Greetings! Sorry for the late update, my school always crams in homework right before spring break, so I had a lot of studying instead of writing. This chapter is a lot longer, so I'm going to hope that this will pass off for the one I was supposed to finish last week and this week. I know, I need to get everything organized and stop pushing stuff back, and trust me, I am trying. To all the people who regularly check for story updates, thanks a bunch for being patient. Enjoy the story!

He had been waiting for almost an hour, but he just go there early. With his spare time, he tried to call. Please pick up, he thought. He knew that she hadn't bothered to get a new or at least working phone, so it might take a while. She finally answered, but her voice was almost silent over the static.

Oh look who it is. Had to break her heart, want to try to break mine?

You know that we both thought it wouldn't work out. Plus, I thought you didn't care about her.

Please. We may be polar opposites, but we're still connected. And I hold grudges.

Well, I need a favor.

Nope.

You didn't even listen to me.

I'm not helping you after all of that.

Listen. I need your information about the cube.

...fine, now you have my attention. But I'll have to think about it.

How long do you need to think?

Eh, couple days.

Can you think faster?

Can you persuade me? He sighed. It wasn't like she was ever easy to talk to, but he really needed her help.

I didn't want to bring this up, but you owe me. Remember that I saved her life. And remember who I saved her life from. The other line paused for a while, but responded in a darker voice.

You are never to bring that up to her, or anyone else again. You know that was an accident, and you are never to speak of it again. Understand?

Will you help me?

Fine. When do you need help?

Very soon. Just expect visitors today.

Hmph...

He ended the call and thought about what she had said. Did I really break her heart? No, we both said that it wouldn't work out. Right? She had been his first friend, the one that was there for him ever since he appeared out of the rift. They eventually started dating, and it was obvious that they loved each other very much. After a while, he realized that the love he felt for her wasn't romantic, more brotherly. She claimed that she agreed when he told her, but she never talked to him after the breakup. His thoughts were interrupted by Shelly, finally pulling up in an ATK.

Meanwhile...

Shelly yawned as she parked her ATK by the pavilion. It had been another night of dreams about rifts. In every dream she would be pulled to it, paralyzed and unable to do anything but move closer and closer. Yet when she was about to get pulled in, she would wake up in a cold sweat. Shelly hopped that she would be able to bring up the dreams today, but Drift looked very stressed as he waved to her.

"So, where is this cub expert you want me to meet?"

"We have to walk there, but it'll be quick. She doesn't really appreciate cars."

"Is she a old technophobe lady?"

"I guess that's one way of putting it."

They took a quick stroll out of Pleasant Park, and into the nearby woods. There stood an abandoned building, the ruins of what might have been a factory or house. The building happened to be right next to the corrupted area, that and the random, boots of an owl set an even creepier atmosphere. As they got closer to the house, she could have sworn it got significantly colder. She tried not to stare at the massive spiderweb in a pile of brick and metal while Drift knocked on the door. There was some shuffling followed by a series of quiet clinks until the door creaked open. Dark Bomber stood in the doorway with a mishchevous smile. She gave Shelly a slight nod and glared at Drift.

"Well, we finally meet again. Going to introduce me to your friend?"

Dark Bomber led them upstairs to an attic, and sat them down on a sagging and slightly moldy couch. Shelly tried her hardest not to stare again, but she had only ever heard rumors about her that were very vague and hard to understand. Trying to describe Dark Bomber was like trying to describe a massive tornado or hurricane, all the words you want to use are too positive for the subject. She was the spitting image of Bright Bomber, except for her colors. Almost everything she wore was black or a dark shade of purple, excepting the symbols on her leggings that would fade in and out. Her face was pretty much the same, except for her eyes. Probably the scariest part of her besides her temper, they were constantly glowing and changing with her mood. They could quickly go from a blinding pink to ten times darker than her mood. But no matter the color, they always had a 'I have over a million kills in Battle Royale why don't you fight me' or 'If you get any closer to me then I will end you' glint. Shelly was still trying to shake the cold feeling she kept on feeling and noticed Drift was starting to shiver a bit.

