Crystalbringer

A week has gone by since that night at the abandoned factory with Clare. Unfortunately, the device we believed was a radar for Crystalbringers was destroyed in the explosion. Still, the mere thought that such a thing could exist has rattled Brianne, Gin, and Elaine to their very cores. None of us feel safe anymore.

The bullet wound in my thigh healed completely by the next morning, but one thing from that night lingers: Clare's words. "How can you be so weak?"

That single sentence has haunted me ever since. Am I really that weak? I don't want to be a burden to my comrades. But more than that, what would happen if I were left alone to face the Black Jackets? At the factory, I emerged practically unscathed thanks to Clare and her incredible power. She took out our attackers like it was nothing. But if she hadn't been there? I'd be dead for sure.

No, I can't let that happen. I can't let Clare or Brianne fight alone while I hide in the shadows. That's why I made a decision: I joined a gym.

It might seem silly to think that lifting weights will put me on the same level as the other members of the student council, but honestly, I don't know what else to do. This has to be a start, right? If I can't become stronger overnight, then I'll take it one step at a time. I refuse to be the weak link again.

It's finally Sunday, the day meant for relaxation and fun. Brianne has organized a spa day for us, and I'm really looking forward to it. After everything that's happened since I joined the student council, a hot bath feels like the perfect way to unwind and soothe my frazzled nerves.

Brianne invited all five of us from the student council, but, predictably, two of them didn't show up. Want to guess who? You got it. Gin LeBlanche flat-out said he had "neither the time nor the desire" to waste a Sunday at the spa with us. Classic. And Elaine? She just snapped, "I'd rather become a nun than let Ren see me in a swimsuit!" Her tone was as sharp as ever.

In an unexpected turn of events, one unlikely person decided to join us: Eirik Norviel. Usually, Sundays are our time to play video games or football with friends. But as soon as he heard about my plans, he went into full-on panic mode, throwing out ridiculous threats and begging me to let him come along. Why? Simple. Brianne and Clare. His two crushes.

So here we are, with Eirik crashing a spa day that's clearly not meant for him. Honestly, the idea of this guy spending an entire day surrounded by Brianne and Clare in swimsuits makes me break into a cold sweat. Not for their safety, though. I'm worried about him. I've seen what Clare can do when she's angry, and I have no doubt Brianne can be just as fierce. If Eirik's hands wander even a little too far… well, let's just say I'm not sure we'll make it to the hot baths without something going wrong.

«I can't believe I'm about to see Clare and Brianne in swimsuits! Swimsuits!» Eirik is practically bouncing with excitement, his whole body shaking like a kid on Christmas morning staring at a pile of presents. «Their firm asses, their perfect boobs... I'll get to see everything!» His voice is a hushed squeal, but the wild energy radiating from him is anything but subtle.

We're standing just outside the women's locker room, waiting for Clare and Brianne to finish changing. Women of all ages walk by, some giving us curious looks, others completely ignoring us. Normally, Eirik would be swiveling his head to check out each one, but today? Today, he's laser-focused. Nothing matters except the anticipation of seeing them.

And then, it happens. The locker room door swings open, and the goddesses step out. Eirik's jaw drops so quickly I'm surprised it doesn't hit the floor.

Brianne walks out first, her dark blue one-piece swimsuit hugging her body perfectly. It's elegant and understated, yet it leaves no doubt about the perfection of her toned figure. And then there's Clare. Oh boy. Clare's outfit—or rather, the two tiny pieces of yellow fabric she's trying to pass off as a bikini—steals the show. Barely enough to avoid a public indecency charge, the minuscule triangles cling to her curves as if they were glued on. Her enormous boobs bounce with every step, testing the limits of physics and the strength of those microscopic straps.

Eirik's reaction is instant. His eyes bulge so much I half-expect them to pop out, and his tongue practically rolls out like a cartoon character. "This... this is beyond imagination!" he whispers, his voice shaking with awe. «They're the most beautiful girls in the world! I'd sell my soul for just one night with them!»

