- losing focus -

~Formay, Police station~

The hero came right on time. Walking into the station with peering eyes watching his every move. He made it to the front desk, seeing Milo there with his uniform on and papers neatly piled on the desk. The hero was about to start, only Milo stood up, shuffling his seat back and making the curly haired male flinch. He wasn't at ease already, even if he was in the sheriff's station, he knows that Pierce and anyone can waltz in and do what they want. Nothing stops them, not even himself.

"Oxzy!- You came..!" The sheriff let out, dusting something off himself before taking a stand in front of the hero. Oxzy nodded at him, looking confused but not showing it. "Oh- sorry, you're probably confused by the sudden call and request." Milo came to the other side so he could stand closer to Oxzy, he cleared his throat and put on a much serious face when his ton changed. "I am on the case about Randy, the man who Pierce helped to escape. I think I am closer to figuring out his relationship with the Imber family."

"Then we should not talk here sir." Oxzy replied straightforwardly. The officer grew slightly red on hearing him speak, quickly, he shook the feelings off and nodded his way to the papers.

The hero let the sheriff grab what he needed before heading off, and out of the door of the station. When they walked out, Jamisen passed them, calling out to Milo in confusion. "Where are you leaving?-"

"I am discussing something with the hero, hold up ends here, I won't be long."

He didn't give Jamisen a chance to argue, leaving through the doors and out onto the streets towards his police car. The pair ended up in the car and Milo made his way towards Oakway. Oxzy gave him a confused look, about to speak but again, Milo spoke first. "I feel like it would be.. Safer, to speak in Oakway."

Oxzy couldn't argue with that, Oakway out of the whole town had to be the safest place because of how far it was from the grubs. It used to be safe at least, not after the incident, nowhere seemed safe.

However, Oxzy let the sheriff choose where to go off to next. It didn't matter to him. just as long as he gets this over with.

~Oakway, supermarket isle~

The sheriff cleared his throat. "Where do you want to go? We could go to a cafe, maybe a starbucks or restaurant?"

"A small Starbucks is fine." Oxzy replied, leaving no room for more conversation. The sheriff seemed to get the hint by the hero's tone. He pulled into a parking lot and the two made their way into the coffee shop.

Looks passed their way across the two, mostly lingering on Oxzy, who in turn brushed the looks off. Milo turned around a few times to make sure the man was still following, noticing the looks he got, Milo sneered at the people who looked away in turn.

They sat down, not bothering to get anything at the counter. The two sat at the end of the shop, near the window where Milo retrieved the papers he brought. He sat in front of Oxzy, starting with a bright point on the first page that had Randy's mugshot on it with information below.

Milo decided to start with the man's background. "Randy has been arrested before for gang fights, stealing, and selling meth. He had been becoming more and more part of the grubs gang before he split up a few weeks before his arrest." Milo started to explain, flipping the page to the other papers, Oxzy took in the information. "It was assumed from me and my officers that he had become too deep into the gang and started to work for Zella Imber. His escape from the help of Pierce gives evidence."

"And that would mean?" Oxzy decided to ask.

"That would mean that he is working with that gang, the gang that rules the grubs?" Milo decided to word it in a way that gave Oxzy the urge to scoff. The way it seemed to imply that the grubs gangs had the power to rule, that he and the police couldn't stop them.

"Again. What would that mean?"

Milo looked a bit taken aback, he didn't want to explain more, he thought that the hero would understand just that. He couldn't tell if Oxzy did understand or wanted it explained further. "Well… That's the thing, we could understand that something bigger is being pushed around in the grubs besides meth and.. Well liquor. We feel like the Imbers are pushing something with Pierce's help so as not to be caught."

The hero let out a sigh, he deeply didn't want to believe it, he couldn't even comprehend it since he didn't know why it would be happening. Something big on "transportation" in the grubs is indeed happening, no one knows what it is unless you're in the Imbers gang.

Oxzy looked through the papers and Milo allowed him to, flipping around until the end page, the hero lifted it to read closer. The last page mentioned Randy's disappearance after being broken out of his cell, the police were trying to find him, though they had no luck in doing so.

"Have you gone to the grubs to look?" Oxzy decided to ask, keeping his gaze down.

"We have. Nothing but crackheads and hobos," Milo replied, shaking his head in disappointment. "The men in the office are still looking, it's getting harder to look after Ronny was sent to the hospital."

"So you are still looking?"

Milo sat up straighter, a strange look on his face. "Of course I am. This is my town to protect," his voice sounded hard, the look in his eyes full of furry. "Just like you…"

The end of his sentence turned soft, sparking a look from Oxzy. The atmosphere turned quiet, the hero kept his eyes low as Milo's brown eyes looked over him. It was awkward, the hero wanted to say something to bring the attention back to the papers, but he had nothing to say.

