Stardust City Centre, Luminata City - November 15, 2035
🎵: Miami Nights 1984 - New Tomorrow
Friends, families, and lovers, all around… Blissfully unaware of the plans that the mafia have for this city. Sol returned to the Stardust City Centre to try and intercept them, but it seems they haven't acted on this part of downtown yet.
"Could it be that Frankie guy lied?" Rain wondered.
"Not too late to go back and stomp his face in… ugh!!" Sol replied. "I wasn't imagining that he said the Stardust and Link-N Square."
Sake interjects, "He did, but he also mentioned many other districts. You merely fixated on those two." He thinks about it as Sol grumbles at that fact. "Whatever the case, you may have gotten there ahead of the operation. They could be waiting to make their move once the crowds have gone… They may be among them already."
Sol looks around at the crowds with stern precision. Everyone looks just as they usually do, locals and tourists alike, but that could just be a facade. The preppy girl store isn't blowing up his eardrums like they usually do. The sports bar upstairs could be the easiest place to do some bootlegging. Granted, Prohibition ended well over a century ago. His muscle memory leads him back over to his favorite anime store where the owner notices him enter.
"Hey, Sol. How the hell are ya?"
"Never better, Double-A. Never better.", Sol responds, remaining vigilant.
He mindlessly walks over to a stand and picks up a figure while scanning around. Even those he knows like AA could be puppets of the Canelli. He can't afford to be careless.
"Uhhh, you gonna buy that?"
"Oh, no! Just brow-" Sol looks down at what he has in his hands, "What the, a Funko Pop? Aren't these illegal now?"
"Not if you keep your mouth shut.", AA asserted.
Sol takes a step back, slightly horrified. "Are you bootlegging, AA?"
The owner of the store is unamused, "Get out, Sol. We're about to close."
"Uh, fine." He strolls back out of the store, making a light "I'm watching you" gesture. "I'm invited to your birthday bash at the park, right?"
"You're still too young, buddy. See you later."
Sol turns back out of the store and continues to scan around for any mob activity. They still appear to be well hidden, so he proceeds up to the sports bar based on his suspicions.
Rain gives him an alert, "Wait a minute, Sol. I'm getting some activity picking up heading south towards Link-N Square."
"Perfect! I have a route going that way."
"You'll have to take a detour on this one. We have Canelli goons raiding the Artehome."
"No, not the art gallery! Those guido bastards!", Sol yelled passionately.
He quickly makes his descent from the City Centre and takes to the street. He rushes in the direction of the art gallery, only two blocks away. As he reaches the correct street, a crowd of people begins running away from the direction. Gunshots and screams are heard. This only pushes Sol to move quickly.
Just in front of the Artehome, a group of mafiosos are scaring off the remainder of the public from the area. Another set of bullies harassing innocent people for their own goals. Sol is deadset on giving them theirs just like the NYTEMARE.
Master Solar intervenes, "Let it go, Sol. It doesn't look like they're targeting the people here. Get inside right over them and deal with their buddies inside."
Sol reluctantly does what he says. He remains out of view on the street poles while the group maintains their focus on those on the ground level. He climbs around the uncanny architecture leading into the archway entrance of the gallery.
The Artehome is the most famous contemporary art gallery in all of the Luminata States. The work housed here showcases the greatest of great made now in the 21st century. It remains iconic for the themes that it incorporates to keep it all fresh. This year's theme is a throwback to the Prohibition from a century ago.
Just past the entrance desk and ticket booths is the hallway leading into the rest of the great art gallery. This hallway remains separate from the stated themes. It serves as the hall of fame for past greats that were too good to remove. Sol and Luna frequently went on field trips to this place in their art classes.
The Artehome, Luminata City - April 11, 2031 [Flashback]
"Happy Birthday to me! I love this place.", exclaimed a young Luna, just a day shy of her 13th birthday.
"Early birthday… and you seriously like this dump? Who cares about art exhibits when I can just draw at home?", an already 13-year-old Sol responded.
"Oh come on, don't be so uncultured. Art speaks to the soul and feeds the mind through the silent language of beauty. I look at the aesthetics of this city and only gain inspiration."
"Wow, you come up with that yourself?"
"Could be paraphrasing someone else, but not the point. Give it a chance! You might find a new appreciation with this year's space theme.", Luna said with a smile.
"Yeah alright.", Sol said as the two kept walking behind their group through the hall.
