Chapter 43 - Sun Shorts Collection No. 8

SUN SHORT #1 - My Punishment

Hunter makes his way down the street as he reminisces on the events of today, and how in that park, everyone, even Marcus, had someone to talk to.

"Looks like you're back up on your two feet, aren't ya Buddy?" Hunter thinks out loud to himself as continues down the street as it starts to snow, "And yet, here I am all by myself."

 Hunter smiles to himself since he doesn't mind. This is just his punishment.

This is just karma.

SUN SHORT #2 - North V East

At The Dawnbreak Fitness & Health Center, Alex Smith, Christopher Wrinkle, & Ronnie Everst are entering the gym ready to work out.

"So you guys ready to work till we can't even flare our nostrils?!" Christopher shouts.

"That's an odd saying but sure!" Ronnie says.

"I'm gonna get on the treadmill for a bit," Alex says.

"Okay bro, we're gonna do some bench presses," Christopher responds.

Alex nods as he walks over to one of the treadmills and starts running on it. As he starts running, the treadmill next to him turns on as someone gets on it. Alex glances over to see that it's Blanko Deck.

"I didn't know you went to this gym," Alex says as he makes his treadmill faster than Blanko's.

"Same here, I guess that's just because I don't really pay attention to chumps like you," Blanko says as he makes his treadmill faster than Alex's.

"Y'know if we continued fighting I would have won," Alex says as he increases the speed on his treadmill.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Northern boy," Blanko says as he increases the speed on his treadmill.

"I didn't get all the hate for the East, but it kinda clicked when I met you ya' kickboxing creep," Alex says as he increases the speed on his treadmill.

"Kickboxing is so much better than boxing," Blanko says as he increases the speed on his treadmill.

As the two try to flex that they're faster than the other, they realize they may have made the treadmill go a bit too fast. However, both are too stubborn to decrease the speed and they both fall off the treadmill. The gym's owner, a buff short old man with a bald head and long beard named Garry Jackingson, walks over to the two and laughs.

"Back in my day, guys like you were easy pickin', and besides my disciple could take both of you on any day of the week," Garry says as he strokes his beard. 

"UH! SHUT UP OLD MAN! NOBODY CARES ABOUT YOUR DISCIPLE-" both Alex & Blanko yell out of frustration.

However, the two stop yelling and look at one another.

And just like that, a friendship blossomed.

SUN SHORT #3 - The Precious Item

At Burrito Bistro, Mesto-Presto enters with his black bag and he is greeted by his boss, Cedro Garcia.

"Hey Garcia, I'm back," Mesto tells him.

"Welcome back champ! Did you find the thing you lost?" Garcia asks him.

"Yeah I did," Mesto says as he opens his bag and takes out the two things in there. 

One of them is a stainless steel bottle, and the other is a photograph. As Mesto looks at the photograph he remembers when he was heading out of the East Side, while he was looking out of the car window, he saw someone. Someone important to him. And someone who was in that very same photograph he has.

In his hands is a photograph taken two years ago, back when Mesto was still in school, back when he didn't have dyed hair, and back when he lived in the East Side. Next to him is a fellow classmate by the name of Ivory Dutchingson.

"She seemed happy," Mesto says as he puts the picture away.

As he then grabs the stainless steel bottle, he notices that it is much lighter than it should be. He opens up the bottle to see that the contents are empty, furthermore when he turns the bottle around he sees a sticky note that reads 'The milk in here tasted weird but was still good ~ Blanko'. Mesto stands there dumbfounded.

"Don't worry, I got some more from the store, so you don't have to worry about them," Garcia says.

"Thank you El Senor but…is that bad for adults too?" Mesto asks concerned.

Cedro 'El Senor' Garcia thinks about it and shrugs.

SUN SHORT #4 - What Was Kept Buried

At The Starlight City Correction Center, Gabriel Griffon is sitting on the other end of a glass wall in a visiting room. He's in an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs as someone else has come to visit him. That person is none other than the second-in-command of the gang Dirty Fang, Andy Nibble.

"So, what's the special occasion?" Gabriel asks Andy.

"Oh nothing much, just that we finally got it," Andy says nonchalantly.

Gabriel's eyes light up as he asks, "You did?! WHAT DID YOU FIND?!"

Andy Nibble sighs and says, "You aren't gonna like it."

"I don't care! Just show it to me!"

"Very well," Andy says as he places his hand on the glass wall.

Gabriel looks at it and his face contorts into one of pure rage.

On Andy's palm is a piece of paper, one that was found inside the wooden box. And on the piece of paper is a message.

A message that reads 'You actually thought I kept it there?'

SUN SHORT #5 - X Is Upset

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwnnnnn!~

Having just let out the biggest yawn in the history of humankind, X Locke stands in the Starlight City Bookstore chatting with both Selina Gulvonac & Ivan Turnip.

