Present

Travis

I could feel the warmth of the sun's rays shining onto my eyelids through the bright shoji doors and let out a long yawn. I opened my eyes, kicked off the covers, and spun to the side of my of bed. I was still tired, every muscle beneath my skin was stiff and ached with the slightest movement.

These training sessions were killing me. I wasn't getting any better at anything and everyone just kept going like it didn't matter. I was going to opt out, but I wanted to work with it more and try to improve myself. It just never felt like I was.

Sure, after a few days of resting I might've been able to manage lifting about five extra pounds, but thats it. Everyone else was just coasting through everything while I sat there trudging along the same track they'd finished twenty minutes ago.

I stood up, stretching my body and attempting to step forward when I stubbed my toe and tripped over a box.

I caught myself on a dresser and growled in frustration with myself. With all the training, and research, and discussing everyone's been so distracted, and I've been forgetful.

Can't believe there's still a box of stuff lying around... What's even in there?

I knew for a fact that it wasn't mine because I checked all my stuff, and I didn't bring much when we left Silona. Not enough to fill another small box anyway.

I bent down and opened the flaps to a journal sitting on top of some other stuff that I assumed were just books and manga for the time being. It was black, and on the cover there was a white patch with Thomas' name on it.

Chills struck my body when I thought of Thomas. I've just been really put off by him this past week. The fact that he hardly struggles when we're training and acts so surprised when Ayako and Haruko tell him about his 'kin' and all, it just aggravates my nerves.

With all this talk about how how much Thomas is helping them learn about The Nexus, can't anybody think of how I saved them during our first encounter with the Divine Society? Or how I gunned down hordes of murderous adults and saved their butts again? Just putting it out there...

As I thought about it, it seemed like us three had started changing a lot. I don't think any of us hardly noticed with everything that's been going on, but it was true. It must just be what happens when things happen and you get older...

Memories of how we used to be in boarding school and how happy we were to be together when we left played through my mind, contrasting with our new reality. How Thomas ran off and stopped speaking to us, me and Kelly suddenly arguing more.

A sigh escaped my nostrils as my head began to hang, and my eyes passed over Thomas' jounal again.

What has he been thinking?

I lifted my hand towards the leatherbound notebook, but paused. I knew that Thomas was really protective over his stuff, especially the things he reads and writes. I mean, he's always had an issue with other people touching his things, but I cared less about that. My curiosity had took priority at that time.

Besides the fact that I felt nosey and wanted to see what the hell he's been writing about, I also wanted to see exactly what made him disconnect from me and Kelly in favor of Ken and these other weirdos. That may sound mean, but it's friggin' true.

I grabbed the journal and began to peel open the pages with my finger when I caught a glimpse at what laid underneath and dropped the journal in surprise.

I squinted at the title of a manga issue. It was translated to english, but the romanji read as Sanshou wa Kotsubu de Vol. 1. I couldn't see everything, but I could tell there was a muscular guy on the cover. I slowly pulled the issue from in between sketchbooks and other articles of literature and gasped in disbelief as the entire image revealed itself.

It showed the upper halves of two buff men laying on top of each other, one looking at the other with a patronizing smirk and the other nervously gazing back.

What the-.

I dropped the manga in disgust and cringed hard as the pages flipped open to what looked like one guy licking the other's-.

"EW!"

I scrambled to close it and tossed it back in the box. I jumped to my feet and discovered a plethora of homoerotic literature lying inside, from romance novels, manga, and even Hentai Doujins of popular series.

Never in eternity would I have had ANY idea that Thomas was into men! I mean, you definitely wouldn't be able to tell by his search history on our laptop...

Even despite all the evidence in front of me I couldn't manage to wrap my head around it. Thomas just didn't didn't seem like that kind of person. He's freakishly strong, his voice is deep, he talks like he's from Empire City, and... I dunno! He's just generally masculine besides his affinity for cute stuff and not what I'd typically imagine when I think of some homo.

I guess it didn't matter at that point. I'd have to admit, I felt pretty shaken by all that. In fact, I could tell I wouldn't look at him the same way ever again. I'd spent basically my entire life with Thomas slept in the same room with him for fucks sake.

... Maybe he should keep his distance...

I threw Thomas' journal back in the box with the intention to drop it back off in his room. Hopefully he wouldn't be able to tell I looked inside. I grabbed the box and prepared to walk out of the door, but before I did I noticed a manga with a scantily clad girl doused in water. The title read Doki☆Doki, which I'd recognized was the same one he was reading back in Silona.

I flipped it open and gasped.

It WAS a hentai!

Ken

I laid there with my eyes open, staring at the ceiling of my second home. I meditated silently to the trickling water and soft rustling of leaves from outside. My opinion of the crisis I was in hadn't changed, but it seemed the longer I stayed, the more I learned, and the more things started to grow on me.

Besides meeting new humans and exploring this new environment, I'd found it entertaining to observe everyone's interactions with each other and see how their behaviors mesh in this perilous situation.

Maui doesn't seem too phased by anything and prefers to sing whenever tensions are high, which upsets Choa who would rather him take things seriously. This in turn, amuses Ahomana, who takes pleasure in watching others get scolded, and causes Narong to dilute his brother's arrogance by divulging personal information.

Then there's Ayako, who stays rather calm and dedicated to research with Haruko. Yuzuna, Mao, Mitsuba, and Ritsu have been trying to repair our plane for future travel purposes since we began coexisting in their preferred habitat. Sae and Keiko seem to admire Kelly, who has been exerting herself a lot these past few weeks.

And Travis... Has adopted a rather passive aggressive behavioral pattern since our meeting.

Normally I would display my superior combative skills to assert my dominance, but he hasn't confronted me yet and isn't very threatening.

Right now, my favorite new human is Thomas. I must admit, as impressed as I was by his enormous physical strength and ability to summon electrical current, I am now even more impressed by his culinary skills, companionship, and emotional sensitivity.

Besides the objective merits of having him around, it feels nice to be around him too. Thomas doesn't look at me weird or ignore me like the others do, he actually communicates with me on a regular basis, even when there isn't anything serious to talk about.

Just last night when I told him how I felt about everything, he didn't berate me for not being courageous enough. He let me know how unsure everyone else was of themselves, that they were all just doing their best to fight for something they cared about and that no one was alone.

Suddenly I didn't feel so distant and isolated. I still didn't feel the need to speak with anyone, but I felt an inner warmth, an emotional bond with the others, with him.

I sat up as the thought of him cooking breakfast drifted through my head and Chompoo yawned a few feet away from me. I rubbed him on the head before turning the other way for my Sarong. It's a good thing I remembered, I fell back into my normal lifestyle so fast I could've easily walked out of here naked.

For some odd reason most societies don't take well to full on nudity. I heard it was something about perverts, children being exposed to nakedness, and some people just having really unattractive bodies. I can understand the first and third parts, but I don't think kids would care if it was normal. I mean, how did they react before clothes were invented?

But that's beside the point. I wrapped my Sarong around my hips and walked out of my cozy den, through the bamboo forest, and found the bridge leading back to Ayako's estate.

I walked through the back door and Chompoo ran in ahead of me, sniffing his way to the kitchen where Thomas stood beside a rice cooker.

"Hey Thomas." I said as I entered the room.

"Hey Ke-." Thomas turned towards me and froze, his eyes widening before he speed walked towards the coffee machine on the other side of the room.

I stared at the back of his frame, unsure of exactly what just happened. I closed my eyes and let my hearing shut down in an attempt to hone in on what he was thinking, it was really difficult though.

It's true that I have telepathic abilities too, but the amount of psychic information I'm capable of accessing corresponds directly with my relationship with the person. In simple terms, the more open and honest the relationship, the more thoughts I can peer into; there's a lot of trust involved.

I'd been getting a lot closer to Thomas in the past few days, so I thought I could figure out why he was acting so strange, but I guess he'd been hiding a lot from me. Still though, I was picking up a lot of excitement, fear, and embarrassment.

Oh well, I guess.

I walked closer to him, glancing at the plates of food on the counter as I passed them by.

"You made eggs."

"Y-Yeah." Thomas stuttered as I approached his right side. My body drifted above the hardwood floors and landed softly on the counter beside him as his pupils rapidly shifted across my torso and thighs.

He pressed the brew button on the side of the machine and quickly turned the other way before casually leaning back against the counter.

My brain started to tingle and most all of my senses faded. A wave of intuition hit me and I could hear his voice narrate broken thoughts.

"Why're you doin' this me?! Doesn't he...!"

Thomas' glanced towards my lap before quickly walking away and I got completely cut off from the frequency of his wavelength.

He needs to be calm.

I pondered over what might cause someone like Thomas to let his guard down around me when I noticed Chompoo trying to climb a chair.

I picked Chompoo up and cradled him in my arms. "Thomas!"

"Huh?" He peeked back at us and the moment he saw Chompoo in my arms I could literally feel his heart melt.

Thomas eyes softened with what seemed like the purest love and when he pet Chompoo I could feel myself smiling. "Chompoo likes your food too, you know."

Thomas rubbed the top of his snout with a finger. "... He does, doesn't he?"

We stood there for a moment, and when Thomas seemed calm enough I tried to vibe with his mind again.

"... He's barely wea... ny... clothes!"

I turned to sit Chompoo back down and could instantly sense his vision on the back and sides of me.

"You can't stop looking at my body."

"EH?!"

I turned around and watched him squirm, his face reddening with embarrassment. "I-It ain't like that! You have almost no clothes on, it's just shocking is all!"

I shrugged my shoulders in agreement. I honestly do believe most people in modern society would respond that way. The human body is a beautiful thing, and even though they hide it all the time I'm pretty sure that somewhere deep down they realize it too.

I walked over to the table and took a cinnamon roll. I bit into it and exhaled in satisfaction, then I wiped the corners of my mouth with my wrist. "I hope you never stop making things like this."

Thomas didn't respond, instead turning around to wash his hands in the sink.

