//------------------------------// // Week 6 Friday: Unshakeable Joy (Soarin) // Story: Assassination Club // by Tythen //------------------------------// Soarin's POV Last day of the week, and the last day of the exams. It also helps that today only contains one exam, the practical/sporty half of physical education. Well... Except for Flash, as his presence was not seen in an exam room for the past two days. Normally, this would spring rumours between students about him being a teacher's pet or something or somewhat, and just express their 'salt' on a lucky guy like him, but that didn't happen. It may be disbelieving for a student to hear that one of their classmates is exempt from exams because their family members were kidnapped, but then Mr Shaker had the gal to bring his hostages along to school and tie them to a bomb that could blow them (and possibly everyone else) to kingdom come. So I'm very happy and amazed to see Flash successful in rescuing his siblings and sending Mr Shaker to the lockup for good, but that wasn't the only best thing that happened... Flash's postpone of exams had been lifted yesterday so he was able to complete the beep test with us. Everyone could see the smile on his face when he came in with his P.E. Uniform and can resume finishing off the most stressful thing in High School. "You ready for this Flash?" I asked, "You bet." He winked back at me. "The Multi-Stage Fitness Test will start in 5 seconds." That recording spoke, "Get Ready..." "May the persistent go far," Flash smiled with determination as he readied himself to run. "Heh, sure enough!" I nodded, also preparing myself for the run. Despite not exercising much or playing any sports as much as I used to thanks to exams, I made an effort to jog back home after school and listened intently to that Beep Test recording and boy, did it really pay off. I may not have got to a higher level, but I managed to hit more than a few laps, 8.5 to 8.11. Flash improved just as well, from 8.1 to 8.8. Though I'm unsure whether fighting helped his stamina or whatever, I'm just happy with his improvement. Heck, everyone who went through that practice test had all improved little or significantly. Neon, the one who had the lowest of 6.1, jumped up one full level to 7.1, Twilight from 6.2 to 6.10, Cheerilee from 6.5 to 7.1, Nurse Redheart from 6.3 to 6.10, And so on so forth. Heck, even our top runners got higher scores. Flitter had 8.3 to 8.7, Cloudchaser went from 8.6 to the next level of 9.2. Funny enough, so did Fleetfoot. And Thunderlane... Well... He improved drastically. 9.2? He was the top of the entire group with a stunning level of 10.5! "I uh... Had to convince my parents that the Beep Test exam involved exercise. They let me out for an hour every day to run!" Thunderlane explained himself with a chuckle, "So let's just say I'm able to manage my parkour routines for maxing and improving my endurance, not to mention how much I like it!" "You should really try for a sports club or team Thunderlane." Cloudchaser encouraged, "Who knows? You may find something new to like!!!" "Oh my goodness... Okay, how about next term?" Thunderlane moaned, "Yay!!!" Flitter jumped with joy, "You're actually being part of the School! Promise you'll think about it? We'll help you!!!" "Yeah yeah," Thunderlane sighed, "I... I'll appreciate it." I grinned from a distance. Yeah, it's not just Flash that's happy, Thunderlane should be too. Now he's very likely the top person in PE, although his written exam will be the judge of that... Scratch that. Not just Flash and Thunderlane, even Mr Shiota! The news showed that the police have received an anonymous tip in order to uncover Mr Shaker's 'treasure trove' of 20 Million! It was more than enough for the banks to be satisfied that their money's returned, but some of it has been used as compensation for the numerous crimes he committed. Repairing stolen cars (or even buying new ones for the victims), cop the anger of the people who've loved ones killed by him, and be responsible for paying repairs for any destruction to public or private property. That means Mr Shiota's first apartment will be rebuilt and his medical bills will be paid for free!!! He's been crying tears of joy about it non-stop today, not even the pain of his broken leg and being in crutches could ruin his mood. Well... Knowing what's it's like being a teacher with pay and to deal with bad students, furthermore with the danger of being an Assassin, this is such a blessing to him. Truly, the three of them were brimming with joy, although... When they shared it to us, the club, it raised more questions than joy... And it reminded me of something very big... It was at the Special Tutorship Club when this interesting story happened. As the exams were over, the temporary members we had said their silent goodbyes with their absent presence. The only people who stayed behind were Rainbow, Applejack, Rarity, Twilight and Sunset. On the other hand, two new faces popped up, a geek and a musclehead, Flash's besties. "And what brings you here, Mr Chip and Mr Biceps?" Mr Shiota asked, carefully turning around to face them. "We came to see if our best friend is alright." Micro answered, "Kinda feeling guilty that we haven't been around you much when you're feeling at your worst." "Sandal isn't coming?" Flash asked, "Naw, he says he's got faith in you, but I think he's just going to bring down the atmosphere with his snarkiness." Bulk responded, "Thanks, you two. I really appreciate it." Flash smiled, "And uh, maybe today you'd learn a little bit more about what happened." "Yeah! Sure!" Micro nodded, "Uhh... Flash?" Mr Shiota spoke, "you're not talking about what we promised yesterday right?" "I am, especially since what happened after yesterday." Flash nodded, "you don't mind if the club can learn about it? I mean, we are a team, even if what I did was solo. They should know what actually happened." "... Sure, I am fine with it." Nagisa answered, as he carefully sat down. "How about all of you?" "I'm in." Thunderlane