"I heard that he frequents this place these days."
The library's doors opened.
"But why are you looking for him?"
Charles timidly peeked from Ash's back.
"I...I..."
"Hello guys how may I help you?"
"We're looking for Park."
Gerena looked behind him.
"We?"
"Yeah, me and Char..."
"..."
"Cooomee onnn...."
Charles was already scurrying away.
"Hey...!"
Ash called after him.
"Charles...!"
Charles only mumbled as he briskly walked downhill. He didn't even look behind.
"Wait...!"
There was a blast of wind.
Ash was dumbfounded.
"..."
"Uh... What just happened...?"
They both looked at the starry energy as it zoomed off.
"D... Don't know..."
"Well, Kid's something alright."
"..."
"And Park isn't here."
"Oh, he isn't?"
"Yep."
Ash ruffled through his pockets and pulled out a piece of paper.
"Would you mind giving him this then?"
The elf inspected the paper closely.
"Scouting?"
"Now?"
"No time like the present."
He forced a laugh.
"So apart from Park who else do you have..."
Ash cut him off by pointing at the sky.
"..."
"...oh my."
Gerena sighed.
"I'll try my best then."
"Thank you so much."
"Tell him I said hi."
"Already did."
"Huh?"
"Hmm?"
"I thought you said something."
"I thought YOU said something."
"O... Ok then."
"See ya."
"Right back at ya."
The doors went shut on the slightly confused kid.
"..."
"Who were they?"
"Park" appeared. Books flooding both of his hands.
"His friends, I presume...?"
The elf's focus shifted to the books.
"You finished?"
The clone looked at his watch.
"Thirteen more minutes and the work's done."
"Good luck then."
"Thank you."
{Shadow exclusive skill: Share is active]
Park heaved a sigh of relief.
"I think I'm done with books for a while."
"I'll let me do the rest."
Park swung the doors open.
There was static right above the reception table.
"The TV's on?"
"Don't mind if I do."
Park smacked the side of the TV and the static cleared.
"Hey! Easy with that!"
Gretsa approached the reception desk.
She was bloodied all over.
"Uh?"
"Was stitching someone up."
"..."
"So, Whatchu doing here?"
"Shouldn't you be with the rest reading for your examinations?"
"I was."
"But now I'm on a break."
"Heh. You're gonna flunk."
"Yeah sure."
"As if."
He grabbed the remote.
"So, what channels do you like?"
"..."
"Rude brat."
Park didn't pay heed. He was busy switching through the channels.
"Boring, boring, boring, boring, static, static, static, boring..."
"Isn't there anything good seriously?"
A jovial lady suddenly lit up on screen.
"Hellooooo, all viewers back at home welcoooome back to heroooo tiiiiiiimes..."
There was an audience clapping.
"This junk again?"
Park was looking at the screen.
"What's wrong with it?"
"..."
The lady continued.
"So today is a really special day. We finally were able to contact a certain somebody who has been dodging us for some time now..."
"WHO WOULD WANT TO DO THAT TO THE AMY JOYMAKER!!"
He garnered an altogether "Yeah!" chant from the audience.
"Joymaker? that's a real name?"
"AMY! AMY! AMY! AMY...!"
"Oh! Stoop...!"
"WE LOVEE YOUU AMMYYY!!!"
"I LOVE YOU TOO!!!"
"...Anyway...uh...?"
"...what was I saying again...?"
A man rose quickly from the audience.
"SOMETHING ABOUT A GUEST?!"
"YES! THANK YOU! RANDOM HANDSOOOMEEE MAN IN THE AUDIENCE!"
The man's body shook in excitement.
"Tsk. Empty heads."
Gretsa shook her head.
"Why are you still here then?"
"I'm going to change."
"No one's stopping you."
"..."
Park resumed watching.
"Enjoy your brain rot then."
"Will do."
"LET'S PUT OUR HANDS TOGETHER FOR MRRR. WIIIIIITTTTT."
"Did she say Mr. Wit?"
The doors flew open.
There was a bit of struggle amidst whispers. The mic on him duly broadcasted it before the live audience and possibly to the viewers too.
A timid man was pushed into the room.
"You've got to be fuckin' kidding me."
"Heeeyyy let's be nice here."
"Walk faster Grandma!"
"He really has it tough for him. Poor guy."
The hero and the host shook their hands and went to their seats.
The host drew out a handkerchief and wiped her hands with it.
"Soo..."
"How are you feeling today?"
"G... Good."
The hero looked at the audience.
They all glared at him. All mumbling incoherent curses.
