《No More Mister Nice Guy》


 Prologue

    In the city of Poppytown, nights were a risk. That was true for every American city, but it was especially prevalent in Poppytown. It wasn''t because of a local gang led by a mad scientist. Not because of the remnants of an alien empire taking root here. Nor was it due to the rumors that there were vampires in the area. No, Poppytown was the most unstable at night because the city had the most Discoveries in the country for the past decade.


    For whatever reason, Poppytown has dealt with a surge of newly awakened Gifted. On top of that, all these Gifted are the ones who want to cause trouble. Either they want to take revenge on something or someone that wronged them with their destructive powers or become full-fledged villains that destroy the town in their grand schemes. It made the place exciting but in a dangerous way. Poppytown has suffered significant tourism damages and other business-related expenses as many people and companies were wary of coming to the city, now known for having a rampaging metahuman every week or so.


    Despite the hardships, the locals have managed to make due. The citizens would take extra precautions when living their daily lives, and business owners would put more deposits down on security. Other than Mayor Egger getting on TV and warning the citizens of a new threat now and again, the people of Poppytown can live in relative comfort, believing they are ready to handle the unexpected. But that was the thing about the unexpected: you couldn''t prepare for everything it could throw at you, as a local bank was about to discover.


    Night had settled in Poppytown''s business district, attempting to cover the city in darkness but got pushed back by the street lamps and traffic lights. People hustled about the sidewalks, almost matching the speed of the cars on the road as they went about their lives. One of the ways the citizens counter the rise of rogue Gifted is that they never linger in places if they can help it since a villainous attack could happen at any place and at any time. There was a particular sense of urgency for the people in the city center. If Poppytown was a constantly refilling powder keg, the business district at night would be the future Ground Zero.


    This was especially true for Poppytown Central Bank. Despite being located in an old-fashioned building with marble columns and stone steps, it was a local bank of medium importance to the city. It was still a tempting target for any would-be villain who wanted quick cash, so the guards around the bank''s interior weren''t run-of-the-mill security with only batons and maybe a pistol. These guards had body armor, heavy handguns, and shock batons. The only thing missing from their attire was full-face helmets and riot shields. The bank owners decided against those, feeling they would intimidate the customers instead of making them feel safe. Still, their current gear made these guards more than capable of handling most Gifted who tried to rob their place of employment. The problem is, with people like the Gifted, categorizing them in any way is almost impossible.


    Amongst the slow stream of people, a lean man walked in. At first glance, he wore ordinary clothes, but his attire was odd, especially on an evening trip to the bank. He wore a red hoodie underneath a black vest jacket. He wore ripped navy blue jeans and black and white sneakers. His hands were stuffed in his pockets, but if someone looked carefully, you could see the ends of black biker gloves sticking out of them. The golden baton sticking out of the boy''s crossbody bag got most people''s attention, though. The guards, however, focused on the man''s head, covered by his hood and a white Comedy Mask. It was a smooth plastic plate with only three curved black lines representing crinkled eyes and a smiling mouth. It gave the man a creepy appearance, which he used to full effect as he casually walked through the red-carpeted floors of the bank''s interior.


    As the masked man approached the bank teller cubicles, the civilians began leaving the establishment with varying degrees of speed and panic. They knew what would happen next and wanted to be a safe distance when the trouble started. The receptionist on duty, a pretty woman fresh out of college, could only stare in wide-eyed panic as the masked figure approached her. When the man was in front of the teller, he stood before the now-trembling receptionist without saying anything. The handful of guards in the interior began moving behind the oddball with hands on their batons, their faces set in determined scowls. They tried to be subtle about their movements, but with how much their gear clacked, they had the subtlety of an elder disapproving of modern values.


    "C-can I help you, sir?" the bank teller asked nervously. She feared the worst but decided to remain professional in case this oddly dressed stranger only wanted to make a deposit.


    "You know what I''m here for," the masked figure responded, instantly smashing the girl''s hopes. He spoke in a low tone that failed to mask his surprisingly youthful voice. ''Is this some kid?'' one of the guards thought in mild surprise. ''Some punk that got powers and wants to play the villain,'' another one guessed with a sneer. ''If he''s a minor, this is going to be a pain to deal with,'' one more groaned. "So, let''s skip the foreplay and open that vault," the boy added cockily. That was enough for the guards to act. They pulled out their batons and moved towards the masked man.


    "Hands where I can see them!" one guard called out. To everyone''s surprise, the boy complied. Slowly, the boy lifted his hands in the air in the universal gesture of surrender. This move stunned the guards, but one decided to take the bait. He stepped toward the miscreant with the intent of subduing him. However, when the man got close, he noticed one of the suspect''s hands inching towards his back, specifically, where his golden stick was sticking out of his bag.


    "Hey!" the guard called out. But it was too late. The boy grabbed the stick and spun around. With the golden stick in his hand, he smacked it against the guard''s head, causing the man to tumble to the ground after the unexpected blow. His coworkers stepped back in surprise as he fell, then turned to his attacker with angry scowls. In response, the boy twirled his weapon and took a confident step towards his aggressors. In a golden flash, his armament went from being the size of a baton into becoming a proper staff, one the boy began spinning in his hands with expert ease. With one last flourish, the boy stood in front of the remaining guards, staff held behind him in a single grip that was ready for a fight. He raised his free hand, palm facing the ceiling, and moved his fingers upwards twice, goading the guards into attacking him.


    The guardsmen drew their batons and rushed forward. One man swung for the villain''s head, only for the boy to sidestep the blow. He followed up by ramming his staff into the man''s gut, forcing him to double over in pain despite his body armor. Another guard tried tackling the assailant, but the criminal countered by swinging his staff and striking him in the leg, causing the man to tumble down and crash into the counter. Two guards tried to attack at once, but the assailant moved forward and placed himself in between the two guys. One swung his baton at his side only to get wrapped up in their target''s arm. At the same time, the target shortened his staff to the size of a bat, ramming one end into the other guy''s nose before swinging it toward the first man''s knee. The stick hit the back of the leg, causing the guard to fall and let the attacker land an easy yet strong punch to the side of the man''s head.


    Throwing the man to the ground, the villain whirled onto the guard with the bloody nose. He was still clutching his face and trying to stop the bleeding. The assailant took that opportunity to run forward and jab his staff into the man''s leg, causing him to fall with a groan of pain and make it easier for his attacker to swing back his staff and strike the man in his face, knocking him down. Hearing the sound of stomping boots, the villain turned in time to see his first attacker on his feet and reared his baton back for a strike to the head. Raising his staff, he blocked the attack and stared into the seething security officer¡¯s face. The two stared each other down while their weapons were pressed together in a deadlock. Suddenly, the guard grew a savage grin, and he pressed down on a button on his baton''s hilt.


    "Shock baton, scumbag!" the man declared as electricity surged from the baton and traveled up the villain''s staff. However, nothing happened afterward. The villain didn''t scream in pain or start convulsing as the electricity attacked his body.


    "Insulated gloves, dumbass," the miscreant jeered as the guard''s face fell. Suddenly, the criminal tilted his staff downwards, causing the guard''s weapon to slide off. The man''s force applied to the baton sent it flying towards the ground, making the wielder stumble. Then, the bad guy swept his legs with his stick, causing the man to fall to the ground face-first. Before the guard could get up, the villain raised his weapon and swung it down on the man''s head, knocking him out cold.


    "Freeze!" someone screamed. The last guard, who watched his colleagues get easily beaten by a kid with a stick, started panicking as he pulled out a large pistol. The gun had a barrel almost as big as the man''s forearm, and he was struggling to hold it steady. Yet the man kept the pistol trained on the villain''s mask even as the gun drooped downward and shook with the man''s anxious movements. He stood a few feet away from the criminal and was slowly backing away even as he held him at gunpoint.


    "Careful now," the villain cooed. "One wrong move, and you might shoot your friends." This was a blatant bluff. All the other guards were on the floor unconscious; even if the gunman did miss a shot, he''d have to be aiming at the criminal''s feet to hit them accidentally. However, with how frazzled the man was, he couldn''t think clearly. He took a moment to look at his comrades, and that moment was all the villain needed. As the stick glowed with golden light, the criminal thrust his staff at the man like a spear. The end pointed at the last guard elongated with rapid speed and crashed into his gut. The staff pushed him into the wall, slamming him so hard it made a few cracks in the structure.


    The surprise attack was successful, but the last guard still squeezed out a round before being dealt with. The bullet hit the plexiglass window and rebounded into the villain''s mask. Stumbling backward at the force and minor explosion of plastic, the lawbreaker quickly turned away from the receptionist before removing his mask and examining the damage. The bullet cracked the upper right corner of the mask and forced cracks to spread across the rest of the visage. The young man grumbled in annoyance before reequipping the mask and facing his last opponent. The surprise attack forced the outlaw to retract his weapon and allow the gunman to slide to the ground. He lay limp and propped up against the wall, clearly unconscious like the rest of his buddies. There was an indent where the villain¡¯s staff struck the body armor, so the man may need medical attention afterward, but the felon wasn¡¯t in the mood to check any further than that.


    The criminal then turned to the bank teller. He approached the young girl, acting like that unlucky fluke hadn''t just rattled him. The employee stared at the villain with pure terror in her eyes and a ghostly pale face. Her hands were underneath the desk, and given the rapid jerking of her arms, she either frantically pressed a silent alarm button or chose a strange time to play with dice.


    "Now," the villain began, casually folding his arms over the counter. "About the vault." The girl quickly pressed a second button underneath the desk, and a metal wall descended from the ceiling, slamming onto her desk and covering the glass window. The teller stepped back with a hand on her chest, taking a calming breath as she thought she was safe.


    "Cute," the voice of the villain spoke. But instead of being muffled behind the metal wall, it was clear and coming from right next to her. The girl whirled around and was horrified to see the cracked mask of the criminal staring back at her.


    "H-how-" the girl began, but a finger to her lips and a condescending "Shh" silenced her.


    "The vault," the outlaw repeated, his tone still playful but with a slight edge that promised nothing good if he got denied again. With shaky fingers, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a set of keys. Slowly and meekly, she placed the keys in the villain''s now open hand. Once the keys were in his possession, the criminal turned away from the girl and walked toward the vault. The teller took that as a sign of her dismissal and bolted down a different hallway. Whether that meant she was going to a panic room or running out of a back door, the villain didn''t care; he had more pressing matters to deal with.


    With the last witness gone, the villain dropped his easy-going and confident facade. Letting his shoulders tense, the lawbreaker marched towards the vault room and began fiddling with the door controls. Despite how easy it was getting to this point, the villain couldn''t help but be concerned about his heist''s next steps, namely, because getting here was too easy. No bank in a high crime area would have a skeleton crew of five guards and one bank teller. Something was up, and the criminal felt he needed to be fast with what came next.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The creaking and groans of the metal as the vault door slid open only made the villain''s anxiety worse.. The second there was enough of a gap between the door and the metal gate, the villain slipped inside, shoving the metal gate open like it was made of paper. Once inside, the criminal took a folded paper from his bag. Examining it, the villain started ripping open lockboxes with matching numbers on the note and dumping the contents in the middle of the floor. Occasionally, the felon would put a wad of cash into his small bag, but it was a small percentage of the fortune piled on the floor. The villain didn''t care; the money wasn''t the point of this endeavor.


    Once all the lockboxes on his list have been emptied and collected, the villain reaches into his bag and pulls out a bottle of lighter fluid. Removing the cap on the bottle, the criminal dumps the contents all over the large pile of money and then takes out a cigarette lighter. With one more moment to take in his crime and appreciate the large stack of still intact dollar bills, the villain flicks on the lighter and tosses it onto the pile. The second the flame spread to the dollars, he heard the front door slam open and heavy footsteps rush inside. The villain swung around and readied himself to face the police armed with guns and maybe some riot gear if they were overly cautious.


    Instead, dark purple laser beams cut through the metal wall and flew into the opened vault. The villain barely jumped out of the way in time and watched the lasers fly over the burning money pile and strike the wall, leaving behind a significant burn mark. Stomach-dropping, the criminal peeked out his head to see his attackers through the metal hole in the metal wall. Sure enough, instead of cops at the front door, a group of men in lab coats and futuristic motorcycle helmets wielding blocky rifles scrambled through the front door. Labbies, the grunts of the local gang Neo Spectrum, and if they were here instead of the police, then that can only mean one thing.


    "Goddammit¡­" the villain hissed in annoyance.


    "Get out of there, Sun!" one Labby exclaimed. "We''re taking our money back from you''re hide, you little shit!" The villain didn''t reply; he just leaned against the wall, his mask pressed against the surface, contemplating bashing his head against it to curtail his building frustration. He decided against it, as a slight cracking sound reminded him that his costume was already damaged. The last thing he needed was to compromise his secret identity. The night wasn''t over, though, and this surprise encounter was manageable.


    With one last groan of annoyance, Ethan Sun stepped out of the vault, jumped through the melted hole, and faced the squad of lab coat-wearing goons. Even as the young man casually stepped up to the armed goons, they didn''t shoot. They spread out across the interior to surround the masked man, laser guns all pointing at him as they moved. They would''ve looked like soldiers if they didn''t twitch so much or could stand straight. Plus, their sloppy circle formation meant a missed shot could easily hit one of their teammates.


    "So what is this?" Ethan asked, jerking his head towards the open vault. The fire inside was now a roaring flame. The would-be villain wasn''t sure how the building would handle a fire from inside the saferoom, but he wasn''t keen to find out. Ethan kept his demeanor casual despite his desire for a hasty exit. One hand rested on his hip while the other hung at his side, lightly grasping his gold staff, now the size of a drumstick. The young man knew he had to be clever since he was outnumbered and outgunned. "This some sort of money laundering scheme?" Before anyone could answer, Ethan brought up a hand for silence. "You know what, don''t answer that. I don''t care. I did what I came here to do, and I really don''t feel like hearing the finer points of whatever the hell you''re doing here."


    "Too fucking bad," the goon in front of him snarled. He took a few steps forward, stomping his feet to look intimidating and not like an overgrown child. The Labby trained his weapon on Ethan''s mask even as he closed the distance and made aiming redundant. "The boss is going to take the money she lost here out of our pay! You have any idea how much you cost us?!"


    "I feel your pain, really I do," Ethan replied with a hand placed dramatically on his chest. He did his best to sound disingenuous even as the mook''s words struck a cord within the would-be-villain''s heart. The younger man knew what it was like to be screwed over even when you did nothing wrong, but Ethan couldn''t let his sympathy show. These guys were proper thugs and wouldn''t hesitate to jump on any inch he gave them. "But don''t you think we should call this a night? Even if you kill me, and that''s a big "if", you''re not getting that money back."


    "Maybe not," the thug growled, adjusting his grip on his rifle before he opened fire. "But it''ll make us feel-" Before the thug could finish, Ethan swung his stick and slammed it into his knee. The man cried out as he started to fall, but Ethan leaped behind him, looping his arm around the grunt''s neck, hoisting him up, and turning the man into a human shield.


    "You wanna start shooting now?" Ethan asked, gesturing with his stick-wielding hand to his face, which just so happened to be next to the goon''s helmet. "I''m right here." The remaining Labbies jerked their heads between the spot Ethan was a few seconds ago and the impromptu hostage situation. It was clear they didn''t know what to do now, but some started slowly moving their guns toward the two men.


    "D-Don''t shoot you idiots!" the Labby-turned meat shield screamed. He tried to wriggle out of Ethan''s grip, but the young man''s enhanced strength kept him firmly in place. Ethan started slowly moving back towards the front door, which hung open on broken hinges thanks to the Labbies'' rough entrance. If his human shield notices, he decides not to say anything and focuses on not dying.


    "Are you sure they shouldn''t shoot?" Ethan asked.


    "No! Don''t shoot!"


    "I''m pretty sure they should shoot."


    "Shut up! Don''t listen to him!" The Shield-Labby was now in a full-blown panic. He flailed his head around like a balloon filled with air, then released into the wind without being tied up. His body jerked around like he was being electrocuted and straining against Ethan''s arm like an unruly toddler trying to get out of their car seat. His fellow grunts followed the two as Ethan stepped out of the bank and into the cold night. They kept their weapons half raised so as not to let Ethan out of their sight but not put them in firing positions for the sake of their screaming coworker. The masked man couldn''t see their face due to their helmets, but Ethan could tell they were nervous, given the slight twitching of their weapons as they moved.


    Once Ethan stepped outside, his hostage tried again to break free. He leaned forward before throwing his helmet back and towards Ethan''s face. The miscreant jerked his head backward, avoiding the blow but loosening his grip enough for his meat shield to slip away.


    "Shoot Now!" the man screamed as he threw himself onto the ground.


    "Oh, sure. Now you want them to shoot," Ethan quipped before backflipping down the bank stairs to avoid the blaster fire. As Ethan cleared the steps, the Labies followed him, with the punk''s former meat shield rearmed and ready to take his revenge. Ethan landed on his feet, and as he faced the charging minions. Taking his staff in both hands, he shifted his footing into a martial arts stance with his weapon held up and at the ready. The goons raced down the stairs to meet up with their target. They held up their guns and hummed with energy as they charged up their next shots.


    "Surround him!" the ex-meat shield ordered. "Don''t let him escape!"


    "Well, look at you," Ethan said as the Labbies circled him again. "Able to read the clues that are right in front of you. You''re a cut above the rest of the mooks, meat-shield."


    "Fuck you!" the man growled. As angry as he was, the lead Labby kept himself out of the circle and far away from Ethan''s grasp, proving he did have a basic understanding of common sense. "You don''t get to talk to me like that when you''re trying to run away!"


    "I just call it like I see it," Ethan shrugged. "You''re not dumb; take the compliment."


    "You can take your "compliment" with on you¡¯re way down to Hell! Light him up, boys!" The lead Labby raised his energy weapon and pointed it at Ethan. In a disordered medley, the grunts fired their guns at the young man. This situation would typically be like shooting fish in a barrel, but they forgot they weren''t fighting a typical person.


    Ethan''s staff glowed gold as one end slammed into the ground. Rather than stopping once the weapon became embedded in the pavement, the staff kept growing, with the other end extending into the air, taking Ethan with it.


    "No!" the lead mook screamed as the blaster fire narrowly missed the masked man. Ethan clung to the staff with both hands and feet as it carried him into the air. He glanced down and watched as the panicking minions desperately tried to shoot him as he flew into the night sky. Dark purple lasers glided into the air, fluttering past Ethan''s body like poorly tossed softballs. Ethan waved at the henchmen as he was carried into the sky and past the clouds. Once the young man saw the first cloud under his feet, Ethan forced his staff back into its usual form and dropped onto the mass of water particles.


    Rather than freefalling through the cloud, when Ethan''s feet touched the fluffy veil, he only bounced slightly as if he had stepped onto a mattress. Stuffing his weapon into his bag, Ethan began hopping across clouds and heading deeper into the city, leaving behind the crime scene and a gaggle of shrieking and cursing minions in lab coats. His escape was official and successful.


    The next day, Ethan sat in his hideout. The outside was an abandoned auto parts factory, but thanks to its former owner, the inside was a liveable hideout where someone could lie low for a few days. Ethan initially felt terrible about using someone else''s hard work, but one couldn''t become a villain if your conscience held you back.


