"Seriously? I had hoped you were done lashing out like that…" Alaric sighed at Gil. "You know the gap between you and most of your peers. I could understand if you just beat him up, but you really could've killed Hercules yesterday."
"You can't seriously be trying to blame me for that fight? He pushed Hope through a wall first!" Gil exclaimed as his RC car rolled around the office. "So I think it's only fair I put him through one too. And I don't know if you've noticed but the guy is built like a freaking tank! Normal attacks don't work on him! And even still I didn't use anything too crazy."
"That lightning blade was only inches from going through Hercules's heart."
"I missed on purpose, and it's not like he wasn't punching lightning at me."
"Thanks to that majestic destroyer flame YOU did, Salvatore has no forestry behind it whatsoever."
"Ok maybe that supplex did hurt a little and maybe I got a tiny bit carried away… but if I didn't go that far he'd be beating some other kid up right now!"
"I understand that Gil, we're working on his aggression issues in counseling, even still he never hurt his classmates that badly."
"I bet he won't hurt anyone, well as many people anymore, I just saved you and Ms. Tig a whole lot of trouble dealing with him. I also unblocked his damaged chakra points, which someone else could have done had they realized he had chakra in the first place. There really isn't a reason I should be in trouble here."
"Hercules had chakra?"
"Has chakra. Whoever blocked his network off is most likely responsible for his village and amnesia too. Whoever unleashed this plague on me is going to pay dearly."
"I see…" Alaric said taking this news in. Hercules with chakra could be an even bigger problem than he already was. Hopefully, he mellows out instead of going on a warpath.
"Soooo if we're done here, can I go?" Gil started towards the door.
"One more thing Gilgamesh." Gil froze in his tracks. No one ever used his full name unless it was about something of the utmost importance. "Not only are your classmates going to recognize that you aren't weak anymore, but your grandfather's enemies also are likely to find out about this sooner too."
"I hope you didn't think I planned to hide out here forever. I'm going to deal with MY enemies myself, you just worry about your students." Gil walked out leaving a disturbingly murderous aura.
"Gil wait! Uuugh moody little…I'll have to start watching him more closely."
.............
Even though he said Gil wasn't in trouble, Alaric made Gil pay the guidance counselor a visit along with Hercules. Emma Tig, a kind and beautiful witch treated all of the students like they were her own children. She made it a point to know all of the students and try to help them however she could. As of late, she'd gotten familiar with Hercules since he spent a lot of his free time in detention/ anger management for starting so many fights. Trying to convince him there's more to life than punching has been a difficult task, but she's found that he's a good kid. Conversely, hand Gil had been as quiet as a church mouse the entire time she's known him, but just exploded suddenly and inflicted some serious wounds on Hercules. Or at least she thought he did. She saw the video Gil's electrified hand went through his chest, he slashed Hercules with a sword and burned him with fire, but Hercules was up and active like usual. If not for the bandages all over his chest you'd think nothing happened to him. What kind of healing factor did he have? On top of all that neither of them seemed to know when or where their classes are…they'd be competing for the worst attendance record if that was an actual award.
"I understand you're still 'adjusting' to Salvatore, no modern society in general, but you're going to have to start thinking more seriously about the consequences of your actions Hercules. Getting into fights here and there is only natural for someone your age but you can't just go around picking them. And didn't we talk about putting people through walls? Could you at least try to dial it back a bit on the violence?"
"My apologies Miss Tig, the wall was an accident, I got carried away…Fortunately, I found the rival I was looking for all this time!"
"Are you listening you walking wrecking ball? Stop assaulting the extras and destroying stuff then we wouldn't be in this problem." Gil snapped at Hercules. "Plus, you're way too weak to be my rival."
"Don't call your classmates extras Gil…"
"I understand well enough, and we can always have a rematch now that I know ninjutsu." Hercules stood up.
Gil stood up too "you don't know a fraction of what it takes to threaten me."
"My wood style is very formidable."
"Sure you can grow a few trees now, I'll burn them all down."
"Boys! Give it a rest" Emma cut in. "Don't try to pick a fight right in front of the guidance counselor! Especially when you're already in trouble for fighting!"
"He started it!"
"He started it!"
"I don't care who started it, I'm ending it. You two don't even have a legitimate reason to hate one another." Just listening to them talk was giving her a headache.
"Hate? How could I hate such a good friend and rival?" Hercules asked throwing an arm over Gil's shoulder, who pushed him away. "His people skills are indeed abysmal,"
"Abysmal?! You should talk bear fighter!" Gil said glaring at Hercules.
