《Sunraionzu》


 Chapter 1 - The Next Chapter of Life

    May 31st, 2018. 4:10 PM.


    A crowd of people cheer while sitting from the bleachers on a high school football field, countless rows of chairs lined up on the field as a graduation ceremony is happening. The students feel a rushing wave of emotions, euphoria and nostalgia colliding from the exhilaration of accomplishment as the anticipation of new beginnings begins to well. Knowing the bittersweet realization that a familiar chapter of their lives are coming to a close, their pride being tempered by the awareness that the comfortable routine of their high school lives are soon to be replaced by the uncharted territory of adulthood. All, but for one student, a slim-muscular man with long, spiked hair going down to his neck, and eyes as blue as diamond, he groans out of boredom, his head gazing up as it¡¯s leaning back, his arms crossed as his right foot taps in a fast rhythm, losing patience as he waits for his name to be called.


    A student sitting next to him takes notice, looking over, he speaks, his voice being low enough to not interrupt the ceremony. ¡°You alright, man? You seem nervous.¡± Our bored student tilts his head in the direction of the student talking to him; ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah. I¡¯m fine, just a bit irritated with how long this is taking. Nothin¡¯ crazy.¡± He answers, his voice sounding casual, yet tough, he then sees an opportunity to help the ceremony feel faster through talking to the student. ¡°How ¡®bout you though? You excited?¡± ¡°Yeah! A bit nervous, but I¡¯m just excited to get out of here.¡± He responds, enthused. The bored student smirks slightly; ¡°I can see why. This place kinda sucks.¡± The enthused student snickers a wee bit; ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Nearly twenty minutes pass, the bored student patiently waits as he leans back and balances on the chair¡¯s back legs; ¡°So bored¡­¡± As he yawns, it¡¯s finally his turn as the principal calls his name in the mic; ¡°Elio King!¡± Immediately upon hearing his first name, Elio hops off his chair to walk up to the stage, students cheering and shouting his name, he grimaces when some girls cheer too loudly, their pitch hurting his ear. He puts his hand up to it for a second before moving his hand down. Elio walks up to the stage and receives his diploma, he shakes the principal¡¯s hand firmly. ¡°Congratulations.¡± The principal happily tells him, Elio nods while smiling; ¡°Thanks!¡± He replies enthusiastically. The principal breaks the handshake, Elio then walks back to his seat.


    May 31st, 2018. 4:40 PM.


    Fifteen minutes pass as the ceremony finally comes to a close, as all the students throw their caps in the air and everyone¡¯s friends and relatives are allowed onto the field to congratulate them, Elio simply takes off running at high speed while holding his diploma. He casually jumps over the school¡¯s front gate, which stands at around ten feet high. Elio runs through the city and passes by a sign that says ¡®Gull¡¯s Bay Outskirts,¡¯ heading upwards toward a small area in the mountainside of the city of Gull¡¯s Bay. Elio jumps through some trees in a forest before diving for the ground, upon landing on the ground, he somersaults and stands up, ending up on a large, secluded field surrounded by trees, as well as there being a large cottage on the other side of the field.


    ¡°Alright, time to get down to business!¡± Elio pops his neck and walks inside the cottage, despite its dingy appearance on the outside, the interior is clean all around and well-kept. He takes off his cap and gown, setting them on the floor, underneath his gown, he wears a red formal suit with a grey shirt underneath. He walks over to a coffee table, where a large leather backpack meant for camping is resting, having already been packed up. A pair of visor sunglasses with black rims and a blue lens sits on top of the backpack as well, Elio puts them on his face, he then grabs and puts his backpack on, making his way walking out the door. He looks back at the cottage, smiling; ¡°Well, this is it.¡±


    Elio makes his way out of the woods and heads back to downtown Gull¡¯s Bay, he stops by at a flower shop and buys a bouquet of orange roses. He leaves the shop and stops at a cemetery, walking toward a headstone, he stops in front of it before kneeling over and setting down the bouquet, he then stands up straight. In a soft voice, Elio speaks to the grave; ¡°Hey, Alice, it¡¯s me. I just wanted to stop by to let you know that I¡¯ll be heading out now, and that I wanted to say goodbye. Even after two years, I still think about you everyday. Hopefully we can meet each other again someday.¡±


    He turns around and begins to walk away, as he does, a large, hairy cat with green fur, blue paw pads and ears, and dark eyes is walking on the wall of the cemetery, it spots Elio and immediately runs up to him; ¡°Elio! I¡¯ve been looking all over for you!¡± The cat shouts with excitement. Elio¡¯s tone of voice quickly shifts from soft and sensitive to one of excitement; ¡°Reggie! There you are!¡± Elio puts his foot out, he then lifts his foot up to scoop Reggie into the air, as Reggie gets launched up, he does some flips before landing and perching on Elio¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I told you that I¡¯d meet you back at the house after graduation.¡± Elio strokes Reggie¡¯s chin. ¡°I know, but I decided I¡¯d go hunting while I wait. I lost track of the time though.¡± Reggie explains as he purrs, Elio responds; ¡°Eh, doesn¡¯t really matter. We¡¯re together now, so we can head out now.¡± Elio then begins walking out of the cemetery. Several minutes pass and they eventually reach a tall building, Elio and Reggie both look up at it.


    ¡°Well, here we are. Ready to become superheroes, buddy?¡± ¡°You bet!¡± After confirming, they walk inside the building. Elio approaches the front desk, the receptionist looks up at him, she smiles; ¡°Hi, welcome! How can I help you?¡± Elio places his diploma down on the counter. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m here to take the superhero recruitment exams. I called in yesterday, name¡¯s Elio King. Oh, and my cat¡¯s here for the same reason.¡± Reggie then holds out his paw.


    ¡°Aww, he¡¯s so cute!¡± She responds as she¡¯s typing out on her keyboard, she then looks at the monitor. ¡°Alright, here you are. Elio King. Height is 5¡¯11, weight is 187 lbs, and I can see you have a diploma. It also says here that you possess a power, yet haven¡¯t described it as you want to keep it secret, correct?¡± Elio nods; ¡°Yep! That¡¯s me!¡± The receptionist does some computer work, she then stares at Elio; ¡°Alright, you¡¯re all registered to take the exams¡­¡± She hands him a card to allow him to take the test, she continues; ¡°...though I have to warn you that with how difficult and long the tests are, you might not have enough time to finish them as the exams are over by 8 pm. And it¡¯s 5:10 right now, so I hope you¡¯re able to finish by then, as once the exams are done and you haven¡¯t passed, you¡¯re not allowed to take them ever again.¡±


    Elio takes the card; ¡°Got it! I¡¯ll be sure to finish before then. Oh, and before I go over to where the exams are taken, where should I leave my backpack?¡± ¡°Oh, you can just set it down. Someone will come to keep it safe in a locker.¡± Elio starts taking off his backpack strap; ¡°Alright, cool.¡± Reggie hops onto the counter so Elio can take the strap off his right shoulder, he then sets the backpack on the floor. ¡°Ok, Reggie! Let¡¯s get going!¡± Elio excitedly orders and starts running toward the area to take the test. ¡°Right!¡± Reggie shouts and catches up by leaping from the counter and perching on his shoulder again. The receptionist is caught in a daze, not knowing if she just heard Reggie speak or if her mind was playing tricks on her.


    The two make their way out back and spot an instructor, the instructor hears the door close and looks at them with his arms crossed. ¡°Hmm? Oh, I didn¡¯t think there would be any other people taking the test today. No matter, go to that starting line over there. I¡¯ll tell you when to start, then you must complete the obstacle course. You have ten minutes max in order to complete it. If you don¡¯t, go back to the start and try again. The course is half a mile in distance.¡± ¡°Right!¡± Elio nods as he and Reggie head over to the starting line. Reggie hops off of Elio¡¯s shoulder and stretches while Elio pops his neck and swings his arms to loosen them up.


    The timer is set up on a giant panel that can be seen anywhere on the course, the instructor starts the timer and says ¡°Goodbye.¡± In a calm manner. Immediately, the two rush after hearing him. The first obstacle loomed ahead, a series of towering walls of over fifty feet meant to test both strength and agility. Without hesitation, Elio sprints toward the barriers, his legs shooting him upward with ludicrous precision. He effortlessly scales each wall, showing amazing athleticism as he clears the first set with ease. Reggie finishes in unison as he simply just runs up each wall, thanks to his amazing agility.


    As they move along, the next obstacle in front of them is a rope climb that leads to a cargo net suspended high above the ground. Reggie jumps and clings onto Elio¡¯s blazer as Elio leaps forward, gripping the coarse rope, he swings forward before pulling down in order to leap higher, gripping the rope once more and ascending swiftly, his muscle fibers working in tandem to pull him upwards. Reaching the top, Reggie hops off and goes on ahead as Elio gracefully flips onto the net. The two navigate the intricate web of robes as though they were spiders. The instructor, upon spectating, marvels at their efficiency, as the course demands not just physical prowess, but strategic thinking.


    The terrain shifts to muddy trenches, demanding a combination of agility and endurance. Elio plows through the muck with unwavering confidence, his fancy getup stained horribly, but his focus unfazed. The rhythmic pounding of his shows against the soft earth echoes as he and Reggie approach a set of monkey bars, a deceptively simple challenge that tests grip strength and coordination.


    With confidence and fluidity, Elio grabs onto Reggie with one arm and uses his other to grab the bar, to swing, he lets go of the bar while performing a 180 degree twist flip, while upside down, he grabs the bar by using his leg. Elio then keeps swapping between his free hand and his foot in order to cross the set of bars, the instructor raising an eyebrow from the unorthodox, animalistic approach. The ground beneath them appears like a blur as Elio traverses the monkey bars.


    As they cross, Elio lets go of Reggie as they continue dashing, the climax of the course approaches, that being an imposing wall known for its sheer height and formidable ascent of over a hundred feet. Undeterred, Elio eyes the obstacle, a determined glint from his visor appears. Without hesitation, they sprint toward the wall, channeling their raw skill. In a display of sheer animalistic insanity, Elio executes a flawless wall run on all fours alongside Reggie, both of them reaching the top in seconds. Elio grabs onto Reggie as he uses his free hand and his foot on the same side to slide down the wall, the two land and make a mad dash for the end of the course, crossing the finish line.


    ¡°Woo! That¡¯s just too easy!¡± Elio shouts, feeling good about completing the course so quickly. He stretches while Reggie violently shakes the mud off his fur, the instructor runs around the outside of the course, reaching them. ¡°I¡¯m amazed! Every other person taking the tests today, they were nowhere near as fast as you two! The fastest previously was almost seven minutes, yet here you two completed it in under THREE minutes!¡± Reggie sits down and licks his paw; ¡°What can I say besides we¡¯re just like that?¡± The instructor goes back to acting more professional. ¡°Well, since you two are finished with the first part of the test, you¡¯re free to either take a break, or go straight to the second phase of the exam. The second phase is in the garage behind this door.¡± He explains as he opens the doorway.


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    ¡°We¡¯ll just get straight into it.¡± Elio decides, as he and Reggie step through the doorway, they¡¯re greeted with an interior reminiscent of that of a fighting gym. A large, spacious training area with padded mats, mirrored walls, and even various weapons meant for weapon-styled martial arts, such as Shinai. ¡°So¡­ who¡¯s my opponent?¡± Elio asks as he crosses his arms. The instructor simply gestures his arm toward a line of training dummies, as he gestures, all the dummies eyes open up, shining red, revealing that they¡¯re robots. ¡°They will be your opponents. These combat robots are programmed to utilize vast kinds of martial arts. The goal for this test is to simply work your way up from one robot to fighting all five at once. Beat them all and you get to move onto the final part of the exam.¡± He explains.


    ¡°Would it be cool if I could just skip ahead and fight all five of them? If the goal is to beat all of them at once, I might as well save what little time I have by fighting the whole batch.¡± Elio asks as he takes off each glove by gently biting one of the fingers and moving his hand away. The instructor shrugs; ¡°Well, yeah, that is allowed. Just know that these combat robots are incredibly tough. Whenever you¡¯re ready, you can start. And feel free to choose whatever weapon you like.¡± Elio steps up and lightly pounds his fists together; ¡°I¡¯m more than enough.¡± He cockily responds while smirking.


    Elio looks down at Reggie; ¡°I¡¯ll go first, Reggie. So you sit back, relax, and watch a master show how it¡¯s done.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± Reggie yawns as he answers back, he sits down and scratches his head. Elio looks at the robots and holds one fist out. ¡°Bring it!¡± He shouts. The instructor steps off the mat and activates the robots, all of them locking onto Elio. ¡°Begin!¡± The instructor calls.


    The first robot attacks by swiping a bokken diagonally. Elio swiftly evades the strike by performing a figure skating butterfly trick, jumping over the swipe, he converts and counters by spinning on the ball of his foot and landing a spin kick hard enough to knock the robot down. Two robots simultaneously lunge toward him, but Elio seamlessly blocks their strikes by catching their weapons with each hand, only to then pull the weapons in his direction, knocking both of them down by clotheslining both of them on the head. He sees the fourth robot¡¯s approach, he gets on his hands and starts spinning, using his momentum to land multiple spinning kicks on the robot, sending it hurling toward the floor as well. Lastly, Elio sees the last robot attempting to swing down on him with a club, but Elio dodges the strike by diving toward the floor, rolling to the side and jumping up off the floor to perform another spin kick, this time, striking it in the neck and sending it to the ground.


    Elio pops his shoulder and yawns; ¡°Alright, where do I go for the last part of the test?¡± The instructor simply just points to a door; ¡°Go through that door. It¡¯ll take you back around to the entrance of this place. The receptionist will explain the last test.¡± Elio begins walking to the door; ¡°Cool!¡± He then looks at Reggie; ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you there, ok, Reggie?¡± ¡°Yeah, sounds good.¡± Reggie waves his paw.


    Elio makes his way back to the lobby. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m back!¡± He speaks with enthusiasm as he puts his hands on the counter in front of the receptionist. ¡°Oh, welcome back! That was fast! I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re ready to take the final test?¡± ¡°Yeah! Oh, and the cat will be back here in a bit.¡± The receptionist nods; ¡°Got it. Oh, and by the way, I don¡¯t want to sound crazy, but does that cat talk? Like it actually knows how to speak English?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious, how does he know how to talk?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy!¡± Elio responds excitedly, showing that he loves explaining science. ¡°Cats have over sixty different pitches for different kinds of meows they can make. Reggie, having great intelligence, learned how to mimic verbal communication through using his larynx to convert different pitches per meow, making it sound as though he¡¯s speaking our language. When in reality, he¡¯s actually just meowing really weirdly.¡± The receptionist looks pretty stunned. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ fascinating! I¡¯ve never heard of an animal smart enough to comprehend verbal communication before.¡±


    Reggie suddenly hops on the counter; ¡°Oh, speak of the devil! Hey Reggie, I was just waiting on you! So, how¡¯d it go?¡± Reggie yawns; ¡°It was easy, no trouble. Anyway, when¡¯s the last test starting? I¡¯m hungry and I wanna finish as soon as possible.¡± The receptionist reaches into a drawer. ¡°Right, hold on.¡± She grabs a small circular device from the drawer and hands it to Elio. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Elio asks her. ¡°It¡¯s a radar for the final test. It¡¯s a mix between the previous two trials. Those markings you see on that radar, the ones that are blinking, those are targets, which are only within the boundaries of Gull¡¯s Bay. To get a target, you must find and beat your target in a one-on-one. If you can take out five in total, you¡¯ll have passed. The systems here record each target captured through whichever radar is pressed on the target. You can¡¯t share targets, nor can you go after ones that have been captured. If you see any ¡®X¡¯ markings on your radar, that means that it¡¯s been captured.¡± She explains.


    ¡°Wait, we can¡¯t go after ones that have been captured, nor can we share targets? Are you saying this test is a free-for-all?¡± Elio tilts his head. The receptionist nods; ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a free-for-all. If you¡¯re wondering why, it¡¯s because the Superhero Branch is very serious on who they recruit, they prefer the quality over quantity. So there¡¯s a limited amount, meaning not everyone can pass, as they want to find the people who have what it takes, rather than those who just have potential.¡± Immediately after hearing her explain why it¡¯s a free-for-all and that there¡¯s only such a short amount of targets, Elio and Reggie¡¯s hairs spike up in surprise. Elio begins running, his voice sounding super worried; ¡°We gotta hightail it, Reggie!¡±


    Reggie runs out the building along with Elio, both panicked as neither of them were aware of it being a free-for-all, Reggie looks up at Elio while they sprint; ¡°How many targets are there? There needs to be at least ten open targets, that way we both get five each in order to pass!¡± He shouts. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I pray to God there¡¯s enough!¡± Elio yells back as he scrolls out a bit, he counts quietly in his head, muttering. ¡°Wait! There¡¯s eleven that haven¡¯t been captured! They¡¯re in different coordinates of the city, but they¡¯re there! We¡¯re both fast, so if we¡¯re quick about it, we can take turns with each one we find. I¡¯ll let you get the first one!¡± ¡°Right!¡±


    May 31st, 2018. 5:30 pm


    Fifteen minutes pass, Elio has just taken down his fourth target, leaving both him and Reggie at one more to go. ¡°Hell yeah! We only got one more to go, then we¡¯re home free! And with over two hours to spare!¡± Elio shouts with excitement, Elio then takes a look at the radar. ¡°So, where¡¯s my last target?¡± Reggie asks eagerly, ready to get his side of the test over with, Elio just looks at the radar; ¡°The fuck¡­?¡± Elio mutters in a confused tone, Reggie takes notice and perches onto Elio to look at the radar. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°The radar¡­ there¡¯s only one target left when there should have been three.¡± Reggie¡¯s ears fold back; ¡°What?! Do you mean someone already took two of them?! How are we supposed to pass now if there¡¯s only one left?!¡±


    ¡°Well this blows!¡± Elio scrolls around the map of Gull¡¯s Bay; ¡°There¡¯s literally nothing else that can be done!¡± Upon hearing this, Reggie slumps forward, disappointed by the revelation. ¡°Darn¡­¡± Reggie breathes, Elio takes a deep breath and starts walking, as he exhales, he tries to keep an optimistic tone. ¡°Let¡¯s just get something to eat, and we can try to find a workaround. There has to be SOMETHING that can be done.¡± Reggie exhales pathetically as he slumps forward even more; ¡°Well, I am pretty hungry, so I can go for some. More importantly, I hope you¡¯re at least right about the workaround idea.¡± Elio nods in response as he walks.


    The two stand at a pier, Elio is leaning back on the fence of the dock while looking at the waves and eating a bacon cheeseburger, while Reggie is sitting on his hind legs on top of a dining table, having eaten five orders of mussels and clams, currently plowing through the sixth order of them. Reggie looks at Elio as he finishes devouring his food, he then perches onto the fence. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going to finish it.¡± Elio tells Reggie, he chuckles a little bit; ¡°What? No, I was gonna ask if you¡¯ve thought of any ideas yet.¡± Reggie replies. ¡°Oh, no, still no ideas¡­¡±


    ¡°Darn, that¡¯s a shame.¡± Reggie puts his head down, he then turns his gaze over to the sea, admiring the view. ¡°Well, at least we have this nice view.¡± Reggie tries to be optimistic as he comments. Elio takes a bite of his burger before chugging it down with some soda. ¡°That¡¯s true. It¡¯s gorgeous out today, especially with the orange sky.¡± Reggie tilts his head; ¡°Orange? Oh right, I forgot, you can see more colors than I can. I just see a greyish-yellow sky.¡±


    ¡°Huh, you know, I¡¯ve always been amazed about how different species perceive colors.¡± Elio responds, Reggie nods; ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s why words such as ¡®red¡¯, ¡®orange¡¯, ¡®brown¡¯, and ¡®purple¡¯ always make me so confused as it gets my head spinning, just trying to imagine what they look like.¡± Elio laughs upon hearing that. ¡°I can imagine! I feel the same way, but that''s only with ultraviolet. It''s not an actual color, ultraviolet is electromagnetic radiation in a range of energies that¡¯s higher than visible light, which makes UV invisible to the human eye. Though a lot of species can process them.¡± He explains.


    Reggie puts his paw over his head and mutters; ¡°Shut up, that¡¯s only hurting my brain the more I try to fathom it.¡± Elio taps Reggie on the head. ¡°My bad, but yeah, it¡¯s pretty awesome how color can make us feel such profound contemplation. Makes me appreciate the richness of existence. Besides, there¡¯s always going to be other animals that see less color than you, so just live with the ones you can see. Alright?¡± ¡°Yeah. At least in favor of not seeing as many colors, and oh, hey, a dolphin just jumped out of the water.¡± Reggie says, getting distracted. "A dolphin? Oh, right, how could I forget? Your species has... six fovea, so you can see even further and better than both people and eagles. So how far was that dolphin, like six miles?" "Yeah. It''s pretty great being able to see so much and so well." Reggie replies.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Oh wait! I just got an idea, Reggie!¡± Elio raises his voice optimistically, Reggie¡¯s ears perk up as he looks at him. ¡°What¡¯s up? Did you figure out a solution to our problem?¡± ¡°YES! Indubitably!¡± Elio grins. He hands the rest of his burger to Reggie. Elio takes his phone out and starts searching something up, he then shows it to Reggie, an article about drug deals. ¡°Think about it. Why are there drug dealers from Latin America traveling by sea in order to transport drugs into California?¡± As he asks, Reggie already finishes the rest of the burger, he then answers. ¡°Uh¡­ isn¡¯t it because the president is trying to close the American borders?¡±


    ¡°Exactly right, Reggie! So, if they¡¯re trying to transport them here by sea, then what we need to do is use your amazing eyesight to spot them out at sea! That way, we can rent a speedboat, go wherever they are, knock their shit, bring them back, and hopefully, they¡¯ll give us compensation and let us be registered superheroes!¡± As Elio explains, Reggie¡¯s eyes widen. Elio puts his phone in his pocket and reaches into his wallet; ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I got some quarters in here, so we can use one of those telescopes to help you see even further!¡±


    Elio puts the quarters in a slot and taps the telescope; ¡°Alright, Reggie! It¡¯s all yours, do your thing!¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± Reggie replies as he puts his eye close to it. As he gazes around the splashing waves and seagulls flying around, he spots a seagull flying lower to the water, but not in a diving position, instead, its wings are spread out, as though it were planning to land somewhere. He follows the seagull and notices an island that was revealed, through it, a mist surrounding the lower part of the island as there¡¯s a large mass sticking out from the center. Palm trees gently sway as they peek out from the mist in the coastal breeze. Reggie discerns intricate details, such as a pristine shoreline, golden sands kissed by the azure waves, and lush green vegetation covering the center of the island. The seagulls soaring above, their wings casting shadows on the landscape. Reggie¡¯s almost in awe by the scenery, but as he gazes toward it, he spots something on the mountain of the island.


    The craggy peak rumbles the terrain, as the ground trembles beneath. A massive fracture line carves its way through the giant rock, revealing a luminous, metallic glow within. With an otherworldly grace, the mountain began to split apart, revealing a colossal, metallic structure emerging from its depths. The metallic behemoth rises like a colossal sentinel, unfurling itself from the confines of the mountain¡¯s rocky embrace. Gleaming in an ethereal light, the structure lays in stark contrast to the rugged trees that are standing up. ¡°Elio, I know I¡¯m supposed to be on the lookout for drug dealers, but what I¡¯m seeing is unreal!¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°This island that I found, the mountain split apart and something that looks like a giant metallic ship came out! It has a weird look to it, like a whale! The front of the ship has the meticulous curvature and soft contours of a whale¡¯s head!¡± As Reggie explains, Elio leans in, curious. ¡°A whale? Wait hold on¡­¡± Elio takes out his phone and types in ¡®metal ship that looks like whale¡¯. As he searches, he finds a picture of an image with that exact description that Reggie gave him. He shows the photo to him; ¡°Did it look like this by any chance?!¡±


    Reggie eyes the photo, he then double takes by looking at the island through the telescope before looking back at the picture. His ears perk up; ¡°Yes! That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m seeing! Why?! Is it something important?!¡± Elio smiles widely and picks up Reggie by the arms. He answers with excitement; ¡°Of course it''s important! Cause I¡¯ve decided we no longer need this radar! I already found our target! What you saw belongs to a dangerous criminal organization that even Five-Star Heroes don¡¯t want to deal with, known as ¡®The Sky Pirates!¡¯¡±


    Reggie¡¯s jaw opens; ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± Elio sets him down and looks at the sea. ¡°We¡¯re gonna take down their leader, Gendross!¡± Reggie looks up at Elio. Elio jumps up onto the pier¡¯s railing, he gestures for Reggie to hop on. Reggie perches onto his shoulder, Elio smiles as Reggie purrs. Elio then clears his throat ¡°Look around you, Reggie! Kosmesen will be ours to explore once we bring in Gendross and become heroes!"


    Elio then turns around and jumps off the railing, Reggie clinging on tight to his blazer. "So let''s get going!"

 Chapter 2 - Infiltration

    May 31st, 2018. 5:45 PM.


    Elio and Reggie arrive at a boat rental shop and walk inside, Elio places his hand on the front desk; ¡°Murphy! How¡¯s it going?¡± He briskly asks. Murphy looks up from a newspaper, a young, middle aged man with a clay cut and a garibaldi. ¡°Elio! It¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve shown here! How are you?¡± Elio plays it casual; ¡°I¡¯m doing great, actually! Reggie and I, we both finished the recruitment exam, so we decided we¡¯d just celebrate by coming here, renting a boat, and enjoying ourselves.¡± ¡°I assume you want to rent Nauti Lass again?¡± Murphy asks, attempting to hide a chuckle.


    ¡°You got it!¡± Elio holds his debit card between his index and middle finger. Murphy takes it and asks; ¡°And how long are you planning to be out on the water for?¡± ¡°Three hours!¡± Elio answers quickly. ¡°Splendid!¡± Murphy puts in the total for the rental cost and hands Elio his card back. He then gives him a key with a tag that says ¡®208¡¯ on it. ¡°Thanks Murphy!¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome! Drive safe!¡±


    As Elio and Reggie leave through the door, a tranquil harbor unfolds for them beneath the ginger sky, where gentle ripples caress the moored boats. The air is imbued with the soothing scent of saltwater, as seagulls gracefully soar by the backdrop of the distant, steel grey clouds. Whispers of ocean breeze carry the rhythmic lullaby of water lapping against the weathered docks, creating a symphony of serenity. Sunlight dancing on the water¡¯s surface, casting a warm glow upon pastel-hued buildings that line the shore. A sense of calm permeates the atmosphere, inviting introspection and a profound connection with the serene maritime haven.


    Elio walks along the docks, he, along with Reggie, take in the salty seabreeze. Nestled at the end of one of the many docks, a red and white speedboat awaits its next adventure. The vibrant hues stand out against the calm waters, while the boat¡¯s sleek design hints at its prowess on the open sea. Tethered to the dock, it exudes a sense of anticipation, ready to unleash its speed and power upon the tranquil waters of the harbor. Elio approaches the speedboat and starts untying its rope on the dock.


    ¡°You know, for once, you¡¯re dirtier than her.¡± Reggie comments about Elio¡¯s mudded outfit as he jumps onto the boat from Elio¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Yeah, yeah, you¡¯d be quick to take that back if you saw Nauti Lass from underwater.¡± Elio retorts as he finishes untying the knot. He hops onto the vessel and sits in the cockpit, putting the key in the ignition, starting the boat. Elio backs out in reverse, he then steers the boat and shifts it into drive, leaving the harbor.


    Reggie perches onto the bow of the Nauti Lass and points forward with his paw; ¡°Just keep going that way, that¡¯s the direction where I saw the island.¡± ¡°Got it! Oh, and Reggie, when we get there, just follow my lead, I¡¯ve already thought of an idea.¡± Elio replies. ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s just go full speed!¡± Reggie shouts. Elio smiles widely as he presses on the gas pedal; ¡°Just what I was hoping to hear!¡±


    Elio floors it, as he does so, Nauti Lass slices through the water with effortless grace, leaving a foamy trail in its wake. The powerful roar of the engine harmonizes with the rhythmic dance of waves as the vessel zips across the sparkling expanse, embodying the thrill of velocity on the open sea.


    A tall man is sitting on top of the giant ship, wearing a dark grey vest, a white shirt underneath, dark grey baggy pants, brown leather boots, and a pin on his uniform that shows an emblem of a skull with white clouds circling around its jaw. The man is looking out to sea while holding a pair of military grade binoculars up to his eyes. He notices Elio and Reggie moving toward the direction of the island. He holds his binoculars with one hand and uses his free one to calmly speak through a communicator wrapped around his wrist; ¡°Sky Watcher, reporting to Gendross.¡±


    A response comes through the communicator as Gendross answers; ¡°What¡¯s the report?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a man approaching our island on a speedboat.¡± The crewmate answers. There¡¯s a decently long pause before Gendross asks another question; ¡°Is he scary looking? Should any of us be worried?¡± ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t say he looks scary, if anything, with the way he¡¯s dressed, you¡¯d think he¡¯s attending a symphony. Though¡­ his suit is rather muddy, also he¡¯s wearing a visor over his eyes, he¡¯s quite the character.¡± Upon hearing that description, Gendross¡¯ voice sounds more relaxed and casual; ¡°A symphony? Oh, he¡¯s an Earthling! One last question; is there any other thing about him that stands out?¡±


    ¡°Let me check one more time¡­¡± He zooms in with his binoculars and eyes Reggie; ¡°Here¡¯s where it gets juicy. He has a Martian Tabby! And a big one at that!¡± ¡°What?! A real one?! Well now I¡¯m curious! Let them on the island, I want to talk to this mysterious person that¡¯s making his arrival.¡± Gendross commands. The crewmate types on his communicator as he answers; ¡°Already sending word to the crew.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll be out in a bit to greet him. Keep up the good work.¡± Gendross disconnects from the line.


    May 31st, 2018. 6:00 PM.


    Elio stops the boat in front of the island and steps onto the bow, holding his arm out for Reggie to perch onto him. As Reggie does so, Elio hops onto the sands of the island. He begins his trek toward the ship as the dense jungle looms over with towering trees, their canopies interwoven to create a green cathedral beneath, which the two venture. A symphony of seagull calls and insect hums fill the air as amber sunlight filters through the foliage, dappling the moss-covered ground with ethereal patterns. Elio turns his head toward and suddenly jumps; ¡°Oh shit!¡±


    Reggie jumps off his shoulder and lands on all fours, looking up at Elio and tilting his head in confusion; ¡°What happened, Elio?¡± Elio looks at Reggie and starts laughing as he puts his hand on his forehead. ¡°Sorry, you blended in with the jungle so much because of your fur, I forgot you were on me. So I was startled when I noticed you.¡± Reggie licks his paw; ¡°Maybe I should be happy that I can only see a small range of colors. I¡¯d never be caught doing what you just did.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, and you can enjoy seeing no colors for the rest of the walk to the ship.¡± Elio grabs Reggie¡¯s nape. ¡°Wait, hold on, I take it ba-¡± Reggie immediately begins to squirm as Elio scruffs him; ¡°I said I take it back!¡± ¡°Alright, good.¡± Elio sets him down, even petting Reggie¡¯s neck a bit to help calm the stress that was triggered. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡± Elio orders as he stands up and starts walking again.


    May 31st, 2018. 6:10 PM.


    Elio and Reggie arrive at the bow of the ship, they look up to see the gargantuan size of the vessel; ¡°Wow.¡± Reggie reacts as he sits down, suddenly, two eye markings on the ship begin to illuminate a bright, green glow. The mouth begins to open as the gangway unfolds with a metallic creak as its hinged sections begin to extend outward, forming a secure ramp between the ship and the grass. Bathed in the glow of the orange sun, the gangway reveals its sturdy construction, rivets glinting in the ambient illumination.


    As the gangway descends, a sense of connection between the vessel and the land emerges. A tall silhouette appears at the top of the gangway. All that can be seen are piercing yellow pupils surrounded by a pair of charcoal black eyes. The being begins walking down, revealing himself. His appearance is that of an extraterrestrial being, standing at a staggering height of 8¡¯11, boasting a distinctive blue skull-shaped head, complemented by sharp blue hands and blue toes that stick downward as though they were pegs. In contrast, he has striking red features, including a crimson red jaw, neck, shoulders, chest, arms, and legs. The top of his head, his stomach and forearms are a sandy brown color. All of these sporting a faint glare due to them being shells covering his body. All of which are complemented by white, furry eyebrows. Lastly, the proportions on the right side of his body are larger than the left side. This appearance belongs to the race of Jovians, which are from the northern side of Kosmesen on the Jupiter Continent.


    His outfit was nothing to scoff at either, as his menacing white uniform features sharp, angular lines and a high collar. The pristine white fabric is adorned with a sleek insignia of The Sky Pirates, seen on a captain¡¯s hat that he¡¯s wearing. He sports dark tinted accessories, such as silver wrist bracelets and a jet black leather belt, adding an imposing touch. His uniform exudes authority, instilling a sense of command and intimidation.


    Gendross stops once he reaches the end of the gangway, standing with his hands in his pockets. ¡°Your name.¡± Gendross calmly demands as he takes his larger hand out and points his claw-like finger at Elio. ¡°Hey, what about me?¡± Reggie butts in while standing up on his hind legs to look larger. Gendross hears Reggie¡¯s comment, with just one glance, Reggie¡¯s ears fold back and he sits down immediately. ¡°Oh? This Martian Tabby¡­ it talks? This is just getting more interesting.¡± Gendross ponders.


    Elio points to himself with his left thumb and to Reggie with his right thumb; ¡°I¡¯m Elio King, the talking furball is Reggie.¡± Gendross looks at them as his eyebrows begin to furrow in confusion. ¡°I¡¯m curious. Why are you here? More so, you¡¯re aware of who I am, right? Nobody would come here for sightseeing, so give me your reason for showing.¡± Gendross leans forward, becoming eye level with Elio.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°I¡¯ve come to join The Sky Pirates, Gendross.¡± Elio answers. He raises an eyebrow; ¡°Tell me, why would you willingly want to join my crew? What do you hope to achieve, working for me? And how are you able to contribute?¡± Elio glances at Reggie. He begins to speak in an almost somber tone, as though he were trying to hold back his tears; ¡°It has to do with him. He¡¯s the only one that I have in my life that¡¯s stayed by my side through thick and thin. I¡¯ve nowhere to go, and yet the government wants to take Reggie away from me and kill him because he¡¯s an illegal species of animal. You can probably tell by my outfit that this is the only thing I can even afford to wear-" "How do you explain the speedboat?¡± Gendross cuts him off.


    Elio swallows as he¡¯s cut off by Gendross¡¯ skepticism. ¡°I knocked out a boat owner and jacked the boat. I don¡¯t want to be a criminal, but the last thing I¡¯d ever want is for Reggie to be taken from me. So please, could Reggie and I at least have a chance to show our worth to the crew?¡± Gendross¡¯ intimidating glare shows no sign of waning, but he simply sighs out of pity. ¡°I take it you¡¯re both fighters since the government wants Reggie, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Reggie and I are deadly combatants!¡± Elio answers with a legion of confidence. Gendross takes notice; ¡°Well, your confidence shows a lot. Most people quake in fear from my presence, and here, your legs haven¡¯t shaken, nor have your words even stuttered. If protection from the government is what you seek and in return, you want to fight for me, then I¡¯ll bite.¡± He turns around and walks back up the gangway. ¡°Come. I¡¯ll let you two prove to me that you have what it takes.¡± Gendross beckons.


    ¡°He took the bait!¡± Elio and Reggie think in unison. Elio and Reggie follow Gendross up the gangway and they walk inside of the ship. Upon going inside, Elio and Reggie¡¯s jaws drop in awe as they see the interior. The ship¡¯s interior is bathed in a soft, ambient glow from energy-efficient LED lights. Sleek metallic surfaces with holographic interfaces line the walls, creating an immersive and high-tech atmosphere. Transparent panels reveal breathtaking views of different regions of Kosmesen, while floating orbs of light serve as both decoration and functional illumination. Advanced AI-controlled lighting adjusts to Gendross¡¯ preferences, enhancing the overall sense of comfort and cutting-edge design.


    ¡°Impressive, isn¡¯t it?¡± Gendross asks in a lighthearted tone. ¡°Yeah! I¡¯ve never seen anything like it in person!¡± Elio shouts in surprise. Reggie tries to put his paw on the holographic interface; ¡°Oh, what the heck? My paw just goes right through it.¡± Elio laughs at Reggie¡¯s curiosity; ¡°It¡¯s just a projection, Reggie.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I see.¡± Reggie looks at the light before losing interest in just a few seconds, he then runs to catch up with Elio and Gendross. ¡°So, where are we going exactly?¡± Elio asks.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking you to one of the ten decks on this ship. We¡¯re going to the third deck. Right now, we¡¯re on the second deck, which is where the engine room is. The third deck is entirely dedicated to combat training.¡± ¡°I see. So then, what are Reggie and I going to do? Do we fight members of your crew?¡± Elio asks as a follow up. ¡°Huh? No, I¡¯m going to have you fight something much tougher, something that the crew likes to call ¡®The Heavy Titan.¡¯¡± ¡°Heavy Titan? What¡¯s the reason for making Reggie and I go up against something like that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. You two weren¡¯t intimidated by my presence. So that must mean you must be great fighters.¡± Gendross answers while shrugging one hand. Elio looks at Reggie for a second, he nods. Reggie nods back. ¡°Well, we¡¯re sold. I¡¯m ready to fight that Heavy Titan guy.¡± ¡°Alright, then! I¡¯m excited to see what kind of fighting you two will bring to the table.¡± Gendross shows enthusiasm as he answers. They reach an elevator, Gendross presses it and the shutters open up.


    Gendross walks onto the platform as Elio and Reggie follow him inside. ¡°By the way, do either of you know what the ship is called?¡± ¡°Nah.¡± Elio and Reggie answer in unison. Gendross presses the button to take them to the third deck. ¡°This ship is what we call the ¡®Levacean.¡¯¡± Elio takes a deep breath; ¡°Shit¡­ don¡¯t tell me. I forgot that Jovians love using wordplay to name things.¡± Elio begins to mutter; ¡°Levacean, Levacean¡­¡±


    Elio then snaps his finger as he says with enthusiasm; ¡°Oh, I get it! It has to do with its design looking like a whale! Levitate and Cetacean is how you got Levacean!¡± Gendross smirks a bit with pride; ¡°Right on the money!¡± The elevator stops and the shutters open up. ¡°Alright, we¡¯re here.¡± Gendross calmly says as he steps out onto the combat deck.


    Elio and Reggie step out to see that the combat deck is a spacious clearing surrounded by towering trees, scattered with large boulders creating an uneven playing field. In the center of it all, lies a serene pond that reflects the LED lights from the roof of the deck, offering a tranquil spot amid the high-tech industrialized vibe of the Levacean. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting this when you said ¡®combat deck!¡¯ But this is amazing looking! And there¡¯s still nine other decks! Goddamn!¡± Elio shouts in awe.


    ¡°Bring out The Heavy Titan.¡± Gendross says to his communicator on his wrist, seemingly ignoring Elio¡¯s enthusiasm. He walks over to the far side of the combat deck. He begins making his way up a staircase on the side of the deck. Stepping rhythmically on the cold, echoing metal stairs, their ascent echoing through the empty space. Each clang resonates as he approaches a small balcony with a railing that reveals a sweeping view of the battlefield below.


    Shortly after Gendross arrives at the balcony and leans over the railing, a metallic shutter opens up. Emerging through it, a giant robot makes its way onto the battlefield. Its sleek, angular design exudes an air of technological sophistication. The outer shell, a vibrant metallic orange, gleamed under the battlefield¡¯s harsh lights. Luminescent accents adorned its surface, casting an otherworldly glow.


    The Heavy Titan¡¯s body was a symphony of advanced materials: carbon composites, reinforced alloys, and high-tech plating. Intricate circuitry pulsed beneath transparent panels, hinting at the intricate machinery within. Articulated joints moved with a fluidity that belied its colossal size, each movement calibrated for optimal efficiency as it steps toward Elio and Reggie.


    As its core, a central chamber housed a sophisticated fusion reactor, emitting a soft hum that resonates through the behemoth. Weapon systems, seamlessly integrated into the structure, bristled across its form: energy cannons, missile pods, and retractable blades poised for action.


    As the Heavy Titan strides forward, the play of light on its reflective surface creates an awe-inspiring spectacle, leaving no doubt that this marvel of engineering is a formidable force on the battlefield.


    Elio gazes upon The Heavy Titan¡¯s exterior, he then tilts his head while looking to Gendross from the battlefield. ¡°Hold on, I¡¯m confused. Why¡¯s it called the ¡®Heavy Titan?¡¯ Don¡¯t you use wordplay when naming things?¡± ¡°Well, yeah, normally, but¡­ there are multiple models, all in different colors. And instead of the crew referring to them as ¡®Hitans¡¯ like I was hoping for, they just started calling them Sesame Street characters because the first two that were built happen to be orange and yellow. So¡­ you¡¯ll be fighting Ernie, if I¡¯m correct. I¡¯m not the most familiar with Earth programs.¡± Gendross explains.


    ¡°Oh word? Those two were always my favorite when I was a kid!¡± Elio responds with excitement. He then unbuttons his shirt and takes it off, along with the blazer by throwing them to the side. Elio gets into his fighting stance; ¡°You Reggie, ready?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Reggie returns the enthusiasm, getting into a predatory stance. Elio turns his head to Gendross; ¡°We¡¯re ready!¡± He shouts.


    Gendross raises his right arm, a small silence dwells. ¡°Begin!¡± He shouts. Ernie¡¯s sensors lock onto Elio as its metallic joints emit an ominous hum. Reggie crouches besides Elio as the air crackles with tension. The two dash toward Ernie, Reggie choosing to stay behind as Elio goes for the first, unleashing a barrage of lightning-fast kicks, his movements becoming a blur as he dances around his colossal metal adversary. Reggie darts in and out to distract Ernie with his swift and acrobatic movement. Ernie reacts by spreading its arms out and spinning its upper body, performing a lariat while spinning like a top. His arm slamming into Elio¡¯s stomach and sending him hurling in the air as trees begin to topple.


    Ernie¡¯s torso stops spinning as his plates open up and fires a barrage of missiles at Elio. Elio hits the ground and recovers by rolling back and getting back on his feet. ¡°Shit!¡± He shouts as he performs a somersault, narrowly dodging one of the missiles. Elio quickly starts running as he avoids the explosive onslaught. Reggie scampers up Ernie¡¯s leg, leaving tiny scratches on its armored surface, forcing Ernie¡¯s sensors to lock onto him instead of Elio.


    Elio leaps off of a boulder and makes his way toward Ernie through jumping and swinging along the trees, eventually reaching it and performing several frontflips to build momentum, slamming the top of Ernie with an axe kick, slightly denting it. Reggie sees an opportunity and leaps onto Ernie¡¯s facial area, unsheathing his claws and clawing at Ernie¡¯s sensors. Ernie performs another lariat, shaking the two of them off.


    Elio flies backfirst into a tree, slamming into it; ¡°Ooomph!¡± He grunts as he falls onto a branch, he latches onto it. ¡°Damn! Gendross really does have high hopes if this is what he¡¯s dishing out! But, we gotta take this thing down if we want a shot at even bringing in Gendross!¡± He thinks to himself as he stands up and balances on the tree branch. Elio scales the tree to gain elevation, reaching the top of the tree. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡± Elio quietly mutters as he looks at Ernie, seeing that Reggie already bounced back to distract him. ¡°Good! And best yet, this tree''s deciduous, so there¡¯s no need to hold back on it!¡±


    Elio bends his legs and leaps into the air, reaching soaring heights as he slowly does a frontflip, as he¡¯s upside down mid-flip, his feet touch the ceiling of the combat deck. He bends his knees upon touching the ceiling and carries that momentum, increasing it more as he dives down toward Ernie. He flips once more and lands a powerful stomp onto Ernie, knocking him to the ground.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Gendross watches in surprise, amazed with Elio¡¯s agility and power. Elio¡¯s legs tremble from the impact, Reggie¡¯s whiskers detect a vibration; ¡°Elio! Get off the robot!¡± ¡°Huh- WOAH!¡± Elio yells as he backflips off of Ernie as a bright blue light glows on his surface. Upon touching the ground, the light becomes a laser blast from one of its energy cannons, though it misses, Elio feels the intense heat graze past him.


    Elio¡¯s reflexes kick into overdrive as Ernie unleashes a rapid volley of energy blasts. The air crackles with energy, the fire rate increasing. As they intensify, Elio utilizes the boulders to take cover from the attacks. The boulders shattering creates a dust cloud, making Elio¡¯s presence harder for Ernie to detect. He sees Reggie and rushes toward him, scooping him off the ground. ¡°Reggie, I think I¡¯ve figured out an idea!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± ¡°Just distract Ernie for me!¡± Elio commands.


    ¡°Got it!¡± Reggie hops off of Elio and makes his way toward Ernie. As the dust clears, Elio is nowhere to be seen, and Reggie saunters, closing the distance ever so slowly, as though he were ignoring the imminent danger. Reggie turns his back toward Ernie and swishes his tail in playful defiance, trying to taunt him. Ernie attempts to attack Reggie by letting one of his blades spike out, Reggie casually avoiding it due to his senses.


    Elio watches from the safety and seclusion of a tree, he takes a deep breath; ¡°Phew. Good job, Reggie! Just keep that hunk of junk distracted!¡± Elio sits on the branch and begins to meditate. Taking deep breaths and channeling his own body, an intense, violent aura of flames envelop him. The ethereal fire dances in rough waves, casting a burning, hellish glow that accentuates the stillness of his meditation. Flames flicker in harmony with his breath.


    The flames swiftly vanish without a trace, the volume of Elio¡¯s own body having slightly increased. Elio stands up on the branch once more, looking down at the skirmish between Reggie and Ernie. He exhales through his nostrils, steam coming out as he does so, he grins and leaps out from the trees, more energized than ever. ¡°Alright Reggie, move out of the way! Unless you want to experience the opposite of the Ice Age!¡±

 Chapter 3 - Bringin The Heat!

    May 31st, 2018. 6:20 PM.


    ¡°Took you long enough! You just can¡¯t wait for my last life to waste away, can you?!¡± Reggie retorts as he backflips away from Ernie just before the impact. Elio, fueled by his charged energy, abruptly lunges downward as he propels himself through the air with a swift and powerful dropkick on Ernie. His shoes connect forcefully with Ernie¡¯s chestplate, the impact being enough to make Ernie stagger backwards, despite the size difference. The echo of the impact reverberates through the combat deck¡¯s battleground as Gendross watches with intrigue. Elio lands gracefully on his feet and looks at Reggie with a smug smirk; ¡°Nine lives, and you STILL won¡¯t outlive me? You gotta step up your game, Reggie!¡±


    Ernie regains his footing and begins to attack once more, as Elio and Reggie keep brawling with him, Gendross ponders; ¡°That¡¯s strange. I saw such a bright aura just a second ago. It can¡¯t be pyrokinesis because that wouldn¡¯t explain the sudden surge of power he gained. What is it?¡± Gendross¡¯ attention suddenly fixates on Elio as he notices him dive toward Ernie¡¯s leg, wrapping his arms and legs on it; ¡°Alright Reggie! Get to it!¡± Elio shouts and commands.


    Reggie dashes up Ernie¡¯s body and moves in the way of his vision, forcing Ernie to target him. Ernie performs a lariat to shake off Reggie, he falls to the ground and recovers by somersaulting. Reggie continues to distract Ernie by darting through the rocky, forest terrain, agilely evading Ernie¡¯s relentless onslaught of lasers, missiles, and bullets that are being unleashed. His fur bristles with fright as he expertly leaps and twists his body around, narrowly avoiding each deadly projectile. Ernie¡¯s body clanks as he pursues Reggie, his enormous metal limbs causing the ground to shake with each step.


    Reggie then reaches the side of the battlefield and races up the stairs, each step a blur beneath his swift paws. His body ripples with energy as he reaches the top as he dodges oncoming bullets, propelling himself with graceful precision toward Gendross. He jumps onto Gendross¡¯ shoulder before performing a powerful spring off of him, soaring through the air, momentarily suspended before landing in the pond right in the center of the deck. Ernie quickly turns around to prepare a laser blast toward Reggie, seeing as how he¡¯s treading water. Elio let¡¯s go, falling off the leg, he then runs toward one of the walls of the deck. He reaches one side of the deck and bolts his way up the wall as Ernie¡¯s close to firing a blast.


    ¡°HEY ERNIE!¡± Elio yells at the top of his lungs, he then flicks a bullet that was on the ground toward him. The bullet hits Ernie, he holds his fire and turns around, locking onto Elio. He begins to fire bullets at Elio, but Elio dodges through turning around and dashing down the wall. Elio reaches the ground, as he begins to make his way toward Ernie, his shoulder gets grazed by a bullet. More bullets start coming his way as he narrowly avoids the destruction. As he¡¯s closing the distinct, a crazy grin etches on his face, Ernie intensifies his assault. Streams of bullets seem to converge upon Elio, yet he navigates through the deadly crossfire, only the air being grazed by the bullets as Elio¡¯s heart pounds with sheer excitement while his speed only increases further.


    ¡°Take a nice underwater adventure, Ernie!¡± Elio shouts upon leaping towards Ernie¡¯s shoulder as he drives it forward like a battering ram, crashing right into Ernie¡¯s center. The impact resonates through the battlefield, a forceful collision that sends shockwaves through Ernie¡¯s metallic structure. Ernie staggers backwards and falls down into the water, causing a gigantic splash. As his leg submerges in the water, a symphony of grinding gears and strained hydraulics accompany the grim spectacle of the metal clanking of his leg being crushed. As the metallic sinews strained against an inexorable force, yielding to the relentless pressure from within. Ernie¡¯s exterior, a testament to his body¡¯s impregnability, betrayed no hint of the internal turmoil, yet the very essence of his formidable strength succumbed to an invisible adversary. A dance of destruction unfolds as the monumental appendage, once a tool of dominance, bows to the inexorable forces that now lay siege to his colossal frame.


    Reggie walks toward Elio and vigorously shakes the water off his fur; ¡°Well, I now see what you mean by it¡¯s important to stretch before you swim.¡± Reggie remarks as he looks toward Ernie¡¯s crushed leg. ¡°You got that right! Anyway, you did great out there, Reggie!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t take all the credit, you did all the damage!¡± Reggie responds while Elio picks him up. The heat from Elio¡¯s body quickly dried Reggie¡¯s soaked fur, Gendross then vaulted over the balcony, landing on the battlefield, his toes digging into the ground upon landing, he began walking toward the two.


    Elio looks at Gendross and smiles; ¡°Please tell me that you have a Heavy Titan named Oscar! That one is Reggie¡¯s favorite!¡± ¡°Is he green?¡± Gendross raises an eyebrow in response. Reggie simply nods; ¡°Then yes, we have an Oscar.¡± Gendross answers before going back to sounding serious; ¡°Anyway, that was certainly a marvel to see. I also figured out upon watching you what your power is, Elio¡­¡± He points his index finger at him; ¡°...You can generate and manipulate heat, can¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You got that right! What gave it away?¡± ¡°Your increase in speed and physical strength made me speculate it, but what confirmed it for me was how Ernie¡¯s leg was crushed. It was like crushing a can. When putting a heated can in cold water, like that pond, the cooling causes the water vapor to condense and create a partial vacuum. The extraordinarily low pressure of the partial vacuum inside Ernie¡¯s leg made it possible for the pressure of the air outside of it to crush it.¡± Gendross explains. Elio tilts his head in confusion; ¡°I know though¡­ not too sure why you had to explain it to me.¡± Gendross is slightly annoyed by his retort, but shrugs it off; ¡°I was explaining it to Reggie.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Reggie asks while he leans his head back to look at Gendross.


    ¡°Never mind, what matters is you two did great.¡± Gendross smiles before continuing; ¡°Welcome to The Sky Pirates!¡± ¡°Thanks! We¡¯re glad to be here!¡± Elio returns the excitement. Gendross beckons; ¡°Come, I¡¯ll show you around the ship.¡± He begins walking toward an elevator, he speaks to his communicator; ¡°Technician Team, Ernie¡¯s in need of some repairs, he¡¯s on the combat deck.¡± He then disconnects from the line. ¡°I¡¯ll start by showing you the sixth and seventh decks, that¡¯s where the cabins are.¡± Gendross informs them.


    Elio nods as they follow him; ¡°Thank you, Gendross. You know, despite being wanted by the world, you¡¯re a good dude.¡± Gendross stays silent for a bit and takes a deep breath; ¡°I appreciate it, Elio. I¡¯m just glad to know that there¡¯s other people out there who, despite not knowing me, can see that I¡¯m not what the world makes me out to be. My title may be known as ¡®Captain of Divine Destruction¡¯, but I¡¯d never destroy something for selfish reasons.¡± He responds, somewhat sentimentally. He steps inside the elevator, Elio and Reggie walk in after.


    As the elevator¡¯s rising, Elio and Reggie both look down at the floor, both suddenly not liking this plan after hearing the tone he spoke in. ¡°By the way, Elio, Reggie, all I can really say is don¡¯t feel as though you¡¯re a burden. If in the future, you can¡¯t take any of the stress from what the crew has to fight against to keep ourselves safe, you¡¯re always free to leave. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s selfish for people to want what¡¯s best for themselves. So even if you do leave, you¡¯re always welcome back if you need help.¡±


    May 31st, 2018. 6:25 PM.


    Neither Elio, nor Reggie say anything in response, Elio just simply nods his head. The elevator stops rising, when the door¡¯s open, Gendross steps out; ¡°Well, anyway, I hope this fits to your liking.¡± He beckons for them to follow. Elio and Reggie are greeted with a corridor that boasts warm LED strip lighting. Plush, sound-absorbing wall panels that enhance a sense of tranquility, while touch-sensitive panels offer crew members control over lighting and information displays. Virtual windows display scenes from different destinations, creating the illusion of being in various environments. Advanced materials and magnetic levitation technology which ensures a smooth, noise-free area, making Elio and Reggie amazed as they feel a seamless blend of comfort and innovation.


    ¡°This is crazy! It¡¯s like each deck has us entering a completely different part of the world!¡± Reggie shouts in awe. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be the first time I¡¯ve been told that.¡± Gendross replies. As they walk through the cabin deck, Gendross stops in front of a metal door and opens it by pressing a button. ¡°Here¡¯s where I work, as well as sleep. So if you ever need to let me know about something and if your communicator, which I¡¯ll give you later, ever acts faulty, you¡¯ll know where I am.¡± He mentions as he walks inside. Gendross¡¯ office looks pretty standard, but still professional to Elio, the only thing that catches his eye is when he notices a gigantic water tank.


    ¡°Got it. Also, I¡¯ve never seen a Jovian bed in person before. It¡¯s as I imagined it, like a tank at an aquarium! So, is it plastic or glass?¡± ¡°I went with a glass tank. Even though they can shatter pretty easily, they last longer and can be boiled for a deep clean. Plastic on the other hand, those tanks stain easily and pick up odors, which would require cleaning it and replacing the water a lot more.¡± He answers Elio. ¡°Huh, sort of like baby bottles. That would also mean that the glass tanks are chemical-free, right?¡± He asks, Gendross nods.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Reggie hops on a couch that¡¯s in the office, he immediately flops onto his stomach and lays down. Elio sits down next to Reggie and pets him; ¡°You learn something new everyday, it seems.¡± Elio answers Gendross. ¡°Yeah. Alright, get up, we¡¯re going to the Lab Deck so you can get your communicator.¡± ¡°I¡¯d just gotten comfortable though.¡± Elio retorts. Gendross raises his eyebrow; ¡°You were speaking on behalf of Reggie, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No¡­ Yes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie, Elio. You were speaking on your behalf as well.¡± Reggie then looks at Gendross; ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him, he¡¯s lying. He and I are on the same wavelength.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s true. We¡¯re both retarded.¡± Elio nonchalantly replies. ¡°Yeah, what he said¡­¡± Reggie then pauses, his ears fold back as he looks at Elio; ¡°Aye, not cool, man!¡± Reggie shouts, feeling insulted, Elio stares him down, he blows on Reggie¡¯s face as a retort.


    ¡°Elio!¡± Reggie shouts in faux anger as he gets up and jumps toward Elio¡¯s face. Elio starts laughing as he catches Reggie by the stomach and pins him on the cushion. Reggie starts biting Elio¡¯s finger as he¡¯s being dragged. Gendross picks up Elio with one hand, his voice a little more stern; ¡°No more wasting time. We¡¯re heading to the lab now.¡± He sets Elio on his feet, Reggie perches on Elio¡¯s shoulder as Gendross walks out. ¡°I don¡¯t want this tour to take too long, our plan was to take off earlier and relocate on Ganymede, but due to your arrivals, and your circumstances, I decided to delay takeoff until after I finish giving you the tour of the ship. So let¡¯s get to it.¡±


    Elio freezes and tenses up while Reggie¡¯s pupils dilate upon hearing that the Levacean will be taking off after the tour. ¡°Wait, what?! The ship¡¯s taking off after this?! That just makes it worse!¡± The two think in unison. Elio plays it cool; ¡°Oh, wait for real?! We¡¯re going to Ganymede? I¡¯ve never been there before!¡± ¡°Well, then I guess I could give you the shorter version of the tour if you can¡¯t wait to get there.¡± Gendross smiles at the enthusiasm.


    ¡°Damn, our best chance at bringing him down would be right now when he¡¯s off guard.¡± Elio ponders. He takes a deep breath, his face scrunches as he feels bad for Gendross, knowing that he¡¯s unaware. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Gendross!¡± Elio leaps off the floor and strikes him with a devastating drop kick on the top of his back. ¡°GA-¡± Gendross¡¯ shout gets cut off as he¡¯s knocked forward, face planting into the hard wall, falling over in the process.


    He groans as he holds onto his face; ¡°Fuck, man¡­¡± He stands up and looks at Elio and Reggie, his eyes shooting daggers. ¡°So¡­ I guess that¡¯s how it is then, isn¡¯t it?¡± Gendross asks, his trust being broken and his spirit being hurt. Elio gets in his fighting stance, he sweats a little out of anticipation, seeing as how threatening Gendross is when hostile. ¡°To use Reggie¡¯s own status as an endangered species, just to get my sympathy and let you on the crew so you can get the drop on me. One of the Heavy Titans got busted up for nothing then.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t tell you why we have to do this, but it got to the point of us having no choice, but to go through with it.¡± Elio responds calmly, he then gets ready to attack by rushing in with a jab in hopes of landing a hit on the soft shell on his stomach. Gendross uses his fast reaction speed to easily grab Elio¡¯s torso, he has a look of shock on his face as he can¡¯t move from his grip. Gendross then looks at his communicator; ¡°Have the Levacean take off. Elio and Reggie, our so-called new recruits are actually our enemies.¡±


    Elio channels his thermal energy into his torso, heading himself up until Gendross¡¯ palm burns. His calm demeanor is lost; ¡°Fine then! You want to capture me?! Then have fun fighting for that!¡± Gendross yells as he clenches harder, lifting Elio off the floor and then slamming him down on his back, as he hits the floor, Gendross then turns around, dragging his back along the floor and throwing him into the air. Elio¡¯s body hurls as he ragdolls, flying into one of the LED strips, knocking it down, he hits the floor. The wind gets knocked out of him, Gendross is about to attack, but then is stopped when Reggie jumps onto his shoulder; ¡°You¡¯re not hurting him!¡±


    Reggie releases his claws and aims for Gendross¡¯ eye, Gendross swiftly shakes Reggie off of him. ¡°That was too close! I didn¡¯t think Reggie would be aware that Jovians don¡¯t have eyelids!¡± Reggie then runs toward Elio, he¡¯s able to breathe again; ¡°Elio, are you ok?!¡± Reggie shouts, Elio holds his arms out, catching Reggie. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I can still move! We¡¯re getting out of here though! Your safety is not worth the risk!¡± Elio then carries Reggie with one arm as he channels all of his thermal energy into the palm of his hand. He releases it all as steam, creating a barrier between them and Gendross.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Elio shouts as he takes off with Reggie. Gendross looks at the steam barrier; ¡°He just had to know biology, didn¡¯t he?! No matter¡­¡± He puts his communicator up to his mouth. ¡°Elio, why aren¡¯t we just taking the elevator to get off? Why are you searching for the staircases to the deck?¡± ¡°There¡¯s security cameras all over this place, there are cameras in the elevators as well! If they see us in one of those, they can either shut down the elevators until we run out of oxygen, or just have the whole crew wait outside wherever we¡¯re going!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Reggie nods as he holds onto Elio while he jumps down a flight of stairs, reaching the fifth deck of the Levacean. He begins to turn to go down the next flight of stairs.


    Reggie¡¯s ears perk up; ¡°Elio, no!¡± Reggie shouts. He immediately stops running as he notices there being crewmates on the staircase, armed and ready to fire. He quickly steps to the side and begins to dart around the fifth deck. ¡°Elio, take a right! I hear the sound of firearms being loaded from the left of the fork!¡± Reggie instructs, Elio turns to the right. ¡°Keep your ears up! I¡¯m relying on you to guide me away from whatever danger is showing up!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Reggie closes his eyes to focus on his hearing. Elio keeps taking turns based on what Reggie tells him; ¡°Right!¡± ¡°Left!¡± Right!¡± ¡°Right!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re approaching another stairway! There¡¯s only two guns!¡± ¡°Great!¡± Elio replies, he speeds up as he reaches the staircase. He doesn¡¯t give the crewmates any time to react, he just falls towards them, kicking them both down with each foot, he then reaches the fourth deck. He keeps running; ¡°Alright, take a left at the end of the corridor!¡± ¡°Hold up, Reggie!¡± Elio stops running, Reggie is confused. ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed that not once have they made an attempt to fire at us? I don¡¯t think they¡¯re trying to shoot us down, Gendross knows that we¡¯d be able to take them down easily, and he doesn¡¯t want to waste another Heavy Titan! They¡¯re luring us into a trap!¡±


    Gendross watches from the security room, he immediately figures out why they stopped running, he looks at his communicator; ¡°Don¡¯t let them catch on, open fire!¡± At the slightest click of a rifle, Elio sees Reggie¡¯s ears fold back, he immediately turns left at the end of the corridor as they begin to fire at them. As he turns left, he sees crewmates waiting at the end of both sides of the turn he took. ¡°RIGHT!¡± Reggie shouts, Elio instinctively listens to Reggie and sidesteps to the right.


    May 31st, 2018. 6:30 PM.


    As he steps to the right, Elio looks down to realize that there¡¯s no floor beneath them; ¡°Shit! I knew there was a trap, I wasn¡¯t aware it would be this though!¡± The two fall for a couple of seconds and the chute begins to curve. The two tumble, falling out and landing in a dark room. Elio groans; ¡°You ok, Reggie? Nothing broken?¡± Reggie stands up and licks him on the nose; ¡°I¡¯m good. What about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine as well¡­¡± Elio sighs in relief. ¡°Now, my question is where the hell are we?¡± He stands up, looking at the surrounding darkness.


    ¡°We¡¯re probably at the lowest deck of the ship.¡± ¡°We are.¡± Reggie¡¯s surprised with Elio¡¯s intuition. ¡°Wait, how can you tell?¡± ¡°The engine room is the second deck like how Gendross mentioned. It¡¯s warmer here than all the other decks we¡¯ve been to, besides the engine deck.¡± Elio explains, Reggie nods; ¡°I see. Surely there must be a way out of here¡­¡± Reggie looks around and sees a faint light coming through what seems to be a frame; ¡°Hey Elio! What about that light? Surely that must be a door!¡±


    ¡°Let me check it out.¡± Elio walks up to it and taps it; ¡°It is. Steel as well, I can¡¯t exactly melt it, but I could use my body heat to soften the metal enough to bust through.¡± Elio rubs his hands at ludicrous speed to generate heat faster. He presses his palms on the door; ¡°Alright, this should take a couple of minutes.¡± Though as he pushes on the door, his body quickly shutters; ¡°?Hace fr¨ªo!¡± He shouts, he also takes notice that Reggie is now in front of him, his arms wrapped around his leg as his claws dig into them, as though he¡¯s clinging on for life.


    ¡°Wait, why¡¯s it so bright in here?!¡± Elio realizes, he turns his head and notices that an aft door has opened up. He notices the vast expanse of the ocean stretching endlessly beneath, its surface a mesmerizing dance of the topaz hues. Sunlight reflecting off the gentle ripples. Its calmness kicks Elio¡¯s paranoia of the situation into overdrive, as the inviting, quietness of the ocean below taunts him, knowing he has no place left to run. Suddenly, the orange hues entering the room fade as a bright, azure light begins to glow brightly, so much so that the whole room has darkened because of the light¡¯s grainy intensity.


    ¡°That¡¯s a Sonic Boom Cannon!¡± Elio grits his teeth as he looks at Reggie, his claws now digging into his skin as Reggie feels more helpless by the situation; ¡°Dammit! Reggie can¡¯t survive that! There¡¯s no universe where he would!¡± He kneels down and puts his arm around Reggie, he speaks softly; ¡°Reggie, listen to me. I¡¯m gonna need you to stay on the ship for me while I¡¯m gone. I know you¡¯re scared when I¡¯m not with you, but trust me on this. Keep Gendross from escaping, find a way to make the crew stay in this spot while I find a way to get back up here.¡±


    Reggie looks up at Elio, his pupils dilated; ¡°Ok¡­ I trust you.¡± Reggie retracts his claws, Elio¡¯s leg bleeds slightly. Elio smiles reassuringly; ¡°Good!¡± He picks up Reggie and faces the direction of the Sonic Boom Cannon. The cannon reaches the peak of its charge state, Elio steps forward and chucks Reggie at the chute they fell from. The cannon fires the very second that Reggie safely lands inside of it, and in a flash, Elio is gone because of the concussive blast. Reggie looks and stares at the blank space as the natural light from the sun returns. ¡°ELIO!¡± He shouts out of fear of being on his own. As the aft door closes, he sits down, his ears folding back once more, processing what just happened.


    Elio screams in horror as he plummets from the sky, the wind roaring in his ears, drowning out all sound except the adrenaline-fueled thuds of his heart. The sea and waves below expand, an ominous canvas of the impending impact. The world spins in a chaotic ballet of fear, and time itself seems to stretch in the desperate seconds before his inevitable plunge. His senses are hijacked by visceral fear of the unknown as his primal scream echoes through the vast emptiness of the open air.


    His body shoots into the water, gliding through and falling right onto a sandbar, partially breaking his momentum, sending his body forwards at an upwards angle. His momentum fully comes to a stop as his body reaches the beach of Gull¡¯s Bay and he flops out from a wave, being carried to shore. Beachgoers take notice of his body washing onto shore as he doesn¡¯t get up, they worry about his safety as a lifeguard starts making her way over as fast as she can when seeing the crowd of people. Elio tries to stand up, but due to the pain and dizziness he feels, he just falls over on his back, breathing heavily.


    ¡°H-hold¡­ just¡­ hang in there¡­ Reggie¡­¡± He faintly mutters, passing out.

 Chapter 4 - Arachnophobia

    April 26th, 2016. 8:45 PM.


    In a dimly lit alleyway, rain poured relentlessly from the stormy night sky. Puddles formed in the uneven pavement, reflecting the feeble glow of distant streetlights. Amidst the shadows, Elio spots a shivering, sickly kitten, laying like a ragdoll near a dumpster.


    He approaches cautiously, his steps echoing in the desolate space. The soaked fur of the frail creature clung onto its tiny frame. Determination etches onto Elio¡¯s face as he carefully scoops up the trembling kitten, shielding it from the unforgiving rain with an umbrella. It begins kicking him out of fear, but eventually calms down, feeling the warmth of Elio.


    The rhythmic drumming of raindrops intensifies as Elio cradles the kitten against his chest while being tucked inside a winter coat. He begins to walk out of the alleyway, the kitten nestles against him, finding solace in the warmth of his embrace. With every step, Elio¡¯s compassion radiates through the alley, as though he were a beacon of humanity in the midst of the storm.


    May 31st, 2018. 7:00 PM.


    ¡°Reggie¡­¡± Elio mutters, slowly waking up. ¡°Reggie¡­¡± He repeats himself upon opening his eyes, only to close them for a few seconds. He suddenly jolts awake fully, trying to sit up; ¡°Oh my god, Reggie!¡± He tries to sit up again, realizing that he¡¯s strapped down to a stretcher. ¡°Hey, could one of you undo these straps, please?¡± Elio tries to speak, but his voice is muffled under a ventilator.


    Elio takes a glance at the back of the ambulance, he sees the time; ¡°Nineteen- what?! It¡¯s already seven?! Shit, I can¡¯t be wasting anymore time!¡± Elio then takes a deep breath. He begins to use his thermal powers to cool his body to incredibly low temperatures, slightly decreasing the volume of his body. He then uses his smaller volume to slip out of the straps meant for holding his arms down, he unbuckles the straps from his body and takes the ventilator off of his face. ¡°Wait, how are you moving?!¡± One of the paramedics asks in shock when noticing.


    ¡°Pull over and stop the ambulance! It¡¯s urgent!¡± Elio orders in a stern manner. ¡°Wait, I¡¯m ju-¡± ¡°Do it now!¡± Elio shouts. ¡°Ok!¡± The paramedic looks at the driver; ¡°Pull over, the patient is fine!¡± As the driver pulls over, the side door opens; ¡°Thank you.¡± Elio says calmly. He then hops out of the ambulance and begins running through the streets of Gull¡¯s Bay.


    Elio makes it back to the recruitment center, he dashes inside and slides on his feet, slapping his hands on the front desk; ¡°Where¡¯s the locker that has my backpack?!¡± Elio breathes heavily, the receptionist reels her head back in surprise; ¡°Uh- Oh! I¡¯ll go get it for you, just wait here.¡± She gets up and walks through a doorway, feeling a bit worried because of the different attitude. She comes out after a few seconds and holds out Elio¡¯s backpack for him.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Elio grabs his backpack and puts it on. ¡°You¡¯re welcome, but¡­ you look distraught. What happened to your cat? Is he alright?¡± Elio pauses, he takes a deep breath; ¡°I hope so¡­ I appreciate the concern and the help. Anyway, I have to go now!¡± Elio bolts out the door. He darts his way up a building, grabbing the ledge of a roof and flipping upward, landing on the roof.


    Elio stares at the coastline, he looks up and notices a faint black spec in the sky. Immediately, he takes in the fish-like shape, his mouth slightly smiles in hope when he sees that it¡¯s not moving; ¡°YES! Nice going, Reggie! Now I can get back up there! Just stay safe until I do!¡± Elio then turns around and begins jumping along the rooftops, heading toward the mountainous outskirts of Gull¡¯s Bay.


    May 31st, 2018. 6:30 PM.


    Reggie lays down in the darkness, his ears furled back, he takes deep breaths; ¡°Ok¡­ you got this, Reggie. Elio put faith in you, so clearly, you must be good enough to do what he instructed. I¡¯ll just start a riot to hold them off!¡± Reggie pep-talks himself. He turns around and runs through the chute, making his way back up from where he fell. As he climbs up, he hops out of the chute and looks around, spotting people walking as they¡¯re unaware of his presence. Reggie gets in his predatory stance and wiggles


    ¡°Elio, you better be up already! Given where I am, it¡¯s safe to say I won¡¯t be able to last too long!¡± Reggie leaps forwards and pounces on one of the crewmate¡¯s heads, knocking him forward and biting him on the neck; ¡°Get it off!¡± The crewmate shouts as Reggie notices the other three crewmates turning toward him. He hops off, landing on the floor, he brings his claws out as his hair spikes up, Reggie hisses before disappearing.


    ¡°Wait, where did it just g- AAAAAHHHHH!!!¡± One of them screams in fright and agony as she falls down after suddenly being clawed in the back, bleeding; ¡°Wha-¡± The other gets interrupted as Reggie moves up to his face and claws at his cheek, he then hops off his shoulder and kicks him in the face, knocking him over. He then stares at the last man standing, his rifle being readied as he aims it at Reggie, Reggie glances down the hall and darts off. The man is ready to squeeze the trigger, but his eyes dart to his crewmates, he notices how each of them have blood flowing from their injuries. ¡°Gendross! Gendross, come in!¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Those intruders that we shot off, one of them is still onboard!¡± Gendross¡¯ eyebrows raise in surprise. ¡°I thought they were blasted back down to sea! Which one is it?!¡± ¡°The cat! It¡¯s pandemonium right now!¡±


    Gendross gets up from his office chair and heads out the door; ¡°Which deck is Reggie on?¡± ¡°Fourth deck!¡± Gendross begins running as he hears that. ¡°Got it! I¡¯ll be there right away!¡± He disconnects from the line. ¡°That¡¯s strange, he knows he¡¯s outmatched and yet he still chooses to cause a ruckus. Unless he thinks Elio¡¯s still alive, if that¡¯s the case, then his plan is to make us stay here. That must be it!¡± Gendross slows down and begins walking; ¡°I don¡¯t want any more of my friends getting hurt or injured¡­¡± He ponders, reaching his communicator up to his mouth. His voice echoes through the Levacean; ¡°Everyone stop attacking! I figured out what the cat¡¯s motive is, he just wanted to make his presence known! He¡¯s not a threat anymore!¡± Some crewmates hear the announcement and look up, slightly confused, but they follow orders and lower their weapons. ¡°Anyone who¡¯s been hurt or injured by him, make your way to the medibay. If you¡¯re unable to move, call for the closest crewmate to help you out. I will also take you to the medibay if I am nearby.¡± Gendross continues.


    Reggie perches on one of the crewmate¡¯s shoulders; ¡°Let me speak to Gendross. Put him on the line.¡± Reggie demands. ¡°Right!¡± The crewmate reacts, startled. He links his communicator to Gendross¡¯; ¡°Gendross, come in.¡± Gendross changes his settings to directly speak to him; ¡°Over.¡± ¡°The cat you just mentioned is with me, I think he wants to talk to you.¡± Reggie leans his head over to the communicator, interjecting; ¡°Gendross?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Good! I need you to stop this ship from making its way to Ganymede!¡± Reggie answers.


    Gendross smirks slightly in realization that he was spot on about the plan; ¡°I figured. You want Elio to get back up here and you have faith in him doing so. Just¡­ oh, I don¡¯t know¡­ what¡¯s in it for me? Given yours and Elio¡¯s betrayal earlier, I¡¯m not willing to do this for free.¡± ¡°If it means giving Elio the chance to get back up here, I will do anything! I¡¯m serious!¡± Reggie shouts.


    ¡°Anything, you say?¡± ¡°Yes! Anything!¡± Upon hearing it, Gendross smirks. ¡°Glad to hear it! Alright, Jenson, bring Reggie over to the lab, if you¡¯d be so kind. You can go back to your post afterward.¡± ¡°Of course! I¡¯ll be there right away!¡± He begins walking while Reggie remains on his shoulder. ¡°Thank you! I¡¯ll see you there!¡± Gendross disconnects from the call. Gendross then exhales in relief; ¡°Ok, perfect. Crisis averted.¡± He walks inside an elevator and presses the button to take him up to the eighth deck.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    May 31st, 2018. 6:40 PM.


    Gendross waits in the laboratory, waiting patiently for the man to show up with Reggie. The shutters open, Gendross turns his head, his hands in his pockets, he sees that they¡¯ve arrived. ¡°Good, you¡¯re here!¡± Gendross says excitedly, he picks up Reggie and gives the crewmate a pat on the back. ¡°Thank you, Jenson! ¡°Yeah, no problem! Alright, I¡¯m heading back to my post now. Take care, boss.¡± He leaves the laboratory. Gendross then eyes Reggie; ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll just cut to the chase. I ha-¡± ¡°I like chases.¡± Reggie interrupts as his ears perk up.


    Gendross pauses for a few seconds; ¡°Yeah¡­ as I was saying, I have you here because I want to have your abilities in combat tested. You¡¯re a strong fight, but you¡¯re only going to get so far on your own, like your fight with The Heavy Titan. Elio did all the damage, but at the same time, it makes sense, you¡¯re just a cat, you can¡¯t slice metal. So, I¡¯m going to put you against an opponent that you¡¯ll have a more fair chance against.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. So who am I fighting?¡± Reggie tilts his head. Gendross gestures toward a small team of scientists; ¡°These guys will show you your opponent, and from here on with the test, you¡¯ll be following what they say.¡± Reggie nods his head, taking a deep breath; ¡°Ok¡­¡±


    ¡°Open the simulation pod.¡± Gendross orders, one of the scientists presses down on a pad. A colossal metal pod within the laboratory creaks and groans as it slowly unfurls, revealing complex circuitry and lighting flowing in a series of synchronized movements. Rays of light spill through the widening gaps as the shutter for the pod opens, illuminating the mysterious empty space from within. ¡°You may step inside, Reggie.¡± One of the scientists speaks, Reggie does as he¡¯s told and walks inside.


    As Reggie steps inside, the shutter closes as a screen that shows Reggie¡¯s location appears on a monitor. ¡°Alright, you can start whenever you like.¡± Gendross says to the scientists. ¡°Of course! We¡¯re loading up the simulation now.¡± One of them types in an intricate network of coding, a bar on the screen appears as it begins to load up. Reggie feels something within his whiskers as he looks around. Suddenly light begins to materialize as a dark cave begins to conjure. Coarse sand lies beneath Reggie¡¯s paws. The damp atmosphere clings to the cybernetic walls, as if mimicking the real-world essence of a subterranean world. Shadows dance across the simulated walls, trapping Reggie in an immersive and mysterious environment.


    ¡°I¡¯m not alone¡­¡± Reggie senses, feeling uneasy, he turns around and spots what is watching him. A scorpion of over 15 feet in height. The massive scorpion stood menacingly, its dark exoskeleton glistens under the eerie glow of the of the circuitry. Sharp, segmented pincers frame its formidable claws, poised for potential threats. Its tail, armed with a venomous stinger, arches menacingly over its body, completing the formidable silhouette of the colossal arachnid. Reggie¡¯s ears fold back in fright as his pupils dilate upon seeing this monstrosity. ¡°What am I supposed to do?! Hello?! CAN ANYBODY HEAR ME?!¡±


    A voice then comes from inside the pod; ¡°I can understand your fright, but there¡¯s no need to worry right now. This is a completely controlled environment. The simulation has not yet begun, so you¡¯re safe until you decide when you¡¯re ready. Once you¡¯re ready, the scorpion will be activated and will attack. Fair warning, the simulation is on level ten, the highest level, which involves realistic and self-learning AI. You can decline at the cost of not being able to see your owner, or you can proceed when ready, but be cautious as this scorpion can kill you if you¡¯re not careful.¡± ¡°...¡± Reggie has no response, he just stands there in a daze, frightened by what he¡¯s seeing.


    Reggie takes a deep breath, slowly exhaling as he puts his paw forward, crouching low, he lets his claws out, making his decision; ¡°So I just have to beat this monster before it has me for dinner. Let it move, I¡¯m ready.¡± He sounds more confident. ¡°Very well, then. Let the simulation begin.¡± He activates the simulation by pressing a play button, which allows the scorpion to move.


    In a moment¡¯s notice, the scorpion puts its claw in the sand and flicks a massive amount at Reggie, he gets hit in the eyes by the sand particles and is forced to close them. The scorpion proceeds to take advantage and goes in for a fatal skewer with its telson, but Reggie¡¯s ears perk up as he weaves out of the way by diving to the left. He gets up to violently shake his head, getting the sand out of his eyes, but as he opens them, he realizes that the scorpion has disappeared. ¡°Wait, what?!¡± Reggie¡¯s head looks in all directions at lightning speed, he then notices a faint movement in the sand, discovering the scorpion buried itself and plans to attack from below. ¡°Hate this! Hate this! Hate this! Hate this!¡± Reggie panics.


    He uses his speed to run on the walls of the pod, as he¡¯s running, the scorpion leaps out of the sand like a crocodile in an attempt to catch Reggie with its mouth. Reggie reacts by jumping off the wall toward its bottom jaw. He pivots upon landing on the outside of its jaw and begins to speed down the scorpion¡¯s stomach. ¡°Come on, work!¡± He stops running, he lets himself fall as he turns right-side up, throwing his arms forward and jamming his claws into its stomach, ripping it as he falls down the stomach as if it were a curtain. The scorpion releases a horrendously loud hiss, which makes Reggie¡¯s ears twitch rapidly.


    The scorpion throws its arms forward as its body is about to fall to the floor in order to bodyslam Reggie to crush him, Reggie reacts by retracting his claws and dive bombing off of its stomach, rolling on the ground to avoid the impact. Reggie backflips, but the scorpion reaches out its pincer and grabs Reggie by the stomach. It moves its arm up, readying its tail to skewer Reggie, though instead of being frightened, Reggie becomes more confident in his own capabilities. He boasts a face of determination, he then raises his paws up and squirms quickly, slipping out from the scorpion¡¯s grasp. He lands on his feet right before the telson was about to skewer him.


    Immediately, Reggie shuffles back to widen the distance, but notices that the scorpion isn¡¯t moving. ¡°Is this a species of scorpion that I¡¯m unfamiliar with? I get that the AI¡¯s supposed to be self-learning, but what kind of scorpion acts strategically?! This thing¡¯s just not gonna move, but how am I to damage it?¡± Reggie¡¯s stomach growls; ¡°Man, I¡¯m hungry! Alright, I¡¯ll just have to finish this quickly!¡± He begins circling the scorpion, outmaneuvering its tail, he sniffs the air, trying to find an opening.


    ¡°That tail had a foul smell to it, not toxic, but foul¡­ I need to check.¡± Reggie climbs onto the scorpion¡¯s back, it swiftly reacts by trying to impale him with its tail. Reggie steps to the side and leaps toward the tail, clinging onto it, he checks the stinger. Reggie gags; ¡°Well, that¡¯s awful! The anus of a scorpion is on the stinger as well! But wait¡­¡± The scorpion shakes Reggie off, Reggie lands in the sand; ¡°If that¡¯s where it is, then I just need to cut off the stinger. Take away one weapon system on its body and I¡¯ll be good! That kills two birds with one stone!¡± He stands up and peels out, dashing around the wall, gathering speed; ¡°More speed¡­ I need more! Speed¡­ is good!¡±


    Suddenly, Reggie lands on the floor, he retracts his claw and licks his paw as the stinger of the scorpion¡¯s tail falls to the floor, sliced clean off. The scorpion shrieks violently. ¡°Woah!¡± Gendross shouts in awe as he watches the fight. The scorpion has lost focus on both attacking Reggie and defending itself, its stomach being exposed again. Reggie¡¯s eyes sport a bloodthirsty glint and unblinking stare as his pupils become slits, he rushes onto its stomach and with lethal grace, Reggie unsheathes his claws, tearing it to shreds.


    ¡°Ok, it¡¯s done! Reggie passed the test! Disable the simulation!¡± Gendross shouts in surprise. ¡°On it!¡± One of the scientists deactivates the simulation, and all of the particles that were generated begin to disappear. The pod looks like its normal cybernetic self again, the shutter opens up as well. Reggie¡¯s ears perk up and he trots his way out; ¡°So, I take it I passed?¡± ¡°Yes! With flying colors! I wasn¡¯t expecting you to be that strong!¡± Gendross answers, seeming a lot more upbeat.


    Reggie has a look of irritation on his face when hearing that; ¡°Yeah, looks can be deceiving¡­ but seriously, I could have died there!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I instructed the simulation crew to pause the AI if you were unable to make a comeback. You did exceptionally well though, so not only was it guaranteed you would survive, but you rendered that scorpion completely helpless, and in just a matter of minutes.¡± Reggie sighs after hearing that. ¡°I guess it makes sense, besides, this means I get my end of the bargain. But I¡¯m curious, why did you need me to take this test anyway?¡±


    ¡°Could one of you bring the serum for me?¡± Gendross looks at the team of scientists. ¡°Of course!¡± One of them gets up and takes out a key. He leaves the room and comes back a few minutes later, holding a box with a syringe in it, the liquid within it having an uncanny black color, looking almost like ink. He hands the box to Gendross; ¡°This is what I needed you to take the test for. This here is a serum that will grant you exponential power. I¡¯ve been looking for someone who can potentially take this power as I don¡¯t want it to fall into the wrong hands. With your skills and heart, you should be more than capable of bearing this power. So, Reggie, will you take this power that I am offering you?¡±


    Reggie eyes the syringe; ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I don¡¯t know what that thing will even do to me, that¡¯s the one thing I don¡¯t like. But¡­ on the other hand, this will not only seal the deal in allowing Elio to get back here, but likely, this power will keep me from holding him back.¡± Reggie ponders as he takes a deep breath. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve made my decision. I¡¯ll take it.¡± Reggie glares at the syringe.


    Gendross smirks, his voice is low and menacing; ¡°That¡¯s great to hear. By taking this, you¡¯ll become the worst nightmare of all your enemies.¡± The case for the syringe opens.

 Chapter 5 - Dealing with Devils

    May 31st, 2018. 7:10 PM.


    Elio breathes heavily as he leans his back against a tree, slightly shivering due to the colder temperature of the mountainous forest adorned with towering spruce trees as their lush green branches reach skyward. Amongst the rugged terrain, large rocks and boulders form natural sculptures as flat cactus plants are scattered amongst the evergreen forest. Their paddle-shaped segments contrast against the coniferous backdrop as the crisp mountain air carries the scent of pine, a harmonious blend of fragrances enchanting the wilderness. Elio looks back toward the coast and gazes at the sky, seeing the Levacean; ¡°Shit¡­ given the sun¡¯s position¡­ I only have fifty minutes. I really gotta pick up the pace. Hold on, Reggie, I¡¯m almost there!¡± He shouts to himself in frustration as he pushes himself away from the tree and walks his way further up the mountain. He spots a large, almost, almost pterosaur-like creature that flies to the top of a rock wall, its body a silhouette from the sunlight.


