Chapter 40: I'm angry, yes !

“And it should do the trick!” said Jenny, quite chirpy – too much even, considering the circumstances, thought the Minor.

“Thanks Jenny” still replied Alejandro, as the blue-haired MAJOR took a step back and looked at her hard work.

“Dank” said Lindsey, her face a patchwork of bands, darkening flesh and various bruises.

Alejandro was incensed. He realized he probably hadn’t ever been so angry at his little sister, but he couldn’t help it. She looked like a grotesque monster now, or one of those dumbasses he sometimes saw on the Internet, the dumb brutes who were always used on the secret Minor-only forums and website he went on to highlight the aggressively and imbecility of the so-called “superior race”.  His cute little sister was just plain ugly, and the worst was that she seemed to be caught up between frustration and happiness, somehow.

“Try to not talk too much” said Jenny, patting the younger MAJOR’s head. “Your stitches won’t hold near your mouth, and you don’t want your lips to simply flow on your face, right?”

“Aren’t you exaggerating a little?” asked Alejandro, perhaps a little too forcefully.

“Nope! I’m the expert right? The manager slash doc for a whole club of brutal MAJOR girls who want nothing more than to bash some skulls and break some bones! So if I say if she talks, her lips will never be the same again, it’s an understatement.”

“Wonderful… you really don’t sell me on your club, with such a description…” huffed Alejandro.

“It’s a good thing that you aren’t the target of our recruitments, then!” scoffed Jenny, turning toward him and shoving her index finger in his torso. “And you better not forget it. Your sister has barely entered this game, and she has proven that she’s a tough cookie. She’s got talent in the ring, she got the guts to endure pain, and she gave as much as she received. I want her to succeed, and you better not fuck this up, or I’ll quick your ass!”

“Ow, okay, point taken! But just so you know, it won’t prevent me from speaking my mind, no matter the consequences” he growled, pushing her finger aside. “Now, can you give us the room? Sabrina also need your help.”

“Humpf. Sam is also relatively competent, and I’m pretty sure that…”

“Do you really think that someone who has had to fight her will let Sam deal with her face and her other bruises?” he cut her off sternly. “Come on, I may not be a MAJOR, but I know how you all act.”

Jenny said nothing and looked at him, as if evaluating her best way to answer that. Then, with a sigh, she went outside of the little room where Lindsey had been treated. He took a deep breath and closed his hand into a fist, before opening it again. Then he looked at Lindsey. She stood upright, which was surprising. She expected her to be stooped, trying to avoid whatever he may have had to say. It was clear he had been wrong to expect it. She seemed to almost defy him, daring him to speak and during a second, it made him reconsider what he wanted to do. Then, he walked toward her and in one swift motion, he slapped her hard on her right cheek.

A sharp pain immediately struck him, his head ringed and he suddenly felt the hard cold floor on his back. He felt another source of pain on the back of his head he guessed he had a bump now. He didn’t really hear anything, because his jaw hurt really badly, but he was quite certain he had also been slapped. It wasn’t something he didn’t expect, so he was able to accept it and to move past that, sitting up to discover Lindsey kneeling near him, her face inscrutable with how badly she had been battered. She didn’t seem to be talking, and he was grateful for that. He didn’t want to see her lips exploding, or melting or whatever else horror Jenny had talked about.

“Bond” he rasped and he opened his mind, so she may enter it.

He gasped when she bonded him. He realized that he had started to get - acquainted seemed to be the better word but he wouldn’t use it – used to Shannon’s bond. The one with Lindsey was fundamentally different. It wasn’t as deep, for starter. And also kind of foggy, as if their bond was akin to a bad reception for old TV. It was sort of relaxing, really, because he knew his deep thought were protected and he would know and push back her probes, if need be. Still, he needed to clear his mind to be able to talk to Lindsey.

Alejandro, are you okay? suddenly asked his sister, conveying her fear.

I’m fine, he replied slowly, still collecting his thoughts.

Why did you do that? You… you slapped me! You should have known that I wouldn’t be able to help myself! I… Are you sure I didn’t hurt you!?

