Loonatics: United

World of Chaos

Episode 102: Calmness and uncertainty

At night, the Loonatics, Susan and her parents were sharing drinks and snacks in the living room, the heroes were wearing casual clothes now, Lexi just kept wearing her sleeping clothes. "We´re so glad you´re recovering, darling." Sylvia told Lexi.

"You´re doing very well, Lexi." Tech said while taking a chip from the bowl over the table.

"Thanks, guys. My body still hurts a lot and I barely walk, but it´s something." Lexi chuckled and drank from her cup of red wine.

Ace took a sip from his beer. "My chest is hurting less, I´m sure I´ll be like new tomorrow."

"Don´t be so sure, boss. Remember you took painkillers." Tech warned.

"Hey, let me have some optimism, Doc." Ace gasped when taking a small piece of bread from a golden plate. "That was nothing." He chuckled while munching his bread.

"Optimism is always good in bad situations, it can prevent so many issues." Rev opined.

"You don´t say?" Duck said before taking a sip from his wine.

"Well, it´s always good to point that out." Rev replied.

Slam grabbed a bunch of chips, then several pieces of breath and then threw them into his mouth, munching with voracity. After swallowing and burping, he told Sylvia and Declan that the snacks were delicious.

Sylvia smiled at him motherly. "Aw, thanks, Slam, I´m glad you like ´em!"

Declan burped afterwards. "Sorry." He let out a chuckle.

"Honey." Sylvia looked at him with a straight face.

"What?" Declan shrugged. "I said sorry."

Duck chuckled. "That´s all you got? Just hear th..."

"Don´t even think so." Tech told Duck with a tone of warning.

Duck sighed while rolling his eyes. "No one can have fun nowadays."

"So, uhm...why is your city called like that, I mean, isn´t Acme like a huge corporation or something?" Declan said. "It´s just weird."

"Well, the city was ruled and controlled by Acme for centuries, until we had the incident with the hijackers. Now it´s independent, but they still have land and businesses there." Tech explained.

"Don´t forget Quantal." Rev took a sip from his beer.

"Oh right, a friend of us founded and built his own territory there. He brought all of the poor and marginated with him. It´s been a while since we´ve been there, but I´ve heard he´s got everything under control." Tech responded.

"That´s interesting." Sylvia said. "Things have always been pretty calm here, as far as I know."

"Until now, I guess." Duck opined. "But don´t worry, we´ll kick those guys´ tails."

"Oh, thank you." Sylvia surrounded the shoulders of her husband with her arm. "I´m, sure we´re in good hands with you, guys." She kissed Declan´s cheek. "And I always feel safe with this man by my side." She chuckled.

Declan blushed. "Well, it´s not like I´m very brave or anything. I just love you too much." Declan kissed her head.

"Aw." Lexi expressed with delight. "You two are so cute together!"

Sylvia chuckled with a blush. "Thanks." She winked at her. "Ace and you are also a lovely couple."

"I do what I can." Ace looked at Lexi and kissed her briefly.

Rev looked around while nodding casually. "So, aren´t you gonna ask me about my girlfriend?"

"Oh, I ´d love to hear about her." Sylvia smirked at him.

"Thanks, well she is a raccoon, and a cop, also she´s red haired and very pretty, so pretty I mean the first time I saw her I instantly fell in love." Rev explained. "I don´t see her that much, but that makes the times I actually get to see her way more special." He sighed with bliss. "Rebecca, she´s my life you know?"

"That´s so romantic, Rev!" Susan praised.

"I know, right?" Rev´s glare was lost, he was smiling while thinking about his girl.

"Yeah, he´s doing that again." Duck shook his head before taking a sip.

"What about you, Duck?" Declan asked.

"Oh, my girl? She´s fantastic." Duck responded.

"What´s her name?" Sylvia inquired.

"Jessica." Duck took a chip from the bowl and ate it. "She´s a fox."

"Nice." Sylvia looked at Slam. "And you, big guy?"

Slam blushed while scratching his nape, growling, quickly telling them that his girlfriend´s name was Peyton and that she was a black cat. That´s all he said before rapidly taking a sip from his beer.

"It seems that all of you have been lucky finding love." Declan raised his cup of wine. "I toast to that." He took a long sip.

Tech chuckled while stroking Susan´s back. "Yeah, to love!" He raised his cup and took a sip from it.

"To love!" Everyone else said, taking sips from their respective drinks.

After more laughs, toasts and conversations, the reunion was over and everyone went to sleep, except for Tech and Susan, who had gone to the balcony. They were sitting on one of the couches, looking at the starts of the night. "I love you so much." Tech stroked her ears gently. "I love your family, your home world. Everything of you." He looked at her and kissed her.

"Oh, Tech." Susan kissed him back. "I love you too." She caressed his face. "And I love your family as well."

Tech raised an eyebrow. "Uhm, do you know my parents already?"

Susan chuckled. "No, dummy. Your other family."

"Oh, you mean the guys?" Tech inquired.

"Mhm." Susan kissed him. "Although, I´m sure I´d love your parents as well."

"Maybe." Tech chuckled nervously. "They can be a bit, uhm, reserved sometimes."

"Oh, like a certain coyote I know?" Susan stroked his chest.

Tech chuckled. "Do you think I´m reserved?"

"A bit, not as much as how you were before." Susan emitted a brief laugh.

