Chapter -31: Carriers of the Future

"My name…Is Zeno Stratos."

The young child of Sarajin and Auris wanders alone through the wastelands of his planet, going from Oreore all the way down towards Pulsa Minoria.

With nothing but the flame decal poncho his grandma made, a shirt and pants, and a katana built for his size, he strode bravely against the warm winds to reach his destination.

He held his head up high, looking goofy with how serious he was trying to be.

"I'm training to be a great hero, like my father and mother before me."

He stopped and grabbed his katana out of the sheath to brandish it in a flimsy manner, swiping at the air like there was someone around to impress.

"Hwah! Hiyah! Take that, Ten Sages!" He thrust his sword in for a stab and the blade flew right out.

He scrambled over, face red, and stuffed the sword back into the sheath.

He then puffed out his chest and kept marching ahead, "...I still have a ways to go."

Today he was going to go training his own way, carving his own path forward.

…Whatever that meant.

"These wastelands aren't scary! As long as I have my mighty flames and my trusty blade, Heatseeker, nothing can stop me…!"

He stopped and drew his blade towards the Rot Walkers in the west, cracking a cocky smirk, "Not even you!"

One Rot Walker turned its head and let out a guttural growl.

"Eep…!" He squeaked and jumped back, sheathing his blade.

Only to stand back up and rattle his fist against his mouth to cough, "I-I will let you off easy this time!"

His voice trickled out near the end.

He then continued on his merry way, whistling the melody that called the family pet Moses…off-tune.

Once he reached the electric city he gasped "Whoa!" despite seeing it a few times already.

"Pulsa Minoria. It has a lot of electricity! …That's about all I understand about it."

He walked up to the front gates and shouted abruptly, "Hey, open up! I'm here to visit Pitori!"

"What's the password?" Spoke the guard.

Zeno flinched and then quickly placed his hands together and shouted, "Please?!"

A few seconds of praying later, he was happy to see the electricity barring the way fizzle out and let him come inside.

He then took a few steps forward only for the gate to close on him again and the guard to say, "And?"

Zeno rolled his eyes and hung his shoulders, "Thaaaank you."

The gate opened with the guard having a chuckle at his expense, but Zeno took it personally and huffed and pouted.

He got over it pretty quick though and then proceeded to get lost trying to find Pitori's workplace.

"Pitori is my friend, and he's Uncle Zeke's son. I don't get what he's saying all the time, but he's very helpful when it comes to my training."

His mouth wobbled and he looked around frantically, but everything looked the same.

"I wish he was somewhere that was easier to find!"

He took a deep breath and then pumped his fist out before his neck, "No! This is another trial for the great hero to overcome…like vegetables at dinner! I-"

"Heeeey! Over here Zeno!" Pitori's sharp voice scared the bejeebers out of him.

"Ah!" Zeno jumped, flattened his hand on his chest, then panted as Pitori ran over, "I-I was finishing a trial, why'd ya have to ruin it?!"

Pitori turned his head and with an eager smile remarked, "Oh, you were training? My bad!"

"He's a few years older than me, but he can be such an airhead at times."

Zeno pointed at his sword and then shouted, "Well! I'm here to test my blade against your armor! You prepared to taste defeat again?"

Pitori itched the side of his face and chuckled, "I dunno about defeat, but sure! I just need to run back to the lab and grab it."

He was about to run off when Zeno squeaked, "D-Don't let me get los-"

He stopped and coughed then stood tall when Pitori looked at him, "I mean…let me come with!"

"Heh heh!" Pitori smiled.

They went over to his laboratory and once inside, Pitori piled the armor onto a magnetic cart and started lightly shoving it out of the building.

Valic turned away from his personal business to remark, "Performing another durability test?"

"Yep!" Both kids shouted.

"Pitori, what have I told you?" He said with a lecturing raise of his brow.

"Don't perform tests inside the city, I know." Pitori said in a grateful but mildly annoyed tone.

