Respect Begets Respect

Chapter 29: Respect Begets Respect

In a white room.

It was the room where Lucas spent his day until he was healed from his Null Room incident: the Infirmary Room. Again, he was there, laying on a bed with Moon. Time after time and he had gotten into so much trouble. Not to mention that Principal Lyns restricted all of the participants to move without her permission.

Visible wounds and bruises marked the skins of the two boys laying on their beds. At the corner of the room, two people waited for them to be awakened again; to talk with them about what had happened. Those two were a boy and a girl.

The woman was Pea Hardshell, a member of the Three Beasts. She was known to be the muse of the school, though she wasn't convinced if she deserved to be hailed with that recognition. She wore a hoodie that separated its upper part as pink, and the lower part as cobalt blue.

She happened to locate the unconscious Lucas and checked the damages along the way of the corridor through the hallway that the three have fought at, and spotted Moon. She called for the guards and brought them to the infirmary.

Along her was the bystander from before who heard Lucas shouting at the hallways, named Light, that was also a handpicked member just like Pea Hardshell. He sat beside her and was watching how Lucas and Moon breathed while laying on their beds.

Light was a slim man of average height. He wore a plain, brown vest adorned with a dark pattern of countless minuscule diamonds over his shirt, which was black in color, and switched to a pair of light brown pants, held up by a bright brown belt with a simple metal buckle, with each leg being seemingly adorned by a line of studs. He shared the ages of the Martin cousins.

"I heard Lucas shouting that Doll Nova was abducted…" Light spoke to Pea Hardshell. He has dark eyes and thin, dark eyebrows. His hair was longer than usual men within the school, with some wavy strands that protruded in every direction. He has a small amount of chin hair that came out probably because of puberty.

However, Pea Hardshell was a slim young woman of below-average height. She has long, pink hair which curled slightly at the ends, with two side bangs framing her face and reaching down to her chest; a high ponytail that gathered the rest of her hair was on her back. She has large blue eyes and a curvy, voluptuous body. "The Headmaster will be here soon, to take charges of these two patients…"

Her concern was evident, though she never talked nor seen Lucas and Moon personally. She stood and went to the door, but she was shocked when somebody opened it already from the outside. She checked who was, and noticed that the Two Bastions were entering. She kept her gaze on the two, as she exited the infirmary.

Zanc seemed happy rather than to be remorseful, but Maru has his head held low. Though guilt cannot be seen through his eyes, confidence wasn't there with Maru as well. Light was keeping his eyes on them as they sat at the chairs not too far from him. They stared at how Moon and Lucas lay on their beds helplessly.

"Is there any problems between you two and Lucas?" Light asked as he kept his gaze on the marble floor. His voice was clear and didn't fit his appearance; his voice was fitting of a matured man instead.

Zanc let a cold air out of him, as he chuckled silently, laying his back on the wall. "Uhm… We're okay, thank you. I'm just concerned; maybe they won't heal that quick, or else they'll die. Who knows?"

Maru faked a smile, wiggling his feet back and forth. He was scorching on his seat. "What happened to them? Their injuries were severe. I pitied them, wasn't it obvious?"

Light kept his gaze shifted. It looked like he was not convinced with what the Two Bastions had said.

Suddenly, Moon woke up, shocking Zanc and Maru, who both avoided being stared at. However, Moon's eyes were easily captivated by them. "Two Bastions!"

Zanc's lips curled up into a smirk, as he gazed elsewhere, then later looked down. On the other hand, Maru's chin was supported by his fist, and his elbows were resting on his thighs as he stared at Moon dejectedly.

Moon stared at them. He knew what they did. They should be expelled by now, but it was their luck that nobody within the school's staff know about what they did. He didn't know if Coach Clive was already aware, but sure he has a gasp at least a little.

He removed his stare at them and moved back to face his cousin. "Lucas, wake up!" He shook Lucas' chest as he sat on his bed. Lucas frowned and opened his eyes. It dilated when he saw Zanc and Maru.

That two men… they're here now? But, was it the Infirmary Room again? Did he lose consciousness?

That doesn't matter! "You, two!" Lucas suddenly sat, then stood from his bed, glaring angrily at the Two Bastions in front of him. "Do you think I won't find out?" he shouted.

They should pay for what they did! This time, it should be more painful than what they did to him. A scratch wouldn't be enough, and this was what he feared for; to know their identities and be overwhelmed by his anger again. He clenched his fist but later controlled it.

