Kanoa and Lorna walked past the surveillance room on the first floor. Each computer wrecked entirely, lab coats remained scattered about the place. The only signs of life being the animal hybrids roaming about, whispering to each other timidly. Treading further down the hallway Kanoa held his breath with anticipation as to what Lorna would show him. Suddenly she asked,”...You ever get nervous passin’ through here lately?” She asked in a softer tone of voice. Of course in this moment Kanoa felt nervous as he had no idea what she would show him, though the longer he felt the familiarly tensed muscles, coupled with his palpitating heart, he immediately thought back to the pills. “Yeah… It might have something to do with our connection…” “Yeah… But it’s not comin’ from me.” He stared at her curiously. “Then… Who?” Lorna kept her mouth shut, her gaze stretching on into the darkness. Gently she held Kanoa’s hand. “It’s… Best not to tell you here… Stay close to me…” Still unsure as to what she meant, Kanoa still nodded along, walking down the empty hallway where no animals, nor lab coats dared to linger. With his vision obscured, the only light being the red emanating from Lorna’s eyes, Kanoa felt more vulnerable with her, allowing him to hold onto her hand with an equally strong grip. He chuckled.

  “Don’t think I ever told you this… But the friend's name is Jack.” “What?” She asked, her tone a bit shaky. “Jack. The friend I promised to fly with… You remind me of him. You’re both… Always helpin’ me in the dark, just like this!” “Oh…” Kanoa’s smile caused her to look away, her slender fingers tapping against his knuckles. “You two should meet each other! Maybe he can get you to change your views on humans… He’s funny, and knows his way around space too! We could all meet up and-” Curtly, she interrupted,”it’s you and me… No one else…” He frowned. “Not even the old man…?” She shook her head,”Especially not him…” Kanoa's eyes drifted away from her, a mix of frustration and sadness overtaking the fear in him. Surprising Lorna, and even himself, he pulled away from her. “W-what’re you doin’!? We can’t stay here!” “What are you doing!?” “What?! Just C’mon!” She asked exasperated, reaching for Kanoa’s wrist only for him to pull away in the nick of time. “You’re just gonna leave him behind!? Even though he’s been here, carin’ for you the whole time!? Sure, we don’t know his name, and he’s always quiet, but he’s a nice old man… He’s harmless!” “Don’t you talk to me about harmless.” She walked up close to Kanoa, steamed. “He’s repenting, don’t you get it!? He’s the same as everyone else who… who…” Out of consideration for Kanoa, she held herself back, groaning with frustration while rolling her fingers in her hair. “Just say it, what!?” Then violently she growled at him, “Died! Everyone who died here!” Analyzing the pained look on her face, Kanoa found himself disarmed by the influx of emotions, part of him tempted to draw her near and comfort her, another wanting to go back, fearful of what other secrets lay ahead. “...Him and every other human here are bad for us, okay? I’m the harmless one, and he knows it!” “But… You can cave in somebody’s skull with an icicle no problem, whaddya-” Feeling pained that not even Kanoa understood she held her face frustrated, he paused, focusing on the feelings he’d felt simultaneously.. “.. But it’s not that easy… You feel like you can’t see him for who he really is…”

  “Exactly!” She outstretched her arms almost excitedly, relieved he understood. “He knows…. He knows I’m desperate, that I’m hurtin’, that I don’t have anybody in the world who’d care if I were gone tomorrow. That’s why he’s kind to me, it’s why he lies with that old timey calm mask he puts on. He’s really guilty, and he feels bad for the part he played! He uses me because he knows deep down that I’m just…!” “Scared…” Gently, Kanoa cupped her face which was fighting against a flood of tears, lovingly, he drew her near hugging her tightly.

  Defeated by the loving embrace, Lorna’s arms fell to her sides, but never letting her tears loose, only taking deep breaths to ground herself. “... I get the feeling… I never really know how anybody feels….. I’m real sorry about the tellin’ you to talk of humans, but…” He drew away from her, though still holding onto her shoulders, facing her. “You and me are both humans in our heads… You could be right… You could be wrong… Or maybe it’s a little half right, and half wrong… But you’ll never know if you just keep leavin’ people behind…” Her eyes drifted off, almost looking as if she were deeply considering her words. But as her eyes drifted to the lighter side of the first floor, she could have sworn to have seen a familiar figure scurrying away, their footsteps desperate and harsh to get away. Lorna frowned, her fear almost entirely gone. Kanoa feeling this in turn felt confused. “W-what? What did you-""Come on. I still have to show you this thing… Once you see it, everything’ll make sense…”

  Reaching the end, now entering the pitch black side, Kanoa held onto Lorna’s shoulder who seemed to understand the path laid before them. Soon, before they knew it the two halted, a dripping playing in the background followed by a familiar red light. “W-woah! Wait- Who is that!? There’s another person here?” “Shut up a sec. You’ll scare them off.” She replied, her body crouched to the floor, Kanoa begrudgingly followed. “Them…?” He asked, locking his fingers together for comfort. The further they advanced, the brighter the light shone, revealing a large red egg of sorts. The eyes, mouths, teeth and ears of human face all sat on the surface of the egg, rearranged in such a way that made Kanoa uncomfortable. Without being prompted to, his mind lingered on Jack- then his heart focused on the pain Lorna had suffered through, the uncertainty.

  Like a human heart, the egg shaped pulsed frequently when sensing danger, matching the speed of Kanoa’s heart. Wrinkles invaded it from top to bottom. The surface, although appearing soft, once Lorna placed her hand on it, rubbing the exterior its wrinkles and texture proved to be far more solid. “Hey guys… I brought someone here with me, one of us.” She grinned, gesturing to Kanoa to come closer, her hair standing up instead of swaying with anger as it would have. “Well c’mon don’t be all standoffish! Introduce yourself.” Kanoa persisted through his nervousness, giving an awkward smile,”H-hi… My name is Kanoa…. It’s nice to-” “No, no! Touch ‘em! You’ve gotta touch ‘em!””Wait what?! That’s way too far, I haven’t even heard them tell me their name!” He said, pulling his arms behind his back coyly. “Don’t know if you’ve noticed, but they don’t have a mouth, eyes, or a body… The only sensation they can understand is touch. But they’re real sensitive to strangers so… Be careful.”

