Chapter Forty-Three: There and Back Again

Chain Reaction didn't understand why King Pen was giving him off time. They'd taken on five recruits this time, and this was the time to help them acclimate to the team. There was simply no time to take off. But King Pen was stubborn, and insisted that he would refuse Chain Reaction's requests for work until he took a break. "You've already worked your butt off at that boot camp, so you deserve a break," the penguin had explained.

So he guessed that there was no way out of it.

But that didn't mean he'd actually relax. Chain Reaction camped out in the woods of the M.A.P, training with his chainsaw blades. For him, there was never time off. There was time to work, time to train, and no time to stop.

If he faltered, his craft might be lost.

There was a strange chatter out there one morning, like the gabbing of trolls. Hm, and he'd thought this region was as isolated as the Lost Islands. Chain Reaction followed the sound, finding the trolls in a devastated clearing, busy razing the trees down. Great, invaders like these were always hiding in the woods. Chain Reaction rushed out, brandishing his chainsaw blades. One troll lobbed a bomb at him, which he dodged with ease. He slashed at the bombardier, knocking him back. One larger troll grabbed him on the shoulders, but he threw him off, albeit with a bit of difficulty. Chain Reaction backed away from the group, suddenly realizing that there were a dozen trolls in this clearing. He was vastly outmatched.

Luckily, however, someone came to assist him. A tall air knight, wearing blue-and-white armor, charged into the area. He slashed his sword on the ground, creating a gust of wind that pushed the trolls back a bit. Many were laying on the ground, the wind knocked out of them, while others stood poised to attack him.

"What are you waiting for, elder?" the air knight yelled. "Get back here and fight!"

Chain Reaction ran back in, charging at a troll. Their weapons clashed, gun against blades, but Chain Reaction's weapons sawed right through the troll's. He attacked another one, knocking a bomb away towards a second group of attacking trolls. Some of the trolls were getting back up to attack the air knight, only to be knocked back down with summoned lightning. A few more ran toward the air knight, only to be forced back by a mighty roar of summoned wind. With their combined efforts, the trolls were sent running out of the clearing.

Chain Reaction sheathed his blades. "Ugh, trolls have no sense of preservation in any area," he muttered.

The air knight sheathed his large blade, setting it on his back. "They seemed to know when to run away," he noted.

"Ten bucks says they'll be back."

"How about a hundred?"

Chain Reaction glanced at a fallen tree trunk, saw marks along the bottom. "You think you could tell Ambush about this so he can go replanting the lost trees here?" he asked.

The air knight looked at him, appearing a bit weary- maybe from battle, but he didn't normally get that way. He began to walk away. "You tell him," he spat. "That's not my problem."

Ah Wildstorm, how uncooperative he wished to be. Unlike the other recruits, he hadn't been in the boot camp Chain Reaction was running. Gruff and stern, he tried his hardest not to communicate with any of the Senseis. And when it was necessary, he was very brief about what he needed.

Chain Reaction remembered how he himself had been that way. He'd been reluctant to befriend anyone in the past as well, certain that no one wanted him around. He'd tried to stay away from people, and also kept his business brief. And most of all, he hated the idea of anyone else having to do that.

So he followed Wildstorm for a bit, as silently as he could to see if he'd be noticed. The air knight seemed to notice him right away, glancing over his shoulder and glaring before turning his head back in the direction he was walking. They traveled in silence for a few minutes, and Chain Reaction noted that it wasn't in the direction of the Dojo.

"Where are you heading off to?" Chain Reaction asked.

"Back to my home," Wildstorm said brusquely.

"The Dojo's to the east of here, I'm sure."

"That's not my home. I have a little campsite far from here, and that's my place of residence."

"How far?"

"Farther from the M.A.P for certain."

Silence, but only for a moment. "Can I travel with you?" Chain Reaction followed up, hands clasped together. "I'd like to see a bit more of Skylands. Not to mention King Pen gave me off time, and I'm not sure what to spend it on."

Wildstorm didn't reply. He just kept on walking.

"Is that a no, then?"

"No."

With that, they officially began traveling together.


