September, 2011

  Their calculus teacher Mr. Lyle was expining the equation on the dry-erase board, but Collin was barely paying attention as he g the clock. He had on grey camo pants, a Doom Patrol graphic-t, Nike sneakers, and a grey camo jacket with the Brazil fg on it.

  When everybody finished writing down notes Mr. Lyle wrote another equation and told them to solve it. Collin lowered his head and scribbled in his notebook. His childhood friend Helena was in this css too and after school they were gonna hang out again. After talking with his dad and doing a little research Collin finally made a decision.

  13 mier, he jogged over to his locker to grab his walkman. There was one more css Collin had to go to before school was over. He punched in the bo to his locker and quickly looked inside, sitting oop shelf was an e CD pyer and headphones.

  "Don't do it!" said a voibsp;

  All of a sudden Collin feels something hard smato his face. He is shoved to the ground as a force smmed into his stomach making him cough. The person that attacked him was a ginger and he looked furious.

  "What's your problem?" Collin blurted out as the crowd cheered.

  He saw the guy go for his throat and quickly yahe student's arm. A girl that was watg the fight looked extremely embarrassed. This made the giumble and Collin was able to avoid getting choked, but the guy headbutted him. He tasted blood and kicked the guy into the lockers.

  There was a shout. "Break it up!"

  An hour ter, Collin and Hele school. They drove around town in their vehicles as Collin's nose winced in pain. After several mihey arrived at a antebellum mansion. He parked his motorcycle in the driveway behind Helena's pink and bck Ferrari.

  "I don't know how you did it," Collin said as he touched his bruised nose. "But thanks for handling that situation with the principal."

  Helena shook her head and fiddled with her fancy e ring. "Don't mention it and I'm really sorry about, Travis. We use to date and he be really jealous."

  "Oh," he gazed at the mansion. "Was that the same guy I saw you talking with in the cafeteria?"

  "Yes," his friend expined. "I was also talking with another Ex, we were able to stay friends."

  "That girl?" Collin guessed.

  Helena nodded. "Her name is Katherine. I guess you could say I'm Pansexual."

  "Before we go inside I ask you a serious question?" He announced. If it's somewhat true he had to know, what if her brother snaps again and Heles hurt.

  His friend stared at him. "Sure thing."

  "Um, what kind of person is your brother? I heard a rumor that he did something terrible 6 years ago," Collin spoke his words carefully.

  A few seds passed before Helena answered. "Casper be a little overbearing, but he didn't murder those people. One of the victims was found near his cafe and the police thought it was foulpy. However, there was no evidence pointing to my brother."

  Collin nodded. "Thanks for being ho with me. Uhh, so, where is your brother?"

  "Sleeping," Helena crossed her arms. "He works the nightshift and his cafe is out of town."

  When they went inside Collin noticed a bunch of artifacts and a family portrait. The mansion was fancy with old Victorian stuff, he had no idea the Jeagers were Richie Rich. "All of this is pretty cool. Is your pet bunny, around?"

  "You remember Otto," Helena smiled at that.

  He frowned and touched his head. "Yeah, weird?"

  "Otto is," his friend paused and then tinued. "Otto is gone."

  "Sorry to hear that," Collin said as he picked up a tribal mask.

  "It's alright," Helena reassured before walking into the den. "We do homework or just hang out?"

  15 mier, they sat in the den with the TV down low ao a stack of ics. He was reading Static Shock while Helena read Wolverihe show that ying was an old sit called: Buffy The Vampire Syer.

  "Do you think I get your mom's name and number on a jersey?" Helena asked. "Trad Field sounds hard."

  "No problem," Collin expined. "I thiill have some jerseys in a box at home."

  "Any favorite bands?" His friend tossed the ic book on the floor.

  "Not really," he expined. "But I like Folk Musid Hip-Hop. You?"

  Helena smiled at him. "The bands I like are Kreen Day, and Evanesbsp;What career do you want?"

  "I guess I wanna be an athlete and py in the NFL," Collin said without thinking. "What about you?"

  "An apothecary or a surgeon," Helena replied. "What do your siblings do?"

  Colliated because he didn't wanna say too much about his family situation. "Um, my older brother is a STEM major and my older sister is maj in Early Childhood Development."

  "Wow," Helena said. "Okay, did you ever ask your dad the name of the movie he's w on?"

  "The Social Butterfly Effect," he told her. "It's a supernatural-mystery." Just then something hissed aurned. Slithering into the room was a giant snake as Collin quickly stood up.

  "Stay calm," Helena warned a over to hug the shis is our pet python, Marq."

  He nodded and stepped closer. "Is it friendly?"

  "You know I should really put him ba his tank," his friend ughed. "He's not supposed to be out if we have guests over. Be right back."

  Collin stood there for a minute before leaving the den. There were a ton of artifacts here and he didn't get to see all of them. Was Helena's parents travelers? How did they die?

  Suddenly, he got a headache as a hazy memory flooded his mind. Collin only met them ond they gave him a toy? A stuffed tiger. When the pain stopped he opened his eyes.

  "They really miss you," Collin whispered before wandering off.

  He saw old paintings, vases, crystals, miniature vehicles and castles, bongos, neckces, shields, an acoustic guitar, small statues, vinyl records, a saxophone, helmets, and old books. That's when Collin noticed a sword with symbols stu a stone. He smirked and walked over to it, the knights of the round table was a tale known throughout history. A poor boy finds a magic sword and bees king with a fun wizard by his side.

