For the Power of Love

by RainyTazmily

A strange hit-and-run. Mysterious disappearances left and right. A sinister, overarching ploy is at hand, and supernatural powers can only do so much to save four boys from internal turmoil. Love can be selfish, love can be selfless... but at what point does it truly cross the line? AU. *[NOTE 8/2/19]: Still revamping chapters in spare time, 15/39 COMPLETE orz*

37. A Bad Dream

HUGEASS SUMMARY UP TO THIS POINT

All is well until Giygas goes on a kidnapping spree under Fassad's suggestion. Giygas targets the twins for their power of PK Love, and all four protags flee Onett.

On their HOLY QUEST to discover Giygas's motive behind the kidnappings, the four boys manage to free the missing psychic children from the laboratory at Holy Loly Mountain, where Giygas manufactures his horde of Starmen. Along the way, Ninten and Lucas are incapacitated, forcing Ness and Claus to make amends over their rocky relationship. While Ness deals with his crippling homesickness, Claus has difficulty controlling his PSI, namely PK Love, which is tied to his emotions. Adamant in wanting to protect his brother from Giygas's clutches, Claus grows increasingly frustrated with his failures.

The four protagonists bump into the time traveler BuzzBuzz and end up in Saturn Village to regroup.

From his visions, Ninten realizes that a guilt-ridden Giygas can't get over the death of his foster mother Maria and is tormented by his personal demons. These demons have manifested in a parasitic spirit named Mani Mani, who lurks in wait to devour Giygas's broken mind, and Ninten decides that he wants to save his uncle from insanity.

With an impending apocalypse on the way, their last hope and savior is The Seventh Needle - a magic artefact that can summon the Dark Dragon to grant its bearer one wish. However, a Needle can only be pulled by a psychic yielding the power of PK Love, and BuzzBuzz is forced to tell Lucas about his destiny. Lucas agrees to pull the Seventh Needle at the cost of his own life, but cannot bring himself to tell Claus about his sealed fate.

Unfortunately, Claus picks up on Lucas's silence and accuses him of hiding secrets. This causes a rift between the twins that Fassad exploits, tearing the four protagonists apart and costing BuzzBuzz his life.

Barely escaping by the skin of their teeth, Ness and Lucas are stranded not too far away in Lumine Hall, where Lucas grieves over the loss of his brother and Ness tries to boost their low morale.

Ninten is held captive in Moonside, a fictional city that lies in the ruins of New Pork City. There, Giygas loses his drive to revive his foster mother with the Seventh Needle and instead becomes attached to his nephew, who has become horribly ill and bedridden. Giygas is convinced to drop his plan, enraging a betrayed Fassad who vows vengeance in his immortal Magypsy name. Against all odds, Ninten manages to pull through his PSI Fever with the help of a healthy diet, a butt-ton of Calculus homework, and his psychedelic Uncle.

Meanwhile, Onett is dissolving into chaos. Minch points the finger of blame at the Dalaamese, and Duster is falsely arrested for the kidnappings he did not commit.

The parents and Wess decide to act.

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~oO0Oo~

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Everything Ninten's father did was for his son.

From the moment Ken had first opened his eyes, peering up at him and reaching for his nose with a giggle, the lawyer had hoped. He had prayed that his son had been spared from the curse of his inheritance.

The family took all precautions. Taking the Swine flu vaccination for the epidemic in Fourside. Straying far from the eyes of the Dalaamese Secret Service. Moving into the safer neighborhoods of Onett. Everything had to be normal for a normal childhood upbringing.

Then Ken turned six, and all of the lawyer's hopes shattered with the ceiling lights.

Unable and unwilling to comprehend the truth, Ninten's father had found Ken standing in the dark with wide, dumbstruck eyes, a broken bulb at his feet and glass in his hair.

The lawyer's face turned white.

PSI was no laughing matter to the country of Dalaam. The country would do anything to keep its existence a secret. Anything. Any report of Supernatural Suspicions could be actively investigated by the Secret Service - undercover Dalaamese agents hidden within the Onett population. The agents had packed their bags to escape the disastrous epidemic in Fourside, but there were always loose eyes and ears around.

Any psychic children unable to control their powers would be deemed unfit for their families. Torn away from their parents, these children were shipped to a military camp in Dalaam to hone their skills. The lawyer himself was proof of that.

But his son was different. His son was too frail to be out on his own. If his son was caught doing magic, if any word about his misdeeds escaped...

The Dalaamese government would steal him away.

Mind racing, the lawyer slammed the open window shut. His son had to be protected. His son came first at all costs.

Bottom lip trembling, Ken stared up at him in worry. "Papa?"

"Too soon. Much too soon," the lawyer muttered, scooping his son up by the arms. "It's not supposed to happen before puberty-"

Ken wiggled his fingers in an imitation. "Dad! I was walking, and the lights went boom! It was like magic!"

"There's no such thing as magic."

"Yes, there is! I saw you-"

The lawyer yanked the curtains across the windows. "Ken. From tomorrow, you'll stay indoors. You'll be homeschooled. I'll teach you everything you have to know. And until you gain control over your powers, you're not allowed to step outside."

His son tagged along his heels. "But Papa-"

Ninten's father came to a sudden halt. "Your powers are a curse. Never bring them up again."

Ken quietly hung his head. "Okay."

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"Two times fifteen?"

"Twenty-four."

"Unbelievable. We went over this everyday, and you still can't get it right." The lawyer tapped the end of the ruler against the desk. "Palms out. Sleeves up."

Ken shrank into his seat. "No!"

"Don't let me tell you twice. Palms out. Sleeves up."

Frightened, Ken jerked his hands away. "Dad-"

His expression hardened. "Do it."

Visibly fighting back tears, Ken raised two shaking hands into the air, each red and swollen from subsequent strokes.

The punishment was quick. On the last count, his son's fingers spasmed in pain, and Ken bit back a choked whimper as the smack of the ruler finally broke through his stinging skin. A line of blood oozed out of the cut, smearing the edge of the ruler red.

The lawyer forced himself to look past the expression on his son's face. The lawyer couldn't give in. Giving in meant breaking discipline, and children misbehaved without discipline. Ken had to do as he said. Ken couldn't afford to lag behind.

Ken couldn't afford stand out.

"Two times fifteen?"

"Thirty..."

With a barely audible sigh of relief, the lawyer dropped the ruler back onto his desk.

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"Dad, I want to go outside."

"Do your homework."

Ken peered up at him hopefully. "Then when I'm done, can I go outside and play? In the front yard? Lloyd promised to stop by again-"

"Your health cripples you."

Ken's face fell. "But Lloyd-"

"Is different from you." The lawyer dropped his pen with a finality. "Waving at the window is tolerable. But running around outside is not."

"But-"

"Ken, your powers are dangerous, and you are frail. If you know what is best for you, then you will listen to what I say-"

"You just don't want me to be happy," His son suddenly said. He balled up his fists. "I hate you. I hate you, dad!"

The desk lamp shattered in a horrible crash of glass.

Without a saying a single word, the lawyer reached for his ruler.

Horrified by his own outburst, Ken clapped both hands to his mouth. His knees started to shake. "Papa, I-"

"Your powers are a curse. Remember that, Ken." The lawyer's voice turned cold. "Palms out. Sleeves up. That's twenty strokes for your impertinence."

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"Again, honey? This is ridiculous."

Unfazed, the lawyer resumed penning his letter. "Carol, don't take his side. You spoil a child once, and he'll ask for more-"

His wife pursed her lips. "I don't see why not. I see boys his age running around and playing in the slides-"

"Which is why we bought him a dog."

"He should be out playing with his friends-"

"Mick is the perfect companion for him."

"Human friends, honey." Carol's eyes didn't move from his face. "When was the last time you let Ken roam around in the front yard?"

"That's beside the point." The lawyer lowered his voice into a furious whisper. "Carol, you know why we can't let him run about. My name is on the register. The Secret Service can pop in at any time to investigate our kids. We can't give them any reason to think that our household is beyond ordinary-"

"We're treating him like a war criminal."

"We're trying to keep him safe."

"Ken doesn't even know what the Secret Service is-"

"And he shouldn't," he said sharply. "He's miserable now, but give him a few years and he'll know how to lead a successful life."

"In a world he's barely seen?"

"The Secret Society has eyes and ears everywhere-"

"The Secret Service disbanded years ago. Dalaam is no longer monitoring Onett and its sister countries." Carol pursed her lips into a thin line. "Ken hasn't shattered another lightbulb since last year. You've done the best you can. Trust our son to lead his own life."

The lawyer's grip on his desk tightened.

As if reading his mind, her eyes softened. "Honey-"

"It's not easy..." He took a deep breath. "But I need to keep him safe."

She rested her hand over his. "No one said that it'd be easy."

"We can't lose him to the Secret Service-"

"We won't lose him," Carol promised, squeezing his hand. "We did everything we could. We left Fourside. We took the vaccination. If the S.S. come, we'll be ready." Carol gently slipped the ink pen away from his fingers and clasped it against the desk. "Honey, I want Ken to start third grade at the local school. You saw how well he got along with the Ness boy last week at the house party. The way he smiled..." She paused. "I want to see Ken smile like that again."

"...fine."

"Sorry?"

"He can attend the local school until we find a safer alternative. A private boarding school in Winters. Perhaps. I have connections there." A little disgruntled, the lawyer slid his papers to the side. "We'll talk about this later. But only for you, Carol. I know what's best for him."

She hid an amused smirk behind her hand. "What's this? Are you admitting defeat?"

"No," the lawyer sulked.

"You are so childish."

"Don't you have someone to check on?" the lawyer said, annoyed.

With a satisfied hum, Carol rose from the chair. Her high heels clicked across the floor. "I was just about to leave."

"Send George my greetings."

Intertwining her arm around his shoulders, she brushed back his hair back and kissed him on the forehead. "You and your nonstop work. You remind me of my brother. Take a break. I'm leaving the kids here, so be nice. See you at dinner."

"Love you," he muttered.

"I know."

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~oO0Oo~

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After his son's disappearance, Ninten's father fell into a series of visions. And in each one, he saw his son.

For the most part, Ken looked fine. Despite the stress and strain resting on his skinny shoulders, Ken was often seen happily chatting away to someone, and more than once, the lawyer snatched a glimpse of one of the other missing children. Usually, it was a lanky, red-headed boy whose voice sounded loud and brash and low and reassuring all at the same time.

One day, all of those familiar voices vanished.

And the lawyer couldn't see his son.

But tonight, there was something else there. Something alive. A faint buzz. The lawyer felt it, the slight tug on his mind, a slight pull of a telepathic connection. Without a moment's hesitation, he reached for the wavering line and gripped it tightly in his hand.

His navel gave a small jerk, and the deafening roar of thoughts swallowed up his ears.

Then as quickly as it had happened, Ninten's father jerked to a stop. Soft, jazzy notes of elevator music tinkled into the sudden silence, and the lawyer opened his eyes. He pushed himself up. From somewhere, the sound of running water echoed through the atrium. Tall Roman pillars towered over him, casting their shadows against the marble mosaic tiles.

And in the center of the atrium knelt a chillingly familiar figure.

"Ken," Ninten's father whispered.

His son turned around. His eyes brightening up in recognition, Ken rushed towards him.

The lawyer opened his arms-

Ken ran past him.