"Oh, the silent and arrogant type." Tech chuckled. "Yeah, I remember that."

"I thought it was...interesting… and handsome." Susan wrapped her arms around him.

"Since the first time we met..." Tech stroked her face gently. "...I knew you were the one." He kissed her. "Didn´t know when or how...I just..." He caressed her shoulders and arms with tenderness. He let out a soft, spontaneous chuckle of bliss. "...I just knew we were going to be together." Tech began to kiss her, passionately, forgetting about everything but her. He separated his lips from hers slowly, looking into her eyes with gratefulness, love and conviction. "Forever." He stroked her nape.

A tear ran down her muzzle, Susan had a lump in her throat and a sweet smile on her face. She gently leaned her forehead against his, closing her eyes while embracing him. "You´re part of me, Tech. My sweet baby." She kissed the side of his muzzle, then kissed his cheek. "What could I be without you?"

"I need you more than you´ll ever need me, Susan." Tech kissed her cheek tenderly. "I´m just a blessed guy, enormously blessed." He gave her a quick kiss then began to rub his nose with hers. "Blessed with the most smart and beautiful woman in the entire universe."

"Oh, baby." Another tear ran down her face. Susan started to kiss him with passion, same thing he did with her. The stars and the strong feelings or love were their companion, a warm and divine companion.

On the meantime, Ace was laying on his bed, wearing his sleeping clothing, looking at the ceiling, with both hands behind his neck. "Big guy." He whispered. "You awake, pal?"

Slam grunted right away, stating he couldn´t sleep.

"Yeah, me neither." Ace sighed. "Don´t you feel like...uhm..."

Slam growled, asking him what was he gonna say.

"I don´t know, it´s just a weird thought. Some bad things happen in our lives, I´m not talking just about us and what just happened, I mean, in general. People get hurt, emotionally, physically, whatever." Ace thought for a moment. "But they also get to, well, be part of good things, receive, enjoy life, you know." He shook his head. "Ups and downs, like a roller coaster."

Slam got thoughtful then snarled, just stating that it was life.

"That´s a valid answer, yeah." Ace said. "Oversimplified as well."

Slam grunted, saying he didn´t understand.

"Good and evil, darkness and light, joy and sadness." Ace thought for a long moment. "You know, I´ve always believed that every thing happens for a reason, even the smallest things or events." He sighed with an air of hope and bliss. "God doesn´t make mistakes. That´s what mom always said." Ace chuckled with nostalgia. "Even when I scraped my knees or I fell ill. That was her phrase." He nodded at his own statements. "I don´t tend to talk about these things, sorry if it bothers you."

Slam snarled, telling him it was okay.

"I just wanted to get that off my chest. Whatever that could mean anyway." Ace closed his eyes. "It´s just that." He yawned. "Just that, big guy." Ace stood silent for a moment. "Sleepy already?"

Slam grunted, stating he was far from being sleepy.

Ace chuckled. "Same, bud. Dang it." He exhaled casually. "Can I ask you something?"

Slam grunted affirmatively.

"Do you want kids? If you, well, marry Peyton eventually?" Ace inquired.

Slam snarled, stating that maybe.

"Maybe?" Ace raised an eyebrow. "From my part...I´d love to have kids. Imagine, a gray furred little Ace, an ivory, little Lexi. Maybe the other way around, two girls, two boys. Even more." He chuckled. "That´d be so great."

Slam growled, asking him if he planned on asking her hand soon.

"I´d love to." Ace replied. "I just don´t feel ready. You´d think that, after what happened, I would just have done that already." He looked away with doubt and reflection. "I think is not time yet." Ace looked though the window with thoughtful eyes.

After a long silence, Slam snarled, saying that he has pictured his marriage a couple of times.

"Really?" Ace smirked and glared back at the ceiling. "How do you imagine it?"

Slam began to growl, telling him he imagined a big temple, him taking her hands, Peyton smiling, wearing a white dress.

"That sounds nice." Ace said. "I can just think about the honeymoon." He chuckled. "If you think that talking about this is weird or awkward it´s okay, Slam."

Slam snarled, insisting him to go on.

Ace sighed. "Okay." He kept glaring at the ceiling. "I just want to hold her hand while walking on the beach, under the sunset." Ace chuckled. "So cliche, yet...perfect. Having expensive and delightful dinners in the hotel´s most luxurious restaurant." He sighed. "Celebrating our love, without worries, without..." He had a lump in his throat. "...sorry, I just..." Ace stood silent for a long moment. "...I´m feeling sleepy already, sorry pal." He got comfortable on his side while hugging one of the pillows, with a tear falling across his face. "Good night."

The Maniacs

Episode 2: Assault, part 1

The team, Randy González, Akinyi Okeke, Edison Allaband and Vale Angelos were ready, wearing their dark gray bodysuits with blue details, inside the big office of their boss, standing before him. He was a panther, who wore a red suit. "This is the greatest day in your lives, you understand!"

"Sir, yes, sir!" The team said simultaneously.

The panther nodded firmly. "Vale, objectives."

Vale took a step forward. "Infiltrate the base, get the asset and return to the HQ for its further dismantling."

"Bravo." The panther turned and headed to his large desk, sitting at it while glaring at his team. "You´re good to go, Maniacs. Show this city what you´re capable of."