• CHAPTER 2: Toublesome


    Moon and Twilight decided to depart. Before doing so, Moon looks at Mak.
    “We’re going to meet up with Hikari, want to come…?” Said Moon.
    “Hikari? I haven’t seen her in a long while, yeah I’ll come.” He replies.
    “Alright, its just a small hang out, okay? I don’t want you acting stupid like you usually do.” She said turning her back on him and walking forward. Twilight giggles.
    “Stupid?!?” Mak said. “Hold up, since when I act stupid??!” Following beside her, he expected an answer from her.
    “Its true! You yell sometimes for no reason!” She said avoiding eye contact. Twilight kept silent avoiding the conversation.
    “Oh now I know you’re trying to test me.” He said.
    “Whatever. You know I’m right anyway.”
    “For your information, I yell when I’m hyper and into the subject. That doesn’t mean I’m directly yelling at YOU.”
    “I don’t care, Mak! It still hurts my damn ear!”
    “Okay,” Twilight interrupted. “You two sound like freaking children, can we get along for at least until the hang out is over?”
    “NO!” Said Mak and Moon. Twilight stopped, putting her hands on her waist, glaring at the both of them.
    “Don’t make me beat the living crap out of both of you.” Mak and Moon looked away from each other their opposite way. “That’s what I thought. Now we’re going to get along whether we like it or not. Right?” She said approaching Moon. “RIGHT??” She repeated then looking at Mak.
    “Yeah yeah, sure sure.” Said Mak. “As long as she doesn’t start first. She’s usually the one that always does anyway.”
    “WHAT?!” Moon shouts.
    “HEY!” Twilight yells to the both of them in between. “I can’t believe I have to baby sit the both of you now.”
    “I’m going ahead.” Moon said in an attitude. Walking faster ahead. Twilight also follows. Mak as well follows behind Twilight. Avoiding this conflict, he asked Twilight a question.
    “Twilight, how are things with you and Emerald so far?”
    “Good. I’m pretty much happy. I think I’m going to see him later on today or call him or something. Want to come if I do?”
    “Yeah, sure. That’d be great. What does he do now a days anyway?”
    “Eh, not much, I’m assuming he’s just wandering around out of boredom or something…” She said in a straight tone. Mak figured there may be more to tell.
    “Ah. You sound like that bothers you.”
    “Um… Its not that it bothers me. He told me something a little out of the ordinary.” She paused. Mak continues to listen as they walk closer to where they meet Hikari. “I don’t know… Maybe its just me.”
    “Well, go on, Twilight, I’m not going anywhere you know.” He said in a chuckle. She nods.
    “Okay, well, he just said he can’t be around people much anymore.” She paused again. Mak continues to be silent, whether or not she continues is up to her.
    “Hm…. Maybe he needs space?”
    “Okay but… From me too??” She asked. Mak nodded.
    “Yeah, you got a point, heh, didn’t think of it like that. Sorry.”
    “Its alright. And that’s not the only thing that is on my mind.” She continues. “Lately, something is on his mind and I could tell it is because he looks at me funny sometimes.”
    “…Hm?” Mak said in a puzzled look on his face. She sighs.
    “Forget it…”
    “Twilight, come on, keep going. Maybe I could do something to help you know. He IS my cousin too.”
    “…Okay well… I don’t know how else to put it. But that’s about it. I don’t’ know whether or not its something good or bad is on his mind. I hope I didn’t do anything wrong, or something…”
    “Nah, you didn’t. He’s probably stressed about something personal. Anyway, in what way could you say he’d stare at you? Seriously or something..?”
    “No…”
    “…Okay so then… What..?” Mak asked again.
    “He doesn’t exactly stare at me in the eye, its like he stares at my forehead and just like… Stays still, like if something in his mind suddenly vanished and he forgot what to say or something…” Mak didn’t respond. “I ask him are you okay and he’s like yeah.”
    “That’s a little new to me…”
    “Same here. He’s been doing that a lot lately. Then one day he just said he needs to be alone and away from people for a while. Even away from me.” Not clear of what may be happening, Mak only nodded to simplify matters and not make her think anymore than she already is. Ahead, they heard Moon calling Hikari’s name in a high happy tone. Twilight went ahead, immediately hugging their friend Hikari after Moon. Mak stopped his approach in front of her.
    “Hey sup?” Mak said. Hikari waved.
    “Hello.”
    “Remember me?” He asked in a smile.
    “Yup, I remember you. We met only a few days ago.”