I glance nervously at Brianne and Clare, who are thankfully too far away to hear his outrageous declaration. For Eirik's sake, I hope they stay that way. If either of them catches wind of it...

«So, little Ren. How does it look on me?» Clare asks with a playful spin, her tiny bikini bottom disappearing entirely between her perfect, round buttocks.

On the outside, I somehow keep a straight face—barely. But inside? I'm Eirik 2.0. My brain screams, WOW! Clare is just... I can't even describe it. «T-T-That looks really good on you» I stammer, feeling the heat crawl up my cheeks.

She grins, placing her hands on her hips. «I'm really rocking it, huh? Though, while I was waiting for you outside your apartment this morning, I saw a woman go in who was too hot. Like, too, too, too hot! A total bombshell! Even I'd think about flirting with her!». Her tone is more awe than jealousy, and her expression shines with admiration.

I don't even have to guess. She's definitely talking about Miss Isabelle Lazar. And honestly, who can blame her? Miss Lazar isn't just beautiful—she's a walking fantasy. Clare's next words, though, send my brain into overdrive. "Even I'd think about flirting with her!"

Those words unleash a vivid—and totally inappropriate—mental image of Clare and Miss Lazar together. My imagination spirals. No! Stop it! Think about something else! I silently scream, desperate to shake the image before my body betrays me. The water. Focus on the water.

Thankfully, it's not long before we're fully immersed in the warm, soothing embrace of the thermal baths. The heat seeps into my muscles, relaxing every part of me—except my traitorous brain, which still occasionally flashes back to the Clare-Isabelle scenario.

What really surprises me, though, is Eirik's uncharacteristic silence. Ever since Clare and Brianne strutted out of the locker room, he hasn't made a single peep. This feels like a miracle. I expect him to unleash a flurry of lewd comments and ruin the whole vibe, but instead, he just sits there, quiet as a monk.

Of course, it's not entirely a mystery. Before this little outing, I gave him a full-on lecture. "If you act like a maniac around them, this will be the last time I ever bring you anywhere!" I must've repeated that warning at least a hundred times.

Did my threats actually work? Or is it just that Clare and Brianne in swimsuits have short-circuited his brain entirely? Either way, I'm not about to complain. Peace and quiet in the spa is something I didn't even dare to dream of.

All four of us are crammed at the edge of a Jacuzzi that's way too small for four people. Like, ridiculously small. So small that we've been forced to squeeze in... a little too close. Brianne is on my right, Clare on my left, and somehow they've both decided to slide onto my legs. Brianne is perched on my right thigh, Clare on my left.

Eirik, meanwhile, sits across from me, glaring daggers of pure jealousy. Poor guy. He's got the Great Divide around him, as the girls clearly want to keep their distance. Given the reputation he earned in high school, it's not surprising. I shrug helplessly at him, but inside? I'm dying.

This is way more complicated than it looks. Both girls' bodies are warm against mine, and I'm fighting a losing battle with my... beast. Let's just say, what I lack in height, I more than make up for elsewhere. And if that "elsewhere" decides to wake up with two gorgeous girls on top of me? Yeah, game over. My only hope is to channel every ounce of focus I have to keep myself under control.

«So, how long have you and Ren known each other?» Brianne asks suddenly, and I realize she's looking at Eirik. She's probably trying to pull him into the conversation, considering he's been unusually silent up until now.

Eirik's face turns tomato red, and the water around him feels like it might start boiling. Can you blame him? His unattainable goddess just spoke directly to him.

«Well, uh...» he stammers, his voice barely audible. «Since kindergarten. So, about ten years now»

As he starts talking about our childhood, his voice gains some confidence. Before long, Clare and Brianne are hanging on to his every word. For the first time, their attention is all on him, and honestly? He's killing it.

For the next half hour, they pepper him with questions about the "good old days," and Eirik gradually reclaims his usual bravado. «Oh, and there was this one time when Ren kicked a ball and shattered the glass of the—»

«This is a space for adults, not some kiddie pool» interrupts a haughty voice behind Eirik, dripping with arrogance.