  Before he could go onwards, Kanoa noticed the subtle coolness of the water around them, frosting from underneath Lorna’s crouched self. “Lorna… I get you wanting to show me something… Or someone you consider family and all, but if you don’t think I can handle it, I don’t wanna… Y’know, prove you right.”“Whaddya talkin’ about! Just touch them, it’s easy!” With her frustrations rising, and ready to grab his arm and force him, she quickly recoiled, reminding herself of the vulnerability she felt alongside Kanoa. K”It’s just… weird for me… I don’t even know the first thing about them, and if they can sense I’m scared, or they feel I’m not safe… It might get me upset. So can ya tell me more about it…?” Being unable to argue with his sound logic, she sighed.”... When I was born here, everyone was completely annihlated… Like I said before. But not just humans. The subjects- our people were… merged in a last ditch effort.” She pet the egg, her own heart rate rising as she re-told the story, Kanoa stooped to her level, holding her hand.“A scientist here was takin’ our people’s DNA and tryin’ to figure out a way to live for a long time… Like we will.”

  Once again, Kanoa’s mind thought back to Jack, he couldn’t shake him. Comparing his playful expression to Lorna’s always fierce disposition made a terrible thought cross his mind. “How long will we live?” “A really, really long time. Humans can only expend so many energy, we replace ours almost forever… And that’s…” With her eyes still glossy, gritting her teeth, she put her arms around the egg briefly, then pulled away, revealing it’s twitching muscles, unable to reciprocate Lorna’s affection. “That’s why they tried puttin’ us all together as a last ditch… Gettin’ all the energy together like that, it just-!” She stomped her foot of the floor, ice forming all around them, entrapping the sole of Kanoa’s shoes. “It just makes me sick!” “Lorna, you’re hurting them! Please!”

  With one look at Kanoa, not even paying attention to the egg creature's discomfort, she immediately stopped. “Sorry…”, the solidity of the ice fizzled out. “It’s just the worst thing to happen to anybody, even more than just dyin’. They’re just…stuck together, their heads are completely mashed together… Forever” Saddened, Kanoa could feel two separate parts of himself both relieved, yet personally angered, though for what reason, he was completely unsure of. “They told me an orange lady did this to them.” Gently, Lorna continued petting the egg shaped fusion, though her speed ramping up. “It was one of us… Can you believe it? A dirty traitor.”Kanoa knelt beside her. “Maybe there’s a way to help them once you-w-we, leave..” Bother by something, he turned away from Kanoa’s hand. He tilted his head. Lorna sighed, standing up, Kanoa standing alongside her. “I’m sorry about bein’ all sappy… I get worked up cuz they didn’t deserve it… I don’t even get why anybody would do somethin’ so awful…” Seeing Lorna empathy on display, a part that was his genuine self, made him feel relieved. “Y’know… For somebody who wants to leave only for herself, and even wants me to sound more selfish, you sure sound pretty selfless right about now…” He chuckled, poking fun at her. Her expression lifted as she hadn’t caught on to the contradiction herself“Aha… Yeah well… I’m not some monster, I guess…” She held her arm, uncomfortable by displaying this side of herself, but relieved she could with Kanoa. “But…. Seriously though… This thing-the leftovers of our people, it’s waitin’... That’s why we can’t stop. Both of us, Kanoa.” “Waitin’? For what…?” He asked, inching a bit closer to it. “For their release… The day where I can finally leave this place and leave ‘em here- A place where’s not much energy and then… They can move on.” “So… you’re the one keeping them alive technically? But you said there was energy in the plants, the trees, it even carries…” Thinking about it for a few moments, it didn’t take long to realize that the absorption of energy had to be something systematic, rather than something automatically pumped into your body.

  “Without any hole parts, it can’t-” “It can’t absorb much, can it? That’s why you touch it- let it have some of yours.” She smirked, satisfied she didn’t have to explain everything.”Look at you, usin’ your brain and junk… Yeah, that’s what it is… I know it’s painful to live like this, with or without me… But for some reason, I…” She clutched onto her shirt, frowning. “I… I wish I could find a way to bring ‘em back- to get them outta this mess! That’s the one selfless thing I wanna do…” Recalling the offense Kanoa felt at the disrespect of his own kind, he was beginning to unravel at the fact that the fate of his people would be far less gruesome with whatever he decided to do. His stomach twisted in knots, feeling sickened by the scientists- by humans. Conquering his anxiety, he hugged the egg, giving it some of his own energy, though as he did, an influx of memories began to surface his mind- none of them entirely comparable to his own experiences, nor anything he could reflect upon or halt to take a breather. The few seconds he held onto the egg, the pain, suffering, anguish of their loved ones and eventual assimilation into this perpetually suffering mass clouded his thoughts- his identity as Kanoa Jones. Immediately after he let go, tears ran down his face as he took heavy breaths.“...So you did see it?” She smirked, coming to Kanoa's aid and hugging him back. As their hair touched one another's, intertwining, a recollection of their previous misadventures resurfaced in Kanoa’s mind greatly slowing the surge of bad memories.“Y-you knew that was gonna happen?!” He cried, wiping the tears from his face. “I did… It happened to me the first time- It happens to all of our kind. Our hair- it’s our lifeline, our signal when we’re lost, our way of communicating.”

  Kanoa backed away, flinching at the grabbing of his wrist. “That's seriously messed up Lorna…! You coulda told me that!” She paused, reconsidering her actions, she shook her head.“I didn’t know if you would leave me or not- I didn’t! We both were used, and we’re both just tryin’ to get outta this mess we were born in, but I needed to make sure you could take it like me! That’s the only way I’m makin’ sure you’re the right one to leave this place with me…” She extended her hand. Initially going to refuse, still haunted by the imagery of bondage, scalpels and the disfiguration of their people, the genuine look in her eyes, which he was sure were the same pair of naive eyes that had never seen a building up close, nor spoken to a human, he took her hand, standing alongside her. “Never do that again…” He responded bluntly, she continued to hold his hand. “I’m sorry… Really..” He raised an eyebrow at her genuine behavior, not anticipating it, but deep down was relieved her hands for the first time had felt warm. “But… Do you get it now?” her red eyes pierced through him, the sadness in her voice rising. “Your family… I’ve been meanin’ to say this for a while, but do you really think they’d leave you up here for as long as they have?” He shifted about uncomfortably. “What are you getting at?” He asked antagonistically, already understanding her words.