answered, "I said I'll wait to hear the entire story." "Yay for exposition!" Pinkie cheered, and the rest of the club, including me, nodded in agreement. "Alright then, you want to sit tight you two." Flash turned to his best buddies. "So for the past two days, I had been exempt from exams in order to help Mr Shiota and co to find Scoots and First right?" "Yeah," "Yep," "I remember," went the classmates of the club. "This preparation against Mr Shaker happened earlier, the day when my siblings were kidnapped." Flash continued, "Wait. What?" I froze, "I don't understand..." The club responded, "You see... It wasn't Pressure Shaker who kidnapped my siblings... There was an associate named Mystère Malum who had done the deed. He kidnapped them on their way home and proved it to me through voice. To set an example just how much he demands me to follow his orders, he went and smashed my guitar." "Sorry about your loss." Rainbow answered, "As a guitarist, to have your guitar smashed instead of you smashing it sucks!" "I'll get back to that later." Flash responded, "After showing me those two things, I lashed out at him and began fighting for like an hour or so. I noticed however, he was holding back, and using different fighting techniques that put him at a disadvantage. He was tough nonetheless." "Looks like you aren't so cool and laid-back after all." Noteworthy snickered, "We're all human. There is always something that will make us angry." Flash sighed, "But yeah, this happened on Tuesday and Wednesday every night. He'd come around and spar with me like before." "Wait..." Twilight deducted, "so does that mean that instead of fighting you just for provocations, he's... Well... Training you?" "I hate to believe it, but yes." Flash nodded, "Those undisciplined, reckless and rushed moves were a near replication of Pressure Shaker's fighting skills or lack thereof yesterday. Because of that, I was able to predict and control the battle when facing that hulk of a man." "So wait..." Thunderlane pieced it together, "He kidnapped your siblings, broke your guitar, and coaxed you to fight him. But all-in-all, the way he fought you was almost exactly the way the big bastard fought yesterday. His logic... I have no bloody idea. Is he helping you or hindering you?" "Believe me, I have no idea what his motives are. But if you're still not convinced about him, well..." Flash showed his guitar case to the group, "Let's get back to the guitar then." "You still carry that guitar case?" Rarity questioned, "A guitar case can carry many things, but the main job..." Flash opened the case, revealing an electric guitar that is identical by its bright red colour and design to Flash's former one, "... Is to obviously carry a guitar." The class and teachers (except Mr Shiota) went silent for a minute there then burst into stupified unison including me. "WHAT!?!?!?!?" "I-I thought you said your guitar was destroyed!" Sunset exclaimed, "Are you lying?" Flitter squinted with suspicion, "Nope, he's telling the truth." Nagisa defended, "Yes, my previous guitar was destroyed. This is a new one." Flash answered, "Excluding the guitar strap, the colour, aesthetic, and materials resemble the former one to a T." He flipped his guitar to its back, showing a bright yellow staff and barline, strewn with a pattern of musical notes shaped like shooting stars, and each note with a different colour. "What's with the cutie mark?" Cheerliee asked, "Someone related to you?" "Yes." Flash nodded, "It belongs to Riff Starstream. She was a very experienced guitarist and singer, the leader of her own pop band in her young days. She's the reason why I was inspired to pick up and play the guitar." "Ooh!" Pinkie 'ooh'ed with interest. "Wait... Who is she again?" "Figured you'd say that Pinkie. She's not a popular musician, but she and her band have lots of heart and spice from what little the internet says. That's one of many reasons why Dad fell in love with her." "Oh," Fluttershy nodded, "She's your mother. I do remember you saying that was your mom's guitar..." "Yeah." Flash nodded, "More than just an instrument, the guitar is a memento that carries the spirit and love of my family to really play out my heart and soul." He closed his guitar case, "But I appreciate that this one resembles the original. Then again, it's easy because her guitar came from a regular music store. The only thing 'custom' about it is her cutie mark. If you know me, I love my family a lot so I treasure it lots." "So if your old one's broken, how did you get a new one that looks just like it?" Twilight continued, "Yeah... So once I was able to relax with my siblings after the fight, they told me that there should be a gift for me at home. When we returned, I saw this mint-conditioned electric guitar on my bed with a letter." He pulled it out, "Let me read it to you." Dear Flash Sentry For a religious hack that's as tasteless as water, you were damn impressive back there... But then again water is an essential part of life, and I know that's a comeback you'd say. Congratulations for beating that bad-mouthed bastard, and I thought I was a troublemaker! I'm sure you've figured out that the way I've been fighting you for the past three days was all to prepare for Pressure Shaker. How did I learn? Well, I had to fight him myself and it was tremendously trivial. From there, I coaxed him that I was the middle-man for whoever released him from prison, and he fell for it. He may be a fool, but given enough time, he can find a way to enact his revenge on Mr Shiota and catch you all unaware. So after coaxing Pressure to attack within the week and give me information regarding his plans, I had to find someone who can beat the crap out of him while not being very busy with work or study, and I chose you. Course, I had to make sure that you weren't completely busy with study. I learnt more about your guitar that I smashed and the reason why it's so important to you. Personally, I'd let go of such filial mementos and parental footsteps to create your own path, but I