As they carried on their merry way Zeno mumbled under his breath, "My heat didn't do that much damage…"

Once they were outside the city and in the back where it was most secure from Rot Walkers, Pitori put the armor together, using the magnet to keep it standing.

He gave it a couple pats on the chest and shouted at Zeno standing a few feet away, "Whenever you're ready!"

Zeno puffed out some hot air and then reached for his katana, "Remember what dad taught you. Focus your flames onto something you can see."

He had a blurry vision of his katana in his head, but it was enough to ignite the blade as he drew it from his sheath.

The fire ran wild and sputtered out embers all over the ground. He held it towards the armor and narrowed his eyes.

He then grabbed the sword in both hands and let his breath out again, manifesting it as hot steam.

He then clenched his teeth and ran ahead, building up his spirits with a roar before jumping and swinging his sword down, "Magna Slash!"

The initial impact cut into the helmet and once his fee hit the ground he had to put all his strength into cutting through.

But he failed to get past the neck as his flames started to wear down.

He pulled his sword out and the observant Pitori clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Brilliant! I knew it'd work!"

Zeno's eyes lit up in awe, "Wow! What did you do?"

Pitori walked up and patted around the melting metal with his gloved hand, "Well, I realized recently that the armors biggest weakness is fire, so I had my dad bring over some rubies and infused them into the material, thus…"

His voice trailed off into a series of "Blahs" and Zeno started to nod off and even scored.

Until Pitori finally snapped enthusiastically his way, "So…!"

Zeno woke up to the sight of Pitori clapping his hands with pride towards himself, "I think this has been a huge success!"

"Y-Yeah, but…" Zeno looked at his sword and then at the scar in the armor, "Now I don't know if I've improved."

Pitori whipped his head between the two sights and then rubbed the back of his head, "I-I guess you're right…? But heeey, I didn't think you'd even cut past the helmet!"

Zeno pouted with dissatisfaction.

"..." Pitori's brows then sprang up and he knew just the fix for this problem.

He started to reach into his vest and smiled out of the joy of secrecy, "Check out what I've been working on."

He pulled out a handheld metal object with a finger sized barrel and a small, curved trigger perfect for his finger.

He held it aloft beside his face and smiled, "It's a new type of weapon, capable of firing projectiles faster and with more piercing power than an arrow."

"Whoa! How does it work?!" Zeno shouted.

"Uhhh, well, inside the barrel is a small metal shell. Pulling the trigger creates a strong magnetic discharge that fires the shell out."

Zeno's eyes were blinking with a blank stare, prompting Pitori to remark, "Did you understand that?

Zeno clenched his fist and remarked, "Shoots a projectile fast! Got it! Why don't we test it out right now?"

Pitori was fighting not to look elated while he was confused over the request, "N-Now…? Sure, but…why?"

"You owe me extra training! And it'll be a good way to test my reflexes!"

Potori scratched the side of his head and his smarter mind compelled him to point out, "Zeno, this weapon could theoretically fire the shell faster than lightning. It will really, REALLY hurt if you miss."

Zeno tried and failed at sounding like a confident grown-up, "Go ahead. Shoot me. I won't die."

Pitori shrugged and then told him, "Alright, stand fifty feet out and get your sword ready."

Zeno and Pitori got into their positions and readied their weapons, with Pitori loading the shell from his vest.

"You can still say no." He warned.

Zeno raised his sword before the center of his face and remarked, "I'll be fine!"

He gripped his sword tightly in both gands and aimed his sights down the barrel, taking a deep breath to ignite the blade.

"Lightning is nothing…Mom and dad are much, MUCH faster."

When Pitori hooked his fingers on the Trigg and stared firmly at his target, Zeno's hands shook and he began to sweat.

"D-Don't be afraid…! A hero doesn't back down from a challenge!"

Just as Pitori pulled on the trigger, Zeno's nerves got the better of him and he slashed down prematurely.

But given the relative speed of the projectile, he managed to cut it, though the shrapnel wound up falling around his feet.