[Present Day]
Sol strolls through the empty hallway lit similarly to the Solar Dojo's vault. He walks past "The Final Frontier" painting from that exact art exhibit 4 years prior. On his other side, he notices a lenticular art pop piece of comic book sound effect bubbles familiar to him. As he keeps walking, 'BANG!' changes to 'POW!' which subsequently changes to 'WHAM!' and so on.
"You were right. I do love this place.", Sol mutters to himself, speaking to Luna.
"What's that?", Rain asked.
"Oh, uh, nothing."
Sol walks through two doors at the end of the hallway and it is as though he crossed a time portal into the 1930's. The walls of the gallery are decorated with old brick, while the floors look worn and marked by circles on the ground. This was meant to simulate the feeling of being inside a bootlegger's warehouse, the marks on the floors being made by heavy alcohol barrels.
This was highly characteristic of the Artehome. Each year, the art gallery changes to a new theme where the entire building is renovated to be on-brand with said theme. A variety of artwork such as paintings, sculptures, and photographs are spread around, immersing visitors in the Prohibition era.
Sol runs into his mafioso opponents in the gallery's main hall. He watches as all the goons try to remove some of the artwork they think wouldn't work in their new "stronghold". This part is quite curious as the General called the dojo a stronghold as well. Aside from the fitting theme for these mafiosos, what exactly would be the need for this place to be a stronghold?
"LEAVE THIS WORK ALONE!" shouted Sol as he took the Canelli goons head-on.
"What the? Blast this brat!"
The goons turn their attention to him, which causes a slight issue for the young hero. The majority of the thugs are armed with their Jimmy guns, unloading the round drum magazines at him. Still, he has his own arsenal of weapons, his light bolts to turn this into a straight-up firefight.
Sol fights his way into the art gallery's large atrium which spans another story. From the hall to the atrium, the interior design transitions from a bootlegger warehouse to a large speakeasy, keeping in line with the Prohibition theme. This one doesn't take on the run-down, abandoned appearance of the speakeasy back in Noirata, however. It looks just as well as one ran in its prime.
One great feature of this art gallery is the colossal art piece that stands at the other end of the atrium. This year's piece is a simple one, but still quite impressive… a pyramid made up of alcohol barrels. The biggest eyesore here, however, is the large group of Canelli goons scattered throughout the room. All are on alert, but Sol has the element of surprise again since they didn't see him move in.
Rain chimes in, "Better play this one smart, Sol. They have more power positions than you here."
"No problem. I'll make these bozos scared of the light instead of the dark.", Sol joked.
On the second floor, a goon lights a cigarette while peering over the railing. Suddenly, a kid springs up to the railing, snatches it from his startled lip, and puts it out with a simple squeeze.
"Didn't you read the signs?" Sol pulls the goon over the ledge, sending him crashing into one of the decoration tables. "No smoking indoors. It's a house rule."
Some others hear the noise and rush over to see what happened. Sol uses the tables and chandeliers set up to sneak up on the second-level patrols. Upon reaching the last one, he tries to do another stealth takedown, but he fails to notice that this particular goon has abysmal trigger discipline. The goon unloads his Jimmy gun in the air. The shots impact the ceiling, causing the fixture to fall slightly out of the ceiling.
"THERE HE IS!! HE'S GOT TONY!"
"Damn it, Tony. You really need a firearms class.", Sol annoyingly said.
 The Canelli goons fire relentlessly at him, nearly hitting both their target and their buddy, Tony. The latter tries to break free, but the former knocks him out with a head smack on the floor.
"Up on the pyramid! Rain fire on the little shit!"
Sol is unsure about what they mean until he's nearly hit by shots coming from up high and center. The goons are using the barrel pyramid to gain some high ground on him. Sol rushes to cover but quickly realizes that the heat is tearing through the pillars he's hiding behind.
"Think! Think!", Sol yelled at himself. He looks at the exposed fixture above, then the speakeasy bar set up in the middle of the room. A wild idea crosses his mind, "Mr. or Ms. Artist, you are going to hate me."
The second the storm of fire stops for a reload, Sol leaps back down to the first floor, taking the impact well. He makes a run for the bar as the pyramid goons hurry to shoot at him again. It isn't long before he's doing another firestorm. Now, he believes himself to be in a much better position.
"Light still wins, morons!" Sol said before lobbing a UV Bomb right at the exposed fixture.
