CHAPTER 33: USELESS VS MAYA

Liz finishes healing Minaro.

Liz: Alright, you feel fine now, right?

Minaro: Yes, thank you.

Minaro shakes both his hands around, Liz stands up and leaves.

Minaro stands up and walks to where everyone is sitting and stares. One side has Iza and Doa, the other, Mausho and Zeph.

"Where do I sit? Over there is my enemy and over there are girls."

Mausho notices Minaro.

Mausho: Hey, Zeph, scoot over.

Zeph moves away a little, leaving a spot between him and Mausho.

Mausho: You can sit here? If you want.

Minaro looks hesitant to sit.

Mausho: I know you're probably angry with Zeph, but the battle's over now. Throw all ill feelings aside.

Zeph: You can't be mad at me anyways, you're the one who wanted to keep fighting. I even gave you warnings.

"That's true."

He takes a seat in between Mausho and Zeph. Iza is staring at all of them when Shima and Raskan walk over to her.

Iza: Hey!

Shima: Hi! It was getting pretty boring over there.

Shima points at where the other guardians are sitting.

Shima: So we've come over here.

Shima takes a seat next to Iza past Doa's legs, Raskan right after her.

…

Maya and Zizin are now both on the battlefield, she stares at him, Zizin is looking away from her while still fiddling with his fingers.

Kofron yells into his microphone.

"Alright! On one side we have the red-haired girl! Back again! And on the other side, we have Zizin, the useless guardian!

"Let the sixth match begin!"

Kofron then lays himself on the floor and starts falling asleep.

"I'm taking a break, I know no one's fighting this match."

Maya's eyes are widened.

Maya: You're known as the useless guardian?

Zizin looks over at her.

Zizin: Yup.

…

Minaro: Useless guardian?

Zeph: Zizin told us to call him that.

Minaro: … Is he actually… Useless?

Mausho: Zizin?… Zizin isn't that good at fighting, he's a coward. So he doesn't even participate in missions. We tell him to but he refuses and keeps calling himself useless and unfortunately, with how he is and his skills, he's not wrong.

Minaro: Why is he in the guardians then?

Mausho: You see, Zizin appeared around us one day and we felt bad so we took him in as a guardian thinking he was, you know… a good fighter. But he was nothing like that. Eventually, we grew fond of him so we never kicked him out. He's pretty good at cleaning.

…

Maya: Why are you known as useless?

Zizin: Uh… I rather not talk about it.

There's silence for a couple of seconds as Zizin looks away from Maya, scratches his head, and looks back at her.

Zizin: Hey, what if I just give you this win?

Maya: ... But then I wouldn't be getting any practice. That's the whole point of these fights, right?

Zizin: Well, you wouldn't be getting any from fighting me either! So let's call it quits. I'm useless when it comes to everything, especially fighting.

Maya: You can't fight all, not even a little?

Zizin: Nope. So let's end the battle.

Maya: Why can't you fight? What makes you so useless? Why are you even a guardian then? You gotta tell me something or I'm gonna keep asking!

Zizin sighs.

Zizin: Let me show you, maybe then you'll understand why I'm useless.

Zizin runs over to Maya but he's not so fast. She runs towards him, makes a string scythe, and swings it at him.

Zizin yelps and puts his hand out to stop her from moving.

Zizin: Hold on! I'm running towards you just to get to you, I'm not attacking!

Maya: Oh, sorry.

Zizin puts his hands down.

Zizin: Okay, look at this.

Zizin jumps up and falls back down, instead of hitting the floor, he bounces on it and away from Maya.

Maya laughs.

Zizin: I can bounce but not even that high. It's my most useful skill which says a lot. Completely useless.

Zizin stops bouncing, then 2 medium-sized tentacles pop out of his back.

Maya: … That's a little gross.

Zizin: A little? It's super gross… And I can't control them. Also, they're too small to deal damage. Another useless skill.

The tentacles start feeling around Zizin's whole face and grabbing it. They pull on his cheeks and eyebrows. Maya laughs again.

Zizin: … I think these tentacles don't like that I call them useless… Anyways I can also-

The tentacles grab his mouth and wrap around his eyes and don't let go. Zizin moves around trying to get them off. Maya can hear muffled screaming.

Maya: Uh, you want help?

Zizin nods his head violently.

Maya: Can I cut them off?

Zizin nods his head violently again.

The tentacles retract and hide behind Zizin's back, he releases a big gasp.

Zizin: Okay… Luckily they didn't like that idea.

Maya: How are they even sentient?

Zizin: I have no clue, maybe because they're connected to my brain or maybe I'm part octopus?

Zizin starts gritting his teeth and shaking, eventually the tentacles pop back into Zizin's back.