He had gotten into so much trouble. Principal Lyns said that they shouldn't move recklessly again, and Doll was abducted. Her capture was bad enough already, and battling with these two brats before him would cause another havoc that can result in the cancellation of the Overall Skill Selection.

The Two Bastions' looks remained the same. They weren't even moved with what Lucas did to them just now. But Light became pale in that instant, as he stared at Lucas as if sympathizing with him. The truth was, he was there when the Two Bastions left the Null Room. He was also there when Lucas exited with difficulty.

He knew what happened and how the Two Bastions planned their attacks. But as far as he knew, Two Bastions wasn't viewed like that by the public, and speaking about it will just embarrass him. He stared as he heard Maru shout at Lucas.

"What are you expecting now? For us to say that we're sorry for what we did?" Maru retorted as he pointed at Lucas and his right arm. "Well, I called for the stop because I want to see you crawl on the floor because of the pain we've caused you!"

So it was true that they were the ones who did that. His guts always said the truth. He wanted to laugh. He wanted to laugh a cocky and boastful laugh. They were joking, weren't they? They blatantly admit their own mistakes. They weren't just cowards but also stupid people.

Zanc raised his head higher. "You didn't need to spare us; blow it up! We will accept any kind of revenge you will give us… With Doll now abducted, who will be expelled now? Just think about it, Lu—"

The creek on the door stopped Zanc from what he was saying. A man with formal attire entered the room as if hurrying: the Headmaster. He walked through the room and glanced at Lucas that was now standing from his bed. The tubes that were on his hands were suspended as he almost stretched them.

He stared at the Headmaster dejectedly. His mind was absent since the Headmaster's arrival.

The Headmaster in front of him was a very tall and muscular man with bluish-gray eyes; his almost faded blue hair that was turning gray already was slicked back, though some fell down in a small tuft on his forehead. By looking at him, he can sense that he was an arrogant, overbearing, and selfish man, just like any higher up from every school; almost similar to Mister Vacio.

He was truly the Headmaster he had a bad feeling about. Every now and then, he became involved with Doll. What was his plan? Who was he?

"So… ain't you Doll's friends?" the Headmaster asked as if demanding.

"Yes."

"No."

Lucas and Moon answered oppositely. He looked back when he heard Moon answer the opposite of what he had said. Moon gave him an expressionless face. What was with Moon's mind?

The Headmaster looked at Moon who answered no. He walked slowly towards his bed. "Then who are you to her?"

His aura was overpowering. Even the rest within the room were shut silent. No one has spared the Headmaster a stare, except Lucas, who was directing his sight on him as if examining his face.

Moon cleared his throat. He removed the blanket that was covering the bottom part of his body and let his feet touch the floor as he sat properly. "I must say that we have a thing with each other. Is there something wrong with it, Sir? I am sure that you have no right to hinder her to—"

"You're surely a transferee, ain't you?" the Headmaster looked at Moon in a smirk. He was trying not to laugh, but he didn't help it. His laugh sounded irritating. It was more of a mocking. "You ain't aware that Doll is my daughter? Idiot! I ain't letting her to have a boyfriend that as stupid as you."

Daughter? Doll was his daughter?

Doll was the Headmaster's…? So that explained her intelligence about all the events and news coming from the higher-ups within the school. That also explained how she was close with Principal Lyns and was being evaded by all the students since her father was the School's Headmaster.

He turned his gaze back at this Headmaster in front of him. He didn't resemble anything like Doll. He was completely the opposite of his daughter. He was put into a gasp when the Headmaster headed on Moon's bed that was almost beside him. He took a step back, as the Headmaster faced Moon that was sitting.

Moon looked down. He can only see the pants and shoes of the Headmaster.

He heard him take a sigh. "If you love her, you must've protected her from her abductors! That was surely a moment of confusion or attraction, but ain't love!" he said and pushed Moon back on his bed. His cousin cannot help it as he laid his back on his bed by that sudden attack.

With what happened, and given the Headmaster's current position, it gave Light an opening; he stood and touched the door.

"Headmaster Nova," Light said as if worried, but his voice remained normal, as he prepared to leave. "Please excuse me…" he added and left the room, slowly followed by Maru and Zanc who shared Lucas a smirk before closing the door into a loud shut.

The Headmaster wasn't even shocked by that noise. He crossed his arms before his body as he started to stare at Moon as if scrutinizing him.

