Gray Heroics: Book 2

Gang War 11

"Finally..." Galivinth exhales a heavy breath of air when, yet again, he's the last one standing in the confrontation with students of a rival school. The teen sparing a moment to hunch over and rest his hands upon his slightly bent knees, resting to collect oxygen as beads of sweat drip from his forehead and onto the floor. Once he's done and wipes a forearm across his forehead to soak up the excess sweat with the cloth wrap around his limb, he turns to finally retrieve the flag that's hanging on the wall across the room. However, his endeavor isn't yet at its conclusion. Someone begins descending down the stairs leading into the basement level. The individual ventures down the narrow pathway and soon steps out into the open space to lay witness to several students of the Red Turtle Dragon school lying unconscious on the floor and Galivinth in the far back unhooking the flagpole from its place on the wall. 

"Seems I must do everything myself..." A feminine voice announces with a sense of exhaustion and disdain. Upon turning around to see who it is, Galivinth - or rather - both individuals stare at each other with wide eyes when they see one another.

"You?" She questions as if unable to believe what she's seeing.

"You're that girl from before..." Galivinth remarks softly, gripping the flagpole horizontally in his possession.

"Are you... Also half cryonean?" He asks. His curiosity takes priority over the competitive atmosphere around them. The question takes the girl by surprise.

"...I recall my mother explaining to me that my father mentioned being a 'cryonean'. I assumed it was some sort of surname from a clan or organization. And yet, here stands before me a curious boy with eyes that used to look like mine. Eyes white as the moon..." She muses outwardly, crossing her arms as she studies him.

"I thought so! Yours looks like two suns, though. Why are they different now?" Galivinth prods.

"I inherited power. That's all you need to know." She answers fairly vaguely.

"But what exactly IS a 'cryonean'? What do you know about them?" She prods in return.

"Oh. They're an alien race of people from space. I only learned about them back in June, but I can definitely say they are very, very, very different from humans. My father is one, too. He taught me about some of the culture and even took me to the Kingdom they have here on Earth." He explains.

"I see..." The girl acknowledges his answer, then directs a frowning stare toward the ground, pondering to herself.

"Is that why my mother distanced us from him when I was born? Was she ashamed?" The girl questions under her breath. 

"I know I don't know you, but..." Galivinth pauses, a little embarrassed of what he wants to say, but yet wears a warm smile from it, as well.

"It's nice to know that there's someone else like me, too." He admits softly. However, the sentiment merely earns an arching brow from the girl.

"It matters very little. Don't think there's any sense of solidarity between us, American. My future doesn't involve paying lip service to an inconsequential half of my DNA. My devotion lies within my homeland." The girl coldly disregards his notion as she takes up a combative stance.

"I-... I guess that makes sense, too." Is all Galivinth can really say before he turns to place the flag back onto the wall on the cradling hooks on it. Then, he turns back to her.