Zeke was still dreaming about his past. He wondered why he was having these dreams. He thought it was because he met Saya, but he wasn't sure.
Zeke's dream was about a time long ago, when he was with Saya. He had just turned eight and was out having a good time with Saya. The current date was December 24, 2031.
Saya and Zeke were currently out walking around the neighborhood. There was a lot of snow on the ground, and it was still snowing. It was cold enough to where they needed to wear layers.
"So Saya, what do you want to do now? It is my birthday, we should do something fun." Zeke said with a toothy grin.
"Let's go to the park and make a snowman. While we are walking, I want to talk about you. Where you're from. Why you don't look like your parents, and all sorts of other things." Saya said happily. She wanted to get to know Zeke, much more than she did at the moment.
After he heard what Saya had to say, Zeke stopped dead in his tracks, all the faint memories suddenly becoming so clear. The memories of the lab where he was tested on, poked and prodded with needles and strange machines everyday. He couldn't help but start crying at the mortifying memories, and Saya noticed.
"Why are you crying Zeke? It's your birthday, cheer up!" Saya had wrapped both her arms around one of his. He instantly wiped the tears away from his face and smiled, which in turn, caused Saya to smile.
"No reason, I'm just happy I get to spend my birthday with you." Zeke pushed the thoughts of the experimentation, far into the depths of his mind.
"Thanks, now we better get going if we want to make a snow man." Saya started pulling Zeke by the arm.
It took the couple five minutes to get to the park. When they got there, they were met by hateful gazes from the other kids. They were mainly directed towards Zeke. He ignored them, and took Saya to a secluded corner of the playground.
"Those other kids really don't like you, do they?" Saya looked at the others, then back at Zeke. He was busy starting on the base of the snowman.
"I guess not. It's probably because I look different from them." Zeke spoke, but was still focusing on the snowman. He didn't want to look over and see the hateful glares.
"I'm sorry Zeke. I knew there would be other kids at the playground, and I made you come along anyway." Saya was becoming depressed as the situation progressed. Zeke wasn't smiling, he was frowning, and packing the snow furiously.
"Don't worry about it, I'm fine. Help me with the snowman." Zeke rolled a big ball of snow towards Saya. It was the base of the snowman.
"You have the bottom done, now all we need is the middle and top." Saya said as she started packing snow.
Pretty soon Saya had the middle of the snowman done. It took only six minutes, so she decided to wait for Zeke to get back to do the top. Zeke had gone off looking for sticks and rocks for the body parts. It had been ten minutes since she last saw Zeke, and she was getting worried.
Saya felt better when she saw Zeke walk up with some sticks and small pebbles. He was badly bruised, and his arm was bleeding profusely.
"What happened Zeke? You're bleeding." Saya asked worriedly. Everywhere Zeke seemed to go, he got injured.
"Nothing, I tripped and fell on a pile of sticks. I'm fine. Let's finish the snowman." Zeke lied because he didn't want Saya to worry. He couldn't let her know that he ran into some of the bullies from school.
"Ok. We need to get the head done. Then we can put on the face." Saya picked up some snow and started packing it. Zeke picked up some as well. The blood from his wound stained the snow around him.
"I guess I can't help. We don't want a red snowman. I guess I'll start decorating him." Saya had just finished the head and put it at the top of the snow man. The body was finished, so Zeke put two sticks in each side of the mid section. Then he started to put pebbles on the head to make the face.
"It looks beautiful Zeke. Thanks for bringing me with you. I have an idea. Let's have a snowball fight now." Saya picked up some snow, and was about to throw it, when She was interrupted by a voice that came from behind her.
"Saya! What have I told you about hanging around this delinquent?! You're coming home now!" Saya's father had walked up and saw Saya playing with Zeke.
"But daddy, It's Zeke's birthday. I didn't want him to be alone." Saya had retorted against her father, which earned her a swift smack to the face. She fell down, and Zeke stepped in front of her.
"Stop! Now! I won't let you beat Saya. She doesn't deserve it." Zeke stood strong against Saya's father.
