Project:Imagine

Iris sat in her room, tears silently streaming down her face. The weight of the future pressed on her chest, a suffocating burden she could never share. She couldn’t confide in anyone about the horrors her future self had revealed, couldn’t let anyone see her cry. The isolation gnawed at her, deepening the sense of helplessness that clung to her every thought. She was trapped in a cage of fate, forced to carry the knowledge of what was to come—alone.

Each day at school blurred into the next, a haunting monotony that mirrored the growing darkness within her. Anya had seamlessly integrated into the class, like a shadow that had always been there. To everyone else, she was just another friend, a familiar face woven into their lives. But to Iris, she was a constant reminder of something sinister, an invader in their midst. The more Iris tried to ignore it, the heavier the weight became, suffocating her spirit, and draining her of joy.

In the gym, Iris channeled her frustration into training. Her flames manifested as a bow, an arrow of fire drawn taut as she aimed at the distant targets. Each shot flew with precision, striking its mark, but the motion was mechanical, lifeless. Her eyes, normally fierce with determination, were dull—hollow. She fired again, the crackle of her flames filling the empty space around her, but no matter how many arrows she loosed, it did nothing to lighten the oppressive weight crushing her soul.

She felt numb, the exhaustion from carrying the knowledge of her future leaving her almost empty inside. The gym echoed with the steady rhythm of her practice, her mind far away, lost in thoughts of what was coming—of the deaths she couldn’t prevent.

Unbeknownst to her, Charles had quietly entered the gym. He leaned against the door frame, watching her with a growing sense of concern. He could see it—the way her shoulders sagged, the vacant look in her eyes, the way her usually vibrant flames lacked their usual intensity. Something was wrong, deeply wrong, and it wasn’t something she was willing to share.

He had hoped that, eventually, she would open up to him. But as he stood there, watching her fire arrow after arrow into the targets without so much as a flicker of emotion, he realized that Iris was slipping further and further away.

Charles' voice cut through the steady rhythm of Iris' arrows, but she ignored him, her focus numb and detached, not even realizing that she was hitting the blank wall where the targets once stood.

“Iris, tell me what's wrong—no dodging the question this time. Just tell me,” Charles urged, stepping closer, his concern rising with every second of her silence.

Iris, her gaze distant, continued to shoot her fiery arrows, the flicker of flames striking against the destroyed targets as if on autopilot. She hadn’t even noticed the damage she'd already done, the targets obliterated, nothing left to aim for. Yet she kept going, her body moving through the motions like a broken machine.

“Iris!” Charles shouted, louder this time, his voice cracking with frustration as he stormed over, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her. “Please, just tell me what's wrong.”

Iris blinked, startled, but her expression remained hollow. “I’m fine. There’s no—”

“Don’t you dare say it,” Charles interrupted, his voice laced with anger. “I hate that stupid lie. Stop pretending everything’s alright!”

“I said I’m fine. Stop asking,” Iris repeated, her voice flat, her eyes avoiding his.

Charles' patience snapped. “Telekinesis!” he shouted, his aura igniting in response, enveloping objects around the gym. Balls, shattered pieces of targets, gym equipment—everything in reach suddenly hovered around him.

“W-what are you doing?” Iris asked, her voice wavering as she backed away, startled by his sudden outburst.

“Either knock me out or answer my questions!” Charles demanded, his eyes fierce with determination as he began flinging objects at her. She dodged, reflexively igniting her flames to deflect the debris, but she still wouldn’t fight back.

The surrounding air crackled with energy as Charles continued to hurl objects her way—footballs, basketballs, shattered wood, anything he could control. Yet despite the chaos, Iris stayed on the defensive, refusing to retaliate, her flames lashing out only to protect herself.

“You told me I couldn’t hold onto my anger, so why?” Charles shouted, his voice straining with emotion as more objects hurtled toward her. “Why are you holding onto your sadness?!”

Iris faltered, his words hitting her harder than any of the objects flying at her. The surrounding flames weakened for a brief moment as her heart twisted painfully inside her chest. Charles wasn’t angry just for the sake of it—he was angry because he cared. He could see through the mask she wore, and he wasn’t going to let her keep lying to herself.

“Stop pushing me away, Iris! You don't have to do this alone!” Charles yelled, his aura intensifying as more objects began to spin wildly around them.

Iris clenched her fists, her heart hammering in her chest. She wanted to scream, to shout, to let it all out—but the fear, the weight of knowing the future, and the terror of being helpless made her bite down the words. Tears stung her eyes, and for a moment, her flames flickered like they were about to go out.

