Lee POV
"I understand the concerns you all have," Lee began, pausing as he struggled with his decision. "But... I can't make this choice. It's too much," he said, abstaining from voting. Kenny looked shocked, while Naruto's expression turned anxious. Carly and Clementine exchanged worried glances.
"Lee, what are you doing? We need your vote," Kenny pleaded, desperation in his voice.
Everyone on Chuck's side looked tense, waiting to see what the final decision would be. Lily crossed her arms, visibly frustrated.
"Alright, since Lee is abstaining, it looks like we're at a stalemate," Chuck said, trying to maintain his composure.
"But we can't just leave it at that," Travis interjected. "We need a clear decision."
"I'm sorry, Kenny. I just can't do it," Lee said, looking down, feeling the weight of his indecision.
Chuck sighed. "Why should I get angry about spilled milk? The decision has to be made somehow, and there's no going back now. I posed my concerns, but honestly, I would have had a hard time going through with it myself."
Lee, curious and concerned, asked, "Chuck, are you mad about this decision?"
"We figured there was a possibility that I wouldn't go through with it, but there are other possibilities where I would have. I'm just glad I didn't need to make that choice. Or rather, you not making a choice for me still left us in this bind," Chuck said, smiling faintly to himself.
Lee patted the old man on his back. "It wasn't an easy decision, or rather, a lack of one. I weighed all your points, but I just couldn't bring myself to decide. I couldn't let my emotions dictate this," Lee explained his indecision.
"Hey, Lee! We can't wait for you forever, and we have a destination to get to," Travis called out with a jokey tone, trying to lighten the mood.
Lee looked back at Travis. He stumbled on his words, but what he was trying to say was clear. Both Chuck and Lee went back to the train. Duck was safely inside, and Ben was still asleep. Lee hoped that inaction wouldn't lead to greater harm, but he knew that whatever happened next, the group would have to face it together.
Naruto's POV
After the entire situation with Duck was resolved with a better outcome than Naruto had anticipated, he finally had the peace of mind to start his training with Doxie. He knew he needed to train hard because that's what Shinobi do during tough times—they get stronger to face the threats ahead.
Naruto entered his mindscape and found that Doxie had the same idea. "Are you ready, kid? I'm not going to go easy on you this time. This is real training, and I will teach you everything I know. After that, you'll have to improvise with my chakra as you delve deeper," Doxie told him. Naruto nodded, understanding her words.
Using Shadow Clones to accelerate his training, Naruto first focused on taijutsu. Doxie taught him basic taijutsu techniques, which proved very effective despite their simplicity. Once Naruto got the hang of taijutsu, they moved on to genjutsu. Naruto struggled with genjutsu the most and spent the most time on it. Doxie first taught him how to release a genjutsu, and thanks to his chakra control training, he learned faster than expected.
Next, Doxie taught him a basic Shinobi technique called the Shunshin no Jutsu, specifically the Light Body Flicker. This technique allowed Naruto to disappear in a burst of white light. He grasped it fairly quickly, although he needed more practice to perfect it.
During his training, Naruto also created three new jutsu, all variations of the Sexy Jutsu, which annoyed Doxie. After reprimanding him, Doxie decided Naruto was ready for elemental jutsu, starting with Earth Release. Naruto mastered one Earth Release jutsu and also learned a Water Release jutsu he encountered during his first mission in the Land of Waves. Additionally, he learned two useful ninjutsu techniques, feeling accomplished and invigorated.
As Naruto emerged from his mindscape, he realized that hours had passed—perhaps six at most. He was jolted out of his training unexpectedly. Surprised, he noticed the train was completely stopped and everyone seemed to be talking amongst themselves. Curious to see what was up, he headed towards the group.
Lee POV
The train was moving again, and Lee knew they needed to figure out their next steps. He wondered if every human could learn to use Mana. It sounded crazy, but maybe they should all train their Mana or something like that. Lee decided to ask Chuck, but before doing so, he wanted to talk to Clementine. She looked downcast, sitting inside the train with her legs dangling outside. Lee did the same, concerned about her.
"Do you want to talk?" Lee asked, concerned for her well-being.
