Chap Two

I woke up, blinking multiple times to adjust my vision to the array of bright colours that filled what was my new bedroom. Everything that had happened in the previous day was something overwhelming, and I bent my fingers backwards to deal with the stress.

I missed my family.

I walked over to a drawer, hands shaking as I slowly slid it open, I remembered my birthday gift and knowing me I would have put it in the drawer. It was more of a reflex action but I wanted to know if I would find it.

A smirk tugged at my lip as I looked at the silver chain attached to a dragon, one similar to our family crest but made out of a red stone, ruby. I took it out, hanging it around my neck and playing with the pendant, it wasn't mine but it would do for now.

The villain path has been chosen.

I bit my lip, the robotic voice still in my head. It could be a system, a shortcut back to my loving parents or the door to a disappointment, much greater than a mere necklace but I had no way of testing my theory out.

I desperately needed a system, people reborn into our world had systems to assist them and make them stronger than what their abilities could achieve. I was already near my peak but a system would be far more helpful. I located the closet and my mouth dropped at the sight, I was robbed, or Mark was at least, I took out a black hooded long-sleeved shirt made out of cotton and examined the strange design, hoping the system would respond.

'That is a sweatshirt, although this design is called a hoodie.' The same feminine voice said and I carried a pair of matching trousers. 'Those are sweatpants and those shoes are sneakers.'

"Are you a system?" I quickly asked, hoping to get a response.

'No, I am simply a guide who will disappear when you learn about the modern world.

"Disappointing." I mumbled, "Does this world have abilities?" I asked quickly.

"Yes, although abilities had only started to surface two generations ago, you have all elemental abilities and the ability to steal abilities but choose to tell everyone you're a water type." I nodded, Mark being smart made everything easier.

I stared at the ceiling, drowning in the silence and eventually went to clean myself up with the help of the guide that navigated me through the shower, as it was called. I put on the strange clothes and the necklace and my stomach growled. I started my way downstairs, hoping that the stupid woman at least ate meat.

"Oh, this is Ma-"

"Ricky." I cut her off and looked at the two grown men who stared at me, making me anxious.

"Your birth certificate states your name as Mark." I put on a wide smile.

"While that's my birth name, I am not very fond of it and decided to change it." The men visibly eased up and I looked confused, was Mark somebody for these men to be at a state of unease.

"Well Ma-Ricky," The chubby man stated, extending his hand for a handshake and I took it pulling myself into a failed attempt at a strong handshake. The ginger-haired idiot was still tense in a corner of the parlor and as much as it would have been fun to act up I front of her, that would only make me a suspect when I made my debut, I had to put survival over my wants, something I learned the hard way in my early years of childhood, "We were sent from Brishon to pick you up." I looked at the man in awe, sure of a wide grin plastered on my face.

"Brishon," I mumbled, finally noticing the packed bags. "Well what are we waiting for? Let's get going." He smiled, gazing at his partner who carried my bags and started to head to the front door. My stomach growled again and the ginger-head finally looked at me, "I'll just grab some breakfast first." The chubby man nodded and I ran into the kitchen, grabbing a huge chunk of fried chicken and gobbling it down before going outside.

There was a long vehicle, painted silver. It was a bus, I remembered from the reborn cultivators who had been hit by it, this bus earned a popular nickname in our village, Bus-San.

"Ricky," I looked at the chubby man who gestured to the door on the bus and walked in.

The bus was full of students, some I recognized from yesterday while others, brought no sense of familiarity. I looked around, finally locating an empty seat at the bark and sat there playing with my fingers till the bus started to move. I looked out the window while he others were talking amongst themselves, the scenery looked a lot like Arion which made me wonder if this was just another version of Arion. It took us about an hour before we had finally stopped and I had mapped out every turn we took. Brishon was located half an hour from the city and the structure and scenery reminded me of all the times I had passed there with my mother.

I got out as the door opened and stretched my sore limbs while other students stared at the building with utter fascination. We walked inside, escorted by the chubby man and I finally felt the same wave of shock the other students probably had. Students buzzed through the hallway although the school wasn't as crowded as my Brishon was, I had to remember that abilities had only started to surface here which explained the under population. Unlike my Brishon which was established to train ability users, this one was probably to set students straight and prevent every possible threat they could cause in the future.

People fear the unknown, Jake. My father once said as he cleaned my wounds, it caused me to flinch, as if they were still there.

"Please! I didn't do anything, leave me alone!" I looked at the boy kneeling on the floor in an empty hallway, except the people that surrounded him, the sight reminded me of Jake.

"Please leave me alone." I said, with tears filling my eyes and the other boys snickered.

"Why should we, when killing a rogue would be in favor of Arion." One replied, making a ball of fire.

I shuddered, I could have beat them up easily but I could only imagine the repercussions of such actions.

"Why should we, you're a shadow user. You shouldn't even exist." My ears twitched at the word.

Shadow, another ability for rogues, one that had gone extinct and one that was second only to lightning. This boy had so much potential and while ignoring him could have been better, a noble asset such as him would have chosen the path of a hero who would later be respected by the same people who bullied him.

I had fantasies of that back in Arion, but you should know, they never live long enough to accomplish it. The only thing greater than respect is fear, I thought my grandfather was crazy when he told me that on his death bed but I finally understood. I breathed calmly, picturing the people as my bullies before walking towards them.

"I thought bullying wasn't allowed." I said, feigning a look of innocence.

"Normally it's not, but no one seems to mind if it's a rogue." My hands curled up into fists, what were humans without fearing strength.

I looked at the boy still kneeling on the floor and started to deeply resent Jake. Taking in a deep breath, I sent a wave of electricity which fried the hidden cameras and formed a small ball of water, twirling it round my fingers,

"I don't tolerate bullying, you know." The boy or group leader didn't seem wavered as he made a wave of fire.

I smiled, sending another wave of lightning into the ground, targeted at the group. They all froze, their faces containing shock as they fell on the ground, unconscious. I scoffed, running a hand through my hair before crouching down, looking at the boy who was visibly surprised.

"What's your name?" I asked, ignoring his shock.

"Jay-Jake." I flinched and he seemed to notice, "You have lightning and water, that's impossible, only Hero Black is like that and it involves lightning I-I thought lightning users were extinct?"

"Dang, I didn't think anyone would notice," I smirked at Jake, "you tell no one about it," He nodded, standing up and looking at the unconscious idiots, "my name's Ricky by the way."

"I could have handled it, but I would have gotten in trouble."

"Believe me, I know how it feels."

"Students, go to the Arena for your assessment." I crossed the unconscious bodies, Jake beside me as we followed the students to where they were gathering.