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Act 1.11 (Recrudesce)

    In contrast to Jade’s suit, mine was simpler, though it followed the same design characteristics. I had skipped the extravagance of the moon boots that Jade had—a half-million-dollar investment meant for extreme conditions. I’d only splurged on them for her because I knew she had a knack for throwing herself headfirst into dangerous situations. They were a lifeline, an essential escape tool she might need one day. As for me, my trusty sneakers were more than adequate. They weren’t flashy, but they were durable, dependable—everything I needed for running, jumping, and whatever else might come my way.


    As I adjusted the fit of my suit, I caught Jade studying me. Her gaze was sharp and unwavering, the kind of focus that makes your skin prickle as if under a spotlight. She hadn’t changed out of her own suit yet—of course not. Her plasma guns hung holstered against her thighs below the utility belt, giving her the air of a futuristic gunslinger who was always ready for a showdown.


    “You look…” she started, hesitating as if weighing her words. “You look good.”


    “Thanks,” I said, trying for nonchalance, though the heat rushing to my face probably gave me away. I immediately berated myself: Ugh, get a grip! Don’t be weird.


    “Anyway,” I muttered, “your suit’s still fancier.”


    “Obviously,” she replied without missing a beat. Her attention shifted toward the door, her barely contained energy radiating like static electricity. “So? Should we test them out?” She asked, words tumbling out in a rush.


    The eagerness in her voice was almost tangible. Her entire posture buzzed with barely contained excitement, like she might launch herself through the door if I so much as nodded.


    I shook my head, grounding myself in practicality. “Not tonight. Tomorrow. I need to rest first.”


    She groaned, throwing her head back dramatically. “Rest is overrated!”


    “You’ll survive one more night,” I replied, giving her a pointed look.


    “Fine,” she muttered, though her pout made it clear she was anything but fine. Still, she followed my words.


    Instead, we turned our attention to cleaning up the chaos of our workspace. The next hour passed in silence as we packed away tools, sorted supplies, and swept up the debris from our two-day crafting marathon. By the time we finished, the sun had dipped low, casting the windows in a wash of amber and gold. It was a quiet, peaceful sort of beauty that felt almost jarring after the frenzied creativity of the past 48 hours.


    I realized then that I hadn’t been home in two days. Aunt Grace was probably pacing the kitchen by now in worry, despite my reassurances via messages. A fresh pang of guilt nudged at me, urging me toward the door.


    And yet, when Jade and I finally stood there, ready to part ways, a strange awkwardness settled over us. After two days spent practically glued at the hip, there was an odd sense of disconnection in trying to say goodbye.


    In that short time, I’d come to know her in ways that felt almost too personal. I’d memorized the little quirks she probably didn’t even realize she had: the way she scrunched her nose when something puzzled her, or the precise angle of her head-tilt just before she suggested something outrageous. I’d grown so accustomed to her presence that stepping away felt... strange, like I was leaving something unfinished.


    Looking at her now, the last rays of sunlight catching in her eyes like trapped stars, I could feel the depth of trouble I was in. Attachment had crept up on me, slow and insidious, like a rising tide I hadn’t noticed until it was lapping at my chest. I sighed deeply, the sound carrying all the weight of my realization.


    This wasn''t what I''d planned, wasn''t what I''d wanted, but here I was anyway—caring about someone. I couldn’t figure out a way to move forward without getting hurt. A quiet voice in the back of my mind whispered that it would be smarter to make plans, to resolve this before it unraveled further. But what plan could guard against something as unruly as this?


    “Tomorrow then?” Jade’s voice broke through my thoughts, quieter than usual.


    Standing in the doorway, I saw the reluctance in her eyes, the way she couldn’t quite bring herself to say goodbye. After years of living alone, I''d become something of an expert at recognizing the particular shade of loneliness that hides in people''s eyes, and she had that same look. Daddy issues or mommy? Perhaps both? I didn’t know, but something in her had been shaped by loss, and maybe that was part of what made her so unpredictable.


    Smart people said, you should keep your distance from crazy—lest you’re prepared to be pulled into its orbit and burned alive. But the real question, the one that mattered, was: could I resist her?


    I didn’t know.


    I turned to leave, hoping to escape the pull of her gravity, but her voice stopped me mid-step.


    “Wait!” Jade called out, her tone sharper than before. “I forgot something.”


    I turned back, confused, and before I could ask, she crashed into me with the force of a comet. Her arms wrapped tightly around my torso, her head pressing into my chest, and for a moment, I was too stunned to react. The air rushed out of my lungs, and I stood there frozen, overwhelmed by the warmth of her embrace.