Lucky for the hero in this case, a barista came over to the table. She put her hand on the wooden table, causing the two to turn their attention to her. Milo quickly pulled the papers away and on the other side of the table, only the woman gave no attention to it. Her eyes were on Oxzy, a small look of aggression in her look.

"Are you gentlemen not gonna get anything?" Her voice sounded sharp, her eyes glaring at the hero, beckoning for him to reply.

Oxzy in his usual fashion, stayed silent. Milo decided to speak up, sitting a bit closer to the table. "Uh no! We just came here to talk.."

The woman turned her eyes to him, softening a bit after realizing he was the sheriff. She cleared her throat, "well… We have a rule here, if you don't order anything within 10 minutes, you will be kicked out…"

Milo gave a confused sigh, thinking of the stupid rule as if it wasn't the same for the stores in Daylight. Also because they have only been there fir 3 minutes. But knew he couldn't argue with her. "Well, then we could-"

"We will leave." Oxzy replied, sitting up after speaking. The barista flinched, keeping her eyes low and aggression strong in his direction.

Milo stood up as well, wanting to stop the hero, but noticed their surroundings as people had eyes on them. The hero was becoming pale, his eyes losing life with all the eyes following him. Not wanting to cause harm to the hero with this aggressive attention, Milo followed after him. He gave small replies to the people and women while shuffling papers into his hands, he hastily followed Oxzy.

The hero was already outside of the Starbucks. Milo dashed from behind him, and coming closer to his side, he looked at the hero. "Hey, don't take that too hard. You have to understand that people are just scared-"

"Understand?" Oxzy stopped, turning sharply away from Milo and the direction of his police cruiser. He gave a small huff, walking away as Milo stopped in his tracks to watch the hero walk off.

He clutched the papers close, walking closer and trying to call after Oxzy. The hero ignored him, traveling away from the ride he took there. Milo yelled after him again, keeping the papers close as they were very willing to fly away. "Oxzy! Oxzy wait!" He flew his hand towards the man's arm, gripping tightly to stop him.

The hero felt a hard hand grip his forearm, stopping in his tracks, the hero's eyes shot open. A sudden crack formed under the sheriff, the blonde man looked down in shock at the small crack that was under his feet. It penetrated the earth, almost forming a hole big enough to drop and lodge his foot.

He took in a shaky breath, letting go of Oxzy, his breathing soon returned to normal. Stepping away from the small crack in the world, Milo kept his sight on the turned hero. "Please.. Just let me give you a ride back."

Oxzy stayed turned, no motion in his body to the words. Milo said it again, taking a small, hesitant step closer. Before Milo could speak again, Oxzy stopped him. "I don't need it. I can get where I want without you. Sir." His voice firm, leaving the sheriff stiff and mood tumbling down.

He watched as Oxzy stalked away from him and towards the Daylight markets closer to where he must live. Milo didn't know. But he sure wanted to find out.

The sheriff had to stop himself from dashing after him, he pulled his thoughts to himself and went back to his ride. Slamming the door shut, he let out curse words at losing the hero's attention.

While leaning his head on the wheel, the officer couldn't help but realize things. He hadn't realized how much he became intrigued with the hero. He never liked the man in such a way, only let him do what he had to. He held his head in frustration, not knowing what to do next. He started his car before peeling out of the parking lot and towards where the hero walked off to.

~Daylight, the end of the mall~

Oxzy didn't know what exactly he wanted to do. He did know that he wanted to go home, he was tired, a pain was rising in his chest from his still healing ribs. He felt a bubbling rise of anger and fear wash over him, he knew eyes were swarming over him like little bees thay wouldn't leave. He knew where he was going, but at the same time, didn't.

Go home?

He wanted to deeply, thinking of his hand rubbing against his curly soft cat. The purring running deep within him, and warmth coming from the critters that loved him.

The hero was stuck in his thoughts, thinking of what calmed him until a harsh crash came at him. He stumbled, catching himself before falling. Turning to the hit, he came face to face with a man with burn marks littering his face with steam running up from the blood that melted down his face.

He screamed unintelligible words, clutching hard onto his clothes, Oxzy held onto the man a foot shorter than him, confusion and his eyes sternly looking down on him.

The boy caught himself, suddenly pointing behind him where Oxzy caught sight of smoke. It was covered by buildings, the smells, beside burnt flesh in front of him, caught his throat up. His mind couldn't help but travel back in time.

Back on that day.

The day that would ruin this town.

"Joseph! Oh my god!" A woman's scream brought him back, making him step away from the boy who fell over due to the pain. The woman came over and clutched the boy closer to her chest, yelling his name in fear.

