Chapter 32
Stone was instructed to check up with one of the doctors every day during his break time. He claimed that he was fine, but the other generals in the council weren't sure about that. Stone told them that he hadn't felt anything ever since Agatha's blasted animatronics attacked him.
But it was becoming apparent to everyone that he wasn't in good shape despite his protests, whether out of willing obliviousness or genuinely numb to the lasting wounds.
He was recovering, yes, and he was still in good shape to walk around. However, his left leg still had trouble walking. Every time Stone walked for too long, his leg began limping, always needing an extra second to move stiffly. It was like his left leg was malfunctioning, constantly falling asleep whenever he tired out.
The cut on his forehead and the black eye healed quickly. Stone's vision was a little murky, but it didn't distract him or blur everything he could see. It was the leg everyone was worried about.
Coming out from the sick bay, Stone could say he should be back on the field in a day. His left leg was close to healing as long as he didn't hurt it further.
A beep from his left pocket and he pulled out his phone. A familiar name above the text preview. He blinked a few times. It came from the agent who secretly helped him gather the data from Mystic Jungle long ago. Curious, he opened the app and read the words he received.
I cracked the code and found the file you wanted. I should be able to send you the document immediately. You're going to love it.
Stone shifted his shoulders, feeling the soreness. After ensuring his comfort, he leaned against the wall. This was news he should get REALLY comfortable about. It was the location of the file he had been hunting for, a file that could potentially change everything.
After weeks of relentless investigation, they finally cracked the code from the data they collected from Eggman. This was a significant breakthrough for Stone's side project. The details Eggman recorded about this thing matched the perfect requirements to weaponize the Chilli Caffeine for real. But the real challenge was finding a file that could confirm the existence of this specific advantage and its current location.
You're going to love it. Stone didn't need to ask twice. His buddy found what he needed despite taking too long. He was sure that the new information in his hands would finally complete his greatest weapon. Just find the weapon, test the Chilli Caffeine with it and soon he could unleash it on those who dared to wrong him.
Even better, there were easy targets to find. After all, G.U.N was already reporting sightings of the Lightning Bolt Society bumbling around Central City. Close to finding their prominent hiding spot in this city.
Hopefully, it will be just in time with successful results and better containment for holding the tested coffee.
He whistled to himself, tempted. Should he open the sent email and risk having it exposed to everyone walking around here? Or would he come home first when it was dark and then read it?
But if he wanted to reach the weapon in time, he would need to start planning with what he had.
Stone switched his personal mail app and found the attached file in the new email. He opened it and skimmed through the words. Well, reading through them quickly. He knew what would be essential and what would be redundant.
Most of this file had the same information Eggman found about the weapon he sought for. The same material used, effects, chemical formula…and some history about it. Once Stone saw the context, he narrowed his eyes. After hypothesising how this specific weapon would react to the Chilli Caffeine, he was sure it wouldn't go out of hand. Not even by a long shot.
Scrolling down, he raised his eyebrows, surprised that this weapon was still around. There were even copies made of it. Seemed like whoever invented this weapon was blind or dumb as rocks.
At least Eggman knew what he was doing with his weapons and how to use them properly.
To Stone's surprise, the exact location of the weapon was where all anomalies and guns were taken away from the rest of the world, for everyone's sake.
Agent Stone smirked with a chuckle. It was a little ironic that they contained this weapon at Area 99. Sure, it was the most secure black site, but if that weapon was left out in the cold, then it would only be a matter of time before the entire base sank to its death. But there were no reports of any funny things happening to Area 99, so he should be in the clear.
Usually, Area 99 is open for guests during the daytime. Nighttime would be when the guns were out and trained to kill anything that moved in the surrounding desert.
Thanks to Stone's identity as a G.U.N agent, it would be easy to state what he would be there for and grab the thingies before they knew it. Piece of cake! His grin remained wide, satisfied. It was so broad that it could appear strained soon. But not to Stone. He felt comfortable already. It was an easy jackpot to grab!
The only negative aspect is that Eggman could easily attack Area 99 and steal the weapon for himself. But then again, staying low would be another effective way to steal.
Even though fellow agents were walking by, Stone let out a low giggle of his own. It sounded maniacal. Good. He would need all the energy to reach the final stage of Chilli Caffeine. It was his way of feeling in control of everything. He reassured himself that he wouldn't harm anyone innocent, not even his closest friends.
Because those who aren't as smart as him go down beneath the dirt where they belong.
As if on cue, Stone's eyebrow twitched upwards in sudden curiosity. He snapped his head to the right and saw a wheelchair-ridden walrus pushed out from the door by a bouncy jackal. He was far away from the sick bay but close enough to know that it was Willy Walrus being escorted out by a helpful Obsidian.
The green-wearing jackal was like a sweet licorice to his friend, chipperly smiling away as he guided Willy into the hallway. When he saw Stone staring, he waved at him. Willy didn't follow, sparing the agent a dismissive glance.
Not wanting to expose a crack in a facial muscle, Stone slipped on his mask of sanity and waved back at Obsidian. Once the jackal faced his back, he pouted.
Of course, Willy Walrus would get to live. Of course, he would be sent away for juvie or rehabilitation. Or whatever they assigned him to! Stone let out a slight growl to himself, annoyed.
