//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 - Flashback and Meeting the Teacher. // Story: Hexan, the Phantom Thief // by Hexan Tronic //------------------------------// ??/?? ??? I remember walking home after a night on the town, and hearing some arguing between what sounds like a man and a woman. So I head over to see what’s happening. Once I follow the road and get closer, I can see a man in a suit, trying to force a woman into his car. I can hear them arguing a bit more clearly now. “You think your worth all this trouble? Your nothing compared to me!” The man says, his focus on the woman, while sounding drunk. “Stop it! Leave me alone!” She yelled, trying to get away, but he doesn’t let her go. “Like hell I’ll stop, there’s no reason to, even if you call the cops. They're a bunch of idiots who do as I say anyway!” He exclaims, still trying to force her into the car. By this point I’m right nearby, but my focus is leaving me because of a dull pain in the back of my head. “Get away from me!” The woman exclaims, trying to push him away, as she notices me, he turns to see what her attention is on. “See, this is because of how slow you are, now get in the car! And you kid, get lost, this doesn’t concern you.” He says, looking a bit intimidating, but the pain is getting worse, so it has a weaker effect, but the pain causes me to hold my head. “Didn’t you hear me you brat, get lost!” He yelled before he goes to punch me in his drunken stupor. That’s all I remember, before my memories continue, with him on the ground with a broken nose and glasses, as well as some bruises on the sides of his face. “Bloody brat, I’ll sue!” He exclaims, at which point the police arrive, and end up taking me away. 04/09 Sat I’m looking up in my bed after remember the events that led here, when I suddenly hear a notification from my phone and pull it out. To my astonishment, the weird app is back. ‘Odd. I’m sure I deleted it.’ I think, before deleting it again, and putting my phone down. ‘Guess tomorrow will be another day.’ I think, before going to sleep. ??/?? ??? When I next awaken, I feel a weight on my wrists, and sit up, noticing metal cuffs and chains on my arms, and I can feel another on my foot. I also noticed that I’m in a black and white jumpsuit, like a prisoner. That’s when I hear someone laughing softly, someone that sounds like a young girl. That’s when I notice the barred door, which two young girls, dressed in what look like warden outfits, that are the same colour as the walls around me.Both of them have an eyepatch, which has a stylized golden ‘V’ on it, but they are on the opposite eyes of each other. They appear to have light blonde hair, in two seperate styles. On their hats, are golden letters that appear to mean nothing until you combine them, which makes the word ‘Oxymoron’. I also notice one is holding a metal baton, while the other holds a clipboard. Looking at them, I get the feeling they are older than they look. That’s when the one on the right starts speaking. “Stand up straight inmate, your in the presence of our master!” She says, sounding forceful. They then turn simultaneously towards the center of the room beyond the door, where an ornate desk sits. There is a man behind the desk. He appears to only have hair on the sides and back of his head, not his top. He is in what is likely a tailored suit. And the things that stand out the most is his long nose, and creepy grin. Once he has deduced that I have finished my observation, he begins to speak in a voice that makes me uncomfortable. “Trickster, welcome to my Velvet Room.” He says, gesturing to the room around him. Looking around, I notice that the desk sits on a circular carpet with the same symbol that is on the girls eye patches. “You are likely wondering where you are. Well worry not, the you in reality is fast asleep, and you are experiencing this as a dream.” The girl on the left states, sounds all business, with little emotion. “Welcome, I am pleased to make your acquaintance. This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is a room that only those bound by a ‘contract’ may enter. I am Igor, the master of this place. Remember it well.” The man states, looking at me with his bloodshot eyes. “I have summoned you to speak of important matters. It involves your life as well.” He says, and I notice a chance to speak. “What do you mean by, important matters?” I ask, holding onto the barred door. He appears to dodge my question and continue talking. “Still, this is a surprise. The state of this room, reflects the state of your own heart. To think a prison, would appear as such. You truly are, a ‘prisoner’ of fate. In the future, there is no mistake that ‘ruin’ awaits you.” He says. “Are you kidding me here?” I ask, beginning to wonder if this is some elaborate joke my mind is playing on me, as I pull on the bars. When I’m done, he chuckles. “Worry not. There is a means to oppose such a fate. You must be ‘rehabilitated’. Rehabilitated towards freedom. That, is your only means to avoid ruin…” He states. “...Do you have the resolve to challenge the distortion of the world?” He suddenly asks. “To be honest, I’d rather avoid ruin.” I say, hoping it’s enough of an answer. “So you didn’t decline. Very well, that’s enough. Allow me to observe the, path, of your rehabilitation.” When he finishes speaking, the twin wardens turn towards me, again, completely