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thebibliomancer · 2 years

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Essential Avengers: Avengers #278: PRESSURE

April, 1987

WOW, the East Coast Avengers book is a sight for sore eyes!

The Lost in Space-Time Arc in West Coast Avengers was, y’know, fun enough, minus what happened to Mockingbird. But I’ve missed the East Coast team.

Where did I leave them, anyway?

Well, the Masters of Evil led by New Zemo occupied Avengers Mansion and tried to destroy the team, taking advantage of them being distracted by personal problems and down a Namor.

With the help of Ant-Man, Thor, and Doctor Druid for some reason, the Avengers manage to take down the Masters and take their mansion back. In a kind of Pyrrhic sense. The mansion is well and thoroughly trashed.

It was a bad time in general but Black Knight and Hercules specifically had the shit beaten out of them. Hercules is in a coma and Black Knight should be resting up but isn’t.

The Masters fared worse. Zemo is dead, Blackout is dead, and Moonstone flew head first into a cliff and broke her neck.

So the Avengers won. They triumphed over evil. But it probably doesn’t feel great to have won. The roster is shaken up and their headquarters is broke.

So what now?

Apparently, according to the cover, Tyrak again. Why do the Avengers fight this dude so often? I mean, this is only the third time, I think, but that seems a lot for a guy that isn’t, strictly speaking, an Avengers enemy.

And Doctor Druid is here for some reason.

With the Avengers Mansion like or adjacent to being a shambles, one week later scavengers come to scavenge.

I mean, the security system probably doesn’t exist anymore. No more security tentacles or stunulators.

Nothing to stop these dudes from just shooting out the lock and picking over the scraps.

Just kidding, unlike after Disassembled, the Avengers are smart enough to be guarding the Mansion so people can’t just pick over the scraps.

Man, is Disassembled a dumb thing that I don’t like.

Anyway, I wasn’t entirely accurate when I said its the Avengers keeping people from looting Avengers Mansion now that its a mess.

Its also the giant hole in the floor, which one of these idiots falls into and breaks his leg.

Of course, after the idiot falls into the giant hole in the floor, Wasp does swoop in and blast the floor, sending another of them falling down.

Hmm. Potentially brutal.

Wasp: “Did you think the Avengers would go off and leave our building unguarded? Even for looters, you boys aren’t too bright!”

Wasp, side-eyeing the post-Disassembled world through the decades.

One of the looters tries to flee, only to run into Captain America.

The dude already being in a panic and Cap being Cap i.e. having the combined sternness of every disappointed teacher in the world and every disappointed dad at the same time, the guy just instantly surrenders.

A friend of mine likened it to a softer version of what Ghost Rider does. A Parent Stare.

Wasp comes in dragging the only other conscious looter like a misbehaving puppy.

She then calls the police and asks for a pickup on five break and enterers, two of them needing an ambulance for a fractured leg and a wrenched back. Presumably the two that fell in the hole that was left in the ground floor.

Captain America: “You fellows are lucky that you picked the Wasp’s watch to break in... Captain Marvel might not have gone so easy on you!”

The Looter that surrendered to Cap: “Yessir... lucky.”

Looter that Wasp beat up: “Oh, shut up!”

Oh. I thought Monica’s reputation for being rough on people was from Nextwave but I guess not entirely. If Wasp dropping a dude down a hole was considered the softer option compared to what Monica would have done.

So with the looters taken care of, Wasp has to get back to all the other business she has to manage as chairwoman.

Cap mentions that the mansion should be secured for reconstruction in another few days, which will help. And also: “Don’t get discouraged... You’re doing a fine job! I don’t know how we’d get along without you!”

Encouragement that Wasp doesn’t quite like to hear actually.

She’s actually getting disgruntled with the responsibilities of leadership and would really like to just fuck off on vacation for a while.

... Do Avengers get vacation days? So many people have left the team for so many different reasons in the past.

I guess she’d just feel shitty leaving right in the messy aftermath of the Masters of Evil’s attack.

Wasp flies off, leaving Cap on mansion watch, to go visit coma Hercules in the hospital.

He’s still in a coma.

The doctors think that he may have sustained brain damage from being dogpiled by six beefy supervillains but they really can’t conclusively say. Presumably because his godly anatomy is weird and difficult to run tests on. Breaks needles and et cetera.

Wasp tells the doctor to get Hercules the best specialists he can find. Money be damned.

While at the hospital, Wasp also visits Jarvis, who isn’t in a coma.

In fact, he’s healing up nicely.

Jarvis: “I do feel much better. What Mister Hyde did to me seems like some horrid nightmare... until I try to move too much!”

You’re a cool guy, Jarvis.

Jarvis also thanks Wasp because his mother has mentioned that Wasp and Captains America and Marvel have been checking up on her to make sure she’s holding up.

Jarvis gets wheeled off to have his knee replaced. So add that to your Jarvis trivia sheet: has artificial knee.

Wasp: I’m so glad Jarvis is doing better. It still hurts that we couldn’t protect him from the Masters of Evil! Shielding people from danger is part of our job as Avengers... the failure is so much worse, when it strikes close to home!

Wasp has one more person to visit in the hospital (wow, so many people wound up hospitalized in the previous story) but she finds to her extreme annoyance that Dane Whitman, Black Knight, has checked out of the hospital on his own initiative.

The doctor said it would be alright as long as he took things easy but as Wasp puts it, Dane’s idea of taking it easy is to work ten hours instead of twelve.

Wasp returns to Giant Four Freedoms Plaza.

In a fun bit, that’s where the Avengers are temporarily headquartering since the mansion got trashed.

When the Fantastic Four’s building got launched into space, the Avengers put them up in the Mansion.

So now that Avengers Mansion got trashed, the Fantastic Four have reciprocated by... leasing the Avengers an office floor.

Wow, Reed.

To be kind I’m going to assume Wasp insisted on paying rent. The Fantastic Four has fewer random millionaires on their team than the Avengers do.

Having returned to her temporary office, Wasp has so much work to do.

She has to contact government liaison Mr. Sikorski and ask what the hold-up is getting the Avengers their new security clearances.

The contractors can’t give her a solid start date for repairs to the mansion.

The federal and state government each have their own demands.

She has to assuage Namor’s attorney about Namor ghosting him despite demanding that his trial by ASAP.

And Wasp hasn’t heard from Wasp either! He sure would have been helpful during the Masters of Evil’s attack!

She has so much to handle that she nods off and has a black and white stress dream where everyone blames her for being a shitty chairwoman. Also, they’re all dressed up.

I like the touch of Namor melting away to water because of commitment issues.

Good job, Jan’s subconscious.

Anyway, Wasp wakes from her stress nightmare to the much better news that She-Hulk is in this book again.

And She-Hulk is here because!