"What will you do today?" I said, finishing the last of the roll.

Thomas wiped his face with damp paper towels. "I think... I'm gonna visit Shibuya."

"You're confident a simple disguise will do much to aid you in a large public place? I asked in concern." I said.

"What?" Thomas said.

"I asked in concern."

Since he got really worked up when I caught him watching my body I decided to describe the emotion I'm trying to convey whenever I say something that can be taken offensively. I gave myself a mental high five for coming to that conclusion.

I learn more about interacting with other humans every day. Fascinating.

"Yeah..." Thomas sighed. "I don't think I'd be good to keep going out so much. The disguises don't really stop me from standing out..."

Just then a girl with black curly pigtails streaked with blue walked in and threw the cabinets open to grab some rice crackers.

"Hey, you two." She said.

Thomas waved. "Hey Ritsu."

Ritsu closed the cabinet and sat down in a chair. "So, are you ready for the trip?"

I tilted my head in curiosity while Thomas stared at her.

Ritsu looked back and forth between both of us. "To the Hosenka hot springs?"

"Hot springs?" Thomas asked.

"Yeah! It was Sae and Keiko's idea. We're going to the onsen hotel in the Tohoku region for a few days. It's a few hours out of Kyushu, not too bad for an authentic ryokan experience." Ritsu said.

I could sense and uneasiness emanating from Thomas and looked at him to discover just how little his face was hiding.

"Cheer up." Ritsu said. "It couldn't hurt to try something new, you might really like it."

With that she left, and I couldn't help but try to console Thomas again.

"What's wrong?" I said.

"Nothing, it's just..." Thomas hesitated. "I don't feel good in a situation like that. I'm a guy that needs his privacy, y'know?"

I guess it is true that some humans get antsy more about being seen by everyone than others, I still didn't see why though. The human body really isn't something to be ashamed or scared of, I just wished he could understand that.

Maybe he lacks self confidence?

I wasn't sure why he would though, he's really strong and looks healthy enough.

As those words faded my eyes began to pass over him slowly, taking note of the thickness of his calves and thighs, the roundness of his face, eyes, and stomach. I hadn't paid attention before, but in the short seconds I spent sizing him up, I really started to appreciate the way he looked.

He's so... Cuddly.

And he smelled like sugar cookies...

After ogling his cheeks and the pinkish, tan color of his plump lips, my gaze lowered to the upper half of his shirt. I'd never noticed how big his chest was, and for some reason I couldn't stop staring. My blood pumped harder and I let out a quiet moan of sorts as these weird groping reflexes plagued my hands. 

After Thomas noticed I was looking at him we made eye contact. "What?"

Boost his self confidence, you can do it.

I took a short breath. "You have big nipples."

Thomas' eyes immediately shifted to his chest and he folded his arms over them "N-no they're not." He stuttered. "The shirt just makes 'em look that way!"

I watched him blush and acknowledged what he said with a nod, just barely hiding my amusement before giving a cinnamon roll to Chompoo.

Thomas

I walked out of the kitchen as calmly as possible before breaking into what I can safely say was the quietest sprint in my life down the hallway and towards my room.

Why does nobody ever tell me these things?!

What the hell even went on back there?! He caught me drooling over him and said I have big nipples, this is the most embarrassing bullshit in my damn life!

I slowed down as I entered my room and shut the door behind me. I walked to a mirror and lifted up my shirt to look at my chest.

Why the hell's that guy so damn honest?!

I've gotta stop working on my chest muscles when everyone's training. At this rate I'll be competing with Kelly...

The longer I sat there the more uneasy I felt at the thought of an onsen. It's not about my chest, it's just that everyone will see my scars and all. I'm just not good enough to be all open in front of everyone, even if they do heal up by the time everyone decides to get in the hot springs. I don't wanna seem stand offish, but I... I...

"You ugly as FUCK!"

"Don't look at me! Bitch disgusting..."

"Move it you damn buffalo!"

So many memories came flooding back at that very moment. The aching pangs of hurt radiating from my chest, the breathless sobs, the warmth and stench of tears and blood dripping as I sliced through my own flesh, I could feel everything I did back then.

I've been told so many times that words can't hurt you because they don't cause any physical harm. They're just a collection of syllables, sounds we use to communicate.

That reasoning seemed so logical, but if it was, then how in the hell did the things people would say fuck me up so badly? Words mean things, they convey ideas, and when you're just a little ass kid running around and everyone you meet is addressing you as 'Shit' and telling you to kill yourself, something in your head changes.

Even now, where I'm somewhere those people can't hurt me, they fucked my mind so bad I hurt myself. And I still believe everything they said is fucking true.

The Late Afternoon

A gentle, warm breeze swept underneath the shady monorail stop as me and the others waited for what only seemed like a few minutes despite the fact that I somehow knew we'd been there much longer.

I looked at Travis and Kelly as they checked their disguises and straightened my bandana as the people around us struggled to avert their eyes. Normally I'd paranoid, but I think it's safe to say that they were staring because of how insane everyone looked and not because they thought we were terrorists. Now that I think about it, our party has gotten pretty weird since the last time we were in America.

Maui's like eight feet tall, covered in tattoos, and has this big ass red hair, Ayako's got pink hair and cream colored eyes, Choa's ears are weirdly pointy and he's dressed like a friggin' warrior, Ahomana gives everything with a vagina sexy eyes whenever we're in public, and kids keep touching Ken's dreadlocks.

I turned just in time to see Ken swat away the hand of a toddler in his mother's arms after he reached towards Ken's head.

Ken raised a finger. "No. I command sternly."

I couldn't help but snicker to myself.

You tell 'em, sexy. Those locks are mine...

That's when I realized something. Besides the fact that my self image sucks, I can't go in a hot spring with all these naked guys! Ayako already said my hormone levels are ridiculous, if I see some ass or one genital I'm gonna be stuck with a boner for the next hour!

Just imagining the embarrassment and looks I'd get made me feel sick, and I started to feel crippling stomach aches.

"You feel terrible." Ayako whispered as she leaned closer. "Are you going to be alright?"

I looked away from Ken and took a deep breath. "I'll be good."

A sleek, ivory monorail flew in from the distance and slowed to a smooth halt in front of the station.

"Ret's go!" Keiko cheered, her accent slurring what should have been an "L" sound. Regardless, we all picked up our bags and walked inside.

Two Hours Later

"I'm hooked on a feelin.

I'm high on believin'.

That you're in love with me~."

Ahomana turned in my direction. "Maui, shut up!"

Maui sung harder. "Lips as sweet as candy. It's taste stays on my mind~."

"Choa make Maui stop, he's being annoying!"

"Stop arguing!" Choa commanded.

Maui shot Ahomana a smug look while he coldly folded his arms.

"I like Maui's singing voice." Narong said.

Maui pulled Narong closer by his shoulders and started rocking back and forth. "Narong loves me~."

Narong's eyes shifted in embarrassment as people stared at the two. That's when Maui's right arm pulled me into a giant hug too.

"Thomas loves me~."

Keiko smiled our way. "I love Maui too!"

Maui's eyes closed and he kept rocking me and Narong back and forth, only to continue humming only seconds later which was really starting to piss Ahomana off by now.

So far everyone seemed to be acting alright, except maybe Ken. I think he was sad that he had to leave Chompoo back with Haruko, but I figured he'd be okay. He seemed like the strong type.

The monorail stopped moments later, and after gathering our things we stepped out onto a wooden platform as an flute's seemingly ancient melody filled the air.

I was surprised how fast we managed to get there, especially since Hosenka was all the way up on the northeast part of the continent and where we came from was down on the south shore. Apparently that monorail goes at seven hundred miles per hour, it was a relatively new development.

Sae walked ahead of us down a cobblestone path leading off into what seemed like wilderness. We could see the shiny red of lanterns in the distance, and as we got closer yellow lighting from inside the building glowed off of the dark, lilypad infested reflective ponds beneath the bridge we had just begun crossing.

I could tell the building was really old, but I could also tell that it had been repainted and remodeled again and again to maintain its grandeur.

We walked up to two large double doors, each one symmetrically painted with the colorful pattern of peacock feathers.

"Ooh." Narong hummed.

We entered to an oddly silent lobby, much quieter than the already peaceful outside. Our group slowly filled the room, and it didn't take much longer for a lady dressed in a peach, flowery kimono to welcome us.

"Konnichiwa!" She bowed.

Ayako bowed, then began setting things up for us. It wasn't a long exchange, and by the end of it we'd managed to score six rooms. We left the lobby and took an elevator to the second floor, our eyes exploring the area for our room numbers.

"They should be this way." Ayako said, fanning us to the left. "Come on."

We followed her down the silent halls, passing walls of traditionals paintings and Hanji paper pasted onto beautiful door frames.

"The tall one's boobs are insane!"

I could hear a male voice behind me, and I knew it was real because Ayako turned at the sound of it too.

"You think all those guys are hitting that?"

"I wouldn't... I like the short one with pink hair. Pale skin's much better."

Ayako kept her head forward, trying to ignore the assholes' commentary while Kelly and a few of the others seemed to notice.

"Shit! She's looking at you!"

"The guys turned around too."

"Damn, they're big..."

Kelly took a glance at their invasive facial expressions. "What, they're talkin' about us?"

Ayako stopped. "Afraid so..."

Kelly whipped her head back around, I could see the flames igniting in her eyes. If she didn't stop now, we were gonna get kicked out before the night was over.

"Let's just go." I said. "Those idiots are a waste of time..."

We turned around and went on as I tried to clear my mind of what just happened.

We came to our rooms just moments later, they were all next door to each other. There were twelve of us, so we each had to room in pairs.

"Well, let's get all partnered up!" Ritsu grinned. "I choose Aya-chan."

"I could only share a room with someone of my own blood." Ahomana proudly declared, putting an arm around Narong's shoulder.

I looked to see that Sae and Keiko had already rushed into a room. They'd obviously be staying together.

Kelly's eyes turned towards me. "Since you've always shared a room, you and Travis can jus-."

