In a dark alley, the floor was littered with metal arms, legs, screws. Plasma guns laid by the side too. Robot parts scattered around as if they had been forcefully ripped apart. Standing In the middle of this machine brutality was a white haired man with gold rimmed glassed, black shirt and a pristine white trouser. He held in his left hand what seemed to look like the head one of the robots guards except the side of it was bashed in. In his right hand was a metal rod. Lukas was turning the metal head of the guard like he was inspecting it. Little sparks lighted underneath it where it was ripped off from the rest of the body.
"Eh?" A playful voice sounded in the alley.
Lukas looked up. Standing on the air with his hands in his pocket was a Black and White haired man in a black double-breasted suit. He had a wide grin on his face as he looked down at Lukas.
"Fuck" Lukas muttered under his breath. The young man's smile widened as he said.
"That's bad language... Little brother."
"..."
"What? Not even a Hel-"
Boom!
Without even waiting to Luther to finish, Lukas threw the head at him and dash away at breakneck speed causing a shockwave that scattered the torn pieces of the robot guards laying on the floor.
Luther stood in the air completely in a daze.
"Eh?"
'Oh shit, why is that guy here. I just got skewered by a void creature yesterday. What kind of dumb luck is this?' Lukas thought as he dashed past people. Different poeple on hoverboards and shoes almost fell off.
'I'd have taken anyone other than this guy.'
Lukas looked up and shouted "Anyone!!!"
'knowing that guy's ability, I wouldn't be able to outrun him. I really can't deal with this guy now. No choice, let's hear what he has to say .'
Lukas climbed up a building and stopped.
"You really break my heart Lulu" Luther's voice echoed across the rooftop.
Lukas turned around and standing behind him was Luther. He stood leisurely with his hands in his pocket. He had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
Lukas's mouth twitched as he said with a smile on his face.
"Oh Luther didn't see you there."
"Don't lie, I know you saw me. You seem to be nervous, are you sweating?" Luther said with a grin.
"I don't know what you're talking about. It's the rain." Lukas replied.
"There's no rain."
"I'm sweating from all the running."
"That's even less believable than the rain."
Lukas placed his left hand in his pocket and did not reply.
"Still a fan of white trousers and black shirts huh?"
"And you still like wearing all black clothes."
Luther and Lukas stood in silence for a while.
"Little brother..." Luther broke the silence as he began walking in circles around Lukas.
"Have you... visited mother?"
Luther looked at Lukas for any reaction but Lukas didn't even flinch. He began swinging his foot as if kicking the air, before he continued.
"She's been staring at the moons alot these days." Luther snuck another glance at Lukas.
"She is not looking at the moons." Lukas replied.
"She's looking at the stars."
Luther smiled. "I know, just wanted to check if you did. Do you know why why she looks at the stars? I bet you do. I guess you still remember your mother after all. You ungrateful child. Haha" Luther said laughing. "Alright let's go." He said as he held out his hand.
"Where?" Lukas asked taking a step backwards.
"Home" Luther replied.
'Shit, I knew it' Lukas cussed in his head.
"Why are you taking me back?"
"To see mother of course" Luther said matter of factly.
"But I never said I was ready to go back home." Lukas took another step backwards.
"Don't make me drag you Lukas."
"You know why I can't go back home"
"I'll sort it out. Just come with me."
'This stubborn guy would not listen. Going home now will cause alot of complications.'
"Let's make a deal Luther."
"Hm?"
"Give me three days. I have something to do. You can come get me after three days"
"Oh? You really don't want to go home. And I'm sure it's not because you don't want to see mother. If it's about 'them' I told you I'll handle it."
"It not. Just give me three days."
"You know the Tower guys are aware that you're here right?" Luther said stroking his chin.
"If they catch me, it'll be a cosmic accident."
"Thats the same thing you said to me 700 years ago. Look at this, I caught you. Is this also the Cosmos's fault."
"Yes" Lukas replied instantly.