The bomb explodes at the right moment causing the wire harness to break finally. The chandelier falls with the broken fixture like a pendulum. The mafiosos were too busy firing at Sol to realize the wrecking ball of doom heading straight for them. The impact bulldozes through the pyramid, sending barrels and… goons flying in all directions.
Sol breathes a sigh of relief that it's all over, but he hopes that move didn't kill anyone. His worry turns to curiosity as he spots a familiar-looking figure built into the fountain of the center bar. The raven is a dead giveaway, the Zone Shrine is right here in the open. He looks at the map knowing that the Stardust is a marked spot and confirms his luck.
"Huh, what are the odds?" Sol gleefully points out.
He holds up the Specteract and activates the statue. The water in the fountain drains, revealing a new portal opening. It seems as though the size of the gateways varies greatly.
Sol sarcastically complains, "Nooo, I really wanted to take a swim."
He dives in much like a professional swimmer going for a trial run. Well, HIS trial run… for the next Spectre gem.
————————————— Continued in Negative Chapter 7 ————————————
The Artehome, Luminata City - November 15, 2035
Sol lands like a superhero back in the art gallery, but he doesn't fold this time because of his energy loss. He folds when he sees all of the police crowding the room around him. They must have pushed through the mafiosos camped outside and breezed through thanks to him. He thinks it a good idea to link up with the police here and inform them that he took care of these guys.
"Sol! Do not reveal yourself. They will arrest you too!" Solar warned. "Great work on retrieving the gem. Get out of there and head down towards Link-N Square Park."
"What do you mean? I saved the Quartz precinct. I'm a friend to the pol-"
"FREEZE! Let me see your hands!" yelled an officer who noticed him with perfect timing. "What are you doing here?"
The officer has his weapon pointed directly at him. Others who aren't otherwise occupied arresting Canelli goons immediately follow suit. Sol sees exactly what Master Solar was just telling him, but still thinks he could appeal to them.
"It's okay, officer. I'm on your side. It was me who took care of these guys."
"Bullshit! Come out from behind the bars slowly and with your hands up."
"What did I tell you, son.", Solar said disappointingly.
Sol turns around towards the officer and quickly darts his eyes around to find a way out. As tough as it is to see the artwork he's wrecked, it presents an opportunity to make a quick escape as it also shattered the window behind it. He glances around at the other officers to gauge his chances of running out cleanly.
"Stop looking around and do as you were told!"
"No, I don't think I will.", Sol replied with a smile.
He flashes a bright light to temporarily blind everyone, opening the window for him to rush towards the fallen pyramid. The officer who initially caught him fired his taser blindly, hitting one of his colleagues accidentally. Sol, meanwhile, hops the barrels in his path swiftly straight out the Artehome window.
Link-N Square Park, Luminata City
The long stretch of the Park in Link-N Square is practically empty as the final hour of the day counts down. One of the remaining joggers stops his run at a bench, facing the shops across the street. It's a familiar local to the area, Seth.
He stops for a break after running his exclusive parkour route. Usually, a runner will take a drink of water to hydrate themselves after intense exercise. Not Seth… He pulls out a canteen from his pocket and takes a big swig. It's known only to him what's inside, but it's surely not water.
"Another lackluster night… by myself.", Seth miserably said to himself.
He raises his canteen again to take another drink when he sees something crazy across the street. A rather large squad of mafiosos move in on the line of shops, specifically the jewelry store dead center in front of him. Seth's not sure if he's drunk and seeing things or if this is actually real. He stumbles backward over the bench to hide behind it.
As if things couldn't be more of an alcoholic trance, a blurry glowing figure emerges from the adjacent block to rain on the parade of the mafiosos. Seth watches as the figure engages with the entire group in the jewelry store on their own like some kind of martial artist in a seventies movie. Mafia goons are hit with glowing orbs and sent crashing through windows. The glowing guy seems to be barely breaking a sweat.
It isn't over yet as the goons in the other store converge on the jewelry store to present more of a challenge to the glowing figure. They aren't. After launching the last goon through the front door, the figure strolls out of the store, and now in focus, he can be clearly seen.
"Son of a bitch… It's that kid, Sol, again.", Seth pointed out angrily.
Sol notices someone hiding behind the bench and goes over to give them the all-clear, "It's okay, citizen. Have no fear, I- Seth?" The latter emerges and he changes his tune, "It is you. What are you doing here? Meeting another young girl?"