"No." Travis cut her off. "I don't wanna share a room with Thomas..."

I felt my brows wrinkle and my nose twitch as I looked him dead in the face, unsure of how to process that comment.

Why the hell was he being such an ass?! The way he said it and his body language pissed me off even more. He moved away and wouldn't even make eye contact like he was better than me. It would be different if I did him wrong or something but this was bullshit.

I decided to not say anything, and looked over at Kelly, who donned an equally offended mug.

She pulled some hair over her shoulder. "Okay... Well, Thomas can just chill with Ken."

YES!

"And why don't you stay with Choa?" Kelly concluded.

Travis shrugged his shoulders. "... Sure."

I almost began walking to the room with Ken when I heard Choa speak to Travis.

"I know this is a vacation, but as your formal training captain I must urge you to sleep immediately. It would be best to conserve what little strength you have."

I paused, turning to see Kelly and Narong's mouths gape slowly while Ahomana and Maui chuckled.

Travis looked at him, his arms shaking with anger. "Shut the hell up." he muttered.

Choa furrowed his brows, a bored expression across his face. "Come again?"

"Shut the hell up and put on a bigger shirt! You fucking weirdo!" Travis snapped, his voice echoing through the previously calming space.

Choa simply raised a brow and turned to enter the door.

"I'm sick of seeing those ugly ass tattoos..."

Choa paused before him and Maui turned to face him, their eyes suddenly threatening.

Choa spoke. "You know nothing of what these symbols represent."

"I don't expect you to know anything, you just sit on a freakin' island, break coconuts like an ape, right?"

"Enough, pest." Ahomana hissed in a strangely elegant manner. "I'm sick of the banter conjured by your primitive brain."

"You're insulting things you don't understand..." Maui grumbled.

"You shouldn't be taking jabs at our culture, you should be asking the hostess if they have any specialized baths for malnourishment." Choa said as his royal comrades cracked smirks.

"Fine! LAUGH!" Travis yelled. "Yeah, I'm skinny! I've heard it all before! At least I'm not obsessed with all my muscles and tattoos and shit like some faggot!"

That last word struck deep nerves, especially in the voice of somebody I'd call a friend. I'd heard it before, and when I was younger what they'd do to people with that label terrified me so much that even now I refuse to tell people. Except maybe one.

Kelly's vision shot towards towards Travis once he finished that sentence, then she looked at me. I could only assume exactly how much the emotion on my face was starting to show.

Choa sat there with a confused look. "A fagot? If anybody resembles a bundle of sticks it's you and those frail appendages of yours."

"Not fagot, faggot dumbass. I called you gay!" Travis shouted.

"I doubt I'd sodomize myself if I had the chance, but I won't deny I find myself rather admirable from a physical standpoint." Choa said, glancing back at a mirror in the room behind him. "What is it to you anyway?"

Travis shook the chills from his body. "It's friggin' weird and gross, you idiot!"

Ahomana leaned into Narong's ear. "I think that it's weird nobody's kicked his ass yet."

"You shut the fuck up too!"

Kelly began pursing her lips. "Travis, stop!"

"You're a bigger fag!" Travis continued. "Long ass girly hair and shit!"

Ahomana chuckled in amusement before running a hand through his hair. "I've been inside of more women than you'll ever talk to, stupid boy."

I could practically hear clusters of voices ringing in the back of my head. I hated talking about this subject, especially in front of bunches of people. I'd planned to tell everyone close to me at some point, but in that moment my fears had all been validated.

Who's to say they won't want anything else to do with me? What if I end up all alone again, like I was when I was a little kid? Just listening to this was making my head hurt, sapping me off all my energy somehow and making my eyes water.

"Travis! CUT IT!" Kelly shouted.

I could see Ayako vaguely in the corner of my eye, she was looking at me. If I'd known anything about her at that point she'd probably felt everything I felt and pieced it together herself.

"Don't tell me to 'CUT IT'! I can say whatever the hell I want an-!"

"Travis! Shut your mouth, right now!" Ayako screamed.

Everyone looked at Ayako and she caught her breath, her face red and the area around her eyes damp with salty wetness.

"We've been working so hard together these past few weeks and now is a time to be happy and come together!" Ayako panted, her accent stronger as she fought the sniffles. "But you're making your friends very upset right now..."

Kelly and Travis looked my way as Ayako took a few seconds to compose herself, the girl's power calming me and everyone else as the pink glow spread.

Ayako ket a small sigh escape her lips. "It's time to relax and go to bed..." she said, grabbing her things as she and Ritsu walked to their room. "Good night, everyone."

Later That Night

"Seriously?" The disappointment in Kelly's voice slashed through my core as I drifted in the empty void, my lungs tight as she turned her back on me.

"Just stop living!" Travis' voice stressed that last word. "There's nothing right about you! It's ridiculous people like you exist."

"Why are you even here?" Ayako said.

I watched them from a distance, all but their figures shrouded in darkness while I teared up. I started gasping for the air I needed to plead, my heart racing while I internally screamed, unable speak.

Meanwhile they only continued to drift away. The disdain in their eyes made my breaths tremble, and my airways were slowly thinning out.

Guys...

I tried reaching out to them, but my arms wouldn't move. It was then that I noticed I'd began drifting away too, silence filling my ears until their words were snuffed out by the darkness and aching cold pulsing through me. Not hearing them terrified me even more, and mind numbing stings of pain began throbbing in my heart.

... P-Please hear me...

I knew they couldn't, yet they'd all turned around and started walking away as if to cold shoulder my wishes on purpose. I almost started trying to talk to them again, but my own voice halted my impulse.

"Why shouldn't they leave you? You have nothing to offer."

The gears of thought in my head were slowly shorted out and left me void of a rebuttal, I just allowed my body to float away, crying at the sight of everyone as they got smaller and smaller and my own thoughts began to sink in. Did I even deserve the right to beg?

"It would be much better for everyone if they didn't have to deal with you, y'know?"

I know I fucked up, but I didn't want anything to be this way. It really was an accident, what happened back then in Twoson... Maybe I shouldn't have jumped out of the window with Travis.