Chainsaw blade-wielding was an art form, lost to the ages as Chain Reaction lost his homeland. Their traditions, and who they were, faded as they assimilated with other metal men in the area. He decided to hold on to some of their traditions, traveling throughout Skylands as he practiced using the chainsaw blades.

He'd also tried making new friends at first.

But everyone turned out to be afraid of the chainsaw blades, and him by extension. He'd even hidden them away a couple times to see how people reacted, and they acted as if he still had them on hand.

Perhaps it wasn't the chainsaw blades, though?

Maybe it was him?

Chain Reaction kept to himself for a while, moving silently through town to town, training on his own. He turned away from everyone, even those that were curious about him. He didn't want to bother himself with trying to make friends if everyone was just going to run away from him.

He was wandering an ancient grove one day when he came across a strange scuffle. There was a group of dwarves camping out, but they hid away in their tents from rabid rats. The rats scoffed at them, messing with their supplies and sorting through the things they wanted to take. The dwarves poked their heads out a bit, shaking as this event occurred. Chain Reaction couldn't just stand by and let this happen. He rushed out to the rats, attacking them with his chainsaw blades. The rats scurried off, dropping the items that they had picked up.

Chain Reaction was about to leave, but then the dwarves came out of their tents. He expected them to chastise him, or scream at him to get away. But it turned out that they were enamored with his skill in battle. They requested that he act as their bodyguard until they got to the other end of the grove, practically begging him to come along. Chain Reaction obliged. Though he wasn't too psyched to go along with them, he couldn't just let them go off with all of the other dangers in the grove.

The dwarves actually made good company during this time. They were cheery and energetic, and it was hard not to get wrapped up in that attitude. Chain Reaction enjoyed the stories they told of where they were going, of a large field with plenty of space for the village they wanted to build. They held a passion for preserving the culture of their clan, which they hoped would return once their village was completed. With the recent conflicts wiping several small communities off the face of Skylands, Chain Reaction shared the sentiment.

So he taught them how to use the chainsaw blades as well. The proper techniques, the proper precautions, and the proper mindset. The dwarves, who were a peaceful bunch, didn't take too quickly to the idea of fighting. Chain Reaction had to teach them that conflict wasn't something that could always be avoided, and he had to convince them that he was only trying to help them by teaching them these things. After that, they seemed to catch on fairly well, and were more than competent by the time they reached their destination.

Confident in their abilities, Chain Reaction left them to their own devices. He hadn't seen them since, but he was sure that they'd built their village. Of course, he did find himself lonely again, longing for that same companionship.

But he didn't lose hope this time. He was sure that he'd find it again. And he promised himself that he would never leave anyone lonely.


The two of them walked out of the woods, coming close to the edge of the island. There were tents set up around here, with strange tentacled creatures walking through them as they carried supplies. The creatures seemed to be various shades of purple, mostly humanoid, but with moving tentacles atop their heads. They wore masks upon their faces, as if they couldn't breathe the air out here. Their clothes were ragged, but their eyes lit up with the prospect of a good outcome for them.

"I don't believe I've seen refugees like this before," Chain Reaction wondered.

"What, so it's normal for refugees to come here?" Wildstorm asked.

"It's almost expected. If the people can't find the Lost Islands, they'll come here."

"Then what's the problem?"

They couldn't just go by without asking these newcomers about their situation. Suppose they needed help, and no one was willing to offer it. Chain Reaction walked up to them, giving them a friendly wave. A male creature noticed this and walked up to him, supported by his tentacle hair in order to move quickly.

"Hello there. Would you like assistance?" Chain Reaction asked.

"This Dreadwalker clan wishes not to be bothered," the creature insisted.

Wildstorm crossed his arms. "Hear that? They don't want help. Now let's get moving," he growled.

Chain Reaction didn't reply to him. He asked again, "Perhaps there is something you wish to know. I am a native of this place, after all."

"We were informed that this was a site for refugees," the Dreadwalker man insisted. "The only natives are those long since deceased to this land. You cannot be a native."

"I suppose I worded that wrong. I meant that this was my home, and I know the layout of the land fairly well."