    Elio continues to trek up the mountains until he comes over to the towering rock wall that looms overhead with jagged edges jutting out as though they¡¯re ancient spears. Harsh shadows play on its rugged surface, concealing treacherous crevices and daunting overhangs. Sinister, dark recesses between the massive rocks, sending signals to Elio¡¯s brain that there are dangers awaiting him, while the sheer height instills a foreboding fear of what lies on top. The cold, unyielding texture of the stone exudes an unforgiving nature, as the ominous silence amplifies the feeling that any misstep could lead to perilous descent.


    ¡°Mind over matter. You¡¯re almost out of time. Who cares if you¡¯re out of breath? It¡¯s just a flock, or legion of devil birds you gotta deal with.¡± Elio pep-talks to himself. He taps his face with his hands; ¡°Alright, here goes nothing!¡± He begins climbing the rock wall. Against the cliff, Elio¡¯s muscles tense as he ascends the vertical symphony like a spider, as though he were defying gravity. His every move is like a rebellion against the sheer drop below.


    While making progress, his ears pick up a noise from above, he gazes at the top of the cliff, his mouth opening in curiosity; ¡°Huh?¡± He asks as he remains still, a devil bird walks toward the ledge and stares down at him. It drags its foot on the ground and kicks some gravel off the cliff; ¡°Shit!¡± Elio shouts, tightening his grip on the rocks to avoid slipping from the gravel. He looks back up when the gravel stops falling, even seeing the devil bird walking away from the cliff.


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Elio sighs in relief before resuming his climb. He begins to hear loud noises, the staccato orchestra of heavy sounding machine gun fire echoes with a relentless percussion, reaching Elio¡¯s ears in a thunderous cadence. Elio realizes that it¡¯s the sound of multiple devil birds, he sees that they¡¯re taking turns in an attempt to push a boulder toward the edge of the cliff. Elio¡¯s eyes dart toward a rock jutting out, he makes an attempt to perform a dyno, but as he jumps, he¡¯s greeted by a harsh cracking sound as a devil bird from a distance swoops down and ensnares his body with its talon. Elio¡¯s able to get a good look, seeing the sheer size of the monster¡¯s body, taking in the demonic avian¡¯s obsidian plumage, its sinister fists extending from its feathered wings, adorned with razor-sharp claws that speak of infernal potency. Its patagium, dark as the abyss, billows beneath its shadowy shroud. Piercing yellow eyes and its beak radiate an otherworldly intensity as its ivory horns curve with sinister elegance, a stark contrast against the abyssal blackness of its body.


    ¡°I know these things are cunning, but seriously?! They coordinated that fast?!¡± He quickly realizes that to prevent him from dodging, the one flying is going to throw him under the boulder once it falls down. Elio holds his palm up, channeling his heat into it; ¡°HEY!¡± Elio shouts, causing the devil bird to glance at him, he then fires a gust of hot wind from his palm. The wind begins drying its eyes out, the monster¡¯s voice crackles as its eyes close, letting go of Elio subconsciously. He grabs onto the rock wall, feeling the rush of adrenaline kicking in. The boulder falls, but instead of trying to perform the dyno once more, Elio jumps back and turns around, grabbing onto one of the devil bird¡¯s horns, he pulls himself to land on the top of its head. ¡°Going down?!¡± Elio shouts cockily, he then jumps off of its head, sending it off course. As the devil bird plummets, Elio reaches out and grips onto the root of a tree sticking out of the cliffside, swinging himself up and landing on the giant root.


    The falling devil bird recovers after a few seconds, looking up at the others and crackling, they get the signal and begin flying as well, quickly surrounding Elio. Elio braces for an attack, but they stop and begin to fly in place, one of them flaps its wings as hard as it can, releasing a strong gust of wind in an attempt to blow him away. Elio holds onto the branch tightly; ¡°Wait¡­ this actually works in my favor! Ok, Elio, be so fucking careful¡­¡± He takes a deep breath. Suddenly, in less than a second, Elio stands up and throws his hands downwards, releasing a powerful gust of wind from his palms, Elio shoots himself upwards in a diagonal direction, reaching high in the air and creating space between him and the devil birds.


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Elio hurls through the air, the world becoming a spinning top to him. He sports an insane grin as he yells in sheer bliss; ¡°YES! THERE WE GO! IT¡¯S ALL EASY FROM HERE!¡± He aims his arm off to the side and fires one last gust of wind, propelling himself to the side and landing on top of the mountain¡¯s peak where the nest is, he takes a quick breather before getting into his fighting stance, preparing to get into close combat with the devil birds once they get back up. One flies up, diving toward Elio, he dodges by jumping forwards and grabbing it by the neck, swooping under the devil bird and landing on its head, grabbing the horns to hold on. It reacts by trying to fly higher.


    Elio aims upwards with one palm and fires a burst of wind, forcing the devil bird¡¯s head to face down, it faceplants. Elio backflips off of it and immediately pivots on his foot as another tries to fly in to claw at him. He jumps over the claw swipe, performing a spin kick, only for it to be interrupted as one of the others speeds by, grabbing Elio¡¯s leg with its talon. It swoops upwards before flying in a loop, gaining speed and letting go of Elio, making him fly to the ground. ¡°Umph!¡± Elio groans as his back slams onto the hard, rocky surface.


    Elio rolls over to the side to recover from the attack, getting up quickly, his eyes dart toward a tree on the clifftop, spotting several eggs in a nest at the base of the tree. Elio¡¯s grimace on his face from the pain suddenly turns into a grin; ¡°There they are! Well, then, I think it¡¯s time I use their bait and punish tactics on them to end this!¡± A devil bird attempts to perform a falling stomp attack to crush him, Elio rolls out of the way, he looks up, seeing that it stopped falling, flying in place; ¡°The birdie¡¯s stopped falling, which means¡­¡± Elio shoots a gust of wind from his palms, instantly rolling backwards, a devil bird lands in the spot he was in before moving; ¡°...they tried to bait me out. There¡¯s a reason these beasts are part of the Monster Class.¡±


    Elio then dives forward and slides between the devil bird¡¯s feet, he pivots on his hand and leaps up, performing a helicopter kick, staggering the bird. He then leaps toward the one still in the air and puts his hands together in a hammerfist, he strikes down on the devil bird¡¯s head, sending it straight to the ground. ¡°And it¡¯s as simple as that! Bait them out by not fighting strategically!¡± Elio lands on the ground, quickly cartwheeling into a backflip, reaching the bird¡¯s nest. He picks up one of the eggs; ¡°Woah! These are hefty!¡± He laughs a bit out of slight surprise.


    One of the devil birds that was just struck looks over at Elio, immediately, its cold, bloodthirsty face turns into one of fear and bargaining as the others give out the same reaction. Despite being frightened, one of them tries to make a last ditch effort to kill Elio to protect its egg, Elio weaves from the attack by casually stepping to the side. He then looks over the towering cliff, the vast expanse of the world unfolds below as he sees the surreal tapestry of the desert-forest landscape. The deep orange sky casts an ethereal glow, painting the world in warm hues as a now purple sea stretches beyond the horizon in a mesmerizing contrast. The silent dance of the rocks and trees capture the essence of this otherworldly panorama, giving the devil birds a sense of the sheer drop as Elio steps forward, chucking the egg.


    The sounds of their screams make Elio feel almost like he¡¯s in a warzone with how loud they are. He turns around while holding the egg in his other arm, revealing that he never threw the egg at all, his posture is relaxed as he speaks more calmly; ¡°Hey uh¡­ your egg¡¯s still here.¡± Though he¡¯s not given a reaction due to them still freaking out, he fires a gust of wind to get their attention; ¡°I didn¡¯t throw your egg!¡± Elio yells. They stop crying as they see the egg, befuddled as they believed Elio was there to eat their eggs.


    He puts his hand up to his mouth and clears his throat, now having their attention, he takes off his backpack and opens up one of the pockets, putting the egg inside. He then points to the sky where the Levacean is; ¡°Take me there.¡± Elio orders them through body language. Desperate to keep their eggs safe from him, listen to him, but making sure that they¡¯re on the same page, one of them points its claw in the same direction. Elio nods; ¡°Yes.¡± His body language affirms it, the devil bird nods back and Elio smirks, knowing that they¡¯ve now come to a compromise.


    One of the devil birds gets down on all fours, allowing for Elio to get on, Elio puts his backpack back on as he climbs on its back. He looks back at two of the other devil birds and points his index and middle finger, beckoning afterwards to let them know to come with as well. Elio gently pats the devil bird on the head, letting it know that he¡¯s ready to take off, it runs to the ledge and jumps off, flapping its wings and becoming airborne. Elio holds onto the devil bird tightly, and in a short amount of time, Elio¡¯s even higher in the air, able to see the very curvature of Kosmesen.


    He¡¯s left in awe as he looks at the planet below, speechless for a moment as he¡¯s lost in his own head. Processing that in just a couple of hours, he went from a simple high school graduation ceremony to riding on the back of a monster. He stares for a moment more before snapping out of it as his body, clothes, and backpack all get soaked as they¡¯ve flown straight through the clouds. His grip tightens and gets more serious. ¡°Right. I can gush about the view later. For now, I need to save Reggie, and as much as I wanna bring down Gendross, I don¡¯t want to risk his life. Damn¡­ this just begs the question; what can I do to pass this test? Gendross is too powerful, and even if I leave after getting Reggie, they¡¯ll be long gone in Ganymede. Actually, wait¡­ wait a minute!¡±


    ¡°Why am I just limiting myself to one option on stopping Gendross? If they¡¯re planning on leaving for Ganymede, then I¡¯ll just thrash the engine room and report it to the recruitment center. That should not only force them to have to land, but it¡¯d be much safer than actually having to fight Gendross myself, then because of the egg, Reggie and I can just escape on their backs. Yeah, that should work!¡± Elio grins with excitement, knowing that there¡¯s a chance for him to succeed. His grin goes away as he closes his mouth, his face boasts determination; ¡°Alright, there¡¯s no time to waste! Fly faster!¡± Elio orders as the devil birds begin to soar closer to the Levacean.

 Chapter 6 - Re-Infiltration

    May 31st, 2018. 7:15 PM.


    Elio looks down as the devil birds reach the Levacean; ¡°Perfect!¡± He holds his backpack in his hands, holding the egg close, he then falls off the devil bird as he lands safely on his feet. He assesses the egg; ¡°Hmm¡­ good! Its warmth hasn¡¯t waned!¡± Putting the backpack on, he begins to look around for a possible entrance. Elio takes a quick look around, spotting a satellite dish; ¡°Well, that confirms that there¡¯s an entrance, but where is it?¡±


    Elio suddenly almost trips; ¡°Phew! That was close!¡± He looks down, seeing that there¡¯s an ever so slight dip on the roof. ¡°That circular shape¡­¡± He kneels over and puts his hand on it, feeling a tiny sliver among the edges; ¡°I thought so. A metal shutter that can only be opened from authorized personnel. But first¡­¡± Elio looks up at the devil birds, who have landed and are surrounding him; ¡°...gotta give these guys an update on what to do.¡± He stands up and walks toward the edge of the roof, pointing down at the island; ¡°Wait for me down there.¡± His body language demands. The devil birds do as he orders and they all fly down in unison, spiraling a bit toward the island.


    He walks back to the platform and gets on his knees, pressing his palms against the platform to transfer heat into it. ¡°If it weren¡¯t so cold up here, it wouldn¡¯t take this long to get this damn heat to work!¡± He groans irritably. Finally, the shutter goes from a dark silvery shade to a blinding orange color; ¡°Finally! I can get out of this frigid part of the sky!¡± He shouts in excitement as he presses his fingers through the metal, pulling back and opening the hatch. ¡°Reggie, you don¡¯t have to be scared anymore.¡± He opens it completely and begins climbing down the ladder, finally back inside the Levacean.


    Upon touching the floor, Elio holds on hand back to support the egg as he begins running down the corridor. He spots a crewmate, he turns around upon hearing Elio¡¯s footsteps, Elio stops running and puts his free hand on the crewmate¡¯s shoulder; ¡°Where¡¯s Reggie?¡± Elio calmly asks while sporting a demanding tone. ¡°The Martian tabby? He¡¯s with Gendross, on the combat deck.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± Elio¡¯s tone becomes a lot more relaxed, yet confused at the revelation; ¡°The combat deck? Wait, hold on, now I¡¯m lost! Are you saying that they¡¯re cool with each other?! The hell¡¯s happening?!¡± His head tilts in confusion. ¡°I¡¯m sure the boss could explain it to you himself. Why don¡¯t you just head over to the first cabin deck and wait at his quarters? I¡¯ll let him know to head there.¡± ¡°A-alright. Works for me. Thanks.¡± Elio replies, still confused, but feeling more at ease about the situation. Elio starts walking through the tenth deck, making his way to an elevator.


    May 31st, 2018. 7:20 PM.


    Reggie lazily slumps in the shallows of the combat deck¡¯s pond as he rests his chin on the water¡¯s edge, his fur reflecting the LED lighting. He gently purrs as his eyes remain half-closed in contentment as the soothing water envelopes his body, giving him a serene feel of relaxation. Submerged in the tranquil pond, Gendross sits cross-legged as he breathes calmly. His mind finds tranquility amidst the weightless embrace of the water, his mind in harmonious connection with the fluid depths. He then looks at his communicator as it vibrates; ¡°Gendross, come in.¡± He puts his communicator up to his mouth as he hears it go off. ¡°Gendross speaking. Is he here?¡± ¡°Yes. I sent him to wait in your quarters.¡± Gendross starts swimming up to the surface; ¡°That¡¯s good to hear! I¡¯ll be there right away! Thank you.¡± He answers, the crewmate disconnects the line as Gendross glides through the water, he reaches the shallows and starts walking out.


    Reggie looks up at Gendross as he emerges; ¡°Where are you going?¡± He asks curiously, Gendross keeps walking, but answers immediately. ¡°I just have to grab something from my quarters. That¡¯s enough training, you seem to have a good grip on your power. You can head to the cafeteria if you want, but when you¡¯re done, come meet me at my quarters.¡± ¡°Oh, ok. Let me just relax for a few more minutes.¡± Gendross nods at what Reggie says as he keeps walking.


    Elio patiently sits down on the couch in Gendross¡¯ quarters, his fingers locked and held close to his face. He hears the shutter opening and turns his head, seeing Gendross, now donning a black suit covering his whole body; ¡°Well, I¡¯m certainly surprised that you found your way back up here! That itself is an understatement!¡± ¡°Thanks. I appreciate the praise, but where¡¯s Reggie, Gendross?¡± Elio answers while leaning forward as his arms rest on his legs. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s just eating away at the cafeteria. He¡¯ll come up in just a bit.¡± He answers calmly.


    ¡°I see.¡± Elio remains seated while Gendross takes a seat on his office chair; ¡°Reggie caused quite a stir, you know?¡± ¡°Actually, that¡¯s what I¡¯m curious about. What happened while I was gone that made us not¡­ enemies?¡± Elio asks, his posture straightening. ¡°I¡¯ll just keep it brief, if that¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°Go for it.¡± He answers quickly.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    May 31st, 2018. 7:25 PM.


    Elio bolts toward Gendross and grabs the fabric of his suit as he generates heat. Despite the visor, it¡¯s clear as day to Gendross that Elio¡¯s eyes were filled with rage; ¡°What do you mean ¡®injected?!¡¯ You gave my cat an injection?! Explain yourself! And I better not hear that it harmed him!¡± Elio yells angrily, Gendross forces Elio¡¯s hands off of him. ¡°Wait, that¡¯s strange¡­ Why wasn¡¯t he burned in the slightest?¡± Gendross lightly shoves him, he falls back onto the couch; ¡°Calm down. Reggie wasn¡¯t hurt by it in the slightest.¡± Elio listens, he takes a deep breath; ¡°I apologize for my outburst.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok, I understand that feeling. I feel the same way when I hear about something that could potentially harm one of my crew members.¡±


    Elio nods in response. His voice becomes calmer; ¡°Yeah¡­ so what was the reason you gave Reggie the injection?¡± ¡°We injected him with a power serum because he passed a test, showing that he¡¯s a worthy suitor to possess the Nightmare ability.¡± He answers, Elio tilts his head as he¡¯s unfamiliar with what he¡¯s talking about. ¡°Nightmare¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, Nightmare. To sum it up, there¡¯s someone dangerous who¡¯s been wanting the Nightmare serum for a while, but I¡¯ve kept it close here in the Levacean. Then along came Reg-¡± The shutter opens up and Gendross interrupts himself; ¡°Oh, speak of the devil! Welcome back, Reggie, we were just talking about you!¡±


    Elio immediately looks over at the door; ¡°Wait, Reggie?!¡± He asks in disbelief as he looks up at him: his body now towering over even Gendross¡¯ as his fur-covered skin stretched taut over his bony frame. Donning six spindly legs, each sporting razor-sharp claws. His charcoal black lips on his smile and snake-like tongue add an otherworldly intelligence, as his elongated and bushy twitching tail sways, making Elio feel uncomfortable due to his uncanny feline resemblance. His breath makes Elio cough as it smells like a wet dog.


    Elio plugs his nose; ¡°That¡¯s Reggie?!¡± Elio points to him while looking at Gendross. He continues; ¡°The sweet cat that I found when he was but a stray?! This is him?!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Reggie answers, his voice sounding deep and garbled. ¡°O-oh¡­ so¡­ are you like¡­ are you like that permanently now?!¡± Elio worries, but Gendross reassures him; ¡°He can transform at will. Right now, he¡¯s just trying to get used to his form some more.¡± ¡°It¡¯s awesome! My claws can puncture steel, my jaw is stronger than ever, I can withstand strong attacks, and best of all¡­¡± Reggie holds his arm out way above Elio; ¡°...I¡¯m taller than you!¡± Reggie boasts.


    Upon hearing the taunt, Elio scowls, looking off to the side; ¡°I didn¡¯t risk my own life to get back up here to be looked down on¡­¡± He grumbles. Gendross picks up on his silence and raises an eyebrow; ¡°That reminds me, Elio. How did you get back up here? We¡¯re three miles in the sky.¡± He crosses his arms. Elio turns his gaze to Gendross, his manner quickly turns enthused; ¡°Oh, yeah, how I got back up here was crazy!¡± He walks to where he set his backpack down, he crouches over and starts opening the zipper; ¡°What I did¡­¡± Elio continues as he takes the egg out, he presents it; ¡°...I made a pact with a legion of devil birds!¡± Elio grins widely from his accomplishment.


    Gendross quickly reacts and grabs Reggie; ¡°Elio, run.¡± He orders sternly. Elio¡¯s confused, unsure as to why he grabbed him. ¡°Wha-¡± Elio stops his question entirely as Reggie leans his head forward, attempting to chomp at him; ¡°Elio! Get going! Take the egg with you and run!¡± Gendross shoves Reggie out of the room with one hand and into the wall of the corridor. ¡°Hold on! What the fuck is happening though?!¡± Elio asks out of shock. Gendross grabs Reggie and drags him on the floor, letting go and forcing him to slide to one end of the corridor. ¡°I forgot to mention something important about the Nightmare to you as Reggie showed up and it made the thought slip my mind, but that ability has a drawback where any unfamiliar scent that¡¯s exposed to the holder of said power will make it kick into its most primal state! We don¡¯t know how long the primal state actually lasts for, but you need to get out of here before he causes some real damage to the ship! Go now!¡±


    ¡°Oh shit! Roger that! No need to tell me twice after that!¡± Elio quickly side steps out of the room and begins bolting down the opposite side of the corridor. ¡°Just my luck! This animal that fights like me, with added ferocity and a deadly transformation, just happens to have a weakness that forces it into a primal state! Fuck it, whatever! I just have to keep my distance until the primal state ends, so I¡¯ll do just that!¡± As he runs, Reggie chases after him. Gendross gets in the way and grabs Reggie, buying Elio some time. ¡°Sorry, Elio, I¡¯m not the best with cats. Just go as fast as you can with the little time I have to hold him back!¡± Reggie weasels his way out by facing down and arching his back, putting his front arms on the floor and slithering out like a snake by going between Gendross¡¯ legs.


    ¡°Damn! This is bad!¡± Gendross gets on his communicator, contacting the security room; ¡°Guys, come in! I need you to look at each camera on the first cabin deck! Reggie has just gone primal with the Nightmare and is chasing down Elio. I need you to update me at all times where he is so I can think of how to prevent him from damaging anyone or anything!¡± Immediately, they begin checking the cameras, but can¡¯t find Elio anywhere. ¡°Boss! He¡¯s nowhere to be seen on the sixth deck! We¡¯re checking right now if he¡¯s either on the fifth or seventh deck!¡± ¡°Alright, but be fast about it!¡± Gendross answers as he rushes toward an elevator.


    One of the security members quickly smiles, only for her smile to turn back to a professional look; ¡°Found him! He¡¯s on the fifth deck, by the looks of the path he¡¯s taking, he¡¯s only going to keep going lower and lower.¡± Gendross hears this as he enters the elevator; ¡°Wait, lower¡­? No!¡± He thinks. ¡°If he¡¯s only going lower, then he¡¯s going to reach the engine room!¡± One of the security members sweats upon Gendross shouting that. ¡°If Reggie at all swipes part of that reactor, it¡¯s going to be fallout and lead to radiation poisoning upon all of us! We also won¡¯t be able to land safely, we''ll all just be caught in the blast!¡± One of the members shouts. Gendross attempts to keep calm about the situation; ¡°I know! This¡­ this might be a costly gamble, but¡­ call forth the Heavy Titan Mark II!¡± Gendross orders.

 Chapter 7 - Working Up A Sweat

    ¡°Gendross, excuse me?! Mark II?! That¡¯ll only increase the risk of the engine room being damaged!¡± ¡°I know, but please, bear with me on it! If you set it to only target and subdue Reggie instead of killing him, the Heavy Titan won¡¯t be able to use its weapon systems!¡± Gendross shouts back. One of the members takes a moment to breathe, thinking about his reason; ¡°Alright, I trust your order¡­¡± The member looks over his shoulder and commands the security team; ¡°You heard him! Bring out Mark II!¡± ¡°On it!¡± One of them answers while typing on a keyboard to send out the order.


    May 31st, 2018. 7:30 PM.


    Elio looks back as he¡¯s making his way through the combat deck, seeing that Reggie is hot on his tail. ¡°Damn! Reggie¡¯s not letting up! Who knows how long he¡¯ll be in this state for?! He could be in that state for hours for all we know! Come on, Elio, think! Think¡­¡± Reggie dives forward to pounce on him, but Elio quickly performs a 180 twist and drop kicks him in the face, staggering him. Elio¡¯s eyes shoot toward the pond, he fires a gust of wind for the water, creating a splash, Reggie¡¯s ears perk as he immediately dives for the water. Elio then hides in one of the trees; ¡°Good! It¡¯s nice to know he doesn¡¯t understand how I operate when he¡¯s like this. Now let¡¯s see, what could I do to get him out of this state as fast as possible? Think back, what did Gendross say? Unfamiliar scents send the Nightmare into the user¡¯s most primitive state. He didn¡¯t attack Gendross, despite him shoving him back, so its only real target is this egg.¡±


    ¡°But wait, if that¡¯s the case, then I could always try to get my own body to sweat, I could use that to mask the egg¡¯s own scent with my own, and hopefully, with that being gone, Reggie will snap out of it. But¡­ while I love my heat ability, this is the one time where it¡¯s useless because I have trouble sweating, no matter how much water I fucking drink!¡± Elio sees Reggie coming out of the water; ¡°Wait, the engine room! I¡¯ll use that to my advantage!¡± Elio comes to realization and zooms out of the tree, sprinting to the balcony of the combat deck. Reggie follows suit, going through the open shutter. He catches up and is about to grab Elio, but he reacts by aiming his palm outward and crouches down, firing a burst of wind, propelling himself to roll backwards under Reggie. He quickly gets up and springs off the tips of his feet, shoulder bashing Reggie on the rear, knocking him forward as he faceplants and tumbles down the flight of stairs that lead to the engine room.


    As Reggie tumbles, Elio hears the sound of giant metal footsteps clanging. He looks back and sees the Heavy Titan Mark II running around the corner; ¡°Wait, what the fuck?! Bert?!¡± He shouts in surprise as Bert completely runs past him. ¡°Shit, he¡¯s after Reggie!¡± Elio turns around and speeds underneath Bert¡¯s legs and spots Reggie running up the stairway. Reggie¡¯s eyes focus on Elio; ¡°Egg.¡± Reggie remarks in a primitive manner before lunging at him. Elio reacts by pivoting his right foot, he spins as he hops toward the wall, dodging Reggie and wall-jumping his way down the stairs, landing in the engine room. He turns around to face Reggie and quickly jumps backwards to make some space, he takes a deep breath to assess the area.


    The expansive engine room is filled with towering machinery, metallic surfaces gleaming under the harsh glow of the overhead lights. Massive turbines him rhythmically, surrounded by a labyrinth of pipes and gauges. The air is thick with the scent of oil and the constant thrum of machinery creates a symphony of industrial sounds. ¡°Alright, I think I get why they sent out Bert now.¡± Elio says calmly to himself. He sees Reggie turn around, getting on guard as he does so, Bert catches up to Reggie and grabs him with both arms from the back. Reggie roars, trying to escape from his grasp, Bert then takes a step forward and spins its torso to gain momentum, letting go and chucking Reggie. Elio quickly sees him hurling in his direction, in a flash, he rolls the egg to the side and rushes over to Reggie. Despite the much larger and heavier build, Elio spreads his arms and legs wide, letting Reggie land on him.


    Elio braces for impact as Reggie¡¯s body collides into him, he knocks over Elio, causing the two to slide on the floor; ¡°PUTA!¡± Elio howls in pain from the weight. As their slide comes to a stop, Reggie gets off of Elio to attack Bert as his primal instincts have made him view him as competition for the same prey. Elio watches Reggie flailing to hit him; ¡°Ok, so how do I make myself sweat faster so I can hide the egg¡¯s scent?¡± He ponders quickly as Bert throws his arm toward Reggie, but Reggie reacts standing up and grabbing his arm with both of his middle arms, pulling Bert closer. Reggie lets go and roars as one of his middle arms swings itself, clawing at Bert¡¯s chestplate. ¡°Holy shit!¡± Elio shouts. He then closes his mouth; ¡°Wait, if his claws can slice through metal just like that, then¡­¡± He looks over at the engines; ¡°...that¡¯s it! If I can just get Reggie to at least damage two of them, the increase in heat and humidity should be enough for me to start sweating!¡±


    Elio continues to let the two brawl as he stands up and starts stretching; ¡°I feel bad about this plan, I don¡¯t wanna bust those engines after seeing how friendly Gendross has been, despite how I duped him. Sadly, there¡¯s no other real way to get him to stop attacking, so this is the only way to speed up the primitive timer, as well as ensure nobody gets hurt.¡± He keeps stretching until he feels a sharp pain in his back, he grunts; ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be surprised¡­ that¡¯s what I get for trying to catch a walrus.¡± He chuckles to himself as he puts his hands on his lower back, he leans backwards, arching his body, he then stands normally and twists his body, feeling a pop. The sensation reverberates down his back, releasing all the tension that had built up the whole day. A wave of relief sweeps over him, as if knots were unraveling in his muscles. His once-stiff joints now felt supple, and a newfound sense of ease envelops his body. It was as if each vertebra had found its perfect place, leaving Elio with a profound sense of well-being and a lighter, more energized posture.


    ¡°Woooo! Fucking factory reset!¡± Elio does a few more stretches before putting on a serious face; ¡°Alright, I¡¯m ready!¡± Elio picks up the egg and runs up to Bert, jumping on top of him. He presents the egg to Reggie; ¡°Hey fuzzbutt! We know this is what you¡¯re after!¡± Elio taunts. Without a second of hesitation, Reggie reaches his head forward to try and bite the egg, Elio weaves by stepping to the side off of Bert, landing on the floor.


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    Reggie follows as Bert attempts to grab him, but is too sluggish to grab him in time. Elio jumps on a pipe, holding the egg out again, Reggie leaps up to go for another chomp, but misses as Elio falls backwards and lands on the floor. Reggie bites the pipe, puncturing a few holes through it, Elio smirks; ¡°Yes! Let the water vapor fill the air!¡± He shouts in excitement. He darts back to Bert, looking up to see a security camera, Elio climbs on top of his shoulder and yells to the camera; ¡°Hey! I figured out a way to stop Reggie from continuing his rampage! I need you to close the shutters for the engine room! ¡°Huh? Close the shutters?!¡± Elio jumps down as Reggie gets close, Bert lands a punch on him, releasing a shockwave and sending Reggie hurling toward a wall.


    ¡°Just trust me on this one, alright?!¡± As Elio shouts it, Gendross interrupts the line with his communicator; ¡°Just do as he says! From what I¡¯ve seen, Elio¡¯s knowledgeable with physics, so I¡¯m sure he has a plan!¡± He orders. The security member listens; ¡°Right, if you say so!¡± All the entrances to the engine room begin to close. ¡°Thank you, Gendross!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± As Elio checks to see how the egg¡¯s doing, Gendross stays on the line; ¡°By the way, what¡¯s the status of the engine room? How¡¯s it faring?¡± One of the security members checks; ¡°Looking at each camera, there¡¯s a pipe with holes, causing steam to erupt. It appears there¡¯s also a good amount of dented machinery, possibly more, but the camera lenses are getting fogged up by the vapor.¡± ¡°I see, alright then. I¡¯ll go over to the engine room myself and check the damage once the situation¡¯s dealt with. In the meantime, contact the pilots! Let them know that I¡¯m giving the order to activate the landing systems!¡± Gendross answers while rushing to an elevator, disconnecting from the line.


    Elio starts channeling the heat that he¡¯s been generating into his lungs. He begins exhaling, expelling the heat through his breath to increase humidity, his lenses get foggy, so he moves his visor up. His eyes widen as he feels his head start to drip a tiny bit; ¡°Ok, this is good! Just some more heat and soon I¡¯ll be able to put his rampage to a halt!¡± He keeps exhaling, but Reggie slips away from Bert as his metallic surface begins to condensate, his sensors also fail to track him as easily due to the thick steam cloud forming. Reggie follows his nose and pinpoints Elio¡¯s position, he races to him and grabs Elio by the head with one of his front arms, pinning him to the wall. As he¡¯s still holding the egg, Reggie reaches with his middle right arm to grab it, but roars as Bert comes back for him and grabs Reggie by both of his left arms. Forcing Reggie¡¯s body to face a position where he can¡¯t reach the egg, Elio keeps exhaling more and more, while doing so, Bert¡¯s forearm becomes a cannon, charging up a blast. Reggie sees it being prepared and quickly looks back at Elio, seeing that he¡¯s directly in the path of the blast. Despite his goal being to grab the egg, his instincts surrounding Elio make him let go of his head.


    Reggie growls as the charge gets larger, he lashes out his primal rage on Bert as Elio falls to his feet. Elio catches his breath as he watches Reggie attacking Bert, Reggie swipes forward with his front right claws, tearing out some circuits before swiping with his front left claws, removing more parts. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Elio watches in awe as he wipes his forehead, he keeps watching before his eyes widen. He looks at his arm, seeing it shine from how much sweat it''s covered in; ¡°Oh! It worked! Hell yeah! I didn¡¯t even notice!¡± Elio runs his palm along his forehead and hair, gathering sweat, quickly wiping it on the egg.


    Reggie continues tearing Bert to shreds as he grabs his torso with his middle arms, using his front arms to swipe his arms off. Reggie lets go of the torso and throws his head forward, taking a chomp out of Bert¡¯s core and spitting it onto the floor, putting him out of commission by spinning with all four of his arms out, performing a lariat and ending off the fight by slicing the torso into pieces. Bert runs out of power and falls backwards. Elio finishes wiping as much sweat as he can on the egg, sitting down with it in his lap as his back rests against the wall. ¡°I¡¯m tired, I can¡¯t remember the last time I ever sweat like this.¡± He mutters, breathing slowly. Reggie approaches him, his head tilts in confusion as his ears twitch. He leans up close and personal to Elio, smelling him and looking down at the egg. He sniffs it for nearly ten seconds, but can¡¯t find where the egg has gone as all he sees is Elio.


    ¡°El¡­ io¡­¡± Reggie utters as he slowly regains his senses, his body beginning to limp as it feels the boiling heat wash over him when the shock leaves. He falls over on his stomach, the Nightmare deactivates and he returns to his normal form. ¡°Good¡­ it worked¡­¡± Elio smiles and stands up, scooping Reggie off the floor with one hand, he begins walking toward the shutter he came through. ¡°Hey!¡± He shouts, looking at the camera; ¡°It¡¯s done, Reggie¡¯s calmed down! Open up the doors so this room can air out!¡± The security team hears him, and the shutters begin to open. As they open, Elio and Reggie feel a cool breeze coming from the corridors and the stairway up to the combat deck; ¡°?Maldita sea, est¨¢ helando!¡± Elio shouts as he shivers from it, his teeth chattering. ¡°Oh, that feels so much better, but I could totally use some water right now.¡± Reggie purrs as Elio walks up the stairway, he hears the sound of clopping. As he gets to the top, he sees Gendross was the one approaching, they both smirk as Gendross sees that Reggie¡¯s back to normal; ¡°Nice going Elio! How¡¯s The Heavy Titan doing though?¡±


    Elio looks at Reggie; ¡°Hey Reggie, you should tell him since you did all the work.¡± He teases, Reggie¡¯s ears perk up. Not wanting to admit that he totaled Bert, he meows. ¡°He¡­ thrashed it, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Thrashed is an understatement! Bert¡¯s become a damn salad for Pica patients!¡± Elio retorts quickly, he then slumps over, still tired. Gendross just stares at Elio; ¡°Not everything needs a reaction. Just have no comment.¡± Gendross thinks as he gives Reggie a quick glare for trying to avoid telling the truth. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t really complain too much. We¡¯re still alive since the engine room wasn¡¯t destroyed. While it¡¯s a shame we won¡¯t be able to reach Ganymede, it beats not dying. So when the Levacean lands, we¡¯ll just stay here on Earth until the engine room is fully repaired, as well as being restocked on thorium.¡±


    Elio smiles in surprise; ¡°Oh no way! For real?! You actually use thorium instead of uranium?!¡± ¡°Yeah! We were originally going to power the Levacean with uranium when we first got to work on it, but then one of the engineers mentioned thorium and how it¡¯s more abundant, produces less radioactive waste, and has a lower risk of nuclear proliferation.¡± Gendross answers. ¡°Don¡¯t forget it also lasts longer!¡± Elio adds onto his point. ¡°Oh for sure! Plus, this vessel¡¯s been running like a dream since ¡®98, the first year it needed a recharge.¡± Gendross pridefully boasts.


    ¡°Twenty years?! That¡¯s sick! I-¡± Elio stops nerding out as he breathes heavily, unable to finish his sentence. Gendross takes notice of the unsteadiness; ¡°Elio, are you ok? You were fine just a second ago.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just¡­¡± Elio responds with lameness as he falls backwards. Reggie quickly jumps down and activates the Nightmare form, catching him before he hits the floor. ¡°...tired.¡± Elio finishes his sentence. ¡°Reggie! Is he alright?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s ok. It¡¯s rare for him to get heated like that¡­ literally. He usually just absorbs hot air, but he¡¯s not actually used to feeling it as his body passively absorbs heat, but fails if he goes over the limits. Seriously, you¡¯d have a better chance of being struck by lightning than seeing this a second time.¡± He explains. ¡°So¡­ heat exhaustion. Alright then.¡±


    Gendross adjusts his hat before continuing. He grabs Elio with one arm and holds the egg with his other; ¡°Come, Reggie. We¡¯ll have him rest up on the couch in my quarters.¡± He orders. Reggie turns back to normal and perches on his shoulder; ¡°I like the sound of that!¡± He starts licking his paw. ¡°Good! Plus, you must be thirsty after that whole ordeal. I¡¯ll pour you some cold water when we get there.¡± ¡°Thanks, Gendross.¡± Reggie answers. Gendross chuckles a little bit; ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Gendross then walks toward the elevator.

 Chapter 8 - Reggie

    May 31st, 2018. 7:35 PM.


    Gendross sets Elio down on the couch in his quarters, placing the egg in the backpack pocket. After he zips up the bag and looks at Reggie; ¡°Alright, how about that water?¡± ¡°Yes, please! I¡¯m dying here!¡± Reggie shouts, getting Gendross to chuckle. He walks over to a fridge that¡¯s on his desk, Reggie looks at the size of it; ¡°Don¡¯t tell me-¡± ¡°Yeah, this is a mini fridge. Given how large us Jovians are, we have much larger refrigerators than Earthlings do. Though, it doesn¡¯t exactly stop Earthlings from owning these, especially Americans.¡± Gendross answers, reaching into the mini fridge and taking out a large bottle of water.


    Gendross unscrews the bottle cap and sets it on the desk for Reggie to use as a bowl, he pours some water into the cap; ¡°Drink up!¡± Reggie, instead of licking the water, he dips his whole face in it, slurping all the water in the cap within a second. ¡°More.¡± Reggie looks up at Gendross, surprising him. ¡°Even though I¡¯ve known it for years, I¡¯ve never actually seen how voracious the Martian Tabby¡¯s appetite really is.¡± He responds. Reggie instantly drinks the water; ¡°Yep.¡± He then points his paw at the bottle, wanting more.


    As he finishes pouring some more into the cap, Gendross blanks for a second, unaware that Reggie has already finished his third serving. Reggie sits on his hindlegs, reaching upward, he taps him; ¡°Gendross. Gendross.¡± He repeats until Gendross snaps out of it; ¡°Oh, right.¡± He pours him his fourth serving, the bottle now being a quarter empty. He watches Reggie drink; ¡°Hey Reggie, I¡¯m curious about something.


    Reggie stops drinking and wipes his face with his paw; ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me if you don¡¯t want to, but I¡¯m curious as to how you and Elio met. Given that you¡¯re a Martian Tabby, there¡¯s likely a story to it. At least, that¡¯s what I figure.¡± Reggie¡¯s ears fold back as he hears that, he speaks a bit more softly; ¡°Oh¡­ that¡­¡± Gendross immediately picks up the change in tone. ¡°Sorry, if that was an intrusive question. You don¡¯t have to tell me-¡± ¡°No, no it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just not something I like to remember is all, but I¡¯m fine with telling you. I trust you enough.¡±


    ¡°Wait, really? You trust me? Not even two hours ago, I was trying to get rid of you two.¡± Gendross answers, surprised. ¡°That¡¯s all in the past now. Besides, Elio trusts you, and frankly, as long as he trusts someone, I can trust that person as well.¡± Reggie yawns as Gendross nods to his reasoning; ¡°I understand. So then, what is the story?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I wasn¡¯t even a year old when I first met Elio. I met him a short while after my previous owner had died.¡± Reggie starts. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡± Gendross responds calmly, pouring Reggie another serving; ¡°If I may ask, what was the name of your previous owner?¡± Reggie looks down at the bowl, reminiscing about his previous owner as he looks at his own reflection; ¡°His name was Maxi Flav.¡±


    Gendross suddenly feels dazed upon hearing that name; ¡°Wait, you said ¡®Maxi Flax?¡¯ Maxi died?!¡± He asks in disbelief, hoping it wasn¡¯t true. ¡°Wait, you knew him?¡± Reggie asks curiously; ¡°Yes, I knew him. I haven¡¯t spoken to him in several years, sadly. He and I were good friends, so I¡¯m really pained to hear that he died. When was it when he passed?¡± ¡°It was around two years ago when he died. That was the same year when Elio had rescued me, it¡¯s the only part of that year that I like to remember. Where to start¡­¡± Reggie then drinks the water, finishing it again as he becomes lost in thought, trying to figure out how he could tell the story of what happened without wasting time. Gendross refills the cap while he ponders. ¡°Alright, it was around two and a half years ago, I was on a large carrier, sort of like this one¡­¡± Reggie begins.


    November 30th, 2015.


    A room is dimly lit, with faded beige walls and worn linoleum flooring. Rows of large cages lined the walls, each containing and being stuffed with near endless Martian Tabbies, seeming unable to move due to the crowdedness of it all, their fur matted and eyes glazed over. The air, stale, carrying the scent of old litter and neglect. Amongst the litter of Martian Tabbies, Reggie cries out from the cage; ¡°Someone, please let us out! I can barely move!¡± Reggie starts to get light headed, his consciousness slowly fading as his stomach growls loudly, just for it to be entirely overshadowed by the sound of the others meowing loudly, desiring food just as much.


    Someone walks into the room, her body covered in brown, needle-like hair, possessing eight eyes, a set of chelicerae, six arms, and a spinneret on the bottom of his back. A Uranian, wearing a black six-sleeved jacket and crimson red pants, the spinneret still sticking out. ¡°Feeding time.¡± She hums with a relaxed, yet phlegmy voice. Reggie¡¯s ears perk up as he tries to shift his position to see what¡¯s happening. He notices that the Uranian isn¡¯t opening the cages, instead, she releases a web from her spinneret, laying it out on the floor to keep any of the cats from escaping when she lets them out.


    She finishes laying out the last of the webs, leaving the room and coming back with crates of food. She sets them down, her voice sounding laidback; ¡°Alright, time to let you out.¡± She walks over to the cages, but right as she¡¯s about to unlock the first one, the keys are suddenly nabbed from her. ¡°What the- Who?!¡± She shouts in surprise, getting in a defensive stance as she hops back and looks around. As she looks up, she spots a short green person, sticking onto the ceiling, holding onto the keys.


    The person¡¯s hair is long, spiky, unruly, and white. His eyes are large, round and pitch black, no visible mouth, a Martian. All he¡¯s wearing is a pair of orange shorts. The Uranian takes a good look at him, her eyes glaring a cold stare; ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re Maxi Flav. What could a criminal of your caliber want from here?¡± She asks coldly. Maxi casually jumps down from the ceiling, as his body touches the floor, it compresses as though it were a pancake, his body reforms into its normal shape as he stands. ¡°Keeping you and the rest of the people on this craft from trying to put these poor critters down, Loxo.¡± Maxi answers with an attitude.


    ¡°And I take it that you¡¯ve taken out everyone onboard, besides me?¡± Loxo asks, Maxi casually wipes his foot on the floor, dissolving the web underneath his feet; ¡°You got it! Guess there actually is something inside that webhead of yours.¡± Upon hearing that, Reggie¡¯s mind races; ¡°Wait, if this guy¡¯s telling the truth, then we really were taken from Mars just to be killed?! For what purpose?! And Loxo isn¡¯t even hiding it, nor trying to deny the fact, so he must be right about it! Darn, and I still can¡¯t move! Come on, Martian, just bet her, please!¡± He hopes.


    As Reggie looks back at the two, he views how Loxo¡¯s demeanor has changed, she¡¯s more pressed, annoyed by Maxi¡¯s racial comment. ¡°How did you sneak your way in here?¡± She asks slowly as she puts her hands up, her middle set of arms making fists while her top and bottom arms get in a grappling formation. ¡°Before everything was loaded onto this ship, I snuck my way inside one of those tiny lockers that was being brought aboard. I then used my slime to dissolve it, that¡¯s how I got out. Bet you¡¯re wishing you were a Martian right about now so you could use our abilities, huh?¡± Maxi asks as he locks his fingers together, stretching out his arms and starts slinging them to use them like a jump rope.


    Loxo¡¯s irritation at Maxi''s unserious attitude grows, she gets ready to attack, but Maxi holds up an index finger; ¡°Let¡¯s not be hasty now.¡± He speaks cockily, he then holds up the keys he snatched, putting them up to his radula, thousands of tiny, microscopic teeth begin to scrape up the keys, they go inside his face, he swallows them. ¡°What is wrong with you?! You¡¯re a green Martian, you produce sulfuric acid! You¡¯re just going to melt the keys!¡± Loxo shouts in frustration and confusion.


    Maxi¡¯s mouth closes as he responds in a calm, smug tone; ¡°I¡¯m aware. I just know that I can beat you before my own body corrodes them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too cocky for your own good!¡± Loxo rushes and jumps up in the air, touching the ceiling. She lands on it and proceeds to jump down at him with immense force, hurling toward Maxi at high speed.


    Maxi reacts by stretching his body out by widening his stance and height, going from roughly five feet to almost three times his height; ¡°What?! Just how much can Martians even stretch?!¡± Loxo questions herself as her body then gets wrapped around by Maxi¡¯s flattened, enlarged shape. Maxi begins compressing himself, Loxo¡¯s scream of agony is muffled as her body¡¯s compressed underneath him. Her arms break, Maxi even hears the bones crunch, he unwraps himself and backflips off of her.


    Maxi looks at her body, seeing how her arms aren¡¯t moving, she¡¯s just laying there, unsteadily breathing. Maxi taunts her by putting his hands on his waist, he leans forward, even stretching his body to make his torso reach as close up to her face as possible. He looks her dead in the eyes; ¡°Were you saying something?¡± He continues to taunt her, his torso then slings back into position as Loxo utters; ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing¡­ this is a horrible mistake¡­¡±


    Maxi grabs his radula and stretches it way open, he then uses his other arm to reach inside his mouth and digs around; ¡°Come on¡­ where did you fall?¡± He wonders. ¡°Ahah! There you are!¡± He shouts, his voice muffled. He takes his arm out, safely removing the keys from his body, shaking off the slimy acids. Reggie¡¯s pupils dilate; ¡°This can¡¯t be real! He rendered her powerless in just one attack!¡±


    Maxi shakes all the slime off the keys; ¡°Don¡¯t worry, little ones. I¡¯m just gonna clean off the floor so you don¡¯t get hurt by the acid I left out.¡± He chuckles a bit, feeling more relaxed about winning. ¡°That¡¯s ok, just make sure not to take too long.¡± Reggie responds, Maxi¡¯s curiosity peaking instantly as he extends his neck, lunging it toward the cage; ¡°Holy shit, did you just talk?!¡± Reggie tries to move his head back, but can¡¯t because of how crowded the cage is. ¡°Yeah, I did.¡± Maxi¡¯s eyes widen, his neck snaps back into proportion; ¡°Oh wow! You actually did! Alright, when I finish cleaning this mess, I¡¯ll let you all out! I want to have a talk with you though, you intrigue me!¡± Reggie answers softly; ¡°I¡¯d love to have someone to talk to, it¡¯s been too long since I¡¯ve last had a conversation.¡±


    Maxi nods, some minutes pass as he finishes cleaning up the floor, removing the webbing and acid. He unlocks each cage, one by one as Martian Tabbies start rushing out of the cages, scattering across the room and stretching their aching bodies, running around and playing, getting much needed exercise. Reggie rushes out of the cage and perches onto Maxi¡¯s shoulder; ¡°Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!¡± Reggie gleefully yells as he rubs his head vigorously on Maxi¡¯s face, showing his gratitude. Maxi finds Reggie contagious and begins to laugh; ¡°D¡¯awww, you¡¯re so cute. So tiny!¡± He scruffs Reggie; ¡°Look at you.¡± Reggie doesn¡¯t respond as he goes completely limp. Maxi sits down on Loxo¡¯s stomach and sets Reggie on the floor, Reggie looks around as he regains his senses.


    ¡°So, tell me, little one. What¡¯s your name?¡± Maxi asks. ¡°I¡¯m Reggie, just Reggie. That¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Reggie, that¡¯s a nice name. But, why R-¡± Maxi cuts himself off. ¡°Never mind.¡± He uncrosses his arms and points to himself with his thumb; ¡°I¡¯m Maxi Flav, but just call me Maxi. I don¡¯t like formalities.¡± ¡°Well, Maxi, I¡¯m glad that you rescued us. I¡¯m indebted to you, and as the one who can understand all the others here, I can safely say that they wouldn¡¯t want to leave your side either.¡± Reggie answers as he leans his head forward. Maxi tilts his head; ¡°Wait, the others understand the situation? How so?¡± ¡°We¡¯re good at understanding the emotions of those we¡¯re close to. Because I knew the situation, the amount of relief I felt when you took down to roach you¡¯re sitting on had reflected onto all the other cats. They¡¯ve already burned your image into their brains, associating you with comfort and safety.¡±


    Maxi leans his head back; ¡°Well, now that you mention it, I guess that explains why so many of them are nudging their heads on me. As well as how loud the purring is.¡± ¡°By the way, since you¡¯re now aware that none of us will leave your side, what will you do?¡± Loxo takes notice and accidentally responds; ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Maxi swiftly compresses his fist and lands a fast, powerful jab to her neck, knocking her out; ¡°Don¡¯t want her listening in on us, now do we?¡± Maxi chuckles. ¡°Absolutely not!¡±


    ¡°Glad to see we¡¯re on the same page. Though, I guess to answer your question, I¡¯m just gonna have to take care of you guys.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy to hear that!¡± Reggie replies, hopping back on his shoulder and slumping over. Maxi relaxes further; ¡°Hey Reggie?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I was thinking, since you and all the others were rounded up and taken from Mars, we¡¯ll have to find some other place to settle.¡± Maxi takes a map of Kosmesen out from the pocket in his shorts. He points to an area on Earth; ¡°Out of all the places in the world, I think Earth would be the safest place.¡± ¡°Earth? If I¡¯m correct, that¡¯s the continent surrounded by water, right?¡± Maxi nods at Reggie¡¯s question. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t that be the second place that they¡¯d look if it¡¯s so close?¡± ¡°Well, yeah, but we can just land in an area that¡¯s vast and green, that way you all can blend in.¡± Maxi explains.


    Reggie listens as Maxi keeps explaining; ¡°Besides¡­¡± He taps Loxo¡¯s head; ¡°...Uranians can only see green and ultraviolet light, so you¡¯re way less likely to be spotted in an open field on Earth than you are in other parts of the world. Trust me, you¡¯ll be fine.¡± Reggie listens to the full explanation, he then rests his head, relaxing; ¡°Alright, I trust you.¡± He purrs, resting his eyes. ¡°Damn, I wanna get up, but now I¡¯m feeling relaxed as well¡­¡± Maxi ponders as he quickly starts dozing.


    December 28th, 2015.


    As the weeks passed by, Maxi had not only gotten all the Martian Tabbies to safety, but also found a new place to stay, a meadow within the mountainous outskirts of Gull¡¯s Bay, surrounded by trees in all directions, making for a secluded space. He had even built a decently sized lodge big enough to keep them all under a roof, as well as providing enough room for basic living needs for himself. ¡°So Reggie, what do you think? Pretty good, huh?¡± Maxi asks as he carries Reggie and stretches his legs to stand super high, giving him a look at the lodge. ¡°It looks perfect! There¡¯s more than enough room for all of us! I¡¯m more surprised with how quickly you built it!¡± He answers with enthusiasm. Maxi returns it; ¡°Alright, let''s go inside then!¡± He responds, he drops Reggie and he begins to fall, Maxi¡¯s legs snap back into proportion. He swiftly jumps under where Reggie¡¯s going to land, lying down on his back and puffing out his stomach, making Reggie land on his belly, bouncing softly and rolling onto the grass. ¡°Don¡¯t do that!¡± Reggie shouts irritably.


    Reggie smacks Maxi¡¯s face multiple times with his paw, getting him to laugh; ¡°Ok, I¡¯m sorry, buddy! You said you trusted me, so I decided to take advantage of that!¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make it ok!¡± Reggie retorts, biting him on the neck; ¡°But¡­ you didn¡¯t get hurt, so-¡± ¡°No, just don¡¯t do that!¡± Reggie bites a bit harder. Maxi keeps laughing; ¡°Ok, ok! I¡¯m sorry, I won¡¯t do that again! I was being a dick, I get that I was wrong now! Please forgive me!¡± Reggie glares at him; ¡°You¡¯re positive?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Reggie keeps staring from the response. His face relaxes and he stops biting; ¡°Alright, I can¡¯t stay mad at you.¡± ¡°Thank you! Alright, you go roundup the others, I¡¯m gonna head inside.¡± Maxi stands up and starts walking to the lodge. Reggie responds as he takes off; ¡°Got it!¡±


    Reggie runs through the vast open field, the gargantuan amount of other Martian Tabbies sprawl lazily, basking in the warm sunlight as some engage in playful antics, chasing each other in circles, their tails swishing with excitement. Other groups of them lounge by the tranquil stream, their eyes half-closed in contentment as they watch the gentle flow of water. The air, filled with soothing purrs of relaxation, truly a paradise for any feline. Reggie takes a look around, his mind relaxes further as he decides to take it easy, he tackles one of the kittens and joins in on the fun as well.


    Maxi kicks back inside the lodge, the door left open for when Reggie and the others decide to come in. He sits on the living room couch, his legs resting on an ottoman while his arms cross. His head lowers as his eyes close; ¡°Well, I guess this is my life right now. Playing with fire. Destroyed all forms of technology I had on me, I can''t contact anyone that I know, but at the same time, this keeps me from being tracked by any government dogs, as well as the Superhero Branch, not even Loxo¡­¡± Maxi tightens his grip on his own arm; ¡°That atorcoppe cares more about the Martian Tabby Extermination Act more than anybody. Good thing those little fellas know not to leave the pasture. All I have to do is just be careful when I¡¯m out in public¡­¡±


    Maxi stops thinking as he hears the sounds of loud purring in large numbers, he sees a large portion of them roaming the lodge, exploring the interior while still playing. He straightens his posture; ¡°Heh, this reminds me of that one Earth story, One-Hundred-One Dalmatians, except, let¡¯s see, if I can recall, there¡¯s¡­¡± Maxi¡¯s eyes focus on each one in the room at the moment; ¡°Only eighty-seven cats. The hell am I saying? ¡®Only¡¯ isn¡¯t the appropriate word.¡± Reggie comes up to him; ¡°Maxi, Maxi, Maxi, Maxi¡­¡± He keeps repeating himself, tapping his paw on Maxi¡¯s elbow, he looks at him; ¡°Oh, Reggie! What¡¯s up? You need something?¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Actually, I think all of us are hungry, some of them have started eating blades of grass.¡± Maxi stands up; ¡°Oh, right, I forgot it¡¯s feeding hours. I¡¯m not used to not having a clock yet. Yeah, let me go get some food, there¡¯s still a decent amount left from the ship I jacked.¡± He chuckles. ¡°Check if there¡¯s a Mine Worm, I love those!¡± Reggie answers excitedly. Maxi walks over to the basement while watching his step; ¡°Yeah, we still have a couple left.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Reggie spins while hopping, excited.


    The herd watches Maxi come out of the basement and walk outside, he sets the preserved Mine Worm down on the ground, its segmented body shimmering with iridescent hues, reminiscent of opals glinting in the darkness. Enormous, lidless eyes peering out from its sleek, armored head and rows of razor-sharp mandibles lining its gaping maw. Despite it being dead, it¡¯s still intimidating through its appearance with an eerie beauty to its form. They quickly start tearing at their dinner as Maxi opens up a bottle of beer and takes a swig, exhaling; ¡°Hah! They¡¯re like furry piranhas! It never gets old!¡± Maxi shouts while laughing. As they¡¯re eating, he stretches his leg and steps onto the roof, getting a good view of the setting sun over the cliffside. ¡°Honestly, I think I¡¯m down for a simple life like this. Just me, the critters, and this beautiful pasture.¡±


    As the sun continues to set, Reggie comes up onto the roof, perching on his shoulder; ¡°So, what are you doing up he-¡± Reggie pauses mid-question as he gazes toward the sunset, absolutely stunned by the view. Maxi strokes Reggie¡¯s cheek; ¡°Hey Reggie, you were saying something?¡± Reggie snaps out of his state of awe. ¡°Oh, right, I was wondering what you were doing up here? You¡¯re not going to eat anything?¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Reggie¡¯s ears fold back, feeling concerned; ¡°But it¡¯s almost been a month since we¡¯ve met each other and I haven¡¯t seen you eat once.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that! Yeah, us Martians are gastropods, and we don¡¯t have proctors, nor do we have kidneys, so each species of Martian convert their waste byproduct into whatever chemical slime said color produces. Slime from a gastropod is mucus that we excrete from our bodies, though it becomes a problem when producing too much as it could harm the environment. So, to avoid that, we do something called ¡®false estivation.¡¯ It¡¯s a type of dormancy in the digestive system that allows for some species to go without a lack of food in extreme conditions, specifically hot and dry climates. To do that, we drink a lot of alcohol to make our bodies feel hotter from the sped up heart rate. Hell, I actually haven¡¯t even eaten for almost three years, but I can still do all that I¡¯ve done on just a single meal.¡± Maxi explains to reassure him.


    Reggie holds his paw on his head; ¡°Oh, I see¡­ No, I don¡¯t. All I feel is my head spinning, the only thing I really get from that is all the food here is only for us.¡± ¡°Well¡­ yeah.¡± Maxi answers. ¡°Wait, but how are you going to provide us food when we run out of Mine Worms to eat?¡± Reggie asks, concerned. Maxi finishes taking another swig; ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy. I¡¯ll just hunt some monsters. This area¡¯s got a good variety of them, so I¡¯ll do that.¡±


    Reggie stays quiet for a few seconds; ¡°Ok, just be careful then.¡± Reggie continues to watch the sunset. Enjoying the moment, he wraps his body around Maxi¡¯s neck and shoulders, relaxing even more. Maxi watches as Reggie yawns, easing up. He decides to drink some more beer. As the sun continues to dip below, casting hues of pink and gold across the sky, Maxi finds true solace with his companionship for Reggie. Amidst the tranquil moment, his mind drifts, reflecting on the fleeting beauty of life and the bond he¡¯s shared with not just Reggie, but all the other tabbies as well. Silent witnesses to his joys.


    April 4th, 2016.


    During the middle of the night, Maxi wakes up to see all the others passed out asleep, he gets up and gently taps Reggie¡¯s head; ¡°Hey bud, I¡¯m going hunting. I¡¯ll be back at around eight or nine this morning.¡± Reggie opens one eye, taking a glance, he closes it as he yawns; ¡°Got it. Stay safe out there. ¡°You bet!¡± Maxi gives a thumbs up. He puts on a hoodie and walks out the lodge; ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ the easiest monsters would¡¯ve been the Chupacabras, but that¡¯s too many miles south and passed the Mexican-American border, so¡­ Tentacled Gorillas it is. Off to the beach I go!¡± Maxi begins running through the pasture, slinging his arm over to a tree branch, grabbing it and compressing his body back to normal, hurling to the tree and swinging out of the pasture.


    He reaches the beaches of Gull¡¯s Bay, perching on a lamppost and peering over the shoreline. A few seconds later, he spots a pack of tall ape-like creatures, the Tentacled Gorillas, giant red octopi with enough muscle mass to use their own tentacles to stand up and walk on land. He realizes that they¡¯re engaging in a fight with someone; ¡°The fuck is that idiot doing?! That Earthling should know better than any other race that these beaches aren¡¯t safe at night!¡± He yells in a panic as his protective instincts kick in, he jumps down and rushes over to the scene while grabbing a pair of curved twin blades from his side.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be out here, especially not by yours-¡± Maxi¡¯s own words get interrupted as the man being ambushed by the octopi pivots on his heel, performing a spin kick to Maxi¡¯s face and sending him flying a few meters. The man is confused by the sudden appearance, he forgets about the monsters, adjusting his visor and runs up to Maxi. ¡°Dude, you ok? I¡¯m sorry for kicking you, you scared the shit out of me!¡± He offers his hand to help him up.


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    Maxi looks at him, he reluctantly declines the offer since he¡¯s a bit annoyed by the kick. He gets up on his own; ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. I was coming over to help you out because I thought you were in trouble, but judging by your form, you seem to be just fine.¡± The man smiles, responding in a laid back and friendly tone; ¡°Is that so? Well, I appreciate it! It¡¯s rare for me to find people that are willing to help me out like that. But what¡¯re you doing out here anyway?¡± ¡°I could ask you the same thing!¡±


    A Tentacled Gorilla grabs the man, putting him in a bind. Maxi gets his blade ready, preparing to attack, but the man stops him; ¡°It¡¯s fine. Trust me, this is just part of my training.¡± He answers, not sounding worried at all. Maxi¡¯s head tilts; ¡°Training?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Maxi glances with a side eye. ¡°Well, that answers my question as to why you¡¯re out here. You¡¯re using these guys as training. You wouldn¡¯t mind me killing those things though, right? I¡¯m out here hunting.¡± ¡°You hunting for sport?¡± The man asks. ¡°No! No, why the hell would I do that?! I¡¯m hunting for food.¡± Maxi retorts instantly. ¡°Alright, go for it.¡± He responds. ¡°Thanks! I¡¯ll just kill the one binding you last then.¡± Maxi dashes toward the others, using his twin blades and slicing the nerve between their eyes, killing them near instantly.


    The tentacled gorilla vice gripping the man turns around and realizes what¡¯s happening. It puts one of its tentacles towards the man¡¯s neck, he realizes what it¡¯s trying to do. ¡°Hey! Martian!¡± Maxi¡¯s attention instantly shifts toward the voice, he sees that the beast is attempting to keep him hostage and threatening to snap his neck if he doesn¡¯t stop killing his pack. Maxi catches the creature off guard by throwing his arm forward, it stretches and travels in an arch, the dark sky preventing the approach from being seen. His hand reaches and the blade pierces the nerve, instantly killing the monster.


    Maxi pulls the blade out as the tentacled gorilla falls to the sandy floor, letting go of the man. As he gets up, Maxi swiftly cuts down the rest of the pack, the man walks over to him with his hands in his pockets as he finishes. ¡°That¡¯s for helping me back there! I¡¯ve never seen a move like that before, you¡¯re strong! I¡¯m surprised we haven¡¯t met yet!¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t really go out that much. But yeah, no problem. Who are you, if I may ask?¡± The man pops his shades up, putting them on his forehead, making his hair move up a skosh; ¡°I¡¯m Elio. What about you? What¡¯s your name? Also, just another question, you said you¡¯re hunting for food. Why do you need so much food? These creatures are massive, and yet you killed like twenty of them.¡± Elio speaks quickly.


    Maxi pauses for a second, playing it as though he¡¯s just surprised by the fast questions; ¡°Oh, my name is Geoma-¡± ¡°No it¡¯s not.¡± Elio interrupts him. Maxi pauses instantly; ¡°His whole attitude just changed! I thought he¡¯d be somewhat of an idiot, but he knew instantly?!¡± He takes a deep breath, side eyeing him; ¡°How can you tell that¡¯s not my name?¡± ¡°When people lie, they experience a thing called the ¡®Pinocchio Effect,¡¯ it¡¯s an increase in temperature around the nose and in the orbital muscle in the inner corner of the eye.¡± ¡°But you couldn¡¯t seriously know that just from sight!¡± ¡°I generate and manipulate heat, meaning I can detect the change in temperature for anything within a 10-meter radius.¡±


    Maxi goes silent, Elio can sense the stress that he¡¯s feeling, he takes out his phone, turning around and chucking it far away on the beach. He looks back; ¡°You cool with answering that question now?¡± He asks. ¡°This Elio guy, I didn¡¯t sense any hostility from him. He¡¯s definitely strong as well, and with what he just did, he has great awareness. Alright, I¡¯ll answer him¡­¡± Maxi takes another deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m Maxi Flav.¡± Elio¡¯s surprised; ¡°Well, now I see why you didn¡¯t want to say your name when my phone was on me! This night just got stranger!¡±


    Maxi readies his stance, his twin blades glinting in the moonlight; ¡°So, since you know my name, what is it you¡¯re going to do?¡± He asks with some paranoia. Elio holds up one hand, his stance completely relaxed. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna fight you, I know exactly why you¡¯re hunting now. I saw the news story back in December, a giant aircraft was reported missing, the same one holding a large herd of Martian Tabbies.¡± ¡°You serious? You¡¯re actually chill with a criminal like me being here?¡± Maxi asks.


    ¡°Criminal or not, you saved my life, so I¡¯m not going to fight you. Also, I love studying animals, I¡¯m an expert on them. If anything, I¡¯d be more curious to see all those Martian Tabbies in person.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then if you see a cat, how do you approach it without making it run away?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s easy! I just force my approach and annoy them, which makes them want to stay.¡± Maxi immediately throws his arm forward, grabbing Elio¡¯s shoulder and slinging toward him. He stops in the sand and pats him on the shoulder; ¡°Glad to see you¡¯re not lying about knowing animals!¡± He answers with enthusiasm.


    Some time passes, Elio eats a tentacle that he fried with his heat manipulation while listening to Maxi talk. ¡°...Yeah, and then when I get back to the lodge, I walk inside, and I kid you not, there was a fucking Wendigo head in my living room. SKINNED, might I add! Its eyes and horns were still intact, but it was there!¡± Elio swallows a bite and starts bursting into laughter; ¡°That¡¯s hilarious! So you¡¯re saying a Wendigo showed up and all those tabbies banded together and chewed its head off? And then put its head in the house as a present for when you returned home?!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Elio only starts laughing more; ¡°I know I shouldn¡¯t be laughing because that must¡¯ve looked disgusting, but that¡¯s just so funny!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll admit, it was pretty funny to see, thankfully I didn¡¯t have to clean up the thing. I let them know they could have it, they went to town on it¡­¡± Maxi shutters; ¡°The sound of their teeth scraping the bones rubbed me the wrong way though.¡± ¡°Like nails on a chalkboard.¡± Elio responds.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Maxi then stands up, brushing some sand off his shorts; ¡°Well, I better get going. I have a long trek back.¡± ¡°Alright then. Great talk by the way, it¡¯s nice talking to someone on the same wavelength.¡± Elio stands up as well. ¡°For sure. Oh by the way, Elio? I need to ask something.¡± He starts picking up all the tentacled gorillas. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Well¡­ after getting to know you a bit, I figured that if anything were to happen to me, would you look at the little ones for me?¡± Maxi asks sincerely. Elio pauses for a bit, a bit stunned by the sudden question and hearing such a request; ¡°Wait, really? Are you sure that you want me to do that?¡± ¡°Of course. You¡¯re strong, you have great power, and you¡¯re good with animals.¡± Maxi affirms.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll do it.¡± Elio answers while bumping his chest with his fist. Maxi sighs in relief; ¡°Thank you, Elio. You¡¯re doing me a huge favor here, I appreciate it.¡± ¡°Of course, man! Last thing I¡¯d want is to know if someone or something needs help and I just sit around, not bothering to.¡± Elio smiles. Maxi nods; ¡°That¡¯s good to hear, you¡¯re a good kid. Don¡¯t let people tell you otherwise. Anyway, I better get going. Take care.¡± He starts walking away, but Elio starts following. Maxi looks at him, confused; ¡°I threw my phone this way.¡± Elio takes a bite of the tentacle. ¡°Oh, right.¡± Maxi nods as a small silence passes while they walk; ¡°There we go.¡± Elio picks up his phone from the sand. ¡°Alright, I need to get some sleep. I got school in the morning, I¡¯ll see you around-¡± Elio stops himself from saying his name. Maxi nods, acknowledging his awareness, he starts walking toward the mountains again as Elio pockets his phone and runs the other way while taking a bite of his food.


    Maxi treks for while up the mountain road, softly humming a Martian tune; ¡°In the crimson glow of Martian skies, Where the red sands stretch and dust flies, We dance in the starlight¡¯s gleam as we live out our cosmic drea-¡± He pauses instantly as he feels something suddenly spike into his thigh, stopping halfway through. The object that had punctured his thigh then explodes, blowing off his right leg and sending him hurling high into the air. He drops all the tentacled gorillas by mistake, soon plummeting to the ground, hitting the dry, rough road. His blood, a dark blue hue, begins spilling, leaving him hyperventilating, left to process what had just happened.


    He raises his hand from the puddle of blood, putting it on his face, only to quickly take it off as the shock wears off. ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!¡± Maxi agonizingly wails, his cry echoing through the mountains, even reaching the pasture. Reggie, as well as all the others, wake up to the sound of it; ¡°What was that¡­?¡± He asks, confused. ¡°Wait, that¡­ that couldn¡¯t have been Maxi, right?!¡± He stands up, now concerned about the thought of him in trouble. Reggie rushes to the door, but can¡¯t get it open; ¡°No! Come on! We¡¯re locked in here!¡± Reggie backs up and charges to the door, failing to bust it down and only hurting his head.


    Maxi struggles to move as he just keeps looking at his leg; ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, it hurts! I can¡¯t move!¡± He grunts, unable to move an inch. After a bit, the sounds of footsteps can be heard, getting closer, a group of government agents, all pointing guns as they surround him. One taps his earpiece; ¡°Target subdued. We¡¯ll be bringing Maxi Flav in now, over.¡± He reports, a voice comes through from the other side; ¡°What about the Martian Tabbies?¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t found them yet.¡± ¡°You shot Maxi when he was alone and not wherever he was hiding them?!¡± The person behind the line yells. ¡°Our mistake, with all due respect, this is Maxi Flav we¡¯re dealing with-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care! Just bring him here! I¡¯ll interrogate him!¡± The person orders irritably. The agent puts his pistol away and picks up Maxi, carrying him over the shoulder and begins walking with the other agents. They bring him into a van, as they drive off, Maxi has stopped making noise from fatigue; ¡°What¡¯s¡­ happening? I can¡¯t see straight¡­ Reggie¡­¡±


    The van makes its way through Gull¡¯s Bay, parking in front of an administration center, the agents clear out while bringing Maxi with them. They walk inside, moving down a series of halls until they reach a room, they open the door, Loxo is seen in the room, eating a giant bug. She swallows her meal; ¡°Good, you¡¯re here. Now leave.¡± The agents nod silently, setting Maxi on the floor before walking out of the room to leave it guarded.


    Loxo looks at Maxi laying on the floor in pain; ¡°Maxi, it¡¯s been a while. If you¡¯d please, just answer my question.¡± ¡°Fuck you.¡± Maxi retorts instantly. Loxo grabs a salt block from the desk and walks up to him, crouching over; ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t want to have to use this more than once.¡± She presses the block of salt on his wound, he yells in agony as his wound shrivels and dries up, closing and stopping the bleeding. She sets the salt down; ¡°Now talk.¡± Loxo speaks in a cold, demanding tone. ¡°No! I¡¯m not telling you anything about where they are! I know that¡¯s all you care about!¡± Maxi utters.


    Loxo picks him up by the side, she uses her middle arms and starts pressing against his side with immense physical strength; ¡°Talk.¡± Maxi still refuses. ¡°Talk.¡± She repeats herself, slamming Maxi on the floor. She then backhands him in the face, her urticating hairs poke through his skin. ¡°If you don¡¯t talk, I¡¯ll make sure every hair on my body skewers you.¡± She begins to start pummeling him, causing blood to drip from his face.


    Loxo stops slamming her fists into his face, pulling back one of her punches, she takes a deep breath; ¡°Ok, then let me ask you a different question. I don¡¯t understand, but why are you putting your life before the lives of an illegal species? Do you not care about the countless people that could be helped if you just let us deliver them to where they have to go?¡± She asks calmly. ¡°They¡¯re my pets, they¡¯ve been my pets for months now, that¡¯s enough reason for me to wanna protect them. What I wanna know is why do you care so much about getting rid of these ones in particular? I can understand wanting to exterminate the ones in other parts of the world, but why the ones on Mars? They¡¯re¡­ they¡¯re from Mars, where they¡¯re supposed to be.¡± Maxi retorts.


    Loxo makes her top hands grab the desk behind her, she then leans on it while sitting down. ¡°How do I get him to give me the location? I¡¯m so used to using my looks as a way to scare people into giving me the details, but he¡¯s just not budging.¡± Loxo¡¯s eyes begin to widen; ¡°Wait, if he won¡¯t give me a lick of information, why don¡¯t I just keep him? If he¡¯s in my custody, I can just keep trying to press info out of him. Doing that, there¡¯s likely two outcomes. The first is he¡¯ll eventually crack and I¡¯ll be given the location, the second being he won¡¯t, but if I keep him for one week, those tabbies should starve to death by then. I¡¯m really praying for the former, as optimal and likely as the latter is, it¡¯s utterly barbaric to let anything starve to death.¡± She ponders.


    Loxo just looks at him; ¡°Maxi. Let¡¯s just talk, alright? It¡¯s clear that I¡¯m not going to get anywhere with these questions. So why don¡¯t we just get to know each other instead?¡± ¡°Come on, take the bait. If I can just know you somewhat personally, I¡¯ll be able to keep those Martian tabbies from dying by starvation.¡± She hopes. ¡°What are you trying?¡± Maxi asks angrily. ¡°Nothing, I¡¯m just giving up on this interrogation. The mission almost went well, then you snapped my arms, which took nearly four months for me to make a full recovery. I finally find you again, and you won¡¯t cooperate, and I can only be so patient with a mission. Sadly, I¡¯m not allowed to let you go, so I¡¯m just going to keep you around for the hell of it.¡±


    Maxi becomes perplexed from what he hears; ¡°I can¡¯t get a read on her. Her voice sounds convincing, but I can¡¯t detect any sign that she¡¯s lying. Dammit, I¡¯ve gone without technology for so long that I can¡¯t remember the signs of a lying person besides Earthlings. It¡¯s best if I just roll with this until I can hopefully fight again.¡± He thinks as critically as he can. ¡°Ok.¡± He answers hesitantly. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear!¡± Loxo responds, enthused; ¡°I¡¯m surprised you actually believe me! Though then again, it might be because most Earthlings here are arachnophobic, so my appearance makes them uneasy.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ anyway, how did the agents know where I would be? That¡¯s what I¡¯m wondering¡­¡± ¡°Oh, that? That one Earthling you were talking to earlier, Elio. He had his phone on him, when you said ¡®Geoma¡¯ and he heard your lie, I had one of the agents track the coordinates of his device. To prepare, I had four different vans park in various spots, specifically ones where you would likely be heading in the direction of. That¡¯s how we were able to track you.¡± Loxo answers. Maxi groans irritably; ¡°What pisses me off is that I¡¯d rather the outcome be Elio ratting me out, but no, I just had to have bad luck after meeting a genuine person!¡± ¡°Come on, Reggie, just hold out with the others until I come back. Please!¡± He prays.


    April 11th, 2016.


    Reggie¡¯s stomach growls loudly as he continues to chew the door while the house grows louder from the rising hunger between the Martian tabbies. ¡°I hate this¡­ I¡¯m starving, everyone¡¯s getting violent with one another, the noise is hurting my ears. Maxi, where are you?!¡± He worries, eventually chewing through the door and making a hole big enough for him to crawl through. ¡°Oh my God, finally!  I¡¯m finally out! Don¡¯t worry Maxi, I¡¯m gonna find-¡± He stops as his nose picks up a bad scent; ¡°What is that?¡± He turns around to notice one of the tabbies is yowling, her kittens lifeless on the floor. Reggie¡¯s ears fold back in sadness; ¡°No¡­ her babies couldn¡¯t get their nutrients because the mother couldn¡¯t have enough nutrients. I need to find Maxi quickly before the others start dropping as well!¡±


    Reggie turns around and begins to hobble his way over to the stream and starts to drink tons of it as though he were a sponge absorbing water. While he¡¯s drinking, he spots a tarantula on the other side of the stream, he pounces on it and begins to eat it ravenously; ¡°It tastes so horrible, but I¡¯ll just eat anything at this point!¡± He finishes chewing the spider and swallows it. The shock of having food allows him to run again, he leaves the pasture, ready to find Maxi.


    Loxo sits in a room by herself, pondering as she takes deep breaths; ¡°Dammit, it¡¯s been a week and I didn¡¯t get a single bit out of him. I just feel awful for those critters, nothing deserves to starve. I give up.¡± She gets up and walks out of the room. She looks at the agents guarding the door, speaking with a tired tone; ¡°Those Martian tabbies are likely dead from starvation. Just release Maxi Flav, there¡¯s zero purpose in keeping him in custody any longer.¡± She walks away, all six of her hands in her jacket pockets.


    The agents glance at each other, both equally confused by the order, but they quickly go back to acting professional; ¡°Right.¡± They say in unison. Loxo walks out the administration center; ¡°This mission was just¡­ that wasn¡¯t right. Having my arms broken being the best part of the whole experience, I don¡¯t even know how to feel about that. I just hope the paperwork for the mission report gets filled out soon.¡± She reflects as she looks at the seaside. Feeling the salty breeze, she decides to try and take her mind off of it by going for a walk.


    April 12th, 2016.


    Loxo sits in a sports bar, patiently waiting to be notified that the report is finished; ¡°Come on¡­ it should¡¯ve been done in just a few hours. Why are these people so slow with it?¡± ¡°Your party pack, ma¡¯am.¡± A server tells her as he sets down a large platter of wings. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Enjoy.¡± The server replies as he heads over to another table. She puts two wings up to her chelicerae and injects each fang into them, melting the wings partially and slurping them down.


    Loxo finishes her meal, she then places down some cash. As she gets up off the stool, the TVs in the bar are interrupted by a sudden news report, making her eye the closest one. After a minute, she rushes out of the bar, sprinting through the streets of downtown Gull¡¯s Bay, many Earthlings move out of the way, frightened due to their arachnophobia. ¡°What the fuck is wrong with them?! I told them to release him, not take over and try to squeeze out more information! Those cats are already dead!¡± Her mind races, unaware of her surroundings as she almost causes an accident. A truck isn¡¯t able to stop on time as it¡¯s about to hit her, but Loxo swiftly puts her hand on it, sticking to the hood and using her strength to push herself upward. She flips over the truck and makes her way to the sidewalk, she continues running.


    Loxo makes her way to the Gull¡¯s Bay Hospital, rushing inside to the front desk, she puts her middle hands on the desk to catch her breath while her bottom right arm reaches into her pocket to pull out her superhero ID. She tosses it up to her top right arm, presenting it to the receptionist; ¡°Which room is Maxi Flav in? I need to speak with him, it¡¯s urgent!¡± The receptionist looks at the ID; ¡°Fifth floor, eleventh room. Though with the condition he¡¯s in, it might be hard to speak with him.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Loxo responds, putting her ID back in her pocket and taking the stairs up to the fifth floor and reaching Maxi¡¯s room.


    She opens the door and steps inside, closing the door after and looking at Maxi, she becomes appalled by what she sees; ¡°They salted his whole body?!¡± She walks over to Maxi, his body¡¯s once vibrant hues now muted, ashen grey. His own body shrunken, desiccated and withered looking. She speaks with a worried tone, but a quiet voice; ¡°Maxi, it¡¯s me, Loxo.¡± Maxi breathes unsteadily, slowly shifting his gaze to see her. ¡°What¡­ could you possibly want? Can¡¯t you see¡­ that my answer¡­ is still ¡®no?¡¯¡± He speaks with resent. Loxo shows her shame in her voice; ¡°I¡¯m not here for that. I¡¯m just¡­ I¡¯m sorry about how this ended up for you.¡± Maxi glares at her; ¡°I need you to elaborate on what the hell you¡¯re talking about. I¡¯m like this¡­ because of you¡­¡± He coughs after finishing.


    ¡°The reason I kept you in custody for a week was because I didn¡¯t want the Martian tabbies to die in such a cruel manner. I was afraid that if I didn¡¯t figure out their location within that week, they would-¡± ¡°They all starved to death¡­ that¡¯s what you¡¯re saying, right?¡± He interrupts. ¡°Yes.¡± Loxo answers bluntly, Maxi lets out a weak sound that was meant to be an exhale of frustration. ¡°I felt horrible after the week had passed, I didn''t even care that the mission was done, I just wanted to save them from starving. As for what was done to you, I told those Earthlings to let you go, as there was no reason for them to keep you in custody any longer, but for some reason, they decided to keep trying to squeeze information out of you.¡± She explains herself. ¡°That¡­ is true, they wanted me¡­ to leak the location. I wouldn¡¯t say a word, so¡­ they did this to me. I believe what you¡¯re saying¡­ even though you were attacking me last week, you never did it again after the first time.¡±


    Loxo nods; ¡°You get what I¡¯m saying now, right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I understand now. Despite the goal¡­ you just wanted the mission to be finished in a quick¡­ and easy manner in the most humane way possible. Knowing that you were planning on letting me go¡­ at least you have sympathy. I¡¯ll forgive your reasons¡­ though¡­ could you do me one favor, please?¡± He asks weakly. ¡°Yeah¡­ I can do that. What do you want me to do?¡± She asks sorrowfully. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ likely going to die in a few hours. Could you open the window for me? I like the salty breeze from the beach¡­ it soothes me.¡± He asks, sounding weaker and more raspy.


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Loxo nods and she walks to the window, opening the curtains and sliding the window open, allowing air to blow in. ¡°Thank¡­ you.¡± Maxi says happily, but weakly. He takes in the breeze; ¡°You can go now¡­ I¡¯d just like some me time¡­¡± He requests. Loxo nods, leaving him to rest, she hops out of the window proceeding to put her hands on the wall, clinging to it. She shifts her position, facing downward, she moves down the wall a bit before sitting on it. She slumps her arms and sighs, an hour passes as she reflects on the mission as a whole.


    A couple of hours pass as she still sits there, she then sees something on the floor below. She¡¯s unsure of what it is and decides to get a closer look, silently getting lower to the ground. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ no way! That¡¯s a Martian tabby!¡± Her eyes widened in realization. She acts quickly by jumping onto the roof of a shorter building next to the hospital, as she lands, she spots an air vent and rips the cover off of it. She takes a deep breath before looking back at the open window; ¡°Come on, little guy, please follow where the noise is going to come from.¡± She chucks the vent cover at the wall, hiding just beneath the windowsill. As it thuds, Reggie immediately turns his head and looks up, seeing the piece of metal fall down.


    The vent cover hits the floor; ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s where Maxi is, but it can¡¯t hurt to try and find him in there.¡± Reggie immediately takes off running, scaling up the wall, dashing as fast as he can. His paws grab onto the windowsill and he props himself up, hopping over and landing on the floor of the hospital room. He notices the shriveled up man, unaware that it¡¯s Maxi, he perches onto the bed and takes one sniff, his ears instantly flattening as his pupils dilate in shock, fear and disgust; ¡°No! Maxi! What happened?!¡± He shouts at him, realizing why he was gone for so long.


    Reggie nudges him rapidly with his front paws; ¡°Maxi! Maxi! Answer me! Give me a response! Please!¡± He cries pathetically, trying to get his attention. Maxi can¡¯t see or hear anymore, silently waiting for his death. Reggie bites him to try and get a reaction, but as they sink into his skin, Maxi doesn¡¯t react, all Reggie¡¯s given are the sounds of the electrocardiogram beeping. He gets frustrated, trying to get his attention, he lets go of the bite and takes out his claws. Reggie attempts to get his attention by clawing at him, easily slicing up his skin due to its dryness, he loses blood, which makes Maxi react as his body moves a bit. He stops clawing and crawls on his stomach, staring him in the face; ¡°Maxi! It¡¯s me, Reggie!¡±


    Maxi doesn¡¯t hear a thing, he just lays there for a bit as the electrocardiogram beeps faster due to the loss of blood. He utters as his consciousness begins to fade faster; ¡°I wish Reggie were here¡­¡± Reggie stares at Maxi. His ears fold back as he tail tucks around him, his hairs standing up. The electrocardiogram goes flat, letting out a long beep, Reggie¡¯s eyes begin to tear up; ¡°I¡­ was here¡­¡± He answers faintly as more tears start to fall, sitting there in silence, knowing that Maxi had just died right then and there. Reggie curls up and lays on top of him, feeling heavy and depressed.


    Several hours later, Reggie picks up the sound of footsteps from the hallway outside the room; ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Maxi¡­¡± He gets up and sprints toward the window, jumping onto the windowsill and diving out, landing on the building next to it, falling into a trash pile. He crawls out of the trash, limping, trying to avoid being spotted. During that moment, a nurse walks in to do a checkup on Maxi, quickly noticing the flatline.


    Later in the night, a news report comes out, addressing the death of Maxi Flav, during the middle of the report, Loxo gets a notification on her communicator. She taps on it; ¡°What is it?¡± She asks, tired and empty. ¡°The mission took longer than expected, but we just received word of the situation from our allies on Earth. You can come home now, you¡¯ve been gone for too long, so take it easy.¡± After hearing that, Loxo decides to just disconnect from the line. ¡°Yeah¡­ because I totally deserve one¡­¡± She mutters ruefully as she walks through the streets.


    April 26th, 2016.


    Torrential downpour unleashes its fury, drenching Gull¡¯s Bay¡¯s streets in sheets of rain. The relentless deluge overwhelms storm drains, causing minor flooding in low-lying areas. Pedestrians hurry, seeking shelter as the coastal wind whips through the city. Reggie stumbles into an alleyway, freezing, soaked, and injured, unable to catch any food due to his fatigue; ¡°I.. can¡¯t keep going¡­¡± Reggie falls over next to a dumpster, too weak to get up. As he lays there, he hears someone¡¯s feet sloshing as the noise gets closer to him. Elio scoops up Reggie with one arm and partially tucks him inside his coat to keep him warm. Reggie freaks out and starts hissing as he attempts to break free by kicking him.


    Elio smiles softly while looking at Reggie; ¡°It¡¯s ok, I¡¯m not here to hurt you. I feel awful about what happened to you, loss is a horrible thing to go through. I lost someone dear to me as well, so I know how you feel. I¡¯ll keep you safe, I can promise that.¡± He speaks soothingly. ¡°He knows?¡± Reggie wonders, relaxing without realizing due to his tone. ¡°There we go. Don¡¯t waste your strength, just relax¡­¡± Reggie fully calms down upon hearing it, using some of his energy to cling onto Elio¡¯s body, feeling the warmth.


