"Hasn't your boss told you to not fall asleep during work?" Meth asked, crouching down as he stared at Arthur, who rested peacefully on the dirt ground. He slapped the sleeping fish on his bloodied face, cherry liquid splattering from below the neck. "Well, that's not good," he said with a half-smile, but he quickly straightened his lips and reached into his pocket, holding onto a water bottle; he opened it and poured the fluid onto the fish's face.
An audible gasp was heard as Arthur plunged his upper half into a sitting position. He breathed heavily, his eyes burning with a clear rage.
"Calm down," Meth said. "It's just me. Your boss."
"But… What… The others… They…"
Meth patted him on the shoulder and helped him stand up. He pointed to the mansion. "They're waiting for you."
"You don't get it," Arthur said, breathing heavily as he pressed his lips together. "Your people, they're fighting each other. We… You were betrayed."
"That's fine," Meth said with a smile. "Totally fine. I have you and you have me. Use your powers against anyone that defies us. Burn them to a crisp."
"But…"
Meth shook his head, placing his finger over his lips. "Just do."
They both walked into the mansion's front yard, where hundreds of armed members stood; they blocked the entrance to the building. Many were armed with weapons and some were holding nothing — soldiers who gave up. Those who quit, simply stood on the front lines, waiting to be killed or with the slight hope of rescue.
One of the members walked in front of Meth's path, a few feet away from him. "This Wanderer… How do we know it's him? How? How should we know this isn't a lie! A damn rouse to-"
The man's head exploded, and his brain matter flew everywhere. Arthur held his eyes and stared with his other, looking at all the members. "Move!"
Everyone was hesitant to shoot, they couldn't find themselves to do so; the sheer presence of the Wanderer was making them grow even more fearful by the second. An aura that couldn't be explained by emotions, but rather by animal instincts. The one thing going through everyone's mind was simple: RUN.
Hunt or to be hunted. Arthur was the clear predator.
Meth shook his head and sighed as he looked around at his members. "Now, if you could get the fuck out of our way, that would be greatly appreciated." No one moved. He waved his hand in the air. "Move before you all get blown up," he said walking forward, everyone making a path for him and Arthur, but as they made it to the entrance, he turned around. "You all better get back to work soon, or I'll fucking kill you all." He clicked his tongue and entered the building.
The duo entered the elevator and remained silent as they listened to horrendous music. It didn't take them long to make it to their expected floor — the resting ground. The area wasn't as "silent" as most would expect since many members resided there; however, they all harbored no ill intent. Regardless of others, Meth showed Arthur to his own room and they both entered it.
But waiting for them was Zoork, who faced the door as he stood. He showed no emotion as he spoke, "Arthur, wait outside for now. I need to talk to Meth."
"Come on," Meth said. "The kid is old enough to hear the juicy-"
"Shut the fuck up," Zoork said. "Arthur, I won't repeat myself."
He nodded and closed the door as he exited the room.
"Don't tell me you're actually mad," Meth said. "Don't you-"
"Meth." Zoork walked forward, looking down at him. "If it weren't for my son, you'd be nothing to me. I would have left you so long ago. So long ago."
"Because of the dead one or the fake one?"
Zoork punched Meth in the face, forcing him. His head smacked against the floor, but he breathed through his nose and stood up, wobbling forward and backward. "And if it wasn't for your lack of care. He wouldn't have died. He wouldn't of… Don't fucking blame me for my best-friends death." He smiled as he shook his head. "Anyways, it's too late for regret and emotions. Now it is the time to act. We're going to start it. We're going to start a war that allows the world to finally change."
Zoork closed his eyes. "Vanilla is in extensive care. She might not make it."
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"That's fine," Meth said. "Everything is going to plan. Everything."
"Fuck you," Zoork said, walking towards the door.
Meth held his finger up. "Make sure to get the Smiley brand prepared for a speech and media coverage. In a month or so, we'll be needing it."
Zoork left the room without replying; he even passed Arthur without saying any words.
Meth ignored his pain and put on a smile despite his bloodied lips. "The Wanderer, how do you feel?"
"I guess, okay?" Arthur said as he walked into the room.
"You did great. Amazing even. So, I'd like to reward you," he said, walking to his bed and grabbing a shopper bag on his bed. He grabbed whatever was in it and held it in front of Arthur. "A cake for defeating your first Hero."
He stared at the plastic-covered dessert, specifically, the frosting that was on the cake. "Why does it say…" He narrowed his eyes, making sure he was reading correctly. "Congrats Emma, you beat cancer…"
"I know. I know. I got it on sale. You see, Emma couldn't really beat it, so instead of wasting the perfectly fine cake, I decided to buy it."
"Thanks, I guess."