    Ethan sat in the little living room, a factory corner free of heavy machinery and stuffed with lounge furniture. It was a small area with a cheap coach, a flatscreen TV in okay condition, and a glass coffee table between the two pieces of furniture. There was a tacky pink rug on the floor that Ethan suspected was the former occupants'' failed attempt to spruce up the place. It was as if they hoped looking at that ugly carpet would make them forget he was in a run-down building that was 90% dust and rust. Ethan was on the couch, watching the news of yesterday''s bank heist. As the reporter prattled on, Ethan had a look of tired anger on his face, a look someone would save for a dog that had defecated in their home for the 15th time that week. Ethan held his clasped hands before his face as he tried to reign in his growing frustration.


    "Yesterday, the Poppytown Central Bank was attacked," the anchorman reported, his face a mask of corporate professionalism as he read the teleprompter. "A masked individual matching the description of local vigilante, Ethan Sun, walked into the bank at 10 PM and demanded the vault be opened. Rather than being the start of a bank heist, it turns out the establishment had been taken over by the gang Neo Spectrum. The group had been siphoning money from the accounts for some time now. It seems that Ethan Sun learned about this scheme and took action, attacking the bank to draw out the criminals involved, exposing them to the local authorities that arrived later that night." By the end of the newsman''s summary, Ethan had his head in his hands and was breathing deeply.


    The news moved on to other stories, but Ethan ignored them, instead choosing to rise from the couch and wander into the factory, his hands still on his face. He eventually dragged the appendages down his skin in exasperation and moved them to other places on his body. One hand was on his hip, and another was running through his hair as he paced around the place, looking like a high school drama star puzzling over the latest problem.


    When he finished contemplating, Ethan abruptly stomped to the living room, picked up the coffee table like it was an empty tote box, and slammed it onto the ground. The explosion of glass shards and metal debris was followed by Ethan¡¯s scream of rage.


    "Why are these people so stupid?!" Ethan roared into the air, his hands gripping his hair, ready to tear out strands in frustration. That was a bank heist! He was there to rob it and destroy what he couldn''t take! He didn''t know about Neo Spectrum! How the hell was he supposed to know about that?! Where was the testimony from the teller he threatened?! What about the guards he beat up?! They weren''t a part of Neo Spectrum, and Ethan was sure he sent at least one of them to the hospital! Why weren''t they saying anything?!


    And then there were the businesses. Ethan didn''t target random lockboxes. He attacked the ones belonging to the big companies that used the Poppytown Central Bank. Ethan planned to piss them off by damaging their lifeblood and getting them to demand that authorities apprehend him. When Ethan refused to get arrested, he''d be labeled a criminal, and he could let that "damaged" reputation snowball until the people considered him a supervillain. It should''ve been easy, something that should''ve worked even with the outliers, such as stumbling onto a criminal conspiracy getting added into the mix.


    But the companies aren''t talking. Why?! Even if he screwed over Neo Spectrum, that didn''t change the fact that he destroyed their liquid assets. They should be furious right now and plotting their revenge! Ethan even gave them a legal avenue to do it; burning money is a crime! The corporations should at least be demanding Ethan pay them for damages. Nothing added up, but Ethan should be expecting this by now. He''d been trying to become a supervillain for nearly a month. Yet, the public seemed determined to praise him as a Hero for even the most evident criminal acts.


    "That''s all we have for today," the anchorman stated. He took on a somber and sentimental tone for his outro, which caught the young man''s attention. "We''ll be back tomorrow with more news. And for our local Hero, Ethan Sun, we, on behalf of Poppytown, thank you for your service."


    "Go fuck yourselves," the "Hero" spat before stomping out of the building.

 Chapter 1

    Three Weeks Ago


    Laughter rang throughout the hall as Ebenezer¡¯s bag exploded, unleashing a tornado of papers and books that covered the school floor. A strange hot-cold sensation filled the boy¡¯s body as his face heated with embarrassment while the feeling of ice water flooded his veins; all while he watched his work fly around the hallway. Ebenezer smiled awkwardly at the jeering crowd before falling to his knees and collecting the assignments. He had to collect his documents quickly before the bystanders stopped laughing. The second they did would be the second they moved on with their lives, walking over Ebenezer and his papers without a care for their condition or what would happen to the unfortunate boy if they were damaged.


    Sadly, Ebenezer wasn¡¯t quick enough. The blare of the warning bell cut the laughter short, and the students moved on to their classes, stomping on his papers without care. Ebenezer watched in horror as his schoolmates walked all over his reports. His hard work and sleepless nights went down the drain as dirty shoes ground them into the floor.


    ¡°H-Hey!¡± Ebenezer called out as he fruitlessly crawled through the crowd. ¡°C-can you not step on those?! I-I need them!¡± The crowd ignored the boy¡¯s desperate pleas and kept walking wherever they wanted. The people showed basic courtesy by not stepping on or running into Ebenezer. However, that was more on instinct to avoid a collision rather than conscious human decency. When Ebenezer finally got all his papers, most were scuffed, torn slightly, and had at least one footprint. Ebenezer stared at the sullied papers with a growing sense of dread. He was going to get in trouble again; he just knew it.


    Stuffing the papers in the remnants of his bookbag, Ebenezer headed to his homeroom class. The look on his face would make outsiders think he was about to be sentenced to death. He walks into the classroom seconds before the late bell rings. Mr. Colbert, the homeroom teacher, glared at Ebenezer over his hooked nose with the eyes of a predator that was denied its prey. The man was notorious for taking any chance to punish students as severely as possible. Still, he was always careful to keep his cruelties in line with the school rules so there wouldn¡¯t be room for his victims to complain. He turned away with an angry sneer and allowed his student to slink into the classroom sheepishly.


    Snickers from his classmates trailed behind Ebenezer as he made his way to his desk. The intercom screeched out the morning announcements that Ebenezer barely heard. He just sat at his table, hands clasped tightly as the young man tried to brace himself for what would come next. The moment announcements ended, Ebenezer was surrounded by his classmates; they all had expectant faces as they stared down the crestfallen boy. Ebenezer opened his bag with a resigned sigh and handed out the dirty papers. The backlash was immediate.


    ¡°What the hell?!¡± Leanora exclaimed as she examined the dirty footprint on her math homework.


    ¡°Seriously?!¡± Corrina shrieked when she saw the tear on her assingment. ¡°Ms. Albert¡¯s gonna tear my head off when she sees this!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do anything right, can you, Scrooge?!¡± Pery sneered as he stuffed his dirty papers into his bag. Ebenezer said nothing; he kept his head down and bit his lip to hold back the tears as his classmates shouted at him. He knew this would happen; any slight mistake on his part was bound to raise the ire of the students who relied on him to do their assignments. Never mind that he shouldn¡¯t be doing these things in the first place; it was their homework, so it was their job to deal with it, not his. Ebenezer briefly entertained the idea of looking at Mr. Colbert and hoping he would step in and save him, but he knew the man wouldn¡¯t care. The vulture-faced teacher only lived to punish students for school-related crimes and couldn¡¯t care less about any classroom squabbles that happened near him.


    ¡°Hey!¡± a hand slammed down on Ebenezer¡¯s desk, scaring him back to reality. With a jerk of his head, Ebenezer locked eyes with Gabriel, the school¡¯s star quarterback. He glared at him with the self-righteous fire of someone who saw himself as superior and expected to be treated as such. ¡°Look at me when I¡¯m talking to you!¡±


    ¡°S-Sorry¡­¡± Ebenezer muttered weakly. He tried to withdraw into himself while keeping his eyes on Gabriel¡¯s angry face. His body shakes as the quarterback¡¯s eyes burned him with their gaze. Ebenezer desperately wanted to hold the tears back lest Gabriel gained more ammunition to use against him. He felt his body stiffen like an overly taught spring begging to be released. Ebenezer wanted to run away, to get away from this awful situation and find some hole to die in. But he couldn¡¯t; Ebenezer knew if he didn¡¯t take the abuse, things would only get worse.


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna be sorry if this paper gets me kicked off the team!¡± Gabriel growled. ¡°When you¡¯re doing my homework, you better treat them like their newborn babies!¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my fault-¡± Ebenezer tried to explain, to defend himself. But he was cut off by another hard slap against his desk.


    ¡°Save it!¡± Gabriel growled and then jammed a finger in Ebenezer¡¯s face like it was a loaded gun, making the smaller boy flinch. ¡°Next time, my homework better be in top-tier condition. Or else!¡± Without waiting for an answer, Gabriel turned and walked away, confident that his demands would be met without question.


    ¡°If I get in trouble over this crap, you¡¯re a dead man, Scrouge!¡± Leonora growled.


    ¡°And I¡¯ll make sure whatever Ms. Albert does to me happens to you, too,¡± Corrina sneered.


    ¡°Fuck up again, Scrooge, and I¡¯ll make you wish you were never born,¡± Pery said with a cruel smile.


    Once the attack was over and the students left the defeated boy, Ebenezer sat at his desk and stared at the wooden surface in gloomy silence. The tears that were desperate to escape his eyes faded as a sorrowful acceptance took over his mind. At this point, the boy grew to expect his classmates'' anger over the slightest mistakes. None of them bothered to ask what happened to their assignments and let him explain the accident. Ebenezer wouldn¡¯t be surprised to find out that some of them were in the hallway when it happened and still decided to yell at him for it. But what really drained his spirits was Gabriel¡¯s words. ¡®Next Time¡¯.


    This situation would happen again, him getting attacked for a problem he couldn¡¯t control. What the other students didn¡¯t know and didn¡¯t bother to ask about was that Ebenezer¡¯s bag exploded because it was constantly over-stuffed with homework that wasn¡¯t his. It was their fault that their assignments were dirty, not that they would admit it if they were smart enough to realize that. But even if that weren¡¯t the case, it would only be a matter of time before Ebenezer to mess up again. His workload was constantly getting bigger as the years went on; he could barely keep up with his assignments, not to mention he was continually losing sleep to get all the work done on time. It was inevitable that Ebenezer would crack under the pressure.


    There was nothing else to be done; Ebenezer had to say something. He had to get his classmates to stop giving him all their homework. He doubted he could get all of them to stop, but if he could get just one person to do their own homework, everything else would be much easier. Ebenezer frantically eyed his classmates and tried to think who would be reasonable enough to listen to him. Gabriel, Corrina, and the other popular kids were out of the question. Whether for their pride or their status, they needed Ebenezer to do their work so he wouldn¡¯t be reasoning with them anytime soon. Pery and Leonora weren¡¯t popular, but they were jerks; they¡¯d force Ebenezer to do their homework just for the kicks they got from pushing him around. Ebenezer would have to talk to the friendly kids, or at least people willing to speak to him.


    Ebenezer glanced around the classroom. He tried to be subtle about it because he didn¡¯t know what his classmates would do if they found out he was trying to get out of his ¡°responsibilities¡±. There was Christian, one of the only people Ebenezer could relate to. Then there was Roth, a nice enough guy, on the surface at least. Then there was Dream, a friendly girl who didn¡¯t seem to be all there. If anyone would be willing to listen to him it¡¯d be those three. Clenching his fists and taking a deep breath, Ebenezer gathered his resolve and readied himself to plead his case.


    When the bell rang for First Period, Ebenezer practically jumped out of his chair and rushed out of the classroom. Once in the hall, Ebenezer swung his head around, searching for any of his targets. The second he saw a head sporting a bouncing blonde ponytail that would be more at home on a child than a high schooler, Ebenezer bolted down the hallway and towards her.


    ¡°Dream!¡± the boy called out as he shuffled through the crowd. The girl in question bounced around to face and faced Ebenezer with a friendly smile and a somewhat lucid look in her eyes. As Ebenezer approached her, visions of what could go wrong flashed before his mind. Images of Dream getting angry over his request, laughing in his face, crying as if he had attacked her, or even just ignoring him outright, all of these in his mind as he got closer and worsened his anxiety. Ebenezer tried to force down the fear, reminding himself that Dream wasn¡¯t like that. Yet the images came regardless of logic, shaking the boy¡¯s naturally unsteady resolve.


    Dream was a sweet girl but a natural-born airhead. When talking to her, it wasn¡¯t uncommon for the girl to lose interest in a conversation and start daydreaming out of the blue. When talking to her, Ebenezer often had to restart his conversations multiple times before finally getting through to the blonde. Dream was one of the few people who honestly needed Ebenezer¡¯s help, which made the pit in his stomach get even more uncomfortable as the guilt for targeting her gnawed at him.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Dream exclaimed when Ebenezer walked up to her. ¡°Hi, Scrooge!¡± The boy gave a friendly smile even as his insides writhed in pain. Ebenezer hated his name and had tried multiple times to get the others to call him a more appealing nickname like ¡°Eben,¡± ¡°Ben,¡± or even just ¡°Z,¡± a name to help him get by without feeling like life was meant to be a sick joke. None of them stuck, mostly because his classmates chose the ¡°funnier¡± option of calling him Scrooge. Obviously, this was just another way to bully him for his existence. If that were the case, Ebenezer could easily grin and bear it, but the fact that the ¡°nicer¡± students like Dream called him that, too, made it hurt even more.


    ¡°Hey, Dream¡­¡± Ebenezer began with a forced smile. ¡°How¡¯re you doing?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m good!¡± Dream replied, completely oblivious to the guy¡¯s unease. ¡°Freddy and Shirley got together and Stephen just came out of the closet!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s awesome¡­¡± Ebenezer replied despite having no idea who those people were.


    ¡°I know, right? Those two had been tip-toeing around each other for weeks, and we all knew Stephen was into guys, but he was too scared to admit it!¡± Dream started rambling about how her friends were going on dates and how she was planning a coming-out party for Stephen. From experience, Ebenezer knew he had to jump in before the girl got lost in her tangents.


    ¡°H-hey, Dream¡­ I need to talk to you about something¡­¡± Even as his mind demanded urgency, Ebenezer¡¯s body couldn¡¯t help but struggle to get the words out.


    ¡°Oh? What¡¯s up?¡± Dream looked at him with child-like innocence.


    ¡°Y¡­ You know how I¡¯m¡­ helping you with¡­ h-homework?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± she exclaimed with the happy energy of a puppy shown a new chew toy. ¡°You really help me out! Like, I was struggling so much with math, science, history, and the other stuff, but then you helped out and, like, saved my life!¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah¡­¡± Ebenezer managed to force out as his insides contorted even further. ¡°Listen, Dream-¡±


    ¡°Like no exaggeration, my parents used to get soooo mad whenever I came home with bad grades.¡±


    ¡°O-oh?¡± Ebenezer asked despite himself. Memories of his own home life started appearing in his head due to Dream¡¯s words, and the guy could feel his resolve crumbling.


    ¡°Yeah, then I would cry and promise to do better, only to forget, like, the next day because I was hanging out with friends, or on my phone, or whatever, and I¡¯d be back to having bad grades. That¡¯s why you¡¯re such a lifesaver! My grades aren¡¯t as bad as before, and I don¡¯t get in trouble at home anymore!¡±


    ¡°W-Well, that¡¯s¡­ good¡­¡± Ebenezer mumbled as his body started to tremble. Dream¡¯s smile and story destroyed whatever confidence he had built up, but his brain still screamed at him to tell her his case anyway. The stirring in his gut that urged him to go on and the pain in his heart that begged him not to hurt the girl clashed in Ebenezer¡¯s body and forced him into an unmoving state that just stood in the hallway as Dream continued talking.


    ¡°Oh, by the way! Can you help me out with my history project coming up in a couple of weeks?¡±


    ¡°W-What?!¡± Ebenezer asked, getting hit with an uncomfortable sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.


    ¡°Yeah, I got a paper due next Thursday. It¡¯s about the history of some country in Europe that died a long time ago. If you can help me out, I¡¯d be really happy!¡± Dream smiled at Ebenezer and looked at him with hopeful eyes that didn¡¯t see the clear crisis on Ebenezer¡¯s face. Writing a paper in two weeks was easily manageable for any student. But with Ebenezer doing the work for a dozen other kids, it was too much for his already overloaded schedule. Not to mention that since Dream didn¡¯t even know the assignment''s topic, he¡¯d have to do extra work just to get all the instructions for a project that wasn¡¯t his.


    ¡®You can¡¯t do this!¡¯ Ebenezer¡¯s inner thoughts screamed. ¡®Tell her ¡°no¡±! Do it now!¡¯


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°D-Dream¡­ I-¡± Ebenezer stuttered.


    ¡°Please, can you help me?¡± Dream pleaded in a sing-song voice. ¡°If I do it myself, I¡¯m gonna fail and get in trouble with my parents again!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one I can rely on!¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah, but I¡­¡± Ebenezer looked into Dream¡¯s puppy dog eyes, and immediately, the pain in his chest outweighed his brain¡¯s screams. ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    ¡°Awesome! I knew I could count on you, Scrooge!¡± Dream quickly hugged Ebenezer before skipping down the hallway without a care in the world. The boy just stood in place, staring at his feet as the familiar feeling of despair and self-loathing grow within him. However, Ebenezer didn¡¯t have time to criticize himself; he had other people he could ask so all hope wasn¡¯t lost. Forcing himself to move, Ebenezer walked down the corridor searching for his next potential sympathizer, though his steps were more desperate.


    Ebenezer found Christian in front of his locker, nervously fiddling with the lock. His ratty brown hair covered his eyes as he instinctively kept his head down to avoid attracting unkind attention. Christian was one of the few people Ebenezer could relate to. He was a dorky, nervous wreck and was constantly picked on by the popular kids. Christian was also forced to do their homework and would repeatedly crack under the pressure. Ebenezer felt bad for the guy and offered to help with the extra work. Christian was grateful and promised to help in return, but he never did; if anything, he kept asking Ebenezer to do even more work. While Ebenezer didn¡¯t want to impose on the anxious teen, it was time for him to keep his promise. Ebenezer was the one who needed help now, and it was only fair for Christian to help out.


    ¡°Hey, Christian!¡± Ebenezer exclaimed. The nervous boy jumped and whirled around, his eyes wide and his back to the lockers as if expecting an attack. Upon seeing Ebenezer, Christian immediately calmed down but still looked ready to skitter away at a moment''s notice.


    ¡°H-Hey, Scrooge¡­ What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°I need your help,¡± Ebenezer breathed out. Christian was much easier to talk to than the other kids, mostly because he was just as vulnerable as Ebenezer. Still, that didn¡¯t make what he was about to say any easier because, like Dream, Christian also needed help.


    ¡°Uh¡­ okay? W-what do you need help with?¡± Christian looked at Ebenezer like a chastised puppy. He always had that look, even when talking to someone who was supposed to be a friend; it showed his nervousness no matter the circumstances. That look made Ebenezer hesitate as it was another reminder of Christian¡¯s situation. At this point, the nice boy would normally drop this issue and suffer in silence, but after the disastrous meeting with Dream, he had to force out this issue.


    ¡°...You know how I¡¯m helping you with all the homework you keep getting,¡± Ebenezer began.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Christian replied, his demeanor becoming more tense as he braced for bad news.


