Ivory Chronicles

Act I - Catalyst Revolt Part 5

CHASING ASHES

          "Alright, now just imagine you have an energy inside your body, okay? Then you take that energy to the core of your body and harness it until you feel it wants to explode, but you'll have to control it. Once you have control of it, let your emotions guide you and let it go. This is the visualization exercise." Miles' voice was positive and full of energy but, honestly, I had no fucking idea what he was talking about.

I put my arms forward as if I was going to shoot some lasers or something but it felt stupid. Miles noticed I was uncomfortable and reassured me that everybody before me had gone through this and all of them had come out with powers. Some took more time and days than others but all who's in Ivory's group ended up manifesting their ability with his training.

Now is a good time as any, I've been dying to know what are the groups' powers. I know Ryan can manifest and control, a little, electricity. Ivory can teleport and sense others with abilities. I wonder why she has two abilities, I have to remember to ask her later, but right now, "What are the groups' powers? I never got the chance to ask or to see even. This all happened too fast."

Miles cheery as ever quickly responded, "Well, as much as I would love to tell you, I don't want to ruin the surprise. Me and Mas-" His face quickly changed, he remembered Max and what had happened. I can see what Alba was talking about, what Max is going through is really taking a toll on him.

Miles lay on the grass of his backyard as I sat in front of him. Surrounded by the fresh breeze of the nearby beach, I could sense the weight of his thoughts. Miles was holding onto something."Miles, if you want to talk, I'm here to listen." I offered, breaking the silence. Miles's face lit up with relief, as if, he was waiting for me to ask him.

"Massimo recently lost his mother a few months ago. Before that, she had lost her job in the government after 20 years, due to what was happening on the island. They lost everything and he saw how much his mother suffered." I could see on his face he should not say more but he seemed he couldn't hold it inside.

"I've been with him every single day since I met him," Miles continued, "but he asked for help from others in his neighborhood, instead of me. It hurts that he would rather steal and cause harm than ask me for help." His eyes glistened, I knew he wasn't going to say anymore but I think I understood what was going on. But telling Miles wouldn't make any difference, he's determined to stop him but I don't think he will because Max seemed determined to his task too.

I laid a comforting hand on Miles' shoulder and he looked up at me with grateful eyes. "We should go and talk to him one more time." I suggested, knowing this was what he wanted to hear.

Miles' smile returned, and he jumped to his feet. "Come on! Let's go talk to Gustavo. He might know where Max is." He paused, looking back at me. "If you don't mind postponing your training for a bit?"

I shook my head and got up, "A friendship like that is not worth losing." I said, and we set off to find Max.-------------------------------------We arrived at a tall building, not far from the beach. Its people with their paddle boards, Yorkie, and mini sports cars made me feel like a stranger to my own island. I've never been to a part of the island where everybody seemed so flashy.

We headed to the 16th floor and the elevator door opened up to a living room with a giant and beautiful ocean view from its wide window that took up the whole room. Gustavo greeted us from a room in the hallway and went back inside it. Miles signaled me to go into the room Gustavo was in.

Entering the room, it looked way too bland. A greyish color walls with just a twin-sized bed against one wall and a simple dresser across from it. The only splash of color came from a small tank on the dresser, filled with lizards of various sizes and colors. The tank had a mesh lid, and the lizards could be seen basking in the artificial heat lamp inside. It was oddly quiet.

Gustavo looked like he was feeding the lizards, who, strangely, were standing still even with the lid being lifted and food being introduced to the tank. "I'm guessing you're feeling better for you to be here. Do you need something for the training?" Gustavo's voice was icy as if he resented being asked for assistance.

Miles shifted his weight, the air around them growing tense, his tone serious, "Not today. I need your help to find Massimo. I know you have some ideas about where he might be headed."

Gustavo raised an eyebrow, his hand still on the lid of the tank. The lizards inside were bizarrely still, not even twitching as Miles approached. "Why would you think I know where he is?"

"Because I know you have some ideas of what he might do. I know you have your issues with Massimo, but he's still part of the group. Help me help him." Miles placed a hand on Gustavo's shoulder, his tone serious. "He's still a part of the plan."

Gustavo shrugged Miles' hand off and took a step back, his eyes flashing with anger. "He will jeopardize the plan. We're behind schedule right now because of him. I don't hate the guy, but he's too easily riled, a liar, and always wants to be involved in everything, even when he's not invited. He's from a completely different world, and he tries too hard to fit in. I don't trust him."

