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Chapter 12 - My Powers Go Out of Whack...Again

Tristan was more of a jackass than I originally thought, but Ruby was indifferent. I needed to persuade him to accept the idea of going against a ridiculously strong villain with an injured Penna in the other room. It didn't seem like that was happening anytime soon.

"Come on, it'll be just like the simulator. Except more real and if you get hit you might die instead of starting over."

"That's exactly why I'm not doing it. I don't want to die. You might have a death wish but, believe it or not, I don't."

"That's a lie."

"No it's not."

"You're basically a walking Hot Topic store."

"At least that place has cool clothing choices. You look like you walked straight out of..."

"Where? Where do I look like I just walked out of?"

"Nevermind! Point is, I'm not goth and we're not doing this."

"Since when have I let you make my decisions?"

"Since now! We aren't ready for this."

"You mean: you aren't ready for this."

"Shut up."

"Make me."

"I just might have to!"

Ruby shoved her way in between us when Tristan started levitating off the floor in anger. "How about...YOU BOTH SHUT UP?!"

Tristan lowered himself to the ground and muttered something I didn't catch, but Ruby did. She smacked him upside the head and he would've gone at her if Merlin didn't show up right about then.

"So? Any final answers?" He asked hopefully.

"Yes."

"No."

We said them at the same time and I whipped to face Tristan, holding up a crackling fist of black lightning. Merlin nervously chuckled and Ruby sighed heavily.

"We need a few more days of training before we decide anything. And now that we have another potential member, it'll make things more difficult. Doctor, please give us a couple more days and then I promise that we will have an answer for you," Ruby concluded. Merlin nodded, satisfied, and went into the infirmary to check on Aer.

"Look," Ruby hissed, spinning over to us, "We're going to do this. It's the right thing to do. Now, I expect you two in Training Room G in thirty minutes or so help me I will personally make both of your lives a living hell. Got it?"

We nodded, scared. Note to self, I thought, gulping, don't make an enemy out of Ruby Rose.

——

I dropped my bag filled with a towel and a few water bottles by the bench. Tristan, Ruby, and now Aer were all there already. I knew that Ruby would have been angry at me for being late, but I didn't care. Tristan's words from earlier still made me angry, and I figured that the anger would help me a little more during training.

Ruby had set up punching dummies and a sparring mat. There were also robotic dummies for more realistic combat practice. Aer was going to sit on the sidelines and watch how we worked before she would be able to join us.

"Alright," Ruby clapped her hands together. "Let's get started. Tristan and Zoe, you get the sparring mat first."

I was so ready to beat the living crap out of this know-it-all, so I knew that I could ace this match. Tristan got ready on one side while I let my hands crackle on the other. At the sound of "GO" I was already running. But Tristan used his stupid invisibility and agility to get away from my punch.