Because she wants to apologize for being out of town with the Fantastic Four (in FF issues 297-298) because she’d have been so helpful if she had been around!

Wasp: “Life is full of ‘could haves’, Jen. Don’t let it bother you.”

Also because Zemo timed the Masters of Evil attack when the Avengers would have the least help, including making sure the Fantastic Four would be out of touch.

But She-Hulk still feels bad so she offers to help Wasp tidy things up around the temporary office. Mostly by lifting heavy things and moving them.

Hulks are very handy for redecorating.

She-Hulk: “Things have been pretty hectic -- ?”

Wasp: “The worst! Stopping the Masters of Evil was easy compared to dealing with this endless paperwork! I’d like to burn it, but I have to arrange for the mansion’s rebuilding... and work up a new Avengers roster! Hercules is lost to us indefinitely, and I don’t know where to find -- !”

She-Hulk: “Look no further! I can return to active duty right now! The Thing is back with the F.F. and I’m pretty much at loose ends! I was going to take a vacation -- but if you need me, I’m yours!”

Yes, yes, yesssss!

She-Hulk back on the team!

Definitely a promising replacement for Hercules!

Also, Wasp gives such the hilarious wistful expression when She-Hulk mentions vacation.

Because Jan would dearly love one!

Jen (She-Hulk. Wow, she and Wasp have almost the same abbreviated first name) is also able to explain whither Black Knight after he left the hospital.

Turned out he went to Hydrobase.

Y’know, that floating artificial island off the coast of New Jersey that oceanographer Stingray leased to the Avengers as a place they could keep their Quinjets due to the FAA being butts about the Avengers keeping dangerous jet fuel in the middle of a city.

Anyway, at Hydrobase, Black Knight is quarterstaffing with Doctor Druid, who is here for some reason.

Black Knight mentions that its weird that a sorcerer like Druid is so good at hand-to-hand combat but Doctor Druid explains he’s not really a sorcerer. His powers, apparently, are mostly of the mind.

So.... a psychic? Explain your powers in depth. You are in a comic, sir!

When complimented on his quarterstaffing, Black Knight explains that he picked it up while stuck in Crusade times.

And Black Knight earns some respect back that he lost when the Crusade times thing was first revealed.

Black Knight: “It wasn’t a pleasant time, Druid. The Crusades sounded so noble when I was a kid.. but there’s nothing noble about war, especially a holy war! I had to learn the hard way!”

I’m glad that Black Knight is no longer a dude who thinks the Crusade times was a fun times.

Quarterstaffing time is interrupted by Wasp who rings Hydrobase to give Dane Black Knight a piece of her mind. The angry, concerned piece.

Wasp: “Dane Whitman, have you taken complete leave of your senses?! You have...”

Black Knight: “... A concussion. Yes, Jan. I know... but I figured I could rest and recreate out here as well as I could in the city. Look, I even brought a doctor along to keep me in line... you remember Anthony Druid!”

Doctor Druid reassures Wasp that he’ll make sure Black Knight doesn’t overdo things, which addresses her concern that Black Knight is going to... I dunno. Rupture something. Fall down some stairs. Do something stupid.

She might be worried even so if she knew that she was part of the reason why Black Knight left the hospital.

He was going stir-crazy having her visit every day. Being all concerned for him while he’s sulking that she doesn’t see him as more than a friend and teammate.

Yes, Black Knight checked himself out of the hospital early despite having a concussion because he was upset about the friendzone.

Not cool, Dane.

But at least you’re not going full resentment about it.

And hey, you’ll apparently get a stupid love triangle of your own someday soon. It will involve making out with Sersi of the Eternals and Tony Stark will be forever jealous about it.

Anyway, Hydrobase’s perimeter security alarm goes off so despite his concussion, Black Knight gathers his gear to go check it out.

I feeeel like this is exactly what Wasp was afraid of.

Unsurprisingly, the intruder is Tyrak the Treacherous. Just like the cover foreshadowed by plainly revealing it.

Hydrobase doesn’t not have defenses but the thing about superhero base defenses is that they keep the common riffraff out but are completely ineffectual to any serious threat.

So some stunulator cannons pop up and start VOOP VOOP VOOPing but Tyrak just walks through them and smashes them underfoot.

Black Knight is hellbent and determined to be useful, feeling like he didn’t contribute a lot during the Avengers Under Siege arc and dammit he wants to prove himself!

Also: he’s assuming that since only one dude was detected, the one dude is a single commando or a scout. Someone he can pretty much engage one-to-one without being killed.

So he’s not pleased that Tyrak is a big beefy dude.

Actually, it’s funny that Tyrak was originally a spy. In fact, he was introduced disguising himself as Triton to infiltrate the Avengers.

But since the Avengers beat him the one time, he’s been 100% just a physical threat as he forgoes any espionage or subtly and just tries to beat up the Avengers.

And he’s so beefy because Attuma had science done on him to buff him up but it seems a waste to turn your best spy into a bruiser.

Anyway, instead of trying to infiltrate or sneak or whatever, the dude just marched onto Hydrobase, ripped a tree out of the ground and tried to hit Black Knight with it.

He’s alarmed that Black Knight manages to cut the tree in half and deduces that Black Knight’s incredibly cursed sword must be magic... because its not like it can’t be any of the dozen other reasons why a sword might be super sharp.

Just gets the right guess on the first guess.

Anyway, he does the Hulk clap and knocks Black Knight’s atomic steed airbike out of the air.

Tyrak plans to stab Black Knight to death with his own sword but he’s interrupted by Doctor Druid who I guess decided to follow Black Knight and really make sure the idiot didn’t hurt himself.

Druid throws his cape over Tyrak’s head. It doesn’t distract the guy for long (but does convince me I hate Doctor Druid’s costume. It needs to be broken up more by other colors or details or something. It looks like he’s just wearing footie pajamas.)

So Doctor Druid tries to use his MIND POWERS to convince Tyrak that he doesn’t want to fight.

But Tyrak resists them.

So is Doctor Druid going to be one of those kinds of psychics? Where it never works when it would be most helpful?

Like, and sorry for singling you out, Karma from early New Mutants who had the power to take over people’s minds. But it would never work on the main bad guy because that would be a boring way to end a conflict. So she was eventually written off the team.

Are you going to be like that, Doctor Druid? Are you going to be useless?

But speaking of someone not useless that he’ll end up screwing up, Captain Marvel Monica Rambeau shows up.

She was alerted by the Wasp that there was an intruder and because Monica does her homework (seriously, its been mentioned several times that she read all the back issues files and recognizes stuff from them), she recognizes Tyrak. And knows from his previous appearance that Vision was able to stop him by dehydrating him with his Solar Beam.

Monica can do one better by turning her body to infrared radiation and blasting him with it.

Its Super Effective.

Wasp and She-Hulk arrive right afterward and everyone gathers to discuss the incident.

