A Hero to Somebody

When I awoke, I somehow found myself in my studio apartment. The digital clock next to my bed reads seven thirty a.m. Since it's a Saturday, I don't have to worry about being late for school, so there's no need for me to get up. How did I end up at my place anyway? The last thing I remember was being in the cemetery and meeting two ghosts and agreeing to let them inhabit my body.

After the odd light show is all blank. Whatever, I don't want to dwell on it for too long. I got up from my bed and headed straight to the bathroom. It must have been a dream because there is no way I would let any ghosts stay in my body.

"Ah, so that's what that thing looks like." A female voice came from behind me.

"What are you doing Harper, give him some privacy!"

I turned around and saw the two ghosts from last night. Of course, it wasn't a dream, nothing in my life will ever be simple. Instead of screaming and making a mess, I calmly said. "Do you two mind?"

Noel was dragging Harper by the arm out of the bathroom while her eyes were closed. "I am incredibly sorry for her! Please don't think too negatively of us."

The sisters phased right through the door as if it was opened and left me alone to relieve myself.

Maybe I didn't think this through.

When I came out of the bathroom, Harper and Noel were quietly observing my room. Harper was studying my figurines collection while Noel was glancing at my video games and manga. This is the first time any girl had been over army place, including the undead. I feel embarrassed just having them go over my things like that, they might be judging me.

"That explains why you were so quick to accept our offer," Harper said, picking up my figurine of Space Cadet Jade to examine it better.

"Why is that?" I said, taking it away from her and putting it back in its place.

"You're clearly a nerd who has never had a girlfriend before." She teased.

"Or I just legitimately wanted to help you guys out. Believe it or not, there are altruistic people out there."

"Is that so?" Noel said, picking up a graphic novel and flipping through the pages. I took it from her before she could really bend the paperback.

"Where are your parents, Ken?" she asked as I put the paperback back on the shelf.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Beats me. I've been living on my own for a year now."

Harper floated into my vision. "Geez, that sounds awful. And this is coming from a dead girl."

"It has its benefits. For one I have nobody telling me what to do. Second, I can buy anything I want as long as I have a job."

"Speaking of, how are you able to pay the rent of this place?" Noel said as she sat down on my couch.

"I work for this lady who owns the building. She owns a couple of restaurants throughout Liberty City."

"I see. Well sit down and I will explain to you our predicament and then we will begin your training?"

"Training?" I said as I took my seat on the chair perpendicular to the couch.

"For our powers, duh. We can't have you wield those kinds of powers without training you first."

I look at my hand and imagine shooting the elements out of them. But I can't let the fact that I have superpowers cloud what's really important: helping these two sisters find peace.

"Are you ready, Ken?" Noel asked.

"Besides me being hungry, I am."

"It won't take that long, I promise." I find that statement dubious, but I kept that to myself.

"Let us begin. I will start by saying that Harper and I belong to the illustrious Frost clan."

This was supposed to be the part if I was drinking something, I would spit it out due to shock. The Frost family is the oldest in all of Liberty City that founded Liberty City.

Rumors claimed that the Frost family had sold their soul to the devil for powers or that they were half-breed demons. Regardless of which one is true, it is an undeniable fact that they possess supernatural abilities.

"The next part of our story is going to be uncomfortable," Noel said.

"What do you mean?"

"Harper." I turned around to see Harper standing over me. She placed her hand on my forehead which started to burn.

The vision of my studio apartment was replaced by a searing hot whiteness. Moments passed before my vision returned to me, but I was not at my place. I am standing in the middle of a pristine forest in the middle of summer. Cicadas can be heard singing all around me.

"Where the hell am I?"

"You are still in your apartment," Noel's voice echoes in my mind. "What you are currently seeing is nothing more than an illusion of Harpers and my past."

I heard the laughter of children playing and went to investigate. Just a couple of feet from where I was standing, was a clearing in the middle of the forest. I see three little girls playing in the opening, running around without a care in the world.

I recognize Harper and Noel easily, but there is a third girl who I have not seen before. She has black hair, dark brown eyes, and pale skin.

"That little girl is our older sister, Marceline. And she is the one who has killed us."

"You were killed by your own sister!?"

"Yes. We don't really know her reason, just one day she snapped and killed the entire family."

The scenery changed into a nightmare straight out of hell. I find myself inside the mansion foyer surrounded by dead bodies and blood. The ghost girls are among the dead and Marceline is standing above them completely covered in blood.

Marceline was wearing a blank expression, I thought she would be laughing maniacally, like how they showcase evil psychos in anime. But I guess anime does not properly depict antisocial behavior.

I am taken out of my vision and am back in my apartment. Noels is observing me with cold blue eyes, and Harper is avoiding eye contact altogether.

"There is something that you should know before we continue. You are not the first individual we have asked to help. We have been fighting our older sister for more than a century now. Every single one of them has all died trying to face her."

"Why are you just now telling me this?"

Noel glared at me.

"I did try to warn you yesterday, but you brushed me off!"

"Well, that is true."

"Remember, no taksies backsies," Harper said, angrily.

"Who said anything about me backing down? I'm just shocked that you two were killed by your sister, let alone that she's still alive after one hundred years."

"I'm sure you are aware of the Frost family. But to confirm it, yes, we are descendants of demons. It's how Harper and I have your powers. The problem with having demon blood in our veins is that members of our family have the tendency to go insane."

Oh man, I would never imagine that I would be getting involved with a century-long family feud. But I did promise to help them and I plan on following through with it.

"If I am going to be fighting your sister, then it's better that I get some experience with these powers of yours."

"Naturally, that is why we plan on training you," Harper said, rolling her eyes.

"Not to be rude or anything, but if I am one of many victims of your girl's beef with your sister, then I'll pass on your training."

Noel glares at me, and a cold shiver went up my spine.

"Don't go glaring at me, Noel. I think I have a better way of learning how to use your powers."

"What is it?" Harper said, leaning closer.

"I'll just become a superhero."