After the mishap in his plan of poisoning Willy and the Weasel Bandits with full cups of his acidic coffee, Stone had to return to testing the Chilli Caffeine for a thorough period of time. Worse, he had to see Willy riding alongside that stupid wheelchair around the base like he was some princess.
Sure, yes, Willy was already labelled guilty, but Stone barely saw the point of keeping him around. The walrus was bedridden for a while and still couldn't keep his mouth open without adjusting his chest in the correct position. However, he knew that the little wannabe alongside the weasels would be spying on G.U.N from the inside, observing their environments, listening to their language, memorizing every lane they witness…
Stone grunted to himself and crossed his arms. The dark uniform he was wearing seemed to enhance his darkened look. Grumpy in Willy getting to live for another day. Obsidian was too kind or his ruby was making him react in an unusual way after having to put up with the Lightning Bolt Society too many times. He could mutter to himself, 'What did he see in him?' yet he felt like he knew the answer, which was quite weak.
That being said, G.U.N meant to interrogate Willy and the Weasel Bandits. Stone's hardened glare softened. He looked embarrassed. His cheeks turned pink a little, recalling the mistake he made. Even if he succeeded in killing the four, that would cut off their chance of knowing their buddies' next steps. Stone recalled how he wanted to bury himself into the ground when he heard Topaz talking about them being in a coma after the coffee drinking.
Whoopsie, daisy, thought Stone. Hope that the others won't find out.
He was also surprised that the four didn't dare to say anything. And despite Willy 'betraying' his friends, he never dared to give anything up, even when asked to write it on paper. Not even the gentler and kinder agents could get through him.
It was a bit of a surprise to Stone compared to the Weasel Bandits. Those three had predictable motivations.
The question seemed to be now why Willy was kept around and nurtured despite refusing to say anything, especially since he was likely labelled as an outsider to the Lightning Bolt Society.
"It could be just honor," muttered Stone in deep thought. "Or he was saving his skin."
But the Weasel Bandits had every opportunity to attack Willy, even when forced to do group therapy together. But none of them barely communicated or tried to give each other dirty looks. It was like their fight at the museum had become nothing; their hatred had been burnt out that night. They couldn't even blame anyone since Stone and Molly did outsmart Willy's heist.
Stone thought further than that, way before. From what he was told, the Lightning Bolt Society only started as a pet project. A club for kids to fantasize. That carried on today despite engaging in dangerous activities. They were still immature kids, being brats and all, but he didn't see them outright fighting each other.
He couldn't recall the last time there was a single civil war within the Lightning Bolt Society until the day when Willy Walrus tried starting a new life.
Willy still acted like a child too. Sort of, but he was apprehensive to face the consequences. A wiser adult would brave through such things. Obsidian did report hearing some of the stories Willy told him about regarding him and his friends in the past.
It was like Willy didn't want to hurt his friends any further. Separation couldn't precisely make Willy do better. He, the Weasel Bandits and everyone in the Lightning Bolt Society seemed inseparable, always planning and doing things together. They were dumb and reckless but did dumb and reckless things together. At least that was what Stone could tell…right?
The seething Stone suddenly felt sad. The more he thought about it, his head gradually stared at the floor. His eyes softened, exhibiting some pity towards the ones he tried killing.
"Willy didn't exactly change his ways," he thought. "But he simply didn't want to rat out his friends despite treating everything like business…"
Then, he thought about the new opportunities Willy was given. Obsidian wanted him to start a new life that could have been much better. It was the same way Obsidian turned his life around once he handed himself to G.U.N and the jackal wasn't hanging on any ideals he used to follow.
Honestly, the list could go on from there. The edgelord Shadow who saved the world despite feeling against it, joined G.U.N for the sake of continuing to protect people. And surprisingly he found the time to hang around with Team Dark and other potential friends. Agent Stone could count the entirety of Team Blood, a crew of psychos, but they were considered essential to G.U.N. And Breezie seemed to gush over a few members of her team.
But when Stone thought about himself, he cut his train of thought about that.
Except for acknowledging the clear difference that made him and Willy different.
Stone was still looking for reasons to slaughter and acting on them, at least to him. Meanwhile, while unable to do much, Willy Walrus avoided taking extreme actions against people despite having some resources to do so.
In a strange way, Agent Stone felt sorry for Willy. He briefly huffed to himself. How could he feel sympathy in less than three minutes? It was a strange feeling, but it was one he developed during his time with G.U.N. When he was welcomed in. When Topaz let him stay with her despite knowing he used to be a terrorist.
But why did he feel sorry? Maybe it was because Stone still wanted to attack the Lightning Bolt Society, who fuelled Willy's worst and best traits. Willy refused to give up on them. At the same time, they had to stop the Lightning Bolt Society, no matter how much of a moral compass they were for Willy.
Only a matter of time before they did something bad.
Stone didn't feel intimidated by the likely scenario of Willy yelling at him, but he felt a trance of pity towards the poor walrus who might lose his friends for real. It was also a risk to Stone since it could breach everything he promised to G.U.N as an agent. It didn't help that everyone was still on edge about who the unidentified spy could be.
But Stone already locked in his plans of using his Chilli Caffeine on those he needed to stop. Even if it could put him in trouble when caught.
"Guess that I'm dead either way," he said ruefully.
