Chapter 30: On Sight!
Page 1
Setting: Abandoned neighborhood. Devlon and Elliot walk down the street together. Devlon looks down as they walk.
Devlon: "Hm…I just noticed the potholes are fixed."
Elliot: "Potholes?"
Devlon: "Yeah. When Jasmine and I were here last time, the entire road was full of holes."
Still walking, Elliot looks over to Devlon.
Elliot: "Probably was a low income area before the residents just up and left."
Devlon: "Just left?"
Elliot: "Yeah. Living conditions aren't so great in low income areas. They probably had enough and went elsewhere."
Devlon: "I see. But wait, if lower income families couldn't afford anything better than these conditions, how would they be able to just up and leave? Where'd they all go?"
Elliot freezes for a moment, drawing a finger up to his chin.
Elliot: "Oh…you got me, there."
Suddenly, something catches Devlon's attention as his eyes shift to the corner.
Devlon pushes Elliot to the right, then dashes to the left.
Devlon: "Watch out!"
Page 2
Devlon dodged (and pushed Elliot) just in time as Caleb barely missed a downward swing with his sheathed sword. Now the three of them stand in the middle of the street. Devlon and Caleb face each other while Elliot stands behind Caleb. Caleb stands in the middle of the two.
Caleb (facing Devlon): "Nice dodge. I'd expect nothing less from you. Now that I've finally found you, let's get it crackin'."
Elliot (Behind Caleb): "Who the eff is this dude? If you wanna get it crackin', let's go!"
Without taking his eyes off of Devlon, Caleb kicks behind himself, kicking Elliot away from them. Elliot is sent flying.
Elliot was kicked from the middle of the street to an abandoned house. He lands on the outdoor porch.
Elliot (clearly in pain): "Ngh…"
Devlon stares Caleb down with a serious, intense look. Caleb stares back with a confident smirk.
Both dash forward toward each other. Devlon jumps and grabs his sword handle behind his shoulder, preparing to slash downward as he looks down to Caleb. Caleb dashes forward at Devlon, gripping the sheathed sword at his waist.
Page 3
Devlon pulls out his light green energy blade and comes out with a downward slash. Caleb counters with an upward slash, unsheathing his shiny steel against Devlon's energy blade.
Close up on Devlon's face. He grunts as if the clash is difficult for him.
Caleb's upward slash appears to be stronger as he continues his upward slash. Though their blades meet, Caleb's stronger slash causes Devlon to spin. Caleb follows the flow of his slash, allowing himself to spin 180 degrees.
Devlon gains control of his spin to come around for another slash. Caleb, who made a 180, now has his back facing Devlon and sheathes his blade again..
Page 4
Caleb blocks Devlon's second slash with the butt tip of his sheathed blade, his back still turned to Devlon.
Devlon jumps back, while Caleb turns around to face him.
Caleb: "Don't stop now. Keep that momentum!"
Caleb dashes in.
He lunges the sheathed sword at Devlon's face.
Devlon catches and grips the sheathed blade with his left hand.
Page 5
While Devlon grips the sheathed blade with his left hand, Caleb uses that as an opportunity. While Devlon is holding the end of Caleb's sheath, Caleb pulls back to unsheathe his sword.
He spins around Devlon like a basketball move, his blade spinning around as well.
Caleb spins around to slash Devlon's back. Devlon, who's still holding Caleb's sheathe with his left hand, uses his right hand to lay his energy blade across his own back. He successfully blocks the slash that Caleb swung at his back. Though successful, the power of Caleb's slash pushes Devlon forward just slightly.
Page ends with a split panel, each panel slice showing only their eyes.
Page 6
Shift to Elliot's perspective, he's trying to get up. One eye is shut as he winces in pain a bit.
Elliot: "Ack! Dude knocked the wind outta me! Lemme catch my breath and help Devlon."
Elliot looks in awe at what he sees.
Elliot: "Oh…snap."
Elliot watches on as Devlon performs a back bend in order to evade an incoming backslash from Caleb.
Devlon, still back bent, slaps Caleb's blade out of the way with the sheath that he's still holding.
Devlon uses his other hand (the hand with his own sword) to swing at Caleb. Caleb moves back in order to dodge.
Page 7
Caleb and Devlon meet with a clash once again, Devlon pushing with both his own blade and the sheath.
Elliot (off screen): "Aw, naw. This is…"
Devlon raises his leg for a roundhouse kick, which Caleb ducks.
Devlon turns around with a spinning slash. Caleb evades to the side, swinging his blade at Devlon's side.
Devlon backflips in the air to dodge, throwing the sheathe at Caleb as he flips.
Still grounded, Caleb holds his own sword out in front of himself. The sheath that Devlon threw at him cleanly and perfectly lands on Caleb's blade, sheathing it once again.
Caleb: "Thanks. I was just about to ask for that back."
