Chapter 20: Beginning of the end

I tried to walk around town like I used to with Ashley. It wasn't the same. I stopped by Noodles and Co. and the school. I stopped by my house, leaving a note for my family about why I was gone. Yes, I told them everything. I also told them I wasn't coming back. I hadn't told the others that, but something told me they already knew. Walking around town, felt weird. In the end, I couldn't handle it. I looked at everything differently. I finally stopped where I feel everything began: a rooftop at Television Square.

"Nice spot."

I didn't bother glancing behind me. I could tell by the voice it was Sky. He stepped up behind me, which is when I glanced back. He had his hands in his pocket, glasses covering his eyes. They glistened in the sunlight, sparkling and giving a hint of sun glare. He looked like a movie star, smirking, tinted glasses, and dark armor.

"Yeah…I used to come here a few years back," I shrugged.

"With Ashley?"

I nodded. I could see the memory clearly in my mind. Ashley and I sitting on the roof top, kicking our feet, and watching the live feed. Who thought I would be sitting here on the same rooftop with the main man standing behind me. Who thought that Ashley would get kidnapped by squids either. I almost envisioned Ashley in my place, in the Sky Army as she always wanted to be. I should've been the one who got kidnapped.

"Regretting something?"

"Reading my mind?" I snapped. I didn't mean to though.

"I can't…I think Seto can…" he mumbled, raising an eyebrow. "He does it sometimes…just by looking at me."

I smiled, laughing a little.

"Wish you could've met everyone…Jason's fun, an old friend. Ian…Noah…Taylor…Martin, everyone!" chuckled Sky, sitting down beside me. "My friends are crazy…"

"Don't want to rock your world," I smirked, "but you're a little crazy too."

He laughed so hard. I joined in a little too. It felt forced though. Where would I be right now, if all this hasn't happened? Would I be at home, working on homework? Would Ashley and I be running rooftops? Would things be different around here? I sighed, looking of the square. All the people walking around without a thought or clue about what was really happening. I wanted to tell them, they should know, but…I guess Sky already tried that. I turned to him.

"What happened? How did you wind up with a whole army backing you up?" I whispered.

"It's a long story…" he nodded.

"Starting with that video two years ago?" I asked.

He nodded. "After Dawn…" he whispered.

"Dawn…" I repeated, turning away.

"I assume Jerome and Mitch told the story," he spoke plainly, not a waver in his voice.

I nodded.

"That video was a few months after that, when I was driven by grief…" he explained. "Didn't think it could lead to so much…"

"What about the others…like Deadlox or Husky…"

"I saved Deadlox from an attack, found Mitch and Jerome on the run, and found Husky beaten and broken," he went on. "Shall I continue…I have quite a few officers."

"No…I don't know everybody, remember," I sighed.

"Yea…" he mumbled, lying back.

I crinkled my nose, thinking. "What about Seto?"

"Oh, he found me…" Sky hummed. "He never told me exactly why. He just said it was the protection of humanity of something…"

He sat back up, looking down below. People were like ants. Look at them scurry. I smirked. I remember walking around down there like that once, completely ignorant to what was really going on. I sighed, lying down. The sky looked beautiful, a shimmering light blue with puffy white clouds. When was the last time I just looked up at the sky? Was I twelve? Younger? It felt like forever ago.

"Do you remember being a kid?" I seemed to mumble without thinking.

"I'm pretty sure I still am," he chuckled, standing up.

"Leaving?" I hummed, sitting up.

"Yeah…lots to do," he nodded, looking around.

I was preparing to stand up and leave with him but suddenly there was a loud crash. I leapt up, nearly falling off the building. Sky grabbed me by the wrist, pulling me into him. Another loud crash. We looked around everywhere. What was that? Another bang. I felt Sky's grip on my wrist tighten. He didn't seem to know about it. I slipped free from his grasp, stepping around.

"What was that?" I gasped.

Then it came into view. A huge, creature of unknown origin. Unknown origin? Who was I kidding? It was quite obvious where it came from. The dark blue skin, the tentacles dangling from its body, brushing and destroying nearby buildings, and the eyes that stung the soul. It was the king squid from the look of things. I slowly turned to Sky, mouth open.

"This is it…" he whispered, staring at the beast. "This is the final match…"