Zeno's eyes opened right up and he looked at the ground then over at Pitori, who was laughing calmly while he said, "Oh man, I almost hit your waist!"

Zeno failed his hands in the air and shouted, "Y-You bird poop head! That could have hurt!"

"Ha ha ha!" Pitori couldn't stop laughing.

"S-Stop laughing!"

Pitoru swiped his tears off onto his hand and chuckled, "Sorry, sorry, I just didn't expect that to happen."

"The shell was supposed to go straight ahead, but it dipped the moment it left the barrel."

Pitori looked his weapon over while rubbing his chin, "Maybe with a longer barrel…"

He took a moment away to flash a thumbs up and say, "Good job cutting it though!"

Zeno's ego was soothed as he held his head high and declared, "O-Of course! A hero is not afraid of any-"

"KRAKOW!" Lightning struck the ground beside him.

He turned pale and shrieked, "-t-thing!"

More lightning rained down around them from the clouds that had formed above. Until one very, very massive bolt struck down the back of the city, leaving the boys to deal with a wolf-like beast made out of electricity.

It laid against the wall and stared down at Pitori, "Was that the shot of a weapon I heard?"

The beast had the kids shaken up, with Zeno's eyes rolling into the back of his skull, "Aaaaaaah, Pitori, what have you done?!"

Pitori shivered but with a firm gulp addressed the beast with respect, "A-Are you our Titan?"

"Voltneir is he, and he is I. Now, explain yourself."

Pitori extended the weapon towards the Titan and remarked, "I made this."

"I can tell. But why?"

"W-Well, whenever we make it to the moon, I figured we should have the ability to defend ourselves."

The Titan growled with the crackle of thunder, "And you developed this independent of knowledge about weapons?"

Pitori shook his head, "My dad works with blacksmiths."

The electric Titan crossed its paws between flashes and sighed, "To the moon…That is a big dream."

The atmosphere of their meeting became far more relaxed, so Pitori switched right into friendly mode, "Yeah, me and my teacher Valic are getting really close to figuring out a way up there!"

"That puny, barking man? Huu huu. I'd laugh, if not for your sincerity."

"I will let you off with a warning. You hold incredible power in your hands. The power to save a life, or take it."

Pitori looked at his weapon for a long while and then nodded, "I know. I'll be careful."

"Then don't shoot at your friend!"Voltneir shouted in a humored tone.

He then stretched his paws across the wall and moaned, "This electricity is so clean…My fur has not been this good in eons."

"Tell your teacher…keep up the hard work."

Zeno finally unfroze with the realization of who he was near, "Wait, a Titan!"

"Excuse me!" He shouted, the Titan turning its head, his eyes making Zeno's knees wobble, "I-If you're a Titan, then you can give me a Wellspring fragment!"

"What a bold request…from a boy seconds away from peeing his pants."

Zeno swallowed hard and stiffened himself upright, "I-I'm the great hero Zeno Stratos! I know I am ready!"

"Stratos…? Fu fu fu…So, he has an heir following in his footsteps,"Voltneir folded his paws under his chin, "I refuse."

"B-But…!"

"You shouldn't walk in his shadow. Learn to find your own path."

Voltneir then rose off the wall and howled, summoning a bolt of lightning to pull him back up into the sky.

Zeno was left staring blankly ahead for a long while.

Pitori returned his stuff to the lab and got scolded for Voltneir's return.

Zeno left before he saw how it was resolved, and started a long walk to the South for his next destination. A dangerous, hostile land that embodies his greatest fears…Aquamoria.

But for the moment his fear was kept in check by the Titan's words.

"My dad's an amazing person. He's strong, he's kind, he's passionate…who wouldn't want to be like him?"

It was giving him a headache. He shook it off, then focused on what he had to do next, "And if I'm going to become a great hero, I have to be fearless!"

After a long, long walk and a few breaks to rest his feet, he arrived at the border of madness.