kinda did that myself since my parents were in the trading business in order to become what I am today. Turns out such ties to your family and faith really drives you to do some awesome and talented stuff. You have my respect for that. So as a reward for beating Pressure Shaker and enduring the damn I did to you, here's a new replacement guitar made exactly like your destroyed one with no improvements or changes; Your siblings put me through hell in order to make sure of that. But there's also a little something special that I put on your desk as an extra bonus. Check it out, learn more about it, play it. It should throw some variety into your music life. Oh yeah, there's also something I gave to your teacher through your siblings too. It should lead to something that can allow him to rebuild and refurbish his old apartment. Also, this won't be the last you'll hear of me. I'll always be around when you and your friends least expect it. See you later Mystère Malum P.S. I know you've got more questions for me, so I'm very much happy to meet with you. How about 4 pm in the park where we fought each other? That should be enough time to pick up your family and make sure they're safe at home. Oh, and come alone. "... Well, there is one thing that I got in his logic." Thunderlane concluded, "He definitely was right in picking you to fight." "He used me rather." Flash changed it, "Not a big deal though, I did get something out of it. My siblings are safe, and a gift to act as compensation to what he did to me." "That guy is an absolute psychopath!" Rainbow yelled, "to send a crazy criminal to attack us during our exams!!!" "Anyone would strike at the weak point, whether debate or fistfight." Cheerilee responded, "It's how we do things in order to get an advantage." "It's even confusing when he's been secretly training Flash and helped find the funds necessary to rebuild Mr Shiota's apartment." Big Mac continued, "Hey! What's the bonus? What about the bonus!? I really wanna know!!!" Pinkie spoke up, "Always pinning the mystery gifts Pinkie." Flash chuckled and revealed a tall rectangular music case. "It's another instrument, but not a guitar..." He opened the case and pulled out the instrument in question. "What... Is... That?" Fleetfoot was the first to talk. "It looks like a guitar, but with only three strings, a long and thin neck, and a really small squarish body." "I don't see the frets on it, or a soundhole either." Rainbow added, "And what's with the over-sized door stopper? Is that supposed to be the pick for it?" "Of course not. As I said, this isn't a guitar." Flash replied, "But I'm sure Mr Shiota, Coach Justice and Ms Yada would know. Maybe you too, Mac and Applejack." Nagisa happily nodded in agreement and took the lead. "This, ladies and gentleman, is a Shamisen." Mr Shiota introduced, "A traditional Neighponese instrument that looks similar to a banjo or guitar. The strings are plucked by the 'over-sized door stopper' known as a bachi," "I'd like to take a closer look. May I?" Ms Yada asked, extending her hands and arms. "Sure." Flash nodded. "Hmm..." With two careful hands, Yada examined the instrument all over, "A Tsugaru Shamisen. It's made up with a Bamboo base, Ivory neck and skin, a Tortoise-Shell bachi, and nylon strings. Excepting the nylon, the materials here make the traditional Shamisen." She passed it back to Flash, "Want a whirl?" "Later," Flash chuckled, fitting it back in the case. "I'd like to learn the basics first, and then a short easy song to get the feel." "Oh come on Flash!!!" Pinkie moaned, "We just want to hear what it sounds like!!!" "Seriously, I have NO idea how to use it. Only its name and how it plays." Flash stammered, "Aw phooey." Pinkie pouted, "Anyway, back to the topic," Flash replied. "Like you, I have no idea what the intentions of Mystère Malum are. However, I think it's clear to say that he's definitely not a threat, but someone we should be cautious against." Alright, Black Fedora, Black smart casuals, suspicious target but not threat. That will be duly noted. Out the corner of my eye though, I thought I saw Sunset had a face of panic for a little while. That's... Actually a bit suspicious... "Now I'm curious Coach," Flash turned to Coach Justice, "How were you able to save my siblings?" "I uh... Had help from two people..." Kimura, Roseluck and The Janitor travelled quietly but hastily to the PA room. It was located just opposite the cafeteria at a safe distance from the entrance lobby so Pressure Shaker won't have enough time to intervene. "Hello???" The Janitor playfully knocked on the PA door, "Anybody home?" "Don't open the door!" A pure voice chirped in panic, "Otherwise we'll all die!" "Oh my, a call for help from the sweetest maiden." The Janitor chuckled, "Don't worry little girl, we will get you out!" "I'm a boy, you idiot!!!" The voice retorted back, "Oh dear..." The Janitor slapped his head in dramatic despair, "Now guys are truly wanting to be girls! This world surely has changed without me meddling in it!" "Can you save it for later!?!?" A brash voice retorted, "His voice is natural. End of story!" "That's First and Scootaloo alright." Kimura responded, "Alright you two, we're going to get you out of here, but I need you to remain calm... Can you tell me how the door is tied to the bomb?" Kimura informed "That way, we can know how not to blow all of us up." "Umm..." First spoke, his eyes focused on the door, where a loose wire was attached to its edge with some adhesive unknown to the boy on one side, while the other was firmly tied to a firing pin of a small explosive. "There's a wire attached to the door edge, and it's connected to the bomb. Since the door can only be pushed open from the outside, it's going to pull the string and the pin. I'm guessing it's going to light a fuse and explode." "Are you sure about that?" Kimura prompted, "remember, this is important. If we get it wrong, we're going to die." "He's right! I can see the layout too. It's exactly what First said." Scootaloo firmly assured, "Alright