He sighed, using one foot to push himself away from the wall. For now, he should get moving. Geniuses never stop, after all. Yet, his walking was much slower than before, but it wasn't due to his limping left leg.
It wasn't necessary to do so, but I chose to help take Willy Walrus out from the sick bay after his last checkup. A professional rehabilitation organisation caught interest in aiding him and the three Weasel Bandits. While G.U.N never stopped interrogating them, they figured it was best to place them in another environment since their base wouldn't be a suitable place for the former criminals to feel honest with anyone.
There was a lot of paperwork, and many branches tried to find their relatives. In the end, all parties mutually agreed to have them stay in the rehabilitation organisation's shelter while maintaining regular checks on their healing bodies and visits from G.U.N authorities. They weren't out of the woods yet, but the leading council thought it should be a good start.
Especially since so many young people believed in the Lightning Bolt Society…
I nearly forgot where to take Willy for a few seconds. As I pushed his wheelchair around the busy hallways, he briefly lifted a notepad on the latest story. It was small to read, but I handled it well and gave my response.
Despite his voice box yet to function and his constant complaints about his therapy sessions, from what I heard, he and the Weasel Bandits seemed to be handling the therapy sessions better lately. In his words, Willy was surprised that these sessions didn't involve torture like 'in the movies'. Something about conversion, but he was proven wrong.
He often liked to joke about the things his therapist taught him or mulled over the things he was told. Some of these were 'life lessons', such as the 'power of kindness', 'forgiving yourself', or 'being true to yourself,' which he thought were lessons taught in kindergarten.
The recent story I was reading on his notepad involved 'trust falls'. I opened my mouth to speak when I read those two words, only for Willy to flip to another page where he explained that it was in a metaphorical sense.
I hummed in surprise when reading through this one.
"Thought they started eating each other," whispered my ruby. "And now they are laughing their heads off after one session?"
"A common thing you four really like," I said, trying to understand. "The time when you four were trying to exit a bank during a robbery and you struggled to get through the window with the rest of your friends hanging from your teeth?"
Willy wrote back, "It's tusks. Oh, ever since, my tusks never felt anywhere that close to ripping apart. Those were the days."
Judging by his smile, it was a fond experience he had with his friends. Over time, during my visits with him, I grew a little annoyed that he didn't take some of the therapy sessions seriously. Regardless, I was happy that he was recovering both physically and mentally. I would take his place more seriously, but at least he was talking fondly about the therapy sessions and not despising the thought of becoming a better person.
From feeling reluctant to accept the help of the 'fortunate' side to treating these 'life lessons' he mocked as something he could consider. And so far, he didn't have any breakdowns during his time here.
Some time helped him change a little, albeit maybe made him more teaseful of everything.
I hadn't seen the Weasel Bandits in a long time. I did see them a couple of times, but Willy requested that they shouldn't be approached by anyone. At first, I thought it was due to the punishments they feared, but Willy told me they never came. They just acted more defensively as if in a bad land.
I hadn't thought much of them since I had been focusing on different tasks and encounters in Central City, but a small part of me hoped for the best for them. Even though we didn't get along initially, I believed they deserved a fair chance to start again, too.
For now, at Willy's request, it was best that few people ask what the Weasel Bandits wanted to do later outside the Lightning Bolt Society. I found this fair to follow.
While I decided not to ask Willy, I wondered what was going through his mind. What did he consider doing once he was free to go? If under probation, would he find the motivation to have what he perceived as a 'normal' life? Topaz did let me know that I had to show faith in him, but Willy was still distant from the thought of being anything but a villain.
As I thought about it, the ruby hissed at me, snapping me out of my daydream.
"Don't push it," it grunted. "Let him dwell for a while. I…don't think we have the help he expects."
I winced at the subconscious thought. Immediately, I pushed that aside when I felt the notepad brushing my nose. Oh, shoot. I cleared my throat and muttered something I wouldn't remember. Willy nodded and lowered the notepad back onto his lap.
It was also right on time when we saw Kalus passing by. He only stopped upon seeing the infamous Willy Walrus resting in a wheelchair. The hulking mass of stone had a towel wrapped around his neck as if he finished training, but he didn't look tired. His body only tensed up a little when he saw Willy.
His body was straightened up, uptight. With a tilt of his head, he took a few steps towards us, curious.
"I heard that Willy Billy is going to a therapy camp," said Kalus.
Willy wrote something and showed it to the stone humanoid to correct him.
"Oh, right," said Kalus. "I forgot you're older than the Weasel Bandits."
"Hmm, Willy, have you met Kalus before?" I asked.
Willy wrote in his notepad and lifted it for me to see. "Obsidian, I know who he is. I'm not a child."
"...oh, sorry!"
"Honestly, I'm kinda surprised," muttered Kalus. "I thought you would be more focused on the real villains. Especially him."
"Are you referring to me?" I asked.
"We've picked up on people in Central City associated with the Lightning Bolt Society. They are starting to know your name alongside the members of the original Jackal Square."
The smile on my muzzle started to hurt. "It would be."
"To be fair," wrote Willy. "We already know you are now working full-time with G.U.N, Kalus. Some of us still admire you for your achievements."
Kalus frowned. "Sure. Ironic. I'll take it anyhow. Good day to you."
