

The Orb Chronicles:

The Winds of Change

By Alex Robins
Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1: A Sinking World

Chapter 2: Treading Water

Chapter 3: Destiny Arrives

Chapter 4: Death Lightning

Chapter 5: Hope Reinvigorated

Chapter 6: The Bottomless Magician

Chapter 7: The Man That Has Everything

Chapter 8: Innocent Discovery

Chapter 9: Reality Descends Into Darkness

Chapter 10: Complacency

Chapter 11: The Underground Tram

Chapter 12: An Inflated Ego

Chapter 13: Rain, Rust, and Rescue

Chapter 14: The Hunter, and The Hunted

Chapter 15: Calloused Strategy

Chapter 16: Taken

Chapter 17: One Door Closes, Another Opens

Chapter 18: Overthinking Friendship

Chapter 19: A Slippery Fellow

Chapter 20: Fire, Wind, and...Ice?

Chapter 21: The Natural Dunk

Chapter 22: Hidden Skills

Chapter 23: Pirates of the Pacific

Chapter 24: A Loyal Crew

Chapter 25: The Twins Defect

Chapter 26: Training Physically and Emotionally

Chapter 27: The Clumsy Scout

Chapter 28: An Opportunity for Change

Chapter 29: Journey to the Bottom of the World

Chapter 30: The Multi-Talented Mercenary

Chapter 31: Isolated

Chapter 32: Facing the Leader of the World

Chapter 33: A Sheep in Wolf's Cothing

Chapter 34: Mr. Cox's Final Effort

Chapter 35: A Changing Landscape

Orb Glossary
Prologue

It is the year 2033. For ten years, a small, randomly-dispersed number of people have had access to mystical powers, granted to them by mysterious objects known as "Orbs". It is unknown how they came to be, but their existence led to a conflict of beliefs, which in turn led to a world war. This ravaged the globe for two years, leaving millions dead, until an American man by the name of Charles Upton swiftly took control of the world through unknown means.

Although the world is now at peace, conditions are hardly better. Upton has ended the majority of government programs and projects in the civilized world. He has allowed for corruption, pollution, and crime to go more unchecked than ever before. And yet, despite his negligence, he has remained in power, much to the confusion of the vast majority of people.

Rebel organizations have sprouted up in copious numbers, fighting to restore the normalcy they once held dear. However, even though some have achieved minor victories in forcing out certain officials, Upton's hold seems as stable as ever. When push comes to shove, Upton has stronger weapons, and numerous powerful Orb users at his disposal.

In Phoenix, Arizona, a young man by the name of Derek Mathew lives with his two best friends, Zach Mathias and Bridget Gates, in a small apartment. Unbeknowst to them, they will soon become the catalysts that set events into motion. Events that will alter the course of human history. As for where that path will take humanity...only time will tell...
Chapter 1

A Sinking World

August 14, 2033

Phoenix, Arizona

"... _And that concludes the Morning Report. Today's forecast is the following: Smog-filled skies all day; High of 108; Low of 88; it's 8:10 A.M. local time; good luck out there_."

The TV then returned to its normal programming, per usual. Derek, who was lying on the nearby couch, yawned, turned off the TV, closed his eyes, and attempted to nod off back to sleep.

"Don't you have work in 30 minutes? You gotta get up." Derek reopened his eyes to the tall man with dark brown hair standing before him.

"Ugh...why you gotta ruin my sleep, Zach?" Derek asked, slowly sitting up and scratching himself.

"Because we need to ALL be working to pay the bills, buddy," Zach replied.

After a few seconds, Derek sighed and said, "Ugh...fine..." and stood up.

"And please...try to keep your job..." Zach said, somewhat exasperated.

"When have I not?" Derek asked casually.

"Oh, I don't know...maybe the other five jobs you've had this year?! And you still owe Bridget and I money." Zach said, annoyed.

"Don't worry, bro. I'll get around to it," Derek replied.

As Zach groaned, a hazel-eyed brunette walked into the room. "Is everything alright, guys?" Bridget asked in her usual, soft tone.

"Yep, everything's a-ok," Derek said.

"Just dandy..." Zach said sarcastically, "Bridget, don't you care about him owing us money?"

"Umm...I'm sure he'll get around to it eventually..." she replied hesistantly.

"Do you really believe that?' Zach asked.

"Well...uh...look at the time! I gotta get to work, no time to talk!" Bridget replied quickly, and made her way to the door.

"See ya later, Bridget. I may stop by your work on my break," Derek said, which caused Bridget to groan uncomfortably.

"Please don't..." she said.

"Why not though?" Derek asked.

She narrowed her eyes and said, "You...you know why." Derek returned a confused look, and after a pause, Zach moved things along.

"Ok, have a good day," he said.

"You guys as well," Bridget said, waving and walking out the door.

"I don't understand the problem. If hundreds of strangers pass by her each day, I don't see why her childhood friend can't," Derek said.

"You know she doesn't particularly enjoy her job, so why would she want either of us to see her at it?" Zach replied.

"Well..." Derek started, but had no good counterpoint.

"She really is too lenient with you, Derek," Zach said.

"What is she, my mom?" Derek asked.

"She's not far off at this point..." Zach said half-seriously.

After some grumbling, Derek said, "Alright, whatever, I won't go...I'm gonna take a shower. See you later, man."

"Later," Zach said, and he also went out the door.

Derek stripped off his clothes and stepped into the shower. As he tried to to shampoo his hair, he noticed it was a little thick. " _Goddamn expired shampoo_ ," he thought, " _Can't the local store put out some newer product?"_ He already knew why they couldn't, though. Quality products, in the vast majority of fields, were of scarce supply. Thanks to Upton, business regulations, limitations, and in many ways, competition, had ceased to exist.

Derek shrugged and used the shampoo anyways, rubbing it into his short, dirty blonde hair. After washing his body down with soap, he got out, got dressed, ate some bananas for breakfast, brushed his teeth, and headed out the door.

After a few steps, he looked to the sky, observing the smog above and around him. " _It's certainly worse than when I was younger_ ," he thought, shaking his head. " _Goddamn Upton letting this happen. What's the point of ruling the world if he's just going to let it die like this?"_ As was often the case, Upton's motives seemed unclear, or at least shallow.

"Derek! Hold up!" a deep voice shouted. Derek glanced over to see a bald, early-40's African-American man. He made his way over, and then Derek said hesistantly, "Good morning, Mr. Cox...what can I do for you?"

"Where's the rent?" Cox replied sternly.

" _He's not beating around the bush today, is he?"_ Derek thought, sweating a little. Cox was well-built, and had over half a foot on Derek.

"Well...could you give us a couple more days? It's tough out here, you know?" Derek said.

"You kids are late every month," Cox said. He waited a few seconds, then sighed and said, "Ok, you have a couple days."

Derek perked up and said, "Thanks a bunch, Mr. Cox. It'll be ready by then!" and then started walking away quickly.

"Yea, it better be!" Cox shouted back. " _He still kind of scares me, but he doesn't seem like a bad guy overall,_ " Derek thought.

He eventually slowed down his walk and wiped the sweat away. " _Couldn't Upton have found a solution to this climate, instead?"_ Derek took his time, eventually arriving at his job: trash collection. With global awareness at an all-time low, littering and negligence were at an all-time high.

"Hey, Mathew! You're late!" his grizzly supervisor barked.

"Oh, sorry," Derek replied half-heartedly.

"For that, you're on sewer duty," the supervisor said. Derek groaned upon hearing this. " _He always finds an excuse to put me on sewer duty..."_ he thought. After putting on a noseplug, Derek made his way down the ladder, into the untamed, uncomfortably hot sewers. He began picking trash out of the sewage and putting it into a waste bag. The rancid smell crept into his nostrils every few minutes, and after three hours with little surface time, it became overwhelming.

He weezily made his way up the ladder and back to the main area, where his supervisor was eating with some co-workers. "Hey! Don't bring the smell over here while we're eating!" one of the co-workers said, as the other ones coughed or tried to dismiss the smell.

"Derek, you haven't earned your break yet, why are you over here?" the supervisor asked.

"I feel...terrible..." Derek replied.

"Don't give me that crap; you're young. Stop being lazy," the supervisor said. Derek coughed, shook his head, and walked away, saying, "Screw this..I'm done."

His supervisor quickly stood up and went over to him, saying, "What do you mean, you're 'done'? Those sewers need cleaning!"

"Nope, I quit. Goodbye."

"Wait! If this is about the break, you can have one! I'm sorry!" but Derek kept walking. "

Come on...nobody else is willing to clean that shit!" the supervisor yelled desparately to Derek, but he was already gone; both mentally and literally.

_"Fuck that guy; he always took advantage of me..._ " Derek thought. After a few minutes though, it dawned on him. " _How am I gonna explain this to Zach...and I really don't feel like job-hunting again...ugh_." Derek glanced at the numerous hobos on the sidewalk; most were dirty, and some were mumbling incoherently.

" _There's always been homeless people, but I don't_ _remember this many when I was younger,"_ he thought. He sighed again, reminiscing over happier days, when he, Zach, and Bridget lived carefree lives. " _I know we were kids back then, but still...this kind of life went too far the other way..."_

_"_ Hold up; give me your wallet!" Derek snapped back to reality and noticed a shoddy-looking man staring fiercly at him, while holding a rusty, wooden sword to his neck. "Umm...that's not a deadly weapon," Derek said matter-of-factly.

"No shit; the government destroyed all the good stuff. But I've put some other scrubs in a world of hurt with this, and you'll be next, unless you hand it over!"

Derek chuckled at this, to the mugger's surprise, and then he said, "Normally, I'd just avoid a meaningless fight, but today's been pretty crappy...so bring it on." The mugger attempted to cut Derek's neck, but he slid under the blow and a short distance away, as if he was ice-skating.

"Oh, so you're an Orb user, huh?" the mugger said, "You can...slide on solid ground?" "

Yea, pretty much," Derek replied. The mugger grinned and said, "That won't save you, though. See, I also have an Orb. As long as I'm holding a sword, I can move fast as hell, like this!" He then swiftly ran in front of Derek and took a swing, who couldn't dodge in time and took a heavy blow to the face, falling on his back. "Heh, you should have just given me your wallet, kid," the mugger said smugly, but his face turned to shock when he noticed "Derek" dissolving. While dumbfounded, the real Derek appeared behind him and shot a green beam at his back, stunning the mugger briefly.

"I"ll take that," Derek said, snatching the sword away, and then swiftly slamming it into the mugger's shins. The confused man cried out in pain and fell to the ground as Derek slid back a few feet.

While clutching at his heavily bruised shins, he said, "How...how is that possible? You used four different powers...including mine! Your speed went up when you stole my weapon."

Derek grinned and said, "My Orb is more flexible than you assumed, huh? Either way, I feel better. Take this, and don't bother me again," and he dropped the sword on the ground, walking home. " _I guess things aren't all bad; I got these sweet powers,"_ Derek thought, in higher spirits due to his victory, " _I'm sure Zach will be understanding about me quitting."_ The mugger simply stared at him from the ground, dumbfounded at what had just occurred, until Derek was out of sight.
Chapter 2

Treading Water

Zach stepped out the door and cautiously walked out of the apartment complex. Once he was in the clear, he breathed a sigh of relief. " _I managed to avoid Mr. Cox...I'm getting my paycheck today so it should be fine if I see him later."_ He then went on his way into the city. Many of the stores were poorly-maintained. Others were just looted and abandoned all-together; broken windows and old signs were all that remained. The homeless could be seen in clusters, even moreso than outside the inner city. " _I feel for them, but I'm broke as a joke myself..."_ Zach thought, trying not to make eye contact. Minimum wage didn't leave much room for charity.

He then heard a loud thud and looked over to see a man and woman breathing heavily near a large refrigerator. "You really...couldn't get...a dolley?" the woman said between breaths.

"Yea, I should have... but how are we gonna get this thing into my truck bed?" the man replied. They both looked towards his truck and sighed.

Zach said, "Arms Master," to himself and then walked over to the couple. "Mind if I help?" he asked. "Sure, young man...just give us a minute or so..." the man said, but Zach simply lifted the refridgerator up by himself and put it into the truck bed with ease, much to the surprise of the couple.

"How...how did you do that?" the woman asked.

"What do you mean?" Zach asked.

"That thing is around 240 pounds...you look like you work out, but still..." the man replied.

"Oh, uhh...I don't know," Zach lied, "Anyways, I have to go to work," and he quickly walked away, while the woman said, "Thank you!" "Oops, I should have just lifted it with them," he thought, "I should be more careful about displaying my power." He wasn't some undercover superhero, but he was trying to avoid drawing unecessary attention to himself.

Zach eventually got to work. Eight uneventful hours later, he left the building with a sigh. "I once thought $30 an hour would be decent; I never thought inflation would get this ridiculous," he thought, feeling underpaid. As he went on his way home, he surveyed his shoddy surroundings again, and thought, "How did things end up like this? Everybody's struggling with money, the earth is being ruined, and worst of all, it feels like nothing will ever change."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Earlier that day

A sign at the front of the store read, "NO touching or obscene behavior towards the models." It was one of few things Bridget could find solace in at her job. She was wearing racy lingerie, while remaining frozen in a seductive pose, on a circular pedestal. A mid 20's man stared at her as he walked by, much to his girlfriend's ire. "Hopefully she isn't mad at me; I'm just doing my job," Bridget thought.

After enough time had passed, she switched to a different pose. "I still have to wonder if this is really more effective than mannequins modelling the merchandise," she thought, "I shouldn't bring it up though; I wouldn't want to ruin a good paycheck...speaking of cash, why does Zach insist on covering so much of our bills? I make way more money; I should be covering most of it. He's too prideful...then again, at least he's consistently paying for stuff. Derek, on the other hand..." and she sighed. "He should be contributing more, but at the same time, I don't really mind paying off his share. I'm just happy we're all living together."

She imagined Derek in front of her , which caused her to blush and fidget a bit. "Why is it only embarassing when HE's looking at me..." she thought.

A short moment went by. "What is that guy doing?" she thought, noticing, out of the corner of her eye, a lone, older man staring at her for an extended period. Eventually, he moved towards Bridget, anxiously glancing around in doing so, until he was within touching distance.

"Hey, how much for a couple hours with me?" he asked quietly.

"Huh?" Bridget thought, sticking to her pose.

"You get what I'm saying, baby?" he continued.

"Does he...think I'm a prostitute?" Bridget thought, and then internally sighed and continuted to ignore him. The man smirked and said, "Oh, so you can't reply? You're not a person, but a mannequin, then." He started touching Bridget's arms and legs.

"This guy...isn't anyone watching this? I'm not supposed to move!" she thought, discomforted. "Quite a realistic mannequin..." the man said, leering her whole body, but Bridget continued to stand still. "Still not going to acknowledge me, hmm?" he said, and then moved his hands up to her stomach. "You know...you remind me of my ex. Smooth skin, cute face, nice body...she didn't have a toned stomach like you, but hey, you also work here." He slowly moved his hands upwards, towards her breasts. "Anyone!?" Bridget thought, as the man let out a creepy laugh.

"...Alright, then," she then extended her arms forwards and faced her palms towards the man, saying, "Knockback Force!" A strong gust shot out, sending the man flying back and onto his butt, much to the surprise of customers in that area.

After a few seconds, the man sat up, flustered, and pointed at Bridget. "I-is this how you treat a customer?!" he exclaimed.

"On the contrary; you're the one mistreating employees," a mid 40's woman said sternly, walking towards the man.

"What?" the man said.

"We have cameras, you know. I've seen you quite a few times, but you never buy anything," the woman replied, "I would have let it slide, but at this point, you've broken store policy. I have to ask you to leave and never return." Upon receiving judging looks from nearby customers, the man grumbled and quickly left the store.

Bridget sighed with relief and said, "Thank you, manager."

"Of course! Anything for my models," the manager said, with a smile, "If you need to take a short break after that, feel free." Bridget nodded and went into the break room.

A few minutes later, the manager entered and sat down next to Bridget. "How are you doing?" she asked.

"Um, I'll be ok," Bridget replied, still a bit weirded out.

"That's good...I'm not trying to blame you for that asshole's behavior, but you need to be firm with those kinds of people," the manager said.

"But...we're not supposed to move, and I don't want to displease our customers. I'm not good with verbal confrontation either..." Bridget replied sheepishly.

The manager sighed and said, "I appreciate your earnesty, Bridget. However, you ended up making a scene in the store. That hurts the store's image more than telling a misbehaving customer to back off. Next time, promise me you'll move or speak up. He was breaking the rules, after all. I value you much more than any one customer." Bridget paused, and then said, "Will do."

The manager smiled and said, "I'm grateful for the dedication you and the other models have shown since I started this gimmick. Keep up the good work." Bridget nodded, and then the manager left the room. Bridget sighed and glanced at a nearby clock for the time. "At least she's nice, but this line of work...ugh."
Chapter 3

Destiny Arrives

Zach let out a fatigued sigh as he walked in the door.

"Welcome back," Derek said, keeping his eyes on the TV.

"How was work?" Zach asked, which caused Derek to seize up a little, while Bridget peeked into the room from the kitchen.

"Uh...it was interesting," he replied. Zach raised an eyebrow.

"Did something happen?"

"Yea...I may have...relieved myself of my duties."

"You...did what?"

"Things became unbearable...so I left."

"So, you quit?"

"Well...yea."

The three remained still for a few seconds, and then Zach said, "Dude...we're supposed to be supporting each other here. And yet you can't keep a job for even half a year."

Derek stood up, replying, "It can't be helped...you don't understand how bad they are."

"What the hell are you talking about? We both work minimum wage jobs!" Zach said, becoming annoyed, "Even if the work sucks, you need to stick to it, for the money. You can't just live off Bridget and I."

Derek turned away, towards Bridget, and then Zach did too and said, "Tell him, Bridget. Back me up here."

Bridget appeared uncomfortable and said, "I think...we've all had a long day. You two should relax while I make dinner."

"Don't avoid the topic!" Zach exclaimed, "How can you just accept Derek not contributing?" Bridget had no response. "You should be more upset than I am. You make most of our food, do our laundry, and cover most of Derek's share of the bills. We should be paying more than you do, and yet..." Zach let out another deep sigh and shook his head. "Forget it, I'm sorry. Things have just been getting to me lately. I'm gonna chill in my room for a while."

"I'll let you know when dinner's ready, if you want it," Bridget said. Zach nodded as he went into his room and closed the door.

Derek appeared remorseful, and Bridget stared at him for a few seconds before returning to her cooking. " _I know I should be contributing more,"_ Derek thought, _"I know that, but...these jobs are terrible...this life...sucks. What's even the point of trying? Where's the light at the end of the tunnel...what would that light even be? I just...don't know..."_

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it!" Bridget said, and she took off her cooking gloves and opened the door. However, she became nervous upon seeing the one who knocked. He was an average height, middle-aged man with buzzed hair and had on a green, army general uniform. " _He works for Upton...this can't be good,"_ she thought. "Hello, sir. What can I do for you?" she said.

"Good evening, Ms. Gates. Allow me to introduce myself: I am the Southwest Section Commander, Saguaro," and he shook her hand.

" _The Section Commander? Oh god..."_ she thought anxiously. "Pleased to meet you, Commander," she replied politely.

"Can I sit down inside?" he asked.

"Oh, by all means, yes!" she said, motioning for him to sit down on a chair near the couch Derek was sitting on.

Once he sat down, he said, "I see Mr. Mathew is also here...where is Mr. Mathias?"

"Oh, silly me! Let me get him for you," Bridget said in an uncharacteristically enthuiastic manner. " _Bridget's acting weird...and how does this guy know me?"_ Derek thought, looking at her and then back at him. "I am Section Commander Saguaro. It's good to meet you," the man said, also shaking Derek's hand. " _This bastard...he's with Upton..._ " Derek thought, his face naturally soured.

Zach quickly exited his room upon hearing of Saguaro's appearance, and went up and shook his hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Section Commander," he said in an overly-nice manner.

"Same to you, Mr. Mathias. Now, if you would all sit down, I'd like to discuss something," Saguaro said, and the other two complied and sat on the couch next to Derek. "You're probably wondering why I'm here. The reason is this: We have reviewed video evidence and pedestrian testimony over recent years and concluded that not just one, but all three of you, possess Orbs." The three did not reply. "To put it bluntly, we have 0 doubt that this is the case. Mr. Mathias has strength-enhancing powers, Ms. Gates has wind-related powers, and Mr. Mathew, well...we don't know exactly what his Orb is, but we know he has a grab bag of random abilities."

" _Way to make it sound lame..._ " Derek thought.

"It seems suspicious that the three of you started living together after you graduated. Perhaps you're planning rebellion activities?" Saguaro asked.

"Oh, god no, Commander," Zach said, "We wouldn't dream of disrupting your operations. Derek groaned a little upon hearing Zach say this, to which Zach gave him an annoyed look. "I"ll believe that after a house search," Saguaro said.

"By all means, go ahead," Zach replied.

As Saguaro inspected each room of the apartment, Derek said quietly to Zach, "Doesn't he need, like, a warrant or something?"

"Well, that is how it used to be...not anymore," Zach replied. After ten minutes or so, Saguaro returned to the chair. "You three are clean...still, perhaps you feel inclined to join a rebel group," he said.

"But, there aren't any rebel groups in the state, right?" Bridget asked, to which Saguaro clearly tensed up a bit. "That's...that's true, yes," he said unconvincingly, which caused the three of them to raise an eyebrow. "Look, it doesn't matter!" he continued, "The main reason I came here was not to discuss rebels. I ask that the three of you join my militia."

The three looked at each other, and then Zach said, "No, you don't really want us...we're just lazy kids. We aren't a good fit for the military."

"I don't think I'd make a good soldier," Bridget said, trying to sound vulnerable. Derek remained silent.

Saguaro sighed and said more sternly, "When I say ask, I mean conscript. With such powers, you are required to help Upton. We can't risk having you three running around not under our wing." This put the trio on high alert. "I'm giving you the choice: Work under myself and Mr. Upton, or remain under our supervision...in prison."

Derek became furious, and said, "That's insane! What kind of choice is that?"

"Hey, you're lucky we're not arresting you three right now, for concealing your powers from the government!" Saguaro replied, "We're giving you a chance to redeem yourselves." Derek shook his head in disbelief, and then looked at his good friends, who felt the same. "So...what'll it be?" Saguaro asked in a smug manner.

Zach took a deep breath, and then spoke. "I'm sorry, sir...but I can't work for Upton. I made a promise to someone, and I intend to keep it." Saguaro narrowed his eyes, and then looked at Derek. "I made the same promise...I refuse to work for him. Saguaro took a last glance at Bridget, who said, "I feel the same as them...we just can't do it."

Saguaro shook his head and laughed, saying, "You kids have left me no choice then..." He quickly left the apartment and signaled for his nearby Militia members to storm in. "Deep down, I thought this day might come," Zach said, "I'm ready to fight," and Bridget and Derek nodded in agreement. At that point, a soldier busted down the door, and around twelve more filed in with bats and dull swords. "Full Bulk!" Zach declared, and then charged into the mix, launching swift punches and kicks while shrugging off the weapon blows.

One soldier got behind him, and Derek shouted, "Look out, Zach!" He swung his sword at Zach's neck, but he declared, "Stone Skin!" The sword broke in half upon landing. "What!?" the soldier exclaimed before he was knocked out.

"Their equipment really is low grade..." Zach said. He noticed the wealth of unconscious soldiers in the living room."Let's step outside for now..." The three did just that, as the second, smaller wave began charging towards them.

"I'll get this one," Bridget said, "Knockback Force!" The intense wind caused the soldiers and their weapons to fly backwards into the air and land hard on the ground, temporarily disabling them.

"Well, that was easy," Derek said.

"We're not done yet," Zach replied, as the three turned to Saguaro. "Those damn incompetent Militia..." he said, "Well, I guess if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. You three WILL submit to Upton's will!"

"It's 1v3; you can't defeat us," Zach said.

"Believe what you want, kid," Saguaro replied in a smug manner. Zach gritted his teeth, said, "Full Bulk!" and lept at Saguaro. However, Saguaro sidestepped his punch and swiftly put the handcuffs he was holding onto Zach's wrists. "As if handcuffs could hol...huh..." Zach said, realizing he couldn't break free, "You...what did you do. I feel so...weak..."

"None of your concern!" Saguaro exclaimed, "Spine Fist!" and punched an empowered fist into Zach's midsection, knocking him down. Zach coughed and bled a bit.

"Cactus spines?" he said weakly, pulling some out of his stomach.

"My name isn't 'Saguaro' for nothing," he said, "Now try to survive this!" He jumped far out of melee range and fired off a round of spines at the incapacitated Zach. However, Bridget stepped in front and blew them in another direction.

"I can't allow that," she said.

"Psh, with the strong one out of the way, you two will be easy pickings," Saguaro said. Bridget took a firm stance and blew forceful wind at him. However, in a series of swift, inhuman hops, Saguaro dodged the flow and sped behind Bridget. "Spine Claws!" he declared, and long spines grew out of his knuckles. He then slashed Bridget's back. As she cried out in pain, Saguaro went around to her frontside and tried to slash at her face. She dodged slightly, but her shoulder was still slashed. She fell to the ground in pain, also bleeding, while Saguaro retreated to his original position.

"Zach...Bridget..." Derek said nervously, but nonetheless took a fighting stance and faced the enemy. "Those jumps didn't look like cactus powers...how?"

