Afterschoolers: Glory

Chapter 7: Why We Fight

"I know you're the one who cut down Mary. Which happened moments before the rest of your friends took her and Cyclone. Now I'll ask again. Where are they?!" Obsidian slammed his hands on the wall, rattling Maya even more.

"I... I'm sorry," Maya cried. "It was an accident! I didn't mean to-"

"To what? Pick a fight with them? Come to this school looking for me?!"

"You're a monster... You stole Aura Crystals and gave them to children. Who does that?"

"Little one, there is so much that you do not understand," said Obsidian.

"Like what? You gave superpowers to children."

"You look the same age as my students. Maybe even younger."

"I was trained!" Maya yelled. "Trained to save humanity and to stop bad people like you."

"Foolish... You're fighting on the wrong side."

"What? I'm supposed to believe you're the hero?"

"Tell me about your family."

"What?"

"Your family. The people who raised you. The ones that gave you this power."

"I... don't have one. I was raised among other people like me."

"And you're qualified to save humanity. When you lack basic bonds with people who truly care about you?"

"I do have people that care."

"If they truly cared, they wouldn't have sent you here. If they truly cared, you wouldn't be alone right now."

"I have my mission," Maya said softly.

"Oh? Right, the mission to take me in. To eliminate me so that no one can stop whatever your superiors have planned next. In that case. Come and get me." Obsidian pushed open the nearby door, allowing the light of the sunset to shine in. Maya reluctantly followed him outside, finding herself standing between a shed and a small construction site in the middle of a grassy field.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"I'm in the process of building up a house. That way I'm never too far away from the school," Obsidian explained. "Now come at me."

Maya wiped her damp face and shook herself into a state of focus. Obsidian stood calmly across from her, waiting for the first move to be made.

"Onyx," Maya said to herself. Sadly, the tall swordsman did not appear at her side.

"Your semblance will not come when you're like this."

"What? What's a semblance?"

"Aura Semblance. Manifesting your aura into a warrior that will fight for you. A semblance. Sadly, you're full of so much emotion that yours won't come."

"How do you know this?" Maya asked.

"I've read every file on Aura Crystal capabilities. Semblances was one of their newest ideas at the time. You're proof that it can be done."

"Fine. I don't need him to fight!" Maya rushed forward, her fists clenched tight.

Obsidian kept his hands behind his back and smoothly evaded every punch and kick. Maya screamed and grunted with every fruitless attack she threw.

"Gonna save humanity, huh? Why were you even put on that team? You can't create portals. Can't fly. Can't make explosions. Why did you agree to join?"

"Because I wanted to get out! ... I wanted to get out of the lab I was raised in. I wanted to see the outside world for what it really is!"