I can feel it. The surpassing energy is beyond my scope of knowledge—more or less a snap within the air we call gust. But these winds blow fiercely like a pack of coyotes running from a lion. Madness is in the air, and reasons no longer make sense. It hurts my brain!
*Woosh*
"Child, don't," Eve murmured threateningly. The downer before her stood with an opposing aura, remembering the girl's face from the darkness. He held a grudge on her, ready to show the downer's wrath.
"Child, stay back...and no one gets hurt. Okay? Okay...?"
"Kid?" Eve approaches the child slowly.
"H-hey, kid. What are you doing here? This is not a good place to play...!" Charger tiptoes down from Eve's grip.
Yet the child remains silent under the companionship of the empty space. He held a dim lantern on his waist for a light. With each step Eve took toward the kid, he stepped back to the null with a slight illumination of his surroundings.
"Kid, don't do this. You wouldn't risk hurting others, would you?"
"Hey, we can do more than just standing here, aye? Look, I have some toys for us to use!" Charger pulls out a piece of toy from his bag.
"Wow, so now you have a plan, imp? Nevermind—child, get over here or you'll be in trouble..."
"You better don't think of anything stupid while we're here, okay? This isn't a game...this is a nightmare." Eve approaches.
"That face isn't worth a pain for others, kid. It only makes more of you...and more of me in trouble. And we don't want that, right?"
"What about me?" Charger whispers.
"Downer. I am downer because of you...don't you know what you just did to me?"
"Aww, we didn't mean to. It was part of our play, kid!"
"You ruin my life! Now everyone will hate me because of my face! I cannot go like this anymore! Don't you know how hard it is to have such face?"
*Thump* "Did anyone hear that? Sounds like it comes from here!" The shadows grew thicker from the other side.
"None of you will come out of here! None!" The kid threatens.
"Oh...? I'm sorry..." The sparkling Quasarian lay in a sorrowing regret. The child's discontent seems to strike a resemblance.
"You will pay for this! If I'm going to be a downer, I'll be a honorable one to put you down!" The kid raises his lantern.
"You're going to lit that flame for us? Here?"
"Y-yes! And nothing you can do about it!" The kid raises his arm higher.
"Now, you listen to me, you brat. You ruined my run from these people that could've killed me and made me a monster. You think your face is worth taking over someone's life?" Eve stood with a pencil in her left hand—graphite aimed at the front.
"Stay back! You can't hurt me..." The kid steps back.
"Oh, yes I can. Wanna see for yourself?" Eve walks closer.
"I'm a human, kid. I can do magic beyond your ability. You wouldn't even tell because it was dark in here..."
"But in a second, I could assimilate my hand into the darkness and tear you apart like a lion. And you wouldn't even know it until the afterlife."
"Ah!" The kid bumps to the edge of the wall—losing distance to spare.
"So...? What do you say? Should we continue this meaningless conversation and put ourselves at safety?" Eve kneels before the child—locking her gaze on the frowned face. No doubt, he was terrified of her, and only a second pass was needed for him to decide.
The child draws an empty hand to the two, abiding by the silence for the greater good rather than foolishly yelling for a call. His face glances reluctantly to the ground as he spares the two from trouble.
*Faint* "Ugh... Forget it! We should switch to the east tent! There are a lot of people over there and an unsealed way out! Leave this tent now...."
*Faint* "Alright! Fall back..." Dion walks off.
"Phew! That was close..." The relief took the creature with a comforting sweep on his face.
"Good. Now I see you people are worth something here..." Eve brushes.
"Come on, Charger. Let's go behind the kid before the others finds us."
"Got it, friend! Thanks, kid! I owe you a journey for that!" The two pass the child from behind.
"No, this isn't meaningless; this is not joyous, " the child murmurs with tears.
"This is worth your life, human."
"Guard! Over here!" The child abrupted their journey with a loudest scream that broke a promise.
"Fuck...! You son of a light..." Eve approaches the downer.
As hope seems about to close, the snobbish child takes the star to the captors' attention. Only a child's scream could create such silence on the outside.
Crack! "Criminal!!" An executioner rams through the thick wall with his punch—shining the light into the darkness and unveiling the three from their hiding place.
Earth be damned! There is no horror than a trembling ground on a forsaken city. The clouds are split in two, and the screaming of the unknown befalls the sinners. Lies before me, I am met with the Eye of Contentment. The same eye that brought this city to life now turns to me for an unexplainable reason.
