Keep moving

I awake in my bed on admittedly a very terrible morning. I roll out of bed and hear Lidaren’s tail hit the floor. I then realize that they are still here, and it’s a surprise to me. I stand up and admit I’m still in the same close from yesterday I undress and walk into my bathroom to the left. I set in to see clothes laid out for me with a note on it “It’s not over yet.” I pick up the shirt, and it’s a solid black T-shirt and jeans. I get in a quick shower when I hear Perfectionist calls out, “Come on, Michael.”

I step out, get dressed, and walk out. I see Lidaren fixing breakfast and Perfectionist with wet hair sitting at my fold-out table. Lidaren looks over his shoulder at me. “I hope you don’t mind, but we decided to make it a bit better. We figured you could use it given how yesterday went.” I ask. “How did you do this?” I ask because of the spread of eggs, bacon, griddled cakes, and oats. Lidaren turns to me, holding a pan of sausage links. “I had to use what you had, and Perfectionist ran to a nearby spring to get clean.

Since his shields were dropped, he must eat, and my healing factor can only sustain me for about a day.” I take a seat. “It’s fine, but I still don’t know what to do.” Lidaren takes a seat between us. “I don’t know, but we can’t stop.” Perfectionist sets his coffee down. “He’s right; we need to use what we got to get back on top of this problem. So, what do we know?” I finish the plate I had and get up from the table. “All I know is that he has been planning this since we have last seen him. I need to be alone.” I get up and walk to my trophy shelf.

I’m overlooking all the things I’ve gotten over the years; a staff, books, and such. When I feel Perfectionist's hand on me, “You can’t let him get into your head like this.” I look over at him. “Yes, he can; first, you tell me that he’s back. I find out he never truly left; he was using avatars. Then to top this whole shit show off, he just made me release his physical form, fully bringing back the one motherfucker who has single-handedly fucked my whole life up. So, yes, Perfectionist, he is fucking with me! But I think I have a plan.”

Perfectionist looking confused, yet excited at the vigor, ask, “Well, what is it?” I pick up the dark crystal and walk back into the kitchen where Lidaren has cleaned up much of the kitchen. “Alright, we’re going to go see an old friend of mine, but first we need to get a bit of info about what happened to that bright light from yesterday.” Lidaren comments, “Well, why don’t we just go back to the tower.” Perfectionist nods in agreement, but I shut it down. “No, I have a feeling we won’t be welcome.”

What I said strikes a very strange cord with the two of them, and Perfectionist asks, “Why not?” I look down in discouragement. “I feel like whatever the Destroyer is up to is about to start. I could be wrong, but if I’m not, I don’t want us to be walking into a trap.” After explaining myself, the Lidaren begins to agree, but I can see that Perfectionist is having doubts, so I tell him, “If you don’t want to do it this way, you don’t have to.” He rubs his head and seems to be mulling it over. “No… I’m scared of myself. Because anyone who can get to you likes that, what chance do we have.”

I roll the dark crystal around in my hand, thinking on it, “Good, I wouldn’t want you to get comfortable, but I have a plan, OK.” Perfectionist exhales, relaxing a bit. “OK, what’s the plan.” I take a seat. “Well, first we need to find a way to see some news about the city. I have a feeling that’s where the light went, and we need to see what it started.”

Perfectionist tells me, “We have a portable radio in the helicopter; we could use it to tune in and take a listen.” I nod, “Good. Next, we need to see Darkness, and he will want his eye back. Lastly, if it is as bad as I think in the city, we need a covert way back.” Lidaren, thinking for a moment, goes, “There is a raceway on the other side of the tree line. I saw it when we flew in. We could take a buggy.” Perfectionist objects “We are the chosen we don’t steal.” I stop them before they can start. “NO, it's perfect, now all that’s left is to do it.”