Maybe I should've stayed and waited for Joshua finish me off...

~~~

My vision darkened and my tear filled eyes opened to the sound of my hardening sobs. I wiped my eyes and tried to stabilize my breathing since I knew Ken was in the same room as me. I hope he didn't wake up to the sound of me sleep crying.

That combined with my suicidal tendencies and self harming problem probably makes me look like such a hot ass mess to him. I still don't know why the hell I'm hoping he'll somehow wanna date me...

I got up and noticed that Ken wasn't in his futon. I'd gotten used to the idea of him disappearing randomly at that point, so I didn't think much of it. I left the room and went to the bathroom to blow my nose and wash my face.

I wished that I could just get things like that out of my mind and find a way to just not be upset with myself so much. It sucks being so depressed all the time and not being able to enjoy a night's sleep. When I have that plus this World War III thing to deal with it just gets to be too much.

I wiped the water off of my face with the bottom of my shirt and headed towards the kitchen for some water. After grabbing a cold bottle of spring water from the fridge I leaned back on the counter, enjoying the peace of night in a quiet, somewhat lonely room.

It was calming, but emptier than when I went to bed, like I could feel that Ken wasn't there.

He really needs his fix of nature, huh?

The more I thought or Ken, I decided that maybe there was something to this whole taking midnight strolls habit. The idea sounded calming enough, so I figured that I'd give it a try.

I slipped on some flip flops near the door and left the room. After riding down the elevator and leaving the building I decided to walk on a stone path heading underneath the monorail tracks to a plateau I saw while coming here.

After traversing some foliage and coming out from underneath the thick rock, I emerged on the other side. There was a lot of grass and big rocks scattered here and there, and on the horizon ahead all you could see besides the huge sky and beaming half moon with a few mountains in the distance.

I saw a smooth rock a few meters ahead and rushed over to climb it. I pushed off of a smaller rock and pulled myself up on the top of the large boulder.

I'm sitting up here now... What next?

I guessed that there really wasn't much for me to do at all, the whole point was relaxing and enjoying nature after all, so I did just that. I sat there gazing around, looking for nothing in particular, caressing the roughness of the rock under me, my fingers running along the creases and edges.

The wind was stirring softly, swaying the plants near me and causing the sky's starry glow to roll across the silky grass like gently rushing waves of an ocean.

I'd began to understand just then why Ken loved doing things like this so much, nature just does something for the soul. The way a breeze can give you chills, how the scent of water and grass calms your nerves; it's so simple, yet complicated.

As I became more and more entranced by the simpler things, aspects of this planet most seem not to remember anymore, my eyes locked on to what seemed to be s shifting rock.

I started to doubt my eyes just because of how huge that thing was.

What the hell could even move a thing like tha-.

The boulder jumped into mid air and hovered increasingly higher above the ground. In addition to that I could hear what seemed like voices. Curious as to what and who it may have been, I hopped off of the boulder I was sitting on and jogged towards the next cluster of rock I saw.

Whatever was waiting for me probably already knew I was there. I mean, hell, I had absolutely no cover and the moon was beaming down on my back. I didn't really care though, I was feeling confident my training would pay off.

"Oamu, Hejje Ken."

Choa...

As I crouched by a huge stone and even larger one not too far away flew high up into the air with the other. That was when I noticed Ken standing with his eyes closed and palms gently raised, every slight movement seeming to affect the boulders hovering above.

Maui, Ahomana, and Narong were there too. They sat lazily on a few smaller stones nearby as Choa continued to speak to Ken.

"Dama..." Choa said, walking towards Maui as Ken landed the stones in response.

They started talking in their native language, so I couldn't understand anything. Even then, I continued to watch, hoping to learn more about all this crazy mind stuff Ken's apparently so good at.

Choa and Maui started talking about something, and when Choa looked away I saw a mischievous glint in Maui's eyes. Orange rays quickly flowed to the space around Maui's hand, there was a sharp twinkle, then Maui's palm lit with flames, who with a grin, tossed it Choa's way.

What the-.

The fire burst on Choa's chest and he winced as Maui ran off laughing.

"Lanmed!" Choa shouted with his fists clenched as Maui smiled at him, sticking out his tongue in a cheeky fashion while Ken cracked a smile.

I mumbled to myself. "... What's goin' on with these guys?"

The Next Morning

The ending credits of The Legend of Korra passed over the screen, oriental music and a timer to signal the beginning of another episode accompanying it. I glanced at the last three rolls of sushi on the plate between me and Ken, and the just barely half full bag of cheddar ruffles in my lap.

While I felt the need to get more food, the show me and Ken were binging today reminded me of what had transpired the night before, and the longer I sat on the memories, the stronger the need for me to question things got.

"So this show; a story about people with special powers surrounding water, fire, earth, and air, is categorized as a fantasy?" Ken''s voice snatched my attention and I responded with a nod.

"Hm...." He responded, folding his arms.

"Ken." I said.

Ken looked back at me.

"So, how do your powers work? Like, did you have to learn them at one point or...?"

"Like I've said before, I've always been capable of using them like any other person would. Mine are highly pronounced, however."

Like anyone else?

I tilted my head, pondering over his words as he noticed my thoughtful expression.

"Mitakuye" Ken said.

"Huh?"

"It means 'all are connected'. It applies to humans, the planet, the universe..." Ken glanced over at me. "Us two..."

I could feel my pulse suddenly explode and my eyes widened.

W-Why'd he say us?!

I looked over at Ken once more, fearing he's noticed, or somehow sensed that I was more than likely over thinking things.

Man... I've gotta be more careful with him and Ayako around.

"Out of body experiences, bouts of intuition, precognitive dreams. You probably hear of people that experience these things, what you may not see among the controversy of whether these experiences are valid or not, is that all sentient beings are more than their physical selves." Ken said, his voice entrancing me more than I could ever stress.

"All matter of the universe is connected. My abilities, my 'psychic power'." Ken continued. "Is nothing more than a physical manifestation of that fact."

I blinked for a moment, digesting everything he'd just said. See, I'd never bought into the whole spiritual thing. With all the bible scams, and the shit people pull in these religions that supposedly exist to guide people and 'help' them, you couldn't pay me to support the shit.

In any other circumstance with any other person I would've checked out a long time ago, but the fact that I'd seen Ken levitate, predict my words, and float giant rocks was more than enough to keep my ears opened.

I exhaled. "So... Basically, you draw power from the universe?"

"Bluntly." He replied.

I scratched my head. "So if you can exist, why aren't you famous or something? You know how many fake psychics and shitty priests lie and scam people outta hard earned cash?"

"Myself and any other being like me knows the answer to that question." Ken said, shoving two sushi rolls into his mouth when I seemed to not be looking.

I waited in silence, and it was about ten seconds into a commercial when I realized he wasn't gonna say anything else.

"So that's it?" I asked. "Is the answer that complicated?"

Or maybe he doesn't really know himself...?

"No." Ken's voice interrupted my train of thought "I'm just too lazy to explain everything."

I shook my head and started smiling to myself until Ken grabbed the last sushi roll. I thought he would eat it, but instead he handed it to me.

I took it, my vision trailing up to his reassuring gaze as he turned back towards the TV screen. I dipped the roll in soy sauce and ate it with ginger and wasabi while the opening for the next episode played. I watched intently when I felt a warmth precious enough to make me tear up.

When I looked down to the warmth, I found his pinky on mine. The sight of it melted my insides, and the hormones raging in my head reduced my brain to mush.

H-His hand is...

As I sat there I started muttering gibberish to myself and relentlessly battled against the strange sounds trying to escape my slightly parted lips. Even with my breaths short and my body getting hotter, I couldn't help but look at how small his hand was compared to mine.

The way Ken can mess with my head is insane, he could do the simplest thing and I'd just get lost thinking about how great he is to me. I'd never felt so emotional about somebody before, it'd hurt sometimes when I'd think of how unlikely a future with him would be or if he'd be totally disgusted by my feelings and never have anything to do with me again; but it was euphoric at times like this where I could just enjoy spending time with him.

To calm myself down I started eating some more ruffles, until I began to notice how empty the bag was getting. I would've ordered some food from the hotel, but I didn't wanna run up the bill. The only other thing I could think of would be going into the village to buy some food.

I didn't wanna ask, but it seemed that I had no other choice but to ask Ayako if she had any Yen we could use. I mean, the girl's rich so I figured it wouldn't be too much of a big favor. Stretching, I got up and headed towards the door.

Ken looked over at me. "Where' are you going?"

"To find some food in town. We ate everything..."

Ken stood up and walked over, his patient gaze signaling that he wanted to come along. I tried not to think too intently about it because, y'know, telepathy and all, but I was really excited about him coming along with me. Before, the fact that we'd been close to each other at all was purely coincidental, but knowing that he actually liked me enough to wanna go shopping together...

I let out a sigh of gratitude.

I don't even know...

As I got ready to slide the door back Kelly pushed it open from the other side.

"Sup, little bro." Kelly said, placing her hand on my head affectionately before waving at Ken. "How you been?"

"F... Fine." Ken choked out.

My empathy started kicking in, and in a nervous attempt to comfort him, and a desire to feel the cushiony softness of his hair, I placed my hand on his head the way Kelly did to me. Ken didn't respond much and I took my hand off of him after a quick few seconds.

Can't seem weird...

Kelly spoke. "Me and Sae were gonna head out and see the village."

"We were just gonna head out and buy some food." I replied.

"Great. I was wondering whether or not you two would ever get outside..." Kelly turned around. "Sae! You ready?"

"Yeah!" Sae said, the black loops on hair on either side of her head and ponytail swaying as she jogged down the halls to our doorway.

I was all ready to go until Kelly started walking down the hallway, then I realized I was gonna have to find a believable way to disguise myself again and that Kelly had apparently forgotten about that

I sighed.

I really hate this shit...

~~~

My eyes passed over the small shops and buildings lined up on either side of the street, searching for a store or any place with good looking food.

I didn't even care about ingredients to cook a meal later, I just needed something in my stomach now. Ayako told me that I've gotta start eating more nutritious things and lots of it because my body needs so much to maintain all these insane functions. Hell, she even told me to only cook in cast iron skillets and to chew on any metal I happen across because somehow it absorbs into my blood and increases bone density,

What the fuck.

I'd noticed that Kelly stopped walking and turned back around. I looked back too and notice Sae standing by a humble temple a bit further back from the road.

"Oh," Sae said, noticing we'd all begun to slow down. "Don't wait up."

Kelly's lips parted slightly and Sae quickly spoke again to prevent further discussion. "Please, I know this area rather well. It's pretty small and crime free, everything'll be fine." She said.

With that she continued over to the temple and after shrugging our shoulders, the three of us continued on. We'd managed to find a small shop after wandering for about ten minutes. When we walked in I could feel Ken's eyes just following me all over the place whenever I started looking at stuff to buy.

I only knew about so many dishes to prepare and I wanted to maintain my element of surprise when it came to the kitchen. That combined with the fact that the store only had cantonese ingredients, things I'm not very familiar with at all, made shopping pretty difficult and confusing.

I started to get a bit flustered over not knowing what to do, usually I'm pretty chill about this stuff but I really wanted to make a good impression and-.

"Achoo!"

My head followed the noise and set my sight towards Ken rubbing his nose and eyes with his wrists as he stood by what seemed to be some really powerful spices. I just stood there for a moment to look at his face, his squinted eyes and twitching nose tickling my guts.

He's so precious.

The corners of my mouth began curling into a smile as I spoke. "You okay?"

"Yeah..." Ken nodded, walking along with me towards the freezer section.

I'd decided to relieve myself of the burden that came with surprising others and be a little more calm about things. I loved being around Ken and spending time with him, but I didn't wanna feel so distant that I couldn't be myself and give him a chance to accept more of the real me.

Part of that was letting him know that I get flustered and mixed up sometimes, even with stuff he thought I was good at.

"Man..." I said. "I have no idea what to buy in here, or what to cook."

Ken stood close by me and eyed the food products stocked on the end of the isle and the freezer section. I would've assumed he was trying to price things or if he recognized the stuff they had, but he closed his eyes..

Ken opened them. "Get the ingredients necessary for Chow mein, General Chicken, Egg Drop Soup, and Potstickers. You'll understand how to make them fast and most of us will be happy about it."

I knew immediately that he'd spoken from the wisdom of foresight, so I nodded and got on the prowl for everything I needed. It felt cool being able to trust in such a mysterious power, wielded my Ken of all people.

Once I paid for everything, me and Ken rounded up with Kelly and left the store.

"Well that was quick." Kelly said. "I thought this trip would be a bit more interesting..."

I spoke. "What do you mean?"

"I dunno, I know you guys wanted to go shopping but it just feels like it went by too fast, y'know?"

"I guess..."

I looked around, admiring the quiet town while dwelling on Kelly's words. I'd been enjoying travel so much, and I always did wanna explore more of Baiyo even though this is a cantonese region. The more I thought about exploring, the more I remembered what Ken said about wanting to learn more about the outside world.

The thought of that, and the fact that me and Kelly hadn't relaxed together in a while was more than enough to get me smiling, and ready to have some fun.

"Okay, let's do somethin'!" I said, turning my sight slightly downward. "Ken!"

Ken shot me a surprised look.

"You steer the ship. Tell us what you wanna do." I looked him straight in the eyes when I said that, the joy in my heart fueling my confidence.

Ken looked back at me with greenish hazel eyes, his face radiating with wonder and an innocent coyness as his lips widened into the same disarming, calm smile I'd seen before. The same one that charmed me and kept me awake, wishing hopelessly that he'd look at me that way as long as we were both alive.

"Let's see." Ken said, walking ahead of us while we followed after, excited and curious of what to come.

