Trickster of the Butterfly

Chapter 7- Makes Sense

Free days were Michael's favorite times of the week, especially if they were placed in the middle of the week. He usually stayed at home and did homework and chores while he did his leisurely stuff like surfing the net and online social networking, that is to say: Facebook

.

His parents were usually out for work in the morning while his three brothers had their own agenda in sports and going out with friends. He really didn't plan on going out that free day Wednesday so he just stayed home and got the whole house to himself.

After the little ordeal at school yesterday, he wondered how things went while he was away from his friends and practically skipped most of his classes by passing out for five hours. He just went home after he saw the previously frozen elderly school nurse wandering in a gaze right outside the school clinic, probably wondering where her patient disappeared to so suddenly.

Lounging on his couch in the living room, he turned on his little yellow phone tablet and opened up the his friends' usual Facebook chat group for just the four of them where they talk about anything or nothing at all. Strangely though, nobody had sent any new messages for the day. Usually when he opened it there were atleast a 100+ messages in their chat box talking about anime, school, and their crushes at school. He noticed another person had been added to the chat group.

Alora Kaye has been added to the group.

Michael felt a little guilty for suddenly walking out yesterday without even explaining a thing to Alora. He feared he may have left a weirdly bad first impression on his new friend. He kind of still felt mad at his other friends though but he felt he owed them an apology

Umm guys, sorry kahapon ah. He typed

Nainis lang ako ng konti... Anong nayari sa Pol Gov at Math natin nung wala ako?

"I'll show you," a deep gentle voice said.

Michael's vision blurred, he blinked then it seemed like he was teleported back to PLM. He stood 10 meters away from the outside of the perimeter of the crumbling GV left wing. He looked down to see that his body was glowing white, like a ghost.

Then, out of nowhere, Michael saw a boy seemingly popped out from the ground a little distance away from the perimeter, lying down unconscious.

"SI MICHAEL!" Michael heard a girl's voice call out then suddenly...

CRASH!

What's left of the GV left wing totally collapsed. The sound startled Michael.

Only then did he realize this was a flashback and he was watching a live replay of it. He noticed the boy lying on the ground was actually him from yesterday.

He saw four ladies rush toward the unconscious Michael, his friends. Hera was checking if he was alive, Joy was frantically shouting and looking mad, and Sarah and Alora were standing worried as they watched him. A crowd then surrounded the scene.

Present Michael was trying to take in all that was happening and felt like throwing up as he palpitated until...

"I saved you from what could've been your end," a voice said from behind him.

"W-what?" Michael stuttered. He looked behind him but didn't see anybody.

"I made you use the Butterfly to pull you through a time portal two seconds into the future right before a hundred pounds of concrete turned you to mush."

"Oh, ikaw pala," Michael said as he tried to calm down.

He turned his attention back to the scene and saw a University Security Guard make his way into the crowd then carry and run with the unconscious Michael in his arms. The four ladies pushed through the crowd to follow the guard. A while later the crowd dispersed.

"Why... why did I pass out after being pulled through the portal? And why was it all pitch black while you were talking to me?"

"You see, I was interacting with you in a plane of existence where time is more visible but space is not and where your whole being can sense time in its purest form. It was the only way you could obtain the Butterfly."

Suddenly, the landscape disappeared and it was pitch black again.

"This is that dimension. While you are here, time passes by normally while the dimension you're usually in has time passing by faster. So, our ten-minute conversation was actually going on for around two hours in the other dimension. We finished right at the time your classmates were dismissed from their Pol Gov. subject," the voice explained.

"So, why did I pass out? From standing so long?" Michael asked.

"The colorful shockwave you produced with your excitement exhausted you. Normally, you could only release that much energy with a lot of concentration. But since the still raw power of the Butterfly was still attaching and adapting itself to your being, your emotions triggered a release of a lot of yours and the Butterfly's energy and you did it involuntarily. Think of it like a hot air balloon on the ground was blown away by the wind while its anchor wasn't placed down yet."

"I guess that's what you meant by keeping my emotions in check," Michael said sheepishly.

"Also, the actions you do within the pitch black dimension have actual effects on your usual dimension. That shockwave you released finally pushed the crumbling structure to its limit that's why it collapsed. I made you use the Butterfly to open that time portal to save you, which took some more of your energy. And that's when your friends saw you unconscious on the ground."

Michael pondered for awhile to take that all in.

"So, these time powers, they make me tire— Ohhhhh! I get it now! That's what you meant by being awake enough to use it," Michael said as clarity spread to his head. "Okay, okay. So that means I always gotta be fully rested to use this thing to its full potential, right?"

"Yes, that is correct," the voice said with pleasure.

"But this pitch black dimension thing, I don't like it. I don't want to be losing a lot of time staying here."

"Don't worry..."

The darkness faded and Michael was back in the living room on the couch with his tablet on his lap.

"I won't be pulling you there all the time. You have many more capabilities with the Butterfly. Learn them and we shall see by the end of the school year if you can keep them."

"Sounds exciting. I'll be careful with my emotions though," Michael held back a laugh. "But how do I qualify to be worthy?"

"Alright. I'll tell you, now listen well."

Michael put all of his attention to the voice.

"The only ones who can wield time are those who can accept its consequences. Upon you, Michael Randelo, a big consequence shall come as you wield the Butterfly and you will have to accept it if you are to keep it longer."

Michael's chest felt heavy with responsibility.

"Boy, that is all I will tell you now. We shall speak again soon. Go and make use of the Butterfly."

Then it was silent.

Michael looked down at his tablet and saw that his friends have been busy chatting him while he was out. He scrolled up and read that they were comforting him and telling the exact same details of what happened in his flashback. Then the latest message popped up.

Mike kasi wag mo na kami i-seenzone! Sorry na nga eh! Sarah messaged.

Michael smiled and remembered these gals were there for him when he passed out.

Oo na forgive ko na kayo :)