Adrenaline pushes Charger to a massive leap of distance to the now-revealed door. Only the scream of a snitching little child would satisfy the frowned face as he saw the savior arrive to condemn the blue creature. The little guest looked calmly and frowned as the two criminals fled hurriedly to a door, followed by the guards and the bearers.
"Hehe...take that." The child smirks. The moist skin of this downer's face still reeks of garlic and is squishy like a sponge.
"AAH!!" The two fled hurriedly from the tent.
"Get them! Get them!!" The guards ran to the doors with reinforcements to the front.
"Woah! What the...what did I miss? Did we find her?" Cyrus steps in with an awkward face—and a green forehead and jaw.
"We've got an eye on—what the...? Enough, no more games with E-007. Where is the greenery mage?"
"Did someone say Green?" The witch opens a cold one with a corked wine. The satisfying sound of releasing this wooden barrier on the bottle's nose taps a part of Cyrus and Dion's brain that they haven't felt for a long time. But then, it follows with a heavy chug to the brim.
"E-007, glad to see you here! Thanks for the facial mask, too. I really hope I can share it with others but confidentiality is confidentiality. I'm looking for more of this art, next time..."
"Oh, really? Alright, sure. It's not like I even thought of cleaning my face once." She lowers her hat to cover her face from Cyrus. Her grip on the bottle goes loose, which leads to a clanking drop from the ground—unshattered.
"Are you still drinking that?"
"I don't know? *Hic* I guess not..."
*Boom*
But amidst her conversation with Cyrus, she was abrupted by Dion's appearance after an explosion. Dust flew above the air, followed by dirt and cloth falling from the sky, as everything suddenly became silent—too silent.
"E-007, are you ready? We've got an intel on the criminal...and this time, we've got ditched on an old well."
"Really? That was fast. I thought you people said you couldn't catch him..." Cyrus rubs his green face.
"Huh? *Hic* Got it? Weapon's hot." The witch arms herself to the site.
"Hold on, let me see Eve first!" Cyrus rushes.
"Wait, peasant! Don't you—ugh..."
"You *hic* call him a peasant?" The witch walks absentminded.
Alas, their journey comes to an end by the authority's restraint. Eve finds the cuff suited to her wrist alongside Charger, leaving both of them hopeless again in the face of the enforcers. Despite the short chase, the two came impressive at the bearers' strength.
But eventually, all things must end in a sweet or sour. That ends when the citizens of Joy District could see the face of a human walking through the crowds with her companion in double restraints. Shame to be a criminal in such a joyous place while wearing the least amount of appropriation.
"Aagh! Ugh! Hey! Let go of me now!" She shook vigorously at her chains.
*Crowd gossiping*
"Don't worry, Eve! I'll find a way out here...I've been around here before!" Charger stands on multiple chains and locks—accustomed only to himself.
"Get off of him! Aren't you supposed to execute law before his head first?"
"That's none of your business to speak, criminal." The executioner slaps Eve on her forehead.
"Oh, thank goodness I wrote this stupid failure before I—Wait, where's my book? I need to find my book! My project is in there! Give me my book back first—" The girl turns her head left and right in panic.
"Keep moving! You are wasting your time for the judgment's hand. You will not desecrate the joy of this city again and the people who were walking innocently. You hear us, criminal? You will be dealt with in court as you should!" The executioner yelled.
"What? You just said you're going to ki—"
"Silence. Your abberated speech would be used to defend yourself in the court later." The assassin slaps a muzzle.
"Hmph! Mmh! Hmph!"
It appears that hope seems lost to me. The decaying cold in my body became my only relief to this blazing heat of the sun, now keeping me calm enough through the sorrowing and unpleasant sweat from head to toe. The eye is loud and filled with unfamiliar hums and lullabies—from those who once smiled here.
[Cell block, Elis Station]
Alas, the criminal has been put into the cell away from the citizens. With two separate cells separated by an impenetrable thin glass barrier and otherworldly metallic wall, Eve and Charger are no longer a worry for the enforcers. Now, the Hyperian enforcers can walk free around the cell with relief and return to their work.
"Eve, there you are!" Cyrus approaches her with relief. One can't be said to her behind the least favorable cell.
"Hmph! Mmph!"
"I know, I know. I shouldn't be here, and so do you. What are you thinking of with your parents?"
"Do they even knew what you were doing out here?"
"Hmph." She rolls her eyes in displease.
"Eve, I don't think leaving your parents for a criminal is funny...don't you know how dangerous that was to your health? What if you get hurt by that blue thing?"
"Hey! I can hear you, Cyrus!" Yelled Charger from the cage, leaving a surprise for the boy.