    Elio continues to smile as he begins walking, adjusting the umbrella he¡¯s holding so it can keep the water from hitting Reggie. ¡°So¡­ you have a name?¡± Elio asks jokingly. ¡°Reg..gie¡­¡± Elio is surprised, but keeps his composure so as to not frighten Reggie. ¡°Oh, you can speak! That makes it a lot easier. So your name is Reggie, I like it. I¡¯ll be sure to protect you from now on, Reggie.¡± ¡°Thank¡­ you¡­¡± Reggie purrs. ¡°Of course, anything for you. I¡¯m Elio, by the way. Just call my name if you need anything, I¡¯ll be there.¡± Elio tells him. He wipes the gunk from Reggie¡¯s eyes, making him feel safer. He nudges his head on Elio.


    May 31st, 2018. 7:40 PM.


    Reggie yawns after finishing the last of the water; ¡°That¡¯s what led to me meeting Elio, which is also why I have so much faith in him and will never leave his side.¡± Gendross looks off to the side, putting his hand on the back of his head; ¡°Shit¡­ I can¡¯t believe that¡¯s how Maxi went out though. Knowing why he cut himself off from technology makes sense now. I¡¯m glad you met Elio as well, I can¡¯t help, but respect him for doing all that because Maxi asked him. But, I¡¯m left wondering, what happened to the other Martian tabbies?¡± Gendross asks.


    ¡°Apparently, when I was gone, before Elio found me in that alleyway, he discovered the location of the pasture and when he opened the door to the lodge, all he saw were the dead bodies of my herd. He figured out that they became so hungry and ravenous that they started fighting in an attempt to eat each other.¡± Reggie answers, sounding unphased. Gendross has a look of revulsion; ¡°That is¡­ that must have been a nightmare to hear.¡± He answers, shocked. Reggie just licks his paw; ¡°Yeah, it was bad. But I¡¯ve learned how to move on, and frankly, I¡¯m just glad to be here now.¡± He answers nonchalantly. ¡°Oh by the way, Gendross?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°What time is it currently?¡± Reggie points at Gendross¡¯ communicator; ¡°It¡¯s seven-forty. Why?¡± ¡°Oh geez! Alright, thanks, cause I better wake up Elio then!¡± Reggie shouts as he hops off the desk and runs over to go and wake up Elio.

 Chapter 9 - The Final Test

    Reggie bounces up to Elio¡¯s chest and begins swatting his face; ¡°Elio! Wake up!¡± He shouts in a seemingly playful, though still serious manner. Elio¡¯s body moves a bit, he grunts a little before putting his hands on his shades and moving them up. He opens his eyes; ¡°Hmm?¡± Elio sluggishly answers. ¡°What¡¯s up, Reggie?¡± ¡°It¡¯s seven-forty!¡± Reggie answers in a quick, desperate manner. Elio¡¯s body hops into a sitting position, his shades fall back over his eyes; ¡°Wait huh?! Seriously?! Fuck, we only have twenty minutes till the exams are done?!¡± He yells, dumbfounded.


    Gendross shifts his gaze to Elio; ¡°Tests?¡± He asks with intrigue. ¡°Wait, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re taking the superhero recruitment test! Actually, that would explain why you and Reggie are here then.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Elio answers bluntly, admitting the truth. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re here. We joined the trial at a bad time, like a really, really bad time. There were no more targets left during the final part, leaving both of us in a corner. Reggie saw this island, so I got the idea to try our luck and bring you into custody.¡± Elio explains briefly. A long pause dwells upon the room as Gendross dons a beyond confused stare; Elio, are¡­ y¡­ you¡¯re retarded.¡±


    ¡°Hey, cut him some slack! No idiot would be able to find a way to get back up here like he did!¡± Reggie retorts defensively, pointing his paw at him. ¡°Reggie, it¡¯s fine.¡± Elio butts in, covering Reggie¡¯s face with his palm. ¡°He¡¯s entirely right and justified for calling me that. It¡¯s dumb that I even tried to see if we could capture him! When he threw me earlier, that hurt like a bitch and I could tell he was holding back IMMENSELY. That was enough for me to decide for us to cut our losses and get out of there.¡± ¡°Wait, you knew I was holding back?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Elio answers as he snaps his finger. ¡°How so?¡± Gendross asks.


    Elio gets off the couch and stands up; ¡°Cause if that was your full power, I¡¯d consider you weak.¡± He answers as Reggie perches onto his shoulder. ¡°That and I wouldn¡¯t have been terrified if it were the case.¡± Reggie adds on. ¡°I see. So if that was my full strength, you would¡¯ve stayed and fought. Now I¡¯m curious, if it hurt that much, why would you consider it weak, Elio? That¡¯s what¡¯s interesting to me right now.¡± Gendross answers. Elio pounds his fists; ¡°Getting hurt and being damaged are two different things. All fighters know that! My body can hurt, but that doesn¡¯t mean my body¡¯s broken. I drop kicked you earlier, that hurt your face, but it didn¡¯t actually do shit to you.¡± ¡°Ok, maybe you¡¯re not as dumb as I thought you were. Anyway, I want to ask you something.¡± Gendross responds. Elio pets Reggie; ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°How are you feeling right now?¡± Elio stretches, Reggie jumps off his shoulder as he does so; ¡°I¡¯m feeling great after that nap! I feel as though I could take on the world! Why do you ask?¡±


    Gendross crosses his arms while pointing a finger at him; ¡°Well, I was thinking, given your reason for being here, on top of the fact that you stopped this whole vessel from crashing down, plus the fact the crew and I will need to stay here until we can repair the damages, I think it¡¯s only fair if I propose a deal.¡± He explains. ¡°And that is¡­?¡± ¡°You and Reggie fight me on the combat deck. If either of you can manage to injure me, I¡¯ll surrender and let you two take me into custody, letting you guys pass. ONLY if you injure me, but if you fail, then you fail. How does that sound?¡± He asks the two.


    Elio and Reggie look at each other, nodding in unison; ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll take up that deal!¡± Elio answers while holding his arm up, Gendross grins and shakes his hand gently to avoid crushing it. ¡°Good! Well, it¡¯s seven-forty five right now. So let¡¯s head over to the combat deck. How much time do you want to fight for?¡± He asks as he breaks the handshake. ¡°Realistically, there¡¯s not enough time to fight and get the devil birds to get us back to Gull¡¯s Bay before eight. Give us twenty-five minutes to fight!¡± He answers.


    Gendross walks out of his quarters, beckoning for them to follow; ¡°Then let¡¯s get to work!¡± He replies with enthusiasm. Elio follows behind; ¡°Way ahead of you!¡± He returns the enthusiasm. They go into an elevator, Reggie presses his paw on Elio¡¯s cheek; ¡°Hey, Elio. Elio.¡± He whispers quietly, getting Elio¡¯s attention. ¡°Yo, what¡¯s up, Reggie? Need somethin¡¯?¡± Elio asks. Reggie lowers his whisper even further; ¡°SO, I thought of a plan that might-¡± ¡°Save it for when we¡¯re fighting him. I¡¯m sorry for cutting you off, but Gendross can hear your whisper.¡± Elio interrupts him.


    ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Gendross chimes in bluntly. Reggie turns his neck to Gendross so quickly that he loses balance and falls off Elio¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Elio, how were you able to tell that he could hear me? I was dead silent! Gendross doesn¡¯t have ears either!¡± Reggie asks in surprise. ¡°Well, that may be true, but us Jovians have the ability to detect mid-level to even miniscule frequencies that are close by. You could be as silent as a mouse, I¡¯ll still hear you because¡­¡± Gendross taps the side of his head;¡± ¡­us Jovians have an organ known as the Statocyst, which is made up of small bones, similar to those found in the ears of primates, allowing us to detect sounds.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. Statocyst, that makes sense.¡± Reggie takes in the information as Elio smiles, holding up his index finger, chiming in with exuberance; ¡°Which, fun fact: it was discovered first in Jovians on Calisto when scientists practiced a hearing test on other Jovians using different frequencies. So being silent and stealthy isn¡¯t exactly the approach when dealing with Jovians, given they¡¯re crustaceans.¡± ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t win this fight, you could always try to get a zoology degree. I can see why you were able to reach your way back here from the devil birds.¡± Gendross responds.


    May 31st, 2018. 7:50 PM.


    Elio and Reggie stand on their side of the deck, Elio presses his fists together, taking a deep breath and exhaling steam from his mouth. ¡°Ok Gendross, we¡¯re ready!¡± Elio shouts across the battlefield, getting into his fighting stance. Gendross gets into a fighting stance as well; ¡°Alright! Time starts¡­ NOW!¡± He shouts. The timer begins counting down, as Elio hears ¡®now,¡¯ he darts toward Gendross, speeding his way down the battlefield, he increases his speed and converts into a short hop. Barely reaching a few inches off the ground, he flies gracefully as his hop lets him glide all the way across the pond¡¯s surface. He reaches the other side, just inches away from his opponent, Gendross goes for a swift punch, as though he were expecting Elio to land there, but his advantage in speed allows for him to dodge. Elio Jumps toward his face and bends his knee completely, extending and throwing out a high kick, nailing Gendross in the chin.


    Gendross reels his head back in response, Elio lands on his feet, jumping up in an attempt to get behind him from above, but Gendross jumps up immediately after him, using his size advantage, he reaches up and grabs Elio by the torso. ¡°Not bad! I¡¯m definitely gonna have fun with this fight!¡± Gendross shouts in excitement, he spreads his legs apart as he moves his arm, swooping Elio under him, he lets go, just to grab him with his other hand as though Elio were a basketball. He then reaches over his head and chucks him to the floor, Elio hits the ground backfirst, bouncing upon impact and landing in the pond. He stops rolling and ends up on his stomach, he coughs up some water; ¡°Damn! We just st-¡± He gets interrupted as Gendross moves toward him to hit him with a lunging attack, Elio dodges out of the way by rolling to the right and pressing his hands on the ground, pivoting his body off the ground. He bends his arms and jumps up using his hands, leaping over Gendross and landing to the right of him, Gendross goes for a sweep kick, but misses as Elio performs a side flip, quickly ducking under a palm strike aimed for his face. ¡°We just fucking started!¡± Elio yells as he springs forward, bashing his skull against Gendross¡¯ stomach.


    Gendross exhales from the sudden attack; ¡°Woah! It¡¯s like an angry buffalo just crashed into me! Who trained this kid? More importantly, what kind of training did he do?!¡± He asks in a trance, Elio jumps back a bit, shaking his head; ¡°Seriously, we just started! You don¡¯t have to dunk on me right away! You have NOTHING at stake if you lose!¡± He continues to yell. Gendross just brushes his abdomen; ¡°I¡¯m impressed, Elio! Even if it¡¯s a soft-shell, you didn¡¯t snap your neck or even get a concussion when bashing your head against it! Though¡­¡± He gets back into his fighting stance; ¡°...I noticed that you¡¯re not using any of that heat you¡¯ve been using all day. Don¡¯t tell me there¡¯s a limit and you¡¯ve used it all up already!¡± He says in hopes of riling up Elio. It fails as Elio just jumps and tucks in, performing a quick backflip and landing in his fighting stance; ¡°You think I¡¯d be stupid enough to waste all that energy? Earlier when I tried using that on you, I noticed that you weren¡¯t burned at all, I was confused at first, then I realized it¡¯s that suit you¡¯re wearing. It¡¯s heat-resistant, so I can¡¯t burn you at all! That¡¯s why I¡¯m just sticking to my fists!¡± He retorts. Gendross rushes toward him.


    Gendross thrusts his arm for a backhanded strike; ¡°It¡¯s a shame you and Reggie didn¡¯t want to be Sky Pirates! Both of your tenacity are commendable!¡± He roars with excitement. Elio collides his right foot with the attack, he then pivots to the right on his other heel to land an elbow strike. Gendross blocks with his left palm, but without a second of delay, Elio pivots to the left on his heel again, throwing out three fast, heavy punches in succession. ¡°Thanks! Glad to see our efforts have- wait¡­¡± He pauses mid-sentence, confused, almost forgetting that he¡¯s fighting. Gendross takes advantage of the situation, slamming his palm on Elio¡¯s head, knocking him down instantly, Elio hits the floor and bounces up, Gendross then performs a short hop and spin kicks Elio, sending him hurling through the air.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Elio begins flying, about to crash into one of the many rock spikes coming out of the ground; ¡°Hold on¡­¡± He asks in realization; ¡°...Where¡¯s Reggie?¡± Elio backflips, landing on his feet and sliding backwards, coming to a halt. He leans back, doing a limbo as Gendross suddenly jumps toward him in an attempt to drop kick him into the rock, only to miss. ¡°Where the hell did the little bastard run off to?!¡± Elio shouts to himself as he runs around the rock and jumps to throw a fast spin kick toward Gendross¡¯ neck once he gets up. He tanks the hit and throws his arm to the side, smacking Elio to the ground, he recovers by rolling and dashing towards Gendross again. Elio readies a punch to his abdomen, Gendross prepares by creating an X-shape with his arms to block, but Elio baits him into doing so by halting all of his momentum through doing a quick hop with a spin, throwing off Gendross. Elio then gets low to the ground, spear kicking slightly upwards, jabbing the talus between Gendross¡¯ leg and toes. Out of instinct, Gendross¡¯s body forces itself to reach toward his foot to hold where it was struck, unintentionally bringing his face lower to Elio¡¯s level.


    Elio takes advantage of the moment by landing a heavy elbow strike to Gendross¡¯ face, quickly converting into a backhand strike with the same arm, he pivots one-hundred and eighty degrees, performing a horse kick to the face, pivoting again, landing another backhand strike, following up with a flurry of rapid punches, he then quickly builds up charge for his next attack, jumping up and performing a flashkick, knocking him into the air, ending off his combo by hopping and spinning, landing a thrust kick. He sends Gendross a distance, knocking him into the pond, while he falls down, Elio rushes over to a tree, jumping onto a branch and taking a breather; ¡°Ok, so what¡¯s my plan? Reggie dipped, I can¡¯t burn Gendross because of his suit, and more importantly, I¡¯m only hurting, but not damaging him. This isn¡¯t going too well for me¡­¡± He looks over at one of the timers on the walls of the deck; ¡°It doesn¡¯t help that I¡¯ve already lost a fifth of the time I have to damage him. Shit¡­¡± Elio ponders, unsure of how to approach the battle.


    Elio glances at the pond, watching him step out of the water as he begins searching for where Elio is. ¡°Wait a minute, that actually could work. There¡¯s so much stuff in this arena, if I¡¯m fast enough, I could make something sharp from these branches, then use my speed to cut the fabric, that way I can burn him. I¡¯ll try that, my options are waned cause of Reggie¡­¡± Elio grabs a piece of a sturdy branch and snaps it off, he hops down the tree, making his presence known. He bolts around, dragging the branch along the hard, rough surface, sanding off the bark, smoothing it out while occasionally rotating the branch to make a sharp wooden blade from it. Gendross watches Elio carefully; ¡°That¡¯s strange, he¡¯s running with only his left arm in motion. He couldn¡¯t have hurt his right, it was fine just a moment ago¡­ hold on¡­¡± His gaze shifts to one of the trees, he notices sap leaking. ¡°So that¡¯s his game plan!¡± He figures out as he takes a more defensive position. Elio stops in front of him, having finished making the wooden blade; ¡°Alright, it¡¯s all or nothing with this one!¡± Elio raises his voice as he takes a fighting stance, holding the blade with two hands over his left shoulder with the blade curving downward.


    ¡°Kendo? No, no if I¡¯m correct with Earth¡¯s cultures, Kendo involves you standing straight while holding the sword with two hands directly in front of you. I¡¯m weary, I don¡¯t know if this is a real stance. Is he proficient in swordplay, or is this a facade to get me to fall into another trap?¡± Gendross analyzes. Elio jumps forward and somersaults before pivoting to the right with his foot, jumping up with a spin in order to slash at Gendross, he blocks the slash using his palm, a small sliver of his blood comes out, staining the blade with a bit of blue. ¡°Wait, I¡¯m bleeding?!¡± He thinks as he holds his palm in front of his face, quickly looking back at Elio and dodging another slashing attempt. He rolls to the side and notices the pond¡¯s ripples; ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s so sharp! He must¡¯ve dragged the blade along the water after he finished sanding it, that way it could make the blade rougher! So that¡¯s how he cut me! But if I attack the blade¡­¡±


    Gendross thrusts his arm downwards at the wooden sword, making contact and snapping it into pieces instantly; ¡°...it¡¯ll break because of the water weakening its overall density!¡± He grins. ¡°Ahh shit!¡± Elio yells in response to his sword breaking. His body loosens up, as if he¡¯s lost, unsure of what to do since his last resort plan was ruined right then and there. Gendross reaches up and grabs a hefty branch, effortlessly snapping it off, he then slams Elio on his side as if he were a baseball, making him fly a great distance. He slides on his side; ¡°Damn¡­¡± Elio coughs. ¡°What the hell do I do now?¡± He gets up slowly. Elio¡¯s eyes focus on the pond; ¡°Time¡­ I just need time to think!¡± He darts to the pond, he jumps into the center of it.


    ¡°Elio, what are you doing? You have sixteen minutes left on the clock. I wouldn¡¯t be relaxing if I were you.¡± He raises his voice. Elio ignores him as he floats backfirst in the water, taking a deep breath; ¡°That last one really hurt my side, I just need to soothe the muscles real quick¡­¡± Elio starts heating up his body, slowly bowling the water in the pond; ¡°At least he¡¯s not wearing that fabric over his face, so I can stay in here for a bit to rest up.¡± Gendross notices the steam; ¡°It¡¯s just one shifty plan after another! He¡¯s gonna try and create a humid atmosphere in order to steam the entire deck!¡± Gendross takes the branch he¡¯s holding onto and snaps a piece off. ¡°I can¡¯t get in the water, so I¡¯ll just use what I have to attack him to kill time on the counter!¡± He chucks the wood chunk, aiming flawlessly and nailing Elio on the forehead. He immediately starts treating water, no longer floating on his back; ¡°Damn! Now he¡¯s throwing things!¡± He takes off his visor and looks at it; ¡°Oh good, they didn¡¯t get hit. I¡¯m glad about that¡­¡± He puts them back on. ¡°Good thing that wood¡¯s buoyant, gives me an advantage!¡±


    Elio inhales through his nostrils and fires a gust of wind from his palms, shooting him to the bottom of the pond, now sitting eight feet under the surface. He continues generating and releasing heat into the water as his arms cross; ¡°Hmmm¡­ Reggie, where did you go? I could really use your help right about now!¡± He wonders, annoyed, not even realizing his irritation is making him boil the water faster. He opens his eyes, looking up and seeing how more pieces have been thrown into the water. Elio leans his head back down; ¡°God, this feels amazing!¡± Elio has a light chuckle, some bubbles come from his mouth; ¡°Huh, I wonder how many slices of pizza I¡¯ve eaten in my lifetime? Does my stomach think all potatoes are mashed? Would pregnancy technically be a form of bodybuilding? I need to stop rotting my brain with these dumb questions! Besides, my side¡¯s feeling much better now!¡±


    Elio gets up and springs out of the water gracefully, performing slow backflip twists with his legs straight and arms spread out, spinning as though he were a helicopter. He lands on the ground by the steaming pond, taking a bow before quickly getting back in his fighting stance; ¡°Let¡¯s keep going!¡± Elio shouts with an insane grin, approaching Gendross at a much faster speed. He throws an incredibly fast punch, Gendross blocks as his eyes widen in shock; ¡°Wait, there¡¯s so much more power! I get that he¡¯s faster now, but¡­¡± Gendross experiments by throwing a punch, Elio blocks it just by punching his fist. They begin exchanging blows, their fists colliding and hurting both of their knuckles, they jump back to create space. Elio rolls his wrist a bit, letting it pop, Gendross stares dead at him; ¡°So his plan wasn¡¯t to turn the deck into a steam bath, he wanted to heat himself up to have his body¡¯s volume increase, making his strikes more powerful alongside the speed increase!¡± Gendross realizes. Elio hops onto one foot, side stepping at blinding speed, moving toward Gendross, he gets on guard, crossing his arms to block the incoming attack, but Elio steps to the left diagonally, landing on his left foot and immediately side stepping toward Gendross¡¯ side, using his right arm to perform an elbow jab. Gendross weaves out of the way and reacts by trying to slam his arm down at him, Elio quickly responds by holding his palm up to the ceiling, firing a gust of wind and shooting himself to the ground, avoiding the strike. Elio lands on his back and quickly springs up and kicks Gendross in the chest after leaving his upper body exposed, Elio bounces off from his own kick, backflipping several times.


    Gendross is stunned from how Elio moves around, Elio takes notice of his surprise through his heat detection and holds his arms out, propelling himself with another gust of wind, changing his backflip into a frontflip dive. He hits the ground and rolls upon landing, proceeding to jump out of his roll and performing a helicopter kick, striking Gendross in the head. He lands behind him, quickly horse kicking Gendross in the calf, Gendross turns to spin kick Elio, but Elio jumps back, rolling over Gendross¡¯ shoulder as he turns around. He lands behind him again, thrust kicking Gendross in the back, he then does a spinning short hop before landing and sliding under Gendross¡¯ legs. He gets up and jumps, high-kicking him in the face once more, then he converts into an axe kick with the same foot, ending his string of attacks by flipping with the momentum of his attack to land another axe kick with the opposite foot.


    Elio lands on his feet, taking a deep breath; ¡°Surely you felt that one!¡± He shouts with an edge to his voice. Gendross rubs his chin; ¡°Yeah, it actually hurt a lot! A masochist would¡¯ve told you to stop, if they¡¯d even survive that kind of beating! Keep it going, maybe you¡¯ll give me a concussion if you try hitting harder!¡± He answers with excitement. Elio returns it; ¡°So then, you gonna turn up the head?¡± He asks confidently. Gendross takes a step forward, Elio reacts by using his speed to get around him for an attack, but Gendross reacts much quicker, grabbing Elio¡¯s torso and slamming him on the ground, Elio gasps from the impact. ¡°That answer your question?¡± Gendross smugly asks, he then drags him along the floor, turning around and throwing him. Elio tumbles for a bit, trying to get up, but is stopped as Gendross grabs him by the legs, holding him upside down as Elio coughs up some dirt. ¡°Damn¡­ caught in his web. I thought I was close, but that was far from the truth, and now I¡¯m out of options. Shit, what to do-¡± Elio¡¯s thoughts are interrupted as he hears the sounds of clothes being torn; ¡°Huh?¡± He asks in surprise and confusion. He tilts his head and notices a large, fuzzy green tail, his eyes follow and he sees Reggie, standing on his hind legs in the Nightmare Form. His middle right arm held up, as he tears through the fabric. ¡°Reggie?!¡± Elio asks in shock at his sudden appearance.

 Chapter 10 - Reggie Joins The Fray!

    May 31st, 2018. 8:05 PM.


    Elio watches as the top part of Gendross¡¯ suit falls off, they stand frozen in place, a long silence dwelling over them. ¡°There we go, just as I hoped!¡± Reggie proudly states as he turns back to normal, running over to Elio. He sits down, hoping to be rewarded with chin strokes. ¡°Gendross¡­ could you give me a moment?¡± Elio asks. Before Gendross can answer, Elio grabs Reggie by the nape and yanks him up, scowling at him; ¡°Where the fuck were you?! I almost got knocked out at five different points during the fight! I could¡¯ve used your help, y¡¯know?!¡± Elio shouts angrily.


    Reggie squirms in reaction to his anger, his words scrambling as he tries to explain; ¡°I can explain! It has to do with earlier! I tried whispering to you the plan, and that¡¯s when you told me not to say it because of that statocyst thingy! So I changed the plan by just ditching for a bit, that way I could get the drop on Gendross while he was busy fighting you!¡± He explains frantically. Elio takes a deep breath and exhales, setting Reggie down gently; ¡°I can¡¯t stay mad at you, it did work after all. But just don¡¯t leave me hanging like that again¡­¡± Elio responds calmly, he stands back up, getting in his fighting stance; ¡°...for now, let¡¯s just focus on Gendross, alright?¡± Reggie shakes his head before jumping and turning around, readying his claws; ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s get him!¡± He answers excitedly.


    Gendross puts his hands up; ¡°Attack me whenever you¡¯re ready. Fair warning, I¡¯ll be fighting harder now, since my suit¡¯s no longer there to protect me.¡± Gendross informs. Elio and Reggie nod before dashing toward him, Elio picks up Reggie and chucks him to Gendross. As he hurls, he morphs into the Nightmare, adding more weight to the attack, but as he¡¯s about to collide, he¡¯s suddenly knocked back with a ton of force, he roars as he¡¯s sent flying. ¡°Reggie!¡± Elio shouts as he jumps in the way, spreading his arms out, Reggie turns back to normal, flying into Elio¡¯s stomach while curled up like a ball. ¡°Oomph!¡± Elio gasps from the sudden impact, he hits the ground and slides, hitting a rock headfirst, as he stops, his head drips blood.


    Reggie gets up, confused; ¡°Elio?!¡± He shouts, perplexed. ¡°Are you ok?!¡± He asks as he starts licking the wound, Elio gets up and rubs his head; ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just lost about what happened. You got an idea on how you were sent flying?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know at all, it was so fast!¡± Reggie shakes his head. Elio stands up; ¡°Well, whatever it is, we¡¯ll just have to figure it out. Cover for me in case I get blasted back.¡± Elio commands as he starts running. ¡°Got it!¡± Reggie answers as he turns into the Nightmare, staying put.


    Elio heats himself up, his body steaming, Gendross grabs a small boulder with his hands and chucks it at him. Elio lunges to the ground, avoiding the boulder by rolling multiple times, converting into a slide. Reggie reacts to the oncoming boulder by slicing it with his claws; he keeps observing Elio as he jumps out of the slide, aiming to land a flying kick. Though as he¡¯s about to make contact, he gets sent flying as well; ¡°What the hell?! I couldn¡¯t see it either! Is he moving that fast?¡± Elio backflips, landing on the ground. ¡°No, he can¡¯t be moving that fast, I would¡¯ve not only detected movement by his heat signature, but I would¡¯ve also felt the wind from his movement. So what is it? What is he doing- huh?¡± Elio looks at his left foot, he lifts it up and puts his hand on it; ¡°That¡¯s strange¡­ my left foot is warmer than my right.¡± He ponders. He then looks back at Reggie; ¡°Hey Reggie!¡± He calls out.


    Reggie tilts his head; ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Does any part of your body feel warmer?¡± Elio asks. Reggie reels his head back; ¡°Warmer?¡± He pauses to think. ¡°Actually, yeah. The upper part of my back felt warmer for a bit. It cooled off, but yeah. Wait, did you figure something out?!¡± Reggie asks back. Gendross dashes to Elio, Reggie shifts his gaze past Elio. He takes notice and immediately turns around, dashing to the right to avoid Gendross¡¯ reach, but Gendross predicts his movement and kicks in the same direction he moved in, knocking him back.


    Gendross chases down Elio and Reggie turns back to normal, bolting towards them, he jumps up onto Gendross and transforms again, pushing his paws and jumping off of him, forcing Gendross to hit the ground. Reggie then picks up Elio with his mouth, careful as to not bite him. He runs off toward the rocks, dropping Elio; ¡°Still haven¡¯t figured it out?¡± He asks. Elio pats Reggie on the nose as he gets up; ¡°No, but I¡¯m very close to figuring out what he¡¯s attacking us with. I got a plan on how to confirm it.¡± He answers, quickly darting at Gendross again. He jumps up and throws a thrust kick at him, despite being too far away, he throws his shoe off his foot with the kick. His shoe flies at Gendross, and he instinctively knocks it back, as he does so, Elio notices smoke coming from his shoe as it hurls back at him. He catches it, his body being dragged by the force of its momentum.


    Elio pulls his body closer to his shoe and tucks in, Reggie darts forward and nabs him out of the air with his middle arms; ¡°Gotcha!¡± Reggie shouts upon catching him. ¡°Elio, you ok?¡± He asks as he drops him, though Elio doesn¡¯t answer, as though he¡¯s in a trance. Reggie licks Elio¡¯s face, the roughness making Elio snap back to reality; ¡°Oh, gross!¡± Elio yells as he moves his visor up and violently wipes his face to get the saliva off. ¡°Sorry, I was lost in thought. I figured out what it is, but, this might be the deadliest power I¡¯ve heard. And he¡¯s using it as a tool of defense against my thermal energy.¡± He explains himself. ¡°What is that power?¡± Reggie asks with intrigue. Elio puts his visor back over his eyes; ¡°It involves antimatter.¡± He says with anticipation.


    Gendross raises an eyebrow, surprised that Elio figured it out so quickly. ¡°Antimatter?¡± Reggie tilts his head; ¡°But doesn¡¯t that just explode whenever it touches matter?¡± ¡°When the two collide, it annihilates the particles through an eruption of energy, while also creating new particles after they¡¯ve been destroyed. Normally, it would cause a much larger blast, but this one was¡­ more grounded, a less powerful reaction. So he must have the power to manipulate the amount he wants to destroy. He could blow up the whole Levacean if he wanted to!¡± He rambles. Reggie¡¯s ears go back; ¡°Blow up the ship?! That¡¯s insane!¡±


    ¡°You can probably understand why the world refers to me as ¡®The Captain of Divine Destruction,¡¯ right?¡± Gendross interrupts as he gets closer. ¡°Most people don¡¯t even know or can comprehend my power because of how little I rely on it. When I do though, there¡¯s always destruction. You still have time left, so let¡¯s stop talking and just keep it going.¡± Gendross gets into an offensive stance, readying a punch. Elio gets into his fighting stance as well, Gendross suddenly moves toward them at devastatingly high speeds, not even moving his legs; ¡°Woah!¡± Reggie screams, grabbing Elio and jumping to the ceiling, just barely avoiding Gendross¡¯ attack. Elio looks down as he¡¯s held by Reggie¡¯s arm, his eyes widening as he notices how he had effortlessly crashed through over a dozen trees. ¡°He blasted himself over to us by condensing an explosion of matter! I couldn¡¯t even react in time, if your whiskers didn¡¯t detect that, I would¡¯ve lost right then and there!¡±


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    ¡°That¡¯s horrifying! I don¡¯t wanna deal with that any longer, so we need to injure him quickly! But with you not being able to burn him because of him exploding particles in front of us, how do you expect us to do so?¡± Reggie asks as he lets go of the ceiling, turning back to normal as Elio catches him. Elio notices Gendross is about to strike them in midair with another charge attack, he aims his palm up and fires a gust of wind, shooting them down fast enough to dodge the strike. ¡°Reggie, if I can¡¯t burn him with physical contact, then let¡¯s try blasting heat from afar! Distract him for me real quick!¡± Elio commands as he sets him down. Elio starts dashing to the pond, still steaming. ¡°Right!¡± Reggie shouts as he rushes to put Gendross¡¯ focus on him. Elio hops off the ground, gracefully gliding toward the water, performing a triple flip without tucking in, he then dives straight into the water and swims to the bottom to begin generating more heat.


    A large steam cloud coming from the pond begins to grow thicker as more heat fills the water, slowly boiling. Reggie morphs back into the Nightmare as he slices a tree branch and grabs the end with his mouth, he pounces at Gendross and swings his sideways, attempting to slam the branch into him, he quickly reaches up as well, putting his paws on the tree. Gendross reacts by blocking the branch and catching it, but despite blocking, he looks forward and sees Reggie sprinting at him in his normal form on the branch. Reggie leaps forward and turns into the Nightmare, using his sheer weight by ramming his head into his face. ¡°GAH!!¡± Gendross yells from the surprise of the attack and being caught off guard. Reggie takes notice of him stumbling back, he swiftly takes advantage by turning back to normal, only to do a front flip and transforming into the Nightmare again to stomp on him in midair, sending him to the ground.


    As Gendross hits the floor, Reggie lands and uses his top arm to wipe his head; ¡°Ow¡­ how does Elio not feel anything when he bashes his head into people? That hurts¡­¡± He complains. Gendross starts getting up; ¡°It¡¯s always fascinating to see pets mimicking their owners. You got me with that one, I was so shocked, I couldn¡¯t make an explosive barrier in time. You have my-¡± Reggie interrupts him by casually smacking Gendross on the head while sitting down, making him fall over. ¡°That one¡¯s on me¡­¡± Gendross plays it cool. ¡°That actually made me mad.¡± Gendross rolls, getting up and putting his left fist in front of him; ¡°Here, catch this!¡± Gendross shouts as he charges up, shooting his entire left hand off his arm, making it fly toward Reggie as though it were a rocket. ¡°WHAT-¡± Reggie¡¯s yell gets cut off as he¡¯s nailed in the face and sent flying, he slides on his side. Reggie breathes heavily after his slide comes to a half; ¡°G-Gendross, your hand¡­¡± He stares at his arm, seeing how Gendross¡¯ mucus-like insides drip out. ¡°ARE YOU INSANE?! I thought the conditions were to injure you! Why would you injure yourself like that and sacrifice your own hand?!¡± He shouts in shock, concern, and confusion.


    Gendross doesn¡¯t answer, he just moves closer to Reggie to continue attacking. Suddenly he stops moving, getting into a defensive position, Reggie leans his head back as a sudden gust of hot wind blows, his purr sounds like a motorcycle engine; ¡°Oh, that feels good. Seems like you¡¯re ready, Elio!¡± He says enthusiastically as Elio lands in front of him. His body steams; ¡°Of course! You put up a good distraction from what I can tell! Now¡¯s our chance to win! Eat his hand!¡± Elio instructs him. ¡°What, why?¡± ¡°Because, if you¡¯re sent into your most primal state from the Nightmare, if you smell something unfamiliar, then it¡¯s likely if you taste something unfamiliar, you¡¯ll do the same thing! So go wild! You know my scent even when you¡¯re primal, so you¡¯re only going to attack Gendross! Besides, I know how much you love crabmeat!¡± Elio explains with a threatening grin, Reggie¡¯s ears perk up with excitement. He quickly grabs Gendross¡¯ hand and starts eating away at it; ¡°NO!¡± Gendross shouts with legitimate fear as he attempts to rush over and grab the hand. But Elio steps forward and spin kicks Gendross in the stomach, knocking him back.


    Gendross jams his toes into the ground, making him come to a grinding halt; ¡°Wow, there¡¯s even more power and speed behind his attacks! Now Reggie¡¯s going to go on a rampage, these guys are insane!¡± Gendross excitedly thinks as he gets in a defensive stance. Elio picks up a stone and starts rushing to him, he chucks the stone; Gendross uses his power to destroy the stone, creating an explosive wave to send Elio back, but Elio throws a punch forwards, shooting a gust of wind from his fist. The strong wind being powerful enough to hold it off, Elio leaps through the smoke, reeling his head back and slamming it in Gendross¡¯ chest. He lands and jumps forward again, performing a helicopter kick with his right leg, then making a full rotation to kick him with the opposite leg before landing. Elio then stands on one leg and throws a flurry of kicks before suddenly jumping up and performing an axe kick to the head. He then slides under Gendross before turning around and leaping into the air; ¡°Borrowing your move!¡± Elio shouts as he holds his palm backwards, firing a gust of wind and shooting himself in Kendross¡¯ direction, drop kicking him in the back and launching him forwards upon impact. Reggie leaps at Gendross in an attempt to pounce on him; ¡°Shit!¡± Gendross mutters to himself. He then destroys the energy behind him to blast himself at Reggie, putting his arms out, he tackles Reggie, dragging him to the ground.


    As he shoves him down, they slide for a bit, Gendross slams his hand on the floor and jumps off, doing a flip and landing. As he lands, Reggie quickly gets up off his back and moves toward Gendross in a spastic, uncanny manner. Gendross prepares to block the oncoming attack, but Elio speeds toward them and jumps on Reggie, he then hops off his back and blasts a gust of wind at him, Gendross covers his eyes with his arms to avoid being steamed. He then feels cooler; ¡°Wait, the wind wasn¡¯t hot?¡± Gendross wonders as he tries to look back, only to see Elio performing alarmingly fast frontflips, he tries to dodge, but gets caught in a grab by Reggie¡¯s middle arms. Elio takes advantage of Gendross¡¯ distraction by clasping his hands together and landing a crushing hammer fist strike to the head. Gendross feels intense as a relentless throb reverberates through his head, accompanied by the sharp, pulsating pain with every heartbeat. As Elio lands on the floor, it¡¯s as if time stops for Gendross; ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!¡± He yells in agony from the attack. As he does so, Reggie lifts Gendross off the ground, leaning his head over to try and bite his head off, Gendross, in the heat of the moment from his head pounding, uses his right hand to grab Reggie¡¯s chest. He then channels his power and annihilates a particle in Reggie¡¯s skeleton, snapping Reggie¡¯s spine instantly. ¡°GRRRAAAAAAARRRRR!!!!!¡± Reggie roars thunderously from the pain. Screaming, he stumbles before falling backward and reverting to his regular form, passing out from too much shock.


    Gendross snaps back to reality as his eyebrows rise in horror; ¡°Reggie?! REGGIE!!!¡± He shouts in regret, knowing that he just crippled his opponent, someone¡¯s pet, no less. Without taking notice, Elio jumps up and wraps his arms onto Gendross¡¯ back, and just like Gendross, Elio gets caught in the heat of the moment. ¡°We win!¡± Elio yells victoriously; ¡°Wait! Elio-¡± Gendross is interrupted as Elio transfers heat generated from his body directly into Gendross¡¯, badly hurting, as well as burning him. A small steam cloud erupts from the attack, as it fades, Gendross¡¯ shell steams, the bright and vibrant color of it, now slightly washed out as his mucus-like insides from his wrist wound stop dripping as they become partially solid; ¡°...¡± Gendross tries to react, but can¡¯t due to the heat dehydrating him. Elio stands behind Gendross, he breathes heavily as that last attack took a lot out of him. He notices that Gendross is trying to move his arm; ¡°Wait, are you trying to point at something? Why¡¯s your hand like that?¡± He asks, confused, as he walks over to Gendross¡¯ right. He looks at his face, waving his hand to get his attention; ¡°Gendross! You¡¯re ok, right?¡± He asks with concern. Gendross fully points forward; ¡°Reg¡­¡± He utters sluggishly. Elio looks behind him to see Reggie on the ground, looking lifeless, he notices that Reggie¡¯s back looks as though it has a camel¡¯s hump. ¡°Holy fuck! Reggie!¡± Elio screams.


    Elio remains frozen in place as he¡¯s trying to process what he¡¯s seeing, but as he stands there, Gendross loses balance and falls forward, landing on top of Elio. ¡°GAH-¡± Elio gasps from Gendross¡¯ weight crashing down on him. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry¡­¡± Gendross breathes as he passes out from heat suffocation. Elio squirms to try and move, but can¡¯t due to the weight and mass; ¡°Come on, Reggie! Hang in there, I¡¯m right here!¡± He screams helplessly as he tries to reach him, but fails. He begins losing consciousness from struggling to breathe properly under Gendross'' weight. He puts his head down; ¡°Reggie¡­¡± He utters quietly, as he too, passes out from the fight. And just like that, all the fighters are unconscious from the fight.


    May 31st, 2018. 8:14 PM.


    The winners: Elio and Reggie.

 Chapter 11 - The Door Into Summer

    May 31st, 2018. 9:30 PM.


    Elio slowly wakes up  in what appears to be a hospital bed. He groans as he sits up, putting his hand on his forehead; ¡°Ugh¡­ did I pass out again? That¡¯s three times in one day.¡± He stretches; ¡°Well, it¡¯s nice to know that I¡¯m not injured.¡± Elio looks over to his left and sees a nightstand next to his bed, his visor rests on it. He grabs it, putting it on as he gets up, as he stands, he blanks upon remembering the fight; ¡°Oh my God, Reggie!¡± He shouts to himself upon realization. He bolts out of the room he was resting in, as he¡¯s rushing down the corridor, a member of the crew turns her head; ¡°Oh, Elio, you¡¯re up!¡±


    Elio swiftly stops on a dime as he hears her, he shuffles backward at a brisk pace; ¡°Where¡¯s Gendross? More importantly, where¡¯s Reggie?¡± He asks with a soft tone. The crew member turns around and beckons him to follow as she starts walking; ¡°Reggie¡¯s this way.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Elio follows her. As they walk, Elio yawns, lifting up his visor to rub his eye with his palm. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m curious, what were the results of the fight? How long have I been out for?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been out for over an hour.¡± She answers as she looks at her communicator. She notices how the second she answers, Elio has his forehead pressed against the wall, he lets out an exasperated sigh; ¡°Dammit, that means the tests are already over¡­¡±


    Elio then backs off from the wall; ¡°It¡¯s whatever, I really just wanna know if Reggie and Gendross are alright.¡± He adds on, seeming to have accepted that he failed the test. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re both alright. If it makes you feel better, you two did win the fight as you managed to injure Gendross.¡± She answers in a friendly manner. ¡°Well¡­ I guess I can¡¯t be too disappointed then.¡± Elio answers a bit apathetically. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m really sorry to tell you that the tests are over. But enough disappointment, Reggie¡¯s behind this door.¡± She responds as she presses on a button, opening the shutter. She walks inside, Elio follows after, the crew member holds her arm out to show Reggie. Elio stares at him, seeing that Reggie¡¯s hump from his broken spine is gone, his entire torso is wrapped in bandages while his right arm is hooked to an IV machine. He sleeps peacefully.


    Elio¡¯s mood lifts as he smiles, happy to know that Reggie¡¯s doing well. ¡°The little one¡¯s ok, but his spine isn¡¯t exactly healed. The doctors on this ship don¡¯t specialize with animals, so the most they could do is manipulate his spine back in place before it could swell any further- " "That¡¯s ok. That lets me know that he won¡¯t be paralyzed from the waist down.¡± Elio interrupts her. She smiles upon hearing his response, she then walks out of the room; ¡°Come, I¡¯ll take you to see Gendross.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Elio replies, though he stares at Reggie for a bit; ¡°You did great, buddy.¡± He whispers to himself. He then turns around to follow her.


    They reach the room Gendross is recovering in, Elio notices him relaxing in a giant ice-filled bathtub, leaning back and gazing at the ceiling while his arms rest on the edge. ¡°Hmm?¡± Gendross looks forward; ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake! How are you feeling, Elio?¡± He asks with enthusiasm. Elio pounds his fists together, returning the enthusiasm; ¡°Well, I¡¯m feeling pretty great, knowing that Reggie¡¯s alright, as well as the fact we met the fight condition! Shame to know it¡¯s way past time to be able to turn you in, so I¡¯m rather disappointed about that. But whatever, anyway, how¡¯s your hand doing?¡± He asks after explaining. Gendross just makes a brushing gesture; ¡°Oh, this? It¡¯s doing fine, it should take about a year for it to grow back, thank you for asking. But yeah, it¡¯s good to hear that you¡¯re doing well, but so what if you failed? Remember, I¡¯m still the Captain of Divine Destruction, so why not just take the time to rest up and turn me in tomorrow? With how wanted I am, they¡¯d love to have fighters like you and Reggie as heroes.¡±


    Elio¡¯s face lights up; ¡°Not gonna lie, with all the shock from today, I didn¡¯t even consider that.¡± Gendross shrugs; ¡°Eh, I can¡¯t blame you. Oh, by the way, I¡¯m assuming you already saw Reggie on the way here, right?¡± Elio simply nods as Gendross asks, his face becoming more serious. ¡°Alright then, tomorrow in the morning, I¡¯ll have you come to my office so I can show you how you can help Reggie. That sound good to you?¡± Gendross asks, sounding more upbeat. ¡°That¡¯s perfect.¡± ¡°Great! Well, then why don¡¯t you head back to the room you were in and get some rest? Oh, and if you¡¯re wondering where your backpack is, it¡¯s in a space under the floor, you can¡¯t miss it.¡± He adds on. Elio turns around and holds his hand up; ¡°Thanks Gendross! I¡¯ll do just that! Goodnight!¡± He answers back as he starts heading back to the room he woke up in.


    Elio puts his hand on his chin, pondering as he walks; ¡°I wasn¡¯t exactly expecting things to go so well, nor was I expecting things to go in a direction like this. Well, who cares? I¡¯m just glad that Reggie and I are able to be heroes by tomorrow. I just need to not let this get to my head, only beat him cause of that condition being met. But damn, I¡¯m ecstatic for tomorrow!¡± He walks into the room and sits on the bed. He notices a TV screen on the wall in front of the bed; ¡°Oh, hell yeah! Just what I needed!¡± He says excitedly, he looks at the nightstand¡¯s drawer and finds a TV remote as he opens it. He grabs the remote inside and hops back onto the bed, putting the blanket over him.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see¡­¡± Elio mutters to himself as he turns on the TV. He finds an icon; ¡°There we go!¡± He goes on a streaming service, entering his user and password, he goes onto the ¡®Continue watching¡¯ section, clicking on The Joy Of Painting. He turns up the volume; ¡°Perfect.¡± He says to himself as he sets the remote on the nightstand, as well as his visor. Elio gets super invested as he puts his hands behind his head; ¡°Man, Bob Ross, how do you do it? I can¡¯t do art to save my life.¡± He comments, slowly dozing off as the show¡¯s quiet, peaceful vibe gets to him. He closes his eyes and falls asleep.


    June 1st, 2018. 5:30 AM.


    Elio steps out of a shower with a towel wrapped around his waist, he presses his fist against his palm and dries off instantly by using his heat abilities; ¡°Whew!¡± Elio shouts, feeling relieved. A crew member taps his shoulder; ¡°Elio, get dressed. Gendross wants to speak with you in his quarters.¡± He informs him. ¡°Will do.¡± Elio answers nonchalantly as he gives a thumbs up. He walks back to his room, coming out a few minutes later, wearing a more casual outfit, most notably donning a backwards cap and an unbuttoned plaid jacket.


    Elio makes his way over to Gendross¡¯ office, as he steps inside, he can see him sitting at his desk, petting Reggie. ¡°There you are! Come here, Elio, let me show you something on the computer.¡± He orders. Elio walks over and strokes Reggie¡¯s chin as he looks at the screen, Reggie purrs during it. ¡°So, what¡¯s this thing that¡¯ll help out Reggie?¡± Elio asks. Gendross moves the cursor to an icon on a map of America, he clicks on it and it zooms in on a city in Nevada; ¡°While I was taking my ice bath to unharden my muscles and let water back into my gills, I had one of my scientists look for a place that can help Reggie. What you¡¯re looking at is a place called ¡®Violet Paradise,¡¯ it¡¯s one of the only places in America, as well as the entire Earth that has access to technology from neighboring continents, and it just so happens that the medical field there uses it. There¡¯s a procedure that can be done where they inject something into his spine that can accelerate the healing process, which will speed it up from three months to just one, alongside physical therapy, of course. Though as you were informed last night, they only moved the bone back into place, so it wasn¡¯t an actual surgery, so he¡¯ll still have to get that as well.¡± Gendross elaborates.


    Elio sighs in relief; ¡°Oh, thank God. That means it¡¯s guaranteed that I can help him out. And it¡¯s not even that far from here.¡± ¡°Yeah, anyway, that¡¯s all I wanted to let you know. Once you¡¯re ready, we¡¯ll be leaving so you can turn me in. So, are you ready?¡± Gendross looks at him sternly. Elio just gives a thumbs up; ¡°Hell yeah! I¡¯ll meet you at the Levacean¡¯s entrance! Lemme just grab my backpack real quick.¡± He replies enthusiastically. Gendross nods, he picks up Reggie with his palm, despite Reggie¡¯s abnormal size, he only makes up a third of Gendross¡¯ hand. ¡°I¡¯ll see you there.¡± Gendross answers.


    Elio pops his neck as he shows up at the entrance after a little while, wearing his backpack and holding the egg in his hand; ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± Elio says firmly. ¡°Alright then!¡± Gendross presses a button on the wall, opening. He looks back and sees a lot of the Sky Pirates waving him off, he smiles; ¡°I appreciate you guys for seeing me off. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll bust out soon, just keep the vessel safe until I come back. Then once the engines are prepared, we can take off. I¡¯ll see you all until then, stay strong and stay healthy! That¡¯s an order!¡± Gendross salutes, the crew saluting back in unison.


    Elio walks out, stepping onto the grass of the island, taking a deep breath. ¡°HEEEEYYYY! OVER HERE!¡± He shouts. Suddenly, the sound of wings flapping appear and begin growing louder, the group of devil birds land in front of him. Elio grins as he shows that the egg is in mint condition. ¡°?Tu huevo est¨¢ perfectamente a salvo, como te promet¨ª!¡± He comments. Gendross steps down the gangway, still holding Reggie; ¡°Was that you or the birds making that noise- holy crap, this is the first time I¡¯ve ever felt towered over by another being.¡± Gendross interrupts himself in surprise, looking up at them.


    ¡°Yeah, welcome to the club, pal.¡± Elio responds jokingly. He then looks back at the devil birds, setting the egg down. Elio uses both hands to point at two of the birds, getting their attention, he then points at Gendross, squeezing his own shoulders, his body language instructs them; ¡°Carry him.¡± Elio turns to Gendross; ¡°Hand me Reggie and spread your arms out.¡± He informs him. Gendross gently sets Reggie in Elio¡¯s arms.


    As he holds him, Gendross holds his arms out, the two devil birds start flying and grip their talons on each arm, lifting him up. Elio then crouches over, picking up the egg as well; ¡°Alright, you ready, Reggie?¡± Elio asks softly. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Reggie weakly answers. Elio nods and walks back to the island¡¯s shore to see that the Nauti Lass is still where it was. He hops onto the bow and looks down; ¡°You ok, buddy? I didn¡¯t jump too hard, right?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t feel it.¡± Reggie responds. Elio nods and walks over to the cockpit, setting Reggie down gently with the egg. He sees where he left the keys and starts the boat; ¡°Alright, we¡¯re all set!¡± He excitedly shouts.


    The Nauti Lass¡¯ engine begins to whir, Elio steers the boat and starts making his way back to Gull¡¯s Bay, along with the devil birds following him. As he cruises, he watches the golden sunrise gracefully ascend, painting the mountains with hues of warmth and promise. His smile widens; ¡°That¡¯s just beautiful! It¡¯s as though the Sun itself knew we¡¯d be returning and starting our careers as superheroes today!¡± Elio remarks ecstatically. He feels a sense of fulfillment washing over him as they continue to ride along the splashing waves.


    June 1st, 2018. 5:45 AM.


    The two reach the Gull¡¯s Bay harbor, Elio steers the boat back into its spot in the harbor and grabs Reggie with the egg, he steps onto the dock. Setting them down, he ties the springline onto the stern cleat, he then picks the two up; ¡°And now I take my air ride so I don¡¯t have to pay how much is that¡­ It''s been twelve hours since I rented it, so¡­ sixteen-hundred and twenty dollars. Yeah, I think with all that went down, Murphy can make an exception.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Elio looks up and beckons for one of the devil birds to come down, as it does, he hops on its back, Elio points to where they need to go as it flies up. As they fly, Elio leans over and reaches his hand to the devil bird¡¯s face, he taps its head, getting its attention. The devil bird makes a softer noise; ¡°Down there.¡± Elio instructs as he points at the superhero recruitment center. The devil bird nods, swooping down to the location, as it lands, pedestrians nearby jump back in fright, some even running away as a response to it. Elio hops off its back; ¡°That guy rode on the back of a devil bird?!¡± A stranger asks one of his friends as they keep moving along, jaywalking to get further away. Just as the people around Elio couldn¡¯t be more surprised, they see the other devil birds come down while dropping Gendross back first on the floor. Another stranger looks at him and quickly figures out who he is by seeing the uniform; ¡°That¡¯s Gendross!¡± The citizen yells, struggling to process the scene. Elio holds the egg out for the devil birds, letting them know they fulfilled their end of the deal, one of them grabs it with its talon, quickly flying away along with the others, back to the mountains.


    ¡°What the hell¡­¡± A stranger says as more people show up, shocked and bewildered that Gendross is just out in the open and seemingly beaten by one man. Elio sits on Gendross¡¯s back; ¡°Sorry, Gendross, just gotta play the part so it¡¯s more authentic.¡± Elio whispers silently. Gendross picks up the whisper among the noisy crowd; ¡°It¡¯s fine, I understand.¡± He answers in a low voice so nobody can hear him.


    The noise from the crowd of people taking pictures and asking questions captures the attention of people from inside the recruitment center. One of the workers looks down from a second-story window; ¡°Huh?!¡± He shouts in surprise upon seeing Elio sitting on Gendross. He stares for a bit before tapping on an earpiece; ¡°Boss, I¡¯m sorry to interrupt whatever you¡¯re doing, but take a look outside. That guy who tried taking the exam yesterday that had a missing report filed on him is back, and it¡¯s unreal what he brought with him!¡± He tries to maintain his professionalism. ¡°I already saw it from my office. Bring him inside, I must speak to him!¡± The man answers from the other side of the earpiece, sounding baffled and excited. ¡°Right.¡± The worker responds.


    The worker steps out the front entrance, Elio notices as he¡¯s petting Reggie; ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± He asks while looking up. ¡°Come with me, my boss wants to speak with you. Don¡¯t worry about Gendross, someone has already contacted the police to apprehend him.¡± He calmly answers. ¡°Cool.¡± Elio stands up and follows him into the building, they walk into an elevator, taking them up to the top floor. They step out and the worker puts his hand on a door handle; ¡°This way.¡± He instructs as he opens the door. Elio walks inside, holding Reggie close; ¡°So, you¡¯re the one who wants to speak with me?¡± He asks as the door closes behind him. ¡°Who¡¯s asking?¡± The man asks back while facing away.


    Elio tilts his head in confusion; ¡°Y-you.¡± He answers in a confused manner. ¡°You¡¯re not as smart as I thought¡­¡± The man turns around, Elio sees that he¡¯s an old man with white hair that¡¯s slicked back, possessing a bushy mustache spiking downwards. The man is in a charcoal grey business suit with a lavender vest underneath and a grey tie. His professionalism with how he presents himself brings out an intimidating aura for Elio; ¡°...please, have a seat.¡± He gestures to the chair in front of his desk.


    Elio raises an eyebrow upon being called stupid, but decides to say nothing about it. He sits down in the chair, immediately sinking into how comfy it is; ¡°Woah! It¡¯s like I¡¯m sitting on a cloud.¡± Elio reacts in surprise. He leans back as the man puts his hands together, resting his elbows on his desk; ¡°Now, I assume you know who I am, right?¡± He asks. Elio pops his back from the chair¡¯s comfort; ¡°Nah.¡± He answers nonchalantly. The old man¡¯s eyes widen a bit, slightly surprised, but he shrugs it off. He grabs a cigarette and a lighter; ¡°Well, I guess not everyone can know the same person. Hell, there¡¯s some people who don¡¯t even know who Mickey Mouse is- come on, work¡­¡± He says irritably as his lighter won¡¯t light.


    ¡°Need help with that?¡± Elio asks as he takes off some strands of his own hair, igniting them with his heat abilities. ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like that very much, thank you.¡± He answers, putting his cigarette next to the tiny flame, lighting it, the old man takes a puff. ¡°No problem, but yeah, I get that feeling. Not everybody knew me throughout high school, even though I didn¡¯t hide the fact that I have powers. Some people are just oblivious like that.¡± Elio steers the conversation back. The old man sees an opportunity to mess with him; ¡°Well, I guess that makes you one of them.¡± He retorts jokingly. ¡°Oh?¡± Elio laughs lightly; ¡°Alright then, what¡¯s my name?¡± He asks back smugly. The old man breaks character, letting out a small chuckle; ¡°Well¡­ you have me there. I¡¯ll go first then.¡± He clears his throat; ¡°I¡¯m Silus Drayson, an ex-superhero of the older generation. I run the recruitment program across the West Region of America.¡± Silus explains as he reaches for a handshake. Elio shakes his hand; ¡°Elio King! And the little one in my other arm is Reggie. Say hi, Reggie.¡± ¡°meerrr¡± Reggie mutters, seeming too tired to talk.


    He lets out a small chuckle from Reggie¡¯s noise, Silus then breaks the handshake; ¡°Anyway, with formalities out of the way, I¡¯d like to discuss something with you. I¡¯m sure you know what I want to talk about.¡± ¡°Well, of course. Let¡¯s just skip straight to the point. You wanna recruit me after seeing that I took down Gendross and brought him here. Am I in the ballpark?¡± Elio responds. Silus puffs before answering; ¡°Yes. I would like to recruit you, but specifically, I¡¯d like to know if you would be on board with the idea of you being a Five-Star Hero right away. What do you say?¡± He asks as he slides a form on his desk. Elio looks in surprise; ¡°Wait, are you sure? You want me, someone who you just learned about yesterday, to be a Five-Star? Highest ranking? Right off the bat?¡± Silus grins; ¡°Elio. I¡¯ve been recruiting people in the Hero Core since 1952, in all of my years of looking for people to recruit, you¡¯re the first one who has ever pulled the stunt of catching a criminal wanted worldwide. Something that even Four-Stars struggle with. Of course I want you to be a Five-Star, you show a lot of promise.¡± He explains as he leans back on his chair, taking another puff.


    Elio lifts up his visor and eyes Silus; ¡°What?! Since ¡®52?! When were you born?!¡± Elio asks, utterly baffled. ¡°1921.¡± Silus answers while raising his eyebrows in a goofy manner, as though he can¡¯t believe how old he is himself. ¡°You¡¯re 97 years old?!¡± Elio yells in surprise as he stands up and slams his free hand on the desk. ¡°No, but I¡¯ll turn 97 this July or August.¡± He responds with some sass. ¡°96, 97, whatever! I¡¯m just astounded because I didn¡¯t think you were that old! Most people usually retire when they''re like sixty, which you don¡¯t look a day over! Why haven¡¯t you retired yet with how old you are- wait, the fuck you mean ¡®July or August?¡¯¡± Elio quickly loses his surprise, not sure why he said that. Silus just shrugs his shoulders; ¡°Oh, I tried retiring 35 years ago, but I started going crazy. I just love working too much, so I decided I¡¯ll just keep running in my position until I¡¯m gone. Like Emilia Earheart, I¡¯ll die doing what I love.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, back to the question at hand. Would you like to be a Five-Star Hero? The pay could help cover the expenses for Reggie, he looks badly hurt, and you must definitely care about him, right?¡± Silus gestures at him. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll sign the form! That¡¯s enough to convince me.¡± Elio answers quickly. Silus has a genuine smile growing on his face; ¡°I¡¯m happy to hear that! You have no idea how much joy it brings me to see young folk trying their best and taking opportunities! I¡¯m excited to see what you can do for this world!¡± He replies brightly. His happiness being contagious enough for Elio to smile as well. ¡°Thanks, Silus. I¡¯ll do my best! Oh, and uh¡­ could I get a second form for Reggie to sign?¡± ¡°Yeah, of course. I¡¯ll hand it to you once you sign yours.¡± He replies while handing Elio a pen, he starts signing the form.


    Elio finishes the last part of the form by pressing his thumb in some ink and putting down his thumbprint. Silus takes the form and hands Elio another one, Elio writes down Reggie¡¯s name on the form, as for each signature, he just drags Reggie¡¯s paw and dips his paw pad in the ink, signing all of them by placing his paw print down. He finishes and Silus pushes a button on his desk, calling an agent. ¡°Take these, please.¡± He orders as the agent walks in. ¡°Right away.¡± The agent nods, taking them and walking out of the room. A few minutes pass and Silus sees a small yellow light on his desk blinking green two times; ¡°Well, you two are now officially registered as Five-Star Heroes.¡± Silus then reaches for a handshake. Elio shakes his hand firmly; ¡°Welcome to the Hero Core! Happy to have you two here!¡± He proudly states, which gets Elio to smile widely. ¡°Believe me, Reggie and I are thrilled to be here too! We¡¯ll do our best!¡± He excitedly responds.


    The handshake breaks; ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s time for you to be on your way, Elio.¡± Silus suggests, Elio nods. ¡°Of course! And thank you for giving us this opportunity, you¡¯re too kind! We won¡¯t disappoint!¡± Silus laughs heartily; ¡°I¡¯m sure you will. Now get out of here!¡± He orders. Elio nods and stands up, heading out the door; ¡°Wait! Before you go!¡± Silus calls out. ¡°Huh?¡± Elio turns around; ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Silus then holds his cigarette; ¡°You want a puff?¡± He asks casually. ¡°N-no!¡± Elio answers in surprise. Silus nods his head; ¡°Ok.¡± Elio then walks out. Silus turns around and steps out of his chair, looking out one of the windows and seeing how massive the crowd has become; ¡°This might be a doozy.¡± He speculates. Silus taps on an earpiece; ¡°Bring me the things.¡± He orders.


    As Elio walks outside the door, cameras start flashing rapidly; ¡°Damn! That shit¡¯s bright!¡± Elio yells as he squints his eyes while putting one of his hands over his face. Some people start getting up close, one holding a mic in his hand; ¡°Sir, you¡¯re the one who brought down Gendross, right? Would you care to give us your name-¡± His voice is interrupted as an egg nails him in the face. ¡°Wha¡­?¡± He asks in shock, some other people get hit with eggs. Suddenly, Silus shows immense vocal power by having his yell reach down to everyone on; ¡°HEY! GIVE HIM SOME SPACE AND LAY OFF OF HIM! HIS CAT¡¯S INJURED AND NEEDS MEDICAL HELP! HE¡¯LL LET YOU INTERVIEW HIM ANOTHER TIME!¡± He shouts as he keeps pelting the crowd with eggs, having a blast. Silus belly laughs and looks at the agent who brought all the egg cartons; ¡°Come on, Tony, throw one!¡± ¡°Oh, no, I can¡¯t¡­¡± He responds. Silus holds an egg for him; ¡°Do that and I¡¯ll pay for you and your wife¡¯s anniversary dinner.¡± ¡°Ok, you convinced me.¡± He shrugs and grabs the egg, chucking it as hard as he can and nailing someone in the head. Silus grins and pats him on the back; ¡°Now you get it!¡± He excitedly shouts as they keep throwing eggs.


    Elio looks up; ¡°Damn, what I would give to be up there¡­¡± He mutters as he begins walking as the crowd disperses. He looks up at Silus and gives him a thumbs up and smirks, Silus smiles and nods to him before chucking one last egg at someone. ¡°Hey, Elio¡­ where are we going?¡± Reggie speaks up. ¡°We¡¯re just gonna stop at the station real quick to see Gendross, then we¡¯ll make our way over to Violet Paradise. Is that alright with you?¡± Elio answers softly. Reggie moves his head to look at Elio, he then licks his face, signifying that he¡¯s fine with it, Elio nods and continues walking, making it to the police station.


    June 1st, 2018. 6:30 AM.


    He steps inside; ¡°I¡¯d like to speak with Gendross, if that¡¯s alright.¡± He speaks up. The sheriff looks up from some paperwork; ¡°I take it you¡¯re the guy who fought him?¡± He asks, Elio nods. ¡°I see, right this way.¡± He answers and gets out of his chair and leads Elio to Gendross¡¯ cell. As they get there, the sheriff starts walking back to his desk; ¡°Feel free to talk to him as long as you want, I can make an exception. Just don¡¯t take too long is all. Anyway, I have a lot of paperwork to do.¡± ¡°Got it! Thank you.¡± Elio replies.


    The door closes, Elio stares at Gendross; ¡°Reggie and I are officially heroes. Five-Stars, right off the bat. I just wanted to say thank you for your help, you saved our asses.¡± He whispers faintly. Gendross nods, not answering back with words to avoid raising any suspicion. ¡°I hope to see you again, as does Reggie. Anyway, we gotta get going, I¡¯m taking Reggie to Violet Paradise. Take care, Gendross.¡± Elio continues and begins walking out of the police station. Gendross stares at the floor; ¡°Five-Stars? Oh no¡­ those two are not ready for those kinds of missions! They better be careful or else they¡¯re going to be killed at a moment¡¯s notice!¡± Gendross nervously thinks as he takes a deep breath.


    June 1st, 2018. 6:50 AM.


    Elio and Reggie arrive at the Gull¡¯s Bay Metro Station, Elio gets on the train and quickly nabs a seat that he finds. He gently sets Reggie down on the table in front of his seat; ¡°You ok, buddy? I didn¡¯t set you down too hard, right?¡± He asks softly. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. Thank you¡­ So, we¡¯re heading to Violet Paradise, right? I¡¯ll be ok?¡± Reggie asks back, sounding weaker. Elio smiles and rests his head next to Reggie. He lightly strokes the back of Reggie¡¯s ear; ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re gonna be more than ok by the end of it. I guarantee, so just stay brave and power through it, alright? Reggie?¡± Elio answers with optimism. ¡°Thank you¡­ I¡¯ll do just that¡­¡± Reggie responds a little late. He then sets his paw on Elio¡¯s wrist, letting it rest. ¡°Hey, Elio?¡± He speaks up again. ¡°Yes, Reggie?¡± Elio answers as Reggie nudges his head on his palm. ¡°When I¡¯m all better, can you make some of that stuffed salmon that I really like?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll cook all the stuffed salmon you want after you¡¯ve recovered.¡± Upon hearing his response, Reggie closes his eyes; ¡°Thank you, Elio.¡± ¡°Of course, buddy.¡±


    The train begins to take off, the thrill of departing pulses through Elio¡¯s veins as the train accelerates, melding with the rhythm of the tracks beneath, propelling forward into the unknown with a symphony of anticipation. ¡°Hey, Elio?¡± Reggie asks as the golden rays of sunshine pierce through the windows. ¡°Yeah, Reggie?¡± Elio asks back. ¡°Maxi would be proud of you¡­¡± Reggie states. A warm, radiant glow spreads from within, filling every corner of Elio¡¯s soul with pure happiness and contentment. He smiles and closes his eyes; ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

 Chapter 12 - Violet Paradise: The Golden Metropolis

    June 1st, 2018. 12:50 PM.


    Elio groans in his sleep as he hears the train conductor¡¯s announcement; ¡°Attention all passengers. The train will be arriving at the Violet Paradise Gold Station in five minutes.¡± Elio opens his eyes slowly as a piercing gold ray of sunlight shines through the window. ¡°Geez, it¡¯s even blinding with my eyes closed!¡± He shouts internally as he subconsciously cover¡¯s Reggie¡¯s eyes with his hand. ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Reggie says groggily.


    Elio nods; ¡°Of course,¡± he responds softly; ¡°by the way, you mind if I prop you up for a bit? I just wanna move you into the shade.¡± ¡°Sure¡­¡± Elio gently lifts up Reggie and carefully sets him down so as to not hurt his back. ¡°Just hang in there, buddy¡­¡± Elio takes a deep breath. The train eventually comes to a stop; ¡°We have arrived at your destination. Please watch your step as you exit the train.¡± The conductor announces, Elio gently picks up Reggie with one arm as he grabs his backpack and steps off the train.


    As Elio steps foot onto the platform, he¡¯s amazed as he takes in the sight of the Gold Station being bathed in a shimmering glow of gold and boasting intricate designs that adorn every surface. The marble floors gleam under the soft light, while exquisite antiques punctuate the space, adding an air of refinement and sophistication to the bustling transit hub. ¡°I¡­ I have no words-¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± A soft, elegant voice interrupts Elio¡¯s surprise as he looks behind him. ¡°Hmm?¡± He asks as he looks at the person talking to him, her appearance carrying an air of effortless allure, her attire a dance between casual chic and relaxed sophistication. With a hint of mischief in her emerald gaze, framed by an untamed cascade of fiery red locks, she captivates with a style that speaks volume in its understated elegance. She¡¯s holding onto countless handbags.


    ¡°Sorry if I sound rude, but could you move, please? You¡¯re standing in the way of the platform.¡± ¡°Oh, shit, my bad! I didn¡¯t realize!¡± Elio steps out of the way, allowing for her and other passengers to exit the train. Some of them give Elio a dirty glare, but Elio just smiles; ¡°Sorry ¡®bout that.¡± The girl smiles back; ¡°It¡¯s alright, thank you for moving.¡± ¡°No problem. Oh hey, mind if I ask you something?¡± Elio asks in a friendly tone. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Do you know where the vet is? My baby¡¯s in really bad shape.¡± He asks while gesturing with his head toward Reggie.


    The lady¡¯s eyes widened; ¡°Oh my God, that looks terrible! Yeah, lemme check the address real quick!¡± She responds as she sets her bags down and takes out her phone, typing in the address. ¡°Alright, type in ¡®Culat¡¯s Pet General,¡¯ that¡¯s the nearest one.¡± ¡°Thanks, but about that¡­¡± Elio takes out his phone and shows that it¡¯s dead; ¡°I¡¯m out of battery.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ so you¡¯re saying you want me to take you there?¡± She asks, her tone showing that she¡¯s hoping he¡¯d say that¡¯s the case. ¡°Well, yeah, if you don¡¯t mind. I just figured you look like the type of person who knows her way around a maze of a city like this-¡± ¡°Yeah, I can help you,,¡± she answers as she looks away; ¡°no need to try and butter me up.¡±


    Elio smiles; ¡°That was easier-¡± ¡°But if I show you, I need you to help me carry my bags back to my place.¡± She interrupts his thoughts. Elio shrugs; ¡°Deal! Oh, and I¡¯m Elio, it¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet ya too, Elio. I¡¯m Julia. Anyway, let¡¯s get going, my arms are killing me.¡± Julia starts walking up a flight of stairs, Elio follows suit. ¡°So, tell me, Elio, what¡¯s your ¡®baby¡¯s¡¯ name?¡± She asks with a joking tone. ¡°His name¡¯s Reggie.¡± ¡°Reggie, that¡¯s a cute name. He looks like a Reggie.¡± She smiles.


    ¡°Yeah, also, you got a funny name for a frog.¡± Elio retorts playfully. Julia takes a quick glance down at her belt; ¡°Is that cause of the emblem on my belt?¡± ¡°The symbol of France? You might as well wear a ¡®kick me¡¯ sign on your back.¡± Julia shakes her head while accidentally letting out a laugh. ¡°Even outside of Europe, we¡¯re still the butt of the joke. At least tell me that-¡± ¡°Britain is worse?¡± Elio interrupts, keeping up the playfulness. Julia smiles; ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re gonna get along well!¡± She returns the playfulness as they keep walking; ¡°Glad to hear it!¡± Elio replies.


    June 1st, 2018. 1:05 PM.


    As the two step outside the station, Elio halts for a moment to once again take in the scenery. Instantly enveloped in a radiant glow emanating from the buildings adorned with gold and silver accents. The architecture¡¯s mesmerizing blend of sleek modernity and opulent extravagance, reminiscent of a grand casino. The street lights even have a resemblance to slot machines. Towering structures rise towards the sky, their facades shimmering in the sunlight, while intricate designs and patterns adorn every surface. The city¡¯s atmosphere is electric, pulsating with the energy of endless possibilities.


    Julia laughs at his daze; ¡°It¡¯s amazing, ain¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah! I¡¯ve never seen anything like it! No wonder people visit this place!¡± Elio replies loudly. ¡°This place has a lot of iconic locations. Anyway, the vet isn¡¯t gonna wait for us, so let¡¯s go.¡± She starts walking east, leading Elio through the bustling streets of Violet Paradise. While they wait at a stoplight, Elio looks at the pole; ¡°Hey, where¡¯s the button for this?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, there is no button. You pull that handle.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Elio tries to pull it, but it doesn¡¯t budge. ¡°Wait, why¡¯s it not working?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, if someone already pulled it, then the handle won¡¯t go down until after the walk signal goes back to the hand.¡± Elio gives a low whistle to her explanation. ¡°That¡¯s actually a pretty smart design!¡± ¡°Plutonians really are something else.¡± ¡°Oh, this is Plutonian technology?! Now it makes sense!¡± Elio replies with more enthusiasm, amazed by the creativity of foreign engineering.


    The walk signal turns on and the two start crossing the street. ¡°By the way, Julia, what is it that you do?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m a bartender at a Mexican restaurant.¡± She answers. Elio exhales; ¡°Oh, ?la comida mexicana es jodidamente buena!¡± ¡°?Verdad? ?Es uno de mis favoritos! Voy a ser honesto, es mejor que la comida francesa.¡± Julia returns the enthusiasm. ¡°I¡¯ll drop by there when I can, it sounds really good!¡± ¡°Sounds like a plan to me!¡± She responds happily.


    June 1st, 2018. 1:25 PM.


    The two finally reach Culat¡¯s Pet General, as they step inside, the veterinarian office boasts a warm, inviting wooden interior, adorned with an array of bird-centric decor and antiques. Perches and feeders accentuate the space, creating a tranquil atmosphere resonant with avian charm. Classical music can be heard within the building, adding to the calming atmosphere. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you outside, Elio-¡± Julia quickly turns around and sneezes into her elbow; ¡°I have bad allergies.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll see you outside.¡± Elio responds. Julia walks outside as Elio steps toward the front desk, he sees a bell and taps on it, though when he taps on it, he¡¯s greeted with the sound of a bird whistling, rather than a ¡®ding!¡¯ As the whistle finishes, a creature with the short, stout body of a penguin, adorned with dragon-like wings, sharp talons, and a long, sinuous dragon tail flies up to the front desk, perching down on it and looking up at Elio. A Plutonian.


    ¡°Welcome to Culat¡¯s Pet General,¡± the Plutonian greets Elio, its voice comically deep, it then continues as it immediately spots Reggie; ¡°that¡¯s a nasty hump that Martian Tabby has-¡± Elio reels his head back in surprise; ¡°Don¡¯t tell anybody, please!¡± He quietly begs. ¡°Calm down. Nobody will know about it. Here, we don¡¯t care about the species, we just want to do our jobs, that being to help animals, even if it¡¯s an illegal species. Nobody can listen in on us, this vet has signal jammers, so the government is fully unaware of what we¡¯re saying.¡± The Plutonian explains thoroughly, Elio lets out a massive sigh of relief. ¡°Thank God.¡± ¡°Anyway, that Martian Tabby¡¯s back appears to be fractured. Wait right here, I¡¯m readying for an emergency room right now.¡± The Plutonian begins tapping its beak on a keypad.


    ¡°The doctors are going to x-ray your cat in a few minutes. While they prepare, you can put your card right here.¡± The keypad rotates, facing Elio, its screen tells him to insert his card. ¡°This is gonna cost me every single penny, but it¡¯s worth it.¡± Elio puts his card in, and the screen immediately declines it, saying ¡®INSUFFICIENT FUNDS¡¯ on it. Elio¡¯s heart falls upon seeing that, the receptionist perches onto Elio¡¯s shoulder; ¡°It¡¯s alright, we¡¯ll still perform the surgery. We just have to keep him in our care until you can pay the bill.¡± ¡°Wait, for real?!¡± Elio¡¯s face lights up, feeling hopeful. ¡°Of course.¡± The Plutonian answers as it hops up, eating a bug that it spotted in Elio¡¯s hair, it then hops back down onto the front desk.


    Elio puts his card away before gently setting Reggie down onto the front desk; ¡°You are a lifesaver! Knowing that he¡¯ll be ok and all I have to do is just make the money while having all the time in the world to get it is a relief that I can¡¯t put into words!¡± He exasperates gleefully. The receptionist smiles at his happiness; ¡°It¡¯s best if you get started then.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Elio replies. He then puts his hand on Reggie¡¯s head; ¡°Well, buddy, we gotta part ways for a bit. I gotta do some work so I can have you back after your surgery. You¡¯re in good hands.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a¡­ relief. Good luck, Elio¡­¡± Reggie responds sluggishly, but optimistically. ¡°Thanks, Reggie,¡± Elio turns around and starts walking out; ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon!¡± He then leaves the building.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Julia, currently leaning with her back against the wall, spots Elio; ¡°So¡­ how¡¯d it go?¡± She asks. Elio simply makes an x-mark with his arms; ¡°Oh¡­ not enough money? I¡¯m sorry to hear about that.¡± ¡°Eh, it¡¯s cool, I¡¯ll just have to get a job to make enough.¡± Elio responds while waving it off. ¡°Well, if it¡¯s a job you need, I could bring you to the restaurant and ask my boss if he could hire you. AFTER we bring my stuff back to my apartment, speaking of which,¡± she holds out one of her arms; ¡°you get the heavier half.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡± Elio answers back casually, grabbing the bags and holding them. ¡°You¡¯ve been more than helpful, I can tell you that much. I appreciate it, Julia.¡± ¡°Aye, it¡¯s my pleasure!¡± Julia smiles; ¡°Come on!¡± She begins walking again.


    June 1st, 2018. 1:50 PM.


    The two arrive outside the door to Julia¡¯s apartment, she grabs her key; ¡°Oh, fair warning,¡± she puts the key in; ¡°my roommates do a lot of pot unfortunately, so even when I keep the windows open, the smell refuses to leave.¡± She opens the door. ¡°Oh my God, you weren¡¯t kidding!¡± Elio plugs his nose; ¡°It smells so shit, it¡¯s kind of funny!¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s bad.¡± Julia chuckles while stepping inside, Elio follows suit. ¡°Anyway, we can just put the bags by the fireplace, I can just put this stuff away when I get back from work.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± He sets them down. Julia takes a box out of one of the bags, one full of scented candles, she begins going around the apartment, setting each candle down and lighting them. ¡°Oh, and you can just set your backpack down by the fireplace as well.¡± She adds; ¡°Now come on, I¡¯ll show you where I work and I¡¯ll talk with my boss.¡± Elio takes off his backpack and heads out the door with her.


    June 1st, 2018. 2:15 PM.


    ¡°Well, here we are, Cocina del Rey!¡± Julia excitedly introduces him to the restaurant as she opens the door for him. Her face quickly changes to confusion when she sees Elio holding the other door open for her; ¡°Well¡­ ladies first!¡± Elio laughs, Julia shrugs; ¡°Alright then.¡± She lets go of the door and walks through the one Elio is holding. Elio walks in after her. The air is filled with the aroma of sizzling fajitas and freshly squeezed lime as vibrant colors dance off the walls adorned with traditional artwork, while the sound of lively mariachi adds to the festive ambiance. Guests chattering happily over glasses of handcrafted margaritas, their laughter mingling with the clinking of glasses and the occasional shake of a cocktail shaker. The atmosphere is bustling, yet cozy, inviting patrons to linger over flavorful dishes and lively conversation.


    ¡°This feels like my place, like I own it.¡± ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t go as far to say that it makes people feel like they own it-¡± ¡°That¡¯s the thing, my last name is King.¡± Elio responds. ¡°Ohhh¡­ alright then. Well, let¡¯s get going. We still have an hour before my shift starts,¡± She looks around and sees a tall, chubby man with a cheeto mustache, wearing primarily dark formal clothes; ¡°and we¡¯re in luck, that¡¯s my boss!¡± Julia starts walking over to him; ¡°Oye, Carlos, hay alguien que quiero que conozcas. Est¨¢ interesado en encontrar un trabajo aqu¨ª.¡± ¡°?Qui¨¦n es?¡± Carlos asks.


    Elio walks up to him; ¡°?Hola! Soy de quien habla Julia. Me llamo Elio, ?encantado de conocerte!¡± He introduces himself as he reaches in for a handshake, Carlos shakes his hand, giving a firm grip; ¡°Encantado de conocerte, Elio. Tu espa?ol es fant¨¢stico.¡± ¡°Muchas gracias!¡± ¡°De nada. Dime, ?qu¨¦ puedes hacer?¡± Carlos asks with enthusiasm. ¡°Well, I¡¯m really good at cooking, like really good, stupid good!¡± ¡°I see. Well then,¡± Carlos faces Julia; ¡°show Elio to the work lounge, please. I like his confidence, but I doubt my customers would be comfortable being served by someone dressed like him.¡± He says with a joking tone.


    Julia gives a small chuckle; ¡°Sure thing!¡± She beckons for Elio to follow; ¡°Come on!¡± She gets him to follow after her. They reach the lounge, Julia starts rummaging through some clean employee uniforms; ¡°Elio, what size are you?¡± ¡°I wear a large, and my pant size is thirty-two.¡± ¡°Large, thirty-two¡­¡± Julia mutters; ¡°There we go! Found ¡®em!¡± She hands his work uniform, both the shirt and pants are charcoal black. Elio takes them; ¡°There¡¯s a changing room right there, so get to it.¡± ¡°Cool, oh, and Julia, thanks for going out of your way like this. I know I said it earlier, but I genuinely mean it.¡± Elio smiles softly, Julia returns the smile; ¡°Of course! It¡¯s the least I could do, besides, you were nice to me.¡± Elio nods to her response.


    Elio steps inside the changing room and comes out, wearing his new work uniform, as well as still wearing his shades. He sees that Carlos entered the lounge; ¡°The visor stays.¡± ¡°Well, you still look sharp. Anyway, here¡¯s your hair net.¡± Carlos responds, handing it to him. ¡°?Bienvenido al equipo!¡± He welcomes him; ¡°?Me alegro de estar aqu¨ª!¡± Elio responds as he puts on his hair net. ¡°Julia, ?no te vas a preparar?¡± ¡°A¨²n me quedan cincuenta y cinco minutos para mi turno.¡± She answers while looking at her phone. ¡°Entendido, Elio, ven conmigo.¡± Carlos beckons as he starts heading toward the kitchen; ¡°?Claro que s¨ª!¡± He follows while also giving a quick wave to Julia, which she returns.


    The two reach the kitchen, right as they do, an order comes in. Carlos takes a look at it; ¡°Carne asada burrito.¡± He hands the order to Elio; ¡°Got it!¡± He responds with enthusiasm. Elio grabs an apron and ties it around his waist, he grabs a bag of marinated beef and sets it on the counter before cracking his knuckles. ¡°Alright, watch me, Carlos!¡± Elio fires up the grill, as it heats up, he dumps the beef onto it. Letting it cook for a bit, he flips the carne asada with the flick of his wrist, the flames dancing around it like eager spectators at a fiesta. His movements are graceful, each turn of the tongs a carefully orchestrated performance. He adds a sprinkle of the restaurant¡¯s homemade spice blend, infusing the air with a tantalizing aroma that beckons other cooks in the kitchen to take notice. With a confident grin, Elio quickly slathers sour cream and guacamole on a heated tortilla before sprinkling shredded cheese on it. He then places the grilled meat alongside charred peppers and onions, arranging them with artistic precision before wrapping up the burrito at record pace.


    Elio hands the plate to Carlos; ¡°?Obra maestra!¡± He comments with pride as Carlos looks at the food he¡¯s been presented with. ¡°?Me has quitado las palabras de la boca!¡± Carlos exclaims, amazed by it. ¡°Buen trabajo, ?sigue as¨ª!¡± He says as he takes the plate and brings it out. Elio smiles, glad to hear his cooking being praised, time passes as more orders come in and he makes sure to give it his all for each meal.


    June 1st, 2018. 3:20 PM.


    As Elio¡¯s preparing a posole soup, he notices the time; ¡°Huh, that¡¯s strange, Julia¡¯s shift started around five minutes ago. I should¡¯ve seen her come through here when she clocked in.¡± He ponders. Elio then nudges on a coworker¡¯s shoulder; ¡°Hey, Debbie, I haven¡¯t seen Julia yet since I left the lounge. Where¡¯d she go?¡± ¡°Oh, she probably went up into the attic to talk with her brother.¡± She answers. ¡°Oh, it must be private if she had to go up there to call him.¡± ¡°Oh yeah, I forgot, you¡¯re new here. I meant that her brother¡¯s literally up there.¡± ¡°Wait, for real?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d say you should ask Julia about it when your break starts.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Elio responds as Debbie goes back to work. Elio resumes making the soup, his eyes widen as he realizes something; ¡°Wait, it just hit me. I know Reggie¡¯s in good care with those Plutonians, but¡­ I still don¡¯t know all there is to the Nightmare. What if he transforms after his back is fixed? He¡¯s never been around Plutonians before, if he catches a whiff of them while he¡¯s in that form, it¡¯d be a slaughterhouse for everyone there! Shit, I¡¯ll be sure to ask Julia if she knows anything about making money fast, I don¡¯t wanna risk having Reggie kill so many people.¡±


    June 1st, 2018. 4:30 PM.


    Elio takes off his rubber gloves and throws them in the trash can before hanging up his apron and stepping out of the kitchen. He walks behind the bar counter; ¡°Hey, Julia, you got a moment?¡± ¡°Hmm? Yeah, what¡¯s up, Elio?¡± She asks back as she¡¯s mixing a drink. ¡°I got two things I need to ask. One: how do I make money quickly here without throwing away dignity? Two: is it true that your brother¡¯s in the attic of this place?¡± As he asks that, Julia looks more serious. ¡°It must be dire if you¡¯re in desperate need of that much money, despite Reggie likely having gotten his surgery started. Though, while my brother isn¡¯t too fond of meeting others, he does know the ins and outs of this city. Tell you what, I¡¯ll introduce you to him after my shift.¡± ¡°Guess I¡¯m in luck, I¡¯m glad to hear that! Alright, thanks Julia, I¡¯ll get out of your hair now.¡± Elio gives a quick wave as he walks away. ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll see ya around.¡±


    June 1st, 8:20 PM.


    Julia steps out of the changing room, wearing her regular clothes again; ¡°Alright, you ready to head up?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m ready.¡± Elio replies, wearing his street clothes as well. He gets up from a chair, pushing it in. ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± She beckons, Elio follows her. Julia pulls down a string; ¡°Watch your head-¡± The steps come down, nailing Elio in the forehead, knocking him down. ¡°AHHHH, FUCK!¡± Elio shouts as he puts his hands on his forehead, he groans from the pain. Julia immediately crouches down to help him up; ¡°Elio, I¡¯m so sorry! Are you alright? That¡¯s on me, I didn¡¯t warn you early enough.¡± She apologizes. ¡°I¡¯m fine, if anything, that pain was more surprising than painful for me.¡± He stands up; ¡°Why are the steps made of steel though?¡± Julia sighs in relief, seeing that he¡¯s ok.


