Chapter 17

In the soft embrace of dawn, Reo tiptoed into the apartment where Lexz and Rylai had succumbed to sleep's embrace, Lexz sprawled across the couch and Rylai a collapsed giant on the floor. Slipping into his room, Reo yielded to slumber's call.

The sun, a fiery sentinel in the sky, ushered in the afternoon. Reo stirred to life amidst the cacophony of the city and the alien rhythm of a blender from the kitchen. Rylai, towering and lively, was concocting a shake, his laughter resonating through the room. "Erlworm shakes, nothing better to kickstart the day!" he proclaimed, as Lexz's grumbled protest floated in from the living room.

"Mornings are overrated," Lexz groaned, eyes glued to an old basketball game flickering on the holotelevision.

Reo, freshly awake and curious, joined them, his gaze drawn to the screen. "Is this live?" he inquired, settling into the fray of the living room.

"Nah, a classic," Rylai said, his eyes never leaving the action. The game unfolded in a riot of colors, a dance of past legends.

Onscreen, Lexz's father, a mirror of youthful vigor and strength, dominated in black and red, a force of nature against the Slickcity Bruisers in their green and white. "There's my dad, number 45, and that's Lira's dad, number 21," Lexz narrated, a hint of melancholy in his voice.

The game was a tempest of talent. Lexz's father, a titan on the court, muscled through defenses, soaring for dunks that sent ripples through the crowd. In contrast, Lira's father was a maestro with the ball, orchestrating plays with a finesse that left the spectators in awe.

"This was for the championship," Lexz murmured, as the scene shifted to a pivotal moment. The score stood at a knife-edge, 112 to 113. The Cruisers were a breath away from victory.

The crowd roared as Lexz's father, ball in hand, weaved past defenders. A final showdown awaited at the top of the key. He danced past one, then another, his sights set on Lira's father. In a moment charged with destiny, he side-stepped, ready to unleash the winning shot.

But fate, cruel and indifferent, intervened. A twist, a turn, and his ankle betrayed him, sending him tumbling to the ground, the ball slipping away. The arena, a cacophony of gasps and groans, echoed Lexz's anguish.

"If only he hadn't slipped," Lexz muttered, his hand finding the remote, the holotelevision blinking out, leaving them in the quiet aftermath of history.

In the silence, Reo contemplated the weight of legacy and the razor's edge of sports - the glory and the heartbreak intertwined. The stories of Lexz's and Lira's fathers, etched in the annals of basketball history, were now a part of his journey, inspiring and daunting in equal measure.

"Champions aren't just born," Rylai said, breaking the silence. "They're forged in moments like these. We'll have our time on the court, and we'll make it count."

Reo shrugged, fatigue weighing heavily on his eyes as he recalled Jordo's unsettling request. "By the way, Rylai, I had a run-in with Jordo earlier tonight…" he began, his voice trailing off.

"And?" Rylai prompted, not looking up from his snack.

"And we had a one-on-one…" Reo admitted, feeling the sting of shame.

"And?" Rylai continued, his eyes still focused on the bag of stone-like snacks he was munching on, the crunch of his hard teeth filling the room.

"And I lost…" Reo confessed, his voice tinged with regret.

"So what of it?" Rylai asked, shoving another handful of snacks into his mouth, the crunching intensifying.

"Well, because I lost, he asked me to tell you something. He said someone named Loco is back." Reo finally said, watching as Rylai froze mid-chew, his eyes widening in shock.

"Did you say L-loco?" Rylai stuttered, his usual composure crumbling as sweat began to bead on his forehead.

"Yeah? What's the big deal? Is he an old friend or something?" Reo asked, curiosity piqued.

"Far from a friend, that vile rat," Rylai growled, anger and fear mingling in his tone.

"Calm down now," Lexz intervened, sensing the tension. "Who is this Loco person?"

Rylai took a deep breath, his gaze distant as he delved into his memories. "Back when Jordo and I grew up playing in the streets, it was just us and basketball, not a care in the world. We got better each day, honing our skills…"

"Okay, but what happened after that? You still haven't told us who Loco is," Lexz interrupted, his impatience showing.

"Well, if you'd just shut up and let me finish, maybe you'd find out," Rylai snapped, his frustration palpable. "You see, Jordo and I competed in many local street leagues but always fell short. Winning or losing didn't matter to me as long as we had fun, but Jordo was different. He was always competitive, couldn't handle the thought that maybe we weren't good enough. That's when Loco arrived in town."

Rylai's voice took on a darker tone as he continued, "Loco was from Juno, the home planet of Dark Elves. He was slick, mesmerizing, a person who could easily influence anyone he spoke to. All those traits translated onto the basketball court as well. His skills were unrivaled. He saw talent in me and Jordo and took us under his wing. We started winning—a lot. The three of us were unstoppable. But things began to change."

Rylai's eyes grew distant, the pain of the past evident in his expression. "My skills didn't grow as fast as theirs. Eventually, Loco cut me from the team. He took away my best friend in the process. I was left behind, no contact from Jordo or Loco. Last I heard, Loco was badly injured in a match and disappeared for a few years…"

Rylai stood by the window, gazing at the night sky above, the stars twinkling like distant memories. "Now he's back. I don't know what he wants, but it can't be good."

Lexz and Reo exchanged worried glances. The air in the room was thick with tension, the weight of Rylai's story hanging over them like a storm cloud.

"We need to be careful," Lexz said, breaking the silence. "If Loco is back, it means trouble. We can't let him disrupt our team."

Reo nodded, determination hardening his features. "We'll stick together, no matter what. We've come too far to let someone like Loco tear us apart."

Rylai turned from the window, his eyes fierce with resolve. "You're right. We face him together, as a team. No one gets left behind this time."

"You sound so cheesy, no one gets left behind…" Lexz burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. "What is this, a bad action movie?"

"Oh, shut it!" Rylai retorted, shoving more snacks into his mouth. The sound of crunching echoed through the room, but it was drowned out by Lexz's continued cackling.

"Don't worry, Rylai, I got your back!" Reo chimed in, trying to strike a heroic pose, which only made Lexz laugh harder.

Rylai rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress a chuckle. "By the way, you guys wanna come with me to Lira's game?" Reo asked, hoping for some company to avoid looking like a weirdo going alone.

"Nah, I'm good," Lexz said, waving a dismissive hand.

"Same here, I'm busy," Rylai added, barely looking up from his snacks.

"Really? Busy doing what?" Reo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Busy doing nothing," Rylai chuckled, stuffing another handful of snacks into his mouth. "You're a big boy, Reo. You can go on your own," he said with a smirk.

"You guys are no fun," Reo pouted, crossing his arms and giving them his best sad puppy eyes.

"Aw, look at him, Lexz," Rylai said, nudging his friend. "Poor little Reo, all alone in the big, scary world."

Lexz pretended to wipe a tear from his eye. "Stay strong, little buddy. You'll make it out there."

Reo rolled his eyes, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Fine, I'll go by myself. But don't expect me to bring back any snacks for you guys!"

"Deal," Rylai said, grinning. "We've got plenty right here." He held up his nearly empty bag of stone-like snacks as if it were a treasure.

Lexz nodded in agreement. "And besides, you're gonna need all the energy you can get if you plan on impressing Lira."

Reo shook his head, laughing. "You two are impossible. But thanks, I guess."

"Anytime, kid," Lexz said, finally calming down. "Now go on, go charm the Martian girl with your Earth boy charms."