SEPTEMBER 2184

PUEBLO, COLORADO

Adulthood snuck up on Iker.

Ever since he was given the "option" to either join the army or be sent to Próxima after he was blamed for everything that happened in Fornia... Iker no longer cared for birthdays, holidays, religions, ideologies, or anything for that matter. Even donhood or the Byza syndicate. Fornian citizens knew he was a hero, but neither Ember Tree Incorporated or Byza cared.

Dominic must have sent Iker his letter of resignation by putting a letter on each bullet that was shot that morning four years ago or something – options could not be loaded into a gun. Or could it?

The word option no longer meant anything too; it was a word to provoke the illusion of choice apparently. Iker had laughed in the white supersoldier's face when he was given the "option" between prison or army recruitment; which got him to get punched in the interrogation room back then.

What a bitch. He only punched me as a kid because I was in anti-influx cuffs.

Iker had still laughed at the rehearsed AF loloption as he laid on the marble floor with a bloody nose.

That ain't no option.

Iker understood that adults did not care about reality or truth, especially inconvenient ones. He might as well pick and choose facts like he picked out fruits and vegetables in the local Fornian supermarket; everyone else was doing it too.

Ooo! This bald-headed lie is especially ripe.

Well, Iker no longer had to go to the supermarket. Ever since that faithful day in Fornia, he was immortalized as Trickster on Memoryfeed. It was as if Iker and Camilo switched places as he no longer had to worry about the magic system of currencies.

His subconscious told Iker to not look for them, so he still had no idea where Bastian, Fatima, and Camilo were. All that was left in Hughmungus's shipment crate in the hotel room that night after Monica bailed him out was the canine fetus canister. It was obvious that night that Monica had to use a lot of restraint when she called him at the police station. It was an unspoken agreement that Iker would avoid asking questions; one never knew when an esper might be around.

When Iker did drill on Fornia's parade square before Ember Tree Inc. decided to just use deepfakes instead, it was made abundantly clear to him that Iker stared at the floor too much. Whoever was in charge of screaming the commands would scream in Iker's droopy face instead.

Iker knew he had his 18th birthday a couple of weeks ago when he was fast tracked to the sergeant rank, but he did not put two and two together. He was now legally an adult. Frankly, Iker always felt like an adult even when he knew he was not as mature as one.

For the past four years, even though he did drill for a short period of time, it was long enough for him to pick up the habit of staring forward while walking. He was able to observe the world around him better as the four years went by.

And when he could recollect all the memories he could muster from those years...

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

The vibe...

The soundtrack was shoegaze. A white girl with an ethereal voice singing about the boys, and eventually men, that paid more attention to Iker. Even stared at him. Downlow and up high.

The night he lost his lolvirginity at sixteen-years-old was unremarkable and Iker would not have had it any other way. The two teenaged boys lacked experience. Iker was thankful for that, as having too wide of an experience gap destroyed Camilo.

Before he could think about finally entering the Fornia Sphere legally instead of just for walking ballroom categories, he realized he was standing in a lambda shuttle somewhere high in the sky. What got him back to reality was a tap on the shoulder from Corporal Hunter.

"When are we getting our own jaunter? We are 2 platoon now for fuck's sake," Hunter asked. With her honed dark eyes and lips that could not hide what she was thinking, she never had to wear her heart on her sleeve; she had a double chevron hologram there instead. She took off her beret and switched to a boonie hat. Her firm and long onyx hair was always either in a bun or ponytail, this time in a bun due to being on the clock.

"Pretty soon actually," Iker said. "Cadet Woo-"

"Sorry sir I gotta interrupt you," Hunter said. "I just noticed how much deeper your voice got. You're a late ass bloomer sir; your voice was cracking all week."

It felt nice to hear that. Iker did not notice that he had an easier time speaking until Hunter pointed it out.

"Yea," Iker mumbled. "Actually, I just noticed that my voice really echoes in this space shuttle."