    ¡°My brother¡¯s super heavy, so he replaced the steps with steel ones so they could remain stable whenever he climbs in and out of the attic.¡± Julia explains. Elio tilts his head; ¡°Jesus, no offense, but if he¡¯s that heavy, how does he even fit in the attic?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll understand when you come up.¡± She answers as she¡¯s climbing up, she gestures with her head for him to follow. Elio starts climbing while looking down so as to not stare, he looks up once Julia steps into the attic; ¡°Hey, Ray, I got someone who wants to meet you.¡± Though she¡¯s not given a response. ¡°Hey, Ray!¡± She raises her voice to get his attention as Elio steps inside. Elio quickly takes in the darkness of the attic, the only light source being a bright computer screen. His eyes follow toward the screen, and he quickly looks away; ¡°What the fuck is on that screen?!¡± He shouts in disgust.


    Elio then looks back at Ray; ¡°Huh- oh, shit!¡± Ray closes the tab and looks at them; ¡°Sorry you had to see that.¡± He takes off his headphones and Elio gets a good look at him. Ray¡¯s physique is defined by shredded muscles, his dark skin accentuating a strong presence. His beard frames a face marked by a nasty gash on his left eye, adding a rugged intensity to his gaze. Freeform dreads, combed back, exuding a raw, primal energy, enhancing his intimidating aura. ¡°THIS is the guy who knows the ins and outs? You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me!¡± Elio grimaces at the thought.

 Chapter 13 - Plan Of Action

    Julia gestures to Ray; ¡°Elio, this is my brother, Ray,¡± she then gestures to Elio; ¡°Ray, this is Elio, the new employee, as well as a new friend I made.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ nice to meet you.¡± Ray says awkwardly as he stands up from his chair and walks over to Elio, slowly holding out his hand. Elio takes a quick glance at his hand while eyeing his surroundings; ¡°Well, his hands look clean, and the space here¡¯s tidy as well. I guess it¡¯s ok.¡± Elio shakes his hand, giving a firm grip; ¡°Nice to meet you too.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s his handshake so limp? This guy¡¯s weird¡­¡± They break the handshake.


    ¡°Well, now that you¡¯re both acquainted, Elio, tell him what it is you wanna know.¡± Julia says with a bit of forced enthusiasm. ¡°Right, anyway, Ray, what I wanna know is how do I make money here quickly? Julia told me you know this city like the back of your hand, so surely you must know some way to make easy money.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Ray responds, sounding disappointed. He takes a deep breath; ¡°How important is it?¡± ¡°My cat is having surgery for his back, but since I¡¯m not from here, I don¡¯t have enough to pay for it. And I don¡¯t wanna have to be working here for who knows how long, just to get back on the road.¡± ¡°Sorry about your cat, but you¡¯re just gonna have to work for that.¡± Ray quickly shuts him down. ¡°Wait what-¡± Elio tries to question him, but sees that Ray¡¯s already left the attic.


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re kidding me, right?¡± Elio asks as he looks at Julia. She sighs; ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to him. He¡¯s¡­ complicated, I¡¯ll try to see what I can do to convince him. Just wait here.¡± She starts climbing out of the attic. She leaves through the backdoor of the restaurant, entering a somewhat dingy alleyway, where she sees Ray, sitting against a wall. Julia crosses her arms; ¡°Ray¡­ how long are you going to keep this up? I hate seeing you cooped up in that attic all day. Seriously, everyday when I see you up there, you¡¯re looking at some new weird thing on the internet.¡± ¡°Believe me, Elio looks like a nice person, but I¡¯m not about to go back to that just to help him with something he can do by just working.¡± Ray retorts while leaning his head back.


    Julia sighs before crouching down to his level; ¡°I know, and I want you to know that I¡¯m not trying to make you feel bad. It¡¯s just, you¡¯ve been like this for three years now, and it worries me to no end. I don¡¯t know how much more I can help, but you can only get better if you¡¯re willing to put in the work to help yourself,¡± she puts her hand on his shoulder; ¡°at least consider that, please? I want you to get back up on your feet, but nobody can help you if you can¡¯t help yourself.¡± She pleas as she looks him in the eye. ¡°No. I just don¡¯t want to risk that again. I just wanna be alone right now.¡± He responds tiredly. ¡°Alright, if that¡¯s what you want¡­¡± Julia stands up and starts walking back inside, she takes one last look at Ray before opening the door; ¡°As if you¡¯re not alone enough. Dammit, I didn¡¯t even say that aloud and I feel bad for thinking that.¡±


    June 1st, 2018. 8:30 PM.


    Elio meditates in the attic before hearing footsteps; ¡°Hmm?¡± He looks down, seeing Julia, right as he¡¯s about to ask how it went, he notices her face. Her eyes are desperately trying to hold back tears; ¡°Oh¡­¡± Elio frowns. ¡°What exactly did he say?¡± ¡°He just blew it off, saying he wants to be alone¡­¡± Julia sighs, ¡°it¡¯s to the point where I genuinely don¡¯t know what to do, and it¡¯s frustrating me. I feel like I¡¯m losing hope, despite sacrificing so much of my time to help him.¡± She vents as she gets inside the attic, she then sits next to Elio. ¡°Wait, what¡¯s happening with him, exactly? From how he looks, I assumed he was pretty well off, given his build, how tidy the attic is-¡± ¡°I know, I know. Just¡­ he¡¯s been through a lot, and I don¡¯t know how to help him¡­ he may not look it, but he¡¯s depressed, and as much as I don¡¯t want to imagine it, I fear he might be suicidal¡­¡± She stops as she feels herself about to cry.


    Elio quickly picks up her heat signature, sensing that she¡¯s trying to fight back her tears; ¡°Shit, I didn¡¯t know it was that bad. Lemme talk to him again, from what I just heard in your voice, him helping me would help himself as well. I¡¯ll make damn sure that he tries to help me.¡± ¡°Elio¡­¡± Julia says in soft surprise. ¡°Hold back those tears for now, let them fall when the time is right. If him helping me help Reggie means that it¡¯ll help him, then I¡¯ll gladly help him out.¡± Elio stands up. ¡°Wait right here, I¡¯ll talk to him.¡± He then hops down from the attic before she can respond. Julia lets out a hopeful smile.


    Ray hears the backdoor open; ¡°I already said-¡± ¡°Yeah, about that, there¡¯s some things I need to tell you, and they¡¯re exactly why I need your help on it.¡± Elio cuts him off, sounding incredibly stern and serious. Ray quickly picks up his tone; ¡°What things?¡± He asks, trying to sound aloof, but his curiosity gets the best of him. Elio pounds the side of his fist on the wall; ¡°My cat. I already told you earlier why I need money, here¡¯s the thing, I was originally planning on working. I was fine with that, till something hit me.¡± ¡°And that is¡­¡± Elio pounds his fist on the wall again; ¡°I¡¯m a superhero, and so is my cat. He recently got injected with a thing called The Nightmare Serum, which granted him the power to turn into a giant, ferocious beast. He can control it and transform into it and back at will, but in that form, a huge drawback is if he picks up a scent or taste he¡¯s unfamiliar with, he goes into a primal rage. That vet he¡¯s at, he¡¯s never been around Plutonians before, so if he sniffs them once while turning into the Nightmare after his surgery, it¡¯ll be a massacre.¡± He explains.


    Ray stares at him for a bit before doing a double-take; ¡°Wait, huh?! Are you serious?!¡± ¡°And I know that the only way for you to help yourself is to step out of your comfort zone. Think about it, helping me would also be helping yourself. Does the sound of getting better not sound good? In a way, I¡¯d be helping you as well, it¡¯s a mutual benefit!¡± Elio finishes explaining while looking at him with a crazed grin. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Ray groans, really trying to figure out if he actually wants to go through with helping Elio. ¡°Oh, and most importantly for you¡­¡± Elio slams his hand against the wall one more time to emphasize his point; ¡°this benefits Julia!¡±


    A small silence dwells, Ray stops looking at the ground and faces Elio, he stands up; ¡°Are you sure this will help her out?¡± ¡°As sure as I can be!¡± Elio smiles. Ray, finally smiling, stops contemplating. ¡°I feel awful about how I¡¯ve been acting. So knowing that there might be a way for me to get back on my feet and take that weight off her shoulders, how could I turn down the offer?¡± Ray offers his hand for a handshake. Elio shakes his hand, but then he immediately lets go from the crushing force of Ray¡¯s handshake. ¡°Fuck, oh my God, that fucking hurt!¡± Elio shouts as he rolls his wrist, making sure his hand¡¯s alright. ¡°What¡¯s with the vice grip?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that, it¡¯s why I always just give limp handshakes-¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying that was a regular grip?!¡± ¡°Yeah, I apologize about that. The thought of not leeching off my sister any longer got me all giddy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, I just wasn¡¯t expecting that. Damn, I feel like Curley from Of Mice And Men!¡± Elio comments. Ray has a light chuckle; ¡°That¡¯s a sad book. But yeah, meet me in the attic tomorrow at eight in the morning. I¡¯ll fill you in on the details then. Till then, I¡¯m just gonna chill out here for a bit longer. You can head out if you want.¡± ¡°Alright, cool! I¡¯ll see you then!¡± Elio responds happily before walking back inside. Ray smiles; ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Julia, but I guess it¡¯s better late than never. I¡¯ll make sure to make it up to you.¡±


    June 1st, 2018. 8:40 PM.


    Elio climbs up the attic, he pokes his head inside; ¡°It¡¯s a go!¡± ¡°Ray agreed?!¡± Julia asks with excitement and optimism. ¡°Hell yeah!¡± He returns the excitement. ¡°Oh my God, thank you, Elio!¡± Julia squeals as she kneels down to hug Elio tightly. Elio wraps his arms around her; ¡°Aye, no problem!¡± They hold the embrace for a bit longer before breaking it. ¡°Anyway, Ray told me to meet him up here at eight tomorrow morning. By the way, if it¡¯s alright, could I crash at your place for the night?¡± ¡°Of course! It¡¯s the least I could do for what you¡¯ve just done!¡± She answers happily. ¡°Cool, cause I am BEAT.¡± Elio climbs down.


    The two start walking down the road, making their way back to Julia¡¯s apartment, Elio takes a glance at a passerby¡¯s shirt and laughs. ¡°What? What did you see?¡± Julia asks; ¡°Someone who just passed us was wearing an off-brand shirt that had a poorly drawn Peter Griffin on it. It said ¡®Everybody loves a big guy,¡¯ except, Peter didn¡¯t look happy, he looked like he was angrily explaining it.¡± Julia laughs from that, pinching the bridge of her nose; ¡°Probably the funniest thing related to Family Guy in a long time.¡± ¡°Dude, that shit hasn¡¯t been good since like¡­ 2007.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so bad, it¡¯s giving me goosebumps just thinking about how bad it got. Seriously, look at my arm.¡± She holds her arm up to him. ¡°Oh my God, I can see the peach fuzz standing up! You must really not like anything past season six, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No, I do not!¡± She responds with a quick laugh as she puts her arm down. ¡°Hey, Elio?¡± ¡°Yo.¡± ¡°Off the top of your head, think of an unfunny cutaway.¡± ¡°Unfunny cutaway? Uh¡­ Peter¡¯s trying to climb the flagpole in Mario, but the joke is he can¡¯t climb it because he¡¯s fat. Oh, and there¡¯s a poorly drawn Princess Peach looking at him, Peter gives up and looks at her, then he says ¡®Well, are you gonna fuck me anyway?¡¯¡± Elio answers. ¡°Yeah, that sounds like modern Family Guy.¡± Julia grimaces.


    June 1st: 2018. 8:55 PM.


    Elio coughs as he steps inside the apartment; ¡°I thought you lit a bunch of candles.¡± ¡°My roommates must¡¯ve blown them out since the scent for them is strong.¡± ¡°No offense, but your roommates sound like losers.¡± ¡°Oh, you have no idea.¡± Julia shakes her head, emphasizing her agreement. ¡°They both do pot, act like hipsters, and leave trash around.¡± ¡°Jesus, that sucks. Though I¡¯m surprised, we¡¯re speaking pretty loudly-¡± ¡°That¡¯s cause they both take sleeping pills cause of course, they have to have anxiety..¡± She explains. ¡°As if you¡¯re not the most stressed out person in the house.¡± ¡°Exactly! Anyway, lemme go get you a blanket and pillow.¡± ¡°Nah, it¡¯s cool. I got a pillow in my backpack, thank you though.¡± He responds while digging through his backpack. Julia raises an eyebrow; ¡°And no blanket?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t own a blanket, I usually just sleep without one.¡±


    Julia crosses her arms and tilts her head; ¡°Really?¡± She asks with slight surprise. ¡°Yeah.¡± Elio answers, Julia shrugs; ¡°Alright then. Well, if you¡¯re all set, goodnight, Elio!¡± Julia waves as she starts walking to her room; ¡°Goodnight!¡± Elio replies. Julia then looks back; ¡°By the way, don¡¯t worry about those bags, I¡¯ll put them away tomorrow morning, you just go meet up with Ray.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Elio gives her a thumbs up as he sets his pillow on the couch, Julia smiles before going to her room. Elio fluffs his pillow and sets his hat on the coffee table before laying down; ¡°Reggie, I¡¯ll soon have enough of those shiny doubloons to get you back. Just wait, buddy¡­¡± He smiles before closing his eyes to go to sleep.


    June 2nd, 2018. 8:00 AM.


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    Elio, now dressed in a red tank top and black joggers, pulls the string and makes sure to lower his head before the steps fall down. ¡°Yo, what¡¯s good Ray?¡± He asks as he climbs up; ¡°Good, it¡¯s the earliest I¡¯ve woken up in a while. Anyway, here¡¯s the plan, Elio.¡± Ray beckons for him to come over and look at his computer. Elio walks over and pops his shades up; ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± He asks as he looks at the computer, seeing two images on each monitor. The first, a colossal casino shaped like a majestic jungle temple, adorned with intricate carvings of roaring lions, slithering snakes, and soaring eagles. Lush greenery cascades down its walls while vibrant LED screens mimic cascading waterfalls, creating an immersive wildlife oasis in the city.


    The other, an atrium, resembling a lush rainforest, complete with towering trees, exotic plants, and a glass ceiling that allows natural light to filter through. Guests are greeted by life-sized animatronic animals, including a huge tiger, a swinging monkey, and a colorful array of tropical birds, while the sight of flowing waterfalls add to the immersive ambiance. ¡°Well, that place looks like fun. Is that where the plan¡¯s taking place?¡± ¡°Yeah, this is the Animal Kingdom Casino. We¡¯re gonna take however much you need in order to pay for your cat¡¯s surgery. Speaking of which, how much did it cost?¡± Ray asks while looking at him.


    ¡°I think it said around twenty-five grand.¡± ¡°Not surprising, this city¡¯s inflation only keeps getting worse, so much so, a lot of working class people rely on the casinos in Violet Paradise in hopes of making enough to make it through the next few months.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Elio raises an eyebrow. ¡°Why does it keep rising? More people moving here for opportunities?¡± ¡°Dumbasses demanding higher wages.¡± Ray answers, Elio nods, fully understanding now. ¡°And this city¡¯s unforgiving and brutal when people can¡¯t pay up.¡± ¡°What¡¯s worse than getting evicted?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what leads us into the next thing I wanna talk about.¡± Ray responds.


    Ray pulls up a new tab, going onto a website meant for superheroes and their information, three hero profiles pop up. The first profile, a name that says ¡®Mig Acrid,¡¯ the picture below showing a tall, lanky humanoid figure resembling a bug, its brown exoskeleton covering its body with a tan underside. His long tail, adorned with spikes along the spine, tail, and forearms, adding to his menacing appearance. His face is dominated by four striking red eyes, giving an eerie, otherworldly intensity. A Saturnian. Mig¡¯s body is incredibly shiny and reflective, making it slightly difficult for even Elio to make out all the details.


    The second profile describes the man¡¯s name as ¡®Guerilla,¡¯ his picture shows that he¡¯s a muscular man donning loose, reflective attire enveloping his entire body, from head to toe. His headgear hanging down.


    The last profile shows the name ¡®Gastronaut,¡¯ his appearance shows his boneless body, giving away what he is, a black Martian. His attire includes a silver space helmet with a striking gold lens, concealing his face. He wears a sleeveless baggy suit in matching silver, exuding a futuristic and enigmatic presence. Completing his ensemble is a box-shaped jetpack.


    ¡°You notice anything about their profiles?¡± ¡°They all have a green ¡®E¡¯ icon next to their names.¡± ¡°Exactly right, Elio. This shows that they¡¯re part of the Emerald Faction. I¡¯m sure that since you¡¯re a hero, you''ve already heard of the four factions, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, Indigo, Ruby, Emerald, and Amber.¡± Elio answers. ¡°Good, so I¡¯ll make it quick. The Emerald Faction watches over the top left side of Kosmesen, meaning that we¡¯re in Emerald territory. These three, Mig Acrid, Guerilla, and Gastronaut are all especially dangerous. Not just that, they watch over this city, though I should be saying that more loosely. They¡¯re here because of the mayor granting them special rights in this city, speaking of which, this is her,¡±


    Ray shows a tab with a picture of her, her appearance showing she¡¯s a woman of Indian descent with long, lustrous black hair cascading down her back. She¡¯s dressed in a sleek maroon suit that accentuates her confidence and sophistication. ¡°Nasuka Khatri. These four, you want to avoid them at all costs. Those ¡®heroes¡¯ like to attack in a pack, so fighting them is incredibly risky, and if you piss off Nasuka or any other officials in this city, she¡¯ll likely have them go after you, and even if all three of them are beaten, someone is going to alarm the Emerald Faction, and the people in it are thirsty for revenge, so it¡¯s just a nasty chain reaction if you mess with any members. The key to this plan going successful is that we don¡¯t alarm them with our presence, if they detect what we¡¯re doing, they¡¯re going to go for the kill. Understand?¡± Ray looks at Elio with a stern stare.


    Elio nods; ¡°I understand. So, what¡¯s the plan to reach the top of the food chain? More importantly, nobody¡¯s listening in on this, right?¡± Elio asks with concern on the last question, crossing his arms. Ray taps his computer; ¡°Nothing to worry about. I have a Plutonian jammer chip in my computer, it¡¯s like a permanent VPN.¡± ¡°Oh good.¡± Elio sighs in relief. ¡°Anyway, here¡¯s the plan,¡± Ray pulls up the tab with the atrium, zooming in somewhere in the picture; ¡°see this door right here?¡± ¡°That ¡®STAFF ONLY¡¯ door?¡± Elio asks. ¡°Yes, that door right there, there¡¯s a ventilation shaft that¡¯s big enough for someone like you to crawl through. As for how to get in there without security spotting you on the cameras, you need to wait for this fountain in particular to spray water. Due to it being made of real gold, it has a reflective surface, so much so to the point it¡¯s almost blinding, the water only adds to that. When the fountain sprays, it makes a temporary blind spot that will keep you safe from the cameras. When you get inside, I¡¯ll reseal the vent so nobody detects it.¡± Ray explains.


    ¡°That sounds like a good plan, but¡­ where are the cameras? I don¡¯t see any-" "Those bird animatronics on those perches throughout the building are security cameras.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why we need to be quick. Now, as for what your job is, once you¡¯re inside, you need to find your way to a place known as the ¡®switch room.¡¯¡± ¡°Switch room?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the reason people keep coming back to these casinos. Unlike the ones you¡¯d expect in other places in the world, here in Violet Paradise, the casinos are legitimately rigged. You¡¯ll lose every machine, but at a random hour, someone from the switch room will make it to where the game will give you a one-hundred percent chance at winning. By doing that, people will earn a ton of money and hope that they¡¯ll earn more, and those who don¡¯t win will start gambling even more.¡± Ray elaborates.


    ¡°That¡¯s fucked up. Anyway, I¡¯m guessing I have to go into the switch room and allow you to win a game?¡± ¡°Yes, and my part, I¡¯ll have to steal some money to play the most expensive game there, the seventh slot machine. That one in particular gives more money than others, I don¡¯t know why, but it just does, so when I play it, I¡¯ll give you a signal with this.¡± Ray holds out an earpiece. Elio takes it; ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Alright, so let¡¯s review real quick. What are you gonna do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sneaking through the vent, finding the switch room, and waiting for your signal, all while keeping watch for those three that you mentioned.¡± ¡°Great! Then let¡¯s get going, alright?¡± Ray asks as he stands up from his chair, turning off his computer. ¡°Let¡¯s get to work!¡± Elio responds.


    Ray puts on a pair of sunglasses and opens his drawer, grabbing a dagger; ¡°Just in case things go awry.¡± He says as he casually twirls it before storing it inside his pocket, he then starts to leave the attic. ¡°Well¡­ for what I saw last night on that computer, I should just be grateful he didn¡¯t grab a katana.¡± Elio comments to himself before hopping down after him.


    June 2nd, 2018. 8:45 AM.


    The two walk in silence as they make their way down the road. Ray takes notice of Elio¡¯s silence; ¡°You¡¯ve been quiet for a while. You¡¯re not feeling anxious, are you?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just thinking about what to do after I get Reggie back. Not just that, I¡¯m also on the lookout right now.¡± He responds. ¡°Lookout? You haven¡¯t been turning your head at all this whole walk.¡± ¡°My power allows me to manipulate heat, and one of the things I¡¯ve learned over the years is detecting heat signatures, so I¡¯ll be able to know where others are. Martians and Saturnians are cold-blooded, so I¡¯ll be able to distinguish them by feeling out other heat signatures.¡± Elio explains. Ray looks impressed; ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be! That might just make this easier for us!¡± ¡°For sure, it saved my ass countless times.¡± Elio responds.


    ¡°So, how does it work? Is it like a radius?¡± ¡°Yeah, whenever I try to detect heat in all directions, I¡¯ll feel everyone¡¯s heat within a ten-meter radius. Though if I focus in one direction, I¡¯ll be able to detect heat much further away at the cost of sensing from other directions.¡± ¡°Alright, then start using that, just check each direction with it, switch every ten-to-twenty seconds. That should keep us from running into them.¡± ¡°Good idea, Ray.¡± Elio responds. He then closes his eyes, checking each direction. Right as he¡¯s about to check northeast, he senses distress in someone¡¯s heat.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Elio shouts as he checks east again. ¡°Huh?¡± Ray asks as Elio focuses. ¡°Distress¡­ it¡¯s lower than a man¡¯s temperature, so that¡¯s a woman who¡¯s in trouble¡­ two heat signatures right next to hers, both-¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Elio yells as he rushes towards where the trouble is. ¡°Elio?!¡± Ray watches him start moving, quickly trying to keep up with him. Elio sprints at high speeds until eventually spotting where the trouble¡¯s happening, inside of a black limousine; ¡°There it is!¡± He slides on his feet, coming to a grinding halt. He takes a quick look around; ¡°Damn, everyone¡¯s acting like they don¡¯t care, they just keep moving along! I wanna say they¡¯re awful, but I can¡¯t blame them, they¡¯re aware of what happens if they try to interfere! I¡¯m sorry, Ray, but I gotta do something!¡± Right as Elio¡¯s about to move, he feels someone¡¯s arms wrapping behind him.


    ¡°Elio, you idiot! What are you doing?!¡± Ray yells, sounding a bit worried. ¡°That woman¡¯s being assaulted-¡± ¡°I know! I wanna help her too, but even if we do, we¡¯re gonna have targets on our heads! And once we¡¯re busy having to deal with Nasuka¡¯s bodyguards, those men are going to go right back to what they were doing, and she¡¯ll have to suffer what¡¯s happening to her for even longer!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care, let me go!¡± ¡°You¡¯re acting off of emotion!¡± Ray retorts loudly.


    Elio starts getting angry with Ray and starts heating up his body in order to force him to let go. Ray takes notice of his action; ¡°If you¡¯re really going to go through with trying to save her¡­¡± Ray then lifts up Elio; ¡°you can forget about Reggie then!¡± He yells at him as he piledrives Elio to the floor. Other citizens watch as Elio hits the floor, he gasps from the impact; ¡°Damn! That handshake was already painful enough, I can already feel my head throbbing¡­¡±


    The men in the limousine take notice; ¡°Heh, you see that?¡± ¡°Yeah, that kid has no idea how lucky he is that his friend stopped him.¡± The woman hears what they said and looks down, completely defeated; ¡°Please¡­ someone help¡­¡±


    Elio lays on the floor for a few seconds; ¡°You¡¯re right, Ray¡­ if I act out now, more people, as well as the Plutonians, are gonna get torn to shreds.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ray reaches out his hand; ¡°I¡¯m sorry I had to do that by the way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s cool, you¡¯re just trying to help me and the others.¡± Elio takes his hand, being pulled up. Elio then dusts himself off; ¡°Ok, let¡¯s keep going¡­¡± Ray says hesitantly as he tries to hide his own disgust. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I just stopped someone from trying to help someone being assaulted¡­¡±


    Elio detects that Ray¡¯s lost in thought, he looks back at the car; ¡°What do I do? I have the power to stop them¡­¡± Elio ponders as he digs his hand in his pocket; ¡°Hmm? Loose change? Wait, that could actually work! First, I just need a safe distance!¡± Elio deduces as he holds a coin in his fist. He follows Ray while channeling heat into the coin, he eventually smelts the coin into a small metal sphere. Elio then turns back and closes his eyes, sensing where they are; ¡°There you are!¡± Elio then holds his palm out, channeling heat into his hand, aiming at one of the two men. ¡°Ma¡¯am, consider your debt paid off.¡± Elio flicks his finger, launching the coin and sending it flying like a bullet. In a flash, the bullet reaches one of the men, passing through his head, killing him instantly, his body falls over as the other man notices. The only sounds heard were a whistle in the wind and the sound of glass shattering.


    The woman notices the dead man and she looks at his corpse in fear, yet satisfied by knowing that she was miraculously saved. Elio stares in that direction, his face lacking all possible emotion; ¡°That¡­ I don¡¯t even know how to react now. I guess that¡¯s it¡­ I killed a man... I¡¯m glad I saved that girl, but¡­¡± His thoughts get interrupted as Ray looks back; ¡°Elio! You coming or what?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Elio responds while looking back at him. ¡°Right, my bad¡­¡± Elio then runs over to Ray. The two continue to make their way over to the casino while many blocks down, people are screaming at the site of the dead body.

 Chapter 14 - Fun And Games In The Jungle

    June 2nd, 2018. 9:00 AM.


    The two walk inside the Animal Kingdom, upon arrival, Elio¡¯s face lights up; ¡°Woah! It just got like ten degrees warmer!¡± ¡°It feels musty.¡± Ray retorts. As they make their way through the entrance, the animatronic tiger stands on a platform, greeting them; ¡°Welcome!¡± The tiger¡¯s eyes flash a bright light, taking their picture, Elio reels his head back in reaction. ¡°Enjoy your stay!¡± The tiger says before looking at the next person walking in, repeating the pattern. Ray leads Elio through the atrium, making their way to the escalator, they begin riding it up; ¡°Not gonna lie, you¡¯re right. This place is starting to feel musty to me.¡± ¡°Now you get it, Elio.¡±


    At the fountain, Ray waits for the fountain to begin spraying. The fountain stands tall, under the sun¡¯s embrace, the surface transforms into a blinding gold glow, scattering rays in all directions like a celestial beacon of wealth and luxury. Ray quickly gets underneath the blind spot and takes out his dagger, expertly and carefully, he unscrews the vent; ¡°Go!¡± He commands quietly; ¡°Right!¡± Elio crawls inside the vent. Ray then reseals the vent and pockets his dagger before sitting down on the edge of the fountain, slowly making his presence known to the birds as to not raise suspicion. He slowly gets up, he pretends as though the glow from the fountain is too overbearing, making his actions seem natural toward the cameras. ¡°Good luck, Elio.¡±


    Elio inches through the cramped ventilation shaft, his breathing becomes shallow in order to minimize noise. Dust particles dance in the beam of the light shining through the other vent grates as he navigates the maze of metal. His movements cautious and deliberate, every sound amplified in the confined space. ¡°Damn, this is getting annoying! I don¡¯t know how much more heat I can deplete from my body at this point, I¡¯m freezing and my volume¡¯s only just enough to crawl through here! Where the hell is this switch room anyway?!¡± Elio thinks, getting angry at having to be so cold.


    He stops crawling, closing his eyes, he concentrates; ¡°Where am I right now¡­¡± Elio begins searching for heat signatures around him. ¡°That temperature¡­ it¡¯s a man¡¯s, above average¡­ The chest area is slightly warmer than usual. There¡¯s no stress affecting it, so it¡¯s likely he¡¯s wearing something.¡± Elio ponders, he then looks through the grate. ¡°He¡¯s a security guard! That could actually work!¡± Elio presses his hands on the grate and begins generating heat to smelt it.


    Soon, the grate¡¯s edges become soft enough for Elio to push off. He crawls out and in a swift, calculated move, Elio silently approaches the unsuspecting guard from behind. With precise precision, he loops his arm around the guard¡¯s neck, applying just enough pressure to cut off blood flow to the brain. Within seconds, the guard slumps unconscious to the floor, incapacitated without a sound. He then takes off the guard¡¯s uniform and puts it on.


    Elio taps on his earpiece; ¡°Ray, I¡¯m currently in a locker room at the moment. I¡¯m dressed as a guard here, you can get started on getting the money. I¡¯ll find the switch room shortly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear! Just be careful, alright?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Great! Alright, I¡¯ll contact you again when I¡¯m ready to play the game. You contact me in case something¡¯s wrong or you don¡¯t understand something.¡± Ray disconnects.


    June 2nd, 2018. 9:15 AM.


    From the second floor, with a drink in his hand, Ray gazes at the first floor for targets. Through calculated steps, he weaves through the crowd seamlessly. As he approaches his first mark, he bumps into him lightly, apologizing profusely while his hand deftly slips into his pocket, retrieving his wallet without a hint of suspicion.


    Moving around like a shadow, he repeats the process, his movements rugged, yet precise. Each bump, each casual gesture, serves as a subtle distraction, allowing him to snatch their wallets unnoticed.


    Within minutes, he amassed a small fortune in his hidden cache, his skill unmatched in the art of thievery. Each victim, unaware of their loss. As he makes his way toward his next victim, he pretends to fall over, knocking a wallet out of a woman¡¯s purse without her knowing. As he grabs the wallet and starts standing up, the casino¡¯s monkey animatronic approaches. Standing tall on spindly legs, the monkey towers over Ray with an unnerving presence. Its wiry frame seems almost skeletal, adorned with faded fur that once boasted vibrant colors. With eyes that gleam in the dim light, it fixates on its target, conveying an eerie sense of intelligence beyond its mechanical form.


    ¡°Shit, I forgot that Jojo¡¯s a security robot. He must¡¯ve been following me around since I haven¡¯t played any games yet. I probably have more than enough money though, so I likely won¡¯t need her wallet anyway.¡± Ray thinks critically. Eyeing back Jojo, he walks over toward the woman before breaking eye contact, he taps her shoulder; ¡°Excuse me, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Your wallet fell out.¡± Ray answers as he holds it out for her. ¡°Oh, thank you so much! I didn¡¯t even notice, that would¡¯ve been awful!¡± She says with gratitude as she takes her wallet back. She flashes him a smile before going back to her friends, Ray¡¯s smile fades as he takes a deep breath; ¡°Yeah, that would¡¯ve been awful in more ways than one¡­¡± He looks back at Jojo, who stares him down for a few more seconds before going back to his routine of swinging around, making chattering noises.


    Ray walks inside the men¡¯s restroom, stepping inside of a stall; ¡°That was too close¡­¡± He looks into his jacket; ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see¡­ who¡¯s wallet is the biggest?¡± He looks at each of them. ¡°You should do.¡± Ray comments as he begins taking money out of each wallet and putting it in the biggest one. ¡°Now I won¡¯t have to worry about being detected using so many of them to play one game.¡± He hides them and then flushes the toilet to avoid raising any suspicion to potential onlookers, he steps out of the stall and washes his hands. ¡°I wonder how Elio¡¯s holding up?¡±


    June 2nd, 2018. 9:25 AM.


    In a state-of-the-art security room equipped with a large video wall displaying live feeds from the bird cameras, a man in a loose, reflective attire suddenly phases out of the floor, standing up. Guerilla looks at his surroundings, quickly taking in the features such as advanced monitoring software allowing for real-time analysis, facial recognition, and motion tracking. Access being tightly controlled, with biometric authentication and encrypted communication that ensures the integrity of the system.


    ¡°Guerilla?! When did you get here?¡± A security guard asks as he notices the reflection of the monitor¡¯s light shining off his suit and into his face. ¡°Just now.¡± Guerilla answers with a cold, quiet voice; ¡°W-well, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m on patrol, currently tracking down a strange character with Mig and Gastronaut.¡± He explains as he holds up his wrist and taps on a device, creating a holographic screen. The screen shows camera footage from the streets, showing everyone in the room that Elio had killed an official. Some of the people gag upon seeing a death without warning, Guerilla then closes the hologram.


    ¡°I need to check your security footage. That tiger animatronic, Rocky, takes pictures of all the people who walk in here, uploading them to security. I need to have a look at the people who¡¯ve entered here within the last hour.¡± ¡°Right away, sir.¡± One of the security guards answers, beginning to search through the computer, looking for an image of Elio. ¡°Make sure to check whoever was before or after him as well, the footage showed a dark-skinned man that he was following after he killed that man.¡± ¡°Is that really necessary-¡± ¡°Yes. Completely.¡± Guerilla interrupts.


    The security guard remains quiet as he continues his search, eventually finding the pictures; ¡°Ok, they¡¯re both here. That¡¯s all I needed to know.¡± Guerilla begins walking and phases through the wall. He taps on his earpiece; ¡°Gastronaut, Mig, they¡¯re somewhere in this casino. You two check around the atrium, I¡¯ll look through these halls. I couldn¡¯t detect the one with the visor in the cameras, so he has to be in my area.¡± ¡°Oh good. I was wondering when we¡¯d find the right place.¡± A muffled voice comes through the earpiece. ¡°We¡¯ll make this quick, I expect you to be so as well.¡± A phlegmy voice comes through. ¡°Right¡­ I forgot you have your breakfast waiting.¡± Guerilla answers back


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Elio makes his way through the halls, eventually coming across the switch room; ¡°Wait¡­¡± He eyes the door, seeing that there¡¯s a handprint and eye scanner. ¡°I could knock out a guard and use the body to get in there, but I could just breach it by heating up the door enough. But¡­ that¡¯d make the plan more obvious, but¡­ if I wait here till someone shows up, Ray¡¯s more likely to get spotted. Shit, I¡¯ll just go through with it.¡± Elio decides, pressing his hands against the door. As he begins heating it up, a gun muzzle for a rifle phases out slowly behind him from the floor.


    Ray arrives in front of Slot Machine #7, he digs through his jacket, finding the wallet and slowly pulling it out. Somewhere on the second floor of the atrium, Gastronaut perches on a railing; ¡°Well, are you ready for the show, Mig? I need your eyes to guide me where Ray could. Man, this makes me excited! I haven¡¯t seen his face in how long¡­?¡± ¡°Three years.¡± Mig answers. ¡°Time sure flies! Well, let¡¯s get this show started!¡± Gastronaut jumps off the rail, he begins floating. ¡°Attention, everyone!¡± He shouts.


    Ray looks over; ¡°Fuck! How did they know where we were?! Were we just unlucky?!¡± Ray asks before tapping his earpiece; ¡°Elio!¡± He shouts. ¡°Why are you yelling? I¡¯m here-¡± ¡°The plan¡¯s a bust!¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± ¡°Get out of there! Those three Emerald members are here!¡± Ray orders as he disconnects from the line. ¡°Who we all thought was dead and beyond the grave, has returned. I¡¯m talking about the most wanted criminal in the history of Violet Paradise, Ray Steel! And he¡¯s right here in this building!¡± Gastronaut announces. He then claps his hands, making all the cash on people begin floating into the air.


    ¡°Dammit, he disconnected!¡± Elio worries. He tries to stay calm and concentrates on detecting heat signatures; ¡°Wait, huh? There¡¯s one below me, but not on the floor¡­¡± He slowly glances behind him and sees the muzzle of the sniper rifle; ¡°below!¡± Guerilla notices Elio turning around and immediately pulls the trigger. Elio barely dodges the bullet by performing a backwards twist in the air, the only thing audible is the sound of the bullet ricocheting off the walls; ¡°What the hell was that?!¡± Elio shouts in confusion. ¡°No time to think! He told me to get going, so I should just focus on that!¡± He turns around and tries to book it, though as he takes his first step, Guerilla leaps out of the floor, wrapping his arm around Elio¡¯s neck, putting him in a chokehold. He quickly drags Elio to the wall, his body phases through, but his arm remains sticking out to keep Elio stuck. Before Elio could even think of using his heat to burn his way out of the hold, Guerilla holds a gun right under Elio¡¯s chin.


    Mig quickly detects Ray¡¯s location by seeing the sheer amount of cash floating away; ¡°There he is! Right there by the slot machines!¡± ¡°You heard him! Keep clear of the slot machines! The damage here is about to reach a cosmic level!¡± Gastronaut taps a button on his suit, causing the wings of his jetpack to open up, the thrusters activate as Mig jumps into position, in the air, exposed to the sunlight. Gastronaut flies toward him, deactivating his jetpack, he crashes into Mig, only to be sent flying in the opposite direction at twice the speed, hurling in Ray¡¯s direction. Citizens rush out of the area, aware of how dangerous Gastronaut and Mig are when fighting, Gastronaut crashes into Ray, sending him to the floor  and making him roll from the impact, even bouncing into a pachinko machine. ¡°Shit! This is bad!¡± Ray shouts from feeling the pain.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Guerilla asks with a calm, cool voice. ¡°Huh-¡± Elio is abruptly interrupted as he hears the gun click; ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°O-oh! My name¡¯s Elio King!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Guerilla reacts with surprise, letting go of Elio and stepping out of the wall. ¡°What you¡¯re saying is true? You¡¯re Elio King?¡± ¡°Yeah, what about it?¡± Elio asks, suddenly confused, but still on guard, ready to counter any attack that could come out. ¡°Plenty of heroes have heard of you! Word gets around fast in Kosmesen. We had no clue you¡¯d be here, but¡­¡± He points his gun at him; ¡°what are you doing, helping Ray?¡± Guerilla asks coldly. Elio takes a deep breath; ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡±


    Gastronaut flies towards Ray, aiming to land a heavy kick to the head. Ray dives to the side, rolling and getting up, he quickly spots Mig and he rips a roulette table from the floor and swings it, chucking it effortlessly at him. He quickly turns around and slings his arm, reaching Gastronaut and retracting his arm, pulling him back and turning around, holding him like a human-shield. The table hits Mig and bounces off of his body, barreling toward Gastronaut at twice the speed and power; ¡°If only removing gravity would also remove its mobility, but in space, nothing stops moving until it makes contact with something! But, reducing damage is reducing damage, so I¡¯ll take it!¡± He thinks quickly, using his power to remove the roulette table¡¯s gravity. Though Ray expects it and dives forward, slamming Gastronaut¡¯s body into it, dealing a strong blow and breaking the table, Ray then chucks him into the air, sending him straight toward the skylight.


    Mig quickly leaps into the air, soaring gracefully and grabbing Gastronaut, stopping him from breaking the skylight, Mig lands, sticking on the wall with his feet. Looking down at the atrium, the two begin strategizing; ¡°Should I get up close and fight him from there?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid, Mig! You know he can take away your oxygen! And when he does that, how are your reflect powers going to come in handy?!¡± ¡°Good point. Oh well, then I¡¯ll use some other techniques! Just keep him distracted!¡± Mig retorts as he flips off the wall and chucks Gastronaut at Ray. ¡°Fine!¡± He shouts, activating his jetpack and changing his trajectory, flying around and picking up objects with his gravity power.


    Gastronaut picks up two slot machines and tries to crush Ray by having both slam against him from each end, Ray backflips away, avoiding the attack. As he lands, Jojo drops down from the ceiling and lands on top of him, letting out monkey sounds as he tries to pummel him, Gastronaut takes advantage and sends a piece of rubble to Mig. Mig grabs the rubble and is pulled toward Ray at high speeds from Gastronaut¡¯s power; ¡°Flashbang!¡± Mig shouts as he lets go and curls up into a ball, charging a bunch of light around him, releasing it all as he spreads his arms and legs wide, creating a blast of light, blinding Ray. ¡°Shit!¡± Ray shouts as his ears ring from the attack, as he covers his eye, he lowers his guard, getting slugged in the shoulder by Gastronaut, only to be struck by a spinning tail strike by Mig, his tail spikes lashing Ray, cutting his skin slightly. Jojo pushes off of his body, forcing Ray to fall to the floor, making a loud thud as he does so.


    Ray¡¯s vision becomes clear; ¡°Elio, where are you?! I need help¡± He pushes off the floor, quickly taking care of Jojo by grabbing his head and twisting it off before taking the wires and using the loose, sparking wires from his head by slamming them onto Mig. ¡°EEEAAAAGGGHHHH!¡± Mig shrieks as the electricity passes through his reflection technique, Ray throws Jojo¡¯s head at the skylight, this time, breaking the glass. Gastronaut, due to his penetrable skin, focuses on catching every shard with his power to protect himself. Ray takes advantage of this by getting behind Gastronaut and taking out his dagger, stabbing through the jetpack tank and making kerosene spill from it, he grabs him by the legs, slamming him into a slot machine. The slot machine releases sparks of electricity, which come in contact with the oil, causing a massive explosion. With a thunderous roar, the blast shattered the windows, sending glass shards flying like deadly confetti. Amidst the chaos, Ray gets propelled outward, his limbs flailing against the force before hitting the floor outside below.


    June 2nd, 2018. 9:50 AM.


    ¡°So, you understand why I¡¯m working with him, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I understand completely.¡± ¡°So, will you help me, Guerilla?¡± Elio asks while holding out his hand. ¡°Of course!¡± He replies, shaking Elio¡¯s hand; ¡°Anything to complete a mission!¡± Guerilla grins under his headgear. ¡°Then let¡¯s get to work!¡± Elio grins back. Guerilla breaks the handshake and leads the way, he points his gun down a corridor; ¡°Go down to the end of that hall, take a left, then another left. That¡¯s the nearest way back into the atrium. I¡¯ll meet you there.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Elio rushes down the hall while taking off the guard uniform, back into his casual attire.


    Guerilla turns around and phases through the walls, making it to the atrium, he taps his earpiece; ¡°Mig, can you hear me?¡± He¡¯s given no response, unaware that the electrocution had fried Mig¡¯s ear piece. ¡°Damn! Gastronaut, can you hear me?¡± On the other line, he hears a faint groan; ¡°Still touching the stars. Don¡¯t worry, Mig¡¯s fine, but we could use your help right now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be there right away.¡± Guerilla disconnects and enters the atrium. He perches onto a railing, taking in the view, the once vibrant and bustling casino is now an area in which chaos reigns supreme. The air is thick with dust and the acrid smell of destruction. Slot machines, once flashing with colorful lights and emitting inviting chimes, now lie in twisted heaps, their screens shattered and mechanisms exposed. The sound of broken glass echoes throughout the cavernous space as the skylight above, once a beacon of natural light, now lies in thousands of pieces, casting shattered shards across the floor like fallen stars.


    Tables where fortunes were won and lost are overturned, their surfaces marred with deep gouges and splintered wood. Cards and chips are strewn haphazardly, a chaotic mosaic of a once orderly game. The roulette wheel, a symbol of chance and excitement, now sits askew, its spokes bent and numbers barely discernible amidst the wreckage. The bar, once a lively hub of activity, is now a scene of devastation. Bottles lay shattered on the ground, their contents mingling with broken glass and spilled liquids. The mirrors behind the bar, once reflecting the laughter and revelry of patrons, now reflect only the devastation.


    Amidst the destruction, a sense of eerie stillness hangs heavy in the air, broken only by the occasional creak of structural damage. It¡¯s a stark contrast to the pulsating energy and excitement that once filled every corner of the casino. Now, all that remains is a haunting reminder of the fragility of fortune and the destructive power of chaos. Guerilla processes all of this in less than a second; ¡°This place looks more like a jungle.¡± He comments as he jumps down to where Gastronaut and Mig are.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Ray?¡± Guerilla asks as he helps Gastronaut up; ¡°I think the explosion from my jetpack sent him flying out of here. He probably used it as a way to give himself a head start.¡± ¡°That sounds like Ray.¡± Just as Guerilla makes that comment, Elio busts a door open, making it back into the atrium. ¡°Holy shit! What happened here?!¡± Elio shouts in shock and confusion, Guerilla looks at the second floor; ¡°Elio, Ray escaped, go after him! I¡¯ll look after these two!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Elio nods before leaping off the second floor and landing outside the building.


    He quickly follows Ray¡¯s heat signature, bolting down the bustling city streets, his muscles taut with determination. With blazing speed, he weaves through the chaotic traffic, each move executed through pure instinct. As he pursues Ray, he effortlessly vaults over obstacles, performing daring maneuvers with the grace of his seasoned acrobatics. The relentless rhythm of his footsteps echo against the pavement, driving him forward in relentless pursuit.


    Elio catches up to Ray, quickly picking up speed and sliding underneath his legs, getting in front of him, Elio then swiftly pivots, turning around and performing several backflips in the air. He lands on his feet, his fists put up while getting in his fighting stance, Ray stops running; ¡°Elio?! What are you doing?¡± ¡°My job!¡± He retorts. Ray, shocked, confused, and hurt, grabs his dagger and gets in a fighting stance; ¡°Fine¡­ I see how it is. If that¡¯s how you¡¯re gonna play, then so be it. I¡¯ll make sure your cat¡¯s not the only one who can¡¯t get out of the hospital.¡± Ray glares at him as the two enter a standoff.

 Chapter 15 - Anything To Complete The Mission

    June 2nd, 2018. 9:55 AM.


    In the charged silence between them, every breath seems to carry weight, echoing the unspoken tension that hangs heavy in the air. Their eyes locked in a mutual challenge, each gaze a testament to the depth of their own determination and the gravity of the circumstances. The quiet was not empty; it crackled with unspoken words, their intensity palpable as they stood, measuring each other with a blend of caution and resolve.


    There was a subtle dance of body language, a minute of subtle shifts and stillness that spoke volumes. Shoulders squared, muscles tensed with readiness, yet movements restrained, betraying a careful balance between readiness to act and the awareness of consequences. The air around them seemed to vibrate with the energy of unspoken words, each word hanging unformed, waiting for the other to make the first move.


    In their standoff, time seemed to stretch, seconds elongating into moments that felt like eternity. Yet, amidst the quiet intensity, there was an unspoken understanding, a mutual feeling of anxiousness and respect for each other¡¯s strength mirrored in each other¡¯s eyes. It was a standoff not just of physical presence, but of wills and convictions, where words could not capture the depth of what passed between them.


    Elio makes the first move, powering up his heel with heat, axe-kicking the ground, sending a chunk of the sidewalk into the air, quickly pivoting on his opposite foot to spin, jumping in the air and kicking the chunk, sending it hurling towards Ray. Ray quickly reacts by using his strength to catch the chunk, converting it into a counterattack, ready to throw it at Elio, but he misses the window as Elio slides under him. Elio stands up to horse kick Ray, but his kick is caught by his hand, Ray then holds him still, getting ready to slam the chunk against Elio¡¯s ankle. Elio counters by shooting a gust of wind from his palm, blasting Ray¡¯s face, drying out his eye, Ray lets go as he grunts while covering his eye, leaving himself wide open. Elio rushes in, delivering a lightning-fast punch to his chest and converting into a frontflip axe-kick to the head before leaping toward him, knocking him back with an elbow strike to the face, sending Ray into the street.


    Ray gets up, holding his hand on his mouth; ¡°Dammit! Why¡¯s he after me?! Did he decide to be a coward like other heroes and decide to work with those Emerald bastards so he could avoid punishment?!¡± He wonders while getting angry. Elio darts forward to continue his assault, but stops on a dime, sliding on his feet as a Bentley Mulsanne Speed drives by, being driven recklessly, it slams right into Ray, knocking him down again, Elio¡¯s eyes widen; ¡°Ray!¡± He shouts with concern. He runs over to check if he¡¯s alright; ¡°Spare me the bullshit, you¡¯re just like all the rest.¡± Ray responds internally with anger as a liquid drips down his dagger. Catching Elio off guard, Ray gets up and slashes him across the chin, blood drips down, temporarily stunning Elio as he¡¯s left in a state of confusion, not knowing how Ray¡¯s perfectly fine despite getting hit with a heavy vehicle.


    Elio glances over where the car stopped, its bumper severely damaged and crumpled, with deep fractures and dents visible across its surface. The once sleek design is now warped and misshapen, with shards of plastic and bits of shattered headlights scattered around the impact zone. He looks back at Ray; ¡°What the fuck are you made of-¡± Elio¡¯s shock gets interrupted as Ray uppercuts him, sending him flying high in the air, Elio begins hurling, performing several backflips while flying like a ragdoll, crashing through the second story window of a fancy restaurant, smashing through a table on collision and being covered in spilled alcohol.


    Not acknowledging the frightened crowd of people, Elio gets up quickly; ¡°Damn! It¡¯s like I¡¯m fighting a weapon! Though I guess I¡¯m one to talk¡­¡± Elio walks over to the window, only to backflip away as he notices Ray¡¯s arms stretching toward the windowsill; ¡°How the hell?!¡± Elio yells as he slides back on his feet. Ray¡¯s arms sling him toward the window, he lets go and lands inside the restaurant, without a moment of hesitation, Ray dashes towards Elio to strike him, Elio flips to the side, landing on top of a table, but the moment he tries to spot Ray, he notices his vision suddenly becoming a blur. ¡°Wait, he didn¡¯t hit me that hard! Why¡¯s my vision getting all screwy?!¡± Elio panics. ¡°Good, the cyanide¡¯s kicking in! His movement¡¯s faltering!¡± Ray grins as he moves in for the strike, but Elio dodges at the last second, letting himself fall over on his back, hitting the floor and temporarily jolting himself awake.


    Elio stands up; ¡°He must¡¯ve been carrying some sort of poison on him!¡± He quickly focuses on generating heat while dodging oncoming attacks, he finds himself in a dance of evasion. With agile grace, Elio sidesteps Ray¡¯s stab attack, narrowly dodging the attack, causing a wine glass on the table behind him to shatter. Leaping back, Elio scans the room, his mind calculating his options, the tables and chairs becoming potential allies.


    As a knife is thrown towards him, Elio spins, using the back of a chair to block the strike. His movements are swift and economical, leveraging his surroundings to maintain distance and control. He slides underneath a kick aimed at his midsection, feeling the rush of air above him. Time appears to slow as he weaves from Ray¡¯s onslaught, trying to stay one step ahead of him. A tray of food sailed past, its contents scattering across the floor as Elio vaults over a fallen chair, slightly losing balance.


    Ray finally gets the upper hand and bashes Elio on the side, sending him tumbling into a wall, Elio coughs as he makes the collision. ¡°Dammit, this poison¡¯s not letting me heat up fast enough! Wait¡­¡± Elio rolls to the side; ¡°this is a fancy restaurant, given the decor and food. If I¡¯m lucky¡­¡± Elio ponders as he rushes to a table, grabbing a tray and a menu. He throws the tray on the floor and jumps on it, sliding across the floor and crashing into a table, Elio backflips, landing behind the table after turning it into a makeshift cover for him. Elio quickly flips through the menu until he finds the dessert section, his eyes race at a million miles a second, and through his blurry vision, he¡¯s able to make out what the menu says; ¡°Cr¨¨me br?l¨¦e!¡± He shouts.


    Elio stands up, tossing the menu away, he then kicks the table towards Ray, distracting him temporarily as he speeds down the flight of stairs, making his way into the kitchen and quickly opening up every cabinet and drawer in a scurry to find what he needs. ¡°Butane torch, where are you?!¡± He continues scouring, he then finds the blowtorch and right as he grabs it, Ray¡¯s dagger comes flying, stabbing into Elio¡¯s forearm, he bites down on his lip to keep his concentration. He grabs the dagger and pulls it out, throwing it back at Ray, as he tries to catch it, Elio goes in for a swift punch to the gut, but as he lands the attack, he ends up punching a hole right through his torso. In complete fear of what he just did, Elio retracts his fist and looks at his arm, seeing the blood soaking his arm, his own shock takes the wind out of him; ¡°What did I do¡­¡± Elio asks himself, hoping that what he did wasn¡¯t true.


    In the midst of his shock, confusion and regret, he¡¯s suddenly slammed on the side of his head, being knocked into a cabinet, destroying the cabinet completely. Elio gasps from the sudden attack and immediately notices that Ray¡¯s torso is completely fine, as though nothing happened; ¡°WHAT IS THIS GUY MADE FROM?!¡± Elio shouts in his head. Ray goes for a stomp, but Elio rolls out of the way; ¡°I¡¯m not gonna last any longer if I don¡¯t do it now! Here goes nothing!¡± Elio stands up, jumping back for space, he then quickly turns on the blowtorch, using it by aiming it at himself and letting the burning flames touch his body, his tank top is set ablaze as his body takes in the scorching temperature.


    As the tank top burns to ash, Elio glares at Ray; ¡°I''m gonna finish this right now!¡± He shouts as he extinguishes the flames by absorbing the heat. Elio gets in his fighting stance as his vision begins returning to him; ¡°Perfect! My senses are coming back thanks to the heat killing the toxins.¡± Elio gets ready to attack, but Ray slides out of the way, booking it out of the kitchen; ¡°I bit off more than I can chew! I don¡¯t know how I¡¯ll-¡± His thoughts get interrupted as Elio gets in front of him, he suddenly feels his kick strike him right in the side. Ray wheezes from the impact, right as he crouches ever so slightly to hold his side, Elio strikes him in the head with the same kick, knocking him down to the floor, his body rolling from the impact, crashing into the entrance of the restaurant, breaking the doors down.


    Ray tries getting up, but as he stands, he sees a barstool flying towards him, nailing him in the face, Elio rushes in right as the impact is made, slamming his fist in Ray¡¯s gut. Ray coughs from the strike, but even that gets interrupted, as Elio grabs Ray¡¯s face, bashing his forehead against Ray¡¯s, he lets go and decks him straight in the cheek, making him stagger. Elio takes notice of him staggering, he charges towards him and puts his hands on his shoulders; ¡°Heat Stroke!¡± Elio shouts as he transfers some of the heat he absorbed, forcing Ray¡¯s body temperature to rise. Ray begins to sweat from the increase in heat, his breathing gets heavy; ¡°Elio¡¯s using¡­¡± His thoughts and breath are interrupted once more as Elio begins to violently pummel him.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Elio backhands Ray in the diaphragm before converting into a spin kick toward the shoulder, Elio then karate chops him in the throat, then grabbing him and kneeing him in the gut, he strikes him with another headbutt before letting go, uppercutting him and jumping up, landing a devastating dropkick to the face, knocking him down. Elio goes in for the finishing attack by lifting his head up by the face and slamming his head back down onto the concrete and delivering the final punch to his head; ¡°He¡­ used my own strategy¡­ against me¡­¡± Ray thinks before passing out due to heat exhaustion and a lack of breathing. Elio puts his hand on Ray¡¯s forehead and transfers the excess heat out of his body and absorbs it, letting his temperature go back down to normal.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ray¡­¡± Elio looks down, feeling a heavy weight in his chest, a mix of guilt and sorrow. The thought of Ray being excited at a chance to start fresh through this and having to betray his trust echoes through Elio¡¯s mind, hurting him on the inside from each blow he dealt through the betrayal. As the Violet Paradise police arrive on the scene minutes after the scuffle, Guerilla, supporting Gastronaut on his shoulder, walks over to Elio; ¡°I¡¯m impressed, Elio. I know you brought down Gendross, but it¡¯s a sight for us that you took down Ray all by yourself.¡± Guerilla gives his praise. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Elio softly responds, still feeling guilt. Guerilla picks up the tone in his voice, he puts his hand on his shoulder; ¡°Hey, anything is necessary to complete the mission. Remember that.¡± Guerilla tries to reassure him; ¡°Right.¡± Elio nods slightly. ¡°So where¡¯s Mig?¡± ¡°Oh, Mig went home, he didn¡¯t want his breakfast to go bad.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Elio responds. ¡°Hey, you just take it easy. We¡¯ll let the police know what went down. All you have to do is just relax, you finished your mission.¡± ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Elio nods, walking away. ¡°Fuck¡­ this hurt worse than I could even imagine¡­¡± Elio puts his hand up to his heart, feeling sick about what he just did.


    June 2nd, 2018. 3:50 PM.


    In the attic of Cocina del Rey, shadows dance across the contours of Elio laying sprawled on a worn leather couch. His brow furrowed, eyes fixed on a distant point in the ceiling, betraying a mind lost in a labyrinth of introspection. The flickering light from a lone candle casts fleeting glimpses of uncertainty on his face, accentuating the lines etched by contemplation. A faint sigh escapes his lips, punctuating the silence as he wrestles with the weight of his decisions; ¡°First I betray Gendross¡¯ trust, I mean, don¡¯t get me wrong, we made up, but that¡¯s entirely cause of Reggie taking one for the team. What the hell do I do here? I just betrayed another person¡¯s trust, and this one was infinitely worse. Damn¡­ what do I do? I know I did that so I could save my own life, but I have no idea where Ray is now. Fuck! If I wasn¡¯t careless, I wouldn¡¯t have had that gun pointed at me and I could¡¯ve helped him out, but then again, even if it was three versus two, those guys are relentless and- Goddammit, I¡¯m making excuses!¡± Elio scowls as he ponders.


    Light enters the attic as the entrance is opened; ¡°Julia!¡± Elio snaps out of his thoughts, sitting up straight, but Julia just glares at him, her brows knit together tightly, forming a slight furrow above piercing eyes that glint with simmering frustration. Lips, usually gentle, now pressed into a thin line, revealing the tension within. Her cheeks, normally flushed with warmth, now pale, betraying the hurt and disappointment she tries to contain. ¡°Julia, I¡¯m-¡± ¡°Sorry? Fuck you! I saw the news report, sorry¡¯s not gonna cut it!¡± Julia shuts him down angrily; ¡°You betrayed Ray after promising to help get his life back on track, and you also betrayed my trust! But I guess it should be alright because I won¡¯t have to sacrifice time to make sure Ray¡¯s alright, right? News flash, asshole, all this did was hurt Ray and everyone dear to him, me included!¡± Julia continues to yell at him.


    ¡°Julia¡­¡± Elio¡¯s voice cracks as he says softly; ¡°No! I don¡¯t care-¡± ¡°Please, give me a chance to explain!¡± Elio begs as he holds his head down and his arms up with his hands clasped, letting himself be vulnerable, he lets out a sniffle. Julia¡¯s anger falters when hearing Elio¡¯s voice, being caught in slight surprise by his tone; ¡°I don¡¯t know any words to show just how sorry I am¡­ it¡¯s my fault that Ray was caught. I was weak, I thought what I was doing was the right thing, but all I did was hurt everyone, even myself when going through with it. As much as I don¡¯t want to admit it¡­ it was to save my own ass. I was making excuses in my mind to justify what I did, but there¡¯s nothing to justify, I acted like a coward¡­¡± Elio tries his best to explain. Tears begin to fall from his eyes, the lines becoming visible from his shades; ¡°Dammit, I hate feeling like this¡­¡± His voice cracks again.


    ¡°Elio¡­¡± Julia mutters in shock, not knowing how to react, her frustration comes back, she tries to hide her empathy; ¡°And you think I¡¯ll just forgive you because you admitted to doing something wrong?¡± She scoffs. ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s not enough to just admit, nor are consequences enough, they don¡¯t change the fact that what I did was wrong. I don¡¯t wanna just walk away after dealing with consequences, I want to make things right and save Ray. I¡¯ll never be able to face Reggie again, nor will I ever be able to forgive myself if I just let Ray go. Please¡­¡± Elio¡¯s tears start falling more as his hands clasp tighter; ¡°...give me one last chance to help him. I don¡¯t even care if you won¡¯t forgive me, as long as I can just help him in any way, that¡¯s enough for me!¡± He pleas.


    Julia tries to think of a way to respond, but she feels a lump in her throat, unable to get her words out, she gazes at Elio¡¯s body language, seeing how truly sorry he is. After what feels like an eternity for both, she finally speaks; ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give you another chance.¡± Julia answers softly, Elio looks up; ¡°Thank you¡­¡± He responds. Elio pushes his shades up to wipe his eyes with his arm; ¡°I¡¯ll meet you back up here after my shift ends. This is the best place to discuss plans, given Ray¡¯s Plutonian chip.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Elio nods, his tone becoming firm again; ¡°I¡¯ll see you then.¡± He adds. Julia leaves the attic without saying a word. Elio lays back down on the couch, gazing at the ceiling once more; ¡°I got one more chance, Ray. I¡¯ll make damn sure that this time, I won¡¯t back down like a coward! I¡¯ll be ready to save you, and if anything goes awry, I¡¯ll just fight through it!¡± Elio tells himself, etching a face of determination.


    June 2nd, 2018. 9:00 PM.


    Julia climbs into the attic; ¡°Alright, I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Elio asks groggily as he looks over his shoulder, still laying down; ¡°Oh, right!¡± Elio wakes up fully, sitting up. Julia sits down on Ray¡¯s computer chair; ¡°Let¡¯s get down to business. First thing we should do is review what was said in that announcement the VP News station announced earlier.¡± She suggests as Elio puts his hand on his chin while remembering what was said.


    June 2nd, 2018. 1:30 PM.


    Television screens across Violet Paradise begin to broadcast a breaking news report; ¡°Good afternoon, I¡¯m Alec Devoid, here to report breaking news. Just in, the notorious criminal, Ray Steel, presumed to be dead for three years had not just returned, but had been captured.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Alec. The elusive fugitive, known to have caused a string of high-profile robberies, destruction of private property, and several murders, was apprehended earlier today by a new hero, known as Elio King, and our mayor, Nasuka Khatri, has decided to hold a ceremony in which Elio will be given a peace prize for his community service.¡± ¡°Incredible turn of events. Authorities have declared the suspect deceased after a lethal injection in 2015. And we¡¯ve recently received word that Ray Steel will be publicly executed sometime next week. Stay tuned as we bring you more updates on this developing story.¡± The broadcast closes.


    June 2nd, 2018. 9:05 PM.


    Elio ponders while his chin rests on his hand; ¡°Given what they said on the news, they plan on executing Ray next week, and today¡¯s Sunday, so¡­¡± ¡°Given that Alec said ¡®sometime next week,¡¯ we can assume that we¡¯ll have a few days to prepare before a date is even given.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good point, and if they¡¯re to give me a peace prize, they¡¯ll do that on the same day.¡± Elio adds on. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re gonna train for those few days, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I see. You know, that¡¯s been on my mind. If you took down Gendross, why do you need to train to fight off Mig, Guerilla, and Gastronaut?¡± Julia asks while leaning forward. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna waste time explaining everything, so I¡¯ll make it quick. Gendross let Reggie and I bring him in. We didn¡¯t actually beat him, we were given the chance to be heroes by him. If I¡¯d actually beaten Gendross, Ray wouldn¡¯t be on death row right now.¡± Elio explains himself.


    ¡°I understand now. Hold on, lemme check something real quick.¡± Julia stands up and begins rummaging around Ray¡¯s drawers; ¡°Where did he put it¡­?¡± She mumbles. Eventually, she takes out a notebook; ¡°Found it!¡± ¡°What¡¯s in that book?¡± Elio asks, Julia tosses the notebook to him, Elio catches it; ¡°Ray has strategies when it comes to fighting those three, depending on whether it¡¯s a one-on-one, two versus one, or all three of them. He¡¯s written down each combination and understands their abilities.¡± Elio opens the book and starts flipping through; ¡°Damn! I¡¯m impressed! It¡¯s all so eloquently worded! Thanks Julia, this should help me out a ton!¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Just make sure to read everything thoroughly.¡± She instructs.


    Elio flips to a page titled ¡®Power Breakdowns,¡¯ and begins reading; ¡°Mig Acrid. Power: Reflection. Due to taking the Light Serum, his body had developed an illustrious glow that protects him from any and all attacks thanks to the light reflecting off of his body also reflecting any physical objects, as well as people, animals, or plants off of his body. Though it appears that electricity can pass through his reflective barrier, this is only a speculation as further risks in fighting must be taken before confirmation. Guerilla. Power: Permeation. The power itself is self-explanatory; by taking the Permeation Serum, he¡¯s become capable of letting his body, as well as other objects of his choosing, phase through solid matter. No known weaknesses, the most optimal way to survive from him is through outsmarting him, which wouldn¡¯t be a problem if he wasn¡¯t the brains of the group. Gastronaut. Power: Gravity Manipulation. Gastronaut became Newton¡¯s worst nightmare after taking the G Serum, which has given him the power to modify the gravitational pull of himself, others, and inanimate objects. To make others weightless or weigh more, he must make contact with said person, but all objects appear to be affected whether he makes contact or not. A good method of protecting yourself from him is to have either a sharp object or sodium chloride in order to puncture his skin easily or corrode it.¡±


    June 2nd, 2018. 9:25 PM.


    ¡°Alright, I finished reading it.¡± Elio calls out to Julia as he closes the notebook. ¡°That¡¯s great to hear. Get some rest, Elio, you¡¯ve gotta get in as much training to prepare for his rescue.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Elio nods, he then looks up; ¡°By the way, I need to ask something important.¡± ¡°Shoot.¡± She responds, crossing her arms. ¡°It¡¯s about Ray¡­ when I fought him earlier, his powers left me so confused. His arms stretching, his durability, physical strength, it all just left me so lost on what his power is, I punched a hole through his stomach somehow, and then it was all patched up when I looked away for just a second! But, that¡¯s not all I wanna know. You mentioned yesterday that he¡¯s depressed, what happened in his life that led to this? And what was said about him having been thought dead, I don¡¯t get that either. I guess what I¡¯m trying to ask is if you could tell me everything that I should know. Please?¡± Elio asks. Julia looks away for a few seconds before staring back at him; ¡°Alright, if you feel as though it¡¯s necessary, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Julia sits down next to him on the couch.

 Chapter 16 - A Night Out

    June 5th, 2018. 10:45 AM.


    Elio¡¯s face begins to trickle with sweat as he shadowboxes in a sunlit clearing on a park lawn, his fists slicing through the air, each strike snapping back as fast as they¡¯re released. Veins bulge on his neck and forehead as his jaw clenches, he takes a deep breath and presses his palms together. He notices his body sweating; ¡°Holy shit, I just realized how hard I¡¯ve been practicing. I never sweat like this from simple training!¡± Elio stops and looks at his phone; ¡°I¡¯ve been training for ten hours straight. I can eat later, for now, I gotta keep going!¡± Elio peps himself. He puts his phone in his pocket and continues training; ¡°Elio! What are you doing out here?¡± Elio turns around upon hearing the voice, he sees Gastronaut approaching him, his body language showing a friendly attitude.


    ¡°Gastronaut¡­¡± Elio takes a deep breath as he stops training; ¡°...what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I was asked by Nasuka to go look for you, she told me she wants to meet you.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Elio asks as his body relaxes. ¡°Actually, this works in my favor. I can prolly learn more about her by speaking to her personally.¡± Elio ponders in realization; ¡°Well, alright then. That sounds good to me!¡± ¡°That¡¯s great to hear, but first¡­¡± Gastronaut fans some air away from his face; ¡°You need to get yourself cleaned up! You smell like Mig¡¯s breath, what are you even training for that needs you to smell like that?¡± He asks, still fanning the air from his face. ¡°Oh, you see, I¡¯m a very paranoid person, so I¡¯ve been training non-stop to prepare for the execution, that way in case Ray escapes, I¡¯ll be ready for it. He¡¯s a shifty one, y¡¯know?¡± Elio explains. Gastronaut scoffs; ¡°Tell me about it. Topic aside, let¡¯s get going, this heat¡¯s atrocious.¡± Gastronaut beckons while beginning to leave the park, Elio tails after him.


    June 5th, 2018. 12:00 PM.


    A phone begins to ring on a polished mahogany desk, its blaring gets interrupted when a woman¡¯s hand picks it up; ¡°Speak.¡± She demands with an annoyed and authoritative tone. ¡°Mayor Khatri, we need your decision on the budget-¡± ¡°You handle it. I¡¯m already swamped enough, dealing with Ray¡¯s execution. ¡°But ma¡¯am-¡± ¡°Just make a decision and let me know later!¡± Nasuka yells harshly at the caller. The caller hangs up, and Nasuka groans irritably, pressing her hands on her forehead; ¡°These calls never end, I need a vacation after this¡­¡±


    The moment she mutters those words, the phone blares again, she presses the button; ¡°Ms. Khatri, Elio King is here to see you.¡± Nasuka¡¯s eyes immediately light up as she hears his name. ¡°Send him in right away!¡± She demands, after a few seconds, Elio steps inside of the office. Elio glances around for a second to take in the interior, her office, a spacious room adorned with elegant Indian decor. Rich tapestries in vibrant colors of crimson and gold hang from the walls, depicting scenes of traditional Indian life and mythology. Her desk dominates the center of the room, accompanied by plush chairs upholstered in silk brocade with intricate patterns of paisleys and flowers. The floor, covered with a luxurious Persian rug, its deep hues of blue and red complementing the warm tones of the furniture. Brass lamps and figurines of Hindu deities adorn the shelves, casting a soft, ambient glow.


    Nasuka takes in Elio¡¯s appearance, her eyes quickly turn into disappointment as she pinches the bridge of her nose, sighing heavily. Elio tilts his head in confusion; ¡°Did I do something wrong? I was expecting that the person in charge of the city would be more happy to see the dude who took down your city¡¯s worst criminal. But alright then-¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯d be older.¡± Nasuka answers bluntly as she pouts in frustration. Elio quickly gets annoyed by her attitude, as well as what he knows of her; ¡°Ray, I¡¯m making DAMN sure I¡¯m saving you! Then I¡¯m getting this city a better mayor, cause who does this bitch think she is?¡± Elio takes a deep breath; ¡°Rather picky about your heroes, not that I care. Anyway, what exactly do you wanna speak with me about?¡± Elio asks calmly while crossing his arms.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest¡­¡± Nasuka looks away, feeling embarrassed; ¡°The reason I thought you¡¯d be older was because I was hoping I¡¯d be able to have a quick break from my work and maybe have a date.¡± As she explains, Elio slumps his shoulders forward, groaning in annoyance. ¡°Seriously?¡± Elio asks irritably; ¡°Oh, come on, don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t have needs!¡± Elio responds by looking off to the side; ¡°I¡¯m seventeen, I don¡¯t have needs¡­ besides, I¡¯ve had a rather complex dating history.¡± He explains, his voice softer; ¡°And I¡¯d rather not get into that¡­¡± He takes a deep breath.


    ¡°So, is that all you wanted me to show up here for, or¡­ is there something else? What about my peace prize?¡± Elio asks as he shrugs his hands; ¡°Oh, that. I apologize if this sounds distasteful, but I¡¯ve decided your ceremony will be at the same time of the execution¡­¡± As Nasuka keeps explaining, Elio stands in a daze; ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me! What¡¯s with this person?! Holding an award ceremony while having Ray killed?! Actually, wait, this might be good for me. I could use this to ask some questions. Yeah, I¡¯ll do just that.¡± He realizes while waiting for Nasuka to finish explaining everything he wasn¡¯t listening to.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Elio gives a quick, superficial response; ¡°Also, about earlier, I¡¯m actually pretty hungry. You think we could grab something to eat?¡± He asks, attempting to steer the topic to something else. ¡°This kid didn¡¯t listen to a word I said. And did he seriously ask me to go out with him? I bet my soul he doesn¡¯t want to pay either. Whatever, I guess it¡¯s the least I could do since he brought Ray¡¯s living status to light and even took him down.¡± Nasuka ponders irritably before sighing. ¡°Alright then, but I¡¯m inviting Gastronaut and Guerilla, I don¡¯t trust you completely.¡± ¡°That works for me, I just need food right now.¡± Elio responds before perching on the desk; ¡°But since I stopped Ray, I get to decide where we eat, got it?¡± Elio demands while pointing to himself.


    ¡°Fine, that¡¯s fair¡­¡± ¡°His initiative is annoying me, but then again, this might be due to how long I¡¯ve been in control of Mig, Gastronaut, and Guerilla. Perhaps he¡¯ll either grow on me, or if I¡¯m lucky, he¡¯ll do what I say.¡± She sighs. ¡°Alright, cool!¡± Elio responds while taking his phone out and typing his number; ¡°Just give me a call when you¡¯re ready!¡± He sets it on the table. Nasuka doesn¡¯t say a word, she just writes it down; ¡°Peace!¡± Elio says as he nabs his phone back after she writes down the last digit and begins walking out. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re just leaving right now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired, I wanna nap before getting dinner.¡± Elio leaves after answering, not letting Nasuka have the chance to respond. He walks past Gastronaut while tapping his shoulder; ¡°I¡¯ll see ya around, slugger.¡± ¡°Take care, Elio.¡± Gastronaut responds.


    June 5th, 2018. 1:45 PM.


    Elio climbs back up the attic, carrying a plastic bag; ¡°Yo, Julia, I got the drink you wanted.¡± Elio calls out, grabbing the bottle and tossing it. ¡°Thanks.¡± Julia catches the bottle; ¡°I¡¯m guessing something happened while you were out and that¡¯s why you needed to talk with me here?¡± ¡°Exactly right!¡± Elio answers as he closes the attic. Elio cracks open a can of beer, taking a quick drink; ¡°So I ran into Gastronaut while I was training, turns out Nasuka wanted to see me.¡± ¡°What did she say to you?¡± ¡°She¡¯s having my peace prize ceremony right before Ray¡¯s execution, so even if we don¡¯t know the exact date, we¡¯ll know once it goes live. Also, even better, I have a dinner date, so I¡¯ll be able to gather a bit more info since she¡¯ll be having Gastronaut and Guerilla as bodyguards. I think I¡¯m on Gastronaut¡¯s good side, so I¡¯ll possibly be able to sway him to telling me some more.¡± He explains.


    ¡°I¡¯d say that¡¯s an honor, but given who Nasuka is, hell no.¡± Julia answers while opening her sports drink bottle and taking a sip, she exhales; ¡°Though I will say, I wasn¡¯t expecting an opportunity like this. You should definitely capitalize on what you said about being on Gastronaut¡¯s good side. If what you¡¯re saying is true, then I say go for it, cause you¡¯ll need all the extra info you can get before you try to save Ray.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Elio answers softly while looking at the floor. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°A little¡­ I¡¯m just super on edge. I¡¯ve been training like hell, and I¡¯m confident in my skills, but what has me worried is that I feel like I¡¯ve been reckless with how I¡¯ve been handling things.¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s not just betraying Ray that¡¯s had you feeling like that, right?¡± ¡°Exactly, I¡¯ve actually been feeling this way for a couple of years now. I won¡¯t say exactly what caused it, it started before I even met Reggie, but it¡¯s been super prominent ever since I took him in. I fear so much for others safety, I end up acting out of emotion, rather than rationality, and then I end up putting others in danger or hurting them. I can only imagine how much Ray¡¯s hurting from my betrayal, cause that cut me like a knife. Even if I save him, I don¡¯t expect him to forgive me, but as long as he¡¯s ok, I¡¯m fine.¡± Elio vents before taking another drink of his beer.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Julia pauses to take a sip before continuing; ¡°By the way, I¡¯m sorry with what I said, when I yelled at you up here. I-¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine¡­¡± Elio interrupts. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize, it¡¯s something I need to work on. I can¡¯t call myself a hero if I just hurt others, what I did was cowardly. There¡¯s a difference between a hero and a coward, both are afraid of dying, but heroes fight despite the fear while cowards weasel their way out of a bad situation without the regard of others. That¡¯s what makes courage, and I didn¡¯t live up to that.¡± He finishes explaining. Julia looks down at the floor; ¡°Right¡­¡± She remembers how Elio started tearing up; ¡°...those let me know you were being genuine. Damn, now I feel myself trying to fight back those tears again.¡± ¡°...¡± Julia pauses as she could feel herself about to say ¡®sorry¡¯ again. ¡°Elio¡­¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± He looks up before noticing Julia put her hand on his shoulder; ¡°Just do your best and come back with Ray, alright?¡± She asks softly while having a soulful look in her eyes. Elio pushes his shades up, looking back at her before giving her a nod; ¡°I promise.¡±


    Julia smiles; ¡°Good!¡± She responds with enthusiasm; ¡°I believe in you, if you were able to beat Ray, then you can save him just as easily!¡± She takes her hand off his shoulder and steps back, giving him some space. ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah, you¡¯re right!¡± Elio stands up and jabs a hole in the side of his beer can, shotgunning it down quickly, wiping his face when he¡¯s done. ¡°I guess I just needed those words of encouragement!¡± He continues as he crushes the can by pressing it on his head and throwing it away. Elio presses his fists against each other; ¡°Nasuka, Mig Acrid, Guerilla, and Gastronaut are going down! That promise is becoming reality!¡± He shouts as he pounds his fists, creating a small spark from the heat generated. Julia begins to grin from ear-to-ear, knowing that Ray has another chance at being saved; ¡°I know I was trying to be realistic a few days ago, but I¡¯m starting to feel that realistically, you don¡¯t have a chance at failing. Thank you, Elio.¡± Julia cheerfully replies; ¡°Of course! Well, I better head out and get in some more training before this date! Cya around, Julia!¡± Elio taps her shoulder with the back of his hand before opening the attic; ¡°Bye Elio!¡± Julia waves, Elio hops out and starts leaving the restaurant.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    June 5th, 2018. 6:00 PM.


    Elio steps inside the restaurant for dinner, dressed impeccably in a sleek black blazer, complemented by crisp black dress pants. His green button-up adds to the sophistication while freshly polished black shoes compute his ensemble. He looks around, taking in the warm and inviting ambience: rich mahogany tables with crisp white tablecloths, soft candlelight casting a warm gentle glow, walls adorned with classic Italian artwork, and shelves lined with fine wine bottles. The ceiling boasts elegant chandeliers, while the aroma of freshly baked bread and simmering sauces fill the air, creating a sense of luxury.


    He quickly spots where Nasuka¡¯s sitting, thanks to Gastronaut wearing his signature space helmet, and Guerilla still wearing his outfit. Elio decides to make his presence known, in a graceful whirl, Elio performs acrobatic moves, creating fluid and elegant movements as he twirls toward the dinner table. Upon arriving, Elio draws a crimson rose, presenting it for her, he takes off his shades; ¡°Hey.¡± Elio alluringly says; ¡°Take the damn rose!¡± He shouts internally, trying to hide his frustration.


    Nasuka is momentarily startled by his performance, with a sudden shift in focus and heightened awareness. She exhibits signs of nervousness from it as she avoids eye contact before reluctantly taking the rose; ¡°T-thank you¡­¡± Nasuka hesitantly responds with a hint of happiness in her voice. ¡°My pleasure!¡± Elio replies; ¡°That¡¯s the last gift you¡¯ll be getting for a long time, so cherish it.¡± Elio then sits down in a chair, leaning his neck back. ¡°Anyway, what¡¯s up, Gastronaut, Guerilla? How y¡¯all doing?¡± Elio asks, lifting his arm up for a quick wave; ¡°Fine, as you¡¯d expect, keeping watch.¡± Guerilla responds before standing guard; ¡°Cool, how ¡®bout you, Gastronaut?¡± ¡°...¡± Gastronaut doesn¡¯t respond, all that comes out is a faint snoring sound.


    Guerilla instantly takes notice and reacts by striking Gastronaut in the side with the back of his rifle; ¡°Look alive.¡± He orders. Gastronaut wakes up; ¡°Huh- oh. Hey Elio, when did you get here?¡± ¡°Gastronaut, you¡¯re the worst bodyguard in history¡­¡± Nasuka says irritably in her head as she grits her teeth. ¡°Just now. Oh, and I was asking how you¡¯ve been.¡± ¡°Oh, tired. I wanna go to sleep-¡± ¡°Gastronaut, just do your job!¡± Nasuka barks, interrupting him. Gastronaut holds both of his hands up; ¡°Aight then.¡± He answers. ¡°Believe me, I don¡¯t wanna be here either.¡± Elio comments on what just happened, he then looks at the menu, letting out a low whistle; ¡°It all sounds so good¡­¡± Elio gets lost, thinking about what he wants.


    ¡°Please, order whatever you want, Elio. It¡¯s on me.¡± Nasuka informs him in a seemingly more upbeat tone, still flattered with his performance. ¡°Alright, I know what I want.¡± Elio then leans back on his chair; ¡°Hey, waiter, I¡¯m ready!¡± He calls out as he waves; ¡°No manners¡­¡± Guerilla mutters as the waiter comes over. ¡°I¡¯ll get three orders of the tortellini with brown butter and sage, please.¡± Nasuka immediately raises an eyebrow with a bit of an offended look on her face; ¡°THREE?! I would¡¯ve been less irritated if you ordered the most expensive item, but you¡¯re demanding three orders?!¡± She thinks. Guerilla remains completely silent and professional while Gastronaut lets out a small chuckle; ¡°My fault.¡± Gastronaut says as the waiter leaves.


    ¡°By the way, I forgot to ask this earlier, but why¡¯s Mig not here?¡± Elio asks casually, all three of them stay silent for a few seconds before Gastronaut and Nasuka both turn to look at Guerilla; ¡°Guerilla?¡± They ask in unison. ¡°Mig prefers eating alone, Elio. I¡¯m sure right now, he¡¯s locked away in his room, eating his dinner with the lights off.¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange, but I ain¡¯t gonna question it.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Guerilla responds while nodding. ¡°Something¡¯s definitely up. Why were those two so surprised by that question? Is he not actually eating? Damn, it¡¯s like the more I try to do something, the more I gotta investigate new shit!¡± Elio ponders.


    Elio continues to lean back, lost in thought; ¡°Shit, I¡¯m so hellbent on saving Ray, I almost forgot about Reggie. What am I gonna do about him after I finish this up? It¡¯s been four days since he got his surgery, so it¡¯s likely he won¡¯t transform, but I¡¯m still paranoid about that¡­ this is such a pain.¡± Elio thinks, not even aware that all three plates he ordered are in front of him. ¡°Elio.¡± Guerilla says sternly; ¡°Huh- oh! Oh, I didn¡¯t even know it came out already! Sorry ¡®bout that, I was so lost in thought.¡± Elio says before grabbing a fork and eating his food. ¡°So¡­ Elio, why did you come here to Violet Paradise? Surely you didn¡¯t come here for me-¡± ¡°Pfft, nah.¡± Elio cuts her off while he swallows a bite of his food. Gastronaut closes his eyes and tries to hold in a laugh; ¡°I¡¯m so glad that I was allowed to keep this helmet on, I don¡¯t know how people would react if they could see my face.¡±


    Elio finishes his plate and kicks back; ¡°Elio, why did you order all that if you¡¯re only going to finish the one?¡± ¡°The other two are for your bodyguards.¡± Elio answers casually while waving his hand. ¡°That¡¯s nice of you, but we have to stand guard.¡± Guerilla informs, though his tone does show that he is grateful. ¡°Wait, why not have Elio take over for one of us while one of us eats? Then one of us will switch when the other is finished eating.¡± ¡°Gastronaut, I was honestly thinking the same thing.¡± Elio replies as he snaps his finger. ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea, actually.¡± Nasuka responds, sounding surprised from Gastronaut¡¯s idea. ¡°I ate before we left, so you can have both plates, Gastronaut.¡± Guerilla gestures with his gun. Gastronaut pops his lens up; ¡°Sweet, thanks!¡± He happily slings both his arms toward the plates and gets started on eating them.


    June 5th, 2018. 6:35 PM.


    Ray sits with his back leaned against the wall, locked up in a lonely cell with his arms cuffed, surrounded by the feeling of suffocation, isolation, and powerlessness. The air stale, the walls closed in, amplifying the echoes of his thoughts; ¡°I don¡¯t know how much I can keep going on with this. I¡¯m tired¡­¡± His movements are restricted, every moment elongates in a disorienting blend of fear and resignation. The metal cuffs dig into his wrists, a constant reminder of his confinement as they drain his power.


    He suddenly hears the footsteps of someone coming by, he tilts his head to gaze out the cell, staring at the high-tech interior, the sleek, minimalist architecture with stainless steel and reinforced glass surfaces. LED lighting illuminating the corridor lined with high-definition surveillance cameras. His cell door is made with reinforced composite materials with electronic locks; ¡°It¡¯s like being in that damn attic, so dark, so lonely¡­ I just wanna be able to go outside and enjoy life again, and the one time I do go outside, I¡¯m right back inside again. I wanna hang out with Julia without needing her to climb inside the attic.¡± Ray¡¯s mind ponders as he continues to look out the cell.


    ¡°Are you doing ok, Ray?¡± ¡°I know that voice¡­¡± Ray mutters, as the steps get closer, Mig stares him down from outside the cell. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question. Are you doing ok?¡± He asks while biting down on a piece of meat, taking out a huge chunk. Ray chooses not to answer, not wishing to succumb to any possible form of taunting, he then notices what Mig¡¯s eating and does a double take; ¡°Wait¡­ is that¡­¡± Ray asks himself as he takes a closer look. Mig¡¯s sharp teeth tear through the flesh effortlessly as his powerful jaws crunch bones and sinew. Each bite is purposeful, extracting maximum nutrition as he relishes in the taste and scent of blood. ¡°A human arm?!¡± Ray stares in horror. ¡°So all those times when Mig wasn¡¯t present and I was only fighting the other two, he wasn¡¯t eating regular food and being lazy, he was hiding that he was eating people?!¡± Ray tries to avoid puking; ¡°Oh my God¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyway, the reason I¡¯m here is because Nasuka tasked me with taking your last meal request.¡± He explains, his muffled due to still gnawing on the arm; ¡°You better pick something good, that¡¯s all I can say.¡± Mig goads as he swallows a piece of flesh. ¡°Elio¡­ why would you choose to side with them? These monsters?¡± Ray asks in sadness before taking a deep breath; ¡°No¡­ that¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t want a last meal request.¡± He answers quietly. ¡°That¡¯s a shame. Oh well, I¡¯ll tell Nasuka when she gets back from whatever restaurant she¡¯s out at. Bye Ray.¡± Mig says casually as he begins walking away, crunching on the bone.


