Was I a Waste?

Two men were sitting on a bench in a hallway. Both of the men were wearing black tank tops and gray sweatpants. The sweatpants had a navy-blue B and a dark gray P, with a sword piercing the top of the P on the right pant leg. In front of a bench was a vending machine where both of the men had gotten snacks. One man got a protein bar, and the other got a bag of nuts. The hallway had a black marble floor with a red carpet going down the middle of the floor. The walls and ceiling were dark gray. The two men could barely hear the sounds of people fighting, and the two men themselves were beaten up a bit. They were both given a break from the training room after getting beaten.

Nicolas: Thank goodness. I wouldn't have lasted another second. Do they have to go so hard on us?

Hank: If you are already nearing your limit, you might as well give up on becoming a professor.

Hank was not trying to discourage Nicolas, and Nicolas knew that. Hank's harsh words came from how much he worried about him.

Nicolas: You know you really need to work on how you phrase certain things.

Hank: Why would I need to do that?

Nicolas: Well, you can come off a bit harsh sometimes.

Hank: I say the truth, and the truth is harsh. If you can't take it, that is on you.

Nicolas: Haven't you ever heard of sugarcoating?

Hank: I was sugarcoating.

Nicolas: Oh, well ... that is sad.

Hank: Not really.

Nicolas: This is why I am your only friend.

Hank: You are my only friend because everyone else is too sensitive to hear the truth.

Nicolas: Well, it couldn't hurt to take someone else's feelings into consideration.

Hank: ... Maybe.

Nicolas: See, we are already making a little bit of progress.

Both of them stop talking. Though the silence would seem awkward to others, it wasn't to them. Neither of them felt the need to say anything, so they chose to sit in comfortable silence. Both Nicolas and Hank finish their snacks and begin to walk back to the training room.

Nicolas: Hank.

Hank: Yes?

Nicolas: Do you want to be a professor?

Hank: Yes, without question. What about you?

Nicolas: I do, but why do you want to become a professor?

Hank: Oh, because I hate rogues. I want to kill as many as I can.

Nicolas: Really? You never told me that. Why do you hate them?

Hank: ...

Since Hank was not responding, Nicolas worried that he had made Hank remember something that he never wanted to relive. Nicolas would never want his friend to go through that type of pain.

Nicolas: If you don't want to talk about it, I understa-

Hank: Rogues hurt our family. That is all I will say.

Nicolas: I see.

Hank: What about you?

Nicolas: Hm?

Hank: Why did you want to become a professor?

Nicolas: Oh... Well, I mean, it isn't like I have a choice.

Hank: So, your reason for wanting to become a professor is because you have no choice? That doesn't make any sense.

Nicolas: I mean, that is how it started. At first, when I got here, I felt I had no choice, that my path was decided for me, and that I was stuck with this life. Then I met you. And I don't know—it didn't seem that bad anymore. So, I guess I want to become a professor to stay by your side.

Hank: ...

Nicolas: Is that weird? Sorry if I made you uncomfortable.

Hank: No, it isn't weird. Nicolas.

Nicolas: Yes?

Hank: Thank you.

Nicolas: ... Of course.

Nicolas puts his arms around Hank's shoulders.

Nicolas: I will become a professor and do whatever I need to do to help you.

Hank smiles as they both enter the training room.

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Nicolas and Hank stand in front of the giant stuffed toy. Hank was hesitant to move forward. Nicolas's warning did more than shake him.

Hank: [Should we try and get past it? No, I have seen this thing move; it would catch up with us in seconds, maybe even less.]

Hank thought about the options that he and Nicolas had until he was snapped out of his thoughts by something that Nicolas said.

Nicolas: I will try and make an opening. When I do, I want you to run after those two, and I will try and hold this thing off as long as I can.

Nicolas runs forward, swinging both of his swords in a way that would've cut both of Rachel's arms off. However, before Nicolas could bring down the swords on its arms, Rachel kicked him directly in the stomach. The kick sent him upward. He got sent so high that Hank was no longer able to see him in the snow. Hank throws the fireball that he was holding in his other hand. Rachel dodges and starts to run around Hank so fast that he can barely see it. Rachel jumps at Hank and slashes at his neck. Hank barely manages to duck.

Hank: [I really will die at this rate.]

Rachel recovers from her failed slash and slashes downward to try and cut Hank in half down the middle. Hank jumps to the side and holds the lighter up to the side of Rachel's torso. Hank flicks the lighter, and an explosion of fire pushes Rachel back. She is pushed back so hard that she rolls and sides across the snowy ground. Before she can recover and get up, a glowing blue sword comes from the sky and pierces its right arm, which pins it to the ground. Nicolas lands on his feet in front of Rachel.

Hank: Are you okay?

Nicolas: Is that concern I hear in your voice?

Hank: Never mind.

Nicolas I am fine.