"No," she said simply, looking at Duck's unconscious body. He was to their left, with Ben and Carly watching over him. Carly had her gun at her side. Lee knew Carly well enough to think that if push came to shove and Duck needed to be put down, Carly would probably do it. But he hoped it wouldn't come to that, not just for his sake and Clementine's, but for everyone's humanity.
"How do you feel about the vote? Do you think we made the right decision?" Lee asked Clem.
"Yeah, I think you did the right thing, Lee. Duck's my friend. He would never hurt any of us. I just know it," Clementine said, glancing at Duck's body. Lee noticed something strange in her demeanor but decided to shrug it off. He had more pressing matters to discuss with her, and he knew it wasn't just Duck that was bothering her.
"What are you thinking about?" Lee asked, wanting to understand the problem so he could fix it to the best of his ability.
"What Chuck said to me," Clementine replied softly.
"What did he say, Clem?" Lee asked, not sure where this was going.
"If I'm not careful, what happened to Duck will happen to me, but in different ways," Clem said, more in thought than sadness. Lee, upon hearing that, got angry.
"What the f*** did he say?" Lee muttered, getting up and ready to give Chuck a piece of his mind.
"Swear," Clementine said weakly.
"Sorry. I'm going to talk some sense into him," Lee said, holding in his anger but letting some of it leak out.
"Don't be mad," Clementine said again, weakly.
Lee walked towards the front of the train, where Chuck was perched up, seemingly lost in thought. Lee couldn't care less about that right now.
"Hey," Lee said, intimidatingly.
"How are you doing?" Chuck asked nonchalantly, drinking from a silver flask adorned with symbols Lee couldn't understand.
"I don't care what reasons you have. There's no reason to tell my little girl that she could end up like a monster," Lee said, upset.
"Because she is," Chuck said nonchalantly, not seeming threatened at all.
Lee was close to going into brawl mode but restrained himself and decided to hear Chuck out. He seemed cool, and their previous conversation gave Lee pause.
"I don't know a whole lot about you folks, but at the rate you're going, you're all going to end up dead. I don't need clairvoyance to see that," Chuck said, his voice controlled and firm.
"What do you know?" Lee defended himself and his group. They needed to survive, and Lee did not doubt that.
"I know you don't have a goddamn plan. I've heard enough to know that. You folks are smarter than that, so I assume you have some plan," Chuck said, speaking calmly but firmly.
"We do what's best for everyone. If we need to split up, then so be it. If we stick together, then that's what's best," Lee said, realizing that it wasn't a plan, just improvisation.
"Well then, I guess you do have it all figured out. Sorry I asked," Chuck said sarcastically.
Lee didn't appreciate that. "Look, you have nice people you're trying to protect. I don't know what that's like, but I know how to be prepared. How many Mana users are there in your group?"
"Three, excluding myself. I'm not sure what that blonde-haired boy's power is, but it isn't Mana. He gives off something else, something that could be stronger than Mana," Lee said.
"And I can tell you from experience, unless you have an experienced Mana user, like myself, you'll need everyone to protect themselves. You need to prepare and plan. If you go into Savannah without a plan, you're doomed," Chuck advised.
Chuck had a lot of good points. Lee thought about it and realized Chuck was right. They needed to train everyone in Mana.
"I don't know the first thing about training others in Mana. Couldn't you help me with that?" Lee asked.
"I'm just an old man. I don't have the reserves like you do, but I can teach you how to release a person's Mana. It might make people mad at you, but it's better than them dying," Chuck said.
"Alright, what's this method?" Lee asked.
Chuck explained that a person's Mana was encased in the stomach area from birth. By punching that point hard enough, it would release. The method had its problems, but it was the only conventional one they had.
"After I do that, I'll cut Clementine's hair and start planning. Thank you, Chuck," Lee said, surprised by the man's wisdom.
"Don't thank me. I just don't want to see another kid die. You know what I mean?" Chuck said, looking like he was going to cry but quickly controlling himself.
"I hear you, man. I may not have hunted like you, but I know how it feels to lose someone dearly," Lee empathized.
"Do you have any other questions, or are we done here?" Chuck asked, more likely wanting to be done than anything else. Lee had a few more questions.
"Do you have any family, anyone Lee should contact just in case?" Lee asked.
"Sorry to tell you, but no. My parents are dead, and I was the only child. So this is the end of my bloodline," Chuck said nonchalantly.