"Don't worry," Meth said, placing the dessert on the counter and grabbing Arthur's shoulder. "This is far from the true surprise. I know you're probably restless about completing your goal of putting your owner into a fishbowl. Don't worry because we're going to attend to your desires real soon."
Arthur couldn't help but smile, his brain was flowing with thoughts and emotions. The time to act finally arrived.
"Xavier Bird will be attending an event that we're also invited to. I hope you know what that means. You're going to get the chance to kill him. However, for now, you need to rest and…" He facepalmed himself. "I almost forgot… During your trip to Atlantis, did you come across a blue ball by any chance?"
"Yeah. Yeah, actually." He grabbed the sky-blue ball out of his pocket. "It formed after I killed… the king."
"Great," Meth said. "Eat it."
"What?"
"Just do what I say. That is if you want to complete your goal." He smiled and nodded. "Eat it."
'What's the worst that could happen,' Arthur hesitantly thought as he threw the clear ball up and gulped it in one go. Almost like he was choking, he grabbed his throat and fell onto his knees. His head shook like a volcano ready to erupt as scales grew around his body. The thick orange skin grew harder, almost shining light off of it as clear metal would. As he continued shaking in agonizing pain, two organs grew on his face. A little under both his temples, two more eyes formed, making him seem more like a sea monster than a fish that lived in the sea.
Meth laughed as he stomped back to his bed and sat on it. "The Wanderer is here…"
Though today was hectic for the organization known as the Wanderers, it was even more for the country of United Freedom; today marked their independence day. So obviously the country was throwing many parades and celebrations, but for one city that joy was interrupted. Many people took to the streets as they paraded with the local politicians, and they simply had fun, watching fireworks erupt in the sky, but a helicopter swooped down towards the crowd. This caused panic to arise as people tried running away, but they tripped over one another; the air-flown vehicle only got closer.
The cries of hopelessness echoed through the streets. One child yelled for help as she saw the helicopter diving into the crowd. She screamed so loud that she couldn't hear anymore. "Help," she whispered. "Help."
A man swooped down from the sky, grabbing the helicopter's blade. He held up one hand and raised it in the air. "I'm sorry for the disturbance. People of freedom should never have to go through this… I… I profusely apologize but do not worry my people. Medical personnel and much more entertainment are soon to arrive. There is no reason to fear. I am here and your cries were heard." He closed his eyes and touched his chest. "We are the free!" He flew away with the vehicle, hundreds of miles away.
Five drones flew up into the air, watching the man covered in a carbon polymer uniform; most of it was colored lava red, but near the hands were dark white gloves that reached his elbows. There were two embroidered metal circles around the man's waist and above it was the letter "F." The drone closed in on the man.
"Can't the Agency ever let me work in peace? Must you all pester me…" He stared at the drones and beamed them all done with his green lasers. The machinery didn't have any time to act; his movements were far too fast. The man zoomed through the open air and flew thousands of miles away towards a mountain, and he stood above the clouds while holding the helicopter, but he dropped it and scanned the area, shifting his eyes from side to side. He nodded his head and swooped back down, grabbing the vehicle and landing on a somewhat flat mountaintop. He placed the vehicle down and grabbed the lady who drove it.
"Why are we here? Take me to the police," she said, looking at the man in disgust.
"A helicopter…" He shook his head and punched it, flinging it hundred of miles away. "A fucking helicopter. I…"
"You're scaring me," the woman said.
"Yeah. Because I should talk to you nicely? Like you're the victim?" He clenched the woman's throat. "Tell me." He pointed at her face and pressed his finger against her cheek. "Why again? This is your third time trying to kill yourself in a helicopter."
"I… To protest the injustice."
"No, no, no," he said, shaking his head. "The only injustice that's prevalent is the fact that I have to live with you filth. You had the audacity to speak about being a victim. No. NO. You are no victim. If anything I am. I am for having to live with you beings."
"Y-y-you're scaring m-m-meee. Y-y-you are F-f-f-freedom."
"So what? So what if I'm a hero? So what if I'm the strongest? So what if you common folk think you can run your foul stench onto my sovereign land? So what?"
"Please stop. Please take me to the police station. Please."
"You wanted to kill yourself, right? Do it," Freedom said, letting go of the woman. "You were a swimmer before you became a pilot, so show me a cannonball. Jump."
"P-p-p-please take me to…"
"No." He shook his head. "Jump."
She closed her eyes and swallowed her spit as she cried. "Please, please, please help."
"Bye," he smiled, waving at her.
She shouted at the top of her lungs as she ran off the edge of the mountain, but as she did, she tripped and banged her body against the rocks as she descended.
Freedom stared at the sky and lifted his hands above his head. "To a new world."