"Y'know what I don't get," X says.

"What?" Ivan asks while Selina just scrolls through her phone.

"The Miracle Clinic club is getting so much praise recently, and yet I don't! I've been here since what? Chapter 1 and yet I didn't get invited to their little get-together in the park!" X says, "Isn't that unfair!"

"I'm lost," Ivan says.

"Maybe I should make a bigger splash in the next storyline once the series comes back," X says, "But that also feels like too much work right now."

"Don't listen to the guy, I think he's on something," Selina says.

"No, I'm not!" X says.

"Sure buddy," Selina says as she continues to scroll through her phone, completely unphased.

As X stands there, Ivan sighs as he sees the long line of people wanting to check out books behind X.

SUN SHORT #6 - Working Over The Holidays

In the elevator at the Moon Shadow Affiliate's corporate building, Ronald Sampson is standing next to a very tall and muscular man in a biker helmet. The man has no skin visible as he also is wearing leather gloves, a red scarf, and a black leather jacket. On the man's finger is a silver ring with the letters 'MSA' engraved onto it.

"Y'know Terry, it's complete bullshit how we are the ones having to host this meeting," Ronald says.

"What do you mean Ronald?" Terry Boats, the bulky man asks.

"Well first off it's New Year's Eve, second the president is busy spending time with his family over the holidays, and third I JUST GOT PUNCHED IN THE FACE!"

"Didn't that happen a few weeks ago?" Terry questions as the doors to the elevator open.

"I need any excuse I can get to not attend this meeting," Ronald tells Terry.

As Terry & Ronald step out of the elevator and into a hallway, they see none other than a fellow MSA member, Santiago Hernandez, waiting for them by the entrance to the conference room.

"Oh Santiago thank god you're here, can you cover for me-" Ronald begins to say but Santiago stops him by lifting his hand.

"I brought some Chinese takeout for everyone," Santiago says.

"I see, well in that case I'll make sure to lead this meeting till the very end," Ronald says as he opens the doors to the conference hall.

The conference hall is covered in mostly darkness as six figures hidden in the shadows sit in the conference room.

"Sorry I'm a bit late," Ronald begins to say as he clears his throat, "We have a lot to discuss so I'll skip the introductions and just jump right into our end of year 'Meeting Between The Heads'. That good with everyone?"

The doors to the conference hall begin to close as the meeting starts.

SUN SHORT #7 - New Years At The Everst Family Household

At The Everst Family Household, Ronnie and his mom, Sally Everst, are cleaning up the house when the doorbell rings.

"I got it!" Ronnie says as he walks over to the door.

Ronnie opens the door to see that standing there is none other than his fellow clubmates; Elizabeth Moore, Alex Smith, Marcus Veridan, & Cameron Dots.

"Hey, mind letting us in?" Alex asks.

"Please it's really cold out here," Cameron says.

"Yeah sure, I'm glad you guys could all make it here," Ronnie says as his friends enter his house.

As everyone enters, Marcus immediately goes to help Sally clean up while Elizabeth, Alex, & Cameron look around the place.

"It's pretty cozy in here, I like it," Cameron says.

"Thanks," Ronnie says.

"Sup Sally," Alex says to Ronnie's mom as he goes to sit on the couch.

"Good evening Sally," Elizabeth says as she also goes to sit in the living room. 

"Hey there, hope you guys are excited for the new year!" Sally says before she walks over to Ronnie and asks, "So I'm just 'Sally' to your friends?"

"Sorry Mom," Ronnie sheepishly says.

As everyone starts to settle down, the group starts to hear the door to the guest room open as a man starts to walk out.

"Ah I'm sorry for not greeting you guys earlier, I was in the shower," the man says.

"Who's this?" Alex asks.

"Oh right, I totally forgot to tell you guys!" Ronnie explains as he stands up, "This is my uncle and he's staying here for the holidays."

Ronnie's uncle is a tall man with dark black skin, a bald head, a short black beard, and a chiseled jawline. The man is wearing a gold chain necklace on his neck, a gray t-shirt, blue jeans, and expensive-looking socks. The man also has a gold ring on his hand.

"My name's Ryan Everst, but you can just call me Uncle Ryan," Uncle Ryan tells the kids.

"Wait, you look familiar," Cameron says as he scratches his chin.

"Is that so? Maybe you've heard of my company," Uncle Ryan says.

"What company?" Cameron asks.

Uncle Ryan takes off the gold ring on his hand and shows it to the group of kids, the gold ring has the letters 'MSA' engraved onto it.

Uncle Ryan tells the kids, "I'm Ryan Everst, president of the Moon Shadow Affiliate. But still just call me Uncle Ryan."

See You Next Chapter!~