RBR Chapter 11 Leah

Leah stood in front of the mirror, which was long enough to reflect her entire self back to her, plus the frown on her face. It had just started to brighten out her window, but as was the ingrained instinct within her, she had woken up a few hours ago. Being in an overly safe place hadn't yet managed to erode away the vigilance she had cultivated in the wilds.

She hated going to school with every fiber of her being but it was the only place she could gain knowledge. To her, school was a place where the naive and weaklings crowded. With her powerful observation skills she had gauged many, and what she had found was dissapointing. They took for granted the peace that they were being afforded by having been born inside this city, lacking the motivation to improve.

They were mere sheep to her, the wolf. The wilderness had taught her a very grave and painful lesson. At first, they had hatched many, but only she had managed to survive long enough to make it into this city. Only her clan members hadn't forgotten, those who had preceded her. Their eyes still contained the savageness that she had grown used to in the wild.

The moment she had arrived, the designation of heir had fallen to her. The matriarch had crowned her herself, a very high honor, not to mention that she secretly admired the woman.

"..."

She sighed for the umpteenth time since she had awoken and readied herself. Now that she was within the walls of this city, she found that time had slowed to a crawl. In the wilderness, she had always been full of plans, with not a moment to waste. Hunting for food, territory marking, hiding from the barbarians...everything had kept her so busy that she slept only for 5 hours a night, not to mention having to keep vigilant of the rampagers and beasts...especially the rampagers. Those weren't things a normal human would want to face, monstrosities they were...her body shook at the memory of having run into one. Three sisters and two brothers had to die just for her to escape successfully.

A knock on the door interrupted her. No words were spoken by the person because they both knew what the knock meant...the time for school had arrived. She was happy with the current minimal use of technology within the clan headquarters, after all, she had literally been living within a cave in the wilderness. It was also one of the things she hated about school, advanced technology.

She took a last look at the reflection which displayed her unwanted current appearance, before making for the door. School clothes...(grind)...this attire would get you killed in the wilds. It was just too damn uncomfortable!

-----

Leah's head was down after entering through the gate. During the first few days she had been curious about her peers, but now that she had learned of their uselessness, they were no longer important. Her head down didn't mean that she wasn't paying attention. How could she make such a rookie mistake when the wilderness had taught her otherwise! All her senses were in an enhanced state for any kind of danger that might befall her. These...little children...were prone to little squabbles and petty fights, a really massive waste of their endowments. Her same generation brothers and sisters had learned the importance of never wasting strength. Food, was a dangerous resource to scour for after all. Wasting energy would only make you weaker, and that might cost you at a critical moment.

Her bangs, which had been shielding her face since her head had been lowered, swayed as she stopped abruptly. A new presence had entered her senses. The pheromones weren't in the secret database within her memory she had compiled upon her first appearance at school. Her tongue peaked out of her lips for a moment. She had confirmed it, someone who hadn't been to school in the past days since her attendance had appeared.

She tracked the direction the scent particles were coming from only to see two dark blue eyes gazing at her with a wisp of curiosity. It wasn't just that though, she also sensed some wariness, as if the boy knew that she posed some danger to his life.

'Interesting.' Her heartbeat unconsciously accelerated. A peer had arrived, someone who wasn't like the others. She broke contact to scan his side and other features only to be shocked. He looked exactly like the boy next to him, except his eyes which were darker.

'If my memory serves me right, that boy is called Elec. I have never heard of him having a twin.'

Her gaze moved away, this time to the other students. She wanted to pick out the signs of recognition within, but all she saw was surprise, confusion, amazement and a myriad of others. Almost every other teen on the compound was directing their gaze to the two boys.

'No one had any idea.' That only added to the curiosity she had developed, but she didn't go over and ask, or even try to talk to the others. Instead, she once again lowered her head and made for the class, only that this time, her senses were still focussed on the new boy.

'The matriarch is going to want my report on this new development. His body is releasing too many pheromones as if its in peak condition. It's as if he's a rampager!? But how could that be?!' She became shocked the more she sensed.

'He needs to be handled with extreme caution. It would be better if I stay away from him, but judging by his gaze, he is going to try and approach me.' Leah didn't like this one bit. Rampagers were monstrosities, if this boy had some relation, she had to keep away.

'I need to alert the matriarch.' She became resolved, hurriedly making for the toilet. If this was a scheme by the rampagers, then this city would be in danger!

-----

The coldness of the toilet seat took away some of the nervousness. She could feel it through the skirt, though, her focus was mostly on the black floating holographic screen. Relaying all her observations and speculations had taken her a few minutes, and now, she was waiting. The matriarch was probably going to call for an attack. Just imagining the number of casualties made her wince as it overlapped with the images of her brothers and sisters. 

"That man Baguma is interesting..." 

The first words that came through from the hologram caused Leah to become puzzled. What she had been expecting had been entirely different from this.

"Don't worry. I have just confirmed that the boy is okay."

Her mind still formulated questions. She didn't have all the answers, yet she knew, even though the matriarch's voice was motherly, questioning her decisions would earn her ire.

"Watch him closely!"

That was the next line that came through before contact was severed.

'What has she confirmed? My senses don't lie. That is most definitely a rampager!' Frustration built up inside her. 

Rampagers were dangerous! She had learnt that the most horrifying way.

'How am I supposed to act around him? Should I give up school?' The last thought started to sound appealing.

-----

Crouching tiger and hidden dragons!

That phrase couldn't have been more appropriate for the situation. That girl with the emerald hair was a hidden master. He had felt a sliver of a threat from those emerald eyes of hers. 

That also meant that she was privy to what he needed. Someone with such a gaze wouldn't have grown up in a peaceful environment. He needed a chance to speak with her, except that she had vanished.

The attention of the students upon his person caused Eric to feel uncomfortable. They were observing him like some exotic beast.

Elec was doing his best to ignore them, his gaze focused ahead. No, he wasn't doing his best, instead, he was intentionally apathetic to them.

'He has probably been under the watchful eye of the public since young.' Eric thought even as he fought to direct his attention away from every gaze. It was very hard for him since he could sense it acutely when someone was looking at him with some intent.

"How do you manage this?" Eric asked Elec. They were walking side by side. 

"You just have to ignore them. Their eyes are harmless and the words coming out of their mouths aren't important." 

"It is very har-!?" He failed to continue since a malicious gaze had just locked onto him. He raised his gaze, directing it to the top floor of the left wing of the school building. Someone, a man, donning a pair of glasses was looking at him. That gaze wasn't filled with kind intentions.

(Hoh! It looks like you will have to steer clear of that man.)

Even his cells cautioned him.

"Who is the man on the left wing of the building with a pair of glasses?" He asked Elec.

"A man with glasses...is he thin?" Elec asked.

"Yes." 

"Its probably the creepy headmaster. I would suggest that you stay as far away from him as possible." Elec advised, a rare thing.

"Why?" Eric's curiosity was piqued.

"Just stay away from him."

Eric didn't push for more answers but he knew...that malicious gaze meant that even if he stayed away, the man was going to come for him. 

'He must have sensed something about me.' This thought wasn't blocked from the cells.

(We will find an opportunity to kill him if he makes a move.) 

The vicious answer caused some relief within him.