"Do you think that's for the best?" Lee asked.
"Not entirely, but why would you want to bring a child into this world? Seems cruel, don't you think?" Chuck asked.
"Yeah," Lee nodded. That was the end of that question.
"How long have you been homeless?" Lee asked.
"I think this is my 14-year anniversary," Chuck said sarcastically.
"Alright then," Lee said. He then asked his third question. "I couldn't bring myself to vote on your side, man. I couldn't kill the boy or even watch. I truly believe we can save him."
"I'm not a betting man myself, but I have a hunch your decision may have consequences. But there's a light at the end of this tunnel," Chuck said.
"I'm just glad nobody got hurt. That's all I want to say," Lee said, sticking by his choice. Chuck seemed to respect that, which made Lee respect Chuck more.
"Where are you heading?" Lee asked his final question.
"That way," Chuck pointed to where they were going.
"I mean when you get to Savannah," Lee clarified.
"I have a few ideas. Maybe I'll get some game, meet some friends, handle a task. But it doesn't concern you. It's boring stuff anyway," Chuck said.
It felt like Chuck was trying to make it seem boring so Lee wouldn't check it out. Lee was suspicious and considered keeping an eye on him in Savannah but decided not to press for more answers yet.
"You be safe up here," Lee said, walking away. He went to the front boxcar where Kenny was now driving the train. Travis was happy to let Kenny do it, but he seemed down, likely because of his wife. Lee decided not to talk to him and gave him space.
Lee then went to the second boxcar, noticing everyone was either sleeping or occupying themselves. He saw a whiskey bottle, grabbed it, and pocketed it, thinking Chuck might want some. He needed to find scissors, asking around but with no luck. Eventually, he found scissors in Chuck's bag, guessing the old man knew he'd come looking.
Next, he needed a map. He remembered seeing one at the front and cursed himself for not taking it earlier. He went back to the front boxcar.
"Ken, can I have that map for a moment?" Lee asked.
Kenny looked at it, then handed it to Lee. "Here, take it and leave me alone. I need my space."
"Thank you, Ken," Lee said gratefully. Before he could leave, Kenny spoke.
"We're still friends, right?" Kenny asked.
"Of course we are," Lee said, smiling. "No matter what you do, it's going to be hard to make you not my friend. Don't you think?"
Kenny chuckled for the first time in a while, motivating Lee further.
"Kenny, come with me. Chuck made a valid point. We need to protect ourselves," Lee explained what Chuck had told him.
"If you think it's necessary, Lee, then so be it," Kenny said, getting up and walking with Lee. He probably also wanted to check on his son.
Everyone looked at them both as Lee cleared his throat.
"Listen up, everybody. Chuck gave me very good points, and I came to a decision. It might be something some of you might not like, but it's necessary. Seeing all the threats we've faced so far, we can't rely on firearms or any normal methods. We need to know how to use Mana because I have a feeling when we get to Savannah, if we're not ready, we're going to get f*****," Lee ordered.
"It's going to be a long three days, but it's what we need to survive," Lee concluded.
Noah's POV
Noah's eyes fluttered open. His body felt painful—the only way his kid mind could describe it. Every time he tried to lift himself from the bed he was in, his body flared with unexpected pain. It took him a few minutes, but he could get himself out of bed. As he started walking and looking around his surroundings, the pain began to subside until it was just an annoying throbbing in the back of his mind.
"Dad? Mom? Where are you?" Noah said, afraid. This place was completely foreign to him; nothing looked familiar. It seemed like he was in some sort of vehicle. He saw a big white door that his mother had said was a fridge, and fridges had food in them, Noah assumed. He tried to see if there was any food in there, but sadly, there was nothing. His stomach growled in hunger. He attempted to climb up to the counter to reach the top cabinets but fell on his butt. Deciding not to try that again, he went to the very front where he saw two seats like in his parents' car. He noticed a container of his favorite snack—Pringles, the normal kind. He could never get enough of them. Excitedly, he checked to see if there were any left, but to his disappointment, the can was empty. Frustrated and upset, he threw the Pringles can toward the bed he had woken up from, watching as it bounced off the wall and landed on the sheets.
"I want my mom and dad. Where are you?" he asked again, but there was no response.