"Woah that was fast. It really was the cosmos's fault? Ha.. and I thought I actually managed to catch you. How though?. Did it just send you into a portal without your consent and spit you out randomly." Luther mummured to himself like he was deep in thought.
"That's not possible... An Appellation maybe?"
Lukas's brow furrowed slightly at Luther's words and it didn't escape the latter who frowned instantly.
"You've had another appellation?" Luther asked.
"It's nothing serious."
"No it is serious. You know how unpredictable Appellations can be. This is all the more reason to bring you home with me." Luther replied walking towards Lukas
"I said it's nothing serious, I've survived hundred of centuries on my own. I said I could handle it. It has a condition. As long as I don't try to do it, the appellation wouldn't activate. Three days alright."
Luther stopped sensing the annoyance in Lukas's voice.
"Are you mad because I'm underestimating your ability to have survived centuries on your own or because of the fact that you had to spend those centuries on your own."
"If that's all... I'll be leaving" Lukas said turning around and walking to the edge of the rooftop.
Staring at Lukas's retreating back. Luther hesitated for a second before saying "You know you didn't have to spend those hundred of centuries on your own. You could have stayed."
"No, I couldn't. Besides they were the best years of my life." Lukas answered without looking back.
"You were in prison for more than half of it."
"It was worth it".
"Because of your legs?". Lukas stopped after hearing Luther's question.
"You noticed, why aren't you asking about them." Lukas asked still not looking back.
"Would you have told me if I did?" Luther answered.
"..." Lukas remained silent and stood on the edge of the rooftop.
" Mother doesn't know yet. She'd be really happy." Luther said.
"Are you happy?"
"Ye-"
"Don't lie to me Luther. If you were, you would have told her. You're afraid... You're afraid of the 'how', you're afraid of what sacrifice I made because you know well I didn't do it. You know damn well I didn't survive those centuries without sacrifices, that's also why you didn't ask."
"Did yo-"
"Wipe your face Luther, you look like you're crying."
Lukas's body tilted forward as he let himself fall of the rooftop. He didn't jump, didn't trip, didn't force himself. He just let himself fall with Luther's voice sounding in his ears.
"It's the rain."
---------------------
"It's 30 gold pieces!!"
"Bullshit!!. It not even worth 3 gold pieces. Anything higher than that and you might as well rob me!"
"Younglings this days don't know anything about the market. It's 30 gold!"
"How!!"
"The Economy!"
"The economy my ass!! You devious old man!"
In a bookshop in the usually quiet part of the 21st Port town. An heated argument was going on over the sale of an old looking book.
"Are you trying to rip me off" A young man with bright golden hair hidden underneath a black top hat shouted at a short, old looking man with green skin in plain looking clothes behind a counter. He was a goblin.
"It's 50 gold pieces take it or leave it!" The bookstore owner shouted back.
"You old scammer!! You just said 30 gold pieces!."
"I did? Fine I'll let you have it for 30 gold pieces." The bookstore owner replied innocently.
"That's not going to work on me, you green, dwarf!"
"Oh oh oh, so now we're being racist huh? Now we're being racist!"
"Screw you, Freakin goblin"
"Screw you too, bird brain"
"So you know I'm a Pheonix"
"Anyone can tell with them flames coming out of you head."
Gold finally noticed that his hair had turned into flames at some point in the argument. He took off his hat and patted his head try to put off the flames.
"You're rich, yet you can't let go of just 50 gold pieces."
"Once again you said 30! And how do you know I'm rich."
"You're literally covered in gold. Your watch, ring, the buttons on your cloth even your fake glasses that you put on to make you look smarter is made of real gold."
"Thats why you wanna rip me off? And what do you mean fake glasses" He glared at the goblin bookseller.
"Wait wait. Let's make a deal Pheonix." The goblin said rubbing his hands together like a cunning merchant.
"Hm?"
"I'll give you the book for free."
Gold stopped patting his head as he looked at the goblin with the most suspicious gaze while taking a step backwards.
The corners of old goblin's mouth twitched. "Stop looking at me like I stole your egg."
