Second Reality: Surge of Power

Chapter XXIII: Stargazing

Ren was lying on the ground, saliva drooling from his mouth while others were whispering and chuckling around him. As he slowly opened his eyes, he saw Marco and Vhiz standing over him with a marker in Marco's hand. "What?" Ren moaned, rubbing his eyes. He needed a second to realize what was happening. He slapped the marker away and opened his phone's front camera to look at his face. On his forehead the word 'balls' was written in all capital letters and over his mouth they drew a pencil thin, curly mustache. Ren rubbed the ink, but it was a permanent marker. He quickly jumped up ready to murder his two friends, but he realized checking on the others was more important. He turned to look at Niel who was filling the craters created by his fist. Niel turned to look at his friend and he belted out laughing.

"Bwahhaha! You look like an idiot Ren!" What Niel was unaware of is that his face was similarly decorated with a monocle over his right eye and the word 'taint' on his chin. He didn't need much time to realize his new look, because instead of attacking him for the mockery, Ren chose to laugh back at him.

"You're the one to talk? A pince-nez suits you! You've never looked this sophisticated!" Ren chuckled. As their chuckle died down, they held a gaze for a second then nodded to each other. The next second the two of them chased down Marco and Vhiz to give them similar decorations.

"I don't have a marker on me!" Niel groaned as he tackled the two kids at once.

"Don't worry, I have a pen! It'll hurt more!" Ren answered, searching his pockets.

While Nile restrained Vhiz under one armpit and Marco under the other, Ren pulled out his pen with a sadistic grin ready to paint his magnum opus. Their impromptu wrestling match was cut short by Hook jamming a shaker into their hands.

"Drink up kids! You'll need the energy!" As the children had a second of calmness amidst the tackling, they all suddenly felt heavy. They slowly sank to the ground tired.

"Yeah... I feel weak all of a sudden." Ren dropped the pen and started sipping the drink.

"That's the trial for ya! But don't worry! Two days of rest, and all your strength will be back!"

"So, who passed?" Marco asked looking around. "Vhiz already bragged about it but who else?"

"I think I was one of them." Ren slowly raised his hand.

"Yes!" Hook declared slamming his hand on Ren's back.

Niel squeezed his eyebrows together and tilted his head towards Ren. "Really? Ren, that's great! I'm so proud!"

Marco leaned closer to Vhiz. "He's super jealous!" He whispered, but not quiet enough. Niel's hands wrapped around his throat. Marco, wanting to survive this ordeal turned into the only possible person Niel wouldn't hurt, Ginna Niel quickly drew his hands back letting Marco escape.

"The second you turn back to your ugly self I'll punch the freckles off your face!" Niel shouted with his face red as a tomato.

"If Terry was here, I'd ask for his sage stick." Ren said to Hook while patting his friend on the back, trying to calm him.

"Yeah, I think meditation should be part of our training for a couple of kids." Hook chuckled supporting Ren's idea.

"Now can you tell me, what changed now, that some of us are level two?"

"Let's wait with that discussion until everyone is up."

"Who's left?" Ren looked around.

"Sun and Ken are still out." Hook turned to look at Sun. "It's not surprising, you were probably too busy to notice it, but he went critical zero from the stress."