The lawyer lowered his own arms in incomprehension. Oblivious to his father's presence, Ken had eagerly wrapped his arms around another set of shoulders, and with an annoyed mutter, Giygas pushed his nephew's head away. But adoration shining in his eyes, Ken pressed himself closer, poking his head underneath an arm.

Ken trusted Giygas. Ken would trust Giygas with his life.

From afar, the lawyer quietly watched his son's face.

Giving Giygas's cloak a small tug until the man reluctantly stopped, Ken took the chance to loudly voice something. Giygas blinked down at the teen in exasperation, but cracking a vampirish grin, Ken tilted his head up and closed his eyes.

A silent offer.

Hesitating, Giygas lightly rested his hands against his nephew's face. Absolutely contrary to his rebellious character, Ken stayed put; there was a certain stubbornness to his features, a strange strength that had never been there before. As if realizing that Ken wasn't going to cave in, Giygas reluctantly brushed the bangs out of Ken's closed eyes and pressed in.

Their foreheads touched.

A second later, Ken stepped back in apprehension. He waited for his uncle to respond to his bared thoughts.

Giygas abruptly tore himself away. He didn't look pleased. "You have grown attached to me." His eyes rapidly flickered to the side. "This is not good."

Looking crestfallen, Ken determinedly kept his eyes on the floor. "I didn't plan to," he muttered.

As if sensing another presence in the mindscape, Giygas's eyes flickered to the lawyer. Giygas's own frown deepened. "Your father would be deeply displeased-"

"That's it? That's all you have to say?" Ken clenched his fists. "This isn't about how my dad feels, it's about how I feel. Don't try to change the subject-"

"Ninten."

His son fell still at the nickname.

Giygas tapped his fingers in an erratic rhythm. There was an edge to his voice. "We will talk later. Go to your room."

Stony-faced, Ken snapped his mouth shut. He brushed past Giygas and disappeared into the curtain of oblivion.

Giygas's eyes seemed to have difficulty focusing on the lawyer's face. "This is... troubling."

Refusing to be intimidated, Ninten's dad forced a stiff smile. "Congratulations. Is that what you want to hear? My approval to admit that you are the better man?"

Giygas lifted his head. His hard stare sent shivers down the lawyer's spine. Traumatic memories flashed through the lawyer's mind, traumatic memories of a taller brother-in-law glaring daggers down at his face.

A hint of bitterness seeped into the lawyer's voice. "I should have known. You couldn't approve of my marriage with your sister, so you decided to keep my son hostage. How much is the ransom?"

"There is no ransom."

"Then what is your wager? My wife for my son? My pride for Ken's safety?" When Giygas didn't respond, Ninten's father clenched his teeth. "I'm at your mercy. What more could you possibly want-?"

"I don't know what I want."

Ninten's father choked himself off mid-sentence.

Giygas's eyes flickered to the floor. "I didn't treat you right."

The lawyer's lips twisted into a sneer. "I don't want your pity-"

"-but I can never forgive you," Giygas spoke slowly. His eyes flared up in an unsettling shade of blue. "You hit him. You hit your own child. My sister's child."

Ninten's father clenched his palms. "I didn't have a choice-"

"My sister is everything to me. You swept her off her feet. You took her away from me, and now, you hurt her son." Giygas drew himself up. There was an unmistakably hard threat in his voice. "Stay away from my family. My feelings for you... are highly unpleasant." Giygas's eyes flickered to his face. "But your son is a different matter."

For the first time, the lawyer's face betrayed a flicker of fear. "What do you want with my son?"

Giygas's lips twisted into a wry smile. "I don't intend to harm him."

Ninten's father gave a stiff jerk of his head. "I felt it. His illness-"

"The fever has passed. Ken is in good hands."

The flicker of fear vanished. Ninten's father studied him, then forced the words out with difficulty. "I hold his best interests at heart, and yet, my son has never been affectionate with me." His eyes reluctantly lingered on the spot Ninten had disappeared. "I entrust his safety to you."

"A horrible decision on your part."

Ninten's father scowled. He looked like he had chewed on something sour. "Well, you haven't exactly been the perfect Godfather-"

For once, Giygas looked taken aback. "Godfather?"

"Believe me, there were better candidates," the lawyer said snidely.

"Better candidates?" Giygas narrowed his eyes into slits. "I beg your pardon. I am clearly the best."

"You kidnapped my son from school!"

"Trauma is educational."

Ninten's father shook his head. "You're insane. Wherever the... bloody hell... you are, take care of my son."

Giygas broke into a genuine smile. Even more surprisingly, it didn't look out of place. "For as long as I can," he said gently.

Before the lawyer could question him again, Giygas had fizzled away in a shower of obsidian sparks.

Once more, his wife's brother had outdone him.

Ninten's father cracked a bitter laugh.

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~Chapter Thirty-Seven~

A Bad Dream

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The day started early.

At eight on the dot, Electra knocked on the guest bedroom, voicing that breakfast was ready. Taking the hint, Flint ambled down to the parlour. Halfway down, he bumped into a yawning Wess, who - from the looks of it - had gotten little sleep himself.

"Don't you look spry," Flint said dryly.

Wess grunted, straightening out the last wisps of his hair. "I was up all night. Barely got any sleep, and we still haven't figured out a plan. But I do have a morning announcement to share-" He stretched out his tense arms with a grimace. "This isn't going to be easy."

They seated themselves at Electra's request. In no time, Electra was back, expertly decorating the bare table with an assortment of food. Platters of croissants, glistening fruits, and melted chocolate chip pancakes slid across the glass protector. A tureen of egg soup lazily bubbled in its silver platter. Golden chestnuts and sweet potatoes rested on a warm bed of parsley rice.

"You've outdone yourself, Electra," Wess grunted.

"I do my best," Electra said quietly, bowing into a curtsy. She seemed to be avoiding Flint's eye.

The doorbell rang. The maid excused herself, hurrying off to answer the call.

Four seats were still empty.

Flint frowned.

Catching the look, Wess gave another grunt. "Mister Bigshot stayed up all night too. Apparently he had a bad premonition about his son."

"He's psychic?"

"Who knows anymore." Wess heaped on a pile of pancakes and generously drizzled them with syrup. "It's a sore subject. You'd be wise to avoid it."

Thinking back to the lawyer's threat, Flint absentmindedly found himself talking. "My sons are psychic."

"Figures. It runs through the family." Wess took another mouthful of pancakes. "It's a fickle gene. Some people live their entire lives without knowing magic. Other people are less fortunate. They Awaken and die-"

Flint choked on his water. "Die?"

"Awakening your psychic powers takes a huge toll on the body. Someminlike puberty, except you get a godawful fever every time you have to learn new powers. From what I've been told, the fever's like HIV. The fever itself doesn't kill you, but weakens your immune system to other diseases that might kill you instead." Wess shot him a meaningful look. "But your sons got over it, didn't they? Should be easier after the first one-"

Conveniently, Ness's parents chose that time to show up at the table.

Ness's father bumbled over. "Traffic!" he gasped, doubling over. "We would have come earlier, but there was an accident down by the intersection-"

"It's nice to see you both," Wess grunted, waving them over. He caught the bags under their eyes. "I guess it would be foolish of me to assume that either of you got any sleep."

Ness's mom gave a quiet, breathy sort of laugh. "We did try, all the same." Her eyes flew over to the other man at the table. "Nice to see you too, Flint."

Flint tipped his hat. "Likewise."

Ness's father suddenly went into a coughing fit, then made a huge show of pulling out a chair from the table for his wife. "I, um, here-"

She frowned. "I can pull out the chair on my own-"

"I want to," he blurted out. "Pull out the chair, that is. For you."

His wife turned pink-faced. "Oh. Thanks." She gave her ex an uncertain look. "But this doesn't mean anything-"

"I know."

She sat down in the offered chair, and looking like he'd won the lottery, Ness's father happily seated himself beside her.

Wess hid a cough behind his hand. "Those two should get back together," he said under his breath, and when Flint stifled a smile of his own, Wess scowled, shoving a platter of food his way. "And you! Get something to eat. I'd look like a pig if I'm chowing down on this buffet alone."

Despite his emptiness clawing at his stomach, Flint quietly sipped some orange juice. He didn't think he could stomach much else.

Five minutes in, the familiar sound of heels clicked against the floor. Carol slunk in and seated herself at the table. Everything about her reminded Flint of a cat, lithe and graceful.

"Good morning," said she. Her voice sounded monotone.

Ness's mom slid a napkin into her palm. "Carol..."

"It's fine. Thanks," Carol murmured, taking the napkin. "My husband was able to contact my brother."

Ness's father looked alarmed. "And?"

"He is innocent."

Everyone turned around at the voice. For lack of a better word, Ninten's father looked... tense. There was a subtle sort of slouch in his stiff shoulders, a haggard look that hadn't been present in his eyes the day before.

But the man drew himself up, looking as cold as ever, and Flint quickly abandoned the assumption.

"I apologize for keeping you waiting. Yes, my brother-in-law is not entirely at fault, but that is a different story. Right now, our priority lies with recovering our lost children." His eyes ruefully shifted to Wess's face. "But I believe Chief Wess has something to say."

Pushing himself away from the table, Chief Wess uncomfortably cleared his throat. "That's because I owe all of you an explanation. One week ago, my son found the missing children in the local diner."

Ness's father sat up. "He saw-?"

"No, none of your sons were present," Wess said apologetically, and Ness's father seemed to sag into his seat. "But Duster escorted them to my work home. Naturally, under standard protocol, I had planned on sending them back to their parents." Wess squared his shoulders together. "The missing children had other ideas. As fellow psychics, they wanted me to track down your sons."

The atmosphere fell tense.

Ness's father spoke first. "So, you're saying..."

"It isn't right, and I'm not proud of it," Wess said, frustrated. "But the children knew what they were talking about, and damn it, considering the circumstances, what is standard protocol? Look outside. Nothing is the way we know it. Stars are falling from the sky, magical geysers are shooting out blood, Politician Minch is turning the crowd's panic to his own favor. Justice, gone. The police force, corrupted. The world is coming to a heartless end, and your sons are somehow tied to saving it."

An immediate protest emerged from the row of parents.

Ness's father raised his hands. "H-Hold on," he sputtered. "You can't be serious! Ness is barely fifteen! He's a child!"

"I agree," Ninten's father said suddenly. His voice sounded icy. "You can't expect my son to succeed on a ridiculous quest to save the world-"

"No!" Clutching her hair, Ness's mom sounded like she was on the brink of a panic attack. "Surely we can take their place. Or we can... do something else! It doesn't have to be them!"

"Hold on, I'm not done yet!" Wess bellowed. He slammed his hands down on the table. "I don't know the details of the prophecy, so don't ask! But shortly after the meeting, Duster escorted them to another safehold and dropped off Picky at the Minch's place. The last time I heard back from my son, the kids were on the verge of a breakthrough. I don't know where the children are. But maybe, if we free Duster..."

"We can find our children," Ness's mom finished.

Flint adjusted the brim of his hat. "I'm listening. Tell us what to do-"

"Nothing." There was a fire burning in Wess's eyes. "You five will stay behind the line of fire. This is too dangerous for me to ask of any civilian, and legal procedures will take too long. By the time we wait for a fair trial, it might be too late to save your children."