"Wouldn't you like to know? Maybe I'll tell you later in prison!" Saguaro replied, and lept at Derek.

" _I don't have the sheer force of Zach or Bridget's Orbs, but I have some tricks up my sleeve,"_ Derek thought, and used a mirage clone to dodge the spiny fist, reappearing behind Saguaro.

"Too slow!" Saguaro exclaimed, and turned around to fire a round of spines at Derek, hitting his stomach.

He winced in pain and backed off, before firing a barrage of oranged-colored energy fists while strafing. However, Saguaro was quicker, and easily dodged while returning spine fire, with Derek barely dodging. He switched powers and slowed down, waiting for Saguaro to be right in front of him. "Take this!" Derek said, and shot a thin bolt of electricity at Saguaro. It momentarily stunned him, so Derek reared back and launched a punch at Saguaro's face. However, right before it landed, Saguaro grinned, and spines emerged on his face. "Shit!" Derek said as he received a knuckle full of spines, and retreated back again.

Upon recovering his movement, Saguaro laughed in a cruel manner and yelled, "Give up, kid! You and your buddies never stood a chance!"

" _I'm too low on energy to dodge_..." Derek thought, as Saguaro lept at him. " _Are our lives over so soon?_

Out of nowhere, lightning struck between the two opponents. Saguaro was not hit, but was befuddled, and exclaimed, "Lightning with a clear sky!?" as the smoke began clearing. Coming into view was a black-skull masked, African-American man.

"W-what?" Derek managed to say.

"Who is that?" Zach said weakly. Bridget simply stared in awe.

"I-it can't be!" Saguaro said.

The mystery man turned to Saguaro, saying calmly, "It's not yet their time, Section Commander."

Chapter 4

Death Lightning

Derek was too stunned to move, and thought, " _Is he...a god?"_

"Death Lightning?!" Saguaro said, in utter disbelief for a few seconds, but then smirked and said, "I guess it's my lucky day. Not only do I get to turn in three rebel sympathizers, but I also get to claim the bounty of Death Lightning. I'll be promoted for sure!"

"This isn't a fight you want, Saguaro. Give up now," Lighting replied.

"Like hell I'd do that!" Saguaro shouted angrily, and fired spines towards Lightning. "Disintegrating Aura," Lightning said, and electric energy surrounded him. Upon landing on his aura, the spines dissolved, with Lightning unfazed.

Saguaro gritted his teeth and lept at Lightning with Spine Fists. However, he stood his ground and stopped Saguaro's fists with his hand. Saguaro cried out in pain and backed off, shaking off his slightly-singed hand.

"You should have ran," Lightning said. A look of fear then filled Saguaro's eyes, and he attempted to run, in vain. Lightning flew in front of him, going beyond the speed of sound, and electric energy engulfed his hand. "Zeus Fist!" Lightning boomed, and struck Saguaro in the face with his fist. He was launched back a large distance, rolling a couple times before stopping. Nose broken, bleeding, and burnt, Saguaro laid unconscious.

The three younger ones' mouths were all gaping at what they had just witnessed. " _How can one man be so powerful_?" Derek thought.

Lightning walked over and helped Derek up. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Uh...I'll be alright," Derek replied nervously, "But...why did you save us? Who are you?"

"I can answer that. Follow me back to my base," Lightning replied. Derek remained nervous, but felt he ought not oppose his savior, and said, "Alright." Lighting nodded, and then he handcuffed Saguaro, grabbed his collar with one arm, picked Zach up with the other, and said,

"Get Bridget to follow too. Let's move, before more Militia show up."

"Hey...put me down..." Zach said weakly.

" _How does he know Bridget's name?"_ Derek wondered, but then shook his head and went over to Bridget. He groaned, but nonetheless helped Bridget up, and they both walked behind Lightning.

"Ugh..." she had to slow down after a few minutes. "Are you alright?" Derek asked. "Yea, I'll be fine...my injuries are setting in," Bridget replied with a wince. Derek sighed and said, "I'm sorry I can't carry you, Bridget. If I was stronger, I would for sure." "No, don't worry about something like that, Derek...you're injured yourself." Bridget said. "Well, I'll at least walk beside you," Derek said. He slowed down himself, and forced a smile. " _You really shouldn't feel bad, Derek. We've all struggled today,"_ Bridget thought.

They kept walking until they reached what appeared to be an abandoned bank. The sign was not there anymore, but there was a broken ATM outside the building. The windows were all boarded up. Lightning put down Zach and opened the door, leading the group inside. The counters, cubicles, and even lines were set up, but no one was there. "Your secret base is a bit small," remarked Derek.

"You really think I could fit my entire rebel army in this room, Derek?" asked Lightning.

"Uh...no," responded Derek, wondering how the masked man knew his name as well.

"This is just the cover," said Lightning, "The real base is under here." Lightning opened it upwards to reveal a flight of stairs. Derek and Bridget were somewhat amazed, but Zach was still out of it and had no change in expression. "Come," said Lightning, gesturing with his hand. Derek followed him while Bridget helped Zach down the stairs, until they reached a steel door. Lightning knocked, and a shutter opened. "Password?" a man asked.

" _They deserve better than the truth_ ," Lightning replied. The three seemed puzzled, but the shutter then closed and the door opened.

"Holy..." Derek remarked upon seeing the inside. The "underground" was more akin to a giant community center, stretching for a couple miles. However, there were streets, just like above ground, and sidewalks. Running parallel to the sidewalks were many buildings of strange shapes and sizes. There were even streetlights and mailboxes, and numberous people walking the streets. "This is incredible!" Derek exclaimed.

"How did you manage to build all of this?" asked Bridget.

"Some of my people work in construction, but it took years of hard work nonetheless," Lightning said.

Derek glanced again at the buildings while they were walking. "Why are these buildings in strange shapes, like triangles and octagons?" he asked, confused.

"When we began construction on this base seven years ago, I wanted my troops to build how they wanted to, not how society had previously dictated them to," responded Lightning, "You'd be surprised how creative otherwise ordinary people can be when freed from society's box. At the same time, we did want to retain some semblance of a normal city, so we kept a generic city structure in place, with housing areas, a school, a couple playgrounds, etc."

"How many people live here?" Bridget asked. "Around 300 or so," Lightning replied, "My troop count is closer to 1,500, but most of them live above ground. The ones who live here generally think of it like being in the military, or they have state bounties on their head and are in hiding."

"Wait a second...bounties? Isn't that a little outdated?" Zach asked, having regained some energy.

"Yea, I guess Upton likes vintage outlaw stuff, or something. Although, with today's inflation, the bounties are much higher than in past centuries, especially for global bounties," Lightning replied. He looked at Saguaro, who was still unconscious. "That's why I brought him in: so that you guys could remain unwanted by Upton, at least temporarily."

"And what's your bounty?" Derek asked.

"64 million dollars," he replied. Derek, Zach, and Bridget were in awe.

"Holy crap! What the hell did you do to get that high of a bounty?" exclaimed Derek.

"I've defeated and captured three Division Commanders," Lightning replied.

"Division Commanders? That's incredible..." Zach said.

"It'd be better if their positions remained vacant, but they always get replaced after a month or so," Lightning said, and at that time they had arrived at a standard-looking, white house. "Let's head inside."

He unlocked the door and walked inside, and the three were about to follow, but then Bridget said, "Before we continue...you should tell us who you are." Derek and Zach looked at Bridget, and then at Lightning with curious looks.

He sighed and said, "I guess now's a good a time as ever," and he took off his mask. "Surprised?" asked Lewis Cox. Their jaws hung wide open upon seeing this.
Chapter 5

Hope Reinvigorated

"Mr. Cox???" they all asked, astonished.

"I understand this must be surprising to you all, and I will explain more in a minute, but first let's get the handcuffs off of Zach," replied Cox. They nodded and headed inside. "Have a seat," said Cox. The three of them sat down in the living room. Cox reached into a drawer and pulled out a white key. He then walked over to Zach and unlocked the handcuffs.

"Phew...so much better," Zach said as the power flowed back into him.

"But why do you have the key to the handcuffs?" "One of the troops isn't much of a fighter, but he is a master locksmith," Cox replied, "One time after a battle, we noticed three of the troops had been handcuffed. We were initially just going to break them with tools, but he noticed that all three had the same exact keyhole. Sure enough, when he made a key that fit one of them, it worked on all of them. Upton was pretty lazy with his design of these Orb-neutralizing handcuffs." He showed them the key. "It does take him a while to make one of these though, so there aren't many copies." Cox then laid the unconscious Saguaro against the side of his desk and sat down, with a sigh.

"Time for the full explanation," he continued, "I found my Lightning Orb ten years ago, like I assume most Orb users found theirs. Regrettably, I hardly used or trained my powers. I didn't want to draw the attention of the various religions that were at war with each other. But, not long after Upton rose to power, I started training my Orb Powers, and later decided to move to Phoenix and create my own rebel force. A couple years after that, I managed to acquire the apartment buildings that you three lived at prior to Saguaro storming the place. My apartments ended up being somewhat popular, despite the poor condition they were in, due to the fact that electricity was super cheap."

"Was that because of your Orb?" Bridget asked.

"Yea, due to the immense power of the Lightning Orb, it's easy to keep electricity running throughout the apartment complex 24/7, and it doesn't cost me a cent."

"That's an incredible Orb..." Zach said. "Still, why did you become a rebel leader?"

Cox's expression became austere for a second, and then it returned to normal. "I'll tell you kids the story another day, when it's less hectic. However, just know that my motivation is rock solid." After a pause, he continued by asking "Any other questions?"

"Yea, I got another one," said Derek, "If your Orb is so powerful, why haven't you taken down Upton yet?"

Cox sighed again. "There are two reasons as to why my troops and I have not overthrown Upton yet. Number one: My troops are not powerful enough to take down Upton. Upton has hundreds of thousands of people around the world; he vastly outnumbers us. We're doing occasional operations, but the only effect they really have is to let Upton know that we're still here. Every time we take down a Militia group, a Section Commander, or in the rare case, a Division Commander, they just get replaced. It seems like he has an endless supply of troops."

"Why not join forces with some of the other rebel groups and take down Upton? You would definitely have enough people then," Derek suggested.

"Contrary to what you guys may think, we rebel troops have very little, if any, contact with each other," Cox replied, "Besides the fact that it's difficult to keep a rebel force hidden for a prolonged period, not a lot of rebel forces share the same goals."

"But...isn't the universal goal to overthrow Upton?" asked Bridget.

"It is true that all rebel forces share that goal," replied Cox, "But the conflict lies in what would happen after Upton would be overthrown. Personally, my goal is to get the world back to how it was, where countries were allowed to do what they wanted; to follow their own laws and customs, instead of a universal set of rules. But, some rebel force leaders would claim the title of Leader of the World for themselves, and leave things as they are. Or worse, create a state of anarchy, to fuel their own insane desires. I can't do it...I can't work with despicable people who think that this state of affairs is acceptable, or that it needs more violence. I will NOT compromise on that!" He slammed his fist on the table. Derek, Zach, and Bridget all looked a little frightened, so Cox took a deep breath, and calmed down. "People who lead with selfishness...they really piss me off. Sorry." he clarified.

"Well, why don't you just take your troops to Upton and take him down in a sneak attack, or something?" asked Derek.

"That's related to the second reason: We have no idea where Upton is," replied Cox.

"How can that be? He's the Leader of the World." asked Zach.

"Yes, but have any of you ever heard of him making public appearances?" asked Cox.

Derek looked up and scratched his head. "No, I never have. Have you guys?" he said, turning to Bridget and Zach.

"Nope," they both said.

"The reason he does that is so he can deal with as little rebel forces directly as possible," said Cox. "Even when he gives announcements to the world, the screen only shows his face, so no one can identify where he is."

"But, I've heard rumors of rebel forces finding him in the past; how can that be?" asked Bridget.

" The forces never shared how they did it, or where Upton's location was, probably so that they could become the sole rebels who took down Upton, and could take his place as Leaders of the World. But, I myself have heard a rumor, about a messenger, possibly from Upton, who visits the rebel forces. Then, almost immediately after that, they left to go to Upton's base, wherever that may be. However, all of the rebel forces who have gone on that trek have disappeared without a trace."

The three kids swallowed their saliva. "It's haunted..." said Zach depressingly, with a pale face.

"Uh, what's wrong with him?" asked Cox. Bridget and Derek started patting his back, but Bridget was giving a smile of pity and Derek was holding in laughter. "How is this funny?" asked Cox. "He looks pretty bad right now."

"He gets like this every time something related to ghosts is mentioned," Bridget said, "There, there, it's alright Zach..." "

H-he's alright, j-just a little shaken up," said Derek, still trying hard not to laugh. "

Ghosts are scary...I don't want to fight any..." said Zach in a monotone voice, looking himself like a ghost. Derek couldn't hold it in anymore, and burst out laughing. "Y-you wanna say something man?" asked Zach, stuttering a bit.

"Ghosts," responded Derek. Zach turned away, depressed.

"Ghosts...leave me alone...I'll offer you my soul if you just leave me alone..." Zach muttered in a melancholy tone.

Derek kept cracking up until Cox finally said, "Alright, that's enough of this! Zach, ghosts aren't real, so enough of the depressed behavior." Zach and Derek both calmed down and resumed listening to Cox. He cleared his throat. "Anyways, I believe that the troops are somehow disposed of very efficiently by Upton, so that it looks like no one rebels against him. He's maintaining an image of eliciting absolute obedience from the world."

"But how could he possibly get rid of them so throughly?" asked Derek.

"I'm not sure, but I have a strong hunch that some very powerful Orbs are involved. Upton in particular...he may possess an Orb more powerful than we can imagine," replied Cox, before standing up.

"Ok, now that you know most of the details," and he again appeared very serious, "Will you join my force and fight to end Upton's reign?" Derek, Zach, and Bridget all looked surprised.

"You actually want us to join you?" asked Derek.

"Yes, for sure...truth be told, I have some good troops, but only one other combat-oriented Orb user," replied Cox, "You guys all have powerful orbs that could allow us to reach heights we've never hit before. Plus..." and Cox smiled, "I trust you kids, even if you were late on your rent payments." Then, he went back to his serious face. "It will be pretty dangerous though. A lot of powerful enemies await us. So, will you join?" The three of them looked at each other for a moment, and then they all nodded.

"Yea, we'll do it," said Zach.

"It'll give me a better shot at taking down that bastard Upton," said Derek, punching his right fist into his left palm and grinning.

"We also have our promises to keep," said Bridget.

Cox nodded and then said, "The truth is, these last couple of years...I'd kind of lost hope. My leads always led to dead ends; the Section Commanders kept being replaced like it was nothing. It all felt futile...but with you guys joining, we might have a chance at changing the world." And he smiled for a few seconds, before saying, "Alright, first things, first: Can you three describe your Orbs to me?" He first looked at Derek, who happily stated, "The Mimicry Orb, Level Z. I can copy Level 1 Orb users' powers if I make physical contact with them. Although I can only hold five in my 'storage', if you get what I'm saying."

"Somewhat," Cox replied, "Still, that's pretty incredible. It explains how you were able to use so many different powers without short-circuiting your abilities. I suppose Level Z Orbs are the rarest kind for a reason. " Derek nodded in a cocky manner, and then Cox asked, "What about you, Zach?"

He cleared his throat and said, "The Enhancement Orb, Level 2. As the name suggests, I can enhance the durability and/or strength of my body, either in individual sections or the whole thing. I receive increased speed too, although to a lesser degree."

"Simple, yet effective," Cox replied, and then he turned to Bridget. "And yours?"

"Mine is the Force Orb, Level 3," Bridget said, "I have, um, wind-related powers, I guess."

"I see. Thanks for the information." Cox said, "Now, I will strongly advise you guys to stay here in the underground city rather than in your apartment."

"Why?" asked Derek.

"Aside from the fact that it's trashed, some of the other Section Commanders may get suspicious of where you guys and Saguaro both are, and as I said, I want you guys to avoid getting bounties for as long as possible," replied Cox, "Since I run the apartment complex, I'll try to mislead them for a while."

"So, what are we supposed to be doing here while you're gone?" asked Derek, somewhat impatiently.

"Well, first of all, you should talk with my vice-leader, who will give you instructions on tasks. " replied Cox, "You don't have to do anything right now, but just introduce yourselves, and explain your Orbs like you did to me. Also, you need to receive your rooms. Other than that, you should start training. A lot." Derek stood up.

"Hey, come on, we're pretty strong already," he said.

"Nice joke, Derek. You got your ass handed to you by a jumping cactus man," Cox said. Derek raised his hand up and opened his mouth, but then closed it and sat down.

"You guys have powerful orbs, but you need to train and practice using them to realize your potential," continued Cox, "There is a large training facility here in the base. Spend most of your day there, if possible." Then he grabbed Saguaro and headed towards the door. "Anyways, I gotta take this guy to our containment center for questioning and cell assignment," he said, "It's been a while since we got a new prisoner."

After he exited, Derek said, "When Mr. Cox says it like that, I feel like I just joined the bad guys."

"Well, we are basically committing treason, so..." Zach replied.

" 'Treason', huh...now THAT makes it sound epic," Derek said, "Either way, I'm finally fired up about something. This is the opportunity I've been waiting for."

"You recovered quickly from that roast," Zach joked.

"Hey, man, we're all in the same boat on that loss," Derek replied.

Bridget nodded and said, "I don't want to feel helpless ever again...I want to be the one who jumps in and saves people."

"For sure. I won't get embarassed like that again," Zach added.

"Yea, the next Section Commander'll stand no chance against us," Derek said.
Chapter 6

The Bottomless Magician

Derek, Zach, and Bridget walked out of Cox's house, and, following his directions, made it to the vice-leader's house. It was shaped like a pentagon. Zach knocked on the door. "I wonder what kind of person this vice-leader is," said Zach.

"He's probably strict and uptight," said Derek, cringing.

"Now, why would you say that?" asked Bridget.

"The first-in-command of an army may be in charge of everything, but the second-in-command is the enforcer, you know? He says all the difficult stuff." responded Derek.

"I guess that makes sense..." said Zach.

Suddenly, the door swung open, but they heard a soft voice coming from another room. "Come in, come in. I've been expecting you. I'm just making some tea; would you three like any?" They all looked at each other, a little surprised.

"Yes, I'll have some please," said Bridget. "And for you two young men?" asked the voice. They both declined. Then, from the other room, a purple-haired, short woman came out. She was beautiful and curvaceous, like an Aphrodite sculpture, but also wore a warm smile, and her purple-colored eyes looked very relaxed. "Well, you don't all have to keep standing up. Sit down on the couch right there," she said, setting down the tea and ushering them to sit. The three of them sat down, pretty astounded. Then the woman sat down.

"Um, where is the vice-commander?" asked Derek.

The woman looked a bit confused and said, "What are you talking about? I am the vice-commander." The three of them looked stunned. The woman laughed softly and said, "Yes, I suppose it may seem surprising, but, rest assured; I'm more capable than I appear. My name is Jane Stone. Pleased to meet you Derek, Zach, and Bridget."

The three of them continued to look dumbfounded. "Well, don't just sit there staring at me; it's embarrassing..." said Jane sheepishly.

Finally, Zach snapped out of it and asked, "So, Ms. Stone..."

"Please, I'd prefer if you all called me Jane," she replied.

Zach cleared his throat nervously and said, "So...Jane. You'll be giving us our missions and training tips most of the time?"

"Yea, I'll be seeing the three of you most days," Jane replied, smiling.

" _Maybe training won't be so bad..._ " thought the entranced Derek and Zach.

Then Bridget asked, "So, what is your Orb?"

"I have the Dark Arts Orb, Level 3," Jane replied, "I have some great magical abilities that I can use."

"Oh, so that's how you knew that we were the ones at the door and opened it from the other room," said Bridget.

"Yes, but that's a very simple display of my power. I can create custom abilities, suiting whatever task I'm engaged in." Jane responded.

"Reminds me of my powers, except...better..." Derek said in a dissappointed tone.

"Aww, don't say that. I certainly have my limitations," Jane said, "But, speaking of your powers, I'd love to hear about all of yours," Jane said. As Bridget gave her Orb description and the boys stumbled through theirs, Jane maintained a focused look. "Interesting stuff..." she said, upon them concluding, "For a while now, I've had a keen interest in the nature of these Orbs. Where they came from, if they have a consciousness, their limits, etc."

"Their limits?" Zach asked. "Yes, for example, it's generally thought that a person can only have two weaker Orbs or one stronger Orb. But in reality, there seems to be more precise math relating to Orb levels that determine whether one's powers short-circuit or not," Jane explained. The group nodded, impressed.

Bridget finished her tea, and then Jane said, "Alright, you guys can rest for today, but tomorrow morning you need to start training," Jane said, "Lewis has high expectations for you three."

As everyone stood up to leave, Derek gained a determined look and clenched his fist in the air. "Finally, I'll get to take down Upton..." he said.

"Dude, I'm all for taking down Upton, but being real here...you are the weakest of the three of us," replied Zach.

"What was that?" Derek said, with an annoyed look.

"Do I have to repeat it?" Zach asked.

"You wanna go, right here, right now?" Derek asked.

"Not really, although I do think I'd win," Zach said with a smug grin.

"Bruh, you can't just say sh-...crap like that and then bail on the fight!" Derek whined.

Jane started laughing. Derek and Zach stopped talking and looked at her. She smiled and said, "You two remind me of my kids, squabbling with each other." They both turned to her.

"Oh, how old are your kids?" Zach asked.

"They're twins, around your age," Jane replied.

After a pause, the boys both said, "What?!"

"How old did you think I was?" she asked with a mischevious smile. Zach and Derek looked at each other, in utter disbelief, while Jane laughed at their reactions.

A minute or so later, the three walked out the door. "Well, I'll see you all tomorrow. Have a good rest of your day!" Jane said, waving.

The three of them said goodbye, waving back. After she was out of earshot, Zach whispered to Derek, "I didn't realize someone like that could exist in reality."

Derek placed his hand on Zach's shoulder, shook his head and said, "I'd bet she's in her mid 40's, yet looks better than most girls our age. It seems impossible, in hindsight."

Zach nodded in agreement, saying, "I'm still in disbelief, man..."

Upon hearing this conversation, Bridget internally rolled her eyes and thought, " _We might need another girl in the group_..."
Chapter 7

The Man that has Everything

August 15th, 2033

Unknown Location

A Caucasian man with slick-backed, black hair sat on his golden throne, alone, in a spacious, empty room, save for a red carpet leading up to the throne. "Where the hell is my wine?" he asked aloud. He tapped his fingers along his armrests for a few minutes, and then growled and reached for a nearby mic. " _I said, where is my wine?!"_ he shouted. Eventually, an elderly man with a goblet and aged bottle of wine entered the room, and slowly made his way towards the throne. The throne sitter stared in an unamused fashion as the butler took two minutes to reach him.

"My deepest apologies, Mr. Upton," the butler said, "Here is your wine."

"About time, damn it," Upton replied, as the butler poured a glass and handed it to him.

While Upton took a hearty sip, he said, "It's wonderful to see you're still in good health, Mr. Upton. Your crimson eyes are as lively as ever."

Upton finished his sip and said, "Why wouldn't I be in great health? I'm in my early 30's."

"Yes, of course, sir," the butler replied.

"Enough pointless flattery; continue on your daily duties," Upton said, moving his hand in a brushing motion.

The butler sighed and bowed, saying, "Very well, sir," and then, once again, turtled his way down the red carpet.

When he was about 1/3rd back down the path, a Caucasian women sporting a black bob cut entered the room and swiftly walked past him, up to where Upton was. She was wearing a black button-down shirt, office skirt, and designer shoes. "Enough drinking. We're introducing a new advisor now, and everyone needs to be there," she said, sporting a British accent.

"You guys explain things well enough, though. Let me drink my wine," Upton said lazily.

"You are the Leader of the World. You represent us, so you need to at least shake hands with this new advisor," she replied.

"As such leader, I say, commence the meeting without me," Upton said. The lady fumed and knocked the goblet out of Upton's hand, much to his disbelief, and pointed her finger in his face.

"Stop being a moron, Charles. Let's go."

"Oy, Leningrad! You spilled some of the wine!" Upton cried, standing up.

"You have plenty more in stock. Now let's move." Upton groaned, but finally followed her towards the exit of the room.

"You know, if you weren't my cousin, I'd have to fire you for knocking my cup out of my hand," Upton said.

"And if you weren't MY cousin, I would have killed you because of how much you drive me up the wall," Leningrad replied.

"Hey, just be thankful I even gave you such a high position," Upton said.

"I've written all of your dumb speeches, and try every day, in vain, to prevent you from appearing like an idiot to the general public. Give me some credit," Leningrad replied.

"You sure it wasn't my amazing charm and charisma that captured the hearts of citizens all around the globe?" Upton said. "I need to throw away whatever drugs you're on," Leningrad said with a sigh, to which Upton chuckled.

"Alright, you did SOME work. But I did the majority of it!"

The two both stared for a second as they passed by the elderly butler, who was still making his way towards the exit. Upton then wiped his forehead of sweat. "It's damn hot in here. Butler, can you tell Shelly to turn the air down a bit?" he asked.

"Yes, Mr. Upton. I'll get right on it," the butler said, and attempted to move faster, but only did so visually, not actually. "I think you're going to stay sweaty for a while," Leningrad said, "It's what you deserve for wanting the 'authentic butler experience,' whatever that means."

"Imma say...worth it," Upton said with a smile, to which Leningrad sighed.

"Let's just get to the meeting..." she said.

