Sorry for the way I treated you.
- John surprises Adrion
This is the 227th chapter of unORDINARY.
Summary
John and Adrion are both wondering what the other is doing in the supermarket of all places. Adrion struggles to show professional courtesy, wondering if he should get reacquainted with John. He notices John seems as stunned as he is, and addresses him by name. Shocked at his old friend speaking directly to him, John slams money down, snatches his purchase, and leaves without even waiting for his change. Once he's outside, he wonders what he was thinking walking away without acknowledging his misdeeds towards Adrion. John wishes he stayed and said something.
Once his shift is over, Adrion leaves work still reeling from what he went through earlier. It becomes apparent that his day is far from over when he sees that John stuck around U-Mart. John asks Adrion if he has the time to talk, which leads to the two sitting down on separate benches. John asks what Adrion is doing working on a weekday. Adrion tells him that he works to alleviate financial problems at home, and asks in turn why John has returned from Wellston. After hearing that John was suspended for excessive violence, Adrion inches away. John swears that he didn't come to start anything, and talks about how he's been reflecting on everything horrible he's ever done. He realized that through it all, Adrion was the only true friend hes ever had. John then apologizes for repaying such loyalty with abuse. Adrion was shocked that John was showing remorse, but became aware that the former King had been acting much calmer than he had in the past. Adrion states that he's simply glad that John seems to be doing better. John wonders to himself if that's really the case.
Adrion asks how long John will remain in New Bostin. John answers that with the indefinite suspension he'd been put on, it would be a few weeks at least. Adrion then asked if hashing things out with Claire was on the list of things John planned to do during his stay. For all the changes he's tried to go through, the falling out with Claire still remains a constant for John. He promptly rejects the offer to gain Claire's phone number, reminding Adrion that he himself was the one who warned him that Claire had planned to betray him from the beginning. Adrion recalls that John never got the chance to learn the truth after the Authorities took him away. He wonders whether he should finally clarify things after all this time. John probably deserved to know, and Claire definitely didn't deserve to be misunderstood. Making up his mind, Adrion informs John that he had been misinformed, and that Claire actually tried harder than anyone to help him. Having gotten John's attention, Adrion revals that Claire's claim about having a vision of John being overthrown was a false one she invented in order to coerce Zirian into lending her his power for the final confrontation. Upon hearing this, John flies off the handle again. He's unable to accept that such a definitive moment of his past was imagined. This unfortunately familiar outburst scares Adrion, who barely manages to admit he was partly at fault for the confusion. John reflexively orders Adrion to shut up, but realizes how terrified his old friend is getting. Forcing himself to relax, John abruptly excuses himself. He runs home in a hurry as the rather stiff Adrion watches him go. As he runs, John thinks back on everything he was certain of regarding Claire. It just didn't make sense to him that she was capable of caring about him. He was sure she was just using him to elevate her own position, and that she used her ability to plot his downfall.
Back at the Doe residence, William is in the middle of looking through a box of old photos. He examines one of himself and a white-haired woman. Just then, John returns from his outing. William informs him that there are leftovers he can eat, but John turns down the meal and heads to his room. William observes in silent concern. Back in his room, John is still confused on what to think about Claire, after only knowing what he was told by Adrion, only for the same person to directly contradict the words he was told years ago. Still stunned from the realization that everything he believed and lived by for two years of his life had been a lie, he sinks to the ground, not knowing what to even think anymore.
Appearing Characters
Appearing Abilities
- Aura Manipulation (flashback)
Gallery
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