“I can’t…” she whispered, barely audible. “I can't tell you… It's too much…”

Iris clenched her fists, her eyes narrowing as the flicker in them ignited into something much fiercer. Charles’ words hung in the air, and for a moment, her breath hitched. She had kept everything bottled up, pretending it didn’t hurt—pretending she could handle it alone. But now, her emotions swirled like a raging inferno, and she could no longer hold it back.

“Then fight back, Iris,” Charles challenged, his telekinetic aura flaring around him, objects trembling as they floated back into position. “This won’t end until either you tell me what’s wrong, or one of us is in Wallace’s office.”

Iris snapped. Her flames burst to life around her, bright and furious, licking the edges of her skin with an intensity that matched her emotions. Without thinking, she summoned her power, condensing flames into her hands. “Fine! You want me to fight?!”

Her fiery aura surged, hotter and more dangerous than before, and with a swift motion, she hurled a blazing arrow straight at Charles. He barely had time to react, raising his telekinetic shield to block the attack. But instead of dissipating, the flames clung to his aura, burning through it.

Charles grunted in surprise, stumbling back as her fire scorched through his protective barrier. “What the—? Your flames are—”

“Burning through your ability?!” Iris finished, her voice rising with her fury. “I guess I’m not holding back anymore!”

She launched another flame, this time a concentrated burst of fire, crackling with a searing intensity. Charles raised his hands, telekinesis flickering, trying to hold it off. But her fire wasn’t just heat—it was emotion, the weight of everything Iris had been bottling up, her sadness, her anger, her helplessness. It crashed into his aura like a tidal wave, and he felt his telekinesis falter under the sheer force of it.

“Iris, calm down!” he shouted, but there was no stopping her now.

“I won't stop!” she screamed, flames erupting around her as she advanced on him. “You don’t understand! You have no idea what it’s like to know all this—” Another fiery arrow flew from her hand, piercing through Charles’ defenses and forcing him to dodge. “—and not be able to tell anyone! To carry it all alone!”

Charles stumbled back, panting as he struggled to maintain his telekinetic barrier. “Then tell me, Iris! You don’t have to fight this alone—”

“I am alone!” Iris shouted, her flames flaring even hotter, burning through the objects he tried to throw her way. With each flame that tore through his telekinesis, her power grew more intense, her control slipping further into raw emotion. “I have to be! If you knew the fu—” Her voice cracked, but her flames didn’t falter. “You wouldn't understand…”

Charles, breathing heavily, realized that this wasn’t just a fight. Iris wasn’t battling him—she was battling herself. Her flames weren’t just power; they were her way of trying to burn away the pain, the helplessness that had consumed her.

“Iris, you’re not alone,” he said, softer now, but still firm. “You’ve never been alone. We’re all here for you. I’m here for you.”

“Shut up!” she screamed, her voice raw with emotion as her flames surged, erupting from her hands in an uncontrollable burst. The surrounding air crackled with heat, the flames licking the gym walls, spreading like wildfire. Charles braced himself, his telekinetic aura barely holding as the sheer force of her power slammed into him.

“Iris! Stop!” Charles shouted, but the roaring inferno drowned out his voice. His telekinesis flickered, strained under the pressure, as he tried to hold back the wall of fire that now threatened to engulf the entire gym.

Iris stood in the center of the flames, her body trembling with the weight of her emotions. Her eyes glowed brighter, the fire reflecting her inner turmoil. She had lost control, and now the flames had a will of their own, fueled by her anguish.

The flames danced wildly, spreading across the floor, scorching everything in their path. The gym equipment caught fire, the walls blackening as the heat intensified. Iris’s flames weren’t just destructive—they were alive, reacting to her pain, growing stronger as her emotions spiraled further out of control.

Charles struggled to maintain his telekinetic barrier, sweat pouring down his face as the flames pressed against him. “Iris, you have to stop! You’re going to burn everything!” he yelled, his voice desperate. But Iris couldn’t hear him. The flames roared louder, drowning out everything else.

“I can’t—” she gasped, her voice breaking as the fire swirled around her like a living entity. “I can’t stop it!”

The flames shot upward, scorching the ceiling, the heat warping the surrounding air. Charles knew if he didn’t act fast, the entire gym could go up in flames. He pushed his telekinesis harder, trying to create a protective dome around the two of them, but the fire kept eating away at it, inch by inch.

“Iris, focus!” Charles shouted, stepping closer to her despite the intense heat. “You’re stronger than this! You can control it!”