"How do you know my name?? I don't even know you, and that shouldn't ever happen..."
"Hmph! Hmph! Mmph? Mmh..." Eve remains silenced.
"And you—you pesky little thief. How dare you robbed Eve away from her home like that? How could you prey on a helpless girl for your selfish need? You should be ashamed of yourself..." Cyrus glances at the left.
"Hmph...?" The tone gestures annoyance.
"Aww, I apologize for not reminding any parties involved with Eve. But I only needed a companion to help me erase my crime I've been amounting for years. It isn't much of a deal—I promise!" The creature kills time by swinging on his loose chains.
"Erasing crime? What are you talking about?" Cyrus looks at Dion, whose face looks grim at Charger.
"Nothing. That is the mouth of a thief, peasant. Do not lend your ear to his made-up fame."
"He's talking about community service with humans in exchange for prison sentences." The witch leans her head to the conversation.
"E-007!" Dion yelled.
"Sorry, D-001. But you shouldn't lie to this new boy—Especially after he helped us tracking this two. Oh, you and your friend, D-001..."
"I can see why T-007 hasn't kicked you out yet from this team." The witch rubs Cyrus' jaw with a gold purifying dust—teasing the boy with such lips.
"Olala! There's still a trace of green mask in your lips."
"Why can't you just do it yourself?"
"They are quite a nuisance when you have a criminal like one. But they are as intellectual as jellyfish. They wouldn't thrive even in the radiant summer..." Dion slams the glass barrier.
"Tiny creatures used to be the least expected criminals here. Not until that blue bastard can't keep his hands off."
"Tinies? Creatures? Radiance? What am I missing right here?"
"Hmm...Hmm...Hmm."
"Don't worry, Eve. I brought your bag safely with all your notes here...I can't believe you're still doing your thesis around this situation...what's the point of—ooh..." He reads a page.
"Hmph! Hmph! Hmph! Hmph...!" Eve slams into the thin barrier.
*Closes book* "Yeah, I can see why you're tempted by the criminal's offer. But none of this story is worth risking your life, Eve. Let alone you're not even doing it right! Not with this criminal guy..."
"The name's Charger! Charger the Great...! Wee!"
"Hmph, hmph, hmph..." She quipped.
"Eve, am I missing something? Or did you somewhat just leave your home out of boredom? You didn't even tell me about your book review last night and I'm concerned that I had to stay awake..."
"Your parents didn't even look happy with you leaving neither do they knew you were last night. I told you I came here looking for you, but..."
"I need to what happened. Why did you leave everyone lately?"
"Hmph." She hums.
"Come on, girl. This isn't even weird anymore...you did crimes and hurt people for nothing more than some stupid homework—"
"Hmph!" Eve punches the glass with such strength—a strength to push Cyrus away by surprise.
"Aah! Okay, maybe not stupid. But you still shouldn't risk yourself."
"So, when can I bring Eve back home? Her family has been worrying for her at home."
"Hmph! Hmph...hmph."
"I'm afraid that's not me to decide," Dion muttered.
"What? Why?"
"Because she's going to die with the creature!" The witch shook him from behind.
"What??? What do you mean you're killing an innocent girl??"
"Well, she's not innocent anymore. She aided the A-level criminal and killed a Hyperian guard. Also, she's 19...enough to be applied to our law." Dion taps his shoulder.
"Sorry I didn't tell you this, but..." Dion pushes Cyrus by the palm, shocking the wall and its ceramic cover—where Cyrus would land.
"We prefer to maintain confidentiality with the law. E-007, escort the criminals to the execution point..." Dion walks off with no remorse.
"Aye, aye, captain. You two, don't do anything stupid while I'm out...now that I'm sober, I can keep an eye on you. Both of you..." The witch pulls out her leaf staff—charged with a green essence.
*Clank* The bars shiver upon the witch's command.
"Out. Now." Guards stand behind her as support.
"Hmph." Eve sat in denial.
"No! You want us in, now you can't force us out!" Charger stood in his position.
Realizing their denial, the guards prepare with a second option. Their sharpened spear had come in handy for this—alongside their will. As the two still refuse, the spear's tip lunges through them softly—followed by screams.
"That's what I thought. Now, where are we?"
[Police Station, Execution room]
What's more pitying than the thought of being met at your grave on an electric chair with her "friend" beside her? All while the others were looking behind the thin glass on their beloved chairs. The two criminals were left hopeless in the eyes of many.
"Augh! Ugh! Are you serious??" Eve yelled with desperation.
"We're doing our best to maintain law here, human. And for you, devilish creature...try not to think too much with this execution. Trust me, the tools will kill you."
