[ Chapter XVI (16): "MR. JOHN CONSTANTINE IN TROUBLE" ]
[ "Did I lose him?" ]
John Constantine looked behind him and couldn't see the strange figure of the man any more, the man that showed him pity. And also strangely enough, tried following him; which is never a good sign.
So when the young boy spotted an opportunity, he took it and ran for his life. Only after having run for a couple of minutes did he dare to look behind him, which seems to be in the clear.
As a kid he has more stamina than the weird old man, and shorter height which is advantageous that he used to hide in-between the crowd of people.
The stamina and short stature advantage was enough for him, as he now officially got away from the clutch of that weird stranger.
He knew that man saving him from Anthony in the first place wasn't a good thing.
Because why would he? If not for him having hidden malicious intentions. The most tame scenario he could think of, is his kidney being stolen as he then wakes up in an ice bath...
The most gruesome on the other hand... He doesn't want to know. So his decision to run away from that weirdo seems to be more correct than ever when thinking about it.
[ "What are you doing here, dork?!" ]
Or not...
[ "What the hell do you wan-!?" ]
John recognizes the voice, and he hates it. He turned around with annoyance in his face, but in the next second he was instantly pinned in the wall behind him; causing a loud thud to be heard.
[ THUD ]
[ "Damn it...!" ]
[ "I asked you a question." ]
[ "What are you doing in our territory?" ]
What stood in front of him are a few of Anthony's men, and with Anthony at the front; looking at him annoyed, and with disgust in his face. They looked to the side and noticed people nearby, so they dragged the despairing John into a nearby alleyway.
[ THUD ]
[ "Now speak!" ]
Anthony without caring about the malnourished John, threw him in a pack of garbage; scaring a few rats and cockroaches into fleeing. His interrogation continues, as he cracks his knuckles threateningly at the coughing John.
If Felix was here, he would have thought of this as the Detective Comics Universe version of a Dudley Dursley and Harry Potter dynamic. One frail kid getting bullied by a fat snob, alongside that fat snobs gang. See, I see no difference at all.
But he isn't here. And so the bullying, threatening, and interrogation continues. [ "I *cough* damn fat prick." ]
[ "What'd you call me?!?" ]
John looked up at the towering Anthony approaching him, not caring at all about the latter's size, weight, or even dietary preference. As he instead of cowering, smiled.
Which in turn made the other party pull him up, pinning him to the wall for the nth time, and ready to punch John to the face. Seeing this, John closed his eyes; ready to get beaten, about to endure it.
But that fist never came... So in confusion he opened his eyes and was met with the pale face of Anthony; seemingly frozen... [ "Huh...?" ] And right he seems, as the latter is even paler than before, as if frozen solid.
And as if magic, the hands that were pinning him stiffen also, glueing itself to the sides of Anthony followed by his hands, then legs.
Before then, under the confused eyes of everyone— the bullies and John... He fell, landing on a trash bag on the other side of the alleyway.
[ "Is this some... English culture, or something... Because I believe this isn't what a proper gentleman does." ]
They hear the voice of someone, not english, not american. The accent is slightly broken, crooked, understandable but in some places it abruptly stops... With weird emphasis on words that shouldn't be.
Confused, they all looked to the side— even Anthony with his eyeballs, at the sole entrance of the alleyway and noticed a weird dude. Wearing what seems to be purple contact lenses.
In mismatched clothes, holding two ice cream cones on one hand which is melting, drenching his hand... But he didn't seem to care.
On the other hand, he could be seen holding a black pointy stick, which is currently at them... Or, to be more precise at the spot where Anthony was previously standing on.
[ "What in some Doctor Who type of bullocks is going on here?" ]
One of the bullies, a no-named individual that John doesn't remember spoke up. Which caught the attention of the ice cream wielding freak... That he knows.
[ "Oh damn it, why are you here?!" ]
[ "Get out of here...!" ]
Not caring about it anymore, he warns the weird guy. Perhaps he isn't there to harvest his organs after all, but is instead someone with brain damage— and in that case... Both of them are fucked.
[ "Hey, you. Old man, get out of her-" ]
Annoyed, the kid that doesn't look like a kid at all. Acts like an adult, has facial hair growing on his face, tried shoving the mysterious weirdo that appeared and disturbed them.
He still doesn't understand why his friend got frozen stiff and suddenly landed in a trash bag... But his attention was shifted, and now he wants to beat-up the weirdo in front of him.
[ "Huh...?" ]
But to his confusion, the stick the man is holding shifted to him... And in the next second with gestures, and a whisper he couldn't understand at all; he felt cold... Which was then followed by him getting frozen, stiff.
[ "What is h-" ]
Before he could react, or even alert his friends. His mouth was shut. His hands and legs gluing themselves as closely as it could, before he then suffered the same fate as his friend... Fall.
[ THUD ]
[ "Ugh..." ]
All the remaining individuals at the alleyway watch in confusion, both John, and the three other remaining bullies. As another one of the bullies frozen pale, and hit his head on the ground without worrying about concussion— that he may, or may not already have even before.
But nonetheless, the fact that something supernatural is happening in front of them all; made them shiver... What else can this weirdo do? Does he eat children?!?
[ "You, you, and you... If you don't want to die, then get these idiots out of here, and never appear in front of me ever again." ]
Thankfully he doesn't seem to eat children... And instead kill children. Luckily the said monster poorly masquerading as a human seems to give warnings, and chances. So they took it without hesitation.
[ "L-let's get the hell out of here...!" ]
They dragged their fat friend with great difficulty, and ran away tails cowering. Even bumping into John Constantine that was trying to stand up, which in turn made him fall on the ground; again.
[ "Hey... John, right?" ]
The strange man smiled at the kid, as harmlesss as he could. But that just made John who haven't been hit with something weird pale... At that moment his life seemingly flash in his mind, as he was ready for his last fight.
[ "D-don't come over...!" ]
[ "I-I'm a wizard!" ]
Huh...?
Felix who's seeing this of course agrees... The kid is a wizard, that fact is known to him even before he got here; he personally checked the names in the Hogwarts Letters and one of them is destined to be given to one Mr. Constantine.
John Constantine that he has recollection of, though only little. But that kid, plus the appearance quickly caught his eye, and made him remember about him...
Apparently the kid is someone special in this Universe... Would be a future hero, a future badass that tricks, and beat up demons. So of course he'll need to get into this kid's good side, and teach him magic. So that Felix can grow, and also the kid could grow.
Win-win.
[ "That's great kid, I'm a wizard too." ]
[ "Huh...?!" ]
[ "My name's Felix Harp... Headmaster of Hogwarts." ]
[ "Huh, really!?!" ]
[ ——— ] [ ——— ] [ ——— ] [ ——— ]
[ 04/23/2025 ]
[ 04/23/2025 ]