The 28-year-old goes on the defense, "What the? Don't even go there, you little shit. What are you even doing? You just ran in there and bodied a whole squad of goons. How did you-"
"Long story… turns out I have powers, but anyway, I should be questioning you as to whether you had anything to do with what happened.", Sol interrupted. "Luna has been kidnapped and I wonder if you were trying to lure her the whole time."
"Woah, woah! Chill out. I ended up in a trash can…"
"Where you belong."
"Ugh… I was attacked too. What about you, huh? If you're so cool, how did you let her get taken?"
Sol sees his point and agrees. He pats the guy on the back to retract his antagonistic statements. It's obvious that Seth is just a moron down on his luck. Kicking him while he's down accomplishes nothing towards rescuing Luna.
"Whatever the case, get out of here and get to safety. I'll handle these mafia goons.", Sol ordered calmly.
"But you already beat them all up."
"There's more over by the arena. The Canelli crime family and maybe others are on the move throughout the city. You don't want to get caught up in all of this."
"These bastards are trying to take the Garden? No way in hell am I gonna sit back and let that happen."
"What? Yes, you will. You're gonna get killed if you join me."
"No, I want to do something right for once. Kid, I may be the peak specimen of the male form, but I'm lonely and have nothing else going for me. If I could even help you stop these mafia jerks, then I did just that… Besides, you owe me."
"I'm not the reason you ended up in the dumpster. But alright, you can be a lookout or something."
"Cool, I brought some infrared binoculars. I got your back."
Sol looks at him, nonverbally conveying that this doesn't help his case, but he lacks any more time to question it. The two rush through the rest of the park until they reach Garden St. Across the street stands the world-famous venue, Link-N Square Garden. The host of numerous events from concerts to MMA fights, but mainly serves as the home court for the Luminata City Sapphire Knights Basketball team.
Sol has always prided himself as a comic, gamer nerd, but he has a great love for the sport of Basketball. The Sapphire Knights have been consistently a middle-of-the-road team that somehow makes it to the championship round. It's this team that influenced Sol's idea of being the "Knight of Light". He may not be a Knight on the court, but he can be one on the streets.
"Okay, Seth. It looks like they've crowded the interior of the arena and taken it for themselves. I'll have to fight my way through to the top. You ready to be my eyes?"
Seth agrees, "I'll lead you to victory, bro."
Sol laughs, "Alrighty, bro. Get comfortable." He rushes across to the front entrance of the arena.
Rain intervenes, "You sure, you want him to look out for you? I can probably do a much better job."
"You could. Let's just let him have this one, huh.", Sol responded much to Rain's reluctant acceptance.
Sol pushes through into the arena and tackles the Canelli goons head-on. Seth watches him as he blasts through, amazed that this kid is tenacious enough to take on the mafia of all things.
"That's a big group, guy. Can you ta- Oh yeah, you can shoot glowing thingys out of your hands, that's right."
"Light bolts!" Sol corrected.
"Man, how do you manage to kick three guys' asses while shooting bolts at another one? How did you learn to fight like that again?"
"That's like a whole chapter's worth of story. Maybe another time… There's more down on the court. Give me a minute."
"Oh, do tell!", Seth said before being bombarded by a barrage of noise. "That's a lot of shooting, you alright?"
"I'm fine! Ngh… ugh!!" Sol turns to one of his opponents, "DO THAT AGAIN, WISE GUY. I WILL DUNK YOU ASS FIRST THROUGH THAT HOOP!!" Sol pauses for a moment. "UGH! That's it! GET OVER HERE!"
"What? Was that a buzzer sound?"
"Seth, I'm heading up to the third floor. How's it looking?"
"Good, so far… Wait, I see some mooks coming around the hall!"
"Mooks? Uh, okay… Where are they and how many?"
"Let me seeeee… 310 section, there are about six of them."
Sol chuckles, "I'm right here."
"Woah, that glowy ball came from behind the curtain. What exactly are yo- OH SHIT! IT EXPLODED!! Those bastards went flying everywhere. You are something else, kid."
"Thanks! I'm pushing up towards the roof. Got some mafiosos hanging around the staircase. No problem for me."
"Alright, turning on infrared. This area should be viewable from here." Seth turns on the setting and is immediately blown away by the view, "Wow, all I see are these glowing dots. I'm guessing you're the one dot shooting dots at the other dots."
"Say 'dot' one more time and I'm hanging up."
