Chapter 74: A Hero's Calling

Stanley Hummington remembers.

             It felt like a dream and he would have wished it was too. However, he was too smart for his own good, he knew it was reality and he knew he had killed a person with his own hands. Everything started with the strange group of men who suddenly came out brandishing their weapons, they later did something to us whom he himself didn't understand but it felt like his consciousness was pushed away. It dawned on him that he became similar to a puppet, listening to their words, not capable of fighting back. Then they made him kill people. He wasn't so sure he could believe he was living a reality. It felt like watching a movie in their perspective. However, Stanley remembers well.

             He had tried to cry many times or to even how a hint of remorse, but not even his face could match his deep scar being carved within. He knew he'll get nightmares from watching blood that sprout around him, he had enough and wanted to just close his eyes and think everything was a lie, but his body forced him to watch every single action he made and every second of it he cried for help.

              He had a sudden thought of his favorite TV series, the Animal Squad. He might have thought of them because anyone in his position would wish for a hero when they're in desperate need. Stanley wasn't that childish though, he knew they weren't real but the urge to seek a hero didn't washed away. It made him wished he was as strong as his heroes, maybe then he would have the strength to fight himself from this manipulation, but he started to think that fighting was pointless, that he could only give himself in.

              Then...she appeared. Stanley wasn't able to show his surprise on his face but he was in awe and disbelief, the clothes she wore were weird but he was more interested in the mask she wore. She briskly walked towards the mass of chaos in her aloof demeanor, snatching all eyes toward her. He knew from a glance who she was as she was one of his favorite hero of all time, but couldn't comprehend how or why Wonder Owl is here. In his mind he knew it's just a woman wearing a mask. He didn't care, in his heart he pleaded that she was the heroine that will save him. 

            Unwillingly, he moved his body as he and his friends charged to attack her, she was strong and slick as well, and uses strange power that none he ever seen before. She was pushing us back but their body would not stop rising despite the injury and pain, but much to his relief she didn't give up and kept pushing them. Stanley felt a sinking feeling of dread when he used his ability at point blank range at her after sneaking up on her. He never even knew he could muster that much strength and felt it was over for her, even he knew that sort of sound wave could do heavy damage or even may kill her. He was about to make the final blow with the rest when he felt a suffocating pain to his throat, he tried to breath as hard as it could but no matter what he did, nothing managed to get through his lungs as if something had clog his throat and he wasn't the only one. He knew he couldn't hold out much long as both his body and consciousness fell deep to darkness. 

             Stanley had finally rest his mind at peace, he thought he could wake up and everything would nothing be but a nightmare of his dramatic imagination.

"....he's not waking up, are you sure you healed him completely?" Stanley hoped the moment he wake up he would dash toward his mother for comfort, he wondered if he should share it with his friends but the dream was pretty gruesome.

"....don't worry, he did over used his ability and exhausted his body, his mind need as much rest as he could take..." Stanley's mind began to ponder at the unfamiliar voice he kept hearing, if it wasn't his parents or his annoying brother, then who was it? Stanley began to groan in reaction to the aches in his body, as he tried to wake, startling the two people around him. The evening sun was enough to blind him slightly before he could adjust his eyes to his surroundings. Once he got a good look, he tried processing his surroundings. 

             There was a shed made of glass on his left filled with greeneries and vegetables inside and around it, it took him a moment to realize it was the greenhouse. On his right was an alley between the school buildings that he knew led toward the animal coop, the sky was dyed a deep orange by the horizon, indicating that it was late, very late for him to still be in school. However, what took his attention was mostly and probably immediately was the former classmate he had few years ago, a woman with an owl mask he couldn't recognize at first, and the creepy heads sticking out from the ground with an unconscious (and dare he say stupid) look on their face. Okay....I love to know anyone could guess out what this scene meant Stanley quietly thought. 

            "Finally, you're awake!" exclaimed the masked woman. 

            Ignoring her as she was weird, Stanley then look towards at Rick who could explain to him what was happening.

"......Rick....." Stanley finally said. It was weird calling his name after most of the S Class started to ignore him per Foax request, or rather since he started ignoring him the rest had only followed suit. "....what happened...my memory is really shaky...ugh" he groaned some more as he tried hard to remember, Rick stayed quiet but he spotted him looking down with a grimace. Stanley followed his eyes to found his uniform all dirty with soil and blood. The white shirt has lost its color with a few rip and holes along with his blue checkered pants. The dream he had begun rushing back....it was no dream. 

            Stanley felt a sharp heavy churn in his stomach, he tumbled over and began to puke. Sadly it was long past lunch so he had nothing to puke out but the acid in his stomach. He heard the woman ordered Rick to do something which he compiled by reaching out his hand toward him. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" Rick halted his hand, surprised along with Claudia. They began to observed the trembling boy, he choked on his words he couldn't let out, and when they thought he finally was about to speak, he cried with a scream instead. 

