Scheming

Chapter 77

Saturday, May 23, 2014

9:42 am

(Ivan's POV)

I picked up the long steel blade and hold it up in the air. The blade shined in the light. I nod as I put the sword back on the rack and turn around to face the shop. It's nice seeing a sword that isn't curved or short for once. I scanned the shop and looked for the Japanese swords and spears. I spot Zacharias' smile as he picked up a knife that had tiny shark-like spikes on the left side, the tip of the knife dipped down and formed a sharp knife-like point. I walk around the shop, I stared at the various amounts of weapons sitting on the racks as I walked by. It didn't take long for me to find the Japanese rack in the small, weird-smelling shop.

A musty, sewer-like smell attacked my nose as a big, obese man rushed past me and tried to speed walk straight towards the Japanese rack. I watched as the man excitedly picked up a Katana, his chest breathed heavily with each second. I gagged as I stepped five feet away from him. My stomach churned with a nauseous, heavy feeling. I squeeze my nose and walk up to the rack. The man glared at me as I used the wind and to take: 3 Daitō swords, a Kanabo, and Ju-Monji Yari. To my surprise, the weapons I just picked were immediately replaced with the same weapons I just picked. The man scoffed at me, I quickly walk away and take a deep breath the second I was away from him. I walk up to the counter and stare at the old, gruff man behind the cashier. His arms were thick and covered with scars. I put the weapons neatly on the counter and stare up at the old man.

"How much would this be?" I asked the man. The man looked down at me with a disappointed look.

"You've been watchin too much ani mays?" The man said in a mocking voice.

"What's anime?" The man raised an eyebrow and shook his head.

"Neva mind." The man said. " Sevin hundred dollas." I nod and pull out the change. The man happily took my money. I take my weapons and quickly put them in my Inventory.

I walk out of the store and start heading towards the train station. I heard Zacharias run up behind me, he heavily breathed as the bright orb quickly followed behind him. The orb fell on his shoulder.

"I didn't know you liked swords." Zacharias said through ragged breaths.

"I don't," I said dryly. "I'm just buying them for a friend."

"Oh," Zacharias said disappointingly. "I always kind of wanted to learn how to use one though." He said while looking at the ground. I look at Zacharias in the corner of my eye. I shrug at his response.

"I don't think it's that hard to use one though." Zacharias had a confused face.

"Don't people take years to master them though?" I shrug.

"I don't know if they do, but I feel like guns are way better than swords."

"But swords are cooler,"

"But sword fighting sucks, it hurts getting cut, it hurts when you get stabbed. At least with guns, it's quick."

"I still think swords are cooler." Zacharias pouted. I ignore him and keep on walking." I stare at the orb on Zacharias's shoulder. It stayed hovering slightly above Zacharias's shoulder. I notice that Zacharias didn't even need to be using Soul for his power to be activated. Is that how Soul works or is Zacharias special? I've never seen a power be activated when the user wasn't using Soul. Was does that orb do anyway? Is it like Jenny's power where it gives Zacharias information, maybe it's just a burning ball of gas? If it was a burning ball of gas then I would probably feel the heat from here.

"Do you know what your power does yet?" I ask Zacharias as I point to the orb. He shook his head.

"All it's been doing is floating around." I smack my lips as I lift my hand and try to touch the orb with my finger. The orb slowly maneuvered around my finger and floated to the top of Zacharias' head. I roll my eyes and keep on walking. Zacharias gently grabbed the orb and lifted the orb in front of him. He softly rubbed the top of the orb. "I've been thinking, since I don't know what this does yet, I think I should get a gun."

"You don't want a sword?" I sarcastically asked. Zacharias frowned.

"I love swords, but," Zacharias stared nervously at the ground." I'm kind of scared of, uh, getting really close to, you know." He muttered under his breath. He does have a point. I don't if it just happens to be because of the people I know, but I've been attacked a lot whenever I come down to Magebourne. I barely survived fighting Jana, I know for sure if Zacharias got attacked he would die. A gun might help, but against someone who might move at the speed of light, or someone who could kill you with one punch. I doubt a gun would help much. But then again there was that one guy wearing cowboy clothes that was really good with a gun.

"Have you even shot a gun?"

"It wouldn't hurt to try?" Zacharias said in a squeaky voice. I sigh and ignore him. There was a tiny moment of silence between us before Zacharias had to ask a question. "Do you know any gun shops?"

"I knew one, but it doesn't exist anymore," I said with a chuckle at the end. I really wish I didn't blow up Dominique's shop, I used all my ammo trying to kill him.

"What do you mean by that?" I shake my head.

"Don't worry about it."

Zacharias and I walked through the streets, I spot the elevator that led to the surface, I look towards Zacharias as he tapped my shoulder. He pointed to a nearby shop that was named, "The Second Amendment". Zacharias smiled as he pointed at the shop.

