Chapter 41: Be A Hero Percy (1/2)
Rodger had fled. He wasn't one to take confrontation well. The moment Team Rhapsody declared their war against Vanguard he ran. He wanted to help Vanguard but was far too scared. He fell to his knees, gulping holding the garden's liquid close to his mouth. Shaking his went to drink it only to stop sobbing.
”Denial. Anger. Bargaining. Depression. You lack Acceptance.” A voice whispered. ”We cannot grant you Salvation.”
Rodger put the lid back on the small bottle lowering his head sobbing. ”I'm sorry Marcus…”
****
Vanguard placed his hand in his pockets, inspecting his situation. He was surrounded. Three streamers. He wasn't worried in the slightest it was quite the opposite he was nagging the fight on. He wanted this now more than ever. Emil would be the first one to take the fight. Running forward full sprinting toward Vanguard. He pivoted his attention to Emil, eyeing him down. This made Emil flinch in fear as he collapsed into the floor. Vanguard was now more on edge. He didn't know anything about Emil joining the team way after his look into Rhapsody. He began to sink into the ground as the ground started to break. Having all his concentration focused on the next attack as Emil jumped up from the floor. Wielding a baseball bat, he swung it around smacking it against Vanguard. The bat shattered breaking on impact with Vanguard. His sluggish and slow movement quickly changed as he shot forward catching Emil off guard. Grabbing him by his neck, he managed to throw him over his shoulder like he weighed nothing. As Emil crashed to the ground, Vanguard stepped away.
Emil gave a strange look into why Vanguard walked away from their fight. As he tried to move, he flinched unable to move a single part of his body. He felt a considerable weight holding him down. He screamed out, unable to even lift his finger. ”Percy!”
Vanguard glared at Percy, making him squirm falling onto his back. As his idol walked over to him, he began crawling back, terrified. His entire willpower crumbled away as Vanguard stared down at him. ”Look at you, Percy. You're pathetic. Nothing more than a mere boy. I was already the number one streamer when I was your age. You are nothing. If you honestly think you can be my partner, you are truly lost.”
Percy curled up, crying. ”No, that's not true. Please…”
”Don't listen to him, Percy!” Zinnia roared jumping over him, throwing a punch at Vanguard. He caught her attack throwing her in the air. She hit the ceiling hard gasping as she slowly floated back down to the ground like a feather. As she landed softly, a small trickle of blood left her before. She had scrapped herself on the edge of the stone ceiling. Emil managed to break from his prison he punched Vanguard in the back of his head. Vanguard didn't react at all, not even releasing what happened. He only noticed that he was hit when Emil landed on the ground startled that nothing happened. Vanguard lifted his arm smacking Emil back with what felt like the weight of a freight truck. Emil smashed into the wall, passing out as he collapsed.
Alton could only watch in horror as he kept trying to escape. ”Percy, Zinnia! Get out of here!” He kept snapping at his restraints. ”Vanguard!”
Vanguard smirked glimpsing at Alton taunting him as he picked up Percy by his head. ”You wanted the truth, yes? Well, here is my truth. I'm going to kill your friend, and it will be your fault again.”
Alton screamed out, watching Vanguard about to kill Percy. That was until Zinnia jumped on Vanguard trying to oppress his emotions. This got to Vanguard as he dropped Percy stepping back, looking dumbfounded. He felt his face as a tear fall down his cheek. He began whispering. ”What. What was that? I just felt. Felt fear. Impossible…” This confusion turned on Zinnia as she was on the floor panting. He walked over to her, kicking her back. She flipped over gagging. He grabbed her by her waistcoat, picking her up and slamming her to the ground serval times. ”How dare you! How dare you!”
Percy watched in horror, unable to find himself moving. He watched Zinnia getting beaten half to death as he squeezed his fists. That was until he snapped. ”Leave Zinnia alone!” A clone of Zinnia appeared landing a direct hit on Vanguard who was caught off guard. He was knocked back as Zinnia was thrown from his grip. She flew back collapsing into the endless abyss. Percy dived forward into the hole, grabbing Zinnia as his clone caught him.
Zinnia looked up, seeing Percy struggling as his clone was already collapsing on itself. She was in a daze bleeding as she whimpered. ”Percy… what are you doing?!”
He bit his lip, feeling his grip slip. ”Saving your life!”
Zinnia looked down, fearful. ”Percy… stop. Just let me go. Save yourself…”
”What?! No!”
Zinnia tried breaking free screaming. ”Don't! I'm useless. I can't do anything. Don't let yourself die with me. Vanguard is coming!”
Percy's clone broke apart as a new one quickly formed grabbing him. They struggled as Percy looked up sweating. ”Don't let go! If you fall, we fall together!”
****
”Do you understand what we are saying, Percy?”
Percy cupped up from his desk, nodding as his teacher and the principal stared at him. ”I do…”
”If your grades keep slipping like this, we will need to bring your mother in. Do you understand?”
”Yes sir…”
”We've been trying to get a hold of your mother, when will she be available?”
”She isn't. She's always working… she doesn't care…”
The two teachers looked conflicted as they looked back to him. ”What about your father?”
”He died. We were in a car accident.”
”Oh, I'm sorry… you can go now, Percy. Try and do better please.”