Afterschoolers: Glory

Chapter 4: Up in Smoke

"This is bad," Rebecca said. Resting on the bed before her was Sasha, who was unmoving and wrapped in bed sheets. Natalia sat next to the bed, staring at her unconscious friend.

"Her condition doesn't seem to be getting any better," Natalia added. "I called Cain. He said he'll send help as soon as possible. Not sure what he plans to do."

"Geoff is the same way. The cold must've been really bad for them. How's Maya?"

"Maya? She's on the roof... Talking to her new friend."

Under a darkened sky, the gravel of the rooftop looked even greyer. Maya paced around the rooftop, her feet failing to keep her still. Floating inches off the ground was Onyx, who watched his master intently.

"Okay, explain it to me again, what are you?" Maya asked.

"I am a manifestation of your aura," Onyx said.

"Right, but why do you look like an oversized ninja?"

"Look, you're stuck with me. Plus, I don't think 10 feet tall is oversized. Besides all that, I can tell you are anxious."

"No I'm not," Maya objected.

"You feel responsible for your friends' injuries. You wish to get revenge on Jules."

"Okay, yes! I need to set things right! I need to avenge my friends."

"Very well... Tell me, do you feel them? Your friends' energies."

"Ever since you showed up, I can feel all kinds of things hitting me at once. What is that?" Maya asked, finally plating her feet firm.

"Those are the auras. With my help you can sense their powers. Close your eyes and tell me what you feel," said Onyx.

As instructed, Maya shut her eyes and let the outside forces flow through her. Through the darkness, she could see faint colored glows in the distance. Focusing in on each glow revealed that it was her friends a few floors beneath her. Upon turning her head, she could see Geoff's glow across the campus, faint and unmoving. Without moving her feet too much, Maya looked around the campus to find two unrecognizable glows way off in the distance. When Maya opened her eyes, she was staring in the direction of the old parking garage by the woods.

"I know where Jules is!" Maya shouted as she burst into the dorm room.

"What? Where?" Natalia asked.

"Better question is how?" Rebecca said.

"I can see people with Aura Crystals. She's at the old parking garage. She's not alone."

"In that case, we can't go looking for a fight," Rebecca stated.

"What?!" Natalia and Maya said together.

"Maya you just learned how to use your powers, plus Geoff and Sasha are down for the count. I'm sorry, but we can't go looking for trouble."

"How about we go on spy on them?" Natalia asked.

"No. That would still be too risky. Face it, we're in no position for a fight. She's too strong."

"But, Rebecca!" Maya complained.

"It's gonna be dark soon. Get back to your room."

"Alright. Let's go, Maya." Natalia dragged her friend by the arm out of the room and shut the door behind them.

"Unbelievable. She expects us to stand by and wait for Geoff and Sasha to get better when we could be out kicking butt."

"Do you think Jules is still at the parking garage?" Natalia asked her roommate.