It tempted him forward with the one thing he liked, "Sand. I love sand. It's hot, coarse, and gets all over my feet."

But it was the only thing holding back the vile, twisted sea.

His heart started racing and he swung his body around dramatically, "Ungh…! I…can't…! Too wet…too cold…!"

He forced his right foot into the sand and slowly made his way into the land. The temperature became more to his liking, but was spoiled by the sea breeze. Ugh!

"So far, so good…" Zeno had to take a lot of deep breaths to get to the busiest part of the Tribe.

The constant energy of the people running around overwhelmed his anxiety and made him freeze up looking out to sea.

The waves splashed against the shore, and everyone was WAY too comfortable being near it.

"Brrrr…!" Zeno cringed.

Large boats with cloth sails set out to sea, and others were coming back.

But the craziest person in all the land, the leader Lulu Caroline, still swam through the water to catch fish.

But fortunately she didn't seem to-

"Oi, if it ain't Sarajin's lil' crawfish!"

Somehow, she snuck up behind him and made him jump around.

She had a lot of his mom's energy, but was more intimidating.

She leaned in with a smile and was positively soaked in seawater, "Heh heh, cast out ta sea on yer own today, eh?"

Zeno shivered and fought through these feelings to pump his fist against his chest and shout, "I-I'm her to conquer my fears!"

"Heh heh," Lulu stood and propped her fists on her hips before speaking softly in a teasing manner, "Oh yes, yer a brave hero like yer dad."

She walked up and gave him a light pat on the back, "Come with me, I know who'd be happy to see ya."

Zeno was nudged along against his will and groaned, "Uuuuuugh…Tina Aqua."

"I don't like her. My body gets a funny feeling, she's too cheery, and she loves-"

Zeno received a cold splash of water to his face, straight from the older blue-haired girl dipping her toes into the sea.

His eyes opened wide with horror, "-to splash me…"

"Heh heh heh, sorry Zeno! I didn't see you there!" She couldn't stop giggling.

Her hair was swept in both directions with the bangs leaning towards the left. She had a blue and white tube top with a clamshell trinket from her neck, and baggy blue pants covering her heels.

Zeno glared with his cheeks shining with a deep pink blush, "S-She's so…so…"

Tina ran up and leaned over him with a big, unbeatable smile and when she tilted her head the voice in his head went silent.

Then a fire sparked in his head and he jumped back with a sword drawn, trying to focus on the only thing a hero should think about: Conquering his fears.

"T-Tina Aqua…I'm settling this now! Now draw your weapon, today…I will defeat the sea!"

Tina kept staring with her eyes fluttering and then rose with a clap of her hands, "You're so full of energy! Buuuuut I let someone borrow my trident for a fishing trip, so it'll have to wait!"

Lulu suggested in a not-so-subtle fashion, "Ain't there somethin' else he can do?"

Tina lit up with a high smile and shouted, "Oh yeah! If you want to get some training in, you can help me gather coconuts for tonight's festivities!"

Zeno's mouth drooped with great reluctance, "Uuuuugh, noooo! That won't help me at all!"

It was too late, for Tina had hooked her hand around his wrist and tugged at him gently to follow her, "Come on, it'll be fun!"

He didn't have anything to give in terms of resistance. No, he was pretty much submissive to her overwhelming positivity whether he liked it or not.

Before he knew it he was blindly following her across the sand, dragging his feet across the chipper footprints she left along the way.

His head was hung low and he was still blushing, it was the worst feeling a warrior could succumb to.

"I'm surrounded by water..."

He wouldn't stop looking at Tina as she carried herself with a cheerful presence, the sunlight making her skin glisten with radiance.

She periodically moved through twirls and small hops, laughing and smiling all the way.

Zeno was trembling and mumbled under his breath, "Uuuuugh, I don't like the water."

Tina suddenly stopped and looked at him funny, "Did you say something?"

Zeno sprang upright and shook his head, "S-Shut up..."