"Hey!hey!hey!"
The host snapped her fingers at him.
"Don't look at them."
"Look at me, ok?"
"Please ignore them."
She whispered to him.
"They don't matter, I matter, ok?"
"So just take a deep breath and look at me, ok?"
Mr. Wit took a deep breath.
"O...Ok."
"Good boy."
"So could you tell us a little bit about yourself."
"M... My full names a... are..."
"I need to tinkle."
Park held his mouth.
"I hope no one heard that."
...
Dusk was setting in.
The TV left on bathed the room in a mix of bright colors.
"You done yet with that brain rot show of yours...?"
She finished buttoning and looked up.
"Now where is he?"
Gretsa was back from changing.
"Can't believe people still gawk over Amy..."
She looked at the screen and fell mute.
"..."
"...Now this is quality stuff."
There was a loud rumble on screen. The color of static briefly flashed across Gretsa's face.
"..."
"Wow he's still going at it."
Park was peeking through the glass whilst still fogging it.
Anu was busy at work in the morgue.
This was the third day.
"They're really powerful."
Park heard a slight sting.
"Oh! Right! I almost forgot."
Park rushed off.
Sometime later.
"...Haha...!!...HAHAHAH...!!!...HAHAHAHAHAH!!!!"
"THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS TO BEGIN WITH!!"
They were screams coming from the TV.
"What's all that ruckus for?"
"Hmm...?"
"Gretsa?"
Gretsa's eyes were glued on the screen.
He gasped.
"ArE YoU PeRhApS..."
"nOoOo...."
"...It PoSsIbLy CaN't Be..."
He gasped once more.
"...mY bRaIn RoT?"
"You done?"
"Tough Crowd."
"If you are, come check this out."
Park was next to witness the unfolding spectacle on screen.
"..."
"W... What happened?"
Gretsa smiled.
"Nothing much..."
"..."
"...Just the rabbit actually biting back."
"And its allllll thanks to you."
"Yep..."
"W... Wait why?"
Gretsa looked at Park.
"Well for one, you're stammering."
"That's a dead giveaway in my books."
She went back to the screen.
"And also, you've been at the center of the storms lately."
"Valid."
"So, whatever's coming you better have to buckle up."
"Because..."
She pointed to the screen.
"...If that type of shit hits the fan, all of us we'll be covered."
"Well, I've got news for you."
Gretsa sighed.
"And knowing you..."
"Yeah..."
"We're already stinking, aren't we?"
"Heaaaaavyyyyy."
Amy wasn't sounding so jovial anymore.
"CUT TO BLACK! CUT TO BLACK! FUCKKINNGG. CUUUT. TOOO. BLACK.JEFF!!"
"WATCH OUT!!"
A chair flew at the camera.
A red emergency message flashed on screen.
Park switched it off.
"You've outdone yourself again "Parkie"."
"All in a day's work."
{Ink marvels yet at another creation]
"Yeah, good work V."
A loud thumping could be heard around the room.
"That's Park?"
They all turned around. Yellow light filled their vision.
"Hah."
"Here come the..."
Gemma dropped her bags and rushed to hug both Park and Gretsa.
She pulled away.
"Oh! It's so nice to finally meet youuu."
"Huh. Nothing happened."
She was vigorously shaking his hand.
"You took a risk there Gemma."
"The sun's barely set."
A ray just then hit her arm bursting it into smoke.
Park, who was still in greeting, felt something in his grasp go off. He slightly jumped.
It garnered a slight chuckle from Gretsa.
"Eh. It'll heal."
A thump was heard then the colors switched to a green glow.
"..."
"All..."
She was already wiggling her new fingers.
"...done."
Gemma caught sight of Park looking at the ashes on his boots.
"Sweet?"
"I... I'm sorry?"
Then he saw the small, wrapped candy resting on her palm.
"Oh...!"
"T... Thank you."
"I'm sorry I should have told you beforehand."
A blue glow filled the room.
"ENOOUUGGHHH!!!"
"I'm gonna puke."
"I'm going."
Park felt a hand grab his collar.
"Sorry. I mean we're going."
Park's feet dragged on the floor as he faced Gemma.
He smiled and waved back at her. He was calm with it.
"Thank you for the sweet, Gemma."
But thanks to someone, it had a greater effect than he could imagine.
{Charm is in effect]
The yellow glow was back.
And brighter than ever.
"Stop waving kid. You'll break our nightlight."
The doors went shut.
"You're welcome..."
There was a whoosh outside.
"... shooting star."