“Isn’t it obvious?” asked Alejandro, out loud. “I’m angry at you!”

Why? almost shrieked his sister in his mind, which made him wince. Why would you be mad because I fought against Rodriguez!? I didn’t even really lose, not really! Or is it because…

“Not it’s not because you kissed…”

She kissed me! roared Lindsey as she got up, towering over his far smaller form. She. Kissed. Me! I didn’t… I mean, it wasn’t the worst thing ever but I didn’t want it to happen, okay?

“For fuck sake, listen to me!” he screamed, still sitting on the ground. “I don’t fucking care about who you kiss, or who you have sex with, okay? You’ll be thirteen soon, I know what it means for MAJORS! I’m fucking angry at you because you were too damn stubborn to quit this dumb as shit fight soon enough to not look like you got out of a brawl with a bear!”

I… I did what any self-respecting MAJOR would do ‘Rando! That bitch wanted a fight, I wanted one, we did it. I don’t feel too good about it, because I couldn’t kick her ass all the way, but I fought good! Why can’t you be happy about it for me!?

“Because I can’t protect you!” he blurted without even realizing it and immediately regretting it; he tried to break the bond but couldn’t, and when he tried to get up to leave, embarrassed beyond reason, Lindsey put her hand on his right shoulder to stop him.

You… you want to protect me!? ‘Rando… You’re a Minor, you can’t protect me… You don’t HAVE to protect me even! It’s my duty as…

“I’m your brother! Your elder brother! I should be able to protect you! I shouldn’t… I shouldn’t feel like I’ll have to watch you be killed by someone or something, like I felt Joseph would kill Alaric!” he shrieked, not even noticing the tears running on his cheeks.

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Lindsey didn’t even though. All the anger she had suddenly had toward her ‘Rando had vanished. In a mere second, she had taken him in a tight embrace, forgetting all her sore spots, her pain and her bruises. He needed it and she realized that she needed it to. To feel him, so small, so weak and especially so vulnerable, their shared bond conveying his genuine emotions to her, despite its blurred nature since they were siblings.

I’m sorry, she said to him, trying to let him know how sincere she was. I hadn’t realized that… I never knew you felt that way. I thought… I thought that you knew, deep down, that no MAJOR, not even Alaric or me are in need of your protection ‘Rando. That it’s us who have to keep you safe and healthy, and have failed at doing just that for a long time…

“Oh great, so I should feel good because I’m just a Minor loser who need to suck it up…” he sniffed in her neck as she cradled him.

It’s not what I said and you know it, she chided him. But, seriously, what do you think would happen if you barged into a fight between Sabrina and me? What would happen to you, more precisely?

“I don’t know… I would stop the fight?”

You’d be hurt, bad. Perhaps killed, ‘Rando! I know you aren’t used to hanging out with MAJORS – or anyone, for that matter, but you need to realize it. You’re small and fragile, and while no MAJOR would want to hurt you purposely… we do have instinctual reactions, as your cheek as noticed.

“That’s unfair” her oh so smaller brother replied, sounding less distraught already. “I’m older, I should be able to prevent you from looking like you’ve become everyone’s punching-bag.”

She didn’t respond to that and let him calm down. He needed it, and she felt terrible to not have realized how he could feel. She saw him as her older brother sure, but he was so much weaker than her since forever really, that she had never even pictured him wanting to protect her, or Alaric. And to be perfectly honest with herself, Lindsey had to admit that she only saw Al’ as her big brother, with all the resentment and competitiveness which came with this label, when ‘Rando was her “little” big brother, the one she had to care about and keep safe.

“Okay, I’m feeling better now, you can let me go, before someone barge in to see what we’re doing.”

Why? It would be awkward for you to be held like that by your sister? It’s pretty natural in MAJORS/Minors siblings relationships, I’ll have you know.

“Oh really? And you learnt that where? We didn’t exactly grew up surrounded by mixed families” said her brother, his mood clearly already lifting.