The rest of the day was amazing. We took pictures next to everything worth looking at in the town, fountains, buddha statues, the three guys dressed as dragons in a play we caught... Kelly was the silliest I've ever seen her in literal years, with her weird faces in all those photos and embarrassing the crap outta me as usual. Ken even laughed at us.

He laughed!

We even managed to catch that and our other shenanigans on video. It hard to even explain it, just being out here in such a new place with the people I love, being free and everything being so beautiful. I wouldn't trade moments like this for anything.

"Oh man, it's dark." Kelly said, before gasping. "Crap, we forgot Sae!"

My heart dropped a little after she said that. "Whoops..."

Kelly stood up from the bench we were sitting on an headed down the road. "C'mon, we better head back."

Ken and I got up and followed her, using landmarks and familiar buildings to guide ourselves back to the temple we last saw her. We climbed the stairs and walked up to the door.

"Wait," I said, my arms held out to stop the others. "We should probably take our shoes off, stuff like this is usually important."

Kelly kicked off her sandals and I took off my gym shoes. Ken just stood there watching us, and I began to wonder why he didn't bother bending down to take anything off until I realized he didn't wear shoes out to begin with.

Ignoring it, we all stepped through the doorway into a large, empty room.

"Sae!" Kelly called, walking further into the room as me and Ken scanned our surroundings.

There small shrines adorned with candles and small offerings -- butsudan -- in honor of dead relatives and ancestors. It wasn't uncommon for there to be places dedicated to spirituality, especially in small rural places like Hosenka.

We walked for not much longer until I caught sight on a girl in shorts and form fitting flannel shirt, kneeling on front of one of these butsudan. I'd known just from seeing her in a place like this that she was mourning for someone, it's what these kinds of temples were for. Knowing that made me feel all the more guilty for leaving her behind.

"Sae." I spoke softly, hoping not to disturb her too much.

I kneeled down next to her and the others gathered around. We all glanced across the humble memoir; the incense, fruit bowls, and small stuffed teddies. Most importantly, the picture of a smiling black haired woman at the center of it all.

"Who was she?" Kelly asked.

"Oka-san..." Sae mumbled, her sad voice quietly drifting.

Kelly shifted her pupils my way for a translation, so I figured mentioning it in what I was about to say would be enough.

"So your mom passed." I said.

Sae didn't say anything else, she just stood up and pulled on the bottom of her shirt to straighten it out.

As I got up Sae spoke to us. "I'm from the country out here in Hosenka, you know. Aya-chan saved me."

Softly put a hand on Sae's back to comfort her. "She did?"

Sae nodded, wiping the corners of her eyes dry. "These countrysides were the first places of the first world to get attacked. My mom just went to the sink for some tap water, and the morning after she was dead."

Sae continued, the calmness of her voice wobbling, saddening. "So many people from here died from the poisoned water back then, everyone had to evacuate the town... If Aya-chan didn't see me laying there on the ground that day-"

Sae's voice abruptly shook with sobs, the sound of her grief filling the empty space as she struggled with the story. "If it weren't for her powers... H-her mansion... I would be gone too..."

My eyes were wettening at Sae's story, but I didn't wanna get too emotional. I was trying to support her, so I tried to make that my main focus. As I continued to rub Sae's back Kelly bent down a little to give her a hug.

Sae calmed down after a few minutes, so we left the temple and headed back to the hotel. After we rode up to our floor we walked Sae to Ayako's room since we figured she'd be able to comfort her.

After knocking on Ayako's door, she slid it open.

"Is everything al-." Ayako paused at the sight of Sae standing there with puffy red eyes and sighed. "I'll take it from here." Ayako said, guiding Sae into her room and closing the door afterward.

The remaining three of us turned around in silence and made our way back to Ken and I's room. When we entered I kicked off my shoes once more and sat our groceries on the table. Kelly threw herself across the couch, Ken sat on a stool near the counter, and I made my way over to the sink.

I started to wash my hands since I knew I'd be making food, but my attention waned when I noticed the door slowly glide open. Maui ducked under the doorway and into the room, glancing around with that perpetually dopey and mischievous look in his eyes.

"You're back~." Maui said, strolling over to the kitchen area. He stopped behind me and folded his arms on top of my head. "I want to eat fish."

I reached into the cabinet for a skillet or two. "Well we didn't get any so..."

Maui took his arms off my head and I turned around to find him shooting me with an uncomfortably serious glare. I had no idea how to respond so we just sat there, staring each other down for a few seconds.

Suddenly his mouth began twitching, his thick lips struggling against a smirk. I cut the battle short, however, when I flicked my wet hands at Maui and he threw himself back.

Maui double over, grasping the edge of the counter "Thomas assaulted me!"

"I beat you in a staring contest."

"No, you cheated!" Maui replied, turning towards the living room. "Someone help!"

I could hear Ken and Kelly both kinda snicker in the background while I just smiled shook my head. I seriously started to wonder how old Maui was, he just seemed too silly to be a friggin man.

"On a more serious note, you should wait to cook." Maui said, standing aright. "Bathing after eating is bad for digestion."

His sentence caught me off guard and I started becoming a little nervous. "Oh, we're trying the baths tonight?" I said.

"Okie." Maui confirmed.

How could this happen so fast? Do we have to go now?

"Maui!" Narong's voice sounded from the halls."Are Ken Thomas ready yet?"

Maui hesitated for a moment. "Uh... A little."

Travis

I stood there in the hallway with a towel and Yukata in my arms, waiting to go down to the bathhouse. Ken's guards were standing near me, but I tried not too make eye contact with them after what happened the night before.

Even looking at the back of Choa's head pissed me off. I didn't even know why I was going to the bathhouse with these guys. I just wanted to go there alone tonight but nope, everyone else just HAS to bathe today.

Thomas, Ken and Maui walked out of the room and everybody continued over to the elevators. We rode them down and took the hallway to our right, eventually arriving at a shower room. Apparently it was a rule that we had to wash all the dirt off our bodies before we got to the bath. It was a nice rule, until we got there and I noticed I had to strip in front of all these guys, then it felt awkward.

Maui shouted. "Aho's gonna show us his baby penis!"

"Shut your goddamn ass!" Ahomana replied.

Awkward for me anyways...

After I put my clothes away, I just got in my little shower section and focused on shutting the others out. Eventually I could hear the sound of other showers and conversation I was too annoyed to comprehend echoing around me, so I knew I was managing to survive everything pretty well.

Still, I couldn't help but feel weird and exposed... Not because I literally was, but because of the others. Even though I didn't wanna, I could hear them poking fun at each other. Who's bicep was bigger, comparing those traditional tattoos, the jabs and Ahomana's dick size.

I knew they'd acknowledged me and how much frailer I am than them. I hated the fact that they could get to me so much.

They're just idiots anyway...

I could hear some rowdy voices from the outside though the sound of water hitting the white tiled floors and in seconds another group of guys burst through the door. I looked to the side a bit and could recognize them. They were the same guys that were talking about us when we first checked in.

I could feel the awkward hault to everyone's previous shenanigans as they went to their own shower sections. I tried to keep tabs on them without looking, and one of the first things I could notice was that there weren't enough showers available for our group and theirs.

About two of the guys were left just standing around awkwardly while me and the others continued to scrub ourselves.

"Hey!" I heard one of them call out in a heavy accent. "Chubby boy!"

The Japanese guys laughed after he made that comment, and I could see Thomas shoot him an offended look. I'll admit, what he just did was rude as shit but I was still on about Thomas turning out to be an ass pirate, Choa calling me malnourished, and Ayako yelling at me for it, so whatever...

The one who spoke to Thomas, the one with a mohawk, started making fast scrubbing motions of his arms.

"Fast!" said the mohawk guy, his voice deepened with aggression.

Thomas turned away and went back to washing himself at his own pace while the other guys went on to joke about him. I could see that because one of them was pointing and I noticed Thomas go through his normal cycle of anxiety.

A part of me felt a little bad for him, I got taken back to when we used to be in boarding school and stuff like this used to happen. I mean, we never had to shower in front of each other but people teased him, called him a fatass even though he was never really that big.

Still a part of me was a bit apathetic. People had been giving him accolades and praise ever since we came to Baiyo and I just got looked at like some inconvenience. As far as I was really concerned, whatever he was feeling was just a fraction of what I'd been dealing with.

In the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of Ken.

Why the heck is he just walking around like that?! His junk's flopping all over the place!

I swear that boy has problems, everything about him is friggin' abnormal. Aside from that, I could see Ken wind back his arm and chuck a bar of soap. It hurdled across the room like a white bullet and sharply struck mohawk guy in the head.

Mohawk let out a howl of pain and went down, holding his scalp while the other guys stood to his defense. Instantly though, Choa and Maui stood and shielded Ken with their large bodies before he could make a stance. I cringed hard and squinted my eyes after noticing their... Man parts, but I also noticed them stretching their muscles with searing gazes while Narong and Ahomana stood close by.

Mohawk's friends cowered away, fear in their eyes and the rest of my group, with the sole exception of me, walked out to the baths.

"Screw those animals..." One of the Japanese guys said. As I turned the water off and stood up I could feel them notice me.

Another one of them with the ends of his hair dyed yellow spoke. "Why do you hang out with such trash, American boy?"

I shrugged my shoulders while they stood around mohawk and helped him up. When Mohawk finally did get up he started angrily mumbling to himself.

"People like that don't belong in Baiyo..." He mumbled among other things I couldn't understand.

Their camaraderie felt kind of elating. Out off all the people I'd met, they thought I was better than those weirdos.

"Damn weird people..."

The one with yellow hair chuckled and turned around to relate what I'd said back to his friends in Japanese, then more of them started laughing. I know I sound like a terrible person, but hell I'm human. Being the center of attention felt good.

Thomas

"The sheer nerve of some people..." Choa said.

Ahomana agreed. "Couldn't have said it better myself."

After we got away from those assholes in the locker room we decided to use the Sulfur Onsen. Aside from being the only indoor one, we chose it because of its milky color. Apparently the minerals in the water treat skin conditions.