  “... They’re a part of this Kanoa… Think about it. How else would someone with as much energy as you wind up on their freakin’ doorstep? Why would they try keepin’ you small for so long? It’s an easy answer, c'mon!" He shook his head, letting go of her, yet Lorna’s grasp tightened. “They wanna use you! They wanna use you to get at me! To absorb my energy and for you to be their little… dog thing.” She recalled, staring at the floor, uncomfortable when using that word around Kanoa. Kanoa himself felt offended, but either from his own subconscious thoughts, or from the newly planted memories in his head, he couldn’t feel everything within him to have faith in Lorna’s words.Even if it was much harder to do, his family had to have known he was different, why else would they be so quick to take him to Ms. Friend? Why else would she be examining him so closely after all these years!?“… Lorn…. They're my family. Maybe there is somethin’ fishy goin’ on, but… They’re not those kinda people, believe me…” her eyebrows furrowed. “How can you say that with all of those voices swarmin’ around your skull!? You’re lyin’ to yourself, you’ve gotta be!” Kanoa shook his head, this being the one thing he was confident in. “No… They’re my family. They couldn’t fake everythin’ all this time. I know they love me…”

  Frustrated in his unwavering conviction she finally let go of his hand. “You can’t see them! You can’t even understand ‘em like we can with each other! So how do you even know?!” He paused, reflecting on his own feelings. “I… I don’t…” “Don’t you get it!? Humans! It’s always their fault! Why are you fightin’ this!? Do you need to see their memories again?!” Kanoa shook his head fearfully. “I- i just know that… They’re not all…” But the memories choked him. They’re grins while cruelly experimenting on his kind, their apathy, even towards their fellow humans. He thought back to his human family, but with the cloud of intrusive thoughts surrounding him, there remained no room for his small world of comfort, when an entire ocean of injustice stretched further beyond him, rendering all of his experiences as useless. Lorna paused, a smile rose up her face, she laughed. “W-what’s so funny?” He tilted his head, genuinely confused. “You… Maybe I was wrong about you…” The words cut deep. Though before he could reflect upon her words, a weary voice called out to them.“Kanoa, Lorna! Please, c’mon out here! There's someone here!” Kanoa’s eyes widened whereas Lorna’s narrowed. “Great. Who could that be?”

  Approaching the entrance of the lab, both mentally steeled themselves for a potential confrontation with Ms Friend, though as they emerged from beyond the old man, Kanoa leading, suddenly his eyes flickered with great emotion, tears began pouring out of his eyes. “Y-you….” He stammered, Curious yet intimidated, Lorna immediately withdrew an icicle. “Whoever you are, you…” She paused, turning stone faced. In front of them stood a robed figure with orange hands, and an orange face. Kanoa wiped the tears practically spraying out of his eyes, not sure why he’d felt yet again, relieved yet angered. Their flighty voice then called out to them, a tinge of seriousness in her tone. She faced the two. “Oh hey! You’re the kiddies aren’tcha!? The chosen two!” “Chosen two…?” Kanoa repeated, cringing at the title. “Who are you and what the heck do you want with us?!” Lorna asked, icicles floating around her, all pointed towards the robed figure. “Woah-woah. All I want is to warn you guys of the mayhem running through Murrowsbrow right now. I’m only telling a special select few of what’s about to happen, so be grateful!” Already infuriated by her condescending tone, Lorna’s ice enlarged, Kanoa held out an arm in front of her.“Hold up! Let’s hear her out first, we’ve got the upper hand anyway.” “See, this is your problem! You’re a sheep, you’ll do anything anyone tells you!” Kanoa turned to her, a bit hurt, but now mainly angry, grabbing Lorna by the shirt, he asserted himself,”This isn’t about that! Me and Mr (whatever his name is), saw a crowd carrying fire towards the capital! Bad stuff really is goin’ down!” She looked towards the old man, he nodded silently. The woman chuckled. “These childish little squabbles take me back… Anyways, My partner, Ms Marilyn Friend and I have spread information throughout Murrows Brow of the existence of this- and many other labs hiding throughout each region… Or me! It was really all me! I managed to start protests in almost every section here in the South, West, and North, but somebody else took care of the East…” She said, a tad upset. “That quick…? Lorna, you don’t think-?” She nodded silently, Kanoa froze, staring down at his hands, totally awe stricken. “So even I could do that…?”

  “Hey, hey! I’m giving you some valuable information, shut up and listen, or die!” From her coat pocket, she withdrew an orange ball, the three flinched, quickly quieting. “Good… Anyway, where was I going with this? Oh yeah! The Government’s involvement with this dark side of the scientific community has already been speculated for years, but now that the abduction of children, the existence of energy and people like us, are in the public's consciousness, people are reeeeeealllly mad! Know what that means…?”

  She stepped forward, Both of them standing on guard, her orange lips parted revealing a pearly white smile. “It’s gonna be an all out bloodbath! A battle royale (if you will!), the people versus the government- or more accurately, the people versus the world!” Kanoa gulped at the comparison, whereas Lorna and the old man exchanged looks of slight concern, but overall apathy. “W-wait! What!? You’ve gotta be stretchin’ the truth- even just a little bit, sure people had fire, but destroyin’ everythin’ over a lie!? That’s-” A warm strong hand rested on Kanoa’s shoulder, he turned to the old man towering over him with a plaintive gaze. “Kanoa… Humans have, and always will be terrified of liars… this research has been going on for… A long while now. If they can’t trust their government, or science… What will hold them together?” Kanoa sputtered about searching for an answer,”C-community! We’ve all got somebody who we care about, don’t we!? Why fall apart when we’ve got each other to rely on!?” “Uh, hello? Weren’t you listenin’ to the old fart? People backstab each other all the time when they lose faith in everything. It’s like I’ve been sayin’, they only care about buildin’ somethin’ up, reachin’ heights never seen before, but when they feel unsafe- when people are left questionin’ everything, from who works for who- or what’s hurtin’ their safety most, people’ll will always think of themselves. Wake up already.”