Flint furrowed his brow. "What are you talking about, old man?"

"I'm breaking into the jail. Tonight."

For a shivering second, no one spoke.

"Might as well go together," Ness's father piped up.

"Did you not hear me?" Chief Wess snapped, sweeping a hand across the room. "It's total anarchy out there. Mobs of Minch supporters. Tens of police. If you get caught, you could lose your job-"

"My son is more important than my job!"

Ness's father was breathing hard, his face red and eyebrows furrowed together into a scowl. Both hands clapped over her mouth, Ness's mom was staring at her ex, her eyes threatening to spill over with tears.

Then true to his meek nature, the bear-sized man shrank back. "I-I mean, you know the saying," he mumbled. "If you can't beat them, join them-"

Flint clapped a hand on the business man's shoulder. "I'm with you," he said, leveling a challenging look in Wess's way.

Carol clicked her heels, tapping them against the floor. "I see no reason for either of you to count me out either," she said dryly, throwing a glance at her friend's way. "And I assume you feel the same?"

"I'm in," Ness's mom said fiercely. "Don't you dare count me out. I can't leave my daughter out on her own, but if there's anything I can do in the sidelines, I'll do it."

Wess threw up his hands. "I'm not saying that you can't help, but leave the prison break to me. I've been professionally trained to deal with these situations-"

"Oh, but will you look at that? You are sadly outnumbered," Ninten's father said softly, taking a step forward. "Chief, if you fail, we will have no other lead." He took another step forward, and Wess backed away. "If you fail, we will have no choice but to break into the jail ourselves." The lawyer tilted his own head to the side. His eyes glowed a terrifying liquid amber. "And if you fail, assuming that the world survives the freak apocalypse unleashed by Mother Nature, you will have to answer not only to us, but also to the unhappy parents whom you've lied to about their missing children. I sincerely hope that you are ready to deal with the political backlash, because believe me, it will not be pretty-"

"Okay, I get it!" Wess snapped, pushing him away. "Stop glowering at me, I said I'll let you help, didn't I?"

The lawyer sat back down with a smirk. "Excellent. I'm glad you see our way."

"Jayzus." Muttering something under his breath, Wess shot the lawyer a nasty glare. "We have to break in tonight. The police are moving Duster to Fourside confinement in the morning."

The lawyer's lips twisted into its idiosyncratic line. "The irony of this prison break is not lost on me. Chief, lead the discussion."

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~oO0Oo~

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Wess's plan was crazy.

They'd haggled over everything: The time of infiltration, the method of distraction, the placement of backup. Each of the parents had voiced their own opinions, but none other had been more vocal about it than Ninten's father. He was quick to point out any gaping flaws and struck down anything that Wess brought to the table.

At one point, it seemed to get personal.

"It won't work."

"Won't, or can't?"

"You cannot expect me to distract every single officer with fancy wordplay-"

"But you have other means."

"That is simply out of the question," Ninten's father hissed. "You have no idea what you are asking of me, officer."

Frustrated, Wess slammed his palms against the table. "This is for your son. What more reason do you need-"

"I will not expose my family!" The lawyer's eyes had flared up in quiet anger. His fingers had turned tense and rigid from gripping the edge of his chair.

Underneath the table, Carol quietly gave his hand a small squeeze.

There was a short pause.

"Then fancy word play will do," Wess said gruffly as if nothing had happened, and the debate began anew.

Needless to say, with few resources and so little time, their options were limited.

About two hours before the prison break, the parents adjourned, and Flint decided to spend the remaining time to compose himself. The soft blare of the TV sent him into a mindless lull.

"-the Dalaamese hate us. Do you know what they were doing last night? I saw a whole lot of them cheering out on the streets! They were happy about the news. Why? Because they're childstealers. They take our children and brainwash them into slaves for their Communist armies. Why do we keep letting them into the country? What are we waiting for? I say we deport every single one of them out of the country-"

Flint was shaken out of his thoughts by a friendly thump on the back. Though thump was an understatement - the impact nearly sent Flint flying out of his seat.

"Thanks for backing me earlier," Ness's father said shyly.

Flint adjusted his hat with a nod.

"You mind if I keep you company for a bit? I don't want to overwhelm my wife."

Flint gave a short shake of the head, and gratefully, Ness's dad sat down. The couch squeaked and sank under his weight. Two seconds of peaceful silence passed before Ness's father spoke again. "You're a pretty brave guy."

"Not really."

"And funny too." The business man chuckled under his breath. "See, this would be the part where I'd say that your humor reminds me of so-and-so, but I can't tell your sons apart to say who is whom. Sorry."

"That's okay. It takes time."

"I knew that one of them was pretty close to my son. What was his name... Linus?"

"Lucas."

"Ah. Right." Ness's father cracked a sheepish smile. "See, I barely know anything about my son's best friend." He fell quiet. Ness's father gloomily stared at the floor. "...I don't know anything about my son."

Flint shifted in his seat. "It's not easy to balance work with your life."

"Loads of people manage it. In the end, it's my fault for not trying." He sounded miserable. "Call me a coward, but I've been making excuses to avoid my family. I can't bear to face my wife. And Ness... Better him think that I was a rotten father who never cared. It'd be easier on him, I thought. Excuses. Just excuses after excuses after excuses." Ness's father buried his face into his hands. "But when Ness called me miles away from home... I couldn't help but think how my son had the courage to do something I couldn't. I wonder what he must have thought of me until the very en- no, Ness isn't dead. He'll be all right. He'll be okay." Lifting his head, Ness's father cracked a weak smile. "Flint, you must think I'm pathetic. That's okay. I think I'm pretty pathetic too."

Flint rested a hand on his shoulder. "Your wife is an amazing woman," he said quietly.

Ness's father gave a hoarse laugh. "She is."

"You miss her."

"More than you can imagine."

"And she misses you."

"That's debatable."

Flint gave a quiet laugh under his breath. "My point is, don't take her for granted. Because if you wait too long... it'll be too late."

Ness's father wiped his eyes on his sleeve. "Thanks, Flint. I think I really needed that. Even if things don't work out between us again, everything will be okay, one way or another." He rose to his feet. "I'll never forget how you've helped my wife, Flint. Anything can happen tonight, so be careful out there. If you need anything, I'm in your debt."

Flint adjusted his hat. "The only debt you have is that to your wife."

"You're a good man, Flint," Ness's father said softly. "Your wife is lucky to have met someone like you."

For the first time since his sons disappeared, Flint broke into a warm smile. "I'd like to think it was the other way around."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Their time together was coming to an end.

No one said it, but Tony knew. Tony felt the conviction deep down in his gut. An impending doom hovered over them like a thunderstorm.

Starting from the minute Frank Fly had burst into the mansion with Lloyd's tracker in his hand, triumphant and wild-eyed, their fate had been sealed. Piece by piece, the puzzle was put together. One after another, a new success followed. How the heavy weight hanging upon Jeff's brow had eased after countless nights spent of polishing up the Skyrunner. How Lloyd's eyes had brightened with the working of his sensor.

They were mere children ready to undertake an epic quest worthy of the Odyssey and Illiad.

While no one person had it hardest, Tony would often wake up from hushed whispers from the rooms across the hall. He could tell that their visions were getting worse; despite their best efforts to rest, it wasn't uncommon for some, if not all, of the psychic children to stumble down the stairs next morning with dark bags under their eyes. Slumped over the counter, they would recount their vivid horrors under hushed whispers. It was always the same fantastic tale of a being who was neither man nor woman, dreadful nightmares about a Magypsy who held one of their beloved friends hostage in his manicured palm and hoped to ensnare the rest.

A childstealer by the name of Fassad.

"I had a vision, and h-he talked to me last night-" Paula gasped, taking quick shallow breaths of air. "I'm horrible, I shouldn't have made my parents worry-"

"Oh no, we're not starting this again!" Kumatora snarled, roughly rubbing circles into Paula's back.

"He's right-"

"That's what he wants you to think. That jackass!" Kuma curled up her fists in frustration. "I swear, if he shows up in one of my visions again, I'm gonna punch him in the face!"

Poo sat down. "Paula, if I may-" He touched her forehead with a finger. A short second later, he withdrew his hand with a sharp intake of breath. "Ah. I have never met this man, nor have I seen him in person... yet he looks strikingly familiar. I wonder if he is the Magypsy Locria-"

"Magypsy this, Magypsy that. Who cares? He's a prick." Kuma gave a huge exhale and flopped onto her back. She threw Poo an envious look. "Lucky. You're completely off his radar."

"That worries me," Poo muttered. He looked troubled. "He is hiding from me."

"Be grateful, Poo. You really don't want to meet him." Paula still looked shaken up. She turned her head. "Ana, be careful. Fassad's talked to all of us. He'll be after you next."

When everyone threw Ana a worried glance, the blonde spared them a small smile. "I'll be prepared," she promised, firmly gripping Paula's hand.

"...I fear that Dalaam has grown lax upon its throne," Poo said at last.

Whatever snatches of the conversation Tony had heard was enough to send a shudder down his spine.

This was their last shot in saving Mother Nature. Their last shot to change fate.

Everyone was scared. Tony even more so. He wasn't a mechanic like Jeff or Lloyd. He wasn't a psychic like Poo and Ana. He couldn't read minds like Kuma and Paula. It was a given that all of them would man a crucial role in the journey. All of them, except for him. And deep down, a part of Tony had always known that he had never been a part of this fantastic adventure from the beginning.

Tony dreaded the arrival of that day, the day he might see his friends for the last time, the day he would have to say goodbye. He dreaded being left behind.

So selfishly, it was with this fear that Tony awaited their departure.

Two weeks passed.

The fated day started like any other day. At four in the afternoon, Tony burst through the doors in his usual cheer. "I'm home-!"

A pink blur tackled him around the midsection. The sheer momentum smacked Tony face first into the Indian carpet.

"YYYEEAH!" Like an grinning tiger, Kumatora popped up into his blurry vision. "And the pro-wrestler Kumatora takes down another win for the gold!"

Tony groaned, clutching his sore ribs. "O, wretched me! To be smote with the cruelest of crimes-" He flopped over and poked out his tongue with an exaggerated loll. "Muhduh."

With a chuckle, Kumatora tapped him lightly on the temple. "Oi, Mad hatter. Enough of the dramatics. How was school today?"

Kumatora pulled Tony up, and as she did so, Tony pulled out a heaping stack of paper from his bag with a theatrical bow of his head. "More homework for you, M'lady."

"What's the point? The whole world's going to explode."

"Do it when you have time. Just so you don't fall behind-"

"Well, gee. That's awfully kind of you-" Kumatora screwed her face up in disgust. "Seriously, Tony? Homework? Ew, no thanks."

"Then make copies for the others... please?" Tony added, shoving the papers into her arms and blasting her full on with the pouty face. "I've been out all day and I don't think I could climb another flight of stairs, please, please, please-"

"Fine." With a grumble, Kumatora snatched them out of his hands. "Gimme."

"I love you, Kuma!" Tony sang after her.

Kumatora's Fuck you too floated down the stairs, and Tony stifled a laugh.

Somewhere up ahead, another sound of footsteps pounded down the stairs. There was a loud thump followed by two squeals.

"Ow, Kumatora-"

"Watch where you're goin', princess!"

"Don't call me princess!"