" I think that might be a gun shop!" I stared at the rundown, dirty shop. Dominique's shop looked better than this.

"It might," I said in an unsure voice.

"It wouldn't hurt to check."

"I'm kind of busy right now," I said as I pointed towards the elevator."

"C'mon! You said you don't know any gun shops," Zacharias took a step back. "Could be good for our business?"

"How?"

"I-I don't know," Zacharias said in a shy voice. Zacharias looked back at the shop with disappointment.

"You don't need me to go with you, just go by yourself."

"Yeah, but I don't know much about guns."

"I don't know much about guns either, I only know how to shoot them."

"You still know more about them." I sigh loudly and point to the store.

"Just for five minutes." I sternly said before walking to the store and entering the store. I wrinkled my nose at the smell of cigarettes rushing out the front door of the store. I stepped into the store with Zacharias following behind me. I frowned at the measly sight of a small table sitting in the middle of the store. There was only a clear glass box with pistols sitting inside it. There was a young slightly muscular man sitting in a foldable chair. He was wearing a tank top and jeans. I walk up to the table and stand on my tippy toes to get a better look at the guns.

I get off my tippy toes and look around the barren shop. Zacharias nervously bit his lip as he looked at the pistols. I looked at the man with a look of pity.

"Do you have anything else other than pistols?" I ask as politely as I can. The man waved his arm above the box.

"This is all I have," the man said proudly. I look at the box and slowly nod. I really wish I didn't blow up Dominique's gun shop now. I scanned the box quickly, my attention was caught by a pistol with a black, dark metal frame with a wooden grip. The gun had a green thin lines going down the sides. I point towards the pistol.

"Can I see that pistol with the green lines?" The man happily nodded, he picked up the top of the glass case and picked up the gun. He handed the gun over to me, I grabbed the gun and let the gun rest in the palm of my hand. The gun was significantly bigger than my hand, but the weight felt nice in my hand. I looked to the side and pointed the gun at the wall. The gun feels nice, too bad I already have another pistol though.

I notice Zacharias stare intensely at a small, black revolver. The gun was smaller than his hands but it looked natural for him. Zacharias looked down at the gun with a look of approval on his face. Zacharias looked up at the man and pointed at the gun.

"How much is this?" Zacharias asked in a quiet voice. The man took a quick glance at the gun.

Five hundred." The man sternly said. Zacharias looked down at the gun and took a wad of cash out of his pocket. He slowly counted the money before giving it to the man. The man nodded and counted the money. Zacharias wearily smiled as he turned around. I quickly tap his shoulder and point to the gun.

"Don't forget the ammo," I said in an annoyed voice. Zacharias whispered, "oh," under his breath as he turned back to face the man again. Before Zacharias could ask for ammo, the man shook his head.

"I only sell guns," the man said in a sigh. Zacharias slowly blinked and looked back down at his gun. The orb on his head dimmed as he slowly nodded and sighed. He quickly turned around and walked out of the store in a hurry. I look back at the man and stare at him for a few seconds before deciding to leave the store. I knew this place was going to have nothing.

I found Zacharias standing patiently at the side of the door. His head was looking down at the tiny revolver in his hand, he tapped the gun hard against the bricks making up the building. Zacharias quickly looked up towards me, his eyebrows were scrunched up with worry. His eyes were wide with tears. I raise my eyebrow at his expression.

"Are you angry?" I asked Zacharias with a squeaky voice. I've never seen anyone look like that before, I thought he would be angry but it looks like he's sad about it. Is he not going to ask for his money back? He just accepted it and walked out, I look at the orb at the top of his head. The orb was now a bit smaller than it was before. The more I'm around Zacharias, the more I realized how passive he is. How is he going to do in a fight? He has a gun but is he actually willing to use it? Zacharias wiped the tears from his eyes and shook his head.

"No," Zacharias said in a whiney voice. The tears disappeared from his eyes, the orb suddenly brightened as he smiled. "When are we gonna work on the cars?" I stared at him trying to understand what he meant. It took me a moment to remember the deal I made with the man from the other day, I'am free today. I could drop the weapons off quickly to Wayne and start making Zacharias work.

"In the afternoon," I said. Zacharias frowned as the orb dimmed.

"Okaayyy." Zacharias said disappointingly. I looked down at my watch.

"Just give me two hours."

9:57 am

I walk up to Wayne's cabin and knock. I take out all the weapons I bought earlier today and let them float around in the air. Wayne quickly knocked and told me to come in. I walk in and look around, the walls were a deep ocean blue, in the corners were dim, blue LED lights. I notice some of the wood on the walls rotting away, there were big dark stains on the walls. I wrinkled my nose at the musty smell the walls gave off. Coach has to replace these walls or something.