  Kanoa shuddered violently, looking downwards at the first now spreading from the capital to buildings throughout Murrows Brow. The woman laughed manically at the display. “Bluey nailed it! People are like that… But it’s not like we're much better are we?” She said, retrieving something else from her pocket. Whereas Kanoa was incapacitated with these unsettling revelations, Lorna already launched her first icicle towards the shift figure, they dodged narrowly, the quick icicle, the air brushing against her caused her hood to drop, revealing an entirely orange woman with long hair with a sneering pair of eyes and smile. “You could’ve actually killed me! Be nice or else your butts’ll be in hot water! Brats!” Although the revelation of one of their own approaching them was already shocking, what shocked the trio even more, had been a white pill placed in between her index finger and thumb.“I-is that?!” Lorna stepped forward, “Uh huh uh HUH!” She yelled mockingly, stepping closer towards the edge of the cliff. “It’s the final pill! You already have mine, right? Must’ve thought that was the final one, but nope there’s one more of us out there! Our leader, the strongest one of us all… And the one that helped me take care of this place not too long ago.” Lorna frowned, shaking violently. “ What's your move!?” “No! No moves, this is just my last ditch effort to give you poor itty bitty kids a choice!” She smiled even brighter, hoping from side to side with excitement, even while on the very edge of the mountain.“It’s true, I may’ve spread the news with the evil scientist who helped enslave our people and is now using you guys to save hers, but I still wanna see her get taken down- Cuz there isn’t any way out of MurrowsBrow, she’s a liar! Nope! No way to leave this world!” She frowned, though not even taking her own emotions seriously, she cartoonishly hung her arms, letting them sway to the wind.

  She lifted up her head, giving a mischievous grin. “Not unless….” She halted her silly antics, pointing at the two of them. “One of you… of the chosen two…” She slammed her foot on the floor, then pointed her arm up to the sky, an orange ball dropping from her pocket, then down the mountain. “Choose to leave the other behind for a better world! (Then take me) Great deal, right!? Right?!”

  The both of them stared at her madly, Kanoa shook his head violently, whereas Lorna was for once, too shocked to say anything. “That’s insane! What’s… What’s the point of that even…!”

  “You don’t sound too opposed to it, just lost… Ohoho, what’s on your mind? Lemme put it this way. If you were to leave on your own, you could take someone… You just have to take me…” The old man spoke up, his voice still the most grounded and softest in the room. “Who are you to decide who they should take…?” “Oh please! You think these tots know how to get back to our home? From here!? Oh! Oh! I have an idea, leave on your own, then talk to the stargazers runnin’ away to help the aliens! Huh? Huh?!” Kanoa squirmed with indecision, but still in his heart, he knew it was wrong… Right? “...Wait… These aren’t…?” He turned to Lorna, who also shot her head over to him, her expression callous. “Oh so you are considerin’ it, aren’tcha!?” Kanoa waves his hands in the air. “N-no! No! That wasn’t–!”

  “Lemme cut you two a deal… Whichever one of you absorbs all three pills shall be crowned the winner! And can fly far, far away to our world! All with my help!” She smiled, cockily, Kanoa intervened loudly,”W-wait! Wait! Three?! But there’s only-” In his confusion, a sharp feeling of animosity towards himself suddenly pierced him through his chest. “L-lorna…?” He turned to her, her eyes glowing an even more marvelous red, Holding up two orange balls in both of her hands, Felix cackled manically, to the point of dropping her hood, revealing a face that had barely aged from the child she used to be. “She gets it! Take the other, and your home free! Threetwoone GO!” The orange balls clacked against one another loudly, bringing a momentary stunning for the two of them, whereas the old man fell on the floor, stunned altogether.

  Kanoa was the first to recover, he stood on his shaky hind legs, feeling their combined pain, yet a lethal adrenaline filled feeling coming from Lorna. Ready to fight as well, he dug his heels onto the floor. Feelings of regret immediately overtook him as he watched Lorna’s eyes light up with hope at a chance to strike. “W-wait! Lorna, don’t you get it!? She’s trickin’ us, She’s gonna-!” Before he could answer, a slew of ice knocked him upside the head, causing his mind to spin out of whack. Feelings of anxiety, and the desire to pray to the Phoenix filled his chest. Especially as he watched the smoke clouds from below spread all along MurrowsBrow. “Ooh! Strawberry boys taken a massive zinger to the noggin’, only one thing's gonna save him, and that’s usin’ his power and to stop being a pansy!!!” As he struggled to get back up, Lorna had already regained her strength. She quickly turned the ground from underneath Kanoa into ice, freezing his skin. “A-Agh!” He cried out miserably fighting against it, yet afraid to tear off his skin. He stared at the old man still holding his ears while yelling uproariously. Just then, with a thin yet flat ice object, Lorna quickly putted Kanoa’s body causing him to flip like a hockey puck. His pill case went flying, allowing her to obtain the orange pill , she quickly swallowed it with ease. “N-no…!” She shook her head,”I’m not doing this for myself Kanoa! I’m doing this for us!”

  Just then, before Kanoa could comprehend her words, Steps could be heard clambering upwards, suddenly a woman with short snow white hair and an all but familiar face, leered at Kanoa’s defeated expression, his brother and sister on both of her sides.

  Kanoa scanned Ave’s eyes for any warmth in her gaze, the same relief drawn on his own face onto hers, or even his siblings. Instead, the three glanced at him with stoic expressions, bringing on pure betrayal, and anxiety into his mind, the only face capable of saving him being his fathers, which was no where to be found, he struggled to muster a word, though when he finally did his voice stayed soft,”You guys… You found me…? H-how did you know? A-and mom… Why does… That pill has the same colors as-” “Kanoa! We’re here to help you! Quickly! Come here!” She yelled, dismissing Kanoa’s confusion. Once caught up in her now fully illuminated white eyes, Kanoa stood, though behind him Lorna’s voice rattled him to halt.“Kanoa I’m warnin’ you, go with her, and you’ll never feel the way you do again!” “F-feel the way I… What?!” “Not alone you idiot! Don’t you get it, they’re all against us, even your so-called family! Usin’ you to get what they want, just look at ‘er, the lady's hair is white!” Frightened by the connection, Kanoa lashed out, part of him dismissing Lorna, but mostly himself. “Y-you don’t- You don’t know anything! What do you know about my family!? You’re just tryin’ to absorb me and fly away!” Offended by his logic, Lorna raised her voice, offended,”Fly?! Away from you!? You idiot, I’m tryin’ to fly together! You obviously can’t do harm on your own- So let me! You won’t see humans for what they are, so let me do it for us!”

