Starcraft Fan Fiction ❯ Interstellar Explorers ❯ Whατ Αcτυαllγ Ηαρρεηεd ( Chapter 12 )

Thanks for favoriting NeWBeE. This chapter is longer than the others but necessary for the plot. What actually happened...

~ Whατ Αcτυαllγ Ηαρρεηεd ~

Nolan Keller understood that jealousy was a petty thing, but he was a petty guy. If he looked back at all the squabbles and contests with this particular friend he might discover that the root of it all was his own jealousy. It didn't matter, because she crossed the line. Nolan was probably at his lowest low because a girl beat him up in public and made him cry. He'd never been so humiliated and he never hated himself more than he did now. Nolan was a weak and timid pushover while Juno had always been brave and strong. A group of teenage girls was often rife with drama, and it seemed to be especially the case with theirs. Nolan was the only boy in their gang of seven, and even though they'd known each other since the Stem he was sure it was the reason he was the most left out. He was sure they all considered him a tag-along, and that they all talked about him behind his back. He couldn't place the thought, but Nolan just felt like when he walked over they were always talking about him. Everyone seemed to be talking about him.

Yet even though little sparks and friction were started and then resolved by all the members, Nolan felt compelled to challenge Juno. She was like his rival-friend, he guessed. Or she had been before she hit him a few times and Nolan decided he hated her. This hate seared him to his core and it was unlike anything Nolan had felt before. It was like all the inner loathing he'd harboured his whole life was now being redirected and it was freeing in a sense. Now all that was left was what to do about it. Nolan was jealous of Juno because she represented everything he wanted to be: strong, outgoing, beautiful and witty. They'd started one of their common feuds over something trivial that no one cared about, and Nolan honestly didn't even remember. It was probably about Juno's boyfriend. When she started dating some random hot guy it was too much for Nolan's inferiority complex. He was small and unlikeable, hideous really. With his thin stature, pale skin, child-like features and short black hair he was sure no boy would ever take an interest in him. Certainly not one like Milo.

Ever since Juno started dating that guy and introducing him to the group Nolan simply refused to be around them. He'd point blank turn away if he saw them approaching, the six girls had grown to accept his childishness over the course of the two years they were dating. Nolan doubted this Milo boy even knew who he was or that he was a part of the group, even if just a tag-along. Juno was fearless and independent while Nolan was the boy who ran to his room while alone in the dorms because he thought he was being chased by his own shadow. Nolan got bullied too, but if people had known he was a psionic they would have left him alone. But Nolan kept that a secret to most people. He let the other boys beat him up while they called him a 'fag', if only a little. Then afterwards he would make them kiss and touch him before erasing their memories if they were susceptible enough. When things started falling out between Juno and Milo, Nolan only found himself getting more angry. If he were the one dating a boy like him, Nolan would do anything he could to make him happy. But no one was going to date him so he mind-controlled Milo into letting Nolan touch him instead.

Milo was a good kisser, and Nolan made sure they were making out when Juno accidentally found them. Whoops. It would have been great if a cool guy like Milo had left Juno, with all the things she had going for her including gender, to be with her gay friend. Juno had been shocked and simply ran away. They were going to break up anyway, but Nolan guessed that might have been what officially caused it? Oh well, he erased Milo's memory afterwards. Now had Juno not known about Nolan's powers that would have been really sweet, but since she did she came to her senses later and publicly beat him up. A few hits and Nolan was down, crying on the floor while people watched with shock and laughter. Nolan got beat up by a girl and then fled with tears in his eyes. The rage he felt was insurmountable, Juno was going to pay. Secretly Nolan had tested his powers on all his friends, only in subtle ways to detect how susceptible each of them was. He knew he could control Juno. He made sure to sneak into the girl's dorm that night. If he was caught he'd be in big trouble for breaking one of the MCA's rules, but he managed to divert the paths of walkers-by with his psychic gift. Juno was in the bathrooms fixing her ponytail in the mirror.

Nolan peeked through the crack in the door. Another girl was in there too but they weren't speaking, Nolan could read her mind like a shallow pond. Slowly the door creaked open and the other girl froze before making her way robotically to the exit. Juno turned to watch her vanish through the opening door and past an approaching figure. There was just enough time for recognition to cross her face before Nolan raised his hand and put her under his spell. Nolan was no stranger to breaking rules. Juno and him had often sneaked back to the Stem when they were younger to explore the intimidating factories that kept the spacecraft running. Nolan had always been terrified of the grinding gears, pounding hammers and moving belts. The two would test their bravery by seeing how far down into the sub-levels they were willing to go. Juno always won. This time however she would go farther than either of them had ever gone before. Nolan watched with a wicked smirk as she walked ahead of him. They went through the latch in the teacher's dorms at midnight, deep down into the mechanical underbelly. It was dark except for the pale blue luminescence of the distant nuclear core and the orange patches of light from smelting metal.