"But Gil is a very selfless and loyal friend. He was kind enough to allow me to move into his home, despite its fragility, and helps me understand this society better. Not only that, who would rush to defend a loved one so quickly? He only fought me on Hope's behalf, come to think of it I still didn't apologize to her for that yet, but anyways I'd rather have him at my back than most of the others I've met here. We do apologize again for the commotion and damages."
"Yeah, sorry for the commotion we'll keep it down from now on." Gil and Hercules gave a polite bow.
"(Wait they're besties just like that?) Oh umm ok…but if I hear anything else out of you two, we'll be hanging out a lot more. Are we clear?"
"That doesn't sound bad, I've just recently learned of Poker. Do you play?"
"We hear you loud and clear," Gil said pushing Hercules out the door. "I really don't know if you're stupid or not sometimes…"
Emma could tell neither of them really cared about what she had to say, but there was no animosity between them then so no need to press farther for now. "I'd better start seeing you two in classes more often too! No RC cars or weights either!"
..........
Breathing fire, holding lightning in his hand, summoning various weapons, and not to mention the incredible show of martial might had the school buzzing about Gil. Having defeated Hercules so easily it was unanimously decided that Gil was Salvatore's strongest. Some even looked at him more like a hero than prey now. Hope was happy not to have to defend him all day, or so she thought. There were still those who couldn't accept a human being top dog and Gil would call out the occasional 'color money' when the idiotic challengers looking to raise their status showed up. Also, now that Gil started showing his face more, there were other kinds of advances coming from the girls. Hope met Gil coming out of a classroom.
"Wooow look who finally remembers where his classes are." Hope said mockingly.
"Ha ha ha, very funny Hope. I'm just glad that's over, I hate math with a passion" Gil commented walking up to her. Bystanders were sure to make way for him, most wouldn't even look him in the eye.
"Why are you complaining? You never go to class anyways" Hope replied. "That's why your little sister is so much smarter than you."
"Firstly Josie is a nerd who spends all her time reading, she's supposed to do better than me in school." Gil answered matter-of-factly.
"Umm thanks? I can't tell if that was a diss or a compliment" Josie said coming out of the classroom after him. "Your grades would be higher if you actually did your homework though. I bring most of it to you and it's never seen again."
"Thank you but that isn't necessary sis. What would I gain from going to class? I'll never need the hypotenuse of a triangle to kick someone." Gil added.
"You plan to spend the rest of your life kicking people? Way to dream big." Josie rolled her eyes.
"I dream of doing what I want, and nothing I want requires algebra at all." Gil stated plainly. "Fighting on the other hand is part of who I am, besides I own more money than the rest of the world combined."
"How silly of me for not noticing…" Josie looked at how their little group was being purposefully avoided by the people around them. "Does it not bother you that all of the student body is scared of you now? Isn't it more lonely like that?"
"Not really. The number of lackluster challenges I get has been reduced to a fraction, and some people actually became fans of mine. Most importantly I can finally go around without all eyes on me. It's much less stressful. I have my hope, Sis-sis always has my back and there's you my dearly little jojo" he ruffled her hair a little and gave her a hug. "Plus the Doctor isn't too bad, and as much it pains me to admit I'm glad to know those idiots Ilpyo and Noraa. I'm not sold on Herc or Landon yet, I want to kill them as much as I consider them a friend. Raf is the only one who doesn't piss me off by breathing."
"You have to remember he's just a pretty face Josie, he doesn't know how to socialize with normal people. So it's up to us to annoy him as much as possible" Hope laughed at Gil. "You know you drew most of that attention to yourself with the blind serial killer look, I kinda wanted to bully you too."
Gil shot her an upset glance. "A man should be allowed to dress how he wants and not be judged, isn't this America?"
"Ok, ok no need to get so worked up Gillyflower."
"If you were anyone else, I'd have kicked you just now Hope" Gil pouted turning away.
"Hahaha sorry, sorry. It's just more fun to tease you when I can see the reactions on your face" she wiped a tear before she hugged him. "If you forgive me, I'll give you a kiss."
"I'm thinking about it." Gil turned to embrace her back.
"Aaaaand that's my cue" Josie split from the couple. "See you guys later."
"Oh, I almost forgot, give these to the big idiot for me." Gil produced several old scrolls and handed them to Josie. "He'd make better use of them than I could."
"What for? I'm not studying with Hercules for a few days." She looked confused. "I was looking forward to some quiet time."
"I'm willing to bet his Japanese is as good as his English" Gil answered.
"Don't you know Japanese too?" Josie shot back.
"It's not my place to read those…and I'm willing to bet a study session between me and Herc would end in another fight."
"I can believe that last part…" Josie sighed watching them walk away.
"Say hi for us!" Hope called back.