Loonatics: United

World of Chaos

Episode 98: Scars and memories

Tech and Susan were in the living room, sitting over one of the couches. "They´re stable. Lexi barely made it." Tech said.

"Do you think she´ll respond to the implants?" Susan inquired.

"They should work but we´ll know for sure when she wakes up." Tech replied. "Ace should be fine in a couple of days, he is very strong. Lexi´s recovery will take a bit more time, maybe weeks. The healing molecules I injected in her should let her wounds heal more rapidly."

"And the Chaos Warriors?" Susan said. "They´re still on the loose doing who knows what."

Tech sighed. "The team must be complete to stand a chance against them."

"Let´s hope Lexi heals fast enough for that." Susan said.

"We´ll have to wait what´s necessary. It is the only way to defeat those guys." Tech answered.

Meanwhile, Duck was at the balcony, leaning on the railing while smoking a cigarette, looking at the night sky. "I didn´t know you smoked." Rev said, approaching him.

Duck grunted. "Now you know. Go away."

"Hey, uhm..." Rev scratched his nape. "Back at the mission, I gotta admit that you scared me a bit."

"I´ve given worst beat ups than that one." Duck exhaled some smoke. "He deserved it for what he did to Lexi." He let out a brief chuckle. "He´ll never like what he sees in his mirror every morning."

"And how does that make you feel, man." Rev inquired.

"Awesome." Duck responded.

Rev raised an eyebrow. "Really? Awesome? It doesn´t look to be that way."

Duck growled and turned to face him. "I´m fine! I gave him what he deserved, okay?! And I´m sure I fell short!"

Rev stood silent for a moment, then he placed a hand on his shoulder. "You have a noble heart, man. Just...don´t lose it."

"You don´t know a dang about me." Duck moved Rev´s hand away from his shoulder, aggressively. "Go away and let me enjoy my cigarette." He turned and leaned on the railing again, continuing smoking.

Rev walked away from him and entered the apartment. Tech looked at him. "Is he okay, Rev?"

Rev looked back at him, sighing. "I´m sure he isn´t I tried to help him but he got pretty pissed."

"He´ll get over it." Tech said.

"I´m not sure if that´s for the best." Rev went and sat down next to Tech, lowering his gaze.

"What do you mean?" Susan inquired.

Rev sighed. "I don´t want Duck or any of my friends to take paths that they will never be able to let go." He shook his head. "Maybe I´m just tired, sorry if I…"

"I know what you mean, and it´s sweet that you worry about him." Susan looked at him with a smirk.

"I worry about everyone, you´re my family, not literally but emotionally speaking, like close friends that are so close that it just feels like if you have been around since the very beginning." Rev looked away with a sad glare. "My real family is broken like a mirror, they´ve tried to fix it. Things have gotten slightly better between them, but the scars are still there, specially with my dad and my brother, I could´ve done more to help them both, there were fights, harsh words and hits, literal hits, a path they tried to let go but it always calls them back. Mom cries every night, I used to be by her side when that happened but nowadays I just try to make her feel better when she calls me. Everything feels so shattered now."

"Bud." Tech placed a hand on his shoulder. "Everyone has demons, those dark things that threaten the world every day, hurting ourselves and the ones around us."

"Nobody is perfect." Susan said with a reassuring tone. "Not me, nor my parents. Not even my boyfriend." She looked at Tech. "Right, love?"

Tech chuckled. "Absolutely."

Rev stood silent for a moment, then smirked slightly and looked at them both with grateful eyes. "Thanks, guys. Really."

"It´s nothing, buddy." Tech replied. "What he did to Lexi, it got all of us worried, shocked."

"She almost died." Rev cleaned a tear from his face.

"As soon as she gets better and answers to the treatment successfully, we´ll go and end with the schemes of those guys. Let Lexi have some payback." Tech said.

"She wouldn´t think that way." Rev replied.

"Lexi is a strong woman, she will deal with this better than any of us could ever do." Tech stated. "Watch over Alfons and company whenever you get the chance. Write reports of every move and scheme they do."

Rev nodded at him. "I will."

"I´m gonna sleep with mom and dad, Lexi must get all the rest she can." Susan said.

Tech sighed. "I´m so sorry, sweet. We brought so much trouble and despair to your home."

"Oh, baby," Susan hugged him. "I can only be thankful with you for defending the home of my parents. The home of millions. They´ll all be thankful and happy to know you got rid of this menace."

"We´re far from done with those guys." Tech argued.

"I have faith in you, you´re the Loonatics." Susan kissed him briefly. "Our heroes."

Tech stood silent for a moment then he tightened the hug, embracing her with love and tears in his eyes. "Thank you, Susan."

"That´s why I´m here for." Susan started to kiss him. After a few moments, Tech and Susan heard a rushing sound, breaking the kiss and looking around, seeing a red blur vanishing. They shared a brief chuckle. "Honestly, I forgot he was here."

Tech chuckled then got silent all of a sudden, bringing his hands to his face. "This is so messed up."

Susan smiled at him, caressing his arm. "Hey, I´m gonna make you something." She stood up.

"Scrambled." Tech said.