Ken was relaxing not too far from me, and I was still surprised about how he defended me back there. I had no idea soap could be such a painful weapon or that I would see someone use it. But then again this is Ken we're talking about, unpredictability is sorta his thing...

I probably would've been embarrassed to go through with all this if it wasn't for that. I'd been trying to make things nice for Ken since I knew the kind of shit that we'd inevitably run into, but I guess I really needed someone to support me too.

Ahomana turned towards Choa. "I do appreciate this getaway. All that training with no reward would've made me sick, you know?"

Choa scoffed. "I bet it would, especially with my standards."

"So, wait. You're the Guard Captain's son back in Tajora?" I asked.

"Yes." Choa replied. "Didn't you see me show off to those scum earlier?" He lifted his arms out of the water and started flexing. "This physique can only come through a lifestyle of grueling combat training and exercise."

I looked over at Maui while he drunk from that same flask he's always carrying around. "Then why's Maui so huge?"

Choa looked over at Maui to be met with a playful leer. That honestly confused me the most out of these guards. I knew they were all assigned to protect Ken, but they weren't all the huge soldier type you'd initially expect. Choa and Maui were huge, and for Choa it makes sense even though Maui's way taller. Hell, he has to duck under like 80% of the doorways we come across.

Then there's Ahomana and Narong, they're fit, but a lot more average.

I just don't know, with such a weird bunch I have no idea what to think or how to even go about deducing this. They're just so strange, especially with all this psychic stuff with Ken and that fire thing I caught Maui doing the other night.

"Every man in his bloodline nearly ripped their mother in half on the way out, their hugeness and pronounced musculature is a simple matter of genetics." Choa said, ignoring the weight of Maui's arm after he slapped his large, wet head onto Choa's head. "Aside from that, he did undergo combat training as well, just not under the same authority I did."

"Oh." I nodded. I decided not to press anymore and turn this relaxing experience into a round of fifty questions. It didn't matter to me really how strange these guys were. Hell, I'm just another weirdo too with my laugh and awkwardness and this transhuman thing...

Maui took another swig from his flask and Choa looked at him. "Another thing about Maui's family, they love their liquor." Chos said as he tried to shake Maui's hand off his head only to find himself getting pulled into a headlock.

"Don't you know it's not safe to drink in a sauna or environments like this?" Choa warned. "What if you were to lose consciousness?"

Maui drank from his flask again before setting it aside. "I'on care, you'll save me."

"Enough about his family." Ahomana butted in. "Thomas is inquiring of us and you neglect to mention my priceless bloodline's intellectual achievements?"

"Thomas never inquired of you, he inquired about my father and Maui." Choa corrected.

Maui leaned towards Choa. "He's trying to distract everyone from his puny ween." He whispered in an uncomfortably loud voice.

"FUCK YOU!" Ahomana screamed. "It gets bigger when I'm in the mood!"

I stared at him uncomfortably for a few seconds while Maui laughed at him before just turning around.

... Okay then...

Ken was giving them the same look I did while Maui and Ahomana had their signature interactions. They went back and forth, Choa said some words every so often, and Narong just laughed more than Maui did.

After a while we all got out, the heat of our bodies so strong we didn't even feel the coolness of the night. The more I looked at everyone I'd came out with tonight the happier I was that I did. Sure it's nerve racking being naked in front of everyone, but seeing Ahomana throw a tantrum over Maui's dick jokes made the whole thing feel less intimidating.

We put on our clothes and headed back from where we came; through the shower rooms. However, as we drew closer I could hear the voices of the guys we got into a little scramble with earlier bouncing off of the walls.

They haven't left?

I'd think they'd at least have gone to the sauna or a different bath. The more I thought of how odd it was that they hadn't left though, the more I'd realized the fact that Travis hadn't either.

Curious, I rushed ahead of the others to find them all dressed and gathered around. A few turned at my presence and I could see Travis among them. I began wondering why they'd stopped whatever they were doing so suddenly, when I saw something black.

Curiosity froze my eyelids open, and through the gap between Travis' legs I could see my name written on a white space on the front. My lungs tightened and hurt began pulsing in my skull, the faculties of my mind crumbling as I sat with what was happening.

No he fucking didn't.

I power marched over to Travis as my headache intensified and the sound of my pulse grew louder in my ears. I was what felt like inches away from snatching my journal back when Travis stumbled away and some Yellow haired guy took it and tossed it to some clown with a friggin' pompadour.

Restless energy and fury flooded my veins, my body just shaking with rage and adrenaline as I tried to contain it all.

W-Why... ?

My eyes started to feel unbearably hot and the second I blinked the thickest, heaviest tears I'd ever felt spilled from my eyelids.

"T-Travis... What the fuck?" I chuckled to myself before I suddenly felt too choked up to speak.

I was totally incapable of forming any clear thoughts on what had happened, yet even without thinking about it I somehow understood and felt everything. My nightmare from the night before wasn't irrational. It was so fuckin' spot on.

How much longer until Kelly would get tired of me and do some dirty shit like this? I look up to her, and wouldn't normally expect it, but how can I trust that when my entire goddamn life that's what I thought of this asshole?

Travis had backed away, but stopped when he saw me crying, the gang of punks just kept tossing my journal around, looking down on me with this infuriating look in their eyes.

"Tch, fag tears make me sick..."

I tried reaching for my journal as it soared above me, only to miss and watch as it was tossed to another guy.

"What do you expect? Faggots like him always do that."

I tried to ignore their words, anticipating who my journal would be passed to next as another guy got ahold of it.

"Remember what he wrote? 'My dad hated me so much he committed suicide before I was born!', 'I'm so lonely!'. What a little bitch!"

I saw the black, leatherbound book leave his grasp and leapt into the air when the guy with yellow hair bashed his shoulder against my side to force me away.

"Choke on some-!"

*BAM!*

My arm exploded from my side and blasted into his mouth, the sound waves of crushing impact and his shattering face echoing as he flew across the room.

"HOLY SHIT!" Travis screamed.

The punks harassing me scrambled away, their pupils shrunk and faces twisted in horror and disgust at what I'd just done.

"A-A-Akechi-san....?!" One of then stuttered, hands trembling at the sight of ripped, bloody flesh and bones protruding out of his friend's face.

"His face is fuckin' CAVED IN!"

The same small lady that greeted us when we checked in peaked into the doorway and immediately gasped, her hands flying to her face as she looked over the scene with mortified, teary eyes.

Those same eyes turned towards me and Travis.

"You're the criminals that attacked Am-merica!"

I stared at her, which only seemed to terrify her more and before I knew it she'd disappeared down the hallway, her scream racking my body with chills while more tears dripped from my chin.

I guess we're getting discovered again...

I backed away from the everyone, shoving past Ken and his guards as I shook my head and tore into the wilderness, my jog morphing into a sprint while I sobbed and pushed onward, as far away from this place as I could.

I c-can't do this...

Ken

I summoned Thomas' journal to my grasp and stared Travis down as the delinquents fled the room, my innards oozing a bitter hatred.

"We need to round up the others!" Choa barked.

Without hesitation me and the rest of my guards leapt backwards from inside the building and I sprang high into the air, launching through the balcony window of me and Thomas' room while they quickly scaled the walls. I landed by a table as Kelly lurched from the couch and glass scattered across the floor.

"The authorities are about to be summoned!" I shouted.

Kelly's eyes shot open. "What?!"

I fastened the strap of my travel bag across my chest and body. "We have to warn the girls, gather our essentials, and flee the country! Hurry!"

Kelly zoomed through the doorways and I could hear her bursting into the rooms of the others as the sound of everybody's rushing filled the silence.

I'd made sure to take some leftovers Thomas tried to preserve and stuffed them into my pack. I grabbed his groceries and everything he brought to the hotel and shoved it in his bag, then rushed to Keiko and Sae's room to find Maui and Narong gathering their things together.

"Maui!" I called.

Maui turned my way and I threw Thomas' stuff. He caught it with a swipe before shoving it into thin air, ripples of light appearing as it vanished from our plane of existence.

Keiko's face glowed with concern and abundant wonder while Maui stored her and Sae's things away, so much so that Narong had to carry her out of the room while everybody crowded into the hallway with their suitcases and gave Maui more things to make disappear.

Everybody with the sole exception of me and my guards stared in shock as Maui seamlessly shoved their belongings into what seemed like glowing rips in the fabric of space.

Kelly's mouth gaped open. "What the hell is that?!"

"Psi!" Maui shouted as he and Choa rushed ahead of our group down the halls.

Kelly smacked her lips. "You say it like I know what that means!"

"You're not really supposed to!" Maui chirped as he burst through the stairwell and we followed after.

We emerged on the first floor to find Travis running around like a headless chicken when Kelly screamed at him.

"C'mon we need to go!"

Travis ran towards our group while I closed my eyes, sorting through a plethora of visions for the most likely scenario with my intuition.

"Where's Thomas?!" Ayako asked.

Ahomana squinted at Travis in disgust, his lips twitching at the desire to say something. "I'll tell you the details another time, all you need to know now is that he's gone and disappeared on us."

"I see him..." I muttered. "It's twilight... and..."

An image flashed in my sight. I could see Thomas, curled up in a pool of bloody grass, his sweet, golden eyes tired and lifeless. My heart dropped as the vision grew clearer, when suddenly, the sight of his tear drenched face, the gash in his neck, and the bloody knife in his hand became too much to handle.

My trance shattered and I found myself out of breath, my eyes watery while the others looked at me in concern.

"He's gonna kill himself!" I yelled, my voice cracking as the image stained my cognition.

"Where is he?!" Choa asked.

"He was on a lakefront." I said, trying to remember some parts of my vision. "With lots of rocks nearby."

"That could be anywhere!" Ritsu panicked as Sae began tearing up again. "How are we supposed to find him?!"