The two made their way to a nearby, golden tram station, and stepped onto the tram. " _Please, choose your destination_ ," said an electronic, female voice.

"The War Room!" declared Upton.

" _Destination selected: The War Room_ ," replied the voice, " _The doors are now closing. Please, keep your arms and legs inside the cabin at all times. Thank you, and have a safe ride!_ " The doors shut, and the tram was off.

"You know, you wouldn't need a tram if you didn't make the palace so stupidly large," Leningrad said.

Upton shook his head with a smirk and said, "You just don't get it, Leningrad. It's about excess; living large. This is the greatest, largest palace to ever exist; it's even larger than the infamous Palace of Versailles! Isn't it amazing?"

"I'm more of a practical person," Leningrad replied. "That's not what you said eight years ago," Upton said.

Leningrad simply shrugged her shoulders and said, "Well, times change."

A minute later they arrived. " _Arriving at destination: The War Room_ ," said the voice, " _Thank you for riding UptonTrams! We hope to see you again soon_!" They both stepped out.

"I have to ask our mechanics to make that thing go faster. Me, waiting a minute for anything? Ridiculous!" declared Upton. "You know, sometimes I wish your ego was an act," sniped Leningrad. Upton gave her a dirty look, and then they both walked into the War Room.

It was a dimly-lit room, with the only lights being a large lamp hanging from the ceiling, and the electronic screens showing various maps of regions of Earth. In the middle of the room was a long and brown oval-shaped table, with managerial-looking chairs around it. As the two entered, they were greeted by another Caucasian, black-haired man around Upton's age, albeit with shorter hair and in better shape. "Mr. Upton," he said, saluting.

"Good to see you as always, Regal Justice," Upton said.

"Same to you, and to you as well, Leningrad," Justice said.

"Why do we have these dumb codenames again?" Leningrad asked.

"They're not 'dumb codenames'. They're professional titles..." Upton said.

"Same difference," Leningrad replied.

Upton took his seat at the head of the table, while Leningrad took her seat on his right, and Justice to his left. Upton's other advisors and officials filed in the room in the few minutes after.

"Now that everyone's here, let's begin the meeting," Leningrad said, "We'll begin with the weekly reports. Starting with Uptonnorth." A blonde man stood up and spoke with an Icelandic accent. "The populations are subdued, as usual. The small groups remaining seem content to live out their meager lives, in spite of the harsh cold. The Northern Prison has still had no breakouts since its inception. Sweden, as promised to Commander Spectre, is still in great shape. The citizens are living well off, with no signs of rebellion. That is all."

"Keep up the good work," Leningrad said with a nod, "Next is Uptoneast." A Greek man stood up and spoke. "Uptoneast remains difficult to completely subdue. We have complete control over Germany, Greece, and Russia, but lackluster control over France, Great Britain, and Italy. The other European countries are relatively well-controlled. Same with Northern and Western Africa. However, Eastern Africa has been difficult to reclaim from rebels."

"I see...well, continue to work towards complete dominance over the region. I understand it's a humongous amount of land, but it is an attainable goal," Leningrad said, as the man sat down.

"Forget Africa; make France a priority! I want genuine French wine and cheese," Upton said.

"Understood, sir," the messenger said.

Leningrad sighed, and then said "Uptonsouth is next." An Indonesian man stood up to speak. "Australia and its surrounding islands are well under our control, thanks in large part to the dominance of General Hightower. Southeast Asia is also heavily subdued, thanks to the hard work of Shogun Yoru.

"Excellent," Leningrad said with a nod, and the man sat down, "Uptonislands, you're up."

"The island populations are subdued. We rarely see rebels, and if they make any noise, they are apprehended soon afterwards," a Hawaiian woman said, " Being separated by water and having limited means of communication have made most of the islands isolated, and alone they cannot defeat us."

"Great to hear," Leningrad said, "And last is Uptonwest."

An American man stood up and spoke. "A few prominent rebel forces remain, but they all stay isolated in their own states. Aside from New York, no particular state poses a serious threat." Leningrad, Upton, and Justice's faces all grew weary upon the mention of New York.

"We'll consider New York an acceptable loss," she said quickly, "Continue your report." "Canada remains mostly subdued, as is South America. We are working on subduing Central America, but the rebels in that region are notably secretive."

"Well, continue working towards complete dominance of the region. There are a lot of rebel groups, but I think we can get there in time," Leningrad said, "That concludes the weekly reports. Regal Justice, you have the floor."

He stood up and said, "Thank you, Leningrad. Today, we're introducing a new military advisor. Please welcome: Daniel Sanchez." The room clapped as Sanchez raised his hand and acknowledged the room. Justice continued, "As is customary for new combat-related hires, we'll be reviewing Orbs as well as our basic Militia structure. That's the last part of the meeting, so if you are already familiar with that, you're free to leave."

Most of the room stood up and left; the remaining individuals were Upton, Leningrad, Justice, Sanchez, and a short, college-aged woman wearing a similar outfit to Leningrad's, except her shirt was white, and she wore heels and glasses. Her jet-black hair was pinned up by a clip. "Why are you still here, Otome? You already know about this," Leningrad said, giving a disapproving look.

"Be quiet, Leningrad," Otome replied with a somewhat thick Japanese accent and an annoyed look, "I am always looking to learn and improve to serve Mr. Upton the best that I can."

"Hmph, maybe I'd believe that you learn from your mistakes if you didn't lead rebels to our base multiple times!" Leningrad shot back.

"I do not have your Orb; I have no unnatural, uh, sneakiness," Otome said. "Scouts should be sneaky regardless. You've failed your duties, little girl," Leningrad said in a smug manner. Otome fumed and muttered under her breath in Japanese, but then Upton said, "Relax, Leningrad. I think she's doing a fine job."

"Oh, thank you Mr. Upton!" Otome said, bowing. "At least SOMEONE appreciates my abilities..." she shot a look back at Leningrad, who in turn rolled her eyes.

"If you two wouldn't mind, I'd like to brief Mr. Sanchez now," Justice said, and the two women sat down in silence. Upton then rolled his chair out of the way as a screen turned on behind where he was previously, and Justice stood next to the screen.

A graphic appeared, displaying four drawings of different colored Orbs, side-by-side. "These are the four different types of Orbs," Justice said, and then he pointed to the left most one. "The weakest type, generally speaking, is the Level 1 Orb. It's green, and its powers are generally displayed in this color. Although their powers are relatively low-impact, it is far better than having none, because possessing an Orb provides Orb Resistance."

"Orb Resistance?" Sanchez asked.

"Yes, it is a property associated with having an Orb that lowers the damage taken from other Orb powers. Due to this, it is very rare for an Orb user to instantly defeat another, even in the face of normally lethal abilities."

"I see..." Sanchez said.

"Moving on," and he pointed to the Orb directly to its right. "This is a Level 2 Orb. It's blue, and its powers are also generally displayed in this color. Although these powers tend to be significantly stronger than Level 1 ones, the weakest Level 2 Orbs are worse than the strongest Level 1 Orbs. Of course, personal strength and training also affects this." Justice moved the pointer over another one. "Third is Level 3 Orbs. They are red, and follow the display trend. They tend to be significantly stronger than Level 2 Orbs, but again, the weakest Level 3 Orbs are worse than the strongest Level 2 Orbs." He moved on to the last one. "And this represents Level Z Orbs. They are gray, and also follow the display trend. However, as opposed to the linear power trend of the previous three, Level Z Orbs display a wide spectrum of power levels. We do not have the knowledge as to why they exist or why they do not count towards one's own Orb count; all we know is that they are special." Sanchez nodded upon hearing this.

"We'll now move on to the other important topic," Justice said, and the screen switched to show a graph of different shapes connected by lines. "This is the hierarchy of Mr. Upton's Empire." He pointed to a dot near the bottom of the screen. "This represents the 'Militia'. They are the largest group by number and are over 99.99% made up of non-Orb users. We have a few Level 1 Orb users scattered here and there, but their powers are all non-combat. The Militia generally carry swords or clubs, due to the mass destruction of guns that Mr. Upton ordered, but a select few do have access to guns, or in some cases, other weapons. The police force of the world is made up of Militia members; their job is to maintain order in everyday life.

He then pointed to a triangle that connected above the Militia. "Next are the Section Commanders. They range from Level 1-3 Orbs and have more authority than Militia members. They govern one province, or section of a country, and command all of the Militia in that area." Justice then pointed to a square above which connected to the triangles. "These represent Division Commanders. They have higher authority than Section Commanders. Division Commanders can also range from Levels 1-3. There is generally one Division Commander per country or group of islands, with a couple exceptions. They command all of the Section Commanders within that area." Justice then pointed to a circle above the square which had five pentagons on its lines and a hexagon in the middle. "The pentagons represent Continent Commanders. They have command over all of the Division Commanders within a large section of the world, or in the Uptonislands Commander's case, every island on Earth. There are only 5 of us, including myself, and we all have at least Level 3 orbs. Unlike the rest of the hierarchy, we have the option to live where we like, and as such 2 of the 5 Continent Commanders live here in the Upton Palace." And finally," He pointed to the hexagon, "The hexagon represents Mr. Upton here, who is the supreme commander of everyone." He stopped pointing at the screen. "Any questions?"

"Yes, just one, although it's unrelated to Orbs or ranking," Sanchez said, "I got the gist of the other areas, but what makes up Uptonnorth?"

"Uptonnorth is made up of the Scandanavian countries, Alaska, the Artic Circle, and the section of Russia that exists as part of Asia. It's a large chunk of Earth's land, but is relatively unpopulated due to the cold weather.

"I see," Sanchez said, "Well, I have no more questions." "

"Excellent. You're free to return to your room and spend time as you see fit. You may take advantage of the numerous facilities we have here at the Upton Palace," Justice said, "I look forward to your military input."

"Likewise, Regal Justice," Sanchez said, before saying goodbye and leaving the War Room.

Upton stood up from his chair and said, "Well, now that that's done...ya boy's gonna go unwind in the Hot Tub Room. Regal Justice, tell some hot ladies from the Harem Dorms to meet me there in five." Leningrad and Otome had looks of displeasure, but Justice simply said, "As you wish, Mr. Upton," and left the room. "Leningrad, Otome, continue doing...whatever you do," Upton said as he left the room and hopped on his tram. He grabbed a nearby mic and said, " _Someone send some chardonnay to the Hot Tub Room_. _There's plenty of partying left to do today._ " As his words reverberated throughout the entire palace, he hung up with a grin, looking forward to another day in paradise.

Chapter 8

Innocent Discovery

August 29th, 2033

Derek kept delivering fists into the punching bag. Blow after blow, until Zach and Bridget walked in. "How's the workout going?" asked Bridget.

"Awesome!" responded Derek enthusiastically, "I bet I can beat anyone now!"

"Well, I don't know about that...but I do feel you. I also think I've gotten way stronger," said Zach.

"Nah, man, put me up against any of Upton's goons. I'll take em out," Derek said in a cocky manner while taking a few more shots at the punching bag.

"Well, you sound confident." The three of them turned towards the entrance; Cox had walked in. "It's great to hear that you both feel an improvement," he said, walking towards them,"What about you, Bridget?"

"I also feel like I've improved...but I still have a ways to go," Bridget replied.

"That's a good mentality to have; all of us can improve, even me," Cox said.

"Hey, Mr. Cox, do you think if I fought Saguaro now, I would win?" Derek asked. Cox thought for a moment, then said, "It'd be close, but I think you'd win if you played it carefully."

"Ayy, let's go," Derek said.

"But when does Derek play it safe?" Zach asked.

"Well, that's also true," Cox said.

"Heyyy!" Derek said, which caused Zach and Cox to chuckle.

"Don't worry, by the end of this training, all three of you will be strong enough to have handily defeated Saguaro," Cox said.

His eyes then opened up and he said, "Oh, that's right! I was wondering about something related to him: When Saguaro threatened to arrest you guys if you didn't comply, why didn't you just go along with it, at least temporarily, until you knew what you were up against? You three acted a bit rashly." Cox asked.

"Well...we made a promise to some people that we would never support Upton, no matter the circumstances. Not even for a few days." replied Zach. "

"Why was the promise so extreme?" Cox asked, "Why do you feel so obligated to those peopl-"

"Because it was their last wish," Derek interrupted, "It's the only way we can repay them, and even then...it's not enough," The other three looked at Derek's suddenly sullen state with surprise, and he turned his head down and away from them.

Zach turned to Cox and said, "I'd like you and Jane to hear the full story, so you can understand where we're coming from. It's a little long, though."

"Well, it seems like an important story that we should hear. Let's head over to Jane's house and you can tell us there." Cox replied.

During the walk over, Cox noticed that the other two of them seemed somewhat depressed as well. " _What could have happened at that time to make them seem so down remembering it_?" thought Cox. After what felt like a really long trip, they reached Jane's house and Cox rang the doorbell.

"Hey, guys. How's the training going?" said Jane warmly.

"Jane, the three of them have a story they'd like to tell you and I," Cox said. Jane noticed how Derek, Zach, and Bridget were acting, and her smiled faded.

"Alright, come inside, and I'll make some refreshments for all of you," she said. After she got tea for Bridget and Cox, and water for Derek and Zach, the five of them sat down in the living room.

"I'll tell the bulk of the story, if that's ok," Zach said, looking at Derek and Bridget, who both nodded. Zach then turned back to Cox and Jane and said, "Before I talk about the promise, I have to go back two years before then, or around ten years ago. It starts on a dark night..."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(2024)

Phoenix, Arizona

"Hurry, guys! I saw it fly down over there!"

"Should we really be doing this, Derek?"

"Guys, it's scary out here..."

Zach and Bridget had been sleeping over at Derek's house when he saw something fall from the sky very close by, in an abandoned lot. Derek led the way, although he and Bridget had to stop after a certain point, being out of breath.

"Geez, you two need more exercise," Zach said, "That wasn't even a-" However, he cut off and a look of disbelief appeared on his face. Derek looked up at Zach, and then glanced in the direction he was looking, and his eyes widened in amazement.

"What...are they?" he said. In front of them lay a bright, multi-colored impact site.

"Did someone set up lights or something?" Zach said.

"Only one way...to find out..." Derek said, gradually regaining his breath, "Ready to walk over, Bridget?" She looked anxious about it, but nonetheless nodded and followed closely behind as they walked towards the lights.

Upon getting closer, they noticed that three mini-impact sites had been created. Each circle contained an Orb; one blue, one red, and one gray, and they formed a triangle. "These don't look like machines," Zach said.

"But what could they be, then?" Derek asked. None of them had a good answer, so Derek took a deep breath and then said, "Only one way to find out," and he reached out to touch the gray Orb.

"Wait, what if it's dangerous?" Zach asked, but it was too late. Upon touching it, Derek began glowing a gray aura, and he looked upwards, with completely white eyes, and mouth open. "Holy crap! Is he possessed?" Zach asked.

"Derek! Are you alright?" Bridget exclaimed. They both tried to move him, but an aura pushed them back. They could only watch anxiously.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, inside Derek's own mind, he stood face to face with the gray Orb from before, except it was floating at chest level. " _Where...am I_?" he thought, looking around his surroundings, which was nothing but black. With nowhere else to go, he stepped forward, until he was right in front of the Orb. " _That's right...I touched the Orb, and ended up here...I guess I should touch it again?"_ He hesistantly made contact with his hands, and they began glowing. An old wiseman-sounding voice appeared in his head, which said, " _Mimicry Orb; Level Z. Do you accept?"_ Derek thought for a moment, and then said, " _Yes_." In response to this, the Orb merged itself into his chest. " _Weird...I feel...warm..."_ he thought, and then he was blinded by an expanding, bright light.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"...ek.......rek.......Derek! Are you alright!?" Derek opened his eyes to the relieved faces of Zach and Bridget. He found himself lying on the ground.. "Thank goodness you're alright..." Bridget said.

"What happened, dude?" Zach asked.

Derek stood up and said, "I'm not sure...maybe a strange dream?" but then he looked in front of him. The gray Orb was missing, with only the mini-impact site remaining. "No, it wasn't a dream." He took a deep breath and said, "Guys, I think I...'absorbed' that gray thing on the ground."

Zach and Bridget looked at each other matter-of-factly, and then Zach said, "Yea, we know. We saw it happen, and the whole time you had this possessed look. How do you feel now?"

Derek felt around his body and said, "Pretty normal, to be honest. But it was weird...some voice asked me if I wanted to accept the 'Mimicry Orb; Level Z,' which I did."

"Did it say anything else?" asked Bridget, but Derek shook his head. After a pause, Derek continued, "Well, I'm not gonna be the only one this weird thing happens to, right? One of you touch one." Both Zach and Bridget gained fearful looks.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Why do we also have to go through...whatever that was?" Zach asked.

"Well, I'm ok, right? Plus, what if we all get, like, super powers from this? And, it gave me a choice. You can say no if you want," Derek replied.

"I don't know..." Zach said. Derek brushed off Zach and said, "Bridget, you'll do it, right?"

She became flustered and said, "It's too scary, Derek..." "Pleaseeeee...nothing bad will happen to you," Derek said.

Bridget looked away for a second, and then said, "...Really? Nothing bad?"

Derek nodded gleefully and said, "I promise!"

"Bridget, none of us even know about these things!" Zach pleaded, but she looked at him and said, "I trust Derek here."

Zach let out a groan and said, "Ok..." She meekly approached the red Orb lying on the ground and while closing her eyes, made contact with it. Suddenly, a phenomenon similar to what Derek experienced occurred to her.

"Whoa..." Derek said.

"Do you see this? This is why I'm scared!" Zach said.

"I kind of get you now...but still. She'll be alright," Derek said confidently. The two watched for a minute or so until the red Orb rose to chest level and merged with Bridget. She then stopped glowing a red aura and her eyes closed as she floated down to the ground.

A few seconds later, she opened them. "So, what'd you get?" Derek asked excitedly. She stood up and said, "Um...the Force Orb, Level 3."

"Interesting...but why was my l;evel a letter and yours a number...I wonder..." Derek said, and then he turned to Zach and said, "Alright, buddy. It's your turn."

Zach looked at him, and then Bridget, before saying, "Well...you both seem ok...alright, I"ll do it."

Zach walked up to the remaining, blue Orb, and touched it, leading him to go through the same process. After that was over, Derek asked, "Which one did you get?"

"It said...Enhancement Orb, Level 2."

"Sounds cool," Derek said, but Zach quickly raised his finger and said, "Listen...our parents can't learn about this, got it?"

"Why not though?" Derek asked.

"Because...there's no way they'll believe us, and I'd rather avoid any annoying situations," Zach replied.

Derek thought for a moment, and then said "Fair enough." Bridget also nodded to this point.

The three made their way home, but as they entered the front yard, they saw Derek's parents outside the front door. " _I was hoping they'd still be asleep_..." he thought.

"Oh, kids!" Derek's mom said, running up and hugging the three of them, "I was getting worried!"

"We were just about to go looking for you. Where did you guys run off to this late at night?" asked Derek's dad sternly.

"We, uh...just saw something really cool and wanted to check it out," Derek replied.

"It's dangerous at night. You all know that!" his Dad said. "Sorry, Dad..." Derek replied sheepishly. "Sorry Mr. Mathew," said Zach and Bridget. Derek's dad closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead with his thumb and forefinger, and sighed.

"Well, at least you guys made it home safe. Now go to bed and don't go running off in the middle of the night again. Understand?" he said.

"Yes," the three kids replied, and then they quickly went upstairs to Derek's bedroom.

"Well, you let them off pretty easily," said Derek's mom, smiling.

"Should we have punished them?" Derek's dad replied, but she shook her head. "Honestly, I'm just glad they're showing interest in something other than the Internet," he continued, "It's not like they found anything dangerous anyways, right?"
Chapter 9

Reality Descends into Darkness

(Present Day)

"A few months after we found our Orbs, the world war started," Zach said, "As I think we all know, Christians, Jews, and Muslims all fought against one another, over whose god was the one, true 'God'...so many people died over nonsense."

Jane nodded and said, "To this day, I still don't understand why the Orbs triggered such a reaction from those groups. There've been religious conflicts in the past, but on that scale...it's still unbelievable."

"Whatever the reason was, things became pretty dangerous. Luckily, we and our families managed to make it through without getting injured until Upton rose to power and the war ended. And sure, things were only kind of better now, but I nonetheless believed our families could get through it together. But...that wasn't the case..."

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2026

Derek was watching TV with his parents when suddenly the monitor starting experiencing breakup. "What the..." Derek's dad said. After a moment, Upton's face appeared on the screen. As he was smiling at them, a voice said, _"Now, an emergency broadcast from our gracious Leader of the World, Mr. Charles Upton."_

"Ugh, why do we have to listen to this guy again?" Derek said, "He looks like a weirdo with his red eyes and vampire hair."

"Quiet! This could be important!" Derek's dad said. Derek folded his arms, and was quiet.

"Hello, citizens of the world!" said Upton, "It's me, your all-important Leader of the World, with an important announcement: Federal funding for education worldwide will be cut by 90%! My advisors and I have spoken with our scientists, and we've all come to the same conclusion: the only real education you need is from me, your leader, and from my Militia! If you want unecessary, extra 'education', you need to pay for it yourself. National governments aren't charities, you know. These changes will be enacted at the start of the new school year. Enjoy your day!" His face disappeared and the TV went back to its regular programming.

Derek was confused, but his dad became visually infuriated, and yelled, "What a bunch of goddamn nonsense! Who does Upton think he is!?" This frightened Derek a little, and he lightly clutched to his mom, who also had a frustrated look on her face.

The next day, Bridget and Zach's families met at Derek's house, and then their respective parents prepared to go downtown to protest, as they had done multiple times already. "We're not going to let Upton ruin your futures, kids," Zach's dad said. "We'll be back in a few hours, so stay here and be good," Derek's mom said, and then the six parents left the house, while Derek, Zach, and Bridget sat on a couch.

A couple hours passed, with the three mostly sitting in silence while watching TV. Suddenly, Bridget said, "Things seem pretty hopeless..."

The two boys turned to her, and then Zach said, "What do you mean?"

"These protests...so far they haven't changed Upton's decisions at all. It all seems pointless," Bridget replied.

After a moment of silence, Derek shook his head and said, "No...I don't agree with that, Bridget." The two others turned to him as he continued speaking. "Even if the protests don't change Upton's mind this time, or the next time, or the next time, they let him know that the people are still here, and still mad. They show that the people won't take this crap sitting down. That seems important, at least to me."

Bridget and Zach were in awe, and Zach said, "Derek, I didn't realize you had thought about this so much."

"Well, I was just kind of echoing what my Dad had told me," Derek said, lightly chuckling.

"What you're saying seems good...but I still wonder how much a bunch of everyday people can do," Bridget said.

"Well, why don't we head downtown then? We're Orb users, after all," Derek suggested.

"Are you looking for a fight or something? What would that have to do with peaceful protest?" Zach asked.

Derek shrugged and said, "Bridget said everyday people can't do much, but we're not everyday people. Although to be honest, I really just want to see how things are going."

"But your mom asked us to stay here," Zach said.

"Well yea, but it wasn't in a, like, demanding way or anything. I'm sure it's fine," Derek assured him.

"I guess you should know your mom better than we would..." Zach said, "Bridget, you coming?"

"Well, I AM also interested in how the protest is going...ok, I'll come," she said.

Bridget and Zach used their powers to make their way downtown quickly, with Derek having to ride a bike. Eventually, they arrived to a racous crowd of protesters and numerous Militia armed with guns and riot gear. "This...doesn't look very peaceful," Zach said. Bridget soared over the crowd until she found their parents loudly protesting, and indicated for them to walk over to that area. Upon seeing their children, they appeared stunned, and then Derek's dad yelled over the crowd, saying, "Kids, what the heck are you doing here? It's dangerous!"

"Dad! We came to join the protest!" Derek yelled back. The parents shook their respective heads, and then Derek's dad said, "You guys may get hurt; you need to leave!"

"But, Dad...we want to help..." Derek replied. His dad smiled and leaned in closer, saying, "I appreciate that you want to help, but I couldn't forgive myself if you got hurt out here. And I think the others feel the same. We'll be just fine; head home, and we'll see you in a couple hours, ok?" Derek paused, but then nodded and gave his dad and mom a hug.

The three began their return home. "Those Miltia guys scare me, but I trust my parents," Derek said.

"It's not like they're doing anything dangerous, right?" Zach asked rhetorically.

"I hope not..." Bridget said. Suddenly, multiple, large smoke bombs went off, covering the crowd in an absurdly thick fog. The three quickly turned around upon hearing this.

"What the..." Derek said, and then gunshots began ringing out.

"Crap, we have to get back there!" Zach exclaimed, and the three made their return to the area, albeit visibility was still near zero.

"Zach??? Bridget???" Derek yelled, having lost them in the fog, and then suddenly a body fell in front of him, bleeding out from gunshot wounds. Derek's eyes widened in horror, and he started moving more nervously through the crowd, yelling out, "Dad! Mom! Where are you?!"

Like a war movie, bodies continued to fall all around. " _Why...why is this happening!?"_ Derek thought, unable to fully process the atrocity. After a while, the smoke cleared a bit, and he spotted his mom's corpse. " _"_ Mom! Mom! Wake up!" he cried, shaking her, but to no avail.

"Derek..." groaned a weak voice. Derek looked over, and saw his dad lying on the ground, bleeding profusely.

"Dad!" he cried, running over to him. As Derek knelt down, his dad reached out to weakly grab his arm.