When Monica is suggesting that they shove Tyrak into a holding tank for questioning, Doctor Druid senses brainwaves from Tyrak that indicates he’s playing possum.

Good job not detecting that sooner, Doctor Druid.

Useless ass psychic powers.

I guess I have to take it back that the dude is never subtle anymore because he feigned unconsciousness so he could sneak attack Captain Marvel, taking out the person who can hit his type weakness for double damage.

She-Hulk gets pissed that this fish man is punching her friends so slugs him hard in the stomach and chest but he recovers fast enough to just punch She-Hulk into the ground.

He planted a Jen tree.

Knocking a strong opponent into the ground where they won’t have good leverage to get out is a decent strategy. Plus, you can say you drove someone into the ground like a tent stake.

Wasp does what Wasp does, fly around tiny size around a man to distract him and defiantly tells him he’ll never beat the Avengers.

She seems to realize that a full-power sting in the right place might turn the tables but then decides against doing that.

Which does not go unnoticed by Black Knight.

Black Knight: Sting him, Wasp! Don’t you see his secret? Maybe she doesn’t! Maybe I’m the only one who’s guessed it. With his reach, I’ll get only one chance at this...

Black Knight acts on his hunch and uses his super cursed sword to... slice open Tyrak’s suit.

He figured that Tyrak must have a moisturizing system to keep him nice and hydrated when walking around on land. And he just let all the water out of it.

So when Captain Marvel infrablasts him this time, he’s not refreshed by his secret water. And She-Hulk climbs out of the hole he punched her into, and does him a punching for good measure, knocking him out but for real this time.

Good job, Dane! And you were thinking about quitting the team out of insecurity!

The Avengers shove Tyrak into a holding cell, a holding cell clearly intended for a smaller fishy fellow.

Seriously, this is prisoner cruelty. He doesn’t even have room to stretch!

Its temporary anyway. The Avengers are turning him over to the maritime authorities as soon as possible.

So... is that the coast guard or what?

Anyway, Tyrak easily confesses that he had no idea that the Avengers were here. He just knew that Namor sometimes hangs out on Hydrobase.

Tyrak was going to beat up Namor to regain favor with Attuma.

Didn’t work out well for him.

Leaving Tyrak to his soak, Wasp and Doctor Druid have a walk and talk.

Wasp thanks Doctor Druid for his role in the fight, despite Druid’s protestations he didn’t contribute much.

Doctor Druid also confesses he was hanging around the hospital hoping to study the extremely cursed Ebony Blade.

Hence him being conveniently around when Black Knight was checking himself out of the hospital.

Wasp has a confession of her own.

She figured out Tyrak’s weakness, same as Dane did. But she held back and let Dane handle it because she was sick and tired of people telling her they can’t get along without her! She wanted someone else to save the day!

Wasp: “Just once I wish someone would say, ‘hey, Jan! Why don’t you take some time off... you deserve it!’ But no one ever does... no one will let me off the hook!”

Doctor Druid: “Janet... there’s only one who can do that... you yourself!”

So three days later, Wasp calls a meeting.

She-Hulk and Thor have rejoined the team as active members.

Very strong roster shaping up!

Wasp has also invited Doctor Druid to the meeting to nominate him for membership.

Cap seconds the nomination (still Wasp’s biggest supporter as chairwoman) but that brings the roster up to seven and he guesses she decided to expand the team.

No. Instead she’s stepping down from the team and as chairwoman.

SHE WANTS A VACATION, DAMMIT!

But she’s also responsible so she finished setting up a new roster, finished the plans for the mansion renovation, and cleared up all the tasks she needed to.

Black Knight protests her leaving but she points out that if Vision hadn’t usurped the team, her term of office would have ended by now anyway.

And also, she wants a vacation, dammit.

Her last act is to put Cap(tain America) in charge as acting chairman and then she fucks off. To vacation.

And Captain America opens the floor to nominations for new chairman.

OH BOY I WONDER WHO IT WILL BE =D

You will also wonder, so read the next post. And follow @essential-avengers and also like and reblog.

#essential avengers #avengers #essential marvel liveblogging #tyrak #the wasp #she hulk #captain america #captain marvel #Monica Rambeau #black knight #doctor druid #for some reason #thor #they need to update the cast box on the cover #hercules is still in a coma #black knight learns self worth by fighting a fish man #wasp is fed up with everything #she hulk is back!!#fancy stress dreams in black and white

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danieesketches · 1 year

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[MAY 2006]

‘And when they do, there’s an explosion of emotions. They talk and laugh and smile. They go see a movie, they go out for a meal, mobile phones allow them to take photos so easily and they have fun pulling stupid faces into the tiny lens, hands twisting awkwardly so the camera can actually focus on them.’

I’m not a writer, but after finishing Road 96 Mile 0, I had many emotions and decided to write a fanfic. I’m not the greatest writer out there, and I imagine there’s probably a fair few mistakes in this, but I had fun creating this.

More of my ramblings are below the keep reading line, along with the story. It became way longer than I imagined it would, but I hope you enjoy reading it, if you chose to do so!

[SPOILERS IN STORY AND AUTHOR NOTES BELOW]

Self indulgent Road 96 Mile 0 fanfic because the game was everything I hoped for it to be and more.

SPOILERS FOR MILE 0 AND ROAD 96 GOOD ENDINGS.

Also, there is swearing in this story.

This is set during and after the ending in which Kaito and his family are driving away to start their new lives. There is also some mentions of the Road 96 ending where Florres wins (specifically the ending where John, Fanny and Alex embrace one another).

I haven’t started the main Road 96 game yet though, so the knowledge of it I do have is based on playthrough bits I’ve seen on YouTube.

It’s somewhat mostly Kaito-centric but I do try to discuss his parents and a few other characters here and there.

In which life goes on and the years bring many changes.

The feeling of the night time breeze hit Kaito as he mindlessly gazed out the open window. The stars lined the sky for what seemed like endless miles and the view behind them got smaller and smaller.

Big Bear Rest Stop got smaller and smaller.

Petria got smaller and smaller.

Kaito could have screamed, he could have cried. Zoe had taken the file, but she’d finally know. She’d finally wake the fuck up and see he was right all along. Robert had been so close to finishing them all off there but something in the gun wielding man let them live, leaving with fake IDs, glances across their shoulder and hope.

Instead, he cleared the breath he’d lodged into his throat and whispered “I love you both.” to his parents. He’s nearly lost them so many times, but he hasn’t told them how much they mean to him. How he’s sorry he’s been so angry that he’s not let them know he can still feel love without it being at the expense of hurting someone else.

He sees his mom and dad smile. Tired smiles, but for once they seem to have a light in their eyes. Like maybe something good is ahead.

“We love you too Kaito.” Anzu smiles. “Now get some rest, we have a while to go.”