then..." Kimura nodded, "Unless anyone of us can slip through a small crack, we're at a standstill." "Not with what we have right now, Onion Boy." The Janitor tutted, "I have some tools that can deal with this dilemma, but I'll need you two to make sure this goes smoothly without a problem." "What's your plan?" "I have something where I keep all my gardening and woodworking tools." The Janitor continued, "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?!?!?!?!?" An ear-splitting scream wailed throughout the hallways, silence followed soon after. "Oh dear, it seems something interesting is happening back at the fray." The Janitor gulped, "Little rose, can you please check it out? I'm sure you know that if you continue towards that hallway, you'll end up back in the entrance lobby, but behind our guest. He'll need to be preoccupied for this plan to work." "Yes sir," Roseluck saluted as she hurried down the hallway towards the source of the yell. "And me?" "Ensure the hostages are calm and collected Onion Boy. The more stricken they are with panic, the likely they may stumble and do something bad." "Well hurry up then." Kimura gestured, "Otherwise it will be impossible to rescue them without opening the door." "Remember this..." The Janitor looked back with a devious grin, "There is no such thing as impossible. All you just need to do is turn a few rules or schools inside-out and hey, the things you strive to achieve for is a walk in the park!" "Hmm..." Kimura frowned as the Janitor hurried into the cafeteria and through the kitchen. "And I thought our students and teachers were bad enough. Everyone is insane." He turned back to the two siblings, "Alright, we're on our way to get you out. For now, just stay calm, and take deep breaths." "Our upper bodies and arms are tied up to a chair, with a bomb attached the rope. It's scary, but we can only squirm so much..." Scootaloo spoke with a sense of snarkiness in her tone. "Don't be a smart-ass big sis," First sighed, "But yeah, we got it, sir! We know how to keep calm under pressure, we're raised by the same military father Flash has!" "Oh no..." Scootaloo gulped, a sudden urge ran through below her waist, "I don't think he trained us for specifically keeping calm under the pressure of nature's call." "Oh great!" First moaned as he began squirming, "You have to go to the loo!? Of all the times!" "Alright then, how about I sing a few songs huh? Or read a story??? Oh! Just focus on my voice, pretend that it's an island!!!" Kimura suggested, "I think for a special forces guy, you seem to suck at handling and knowing about kids!" Scootaloo scoffed, "So THAT'S how it is..." Kimura grumbled with frustration, "Even when facing death, you have the ability to crack humour." "Well, I'm not afraid of death as much as I want to live. Besides, there is such a thing as Heaven after all!!!" First reasoned, "Fair enough. But I still think it's too early for both of you to see your parents and the Goddess." Kimura mentioned, "Just hold it in then." "I will!" Scootaloo responded, "I'm back Coach Justice." Roseluck scampered back, "What's the situation?" Kimura asked, "Flash tagged in while Mr Shiota tagged out." Roseluck stated, "And from the looks of it, I just saw Flash dropkick Mr Shaker out to the entrance courtyard." "Is he? Perfecto!" The Janitor returned, carrying a circular saw with both hands, a measuring tape in his shirt pocket, and a pencil on his ear. "Then our DIY plan will go smoothly." Roseluck's eyes widened with disbelief. Kimura just looked away uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, but we don't have access to those window and door cutters that fancy secret agents have, so we should give our Better School and Garden a Fixer-upper so they can escape!" The Janitor grumbled as a response to their looks. "Alright then..." Kimura took a deep breath, "This is going to be crazy... But I've been in crazy already. Need help?" "Yes please," The Janitor passed the tape measure and pencil to the Special Forces Teacher, "I want you to measure and draw a rectangle that you KNOW you're going to fit through on the door. I'm sure a special forces member like you know their body measurements." "And you're going to cut the rectangle so I can crawl in???" Kimura raised his voice, "What am I, a dog???" "Why yes!!! Who's a clever Onion Boy huh? Who's a clever Onion Boy!?!?" The Janitor teased with a hysterical (but quiet) laugh. "This is not what I had in mind when I meant 'crazy'." Kimura sighed in defeat. "But I can't complain as the results of getting it will be a success." And with that, Kimura picked a certain point at the bottom half of the door and extended the measuring tape across the width. "Let's see..." Kimura debated with himself on the suitable length required to crawl through the 26-inch door of the PA room from left to right... He changed between extending and reducing the measuring tape to gain a visual perspective for further information on making a decision. He stopped the tape around 18 inches for a while and decided that it was most suitable for him to crawl through, he quickly marked down the beginning and the ends of the tape on the door with the pencil and connected them with a line. Next step was from top to down. It didn't take him that long to figure out a suitable distance. Rather, he started from the leftmost mark and pulled the tape all the way to the ground. Measuring about 3 inches from the ground, he marked the third point and connected it directly up to the first mark he made. He performed the same process for the top mark on the other side and finally connecting the two bottom marks together to create his rectangle opening. "Good, Onion Boy!" The Janitor laughed, patting his shoulder, "You did it pretty fast. Now for people on both sides of the door..." He retracted the safety cover and revved up the Circular Saw "... Please stand away from it." "Y-Yes sir," The two captured siblings nodded and used their legs to move the chair far from the door. The saw whirred and buzzed as loud as an elephant