I watched a lot of documentaries about it, especially since last year, she begrudgingly explained, to avoid a longer argument with him.

“Sure” he said, sounding utterly unconvinced but also unwilling to push the argument further. “Anyway, time to go and try to make amend with Izzy, if you want to have any chance with her, you know?” he added, sounding perhaps a little too serious.

Why would I have to make amend? Her sister wanted to pummel me, I agreed and I gave almost as bad as I got! she shouted mentally, making him flinch. Sorry… it’s just… Izzy will understand, right?

“Izzellah hate violence and dick-measuring contests, Little Lind. So, you and Sabrina have basically fucked up in the worst way possible. You’d better think through what you’ll say… Well, what you’ll think and I’ll talk for you. We don’t want your lips to implode, right?”

Jenny was being overdramatic, sighed the young MAJOR, even if she still didn’t dare talking. But okay, let’s go! she thought, jumping on her feet only to sense a little vertigo come over her and make her sway around for a moment.

“Jesus! Will you put me down before doing your best battered Rocky Balboa’s impression!?” shouted Alejandro, whose voice sounded more than a little anxious.

I would like to see try to walk around after taking such a beating! grumbled Lindsey, before immediately feeling extremely bad about that. ‘Rando I’m sorry I…

“That’s okay” cut her off the small figure still trapped in her arms. “I know MAJORS are not the most sensitive bunch, especially after they got their ass whooped” he laughed.

“I didn’t get my ass whooped!” yelled Lindsey, before flinching. “Ouch, it stings to talk but far from what Jenny said. Damn, I’ll have to talk about her sense of humor…”

“You know, take it from someone who spent ten years living in deny, it’s not a good thing to reject the truth that way” said Alejandro, sounding perversely pleased now. “Helena and Derek saw the fight and they have deemed you the loser, sis.”

Lindsey seethed and dropped her brother a little harder than necessary, which made him scream and then flinch when he tried to walk, but she pretended to have not noticed it, even with the bond still in place. After all, she couldn't see anything really well anyway, so she just had misjudged the distance and it wasn’t at all a childish reaction, she decided. She felt changing, in body and mind and her brother’s attitude seemed to be changing drastically too. Wait a minute… she thought, finally collecting the dots.

“You’re acting weird today! Is it because… because I’ll soon be a real teenager?”

He said nothing, but through the bond, she felt that she was right. He was embarrassed about her finding out, but she knew she was right. It made her confused. She knew their relationship was changing, it couldn’t be any other way, since he was now engaged, they had left home to move around the country and she had to start finding her place in this whole world. Still, it made her kind of angry, which surprised her. She didn’t understand why, but that he changed the way he acted around her stung more than anything else, right about now.

“I… I hadn’t noticed” finally said her brother, which was probably an honest answer, from what she could read in his mind. “But I guess you’re right. You know, things became a little rocky with Alaric when we were your age, until we both gave ourselves space.”

“Rocky how?” she asked, curious now, since she had never noticed anything wrong back then.

“Well… nothing too crazy but… You know, he started to get incensed by some remarks I made, and myself… well, I was worse, I think. Anything he said, or Mom and Dad, for that matter, I took it the wrong way.”

“And not from me? Isn’t it weird?”

“Not really… I mean, you were still a little kid at that time, so I guess what you said was considered cuter more than unnerving? I don’t really know how it works; puberty, that is.”

“I see… So now that I’m entering it in full, you’re… what? Being mean with me?” she asked, sounding a little hurt and childish, even to her ears.

“Well, I can as well toughen you up, since I can’t protect you” ‘Rando replied with a grin on his face.

“You’re a meany!” screamed Lindsey. “But enough of that, we need to go and see what’s happening to the others! I don’t want Rodriguez to get that much leeway with Izzy.”

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Alejandro was greeted by a sight he hadn’t expected at all . Samantha was lazily standing next to the door leading to the little room his sister and he had had their little talk. She glared at all the other MAJORS present and the Minor realized that, hadn’t he been bonded with his sister, he would have been overwhelmed by the way she used her Tier 3 ability. He couldn’t fathom why she was doing it, but she had apparently granted them some privacy, even if she had probably heard most of what had went with Lindsey.