For the first time in longer than he realises, he knows he’ll sleep maybe peacefully as opposed to the often mild resentment.

The car takes them to a place that isn’t quite a town, village or city. More like a pit stop kind of area just after the border, enough places to look around but not exactly somewhere you’d settle down for the remainder of your life.

It’s small, quiet and far from the shitty work dormitory. Daw looks over at his sleeping wife and son and is thankful to whatever higher power exists that he lives another day to see them flourish.

He’d long been desensitised to the awful treatment from the upperclass toward the poorer folk of Petria. Having moved there with his wife during its early days of the past dictatorship, they’d managed to get by easily enough as long as they kept their mouths shut and just did what they were told. But then the old leadership was overthrown by Tyrak and everything went from bad to worse.

When Anzu found out they were expecting Kaito, she and her husband had been living in a small apartment at the time, but supporting a baby and yourself was not easy with their wages, so Daw took it upon himself to take as many jobs as he could so Anzu could rest during her maternity.

Their neighbours at the time had been the loveliest older couple they could ever call friends. The Johnsons had seen Petria in many of its forms. Their own lives had not been a walk in the park there, but things went onward and got manageable. Malcolm, the husband, was a crossword enthusiast but didn’t always like reading the contents of the newspapers he bought for puzzles. Abigail, the wife, was short but absolutely loved to wear a bright pink cardigan and green flowery bag whenever she wasn’t working.

They had been a staple support, Abigail coming around to check up on Anzu when Daw and Malcolm weren’t available. She’d bring around some jam and crackers and gently spoke. Malcolm helped them insulate their apartment windows and put reflective foil behind their main room radiator so they’d be a bit warmer when it got colder.

Daw was a silent man. He didn’t argue with authority. He just did as he was told, even when his boss was a pretentious 20 something year old whose manager status was entirely down to nepotism. Daw cleaned streets, wiped windows, trimmed hedges, painted walls. You name it, he’d probably done it.

Long hours, mediocre pay, but if it meant his wife didn’t have to worry or suffer, he’d do it a thousand times over.

Kaito was born on February 17th,1980. He’d cried so much and held so tightly onto the fabric of his mother’s nightdress. Daw had been afraid to hold him too roughly but Anzu had placed the restless infant in his arms and immediately, the fear was replaced by a strive to make sure his son and wife never had to worry.

In the very far distance of White Sands, fireworks had been set off for some other party, but Anzu and Daw saw those as a joyous cry out to welcome their baby boy into the world.

As time went on, Daw was heartbroken to see the consequences of not being able to keep his promise. Kaito was 14 when Aya passed away and he was 15 when he dropped out of high school to help his parents out when they ended up being evicted from their old apartment.

He’d done so with a smile, but Daw knew when his son was lying and would never admit to seeing the resentment he cast at the rich folk who’d look at workers as if they were scum.

Times like these, he missed the Johnsons. He regrets 1986 happening. He hoped they didn’t suffer.

Anzu did the speaking at the motel front desk. John had given them an envelope of cash along with a note reading the address to this place.

“Tell the front desk Mr Ursus recommended you stay here. That’ll help things run smoothly. This should cover you for a bit.” The trucker has advised them before heading on his own way.

The bearded Brigade had been right too. Front desk had them sign a month lease and gave them the keys to a room. The rate worked out fairly even to the worker dorm rent. The envelope had held a combination of their savings they had slowly put away over the course of 6 years and a little extra that John had added.

The room was one main room decorated with a double bed and single bed separated by a desk with a lamp, another desk, a tiny mini fridge and a wardrobe. An iron and a kettle were sat on the bigger table. Through a door was the bathroom which was plain but had a cupboard above the sink for storing things in.

It was big and small all at once, but for now it was home. So clad with only a few bags of clothes and the odd trinket between them, they wiped down surfaces with some wipes and set to getting accustomed to all of this.

“It’s so big.” Kaito mused. For the first time in a long time, all of them would be guaranteed to sleep in a bed for every night the family stayed here.

For the first three days, tiredness had taken hold of the Lin family far more than expected. To the point they’d maybe been awake for 5 hours of each day. Almost like they were chasing away years of burdens. By day four, they needed to eat an actual meal instead of a couple crackers.

Front desk had lead them to a room they could use for cooking. $5 fee per person, per use, so the family decided only one would cook in there while the others would take the food to their room.

The first proper meal they sat down to eat was rice with some veggies they’d gotten from the convenience store. Their fridge however had many sandwiches wrapped in cling film, a bag of apples, a bottle of diet cola and some instant noodles.

And it, in Anzu’s opinion, was the best meal she’d had in ages.

Maybe this little motel could be home for a while longer.

After their first week of staying together and slowly adjusting to now being known as the Chen family, the trio enquired to the front desk clerk about employment within that area. And would luck have it, the motel was considering hiring more help with some tasks like the laundry and housecleaning.

With the promise of things that sounded too good to be true (alright hours, alright payrate, heavily discounted accommodation and a $3 discount in the utilities rooms) the trio were responsible for things like the cleaning of the rooms, laundry and making the exterior look nice. They worked at different hours but usually two were working the same shift, leaving the third to their own devices.

“Not to worry, if Ursus sent you here, it’s the least I can do.” The woman smiled a cheeky grin before pulling out a sheet of paper to jot down their names and place them into their respective shifts.

Paychecks were given every two weeks and Kaito nearly choked when he saw they’d each gotten $60. Last time they’d gotten something even close to that was when management had been feeling generous (probably trying to be eligible for some weird tax loophole) one Christmas and gave everyone a bonus as a treat. It was only ever the once that happened though.

While his parents had work that day, Kaito had two days off and so he decided that he would treat his parents to dinner. The convenience store clerk was bored reading a magazine. Kaito felt weird as he tried to decide between which pasta sauce he wanted to try. The mini basket on his arm already had a huge bag of fusilli alongside some milk powder and a box of cereal.

Deciding on a plain tomato one, he took the items to be paid for when he glanced a packet of plain biscuits on the stand by him. And for the first time ever, he didn’t cringe when he saw they cost nearly a dollar.

Anzu and Daw are asleep in their bed when Kaito creeps out of the room to sit on the porch steps outside. In his hand he has a mug of water and a few biscuits on a napkin. He just sits and watches the world go by. Rarely does a car drive past tonight and here he is in pyjamas with midnight snacks, feeling the weight of the past three weeks.

Petria feels like forever ago and not long enough. He’s woken up each day and not felt like he’s going to lose his shit and tear down Tyrak posters. Thankfully this place is very ‘no politics mentioned’ (at least in attitude) so he doesn’t particularly have to consider the implications that anyone around him may want to sing praises for that shithead.

If they’re going to feel that way, they should stay silent.