"It's the bass," Hunter said with a grin. "Anyways, I interrupted your day dreaming because I think we are at Pueblo."

Indeed, Monica's rented ship was descending.

Even the most fraught alleys of Pueblo had a twisted charm once a sentient being attained confidence, a locked destination, knew the right residents, had a dangerous reputation, and knew the night dance to make it back home [https://img.wattpad.com/d4b1d4ee258f80684a480c77da6fdea2005c386c/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f6b553646574d38427a41593061673d3d2d313337353134333638302e313737656461326630356534393462333330353334383932333039302e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]

Gazing out of the window of the lambda as it descended, Iker could see the ghost town that was under the piercing neon circle behind the black smoggy sky.

What used to be called Pueblo.

Barely anything stood except for frames, walls, and bricks of what used to be buildings and houses. Brown weed, daffodils, pavement, and roads were on course to becoming a singularity. As Iker and Hunter stepped out together, a hint of sulfur could be whiffed. Skeletons were around the supersoldiers, but no skulls. Disturbingly, it felt as if the wind should be howling, but it was silent. Even Hunter could not come up with something witty; Iker could see that when he glanced over to find her with a gloomy frown.

"It seems they weren't pure enough for the Alkrezians," Iker mumbled.

"Nope."

Hunter's favorite word. The way she always said it also always forced a small grin from Iker.

Time shenanigans. Iker's favorite word?

However, literal time shenanigans!

Egads!

Fourteen-year-old Bastian and Fatima appeared in the middle of the loltown. Also Uzi, the levitating octopus-spider alien. Monica. The boy with the fireflies.

"What in the actual fuck?" Hunter asked.

"We don't have time for... talking about time shenan–"

Bastian and Iker locked eyes. They were both awestruck that now Iker was four years older than Bastian; their faces showed it.

"Drone boy, you're taller than me."

"Yea."

The brothers began wrestling. Iker slammed Bastian into the weedy concrete in an instant.

"Ez," Iker said while the whole group laughed except for Uzi and Monica.

"I'd like to remind you that you are an adult that just threw a child to the floor," Monica said.

Iker slapped his forehead. "My bad."

"Fuck that noise," Bastian said, sitting himself up with a goofy smile. "That was awesome Iker."

"Let me try," the boy with the fireflies said, approaching Iker with raised palms. Iker raised his too.

"Okay enough," Uzi said. "Enough of your foolish ambitions Gabriel. Iker should be a Kaya master by now."

Uzi used influx to raise a concrete wall in between Gabe and Iker.

"Can you stop that?" Gabe asked.

"Negative!" Uzi screeched. "I will create all the walls I want. Clearly humans have forgotten what a wall is."

"Looks like Uzi has picked up our habit of fucking around as well, let me bring it in," Iker said. "I guess we need to get involved in time bullshit too?"

It was a silent for a couple of seconds.

"Wow, he's really grown up," Bastian whispered. As the wind finally whispered back, Iker glanced over to his brother to find glassy eyes. He gave Bastian an upnod.

"I take all the credit," Hunter bragged. "I guided him on the right path."

"Oh shut the fuck up," Uzi said, causing everyone to laugh.

"He picked up our habit of swearing too," Iker joked, getting the laughter to drown out the wind.

"Now that our leader is playing around too, I get to be the mature one," Uzi said. "We need to save Dominic. I found a path through spacetime to do so. Let's get on it."

"Fine Uzi, you win. Saint Uzi," Iker said sarcastically, causing more ruckus. "I jest. This is the reason I give you all the promotions."

"When will you let me be an officer sir?" Gabe asked.

"Well, I am guessing we meet in the future," Iker said. "But being able to deduce that I wouldn't know the answer to that question would be an important requirement."

Gabe sighed. "Good point, I guess I'll stay as a sergeant then."

Iker raised his palms once more. "I guess we all have to hold hands again?"

"Hands work," Monica said with a smile.

In the middle of Pueblo, the humans and the arak held hands and needle-like arms together, and they vanished.