LINKERS

Strenght (2)

Chapter 2: Strength (2)

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“I’m really sorry you had to see that kids…” Dr. Lincht a short man dressed mostly in black, with a gray turtleneck that set him apart. It was obvious he was a Master upon laying eyes on him. He wore a vest with the school’s insignia on it, it took form of a snake wrapped around an apple, symbolic of something they didn’t really know off.

“I’m the one who should apologize! I shouldn’t have came so early!” Dante being the kind soul he was decided to lower his head as much if not more than his professor did in his presence.

“Are you really going to say sorry like a good little dog? He’s the one that’s doing something inappropriate in the classroom.” Sora chimed in with a grunt that made it obvious he was angry.

“Shut up Sora!” Dante insisted as he grabbed the man’s head and lowered it along with his won.

“Ugh… whatever…” Sora clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction as he rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. Soon enough both of them stood up again.

The woman that had been doing that favor to the professor didn’t interrupt as if she knew it wasn’t her place to do so. She was dressed in a long white dress that covered her from her ankles to the top of her neck, with long sleeves that had frills at the end of them. Her hair put in a polite ponytail, her chestnut hair swayed carefully from the wind that came from the window behind her.

“Are you two Linkers?” Dr. Licht asked while he c****d his head to the side as if something wasn’t right.

“Yes, sir!” Dante enthusiastically agreed.

“What of it?” Sora interrupted with a glare his way.

“It just seems your energies are not aligned, I’ve never seen a pair like yours so disruptive to each other’s existence.” Dr. Licht remarked while watching the two, he couldn’t help but feel like something was amiss. Like something didn’t quite make sense when it came to these two.

Dante seemed eager to explain. “Well, you see that may be because-”

“You don’t need to tell him our entire family history!” Sora interrupted him with a strong voice, his anger evident all the more.

“Sora, why are you so grumpy all of a sudden?” Dante paused as he turned towards his friend who’s hands were now stuffed into his pockets. His back was slouched.

“I just hate teachers like that… you call yourself an educator but were doing dirty stuff in the classroom, first day of our lectures. You don’t get to talk all high and mighty towards me.” Sora explained while glaring up at his professor. The way he looked at him you’d think the man had committed a grave crime.

“I see… you’re the type that hates being bossed around.” Dr. Licht nodded his head in understanding. None of this seemed to come as a surprise to him other than the initial shock of being seen in a compromising position by his students.

“Hmp!” Sora huffed and puffed while looking away from him. He didn’t agree nor disagree with the man’s statement.

“And you’re the type that follows the rules a bit too strictly… I may be impressed with you both.” Dr. Licht turned his attention to Dante who stood firm with his back erect and his eyes glimmering still despite what had happened.

“Hm? Sir, we haven’t done anything noteworthy, yet…” Dante tilted his head to the side in wonder. He couldn’t quite grasp the man’s thought process.

Dr. Licht stood there for a moment. “Is that so? Even though in that second your souls clicked with each other… although in opposite directions.” He remarked while thinking the two already knew this about themselves.

“What does that mean?” Dante asked politely.

“Never mind my boring introduction, let’s start class since more students are coming along earlier than expected…” Dr. Licht shook his head, noticing the rest of the class arriving, he decided to cut out some unimportant parts of his last minute planned lecture.

“Hey Sora… what do you think the teacher meant just now?” Dante asked as he headed to their seats, they chose ones on the third row near the desk.

“Like I care… he’s a deadbeat after all.” Sora remarked as he slouched and slumped down into his seat upon getting there.

“Students, I may not look it but I too am one of a pair of Linkers… This is my weapon, Cassandra.” Dr. Licht commanded the attention of the room. Everyone turned to look at him and then at the beautiful woman.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you all.” Cassandra finally spoke, her first words since the two had entered the room.

Dr. Licht nodded and continued with a straightforward no nonsense tone of voice. “She is also my wife… she became a weapon after a tragic incident. She was in a car crash, throughout the rubble, she called me and I managed to arrive on the scene.” Suddenly his words were grim butt his voice didn’t shift not once.

“Why is he telling us all this? Like it matters how she became his weapon…” Sora clicked his tongue loudly and showed his dissatisfaction openly. He wasn’t one to hide his true feelings. Meanwhile Dante sat there ever so polite and stared straight ahead, following the teacher’s every move.

Dr. Licht walked back and forth while speaking, his gestures and movements were a bit slow and his mannerisms showed a bit of regret in every next word. “I managed to break open the window on the opposite side of the car and grab Cassandra out of it before an explosion occurred, however… she already had an injury to her abdomen that couldn’t be fixed…” Words that felt like they penetrated the younger student’s ears…

“Skilful professionals attempted to save her life but nothing worked, her organs couldn’t be replaced and that same day several hours later, her body was giving out. It seemed like she was holding onto life with sheer will…” Holding back he gulped down the saliva that had piled up in his mouth. His eyes looked a bit watery but he didn’t cry.

“Until… Honey… would you like to continue?” Dr. Licht turned around towards Cassandra whom without hesitation stepped in front of him and spoke with an equally eloquent voice.

“I laid there in the hospital bed, wanting to continue living beside my lover. We had met from an early age, and we grew up together. We’d promised to spend our lives with each other… so I couldn’t give up… I held onto him for as long as I could before I closed my eyes finally succumbing to the numbing pain I felt… Then I reawakened…” Those simple words, a quick recollection of events, yet it felt impactful. Because as they spoke the students felt like they could hear and see the screams and the crash happening in front of them…

Auditory Visualization… it was a technique that only the most skilled of Linkers could do. It turned their words into their meaning… The cries of agony that the others within the crash had experienced, the gut wrenching pain and everything that came with it, the smell, the loud ambulance sound and the flashing red lights… Everything they could feel it, although they didn’t understand how…

“Her strong emotions, the feeling of attachment to life manifested themselves in her spirit and she began her afterlife in a form different, separate of her own body.” Dr. Licht continued in a solemn voice, the image of the hospital and the systems that were attached to his wife, that clear image was created thanks to their technique that brought their story to life…

“Booooring! We know exactly how a Weapon is created! There’s no need to explain it to us like we’re toddlers!” Sora spoke with a grouchy voice and interrupted the technique, his loudness made it impossible for the teacher to continue…

They lost focus… many students turned to glare at Sora who ignored them wholeheartedly. Meanwhile Dante felt apologetic and began giving out pitiful looks towards his fellow classmates.

“I see… you all here probably have Linkers as well. So better than anyone you all know these brimming emotions, right?” Dr. Licht didn’t seem to be angry at the sudden interruption. What’s more he seemed to be welcoming it with open arms.

“Of course!” Sora remarked while leaning back with his chair. “I don’t need a pointless lecture like this one to tell me things I already know.” He continued, not minding the numerous gazes that fell onto him one after another.

“Sora, that’s enough, don’t ruin this for me…” Dante warned him with a pleading look.

“Don’t tell me what to do.” Sora retorted while glaring at his friend. Dante felt a sense of panic run down his spine, he didn’t want to be kicked out of the special class just because of this…

“Dante, Sora, come to the front, I want you two to be a part of the demonstration I will do now.” Suddenly Dr. Licht called out for them and they stood up almost at the same time.

“Look what you did! Now we’re going to get scolded.” Dante remarked in a quiet whisper he was both angry and annoyed.

“He said it’s a demonstration, weren’t you listening at all?” Sora scoffed as he moved out of his seat and with his hands shoved within his pockets. Dante walked in front of him as it was customary for the master to have it’s weapon in the back to protect them…