"Ahhhhhhggh!"

Oxzy heard screams in the direction of the fire. The smoke grew darker, the smell became more apparent. The hero gritted his teeth, dashing off towards the commotion while passing frantic people with burns and tears melting their face. He ran faster, gaining energy as his eyes flared and the trees around him began to grow bigger.

The hero caught the side of people tumbling on the ground, holding onto themself as if they were cold. Their backs turned towards a business tower not that tall, but big enough to cause attention. Alarms began to blare, the hero looked at the bursting building. The trees on the outside of it caught flame, he quickly motioned towards it with his hand and the tree trunk withered with his energy.

He spirited forward, the trees in his surroundings began to become longer as the brown trunks grew rapidly. He focused on the leaves, making them fade into the air as his purpose was to use the trunk to hold and block innocent people. He had succeeded when he felt within the bark people leaning against it, he covered them with focus. The people were protected, so he could focus without others getting hurt in a fight.

When he knew that he was keeping some of the bystanders safe, he focused his attention on the main problem. The fire. He quickly found out the cause of the fire and outburst was because of the villain.

Pierce was laughing while looking down at the burning building he was standing over. His voice loud and bombing, it was paired with screams, the loud knocking of bricks, shattering of the glass echoed as it hit the concrete floor. The hero dashed forward, yelling out to Pierce. He attracted the attention he hoped for.

The evil man was now focusing on him and no longer the people scampering to get away.

"Ox! Yay you're here!" He shouted out, a wide grin on his face.

Oxzy gave no indication of Pierce's excited look, he instead dashed up and right for the villain. His jump was paired with a bolt of cold and fast wind picking up under him. It quicked his mid leap into the air and he landed a few feet from the villain on top of the burning building.

The hero stayed low, keeping his shoulders fit and legs bent, ready for a quick attack to the wide open villain. Pierce had a smile still on his face, he turned his head in Oxzys direction.

The flames picked up around the two who were in the center of the top building. It was still standing besides having half of it on fire. The hero noticed that the front of the building was where the most flames were, his eyes made a quick move to the other end as he noticed it was the same, no fire was on that side. The villain had lit the front of the building up and burned, possibly killed anyone in the front and left the back unscratched. Oxzy knew why. He had ideas that he mostly believed to be right, but knowing it made him sick. It all went back to him in some way, the reason people dashed out while their faces melted off, flesh dropping like slugs from their forever deformed faces..

It was because of him.

When Pierce came to realize the hero was gonna stay quiet, he let out a sigh while stretching, making it obvious his wound was fully healed. While in front of him, Oxzy was still healing. It was better than the last days, however, he could easily make it worse if this fight went the way Piece wanted.

He can't let that happen again.

The hero knew why the man was here, that was a start. He also knew a few ways he could make this quick if he thought before fighting.

People were safe, gone from here. He didn't have to worry about that. He did have to worry about the environment around him. The building that was burning could go, but not in a way that it destroys everything around it.

He also had to keep the villain busy. Or well, 'entertained' that was the only reason Pierce was here. It was because he was bored, and if the hero fought him with effort, the villain would be satisfied for a while. It didn't matter if the villain lost or won, as long as he knew Oxzy was being strong and actually trying in their fight.

He will enjoy every second of it.

The villain got impatient. In a quick motion, he hunched over and bolted forward. The hero got out of his thoughts in time, swinging his body sideways, using his hand closer to the building floor, the hero slid to the side safely.

Bridging himself to the floor, the hero was ready for the villain's next move, Pierce came at him with his fist swinging to the hero's face. Oxzy moved his head, dodging it before springing his own attack on the Pierces open chest. He landed a solid hit, hearing a grunt escape Pierce, the hero forced his elbow to Pierce's chin, landing another hit and knocking the fiery man back.

"Erh!... Tuh."

Pierce let out a chuckle, finding his feet on ground and sending a smirk Oxzys way. No words spoken, but a hatred clear in the air.

This time the hero went first, keeping his figure low, he sprinted forward. He was intending to distract the villain with his motion in front of him as his mind formed a tall ice wall behind Pierce. The man walked into it from behind, realizing he was trapped a bit late.

The hero swung his fist at the villains face, Pierce moved his head and Oxzy's fist collided with the ice wall. It shattered from his force, scattering to the ground in deadly sharp melting spikes.

The villain whistled and suddenly the hero felt a strong force hit his chest. The villain had kneed him before quickly grabbing onto Oxzy's back, firmly gripping the man's shirt before picking him up.

