D'Jok felt he was on fire. And not the good kind of fire, the terrible one. The one where he felt any movement would be lethal to him. His back was burning him from inside out, he thought his bones would break if he tried to walk just a few meters to the door. Tears burned in his eyes as well from the pain realizing he overestimated his healing factors and the super-advanced medicine.

For a moment he believed he will never recover, that he will always remain like this. And he hated it. He hated that mere thought with a burning passion. He can't see himself not playing football or fooling around with his friends. He can't see himself being dependent on everyone else around him if he needed to go somewhere or do something. He couldn't see himself being completely useless.

"It is hurting you too badly?" The former Captain of the Snow Kids did not even notice Harris coming in or the door sliding open. The man looked at him from upside down and D'Jok relived a bad childhood memory. When he, as a child, would lie on the floor before him weak and pathetic, unable to get up, and the man would look down at him probably thinking the same.

"I feel like I'm gonna die." The teen grunted. It hurt too much lie. He was at that breaking point. "Don't you have anything to help?" Harris certainly must have something for it. He built the God damn Cube from scratch most likely with materials obtained illegally. He must've anticipated the fouls in the games that will be and get something for it.

"As a matter of fact, I do." Harris sounded like he was waiting for D'Jok to ask him for that. Smug bastard. "But it doesn't come without a price and I am not talking about money. I have plenty of it." When has anything been obtained for free? Out of the goodness of the heart? "I also happen to have many contacts in the galaxy and from time to time I managed to procure a unique kind of serum. One that once is in your body it will numb the pain as if it never existed."

Harris carried on explaining as D'Jok pushed himself over his limits to listen. It took everything not to pass out. "Let's say you were cutting your vegetables and by mistake, you cut your finger. This serum will numb the pain, but it will not stop the bleeding. And more so, despite being cut you will be able to use your finger normally as if the cut never happened in the first place. Yet the side effect is that it does not last and the pain will most likely come back twice in strength. How does it sound?"

"Too good to be true." D'Jok gasped gripping the metal bench tightly as if he on it for dear life. "Or legal." But his personality was still there. "Argh. Just do it." One dose. He will take one dose and that will be it. He needed to feel good again. Functional. He knew he needed to get up and face the world and if having that serum into his blood would give him a boost... he really was in no position to complain. Just once. He will keep quiet. Harris too. It will be fine. Nobody else has to know...

Mei was going out. It was her first time leaving the hotel since D'Jok walked out on her. And she wanted to be alone. And away. Away from her nagging mother who was now leaving her tones of angry calls, scolding her for dating a former addict and alcoholic. Away from her teammates always suffocating her, but never going out once to look for their missing mates. Away from the paparazzi and fame that come with being a GF player. Away from everything and everyone.

With her shades on, her look straight, and a different, but same style, coat, she avoided the paparazzi especially knowing they would be hunting her most. First because of how she played tonight, tackling everything that came her way and the goal she scored. She truly unleashed the beast on the field tonight. And secondly, because everyone knew D'Jok and her were dating. And everyone wanted to hear her statement.

She walked for at least a good hour without having a certain destination in her head. Tia offered to join, but quickly understood and said she'd rather stay. They've won the match today and they will be moving forward into the Cup. But she finds little to no joy if she has to celebrate without D'Jok. D'Jok was an idiot and a half with a bad past, hundreds of arguments between the two of them, on and off over the course of the last five years and tons of breaks ups and makeups. And she loved him like crazy.

Over the past five years, they've learned what they need to change, where they need to work to make their relationship good. They've walked out on each other more times than either of them can remember, but they always returned to one another in a matter of days. How D'Jok abandoned her that day, so easily, basically breaking down everything they build still leaves her shaken. Five whole years ruined in one day.

"Hey! What the ?" Mei tried to struggle against the sudden grip that pulled her into a dark corner of the street until she saw the face of that person. "D'Jok?" She couldn't believe her eyes at first that it was truly him. "D'Jok!" And she was so angry. "D'Jok..." And so sad. Why was he here? What did he want? He had his hood up and over his face, was he in trouble?

"Mei, I don't have much time." He hissed, looking left and right to make sure nobody else witnessed them.

"Funny." She crossed her arms to her chest turning. "Do you have a match that you have play in or something?" He knew all too well how important the upcoming matches are. How much the team depended on him and Micro-Ice to achieve victory. How motivated they were to win the Cup three times in a row and make history in the galaxy!

"Mei." D'Jok growled. "Not the time." There were other things he wanted to talk about. He knew he deserved an earful from a number of people that will probably be waiting in line when the time comes. But this not it. Not the place, not the time either.

"No. After you walked out on me like you did!" Of course, it had to be about him! Everything had to be about him! When has it ever been about anyone else? His problems. His troubles. His issues. Everything! Sometimes she asks herself how did they get together in the first place and managed to last this long.

"Urgh, this is useless." The former striker nearly threw his hands in the air as he made move to leave seeing no reason in trying to stay and drag this out risking already more than enough by going out without telling Harris first.

"D'Jok wait." Mei grabbed his hand and pulled him back. Despite the anger she felt towards him, she didn't want this to be their last conversation ever. She worried she might not see him again if she drives him away.

"Tell Sonny to stop looking for me."

"What?" This took the defender by complete surprise.

"I know you haven't lost contact with Corso. And since you two are BFFs, do me a favor and sent him this message for me." And she understood. She understood immediately. D'Jok wasn't pushing Sonny away. He was actually looking out for him.

"Babe, please. This isn't you." She touched his face gently putting her palm against his cheek. Whatever he is doing, whoever he is with now, is not doing well to him. It's changing him. "Come back, it's not too late." He did not seem to agree. "Tell me these two things at least. Is Micro-Ice with you?" He nodded. She felt relieved. "Did you watch the match?" He nodded again.

"Yes to both things." Wrapping his arm around her waist, she pulled her close to him. "He is with me and we're both fine." He brushed with his other hand a strand of her hair that was in the way. "And I've watched the match. As I will watch the others. You were great. Keep being great." Bringing her face to his, he gave her a short soft, warm kiss that filled her with the missing energy that she so dearly missed. "Go, Snow, go." He whispered to her, pushing a secret note into her hands before he left.

Sometimes, when he does to her things like that, she asks herself how can she live without him.

"Harris came by while you were gone." This wasn't the greeting D'Jok expected or wanted. "You were right. It's really him. I looked into his eyes and there is no doubt about it." Micro-Ice did not let it slip through his voice just how scared he was. All the bad memories from his past were coming back to him.

"Awesome... what did he want?" As far as he remembered from what his father told him, Harris is some kind of right-hand man for none other than Duke Maddox. The head of all Technoid in the galaxy.

"Well, nothing much. He asked how we're both doing physically. Said it's better if we go out only at night. And we have a new game into the Cube in a couple of days." Well, that was something new...

"Anyone we know?" D'Jok was curious.

"From the Wambas. They probably want revenge for what the team did to them on the field."

"We'll make sure that doesn't happen."