The stars aren’t as bright tonight. But the skies are peaceful. He knows that if he were to stand in the middle of the road, he’d see Mount National closer than he could from the roof he and Zoe once sat at. Picking a biscuit to chew on, he pauses and places it down.

“Fucking hell.” He mumbles and draws himself close. Tears pool and are blotted away by the sleeve of his top. “fucking hell.” He repeats.

Because his family is not rich; but here he is. A warm bed, a job he doesn’t particularly hate his manager at and he just bought a pack of fucking biscuits because he saw them and decided why not? He feels like they’re finally winning something. Maybe not a huge something but there’s something.

“I know son. I know.” His mother whispers lovingly as she takes a seat next to him and brings him in for a hug. It’s been so long since she heard her son cry, even more so for reasons not affiliated with the brutal reality of what being poor poor was like.

Daw watched the scene from the door. For the first time in a while, all three of them had the next day free and so he decided he’d see if there happened to be any crossword books in the little shop.

“I’m sure you’d be proud, Johnsons.” The older man smiled.

The store has crossword books. Daw buys a handful of them.

They haven’t gotten around to talking about everything they went through, and for a while, they probably won’t. But that’s for their future.

By July, Kaito and his family take a trip to the town a 15 minute drive away from their accommodation. They’ve been putting bits of money down here and there and that’s just as well because after the past two months of a better diet and a steady enough routine, Kaito finds that his old clothes fit slightly closer on him than they used to be. His face wasn’t so gaunt anymore either, one might say he didn’t immediately look like seething death.

Their family had never had a reason to spend above their means, so on a sleepy summer morning, the trio are looking at items in a small charity shop. Amidst her collection of clothing, Anzu saw a lovely green top with flowers on it that reminded her of the bag Abigail had once owned and cherished.

Daw picked up a few Hawaiian shirts and a little fishing hat to add to his collection of one. The work back in Petria may have been gruelling but the hat he wore everyday was a comfort to him. It has been a gift Kaito had acquired for him (the younger never did reveal how he found or got the hat).

Kaito, however, had a bit of different styles in his hand. He had a couple plain tops, a pair of jeans and a couple pairs of trousers, however he also had a bright green and orange colour block shirt and a t-shirt that seemed to be for some band called Metallica.

By the time they get back, Kaito and Daw head back out to start their respective shifts cleaning the vacant rooms and sorting out the laundry load. Anzu sets to carefully removing the price stickers on the clothes and separating them accordingly to get them washed while the machines were free.

Charity shops weren’t a huge thing back in Petria, but when they were, the price of stuff was outrageous to even be considered charity.

Sat in the little room with only her thoughts, she absentmindedly listens to the radio talk about things like some pop group’s upcoming concert in Philadelphia or a new vacuum going on sale. And as the washing machine thrums, she finds herself calm.

Routine, Kaito learns over time, is nice. The solid structure of expecting to do something one day and another thing on another is working wonders for him. He carries a little year planner and in it he has his work shift hours written and any reminders he needs to note.

He starts thinking about the gaps in times he has on some weeks. How he remembers his days used to be fairly sporadic after he dropped out of high school. Sometimes he’d be delivering newspapers, others he’d be hanging out with Zoe- before all the need to get out was a thing.

Petria doesn’t become much of a topic of conversation for any of them, though he’s sure at some point his family is going to need to talk about this to someone. He also doesn’t hear about it on the radio stations or TV in the reception area. It’s frightening, like it cut itself off from the world. Beyond those walls was a hellscape.

This motel area isn’t perfect by any means, but it’s a thousand times better than where they ran away from and that in itself makes it almost like a heaven of some sorts.

Kaito wasn’t sure how long they’d be staying here after they renewed their lease for the fifth time. He was starting to wonder what was beyond this beyond.

Donning a pair of rubber gloves, Kaito sets to cleaning the utilities area of any food stains, bits of rubbish and dust that may be accumulating. As he scrubs and sprays surface cleaner, the clerk (god, what was her name?) came rushing in to him and quietly beckoned him to come into the back room.

His parents are in the room, eyes glued to the TV when they see it. The newscaster is discussing some documents that have been given to them, recording how the 1986 Peak Collapse was caused not by the Black Brigades but rather Tyrak and his government. Kaito finds himself unable to speak. And as the story progresses, they hear how the dictator had been arrested for his crimes, how Senator Florres won her election campaign and pledged to make amends with many of the citizens of Petria and break down barriers set by the corrupt class system and its equally awful upholders.

“Holy shit.” His father swore. Kaito didn’t know the man even knew how to swear. Learn something new every day.

“I imagine you guys will want some time to process this. Finish up what you’re doing now and take the rest of the night off.” The woman, whom Kaito notices has a name tag saying ‘Arlene’ speaks softly to the boy before she walks into another smaller connecting room to take a call.

The family turn to one another. This day, this day that they could never imagined would happen, had indeed happened.

“Go on Kaito.” Anzu looked ready to burst into tears, her hands shook in her husband’s and she hunched over to take a deep breath. Kaito looked over at her, and wrapped his arms around her and his dad before agreeing and leaving.

In the smaller private room with only a filing cabinet, a yellow radio and a landline, Arlene dials a number she’s committed to memory but still keeps a post it note for. The phone line rings out and nobody takes the call, so she hangs up and just stands there.

Right now she wants to speak to John. Wants to tell him it’s all been worth it, to say thank you for what he and Conny and Stephen and Naomi had done for her all those years ago.

See, she knew what the deal with people that came to her establishment per recommendation of Mr Ursus was. Having been a Brigade as long as she was, she knew what it was like to be scared and looking for a new life.

The dictatorships of Petria had turned what could have been a good place to live into a nightmare for the reserved many.

The Brigades in their early days helped her get out, but she couldn’t bring herself to completely abandon her roots. Something about the hope John had for the future for many had drawn her to staying as a contact for the cause.

This motel had been abandoned when she took it under her wing for dirt cheap from a businessman desperate to get it sold off. And it had taken some time and perseverance, but things were going in such a way that they could keep the business running.

She was happy to spend a while longer here, until there was a guarantee that Tyrak and those alike could never ruin Petria as much as it already had been. And she’d use this place to help those John brought to her.

She’d give them employment as their new self, something to have a reference of for when they spread their wings and flew out of the nest. Rule number one, everyone gets a second chance at life. Rule number two, whoever you were before you came to her was irrelevant.

Arlene takes a deep breath and takes hold of the radio, putting it in one of the black plastic bags she always keeps in the cabinet. Tonight she is celebrating, she’s not sure how, but she is. Once night shift comes in; she’ll let them know the good news if they haven’t already heard.

When Kaito returns home, there are grapes and strawberries in one bowl and a huge serving of pasta and sauce in another. There’s also a bottle of cider on the desk that he nearly asks about but his mother smiles “Arlene is very kind.”