In the midst of the bickering, Poo had slunk down to the foot of the stairs. The cords of his muscles tightened at the ends of his taut hamstrings. The way Poo moved so effortlessly was a sight in itself, much like a hunter stalking prey.

"Hello, Tony," Poo said, the corners of his lips twitching into an open smile. His teeth gleamed like a wild tiger's.

Tony tipped his hat. "How fares your daily work out?"

"Well, thank you. I have just completed my afternoon session."

Really now? Noticing the sweat drip from Poo's face, Tony curiously leaned forward. "Say... What exactly do you do? Lift weights? Cardio?"

Poo took a swig of water. "Aikido."

"I kiddo-?"

"It is a style of Dalaamese martial arts that redirects the offense of an opponent." Poo lowered his bottle of water. "The exercise goes hand in hand with my meditation. It helps me relate to other people."

"Aha. Placing yourself in the shoes of others," Tony mused. "Very wise."

If possible, Poo sounded even more amused. "That is one way to put it."

With a short laugh, Tony patted his stomach. "You should teach me, 'cause I'm getting out of shape."

"I would be honored to teach you. A healthy mind resides in a healthy body." Poo tilted in his head in the direction of the back door. "However, that must wait. Jeff awaits you with news."

Tony felt his cheeks grow hot. "Huh. Wonder what he wants."

"I think Lloyd was searching for you too," Ana said, gently catching his attention, and Tony turned around to face her.

If Poo was the princely figure, then Ana was a princess. She was pretty like a porcelain doll, what with her tiny egg-drop face and dark lashes, but - in Tony's opinion - paled in comparison to her handsome foster brother.

Standing side by side, they resembled a flawless duo. Their good looks were intimidating.

Not knowing where to stare, Tony decided to stare at the ceiling. "Ah. Uh. Ag."

His lucky savior came in the shape of Lloyd skidding into the Foyer. "Tony!"

Tony felt a smile grow on his face. "My word, young man," he said, sternly waggling his finger. "No running in the house!"

Slowing down, Lloyd sported an abashed grin himself. "I'll keep that in mind. But I wanted to tell you... we're leaving tonight!"

Tony's stomach plummeted. "Tonight?"

"Jeff's been testing out the Skyrunner for the past three days. I think it's working well-"

Lloyd rambled along, but Tony lost track of the conversation. A dull roar had drowned out his ears.

Forcing himself not to ruin the good mood, Tony tried to smile. "Atta boy, Lloyd! I knew you could do it. Just don't minda me asking... is Jeff busy?"

Good old Lloyd. Lloyd pushed a blueprint into his arms, then pointed him in the direction of the garage.

Finally. Pushing against the backdoor, Tony's features brightened at the sight of his favorite friend.

And fell slack-jawed at the sight.

The Skyrunner was gigantic. Roughly about the size of three monster trucks, the round UFO dwarfed Jeff considerably; Tony feared that it would accidentally sway over and crush his best friend.

Despite the urgency of his question, Tony dawdled at the doorway. He liked watching Jeff work. He noticed little things about the genius. The way Jeff would bite the corner of his lip when he was concentrating. The way Jeff's forehead would crease in deep thought. And oh sweet Jesus, the sharp, crisp London accent that laced every single word!

Bloody hell. Tony loved Jeff's British accent. He loved the formal, pretentious way Jeff spoke. And he loved every time a stray Oh, bollucks! or Crap! got past Jeff's radar. Jeff absolutely hated losing his composure, but Tony loved the slip-ups.

You sound your age, Tony said.

My dad would never say such words, came Jeff's curt response.

Within his week of moving in, Tony had watched the dysfunctional family fall on its side. How Jeff looked up to his dad, the renowned Dr. Andonuts. How Dr. Andonuts seemed happily oblivious that he had a son. Dr. Andonuts wasn't a bad person. Rather, he was a man in love with science. Science came first in his life, which left no room for anyone else. Even in school as a teacher, Dr. Andonuts never kept track of names. Tony didn't remember a single day Andonuts had gotten his name right, but to forget Jeff's? His own son's? Jeff was John on Monday, Jordan on Wednesday, Richard on Friday. On the one miraculous day he had gotten Jeff's name right, Tony had to have been blind not to notice the spark of surprise in Jeff's eyes.

"He said my name correctly," Jeff had said, his voice sounding oddly thick.

The adoration Jeff held for his father was painful to watch.

Jeff's voice broke into his thoughts. "How was school?"

Shaking his head, Tony dumped his school bag onto the ground. "It wasn't much fun without you," he admitted. "Giygas assigned a lot of homework."

"Even with a sub?"

"Yep."

"Eek. I should've expected as much." Jeff peered into the metal flap. "It's weird not going to school. I'm essentially a truant-"

"I said you were sick."

Jeff looked startled at that, jerking his head up. "What?"

"Hey," Tony nudged his shoulder with a wink. "Couldn't let all the teachers know that our high school chemistry genius was ditching school, can we? Nope, nope. And you can't have asked for a better best buddy here to keep you covered! I gotta go to school to bring back the makeup work, ya know." Tony struck a pose. "I know, I'm awesome. PRAISE ME."

Jeff shoved a hand into his face. "Quit it," he begged. "I need to concentrate and you're going to make me laugh-"

"Jeff laughing? How scandalous."

"Go practice for your winter drama concert."

"Winter Drama Concert," Tony capitalized with a disdainful sniff. "Do not frown upon the literary arts, dear boy."

"Dear boy?"

"Yes. Dear boy," Tony teased, running his eyes over the Skyrunner. The smile on his face fell. "Lloyd told me that you're done with the Skyrunner."

A metallic grind filled his ears; Jeff was screwing the bolts back on. "I am. We plan to leave tomorrow morning."

"Lloyd said tonight-"

"He's wrong." An edge entered Jeff's voice. "I explicitly said tomorrow morning."

"Ah." Tony bit his lip. Sensing the tension, he changed the subject. "Did you hear the news? Duster-"

"Was arrested. We don't have the time to wait for his trial, but once the world is saved, we can testify for his innocence later. Fail to save the world, and well... the apocalypse will wipe everything out anyway."

"Still." Tony quietly pawed the floor. "The jail can't be too nice..."

"Duster can wait. The fate of the world grows perilous by the day." Jeff threw Tony a meaningful look. "With all this talk about magic, I'd hate for something to accidentally crash into the jail and set its sole occupant prisoner free."

Tony stared at him blankly.

Jeff raised his eyebrows.

Oh. Oh! The smile on Tony's face widened. "Well, that'd be unfortunate."

Apparently satisfied, Jeff wiped his brow, and began to pack up his tools. "We're all going to bed early tonight. Lights out by six."

"That's in two hours..."

"It is, but we have no choice. Go pack, Tony."

The strained edge in Jeff's voice was back.

Catching onto his best friend's odd behavior, Tony seized his chance to ask the dreaded question. "Jeff..." he started off tentatively, shifting to the side on one foot. "You wouldn't, you know-" Faltering, Tony closed his mouth and studied his friend with sad eyes.

You wouldn't leave me behind... Would you, Jeff?

Jeff wiped the oil off his glasses. "Yes?"

Tony lost the courage to finish the sentence. He gave a tremulous smile. "I baked cookies. You'd better hurry, or else Kuma's gonna eat them all."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

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.

.

Flint had done many questionable things in his life. Marrying Hinawa had not been one. Searching for his sons had not been one.

Breaking into the county jail was possibly, maybe one.

Ten blocks away from the police station, Flint came to a sudden halt.

Sensing his disquiet, Wess caught his eye. "Getting second thoughts?"

"It's not that." Glancing around the streets and deeming it safe to speak, Flint lowered his voice. "Wess, how sure are you about this?"

"Do you want the honest answer or the bullshit answer?"

"That doesn't reassure me."

"Flint, we don't have time to regroup," Wess grunted, turning back to face the front. He was cuffed around the wrists. "It was the best plan we could come up with in the circumstances."

Frustrated, Flint adjusted his hat.

A snide voice interrupted the conversation. "Remind me again, why am I paired up with him?" Ninten's father said flatly, jerking his head in Flint's direction.

"Because everyone else is on backup," Wess hissed, whirling around. "So stop acting like a prissy sorority girl and get it out of your ass."

Ninten's father looked so offended that he shut up. Wess gave Flint a small wink, and Flint fought to keep his expression stoic.

"Remember, focus," Wess repeated under his breath. "As long as you two play your part, we don't have to call on the others for help."

Ninten's father gave him a scowl worthy of national attention.

"Yeah, like that," Wess said. "Let's run through it one more time-"

"I turn you in, you put up a struggle, and we distract the police while Flint makes a quick getaway with your son," the lawyer deadpanned.

"Sounds about right," Wess said.

Ninten's father heaved an exasperated sigh. "Let's get this over with." The lawyer brushed past Flint, then gave him a look. "Well? You're supposed to be situated at the other side of the station."

Resisting the urge to punch the man in the face, Flint gave a curt nod and took his leave. Ducking away from the sight of the patrolling police, he ambled to the abandoned warehouse and crouched in the sanctuary of the shadows.

It didn't take long for the plan to unfold.

"Ow, my back!" Wess loudly complained. "Release me, you nincompoop!"

The lawyer's deadpan voice responded in kind. The sounds of a struggle grew increasingly evident.

Several police noisily burst out of the station. Flint heard the sound of several hands hoisting out their batons.

"Freeze! Arms up in the air!"

Yanking himself out of the lawyer's grip, Wess threw Ninten's father a (convincingly) nasty look and raised his hands. Ninten's father followed suit.

The biggest one, a burly guy chewing tobacco, stepped forward. The streetlight illuminated the dark moustache on his sneering face. "Well, look who came crawling out of the rat's nest. If it aint the ol' chief."

Even from afar, Flint caught the pale-stricken faces of the two men.

Something had gone horribly wrong.

"Chief Strong," Wess hissed. "I thought you were kicked out of office!"

"My pal and I hatched a conspiracy together. You might have heard of him. Aloysius Minch?" He gave a crooked grin when Wess blanched. "That's right. He becomes mayor, I become the chief of police." He dropped the cigar onto the ground and ground it under his boot. "It pays to get into the good graces of the powerful. And..." Chief Strong's eyes flickered to Ninten's father. "You. I haven't seen your face in a while. How's the life of justice treatin yah?"

The lawyer's lips twisted into a thin line. "I got you behind bars. I can do it again-"

"Oi, shut up, you," Chief Strong indicated with his head, and one of the police slammed the lawyer in the stomach with his baton. The lawyer staggered forward, crumpling onto his knees, and Chief Strong stepped forward. "Let that be a lesson to you. I'm in charge. Now..." Chief Strong narrowed his eyes. "Who else is with you?"

"Nobody," the lawyer coughed.

Chief Strong gave another jerk of the head, and Ninten's father reeled from the painful strike against his back. Wess lunged forward, but several other police easily detained him on the spot.

"I know you. You've got aces up your sleeve. So show them." Chief Strong kicked him in the ribs, forcing the lawyer to give a rather undignified gasp. "Or have you finally lost your touch? Come on, now. I'm waiting. Pull the trump card out, just like you did in the marijuana suit-"

"Teddy was innocent," Ninten's father said, gritting his teeth against the concrete sidewalk. "You forced him to buy drugs off of you, and threatened to blackmail him if he didn't comply-"

"That law suit ruined my career."