Saya was still on the ground, sniffling and sobbing. She looked up at Zeke, and she noticed how broad his shoulders were. She couldn't help but blush.
"Get out of my way! You disgusting freak of nature! You have no right to tell me what my daughter deserves and what she doesn't." Saya's father took a step towards Saya, but Zeke stood in his way again.
"I said no!" Zeke stood firm. He wasn't going to back down. He took the beatings from the bullies, because he knew he would still have Saya afterword, but if her father had his way, he would make sure he never got to see her again. Zeke wouldn't let that happen, because Saya was all he really had.
Saya's father raised a fist and punched Zeke in the face, but he didn't move. He just took the hit and looked right back at Saya's father, as if the punch never fazed him.
"So you think you're a tough little shit don't you?" Saya's father grabbed Zeke by the hair and punched him again, then threw him into the nearby fence. At this point everyone in the playground was watching. Mothers were covering their kids eyes, and fathers were just shaking they're heads in disapproval.
Zeke stood up and returned to his previous position in front of Saya. His nose had started bleeding, but he still looked on with unwavering determination.
"Why don't you stay down?!" Saya's father asked angrily.
"Because, I won't let you take Saya. I've dealt with worse than you. This is nothing compared to the beatings I get from the bullies at school." Zeke had raised his fists in a defensive stance. He was willing to fight, even though he detested it.
"You actually think you could win in a fight against me? That's a laugh. You're nothing but a snot nosed brat that needs to learn his place." Saya's father charged at Zeke. He blocked the initial hit and returned a vicious fury of strikes to his stomach, but to no avail. He wasn't strong enough to hurt Saya's behemoth of a father, however, that didn't stop Zeke from trying.
"I won't let you take Saya. You'll have to kill me first." Zeke stopped punching Saya's father and took a step back. He was still in a defensive stance.
"That can be arranged." Saya's father cracked his knuckles and they made a wicked popping sound. He pulled his fist back in preparation to hit Zeke, but Saya jumped in front of her outmatched companion.
"I'm sorry daddy. I'll come home. Just don't hurt Zeke anymore." Saya turned to face Zeke. Tears were flowing out of her eyes and down her pale face. "Goodbye Zeke, and sorry." Saya grabbed her father's hand and started pulling him away. He turned to look at Zeke.
"If I ever find out that you have been around my daughter after this, I will kill you. That's a promise freak." Saya's dad turned and walked Saya out of the park.
Zeke had become weak and fell to his knees. He started crying and everyone else in the park had stopped what they were doing to stare at the poor boy. They weren't stares of sympathy though. No, they were stares of disgust and confusion. They could care less about what had happened to Zeke.
"What are you all staring at!?" Zeke had snapped at the other occupants of the play ground. They flinched and looked away.
Zeke stood up and left the park. He just started walking in a random direction. He didn't care where he went anymore. Without Saya it was meaningless. He lost track of time and before Zeke knew it, it was midnight. He had been walking all day. After a minute passed he spoke.
"Merry Christmas Saya." The tears he had been holding back for the longest time came flooding out. He thought he was alone until he heard a raspy voice come from somewhere behind him. He turned to see an old lady, but she wasn't normal. She had white hair and red eyes just like him.
"What troubles you young one?" The old lady had a raspy but gentle voice.
"Nothing. I'm just spending Christmas alone, without any friends." Zeke spoke and more tears came crawling out of Zeke's tear ducts.
"You don't need friends or companions, for you are apart of a strong and proud people." The old lady had confused Zeke.
"What do you mean?" Zeke had asked, but the old lady only put a hand on Zeke's head.
"It's time to wake up little one."
Zeke had quickly jumped up out of his slumber. He was covered in sweat. He was wondering if the dream he had was just a dream or an actual memory. He looked up at the skylight and saw that it was still dark outside. He looked over at Saya. She was still sound asleep, so Zeke decided not to wake her up to talk. He instead decided to go for a walk through the mall.