He seemed unpleasant today. My ruby hummed, sensing the same feeling. As he turned around, it clicked to me. Given that Willy Walrus didn't indicate a willingness to change, Kalus wouldn't be happy to see him get to be treated fairly. The sentiment would be the same towards the Weasel Bandits since they weren't exactly being civil around others. To him, there was no sign of genuine redemption for these four.
"He's not wrong, though," agreed my ruby.
Willy suddenly tapped on my chest and pointed at Kalus.
"Wait!" I called out. "I think he kinda wants to talk to you."
The stone humanoid turned back to us, one of his eyes raised upwards. It didn't take that much of a second for him to decide.
"I don't have anything urgent," he said calmly. "Though, I suppose talking to a criminal won't waste my time."
"You were once a criminal," wrote Willy. "So, a criminal-to-criminal talk wouldn't waste MY time."
"You might waste paper."
Willy thought for a while before he wrote again. "And I can steal Obsidian's phone to write."
"That's debatable. First, what do you know about me?" Willy lifted his pencil, but Kalus beat him to it. "Scratch that. I think your spy already told you who I am long before your arrest. So, tell me first, what exactly are you?"
Willy huffed a little, his chest heaving upwards. I didn't need to worry since he was in a good state to move his body as long as he was careful and slow. However, I wondered if his pride as a 'villain' was still present.
"I'm the expert guy for breaking and entering, and I'm not subtle when it comes to exiting," wrote Willy in pride. "I was one of the most trusted members and co-creators of Lightning Bolt Society."
Kalus didn't seem impressed. "OK, the obvious. Do you have a name?"
Willy smirked and wrote again. "It is simply Willy Walrus! Two Ws, two Ls!"
Kalus was silent for a while. "Just that?"
"Yeah! That's my name!"
Kalus gave me a look and I just shrugged, not knowing what he was thinking.
"No real name that isn't a pop culture reference?" asked Kalus.
"What? No!" wrote Willy. "It's always been my name since I joined the Lightning Bolt Society."
"And thus, you have a real name?"
I sensed that a heated argument would come, but it didn't seem to arrive since we had to wait for the walrus to write his following message every time. This one was particularly long.
"Hey, adapting to a revolution means adapting to a new name," protested Willy.
"So you're part of the Walrus family?" snarked Kalus.
"Correct!"
"Which one was it?"
"The best one!"
"And what's the best one?"
Willy inhaled sharply before proceeding to write another long message. "The one I was in! Man, I'm part of the larger family with that name. Do YOU have a name?"
Kalus didn't respond.
The conversation was starting to get comical. As the bystander, I rested my chin against my plan as I leaned a little on the wheelchair. I didn't need to step in as Willy zealously wrote another note, tearing off new ones to show the big rock guy. Just some banter, not fight that might happen.
"This just got interesting," blurted the ruby loudly.
Barely noticing that it just talked externally, I added my comments. "Let me guess, this will become a bicep competition between you two."
"Dude, what biceps?" asked Kalus.
Willy took one moment to observe his body. His hulking build: sharp-edged breasts with a row of abs below, broad shoulders and large biceps. And they couldn't be pressed down since they were already crafted by hardcore rocks, sharpened until nobody could hit him properly.
The walrus looked at his own thick arms and seemed to conclude there was no competition. "Fair point."
And Willy was quick to move on when Kalus asked another question. As I listened, I noticed that Kalus was acting a bit patronizing towards Willy, making sarcastic jokes at Willy's expense. Half of the time, Willy was unaware, but he just snarked off the jokes. With question after question, Kalus's expressions ranged from disinterest to approval, with no visible interest in getting close to the former like it was a discussion he could brush off soon.
It wasn't that way all the time, as I had observed. As I waited, I picked up random questions about trivial things. Favorite food, favorite movie, favorite politician, all that stuff that I didn't think about yet during my time in Central City. Sometimes, Kalus rolled his eyes when Willy had a passionate grin. Sometimes, he smiled in shared sentiment.
For someone who disapproved of criminals running around freely, Kalus didn't showcase this through violence or aggressive behavior. He kept a cool head, using words to play around with the admiring Willy. At the same time, his eyes seemed to brighten whenever he talked about something both would approve of.
"Surprised that you got good tastes," said Kalus at one point when he decided to ask about horror movies. Surprisingly, Willy had an interest in a specific type of horror movie. "Even better than what my teammates like to do in their free time."
"Not all horror stories have to end in blood, death and violence!" pointed out Willy.
"They seem to," muttered my ruby.
When I heard it talking out loud, I immediately tensed up and my fur stood up. However, neither of the two noticed the strangeness of the harsh and rough voice. In fact, Kalus just turned to me as if I was talking directly to him.
"People want graphics, not storytelling," he commented. "That's kinda of what G.U.N did in the olden days."
A sweat drop slowly dripped down the side of Willy's head. "Your squad won't do the same to me and the others, right?"
"Well, if the shoe fits…" joked Kalus casually.
"So you want me to be the helpless victim?"
"If I am permitted to have your tusks."
Willy just chuckled silently and shook his head. Kalus smiled a little, sharing a giggle. I smiled when I saw this. So far, things seemed to be going well and they could likely get along if meeting up another time.