Backed up against the wall were fours sets of bunk beds, in the middle of the cabin were empty wooden shelves. Wayne's uncles got off their beds and started to make their way towards me. I let the weapons float into the building as Wayne closed the door behind me. Wayne's uncles watched silently as Wayne grabbed a Daitō sword. He ran his finger down the blade, his eyebrows raised in improvement as he looked back towards his uncles and nodded. I froze up as Wayne's uncles suddenly stared behind me. I stare at Wayne, his face was frozen up in a state of surprise. I felt a heavy, oppressive force loom over me, I slowly look over my shoulder.

An observant Rome stood behind me with his arms crossed, his eyes were staring directly down into my eyes. He took a quick glance at the weapons and down at me. I looked up and down Rome, he had long, bright red scratched going down his arm. He tapped his fingers against his strong muscular arms. Rome slowly walked past us and Wayne's uncles and made his way towards the bunk beds. Wayne's uncles nodded out of what looked like fear in their eyes. Rome sat on one of the bunk beds and yawned loudly. I looked back towards Wayne. Wayne cautiously grabbed the weapons out of the air.

"Sorry for my dad," he said as he tilted his head towards Rome. I raise my eyebrows in surprise.

"Rome is your dad?" Wayne slowly nodded and looked down at the weapons. "He didn't do anything anyway."

"I know, but, I just thought he scared you." I looked at Rome as he laid down on the mattress.

"Why would he?" Wayne shrugged.

"He scares everyone," he muttered under his breath. Wayne lifted the weapons into the air and commanded his tall black uncle to come over to us with a simple hand gesture. His uncle took a spear and two swords out of Wayne's hands. Wayne had a nervous look as he stared down at a spear. "Do you honestly think this is a good idea?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Is there a problem?" Wayne shook his head quickly.

"I don't know, I just think it's useless killing all those monsters when they're just going to come back."

"I know it's probably not a good plan but it's better than what Coach is doing."

"I guess," he said with a bit of sass in his tone. I ignored his tone and crossed my arms.

"You're getting paid for this anyways, just make no one dies," Wayne grit his teeth. "What do you and your uncles want anyway?" Wayne reached into his back pocket and took out a piece of paper. I took the piece of paper out of his hands and put the paper into my Inventory.

"Sooo, do you just want us to keep killing the Shikome? Or is there anything specific you want us to do?"

"Just keep killing those things, for now, I kind of have a plan but I can't have the monsters nearby." Wayne shrugged as he turned around and walked towards his uncles. I turn around and walked out of Wayne's cabin. I look around the camp, the air felt cold and heavy.

I start to make my way towards Alice's cabin, before I could get two cabins away from Wayne's cabin the side of my head tingled. A sloshing sound got louder and louder by the second, I quickly jump back just in time to dodge a stream of water quickly fly through the air. Everything slowed down as I looked for whoever attacked me. Time quickly resumed as the water fell onto the ground. I felt something wet tightly wrap around my body. Before I could I could react the water yanked me to a space in between two cabins. I felt the air leave my lungs as I was met with Rome staring me directly in the face. The water that was previously suffocating dropped to the ground. There wasn't a drop of water left on me or my clothes. Rome grabbed my shirt and threw me deeper into the alleyway.

I look back towards him debating if I should fight back or not. Rome reached into his waistband and drew out a large silver pistol. Rome stretched out his arm and pointed the gun to my forehead. The middle of my forehead had a numbing feeling directly where his gun was pointing his gun at. I slowly raise up my arms, thin streams of water suddenly appeared in midair. the water quickly wrapped around my wrists and brought them to my sides.

I looked up at him nervously, a pulse of adrenaline left my body restless. My body begged to somehow find a way to escape. I don't if I can do anything against Rome though, I know he can control water but I don't know if he can even shoot that gun. Even if it was his first time, I doubt he would miss from here though. I looked down the barrel. I could use Wind Cannon to knock away the gun but I know he's just going to use the water to fight.

"I- is there a problem?" I nervously asked Rome.

"What do you know about Soul?" I stared wide-eyed at Rome.

"What's that?" I said in a faked squeaky voice.

"There's actually some talk about you in Magebourne." I stared at him with a blank expression. "I heard recently you killed a group of people going after someone?" A tingly feeling formed in the back of my throat as I thought of what to say. I bit my tongue and nodded after a few seconds of thinking. Rome stared intensely into my eyes. "You do know I'll have to tell Coach about this," Rome stated. I gently grabbed his arm and tried to fake a smile.

"Hold on, hold on," I nervously said. Rome stayed silent. "What would Coach do knowing I know what Soul is?" I didn't think Rome actually knew what Soul was, from Rome's reaction I can probably guess that Coach knows what Soul is. I know Coach knows about the other religions and gods but not Soul, I'm an idiot for not thinking about that.