"Watch out! More dots right below you!" Seth tenses up until, "Haha BOOM!! That explodey dot is your best tool"
Sol sighs, "Oh, never change, Seth… except for the young girls thing. Change that!"
"You know what, I'll hang up now."
Sol reaches the rooftop, which is a lot more empty than he expected. He thinks that either Rain was wrong about more being set up on the roof or they leapt off to escape. He hoped that if it was the latter, they had parachutes at least. His thoughts are interrupted by a text alert on the WRIST.I.E.
A text from Seth reads, "Yo! Guys going down arena!"
Sol notices some rappel lines hooked near the edge of the building and rushes over to check. The mafiosos on the roof were now quickly descended the front of the iconic arena. Seeing him at the top, Seth sends another text.
"Cut them down, bro!", the opportunistic message read.
Sol looks over at Seth camped across the street and gestures at him negatively. After he turned back towards the goons nearing the ground, he sees some others he missed inside run out to get away from him. Another potential opportunity arises…
Los Guerreros Fitness Center, Luminata City - October 14, 2035 [Flashback]
"CANNONBALL!!" Rain yelled.
He jumped from the highest diving board at the fitness center where both he, Sol, and even Luna would work out occasionally in the past. On this day, the former two decided to train by swimming, although they were clearly having more fun. Rain's cannonball created quite a sizable splash in the large Olympic pool.
"So, how was that?" Rain asked in response to his performance.
Sol lifted his hands in the air as if he were lifting a scorecard, "Nine out of ten."
"NINE?! Boo, the judge has been paid off! Whatever, let's see what Mr. Superhuman can do here. Maybe, he'll finally win."
Sol chuckled in a sinister fashion, "You sure?"
"Yeah, show me what you've got."
"Your funeral, brotha!"
Sol took a good leap off the diving board. After an elegant backflip, he cocked back his arm as he quickly descended closer to the water.
[Present Day]
Sol descends towards the ground below like a meteor striking the Earth, resulting in a large shockwave that sends the group of mafiosos flying back. Seth, across the street, is figuratively blown away by this new technique. The shock causes him to drop his binoculars.
"W-what was that?"
"Seth, my friend. Sometimes in order for people to take notice, you have to make an impact. In the Canelli's case, I'm speaking literally."
"Uh… yeah, I think I get it."
Sol chuckles, "I call it the Hammer Slam." He checks the downed bodies of the mafiosos, "Nails meet hammer."
Rain laughs, "Oh, you went with THAT move! Yeah, the forecast didn't call for a Tsunami that day."
Seth rushes across the street to where Sol meets him. The two shake hands, thinking that this is where they will part ways as the latter looks to chase down the fleeing mafiosos. Bang! Not all were fleeing. Sol is able to react quickly, protecting Seth by taking the shot to his back. Both fall to the ground from the hit, which the attacker tries to take advantage of.
Before he can finish them off, he's hit with a quick, but impactful light bolt from Sol. Seth pushes himself to his feet and tackles the guy, raining some terrible, but effective punches. Sol slowly gets up and knocks out the mafioso for Seth.
"Nut meet bolt." Sol chuckles at his extra pun, still in a bit of pain.
"WOOOOO! That was amazing!" Seth cheered. He picks up the goon's gun and shoots recklessly at the others fleeing.
Sol pushes his weapon down, "HEY! HEY! If you're gonna shoot, relax a little. Nonlethal shots only or I will knock you out just like that guy."
Seth accepts and the two continue the chase down the bayside street. Some of the fleeing mafiosos turn around to defend themselves against the two attackers. Both light bolts and heat shots fly around like a hectic hurricane hitting the East.
The storm keeps moving South towards the Link which is an interesting move by the Canelli. Both Sol and Seth don't seem to notice anything notable about this move as they are far too invested in the fighting. The mafiosos flee to a construction site just a block away from the famous highway.
Seth successfully aims for the legs of the mafiosos, injuring them nonlethally as Sol requested. The latter finishes the rest off with some quick moves of his own until they're just the last two standing.
"Ho ho, MAN!! What an adventure!" Seth yelled out. "I didn't think I would even see you again, kid, but man, I'm glad I did."
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm glad you were here to help, Sethy-boy. Maybe if you were closer to our age, I'd approve of you dating Luna."
"Yeah, well. This was the boost I really needed so… maybe I can straighten up a bit more. If anything, she'd be far better off with you."