mirroring the others movements. “Ah, pardon me for forgetting to mention the others. To your right, is Caroline; to your left, Justine. They serve as wardens here, as you have likely guessed.” He says, as I look to the twins. “Hmpf, struggles as much as you like inmate. You won’t get out of here that easily.” Caroline says, looking to be taking this seriously. “The duty of wardens is the protection of inmates. We will also be your collaborators.” Justine states. “...That is, if you continue to follow orders.” She continues. “I shall explain the role these two have, at another time. For now, the night is waning...It is almost time. Take your time to slowly come to understand my room here. We will definitely meet again…eventually.” Igor says, as he continues to tap his fingers on the desk. Once he finishes speaking, he looks up as an alarm goes off. “Looks like your time is up. Hurry up and get back to sleep, inmate.” Caroline orders, so I lay back down and fall asleep. 04/10 Sun When I wake up, I sit up and think on the odd dream I had. ‘Ruin...Rehabilitation...Wardens...Fate…’ Once I’m done thinking to myself, I get up and changed. Once I’m in the uniform for my new school, Roast-san comes upstairs, and I notice that he is wearing a white jacket, and a matching fedora. “Oh good, your up. Well come on, we have to go to introduce you to the staff of your new school.” He says, as he turns to head back downstairs, mumbling to himself as he goes. “Men aren’t usually allowed in my passenger seat…” After that, I head downstairs and follow him, to his car. After a bit of a long drive, we get out and walk the last bit of distance to the school. “Alright kid. Do me a favor and behave yourself, alright? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t really care what happens to you. I just don’t want you causing me any trouble.” He says, before we walk into the school, and up to the principal's office. Looking into the room, there appear to be two people. One is a, well, large, bald, man, who is wearing a dark green suit. The other is a woman, who is wearing a light red, striped shirt, and has dark brown hair. I turn my attention to the principal, the man, as he begins to speak. “So, you must be, Hexan, correct? And this is your guardian, Spicy Roast.” I nod to his question. Before he begins speaking about my situation here, and having Roast-san sign some forms, some of which I also need to sign. After a bit, we reach what I believe to be the end of our appointment. “So, just to reiterate. You will be immediately expelled should any trouble be caused by you.” The principal says, with a stern look on his face. “To be honest, I hesitated on taking someone like you, but there happened to be circumstances that favored us doing so.” He states. “You might have done a variety of things in hiding in your hometown, but you will be on your best behaviour while attending this school. Keep in mind, that if your get thrown out of here, there is no place left for you to go.” He says, keeping his stern look on. “This, is the teacher in charge of your class.” He says, while gesturing to the woman. “I’m Yakudatsu Kenkyū.” She says, sounding tired. “Here is your student ID.” She explains, before giving it to me. “Be sure to study up on the school rules. Any violations will send you to the guidance office. And if, by chance you cause any problems, I’ll be unable to protect you at all. That is the situation, right Principal Don'yoku?” She says, looking at the principal. “He is responsible for all his actions.” The principal replies. “But really though, why me?...There should have been much better candidates.” Kenkyū-sensei says, sounding a bit more tired. The principal replies while sighing. “It was a sudden transfer, and your class had the only opening.” He explains. “If we’re done here, do you mind if we get going?” Roast-san asks. “Roast-san, please keep an eye on him. Don’t let him cause any trouble outside...” The principal says. “I’ll be having a serious talk with him when we get home.” Roast-san says  “Make sure to come to the faculty office when you arrive at school tomorrow. I’ll then take you to your class and introduce you.” Kenkyū-sensei explains. Then we walked out, having finished our talk with the staff. “They’re treating you like some kind of nuisance...” Roast-san says, after a sigh in one of the schools hallways on our way out. “I guess that’s what it means to have a criminal record. Turns out your past follows you where ever you go.” He says, turning to face me. “By the way, if you get expelled, I won’t hesitate to kick you to the curb. Got it?” He asks. “I think I should be able to handle it.” I say. ‘This shouldn’t be too bad.’ I think to myself. “See to it that you do. I don’t want any reports of you slacking off.” He says, before sighing and looking around. “School never changes, huh?” He asks to no-one in particular. “Come on, we’re heading home.” He says, before we head out and back to his car. ------------------------------- Yakudatsu Kenkyū’s POV I sigh as I walk along one of the paths between buildings, before I run into the coach of the school football team. He looks like he is going to speak to me. “What a troublesome situation.” He says, likely referring to Hexan-kun. “I can’t believe they really pushed someone with a record onto me. One of the male teachers would have been better suited this…” I say, feeling tired. “Why in the world would the principal agree to admit someone like that here?” He asks, rhetorically. I shrug before replying anyway. “I have no idea what he’s thinking, but it probably has to do with the schools reputation.” I say, hoping to finish this talk to I can get off work and go home. “And here I thought that my football team would have completed covered the schools reputation already.” He smugly remarks. “That is definitely true.” I say, giving him a bit of credit. “Be careful, okay?” He says, stretching a little. “Then again, if anything were to happen, I’d kick out a student like that right away.” He finishes. “To be honest, I keep wishing he’d end up just not coming to school. But that isn’t really something a teacher should be saying, is it?” I say. “Well, I should be returning to practice.” He says, looking ready to head off. “Oh right, the tournament is coming up, isn’t it?” I say, remembering that detail. He chuckles at that “Having such high expectations placed on you by others is quite a problem in itself.” He says. “We’ll have to work hard to make up for the baseball team too.” He says. “Yeah...that is true.” I say, feeling bad that all the kids from the team are unable to do the sport they want. I sigh as I watch the coach walks away. “Why’d it have to be my class?...” I ask myself, before walking off to finish my work for today. -------------------- Hexan Tronic’s POV: I watch as Roast-san groans in annoyance. “Traffic’s not moving at all…” He says, clearly annoyed. “Your taking the train, starting tomorrow.” He says, in a way that means it isn’t up for debate. He then sighs and relaxes a little. “...So, how was it, the school I mean. Think you’ll be able to manage?” He asks, turning his attention to me. “I think I should be fine.” I say, keeping my answers brief. “Yeah well, even if it is too much, you brought it upon yourself.” He says. “Still, you were expelled from one school already. To think you’d enroll at a different one.” He continues. “I mean, it’s not like anyone with be sympathetic with you.” He explains, before he sighs. “...If that’s what it was like at your school, people might start saying stuff about me in the future…” He says, sounding a bit tired. “What a troublesome kid I’ve taken in…” He finishes. “You know, I’ve been wondering, why did you take me in?” I ask, genuinely curious. “Someone asked me to do it, and I just...happened to agree to it.” He says, before continuing with, “I’ve already been paid for it, of course.” At that point, a newscaster on the radio talks about an accident in the subway. “Another accident?...” Roast-san asks in disbelief. “I guess that’s why it’s so crowded. There’ve been a lot of those lately.” He says, referring to the accidents. ------------------------ After a while, we make it back to the cafe, and I see a recording of the accident on the tv. “Geese, what a waste of a Sunday, I couldn’t even open the store...” Roast-san exclaims. “...Oh whatever.” He says, before turning his focus to me. “Head upstairs, I have something to give to you.” He says, before I head upstairs. Once up there, I hear him talking behind me, and I turn around once upstairs and see him on his phone. “Talk about a gruesome accident...around eighty people were involved.” He says, looking as surprised as I feel at the number, before he puts his phone in his pocket, and pulls out a black book. “It’s a diary. Make sure to write in it, as it will help me with the report I have to make at the end of each month.” He says, placing it on the table by the stairs, where my bag sits. “To be honest, while you are on probation, you don’t have any real limits on what your spending your time on. Except for following the law, that is.” He explains. When he is done, he gets a call, and starts walking away, talking on his phone. I look around my room, before changing into my pajama shirt and pants. I look over and see the diary by my bag. ‘Guess I better write about today and yesterday's events.’ I think, before doing so. Once I’m done, I head a phone ringing downstairs, so I head downstairs to check. It appears to be coming from the yellow phone on the counter, so I pick it up and hold it to my ear. “Yo, it’s me.” The caller says. “Who is this?” I ask. “Sheash, did you forget my voice already kid?” He asks, which confirms it as Roast-san. “Anyway, while I did close up shop, I forgot to flip the sign to close, and it’s too much of a hassle to go back myself. Mind doing that for me?” He asks. “Um sure, but mind telling my why you called the public phone?” I ask. “Sorry, but I make it a habit to avoid putting a guys number in my cell. Anyway, your now incharge of the door sign.” He says, before hanging up. After the call, I head outside and flip the sign to closed, before walking in and locking the door. After that, I look around the shop, noticing all the different coffee beans behind the counter. Then I turn on the TV, which is just showing news about the accident. Once that’s over I head upstairs. Once I’m back in my new room, I hop into bed. Once in bed, I start thinking to myself. ‘I’ll need to take the train to school tomorrow, better memorise the stations I need to take.’ I think before opening the internet on my phone and looking over the ones I need. That’s when I notice the strange app is back again. After deleting it once again, I put my phone down. That’s when a wave of exhaustion hits me, causing me to fall asleep.