As Kaito cheekily asks if he is included in the kindness, Anzu follows up with “maybe our kindness, but not hers.” And the younger realises that’s the first time in a long time that he has heard his mom make a joke (though he knows she’s completely serious).

They eat happily that evening, and still have a nicely stocked fridge for the next few days. Tyrak is hopefully suffering tremendously and people might not have to sneak out of Petria anymore.

Kaito finds himself a little bitter that his family had to worry for so long only for a few months later to bring new hope. Only a little though. Kaito Lin was born in poverty, raised in poverty and saw people’s darkness far too often. Kaito Lin can rest easy now and Kaito Chen will carry on for him.

Maybe that, in itself, is the greatest gift he can receive.

And if the Chen family smile a little more often as they work the days after, well that’s not for Arlene to judge.

It was late September when Daw and Anzu were finishing their shifts when they saw her in the lobby. Zoe Muller, but not as they remembered her. Now she seemed different, not just because of the piercings and tattoo, but something about her seemed knowing right now. And she must have recognised the duo too because Arlene looked between the trio, lingering on the Chen’s as if to ask if they needed her to do something.

When Daw greeted Zoe with a simple “hello. You are looking well.” Arlene figured they might be okay, and left to go take care of some paperwork, sliding a set of keys to Zoe and taking a few dollar bills into the back room.

Zoe was at a slight loss for words seeing Daw and Anzu in attire that wasn’t the blue Petria workers uniform. They looked content in their grey sweats and plain tops. She took a moment to compose herself and approached the duo, keeping a slight distance between them as if she were afraid they’d reject her.

“I-I. I’m sorry.” She spologises.

“We know.” Daw comments. Kaito had told them what happened when they got into the car after Robert’s hissy fit.

“If you wish to see Kaito, he will likely be around. He likes the view on the porch steps.”

Zoe nods, fear and elation caught in her throat. She hadn’t expected the Lin family to be here. She knows John mentioned having a contact running a motel, but what were the odds of this one being the exact one that her best friend and his family would go to?

“I’d like that.” She smiles. She lets them leave first just as Arlene returns to the front and gives her a knowing look.

“Got some catching up to do or apologisin’?”

“Yes.” Zoe notes, and leaves. Arlene chuckles to herself, wondering what on earth John would say to all of this.

Kaito was wearing a green and orange shirt when Zoe saw him sitting on one of the remaining plastic chairs at the foot of the porch. She couldn’t tell if he was sat outside his own room or not but there he was.

He seemed at peace, a crossword book in his hand and a pencil in the other.

“K?” The nickname seems foreign on her tongue. And when the boy turns to her, he can’t help but take in Zoe’s appearance. Eyebrow and numerous lobe piercings, shorter hair and the bird tattoo she’d once had him trace was now permanent ink.

“Z?” he doesn’t seem to quite believe his eyes, setting down the book and standing up to properly determine he wasn’t imagining things.

“Can I sit?” she motions to the porch space next to him. He nods, and then they realise that they’re not the same teens they were a few months ago.

“You got that tattoo eh?” Kaito motions to her shoulder. She’s taken aback. There doesn’t seem to be animosity in his voice. And his eyes aren’t analysing or glaring. In fact, the boy before her is what she imagines Kaito would have been like if his life in Petria had been different.

His dimples are more prominent too, and here he is. As real as can be.

“You were right K. you were always right, and I was so wrong, and-“

“I know.” He muses.

Kaito neither forgive Zoe, nor did he not forgive her. It was a grey area of understanding and knowing that everyone was hurting. Granted he wished they’d left on better terms, but it is what it is and they’re here now.

“I’m sorry.”

“I know.” Kaito finishes. “I’m sorry too. For hurting you back then.”

Zoe forgave Kaito the moment she read the file, but in the spirit of the conversation, she made that vocal and while it wasn’t an immediate patch up of their friendship, it was a start.

“So how are things? I saw the news.” The raven haired boy asks as they stare at each other, noting changes here and there. “Florres won.”

“Yeah, she did. People decided change needed to be given a chance. She’s mild, but she’ll need to be strong to keep her promises. She has potential.”

“Well if the footage of the riots is anything to go by, I think she’ll be desperate to prevent being on the receiving end of that.” Kaito mused, but the way he looked at her said there were unsaid things.

“And how are you?” he went with.

“Depends. There’s a lot of things happening all at once. I think I should give you full disclosure that technically I may or may not be a Brigade…” Zoe starts off and the look Kaito gives her is frozen in the shock. It’s not mouth open, jaw on the floor but the way his eyes nearly pop out of his skull and he whispers “you fucking what?” certainly say something.

“You were right K. The government were lying the whole time. It was the only way I’d have the means to get the story out there!”

“You could have gotten hurt or worse.” Kaito harshly reminded her. “You’re not indestructible.”

“Maybe! But if it meant other people didn’t have to say goodbye to their loved ones, it was worth the risk!” Zoe slammed her hand on the porch floor. “The worst thing I ever did was not saying goodbye to you and I’m not letting anyone else go through that.”

The eighteen year old watched her backpack topple onto its side, the trombone and skates tied to it made a noise. Her friend? Ex-friend? Best friend? Looked at the stuff with something akin to yearning. It had be a while since he skated around.

“You know, the field over there isn’t too sandy.” Kaito stood up and walked behind him into the room. For a few minutes, Zoe wasn’t sure what he was planning until he came out in plainer clothes with his board tucked under his arm.

“Bear in mind, I’m a little out of practice.” Kaito quickly defends, and Zoe’s relieved. “But is now the time for skating?” she’s hesitant to say all is forgiven just yet.

“Was it ever the time for skating back there?” he shrugs. “…unless someone’s out there chasing you?” he eyes her and she shakes her head. Most- if not all- authorities are too busy trying to gain public forgiveness or repair the extensive damage of the past three weeks of rioting.

“Unpack your stuff and let’s go!”

Not all has been forgotten or forgiven, but it’s one step at a time.

It’s coming to the end of the summer of 1999 when the Chen family make a huge decision to leave the motel and head further up. They’ve made some good memories in this small unassuming area and found many an interesting store in the town up ahead, but they’re ready to spread their wings and fly.

Arlene sits them down in her backroom office to say goodbye. A litre bottle of some flavoured water and some crisps are in a little carrier bag that she shuffles over to them. “You three have been real good company here, I’ll miss y’all. You promise to take care, you hear me?”

Anzu smiled and takes her hand to shake it. “We will. Thank you, for everything you’ve done for us. We truly can’t thank you enough.”

Arlene waves her hand. “Nonsense, you just be sure to live a happy life however you can. Don’t go becoming assholes though; I’ll never forgive you for that.” She cackles. She knows they’re good people at heart. This world ain’t made to be easy if you’re too kind, but after what they’ve been through, she’s sure they’ll figure something out.

