CHAPTER 50: GUARDIAN LIFE PART 1

Rinka carefully enters Iza's room, she's at its center, working out intensely. Quick push-ups, jumping jacks, and stuff. She notices him, stops, and heads over enthusiastically to greet.

Iza: … Hello! You're Rinka, right?

They firmly shake hands.

Rinka: Yes. Nice to meet you. I've come to help!.. Do you need any?

She looks around, analyzing.

Iza: … A lot of stuff here needs to be cleaned, you could help with that.

Rinka: Okay! Will do!

As he moves past her, Iza grabs his shoulder and he turns.

Iza: … Hey, after you're done cleaning, wanna work out with me? It's very good for you!

Rinka: … Sure.

…

Rinka's now got a grocery bag full of stuff to clean with, like wipes, cloths, sprays, etc. He proceeds to completely cleanse the entire room and its objects to the best of his ability, which isn't the greatest. Nevertheless, the job is being done.

Meanwhile, Iza sleeps ludicrously on a flat bench.

…

The second the job's done, Iza's immediately up, enthusiastic like before.

Iza: You're done! Ready to work out!?

Rinka nods and sets the cleaning bag aside. Then takes off his hoodie, and under he's got a gray long-sleeve.

Iza: Alright! Let's get started!

…

Rinka watches in horrified astonishment as Iza speedily, easily, uses a thick and long steel bar held by a cable as a jump rope, all while having two flat benches tied to her body, she's sandwiched.

Eventually, she stops.

Iza: Your turn!

Rinka: … What?

…

Once again, Rinka watches in horrified astonishment as an untroubled Iza, a pile of big weights on her back, does a push-up, leaps while still in position, swiftly claps mid-air, and lands elsewhere. She repeats that process expeditiously.

And eventually, she stops.

Iza: Your turn!

Rinka: … Bro.

…

Rinka weakly does a push-up, Iza's sitting on his back, relaxed, cross-legged, and holding a water bottle. He then collapses, and she's overjoyed.

Iza: … That was great! How do you feel?

Rinka: Bad. I can't move.

Iza: Get used to that.

…

Rinka walks out of Iza's room, hoodie back on. Doa's across, spots him which makes her happy, and comes up.

Doa: Yo! What are you up to?

Rinka: Hi. I'm helping the Guardians with stuff.

Doa: … Can I join you?

…

The two enter Zeph's room, he looks at them. His monster's sleeping, lying, like a cute dog on the huge bed.

Rinka: Hello, do you need help with something?

Zeph: … Woah, I was about to attack you… Anyways, I do. Give me a second.

He dashes to an extensive shelf, takes an enormous, Harlequin Green toothbrush on it, dashes back, and hands it to Rinka.

Zeph: Clean Spike's mouth. I hate going in it these days, cuz it smells horrible.

Rinka: … Why are you going in it?

…

The monster's mouth is wide open, the view is gnarly. Doa, who's got a common, minuscule compared to other present, toothbrush and Rinka, brush and paste in hand, are right in front of it, looking disgusted.

The awful smell hits them and they back up, shocked.

Rinka: … Dude. Oh my god.

Doa: It smells like dead skunks rotted while in a pile of shit… What do you feed this thing?

Zeph: Only the finest of cooked meat. I don't know why his mouth smells so bad.

Rinka: Maybe the meat was expired?

Zeph: It wasn't. I'd never give Spike anything expired.

Rinka and Doa slowly turn away from Zeph and back to Spike's mouth, where they just stare and do nothing.

Zeph: … Get to scrubbing, guys. Spike wants to sleep.

The pals sigh, Rinka puts brown paste on the brushes. Immediately, an amazing smell hits them both, they're intrigued but very happy.

Rinka analyzes the tube of paste he's holding.

Rinka: … This is cinnamon toothpaste.

Zeph: It's nice, right? It should really help with Spike's smelly mouth.

Doa keeps sniffing her brush, she's at peace.

Doa: … Ah. It smells amazing, and it's making me super hungry… I wanna eat it!

She starts to blissfully brush her teeth.

Zeph: Hey!

…

Mausho's lounging on his Chelsea Blue bed, using his hand behind his head as a pillow, and scrolling on his phone with the other.

He then lays the phone down and looks at Rinka and Doa, who are just there.

Mausho: … I don't need help with anything, sorry. But that's a good thing, isn't it? Cuz I'm making your life easier.

Rinka shrugs.

…

Not mentioned before, Kofron's room has a fancy built-in music studio. Anyways, Kofron is currently in it, trying to make a song, situated next to a tall microphone stand, and holding a clipboard and a pencil.

Kofron: … What rhymes with energy?

Close by, Doa and Rinka spectate casually.

Rinka: … Allergies

Doa: … Memory.

Rinka: … Tennessee.

Kofron's slightly bewildered.

Kofron: … Tennessee? Seriously, dude? Where the hell am I supposed to use that?

Doa giggles lightly, and Kofron thinks for a bit.

Kofron: … Hold up, actually… I've got enemies … In Tennessee… I hope they match my energy… And when I'm done with them… They're gonna be a memory!