"Oh. Well what happened to your clan?"

Chain Reaction hadn't thought of that in a while. "Hard to say. Various wars and disasters wiped most of us out. No one else of my kind live here."

"You're not out here on your own, I hope?"

"Oh no, I have many friends here who rely on me for help. We live deep in the woods. Anyway, are you sure you don't have any questions about this place?"

The Dreadwalker man looked back at the tents, then turned his gaze toward Wildstorm. "Would there be a body of water nearby? Many of us were quite missing it."

"Oh, that's just up the rise here! I can draw you a map, or we could take you there ourselves, or even-"

"I'm sure we'll find it."

Wildstorm sighed, walking over to Chain Reaction. "There is an area of devastated wood in the forest. You could use that for building huts," he explained. "Whatever happened to your home, I'm sorry."

The Dreadwalker shook his head. "Not at all, Wind Beast. I should be giving condolences for your scattered clans," he insisted. "Our last location wasn't fit to be a home. We were always looking out for danger, hiding our emotions so the beasts couldn't find us. Since coming out here, I've been able to experience them again, and I've noticed the others are experiencing them as well. We've been brought back to life. Our home is out here now, wherever we decide to make it. Whatever you think we've lost, we can no doubt find again. But thank you for your concern."

Chain Reaction held his hand out for the Dreadwalker. "Then we should take our leave. I certainly hope we see more of each other."

The Dreadwalker shook his hand. "I do as well."

Chain Reaction and Wildstorm departed from them, going back on the path. Chain Reaction found himself walking briskly, drinking in the summer breeze. He hoped that he had made new friends in those strange Dreadwalkers. No doubt they'd share some interesting stories. He turned back to look at Wildstorm, prepared to mention this, but the smile he wore quickly died. The air knight walked slowly, his eyes cast down on the ground, appearing troubled.

"Hey, what's up?" Chain Reaction called out.

Wildstorm looked up at him, suddenly frowning. He quickly jogged up, shouting, "Now I'm sure you don't know the way!"


Chain Reaction insisted that they take a train, in case Wildstorm's camp really was far from the M.A.P. Wildstorm seemed hesitant, stating his discomfort with fast-moving vehicles, but he conceded to it nonetheless. As the sun rose to its highest point, the two of them sat on a bench just outside of a train station. Chain Reaction noticed that Wildstorm seemed distracted, busy with his own thoughts. The air knight was known to be quiet, but never contemplative as he appeared now.

"This should take us out to the nearest depot, where we can continue into the main Skylands on foot," Chain Reaction explained. "I'm sure you can find your way after tha..."

He curiously tapped Wildstorm on the arm. The air knight jumped, nearly grabbing for the Air Blade on his back, but settled down when he saw Chain Reaction.

"Did you catch what I said?"

"Something pointless about the train, I don't care."

"Is everything alright? You seem a bit out of sorts."

"I'm fine. Just a bit nauseus, maybe."

"Maybe?"

No comment. Chain Reaction highly doubted if that part was true.

They sat in silence again. Chain Reaction tapped the wood on the bench, antsy to get moving. Silence wasn't something he took very well, and he found himself asking, "Hey, what exactly happened to your people?"

"What?" Wildstorm repeated.

"I just thought maybe it was the Dreadwalker's speech that has you in a tizzy."

"He was mistaken. I'm the only me anywhere."

"So am I, but I am part of a people scattered across Skylands. We all have a culture behind us, whether we know of it or not."

No comment.

"...Let's talk about something more pleasant, then. What's your camp like?"

Wildstorm leaned back, staring up at the clouds. "It's on a small island, probably only big enough to support one person. There's a pond with fish, as well as a few trees and plants where small animals reside. I've been able to hunt and train there as I please, away from the rabble of the towns."

"Do you really consider it home?"

"I feel like you're doubting the comforts of my camp."

"Well it's just that back at the Dojo, I can sit up on the roof. I can lay down, stare up at the stars, feeling quite at ease. Ambush might join me, or I might hear chatter from new recruits, or hear yelling from two sparring partners. I think of those things, and I know that is home. Do you have thoughts like that associated with your camp?"