Willy lifted his wrist to check a watch he was wearing. It came to me that we spent some time talking with Kalus. Maybe for too long. I remember I had to take Willy to a particular place at a specific time. However, judging by Willy calmly writing another long message, we still had a few minutes before we could go.
The first message he decided to show was, "May I ask a serious question here?"
Kalus nodded without hesitating.
Willy flipped to another page on his notepad. "How did you fare working with G.U.N? I understand half of the former villains here had a change of heart or fell out from the people they used to work with, but from what I heard, you're still seeking vengeance on your enemies."
That was new. I stared at Kalus. I didn't get to know Kalus that well, and from what I learned from him, I realized he was a little paranoid towards strangers and criminals. Apparently, from his past, he hunted down criminals when he was a bounty hunter. If he wanted revenge on those he disliked, he would have done so already or blood would be stained on his knuckles.
I immediately inspected his hands. No blood. Just fully gray. There must be a lot he was repressing with keeping his hands clean. However, I remembered that he wasn't involved in using the fun dungeon to execute prisoners.
Kalus' answer to Willy's question was straightforward. "What about it?"
Willy raised an eye and wrote another message. "Some of my friends found out about it. I mean, look at you! I would want this armor to show who's boss around here. You are and still are one of the greatest independent bounty hunters out there!"
"Fair point. Don't tempt me."
After waiting for a while, Willy sighed and wrote yet another. "The point is, I'm wondering how you manage doing the 'right thing'? Helping and protecting everyone is fine, but you still have your own goals and desires outside the rules G.U.N made. Your dreams are for good reasons. The future can be unpredictable."
Even though I shouldn't worry, I could feel my ears drooping at this. It reminded me of what he intended to do after our successful heist long ago. It even reminded me of how long I had been stuck in this ideology of needing to be strong for everything.
Willy didn't exactly let his previous thinking go. But he wasn't wrong about the future being unpredictable. The more I thought about it, the heavier my mind felt. And I would want to ignore that thought to enjoy the present. This time, only a tiny part of me wanted to tell him it didn't always have to be that way.
When I opened my mouth, Kalus lifted a hand.
"No, no, Obsidian," he said sympathetically. "It's alright. I can answer this."
Turning back to Willy, his look hardened. At first, I was worried that things might get personal. However, I noted that it wasn't even that. Kalus's eyes weren't exceptionally bright or dim. His invisible eyebrows barely rose upwards or lowered downwards. He kept an emotionless look, but it didn't seem forced. It was like he even practiced maintaining such an unfeeling stance.
Willy shifted a little in his wheelchair and Kalus took note of this. The stone humanoid leaned forward and the walrus moved again. The left tip of Kalus' lip twitched a little in an amused huff. Willy's full attention was on him, anticipating.
"First, long story short, it's for honor," stated Kalus. "Honor for Team Blood and the people of Central City. They're my companions on the battlefield. We all try our best to protect everyone here."
Willy's face fell flat, looking a little disappointed.
Kalus then smiled a little, as if mockingly. "Second, I don't know if you exactly have what it takes to do the 'right thing'. It shouldn't be hard to spell it out, though I'm starting to think that your concept of having the right reasons surrounds you and ONLY you."
That licked more nerves than how many Willy would allow. He was taken aback. However, with his communication through written words, he took the time to think. After moments of staring at Kalus, he wrote something in his notepad.
"And what about feeling as if things do not go your or anyone's way?" Willy presented. "Do you ever feel like hurting the ones who wronged you?"
"It's not completely wrong to feel that way," continued Kalus too quickly. "For the record, I didn't ask for this armor." Kalus motioned to his body. His rock-hard body. He chuckled sardonically, his voice noticeably becoming a little high-pitched. "Technically, I kinda did that day. But I thought Witchcart's experiment would make things better. I was wrong back then." He smiled in glee. "At the same time, in the end, it went by the saying 'fool me once, shame on you'."
"What experiment?" I asked.
When both of them stared at me, I quickly called it off.
"Oh, um, sorry," I said immediately. "Forget it."
"Your curiosity is valid," reassured Kalus. "It's not a big deal. However, my backstory doesn't matter now. I'll say, as a former police cop, my desires surround wanting to keep people safe and delivering justice. Don't get me wrong, I was angry at everyone for a while. But then, once I decided to give G.U.N a chance, I saw how that career only served me little."
Willy was confused. "But you gained so much! You got everyone's attention. You were an inspiration!"
"Sure, that's what YOU think," criticized Kalus, frowning. "Like I said, my backstory doesn't matter in this talk. However, vengeance, breaking rules, stepping over people…" He paused to inhale, pretending to be nervous about it. "...is just a hobby. It's easy, but how will you navigate it if it becomes your lifestyle?"
Willy looked at me like the answer was obvious. Before I could talk, Kalus gave his example.
"Let's say you want to become a drawer. But what's your endgame? You only move your pencil when you're bored, not preparing for any incoming problems because you don't want to try and you claim that makes you not as bad as any other drawer in the world. Life's not a piece of cake, but your bubble will decay soon enough. In fact, I think the time you spend in your bubble makes you feel more unprepared for everything, don't you think?"
Willy was silent for a long time. Kalus let him take a moment to absorb his words. A sore feeling ran through my chest. Why did it feel that…harsh? In barely audible words, my ruby whispered that the two of us had been holding up some walls for a while. When the walls fell down, that was when things felt like they were falling apart and I experienced that too many times.