They're two guys, probably in their twenties, maybe a little older. Their bodies are well-toned, with muscles that look like they've been sculpted in a gym, and their overly bronzed skin screams spray tan special. Honestly, they look like they were stamped out of the same mould, with the only difference being that one has dark hair and the other is blond.

«How about you leave the kids to splash around and join us instead?» The dark-haired one smirks, his eyes shamelessly locked onto Brianne and Clare.

Clare tilts her head, giving him a once-over with a look that's both amused and unimpressed. «You know, you're kind of hot» she admits, shrugging casually. «In another situation, I might have said yes. But you treated my little Ren like trash, so guess what? My vagina? Completely off the table»

«Clare…» Brianne murmurs, pinching the bridge of her nose as if this happens way too often. Then, with her usual grace, she turns to the guys and politely dismisses them. «I also decline your offer. Have a nice day."

If only that was enough to end it.

«Are you seriously telling me you'd rather stick with these kids—what, still cutting their baby teeth—over us?!» the blond one snaps, his voice rising along with his temper.

Clare narrows her eyes, clearly done with the conversation. «My friend Brianne asked you to leave politely» she says, her tone sharp. «If I were you, I'd take her advice, because unlike her, my patience has a very short expiration date»

Clare is... hot? Yeah, Clare is absolutely hot. But not that kind of hot—well, okay, maybe a little. No, this is more literal. Her bottom is planted firmly on my thigh, and it feels like my leg is sitting too close to an open flame. Her body is radiating heat like a furnace, and it's only getting worse. Damn it, Clare's pissed. She's like a volcano ready to erupt, and I'm pretty sure if she snaps, those two blowhards are going to end up as crispy charcoal.

Luckily, Brianne steps in with just a glance, her calm aura somehow cooling Clare down before things go nuclear.

The blond guy, though, isn't taking the rejection well. His face is twisted with humiliation and rage, and before anyone can react, he lunges forward and grabs Eirik by his curly carrot-colored hair. With an alarming amount of force, he yanks him out of the tiny hot tub, dragging him up like a rag doll.

«Let me go! Please, let go of me!» Eirik cries, his voice cracking with panic as tears well up in his eyes. He flails helplessly, trying to break free, but the blond guy's grip is merciless. Eirik's shrill pleas echo through the area, desperate to catch the attention of anyone who might help.

But there's no one. Or, more accurately, no one willing to step in. This part of the spa is quieter, deliberately so, and the few adults passing by cast quick, nervous glances but keep walking. Maybe it's the sheer size and aggression of the two boys that intimidates them. Or maybe they just don't want to get involved.

«Enough! Stop! You're hurting me!» Eirik whimpers, his voice cracking into a high-pitched whine. His face is scrunched up in pain, but the bullies only laugh, taunting him like it's all some sick joke.

Clare and Brianne's words don't seem to have any effect. Let's face it—what kind of fear can two girls inspire in these muscle-bound jerks? Without the power of their crystals, Clare and Brianne are just two ordinary girls. And Brianne has drilled it into us a thousand times: no using powers in public. Ever. Least of all against a couple of idiots who—jerks as they may be—aren't exactly enemies.

But I can't just sit here and watch Eirik get dragged around like that!

Before I know it, I'm moving. With a burst of adrenaline, I leap out of the hot tub and charge at the blond guy. My shoulder slams into his torso like a battering ram. I swear I was trying to hold back—I didn't mean to hit him that hard!—but the impact sends him flying backward.

He crashes to the ground a few meters away, his head smacking against the wet tiles with a sickening thud. For a moment, everything freezes. Then, blood. A lot of blood. It pools beneath his head, dark and shiny, and more trickles from his mouth.

My stomach drops. I stand there, frozen, my hands trembling as panic overtakes me. What... what did I just do? I've only been going to the gym for, like, a week. How could my strength spike like this?

The horrifying thought creeps in—what if I've seriously hurt him? Or worse... what if he's dead?

A shiver runs down my spine, cold and sharp. If something happens to that guy, Brianne is going to kill me. And I mean that in the most literal way possible.

