Tri sits on a bus trying his hardest to focus on Edmond’s coin, hoping for some form of reaction to call him from it. He breathes heavily calming himself as the bus stops and he makes his way towards the front. He walks off the bus and looks onto the skatepark in front of him.
“Pretty late for some skating, where’s your board, anyway?” The driver asks looking at Tri.
Tri steps forward and turns back. “Oh, I’m meeting someone and they’ve got it waiting for me.” He says lying.
“Well be careful kid, I’m sure your parents are worried.” He says closing the bus’s doors.
Tri sighs and steps forward. “Parents right.” He says regaining his focus.
Tri walks into the park and stares into the bowl in the center of the park. Inside Saffy and Jago stand around playing on their phones as Tri looks down at them.
“Hey, William Tell!” Tri yells out.
Jago puts his phone away. “Oh, you made it!” He turns towards Tri happily. “Well, are you ready? Are you at full power?”
Tri holds himself and struggles to stand strong. “More or less.”
Jago stares at him and shakes his head turning around. “I applaud your force of will, but I can tell your still poisoned by my arrow.”
“Yeah, it really hurts.” He says.
“You know I wanted a good fight, not to kick some injured puppy.”
“Well, this injured puppy still has some bite!” Tri yells out holding out the watch. “Let’s do this!”
“Phantomize!” The watch yells out.
Jago sighs and turns towards Saffy as he slaps on his watch. “You might want to hide somewhere.”
“Phantomize!” His watch yells out.
“Tri…” Saffy says as she rushes off.
Tri transforms and rushes ahead swinging his sword wildly as Jago blocks the attack with his bow. Jago pushes Tri back looking down on him as he examines his armor and his staggering actions.
“So, your Phantom didn’t wake up, huh?”
“Shut up!” Tri yells out forcing himself up. “I don’t need him! I’ll stop you by myself if I have to!”
Tri swings his blade wildly with Jago dodging the attacks and leaping back pulling back on his bow as air forms an arrow within the bow. “Let’s just end this.”
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Jago fires with a flurry of arrows rush out and hit Tri knocking him back as he staggers to stand.
“Come on stop already. This is getting tiresome.” Jago says walking around Tri. “If you’d just stop and listen maybe this is would be over by now.”
Tri struggles to lift himself up. “You should listen, I didn’t kill your guy.”
“I’m starting to believe you. No way Frank would be killed by someone so pathetically weak.” Jago holds his bow over Tri’s head. “But I have a mission to accomplish and a deal I have to uphold.”
“What?”
“Remember, I’m taking your friend and we’re going to the Professor.” He says happily.
“No!”
“Come now, I promise I’ll do a better job keeping her safe than you did,” Jago says pulling back the bowstring. “Now just rest for now.”
Tri struggles to stand as his mind fades and everything around him goes white. He reaches out for his sword but finds nothing but an empty void as his eyes close shut.
Tri’s eyes open within the white void with nothing around him as he stares ahead. He steps forward walking ahead calmly as a figure appears in the distance. The figure comes increasingly into view as Edmond appears sleeping heavily as Tri approaches.
“So, this is where you are,” Tri says seriously. “You’ve put me through a lot of hell you know.”
Leave. Edmond says.
“Oh, someone’s moody?”
I told you without the conviction you’d just leave yourself vulnerable to enemies and look what’s happened. Saffron is in danger and you are on the verge of death.
Tri smiles. “So, you were watching.”
What? Edmond asks.
Tri smiles and reaches out. “That guy I fought said I pulled out too much power and caused you to get hurt so you retreated in the coin.”
Tri touch’s Edmond’s hand and feels an intense burn crawling up his arm.
Stop!
“Hey if you heard me earlier you know how I feel. I need your power for now, and we need each other right now.”
What? Edmond asks confused.
Tri’s body burns as he bursts into flames that cover his body in a raging inferno. “Listen we’re together in this. If I mess up we both mess up so there’s no sacrificing yourself for my dumb mistake.”
I wasn’t doing that.
Tri grabs Edmond and holds him close. “Don’t lie to me. You're one of those stupid self-sacrificing types, but you heard me earlier I’m someone selfishly hoarding your power.”
Selfishness and Selflessness. You had a point to that rant of yours.
“You said I lack conviction, but here’s mine. I’ll fight, I’ll fight all the bad guys I want because I want to! And then when we get you out of this watch and it off of my arm then you can find some perfect hero partner.” Tri smiles as the fire fades leaving scorch marks on his body. “But until then you're riding with someone completely selfish and only out for himself.”
Edmond smirks. That’s fine for now, I’ll balance you out with my selflessness.
“Good let’s go, Partner!” Tri yells out as the void around them cracks.
Yes, I believe our foe is in need of a good thrashing. And I’m not one to keep them waiting.
The area around them cracks until a large hole opens up underneath them followed by the rest of the void cracking apart.
Tri grips onto his blade and swings knocking Jago away as he leaps backward the red of his suit glowing. Jago stares ahead dumbfounded as he slowly adjusts to the situation.
“Oh, what is this! Did you wake up with your Phantom back!” Jago yells out.
“Of course.” Tri holds out his sword as it burns with a hot flame. “We’re partners after all, and together we’ll kick your butt.”
Tri raises his sword as his Phantomizer glows brightly. “Sync Up! Awaken to a new level of Fifty Percent!”
“What?” Tri asks.
Suddenly a raging fire emerges from his armor as Tri yells out with his sword and body becoming engulfed in flames.
“What is this?” Jago asks confused. “Is it rejection?”
Tri steps forward as the fire rages. “No this is something different. This is power! I no not just me We’re getting stronger!”
Tri rushes ahead as he swings his burning blade. “Let’s go, Edmond! Let’s end this!”