What was running on his mind right now? This man had intrigued Lucas so much. This man has something that he cannot explain. He felt it, and he didn't want to neglect that feeling he has right now. His body was giving him signals about danger lately, and that would be a good point ahead with anyone near him.

"Sir," he sounded out. He stared at the Headmaster that was in front of him. "Doll's abduction was purely accidental. No one knew that she was targeted…"

Lucas stepped closer to the Headmaster. Right now, they were almost face to face. He felt the tension within the stares they were sharing.

"If there was someone to be blamed, please put that anger you have to those ArmorBoy and BladeGirl. They defeated us and transported Doll using piles of ashes while we were put incapable to save her. You can see it with your eyes; we're bruised."

He saw the satisfaction surfacing from the man's face in front of him right now. Was he amazed by him? Why was he not speaking right now already?

Hmph.

"We protect each of us that needed to be protected, Headmaster. If that wasn't enough for you to consider, I can't think of any apology for you that you can accept."

"Apology?" the Headmaster exclaimed. "No, I ain't accepting it! Go ahead and find Doll as soon as you can! No; now!"

Lucas cannot help himself. "How can we go out and find her with our conditions like this? Are you dumb?" Lucas' tone raised, but he tried to compose himself. He was speaking at the Headmaster. He should tone down himself or something will be another trouble again.

"I ain't got a clue what your whole reason and apology were, but I'll hold you responsible for letting my daughter be held captive. My one and only daughter were abducted while you two were with her! I will crush you if you ain't return her to me as soon as possible!"

He started to realize where this man was coming from. He was the father of Doll, yes. But that didn't pardon him for pushing Moon, the patient in here, recklessly as he did. Also, his feeling was telling him something. With his presence in here, he felt that they weren't safe.

"You won't crush us because we'll find her."

The Headmaster chuckled with what Lucas has said, keeping his hands clasped. "People nowadays are lacking respect. How rude was that for ain't acknowledging the power I hold in this school?"

"Respect?" Lucas retorted.

"Lucas," Moon warned and held his arm to stop him, but he yanked his cousin and continued.

"You should be the first to show respect as a higher-up, before receiving that hella respect you wanted so bad," Lucas exclaimed. "Respect us lowered people first, and we'll respect you; easy?"

The Headmaster's face had gotten more serious, and a rising angriness went straight on his spine. He stood straighter, staring sharply at Lucas. "You—"

"Stop your nonsense lessons, and lend your ears for others, too. I can't swallow the memory of me that I allowed myself to be disrespected a lot of times just because I cared for others' feelings more than I cared about myself." Lucas abruptly said. "That made the Lucas standing in front of you like this, Headmaster. There ain't no stopping me now; remember that the ones who became rude should be the ones to be rude at!"

Headmaster Nova was taken aback by what Lucas had exclaimed to him. Respect begets respect; that precept should not be forgotten.

"Whether you order us to search for your beloved daughter or not, we will surely do that. She's our friend. We will protect her; we want her to be freed. Unlike you who were too strict that you were slowly—"

There was a pause within Lucas as he noticed that the Headmaster started walking away from them, and went through the door. He held the door handle, but kept standing in that place and wasn't opening the room. Lucas stared at him, and the Headmaster slowly looked back.

"Never mind. I knew who you are and you're all over the school. I ain't with the news; I started to trust you and your powers." the Headmaster said; he seemed to compose himself now. "Just make sure that you ain't fail with your words, and things will turn out nice for you, Lucas Martin."

The door opened and he exited, leaving the room as well as the door opened. Lucas heaved a sigh and he started to feel better. The strange sensation in his chest started to stop sending him signals about danger.

But he felt that his body was still weak and aching. His back had been injured badly this time. That ArmorBoy was so strong and his punch was immaculate. He just neglected it and turned back, as he sat at the bed he previously laid on. He stared at Moon, who took a sigh as well.

"Is there a problem?" Lucas asked in a mild voice.

"No, never mind," Moon replied in nonchalance.

Never mind? His cousin never said those words before. Why? His cousin remained silent after the Headmaster had pushed him earlier. What was he thinking now?

Unbeknownst to Lucas, Moon was minding something. What the Headmaster had uttered to him remained running on his mind until now. He can't help but feel sad as he remembered that sentence;

"If you love her, you must've protected her from her abductors! That was surely a moment of confusion or attraction, but ain't love!"