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  The closer she’d draw near, Ave would draw closer as well. Both Jessy and Sammy behind her, whose eyes were of a brilliant white, surrounded Kanoa. “Y-you make it sound like I can’t be my own person Lorn- It’s not-!” “But you and me are two halves of one whole in all of this! Kanoa and Kanoa, the chosen two, whatever! Agh! Why don’t you get it!? Did their memories mean nothing!? Deep down you felt it too- I know because you put these feelin’s in me, you did, not me!” Kanoa’s heart beat intensified, unable to discern the truth in that statement or not. The fires raged on from below, despite the intense cool air flooding the atmosphere, despite the overwhelming cold which loomed over him. Yet in defiance of Lorna’s influence, Jessy and Sammy with their small figures propelled themselves towards her, pulling onto her hair. “Ah! Dang snot nosed brats- getoffofme!” “And it appears a new challenger has entered the battle! Ms “Avery Jones” aka, the final pill! Or I guess I should call my old leader!” Felix cackled, teasing Kanoa as his worst fears were coming to light. “M-mom… You can’t be….!” Her eyes narrowed, looking away from Kanoa. As both of Ave’s children fought to force Lorna’s eyes to meet with hers, Lorna, tired of holding back, crudely pushed both children off while yelling. As the two eventually did make eye contact Ave’s mind controlled struggled, as the passionate red dominated her cool calm white. “Kanoa is gonna live the way he wants to, the way he really wants to! Whether he knows it or not!” “My son is going to change this world he has been made for this, he will fly when I say he should.”

  The two continued to argue, As they did, Ave’s children remained as mindless servants, fighting one another as Felix laughed, holding the pill teasingly. Caught in the middle of all of this, with a series of thoughts and emotions all sweltering within his head, not knowing which is his, unsure of who was more in the wrong, versus who was more in the right, yet also fearful for the lives from the place he would call home, finally Kanoa snapped, letting out a bone chilling yell, the floor from underneath him beginning to shake. From the base of his being he yelled,”Shut up! Just Shut up! You don’t know! None of you know! Just- Just! Shut UP!”

  His pupils turned white, as the clouds darkened around him. Everyone halted moving away from Kanoa as sparks of electricity shot from the ground paralyzing parts of bodies, such as their fingers, toes and even arms for a few moments. “Oh no-no!” Lorna, already aware of what was going on quickly retreated. “W-what is this!?” The old man, waking up from the loud vibrations, looked on at Kanoa, his expression not one of fear, yet concern. “Kanoa… Not here…!”

  —--

  “Y’know, your energy isn’t even from electricity at all It’s actually from particle stuff!” Kanoa paused. “Particle stuff? Like… uh…” He rubbed the temples of his head, thinking back to the homeschooling his Ave and Rey put him through. “E-electrons! Right?” She nodded along, not really knowing the word herself, but going along with”Exactly! Remember when you told me that Ms Friend said somethin’ about a shortcut? Well according to the old geezer, every lab has some sorta energy generator thingy, they even keep goin’ when there's nothin’ to power!” “Huh…” Kanoa stroked his chin, reflecting on her words,”But then that would mean that I get my energy from generators, wouldn’t it?” “N-no it’s… Geezer, explain it!” Still drawing the two dexteriously, he took his time to explain it slowly,”It’s… about electrons like you said… Some call them little sparks… You’re a sponge, Kanoa. A sponge that draws every kind of electron from any source your way… Even things that aren’t generators…” “Yeah… like those secret shortcuts we don’t know about…” She growled, still upset about it. “Scientists needed ways to get to this dump somehow… Old man says they made a bunch of tubes and stuff all through humanville or whatever.” Then he added,”But they won't stop moving y’see… Just up and down, up and down…” “Why?!” Kanoa asked, intrigued, causing him to straighten his back from his previously slumped posture, the old man sighed,”The technology of a few decades ago was sparse… Reconstruction is hard…. Meaning all through MurrowsBrow, there are more of these tubes, still moving up and down… Up and down, generating more and more electricity.” Kanoa’s eyes dazzled with amazement and wonder, Lorna smiled seeing him like this. “Yup! And you’ve been holdin’ in that energy forever, walkin’ all through that human infested town, which means—!”

  —-

  “Woohoo! Little Kanoa has got a last minute power up!!!” Felix roared with excitement, though this would quickly fade as Kanoa floated from the ground below, the mountain in which they were standed on continued to shake violently, behind it, the other half of the laboratory,completely snapped off, revealing just as Lorna and the old man had said, large tubes.

  However, this chaos extended even beyond the group of baffled spectators getting a front row seat to Kanoa’s full power. In MurrowsBrow, as things were starting to look hopeless, tubs ripped from the ground, like beetroot, groups which had been raiding the governor's office, royalty from above them which were ascending higher and higher onto the outer wall were all left frozen at the sight. Though as the chaos of these tubes carried on, with them flailing in the air, tracking up dirt, insects and other animals onto the streets of MurrowsBrow, saving the lives of some families who were struggling in the fire, as water for whatever reason, shot from the ground violently.

  Ave shouted to Kanoa at the top of her lungs,”Kanoa, you have to stop this! If you continue with this, there won’t be a world to change!” Despite her pleas, Kanoa, like the energy he’d harnessed, was a pure unbridled mess of power, though stuck in catatonic state. Lorna, still aware of everything Kanoa felt, felt tempted to hurl at the whiplash of her own feeling and his, the lack of aggressiveness, yet complete dedication in his heart to wipe everything away cleanly scared her from the kanoa she had already been losing a grip on.“I-it’s no use! You!” Lorna pointed to Felix. “Give me the pill, a little more energy and I can take ‘em!” Immediately she scoffed,”Aw man, no more fun!? Well whatever.” Obediently she handed Lorna the pill, but then pulled her in, her mouth hovering over her ear.”Just remember. Take him in and that big mess of a mind he’s got, you get it in return.” Lorna pulled away sharply, “I-I know that…!” she stuttered, still convincing herself. ”In the meantime I’ll hold the kid steady, leader give me a hand. For Avery’s sake, remember!?” She said, pointing behind a still incapacitated Avery standing on the rickety staircase, his pupils rolled back as his head hung up high. “R-right! Rey!”