"Justly so. The law protects those who can't speak for themselves."

"The law? What law? There are no laws anymore." Chief Strong laughed, pinning his shoulder down with a filthy boot. "Or is this about your missing son?"

A strange fire suddenly burned in his amber eyes. "Don't... talk about him."

"Well, the law says the search is over. Your son is dead. You gave all that empty talk about justice, and look where that got you. Some madman got a grudge against you and kidnapped your son from school. Bet he asked for a heavy ransom too. Shame." The sound of a cold pistol clicked against the lawyer's head. "I'd say I'd feel sorry for you, but hey, I taught the kid in school. He kind of grew on me. So I'll do you a small favor. I'll blow your brains out so you can meet him in Hell-"

A right hook slammed into Strong's cheek, a blow so powerful that it sent the man flying a good foot into the air before landing a good distance away. Strong's fingers spasmed from the impact, involuntarily pressing against the trigger; an explosive sound of a pistol hit their ears before the bullet richoted off the ground and sliced across the lawyer's cheek.

Rolling his shoulder, Flint retracted his fist.

"You idiot!" Ninten's father yelled. His face was white, save for the jagged cut against his cheek. "I had everything under control-"

"Get them!" came the roar of fury that rang on all sides. Caught in the sudden chaos of fighting men, the lawyer opened his mouth to say something else, but not before something heavy hit Flint in the back of the head.

.

.

.

Flint woke up to a gray ceiling. His mind pounded like a gong hit too many times, and his fingers instinctively felt for the knot in the back of his head-

There was none.

"Nice of you to join me," a snide voice said.

Flint turned his head to the right.

Regarding him with his usual tight-lipped expression, Ninten's father was sitting on the prison bench. The slight sag of shoulders spoke of a subtle weariness.

Flint sat up, rubbing his head with a grimace. "Where's Wess?"

"Not here. Managed to escape the fray. I imagine he went to get backup, but I told my wife to stay put." Ninten's father pushed himself off the bench with his skinny arms. "Someone hit you over the head with a piece of lumbar. I couldn't carry you, but if I left you lying there, with all the bullets flying around, you could've lost your life." The lawyer paused. "Not that I care," he added distastefully.

Flint adjusted his hat.

Something flickered across the lawyer's face. Ninten's father closed his mouth, and surveyed him with an unfathomable look. "Why did you do it?"

Flint reckoned he was asking about one-punching the Chief of Police in the face.

"It seemed right," Flint finally said.

"You're an abnormality in the statistics of people," Ninten's father deadpanned, but held his hand out to hoist Flint back onto his feet. "I deactivated the security cameras while you were out. Now let's rescue the chief's son and get out of here."

Flint glanced at the bars. "How-"

The iron grated door swung open. Ninten's father stepped out. "A simple push trigger," he said, voice dripping with disgust. "How archaic." When Flint stared at him in disbelief, Ninten's father rolled his eyes. "Are you coming out, or are you familiarizing yourself with the cell?"

Flint pushed himself out of the cell.

The two men made their way through the echoing stone hallway. The prison itself was tiny, cramped with at most twenty cells.

"Most criminals are shipped off to Fourside," Ninten's father said absentmindedly. "Everything is bigger there. The orphanages, the jails, the community homes." He stopped, then glanced at Flint. "There's only one person here in the holding cells. Sixth one on the left. Is that him?"

Flint blinked, but his eyes didn't lie. The sixth cell was out of sight.

Wess was right. The lawyer must be a psychic. Flint thought back to the lawyer's fearful outburst earlier in the day. Something about exposing his family. Were there other consequences to magic that Flint was unaware of?

Ninten's father suddenly feigned interest for the wall.

"I won't tell," Flint said.

Ninten's father gave a weird sort of spasm. "I have no idea what you're talking about," the man muttered, marching away. "But I appreciate it all the same. Now go free the man so we can leave."

Deciding not to test the lawyer's patience, Flint turned around. Even if the prison had been jam-packed with other occupants, there was no mistaking the hunched figure squatting against the squalid floor of this cell.

The strange angle of his left leg. The wispy brown hair that curled at the edges.

Flint grabbed the bars of the cell, then gently shook it. "Duster."

Said man eyes jerked out of his trance. Catching sight of the figure on the other side of the rattling bars, Duster's eyes widened. "Flint," he whispered, crawling over and extending his shaking hands. "Please, believe me. It wasn't me, I-I swear, I'd never hurt Lucas-"

"I know."

As if not believing his eyes, Duster gave out a choked sigh, then slumped over in relief. "It's insane. My trial's scheduled in three months," he muttered, massaging his temples. He peered up at Flint, now serious. "Flint, I know what you're thinking. Don't bust me out."

"I can snap the bars-"

"Don't," Duster said in a surprisingly sharp voice. "The last thing I want is an investigation on your end. I could've escaped if I wanted to. The guards here are - to be nicely put - unhappy at their work. I could sneak my way out if I tried hard enough." Duster threw an anxious glance at the lawyer pacing around the hallway. "Listen, Flint, there's something I need to tell you. Giygas is behind this, and he's after your kids-"

"So I've heard."

"No, I mean, it's a long story. There's a prophecy involved with this magical dragon and..." When Flint gave him a blank stare, Duster slapped himself in the face. "Nevermind that. Do me a favor. I know some people who're already trying to rescue your sons." Duster leaned forward in a urgent whisper. "Do you know the scientist, Andonuts?"

"Sounds familiar."

"His son, Jeff. He and his friends are already on the case. They're at his house. Talk to Dr. Andonuts. He should know where the missing children are."

"There's no need to leave you behind-"

"My disappearance would cause unnecessary security measures to come into place," Duster said firmly. "Trust me on this one, Flint. Go find Andonuts. I'll escape when the time is right. The last thing we want is you behind bars." When Flint still didn't move, Duster lowered his voice to a gentle tone. "Your sons need you."

Flint reluctantly stepped back. "Are you sure?"

"Not really, but I can manage." After a short pause of hesitation, Duster meekly looked up. "Flint... If you can do me another favor, can you send my greetings to my dad? Tell him that I'm sorry. I know I caused him a lot of trouble."

Flint's shoulders jerked up. It kept slipping from his mind, about how young Duster was. Duster was barely in his twenties. In a strange way, he was a child too. What was a man like him doing behind bars for a crime he did not commit?!

Flint righted the brim of his hat. "I will. Thank you, Duster."

"I wish you luck."

Then with those parting words, Flint reluctantly left Duster in his cell.

"What happened?" Ninten's father hissed, glancing back at the lonely figure in the cell. "I thought you were supposed to get him out-"

"He doesn't want to stir up trouble," Flint said in a low voice. When the lawyer made a move to surge forward, Flint clapped a firm hand on his shoulder. "Leave it. I tried. He won't budge until we find the missing children."

Ninten's father exhaled, giving Duster's retreating back a last look. "I hate to admit it, but finding the missing children and letting them testify would clear his name. Where are the missing children at?"

"Andonuts. He knows," Flint spoke, striding out of the prison cells and nearly tripped over something - a limp arm - before arching an eyebrow at its owner snoring at his feet.

"He fell asleep at his job," Ninten's father said.

Ah. With a noncommittal shrug, Flint turned the corner to the reception desk.

He stopped in stunned surprise.

Oblivious to their infiltration, Onett cops of all shapes and sizes had decided to take a napfest on the spot. Some had slumped over, snoring in their chairs, while others had faceplanted into the carpet.

Ninten's father flustered, dragging Flint out into the street. "They fell asleep at their job too."

Flint glanced back. "That's an awful lot of sleeping people-"

"Everyone sleeps at night," Ninten's father snapped.

"Apparently not him," Flint said, nodding at the figure hurtling towards them.

Digging his nighttime slippers into the gravel, the figure pulled up, panting and breathless. "Good day, kind sirs," the boy said, his black bowler cap bobbing on his distressed head. He looked no older than a teenager, a teenager who sounded unusually rushed considering the time of day. "Did you by any chance witness an alien phenomenon that cannot be explained by any means at this very police station?"

Flint and Ninten's father shared a glance.

"No," they said.

With a wail of frustration, the boy stomped his foot into the ground. "That doodoo brain! Ugh! I should've known-!"

Ninten's father rested a hand on his shoulder. "Lad, you should go home. This is no time to be running around."

"That's not true," the boy insisted, his eyes shining with a desperate fervor. "I have a duty to fulfill, and that's finding my idiot friend before he gets himself into danger. Have you seen him? His name is Jeff Andonuts-"

The approach of a second pair of feet caught their attention.

"I've been robbed!" The old man cried in distress, his glasses knocked askew into his white, frizzy hair. "My precious Skyrunner! It's gone! Missing!"

His eyebrows in danger of flying away, Ninten's father looked perplexed by the turn of events. "Um."

Recognizing the teenage boy at their side, Dr. Andonuts stumbled over. "You, Toby! Fetch the police for me!"

The boy blankly stared at him. "Dr. Andonuts," he said slowly. "Do you know where your son is?"

"Who?"

"Jeff! Your son!"

"I...have a son?"

"Yes, you have a son," Tony said, mortified. "I've been rooming with your son and Lloyd for the past month-"

"You've been rooming with my son?" Dr. Andonuts said blankly. "We... we adopted Lloyd?!"

"I can't believe it!" Tony angrily stomped his slippers into the pavement. "You never get his name right. You never noticed that Jeff was missing class, and now, you don't know that your own son's gone missing too! How could you?"

Dr. Andonuts tried to push him aside. "Excuse me, little boy, but I am working on an extremely top-notch experiment that might explain these time fluctuations! The Skyrunner is essential for me to figure out these mysteries-"

"How could you?! How could you FORGET about your only son?!" Tony started crying. Messy tears leaked from his eyes. "He's been nothing but nice to you, and you can't make the effort to memorize his name. You don't care about anything but your own selfish work!" Fumbling for something in his pocket, Tony slammed it against the pavement. "Fine! Here are your stupid blueprints! Jeff doesn't need them anymore, and I don't need them anyway! Now go win another Nobel Prize for being a heartless jerk!"

Dr. Andonuts gaped like a fish. "Toby, I... I don't... "

Tony clumsily wiped his own face. "Now if you don't mind, Doctor, I'm going to find someone who can help me save your stupid son." He tilted his hat. "G-Good day, gentlemen!"

They watched the crying boy stumble towards the Police station.

Suddenly, Flint felt the hairs on his arms stand on end. An intuition. An instinct.

Ninten's father stiffened up. "What the-"

"Get back!" Flint bellowed, dragging Tony back by the arm.

Then a girl's voice, rowdy and rugged, roared through the night like a rock concert. "DUSTER, YOU SISSY, COVER YOUR HEAD!"

With a high pitched screeeee!, a giant UFO thundered into view, shearing off the roof of the Police department. It knocked over several letters off the billboard so that the logo no longer read POLICE, but OI.

They coughed, shielding themselves from the dust of the rubble. A bright flash of pink blurred through the wreckage, and through his teared-up eyes, Flint managed to catch sight of Duster's shoe before someone pulled the limp body inside. With an alien whirrr, the spherical UFO wobbled upright and spun like a hovercraft. Several youthful faces danced across the reflection of the glass, and what suspiciously looked like a pair of lenses glinted through the open window-

"Jeff!" Tony cried, jumping up.

