Chapter 7: Troubling Affairs

Donte's POV

I got pizza again on my way to the lab; I wanna get something different but they just keep asking for me to bring pizza instead. One of them better pay me back; I'm not a darn bank.

I don't really like doing this every day. For once can someone buy me something? And it's not like I'm interested in love or whatever but if Romaine and Cassandra are gonna do it then they might as well get on with it instead of forcing us poor spectators to watch them go weeks, on and on with no progress.

And I've already tried to get them together. It just won't work.

Walking on the road a car passed me, playing my favorite song, "Best Day of My Life" by American Authors. I was filled with pure happiness and joy hearing other people get to enjoy my song.

I danced my way to the house and went down to the lab.

"Who ordered pizza?!" I shouted, filled with pure happiness

Dondre and Cassandra were both in separate rooms, but came to say hi when they heard me. Seeing the two come and eat with such enjoyment forced a laugh out of me. I honestly can't help it. I just love making people happy.

"Where's Romaine?" I asked them

"He can't come in today." Cassandra said, "his mom's keeping him in."

I laughed at the situation that my cousin was in. My aunt always was protective when she gets worried. And after what happened last night, I don't blame her. If my family was potentially in danger I'd do anything to save them or to keep them safe.

~~~~~~~

When the day moved on a bit more I went to train with Dondre. He's super slow, that's all I can say. He trains really hard and all, but he just can't seem to get any faster. I guess I'm just special because of my excelling ability.

I made multiple laps around him in the time it'd take him to make one. I mean I was going all out, but still. For a super speedster he sure is a super slowster.

I've been practicing siphoning energy off of Dondre and he doesn't even notice. It makes me so much faster that it's like I'm racing against a slug. But when I go too fast then I start to feel as fuzzy and stuff and it's like I'm starting to fade out.

When I got the fuzzy feeling training with Dondre today I had to slow down so I didn't die or something. I don't know what it does and I don't need to find out. But I haven't heard Romaine talk about it so I guess it's just with me. Or maybe I'm the only one fast enough to feel like that?

Yeah I don't know. And it doesn't really matter so I don't care.

~~~~~~~

On my way home I my smile faded and all I could feel was desperation. I don't know how much longer I have to do this until Black Zero is defeated. I'm sick and tired of this every day.

I opened my door; never locked because, what's the point. I walked into my empty house and turned on the lights. Garbage and filth everywhere. I've never been the cleaning type so don't ask me why I don't clean it. That's what my mom used to do.

I sat in the couch after just throwing down my bag on the table. My head turned to the left and I saw a a fake version of my sister sitting in the part of the couch where she always does.

I started reliving moments I had with my mother and sister before they were taken away. When life was much simpler. We would watch TV with popcorn and everything, life was always happy.

I then started to relive that night...that night they were taken from me..that night we were all taken..only I was allowed to come back. I'd rather them be free and me stuck in their place.

Then that man came in the house. The man from my nightmares. He ran in through the open door, making me wish I locked it. He kicked me out of the couch and onto the floor.

"I have a task for you, child" his voice was so scary I couldn't stop myself from shaking

"Just give me back my family!" I shouted, trying to get up

"Oh, but dear child, you do have your family. Your precious cousin." I could tell he was making fun of me

"I want my real family! And if you don't give them back, I won't do anything for you anymore!"

"Then in that case..I can dispose of your family."

"No! Please! I'll do anything."

Hand stretched out his hand with a folded piece of paper and said, "Do what is on this paper. And I will consider releasing your sister."

I took the paper and stared at him in the eyes. He did the most evil laugh before running off. My eyes were flooded with water for some reason. I tried my best to stay up and go back into the couch.