Wildstorm turned his head away, refusing to answer. Chain Reaction took that as confirmation that he didn't feel that way.

The train screeched into the station. Chain Reaction got up, hands clasped. "Well, here's the train," he noted. "Best get on."

Wildstorm stood up, his eyes widened in nervousness. "And it's not going to go fast at all?" he muttered.

"This vessel isn't like those city clankers or that busy Sky Train. This one rarely has to run, and therefore it moves more slowly."

Wildstorm didn't reply, but he followed Chain Reaction onto the train. They walked into a train car, looking upon the blue-tinted walls matched with the red seats. The air knight eagerly took a window seat, setting his gaze straight out. Chain Reaction huffed. He couldn't help but feel that he'd chosen that spot for the sole purpose of ensuring that he didn't have to speak to him. Nevertheless, he took the spot across from him, still hoping that they could talk.

"You know, you're not quite like the other recruits among us Senseis," Chain Reaction began. "They are eager to get to know the rest of us, to follow us like ducklings until they know what to do around here. You seem to follow the beat of your own drum, simply waiting to carry out instructions and hardly caring what the rest of us do."

A puff of air blew out from the air knight's nose. "Isn't that why I was brought on?"

"It makes training you a bit easier, I think. We don't need to carry you through the proper sword techniques because you already know them. We don't need to tell you how to take care of a blade because you clearly treat your weapon like it's your baby. You're already a warrior."

Wildstorm glanced at him, giving him a bored, almost sleepy expression- that seemed to have lasted, hadn't it? "But..."

"It's just the interactions with people you need to work on. We're eager to be your friends, but you seem hesitant to trust us. I get that, I think. You don't exactly have a reason to trust us right now. It's fine for you to have alone time- all of us need a bit of it- but just know that we're here if you need to talk, okay?"

Wildstorm looked away again. "I won't let myself be tricked by prose like that."

"You've been disappointed by stuff like that before, huh?"

"You know, you're making me think of that Sky-Faun."

Chain Reaction straightened up in surprise. The air knight was referring to Buckshot, that much was certain. He didn't know that Wildstorm had given much thought to any of the other Senseis, much less the recruits. "You mean Buckshot?" he asked. "So you have freely spoke to one of us here."

"It was a brief conversation from last night," Wildstorm explained. "He said he was concerned about me staying out late to train and asked me to head to bed. You should've seen how desperate he looked, too. It was kind of annoying."

"You have to mind him, sometimes. Buckshot is rather friendly, and he's usually eager to make friends. I don't think he understands that he has to go a bit slow."

The sound of churning gears was heard, and the train started moving. Wildstorm sat up a bit, frightened, but he slowly relaxed. He understood that Chain Reaction had been right about the speed of the vessel.

"Yeah, the train is going to keep this pace all the way there," Chain reaction promised him, arms behind his head. "I find it rather relaxing. Admittedly, I've dozed off on this train a couple times."

"Probably because you're an elder," Wildstorm muttered.

Chain Reaction narrowed his eyes in order to tease him. "The sounds of the train are nice once you get used to them, and the fact that you can do nothing but sit is also relaxing. I don't usually ride alone, though. Someone usually comes along to wake me up before the train stops. Yeah, the worst part is the stop- the screeching isn't too loud, but you can get a bit of a spook when you're not expecting it."

He studied the air knight's eyes, noticing how droopy they seemed. "Is it scary trying to relax at the Dojo right now? I can get that," Chain Reaction added. "You could close your eyes here for a bit, if you wanted."

"I don't treat sleep as a leisure like you might," Wildstorm argued. "Even if I did, why would I relax here, which is also a strange place to be."

"I figured it was quieter here, with fewer people so you wouldn't have to worry."

"It's not a very good idea regardless."

Chain Reaction stroked his chain-like beard. "Is it because of that jump thing you did on the bench? Just because you didn't realize it was me?"

"I'm wary of any activity near me when I rest, and I'm prepared to attack if I need to. I'll perceive you as a threat no matter what. And that's not even considering the rest of this train."