Sol laughs before turning his attention to the site. It's oddly quiet for a retreat point, not to mention that there isn't any strategic advantage they could have here with them (or him, rather) on their tail.
"Master, does something feel off about this place?" Sol asked.
Solar ponders, "I see what you mean. This isn't any sort of encampment… No, wait… they must've led you there intentionally!"
"I feel…" Sol notices something rapidly descending towards him, "SETH!!"
He shoves and teleports the unsuspecting Seth away to safety as a heavy metallic object crashes down like a meteor near him. The resulting shockwave sends him flying back and transforms the sandy ground into a harsh, dusty fog. Sol looks from his position on said ground to analyze what, or rather, who just rained on his parade.
His demeanor changes from that of suspicion to satisfaction. Sol chuckles with a devilish smile, "I was aching for the day I'd run into you again."
————————————— Negative Chapter 6 ————————————
RUBY HOT CHILI PEPPERS
Noirata City, Noirata Kingdom - November 15, 2035
🎵: Future Faze - Midnight Haze
Sol's dive sends him in an arc to the open. He lands in a roll and finally, a superhero's landing. However, his lack of energy causes him to fold almost immediately. He pushes himself back up to find himself not indoors, but outdoors… in a park, specifically. Thankfully, there aren't any people around to mess with him.
The park isn't anything of great size but rather centered around the vessel where the gateway is contained, a monument. The Zone shrine's statue sits comfortably in front of a taller statue of a woman. Even in the dark solid color of stone, she still looked beautiful like a goddess of sorts. A plaque sits at the base of the monument, Sol reads:
Naomi, Saint of Noirata
Descended March 1, 1998
Ascended June 22, 2022
"Our true power is to extend a hand to those who need us."
"Naomi. Saint of Noirata." Sol examined that quote and thought well of this woman he never met, but something else was noteworthy. "Her birthday… is the same as mine… but she died thirteen years ago." He places a hand on the plaque, "I will carry on your message, Miss. Rest Easy."
The portal closes and he turns away to continue on his mission. It's interesting that someone like this is honored here. Sol's impressions of the Noirata Empire have been that of barbarians, but it is easy to forget good people can exist in some of the darkest places. That thought lingers until something else grabs his attention.
Another set of beacons leads to a familiar-looking location. A structure resembling the Stardust City Centre stands across from the park he found himself in. The large signage of letters that designated the mall is replaced with one that is either incomplete or might actually be the name, St——z-r Mall. The jury is still out on the naming conventions in this land.
Sol enters through the nearest entrance, which leads up a flight of stairs into a large concourse. From there, he could easily tell that this place had seen better days. Instead of friends, families, and lovers, there are only soldiers and construction workers… just like the Clear White Path. Maybe, they are the heart of Noirata.
He passes by the guards patrolling the hall and the workers reinstalling a broken chandelier. With that and everything else including the incomplete sign, all Sol can wonder is what even happened here. Another battle? Still, shame about the beautiful light source.
After exiting the concourse, he can't even tell where to go next. There aren't any beacons to guide him. Should he browse like an unassuming shopper? Is that the puzzle for this gem? He is at a mall after all. This unintentionally works as all the looking around lands him on what looks to be the tallest tower in the vicinity. At the tip top of the tower, a beacon with his eyes glued to it.
Sol chuckles, "The north star! Actually, I don't even know what direction I'm facing."
Sneaking through the rest of the mall, he gets used to hugging close to the debris scattered around the place. Whatever battle or tragic event occurred here is proving to be to his benefit just as it was on the street earlier. What isn't benefitting him are the other beacons placed sporadically in odd locations. None indicate a trail to follow, but that tower stands out much like the "north star".
Sol approaches the base of the tower, contemplating what the others are supposed to represent. A colorless beam of light crosses his path, nearly shining on him but not in a good way. A sniper is looking down from the ledge near the top. BANG!!
"By the Emperor, I swear I saw something. You can't hide from me!" the Sniper called out.
Sol proceeds to hide from him as he fires again and again nearby. The former ducks into the cafe nearby, the darkness giving him an extra bit of seclusion from this shooter having too much fun, unlike his Fort Lunar counterpart. A rat climbs atop the railing near Sol and runs across in his direction. Bang! It never stood a chance.
Now on the other side of the sniper's scope, Sol uses his procured scope to watch his opponent's movements. While still hidden, he nudges a nearby chair to make some noise, drawing a quick response and a near hit.