"Derek...I'm so sorry..." he said slowly, breathing heavily.

"Dad..." Derek said, tearing up.

"Listen, Derek...promise me something," he said.

"Sure, Dad. Whatever it is, I'll do it," Derek replied, forcing a smile through his tears. "

"Promise me...that you'll never support...Upton...no matter what...because he'll ruin this world..." Derek's dad said.

"Yes, Dad. I promise," Derek said.

"I think...Bridget and Zach's parents...would want the same for them..." Derek's dad said, slowly losing consciousness, and Derek nodded. His dad then weakly smiled and said, "I know someday...you'll be a great man. I...love you..." he said, and then closed his eyes and said no more.

"Dad? Dad, come on..." Derek asked, shaking him, "Come on, Dad. Let's head home..." Derek's dad stayed motionless. "Dad...Dad...Daaaaaadddddd!!!" and he started weeping.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Present Day

"The Upton-controlled media didn't cover or acknowledge the events of that day. But, countless innocent protesters died, and I'd like to believe it contributed to his decision to destroy most of the guns he had taken away. Either way, the three of us all found each other. We avoided getting hurt, but we soon realized our parents had died as well," Zach said, glancing at Bridget. "Derek told us the promise he had made to his Dad, and how our parents would want the same of us both. So, we made the same promise. I...don't think it's enough to repay all the things our parents did for us, but...it's something..." and his voice trailed off in a sullen manner.

"Kids, I'm so...so sorry you had to go through that..." Jane said, having to wipe a few tears from her eyes.

"I think if your parents saw you all today, they'd be proud," Cox said with a nod.

After a moment of silence, Derek stood up and said, "I'm gonna go work out more," and walked out the door, as Bridget thought, " _Derek..."_ He walked to the gym in silence, and then returned to the punching bag. He kept sending punch after punch into the cushion, in silence, before thinking, " _I'll continue keeping my promise, Dad. And, I'll avenge your death...Yours, Mom's, and Zach and Bridget's parents too. I swear on your graves that Upton will pay for what he did."_
Chapter 10

Complacency

September 1st, 2033

Upton's Palace

Calming music could be heard around the light-blue colored room. Leningrad dove gracefully into a crystalline pool, wearing a black, one-piece swimsuit and then surfaced. She laid facing the ceiling, her back to the bottom. "This really is the life.." she thought, "Sure, there's some work, but I can basically do whatever I want. Have whatever I want. Much different then when I was a kid...still, I can't help but wonder if one day this'll actually catch up to us." After a pause, she returned to a normal position and began swimming to the other side. "I'm sure it'll work out. Nobody's successfully outed us in eight years, and even if we fought on even ground with some rebels, Regal Justice and I are more than strong enough."

She went over to a long chair, dried herself a bit, and then laid down on her stomach. "I don't understand why you're even wearing a flashy swimsuit like that when nobody is around to see it," Charles asked, laying on his back on a chair next to hers.

"I don't ask you why you do a bunch of nonsensical stuff, do I?" Leningrad replied, although she thought to herself, "Why did I even get this swimsuit? Because it looks high class?"

"What? Is this revolutionary Poolside Tanning room that you're using nonsensical?" Upton asked in a smug manner.

"Well... the atmosphere is nice, but it'd be better if you were innovative in legitimately important areas," Leningrad replied.

"Are you telling me tanning isn't important to you?" Upton asked. Leningrad gave Upton a confused look and said, "You do realize that we're both pretty pasty, right? If you turned the intensity up on the lights, we'd look like tomatoes."

Upton sighed and dramatically put his hand over his face, saying, "Alas, fate is cruel. But a man can dream, can't he?"

As Leningrad chuckled and shook her head, a short, young woman who DID have a tan walked into the room. She was wearing an odd, cylindrical dress and had orange eyes and hair. "Mr. Upton, may I have a minute?" she said in an oddly monotone voice.

"Well...since I'm already sitting up..." Upton replied. The woman looked pissed off for but a split-second, but this went unnoticed and she returned to a robotic state.

"I wanted to inform you that we have now filled the vacant Southwest Section Commander position," she said.

"Ok, good job, Shelly," Upton said and laid back down.

"You have no questions about who it is?" Shelly asked.

"Nah, I'm not worried," Upton replied. Shelly half-rolled her eyes and was about to leave the room when Upton suddenly sat up and said, "Wait, Shelly!"

She turned around optimistically and asked, "Yes, Mr. Upton?"

"Can you turn up the air a little in my room? It's cold," Upton said.

Shelly sighed and said, "Yes, Mr. Upton," before leaving the room.

Leningrad sat up and said, "I don't think you're taking this seriously enough, Charles. The region as a whole has had an insurgence of rebellions lately."

"I have no reason to be worried, Leningrad. We've held most of North America for eight years with few problems. Sometimes the people get antsy; it'll settle down soon," Upton said.

"Maybe..." Leningrad said, "By the way, do we really need Shelly at our base?"

"Well...she provides additional combat support...and she regulates the temperature here with her Orb powers," Upton said.

Leningrad raised an eyebrow and asked, "Do we at least have a normal thermostat system as backup?"

Upton made an awkward face, and after a short pause, he said, "Charles Upton's plans and ideas are so foolproof...backups aren't needed."

Leningrad stared at him in disbelief, and then shook her head, walked towards the exit with towel in hand and said, "I think I'll do a little temperature managing of my own." She then pulled the fire alarm and left the room. The tanning lights turned off, and the sprinklers came on. A few seconds later, an emergency fire crew came in with a hose and sprayed fire extinguisher foam all over the room.

"Mr. Upton, are you there? Are you okay?" one of the crew asked.

Upton, popped out of the foam and said "Yea, yea, I'm good." He sighed, but then gathered some foam, put it on his cheeks, and smiled. "I can't get a nice tan, but at least I have a sweet beard."
Chapter 11

The Underground Tram

September 13th, 2033

Derek, Zach, and Bridget stood before Cox and Jane. "Well done, kids. You've completed your preliminary training," said Cox, "Now, you're ready for some 'fieldwork'. Still, don't get overconfident. Upton's world is an unpredictable place, and some Orbs are stranger than anything you can imagine. Be careful." Despite the warning, the three couldn't help appearing excited, which in turn led Cox to sigh and smile, before saying, "I have some business to take care of. See you all later, and good luck on your first mission." He then walked out of Jane's house.

"Alright; follow me, guys," said Jane. The three of them followed her back to her own office. She grabbed a black remote and pressed a red button in the center, turning on a computer screen. "This will be your first mission," said Jane, "You are to take down the Uptonwest Southwest Section Commander, codename Squeaker. He possesses the Balloon Orb; he can 'inflate' his body in weird ways. We're fairly certain it's Level 1." The screen displayed the head and torso of a man in his 30's. He had short black hair, and an unusually large head.

"Wait a second, didn't we already take down the Southwest Section Commander?" asked Zach.

"Yea, that was Saguaro, right?" added Derek.

"To Upton, Section Commander is a somewhat miniscule position," replied Jane, "He just replaces them like they're nothing."

"So then, what's the point in taking them down?" asked Derek, disappointed.

"If our rebel force makes enough noise, Upton might send the United States Division Commander after us," replied Jane," if we take that person down, it would be a pretty large blow to Upton."

"But... couldn't Upton just replace that person as well?" inquired Bridget. Jane sighed.

"Yes, although it would take longer, Upton can replace Division Commanders as well. Still, it's all we can do. We just have to keep slowly creating chaos until maybe, Upton will send someone even higher up; higher than even the Division Commander, or we discover the location of Upton's base. Regardless, our objective is to fight against Upton and his influence. That's what we all came to do, right?" and she smiled.

"True, true," said Derek, nodding. Zach and Bridget nodded in agreement.

"I should ask though; are you all fine with your current outfits?" Jane said.

"What do you mean?" Zach asked. "Like, are you three comfortable in those clothes? You'll be fighting soldiers and such," she replied.

"Do you think we need some sort of protective armor?" Zach asked. "No, I think your Orbs will protect you just fine," Jane replied, "I just want to check if you three can move around and use your powers to the best of your abilities in your respective outfits."

"Well, I'm most comfortable in this kind of outfit," Derek said, wearing a T-shirt and sporty shorts.

"So am I," Bridget said, wearing a V-neck shirt with workout pants.

"Yep, I'm good as is," Zach said, in a plaid shirt and jeans.

Jane said, "As long as you feel good with what you're wearing, everything is a-ok. I mean, I haven't been out in the field in a long time, but I'd wear this." The three looked a little confused, as she was wearing a long-sleeve dress that touched the floor and revealed cleavage. "What's with those looks?" Jane asked.

"Nothing, please continue on about the mission," Zach said, quickly fixing his expression.

"Alright, then, time to discuss transportation," Jane said, and she clicked the remote again. This time it showed a diagram of what looked like a normal train. "You guys will be taking the Underground Tram," said Jane, "Using rare technology, along with some Orb users and people skilled in mechanics, a transportation system has been set up that most of the rebels around the world use."

"But how would a tram cross an ocean, underwater?" asked Bridget.

"The trams are pretty thick and advanced, so they're waterproof, and can handle the water pressure," replied Jane, "There have also been tunnels built to reduce water resistance."

"But is tram really the most efficient way to travel?" asked Zach.

"Well, normally, you'd be right," replied Jane, "However, these trams have been improved in more ways than just thickness." Near the back of the diagram, a square formed around what appeared to be a propulsion system, and enlarged it. "This, kids, is one of the greatest advancements to transportation of all time," declared Jane, "It's called, The Atom Booster. It's a rocket system that uses atoms in the air as a source of energy."

"But how would it be able to keep getting energy? Wouldn't it run out at some point?" asked Derek.

Zach sighed and said, "Man, didn't you even pay attention in science class?"

"Nope," Derek responded matter-of-factly.

"Of course not..." Zach said, "Anyways, if you had paid attention, you would remember that matter can never be created or destroyed; it just breaks down into smaller parts. But, atoms are the smallest scientifically proven particles that exist."

"Oh, I get it!" said Derek, "The atoms would just break down into whatever is "smaller atoms", but could still be reused as energy again."

"Exactly!" said Jane, "It's an endless supply of energy that can be used to take someone anywhere, at high speeds. The only downside is, it takes a long time to slow down, because there are no brakes strong enough to stop it quickly."

"But couldn't someone just put rockets at the front of the train facing in the opposite direction or something?" inquired Derek.

"And how come this technology can't be used to solve the energy crisis?" asked Bridget.

"The answer, I'm afraid, is the same to both your questions," replied Jane, "A group of scientists created the Atom Booster about 7 years ago. Despite how simple we just made the science sound, to actually harness atoms in such a way is a miracle. The scientists, being opposed to Upton's nonsensical regime, allowed us Rebels to use the technology for the trams. However, not long after the research was published, the scientists were killed off, and the blueprints were stolen. No one knows who killed them, but it's safe to assume Upton was involved. Either way, since then, nobody has been able to replicate what they did. The world was only left with the Atom Boosters they had already produced."

"Sounds like something Upton would do alright..." Zach said.

"Well, the good news of this story is that Upton cannot reclaim the trams, even if he found them," continued Jane, "This is because of one man: Pete 'Steel Roller' Grabowski, a prominent rebel force leader in Pittsburgh. Not only did he play a big part in setting up and mapping the 48 existing rebel trams, he also provided all of the track and bolts for the project using his Steel Orb. As for why Upton can't mess with the trams...Grabowski had one more Orb: The Immovable Object Orb."

"Well, the Steel Orb is self-explanatory, but what's the Immovable Object Orb?" asked Derek.

"It gave him the power to keep any non-living object frozen in time and place for as long as he desired, so long as the object is not currently in contact with a living being," replied Jane, "This also made it so that the track would keep the train in place no matter the speed."

"So, where is this guy now?" asked Derek.

Jane's expression turned solemn, and she replied, "He discovered Upton's base a couple years ago and went alone with his troops there. He never was seen again, but we assume that he died." Everyone was silent for a second, but then Jane cheered up and said, "Well, that's in the past. You guys should go out there and change the future!" She shut off the computer, and said, "Alright kids, time to head out. Follow me to the tram station."

"Wait, how far away is the station from here?" "Well, our rebel group is relatively influential in the U.S.," replied Jane, "So, some of the trams actually stops within our headquarters. It's just a short walk away." Derek nodded approvingly.

Once the four of them reached the station, Jane said, "The tram will be here any minute now. It'll take you to Albuquerque; it's about a 30 minute ride." Derek, Zach, and Bridget looked at each other in amazement. "You are to locate Squeaker's base, incapacitate him, and bring him back here. Here, this should make it easier." She handed a pair of white handcuffs and key to Zach. "These are the same kind that Upton's officers use. They'll help you keep Squeaker from pulling anything on the way back here," she said.

Just then, the tram rolled up, the doors opened, and an automated voice said, " **Next stop: Albuquerque**." "Alright, good luck out there. I know you guys can do it," said Jane, and then she suddenly pulled the three of them at once and hugged them.

After a few seconds, Derek said sheepishly, "Ah geez, this feels kind of embarrassing..."

Jane then pulled away. "Ah... sorry about that," she said emotionally, "Somehow, I feel like I'm watching my kids go to school for the first time." Zach came closer to her, put his arm on her shoulder, and said, "Don't worry Jane, we'll come back safe."

Jane looked up at Zach, and then at Bridget and Derek, who nodded. She then rubbed her eyes and said, "Yea, you got this." As they stepped onto the train, Derek gave her a thumbs up and grinned. Jane waved to them as the door closed, and then they were off, heading east.

"It's weird," said Derek, "I don't feel like we're going like 600 miles per hour."

"Yea, but look out the window," replied Bridget, pointing in the direction of a window with an airplane-like cover over it. Derek lifted it up, and shut it immediately.

"I...saw...a blur..." he replied, falling over, dizzy, and Bridget gasped.

Zach looked somewhat confused, and said, "Didn't you guys read the sign out in the station? It said to not look out the windows when going at high speeds, or it'll cause dizziness and nausea.

"I'm really sorry Derek, are you alright?" asked Bridget in a worried tone while kneeling down to his level.

"Ya...I'm just spinning... and spinning..." said Derek in a dizzied tone.

"They have high speed cameras on the train that let you see what's going on outside," said Zach, "You don't have to look out the window anyways."

"Could ya give...a guy a...warning next time?" asked Derek, and then he lost consciousness.

Bridget shrieked, and said, "Oh god, oh god, I killed him, I killed him..."

"Uh, Bridget, I think he just needed a rest..." replied Zach slowly, "Look, he's breathing fine."

### Bridget stopped acting panicky and said, "Oh." She then stood up slowly and leaned on a wall, facing away from Zach, blushing.

"Bridget's acting a bit weird," Zach thought.

Five minutes later, Derek woke up. "Derek!" Bridget exclaimed, and she hugged him.

Derek looked at her with a confused expression and said, "Who are you?"

Bridget gasped and said, "I gave him amnesia, and now he doesn't remember me..."

Then, he burst out laughing and said, "I'm just messing with you Bridget; I'm fine."

Bridget gave him an annoyed look, "Not funny, Derek..." and she turned away from him.

"What? It was just a joke," replied Derek, but Bridget "hmphed", and walked away from him.

" _Could it be...Bridget likes Derek?"_ Zach thought, but then shook his head and snickered to himself, " _Even if she does, Derek's too oblivious to notice."_ He then sighed and thought, " _Well, I don't think I should prod either of them...yet..."_
Chapter 12

An Inflated Ego

The tram, which had been slowing down without breaking for the last few minutes, finally started breaking, and then slowed to a halt at the station. Derek, Zach, and Bridget stepped off the tram, and stood in awe. The station was literally nothing but a place for a tram to stop. Surrounding them was hot, windy desert. "This is Albuquerque?" Derek said in disbelief.

"Well, it is a secret, rebel tram..." Zach said. Just then, the automated voice coming from the tram said, " _Next stop: Phoenix, Arizona_."

"I guess this tram is waiting for us, then?" asked Derek.

"It's a notably generous tram..." Zach said, to which Derek gave him a slightly annoyed look. Zach chuckled, and then looked to the east and saw a city in the distance. "I believe that's our destination," he said, pointing to it.

The three of them trekked through the summer heat, eventually reaching the city limits. However, the city's true appearance became clear from close up. Most of the buildings were only a few stories tall, or were tipped over. Many of them had broken windows. Sand covered the streets, making it difficult to make out the black asphalt. The city itself was abandoned, except for a few people living in poverty. " _Well, this is a perfect example of Upton's disregard_ ," thought Bridget.

"Wait, guys, look at that building," said Derek, pointing to a shiny, white building. It towered over all of the other buildings in the city.

"If that's not the Section Commander's base, I don't know what is," said Zach.

"Alright!" exclaimed Derek, cracking his knuckles, "Let's do this!"

The trio approached the door, and then Bridget put her palms out and declared, "Knockback Force!". The front doors flew off the hinges and stopped in front of two shocked Militia members. Derek fired off two Spirit Fists, which knocked the Militia back against a wall, unconscious. The three ran through the office-looking compound, knocking out various Militia with ease, until they reached a door labeled, "Commander Squeaker,".

"Alright, guys, be prepared. I bet this guy is pretty tough," Zach warned. Bridget and Derek nodded in agreement. Then, Zach declared, "Arms Master," and then punched the door, knocking it right into the face of an unsuspecting guy. "Where's the Section Commander?" demanded Zach.

Derek scoped the room and said, "I don't see anyone else besides this idiot we hit with the door."

"Ugh...who are you calling an idiot?" said an extremely high-pitched voice. Derek, Zach, and Bridget looked in the direction of the man they hit in the face. He stood up, and then said, "And who the hell do you think you are, bursting into my office like that?"

"Uh...are you Section Commander Squeaker?" asked Zach.

"Yea, and you three kids are about to be in some serious trouble." Derek, Zach, and Bridget looked at each other, and then burst out laughing. "What's so funny?" asked Squeaker angrily.

"Y-your voice," said Derek, still laughing.

Squeaker became furious, and his head began expanding. "You'll pay for mocking me!" he declared, and he pushed a button, opening the ceiling of his office. He then floated up out of the building as his head continued expanding.

The three of them stopped laughing when they saw this, and Derek said, "What did I just see?"

"Whatever it is, we have to follow him!" said Zach. The three of them ran out of the building and followed Squeaker, who was floating a couple stories above the ground.

Eventually, his head started condensing, until he finally floated down to a spacious area with few buildings around it. Derek, Zach, and Bridget caught up a few seconds later. "I'll have you three arrested!" Squeaker declared, and he pulled his arm back, as if he was going to punch.

"What are you gonna do, make us laugh until our stomachs hurt?" asked Zach, then he turned to Derek and Bridget and said, "You guys sit back, I'll knocked this guy out in one punch."

Zach ran at him, and when he was a few meters away, Squeaker started moving his fist towards Zach and said, "Balloon Muscle." Suddenly, his fist expanded to double the size of Zach within a meter of him.

"Ah sh-," started Zach, but the fist hit him like an airbag, sending him flying back, where he landed in front of Derek and Bridget.

"Zach, are you alright?" asked Derek.

"Yea, I'm...ugh," replied Zach as Derek and Bridget pulled him up. He clutched his arm, then his chest, and then checked his nose for bone breakage. "It's like...I was punched hard with a separate fist at every point on the front of my body."

Squeaker laughed in a high-pitched tone, and then declared, "With my Helium Orb, I can pump myself with power, like a balloon!"

"Uh, I don't think balloons are pumped with power..." Bridget pointed out. "Shut up!" Squeaker replied, then he pumped up his fists to twice their normal size, and jumped at high speeds towards the three of them. Derek, Bridget, and Zach all dodged in different directions.

"That's right!" realized Bridget, "He has the Bunny Hop Orb as well. Watch out for his speed!" Bridget flew up in the air to avoid Squeaker, and Zach used Lightning Legs to outrun his attacks. However, he did not chase either of them. Squeaker became locked in a battle of Bunny Hops and blows with Derek. "It's a good thing I copied Saguaro's powers, otherwise this would be way harder," Derek thought. He continued to trade and block blows with Squeaker. "Still, I'm not really damaging him, while he's wittling me down. His inflation enhancement is strong...wait a second..."

Derek broke off from Squeaker for an instant and put Spine Claws on his knuckles, while Squeaker lept right at him with momentum. Rather than dodge or block the blow, Derek thrusted the claws into Squeaker's fists. "Ow!!!" yelled Squeaker. Derek then pulled his claws out, leaving four holes in Squeaker's hand, which began letting out blue air until it shrunk below normal size, into a flat, wrinkle.

"Of course...if something's inflated, it can also be popped...I guess," Derek throught.

"Hey, what was that for?!" exclaimed Squeaker, "This takes a while to get back to normal!" Derek shrugged, and Squeaker became even angrier, and said, "Balloon Giant!" His entire body (minus his right hand) expanded, and expanded, until he was about 15 feet tall. "Hahaha!" boomed Squeaker in a now low-pitched voice, "My entire body is now pure, inflatable muscle!" Derek shook his head and said,

"That still doesn't make sense to me," and then he shot one cactus spine into Squeaker's gut area. His torso popped loudly as all the helium came out immediately this time, and Squeaker screamed as he fell to the ground, unable to stay up due to his still enlarged extremities. He flopped around on the ground, trying to get up, but to no avail.

"God damn it!!!" he yelled in anger, lying helplessly.

Derek walked up to him and said, "And I used to think MY powers were bad..." which caused Squeaker to growl angrily. Derek pulled out the white handcuffs and linked Squeaker's arms. Suddenly, his body began retaking a normal shape, and about a minute later, he looked like a normal guy. "So, that's the true power of these handcuffs, huh?" Derek said to himself. Zach and Bridget walked to where Derek was. "Nice job, man," said Zach with a grin.

"Good work," said Bridget, smiling.

"Aw, thanks guys," said Derek, grabbing Squeaker and pulling him up, "Let's take this idiot back to base." Zach and Bridget nodded in agreement, and the three of them, with Squeaker, who was out of energy and in custody, trekked back to the tram station, where the tram was waiting for them.

Once the tram got to its highest speed, Derek said, "There's one thing I don't understand about Squeaker's powers. Why did his fist shrink slowly when I hit it, but his torso just popped in an instant?"

"I'm no expert but...I would guess it's because he had to exert more power. That made him more unstable," replied Bridget.

"I suppose that applies to all of us then," added Zach, "Today was easy, but some battles might not be. We have to be careful how much we use our power."

"Yea," said Derek, looking out the window in thought. He then fell over again. Zach face palmed himself, and said, "Do you have short term memory loss or something?"

"I forgot...to close...the window..." Derek replied dizzily. "Derek? Derek!?" asked Bridget as she knelt to his level again. He gave a thumbs up, smiled, and then fell unconscious.

"He is something else..." said Zach, shrugging.
Chapter 13

Rain, Rust, and Rescue

September 20th, 2033

"We have a problem," Jane said. The three friends were sitting in her office, getting briefed on the next mission. "Some of our forces went up to Bremerton in search of information about the Northwest Section Commander, Codename: Trapper." She then showed a picture of a burly-looking man with a thick beard in his 40's.

"Where? Never heard of Brenerten," Derek said.

"It's Bremerton," Zach corrected.

"I can't blame you for not knowing about it," Jane said, "It's a pretty obscure town an hour or so away from Seattle...Nevertheless, we lost contact with our troops. I don't want to assume the worst, but there isn't much known about that area, except that it's filled with brown forest and broken-down buildings. We were hoping the forces could obtain some information about his base, or number of troops, or even his Orb powers, but...you know the rest."

"And you want us to go up there?" Zach asked, somewhat rhetorically.

"Yes, because even though you're relatively new, you three have some of the strongest orbs in our rebel force," Jane replied. "On top of that, we are a bit spread thin at the moment. Plus, I figure a smaller group is less likely to draw attention."

"Are the three of us enough, though?" asked Bridget.

"I can't say for certain, but worry not!" Jane said, before standing up and exclaiming, "I'll be going with you!"

The three friends looked at each other, then Derek asked, "Why are you so excited about this?"

"Well, I haven't been out in the field in a while," Jane replied, "Lewis wants me to stay here and be the citizens' leader most of the time. I usually don't have a problem with this arrangement, especially since when he tries to interact with our citizens, he can come off as....intimidating," Derek snickered at this, "But even I gotta let loose every once in a while, you know?" she continued.

"Well, whatever the reason, we're glad to have you come with us," Zach said, to which Derek and Bridget nodded.

Jane smiled and said, "I appreciate hearing that." She then cleared her throat and said, "We will be taking the Underground Tram to Seattle, which is about an hour ride, then head west by sailboat to Bremerton, which will take about 30 minutes, using Bridget's Orb power. Hopefully, we aren't too late,"

She then went into her bedroom, and came out after a couple minutes, holding a small, purple pouch. "What's that?" asked Zach.

"In case we're there overnight, I'm bringing this pouch of supplies," Jane replied.

The three friends looked at each other in a confused manner.

"Oh, sorry for not explaining!" Jane said, laughing, "I used my Orb powers to shrink a bunch of supplies into this pouch."

"But what about a change of clothes?" Bridget inquired.

"Conveniently for us, one of our members owns the Clothing Production Orb. She created copies of your clothes, so there's a couple days worth in here," Jane replied.

"Even underwear???" Derek asked, slightly surprised.

"Well, she just scans what a person is wearing and then creates copies later in her house. Do you consider what you wear to be that controversial?" Jane asked playfully.