But Iris’s mind was fractured, overwhelmed by everything she had been holding back. The pain, the fear, the helplessness—it was all too much. Her flames reflected that chaos, growing wilder, fiercer. The gym was a sea of fire now, the smoke thick in the air as her power consumed everything around her.

Charles, struggling to maintain his focus, felt his barrier weaken further. The flames were too strong, too intense, and he was running out of time. He had no choice. He had to get through to her before it was too late.

Using the last of his strength, Charles flung himself toward Iris, breaking through the flames that surrounded her. He grabbed her shoulders, his grip firm despite the burning heat. “Iris! Listen to me!” he yelled, his voice cutting through the roar of the fire.

She blinked, her glowing eyes meeting his for the briefest moment.

“You are stronger than your power! You control it—not the other way around!” Charles yelled, shaking her as the flames swirled around them, threatening to close in. “I know it hurts, I know you're scared—but you can't let this destroy you!”

Iris’s body trembled, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she tried to wrestle control of her power. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she could feel the fire slipping further from her grasp. “I… I can’t,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

“Yes, you can!” Charles insisted, his voice fierce. “I’m right here, Iris! I believe in you!”

For a moment, something inside Iris shifted. The flames flickered, hesitating for just a second, as if responding to Charles’s words. She took a shaky breath, focusing on that glimmer of control. Slowly, she pulled her flames back, drawing them toward her, containing the chaos.

But it wasn’t enough. The fire was too strong, and it resisted her efforts, fighting to break free. The walls were starting to crumble, the ceiling cracking from the heat.

“Iris, please! You have to stop this before it’s too late!” Charles shouted, desperation lacing his voice as he tightened his grip on her shoulders.

Iris squeezed her eyes shut, her body shaking as she fought against the flames. “D-do you really think I can do it?” she cried, tears mixing with the sweat on her face.

“Of course I do, you dummy,” Charles replied, a reassuring smile spreading across her face.

Her breathing slowed, and for the first time, Iris felt something shift inside her. The flames responded to her will, their intensity lessening ever so slightly. She focused harder, pouring every bit of herself into regaining control.

The flames shrank, pulling back from the walls and floor, receding toward her like a tide retreating from the shore. It was slow, agonizingly slow, but they were obeying her.

“Iris, you’re doing it!” Charles encouraged, his voice steady now.

With a final surge of effort, Iris pulled the flames into herself, condensing the fire until it was nothing more than a faint glow around her body. The heat in the gym faded, the air cooling as the last of the fire disappeared.

Iris collapsed to her knees, panting, her body trembling from the exertion of controlling the flames. Charles knelt beside her, his chest heaving from the struggle but filled with relief. He placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently.

“You did it, Iris,” he said softly, his voice full of warmth and understanding.

Iris didn’t answer at first, still trying to catch her breath, her mind swirling with exhaustion and lingering fear. The echoes of her fire seemed to burn in her veins, reminding her how close she had come to losing control entirely.

Charles’s grip tightened slightly. “Whatever’s going on, Iris… I’ll be here for you. No matter what. You don’t have to carry this alone. Just like I know I can count on you when I need help.”

Iris felt the sincerity in his words, but the weight of everything still pressed down on her, heavy and suffocating. “Let’s just get out of here,” she whispered, her voice hoarse. “Before someone comes.”

Charles nodded, pulling her to her feet. “Yeah, we should probably leave before anyone notices the inferno,” he joked, trying to lighten the mood. Hand in hand, they hurried out of the gym, leaving the charred remains of their training session behind them.

They made their way to the lounge—the same one they had trashed a week or two ago and somehow managed to avoid getting caught for. Iris couldn’t help but laugh as the memory surfaced.

“We really need to stop destroying rooms here,” Iris said, a small smile tugging at her lips despite the heaviness inside her.

“Nah, where’s the fun in that?” Charles grinned, dropping onto the couch. “But seriously, Iris… stop being a dummy and talk to me.”

Iris sighed, her smile fading as reality came crashing back. “Fine… but you might want to sit down for this.”

Charles raised an eyebrow, still trying to keep things light. “How bad could it be?”

Iris met his eyes, her face serious. “I know the future,” she said slowly, her voice barely above a whisper. “And in that future… everyone in our class dies.”

Charles blinked, his grin fading instantly. He stared at her, his mind struggling to process the weight of her words. “What?” he asked, his voice barely audible. He swallowed hard, forcing a laugh, though it sounded hollow. “You were right… I should sit down for this.”