    As his footsteps become more faint, Ray slumps his head forward, feeling nauseous and weak as he vomits onto the floor in front of him, his body retching as his abdomen contracts. His body feels slight relief afterward, but he¡¯s left, uncomfortable and emotionally distressed; ¡°All those times I was kept hidden from this city, if Julia, Carlos, or everybody else at the restaurant were discovered to have been hiding me, what would happen to them? Would they be killed and fed to Mig?! The thought is leaving me worried about what might¡¯ve been. And Elio¡­ I hate superheroes.¡± Ray reflects in silence as he leans back against the wall, breathing with his mouth to avoid smelling his own throw up.


    June 5th, 2018. 8:45 PM.


    After dinner, a limousine begins driving through the gates of a mansion. Elio looks out the window to see its exterior boast a grand facade with intricately carved stone columns and a sweeping staircase leading to double mahogany doors. Tall, arched windows with stained glass panels reflecting the light from the city¡¯s lights. The large front lawn is impeccably manicured, dotted with sculpted hedges and colorful flower beds. A marble fountain at the center adds a touch of elegance, surrounded by classical statues. ¡°This place is nice, but I couldn¡¯t imagine living here. So much land that I¡¯d have to pay to keep, I¡¯d never be able to get anything done. I wonder how Maxi¡¯s lodge is doing? I can¡¯t lie, I¡¯m already feeling homesick and I haven¡¯t even been away from it for a full week.¡± Elio wonders while he leans his head back, staring at the view.


    As the limousine pulls forward and parks, a butler opens the door for Nasuka, she steps out as Elio gets out as well, followed by Gastronaut and Guerilla, Elio then does some stretching, his bones making popping sounds; ¡°Well, I had fun, dinner was really good. I still make better food though.¡± Elio comments. ¡°You never mentioned anything about being a cook this whole night, Elio.¡± Gastronaut responds; ¡°Nah, I¡¯m serious, trust me, I¡¯ve been told by chefs in Gull¡¯s Bay that I could open up my own restaurant.¡± ¡°Aight, I¡¯ll take your word for it.¡± Gastronaut holds his hands up.


    ¡°Oh good, you¡¯re back.¡± Mig calls out as he begins walking down one of the mansion walls, his body completely horizontal; ¡°She¡¯s all yours, Mig.¡± Gastronaut responds, Mig starts walking on the floor; ¡°Of course. Let¡¯s go, Nasuka.¡± Mig gestures for the doors. ¡°Right, but before that¡­¡± Nasuka turns to look at Elio, she smiles widely; ¡°I had a really fun time tonight, I hope we can do it again sometime.¡± Elio looks back at her; ¡°Yeah, sounds good to me.¡± Nasuka giggles before making her way into her mansion. ¡°Finally, the shift¡¯s over. That was so damn boring.¡± Guerilla says suddenly, catching Elio by surprise; ¡°Oh, what the hell? I didn¡¯t know that the professionalism was just an act by him. He sounds so much more casual.¡±


    Guerilla takes off his headgear, his face bores the weathered lines of experience he¡¯s had as a hero, etched deeply around his piercing eyes. Across his rugged features, faint, yet visible, are scars that tell stories of his past battles. Thin lines tracing across his cheekbone, a jagged mark along his jawline, and a faded, but noticeable indentation above his brow, each scar a testament to his resilience and the challenges he had faced. ¡°I¡¯m ready to go when you are.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± Gastronaut replies before looking at Elio; ¡°Guerilla and I are gonna goof off, you wanna come with?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, sure, I¡¯m down. What¡¯re we doing?¡± ¡°Not sure, we just like going around, seeing what there is to do.¡± Guerilla answers as he shrugs his shoulders. ¡°Count me in then!¡± ¡°Cool! Let¡¯s get going!¡± Gastronaut starts walking as he beckons for Elio to follow them.

 Chapter 17 - The Calm Before The Storm

    The three leave the mansion, as they make their way down the road, Elio decides to make some small talk; ¡°Quick question, what do y¡¯all think about Nasuka?¡± Guerilla immediately stops walking and groans while grimacing; ¡°Elio, I feel bad for you. Any Earthling that¡¯s strong, she tries getting good with. I know she told you that she wishes you were older, but she feels so lonely, that she practically forgot about that.¡± ¡°Oh gross, what the fuck?¡± Elio responds while chuckling. Guerilla then grabs a cigarette out of his pocket and flicks it into the air, he then snipes the head of it, lighting it before catching it and taking a puff. ¡°Ever since she lost her son, Advik, she¡¯s been super lonely, six years. I wanna feel bad, but the way she goes about it is so poor.¡± Gastronaut explains before continuing while slinging his arm over to Guerilla and wrapping it on his shoulder; ¡°Seriously, Guerilla¡¯s had it BAD. I¡¯ve seen it a few times, she does shit like resting her head on his shoulder when she vents, I think one time, she literally unbuttoned her top-¡± ¡°By ¡®one time,¡¯ you mean every time.¡± Guerilla cuts him off while giving a side eye.


    ¡°E-every time?¡± Elio asks, dumbfounded. ¡°Every time.¡± Guerilla takes a puff; ¡°It¡¯s one of the reasons I started smoking.¡± ¡°Lord, have mercy.¡± Elio shakes his head; ¡°That has to be annoying.¡± ¡°You have no idea.¡± ¡°Hey guys, what about the movies? Infinity War is still in theaters, we haven¡¯t found the time to see it yet, Guerilla.¡± Gastronaut suggests, as well as trying to steer clear from having to deal with Guerilla getting stressed. ¡°Oh right, we were gonna see that. Elio, are you fine with that?¡± ¡°Yeah, I already saw it, but I don¡¯t really mind seeing it again.¡± Elio answers while crossing his arms. ¡°It came out almost two months ago, so the screening shouldn¡¯t even be that packed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good point, Elio. Aight then, it¡¯s settled, we¡¯re watching that.¡± Gastronaut answers. Guerilla takes out his card and hands it to Gastronaut; ¡°Buy me a ticket, I¡¯m gonna finish smoking this first. I¡¯ll join you two after I grab my popcorn.¡± ¡°Got it! Let¡¯s go, Elio.¡± Gastronaut begins walking inside with Elio following suit.


    June 5th, 2018. 11:20 PM.


    ¡°Yeah, Hulk fucking sucked.¡± Guerilla comments as they leave the screening before taking a sip of his soda; ¡°I told you. Same dude who fought the U.S. Military, now look at him.¡± Elio replies. ¡°I liked the Stan Lee cameo. I thought that was charming to see.¡± Gastronaut comments; ¡°It¡¯s funny, but for the ten-year buildup, it¡¯s a bit underwhelming.¡± ¡°I can see that. By the way, Elio, what was your favorite cameo from the saga?¡± ¡°Definitely the Guardians 2 cameo, the idea of him being a Watcher Informant is so goofy, it just works.¡± Elio answers, Gastronaut has a light laugh. ¡°I forgot, that one¡¯s really good. I think my favorite¡¯s the one from Ultron.¡± ¡°Oh, the one where he steals Thor¡¯s booze and gets fucking wasted? That one¡¯s a good third for me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing second place is when he¡¯s a cyborg barber?¡± ¡°Bingo!¡± Elio snaps his finger.


    ¡°My list is probably the same thing. But uh¡­ yeah, pretty good movie. I probably wouldn¡¯t watch it again, but yeah.¡± ¡°Agreed, anyway, what are you up for now, Guerilla? It¡¯s your turn to choose now.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Well, I didn¡¯t eat that much popcorn, so I¡¯m pretty hungry again. Elio, you said back on the porch that you could open your own restaurant, according to chefs. You think we could try out some of your cooking?¡± Guerilla asks. Elio¡¯s face lights up as he dons a grin; ¡°You made possibly one of the best decisions of your life just now. Where¡¯s the nearest store- wait, are any of the grocery stores open?¡± ¡°Nah, but given our status, we can just waltz right in, grab some stuff, and we¡¯ll be good as long as we leave money on the counter.¡± ¡°Oh, alright, then let¡¯s go.¡± Elio responds, Guerilla beckons for him to follow him and Gastronaut.


    June 5th, 2018. 11:35 PM.


    As they get to the grocery store, Elio heads inside, slipping through an unlocked back door, careful to avoid triggering the bell to jingle. He moves quickly, grabbing tons of essentials; a water jug, vegetables, broth, beef, flour, dairy, seasoning, pots, utensils, and some alcohol. Remembering each price tag on each shelf, Elio lays down the amount of money from Guerilla¡¯s wallet that he calculated, right onto a counter. He quickly leaves the building, carrying all the stuff he grabbed, he then treks down the road to the building that he¡¯s to meet them at. He looks up at the tall building; ¡°HEY! GASTRONAUT, I GOT THE STUFF! HURRY AND CARRY THESE UP!¡± He calls out, getting his attention. Gastronaut walks over to the edge of the roof; ¡°Got it!¡± He responds, jumping off the building and using his jetpack to make him land safely, he then claps his hands, making each bag float in the air before grabbing onto Elio and making both he and himself weightless. ¡°Here we go.¡± Gastronaut says as he uses his jetpack to make them fly all the way up to the roof, he sets Elio down before flying back to grab the bags, coming back up in mere seconds and setting them down as well.


    Elio clasps his hands; ¡°Alright, watch me work my magic!¡± He shouts excitedly as he starts laying out the ingredients before getting to work. He heats up a large saucepan, combining water, potatoes, carrots, onions, bell peppers, jalapeno, and garlic before sprinkling salt and beef bouillon over the mixture. As he covers the pot with a lid, Guerilla looks at his wallet; ¡°Geez, how much did you spend?! This better be worth it!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll love it!¡± Elio responds while brushing his hand. ¡°If you say so¡­¡± Guerilla responds, taking his word with a grain of salt, Elio continues cooking, heating up a skillet, cooking the beef until it¡¯s brown and draining it afterward. He then stirs the cooked beef and two cups of milk in the pot, heating it through before combining another half cup of milk with all-purpose flour, stirring it until it becomes smooth. He reduces the heat, stirring for a few minutes until the soup thickens. Gastronaut watches intently as Elio puts American cheese into the pot and begins stirring until it melts, topping it off by seasoning it with cayenne.


    ¡°Alright, y¡¯all enjoy!¡± Elio announces excitedly as he fills up a bowl for each of them, Guerilla takes in the smell, exhaling through his mouth quickly; ¡°Whew! That smells great!¡± He comments as he grabs his bowl and spoon. He takes one bite and immediately his eyes widen, he tastes the burst of flavors, amazed by how well-cooked the soup is; ¡°This soup is like firing a gun loaded with flavor!¡± He begins taking more bites; ¡°Each spoonful is hitting me with a blast of cheese, spice, savory beef, and vegetables! It¡¯s an explosion of taste with each bite!¡± His mind races as he continues eating, not even realizing that he had already finished his bowl. ¡°This¡­ is the greatest meal I¡¯ve ever had in my life¡­¡± Guerilla comments; ¡°Aww, come on, man, you have to be exaggerating, I get that it¡¯s good, but-¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s right. I second this.¡± Gastronaut interrupts Elio.


    ¡°Wait, for real?¡± Elio asks in soft surprise, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Without a doubt. In the forty years that we¡¯ve been alive, we never once had something this good.¡± ¡°D-did none of you have taste buds until today?¡± Elio asks, still surprised that they¡¯re this fond of his cooking. ¡°Where we¡¯re from, we didn¡¯t have the best food.¡± Gastronaut answers calmly, though seriously, Elio immediately takes the conversation more seriously as well; ¡°Oh shit, where did you guys live then?¡± He asks curiously. ¡°Titan, one of Saturn¡¯s countries.¡± Guerilla answers as he grabs another bowl. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you guys were born on Saturn. Why was the food so bad there?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a hellscape there, food is not only scarce, but hardly ever preserved, so we would usually have to fight for rotten food. And as you¡¯d expect, that just leads to disease spreading, so we also had to deal with plagues there.¡± Gastronaut explains before chugging down an entire bowl of soup. ¡°Jesus! A-and nobody talks about this?! I¡¯ve never seen this said anywhere on TV, nor any sites that I¡¯ve looked up when wanting to learn more about the other continents!¡± Elio reacts with surprise; ¡°Though I guess this explains why they like my cooking so much. I¡¯m curious now¡­¡± Elio thinks.


    ¡°If it¡¯s alright, could you go more into that? Like, is that the reason you guys decided to become superheroes?¡± Elio asks; ¡°Yes. We became superheroes for that reason, not just Gastronaut and I, but also Mig. We were all friends when we were younger, having each other¡¯s backs, but we wanted to get away from it all. Hold on¡­¡± Guerilla notices the beer pack that Elio brought up. He grabs one and tosses it to Gastronaut, one to Elio, and then cracks one open himself, he takes a drink; ¡°Alright, so as I was saying, we wanted to get away from that life, but unfortunately, things didn¡¯t go as planned, so we decided to join the Emerald Faction since this area¡¯s part of their territory. We couldn¡¯t go anywhere else.¡± ¡°Why not? What happened?¡± Elio asks; ¡°I don¡¯t wanna say it¡­¡± Guerilla answers. ¡°Gastronaut?¡± ¡°Nah, I don¡¯t think you¡¯d wanna hear it.¡± He responds quickly before chugging down his beer and grabbing another.


    Elio sighs and takes a drink of his beer, taking in the view of the bright, golden city under the night sky, gazing at the myriad lights. The streets below, resembling veins of light, bustling with tiny vehicles. Towers of glass and steel reflect the moonlight, creating a dazzling contrast against the dark sky. The cityscape is alive, with distant sounds of traffic and the occasional sparkle of a neon sign, all underlined by the steady hum of urban life. Guerilla decides to break the silence; ¡°Though I¡¯ll be honest, I don¡¯t wanna see Ray being executed.¡± Elio immediately glances at him; ¡°Huh? Wait, I thought you hated him.¡± ¡°Not really, I just feel bad for him, but there¡¯s nothing that I can do to help him out, none of us can, really. If any of us help him, that¡¯d make us traitors of the Emerald Faction for helping a menace in Emerald territory live, and we¡¯d just be hunted down and end up just like him, and he¡¯d still die.¡± Guerilla explains. ¡°Wait, seriously? So there¡¯s NOTHING that can be done?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Gastronaut answers. ¡°I talked with him last night after my shift-¡± ¡°Wait really? What did he say?¡± Elio interjects curiously.


    June 4th, 2018. 9:50 PM.


    ¡°Ray.¡± Guerilla calls from outside the cell; ¡°What¡­¡± Ray answers with attitude, not wanting anything from him. ¡°I want to talk about something, I¡¯ve always been curious about it. And if I don¡¯t say it now, I might never get the chance-¡± ¡°Cause of my execution, right?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Guerilla answers. Ray takes a long exhale; ¡°What could you possibly want to discuss?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about you. I know we¡¯re not on good terms with each other, but I never held any resentment for you. So I just want to know why exactly you did all that you did. You possess such amazing power, but¡­ you let it all go to waste. Why?¡± He asks in a calm, almost sincere manner.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Ray looks down, trying to process the question; ¡°You were aware of the consequences, but still¡­¡± Guerilla trails off, waiting for a response, Ray sighs; ¡°Well, since I¡¯m gonna die, no point in me hiding it. I stayed despite my powers because I wanted to try and redeem my name by helping out others. That¡¯s why I became a criminal, to fight off the greed here in this city, to help others remain functional.¡± He answers. Guerilla remains quiet for a few seconds, closing his eyes and nodding slightly; ¡°A noble cause¡­ that¡¯s what you¡¯re saying. Despite their misfortunes not being your problem, you still wanted to help out of desire, not obligation. That¡¯s true justice in my eyes, helping others, even if it means going against the system. It¡¯s a shame, the position you¡¯re in¡­ if things weren¡¯t so bad here, I¡¯d love to see what you could¡¯ve done as a hero.¡± Guerilla responds, his tone sympathetic.


    Ray stares at the floor while listening, he closes his eye, getting a mixed feel; ¡°Right¡­ if you tried to get me out of here, that¡¯d end badly for the both of us because of the Emerald Faction, a wasted effort.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ and the last thing I wanna give is a false sense of hope. I¡¯m sorry if you¡¯re getting whiplash from this, I¡¯m not trying to paint me as a good person in this situation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. I may hate you, but I can at least say I respect you for being honest about it. And I do appreciate you not giving me a false sense of hope, especially after what Elio did¡­¡± Ray explains softly. Guerilla nods, not wanting to say anything about it, he just waves as he walks off.


    June 6th, 2018. 12:00 AM.


    ¡°Damn¡­¡± Elio reacts in quiet surprise, taking a drink of his beer; ¡°I feel awful. There¡¯s really nothing I can do either. Most fucked up part is knowing how Ray feels about the whole thing and that my peace prize ceremony is right before the execution. Just rubbing salt on the wound¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s just¡­ not right. I really regret becoming a hero¡­¡± Guerilla continues, he closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. ¡°Same here¡­¡± Gastronaut speaks up; ¡°I¡¯m glad we could have this talk though¡­ It''s nice that there¡¯s more people who can understand.¡± He then grabs himself another helping of soup. A small moment of silence dwells, all three of them feeling a slight connection through relating with one another on how they see the situation. Elio speaks up; ¡°Fuck Nasuka?¡± ¡°Fuck Nasuka.¡± Guerilla and Gastronaut in unison, reply confidently; ¡°Cheers to that.¡± Elio responds while holding up his bottle, Guerilla lifts up his arm while Gastronaut slings his arm over, they all clink their bottles before drinking. Elio looks at the cityscape once more; ¡°Ray, it¡¯s not gonna be too much longer till you¡¯re free¡­ just hold out.¡±


    June 7th, 2018. 8:15 AM.


    Back in the attic, Elio¡¯s phone begins to buzz, he jolts himself awake, pushing himself off the couch, performing a side flip and sliding on his feet toward Ray¡¯s desk; ¡°Please let today be the day¡­ please- yes!¡± Elio recognizes the phone number, it belongs to Nasuka. ¡°Yo!¡± He shouts in excitement as he answers the call; ¡°Elio, your ceremony is tonight, be ready by eight PM sharp. It¡¯ll be held at the Maut Altar, your speech has already been written, so just make sure to look sharp for the occasion, you¡¯ll be live on TV.¡± Nasuka explains. ¡°Got it! And I¡¯m guessing Ray¡¯s gonna be there, and the deed will be done once my speech is over?¡± ¡°Yes, exactly. Why?¡± ¡°Cause there¡¯s some words I wanna say to him before it¡¯s over with.¡± Elio replies casually. ¡°Oh¡­ yeah, that works.¡± Nasuka responds, sounding surprised, but understanding the reason. ¡°I¡¯m writing this down right now, Maut Altar¡­ eight PM¡­ dress to impress¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s all. I¡¯ll see you until then.¡± ¡°Alright, peace!¡± Elio responds before hanging up the phone.


    Elio sets his phone down on the desk before taking a deep breath; ¡°It¡¯s finally time¡­¡± He puts his hands on his head, brushing his hair back slowly; ¡°Fuck, I¡¯m nervous. The whole city¡¯s gonna be watching, and possibly people around America are going to see this as well. Thank God the speech was already pre-written, I¡¯ll just get through that, walk toward Ray, break him out of there, fight off those three, then after that, I think I¡¯ll just grab Reggie from that vet. I can¡¯t risk having him there any longer.¡± Elio pounds his fists together; ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s definitely for the best!¡±


    June 7th, 2018. 10:00 AM.


    Elio and Julia sit on a weathered park bench under a large palm tree, Elio¡¯s arms are draped over the bench¡¯s backrest as he leans his head back, while Julia sits upright. Dappled sunlight filters through the leaves above, casting a patchwork of light and shadow on them. They quietly listen to the park hums with the distant sounds of children playing and birds singing. Elio takes a deep breath, sighing; ¡°I gotta say, Julia, this is helping me a lot more than I thought. I¡¯ve been stressing about this whole situation so much, I feel a little less on edge for once. Thanks.¡± He says with sincerity. ¡°Of course, man. I¡¯m just glad that it¡¯s helping, even if just a little. I know I want you to help Ray, but I want you to be safe as well. You¡¯re the only person I¡¯ve met besides Ray who¡¯s trying to fight back against this city, so I feel on edge too, I don¡¯t want you feeling pressured since all my hope¡¯s riding on this day, y¡¯know?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Elio trails off.


    Elio then pushes himself from the backseat, leaning forward and resting his arms on his thighs; ¡°I¡¯m gonna win. I don¡¯t even care if the Emerald Faction¡¯s own leader comes after me, I¡¯m not gonna run away anymore. I¡¯ll fight whoever tries to kill Ray, that I can promise.¡± He declares. Julia stares at him, analyzing the look of determination plastered on his face, she gives a small smile; ¡°Thank you, Elio. I really appreciate how far you¡¯re willing to go to make up for what you did.¡± She says softly as she pats him on the back. Elio nods; ¡°Of course¡­¡± He nods before the two remain silent, enjoying the park¡¯s scenery. After a while, the two hear an ice cream truck jingle playing, they both look toward the direction of the sound, spotting an ice cream truck driving on the street near their location. Julia looks at Elio; ¡°Hey, Elio, you wanna hear something funny that my dad and I did one time? This was back during my freshman year.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Elio lifts his head, looking at her more attentively. ¡°So uh¡­ I was just riding in the car with him, and we went through a neighborhood. I rolled the windows down and he started driving slowly, he then turned the volume up to the max, and-¡± She interrupts herself with a quick laugh; ¡°I started playing an ice cream truck jingle through the bluetooth-¡± She gets interrupted as she hears Elio letting out a massive belly laugh, the tone being completely genuine, which gets her to start laughing as well. ¡°Yo¡­ how have I not thought of that yet? Dude, that¡¯s actually so fucking funny! I can imagine how pissed all those kids must¡¯ve been-¡± ¡°Oh my God, you have no idea! My dad and I were dying, even the parents were mad!¡± ¡°That¡¯s even better!¡± ¡°And then to add insult to injury, we decided to get ice cream before going home!¡± Julia adds, Elio starts laughing even more, so much to the point where he temporarily forgets about the situation he¡¯s in, fully relaxing.


    The laughter finally dies down, Elio takes a deep breath and wipes a tear from how hard he was laughing; ¡°Whew! Nah, I feel a lot better now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear it.¡± Julia responds. Elio stands up; ¡°We gotta do this again sometime after I save Ray. Hell, even better, let¡¯s invite Ray on this kind of stuff, he definitely needs this as well.¡± ¡°I was thinking the same thing! Besides, it¡¯s been way too long since I¡¯ve been able to do anything with him, so I¡¯m really looking forward to it.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Elio shouts excitedly, holding out his hand, Julia grabs his hand and the two shake on their promise. They break the handshake; ¡°Alright, I think I¡¯ll be heading out now, I just need to mentally prepare myself.¡± ¡°You go do whatever you need!¡± ¡°Yeah, and after Ray and I beat those three, we¡¯ll meet you back at the restaurant!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Julia answers as she closes her eyes while putting her fist on her chest. Elio smiles; ¡°Stay strong till then! Peace!¡± Elio encourages her as he begins to walk off, holding one hand in the air, waving goodbye.


    June 7th, 2018. 8:00 PM.


    Thirty minutes have passed since the ceremony began, Mig, Gastronaut and Guerilla stand on guard as Nasuka stands at a podium, speaking into the mic, giving her closing speech; ¡°In closing, let us remember that peace and prosperity are not mere words, but the foundation upon which we build our future. It is through our collective efforts, unwavering commitment, and shared vision that we can create a world where every individual has the opportunity to thrive. Let us dedicate ourselves to fostering understanding, nurturing, compassion, and working tirelessly toward a brighter, more harmonious future. Together, we can turn our aspirations into reality and leave a legacy of peace and prosperity for generations to come. And before we continue on, I¡¯d like for the hero who made all of this possible to come up and make his speech, Elio King!¡± She closes her speech with enthusiasm, no longer looking at the speech she had written. The crowd claps loudly for them.


    Elio gets up off from a chair he¡¯s sitting in, wearing a fancy Victorian tuxedo crafted from luxurious black velvet, featuring a gold brocade lapel and intricate gold embroidery along the cuffs and hem. The fitted waistcoat, also adorned with gold accents, complements the high-collared white shirt and gold silk cravat. The matching black pants, tailored masterfully, with a subtle gold stripe running down the sides, adding a touch of opulence to his ensemble.


    A massive crowd rambles as he begins to walk, the air buzzing with excitement and anticipation. Cameras from various news outlets are positioned strategically, capturing every moment. The large stage with the podium standing at the center, adorned with banners and flags. The crowd¡¯s energy crescendos as Elio slowly begins to walk toward the stairs that lead to the podium, the sea of people and camera flashes making Elio¡¯s eyes squint.


    As Elio begins trekking up the stairs, the altar reveals itself more, the futuristic execution altar shows its sleek, metallic platform suspended in the center of a high-tech chamber. It features integrated, automated restraints and a holographic interface displaying Ray¡¯s crimes. He finishes his walk up the stairs, finally able to see Ray, strapped to an electric chair, the straps made from an elastic foreign material, restraining even his great strength. He sits there, looking lifeless, having already given up.


    Elio steps onto the podium, shaking Nasuka¡¯s hand; ¡°Thank you.¡± Elio says before breaking the handshake and being given a trophy for his peace prize. As he holds it, he takes a quick glance at it, the golden trophy depicts a man with his hands clasped in front of him and his head lowered, standing in a reverent, thoughtful pose. The figure is detailed, capturing the contours of his musculature and folds of his clothing, all rendered in polished gold. The trophy¡¯s base is sturdy and simple, complementing the elegance of the figure above. He then speaks into the mic while taking quick looks at the pre-written speech below; ¡°It is my greatest honor to be here, Violet Paradise. Today, I stand before you as not just an individual, but as a representative of a collective yearning for peace and justice¡­¡±


    As Elio rambles on with his speech, Ray sits strapped to the electric chair, his posture slumped and eye hollow. His face is gaunt, with shadows accentuating the lines of exhaustion and despair etched deeply into his features. His shoulders sag, and his hands, bound to the armrests, lie limp. Every aspect of his demeanor conveys a profound sense of emptiness and defeat. ¡°Where did I go wrong¡­?¡± Ray asks himself, his eye beginning to drift down toward the floor.

 Chapter 18 - Reflecting On My Past Life

    Ray¡¯s vision starts to blur gradually, like a mist settling over his eye. Distant objects and patterns on the floor lose their sharpness, softening into vague outlines. The world becomes a haze as it dissolves into a foggy panorama. His vision, clouded, a persistent and creeping veil of blur that dimmed his view of life. His eye shuts before he opens it again, his vision is suddenly clear again as he winds up in a bright and sterile hospital room, with soft pastel walls designed to sooth. In the center, he spots a labor bed with adjustable sides that hold a dark-skinned woman, sweat beading on her forehead as she grips the sheets. A man stands beside her, holding her hand, his face a mix of anxiety and anticipation. ¡°Wait¡­ is that¡­¡± Ray wonders before he fully makes out the man¡¯s appearance, his confusion becoming a scowl; ¡°Why¡¯s my father here? Where the hell am I anyway?¡±


    He glances around once more, spotting a doctor, clad in scrubs and gloves, moving efficiently, monitoring machines and offering calm reassurances. Nearby, a warming bassinet awaiting a newborn, and medical equipment stood ready, adding a clinical contrast to the room¡¯s intimate, emotional atmosphere. ¡°Wait a minute¡­ if that¡¯s my dad, then¡­¡± His eye darts around before spotting a calendar; ¡°April twenty-second, nineteen ninety-seven! That¡¯s the day I was born!¡± Ray realizes; ¡°My life¡¯s flashing before my eyes!¡± He shouts, shocked. Not a single reaction around him; ¡°This is¡­ fuck, I don¡¯t even¡­ this isn¡¯t right.¡± He tries processing everything.


    Not knowing how to react, he just stands by quietly, watching it unfold. His mother, drenched in sweat and exhausted, breathes slowly as she finally delivers an extraordinarily heavy child, feeling a ton of weight loss. Her strength is completely spent, she collapses back, her body not even able to tremble. The doctor sees the crying child and says while attempting to pick him up; ¡°It¡¯s a boy-¡± his words are interrupted by the shock of how heavy he is, struggling to lift him off the bed. ¡°Wait, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Ray¡¯s father asks the doctor; ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t pick him up, he¡¯s so heavy.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± He asks, confused. ¡°Right¡­ My Octuple-Skeletal Syndrome¡­ I¡¯ve always been curious about how heavy I was when I was born.¡± Ray thinks while he looks back at his mother, suddenly, his body starts being pulled out of the room; ¡°Huh?!¡± Ray turns around, on guard, only to see that he¡¯s not being pulled by anybody; ¡°Wait¡­¡± He looks at where his younger self is, he¡¯s being brought out to be weighed; ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m moving, it seems wherever my past self goes, my own consciousness is pulled to follow it.¡± He says, putting the pieces together. ¡°But¡­ my mother¡­ Why wasn¡¯t she moving?¡±


    Ray¡¯s brought into a nursery. The doctors carefully weigh him, as he¡¯s put on the scale, their eyes widen in complete shock as one of them reads the number; ¡°F-fifty-six pounds?!¡± Ray¡¯s eye widens; ¡°Holy shit! I was that heavy?!¡± Ray shouts in surprise, only to quickly look back at the door of the nursery; ¡°Wait, hold on¡­¡± He puts his hand on his chin; ¡°That must be¡­¡± Ray trails off as he suddenly sees himself inside a modest apartment. ¡°Wait, this is my old house, and lemme guess, that screaming is from that disease, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ray turns around, only to be correct as he sees his father yelling at him from when he was five-years old. His father, face red with anger, lashes out, throwing a half-empty beer bottle at Ray¡¯s feet, Ray has zero reaction, his body tense as he stands silently in bewilderment; ¡°Do something! At least have a reaction! You killed your own mother, yet you wanna stand around like you¡¯re some helpless little shit! You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m even taking care of you, if it weren¡¯t for me loving her, I would¡¯ve left you by yourself!¡± His father screams with anger and resentment.


    ¡°Right, I remember hearing that she died, a mix of exhaustion due to carrying my weight around for months on end, alongside that weight having done permanent damage to her pelvis. What an awful way to die, also fuck¡­ I know it was bad, but damn, I was only five-years old. Who the hell says that to their kid? Plus, it¡¯s not my fault she died, I didn¡¯t choose to be born with a genetic disorder, you chose to have a kid!¡± Ray grits his teeth as he becomes angry from his thoughts. ¡°And I can tell exactly what little me was thinking at this very moment; ¡®What did I do?¡¯ I know there are kids who don¡¯t react when their parents lash out, but that¡¯s usually when they¡¯re teenagers, I was FIVE!¡± Ray shouts internally as he leans his body back against the kitchen counter.


    August 5th, 2002. 10:20 AM.


    Kindergartners run around, laughing and playing on a playground that¡¯s vibrant and cheerful, with brightly colored play structures, slides, and swings. The ground is covered in soft rubber mats and grass. Plenty of whimsical decorations, sandboxes, and shaded areas for resting. As the kids run around, having a blast during recess, Ray sits down, watching his past self sitting on the ground, far away from all the other kids. Ray slowly extends his hand toward a vibrant green praying mantis perched on a blade of grass, the mantis tilts its triangular head, its compound seemingly studying him with equal curiosity. With gentle precision, Ray nudges the mantis onto his palm, marveling at its spindly legs and its intricate exoskeleton, the mantis remains calm, almost regal, as Ray talks to it; ¡°You¡¯re so cool, I like you. I don¡¯t know why people think you¡¯re gross and scary, you¡¯re an animal, just like any other. I get called gross as well by my dad, sometimes even being called a killer, it hurts, but I know that as long as I just avoid people, I can¡¯t kill anyone.¡± Young Ray speaks with optimism, but Ray grimaces; ¡°Damn¡­ I forgot how I¡¯d isolate myself from others to the point of talking to a bug. Dad really screwed my social life over from how many times he called me a murderer. I¡¯m sorry, little me, I hate seeing you like this. I wish I hadn¡¯t taken his words so seriously, but then again, I don¡¯t know what to expect when I was just a kid.¡±


    Days go on as Ray watches his old routine pass him by. Waking up each morning with a sense of dread, dragging himself through the motions of getting ready for school. Isolating himself on campus, avoiding eye contact and conversation with his peers. He slips through each day unnoticed, hanging out in corners during breaks and silently enduring the hours in the classroom. When the final bell rings, he walks home slowly, prolonging the time before he deals with his father.


    His father¡¯s presence is a constant shadow over his life. The moment he steps through the door, he braces himself, knowing that anything he does will set him off. The apartment is always filled with tension, his father¡¯s anger sharp. Ray walks into his room whenever possible, but even there, he can¡¯t escape his father¡¯s awful outbursts. He spends his evenings alone, nursing the bruises that are both physical and emotional, knowing that the next day will bring more of the same.


    Every night at around 12:30 AM, Ray would quietly slip out of his bedroom window, careful not to make a sound. The moon would cast a faint glow as he silently walked through the apartment parking lot, clutching his worn backpack. He¡¯d reach the park, the playground equipment eerily still. He drops his backpack, taking out a sturdy stick and begins practicing swordplay, his movements precise but filled with the untrained enthusiasm of youth. Ray looks at his younger self and begins mimicking his movements; ¡°Right, I would always come here and practice swordplay to calm myself down due to all the pent up anger I¡¯d feel during the day. All this because dad thought it¡¯d be a good idea to call me a murderer¡­¡±


    September 18th, 2009. 12:20 PM.


    ¡°Ok, this has to be the day¡­¡± Ray ponders as he sits across from himself in a hallway during lunch at his old middle school. His younger self is quietly eating a slice of school pizza, as he takes a bite, he quickly stops when a girl accidentally steps on his foot. She immediately looks at Ray; ¡°Oh geez, I¡¯m sorry about that! I wasn¡¯t looking where I was going, are you alright?¡± She apologizes, Ray looks up; ¡°Huh? Oh, you¡¯re good, don¡¯t worry ¡®bout it. I didn¡¯t really notice, but I appreciate your acknowledgement.¡± He responds with a soft voice. ¡°Thank you for not being mad, sorry again, I¡¯ll get out of your hair now.¡± ¡°Peace.¡± Ray replies. As she¡¯s walking away, she stops and shoots a glance before walking backwards toward him; ¡°Sorry, quick question, are you waiting for any of your friends or something?¡± ¡°Hmm? Wait, what do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve seen you a few times during lunch, every time, you¡¯re by yourself.¡± She explains, trying her best to not sound rude.


    ¡°Oh, nah, I¡¯m just by myself. Kinda sucks, but it is what it is. Why? What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Well, I was wondering if you¡¯d like to sit with me and my friends for lunch, that way you don¡¯t have to be by yourself.¡± She smiles. Ray stands up; ¡°Wait, really?¡± He asks with a hint of surprise; ¡°Yeah, if you want, I¡¯ll show you where we hang out. Also don¡¯t worry, like half the group is guys, so you don¡¯t have to worry about standing out.¡± She adds on. ¡°Should I? Eh, screw it, I¡¯ve been isolating myself for eight years now, I should just accept the offer.¡± ¡°Sure, why not? I appreciate it, oh, and I¡¯m Ray, it¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Cool name, I¡¯m Julia. It¡¯s nice to meet you too, Ray. Come on, let¡¯s get going.¡± Julia happily replies as she grabs Ray¡¯s wrist and starts walking, Ray follows. As Ray watches himself and Julia, he smiles, but that quickly turns into a frown; ¡°Julia¡¯s always been so kind, the kindest person I¡¯ve known. Being able to see how our friendship formed again, I feel even worse now for how I¡¯ve leeched off of her. She didn¡¯t deserve that treatment, that was just wrong of me.¡±


    ¡°By the way, Ray, what¡¯s your workout routine?¡± ¡°What¡¯s my workout?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m just curious cause I¡¯ve never seen someone my age built like that. Is it steroids?¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t actually workout. I have this rare condition called ¡®Octuple-Skeletal Syndrome,¡¯ so my skeleton is eight times denser than it¡¯s supposed to be-¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of that!¡± Julia replies with surprise as her eyes widen. ¡°You have?¡± ¡°Yeah! My dad¡¯s a scientist, he¡¯s told me about a ton of crazy things that people are born with!¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s cool. So I¡¯m guessing you know a ton about my condition then, such as how I¡¯d sink like a rock if I jumped into a pool, right?¡± Ray asks, showing interest in the topic. ¡°I mean, yeah, but I don¡¯t know if having that condition would make a difference.¡± Julia jokingly responds, Ray snaps his head, doing a double-take; ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Ray responds playfully while having a slight chuckle, Julia laughs from Ray¡¯s reaction; ¡°Oh, nothing.¡± She laughs while waving; ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, I think you¡¯ll fit right in.¡± ¡°You really think?¡± Ray asks with some excitement; ¡°Of course!¡± Julia reaffirms with her enthusiasm.


    The two walk for a bit before they come across Julia¡¯s friend group, a group of ten friends sitting around a lunch table, relaxed and chatting. The table is covered with a mix of half-eaten food and a few drinks. One friend is asleep with his head resting on the table. Another is eating while listening to one of the others telling him a story. Three are playing on their DS¡¯s, racing each other in Mario Kart. Two others are engaged in a side conversation, talking about basketball. The last two are debating about which snacks to trade. Ray takes in the atmosphere, feeling relaxed by the casual and warmth of the table while sunlight streams through a nearby window.


    Julia sits down in an empty spot, gesturing for Ray to sit next to her, as he sits down, the kid sleeping raises her head; ¡°Hmm? Hey, Julia, who¡¯s this?¡± She groggily asks before yawning; ¡°This is Ray, new friend I made just now. Ray, this is Emily.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Ray smiles as he introduces himself. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you too, Ray. You like Pok¨¦mon?¡± ¡°Pok¨¦mon? I don¡¯t really have an opinion on it, I haven¡¯t played it or seen the show.¡± Ray answers bluntly. Emily raises an eyebrow; ¡°Wait, really? What games have you played then?¡± She asks curiously; ¡°None, really.¡± Ray replies. ¡°You¡¯ve never played video games before?¡± One of the kids playing on his DS asks while looking up; ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡± ¡°For real? Why? Are they just not your thing?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ my dad doesn¡¯t exactly let me have those. He actually never let me have anything, if I¡¯m being honest. Not even toys when I was younger-¡± ¡°Wait, huh?!¡± Julia interrupts him, completely surprised by the bombshell. ¡°Yeah.¡± Ray responds bluntly, as if it were no big deal.


    ¡°Uh-¡± Julia cuts herself off as she doesn¡¯t know how to process it, as well as the other kids at the table. ¡°D-do you wanna talk about it? Are you alright?¡± She asks with concern; ¡°No, that¡¯s fine. I can talk about it later, I just don¡¯t want to ruin the mood here.¡± Ray answers, still blunt. There¡¯s a small, awkward silence among the table until Ray speaks up; ¡°But hey, think about it this way, since I know nothing about these, I¡¯d be interested in hearing about it.¡± As he says that, everyone at the table just goes back to what they were doing before, Julia taps his shoulder with her elbow; ¡°You¡¯re good, right?¡± She whispers; ¡°Yeah, frankly, I¡¯m just glad to be here.¡± ¡°I know that, I meant about your homelife. What you said had me worried.¡± ¡°Oh, uh¡­¡± Ray turns around, facing away from the table; ¡°Let¡¯s just talk about it like this, that way the others don¡¯t have to hear and feel bad.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Julia responds while facing away as well.


    ¡°So uh¡­ I¡¯ll just keep it brief, my dad hates me because my mom died shortly after giving birth to me.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Julia looks down as she reacts, feeling bad for him; ¡°I¡¯m guessing it was your condition, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, and then he¡¯d also beat me when I was younger, called me a murderer here and there-¡± ¡°Jesus!¡± Julia interrupts, her tone completely shocked and appalled. She looks at Ray, her eyes widened with sympathy; ¡°And it¡¯s been like this your whole life?¡± ¡°Nah, but by the time I was ten, he gave up on trying to drive his message home, now he just doesn¡¯t even talk to me. The most he ever tells me is when dinner¡¯s ready. Doesn¡¯t even ask me how school was for me.¡± Ray explains, his tone sounding slightly sensitive as he¡¯s able to open up. Julia picks up on the sound of his voice, she pauses for a bit, trying to find her words. Eventually, she speaks up; ¡°If you want, would you like to have dinner with me and my family tonight?¡± ¡°Huh? Wait, legit? I mean, would your parents be fine with it?¡± Ray asks back with consideration. ¡°Of course, as long as I just let them know ahead of time! Besides, they¡¯re super welcoming!¡± She gives a smile to help drive her point further.


    ¡°Not having to be around my father sounds really nice¡­¡± Ray ponders the idea before answering; ¡°I¡¯d like that a lot, thank you.¡± Ray softly answers, Julia feels a wave of relief come over her. ¡°That makes me happy to hear, just meet me at the stairs by the entrance after school, my dad usually picks me up, so I¡¯ll introduce you to him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind¡­¡± Ray¡¯s voice cracks a bit as he smiles, Julia notices, but chooses to say nothing about it, letting him have his moment of happiness. She turns around and starts talking to one of her friends, which signals Ray to just get comfortable and familiar with the table. Ray watches himself starting a conversation with the kids playing Mario Kart, learning about the game while watching the gameplay, he also listens to them talk about their overall thoughts on the game. He smiles when watching, closing his eye; ¡°Even though I¡¯m on death¡¯s door, I¡¯m happy I at least get to live through these moments all over again.¡±


    September 18th, 2009. 2:30 PM.


    Ray follows his younger self around as the final bell rings while looking for Julia. Some groups of students are chatting while others walk alone, earbuds put in. Eventually Ray finds Julia, leaning back against a handrail on the stairs; ¡°Hey Julia, I¡¯m ready.¡± Julia turns her head to him; ¡°Oh good, you¡¯re here! What took you so long?¡± ¡°PE¡¯s my seventh period class.¡± ¡°Ahh, I understand. Well, you¡¯re here now, let¡¯s get going.¡± She pushes herself off the rail and starts walking down, Ray walks beside her. ¡°So, where is your dad?¡± ¡°He¡¯s right there in that blue Volvo. He¡¯s really easy to get along with.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Ray replies.


    The two approach the car and Julia taps on the window, it rolls down; ¡°Hey, dad!¡± ¡°Hey, Julia, how was school?¡± Her father asks with a slight smile. He has short, spiky brown hair and a light stubble covering his jawline as he¡¯s dressed in a simple t-shirt and jeans, exuding a relaxed, everyday look. He notices Ray; ¡°This the new friend?¡± He asks, Julia nods; ¡°Yep! This is Ray!¡± She gestures her arm to her dad; ¡°Ray, this is my dad.¡± Ray reaches out for a handshake; ¡°Hi, it¡¯s nice to meet you, Dr¡­¡± ¡°Martin.¡± Dr. Martin answers as he shakes Ray¡¯s hand. ¡°Got it.¡± Ray replies, Dr. Martin breaks the handshake. ¡°Thankfully, Julia remembered to let me know in advance that you were coming over. She used to have a bad habit of just making decisions last-minute.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t remind me.¡± Julia jumps in while laughing lightly. ¡°Well, get in the car, I wanna go home.¡± ¡°You and me both.¡± Julia replies while opening the passenger door.


    Dr. Martin notices that Ray¡¯s still outside the car; ¡°Well, get in, Ray. What¡¯re you standing around for?¡± ¡°Oh, sorry, it¡¯s just, I¡¯m worried about accidentally ripping the door off.¡± ¡°Ripping the door off?¡± ¡°Octuple-Skeletal Syndrome.¡± Julia answers while tapping her father¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Wait, really? I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d meet someone that actually has it. I understand then.¡± He then looks back at Ray; ¡°Just take your time, Ray.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Ray answers, he grips the door handle as lightly as possible and takes a deep breath. He then opens the door; ¡°Oh, it actually wasn¡¯t that hard.¡± Ray reacts with slight surprise before sitting in the back, he closes the door with little effort, feeling more comfortable with his strength. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°Cool!¡± Dr. Martin responds as he puts the car into drive and leaves the parking lot.


    A few minutes pass as Ray sits silently while getting comfortable in his seat; ¡°Hey, Ray, you¡¯re good back there, right? The AC working?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ray looks up after having zoned out; ¡°Oh, yeah, I feel it. And yeah, I¡¯m good, I¡¯m used to sitting in the back.¡± Ray adds as Julia lets out a quick laugh. Dr. Martin¡¯s eyebrows furrow for a second before he makes a ¡®pfft¡¯ sound; ¡°I told you you¡¯d get along just fine.¡± Julia comments while looking back at him. ¡°Just be careful to not say that around the dinner table, the wife gets embarrassed from most jokes that she laughs at.¡± ¡°Wait, really? Why?¡± Ray asks while chuckling slightly. ¡°She¡¯s a defense attorney.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ray asks with surprise; ¡°Yup! And a good one at that!¡± Julia replies proudly. ¡°You guys must be loaded!¡± ¡°You make it sound like we live in a mansion.¡± Dr. Martin laughs. Present Ray smiles; ¡°He¡¯s a very good man, I wish I could see him again in person, but with what¡¯s gonna happen, I¡¯ll gladly take the memories.¡±


    September 18th, 2009. 6:30 PM.


    While Dr. Martin¡¯s cooking in the kitchen, Ray and Julia are on the living room couch, playing Mario Party, Julia has her character swim down to the sea bed, grabbing the largest treasure chest; ¡°Ray, rotate! Rotate! Rotate!¡± ¡°Rotate? Rotate? Ok, I¡¯m rotating!¡± Ray starts rotating ever so gently and Julia starts mashing to swim up. ¡°Damn, I¡¯m gonna run out of air-¡± ¡°I¡¯m rotating as fast as I can-¡± ¡°I¡¯M DROWNING!¡± ¡°I¡¯m rotating!¡± Ray yells while struggling to rotate faster. Julia fails to get out of the water; ¡°No!¡± She yells as the chest falls and the CPU grabs it; ¡°Come on, Ray, you gotta rotate!¡± Julia shouts while grabbing a different chest. ¡°Rotate, Ray! ROTATE!¡± ¡°I¡¯m rotating, Julia!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t go up if you don¡¯t rotate!¡± She yells again, they manage to get one of the chests up, collecting coins, Julia then starts mashing fast while swimming to the last chest, racing against the CPU. ¡°Ray, go left!¡± ¡°I know-¡± Ray cuts himself off before talking again; ¡°Wait, how are you moving so quick?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m mashing for my life out here!¡± She yells again, Ray starts laughing and Dr. Martin can also be heard laughing from the kitchen. ¡°Rotate!¡± ¡°I¡¯m rotating-¡± ¡°ROTATE! I CAN¡¯T GO UP IF YOU DON¡¯T ROTATE!¡± ¡°I HAVE MY PALM ON THE STICK AND I¡¯M ROTATING AS FAST AS I CAN WITHOUT BREAKING IT!¡± Ray shouts back, feeling the same stress she¡¯s feeling about the minigame. ¡°ROTATE!¡± ¡°I¡¯M ROTATING!¡± ¡°NO!¡± Julia shouts as she runs out of air again and the chest sinks to the bottom, she puts her hand on her face; ¡°Oh my God, man¡­¡± She comments, calming down; ¡°You were smart for not letting Yoshi get that box.¡± Ray responds, Julia laughs; ¡°Alright, I might have overreacted.¡± ¡°Yeah, you think?¡± Ray retorts. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that was the first video game I¡¯ve ever played. That was a mess, but it¡¯s Mario Party, so it checks out.¡± Present Ray reacts to the whole scene.


    ¡°Alright, you two, pause your game! Dinner¡¯s ready!¡± Dr. Martin calls from the kitchen; ¡°Sick!¡± Julia sets the controller down and vaults over the couch while Ray just gets up and walks around it. ¡°Grab a plate, Ray.¡± Dr. Martin says as Ray enters the kitchen, he looks at his plate and his mouth starts to water upon seeing a perfectly pan-seared, juicy steak, seasoned with a blend of herbs and spices, sitting next to a crisp Caesar salad, featuring romaine lettuce, parmesan, and croutons tossed in tangy, creamy dressing. On the slide, a slice of golden-brown garlic bread, toasted to perfection, Ray grabs his plate; ¡°Thank you, this looks amazing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy to hear that, and you¡¯re welcome.¡± Dr. Martin replies as Ray sits down by the dinner table. He cuts a piece of steak and takes a bite; ¡°Oh, that is good! Oh my God!¡± ¡°Bro, try the garlic bread!¡± Julia responds, muffled as she¡¯s taking a bite of hers, Dr. Martin sits down at the table and starts quietly eating, a few minutes pass and the front door opens.


    A woman walks in, wearing a tailored dark blazer, a crisp white blouse and a matching pencil skirt. She has long, messy hair, slightly wavy and unkempt, keeping a casual vibe to her otherwise professional attire. Julia looks up; ¡°Hi mom!¡± ¡°Hi, honey, how was work?¡± ¡°I won a surprise case, now I¡¯m tired.¡± Mrs. Martin answers, yawning; ¡°I¡¯d imagine so, I was wondering why you weren¡¯t home yet when I was making dinner. Speaking of which, your plate¡¯s in the kitchen.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Mrs. Martin replies as she takes off her blazer and sets it on a rack before walking into the kitchen. ¡°Wait, mom, what was the case?¡± Julia asks; ¡°There was a trial happening in the room right next to the one that I had just finished in, and the lawyer for that case had syncope and passed out from sneezing nonstop and losing oxygen. And since I¡¯d just gotten done with my case, they had me fill in her spot as the defense, and I genuinely didn¡¯t even know what I should¡¯ve said, because the prosecution made too good a point, on top of me not being prepared. The victim found a seven-inch serrated plastic knife baked in his Subway sandwich, so he decided to sue the company, which, yeah, suing sounded reasonable at first, but then I learned he¡¯s trying to sue for a million dollars cause he contracted food poisoning. I winged it and managed to get the claim settled for just five-thousand, so yay for that, but now I¡¯m beat.¡± She explains as she grabs her plate and sits at the table.


    ¡°That sounds ridiculous.¡± Ray comments while taking a bite of his salad; ¡°You¡¯re telling me!¡± She replies before looking up from her plate at him; ¡°Oh geez, where are my manners? You must be Ray, it¡¯s nice to meet you!¡± Mrs. Martin smiles as she reaches over the table for a handshake; ¡°Nice to meet you too. Oh, and don¡¯t worry about it, I lose focus when I¡¯m tired as well.¡± He shakes her hand. ¡°I see you and Julia were playing Mario Party in the living room. How is it?¡± ¡°That game¡¯s awful! And Julia¡¯s not helping with it either!¡± Ray answers while laughing; ¡°You¡¯re only saying that because you didn¡¯t play your part in Deep Sea Divers!¡± ¡°I was trying not to break the controller!¡± Ray retorts, Mrs. Martin laughs lightly; ¡°Yeah, she definitely gets her competitiveness from me. Sorry you have to deal with that.¡± ¡°Good lord, not you too. But in all seriousness, it¡¯s no big deal, it¡¯s just a game, it¡¯s really funny though.¡± ¡°Poor dad, he¡¯s not much of a video game person, but whenever we end up playing Mario Party together, he always gets screwed.¡± ¡°Yeah, and then when you two start yelling, it reminds me why I wish I had a son.¡± Dr. Martin says jokingly. Julia tries not to laugh; ¡°Dad, you can¡¯t just say that!¡± ¡°Yes, I can! You¡¯re the one who makes me play Mario Party with you!¡± ¡°Your dad¡¯s right, dear.¡± Mrs. Martin adds on while she sips her wine. ¡°Such a fun woman, because of her, I always wondered how my own family would¡¯ve been had I not been born with my condition and she survived giving birth.¡±


    September 18th, 2009. 9:30 PM.


    Ray, for the first time in his life, walks through the front door of his apartment in a good mood, as he closes the door, he walks by the living room, his dad laying on the couch, watching TV. He looks over his shoulder; ¡°Huh? Oh, you¡¯re back. Where were you?¡± His dad asks, not sounding concerned, but just confused on where he went. ¡°I made a new friend and was invited to have dinner at her house.¡± ¡°Oh, alright.¡± He responds while shrugging his shoulders before looking back at the TV. ¡°The least I can say is he mellowed out. Never really bothered talking to him, but in return, I got some privacy when I was at home.¡±


    January 31st, 2010. 7:00 PM.


    Over the past several months, Ray¡¯s mental state had been improving since he was invited into Julia¡¯s friend group as he¡¯d been spending his time mostly away from home, hanging out with friends, being invited to sleepovers, birthday parties, and other antics, only coming everyday after school to go to sleep, even his grades were improving because of the new environment he was in. The process remained the same until he eventually came home and noticed that the front door was locked; ¡°Hmm?¡± Ray tries opening the door again; ¡°That¡¯s strange, dad usually locks the front door by nine this time of year-¡± He cuts off his own thoughts as he looks at the peephole, noticing a note attached to it. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± He asks himself as he grabs the note; ¡°¡®I¡¯m¡­¡¯ wait, huh?! ¡®I¡¯m kicking you out?!¡¯¡± Ray¡¯s eyes widened in shock and confusion. ¡°...¡± Ray is left speechless.


    He opens the front window and hops inside, seeing his dad in the kitchen, making himself a bowl of fried rice; ¡°Dad, what the hell is this?¡± Ray asks while holding the note out; ¡°Oh, that? Well, I figured since you¡¯re hardly ever home, you¡¯d be better off with your friends. Even though I¡¯m your father, I¡¯m more so a stranger.¡± He explains casually, as though it¡¯s no big deal. ¡°Uh- no! No, that¡¯s not right at all! I can¡¯t just be kicked out and then expect anybody to let me stay with them! The hell am I even gonna say?!¡± Ray yells. His father sighs while pinching the bridge of his nose; ¡°Alright, that¡¯s a fair point. Tell you what; you can stay here until you can find a place to stay.¡± ¡°I-¡± Ray cuts himself off, knowing that he¡¯d have a better chance at living if he just took up that offer. ¡°Fine¡­¡± Ray responds, looking down slightly in defeat. As present Ray watches that part of his life unfold, he remains silent as he spectates himself walking toward his room.


    February 1st, 2009. 12:15 PM.


    At lunch, Ray sits silently, not making a sound as he rests his arms and head on the table, unaware that one of his friends is trying to get his attention; ¡°Ray!¡± His friend raises his voice while shaking his shoulder, Ray looks over; ¡°Oh, Tyson, what¡¯s up? Sorry, I was lost in thought.¡± ¡°It¡¯s cool, you¡¯ve just been so silent, we were wondering what¡¯s up with you? Did something happen?¡± He asks, concerned. ¡°Oh, that¡­¡± Ray pauses; ¡°How do I even explain this? Shit, I feel a lump in my throat, I might as well just be straightforward.¡± He takes a deep breath; ¡°My dad¡¯s kicking me out.¡± Right as he said that, the whole table was dead silent for a few seconds; ¡°W-what?! Ray, huh?!¡± ¡°Are you serious?!¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯re not kidding?!¡± ¡°Repeat that?¡± ¡°Hmm?!¡± ¡°C-could you elaborate?¡± His friends bombard him with their reactions. ¡°Yeah¡­ he told me I can stay, but only till I can find a different place to stay.¡± ¡°You mean like at one of our houses?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Bro, he can¡¯t just do that! That¡¯s literally at the expense of all of our families!¡± ¡°I know, I even told him that, but he just refuses to listen!¡± Ray responds.


    Ray then puts his hand over his face; ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do¡­¡± His voice cracks, tears start to run down his face; ¡°I¡¯ve never been this stressed before, I¡¯m scared, man! If I can¡¯t find a place to stay, I¡¯ll just be kicked out either way, but I don¡¯t wanna leech off of you guys! Fuck!¡± He shouts as his arm trembles. He sniffles as he tries not to let more tears fall, Julia, who¡¯s been silent the whole time, responds by wrapping her arms around his shoulder and hugging him to offer comfort. Ray tenses up for a split second as he feels the warmth of her kindness before slowly calming down; ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Ray, it¡¯s awful to hear that your dad did that¡­¡± Julia says softly, Ray just takes deep breaths; ¡°Just take some deep breaths, get it out, dawg. We¡¯ll try to figure this out.¡± One of his friends speaks up, with a few others joining in; ¡°Yeah, what he said.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try to see if my parents are able to let you stay.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do the same.¡± As Ray hears that, he decides to just let his tears fall; ¡°Thank you, it means a lot that you¡¯d do that for me¡­¡±


    February 2nd, 2009. 10:00 AM.


    Ray meets his friends at the basketball courts during recess; ¡°Hey, so what¡¯d they say?¡± He asks as he holds his arms out, being passed the basketball by one of his friends. ¡°My mom said that she¡¯d love to help, but we¡¯re already barely scraping by, so that¡¯s a no.¡± ¡°Mine just said no.¡± ¡°Damn¡­¡± Ray responds while hopping up and shooting the ball, it bounces off the basketball and rolls along the inside of the rim, but ends up falling out. ¡°What about yours?¡± ¡°Same thing.¡± ¡°Tyson?¡± ¡°No good.¡± ¡°Well, shit¡­¡± Ray gives up, sitting down; ¡°I¡¯m sorry, man.¡± ¡°It¡¯s cool, man, I¡¯m just bummed is all.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± One of them responds. Ray lays down on his back on the blacktop.


    Nearly a minute passes by before Julia walks over; ¡°Hey guys, what¡¯s up? My bad about being late, Mrs. Stevenson kept us in for a minute cause people wouldn¡¯t shut up. But enough about me, what¡¯d they say?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stay.¡± Ray mutters; ¡°Oh, I see.¡± ¡°Yeah, also, why are you smiling?¡± ¡°Well, I asked my parents yesterday after school, they told me that they¡¯d be more than happy to let you use the guest room if nobody else is able to help.¡± She explains. Ray¡¯s eyes widen; ¡°Wait, seriously?!¡± He asks with excitement and hope, hopping off his back and onto his feet; ¡°Like, you¡¯re not pulling my leg? You¡¯re being for real?!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± She responds, returning the enthusiasm. Ray reels his head back while taking a deep breath, putting his hands together next to his mouth; ¡°Oh my God¡­¡± He keeps taking deep breaths, filled with joy and relief of not having to be on his own again. ¡°Wait, when though?¡± Ray asks after having calmed down; ¡°Oh, Friday.¡± ¡°Thank you! I cannot stress enough how grateful I am!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Julia smiles, happy to see Ray feeling better again.


    February 5th, 2010. 3:00 PM.


    Dr. Martin opens the front door for Ray as he steps inside, carrying his duffle bag, as well as his blanket and a plastic box; ¡°Thanks again for letting me stay here, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d have done if I couldn¡¯t find a place.¡± ¡°Yeah, no problem, Ray, really. You¡¯re a hard worker, so we don¡¯t mind you being here.¡± ¡°Dad¡¯s right, and besides, now you don¡¯t have to ask to come over to play video games anymore!¡± Julia adds, enthused. ¡°Oh, and that reminds me, Ray, we got some of the stuff from the guest room cleared out. Not all of it, but it shouldn¡¯t take too long since it¡¯s the weekend. I¡¯m sure you know where all the junk goes, right?¡± ¡°Yup!¡± ¡°Alright, good! Anyway, Julia¡¯s coming with me to run some errands, do you wanna go with us?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good, thank you. I think for now, I just wanna clear out as much of my new room as possible.¡± He answers. Dr. Martin raises an eyebrow; ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ray answers, assuring him. Dr. Martin nods; ¡°Alright, then you take care. You know where food and drinks are if you need any. We¡¯ll be back in a few hours, cya!¡± ¡°Bye, Ray!¡± ¡°Bye guys, thank you again!¡± Ray smiles, they smile back before heading out the door.


    As the door closes, Ray takes a deep breath; ¡°Well¡­ guess this is it. Better get started.¡± He tells himself as he sets his stuff down before walking toward the guest room. He opens the door to see that the room is cramped and messy, with stacks of old magazines, mismatched furniture, and random boxes piled high. Dusty shelves are crammed with knick-knacks, broken appliances, and tangled cords. Clothes and linens are tossed haphazardly on a sagging bed, and the closet overflows with forgotten items. The air is musty and the floor is barely visible under scattered junk. ¡°Jesus Christ! You¡¯d think you¡¯re in a different house with this room! Well, I better just get this done!¡± Ray makes his way over to the kitchen sink and grabs a pair of rubber gloves, he puts them on and takes his shirt off, tying it around his head, as if it were a bonnet before making his way back to the guest room.


    Ray starts by grabbing a trash bag and filling it with a bunch of old, broken stuff, as well as a faded poster, he then takes all the clothes and puts them in a pile, checking each of them for any mold, he sniffs one of the shirts, immediately turning his head; ¡°Oh, oh God, that was awful! Fucking rotten egg air of death, that¡¯s definitely going in the trash!¡± He comments before tossing the shirt away. After organizing all the clothes, he puts them in a hamper and takes them to the laundry room to put them in the washing machine, putting in the detergent and pre-wash, he turns it onto the max and goes back to the guest room, he starts dusting off any books he finds and puts them in a box.


    February 5th, 2010. 6:15 PM.


    Hours have passed and the room is finally starting to clear, as Ray had finished washing and drying the clothes before putting them in a box for donation. He starts wiping down a desk in the room, sweeping the floor, and opening the window for fresh air. Mrs. Martin walks through the front door; ¡°Huh, it smells like Febreze in here.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ray overhears her and pokes his head out the door; ¡°Oh, hey Mrs. Martin!¡± ¡°Oh, Ray! I didn¡¯t know you were here, I thought you went with Julia and her father.¡± ¡°Nah, I decided to stay behind to clean out this room.¡± ¡°Really? Lemme have a look.¡± She says as she sets her purse down and walks to his room. ¡°Woah! There¡¯s so much space! You did this by yourself, Ray?¡± ¡°Yup!¡± He answers with his arms crossed and a thumbs up before continuing; ¡°I was actually just about to start putting my stuff in there as well and then go to sleep.¡± ¡°Well, ain¡¯t that just nice of you?¡± She smiles, proud to see that he¡¯s worked so hard after just arriving. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go put your stuff away, then after that, I¡¯ll take you to get ice cream to celebrate, alright?¡± ¡°Oh, hell yeah! I¡¯d like that a lot!¡± Ray responds, wiping his sweat. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll go get changed while you do that.¡± She says before walking towards the master bedroom; ¡°Got it!¡± Ray responds, Mrs. Martin closes the door, Ray takes his shirt off of his head and dabs his forehead to get the sweat off. ¡°I should probably change as well, my clothes are all sweaty from working nonstop.¡± Ray grabs the plastic box and drags it into his room.


    February 5th, 2010. 10:00 PM.


    Ray walks into his room and closes his door after saying ¡®goodnight¡¯ to everyone, he takes in the clean space before looking down at his mattress. He crawls into bed, his body immediately sinking into it, the mattress cradles his muscles as a wave of relief washes over him. The cool sheets brush against his skin, soothing and soft, as his head nestles into his pillow¡¯s gentle embrace. His limbs feel heavy, yet the tension melts away in favor of comforting stillness. The quiet hum of his room, the soft rustle of fabric, and the slow rhythm of his breath all blend into a cocoon of peace. He feels as though every bit of worry and fatigue has dissolved into the softness beneath him, leaving nothing but the pure, blissful release of rest. ¡°I look so comfy. That might¡¯ve been the best night of sleep I¡¯ve ever had in my life. I¡¯m really thankful to have been taken in by them.¡± Present Ray watches, smiling down at himself.


    April 27th, 2012. 8:45 PM.


    Ray and Julia walk out of a movie theater; ¡°All in all, yeah, I liked The Pirates. Could¡¯ve done without the theater clapping at the end, but yeah.¡± ¡°Ray, you know they always do that. You can¡¯t just drag down every film you see from what the audience does, that¡¯s just not fair.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°I am right, objectively!¡± Julia retorts while laughing, Ray smiles as he grabs the straw from his cup and flips it upside down. ¡°I get it, I get it. In all seriousness though, I¡¯m glad that I got to see that on opening night. I get why you pretended to forget a birthday present for me, those tickets must not have been cheap.¡± He then uses the other end of the straw to get more of what little he has left of his slushie. ¡°Aye, no problem. Anyway, you down to grab something to eat before we head back?¡± ¡°Nah, you don¡¯t have to do that. Plus, mom told us we need to be back by ten.¡± ¡°Hmm, fair enough.¡± Julia shrugs as they keep walking.


    Several minutes pass as they keep walking through the crowded streets of Violet Paradise; ¡°I¡¯m surprised you hadn¡¯t told Emily yet-¡± ¡°Julia, all I¡¯m saying is I¡¯ll tell her how I feel after I get my driver¡¯s license-¡± ¡°That¡¯s still another year from now! Besides, we just walk everywhere anyway, just do that until you actually get a car!¡± ¡°I know, but like¡­ what about curfews? We¡¯d hardly be able to go anywhere if we can only walk places while having curfew on top of that. You see what I¡¯m saying?¡± ¡°Shit, that¡¯s a good point. Alright then, if that¡¯s what you¡¯ve decided on, I¡¯ll drop this debate.¡± ¡°Cool.¡± Ray responds. ¡°By the way, what grade did you get on your report?¡± ¡°Oh, I got an A-¡± Julia cuts herself off as she feels someone¡¯s hand on her shoulder.


    Ray quickly looks over and sees a young Indian man with a medium complexion and short black hair, he¡¯s wearing a sleek black tuxedo and polished shoes; ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Ray raises his voice while glaring at him. He notices five other men with him, all of whom look the same age. ¡°Get off- don¡¯t touch me!¡± Julia shouts, shoving the man¡¯s eye away from her, quickly getting behind Ray. Ray keeps his glare on him, the man feels offended, his pride hurt; ¡°You know very well who I am-¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t and I couldn¡¯t care less, stay the fuck away from my sister.¡± Ray barks back, shutting down anything else he says.


    ¡°Do you need any help with this punk?¡± One of his friends asks; ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I just hate having to deal with idiots.¡± He responds back, frustrated. He takes a pair of brass knuckles out from his pocket while approaching, Ray glances behind him to Julia; ¡°Julia, get back.¡± ¡°R-right!¡± She says hesitantly, worried about his safety, but doing what he says. She makes her way back, moving towards a small crowd of people, but avoiding getting too close. ¡°Good, she¡¯s not too far away from me, and not too close to them-¡± ¡°AHHHHH, FUCK!¡± Ray shouts, his thoughts interrupted as he gets decked in the face by the man while he was off guard.


    ¡°Ray!¡± Julia shouts in fear; ¡°Oh shit, that was a clean one!¡± A bystander comments, invested in the scene, Julia immediately shoots a glare at him; ¡°Are none of y¡¯all gonna do something?! That¡¯s my brother who just got hit!¡± ¡°No way! I¡¯m not getting involved with Advik Khatri! Your brother¡¯s just gonna have to take it-¡± ¡°Fuck you, fucking coward!¡± Julia yells at him. She runs toward Ray and pulls him back; ¡°Ray, are you alright?!¡± ¡°Julia¡­¡± Ray responds with surprise. Julia looks at Advik; ¡°Please, don¡¯t hurt him! Just¡­ he¡¯s been through so much in his life, I don¡¯t want to see him hurt again¡­¡± She pleads, leaving Ray in surprise, he then changes his face back to a stern one as he looks back at Advik.


    Advik looks with irritation before letting out a chuckle, he smirks; ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want me to hurt him, I could make things very easy for you around here-¡± ¡°No.¡± Ray coldly interrupts, his gaze lethal. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Ray, please! I don¡¯t care what happens to me, I just want you to be alright-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± Ray shouts at her angrily. Julia immediately flinches and is left speechless, Ray takes notice and immediately looks down, feeling bad for scaring her. ¡°Julia¡­ I¡¯m sorry that I did that. I just¡­ you¡¯ve already done more than enough for me. You gave me the time of day, invited me into your friend group, always had my back, and you convinced your parents to give me a place to stay when I was almost about to be homeless. I¡¯m already happy that you did all that for me, you don¡¯t have to do anymore, especially not something as reckless as this. You don¡¯t want me being hurt, but regardless, I¡¯d feel hurt knowing what you¡¯d go through if I let you listen to this jackass. You¡¯re my sister, but most of all, you¡¯re my best friend. Let me do something for you for once, let me be the one to not let you get hurt, alright?¡± ¡°Ray¡­¡± Her eyes widen, seeing his genuine conviction and desire to protect her. She swallows; ¡°Y-yes.¡± ¡°Thank you, now go back over there. I¡¯ll take care of this high-class criminal.¡± He commands softly. Julia nods before stepping away.


    Ray looks back at Advik and his friends, he takes off his shirt and gets into a wide stance, staring them down angrily; ¡°I was planning on showing mercy by not fighting, but after what you tried to ask my sister, I can¡¯t let this slide.¡± He states, waiting for Advik to approach. As he does, he goes in for a right hook straight to Ray¡¯s face, only this time, his attack is stopped as Ray catches it effortlessly. Advik feels an intense, searing pain radiating through his entire arm; ¡°Wait, let go of me-¡± He gasps as he feels an immediate, sharp pressure, followed by the shock of his ulna and radius snapping and grinding. His nerves fire off in every direction, creating a mix of burning, stabbing, and throbbing pain, time feels slower as the agonizing pain sinks in. Ray lets go before using his strength to lightly shove Advik back, knocking him down several feet back, tumbling and receiving minor injuries in the process.


    All six of Advik¡¯s friends react in shock upon seeing Advik be hurt so easily, and so greatly. ¡°That¡¯s it, this guy needs to go down!¡± One of them shouts as they all decide to surround Ray, closing in to attack. Ray dodges the first swing, countering with a sharp elbow to the man¡¯s gut, knocking him over instantly. Another lunged with a knife; Ray twisted, catching his wrist and flipping him over his shoulder, disarming him, breaking some of his bones with one swift motion. One of them kicks Ray in the side, which does more harm than good as he feels his foot in pain, as though he just kicked a wall, Ray turns to drive his palm into his ribs. Ray ducks under a wild punch, grabbing the next guy¡¯s arm and pulling him closer, using his free hand to jab his shoulder, fracturing it before knocking him down. Finally, Ray spins around, delivering a fast kick, sending the last man toward the crowd of people.


    Unknowingly to Ray, the crowd of people had taken out their phones and begun recording the fight. As he gazes at his surroundings, he starts walking toward Julia; ¡°Ray, behind you!¡± ¡°Huh-¡± Ray whips his head around to see Advik using the last of his strength to try and stab him as he charges forward. In less than a second, Ray sees the knife heading directly for his face, and in less than a second Ray grabs his good wrist, knocking the knife into the air before letting go and catching it. He does a quick spin and without realizing, tears into his neck, ripping from the right end, all the way out the left end, the flesh being torn sounding like velcro. His blood instantly gushes out in a sudden burst, splattering forward in a messy, uncontrolled flow, with droplets scattering in every direction, glistening in the bright lights of the city.


    The entire crowd is in shock, the majority frozen stiff as they try to process the murder that just happened, a few run away, not wanting to be part of the scene. Julia gasps as her eyes widen in utter horror, putting her hands up to her face before feeling lightheaded; ¡°Ray-¡± She cuts herself off, feeling a lump in her throat, not knowing how to react. Ray, covered in blood all over the front and breathing heavily, looks over, noticing her reaction, along with the crowd. ¡°Wait¡­¡± He looks back at Advik, his eyes greeting him to the sight of his mangled body, laying lifeless.


    ¡°...¡± Ray¡¯s eyes widen as he realizes what he¡¯d just done. He drops the knife as he feels himself hyperventilating. His blood violently pounds his ears as his heart thuds in his chest. His hands shake as his feet tingle, his vision grows disfigured, as though he were staring through a fish-eye lens. ¡°Murderer!¡± That was the only word that crossed his mind as he remembers his childhood trauma vividly. The world around him swiftly becomes inaudible to him as everything happening within his body and the constant idea and fear of his father right about calling him a murderer begin to work in tandem at an ever-increasing speed. He feels Julia try to help him through gently touching his shoulder, only for it to backfire as his body kicks into overdrive, making him immediately run away, faster than he¡¯s ever moved in his life, completely leaving her behind.


    The thoughts keep repeating themselves as Ray¡¯s own body forces him to move faster, pushing far beyond its limits to get out of everyone¡¯s sight, his breathing going from deep breaths to lightning quick, frantic breaths, breathing out more air than in. He rounds a corner, into an alleyway, getting out of sight by jumping inside of a dumpster and laying on top of heaping piles of trash, the pungent and foul odor becomes a completely minor thing for Ray. He slowly rolls onto his side, clutching his stomach, his hands arms wrapped around so tightly, his nails burying into them as he desperately breathes for air. His breath hitches as he starts to cry, his chest growing tight as bile rises in his throat. ¡°Why did I have to do that? They were already outmatched, why did I act stupid and screw myself over even more? I¡¯m sorry, past me, I shouldn¡¯t have done what I¡¯d done.¡± Ray ponders sadly as he continues to watch himself cry.


    April 30th, 2012. 3:00 PM.


    Ray, though stressed out, waits patiently in his dad¡¯s apartment, keeping track of news reports about his crime by watching TV; ¡°Furthermore, authorities have launched a manhunt across the West Region of the US for Ray Steel. A fifteen-year old boy who recently assaulted and brutalized six politicians, murdering one as well, that being Advik Khatri, husband of Nasuka Khatri when he was violently gashed through the throat. Multiple people who witnessed the event had recorded it, which we will be playing right now.¡± The anchorman reads before the station cuts to the footage. It cuts off right before Ray¡¯s about to slash through Advik; ¡°Just an awful, awful tragedy.¡± ¡°You said it, Gordon. To add, law enforcement agencies are urging the public to stay vigilant and report any sightings of Ray Steel. The motive behind the attack seems unclear, but we have reason to believe that he was trying to protect a lady who was in an uncomfortable situation. Yeah, I bet it was worth it, well news flash; this isn¡¯t a fairy tale. You could have just walked away, Ray.¡± The anchorwoman says with a smug grin.


    Ray¡¯s eyebrows furrow, he stands up from the couch; ¡°Oh, fuck you! If you were in Julia¡¯s situation, you¡¯d have wanted my help just as well, pretentious ass bitch! You¡¯re only saying this because you¡¯re paid to!¡± He shouts angrily before sitting down, taking a deep breath. ¡°Shit, gotta rewind cause I couldn¡¯t hear what was said after that.¡± Ray grabs the remote and rewinds it, he then hits play; ¡°The other five who were assaulted are receiving medical care for their injuries. Lastly, security has been heightened around political figures across the region, with Violet Paradise politicians being guarded by three upcoming, yet powerful superheroes of the Emerald Faction. We¡¯ll be back to report more upon further investigation.¡± The anchorman closes out the report, and Ray decides to turn off the TV and groans as he lays down on the couch. ¡°I need sleep, I¡¯ve been at it for three days¡­¡± He mutters, his mind goes back to that night; ¡°Julia, I¡¯m sorry¡­ you must be traumatized after seeing what I did. Your parents must be in hysterics right now¡­¡± He thinks before closing his eyes, drifting off quickly.


    April 30th, 2012. 4:30 PM.


    Ray quickly wakes up as he hears footsteps approaching the door; ¡°That¡¯s weird, I never leave the blinds closed.¡± A faint voice from outside comments as he unlocks the door, when the door opens, Ray sees that his father entered the house, walking in with his tool kit. His father notices him as he sets down his tool kit; ¡°Ray, what the hell- get out of here!¡± He yells as he¡¯s in shock. ¡°Dad¡­¡± Ray gets up, his voice becoming a pleading one; ¡°Dad, I know you don¡¯t like me, in fact, you hate me, and I¡¯m well aware of that. But please, just this once, I need your help, I¡¯m more scared and confused than I¡¯ve ever been.¡± He begs as he locks his fingers together. ¡°No, get out! I don¡¯t want you here, leave!¡± ¡°Dad, please! I¡¯m screwed over, I can¡¯t go back to the Martins, I don¡¯t have anywhere to go, I don¡¯t know what the hell I can do!¡± He cries out desperately


    His father grabs a clawhammer from his tool kit; ¡°Ray! I¡¯m not saying it again! Get out of my house!¡± ¡°Dad, I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± His brows begin to furrow in confusion; ¡°Sorry about what?¡± He asks, skeptical. Ray¡¯s eyes start to water as his voice becomes raspy; ¡°You were right! Right about me¡­ being a murderer¡­ that¡¯s all I am. I admit it, after what I did to Advik, I admit that I shouldn¡¯t be around others.¡± Ray sobs, hoping that admitting could at least convince his dad to help him. He approaches his dad; ¡°Why the hell would I want to help out a murderer then?! Get out!¡± He yells as he holds the hammer close. ¡°Go!¡± ¡°Dad, please-¡± Ray¡¯s cry for help is cut off completely when his dad strikes him with the hammer, leaving a horrible, deep gash across his left eye in response to Ray getting too close.


    Ray¡¯s dead silent, trying to process what just hit him, he feels blood gushing out from his face profusely before slowly raising his hand up and tracing blood on his fingers. He takes one look before placing his entire hand over his eye, he feels what happened, his eye is deflating as blood begins to clot. The adrenaline wears off and Ray lets out an agonizing scream at the top of his lungs, his father glares; ¡°Go!¡± He demands once more. Ray looks at him one last time before booking it out of there, he jumps off the second story, hitting the floor with a loud thud and getting up as fast as he can, he keeps sprinting, repeatedly shouting ¡®ow¡¯ as he holds onto his face, looking down while running; ¡°Fucking sicko! Who the hell does that to their own kid?! God, it hurts! It feels like my brain¡¯s on fire!¡± He thinks to himself amidst all the screaming. ¡°And that was the last time I ever saw my dad. My mind wanted to think he didn¡¯t call the police because he¡¯d have at least repaid the favor of me admitting to him that I was a murderer, but no, I¡¯m well aware he did that so then he wouldn¡¯t be investigated. Unfortunately, every time I looked in the mirror¡­ I¡¯m reminded of him because of this scar.¡± Present Ray quietly mutters to himself as he puts his hand up to his scar, closing his good eye.


    April 31th, 2012. 12:10 AM.


    Ray sneaks inside an abandoned warehouse, his face having torn fabric from his shirt wrapped around his eye to stop the bleeding from getting any worse. He looks around, taking in the large, dilapidated structure with rusted metal walls and broken windows. Its roof is partially caved in, exposing twisted beams and patches of sky. Weeds and vines creep through cracks in the crumbling concrete floor, while stacks of forgotten crates and debris are scattered throughout. The air inside is thick with dust, and a faint musty odor lingers. Flickering light filters through the gaps, casting eerie shadows that dance across graffiti-covered walls. The silence is only broken by the occasional drip of water from a leaky pipe and the distant echo of creaking metal.


    ¡°This place is abandoned enough¡­ it¡¯ll do.¡± Ray starts walking, slumping his arms forward, feeling like he¡¯s about to pass out, he finds a dark corner to lay down and curl up in. His unkempt hair falls over to the side, partially obscured by shadow. His eye, dull and distant as he stares at nothing, lost in thoughts that weigh heavily on him; ¡°I just wanna cry, but I can¡¯t even do that, my tear duct is completely empty. I feel dehydrated from how much I cried and screamed earlier¡­¡± His clothes, worn and rumpled, clinging loosely to his frame. The dim light shining through the broken skylight remains just out of reach of him, only emphasizing his isolation. The silence around him feels suffocating, broken only by his slow, heavy breaths. He finally passes out.


    July 20th, 2015. 8:15 AM.


    Ray¡¯s eyes begin to flutter open, his vision a blurry haze; ¡°This light¡­ It''s so bright. This¡­ isn¡¯t the warehouse that I¡¯d been living in¡­¡± His eyes close again; ¡°Whatever I¡¯m laying on, it¡¯s so soft, it feels so¡­ familiar¡­¡± He relaxes, taking deep breaths; ¡°Wait! Is this¡­ is this my room?!¡± Ray¡¯s eyes open like blinds being pulled, quickly noticing and recognizing the person sitting in his office chair; ¡°Julia! Is that- is that really you?!¡± Ray asks in surprise, Julia turns around, she gasps as she sees Ray awake; ¡°Ray!¡± She screams joyously as she gets off of the chair and hugs him with every fiber of her strength; ¡°Ray¡­¡± She says in a soft, quiet voice as she tears up. ¡°I-I don¡¯t understand, I thought you¡¯d be scared of me-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid! What happened was scary, but I¡¯m not scared of you. I was scared for you¡­¡± Ray¡¯s eye widens when he hears her. ¡°Scared for me¡­? All those years, I¡¯d ghosted everyone because I didn¡¯t know how I¡¯d be able to face them, and yet here I am, back in my room.¡± Ray thinks as he embraces the warm reunion; ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Julia¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to scare you like that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok¡­¡± She responds softly as she breaks the hug and looks at him with her hands on his shoulders; ¡°I¡¯m just so happy to see that you¡¯re alive and kicking.¡± She sniffles as tears run down her face, a grateful smile shown as well.


    Ray smiles back before making a confused face; ¡°Wait, hold on. How did you even find me? How¡¯d I get here?¡± ¡°Oh, that?¡± Julia responds, wiping the tears from her face and sitting back on the chair; ¡°Well, in a stroke of luck, when I decided I¡¯d go out searching for you, I ended up finding you in a dingy alleyway. It was awful to see, I had to call dad immediately for him to come help me get you somewhere safe.¡± ¡°Somewhere safe? Where was that?¡± ¡°We took you to a Plutonian hospital. They were really nice, didn¡¯t even care about your criminal record. They just wanted to help you.¡± She explains. ¡°Wait, but how exactly does that make it safe? I know there¡¯s some people who are happy with what I did, but how does that apply to safety?¡± ¡°Plutonian chips. They have access to their own private technology that prevents any and all data from being tracked.¡± ¡°I should look into that then. Though wait, what exactly happened to me that made me need a hospital?¡± Ray asks, still lost.


    ¡°You were dying from too much alcohol. When the Plutonians scanned you, they could see that you were completely unconscious, dehydrated, your heart rate was slowed, skin was grey and clammy, your breathing all screwy, your reflexes were dulled almost completely, and your body was extremely cold. You were really close to dying¡­¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I really hadn¡¯t been treating myself kindly then¡­ I started drinking heavily to try and cope with my situation, I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d bring me so close to death.¡± He looks down, processing everything. ¡°Wait, I¡¯m curious, what was the procedure that saved me?¡± ¡°Dad saved you. You know how he¡¯s a scientist, right?¡± ¡°Well, yeah. Why?¡± ¡°He never mentioned this, but he specializes in manufacturing Power Serums.¡± ¡°Wait, seriously?¡± Ray leans forward with intrigue. ¡°Yes, and in order to save your life, he took an incredibly rare and expensive power serum, the Toxic Serum.¡± She answers calmly; ¡°¡®Toxic Serum?¡¯ Wait, hold on, I don¡¯t remember much from biochem class, but don¡¯t those have literal parasites in them?¡± Ray asks, his mind racing as he tries to remember.


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain it as quickly as I can. Yes, they have parasites, more specifically, Coding Parasites. They¡¯re made when the coding parasites are exposed to a specific thing for long enough periods of time, adapting to the point of being able to harness and control whatever it was that they were exposed to. Due to their small, bacterial size, as well as their almost liquidy bodies, they¡¯re put in syringes and injected into superheroes, where they then alter the body by reprogramming the DNA system to grant the host the same ability that they¡¯ve developed. Though that¡¯s at the cost of the host having to fight to keep its body in control, if one¡¯s antibodies aren¡¯t strong enough to fight off the coding parasites, they¡¯ll lose control of their brain and lose all consciousness, effectively becoming a zombie. They do this as the host they¡¯re possessing is able to serve as ideal protection for them, but if the host is able to fight them off, then the coding parasites die and the host is able to use those new abilities freely.¡± She rambles.


    Ray grimaces at the part about the host becoming a husk with no thought; ¡°That¡¯s horrifying. How the hell did I beat the parasites though? With the state you described me being in, I should¡¯ve been a goner!¡± ¡°The Plutonians prepared before dad came back with the serum. Take off your shirt and look at the thing strapped around your chest.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ray asks as he gently taps his chest, feeling a piece of metal over it. ¡°I didn¡¯t even notice this.¡± He takes off his shirt and sees the sleek chest-wrapping device, made of a flexible, lightweight material that contours snugly around his torso. Its surface is smooth and matte black with subtle, glowing green lines indicating its active zones. ¡°What is this thing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an automatic defibrillator. It has sensors implemented in order to detect when the heart rate is low, that way it can deliver electricity to the heart to either stimulate it or depress it, depending on whether the heart rate is too low or too high, setting it back to a normal rate.¡± She elaborates. ¡°I see, so this essentially jump started my heart, keeping my blood pumping before and during the procedure.¡± ¡°Exactly right, Ray.¡± ¡°I understand now. I¡¯m very grateful to have all of that done just for my sake. Though, could you help me get this thing off, please?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, of course!¡± Julia answers enthusiastically as she gets off the chair to help get the device off.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    As the device comes off, Ray looks back at Julia; ¡°By the way, you said it was called the Toxic Serum, right? What exactly am I able to do, considering that I have powers now?¡± ¡°Well, the name¡¯s self-explanatory, but what you¡¯re able to do with it is conjure and become toxic liquids and gasses. Oh, and that includes acid as well.¡± She answers. ¡°I guess that was kind of a stupid question¡­¡± He trails off before he looks down at himself; ¡°Wait, does that mean I¡¯ve also developed some kind of resistance or immunity to toxic substances? Cause that would explain why I came back from alcohol poisoning.¡± He comments as he puts his shirt back on; ¡°That¡¯s correct!¡± ¡°Wow¡­ you two went through all that, just for me¡­¡± Ray replies, his tone low, yet still surprised as he lets it all sink in. ¡°Thank you, I appreciate it, truly.¡± He says with a slight smile.