  Quickly, she grabbed both of her children's hands, snapping them out of the spell she’d put them under. She stooped to her level, as Felix ran towards the lab to gain higher ground. “Listen- I need you two to snap your father out of it! He just needs to hear your voices, please!” She’d held them, desperately hoping to get through to their frazzled minds, but like the children they were, they bawled confused. “M-mom how did we-” “There’s no time! Your father is-!” Quickly, Lorna grabbed Ave by the collar, forcing her to look at her. “We don’t have time for this lady! I need you to get ready-! When he looks at you Kanoa’s head gets all funny- I remember that! Do it again, get in his head!” While looking up at Kanoa, who now stretched far above her, she for once, felt hesitant, scared of entering his mind. The dreams which had kept her awakened and fearful of being seen suddenly came through, although the eye of her children, and the sorry state she left Rey in compelled her to move. “You better help him- I’m holding you to that…!” With that, Ave grabbed the hands of Sammy and Jessy running back into the laboratory to gain higher ground.

  As the group began their battle against Kanoa, the old man, coming down from the pain of his damaged ear drums, looked down to Rey. His eyes widened, causing any groginess to cease instantaneously. Placing his hand over his mouth he said in disbelief, “Reyrey…!?”

  —--

  “H-huh?” Rey looked around the dark room, Felix standing before him with a clump of hair, though he could have sworn to have heard someone. Felix smiled at his cluelessness, approaching him predatorily.”I’m really liking the new wings there Aveeery where’d you get them? Off a dead guy?” She laughed, Avery winced at the image of professor Bohdi being burnt to a crisp, the blood on his hands- the pain of having to live with that guilt causing him to hold himself, kneeling over in the chair.“Please… please help me Felix…. I’m so sorry- I-I didn’t want any of this, I didn’t want people to get hurt!” Her grin faded. “I just wanted to stop being used! I just wanted… I don’t….” He paused, holding his head as the throbbing continued. Felix stood staring at him cautiously, though her concern seemed to come less from the potential threat he may’ve posed, but moreso from pity. “... It doesn’t matter anymore. You were close y’know? When I told you about the pain and torture they’d put us through you didn’t wanna believe me… Nobody did.” Avery shut his eyes tightly, holding onto his hair, scrambling through it. Hating the sight of pain, Feix grabbed both of his hands. “Quit it! You made us fight too late!” At that comment, his brain went numb, his eyes hollow. She then gently guided his hands down. “I was really trying to get you off your complacent rear and start motivating us into action… And you did… But with what Bohdi said to you, anybody would’ve.”She folded her arms, shaking her head. “See, the problem is, you’re not decisive. You came so far, smacked the sense in us to comply, but then you fell off, and now your little love interest wants me to help you out. You make me so mad! Just drop dead already!”

  Confused by why she must comply, Rey retaliated,”S-so you don’t like me, and you still did all this!? You got rid of all of them- they were messed up but their families…! And what about your own kind, huh!?” He lifted his head slightly, the shadow of his newfound wings making him nauseous. “They’re in a special place. Call it a timeout corner, for your sake. If anybody here actually made it back with us to one of our worlds, y’know your people would be totally extinct right? Like insta-killed, for real. The same goes for those labcoat wearing rats too… They keep poking around and everyone’ll get in more trouble, humans are the worst…” “But why!?” His voice erupted, this time Felix stood steady, now a bit used to seeing Rey lashing out.“Why? Why? Why me?! You did this for me!? You hurt people for me, even though I never asked- I don’t even deserve it… I hurt you guys so bad…” Felix looked down, her grinning ceased. “Yeah… Connie and Harris didn’t make it either… They… Weren’t on board with our plan, they had the same outlook as you.” “So then why…?” He repeatedly weakly, still not understanding. Felix sighed, kicking the bit of debris by her foot and stooping to Rey’s level.

  “Do I really have to spell it out for you? Is your brain a peanut?! I don’t like humans- I don’t even like my own people that much, but you’re… ugh.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Alright… It’d make me super mad if I just let these guys use you… Not after everything we just went through.” Coming to a better understanding of her train of thought, Rey paused taking it all in. He questioned further,”But… But what if I’m not worth it? I’m probably gonna be the same old me forever, livin’ without ever makin’ a choice, havin’ wings without flyin’... Then somebody else’ll use me… I’m hopeless, don’t you see!?” “Ugh!” She groaned, forcing Rey off of his seat.“H-hey!” “Just be quiet! Walk! ” As she forced him out of the room, trailing the now dark path towards Professor Bohdi’s room, Felix kicked down the door of the office revealing Ave bandaging a professor Bodhi, his yellow eyes as noticeable as ever.“Rey… You’re awake.” She said, teetering on whether to be happy or worried. “A-ave… Felix, why did you-””You said you don’t know if you’re worth it? Guess what? She knows you’re worth it cuz she sees in your heart or whatever!” Ave paused, surprised Felix revealed such a piece of information. The unconscious professor Bohdi slumped, his forehead slamming onto his desk from her lightened grasp of his shoulder.

