[Havok, Piasu, Ryomania, 2:10 PM, May 7th, Tuesday 2025]
Jack continued running back into Havok.
He couldn't stop thinking about what happened, about what he witnessed.
He wanted to find me, to ask for help, to ask for a hug.
Jack Daniels: "It's a dream! Surely, my body is asleep somewhere at the cafe, I just need to wake up and it'll all be okay!"
He chuckled bitterly and continued running into Havok.
Cathy wasn't far off from him.
[Havok, Piasu, Ryomania, 2:15 PM, May 7th, Tuesday 2025]
Cathy Ariston: "Why did I listen to her? Why didn't I help…?"
Cathy couldn't help but cry as she flew high above the city, hoping and praying nobody would look up and see her.
As if the destruction of The Daniels Estate wasn't enough to cause people to look.
Cathy Ariston: "And James? What'll he think of me when he finds out… Oh no…"
She groaned in frustration and continued looking for Jack.
[Havok, Piasu, Ryomania, 2:20 PM, May 7th, Tuesday 2025]
I ran out of Havok's central district, heading past the large Ariston Industries center.
James Karawei: "Of course, they'd have a building here… As if everything isn't planned, as if everything isn't noted…"
I groaned and continued running.
Eventually making it to the western-side of Havok, the buildings around me slowly started turning into suburban houses.
That's when I saw Jack bump into someone ahead.
James Karawei: "Jack! Watch out!"
The person didn't register with me at first.
But I recognized him too.
[Havok, Piasu, Ryomania, 2:25 PM, May 7th, Tuesday 2025]
Jack continued running, he was blinded by grief, by tears and by exhaustion.
Flow kept his body moving.
But that wouldn't last forever.
Jack Daniels: "I should've never left the house, I should've hugged her, I should've—"
James Karawei: "Jack! Watch out!"
Jack Daniels ran straight into somebody, the sound of my voice not registering.
He recoiled backwards, his arms flailing as he hit a metaphoric wall.
???: "Oh, my apologies, I shouldn't have stood here in the middle of the sidewalk. I was just looking at that large house on the hill over there, I heard there was a large commotion in that area."
Jack wiped the tears from his eyes and put on a big grin.
Jack Daniels: "Oh, no worries… I should've been looking. I got into some trouble and I'm in a hurry somewhere! So—"
His eyes widened and his vision became clear as he locked eyes with the stranger.
It was The Boss.
James Karawei: "Jack!"
I ran up behind them, as the stranger turned around, I first saw the horrified look on Jack's face.
Horror, sadness, pain, it was all there, combined with shock and fear.
I then looked at the stranger.
I recognized him instantly and my heart sank, my right hand shot up to cover my chest and my body froze.
James Karawei: "—You! Why are you here?!"
I yelled at him in frustration, the mask on my face slid down to my right hand, instantly forming into a bat.
The Boss: "Now, now… I don't want to cause a commotion—"
That's when we heard an angry shout from above.
Cathy Ariston: "Get away from them, you bastard! Haaaaaaa!"
The Boss looked up towards the source of the shout, Cathy was diving downwards with her fist extended, ready to knock him out.
Right before her punch connected with his face, he muttered something.
The Boss: "Matte Kudasai…"
An eerie music started emanating from his body.
Red cracks filled the area around him and—
We found our places had swapped.
Cathy was lying on the ground, with her back on the side-walk in the same spot where The Boss once stood.
Jack was sitting on the nearby fence of a house, his expression unreadable.
And I found myself cross-legged on the floor next to Cathy.
The Boss stood in the middle of the quiet road, looking at us.
The Boss: "It's not nice to interrupt someone while they're talking. You just don't learn, do you? Foolish girl."
Cathy was the first to get up, she extended her arms outwards.
Cathy Ariston: "Gravity: Spear—"
I got in front of her and held out my hands.
James Karawei: "Wait! Cathy! Stop!"
Cathy Ariston: "What?! Get out of my way, James! Let's end this once and for all…"
A violent purple began emanating from her hands, her eyes began glowing and her aura flared up.
I leaned in and whispered to her, putting my hand on her shoulder.
James Karawei: "Stop! You'll do something bad… We can't win against him, he's clearly too strong. Let's just be calm, see how this plays out… If he wanted us dead, he would have killed us a while ago."
Cathy's eyes widened in recognition and her aura flickered, turning off again, completely.
