Episode 4: New Direction
Episode 4: New Direction
New Characters:
Captain Hernandez - 2-Star Air Ranger | 35 years old
Summary:
December 6, 2024 | 11:45 PM | Taipei City to New York City
Kepler suggests the idea of flying to New York City alongside Ren. He thinks that since he can fly at hypersonic speeds and Ren can summon clouds that shroud them, they can travel to anywhere they want without anyone noticing.
"I like the sound of that but that doesn't sound legal to me," Ren reacts.
"Well, I invite you to my world," Kepler laughs.
"So, when do we leave?", Ren asks.
"Now," Kepler replies.
"I want to see the biggest city in the USA," Kepler adds.
"And you can meet your superheroes," Kepler looks at Ren.
"Okay, deal. It's Friday so I can sneak out," Ren excitedly says.
The two agree to leave at midnight. Kepler calculates that if they both leave at midnight they will arrive in the afternoon. In preparation for a quick travel to New York City, USA, the two eat cup noodles that they bought from the convenience store outside the building. Ren switches between different news outlets and checks the social media called Pecker for any mention of him but unfortunately, there's none. Kepler borrows his phone and flies outside the 25th floor to check for directions. The two finish their preparation and fly on the rooftop of the apartment building. Kepler carries Ren behind his back, Ren cloaks them, and Kepler uses a technique he calls "empathy" to share his aura with Ren so he won't suffer any damage from hypersonic travel.
Concept Introduction: Empathy | A technique that was taught to Kepler at a young age to safely travel with anyone or anything at hypersonic speeds.
"Are you sure this is going to work?", Ren asks.
"Empathy has never failed me before, don't worry," Kepler responds.
Kepler locates the right direction in the sky but is startled when he sees another eye on the clouds in his peripheral vision. He quickly shifts his eyes on it but it is gone again.
"Am I the only one seeing an eye on the clouds?", Kepler utters.
"An eye," Ren adjusts himself on Kepler's back.
"Nevermind," Kepler mutters.
Kepler ignores the eye on the clouds, runs out of the building, and takes off into the sky. Kepler observes the reaction of the people below and is glad that nobody seems to see them. The two rockets away from Taipei to New York City.
As the two spend the next hour in the air, they talk about stuff. Kepler explains that he doesn't know exactly how his powers work other than it is kind of like a jetplane and a meteor had a baby. He only knows that he can fly up to Mach 10 because somebody told him about it. He did not learn empathy but rather he was born with it.
"I swear I've been seeing eyes on the clouds, throughout our flight. Are you sure we are cloaked well?", Kepler worries.
"My cloak works for almost everyone," Ren proudly states.
"Almost?", Kepler worries again.
"Some techniques of the most advanced air rangers can see us but they're very very rare," Ren reassures him.
He tells Ren about the eyes on the clouds and how he thought it was someone who watches aerial threats from Taiwan but he has been seeing them multiple times throughout their flight. Ren tells him that he doesn't see any eyes to which Kepler responds by saying he has been looking at the view below the entire time.
Ren adores the view below and says he loves cities and wishes to travel more and visit different places around the world. He says that air rangers usually feel the most alive when they are in the sky. Kepler says that he feels the same and wonders if he is also an air ranger. As the two get closer to Rhode Island, they notice a fighter jet following something in the sky. As they proceed to their destination, the shape of the close-to-transparent aircraft turns out to be a flying saucer. The pilot of the fighter jet speeds up to Mach 3 but the target flies way faster and without any noise.
"Do you see what I'm seeing?", Kepler locks his sight to the flying saucer.
"This time, yes," Ren answered.
The flying saucer shoots a blue beam that directly hits the fighter jet. The fighter jet accelerates downwards but Kepler and Ren decide to save the pilot. Kepler flies backward and breaks the glass of the jet. Ren takes the pilot away from the crashing aircraft and carries him on his back. Kepler stares in the direction of which the mysterious transparent aircraft already disappeared. The pilot gets out of Ren's back and thanks both of them for help. The pilot unveils the Air Ranger emblem on his right arm and floats in front of Ren.
"Who are you?", the pilot groans.
"My name is Ren and his name is Kepler," Ren points at Kepler who is still scanning the area for the flying saucer.
"Thanks, you can call me Captain Hernandez," the pilot smiles.
Character Introduction: Captain Hernandez | 35 years old | 2-Star Air Ranger
Kepler sees an eye above Captain Hernandez, he looks at both of them and alerts them about it. Ren looks above and is bewildered when he realizes that Kepler has been telling the truth all this time. Captain Hernandez laughs at them and tells them that the eye is a friend.
"This eye has been helping us with our investigations with the UFOs," Captain Hernandez states.
"This eye is also stalking us," Kepler says.
"Oh, really? Hmmm, I think I know why," Captain Hernandez looks at the eye above him.
"Anyway, this is not the place to chit-chat. Let's go down to the Terrier Air Base," Captain Hernandez signals the two.
"Terrier like the dog?", Ren asks.
"Yes, it was named after a hero dog named Terry who was an American Pit Bull Terrier," Captain Hernandez responds.
The eye winks at them and the three flies down to the Terrier Air Base. As they go down to the air base, Captain Hernandez sneakily curses at the broken fighter jet.
"That damn UFO destroyed my fighter jet," Captain Hernandez mutters.