  “What’re you talkin’ about now!? Ave only controls people's bodies!” She seethed in her frustration, yet holding it. “Her power- Don’t you know anything!? She can read humans, our kind, anything! That’s why she’s the boss- cuz when she does, she can see into the brain or soul, or whatever of anything! She’s basically overpowered….Broken…” “B-broken? That doesn’t sound broken to me at all… That’s….” He paused at a loss for words. “Whatever- But that means she sees you. And one day you’re gonna change, that’s why she believes in you, doesn’t she!?” She asked looking over to Ave, silently she shook her head. “It’s true… Rey, I… I like what I see.” He paused, still struggling to come to terms with these feelings. “… Anyway, stop saying you’re not worth it. We already decided you are, and we’re saving your sorry butt so you two can fly off or run- or whatever. Just don’t die!” The idea sounded nice to him. He could almost smile at the thought of being loved and loving someone else who saw him- someone who could accept him for the parts of himself which could ignore the need to understand others, and was capable of being anything but pure. Though underneath that, he also understood Ave’s flaws, her final declaration before knocking him unconscious- the lives these two were capable of destroying just for him. It was wrong no matter what, no matter how much he wanted to believe it. His head started to hurt once more.“I… I… I can’t ignore it…No matter what you think of me, I can’t ignore any of this! Even if you like me, you hurt so many people- how would you even know some of these people weren’t forced into all of this?! Kirby was Ms Skyler, her baby… They weren’t evil…!” “That’s it. I tried. Screw it!” She grumbled, snatching a piece of Avery's hair. “O-Ow!”She then left the room in a hurry. He rubbed his head, concernedly, then turned to the hallway of pictures Professor Bohdi had hung up of himself, then turned to Ave. “Even Bohdi… He was messed up in the head, and his victims deserve justice but… This is too much… I’m…I can’t take it…!” He squatted onto the ground, staring at the floor. Ave sat silently, considering her words, she spoke confidently,”The woman. Ms Skyler, we met her.”

  His gaze shifted upwards, curious about what she could possibly have to say next. “She was interesting. She looked like an ordinary human, but her insides were tied and conjoined like a ball of yarn… Something happened to her, maybe something similar to you, I’m unsure. My point is, she was one of the scientists forced to partake here.”“T-then there were more…” He said, covering his mouth in horror. “Probably, yes. Even though she knew that… But as we spoke, she said something very interesting… She said this. “Wipe everything away, clean it all like a whiteboard. I don’t care what happens to them, help advance the world for all of them.”” She looked off into space,” She only cares about science, she only sees people as variables… But I realized something really cute about her.”“C-cute?” He asked, his voice trembling slightly. “Like what?” “To her, it’s all for one, one for all. I never thought about it before, but giving everything to everyone always, believing you’re doing right by people… It feels nice. I’d like to do that…” She stooped down to his level, rubbing his cheek. He flinched wanting to pull away, but a part of him needed the affection. “But not just you. I want to give myself to a family… Like with the six of us. I want to hold you, and let you know every day will be alright, but I also want you to hold on to everything- to be the kind of person who makes extreme choices for the family’s good… I know you can be.” “No! You’re wrong, I can’t-! Maybe a lot of people can, but I just can’t.” He shut his eyes once again, forcing his face to the floor. “Just… Just go away…” Upset by this, once more she cupped his face this time more forcefully, for him to look at her. “Mm!” He resisted, but her eyes lulled him, her hair waded through the air peacefully and relaxed by the reflection of herself in his pupils. She then hugged him tightly, stroking his hair back into something similar to the slick back he had when they first met.”When I see the world through your eyes I realize how good I could be... How good you think I am- we are…You wouldn’t have been wrong to to see us as monsters when we first met- they all did… Because, reasonably speaking, we are. We control the elements, we don’t care about morality, and we can get… possessive over the people we love.” She said, stroking Rey’s hair intently. “But because you can see me that way, in spite of it all… Even now… “His eyes reflected the same child she always was to him, she smiled. "That's why… Even if you’re not proud of what I’ve done and what you've contributed to- I’ll be sure to let you live without having to look back at this… You deserve better.”He stayed silent for a while, until suddenly he began groaning, his eyes rolling to the back of his head as a red string appeared over his head, Felix re-entered the room, a conjoinment of both of their hair in her hand. “It’s done. As long as we give him a proper start this time, he should stick by your side for a while…. What’re you gonna do anyways boss? Where will you two live?” She paused, looking at Rey’s erect figure slowly coming back down. “I’ll pay a visit to that Ms Friend. Avery should return to his parents… Would you mind dropping him off for me?” She begrudgingly nodded,”You’ve lost your marbles… Taking his name, his life, controlling where he should or shouldn’t be… He’ll really never change at this rate!” She said, shaking her head, chuckling a bit.“Maybe. But I don’t mind. I only want Avery to be.”

  With that, Felix looked at Ave’s smile with a degree of jealousy, a jealousy she may’ve been wrestling with all this time.“Eh! Oh well.. I’ll never get it… For Avery’s sake then. For him to just be!”

  —

  Lorna kept Kanoa locked in a circle of ice, spikes launched at him from the encompassing force, yet for each ice bullet which tried to break through to him, the high voltage around him would cause the ice to shatter, causing Lorna to retreat briefly. Felix then tagged in for her, throwing a flurry of her orange balls at Kanoa. As predicted, the balls began to melt when shot through the electricity, however, just as planned, the mass of objects melded together, capturing Kanoa, bringing him down to Earth little by little. “Do it now boss! Put him under!” Letting go of Jessy and Sammy from a ledge, on the second floor of the lab, Ave leapt from the building, gabbing ahold of Kanoa. Although anticipating a huge voltage to seep through her body, the rubbery material melded around him saved her. She then held Kanoa by the face, staring into his eyes, only that there were no pupils to access into his mind. “Kids! Please!” She called out desperately. Already knowing what to do, both of them began calling out to Kanoa, mustering the best comments and memory joggers they had to offer, to appeal to Kanoa’s humanity at all. Though in response to this, the entire mountain side began to tilt, the tubes from behind the lab being the only thing holding both sides together.