I started to feel myself getting choked up, but now wasn't the time for me to get emotional. My resolve solidified as I ran down the hallway to the shower room he escaped from while the others followed me.

A few of the girls shrieked at the sight of yellow hair guy's face, it was a little creepy to me too but I knew how to hold my stomach.

I could feel the needle thin rings surrounding my pupil alight as my vision focused on Thomas lingering aura. I'd spent so much time with him that his energy signature became iconically familiar, so it was rather easy. A cloudy, yellow trail leading into the wilderness appeared in front of me and I followed it, almost neglecting to mind the others while they struggled to keep up.

Kelly stumbled as the others helped her through pointy, clawing branches, braiding her hair to keep it from getting tangled in. "Where the hell are you going?!"

"Trust me!" I shouted.

Four Hours Later

Thomas

I watched the horizon's tinted edge as the train I was on sped closer and closer to the end of the line. I'd been on this train for a while, literally hours because I knew I wouldn't be able to manage sneaking onto the ultra fast one.

It didn't matter though, nothing after that really did. I was done with everything. I didn't want to think or suffer anymore.

I should've known that this wouldn't have worked, everything was fucked from the start, and why did that happen? Me of course. I'd already came to the initial realization back in that ramen shop with Ayako. None of us would even be in this situation had I not did what I did.

I had to stand up for myself...

No I fucking didn't.

Sure, when we were riding around, fighting our way through that hospital, and scheming with our naive justice I had hope for myself. I'd come from a shitty place where I wasn't happy and too much of a wuss to be myself, but I was gonna change that.

I was gonna fight this Divine Bullshit cult, I was gonna figure The Nexus out and end this hell of a war. Me the underdog. I was gonna be a hero, and do it with all my friends. We were gonna show everyone that we could change everything.

It's just like an idiot twelve-year-old to think that, as genetically modified I may be. It's funny, y'know. Everyone looks at other people and calls 'em out when they're in over their heads. Everybody else is weird, fucked up, and stupid, but then we go on to do stuff like this and it somehow makes perfect sense.

I was done with this bullshit. It was obvious what the universe was trying to tell me, I was just too dumb to realize it until now.

I killed my mom, and my dad probably couldn't stand coming from battle to deal with me just like everyone from boarding school, except they couldn't get rid of me. They tried to show me what I was really worth, no matter how much I cried about it.

I guess it was only a matter of time before the people closest to me caught on. How they'd try to show me, I have no idea, but it's okay. I won't be around to figure it out.

I sat there on the train, my head sore and tired of crying while I breathed through my mouth because of the snot clogging my nose.

I guess that's the only way for a person like me to exist...

I sat there and let my thoughts settle in.

How could I even dare develop feelings for someone like Ken?

It was never gonna happen anyway. Besides, who the hell am I to go around assuming I have a chance with somebody I don't even know swings that way? What is it with me and this wishful thinking?!

Believing that I was getting on well with those guys from Tajora... They don't even know me well enough to see what a mistake I am, and everybody who does just throws me away.

I wish I never made friends with Travis.... I wish they left me to die alone in that boarding school. They should've left me behind and let Gina kill me, Joshua should've just killed me in the beginning...

And I'm not upset with anybody for treating me the way they did and making me feel this way. This is how I've been forced to think most of my life, I should've learned a lot sooner that it wasn't just bad luck.

In this world nobody exists on purpose, or has to become anything. They can do whatever they want. But I turned out different, as it stands now I'll have no choice but to die young. Travis and Kelly, the people I cursed with my existence may be in the same boat, but again, who's fault is that?

I'm a mistake. I never should've been here...

"Why-y d-didn't my mom just abort me?"

I felt the train slow to a stop and I sat there for a moment, wishing I had a little more time to beat myself up over something. Knowing myself though, I probably would've fallen asleep and got harassed my some commuters in the next few hours so I got up and left the station.

I wandered aimlessly down the dark sidewalks, watching my shadow trudge through the fading night. I'd slowly begun to notice that there were a lot of factories and trucks around. I didn't wanna get bothered by anyone for being in an area I wasn't supposed to, so I randomly switched directions and kept pushing ahead.

It felt strangely lonely not knowing where to go, just moving until I wound up wherever I did, unsure how long I could go without my legs giving up on me, but I didn't care. A lost soul, a lost cause. With those facts considered, such a state is fitting for me.

The buildings around me slowly disappeared, and as I fixed my gaze ahead I could see the seed of twilight on the still ocean waters. The streets came to an end, and I continued on dewy grass of a lakefront, past a messy patch of trees and towards a green plateau.

I sat down several meters away from the edge and stared at the horizon as the sky's low light glowed across my body and everything facing the cliff's edge. My head was empty, as if I didn't know what to do next. I'd run all this way, and now what?

That's what I wanted to think. It's what my instincts forced me to try and believe; that I didn't have an intention coming all the way out here. If they didn't it would go against my human nature to fight for survival.

I pulled my switchblade from my back pocket and flicked it open. I'd always been scared whenever it came down to this moment, I'd always go thinking that it wasn't really necessary. I'd think of all the people in videos I'd watched online telling their stories, saying that things get better and how suicide is never the option.

But none of them were anything like me. In reality, death had always been the only option.

I gripped the blade in both hands as I turned my head up and away, exposing my neck to its sharpened tip. My hands were growing weaker as if my body was trying to force an end to this, but I refused to stop.

"Just fucking kill yourself already!"

"You don't deserve to live in this world... No one likes the fact that you're alive..."

"I DARE YOU TO JUMP OFF THE ROOF!"

"DIE! FROM: THE WHOLE SCHOOL!"

"We all hate you."

I could feel the warmth of tears trailing down my cheeks, and tensed my muscles as I shoved the knife towards my throat.

It's... Finally over...

I wept to myself, each picosecond crawling by as I felt the blade's tip slowly penetrate and rip deeper into my flesh.

*BYOOM!*

My eyes shot open in enough time to see my knife fly off into the ocean and a bright flash of indigo.

"THOMAS!"

I whipped my head the other way to find Ken standing just outside of the tree cluster I came through, his index and middle fingers pointed my way.

My heart dropped at the sight of him, I never wanted him to see me like this, he shouldn't be wasting his time!

Even you won't stop me from doing this.

I broke into a mad sprint towards the cliffside and leapt over the edge, my heart racing as I hurdled towards the rocks below.

My body froze mere meters from the jagged rocks staring into my soul and I could feel myself being lifted by an invisible force, a cyan glow coating my body that could only be wielded by one guy too insensitive to let me escape.

I could feel myself getting emotional as I rose higher, and as I saw him standing there with his arms stretched out, his fierce gaze watery and upset with me, I couldn't stop myself from bawling.

I flipped over and landed softly on my back in the grass far behind him and away from the cliff, my arms wobbling as I sat myself up.

"Go away!" I yelled, trying not to sob too hard as Ken walked towards me.

Ken stood there in front of me, his brows furrowed as his pupils locked on to me. I could hardly bear it, having him see me this pathetic and failing my suicide. How humiliating does it get?!

"GODDAMMIT, Ken! Just leave me alone!"

I didn't even care about my dignity anymore, my head hurt, my neck was bleeding, and I felt like I was losing my mind. Knowing that he didn't have to lift a finger to stop me pissed me off even more, which just led to more crying and frustrating helplessness.

After a few seconds I just let it go and sat there, humiliated, pathetic, tired...

"Stop!" Ken commanded apprehensively. I put my head down and turned away from him, too embarrassed to not try helping myself as the sobs continued.

"Don't cry!" Ken demanded again. I could hear in his voice how unsure of himself he sounded, it made me remember how socially awkward he is. How hard he must've been cringing at himself while he tried to find the right words, and how weird and scary this must've all been for him...

Is he seriously trying to help me right now?

I shivered at the touch of Ken's hands on my shoulders.

"Why won't you stop trying to hurt and kill yourself?!" Ken asked. I opened my eyes to see him shooting a saddened, turquoise look back at me. All my frustration slowly vanished, and the only thing I felt was sorry that I'd hurt his feelings so much.

I replied through sniffles. "I h-have to-o...."

"Why?!" Ken asked.

"I'm not worth existing! It's just how some people are and I'm one of 'em!" I yelled, my gaze pointed away. "You don't understand yet, but no one wants me around... It may stink but that's just how it is!"

"No it's NOT!" Ken shouted, his voice breaking as he tried to ignore the flow of his own tears.

We looked each other in the eyes for a moment before Ken pulled my head into his chest. I closed my eyes, growing calmer to the sound of his heartbeat and the softness of his hair brushing against my face.

"I've seen you die so many times. No matter how or where it happened, nobody was happy!" Ken wept. "Kelly was crying when I told her what I saw, she and the other girls were losing their minds. Even Maui and Aho looked like they were gonna break down..."

I hugged Ken back and put my chin on his shoulder. "... I'm... Sorry."

Ken rubbed my back, spreading warmth and goosebumps across my skin. "You're such a good guy, you have so many good futures..." Ken said. "... I... We want you in our lives."

Ken

Me and Thomas stayed like that for a while when I remembered that I'd left the others behind for the sake of saving him.

I'd better bring him back.

I pulled some pocket tissues out of my bag and handed them to Thomas. Thomas blew his nose and wiped his eyes while I squirted some sanitizer on a napkin I had and used it to wipe away the blood on his neck. Luckily I could already notice the cut scabbing over.

"Oh man." Thomas said. "I bled all on your shirt!"

I looked down at the large red stain and snickered. "I don't care about that now." I said, pulling it off and tossing it aside as Thomas struggled to avert his eyes once more.

He's really curious about the human body, huh?

I put on another shirt from by bag and strapped it around my body like before while Thomas stood up and dusted himself off.

"Ready?" I said.