"Stay back, Tony!" Jeff shouted, twisting the wheel. With a shudder, the Skyrunner groaned, and jerked itself out of the half-demolished ceiling.

Gripping onto the flying blueprints for dear life, Dr. Andonuts struggled to squint through the howling wind. "Jeff?! What is the meaning of this?!"

"Sorry, dad, I have to go save the world!" Jeff yelled, sounding strained. A sheen of sweat dotted his forehead. "When I get back, I promise I'll make you proud-"

"No!" Andonuts screamed, stretching out his other hand.

Jeff shut the window.

With a high-pitched PING, the Skyrunner winked off like a shooting star.

Dumbfounded and speechless, Dr. Andonuts stared after it in the sky. His knees finally failed him, and the old scientist slid to the ground.

"We still have time," Ninten's father said sharply, striding over. "Dr. Andonuts, do you have anything that can catch up to the Skyrunner?"

"A smaller prototype," Dr. Andonuts muttered, still wide-eyed. "In my lab..."

"Good." Ninten's father clapped a hand on Tony's shoulder, and startled, the teary-eyed brunette looked up in shock. "You, Tony. Come with me."

The sound of a car squealed into the pavement, and four people flew out. Breathless, Ness's father puffed to their side. "I know you told us to stay put, but we heard something and thought-" He blanched, noticing the deroofed police station. "Oh my."

Her face sickly pale against the backdrop of destruction, Carol grabbed her husband's dirt-streaked face. "What happened?"

The lawyer stared back into her eyes.

Pursing her lips, Ninten's mother withdrew. "I see. I'll make the call." With a confused Ness's mother and Chief Wess in tow, Carol walked away from the the half-demolished police station with a fading click of heels.

"Where's she going?" Ness's father said blankly.

"And... Was that Chief Wess?!" Tony blurted out, pointing at one of the retreating backs. The poor boy looked bewildered out of his wits. "Wait, who are you guys?"

"Law enforcement." Ninten's father said, snapping out his Attorney's badge. It glinted against the dying streetlights. "We should clear the scene before other witnesses arrive. I'll explain the situation on the way." As Ninten's father led the shell-shocked duo away, he glanced back at his silent companion. "Flint, you know what to do."

Helping Dr. Andonuts to his feet, Flint gave a curt nod. "We've got a UFO to catch."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"He's going to hate you."

"I don't care."

Paula watched Lloyd's sensor beep. The compass needle flickered to the right. "You're veering off-course. Go West."

With a shudder and a groan, the floor tilted to the left. The Skyrunner spiraled into a cloud. Icy crystals clung into the edges of the windows. Hastily tied to the side poles with secure climbing rope - homemade seatbelts - the others were beginning to doze off in their sleeping bags.

"He's probably mad that you didn't bring him along," Paula said. "Lloyd doesn't know PSI, and you brought him along-"

Jeff's fingers tightened on the steering wheel. "That's different. Lloyd has to come along because I don't know how to work his sensor. Tony... Tony's better off at home."

The Skyrunner jerked and shuddered.

Paula gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder. "I know where you're coming from, but if it were me, I would've taken him along," she said, then retreated to the back of the Skyrunner to strap herself in for the long ride.

Jeff's knuckles whitened on the control panel.

This was insane. He barely got a pilot's license for a hot air balloon, but the Skyrunner was nothing like a hot air balloon. He'd manned and tested out several of his father's aircrafts at a younger age - illegally - but Jeff had always been alone. Add to that the dangerous quest they were embarking, and Jeff had no doubt that he was right.

Tony was better off at home. At least one person deserved to stay safe.

Jeff banged his head against the steering wheel and tried not to think.

"Jeff, your coordinates."

Lloyd.

Lloyd was calm whenever Jeff was not. He seemed flighty and anxious all the time, but when it actually mattered, Lloyd was quick on his toes and fast on his feet.

Jeff breathed in. "Right."

From the Co-pilot seat, his albino cousin pressed a few choice buttons. "Stabilizing atmospheric pressure," Lloyd said, before flickering his eyes to Jeff's face. "But I don't think that's the current issue."

"We're not talking about it," Jeff gritted. "I don't need you grilling me. Paula already did that-"

"I think you did the right thing."

Jeff stared at him.

Lloyd gazed out the windshield. "Your choice wasn't inherently wrong. There was no right answer." Lloyd clicked the radar open. "If it makes you feel better, I would've done the same in your shoes."

Jeff slumped against his seat. "I've never heard my dad sound like that," he muttered. "Like... he finally noticed me. I've tried acting like him, speaking like him, doing all sorts of things to grab his attention, and the one time I don't try, he notices me."

"As eccentric as he seems, he does care in his own way," Lloyd murmured. "Just like my parents care for me."

"Where are they now?"

"In Scaraba, selling a patent."

"Got any souvenirs?"

"They sent me a postcard two years ago," Lloyd said softly.

Of course. Lloyd's parents were nomadic improv engineers. They traveled wherever they went, developing and selling patents parts for machines. They'd settle down and set up shop in one location until the name of their arrival hiked up popularity, then disappear like the wind. They had a urge for wanderlust that exceeded all others.

They didn't have time to take care of their son as much as Andonuts didn't have the time to cater for his.

With a quiet chuckle, Jeff leaned over and ruffled his hair. "Lloyd, you're hopeless."

"Thanks, Jeff."

"You know the drill." Jeff took a deep breath. "One day, we'll be famous inventors. We'll make our own mark on the world. Together. History will remember our names: The Andonuts Brothers."

"I'm not an Andonut-"

"You're as good as one."

Lloyd hid a smile. "Ambitious much?"

"We can do it," Jeff said confidently, fixing his eyes onto the windshield. "Just like we can get through this."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Ana opened her eyes.

Her pupils dilated as they adjusted to the gloom. She glanced around the 20th century establishment. A dark carpet dried with blood. An old elevator. A blocky glittering 13 was embedded into the peeling wall. Punctuating the eerie silence, a broken light fixture creaked in an eternal pendulum.

Then a monstrous, ear-shattering roar shook the floor.

Ana stumbled, tripping in her high heels and tight Masquerade ball corset-

Someone caught her hand.

"Thanks," Ana gasped, untangling her legs from her frilly red dress. As the mysterious figure pulled her along, she struggled to keep up to the pace in her ridiculous garb-

No.

His pace.

She caught a glimpse of the finely embroided cloak, the fancy crisscrossed lacework, the lopsided golden crown on the shock of black hair before she realized who was dressed in the princely garb.

"Hurry," Ninten said.

"Where are we going?"

"He's after me."

"Who is?"

Dream-Ninten stopped. He turned around, looking straight into her eyes. "You know where to find me."

A bulky shadow flickered and stopped at the end of the hallway.

Eyes widening, he pushed her away. "Go!" he yelled, summoning a glowing Powershield. "Don't let him find you!"

Having no choice, Ana turned and ran. Her converses - no longer heels - slapped against the tiles, squishing and squelching into unseen puddles of dark liquid. Her breath echoed in her ears. Darkness swallowed up her vision before the corridor flickered back into existence.

Silence.

Then, footsteps. "My, my, who is this pretty little pixie?"

Ana tensed up. "Ninten...?"

"Ah, you're even more adorable up close!" A burly man (woman?) squealed, clapping a hand to his cheeks. A dark, worn-out sack lay slumped over his shoulder. "Those petite feet! Those long lashes! Such pretty features! You look like a doll. A little porcelain doll~❤"

"Excuse me, have you seen-" Ana started, desperately searching for a familiar figure, but Ninten was nowhere in sight.

"So polite too! Oh, oh. Honey, you flatter this lady~❤"

"Who are you?"

"Moi? You can call me Mister Fassad, pretty."

It was him. The Magypsy.

Fear took hold; Ana's feet wouldn't budge.

"Oh, sweetheart~❤" Fassad sniffed, dabbing his eyes with a handkerchief. "I can't stop to chat now, but let's have tea later. I'm a little busy, you see. Got to feed a zoo animal~❤"

Ana turned her eyes full force on him. Her gaze flickered back to the prone sack on his shoulder. It looked large enough to fit a small body. The sight was enough to give her a bad feeling. "What's in the sack?"

"Who," Fassad corrected pleasantly, running his fingers through the drawstring. "It's who, dearest."

"Who's in the sack?"

A hard smile settled on Fassad's lips. "No one important, sweetheart. Step out of the way."

"Not until you answer my question." Then as a desperate afterthought: "Please... Monsieur Fassad?"

"Oh, those manners! All right, sweetheart, just for you~❤" Fassad crooned, loosening the tight drawstring. The Magypsy plunged his burly hands into the dirty sack. "Like I said, it's no one important-"

Ana took a sharp intake of breath. "Ninten."

"You wouldn't mind if I take him, would you? He's been a very bad boy~❤" Fassad slid a manicured nail down Ninten's throat, forcing a deep indent into his skin. "Scrawny little brat's given me enough trouble-"

"What are you going to do with him?"

"Me?" With a sniff, Fassad flipped his own hair. "Why, I'm going to teach him a lesson that he'll never forget. Now run along, dearest. This is no place for a fair maiden like you-"

"I have every right to be here." Ana's gaze turned steely. "This is a vision, isn't it? A warning about the future."

"Does it matter, dollface?" Fassad's features twisted into an amused expression. "No, I suppose it does. To you. You like this boy."

Ana's face colored. "I do," she said bravely, refusing to move. "But this isn't about if I like him or not-"

Fassad thoughtfully tapped a cigar with a click of his nails. "So you're telling me that you need a boyfriend."

Ana stiffened up. "I never said that I needed a boyfriend-"

"Exactly, pumpkin." A magic fire lit up at the end of the cigar, and Fassad took a long, slow drag of smoke. "Forget about that dunce; you're too pretty and precious to be wasted on someone like him. I mean, look at him!" He lifted Ninten up by the scruff of his neck. "Do you think that he can protect you? He can't even save himself-"

"Don't insult him," Ana said, violet sparks dancing in her palms. "Ninten's a nice person who likes to make others laugh-"

"Your affection blinds you," Fassad said softly. "Dearest, you remind of me of myself at your age. Young and naive and oh-so shy. I was like you too, once upon a time~❤" He twisted his lips into a mocking grimace. "But love at first sight? Save that one for the fairy tales, sweet. Oho, if only you knew the truth-!"

Fassad snapped his fingers.

With a sharp jerk, the floor gave way underneath their feet. The wallpaper spun, and Ana found herself falling into a chair.

"-but that's what I'm here for, darling. All you have to do is listen. After all, a good girl is a quiet girl~❤" Fassad said, sweetly bopping her on the nose. "Now, you're a catch. No wonder all the boys swoon and fall at your feet. You're nothing like the sassy smartass blonde from earlier. And that uncouth wrestling captain? Ugh, don't even get me started on her-!" Fassad flapped his hands in disgust. "Let me teach you a thing or two about the real world, honey. One, don't fall for the things adults try to tell you. Equal opportunities for everyone? Lies, darling. Men steal the spotlight. Look around, dollface. Who are the protagonists of this story? The main characters of my game? You don't have to be boring sidekick, sweet. Dump the cliche romantic interest."