But the walrus told me that he couldn't achieve the greatest to live a great life. He told me that practice would make perfect but he didn't seem to succeed in his tries. I looked at him and his eyes were glossy. His lips were pulled back like he wanted to spit something out. To argue against Kalus.
But the hardened and stoic look from the stone-cold giant intimidated Willy so much that there was no way to counter that point. Looking at Kalus, I felt he knew what Willy wanted to say and was thus unaffected by whatever excuse Willy wanted to make.
"That's what I thought," said Kalus bluntly. "It would be nice to have a human body again, but I already learnt to leave it behind." He nodded his head in mutual acknowledgement. "It does take time to make the 'right choices' in this state, but it'll help you to pull through any challenges. At the end of the day, you might even discover what you exactly want in life."
"And what is yours?" asked Willy.
Kalus simply smiled. He didn't look like he was gonna burst into tears. He had the whole thing memorized. He knew what he wanted and planned to say.
"For me? It all comes back to wanting to help people." Kalus laughed and sounded more like a bumbling dad than a cold-hearted bounty hunter. "I know, it's getting repetitive. But when I got caught by G.U.N, I thought about it. I always wanted to help and protect the people of my hometown. It might not be perfect, but I always wanted to be there for them. They helped me and many others and I could do much to do the same for them. Now that I know my town will be OK without me, I'm still looking out for people worth fighting for."
He turned to me, his smile disappearing in the trade for a serious look. One that told me to remember this.
"Obsidian, Team Blood isn't exactly the people for you or Antoine," he explained. "But at the same time, I get along with them better. They're my brothers and sisters. It's embarrassing, yes, but teaching a group of people who are like me, at least I can help others cope with the shaky future they believe in."
The bizarre atrocities Team Blood loved doing remained in my mind. Don't get me wrong, I'm still glad to work alongside them to stop Ice's crazy plan to blow up an entire stadium. However, it was probably the first time someone from the team gave an excellent explanation to find something positive within them.
Ash only congratulated me, Antoine and Molly, for not being like his murderous teammates. Rosemary was civil and the two of us laughed off our differences, though she got too close to my comfort zone when she asked about my previous temptations.
I never thought this way, with Kalus wanting to be there for his squad and guide them to feel good about what they have.
Willy glanced back at me, a little surprised.
"I-I didn't say it was embarrassing to be around you or Team Blood," I clarified timidly.
"I get it, Team Blood can be dangerous," said Kalus calmly, reading my mind. "But I told you that being on Team Blood won't be easy. I'm still thinking of a way to help them and so is Breezie. She's a little obsessed with Shard." He turned back to Willy. "You don't get a better life by stepping over others. If you want to fare well with doing the right thing, it starts with knowing that everything isn't easy. One step at a time and all the shortcuts you see are just in your head."
Once again, Willy didn't have the willpower to respond. A bittersweet message to his once-guarded shield wrapped around him. Talking to someone he and his friends might have looked up to for long must have been the final blow to his ongoing thinking of needing to be a villain. And it didn't happen until now, given he was still.
His body began shaking and he clutched the notepad in his hands. I thought of looking at him, but I chose not to. Willy had his eyes turned towards a nearby wall. A few people were walking by, but he didn't seem to notice them. It was then that I realized his world might have shattered when I heard his breathing growing louder and louder.
Kalus didn't change his compelling stance, but the following few words were out of concern.
"Is everything OK, Willy?" he asked. "I am OK if you're wondering."
Hearing his voice was enough to prompt Willy to try grabbing his pen. When he did, it shook between his fingers. His feet touched the floor a little. He did this several times until he could finally move his head back towards Kalus. When Kalus saw his look, he smiled sympathetically again.
Back on track, Willy wrote another message. It took longer than before, but he could get something out.
"Good for you and the people you matched with," his message read, seemingly envious. "What you are saying is that Team Blood won't sabotage you from 'doing the right thing'?"
"The thing is, I am careful with who I am attached with," said Kalus. "And some of my friends are still dangerous, so nothing can last forever. That being said, there are still some I have hope in and I see it." He leaned closely, now with a look of soft worry. "I don't think the Lightning Bolt Society has the people you should stick around with. There are some good, open-minded people who might need you the most."
Willy was silent again, deep in thought. When they wrote, the notepad was covered in a few tear stains.
"Alright. I'll consider your word."
Kalus smiled, looking both amused and gratified. "Excellent choice."
It came as a surprise to me. For once, Willy accepted this kind of help without being disgusted, this advice from someone he could have been wary of. While I was hoping that he could be able to learn something for his own good life, he didn't exactly try to cut off Kalus when he poked into the remains of his burning pride.
As Kalus said his farewells and I resumed pushing Willy carefully through the hallways, he was silent as if thinking about every word he was told. The ordinarily chatty walrus didn't even write a new note for me to read through.
But as soon as we were far away from Kalus, Willy wiped his eyes and they were no longer shiny, no longer close to tears.
For me? I was also trying to think through what Kalus said. I mean, I know that life wouldn't always be easy and having some kind of bubble was bad, but…how come I feel a little guilty by this?