Zizin: There we go… Anyways, I also have the skill to eat people's dreams and gain power depending on what the dream was… But when does an opponent fall asleep in a battle!?

Maya ponders for a few seconds.

Maya: ... You could use chloroform?

Zizin: Oh … I could, couldn't I?.. It doesn't matter though, because if they're asleep. At that point, you kill them instead. Not take their power. It's another useless Skill!

Maya: Wow, I feel bad for you. How can someone be born with so many bad skills?

Zizin: … I have one more skill.

Maya stares at him and waits for something to happen, but nothing does.

Maya: Where is it?

Zizin: It happened already.

Maya: It did?

Zizin: Yeah, it happened on it Venus.

Maya: Venus!? Why up there!?

Zizin: My Ultimate Skill is to activate any volcano I'd like, on Venus. Another goddamn useless skill.

Maya: How were you born with such bad, odd skills!? That's not normal at all.

Zizin: It's definitely not, I really wish I knew why I was the person who was born to bear all these awful powers… So now you see why I can't fight right?

Maya: ... What about normal fighting, you can do that, right? Like without Skills, just kicks and punches. Swords? Guns?

Zizin: No, I can't do that either!

Maya: Why not!?

Zizin: I don't know how to fight, I never learned and I don't care. I don't wanna learn how to fight! If I do, I'll be sent on missions where I'll die!

Maya: … So that's it, you don't wanna die.

Zizin: Yeah, of course, I don't.

Maya: … But what if one day, someone tries to kill you? How are you going to defend yourself?

Zizin: … Maybe I'll fight then! But the chances of someone being after me are low.

Maya: Are they?

Maya dashes towards Zizin and swings her scythe, it stops barely touching his nose.

Zizin looks shocked.

Maya: How are you-

Zizin collapses motionlessly and hits the floor. Maya panics a little, she kneels down to check up on him.

Maya: Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you so badly!

Zizin stays on the ground.

Maya: Hey?

"The winner of the sixth match is the red-haired girl."

Kofron wipes his eyes while holding the microphone.

Maya: Huh!?

Maya looks extremely confused, Zizin then stands up and starts walking away from the battle. Maya's eyes widen, she grabs him by the shoulder.

Maya: Hey!

Zizin: I told you, I'm not fighting. You won, so we can leave now.

Maya pouts but she eventually realizes that Zizin is a lost cause so she walks away. He walks away as well.

Mausho: Zizin, come sit over here with us!

Zizin walks over, Maya tells Mausho to move over so that she can sit next to Iza. Zizin sits next to Zeph.

Minaro and Mausho continue a conversation they were having.

Mausho: Zizin really just has to believe in himself, but his Skills have really lowered his self-worth that he convinces himself that he will always be useless and can never become better. It's kinda sad. We've tried to help him but he's got a lot of internal problems that hold him back even more. At this point we just let him live the way he likes.

Minaro stares at the floor.

Minaro: That's… Unfortunate.

Zizin looks over at Mausho and Minaro with a slightly angry expression.

Zizin: … I can hear you guys talking about me.

Mausho: … Minaro wanted to know.

Zizin: You're giving out way too much information!

Zeph: We have to. If we want to explain why you are the way you are.

Zizin: No, here's a simpler way to say it… Zizin is useless and can't do anything, his skills are useless, and can't do anything. Plus, he's too much of a coward to learn how to fight. He prefers a non-violent lifestyle anyways!

Mausho: … That was almost as many words as I said.

Zizin: Yeah, but it was easier to understand.

Mausho: I guess? But If you don't understand mine that means you're just dumb.

Zeph: … I've got a simpler way to state all of that.

Zeph looks Zizin dead in the eyes with a serious expression.

Zeph: Zizin continues to dwell in his uselessness instead of learning to become better because he's scared of dying and failure. His past is an important factor in all of this.

Zeph smiles.

Zizin: … You just keep giving out more information! None of this is simple!

Zeph laughs.

Mausho: That's a realistic way to put it.

Zizin: … I can't say it isn't.

Zizin starts remembering something.

…

A younger Mausho and Zizin are standing next to each other talking.

Mausho: So what can you do? We've gotta make sure you qualify to be a guardian!

Zizin uses all his skills one by one.

Mausho: … Wow … Those Skills kinda suck.

Zizin: I'm well aware. They really do.

Zizin stares at the floor, sadly.

Mausho: Can you fight without Skills? Like normally?

Zizin: Nope!

Mausho: Really? There's no way, every human has some sort of natural fighting instinct even if it's not good.

Mausho puts his palm in front of Zizin.

Mausho: Try punching me.

Zizin: Are you sure?

Mausho: Yeah, go ahead.

Mausho stares at Zizin, confused as he throws a punch so slow it makes everything seem like slow motion, the closer Zizin's fist gets to Mausho's palm the more it trembles.