The hero was in the air for a second before he was thrown to the ground. The impact was hard and his spine felt like it had bent, he cursed, closing his eyes tightly to endure the pain. The villain laughed above him, his large hands still holding onto the hero's clothing before he forcefully ripped the shirt and sent the hero sliding on the roof.

Oxzy caught himself before he made a fall from the building, quickly standing his ground low again. "Erg… Hafhaa…" His back and whole body protested but he gulped in the pain and kept a stern face.

"The ice was a cheap shot, Ox." The villain mocked, looking down at shattered ice spikes that were now melting in the hot air.

"Grrgg.. Errh…" The hero growled under his breath, the pain rising up into his chest ready to burst.

Oxzy grunted while pushing it down, standing up with a hunched back, the man swung his arm forward. He was a few feet away from the villain so didn't try and hit him, only the motion was for him to grab control of the liquid. The liquid spiked up into another form of ice spikes. There was only one spike as the water evaporated, the villain ducked out of the way but missed the hero coming in his direction when he moved in front of him.

The hero knocked the man off his feet, slipping the both of them as the villain landed on his back and the hero ended up straddling him.

The villain looked up at him in a dazed expression, smirking when blood began to pool from his busted lip. He let out a chuckle, making the man above him squeeze his legs around the villain as he leaned over to be face to face with the evil man.

The villain didn't let his smirk fall, he lifted his eyebrow when seeing the position. "Huh… So you like to ride?"

The hero cursed at the rising heat going to his face, glaring at the man below who looked at him up and down. Oxzy growled, his hand rising above his hand before it collided with the villain's face. It was hard enough to break a bone and leave the villain in pain when he spoke.

But what came from Pierce was another chuckle. Oxzy found his hand above the villain again, hesitating to hit again.

"I'm waiting…" His voice came out, mocking the hero's hesitation. Oxzy cursed again, swinging down hard, but the villain caught him this time.

The hero tried to pull back but Pierce only gripped harder. Oxzy tried harder to pry away, cursing slurs at the man below him, earning laughter from the villain who seemed to find the pain and hero all endearing.

Oxzy would usually try and use his abilities for help, he could try and move the closest branches and leaves from neighboring trees to help him escape. Only he couldn't with the rising fire that kept them alone on the roof. The only other idea of Oxzy was to create more ice spikes, he couldn't exactly do any to his left and right as the fire grew larger and could melt them making the spikes ineffective.

He could only try to summon one under the villain that could pierce right under the villain. But when Oxzy tried to focus on it, it was too difficult. He looked at the area he would try to summon them, under the villain right by his heart. His eyes met with Pierces, the smirk and striking brown eyes made him wince.

The villain felt a pressure surface from under him, he could see the look Oxzy gave him and understood what the hero wanted to do.

Only… Oxzy couldn't do it.

The villain knew the hero that much. He understood that Oxzy didn't have the power to kill. The hero couldn't even kill the evil man that torments people in his home. Even the villain's family couldn't be safe from his cruel hands.

"Mhh.. Erg…!"

Seeing the difficulty in Oxzy's narrowed gray eyes and grunts, the man below quickly pulled his head up. It bashed right into the hero's head, knocking him back and off himself. Being free from the hero's grasp, Pierce slowly found his feet and watched as Oxzy did the same with closed eyes.

Another standoff was about to happen if not for a loud sound to break their look. It was a loud and annoying police siren that sounded right below them. Milo's voice broke through the air, he yelled up at the two and got their attention within seconds.

Pierce groaned in annoyance while Oxzy felt his body quiver with anxiety. The sheriff could get himself hurt by the villain while being here, and it would be blamed back to the hero. Oxzy, without notice to the eye rolling villain, jutted both hands in the direction of the flames, his eyes closed in concentration at his new summoning of ice.

The ice broke out at the bottom, slowly piling up and closing in on the bottom where the fire had built up. It closed on it quickly rising up and sticking to the building while putting the fire out. It left a rise of smoke to reach the air as the atmosphere turned cold, like it had started to snow.

The hero found himself in a crouched position, his arms felt weak, tired and sore. It was getting harder to keep his hands up, they kept dropping due to his growing fatigue. His breathing became quick, it was becoming difficult to pull in a proper breath. When the hero did start to feel the fire slowly evaporating, he let his arms drop.

Oxzy quickly realized it wasn't the best idea. "Mhhg.."

Once his arms fell, they refused to come back up. He couldn't even stand up without tripping and almost toppling over on the ground. He moved his eyes to where the villain was, Pierce was surrounded by black dust. It covered his legs, crawling up him before it was over his entire body.

Before the villain had disappeared, he sent a smirk in Oxzy's direction. "It was fun while it lasted. Thanks for playing with me." His smirk was the last thing the hero saw before the man vanished.