" I'm a male Pheonix, I don't lay eggs"
"Shut up! I'll give you the book for that hat."
Gold looked at his hat which the goblin was pointing at before a look of understanding flashed across his face.
"It didn't burn even when exposed to your flames. Hand it over and you get the book." The goblin said with a sly smile of his face.
"Fine" Gold answered, clicking his tongue. He flung the hat to the goblin and picked up the book.
He tried to open it but for some reason, couldn't.
"Tsk.." Clicking his tongue again, he set the book on fire with a snap of his finger. The goblin stared at him in a daze, he shook his head.
"Why all that fuss for a book if you're just going to burn i-" The goblin's words got stuck in his throat. The old, dusty looking book that was on fire seemingly transformed. The edges of the book were now decorated with gold. The cover of the book was made of polished wood. There were two holes in the front and the back of the book. One of the holes had a portable gold clock in it. The other was empty like something use to be embedded there. On the front of the book, 'Chronicles of the comic traveller' was scratched unto the surface of the wood. The old book seemed to have be rebranded.
Gold looked at the hole before sighing.
"He took the compass"
"Umm.. good sir"
Gold faced the bookstore owner.
"Hehe, I forgot to tell you but the prize was actually 400 gold pieces "
"Fuck off!"
-------------------
Nathan dressed in a black army-like trousers, paired with a skin tight black shirt and black jacket walked beside Noah who was also dressed the same.
"Your folks seem to love you. They didn't want you to leave."
"Hm.." Nathan answered.
He had just bid the 1008th district farewell after handing over to Old Ben.
It was a sad moment as many of them didn't want their Captain to leave.
Ava had cried, and only stopped after Nathan told her he was going to bring Luke back.
He remembered his conversation with Old Ben.
"So the little rascal ain't dead?"
"Yes. Turns out this is bigger than we think."
"And Luke's at the center of it?"
"...Yes"
Old Ben took a puff of his cigar before saying.
"He was a good kid."
"Yah he was" Nathan replied.
'I hope he was' Nathan thought as he walked silently behind Noah.
"Why did you bring that girl along? She's a mute."
"Noelle? She's good. Also she had a weird connection with Luke."
"Connection?"
"Yes if you want to find Luke she'd be very helpful."
"Hm.. Ok but she's your responsibility."
"Aye sir."
Noah stopped to look at Nathan.
"Never do that again."
"..."
Tap tap!
The sound of hurried footsteps came from behind them. A young man in the same cloths as Nathan stopped in front of Noah.
"The traveller has been spotted sir. He's in the 21st Port town."
Nathan's brow furrowed as he heard that.
"Traveller?" He asked looking at Noah.
"Yes you guess correctly. It's Lukas." Noah answered waving the young man away.
"Why is he called the traveller?"
"Remember how I said I was going to tell you everything? That's going to have to wait." Noah tapped his watch, bringing it close to his mouth"
"Leslie?"
"I heard the news commander, should we prepare for a jump?" A female voice come from the watch.
"Yes, also send a message to the guys at the port."
"Already did. You could tell they were shaking in their boots when they heard the 'comet' was coming." A small laugh came from the watch.
"Sound the alarm Leslie."
"Aye Aye sir."
Noah looked at Nathan who had a small smile on his face.
"You told me not to say that"
"She's the only one allowed to say that "
"Why?"
"It's not cute when you say it" Noah answered walking away.
"Oh. So you like cute girls." Nathan said walking after him.
"Wait also why didn't you tell me you were the commander?"
"No reason."
"So do I like have to call you Commander Noah or.."
"Shut up, country bumpkin."
"You're never going to stop saying that are you?"
"No"
Nathan sighed. A playful female voice sounded across the entire ship
"Attention all unit, we are about to make a spatial jump. All non-combat units go back to your stations. Those of you weak ass folks who cannot handle the pressure from the Spatial jump should remember to fasten your seatbelts. Anybody dies on my ship I'll throw your body into space. Co-commamder?... Yes I'll get off the mic now.. "