After what seems like forever Zizin's punch misses Mausho's palm.

Mausho: You're kidding me, that was atrocious… That wasn't your real punch, right?

Zizin laughs awkwardly then stares at the floor.

Mausho: … Dude.

…

Maya interrupts.

Maya: … Have you guys ever tried to teach him to fight? Without skills?

Mausho: Oh, tons of times! We tried with skills, weapons, and normal fighting. But Zizin… Sucks at all of it sadly.

Zizin starts remembering something else.

…

Younger Mausho and Zizin are standing on the same battlefield they are at in the present getting ready to fight each other.

Mausho: I'm just gonna start attacking okay? We need to do this! We have to trigger your flight or fight response.

Zizin: Okay! But it will most likely be my flight response.

Mausho: … Actually, first, let's focus on you trying to kill me. You come towards me.

Zizin: But if I approach you'll start attacking and then I'll get hit! It's gonna hurt!

Mausho: Just ignore the pain, if you don't, you'll lose focus.

Zizin: How do you ignore pain!? It's the only thing you can think of when you're hurt!

Mausho: No, think of your opponent's next move or something.

Zizin: I can't!

Mausho: Ignoring the pain will come to you naturally in the heat of a battle. Fight me and you'll understand.

Zizin trembles and doesn't move.

Zizin: I the hmm the I the uh bububu hmm yeah I'm gonna hit you oh Im Im.

Zizin takes slow steps towards Mausho.

Mausho laughs and runs towards Zizin and tries to kick him.

Zizin screams and covers his head. Mausho stares at him.

Mausho spends around 15 minutes trying to get Zizin to fight but it never happens.

Zizin is on the floor.

Mausho: It's really that hard for you to fight, huh? We'll keep doing this tomorrow then. I don't wanna force you cuz you might end up being traumatized forever.

Zizin: Thank you.

Zizin lifts himself up and stays seated on the floor. Zeph, who was in the room but ignoring everything, walks up to Zizin.

Zeph: I'm gonna force you though, and I don't care if you get traumatized.

Zizin: Huh?

Zeph kicks Zizin in the face, Zizin's launched away, he rolls and bounces normally several times. As Zeph tries to dash towards Zizin, Mausho grabs him by the back of his shirt.

Mausho: What the hell are you doing?

Zeph: I'm helping him learn, he has to experience a life or death situation… Let me tell you, I once tested myself and jumped into the deep end of a pool without knowing how to swim! To see if I could swim out of it. I risked my life and guess what happened.

Mausho: Well, you didn't die, I know that.

Zeph: Yes, and that event made me learn to swim! I could have died!

Mausho: … Whatever, go teach Zizin. I'll stop you if you go too far though.

Zeph dashes towards Zizin. Tears drop from Zizin's face as he groans in pain.

Zizin: Ow! Oh my god!

Zeph throws a punch at Zizin. Zizin is hit and knocked back down to the floor. Zizin's groans get even louder.

Zizin: Zeph! Stop! Please!

Zeph grabs Zizin by the collar of his clothes.

Zeph: Hit me then! Fight me! Beat me! If you want me to stop… I'll kill you!

Zizin cries even harder.

Zizin: I want to! I want to fight! But I can't, dumbass!? Why won't you understand! I can't, I can't fight! I'm too scared! My Skills are horrible! What am I supposed to do!? What the hell am I supposed to do!? Bounce on you!? Hope the lava on venus eventually somehow falls on you!?

Zeph lets go.

Zeph: Fight! Learn how to fight! Use your fucking fist! Kick me, bite me! I don't fucking know. Do something! Why are you such a useless pussy!? I'm literally trying to kill you!

Zizin: But I know you're not!

Zeph punches Zizin multiple times, Zizin lays there emotionless.

Zeph: Whatever. I'll stop…You're useless.

Zizin walks away.

…

Zizin shudders, Maya looks at him.

Maya: Zizin, have you ever heard of this phrase, even the worst skills, with practice they can-

Zizin: Stop. Don't finish that stupid phrase, I've heard it way more times than I've liked.

Maya: Sorry. It's just that it really fits you.

Zizin: … It does.

Doa slowly lifts her head up and looks around. Everyone stares at her.

Doa: … What's going on?

Maya: Doa, are you feeling better now?

Doa: I think?

Defei approaches everyone, he stares at Doa.

Defei: Oh, she's awake. Can you fight yet?

Doa: Fight? No, not at all. I'm still too tired.

Doa lays her head back down and starts going back to sleep.

Defei: … Goodnight then.

Defei suddenly feels something rub against his leg, he looks down and spots Bukkaru.

Bukkaru then meows.

Defei understands him.

Defei: … You wanna fight me?.. Sure!

TO BE CONTINUED….