    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry to do this to you, man¡­ But I can¡¯t help you anymore¡­¡± Christian stared at Ebenezer in stunned silence, his already wide eyes growing even more oversized after the other boy''s statement. Now, instead of looking like he was about to get slapped, Christian looked like he was just handed a death sentence.


    ¡°N-No¡­¡± Christian whispered in horror. In one he was trembling, the next Christian launched himself from the wall and grabbed Ebenezer¡¯s shirt. ¡°Scrooge, you can¡¯t! I need you!¡± The desperation in Christian¡¯s eyes caught Ebenezer off guard. He stared into Christian¡¯s face; the tears forming in the skinny kid¡¯s eyes made Ebenezer want to take back his words and assure Christian that everything would be alright. But he couldn¡¯t do that. Gritting his teeth, Ebenezer forced himself forward.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Christian,¡± Ebenezer choked out. ¡°But, I just can¡¯t do it anymore.¡± He tried to push Christian away, but the smaller boy clung to Ebenezer¡¯s clothes like a stubborn tick. Ebenezer was vaguely aware that the other people in the halls were giving them odd looks. While Ebenezer pretended not to notice them, their gazes added to the pressure he felt as Christian kept begging.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t do this to me, Scrooge!¡± Christian wailed. ¡°I need you! I can¡¯t go back to pulling all-nighters for everyone else!¡±


    ¡°I need sleep, too!¡± Ebenezer shot back, still struggling to remove the thin boy¡¯s hands. Ebenezer knew that he had bags under his eyes from lack of sleep; he could never get more than 4 hours of sleep, and that number was slowly shrinking as more work was pushed onto him. Whether Christian couldn¡¯t see the bags or ignored them for his argument, Ebenezer couldn¡¯t figure it out as the kid was too frantic to get a read on.


    He could read the stares of the bystanders; they looked at the scene with indifference, but Ebenezer could feel their judgemental gazes drill into his back. They all assumed he was the bad guy because Ebenezer stayed calm while Christian had a mental breakdown. The mounting pressure combined with Christian¡¯s heartbreaking pleas made Ebenezer¡¯s resolve fall to pieces.


    ¡°O-Okay¡­¡± Ebenezer heard himself say. The few remnants of his resolve yelled at him to stop, but the words flew out of his mouth with the automation of a customer service bot. ¡°I¡¯ll keep helping you¡­¡± Christian took on a look of relief, completely ignoring Ebenezer¡¯s look of resignation.


    ¡°Thank god,¡± Christian groaned. ¡°Do you have any idea how bad it is if you don¡¯t get eight hours of sleep? I would¡¯ve died if I kept up that work!¡± Ebenezer grits his teeth as his gloom is temporarily overshadowed by anger. He could understand Christian¡¯s desperation to avoid that fate, but Ebenezer was in that situation, too; could he not see that? Or was he refusing to help for his own sake?


    ¡°Hey, could you help me with an essay Percy is making me do?¡±


    ¡°W-What?!¡± Ebenezer almost screamed. He stared at Christian in bewilderment. After what he just said, Christian would still pass on assignments to him?! ¡°Christian, I-I can¡¯t-!¡±


    ¡°Please, Scrooge!¡± Christian said, his voice back to whining as if his life was on the line. ¡°It¡¯s a 10-page report; I can¡¯t handle it all myself! I don¡¯t even need all that much! I already did the research. You just need to type up the paper!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the time for that!¡±


    ¡°Come on, Scrooge! You¡¯re the one who offered to help me!¡± Christian was right of course; but right now, there was just too much work. The struggling student couldn¡¯t add another paper to his already insane workload. It was also rich of Christian to bring up Ebenezer¡¯s good deed when he won¡¯t give him the same helping hand.


    ¡°Christian¡­ this isn¡¯t fair¡­¡± Ebenezer mumbled. His ability to argue slowly drained from him as the bystander¡¯s eyes began drilling holes into him again. Ebenezer could feel his insides twisting in despair. He already knew how this would turn out even as he desperately pushed out weak rebuttals.


    ¡°Scrooge, I need you! If I have to do this paper myself, I¡¯ll literally die!¡± Christian was back to clinging to Ebenezer¡¯s shirt. The first boy¡¯s face scrunched in pain as he tried to find a way out of this mess. Unfortunately; as his brain desperately tried to find an escape, his body automatically responded.


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Before Ebenezer could regret his words, Christian let out a loud and dramatic sigh.


    ¡°Thank God! You¡¯re a real lifesaver, Scrooge!¡± Sensing Ebenezer¡¯s hesitation, Christian immediately scurried away before his ¡°friend¡± could work up the nerve to change his mind. ¡°I¡¯ll send you my notes later!¡± Once again, Ebenezer was alone in the hallways, stewing in his failure. He wasn¡¯t sure if he should start crying, screaming, or just bash his head against the lockers. He was already berating himself internally, but Ebenezer felt this screw-up should come with an extra painful penalty. Not only did he fail to get Christian to stop asking for help, but now he was on the hook for yet another paper that had nothing to do with him!


    But as bad as the situation was, Ebenezer found the strength to pull himself out of this funk. There was still one more person who would hear him out and Ebenezer would not take ¡°no¡± for an answer! Practically sprinting down the hall, Ebenezer throws his head around searching for his final lifeline. The desperation in his eyes made him look crazed to the other students passing by but the teen couldn¡¯t focus on them. He had to find Roth, he had to get to him to see the reason, and he had to stop the flow of work from coming his way, even by just the tiniest amount. After what felt like hours of frantic searching, Ebenezer found Roth heading up the stairs.


    ¡°Roth!¡± Ebenezer practically screamed as he ran up to the guy. Stopping at the peak of the staircase, Roth turned and met Ebenezer with a charming smile and a quirked eyebrow. Thanks to his good looks, Roth was one of the more popular kids, but he kept to himself rather than flaunt his handsomeness. Ebenezer didn¡¯t understand that and slightly resented him for not using his natural talent. If Ebenezer was as good-looking as Roth, who knows how much better he¡¯d have it. At the very least, people would¡¯ve respected his request not to be called Ebenezer or Scrooge, like how they respected Roth¡¯s request not to be called Florian.


    ¡°What¡¯s up, Scrooge?¡± Roth asked casually.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do your homework anymore!¡± Ebenezer practically screamed. Given how his last two attempts panned out, the desperate teen threw away subtlety in hopes that being clear and direct would get a better result. Roth stared at Ebenezer in silence for a second, his constant smile dimming as his now harsh gaze threatened to skewer Ebenezer¡¯s skull. A moment later, the smile returned, but Roth¡¯s remained sharp as knives, making the other boy uncomfortable.


    ¡°Well, this is sudden,¡± Roth said amicably as if he wasn¡¯t staring Ebenezer down with a lethal gaze. ¡°Why do you want to break off our deal so badly?¡± Roth¡¯s behavior took Ebenezer aback, and his word choice sent him on another loop. They didn¡¯t have a deal; Ebenezer just did Roth''s homework like he did for everyone else. Roth wasn''t doing anything for him! Ebenezer didn¡¯t let the confusion settle and pressed forward with his request.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do it anymore!¡± he cried. ¡°I¡¯m exhausted and barely keeping up with my own work!¡±


    ¡°If that was going to be an issue,¡± Roth began with a raised eyebrow. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have offered to help me in the first place.¡± For a brief second, Ebenezer felt his body shut down as Roth¡¯s words struck his very soul. Roth was right; this whole situation happened because Ebenezer offered to help everyone who needed it. But Ebenezer had only offered to advise people on topics they were struggling with, not just to do it all himself! He was trying to be nice and someone everyone could count on, but instead, he became the rube everyone pushes their homework towards.


    ¡°I only offered to help-¡± Ebenezer tried to defend himself.


    ¡°And you are helping,¡± Roth interrupted. He began descending the stairs so he could stare into Ebenezer¡¯s eyes. The intensity that hid behind Roth¡¯s carefree demeanor disturbed Ebenezer, and the boy found himself stepping back. ¡°You¡¯re helping me out by doing my homework and giving me the time to focus on more important things.¡±


    ¡°¡®Important things¡¯¡­? Like what?¡± Ebenezer challenged weakly.


    ¡°Like important things,¡± Roth repeated with a laugh as if Ebenezer knew what he was talking about and decided to play dumb. ¡°Look, Scrooge. I feel your pain, really, I do. But I can¡¯t just let you renege on our deal.¡±


    ¡°B-But I can¡¯t do it anymore!¡± Ebenezer practically screamed. Tears welled in his eyes as the familiar scene repeated in front of him for the third time that day.


    ¡°Yes, you can,¡± Roth said with condescending cheer. ¡°Nobody can do homework as good as you!¡± Roth stepped up to the trembling boy and placed a hand on his shoulder. If someone saw the two boys like this it would look like Roth was comforting Ebenezer. The real scene was much more unnerving as Roth¡¯s gentle hand quickly became a harsh grip and dug into Ebenezer¡¯s shoulder. It wasn¡¯t enough to hurt, but it was enough to make the already anxious teen stiffen in fear.


    ¡°I¡¯m counting on you, Scrouge,¡± Roth added, his low tone conveyed the hidden threat in his words. ¡°I¡¯d be so disappointed if you stopped now.¡± With those final words, Roth removed his hand and walked back up the stairs, leaving Ebenezer alone in the stairwell. For the third time, the boy stood still as the crushing weight of failure settled on his shoulders, only this time there wasn¡¯t anything that could drag him out of this funk.


    He couldn¡¯t decide if he should be bewildered at how no one would help him or beat himself up over putting himself in this situation. Because Roth was right, Ebenezer did this to himself. He wanted to be liked and thought being nice and helpful to everyone would get him a lot of friends. Instead, his attempts to help got turned on its head, and now he was just a stooge for everyone to use until he broke.


    As Ebenezer dove further into the pit of self-pity and self-hatred, the warning bell rang, and his body automatically headed to First Period Science. Robotically, the boy made his way through the school and into his class.


    ¡°Cutting it close, Mr. Giroux,¡± Ms. Albert stated coldly.


    ¡°Sorry, Ms. Albert,¡± Ebenezer replied listlessly. The woman glared at Ebenezer as if his near tardiness was a personal insult to her. Ms. Albert was known for being harsh to the point of pointless cruelty, so it shouldn¡¯t be surprising she¡¯d treat a top student like Ebenezer with disdain for almost committing a transgression. Usually, her treatment would make Ebenezer want to lock himself in a closet for the rest of his life. But given the day he was having, her cold gaze was just a drop in the bucket called ¡°Ebenezer¡¯s self-loathing¡±. The boy took his seat while silently wishing someone or something would just kill him on the spot or cause him enough pain that he could be distracted from the abyss he was trapped in.


    ¡°Turn in your assignments,¡± Ms. Albert demanded with the tone of someone used to giving absolute orders. With the energy of a toddler¡¯s robot toy powered by dying batteries, Ebenezer opened his half-ruined backpack to retrieve his homework. He rummaged around the bag for a few minutes¡­ and found nothing. His brow furrowing, Ebenezer looked inside the bag and examined its contents. There were plenty of books, folders, and other school supplies, but he couldn¡¯t find his homework.


    Ebenezer felt like he had swallowed an iceberg, and his heart rate increased so much that he thought it would eventually pop. The panicked child found himself ripping open his bag and dumping out the contents. He scrambled through the pile of learning material in a desperate attempt to find his missing homework; the ringing in his ears and his anxious breathing made him numb to the scene he was causing.


    ¡°Mr. Giroux!¡± He heard Ms. Albert exclaim. Ebenezer picked up on the outrage in her voice but was hyper-focused on finding his missing assignment.


    ¡°It¡¯s not here¡­¡± Ebenezer gasped in terror. ¡°It¡¯s not here!¡± he screamed as his hands haphazardly dug into the clutter. The boy flung folders and books into the air, hoping that would somehow reveal the missing exercise. He had his homework; he knew he did! Ebenezer always ensured his homework was done first and ready to go! He must¡¯ve accidentally given it to the other when handing out the other assignments! That must be it! Someone has to have it! Ebenezer whipped his head around the classroom, looking for someone, anyone, who could help him.


    His pleading gaze was met with sneers of contempt, mocking smiles, and glares of disgust. Ebenezer stood in a pile of torn-up paper, practically crying for help, and his classmates couldn¡¯t care less. After everything he did for them, everything they made him do, this was how they repaid him. A part of Ebenezer knew it was like this, but he never wanted to admit it. Now, that ugly truth was laughing in his face.


    ¡°Ebenezer!¡± Ms. Albert screamed. Ebenezer¡¯s head snapped towards his teacher, who was standing above him and glaring at him with such fury you¡¯d think that Ebenezer had decided to piss all over the floor. The science teacher was a notorious perfectionist and didn¡¯t tolerate any tomfoolery in her classroom. So naturally, she¡¯s not too happy that Ebenezer decided to have an emotional breakdown during her lesson.


    ¡°Get out of my classroom!¡± she hissed. ¡°And head straight to the Principal¡¯s office! I will not tolerate this disgraceful behavior in my classroom!¡±


    ¡°B-but-¡± Ebenezer began.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it!¡± Ms. Albert barked. ¡°Get out of my sight before I start demanding your expulsion!¡± With a broken nod, Ebenezer scooped up his mess and dragged himself out of the classroom to a chorus of muffled snickers. Alone in the hallways, Ebenezer listlessly trudged towards the principal¡¯s office. He wanted to cry, but held himself back, mostly on reflex because he doubted his tears would change anything. Ebenezer was stuck being the school¡¯s whipping boy, and he couldn¡¯t see anyway out of it.

 Chapter 2

    Ebenezer trudged outside the school, fresh out of the Principal¡¯s office, and with more misery added to this horrible day. Given how unsympathetic the teachers were to Ebenezer¡¯s plight it wasn¡¯t shocking to find Principal Wade was equally apathetic. That didn¡¯t make the sudden suspension any easier to swallow. Ebenezer barely walked into her office before the Principal dressed him down like he was fresh out of juvie. She went on a brief tangent about how important etiquette and decorum were for the students¡¯ education before suddenly slapping him with a suspension. Ebenezer couldn¡¯t even defend himself before being forced out of the office and told to leave the grounds.


    The boy grabbed his things before shuffling out of the school in a hopeless stupor. He stood outside the building and stared into the horizon with lifeless eyes as he awaited for his doom. As bad as things were, it would only worsen when his father found out. Sure enough, a few seconds later, Ebenezer received a text from the man in question. It was a one-sentence message that said ¡°Come Home Now¡±. To an outsider, this message wouldn¡¯t mean anything, but to Ebenezer, it¡¯s the confirmation of his death sentence. That simple message was the calm before the storm.


    Ebenezer¡¯s father preferred to have his victims standing in front of him before tearing into them. To reserve his anger for the confrontation, he reaches out to his target with quick and simple messages; then waits for them to come to him before screaming in their face. Knowing what was waiting for him, Ebenezer almost broke down then and there. Somehow, he managed to keep himself together and automatically made his way home. Ebenezer lived 10 miles away from school, so it would take a bit for him to reach his destination. The fact that the boy¡¯s father told him to walk home instead of waiting to be picked up meant this was part of his punishment. Apart of Ebenezer hoped that this meant the other half wouldn¡¯t be so bad, but he knew better.


    Sullenly walking through Poppytown, Ebenezer was glad that it was the middle of the day when most people were at their jobs or other obligations. There would always be people out and about though, and those individuals threw judgemental stares at the teenager not in school as they assumed the worst. Their glares made the boy¡¯s walk of shame burn more with every glance. He tried to take his mind off of his impending doom by looking at the city sights.


    Poppytown¡¯s main draw for Americans was that it was one of the few ¡°normal¡± places left in the country. While other places like New York and Chicago have adapted to their Gifted citizens, Ebenezer¡¯s hometown has made it its mission to stay a traditional American city no matter what kind of outsider moved in. There was no special Gifted gym with extra durable equipment. No clothing stores with items that could accommodate mutations. No eateries that could provide food for people with unusual diets. Poppytown only catered to Avers, the normal people, and if the Gifted wanted to live peacefully in this place, they had to pretend they were normal too. That being said, even Poppytown needed the new necessities the modern world required.


    Ebenezer¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by a crowd of people fawning over a man in a silver and blue jumpsuit, slicked-back hair, and a dazzling smile. Paragon of the Crusaders, Poppytown¡¯s local superhero team, was doing a meet and greet with his fans. Or he was addressing the public after completing some heroic feat. Or maybe he was doing an interview and decided to make it a spectacle. Ebenezer wasn¡¯t sure what the man was doing but honestly didn''t care.


    The boy didn¡¯t keep up with the life and times of superheroes and that was by his father¡¯s design. The man loathed the Gifted, didn¡¯t matter if they were Hero or Villain, and made sure his house was free of their ¡°influence¡±. It was the one redundant rule that Ebenezer didn¡¯t mind, as he believed that anyone who wasn¡¯t a member of Providence was either an upstart or a sell-out. Given the many brand logos adorning Paragon¡¯s suit, it wasn¡¯t hard to see what he was.


    ¡°Paragon!¡± Someone in the crowd called out. ¡°What are you going to do about all the new villains popping up?!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry!¡± Paragon¡¯s booming voice exclaimed with the confidence of a man who knew he was on top of the world. ¡°Rest assured, dear citizens, The Crusaders will stop any villain that dares to harm this fair city!¡± The crowd cheered happily at his words, and Ebenezer wondered if anyone noticed that he never answered the question. Ebenezer wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the Crusaders dragged their feet in investigating the influx of villains. Since they¡¯re the ones who usually fight them off, they¡¯ve been getting a lot of publicity so it would make sense to keep the villain problem around. Shaking his head at the thought, the young man returned to his own issues and restarted his trek home. As much as he dreaded what awaited him there, delaying the inevitable would only cause more pain in the long run.


    About 3 hours later, Ebenezer approached his home with resignation and dread. His home was nothing special regarding suburban housing, but right now, Ebenezer saw the place more akin to a prison than a home. Slowly, Ebenezer approached his door, as if taking his time had the chance of making all of his problems go away. His trembling hand finally grasped the door and opened it, revealing the cold interior waiting for the young man. With a shaky step, Ebenezer stepped inside and readied himself for the inevitable.


    ¡°I¡¯m home,¡± he said, forcing himself to let out a casual call instead of a meek whisper.


    ¡°Living room,¡± came a cold voice. ¡°Now.¡± Repressing a shutter, Ebenezer followed the order and entered the living room. Menelaus Giroux stood in the middle of the room with his hands on his hips and his back to his son. Standing in the middle of the sitting area, he had the air of a preacher about to give a sermon. His own slight frame made him look impossibly tall, and with his head staring at the ceiling, it looked like he was asking God for strength to handle an impossible task. Ebenezer walked up behind his father and meekly stood in place, waiting for the hammer to come down. Menelaus turned on his son and glared down at him, his beedy green eyes making him look ghoulish which did nothing to ease Ebenezer¡¯s dread.


    ¡°Suspended,¡± Menelaus spat. ¡°How did that happen?!¡± Ebenezer didn¡¯t speak, didn¡¯t try to defend himself. Menelaus didn¡¯t want to hear excuses, no matter how justified they were. When he thought something was wrong he wanted to scream at the offenders to make sure they knew they screwed up and how much their life was worse now. Any other details concerning the accused¡¯s lack of accountability were to be considered later, if at all. Ebenezer knew Menelaus didn¡¯t care about how the suspension happened, only that it did and how it was going to cause issues for them.