"IF SOMEONE'S THERE…" The sniper remains watching, "COME OUT… I won't hurt ye." He said as he scoped in.
"A little on edge, aren't ya, pal? Don't worry, let me help you with that.", Sol muttered as he picked up a nearby bottle.
He tosses the bottle over on the opposite side of himself, causing another reaction shot. In this instance, he's able to rush up while in his sluggish state. He catches his breath again before pulling another bottle he grabbed on the way. With another swift toss, he hoped this would go just as smoothly.
"HEY!" The sniper turns over to Sol's direction, having caught the bottle in his scope mid-arc.
Sol is directly in his crosshairs and the sniper relentlessly fires at him. He rushes quickly as the bullets rain down on him. The sniper's relentless firing costs him here as he has exhausted his heat sink, forcing him to reload.
After loading his weapon, he peers over the edge to see if his target moved any closer. Nowhere to be found.
"Shit, I bett- AHHH!"
Taking him down from behind while huffing and puffing, Sol boasts, "Aren't you supposed to be, I don't know, trained for this crap? Embarrassing."
This ledge isn't extremely high up, but it does give Sol a clear view of the surrounding area. This mall is so barren of life and dark, it's fitting to be the opposite of the Stardust City Centre.
"Forget Urban Utopia, this is… Well, it's not rural… or suburban. Screw it, Welcome to District Dystopia, I guess."
The way to go isn't at all as clear as the night sky, but the upside is that the light pollution that plagues Luminata seems to not be a thing here. The stars are out in full force. This makes the young man sentimental for a moment.
"You would've loved this.", Sol said, his voice cracking while holding back tears. His demeanor gets back to normal almost instantly, "and THIS!"
He noticed something incredibly peculiar about the beacons he spotted around. Now on the tower, they seem to form a sort of shape… just like stars do.
"I don't believe it, it's a CONSTELLATION!!" he pieced together. "Of course! The Stardust was named because it was a popular Stargazing location before the city became what it is today. This place must serve the same purpose."
He thinks about it for a moment, trying to decipher which constellation this is. As a Light Superhuman, he should know, but it's more so his attempts at trying to court Asia that pay off here. Asia is very much into Astrology, always telling Sol that he is too much of a Pisces to be with her. He had learned about Star signs to change her mind. Now he's got it, the beacons are shaped into a Taurus constellation.
"I cannot believe this nonsense is going to help me right now."
It does occur to him that stars were always a source of light and navigation, hence the "North Star" reference, but could that be the idea behind this puzzle? He locates the Taurus in the sky, but it covers so much space in the sky that it still isn't clear where he needs to look.
"Wait a minute!" He looks back up at the beacon on the tower and then at the formation on the ground. "My North Star!"
The tower has a position on the constellation and that's exactly the Star he needs to follow.
"Hehe I'm such a 'pisses', aren't I, Asia?"
Sol follows the star's position to the other side of the mall. There, he exits through another concourse on the Northern end, which leads straight to an apartment complex. Fixated on the star, he moves further into the area.
"Don't tell me I need to start knocking on doors for someone to give it to me." He realizes that it isn't so bad after all, "You know what? Fine."
Suspicion is further escalated by the recurring flash of the Specteract. However, there need not be suspicion for long as a mural of the Taurus constellation is painted on a windowless side of the nearby building. This use of the Taurus feels very significant to Sol. It gets him wondering for a moment before needing to stay true to the puzzle.
"Hmm, I wonder which star I need to look at." He winks to… no one at all.
The wall has a bumpy texture, allowing him to easily traverse to the necessary spot. He climbs up to the same star that guided him to this spot and feels the surface. It has a hollow feel, easy to push through again. Inside, he feels around and finds a lever that isn't easily pulled.
"Ha, that's not stopping me!" he said as he pulled it back with Superhuman strength.
This force caused a faint vibration in the wall. If the occupants are inside, he hopes it doesn't feel like an earthquake. A small compartment in the wall opens up, revealing a red glow to the colorless night. He climbs up to the new opening to be faced with the gem.
"Ah, wishing upon a star DOES work… Hello, Miss Ruby." Sol clutches the gem in his hands, kicking off the building and falling backward.
With the new energy boost from the gem, he teleports back to a very special lady. He places the Ruby gem in the Specteract and uses it to open the portal.
"Until next time, Naomi. Wish me luck!", Sol said one last time before returning to the Positive Zone.