"You've seen me fight, haven't you? I can take care of myself. You don't need to worry, I promise."

Wildstorm sighed, burying his forehead into his arm. "...My head hurts anyway. I'll trust you as sentry for now."

"Fair enough."

"Make sure nothing happens, okay?"

Chain Reaction stood up for a moment, surprised at that little comment. Maybe the air knight was beginning to trust him, even if it was only slightly. He took a seat next to Wildstorm, and replied, "I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

The air knight gave him another look, and silently muttered, "Alright."

In another moment, the air knight's breathing became steady as he fell fast asleep. Chain Reaction smirked, noting how peaceful Wildstorm seemed at this moment. He didn't think that Wildstorm had gotten many moments of bliss.


They made a stop at a small village at the next train depot. Wildstorm insisted that they pause for a moment as he got his bearings, trying to ensure that they were on the right path. Chain Reaction spotted a café closeby, and he wandered over to it. The air knight followed behind him, frowning.

"You're trying to drag this out, aren't you?" Wildstorm grumbled.

Maybe Chain Reaction was. He wasn't sure what purpose Wildstorm had for returning to his camp, especially since he'd spent so little time with the Senseis. It wasn't a question he wanted to push on the air knight, though- it might be better if Wildstorm said the reason on his own accord."You don't have to tag along if you don't like," Chain Reaction insisted. "If you like, you can head off on your own."

Wildstorm stiffened a bit, surprised by the statement. He then stepped closer, silently waiting for Chain Reaction's next move. Chain Reaction walked up to one of the tables outside, taking a seat. He found himself surprised when the air knight took a seat opposite his.

"It's not like I'm in any hurry," Wildstorm muttered quietly. "I can take things slowly for the moment."

He wanted to make friends with the Senseis. Chain Reaction was sure of it. For whatever reason, the air knight was making sure to keep his distance.

Keeping his distance. Was that the point of Wildstorm's trip, then?

A waitress walked over to their table. Chain Reaction stopped her, and whispered a request into her ear. The two of them watched as she walked back into the café. Wildstorm looked at Chain Reaction, studying him with suspicion in his gaze.

"What was that for?" Wildstorm asked.

Chain Reaction shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "Will you accept a bribe?"

"You want me to talk about myself."

"Nothing too big. Just likes and dislikes, if you're okay with it."

The waitress came back, carrying a basket in her hand. She set it down on the table, and the scent of the item in the basket ruse from the cloth hiding it. As the waitress left, Wildstorm's eyes lit up in surprise. His head kept switching back between Chain Reaction and the basket, unsure of what to make of either.

"It's a brownie basket," Chain Reaction told him. "You ever had brownies before?"

"Only a handful of times," Wildstorm gasped. "I was always saving what little money I had for more important things. but I did enjoy the soft texture of the ones I've had. Um...might that count, maybe?"

Chain reaction lifted the cloth up, taking out a brownie and handing it to him. "Why not?" he decided.

Wildstorm eagerly took it away. He bit at the corner of the brownie, wincing as the pastry burnt his tongue.

"Oh right, I should've warned you that it might be hot," Chain reaction grimaced.

The air knight didn't seem to mind. He stared in awe at the brownie, replying, "This one's softer than the ones I've had. Practically melts in your mouth."

"They're fresh from the oven, I think. I find them best when they're like that."

Wildstorm took another bite. "Large pillows. Fuzzy blankets. Open fireplaces," he said hurriedly.

"Maybe we ought to slow down. You know, in case you really were nauseous before."

"It went away on the train. I think that nap I got must've helped."

Chain Reaction fiddled with the handle on the basket. "But you like those three things you mentioned?"

Wildstorm nodded, shoving the brownie into his mouth. "Preferably together. You could usually find them in most of the merc gathering halls,"- he swallowed, choking a bit before being able to bring it down- "They usually had large chairs as well, but they were usually taken when I got there. It didn't matter, though, because I could normally manage to get a seat closest to the fire, even during the winter months. I always thought that if I made my own house, I'd have those things built into it. I'd sit up front, hiding away from bad weather,, watching the flames and being at peace."