    ¡°Do you have any idea how this is going to affect your chances to get into college?!¡± the older man growled. ¡°Why am I paying for you to go to school for if you''re just going to fuck around and cause trouble!¡± If he hadn¡¯t broken down in class today, Ebenezer might have collapsed in tears then and there. His father¡¯s words stabbed into the fresh wounds in Ebenezer¡¯s soul. He tries so hard to make everyone happy and this is the thanks he gets. One slip-up, one bad day, and he¡¯s treated like a waste of space. Ebenezer suddenly felt tired, like he was forced to stay awake for the past two days.


    Menelaus went into a long winded rant about what Ebenezer did wrong and how it would ruin his life. Normally the kid would listen intently to avoid angering his father further by seemingly not paying attention. But now, Ebenezer was too weary to care. Besides, all of Menelaus¡¯s lectures had the same moral no matter the topic; ¡°Man Up¡±.


    Masculinity was very important to Menelaus and he made sure his children knew the importance of it. For whatever reason, Ebenezer wasn¡¯t epitomizing Menelaus¡¯s idea of a masculine son and tries to correct that by hammering out any kinks he finds. That usually meant berating Ebenezer for any weaknesses he had and expecting him to get stronger afterwards. So far it hasn¡¯t worked, though given what today showed Ebenezer, he just might not be good enough to appease his father.


    ¡°And don¡¯t think while you''re here you can sit around in your room all day,¡± Menelaus sneered. ¡°Since you clearly need a large dose of discipline, all the household chores will be your responsibility until your suspension is over. If this house isn¡¯t the model of perfection 24/7, there will be Hell to pay, do I make myself clear?¡± Ebenezer nodded meekly, not a single peep of resistance leaving his tightly pressed lips. Feeling satisfied in his chastisement, Menelaus dismissed his son with a wave of his hand, like half-hearted swatting a fly. He then sat down on one of the couches before turning on the TV.


    Ebenezer quickly left the area and went to his bedroom. He was more than happy to get away from his father after all of that, even more so because he knew what he would do next. Part of Menelaus¡¯s decompressing ritual was to watch his favorite movie, Fight Club. Ebenezer didn¡¯t care for the film, especially given the effect it had on his father. The way he stared at the screen, enraptured when the Club Members started planting bombs and terrorizing society, made Ebenezer uncomfortable. Whatever the movie¡¯s message was, it flew over the teenager¡¯s head, but he doubted his father knew what it was either. If anything, he seemed determined to take the exact opposite lesson from it. Why else would he be so enamored with the parts involving people who were clearly the bad guys?


    Once inside the temporary sanctuary that was his room, Ebenezer placed his backpack on his desk and sat on the floor. His spiritual exhaustion became a silver lining then as Ebenezer had no desire to cry over his situation. If his father heard his son crying that would only make things worse, nothing was weaker than a ¡°crybaby¡± after all. Ebenezer knew his peace would be short though. With Menelaus¡¯ punishment in place, it¡¯ll only be a matter before someone comes to give him a chore list, and then he¡¯d be expected to serve on hand and foot for his own family. Essentially trading one form of indentured servitude for another. If there was one bright side to this situation it was that Ebenezer would be getting a break from all that extra homework. He was still on the hook for the projects Dream and Christian talked him into but compared to his usual workload, two projects were practically a vacation.


    A few seconds later, there was a knock at Ebenezer¡¯s door. When he opened the door he saw his mother, Thekla, standing in the hallway. She didn¡¯t say anything, but the slight scowl on her face told Ebenezer everything he needed to know about what she thought of his suspension. Worldessly she handed him a piece of paper that was no doubt his chore list before walking away.


    Glancing at the list Ebenezer let out a tired sigh at the numerous tasks on the paper. He didn¡¯t doubt his father would keep his word about giving him all the household chores but seeing the full extent of tasks the house needed doing, he might as well be the live-in maid for the Girouxs. From vacuuming the house to reorganizing the attic, Ebenezer was expected to clean the house from top to bottom and then organize everything all neat and tidy. With one last resigned sigh, Ebenezer went back downstairs and got to work.


    By late afternoon, Ebenezer had half the list taken care of. While he was upset about his punishment, after a while he started to lose himself in the menial tasks. Something was calming about doing menial labor, where you didn¡¯t have to worry about complex topics, stuff your head full of research, or constantly remind yourself of the different instructions for each paper. The chores may have been hard but they were simple and Ebenezer found himself relaxing while carrying out the simple tasks.


    Menelaus had also calmed, watching Fight Club had that effect on him, but seeing his son take his punishment without complaint also helped. He was always happy to see his sons respecting his authority. As Ebenezer, got on his hands and knees to scrub the bathroom floors, his father passed by and surveyed him for a few seconds before leaving with a small smile on his face. As a child, Ebenezer had thought that meant he gained some form of approval from the older man, he knew differently now¡­


    ¡°A man takes what¡¯s coming to him without question,¡± Menelaus had once said when Ebenezer had mustered up the courage to protest his penance. Strong words from a proud man, but it just confused Ebenezer. Menelaus would also talk about how a man had to stand up for themselves, and that was what Ebenezer was trying to do. The boy would get these moments of courage to question his father¡¯s decisions and hopefully lead to a discussion that change his punishment to something that felt fair. But every time Ebenezer tried that, his father would shut him down and make the sentence worse. That one time Menelaus explained his reasoning for blocking any bit of defiance led to Ebenezer¡¯s grounding going from one week to one month, and that was one of the tamer escalations.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    That was how Menelaus Giroux ran the house, hard punishments for those who did anything wrong, and if you tried to resist in any way the punishments only got worse. Ebenezer wasn¡¯t sure what aspect of masculinity involved grinding any perceived resistance into the dirt but Ebenezer had given up on the idea of being ¡°masculine¡± years ago. While his father claimed to be masculine incarnate he constantly contradicted himself on what that meant, not to mention he made being masculine seem¡­ unpleasant.


    As Ebenezer got older he had to face some ugly truths about the world, and one of those truths was that his father was mean. Ebenezer can¡¯t remember a time when his dad was happy, and he only ever saw him smile when his sons did his bidding. If being masculine meant he had to be natsy to the people he was supposed to care about, then Ebenezer wanted nothing to do with it. But if he wasn¡¯t going to be masculine, then what would he be? His original answer was to be the ¡°Nice Guy¡± as that was his natural state and he liked being nice, but after what happened at school, the idea of being nice to everyone lost its appeal. But if Ebenezer wasn¡¯t going to be a ¡°Nice Guy¡± any more then what was he going to be?


    Ebenezer was pulled out of his inner thoughts when the door burst open and a lumbering mass in a letterman¡¯s jacket entered the house. A big smile on his face that clashed with Ebenezer¡¯s sullen mood.


    ¡°I¡¯m home!¡± Arnold Giroux exclaimed happily.


    ¡°Hey there, champ!¡± Menelaus cheerfully greeted from within the house. In an instant, his brooding disappointment was replaced with reserved joy as he came out to greet his eldest son. ¡°How was school today?¡±


    ¡°Awesome!¡± Arnould replied, his smile growing wider. ¡°The team and I are totally in sync! We¡¯re gonna crush those Wombats at the big game next week!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great, sport!¡± their father said with a proud smile on his face. He was so busy basking in Arnold¡¯s physical glory, that he completely missed his youngest son, Thor, slinking into the house. He gave the two older men an annoyed look before moving past them.


    While Ebenezer may fail in all aspects of masculinity, his older brother excelled in them, which was why Menelaus favored him above his other sons. Arnold was big, strong, a talented football player, and just all-round perfect in his father¡¯s eyes. His brain was a bit underdeveloped in Ebenezer¡¯s opinion, but that was a plus too as far as Menelaus was concerned.


    The youngest brother, Thor, was the exact opposite. Small, wiry, and unskilled in every physical activity you could think of. That should have made him another target for Menelaus¡¯s ire but Thor was given a pass because he was smart. Not just Straight A student, top-of-the-class smart like Ebenezer was. Thor had the genius level, next big thing type of smart. The kind that could go on to lead world-changing companies and make a fortune. Thor was already taking college-level Business Courses despite being in Middle School, so he was already on track to become some lucky corporation¡¯s brilliant CEO. Apparently, you can be as unmanly as you want so long as you''re guaranteed to become rich.


    Ebenezer wasn¡¯t proud to admit that he resented his brothers. Arnold was his father¡¯s favorite so it was natural not to get along with him, but Thor was a lot more like Menelaus than either of his sons. He and Ebenezer should be natural allies, but since their father didn¡¯t attack Thor the way he attacked Ebenezer, Thor still considered himself above his unfortunate brother. He was the type of genius who took pride in his intelligence, and anyone who couldn¡¯t keep up with him was just talking monkeys, which included his family. Not even in his own home could Ebenezer find people to relate to.


    Ebenezer couldn¡¯t talk to anyone about school and ask how to deal with it. Arnold wouldn¡¯t understand, Thor wouldn¡¯t care, Menelaus would just tell him to ¡°man up¡±, and maybe punish him for whatever reason, and Thekla would just follow her husband¡¯s lead. Ebenezer had to be the one to figure out how to get out of his situation, yet everything he tried somehow back-fired on him.


    ¡°Ebenezer,¡± Thor called, snapping the boy out of his thoughts. He was currently vacuuming the living room while watching Menelaus praise Arnold for everything he did when Thor came up to him. He faced Ebenezer with the slightest of scowls before showing him a large folder.


    ¡°This was next to the front door,¡± he stated. ¡°Don¡¯t leave your things out for other people to trip on.¡± Thor shoved the folder into Ebenezer¡¯s hands before slinking off. Ebenezer stared at the folder with a feeling of dread. It was a simple brown package, but it seemed to be bulging with its rectangular contents. Almost like it¡¯s stuffed with paper, just like his backpack this morning.


    ¡®They didn¡¯t¡­¡¯ Ebenezer thought in horror. ¡®They don¡¯t know where I live¡­ they can¡¯t just send me this¡­¡¯ With shaking hands, Ebenezer slowly opened the folder. As he assumed, the package was stuffed full of paper, and sadly, that wasn¡¯t the only guess he got right. Inside the folder were various worksheets and papers detailing assignments, only a small percentage of them belonged to Ebenezer. They actually did it¡­ his classmates sent him their homework just like always as if nothing had happened. Like his breakdown had nothing to do with them so they figured it was business as usual.


    ¡°Hey, Eb,¡± he heard Arnold call out. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Without knowing it, Ebenezer started hyperventilating, and Arnold, being the kind soul that he is, took notice and expressed concern for his younger brother. It was one of the reasons why Ebenezer hated himself for disliking him. Arnold was kind, unlike their father, and he¡¯d look after his siblings given the chance. It was the natural thing to do in his mind, but Ebenezer resented him anyway. It wasn¡¯t fair, it wasn¡¯t Arnold¡¯s fault that Menelaus favored him above his other sons, but that¡¯s just how Ebenezer felt, and he hated it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, Arnold,¡± Menelaus reassured him. ¡°He¡¯s just tired from his chores.¡± Menelaus leveled a cold glare at Ebenezer, which made the boy¡¯s mouth instinctively shut. ¡°Which is a shame because he¡¯s got a lot more to do. Why don¡¯t you get started on the attic, son?¡± Not trusting himself to speak, Ebenezer scurried upwards until he found himself in the attic. There he left the folder drop onto the floor and allowed himself to curl up into a ball. The panic, pain, and despair he thought he left behind at school came rushing back. Nothing had changed, if anything things were much worse now. Ebenezer still had to handle everyone¡¯s homework while also handling the massive amounts of chores his father pushed onto him. He was barely managing before but now¡­ was even he going to survive the week?


    Ebenezer bit his lip to keep himself from crying. The last thing he needed right now was for his father to hear him and punish him further. With no idea of what to do next, Ebenezer got started on cleaning the attic, hoping his mind would just shut down while he focused on the menial labor.


    The Giroux attic wasn¡¯t different from anyone else¡¯s attic. It was dusty and full of boxes and random knicknacks the family didn¡¯t have a place for. Ebenezer was supposed to dust and then organize the various odds and ends in the room. Ebenezer didn¡¯t see the point of that last one, but he had to guess his father added that on just for the extra difficulty.


    After dusting the place, Ebenezer spent the next hour opening boxes and organizing the contents. He would simply make sure the stored items were packaged neatly before resealing the containers, but while the work itself wasn¡¯t challenging, the number of boxes Ebenezer had to deal with made sure he was mentally exhausted halfway through. Granted, that was the state he wanted to be in, but the responsible side of Ebenezer¡¯s mind kept reminding him that if he wanted any sort of sleep tonight, he¡¯d need to get this done and soon. Forcing himself to continue, Ebenezer opened the next box and then found himself staring at the contents in surprise. The box was full of old books, which was strange enough, no one in the family aside from Thor was an avid reader and all of his books were in his room.


    What really got Ebenezer¡¯s attention was that the books that had Chinese characters on the spine. Against his better judgment, Ebenezer took out one of the books and opened it. Sure enough, the pages were filled with Chinese handwriting, meaning these must be someone¡¯s diary.


    Once, Ebenezer had done a project for school that involved looking into his ancestry and found out that his family not only came from France but from China too. At the time, the boy thought he made a monumental discovery, but to the other Girouxs, that fact mattered to them as much as what they had for dinner last week. It might have been an interesting fact in conversations about ancestors but the Girouxs weren¡¯t inclined to care about their Chinese heritage. No one in Ebenezer¡¯s family looked remotely Asian and as far as Menelaus was concerned, his family were Americans, and nothing else.


    Ebenezer examined the pages and he took in the messy scrawl, his mind slowly scanning the symbols and digging up their meaning. Ebenezer liked learning about languages and found it interesting to compare the differences and similarities of the different dialects. This hobby of his was brought on by Ebenezer¡¯s strange affinity with Eastern Languages. For whatever reason, Ebenezer could easily understand Asian speech and writing, even though he¡¯s only been taught English. Ebenezer could spend a few hours looking up Japanese Kanji and end up fluent in the language by accident. The only explanation Ebenezer had for this odd talent was that it was a Gift, a superpower. A very underwhelming superpower, if he was right, but not every Gifted was running around in tights.


    Ebenezer desperately wanted to know more, to see if he was special, even if only by a little bit. If he knew that then he¡¯d be able to endure all the pain and injustice, knowing later he¡¯d have an advantage in life that would save him. At the same time, he didn¡¯t dare try to find out while he lived with Menelaus. Ebenezer didn¡¯t know what that man would do if he found out that his son might have a Gift and wanted to be a Gifted, but he was terrified to find out.


    Desperate for a distraction, Ebenezer¡¯s tired brain latched onto the old journal and whatever story was inside of it. The journal belonged to Ling Man and it was an account of their journey from China to France. Ebenezer was having issues gaining a lot of information as Ling¡¯s handwriting was sloppy, making some pages look like they were trampled by chickens, so all he could get was a general context from the few words he could read. That made the one page with clear writing stick out even more.


    At the very back of the journal was a single page of crisp and clear script that were painstakingly written. Compared to the rest of the book, these pages must¡¯ve been written by another person. Interest peeked, Ebenezer carefully examined the text.


    Life¡¯s burden too great


    Embrace Silence, Peace in Mind


    Find Flower and Fruit


    Ebenezer read the words over and over again growing more confused by the second.


    ¡®Is this Haiku?¡¯ he asked himself. ¡®That¡¯s Japanese poetry, why¡¯s this in a Chinese man¡¯s diary?¡¯ While Ling could know and write Haiku, the cultural inconsistency made the poem even more interesting. Ebenezer felt a strange connection with the haiku, like the words were speaking directly to him. The teenager tried to brush off this feeling, telling himself it was his exhaustion talking and it was only a coincidence that the words related to his current issues. Even if he did take it more seriously what was he supposed to do? The poem sounded like some sort of self-help guide or instructions on how to meditate.


    Ebenezer paused as an idea took shap in his mind. The boy slowly examined his surroundings and took stock of his assignment. He barely had half of the boxes organized and the attic was already collecting more dust. Ebenezer looked down at the book and the Haiku within it, contemplating the worth of following its advice.


    ¡®Not like I have much to lose¡­¡± Ebenezer thought. Meditation was supposed to help people relax and that was something Ebenezer was in dire need of. It wouldn¡¯t solve his problems but if it helped him get some more rest then things would be easier to manage.


    Finding a secluded corner of the attic, away from the trapdoor to hide him from any would-be supervisor, Ebenezer sat on the ground and tried to get comfortable. He wasn¡¯t sure if he had to do some special yoga pose for meditation, but hoped that simply sitting down and being cozy would work. Next Ebenezer closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind, thinking only about peace, flowers, and fruit. Honestly, the last part of the Haiku was the most confusing for the boy. He assumed it was meant to be an analogy for happiness and prosperity or something along those lines but wasn¡¯t sure.


    For the next few minutes, Ebenezer just sat there and breathed, keeping his mind clear and just existing in peace for that moment. Honestly, the teen didn¡¯t have much hope that the meditation would work, but he was already starting to feel calmer than he had in a long time. Even if the Haiku¡¯s instructions didn¡¯t work out it was worth trying just to not feel like Ebenezer¡¯s world was ready to crush him at a moment¡¯s notice.


    Strangely, he felt the unfriendly chill of the attic turn warm and inviting like he was outside on a warm spring day. It wasn¡¯t an unpleasant surprise and Ebenezer had to force himself not to think about it lest he break the immersion. The boy basked in the warmth and the odd feeling of¡­ coming home that it brought. Something his actual home lacked.


    Something soft brushed against Ebenezer¡¯s cheek and landed on his nose. It felt like a flower petal but the rational part of Ebenezer¡¯s mind labeled it a rogue piece of paper. The boy didn¡¯t want to touch it to avoid breaking his trance, but the paper was in the right spot to tickle his nose and coax out a sneeze. Slowly and with a slackened hand, Ebenezer plucked the paper, but then stopped when he properly felt the object. The item in between the teen¡¯s fingertips was cool, slightly damp, and had the rubber-like texture of plant matter. It wasn¡¯t paper, and it certainly wasn¡¯t something you¡¯d find in his attic.


    Ebenezer nervously opened his eyes, then shut them again when they were stabbed by a sudden ray of light. Rubbing the stinging sensation out of his eyeballs, Ebenezer opened them wide to see what he told himself couldn¡¯t possibly happen. But it did happen. Ebenezer was not in his attic anymore. Instead, he was outside, sitting on a plot of gravel surrounded by a patch of trees. And if that wasn¡¯t crazy enough, given the giant rising spire of rock nearby, he was on a mountain.


    ¡°...What the hell?¡±

 Chapter 3

    Before Ebenezer could properly freak out over his situation, he heard voices.


    ¡°Hey, look!¡± someone shouted. ¡°A new arrival!¡± Ebenezer whipped his head toward the sound and was shocked to see a pair of monkeys in robes running down to him. Actually, no¡­ they weren¡¯t monkeys. They had the heads and tails of monkeys but when they got close, Ebenezer could see they had the size and proportions of humans. Even their faces were more human than simian.