Zeke looked at all the abandoned stores, with stuff still left in them from when they were abandoned during the event. He saw a vending machine nearby. Zeke walked up to it then pulled out a small ring of keys. Once he found the key to the vending machine, he opened it up and took out a drink. Zeke closed the machine and walked off in a random direction.
Zeke pulled the tab on the drink and it made an audible hissing sound. He gave the tab one more pull then the drink opened. He took one sip before he looked around.
"This mall really is big. If you didn't know your way around, you could easily get lost." Zeke spoke to himself and took another drink.
"Now I beg to differ. It was extremely easy finding you with all that excess energy your putting off." A voice came from behind Zeke. It sounded malicious and wicked.
Zeke quickly turned around to see a red haired boy with piercing green eyes, that looked to be the same age as him. Zeke noticed that the boy looked eerily similar to himself. The sudden realization that this boy was Negative one.
"How did you know I was here?! If you know what's good for you, you'd leave right now!" Zeke tried to threaten Negative one, but all he got in return was a wicked smile.
"What makes you think I would listen to you? I'm stronger than you! I listen to no one!" Negative one charged at Zeke.
Zeke through his drink down and tried dodging Negative one's attack, but he wasn't fast enough and his arm was caught by Negative one. Negative one started squeezing Zeke's arm with force that no human should have. After a moment Zeke heard a crack, then an extreme pain shot through his arm.
"Ah. Doesn't this just take you down memory lane. You're in the same situation your adoptive mother was in. Let's see if we can make it end the same. Hahaha!" Negative one cackled and squeezed Zeke's arm harder.
"Aaaghhh! You son of a bitch! How dare you talk about that! You know nothing about my past!" Zeke couldn't help but fall to his knees. The pain was too much.
"To the contrary. I know all about your past. Mainly because I'm meant to be a genetic copy of you. They implanted me with all your memories. Now I know what you're thinking. How did they manage to do that, when I left the organization when I was five? Well I'll tell you. They've been spying on you Zeke. They've watched you grow. They know everything you do, including the things you don't remember. Like the fact that you're the one who destroyed half the world! Hahaha!"
"What the hell?! That's impossible! You're lying!" Zeke tried getting his broken arm free, but every time he moved, Negative one would squeeze harder.
"Oh really? Then why don't you ask that hot piece of ass you carry around with you. You're other half told her exactly what I just told you. He seemed to serious to be lying." Negative one provoked Zeke, which in turn, caused him to struggle more.
"You're lying! Saya would have told me after talking to him! " Zeke mustered up enough strength to pull his arm away, but the force from the pull that set him free, pulled the bones in his arm farther apart.
"Believe what you want. The only thing you need to know is that I'm going to kill you now. It's what I was created for after all." Negative one lunged at Zeke.
Zeke manifested his claws and tried blocking the blow with his one good arm, but to his surprise, the energy covering his arm dissipated and was absorbed into Negative one's skin. The blow connected with Zeke's left cheek, causing him to double over in pain. It felt as if his jaw had been ran over by a bull dozer.
"You dumbass! Did you forget that I absorb energy! I was created to be the exact opposite of you! You create energy, I absorb it and get stronger! It's really simple! You. Can't. Win!" Negative one mocked Zeke. Daring him to get angry and lose control.
Meanwhile, back at the furniture store, Saya had woken up due to all the noise. She moved her hand over to grab Zeke's only to realize he wasn't there. This sent Saya into a panic. She quickly woke Willem and Einnor up.
"Come on! We need to hurry! I think Zeke might be in trouble!" Saya had become so flustered to the point that she couldn't think about anything but Zeke and what kind of trouble he might be in.
"Alright! We're ready! Let's go!" Einnor had dashed out of the store to see if he could somehow figure out where Zeke went.
"Do you have anything?" Willem spoke his twin pistols in hand.
"I know where he is come on!" Saya ran past Willem and Einnor. She didn't know how or why, but for some reason, she felt as if she knew exactly where Zeke would be.
Willem and Einnor didn't question it and followed Saya. Saya would make random turns, which made it difficult for Willem and Einnor to keep up, but they managed.