Cathy Ariston: "I… I don't know—"
The Boss: "The boy is right, Cathy Ariston. Stand down. Nobody has to get hurt."
He calmly walked towards us, I stepped aside to Cathy's right and stared him down.
The Boss: "I know what you're thinking. How strange, you've all gathered here at the same time… And here I am. You've all got separate goals though, and that's not good."
He began pointing to each of us.
The Boss: "James wants to defeat me, to… what was it? Protect everyone? Have peace? Go back home? And you, foolish girl, you want to find your father and make him pay for what he did to you. For abandoning you. Hah, fitting. And you…"
He paused, stepping closer to Jack.
Jack looked up at The Boss, his grin was completely gone.
He had a defeated look on his face, streaks of tears marked his cheeks, he looked exhausted.
Jack Daniels: "What about me?"
The Boss: "You don't have a goal… You feel like you've lost everything, like you have nothing to hold onto anymore. I couldn't agree more. You've lost your school, your house, your sister, your… parents."
Jack's eye twitched at the mention of his parents and a stray tear fell down his cheek, he hastily wiped it away and spat on the ground next to him.
Jack Daniels: "So, what's it to you? Freak."
The Boss: "You'll see… But for now, let's talk about this tragedy—"
He turned and walked to me, his hands in his pockets.
James Karawei: "What? Me?"
He chuckled and crossed his arms over his chest, looking me up and down.
The Boss: "Yes, you. You're aimless. What are you really here for? What do you want? Where are you going? Who even are you? Who are the people around you? You don't know how to answer any of those, do you? So… You're a fledgling. You want to fly. I'd say, you should. And I bid you farewell."
He extended his arms to me, faster than I could react.
The Boss: "Matte Kudasai…"
The next thing I knew, I saw—
Nothing.
I had disappeared, in red cracks in the air, red ethereal glass coming out of them.
Cathy Ariston: "YOU SICK BASTARD!"
Cathy moved first, she dashed forwards, ready to hit The Boss.
The Boss: "Matte Kudasai!"
Cathy blinked and her gravity covered fist connected with Jack Daniels's face.
Jack flew backwards onto the sidewalk, he instantly stood up, wiping blood from his cheek.
Jack Daniels: "Wrong target, Cat-Girl…"
He cracked his neck and rolled his right shoulder around.
The Boss: "Hold it! I assure you James Karawei is fine."
They both stopped in their tracks.
The Boss: "Jack Daniels, I ask you this in good faith, because I know what it's like to lose those you care about… Do you want to join me?"
Jack chuckled, slowly tilting his head from one side to another.
Jack Daniels: "Ah… it really really hurts, y'know? Like…"
The Boss: "Yes… I do."
Jack looked at Cathy, the quiet resolve in her eyes, the fury, it spurred him on.
He burst out laughing and stepped forwards.
Jack Daniels: "Fine! I don't care… I'll take a free job."
The Boss let out a contended sound, almost like a laugh.
The Boss: "Good. I'll see you in the waiting room, you begin immediately."
The Boss then snapped his fingers, and various red cracks appeared around Jack Daniels.
He didn't say anything, he just grinned and shut his eyes, stepping backwards into them and teleporting somewhere.
Cathy Ariston: "I must be mental… Cause I can't believe my eyes."
Cathy practically growled as she looked at The Boss.
He slowly turned around to face her.
Cathy Ariston: "So, is that it? You're just going to send us all somewhere so we can never see each other again?! You really are a cruel bastard…"
The Boss: "No, Cathy, I won't do that. I'm not really sure how to make you understand…"
He stepped closer, bending down and looking right into her eyes.
Cathy felt a lump in her throat as he stepped into her personal space, she crossed her arms and didn't know what to do.
The Boss: "Do you know what I see when I look at you?"
Cathy Ariston: "N-no."
The Boss: "Absolutely nothing."
The Boss then straightened up and began walking away.
Cathy Ariston: "What?! You're leaving? You can't just—"
Before she could say anything else, The Boss looked back into her eyes.
For some reason, his gaze uneased her.
The Boss: "We'll meet again one day, until then, farewell…"
Cathy couldn't believe it.
He turned around as a red crack formed in front of him, he said once again, his voice almost echoing in her ears.
The Boss: "Matte Kudasai…"
The red crack collapsed on itself as he walked through.
Leaving Cathy alone in the quiet suburb.