as the Janitor carefully placed it upon one of the edges of Kimura's rectangle. Through the sound of mechanical scratching and stream of painted sawdust, the Janitor worked effortlessly to cut a flawless opening to match the rectangle of Kimura. As the two handymen were busy, Roseluck remembered her role and pulled out her phone. Though well aware that the target of danger is outside, there could be chances he could still hear what was going on. To be sure, she began to let the club know. CHS Special Tutorship Club Message Board Guys and Girls? Coach Justice and the Janitor is approaching the PA room where the two children are being held. They want to know, is Pressure Shaker fully distracted? - Roseluck Roseluck bit her lip; Looks like she made a few mistakes when writing her message. A few seconds later, someone managed to pick up. Absolutely. Flash is keeping him very busy. - Cheerilee Roseluck sighed with relief, then continued her typing. Right. The two adults are breaking in now to rescue the kids... Creatively if I might add... - Roseluck "Okay!" The Janitor responded, "Finished!!!" He pointed to the rectangular hole of the door into the PA room, where the three could see numerous wiring... And the legs of First and Scootaloo. The hole itself was neatly cut in such a short time, although... "I wasn't able to use any painter's tape given our situation, so I hope you'll absolutely mind the splinters. Now fetch!!!" "It's nothing," Kimura laughed as he quickly slipped through the hole arms first, "Heya you two. Hope you didn't wait long..." "Thank you! Thank you!" The two siblings exclaimed in unison, only for them to look at each other in suspicion. "Get used to unison." Kimura chuckled, "Most of my classmates, including me, do that a lot back in Junior High. Now, what do we have here..." He turned to the door bomb and examined the wire. He deduced that the wire used was commonly used for fishing lines, so cutting this will be easy. "Hey, Janitor," Kimura called, "Do you have any scissors?" "I have two! Here you go!" The Janitor responded, throwing two distinct objects in. One was a pair of normal gardening scissors, the other was a figure of some red-shelled insect-human hybrid standing on two legs. Kimura picked up the gardening scissors but frowned very hard at the sight of the red figure. "Very funny." Kimura sarcastically growled, "Now take it back before I destroy it, or someone will destroy us." The sound of quiet hysterical laughing can be heard from the Janitor once more. Ignoring his reaction, Kimura approached the bomb and snipped the wire near its premise. Should he cut it haphazardly without considering the location, he would risk adding weight or force to the wire from the scissors and trigger it. Once done, he quickly carried the bomb away from the door, then opened it. No explosion was triggered, heard or felt. The breach was a success. "Okay, on to the next step," Kimura replied. As the Janitor walked in, Roseluck stood outside, checking all the messages of the Special Tutorship Club. "Sir," Roseluck called. "Do you want me to let them know?" "Don't." The Janitor poked his head out, "we have barely scratched the surface on what we have to do. Tell our spiky-haired fighter to keep the pressure on. The technological intruder must be crushed!" "Got it," Roseluck nodded and typed her message down. "To round it off," Kimura finished, "He didn't use any explosive in the way terrorist groups would do and the only thing that could blow up the bomb was the remote detonator he had, no other secondary way. It turns out he first hacked into our security system, cameras, bell system, and Wi-Fi, then made his speech. The moment he finished his PA announcement, he rushed over to the security room and used a self-designed jammer that blocks every signal for the entire school building. He must have gotten a structure of the school to know that the PA room is close to one of the entrances to the school's basement." "That's an exciting story!" Pinkie responded, "But don't you think that flashback is a little too much to answer Flash's curiosity?" "I don't see why that's a problem Pinkie." I responded, "We ALL, except for Roseluck, were unaware of what went on behind the scenes. I'm quite curious myself too." "Okay then, I guess..." Pinkie rolled her eyes, "but just so you know, you'll be losing the most out of this day Soarin." "And why is that?" I answered, "Today's the day where you FINALLY get to narrate your point of view!" Pinkie explained, "don't you think it's about time the first 5 members of the Tutorship Club are able to share their thoughts for a whole chapter?" "... What?" I reluctantly responded. Man, Pinkie is a funny gal, but there are times when I REALLY can't understand her. "Are there any questions left?" Flash asked, "One small loophole," Twilight raised her hand. "How did you manage to send a message? I thought the jammer blocked all signals!" "Well about that..." Roseluck began to give an answer until the realisation struck her mind. "... You've got a good point. How was I able to make a message? I completely forgot that there was a jammer, and yet..." "He did not!!!" Kimura slammed the teacher's desk, his face etched to resemble some vengeful spirit. "What did he do?" Yada jumped, "He... He..." Kimura started, taking deep and heavy breaths. "He... Put our lives at risk... But... Never mind." He calmed down with another deep breath, "We all got out safely." "I've got no question." I responded after Coach's sudden outburst, "But I must admit, you were really awesome yesterday." "Protect the innocent from evil. That's what I pretty much train for," Flash shrugged, "though I don't think it should be a surprise to you." "Yeah," I gave a coy smile, "It really isn't." "Have you ever considered coming back?" Flash asked, "You know everyone misses you. Our buddies, Our Master and his Missus." "Well, considering all the trouble we've been in..." I responded, "I've been thinking about it. That's why I visited them a few days ago. Granted, I won't be able