Even the ruby was quiet for once. It didn't have anything to say. No snarky comeback, no criticism, nothing. When I briefly tapped into it, I could feel it…crying?
Wanting to get over the awkward tension, I asked, "You're OK?"
I had no idea who I was asking this to. The ruby didn't answer back, not even with a hum. On the other hand, Willy started writing a new message in his notepad.
"I don't mean to dig this deep," he wrote. "I'll admit, I took a page from last week's therapist. I wanted to hear from someone who might have taken some time to know what they want. My motivation is a bit like Kalus'. I don't just want to have fun. I want to be around the people I cherish. And I still don't think the Lightning Bolt Society will be fine without me. Maybe they will."
Remember when he said he joined the Lightning Bolt Society to have fun and share the same struggles? This was a twist on his previous motivations. Something different. I wasn't sure if he would still be around with the Weasel Bandits, but it was clear the was over with his life with the Lightning Bolt Society after getting themselves blinded for too long.
And after going through many therapy sessions, he DID take what he was told to heart.
Before I could talk, he quickly finished his next message.
"The other reason I asked him is because I'm considering meeting my family," he wrote. "I heard my uncle was the one who filled in the paperwork for me for the rehabilitation program. However, I'm a little nervous about how they'll react to their grown-up son amounting to nothing."
"You just have to show up," I said. "They'll be there waiting for you."
It wasn't just a knee-jerk response. I thought about who else he could turn to outside the Lightning Bolt Society. After that heist night, when I suggested he find a place to belong, he seemed afraid. To hear that he still had a family out there with someone organizing the paperwork for his rehabilitation was a joyful thing to celebrate.
But after I finished saying those words, I felt like a hypocrite. My talk with Agatha helped make me feel better. I kept in check with her and Lance the past few days to let them know that I was around. However, I sometimes still felt terrible about leaving Zero.
All in all, maybe it was…for the best to leave Zero behind when he wouldn't listen.
Willy wrote again, dragging me out from close self-pity. When he showed me his note, he showed his face to me. He looked more confident than before. One of his eyes was raised upwards as if still trying to decide whether it was the right choice.
"I'm assuming that the damage I left behind can be fixed by taking the right choices."
I just gave him a smile and nod. While I had no idea what was in store for him, I do believe that he would be fine once he wrapped up the loose ends he made.
He smiled back in relief.
"Mind me, but what led to thinking like this?" I asked. "You always made fun of the therapy."
Willy shrugged and wrote, "I thought about it and I don't want to lie to myself anymore. I want to start again and not worry about failing in anything. I should owe to the right people who encouraged me to reset."
Finally, the ruby responded. It beeped a happy melody. Willy didn't seem to notice; he was just seemingly at peace with his situation.
It became clear that Willy had given some thought to what he wanted to do with his life. He wasn't wrong that the damage he did might be less difficult to fix, no longer impossible. It probably helped that I didn't give up on him, checking him occasionally. It would even be great if his new inspiration came from knowing his family was involved in gifting him a program he could benefit from.
You could say that it's a 'win-win'. I'm just proud that Willy decided what he wanted to do once he got out.
Willy wrote again. "I don't think I made it clear to you for the last few weeks. I'm sorry for blackmailing you. Kalus is right. Breaking the rules is just a stupid hobby, not a lifestyle we SHOULD rely on."
A part of me died a little when I read this.
I was more than happy to accept the apology. I didn't have hard feelings for him. Mostly, I was upset that I wasn't in control of my temptations. I let my own nostalgia get to me. And I knew that Willy didn't mean to hurt me. While he did threaten me, in the end, it turned out to be nothing between us. At least how I saw it to be, right?
But that last line, the same thing Kalus said, was the one that stirred my mind. My chest suddenly felt heavy, wrapped by this warmth weighing down on me. It was like my body wanted to place down an ongoing burden, but it was too heavy and sticky to do so. The more I thought about it, the more I felt Kalus might also be referring to anyone else who made bad choices.
"Is the inadmissible pull powerful? How did you get through it?"
It came to me that we weren't so different. Me and Willy…the things we did before only became a side hustle when it no longer benefited us for good. And the reminder of what used to be good turned out dire when taking a different route. For a while, I had been questioning why I felt satisfaction from stealing that prized diamond in the first place.
And how I decided to take it through my hesitance.
It was just a thing I desired, not something that was feasible in the long term.
After that, despite the complications, the mixed signals, the worries that were only in my head, here I am unscathed and healthy.
Helping an enemy-turned-friend.
And there were so much happening in this life now, both good and bad. The temptation surprisingly didn't stick around, just only fears for it. I didn't even relapse into any old bad habits after living in Central City, focusing on new things I would want later on.
The American Dream. Huh. Dave, you might have gotten it backwards. Or it needed a new title fitting for all.
I smiled back at Willy, forgiving him.
Willy Walrus' question to Kalus was a success. It answered his paranoia, his lengthy 'what if' possibilities towards the advice his therapist gave him. Kalus acted professionally when he answered. Too professional. His tone made it clear that it wasn't the cure. But it was the best thing Willy could ever get to know what would lie before him.
The dark truck finally moved and he had to hold onto his seatbelt, feeling his bottom move a little. The structure of this truck reminded him of the white vans the Lightning Bolt Society sometimes used. This G.U.N vehicle felt too special; it was fully black, shiny, and exclusive to the agents. But Willy didn't mind. He was already leaving the base, finally about to see the light of day again.
