“Erm…” Hao was floating about in the realm of dreams within a bewildering world of shadow and shimmering water. His every footfall ruffled the glassy surface, sending out vibrations that spread into oblivion. Naked as the day he was born, he found himself swordless, he was a knight bereft of his armament.
“Hmm, what’s that?” He noticed a radiant blue teardrop descend from the nothingness, stirring the water into motion. From these undulations, Judgment Day rose, its blade aglow with a spectral luminescence. Extending his hand to grasp it, his left arm commenced a horrifying transformation, the skin was shrivelling and peeling away. An agonised scream tore through the abyss, marking his anguish.
"Yowza!" Hao howled and snapped back into reality with a jolt. “What the, where am I?” He discovered himself on a worn-out sofa, dust particles pricked at his nostrils, triggering a coughing fit.
“Hmm.” Sat beside him was a little lass in patchwork clothes who looked completely fitted in the environment of Wranglers District. Meet Nancy, the tiny admirer smitten by Hao's prior fight with Lanor.
“Huh, he’s up.” Seeing this, Nancy bounded off the sofa and scampered off to fetch her older sister. Moments later, Lanor sauntered into the room with Mentos trotting in her wake.
With his face split into a wide grin, Mentos sprightly darted past Lanor. "Oi, Vee, you're up and about, mate! How're you feeling?" Mentos inquired with relief thick in his words. Hao had been out cold for a solid seventy-two hours, enough to send their anxiety soaring.
"Everything's gone black... I think that I'm blind," Hao cracked a joke.
"Still got your banter, do ya? Good on ya!" Mentos responded, enfolding Hao in a burly hug.
“Hey, hey, not so tight man, you’re crushing me.” As Hao tried to return the gesture, he felt something amiss with his left arm. It felt more like a machine than flesh and bones. "Bloody hell! What's happened to my arm?" he exclaimed, baffled.
"Got a new one fitted.” Lanor entered the conversation, explaining, “Mum did her best to patch the old one back up but it was too far gone. You owe us one, big time," She was not quite over the bitter aftertaste from Hao's last visit to Wrangler's District.
"Ease up, missy," Mentos warned. He turned his attention back to Hao's arm. It was a curious blend of metal and wood, a fascinating piece of tech, the intricate network of gears and pistons visible beneath the wooden exterior. "Could be worse," he comforted Hao.
“Uh…” Hao flexed his new arm and the mechanical limb obeyed, though with a slight lag. “I missed my arm already. She must be smiling that she nab it from me.” He remembered getting his arm cut by Diana’s technique while flexing the new limb. Acclimatising to the novel sensation, his thoughts wandered to Judgment Day. "Where's my sword?" he asked anxiously.
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"Easy there, tiger. It's right next to you," Lanor replied, indicating the X-Class sword resting against the sofa.
“She’s telling the truth, it’s right there.” Mentos eyed the weapon warily, instead of touching it he directed Hao’s hand towards it.
Hao took hold of it, the familiar heft of the blade was a comforting presence. "How did we end up here?" His recollections of past events were hazy. He couldn’t remember most of what happened after he got his arm slashed.
"You don't remember?" Mentos furrowed his brow. "You told me to get you to Vicky in the Wranglers District when Euphy brought you to me back there in the city, you thought it'd be the last place they'd look for you instead of some hospital. I'll fill you in on the rest," Mentos offered, sketching a vibrant image of their escape from the city and arrival at the Wranglers District.
Just as Mentos wound down his narrative, Vicky made her entrance. Her wheelchair didn’t do a thing to diminish her imposing figure, her commanding presence was genuinely unmissable.
Looking at her, Mentos thought, ‘Blimey, that's a big woman.’
With Judgment Day in hand, Hao tried to rise to his feet, but his strength was still depleted from his wounds. Mentos was at his side in an instant, offering his support.
Right after he steadied himself, Hao spoke, "Thanks for the fix-up, Vicky. Name your price and we're square. Blade Tokens are not a problem."
"Jumping straight into it eh...? Your Blade Tokens won't cover this," Vicky retorted, halting her wheelchair next to Lanor.
“If Blade Tokens won’t cut it then what will?” Hao waited for a response. “You’re not going to ask me to do another heist are you?”
“We’ll discuss that once you’ve recovered some strength and become accustomed to your new arm.” Vicky’s scrutinising gaze inspected Hao's new arm, before switching to Lanor. "Child, his recovery's on you."
"Yes, mum," Lanor affirmed, ready to impress her mother even with her lingering distaste for Hao.
Vicky then rolled her wheelchair out of the room, leaving Lanor, Mentos, and Hao inside. The kids were piled up at the doorway listening to every word that was said.
With Vicky gone, Lanor assumed control, shining her bossy streak. "Mum put me in charge of your recovery, so you better listen and do as I say, got it?" she asserted, poking Hao's chest.
“Hey, relax.” Hao slightly swatted her hand away and steered the conversation towards the Bastians with Mentos. “Where are they?”
"These goons had them cooped up in some shack," Mentos spat out frustratingly.
"But they're not bad creatures," Hao countered, defending the Bastians.
"I tried convincing them to let them go, but they wouldn't have it. Maybe you could talk some sense into them, Vee," Mentos suggested, shooting a glare at Lanor.
"Can't see them listening to me after that showdown," Hao confessed, the memory of him cutting down several gang members was still fresh in his mind. It reminded him of Vibe Edge and his mother who had taken up the task of repairing the weapon. Was she still at it or up to something else? He needed answers, he longed for the familiar feel of Vibe Edge at his waist.
Lanor interrupted Hao’s fantasies by saying, "Follow me," She began making her way to the exit. "Time for your rehab."
"Can't we get a bite to eat first? I'm famished," Hao moaned while gripping his tummy. Shortly, his stomach chimed in agreement.
"We're not your lackeys. You'll eat when we're done," Lanor’s tone was strict enough to scare your P.E teacher.
"Why is she so uptight?" Mentos wondered aloud, tagging along.
Hao shrugged, "Maybe she's got a bee stuck in her bonnet."
"Hey, I heard that!" Lanor retorted, nostrils flaring with visible fumes.
They joined Lanor outside where the sounds of children's laughter populated the surroundings. The recovery process had begun.