Susan looked at him over her shoulder, winking at him. "As if I didn´t know you." She walked towards the kitchen and got in. Tech let out a long sigh, leaning back and putting his hands behind his neck, closing his eyes while breathing deeply.

Slam was in the visits room, sitting on the floor, leaning his back over the wall with his glare lowered. Rev entered the room, Slam looked at him and greeted him with a snarl.

"Hey, Slam." Rev walked towards him and sat down next to him. He looked at Ace. "Have you ever had a boss like him before?"

Slam grunted negatively.

Rev chuckled. "Remember when he took us to the water park? That was so cool of him, we had returned from that tough mission and he told us we needed a break from that." His eyes were lost in his laying friend and boss. "I was very worried that day, because of an incident with my family. I was sitting there, at one of the tables of the soda fountain, he approached me and sat down next to me." A tear ran down his face. "He told me that ev..." He sobbed. "...that everything was going to be alright." Rev smiled with nostalgia. "And that little thing, that look on his face made me feel better." He sighed, maintaining his glare on Ace. "What a good friend should do. Stay there, be present."

Slam nodded, staying silent for a moment. He let out a growl while smiling, telling Rev that Ace had done a lot for him, that he taught him how to become the best version of himself, to overcome the obstacles, let go the complexes.

Rev sighed. "We should be very thankful, Slam."

Tech and Susan were in the kitchen, having their scrambled eggs, sitting at the table. Duck entered and opened the fridge, taking a beer. "Are you sure she´ll be alright?" Duck inquired while opening his beer. He took a long sip from it.

"She will, Duck. Don´t worry." Tech replied.

"Those blasted brats. Now I´m glad that I killed one of them." Duck took another sip.

"We´re gonna stop them." Tech said. "For good, Duck."

"I hope so." Duck remained silent for a moment, lowering his gaze, then he looked back at Tech. "Uhm, I´m gonna go make Lexi some company."

"Sure." Tech responded.

Susan smiled at him. "Go ahead, Duck."

Duck nodded. "Thanks." He finished up his beer with a long sip, then he left the kitchen. He entered Susan´s room quietly. "Hi, sis." He whispered while approaching her. "You got me very worried, well, all of us." Duck took her hand. "You´re so strong, girl. I´ve always admired that of you and you know it, that toughness, that unbreakable spirit of yours." He got closer to her and kissed her forehead. "You´ll get through this, I´m sure about it." Duck backed away from her, with a tear running down his face. "Keep resting, sister." He left the room and closed the door. After a few moments, Lexi´s ear twitched.

Later on, everyone went to their respective places to get some sleep. Tech and Slam were in their sleeping bags. Slam grunted, asking about Ace and Lexi.

"Trust me." Tech responded, glaring at Slam. "They´re out of any danger now." He looked up, glancing at Ace. "He is like no one I ever met before." Tech smirked. "Ace is...like a brother to me."

Slam snarled, stating they should´ve never gone there, to Alumia.

Tech raised an eyebrow and looked at Slam with a frown. "This could´ve happened in Acmetropolis as well. That is non-sense."

Slam insisted, letting out another growl, saying that all of that happened because he wanted to please his girlfriend.

"Shut up!" Tech exclaimed. "I never heard you complaining."

Slam shook his head and turned his back on him, letting out growls of disdain.

"Idiot." Tech turned, glaring into the window, frowning while sighing with annoyance.

Rev and Duck were in the living room, laying on their respective made up beds. "I´m sorry, man." Duck said. "For, well, that argument we had."

"It´s alright, we´re all angry for what happened." Rev replied.

"Yeah, I wonder if fighting those guys was a good idea in the first place." Duck said. "We could´ve just let them do their thing. This isn´t our city."

Rev chuckled with disbelief. "The Loonatics are meant to protect the weak and hopeless." He looked at Duck. "That´s the mission."

Duck sighed. "I know...it´s just that...can´t we have some rest by chance?"

Rev got thoughtful for a moment. "Evil never sleeps, that´s why good must stay awake. Always."

"I mean, I love my powers and all, stop bad guys and stuff but I think I´m starting to get..." Duck stopped talking all of a sudden.

"What?" Rev asked.

Duck shook his head. "...tired."

Rev chuckled. "Woah, you´re sounding like an elder man."

"I´m serious." Duck looked at him with a straight face.

"Well, retire then." Rev said in a challenging tone.

"That´s stupid." Duck replied hostilely.

"Then what do you want?!" Rev inquired.

"I don´t know, man!" Duck stood silent for a moment. "This is just too much, okay? Lexi...she...she was nearly killed, that idiot destroyed her, you saw her!"

"I know, I can´t imagine how much she suffered back there, but it´s something we all signed for." Rev said. "We knew the risks, no one forced us to do this…no one´s forcing you now, that´s why I´m telling you, if you want to retir..."

"Again with that! I don´t want to retire, man, dang it with you!" Duck shook his head and turned, closing his eyes. "Good night."

Rev thought for a moment. "You´re staying because you know it´s the right thing to do, don´t tell me otherwise." He let out a long sigh and turned as well, starting to get asleep after a couple of minutes.