            "WAAAAAAAAAA, MOMMY, UUUWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!" 

              Claudia turned to Rick with a demanding look in her eyes which in response Rick only shrugged. While Stanley kept crying, Claudia and Rick had a few silent conversations before Rick sighed and forced his head to look him in the eye. Stanley was sure he had a horrible look on his face as he cried harder than any other, he was probably slobbering too and he could imagine his eyes round and red as it glistened so he didn't want to look at anybody, not like he had a choice. When he looked at Rick's eyes though, he felt himself calming down. His heartbeat slowed and his mind cleared. A fuzzy warm feeling bubbled inside him like, the same feeling he felt safe at his parents arms. The fear and pain still lingers, but letting the warm feeling overwhelmed him, he pushed the negative emotion away, and tried to gain sense of himself.  

             "You…what did you do?" Stanley forced his throat to speak his confusion.  

          “I manipulate your emotion, it’ll be temporarily, but it’s still better right?” Stanley looked down and slightly nodded, agreeing with him. "Besides if I hadn't, you'd kept bawling your eye out Hummington and we don't have time for that."

               Rick turned toward Claudia and Stanley followed suit, when he comprehend the mask once more. His eyes started to light itself at the possibility of the hero he had been longing for come to his call. "Wonder Owl!" he jumped to her arms in a hug, Claudia was startled by the sudden contact and wasn't sure what to do. She had only been wearing a random mask but to think it had this effect on people, just how popular is this kids show anyway?  Claudia thought

             "hiks please...help me....hiks" hearing the small voice of his as he buried his face on her stomach, Claudia couldn't help but had her heart soften from his pleading voice. She closed her eyes and went into trances as she was in deep thoughts. She decided something really childish yet promising, for the child not to lose hope, she made a favor just for him. 

                She gently pushed him away, making him tense that she was going to refuse him, but then she stood up with both her hands on her hips and started laughing strangely as if she was making owl sound and laughing loudly at the same time. "Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho, off course I'll help you child, as long as Wonder Owl is here, she won't stop until all evil doers is defeated." Claudia crossed her arms then made the signature pose of Wonder Owl. Stanley eyes came alive and overcome his fear, replaced with awe and excitement. Claudia was glad she was wearing a mask because she could feel the heat going to her cheeks from total embarrassment and knew her face was fully flushed by now. She made a quick glance at Rick and not to her surprise, her anger flared. He was crouching with both his hand on his mouth and stomach, using all his will not to laugh, he even almost forgot to breath. 

                 Claudia cleared her throat and tried to sound as friendly and yet as serious as possible. "Now my young friend, this school as you know has been captured by an evil organization that tries to kidnapped all esper children and make them their slave." she said as she made it up along the way, "as much as I want to defeat them, sadly my friends had different mission so they could not help me today." Stanley began to look crestfallen, hearing she might not help because of the odds and he could understand. "HOWEVER, do not fear yet because even without my comrades, you can help save the school!" and Stanley immediately look up at her with clearly shocked look. 

                "Bu...but I....I can't...I'm still too weak to fight...." 

              "Dear me who said anything about fighting, a fist is not the only way to solve a problem is it not?" Stanley was silent but shook his head, "besides, you won't be alone in this one."

             "What do you mean?"

             "Clearly this situation is too much even for me, which is why I need not just you but all your friends who are Espers to unite and save the school along with me." Stanley blinked a few times, and looked away as he hesitated to help. Claudia noticed this and decided to drop the hero act and knelled until she was seeing him eye to eye. "Look I know this is scary and you've only woke up from a traumatizing experience, but a lot of kids is going through the same thing as you do and I seriously can't save them alone. I know I'm being ridiculous, trying to get you kids caught up in my attics, but please....lend me your strength." 

                 Being told such heartfelt and sincere words, Stanley wasn't sure how to respond but before he could answer Rick had barged in between them. "For the love of God just help her if you don't want to be a mind freak zombie again and if anything, we'll be there so man up!" Stanley had planned to accept to begin with, but he thought Rick had just to ruin it for him. Claudia held his hand which surprised him and slightly made him blushed as he felt how soft her hand was and although she had half her face hidden, her smile was enough to think of her as pretty.

Claudia got up and put up her hero gimmick once more, and with a confident laugh, "Now let us begin Operation Reuniting the S Force!" she said with her fist pump up in the air to hype herself. Stanley walked beside her and pumped his fist as well, followed by the same owl laugh she made. 

             S Force....really? Rick said telepathically with a smirk. 

             Shut up Rick, it's the best superhero group name I could think off!