    ¡°Of course, Ray!¡± She smiles before her eyes light up; ¡°Ooo! I know what¡¯d make this better!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s play some video games, for old time¡¯s sake!¡± She suggests, excited by the thought. Ray feels a wave of nostalgia wash over him; ¡°Yeah¡­ that sounds fun.¡± His smile grows wider in response, he then gets up off the bed, following Julia to the living room; ¡°It¡¯s strange¡­ I¡¯m happy to see my sister again, but¡­ I can¡¯t shake the idea out of my head. ¡®Toxic Serum,¡¯ ¡®injected into superheroes,¡¯ could a murderer like me ever really qualify for that? Dammit, I need to just take this opportunity to relax. I¡¯m stressing myself out when I shouldn¡¯t.¡±  Ray ponders, unaware that Julia¡¯s been repeating his name in the living room. ¡°Ray!¡± ¡°Huh? Oh! Sorry, I was lost in thought.¡± ¡°It¡¯s cool, I was just asking you what game you wanted to play.¡± ¡°What game I wanna play?¡± Ray looks up for a second; ¡°Uh¡­ Double Dash sounds fun right now.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± She responds as she rummages through the drawer, finding the case for the game and popping the disc in. She grabs a pair of controllers and plugs them into the GameCube, handing Ray a controller.


    July 20th, 2015. 9:20 AM.


    Time passes as the two play games, as Julia smiles, being able to play games with Ray again, the latter remains lost in thought, unable to immerse himself with the race. Julia notices on Ray¡¯s screen that he¡¯s driven into a wall, but isn¡¯t moving; ¡°Hey, Ray, are you looking at my screen or-¡± She notices Ray staring down at the floor; ¡°Ray? You alright, man? That¡¯s the second time you¡¯ve zoned out on me. What¡¯s wrong?¡± She asks as she sets down her controller and puts her hand on his shoulder. ¡°Huh?¡± Ray glances over; ¡°Oh¡­ I don¡¯t know, to be honest. I¡¯m happy to see you again, but I¡¯m just confused now, like I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± ¡°Could¡­ Could you elaborate? I have a feeling that I know what you¡¯re getting at, but just in case.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t know if I should really be here. I know that technically, I¡¯m in the right cause I killed Advik out of self-defense, but¡­¡± He trails off.


    Julia waits a second for him to continue, but ends up asking anyway; ¡°But what? Come on, Ray, you can tell me anything.¡± She says softly, patting him on the back; ¡°I still see myself as a killer.¡± ¡°What?! Why, though- sorry, that was insensitive of me.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. It has to do with my dad.¡± He confesses. Julia¡¯s eyes widened in worry; ¡°What do you mean by that? Did¡­¡± She puts her hand up to her mouth; ¡°Did you kill him?¡± ¡°What?! No, no, I didn¡¯t kill him. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s still alive.¡± He assures her, Julia sighs in relief; ¡°So then what was it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember if I ever opened up to you about this, but before I was in elementary school, he not only abused me physically and emotionally, but psychologically as well by trying to put images into my mind, and he called me a murderer. That word stuck around because I didn¡¯t want it to be true, he called me that since my mom died due to her giving birth to me.¡± He explains. Julia¡¯s eyebrows furrow sadly and twitch slightly, she looks down; ¡°Oh¡­ that¡¯s just¡­ that¡¯s fucked up.¡± Her eyes widened slightly in realization; ¡°So, that¡¯s why you think you¡¯re a murderer. When Advik died and you snapped to your senses, that word kept crossing your mind, didn¡¯t it?¡± She asks.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ it still hurts me to this day¡­¡± He then puts his hand on his eye scar; ¡°And this scar¡¯s a reminder of it that my dad gave me.¡± Ray puts his hand down as Julia grimaces at the scar, knowing how he got it now. ¡°Then when you mentioned the part about power serums being injected into superheroes, it has me lost, as though I suddenly have this burden of responsibility, now that I have these powers¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know what to tell you about that. Do you mean like you have to protect the people with your powers now? Or do you feel as though you need to clear your name? Which one is it?¡± She asks as she leans forward, looking him in the eye. Ray looks away slightly; ¡°I-¡± He pauses as Julia grabs him by the chin, forcing him to look at her; ¡°Look at me when you give your answer.¡± She raises her voice, Ray closes his eye, taking a deep breath before opening it again; ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± He answers quickly; ¡°Oh¡­¡± Julia lets go of his chin, her tone becoming soft again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have pried like that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok, I think, I think I just need to figure this out.¡± He replies, standing up. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m gonna go back to my hideout. I¡¯m not gonna leave you behind again, but I wanna figure out how to use my powers, and that¡¯s a safe place for me to test them out.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± Julia looks down before looking back up at him; ¡°But, Ray, what do you think you¡¯ll do after you learn to control them?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know yet, but hopefully I¡¯ll know what to do by then.¡± He answers, making his way toward the front door.


    Before he makes it to the front door, Julia stands up; ¡°Wait!¡± She shouts, Ray turns around, as he does, Julia wraps her arms around him, hugging him tightly once more; ¡°Be safe out there¡­¡± She says quietly. Ray gently hugs her back; ¡°Of course¡­¡± He matches her tone, deciding to let the hug drag. After a while, the two break the hug; ¡°I¡¯ll be back in however many hours or days it takes for me to control my powers, if that¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°Yeah, just promise to come back when you finish it, alright?¡± ¡°I promise.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll be waiting till then.¡± ¡°Of course. Well¡­ bye then, Julia.¡± Ray waves while opening the door. ¡°Take care, Ray.¡± She waves back, forcing herself to smile. ¡°I wish I¡¯d just done what I said, rather than trying to do more¡­¡± Ray ponders as he sees himself leaving the front porch.


    July 20th, 2015. 5:30 PM.


    Within the warehouse, Ray stands with his eye squeezed shut as beads of sweat trickle down his temples. His hands tremble as he holds them out in front of him, fingers twitching slightly as he tries to focus. The air around him develops a sweet, gasoline-like odor.


    ¡°Come on¡­¡± Ray concentrates, grinding his teeth. He can feel the energy coursing through his veins, wild and untamed, like a caged animal desperate to break free. It pulses with every beat of his heart, threatening to spill out and wreak havoc. He inhaled deeply, trying to steady his breathing, but the power surged, and a violent wave of poison came crashing out of his palms, soaking the wall he had aimed at, knocking himself over in the process. ¡°Woah! That was benzene!¡± Ray shouts upon getting up before looking at his palms, realizing the sheer power he has within him. ¡°Wait, I need to focus.¡± He states, determined.


    With another deep breath, he tries again, feeling the energy coil tighter, more responsive this time. The air grows dingy with a toxic odor, charged with potential. Slowly, steadily, his palms began to drip, the droplets began to spawn and fall to the floor faster. His palms began to start slowly pouring out poison, the pressure changing with uncertainty, but it kept going. Ray closes his eye, as though leaving it open would shatter his fragile control.


    The pressure grows stronger, the sweet scent becoming more potent. He could feel the power stabilizing, the rushing poison now flowing in sync with his will. His power doesn¡¯t feel like a storm waiting to be unleashed, but now an extension of himself that he could learn to command.


    ¡°And¡­¡± Ray mutters as he aims his palms higher; ¡°Now!¡± He shouts, firing another wave of poison, the stream hurling towards the real target, an empty soda can on a railing. The blast thuds against the can, sending it flying straight into the wall behind it, Ray also remains standing up, having successfully kept balance. ¡°I did it! I got it down!¡± He shouts triumphantly as a sense of relief passes over his face. He knew he was far from mastering his power, but at that moment, he was just happy to learn how to control his power in some way. His smile fades as the shock wears off, immediately clutching his stomach; ¡°Oh God¡­¡± He falls over on his side, feeling nauseous and writhing in pain. ¡°Poor me, had to learn that the power only keeps you from taking permanent damage and dying from different poisons, and that you have to build an immunity over time. It¡¯s like a vaccine that works properly each time.¡± Ray chuckles at his younger self¡¯s unfortunate discovery, subconsciously holding onto his stomach as well.


    July 26th, 2015. 8:50 AM.


    Ray slowly opens his eyes, blinking at the soft morning light streaming through the broken skylight. He stretches his stiff limbs, feeling the soreness in his muscles. His hair tousled, and his face shows faint creases from an old pillow. As he sits up, he yawns deeply; ¡°I should probably get back home, I think I¡¯ve made decent enough progress on working my powers. Let¡¯s see¡­¡± He begins counting his fingers; ¡°Ochratoxin, Benzene, Formaldehyde, Botulinum, Cyanide, and Alkaloids. Damn, I wish there¡¯d be more, but living through the process of being poisoned just to adapt to it has worn me out.¡± He comments before standing up. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going home. I¡¯ll try out more in a few days.¡± He says as he starts to leave.


    July 26th, 2015. 9:20 AM.


    A strong gust of dry air rustles along the leaves of the park as Ray strolls along the sidewalk, humming quietly as he steps off the main path, going down a slope and making his way inside a drainage tunnel. The water sloshes with each step, a rhythmic splash and squelch, echoing softly like muffled, rippling waves underfoot, the sound bouncing off the walls as he pays no thought to the acrid smell. Ray quickly stops, detecting the faint sound of wading from behind; ¡°Who-¡± Ray thinks before turning around, he takes in the presence that had followed him. A loose, reflective outfit, Ray immediately recognizes who he is; ¡°Mind explaining what you¡¯re doing down here?¡± Guerilla asks as he moves closer.


    Ray¡¯s stance tenses; ¡°I was just going home-¡± His explanation gets cut off immediately as Guerilla palm strikes him in the mandible, making him stagger as he steps back; ¡°Huh-¡± He pauses as Guerilla quickly draws his rifle and holds it right against his chin; ¡°Ray Steel.¡± He says coldly. Ray stares in shock and confusion, wondering how he even figured him out; ¡°What gave it away?¡± He asks; ¡°Your voice may be a little deeper now, but I recognize that voice from the recording, that one where you killed Advik. Not just that, your appearance and build are too similar to the recording for you to be anyone, but. No more to explain. Now come with me, or I¡¯ll just have to bring you to Nasuka in a body bag.¡± He explains bluntly.


    A silence dwells upon the two before Ray reacts by quickly raising his fist, Guerilla doesn¡¯t hesitate and immediately fires a round right through Ray¡¯s chin, making it fly directly to his brainstem. Guerilla¡¯s eyes widen as he sees Ray¡¯s fist hurl toward him; ¡°WHA-¡± He shouts before being nailed in the face by his punch, sending him flying. He hits the floor, tumbling rapidly until slowly coming to a stop, a faint groan can be heard from him as he slowly stands up, breathing heavily as blood gushes down from his nose. He looks toward Ray; ¡°Where¡¯d he go?! More importantly, how did he move after I shot him dead?!¡± He shouts, dumbfounded and confused as not a trace of Ray is left. He taps his earpiece; ¡°Mig! Gastronaut! Come in, I found Ray, but he disappeared after I killed him. I don¡¯t know where he is, but I have a feeling he might have lived, despite me shooting his brainstem. He¡¯s likely going to die soon, but I need help finding him. I¡¯m in the drainage tunnel entrance at Sunset Park. I¡¯ll wait right here to ensure that he doesn¡¯t escape the same way he came in, once you two get here, we¡¯ll search through.¡± He finishes and taps his earpiece.


    ¡°Come on, just hold it in¡­¡± Ray frantically thinks to himself, now a puddle of botulinum, silently swims along the surface of the sewage, blending right in with the environment. He eventually gets out of sight before making his way toward a sewage pipe and falling down into a lower part of the sewer. As his liquid body hits the sewage below, he swims toward a walkway, slithering on it before solidifying again, becoming flesh and bone once more.


    Ray breathes heavily, his chest expanding and puffing out with each breath as he rolls onto his back; ¡°Fuck¡­ I can- I can barely think! Not being able to breathe is already detrimental enough of a drawback for changing into liquid, but¡­ That was¡­ holy shit, that was too close!¡± He stops thinking, trying to keep himself together as he keeps breathing as though he¡¯d sprinted a marathon. ¡°I saw death itself for a second, I¡¯m glad young me thought of that before I got shot. I kept the shape of my head intact when the entire thing was turned into liquid, avoiding all damage done to my body.¡± He reflects while looking at himself hyperventilate.


    After a while, Ray¡¯s breathing calms down, he stands up, looking up from where he fell from. ¡°That¡¯s not good. The shortcut that takes me back home was just to the left before the fall. I wish I could¡¯ve taken it, but my breathing would¡¯ve caught his attention.¡± He reflects, looking around. He takes in the atmosphere of the large, spacious sewer, dimly lit by sporadic, flickering lights casting long shadows on the slick, moss-covered walls. Advanced architecture shows in high, vaulted ceilings and arched steel bridges spanning the slow-moving, murky water below. The air is heavy with humidity, and the constant dripping of water echoes through the labyrinth of tunnels. The acrid smell of decaying waste and stagnant water stings his nostrils, making it difficult to breathe without gagging.


    ¡°I better start looking around before they show up.¡± Ray tells himself before beginning his trek through the sewers, instinctively pulling his shirt up over his nose. As he approaches a fork between a tunnel and a bridge, his eye shifts its gaze from left-to-right repeatedly; ¡°Crossing that bridge would just lead to another tunnel system, so I should just go to the one right here first to save what little time I might have¡­¡± Ray starts walking inside the tunnel while putting his hand on the wall; ¡°And besides, theoretically, if I just go right over and over, I¡¯ll eventually come across the right path. I have a photographic memory, so I¡¯ll be able to memorize where I am after looking around for a bit.¡±


    July 26th, 2015. 9:50 AM.


    Ray continues to trek through the sewers, he notices a strange figure walking across a bridge, wearing bright colors; ¡°Huh?¡± He asks himself, taking a closer look, realizing that it¡¯s just an orange work vest. ¡°Wait, an employee! That¡¯s perfect! I can ask him for a way out of here!¡± His face lights up with excitement, he starts running over; ¡°Hey!¡± Ray calls out, the worker watches as Ray rushes onto the bridge; ¡°Huh?¡± He asks, confused. Ray stops in front of him, panting heavily; ¡°How¡¯d you even get down here?¡± The worker asks, his tone is relaxed, but surprised; ¡°Someone¡­ pushed me down¡­ And I¡¯ve been trying¡­ to find my way out of here for almost thirty minutes!¡± Ray exhales.


    ¡°You serious?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°What a dick, glad to see you¡¯re alright though. Come on, I¡¯ll take you out of here.¡± He beckons, walking off the bridge and making his way toward an elevator in the wall, Ray follows close behind. ¡°Thank you so much, I can¡¯t stress enough how glad I¡¯ll be to get out of here.¡± ¡°Yeah, no problem. Trust me, you sound like most of the people here when their shifts are done.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t imagine why.¡± Ray sarcastically responds. Suddenly, a familiar voice shouts from the sewage pipe; ¡°HEY! DON¡¯T LISTEN TO HIM! THAT¡¯S RAY STEEL!¡± The worker¡¯s gaze shifts to him. ¡°What-¡± His words get cut off as Ray lightly shoves him out of the way, rushing toward the elevator.


    ¡°Gastronaut!¡± ¡°Right!¡± Gastronaut nods before using his jetpack and zooming through the air, he slings his arm toward a pillar, turning sharply and letting go, deactivating his jetpack and hurling towards Ray. He charges, kicking Ray straight in the back and knocking him into the elevator with him, Ray grunts as he hits the floor, getting up quickly and elbowing Gastronaut in the gut; ¡°How the hell?! How¡¯s he up?! That should have snapped his spine in two!¡± Gastronaut¡¯s mind races as he clutched his stomach, unaware that Ray pressed the button to go up. As the elevator begins rising upon its doors closing, Ray lands a spin kick, striking him in the side; ¡°He hits like a truck! But this is good, he made contact with my skin!¡± Gastronaut thinks; ¡°Ray, what goes up¡­¡± He trails off as he makes Ray weightless, causing him to float in the air.


    Ray¡¯s eye widens as he enters zero-gravity; ¡°What?!¡± He yells; ¡°Must come down!¡± Gastronaut finishes as he slams Ray down repeatedly, the floor below eventually breaks due to Ray¡¯s density; ¡°Oh shit!¡± Gastronaut reacts quickly, keeping himself afloat before making Ray float back to him. Right then, the sound of the elevator door is forced open on the floor they came from, Mig steps inside, noticing the floor of the elevator had fallen down. ¡°Gastronaut! Do you have him?!¡± ¡°Yeah! Let¡¯s play a game, see how high of a rally we can get!¡± He shouts back before throwing Ray down.


    He plummets, falling at high speed; ¡°Why¡¯s Mig not moving out of the way?! He¡¯s gonna get crushed-¡± His own thoughts stop as he suddenly bounces off of Mig, flying back up towards Gastronaut. As he gets closer, Mig strikes him, sending him back down to Mig, Mig sends him back, as they begin their rally, as though they were in an intense game of volleyball. ¡°This is bad! What I can gather-¡± Ray coughs from one of the attacks; ¡°What I can gather is that Gastronaut can manipulate gravity, while Mig has some sort of reflective power! He said they wanna see how high of a rally they can get, which buys me time on getting out of this!¡± Ray ponders, slowly tucking himself in. Several hits later, and Gastronaut kicks him back to Mig, unaware that Ray had fully tucked himself in, forming into a ball-shape, Mig notices; ¡°Gastronaut, look out!¡± ¡°Huh-¡± He notices Ray flying back towards him at a significantly higher speed than before; ¡°Is this just a game to you, bastard?!¡± Ray shouts angrily as he flies right into Gastronaut, dragging him way up and making him crash into the walls of the elevator shaft.


    Gastronaut uses his power to leave them both in place, as they stop, he sucks in air, blowing up his stomach and increasing his weight, bouncing Ray off of him and sending him flying through the stone wall. As Ray¡¯s back hits the wall and it begins falling, he increases his gravitational pull, making him fall faster; ¡°Shit! I can¡¯t just fall down, that¡¯ll have enough force to break my bones, and I can¡¯t turn into liquid, as I¡¯ll just keep falling, and then I¡¯ll end up in the same spot, but I¡¯ll fall beneath the rubble and I¡¯ll have more trouble slipping away! What should I do?!¡± He thinks frantically, as the rubble hits the floor, Mig steps outside the elevator shaft; ¡°Where¡¯d he go?! He¡¯s not in the rubble!¡± ¡°WHAT?!¡± Gastronaut shouts back. Mig jumps onto the rubble to investigate; ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s not here!¡± He confirms; ¡°But that can¡¯t be right! I know he¡¯s still somewhere, I can still feel him under my control!¡± He retorts. Ray, who¡¯d turned himself into carbon monoxide, looks down at Mig; ¡°Perfect! He¡¯s in position! By turning myself into gas, I was able to mask my presence, slowing my fall, and now¡­¡± Ray turns solid again, falling at high speed and lands directly on top of Mig, his reflection kicking in and sending Ray skyward once again. ¡°You idiot! He was above you-¡± His scream gets cut off as Ray lands a flash kick, sending Gastronaut right to the ceiling, the impact forcing his own head to get stuck.


    Ray falls back, plunging toward the sewage below, Guerilla watches carefully from the sewage pipe, aiming at the wall with his rifle; ¡°Mig!¡± ¡°Yeah?!¡± He responds, Guerilla fires a bullet, it zings through the air, hitting the wall and ricocheting off and zooming towards Mig. Mig¡¯s eyes quickly follow the bullet, as once it hits him, it bounces right back toward the wall, but due to near-perfect timing, the bullet grazes Ray. Mig leaps toward Ray as he gets grazed, grabbing onto him and falling into the sewer water, but to his surprise, upon hitting the water, they plunge deep, sinking like stones, descending rapidly with no struggle or buoyancy, vanishing into the depths.


    ¡°Wait, this is good! I¡¯m guessing their plan was to have Mig grab me, swim up, and hold onto me so Guerilla could gun me down! But due to how dense my skeleton is, I lack any buoyancy!¡± He realizes as they soon hit the bottom, Ray breaks free from Mig¡¯s grasp. He sees Mig attempting to swim back up, due to his bone density and musculature, his arm is able to move through water just as swiftly as it would on land, grabbing him by the leg; ¡°My hand wasn¡¯t reflected! Whatever the reason, I have to capitalize on this!¡± Ray turns around and slams Mig onto the floor. Mig accidentally gasps, immediately swimming up to the surface as fast as he can. Ray decides to take the opportunity to get away by running at the bottom, getting a good distance away.


    Several minutes pass, as Ray continues to dart along the floor beneath the sewage, he stops as he feels his lungs giving out and needing to breathe, knowing he¡¯s at a safe distance, he turns himself into a methane bubble, his size allowing for him to float to the surface quickly. Ray climbs out of the water, gasping for air at an unsteady pace; ¡°Fuck, I just wanna get out of here!¡± He closes his eye briefly before opening it again, he notices a tunnel; ¡°Huh?¡± He asks curiously before walking closer. ¡°Wait¡­ am I seeing this right? That¡¯s¡­ OH MY GOD!¡± He smiles in joy; ¡°A ladder for a manhole! Yes! Thank God! Get me the hell out of here!¡± Ray rushes to the ladder, climbing his way out.


    Ray soon emerges from the sewer, his clothes wet, dirty and torn, his face smeared with grime. He climbed out, using both hands to hoist himself up, his muscles straining, but determined. As he steps onto the street, he pauses, blinking rapidly against the bright sunlight that floods his vision. A wide smile spreads across his face, his eye shining with relief and joy. He takes a deep breath of fresh air, savoring the warmth of the sun on his skin. Finally, he¡¯s free from the dark, damp tunnels below. ¡°Time to go home!¡± Ray tells himself, putting the lid back on and beginning to run back home.


    July 26th, 2015. 10:40 AM.


    Ray, drenched in sweat and dried sewer water, leans heavily against the front door, his chest heaving as he gasps for air. His face is flushed, and beads of sweat run down his forehead as his legs temple slightly, and he puts his hands on his knees. He knocks on the door repeatedly until the door opens, he stops and sees Mrs. Martin in the doorway; ¡°Ray¡­¡± She says in disbelief as she looks at him, seeing how messed up he appears. After what feels like an eternity, Ray yells with joy; ¡°Mom!¡± He runs up, wrapping his arms around her; ¡°Ray!¡± She returns the energy, hugging him in a tight embrace with her hand on the back of his head. She begins to tear up; ¡°It¡¯s really you, you¡¯re ok¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have scared you, dad, or Julia like that. I shouldn¡¯t have left before you two got home-¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok¡­ I¡¯m just glad to see you again. I was so worried for you, it hurt, seeing that you¡¯re safe feels me with such great relief.¡± She cuts him off, breaking the hug.


    Mrs. Martin takes in Ray¡¯s appearance, realizing just how much of a mess he is right now; ¡°Your eye! What happened to it?! You poor thing, are you alright?¡± She asks with concern, Ray just smiles out of happiness; ¡°It¡¯s a long story, I¡¯ll tell you, but before, could I shower first?¡± ¡°Oh, yes, please do! I¡¯ll do the same, this smell is awful!¡± She responds, stepping out of the way so he can come inside. As he steps in, she closes the door; ¡°I¡¯ll just use the outdoor shower.¡± Ray states; ¡°I appreciate it, I¡¯d hate to have to clean the carpet from you walking all over it just to get to the bathroom.¡± She jokes, Ray has a light laugh from it. Ray walks into the backyard, as he steps outside, Mrs. Martin walks out, holding out a towel; ¡°Don¡¯t forget this.¡± ¡°Thank you, I almost did.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± She responds as Ray takes the towel, she then walks back inside.


    Ray steps inside the shower, not even waiting for the water to warm up, his desire to get cleaned off keeps him from even registering the cold; ¡°Holy shit, this feels so good! I¡¯m glad Julia didn¡¯t see how dirty I was, she would¡¯ve said I look like a Smash player! I¡¯m just so happy to be back though. Mom¡¯s as kind as ever, all I need now is to just see Dad again, he¡¯s the reason I¡¯m even alive today.¡± He thinks, his mind racing from the nostalgia of being able to see his whole family again. The water gets warmer, cascading over him, dislodging clumps of dirt and grime from his skin. Mud streaks and oily residue swirl down the drain as he scrubs vigorously, his clean skin comes out. Suds from soap lather up, turning a completely greenish-brown color as they work to cleanse the layers of filth. Slowly, the water runs clearer, and his hair and skin emerge fresh and rejuvenated, the final traces of sewage and dirt vanishing under the steady stream of the shower.


    July 26th, 2015. 11:00 AM.


    Ray, having dried off, steps inside his room, changing into a fresh pair of clothes, a simple forest green t-shirt and black pants, after he hangs up his towel, he walks into the living room and sits on the couch, slumping far forward, letting out a massive sigh of relief; ¡°I think I¡¯ve burned more calories than one person needs in a lifetime¡­¡± He comments tiredly. Mrs. Martin walks from the kitchen, handing Ray a cup of ice water; ¡°Here, you look dehydrated.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± He replies softly, taking a big drink, exhaling; ¡°That¡¯s just what I needed.¡± Ray relaxes. ¡°So, Ray, what exactly happened?¡± She asks politely, Ray takes another drink before answering; ¡°I¡¯ll put it shortly. A few days after I ran away, I had no idea what to do, and out of desperation to find an answer, I went to my real dad¡¯s house.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°And then I waited for him to come back, after he got inside, I begged for him to help, but he wouldn¡¯t help at all. Then I got too close, and he struck my face with a clawhammer.¡± He finishes explaining quickly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that happened, Ray¡­¡± Mrs. Martin reacts, hugging him from behind; ¡°That¡¯s just awful, nobody should have to go through that, especially not a kid¡­¡± She continues in a soft, soothing manner. Ray rests his head on her arm, closing his eye while embracing her comfort; ¡°Thank you¡­¡± He mutters softly.


    Soon afterward, Ray¡¯s body and tiredness succumbs to the comfort, as he falls asleep from sheer exhaustion, Mrs. Martin smiles gently, taking the cup from Ray¡¯s hands and bringing it to the kitchen. She returns, setting his pillow on the couch and carefully making him lay down, propping his head on it before setting his blanket over him. She puts her hand on his head, kneeling down to his level; ¡°Sleep well¡­¡± She says quietly before giving him a gentle kiss on the forehead, as she stands up, Ray shifts in his sleep, curling up slightly. Mrs. Martin smiles at him before walking away. Present ray frowns sadly; ¡°I miss her¡­ even if she isn¡¯t my real mother, when that word comes to mind, all I can think of is her. I wish I could see her again¡­¡±


    July 26th, 2015. 6:30 PM.


    Ray slowly stirred awake, his eyelid fluttering as the weight of sleep clung to him like a heavy blanket. His muscles stiff and unresponsive, he felt the dull ache of immobility seep through his bones. His breaths were shallow at first, growing deeper as his senses gradually sharpened. The air around him felt thick, almost foreign, as if he had been asleep for centuries. He blinked, his eye adjusting to the light, and slowly stretched, feeling the tightness of his limbs begin to ease. The world around him felt new and distant, every sound and sensation amplified as he reawakened from his prolonged slumber.


    He sits up, yawning as he slowly moves his blanket, his vision becomes clear as he notices Dr. Martin standing in front of him, smiling widely; ¡°You¡¯re finally up, big man. Feeling better?¡± He asks with enthusiasm, putting his hand on Ray¡¯s head and lightly ruffling his hair before moving it away. ¡°Dad!¡± Ray looks up, smiling; ¡°Oh my God, dude, I don¡¯t know how to thank you, you saved my life! I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Yeah, you gave us a scare! I¡¯m glad you¡¯re alright, Ray. Julia told me about how you left to train your powers, I was worried something had happened to you. You were gone for six days, you know?¡± ¡°Hehe¡­ yeah, I¡¯m sorry about that. I didn¡¯t mean for it to take so long, but I kept passing out with each new poison I tried working with.¡± Ray explains, Dr. Martin nods understandingly.


    ¡°Hey, Bruce, Julia¡¯s heading back from the store now, you wanna get started on grilling the steaks?¡± Mrs. Martin asks while taking care of work on her computer; ¡°Of course, Lily.¡± Bruce answers before looking at Ray; ¡°Come on, Ray, I¡¯ll let you do some grilling as well.¡± ¡°Oh, hell yeah!¡± He stands up, following him to the backyard. Dr. Martin turns on the grill, waiting for it to heat up; ¡°So, Ray, how did your training go? You said you kept passing out from each new poison?¡± ¡°Yeah, what I didn¡¯t know at first was that whatever poison I create, my body will experience the pain of it, but due to my DNA and how it is now, it prevents it from causing any bodily harm or death.¡± ¡°That¡¯s awful, I¡¯m sorry to hear that that¡¯s what you had to do just for your training.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve gotten pretty used to it, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I said that¡¯s awful. You¡¯ve poisoned yourself so much that you¡¯re used to it. It¡¯s sad for me to hear, personally.¡± Dr. Martin explains as he starts to clean the grill.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Shit, I¡¯m sorry, dad.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, Ray, you did what you had to do. Besides, you¡¯re here, and we¡¯re all happy because of that. I just want you to be careful, alright?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ thanks dad. I¡¯m glad you understand, and yeah, I¡¯ll definitely be more careful. I had a run in earlier in the sewer this morning with those three Emerald heroes.¡± Ray responds, casually dropping that bombshell. Dr. Martin¡¯s eyes widened; ¡°W-wait, are you being serious right now?!¡± ¡°Yeah, it was frightening.¡± ¡°Do¡­ Do you want to talk about it? I¡¯m worried.¡± ¡°Think we can save it for dinner? I¡¯d rather everyone know it, please.¡± ¡°Yeah, of course. If that¡¯s when you want to tell us, then by all means, when you¡¯re ready.¡± Dr. Martin nods. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Now lay down those steaks, I¡¯m getting hungry.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Ray replies, grabbing the tongs and setting the steaks down on the grill, right before he takes the bag inside, Dr. Martin looks at him; ¡°Nope, you¡¯re forgetting something.¡± He glances at the bag, Ray notices; ¡°Oh, right!¡± He walks back, pouring the unmixed marinade onto the steaks for extra flavor; ¡°There we go!¡± Dr. Martin nods approvingly.


    Ray nods back before walking inside to throw the bag in the trash, while waiting for it to be time to flip the steaks, he sits on the couch and decides to watch TV, letting himself relax and enjoy the moment. He leans his head back; ¡°Hey, mom?¡± ¡°Yes, Ray?¡± ¡°What channel¡¯s South Park on again?¡± ¡°Oh, 1140, I assume you want the HD one.¡± ¡°You got it, thanks mom.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± She replies as she keeps typing away, as Ray changes the channel, immediately pinching the bridge of his nose; ¡°Oh no¡­¡± He says, laughing silently. Mrs. Martin sighs; ¡°Which episode is it?¡± She asks curiously; ¡°The cat piss one.¡± ¡°Oh no! That one¡¯s hilarious!¡± ¡°Just¡­ it¡¯s everyone¡¯s reaction to seeing Kenny and Gerald fighting in the sandbox, I can¡¯t-¡± Ray sneezes into his elbow; ¡°Bless you.¡± ¡°Thank you. But yeah, just, this shit¡¯s funny as hell.¡± He comments, going back to watching the show.


    Dr. Martin walks back in the house; ¡°Hey, bud, in a bit, I need you to check the grill. I gotta use the bathroom.¡± ¡°You got it.¡± Ray replies. Ray goes back outside after a few minutes, opening the grill and grabbing a steak with the tongs; ¡°Hmm¡­ yeah, this looks perfect.¡± He comments, flipping it over; ¡°Let¡¯s see, how are the others doing?¡± He asks himself, analyzing each of them one by one, the slider door opens; ¡°There you are, Ray!¡± Julia shouts happily; ¡°Julia!¡± Ray smiles as he flips the last steak. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean for my training to take as long as it did. I passed out a lot when learning how to get used to each toxin.¡± ¡°Oh, well that explains it. I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re back, I was worried, I know you said it might take days, but I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be that long.¡± ¡°I have a habit of scaring others for my well-being, it seems.¡± ¡°No shit!¡± Julia retorts playfully, Ray laughs, just happy to see her.


    ¡°By the way, what did you bring home from the store?¡± ¡°Well, for dinner, I just had to grab a loaf of French bread, and just some extra parmesan, but I also decided to grab some snacks, also, I grabbed some kool-aid bursts, and yes, I got you an extra pack for you since you have zero self-control.¡± She says with sass, leaning in and poking his shoulder. ¡°Better not have been grape.¡± ¡°Of course, I didn¡¯t give you grape!¡± ¡°Yeah, cause I hate that flavor.¡± ¡°You know why you said it! I know you don¡¯t like grape, but we¡¯d make those jokes with each other all the time, you¡¯re not fooling me!¡± ¡°Alright, you caught me.¡± Ray holds his hands up before looking back at the grill.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re back!¡± Dr. Martin says while walking out the slider; ¡°Hey dad.¡± ¡°How was your trip to the store?¡± He asks, Julia grimaces; ¡°It was fine for the most part, but there were those annoying kids out front of the store, selling those shitty chocolate bars for their fundraisers.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Dr. Martin and Ray respond in unison, matching each other¡¯s energy of surprise, yet also disappointment. ¡°Those are never fun.¡± ¡°Yeah, but I made sure to just lie about not having any cash on me. When I was in the bread aisle, this one lady told me that she wishes she did the same as me, saying ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have responded. That¡¯s the problem, I responded, heard them talk, and it made me cave.¡¯¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Like, I get that they¡¯re just kids, but still, they need to go away. Talking about a ten-dollar deal for six chocolate bars, who¡¯s fatass is buying that?¡± Julia rants. ¡°You know, I was about to say that you¡¯re exaggerating, but nah, that¡¯s actually ridiculous.¡± Ray comments while checking the steak again; ¡°Exactly.¡± Julia responds, Ray then looks at Dr. Martin; ¡°Hey, you think these are done?¡± ¡°Lemme check.¡± He holds his hand out, being handed the tongs; ¡°Yep, they look just about done. Julia, you wanna run in and grab a tray for us?¡± ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± She walks inside.


    A few minutes pass, everyone¡¯s at the dinner table, eating their food; ¡°Hey Ray, so do you wanna talk about it now?¡± Dr. Martin asks, his wife and Julia both glance at him before looking at Ray; ¡°Talk about what?¡± Julia asks. Ray takes a bite of his steak and downs his water glass, wiping his face; ¡°Alright, so earlier, when I was heading home, I ended up being confronted by Guerilla-¡± ¡°Wait, are you serious?!¡± Mrs. Martin interrupts, sounding concerned; ¡°Yeah, I am. And what happened was I got attacked, I got away for a bit till all three of them showed up. The reason I smelled so awful earlier was because I had to go through the sewer to escape, and not without a fight first.¡± ¡°Wait, you fought them? And you escaped?!¡± Julia butts in, completely dumbfounded.


    Ray gets up to refill his water cup; ¡°Yeah, I was surprised myself, I¡¯m honestly still having a hard time processing it. Julia, remember our talk on Monday, when I said that I didn¡¯t know what I should do?¡± He asks, filling his water while also nabbing an extra piece of bread from the counter. Julia nods; ¡°Yeah, I have a hunch I know what you¡¯re getting at, but in case I¡¯m wrong, go on.¡± She answers, Ray sits back down; ¡°Well, I was thinking, after the encounter I had, as well as having these powers now, I want to try being a hero myself, one who has the power and skill to fight against the evil that those Emerald heroes protect.¡± He states, his tone completely serious, the whole table looks at him, silently as they try to come up with a response. ¡°This is a side I haven¡¯t seen of you, Ray,¡± Dr. Martin speaks up; ¡°...are you sure that¡¯s what you want?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ray asks; ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ you¡¯ve been through more than enough as is, are you certain that you¡¯d put yourself through more stress? I know you¡¯re a really kind person, but I just don¡¯t want to imagine you hurting yourself more. I know what superheroes go through, and I don¡¯t wanna see you jumping to a decision that countless people regret.¡± He explains, remaining calm.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Ray looks down slightly at his plate, acknowledging his point, Mrs. Martin puts her hand on his shoulder; ¡°He¡¯s not discouraging you, he just wants you to be sure of your decision.¡± She softly assures him; ¡°Exactly. I know what you¡¯re getting at, you want to help people, but I want you to still take care of yourself. The people are important, yes, but you¡¯re another person, you¡¯re just as important, alright?¡± Dr. Martin adds, his concern showing for him. ¡°I- hmm¡­¡± Ray pauses, trying to come up with a response, but blanks. ¡°Yeah, I''d definitely think this over before going through with it if I were you, Ray. Besides, it¡¯d be best if you continued training your abilities before making the decision.¡± ¡°Fair point, Julia. Alright, I¡¯ll think it over, I guess I was being a bit brash.¡± Ray says calmly, going back to eating his food; ¡°We¡¯ll support whatever your decision is.¡± Dr. Martin adds, reassuring him; ¡°Thanks.¡± Ray replies before going back to eating his food.


    July 27th, 2015. 12:30 AM.


    Ray and Julia sit together on the couch, the living room dimly lit, illuminated only by the soft, flickering glow of the TV. The gentle hum of the Playstation 2 fills the room as shadows dance on the walls, and faint rays of moonlight seep through the curtains, casting a bluish tint. A few snacks are scattered on the coffee table, along with the scent of popcorn and an open box of chocolate doughnuts lingering. ¡°Hey, Julia, I think I have it figured out now.¡± Ray speaks up; ¡°Oh, really? What did you decide on?¡± ¡°I still want to go through with being a hero, but I at least want to be ready, as well as being able to spend time here when I can. And I¡¯ve decided I¡¯ll do training for five days a week, and then I¡¯ll come back here on weekends to relax and spend time with you guys.¡± He explains, his voice quiet as to not wake his parents.


    Julia sits quietly, thinking of what he said and how to respond, not even focused on the game; ¡°So, that¡¯s the decision then? I don¡¯t know what to make of it myself, but I trust that you know what you¡¯re doing. I really don¡¯t know what to say on it, other than just be careful.¡± ¡°I know, and I¡¯m gonna try to be as careful as possible. I even thought of an idea earlier after I went back to my room.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°In case I encounter those Emerald heroes again, I¡¯ll have notes written down, based on my own experiences. I don¡¯t have much right now, unfortunately, but I¡¯ll write some stuff down when I have more info.¡± He explains further; ¡°Well¡­ I guess that makes me more confident in what you¡¯re planning. Just don¡¯t go out of your way to run into them.¡± ¡°I know, I¡¯ll keep tabs on them, but mostly, I¡¯ll try to avoid them.¡± ¡°Good, cause I don¡¯t want anything bad to happen to you.¡± Julia replies softly.


    The two keep playing games for a bit before Julia decides to speak up again; ¡°Hey, Ray?¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°You said you¡¯ll be gone during the week and only back during weekends, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. If you¡¯re wondering about that, I¡¯m gonna at least stay here for the next week.¡± ¡°Oh, good! That makes me happy.¡± Julia smiles. Ray can¡¯t help, but smile back; ¡°Glad to hear we¡¯re on the same page.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Julia says quietly before yawning; ¡°Shit, it¡¯s so late. I might go to bed after this.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ray responds as they keep playing for the night.


    September 16th, 2015. 2:50 PM.


    Ray, after the course of over a month of training, had gained a worse reputation throughout Violet Paradise due to him beginning to commit a crime spree against those in power. His first case, on August 14th, he broke into a politician¡¯s home and stole The Hope Diamond Necklace and had it sent back to the Smithsonian Institution after holding said politician hostage and promising that he¡¯d spare him if the artifact was sent back. His second case, on August 20th, he doused a campaign car in hexanitrodiphenylamine, waiting until after people escaped before he lit a match and set the car on fire, creating a fiery explosion, mysteriously, he disappeared before police could open fire. His third case, on September 7th, he failed a casino robbery after having bit off more than he could chew when being cornered by not just the police, but also Guerilla, Gastronaut, and Mig, all of who had been studying him, just as he¡¯d been studying them.


    Unable to see a way out of his situation, Ray decides to surrender, soon being arrested and held in jail for an upcoming trial. Now, inside the courthouse, the courtroom was oppressively silent as the judge, a severe-looking man with a sharp jawline and piercing eyes, took his seat. Everyone in the room knew who the man was, Judge Lawrence Stanton, a judge who plays favorites with those who lined his pockets.


    Ray sat at the defense table, his hands completely still as he held a stack of organized papers. His defender was none other than his mother, Lily Martin, who pressed tirelessly in order to give Ray a chance to speak his side of the story, but every objection led to it being overruled. After what feels like hours, the prosecutor raises his voice; ¡°Your Honor, the evidence is clear¡­¡± he declared, flashing a triumphant smile; ¡°The defendant¡¯s guilt is beyond dispute.¡±


    Mrs. Martin stood up to cross-examine, she tried pointing out the inconsistencies, but Judge Stanton interrupted repeatedly, overruling objections with a dismissive wave. ¡°Move on, Mrs. Martin.¡± He barked. ¡°The court has no time for these irrelevant distractions.¡± Mrs. Martin was losing her patience, her attempt to establish an alibi was met with outright hostility. The judge rolled his eyes, tapping impatiently on his desk as she went through her series of questions. Witnesses blatantly contradicted themselves, but Stanton allowed it all, nodding approvingly at the prosecution¡¯s every move.


    When it came time for the jury to deliberate, they barely left the room, returning in minutes with a verdict of ¡®guilty¡¯ on all counts. Judge Stanton didn¡¯t bother to hide his satisfaction, as he nodded and announced the sentence of execution by lethal injection. He banged his gavel with a loud, final thud, sealing Ray¡¯s fate. Ray slumped in his seat, Mrs. Martin apologetically wraps her arms around his neck; ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ray¡­¡± She sobs, the idea of him being publicly executed is too haunting for her to bear. Ray has no reaction, he just keeps looking down; ¡°I want to tell her that it¡¯s fine because I¡¯ll just build an immunity to it, but if I do that, then it¡¯ll let people know what my powers are, and this whole thing will just keep happening. But, if I just wait it out, I can make it back home, and then we can just be a happy family once more.¡± He ponders, though present Ray shakes his head; ¡°I wish it were that simple. Nothing was the same after this¡­¡±


    October 1st, 2015. 12:05 AM.


    Ray is brought to the Maut Altar, where he lies strapped to a gurney in the very center of the execution ground, surrounded by politicians, prison officials, and medical personnel. His arms are secured, and IV lines are inserted into both arms, connected to a series of syringes filled with lethal chemicals. Ray, blindfolded and wearing an orange jumpsuit, breathes slowly as the executioner signals to begin, he¡¯s not even given the drugs that are typically used during the process. No sedative, paralytic, or drug to stop the heart. The cameras roll on TV screens across the city, and to Ray¡¯s knowledge, possibly the whole country.


    Ray closes his eye, as the injection begins, he writhes on the gurney as his face contorted in agony. Sweat pours down his brow and his breaths come in sharp, ragged gasps. His muscles spasm uncontrollably, and he lets out a guttural cry, his eye opens wide with pain. His body twists and jerks violently, snapping the straps that kept him bound to the gurney, his fingers claw at the floor. The pain crescendos until his movements slow, his eye closed shut, and he collapses into unconsciousness, body limp with minor twitches.


    October 3rd, 2015. 11:20 PM.


    Ray¡¯s eye opens slowly; ¡°Huh?¡± He asks himself, wondering why he only sees darkness, the darkness was thick enough to press against his eye. ¡°Why¡¯s everything so dark? Why¡¯s it so stuffy here? Why¡¯s everything so¡­¡± He tries to stretch his arms and legs, but his limbs get stopped by walls; ¡°...crammed¡­¡± His eye widens as it takes a moment for his senses to register the stifling, suffocating space around him. ¡°Wait¡­ was I¡­¡± He reaches up, feeling something not even a few inches away from his face above him; ¡°I¡¯m buried alive! Shit!¡± He realizes, his breathing hitched, chest heaving against the unyielding wood above. He thrusts his arms out in a blind panic, fingers scraping against the smooth, cold surface of the coffin.


    His heart thundered in his ears, drowning out every rational thought. He kicked, punched, clawed at the lid, splinters digging into his skin as he fought for every inch of freedom. The air was thin, heavy with the scent of damp earth and decay, and every breath felt like a battle against the darkness that threatened to close in around him. Sweat poured down his face, his clothes clinging to his body as he gasped, his lungs burning with every ragged breath.


    He pounded the lid harder, desperation fueling his strength. The wood began to give, cracking under his relentless assault until finally, with a splintering crash, it gave way. Dirt cascaded down, filling his mouth and eye, but he didn¡¯t care. He clawed upward, his fingers numb and bleeding, the weight of the earth pressing down on him. He could feel his strength waning, but the thought of staying buried spurred him on.


    Finally, he broke through the surface, gasping as fresh air flooded his lungs, he scrambled out, dirt clinging to his skin, every breath still a struggle as he collapsed onto the ground. Even free, the terror lingered, a deep-rooted panic that left him trembling. His eye darted around the dark, open space above, half-expecting the earth to swallow him back up. His chest heaved, his heart racing as he tried to calm the chaos in his mind, but the fear clung to him, cold and unyielding, a reminder of the dark, suffocating tomb he had just escaped. Ray breaks down on the ground, his fists pressed against the floor as he begins to start sobbing when the shock wears off; ¡°Dear God¡­¡± He breathes heavily and unsteadily as more tears begin to fall from the horror he just escaped.


    October 4th, 2015. 1:15 AM.


    An hour after Ray¡¯s mental breakdown, the shock had returned to him, as the only things on his mind were the other politicians who were with Advik, Judge Stanton, and the prosecutor who was in cahoots with Stanton, Victor Blake. ¡°They all know Advik was in the wrong, he tried to attack me after I told him off when he tried to come onto Julia, who was a minor at the time, and he was in his early forties! It¡¯s not enough, I need all of them dead.¡± With resolve, Ray set out on his vengeful mission.


    The first, was a man named Alexander Trenton, who was swiftly killed and sprawled out in a living room with a large knife wound to his abdomen. Blood splattered on the cushions.


    The second was Marcus Hale, who was killed in the park when Ray ran and snuck up behind him while he was out with his wife, slamming his forehead down once on a railing and causing a dent that warped the shape of his head, killing him slowly from the trauma. As Ray booked it out of there, he could hear the man¡¯s wife scream.


    Third was Jonathan Prescott, dead in his armchair with his eyes hanging out of their sockets. His neck with noticeable finger markings on them, but no prints, as Ray had strangled him while putting on gloves. The pressure was so great from his strength, it caused his eyes to pop out.


    Fourth, Vincent Langford, lying lifeless on the floor in a building with the top half of his head sliced off, his blood pouring out of him like water from a tub spout.


    The last politician, Philip Carmichael, was hung to a wall in his house when Ray grabbed a spear decoration and skewered him with it, pinning him to the wall and letting him bleed out.


    Victor Blake was killed when Ray dragged him into an alleyway and pinned him to the floor before stomping once on his ribcage, shattering it and causing shards of his bones to pierce his heart. He died from internal bleeding.


    Now, after two hours, he¡¯d found the last target, Lawrence Stanton, sleeping peacefully in his bed. Ray wakes him up, as his eyes open, they widen with horror upon seeing him; ¡°W-what?! You can¡¯t be!¡± ¡°Oh, I am. You tried to sentence me to death, without any sedatives or paralytics. That was the worst pain I¡¯d ever been in my entire life. And what was I greeted with after I survived? I was buried alive! The coroner never checked, it seems. His lack of care saved me, and I could not be happier!¡± Ray glares at him, leaning in closer. Judge Stanton¡¯s face shows nothing but fear; ¡°Stay away from me!¡± He shouts pathetically, as he kicks Ray in the face, but Ray¡¯s head fails to budge once, he grabs him before taking a syringe out from his pocket. ¡°This is Pancuronium bromide. The same chemical that causes muscle paralysis and respiratory arrest. This is what I was given when I was ¡®executed,¡¯ so it¡¯s only fair you take the same.¡±


    Before he can react, Judge Stanton feels his skin get pierced as the syringe gets injected in him. Ray watches him soon die the same way that everyone thought he himself did, watching his body jerk in agony as he screams from the depths of his lungs helplessly. Soon, he collapses, dead.


    Ray stands still, having finally achieved the revenge he¡¯d sought, feeling a hollow emptiness, a cold, sinking void where satisfaction should be. The anticipated triumph is replaced by a heavy, aimless weight, as if the purpose that fueled him has vanished, leaving only a lingering sense of futility and loss. He looks at his hands; ¡°I guess my real dad was right¡­¡± He tells himself; ¡°This time, I really am a murderer¡­ I can¡¯t be mad at anybody else, but me. Advik was out of self-defense, but here¡­ I did so intentionally¡­¡± He says calmly, as the shock fully wears down. Ray leaves Judge Stanton¡¯s house; ¡°I can¡¯t be a hero¡­ not after what I did¡­¡± He thinks to himself, a frown falling onto his face, filled with regret.


    October 4th, 2015. 4:35 AM.


    Ray stands outside his house, taking deep breaths, bracing himself in hopes of not scaring his family from the shock of him being alive; ¡°I might as well just go in and hope for the best¡­¡± He thinks nervously. He opens the front door, and he hears the sound of someone rolling over on the couch; ¡°Ray¡­?¡± A soft mutter comes from the living room; ¡°Julia¡­¡± He responds, his tone tired and lifeless. Julia gets up from the couch and sees Ray, there he was, hollow-eyed, but unmistakably alive; ¡°Ray!¡± She shouts with happiness, running over and hugging him; ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re safe!¡± She expresses her joy.


    She breaks the hug and calls out to the hallway; ¡°Mom! Dad! Ray¡¯s back!¡± Her voice reaches the master bedroom, after a few seconds, Mrs. Martin walks out of the room, Dr. Martin follows shortly behind; ¡°Oh my God, you¡¯re home!¡± Mrs. Martin cried, rushing toward him as a sob of pure joy escaped. As she wraps her arms around him, Dr. Martin smiles, putting a hand on his shoulder; ¡°We were waiting for you to come back, are you alright, Ray?¡± He asks supportively. ¡°So, it wasn¡¯t them that buried me, it makes sense. I can¡¯t die from lethal injection, so my body was passed off from the higher ups. The coroner must not have cared, and that¡¯s why I was buried alive¡­¡± Ray shivers from the thought.


    Mrs. Martin notices the way his body shivers, immediately pulling away; ¡°Ray, what happened? Are you ok?¡± She asks, concerned. But Ray just sank to his knees as tears began to stream down his face, shaking as she clung to him; ¡°I can¡¯t do it¡­¡± Ray said tiredly. His breathing hitched; ¡°I can¡¯t take it, I don¡¯t wanna do this shit anymore!¡± Mrs. Martin knelt beside him, cradling his head in her arms, whispering; ¡°Shhh, it¡¯s ok, it¡¯s ok.¡±


    Ray¡¯s body trembled, overwhelmed by their happiness, unable to hold back the flood of guilt and trauma rushing through him. ¡°I¡¯m tired¡­ I wanna go to sleep¡­¡± ¡°Ray, what happened?¡± Julia asked with concern. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna talk about it right now, I¡¯m tired¡­¡± Ray answered, his tone depressed. Julia closes her mouth, holding herself back from repeating the question, putting her hand on his back for comfort. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you to bed. You can tell us when you¡¯re ready.¡± Dr. Martin speaks softly, Ray listens and stands up, though he chooses to just walk to his room without their support. He enters the room and closes the door behind him, staring at his bed before flopping onto it, not even bothering to get under the covers, he closes his eye and drifts off.


    October 4th, 2015. 3:40 PM.


    Ray sits at the table, his posture slouched as his hands rest heavily on the surface. His brows are furrowed, eye distant and shadowed with emptiness, staring blankly at the table. The room feels still, almost oppressive, his thoughts weighing down the very air. ¡°Wait, when did you get there?¡± Julia asks as she walks into the kitchen. ¡°Huh? Oh¡­ I¡¯ve been here for about an hour.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t even hear you leaving your room.¡± She responds, sitting down in the chair next to him; ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I sound like I¡¯m prying, but what happened?¡± She asked, concerned.


    Ray groans, knowing that he should just get it out instead of waiting any longer; ¡°Julia¡­ I¡­ I was buried alive¡­¡± Julia sat frozen, her eyes widening in shock as the words hit her like a wave. Her breath caught in her throat, and her hand instinctively rose to her mouth. The color drained from her face, her mind struggling to process the revelation. She remained silent, utterly dumbfounded, as if the gravity of what she had just heard stole her ability to speak. ¡°But worse¡­¡± Ray speaks up; ¡°I proved my father right¡­¡± ¡°Ray, tell me it¡¯s not what I think-¡± ¡°No, it is¡­ killed not just another man, but seven. Those other guys who were with Advik, and the prosecutor and judge who humiliated mom in court by working against her completely. I killed them all¡­¡± He confesses.


    Ray lowers his head; ¡°I wanted to be a hero, I wanted to be different from the ones in the Emerald Faction, but when I acted on my own accord, I went out of my way and slaughtered them. I¡¯m just a murderer¡­¡± Julia puts her hand on his shoulder; ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t even know what to say, nor could I even imagine how awful you must feel. For that to happen, after being buried alive, that¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s just terrifying.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ also, Julia, I¡¯m curious.¡± Ray looks up. ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Those boxes, are we moving?¡± He asks, pointing at the boxes by the hallway. ¡°Oh, yeah, we¡¯re moving.¡± ¡°Where? Why?¡± ¡°We have to move because ever since that rigged case, mom¡¯s had zero clients coming to her since her reputation here was basically ruined. Dad found a place in Florida where he can still work, and mom was able to find a place that wants to hire her.¡± She explains, Ray looks down; ¡°I¡¯m not surprised by that reason¡­ I saw it myself, they were ruthless to her.¡± Ray said, sadly.


    ¡°It was awful when she came home, I¡¯d never seen her more heartbroken in her life. Even after dad and I explained to her that you¡¯d live because of the toxic serum, she was still crying, so we just let her let it out.¡± Julia explains further before taking a deep breath; ¡°Ray, we¡¯re just really glad that you¡¯re back here, safe.¡± ¡°Thanks, Julia. I appreciate it, but¡­ I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d even be able to go with¡­¡± ¡°What are you talking about-¡± Julia cuts herself off, quickly understanding before speaking again; ¡°Right¡­ if people saw you walking around, despite you being broadcasted, it would only draw trouble to us.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Well, shit, I don¡¯t want you having to be on your own again. There has to be something we can do¡­¡± Julia trails off as she crosses her arms. She speaks up; ¡°Let¡¯s just wait for mom and dad to get back from the post office, alright?¡± ¡°That works for me¡­¡± Ray answered, tired as he slumped forward again.


    October 4th, 2015. 4:30 PM.


    After coming home from the post office, Ray explained the situation as to what happened with Dr. and Mrs. Martin, as well as his reason for wanting to stay behind. ¡°I¡¯m fine with staying behind, I¡¯ve been on my own before, and I¡¯m stronger now, so I¡¯ll manage.¡± Ray comments, trying to make his situation seem less severe than it is. ¡°Well, shit, this doesn¡¯t help, but I¡¯ll try to see if there¡¯s anything that can be done.¡± Dr. Martin answered, perplexed by the new situation. ¡°Hey¡­ so, I was thinking of something, it might sound far-fetched, but I don¡¯t know what else to really do. I¡¯ve been thinking about the idea for a while, but wanted to wait till you two got home.¡± Julia spoke softly, getting everyone¡¯s attention. Their gaze letting her know to tell them.


    ¡°One thing that came to mind is that there¡¯s tons of people online who are fans of serial killers, people like Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, or even Richard Ramirez, all of them have fans. It might sound fucked up, but given that people like them have fans, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Ray himself had fans, given that the people he killed are widely hated by younger people.¡± ¡°Wait, are you saying that on the chance I have fans, they¡¯d be willing to let me stay with them?¡± Ray asked, his eyebrow raised, dumbfounded. Julia cringes; ¡°Yeah, I know, it¡¯s stupid¡­¡± She looks away, embarrassed by the thought. ¡°Well, it couldn¡¯t exactly hurt to try.¡± Dr. Martin comments; ¡°It¡¯s not like we have any other ideas right now.¡± Mrs. Martin adds. ¡°Alright, but how do we even go about it then?¡± Ray asks while leaning forward; ¡°I could probably just go around the city, asking people what they think. I¡¯ll pretend that I¡¯m doing a college report on psychology and how different people feel about serial killers. I¡¯m bound to find some people who support you.¡± Julia suggests. ¡°You know what? That doesn¡¯t sound bad.¡± Ray answers; ¡°Alright, then I¡¯m out of here! I¡¯m gonna go look around!¡± Julia walks toward a shelf, grabbing her keys and walking out the front door.


    October 7th, 2015. 8:50 AM.


    Ray lays in bed, peacefully sleeping until he feels someone shaking him; ¡°Ray! Ray, wake up! I got good news!¡± Julia says excitedly. Ray groans from being woken, slowly opening his eye; ¡°Huh? What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I found someone who¡¯d be happy to give you a place to stay!¡± She announced. ¡°Wait, seriously?!¡± Ray shouts in surprise as he sits up; ¡°Who?!¡± ¡°You know that one Mexican restaurant I work at, Cocina del Rey?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°My boss, Carlos, told me that the restaurant has an attic that¡¯s never used.¡± ¡°An attic?¡± ¡°Yeah, cause the restaurant used to be a house before it was renovated. He hates people like Advik, so not only does he support you, but told me that if you need a place to stay, you can use the restaurant¡¯s attic.¡± She explains while smiling.


    ¡°Julia¡­¡± Ray says before hugging her; ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m so glad to have someone like you to have my back.¡± ¡°Of course, Ray.¡± She responds softly, hugging him back. ¡°I¡¯m gonna miss you.¡± ¡°Hmm? Oh, I¡¯m not moving, actually.¡± She tells him, Ray breaks the hug and looks at her, confused; ¡°Wait, what? What do you mean?¡± He asked. ¡°Originally, I was gonna transfer colleges before moving, but because you chose to stay here, I figured I might as well stay too. I¡¯m looking online right now for a cheap apartment I can rent, so I won¡¯t be that far away from you.¡± She explained. ¡°That¡¯s nice to hear.¡± ¡°Yeah! Also, I¡¯ll do my best in my freetime to try helping you with whatever you need! Help you get back up on your feet, y¡¯know?¡± She replied, enthusiastic about the situation. ¡°So, I¡¯m guessing I should probably box my things up?¡± ¡°Yep! Cause once I find an apartment and get settled in, we¡¯re gonna help you move in. After that is when mom and dad are gonna be driving out to Florida.¡± ¡°Well, I better get to it then.¡± Ray responds, getting out of bed.


    October 19th, 2015. 12:45 PM.


    The attic of Cocina del Rey, once a forgotten space thick with dust and cobwebs, had always felt gloomy and cluttered. Layers of grime coated old, mismatched boxes, and the musty smell of long-forgotten memories hung in the air. Every step stirred up dust, and the dim light barely pierced through the grime-coated window.


    Now, it has been fully transformed into a cozy, welcoming bedroom. The floors glean, newly polished, and the walls, freshly painted, give the room a sense of openness and calm. The once cluttered corners are now filled with thoughtful decor and organized storage. Small rays of sunlight gently seep through a window blocked by a curtain, showing off Ray¡¯s bed, a soft rug, and tidy shelves. ¡°Well, what do you think, Ray?¡± Mrs. Martin asked, her tone sentimental; ¡°I¡¯m impressed with what we got done! It¡¯s hard to believe this was ever the same room!¡± Ray answers, his tone thankful.


    ¡°We¡¯re glad you like it,¡± Dr. Martin comments; ¡°...by the way, Ray, we got something for you.¡± ¡°Hmm? What is it?¡± He asks curiously. Dr. Martin reaches inside his jacket pocket and takes out a box with a cellphone in it; ¡°Oh my God! I haven¡¯t had one in so long! Y-you¡¯re not pulling my leg, right?¡± Ray reacts, dumbfounded. ¡°Not just that, since you didn¡¯t want anybody tracking you, I also got you this from the same Plutonians that helped you survive the toxic serum.¡± Dr. Martin takes out a chip and holds it out for him to take. ¡°A Plutonian chip! No way!¡± Ray shouts, smiling as he takes both of them. ¡°I can keep in touch again¡­¡± He says softly, feeling some nostalgia. Dr. Martin smiles as Ray sets them down on his desk.


    Julia sits on the bed, leaning back as she props her arms behind her, taking a deep breath; ¡°Well¡­ I guess this is it. This feels so weird.¡± She says quietly. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Mrs. Martin responds, a small silence comes upon them, clearing when Dr. Martin speaks up; ¡°Well, we better get going. Come on, you two.¡± He said as he walked over to Ray, hugging him. ¡°Bye, dad.¡± ¡°Take care, champ.¡± He pats him on the back twice before breaking the hug; ¡°Thank you for the phone and chip. I¡¯ll be sure to call you two whenever I can.¡± ¡°Of course, buddy.¡± Dr. Martin nodded. As he goes to hug Julia, Mrs. Martin hugs Ray in a tight embrace; ¡°I¡¯ll miss you, Ray.¡± ¡°Mom¡­¡± Ray says quietly. He closes his eye and rests his face on her shoulder; ¡°I¡¯ll stay safe, I promise.¡± He mumbles. Mrs. Martin smiles; ¡°I know you will.¡± She responded in a soothing tone, extending the hug and only waiting for when he¡¯s ready to break the hold.


    After what feels like an eternity for Ray, he finally lifts his head up; ¡°You two have a safe drive, alright?¡± ¡°Of course. You two stay safe as well, we love you both dearly.¡± She says softly before breaking the hug. ¡°I love you too, mom. And I love you too, dad.¡± Ray responds, smiling back. Mrs. Martin feels a tear come from her eye, Dr. Martin puts his arm around her; ¡°Well, we better get going before she becomes too emotional to drive.¡± He says lightly. Julia lets out a small chuckle to help lighten the mood; ¡°Yeah, that sounds like it¡¯s for the best.¡± Dr. Martin nods. ¡°Alright, we¡¯re off then.¡± He starts walking her down the attic; ¡°Bye, Julia! Bye, Ray!¡± ¡°Bye, mom! Bye, dad!¡± Ray and Julia shout back in unison. Mrs. Martin looks behind her; ¡°Call us every chance you get, alright? I love you!¡± She called out. Both wave at her, letting her know they¡¯ll do just that.


    After their parents leave, Ray sits down in his computer chair; ¡°Bro, Julia, this is so fucking weird¡­¡± ¡°Tell me about it.¡± Julia responds, sounding exhausted as she flops backfirst onto the bed. The two remain silent, letting the knowledge that they¡¯re both on their own sink in. Ray breaks the silence; ¡°I might as well get this installed now.¡± He stops leaning back and sits up straight, grabbing the Plutonian chip and takes off the case to his computer. ¡°Hey, Ray? My phone¡¯s on the desk, could you toss it to me real quick?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He grabs her phone, handing it to her.


    Julia takes her phone; ¡°Thanks.¡± She said before looking at the time; ¡°Oh, shit, it¡¯s past one.¡± She sits up; ¡°Hey, Ray, I¡¯m gonna head back to my place. I need to get ready for work, also I left my time card at home. I¡¯ll be seeing you around, if you need anything, call.¡± She said, getting up and putting her phone away. She grabbed her keys; ¡°Got it. Bye, Julia.¡± ¡°Bye, Ray.¡± She looks at him one last time before leaving the attic.


    After she left, Ray closed the attic and went back to installing the chip. After having put it in, he puts the case back onto his computer and gets started on setting up his phone; ¡°It¡¯s not where I imagined I¡¯d be, but it¡¯s fine. It¡¯ll be a slowburn, though I know I¡¯m gonna get better. I owe Julia for bringing me into this family, and I wanna repay her someday. Maybe when I get back on my feet.¡± Ray thought. ¡°But that day never came, nor did I get better. I got worse, I let the trauma of what happened the night I got buried keep coming back every time I felt motivated. I spent almost three years wasting away in that attic, only coming out every few days for fresh air. I got lazy, I became a degenerate, looking at weird shit, originally out of curiosity, but then a way for me to cope with my boredom and unwillingness to do anything. Worst of all, I hurt Julia by making her lose hope in me¡­¡± Present Ray pondered, having remembered everything.


    June 7th, 2018. 8:05 PM.


    As Ray¡¯s mind comes back to the present, remains slumped forward, depressed about the memories he just suffered through. The first thing he hears is Elio, making his closing speech; ¡°Together, we can forge a future where the dream of peace is not just a hope, but a reality for every child, every community, and every nation. Thank you, and may we continue this journey with renewed purpose, knowing that peace is within our reach, if we dare to believe in it. Now, before we continue on with the finale of this show, I¡¯d like to speak a few words to Ray Steel. Thank you.¡± He finishes. As he steps away from the podium, the crowd gives a roaring round of applause and cheers.


    As he approaches Ray, Ray¡¯s expression saddens; ¡°Mom, dad, I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m so sorry that you have to watch this broadcast once more. This neverending nightmare, I can¡¯t stand it! And Julia¡­ Julia¡­ I¡¯m horrible. I leeched off of you for so long, just for this to happen. Nearly three years, gone to waste because I¡¯m going to die for real this time¡­¡± He thought, completely heartbroken. A quiet sob comes from him as tears begin to fall from his eye.


    Elio hears his sobs get progressively louder and heavier, he stops right in front of him, standing above Ray. As Ray looks up, Elio smiles upon him, reaching his hand to his eye and lightly grazing it; ¡°Hold back those tears for now, let them fall when the time is right.¡± Elio said with a soft, gentle voice. The heat from his hand evaporated the teardrop. Ray has a look of bewilderment on his face; ¡°W-what¡­?¡± He asked. Elio spoke; ¡°Ray, I was a coward for doing what I did. I betrayed you when you were cornered. I don¡¯t care if you don¡¯t forgive me for what I did, but keep up the fight. I learned what you¡¯ve been through, Julia told me everything. You wanted to be a hero, one who goes against the law itself for what is right, that¡¯s true justice in my eyes. Let me use true justice to save you.¡± Ray¡¯s eye widened. He couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing.


    Elio¡¯s smile slowly morphs into an insane grin as he clasps his hands together, slowly raising his arms up high as heat flows toward the hands. The people all over watch in anticipation, as they believe Elio is about to strike Ray himself. With a deep breath, Elio exhales steam. In one swift, powerful motion, he swings his arms down with force. The impact is devastating, metal bends and shatters as the chair breaks into pieces, split cleaning under the immense strength of the blow.


    Elio shouts; ¡°I won¡¯t just save you, I¡¯ll fight this whole system with you!¡±

 Chapter 19 - Playing With Fire

    The dense crowd stands stunned in silence, eyes wide and mouths agape, as the act of betrayal unfolds. Faces contort with shock and disbelief, some whispering in hushed tones, others frozen in place. Many gasp audibly, clutching their chests or covering their mouths, while others exchange glances of suspicion and anger. The atmosphere thickens with tension, emotions shifting from confusion to outrage. Some avert their gaze, unwilling to watch, while others lean forward, captivated by the sudden rupture of trust. The air feels heavy, charged with the weight of betrayal.


    ¡°What?!¡± Ray shouted in bewilderment as he stood up. Elio senses Mig¡¯s heat signature rapidly approaching, he turns toward his direction and holds out his palms, releasing a blast of steam towards him; ¡°That traitor seems to not understand that a bit of steam isn¡¯t gonna damage me!¡± Mig thought, rushing forwards, coming to a stop and striking the air by spinning his tail. ¡°Wait, where¡¯d he go?¡± He asked, slowly realizing that his vision¡¯s become hazy; ¡°I don¡¯t understand, I¡¯m not under the effects of any- that bastard! He used that burst of steam in order to fog up my vision like I¡¯m some mirror! Then he must have weaved out of the way, along with Ray in order to ensure that I got distracted!¡± Mig realizes, quickly wiping his eyes with his hands.


    Elio speeds down the staircase, carrying Ray over his shoulder, he reaches the bottom and darts past the crowd. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s gonna keep him away for a bit?¡± ¡°Of course it is! Steam condenses on cold surfaces, and since he¡¯s a bug, it¡¯s naturally gonna stick to him easier!¡± Elio explains. ¡°I see. Also, where are we going?¡± Ray asked, sounding a bit nauseous. ¡°Huh? I¡¯m just getting us to an area with less people around, I was also thinking you could give me directions on where a potential store that sells knives or just blades in general is. Julia told me that you¡¯re incredibly good with them, so I want us to have the best fighting chance possible. Also, you good man? You sound¡­ sick.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine, my stomach just feels weird cause I¡¯m not used to moving this fast, nor being carried. How the hell are you even moving that quickly with my weight? I¡¯m four-hundred thirteen pounds!¡± Ray commented in surprise.


    ¡°Oh, that?¡± Elio asked, hopping over a railing before answering; ¡°I have a max squat of four-hundred eighty-five pounds, and that¡¯s without any heat to boost me. I can increase my physical strength by a lot, depending on how high I raise my body temperature, so carrying you isn¡¯t too big a problem.¡± He explained before coming to a halt. ¡°Why are we stopped?¡± ¡°Is there a martial arts shop anywhere?¡± ¡°Well, yeah, there¡¯s actually one in this city.¡± ¡°Alright, cool! So look up the address!¡± Elio takes his phone out of his pocket and reaches back so Ray can take it. Ray grabs ahold of it; ¡°No password, now get to it, and hold on tight!¡± Elio commanded before taking off again.


    Suddenly, a car falls from above. Elio whips out of the way, turning to the left and diving forwards. The sudden movement makes Ray drop the phone, as it gets crushed by the car, the two hit the asphalt. ¡°You alright, man?¡± Elio asked as he stood up; ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. I dropped your phone by accident though.¡± ¡°Shit, then could you tell me which direction the shop¡¯s in?¡± ¡°Yeah, northeast from here, like five miles.¡± Ray answered. Glancing up, he notices Gastronaut in the air, an entire swarm of cars circling around him.


    Gastronaut sends his arm forward, making the cars plummet from the sky, tumbling chaotically as they descend. Upon impact, a few slam into the street with deafening crashes, metal crumpling, glass shattering, and tires exploding on contact. The force of each collision sends debris flying in all directions, leaving mangled wrecks strewn across the pavement, smoke rising as the ground trembles under the weight of each violent landing, and more to come. Elio weaves to the side by rolling out of the way of an oncoming car, quickly standing up and performing a sideflip, dodging another one, Ray dives backwards, becoming liquid and slipping through a manhole cover. Elio jumps backwards while doing a 180 twist as a car lands right in front of him, as more are about to strike down, he continues his evasion by performing a series of back handsprings before spotting a car flying towards him horizontally, leaping high in the air while tucking in, performing several backflips.


    Gastronaut changes the car¡¯s trajectory, it follows Elio¡¯s movements, he aims his hands up, firing a gust of wind to quickly change his direction, diving straight to the ground. Elio moves fast, running from the car, he then jumps up towards one of the falling cars, hitting the roof and jumping off of it. He then lands on a semi, dashing along it before leaping for the side of a building. The car dodges the others, still tailing him. Right as it¡¯s about to hit him, a manhole lid hurls through the air, destroying the car upon impact before hitting the side of the building, getting lodged within its metal frame. Elio looks down and sees Ray dodging the falling cars; ¡°I¡¯ll be alright, just get back here as fast as possible!¡± He shouted at him. Elio fell to the floor, landing on his feet before nodding.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back, minutes round trip. That¡¯s all!¡± Elio thought. He then takes off through the cityscape at blazing speeds, his movements a blur. He weaves through crowds of people, vaulting hurtling over benches, even sliding under an oncoming truck. He approaches a construction site, launching off of a ledge and flipping mid-air before landing on a rooftop. He continues his rush through swift, fluid motions as he leaps between buildings. ¡°Hang in there, Ray, I¡¯ll be back soon. And Reggie¡­ I can¡¯t wait for this night to be over.¡± He pondered as he leaped off a tall building in a freefall, looking at the city below.


    June 7th, 2018. 8:20 PM.


    Ray continues to dodge cars that are being hurled at him, he stops moving when he feels a hand grab his ankle; ¡°Shit! Guerilla!¡± He shouts as he looks down, seeing his hand come out of the ground. ¡°What will you try, Ray? Are you going to liquify yourself, or turn into gas? You¡¯ll just combust when that truck falls down onto you, and I know you don¡¯t possess the strength to catch an F-250.¡± Guerilla pondered, holding tight to prevent Ray from moving. Ray¡¯s eye darts around; ¡°Wait, that telephone pole!¡± He realizes, he then twists his torso like a corkscrew and holds his arms out, releasing gasoline from his palms and firing it in all directions as his torso returns to normal. Ray then starts using his free leg to start moving towards the pole as his captured one grows limp, stretching as he keeps getting closer. The car falls down, Guerilla¡¯s hand moves out of the way just in time as it crushes Ray¡¯s leg, Ray doesn¡¯t react at all.


    Gastronaut watches as Ray¡¯s leg liquifies and returns to him; ¡°How the hell?! Should have either been critically injured or blown up, depending on what he did! Wait¡­¡± He paused. The memory of their fight at the casino plays in his head, he remembers when Ray slung his arm forward to grab him; ¡°Now I understand! He was able to stretch his own limbs by making his limbs a certain percentage of liquid, granting him elasticity! Did he learn that because I¡¯m a Martian?!¡± He said to himself. ¡°GUERILLA! GET OUT OF THERE!¡± He shouts at the top of his lungs. Right as he shouts, Ray strikes the pole with his foot, causing it to fall forwards.


    The street is set ablaze upon the downed power line hitting the asphalt, flames crawling rapidly along the pool of gasoline. Bright orange and yellow tongues of fire dance wildly, fueled by the chemicals, creating a chaotic, intense heat. Smoke billows upward in thick, dark plumes, filling the air with a pungent, acrid stench. The relentless fire spreads wildly, consuming everything in its range as the flickering light casts eerie shadows against the surrounding buildings. Ray stands amidst the flames, taking a deep breath.


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    Guerilla phases out of the roof of the building that Gastronaut¡¯s hovering over; ¡°Ray¡¯s fucking insane! A lunatic! He set the whole intersection on fire!¡± ¡°I can see that! Just let me attack him already! I¡¯m sick of having to stay way up here!¡± ¡°I know, Gastronaut, but we have to wait for Mig! He¡¯s on his way with the power nullifiers right now!¡± ¡°Screw that! I¡¯m going down there so he doesn¡¯t get away!¡± Gastronaut retorted. He flies down before Guerilla could get another word out. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll be on the lookout for whoever shows up first, Mig or Elio¡­¡± Guerilla muttered.


    Gastronaut charges through the air, deactivating his jetpack before touching the street; ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯d come down here by yourself!¡± Ray taunted as he put his fists up. Gastronaut spreads his arms out, allowing for the burning gasoline to float up, creating two giant fireballs. Ray¡¯s eye widened in realization; ¡°I can see the shock on your face. Every time we encountered each other, I only made solids weightless because I never found an opportunity to use liquid against you, but now you¡¯ve given me the chance.¡± He explained. Quickly, he rushes forward, ready to slug Ray in the face, Ray dodges, rolling on the ground and standing up fast. ¡°How are you not catching fire?!¡± He shouts while spinning, avoiding a right hook from Ray.


    The two start to brawl with one another as the fireballs float beside Gastronaut. Flames lick the air around them, casting shadows that flicker like ghosts on the burning street. The two clash violently, a blur of fists, kicks and exaggerated movements. Ray swings his arm, stretching it forward to land a punch that snaps back with a rubbery recoil. Gastronaut ducks low, his torso bending and twisting like a spring, a fireball hurls toward Ray before Gastronaut launches a high kick, elongating his leg and slicing through the smoke. Ray backhands the fireball, turning it into countless micro fireballs as it flies past him, he then side steps out of the way before the kick hits him.


    Ray spins around, hurling his arm toward the manhole cover and grabbing it upon seeing the other fireball flying towards him. He retracts his arm, holding the cover with his hands. Gastronaut redirects the fireball, having it fly upwards to strike him from above. Ray quickly holds the cover up, shielding him from the attack, but at the cost of him pressing his knee on the floor. ¡°Perfect!¡± Gastronaut thought before sending the mini fireballs towards Ray, they strike his back in a rapid fire manner. His stance staggers; ¡°Damn it! I don¡¯t know how much longer I can keep this up!¡± Ray panicked.


    Gastronaut charges forward, crashing into Ray and knocking him back. As Ray rolls to get up, Gastronaut sends a punch, the force whipping Ray¡¯s entire body sideways. Ray rebounds, squashing low to the ground before springing back up, stretching high to deliver a spinning backhand strike, curving unnaturally, as though he were bending physics. He strikes him hard, the impact denting his helmet completely as he¡¯s struck on the dome of his head. He falls back, quickly stopping his fall as he makes himself weightless, hovering off the ground; ¡°Shit! That was too close! Had I reacted any slower, my jetpack would have exploded!¡± He panics. Ray gets ready to strike him to the burning street, but Gastronaut saves himself by using the manhole cover and having it fly towards him, grabbing onto the cover, he zooms out of the range of his kick.


    Gastronaut lets out a deep sigh of relief, as he looks up, he sees a figure of golden light running down the side of a building; ¡°Mig!¡± He shouted. Quickly, Gastronaut stands up on the lid and rides it like a hoverboard, he turns around and flies high into the air, speeding around a building. Ray gets in a defensive position, as Mig closes the distance, Guerilla phases out of the ground and fires a bullet at Ray. Aware of his strategy, Ray lets the bullet pass through him by making his torso become liquid, it flies towards Mig and bounces off, flying back at twice the speed. Guerilla lets the bullet phase through him, he rushes towards Ray, and as he turns around, he strikes Ray in the face with the back of his rifle. He staggers back, holding his hand up to his face.


    Gastronaut surfs down from the sky, angling himself in the right position, he kicks off the manhole cover, sending it towards Mig. Mig puffs out his chest, reflecting the lid and sending it towards Ray, the flat side hits Ray in the back, knocking him forward, his face hitting the floor. Guerilla does a short hop spin, phasing through the ground before rising up and striking Ray in the stomach, forcing him into the air, Gastronaut swiftly flies down and catches him, putting him in a Nelson hold. ¡°Mig, pass me one, quick!¡± He shouted.


    ¡°Way ahead of you!¡± Mig shouted back, grabbing one of the power nullifiers, a black strip of metal made to wrap around the neck. Right as he tosses it in the air to Gastronaut, Elio, now carrying a scabbard and its sword around his back, rockets through the air, his body streamlined with his arms pulled back and legs extended forward. Wind whips past his face as he hurls downwards, his feet cover the power nullifier, trapping it under them as they hit the pavement. He lands hard, smashing the nullifier as his feet slam into the ground with a crack, his knees bending deeply to absorb the impact. Momentum carries him forward, his heels digging into the asphalt as sparks fly, trailing behind. He slides, leaning back slightly, his tuxedo flaring out like a cape, before grinding to a halt, gravel skidding under his soles. He straightens, still and poised, the echo of his landing being drowned by the sea of fire. The power nullifier is nothing more than ruined machinery and parts.


    Elio performs a quick sideflip, sporting a grin, getting ready to rush forwards. ¡°Mig, throw me the other one, fast!¡± Gastronaut yelled. Mig quickly throws him the device, Elio dashes; ¡°Like hell, I¡¯ll let you have that!¡± He shouts, jumping into the air to grab it. ¡°Elio, it¡¯s a trap-¡± Ray shouted as Guerilla fired a bullet toward Elio. He reacts by drawing the longsword from its sheath and holding it with two hands, positioning it in the bullet¡¯s trajectory. The bullet hits the blade and deflects; ¡°Thanks for the heads up!¡± Elio shouts before catching the power nullifier with his teeth and landing on the ground.


    Ray quickly lets himself turn into liquid, slipping out of Gastronaut¡¯s grasp, solidifying himself once he begins falling. ¡°Elio! This way!¡± Ray shouted as he hit the floor, jumping down the manhole. Elio follows while sheathing the blade, dashing quickly before performing a short hop and firing a blast of wind from his hand, propelling himself down before Mig, Gastronaut or Guerilla can grab him in time. As he lands in the sewer, he drops the power nullifier and onto his hand as his free hand loosens the strap to the scabbard and tosses it to Ray; ¡°Here.¡± He said. ¡°Thanks.¡± Ray replied as he caught it, strapping it to his chest and taking out the sword. ¡°Heh, a medieval longsword. Not bad, Elio. It¡¯s got a good weight to it.¡± He comments, twirling the sword. ¡°Good, cause I sure as hell wasn¡¯t about to grab a katana. Anyway, I wish I¡¯d known earlier about the fire, I would¡¯ve grabbed some marshmallows for us to roast.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯m not particularly big on sweets.¡± Ray replies while beckoning for Elio to follow. He starts running through the sewer with Elio keeping pace. ¡°By the way, that fire looks like it¡¯s been going on for a bit. How did you last that long to begin with?¡± ¡°Oh, that? I liquified my body to a certain percentage, specifically by twenty-five percent. I turned my body into strychnine, a chemical that¡¯s difficult to ignite.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I had no idea such a thing existed.¡± Elio responded.


    ¡°Anyway, more importantly, what¡¯s the plan?¡± ¡°Well, for now, since you have that gizmo on you, I say we try using it on one of them.¡± ¡°Sounds like a good plan to me, but who do we use it on? Surely not Gastronaut!¡± ¡°Gastronaut¡¯s an immediate no! He may be the most dangerous, but his power¡¯s the easiest to deal with! It¡¯s between Guerilla and Mig!¡± Ray replied. Elio put his hand up to his chin ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He groaned, casually vaulting over a railing. ¡°Well, let¡¯s see, if we get rid of Guerilla¡¯s permeation, he can¡¯t snipe at us anymore.¡± ¡°But if we do that, we¡¯re still stuck with Mig¡¯s reflection.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s either we get rid of the easier one, or we get rid of the harder one and have an easier fight from then on, and frankly, I¡¯m more compelled with getting rid of Mig¡¯s powers. The problem is, how do we go about that? This place isn¡¯t exactly the best for using electricity to bypass that light barrier of his, you know?¡± Elio asked.


    ¡°I think I know an idea.¡± ¡°Really? What¡¯s that?¡± Elio asked curiously. ¡°A few years back, I had a scuffle with them in the sewer.¡± ¡°Julia told me about that, but what does that have to do with our current situation?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. Mig¡¯s power is all about light, and while electricity can pass through, I do know of another weakness. On that day, he grabbed onto me as I fell into the sewage, and when I sank to the bottom, I tried grabbing his ankle, and my hand wasn¡¯t reflected.¡± ¡°Wait, seriously?!¡± ¡°Yeah! I didn¡¯t know why at first, then it hit me. He can only use his reflection technique if there¡¯s light, but we were so far below the murky water, those lights couldn¡¯t reach us.¡± He explained. Elio¡¯s eyes widened; ¡°I get it now!¡± He replied.


    ¡°Yes, exactly, Elio!¡± Ray responded while grinning. He looks up at the lights going down the sewer; ¡°Once they catch up to us, that¡¯s when we¡¯ll hit the lights!¡±

 Chapter 20 - Kiss Of Death

    June 7th, 2018. 8:45 PM.


    Gastronaut hangs upside down on a street lamp with his arms crossed as a fire crew swiftly extinguishes the flames engulfing the intersection, hoses spray water as the firefighters move efficiently to control it, while the thick smoke billows into the air. All lanes are blocked off with barriers, and emergency lights flash as the team works to prevent further spread. ¡°Hey, Gastronaut, come down here for a sec.¡± Guerilla called. Gastronaut lets go, falling down and stopping in midair as he floats, sitting cross legged; ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± He asked while looking at a holographic cube that¡¯s presented.


    ¡°Check out these coordinates. I slipped a tracker onto Elio before the ceremony began, in case he did try anything like this. See where the blinking dot¡¯s shown on the z-axis?¡± ¡°They¡¯re still in the sewers.¡± Gastronaut commented. ¡°Exactly. Which means two things, they either stopped moving because they wanna lay low, or they possibly want to fight us there.¡± ¡°Whatever the reason, we can¡¯t just let them get away. Even if it may be a trap, we still have the advantage, not just in numbers, but there¡¯s less space for them to avoid your bullets, Guerilla. As for you, Gastronaut, that¡¯s an entire home field advantage, thanks to your power.¡± Mig joined in. ¡°That¡¯s our best choice of action, we can¡¯t just sit around here. With an event as big as this in Western America, Nata would kill us if we let them get away.¡± He explained further. Gastronaut shudders; ¡°Let¡¯s just go then! I¡¯d rather focus on this mission than think about that!¡± He shouted as he took off flying, his voice having genuine fear in it.


