Beyond the Thorns: A Novel

A week passes boringly. Simply wake up, go to work, toy practice with my newfound ability, go home, repeat. Sure, I’m now able to let loose my ability at will, but it’s like projectile vomiting, all or nothing. That sounds weird and disgusting but it’s true. Out of my boredom, I stroll about town, looking for something to entertain me for the time being.

As I do, a young woman yelped before crying, “help! Thief!”

My ego erupts from my chest as I look around to see two young children running off with the woman’s purse. No, they didn’t- I bolt after the goofs.

“That’s enough you little gremlins,” I snatch the purse out of the little boy’s hands. His little eyes widen in shock.

“Boots, retreat!” He shouts and the two run off and out of sight. I hand the woman her purse back.

“Sorry for all the trouble, those goofball kids know no bounds.” She sighs.

“It’s fine, I’ve been needing something to entertain myself with anyways,” I chuckle. “Who are those kids anyways?”

“They call themselves the Dynamos, but they just have some… active imaginations,” she replies.

“Mhm… well I’ll see you later,” I wave her off, curious about the occurrence.

一☉一

It took until the afternoon for the “Dynamos” to return. I was lazing around when the gap-toothed little boy from before ran up to me.

“You! Purple Titan! We, the Dynamozs, challenge you!” He shouts, as I pick up his childish lisp. When he says that, he dives into the bushes and three other kids burst out and grab onto my two legs, one of them being the little girl from before.

I pretend to falter, though it is hard to keep from toppling over. I plant my foot on the ground, with some of my strength. But instead, I projectile vomit my energy, the little gremlins fly a foot off of me. They all gasp and run off once more.

I laugh, “you challenge me? The Purple Titan God, Jyra? Ha! You couldn’t even make me fall over and you expect to defeat me?” I shout out for the adventurous kids to overhear. This is fun.

I hear the kids whisper amongst themselves in the bushes before I hear a “What?!” in unison before multiple shushes. I start smiling dorkily, ahh the memories.

The little boy popped out of the brush, “Haha! We were actually tethting you! It’th time for you to join the Dynamo! We need your help with a perilouth journey,” he says proudly.

“And that would be what exactly?” I raise an eyebrow.

“You mutht work ath a thpy for uth to find out more about the queen, Emma! We believe thhe hath been potheththed by the evil Fizzlebang!” The boy says, struggling with "possessed".

“That is bad!” I gasp theatrically, “we must save the queen!”

“Zo you’ll do it?” Gap-tooth asks, eyes glittering.

“We titans honor royalty to great extremes, of course I will,” I put my fist to my breast with a satisfying wack. I hear cheering before I get bombarded with four small bodies, toppling me over onto my backside. Oh Adonas, what have I gotten myself into?

一☉一

“See her?” Liam the Lisped stage whispers.

“Yessir,” Ethan the Mediator replies.

“Affirmative,” Sophie the Smart pushes up her glasses.

“Yupper do,” Zara the Booted grins mischievously.

Emma, the woman from before was walking downtown, towards an unidentified shop. Liam looked up at me, straining his neck as he did, “Purple Titan, go!” He points to add flair as he stage-whispers. I watch Ethan get into position after kicking a soccer ball out into the road, as he is about to enter the street I rush out.

“Woah kiddo, it’s dangerous to go out on the road.” I stop him, as rehearsed, then go get the ball. A couple bikers were talking as they almost clipped me, but I get the ball and return it to Ethan. Who which runs off.

I continue walking casually before pretending to realize Emma was watching me. “Oh hey, what a coincidence.” I walk up, “how are you?”

“Good,” she answers. “Do you know that kid?”

“Nope, just saw him being reckless and acted. Don’t want the new generation to become another ‘Chained Generation’** y’know?”

“Yeah, I get that. Since I work the nearby school, I have the urge to protect and provide for them almost every day. But it’s hard dealing with innocent, little, migraine-inducing children on the daily.” I nod in agreement. Sometimes they never get out of the stage.

“Mmm, that must be hard dealing with ones like that every day. Some people at my old tavern acted so much like children we’d nickname them Ankle-biter, Tot, all the things,” this made her chuckle.

“The kids at that school that love me the most have to be the Dynamos. Those idiots,”-I slightly cringe, knowing they’re nearby- “saw my irritable side a couple times and have been distant since.” She laughs in more of a huff, “I wouldn’t be surprised if they thought I was possessed by the ghost of a witch or something.”

That was almost accurate, I’m impressed. “As kids do, it honestly brings me back to my school days. I was… definitely not the teacher's favorite.” She laughed at that.

“I’ve told you all this but not even my name, I’m Emma by the way,” She smiles softly.

“I’m Jryasck, but everyone calls me Jyra,” I smile back.

“Quite the name, I won’t be forgetting it anytime soon that’s for sure.” Emma waves me off and enters a coffee shop. Befitting of a teacher, I nod to myself and leave.

The Dynamos soon found me and asked about the intel I gathered. I told them that to "exorcise" the evil Fizzlebang, they had to bring him tribute and say the magic words (“we’re sorry for causing you trouble Ms. Emma”). They were hesitant but accepted the task. And later that very day, I saw them walking out of a store carrying a doodled-on coffee mug.