"It isn't a problem that you know Soul, Coach would easily forgive that if you told no one. The problem is that you're a murderer, a thief, someone who can't be trusted."

"I have killed only in self-defense," I said confidently. Rome pressed the gun into my forehead even harder.

"You have killed in self-defense, but murder is still murder. Coach can't have someone who can kill another human in camp."

"I thought the camp was meant to train demigods."

"Not no more." I nervously swallow my spit.

"Wha-what is it then?"

"A place where demigods can live safely, a place where demigods don't have to fight every day of their lives," Rome said proudly.

"Have you looked around the camp lately? Monsters running around everywhere. Killing, maiming, what does Coach do? Nothing." I nervously said through gritted teeth. "I know you have seen what we could get for the camp," I suddenly remembered Dominique showing a video of another demigod fighting when he tried training me. I remember how loud the speakers shouted Rome. Why didn't I remember the video sooner? "Rome, I know you know how beneficial Magebourne could be, you did spend some time there. Maybe you spent some time in a colosseum?" Rome started to slowly lower his gun. "With all that easy to access technology in shops, I think we could make the camp great." Rome quickly aimed his gun at my forehead.

"Stop changing the subject, you're still a murderer."

"You're telling me, that all your time in Magebourne, you weren't hunted down and almost killed when you went to Magebourne." Rome gritted his teeth. "Especially when you were in a business that had a lot of people watching every time you fight?" Rome quickly tucked his gun into his waistband and stared into my eyes.

"I won't tell Coach," Rome said through gritted teeth," but I better see the camp improve in the next year. I slowly nod and watched as he turned around and walked away. I grind my teeth together as I watched him enter his cabin.

I walk out of the alleyway and start to make my way towards the forest.

I might as well get started on getting supplies for the camp now.

10:23pm

I stare at Zacharias as he excitedly looked at the cars in the parking lot. Zacharias quickly went from car to car looking over them. I look up at Dominique, he had an unsure look as he observed Zacharias. Dominique looked down at me and pointed at Zacharias.

"You sure about him?" He asked in an unsure voice. I shrug at his question.

"He can't fight but he seems obedient." Dominique rolled his eyes.

"But can he do?"

"He likes cars?" I say in a squeaky voice. Dominique smiled.

"So he can work on them?" Dominique asked with a bit of optimism in his voice. I look over towards Zacharias and call his name Zacharias quickly looked in my direction.

"Do you know how to work on cars!" I yell at him.

"I'm willing to learn!" Zacharias enthusiastically yelled back while raising one arm in excitement. I look back towards Dominique with a sour expression.

"I don't know where you found him, but I want you to put him back where you found him."

"Just let him do something first, maybe he'll be useful at something."

"Maybe," Dominique repeated.

"We could always replace him if he's useless anyway." Dominique nodded in agreement. "Do you even have a workshop ready anyway?"

"I know this one place that might be good but I think I could find a better place if I had just a bit more money," Dominique said in a suggestive tone.

"I don't care if the place is cheap, as long as Zacharias can work on cars efficiently then I don't care." Dominique smacked his lips.

"Just lend me one hundred bucks," I rolled my eyes and reluctantly gave him the money. Dominique snatched the money out of my hands and stuff the money into his pocket. "What's his address?" Dominique asked as he watched Zacharias try to open a door to an expensive-looking car.

"He was staying with me, but you take him."

"I don't want him." Dominique sternly said.

"You're going to be working with him anyway, you might as well start now." Dominique heavily sighed.

"Also train him," Dominique switched his attention to me.

"What?" He asked in a surprised voice.

"I told you he can't use Soul that well, you're one of the few people I know who can use Soul. Make sure to overwork him though, I want to see how he does."

"So you want me to teach him how to use Soul?" I nod my head. "I can do anything as long as it's in the name of training right?"

"Just don't kill him," I commanded. Dominique nodded as I checked my watch. I take out my phone and look at Dominique. I look away from him and scroll down my contacts. I quickly scrolled down until I found the number that Nuxiel gave me. Dominique leaned in.

"Who are you calling?"

"None of your business."

"If it's related to this, I feel like I should know first."

"This is an entirely different thing." Dominique stood up straight.

"Never mind then."

I called the number as I start to walk away from Dominique's car dealer. Zacharias walked up to me. The phone started to ring as Zacharias asked me a question.

"Where are we going now?" He asked.

"You're staying with him," I quickly tell Zacharias and pointed at Dominique. Zacharias slowly nodded and walked over to Dominique.

I nervously stare at the phone as I suddenly heard Nuxiel's voice answer.

"Is there anything you need?" Nuxiel softly asked. I sharply inhale before answering.

I hope this plan doesn't fail.