Derek quickly shook his head as Zach and Bridget laughed a bit.

"Alright, let's go!" Jane said. The four of them walked to the station, then got on a tram reading, "Next Stop: Seattle." Jane said, "This tram actually runs through Las Vegas and a couple other stops, but it only goes wherever is inputted." They stepped on the tram, and a few minutes later, it was off.

"So, you mentioned you had children before," said Bridget, somewhat cautiously, "May I ask where they are?" Jane sighed in a depressed manner. Bridget's face turned fearful.

"Oh, no sweetie, they're not dead," Jane replied. Bridget sighed with relief. "I just feel a bit sad remembering them because they went to work for Upton 2 years ago."

The three friends turned to Jane, shocked.

"They were good girls too, but somewhat rebellious. I did raise them both by myself, but I still feel like I could have done more as a parent to prevent them from joining that fool Upton..." Jane seemed a little down at this point.

Zach put her hand on Jane's shoulder. "I'm sure you did all you could for them. Even now, I'm sure they're still good people. They may just be a bit confused with what they want in life," Zach said, smiling assuredly.

"Yea, don't beat yourself up over it," Derek added, as Bridget nodded affirmatively.

Jane smiled and said, "Thanks kids, I appreciate that."

The tram continued on until it reached Seattle. As the group stepped off, Jane reached into her pouch and pulled out 4 umbrellas, as it was pouring outside.

The group observed the city on the way to the river. Every building was heavily covered in rust, and there were sections that were a meter deep in water. Irreparable cars filled the sidewalks, and the areas that weren't deep in water were littered with empty coffee cups. " _This used to be a place of innovation and progress, but now, ironically, everything looks old and worn-out_ ," Zach reflected.

Eventually, a strong wind started to pick up, and Bridget and Derek were having problems holding onto their umbrellas. "I'll handle this!" Bridget had to yell so the others could hear her, "Storm Shield!." Suddenly, a bubble of air surrounded the group, and the noise died down. Rain flowed down the bubble, as if it was glass.

"Whoa...nice job, Bridget!" Derek said.

"Will you be able to maintain this for long?" Zach asked.

"This isn't too straining, so I can keep this up for hours," Bridget replied. Everyone gave their umbrellas back to Jane, and after a bit more walking, they reached the dock.

A somewhat rusty sailboat, about 20 meters in length, was waiting, chained to the dock. "Zach, would you break this chain for us?" Jane asked.

Zach nodded, and stepped towards the chain. He cracked his fingers, even though this was purely aesthetic, and said, "Arms Master." He easily chopped the chain in half, and then the group quickly got on. In spite of the rough waters surrounding the sailboat, the ride was quite smooth due to Bridget's Storm Shield.

Once the dock was reached, Jane declared, "Halt!" and suddenly a purple anchor attached itself to the boat and the dock. "Damn, that's convenient," Derek said, "Did you shape the anchor in your head?"

Jane laughed and said, "Well, I can decide how my spells take shape, but if I don't, my Orb does what it likes. In this case, it chose an anchor, which is appropriate, considering it's attached to a boat."

"Wait, how can an object make a decision?" Zach asked.

Jane thought for a second, then replied, "I don't know much about what Orbs actually are, other than their power-giving properties. However, they don't seem to be inanimate. I guess my advice there is to use your powers in a responsible manner, or your Orb may get upset and not cooperate." Derek thought of his own faceless Orb jumping up and down, steaming from anger, and snickered to himself. "I am hopeful though," she continued, "that treating one's Orb with respect will lead to progress in one's powers. Now then, let's move out!"

The group quietly moved inland, into a large forest. The canopy of 30-meter trees and long vines overshadowed remnants of buildings, and there was a slight mist in the air.

"Hey, don't these trees seem unnaturally tall?" Bridget inquired. "Like, how could a tree grow this much in such a polluted environment?" As the rest of the group thought about this, a large net came up from under them and lifted them a couple meters into the air.

"Ahh!" the group screamed.

"What the hell is this?!" Zach yelled. Out of seemingly nowhere, a group of men pointing laser-anointed rifles appeared, and shortly after, B.G. Trapper stepped in front of the captured group.

"Well, well, well...look what we got here," he said calmly, "If it ain't the kids who took out Saguaro and Squeaker."

"Hey, I'm not a kid!..." Derek started yelling.

"Shut up, or we'll shoot!" one of the men shouted. Derek went silent immediately. "I could kill you guys right here and get promoted, but what fun would that be?" Trapper said, smiling in an evil manner, "Tell you what? I'll give you a choice. Die here and now, or play a survival game with my men, and have a tiny chance at living. You win, and I'll return your idiot forces who thought they could step into my domain, although you four aren't much smarter," and he laughed. One of the men pulled out a device showing a live-feed of rebel forces tied up and gagged. "You may speak now!" another man said.

At this time, a voice appeared in Derek, Zach, and Bridget's heads. "Don't look this way, it's me, Jane." Derek almost looked over, but resisted "I've put a protective, invisible shield over us, so if they shoot we won't be hurt. I could get us out of here too, but I feel it's in our best interest to play this game; it's our best chance to locate the missing forces."

"Alright, we'll play your game," Jane said.

"Not 'we,' Trapper replied, "Just the three young ones. I have no interest in a worthless old lady."

Jane's normally calm eyes suddenly looked enraged, and her hair started rising. "Worthless? OLD????" she said with escalating tone. Trapper stepped back, a bit frightened. "Remember the plan, Jane..." Zach thought calmly to Jane. Jane looked over at Zach, then took a deep breath and calmed down. "Excuse me, I don't know what came over me," Jane said with a thinly veiled, angry smile.

"That's a bit scary..." Derek, Zach, and Bridget thought to themselves.

Trapper cleared his throat, then said, "You stay with a group of my men. I'll give the kids one hour to look around for your precious troops, then my men and I will go hunt them down. If you try to interfere, woman, we'll shoot you where you stand. Am I clear?"

"Yes, of course sir," Jane said, still smiling menacingly.

" _I kind of WANT to leave the area now_ ," Derek, Zach, and Bridget thought to themselves.

The net then released the group. One of Trapper's men started counting down, "3...2...1..."

"Lighting Legs," Zach declared. Bridget levitated up in preparation. Derek prepared his Bunny Hopping.

"Go!" the man yelled. The three friends went off in the same direction, although after a few seconds, Zach said, "We should split up; we'll be more likely to find the missing forces that way."

"But isn't this what Trapper wants us to do?" Bridget asked.

"Well, you're right. But are we really gonna lose to this fake macho man and his clowns?" Zach replied.

"No way in hell," Derek replied.

"Alright, let's split in 3...2...1..." Zach said. After one more second, they split into triangular directions from one another.
Chapter 14

The Hunter, and The Hunted

"Alright, let the hunt begin!" Trapper shouted after an hour of waiting. His men shouted excitedly in response and ran off in different directions, except for two. "You two, make sure this woman doesn't go anywhere," Trapper said. "Yes, sir," the men replied. He then ran off.

After a few minutes had passed, Jane started walking in the opposite direction that Trapper took off to. "Hey, where do you think you're going?!" one of the men shouted, pointing the gun in her direction.

Jane turned around and said, "You two may want to inspect those things; they seem a little faulty." Suddenly, the men's guns floated up, turned around, and shot at their dominant arms.

"Ahhhhh!" "Damn that hurts!" screamed the men, as they clutched where the rubber bullets hit.

Jane sighed and said, "Really? You're hunters and you don't even have real bullets? Well, at least now I can do _this_ without feeling guilty." The guns, which had fallen to the ground, rose back up, and shot at the men's heads. Both fell to the ground, knocked out simultaneously. "Now, time to find the missing troops," she said to herself, and ran off.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zach used his Lightning Legs to quickly look around the southern section of Bremerton. "The troops don't seem to be in this area," he thought, and as this happened the ground underneath him collapsed. Beneath him lay old wooden stakes " _Holy crap_!" he thought to himself. "Arms Master!" he shouted, and as he was falling he quickly adjusted his body so that his hand grabbed near the top of one of the stakes, and he stopped himself with the rest of his body till in the air. He then pushed himself out using the force of his arms and flew back out of the pit. "Phew..." he said, "This has to be the power of the Trap Orb. This area doesn't seem too littered with traps, but I worry for Derek and Bridget..." As he said this, a few rubber bullets flew past him. "I see the clowns have arrived..." he said and then he shouted, "Full Bulk!" The men continued to fire, but Zac ran towards them at a high speed, undeterred.

"Who is this guy? Iron Man?" one of the men shouted. That man then got rammed into by Zach, and flew into a nearby tree, passing out.

"Nah, I can't fly," Zach retorted sarcastically.

He easily took out the remaining three men, then thought, "Bridget has the northern section, and Derek has the eastern section. I better go check out the western section." He then sprinted off westwards.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

" _Geez, not again_..." Bridget thought to herself as she barely avoided another trap. Moments earlier, the ground beneath her collapsed, revealing long spikes. Before that, she had to repel away one hundred poison darts, triggered by her accidentally stepping on a switch. " _It's times like these I wish I had better spatial awareness.._ " As this happened, she stepped on another switch which triggered a flamethrower. "Wind Wall!" she exclaimed at the last second, and the fire was blocked off. Bridget sighed in relief and thought, " _That's it, I'm floating until we leave_."

She searched the area, but was unable to find the troops. " _They must be in one of the other sections_ ," Bridget thought. Out of nowhere, rubber bullets flew past her. She looked over to see five armed men running at her, firing off bullets. " _How did the 'hunters' miss me when I'm standing still_?" she thought. She shrugged, and shouted, "House Tornado!" moving her hands in circular motions for a few seconds. After a short delay, a tornado, about the size of a house, swept the men up. "Whatttttttt theeeeee helllll isssss thissssssss?!" they yelled. Eventually the tornado died down and the men fell to the ground, unconscious. After confirming the men were out cold, she flew west.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Derek had looked around the entire eastern section, but found no troops. He did, however, find five men with guns. "You guys do look a bit scary, " Derek said, "But you're no match for my new technique! Mimic's Combo: Jumping Cactus!" He then started jumping around in different directions firing cactus spines. The men fired in vain at Derek, who continued to land projectiles while skilfully dodging. After a minute or so of this, the five men lay on the ground, unconscious. "That wasn't too bad..." Derek thought, but at that moment a sixth man came flying out of the tree.

"Got ya now!" he yelled, but he fell through a mirage clone. "Huh, where'd he go?" the man wondered. He then turned around to get a Spirit Fist to the face. He flew towards the tree and fell unconscious.

"I guess they were more 'bark' than bite!" Derek said, laughing at his own dumb pun.

"That wasn't funny, kid." Derek turned westwards, and saw the source: Trapper.

"Hey...it was clever..." Derek replied sheepishly.

"It doesn't matter. When I'm through with you, you won't even be able to move your mouth!" Trapper declared. He charged at Derek and threw a punch at his face. Derek stepped back out of range, but stepped on a trap. Knives shot out of a nearby tree.

"Crap!" Derek shouted, as he tried to get out of the way, but a few knives cut his body. He clutched at his body, but Trapper did not give him room to breathe.

"Take this!" Trapper shouted and fired a bola which tied up Derek's legs. He then received a solid punch from Trapper in the mouth, and flew back a few meters while crying out in pain.

"Those commanders you beat down south were chumps. I've been around for a year. How is a newbie like you going to beat me?" Trapper said, laughing at Derek. "Well, I'm not done yet," Derek replied, smiling, although he was in a lot of pain. He used spines to cut the bola, and charged at Trapper.

"Please, like that'll work," Trapper scoffed, "Dart Trap!" A large button appeared at a spot that Derek stepped on, causing fast darts to fly towards him from two sides. He barely dodged upwards, saying, "I thought traps needed set up time!?"

"You stepped on the button, kid!" Trapper retorted.

"Fine then!" Derek exclaimed and took a large leap towards Trapper.

"Vintage Trap!" Trapper declared, and in mid-air, a rope appeared in front of Derek that he broke through. He landed, about to hit Trapper, but noticed a shadow under him, and looked up, before barely dodging a falling piano.

"What the hell is that shit!?" he said, as Trapper laughed.

"This is my game, kid. I make the rules."

"I'm sick of your game. If I can't leap above the traps, I'll just avoid them," Derek declared confidently, and charged at Trapper again.

"This time, there'll be nowhere left to dodge...Burglar's Trap!" A plethora of lasers suddenly appeared, covering a wide area surrounding Derek, who still had forward momentum.

"Oh noooooo," Derek shouted, and he ran through the lasers, being cut to pieces.

"I told you...this is MY game...you never stood a chance! Ahahahahaha! " Trapper laughed, until he noticed that Derek's body fizzled out, like a mirage... "Uh...what?"

Suddenly, Derek dropped down from a tree and latched on to Trapper. "What?!" Trapper exclaimed, unable to break free.

"I've had enough of your shitty game. Living Cactus!" Derek shouted, and suddenly, cactus spines covered his body and Trapper received a whole hug's worth of them. Trapper stood there, gaping for a few seconds, then fell over unconscious from the pain of hundreds of cactus spines.

"Phew...got him..." Derek thought, then sat down next to Trapper, worn out from the battle. As he was heavily breathing, Derek noticed the scenery. "This area really is nice...it still doesn't make much sense..." After a few more minutes, Derek, who had been staring off into space, got up and thought, "Well, gotta take this guy back to base, although I'm pretty tir.....huh?" As he lifted up Trapper, he noticed all his strength had returned. "Where did this energy come from?" He then looked at the knife wounds, and saw that they had been closed up, although they were glowing a little. Derek stood there for a moment, then shrugged. "I'm not one to question a good thing," he thought, then he picked up Trapper and began a trek back towards the starting location of the hunt.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jane, who took her time reaching the western section of Eastern Bremerton, was met by Zach and Bridget. "Good job getting free," Zach said.

"Good job surviving the 'hunt,' Jane said jokingly.

"I wonder where Derek is," Bridget said.

"I'm sure he's fine," replied Zach, "That guy is tougher than he looks."

"Heyyyy! Vice-Commander!!!" The three of them looked over and a short distance away, to their amazement, the missing forces were waving at them. The three ran towards the forces.

"I'm happy you guys are free, but I'm confused. How did you get out?" Jane asked.

"And...you're not malnourished?" asked Zach.

"I can explain that." From the same direction the troops came, a brown-bearded man with long hair appeared. He didn't look a day over 30, but his demeanor and aura were that of a calm wiseman. Jane raised her metaphorical eyebrow. " _This guy is really strong...possibly stronger than Lewis_ ," she thought to herself.

"My name is Paul Goodman. I possess the Nature Orb. I sensed a disturbance among some of the trees I planted here, so I came. I checked the roots to find the source, and in the process I found the location of your troops, and nourished them back to health. I also cleared this area of a few traps that were set up, for some reason."

"I'm Jane, and this is Zach and Bridget," she said, "Thank you very much for saving and nourishing my troops. How can I repay you?"

Goodman shook his head. "There is no need. I just happened to be in the area, and we're on the same side. I have a rebel force up in Vancouver."  
"Vancouver? How did you get here so fast?" Bridget asked.

"I travelled among the roots. I can turn myself into pure nature energy when need be," he replied.

"I see..." Bridget responded.

"Hey, would you be able to locate our friend, Derek?" Zach asked. "He's about my age, and should be to the east."

"Of course," Goodman replied, then he closed his eyes and focused for a moment. "I've found him, but he's hurt. I'll send him nourishment. He should be back to full health after about five minutes. There is also a bearded man in his mid 30's laying next to him, unconscious. Should I nourish him?"

"That must be Trapper!" Bridget exclaimed.

"Looks like Derek got all the action again," Zach said, chuckling to himself.

"Don't heal him," Jane replied, "He's the disturbance you're looking for."

"I see..." Goodman said, "Well it seems your friend has already dealt with it."

"If you are watching the trees in this area, why didn't you come here and defeat Trapper?" Zach asked.

"I planted those trees two years ago, and I send nourishment through the roots, so there is no need to visit this area. I detected people walking around, but I did not look too much into it. I apologize for that," Goodman replied.

"No, it's fine, but wow...you're sending energy a long distance daily." Zach said. "Anything to help out my forest friends," Paul replied, smiling.

"Well, we've got to go meet up with Derek," Jane said, "Do you want to confront Trapper?"

"No, that's okay," Goodman responded, "Your friend Derek has done enough. I must go back to my base, but I have a feeling we'll meet again..."

"Alright, thanks again. Good luck out there," Jane said, smiling. Paul waved, turned into nature energy, and vanished beneath the ground.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Derek arrived back at the boat with Trapper, and the rest of the group was there. "Hey guys!" he shouted, "I kicked this guy's ass without even taking a scratch!" "Man, this is gonna make me look awesome," he thought to himself.

Zach, Bridget, and Jane looked at each other, then bust out laughing.

"Hey...what's so funny?" Derek asked nervously.

"Dude, we all know you barely won. What are you trying to pull?" Zach replied, still chuckling.

"Uh...what are you talking about?" Derek said, "Look at him, and look at me? Were you there?"

"Welp, ya got me there," Zach replied, and he continued laughing and walked towards the boat.

"Get ready to set sail," Jane said while walking towards the boat, also still laughing.

"I should probably explain the situation to you..." Bridget said, giggling a little. And as she explained what had happened, Derek made a face of disbelief and sighed.

"Well, there goes my dignity," Derek said melodramatically.

"It was funny, but in all seriousness, good job Derek," Jane said, "You took a Section Commander down 1 versus 1 for the second time. That's nothing to sneeze at."

"Good job man," Zach said, patting him on the back, "But next time, I get to fight the Section Commander."

"Hey man, it's not like I wanted to fight him; it's a hassle fighting someone strong," Derek replied.

"So......you wouldn't want to fight me then?" Zach said playfully.

"Call me when you've beat two Section commanders," Derek replied, and Bridget and Jane laughed.

"Man, I'll beat your lying ass!" Zach shouted as he began chasing Derek around the boat.

Chapter 15

Calloused Strategy

September 21st, 2033

"In just one and a half months, we've lost two relatively long-standing U.S. Section Commanders and a third new one," Regal Justice said, "We have no idea where they are, but we need to get to the bottom of this; it's becoming a serious issue." Sitting in the War Room with Justice was Upton, who was falling asleep, Leningrad, Otome, and Shelly.

"So, what do you want me to do about it?" asked Shelly.

"I have reason to suspect that these dissapearances are related. Let Mr. Upton and Leningrad in on the information you have collected from your twin sister, Sherry," Justice replied.

Shelly turned to the two and said, "We gathered information from Trapper's men about the powers of the group that defeated them. It consisted of four people, two male and two female. The first man had body enhancing powers, while the other man had what was described as a... "grab bag of powers," whatever that means. The first woman had Wind-related powers. Sherry was unable to gather information on the powers of the other woman. All she could get was that she seemed older than the other three, and that she emitted a dangerous aura when agitated. Sherry also told me what Section Commander Squeaker's men told her, which was a similar description of powers. Unfortunately, none of them remembered much else about the suspects' respective appearances."

"Considering the first two commanders that vanished were of the Southwest Section, perhaps a rebel group from that region is the source." Justice concluded. "Start where the first dissappearance occurred: Phoenix, Arizona."

"Alright, I'll let Sherry know and we'll both head over. One question though. Do we have to do...the thing? I'd really rather not..." Shelly said.

Upton suddenly sat up in his chair and exclaimed, "Absolutely, you have to do it! It's your theme! If you don't do it, you're fired!"

"Well put, sir," Justice replied, to which Otome nodded while Leningrad and Shelly sighed.

"Sorry you have to put up with this dumbass..." Leningrad said, which garnered an annoyed look from Otome.

"Well...what can you do?" Shelly replied depressingly. "Alright, I'll head out." Shelly then left the room and headed for the HyperSpeed Tram.

"Appearance aside, what happens if they fail and get captured?" Leningrad asked.

"That won't happen. Even if they're defeated, those two have pretty strong escape mechanisms in their Orbs," Justice said.

"We'll replace them if we have to," Upton added with a shrug.

"Charles, it's pretty hard to find a good replacement for Division Commanders. We need them to actually pose a threat to other strong Orb users," Leningrad said.

"Are you saying strong Orb users aren't lining up for positions in my empire?" Upton asked, "I pay them way more than what they'd make anywhere else."

"While that is true, generally the type of people who sell out to support us...don't hold themselves to a very high moral standard," Leningrad said, "It's hard to find strong Orb users who will work for us and won't involve themselves in sketchy activities."

Upton sighed and said, "Look, this is a dog-eat-dog world. The powerful enforce their will upon the weak. That's just how it goes. It's none of my concern what the Commanders do with their power so long as they keep things in order. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to my room."

As he got up and left, the other members of the room were somewhat put off, but then Otome got up and quickly walked after him, yelling, "Wait, Mr. Upton...I did not review the..." Leningrad remained seated, in her own thoughts. Justice looked at her for a moment, sighed, and then left the room. " _Charles is right, this world is ruthless...but I can't shake this feeling of guilt creeping up on me..."_ Leningrad thought, and then she shook her head and left the room.

Chapter 16

Taken

September 22nd, 2033

Derek, Zach, Bridget, and Jane were walking back home from daily training. "Man, you got some lucky hits in, that's why you won!" Derek said.

Zach laughed and said, "I fail to see how luck was involved."

"I...uh...mimicked the Banana Peel Orb on accident! Yea, that's it!" Derek replied.

"Come on, we all know you no longer have that Orb in your...collection? Is that what you call it?" Zach asked.

"I prefer the term 'bank'," Derek said.

"Oh, interesting..." Zach said nodding, but then quickly shook his head and saying, "Forget that! You lost to me 1 on 1, end of story!"

"Well...uhh..." and Derek thought for a moment, and then said, "I'm feeling a bit off today. Fight me another time, and the result'll be different."

Zach groaned and said, "Whatever you say, buddy."

"I think you two should focus less on each other and more on defeating Bridget," Jane said. The two boys both remembered their training fights versus Bridget and cringed.

"I...suppose you're right, Jane," Zach said.

"But, Bridget's Orb is so powerful compared to mine!" Derek said.

Jane shook her head and said, "Derek, since your Orb isn't Level 1, I can say this with great certainty: The power of your Orb is dependent on your own prowess. And while I acknowledge your specific Orb is unusual, if you trained as hard as Zach and Bridget do, you'd be as strong as them, or close enough to take some wins off of them in sparring."

"But it's a hassle..." Derek whined.

Jane sighed and said, "Bridget, do you have anything to say on this?"

Bridget, who had somewhat spaced out, said, "Huh...uh, no, I don't have anything to sa-," at that point, Jane bumped Bridget's arm with her elbow, which caused Bridget to look at Jane weirdly for a second, and then she sighed and said, "Derek, Jane's right. I'm only as strong as I am because I put the effort in."

Derek murmured to himself and then said, "Ok, you guys are right...from now on, I'm gonna walk the walk, not just talk the talk."

"Great! So you're going to double your training regimen now, right?" Jane asked.

"Whooaaaa, baby steps; I'm not looking to die anytime soon," Derek said, and the group laughed.

Once Jane reached her house, she said, "I'm making dinner tonight if you'd all like to come." The group agreed to come, and then Jane said, "Alright, come by in an hour. It should be ready by then.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Man, that was good," Derek said, rubbing his stuffed stomach. The four plus Mr. Cox had just finished eating.

"Thanks for the food," Zach said.

"It was delicious," Bridget said.

"I'm glad you all enjoyed it!" Jane said happily, and started cleaning up.

"And I'm glad to hear that training is going well," Cox said to the three. "Definitely, we'll be strong enough to take on Continent Commanders in no time!" Derek said confidently.

"Start with defeating a Division Commander first, Derek," Cox replied, "Continent Commanders are a bit lofty for you right now." Derek thought about what had happened during and post-training and simply nodded. "Still, we should all stay motivated to become as strong as possible to achieve our goals," Cox said.

"Oh! Mr. Cox, that reminds me. Can you tell us today why you decided to become a rebel leader?" Zach asked. Cox looked over at Derek and Bridget, who also both seemed interested in hearing the story.

"Well...it's only fair, right? You told Jane and I your story. But I should warn you...it's not something I recall fondly. Do you still want to hear it?" Cox said.

"Um...I wouldn't want you to feel uncomfortable," Bridget said hesistantly, "But I think we're all genuinely interested in your motivations for being a rebel leader. We would like to hear it, if you don't mind." Zach and Derek agreed to this sentiment.

Cox sighed, and then said, "Let's move to the living room for this. It's more comfortable."

The five sat down on the couches, and then Cox began his story: "I received my Orb ten years ago, like I assume most others did. Once the war broke out, I wanted to be able to protect my family, so I trained my Orb enough to quickly knock out delusional religious soldiers and block their gunshots."

He looked at his hand and made it release a little bit of electricity. "I will admit though, I trained the bare minimum. I was tired from work most days and dealing with the chaotic atmosphere. My wife, Natalie, would tell me everyday that I should get stronger, both physically, as well as strengthening my Orb. Back then, I was a lanky person. I'm pretty sure at that time my wife was physically stronger than I was, and she had practiced karate for many years. She was much more assertive than I am. You didn't want to mess with her," and then he chuckled to himself for a second, "She would get mad at me sometimes, but would never push it too hard. I think deep down she believed in me, as well as herself, that the two of us could protect each other and our daughter. But...over 7 years ago or so, a man claiming to represent Upton came to our door...

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2026

Atlanta, Georgia

"Yes, hello?" Cox said as he answered the door.

