G's Chapters

          Over the next week, I had an almost constant headache, and I found it next to impossible to focus on classes. In fact, I felt like my eyes were constantly unfocused. The pain peaked on Saturday, and I, Flinched, I guess, is the best word, and sent a shockwave of Mana out. The flash of green light seemed to hang around for a long time, and everything seemed sharper, as if I’d hit the sweet-spot while tuning a microscope. I happened to glance at a mirror, and my reflection startled me. My eyes were ringed with a bright green, the same colour my Mana creations usually are. After I realized I was using Mana, it took a conscious effort to keep the flow up, but once it faded, I could still see normally.

          I walked out onto the balcony and pushed Mana into my eyes again, looking out. The pulse of Mana went out again, a faint ripple in the air. I saw everything quite differently with this on. Air currents and heat zones were distinct and clearly visible, though I couldn’t describe it in a way you would understand. I could even See, sort of, the most likely paths people would take, after watching for a while. It was quite the experience. The Mana drain was beginning to tell, so I relaxed again, switching the Sight off. Useful little trick, that.

          My dad knocked at my door and walked in, holding his wallet.

          “Viddy, why don’t you go out and get some fresh air, eh? Do wonders for your headache. Just run over and buy some milk while you’re at it, two packets will do. Your mom wants to make some cream sauce or something that she saw on the net.”

          “Why don’t I just buy a Tetra-Pak of cream?”

          “She says she wants milk too, for paratha dough.”

 

          He handed me a few bills, and warned me to make correct change.

          Cream sauces don’t exactly go well with paranthe, in my opinion, but who was I to argue? I could do with some fresh air, and a chance to test this Sight thing a bit further. I took the money and leapt out my balcony, taking the fun way down. I glided all the way to the roof of the nearest convenience store. Just as I leapt down, a girl ran into me, and nearly knocked me over. I checked my pockets just in case, and the money was still there, but, even before I pulled my hands back out, two burly, older men bowled into me too. This time, I did fall, but I managed to pull it into a roll, and get back to my feet quickly.

I looked to see where they were running to, bought the milk and dropped it off at home.

I flew over to the road they were running down, and turned the Sight on. I spotted her running away from the thugs still, down a side street that lead nowhere. I followed her, gliding above the streets and tracking her through the city. Just as was beginning to lose too much height to keep it up, I saw her vault over the fence that closed off Jasmine Hollow.

          Now, Jasmine Hollow is something that definitely needs describing… It was one of the many parks that dotted the city before the massive landscaping raised it up so much. It was kept, as were quite a few parks, because that level of greenery and trees is really not expendable. So now it lies in a circular pit, with concrete buttresses keeping the earth away, and piping connecting it to the water mains. The alley leading into it had been closed off a few years before, when the park was chosen under the Yaksha plan, preventing human interaction with it.

          The girl was running down this alley, now, with the goons hot on her tail. There was a third guy, around my age, also chasing her, and he seemed to be having better luck keeping up. She vaulted over the railing around the concrete pit, grabbing onto a pipe coming out and down. She quickly shimmied down the pipe, while the men were running down the stair. I flew over and perched on a water tower nearby, looking down with the Sight, and, once they were far enough along, I glided down to the street level.

          She’d apparently dropped off the pipe higher than she should have, and now was limping. The men had cornered her, and were moving in. I leapt off the street, and spread my wings at the last moment, landing with a shockwave that swept up a large amount of dust and knocked the men back.

          “So, what’s going on here?”

          One of the thugs stepped forward, pulling a carving knife out of his belt.

          “Step away, kiddo. No need to play the hero here, see? No one has to get hurt. This here is a private matter between ourselves and Miss here.”

          “What about you, girl? Would you feel you need some help?”

 

          The girl just stared at me some time, mouth agape. Then she blinked, and smiled.

          “Yeah, handsome. A bit of help would do me just fine.”

 

          I turned to the three men, shrugging.

          “Well, now, it certainly seems like it’s my business now, bud. I do agree, though, no one has to get hurt. Put that nasty thing away.”

 

          The goon didn’t comply. He charged at me, slashing at my neck. I leant back and to the right, pivoting on my right foot. His blade missed, and I grabbed his wrist, using the momentum from his swing to twist him around, and jabbed at the back of his head. He stumbled a few steps away, and fell to his knees. Before I could do much more, the girl had sprinted past me and, using his back as a springboard, landed with both feet on his head, driving it into the path. I heard his nose break, and she leapt back to my side before the other guy could do more than yell. She must have been faking the limp. The guy stepped back, wary, and I saw his hand move to his waist. I hit him with a barrage of shards, knocking him clean off his feet. He fell three feet away, and didn’t get up. I summoned some Chains, pulling the kid’s hands back and tying them together behind his back.

          “God damn it, man, let me go! Arshiya, you know you’ve got to return to Hive sometime! Just let Govind have his way for a change!”

          “Hey, cutie, don’t listen to him, ne? He’s just pissed I’m faster.”

 

          She turned to him and stuck her tongue out.

          “You tell brother I’m not coming home any time soon. I’m sick and tired of the gang doting over me! I mean seriously, Sam, I’m still the same Arsh you used to boss around and tease mercilessly, and now that Cow-face gets selected as Heir, I’m untouchable?! Well, even forgiving that, I’m not allowed to prowl anymore?! No! I’m going to keep running about, and there’s nothing you can really do about it. Brother might as well give up.”

          “Well, could you at least let me go? I’ll stop chasing you.”

 

          She looked over at me and grinned.

          “Let him go, hon. The kid didn’t know any better.”

 

          I let him go, and he stared at me a bit.

          “So, what’s your name, then?”

          “Vidyut.”

          “Don’t let her get hurt too much, eh, man? Keep her happy.”

 

          I laughed, and shook my head.

          “I don’t know what you thought, but I’ve never met her before in my life. I just don’t like bullies, and you three seemed like some.”

 

          He just stared at me, agape, for a short while, then grinned wide.

          “I like you, man. I like you a lot. I guess I’ll see you when I see you. Arsh, try to get back for dinner, it’s not healthy to eat out so often. I’ll get Govind calm.”

 

          She waved, and started running for the pipe. I looked over at Sam one more time who was busy over his knocked out colleagues, decided she owed me more answers, and ran after her. She was waiting for me at the top of the stair.

          “Hey, handsome! So, do I have a chance with you, or are you already taken?”

          “Stop calling me that. You know my name. You owe me some answers, Arshiya, was it?”

          “Aw, you even remembered my name! I feel so happy…”

          “Why were you running from them, if you are from the same gang?”

          “I just don’t like their overbearing protection of me.”

 

          I sighed, and shook my head.

          “Well, I gotta go. Next time, don’t make it seem so much like you’re in trouble.”

          “Hey, hey, wait up, cutie. I’d like a phone number. Y’know, just in case.”

          “…Okay.”

 

          We exchanged numbers and I returned home.

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