Thomas nodded and I walked ahead of us on a quest for the others.

~~~

We walked for a few minutes as I dowsed the area for our group. Me and Thomas followed a sidewalk leading towards an underground bridge near a factory when the energy I was sensing shot through the roof.

I scanned the large tunnel for bodies when I noticed a tall curvaceous figure stand near the other end. More figures stood from just beyond the darkness and I could feel Thomas' pace quicken by the second.

Before I knew it he was dashing towards the crowd at what seemed like a hundred miles and hour and just as suddenly as he started running, everyone crowded in to hug him.

I jogged over not too long after the initial welcoming, relieved and happy as the sun's glow dazzled on the horizon.

Kelly finally let go of Thomas wiped the tears from her face. "If there's a problem you can tell me! Please never just go and off yourself!"

"I don't care about anybody else!" Ritsu said. "You do matter, anything else is BS!"

"That's right!" Ayako agreed while Keiko moved in to get her hug.

Keiko let go Thomas stood there, smiling nervously when Maui snatched him into a suffocating embrace.

Maui sobbed. "Why d-didn't you SAY ANYTHING to me?!"

Thomas gasped for air. "I was... kinda messed up in the head..."

"B-But, who w-woulda watched me do karaoke and make catfish if my Thomas was g-gone?!"

Ahomana patted Maui on the back while he got out his emotions. Then Maui snatched Ahomana into a giant hug too and I could hear their bones slowly cracking.

"I think that's enough!" Ayako suggested, her calming energy radiating over the entire group as Maui let Thomas and Aho go.

I let out a sigh of relief when Ayako's ringtone blared back through the tunnel we were close to. Ayako picked up the phone and I could hear that Haruko girl's voice on the other line. She was yelling, and by the look on Ayako's face, Haruko wasn't telling her anything pleasant.

Ayako eventually ended the call, her face wrought with concern and uneasiness.

"What's wrong?" Thomas asked.

"The country is in an uproar." Ayako replied. "Your altercation got caught on security camera and everybody in Baiyo is terrified after what you did to that boy got out."

"We've gotta leave again?" Kelly worried.

"It isn't gonna be that simple now." Ritsu said. "If they really think that the country has been infiltrated by big terrorists everything will go under lockdown!"

Keiko spoke. "The droids will scan everything for your DNA, and all suspicious people will be taken into custody. Every brick on Baiyo's surface will be turned upside down."

I started dowsing the area again for any humans besides us as these many dangers came under my radar. I felt tempted to check my clairvoyance for anything, but in critical situations like this, the amount of possibilities are practically endless. There's already millions of possibilities for the future, factoring in something like a national lockdown adds a lot of interesting variables.

*Whiirrrrr*

I looked up in enough time for my frequency of vision to pick up the would-be invisible beams of red scanning through the tunnel. My telekinesis snatched a stone from a small lake nearby and sent it blasting into the hidden camera, startling the other's as metal and tiny parts went flying.

"How the heck are we gonna get out?!" Kelly panicked.

Ayako fixed her gaze on the shore and lead us from the tunnel way. "There's one way." she said, travelling on the paved walkways leading to an area behind a large building near the ocean.

We stopped around an unusually large manhole when the realization began to sit in.

"We're leaving via sewer?!" Ahomana shouted.

Narong shushed him and he got a quick jab from Choa.

"It's better than dying..." Said Ritsu.

Thomas lifted the lid off of the manhole and set it aside.

"Wait," Kelly said, taking off her golden hoop earrings and handing them to Maui. "Store those away or somethin' these are my best hoops."

"Are you serious?" Ahomana raised a brow at her.

Kelly started quickly french braiding her hair. "Can it, pretty boy. Why don't you toss some shit water in your hair while we're down there since you're such a man?"

"Focus." Choa reminded them.

Choa was the first to climb down, then the rest of my guards, Travis, Thomas, the girls, and finally me. I hopped down onto a maintenance walkway of sorts with the others and used telekinesis to pull the lid back over the manhole, sealing us from the surface world.

We all stood by the foul, rushing sewer waters in dim light and thick, muggy air.

"I've got the town's sewer map pulled up on my phone!" Ritsu said.

"Okay everyone, she's our navigator." Ayako stated. "Follow the pigtails!"

Ritsu walked ahead of us and we followed along, silently, and somewhat awkwardly too.

After a few minutes Thomas nudged me.

"What's up with Travis?" Thomas whispered.

"He's probably angry because Aho told on him."

"No. I mean, he looks... Hurt."

I glanced back to find Travis trudging along with a busted and swollen lip, his face littered with scratches.

"Oh, yeah." My memory clicked. "After Aho told on him and I related my visions to Kelly, she beat him up."

Thomas' eyes widened a bit as he looked back towards the two walking next to each other uneasily. I was surprised they could even stand near each other with all the negative energy radiating from the two, I bet even someone without ESP could sense it to some degree...

The longer we went on, the more it felt like we were getting lost. We just kept dragging ourselves along in faith that Ritsu knew where she was going, through the twisting tunnels and many intersections. After a certain point I just started floating to keep up.

"This smell..." Choa grumbled as he used his shirt to cover his nose. "What manner of a place is this?"

Kelly stepped over a puddle of foul yellowish mush. "Doesn't Tajora have any sort of sewage system?"

"Nothing like this..." Choa replied.

"They would be underdeveloped..." Travis muttered, unintentionally loud enough for everyone to hear.

We all turned around, our brows furrowed and looks riddled with disapproval.

... When did he become such an asshole?

Choa let out a sigh. "Do not look down on Tajora, we are one with the planet. Someone like you would barely last a week."

I could see the frustration and pressure our gazes were putting on Travis, he was already turning red. Whatever the hell was wrong with him, he seemed to be becoming increasingly irritable and us being upset with him wasn't gonna help.

"...... Let's go." I suggested, raising my voice for everyone in the back. "We should go."

We continued for what began to feel like a ridiculous amount of time, everyone groaning and smacking their lips at the slightest disturbance.

"PFFTTT!" Ahomana swatted violently at the space around him. "Damn web got in my mouth!"

"Oh, be quiet Aho." Maui complained. "You whined the entire way."

Ahomana glared at him. "Shut it, man skank!"

"Hey," Ayako interjected. "That's not very nice."

"Stay out of this!" Ahomana said. "Focus on making sure Ritsu knows what the hell she's doing because I highly doubt she does."

"We're following the map just fine!" Ritsu shot back. "Distance on a map is different from reality you know."

Ahomana rolled his eyes. "Tch..."

I caught sight of something big floating in the water.

... A trashcan?

The closer it floated, I began to feel an incredibly morbid aura from it..

"That trashcan is floating really close." I thought aloud when a slimy shadow emerged from the lid and flipped over in the raw sewage, splashing to the surface as it squirmed towards us.

Thomas jumped back. "What the-!"

The entire group spread out as it crawled onto the walkway. My leg's didn't give me much time to study the creature well and I wound op floating well away from it.

After getting a good look I could tell it was the size of a couch, but much longer and extremely slimy. I could see it's black flesh oozing with foul mucus and it's seemingly dozens of legs.

"Do you think we're near it's nest?!" Sae asked in a panic.

Searing brown liquid and pus spewed from the creatures' wide mouth as Ayako tackled Ritsu out of the way and opened her hand towards the creature.

"Paralysis!"

Thin yellow rays shot from Ayako's fingers and the creatures' body alit with a pale flash. It's body stiffened before slowly falling back into the sewage and I descended near the others, the sizzle of that thing's acidic attack filling the silence.

"What was that?!" Kelly exclaimed.

Ahomana narrowed his eyes. "It's what the fuck happens when you let a teenage girl handle your directions!"

"Hey man, I just tell you where to go, I don't control the crap living in here." Ritsu snapped at him.

"Enough bickering!" Choa said as he walked ahead of us, the authority in his presence swaying everyone to follow.

After even more endless sewer power walking everybody began to get more aggravated.

"Choa." Kelly called, and Choa continued forward.

Kelly tried again. "Choa."

He still didn't respond, his muscles tensing in anger as he passed through dingy lighting.

"Choa!"

"WHAT?!" Choa hollered, his voice belting with frustration.

"Can you slow the fuck down?! My feet are blistering like hell!"

Ahomana sighed in relief. "Finally, someone said something about this shit."

"OKAY!" Choa shouted. "So you all wanna act like little shits now huh?!"

"What?!" Ayako said, frowning up at him.

I could feel it before, but it seemed that everyone's aura had become increasingly more... Destructive. All I could feel was irrational anger suffocating my head. It was almost painful.

I could hear Maui sniffling in the back, trying to fight tears that insisted on flowing for some reason.

"What's the matter with you now, punk?!" Choa grumbled.

Maui rubbed his eyes. "I just kinda miss my family is all..."

My heart kind of started to hurt for him. Maui's the oldest of all his siblings, mind you he has a ton of them, and he's really close to both his parents. I never really thought of how homesick he must've been getting.

"Oh, grow up! Maui Dahamar, protector of Tajora's Chief is homesick, are you shitting me?!"

"Screw you, Choa!" Narong finally spoke up after staying silent for so long. "You think you're so much better for being the guard captain's son. Your shit ego is appalling!"

"As if his brutish clan hold a candle to us intellectuals!" Ahomana chimed in.

Narong too?!

Nothing was making sense anymore. Nothing was natural about the way anybody was acting at all.

What's going on?

"Oh yeah?!" Choa ripped off his shirt. "C'mon! I'll pound you bitches to dust!"

Narong stood next to Ahomana and cracked his knuckles. "Try as you may, no amount of apology will save you later."

Choa scoffed at their threats, the look in his eyes eerily demonic compared to before. "COME AT ME THEN! You're gonna me bawling your eyes o-!"

*SLAM!*

A humongous figure smashed Choa's body into the brick wall next to us and he slid to the ground, nasty open wounds oozing with blood as the fat, grey giant turned into the light, it's thick tail trailing behind it.

In front of us sat a colossal rat, just one of it's claws large enough to hold down Choa's entire body with little to no effort. Cascades of fungus filled in the patches of missing fur on it's back and it's jagged, mustard yellow fangs dripped with bloody, poisonous saliva.

It grinned. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interfere..."