"What the?" Logan said as he saw the effect of Erik's attack.
The crowd could not understand what was happening either. Apparently, Erik was able to cut Logan's chest with a harmless tray. They knew there must have been some reason for this; they did not know what it was, or their minds refused even to think about the possible explanation.
Erik was smiling widely, seeing Logan's injuries while the latter kept his hands on the wound, trying to stop the bleeding.
"What did you do?" Logan asked.
"What do you think?" Erik said, grinning from ear to ear.
"He used a BCP!" someone from the crowd said, and then murmurs started spreading inside the cafeteria.
"A brain crystal power? He?!" Logan said.
Everyone stared at Erik, unable to understand what really happened but the rumor that Erik possessed another power started spreading.
"What couldn't have I developed a new power?" Erik said.
"But that's..."
"Impossible? No. Rare, maybe, but not impossible." Erik interjected.
Erik looked around the room full of students who seemed confused by what had just happened.
"Whatever, you will pay for what you just did!" Logan then shouted. He started conjuring another poisonous dart when someone entered the cafeteria.
"STOP THIS MADNESS!" the man said.
"Professor Mc Allister!" a student shouted.
The man made his way through the crowd and reached the two standing students who were still facing each other.
"You are both under my command! Stop your fight immediately," Professor McAllister ordered in an authoritative voice. "I don't want anyone getting hurt because of you two. If anyone does get injured, I'll be sure to punish you severely. Am I clear?"
Both men stopped fighting and turned to face the professor. The atmosphere had changed completely after hearing him speak so sternly.
"What happened?" he asked.
Erik knew how the situation was going to unfold from there on. The other students would say it was his fault for all of this mess starting. He was actually the first to resort to violence. Still, any possible explanation he would give was bound to be ignored.
"It was him!" Logan said, pointing at Erik. "He attacked my friends and me."
Professor Mc Allister turned to look at Erik. "Is it true, Mister Romano?"
pA n,dan(-)0ve1.c0m "It is not," Erik obviously said, lying.
"We will find out soon." The teacher said.
"Bring these three to the infirmary," The teacher said to the students, referring to Conal, Orson, and Logan. "As for you, we are going to the principal's office."
Erik didn't reply; he knew that whatever he said, he couldn't go against more than a hundred people's words.
After leaving the cafeteria, Professor McAllister took him to the main building where Principal Harris' office was located. When they arrived, a secretary led the group to her boss's office and told them that the principal would talk to them in an hour.
The other teachers asked for information from the students, who narrated the whole event. Professor McAllister and Erik entered the spacious room as the waiting time ended.
They found Mr.Harris sitting behind his desk, looking very serious. His office had a desk, some chairs, and bookshelves filled with many old-looking tomes and manuscripts. A large map was also hanging on the wall showing the school's grounds.
After giving the boy a quick glance, he addressed the young men.
"I heard you made quite a show in the cafeteria," he said. Erik took into account this situation when he decided to mess up with Logan. Still, he had to show the other people that they had to stop to mess with him, or there would be consequences. He needed to show them he could defend himself and that he would if provoked.
"Sir, with all due respect, Logan and his friends started the whole situation. They asked for me to leave the cafeteria; they are not new to bullying me. Whatever I did, they deserved it."
"You could have denied it." Principal Harris said.
"What would have I gained? I bet the other students are already blaming me, sir. There were like hundred guys watching it happen."
"You are not wrong," Principal harris said while standing from his chair. He went to the window and started observing the school courtyard and the students walking in and out of the school.
Then the principal went to his computer, searching for Erik's personal file.
"Here it says that you have a power that allows you to grow plants faster," the principal said. Professor Mc Allister, "If I'm not wrong, you are one of his teachers. Can you confirm it?"
"Yes, I can, principal Harris," Mc Allister replied.
"So, Erik. Care to explain how you were able to injure Mister Reid with a harmless tray?"
Erik knew what he had to say, had already prepared a speech for when this question would have been asked and spent his free time searching for other double power cases.
The young man lied and told the two how he woke up with a migraine some days ago and how he simply felt natural to do what he did, using his new power. It was the story that most of the so-called awakeners told when they discovered their new power.
He had been scrupulous with his description of the feeling, the sensations, and the pain he felt. Of how he found out he had his new power, mixing lies with truths. It wasn't difficult because most of the things he described sounded real enough since they happened to other people.
"That is an amazing thing, young man," Principal Harris said.
"Yes, sir. My headaches are gone now, and thanks to my power I've even grown stronger physically."
"Well, if what you are saying is true, we need to test your new power again, and probably a man from the military will come to talk to you." Principal Harris said.
Erik knew the implications of revealing his second BCP to the whole school. He knew that the militaries wanted such individuals, and there was a simple explanation for this. Double powers meant double neural links, which meant stronger soldiers. Something they desperately needed.
"If that happens, then yes, sir. I'll be happy to comply." Erik answered.
Principal Harris smiled. "Now, we should talk about your punishment."
Erik lowered his eyes. "Did you believe I wouldn't have punished you?"
"No, sir," Erik said.
"Now, you sent three people to the infirmary and used a BCP to injure one of them."
"He too used his power," Erik said.
"And we will take care of it once the whole incident is investigated," The principal said. "Now, you know that having injured a person, I should alert the police, right?"
"Yes, sir." Erik did expect such a thing to occur. Improper use of one brain crystal power was severely punished, leaving stains on one's record.
"But despite this being the case, I won't do so."
"What?!"
"What?!"
Erik and Professor Mc Allister said in unison.
"Why?" Professor Mc Allister asked.
"I have my reasons," The principal replied. He then looked at Erik, "This only if you accept being trained by professor Mc Allister after school ends."
"Trained?" Erik said.
"Yes."
"That's it?" Erik asked.
"Yes. That's it."