(Libertatem 1, 59 / 4:40AM)

(Stan and Gary)

Stan looked down to the ground as he placed both of his hands onto his sides.

Seeing that Gary remained still, Stan opened up his hands as his palms were facing toward him, leaving him vulnerable despite Ryan being in the back of Gary. His eyes becoming watery, Stan crunched up his eyes as his face stiffened from the way Gary continued to stare at him.

(Stan) I’m sorry Gary…

Turning his head away from the hefty man in front of him, his eyes looked toward the black cemented street coated with burning debris from all over.

The air around them started to warm up, as some sweat droplets plopped from Stan’s face. As for Gary, his breathing started to hitch more.

(Gary) I didn’t get to say goodbye to my parents. I didn’t even get to say that to my friends back at the robotics club…

His voice came out broken. Gary had his hands enclosed into fists, his fingernails digging into his palms. His eyes started to let out several tears, which led to them rolling down his cheeks as he hunched his head forward.

(Gary) I trained like hell for four years straight, but ended up not even getting a blessing in the first place…

As his grip on the cement loosened, his legs started to wobble back and forth like a bobblehead.

(Gary) And for the last two years, I did nothing but become a pawn. With nothing to prove myself over.

Stan then started to look up toward the staring Gary, his own eyes starting to falter as the redness of his pupils managed to irritate him. Swaying away his head once, he sniffed his nose as mucus rolled down onto his upper lip.

Gary cleared his throat, straightening his back as he turned his attention toward the lich.

(Gary) And out of all days today, hell came back to us again, inviting our friends in the mix. Becoming nothing but shells of what they were like.

Extending his right hand, he then pointed toward Stan who began to widen his eyes. With Stan grabbing a hold of his collar with his right hand, he let out a huge gulp as his hand trembled, causing him to bead more sweat from his body.

Gary then glared right at the ginger-brown-haired man in front of him.

(Gary) So in the end, you were the cause of my downfall, isn’t that right Stan?

(Stan) W-What…

Ryan let go of Gary’s collar, as Gary didn’t even nudge or move forward despite being free from him. Letting out a devilish grin, Ryan took a few steps backwards while placing himself underneath the shadow of the alleyway, like a devil waiting for the perfect chance to strike.

Seeing that Stan was placing himself lower than he should’ve had, Gary then slowly started to walk toward him, his fists shaking.

(Gary) You always preferred Luke over me. You always preferred Fred over me. Ever since that day that we first met Luke, you treated him like some sort of prodigy.

(Stan) Because he—

(Gary) What about me?! I was found the same as Fred when you and your parents took us in! Why did you treat me like I’m lower than them!?

His vocals were on the verge of tearing each other apart, he then stopped right in front of Stan, the crevices of his eyes reaching toward the center of his head.

As his breathing continued to turn more irregular, his eyes started to redden more as the tears stained his cheeks red. His face crunched as he slowly started to raise his fists.

(Stan) That’s not what I’m saying—

(Gary) Then what do you think of me then!?

His hands then grabbed a hold of Stan’s collar, gripping the fabric of his clothing as his fingernails dug in. Stan arched his head back onto the brick wall in the back of him, feeling the dust and dirt from the years of industrial workplace onto his hair.

With his entire body now being trapped by Gary, he swayed his head two times slowly, his lips puckered up inside of his mouth.

As he saw Stan’s face on the verge of breaking out into tears.

(Gary) I just … I just …

Gary then let go of Stan’s collar, as both of his hands were now being laid motionless to his sides.

He then dropped to the ground on all fours, opening his mouth wide as his palms were faced flat to the ground.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

(Gary) I just want to be useful too!

Gary then let out an angry cry from his vocals, the air around him trembling from the grievance of the cry.

The tears hitting the sidewalk, created small puddles amongst the ground as he dug his toenails onto the ground. Keeping himself shuttled like a turtle, he closed his eyes as the tears continued to pour out like a streaming river.

(Gary) I just wanted to live a normal life! I just want to go back!

His breathing soon started to trap inside his lungs and throat, and the basic need for oxygen began to weaken, but that didn’t stop the crying Gary.

(Gary) I want to… I want to…

Seeing this, Stan let out a tear roll down his right cheek, his throat quivering as he placed his right hand over his mouth. Sniffling his nose for a couple of seconds, he then extended his left hand outward toward Gary’s—

An arm was barreling right toward Gary’s head.

______________________________________________________________________________

(Stan) GARY!!

Jumping up, he lunged his entire body and extended his hands outward to save Gary from the high-speed punch coming right toward him.

Unable to look to the left of him, Gary widened his eyes as he still had his entire face down near the floor, his peripheral vision seeing a shadow from to the left of him. His eyeballs moved faster than his head, and the tears that poured out from his eyes soon began to cease.

(Gary’s thoughts) But … I didn’t mean right now—

Another hand grabbed a hold of the frail and bony hand.

(Luna) Leave him alone!

(Gary) L-Luna…

Gripping his right wrist, Luna dug her fingernails into Ryan's frail bones, which caused them to crack under the extreme pressure.

