Breaking Point: An Eternal Flame Short

Series: Eternal Flame
Astra International School
September 2012

Subject: Lunch
 HS Cafeteria

Arizona’s worst trait(s) had to be her tendency to be jealous and bitter.

Both of them were equally bad in their own way, but when put together, she could be as vapid, sharp-tongued and sarcastic as she needed to be. The rest of the group had only seen her display one side or another.

On that day, she risked showing what could happen if both came into the picture.

Five of them – herself, Teresa, Beatriz, Gaby and Megara – were seated at their usual place, eating their own respective lunches. While Beatriz and Gaby copied off each other (with Teresa shaking her head in dismay), Megara noticed Arizona looking around every few minutes, seeming disappointed, and eating even less.

Which was not how their lunches usually went.

Because:

1. Arizona was a heavy eater
2. Elisa was usually there beside Arizona
3. The two would be reading a notebook and giggling

However, none of the above were happening.

Which probably explained Arizona’s impatient unease. “I don’t know where she went,” Arizona finally broke. Gaby looked up from her Statistics worksheet.

“Elisa?” Arizona nodded, “She’s probably cramming her own Stat homework. And the take home quiz.”

“I didn’t see her stay in the classroom.”

Teresa glanced at the staircase. “Might have been called by a teacher. She’ll come.” Megara’s eyes followed Teresa’s gaze and she blinked, suddenly raising a hand and waving crazily. The rest of them stared in confusion until finally, Elisa came with a much smaller girl trailing behind her.

“Sorry I’m late,” Elisa apologized, setting the sky-blue lunchbox down on the wooden table, “I had to fetch this one,” she nudged the smaller girl, “Before she could end up getting lost. Again.”

“You have little faith in me, El,” the other chimed. The five turned their gazes to the girl, who gave a cryptic smile of her own. “You’re so rude – aren’t you going to introduce me to your friends?”

“I was going to,” Elisa sighed. Stepping to the side, she let the rest of them have a look of her and she said, “Everyone: this is Ame Villa. Ame, these are my friends.” Ame hopped around Elisa and approached each one, shaking their hand. “The two noisy ones are Gaby Rebollos and Beatriz Marasigan.” The two shot her identical smiles; Ame smiled back.

She approached Teresa and Teresa nodded, giving a firm handshake. “Teresa Valdez, the self-proclaimed cool-and-logical token girl.”  Then Megara, who gave a calm smile and instead patted Ame on the shoulder, “Megara Ronquillo, who watches over us and makes sure we behave.”

And finally, she stopped in front of Arizona last.

Arizona held out a hand and Ame shook.

“Arizona Sanchez, our–”

Upon contact, Arizona flinched.

Ame’s hand was cold and she didn’t break eye contact.

For a split second, Arizona thought she saw a pattern of a gear glowing a duller shade of gold.

And then she heard it:

“I’ll enjoy breaking you, Devil.”

* * * * *

Otherworld
Battle: Black Devil Girl vs. Chariot

“You’re going to let her go.”

“Make me,” the wild-haired Otherself chirped. Yellow eyes gave a playful glint, “Or I’ll make you leave.” In a flash, she charged towards Black Devil Girl, her blonde hair flying beind her as she made a fist. Unable to respond in time, Black Devil Girl found herself slamming back into a pillar which severed in half.

If not for her timing, she would have found herself crushed. Black Devil Girl quickly rolled to the right, the pain on her back starting to throb.

“You’re losing your touch.”

“You need to shut up,” the black-haired Otherself hissed. Chariot merely grinned widely and sped towards her, roughly pulling on Black Devil Girl’s hair. The latter barely cringed. “That the best you can do?”

“I’m happy you asked,” Chariot chirped, kicking Black Devil Girl back and snapping her fingers. A mechanical noise filled the air. Black Devil Girl looked up, green blood flowing from her bottom lip, and her eyes widened in shock.

Chariot merely smiled, taking a few steps back as her newest toy came into the picture. She gave the mechanical spider’s leg an affectionate pat. “Go get her.” Immedaitely the spider roared to life and Black Devil Girl summoned her katana. As the battle began, Chariot walked towards a tall wall, head partially tilted to the side. Summoning a long javelin, she stopped in front of a chained woman and used said javelin to poke her cheek.

“Do you like this?” the person didn’t respond. Chariot tsked and slowly dragged the sharp end across the woman’s cheek, causing a wound to open and drops of blue blood to slowly spill out. “Open your eyes. Can you see this-?”

“Don’t hurt her!”

Chariot turned around to see her spider spit binding ropes at Black Devil Girl, pinning her down. The child-like Otherself smiled nastily.

“Shut up. Black Rock Shooter and I have some things to discuss.”

At the mention of her name, Black Rock Shooter slowly opened her eyes.

Black Devil girl was on the ground, bound, and a spider was approaching. She opened her lips.

A hard slam came to her forehead and she found herself unconscious once more.

* * * * *

Subject: Departure
Astra International School Grounds

Two weeks had passed since Ame’s appearance, and tension had started to rise.

For one, Elisa had started spending more time with Ame and Arizona was not taking that well. Each time the two would go together, the look on the other’s face would darken and she would look away angrily, clenching her fists. The other noticed, but didn’t say anything in fear of her suddenly exploding.

Megara had talked to her in private but Arizona had insisted that there was nothing wrong. Even Lukas Aquino, who had a rocky relationship with Arizona since half of Freshman year, had noticed the dent in her mood.

Stuck in her own bitterness, Arizona didn’t quite realize the mildly forced smiles Eiisa would plaster onto her face when Ame would come around to drag her off.

Beatriz and Gaby found themselves shocked one day when Ame had pulled Arizona to a corner, talking to her with a low and serious voice. By the time Ame had left (Beatriz and Gaby hid away, not wanting to be seen), Arizona was merely standing there, shaking like a leaf with hot tears streaming down her face.

Finally, the last strike came when Arizona began to break away, sitting with Lukas during breaks. The group would see Lukas quickly pulling her out of the classroom when the bell rang for departure, him even carrying her books.

With Arizona’s slow fade, Elisa and Ame returned, with Ame taking Arizona’s spot at the lunch table, on the way home, almost everything.

Finally, the downfall of Arizona Sanchez came to its climax one October afternoon.