    In that moment, I had my answer: I couldn’t resist her. I never stood a chance.


    The scholars always said every person had a soulmate, but only a few ever found them. Most people lived their whole lives without finding theirs, their paths never crossing. Had I, against all odds, stumbled into mine?


    Maybe I was delusional. Maybe this was all part of some elaborate power play happening behind the scenes, strings being pulled where I couldn’t see them. But even if it was, I couldn’t deny how sweet this particular delusion felt. Delusion itself was a kind of drug, after all—a mind-numbing escape—and this one tasted sweeter than most. Perhaps there was no harm in enjoying it while it lasted.


    “I forgot to thank you,” she murmured against my chest, her voice muffled. “For the party.”


    I froze, unsure of how to respond. “I’ll always be there for you.” I heard myself say, the words escaping before I could think them through. The sound of my own voice startled me, steady yet full of a quiet conviction I hadn’t expected.


    My hands moved to return the hug, gentle and deliberate, as if some unfamiliar part of me had taken over.


    She was impossibly soft, like holding a cloud that had somehow gained substance but retained its airy texture. How could anyone be this soft? Her parents must have eaten something strange before giving birth to her. That was the only logical explanation my brain could muster in the moment.


    And then, as quickly as it had begun, the moment ended. Jade pulled away abruptly, her movements quick and almost panicked, as though my touch had burned her. She moved with the speed of a startled cat, retreating into her house without a word. The door clicked shut behind her, firm and final.


    I stood there for a moment longer, still feeling the ghost of her embrace, trying to process what had just happened.


    Above me, the setting sun bathed the sky in hues of pink and gold.


    And all over the neighborhood, the car''s alarms were going off.


    I turned and began walking away.


    <hr>


    I tried to slip into the house like a shadow, carefully closing the door so it wouldn’t make a sound. After two days away, the last thing I wanted was Aunt Grace’s version of the Inquisition.


    “Hold it right there.”


    The voice froze me mid-step.


    Before I could even process what was happening, Aunt Grace appeared beside me like some sort of domestic ninja. How did she do that? She leaned in unnervingly close, sniffing the air around me with the precision of a bloodhound. Then, with the flair of a stage magician, she produced a piece of paper from her pocket. Without warning, she set it alight. The flames quickly dissolved it into ash, and the air filled with a strange floral scent.


    “It was a girl,” she declared triumphantly, as though she’d just uncovered the truth of the universe.


    I blinked. “What—what even was that?”


    A new trick? Some secret talent I hadn’t been privy to? Since when did my aunt moonlight as a psychic—or was she just some kind of low-key witch? None of it made sense. Or had a cat secretly replaced my aunt when I wasn''t looking?


    She shrugged nonchalantly.


    “Don’t deflect,” she said smugly, wagging her finger at me. “The smell doesn’t lie.”


    “You’ve been… smelling me now?” I asked, stepping back cautiously. “What are you, some kind of psychic bloodhound?”


    “Bloodhound?” she scoffed, rolling her eyes. “This was a deduction. Highly scientific and meta.” She crossed her arms and grinned like a cat that had cornered a mouse. “And I’m not wrong, am I? Girl.”


    I groaned, trying to maneuver past her. “Aunt Grace, can we not do this?”


    “Wrong answer,” she said, blocking my path with alarming agility. “Where were you for two days, hmm? Don’t you dare say ‘nowhere.’ I need details. A timeline. Witnesses.”


    I rubbed my temples, praying for patience. “You’re being dramatic.”


    “Dramatic? Me?” she gasped, clutching her chest mockingly. “How dare you. I’m your only family in the city, and you vanish without so much as a goodbye! For two days! I thought you’d been kidnapped!”


    “By who?” I asked, exasperated.


    “Clearly not aliens or I’d have gotten a ransom note,” she quipped. Her eyes narrowed suddenly, locking onto my jacket like a heat-seeking missile. “Wait a second. She gave you clothes, didn’t she? This—this is a reverse robbery! I thought girls were supposed to steal boys’ clothes.”


    I groaned louder and headed to the kitchen, grabbing a water bottle in an effort to escape her relentless interrogation.


    No such luck.


    “Ohhh,” she said, dragging the word out dramatically as she followed me. “So you kissed her? Or—” she leaned closer, eyebrows waggling, “maybe more?”


    I nearly choked on my water. “Stop!”


    “Stop what? Asking perfectly reasonable questions?” she asked innocently. “Two days with a girl and you’ve got nothing? Honestly, I’m offended. What’s the point of youth if you’re not going to live dangerously? Such a waste…. I mean, two days. What were you even doing?”