    Gastronaut dives down the manhole. He blasts off, zooming through the vast, dimly lit sewer, dodging jagged pipes and pillars. His movements are swift and precise, tilting left to avoid a protruding beam and diving low to skim just above the murky water. The roar of his jetpack echoes through the cavernous tunnels, as he maneuvers around debris and hanging chains, narrowly escaping collision. The air is thick, the space claustrophobic at times, yet he accelerates forward, expertly weaving through the labyrinth of hazards. ¡°Damn, I¡¯m just now noticing how much better my flying is right now. That name scares me so much, it¡¯s kicked my own reflexes into overdrive. Elio, where the hell are you?!¡± He panicked, continuing to search through the sewers.


    Elio and Ray stand back-to-back, tense and alert. Ray grips his blade tightly, his eye scanning the shadows ahead, while Elio has his fists raised and his eyes closed, scanning for any oncoming heat signatures. Elio quickly senses Gastronaut approaching; ¡°Shit! Ray, get down!¡± He commanded. Ray quickly ducks to the floor as Elio hops off the side, clinging onto the ledge with his fingers as Gastronaut speeds by, almost hitting the two of them head on. Gastronaut swiftly turns around, ready to strike again.


    Elio pushes himself up quickly, moving fast to attack first by flipping through the air, delivering a dropkick to Gastronaut. Gastronaut bends his torso backwards, arms stretching to catch his legs mid-strike before whipping them forward in retaliation. Simultaneously, Ray dashes forward, throwing out a slash that carves a wild arc through the air. Gastronaut dodges by stretching his neck to avoid the lethal strike, then swings his elongated arm to disarm Ray. However, Ray spun out of the way before releasing liquid mercury from his feet, allowing him to slide back as if he were figure skating.


    The fight grows chaotic as Gastronaut¡¯s own skills evolve. Every maneuver and switch-up Elio creates, Gastronaut finds the right time to allow for his limbs to coil and stretch, deflecting his blows. Elio eventually slips through, nearly landing a blow before firing a gust of wind to propel himself back. He tumbles backwards before recovering; ¡°I don¡¯t understand! Was he holding back this whole time?! Where did all this experience suddenly come from?!¡± Elio questioned. Meanwhile, Ray attacks relentlessly, his style forcing Gastronaut to twist constantly. He wraps his limbs around the blade in an attempt to bind him, but Ray twists free, landing a slash. Gastronaut leans back, preventing the blade from creating any deep cuts, he quickly flies up before floating by the ceiling; ¡°Damn! Even with my gravity manipulation, Ray¡¯s not going to let go of that sword, if anything, it¡¯s just easier for him to swing if I make it weightless!¡± He panicked as he held his hand over his wound, deep blue blood stains his hand.


    Ray slides backwards, stopping once he¡¯s next to Elio. He holds his sword out; ¡°Elio, you alright?¡± ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know what it is, but it¡¯s as though Gastronaut just evolved as a fighter!¡± Elio huffed. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed it too, it¡¯s strange.¡± Ray commented. Elio closed his eyes; ¡°Hold on¡­¡± He began to sense Gastronaut¡¯s heat signature. ¡°Wait¡­¡± Elio pondered for a moment. His eyes open; ¡°It¡¯s fear!¡± ¡°Fear?¡± ¡°Yeah! He has something to lose, just like us! But it seems like his own fear is greater than ours combined, so his cortisol and adrenaline are kicked into overdrive, making his own strength and speed much more abundant!¡± Elio explained.


    ¡°What could he possibly fear so badly that it¡¯s worse than ours?!¡± Ray shouted in confusion. Elio thinks; ¡°It¡¯s what Guerilla said last night. ¡®We¡¯d just be hunted down and end up like him.¡¯¡± He recalled. ¡°Long story short; The Emerald Faction does not tolerate failure. If they don¡¯t succeed in this fight, they¡¯ll die. It¡¯s a battle of ¡®kill or be killed¡¯ for them.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t have said it better myself.¡± Guerilla replies as he jumps out from the wall, drop kicking Elio in the side. He hurls; ¡°Elio!¡± Ray shouts, as Elio is sent flying, Mig falls down from above on the other side of the gap, his body reflecting Elio. He flies back, crashing through the wall.


    Elio rolls back, getting up quickly; ¡°Oh shit! They¡¯re here!¡± He realized. ¡°Careful, Elio!¡± Ray shouted as he threw a wave of poison at Guerilla, as he dodges, Elio takes the sliver of time given to him to grab a brick from the broken wall and chucks it at Gastronaut. Gastronaut makes it weightless as he changes its direction. ¡°Hook¡­¡± Elio swipes his arm, sending a gust of wind to travel in an arc, sending the brick off course as it knocks out a light. As the light shatters, Gastronaut whips his head in its direction; ¡°What¡­?¡± He asked, completely dumbfounded. ¡°Line¡­¡± Elio leaped toward him. Gastronaut turned his head to see Elio¡¯s shin closing the distance between it and his chest; ¡°Shit-¡± His words get cut off as Elio¡¯s leg makes contact. ¡°And sinker!¡± Elio finished. His kick landed directly where Ray slashed him. Gastronaut is sent hurling, he hits the floor, bouncing up at an angle, his body moving around like a pinball due to him being weightless in the moment as he continues to ricochet off the walls, his body moving away from the fight.


    Right as Elio lands, Mig grapples him, trapping him in a bear hug. ¡°I¡¯ll crush your bones until they¡¯re nothing, but powder.¡± He said coldly. Already clutching with dangerous levels of force. Elio¡¯s eyes widened, he quickly started heating his body up; ¡°Shit! I need those lights broken now! He¡¯s eventually gonna crush my body, I can only increase my volume to delay it as long as possible! Come on, Ray!¡± Elio panicked. ¡°Ray! Forget about me! Just do what you can against the other two!¡± He shouted. Ray immediately reacts, he starts sliding on his feet again, moving as quickly as possible to chase down Gastronaut. Guerilla gives chase, closing the distance between them at a rapid pace.


    Ray uses the speed from his technique to hop across the gap, continuing his pursuit. Guerilla continues to tail him, breaching from the floor like a dolphin jumping in and out of the water. Ray begins jumping between both sides of the gap to keep Guerilla away. ¡°Let¡¯s see, if I calculate how long he¡¯s in the air during free fall¡­¡± Guerilla observes. ¡°His apex is around sixteen point zero eight feet, which would mean he has an air time of roughly one second. I just need to watch a few more times before I can make my strike.¡± Guerilla pondered. He began accelerating to get ahead of Ray.


    ¡°He¡¯s likely going to pull that matter trick, but thankfully, Gastronaut seems to know as well. Good. I¡¯m just about ready, hold it¡­ hold it¡­¡± Guerilla observed critically. The moment Ray¡¯s feet change position, Guerilla strikes. ¡°Now!¡± He shouted, leaping out of the ground, aiming right in the center of Ray¡¯s forehead, firing from his rifle. Like he predicted, Ray turned himself into a different form of matter. His head turns into gas, the bullet passes through without losing any momentum. As soon as Guerilla¡¯s out of the way, Gastronaut stops bouncing around. He kicks off the wall and accelerates toward Ray, tackling him in the air and dragging him.


    Ray lets himself get caught as he begins to grin. Unknownst to them, the bullet whizzed through the damp, stale air of the sewer, not losing any momentum due to Ray¡¯s choice in becoming gas. The sharp crack echoed off the walls. It struck the first ceiling light, shattering the glass in an explosion of sparks. The bullet kept flying, hitting countless more lights in rapid succession, plunging the entire tunnel into total darkness as each bulb shattered. The sound of dripping water now filled the air.


    In less than a second, the darkness reached Elio and Mig. Elio grins; ¡°He did it!¡± Elio shouted triumphantly. With his strength increased, he breaks out of Mig¡¯s grasp, quickly elbow striking him before making distance between them. Mig staggers, clutching his side as he feels as though the wind was knocked out of him. ¡°It hurts¡­ Damn it! My own line of defense is gone! My pain tolerance is almost that of a child¡¯s because of how long it¡¯s been since I¡¯ve been struck!¡± Mig screamed internally as he breathed heavily.


    Gastronaut swoops down as he¡¯s carrying Ray, quickly changing direction as he flies up before spinning rapidly and throwing him down. Ray¡¯s body twists violently, his arms flail in the pitch-black void. He grunts as he hits the floor, tumbling in the darkness before coming to a stop, quickly getting back up on his feet. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad that I got rid of Mig¡¯s power source, but how long do I need to hold out until Elio can beat him?¡± Ray pondered. He drew his sword, twirling the blade before getting in a defensive stance. ¡°Noises are louder in the dark, just like how food tastes stronger when you¡¯re hungry. So, until then, I¡¯ll have to rely on my sense of sound.¡± He declared.


    ¡°Wait, hold on¡­¡± Gastronaut muttered in realization. As he activates his helmet¡¯s night vision, he gazes in Mig¡¯s direction; ¡°Shit! Guerilla, hold off Ray!¡± He shouted before flying towards Mig. Elio and Mig clash with only the sounds of heavy breathing and rapid movement breaking the silence as their feet dance on the floor. ¡°Right, I forgot about his antennae. They¡¯re covered with olfactory receptors, allowing him to detect my odor molecules. So, while I can detect his heat in the dark, he can detect my scent just as easily.¡± Elio analyzed.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Mig performs a fast spin attack, his spiky tail traveling to Elio. Elio dodges by backflipping, as he lands, Mig attempts to rush him, but Elio keeps flipping away, the flips increasing in speed as he builds momentum. Elio then dashes forward, side stepping and running on the wall to get past him. He hops down, getting behind Mig before sliding underneath him as he turns around, Elio gets up fast and delivers a spin kick to Mig¡¯s side. Mig screamed as he held his side, the pitch of the scream made Elio flinch as he covered them, only to be quickly kicked in the face by Mig. Elio tumbles; ¡°How the hell is he not on the ground?! I struck him in the liver- right¡­ insects don¡¯t have livers, they have fat body tissue.¡± Elio realized as his nose began to drip blood. He gets up fast, he senses Mig rushing toward him again. As Mig is about to strike, Elio dodges, but instead of attacking, Elio plugs one of his nostrils and does a snot rocket, firing the blood from his nose directly into one of Mig¡¯s eyes.


    Mig stops moving after being stunned, he instinctively puts his hand up to his bottom right eye, allowing for Elio to land a barrage of punches, Elio turns around and lands a horse kick to end the onslaught, launching Mig back. As Mig recovers, he quickly jumps to the wall, sticking to it. From above, he pounces, his tail wrapping around Elio¡¯s neck and squeezing. Elio retaliates by grabbing his tail to prevent further constriction, he then opens his mouth and swiftly bites down with enough force to chomp a whole chunk out of his tail. Mig freezes, his body in complete shock, unable to even scream as he feels lightheaded from the knowledge of his own body having a bite taken out from it. Subconsciously, his tail lets go. Elio grabs it and pulls him off the wall, slamming him backfirst into the floor.


    Mig stands up, but Elio rushes at him with the speed of a spreading wildfire, each strike flowing seamlessly into the next. He launches a lightning-fast jab to Mig¡¯s jaw, immediately pivoting into a spinning backfist that crashes into the side of his head. As Mig reels, Elio follows with a low kick to the knee, buckling the leg before rising into a jumping knee strike to his chest. Without pause, Elio spins, bringing his elbow crashing down on Mig¡¯s shoulder, forcing him downward once more. The instant he lands, Elio whips his leg into a roundhouse kick to the temple, finishing with a fierce palm strike to the chest, sending him stumbling back. Right as Elio rushes forward, ready to land a finishing blow, Gastronaut comes in at the last second, jetting at high speed, and reaching his arm, grabbing Elio¡¯s body as it wraps around him. He stops flying and slides on the floor before stepping forward and swinging his arm, sending Elio in an arc as he¡¯s slammed into the floor.


    Elio coughs up saliva upon impact as Gastronaut quickly unravels his arm, it slings back to him. ¡°Mig, are you ok?¡± He asked softly. ¡°NO!¡± Mig screamed in agony. ¡°I FEEL LIKE I CAN BARELY MOVE! IT HURTS!¡± He continued. His thunderous roar of pain echoed through the dark, even Ray and Guerilla stopped fighting for a moment to look in his direction. ¡°Mig¡­¡± Guerilla muttered, sounding hurt from hearing his cry. ¡°Such a disappointment. He really is nothing without his reflection. Who knew he was such a bitch?¡± Ray goaded. Guerilla suddenly closes the distance as he rushes in, driving his elbow toward Ray¡¯s face. Ray gets ready to block, but Guerilla¡¯s arm slips through the blade and his elbow makes contact, striking him in the face. Without missing a beat, he pivots on his lead foot, unleashing a brutal knee strike into Ray¡¯s ribs.


    With a fluid spin, Guerilla lands a strong kick to Ray¡¯s side to disorient him. Ray staggers slightly, Guerilla sweeps low, dropping Ray to the floor. In a blur of motion, Guerilla phases through the floor and dives out, stomping Ray in the stomach before kicking him to the wall. Ray grunts as he makes contact, he stands up to try and guard himself, but Guerilla strikes him with a one-two before slipping through the floor again, he reappears from the wall, coming in with both fists in a hammer blow directly to the base of the neck, forcing Ray to fall forwards.


    As Ray¡¯s about to plummet to the sewage, Guerilla appears out of the wall below and catches him. Using all of his strength, he pushes Ray, sending him back to the wall. He quickly takes out his rifle and strikes him in the forehead with the back of it before kicking him in the gut. ¡°You¡¯ve no idea what he¡¯s been through! I don¡¯t wanna hear you saying anything about him!¡± Guerilla yelled angrily. He then aimed quickly, firing a bullet at Ray¡¯s shoulder. Ray¡¯s eye widened as he couldn¡¯t react in time. ¡°Goddammit! I¡¯m slipping! It was such an obvious attempt to wind me, and yet it worked because of my stress for Mig! I couldn¡¯t even aim properly at his shoulder, with where I shot him, he should heal in just a few weeks without a hospital!¡± He screamed internally. His hand trembles as he clenches the rifle and throws it to the side.


    The gun echoes as it crashes into the wall before hitting the water; ¡°What?! Did he¡­ ditch his rifle?! Does he intend on fighting me with just his fists?!¡± Ray pondered in confusion. Guerilla lunged forward, his fist dashing through the dark. His breath was heavy, eyes locked onto Ray, who began holding his blade defensively while backing away slowly. The clash of his knuckles against the steel blade echoed as Ray parried a blow aimed at his chest. Guerilla side stepped away from Ray¡¯s riposte and closed the gap, attempting to drive an elbow into Ray¡¯s face. As Guerilla¡¯s about to land the strike, he slips, falling straight to the floor. ¡°This is¡­ mercury! He took advantage of my frustration and secreted it from his feet, and when he backed away, I ended up stepping on it, and it was only a matter of time before I fell!¡± He analyzed. In that moment, Ray kicked Guerilla before he could look up, creating distance between the two. Ray began making his way back toward the others.


    Elio and Gastronaut standoff, breathing heavily, waiting for each to make a move for them to counter. ¡°Elio¡­ just for a moment, could I just ask something?¡± Gastronaut uttered. Elio raises an eyebrow while getting in a more defensive stance. ¡°His heat signature tells me that he¡¯s not bluffing, he¡¯s being genuine. I¡¯ll keep my guard up just in case.¡± He pondered. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Elio answered. Gastronaut¡¯s stand relaxes; ¡°I tried asking Guerilla why you were even here in Violet Paradise. He never answered me. Tell me, why did you come here? I know you didn¡¯t come here to stop Ray, nor did you come here to save him. Until recently, him still being alive was just an urban legend, so what¡¯s the deal?¡± He asked in a softer manner.


    Elio matches his relaxed stance; ¡°That¡¯s all you want to know?¡± He asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Gastronaut answered. Elio takes a deep breath, closing his eyes. He opened his eyes; ¡°I¡¯m here because my cat got injured. He¡¯s the one who was with me when I fought Gendross, but he got hurt really badly. His name is Reggie, his spine got snapped. I worked with Ray because I wanted to make quick money to get Reggie back as soon as possible after his surgery. And I¡¯m sure that you¡¯d sympathize with all of this for one small reason.¡± ¡°And what is that ¡®small reason?¡¯¡± Gastronat asked while leaning forward. ¡°Reggie¡¯s a Martian Tabby.¡± Elio answered.


    Gastronaut stands rigid, his eyes wide and unblinking, pupils dilated as if trying to process the impossible. Underneath his helmet, his radula is wide open, no words coming. His hands tremble at his sides. It¡¯s as if time has stopped around him, every muscle locked in place, unable to move or react. Elio keeps his guard up as he senses that Mig is getting back up, he looks behind him as speaks; ¡°Surely, you understand where I¡¯m coming from-¡± He gets interrupted as he turns back, being slammed in the face with Gastronaut¡¯s fist. Mig catches Elio, putting him in a chokehold. Gastronaut turns around; ¡°Mig, hold off Elio. I have a new target.¡± He said coldly.


    ¡°What?!¡± Elio yelled in confusion. Gastronaut¡¯s jetpack hums softly, glowing faintly as it charges. Sparks flicker, and a blue pulse of light spreads across the sewer floors. Suddenly, with a high-pitched whine, the charge builds to a bright flash. The shadows retreat as the thrusters roar to life, releasing a burst of energy. He steps forward, then with a powerful blast, he shoots horizontally, leaving a trail of fiery light that cuts through the dark. ¡°Dammit! Get back here-¡± ¡°You¡¯re not getting away!¡± Mig interrupts as he grabs Elio¡¯s torso and slams him into the wall. He opens his mouth and starts gurgling. Elio¡¯s eyes widen as he quickly brings his hand up to grab his shades and move them out of the way. Mig spits at him, he closes his eyes before contact and immediately feels his skin getting irritated, as well as burning.


    Mig drops him. Elio begins to roll around on the floor holding his face; ¡°Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!¡± He screamed helplessly, his eyes began to water. ¡°That¡¯s for spitting in my eye!¡± Mig shouted angrily as he kicked Elio while he¡¯s down. Elio coughs as he¡¯s repeatedly struck. ¡°AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!¡± Mig screamed suddenly, stopping his attack. ¡°W-what¡­?¡± Elio muttered, confused. Ray scowls after having landed a clean slash on Mig¡¯s back. He twirls the blade and sheaths it before grabbing Mig by the tail. With his strength, he swings Mig up, slamming him on his back before lifting him up again to slam him on his stomach. He then picks him up one last time and spins him around, letting him go and sending him flying through the wall on the other side of the gap.


    ¡°Elio!¡± He shouted. ¡°Ray¡­¡± ¡°What happened?!¡± ¡°He spit in my face!¡± Elio yelled in pain. ¡°Shit! Elio, remember, it¡¯s formic acid! Clean yourself off in the sewage before it spreads! I know it¡¯s gross, but water can dissolve it!¡± He explained as he nudged Elio over the ledge with his foot. Elio plummets, plunging into the sewage below. Ray listens to the sound of the splash, he then quickly gets into a defensive stance, drawing his sword once more. Guerilla dives down from the ceiling with a stomp, Ray blocks the attack with his sword.


    Elio, with his eyes and mouth closed, remains in the sewage. ¡°This is so gross! I can¡¯t stand this! Thankfully, I can tell my face is getting better. But, Gastronaut¡­ he said he has a new target. He¡¯s planning to kill Reggie! There¡¯s so many vets in this city, I wouldn¡¯t be too worried, but he¡¯s smarter than he makes himself out to be. He likely knows that it might be a Plutonian vet since he never knew about Reggie until now. No matter what, I have to ensure Ray can deal with Guerilla by taking down Mig as fast as possible! Then I just have to reach Culat¡¯s Pet General before him!¡± He told himself. Determined, he swims up to the surface, gasping for air as his head sticks out. Elio submerges himself once more, propelling himself by releasing a gust of wind, performing a dolphin kick and jumping out of the sewage and making it back to the floor. He presses his fists together upon landing and releases wind from his entire body, forcing the sewage to fly off of him. He puts his shades back on and tracks Mig¡¯s heat signature, glaring at him through the dark. Elio¡¯s blood begins to boil with rage.


    ¡°Ray. I¡¯m gonna stop Mig right now. Stay close to him when I¡¯m done, you¡¯ll understand why.¡± He explained. Ray glanced in his direction, surprised by his tone. ¡°That anger, his attitude. I know I fought him last week, but I could never imagine this coming from him. He¡¯s not just angry, he¡¯s bloodthirsty.¡± Ray breathed heavily, feeling slight intimidation. ¡°Right.¡± He replied. ¡°Good.¡± Elio answered back quickly.


    As Elio¡¯s eyes lock onto Mig, he charges over the gap with savage intensity, his arms outstretched like an animal. He slams both hands into Mig¡¯s chest in a wild shove, sending him stumbling backward. Before Mig can regain his balance, Elio lunges forward, swinging a heavy, club-like fist directly into the side of his jaw, the impact sounding like stone cracking against bone.


    With zero finesse, Elio leaps up, grabbing Mig¡¯s throat in a crushing grip, dragging him up slightly off the ground. With an angry scream, he drives his knee repeatedly into his abdomen, each blow forcing out a guttural roar of pain from Mig. Elio releases the grip. Elio slides under Mig and stomps on his tail before he hammers both fists together and brings them down with primal fury onto his back, forcing him face-first into the floor. He stomps down brutally on his spine, the primitive motion of the strike meant not for precision, but destruction.


    As Mig writhes, Elio leaps in front of him, crouching down and grabbing both sides of Mig¡¯s head with each hand and savagely pulls it upward. The final blow comes as Elio, eyes burning with rage, smashes his head directly into Mig¡¯s face, driving into it with devastating force. Guerilla and Ray stop fighting temporarily as Guerilla had been watching in horror what was done to Mig, Ray simply looked in their direction, frozen as he himself tried to imagine what to make from the sounds; ¡°Elio¡­¡± He muttered. Elio takes the power nullifier and straps it around Mig¡¯s neck, successfully nullifying him. He leaps back, performing a backflip and staring down at Mig like a beast glaring at its prey.


    ¡°You know, Mig, when you strike a match, a fire will happen, but the line between the smoke and the flames gets burned.¡± Elio said quietly. Quickly, he brings his hand close to his face, his fingers poised close to his mouth. ¡°Beso de muerte!¡± He shouted. He snaps his fingers with a sharp crack, the friction between them so intense that a tiny flame sparks into existence at his fingertips. With a quick breath, he blows into the flickering ember. Instantly, the flame flares up, transforming into a raging fire that surges forward like a tidal wave, rushing through the air like a flamethrower, leaving a trail of heat and light in its wake as it engulfs Mig in flames.

 Chapter 21 - Fight Against Gravity

    Mig, despite how badly broken he is, feels the searing intensity as the flames swallow him, causing unbearable heat and pain. His body blisters, cracks, and burns, while the air fills with the acrid smell of him on fire, struggling to breathe. In agony, he unleashes an ear-piercing banshee scream. With his body ablaze, the area lights up once more. Guerilla acts quickly and attempts to leap toward the other side, but Ray reacts by slinging his arm forward and grabbing him, spinning and slamming Guerilla into the wall behind him. ¡°Elio!¡± Ray shouted.


    Elio looked over; ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I understand what you mean now. I¡¯ll keep Mig close to me. Go chase down Gastronaut.¡± Ray said. Elio nodded. He turned around and crouched low to the ground, his muscles coiled like springs. With a burst, he launches forward, feet pounding against the slick concrete. He sprints, blurring through the sewer as it quickly darkens when leaving Mig¡¯s presence, he vaults over a rusty pipe without breaking stride. As he nears a crumbling wall, he plants a foot and springs upward, pushing off the wall with a powerful side-step. He spins upside down in mid-air, avoiding a low-hanging beam. His hands catch the edge of a ledge, flipping him up and over, before he rolls while landing, his moment never slowing. He slides beneath a gate, then rockets back up, rebounding off one wall to the next, as the echoes of his rapid breaths and footfalls bounce through the tunnel.


    The city lights blur as Elio rockets out of the sewer tunnel and moves down the neon-lit streets, his feet barely touching the pavement. He leaps onto a parked car, springboarding onto a wall, dashing horizontally along the side of a skyscraper. Elio swiftly flips off from the building, landing on the street and keeping his momentum by rolling as he gets up. A car screeches into the intersection, Elio pivots mid-stride, sliding over its hood and propelling himself forward. He continues as he moves toward the sidewalk, vaulting over a food cart, startling the vendor as he barely processes Elio¡¯s passage. He weaves through a cluster of pedestrians, Elio gets ready to jump over a group of people walking side-by-side before noticing an overhead pipe. Elio fires a gust of wind, making the dress of the lady in front of him ride up, he quickly slides between her legs before getting up and continuing his run. He quickly bounds off of a mailbox, catching the edge of a streetlight. He swings around it, launching himself across the bustling avenue, landing in a roll before continuing his high-speed sprint.


    Next to Mig¡¯s burning body, Ray and Guerilla continue to clash. Ray continues to deflect Guerilla¡¯s relentless onslaught of attacks, his grip firm, but he remains completely on the backfoot. ¡°Dammit, Ray!¡± Guerilla shouted in anger. He throws a one-two, but is blocked effortlessly. He continues his assault; ¡°Mig¡¯s going to die! Just get out of my way-¡± ¡°And do what when the flames are put out?! Elio has completely mangled him, what, is he supposed to just live on life support after that?! And of all people, why would you wanna save him?¡± Ray retorted. He performs a low kick, tripping Guerilla. He falls through the floor, his body reappears from behind, but Ray reacts by elbow jabbing him in the stomach. Guerilla gasps for air as he stumbles back, closing the distance between him and Mig.


    Ray shoots a wave of formaldehyde beneath Guerilla¡¯s legs, letting it touch the fire. The solution combusts in a fiery explosion, as Guerilla is launched towards Ray. He holds his palm out, grabbing Guerilla by the face and pushing down, slamming the back of his head into the floor. Guerilla¡¯s whole body twitches after the heavy blow, his vision quickly blurring and narrowing into a dark tunnel. Bright flashes and spots dance erratically before his eyes, intensifying the throbbing pain in his skull. Panic sets in as the world around him fades to black, leaving him disoriented and unsteady. He reaches out, desperately trying to find balance, but the darkness swallows his sight entirely, leaving him with only the throbbing in his head and the feeling of his own unsteady breaths.


    ¡°I can¡¯t see! The darkness, it¡¯s so dense, it¡¯s suffocating! Mig! Hold on, I¡¯m trying my best! I¡¯ll¡­¡± Guerilla slowly rolls over onto his stomach, crawling towards the heat; ¡°I¡¯ll save you!¡± He declared, despite his situation. As he crawls, he suddenly stops moving from a relaxing sensation; ¡°What is this? Why can¡¯t I move? And why¡¯s my own pain going away?¡± He wondered. ¡°Just relax, Guerilla. I used my power to inject some procraine in you. It possesses low potency, slow onset, and a short duration of action.¡± Ray explained. ¡°Really?¡± Guerilla asked, dumbfounded. ¡°But why¡­?¡± ¡°I still need you to answer my question. Why are you trying to save him? I¡¯m sure you already know this, but Mig eats people.¡± Ray answered coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t move, by the way. You can¡¯t tell, but my sword is right in front of your face. So answer.¡± He added.


    Mig remains silent and still before eventually giving in; ¡°I¡­ I was being selfish. I know he eats people, I¡¯ve seen it more times than I¡¯ve fired a bullet.¡± He admits. Ray has a bewildered look on his face; ¡°F-for how long has he been doing this?!¡± He shouted, appalled. ¡°My¡­ entire¡­ life¡­¡± Mig spoke up, weakly. Guerilla slowly raises his head, while Ray¡¯s eye widens in shock as he watches Mig attempt to get up. Ray sheaths his sword. As he¡¯s on all fours, his blood flow ceases, causing his arms and legs to contract inwardly. He becomes top-heavy, falling on his back.


    ¡°Mig! Save your strength!¡± Guerilla shouted. ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s ok, Idris. I¡¯ve been a burden to you and Arion for too long¡­¡± Mig responds, his voice getting weaker. ¡°Mig, stop! Don¡¯t say that! You aren¡¯t a burden, you¡¯re our best friend-¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why I¡¯m fine with this outcome¡­¡± Mig cuts him off. ¡°I¡¯ve been suffering for too long¡­ if ending my suffering means you two are unburdened, then let it be that way¡­¡± He said softly, his words began to fade. Guerilla feels tears running down his face; ¡°Mig¡­ say something¡­ please!¡± He screamed, though the crackling flames told him all he needed to know. Ray looks down, unsure how to respond to Guerilla¡¯s breakdown as he listens to him sob. ¡°Why do I feel so awful right now? I thought that after all this, I¡¯d be happy, but¡­ despite my relation toward them, I feel horrible.¡± Ray pondered, confused and hurt.


    He continued to watch, trying to focus on the mission; ¡°I need Gastronaut to know what happened. If I can do that, it could possibly end the fight.¡± He thought. ¡°Guerilla, I¡­¡± Ray trailed off. Looking at how vulnerable and damaged he is, Ray decides to hold his tongue. ¡°I¡¯ll wait till you¡¯re done¡­¡± He said softly. Ray sat down, his legs hanging over the ledge as his forearms rested on his thighs. ¡°It sucks, I really want to cry, but my body just can¡¯t. Like him, I¡¯ve always been viewed by most as stone cold, and I often felt that lonely feeling of not being known. Maybe that¡¯s why I feel so bad¡­¡± Ray wondered.


    June 7th, 2018. 9:30 PM.


    Elio leaps through an office window, shattering the glass as he performs countless flips in the air. He lands, dashing before coming to a grinding halt; ¡°Good, I¡¯m here! There¡¯s also no sign of a break-in-¡± Elio paused. As he looked up, he noticed Gastronaut flying towards Culat¡¯s. Gastronaut catches a glimpse and stops flying, looking down at Elio from above. ¡°He escaped?! Does that mean Mig and Guerilla were already beaten?!¡± Gastronaut thought quickly. The two face each other, their breaths coming out in low chuffs. The moment they make eye contact, an unspoken signal snaps between them, and they explode forward, charging like wild bulls. Elio lunges with the ferocity of a wolf, his strike swift and precise as it strikes him right in the gut.


    Gastronaut retaliates with the raw power of a bear, his fists expand as they crash down like heavy paws. Elio sideflips out of the way, the ground beneath them shudders from the impact, as though the earth itself fears their wrath. ¡°What¡¯s your deal, Gastronaut?!¡± Elio shouted. He sends out a flurry of kicks, but Gastronaut dodges by stretching towards him, twisting his torso like a spring, grappling him tight and flying upward as his body snaps back. He swoops down, letting go and Elio hits the floor. Gastronaut swiftly performs a loop and stretches his leg, stomping down, Elio rolls out of the way and stands up. ¡°This is gonna be costly, but I need to get rid of Elio now!¡± Gastronaut thought as his jetpack soon shifted into overdrive.


    Gastronaut blurred into motion, a streak of speed darting around Elio as he flew at his fastest speed. He struck from the left, a fist to his ribs, and vanished before Elio could even react. ¡°What-¡± Elio¡¯s words got cut off as Gastronaut landed a kick from behind, sending him stumbling forward. Another blow came from above, slamming down on his shoulder. Elio yelled, swinging wildly at the air, but each strike met only empty space. A barrage of jabs peppered his sides, forcing him to stagger. His knees buckled, struggling to stay upright as the rapid strikes came from all directions, leaving him disoriented and reeling. ¡°Where the hell is he coming from?! I can¡¯t even track his heat signature! Just how much fuel does his jetpack have for him to fly that fast consistently- Wait! I get it now!¡± Elio¡¯s eyes widened.


    Elio, while still being attacked from all directions, generates heat as he slowly holds his hands out. ¡°In zero gravity, there¡¯s no specific speed any object or person can fly at because it doesn¡¯t fly at all. It just floats at whatever initial momentum it had, meaning its speed depends entirely on the force of the push it received. So, he must be firing the strongest bursts that his jetpack can dish out and making himself go into zero gravity in order to keep that same speed for every strike! If I can just time it¡­¡± Elio pondered. His eyes close as he lets him get hit more, counting the time it takes for each strike to hit him. ¡°NOW!¡± Elio opened his eyes and threw his arms down, sending a gust of wind down from all directions.


    Gastronaut hits the floor hard. It felt like a plane plummeting from the sky as he spiraled out of control, his jetpack, like engines roaring in a futile struggle against gravity, before he slammed into the ground with a deafening impact. The earth shook as his jetpack exploded, scattering dust and smoke outward like a shockwave. His helmet shattered on impact, leaving only twisted wreckage behind as his arms began to bleed profusely from him skidding along the asphalt road.


    As he stands up, he feels his blood flowing. He lets out heavy breaths as he stares down Elio. ¡°This isn¡¯t good! I don¡¯t know why I decided to go after his own cat instead of just trying to finish him off first. This was a stupid mistake, but I can¡¯t back out of it now. I¡¯ve dug too deep a hole. I can only go out trying!¡± He declared. He cocks his arm back and throws his fist forward, aiming to land a fast, clean hit to Elio¡¯s face. Elio weaves past the punch and dashes forward before coming to a stop and grabbing his outstretched arm. Elio turns around and steps forward, swinging Gastronaut up, his body travels in an arc before Elio slams him into the ground. Gastronaut¡¯s head splatters upon contact. An onlooker screams in fright upon seeing what happened to him.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Elio lets go and glares at the onlooker. ¡°Shut the fuck up! HE¡¯S FAKING IT, YOU DUMBASS!¡± He shouted angrily. Gastronaut hears him and decides to have his head reform as he gets up. Elio gets ready to strike, but quickly snaps his head back in the direction of the onlooker and her friends; ¡°And why the hell are you here?! Are you trying to get yourselves killed?! Leave! Either get inside a building or evacuate the area!¡± ¡°I agree!¡± Gastronaut added.


    Elio glanced over; ¡°Oh, good¡­ since we agree on this, it gives me a chance to take a breather while we wait for these people to go away.¡± He thought. As the two wait, Elio does some stretches. ¡°I hope Ray¡¯s alright down there. Given how he handled himself in the darkness, I shouldn¡¯t be too worried. God, this smell is atrocious! I need to shower this off and burn these clothes after this fight¡¯s over. Who knows what kind of AIDS I was pushed into?¡± Elio pondered. Soon, the crowd dispersed, the two got into their fighting stances, ready for the next round.


    The two rush toward each other, Gastronaut throws the first attack, stretching his leg as he goes for a high spinning kick. Elio dodges by ducking to the floor while spinning, going in for a sweep, but Gastronaut snaps his body towards his outstretched leg, avoiding the strike. Gastronaut lands behind Elio, sending out a thrust kick. Elio moves out of the way, Gastronaut¡¯s leg snaps back as he throws a jab, ready to strike, but Elio dodges by backflipping over his arm. Expecting it, Elio dodges an outstretched hook, falling onto his hands and quickly firing a burst of wind to boost him as he jumps off. He lands a drop kick to Gastronaut¡¯s chest, sending him back.


    Elio suddenly remains suspended in midair. Gastronaut pulls Elio to him before slugging him in the face. Upon impact, Elio is sent flying in the opposite direction, only to be pulled back and punched again. The cycle repeats until Gastronaut brings his leg back before swinging and kicking Elio in the chin, sending him flying through the sky as he rolls helplessly through the air. Soon, he comes to a stop, being suspended once more as Gastronaut floats towards him. ¡°Woah!¡± Elio thought as he looked down. From way in the sky, the golden city glowed with a warm, ethereal radiance, its buildings shimmered like molten gold. Neon lights in vibrant blues, pinks, and greens traced the streets, forming intricate, glowing pathways that weave between the golden structures. The neon hues create a dynamic contrast against the city¡¯s golden sheen, casting reflections onto the glassy surfaces of towering buildings. Despite the dire situation, Elio can¡¯t help, but be mesmerized by the blend of ancient opulence and futuristic energy, with the city¡¯s radiance stretching out beneath the night sky like a living, luminous map.


    ¡°Stellar view, ain¡¯t it?¡± Gastronaut asked as he circled around Elio, his arms crossed. ¡°Yeah, but why do you have me way up here with you?¡± ¡°Because, I¡¯m gonna give you one more chance to surrender. Take another look at the city, we¡¯re almost nine-thousand above ground. All I need is one strike and you¡¯ll become nothing more than a stain on the street. So, what¡¯s it gonna be?¡± Gastronaut asked. ¡°I can¡¯t surrender myself. If I do that, even if I live, you¡¯re just gonna kill Reggie. So do your worst, Gastronaut. I¡¯ll drag you back down to Earth with me if I have to.¡± Elio retorted. Without any reaction, Gastronaut floated higher until it was almost hard for Elio to see him. He then clasps his hands in a hammer, falling down upon exiting zero gravity and winding back to strike Elio in the stomach. Upon impact, Elio begins hurling towards the ground at high speeds.


    Soon, he blends in with the city below while Gastronaut watches. ¡°I still have a chance to win! It¡¯s gonna be awkward for me to learn how to fight like this, but I¡¯ve no choice, but to try and adapt!¡± Elio thought. He fights to hold his hands back, once in position, he fires a gust of wind and sends himself completely off course, spinning wildly. ¡°Shit!¡± Elio shouted. He fires another burst, sending himself up, he starts hurling in all directions as he tries to find a way to slow down. Elio¡¯s eyes widened; ¡°Wait! Hold on¡­ If I just¡­¡± Elio wondered. He begins to expel wind in the opposite direction slowly, his own speed starts to slow. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± He shouted while smiling. ¡°So, if I just release wind gently from all parts of my body, then that should mean¡­¡± He muttered as he experimented. Soon, he comes to a stop, remaining stagnant in the air, not even expelling any wind. ¡°I did it! Hold on!¡± He held his palm out and began to release wind, as he increased speed, he steered his arm while holding it back, changing direction. ¡°I can fly in zero gravity thanks to my own abilities! I¡¯ve done it! I¡¯ve mastered zero gravity!¡± Elio yelled with excitement.


    As Gastronaut floats down to the city, he suddenly notices Elio zooming towards him. Elio lands a flying kick to his stomach. ¡°WHAT?!¡± Gastronaut shouted in bewilderment. Elio rockets forward with a burst of wind, he flies above and dives down, landing a hook in his face. Gastronaut hurls towards the ground. He stretches his arms, grabbing onto a street lamp, swinging up and snapping his body towards his hands, allowing him to perch onto the street lamp. ¡°He¡¯s using the wind, it seems! Had my jetpack not been destroyed, I could fight him in my turf, but that¡¯s not gonna workout. But then again, I can always ride on top of something while controlling its direction!¡± Gastronaut thought. He lets go and gravitates a stop sign towards him, detaching it from the post itself. He jumps on it and flies towards Elio, Elio shoots himself forwards, they both clash.


    Elio flies forward, his fist steaming with energy, aiming a punch that cuts through the air like lightning. Gastronaut twisted to the side, his hand swooping forward, blocking Elio¡¯s attack, then he countered with a punch of his own, outstretched towards his head, sending him hurling backward through the window of a skyscraper. Elio recovered quickly, changing his trajectory and flying out of a different window, dive bombing back and tackling Gastronaut, crashing into a neon-lit billboard that shattered on impact.


    Sparks flew as they grappled in freefall, the city lights blurring below. Gastronaut exits zero gravity, regaining strength and pushing Elio off, sending high above the skyline, only for Elio to fly back with another burst of wind. He stomps down on Gastronaut, the force of the wind overpowering him, they descend to the floor, Gastronaut hits the ground. Quickly, Elio falls over, as Gastronaut forces him out of zero gravity. ¡°What the-¡± Elio yelled, confused. ¡°Why can¡¯t¡­ why can¡¯t I get up?!¡± ¡°All that spinning and flying around in zero gravity has completely disoriented you.¡± Gastronaut explained as he stood up. ¡°Your body now feels significantly weaker after having done all of that and returning to regular gravity in an instant. Even getting up-¡± He pauses as he watches Elio start to stand up. As Elio stands, he hobbles, feeling dizzy and unsteady. ¡°You¡¯re seriously still fighting, even after all of that?!¡± Gastronaut yelled as he asked.


    ¡°Yeah, because you¡¯re hellbent on killing the whole reason I came to this place!¡± Elio glared. He rushes towards Gastronaut, stumbling a bit as he steps, but keeping his footing as he charges. Gastronaut throws a punch; ¡°Even if you dodge, you¡¯ll lose footing!¡± He thought. But Elio leaves him surprised, as he dodges by falling forwards and rolling. Right as Gastronaut¡¯s arm snaps back, Elio springs forward, his fists clenched tight, eyes locked onto him. He launches a quick jab at his face, with the power to make his neck stretch out as it reels, he grabs his neck with one hand and wraps his free arm around his torso and slams him onto the floor. As his head snaps back, Elio uses his foot to lift him up from the chin, only to quickly drop low and sweep his leg across the ground, making Gastronaut stumble. Seizing the moment, he rises with a spinning back elbow, bashing it straight into his jaw, forcing him to stagger.


    Without hesitation, Elio shifts his weight forward, driving a knee into his stomach, a breathless gasp escapes with the impact. Gastronaut tries to regain composure, but Elio pivots quickly, and with all of his force, drives a devastating roundhouse kick into his side. Gastronaut doubled over, gasping as the sharp pain radiated from his body, his breath stolen like the wind had been knocked from his lungs. His hand clutched his side, fingers trembling as he tried to steady himself, but each breath sent a searing jolt through his body. His face twisted in agony, eyes squeezed shut, and slime beaded on his forehead, mixing with the grit of the asphalt as he fought to keep from collapsing under the relentless, burning ache. But in the end, he fell over.


    Elio looked down at him and he dragged him onto the sidewalk. As he let go, his vision blurred, the world around him spinning in a nauseating whirl. He staggered, one foot dragging clumsily as he tried to steady himself. His legs buckled, feeling like jelly beneath him, and his beats came in short, panicked bursts. A wave of dizziness surged through him, and his knees hit the concrete with a jarring thud, sending a dull ache through his body. ¡°Dammit! That final combo took all my strength, I can¡¯t fight him anymore! No, I can, I just¡­ I just need to recover from this vertigo before he can get back up¡­¡± Elio¡¯s mind raced. He falls more, as his forearms prop himself up along with his knees.


    June 7th, 2018. 10:00 PM.


    As Gastronaut is lying on his back, he feels part of his suit buzzing. Elio looks over as he taps that part of his suit; ¡°Gastronaut. Come in.¡± Gastronaut answered. ¡°Arion, I have bad news.¡± Guerilla answered through the mic. Gastronaut¡¯s eyes widened instantly; ¡°He addressed me by my real name?!¡± He thought. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± He asked. A deep exhale can be heard over the line before words come out; ¡°I¡¯ve gone blind from one of Ray¡¯s attacks, but more importantly¡­ Mig¡¯s dead.¡± He explained. Gastronaut¡¯s eyes widened further; ¡°Wait, what?! He died?! How?!¡± ¡°Elio burnt him to a crisp, and I failed to save him.¡± ¡°Elio killed him?!¡± Gastronaut responded. ¡°Dammit¡­¡± Elio muttered, lowering his head in shame. Gastronaut looked over, surprised by his tone. He hesitates for a second. ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll call you back.¡± Gastronaut disconnects from the line before getting up slowly and walking toward Elio.


    ¡°Shit, first I kill another man, now he¡¯s up before I am! Reggie, I¡¯m-¡± His thoughts come to a pause as he feels Gastronaut¡¯s hand on his shoulder. ¡°Huh?¡± Elio looked up. ¡°Elio. You alright?¡± He asked. Elio¡¯s confused. ¡°Come on, sit down.¡± Gastronaut speaks in an almost lax voice, supporting Elio and propping his back against the wall of a building. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m lost right now. Your heat signature shows no anger or hostility. It¡¯s almost as though you¡¯re happy.¡± Elio spoke. Gastronaut just sits down next to him, his back leaning on the wall. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I am sad to hear that he¡¯s dead. Like, come on, I didn¡¯t even get to say anything to him, but¡­ that¡¯s fine. Guerilla and I were selfish to not put him out ourselves, so I¡¯m just¡­ glad that his suffering¡¯s over with. Thanks, Elio.¡± Gastronaut answered softly.


    ¡°Wait, what was he suffering from? Was it¡­ was it that thing you and Guerilla refused to tell me the other night?¡± Elio asked. ¡°Yeah, I feel like now, it¡¯s only appropriate I tell you. The reason Mig always ate alone, in the dark was because he didn¡¯t wanna have to see himself eating the flesh of others.¡± Gastronaut explained. Chills rush down Elio¡¯s spine as he learns the truth. ¡°What?! He¡¯s a cannibal?!¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°But why?! Why would he eat so many people?! He was rich and lived here!¡± ¡°I- can I explain it to you tomorrow? You and Ray?¡± Gastronaut asked, sounding shameful. Elio pauses before answering; ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Thank you. Also, I¡¯m sorry, what I did was cowardly, trying to go after your cat.¡± ¡°Yeah, why did you do that? Why did you target Reggie?¡± Elio asked, his tone shows that he¡¯s a bit heated. ¡°I¡¯ll explain that tomorrow as well.¡± ¡°Alright, then. I¡¯m fine with that. And I can tell that you¡¯re sorry, so I¡¯ll forgive you.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Elio responded.


    Gastronaut decides to contact Guerilla. He picks up the line; ¡°Hey, Gastronaut.¡± ¡°Hey, is Ray there?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m here.¡± Ray answered. ¡°I¡¯m kicking back with Elio right now. We¡¯re on Knox Avenue, could you meet us both there? Oh, and take Guerilla with you.¡± ¡°Way ahead of you. I¡¯m walking while carrying him right now.¡± ¡°Cool. We¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Gastronaut responded. He disconnected from the line. ¡°Hey, Ray¡­¡± ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He said. Ray¡¯s eye widened in surprise, not having expected him to say that. His expression relaxes; ¡°It¡¯s alright, man.¡± Ray answered. He continues walking through the darkness.


    Elio slumped against the wall, knees pulled up, head leaning back. His chest rose and fell with each breath, the chill of the steel wall seeping through his shirt. He closed his eyes, allowing the night air to cool his flushed face as he tried to gather his thoughts. The chaos of earlier still echoed in his mind, the shouting, hurried steps, the impact of every strike, it all became distant noise. His limbs felt leaden, exhaustion sinking into his bones. He lets himself sit there. ¡°Reggie¡­ sleep well tonight, ok?¡± Elio smiled upon thinking of him.

 Chapter 22 - Friends At Last

    June 7th, 2018. 11:25 PM.


    Ray walks steadily as he carries Guerilla over his shoulder, making the turn onto Knox Avenue. He notices Elio and Gastronaut, calling out; ¡°Hey, we¡¯re here!¡± Gastronaut sits up straight, glancing over. ¡°Oh, good!¡± Gastronaut replied as he stood up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Elio, he passed out from overworking himself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Ray responded. He picks up Guerilla and holds him out, Gastronaut grabs him and carries him over his shoulder; ¡°Thanks, Ray. It means a lot to me for you to bring him all the way here.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ frankly, I¡¯m just glad this shit¡¯s over with. Well, not exactly, there¡¯s still Nasuka to deal with, but you get what I¡¯m saying.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry yourself about her, I¡¯ll go take care of her myself.¡± Gastronaut replied.


    Ray raised an eyebrow; ¡°Wait, seriously?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I mean, you really don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°Nah, I know that, but¡­¡± Gastronaut glanced at Elio; ¡°He saved Mig. The least I could do is repay him.¡± He explained. ¡°Right¡­¡± Ray crossed his arms; ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m really glad neither you or Guerilla had to see his death. I kept my cool, but in the back of my mind,¡± he looks at Elio; ¡°...all I could think about was how violent he was during that moment. I didn¡¯t think he was capable of it, but if pushed far enough, it¡¯s like he¡¯s become a rabid dog¡­¡± Ray trailed off, not knowing what else to say.


    ¡°That¡¯s terrifying¡­ well, I should prolly get out of here, bring Guerilla to a hospital.¡± Gastronaut said, shrugging off what Ray said. ¡°Sounds like that¡¯s for the best.¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll see you around.¡± Gastronaut turns around. ¡°Take care-¡± ¡°Wait! I just remembered something!¡± Gastronaut cut him off as he turned around. He crouches down, setting Guerilla on the floor and walking up to Elio. He pats him down; ¡°There we go.¡± He said as he reached into his tux pocket. He takes out the tracker; ¡°Earlier, Guerilla said he¡¯d slipped this onto him before the ceremony even started. You wanna do the honor of smashing it?¡± ¡°Sure, why not?¡± Ray held his hand out. Gastronaut tosses him the tracker and Ray catches it before smashing it by just pressing his fingers against it. ¡°Glad you remembered.¡± He commented. Gastronaut picked up Guerilla and began walking. ¡°Of course. Anyway, I¡¯m outta here now. Get home safe, Ray.¡± ¡°You do the same.¡± Ray replied.


    As Gastronaut walks off, Ray¡¯s eyebrows furrow, a conflicted look appears on his face. ¡°I¡¯m so confused, the way I was talking to him just now¡­ I hate him, given our history, but when talking, I felt no hostility or resentment waiting to come out. He was talking to me like we were friends. Was it out of association with Elio happening to help us both, or is it because we¡¯re all just tired from what went down? What is it?¡± Ray pondered, crossing his arms and making his own fingernails dig into his skin. He grew frustrated, but upon looking back at Elio, his irritation softens; ¡°Maybe he knows what it is about them. I¡¯ll ask him when I can. His peacefulness is putting me at ease right now, then again, he did just save Reggie¡¯s life¡­¡± He continued. As he looked up at the moon, his eye widened; ¡°Oh shit! It¡¯s damn near twelve!¡± He said to himself.


    Ray looked back at Elio; ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get going, Elio. I¡¯m getting sleepy just from looking at you.¡± He picks him up and carries him over the shoulder before making his way back to Cocina del Rey. He walks, not even noticing his own shoulders finally relaxing, the tension in his brow softening. He feels a gentle, yet warm breeze brushing his face, and for a second, he closes his eyes, breathing deeply, savoring the calmness. For the first time in a long time, the noise inside his mind fades, leaving only the ambience of cars driving and people chattering about what had happened. He glances at Elio, a faint smile is brought upon him, finding the moment of peace he thought he¡¯d lost forever. He looks forward; ¡°Thank you, Elio. You really came through for me.¡±


    June 8th, 2018. 12:30 AM.


    While nearing the turn to the street where Cocina del Rey is located, Elio comes to and yawns. His eyes flicker at light speed before his eyes open; ¡°Holy shit, that was a good nap.¡± Elio commented, not even aware yet that he¡¯s being carried. ¡°Elio, how are you feeling?¡± Ray asked calmly. ¡°Oh, hey Ray. I¡¯m guessing the thing went well? Oh, and I¡¯m feeling pretty good. Bit tired, but I¡¯m feeling more energized now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Also, yeah, it went well.¡± ¡°Cool. By the way, could you set me down?¡± ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± Ray stops walking and sets Elio on his feet. Elio wobbles a bit, but quickly gains his footing. ¡°Good, I can walk normally again.¡± He commented.


    ¡°Y-you forgot how to walk?¡± ¡°My body was in zero gravity for like five minutes, and after moving around in it for that long, gravity was not kind to me.¡± Elio explained. ¡°Oh, alright.¡± Ray responded, nonchalantly shrugging his shoulders. The two start walking; ¡°By the way, we¡¯re almost at the restaurant.¡± Ray informed Elio. Elio lets out a low whistle; ¡°Yo, Julia¡¯s gonna flip when that door opens.¡± ¡°Believe me, I know that better than anyone. I¡¯m excited though, I finally get to see her happy again.¡± He responded while smiling. Elio grins; ¡°Fuck, dude, the amount of weight I feel lifted from my shoulders is insane!¡± ¡°I can imagine!¡± Ray replied, matching his excitement.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Elio pauses and takes a deep breath; ¡°Hey, Ray, I know I said this earlier, but I¡¯m really sorry that I betrayed you like that. That was fucked up of me.¡± He said softly. Ray looks down for a second; ¡°It¡¯s cool, Elio. You did more than enough to help me out and make up for it. I¡¯m not telling you to not feel bad, I just wanna help by saying that I forgive you.¡± He answered. Elio nodded slightly; ¡°Thanks.¡± Elio said softly. Ray simply nodded as a response.  The two stop as they¡¯re finally outside of Cocina del Rey. ¡°Bro, I¡¯ll be honest, I¡¯m also really nervous.¡± Ray admits. ¡°I don¡¯t blame you. But aye, let¡¯s just go in, let¡¯s not keep her waiting.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Ray responds, smiling.


    Ray opens the door and the two walk inside. As the door opens, Julia looks over. She spots them, standing with faint smiles, and relief washed over her like a wave. ¡°Ray¡­¡± She said softly. Her chest tightened, and she could barely breathe as she walked toward him. Her legs felt weak, her hands trembling, but she held herself together, determined not to break. Yet, when she reached him, it was as though time came to a stand-still, tears begin to well up in her eyes. ¡°Hold those tears back for now, let them fall when the time is right.¡± Elio¡¯s words echoed through Julia¡¯s mind. Suddenly, the dam inside her eyes broke. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she swiftly wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder, her sobs muffled by his shirt. ¡°Ray!¡± She shouted, clinging to him as if her life depended on it. ¡°Julia¡­¡± Ray¡¯s voice cracked. ¡°Julia, I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯ve been awful for the past three years, leeching off of you, blowing off you trying to help me, I was a terrible brother-¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, Ray, just let it out. I forgive you, and more importantly, I¡¯m just really happy that you¡¯re still here.¡± Julia said softly. Ray relaxed further; ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The two continue to hug it out, as Elio crosses his arms, smiling upon seeing his mission being a success. Though his smile quickly fades as he looks east; ¡°I¡¯m happy this is over with and all, but what about Reggie? I don¡¯t know all there is about the Nightmare, but given how it¡¯s been almost a full week since I brought him there and there hasn¡¯t been any reports about Plutonians being slaughtered, it¡¯s probably safe for me to assume that he¡¯s doing just fine. Shit, I still wanna get him back as soon as I can-¡± ¡°And you¡­¡± Julia¡¯s words cut off Elio¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Huh-¡± Elio looked back before being hugged super tight as well. ¡°I can¡¯t even begin to describe how happy I am because of you right now¡­¡± She said softly.


    As she wrapped her arms around him, Elio felt the warmth and gentle pressure of the embrace. His muscles, tense for so long, soften as he leans into the hug, the steady rhythm of her breathing against him offering a sense of safety. ¡°Of course, it was no problem.¡± Elio responded. Smiling as he hugged her back, he felt a wave of nostalgia, leaning further into it. ¡°I guess I can worry about that another time. I¡¯m so tired right now¡­¡± He pondered.


    After a few seconds, Julia moves her head up and looks at Elio. Her smile is completely gone as she now dons a strange look on her face. Elio is confused, but quickly knows what it is when he sees Julia break the hug and move away from him, covering her nose with her hands, silently gagging. ¡°Elio, what the hell happened?! Did you fall into a pig pen?!¡± She asked, her eyes tearing up a bit. ¡°Uh- oh¡­¡± Elio pointed at Ray. ¡°He¡­ kicked me into sewage¡­¡± He said quietly. ¡°You make it sound like I did that out of malice! I did that so Mig¡¯s acid spit would dissolve before it ate your face away!¡± Ray retorted defensively. ¡°I don¡¯t really care, just¡­ oh my God, that smell is awful, and I pressed myself against you. I¡¯m showering this off now!¡± Julia responds as she makes her way over to the changing room.


    Elio immediately looks over as she¡¯s walking away. He points his finger; ¡°Hey, no! No, if anything, I should be showering first! I¡¯m the one who risked my ass to save your brother!¡± ¡°That¡¯s fair and all, but you can¡¯t argue that being a woman with a bad smell doesn¡¯t sound like hell.¡± ¡°That¡¯s-¡± Elio pauses himself, giving up. ¡°Damn¡­ her heat signature isn¡¯t lying though, she¡¯s self-conscious about B.O¡­ fine, I¡¯ll wait, just don¡¯t take forever.¡± Elio thought. Ray pats him on the back; ¡°Don¡¯t worry, man. It isn¡¯t too bad, I¡¯m used to the smell.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Elio stretches his arms; ¡°Whatever. Oh, hey, quick question, Ray.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Did you and Gastronaut talk when I was conked out?¡± He asked.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°What did you guys talk about?¡± Elio asked. Ray thinks back. ¡°He told me that he¡¯s thankful, while you had no intention of killing Mig, he was happy that his suffering ended. Even though Nasuka¡¯s still well, he told me to not trouble myself and that he¡¯ll take care of her himself as an act of repaying the favor.¡± He explained. Elio moved his shades up while raising an eyebrow. ¡°What did he mean by that?¡± Elio asked with confusion. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know. He just told me not to trouble myself. And I¡¯m betting he wants you to stay out of it too. So, we just need to wait and eventually see what he¡¯s getting at.¡± Ray answered. ¡°I see¡­¡± Elio responded. ¡°Well, if we aren¡¯t getting an answer for a while, then let¡¯s just drop it till we do. Where¡¯s the remote at? This place is closed for the night, so we got the TVs all to ourselves.¡± Elio says casually, changing the topic.


    June 8th, 2018. 12:50 AM.


    Elio and Ray laugh as they watch TV. ¡°Yo, I see where Julia gets her love for pranks from. These guys are hilarious.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Elio, this is the best reality TV show right now.¡± Ray replies while laughing. ¡°Bro, in what way does Jaden Smith correlate with Sal? Like the others make sense, but¡­ yo, I¡¯d be so fucking mad if I was Sal.¡± Elio snickers. ¡°We need to binge the whole series. I know all these episodes by heart.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± ¡°Yeah, you caught me.¡± Ray responds while holding his hands up in mock surrender.


    From the other side of the building, Julia shouts. ¡°Hey! Can someone bring me a towel, please? I was in such a rush, I forgot to grab one!¡± She explained. Elio pushes off against the wall; ¡°K.¡± He responded in a casual tone. Ray holds his arm out in front of Elio. Elio stopped, he held his hands up; ¡°Aye, I¡¯m not gonna look at her.¡± He said. Ray raised an eyebrow; ¡°Huh? N-no, I believe you on that. You still smell like shit, Elio. If you pass her a towel and she dries off, she¡¯s just gonna smell bad again.¡± He explained. Elio¡¯s shoulders relaxed as he lowered his hands; ¡°Oh, alright. That¡¯s a relief. You had me worried for a second.¡± ¡°Eh, don¡¯t worry about it. You don¡¯t seem like the type of guy who would do that.¡± Ray replied. Elio smiles; ¡°Aye, thanks dawg, glad to hear it.¡± ¡°No problem, man. Anyway, I¡¯ll be back.¡± Ray said before walking down the corridor.


    June 8th, 2018. 12:55 AM.


    Elio and Ray keep watching TV until Julia finally comes out, wearing her work uniform as a spare set of clothes and having a towel wrapped around her head. ¡°Alright, Elio, it¡¯s all yours.¡± ¡°Finally!¡± Elio retorts as he speedwalks down the corridor. Elio quickly takes off everything and steps in the shower, turning on the water and exhaling as the hot water hits him. ¡°Woo!¡± He shouts, satisfied.


    Julia glances in Elio¡¯s direction before looking back at Ray. She wipes her head slightly; ¡°Of all the things I¡¯d hear him ecstatic about, I didn¡¯t think a shower would be what he¡¯s loudest for.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t blame him.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fair.¡± Julia agrees. She looked up at the TV screen, letting out a small chuckle; ¡°Oh no, you two were watching these assholes?¡± ¡°Yeah, turns out he¡¯s never seen it before, so I was introducing him to it. Showed the one where they got tattoos.¡± Ray replied. ¡°Oh my God, that one¡¯s classic!¡± Julia laughed. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re gonna binge that show when we can, he¡¯s got a lot that he needs to see.¡± ¡°Can I watch with y¡¯all?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a rhetorical question.¡± ¡°Cool!¡± Julia replied.


    Ray nodded before relaxing his stance. He let out a small sigh; ¡°Hey, Julia, I¡¯m lost right now.¡± ¡°Wait, what do you mean?¡± She asked, showing concern. ¡°How do I put it¡­?¡± Ray muttered as he looked down. ¡°I guess it¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯m glad Elio saved me and all, and even though we were acting buddy-buddy, I think the shock of it all is finally wearing off, and I just don¡¯t know how to feel. Cause yeah, he saved me, but he betrayed me before that. I don¡¯t hate him, I just don¡¯t know what to think or feel about him.¡± Ray explained quietly. Julia reacts by looking down, reflecting for herself; ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Ray, I understand where you¡¯re getting at, but¡­¡± She remembers how Elio acted in front of her when he apologized, remembering the tears he shed himself.


    Julia collects her thoughts before responding. ¡°I know¡­ I was really mad at him when he did that. That was the angriest I¡¯ve ever been, I didn¡¯t like feeling that way. It might sound unbelievable to you, but Elio didn¡¯t try to justify anything that he did. He cried out of his own guilt, bashing himself for what he did.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why you gave him a second chance, I¡¯m guessing?¡± Ray responds softly. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give him another chance since you gave him one and it ended up saving me. I¡¯m a bit envious of your judgment of character, if I¡¯m being honest. You always somehow know something about others that they don¡¯t even know themselves, like how I used to think I wasn¡¯t a person who could be liked, but then through your own judgment, I made friends, and even mom and dad see me as one of their own because of you.¡± Ray explained. He then looks up and waves it off; ¡°My bad, I started rambling. Case in point: I¡¯ll give him another chance.¡± Julia smiles, a bit embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s all good, Ray. I¡¯m happy that you even said that, I didn¡¯t even know that about myself.¡± She said modestly.


    ¡°But seriously, I¡¯m glad to hear you¡¯re gonna give him another chance. I¡¯ll be honest, he reminds me a bit of you. Easy to get along with, has a quick wit, and is just really friendly. But most importantly, he showed that he¡¯ll go above and beyond for those he cares about.¡± She explained. Ray¡¯s eye widened slightly before he looked away. ¡°Alright, alright, you made your point. No need to put me on the spot like that, alright?¡± He responded, feigning annoyance. Julia laughs, knowing Ray¡¯s a bit embarrassed by the comparison, she pats his shoulder. ¡°Glad to hear it!¡± She replied. Ray has a light laugh before looking back up at the TV. The two then hear Elio¡¯s voice from across the corridor, singing. ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll be back.¡± Ray said as he got up, walking down the hall.


    Elio¡¯s voice gets louder as he begins singing another verse. ¡°Six o¡¯clock, TV hour, don¡¯t get caught in foreign towers, slash n¡¯ burn, return, listen to yourself churn, lock him in uniform and book burning, blood letting every motive escalate, automotive incinerate! Light a candle, light a motive, step down step down, watch a heel crush, crush, uh oh, this means no fear, cavalier, renegade and steer clear, a tournament, a tournament, a tournament of lies, offer me solutions, offer me alternatives and I-¡± Ray pounds the door, calling from the other side; ¡°Hey, shut the fuck up! It¡¯s one in the morning!¡± Ray interrupted. All he hears is the sound of Elio slipping and falling. ¡°Shit, you startled me!¡± Elio responded. Ray raised an eyebrow; ¡°Wait, really?¡± He thought for a second. ¡°Hold on, I thought you could detect heat signatures, did you not say that the other day?¡± ¡°Yeah, I can.¡± ¡°So, how did I startle you?¡± ¡°Y-you thought I¡¯d be tracking heat signatures when I¡¯m buck ass naked? Hell nah!¡± Elio retorted. Ray shrugs; ¡°Alright, then. Anyway, just keep it down, at least. The walls here aren¡¯t exactly the thickest.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Elio replied casually. ¡°Cool. Anyway, I¡¯m gonna get out of your hair now.¡± Ray said as he walked away, not bothering to wait for a response.


    June 8th, 2018. 1:10 AM.


    Elio, now out of the shower and fully dressed in a tank top and sweatpants, lays down on the couch in the attic. Julia takes a look at her phone, standing up; ¡°Alright, it¡¯s super late, I¡¯m gonna head back home.¡± ¡°Get home safe, alright?¡± Ray responded while typing on his computer. ¡°Of course,¡± Julia nodded; ¡°goodnight, guys.¡± ¡°Goodnight.¡± Elio and Ray replied in unison. Julia walks down from the attic, closing it before making her way out of the building.


    As she leaves, Elio stretches on the couch, laying in a more comfortable position. ¡°Hey, Ray?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He said apologetically. Ray quickly brushes it off; ¡°Come on, man, I already forgave you, you don¡¯t need to force yourself to apologize now-¡± ¡°No, I meant something other than betraying you last week.¡± Elio interrupts. ¡°Wait, what?¡± Ray raised an eyebrow, confused as he glanced over. ¡°It¡¯s about that same day. It was when we were walking to Animal Kingdom, specifically when we walked away from that woman that was crying for help-¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Ray reacts, his face quickly becoming saddened upon remembering. ¡°Elio, don¡¯t apologize for that, I was the one who acted selfishly. I should be the one apologizing, I didn¡¯t act because of my own PTSD. Even if I was buried alive, I can¡¯t just use that as a crutch to excuse myself for letting that happen, and worse was me roping you into not helping...¡± Ray explained, his heart breaking as he did.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not exactly what I was gonna get at, but¡­ shit, I¡¯m sorry you feel that way, man. I don¡¯t want you to beat yourself up over it, yeah, it was wrong, but I understand why you acted the way you did. I don¡¯t know who could blame you, if I¡¯m being honest.¡± Elio responded. ¡°Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right, it still bothers me though. But why are you bringing it up if that¡¯s not what you were referring to?¡± Ray asked. ¡°The whole reason that attack at the casino happened, how those three found us was because I went against what you said. A traffic cam caught what I did. I killed one of the people in that limo from a distance, and that¡¯s how they even figured out that they should track us. Me going against your order almost led to your death. I¡¯m really sorry, for acting so careless and acting off of emotion. Twice in a day, I betrayed you, first your word, then you yourself.¡± Elio explained.


    Ray sits surprised by the revelation. He then takes a deep breath before smiling. ¡°Oh, thank God, that woman didn¡¯t have to suffer through it. Sure, seeing that he died must¡¯ve been terrifying, but the thought that she was saved from being violated is relieving.¡± He said as he calmed down. Elio¡¯s face contorts in shock; ¡°W-wait, you¡¯re not mad?! Not even a little upset?!¡± ¡°If there¡¯s anyone for me to be mad at about that, it¡¯s myself for not working up the courage to help her out. You, even despite what I told you could happen to us, still helped her, you did what I couldn¡¯t. Thank you, Elio. I mean it truly.¡± Ray assured him. Elio processed what he said for a bit before smiling for himself; ¡°Glad I could help¡­¡± He responded. He lied back down; ¡°And hey, thank you for understanding.¡± ¡°No problem, Elio.¡± Ray said before resuming typing on his computer.


    Elio relaxed before glancing at his monitor, seeing Ray typing away. He sat up slightly; ¡°Hey Ray, what¡¯re you clickin¡¯ and clackin¡¯ about?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, I¡¯m just porting important stuff that I need from my computer onto my Plutonian chip.¡± He replied. ¡°Wait, you can do that? I thought those were just really high tech VPNs.¡± ¡°They have a surprising amount of functions, including being able to translate words immediately from foreign spelling, or what I¡¯m doing right now, that being porting data.¡± Ray explained. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be.¡± Elio responded with surprise. ¡°Wait, hold on, why exactly are you doing that? I have a hunch you¡¯re keeping that on you, but that makes me wonder, are you going somewhere?¡± He asked curiously.


    ¡°Yeah, actually. Given everything that¡¯s happened in my life, especially in recent years, what made everything go to shit were two things. An unfair justice system, and me becoming lazy out of my own fears taking control. I was a horrible mess, and I can¡¯t believe I turned out the way I did.¡± Ray grimaced as he explained. ¡°Yeah, seeing that on your screen genuinely caught me off guard, but hey, I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re wanting to get out there.¡± ¡°Exactly, which this leads me to something that I wanna ask of you.¡± Ray responded. Elio sat up completely, using his heat detection, he noticed how much conviction Ray has at the moment. ¡°Shoot.¡± He said in a serious manner.


    Ray stood up, taking a deep breath. ¡°Elio¡­¡± Ray faced Elio before continuing, asking in a direct and serious tone; ¡°Will you let me travel with you on your journey as a hero?¡±

 Chapter 23 - The Truth About Mig Acrid

    Elio¡¯s eyebrows shot up, widening with sudden intrigue. He blinked rapidly, processing the unexpected news as his posture shifted with an eager curiosity tempered by disbelief. ¡°Wait, huh?! You wanna travel with me around the world?!¡± He shouted in surprise. Ray nodded. ¡°Yes, exactly. With what you did for me just hours ago, how you did all of that just to make up for what you did, it inspired me. I want to become brave enough to pull the stunt you did, that way I can help out others who needed it just like I did. And I feel as though traveling with you is the most logical way for me to become better. Besides, you¡¯re the one who said you¡¯d fight the whole system with me, I can¡¯t fight alongside you if I don¡¯t come along.¡± Ray explained. ¡°So, what do you say? Me and you, against the system! How ¡®bout it?¡± He asked with confidence.


    Elio doesn¡¯t even think about it. He grinned as he stood up and walked over, holding his hand up. ¡°I got your back, and you got mine. Let¡¯s do it!¡± He answered. Ray grinned back as he shook his hand; ¡°Glad to hear it! Also, I can¡¯t wait to see how happy Julia will be when she hears that I¡¯m finally starting to do something for myself!¡± ¡°I can imagine! Though before we hit the road, we still have some shit we need to do.¡± Elio responded as he broke the handshake. ¡°Right, you still need to get Reggie back.¡± ¡°Not just Reggie, but I forgot to tell you this earlier, but Gastronaut wants to talk with us later in the day. He¡¯s gonna explain to us about why Mig was a cannibal, as well as why he targeted Reggie, despite us being the priority.¡± Elio added. ¡°Oh shit, really?¡± Ray asked in surprise. ¡°Yeah, plus, who knows, we might also know what he meant by he¡¯d take care of Nasuka as well.¡± ¡°Good point.¡± Ray replied.


    Elio yawns; ¡°For sure. Anyway, I¡¯m gonna hit the hay. Goodnight, Ray.¡± He said, walking back to the couch and flopping onto it. ¡°Goodnight, Elio.¡± Ray replied, sitting back down and typing on his computer once more. ¡°By the way, you want a blanket?¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯m good, it¡¯s ninety-eight degrees outside right now. Besides, I can just keep myself warm with my heat techniques, but aye, I appreciate the offer.¡± ¡°Ahh, right. Also, hey, what about your phone? Gastronaut crushed that thing to oblivion.¡± ¡°Eh, I¡¯m not too worried about that. I¡¯ll just ask Carlos if I can have my job back for saving you. Then I¡¯ll just work a bit till I can get a new phone.¡± Elio answered while rolling over. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll shut up now so you can sleep.¡± ¡°Aight.¡± Elio said before closing his eyes.


    June 8th, 2018. 12:30 PM.


    At the park, Elio, Ray and Julia unwind. Elio laid sprawled out on the grass, eyes closed and arms stretched out as he soaked in the summer sun, completely at ease. Nearby, Ray and Julia are standing under the shade of a large tree, escaping the heat. Both sipping from water bottles to cool off and occasionally glancing at Elio while he sleeps. Suddenly, a low whirring fills the air, starting as a faint hum and building into an almost unsettling sound. It has a rhythmic pulse, almost mechanical, with a sharp, buzzing undertone that hints at something spinning rapidly. Elio¡¯s ears pick up the sounds fluctuating, making him wake up from the disorienting, almost hypnotic effect, grabbing his attention. ¡°What the fuck is that noise?¡± He asked irritably.


    Julia and Ray glance in its direction and soon, the source of the noise becomes visible. A drone appears, slowing down and hovering in front of Elio. The drone is a sleek black sphere, small and smooth with a matte finish. At its center is a single, large green ¡®eye¡¯ that glows softly, set within a slightly recessed circular frame. ¡°There you are, Elio!¡± Gastronaut¡¯s voice comes through the drone. ¡°Gastronaut?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. I didn¡¯t want to waste time searching for you, so I deployed some of the city¡¯s drones to come searching. Anyway, is Ray there?¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s here.¡± ¡°Good, tell him to come with you to the MountainView Hospital. Guerilla¡¯s awake, and I told him that I was gonna tell you and him about Mig.¡± He explained.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing he¡¯s not in the mood to wait either.¡± Elio pondered. ¡°Alright, just gimme a sec, I¡¯ll let him know. We¡¯ll be on our way soon.¡± He answered. ¡°Perfect! I¡¯ll see you then, Elio.¡± Gastronaut replied, the drone began to fly away. Elio looked over at the other two; ¡°Y¡¯all heard him, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Alright, so then¡­ where exactly is MountainView?¡± ¡°Way Northwest from where we¡¯re at.¡± Julia answered. ¡°Yikes. I mean, if you want, you can come with, well, if Ray¡¯s alright with that. Plus, I¡¯m sure neither Gastronaut or Guerilla would care.¡± ¡°I appreciate the gesture, but with how long it¡¯d take to get from there and back, I¡¯d be late as hell for my shift.¡± Julia explained. ¡°I didn¡¯t even consider that.¡± Ray commented. ¡°Yeah, it sucks, but hey, I¡¯ll still be down to binge with you guys after it. So you guys go do what you gotta do.¡± ¡°Alright then, bye Julia!¡± Elio replied, beginning to walk in the hospital¡¯s direction. ¡°Take care, Julia.¡± Ray said while waving as he began to walk as well. ¡°Cya guys!¡± She responded, waving as well.


    June 8th, 2018. 1:15 PM.


    Guerilla sits upright in his hospital bed, hooked to an IV machine. ¡°You gonna be alright, Idris?¡± Gastronaut asked. Guerilla takes some time to think while eating a bowl of eggs on rice. ¡°It could be worse. Frankly, with how strong Ray is physically, it¡¯s a miracle that the worst I got was a smashed optic nerve. Unfortunately, I might be permanently blind, not even an eye transplant will help me out. Though, I have my other senses, so I should be alright if I just work on them after I get out of here.¡± Guerilla explained calmly. ¡°Ahh, that¡¯s a shame, but at least you¡¯re taking it well from what you¡¯re saying.¡± Gastronaut replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m mostly still thinking about Mig.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I feel the same way. How you holding up about it though?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still sad that he died right there in front of me, but I¡¯m just happy that Ray gave me time to grieve before having me contact you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really nice of him. Speaking of which, where the hell are those two-¡± ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up?¡± Elio asked casually, having opened the door and walking in with Ray. ¡°Well, speak of the devil.¡± Gastronaut reacted. ¡°Sorry, we were here for a while, but we decided we¡¯d wait until either you asked where we were, or if you finished your conversation.¡± Elio explained. ¡°It¡¯s cool, I appreciate it.¡± ¡°What he said.¡± Guerilla commented.


    Ray crosses his arms; ¡°Alright, let¡¯s just get into business. WHY was Mig a cannibal?¡± He asked sternly. Gastronaut took a deep breath before exhaling; ¡°I¡¯ll just make it quick, then, I don¡¯t wanna waste any of your time. Elio, you remember when Guerilla explained that food was scarce to the point that people on Saturn were fighting over rotten food and how it led to a bunch of disease being spread?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Elio nodded. ¡°Well, the thing neither of us told you is the reason Mig is a cannibal is because on Saturn, people typically try to avoid disease by cannibalizing others to avoid getting sick from rotted food¡­¡± Gastronaut trailed off as he tried to not gag.


    Elio and Ray stand still, their faces growing pale as the horrifying truth settles in. Elio blinks, slow and unsteady, as his pupils dilate just slightly, his gaze fixed and intense. Ray¡¯s eye widens, almost imperceptibly, his eyelid twitching. Neither speak, but a glimmer of fear lingers in their eyes, flickering like a dark shadow neither can shake off. ¡°To make matters worse, Gastronaut and I are also guilty of it-¡± ¡°WHAT?!¡± Elio screamed in shock, Ray reacted by holding his arm out to block him. ¡°Elio, keep your cool!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not angry, I¡¯m just¡­ I don¡¯t even know how to wrap my head around this! Are you saying that cannibalism is common practice on Saturn?!¡± ¡°Unfortunately, yes. Eating rotten food is like a last resort to most people there. Our parents teach us as soon as possible to be strong, and even learn how to kill so we¡¯re able to sustain nutrients through other people. If you ever wanted to see what Hell looks like, look no further than there, not that I¡¯d want you to.¡± Guerilla explained before taking another bite of his food.


    Ray glances off to the side; ¡°Wait, I guess I can ask it since Elio can detect heat, he could probably tell if someone¡¯s lying or not just by it.¡± He looks back toward them, pointing his index and middle finger. ¡°Gastronaut. Guerilla. Pardon the question, but hearing all of that, I want to know, are you two by any chance still cannibalizing people in secret, just like Mig did?¡± He asked coldly. ¡°Wha- no! No, I¡¯ve promised myself to never eat another person for as long as I live!¡± Gastronaut responded, a tone of hurt shown in his voice. ¡°It¡¯s ok, Gastronaut, he was just being cautious. Like he said though, Ray, neither of us have done that since we escaped Saturn. Being blessed with food like this, him and I practically wash dishes with our tongues when we eat. Not one of us let a single drop of food go to waste.¡± Guerilla explained.


    Elio nods; ¡°I understand.¡± He confirmed. ¡°But where does this apply to Mig if you two had stopped eating others?¡± ¡°There¡¯s an easy explanation. Mig¡¯s a Saturnian. Saturnians are odd, they possess unique digestive systems that ¡®imprint¡¯ on food types encountered in early development. Once an individual Saturnian reaches maturity, its digestive enzymes and gut flora solidify around the molecular makeup of the foods it ate in its youth.¡± Guerilla explained. Elio¡¯s eyes widened; ¡°So, because of the imprinting process, unfamiliar food introduced after maturity triggers immune responses as foreign agents, leading to digestive rejection- dude¡­¡± Elio trails off, his mind short-circuiting as he finally processes the reason behind the situation. ¡°So, essentially, that¡¯s why he always ate in secret, he was ashamed that even after leaving Saturn, his body wouldn¡¯t accept regular food. That¡¯s tragic, but now I really do understand why you¡¯re happy that his suffering ended.¡± Ray replied. ¡°Yeah¡­ and it¡¯s just¡­¡± Gastronaut crossed his arms; ¡°...even with all of that, it was selfish of Guerilla and I to keep him alive. We both wanted it to end, but because of our friendship, we couldn¡¯t bear going through it.¡± He said in a somber tone.


    Guerilla spoke up; ¡°Elio, I didn¡¯t get the chance to say it as I passed out, but thank you. Even if you didn¡¯t intend on it, you did a good thing.¡± His words hit Elio like a freight train, Elio lowers his head before letting out a faint smile and nodding. ¡°Of course¡­ and thank you, for telling me. I feel a little better about what I did now.¡± He replied, his tone grateful. ¡°Alright, then, that brings me to something I wanna ask. Gastronaut, why did you target Reggie last night?¡± ¡°To tell the truth, I was about to get into that as it ties back to the state of Saturn. I hate Martian Tabbies, I¡¯ve had nothing, but terrible memories with them. They¡¯re the reason for Saturn being the shithole it is.¡± ¡°W-wait, really?¡± Elio asked, his eyebrow raised and arms crossed.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Ray interjects; ¡°Could you elaborate?¡± ¡°Guerilla, could you explain? You¡¯re better than me when it comes to this.¡± He glanced over. ¡°Sure. Saturn used to be a thriving society, but the issue was that Martian Tabbies were brought over from Mars. Their appetites are so voracious, and they come in such indescribably large litters, that alongside their ferocity as hunters began to destroy our food supply. This was forty-five years ago, five years before Mig, Gastronaut and I were born, so it was already in a bad state. I¡¯ve never been able to figure out why they¡¯re like that because being near one was a sign of danger.¡± Guerilla explained. ¡°It¡¯s like some sick and twisted hierarchy where people are at the bottom of the food chain while the rest are at the top. It¡¯s a nightmare to live in¡­¡± Gastronaut added, his hand clenching his arm.


    ¡°That¡¯s so strange, it¡¯s like a bizarro landscape from what I¡¯m hearing. I know a lot about Martian Tabbies, so none of this sounds natural. But now I¡¯m curious.¡± Elio commented. He looked over at Ray; ¡°Yo, Ray, when we have the chance, you think you¡¯d be down to check out Saturn for ourselves, see how we can try and help with that madness?¡± Ray glanced at Elio with a surprised look; ¡°Maybe when we¡¯re a lot stronger! You heard what those two said, people need to be strong to survive there on Saturn! It sounds like living in the Paleozoic Era!¡± He retorted. ¡°Alright, then we¡¯ll get stronger! There¡¯s a mystery there, and I wanna solve it!¡± Elio uncrosses his arms and pounds his fists. ¡°Well, then you better have my back twenty-four seven when we go there!¡± ¡°You two are crazy, but then again, that craziness saved Mig. So, if you ever go there, just be mindful.¡± Gastronaut interjected. ¡°Of course. Well, is there anything else we should know?¡± ¡°Nah, I don¡¯t think I missed anything, did I?¡± ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡± Guerilla answered.


    Gastronaut nodded; ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Well, if that¡¯s all, then I think Ray and I are gonna head out-¡± ¡°Wait, before you go, there¡¯s something else I need to let you know.¡± Gastronaut said as he slung his arm towards him, grabbing his shoulder. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Here¡­¡± He lets go of his shoulder and holds his palm out, showing a folded piece of paper. ¡°Take this with you.¡± His arm snapped back. ¡°Uh¡­ what¡¯s this?¡± Elio asked, looking at the paper in his hand. ¡°Just open it.¡± ¡°A-alright then.¡± Elio starts unfolding the paper. As it¡¯s been completely unfolded, his face lights up, his eyes wide with joy as he moves his shades up. His shoulders relax as he reads it again, a smile slowly spreading across his face, radiating relief.


    ¡°No fucking way! You paid for Reggie¡¯s surgery for me?! L-like is this for real?!¡± Elio screamed in excitement. ¡°Yep! Also covered for physical therapy as well.¡± He answered proudly. ¡°Bro¡­¡± Elio looks back at the receipt before looking back at Gastronaut. He walks over and gives him a one-armed hug; ¡°Dawg, you are real as shit for that, like genuinely, thank you so much!¡± He said while smiling widely. ¡°Aye, no problem, Elio. I figured if there was a way for me to make up for going after him, then I¡¯d try helping him instead.¡± Elio breaks the hug and starts walking toward the door; ¡°Ray, let¡¯s go! We¡¯re seeing Reggie right now!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± He replied.


    As Elio leaves, Ray stops and looks back, smiling. ¡°It might be weird for you to hear me say this, but after seeing that you did that for Elio, Mig was extremely lucky to have you two at his side, despite his awful life. Alright, take care.¡± He said in an upbeat tone before walking out to catch up with Elio. As the door closes, Guerilla begins to smile. ¡°Arion¡­¡± ¡°Yo.¡± Gastronaut answered. ¡°After hearing that, I think I¡¯ll stay being a hero, despite my blindness. I want to do better.¡± He declared. ¡°Yeah, same here¡­¡± Gastronaut replied calmly.


    June 8th, 2018. 2:00 PM.


    Elio and Ray walk through a hallway at Culat¡¯s Pet General, a Plutonian rests on Elio¡¯s head. ¡°So, Reggie¡¯s through this door to the left?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Plutonian responded. He hops off of Elio and lands on a small perch sticking out of the wall, typing in a code with his beak to unlock the door. ¡°He¡¯ll be very happy to see you.¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯m really excited!¡± Elio replied with a wide grin.


    As the door slid open, Elio walked inside, seeing Reggie carefully playing with a bell ball, still trying to get used to moving after his injury. Elio¡¯s grin softens, becoming a smile. He takes a deep breath before crouching down holding his arms out. ¡°Reggie!¡± He called, his tone showing pure joy. Reggie¡¯s head turned immediately, his pupils dilated as he spotted him, his tail hanging slightly off the floor as it waves gently from side to side. ¡°Elio¡­¡± Reggie said quietly as he slowly approached. ¡°ELIO!¡± Reggie cried, he ran, leaping into his arms, his claws digging into his clothes as if he were holding on for dear life. ¡°Reggie¡­¡± Elio closed his arms, holding him close; ¡°Thank God, you¡¯re alright¡­¡± He said softly, his voice becoming emotional.


    Reggie squirms a bit, moving up to rub his face against Elio¡¯s, his purrs sound like a lawn mower. ¡°Aye, take it easy, buddy! I¡¯m happy to see you too!¡± Elio says while laughing from happiness. ¡°Then you know I¡¯m not gonna-¡± Reggie pauses as he tenses up, feeling a small pain in his back. ¡°Ow¡­¡± ¡°Oh, shit! You alright, Reggie?¡± Elio asked, worried. He gently picked him up to set him down. ¡°It¡¯s ok.¡± The Plutonian responded as he flew down. ¡°His spine is healed, but for now, his body still hurts if he moves too fast or hard. We created artificial cells to make up for the few that were destroyed, but we also had to use a steroid to help accelerate interstitial fluid and his blood flow in order to speed up the process of healing his bones.¡± He explained. ¡°Reggie, remember to take it easy. I¡¯ll make an exception because you were excited to see your owner, but be more mindful of yourself next time. It will be a while before you¡¯re able to move around freely again. Though, with the progress you¡¯re making, you should be finished with physical therapy in a month or so.¡± He added.