Thankfully, the blond guy is still alive, though not exactly thriving. He's clutching the back of his head, muttering a colorful string of curses, while his buddy scrambles to grab a towel and dab at the wound.

«You little bastard! I'll kill you!» the dark-haired boy growls, his face twisted with fury, ready to pounce.

But salvation comes from an unexpected voice. «What's going on here?!» A man in a crisp uniform appears. Judging by his annoyed expression and official-looking outfit, he's clearly an employee of the spa.

I let out a shaky breath. Finally, someone noticed. Eirik's frantic screams must've done the trick.

«N-Nothing...» the blond boy mutters, his voice weak and pained. «I... I slipped and hit my head»

Wait, what? Why the hell is he covering for me? Maybe he's too embarrassed to admit that a smaller, younger guy took him down. Not my problem, though—I'm not about to correct him.

The man's expression shifts from suspicious to downright furious as he narrows his eyes at the two boys. «What are you two doing here again? I've told you a thousand times—you're banned! I don't want to see your faces in this spa ever again!»

Well, that explains a lot. Their creepy behavior with Clare and Brianne must be a regular occurrence if they've already been kicked out of this place before.

«You!» the man snaps at the blond boy, «Come with me to the infirmary. And you—» he points a stern finger at the dark-haired one «get out. Now. If I catch you here again, I'm calling the police»

Crisis averted, right? Wrong.

I can feel Brianne's gaze burning into the back of my head. When I turn to meet her eyes, they're sharp and cold, filled with a deadly calm that somehow terrifies me more than any muscle-bound bully ever could.

«Ren» she says, her voice icy as she steps gracefully out of the water, «We need to talk. Now»

I swallow hard. «Uh... yeah, sure...»

My heart's racing in my chest like a drum. Clare warned me that Brianne is terrifying when she's angry, and I really hope that's not the case right now.

Brianne grabs my wrist, and it's clear she's really mad—she's never held me like this before, always gentle, always kind. But this? This grip is unyielding as she drags me into a small sauna.

She makes me sit on the wooden bench, then stands in front of me, arms crossed, eyes narrowed, her gaze sharp and accusing.

I can't meet her eyes. I bow my head, feeling smaller by the second. «S-Sorry, Brianne. You told me never to show my strength in public, but when those two started messing with Eirik, I don't get to finish my sentence. The sound of a slap cuts through the air, and I feel the sting on my cheek. It's not the pain that hurts the most, though. It's the look on her face when I look up.

Her face is a mask of tears.

It's the first time I've ever seen her cry, and my heart just breaks.

«You're so stupid, Ren! So stupid!» Brianne shouts in tears, her voice trembling. Then she lowers it, and it assumes a gentler tone: «That night, with Clare, you saw what the Black Jackets are capable of doing! You saw that they show no scruples in hurting youngsters!» She said in a low sweet comforting voice as she walked closer to me and she wraps her arms around me, holding me tightly into a warm hug. «Those damn people took away what I held most dear in the world! I don't want... I don't want that to happen again»

What could she have lost? What was so important to her? I can tell you're talking about what Clare mentioned that night. Clare said Brianne would tell me when she felt ready, maybe she will when she has more confidence in me?

After that outburst, Brianne seems to have calmed down. The tears are gone, replaced by sweat dripping from the heat of the sauna. She sits next to me, her legs pressed together. With a wave of her hand, she invites me to rest my face on her thighs, covered only by a towel—we took off our swimsuits before entering, and now we're down to just the towels. I do what she asks, of course.

Immediately, I feel her fingers slip into my thick brown hair, gently massaging my scalp with her fingertips. It feels so... good! I've never felt so good in my life. Her thighs are so soft, and her massage is unbelievably relaxing. I could fall asleep right here.

Any other guy in my place would've been clearly turned on, maybe trying to take advantage of the situation and reach out to her. But for some strange reason, the feelings I have now are different—more intimate, deeper. The way Brianne is acting, so sweet and caring but also protective, the tenderness with which she's massaging me and letting me use her thighs as a pillow... it feels like the affection of an older sister.