back more. 

Now he was at a crossroads, he could remain as he is and let his brother have the place at the table. His parents would continue to see him outside the house and he could accept the fact that he was not a real member of the family. No matter his achievement, unless he proved he had a place where he would just be the forgotten younger brother who was forced out by his older brother and the unknown future of the family. 

Or, he could throw all that stress to the side and focus on becoming a better version of himself, He could use the position at the table as fuel to push him higher and higher. He could master his power, improve his knowledge, and even more surpass all others in his generation to stand next to those he called friends. 

Art was clenching his fists while thinking about these things. He was paying no attention whatsoever to the metal balls revolving around him. They were bending, splitting, combining, and flattening without his control. His super power was acting off of his emotions and nothing else. 

He Knew Asher didn't mean any real harm to him and that the slap was meant as a wake up call. He couldn't feel any hatred in Ashers' words or actions. All he noticed was a sadness that he too was feeling. It was exactly the kind of thing he needed to clear his mind and force him to make the conscious decision to become better. This was his motivation and his resolve. 

Art relaxed his hands and opened his eyes to see the countless metal balls around him. 'I will not hold my friends back. I will be there when they need me.' This single thought echoed through his mind. Before Art could say anything else he felt an incredible tiredness over come him. The metal balls fell to the ground and so did he.