"We need to hurry! I don't think we have much time!" Saya had made one last turn, and what she saw, was the worst thing that could ever happen to her.
Right in front of Saya, a man with red hair, had his hand pierced through Zeke's chest. It went clean through Zeke's back, and in the mans grasp, was Zeke's heart, still beating even though it was no longer in his body.
"Oh, I'm so glad you made it in time for the grand finale. This is the part where Zeke dies a painful and agonizing death. Hahaha!" Negative one cackled, then in one swift motion removed his arm from Zeke's chest, and along with it, came Zeke's heart. Negative one let go of Zeke's coat collar and let him fall to the ground.
"..." Saya turned pale. She tried screaming but no words came out. Willem and Einnor had just arrived when Zeke's heart was ripped out of his chest. They were as pale as Saya, and just as speechless.
"Ah! That was fun! Killing Zeke was a blast! Hahaha! It was easy! All I had to do was mention the name Saya, and his parents, and he completely lost his cool." Negative one spoke as if he just got done playing with a new toy.
"You bastard!" Saya became enraged, then out of nowhere her body bursted into fierce red flames. Her eyes went from green to to a burning bright red. She looked at her hands in surprise.
"Saya you're on fire!" Willem was finally able to speak. He couldn't believe what he just saw. Saya's body bursted into flames out of thin air.
"It couldn't be! You're.." Einnor spoke but was cut off by Negative one.
"The elusive experiment number two. The Phoenix Blossom. Master of flames. Who would have thought the second strongest experiment would be here?" Negative one spoke as if he were truly intrigued by this turn of events.
"I am experiment number two? How is that even possible?" Saya couldn't stop staring at her hands that were now shrouded in red flames.
"There's no time to worry about that! If we hurry we might still be able to save Zeke!" Einnor teleported to Zeke. Negative one didn't take kindly to this and tried to strike at at Einnor, but his hand was burnt to a crisp before he could even touch him.
"What?!" Negative one looked at Saya. She had managed to launch a fireball at Negative one's hand.
"I'll do what I can here. Just get Zeke back to your apartment as soon as you can and take care of him!" Saya had her hand pointed at Negative one.
"Understood." Einnor had teleported out of the mall and left the fighting to Willem and Saya. He had to hurry back to his apartment and do what he can to keep Zeke remotely alive.
"You bitch! That was my prey! I was gonna have his head mounted on the wall in my cell! Now you're gonna pay!" Negative one lunged at Saya but was stopped by two bullets to the chest.
"Stay right there! Don't make another move, or else the next two will be in your skull!" Willem moved in front of Saya.
"Thanks for the backup." Saya thanked Willem for his help and pointed her fiery hand at Negative one.
"You think that will stop me? I've already absorbed enough energy from Zeke to gain his healing powers, but I'm in no mood to fight. I'll let you go just this once. " Negative one's wounds had already healed by the time he was done talking. He turned around and leaped through a hole in the ceiling of the mall.
"Glad that's over. Now all we have to do is wait here for Einnor to come back and get us." Willem holstered his guns and sat down on the floor.
"Yeah..." Saya sat down as well but her expression was anything but calm.
"Don't worry Saya. Aside from Cred, Einnor is the smartest person I've met. He'll find a way to keep Zeke alive until we find a permanent solution. You just got to have faith." Willem reassured Saya with a gentle smile and soothing words.
"You're right." Saya agreed and smiled as well.
Willem and Saya sat at the mall for over six hours. The sun had came up and it started snowing. The air quickly dropped to a freezing temperature. Every breath they made was clearly visible.
"How cold is it Willem? I know that watch on your wrist tells more than just the time." Saya spoke shivering. She had managed to douse her fire powers, but now she was wishing she hadn't, and she can't figure out how to use them again.
Willem checked his watch and spoke. "It's negative one below zero, or as I like to call it, way too cold." Willem smiled a little bit, and Saya giggled a little bit at the joke Willem tried to make.
All of a sudden, a flash of light appeared in front of them, and Einnor emerged.
"He's alive."