"Dark Bomber, this is Shelly. Shelly, I'm sure you know Dark Bomber."

"Yeah yeah, I'm famous for being the local creep. Let's get to the point. You guys want to know about the cube?" Drift and Shelly nodded. "Great. Ask me whatever."

"What do you know about the runes?"

"For starters, runes are a very, very ancient language. A lot older than me, probably older than the cube. Runes are associated with very powerful magic, the type that created the cube and the storm."

"The storm was created by magic?" Shelly asked.

"Technically it was created by a really old machine, but yes. There was a lot of the same magic involved in both creations. I mean, the storm and cube are kinda similar if you think about it, they're both purple and somewhat deadly."

"So if the cube is related to the storm and the runes are related to the cube, then would the runes be connected to the weather?"

"Not the weather, natural disasters. Runes don't just affect little rainbows and sunshine, no, they're more related to hurricanes, tornados, and-"

"Earthquakes?" Drift interjected.

"Yep. Actually, runes are most connected to earthquakes and all other ground-related disasters. That's why the cube was able to pull up the island in the lake and all those other chunks of the corrupted zones, it was had a very strong connection with the island." So it definitely could be the cube creating all these tremors, but why can't anyone else feel it but me and Drift? Shelly thought.

"Um, would it be possible for the cube to somehow create messages with the runes? Or at least display messages?"

"The cube did sort of show runes and transcripts that I could read, but I would sometimes get flashes of random runes when she was about to visit and..." Her eyes suddenly began to glow and she stood up rigidly.

"Are you ok?"

"I said too much. You both need to leave now." Dark Bomber whispered.

"Woah, what's happening here?" Drift stood up and tried to gently push her back on a chair.

"No. She knows, I must leave. I have to leave now, take the book and go!" She disappeared in a puff of violet smoke, leaving behind a musty book with thin, golden writing scrawled across the cover.

"What was that about?" Shelly slowly said.

"I have no clue." He reached for the books and dusted it off. "I guess this is a book about runes because I can't understand most of this, so I think this is the one." They each took a turn to examine all the cover, and finally stepped back out into the morning air.

"Out of curiosity, do you know Dark Bomber well?"

"Well, I have spent a fair amount of time with her because she and Bright Bomber are pretty connected and we...you know..."

"Oh. Um, yeah. I get it."

"It's fine. I guess we're good enough friends to talk about stuff like this."

"Friends..."

"Hm?"

"Nothing. I just trailed off. But if you don't mind, can ask you a question about Bright Bomber?"

"Sure."

"Are you two still...dating?"

"No. We broke up not too long ago."

"We don't have to talk about it if it's a sensitive subject."

"That's ok. I might as well get the story straight, not like any magazine or talk show has." They both laughed a bit, then Drift took a deep breath and began. "We didn't break up because one of us was cheating. Never, in a million years. It wasn't being petty or because we didn't like each other's friends. We...we decided that our feelings had changed from when we first went out. She liked someone else, I wanted some freedom, we both decided to be friends instead. That's it." They walked in silence until Shelly got into her ATK.

"Look, Drift, I'm always ready to listen. This is a no-judgment zone, so you can tell me anything."

"Thanks. I'll return the favor, you can vent to me too. I'll listen. Don't forget to bring the book next meeting! Later!"

"Bye!" She wedged the book into the seat next to her, and strapped on the seat belt just in case. After a slow drive back to Salty Springs with a quick stop at Retail Row for food, Shelly finally got home at plopped down on her bed. She pushed the book over to her nightstand and thought about the day, from Dark Bomber's disappearance to Drift's conversation. We both said that we could tell each other anything. I would be understanding, and you would listen no matter what. I know you'll listen to what I say, but will you accept it? If I give you my heart, all my feelings, will you accept it?