The Sirens

Chapter 4

Soon, they pulled into a packed parking lot just next to a two story school building. Marcus asked as Mr. Flame tried to find somewhere to park, "So, this is it? Wellings Middle School?" Mr. Flame nodded and said, "Yup. They're having the competition in the gym, so that's where we should head after parking, that is if I can find a damn spot." Marcus chuckled and said, "Same old, same old, huh?" Mr. Flame said, "Oh, don't you know it." After a while of driving around, Mr. Flame groaned and said, "Ugh! This is taking forever! Look, you just go inside, find us a spot in the gym and I'll meet ya in there in no time."

Marcus asked, "Are you sure? I could park the car if you want." Mr. Flame asked, "Do you have a license?" Marcus chuckled nervously and said, "That's... kinda why I don't have a car... 'don't got a license..." Mr. Flame said, "Then, what makes you think I'm gonna let you anywhere near my baby's steering wheel?!" Marcus shrugged and said, "It was worth a shot." Then, Mr. Flame parked the car outside the doors of the school and Marcus got out. Marcus asked as he held the car door open, "How do I find the gym?"

Mr. Flame said, "Just use the signs on the walls. They'll tell ya where it is." Then, Marcus nodded and closed the car door, Mr. Flame driving off. Marcus turned toward the door and went inside the school. Marcus looked around and then saw the signs Mr. Flame must've been talking about. There were arrows and numbers on the sign and Marcus found the word 'Gym' with an arrow pointing right on the sign. He went right and kept walking until he saw another sign that said 'Gym' with an arrow pointing right, leading down a smaller hall.

After walking down the hall for a bit, he found the doors that had a sign above them that read 'GYM.' Marcus sighed and then opened one of the doors, suddenly met with a wave of sound, mostly talking. Marcus shuddered at the amount of people in the gym; there were people that filled the risers and then there were people standing on the ground. Marcus felt like he was going to faint. Suddenly, someone behind him put a hand on his shoulder. Marcus jumped and shouted, "Ah!" He turned to see who it was; the person being no one other than Mr. Flame.

Mr. Flame chuckled and said, "I forgot how jumpy you are around crowds. Heheh." Marcus frowned and said, "Let's just go find the kid." Mr. Flame continued to chuckle and said, "Aw, come on! Don't be a sour puss!" Marcus rolled his eyes, smiling just slightly and said, "Whatever." Mr. Flame then lead the way into the gym and through the crowd. Marcus stuck close, having a fear of getting lost. Soon, they stood in front of a small ring made of tape on the floor. In the ring stood one kid with dark blue hair and light blue eyes and another kid with short, orange hair and reddish orange eyes.

There was a referee standing in between them. Then, the ref blew his whistle and they began to sing. The blue kid sung and a wave of water formed above him. He lifted his arm, still singing, and then pointed toward the orange kid. The wave then went crashing forward. The orange kid sung loudly and high pitched; it wasn't very good. The orange kid was then lifted from the ground by a ball of fire that formed under them, avoiding the wave of water. The orange kid laughed but suddenly, he fell; he should've been focussed.

Then, the blue kid sung and created a water bed, literally made of water, under the orange kid. The orange kid landed in the water bed safely, the blue kid then making the water disappear. The orange kid laid on the now dry ground, not wet at all obviously. The referee said, "Winner, Joshua Rainfall!" The blue kid, Joshua, walked over to the orange kid and offered a hand, saying, "Good game, Ignis!" The orange kid, Ignis, grumbled and got up by himself, refusing Joshua's help. Then, he said in bratty tone, "I don't want your help, Josh!"

"You beat me already, so just go away, jerk!" Joshua held a smile and said, "Okay, but you're still my friend." Then, he walked away. Ignis shouted, "I was never you're friend, stupid!" Marcus thought, "What a brat. The kid just wanted to help." Then, Ignis looked over at Marcus and Mr. Flame and said, "Daddy!" Ignis ran over to Mr. Flame and hugged him, Mr. Flame returning the hug. Marcus asked, shocked, "Wait, so this is your kid?!" Mr. Flame nodded and said, "Yup, my little Ignis." Ignis released the hug and looked over at Marcus with a confused and angry expression.

Ignis then said, "And who are you supposed to be?" Marcus cringed and thought, "I already don't like this kid." Marcus said, "I knew your dad when I was little. He and your mom also knew my mother." Ignis scoffed and said, "I didn't ask for your backstory,-- er, what's your name?" Marcus clenched his fists and cringed harder as he said through his teeth, "Marcus." Ignis scoffed once again and said, "That's a stupid name." Marcus said, "Mr. Flame, please control your kid or him gonna hit him."

Ignis gasped and asked, "Why would you want to hit me?!" Marcus said, "Yup, I'm gonna hit him." Mr. Flame got in between the two and said, "Okay, okay. Let's just calm down here. Ignis, don't you have another match to attend?" Ignis said, "Oh! You're right, Daddy! I've gotta fight Treesa next!" Ignis looked around and saw the girl heading his way, long green hair tied into a bun on her head and brown eyes looking ready to battle. Ignis gulped and said, "I already know I'm gonna lose to her..." He groaned and said, "Let's just get this over with."

Both the kids got in the ring, standing ready. Then, the ref blew the whistle again. Mr. Flame said, "He's a nice boy once you get to know him." Marcus, now relaxed, said, "I don't think I'll be able to stand him long enough to get to know him..." Then, after a few seconds passed, Marcus asked, shocked, "WAIT, THAT'S A BOY?!!!" Mr. Flame nodded and said, "Didn't you hear me in the car? I said 'he' like, three times." Marcus paused for a moment before laughing nervously and saying, "Oh. I didn't notice." Mr. Flame said, "Tsk. Oblivious little Mark." Then, they watched as the plant girl defeated Ignis.