    “Well uh… Yeah… You’re right.” Moon then interrupts.
    “Anyway, so where to?” She says.
    “I wanted to buy something tasty. I’m hungry.” Hikari said. Twilight shrugs in a smile.
    “Alright let’s go.” Twilight said slowly walking forward alongside Moon. Followed by Hikari and Mak, until Mak’s feet feels a slight movement on the grass they step on. Mak stopped walking and looked on the ground below him. Staying on this same position, he stood extra still to have another feel at this small tremor. Hikari looks back and stops walking as well.
    “Hm?” She wonders. He looks straight into her eyes in a small smile.
    “Nothing. Let’s go.” Continues to walk ahead. Hikari also continues. “So, how you been doing so far?”
    “Good! Mom says I’ve been eating too much though and that soon I’ll have to buy my own food if I keep it up.”
    “Heh, well, it sound like she wants you to be on a diet or something.”
    “Diet?!? But I’m not fat!” Hikari said in a shocked tone. Mak laughs.
    “I was only kidding.” He said. Moon turns to face Hikari.
    “Don’t listen to him, he doesn’t know how to control himself most of the time.”
    “What the..?!” Mak said in a confused tone. Twilight gives a strong glare at Moon.
    “And who started it this time??” Twilight said. Moon stood quiet looking ahead.
    “Where did you want to go anyway, Hikari?” Mak asked.
    “There was this one store I wanted to look into. Lots of tasty things there!”
    “You’re not talking about ‘chubs’ are you..?” Twilight asked turning to face Hikari.
    “Yeah! That’s the one!”
    “Ah, that place makes me sick now.”
    “How come?”
    “I don’t know,” Twilight sighs. “My brother use to go there everyday and I went with him. I never really ate from there but since he always did, I guess that’s what made me sick of even going there.”
    “Oh, but still,” Hikari continued. “You should try something out, you’ll like something, believe me.” At that moment, Mak’s phone rings, vibrating within his pocket. He stops to answer his phone as the others continue their conversation.
    “Hello?” Mak said answering his phone.
    “Change of plans Mak. Sarge will be informing you on you and your crew’s objective. Head to headquarters as soon as possible.”
    “Ah… Yes sir…” Mak said disappointedly. Glancing at the others, he looks down on the ground.
    “Don’t be late, son.” The call then ended. Mak returns his phone into his pocket and noticed that the others stopped, staring at him.
    “You okay?” Asked Twilight.
    “Yeah, I have to go. Something came up.”
    “Hm..? Now?” Hikari said.
    “Yeah, I’m really sorry. This sounds even more important than all the other missions I had.”
    “Its alright really.” Twilight said.
    “Tell Emerald I said what’s up, will ya?” Twilight nodded in a smile. “Okay, bye.” Walking passed the both of them, he ran forward in a hurry. Few moments afterwards, he encounters an ally of the Alliance in his class. He walks his way down the sidewalk of town approaching him.
    “Yo, Fenix, what are you doing here?” Mak said in a laugh. Fenix hangs up the phone facing Mak in front of him.
    “Sup, man? Nothing much, I was gonna have me a small hot dog until I got a call from the General himself.”
    “What? You too? I spoke with him just before I came here, said Sarge got something new for us or something like that.”
    “Ditto. Let’s head over to headquarters now and see what’s up. Hop in my car.”
    “Sweet.” Fenix makes his way into the small black vehicle while Mak takes the passenger’s seat at the other side. Sitting on the leather seats comfortable enough to almost sleep on, he and Fenix shuts the door. Fenix quickly started the low humming engine and stepped on the pedals accelerating the car in a mid speed level. Mak puts his sword in between his legs and Fenix chuckles.
    “You scare me sometimes, dude. I wonder if you’ll ever replace that sword with a girl one day.” Says Fenix.
    “Don’t be ridiculous.” Mak replied. “Have you ever seen such a fine sword like mines though? I bet you haven’t.”
    “Mak, it’s a novice sword. We all get the same thing when we first join the Alliance.”
    “Well unlike you, I like to think of old things better than new. Besides, when I first got this sword, I was taking good care of it. I was so happy, I even got it shined everyday and everything.”
    “A symbol of how you were a noob.”
    “I wouldn’t expect you to understand.” Mak ended the conversation. Fenix slightly laughs.
    “Alright, so what happened to your other sword? They give us all one every time we pass another test. A better one too.”
    “I still have them in my locker. I just keep it as a collection you could say.”
    “You’re really something else man.” Fenix said shaking his head.