    ¡°Wait, a month?¡± Ray asked. ¡°Yes, a month.¡± He replied, his voice stern. ¡°Well, shit, I guess we¡¯re staying for another month before we can hit the road. Oh, speaking of which, hey, Reggie.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± He asked, whipping his head to face him again. Elio taps Ray¡¯s shoulder with the back of his hand; ¡°This is Ray. He helped me greatly this past week, he¡¯s really strong, and he¡¯s coming along with us. So, go on, get acquainted with him.¡± He answered. Ray looks down at him, crouching to the floor. Reggie takes in his appearance; ¡°He¡¯s got a mean look to him, but Elio¡¯s totally calm around him. So that must mean that he¡¯s nice.¡± He pondered. Reggie soon walked up to him and sat down, Ray gently brought his hand out. Reggie accepted it as he let his chin rest on his hand. Ray smiled, gently stroking Reggie¡¯s cheek with his thumb as Reggie began to purr. ¡°He¡¯s so sweet, and he talks! I¡¯m already loving this one!¡± Ray thought to himself.


    Elio smiled while his arms crossed; ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were so gentle with animals, Ray. Reggie¡¯s totally relaxed, listen to how he¡¯s purring.¡± ¡°Yeah, I see what you mean. When I used to live with my biological father, due to the way he abused me, it made me choose to treat the little ones with kindness. Whether it be children, animals, or even a flower, I try to be as gentle as possible.¡± Ray replied, smiling as Reggie leaned further into the pet. ¡°I figured as much! So, Reggie, what do you think? You excited for him to come along?¡± ¡°Of course! Now when you¡¯re tired of giving me attention, I can just go to him.¡± Reggie answered, his eyes closed. ¡°Hah! You¡¯re so damn needy, faggot!¡± Elio retorted. Ray stops petting him as he bursts into laughter; ¡°Elio! What did he do?! Where did that come from?!¡± Elio laughs alongside him; ¡°My fault, sometimes, I like to say out of pocket shit and just see how people react.¡± ¡°Heh, yeah, by villainizing an animal.¡± Ray¡¯s laughter calms down.


    ¡°Yeah. Well, back to the topic at hand, we¡¯re just gonna have to figure out what to do for the next month before we can leave this place. Reggie, I¡¯ll visit you from time to time to see how your progress is going, that sound good?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Alright, cool! Finally, it sounds like things are gonna be going our way!¡± Elio replied, giving a thumbs up. The Plutonian starts flapping his wings, flying in front of Elio¡¯s face to get his attention. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt the moment, but Reggie must get back to his physical therapy now. If you¡¯d like, give me your contact info so I can notify you when it¡¯s done, then you can see him after.¡± ¡°Ray, give him your phone number.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Remember, Gastronaut totally crushed mine with that car he sent down.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, good point.¡± Ray responded as he stood up, he grabbed his phone from his pocket and typed his number on the keypad. He showed the number to him; ¡°Good. I will add that to the computer right now.¡± He said, flying out of the room.


    Elio glanced at Ray; ¡°Well, guess it¡¯s time for us to head out.¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Ray replied. Elio looks back at Reggie and crouches over, petting him; ¡°See you around, Reggie. Take it easy, alright?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Good, I¡¯ll be excited to get on the road next month.¡± Elio stops petting him and stands up. ¡°Bye, Reggie!¡± ¡°Bye Elio!¡± ¡°Nice meeting you!¡± ¡°Bye Ray!¡± Reggie waved his paw. As the two leave, Reggie looks back at the bell ball and starts playing with it again. Elio and Ray walk out of the building; ¡°So, what are you planning on doing while waiting for him to finish?¡± ¡°Well, first things first, I¡¯m gonna ask Carlos for my job back, that way I can make some money, I need to buy myself a new phone. Aside from that, I might as well continue to train and dick around when I¡¯m not working.¡± Elio answered, putting his hands in his pockets. ¡°How ¡®bout you?¡± ¡°Well, I might as well work on working out my internet addiction. And I¡¯ll do some training as well, try to brush up on some old hobbies, and most importantly, stop leeching off of Julia, so I¡¯ll look for a job too.¡± ¡°Sounds like a good deal!¡± Elio grinned. As they walk down the street, Elio notices a restaurant; ¡°Yo, I¡¯m getting pretty hungry? Wanna stop and eat there?¡± ¡°Golden Steer Steakhouse?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Oh, hell yeah, that place is incredible!¡± ¡°Cool! I got money, so let¡¯s go!¡± Elio replied, the two began to walk across the street.


    June 8th, 2018. 4:15 PM.


    Gastronaut steps inside Nasuka¡¯s office, wearing a new helmet with a new jetpack equipped. ¡°You wanted to see me, Nasuka?¡± He asked curiously. Nasuka glares at him; ¡°Gastronaut. You, Guerilla, and Mig all failed. Guerilla¡¯s been permanently blinded, Mig is dead, and those two, Elio and Ray are still out there, and yet here you are, not doing your job-¡± She pauses as Gastronaut uses his power, forcing a pencil to skim her cheek, lightly cutting it. The pencil sticks to the wall. ¡°Don¡¯t belittle me. What do you want me to do? Find them and attack head on? If I couldn¡¯t take either of them out with the help of Mig and Guerilla, in what way would I be able to take them out myself? Use that head of yours.¡± He responded coldly.


    Nasuka¡¯s pupils dilate in slight fear as she covers her cheek with her hand; ¡°Are you-¡± ¡°Enough. I just said to one, not belittle me, and two, to use your head. I¡¯m in the Emerald Faction, and with that event being broadcast, word caught on quickly. You know what that means? Nata¡¯s going to take matters into her own hands, and trust me, I know that those two are going to be here for a while. So, when Nata¡¯s done dealing with other missions, she¡¯ll go in to attack, and those two won¡¯t last a second against her. Let them relax, they won¡¯t know when she¡¯ll strike, they don¡¯t even know how she is. You understand?¡± Gastronaut asked, leaning forward. ¡°Y-yes, I understand.¡± Nasuka answered, her voice shaky.


    ¡°Good. And besides, I need you for something very important. I can¡¯t say when, but when it comes, I¡¯ll let you know.¡± He said coldly. He began to walk away; ¡°Call me when you need something.¡± Gastronaut added before leaving the room. Nasuka continued to tremble from his defiance.

 Chapter 24 - The Alliance

    Elio¡¯s eyebrows shot up, widening with sudden intrigue. He blinked rapidly, processing the unexpected news as his posture shifted with an eager curiosity tempered by disbelief. ¡°Wait, huh?! You wanna travel with me around the world?!¡± He shouted in surprise. Ray nodded. ¡°Yes, exactly. With what you did for me just hours ago, how you did all of that just to make up for what you did, it inspired me. I want to become brave enough to pull the stunt you did, that way I can help out others who needed it just like I did. And I feel as though traveling with you is the most logical way for me to become better. Besides, you¡¯re the one who said you¡¯d fight the whole system with me, I can¡¯t fight alongside you if I don¡¯t come along.¡± Ray explained. ¡°So, what do you say? Me and you, against the system! How ¡®bout it?¡± He asked with confidence.


    Elio doesn¡¯t even think about it. He grinned as he stood up and walked over, holding his hand up. ¡°I got your back, and you got mine. Let¡¯s do it!¡± He answered. Ray grinned back as he shook his hand; ¡°Glad to hear it! Also, I can¡¯t wait to see how happy Julia will be when she hears that I¡¯m finally starting to do something for myself!¡± ¡°I can imagine! Though before we hit the road, we still have some shit we need to do.¡± Elio responded as he broke the handshake. ¡°Right, you still need to get Reggie back.¡± ¡°Not just Reggie, but I forgot to tell you this earlier, but Gastronaut wants to talk with us later in the day. He¡¯s gonna explain to us about why Mig was a cannibal, as well as why he targeted Reggie, despite us being the priority.¡± Elio added. ¡°Oh shit, really?¡± Ray asked in surprise. ¡°Yeah, plus, who knows, we might also know what he meant by he¡¯d take care of Nasuka as well.¡± ¡°Good point.¡± Ray replied.


    Elio yawns; ¡°For sure. Anyway, I¡¯m gonna hit the hay. Goodnight, Ray.¡± He said, walking back to the couch and flopping onto it. ¡°Goodnight, Elio.¡± Ray replied, sitting back down and typing on his computer once more. ¡°By the way, you want a blanket?¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯m good, it¡¯s ninety-eight degrees outside right now. Besides, I can just keep myself warm with my heat techniques, but aye, I appreciate the offer.¡± ¡°Ahh, right. Also, hey, what about your phone? Gastronaut crushed that thing to oblivion.¡± ¡°Eh, I¡¯m not too worried about that. I¡¯ll just ask Carlos if I can have my job back for saving you. Then I¡¯ll just work a bit till I can get a new phone.¡± Elio answered while rolling over. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll shut up now so you can sleep.¡± ¡°Aight.¡± Elio said before closing his eyes.


    June 8th, 2018. 12:30 PM.


    At the park, Elio, Ray and Julia unwind. Elio laid sprawled out on the grass, eyes closed and arms stretched out as he soaked in the summer sun, completely at ease. Nearby, Ray and Julia are standing under the shade of a large tree, escaping the heat. Both sipping from water bottles to cool off and occasionally glancing at Elio while he sleeps. Suddenly, a low whirring fills the air, starting as a faint hum and building into an almost unsettling sound. It has a rhythmic pulse, almost mechanical, with a sharp, buzzing undertone that hints at something spinning rapidly. Elio¡¯s ears pick up the sounds fluctuating, making him wake up from the disorienting, almost hypnotic effect, grabbing his attention. ¡°What the fuck is that noise?¡± He asked irritably.


    Julia and Ray glance in its direction and soon, the source of the noise becomes visible. A drone appears, slowing down and hovering in front of Elio. The drone is a sleek black sphere, small and smooth with a matte finish. At its center is a single, large green ¡®eye¡¯ that glows softly, set within a slightly recessed circular frame. ¡°There you are, Elio!¡± Gastronaut¡¯s voice comes through the drone. ¡°Gastronaut?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. I didn¡¯t want to waste time searching for you, so I deployed some of the city¡¯s drones to come searching. Anyway, is Ray there?¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s here.¡± ¡°Good, tell him to come with you to the MountainView Hospital. Guerilla¡¯s awake, and I told him that I was gonna tell you and him about Mig.¡± He explained.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing he¡¯s not in the mood to wait either.¡± Elio pondered. ¡°Alright, just gimme a sec, I¡¯ll let him know. We¡¯ll be on our way soon.¡± He answered. ¡°Perfect! I¡¯ll see you then, Elio.¡± Gastronaut replied, the drone began to fly away. Elio looked over at the other two; ¡°Y¡¯all heard him, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Alright, so then¡­ where exactly is MountainView?¡± ¡°Way Northwest from where we¡¯re at.¡± Julia answered. ¡°Yikes. I mean, if you want, you can come with, well, if Ray¡¯s alright with that. Plus, I¡¯m sure neither Gastronaut or Guerilla would care.¡± ¡°I appreciate the gesture, but with how long it¡¯d take to get from there and back, I¡¯d be late as hell for my shift.¡± Julia explained. ¡°I didn¡¯t even consider that.¡± Ray commented. ¡°Yeah, it sucks, but hey, I¡¯ll still be down to binge with you guys after it. So you guys go do what you gotta do.¡± ¡°Alright then, bye Julia!¡± Elio replied, beginning to walk in the hospital¡¯s direction. ¡°Take care, Julia.¡± Ray said while waving as he began to walk as well. ¡°Cya guys!¡± She responded, waving as well.


    June 8th, 2018. 1:15 PM.


    Guerilla sits upright in his hospital bed, hooked to an IV machine. ¡°You gonna be alright, Idris?¡± Gastronaut asked. Guerilla takes some time to think while eating a bowl of eggs on rice. ¡°It could be worse. Frankly, with how strong Ray is physically, it¡¯s a miracle that the worst I got was a smashed optic nerve. Unfortunately, I might be permanently blind, not even an eye transplant will help me out. Though, I have my other senses, so I should be alright if I just work on them after I get out of here.¡± Guerilla explained calmly. ¡°Ahh, that¡¯s a shame, but at least you¡¯re taking it well from what you¡¯re saying.¡± Gastronaut replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m mostly still thinking about Mig.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I feel the same way. How you holding up about it though?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still sad that he died right there in front of me, but I¡¯m just happy that Ray gave me time to grieve before having me contact you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really nice of him. Speaking of which, where the hell are those two-¡± ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up?¡± Elio asked casually, having opened the door and walking in with Ray. ¡°Well, speak of the devil.¡± Gastronaut reacted. ¡°Sorry, we were here for a while, but we decided we¡¯d wait until either you asked where we were, or if you finished your conversation.¡± Elio explained. ¡°It¡¯s cool, I appreciate it.¡± ¡°What he said.¡± Guerilla commented.


    Ray crosses his arms; ¡°Alright, let¡¯s just get into business. WHY was Mig a cannibal?¡± He asked sternly. Gastronaut took a deep breath before exhaling; ¡°I¡¯ll just make it quick, then, I don¡¯t wanna waste any of your time. Elio, you remember when Guerilla explained that food was scarce to the point that people on Saturn were fighting over rotten food and how it led to a bunch of disease being spread?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Elio nodded. ¡°Well, the thing neither of us told you is the reason Mig is a cannibal is because on Saturn, people typically try to avoid disease by cannibalizing others to avoid getting sick from rotted food¡­¡± Gastronaut trailed off as he tried to not gag.


    Elio and Ray stand still, their faces growing pale as the horrifying truth settles in. Elio blinks, slow and unsteady, as his pupils dilate just slightly, his gaze fixed and intense. Ray¡¯s eye widens, almost imperceptibly, his eyelid twitching. Neither speak, but a glimmer of fear lingers in their eyes, flickering like a dark shadow neither can shake off. ¡°To make matters worse, Gastronaut and I are also guilty of it-¡± ¡°WHAT?!¡± Elio screamed in shock, Ray reacted by holding his arm out to block him. ¡°Elio, keep your cool!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not angry, I¡¯m just¡­ I don¡¯t even know how to wrap my head around this! Are you saying that cannibalism is common practice on Saturn?!¡± ¡°Unfortunately, yes. Eating rotten food is like a last resort to most people there. Our parents teach us as soon as possible to be strong, and even learn how to kill so we¡¯re able to sustain nutrients through other people. If you ever wanted to see what Hell looks like, look no further than there, not that I¡¯d want you to.¡± Guerilla explained before taking another bite of his food.


    Ray glances off to the side; ¡°Wait, I guess I can ask it since Elio can detect heat, he could probably tell if someone¡¯s lying or not just by it.¡± He looks back toward them, pointing his index and middle finger. ¡°Gastronaut. Guerilla. Pardon the question, but hearing all of that, I want to know, are you two by any chance still cannibalizing people in secret, just like Mig did?¡± He asked coldly. ¡°Wha- no! No, I¡¯ve promised myself to never eat another person for as long as I live!¡± Gastronaut responded, a tone of hurt shown in his voice. ¡°It¡¯s ok, Gastronaut, he was just being cautious. Like he said though, Ray, neither of us have done that since we escaped Saturn. Being blessed with food like this, him and I practically wash dishes with our tongues when we eat. Not one of us let a single drop of food go to waste.¡± Guerilla explained.


    Elio nods; ¡°I understand.¡± He confirmed. ¡°But where does this apply to Mig if you two had stopped eating others?¡± ¡°There¡¯s an easy explanation. Mig¡¯s a Saturnian. Saturnians are odd, they possess unique digestive systems that ¡®imprint¡¯ on food types encountered in early development. Once an individual Saturnian reaches maturity, its digestive enzymes and gut flora solidify around the molecular makeup of the foods it ate in its youth.¡± Guerilla explained. Elio¡¯s eyes widened; ¡°So, because of the imprinting process, unfamiliar food introduced after maturity triggers immune responses as foreign agents, leading to digestive rejection- dude¡­¡± Elio trails off, his mind short-circuiting as he finally processes the reason behind the situation. ¡°So, essentially, that¡¯s why he always ate in secret, he was ashamed that even after leaving Saturn, his body wouldn¡¯t accept regular food. That¡¯s tragic, but now I really do understand why you¡¯re happy that his suffering ended.¡± Ray replied. ¡°Yeah¡­ and it¡¯s just¡­¡± Gastronaut crossed his arms; ¡°...even with all of that, it was selfish of Guerilla and I to keep him alive. We both wanted it to end, but because of our friendship, we couldn¡¯t bear going through it.¡± He said in a somber tone.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Guerilla spoke up; ¡°Elio, I didn¡¯t get the chance to say it as I passed out, but thank you. Even if you didn¡¯t intend on it, you did a good thing.¡± His words hit Elio like a freight train, Elio lowers his head before letting out a faint smile and nodding. ¡°Of course¡­ and thank you, for telling me. I feel a little better about what I did now.¡± He replied, his tone grateful. ¡°Alright, then, that brings me to something I wanna ask. Gastronaut, why did you target Reggie last night?¡± ¡°To tell the truth, I was about to get into that as it ties back to the state of Saturn. I hate Martian Tabbies, I¡¯ve had nothing, but terrible memories with them. They¡¯re the reason for Saturn being the shithole it is.¡± ¡°W-wait, really?¡± Elio asked, his eyebrow raised and arms crossed.


    Ray interjects; ¡°Could you elaborate?¡± ¡°Guerilla, could you explain? You¡¯re better than me when it comes to this.¡± He glanced over. ¡°Sure. Saturn used to be a thriving society, but the issue was that Martian Tabbies were brought over from Mars. Their appetites are so voracious, and they come in such indescribably large litters, that alongside their ferocity as hunters began to destroy our food supply. This was forty-five years ago, five years before Mig, Gastronaut and I were born, so it was already in a bad state. I¡¯ve never been able to figure out why they¡¯re like that because being near one was a sign of danger.¡± Guerilla explained. ¡°It¡¯s like some sick and twisted hierarchy where people are at the bottom of the food chain while the rest are at the top. It¡¯s a nightmare to live in¡­¡± Gastronaut added, his hand clenching his arm.


    ¡°That¡¯s so strange, it¡¯s like a bizarro landscape from what I¡¯m hearing. I know a lot about Martian Tabbies, so none of this sounds natural. But now I¡¯m curious.¡± Elio commented. He looked over at Ray; ¡°Yo, Ray, when we have the chance, you think you¡¯d be down to check out Saturn for ourselves, see how we can try and help with that madness?¡± Ray glanced at Elio with a surprised look; ¡°Maybe when we¡¯re a lot stronger! You heard what those two said, people need to be strong to survive there on Saturn! It sounds like living in the Paleozoic Era!¡± He retorted. ¡°Alright, then we¡¯ll get stronger! There¡¯s a mystery there, and I wanna solve it!¡± Elio uncrosses his arms and pounds his fists. ¡°Well, then you better have my back twenty-four seven when we go there!¡± ¡°You two are crazy, but then again, that craziness saved Mig. So, if you ever go there, just be mindful.¡± Gastronaut interjected. ¡°Of course. Well, is there anything else we should know?¡± ¡°Nah, I don¡¯t think I missed anything, did I?¡± ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡± Guerilla answered.


    Gastronaut nodded; ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Well, if that¡¯s all, then I think Ray and I are gonna head out-¡± ¡°Wait, before you go, there¡¯s something else I need to let you know.¡± Gastronaut said as he slung his arm towards him, grabbing his shoulder. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Here¡­¡± He lets go of his shoulder and holds his palm out, showing a folded piece of paper. ¡°Take this with you.¡± His arm snapped back. ¡°Uh¡­ what¡¯s this?¡± Elio asked, looking at the paper in his hand. ¡°Just open it.¡± ¡°A-alright then.¡± Elio starts unfolding the paper. As it¡¯s been completely unfolded, his face lights up, his eyes wide with joy as he moves his shades up. His shoulders relax as he reads it again, a smile slowly spreading across his face, radiating relief.


    ¡°No fucking way! You paid for Reggie¡¯s surgery for me?! L-like is this for real?!¡± Elio screamed in excitement. ¡°Yep! Also covered for physical therapy as well.¡± He answered proudly. ¡°Bro¡­¡± Elio looks back at the receipt before looking back at Gastronaut. He walks over and gives him a one-armed hug; ¡°Dawg, you are real as shit for that, like genuinely, thank you so much!¡± He said while smiling widely. ¡°Aye, no problem, Elio. I figured if there was a way for me to make up for going after him, then I¡¯d try helping him instead.¡± Elio breaks the hug and starts walking toward the door; ¡°Ray, let¡¯s go! We¡¯re seeing Reggie right now!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± He replied.


    As Elio leaves, Ray stops and looks back, smiling. ¡°It might be weird for you to hear me say this, but after seeing that you did that for Elio, Mig was extremely lucky to have you two at his side, despite his awful life. Alright, take care.¡± He said in an upbeat tone before walking out to catch up with Elio. As the door closes, Guerilla begins to smile. ¡°Arion¡­¡± ¡°Yo.¡± Gastronaut answered. ¡°After hearing that, I think I¡¯ll stay being a hero, despite my blindness. I want to do better.¡± He declared. ¡°Yeah, same here¡­¡± Gastronaut replied calmly.


    June 8th, 2018. 2:00 PM.


    Elio and Ray walk through a hallway at Culat¡¯s Pet General, a Plutonian rests on Elio¡¯s head. ¡°So, Reggie¡¯s through this door to the left?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Plutonian responded. He hops off of Elio and lands on a small perch sticking out of the wall, typing in a code with his beak to unlock the door. ¡°He¡¯ll be very happy to see you.¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯m really excited!¡± Elio replied with a wide grin.


    As the door slid open, Elio walked inside, seeing Reggie carefully playing with a bell ball, still trying to get used to moving after his injury. Elio¡¯s grin softens, becoming a smile. He takes a deep breath before crouching down holding his arms out. ¡°Reggie!¡± He called, his tone showing pure joy. Reggie¡¯s head turned immediately, his pupils dilated as he spotted him, his tail hanging slightly off the floor as it waves gently from side to side. ¡°Elio¡­¡± Reggie said quietly as he slowly approached. ¡°ELIO!¡± Reggie cried, he ran, leaping into his arms, his claws digging into his clothes as if he were holding on for dear life. ¡°Reggie¡­¡± Elio closed his arms, holding him close; ¡°Thank God, you¡¯re alright¡­¡± He said softly, his voice becoming emotional.


    Reggie squirms a bit, moving up to rub his face against Elio¡¯s, his purrs sound like a lawn mower. ¡°Aye, take it easy, buddy! I¡¯m happy to see you too!¡± Elio says while laughing from happiness. ¡°Then you know I¡¯m not gonna-¡± Reggie pauses as he tenses up, feeling a small pain in his back. ¡°Ow¡­¡± ¡°Oh, shit! You alright, Reggie?¡± Elio asked, worried. He gently picked him up to set him down. ¡°It¡¯s ok.¡± The Plutonian responded as he flew down. ¡°His spine is healed, but for now, his body still hurts if he moves too fast or hard. We created artificial cells to make up for the few that were destroyed, but we also had to use a steroid to help accelerate interstitial fluid and his blood flow in order to speed up the process of healing his bones.¡± He explained. ¡°Reggie, remember to take it easy. I¡¯ll make an exception because you were excited to see your owner, but be more mindful of yourself next time. It will be a while before you¡¯re able to move around freely again. Though, with the progress you¡¯re making, you should be finished with physical therapy in a month or so.¡± He added.


    ¡°Wait, a month?¡± Ray asked. ¡°Yes, a month.¡± He replied, his voice stern. ¡°Well, shit, I guess we¡¯re staying for another month before we can hit the road. Oh, speaking of which, hey, Reggie.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± He asked, whipping his head to face him again. Elio taps Ray¡¯s shoulder with the back of his hand; ¡°This is Ray. He helped me greatly this past week, he¡¯s really strong, and he¡¯s coming along with us. So, go on, get acquainted with him.¡± He answered. Ray looks down at him, crouching to the floor. Reggie takes in his appearance; ¡°He¡¯s got a mean look to him, but Elio¡¯s totally calm around him. So that must mean that he¡¯s nice.¡± He pondered. Reggie soon walked up to him and sat down, Ray gently brought his hand out. Reggie accepted it as he let his chin rest on his hand. Ray smiled, gently stroking Reggie¡¯s cheek with his thumb as Reggie began to purr. ¡°He¡¯s so sweet, and he talks! I¡¯m already loving this one!¡± Ray thought to himself.


    Elio smiled while his arms crossed; ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were so gentle with animals, Ray. Reggie¡¯s totally relaxed, listen to how he¡¯s purring.¡± ¡°Yeah, I see what you mean. When I used to live with my biological father, due to the way he abused me, it made me choose to treat the little ones with kindness. Whether it be children, animals, or even a flower, I try to be as gentle as possible.¡± Ray replied, smiling as Reggie leaned further into the pet. ¡°I figured as much! So, Reggie, what do you think? You excited for him to come along?¡± ¡°Of course! Now when you¡¯re tired of giving me attention, I can just go to him.¡± Reggie answered, his eyes closed. ¡°Hah! You¡¯re so damn needy, faggot!¡± Elio retorted. Ray stops petting him as he bursts into laughter; ¡°Elio! What did he do?! Where did that come from?!¡± Elio laughs alongside him; ¡°My fault, sometimes, I like to say out of pocket shit and just see how people react.¡± ¡°Heh, yeah, by villainizing an animal.¡± Ray¡¯s laughter calms down.


    ¡°Yeah. Well, back to the topic at hand, we¡¯re just gonna have to figure out what to do for the next month before we can leave this place. Reggie, I¡¯ll visit you from time to time to see how your progress is going, that sound good?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Alright, cool! Finally, it sounds like things are gonna be going our way!¡± Elio replied, giving a thumbs up. The Plutonian starts flapping his wings, flying in front of Elio¡¯s face to get his attention. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt the moment, but Reggie must get back to his physical therapy now. If you¡¯d like, give me your contact info so I can notify you when it¡¯s done, then you can see him after.¡± ¡°Ray, give him your phone number.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Remember, Gastronaut totally crushed mine with that car he sent down.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, good point.¡± Ray responded as he stood up, he grabbed his phone from his pocket and typed his number on the keypad. He showed the number to him; ¡°Good. I will add that to the computer right now.¡± He said, flying out of the room.


    Elio glanced at Ray; ¡°Well, guess it¡¯s time for us to head out.¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Ray replied. Elio looks back at Reggie and crouches over, petting him; ¡°See you around, Reggie. Take it easy, alright?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Good, I¡¯ll be excited to get on the road next month.¡± Elio stops petting him and stands up. ¡°Bye, Reggie!¡± ¡°Bye Elio!¡± ¡°Nice meeting you!¡± ¡°Bye Ray!¡± Reggie waved his paw. As the two leave, Reggie looks back at the bell ball and starts playing with it again. Elio and Ray walk out of the building; ¡°So, what are you planning on doing while waiting for him to finish?¡± ¡°Well, first things first, I¡¯m gonna ask Carlos for my job back, that way I can make some money, I need to buy myself a new phone. Aside from that, I might as well continue to train and dick around when I¡¯m not working.¡± Elio answered, putting his hands in his pockets. ¡°How ¡®bout you?¡± ¡°Well, I might as well work on working out my internet addiction. And I¡¯ll do some training as well, try to brush up on some old hobbies, and most importantly, stop leeching off of Julia, so I¡¯ll look for a job too.¡± ¡°Sounds like a good deal!¡± Elio grinned. As they walk down the street, Elio notices a restaurant; ¡°Yo, I¡¯m getting pretty hungry? Wanna stop and eat there?¡± ¡°Golden Steer Steakhouse?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Oh, hell yeah, that place is incredible!¡± ¡°Cool! I got money, so let¡¯s go!¡± Elio replied, the two began to walk across the street.


    June 8th, 2018. 4:15 PM.


    Gastronaut steps inside Nasuka¡¯s office, wearing a new helmet with a new jetpack equipped. ¡°You wanted to see me, Nasuka?¡± He asked curiously. Nasuka glares at him; ¡°Gastronaut. You, Guerilla, and Mig all failed. Guerilla¡¯s been permanently blinded, Mig is dead, and those two, Elio and Ray are still out there, and yet here you are, not doing your job-¡± She pauses as Gastronaut uses his power, forcing a pencil to skim her cheek, lightly cutting it. The pencil sticks to the wall. ¡°Don¡¯t belittle me. What do you want me to do? Find them and attack head on? If I couldn¡¯t take either of them out with the help of Mig and Guerilla, in what way would I be able to take them out myself? Use that head of yours.¡± He responded coldly.


    Nasuka¡¯s pupils dilate in slight fear as she covers her cheek with her hand; ¡°Are you-¡± ¡°Enough. I just said to one, not belittle me, and two, to use your head. I¡¯m in the Emerald Faction, and with that event being broadcast, word caught on quickly. You know what that means? Nata¡¯s going to take matters into her own hands, and trust me, I know that those two are going to be here for a while. So, when Nata¡¯s done dealing with other missions, she¡¯ll go in to attack, and those two won¡¯t last a second against her. Let them relax, they won¡¯t know when she¡¯ll strike, they don¡¯t even know how she is. You understand?¡± Gastronaut asked, leaning forward. ¡°Y-yes, I understand.¡± Nasuka answered, her voice shaky.


    ¡°Good. And besides, I need you for something very important. I can¡¯t say when, but when it comes, I¡¯ll let you know.¡± He said coldly. He began to walk away; ¡°Call me when you need something.¡± Gastronaut added before leaving the room. Nasuka continued to tremble from his defiance.

 Chapter 25 - The Alliance

    June 8th, 2018. 10:40 PM.


    Elio and Ray trek through the sewers as Elio has his hand raised with a small, but steady flame flickering atop his thumb, lighting the way. Shadows danced on the craggy bricks, casting erratic shapes along their path. ¡°Huh, you know, I never noticed how bad it actually smells down here till now.¡± Elio commented. ¡°Yeah, no kidding. Then again, you were in shock the whole time in this sewer, so it makes sense you wouldn¡¯t notice it.¡± Ray replied, fanning the air away from his face after thinking about the scent. ¡°Anyway, how close are we?¡± ¡°Should be a few minutes longer, his temperature might be cold, but I can still track where Mig is.¡± Elio answered. Ray stretches his arms back; ¡°You sure are serious about giving him a burial, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Of course, I am! Gastronaut went out of his way to pay for Reggie, it¡¯s the least I can do in return.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fair. Well, let¡¯s just make this as quick as possible then.¡± ¡°I was thinking the same.¡± Elio replied.


    They soon come across Mig¡¯s corpse. His body lies flat and charred as his limbs still pointed up in the air, his exoskeleton blackened and cracked like scorched earth. His antennae melted into his body, his spikes barely recognizable, as he¡¯s just a husk left in the aftermath of intense heat. Elio grimaces upon the sight of the aftermath; ¡°Ray, you can carry him, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, why?¡± ¡°I still need to light the way so I can get us out of here.¡± He answered, facing toward the nearest exit. Ray nodded, crouching over and carrying Mig¡¯s body over the shoulder. ¡°Ready when you are.¡± He stood up. Elio nods and leads the way out of the sewer.


    July 15th, 2018. 1:30 PM.


    Elio, Ray and Julia hang out in a neon-lit arcade. Julia watches as Elio and Ray lean forward intensely on motorcycle arcade machines, gripping the handlebars as they twist and tilt to steer through the virtual race track displayed on large, bright screens. Both are focused, bodies moving in sync with the turns on the screen, while engine sounds and cheering effects play loudly. Julia hears a small vibration and glances down, noticing Elio¡¯s phone. She checks and sees the notification; ¡°Hey, Elio, it¡¯s Culat¡¯s, they said Reggie¡¯s all better now.¡± ¡°Oh, hell yeah! Alright, I¡¯ll go there after this race!¡± Elio replied excitedly. His grin widens as he¡¯s close to winning the race as well.


    Just seconds away from the finish line, Ray reaches over to his right, grabbing a gun from a shooting arcade machine. He points to his screen, aiming at Elio¡¯s racer. He pulls the trigger, and miraculously, Elio¡¯s racer explodes, putting Elio out of the race as Ray passes by, crossing the finish line first. Julia lets out a small laugh as Elio sat there frozen, his brows knit tightly together, his shades flipped up as his eyes widened and darted, as if searching for a familiar anchor in a sea of confusion. His mouth hung open slightly, caught between words he couldn¡¯t find. The color had drained from his face, and a faint tremble shook his shoulders, as though his mind had short-circuited under the weight of the incomprehensible. Finally, he spoke up; ¡°What kind of tryhard bullshit is that?!¡±


    Julia can¡¯t hold it in anymore as she starts to laugh. ¡°No, seriously, what the fuck was that?!¡± Elio shouted irritably at Ray, standing up from the motorcycle. ¡°Elio, chill, it¡¯s not that big of a deal.¡± Ray replied, putting his hands up while trying not to laugh. ¡°No, cause I was actually gonna win that one till you pulled whatever the hell that was!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just an arcade secret-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care! That¡¯s the fattest shit I¡¯ve ever seen! If you weren¡¯t black, you¡¯d be the palest motherfucker I know!¡± Elio retorts. Ray bursts into laughter; ¡°Ok, ok, I¡¯m sorry!¡± He replied. Elio starts to laugh slightly, trying to feign his anger; ¡°Stop laughing at me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, the way you freaked out was too funny!¡± Ray laughed. Elio starts to calm down as he laughs a bit more, he then notices Julia looking a bit embarrassed. ¡°Why the flushed face?¡± He asked. ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s just, you said that¡¯s the fattest thing you¡¯ve seen, and¡­ I¡¯m the one who showed Ray that secret¡­¡± She replied, avoiding eye contact. ¡°Come on! You can¡¯t seriously be embarrassed about that! I was just mad that I got robbed from the game I deserved to win in.¡± Elio responded. ¡°Well, it¡¯s whatever now. Reggie¡¯s all good, so I can¡¯t be too annoyed. Speaking of which, I¡¯m gonna head over there now. I¡¯ll meet y¡¯all back at Cocina del Rey.¡± Elio said as he started to walk away, holding his hand up. ¡°Cya, Elio.¡± ¡°Peace!¡± Julia replied.


    July 15th, 2018. 2:50 PM.


    Gastronaut weaved through a neatly kept cemetery as he was strolling about. He taps on his earpiece; ¡°So, Guerilla, what exactly am I supposed to be investigating again?¡± ¡°There¡¯s been an odd amount of activity at the cemetery, but for some reason, nobody¡¯s mentioned anything. And since I¡¯m blind, I don¡¯t know what the attraction¡¯s all about.¡± Guerilla explained from the line. ¡°Copy that. I¡¯ll let you know if I find anything.¡± He replied before disconnecting. He looks over to see a small crowd of people standing by a grave, leaving trinkets beside it. ¡°Could that be what the fuss is, or are those people just mourning a loved one? Whatever it is, I¡¯ll just wait till they leave.¡± He thought to himself.


    Several minutes pass before the group leaves, Gastronaut groans as he gets off his back; ¡°Finally¡­¡± He muttered. As he walked over to the grave, he glanced over at the trinkets before glancing at tombstone and seeing dried red paint that engraved a name. He reads quietly; ¡°May you find peace, Mig-¡± He pauses before doing a double take; ¡°M-Mig Acrid?!¡± Gastronaut shouted in surprise, some people from afar glanced over, giving him a dirty glare for shouting while they mourn. Gastronaut closed his mouth, frozen at the sight of Mig¡¯s name written in the stone.


    His breath hitched upon seeing the grave he never knew existed. He crouched over, his fingertips grazing the dry writing, feeling a cold rush of guilt mingled with disbelief, though at the same time, his heart warmed at the thought that someone had made this for him. The years he shared with Mig flooded back, sharp and raw, as he lingered there. ¡°May you be unburdened, Mig¡­¡± He whispered softly to the stillness. He stood up, processing it all.


    Gastronaut picks up on the sound of a casual conversation that¡¯s getting closer. ¡°You know, it¡¯s kind of weird, Elio. Seeing you visiting a grave that isn¡¯t Alice¡¯s for once.¡± ¡°I know, it felt weird to me as well. I never even had a connection with Mig, but I still wanna visit out of respect for Guerilla and Gastronaut-¡± Elio pauses as he looks over, noticing Gastronaut turning around. ¡°Speak of the devil!¡± Elio said with slight surprise. ¡°Elio?¡± Gastronaut asked with the same surprised tone. He glanced at Reggie, his posture changing slightly as he felt a small hint of irritation upon seeing him. Elio detects the slight rage, entering a slightly defensive stance; ¡°Cool your jets man. I know you don¡¯t like Martian tabbies, I didn¡¯t intend on making you see him. Reggie, you calm yourself too. I know you reflect on my energy, but this is a cemetery.¡± ¡°Right, sorry, Elio.¡± Reggie replied. ¡°It¡¯s ok, buddy.¡± He said back.


    Gastronaut¡¯s stance relaxes slightly. He holds his hand up; ¡°Sorry, I was in shock upon seeing him, and that was right as I was still processing that someone made a grave for Mig.¡± He explained before looking back at the tombstone. ¡°Oh, yeah, Ray and I did that.¡± ¡°Wait, what?! You two buried him?! When?! Why?!¡± Gastronaut asked in shock. Elio crossed his arms; ¡°Just a little over a month ago. I had Ray help me retrieve his body from the sewer. Besides¡­¡± Elio reaches over to his shoulder to stroke Reggie¡¯s chin, whom he purrs in response; ¡°You¡¯ve no idea how important the little one is to me. So for you to pay for his surgery, on top of physical therapy, yeah, there¡¯s no way I couldn¡¯t do something for you in return. So, we wanted to pay our respects to Mig and show respect to you and Guerilla. Oh, and none of us said anything because we didn¡¯t wanna make anything about it public.¡± He explained. Elio glances down at the trinkets; ¡°Though, it looks like some people learned about the grave-¡± He paused as Gastronaut hugged him, Reggie also moved out of the way of his arm by perching on top of Elio¡¯s head.


    ¡°Dude¡­ you¡¯re too nice, Elio. I don¡¯t even know what to say, just¡­ thank you, so much.¡± Gastronaut said softly. ¡°Believe me, he¡¯s great!¡± Reggie replied while looking down at Gastronaut. ¡°Aye, no problem, man. With what y¡¯all went through, I couldn¡¯t just leave Mig to decay down there where nobody would go.¡± Elio said as he wrapped an arm around his shoulder and pat Gastronaut on the back before breaking the hold. Gastronaut composes himself, taking a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely have to let Guerilla know.¡± ¡°Oh, for sure!¡± Elio replied while smiling.


    Reggie kept his focus on Gastronaut. He held his paw up; ¡°I¡¯m Reggie, by the way. I really just wanna thank you for helping me and Elio out like this.¡± He spoke casually. Gastronaut looked up at him; ¡°O-oh, yeah, it was nothing¡­¡± He replied, turning his attention to the grass. ¡°It¡¯s so strange, I feel so oddly calm, despite how much I hate them¡­¡± He pondered. Elio held his hands up to carry Reggie, he then held him out in front of Gastronaut. ¡°Come on, let him at least show you that he¡¯s thankful.¡± Elio said with a reassuring tone in his voice. Gastronaut flinched; ¡°Elio¡­¡± He said slightly irritably. ¡°Trust me on this, he¡¯s not like the ones you knew on Saturn. He¡¯s really gentle, plus, he¡¯s super fond of Martians. Give him a chance, his previous owner was one, he hasn¡¯t seen another since.¡± Elio explained.


    Gastronaut thinks about his words, eventually conceding, letting out a small groan. ¡°Alright, fine¡­¡± He said as he took his helmet off to show his face. He dropped it to the ground before reluctantly holding out his arms; ¡°Alright, give me the cat.¡± ¡°He¡¯s all yours!¡± Elio replied with a smile. He put Reggie in Gastronaut¡¯s arms. Reggie felt the texture of his skin, the smooth and cold gelatin-like elasticity fills him with a sense of nostalgia. As Gastronaut slowly held him closer, Reggie nestled into his arms, purring deeply, his eyes half-closed with a sense of comfort and recognition. He kneaded softly, pressing his paws into his chest, brushing his head against him with overwhelming affection. ¡°Elio, he feels just like Maxi¡­¡± Reggie muttered, his voice a mix of both quiet sadness and joy.


    Elio¡¯s grin became a soft smile upon hearing his comment. ¡°I know¡­¡± He replied, returning the same tone. He looks up at the sky slightly; ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Maxi, I¡¯ll make sure nothing like this ever happens to him again.¡± He thought to himself. Gastronaut gazes at Reggie, he can feel his mood softening as Reggie keeps cuddling him. Where he once saw flaws, he now noticed character. His shoulders relaxed as he took a deep breath, feeling a quiet, unexpected gratitude for the animal that had once stirred only resentment. Finally, he accepts Reggie by gently petting him. ¡°Reggie¡¯s so¡­ soothing¡­¡± Gastronaut commented to himself.


    Gastronaut continues to pet him until Reggie¡¯s stomach growls and he decides he¡¯s done cuddling. ¡°Elio, I¡¯m hungry.¡± He said as he leaned his neck back to look at him. ¡°Oh, right!¡± Elio chuckled lightly, holding his arms out. Gastronaut hands him back Reggie, as Reggie perches on Elio¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I almost forgot, I promised I¡¯d make you that stuffed salmon you love so much.¡± ¡°Surprised you still remember!¡± Reggie retorted playfully. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s because YOU pestered me for almost twenty minutes after I got you out of the vet! I was about ready to send you back there!¡± Elio replied, feigning annoyance. He then shrugs; ¡°Well, it¡¯s whatever. I¡¯m actually getting pretty hungry too. Cya, Gastronaut!¡± Elio said before turning to walk away. Gastronaut said as his arm stretched down; ¡°Wait, before you go, I need to ask you something.¡±


    Elio turned around in his step; ¡°Yo, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Where do you and Ray normally hangout at? Guerilla and I have been meaning to discuss something important with you two.¡± He asked as his arm snapped back while he put his helmet on. ¡°Where do we hangout? Cocina del Rey, uh¡­ the street is East Desert Inn Road. What time you wanna meet up?¡± ¡°Tomorrow at 4:30 PM.¡± Gastronaut instantly answered. ¡°Cool! Then we¡¯ll see you then!¡± Elio turned to start walking again. He looks back while waving; ¡°Cya!¡± ¡°Bye, Gastronaut!¡± Reggie said. Gastronaut held his hand up; ¡°Take care.¡± He replied. As they leave, Gastronaut looks back at the grave, staring down at the trinkets. He crouches over and picks up a small teddy bear; ¡°I know you wouldn¡¯t like them treating you as a hero by gifting you all of these in death, but¡­ it¡¯s nice to know that they saw you as what could¡¯ve been.¡± He set the teddy bear back in place before standing up. Gastronaut said silently; ¡°Rest in peace, Mig.¡±


    July 15th, 2018. 5:15 PM.


    Inside of Cocina del Rey, Reggie is hunched over, devouring a copious amount of stuffed salmon with relentless focus. His fur bristled, and his claws dug into the floor as if he was anchoring himself for the feast. Every bite was loud and quick, his little teeth slightly scraping themselves from each bite as he hardly paused to swallow before diving back for more. His tail flicked in rhythm, showing a mixture of satisfaction and unquenchable hunger, white bits of food scattered around the floor, unnoticed by his frenzy.


    Elio watches while crossing his arms, letting out a small chuckle; ¡°You¡¯re really packing away, Reggie! It¡¯s rare to see you eat this wildly!¡± He commented. Reggie turned around, his face covered with cream cheese; ¡°I haven¡¯t had your cooking in over a month, that¡¯s why!¡± ¡°Eugh, Reggie, you¡¯re fucking nasty.¡± Elio laughed as he commented on Reggie¡¯s messy face. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry! You¡¯re an animal!¡± ¡°Well, last I checked, you¡¯re also an animal, but you don¡¯t see me commenting on your eating habits.¡± ¡°Yeah, cause one, you don¡¯t care, two, even if you did, you couldn¡¯t because I don¡¯t make messes when I eat, and unlike you, I chew with my mouth closed.¡± Elio retorted. Reggie¡¯s ears fold back in defeat, he lowers his head and continues to eat until he¡¯s finished everything.


    Elio walks toward Reggie, scooping him up. ¡°Alright, hold still.¡± He ordered as he put a towel up to Reggie¡¯s face and began to wipe the cream cheese from it. The entrance opens as Ray and Julia start walking inside, chatting away; ¡°So, when are you thinking you¡¯ll be able to move back with mom and dad?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not too sure yet, though I¡¯m sure a month or two at the earliest.¡± Julia replied. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear, at least you won¡¯t have to be with your shitty roommates much longer- Oh, what the hell?¡± Ray pauses as he glances down to see the sheer mess on the floor. ¡°Oh God, why¡¯s the smell so strong?¡± Julia asks as she waves the air away from her face. ¡°Sorry ¡®bout that, Reggie was eating. I¡¯ll clean it up.¡± Elio answers as he finishes wiping Reggie¡¯s face. ¡°Wait, what?! ¡®Reggie was eating,¡¯ you mean that you didn¡¯t eat anything?! Reggie ate all of this?!¡± Julia shouted in surprise. ¡°Well, I just had a little bit, three servings of stuffed salmon.¡± ¡°No wonder it smelled here, then. How much did Reggie eat anyway?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I think he ate well over thirty pounds of it.¡± Elio replied, setting Reggie down on the floor.


    ¡°That¡¯s fascinating.¡± Ray commented, his hand put up to his chin. ¡°I know, right? Martian tabbies are crazy.¡± Elio responded before looking at Ray. He notices his face looking different, his full beard having been trimmed down to a Van Dyke beard. ¡°Yo, you look so much cooler now! I didn¡¯t have the heart to say it, but the full beard was bad!¡± Elio commented. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Julia said the same thing. I¡¯m glad she did, cause I used to keep my face in check, but after I got lazy, I just stopped shaving.¡± ¡°Trust me, you look ten times more approachable now.¡± Julia replied. ¡°Took the words right out of my mouth! All those grannies are gonna be gushing in their diapers when they see you, Ray.¡± Elio added. Julia grimaced instantly; ¡°I said none of that, Elio. That is all you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me regret trying to take care of my appearance.¡± Ray retorted, stifling a laugh.


    Reggie walks over to Julia, sitting down and holding his paw up; ¡°You¡¯re Julia, I take it? It¡¯s nice to meet you, I¡¯m Reggie.¡± He spoke calmly. Julia looks down, her face immediately lighting up, she crouches to his level; ¡°I remember you, you¡¯re looking a whole lot better than when I first saw you. How¡¯s your back feeling?¡± ¡°Much better, thank you.¡± Reggie replied as he held his arms up. Julia picks him up to start petting him; ¡°Whew, you¡¯re heavy! Oh, but you¡¯re so cute, so I don¡¯t care!¡± She said affectionately as she held him close. Reggie purred loudly, Elio then spoke up; ¡°Oh, by the way, Ray, are you free tomorrow?¡± ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Gastronaut and Guerilla wanna talk to us about some important shit. Here, specifically, so we don¡¯t have to be anywhere at a certain time.¡± ¡°Oh, alright. So, what are they gonna talk about-¡± Ray paused, closing his eye and facing down slightly. He took a deep breath; ¡°Don¡¯t comment, I already know what I said was stupid.¡± ¡°Why? What¡¯d you say?¡± Reggie leans his head toward him while asking. ¡°Hey, Elio, Reggie doesn¡¯t pay much attention, does he?¡± ¡°Nah, he doesn¡¯t care that much, but sometimes he¡¯ll respond if he hears a change in tone. Right now, he¡¯s just enjoying Julia¡¯s attention.¡± ¡°What he said¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯d I say, Reggie?¡± Elio eyes him while placing his hands on his hips and leaning forward. Reggie remains silent, brushing up further against Julia, she lets out a small laugh from the reaction; ¡°I¡¯m guessing you like to give him a hard time, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Heh, yeah.¡± Elio replies.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Ray leaves the room for a bit before coming back with a broom and dust pan. ¡°Elio, don¡¯t forget to clean up this floor. I¡¯m tired of looking at how gross and messy it is.¡± ¡°Right, my bad.¡± Elio replied, taking the broom. He gets started on sweeping up the mess left by Reggie. ¡°Huh, now I¡¯m kinda curious on what they¡¯re gonna talk about.¡± ¡°Same here, Julia, could be anything. Huh, speaking of which, hey Elio.¡± ¡°Yo.¡± ¡°You think they¡¯ll also bring up the stuff about Nasuka? Cause I¡¯m sure you noticed this too, but not one person¡¯s gone after us this past month.¡± Ray explained. Elio pauses his sweeping; ¡°Huh, you know, now that you say that, I have noticed it. Oh well, we just gotta wait till tomorrow for that.¡± He shrugged before going back to cleaning.


    July 16th, 2018. 4:30 PM.


    Elio, Ray, Gastronaut, and Guerilla all sit at the bar, waiting for their drinks. Reggie perches on Elio¡¯s shoulder. ¡°So¡­ who¡¯s gonna start?¡± Elio asked as he stroked Reggie¡¯s chin. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll start.¡± Guerilla answers. He clears his throat; ¡°Gastronaut and I are leaving the Emerald Faction and flying solo.¡± ¡°Wait, really? Why¡¯s that?¡± Ray asked as he raised an eyebrow. ¡°What he said is true. We¡¯re doing this because for the past month, we¡¯ve been reflecting on everything that¡¯s happened. Mig¡¯s death was a wake up call for us to have to get stronger. We don¡¯t wanna let our emotions get in the way of what¡¯s right ever again. That¡¯s why we¡¯re going our own separate paths.¡± Gastronaut elaborated. Just as he finishes, Julia comes back with everyone¡¯s drinks, but Ray¡¯s. ¡°Here y¡¯all go.¡± She says, setting down the drinks. ¡°Ray, you wanted the Campari too, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Got it, I¡¯ll be right back with that.¡± Julia nodded before getting started on mixing.


    Elio starts chugging down his Campari, finishing the whole cup quickly, not even seeming phased by the alcohol. ¡°I¡¯ll take another one after you finish making his, please.¡± Elio calls out. Julia whips her head back, looking at him, an expression of surprise is on her face; ¡°How did he even drink it that fast?!¡± She thought rapidly. Ray takes notice of Elio¡¯s face, his upper lip left bright red from the drink. He takes a quick look at his own skin color before speaking up; ¡°Hey, Julia, could I get a straw with mine, please?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Julia snaps out of her own shock. ¡°Oh, yeah, of course.¡± She answered before going back to mixing.


    Gastronaut taps Elio¡¯s shoulder; ¡°Hey, let¡¯s get back on topic, aight?¡± ¡°Right. So, you¡¯re both leaving each other behind to get stronger.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± Guerilla answered. ¡°Well, where are each of you going then?¡± Ray asked. ¡°I¡¯m heading down south. If I can make it to Brazil, I¡¯ll be inside Ruby territory. There, I can seek refuge while I train myself to hone my senses while blind.¡± Guerilla said before taking a sip of his rum. ¡°And I¡¯ll be going up north, make my way up to Jupiter, and train with the Jovians.¡± Gastronaut replied. ¡°Wait, but what I¡¯m curious about then is what¡¯s the end goal after you two get stronger? Are you both gonna fight side-by-side again?¡± Reggie asked as he tilted his head. ¡°Nah.¡± Gastronaut replied before starting to chug down his whiskey.


    Julia comes back, setting down Ray¡¯s drink, putting a straw in it. ¡°So, what is the end goal then?¡± She asked curiously. ¡°Gastronaut and I are planning on becoming strong so we can form our own independent squads of heroes.¡± Guerilla answered. ¡°Wait, for real?¡± Elio asked in surprise. Ray took a sip of his drink; ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could do that.¡± ¡°Yeah, most heroes don¡¯t wanna be responsible for leading a whole team, so that¡¯s typically why new heroes will join one of the four factions, depending on where they are on Kosmesen.¡± Guerilla added. ¡°I¡¯m guessing they¡¯re like mercenary squads, right?¡± Ray asked. ¡°Yep!¡± Gastronaut replied.


    Elio leans on the counter; ¡°Y¡¯know, originally, this journey was just gonna be me and Reggie, BUT¡­¡± He glances at Ray; ¡°Since you¡¯re traveling with me, it might not be a bad idea if I form my own hero squad as well.¡± Elio declared. ¡°Heh, that¡¯s fine by me!¡± Ray responded, grinning. Elio grinned back; ¡°That settles it then!¡± His face then goes back to a more serious expression. He looks at Guerilla; ¡°Wait, how exactly do you form a squad?¡± ¡°Well, to put it simply, aside from needing a team, you¡¯d need your own traveling base.¡± ¡°Traveling base?¡± ¡°Huh, you know, that kind of reminds me of the Levacean.¡± Reggie comments. ¡°Wait, is that what you mean by it, Guerilla?! How the hell am I expected to afford that?!¡± ¡°Well- Elio, are you planning on making a team so large that you¡¯d need a ship of that size?!¡± Guerilla retorted. ¡°Most squads are small, so their bases are significantly smaller in comparison. It¡¯s essential for a squad to have one so they can reach mission locations efficiently. Plus, it serves as a base of operations, rest, and equipment storage, which only further emphasizes the importance.¡± Guerilla explained.


    Elio sighs; ¡°I see, so really, the challenge is knowing where to even start.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Gastronaut replied. ¡°Let¡¯s just not worry about that right now.¡± Ray suggested. ¡°He¡¯s right, just do what can be done now until you¡¯re able to get the impossible done in the future.¡± Julia added while setting down another Campari for Elio. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. I guess for now, I¡¯ll just work on a squad name, that¡¯s the most I can do with it. Speaking of which, what are you two planning on naming your squads?¡± ¡°Hah! I had mine figured out right away!¡± Gastronaut replied with enthusiasm. He tossed his glass in the air, suspending it in zero gravity; ¡°I¡¯m a master of both gravity and zero gravity, and with my codename being Gastronaut, there¡¯s only one name that could fit a squad for me to lead! Star Gang!¡± He announced proudly. He clapped his hands, returning gravity to his glass and catching it.


    Guerilla casually takes a sip of his drink; ¡°Eyeless Watchmen, that will be my squad¡¯s name. No explanation necessary.¡± He explained. ¡°That, I like. That one¡¯s cool.¡± Julia commented. ¡°And not Star Gang?¡± Gastronaut asked while shrugging his hands. ¡°You¡¯re forty, you can¡¯t be acting like that.¡± Julia retorted playfully. ¡°I can¡¯t lie, I like Star Gang.¡± Elio said while taking a drink. ¡°Glad you have good taste, just for that, whatever name you come up with, I¡¯ll say it¡¯s cool.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s only good if yours is?¡± Ray retorted. ¡°I¡¯m kidding, I¡¯m kidding. Anyway, yeah, that¡¯s what we¡¯re planning on doing. Oh, and since you¡¯re planning on making your own squad, Elio, might as well join our alliance that Guerilla and I formed.¡± Gastronaut replied. Elio raised a brow; ¡°An alliance? That works with me!¡± ¡°Great! Well, if that¡¯s all¡­¡± Guerilla finishes his drink, setting it on the counter and standing up; ¡°I¡¯ll be taking my leave now.¡± He announced, setting down money for his drink. ¡°Take care, you guys.¡± He said before navigating his way out of the restaurant.


    Julia takes the money, putting it in the register; ¡°Surprised he can walk without a stick.¡± ¡°He did for the first week and a half after getting out of the hospital, but he¡¯s learned to see with his other senses.¡± Gastronaut replied. ¡°Ahh, I see. By the way, are you wanting another glass?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, thank you.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Julia responded, taking his glass and getting another drink for him. Gastronaut looked at Elio; ¡°Hey, Elio, mind if I ask you something personal?¡± ¡°Huh? Yeah, shoot.¡± Elio answered, now curious. ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s about yesterday. I overheard you and Reggie talking as you were walking toward Mig¡¯s grave. Sorry if I sound rude, but¡­ who¡¯s Alice?¡± He asked apologetically.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Elio instantly freezes up, his shoulders tense as he lets out a small deep breath. ¡°She was my girlfriend¡­ I¡¯m guessing you can tell from what Reggie said, she died¡­¡± Elio answered softly. He looks down while leaning forward. ¡°That¡¯s terrible¡­¡± Ray thought to himself as he noticed Reggie reflecting Elio¡¯s energy as his ears folded down in sadness. ¡°Sorry¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have asked. I¡¯m not gonna pry, I didn¡¯t mean to make you feel down like that.¡± Gastronaut apologized, giving Elio a light pat on the back. Elio looks up at him, nodding slightly; ¡°Thanks, I appreciate it. Also, it¡¯s cool, you didn¡¯t know.¡± He responded. Elio then popped his neck, his tone becoming casual again; ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s whatever now. I¡¯m not gonna drag down the mood.¡± He said before taking his glass and chugging the rest of it. Julia takes notice of him downing the drink after his sudden mood swing. ¡°Poor Elio, I can¡¯t even imagine how that must feel¡­¡± She thought to herself. She fills a glass with water and puts a slice of lime on it; ¡°Here, Elio, just be sure to drink in moderation.¡± Julia said in a soft, understanding tone. ¡°Oh, my bad¡­¡± Elio grabs the glass, taking a sip. He lets out a small exhale before smiling; ¡°Thank you.¡± He said in a soft, grateful tone. ¡°Of course!¡± Julia returned the smile before going back to work.


    July 7th, 2018. 7:15 AM.


    Back in Gull¡¯s Bay, Silus sat in his chair, hunched at his desk. His gnarled hands gripped a pen, scrawling across sheets of paper as he signed each of them. The phone on his desk buzzes, he reaches over while still signing documents. The machine busses; ¡°Mr. Drayson, I have Elio King on the line-¡± ¡°Oh, Elio?!¡± Silus¡¯ eyebrows rise as his face lights up; ¡°Send it over!¡± He ordered excitedly. ¡°Yes, right away.¡± His secretary replied. She presses a button on her phone console; ¡°You¡¯re connected.¡± She informed Elio. ¡°Heeeeeeeey, how¡¯s it hanging, Silus?!¡± Elio asked, smiling on the other line. ¡°How have I been? HOW HAVE I BEEN?! Well, I¡¯m actually doing quite well, a bit more work than usual this past month, but it¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± Silus replied as he continued to write. Elio lets out a light laugh; ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m guessing you like having a ton of work.¡± ¡°Oh, you have no idea. Hell, I actually had significantly more work to cover for most of June.¡± ¡°Really? Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Remember when the paparazzi wouldn¡¯t leave you alone and I threw all those eggs?¡± Silus asked with a goofy tone in his voice.


    Elio started laughing; ¡°No fucking way! ¡®Most of June,¡¯ are you saying that ALL of them tried to sue you?!¡± ¡°Yes! Well, no, it was most of them! But still, I had to deal with seventeen lawsuits in one month!¡± ¡°Well, how did those go?¡± ¡°Those mugs thought because I have money to burn, I was just gonna pay the fine, but I didn¡¯t.¡± Silus answered. Elio stared blankly while holding the phone. ¡°Well¡­ are you gonna tell me what you did then, or did you legit just not pay at all?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you decide.¡± Silus replied. Elio raised an eyebrow; ¡°Geh- what do you mean by that?! Why are you treating it like a ¡®choose-your-own-ending¡¯ story? You know what? It¡¯s whatever, keep your secrets, you relic.¡± He retorted. Silus began to wheeze quietly, getting Elio to laugh; ¡°Don¡¯t laugh at me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you¡¯re just too fun to mess with.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re the only one who¡¯s ever said that!¡± Elio laughed.


    Silus laughs until it dies down; ¡°Alright, onto important matters. Elio, why are you calling me?¡± He asked, his tone becoming serious. Elio¡¯s smile turns into a neutral expression; ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you know about the whole situation from June 7th, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, where you rescued Ray Steel. I wanted to ask you about that. Why did you rescue him?¡± Silus asked quietly. ¡°To be honest, it¡¯s a long story, but to break it down, he¡¯s not a bad person, in fact, he actually has a big heart, trust me, he¡¯s a good guy. And I just didn¡¯t want him to die. Plus, he asked me if he could come with me and Reggie, I told him he could. I was wondering, is it possible for me to recruit him as a hero? Given his strength and reputation, it¡¯d be great to have someone like him working for the Hero Core, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± Elio explained while smiling. Silus lets out a short exhale; ¡°Elio, you¡¯re playing a dangerous game here. I already got into a decent amount of trouble from what you did out of association through recruiting you. But¡­ given the fact you¡¯re known for taking down Gendross, you have my trust. If you wish to recruit him, head to Launch Port City. It¡¯s a getaway town for superheroes down in Cape Canaveral, Florida. I¡¯d ask you to just come back here, but Launch Port is the only place in America where heroes can register other people as such.¡± Silus informed.


    Elio smiled; ¡°Cool! I guess I know where my next stop is! Thanks, Silus! Oh, by the way, since you mentioned him, I¡¯m kind of curious. How is Gendross holding up?¡± ¡°No problem, oh, and don¡¯t worry, a couple of weeks ago, he was transferred to a maximum security prison up in Calisto. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Just curious was all.¡± Elio answered. ¡°I see. Well, I better get back to work, if you need to talk, just call my number.¡± ¡°Oh, about that¡­ you see, my old phone got smashed into oblivion when I was fighting Gastronaut. I got a new one a couple of weeks ago, if you could, just text my number, I got my old number on it.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Silus replied. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get out of your hair now, thanks for the help, Silus!¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m always happy to help! Also, Elio, one more thing.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t just call me if you need anything. I¡¯m always happy to just talk about whatever.¡± He said in a soft tone. Elio¡¯s eyebrows furrowed; ¡°You alright, man?¡± ¡°Huh- oh, sorry about that, Elio. I didn¡¯t mean to worry you, it just gets quiet, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Well¡­ alright then. I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Take care, Silus.¡± ¡°You too, Elio.¡± Silus replied before hanging up. He stops writing for a second to lean back in his chair. He takes a deep breath before smiling; ¡°He¡¯s a good kid.¡± He said to himself before stretching. ¡°Alright, back to work.¡± He leaned forward, picking his pen back up. Elio puts his phone in his pocket, letting out a small sigh. He pops his shoulder before looking over at Ray and Julia; ¡°Alright, so, what¡¯s happening? We¡¯re meeting up with the other two?¡± ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s get going.¡± Ray replied before walking out the door. Julia walks out after him, Elio stands up; ¡°Alright, Reggie! We¡¯re heading out!¡± He called as he put on his backpack. ¡°Right!¡± Reggie got up, perching on his shoulder.


    July 17th, 2018. 8:40 AM.


    The four reach the outskirts of Violet Paradise, revealing the vibrant desert landscape marked by rugged red and gold rock formations, dotted with hardy shrubs and cacti. The sun casts dramatic shadows across the arid terrain, while a clear, azure sky contrasts sharply with the warm earth tones. Occasional bursts of desert wildflowers add splashes of color to the rocky expanse, and distant mountains loom as a jagged silhouette against the horizon. Guerilla is crouched atop a rugged rock, his posture balanced and tense, his hands resting lightly on his knees. Gastronaut stands casually nearby, leaning against a sign post with his arms crossed, exuding a relaxed, confident demeanor, his eyes scanning north.


    ¡°Yo, we¡¯re here!¡± Elio called out, holding his hand up. ¡°Glad you remembered the spot.¡± Guerilla replied, standing up and walking over. ¡°Of course, I remembered! Anyway, I guess this is where we¡¯re all going our separate paths. Once we leave, our alliance will be set.¡± ¡°I know, it¡¯s weird. But, hey, this ain¡¯t the last time we¡¯ll be seeing each other.¡± Gastronaut replied. Elio, Gastronaut and Guerilla all gather around in a small circle. ¡°From here on out, we¡¯re all traveling in our own directions. No matter what happens, our alliance will stand. You two have my word as the head of the Eyeless Watchmen.¡± Guerilla declared, holding out his fist. ¡°The cosmos and the Star Gang leader, yours truly, have your backs.¡± Gastronaut adds, putting his fist out as well. ¡°And if any of you are in trouble, the pride and rest of the Sunraionzu pack will rush to your aid.¡± Elio finished, completing the circle as he put his fist out as well.


    All three nod, feeling a rush of adrenaline surging through them. ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s that. Goodbye, Arion, Elio, Ray.¡± Guerilla waves before facing south. ¡°Bye, Idris.¡± ¡°Take care.¡± ¡°Be safe, and good luck.¡± Ray responded. Guerilla nodded before diving forward, permeating through the floor and dolphin kicking as he began his travel south. ¡°Mig, whatever comes, I¡¯ll do whatever I can to become stronger without letting my emotions tie me down. I¡¯ll do what¡¯s right so I¡¯ll never let another person have to suffer like you did. You have my word.¡± Guerilla declared as he continued to swim.


    Gastronaut takes a deep breath before putting his hand up; ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be seeing you around, Elio.¡± Elio grins and puts out his hand, shaking Gastronaut¡¯s hand. ¡°Of course! You stay safe out there, alright, dawg?¡± ¡°Same to you! And Reggie, you stay out of trouble, you got it?¡± ¡°Will do!¡± He nodded. ¡°That¡¯s what I like to hear!¡± Gastronaut reaches up, petting his head before retracting his hand. ¡°Ray, I¡¯m sorry about all the trouble the three of us caused you and your family back then.¡± ¡°It¡¯s cool, I understand your reasons. I¡¯m still alive now, and I¡¯m free. You just take care, alright?¡± Ray assured him. Gastronaut nodded before giving him a friendly tap on the shoulder; ¡°Got it. Well, it¡¯s ¡®bout time for me to be flying north then.¡± Gastronaut levitated a rock with his power, sending it flying towards him. He jumps, landing on top of it, as he flies up, he looks down before waving; ¡°Bye guys!¡± ¡°Bye, Gastronaut! And thank you again for helping Reggie!¡± Elio shouts back. Gastronaut gives a peace sign before flying north. ¡°Wherever you three are headed, be safe. I don¡¯t know how fast word will get out, but I hope it can serve as enough time to keep Nata away from you. I wonder what the headlines will be? Perhaps ¡®Silent Slumber: Nasuka Found Dead in Her Bedroom Under Traitorous Circumstances.¡¯ Whatever it is, those cameras will show one thing, it was neither Elio or Ray who got rid of her.¡± Gastronaut pondered as he surfed through the air.


    Ray looks at Julia; ¡°Well, I guess this is it¡­¡± He walks toward her, spreading his arms out. Julia quickly hugs him in a tight embrace; ¡°I¡¯m so happy for you, I just know you¡¯re gonna do great things as a hero.¡± She said softly. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, and if I¡¯m to ever step out of line, I know Elio can help me out.¡± Ray replied, hugging her back. Elio smiles before having a curious look on his face, as Reggie jumps off of his shoulder and walks over to Julia, purring as he rubs his head on her leg. As the two break the hold, Julia smiles at Reggie, crouching down; ¡°You be a good cat, alright Reggie?¡± ¡°Got it!¡± He replied. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± She stood up. ¡°And you¡­¡± Julia said before walking up to Elio and throwing her arms around his shoulders; ¡°Thank you for doing this for Ray, it means so much to me¡­¡± She said in a soft, grateful tone. Elio smiled softly; ¡°Yeah¡­¡± He then gently wrapped his arms around her; ¡°No problem¡­¡± The two hold the embrace for a bit before Julia lets go, still smiling. ¡°What? Why¡¯re you looking at me like that?¡± Elio asked with a light laugh. Julia suddenly reached up at his face; ¡°Woah-¡± Elio paused in surprise as she planted a kiss on his cheek.


    Ray grins as he watches Elio freeze up. Julia pulls away as Elio stands still, his eyes widening as a faint blush creeps across his cheeks. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t really know how else to show my gratitude.¡± She explained as she let out a light laugh while brushing her hair back. Elio laughs softly; ¡°Aye, it¡¯s cool. I was just surprised, that¡¯s all.¡± He replied, slightly embarrassed. Reggie perches onto Elio¡¯s shoulder, he stands up straight; ¡°Well, we should prolly be on our way then.¡± Elio said while tightening his backpack strap. ¡°Bye, Julia!¡± He waved, smiling before turning around and starting to walk. ¡°I better keep up with them before I¡¯m left behind.¡± Ray spoke, putting his hand on Julia¡¯s shoulder. Julia nodded; ¡°Yeah. Ray, be safe out there. Oh, and when you reach Florida, pay mom and dad a visit, alright?¡± ¡°Of course! I¡¯ll also let them know you said hi!¡± ¡°Perfect!¡± Julia smiled. ¡°Now, get going!¡± ¡°Got it! Bye, Julia!¡± Ray smiled, he started to run to catch up with Elio and Reggie, but not before turning around to wave goodbye. ¡°Bye, Ray!¡± Julia called, waving back. As Ray catches up, Julia watches before turning around to walk back to the inside of Violet Paradise; ¡°Things are looking up.¡± She said to herself.


    July 17th, 10:00 PM.


    Elio, Reggie and Ray sit by a crackling campfire under the vast, star-speckled desert sky. The firelight dances over their relaxed faces, casting warm orange hues against the cool blue tones of the surrounding sand and rock formations. Elio lays back, propping his feet up on a smooth rock as he drinks from a steaming mug. ¡°I love camping, y¡¯know?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, might be a surprise, but I¡¯ve actually never gone camping before.¡± Ray replied, lazily poking the fire with a stick. ¡°Damn, for real?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Shit, that sucks, but hey, you¡¯re camping now, you¡¯ll see just how chill it is after a few days.¡± Elio said as he stretched. The faint aroma of woodsmoke mingles with the crisp desert air, and the distant howl of a coyote echoes through the stillness.


    Elio finishes his drink and lets out a yawn; ¡°Alright, Ray, I¡¯m going to sleep. If you want, you can keep the fire going.¡± ¡°Got it. Goodnight, Elio.¡± ¡°Goodnight, Ray.¡± He replied. Elio then patted his chest twice; ¡°Come on, Reggie.¡± Reggie quickly ran towards him, climbing up on his chest and laying down, snuggling up close to him and purring loudly. Elio closes his eyes and wraps his arm around Reggie, keeping him close.


    As the two sleep, Ray glances at them before looking back at the fire. ¡°It¡¯s still so weird¡­¡± He thought as his mind began to reflect on his life. Knowing the fights he¡¯s had with Mig, Gastronaut and Guerilla, then the fight with Elio. ¡°I had such an awful history with them, yet¡­¡± He glanced back at Elio. ¡°It¡¯s nice to know that there¡¯s good heroes out there.¡± Ray pondered. He smiled faintly as he looked back at the fire, embracing its warmth.

 Chapter 26 - Lost In The Woods

    July 28th, 2018. 5:45 PM.


    Elio, Reggie and Ray hike through Lewis State Forest, a dense tapestry of towering oaks, maples, and hickories, their branches intertwining to form a lush green canopy. Sunlight filters through the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the soft, leaf-littered ground. Ferns and moss carpet the forest floor, while winding trails snake through rolling hills and rocky outcrops.


    Ray takes it all in as he breathes in the scent of the forestry around him; ¡°Hey, Elio. As beautiful as it is out here, you never answered why we¡¯re going this way to restock on supplies when Lawrenceburg was like a few hours closer. What¡¯s got you in such a rush?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Huh? Oh, I thought I told you. My bad, dawg, I didn¡¯t realize. To keep things brief, one of my old friends lives in Nashville, which is just a while up north, so I decided we might as well head there and stay for a while.¡± Elio answered as he watched Reggie walk ahead of him.


    ¡°Ahh, alright. Who¡¯s this friend we¡¯re visiting?¡± Ray asked curiously.


    Elio lets out a smug grin; ¡°Oh, nothing too crazy. His name¡¯s Atticus O¡¯Neil-¡± ¡°Hmm? Atticus O¡¯Neil? Isn¡¯t that the lead singer of that Aussie band, Thrashold?¡± Ray interrupted in soft surprise.


    ¡°Yup!¡± Elio snapped his finger; ¡°Believe it or not, Atticus and I were childhood friends, but in the third grade, his family moved back to Australia.¡± He explained. Ray grabs onto a tree branch as he draws his sword and begins to carve it as the other two yap.


    ¡°Oh, right, I forgot, didn¡¯t he have a concert in Gull¡¯s Bay like last year?¡± Reggie asked as he walked back. Elio scooped up Reggie as they continued walking; ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m surprised you remember that night.¡± ¡°Yeah, while you went there to go visit him backstage, I stayed back at the lodge and ate the food you prepared the night before.¡± Reggie replied. ¡°Hey, Ray, you¡¯ve been silent, what¡¯s up?¡± Elio asked.


    ¡°My bad, I got hungry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m actually kind of hungry too, and unfortunately, we¡¯re completely out of food to cook.¡± Elio replied. He glanced over at the branch Ray¡¯s carving; ¡°You¡¯re wanting fish tonight, huh?¡±


    Ray nodded. ¡°Alright, then how ¡®bout we set up camp for the night?¡± Elio asked as he took off his backpack. ¡°I¡¯m good with that. I can set up camp while you take care of the fishing, if that¡¯s alright.¡± Ray answered as he held out the branch, now carved into a rod with a string attached to it.


    Elio grabs the rod before walking off; ¡°I¡¯ll be back. Come on, Reggie!¡± Elio called as he grabbed a cooler with his free hand, dragging it behind him. ¡°Right! Bye Ray!¡± He replied as he tailed behind Elio. ¡°Take care.¡± Ray said as he got to work on setting up camp.


    ¡°Hey, Elio.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up, buddy?¡± Elio asked as he glanced down. ¡°Why did Atticus move back to Australia anyway? California¡¯s already so far away, on the complete other side of the Earth Continent. I¡¯m just curious.¡± Reggie asked back.


    ¡°Oh, that? Pretty much, before he moved to California, his house burnt down cause of an Australian firehawk. It¡¯s a species that proactively starts wildfires in order to catch prey, and his house was in a pretty rural area, so it ended up catching fire. He has family in Cali though, so they moved there until they could get back on their feet again. Then they were able to buy a new house back there, so they left.¡± Elio explained.


    ¡°Seriously? There¡¯s a bird that does that?¡± ¡°Heh, yeah. Ain¡¯t nature just neat? With the kind of wildlife there, I¡¯ve always imagined what the monsters there are like.¡± Elio grinned at the thought.


    ¡°I can imagine how good the animals there taste.¡± ¡°Nah, we¡¯ll just stick to produce if we go there. Platypi, blue-ringed octopus, box jellyfish, stonefish, cane toads, nah, too many poisonous animals.¡± Elio replied, quickly shutting down the thought.


    ¡°I concede then.¡± Reggie commented before going quiet, enjoying the scenery as the two hiked toward a river.


    * * *


    July 28th, 2018. 7:50 PM.


    Elio quietly sits on a weathered log at the river¡¯s edge, the string on the rod disappearing into the golden-hued water. The setting sun casts a warm glow through the dense trees, their leaves rustling softly in the evening breeze. The river flows lazily past, reflecting streaks of orange and pink across its rippling surface.


    Reggie yawns; ¡°Hey, Elio? Can we go? We¡¯ve been here for a long time now.¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll go after I catch this next fish, this one¡¯s so close, I can feel it.¡± Elio replied as his eyes remained laser-focused on the water. Reggie nods before curling up.


    As Elio focuses on his fishing and Reggie focuses on his nap, a black bear, hidden behind the bushes, crouches low, its muscles coiled like a loaded spring. Its dark eyes lock onto its unsuspecting prey, nostrils flaring as it inhales their scents. Clawed paws grip the soil, tense and ready. With a final, silent shift of weight, the bear gathers its power, lunging forward like the unstoppable force of fur and fury that it is.


    Its body stops moving as Elio swiftly turns around, landing a devastating elbow bash to the bear¡¯s head. The bear falls unconscious, hitting the dirt with a loud scuffing noise.


    ¡°Dammit, I scared the fish away.¡± Elio groaned. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go, Reggie-¡± ¡°Wait, you can keep fishing.¡± Reggie cut him off as he stood up from where he laid. Transforming into the Nightmare, he continued; ¡°I¡¯ll just have this as my dinner.¡± He declared.


    ¡°Wait-¡± Elio paused in concern as he thought to himself; ¡°Oh, wait, never mind. I forgot you¡¯ve actually had bear meat before. Alright, you enjoy that, I¡¯m just gonna keep fishing til you¡¯re done.¡± He said, sitting back on the log.


    ¡°This tastes so good!¡± Reggie commented, his voice muffled by his own ravenous chewing. Elio grimaced; ¡°Don¡¯t talk while you eat, that¡¯s disgusting.¡± ¡°Got it-¡± ¡°What did I just say?¡± Elio interrupted. Reggie¡¯s ears fold down slightly as he continues to gorge his meal.


    * * *


    July 28th, 2018. 8:20 PM.


    As Elio relaxes under the moon, a deep, guttural eruption rumbles from the depths of Reggie¡¯s throat, vibrating like a distant thunderclap. The sound swells into a raw, primal roar, rattling his chest, making Elio stand up in fright before tapering off into a gravelly growl.


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    ¡°Jesus Christ! Reggie, is that what you sound like when you burp in that form?!¡± Elio shouted in shock. ¡°Pardon me, I finished the last of that bear too quickly and swallowed excess air.¡± Reggie replied. ¡°Wait, what?¡± Elio asked, looking at where the bear once was.


    Elio¡¯s eyes widened; ¡°Geez, you ate the bones as well! Though, I guess this means we can head back now. Ray¡¯s prolly gonna start hunting his own food at this rate.¡± He suggested as he grabbed the cooler.


    ¡°That works for me.¡± Reggie answered as he walked alongside him.


    * * *


    July 28th, 2018. 8:35 PM.


    The two aimlessly trek through the woods. ¡°Elio, this doesn¡¯t feel the right way. It¡¯s taking us longer to get back to camp than it did when we left.¡± ¡°Nah, I know. I can¡¯t lie, I forgot which way we came from, the place is so different looking at night.¡± Elio responded.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s reassuring.¡± Reggie commented sarcastically before smelling the air, tilting his head in confusion. ¡°I smell Ray, maybe we are close.¡± ¡°The hell are you talking about?¡± Elio asked, returning the confusion. ¡°Hold on.¡± Reggie said as he kept sniffing the air.


    He inches his head towards Elio¡¯s hand, his nose locking onto the fishing rod; ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s not Ray, but I¡¯m definitely smelling steel.¡± Reggie commented as he pressed his nose against the rod further. He pulls away before walking off in the direction they came from before.


    ¡°Hey, wait, Reggie! Where are you going?¡± Elio asked as he tailed him. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, but I think what I¡¯m following is the scent of Ray¡¯s sword.¡± Reggie answered as he continued to scour through the woods. ¡°That¡¯s strange, I wonder when Reggie could do that? Maybe the Nightmare gives him stronger senses?¡± Elio pondered.


    * * *


    July 28th, 2018. 8:40 PM.


    Ray uses a stick, poking a fire from a makeshift pit he made from rocks and sticks. ¡°So bored¡­ it doesn¡¯t help that my phone¡¯s dead. Not that I¡¯d get service out here anyway, but still-¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ray paused as he heard the sound of bushes rustling. Reggie pokes his head out, Ray lets out a massive sigh of relief; ¡°Where were you guys?¡± Ray asked, his irritation leaving quickly.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Elio said as walked around the bush; ¡°...the fish were slow today, then Reggie ate a bear, and then we got lost on the way back.¡± he explained. ¡°Oh, alright. How¡¯d you find your way back?¡± Ray asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s strange, for some reason, my nose was able to track the steel scent from your sword after I picked it up on the rod you carved.¡± Reggie answered, putting his paw on his nose. Ray raises an eyebrow; ¡°What?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m just as confused.¡± Elio replied as he shrugged.


    ¡°Do you have any idea what it could be? Like, any theories?¡± ¡°Theories?¡± Elio asked as he opened the cooler. ¡°I assumed that the Nightmare would enhance his senses, but that wouldn¡¯t make sense because it¡¯s never done that before.¡± He answered.


    ¡°Ooo, nice haul!¡± Ray commented as he looked at the fish that were caught, letting out a grin. ¡°Thanks! But yeah, that¡¯s all I got so far as to why that happened with Reggie.¡± Elio replied. ¡°Uh¡­ well, you did mention Reggie ate a bear, you think he might¡¯ve inherited its sense of smell or something?¡± ¡°Are you suggesting that the Nightmare somehow allowed Reggie to ¡®absorb¡¯ the bear¡¯s sense of smell by devouring it?¡± Elio raised an eyebrow as he put a stick through one of the fish.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it doesn¡¯t feel like a coincidence. How strong is a bear¡¯s sense of smell?¡± Ray asked. ¡°Uh¡­ It¡¯s like seven times stronger than a bloodhound¡¯s, the latter¡¯s being three hundred times stronger than ours. So, twenty-one hundred times stronger than a human¡¯s sense of smell.¡± Elio answered as he put his fish over the fire to start roasting it.


    Ray does the same as he speaks up; ¡°Well, I see how he was able to track my scimitar now. I doubt a cat¡¯s sense of smell is that strong, right?¡± ¡°Well, yeah, a Martian tabby¡¯s sense of smell is only fourteen times ours.¡± Elio answered. ¡°Clearly, there has to be a reason why this new ability kicked in now. Reggie primarily eats meat, so you think he¡¯d have shown some other abilities from different animals by now.¡± Ray replied.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Elio pondered before noticing Reggie slowly leaning forward towards his fish. Elio gently shoves him back; ¡°Reggie, how are you hungry? You just finished eating a little while ago! You even ate the bones-¡± Elio paused. ¡°Wait, bones! Could that be why?¡± He wondered.


    Reggie¡¯s ears perk at Elio¡¯s pause; ¡°Hold on, are you saying that the reason I took that bear¡¯s sense of smell came from me eating the entire thing, including the bones?¡± He asked, losing interest in the fish. ¡°That makes the most sense, logically speaking, but for now, I¡¯ll just take it with a grain of salt.¡± Ray answered. ¡°Until further speculation, I¡¯m not gonna deem it as completely factual.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like it¡¯s for the best.¡± Elio replied as he took a bite of his fish. ¡°We can figure it out some other time, for now, I just wanna eat and go to sleep so we can get to Nashville early tomorrow.¡± He added. ¡°Sooner we get to the city, the better.¡± Ray responded.


    ¡°Aight, that¡¯s settled. Hey, Reggie, if you want, you can grab ONE fish, but leave the rest for us.¡± ¡°Awesome! Thanks, Elio!¡± Reggie chirped, quickly opening the cooler and looking inside. ¡°Only one!¡± Elio repeated.


    ¡°Ahhh, shut up.¡± Reggie yawned. ¡°What was that?¡± Elio retorted playfully.


    Ray lets out a small chuckle. He shakes his head before taking another bite; ¡°I wonder what Atticus is like? People slander him online to high hell, but then again, which artist isn¡¯t? Though, a person like that sounds right up Elio¡¯s alley when it comes to friendship. Hard to believe I was a wanted criminal and now I¡¯m not, just like that.¡± He pondered as he continued eating, looking at the fire.


    * * *


    July 29th, 2018. 10:45 AM.


    The night passes, and after miles of endless pavement and roaring semis, the city of Nashville rises from the horizon like a beacon of relief. The skyline sharpens with each step. Glass and steel glowing in the sun, billboards flashing with color.


    Elio¡¯s grins from ear-to-ear with excitement as the steady drone of highway traffic gives way to the layered symphony of civilization: voices, music, and the rhythmic hiss of the bus brakes.


    Ray takes a deep breath as he stretches; ¡°Thank God, my feet are killing me. Elio, think we could find a hotel first, then visit Atticus later?¡± ¡°Yeah, I was planning on that. Let¡¯s stop by a diner on the way first, I¡¯ll pay.¡± Elio replied.


    Ray nodded; ¡°I¡¯m good with that.¡±


    * * *


    July 29th, 2018. 11:30 AM.


    The metal chairs screeched as Elio shifted uncomfortably, spearing a fry with his fork. Across from him, Ray sipped his milkshake, his eye focused on Reggie, hunched over on the floor as he drank from a gigantic water bowl. The smell of burgers and grease hung thick in the warm air, but the usual comfort of it felt hollow.


    A woman in a crisp suit walked by, wrinkling her nose. ¡°Disgusting wannabes.¡± She muttered as the three continued eating, not paying any mind.


    Two teenagers snickered near the curb. ¡°He¡¯s trying so hard to look tough, acting like we didn¡¯t see him crying before Elio rescued him.¡± ¡°Yeah, ¡®wah, the consequences of my actions-¡¯¡± The teenagers stop as Ray gives them a nasty glare. The two quickly leave.


    Ray lets out a sigh as he goes back to sipping his milkshake. ¡°Man, people do not like you.¡± Reggie commented. ¡°I can see that.¡± Ray replied. ¡°Though I can¡¯t care too much, I¡¯m not gonna let some comments from pre-pubescent high schoolers ruin my mood.¡± He added.


    Elio laughed; ¡°That¡¯s a good way to look at it. And don¡¯t worry, if it makes you feel better, you¡¯re not alone, I read those people¡¯s heat signatures, they hate me too.¡± He assured him. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly surprised, people will hate others out of association-¡± Ray stopped as he felt something drench his back in liquid.


    A man in running gear jogged past, shaking his head; ¡°You¡¯re a bitch.¡± He huffed as he continued running, retracting his hand holding a thermos.


    Ray took a deep breath, ever so slightly tightening his hand on his glass. Reggie jumped onto the table, quickly licking Ray¡¯s hair to get the water out. Elio swallowed the last of his burger, avoiding his gaze.


    He stood up; ¡°Alright, we can leave, Ray.¡± Elio said softly. ¡°Thanks, I appreciate it.¡± Ray nodded, standing up and letting Reggie perch on his shoulder. ¡°Thank you too, Reggie.¡± ¡°Of course, Ray.¡± Reggie responded, nudging his head on his cheek to show some affection.


    The three leave the table in silence before making their way down the road to find a hotel.