Two weeks had passed since the sons of the red moon were defeated. Edward had become an official member of the black rat gang after a little bit of convincing from Rufus. It was a beginning of a new era
~~
Edward, Haley, and Rufus leaped from the window of a posh building, defying gravity and soaring through the air. As they tumbled mid-air, Edward screamed at Haley, "Why the hell are you joining us, Haley?!"
Haley hollered back, "Someone has to keep an eye on you! And while we're at it, why is Rufus even here, helping you during this heist?!"
Edward replied nonchalantly, "Oh, I asked him."
They landed on the rooftop of the building below, only to find that soldiers had been alerted and were now hot on their trail. The chase was on.
"Why can't Rufus and I just take care of those soldiers? It'd be faster that way," Edward suggested.
Haley snapped, "No! That'll cause a scene. We don't want people to know that there are two people with divine powers working as criminals. They'd send some other people with divine power to come after us."
The trio bolted off the rooftop and onto the bustling streets below. "You worry too much," Edward chided Haley, flashing a cocky grin. "Rufus and I can handle anyone who comes to stop us, right buddy?"
Rufus panted and pointed frantically behind him, "Yeah, sure. But guys, we need to pick up the pace. They're gaining on us. They're now chasing us on horseback!"
The sound of galloping hooves grew louder as four horsemen wielding lances closed in on them. They ran all around Jacobstadt, dodging and weaving to evade their pursuers. Finally, they were able to lose the guards and catch their breath while hiding from the soldiers.
"What was so important that you had to steal it?" Haley demanded.
Edward withdrew a sword, the same kind Rufus had destroyed in their last fight. It was a magnificent weapon, as long as Edward was tall, with a wide blade and a large hilt and guard. "This sword," Edward replied, gazing at it intently.
"That was the reason? For a damn sword! Why the hell?" Haley was incredulous.
Edward explained, "My divine powers are for swordsmanship. I need a certain kind of sword to fight with my old style of combat. I learned this style from someone, and this sword is exactly what I need."
"Why steal it, though?" Haley pressed on. "You could've just bought one. We wouldn't have to risk ourselves like this."
Edward shook his head, "No, I needed this exact sword. It holds much more promise than my last one. Look how well-made it is. I wouldn't be surprised if it was built by Ilmarinen himself and brought here from his own world."
"Ilmarinen?" Rufus asked curiously.
"He's the greatest craftsman of weapons and tools," Edward explained. "He can bend the fires of his furnace to his will and craft the most amazing items. He apparently lives on a moon world very close to Asgard. All gods beg to meet him so he can craft them all kinds of objects."
Haley and Rufus looked at each other in confusion. "Asgard? Moon world? What's that?" they asked in unison.
Edward sighed, "You two don't know the basics, do you? A world like ours is just called a world, but some worlds have moon worlds nearby them. They're technically part of the world and technically not. The Green Solo World, for example, is a moon world that's both part of and not part of our world."
"It's like an island in space close to the actual world," Edward added, sensing their confusion.
"Wow the old man knows a lot," said Haley.
"I'm only nineteen, you idiot. One year older than Rufus!" yelled Edward back at Haley.
~~
As the night settled in, Rufus, Haley, and Edward made their way to the black rat gang's official gathering place: old man Haufen's bar. It was a dimly lit, smoke-filled place that smelled of stale beer and sweat. As they entered, the members of the gang all bowed down and yelled, "Good evening, Boss!" Rufus waved back with a hint of disbelief in his expression. It was still a surreal feeling to be addressed as the leader of the black rat gang.
The gang had set up the tables in a U shape, and Rufus was placed at the head of the tables, with Haley and Edward sitting on either side of him. The tables were overflowing with food and drinks, and Rufus had never seen so much of it in his life. As they settled down, Leif stood up from his chair, holding a glass in his hand.
"Krhmhmhm," he cleared his throat. "Only a few months ago, we got ourselves a new leader. That turned out to be one hell of a person. Then a little while ago, we all found courage in ourselves. Some of us remember being pushed around by the other gangs because we didn't know how to fight. But things are different now. We have grown exponentially, and we have new members in our midst. We now control almost all the trading posts and warehouses, and we dominate the markets and forums in this city. We have been reborn!"