“Did you…” he started, but she cut him off.

“Don’t worry, door’s sound-proof, so I heard nothing. And I made sure that nobody would come and eavesdrop!” she added, shouting at Helena, apparently.

“You’re a fucking pain in the ass Sam, you know that right?” roared the gigantic black teenager, letting her muscles show off a little, as if she intended to start a fight with her friend. “But I won’t take the bait, I don’t want to endanger my baby just to kick your already loosing ass!”

“My loosing ass! You’re ugly already, do you need to add blindness to your arsenal?” spat Samantha, leaving her station against the wall to stride toward her friend. “I handed her ass to the little fury from California, you overgrown brute!”

“I sure don’t feel defeated!” yelled Mabel, jumping on her feet. “If you want some more, I’m done for it. Unlike Sabrina and Lindsey, I’m no slouch, and you know it by now.”

“You’re a snake is what you are!” blurted Rodriguez, still treated by Jenny, while, near her legs, Izzellah glared at everyone in the gym.

Alejandro had to admit that Mabel was right about one thing. She didn’t seemed much worse than when he had last seen her. It was also true of Sam, but it was something he had expected. He guessed that it came down from the fact that neither had personal reasons to beat the crap out of the other, or more talent and experience in this kind of fight to avoid turning it into a slugfest. In any case, Sabrina and his little sister looked even worse compared to the other two competitors.

Well thank you, hissed Lindsey in his mind, surprising him, since he had managed to forget the bond.

Sorry, but it’s true. And I think we can break the bond now, if you want to.

I… I would like to remain bonded with you for now, if it’s okay, admitted his towering little sister, who remained close to him, as if she needed his comfort, somehow.

“Stop that!” shouted Izzy, surprising all MAJORS present. “Haven’t you all done enough already? We came here so I could discover this school, and then New Orleans! What’s the point of crossing half the country if the peoples who could help me do that end clobbering each other like cavewomen?”

She glared at all of them, and Alejandro understood perfectly why she was so upset. He felt the same way, after all. All of this was a mess, made even sadder by the fact that it may have ended being exactly what Sabrina and Lindsey needed. They didn’t seem willing to fight each other now, which was at least a good starting point. I wonder how much of the kiss was due to their frustrations and how much was due to attraction? A sharp pain in his left shoulder made him yelp and he looked up at his sister, who was still pinching him harsh.

“What was that for!?” he shouted.

“You know perfectly well why you got that…” she grumbled, looking away from him.

“Really? Nobody cares about what I’m saying?” almost shrieked Izzellah, looking mightily pissed.

“Oh come on Izzy” huffed Lisa. “You’re being melodramatic and jealous that you didn’t see two hotties fight to the death and then make out, just for the right to woo you!”

“Lisa!” screamed Izzellah, who looked scandalized. “Look at them, they are seriously injured!”

“That? Psch, I’ve seen Romeo coming back with a lot worse and being none the worse two days later! MAJORS are tough, Izz’! I bet they’ll look barely bruised this evening and perfectly healed tomorrow morning! I swear it’s true on my girl scout honor!”

“You were a girl scout?” asked Shawna, who had managed to remain out of the discussions for now, probably at Helena’s express demand.

“Nope!”

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The dusk was quite beautiful in New Orleans. Not as much as in Old Creek, of course, but he had discovered it only during the last year, therefore Alejandro didn’t feel able to truly belittle the Big Easy sunset so easily. In the end, Shannon had never called back, apparently a business mood had stroke her and she had decided to deal with it for most of the day. It wasn’t a bad thing, all in all, since it allowed everyone to calm down and relax, back at the house. And now, while Mabel was cooking some dinner, he got to enjoy the view from his room.

“Can I come in?” asked Izzellah, startling him a little, since he hadn’t heard her coming at all.

“Sure! How’s your sister?”