"Hello, is this the home of the person who possesses the Lightning Orb?" said a black, short-haired Caucasian man wearing sunglasses and a suit.

"Well...why do you want to know?" Cox replied hesistantly.

"I'm the Upton Space Galaxy Commander, Mr. Cosmos," the man said in a warm manner, "Normally I don't come out to visit random people's houses, but we received word that someone in this house has a powerful, Level 3 Orb in their possession. As such, we must invite that person to join Mr. Upton's army on his quest for a perfect world."

Cox rubbed the back of his neck and said, "Uh, well...that is me, but...sorry. I don't have interest in joining Upton's army."

"Ah, but you must. Your wonderful Orb can't go to waste. I insist!" Cosmos replied.

"I would really rather not, sorry," Cox said. Cosmos began frowning and said in a darker tone, "I didn't come out here to take no for an answer. I wanted to do this in a civil manner, but you will work for Upton, whether you like it or not."

Cox inched back fearfully until he was stopped by Natalie. "Lewis, what's happening out here?" she asked.

Cosmos softened his expression and asked, "Ah, are you his wife? Can you convince him to join Upton's army?"

Natalie gave him an annoyed look and said, "Are you serious? Upton is an asshole who's cut funding worldwide and left millions of people to starve and live under shitty conditions. Why would Lewis ever join the crusade of such a despicable man?" Cosmos became annoyed again as Cox looked at Natalie fearfully. "And what are you doing working for Upton and coming to our door, soliciting? If you side with Upton, you're also an asshole. Get off of our property before we call the police."

"Honey, you know Upton controls the police right..." Cox said, but was ignored.

Cosmos began fuming and said, "You...you have the gall to talk to the Upton Space Galaxy Commander in such a tone! You bitch!" Natalie then slapped Cosmos, while Cox audibly gasped. Cosmos rubbed his red cheek for a second and then his face became stern. "You will both suffer for this," he said slowly, and then he prepared dark green energy in his hands and shot it at Natalie. Cox pushed her out of the way and tried to defend it with electricity, but was knocked back and down.

"Ow...." Cox said to himself, as his daughter, Rachel came out upon hearing the noise.

"Dad! What's going on?!" she said.

"Get back, sweetie," Natalie said, as Cox stood up and shot lightning at Cosmos, who easily deflected it with an evil smile. He then dashed quickly at Cox and punched him with enhanced energy in the solarplexus, knocking him into a wall and the wind out of him.

"Lewis/Dad!" Natalie and Rachel cried, and then Natalie ran up to Cosmos and tried to assault him with swift kicks and punches. While Cosmos was easily dodging, he laughed and said, "A non-Orb user trying to fight me? Ha!" He then slammed her against a wall in a chokehold.

"Get away from my mom!" Rachel cried, and she began futily hitting Cosmos.

"N-no..." Natalie choked out.

"Run away!" Cox said, as he moved towards Cosmos painfully.

"Maybe I can use them to motivate you!" Cosmos said, and lifted up Rachel in a chokehold with his other hand.

"No! Don't!" Cox pleaded.

"It's too late for mercy!" Cosmos declared, and suddenly a black energy circle engulfed both Natalie and Rachel. "Noooo!!!!!" Cox cried, and when the circle dissipated, they had both vanished. "Damn you!" Cox yelled, with tears in his eyes.

"Relax, they're both still alive..." Cosmos said, which caught Cox's attention. "But you will never see them again," he continued with an evil grin, "I've trapped them in another dimension, where they will remained imprisoned, suffering indefinitely. And it'll be because of your weakness. Your family will suffer eternally, because you couldn't do a thing. You will live with the guilt for the rest of your life!" Cox became enraged and charged at Cosmos with an electrified fist, but he was easily knocked down by him.

As Cox reached up at Cosmos with his hand desparately, he said, "Why...go this far...it's too cruel...you could have just...forced me to work for you..."

Cosmos stared down at him with disdain and said, "Your wife insulted Upton, and assaulted me. We are two of the most important men in the world. Did you think I would just let you get away with that? Ridiculous. You all deserve to suffer, and you will learn to fear us, both you here, and your family in purgatory..." Cosmos then walked out of sight, as Cox helplessly watched him.
Chapter 17

One Door Closes, Another Opens

"I'm so sorry..." Bridget said.

"Geez...I had no idea you had gone through something so horrific..." Zach said.

Cox nodded and then said, "I almost fell into despair, just as I think Cosmos wanted me to. Then, I remembered my daughter, and my wife, specifically telling me to get stronger. I decided at that point to become stronger; much, much stronger, until I was powerful enough to beat the crap out of Cosmos, and force him to return my family. From that point on, I put all of my energy into training, sleeping only a few hours most nights. I was a man on a mission. I began testing my power on Section Commanders, wearing a mask and taking on the name, 'Death Lightning,' until I was able to dispatch of them with little effort."

Cox took a drink of water, cleared his throat, and then continued, "About a year passed, and I felt strong enough to save my family. I figured the easiest person to find who knew where Cosmos was, was the United States Division Commander at the time, Codename: Bryan. I traveled to his office, which was public information at the time; it was the White House. However, the Secret Service were long gone, so sneaking in wasn't too hard. Any guards I encountered, I knocked out without a sound. Once I made it to his office, I burst in, much to his surprise. He asked me what I wanted, and I asked him where the Upton Space Galaxy Commander was. To my surprise, as opposed to saying the information was classified, he actually told me he had never heard of such a position. I mentioned the name 'Mr. Cosmos,' and he also didn't know. I assumed he was playing dumb, so I fought him. His Orb (Silver Orb; Level 2), wasn't the weakest I've ever seen, but by that point I had trained so much that beating him up was a cakewalk. Once he was at my mercy, I asked him again...Bryan once again claimed to not know what I was talking about. I slammed him down on the Presidential Desk and threatened him with thousands of volts of electricity inches from his face...

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

( _2027)_

Washington D.C.

" _Please! I swear on my life...I've never heard of a Mr. Cosmos, or the Upton Space! Let me go!" Bryan said desparately while shaking._

"Then, who was it?!" Cox boomed angrily, "Who took my wife and child away from me!? Who'll pay for my suffering, and my family's suffering?!"

"I'm s-sorry...I don't know..." Bryan said fearfully, before turning his head away and closing his eyes. Cox growled angrily, but stopped channeling electricity and let go of Bryan. Cox then flew out by making a hole in the ceiling, wanting to avoid any more public exposure and realizing he was at a dead end.

"Damn it! What the hell do I do now?" Cox thought to himself.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I decided to fly around various countries, secretly researching. And like Bryan had said, Upton Space did not exist, nor did the name Mr. Cosmos. The few people who actually had heard the name fearfully recalled his powers, but had no useful information on finding him. But, while exploring, I saw various rebel groups. I decided that if I couldn't find Mr. Cosmos, I would bring him to me instead. Atlanta had a rebel group at the time, but I didn't agree with the leader's ideas. So, I decided to create my own, in a city that didn't have a rebel group yet. After researching for a month or so, I decided on Phoenix. Then, around three years ago, Jane joined the group as Vice-Commander. And that basically brings us up to today."

"Wow...I had no idea your past was so dark," Derek said.

"Your motivations for fighting Upton...they aren't so different from ours," Bridget said.

"But while it's too late for the three of us, maybe we can still save your family," Zach said.

Cox nodded and said, "I hope so. I really want to believe they're still alive somewhere. However, that's no longer my primary objective." Hearing this came as a mild surprise to the three younger ones. "I've come to realize this whole rebellion thing is bigger than any one person, or group. Returning to the world to normalcy has become my primary objective," Cox said, "I haven't forgotten my family by any means, but my happiness is far less important than the well-being of our planet, and the people living on it, trying to survive in a chaotic world. So, I'm looking more towards that than anything else."

"That's...incredibly selfless of you," Zach said, "I don't know if I could do the same."

"Yea, me neither," Derek said. " _My primary motivation is still revenge for our parents...am I wrong for that?"_ Derek reflected, " _Well, it doesn't matter. That goal and saving the world go hand-in-hand...for now."_
Chapter 18

Overthinking Friendship

September 24th, 2016

Derek, Zach, and Bridget were hanging out in their three bedroom house within the base.

"Ugh, I'm bored," Derek said, sighing.

"I'd have to agree with you there," Zach said, sighing.

"Come on, guys...isn't it nice to just spend some down time with your friends?" Bridget said, forcing a smile.

"Nah, give me some action," Derek replied.

"Yea, I can't believe you sat around at home for so long, Derek. I'm bored as hell doing this after just three days," Zach also replied, to which Derek shrugged. Bridget got sad hearing this. "Don't you guys miss the days where we were able to hang out everyday? We barely spent time together after we graduated high school. It almost feels like we're just roommates, rather than friends." she said.

Bridget's words sat heavily in the thick silence of the room. The seconds ticked by for what felt like minutes. The expression on everyone's faces were serious and thoughtful.

Just then, the phone rang, creating a reprieve for them all. "Hello?....Alright, we'll be right over.....bye." Zach hung up and said, "We have a new mission. Let's head over to Jane's place." Derek and Bridget nodded, and the three headed out. They remained silent on the walk over, reflecting.

" _I may have been insensitive..._ " Derek thought.

" _I should have made a better effort to hang out with them,"_ Zach thought.

" _Did I say too much? We still saw each other every day..."_ thought Bridget.

Once there, they sat down and looked at the screen Jane had prepared. "The Western Section Commander has been replaced. Here's the new one," she said, and pointed to a picture of an average-height blonde woman, in her late 30's, wearing a casino dealer's outfit. "Her codename is Chance; she owns the Gambling Orb. She can alter a person's luck, although only enough to say, win a card game, as her Orb is Level 1. She's in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her combat ability is somewhat low, but she can be slippery. Anyone who challenges her ends up hurting themselves in someway, which gives her enough time to get away. Despite that, I'm confident the three of you can handle her."

Derek, Zach and Bridget didn't respond. Jane studied them for a moment, noticing that they seemed down. "Uh, are you guys alright?" she asked.

Suddenly they looked up, trying to hide their emotions.

"Yea, we're ok!" Derek said, fake smiling.

"We're ready for anything," Zach said.

"Yep, we got this." Bridget said, albeit a little quietly.

Jane scrunched her face a little, then acted natural, "Alright, good luck out there! And remember: You're much more than just three Orb users," she said.

The three left, pondering Jane's statement. They got on the tram, and after about 30 minutes of silence, they arrived in Las Vegas, or at least, the remains of the city. As per usual, not much was left other than a desert wasteland. There were some tall, broken down buildings, but most of them were just remains. The city which once lit up the night had vanished in a mere 10 years.

The three walked around a bit, knocking out Militia until they reached the remains of the MGM Grand. They were about to pass by it when someone walked out.

"Huh? Vegas isn't for kids; scram." It was Chance. The three took serious stances.

"We aren't here to play around," Derek said.

"Ah come on, don't be like that. I'm just trying to run this operation. Live my life, ya know?" she replied, signaling with a whistle. 30 Militia appeared with knives. "Get em' boys, I gotta skedaddle," and she ran back into the MGM Grand.

"Tch, I guess we gotta take care of these guys first," Zach said.

"Spine Claws!" "Full Bulk!" "House Tornado!" The lightly armed men were no match for the three of them.

"Let's go!" Bridget exclaimed, and the three ran into the MGM Grand. They had only been running through for about a minute when they found Chance, out of breath.

"What!?" she exclaimed, looking over her shoulder as she ran off, "Those troops are useless!"

"You'll have to be faster than that! Lightning Legs!" Zach said. He quickly gained ground, and was about to reach Chance when a tripwire appeared right in his path. "What the--?!" Zach tripped at a high speed, causing him to roll out a short distance. Seeing this, Derek jumped deftly towards Chance, with Bridget flying not far behind. As he was about to reach her, the ground beneath him turned to ice, so when he tried to jump, he slipped and jumped sideways into the wall. Bridget was surprised, but knew she had to keep up, so she continued on chasing. Just as Zach and Derek were sidelined by Chance's obstacles, Bridget got very close, but suddenly a piece of rubble fell from the ceiling. She saw this in time to put up a small shield, but it still knocked her to the ground.

Chance continued running until she was wheezing so hard that she had to stop. "I...really need to....go to the gym instead of.....playing poker..." she said. She turned around to see pursuers had stopped. "Looks like I still got some good luck though." She started laughing, but then the three stood up, looking quite angry.

"Huddle up!" Zach shouted, and the three of them stood in a small circle a medium-sized distance from Chance, who didn't have much energy left to run. "What's the plan?" Zach asked.

"What can we do? Just approaching her leads to some terrible luck..." Derek said, rubbing his head.

"She has to have some glaring, single weakness. Her Orb is Level 1 after all..." Bridget said.

Derek suddenly looked up. "Single! That's it!" he exclaimed, "Remember what Jane said about her power? ' _She can alter a person's luck."_ What if she can only mess with a single person at a time?"

"That may be the case..." Zach said, nodding. "We need to use teamwork." Bridget pondered, then said, "You guys remember that thing we did against that neighborhood bully?" The two guys thought for a moment, then Zach grinned, while Derek frowned.

"Sounds like a plan!" Zach said, cracking his knuckles.

"Ugh, fine, I'll be the diversion again..." Derek said melodramatically.

"Hey, I told you I get the next Section Commander!" Zach replied. "Aight, man, but make sure you deliver the blow real good, or I'll regret letting you have this one," Derek said, his expression changing to a grin.

"Hey, Commander, time to run!" Derek said, and started jumping towards her, while Zach and Bridget ran to the left, slightly behind him. "Ah, God...I'm out of breath..." she said, walking away slowly. Right when Derek was about to reach her, the ground beneath where he was going to jump became mud. However, he used his Mirage Clone to take the fall, which dissolved shortly after slipping. "Huh?..." she said. "Tailwind Force!" Chance turned around to see Zach flying towards her. "Lightning Legs!" Zach exclaimed. "Just my luck..." she thought before getting kicked right in the face, knocking her out.

"Nice!" Derek said.

"Good diversion, my man," Zach said,"And Bridget, great propulsion."

"We make a pretty good team," Bridget said.

"Damn right!" Derek exclaimed.

After handcuffing Chance, they walked back to the Tram and got on. As it was heading out, Bridget said, "I think I understand what Jane was saying before we left." Derek and Zach turned to Bridget. "Alone, we are three strong Orb users, but together, we can do much more," she explained. Zach and Derek turned to each other, then nodded.

"Our bond is what makes us stronger." Zach said.

"No person or amount of time apart can break it," Derek said. Zach and Bridget looked at Derek, surprised.

"Who are you, and what did you do with Derek?" Zach asked jokingly.

"I didn't know you could be so...profound," Bridget said, somewhat touched.

"Hey, even I have something good to say every once in a while!" Derek said, and the three of them laughed.
Chapter 19

A Slippery Fellow

September 29th, 2033

A pair of short, full-lipped women arrived in Phoenix and met with the latest in the revolving door of Southwest Section Commanders, Codename: Drip .

"Thanks for appointing me the latest Section Commander, Sherry and Shelly!" Drip said excitedly, while sweating profusely, "Cool outfits by the way."

They had the same exact appearance: Red, long hair, red eyes, and for whatever reason, a long, triangular dress.

"Thank you for your service to Mr. Upton," Sherry and Shelly said at the same time, in the same monotone voice.

"Whoa, you two are completely in sync," Drip replied, amazed.

"We are identical twins, so when we are together, we become one entity," they both said.

"Interesting..." Drip said.

"Your first task is to go search for the disrupters we mentioned to you earlier," they said, "Use any means necessary."

"Will do!" Drip responded, and saluted enthusiastically before leaving. The twins stuck together and went off into the opposite direction.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 hour later

"We have a report about the latest Southwest Section Commander. His codename is Drip; he has the Sweat Orb, and he's here in Phoenix," Jane said to Derek, Bridget, and Zach, who were in her office. "He is going around disrupting the everyday lives of citizens, with his powers, for some reason. Your mission is to detain him and bring him back here."

"You know...he looks kind of gross..." Zach said with a disgusted look on his face. "He has...quite the appearance..." Bridget said, awkwardly smiling.

"His entire outfit is drenched in sweat..." Derek said, somewhat amazed.

"Yes, he is a bit odd-looking, but don't underestimate him!" Jane said, "Go get him! If you have any problems, contact me via telepathy."

The three nodded, then headed outside the compound.

"We should probably split up," Zach said, "The city is big and this guy doesn't look too tough." Derek and Bridget nodded, and they split in a triangular manner.

It didn't take Derek long to find a group of Militia harassing some elderly people near a park.

"Where are these people?! If you don't tell us, we'll detain you!" one of them shouted.

"But, we really don't know..." one woman replied.

"A likely story...You're all coming wit-" he started to say before getting hit with a Spirit Fist. The other Militia quickly turned towards Derek.

"Hasn't anybody told you to respect your elders? Although I didn't do that very much myself..." Derek said before trailing off.

"Get this punk!" one of the Militia shouted, and he ran towards Derek. "Spine Claws!" Derek said as he slashed the man's face, who fell to the ground in pain.

"Those are some weird powers..." one of the men murmered, and he immediately contacted Sherry and Shelly.

"On our way," the twins responded. However, even the contacting man, along with the rest, were taken out in a few minutes.

"Well, that was easy," Derek said, as the elderly folk cheered for him. Derek turned to them and rubbed his head, "Ah, it was nothing. Thank you!" and he grinned. Suddenly, a flame stream came towards Derek's body. "Whoa!" he shouted as he backed away just in time. Unfortunately for him, he landed right in front of Shelly, who handcuffed him. "Wait, what..." he said as he felt the effects of the handcuffs. He tried to run away, but Sherry, who had come out from hiding, cut him off, and kicked him in the stomach. Derek winced, then fell down to his knees. "One down, two to go..." Sherry and Shelly said in unison.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zach didn't find militia, but he did spot Drip asking some young women about things, although they seemed a bit put off.

"Any of you girls seen a guy with a grab bag of powers, body altering powers, or wind powers?" he asked as sweat and saliva flew from his mouth onto the women.

They made disgusted looks and ran away. Drip sighed and said, "Why do people run from me? I shower weekly..."

Zach cringed, but understood his mission. "Lightning Legs!" he declared and ran hastily towards Drip.

"Huh?" Drip said, turning straight into Zach, who attempted to kick Drip in the solarplexus. Unfortunately for him, Zach's foot slipped past Drip's obese body, and he flew into the wall behind Drip. "Hey! You're that guy with body altering powers, aren't you?!" Drip exclaimed.

"How the hell did I miss?" Zach said.

"Oh, you didn't miss, my powers just protect my torso from physical damage. Call it a sweat shield," Drip responded. He then fired a few sweat shots, which Zach narrowly dodged. Drip then slid at a high speed towards Zach, using his foot sweat. Using that momentum, he caught up to Zach and bumped his stomach into Zach's face, knocking him back five meters onto his back.

"Oh my gosh, I got him!" Drip said happily. However, he spoke too soon, as Zach got up.

"Ugh, my face is covered in sweat...and it isn't mine..." he said. He turned to Drip and gave him a dirty look.

"Uh oh," Drip said.

"You shouldn't reveal your orb's limits so easily, dumbass." Zach said, angrily. He dashed right in front of Drip, who had no time to respond, and kicked him squarely in the nose. His face inverted a little from the blow, which caused him to fly back through the wall, knocked out.

"No sweat," Zach said, "Ugh, that's the kind of terrible pun Derek would make," he then faceplamed, but noticed Drip's sweat now on his hand (and thus on his face too), and sighed.

" _Attention rebels!"_ Zach turned around to hear the voices of both Shelly and Sherry. " _We have captured your 'grab bag' powered friend. If you want to see him again, meet us at Roadrunner Park in 10 minutes. And don't call for any backup, or else."_

"Grab bag....Derek?!" Zach realized. "Damn, why do I have to be in the opposite direction!?" he said, running towards the park.
Chapter 20

Fire, Wind, and...Ice?

Bridget had just taken out some Militia members when she heard the announcement made by Sherry and Shelly. "That must be Derek!" she exclaimed, and flew fast in the direction of Roadrunner Park. " _I hope I make it in time_..." she thought. She underestimated her own speed, arriving only 4 minutes after the announcement.

As Bridget arrived, Derek looked up and yelled, "Bridget!"

"Derek, I'm going to get you free!" she yelled back.

Sherry and Shelly, who were on the phone, both nodded and hung up. "It seems you obeyed our instructions," they both said in unison. "Give yourself up now, or we'll have to hurt your buddy."

Bridget gave a determined look, then yelled, "Differing Winds!" She then pushed her right hand towards the twins, and pulled her left hand in the opposite direction. A large gust of wind prevented the twins from moving forwards, while a wind going in the opposite direction picked up Derek and blew him back towards Bridget. "Whoaaa!" he exclaimed. He flew a long distance, even past Bridget, although he landed softly, thanks to her wind. She then stared sternly at the twins,

"You should probably be more careful with a hostage."

They both kept neutral expressions, got up, and said, "You may have taken back your friend, but how will you beat us? We are the two United States Division Commanders, Shelly and Sherry."

"...A _re they right?_ " Bridget thought, feeling unsure of herself.

"Our Flamethrower Orbs (Level 1) are not to be trifled with," the twins said. They then stepped forwards and shouted "Flame Blast!"

" _Well, no time to think about it_ ," Bridget thought and she dodged both gracefully and flew towards the twins. They fired more flames, but Bridget easily glided around them. She reached the twins, and yelled, "Splitting Force!" As she declared this, Sherry and Shelly were split back 10 meters apart. However, in unison, they got up and fired more Flame Blasts at Bridget, who kept dodging with relative ease.

" _So their power isn't linked to them being together..._ " she thought. While Briget was dodging, they ran back together.

"You cannot dodge us forever!" they said, continuing the fire.

_"They might be right, so it's time to inflict some real damage_ ," she thought. Bridget dodged a few more blasts while flying towards the twins, stopped on the ground, then declared, "House Tornado!" After a moment of moving her hands in circular motions, the tornado picked up the twins, who screamed in unison before falling to the ground, seemingly unconscious. Bridget, who was a little out of breath from dodging, thought, " _Is this really the power of Division Commanders? They were...lackluster_."

"Hey, are you alright Bridget?" Bridget turned to see Zach and Derek.

"Yea, for Division Commanders, they weren't too tough," Bridget replied. Derek and Zach's mouths were gaping.

"You 1v2ed the United States Division Commanders?!" Zach said.

"Nice, Bridget!" Derek exclaimed.

Bridget blushed a little, but then said, "Honestly, I wonder if they were holding back for some reason."

As Bridget pondered this, they heard a sound. Shelly got up, looking quite angry. "This is ridiculous! Why do I have to do this? I can't even see properly with these contacts!" she yelled.

Sherry, hearing this, got up, "We're supposed to stay in character...we're still being watched..." she said. They both looked up at a nearby building to see Otome, who then disappeared from sight.

"I'm so done with this. I'm not fighting anymore in this stupid outfit, or under these conditions," Shelly said. Sherry nodded, and stood next to Shelly, who created a tower of ice surrounding the two of them.

"Hey, wait!" Zach said, running towards the tower and smashing it into pieces. However, the twins were already gone, leaving behind a flamethrower. Zach picked it up with a confused look on his face. "Were they using this?" he asked Bridget, who had no idea.

"They claimed to have the Flamethrower Orb, but...this makes it look like one of them was just using a normal flamethrower. Along with that ice tower, it's all very confusing..." she said.

"Ah, it's fine!" Derek said, "Let's bring this sweaty guy back to base, and get me out of these damn handcuffs. We can report this to Jane, and she can investigate it." Zach and Bridget nodded to each other, and then they both launched themselves at high speed back to base. Derek, who was still handcuffed, groaned. "Ah come on guys! I can't go fast right now!" They returned for him, laughing, then Zach carried him back to base while Bridget flew back.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The twins met with Otome at the government tram station. "Mr. Upton is not going to be happy when he hears what happened," she said.

"Zip it, Otome," Shelly said while getting onto the tram.

"Sorry about her, she can get a bit moody when she loses," Sherry said, smiling at Otome, "Did you get some good information on the rebels?"

"Lucky for you two, I did, so the mission was not a complete failure," Otome replied.

"Glad to hear!" Sherry said, while Shelly rolled her eyes.

"I will submit the images of the three into the computer when we get back, and we can assign them each $1,000,000 bounties. Those kids are still far from priority targets."

"Kids? Aren't you younger than us?" Shelly shot at Otome.

"Next time, try to find a Section Commander who is competent," Otome grumbled quietly back at her. The three of them let silence accompany them the rest of the ride back to Upton's base.

Chapter 21

The Natural Dunk

October 2nd, 2033

Derek and Zach lazed around their living room while Bridget read a book. "Ughhhh, I'm so boooreeddd," Derek said.

"We could head to the gym...again..." Zach said.

"Screw that, man. I want to do something fun," Derek replied.

Zach thought for a moment, and then said, "Well, there's a sports complex next to the gym. Why don't we find something to do there?"

Derek shrugged, getting up from the couch and said, "Might as well. Bridget, you coming along?"

She looked up from her book. "Sure, sounds fun."

The three changed into more sporty clothing and then began walking towards the sports complex.

Along the way, Bridget ended up trailing slightly behind, so Zach went up to Derek and whispered, "Hey, Derek, what do you think about Bridget's gym outfit?" She was wearing women's gym shorts and an athletic top that exposed her stomach and some cleavage.