    ¡®What are these things?!¡¯ Ebenezer thought fearfully as he slowly stepped back from the approaching creatures. ¡®Some kind of human-monkey hybrids? Am I in some secret Government testing site?!¡¯


    ¡°Welcome home, cousin!¡± the first Monkey-Man said when the two reached Ebenezer. He had a European accent that Ebenezer was too frazzled to identify.


    ¡°Wha-... ¡®Cousin?¡¯¡± Ebenezer repeated in confusion.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± the other Monkey-Man sighed. This one was female, given her body¡¯s slight curves. She, too, had an accent, but it was different from the one her companion had. ¡°It¡¯s too much of a hassle to figure out who¡¯s related to who, so we just call everyone ¡®cousin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Wai- What? I-I¡¯m not your cousin!¡± Ebenezer tried, continuing to back away.


    ¡°Course you are!¡± The male exclaimed. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be here if you weren¡¯t. This is the Wukongs'' ancestral home after all.¡±


    ¡°Th-The what?!¡± The name rang a bell, but again, the teen¡¯s brain couldn¡¯t be bothered to work properly.


    ¡°The Wukong!¡± the she-monkey exclaimed while gesturing to all three of them. ¡°Y¡¯know, us! The¡­¡± The lady trailed off because at that point she and her friend registered Ebenezer¡¯s fear and confusion.


    ¡°Klara, I don¡¯t think he knows,¡± the monkey-man stated.


    ¡°Yeah, I figured that out, Lucian,¡± Klara shot back. ¡°But if he doesn¡¯t know, then how¡¯d he get here?¡± Usually, when people talked about him like he wasn¡¯t in the room, Ebenezer kept quiet and waited to be acknowledged. But now, he felt like he had to chime in to get the information he needed.


    ¡°I¡­ was just trying to meditate after reading this diary I found¡­ next thing I know, I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all you did?¡± Klara asked, sounding oddly impressed. ¡°Well, damn. Most Wukong need someone showing them the ropes before coming here.¡±


    ¡°W-why do you keep talking like that?¡± Ebenezer asked nervously. ¡°I¡¯m not a¡­ W-Wukong, or whatever it is your talking about!¡± Klara and Lucien exchanged an uncomfortable glance with each other before turning back to Ebenezer.


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing¡­¡± Lucian began awkwardly. ¡°You can¡¯t be here if you''re not one of us.¡±


    ¡°Mount Huaguo is a magical place where only the Wukong and their guests can reside in,¡± Klara added. ¡°And since you¡¯re here by yourself, that only leaves one option¡­ You¡¯re a Wukong, kid.¡± Ebenezer stared at the two Monkey-men in silence. He heard their words but he couldn¡¯t process them. He was a Wukong? A humanoid Monkey? That made no sense!


    Ebenezer¡¯s ¡°cousins¡± saw the spiral that the younger boy was falling down and quickly shook him out of his stupor.


    ¡°Hey, hey, no need to freak out,¡± Lucian said soothingly as he gently shook Ebenezer¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Being a Wukong isn¡¯t the end of the world.¡± Lucian¡¯s words were meant to be comforting, but he didn¡¯t know Ebenezer¡¯s home life. He could just imagine his father¡¯s reaction to Ebenezer showing up with fur and a tail. Best case scenario, the boy would probably be locked up in his room for the rest of his life or thrown out of the house. He didn¡¯t want to think about what the worst-case scenario might be.


    ¡°Why am I not a monkey¡­?¡± Ebenezer asked, still in a haze. His lack of simian characteristics is what made the idea of him being a Wukong so unbelievable. Ebenezer glances down at pale hairless hands. Even now, in this ¡°Mount Huaguo¡±, place he was still Human.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s because Father locks away all of your abilities until you¡¯re ready for them,¡± Klara explained.


    ¡°Father?¡±


    ¡°The Patriarch,¡± Lucian added with a cheery smile. ¡°The first Wukong. He watches over this place and takes care of those who live here. We¡¯re all his descendants so most of us call him ¡®Father¡¯, but you can call him whatever you want. Boss, Uncle, Pops, Grandfather, you can even use his name if you want, he won¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°We should probably take him to see Father,¡± Klara stated. ¡°He¡¯ll be able to explain things better than us.¡±


    ¡°Good point,¡± Lucian agreed before turning to Ebenezer with a friendly smile. ¡°Would you like to meet the Patriarch?¡± Ebenezer didn¡¯t answer right away. He was still flustered over his sudden transportation and meeting another stranger didn¡¯t seem like the best idea. On the other hand, meeting this Patriarch would be the next best step in getting home and getting some answers to all the questions running wild in the teen¡¯s head.


    Not trusting himself to speak, Ebenezer gave a stiff nod.


    ¡°Great!¡± Lucian exclaimed. ¡°Follow me!¡± Ebenezer followed the two Wukongs down the mountain path. He was surprised to see a large amount of vibrant foliage around the landscape. A few steps down Ebenezer found himself in a miniature jungle with luscious trees brimming with fruit. Wildflowers dotted the ground, giving the gravel a colorful appearance.


    ¡®Guess they don¡¯t call it Flowers and Fruit Mountain for nothing,¡¯ the boy thought. ¡®Wait a minute¡­ where did I hear that name before?¡¯ The Flower and Fruit passage of the Haiku was clearly talking about Mount Huaguo but Ebenezer was certain he heard the English translation before.


    ¡°Hey, Lucian,¡± Ebenezer began cautiously. ¡°Who is the Patriarch exactly?¡± The male Wukong gave the boy a knowing smile.


    ¡°Have you ever heard of the Monkey King?¡±


    ¡°The Monkey¡­ Oh.¡± That¡¯s when everything clicked. Magic existed in this world along with creatures fresh out fairy tales and fantasy stories. Gods on the other hand were¡­ contested, to say the least. While it was theoretically possible for them to exist and some Gifted have claimed to be connected to ancient dieties, nothing has ever been proven. Not only was Ebenezer being told Sun Wukong existed, but he was related to him¡­ The boy once again found himself stunned into silence.


    Ebenezer¡¯s ¡°cousins¡± giggled at his reaction before shoving him forward. Ebenezer was vaguely aware of going behind a waterfall and entering a grotto, but his attention returned when he noticed the inhabitants. More Wukong milled around the area, lounging around, eating fruit, and even sparing with each other using wooden rods. When the trio drew, their attention instantly went to them, specifically Ebenezer. The Wukong seemed energetic beforehand but now they appeared ready to throw a party to welcome their new ¡°cousin¡±. Luckily for Ebenezer, they kept a respectable distance and simply waved to him.


    The entire walk was surreal for the teen, he wasn¡¯t used to being the center of positive attention. Whenever a group set their sights on him, it was always to get their homework or berate him for one reason or another. Ebenezer suddenly getting a ¡°Welcome Home Party¡± was not only novel but it was also a little nerve-wracking, he wasn¡¯t sure what to do with all the friendliness in the air. With an awkward wave to his audience, Ebenezer continued to stifly follow his guides deeper into the cave.


    They made their way to a cavern that had rays of light poking out of the ceiling. One of those beams shined down on a raised dais that was turned into a lounge area with fluffy green bushes and flowers. A single Wukong was resting on the platform, simply lying on his back and enjoying the sun. Unlike Klara, and Lucian who were essentially hairy humans, the man on the platform was much more monkey-like than anyone Ebenezer had seen. The kid knew who he was the second he laid eyes on him, and the realization was both nerve-wracking and underwhelming.


    There was nothing about Sun Wukong that screamed God-Like being. If anything, he was going out of his way to seem ordinary. His loose pants and robe were plain-looking and clearly articles he¡¯d had for years. He didn¡¯t wear any jewelry, not even his famous circlet, though if Journey to the West was accurate there was a reason for that. The only thing of value that was near the Monkey King was a golden staff that rested on his lap. That item alone wasn¡¯t enough to make him look like a king and the way he lay down on the leaves made him look like a college kid napping on a coach.


    But at the same time, there was something powerful about the man. You could just feel it when you looked at him. Ebenezer once again tensed up as he neared his apparent Ancestor as the realization of what was going to happen made his heart race.


    ¡°Hey, Father!¡± Klara called. ¡°We brought the new kid!¡± A single eye opened on the simian¡¯s face and he gazed down at the trio. Sun Wukong¡¯s gaze locked onto Ebenezer and the boy felt himself sweating bullets. That one-eye gaze held a mighty depth that the kid couldn¡¯t even begin to comprehend. His unassuming posture aside, this person was the Monkey King.


    ¡°I can see that,¡± Sun Wukong replied. Even his voice was far too easygoing for someone who has divine power. ¡°Welcome to Mount Huaguo, kid. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°E-Ebenezer, sir,¡± the boy replied meekly. A derisive snort came from the Monkey King and Ebenezer¡¯s heart sank. He was used to having people laugh at his name, but it never made the next incident easier to swallow.


    ¡°You are in the wrong place to use formality, kid,¡± Sun Wukong laughed. ¡°Call me whatever want, just not sir.¡± He spat the word out like it was a particularly nasty slur. Ebenezer felt a rush of relief over not being ridiculed that he spoke without thinking.


    ¡°Can I call you, Uncle Sunny?¡± Another laugh escaped Sun Wukongs lips. This one booming and forcing the monkey-man to slap his knee. Ebeenzer felt his face flush both at the Monkey King¡¯s reaction and his childish request.


    ¡°That¡¯s a new one!¡± Sun Wukong chuckled. ¡°Sure, why not? Uncle Sunny, it is.¡± This meeting was not going at all like Ebenezer thought it would. Instead of conversing with a God-like being, it felt like he was talking to an Uncle who was just passing through, hence the name, Uncle Sunny. Ebenezer found himself relaxing despite his anxiety. He felt he could trust Sun Wukong more than he had ever trusted anyone before. It was why he felt free to ask the ridiculous questions that had been bubbling up since he got here.


    ¡°Um¡­ Uncle Sunny,¡± Ebenezer began slowly. He wrung his hands nervously as he tried to find the words to express himself. The idea that he was a descendant of a mythological hero like Sun Wukong was mind-blowing, but he had to make sure it was true. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ a Wukong, right?¡±


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Instead of answering, Uncle Sunny stood from his leaf couch and began walking down towards Ebenezer. For half a second, Ebenezer thought he was in trouble and tensed up, but Uncle Sunny¡¯s relaxed gate told him he wasn¡¯t angry. When the Patriarch stood before Ebenezer, he calmly held out his hand. Ebenezer took the offered hand despite his confusion.


    The sensation that suddenly swam through Ebenezer¡¯s body was hard to describe. The closest thing he could think of was that feeling of strain and relief when you stretch your limbs and end up popping a bone back in place. The next thing Ebenezer knew, he was covered in fur. Yanking his hand out of the Monkey King¡¯s grasp, Ebenezer looked himself over and saw he was now a humanoid monkey, just like the other Wukong. He even had a tail, if the weird feeling of having an arm attached to his lower back was any indication.


    ¡°Does that answer your question?¡± Sun Wukong asked with a cheeky smile. Ebenezer couldn¡¯t even nod at his ancestor, the revelation froze him in place as he stared at his hands in amazement.


    ¡°I-Is this my true form?¡± Ebenezer asked. His voice trembled as his mind couldn¡¯t decide whether to panic or celebrate. It was undeniable now, Ebenezer was a Gifted. He had powers! He was special! He was also a giant monkey but that wasn¡¯t enough to squash the pure elation that ran through his veins.


    ¡°Yes and no,¡± Uncle Sunny answered. ¡°Wukong are natural shapeshifters and don¡¯t really have a ¡°true form¡±. When I unlock a Wukong¡¯s shapeshifting ability their body resets and transforms into my likeness. You can change yourself however you want.¡±


    ¡°H-How do I go back to¡­ Human?¡± Ebenezer muttered intelligently.


    ¡°Calm your mind and focus on the form you want to take,¡± Sun Wukong replied as he returned to his dais. ¡°Then let your body do the rest.¡± Closing his eyes, Ebenezer took a deep breath to clear his thoughts and focused on his original body. He felt his bones shift and when he looked at himself, Ebenezer was once again human.


    ¡°Woah¡­¡± was all he could say. ¡°It¡¯s real¡­¡±


    ¡°That it is,¡± Sun Wukong confirmed.


    ¡°S-So¡­ what does this mean?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m a Wukong, your descendant. That must mean that I have some sort of destiny that needs fulfilling, right? A divine purpose? Or some ancient evil that must be stopped?!¡± Ebenezer was aware that he was rambling, but he couldn¡¯t stop himself.


    Now that he knew this Wukong business was real, he couldn¡¯t contain his excitement anymore. This would be the moment his life would change forever and make all the garbage he suffered worth it. He¡¯d have a purpose to work toward other than just enduring countless hardships thrown on him by a bunch of selfish jerks.


    The awkward silence dampened the boy¡¯s enthusiasm slightly. Sun Wukong was staring at Ebenezer with a look he couldn¡¯t describe, but it didn¡¯t fill the boy with confidence. He glanced at Lucina and Klara, both of which avoided his eyes. Ebenezer began to feel a familiar uncomfortable pressure as Sun Wukong continued to stare at him. He didn¡¯t know what he said that caused this situation, but he was sure he wouldn¡¯t like what happened next.


    ¡°Kid,¡± the Monkey King began slowly. ¡°There is no Destiny.¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡± Ebenezer asked, his sliver of hope shrinking. ¡°But¡­ But I¡¯m a Wukong!¡±


    ¡°You are,¡± Sun Wukong agreed. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean anything. My children like to explore the world and sometimes that involves sowing their seed. That¡¯s why you exist, there¡¯s no divine plan or sacred mission. You exist simply because you exist.¡±


    It took all of Ebenezer¡¯s self-control not to collapse onto the ground in despair. Honestly, he should be used to this feeling by now but after his cousins gave him hope the pain hit harder than normal.


    ¡°What is your life like, Ebenezer?¡± Uncle Sunny asked out of the blue.


    ¡°It¡¯s awful¡­¡± the boy replied without thinking. On the rare instances, that someone asked him how he was doing, Ebenezer would usually lie and say everything was fine. Right now, though, he was too drained to pretend. He lowered his head as the feelings he¡¯d been hiding began tumbling out of his mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯m forced to do everyone¡¯s work. No matter how I try to get them to stop they just keep pushing more and more work onto me and I can¡¯t do anything about it.¡± More silence, Ebenezer didn¡¯t look up in fear of what kind of faces he¡¯d see. Whether it was pity or scorn, the boy didn¡¯t want to see either directed at him.


    At some point, Sun Wukong had gotten off his dais again and was standing in front of Ebenezer. The boy still refused to look up, just staring at the man¡¯s hairy feet wrapped in sandals. He flinched slightly when he felt a hand press down on his head. Ebenezer couldn¡¯t tell if this was an attempt at comfort or that he was about to pull his hair, but then he felt an itch spread across his entire body. An itch so terrible it felt like his body was being stabbed everywhere by millions of needles.


    ¡°What-!¡± Before Ebenezer could start scratching himself, Uncle Sunny removed his hand and the itch was gone. He snapped his head up and was about to ask what the Hell that was about but was stopped by the confusing sight in front of him. Sun Wukong stood before him, but there was another one sitting in a leafy lounge area.


    ¡°What?¡± Ebenezer said once again.


    ¡°I gave you the power of replication,¡± the Wukong on the dais announced. ¡°With it, you can make copies of yourself. I imagine having many of you working at once will drastically reduce your tasks.¡±


    ¡°R-Really?¡± the idea that Ebenezer would finally get some help lifted his spirits slightly. ¡°How do I do that?¡±


    ¡°Pluck a hair and blow on it,¡± the Monkey King explained. The doppelganger in front of Ebenezer suddenly evaporated and he saw a strand of hair start floating to the ground. ¡°While the other will essentially be you, they can take whatever form you wish.¡±


    Without thinking, Ebenezer yanked out a strand of hair and blew on it. The hair flew out of his palm, and Ebenezer moved to catch it but stopped when he saw wind swirl around the hair and congeal into a glowing mass. In seconds, another Ebenezer stood next to the original. He smiled and waved at his stunned creator.


    ¡°Hi!¡± the doppelganger said cheerfully.


    ¡°I imagine these extra hands will help you?¡± Uncle Sunny asked, to which Ebenezer nodded.


    ¡°Is there a limit to how many clones I can make?¡±


    ¡°No. Now that your Wukong form has been unlocked you don¡¯t have to worry about running out of hair so there¡¯s no limit to the amount of helpers you can summon.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ Father,¡± Lucian began slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to question your judgment, but is this really the best way to help him?¡± Ebenezer looked at Lucian in confusion. How wouldn¡¯t this help him? With infinite helping hands he could take on an entire student body¡¯s homework and still be able to have a healthy sleep schedule!


    ¡°Right now? Yes. What Ebenezer needs at the moment is the chance to rest. What he wants to do afterward will be up to him.¡± Ebenezer wasn¡¯t sure what he was talking about, but he was too elated over the idea that he¡¯d be able to handle the insane chores and schoolwork.


    ¡°Thank you so much!¡± Ebenezer exclaimed. Not sure what to do next, he gave a sloppy bow that made the Monkey King laugh again.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me. We¡¯re family, it¡¯s only natural that I help you.¡± Ebenezer smiled but it was a bit strained. While it would be natural for family to help each other out, his own relations weren¡¯t inclined to help if it didn¡¯t suit them. That thought reminded him of his home and the obligations he was shirking.


    ¡°H-How do I go back¡­¡± Ebenezer to didn¡¯t want to leave, but he felt like he had to. He also didn¡¯t want to impose on the Monkey King and the other Wukong, lest they get sick of him and leave him on his own again.


    ¡°You simply need to open your eyes.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ebenezer asked, a horrible feeling settling in his stomach.


    ¡°Focus on your body in the mortal world and have it open your eyes.¡±


    ¡°Y-You mean¡­ this whole thing was a dream?!¡± Horrified, Ebenezer subconsciously reached out to his body, and his shock wass enough to force it awake. Ebenezer found himself back in his family¡¯s attic. Back in his human body with no powers to speak of. It wasn¡¯t real, it was just a dream.


    Ebenezer crumbled in on himself as tears welled up in his eyes. Knowing all of that was fake was bad enough, but that dream gave him something he hadn¡¯t had in a long time. Hope, safety, contentment, the feeling that he could handle the injustice he has to put up with and be okay. But it was all for nothing, that place wasn¡¯t real, the powers weren¡¯t real and he was once again trapped in his miserable-.


    ¡°Ow!¡± Ebenezer screamed as there was a sudden stinging pain in his ear. Whipping his head around to see what could have hurt him, Ebenezer was shocked to see himself standing next to him with a wide grin on his face.


    ¡°Hi there!¡± the doppelganger exclaimed.


    ¡°Y-You¡­!¡± Ebenezer immediately knew who the double was in front of him. It was the clone he made while at Mount Huaguo. That meant¡­ it was real! Just to make sure, Ebenezer closed his eyes and forced his body to transform. The odd stretching sensation returned and Ebenezer was in his Wukong form. It was real! All of it was real! Ebenezer didn¡¯t realize he started laughing hysterically until a loud banging came from the floor.