to come as often as you would." "You'll always be welcomed back Soarin, even if you come once a month," Flash assured. "Hey," Fleetfoot raised her voice, "How long have you two been together in the dojo?" "Since almost the majority of our primary school life." I answered, "Flash and I were in the same class, and we sort of stood out from it." "Why's that?" Rarity asked, "Were you the only Equestrians doing it?" "Not even. We're the only two who have porcupine hairstyles compared to everyone with their short, straight, or curly hairs. Yes, even non-porcupine haired students from Equestria joined in the fun." I laughed, "But only as an in-class joke. They were really passionate about training and helped each other out, except for a few bullies. Flash was really passionate in following the teachings and disciplines, especially since well... You don't mind buddy?" "I can say it myself," Flash responded, "To put it bluntly, I was the most fragile guy of the class in the physical, developmental, mental and spiritual ways. I was slow to pick up on the lessons, I found it hard to balance and pivot myself, and lost every practice bout. Because of that, I get teased by students and harshly criticised by the master, with suggestions to quit. I'd always break down to tears every time since I couldn't say anything back; they weren't wrong." I remember those times. It was because of that, (alongside our spiky hair) did our little friendship bud and develop. "Uwaahh... Give me some time!!!" A six-year-old Flash moaned, sitting on the stairs outside the dojo next to a six-year-old me, "It's so hard to keep up and remember the steps! And I don't know how to practice it if I don't know the steps!" "There there..." I comforted, patting his shoulder, "you know you could just ask the master to redo the steps again until you get it." "It's going to slow down the entire class though. That would be very selfish of me," Flash explained, "I-I don't mind! At all!" I responded, "In fact, I don't think anyone would mind, even the master! If you were being selfish we'd really hold something against you, but what you want doesn't seem unfair." "Hmm..." Flash pouted, "It's just like school... Everyone picks on me because I'm too slow or something, and then I always have a pile of classwork that I still don't have an idea to do! I always needed help from my Mommy, and she's not always there all the time!!!" "So it's not just Taekwondo eh?" I prompted, his concerns and rants piquing my interest. "I take it you really are slow on the uptake?" "Well, I've learned table manners, I know how to read, and I know how to eat without needing help..." Flash explained, "but Mommy and Daddy needed a lot of time for me to finally get through." "Is that so??? Tell you what..." I stood up, "If you don't want to hold back the class, then I can teach you the steps after lessons or whenever you're available! I mean, Primary School's too easy for me, and I may not be a master at those techniques and steps yet, but I can spend a lot of time with you! And I'll do my best!!!" "Really???" Flash's eyes widened with hope, his eyes filled with light. "I promise!!!" I puffed my chest out and stuck out my pinkie. Flash looked at it for a few seconds, then slowly grasped it with his other pinkie. "Pinkie Promise Soarin!" Flash chirped with a wide smile, "I'm so happy that the Goddess has made you and me be friends! I promise that I'll do my best to fully understand things too!" "Heh! Sure!" I chuckled, "I-I'll hold you to it!" Whilst Flash was definitely happy that he could find someone he can trust aside from the master, I was really happy that I had someone to take under my wing, or rather at least have a really close friend back then. Before and after our training, I practised with Flash in the Park, and it took plenty and PLENTY of patience for me to get him to understand the moves. But bit by bit, he managed to remember and learn by himself. Course, his successful training wasn't the only reward I got. He introduced me to his family, and I mean his actual Mom and Dad. I visited his house quite often, and I learned so much about him and his family, like why he was so slow on the uptake. This really tightened our bond of being friends through the middle years. Evidently, he never gave up on his training and fighting as taught to by his parents, religious beliefs and me as we grew up. He was able to beat back his developmental delay when we hit the last two years of our Primary School, and with a complete 180, he became the quickest learner. His balance was unbreakable and starting from that day on and was unbeatable in the class. Of course, I don't know if he's still got that winning streak today since I left the studio in those last 2 years. "So uh... Why are you leaving?" Flash innocently came up to me after our lesson and the day when our master said I'd be leaving the class. "I well... We have a soccer club in my Primary School, and I had been going there alongside doing Taekwondo with you. But because we have to take all these stupid tests to enter High School, my parents said I can't do both so I had to cut one." "Then... Which one do you love the most?" Flash asked, "Argh..." The sea levels of guilt were rising within me, making me uneasy to answer as I look into his innocent eyes. "If it's something you had to give up and sacrifice, I understand that..." Flash responded, "I had to do the same thing." "What?" I responded, "I left CJS at the end of Year 4. And I really miss all the teachers and the classmates I had... Like that Pink-Haired girl... She was really pretty..." "Wait... Do you mean Canterlot Junior School?" "Uh-huh." Flash rapidly nodded, "Aw man, I envy you. I heard from Dad and Mom that the school has the best teachers and students! Why would you leave?" "Two things." Flash counted out, "One, I'm transferring to a Military School somewhere near the border of Canterlot. It's going to be hard work and discipline, but I want to work hard to be like my father. He's really kind, but also one who won't be afraid to