    I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Why does it sound like you’re more invested in my love life than I am?”


    “Because I am!” she declared, hands on her hips. “Someone has to make sure you’re not hopeless forever.”


    I flopped onto the sofa, hoping she’d take the hint and drop it. Instead, she perched beside me, her grin practically glowing with satisfaction.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    “C’mon, spill,” she said. “Who is she? Is she cute? Smart? Dangerous? Please tell me she’s dangerous—you need someone to keep you on your toes.”


    “Aunt Grace,” I groaned, rubbing my temples. “I’m tired. Can we not?”


    “Oh, we can,” she shot back, her mock indignation in full swing. “Who are you to tell me to stop? In my house? After disappearing for two days?”


    I sighed, giving up. “Fine. Her name’s Jade. Happy now?”


    “Jade,” she repeated, testing the name like it was a fine wine. “Hmmm. Sounds feisty. I like her already.”


    I groaned louder, dragging a pillow over my face. “Why do you do this to me?”


    She shrugged. “Because it’s fun.”


    “Fun,” I muttered through the pillow. “This is fun for you.”


    “Also, because I care,” she added sweetly, though the glint in her eyes said otherwise. “What kind of aunt would I be if I didn’t interrogate you?”


    “The normal kind,” I muttered, my voice muffled.


    “Boring,” she said, standing up with an exaggerated stretch. “You’ve got until dinner to come up with a proper explanation. And it better be good.”


    I peeked out from under the pillow. “Or we could just pretend this conversation never happened.”


    “Not a chance,” she called over her shoulder as she disappeared into the kitchen.


    I sighed, letting the pillow fall to the floor. A fresh wave of despair hit me. Now, I’d have to come up with some elaborate, two-day-long tale to satisfy Aunt Grace’s insatiable curiosity.


    How sad. How utterly exhausting.


    <hr>


    On Monday, Jade and I only had one class together: The Fundamentals of Meta Nature. For reasons I couldn’t quite explain, I found myself genuinely excited to see her. We sat together at the back of the classroom, a spot that felt removed from the buzz of the room but still close enough to stay engaged.


    Professor Marlee moved methodically through the rows, checking in on students’ progress with their assignments. Though we still had a full month to complete them, she was keeping close tabs on who had started and how far along they were. It was her way of gently reminding us to stay on track.


    “Has anyone been successful in their search for Hive meta natures?” Professor Marlee asked patiently, scanning the room.


    Immediately, Several hands shot up immediately. It was no surprise—the topic of meta natures was wildly popular. The internet was filled with endless databases, rankings, and detailed analyses where people debated and categorized their favorite heroes and villains. I would bet good money that after the lecture, at least 80% of the class, if not everyone, had spent hours poring over those lists.


    Professor Marlee nodded toward a confident-looking student in the front row. “Yes, you,” she said.


    “The System,” the boy answered, his voice ringing with self-assured clarity.


    “Good,” Professor Marlee replied with a smile, her tone encouraging. “What can you tell the class about it?”


    The boy straightened in his seat, practically radiating confidence. “Unlike The Ghost Writer, humans with The System meta nature don’t have ‘Titles.’ Instead, they’re called ‘Players.’”


    His tone shifted, taking on the cadence of someone reciting from memory—clearly, he’d done his homework.


    "The common understanding of The System meta nature is that it’s the only meta nature that allows people to actively grow their powers. They have attributes such as speed, strength, and wisdom, which they can increase with practice, which further helps them level, and as their power and level grow, they gain new abilities. If any meta human shows and uses multiple abilities, there is a good chance they belong to The System Group.”


    "Well done," Professor Marlee nodded, her eyes scanning the room before settling on a girl sitting just a seat away from Jade and me.


    "Heavens Principality," the girl stated with quiet authority.


    Her explanation flowed smoothly ,“It’s the most common meta nature among people in China and neighboring communities. Those with this meta nature often refer to themselves as Practitioners or Cultivators. It allows them to sense and harness their internal energies, which they frequently associate with Qi, Chi, or Mana. Like The System or Ghost Writer, this meta nature enables its users to grow stronger over time, though the process is slower. However, it stands out as the only meta nature known to directly extend the user’s life expectancy.”


    As her explanation ended, a murmur of interest rippled through the room. I felt Jade shift slightly beside me, and when I glanced her way, I saw her bent over her notebook, utterly absorbed. Curious, I leaned in to peek.