Devlon lands and charges at Caleb.
Page 8
Devlon and Caleb perform a series of attacks, blocks, and dodges. Devlon appears more serious while Caleb remains calm.
Elliot (off screen): "Naw. This is next level!"
Close up on Devlon and Caleb's feet. Their footwork shows their legs crossing over one another, but not stumbling.
Wider shot of two spots. One spot shows Devlon missing a downward slash at Chris. The second spot shows lines of where they used to be just a second ag as they speed step to the next spot.
Elliot: "Yeah, I need backup to help him."
Elliot pulls out his phone.
Split panel between Elliot and Wendy.
Wendy: "Hello?"
Elliot: "Ay! Come quick. Devlon got into a scrap and we need backup!"
Wendy: "What?! Is it the faceless?"
Elliot: "Naw! It's some dude! They just met eyes and started bangin'!"
Page 9
Even though Wendy's on the other end of the phone call, Elliot elaborately uses his hands to get his point across.
Elliot: "Like, it was on SIGHT! Ain't grab no shoes or nothin', Jesus!"
Wendy: "Wait, slow down! Where are you?!"
Elliot: "I don't know. Devlon took me to some abandoned neighborhood."
Wendy: "WHAT?!"
Elliot: "He did say it's the same area where he fought a faceless alongside Jasmine."
Wendy: "Jasmine? She's here with me. I'll ask her and we'll be right there!"
Elliot: "Hold up!"
Wendy: "What is it?"
Elliot gives a flirtatious smile through the phone and raises an eyebrow.
Elliot: "Tell Jasmine I said hey."
Wendy: "BYE Elliot!"
Elliot: "Ay, try to hurry."
While Elliot continues his final message before hanging up, we shift back to Devlon, who continues to fight. While he's still in good shape, he's starting to break a sweat.
Elliot (off screen): "Devlon's losing momentum."
Page 10
Caleb and Devlon stare each other down.
Caleb: "Looks like you're running out of juice."
Devlon: "Nope."
Devlon's grup on his sword tightens.
His dark brown eyes now burn bright red.
His bright green blade now bursts into a fiery orange.
Devlon: "I'm just getting started!"
Caleb charges Devlon.
Devlon spins with his sword in hand, flames spiraling around him. Caleb cautiously stops before making contact.
Caleb: I definitely don't wanna get hit with that!
Devlon readies his flaming sword.
Devlon: "Let's end this!"
Page 11
After a moment of hesitation on both sides, they dash at each other one more time for the decisive blow.
Close up on Caleb's sword as he pushes it out of the sheat with the flick of his thumb.
Devlon's readying an attack at the same time, but is caught off guard as Caleb's sword is launched (handle first) right at him!
The end of the sword handle flung right into Devlon's throat. (ouch).
Devlon: "Guh!"
Caleb rushes in and shoves his sheath onto the sword, pushing it harder against Devlon's throat and resheathing his blade.
Page 12
Devlon tries to keep his composure, but can't help but grip his throat as he chokes.
Elliot (off screen): "Yo Dev, watch out!"
Devlon is unprepared as he looks down at Caleb, who's right in front of him, gripping his own sword, ready to undress it one last time for a final slash.
Caleb: "It's over!"
Caleb performs multiple shots of pulling out his sword, hitting Devlon in the abdomen with the butt of the sword handle, and resheathing his blade repeatedly. Devlon takes them all, spit exiting his mouth as he falls backwards onto the ground.
Caleb stands over Devlon, who's grunting in pain.
Caleb: "Welp, this is the end."
Elliot (off screen): "Nope! Not yet!"
Page 13
Elliot runs up, holding his hand and taking aim at Caleb, energy forming around his hand.
Caleb: "What? You're gonna shoot me? What if you hit him?"
Elliot: "And? I'm from the hood! I'll shoot you and him!" Please don't call my bluff.
Caleb: "I'm calling your bluff."
Elliot: Dang it!
Choosing to ignore Elliot, Caleb casually turns back over to Devlon, who's still lying on his back.
Caleb: "Welp, looks like I win again."
Caleb takes Devlon by the hand to help him up.
Devlon: "Yeah. But the throat? Really?"
Caleb: "My bad. Got a little carried away. You've improved a lot, though."
Confused, Elliot walks over.
Elliot: "Hold up. Y'all know each other?"
Wendy (off screen): "Hold it! Hands where I can see them!"
Page 14
Wendy and Jasmine arrive just in time at a distance. Wendy aims her gun while Jasmine leans on the open car door.
Wendy: "I said hands where I can see them!"
Jasmine: "Better do what she says, buddy."
Caleb turns his head to look at them. Since he was called out in the middle of helping Devlon up with one hand, he holds up his other hand with his sword.
Caleb: "Well, you already see what I'm doing with this hand. And this hand is up. So, you can already see them both, no?"