There was a joyful look to his eyes that Chain Reaction hadn't seen until now. Wildstorm looked like an eager kid, one that might get along with one of the other recruits. Heck he looked a lot like them now- if Chain Reaction took this form of him and put him in a picture with the others, he'd blend right in with them. He wanted to see more of this Wildstorm in future weeks.

"Have you ever heard of pillow forts?" Chain Reaction asked. "Eon and I used to make them with Rory when she was little. You'd grab all the pillows and blankets you could and make a fort somewhere, hiding books and toys in there to keep with you, and then you'd sit and tell stories and whatnot."

"You just hang out in them? And nothing else?" Wildstorm wondered.

"Well if enough people came by, you could build two and have a pretend war."

Wildstorm lost his gleeful attitude. He lowered his head so that his eyes studied his hands on the table, becoming the image of melancholia. "This plan seems to involve a lot of people."

Chain Reaction nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "It could only be two people hanging out, talking about things. Or it could be one person, quietly hiding away. You can do a lot with..."

"I doubt any of you would want to do that with me."

Chain Reaction lowered his arm. He knew that feeling all too well. He didn't want to wait around for the air knight to speak anymore. "Is this the way you always feel?"

Wildstorm made a move to get up. "We've wasted enough time here. I ought to get going, and I don't think you can travel so far out with no worries," he insisted.

"Tell me what you're thinking. Does it have anything to do with what that Dreadwalker said?"

The air knight settled down again, shoulders slumped. "Perhaps."

"Don't give me a 'perhaps'. You can't fix things with 'perhaps'."

Wildstorm touched a hand near his mouth. "He expected me to know. You could see it in his eyes- he expected me to know about my supposed clans. I get insulted by the idea of finding my people, and others become so baffled to find that I'm alone."

Chain Reaction straightened out. "You're saying you were abandoned?"

The air knight nodded. "I have no memories of a nice home or loving family. I don't think I ever had that from the moment I opened my eyes. They had to have tossed me out, thinking I was a monster or a bad omen. You wouldn't disagree with my thoughts, would you?"

"You can't know the reasoning behind your abandonment. That said...I get where you're coming from.

"I just wanted to live out the rest of my days alone at my camp, but then Eon had to ask me to become a Sensei. You're all so eager to have me join you and be your friend, practically nagging me about it. Would you even know what to do if I went along with it? Wouldn't you grow sick of me, after a while?"

Chain Reaction was starting to understand. "We wouldn't-"

The eyes of Wildstorm's animal headpiece started glowing. That usually happened when he got angry. It was more subtle than anything the air knight had shown thus far, but it was still a bit unnerving.

"I've heard that plenty of times as well," Wildstorm growled. "Plenty of times as I was growing up. Through my work, I met people that I liked, that seemed to like me. They told me I had a place with them, and every time, their interest in me waned until it was absolute irritation. I could slip up a few times, accidentally break something small, and they'd go nuts over it, and they'd yell at me for it until I knew I had to leave. One way or another, I become a bothersome moth in their eyes. We are mere workers, nothing more, nothing less."

"But you want more, don't you?" Chain Reaction asked.

The glow returned to the inside of the maw. Wildstorm's head seemed to sink just a bit lower. "I'm a monster. I don't deserve anything more than what I have."

The crowd was thinning out around them. Chain Reaction set both hands on the table, drumming them until he planned out his next thoughts. "Could it be that...you're not allowing yourself to have more?"

"What nonsense is that?"

"I remember being lonely. I remember searching for something other than what I'd lost, and coming up empty in that search. A few people fled from me when I trained with my blades, and in retrospect, it couldn't have been that many. I remember telling myself that it was my fault, that I was a monster, that I somehow brought it onto myself. I'd yell at everyone who came my way, telling them to leave me alone, no matter who it might be. After a while, I realized that I was building up a shield to protect myself. I'd convinced myself that no one could like me, and I was making sure that no one ever did. I think that's what you're doing. You're convinced that no one could like you, and you make sure to keep people away because you can't believe that someone out there might."