Clenching his teeth, Ryan glared straight at the tanned woman, while he tried to nudge back his hand and arm from her. Seeing that she didn’t have any intention of letting go, Ryan then started to walk backward, his hand continuing to stretch more.

(Ryan’s thoughts) If she doesn’t want to let go then, I guess I’ll just go to her myself.

Letting out a devilish smirk, the corner of his right lip reached the height of his ear, his nostrils flaring upward as he let a tank full of air into his lungs. As well as a chuckle escaping from his mouth, he licked his lips with his brownish tongue, the hot and putrid air coming out of him being visible to the naked eye.

Steadying his feet, he put pressure on his heels as he maintained his core strength, his abs tightening at the strength of Luna’s grip.

(Ryan) Ready or not…

Ryan then pushed both of his feet off the ground, barreling his entire body toward Luna who had her lips making an upside-down U. Feeling the gust of air hitting his face, his hair and body fur flowed through the howling wind.

(Ryan) Here I come—

(Luna) You’re a dumbass, you know that.

Luna then let go of his wrist, his hand being free from her grasp as she placed her hand down to her hip.

The arm and hand being pulled back toward Ryan, he widened his eyes as the incoming fist started to make headway toward his face. As the fist managed to make contact with his skin, it started to dig into his nose and a bit of his cheekbones.

Since he was in the air, Ryan then toppled onto the ground beneath him, making him roll a couple of times until he stopped. His right shoulder was placed onto the ground, blood started to spur from both his nostrils, as his entire nose shape was pushed back inward.

(Ryan) You bitch!

(Luna) You’re fault, dumbass.

Ryan then spread his arms and legs flat across the ground, letting his body rest as he moved his head up to see Luna from behind.

Placing both of her hands on her hips, Luna then turned toward Gary who was sitting down on the ground. Having his butt on the cement, and his hands on his knees, it looked as if he was a kindergartner who was going through a timeout.

Making a tch sound, Luna tilted her head up.

(Luna) Why aren’t you getting up?

(Gary) I … I don’t …

(Luna) Are you seriously going to sulk there?

(Gary) I just want to … I just want to live a normal life…

Luna widened her eyes as she continued to look down on Gary, her hands and arms now being folded. Glaring at him more, her cold demeanor continued as she stomped her right foot forward.

Gary looked down onto the ground beneath him, seeing one big crack upon three small cracks.

(Luna) Don’t you think I want to live a normal life too?

Gary didn’t answer. His lips beginning to quiver softly at the pressure that Luna conflicted upon, he couldn’t bring his face up toward her.

(Luna) Get up…

(Gary) But—

(Luna) Get the hell up!

Fastening himself up from the ground, he steadied his legs as his feet continued to feel numb, his entire stance unsteady. With his hands to his sides, he slouched as he put both of his hands in a clasping manner, allowing his head to lean close toward the tanned woman.

Luna however, unfolded her arms as she managed to face eye to eye with him, her eyes peering into the depths of his soul. Grabbing the helm of his collar, she pulled his large body toward her, her teeth clenching as she sharpened her eyes, her fingers clutching the fabric of his jacket with ease.

(Luna) Stop playing the victim.

Her voice was the opposite compared to her face, her tone sounding as if she was speaking toward a troubled kid.

Slightly opening his mouth, he let his body remain still as his ears started to perk up, his body frozen solid.

(Luna) You don’t have to be the best fighter or the smartest technician, hell you don’t have to be the best support unit, but…

Her eyes are still cold and clammy, her sharpened eyes still glaring at the sniffling man, Luna let out an exhale of breath out of her mouth. Her grip on his collar loosened, she let go of him as she put her hands to her sides, tilting her head downward at him.

Clasping his hands together still, Gary slowly felt his entire body become numb, his stained torn cheeks still red as he couldn’t even allow himself to breathe.

(Luna) Just do what you do best. And I’ll do what I do best. You are useful, so act like you are.

Looking up toward the sky, Luna noticed a burning monster right on top of them, her eyes taking note of a hand being pulled back. Widening her eyes, she looked right back at Gary as she then started to take a few steps back from him, her breathing starting to tighten.

Curious as to what Luna was worrying about, Gary also looked up to see the monster hurdling its fist right on top of the building where…

(Gary) Wait … is she going to attack!?

(Luna) I got to help that meathead out…

As Luna vanished into the air, Gary still looked up toward the monster as she managed to barrel her fist onto the roof of the building.

Since the building is old and dusty, as soon as the monster managed to have her palm face down on the cement, a blizzard of dust formed right near where the building was at.

Stan, who also saw the sight unfold, pushed his legs off the cement as the burning dust got into his eyes. Not bothering to look up, he pushed his way as the cloud of dust was barreling its way toward—

(Stan) Oh shit!

(Gary) S-Stan!

Seeing the world in slow motion, Stan extended his hand outward as he saw Gary’s hand barely able to reach out. Lunging to him again, both of their fingertips were on the edge of theirs, creating a millisecond of joy and relief.

But in the end, they were shrouded in the burning dust that followed suit.