Cheers and applause erupted from all around the tables. Rufus looked around, and among the members, he recognized some old faces of the disbanded sons of the red moon gang. They had joined the black rat gang, and it had turned out to be a wise decision.
Leif continued, "Now, let us give a big round of applause to the new executives of our gang. First, we have our newest member, Edward! He has divine power and is our number one guy to turn to when things get tough. Next, we have Lady Haley, the sister of our boss. With her management, we have been able to cut back on our losses and achieve larger profits. And last but certainly not least, we have our BOSSSSSSSS! RUUUUFFFUUUUUS!"
The noise grew even louder as the members cheered and clapped for their leader.
As the celebration continued, Rufus asked Haley, "What are we celebrating again?"
"You don't remember. It's your birthday, well technically not your birthday, but on this day, Harley met you on the streets. Since you didn't know when your birthday was, Harley decided to make this day your birthday. Harley always remembered it, but never had any money to buy you anything or celebrate it in any way," Haley explained with a smile.
Rufus felt immense happiness with the only thing missing was Harley. He wished she could have been there with them.
~~
The raucous party had raged on until the wee hours of the morning, with revelers sprawled out on the floor in various states of inebriation. However, two figures remained awake: Haley and Rufus. Seeking a breath of fresh air, Rufus had ventured outside, and Haley had followed him into the cool night air.
"You know, people don't just get a party for their birthday; they also receive presents," Haley said, thrusting a small package into Rufus's hands.
Rufus, surprised by the unexpected gift, gingerly unwrapped the paper to reveal a brand-new set of clothes: a navy blue jacket, dark green pants, and sturdy brown boots. Compared to his tattered, worn-out outfit, the new clothes felt like a luxury.
"Thank you, Haley. I appreciate it," Rufus said, his voice laced with gratitude.
"So, what do you think about our new life as gang bosses? It might not be entirely moral, but at least we're not starving. Do you think Harley would be proud of us if she saw us now?" Haley asked, her tone contemplative.
Rufus furrowed his brow, considering her question carefully. "I don't know. We've struggled our entire lives just to get by. Even though some of our actions could be seen as questionable, we mostly focus on those who deserve it, I guess."
"Have I ever told you, Rufus, that Harley and I might not be from this world?" Haley said suddenly, catching Rufus off guard.
Rufus was at a loss for words.
"When Edward was talking about different worlds earlier, it reminded me of the stories Harley used to tell me when I was a child. She said our mother had left us and put us on a ship to escape the moon. I didn't understand what she meant at the time, but now I'm starting to wonder. Maybe I'm just looking for an excuse to leave this dump," Haley said with a wistful smile.
"What do you mean, leave?" Rufus asked, confused.
"You know, leave. Like, explore all of Aesis and beyond. Get on one of those flying ships we see soaring across the sky and see everything the universe has to offer," Haley said, gazing up at the stars overhead.
"What about you, Rufus? What do you want to do?" Haley asked, turning to face him.
Rufus looked down at his hands, lost in thought. "I don't know. I've always done what I've been told, so I've never really had any dreams, I guess. Honestly, I just want to make sure everyone is okay- you, Edward, old man Haufen, Mrs. Jean, Leif, and all the others. I've never had so many people in my life that I care about. It's overwhelming. Maybe once I've made sure everyone is okay, I'll join you on an adventure through the universe."
Haley grinned, teasingly jabbing Rufus in the shoulder. "Wow, you're a real pushover. You'll conquer the entire world of Aesis just so you can take care of everyone. It'll be one hell of a journey for you."
"Oh shut up sis," laughed and slightly punched Haley on his shoulder.
"Hey, that hurt, you asshole," yelled Haley at Rufus.
"I barely touched you,"
"But still it hurt," said Haley and showed her tongue.
"Okey, Okey…. I'm sorry. Happy?" said Rufus.
Haley smiled and then said, "Yes, but you have to give me as good of a birthday party to me when it's my birthday."
Rufus was silent and was avoiding eye contact with Haley.
Haley asked," You do know when's my birthday...?"