He smiled to himself, hopeful. He was still scared of the unknown, but he didn't want to be a coward anymore. Willy already accepted that he was incompetent, but it wasn't over for him yet. Not even when his uncle did all the hard work for Willy to enter the rehabilitation program.
It would be different outside than staying with G.U.N. Some distance away from a fearful military might put him at ease rather than making him feel like a problem.
A long, grumpy sigh from the other side of the truck broke through his train of thought.
Speaking of problems, the Weasel Bandits sat opposite him, facing directly to the walrus. Right now, all four of them looked spotless, appearing physically well. Internally? Not so much. But they couldn't do much to talk or even fight. They were cautious of how they moved around not to prolong the wounds inside their bodies.
The blue-bandanna weasel was the only one glaring at Willy while the rest of his mates just looked down at the ground with sad looks.
Willy narrowed his dark eyes, defensive.
The blue-bandanna weasel just stared at him with cold eyes.
Yes, they didn't bury the hatchet together. And despite the therapy sessions they had to take together, that didn't mean they wanted to be with each other. The Weasel Bandits resorted to staying in their cells away from Willy, not wanting to practice the exercises they were taught. Any chances of them making amends were slim.
The bandits still had a mission to do and their loyalties were still towards Dave and the others. They wanted to get out of this truck as soon as possible. It was difficult since they were on G.U.N's watch. Even on probation, they couldn't do much. And it was all thanks to Willy leading them to their humiliating arrest.
They couldn't understand why Willy wanted to leave all of this behind. The blue-bandanna weasel hummed and looked away, appearing somewhat shameful. Were they not good enough for Willy Walrus? Why did the fame of being the greatest villain not make him feel good?
BANG!
It was quick.
The driver in front slumped dead on the steering wheel, his head bouncing against the wall like a bobblehead. His companion yelped and immediately turned on communications, but that was short-lived when a violent blast suddenly threw the entire truck upwards.
Everyone still seated hung on, screaming in fear.
They didn't need to wait long for the truck to land. When it did, everything was upside down. The other agent slammed against the ceiling, unconscious. The remaining four were still, their ears ringing. The outside noise and the crunching of their vehicles were surreal.
Willy Walrus was starting to tremble. No, it couldn't be! This couldn't be the end for him! Just when he was about to redeem himself. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest.
There was yelling outside, followed by a gunshot. A verse of sword swipes followed. Strange gurgling and wet choking reached through the walls of the upside-down truck. There were no windows for anyone to see through. Probably for the best since it could be a bloodbath.
And when there was one, nobody should dare to expose themselves to it.
The three Weasel Bandits weren't nonchalant to this either. The yellow-bandanna bandit whimpered, shrinking in his seat. The red-bandanna bandit squirmed around, trying to break free from his seatbelt. Meanwhile, the blue-bandanna bandit tilted his head to use his good ear to hear the yelling outside.
It sounded like…Dave?
The doors at the back of the truck were pulled open. All four closed their eyes briefly, feeling the hot desert sunlight. Willy tried opening his eyes and they remained fully opened when he saw their savior.
"Sorry it took too long," said Dave warmly. "Our final project is currently in Stage 1 today!"
Willy let the outside sun blind him. He wouldn't want it that way if this were the reality he had to face. Unfortunately, he felt himself pulled away before he could see Dave, his vision still shrouded in white light.
AN: We still have a build-up, but things are starting to go according to plan or at least for the Lightning Bolt Society. I decided to have them rescue Willy Walrus and the Weasel Bandits before they could resume and that would not be good for Willy…
While it had been underdeveloped for too long in favor of Obsidian's adventures, I finally revisited Stone's plan to conduct his plan to use the Chilli Caffeine. Outside, he had been trying to locate it with his mysterious partner. It even allowed me to write his inner thoughts as he observed the situation and what he assumed was the release of Willy Walrus. Either way, his ambitions might not go the way Stone wanted them to be.
Out of Team Blood, Kalus doesn't get much spotlight. Before the worst comes, I decided to have him share some advice with Willy, giving him a clearer and more confident view of what he wants to do later in life. With so much happening, I want to ensure that Kalus speaks differently from the other characters, someone who has already accepted his circumstances and made the best of them.
It's also a neat way to slowly fulfil Willy's character arc after taking some rest. I feel that taking the time not to get involved in the main story allowed him to think properly without the influence of anyone, not even needing Obsidian.
I can't exactly say that my version of Kalus' backstory is faithful to what Nigel Kitching had in mind for him in the comics he was in. However, make up all you want when Kalus mentions that he was angry as a bounty hunter. In this universe, I made Kalus originally a local and kind police cop before being lured into an experiment run by Witchcart. This led to him being cursed to remain a rock forever and the unsaid complications made him lash out, his ideals twisted when he hunted criminals for a living. That only changed when he was captured and joined Team Blood, now wanting to help them through their darkest times.
In the next chapter, we will focus on Molly, Antoine and Matthew! Let's see what they discover on their end.
Thank you for reading this chapter! If you enjoy this story, be sure to follow or favorite to get updates. If there is any feedback or constructive criticism you want to share, I would very much appreciate.
Until then, keep on rocking!