Then he grumbled in an increasingly quieter voice, "Lets just get this over with..."

"You know Zeno, you shouldn't be so frowny-frowny all the time. A smile goes a long way!" Tina then poked her pointer fingers into the sides of her mouth to extend her smile, letting out a giggle after she tilts her head.

Zeno instead pouted and ran up to give her a couple shoves.

She decided to go along with his behavior playfully and once the two picked the pace back up, it was a straight shot to the coconut tree forest.

There, Zeno took a deep sigh and tried to think on the bright side, "I guess I can practice my cutting techniques."

He reached for his sword, took a deep breath, and started to draw it out with the blade ignited.

Only for Tina to put her hand on top of his and giggle, "You'll burn down the trees, silly!"

Zeno stood up and lightly swatted her hand off wondering, "Well what else am I supposed to do?"

Tina stretched her hands behind her back and looked up at the coconuts, then down at him with a wink, "Watch me."

She then took a couple steps back to give herself room to move. Starting with a quick twirl, she whipped her arms around close to her body and drew in water from the sea to dance around her.

Zeno's perception saw her slowing down and give him a clear shot of her calm and in control, while still raising a smile. This was her in her element, as fluid and sparkling as the water she commanded.

After dancing for a while she leaped beneath the tree and swung her hand out in an arch, using the water to delicately cut down a coconut without harming any other part of the branch.

And she fell in sync with her prize, letting her catch it with a perfect landing.

"Heh heh!" She said with a smile aimed his way.

A jolt ran up Zeno's spine and connected with his brain. He took another look at his sword and started to think, "Jumping...and slicing?"

He then drew his sword out with no flames and looked up at another coconut. He then arched his brows and shouted, "I can do it!"

Tina cheered, "I know you can!"

Which did throw off his concentration for a moment.

He then stood beneath the coconut and bent at the knees. Believing in himself with all his heart, he leaped and sliced the coconut.

For a brief moment, his vision was wrapped in black, and he saw a glowing silver spider's thread being cut.

His heart raced, he smiled as big as he could. Then he fell to the ground, sheathing his sword right in time to catch a coconut in his hand.

"Ha ha! Easy!" He cheered.

Tina rapidly clapped her hands before her chest and hopped up and down, "Yay! Great job!"

Then the leaves rustled, and the entire tree branch came crashing down atop his head.

"GUH...!" The branch bounced off and he fell onto his back, where the coconut landed atop his face and rolled off.

"Oh no!" Tina ran over to his side, struggling to restrain a giggle.

She rubbed the bump forming atop his head and then drew out some water from the sea to apply to it. He squirmed at it's cold, wet touch, then settled down when it infused comfort into his body.

She then tapped his head and said softly, "There, all better."

After he sat up she laid her hands on her lap and told him, "Don't grow up so fast, Zeno. Learn to enjoy the smaller moments in life!"

He looked at her with a steady blush in his cheeks and began rubbing the back of his head, "She's weird..."

After he was ready to stand up, they went back to work, cutting down coconuts for a few minutes and putting them in a basket made from the leaves.

"That should be enough! Thanks for your help!" Tina said, carrying the basket against her waist with ease.

Zeno sheathed his sword for the last time and was sweating a bit, "Haaa, I didn't get what I wanted out of this..."

He then took a quick look to his right and saw a patch of red rose hair poking out from the bushes of Tanglefae.

"Hmmm?" He walked over and pushed the brushes aside to find a little girl with short hair, a purplish scarf, and an overall green leaning outfit kneeling in the dirt.

The sudden appearance of Zeno made their eyes pop wide open and they fell backwards in shock.

"Oh, hi Acai!" He remarked in a pleasant tone.

Tina ran up and leaned in to wave at the girl, "How are you doing?"

"F-Fine," The girl spoke, still a little scared. She then lifted herself up on her feet and grabbed her right arm, her overall expression dour, "You guys looked like you were having fun."

Zeno stood tall and pumped his fist against his chest, "I-I was doing hero training!"