    ¡°Ebenezer!¡± Menelaus called out in anger. ¡°What¡¯s so funny up there?!¡± Ebenezer slapped his hands over his mouth in terror. If his father came up here and found him like this, his life would be over. He was too scared to think of a way out of this, but luckily his doppelganger was ready to act. He started coughing loudly, though he made every croak sound like he was saying the word ¡°hack¡± in a loud and raspy voice. Ebenezer didn¡¯t know why but quickly realised that someone could mishear that as laughter.


    ¡°I¡¯m coughing!¡± The clone exclaimed between gasps. ¡°It¡¯s really dusty up here!¡± There was a moment of silence, and Ebenezer feared his father would want to check up on him anyway, but the moment passed and Menelaus barked: ¡°Well, hurry up and finish and you won¡¯t have to deal with it!¡± The sound of stomping feet told the boy that his father had left.


    ¡°...That was quick thinking,¡± Ebenezer breathed out after a moment. The doppelganger only shrugged before sitting down and facing his creator.


    ¡°So, what now?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Now?¡± Ebenezer repeated dumbly.


    ¡°Yeah, you said you had a lot of work to do, so how do you want to do it?¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Ebenezer exclaimed, his good mood returning in full force. ¡°Right! So I¡¯ll keep cleaning while you get started on the homework!¡± The clone gave Ebenezer the look he gave to people when he tried to think of a polite way to tell them they were doing something stupid.


    ¡°You can do it that way if you really want to,¡± the clone began diplomatically. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be better to just make another clone and have us take care of everything?¡±


    ¡°...I can do that? But¡­ don¡¯t you guys need breaks or something?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no!¡± the clone laughed. ¡°I¡¯m not real!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ebenezer asked, confused. If he had to keep questioning his reality the boy was certain that he¡¯d pop a blood vessel in his head. ¡°But¡­ you are real¡­ I¡¯m a giant monkey, so all that stuff about being a Wukong is-!¡±


    ¡°Not like that!¡± the clone quickly interrupted. ¡°I mean I¡¯m not a real person! I¡¯m a magic construct!¡±


    ¡°Construct? You mean you were¡­ built like a model plane¡­ from magic?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, think of me like a robot with an AI. I only look and sound human because my default setting is copying you.¡± Ebenzer understood what the clone was saying but he was still unsure how copying him led to it being so outgoing and cheerful. The original Ebenezer had never been so bombastic before¡­ Had he? The teen could remember being more carefree as a child, but as the years went on and things got harder, he found himself becoming more reserved over time.


    Shaking that depressing thought from his head, Ebenezer plucked another hair from his head and blew on it. Soon, a second doppelganger was standing next to the first, eagerly awaiting his orders.


    ¡°Okay!¡± Ebenezer began, feeling excited once more. He pointed to the first clone. ¡°You work on the chores. Make sure to keep your head down and stay quiet. If anyone tries to talk to you say as little as possible.¡± The Copy #1 gave a thumbs up and Ebenezer turned to the other one. ¡°You stay hidden and start working on the homework. You know everything that needs to be done right?¡± The second clone nodded his head. ¡°Good, take care of the assignments, and don¡¯t forget about the Projects for Dream and Christian.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡± the second clone replied with a salute. The two clones immediately got to work. The first doppelganger opened and organized the boxes with much more energy than Ebenezer had. The second one grabbed the folder and took it to a corner of the attic where he could work on the contents in private.


    ¡°Do you need me to get you supplies?¡± Ebenezer asked the second clone.


    ¡°Nah,¡± The clone replied with an easy grin. ¡°I can sneak down and grab anything I need easily enough.¡±


    ¡°Okay, good. Just make sure there¡¯s only one of you out at any given time. No matter what, we can''t let anyone know I¡¯m Gifted, especially not Dad¡­¡± The clones nodded, their smiles dimming as they were reminded of the less-than-stellar conditions of Ebenezer¡¯s home life. They were quick to get back to work leaving the original to just stand and watch. For a moment, Ebenezer wasn¡¯t sure what to do with himself. He hadn¡¯t had free time for himself in so long, he didn¡¯t know what to do.


    There was one thing Ebenezer wanted, needed actually, so he might as well do that. Focusing on his body, Ebenezer made it shift from a humanoid monkey into an actual bug. In his new tiny form, he crawled through the trap door and down the hall of his house. Slipping into his bedroom, he returned to his human form and locked his door. Once he made sure nobody would be able to walk in on him, Ebenezer undressed, put on some pajamas, and slipped into bed.


    He didn¡¯t realize how tired he was until the prospect of taking a nap became real. The second he lay down, Ebenezer fell asleep.

 Chapter 4

    ¡°Hey,¡± someone whispered into Ebenezer¡¯s ear. The boy jerked awake and nearly screamed when he saw two people who wore his face standing right above him. One of the doubles quickly clamped a hand over the kid¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t scream!¡± he hissed. ¡°It¡¯s us! Your clones! Remember?!¡± Instantly, Ebenezer remembered everything. Mount Huaguo, the Wukong, his new powers, all returned to his drowsy mind. ¡®Still not a dream¡­¡¯ the boy thought in relief.


    ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± Ebenezer asked as he crawled out of bed. ¡°And what time is it?¡± He noticed his room was dark, and a glance at his window showed no sunlight outside.


    ¡°About 2:30 in the morning,¡± the first clone answered. ¡°We just finished the chores.¡±


    ¡°I took care of the homework and mailed it out!¡± the second added proudly. ¡°We¡¯re set until morning!¡±


    ¡°Until morning¡­¡± Ebenezer repeated. The feeling of relief and contentment he had been building immediately died, replaced by an emotion he¡¯d had for a long time but refused to acknowledge: Anger. Dark, Bitter, Anger. Ebenezer had been unhappy and frustrated before, but it didn¡¯t hold a candle to the intense burning sensation he felt spread throughout his body.


    How fucking dare they! They drove him to his breakdown! Laughed in his face when he needed help! And they send him more homework as if it¡¯s business as usual!


    Now that Ebenezer thought about it, the fact that the folder had so many projects was outrageous itself. Only one student was needed to figure out where he lived to send him his homework. Having several assignments from his usual ¡°clients¡± meant that someone had to collect the different exercises before sending it to him! They won¡¯t help Ebenezer when he needs it, but they¡¯ll go out of their way to help each other screw him over?!


    Ebenezer wanted to scream, to curse out his classmates, to do something other than just take the abuse for once! The doppelgangers both looked at their creator with concern. They stood awkwardly in the room with the seething teenager.


    ¡°Um¡­ Boss?¡± One of them asked. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Ebenezer snapped. ¡°I¡¯m not alright! I¡¯m filled with so much rage right now, I feel like I¡¯m going to explode if I so much as twitch!¡±


    ¡°Is there something we can do¡­?¡± the other clone asked carefully.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Ebenezer barked. He stood up and began pacing the room. ¡°I¡¯ve never been this angry before in my life! Or maybe I have been and I¡¯ve just been too tired to notice! Now I¡¯m rested and well aware of how much bullshit I¡¯m dealing with! The problem is I don¡¯t know what to do now! How the hell am I supposed to deal with all this anger?! I¡¯m supposed to be the Nice Guy, yet all I want to do now is scream and break stuff!¡±


    The clones looked at each other uncertainly as their creator ranted in anger. They kept an ear out for any signs that the family was waking up, but other than that they were content to sit back and watch Ebenezer rage. Eventually, the teenager ran out of steam and sat back on his bed, breathing heavily.


    ¡°So¡­¡± one of the clones began. ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Ebenezer repeated with a huff. ¡°I really don¡¯t know¡­ I want to say ¡°Fight Back¡± but I don¡¯t know how¡­ Plus, they suspended me just for freaking out over my homework, I can¡¯t imagine they¡¯ll take me beating someone up any better.¡±


    ¡°Fighting back doesn¡¯t always mean fighting, y¡¯know,¡± the second doppelganger stated. Ebenezer snorted at that.


    ¡°What are you suggesting? ¡®Tell a teacher¡¯?¡± Ebenezer thought back to Mr. Colbert who always sat back and watched as he handed his classmates their homework without an ounce of secrecy. ¡°They know what¡¯s going on and they don¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°Well, we do know someone who knows a thing or two about fighting back against people who mistreat them,¡± a clone responded with a smirk. Instantly Ebenezer, realizes who they''re talking about, and pieces start clicking into place.


    ¡°Uncle Sunny¡­¡± Ebenezer muttered in understanding. Even even half of the stories from Journey to the West are true, then the Monkey King would know what to do in his situation. Also, Sun Wukong knew that Ebenezer wasn¡¯t happy and that something needed to change. Ebenezer didn¡¯t know what kind of change he needed, but now that he could acknowledge his new requirement, he could start looking.


    ¡°I need to talk to him,¡± Ebenezer stated. ¡°How do I¡­¡±


    ¡°Same way you go there the first time,¡± his clone answered the obvious question.


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Ebenezer looked around his room. It wouldn¡¯t be the worst idea to meditate in here since only he used it, but it still felt dangerous. The last thing he needed was his father deciding to inspect his room or something and find one Ebenezer meditating when another was doing chores. The attic was another option but it had the same issue, anyone goes up there and sees him, the jig is up. That left Ebenezer with one choice, he had to leave the house.


    ¡°I have to leave and find someplace safe to meditate,¡± he stated.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be too hard,¡± a clone said. ¡°Just turn into a bird, fly onto a roof, and meditate there.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± The idea that turning into a bird and flying away was considered ¡°easy¡± threw the boy for a loop. Ebenezer had never flown before so he was worried he wouldn''t get the hang of it. Then again, he never crawled down a wall as a bug before but he did that just fine. Was it because he didn¡¯t think about it? Could he just become an animal with all the perks and none of the hard thinking that would be needed to move in a vastly different body?


    Deciding to test it out, Ebenezer transformed into a pigeon. He meant to practice flying in his room and see how much he needed to control consciously, only to find himself automatically flapping his wings to hover in the air. With just a thought he flew around in circles like he had been doing it his whole life.


    ¡°I can fly,¡± Ebenezer stated in a monotone voice, which came out of the pigeon despite its lack of lips. For any normal person, this would¡¯ve been a monumental discovery, but after the events of yesterday and with how naturally flight came to him, Ebenezer found himself oddly underwhelmed.


    ¡°Wait until Uncle Sunny shows you how to ride clouds,¡± a clone snickered.


    ¡°So, I¡¯m going to head out¡­¡± Ebenezer began before he realized an important issue. ¡°Is there a way I can check in with you guys?¡±


    ¡°Meditation,¡± they responded. ¡°Like with how you got to Mount Huaguo. Just meditate and think of us and our minds will connect.¡±


    ¡°Does it work the other way around?¡±  Ebenezer asked. ¡°Can you contact me if there¡¯s something I need to know?¡±


    ¡°We can send you visions of important events, or just send you a feeling if we need to talk.¡±


    ¡°Good, good,¡± Ebenezer sighed. While he desperately wanted to talk to Sun Wukong, he didn¡¯t want to leave his doubles alone in this house. As intelligent and capable as they seemed, accidents could happen, and then he¡¯d really be in trouble. ¡°You know what to look out for?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re copies of you,¡± a clone stated. ¡°We know what you¡¯ll find important.¡±


    ¡°Unless there''s something specific you want us to look for?¡± the other asked.


    ¡°No. Just keep doing what I told you before. Keep your head down, don¡¯t talk too much, and only one of you out at any given time.¡± The two saluted Ebenezer before opening the window and letting him fly into the open sky.


    Despite how unexcited he felt over discovering his flying capabilities, soaring through the night sky was still a surreal experience. Flying into the black sky, feeling the cold air on his feathered body, Ebenezer couldn¡¯t help but feel the thrill of flying as he kept going higher. The parts of his brain that still thought as an Aver told him of how dangerous this was and that he could fall to his death at any moment, but that only added to Ebenezer¡¯s excitement.


    Once he was high enough, Ebenezer looked down to take it Poppytown. From his height, the city looked like it was the size of a toy model. The lights from the streets and buildings made the town glitter like a cluster of diamonds, but the effect was lost on the teenager.


    Did it matter how beautiful and opulent a city looked when the people who lived there were so awful? Ebenezer knew he only saw a small part of this place, but it wasn¡¯t a stretch to assume the rest of Poppytown was just as cruel as his classmates. What else was he supposed to think of a city that boasted about protecting and celebrating toxic traditionalism and intolerance?


    Ebenezer landed on a tall building with no roof access and enough vents to shield the boy from any unlikely prying eyes. It was a paranoid approach but given how Ebenezer was capable of flight now, he¡¯d be remiss to think he was the only one. Sitting down, Ebenezer closed his eyes and began to meditate, closing his mind to the world at large and the chilly night air. He embraced the silence as he calmed his mind and breathed. When he felt the comforting heat of the sun, Ebenezer opened his eyes and found himself in Mount Huaguo again.


    ¡°Hey there, cousin!" Klara''s voice greeted Ebenezer as he stood up. ¡°Welcome back!¡±


    ¡°Hi, Klara,¡± Ebenezer said shyly. ¡°I need to talk to Uncle Sunny.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we figured as much. Follow me.¡± Once again, Ebenezer followed Klara toward Sun Wukong¡¯s cave. Unlike last time, when Klara and Ebenezer walked past the other Wukong, they swarmed Ebenezer and pelted him with a myriad of questions.


    ¡°Who are you?!¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯d you come from?!¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d you find out you''re a Wukong?!¡±


    Ebenezer had no hope of answering his cousins as their voices melded together in a chaotic medley of shrieks and excitement. Luckily, Klara dispersed the crowd by letting them know they were going to Sun Wukong. The crowd immediately dispersed though some promised to get the answers out of the newcomer eventually.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind them,¡± Klara said afterward. ¡°They¡¯re always excited to hear the stories of newcomers.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m nothing special¡­¡± Ebenezer muttered.


    ¡°You are to them,¡± Klara replied. ¡°Most of the Wukong here don¡¯t leave this place, so anyone from the outside is a novelty they aren¡¯t going to pass up.¡±


    ¡°They can¡¯t leave?¡± Ebenezer asked, feeling concerned.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that,¡± Klara quickly reassured him. ¡°It¡¯s just that most feel safer here than in the outside world.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


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    ¡°The world isn¡¯t kind to things they don¡¯t understand,¡± Klara said slowly. ¡°Most Wukong struggle to fit in after they¡¯ve uncovered their true nature.¡±


    ¡°How come? I know my hometown isn¡¯t safe for Gifted, but there has to be other places they can live in.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple,¡± Klara sighed. ¡°Bucking tradition and social norms is in our blood. The Wukong don¡¯t do well with conformity and most communities don¡¯t appreciate our brand of willfulness.¡± Klara¡¯s words struck Ebenezer deeper than she probably meant to. Wukong are naturally rebellious, does that mean his anger at his life only came about after discovering his powers, or have they always been there, and becoming a Wukong has just made them worse?


    ¡®Does it really matter at this point?¡¯ Ebenezer asked himself. Whether he was influenced or not, it didn¡¯t change the facts of his situation. Ebenezer was being used, treated like dirt, and punished for the smallest amount of defiance. The boy knew this before becoming a Gifted; he was just willing to do something about it now.


    Soon, Ebenezer returned to Sun Wukong¡¯s cavern. The boy was tempted to call it a throne room, but that didn¡¯t feel right. Uncle Sunny was again lounging, but when Ebenezer and Klara walked in, he stood from his leafy couch and met them halfway.


    ¡°Hey, kid,¡± Uncle Sunny greeted. ¡°Welcome back. So¡­ what do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°I want to fight,¡± Ebenezer said with conviction.


    ¡°How?¡± the Monkey King pressed. ¡°There are many ways to fight against injustice and evil. Some straight forward, others more complicated, and the method usually depends on who or what your opponent is. So, what do you want to fight against?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Ebenezer wanted to say ''against the people that hurt me'', but something stopped him. Was that the right way to go about this? Just attack his enemies? It was the straightforward option but there had to be repercussions he wasn¡¯t thinking about. Did he even want to ¡°fight¡± or was he just angry? The answer should be obvious but for some reason, Ebenezer couldn¡¯t find the conviction he had moments ago. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Uncle Sunny didn¡¯t seem annoyed by Ebenezer¡¯s admission; he nodded as if he had been given some trivial news.


    ¡°So, why are you here then?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ was hoping you could help me¡­¡± Uncle Sunny shook his head with an easy smile on his face.


    ¡°I may be the Monkey King,¡± he began gently. ¡°But I don¡¯t dictate the paths of my children. Only you can decide how you want to live your life.¡±


    ¡°But I can¡¯t live my life¡­¡± Ebenezer replied. ¡°Not like this¡­ I¡­ want to free myself, but I don¡¯t know how¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that why you¡¯re here? For advice? Guidance?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I want to get stronger¡­ I still don¡¯t know what I want to do but I¡¯m certain if I¡¯m strong enough, I can do anything.¡± The Monkey King stared at Ebenezer for a long time, taking in every ounce of the boy carefully. Ebenezer squirmed under the scrutiny but held his ground.


    ¡°Fine,¡± The Monkey King said after a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll train you in Martial Arts, and if I deem you worthy enough, I¡¯ll unlock more of your power.¡±


    ¡°T-Thank you, Si- Uncle Sunny!¡± The next thing Ebenezer knew he was holding a a wooden staff and facing against the Monkey King as he twirled his golden weapon. ¡°W-We¡¯re starting now?¡±


    ¡°No better time,¡± Sun Wukong said with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you want to get stronger as soon as possible, so why not start now since you''re here?¡±


    ¡°I guess that makes sense¡­¡± Ebenezer spent the next few hours sparing with the Monkey King. Honestly, it was more like the boy was swinging a big stick around like a child play fighting, none of his attacks could even touch Uncle Sunny. Sun Wukong gave Ebenezer pointers on his stance, motions, and even his breathing. It wasn¡¯t long before Ebenezer was out of breath and exhausted but Uncle Sunny forced him to do more exercises before allowing him to rest.


    ¡°Every night when you go to sleep, you¡¯ll instead come here,¡± the Monkey King stated as Ebenezer lay on the ground while struggling to breathe. ¡°We¡¯ll train while you dream, and you can continue your life in the mortal world undisturbed."


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Ebenezer wheezed out.


    ¡°Return to the Mortal World and rest,¡± Uncle Sunny commanded. ¡°We¡¯ll continue training tomorrow night.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Ebenezer forced his eyes open and saw the rooftop he hid in. The aches and pains of the body were gone but Ebenezer still felt exhausted. He moved slowly as he stood up. The soreness was gone but Ebenezer¡¯s mind was certain his body was injured and needed rest. It was still dark, but a distant light on the horizon told the boy it would be morning soon.


    Ebenezer knew he should start heading home, but didn¡¯t see the need to. His clones could take his place in his daily life so he didn¡¯t have to go back. With duplication and shapeshifting, Ebenezer could go anywhere, anytime he wanted, even when he needs to be somewhere else. He was technically free; the same way someone on House Arrest was technically free because they weren¡¯t in jail. Ebenezer entertained the idea of just living his usual life with the clones taking all the abuse for him. That idea was quickly squashed.