He saw a door that hopefully led out of this strange vehicle or room he was in. He tried to figure out how to open it, but he quickly realized he wasn't tall enough. Determined, he looked around and saw a blue, square-shaped stool. It looked like the stool his mom used to get stuff from high shelves. "This must work. If this doesn't work, then I'm running out of ideas," he said, hoping it would help.
Noah set up the stool and managed to reach the door handle. He saw a red switch with white letters reading "LOCK." He didn't know what the word meant, but his brain had the bright idea to just try to open it. It didn't work; something was preventing the door handle from releasing. Feeling defeated, Noah was about to give up and accept that he was going to die there. But then he thought to himself, how did he know that word?
Feeling sad and helpless, he kicked the stool in frustration. It hit the door and made a clicking sound. Before he could start a tantrum, he noticed the red switch had changed to green with white letters saying "OPEN." Noah knew what "open" meant—it meant you could open doors and other things.
Using the stool, he opened the door but pressed against it too hard and fell out, yelping in pain. He then heard footsteps, creating a primal fear he had never felt before. He didn't remember when his father had picked him up, but he vaguely recalled it happening during the county fair, or at least that's what his father had called it.
"Little kid, are you okay?" an old man's voice said. Noah could quickly tell that this man cared about him. It reminded him of his grandpa, but he knew this wasn't his grandpa. His grandpa had a more distinctive voice. The old man helped him to his feet, and Noah saw three men, none of them his father, which made him even more scared and afraid.
The three men were completely different in age. The oldest, the one who had helped him up, had white hair like his grandfather and was balding. He had pointed features, a long nose, and a long chin. The man was wearing a shirt with stripes that had three holes in it, exposing his bare chest. The second man was old but not as old as the first. He had snow-white hair and was very pale compared to the others. He had structured features and a look of concern just like the old man. He was dusting off Noah's dirt-covered body. The youngest man, in Noah's eyes, had bulkier features than the class bully. He was firm but also concerned, looking around nervously as if watching for something.
Noah started looking around his surroundings. It looked like they had come out of a truck, similar to his grandpa's, but it was also a room—so strange and impractical. He then saw an orange cube-shaped vehicle and a fire burning nearby. These must be the men who took him. Did they kidnap him or something? He got flashes of memories that hurt like hell.
Noah remembered a man with white hair, purple skin, and red features torturing his father and mother in front of him. He couldn't comprehend what was happening, but his father was very angry. He didn't think another human could be capable of such gross acts. He didn't even know what it was called, but he knew he didn't like it. His father kept yelling his name over and over again. Noah then remembered the name Jackson, but it didn't match any of the men here.
He remembered running in a forest and falling into a cave. After that, everything went blank. His mind was reeling. The three men were speaking amongst themselves, but Noah didn't care. He wanted the pain to stop. He started slamming himself against the RV, trying to create a bigger pain to distract himself from the current one. The three men quickly stopped him, making Noah very angry. In a burst of unknown energy, he blasted them away, totally surprising himself and the men. Exhausted, he felt deja vu as the darkness once again encompassed him. The last thing he heard before losing consciousness was one of the men saying, "Holy cow, what is this boy? He's completely and utterly a monster."
Character bio
Name: Ben Paul
Appearance:
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Blue
Age: Late teens to early twenties
Personality:
Nervous and Insecure: Ben often shows a lack of confidence and is easily frightened, frequently doubting his own decisions and actions.
Well-Intentioned: Despite his mistakes, Ben genuinely cares about others and tries to do what he believes is right, even if his actions sometimes lead to negative outcomes.
Background: Ben is first encountered by Lee Everett and his group while searching for supplies with a fellow student and teacher. He quickly becomes part of Lee's group.
Key Relationships:
Lee Everett: Lee serves as a mentor figure to Ben, often trying to guide him and help him survive in the harsh new world. Their relationship is complex, with Lee often frustrated by Ben's mistakes but also sympathetic to his plight.
Travis: Ben has a very strong relationship with Travis this relationship to Ben he wants us to be more than just friends You want something more though.
Clementine: Ben shares a protective yet somewhat distant relationship with Clementine. He tries to look out for her, but his actions sometimes put her and others in danger.
Fate: (not yet determined)
Legacy: (not yet determined)