"Noo!! Please, don't! I beg you!! What did I do wrong??" Charger shivers like no tomorrow. Yes, he has no tomorrow if he is here.
"Please, don't do this! Please!!" Cyrus falls to his knee and pleads helplessly to the executioner. Tears flow from his eyes in such terrible pain.
He approaches the executioner, begging the man to spare a kindness for the innocent girl. But his heart is as thick as the armor, and his blade is as sharp as his desire for the criminal's death. He glances away from Cyrus's plea and threatens the very essence of his benevolence.
He approaches the assassin in another attempt, begging the man to think for rationality. But the man's emotion is as shady as his hood—the emotion that could not be seen than the one hiding. The assassin signature his resentment towards his plea with his silence.
Last, he approaches the witch in the weakest glimpse of mercy, hoping her mind is elsewhere to stop the madness. But to trust such a witch in a drunken state is a mistake, for her to look down upon Cyrus with her green jade elixir in her palm. She comforts him with words that mean nothing to him.
"Hey, new student! Are you not going to do anything about me?? Are you still out there?" Eve yelled in a terrified tone. But the boy looks undisturbed and calm behind the glass barrier.
"Hey! Hey! Are you listening??"
"Hey, it doesn't matter! I'm electrical, I can handle this! The greatness strives once more!"
"Not this time, Quasarian. We've been coming up with something more isolating." The witch presents a hissing pink foam to his chair. An acidic sensation can be felt upon a touch of Charger's palm.
"With a mixture of Elysian refined's Lyte and asbestos, we've found this execution in need of a...clean case."
"Ouch!!! That hurts!! What is that made of??"
"Exactly. Now, let's commence..."
"No, no, no!! Wait, you can't kill me! I'm just a girl!" Eve yelled with tears.
"Oh, god. I'm going to die...I'm going to die and it's not going to be a good one. I hate my life so much..."
"Why did this happen to me?? Why? Why??"
"Charger, you said you can help me out! But you didn't! What is this??"
"I'm trying! I promise!"
"I don't need you to promise!! I need you to help me!"
"I'm trying! I only need a clear visual of—"
"Charger!! I'm dying!! What was not clear in your head??"
"I can't see it, friend!!" Charger yelled.
Cyrus was helpless—unable to stop the proceeded termination behind the glass with his futile arms. The girl he sought to protect sat desperately for help—much like his. And before he could speak his thoughts out, the witch took an act.
"AAHH!!!"
"EVE!!" The white sparks burn bright around Cyrus's face.
Thousands of sparks dance, scatter through Eve's body, and sting her like a swarm of bees with a thick needle. Her body clings for a touch beyond the zap's madness but finds every inch of her skin is netted by this jolt. She can feel her life seeping away from her skin, flesh, and eyes while the others are watching from the front.
The foam fell above Charger's head like a cloud descending for rain, slowly eating the surface of his brain from the thick, metallic skull with such immense pain. His horn blinks vividly like they were shattered and diminished with his soul. For him, it felt like bathing through sulfuric acid.
"Aaah!!!" Her screams expand through the room, followed by Charger's groan being torn out of their pride and dignity before the bearers.
Only Cyrus fell at his knee with horror, tapping on the window endlessly until his painful tears forced the bearers to intervene. Despite his aid, Cyrus was betrayed by the bearers on the deal of saving Eve. His crying and attempt to leave puts the executioner at play.
Dion stares aimlessly at the window with a face undefined with words. He appears confused and distracted with the wires around Eve's head, thinking about the sparks that flow inside. Somewhere, somehow—he couldn't feel anything about her demise. His eyes are only locked to those loose wires.
"At last, that A-level criminal no longer stood in my deck anymore. Now I have more suns to spend on Earth than this wretched bricks I called workplace." The knight saw pleasure in Charger's torture, relieved of all duties he would no longer follow with his absence.
"I guess I should start enforcing more laws to Quasor if I didn't want to spread a root among Quasarian."
"Naive girl. You could've saved yourself out of this trouble." He thought in his head as he looked at Eve one more time.
"It's a shame you were the only one who knew nothing of...me." He pauses with a slight doubt on his lips.
"Me, who you knew only by name..."
"Me alone. And no others..."
In all those sparks, Eve was left alone. The void seems closer and closer to her, like a gate welcoming her away from such horror. But instead of being terrified, her eyes sought the blissful absence of the light. The feeling of the thunders is now lost within a cold, dying skin.
"Yes, yes! Finally! Come to an end, you foolish creature!" Yelled the executioner.
