𝓟𝐫𝗼𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝓢𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐞

Chapter #6 - Rex

Chapter #6 - Rex

It couldn't be.

Rex refused to believe it.

But the proof was right in front of him. The horrified expression on his brother's face, the conversation he had overheard, the truth.

But... no.

His brain felt like one of Dex's failed gadgets, his face flashing "Error! Error!" and smoke coming out of his ears. Actually— he wished smoke was coming out of his ears. Then maybe that would be considered an ability, and he wouldn't be Talentless.

He still remembered the day at school, during ability detecting.

The thing was— he didn't tell Dex the entirety of what happened.

During ability detecting, they were split up into groups of three at a time to go into the wind tunnels. Rex had been grouped with two other kids, and by some twisted luck, both of them manifested that class. They had ganged up on him, teased him— made fun of his family. It was absolutely awful.

"You're totally gonna be Talentless," the girl, Skylene, had said, "Just like your dad. You're a triplet, after all."

Rex trembled. "Bex and Lex manifested, and they're triplets."

The boy, Rolend, had just laughed, "They were the lucky ones."

Lucky ones.

Two simple words. Words that could be thrown into any conversation. But to Rex, they meant so much more. They dug into his brain, echoed in his mind, and left a huge, gaping hole in his pride. They repeated again and again in his mind the whole day.

Lucky ones.

Lucky ones.

Lucky ones.

And now... it appeared that they were right.

***

"No..." said Dex, "It was just... just a misunderstanding. We were just joking. Right Biana? It was a joke..."

"I know it wasn't a joke," Rex said, sounding more confident than he felt.

"I'm sorry."

The strawberry blonde triplet took a few steps back. He needed space. As much as he could get. "It's okay. I wouldn't have told, well, me if I was in your shoes." Tears were starting to well up, but he choked them down.

"If there was something I could do..."

"Well, there isn't."

Dex turned towards his imparter screen where Biana was still there. She asked, "Should I... go?"

"Uh, yeah. Probably. Sorry."

She nodded and flickered away.

And that's when Rex got a very, very foolish idea. He was honestly ashamed of himself for even thinking it— and if anyone ever saw one of his pranks, they'd know Rex was never ashamed. Not until now.

Because he knew it was practically impossible to do what he was thinking.

But...

"Oh no," Dex said, looking into Rex's eyes like he was boring into his brain, "I know what you're thinking. And it's not gonna work. Don't you remember Dad's stories?"

He did, actually. In fact, those stories were the main thing on his mind. Rex's dad Kesler had told several tales over the years about all the times he had attempted to— and failed, hard— at fake-manifesting an ability. He had tried everything: From pretending to be an Empath by simply guessing people's emotions to making elixirs that made it seem like he was zapping things the way a Charger did. And they were all busts.

But Rex had something his dad didn't.

"This is different," said Rex, "because I have you. And I need you to make me a gadget."