“Sabrina’s not… urgh, you know what, I don’t care about it. She’s fine, that idiot! Her bruises are already healing, can you believe it? Now, her beating looks two days old at least! Damn MAJORS” she added, as an afterthought. “And how’s Lindsey?”

“Fine too, even if she’s a little worse than Sabrina – don’t tell her I said that. I had… an uphill battle to convince her to remain in bed. If you feel like it, a little help to make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid would be great” he asked with a sly smile.

“Are you trying to push me into your sister’s hands, mister Ferrand?” asked Izzellah, smiling for the first time since they had left the gym. “When ‘Brina and her have finally started to admitted their feelings to each other? How evil of you!”

“No way!” laughed Alejandro. “You actually find it funny!? I thought you wouldn’t, honestly!”

“Really? I think it is hilarious, especially because of how Sabrina will spend the next few days literally groveling before me. She did it once, when she made out with Lisa’s little brother. She was all teary eyed for days, always assuring me that it meant nothing to her, that I was the one she wanted to be with and that it had been a lapse in judgment.”

“Wow, I didn’t know that. But, seriously, a MAJOR groveling before you because of something like that, when everyone knows they are crazy sex addicts in their teenage years!?”

“I know!” laughed Izzy, who looked absolutely adorable. “But how come you’re surprised by such behavior when you have like, a living mountain at your beck and call?”

“I don’t really have her at my beck and call, Izzy” started to explain Alejandro. “And, to be honest, I don’t think I would like that. But she really terrify you, doesn’t she?”

“Yes…” grudgingly admitted the other Minor, looking away and biting her lips. “Howw can you be so calm around her!? She’s so… so immense, I feel like a doll, a very little one, not even a kid like with other MAJORS, when she’s around.”

“I get the feeling, I really do, Izzy. But she’s not that bad, she’s just… kind of bigger than the usual MAJOR, and even more arrogant. But she’s fine, and I think she wants to be friend with you…”

“Yeah, sure…” huffed Izzellah. “Well, I’ll try to keep an open mind, okay?”

“I guess it’s better than – wait a minute” he said, as he phone rang loudly.

He picked it up and see that Shannon had finally texted him back. It was quite short and to the point: I’ll be there in five minutes, with a surprise. Come greet me?

“Speaking of the devil… She’ll be there soon, so I guess I’ll go and meet her. Wanna come?”

“Okay…” sighed Izzellah, following him.

It didn’t take a lot of time to travel the house, even if it was far too vast for his taste. Alejandro had to admit that it was well equipped, with a separate set of stairs made just for Minors. The two small figures decided to avoid the living room, where Lisa entertained Mabel; Sabrina was also in her room, courtesy of Izzellah’s effort to keep the two hurt the worst from interacting with each other. Which meant that the house was incredibly calm. The one-armed Minor smiled at that. It was strangely calming, so little noise with so many MAJORS around.

“You think we have time to pick something to eat?” he asked to his friend.

“I’m not sure. How would your girlfriend take it if you were late?”

“One needs to be desired” joked Alejandro. “More seriously… I think she would freak out sooner rather than later, and, well, I care about having a front door.”

As he said that, someone knocked on said door. Looking at each other, the two Minor shared a sigh and Alejandro proceeded to open it. Shannon had a key, obviously, but if she wanted him to come and greet her, he doubted she would use it. No, he had to open the door for her, with the special device made for Minors, of course. A little act to prove his love for her. It’s still crazy, how someone as powerful, in all the possible ways, could be so insecure about me loving her. I guess she too, need to be comforted, at times. With a huff, he finally opened the door and was greeted by her powerful calves, and then her hands as she picked him up like a little doll.

“Hey baby! How was your day?” she asked. “Oh, Izzellah’s here! Great! I have a surprise for both of you. I heard that we had one more room open here, so I thought it would be great to make use of it!”

Shannon moved a little and the two Minors, the one near her face and the one still standing on the floor saw an Asian-looking MAJOR looking at them both.

“Mei!?” yelled an astonished Izzy.