Ana didn't know whether or not to be offended or terrified. "I-I don't understand-"

"Another word of advice." Fassad leaned over. "The world favors the good looking. An ugly truth, but who am I to complain? I'm gorgeous~❤" Fassad gave her an envious look. "But you're pretty, hun. I like you. You show promise." Fassad's lips curled into a smile. "Cigarette, dear?"

"Um-"

"Tea? Coffee? Ask away, my dear. I'll give you anything~❤" Fassad crooned, fussing over her clothes and brushing a hand through her shivering hair. At the unwelcome touch, Ana's skin crawled with goosebumps, but she managed to resist the urge to flinch. "Though you do have everything anyone could possibly ask for. Looks. Popularity. Fashion. You're flawless, honey! Well, almost. Your personality is a bit plain, but I can get you all the way," Fassad said, resting a hand on her arm. His manicured nails dug into her skin. "Forget about the boy of your dreams. Go solo. Water your ambition. Become the CEO of your own designer company."

Ana's throat turned dry. The words were ugly, but something about the Magypsy's voice was intoxicating. It sent chills down her spine.

"Give Ninten back," she repeated.

As if she had cracked the funniest joke in the world, Fassad stifled a loud peal of laughter behind his hand. "Him? Giygas's little brat? Sweetheart, he nearly lost the will to live. Who knows what other dark thoughts lurk in his mind?" Fassad gave a short tut. He took another long drag of smoke, then breathed the funky smoke into her face. It coiled around her arms and legs before dissolving away. "Oh, darling~❤ I'd hate for you to be disappointed by your illusions of grandeur-"

Ana wrenched her arm out of his grip. "You don't know anything about him-!"

"Then see for yourself." Smiling sweetly, Fassad thrust Ninten out by the scruff of his neck. "Read his mind, doll. See the doubts and worries that plague his mind. Always second best, never good enough for his father, for his friends..." Fassad's smile widened. "And for you."

Ana's fists slackened. "You're wrong. He's perfect the way he is-"

"Little Miss Antoinette. You say you love this boy, yet you know nothing about him. You know nothing about love. So don't ask for a tragedy," Fassad tittered, brushing against Ninten's closed eyes with a thumb. "Take my advice, love. Give this one to me. He can't protect you~❤"

"I don't want someone who can protect me. I want someone I can love," Ana suddenly spoke. She drew herself up. A quiet confidence brimmed in her eyes. "It doesn't matter if he can't protect me. I can be there for him. I can be there for both of us. And I won't go easy on anyone who threatens to harm my friends-"

"Friends? Now that's one for a laugh. Sweetheart, are you looking for commitment? Think again. He's a boy," Fassad emphasized, rolling his eyes. "They're simple creatures, dear. Simple creatures unlike you and me. Got the looks? String two or three of them along. Want something done? Bat your lashes and they'll fall at your feet. But the minute you give into one of them-" Fassad twisted his cigarette and crushed it under his heel. "You trap yourself inside your own web."

Catching Ana's stricken expression, Fassad's voice turned impossibly gentle. "Face it, dear. You're pretty, but that's all you are. What else do you have to offer? Brains? Brawn? You're too plain, too ordinary, too shallow. How can he possibly notice you? Him, the dashing heir of the Monotoli Lawfirm? And you, the lowly daughter of a fashion store worker? Oh my goodness! You practically blend in with the wallpaper! And no doubt he's a prideful boy with high expectations. No, it wouldn't work out at all. Better stop pining, sweetheart; your crush will flock over for the view, but he won't stay for you~❤"

Ana clenched her tiny fists into her lap.

"Poor, heartbroken child," Fassad murmured, reaching for her hair with a manicured finger. "Come with me, pretty. I can make you feel special. I can turn you into someone worth living for-"

Ana slapped his hand aside. "No."

Fassad looked startled. "No?"

"Thank you for the offer, Monsieur Fassad," Ana said firmly, drawing herself up. "But I don't need your help to be my own person."

Fassad's eyes slowly narrowed into slits. "Are you rejecting me? Really? Oh, honey, I thought you were so much smarter than that~❤" Leaning in uncomfortably close, Fassad tilted his heels against the cracked marble floor. Terrified, Ana flattened herself against the back of her chair. "This is your last chance to prove yourself, sweetie," Fassad whispered, soft and scathing. His dark eyes glinted like beetles. "Don't be a loser."

"Don't call me a loser," Ana said, shaking. Her eyes glowed a icy blue. "And I'm not your dollface!"

Fassad stared at her. Ever so slowly, his lips curled into a sweet smile. "Very well, dearest. Let's see if you can rescue your Prince Charming."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Ana opened her eyes.

It was dark out. Below her, the hum of warm machinery echoed softly through the floor. Blinking a few times to adjust to the lack of light, she sat up in her sleeping bag, careful not to disturb her friends. From far away, Kumatora scratched her head, then mumbling something under her breath, turned over in her sleep.

Her foster brother shuffled to her side. "Ana," he whispered.

The light reflected off Poo's worried eyes. Poo had been the brother she'd run out to catch butterflies with, the shoulder she had cried on whenever things went south, the helping hand who'd pulled her through her PSI fevers over the years.

His warmth was so, so welcome that Ana wanted to cry.

But Ana was strong.

Ana did not cry.

She took a deep breath, her fingers clenching her dress. "I'm fine, Poo," she said, quietly drawing herself back up. "Go back to sleep. There's something I need to figure out on my own."

A silent shuffle told her that Poo had retreated back into his sleeping bag.

Ana slowly stepped forward into the light. The glow of the holographic screen painted Jeff's face an eerie blue. Absentmindedly busying himself with the beeping radar, Jeff didn't react at all to her presence. Two weeks ago, Ana might have been intimidated by the chemistry genius, but the past week taught her that Jeff was earnest and loyal.

Ana traced a shape across the foggy windshield. "It's snowing..."

"We're passing through mild turbulence," Jeff added in a voice just as quiet, and shifted over to share his seat.

"Thanks." Ana sat down, then propped herself on her elbows to gaze at the flurry of snowflakes.

"This is the first time I've seen Paula sleep in the past three days," interrupted a third voice, and Ana jumped in her seat, startled. "Sorry, Ana," Lloyd apologized, yawning and stretching his arms from the copilot's chair. "I'm awake too."

"Don't apologize, Lloyd," Ana said softly. "And you're right. I'm glad that Paula's finally getting some sleep."

"Yeah." Lloyd glanced over at her. "Did you dream of something?"

Astute as ever. Lloyd was uncanny at picking up social cues. Pressing her lips together in a thin line, Ana averted her eyes to the ground.

Lloyd flushed. "O-Oh," he said meekly, shrinking back into his seat. "Forget I asked-"

"How long have you both been friends?"

Confused, Lloyd blinked. "With whom?"

"Ninten."

Lloyd closed his mouth. He and Jeff shared a meaningful glance that went unnoticed by Ana.

Ana clasped her hands together and placed them in her lap. "I'm starting to realize I know nothing about him," she said, lowering her head. "But I know that you two get along."

"Get along? Haha, I wouldn't really say that now..." Lloyd broke into a thoughtful smile. "Well, let's see... we used to play cops and robbers a lot in third grade. And before that... I used to stop by his place on my way home. But Ninten's dad was really strict and wouldn't let run him outside, so I waved at him through his bedroom window whenever I passed by from school." Lloyd's eyes turned warm. "We used to be best friends."

"You two still seem close."

"We developed different interests and drifted apart. Not that we aren't friends or anything-"

"-but things aren't the same anymore," Ana finished.

Lloyd's expression softened. "You got it."

Jeff emitted a snort and pulled down a red lever. The Skyrunner hummed, and their ears popped from the sudden ascent. "Hogwash. Lloyd, he was pretty mean as a kid-"

"Ninten used to speak up for me in school," Lloyd defended.

"He was only nice to you. Not too much to me." Jeff tweaked another lever. "He never liked me for getting top scores in everything back in elementary school."

Ana raised her head. "Really?"

"He used to be a rude, over-jealous prat," Jeff said darkly. "I despised him."

"Now you're just being mean," Lloyd mumbled, but Ana noticed how he didn't deny the statement.

"He was though."

"You were arrogant too," Lloyd said, glancing at him. "You used to rub all of your perfect marks and quiz grades in his face-"

Jeff crossed his arms. "I did not."

"Totally did too."

Ana looked perturbed by the thought. "I didn't know..."

Lloyd glanced up at her. "Ninten's different now, Ana," he said gently. "He used to be really arrogant and inconsiderate to people, but he's changed a lot after meeting Claus."

Jeff laughed. "Right. His fanboy crush-"

"Claus never made fun of him like you did," Lloyd said, throwing his cousin a look.

Jeff sulked, adjusting his glasses. "And yet, Claus makes fun of me."

Ana giggled, covering her mouth with a hand.

Lloyd rolled his eyes. "Please ignore him," he said mournfully, patting Jeff on the back. "I don't know how we are both related-"

"Sod off, nitwit," Jeff snapped, then swiveled his chair around to the other side.

Amused, Ana stepped towards the co-pilot panel, all the while watching a sulking Jeff's back. "Is this how he normally acts?"

Lloyd stifled a smile behind his hand. "Oh, no. It takes a lot for him to get Claus-level snappy. Once he starts spouting colloquialisms like sod off, nitwit, you know that he's done for the day."

Ana couldn't restrain a smile. "I can tell."

"He's upset. I think he's worried about Ness and the others." Lloyd's expression softened. "And after we ditched Tony at home..."

Ana nodded sympathetically. "It must be hard on him."

"Tony's his closest friend. Which is saying a lot." Lloyd hesitated. "Jeff doesn't have many friends. It's not because he's shy, but Jeff doesn't feel the urge to talk to anyone new." Lloyd shifted in his seat. "Everyone thinks he's a snobby know-it-all, but Jeff just wants to be like his dad."

"He kind of is."

"Jeff wants to do better," Lloyd said quietly, shifting his eyes to her direction. "He thinks that if he surpasses his father's accomplishments, his father would finally recognize him."

"Dr. Andonuts?"

Lloyd nodded.

"It must be very difficult to have such a famous father," Ana said quietly.

Lloyd's gaze shifted to the floor. "Ana, while we're at it... there's something else I need to ask you. About Ninten." Lloyd refused to meet her eyes. "Are you serious about liking him? Ah, sorry, that came out wrong," he said quickly when Ana looked confused. "As a mutual friend to both of you, I don't know... I'd hate for things to end badly, and if, what I mean to say is-" Lloyd took a deep breath. "Be careful."

Ana's cheeks blossomed with a pretty warmth. "I can't think straight." Her eyes got a faraway look. "Whenever he's around, I don't feel like myself. And it's scary, because I've never felt like this about anyone else before."

Lloyd gave a smile and nudged her shoulder. "That's a crush for you."

"Then... yes. I have feelings for him." Ana buried her head into her hands. "I like a boy. I like him. Oh my God, Lloyd... Isn't it the most ridiculous thing? I can't believe it. Me, falling in love-"

"It happens," Lloyd said sincerely. "You can't control it."

Ana took a deep breath. "I think I'll make the first move." Her shoulders straightened out in a brave line. "With everyone in mortal peril, now doesn't seem like the right time, but I want to try."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry. The right moment will come, terrible apocalypse or otherwise," Lloyd said wisely.