"What do you mean?" Derek asked.

"She's exposing a lot of skin, which is fine, but it just doesn't line up with her personality, you know?" Zach asked.

Derek looked a little confused, and said, "She used to model in underwear for a living, so I don't think what she's wearing is too unusual.

"But she was forced to wear skimpy outfits at her job. She doesn't need to now," Zach said.

Derek stroked his chin for a moment, then said, "You bring up a good point; imma go ask her why."

"What?! You can't just ask people stuff like that!" Zach loudly whispered, but Derek was already drifting back until he was next to Bridget.

"Hey, Bridget, can I ask you something?" Derek asked, as Zach looked in a random direction.

"Sure, what is it?" Bridget replied.

"Why are you wearing a gym outfit that shows off so much?" he asked, as Zach became tense.

Bridget began blushing upon hearing this, and while looking away from Derek, she asked him, "Is...is that a problem?"

"Of course not, but I just never took you as an attention-seeker," Derek replied.

Bridget immediately turned to face him and hastily said, "No, no, no, I'm not looking for attention. That's not my intention, I swear. I'm the last person that would be seeking attention from strangers!" Derek looked at her in a confused manner. She calmed down a bit, cleared her throat, and then said, "I prefer this type of outfit because I don't like the feeling of sweaty, sticky clothes, and...everybody sweats at the gym, at least if they're working out adequately. And I wouldn't wear an outfit I was uncomfortable with, so...yea."

Derek looked at Bridget for a second, and then said, "Aight, whatever you want to do, Bridget. Thanks." He walked back up to Zach's pace, who shook his head and said,

"You're an idiot, but thank you for asking the question."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Derek said, annoyed.

"Who else would actually ask?" Zach asked.

"Bridget is our best friend; if we can't ask her questions, who can we ask?" Derek asked.

"I mean...I guess...but it could have become really awkward," Zach replied.

Derek chuckled and said, "You worry too much about stuff like that, man."

"No, I'm pretty sure you don't worry enough about social norms," Zach said, to which Derek shrugged.

After a few minutes, they arrived at the sports complex. Out front, a group of similarly-aged rebels were taking a short break in their 7-on-7 football game when they spotted the trio. The majority of them came over, although they mostly circled around Bridget, talking over each other. "Hey, Bridget!" "Looking good today, Bridget!" "Wanna workout together?" "I'm liking the single-braid look." "Wanna hang out sometime?" Bridget forced a smile while politely acknowledging each person. " _Ugh, I really don't like this situation...I should have covered up more after all..."_ she thought. The chatter continued until...

"Come on Bridget, we have somewhere to be!" Bridget looked over to see a stern-looking Derek grab her hand and pull her out of the crowd. "Hey!" a couple annoyed guys said.

"Sorry guys, we have, uh, something to do right now. Catch you later!" Zach said, as he followed after them.

After the three of them were out of earshot, one of the guys said, "Bridget looked strangely happy when that guy pulled her away."

"Are they dating?" another asked.

"Are you kidding? Do you really think Bridget would go out with such a boring looking guy?" the first guy said. The group chuckled at the notion and then got back to their game.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once they were inside the complex, Derek and Bridget sat down at a nearby bench. Derek looked over seriously at her and said, "Bridget, if you're uncomfortable with a situation, you should leave it. Or you should tell those guys to get lost."

Bridget appeared surprised and said, "How did you know I was uncomfortable...I was trying hard to hide it."

"Well, you told me like five minutes before you weren't seeking attention from strangers."

"Oh! That's right...sorry," Bridget said, slightly embarassed.

Derek sighed and said, "But even if you hadn't told me that, we've known each other for a loooong time. I've noticed you seem to avoid large crowds, and you always declined invitations to parties in high school, even when they said I could come too. It would make sense that if a bunch of random guys surrounded you and bombarded you with questions, you would be uncomfortable."

Bridget didn't say anything for a moment, but then smiled, saying, "Well...thank you for, uh, pulling me out of there."

Derek's expression also became happier as he patted Bridget on the back and said, "No problem, pal," before getting up to go talk to Zach.

Bridget's smile dissipated upon hearing this, and she thought, _"Derek's looking out for me, which is nice, but...'pal'?"_

Once they met up, the three looked around the various courts. "How about racquetball?" Derek asked.

"That won't work; we have three people," Zach replied.

"Tennis?" Derek asked.

"That's the same issue," Zach replied. As they passed the first of three basketball courts, Derek suggested, "What about some B-ball?"

"Goddamn it, Derek...although your repetitive suggestions bring up a good point. What sport can we even play with three people?" Zach said, slightly annoyed.

"We could toss a frisbee," Derek said.

Zach thought for a moment, and then said, "We might have to settle for that."

However, as they passed by the second court, they noticed Cox trying, with mixed success, to dunk. "Heyyy! Mr. Cox!!!" Derek yelled, which caught Cox's attention. He flew over to the three and asked, "What brings you here, kids?"

"We were just bored in our house, so we figured we'd come check out what there was to do here," Zach said.

"How about more training then?" Cox asked. There was an awkward silence for a second, and then Cox laughed and said, "I'm kidding! Although I guess you guys believed me."

"Can you blame us!?" the three of them said at once, which caused Cox to laugh again.

"So...you working on your dunk?" Derek asked.

"Yea, since I'm pretty tall, I figured it'd be easy, but I'm not as young as I used to be, and when I was younger, I wasn't as athletic as I am now," Cox replied.

"But can't you just use your powers to dunk with ease?" Zach asked.

"Well...yea, but there's something awesome about just dunking naturally," Cox said, "When I was younger, I used to watch some amazing dunkers, like Michael Jordan and Shaun Kemp, and later Lebron James, Blake Griffen, and Zach Levine. I always wanted to make those highlight-reel dunks, but I just couldn't jump high enough. Still, I always enjoyed playing basketball back in the day."

"I see...well, why don't we play some basketball? 2-on-2, to 21 points, no Orb powers," Derek suggested.

"Hmm...sounds good to me. Sound good to you, Mr. Cox?" Zach asked.

"Sure, but how do we fairly split up the teams?" Cox asked.

"That's easy: we just put the best with the worst and the middle two together," Zach said, "Mr. Cox, it sounds like you're pretty good at basketball. Bridget and I aren't too bad ourselves, which means it should be you and Derek vs. Bridget and I."

"Wait a minute! I'm the worst? I've gotten physically stronger since we joined the rebels!" Derek exclaimed.

"That's true, but dude, you're shooting is still terrible, as is your dribbling. Honestly, I'm not even sure if Mr. Cox can carry you..." Zach said.

Derek grumbled loudly and proclaimed, "Shut up, man. I'll show you all not to underestimate my mad handles and shooting!" Zach snickered at Derek and shrugged his shoulders as the four walked down to the courts.
Chapter 22

Hidden Skills

As they prepared to tip off, a familiar voice sent a telepathic message to Cox, " _Hey, where are you?"_

_"I'm at one of the basketball courts in the sports complex, playing 2-on-2 with the kids,"_ Cox replied in his head.

" _Oh! Wait for me, I want to watch!"_ Jane back. A few minutes later, she floated down the stairs to the court, somewhat out-of-breath. "You alright, Jane?" Cox asked.

"Yea...I'm ok...just rushed here...I'll just sit over there and watch," she replied in between breaths.

As she sat down at a courtside chair, the four went to center court. Zach turned to Bridget and said, "Flying doesn't use as much energy as normal running, right? At least in terms of speed versus energy output."

"For me, yea," Bridget replied, "But Jane is using her own Orb's version of flying. I would guess it's probably less efficient as a trade-off for how flexible her Orb is in general."

"She's also never exercising or practicing..." Cox said in a somewhat annoyed manner, while looking over at Jane, who hadn't heard any of the conversation and simply waved happily back at him.

"Enough conversation, let's get to the game!" Derek interjected.

Zach and Bridget started with the ball. Zach brought the ball up the court, where he was covered hard by Cox. Still, he was able to squeak a pass to Bridget, who Derek was covering. Taking advantage of Derek's clumsiness, she slipped by him for an open layup, to which Jane stood up and clapped and cheered. Derek inbounded the ball to Cox, who took it downcourt, guarded by Zach, but easily powered through him for a layup. To this, Jane stood up again and clapped and cheered.

"Jane! Whose side are you on?!" Cox yelled to her.

"I'm cheering for everyone in this game!" Jane yelled back.

Cox looked confused, but yelled back, "At least stay seated; you're going to tire yourself out again!" to which Jane gave a thumbs up and sat down.

After a few similar sequences, Zach spoke to Bridget. "Let's double team Mr. Cox. Who knows if Derek can even hit an open layup."

She looked over at Derek, and then replied, "I guess you're right...it just feels so disrespectful..."

"I think he'll be ok, Bridget..." Zach said, somewhat condescendingly. After their next possession, Cox brought it up the court again, but to his surprise, he was double-teamed. He passed it to a wide-open Derek, who had kind of zoned out on offense, and let the ball pass by him, out-of-bounds.

"Derek, what the heck are you doing?!" Cox said.

"Sorry about that," Derek said nonchalantly, "Not used to being passed the ball."

"Alright, well pay attention next time. I think they'll be double-teaming me from here on out," Cox replied. Derek nodded nervously. Following the next possession, Cox took it down court and passed it to Derek again, who got off a wide-open layup...and missed, much to Cox's shock. So much so that Zach and Bridget raced it down court for an easy shot. " _Surely he won't miss a second open layup..."_ Cox thought...but Derek did. This sequence continued a few more times until the score was 19-9.

"Timeout!" Cox yelled. He and Derek went to a secluded area and said, "We need a new strategy to win this. If you aren't making wide-open layups though, I don't know how..."

"Yea, sorry..." Derek said, uncharacteristically down.

Cox noticed this, and said, "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be so pessimistic over a friendly basketball game. Plus, I'm your leader. It's up to me to bring out the best of my people," and he smiled at Derek, who smiled back. "So, is there a specific spot or type of shot you are most comfortable with?" Cox asked.

Derek thought for a moment, then remembered a childhood memory. "There is! When I was younger, I used to take shots from one specific spot, and because I was lazy or something, Bridget would always get the rebound and pass it back to me," Derek said, "I didn't move from that spot, so that might be our chance."

"Well, it's worth a shot," Cox replied, "Speaking of Bridget, try to play her closer, so she has less breathing room for shots, you know?"

Derek looked confused, and said, "But won't that let her blow by me even easier?"

Cox shook his head and said, "Somehow, I have a feeling it'll work."

Derek paused for a moment, then nodded and said, "I trust you, Mr. Cox."

Cox grinned and said, "Good, now let's show these two you don't have to be young or athletic to win!"

On their next possession, Cox brought it up the court, where he was double-teamed, per usual, by Zach and Bridget. Cox looked around to see where Derek's spot was, and felt some doubt when he saw it was behind the 3-point line. After a couple seconds though, he thought, " _Here goes nothing,"_ and darted a pass at Derek, who calmly made a 3-pointer (worth 2 points in _21_ ). The three others were stunned at what they saw, until Bridget remembered the shooting practice memory.

Derek made his way exictedly to the other side of the court as Zach brought it up the court, only to be swallowed up by Cox, per usual. He passed it off to Bridget, who was ready to dash past Derek, but froze up when she noticed how closely Derek was guarding her, occasionally making incidental contact.

" _What is she doing?"_ Zach thought.

" _Ugh...why is he guarding me so closely now...I can feel his breath..._ " Bridget thought. She ended up taking a bad shot, and Cox ran it down the other end and hit an easy layup.

"Nice work, Derek!" Cox said, high fiving him.

This trend continued for a while, until the score was evened out at 20-20. "Timeout!" Zach said. "What's going on, Bridget? You seem distracted."

Bridget started blushing and said, "Nothing is...uh, wrong with me. Nope, I'm good. Just, uh...fatigued from the game."

" _Yea, I'm SURE that's the reason..."_ Zach thought. "Well, go all out for the last couple possessions," he said, "If we make the next basket, and they don't make their next one, we win. Here's my idea..." and as he whispered it to Bridget, she nodded in agreement.

Play resumed, except this time Bridget took the ball up the court.

"That won't matter," Cox said, as Derek rotated up to guard Bridget close. Like the previous possessions, Bridget was hesitant to move. She stopped dribbling and moved the ball around a bit. At that time, Zach, who was closely guarded by Cox, broke into a sprint and ran behind Bridget, who passed the ball behind her back to him. "Derek, switch!" Cox said in vain, but Derek didn't understand, and Bridget functioned as a pick to prevent Cox from keeping up with the faster Zach, who circled in for an easy layup.

"Nice!" Zach exclaimed, as he and Bridget went down the court.

"Damn, we have to make this last shot," Cox said as Derek inbounded him the ball. By this point, the other two had adapted, having Zach play him close, and Bridget equally spaced between Derek and him. Cox launched another pass at Derek, who launched a shot heavily contested by Bridget.

As Cox and Zach swooped in to collect the potential rebound, Cox thought, " _This'll miss, but I can see the trajectory!"_ Sure enough the ball clanked off the rim, but as Zach went up for the rebound, Cox leapt past him with all of his power and grabbed the ball out of the air, transitioning into a powerful dunk that broke the rim.

"Woooo!" Cox exclaimed, although he then noticed what he broke and said, "Oops." The final score was a 21-21 tie.

Jane stood up and cheered, saying, "Good job, both teams! Great game!"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The six left the complex after Cox explained what had happened to the manager. "Mr. Cox, you're lucky you're everyone's boss, or you would have had to pay, big time," Derek said.

"Hey! He said the rim was old anyways," Cox replied, "Besides, I am paying for it, indirectly. Like you said, I am everyone's boss."

"I had no idea you were so good at shooting from that one spot," Zach said to Derek.

"Sure, my shooting from there was great, but what about that sweet dribbling?" Derek asked.

"But you stood still the entire time you were on offense..." Zach said.

"Nah, you were too caught up in the intense game to notice my sick handles," Derek replied.

Zach turned and said expectantly, "Jane?" to which she replied, "Yea, I don't know about that dribbling stuff..."

Derek tried to shush her, but he was ignored, and she continued, "But it seemed like everyone had a fun time, so shouldn't we focus on that instead?"

"Well, it was fun, yea," Zach replied with a smile, "That dunk was pretty incredible, Mr. Cox."

"Honestly, I didn't think I had it in me," Cox said, "But when I saw that the ball was going to clank off the rim, instinct took over."

Jane then turned to Bridget and said, "Did you have a good time?"

"Overall, yea...although it got a bit more intense than I thought it would..." she said hesitantly.

"Yea, I agree about it being intense...so intense, I don't think I can train tomorrow. This felt like a double training day," Derek said cheekily.

"Nice try, Mr. Statue. You best be at the gym tomorrow morning," Cox said. Derek shrugged and said, "Well, it was worth a try...hey wait a minute! What is that supposed to mean?! 'Statue'?" Cox simply laughed and walked onwards, past the, coincidentally, stationary Derek, followed by Zach and Jane.

"Bridget, you got my back here, right?" Derek asked.

"Umm...you had some great shooting..." Bridget said, flashing a smile and then walking onwards as well, as Derek fell to his hands and knees dramatically.

"My friends...are keeping it too real...Even I have my pride as a man..." he said. "Derek! What the hell are you doing?!" Zach yelled over to him.

"Coming!" Derek replied, running to catch up with them.
Chapter 23

Pirates of the Pacific

_October 5_ th _, 2033_

"I've called you guys here today for a few reasons," Jane said, "First off, congratu..." she started saying, but she got a disapproving look from Cox, and sighed, "Sadly, the three of you now have bounties, so you'll have to be more careful from now on. You're each worth 1 million, dead or alive, for disrupting the operations of United States Division Commanders Shelly and Sherry. The 'good news' for you is Upton doesn't think you three are much of a threat, so he didn't even include a picture of you three, just a physical description and your name."

"Nice, I got a bounty!" Derek said excitedly, while Cox sighed.

"I really wanted you guys to avoid being wanted for as long as possible, but what can you do?" he said, shrugging, "From now on, as Jane said, you'll have to be on your guard. 1 million may not go as far as it used to be, but it's still a large sum of money. People who know you might go after you." The three nodded to this, although Derek was still happy.

"Secondly, the United States region is getting more chaotic. Now that news has spread of the so-called vulnerability of the Division Commanders, there have been more rebel uprisings. Although this is generally a good thing, some rebel groups are a bit extremist, so watch out for those people," Jane said. Again, the group nodded to this.

"Lastly, I have an important mission for you three. It is to take out these two individuals, Codename: Orange and Codename: Sea; each has a Level 1 Orb respectively. Both are ranked equal to a Section Commander, although their base of operations is located on a large boat 30 miles off the shore of San Diego. They have a fleet of Militia with them, covering a large area, which makes traveling an inconvenience; rebels have to avoid detection and sail around them. If you defeat them, perhaps it will entice more communication overseas with other rebels. That may be wishful thinking, but at the very least it will disrupt valuable naval operations for Upton."

"It sounds like there will be a lot of Militia; are we going alone?" asked Zach.

Jane shook her head and said, "Lewis will be going along with you on this one."

"It should be a cakewalk then...and we get to hit the beach!" Derek said excitedly.

"Hey, no playing around; you guys will still be doing most of the work." Cox replied, "You still need more field experience, and here is a good opportunity."

Derek sighed hearing this. "Ah come on, don't look down about this," Jane said, "It's a chance to raise your bounty. Show Upton that you're worth more than 1 million!" Derek's face slowly lit up as he got lost in a fantasy: _Upton looking angrily at a slick picture of Derek, before shooting a dart at it. The number of zeroes from his bounty seemed to go on for a while..._

"Alright, let's get to it guys!" Derek exclaimed.

"This kid and what motivates him..." Zach said dryly as Bridget laughed. "Speaking of bounties, since we're going straight into the face of Upton officials, and you three are wanted, you'll be putting on disguises to blend in. It'll help us infiltrate the boat easier anyways," Cox said.

"So, what will we be wearing?" Bridget asked.

"Bridget, you go with Jane to change. Derek and Zach, come with me. We'll meet outside in about 5 minutes," Cox replied.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Did we go back in time or something?" Derek asked, looking at his clothing. He had on the whole pirate outfit: a traditional-looking white shirt, breeches, and a bandana.

"Is this necessary?" asked Zach. His outfit consisted of the same type of pants, but instead he had on a pirate's hat and a shirt which showed off some of his chest.

"Wait, is Zach the captain?" asked Derek.

"No, yes, and sure," Cox replied, "You will pretend to be a passing pirate ship, and when they stop you for an inspection, you jump on and take the crew out, followed by their commander, Orange. Also, Zach is the captain because he is the most responsible."

"But have I not taken out the most Section Commanders? I have the experience," Derek boasted.

"You've only taken out one more than me, and that was by chance..."Zach replied, "Besides, by that logic, Bridget would be the captain, as she took out two Division commanders by herself."

"Huh, what about me?" Bridget asked, who had just shown up herself. She also had pirate's breeches and a bandana, but her shirt was blue and white-striped, and showed off her toned midriff.

"Nothing, just Derek saying more dumb stuff," Zach said, snickering. "Whatever..." Derek said, "That aside, what about the other Section Commander, the sailor person?"

"I'll take care of him myself. You three just focus on the pirates. Let's head out." Cox said.

"Good luck guys!" Jane said, waving as they walked out of her house.

"Unfortunately, due to the deep rift in the earth Upton created on the border of California, underground trams cannot go directly across," Cox explained, "So, we'll have to take the Trans-Continental Tram into Mexico, and then take a local tram towards Ensenada, which is on the coast and relatively close to San Diego."

"I still can't believe he tried something so stupid..." Zach remarked with a sigh.

"Trans-Continental Tram? That sounds a lot different," Derek said.

"It's not really that different," Cox said, "The one discrepancy is that it runs on a specific schedule, so we have to be at the station in about fifteen minutes, or it'll be a while before we can go."

Soon after, the four got on the tram. Following an uneventful ride, transfer, and second ride, they arrived in Esenada. Not much remained of the coastal city, aside from a few buildings here and there, and some scattered individuals.

"Hey, I can see the beach from here...oh..." Derek said, slowly becoming dissappointed. As opposed to the dark blue color it once was, the ocean appeared just dark, with a notable amount of litter floating around. "I should have known it would be like this, but it's still sad to see," Derek said.

"If it's any consolation, the ocean looks more normal as you get further out," Cox said, "It's only this close to the shore that you can really see the pollution." However, when the group made it to the beach, they were surprised in a different way.

"Whoa..." Derek said. Before them, on the shoreline, was a galleon. On board were around twenty rebel soldiers with scimitars and BB guns.

"When did we get this?" Zach asked.

"Our people worked overtime to get it ready for this particular mission," Cox replied, "That being said, it can't move on its own. Bridget, you'll have to use your powers to sail this ship. You're bound to run into the pirates about 30 miles offshore west. Just try to play it cool until you get a good foothold in the situation and then knock them all out. That means Derek, be quiet...speaking of him, where did he go?"

Derek had already ran onto the ship, looking around. "Wow...there's real cannons...and a captain's quarters!" he exclaimed.

"I'll let him know the details," Zach said. "Thanks. It shouldn't take you guys too long to get there. After an hour, I'll head over to the sailors and take em out. Then, we'll meet back here later." The three friends got into the boat and the whole crew pirate saluted Cox, who in turn laughed while saluting back. Bridget blew wind into the sails, and the ship was off into the open sea.

Around the half hour mark, Derek took out a telescope and looked around, before saying, "Ah...this is the life, eh Zach? Sailing the open seas with your pals and loyal crew, in search of treasure."

"Did you get on the right boat?" Zach asked sarcastically.

"Come on, man. You gotta get into the roleplay a bit more. When else are we going to have an opportunity to be pirates again?" Derek replied.

"You do realize that real-life pirates were terrible people, right?" Zach asked, "Why would I want to be a pirate?"

"Ah, so naive, Zach," Derek said, shaking his head with a smug grin, "It's not about imitating real pirates; it's about living the life of the romanticized, fake ones. The ones who drank rum, visited desert islands in search of treasure, wore eyepatches and peglegs, and sang pirate songs."

"Derek, we're on a mission. Stop with the nonsense," Zach said, "Do you think these people working for Upton are going to be messing around in the way you're describing?"

"Knowing him, probably," Derek replied with a shrug, to which Zach shook his head and sighed.

Derek looked into the telescope again, but quickly stopped and exclaimed, "There's a couple ships coming our way!"

"What?! Let me see that," Zach said, as Derek handed him the telescope. He looked into it, and saw a couple ships. He circled around, still looking into it, before putting it down and saying, "It's not just a couple...we're surrounded." He then quickly went to the center of the boat and yelled, "Enemy spotted! Troops, go hide in the living quarters until we give the signal!" The twenty troops swifly made their way downstairs out of sight, leaving Zach, Derek, and Bridget, who had stopped moving the boat. Shortly after, their galleon was surrounded by seven larger pirate ships. Each ship had numerous Militia, also donned in pirate clothing.

"Oh boy..." Derek said. One of the ships extended a bridge, and a few Militia armed with scimitars crossed onto their ship.

"Play it cool, and let me do the talking," Zach said quietly, before being approached by the Militia.

One of them said, "State thy business!"

After being blindsided for a second by the manner in which the Militia member was talking, Zach quickly said, "We're here for...a rum delivery." Zach said.

" _No way they fall for this_..." Derek thought.

The two Militia stared at him sternly for a second, and then they both grinned and one of them shouted "Woohoo! Rum delivery, mateys!"

" _Really???_ " Derek thought.

"Yes, good times, but my...first mate and I need to ensure that your boat is the right one. May we step on it?" Zach said, briefly looking at Derek for looking back at the Militia.

"Aye, whatever you need to do to get us the rum," the other Militia member said.

Derek and Zach crossed the bridge onto the boat, and then Zach looked at Bridget, who had been charging up energy for a couple minutes, and nodded. Bridget nodded back, and then shouted, "Force Implosion!" In a circle around her, a ferocious wind went outward, knocking down the Militia on each boat and blowing various objects off into the ocean. Upon this happening, the rebel troops burst out of the downstairs quarters with a collective shout and the majority of them, along with Bridget, ran their way onto the same ship Zach and Derek had made their way on.

"We've been had, mateys! Kill these landlubbers!" one of the pirates shouted, "And start with these two lying bilge rats!."

"Spirit Fists!" Derek exclaimed and fired off a fist in two directions, knocking two crew members off the high posts and overboard. Meanwhile, the rebels remaining on their own ship shot cannonfire towards the surrounding ships.

"Avast, why don't we have cannons!?" a random pirate shouted. Three other Militia with scimitars charged at Zach.

"Lightning Legs," he said, and switched to a handstand. He then spun his legs around, deflecting scimitar strikes before knocking his attackers into the water.

"Knockback Force!" Bridget declared and swept more crewmembers into the water.

"Split into two groups!" Zach yelled, "Knock off the crew members of each ship until we find the captain!"

"Aye aye!" the rebels collectively shouted, and half of them went to the ship to the left, and the others to the ship on the right. "Bridget, can you keep the overboard Militia off of the boats?" Zach asked.

She nodded, and moved back to the rebel galleon, before declaring, "Eye of the Typhoon!" Water began whirling around the circle of ships, growing higher and higher until it was many stories high. The overboard crewmembers were unable to re-enter the ship.

"Holy..." Derek said in disbelief, "Bridget, you're incredible!"