  Lorna, Felix and the children all jerked back, their bodies flying towards the edge of the cliff, yelling. “No, No!” Ave yelled, frustrated in Kanoa but moreover herself. Running on pure desperation, she clutched onto her face tightly, “Why- Why won’t you listen to me!? You’re going to kill them Kanoa, wake up! Wake up and listen!” Instead of helping improve the situation, Ave panicked further as not only was Kanoa starting to rise, the heavy substance was beginning to melt. “WAKE UP! For the love of everything, please… I….!” Unable to do anything else, and with everyone presumably flung off the mountain, The only person able to help had only been the old man. But instead of heading towards Ave, he crawled back to the staircase, fearful for Rey’s safety. Once there, he fearfully stared at his dullening chestnut eyes and sunken face.”Reyrey… Reyrey…” He repeated to himself over and over again, pushing himself to get up. “Reyrey… Reyrey… I…” As he walked down the stairs,holding onto the railing to support himself on both sides, they immediately fell away as the wind roared against him, but he didn’t stop. “You never shoulda… I never shoulda…!” Rey could be plunged downwards similarly to the others, He grabbed him, and while holding him, he yelled,”I shoulda let you choose Reyrey! It’s my greatest mistake! My greatest shame!” Although not having any immediate effect, he continued, holding him against the staircase as the world below him, yet all around him began to fall apart. “I was wrong! I left you there thinkin’- believen’ that if I let who you are head to the back of my mind, and I chose a path for you, it’d all work! I believed in it!” He held on tighter, rocking him. “You were so smart… And not cuz you knew where to go, but cuz you knew yourself, you never hated yourself for it-! I made you question that, I put you in that terrible lab! A-and… Now…” He wiped his tears, some dripping onto Rey. “Look at you… A grown man with a family… You didn’t need me, never did… I’m sorry… I’m sorry I failed you as a father… I’m sorry I never let you go….” As he brought him closer, kissing him on the forehead while sobbing, a spark of electricity flew towards the pair. Although he’d attempt to evade the attack, Rey managed to take the blunt of it, causing his eyes to shoot open. “R-rey rey!?” He looked down at his boy, seemingly lifted from his spellbound curse, and yet he didn’t move, merely breathe, and when he attempted to speak, his words could not reach his father. “Dad?” He asked, immediately piecing together their shared beauty marks.

  Kanoa paused. The heat destroying the only safety net Ave had ceased. “...Huh?” He looked around, the pupils in his eyes still removed. “What are you doing here…?” the voice asked him, though Kanoa knew this voice, he’d been relieved to hear this voice for years. “D-dad…?” Ave looked at him puzzled, yet he continued. “Dad! Where are you!? Please, I wanna go home!” From below with his own father, Rey began crying tears of joy at hearing his son's voice. “Kanoa! I- I’m by the staircase I’m alright-! I can’t see you, and I don’t have a clue what's going on, but listen!” His voice swelled with so much emotion he had to pause. With a few quivering breaths, he continued,”I am… I am so sorry… For everythin’...!” Kanoa chuckled,”S-sorry!? I don’t know if you saw me before- But I- I’ve been makin’ a mess outta everythin’... I made a new friend, but we don’t get along. Ms Friend has been after me this whole time, tryin’ to use me as some solution for the world when I can’t even do anything! And… And… I still can’t even… Fly! I can’t even see the world around me, everythin’ is so dark! Please, help me!” A moment of silence sat between the two, Kanoa’s eyes poured tears. That combined with his thoughts left her conflicted. “Noa… You…. You know what I was doin’ at your age!?” Still sniffling, Kanoa begrudgingly asked,”W-what…? Bein’ a good son and staying out of trouble… I can’t even do that right these days…” “Nah! I actually… Didn’t do anythin’ close to that! When I was your age I got lost in some place, I had to take care of a group of… kids, my own age. I kept tellin’ myself if I kept obeying- If I kept playin’ nice everythin’ would be okay. I kept sayin’ that to myself no matter how bad things got! And you wanna guess what happened!?” Kanoa responded confidently,”...You… got outta there and it worked out.” “Course not! I was lied to! I was betrayed! My friends got killed, and it turns out… I just made things a lot worse by actin’ out later than sooner… Point is, when I was your age I wasn’t anywhere near as put together as you are!” “No way!” he adamantly denied,”You’re bein’ way too hard on yourself! Or you’re lyin’! If I was there I just know everythin’ would be bad too- I know-!” Rey then interrupted,”You wanna be a chef, don’t you?!” Kanoa quieted, surprised the thought was even remembered, let alone brought up,”Y-yeah…. I thought of it, why?” “You have dreams Noa! You have things you like, people you talk to! I was… Always alone. I only liked bein’ there for people. Comfortin’ them… That was my whole childhood, even after leavin’ that place! And… I never wanted to fly either.”

  The moment those words were uttered, Kanoa’s pupils rolled back down from his eyes, his body very slowly floating downwards as he stared beyond Ave, beyond everything with pure disbelief. “Flyin’... Was always super overrated to me. I thought it was a waste. I wanted to live under the roof of people I love, and keep lovin’ them like they loved me… But love isn’t the only thing that’s important… You need to understand yourself… I… I don’t think I did- Or I at least don’t anymore. I haven’t tried in a long time…” the vulnerability in his voice soothed Kanoa, yet spurred on by his own desire to comfort him, Rey continued,”Back then, and even today, everybody seems to know what they want except me… I’ve only ever wanted to be pleasant… In the end, I’m always guided, always swayed one way always- ""Always helpless…” Kanoa answered solemnly. They both smiled through the pain, relieved that the other understood. “Yeah. Yeah that… Kanoa… I don’t care if you never fly… You are so… amazing. Just how you are… Whether talkin’ to some forest critter, In Church, you prove to me just how amazing you are! You were all the things I wanted to be… Not shy, no slouch in the kitchen, and you… You’re a good brother- a better friend… Better than I ever was. I was scared I would ruin some parts of you by lettin’ you be a chef or… Anythin’ else except someone who could fly and be up there- that’s where I felt you belonged…Sometimes I still feel that way…” Kanoa winced, hurt by the confession. “But I don’t care what I thought! Wherever I go, I know your mother and I did a well enough job so you won’t be lost with who you are- You’ll choose which way to go! And… stead of someone else creatin’ the options you will make ‘em.”

  At that final answer Kanoa’s whirlwind of destruction finally calmed. Ave, still holding onto him, confused by what had just happened, now saw an opportunity to capture Kanoa’s attention, to still carry through the plan. “Kanoa… You’re back…” She pulled his eyes towards her. Though instead of petrifying him, or capturing his heart and mind in the palm of her hands, tears flooded her eyes as well as his, halting her altogether. Quickly she turned away, trying to suppress her weeping, only for it to become louder. As Kanoa stared off at his mother, a crowd of stargazers rose from the other side of the mountain, pulling up those who fell. Instinctually, from either his better judgement, or the newfound parts of him, Kanoa’s gaze shot upwards as he watched an orange and blue figure soar into the fly. “Lorn…A…” He extended his hand outward slowly, then he clutched onto the air.