As they walked down one of the quieter hallways, Remi practically skipped alongside Arlo, her energy infectious. She was talking about how excited she was to join the high school, how she couldn't wait to start training and improving her abilities. Arlo listened with a small smile, pleased to see her so enthusiastic.
They rounded a corner, and Remi, in her excitement, didn't notice the figure walking in the opposite direction until it was too late. She collided with him, her shoulder bumping into his chest.
"Oh! I'm sorry!" Remi quickly apologized, looking up at the person she had run into.
The guy was tall, with slicked-back blue hair and a permanent sneer etched on his face. He glared down at her, clearly unamused. This was Zeke, a fellow ninth-grader known for his arrogance and tendency to look down on others. He had a reputation for his arrogance, and it was obvious that Remi's apology wasn't going to smooth things over.
"You little brat," Zeke snarled, his voice dripping with disdain. "Watch where you're going!"
Remi blinked, momentarily taken aback by the hostility. "I said I'm sorry," she repeated, her tone more cautious now as she stepped back.
But Zeke wasn't interested in apologies. His eyes narrowed, and with a flick of his wrist, he activated his ability. Dark energy crackled around his hand, activating a defense form. Without warning, he hurled a punch at Remi, intending to teach her a lesson.
Arlo's eyes widened, and in an instant, he reacted. Before Remi could even think to defend herself, Arlo's golden barrier materialized between her and Zeke. His hand collided with the barrier and bled painfully, the impact making a faint thudding noise.
Remi gasped, taking a step back as the barrier shimmered in front of her. She hadn't even had time to activate her own ability before Arlo had intervened. She looked up at him, her eyes wide with surprise and a hint of awe.
Arlo's expression, however, was anything but calm. His usually composed demeanor was replaced with anger as he stepped forward, placing himself between Remi and Zeke. The barrier followed his movements, still glowing faintly.
"What the hell do you think you're doing, Zeke?" Arlo's voice was sharp, laced with fury. He rarely raised his voice, but when he did, it carried weight. "She apologized. You had no right to attack her."
Zeke sneered, but there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes as he realized who he was up against. "She needs to learn to respect her superiors," he spat, though his bravado was starting to falter under Arlo's intense gaze.
"Superiors?" Arlo scoffed, taking another step forward. "You think that just because you're in the same grade as me, you're somehow better than her? You're nothing but a coward, Zeke. Attacking someone who wasn't even prepared to fight back? That's pathetic."
Zeke's sneer faded, and he took a step back, suddenly feeling much smaller under Arlo's glare. The barrier was still there, a silent warning that Arlo wasn't going to let this slide.
"You're lucky I stepped in," Arlo continued, his voice low and dangerous. "Because if she had decided to fight back, you'd be the one on the ground right now."
Remi, who had been silent up until now, clenched her fists, electricity crackling faintly around her fingers. Arlo's words were true—if she had been given a moment longer, she would have retaliated, and Zeke would have been in serious trouble.
Zeke seemed to realize this as well. He glanced between Arlo and Remi, weighing his options. But there was no winning this one. With a huff, he extinguished the remaining energy in his hand and stepped back.
"Whatever," he muttered, trying to save face as he turned to walk away. "This isn't over."
Arlo didn't respond, merely watching as Zeke slunk off, his shoulders tense with barely concealed anger. Only when Zeke was out of sight did Arlo allow the barrier to dissipate, the golden light fading into nothing.
He turned to Remi, his expression softening. "Are you okay?"
Remi nodded, still a bit shaken but quickly recovering. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks, Arlo. That guy was a jerk."
Arlo sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, he is. But you handled it well."
Remi grinned up at him, her earlier fear replaced with admiration. "You were amazing, though! The way you just stepped in like that... you're so cool, Arlo."
Arlo couldn't help but chuckle at her enthusiasm, though he felt a tinge of embarrassment at the praise. "I just did what anyone would do."
Remi shook her head. "No, you did what a good friend would do. Thanks for having my back."
Arlo smiled, the tension from the encounter melting away. "Of course, Pinky. I'll always have your back."
Remi's smile widened, and she reached out to give him a quick hug. "Well, let's finish the tour then! I want to see more of the school before I have to head back."
Arlo nodded, and as they resumed their tour, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. Remi was strong and capable, but as long as he was around, he'd make sure no one would dare to underestimate her.