be strict and fight if needed!" "Oh, I see..." I nodded in understanding. "He really is a good man, definitely cool. What about the second?" He smiled at me, "Mother gave birth to my younger sister and brother a month ago. I'm a big brother now!" "Really? Congrats then!!!" I laughed. From that laughing, those guilt levels began shrinking and lowering, and I suddenly don't feel so bad anymore. Looks like the little boy I've been training has grown up. "So? Do you love Soccer more than Taekwondo?" Flash continued his question. "Well, yes I do." I confessed, "It's more free-flowing, and it involves a lot more people playing together as a team. I want to be someone that I can help support and play together, just like we did here!" "That sounds lovely! I-I hope you do well!" Flash complimented, and I felt warm inside, "A-Are you sure you're not mad?" "Why?" Flash asked, "As I said, it's there are things we all have to sacrifice, even if the things we do are things we love the most." "I see..." I sighed, then continued further. "Okay, I'll admit that there was one strong thing that wanted me to stay here." "What's that?" "It's you." I admitted, "I didn't want to leave you there on your own when you're struggling..." "Aww... You're a really good friend Soarin," Flash smiled once again, and my inside warmth began to burn, "But..." I smiled back, "Perhaps I don't have to worry about it anymore. After all, look at you now. You're the best in our class, and you've got other people to take care of!" "Ah, I see." Flash nodded in understanding, "But that's okay! We can always still keep in touch, can we? As friends?" "Why but... Of course!!!" I responded, "Our parents have each of their numbers!" "There is one thing Soarin." Flash responded, "if there's anything I have to thank for growing up and doing all this, it's you! You're the one that has been a really good big brother to me, so that's why I'll be confident in being a good big brother for my siblings!" "Ooh, Flash!!!" The burning warmth turned into a bonfire, and I started to tear up, "Now you're going to make me cry like a baby!!!" "There there... It's okay. Papa said that even he cries, as does grandpapa, or any other guy." Flash responded as he patted me on the shoulder. Oh, My Goddess, he did to me what I did to him when I first made that promise! That just made me burst to tears! Yeah, it really has been a long time, seeing that joyful face of his when he personally bid me farewell, and how I remembered some of those Taekwondo moves that I used in my soccer skills. There had been more sweetness than bitterness in that farewell, yet I'd never think that such horror would fall upon him and his family. Two months later, I heard the message that Flash's parents died, and like him, I could not believe it. Having so good people die at a young age? Sure, I knew that Flash's Dad was in the military, so it was a life-risk, but not his mother. Why did they die? I questioned the Goddesses about this and although it wasn't a happy answer, they gave it to me when I went to their funeral. Because of the military ranking and reputation of Flash's dad, the army allowed his beloved wife Starstream to see him for a few days in a village that was safely behind a demilitarized zone, and well far away from the war zone somewhere in the Middle East. However, one of those days had spurred a terrorist organisation to attack and completely annihilate the zone and the village beyond. Flash's dad sacrificed his life to give time for his mom and other innocent civilians and families to escape but... A suicide-bombing bastard sneaked into the ranks of what seemed to be a successful evacuation... And made sure there were no survivors. I felt so empty and sad to see the parents of my best friend; Lifeless as their bodies were carried in coffins, lifeless as prayers, eulogies, and gifts were spoken and given to them, and lifeless as they were placed into the burning furnace... Across the burning flames, I could see Flash staring longingly at his parents, his grip tight upon the hands of his tiny infant siblings next to him. I could see him rumbling and fighting his own self, questioning everything that had happened, the faith he followed, the Goddess he believed in. I wanted to come around and encourage him, to keep his spirits up, but I couldn't. I was friends with him because I had been teaching him something that I know greatly about. Death, on the other hand, was something that I had no idea on where to start, and something that even I would be afraid of talking about; I would have let him down. So I backed away and tried not to get into his field of vision and placed a dark halt upon our friendship, a mistake I painfully regretted. Flash, Scootaloo and First Base moved to live with his aunt and uncle, leaving his house to collect dust. I had no idea where they lived, and I wasn't able to get the phone number of Flash's relatives. Our families did not allow us to have phones until we fully graduated from Primary School and learned about the giant responsibilities behind it, and Social Media was in its very early forms in our childhood. I had never felt so lonely for the rest of my Primary School days, but I still tried my best in memory of him. I studied hard, I played well, and I was accepted into Canterlot High School. You wouldn't believe my surprise when I went here on the first day that I saw him standing on the front lawn; looking at the school towering above him. This time, I strained to get his eye contact and we did. We both smiled at each other, after seeing each other for so long. But... All I did was give a wave and a nod, and he did the same thing too. That marked the end of our reunion, and we carried out our study life separately. I spent time with my friends and the Wonderbolts, and he spent time with his friends. For a long time, we saw each other as familiar faces... Somebody that we used to know, even when we shared the same class, and even when we're in the Special Tutorship Club. Heck, I didn't even know he moved back to his old