  "King Arthur? Sounds fun, maybe I should try?" Collin ughed and grabbed the hilt of the sword. Suddenly, a pop-up s appeared infront of him with text.

  [ The Knight System

  Greetings, Champion!

  After sing your DNA and life experience we deem you patible for the Jaeger Family Sword. Rejoice worthy champion for this is a blessing! Do you accept? ]

  "Woah! Is this AI or something?" he let go of the sword and the pop-up s vanished. "How dope is that."

  Gazing at the sword Collin put his hand on the hilt again. The pop-up s reappeared with a yes or no under do you accept. Will he see a battle se or maybe it will let him type his initials in like a highscore? Collin pressed the yes button and the words ged to synizing as 5% loaded in the bar below. 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%. Wheried to move his hand it wouldn't budge and that made him panic. 70%, 75%, 80%.

  "THUMP!"

  It came from upstairs. Collin tried yelling for help...but no words came out as the bar reached 100%. Suddenly, the stone cracked as he pulled out the glowing sword. For a moment Collin was stunned and then he heard footsteps.

  Helena appeared and when she saw what he was holding she freaked out. "Oh my God! Collin, are you okay? No, no, no, this wasn't supposed to happen like this. I nning to tell you ter."

  "About what?" Collin finally dropped the sword as his body shook.

  "Everything...don't freak out, okay?" his friend backed up and started to morph. Helena grew horns, fangs, a tail, and rge bat wings as she flew into the air.

  He colpsed on his butt and spoke. "That's awesome! You fly?"

  "I'm half-human and half-succubus," Helena expined with a blush and nded on her feet. She walked over to Collin and offered him a hand.

  Collin took it and got up, he the doicked up the sword. Things were making less and less sense by the minute. But for some reason he wasn't scared anymore as he looked Helena in the eye. "Um, what's with this sword?"

  "That sword is a family heirloom," said a sleepy voice. A pale man with blue hair came dowairs dressed in all bd holding a bottle of wine. He khis was Casper because the guy also had horns and a tail. "It's o see you again our little maverick."

  "As I was saying," Helena interrupted her brother. "Mavericks are humans chosen by a family's heirloom. When you agreed you became my family's champion and because of that you were given a blessing: The Knight System. But I hought I would see you again. When my brother told me you were returning I was so happy."

  "But how'd he know that?" Collin asked.

  "Casper practices divination," his friend fessed. "I'm sorry, do you know what that means?"

  He g the siblings. "Yea, it's like seeing the future."

  "I'm impressed," Casper smirked.

  Collin lifted the sword in his hand. "So, do I have powers?"

  "Yes," Helena answered with a smile. "Just think about your stats and a pop-up s will appear."

  "My stats?" he frowned as a windoeared infront of him with text.

  [ Name: Collin Saint Rex

  Race: Human

  Sex: Male

  Blood type: AB +

  Title: Maveribsp;

  Css: Knight

  Level: D

  Training Points: 0

  Stats:

  Stamina: 1,000/1,000

  Endurance: 90/150

  Strength: 90/150

  Intelligence: 95/150

  Agility & Speed: 90/150

  Special Abilities:

  Telekinesis: 0/100

  Healing: 0/100

  TrueSight: 0/100

  Sword Teiques:

  Dash Ssh

  Shadow Wolf Blitz

  LOCKED

  LOCKED

  LOCKED ]

  Collin grinned whe done reading. "Sweet, I have telekinesis!"

  "Alright," Casper said as he pulled a rge crystal outta his pocket and tossed it at Collin. "There's a lot you still don't know yet and that's fine. My sister and I are royalty and that crystal is a teleportation stone. You'll be able to stay in tact with us."

  Helena hugged him.

  23 mier, Collin and Helena arrived at his house with Casper. There was a green mustang in the driveway and when they walked i was quite. He brought Helena and Casper here because he wahem to meet his dad. This was a crazy day and they all promised to keep it a secret.

  "Hey dad, I'm home!" Collin shouted.

  There was movement as a door opened upstairs. His dad strolled out with paint on his clothes and a cheerful expression on his face, but when he saw them that ged.

  "Is the ceremony done?" Collin's dad flew dowairs and his voice was full e. "Will my son and daughter be cured, now!"

  Casper held up his hands like he was surrendering. "Everything will be back to normal."

  He was fused by this. "Uhh, what's going on?"

  All of a sudden his dad grabbed him and pulled him away from the siblings. The look on Collin's dad's face was a mixture of emotions as he spoke. "We'll expihing ter as a family. Right now, I o call your mom and order you an airpicket. Since I'm still busy I 't go with you. But I'll bring bae souvenirs."

  "Sis," Casper yawned. "I think it's time we leave."

  Helena looked very upset as she gred at her brother.

  3 hours ter, Collin had his pajamas on and was lying in bed with his Walkman. The song he was listening to was Willow Tree March by The Paper Kites. Sitting on his nightstand was the crystal and floating in his iory was the sword.

  Finding out his childhood friend is a princess was harder to believe. They said he had a lot to learn and that made him excited. Collin should also feel happy about going home, but something was bugging him.

  Why did his dad flip out on Casper and what ceremony? Just then the door flew open as Collin ripped off his headphones and sat up in bed.

  "Your sister and brother just regained sciousness!" his dad announced.