A couple more people left the seating area. Wildstorm watched them go, becoming antsy as he waited for them to disappear. He turned back toward Chain Reaction, lifting his head up a little to show watery eyes. "You said it was okay to talk to you?"

Chain Reaction nodded.

"What if I cried? Would that be too embarrassing

"That would be okay, too. I enjoy a good cry myself, sometimes."

Wildstorm nodded, and the tears began streaming down. The air knight sat there, pouting inconsolably for several minutes. Chain Reaction stayed put, despite the urge to come by and comfort him like he'd do with anyone else. He'd probably get shoved away if he tried to do anything.

"Th-That Sky-Faun gave me a blanket," Wildstorm choked out. "He looked so concerned for me. I didn't...I didn't want to be tricked again."

"And that's why you're heading back to your camp?" Chain Reaction wondered.

Wildstorm nodded.

"We don't always start out with the best of circumstances. Heck, sometimes they absolutely suck. But none of that was your fault. Nothing happened to you just because you existed or were in the area at the time. It'll take a while to learn and apply, but I think you'll see that you do deserve more."

The air knight let out a few more pouts, slowing back down to normal. Chain Reaction slid the basket over to him.

"Those can all be yours if you want," Chain Reaction decided. "I'm not sure they'll still be gooey like before, but they're yours."

Wildstorm wiped his tears away. "It doesn't matter to me," he insisted. "You're sure it was fine that I acted like this? Crying isn't exactly appealing, and I don't like feeling weak like this."

"Do you feel better? That's all I care about."

The air knight was silent for a moment, catching his breath. He nodded, muttering, "I think we should head back to the Dojo."

Chain reaction stood up, brow raised. "Not interested in going back to your camp?"

"I want to try and stay here a little while longer, if that's okay."

"It's more than fine. I'll lead the way back- do you think you might sleep again on the train?"

Wildstorm let out a slight grumble, grabbing the basket by the handle and following after Chain Reaction.


It was around nighttime when they found their way back to the Dojo. Wildstorm munched on the brownies the entire way, his gait increasing as they walked. Chain Reaction smiled at this. Again, he could perfectly match the air knight up with the other recruits and there would be no difference. He had no doubt that most of Wildstorm's worries hadn't gone away, but he was sure that they'd made some progress.

They stopped in the middle of the forested path back home, spotting someone sitting by the trunk of a tree. It was a Sky-Faun, his white fur stained brown with mud and tangled with leaves. Golden horns poked out from his head as he sobbed into his arms, and Chain Reaction recognized the Sky-Faun to be Buckshot. He walked over to him, though Wildstorm stayed back once more.

"Buckshot?" Chain Reaction asked.

The Sky-Faun lifted his head up, surprise filling his face. He jumped up and hugged Chain Reaction, sobbing into his shoulder.

"I need help. I didn't think I did, but I do," Buckshot cried. "Wildstorm disappeared into the woods. I didn't see where he went, and-"

"It's alright," Chain Reaction told him. "I found him. He's right behind me."

Buckshot stopped sobbing. He looked over Chain Reaction's shoulder, discovering the air knight standing idly by. He let out a sigh of relief.

"Have you been out here all day?" Chain Reaction asked, guilt filling his stomach.

Buckshot nodded.

Wildstorm stepped over to them, shoulders sagging just a bit. "I didn't know you were looking for me," he replied. "You went that far?"

Buckshot pulled himself away from Chain Reaction, wiping his tears away. "You seemed upset earlier. I wanted to make sure you were okay," he explained.

"I'm sorry," the air knight muttered.

"Are you okay?"

"I think so."

"That's all that matters, I promise."

Chain Reaction gave a stretch. "I think we've been up for a while," he decided. "Let's get back inside. Bucky, you ought to take a bath when we get in. It'll help you feel better."

Buckshot nodded. "Yeah. And Wildstorm, if you need to be alone sometimes, that's okay."

Wildstorm scratched his head for a moment. "I don't think I'd like to be alone tonight," he thought. "I want to try being near people, at least for tonight."