Nolan watched as Juno climbed the railing of their platform and then dropped onto the conveyor belt several metres below. She cried out in pain and snapped out of his control, Juno rolled over and cradled her legs. Nolan watched in fascination. Today marked a day where he wouldn't let people step over or abuse him anymore. No longer would he be the victim, Nolan would stand up for himself even if it meant other people had to suffer. He'd had enough. Juno writhed a bit as she approached the oncoming metal pressers. They were meant to crush down the chemical residue that came from one of the reactions to do with maintaining the Atrium Dome's biosphere, now it would be used in Juno's tragic suicide. No one had ever killed themselves in the MCA, although a few died in the arenas. It was still plausible, she'd just broken up with her boyfriend of two years after all. Nolan looked away as Juno was pulled under the giant hammers. There was a petrified scream followed by one of agony with the next resonating pound. Whoops, Nolan guessed she wasn't completely under the presser when it dropped. Oh well, her pain would be over shortly. He almost felt bad but justice had to be done. Instead of hearing the next pound Nolan heard a grinding guttural stop followed by someone else's scream of horror.

Nolan whipped over to the ledge and saw Paige scrambling over to their friend. She'd followed them and she shut off the machine! Juno lay in her own blood still screaming, her left arm completely ruined. Nolan's heart started pounding in his chest as the terror took over. He couldn't control Paige and there was no way he could physically stop her without getting caught. Turning tail he decided to run.

Days after the incident Juno was hospitalised and in a stable condition. No one had come for Nolan but he knew they were all aware of what he'd done, and tried to do. Surely enough Nolan awoke in the middle of the night to a dark presence in his bedroom. He sat up in his bed to see horrible angry eyes, there were multiple apparitions in his room full of vicious intent. Nolan was so scared that he actually pissed himself. He'd been a very timid person, his paranoid mind kept him anxious even when no one was around him but now... The following weeks were very difficult to deal with. Nolan didn't sleep and his mental health was debilitating. He was constantly jumping and shaking, the ghosts would sometimes throw things around his room and Nolan would find scratches and marks on his body. He never thought Willow would break her own rule about her power but maybe if Nolan could explain they would see Juno was the one who took things too far. All Nolan wanted was retribution, but he was starting to feel guilty about how everything had gone down. He needed to do something about his haunting, this fear was slowly killing him. As it happened Willow was the one who finally approached.

"Don't you have anything to say to any of us? You fucking worm!" her eyes were hostile and Nolan stepped off the trolley hesitantly. Willow was the reasonable friend they all depended on to keep their volatile group together. Yet she glared at him with such hate and Nolan could feel the dozens of evil figures standing around them with their collective intent.

"I'm sorry!" Nolan tried with exasperation. "What do you want me to say? I went too far! Nothing I can say will cover this, you just don't know what it's like being me."

"No excuses could make this right! Juno is the one that deserves your apology!"

Nolan bit back his retort, he was regretful sure... but he couldn't stomach the thought of apologising to Juno. After all she'd started this by hurting him without thinking about his mental health.

"It's hard growing up, Willow." Nolan tried desperately and could feel tears coming with his shakes "I think it's especially hard for me, I don't know why. I think I'm broken."

"It's always excuses with you! Our friendship is dead, Nolan. None of us wants anything to do with you anymore! You're a sociopath!"

"Alright! Alright! Maybe you're right! I can accept it if you guys hate me... but stop using your power! I can't control you so you win, Willow!"

"This isn't a game you sick fuck. You get what you deserve." she flicked her red hair back as she turned away from him and Nolan recoiled. "Paige is building Juno a new arm as we speak. As soon as she gets out of the nurse's station she's coming for you. Enjoy your last days alive until then." the spirits parted for her and then converged on Nolan.

He could feel them attacking every negative aspect of himself in a chorus of malicious chanting. They dug at all his weaknesses and paranoia, Nolan shrunk down into a ball of weakness and understood that he would have to do whatever he could to stop this before these spirits made him end his life. It was true that Nolan couldn't control other psionics but from what Willow had explained in their extra lessons together he felt he understood enough about how her skill worked. He waited for Willow's guard to be lowered. When she was asleep that night he forced his control onto her with all his strength, almost breaking his fragile mind and causing a nose bleed in the process. Once the evil spirits stopped their assault it was like a veil had been lifted. The guilt, fear and madness departed in an instant. All of these feelings had been amplified and were going to drive him over the edge! With the fog around his mind cleared Nolan felt his rage return. The angry spirits were quite happy to be directed at the one who'd controlled them against their will for several weeks. In his fury Nolan turned Willow's psychic power against her from outside her bedroom window. The constant voices of the spirits she'd told him about became shrieks of rage intensified by her own ability, there was a mighty roar before... silence. Nolan was expelled from her brain with a snap and fell back onto the grass. A continuous scream pierced the night and several lights of the girls' dormitory building started flicking on. Nolan got to his feet and started running.