    Whether out of pride, indignation, or his Wukong blood, Ebenezer would not tolerate living this life anymore. Even if he could make his clones his proxies, Ebenezer wouldn¡¯t be able to live with himself knowing that the injustices he endured were still being preformed. If he didn¡¯t take a stand now, what else would he do with himself? He could move away to rid himself of the rotten people of Poppytown but that option was years away. Even if he waited for that, what kind of life he could live after knuckling under for so long. Poppytown was only a small part of the world, and there were plenty of people who thought they could treat him like garbage.


    Ebenezer still needed to figure out what he could do to fight back. Going through the system wasn¡¯t an option, even if the school staff and the students weren''t working together to ruin his life, his suspension was proof that the higher-ups would pick keeping the majority happy over helping him.


    Literal fighting was also not an option, there was little to gain from going down that route. Ebenezer could beat someone up now if he wanted to, but no doubt he could only injure one guy before being expelled. At best, he could go on a rampage after being fully trained and put a couple of his classmates in the hospital, but that would lead to a similar result. He¡¯d be expelled and probably arrested, maybe even be labeled a villain, and have the Crusaders after him.


    ¡°Villain¡­¡± Ebenezer mumbled in thought. The idea of being labeled a villain didn¡¯t bother Ebenezer as much as it should. If anything it seemed worryingly appealing.


    In today¡¯s society, if you were a villain, you were a monster. The pinnacle of evil. A violent psychopath who wanted nothing more than to see the world burn and be the one who set it on fire. At least, that¡¯s what the general public always said. Ebenezer understood that nothing was as black and white as that, but people were more comfortable writing off dissidents as maniacs. That was the life Ebenezer could look forward to if he became a villain.


    But would that be that much different than what he¡¯s dealing with now? Ebenezer wasn¡¯t respected and his issues were brushed aside as if they didn¡¯t matter. If he were to become a villain, the only difference would be that the amount of people who hated him would extend to the whole city, which is something he could live with.


    The more Ebenezer thought about it, the more appealing becoming a villain felt. The idea of rebelling against society in the most extreme way, terrorizing the people that hurt him, and freeing himself from the unfair expectations that are put on him, just imagining it made Ebenezer smile.


    The boy¡¯s heart was into the idea but his mind refused to play along. It forced Ebenezer to face reality and the problem waiting for him down this road. If Ebenezer became a villain he¡¯d have to deal with local superheroes. Sellouts they may be, the Crusaders were still dangerous, especially for some punk who just got superpowers. Another issue was that Ebenezer was just a teenager. Angry as he was, the boy could still recognize his hunger for villainy as a knee-jerk reaction. It wouldn¡¯t do for Ebenezer to ruin his life while throwing what amounted to a superpowered tantrum.


    There was also the possibility that Uncle Sunny would disapprove of his plans. Just because he encouraged Ebenezer to stand up for himself didn¡¯t mean he¡¯d support becoming a villain. He could probably take away his powers and leave him helpless again if he wanted too. The thought terrified Ebenezer and it was enough to cool the rage that was pushing him towards the reckless decision. Ebenezer shook his head to clear his mind and push aside the idea of villainy for the moment. The thought appeased him too much to be dismissed outright.


    ¡°What about being a Hero?¡± Ebenezer asked himself. His mind immediately grew bitter. The boy wasn¡¯t in the best place to think about the ¡°greater good¡±. Still, he forced himself to consider the possibility, if nothing else to go over all of his options. Becoming a hero wasn¡¯t out of the question, it just wasn¡¯t as appealing as the villain idea. To be a hero, Ebenezer would have to put aside his anger and use his powers to help others, which would have worked for the Ebenezer of yesterday, but not now.


    Anger aside, Ebenezer knew the first step of being a hero meant helping out those around him, and that hadn¡¯t worked out too well for him. Not to mention, Poppytown may have liked the Crusaders but they didn¡¯t tolerate other upstart vigilantes. There had been a few would-be heroes over the years trying to start their careers in this city, and the townsfolk usually ran them out of town. If Ebenezer tried to be a hero, he¡¯d have to start in another city, particularly one far away where people were more tolerant of the different.


    ¡°If I¡¯m going that far, I might as well just run away,¡± Ebenezer mused. Like his thought about villainy, running away was logically bad but emotionally good. If he ran away he¡¯d be truly on his own, with no family, no stability, and no roof over his head. He¡¯d be sleeping in the streets and have to scavenge for food, maybe live as an animal, and eat nuts and bugs. Ebenezer could help people by day and scavenge by night, but of course, that was the worst-case scenario. He wasn¡¯t sure what the living arrangements were like in Mount Huaguo but Ebenezer was certain he could work something out with Uncle Sunny if he went down this route.


    Running away¡­ Was that the best Ebenezer could hope for with his life? Just leaving everything behind and starting from the bottom of the barrel? It might be worth it if it got him away from this town and its people. But it¡¯d mean throwing away his hard work trying to make something of his current life. All those hours he spent struggling to finish all those assignments would be meaningless if he left. Part of Ebenezer wanted nothing more than to get away from this awful place, but he also wanted to get some use out of his suffering.


    At this point, the sun had risen and the light warmed Ebenezer, not as well as Mount Huaguo, but Ebenezer wasn¡¯t chilly anymore. His musing was interrupted by a strange feeling that came out of nowhere. It felt like something was humming in his stomach.


    ¡®My clones are calling me,¡¯ Ebenezer realized. The boy wasn¡¯t sure how he knew that, he just did. ¡®Must be a Wukong thing.¡¯ Ebenezer went back to his meditation and focused on the humming. His mind was filled with images of him flying through the sky as a bird. For a second, Ebenezer thought he was reliving his previous journey but the distant sunrise told him otherwise. One of his clones decided to go out and have their own flight through the city. But why?


    ¡°Hey boss,¡± the clone said. His voice echoed in Ebenezer''s head yet it sounded like the copy was right next to him.


    ¡°Hi¡­¡± Ebenezer replied. His mouth didn¡¯t move, the boy thought the words more than spoke them. ¡°Can you hear me¡­?¡±


    ¡°Loud and clear!¡±


    ¡°Cool¡­ So¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡± Visions of Ebenezer¡¯s clone watching a car take out the homework folder from their mailbox and leave. Soon after, the clone turned into a bird and flew out his bedroom window to follow him.


    ¡°I saw the guy leave with our assignments,¡± The double explained. ¡°But I had a bad feeling and decided to watch him¡­¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Ebenezer asked, an ill omen of his own forming in the pit of his stomach.


    ¡°Just a feeling,¡± the doppelganger replied. The next thing Ebenezer knew he was flying through the city again while following the car. No, it was his clone flying, not Ebenezer, but he could see through the copy¡¯s eyes. Ebenezer watched as his double flew through the air, making sure the car was always in sight. Ebenezer thought a small bird would have trouble following the vehicle, but its ability to fly straight over buildings while the car was forced to make several twists and turns on the city road made it easy to keep pace.


    Eventually, the car stopped in front of Ebenezer¡¯s school and the clone perched on its roof to continue observing. The driver got out of the car and handed the folder to a familiar blonde thug who waited out on the front steps.


    ¡®Pery¡­¡¯ Ebenezer realized as the dread he felt intensified. With the folder in hand, the car drove away, only to stop in the school parking lot. Ebenezer didn¡¯t see the driver as the clone focused on the folder but it was clear that the driver was someone that worked in the school. ¡®Maybe they were working together¡­¡¯ Ebenezer wondered, a thought that both terrified and infuriated him.


    Ebenezer¡¯s clones stayed over Pery and watched him open the folder. The thug started rifling through the papers and taking out specific sheets. Ebenezer stared with bated breath as Pery finished fiddling with the papers and closed the folder. Then he crumbled up the papers he took out and threw them into the bushes. Pery then entered the school, smiling like a child who just stole from the cookie jar.


    Ebenezer didn¡¯t need to retrieve the sheets to know what happened, to know whose assignments Pery just threw away. After all, what would be more funny to that sadistic bastard than to get Ebenezer in more trouble for not doing his homework?


    The anger returned, but it wasn¡¯t an overwhelming wave like last time. Ebenezer had his big revelation this morning so this latest injustice wasn¡¯t as hard-hitting. Instead, he felt a dull pain, the kind you feel when an old injury is aggravated. He should be furious, be ready to rant and rave again because not only were they adding to his torment, but they were attacking one of the few things Ebenezer could be proud about, his grades.


    But Ebenezer was only tired because, of course, they would do this. Of course, they¡¯d make his life worse, because why not? Why not add to his suffering? There were no consequences for picking on the easy targets. Everyone in school knew that Ebenezer was born to be bullied and used. Why not keep going even though he¡¯s suspended and at risk of losing everything he¡¯s endured to get?


    ¡°Fuck this¡­¡± Ebenezer muttered. That whispered declaration brushed aside all of his concerns and forethoughts. The boy felt something inside of him¡­ not break but loosen. The part of Ebenezer that wanted to hang on, to stick to his morals no matter how much it hurt, officially gave up. ¡°I don¡¯t care what happens anymore¡­ So what if I get burned at the end of all this¡­ I¡¯ll get hurt no matter what I do.¡±


    Ebenezer could still see the arguments against taking revenge and how they still held up even with his newfound apathy to the consequences.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± He reaffirmed. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to make sure it¡¯s worth the consequences.¡± With his mind set, Ebenezer again turned into a bird and flew away. He had a lot of thinking to do, but he knew his end goal at least. Ebenezer would become a Villain, and he¡¯d make them all pay.

 Chapter 5

    Back in his room, Ebenezer sat on his bed and thought. His mind was set, but he still didn¡¯t know the first thing about becoming a Villain. He had the motive, but not¡­ whatever else was needed.


    ¡®I¡¯ll need a costume¡­¡¯ the boy thought. ¡®Something to cover my face like a mask or a scarf. I¡¯ll also need a weapon, too. Maybe Uncle Sunny can- Oh¡­ right.¡¯ At the moment, the Monkey King was Ebenezer¡¯s only lifeline. If he turned his back on the boy over his choice, then he¡¯d be in serious trouble.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to talk to him tonight¡­¡± Ebenezer realized. ¡°I hope he won¡¯t be mad at me¡­¡± Ebenezer was determined to become a Villain to get justice. Yet a small part of him wanted the Monkey King to be the one to force him down a different path.


    That night, Ebenezer went to Mount Huaguo for Uncle Sunny¡¯s next training session. It went the same way as the first one, with Ebenezer spending the entire time getting knocked around by the Monkey King and then being lectured on what he did wrong. The beating was worse than before since Ebenezer was troubled over the uncomfortable conversation he needed to have.


    ¡°You seem distracted,¡± Uncle Sunny stated. ¡°Why?¡± Ebenezer stiffened and felt himself start to sweat as if he was being interrogated by the police. The kid had been preparing himself to make his case to the Monkey King, but to suddenly be put on the spot like this threw all of his argument out the proverbial window.


    Ebenezer wanted, needed, Uncle Sunny in his corner. He was the only relative with the care and the means to help him, and the boy was desperate to keep him. If the Monkey King shunned or exiled Ebenezer for his chosen path, the kid would be alone again, and he¡¯s not sure how he¡¯d handle that.


    For his part, Sun Wukong looked at Ebenezer and patiently waited for his explanation. He was trying to be lenient and not force Ebenezer to speak, but his expectant stare did nothing to ease the boy¡¯s nerves.


    ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ thought about it¡­¡± he began slowly. The teen kept his head down lest he lose what little nerve he had for this confession.


    ¡°About what?¡± Sun Wukong prompted.


    ¡°Fighting¡­¡± Ebenezer admitted. ¡°I¡­ I know what I want to do.¡±


    ¡°And what would that be?¡± Ebenezer gulped and felt his throat go dry. This was it¡­ The last chance to turn back.


    ¡°I want to be a villain,¡± Ebenezer admitted. His words echoed throughout the cavern, the sound surrounding the two like a cold and bitter wind.


    ¡°Do you?¡± Sun Wukong asked. He kept his tone neutral so Ebenezer couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the boy said with more conviction than he felt. ¡°I¡¯m done being picked on. I want to fight back. Defend myself. Make everyone pay for how they treated me! If doing that makes me a villain then I¡¯ll gladly be one!¡± Ebenezer spoke softly at first, but as he kept talking, his anger leaked into his voice and hardened his conviction. He was even brave enough to raise his head and look his ancestor in the eye as he screamed out that last part.


    Uncle Sunny said nothing, he just stared at Ebenezer for a long time. Immediately, Ebenezer''s determination began to wane again, but the boy held his ground and stared back at the Monkey King.


    ¡°Very well,¡± he said. The First Wukong then turned back to the leafy longue and sat down. Ebenezer watched him casually lounge in place for a moment, waiting for the other shoe to drop, but nothing came. There was no condemnation, no declaration of exile, no secret ritual to take away his Wukong powers; the Monkey King just accepted his desires without issue.


    ¡°...That¡¯s it?¡± Ebenezer asked, stunned. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ fine with me becoming a villain?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± Uncle Sunny replied, his tone still neutral. Ebenezer blinked in confusion, he would have panicked if the Monkey King¡¯s wording hadn¡¯t thrown him for a loop.


    ¡°So¡­ You¡¯re not okay with it?¡±


    ¡°What parent would be okay with a child telling them they want to become a villain?¡± Uncle Sunny sighed, making Ebenezer feel like a little boy trying to act big and serious in front of an adult. Now that things were a bit more clear, the boy¡¯s anxiety went crazy as it looked like the worst case scenario was coming to fruition.


    ¡°¡­Does that mean you¡¯re going to stop me?¡± Ebenezer clenched his fist in a futile attempt to get his shaking under control. If Sun Wukong disapproved of the boy¡¯s plans, then there was nothing he could do about it. And if the Monkey King decided to stop Ebenezer then he¡¯d have no choice but to give up before he even started.


    ¡°No,¡± Uncle Sunny answered.


    ¡°Wha- Seriously? You just said you don¡¯t approve of my decision!¡±


    ¡°I also said I don¡¯t dictate the paths of my children. I may disagree with your chosen path, but I won''t force you to do what I think is right. Only you can decide how you want to live, and if you want to live as a villain, that¡¯s your choice. But you had better be prepared to face the consequences.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ kind of consequences?¡± Ebenezer didn¡¯t quite feel like he was walking through a minefield; it was more like he was being scrutinized by a rigorous teacher. Sun Wukong¡¯s disapproval wasn¡¯t great, but it wasn¡¯t the worst outcome. Not yet at least.


    ¡°Are you telling me you haven¡¯t thought about any repercussions your decision could bring you?¡± This time, the Monkey King made his disappointment evident with his look and voice.


    ¡°N-No, I did! It¡¯s just¡­ Are you going to stop training me now¡­?¡± Uncle Sunny went quiet again and Ebenezer had to fight the urge not to scream in frustration.


    ¡°No,¡± he finally answered. ¡°At least not yet.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°For now, I¡¯ll keep teaching you. And I¡¯ll even unlock more of your powers. But if you cross the line¡­ I won¡¯t hesitate to take everything away.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ What counts as crossing the line?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I could tell you¡­¡± The Monkey King began thoughtfully. ¡°But that would be too easy. I could give you a set of rules to follow, but what¡¯s to stop you from circumventing them?¡±


    ¡°I-I wouldn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°You say that now,¡± Sun Wukong said cooly. ¡°But what about after a year of villainy? This path can change you in ways you¡¯d never think was possible. One moral broken out of convenience can spiral into atrocities committed on a whim. So, I will leave setting boundaries to you, Ebenezer. You¡¯re a smart boy, you will know what counts as ¡°crossing the line¡±.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I understand¡­¡± Ebenezer said with a bow of his head. ¡°And¡­ thank you¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you thanking me for?¡±


    ¡°For¡­ not turning your back on me, even though you don¡¯t approve of my plans. It means a lot to me that you¡¯ll continue to help me.¡± Sun Wukong again went silent, staring at his descendant as he pondered something. Then, without warning, he grabbed the tip of his staff, and with a twist of his hand, snapped off the end as if it was made of chalk. Ebenezer wasn¡¯t sure what he was doing until the Monkey King tossed the broken bit towards him.


    As the boy scrambled to catch the lump of gold, he watched in amazement as the piece morphed mid-air and turned from a chunk of metal into a staff. The new weapon landed in Ebenezer¡¯s outstretched hand, and the teenager stared at it in fascination and bewilderment.


    ¡°A piece of Ruyi Jingu Bang,¡± Uncle Sunny announced. ¡°Carry it as a reminder of your lineage, and what you should lose in case you fall.¡±


    ¡°I-I see, thank you, sir!¡± Ebenezer once again bowed and scrambled away from his teacher. Things could¡¯ve gone much worse and Ebenezer¡¯s plan wasn¡¯t completely derailed. But it still stung that the friendly demeanor Uncle Sunny had with him was gone now that his ideas were out in the open. As Ebenezer returns home, he has to wonder if he¡¯s making the right choice.


    That afternoon, Ebenezer¡¯s doubts were pushed to the side when he received the latest homework folder. It was slightly bigger than last time because it now held Ebenezer¡¯s ¡°late¡± worksheets along with his current assignments, and some choice words from his teachers. Mr. Hassan, his history teacher, wrote a lengthy and long-winded letter reminding Ebenezer that he was already on thin ice over his suspension and that not doing his homework would only make things worse.


    Pompous and self-righteous as his letter was, it was the nicest warning the boy got. The other teachers weren¡¯t inclined to be patient or even subtle with their beratings. Mr. Colbert told him to grow up and take his punishment, apparently assuming his lack of homework was some form of protest. Mr. Patil suggested he get used to the idea of performing manual labor for the rest of his life. And Ms. Albert outright accused him of being a psychotic delinquent who was acting out due to boredom. Regardless of the wording, everyone held the same belief that Ebenezer was a bad kid and needed to do what he was told, or else.


    But Ebenezer had been doing what he was told. He did his homework and the homework of everyone else like the Nice Guy he tried so hard to become. The teachers are as apathetic to his efforts as the students as they¡¯re all quick to label him a slacker and a troublemaker. It was even more galling since Mr. Colbert knew what was going on and knew who did the homework for everyone else, did he not wonder why Ebenezer would do their assignments but not his?!


    ¡°So¡­ what do you want to do?¡± asked the clone in charge of schoolwork. He sounded concerned, and Ebenezer realized he was holding his new staff with a white-knuckled grip. The two were in his room going over the contents of the folder and the double¡¯s worries were growing as the original looked ready to kill someone. With a breath, Ebenezer calmed himself down enough to loosen his grip and not yell out his next words.


    ¡°Take anything not meant for me and destroy it,¡± Ebenezer ordered darkly. ¡°Make sure there isn¡¯t a single word that can be read with so much as a passing glance. The last we need is Dad to find out we¡¯re throwing out schoolwork.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± the copy asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think the other kids will take that very well.¡±


    ¡°Screw them!¡± Ebenezer barked. ¡°If they¡¯re going to mess with my homework, they can kiss theirs goodbye!¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± The doppelganger took the folder and began separating the papers. Ebenezer sat on his computer chair and began stewing over this latest offense. Knowing the teachers weren¡¯t on his side was nothing new. The boy always suspected that his instructors didn¡¯t care about him, and his suspension only confirmed it. But to have them completely disregard his efforts hurt. All of his hard work and they were just as ready to throw him to the wolves the moment it was convenient.


