Jayden's lips parted, but no words ca out. His throat felt tight. For once, the sharp, witty cobacks that usually ca so easily to him failed him. Tasha's words had cracked sothing open inside him, and all he could do was sit there, breath shallow, mind racing.
Finally, his voice ca… quiet, steady, but heavy.
"You're not wrong," he confessed. "I do… possess other abilities."
Tasha's breath hitched, but she didn't speak. She just waited, her eyes fixed on him, urging him to continue.
Jayden exhaled, running a hand down his jacket as though the motion could ground him. "It all started when I woke up from the coma. Everything felt… different. Like the world had shifted. I began to feel things I couldn't explain.. a strange connection to the wild, to beasts. And then… suddenly I could do things. Things I shouldn't be able to. Powers, skills… abilities I don't even fully understand."
He shook his head slightly, his gaze dropping. "All I know is… it's connected to beasts sohow. And it gives all sorts of powers."
He didn't ntion the System. Or Luna. Or the quests. That was too much. This truth was already heavy enough.
Tasha nodded slowly, her face pensive as she tried to take it all in. Then she exhaled softly, her voice hushed with awe. "So you can sohow use the skills and abilities of beasts?"
Jayden nodded, his tone low. "Yeah… sothing like that."
Her eyes lit up with childlike wonder. "Wow. That's… really cool. You're like the actual Beast Boy." She giggled at her own joke.
Jayden chuckled, shaking his head. "I guess I am."
"Can you… turn into them?" Tasha blurted suddenly, stars practically glowing in her eyes.
Jayden almost choked on his own breath. "W–what?" His disbelief was palpable. He didn't expect that question.
Tasha blinked rapidly, realizing what she'd just said. Her cheeks flushed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that. I don't know what ca over ."
Jayden's chuckle was warm, easing her embarrassnt. "It's fine. You don't have to apologize."
Then he hesitated, the weight of his next words clear. "But… yeah. I can turn into beasts."
Tasha froze, her brows shooting up. "Huh?" She had only said it as a joke. The idea of him actually confirming it hadn't even crossed her mind.
Jayden gave a wry smile. "Well, I can't exactly turn into an actual beast. But… I can take so of its features. A sort of partial form."
Tasha burst into laughter. "Hahaha!Are you kidding ?" She turned to him, expecting him to crack a smile.
But his face stayed serious.
Her laughter faltered, her gaze narrowing. "Wait… you aren't laughing. Why aren't you laughing?"
Jayden sighed, his expression firm. "Because I'm not kidding, Tasha. Everything I said is true."
Her eyes widened until they seed ready to fall out of her head. "Wait… what?! But… but how?"
Jayden exhaled deeply, looking away. "I don't know. It's a mystery to too."
Tasha scoffed lightly, shaking her head in disbelief. "You having the skills and abilities of beasts was still sohow easy to comprehend.." she stated. "But this? Everything else you just said? It's… hard to believe."
Jayden tilted his head, a knowing smile tugging at his lips. "Do you want to see for yourself?" he asked.
Tasha hesitated. Her heartbeat quickened. A part of her scread to say no. But curiosity won. Slowly, she nodded.
Jayden raised his left fist, concentration rippling across his face.
Tasha frowned, confused, until suddenly, with a sickening shnk, three long, blade-like claws burst out from Jayden's knuckles, gleaming under the moonlight. The sound was sharp, violent, and ferocious.
Tasha flinched back, gasping audibly, her hands flying to her mouth. Her mind reeled, her heart skipped. "Oh my God…"
Her eyes, wide and shimring with disbelief, locked on the claws. They weren't weapons. They weren't tricks. They were real.
"Are those…?"
"Yeah." Jayden said casually. "The knuckleclaws of a greater wolverine stalker."
Tasha leaned closer, her movents tentative. Her hand trembled as she reached out and slid her fingers along one of the claws, tracing from its tip down to the point where it pierced out of his knuckles. Warmth radiated from the tal-like surface, but the flesh beneath was very much his.
Her voice was barely a whisper. "Does it hurt?" Her eyes lifted, searching his.
Jayden gave her a small, wry smile. "A bit. But it's bearable."
She chuckled nervously, still in awe. "I still can't believe it. But this power… is it like a werewolf thing?"
Jayden shook his head. "I doubt that. This is sothing different. But I don't know what it is. All I know is… I'll use it to protect the ones I care about."
He retracted the claws. They slid back into his hand much slower than they had erged, his flesh knitting itself together with supernatural speed until his knuckles were whole again.
Tasha exhaled a shaky gasp at the scene. "Woah… that's kinda freaky." she let out a chortle.
Jayden chuckled, flexing his fingers. "Yeah, it is. Which is why you can't tell anyone about this, Tasha."
She nodded firmly. "I won't. I promise." Then a mischievous grin tugged at her lips. "Can I tell Mum and Dad?"
Jayden shot her a glare. "No. Especially not them."
Tasha laughed. "Okay, okay. I'm just joking." Then her expression softened. "What about Jessica? Can I tell her?"
Jayden scoffed. "It's not like you could keep it from her even if you tried."
Tasha giggled, shaking her head. "Yeah, you're right. She'd squeeze it out of anyway." But then her smile faltered. Her eyes dropped, her gaze shadowed by sothing heavier.
Jayden noticed imdiately. "Hey. What's wrong? Are you okay?"
Tasha forced a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just… a little worried, that's all."
Jayden sighed, leaning closer. "You don't have to worry about , Tasha. I've got this under control. I promise."
But Tasha shook her head, a dry chuckle escaping her lips. "No, it's not that. It's just… you have all these powers, Jayden. And all I have is one dumb lightning ability."
Her voice cracked faintly. "And that makes scared. Because what if I'm not strong enough to stand by your side anymore? There are so many beasts, which ans you're just gonna keep growing stronger and stronger. You'll evolve into so powerhouse in no ti. And ? I'll just be… the girl with lightning."
Jayden's chest tightened at her words. Without hesitation, he took her hands into his. His voice was soft, but it carried the weight of a vow.
"Tasha, you're strong. And perfect. You don't have to prove anything to anyone. You don't have to be strong enough… I'm going to be with you, and protect you, no matter what."
For a mont, the air around them stilled, as though the universe itself leaned in to listen. It felt like a vow had been sworn, an oath carved into the stars.
Tasha's lips parted in a trembling smile, emotions flickering in her eyes… relief, disbelief, warmth, sothing deeper. She chuckled softly. "How do you always do that?"
Jayden tilted his head with a sly grin. "Do what?"
"Say things that make my heart want to sing," she replied, her voice small but full of truth.
Jayden shrugged with mock innocence. "Who knows? Maybe I'm just that aweso."
Tasha giggled and rested her head on his shoulder, her eyes drifting to the heavens. "You sure are."
They stood like that in silence for a while, the night cradling them. Then, softly, Tasha spoke. "Hey, Jayden."
"Yeah?" he replied.
Tasha's gaze lingered on the stars. "Do you think it's possible?"
Jayden raised a brow. "What is?"
Tasha turned her face to him, her eyes reflecting the starlight. "Humans, beasts, beastn, werewolves, and any other creature out there… do you think soday we could all just.. get along and not try to kill each other?"
Jayden sighed deeply, his gaze following hers to the endless sky above. "Yes. Perhaps soday we could all get along. Co-exist as one." His voice hardened, a quiet edge lacing it. "But until then, all we have is each other. And…"
His eyes narrowed, cold and resolute.
"…we must do whatever it takes to survive."
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