"Heh heh, yeah, he was." Tina added.

"Can I join?" Acai asked sheepishly.

"Well, there's nothing left for you to do..." Tina immediately swerved away from dampening her spirits by suggesting, "But we could always just fool around in the water for a bit!"

Acai's eyes lit up, but as she was prepared to push through the bushes they pushed back, a few of the branches rustling around to dissuade her from trying again.

Acai pouted and her mood turned sour.

"Acai, what have I said about wandering too far?" The calming voice of her father Carmine grew closer as he walked up to put his hand on her shoulder.

She brushed him off and threw her hands down, grumbling in a grumpy tone, "It's not fair, I want to play with them!"

Carmine shook his head and looked long into her eyes as he whispered, "Honey, it's dangerous. There's plenty to do in here."

"No there isn't..." She mumbled out the side of her mouth.

Tina then suggested, "What if you came out with her, Mr. Rose?"

Carmine laughed warmly and remarked, "Unfortunately I have my own business to take care of."

"Awww, maybe another time then," Tina then stared straight at Acai and told her, "I got to take these coconuts back and then I'll come over so we can spend some time together, ok?"

"O-Ok..." Acai reluctantly took her father's hand and turned away.

And while Tina went off to pick up the basket, Zeno took this opportunity to ask Carmine a question, "H-Hey, you've known my dad the longest, right?"

"Yes, I have." Carmine said fondly.

"Do you know how I can be a great hero, like him?"

Carmine brushed the back of his fingers against his chin and chuckled, before waving his hand out and remarking, "You can't become the kind of person he is by training."

Zeno frowned and mumbled, "Why not?"

Carmine was silent for a few seconds, and then gestured his hand out and whispered to him, "It's complicated. The best outcome you want for yourself is learning to help people without thinking about it."

"...Huh?"

"It's not something that can be taught. Just keep paying attention to your father, and you'll figure it out."

He had to leave on that unsatisfying note, and Zeno silently thought about it while following Tina back to the village.

Once there, Lulu took the coconuts into her grasp and rubbed both kids on the head, "Nice work ya two."

She left her hand on Zeno extra long and smirked, "Didja get some good training in, ya little crawfish?"

Zeno pouted.

Tina interjected with an idea, "We should do this again next time!"

Zeno sharply looked at her and told her, "Y-You're not getting out of fighting me next time!"

She giggled and turned around with her hands stretched behind her back, "Keep up that optimism, Zeno! Later!"

"Mrrrr...!" Zeno growled.

Lulu then took her hand off and hastened to remark, "Oh. Right. Yer father's over at the market gettin' some fish. I told 'em I'd send ya his way when ya came back."

Zeno lit up and then sped on over to the market where sure enough, his dad was mingling with the shopkeepers while they packed up some fish for him to take home.

"Dad!" Zeno shouted, drawing his attention through the crowd.

"Hey, there you are!" His dad picked up the fish and carried it by his side, then walked out of the market side-by-side with his son, "I heard you've been very busy training today. Learn anything new?"

"I guess...?" Zeno bemoaned quietly.

His dad turned in place and whispered with a bit of eagerness in his tone, "Anything I can help with?"

Zeno feverishly shook his head and declared, "I-I'm doing great on my own!"

"Alright, but you know you can ask me for help anytime."

"You don't have to keep telling me that..." Zeno mumbled.

He then stayed behind as he dad walked ahead. Zeno lingered on his back, how he stood tall against the sun without showing a hint of weakness or a lack of resolve.

Every footprint he made was one Zeno tried to fill but he simply couldn't, for each was as vast as a canyon.

In his father's shadow, the young boy felt pride in who he was, and where he came from.

"I'm going to keep training, dad. Someday...I'll be able to stand side-by-side with you not just as your son, but as great hero that everyone will respect!"

Dream big, Zeno Stratos, because that is the type of your world your father has worked hard to achieve...

Next Time: A Rebellious Rose