    Instead of lecture notes, she was doodling. Tiny cartoon versions of us filled the page, decked out in our new suits, complete with exaggerated poses and speech bubbles. My caricature was in an exaggerated hero pose, mid-leap, with a ridiculous grin plastered on my face. Hers had her standing confidently, plasma guns blazing, and a cocky smirk that looked far too natural. Speech bubbles floated above our heads: mine read, “Fear not! I’ve got this!” while hers countered with, “Don’t trip, clumsy!”


    The instant she caught me looking, she snapped the notebook shut with the swiftness of a vault door and planted both arms over it protectively. Then, as if nothing had happened, she flashed me an innocent grin that was far too wide to be sincere.


    “What? It’s nothing!” she said, her voice dripping with fake sweetness.


    “Really?” My mouth twitched.


    Jade narrowed her eyes, her mouth curling into an undisguised grin. “You’re imagining things.”


    “Very funny,” I muttered, rolling my eyes. “Very mindful.”


    Some things never changed, and Jade was definitely one of them. I forced my attention back to the lecture, though the corner of my lips curled upward despite my best efforts.


    Professor Marlee returned to her desk, activating the projector with a practiced gesture. "Let''s move on to our next topic," she announced, her voice carrying that particular tone teachers use when they''re about to say something important. "Unique Meta Natures."


    "As we now have sufficient knowledge of Hive meta nature, we''ll now move onto the Unique meta nature," Professor Marlee continued.


    “The critical difference among two,” Professor Marlee went on, “is that individuals with Unique meta natures awaken with all their potential already in place. Unlike Hive users, they don’t typically grow stronger over time—at least, not in raw power. However, many do learn to refine their abilities, achieving greater control and finesse through practice.”


    She paused, letting that sink in before adding, "And there is actually a good trick to recognize them—if you ever see them directly engage with the foundational laws of the universe, you can be sure they are unique. We usually call them ‘Abstract Unique’."


    "We can compare them to some Hive meta nature for example," Professor Marlee went on. "There''s a pretty famous superhero, I''m sure you''ve heard of him, who goes by the title of ''Flashback'' and belongs to the Ghost Writer group. His abilities include allowing others to relive past moments with perfect clarity, but more importantly, he can also manifest ''echoes'' of events in the past and present, confusing or disorienting enemies."


    The professor''s fingers danced across her tablet, bringing up new images. "Then, there is another famous superhero with time abilities: the Time Keeper, who belongs to the Unique meta nature group. His work is secret, but according to what people have witnessed, he has shown multiple abilities related to time, close to almost a dozen. There are even theories that he controls the time of concept to a certain extent and domain."


    "Of course," Professor Marlee added, "from this example only we can''t just say they control single or even foundational laws of reality, it can be quite the opposite to what I just said. They might have a unique nature perhaps combining dozens of concepts."


    “Dyce, would you be willing to share your meta nature with the class?” Professor Marlee asked politely, looking back at the class.


    A boy in the middle of the class rose from his seat. Dyce—I remembered him from other classes, always quietly confident but never showy. "My meta nature is, ''The Sky Beyond Reach,''" he stated, his voice steady. "My support meta nature could temporarily unlock the maximum possible potential of any person, object, or system within range, pushing them to perform at their absolute peak for a short time. But, the drawback is that the individual can never exceed that level again."


    He took a breath, preparing to continue. "As for my primary nature—"


    "Thank you, Dyce, for the explanation. You don''t have to share anything else," Professor Marlee interrupted smoothly, her timing perfect. She''d let him reveal only his balancing, human nature side.


    I understood her intervention perfectly. The meta side of meta nature was like sharing your deepest secrets, your most private thoughts. It was something to be revealed carefully, thoughtfully, and only to those you trusted. In a room full of relative strangers, exposing that vulnerability could feel dangerous. It could be dangerous.


    After the explanation, Professor Marlee addressed the class again, “We''ll dipper dive into the details of Unique meta natures in our next session,” she said, closing that chapter for the day. “For now, let’s move on to an important assignment for next week.”


    A collective groan rippled through the room, but she raised a hand to quell it, smiling reassuringly. “Don’t worry,” she added. “This won’t involve any writing. Your task is a Self-Reflection exercise on your meta nature. The goal is to explore how your abilities define you, shape you, and connect you to the world around you. It’s a personal exercise, so approach it with honesty and openness.”


    The afternoon sun slanted through the academy windows as classes finally let out.


    I met Jade in the hallway, where she was practically buzzing with energy. It was obvious she hadn’t sat still since yesterday, her excitement spilling out in the way her feet tapped the floor and her hands fiddled with the straps of her bag. Patience, it seemed, wasn’t one of her meta abilities.