The cold breeze from outside came in and covered me. My jaws kept clacking. Water still coming from my eyes. Chills were up and down my spine. I got a blanket but I was still cold. I knew Black Zero had to be stopped, but I could only do that if I knew my family was safe. All I could do now was listen to his command.

~~~~~~~

In the morning I headed over to the lab. I didn't look at the paper Black Zero fave me until in the morning when I woke up. It said that two Saturdays from now I should bring the group to some camp up in the mountains and that they should all be there by 8 PM.

When I walked in Dondre and Cassandra looked happy to see me. I had to go through the boring day waiting for something to happen. The alarm went off and we all rushed to see what was going on.

"The Northwestern bank is being attacked." Cassandra said

We saw a video on one of the screens, showing a guy in some weird suit, attacking the bank with floating rocks.

"The guy's like Terra. The one from the comics not Kingdom Hearts." Dondre said

Me and Cassandra gave him a weird look; I don't know why he has to say weird stuff like that all the time.

"You guys get ready and go down there. I'll give you further instructions when you get down there." Cassandra said

"Right" I nodded my head before both of us ran and changed our clothes.

When Dondre and I were on the scene, the man was already inside the bank, telling them to give him money or something.

If you don't believe me that the guy was weird, let me just tell you again that he was weird. His suit had no sleeves, and the shirt part looked thick. It was like he was just wearing a vest. His vest was purple and his pants were green. He also had on like a purple plastic glasses thingy on his face. And he had on purple gloves that didn't have any finger parts. And he had a weird sun sign in the middle of his chest too. WEIRD.

"Hey!" Dondre shouted after him

"You must be this Velocity I'm hearing all about." He said when he turned around and saw Dondre

"The name's Acceleration actually, and while I appreciate the complement, I'm not exactly as fast or famous as him. But that doesn't mean I still can't kick your ass."

"The name's Obsidian. And I suggest you don't try me kid; this isn't my first rodeo."

Dondre started to run towards the man. Charging fast, he dodged a bunch of rocks that were flying towards him. The purple guy's hands were surrounded by this purple energy while his eyes also glowed purple. Wait, how many times have I said purple today?

When Dondre, got up to him he sent the purple guy back and onto the ground. Dondre stopped and turned to me. He told me to go save the people in the bank and evacuate everyone in the area.

The purple man hit Dondre with a rock and threw him far back. I ran up to Dondre to make sure he was ok.

"Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine! Just go do what I said!"

I don't know why he rushed me away but I just did it. I helped out everyone I could as fast as possible, so that I could go back and helped Dondre.

When I was done and looked back I saw six Dondres. Look I'm not lying. I actually saw six Dondres, all surrounding the purple guy, but it's like there were blurs between the Dondres connecting them. He threw rocks at one of the Dondres but it just went through him.

The purple guy kept throwing rocks but they kept going through whichever Dondre he threw them at. Five of the Dondres disappeared and the one that was left had lightning all over his hand. He punched the purple guy in the gut and it looked like the man nearly died.

He was now lying on the ground holding his belly and slowly rocking his body. Dondre stood over him, charging up more electricity on his hand.

"Remember that name: Acceleration; It'll be the last one you hear." Dondre said to him

"Dondre?" I called his name softly, "what are you doing?"

The lightning from his hand went away and he turned around to me.

"You stay outta this!" He shouted at me, "The only way to stop these people for good is to kill them."

"But we don't kill. That's our rule. We're the good guys, remember?"

"If you keep living in your stupid little fantasy then you're never going to get better! You're just a dumb kid!"

Before I could say anything else I saw that crimson speedster from over six months ago. He took up the purple guy and ran off. When Dondre noticed he shouted at me again.

"See what you caused?! We would've had one less bad guy in this city."

I wasn't going to stand around and take any more of this. Water was coming out of my eyes again and my face was welling up. I ran off without looking behind.

Dondre's POV

All these people do is frustrate me. I couldn't care less when the kid ran off. I just made my way back to the lab; obviously going to be criticized by Cassandra.

"What the hell were you thinking out there?!" She started cursing me as I stepped out of the elevator, her heels clacking on the floor as she walked over to me.

"Is there a problem?" I asked, just about done with her rubbish

"Uhh yes there's a problem! You were about to kill somebody!"

"And how is that a problem? If we don't kill them they're just going to keep coming back."

"Uhh that's what prisons are for!"

"Prisons?! You can't put those people in prisons; they'll just break out."

"What do you the Brinestone X Facility Prison is for?"

"Uhh...Brinestone X what?.."

"Oh come on. Where do you think all the X-Genists you defeat go? They get arrested and locked up in a specialized prison that has technology advanced enough to be able to block their powers."

"I never thought about that..."

She took me over to the computers and brought up a picture of the prison, as well as multiple news articles about it.

"Wow.." I said

"Can't believe you never knew about this. Everyone does. Everyone who who has sense that is.."

"Well then.. I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't know that the government had taken these measures to make sure that we were safe."

"Mm. Well I won't tell if you won't."

"Thanks.. I-I am really sorry about this."

"Yeah well, now you know. And don't think I didn't see that trick of yours, when you made clones of yourself. Explain."

"Well they weren't actually clones they were actually mirages. Since Romaine hadn't been training me I decided to do so myself. I picked up something; I realized that if I move from on place to another and back to the original place over and over then it creates a speed mirage. Trust me, it took a lot out me to do five. I wasn't able to sustain them any longer."

"I see..and what about the lightning fist? I'm guessing you learned that yourself as well but how did you do it almost instantly without running prior?"

"Well while I was creating those mirages I was generating electricity and when I stopped I channeled it into my fist. You don't exactly need a mentor to know how to channel your energy when punching people."

"Fair enough. You should probably go apologize to Donte now."

"Oh you're right. I hurt the poor kid's feelings."

~~~~~~~

After I ran off and found Donte, I apologized and we went back. I had to explain to him that my head wasn't so clear earlier and about how I did the speed mirage. Turns out he didn't know about the prison either.