    ¡°Damn them all to Hell¡­¡± Ebenezer muttered, his voice a bit raspy as he fought the urge to cry. Any reservations he had were quickly forgotten as rage and spite quickly filled his mind. Tonight he would go out and make his villain persona, and tomorrow he¡¯d officially start his reign of terror!


    Yes! Tomorrow will be the day a new villain is born! Tomorrow Ebenezer will become a criminal! Tomorrow he¡¯ll¡­ he¡¯ll¡­ What exactly? It was one thing to commit yourself to an idea, it was another to have a plan of action. Would it be as simple as just committing crimes? That was an option but Ebenezer didn¡¯t want to be a villain just to break laws. He wanted revenge, but how what was the best way to get that?


    He could just beat up his enemies, but what good was that? Some bed rest or a stay in the hospital and they would be back out and ready to cause more misery in no time. Perhaps if Ebenezer made sure to maim them, hurt them in ways that can never truly heal¡­ Would that suffice?


    Ebenezer closed his eyes and imagined the scenario. He, a cruel and powerful villain, stands over the cowering form of Pery. He would beg for mercy only for Ebenezer to laugh in his face or angrily call him out for his hypocrisy. Then he would hurt him, beat him bloody with his new stick. When Pery was on the ground and could barely move, Ebenezer would grab his arms--the ones he uses to shove him around--and break them! No, that¡¯s too soft. Tear them off! Bite off the fingers or even crush them into-!


    Ebenezer tore himself out of the daydream as a spike of pure horror pierced his soul. Grabbing his head, the boy furiously shook it to chase away the images he conjured.


    ¡°No!¡± Ebenezer hissed out with a shaky breath. ¡°No¡­ Not that¡­ Definitely not that¡­¡± When the boy stopped shaking he made a mental note to add maiming to the list of lines not to cross. But if extreme violence was off the table, then what was on it? Ebenezer still wanted them to pay, still wanted to hurt them in some way, just not in a bloody way. What would that leave him with?


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to figure that out later¡­¡± Ebenezer confirm. ¡°For now I¡¯ll need my costume first.¡±


    Later that night, Ebenezer was once again flying across town, this time with an actual destination in mind. After looking up what kind of clothes would best be useful for what he had in mind, Ebenezer made a shopping list of what he¡¯d need for a proper disguise. His target was the local mall where Ebenezer could get several different items all in one spot.


    The boy in pigeon form landed on the roof of Poppytown¡¯s Central Mall and stayed there until everyone left. Ebenezer had no plans to purchase anything so he needed to make sure the building had closed up and nobody was around to stop him. Once the lights turned off and there wasn¡¯t anyone in the parking lot, Ebenezer made his move.


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    Turning from a pigeon to a cockroach, Ebenezer crawled through the roof vent, the boy scuttled through the air ducts until he found his first target. A grate leading over a sporting goods store. Ebenezer didn¡¯t bother checking for cameras, he was by no means a master thief and wouldn¡¯t know what to look for besides the security systems seen in movies. There was no way the boy wasn¡¯t going to be spotted as he committed his crime, so Ebenezer decided to use another approach.


    When Ebenezer shapeshifted, his clothes shifted with him. It was pretty handy since it meant that the boy didn¡¯t have to constantly change clothes when he shifted forms. It also meant any items he carried stayed with him, such as his phone and his new staff. Like Ruyi Jingu Bang, Ebenezer¡¯s weapon had the power to change its shape. Before coming here, the would-be villain shrunk the golden stick down to the size of a pen and stuffed it in his pocket, allowing it to be carried in his bird form along with with clothes.


    Changing from a cockroach into a chimpanzee, Ebenezer reached into his pocket and pulled out his staff. Another oddity about shapeshifting was that he didn¡¯t feel all that different from how he usually was. As a bird, Ebenezer¡¯s mind told him he was still human and was flapping his arms like a kid pretending to fly. The fact that he was physically small, had feathers and was actually flying didn¡¯t change that. He chalked that up to magic, and was able to use it to take out his weapon despite technically being a naked chimp.


    Ebenezer started smacking his staff against the grate. This probably wasn¡¯t the best method to break into a mall store, but this was the best one Ebenezer could come up with. Worst case scenario, someone came around to investigate, forcing the young thief to flee and try again another day.


    With each clang, Ebenezer''s anxiety grew. He must look like a caveman trying to break a rock with a stick, the fact that nobody could see him right now only diluted his self-loathing. So far the grate wasn¡¯t budging which made Ebenezer once again start to second guess everything, from his plans to become a villain to even getting out of bed that morning. But just as he was about to psyche himself up to retreat, he heard a metallic crack.


    The boy looked at his target and was shocked to see an indent in the metal that spread to one of the corners and knocked out a screw. Emboldened by this development, Ebenezer redoubled his efforts and the vent crashed onto the ground before he knew it.


    Acting fast, Ebenezer hid his staff and dropped into the sporting goods store as rummaged through the merchandise. He didn¡¯t bother being subtle or quiet, instead, he went with audacity for his cover. An animal wreaking havoc on a business was strange, but not Gifted strange. Even if the creature in question shouldn¡¯t be part of the local wildlife, it''s still in the category of ¡°Normal Problems¡± that Poppytown would prefer to deal with.


    There were devices out there designed to detect the use of magic or other such unnatural substances, but with the city¡¯s hatred of all things Gifted, including the machines meant to monitor them, it was a safe bet that the mall didn¡¯t have those.


    Ebenezer planned to use his chimpanzee form as a disguise, to befuddle any guard or manager that tries to figure out who stole things from their shops. Even if someone did realize that this random ape was connected to the new supervillain in town, it would be too late, and it should be impossible to link it back to Ebenezer Giroux.


    Rummaging through the racks of sports equipment, Ebenezer eventually finds what he is looking for. A gym bag. Specifically one that had a compartment specifically for sneakers. Ebenezer needed a bag to carry his clothes, and while he could have brought one from home, he felt it¡¯d be the smarter choice to grab something from the mall since he was going to steal stuff anyway.


    The next item on his list was running shoes, something that was made to move around in and could last for a while. The store had plenty of options, but since Ebenezer didn¡¯t know what qualities made for a good shoe, he just grabbed the most expensive pair he could find. People wouldn¡¯t make their products super costly without a reason, right?


    Before leaving, the chimp also grabbed a pair of insulated gloves, stuffed his stolen goods in his bag, and then jumped into the hole he made and went back to scouring the vents. His next targets were clothes that could hide his body while being relatively easy to move in. He raided a clothing store for a red hoodie, a black vest jacket, and a pair of jeans. The jeans weren¡¯t any different from his usual pair, but Ebenezer figured making sure every part of his villain costume didn¡¯t belong to his civilian identity was the smart way to do things.


    He also grabbed a crossbody bag that he¡¯d use as a makeshift sheathe for his staff. While it was possible to store his weapon in his pocket, Ebenezer could imagine that method taking too long when he only had seconds to react. Having his weapon on his back, ready to be pulled out should be quicker and more efficient. Plus, it would look cooler¡­


    The boy''s last stop would be at a party store. Halloween came and went but all Ebenezer needed was a mask. The kid scoured the rows of costume parts, looking at all sorts of masks, from political parodies to classic monsters, the shop he was in had a wide selection. Then Ebenezer found a mask that he liked. It was a simple comedy mask, but with the eyes and mouth being minuscule slits, giving its wearer a creepy smile. It was a perfect villain mask, and Ebenezer grabbed it without a second thought.


    With his last item stuffed in his bag, Ebenezer took one last look at his loot and the still-empty mall he was in. He kept waiting for some other shoe to drop. For something he didn¡¯t expect to happen, like a night guard showing up to try and grab the ape that stealing stuff.


    Nothing happened.


    Instead, Ebenezer jumped up into the vent and returned to the roof. No police helicopters, superheroes, or older villains waiting to tear him to pieces. The kid changed from an ape to a bird, this time an eagle to better carry his new stuff, and flew away. His first ever crime, done. Just like that.


    The butterflies in his stomach finally calmed down as he flew away, but that gave the boy no comfort. Ebenezer didn¡¯t feel joy or excitement over his first crime. If anything he felt nauseous, the way your body feels when you knew something bad was about to happen. Ebenezer felt like he had just crossed the point of no return, that he couldn¡¯t return to his normal life after this. It was a bit of an over-exaggeration. Stealing wasn¡¯t good, but even the most hardcore authoritarians would be hard-pressed to say he was a born criminal.


    The fact that he didn¡¯t feel good about his first step to villainy was a bit disheartening, but Ebenezer wasn¡¯t willing to quit yet. He flew up to the building where he previously hid. It wasn¡¯t the best place for a hideout, but it would work for now.


    Returning to his human form, Ebenezer started changing clothes. The cold night air nipping at his skin was a constant reminder that he was out in the open as he stripped down to his underwear. The location of his hiding spot should keep him away from any late-night prying eyes, but it still added to the kid¡¯s general anxiety.


    With quick and nervous hands, the boy pulled on his stolen clothes and dawned his mask. The boy didn¡¯t have much experience wearing a mask so he was surprised to see how easily he could see through it despite how small the eye area was. Then he got to work setting up his staff sheath. Positioning and resizing his weapon in the crossbody bag, Ebenezer then closed the sack, with the zipper holding the metal stick with minimal wiggle.


    Strapping the bag to his body, his costume change was complete. Ebenezer looked down at himself but only saw his body completely covered. He didn¡¯t feel like a villain, even as he looked at himself in his new clothes. Ebenezer was starting to worry about how he¡¯d come across to others, would he look like a child playing dress-up or a common thug? Would his plans be ruined if he was thought to be a simple criminal instead of a supervillain?


    Wanting a better look at himself, Ebenezer turned into a bird and flew down to the street. He hoped to find a mirror or a very reflective window to see all of him in his new villain attire. Flying into an alleyway, Ebenezer returned to his human form and slowly crept into the street. He snapped his head in every direction to make sure no one was around, then flipped up his hood for good measure.


    Stalking into the streets, Ebenezer looked around for some sort of reflective surface while also keeping an eye out for civilians. His mind was more focused on the people than his objective. The boy was not ready to come out as a villain and didn¡¯t want to deal with people just yet. Ebenezer hoped it was late enough at night not to run into someone, which was why the boy jumped out of his skin to suddenly see a masked hoodlum right next to him.


    Let out a cry that sounded like a drunkard making baboon noises, Ebenezer leaped back and pulled out his staff. He readied himself for a fight and saw the assailant had done the same, even pulling out his own metal stick. Then Ebenezer realized it was a shop window he was facing not a mugger. That was his reflection that scared him.


    After a moment of feeling mortified, Ebenezer put away his weapon and slowly approached the window. The midnight gloom made it difficult to see, but the street lights gave the boy enough light to see his image. Ebenezer stared at the masked man in front of him, the form that managed to scare its owner.


    Despite his doubts, Ebenezer had to admit that he was intimidating in his villain costume. It was simple and made only of casual clothes, but the mask made him look like a proper threat, especially as he stood silently in the dark. Would he have to stay quiet and only commit crimes in the night to be an effective villain, or was this enough for now?


    Ebenezer felt a bit better about his appearance but he still felt unsure of goals. The fact that he wasn¡¯t steadfast in his plans bothered the boy more than anything else, and it wasn¡¯t just because of his talk with Uncle Sunny. Shouldn¡¯t he feel excited to finally be striking back against the world that was so mean to him? Shouldn¡¯t he feel a sense of freedom from breaking the rules? Shouldn¡¯t he be treating this like some sort of adventure to branch out of his comfort zone?


    Ebenezer felt none of those emotions as he stared at himself in the window. While he liked his villain look, he couldn¡¯t help but feel like a child playing dress up. Would other people take him seriously? Would they fear him like he wanted to be feared? Would he be happy if they did? Questions that Ebenezer couldn¡¯t answer himself, but he might get a hint tomorrow


    Deciding he had enough of staring at himself, Ebenezer flew back to his hideout. There he changed back into his civilian clothes and returned home, making sure to hide the gym bag under the ventilation shaft. Ebenezer had an idea of how to start his path to villainy and who was first to be punished for making his life hell.


    The next morning, Ebenezer flew to his school. He was partially concerned about how his latest homework folder was being received. He gave his clone instructions to only turn in his homework while stapling a paper to the folder that explained away the missing assignments and delivering Ebenezer''s ultimatum. The boy had used a lot of vulgarity in giving this order, and while he hadn¡¯t read the paper the duplicate made, the fact it was only one page long meant he must¡¯ve at least paraphrased it.


    But Ebenezer was more focused on his mission, his first act as a proper villain. He decided to start his villainy by going after the easiest of motivations, revenge. But since just beating people up was out of the question Ebenezer needed to find other means of hurting his enemies. That would be difficult with his classmates, as other than their homework, the boy didn¡¯t have many means of striking back at them. But the adults he was angry at were another story.


    For as long as Ebenezer could remember, his father had threatened him and Thor with beatings if they so much as smudged his car. Ebenezer didn¡¯t know why, while his knowledge about cars was limited, he knew Menelaus¡¯ ride was neither an old vintage model nor a top-of-the-line sports car. Eventually, the boy would realize the simple truth that no matter how bland or unappealing a vehicle looks, they are expensive.


    As a bird, Ebenezer flew to the school parking lot, several hours before the doors opened, and perched in a tree where he waited and watched. When the cars showed up and started piling into the driveway, Ebenezer paid close attention to who was getting out and what car they were driving. He was looking for one specific person right now, but if this method worked, he might try it again later.


    Finally, he saw his target, stepping out of a pristine white car with a scowl already on her face. Ms. Albert walked into school already looking to tear someone¡¯s head off. Lucas had no idea why someone would willingly start the day in such a sour mood, but Lucas didn¡¯t know anything about the teacher¡¯s personal life. To be frank, he didn¡¯t care about her circumstances. If Ms. Albert was going to label him a delinquent over one bad day, he wouldn¡¯t show her any leniency.


    Ebenezer sat and waited a couple more hours for all the faculty and students to enter the school building. When the parking lot was empty, and Ebenezer was certain there wouldn¡¯t be any stragglers, he put his plan into motion.


    Jumping from his tree hideout, Ebenezer flew into a bush to fully cover himself for his next reveal. He wasn¡¯t sure how well the outside of the school was monitored so he needed at least some cover for this next part.


    Ebenezer took a few deep breaths to steel his resolve. This moment would probably be the point of no return for him. Stealing was one thing, but this would be targeted and malicious. Just like with his theft, Ebenezer¡¯s heart and stomach seemed ready to tear themselves out of his body to get away from this place. But this time, the boy was more determined to see this through. Ms. Albert was ready to tear Ebenezer¡¯s world apart, so he¡¯d need to give her something else to worry about.


    With one last deep breath, Ebenezer shifted into the largest animal that lives in Wyoming. He wanted something that could cause a lot of damage but would be something that would be found in the state; a safety precaution in case anyone was looking into a chimpanzee thief. Ebenezer was shocked to find out what the biggest local animal was, but it was a nice surprise.


    Ebenezer rushed out of the bushes, now in the body of an adult Bison, charging straight for Ms. Albert¡¯s car. He rammed his horns into the hood, bending the metal and forcing the vehicle to lurch backward. He heard the sound of glass shattering and multiple car alarms started going off. Ebenezer winced but kept going.


    He climbed to the top of the car, making sure to stomp his hooves into the metal to do as much internal damage as possible. When he was on the roof, the boy jumped in place, using his weight to crush the top and force the interior to cave in.


    His first attack had pushed Ms. Albert¡¯s car into the one behind it. Ebenezer felt a pang of guilt knowing he was causing damage to other people¡¯s property but he shrugged it off. He wasn¡¯t angry at all of his teachers, but like all bystanders, they shared some of the responsibility for his pain.


    Jumping onto the other car, Ebenezer used his horn to dig into Ms. Albert¡¯s trunk and shoved it forward into the empty part of the parking lot. Once Ebenezer cleared enough space for his bison form to comfortably step off the other car, that¡¯s when he noticed the shrieking. Looking up he saw a group of adults, no doubt the school staff, watching in awe as this random Bison went to town on someone¡¯s car. In front of the group was the owner of said car, Ms. Albert.


    She was gripping her hair, looking ready to tear it out. Her eyes were wide with horror, but her mouth was open wider, letting out a screech that was slightly less high-pitched than nails on a chalkboard. The sight of his science teacher in clear anguish finally gave Ebenezer the rush of exhilaration he was waiting for.


    In a swift motion, and with more power than a bison should probably have, Ebenezer hooked his horns underneath the car and used them to flip the car over. Ebenezer couldn¡¯t see the car fly, but he heard the loud crash as the hit the ground, hood first. The renewed screeching coming from Ms. Albert told the villain he had completed his mission.


    Ebenezer took a moment to admire his handiwork. The car was resting upside down on the parking lot while learning to one side thanks to the crushed roof. Bits of metal and machinery were jutting from the bottom of the car showing off the interior damage Ebenezer managed to inflict. A glance at the victim showed Ms. Albert on her knees, practically frothing at the mouth.


    Once Ebenezer seared the image into his mind, he turned and ran back into the bushes. The nearby patch of green wasn¡¯t enough to fully hide Ebenezer¡¯s Bison form but it obscured the boy enough for him to quickly shift from a bovine to a canine. Anyone trying to keep an eye on the fleeing bison will have a hard time keeping track of him through the foliage. And if they did but found themselves staring at a dog, they¡¯ll think they somehow lost track of the bison before thinking that the two animals are the same creature.


    As a dog, Ebenezer sprinted down the street, passing by stunned bystanders before ducking into the nearest ally. After taking a moment to ensure he wasn¡¯t being followed, Ebenezer switched to a bird and flew back to the scene of the crime. Perching on top of the roof, Ebenezer watched the aftermath of his rampage.


    Various teachers and faculty members were strewn about the parking lot, trying to figure out what happened and examine the damages. He looked at the pained faces of those whose cars were damaged, but the real show came from Ms. Albert. Looking like an escaped mental asylum patient, she paced around the ruined husk of her car while muttering to herself.


    If anyone tried to talk to her she¡¯d snap and screech at them until they ran off. One coworker tried to talk her down, which sent the woman into a hysterical rant that only ended when one of her flailing limbs smacked into the wreckage, sending Ms. Albert to the ground, clutching her damaged hand and letting out a loud stream of inappropriate swears. It was at that moment that Ebenezer did something he hadn¡¯t done in a long time.


    He giggled.


    The sight of his hated teacher losing her mind over what he did filled him with such joy that he couldn¡¯t help but laugh. There was a toxic quality to the mirth he felt, there was no denying that. But at that moment, Ebenezer couldn¡¯t care less. He felt good. Yes it came from the suffering of another, but that person hurt him first, so they got what they deserved.


    Ebenezer took off and flew back home, still chuckling at the memory of the screaming Ms. Albert.


    ¡®Maybe being a villain won¡¯t be so bad after all,¡¯ he thought.