    “We’re finally free!” she announced as I approached, her grin practically splitting her face. It didn’t take a genius to know what was on her mind—testing the suits. Testing them now.


    Before I could respond, she leaned in conspiratorially. “So? Are you ready? Because I’ve been so ready.”


    “You’ve been ready since the moment we finished them,” I replied, raising an eyebrow. “Let’s just hope you don’t blow something up before we even start.”


    “Optimism,” she said with a mock-sigh.


    We were just about to leave when a familiar voice cut through the din of the hallway.


    “What a surprise.”


    I turned to see Lore approaching, her sharp eyes flicking between Jade and me with obvious curiosity.


    She lingered on Jade, her expression shifting into something akin to fascination, like she was piecing together a puzzle. “How did you two become friends?” she asked, tilting her head slightly. “Last time I checked, you were beating the hell out of each other.”


    She wasn’t alone. Behind her stood Henry, Wenzel, and the ever-silent Daisy, all wearing varying degrees of interest. The casual hallway suddenly became an interrogation chamber.


    “Good fight,” Henry added with a grin as he strolled up behind her. “Best fight I’ve seen all semester.”


    I could feel a headache building behind my eyes. Beside me, Jade was clearly flustered by the sudden attention, her usual confidence faltering under the weight of so many questioning gazes. She opened her mouth, closed it, then looked at me helplessly.


    “I guess we made up after the fight,” I said, my tone deliberately casual. It wasn’t the most satisfying explanation, but I hoped its very blandness would discourage further questions. Because really, how do you explain to a group of people that you’d spent the weekend designing superhero suits?


    “Okay,” Lore said, shrugging as if that was enough for her. She had a knack for knowing when to push and when to let something go, and I silently thanked her for the latter. It was one of the things I liked most about her—she didn’t dig where digging wasn’t needed.


    The tension eased slightly as Henry broke into a grin. “That’s good,” he said. “Would’ve been awkward if we had to keep separating you two every time you crossed paths.”


    “Awkward for you,” Wenzel added dryly. “Entertaining for the rest of us.”


    Even Daisy cracked a small smile at that, though she didn’t say anything. I glanced at Jade, who seemed to have regained her composure, but now was feeling quite embarrassed.


    Henry adjusted his glasses, his playboy smile aimed directly at Jade. “By the way, are you two busy? If not, you should come with us—we’re heading to the mall for some shopping. Your pretty friend is welcome too.”


    The emphasis on pretty wasn’t lost on me. Was he hitting on her? My eyes narrowed instinctively. Beside me, Jade blinked, clearly caught off guard by the sudden attention.


    “Sorry, guys,” I interjected, keeping my tone polite but firm. “We’ve still got some work to finish. Maybe next time.”


    The polite deflection felt hollow—these were people I wanted to know better, friendships I wanted to cultivate. But right now, we had suits hidden in our bags and plans to patrol the streets for actual villains. Normal social activities would have to wait until then.


    “Work?” Henry raised his eyes with curiosity. “What kind of work?”


    “The secret kind,” I said, “You know, classified hero stuff. Wouldn’t want to overwhelm you civilians.”


    “Fair enough. But next time, no excuses.” Henry nodded, taking the excuse at face value.


    The group lingered for another fifteen minutes, chatting about trivial things, before finally saying their goodbyes and heading off.


    But Before everyone departed, I managed to slip in one last question. “By the way, did any of you notice anything unusual after I left the party?”


    They exchanged puzzled looks before Henry replied, “No, nothing abnormal. Why?”


    The more I thought about it, the more certain I became: whoever was pulling strings from the shadows saw Jade as critical to their plans, though I couldn’t yet figure out why. The incident at the party—something that should have sent shockwaves through our social circles—had been wiped clean as if it never happened. That kind of precision only made the unseen orchestrator more dangerous.


    <div>


    <div>


    <div>


    <div>


    I glanced at Jade, who had grown unusually quiet, her brow furrowed in thought and her expression more serious than usual. I doubted she realized she was caught in the middle of a larger conspiracy. But, now it was clear she’d already begun piecing things together on her own. She was sharper than she appeared, and I realized there was no need to explain anything to her—she was already a step ahead.


    “Let’s go,” I said softly, gently taking her hand.


    She looked at me, surprised at first, but then her grip tightened around mine.


    It wasn’t just for reassurance—it was to let her know we were in this together.


    Whatever was coming, she wasn’t alone, and neither was I.
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