Caleb's comment annoys Wendy.
Wendy: "A wise guy, huh? Let him go and drop that weapon!"
Jasmine gets a better look at Caleb. Still looking at him, she waves at Wendy.
Jasmine: "Wait…Wendy, hold up. I know this guy!"
Wendy: "You do?"
Jasmine: "Yeah. He's…"
Caleb pops his neck as he walks over to them, Devlon following behind.
Caleb: "It's been a while, Jazz. I hope you've been keeping an eye on my lil bro."
Page 15
Wendy's shocked.
Wendy: "Wait, Devlon has a brother? Why didn't you tell me?"
Devlon: "It never really came up." Ow. Throat still hurts.
Caleb: "Well, we're sworn brothers, not really biological. May as well be, though."
As Caleb gets closer, he stares at Wendy, even dropping his sword. He looks shocked to see her.
Caleb: "Woah. It can't be."
He gets closer to Wendy. Wendy looks a little uncomfortable.
Chaleb: "Man. It's like looking at a ghost. Bro, she looks…"
Devlon: "Just like Karla, right?"
Wendy: "I'm sorry if my appearance shook you. My name is Wendy."
Page 16
Caleb looks a little more at ease.
Caleb: "Wendy. Nice to meet you. I'm Caleb."
Caleb notices Wendy's badge at her waist.
Caleb: "Hm? What's with the badge, Wendy?"
Wendy: "Huh? I usually don't wear it, but since I'm in town and escorting, it makes things easier."
Caleb: "But why are you wearing a police force badge? It looks different from the other badges."
Jasmine chimes in, poking Wendy's cheek as she makes her point.
Jasmine: "Still working on her Special Ops badge, so she uses her old one for now. This one is human."
Surprised and clearly upset, Caleb is taken aback.
Caleb: "Human? A human cop? And why is she on the force with you guys? I guess Franciscus really meant all inclusive, huh?"
From a distance, Terry exits the police car that Wendy and Jasmine came in.
Terry: "Nah man, she's cool."
Page 17
Caleb appears in front of Wendy with a speed too fast for Wendy to process, almost appearing as if he teleported. He grips the handle of his blade as if he's ready for a fight. Wendy raises her guard.
Caleb: "She'll be 'cool' until the moment her privilege is threatened."
Caleb glares at Wendy. She looks ready to throw down, but Devlon places a hand on Caleb's shoulder.
Devlon: "Hold on. There's a lot you don't know. Wendy isn't like that."
Caleb: "And you know that as an absolute fact? Can you prove that she'll be down with you in any given situation?"
Devlon: "I…"
Caleb: "Just as I expected. So lemme ask you this, lil bro."
Close up on Caleb, still staring Wendy down.
Caleb: "Do you trust her?"
Devlon: "What?"
Caleb: "Do you trust her?"
Wendy looks to Devlon. Devlon looks down, troubled by the question.
Page 18
*FLASHBACK*
Flashback of the time Wendy made the pinky promise with Iris back at the hospital (even though Devlon wasn't present).
Flashback to another memory of when Iris was hospitalized, when Jasmine places a hand on Wendy's shoulder. In this flashback, Jasmine tells Wendy to check in on Iris, even stating that Wendy is now "one of us."
Another flashback of the water gun fight they all had in the hotel. Everyone's having fun, though Devlon couldn't hit the left side of a barn with his water gun.
Last flashback displays Chase telling Devlon that Wendy has earned everybody's respect except Devlon's. This flashback took place a couple chapters ago when Terry knocked Wendy down and Devlon was worried she couldn't handle it.
*END OF FLASHBACK*
Back to the present, where Devlon looks from the ground up to Caleb with a serious look.
Devlon: "Yes. I do. I trust Wendy completely.."
Page 19
Caleb suspiciously looks at Devlon, then back to Wendy. He continues to glare at her.
Caleb: "Hmmm..."
Caleb closes his eyes, relaxing his hand, leaning it on his sword handle instead of gripping it.
Caleb: "Well, that's good enough for me."
Wendy: "THAT'S IT?!"
Caleb: "What? If my little brother says you're cool, you're cool. Wanna go for some drinks?"
Stressed out and confused by Caleb's sudden switch, Wendy can't help but question him.
Wendy: "Wait, what about you not trusting me?"
Caleb: "Nah, that was 10 seconds ago. Gotta learn to let the past go before it kills ya." Sheesh
Devlon winces in pain and holds his throat.
Devlon: *cough*
Caleb nudges Devlon, who's still hurting.
Caleb: "Bro, quit coughing. It's in the past, now."
Off screen voice: "I don't mean to interrupt…"
Walking towards everyone is Boss Dude, the mysterious man who seems to be in charge of Jade and Stone.
Boss Dude: "I was wondering if I could have a word with you."