Nicolas lifts the shirt that he was wearing under his lab coat and reveals a piece of armor that was glowing blue. The piece of armor had a small dent in it.

Nicolas: This took most of the hit.

Hank: Stay focused.

Nicolas looks back at Rachel, who is pinned down by his sword. Rachel looks at Nicolas and Hank with it's green yarn eyes.

Nicolas: We should start to head after those two; she is pinned down we have no reason to worry.

Hank: Maybe you are right.

They both run after Kyle and Sarah, but Hank doesn't trust Rachel. He didn't believe that there was nothing else that it could do. He turns around for a second to see if there is something that it could be doing. He watches as Rachel lifts its arm over the one that is pinned and cuts it clean off.

Hank: NICOLAS!

Nicolas turns around, and Rachel is right in front of him. Rachel slashes at Nicolas, but he barely blocks it with his sword. However, Rachel swung with such force that Nicolas's sword was cut in half. After cutting Nicolas's sword in half, Rachel turns her body and kicks Nicolas. He gets pushed into the wall. Hank flicks his lighter and shoots a beam of fire. The beam sends Rachel back and causes an explosion where it lands. Hank runs over to Nicolas and bends down.

Hank: Get up I know you aren't hurt that badly.

Nicolas: Guess again.

Nicolas lifts his shirt and shows that the armor that he was wearing under his shirt was now broken.

Nicolas: Everything hurts.

Hanks: Okay, um.

Hank begins to look around. He looks where the explosion from his beam happened and sees smoke coming up.

Hank: Okay

Hank picks up Nicolas and begins to walk back.

Nicolas: What are you doing?

Hank: I am going back to Raymond; he can get you help.

Nicolas: No, if you do, then those two will get away.

Hank: That doesn't matter; we will catch them another day.

Nicolas: No, Hank, you know how this works. If they break out, that is still on us.

Hank: I don't care.

Nicolas: Hank put me down.

Hank: But-

Nicolas: Listen, I appreciate you thinking about me, but this is what we signed up for. This is all part of the job.

Hank nods and puts Nicolas on the ground. Nicolas gets up, walks over to the sword that he pinned Rachel with, and pulls it out of the ground. They both start to hear the sound of metal tapping together. They both turn to see Rachel walking out of the smoke. Her arm was healed by tapping her claws together.

Nicolas: I will hold it off. You go catch them.

Hank: No, you will die.

Nicolas: I will be fine. The guards will be here any second now.

Hanks grits his teeth.

Hank: Don't die.

Nicolas: Of course not.

Hank turns and runs, and Nicolas watches him and smiles.

Nicolas: I said I would do whatever it takes to help him.

Nico turns around, seeing Rachel stand in front of him. He brings his sword up and points it at Rachel.

Nicolas: It's time to prove it.

Nicolas knew what the outcome of this fight would be, but that didn't stop him. Nicolas and Rachel both run at each other. Rachel's claws clash with Nicolas's sword. Sparks flew as they struggled. Cracks started to appear on Nicolas's sword. When he saw the cracks, he spun around and stabbed the already broken sword he had into Rachel's shoulder. He then slid in between Rachel's legs, trying to impale her through the back. However, before he could, Rachel turned its top half around, twisting up its torso. Nicolas looks up at Rachel and smiles. He thinks of all of his memories. What it took him to get here to this very moment. And even though he knew what was about to happen he could help but think ...

Nicolas: [I don't regret a single choice I have made.]

Rachel impales its claws through Nicolas' stomach. Rachel swung its arm to the side, which threw Nicolas off of its claws. Nicolas holds his stomach.

Nicolas: [No, not yet.]

Nicolas tightens his grip on his sword and struggles to get up. He is slouched over, blood is leaking from his stomach, this is the most pain that he has ever experienced, and he is cold. He is so cold. He walked forward toward Rachel. He had to think about each step he took to make sure he didn't trip because he knew if he did, he wouldn't get back up.

Nicolas: [Keep going, body ... please keep going.]

Nicolas stands in front of Rachel, his grip on his sword slowly loosening. He swings his sword. The speed at which he was swinging had greatly decreased from before. At the speed he was currently swinging, a baby could dodge it. Rachel leans it's body to the side and dodges it with ease.

Nicolas [Fight until you die.]

The pain in his stomach was flaring. It was so bad that he couldn't think straight. He swings the sword again. Rachel catches the sword with two claws and gently pulls it away from Nicolas. Nicolas then tries to throw a punch at Rachel. Rachel easily dodges again and pushes Nicolas over.

Nicolas: "I hope... I wasn't a waste."

He was very tired. He would just close his eyes for a couple of minutes. Yes, that is what he would do. He will just get a little rest and then wake up and help Hank later. Nicolas drifted off, closing his eyes and smiling.

Nicolas: [Thank you for being my friend.]