Miles grabbed Gustavo, his grip tightened on his arm, and turned him to face him, his voice calm but firm. "He came from nothing and worked hard to be accepted into a world that wasn't his. He took advantage of the life his mother desperately tried to give him and even managed to graduate with us. Just because he's made a few bad decisions doesn't mean you should talk about him the way you have been. Alba has told me everything you've said about Massimo, and I've let it slide because, even if you don't see it, he does see you as a close friend. He's never acted otherwise with you."

Gustavo's face remained blank, but his eyes widened at Miles's words. Suddenly, I noticed that all the lizards had shifted away from the edge of the tank, moving in unison as if they were trained animals.

"If he's burned down his home, probably means he's ready to move on with his plan, which I think is burning down everything that feeds our government. Knowing him, he'll probably try to do something big, to start getting attention, like burning down the Capitol." Gustavo said, his eyes now fixed on his lizards, which had finally started to eat the insects.

Miles relaxed his grip, his expression now calm. "Thanks. Alba is home with Ivory if you want to go see her."

"I'll drop by later." Gustavo replied, his face once again expressionless.

Miles thanked him again and stepped out, I lingered for a few more seconds, observing the lizards in their tank. Suddenly, all of their heads turned in my direction, their beady eyes fixated on me. A shiver ran down my spine and I glanced over at Gustavo. He was also staring at me, his expression unreadable. The air in the room grew thick and I felt as though I was suffocating. I mumbled a hasty goodbye and quickly made my way out, my heart pounding in my chest.

As soon as the elevator doors shut, I turned to Miles with a sense of curiosity. "So, does Gustavo control reptiles, specifically lizards?" I asked, feeling the same shiver as before at the thought of thousands of lizards jumping on me.

Miles explained, "He can control the body functions of animals through a black goo-like liquid that enters the animal's body. It's like puppet control. But, he's still figuring things out, so it's possible that the liquid might also be present in his pet lizards."

Inside Miles' car, before he turned it on, he said "Gustavo is..." He took a while to speak again, "He's an asshole. But he has helped us all the way through school and college and he has the brain for what we're going to do. Everything has just gone to shit because I didn't realize sooner what Massimo was going through." Miles said, sadness noticeable in his voice.

I could see he felt helpless regarding Max's situation. "Gustavo seems intense," I commented, choosing my words carefully. The guy freaked me out even more than Max now that I knew what he was dealing with. Miles was stuck in the middle of it all, trying to fix everything. "What are your plans now?"

Miles smirked and pulled out a radio from underneath his seat. It looked bulky and complicated, unlike any radio I'd seen before. "Gustavo made this radio so we can listen to the police, and be ahead of the situation when we put the plan into action." Miles explained with a hint of pride in his voice.

It was time to ask, "What is this plan? It's impossible not to be curious, even less, ask what it's about when it's all you guys talk about."

Miles smiled and began to explain as he connected the radio. "Gustavo, Alba, and I have been friends since childhood. We went to the same private schools growing up. We met Massimo later in high school. He was different from the other kids, with his clothes, shoes, and manner of speaking. But despite this, he always had a smile on his face and made others laugh with his high jinks. He was often treated like a clown by the other kids, but he never let it get to him."

I listened as the police chatter filled the background. "And the plan?" I asked, eager to know more.

"Oh, sorry about that." Miles laughed. "I was thinking about a prank we played on our theater teacher in high school. But to get back to the plan, we met Ivory and Kyriah a few summers later. Ivory was passionate about the protest against the privatization of the electric power plants on the island at that time. She approached us and showed us her powers, and told us that we also had powers that she could help us unlock. Although the protest eventually died down, Gustavo suddenly got the idea to form a group of people like us and defend the people if another protest broke out. Ivory got very determined for it."

I think I finally understood the plan; To protect the people from the island. "It's incredible," I said. "She's gathering a group of people with special abilities to stand up for the people, so no one gets hurt. The government won't be a match for them. You guys will be heroes to the people."

Miles showed determination and nodded in agreement. "You may call me a hero, but I prefer to be called a protector of the island. Our goal is to encourage people to speak up and fight for what's right. We can empower them with the courage to do so and create a better future for everyone by finally standing up to the corrupt government officials."

Their confidence was contagious, and I felt motivated to believe that anything is possible. With Miles, Ivory and a team of people with abilities, I am confident that we can restore the island. However, our thoughts were interrupted by the police chatter on the radio, reporting a fire that had engulfed the Capitol of Vanity Island. Miles and I shared a knowing glance and immediately rushed to investigate.

Name: Max Luciano (A.K.A. Massimo)

Age: 25

Clemons Cell Ability: Fire Manipulation

Character Info: Born from the poorest town in Vanity Island, to study at the island's most expensive school. He is Miles' best friend, and both of them practiced together to perfect their abilities.