SUN SHORT #1 - Everything Is Not As It Seems

In The Crescent Cafe, Archer Flick has finished eating his pancakes as he asks, “Do you think we’ll run into those kids again?”

“I’m very certain,” Joel responds, “Like us, The Massachusetts Boys are expanding their territory into the north side and we know how they act. Though I’m pretty certain of something.”

Elias, curious to hear what Joel says, glances up towards Joel.

“Out of all the gangs in the city, it’s pretty obvious that The Carmine Manifesto is the most mysterious of the bunch, not even the MSA knows who their leader is. But what we all know is if there's one thing they’re good at it’s hiding in plain sight.”

“Yeah, I heard they had an informant inside Club Azure when they were still functional,” Archer remarks before realizing, “Wait, you aren’t suggesting–”

“Yes I am, there’s a good shot that one of those new members that they have is an informant for The Carmine Manifesto,” Joel responds.

SUN SHORT #2 - Still Not Used To It

The Starlight City Bookstore; a very tiny and cramped store where all of the shelves are crammed full of as many books as you could imagine. While the outside of the store may be constantly vandalized, the inside looks almost antique in a way. With cobwebs and dust covering the long forgotten books that the store archives, the smell of old furniture, and the place being illuminated by vintage ceiling lamps and candles, it’s actually a pretty comfy spot.

That’s usually the case for Selina Gulvonac, a cashier at the store. She often spends her time scrolling through her phone or reading one of the many books that are too damaged to sell. Though that’s usually the case, until a customer comes in to buy stuff.

And to make things worse for her, who else but her now brother, Marcus Veridan, to enter the store.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” Selina questions.

“I’m looking for a book, a friend of mine said you had a copy of Great Gatsby I could rent,” Marcus explains.

“You could just text me to get you one y’know,” Selina sighs.

“Oh, yeah you’re right,” Marcus awkwardly chuckles.

As Marcus awkwardly goes off to look through the shelves, Selina thinks back to how her summer was going. She just got back from a camping trip when her father told her that they’re taking in a foster kid.

What she didn’t expect was for that foster kid to be older than her, and someone she knew at that. As a former only child, she’s still not used to having to share the house with another sibling.

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But still, at least the one she has seems to be pretty alright.

SUN SHORT #3 - Last Year

Amnestor sits at his desk as he sips his coffee. It’s a quiet day now that all the students have left.

It’s a somber day too, after all, why wouldn’t it be when the words the principal told him still ring in his head?

“This will be your final year working at Starlight High.”

As Amnestor sits there pondering his teaching career, he recalls his early days, how his lack of action left people permanently scarred, and how when another incident occurred while he was on his honeymoon, he never tried hard enough to look into what it was nor why everyone tried so hard to cover it up.

And yet, looking at the students he’s teaching, how they’re always looking out for one another and doing what’s right, he can’t lie to himself that it isn’t at least a tad bit inspiring.

Which is why Amnestor comes to a resolution; while he still is working here he’ll make sure to right the wrongs of the past.

To find out the truth behind the things long kept buried.

He doesn’t know how he’ll be able to fully solve everything.

But he does know where to start.

SUN SHORT #4 - Burnin’ The CDs

In a hole-in-the-wall record store, Elizabeth & Alex are searching for a rare CD when they get to the front register to see two people chatting.

The first is their biology teacher, Sam Penningberg, who is checking out a few vinyls. He’s wearing a black beanie, a white t-shirt that has a blue sky graphic, light blue sweat shorts, and white flip-flops. The other person is the cashier, Casey Burns, a pale white man with green eyes, slightly wavy blonde hair that goes down to his neck, ruby earrings, gold and silver rings on each finger, multiple gold bracelets on his forearm, silver watch, two piercings by his left eyebrow, a split tongue, and some more jewelry. A few of the jewelry is fake while some of it is real. He's also wearing a green bucket hat, black sunglasses with a yellow rim, a black t-shirt, red cargo pants, and white slip-ons.

“Mister Penningberg?” Alex asks, confused.

Penningberg looks to see Alex and Elizabeth there, “yes?”

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” Elizabeth says.

“What can I say, I like vinyls, besides I have to help support a friend’s business,” Penningberg explains.

“Oh you’re too kind,” Casey Burns says before hitting Penningberg with a roast, “Even if you tend to have a stick up your ass all the time.”

“Eh,” Penningberg shrugs as he leaves, “I’ll see you around Burns.”

“You’re no fun to roast,” Casey says before turning to Alex & Elizabeth, “Now then are you two kids done shopping, we don’t accept Venmo or whatever you dipshit soon-to-be dropouts use nowadays.”

Alex & Elizabeth are a bit confused at Casey’s jabs but they just buy the CDs regardless.

SUN SHORT #5 - We’re Hand-&-Hand

After a long workout, Ronnie is walking out of the Dawnbreak Health & Fitness Center with his gym buddy, Christopher Wrinkle. While Ronnie is a sweaty mess, Christopher is still the same giant buff teen as always. In fact if anything he somehow gained more muscles over the summer.

“Y’know Christopher, I don’t get how you’re so much more muscular than anyone at our school like we even have the same workouts now but I still got more of a sleeper build,” Ronnie states as he sips some water.

“Well bro this isn’t the only workout I do every day,” Christopher says as he wipes the sweat off his face with a towel, “I have a job that’s even more of a workout than what we do bro.”

Ronnie’s taken aback by those words, “Are you serious?! You still have energy to work out after all those reps?!”

“Well yeah, you don’t?” Christopher asks.

“You’re a fucking beast dude,” Ronnie gasps exasperated, “Where do you even work?”

“Well, how about I just show you bro,” Christopher suggests.

See You Next Chapter!~