Hoping for Heroes

Chapter 9

"I feel so stupid," Harley hisses. It's the next day at school, and she finds herself hiding between the bookshelves in the library alongside Stiles and Scott. 

"Why?" Scott asks, sounding genuinely curious.

"You did not just ask me wh-" She's interrupted by Allison sliding a tablet toward them through the shelf on the opposing side. 

"It's everything Lydia can translate," Allison explains. "And trust me, she was very confused."

"Yeah, what'd you tell her?" Scott asks as he scrolls through the translation on the tablet.

"That we were part of an online gaming community that battles mythical creatures." Scott and Allison both chuckle softly, and Harley can't help but snort slightly.

"I am part of an online gaming community that battles mythical creatures," Stiles says, eyes glancing between the other three. Harley shares a look with Allison, who looks like a deer caught in headlights.

"O-oh," Allison nods. "Great." Stiles smiles and Harley shakes her head.

"Okay, does it say how to find out who's controlling him?" Scott asks, changing the subject.

"Not really. But Stiles was right about the murderers."

"Yes!" Stiles exclaims softly, holding out his fist toward Harley. She stares at him for a moment, eyes flicking between his face and his knuckles, before sighing softly and returning the fist bump.

"It calls the Kanima a weapon of vengeance," Allison says. "There's a story in there about this South American priest who uses the Kanima to execute murderers in his village-"

"All right, see, so maybe it's not all that bad," Stiles whispers to Scott. 

"Dude," Harley complains. 

"What?"

"Until the bond grew strong enough that it killed whoever he wanted it to," Allison interrupts, reaching up to grab a book.

"All bad, all very, very bad," Stiles says as Harley rolls her eyes.

"Here's the thing, though," Allison continues. "The Kanima's actually supposed to be a werewolf. But it can't be-" she pauses as a teacher comes by to put back a book.

"Until it resolves that in its past which manifested it," Scott finishes her sentence.

"Okay, if that means that Jackson could use a few thousand hours of therapy, I could've told you that myself," Stiles says, but he goes ignored by the others.

"What if it has something to do with his parents?" Allison muses. "His real parents."

"Yeah, does anyone actually know what happened to them?" Scott agrees.

"Lydia might," Stiles suggests.

"What if she doesn't know anything?" Scott asks.

As Scott and Allison continue to talk, Stiles nudges Harley. "You're awfully quiet," he says. "Something on your mind?"

Harley shrugs. "Just a lot going on, I guess." She gathers her things and starts to leave, but Scott catches her wrist. 

"Woah, wait, where are you going? Are you okay?" he asks.

"We have class, Scott," Harley laughs slightly, but it feels forced. She isn't sure why she's all of a sudden nauseous, and she just wants to leave. "And besides, I think I might call Alayna. Find out if she knows anything about Kanimas."

"Okay, well, see you later," Scott says, frowning slightly. She knows he can tell something is off, but she's glad he's letting it go. "If you need anything just call one of us, all right?" Allison and Stiles nod in agreement behind him.