He sank into a nearby chair, his legs weak as the magnitude of what she said hit him. Iris sat across from him, her hands trembling in her lap, the room falling into a heavy silence.

“Charles… I’ve been getting these letters from my future self. Letters that… explain everything. Everything that’s going to happen. And it’s bad. It’s awful,” Iris continued, her voice shaking.

Charles stared at her, his expression frozen somewhere between disbelief and shock. “Letters? From the future?” he repeated, trying to wrap his mind around it.

Iris nodded. “Yeah… letters warning me about what’s coming. And in that future, everyone in our class dies. Everyone, Charles. And I’ve been trying to find a way to change it, but I—I don’t know if I can.”

Charles leaned forward, his face pale. “That can’t be true… there’s no way. There has to be something we can do to stop it, right?”

“I hope so,” Iris whispered. “But it’s not just the deaths. It’s everything leading up to it. The lies, the betrayals… the things that are going to happen to us. To all of us.”

Charles ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Why have you been carrying this all on your own?”

“I couldn’t, Charles. I can’t just tell people about the future like that. It would change everything. And honestly, I didn’t know how to handle it. I still don’t,” Iris admitted, her voice cracking.

Charles’s eyes softened, and he reached out, taking her hand in his. “Iris, you don’t have to figure this out alone. We’ll find a way to change it. Whatever happens… we’ll face it together. I swear it.”

Iris looked at him, her heart heavy with the weight of his words. “But what if we can’t change it? What if everything I do just leads to the same ending?"

Charles squeezed her hand tighter, his gaze unwavering. “Then we’ll fight to the very end. We’re not going down without a fight. I don’t care what the future says. We make our own fate.”

Iris wanted to believe him, to hold on to the hope in his words, but the future she had seen was filled with nothing but loss and pain. Still, the warmth of Charles’s hand in hers gave her a sliver of strength.

“Okay,” she whispered. “We’ll fight. Together.”

For the first time in days, Iris felt like there was a glimmer of hope, a chance they might defy the future looming over them. But deep down, she understood that the battles ahead wouldn’t just test their strength—they would test their hearts, their loyalty, and their very souls.

“Tell me what your future self has told you,” Charles asked, his voice steady, though there was an intensity in his eyes that betrayed his concern.

Iris hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much to reveal. But after everything they’d just been through, she knew Charles deserved to know as much as she could tell him. So she began to recount the details—the warnings from her future self, the fates of their classmates, the looming dangers, though she carefully omitted the parts about the romantic things her future self had said, as well as the exact details of Charles’s eventual death. Instead, she focused on the key wishes of their classmates and the broader threats ahead.

Charles listened intently, his expression growing darker with every word.

“So Alice is the first we need to worry about,” he said once she finished. “While it sounds like the rest of us aren’t in immediate danger until we’re official agents, the clock is ticking for her. We need to keep her safe.” He paused, then added with a teasing smirk, “No offense, but your future self isn’t exactly helpful. They’re hiding a lot of details. Guess some things never change.”

Iris managed a small laugh, though the weight of it all still pressed on her. “The first letter said they made a deal with a devil. Maybe the devil is only allowing them to reveal things in small pieces. It feels like a game to that devil—like they’re just toying with me.”

Charles leaned back, frowning in thought. “I can believe that. Devils are known for toying with humans. But we’ll beat them at their game. Is there anything else that stands out? Anything more suspicious?”

Iris’s expression darkened. “Anya. She’s not a real member of our class. Everyone’s memories were altered to think she was. The only ones who weren’t affected are Markus, Alice, and me.”

Charles’s gaze sharpened. “I see. That explains why Markus didn’t remember her at first. I’ll help keep an eye on her. While it’s hard to argue with my own memories… I trust you fully.”

His words hit Iris with a warmth she hadn’t expected. Despite everything—the chaos, the fear, the uncertainty—Charles’s unwavering trust made her feel lighter, as if she wasn’t carrying this burden entirely on her own anymore.

“Thank you,” Iris said, her voice soft as a small, genuine smile tugged at her lips.

Charles grinned, but there was a seriousness in his eyes as he looked at her. “We’re in this together, Iris. No more going through this alone.”

Iris nodded, feeling the flicker of something she hadn’t felt in a long time—hope. But as they sat there in the quiet of the lounge, the weight of what was coming loomed over them both. They had a fragile future to rewrite, enemies lurking in the shadows, and memories that could betray them at any moment.

And though they were ready to face it together, Iris knew in her heart that the worst was yet to come.