"Well...thank you," Bridget said with a strained voice, "but I can't fight while this is up...and I can only keep it up for so long...find Orange and defeat him!" Zach and Derek nodded, and then Zach went left and Derek went right.

Rebels attempted to have swordfights on the next boat vs. Militia, but they were quickly interrupted by Derek and Zach knocking the Militia into the water. Once they were clear, the two had some Militia occupy the boat, and the rest moved on to the next one. However, upon going onto the next boat, he noticed the Militia onboard had BB guns, as opposed to scimitars. " _Hmm_..." he thought as he used Mimic's Combo: Jumping Cactus to force the Militia overboard.

Upon doing this, he also noticed that this particular ship had a large cabin above ground. " _This might be the one_ ," he thought, and kicked down the door. Inside was a black-bearded, eye-patched man wearing a captain's hat along with tradiational pirate gear.

"Who dares interrupt me meal?" he said angrily, slamming his utensils onto the table he was sitting at.

"Uhh...Did you really not hear anything going on outside..." Derek asked rhetorically.

"My men are more than enough for you scallywags," he replied.

"I don't know about that...by the way, are you Orange, by chance?"

"Yarr, that be Captain Orange, lad," Orange said, "I don't know who ye be, but ye will regret the day you stepped upon me ship. Human Cannon!" and his body was immediately launched at Derek at a high speed.

"What the he-?" Derek started to say before getting knocked through another wall back onto the deck along with Orange.
Chapter 24

A Loyal Crew

"Ow..." Derek said as he got up.

"Derek, are you alright?" Bridget shouted from their boat.

"Pistol Mastery!" Orange declared, and then began shooting at Derek. He jumped repeatedly, narrowly dodging each bullet, except for one which grazed his left arm, causing him to cry out in pain." _Shit, that's an actual pistol!"_ Derek thought, before he shouted _, "_ Watch where you point that thing!"

"Stand still, will ya?" Orange shouted back, continuing his barrage.

Another bullet grazed the side of his stomach, but none fully connected, and Orange eventually ran out of bullets. Breathing heavily, Derek thought " _Now's my chance to level the playing field_ ," and he shoved Orange back a bit with his palms, copying his Orb.

"I guess we'll have to settle this the old-fashioned way," Orange said, and unsheathed his sword, "Scimitar Mastery!" Derek looked around, and spotted a stray scimitar, which he picked up with his right hand.

"Scimitar Mastery!" he declared as well.

"So, that's how it's gonna go, ay?" Orange said, then charged at Derek. They began clashing swords, matching strike for strike. Even when one gained a bit of ground, the other quickly returned the blow back.

Meanwhile, Zach had wrapped up defeating the Militia on the left three galleons. He was about to move over to the next boat, when in the distance he spotted the swordfight going on. " _Is that...Derek swordfighting...really well?"_ he thought, surprised for a moment, but then thought, " _I'll ask him later; I gotta pick up his slack,"_ and he lept over to the last remaining boat on the right side _._

Derek and Orange shifted across the deck in a whirlwind of slashes. Both prepped a big blow, but they hit each other's swords again, and were both knocked back, gasping for breath. During this time, the cyclone was slowly weakening. Derek looked over to see Bridget breathing heavily. " _I've got to end this soon_ ," Derek thought. He then charged at Orange with his sword out.

"The battle has taken it's toll on ya, ay lad?" Orange asked, and easily dodged the lunge before swinging down at Derek's head. "Davy Jones Locker will be claiming another body today!" Orange exclaimed, as Derek's head fell off his body. Bridget gasped, and at that moment she could not control the cyclone anymore, and it dissipated. "Haha, take that ya scurvy dogs!" Orange shouted. At that moment, though, Derek's body dissolved. "What be this?" Orange asked.  
From above, Derek appeared and declared: " Mimic's Combo: Mirage Island!" and slashed Orange's back, "Arrghhh!" Orange cried out, and then Derek kicked him harshly on the wound, knocking him to the ground.

The pirate crew climbed back on to the ship. "Freeze, or your captain's walking the plank!" Derek said, and held his scimitar to the Orange's throat.

"Captain!" some of the crew cried out.

"It don't matter what happens to me, kill these bastards," Orange said.

"No, we won't!" his crew replied.

"You'll disobey me direct order?" Orange asked. One crew member stepped forward and said, "Captain, we'd never disobey an order of yours if we didn't have to. We owe our lives to you, because before you showed up, we were lifeless lackies of Upton. We remember what it was like..."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Many months ago]

"Meh, who cares about a commander? We can't stop any rebel ship."

"We even lost to a group with no orb users!...Look, I think he's here."

"Welcome to the ship...(yawn)...what's your nam..." BOOM!

"Did you guys see what the new guy just did to Chuck?"

"Alright, boys, no longer will this section be a laughing stock, not while I'm in charge! The name is Orange, and I'll be yer commander from this point onwards! After I whip you in to shape, you won't be sheltered boys, but hardy seamen! And if you don't follow me orders, you'll end up like that guy in the wall over there! Do I make myself clear???"

"Yes!"

"I can't hear you! Salute me and say 'Yes, Captain!'"

"Yes, Captain!"

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You turned us into a unit that could be a disruption, a unit that was a threat, and not just some joke. We could never kill the man who gave us so much."

"Aye, Captain!" the rest of the crew exclaimed.

Orange looked bewildered, but then smiled. "Yer a fine group of men, you'll be just fine without me," Orange replied, then he looked over to Derek and said, "Take me where you will, landlubbers!"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After Derek brought Orange to the boat, Zach carried Bridget, who was out of energy, back to the boat, and handcuffed Orange.

"That speech was pretty cringey, right Derek?" he asked, chuckling, but Derek didn't respond. "Derek?" Zach asked, who turned Derek around to see him wiping tears from his eyes. "Uh...you alright, buddy?" Zach asked.

"To see such comraderie between a captain and his crew...it's just so beautiful, " Derek dramatically replied. Zach rolled his eyes, and as the rebel crew used stolen oars to slowly row the ship back to shore, he thought, " _I wonder how Mr. Cox is doing..._ "

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ _60 miles to the north of the pirate crew]_

"I want to see these decks spotless!" Commander Sea shouted to his crew. They were doing an afternoon cleaning of the frontdeck. Suddenly, in a flash of lightning, a masked man appeared on the deck. Most of the sailors were too stunned to move, but Sea asked, "Who the hell do you think you are? Not only are you trespassing on a government ship, but you interrupted an important cleaning drill."

"I'm going to give you a choice, Sea: You and your crew surrender to me, or I destroy you and your ship," Cox said sternly.

"You, just one man, dares to threaten me and my crew? Laughable!" Sea replied, and he and his crew started snickering.

"Captain!" a crewmember burst out from the floor below, saying "Look at this!" and showing Cox's wanted poster. He handed it off to Sea, who glanced over it, and then threw it aside.

"I don't care who this 'Death Lightning' is, he can't stop an entire crew, let alone mine! Get him!" Sea exclaimed.

As the crew charged at him, Cox said, "Fine, have it your way." He then put his fists together and closed his eyes. The sailor crew was about to reach Cox when he roared, "Odin's Judgement!" Almost immediately after, a giant lightning field, akin to a bomb, went off around Cox. Blinding light surrounded the area. When it was over, the ship had been broken apart into many pieces, and most of the crew lay on them, unconscious. Sea was breathing heavily, and the ship had many holes in it. "How...are we not all dead..." Sea said to himself.

"I held back, I don't like killing people unless I have to," Cox said, floating over to Sea.

"Held back, huh...your bounty wasn't...just for show..." Sea said, before fainting. "Damn it, I figured due to his Orb Resistance he would have stayed conscious longer..." Cox said, "I'll have to ask him questions back at base." He then handcuffed Sea, put him over his shoulder, and flew back to the beach to meet with the others.
Chapter 25

The Twins Defect

October 7th, 2033

Upton, Leningrad, Justice, and Otome sat on one side of the war room, with Sherry and Shelly sitting on the other. Upton had an annoyed look on his face. "Let me get this straight," he said, "You two, who are Division Commanders, got 1v2ed by a previously bountyless girl who sent some wind your way?"

"Well, when you make it sound like that..." Sherry replied awkwardly.

"Oh, come on!" Shelly exclaimed, "You heard Otome. She's a Level 3 Orb user, and you're limiting our powers for some stupid reason."

"It's not stupid!" Upton replied, "You're twins, and as such you should be using the same powers and look the same. You must look the part."

" _That's pretty stupid_..." Leningrad thought, facepalming.

"That's ridiculous, and we aren't even identical twins anyways!" Shelly said angrily. "There's no way you can expect good work out of us when we're so limited!"

"Sir, isn't there anyway we can compromise this?" Sherry asked politely.

"No! I won't adhere to these requests," Shelly said, "Not only do we have to dress up and limit our powers, but we also rarely see each other, because you force me to stay here and prevent this place from feeling like a freezer. I feel like we have quite a bit of leverage."

"Nobody has leverage on me, the Supreme Ruler of the world!" Upton replied, "I don't negotiate. And besides, I had a heating system installed recently. Sherry go back to headquarters. We're done here," and he made a brushing motion with his hand.

Shelly growled as her anger escalated until she shouted, "Yea, you're right, we ARE done here. I quit!"

"What? You can't just quit." Upton said.

"Watch me; I'm out," Shelly said, and she stormed out of the room. Upton sat there, awestruck.

"Let me go talk to her," Sherry said, and quickly followed her out.

"Why are you being so unreasonable?" Leningrad asked, "Do you really care that much about the twin aesthetic?"

"Well, it's not really about that; they're hardly ever together anyways," Upton replied, "It's more about the fact that their division, even before the upstarts in Arizona appeared, is quite rebellious, and they haven't done much to solve that issue."

"But you kept them separated and power-restricted!" Leningrad replied, "There's no way two Level 1 Orb users, let alone one, could quell the powerful American rebels."

Upton leaned back in his chair and said, "Even if they were at full strength, there are certain rebel groups that are beyond their capabilities, especially those belonging to Zekomz...You and I both know it's only a matter of time before we lose control of the United States."

Leningrad's face grew a bit solemn, but she then said, "They were still the best we had for that position."

"True, I suppose even I should concede some ground every now and then," Upton said, and then he pushed an intercom button, "Guards! Bring Sherry and Shelly back here to talk!"

" _I have a feeling they won't be coming back_ ," Leningrad thought to herself, sighing. She exited the room and started walking back to her room before being stopped by Regal Justice in the hall.

"How's it going?" he asked.

"Oh, you know, same old Charles being Charles, alienating people for no reason," she responded angrily.

"Uh, I meant with you, although you kind of answered both questions," he replied.

Leningrad sighed and said "Sorry, it's just sometimes frustrating working with him. Like, is it even worth it?," she said.

"Yes, Charles can be quite a handful, but at least we get to live in luxury. Besides, I feel we've come too far to back out now," Justice replied sternly.

Leningrad looked over at Justice sadly. "Does that mean you regret doing all this?"

Justice pondered for a moment, then said, "Well, if we weren't doing this, I wouldn't be spending everyday with you, so I'd say that tips the scales away from regret," and smiled.

Leningrad blushed deeply, saying, "H-how can you just say something like that so easily..."

"Because it's fun to tease you," he said, chuckling. Leningrad made a pouty face, and then Justice said, "Although it is pretty cute when you act shy like this, it's so different than usual."

Leningrad quickly turned her head away from Justice, saying "I-I only seem angry most of the time because of Charles. I'm not some ice queen, you know..."

Justice then hugged her. "I know you aren't."

Leningrad, still blushing, said, "Well, a-as long as you know, that's good!"

Justice turned her around and said, "Still, you seem kind of wound-up. Come by my room later, alright?" he winked at her and then walked off.

"Hey, I'm not some call girl, you know!" she replied, still blushing profusely. Justice laughed as he walked out of sight. Leningrad then sat against the wall of the hall and thought, " _Why do I have to act so shy around him? I should be teasing him right back_!" She stood up, with her fist clenched. " _Yea! Next time I see him, I'll make him feel embarassed! And that next time will be...tonight...in his bedroom,_ " she thought, before covering her face, blushing once again.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Shelly, wait!" Sherry exclaimed, and caught up to Shelly.

"What, are you going to try and stop me too?" Shelly said, stopping.

"No...I'm coming with you," Sherry replied. "

"Huh? You are?" Shelly asked, surprised.

"Yep," Sherry replied, nodding.

"You know me, right? I'm a stubborn person; I don't want you to feel obligated to help me with my mess just because your my sister," Shelly said.

"But I do think you're right in your complaints." Sherry said, "Upton gave us this job promising us good treatment, but I haven't really felt it either. Besides, I've never truly felt comfortable with this whole situation. Seeing what we've worked to sustain...it feels pretty terrible actually."

"I see..." Shelly replied "Are you sure about this? You know they'll send people after us because we know of this location, right?"

Sherry nodded. "Even if I was ok with our purpose, I've missed hanging out with you. You're all I have left; you're my precious family," Sherry said, and she hugged Shelly.

"Yea...I feel the same, although it's pretty embarassing to say..." Shelly replied, blushing.

"I know, it's alright," Sherry said, smiling.

After the hug, Shelly cleared her throat and said, "Let's get the hell out of here," and Sherry nodded. They both ran towards the gate to the outside, opened it, and began running. "I think I know where we can go into hiding," Shelly said, "The rebels in Arizona."

"Why there specifically?" Sherry inquired.

"They seem strong, especially that girl that kicked our butts. I'd like to see her again," Shelly replied, "Plus, they speak our language, and it's close to home."

Sherry nodded and said, "That seems good. Now, are you ready? I'm getting kind of cold out here."

Shelly nodded, and then said, "Heat Barrier!" and a red, wavy circle surrounded both of the girls.

Sherry then declared, "Duo Merge" and the two of them, along with the barrier, combined into an entity and merged into the icy ground. They then flew through the ice at a much faster speed than they were running.

"Do you know where we're going?" Shelly said.

"Sort of, Shelly. I can feel where the ice thins out, so I figure we should head in that direction," Sherry replied.

"Sounds good," Shelly said, "And, let's call each other by our real names again..." "Oops, sorry, Shauna." Sherry said, "I had gotten so used to calling you your codename."

"That's alright, Claire," Shauna responded, "I'm just glad we're done with codenames, among other things..." The two continued their journey, heading towards the ocean, to try and find a new purpose.
Chapter 26

Training Physically and Emotionally

_October 8_ th _, 2033_

"Nah, I'm telling you, dude. This guy looked like Jesus, and had this mystical aura. I wouldn't be surprised if he could walk on water," Zach said.

"Man, I wish I could have met this 'Goodman' guy," Derek said, "Maybe he knows a way for me to copy Level 2 or higher Orb powers."

"Have you asked Mr. Cox or Jane about that?" Bridget asked.

"Yea, they both told me, in different ways, that I would find a way naturally through training my body and through field experience. Pretty boring answers," Derek replied, "I was hoping for a quick and easy way."

"Yea, I feel ya," Zach said, "I haven't gotten past 7x in individual parts or 3x for my whole body yet, although I feel like simple training will help me more than it'll help you."

"Why do you say that?" Bridget asked.

"My Orb powers are pretty straightforward: I enhance my body strength. If I can push my normal self further by working out, I'm guessing I would be able to push my Orb powers further too. But your Orb, Derek, seems complex," Zach replied. Derek groaned, and then Zach said, "I have an idea. Try copying my powers."

"I can't, dude. Already tried it after our preliminary training, and I don't feel much different now compared to then."

"Just give it a try. What do you have to lose?" Zach asked.

Derek shrugged, then said, "Alright...let's give it a try." Zach stood up from the couch, as did Derek, and then Derek put his hand on Zach's shoulder and closed his eyes, while Bridget watched in anticipation.

After a few seconds, Derek opened his eyes, shocked. "I've...I've done it. I copied the Mulitiplier Orb! This is the first time I've successfully copied a Level 2 Orb!" he said excitedly.

Zach, also bewildered, said, "Well...give it a try, although I suggest you start with something small." Derek nodded, then focused while thinking, "Arms Master." He felt a change in his arm strength, and then said, "Zach, use Arms Master and try to stop my fist with your hands."

Zach nodded, and then said, "Arms Master." Derek ran at him and launched a fist at Zach's hands, which were being held out. The hit collided, with both not budging for a moment. Then, Dereks' face cringed as he pulled his hand back. "Ow! What the hell? That felt like my normal fist punching a wall."

"Check the enhancement on your Orb," Zach suggested. Derek mentally checked it, which read "1% Enhancement." "You gotta be kidding me!" Derek exclaimed, "It's set to 1% Enhancement!"

Zach laughed and said, "You sure you channeled the correct setting?"

"I definitely did," Derek replied, "I've never run into this situation before...I wonder if being able to copy an Orb requires a lower level than actually being able to use it..."

"Your Orb is a strange one," Zach said.

"Well...you still made progress, right?" Bridget said, "Before, you couldn't even copy Level 2 Orbs. Maybe with a bit more training you'll be able to use the Orb?"

Derek sighed, then nodded. "I guess there are no shortcuts with the Orbs, eh?" "That's alright, you'll get there soon," Zach said, putting his hand on Derek's shoulder, "Alright, I'm gonna hit the gym, see you both later." He then waved and left their house.

Derek and Bridget sat in silence for a moment, then Derek turned to Bridget and said, "Do you think Zach is uncomfortable with me copying his powers?"

Bridget thought for a moment, then shook her head and said, "I don't think he minds, for two reasons...1: He's probably confident that he can use his own powers better than you can." Derek smirked at Bridget, who laughed and then said, "2. You're best friends. If there was anyone he would be alright with using his powers, it's probably you."

"Yea, I could see that..." Derek said, "Hey, what do you mean 'you're' best friends? You're equally my best friends."

Bridget began blushing a little, and then said, "I appreciate hearing that, but...there's something about friendship between guys that's different...I think."

Derek scratched his head, and looked away from Bridget, saying, "Sure, Zach and I may not playfully jab at you as we do with each other, but...that doesn't mean I think of him as more or less important than I do you."

Bridget blushed even more, then smiled and hugged Derek from the back. "Thank you, Derek. I feel the same way."

Derek began blushing himself, then stood up from the couch and said, "Ahaha...would you look at the time, I gotta go work out too...see ya!"

"Oh, ok...see you later..." Bridget said quietly as Derek rushed out and slammed the door behind him. " _I guess I made him feel a little awkward_..." Bridget thought, holding her wrist, " _I was really happy, though_..."
Chapter 27

The Clumsy Scout

_October 10_ th _, 2033_

Derek looked at it in amazement. Bridget looked with some interest. Zach groaned. The three of them were among a small crowd watching a man blow bubbles. He prepared his wand, dipped it into the soap, and blew. Slowly, a bubble formed and became gradually larger, until it reached about the size of an elephant. Astoundingly, it was also actually shaped like an elephant. The man then bowed, and the crowd clapped. "Thank you, thank you! Tomorrow, I'll be using gum, so be sure to stop by, and don't forget a hair cover," he then chuckled and walked off. Derek, Zach, and Bridget then started walking back to base.

"Man, that power was so cool..." Derek said, "I should have asked to copy his Bubble Blower's Orb."

"Would that really be worth one of your five copy slots?" Zach asked.

"Psh, you just didn't like the show, so you're discounting his Orb too," Derek replied in a cheeky manner.

"No, but the practicality of...never mind..." Zach said.

"Come on man, I'm just kidding. You gotta lighten up! In this messed up world, you gotta appreciate what you can," Derek replied.

"Well, I just can't tell when you're joking, you know? You say most things in nearly the same tone, and you've shared some questionable ideas while sounding completely serious," Zach said, smirking.

"What? I don't always have near the same tone when talking. That's not true. Definitely not true. Far from true. Bridget, is that true?" Derek replied with a frantic tone.

Bridget paused and said, "Umm....well...ha..." while rubbing the back of her head.

Derek fell to his hands and knees dramatically. "Can I never make a joke again?" he said depressingly.

Zach sighed and picked him off the ground. "It's alright if people don't get your jokes; you still give us a lot of laughs that can take the edge off. We appreciate that," Zach said holding his arm over Derek's shoulder, and Bridget nodded to this.

"Aww, thanks guys...hey, but doesn't that mean im the punchline for your laughs?" Derek asked.

Zach and Bridget looked at each other. "Well..." they both started to say...

" _Can you three hear me?"_ A voice suddenly appeared in their heads. " _Is that...Jane?_ " Zach thought. " _Yea, it's me,"_ Jane replied, " _You're being followed by someone."_

The three were surprised by this information, and then Bridget thought, " _How can you see us or the person?"_

" _We have cameras set up around the Phoenix area, just in case a situation like this comes about. Lewis and I were both out during the last incident though, so we couldn't get somebody fast enough to warn you,"_ Jane replied.

" _I see_ ," Zach thought, " _Do you know who or where the person is_?"

_"She's hopping across buildings behind you, and trying to hide behind objects as much as possible, although pretty poorly. Let me zoom in on a frame of the person...oh my god, it's Otome!"_ Jane thought.

" _Who?"_ Derek thought.

" _Otome is the person Upton uses to scout Orb users, especially rebels. She has, as you would expect, the Scouting Orb, which allows her to access personal information about whoever she wants, including their Orb power level,"_ Jane said.

"Why is she following us though? Couldn't she just scout us and then leave?" Derek thought.

_"I'm not sure, maybe she wants to find our base location,"_ Jane said.

_"Should we try and lose her?"_ asked Bridget. _"No,"_ Jane responded _, "This may finally be what we need to find Upton...keep going back to base normally, we'll set up a trap. Jane out."_ The three felt a mental link close, but nodded at each other, and continued on their way back to base, with Otome close behind.
Chapter 28

An Opportunity for Change

" _Now that I know she's there, she IS bad at hiding,_ " thought Derek, noticing how loudly she was moving about.

" _I feel like this will be an easy trap ,"_ Zach thought, also noticing Otome's movements.

" _Isn't she supposed to be a high-ranking Upton official?"_ Bridget pondered as she too, noticed Otome's conspicuousness.

About 2/3rds way back to base, the three heard a shriek. They turned around to see Otome being handcuffed, blindfolded, and gagged by rebel forces who gave the three a thumbs up. They awkwardly gave a thumbs up back, and then proceeded into their base. " _I never thought I'd be on this end of a kidnapping..._ " the three thought simultaneously.

Once inside, they were met by Cox and Jane. "We got her, and we'll be starting the interrogation in 10 minutes. You guys can come if you want," Cox said,

"Is there going to be torture?" Derek asked hesistantly.

"No, just general interrogation techniques. Worst case scenario, Jane has a spell that forces the target to tell the truth; it just takes a lot of time and concentration to prepare." Cox replied, who then glanced over to Jane, "Although I do know someone who wouldn't mind pulling out a whip..."

Jane, who was staring off into space with a sadistic smile, eventually noticed everyone looking at her and frowned. "Now come on, do you really think lil' ol' me could be a sadist?" There was a collective silence. "Well, do you..." Jane said in a scary voice with her sadistic smile returning.

"No, ma'am," the rest of the group said fearfully.

Eventually the 5 of them came down to the basement to interrogate Otome, who was now handcuffed to the chair and still blindfolded, but no longer gagged. "Hey, who is there? Where am I?" Otome asked frantically.

"We'll be asking the questions here," Cox replied.

"Are you guys sure we didn't just accidentally kidnap a middle school girl?" Derek asked the group.

"What is "middle school"?" asked Otome.

"I guess she never lived in America." Zach said.

"No, she is not 13 years old," Cox replied.

"You thought I was 13?!" Otome said angrily, "I'm 21, you stupid guy!"

"Oops," Derek said matter-of-factly.

"Anyways, if you answer our questions, we'll let you go. Sounds fair, no?" Jane said.

"I will never reveal what I know to you rebels," Otome said, turning her head away.

"I don't think you understand where you are," Cox said aggressively, "If you don't comply, we'll have to resort to torture. Whips, shocks, waterboarding, you name it. You may not survive, but we're desparate for answers, understand?"

Otome looked at the group, then back at Cox and said, " _Fumeiyo yori shi."_

The group looked puzzled, except for Jane, who said, "I made an all-purpose language translator as one of my spells. She basically said, 'Death before dishonor'." The group looked at each other seriously, and then Cox signaled for them to move out of earshot from Otome.

"I think we're going to need you to get the truth out of her, Jane," Cox said. Jane nodded, but instead of preparing to cast the truth spell, she smiled sadistically and walked up to Otome.

"So, there's nooo way you'll work with us?" she said.

"No way, lady, "Otome replied.

"I see..." Jane replied,

"But what if I tell you that..." she then whispered something in Otome's ear, whose expression slowly became one of horror. " _IYAHHHH!!"_ Otome screamed, much to the surprise of the rest of the group.

"So, what will it be?" Jane said with a sadistic smile.

Otome, who was near hyperventilating, said, "Alright, alright, I will talk. Just...please...anything but that..."

"I'm glad we could come to an agreement," Jane said happily, and then returned to the group, who had only heard the scream.

"She'll talk," Jane said.

"So much for 'death before dishonor'," Zach said.

"How the hell did you pull that off?" Cox asked, amazed.

"I told her that within our ranks, we have a middle-aged, overweight man who possesses the Octopus Orb, and that he has a thing for Japanese girls. I said I would bring him down here and let him feel the 'softness of her skin' with his tentacles."

The other four had disgusted looks, and Cox said, "Damn, that's fucked up on multiple levels..but good job getting us answers. You're reliable as ever, