I open my eyes open to see the huge hole in the roof.
Where am I?
Right... I'm at the warehouse... I'm at the warehouse! I shot up awake to see Aza and Apollo next to him both laid out on the floor asleep, both injured like me. I tried to stand but to his to any avail, I couldn't because of the pain in my leg.
"Guys, come on! We have to meet with Group B and leave Phronesis! We also have to destroy this " I said to a sleepy Aza and Apollo.
"5 more minutes," Apollo said as Aza shook her head in agreement."
"Alright fine, but Dion not going to be happy when we're late." I said starting to walk away waking Apollo and Aza not wanting to hear Dion bickering on how they should be better with their time management.
"Wait Z!" They both screamed helping a limping me destroy the place so they can get on their way. It took a while but then everyone met up with each other.
CHAPTER 16: Who?
"You guys! Over here!" Kingsley yelled to us making everyone turn to see each other.
"Koji!?" Our Group screamed out loud making Koji feel embarrassed.
"You're okay!" Aza said running towards him and hugging him.
"Yup! I'm perfectly fine now." Koji said smiling with bags under his eyes wanting sleep.
"I know, I'm just glad!" Aza said with a smile.
"Look like we won! With Oh my god Dion your arm!" Apollo said looking at a solo arm Dion.
"Please no more shocked reaction, yes it's gone for good. Good thing I can use one hand for my sword." Dion said pulling his hair back.
"D1 wouldn't be happy about that one!"
"He really wouldn't be."
"Well, I'm happy everyone is okay! I've never felt so accomplished before." I told to everyone cracking a smile because I was just so happy.
"Heh guess it's good to be alive now isn't it Z?" Apollo said messing with Z's hair.
That's when the fireworks started to go off they all climbed onto a roof, with Apollo helping all the heavily injured up.
"You know, It's really has been my year!" Apollo said smiling.
"I don't know how to feel, except I feel like nothing is holding me down," Z said
"Really? I feel the same! I feel like I'm not glued to the floor anymore" Kingsley said smiling
"You always have a silly metaphor for something huh?" Koji said to Kingsley flicking his arm.
"Wow glad to see everyone having a moment of reflection while I feel I took a step backward," Dion said looking only at the moon.
"Dion, be happy for once. We won and I don't know what it is. I feel... at peace." Aza said with a smile
"Same" Everyone said except for Dion
"Well, I guess do get to that pretty girl at the inn," Dion said putting on a smile.
"That's the spirit. A pervy one but still the spirit." Apollo said laughing
That's when they all started to just watch the stars and the fireworks dance along with the night. A moment of peace when there was so much noise, this was a moment they all craved. They joked and laughed the night away on that roof before eventually coming down.
"Wait do we have to do that long walk back?" Kingsley said making everyone's heart drop.
"No!" Everyone yelled in agony as they all started to walk in the direction back home, that's when Apollo had an idea.
"Z? Can we go to your grandma's house and sleep there?" Apollo asked Z
"You're right, my grandma's house is nearby. Let's go there, there's something I want to grab as well!" Z said starting to limp ahead of the group
"Z, when we get to your grandmother's I'm going to fix up that leg the best I can. Okay?" Kingsley said to him
"I'm fine, really just a little pain." Z said trying to laugh it off before seeing Kingsley's look on his face. "Nevermind, yeah I agree." Z said in a concerned voice.
"Here we are! My grandmother's house, make yourself comfortable." Z said looking at the house's current state. It felt like no one had lived there in years, like a sad empty tomb with no name.
"Sweet! Alright, I'm going to sleep." Koji said starting to go upstairs to find Z's bed.
"Koji, before you leave there's something I want you to check out." Z said making everyone interested, even Dion.
"I knew I like this Z guy ever since that meeting. Alright, what are you giving me?" Koji said
looking more awake since he figured out about Dion's arm.
"Z are you giving him, those?" Apollo said with a face of uncertainty but curiosity.
"I am, well I least I think you know." Z said before pulling out a box.
That's when Z opened the box, and Zoe filled the room. It was the most Z most of them had felt in a while. It exploded into the room like a perfume or some strong cologne, everyone sensed it. There was one black blade and one white blade.
"Where the hell did your grandma get those swords!? Apollo said with a face of shock.
"I don't know. She said it was my dad!" Z said confused by the ridiculous sense of power there was on them.
"Who was your dad?" Dion asked looking at Z
"I don't know!" Z said placing the box on the table.
"I was going to say, I would never give up my blades for someone else's. However, I broke my previous blades climbing out the deep ditch with two people on my back. Also, those blades, are the type of blades I'm looking for." Koji said with an evil smile.
Z then grabbed one of the blades to give to Koji but that's when Z started to float and his eyes went fully white. That's when Z's hair changed to white permanently, and Z put his foot on the ground and fell to the ground.
"What the hell was that? Are you okay?" Aza said dropping down to make sure Z was okay."I- I don't know. I feel like my body has been erased, it feels weird." Z said before starting to yawn and stretch.
"Well, hopefully, you like your new swords Koji." Z said calmly stretching
"Don't just make it seem like nothing happen!?" Everyone yelled at Z before they saw Koji pick up the black blade have the same effect and have his hair go black.
"I didn't want to go black yet," Koji said looking at the case before pulling out the sword.
Everyone was mid yell about how they should take it more seriously but got too interested in the blade itself, just to reveal a normal black blade. That's when Z opened his case to reveal a normal white blade. Everyone stopped breathing waiting for something to happen. They all just stood there and the air was thick, but also thin. That's when nothing happened.
"That's it!?" Everyone yelled at the top of their lungs.
"Yeah, I think so," Z said confused inspecting the blade and seeing if he missed anything before putting it into the case. "Well here," Z said handing it over to Koji.
"Woah," Koji said once he grabbed the other blade.
"What?" Kingsley said curiously.
"I feel weird when this blade is in my hand. I feel oddly complete in a way." Koji said looking down at the blades before putting them in his sword holders.
"Well it's been a long night, I'm going to sleep," Koji said, walking up the steps.
"He's got a point we should discover and discuss more tomorrow," Dion said lying down on the couch.
"Alright night everyone!" Z said quietly trying to not get fixed up but that's when Kingsley grabbed Z put his leg on the table and started to get to work.
"Z, your bed is huge!" That is all they heard from upstairs from a surprised Koji.
"Z, I want to ask. Can I sleep in your grandmother's bed? I know she was important to you and I didn't want to just sleep on the bed." Aza said trying to hide her embarrassment from asking.
"Of course! My grandma said to always help others like you guys, and she slapped me right now if I said nO-" Z said as Kingsley pulled on a stitch hard making Z have a high-pitched voice for a second.
"Thanks, I just wanted to make sure. I'm going to head to bed now alright?" Aza said stretching and starting to walk up the stairs."Alright good night!"
"Good night."
"Move your legs, drunk," Apollo said to Dion
"Move your legs, dog," Dion said to Apollo
That's when they went to bickering among each other for some time.
"Ignore those two, their idiots," Kingsley said looking at them with shame.
"Hey Kingsley, I have something to tell you." Z said looking down and having a more serious tone.
"I don't like guys, sorry Z," Kingsley said assuming that's what Z. was going to say.
" That's not it! Look, I saw Will today." Z said making Kingsley stop his medical work and
"Was he at your warehouse?" Kingsley with anger going through his voice.
"He was, and I had to fight him. I won obviously but that's not what I'm trying to say." Z said
looking down not trying to face Kingsley in the eyes
"Well, you got payback for us, right?" Kingsley said trying to not seem like he was losing his cool.
"I did but it's weird because I feel... Bad." Z said knowing Kingsley would be upset.
"What," Kingsley said in a tone Z hadn't heard from Kingsley before, it was assertive and full of emotion.
"I do. He didn't want to do the things he did, I don't fully forgive him but whatever happened to him caused our lives to hell. Unless he made up such a twisted lie, I don't think he was in control of his life once." Z said finally looking at Kingsley and seeing his anger.
"I. I don't know how to feel about that, I trust you because I have no reason to. But at the same time, I'm not forgiving so fast. You're telling me that just because his life was shit, he had to make ours too? You're telling me if he hadn't had control of his body and mind and someone else wanted to make fun of kids?" Kingsley said with less anger in his voice, trying to mask his emotion.
"I know nothing makes sense, but his eyes it's all I can think about. I didn't beat him in that fight, he killed himself." Z said in a low voice.
"Well, I'm still not convinced until further evidence, now can we please stop talking about this and get some sleep since I finished a temporary heal on your leg!?" Kingsley said seething from anger.
"Sorry, but seriously sleep," Kingsley said realizing how angry he got with Z.
"Yeah, sleep." With that Z went to the chair his grandma also used to read her music on, rocking it back and forth.
Kingsley went to Z's room and slept next to the bed on the floor.
"Kingsley, you can sleep on the bed while I'm on it, you know?" Koji said out of nowhere scaring Kingsley.
"I- I know I just like the floor," Kingsley said looking at the wall of Z's room.
"You're not facing me and I know you're lying. Your parents aren't here to make you feel insecure anymore and if they even did. We're right here, and we'll always be here." Koji said to Kingsley who was scared out of his mind before suddenly starting to feel some wave of reassurance.
"You promise?" Kingsley said holding out his finger.
"I promise," Koji said twisting his pinkie around a Kingsley and then stamping it.
That's when Kingsley went onto the huge bed, and they both went to sleep that night, Kingsley finally slept in the same bed with someone for the first time in his life.
"Morning sleepy heads we have to get going," Dion said to Kingsley and Koji who had fallen into a deep sleep on Z's comfortable bed.
"Five more minutes." They both said pushing the blankets towards their neck.
"Does it look like we have time for five more minutes! You two have to be another type of stupid, seriously!" Dion said and continued to keep bickering with them forcing them to get up.
"Wow, that worked. Z that was genius they got straight up." Dion said looking at an evil smirk Z.
"You're welcome." Z said with an evil grin on his face knowing what crime he committed.
Later that morning everyone was at the dinner table and Dion and Apollo made everyone food. Everyone was laughing and smiling and joking with each other around the table. It felt like they were all some chaotic family having breakfast together, it's moments like these everyone came to appreciate.
"Everyone ready to go?" Apollo said has everyone grabbed their stuff and was getting ready to leave."
Everyone agreed and was starting to walk out, this was truly the last time coming to Phronesis, ever.
"Wait!" Z said running back to grab the sheet of music of Stravinsky Septet his grandmother kept and put it on her bed. Z then started to pray at the edge of her bed.
Before Z left he looked around his grandma's room and smiled as the memories flooded back in and started to overlap. Z smiled and had tears rolling down his eyes and he wiped them away. "Thanks for letting Aza sleep her as well, she is a good person and I know you wouldn't want her on the floor. Z said as he turned around to leave closing the door but then it opened.
That's when the room had a light inside, a light that felt like looking at a soul."Bye, grandma!" Z said walking away from the door before feeling something push him, he turned around and no one was there.
"I get it, I'm leaving now. Thank you for everything you've done for me. Thank you, thank you." Z said with one last tear escaping his eye as he wiped his tear and started to run outside leaving his grandma's door open and full of light. Z then caught up to everyone as they started their walk back home.
"Welcome to Ra- You're arm!" The girl behind the counter said to Dion walking up to him and seeing if he was okay.
"This? This is nothing, It's not my thrust hand if that's what you're concerned about." Dion said in a sexy voice making her blush.
"Yeah, can we get our rooms? Give me one that's far away from one arm over there as well."
Apollo said before grabbing the key the lady behind the counter dangled in the sky.
"You get free! However, I wouldn't mind some dinner and some relaxation from this tiring job." The girl behind the counter said looking at Apollo's eyes.
"Ti fotterò per bene" Dion said making the girl blush.
"Va bene papà!" The girl said
"Conosci l'italiano?" Dion said afterwards
"Aspettavo qualcuno come te," The girl said with a wink.
"Alright kids, you three guys figure something out and If Aza wants her own room she gets it, got it?" Dion said still looking at the girl's eyes.
That's when Dion turned around and saw them all gone.
"Oh, they already got their keys?" Dion said
"Yup, it's just us!"
With that Dion had a wonderful night. It was now morning and everyone got ready to finally go home.
"I'll be back Rachel!" Dion said to the woman finally getting her name.
"You better~," She said waving him bye as everyone else was walking out. "Wait for me!" Dion said running to catch up to everyone.
The walk back was long and just as tiring as before. Kingsley and Z's questions weren't helping either.
"Isn't word weird? Like when someone says stop making those random noises, doesn't that mean they made random noises by speaking. Or when someone says they don't like noise but they continue to talk, isn't that weird?" Kingsley asked Z has Z was thinking hard about it.
"How about this, food. How did humans know to eat food." Z said leaving Kingsley complexed. This was how it was all the way back to H.Q
"Finally we're back!" Aza said with relief, happy she didn't have to hear those stupid questions anymore.
They walked in and Apollo turn his double key into the lock and opened the elevator door only to see the elevator wasn't there. They pushed the button to call it up but nothing was working.
"Elevator broken," Apollo said as everyone sighed.
"Alfie couldn't pay for an electric bill," Apollo said shaking his head
"Let's climb down," Dion said jumping on the ropes and starting to go down.
"Let's not that's so stup-" Aza tried to say before she turned to her side and saw everyone climbing down.
"A new girl pal. God that's all I ask for." Aza said before jumping and following them.
Once they got down they saw the agency destroyed. Broken wires and smoke in certain areas. They all ran around trying to find the members but they couldn't find anyone.
"Everyone split into groups of two," Dion said as everyone found a buddy and left
Z went with Aza and they walked into the kitchen and they heard a noise, a loud banging noise. It was coming from the freezer.
"Wait, it could be a trap." Aza looking at Z
"It's fine, you're strong enough to protect me right?" Z said looking at Aza who smiled.
"Of course I am, open the door!"
Z then broke down the door and someone fell through
"Don't move or we'll kill you, she crazy!" Z said putting his hands in an offensive way
"It's me, Pete!" Pete said freezing.
"I'll warn everyone you help the man," Aza said walking out the room.
"Don't worry about me, you guys need to recover and get going. They took him, and everyone else died trying to save him. They locked me in this freezer and-."
"Slow down, who took who?" Z said to Pete trying to get information from the freezing, terrified man. That's when everyone walked in and heard Pete's next line.
"They took Alfred!" Pete said and everyone went silent that's when Apollo went up to Pete with fire behind his eyes and asked one question.
"Who?"
...
"Look at you. You're broken. I'll fix you. Our love, was something I'll remember."
END OF PHRONESIS ARC
TO BE CONTINUED...