After one month Juno was out of the hospital and Nolan had never felt better. It didn't matter that he didn't have any friends, after his false spell of depression he was on top of the world. He even controlled a few boys and had sex with them. Everything was going well because now he was given a fresh start. He felt like a new man, someone who was prepared to stand up for himself instead of letting things slide. Now all of them would take him seriously, he hadn't heard a peep from any of the girls or from Willow's troubling spirits. He guessed she knew to fear him now. When Juno was let out the first thing she did was find Nolan. He saw her approaching with her new shiny limb and murder in her eyes. Everyone else moved away and watched nervously. Nolan was anxious but didn't run, if she tried something he could always just control her...

"The arena." she stated simply. "Now."

Nolan blinked at her in surprise. Lauren and Sayuri came running over.

"Wait Juno!" Lauren warned "Don't do anything that'll get you suspended!"

"You fucking sicko!" Sayuri had forgotten about their friend and started glaring daggers at Nolan while she shook with emotion. It was the first time he'd spoken with either of his friends in so long, he sighed a little before turning to their leader.

"You want to fight me? To the death, Juno?"

"What are you fucking deaf?" Juno yelled "Like Willow, does it make you feel better to know you've fucked over both of us?"

"I'm not letting anyone get away with hurting me anymore," Nolan stated quietly. "Both of you got in my way first."

"Are we going to the arena or do I have to drag you there?"

"Okay fine," if it was the two of them alone in the arena Juno wouldn't stand a chance against Nolan's powers. He guessed her anger was getting the better of her.

"Are you crazy?" Lauren demanded. Sayuri didn't remove her hurt glare from Nolan while her friend continued "Let the school deal with what he's done."

"The academy agreed to this," Juno didn't shift her gaze from Nolan either "I can take him."

"Let's go then," Nolan spat.

There were four main domes surrounding the Atrium in the centre, the Training Dome was one of them and held many stylised arenas where important tests and exams were taken. It was also where students battled after it was agreed grudges could not be settled in any other way. Nolan couldn't think of a better setting for his final fight with Juno. This time he wasn't going to lose to her, and he was going to finish what he started. The two of them accompanied by a crowd of excited witnesses took a trolley ride to the Training Dome. They picked the first unoccupied training field, it wasn't especially grand but Juno was kind of in a hurry. They took their places on a wide straw mat while everyone gathered, Lauren and Sayuri had been calling for Juno to reconsider but both of the combatants had blocked them out by now. A male student took charge and called for the fight to begin, Juno leapt into action. She finally let loose and sprinted at him full of vengeance. Nolan didn't know if the others were going to step in but he decided that now was the time to end their feud. He outstretched his arm and Juno fought his control but she wasn't strong enough. Her strong metal arm raised when her legs came to a stop. She gripped it with her human hand but its strength wasn't enough. Juno's metal thumb stuck out and then was driven into her left eye. The jelly burst and with a scream she was sent to her knees.

Nolan walked over with his new-found confidence. She'd underestimated him. Everyone had underestimated Nolan all his life but now they were all going to watch as he showed them the truth. He was strong. Nolan couldn't help approaching the whimpering girl, he made sure to keep an eye on the others in case they jumped in.

"I guess you had to learn the hard way, Juno," Nolan loved this situation and the confidence in his voice. He was as cool as he imagined himself to be in his dreams "An ordinary doesn't stand a chance against a psionic." but as strong as Nolan momentarily thought he was, Juno was stronger. He didn't know if she was suddenly able to overcome her pain or if she'd been faking all along, but suddenly Juno launched at him with an uppercut that dislocated his jaw and knocked out a front tooth. Her feint had worked and Nolan was too surprised to react. Juno was on her feet and working him with her fists, both of them. With each punch from her metal limb Nolan felt new bones breaking. Through the blood in his vision he could see the hatred on her face, and the hole in one of her eye sockets spilling blood. She knocked him to the ground and then gripped his ankle, Nolan cried out as the bone snapped and he was then thrown through the air and into the mat, shattering his ribs. He was going to die, it was impossible for him to heal from all these injuries. Nolan could feel himself internally bleeding in multiple places. Juno didn't stop until Nolan's entire skeleton was in tatters. His consciousness was flickering on and off, he did recall being held up by the collar and pleading for his life while Juno held her metal fist threateningly.

She hesitated and turned away, looking at the other five girls who were all watching on in horror. With a final look of disgust and pity, Juno dropped Nolan and simply walked away. The darkness moved in to claim him.

Dun dun duuuun! How did this chapter make you feel? Has your take on their situation changed? I crave your feedback!