“As long as I’m here, this place will always be open for you. Just ask for Arlie.” Arlie is a nickname she let’s an absolute select few use. Most are Brigades but the people they send to her get to share that privilege if she sees fit.

(What she doesn’t mention explicitly is how she added a little extra to their final paychecks, nor does she mention the post it note with her number on it. A smile is scrawled in the bottom corner and a tiny ‘be safe!’ written with it. She really wants them to do well, as she does all who are sent to her).

Kaito asks Arlene to let Zoe know that they’re leaving. He’s not sure where though.

“Yeah, the baby birds are finally flying the coop.” Arlene feels like a mother hen watching her kids move out. “Kaito wanted me to let you know that much. Somewhere beyond here. He’ll figure it out.”

It’s early the next morning when the family have their boxes and bags filled and they make their way out of the parking lot. There’s a gas station in the little town up ahead, so they stop there to fill up the car and extra gas can they have in the boot. Mount National is further behind them than it was before. Daw keeps driving. The family decided that they’ll stay in one of the towns further on their journey.

The place itself is within the Western Sea side of the map called Anamesa. It’s a fair distance away from the seaside town of Thalassa; so the cost of living isn’t too bad. Not as cheap as the motel afforded them, but you could see something for what you spent.

They live in their car while paperwork is sorted out for the little two bed house they choose.

It’s a humble house, in need of some care though. The back garden is covered in weeds and dandelions, inside the paint is chipped in places and the only furnishings remaining of the old tenants in the house are the wardrobe in one bedroom, a dull white washing machine and a brown leather sofa that creaked when you sat on it. (They definitely did not get their deposit back).

But this is their fourth home. And they love it already.

(Daw finds a phone booth a few roads away and calls the number on the now found note to wish Arlene well and let her know they’re settling in as best they can).

Finding work takes some time, so they try to get many affairs sorted like opening bank accounts, getting registered to vote in the area and all that. The phone booth did not know what hit it. They live very frugally for the time being until some full time cleaning jobs open up and Anzu and Daw go for them. Arlene giving them both a glowing set of references when she receives the call from the employment agency, practically tells them they’re lucky the Chen’s want to work for them because they were so good to Arlene’s business.

The probation period of the job lasts three months, so the duo make sure they’re present on time at every shift, even if the hours they’re away from home are very long. It’s somewhat lonely for Kaito who uses his sudden free time to sort out things at home like clearing the back garden and trying to find his own feet, searching through numerous newspaper ads for what this place has to offer.

As of December 1999, that is working as a kitchen porter for a fast food place.

It’s then in the Friday newspaper in January of 2000 when Daw mentions to Kaito that he saw an ad in a paper detailing how to apply for GED examinations. His mother and father have a high school education and they wanted to make sure he had as much of a foundation in life as he could.

They didn’t tiger parent him about it, but did express they’d never been able to forgive themselves for being the reason Kaito dropped out when he had a good head on his shoulders and could use it. Kaito doesn’t argue with them, but he does try to dilute their feelings of guilt by mentioning how the school was probably going to close anyway after the Vice Principal was arrested for having Brigade affiliations.

(It’s true. Well, except for the school closing. Tyrak just dumped a heap of his goons there to make sure people kept silent about any anti-government slander. Everyone hated everyone there. Who knows if the place does even still exist by now).

So Kaito does as the newspaper says. His mom got a landline phone with the first paycheck she got for that month and he calls the number to register his interest. He’ll need to take a couple tests so they can determine if he would be eligible for the programme with any chance of passing at the end. Hopefully work won’t be arses about him needing to switch his hours. (They kind of are, but they don’t fire him so he guesses it’s a win?)

Daw used his pay on the monthly rent and the utilities while Anzu focused on things like necessities and getting their house slowly done up. Kaito would often buy some bits of food, but his parents urged him to make sure he was saving bits away (and had any necessary text books he’d need for his studies).

Kaito passes his pre-study exams and is accepted onto the programme. The cost of the programme is not at all as daunting as he’d imagined it to be, but he dips into the small savings fund he’d assembled from his motel cleaning wages, promising himself to put it back over the year.

The library is an hour away, so Kaito decides to get all the books he can in the one sitting and gets a library card sorted while he’s there. (He’s amazed at how real the fake IDs are and wonders whether Robert had some dirt on someone in the profession. Even the birth certificates are frighteningly real… though the fact the only differences on them to his genuine documents is the family surname and very minor details is funny to him in some respects).

Maybe he ought to consider some home workouts. The books were heavy, but the librarian was at least 20 years older than him and wielded them without fuss.

One year passes and by the time it’s May of 2001, not only does Kaito pass the GED examinations, but his Walkman kicks the bucket after four years of faithful use. Mp3 players are coming into the market, but their price tag are a little steep for his liking, so he finds a little shop on the high street and gets a second hand one for $90 dollars. (It lasts a year and a half).

Thankfully, some other things the Chen’s have acquired over that time are lasting way longer. The dressers and the bed bases are holding up well, as is the TV. Pretty much all of their furniture is from a charity stores around the town, the only exception to the rule is the mattresses on their beds. Anzu never trusted second hand fabric focused upholstery because of how easily germs could settle inside it and you wouldn’t know.

It’s why all their furniture can be wiped or in the very least is water resistant.

Daw and Anzu work early mornings and sometimes a few hours in the evenings, so they don’t have forever to sit around and take in the sights, but one of the rare times their rota means they work bulk hours over a few days, they use their time off to sit in the garden with a couple cheap beers in hand and watch the sun slowly dip down over the hours. Today, they decide that the day can be lazy. Dinner isn’t anything huge, just a bowl of pasta and sauce.

Kaito returns home from work with some fries from work and for some reason, a handful of the little toys usually included in the kid’s meals.

“They just looked goofy.” He shrugs. “And they were getting rid of them because of the new theme or something.”

The little toys sit on his windowsill in the corner and remain there for many years to come until Kaito takes his own next step in life and moves into a little studio apartment.

As more years pass, it’s soon May 2006. Ten years since they fled Petria.

Anzu and Daw remain working with the agency that hired them in ’99, however they move house as one closer to some hiking fields becomes available. Kaito goes from kitchen porter to hotel receptionist for a small chain. The hours are slightly under full time, but it gives him enough to pay his bills, he has some small tattoos too. Nothing major- just lineart of Mount National on his left clavicle and a skateboard on his inner arm.

He has a few friends too; or at least people he talks to enough. They’re kind. He doesn’t tell them a great deal about himself other than things he’s learned about himself post-1996 and that his family moved there after finding themselves in awe with the fields. It’s partly true.

He gets a TV, a Playstation 2 and a mobile phone (though to be fair, he gets them on a monthly credit pay back plan so it’s not a huge chunk of luxurious spending in one go). He gets Arlene’s phone number from his family so he can call her, because he’s mature enough now to independently put into words his gratitude to her and to John. The number still leads to her, her voice is heavy with smoking and age, but the smile in her voice is just as prominent as it was years ago. She’s happy to let Kaito know that Mr Ursus found love in his life. She also mentions a few things she’s learned over time.

“I think I got a couple years left here before I try fly the coop, if I’m bein’ honest with you.”

“For real?”

“Yeah. Florres seems to be doing okay enough at her job; Petria isn’t as huge a shitshow nowadays. It still has a lot of progress to make, but democracy is doing its best. I ain’t movin’ down there though. Been there, done that- got the t-shirt. I wanna see what life’s got to offer elsewhere.”

Arlene is smiling on the phone as she looks at a few leaflets she has for different places to visit beyond the border. People come and go out of this place, they want to see the Petria of the news stories or they’re finally visiting away from there. She’s got a good team of people. She’s thinking of turning ownership over to her night shift lot, maybe expanding this place to other areas. Who knows?

Kaito runs a hand through his shorter hair and inhales through his teeth to ask “Have you heard from Zoe?” last they saw each other was when they both ran into the plains opposite the motel to skate. Kaito still has his board too. Sometimes he regrets not continuing using it, he’s pretty sure his balance is shot to shit and he’d fall if he tried to use it, but he keeps it as a memory.

On a plus side, he knows for a fact he could carry those GED textbooks without complaining if the situation called for it.

“A while back. She sounds well in herself. I can pass along your details to her if you want. She’s probably travelling at the moment.”

Kaito nods. “That’d be nice. Thanks.”

“Don’t sweat it kid. You keep yourself well, pop down here if you can. We still got some good cola.”

“Aha, I’ll try. I won’t promise though. But if you do decide to go travelling, come up to Anamesa. We got good beers here.”

“Oh my god. You’re still a baby, why are you drinking?”

“I’m 26.”

“You’ll always be a baby to me.” Arlene pauses. “Keep yourself well Kaito. Your parents are proud of you. I hope you’re proud of them.”

“I am. I really am. Thanks. See you later!”

“Good. Take care!” Arlene hangs up.

A month later, Kaito receives a text message.

‘It’s Zoe! Call me!”

And he does. And he hears how the years have deepened her voice slightly, but her experiences have humbled it.

They decide to meet up that week.

And when they do, there’s an explosion of emotions. They talk and laugh and smile. They go see a movie, they go out for a meal, mobile phones allow them to take photos so easily and they have fun pulling stupid faces into the tiny lens, hands twisting awkwardly so the camera can actually focus on them.

She offers to stay in a hotel so she can stay in Anamesa a while longer, but he offers her his apartment. So they get some snacks and drinks and they act like the apartment is their old construction yard hideout. Kaito has a few games so they hook them up and joke about things and it’s all just amazing.

Zoe thinks that they needed to be adults to be able to do this, that the pain of their parting ways was too fresh in the 90s. Time didn’t erase what happened; it just put a few things into perspective.

Her style has changed slightly again. Her hair remains shoulder length and loose, but she also has some blonde highlights in her bangs. She still has her eyebrow piercing and the numerous ones in her lobes, all adorning purple earrings; however the addition of a new nose piercing is also noticed.

Kaito knows she has more tattoos, though the only bit he’s seen to indicate that is a few stars he saw on her lower arm. She’s long abandoned her full on ripped alien top- punk skater girl look and gone for a white tank, blue denim jacket and green ¾ khakis.

Kaito wouldn’t particularly say his own sense of style was all that different from his youth, granted he owned more formal clothing now (shirts, and a couple trousers and a blazer). Most of his clothes were plain black for his job, but outside of that, he was mostly a comfortable clothes kind of guy. And none of them had holes in them.

They’re playing one of the Street Fighter games and Kaito is getting his ass kicked for the fifth time in a row when he makes a request.

“What if we went on a road trip?”

“Hmn?” Zoe’s turned to him but is still button mashing and Kaito considers knocking it out of her hand so he can land a few hits in. He chose not to because of maturity and shit, but he pauses it and that’s just as good.

“You know, rent a car and go out on the roads for a week in summer. See what else there is to this place?” last time he said something similar was in relation to escaping Petria, but this idea is about enjoying life. Making memories. His life here is amazing, but he wants to see more things.

Zoe seems to take a few minutes to ponder the idea and Kaito regrets even asking until the woman asks if he can drive and if he has the time. Because while she personally does, what with working as a freelance travel writer and pretty much funding her life with the savings fund she’d transferred into an entirely separate bank (the privilege of her rich upbringing, she’d not lie); it feels only fair for her to check he’s in a comfortable position to do so.

“I have plenty of remaining hours. Only have a few days booked for use so far.” He shrugged.

Zoe nodded wordlessly as she considered the idea. She vaguely remembered the last time Kaito had said something similar back in White Sands, back when it had been hidden with the intention of fleeing a terrible place.

“Zoe?” Kaito quietly asks and she blinks a few times, straightening her back before her expression relaxes and she nods at him. “I don’t think I can say no to that.” She smiles, holding up her can of beer for a toast. And as the night continues on, Kaito offers her his bed but she opts for the sofa. He has an early start the next morning, but finishes after lunch so they can talk about other stuff when he gets back.

Zoe was awake when Kaito left out for work at quarter past five. Leaving his keys on the side after unlocking the door, he waves her a “later Z!” and she returns it with a “later K!”

The sun was bright even at its early rising, the heat wasn’t yet unbearable. And as Kaito sat on the bus to work, he truly felt like he had what he’d yearned for most in life.

A lot of elements of this are based on Google searches for things that were applicable to America in the specific years I mention during this story. I may not have all the details correct, so I apologise for any mistakes I may have made.

I didn’t know whether their new IDs would change their names completely, partially or just different details instead, so I chose to only change the family surname, any other details that could/would be changed are down to your interpretation.

Arlene was not a character I thought I’d write about in this as much as I did, but she grew on me.

In respect to Thalassa and Anamesa; I searched Petria’s meaning online and the first result I got said it was the Greek word for ‘rock’. Following that, I decided to find the word for ‘sea’ (thus Thalassa and it being a seaside town) and Anamesa is noted as an adverb meaning ‘between’ (and I wanted it to be placed in between a bunch of other towns/cities).

Also an extra I wanted to include but Kaito definitely got his tattoos done by an apprentice artist (based entirely on my first tattoo being done by an apprentice).

Maybe things have been unrealistic in this story, but I love happy endings. I’m not the best writer out there, but I had a lot of fun writing this. It became way longer than I had in mind but it is what it is.

#road 96 #road 96 mile 0 #r96:m0 #road 96 zoe #road 96 kaito #zoe muller #kaito lin #road 96 fanfic #danieesketches

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