"AAH! AAH! AAH!"
"Below." The whisper deafens her scream to her ears—embracing her to the sharpening tidal from her foot.
"AAH!!!"
"Below." The whisper breaks her bone—bringing her down in a numbing descent.
"AAAGH!!"
"Low." The whisper tore her pride—shredded her will to pieces.
"What...what is this...feeling?" Eve thought to herself. Sparks turn into a gust of wind, rubbing the itch off her skin.
"It feels...amazing? W-why did I like it? Am I enjoying this?"
"No. I can't enjoy this. I don't like this...I don't like these sparks in my body! I'm not into this!"
"Get me out of here!! Anyone!!"
"Wait, this isn't sparks. It's something else. Something...cold."
"Is this what happiness feels like? Free of all pain? Is this what being enjoying was? Not knowing anything?"
"How can I enjoy this? I should've know better! I shouldn't be here!"
"Eve! Stop! STOP IT! She's going to die!" Cyrus
"Low." The whisper tune to her mind—preparing her to sleep.
"Don't you do this to her! I thought you were supposed to help people!"
"And...Behold." The whisper steals the light in her eye—welcoming her to death.
"Stop it! Stop the machine! Stop—"
"I feel lighter. But still hurts. It's like I'm being healed by something that hurts me...It's like—"
*Boot*
The executing machine goes off before it can fry the two to the afterlife like a second miracle. The awakening fear on Cyrus' face as he stands up and looks at the window for an unresponding Eve at the chair and foam-covered Charger. Even the bearers were surprised to look at them.
"Huh? I'm still alive? I'm still alive! Woo!" Charger brushes off his blueish-pale head.
"What? What now??" The executioner presses the button furiously. No electricity is connected to the machine to power up.
"Aagh! What is it again??"
"Wow, what a terrible day...give me a shot for that." The witch sips for a drink.
"Eve? Eve!" Cyrus bangs on the glass, watching the unresponding girl sitting on the electric chair with a shortage.
"Umph...uh? Am I...Am I dead?"
"Eve!!" Yelled with relief.
The girl shimmers with life once more! The light came to her eyes like a blessing from the Lord. Despite the severe strike, she sustained no permanence in injury other than stiffness and paralysis in muscle, which numbs the worst pain. Her head can still feel the walking jolt from ear to ear like a whispering gust.
"Ugh, mom. I'm not hungry today..." Eve murmurs.
"Can someone tell me who dare interfere with the execution??"
"Me. I'm afraid we have to abort the execution by interrupting news from the tower..." Dion stood behind the executioner with a cable in his grip. He walks carefully towards Eve despite the rude manner—holding at her shackles to unbind.
"I received a call from the councils that they were looking after this girl a few seconds ago on my Link for her involvement in the Joy district. It seems they are agreeing on the terms of providing the community service for the...petty creature." Dion taps his forehead.
The creature's heart leaps, "R-really? They do?"
"Are you serious?? After 10 years?" The executioner glances in dismay.
"Wait, where did you get that information? I didn't get it..."
*Clack* "Then I expect your Link needs to be fixed because these two are going to face the higher judgement. Especially the A-level criminal..."
"Augh, electric bill goes to waste for this." The witch shuts off the chair's strap with a lever.
The two jailbirds were freed with their heads out, shackles off, and lives spared before the grey-armored wall. Their bodies are weakened and crushed by fear and pain brewing around their skin—leaving them itchy and terrified. But what matters for the good is the second chance they were given.
"Eve? Eve, are you alright, friend?" Charger brushes off his head.
*Slam* "Eve!!" Cyrus barges in from the back door.
"Eve, are you okay? Eve?"
"Friend! We did it! We've got the access to the tower! Isn't it great?"
"Eve? Are you okay?"
"Friend...?"
After the dark hours within the sparks, Eve was nearly lost from reality and left with a whispering woman muttering faintly of unconnected words. The whisper that mumbles in her ears signifies something of importance. The sparks had torn her cold out, leaving her with fear of living further.
But those feelings—It ain't a pain for her. They are pleasing, like a savior from her in a puff to the skin that eases the wounds. It feels exciting, alluring, and fresh like rainwater after being confined in a burning house for too long. But then, she wakes up, and it disappears.
The uttered "below" slowly fades from her ears, relieving her from the sight of lying on her knee before her known people. Her burnt skin returns to her touch, bearing the pain and blisters back like a scorpion's sting. For her, it was a leap in a dream.
"I hate all of you." She mumbled angrily.
"Yeah! She's back!" Cyrus leaps with joy.