house. To tell you the truth... The more I hear about him, the more painful it was that I remembered not approaching him when he was really down, and the more I wanted to return and talk with him. From what I have seen of him ever since joining, he was no longer the innocent boy I remember him to be, but he never stopped smiling with joy through his goofy and laid-back attitude. Now that we're thrown into this club, there were things about him that have not changed, or rather, grew up with him. His love and skills for Taekwondo, his disciplined self and attitude behind that goofiness, his faith still intact, and his oath to protect and be a big brother to his siblings. How did it grow up with him? Well... He's gone very protective of his siblings, he's much more ferocious and clean in his fighting, he's put much more assurance in his faith especially with all the talk about religion these days, and... He's smiling like he's over the moon. If I should remember on the time I've spent with Flash and his family, is that it's never too late for forgiveness. Perhaps I could rekindle that friendship I had with him back in Elementary years. Resume my time in Taekwondo. Possibly extend that brotherly connection to his siblings. All for what we're facing as a club, and especially for the future. After all... Seeing my first best friend filled with joy gives me joy too. "Soarin?" Flash tugged at me, breaking my train of thought. "Oh! Sorry!" I apologised, "I was just lost in thought. What did I miss?" "I asked, did you get along with Flash when you were learning Taekwondo?" Fluttershy repeated her question, though I was hearing it for the first time. "Oh uh... Yeah! Absolutely! He looked up to me a lot!" I responded, "Woah now... What's with the arrogance?" Micro spoke with suspicion. "He's telling the truth." Nagisa and Pinkie responded in unison. Everyone looked at the two. "Assassin Skills," Nagisa lifted his hands in justification, "I can tell." "And well..." Pinkie answered, "... Your story was a doozy!!! I guess I was wrong. You didn't lose out on anything!!!" "What story?" I responded... She can't be talking about me reminiscing about the time I was with Flash, is she? Well, whatever the case, this day was truly a joyful one. Our exam week is finished, another enemy of Mr Shiota was defeated, and everyone was happy. Course, we're well aware that School isn't over, and neither are any future attacks from whatever horrendous person comes our way, but we'd like to have a momentous occasion. As for me... You know what? I really should return to practising Taekwondo! I'd love to see how far Flash has gone! And I think it's my turn to try and stop his streak! Hmm... Wasn't I thinking about something suspicious before? Nah... It can't be that important. Nothing but a day of unshakeable joy. Way after school, Flash made his way to the park at 4 pm sharp. There, he saw the man dressed in black sitting peacefully on a park bench. "Afternoon Flash." Mystère waved as Flash approached him, "How are your siblings?" "They are getting back to normal, and they told me how you treated them..." Flash frowned, "... Still can't believe you took them to the Water Park on Wednesday." "Well, I must confess..." Mystère's deep voice moaned, "We did have a little slip-up there. There WAS a scummy idiot that thought he might have some good time in kidnapping some kids. So I gave him a strict lesson, and like Mr Shaker, he's in prison." "What is your deal?" Flash snapped his head to face him, "And I'm saying this genuinely. I can gather that you are no Kuro and that you really did keep my siblings safe, despite kidnapping them. No ransomer would ever treat them the way you would." "I was never some kidnapper, to begin with. But it's exhilarating to see that I led you all on a merry goose chase!" Mystère chuckled, "I must admit, I love seeing your reaction when you try to comprehend whether I'm good or evil. Same thing with your siblings." "I take it you wade in the grey?" Flash asked, "Not at all. I respect people who do good, as I do the same thing too. But let's just say I'm a bit more... Extreme in my methods that such people would question me." "You've proven that much." Flash responded, "But judging by your voice. It seems you've been doing that a lot." "Ever since I was a teenager, my boy." Mystère concluded, "So. Have you played the Shamisen yet?" "Looking forward to it, but after the exams. As of now, I'll place it next to my guitar so I can remember it." Flash replied, "Yeah. You should trust your older beings more. They can assist you in more ways than one." "Mystère. I know fully well that you respect me." Flash answered, "But by no means are we friends. If you answer two of my questions, however, you have my respect from here on out." "Ooh..." Mystère smiled, "Sure. I'm all ears." "First is a simple question." Flash started, "Do you know my teacher? Specifically Mr Shiota?" "Your teacher is a man that I respect a lot, but only because he faces danger with his own hands to show how much he cares for his students. Other than that, I have never met him in person." "I see..." Flash nodded, "Then for my second request..." He stood up, walked onto a flat patch of grass, and turned to face Mystère. "... I want you to fight me again. This time, with what YOU know." "Hmm..." Mystère stood up, "Are you sure about that? I feel like I've... Gotten a bit stronger." "I won't be doing this out of rage, call it a friendly but serious spar. I'd like to see how you truly fight... And if it gets too far, I'll call quits." "Hmm... Granted. We'll do it under your conditions." Mystère nodded and stood up, "It's the least I can do for you." Walking towards Flash, his pupils of gold began to spark with red. "Are you ready?" "No battle stance?" Flash asked, "This is my stance..." Mystère responded, "Well, I just picked it up recently since I got this new power... Feels pretty nice too." He clenched his fists, generating small sparks of red, just like his eyes. "Shall we???" "Begin!" Flash yelled and charged forward.