Then Ana vanished in a loud BOING! and a giant poof of smoke.

Alarmed, Lloyd sat up. "Ana!"

"What's going on?!" Jeff's panicked voice rang from afar.

"I'm all right," Ana coughed, waving away the magical clouds. "Wh-Wha-?" She made to stand up, but stopped when she felt a soft weight on her lap. Her mouth in a surprised O, Ana picked up the plushy penguin with dumbstruck wonder. A colorfully flamboyant postcard was tucked underneath one wing, and gently, she pried it loose and read its contents.

Hi Ana,

Three words. New Pork City.

Now turn the card over.

Ana flipped the postcard on its side.

Will you go to Winter Formal with me?

[YES]

[NO]

HELPFUL HINT: The penguin thinks you should choose YES. Because if you say YES, it'll give me HAPPY FEET.

Ana couldn't help it. A burst of laughter escaped from her puffed cheeks.

"Don't tell me-" Lloyd glanced at the letter, then groaned. "Yep, another movie-based pun."

"It's so corny. I love it." A warm flush spiked up Ana's cheeks. Her heart started pounding faster. Pressing the letter to her chest, Ana squeezed her arms around the plushie and started dancing around in giddy joy. "Yes. Yes! Yes!"

Jeff swiveled around. "What happened?"

"Ninten finally asked Ana out-"

"About time."

"-to Winter Formal."

Jeff jerked his head up so quickly that he cricked his neck. "Winter Formal?!" he cried. He had a look of such disbelief on his face that Lloyd couldn't help but break out into a laugh himself. "Is he serious? With all these geysers, the school gym's got to be a waterlogged wreck by now-"

Jeff's furious ramble about Ninten's supposed stupidity would've continued throughout the night, had it not been for another pair of rambunctious voices interrupting the din.

"Ha! I told you it was going to happen before the apocalypse! Pay up, Kuma!"

"I OWE YOU NUTHIN', PRINCESS!"

And throughout all of it, Ana beamed. So what if she was in love?

She refused to be ashamed by it.

---

Author's Note:

HELLO AND WELCOME BACK TO THE 300k+ FIC WITH THE SUPER CONVOLUTED PLOT THAT NO ONE REMEMBERS AFTER FOUR MONTHS. PLEASE EXCUSE ME. *Scribbles a hugeass summary at the top* Okay, we good.

Four months? Jayzus. I'm losing my touch.

I'm having too much fun with Fassad's wordplay. He's so twisted and disturbing BUT HE LOVES TO ROAST PEOPLE. AND HE BREAKS THE FOURTH WALL. What a classic gentleman.

also pssSST Poo shapeshifting hint passing throughhhhh

Two major points:

1. Unless stated by Canon (e.g. Carol, Flint), I purposely didn't give any of the adults names. They're parents of the four protags. That's their role. Their names aren't relevant to the plot. The only OC last name I assigned in this entire fic is Ana Antoinette - Worthy of Praise. Fitting somehow.

2. So... um, wow. You guys. Your reviews were really touching. Especially since English isn't my native language and all... *Sheepishly scratches back of head* Please, accept this as a token of thanks for your patience: a short excerpt of Chapter 38. Which will take place after these review responses.

Good luck with finals!

---

Review Responses:

Shimo no ko: IT'S OKAY FRIEND. Wess finally got the chance to speak. Halleleluyah! Also, I'm glad you're enjoying the parents' perspectives. They're a lot of fun for me to write! :)

DistorterOfPhase: I'M SORRY FOR THE WAIT AAaagh! I think in terms of gameplay, Pokey Minch relates more to Trump, but again, Pokey's like 15 here. In this fic, he's more a child twisted by jealousy than an evil pig tyrant. That isn't to say that Porky isn't able to do cruel things at his age, but I have my own take on him for the future so... ye. XD And Stranger Things, you say? I'll give it a shot once I find time. :) I will gladly take any film recommendations hahaha

Kid Kirby the Gamer: Nope, you're not behind on the hype train, not at all. *HYPE INTENSIFIES* I think it's safe to say that I'm the one behind... all the... updates. My bad. And aw, shucks, thanks. :) I still have a long way to go with my writing (cringes at early chapters), but happy readers make me happy. ^_^

Anon: THIS STORY IS INDEED BACK YES. Condensing all three (or are there more? I think there were four, but I can't tell XD) of your reviews into one: Nope, Onett isn't under Giygas's influence. It's just Aloysius Minch taking advantage of the mass panic and turning the tide in favor of his political career. Although you're right, the Mani-Mani statue did play a huge role in Earthbound! And thanks, I appreciate your patience. :) I like to post my "updates" in the summary of the story, because it's the first thing all readers will read. Also thank you kind sir for calling this the GOOD SHIT. I started laughing over my computer screen. And this might sound weird, but I write directly on the Fanfiction Account document. I just can't concentrate when I write in a word/google doc. And holy dang shiz, that magic truffle theory. I think for the sake of keeping things simple, I'm going to keep PSI as "one of those things that can't be explained," because hey, it lends it more of that magical element. It's what makes it special. :) But I'm not debunking your theory; I LOVE it actually. Never thought of PK Ground in that way, but if the right moment pops up, I might try to tweak your headcannon and incorporate it into the story. We'll see. :) Chemistry studying, tho. I feel you bro. All that... BONDING time with your textbook. XD

Connor: No, I gladly accept your criticism! I've been looking back at my chapters and realized, "Wow, I could've shortened this paragraph to two sentences." I've been trying editing the story for better flow, but definitely, if I were publishing this, I'd finish writing the dang story first before editing the crap out of it. Also, I'd take out the long A/Ns before doing the word count. XD And duly noted with the Minch Mob Protest; Minch was supposed to have a bigger role than a glancing reference to Trump, but I scrapped it. Story would've deviated too much than it already has. And HAHA Ninten's dad is certainly a character. He's such a helicopter dad. And a sourpuss. Well, I gusee we can see the resemblance between father and son. NEXT TIME, ON THE NEW EPISODE, WE RETURN TO THE MAIN PLOT AFTER SIX BAJILLION FILLER EPISODES-

Guest: Sorry, fam. I deleted one of my works because I was unsatisfied with the quality. :c But rest assured that I'm not deleting this one!

Neo Rulez: Welcome to the story. Enjoy your stay. :)

Draconian Paragon: Thanks, man. :) As an author, I see a lot of flaws in all my works, but I love writing, and I love writing characters that have depth. No one is completely black or white.

Ms. Annemay: Oh right, the mermaid moment...! What can I say? I like to troll my readers.

Someone: *Claps hands* You read all of this 300k+ work too? Holy frick, give this person a medal. Haha seriously though, thanks, man. You made my day. It helps to know that someone with limited knowledge of the games can understand what the heck is going on. It's really reassuring. :)

Fueled by Nightmares: Mick? FIXED! I think. I'll go back to double check later. You know, it's interesting, because I was going to make the greatest plot twist in history and make LUCAS the Masked man. But there were many problems stemming from that, other than discontinuity of the Mother 3 plot, and the main one was this: Claus is too strong of a character. Claus's personality is so OVERWHELMING that the other main protagonists don't have space to grow. By removing Claus from the equation, other protagonists can undergo character development. Also, it plays homage to the Mother 3 game - the player starts off thinking that Claus is the main character, when Lucas, in fact, is. So you can be sure to see some Lucas character growth there. Additionally, your point about Ninten is also true - Ninten takes most of the spotlight, but hey, his game started the entire series. Give the guy some publicity, amiright? ;) *I went back and fixed it for this chapter, thanks. UGH STUPID STPELLING ERRS*

I'mSolidSnaek: It's okay, man. Relax. We get hella busy at this time of year. :) I don't expect anything from my reviewers, and that makes any review very satisfying. Though I do love your reviews - might have mentioned this before, but you and Connor act like my third eye. You guys catch a lot of things that I've missed, and if anything feels OoC, I know you'll definitely feel it. It's very a different experience, reading a work vs. actually writing it. And no, I feel! My earlier characterization of Ninten's dad was supposed to be more like Ness's dad, but as the plot progressed, I was like "Well, shiz, they're too similar. BORING!" and scrapped it. I went back and edited the chapters though, and I hope this chapter lends more light to his character.

Moriary: THANKS MAN I APPRECIATE IT HERE TAKE MORE OF THE HUURG ;D

Ninten-Winten: Hey there, I'm honored. ^_^ This is my first long fic (aside from the horror I wrote when I was 15? 16? idk), so it makes me happy to see that I can make other people happy! Although my chapters can get really long... *cries*

Guest: *133 days. That is only 36.4% of the year, dear chap.

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~CHAPTER 38~

SHORT EXCERPT

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Lucas stirred. Grimacing at the cramps in his legs, he shifted into a more comfortable position. A heavy warmth pressed against his right shoulder.

Ness.

Carefully, Lucas tried to extricate his dead arm from under the weight, but Ness emitted an unhappy noise and involuntarily wrapped his arms around him like a vice. His breathing hit Lucas's ear in a ragged cacophony, heavy and deep.

Lucas closed his eyes and tried to pretend.

But it was so hard to pretend when the body didn't fit right. Ness was soft, yet stocky, corded with unseen muscles lurking underneath his skin. He didn't have the same delicate build, the same sharp ridges in his shoulderblades, the same flighty, bird-like figure Claus had.

It had always been Claus and Lucas. Never just Lucas. They were one, yet two; same, but different.

Who was Lucas without his brother?

Without Claus...

Staring without seeing, Lucas blinked at the ceiling.

It should've been Claus sitting here. Claus should've been in his place, Claus should have been the one at Ness's side, comforting him with the gentle words that came so easily out of his mouth. Lucas hadn't been blind; in the short stay at Saturn Valley, Lucas had noticed the look, the subtle shift of warmth in his brother's eyes whenever Claus would talk to Ness. As Lucas had always known, Claus hadn't needed his younger brother to mend the patches with his best friend.

If your brother had a fatal flaw...it was that he loved you too much.

Lucas wanted to cry, but exhaustion had wrung his body out of tears.

Beside him, Ness grimaced, unconsciously clenching his fists. Concerned, Lucas snapped his gaze towards his face, but Ness didn't wake. Ness gritted his teeth then shifted again, fidgeting against some unknown enemy, and Lucas wondered if he was dreaming of home.

Lucas had forgotten what a light sleeper Ness was. It scared him, sometimes, how uncannily his best friend reminded him of his brother.

They were both loyal. Selfless. Reckless to a fault.

The thought made him terribly guilty, and Lucas averted his eyes. Ness wasn't Claus. Ness had his own family back home, a family who was no doubt anxiously awaiting news of their lost son.

A father. A mother. A sister.

At the slightest hint of danger, Lucas knew that Ness would throw himself in the first line of defense.

And Lucas knew that he couldn't let that happen.

"You'll return home safe," Lucas said, firmly voicing his promise out loud. "Even if I don't... I'll make sure that you do."

Because if Lucas spoke loud enough, he could hear the Claus in his voice.

So Lucas believed. He had to believe that Claus wasn't lost, that it hadn't been Goodbye, but See you soon. Because had their places been reversed... Claus would never have given up on him.

With a sigh, Lucas closed his eyes, trying to imagine the feel of his brother's hand stroking his hair.

It wasn't as good as the real thing...

But it was good enough.