Kofron's thrilled.

Kofron: Nevermind! Thank you, Rinka, for the suggestion! And you too, Doa!

Rinka shows him a nice smile and double thumbs up. Doa does the same right after.

…

Rinka and Doa step into a sanctuary of nature, delightful vegetation everywhere. It's Shima's room, and she's there.

Shima: Hi.

Rinka: Hi.

Doa's captivated by the surroundings.

Doa: … Wow. Your room's so beautiful!

Shima: Thank you! I worked very hard to get it like this!

Rinka: … This looks like where a whimsical elf would live.

Shima laughs.

Shima: … It does, doesn't it?

…

A sizable pink bowl is on a big tree stump table, full of ingredients. Doa and Rinka use whisks to mix the stuff. Shima's watching the process.

Shima: … This cake better come out good. It's really important.

Rinka: … What happens if it comes out bad?

Shima: … Awful, horrible things. The sun will literally consume the earth.

Rinka laughs, and Shima does too.

Shima: … Nothing would happen, obviously. If the cake comes out bad it'd be fine. It's for Raskan's birthday… It'd actually be really funny if he got a fucked-up cake.

…

In her room, Liz and Rinka are conversing while Minaro's nearby, on his phone.

Liz: … You helped everyone?

Rinka nods.

Liz: … Okay.

Liz begins to muse for a moment.

"... How is Rinka supposed to help the community? He can't… He's gonna be ostracized anyways… I should inform the public of the situation… But he's in hot water regardless… If another massacre ever happens, we'll have to kill him."

Liz: … Well, Rinka. You're done. You're excused for what you did.

Rinka: … Really? But I basically did nothing, there's no way I'm excused.

Liz: You're excused, Rinka. But if another massacre ever happens and the blood is over your hands. We'll kill you, okay?

Rinka: … Okay. Thank you. For excusing me.

Liz pulls her rolling chair over and sits. Minaro puts his phone away and pays attention.

Liz: … Anyways, I'd like to ask you guys for an enormous favor… I want some of your Black Blood. If you two donate some, us Guardians could drink it and make our blood black… We'd be much, much stronger.

She waits for an answer, the two buddies blankly stare at her, then at each other, then back at her.

Rinka: … Of course you can have some.

Minaro: … What he said.

Liz smiles.

…

Rinka and Liz are alone in the room, amidst another convo.

Liz: Black Blood makes people physically and mentally better. It hones their senses and increases their strength, abilities, and durability.

…

Liz: We're all born physically different for some unknown reason, and every human is categorized by the following five; Wuhuman, Tuhuman, Suhuman, Sutuhuman, and Buhuman.

Rinka: … What do the categories mean?

Liz: Wuhuman is the average person, who'd die to like a single bullet in the leg. Tuhuman are way tougher and stronger but can still be killed pretty quickly. Suhuman is where most of the Guardians fall, they're pretty powerful and pretty durable but can still be overpowered. Sutuhuman is where the few, rest of the Guardians are, and where your friend, Doa, falls too, I think? She just hasn't reached her full potential. Anyways, they're very hard to kill, and annihilate with their power!.. And finally, Buhuman is anyone with Black Blood.

…

Liz: We've concluded that Black Blood can grow and become more potent inside someone, and it's due to rigorous physical activity and powerful emotions.

…

At a different time, all the Guardians, and Doa, Maya, and Bukkaru are in Liz's room. Liz points at a bunch of plastic cups on her desk, each filled with around 15 milliliters of Black Blood.

Raskan: … Is that grape juice?

Liz: It's Black Blood… Go ahead and drink some.

Everyone's a little shocked.

Defei: Woah! Howdya get some?

Liz: Minaro and Rinka donated.

Defei: Oh, cool.

Kofron: … We're gonna drink blood, like vampires!

Raskan walks, takes a cup, and a sip.

Raskan: … It tastes like red wine.

Shima moves and takes a sip also.

Shima: … It's pretty good. I thought it'd taste like medicine.

Liz: … C'mon, drink up guys. Once we do, the Black Blood should overtake ours and make it Black. We'll be way stronger!

Mausho: … That's awesome.

Mausho advances, grabs a cup, and drinks. Xika and Sosa promptly do the same.

Mausho: .. Next time we see those Skillers, it's over for them.

…

While the Guardians get stronger, the Skillers sit back … And play Baseball. They're on the field, and all in proper positions.

Yutsu powerfully pitches, and Neishi violently swings the bat and blasts the ball away. Then Panchu and Brian make a mad dash for it, pushing each other around and knocking each other down frequently along the way.

Yutsu laughs, Neishi chuckles and starts running to a base. Dynima's a baseman and is confused.

Dynima: What are those idiots doing?

Brian smugly catches the ball and dynamically throws it to someone. Eivee receives it and gets Neishi out.

Eivee: Gotcha.

…

It's the afternoon of the next day. The gang and all the Guardians are in the living room, talking happily, casually, and doing whatever. There's tons of different food on the table, ready to be devoured.

It is the beginning of Raskan's birthday.

TO BE CONTINUED…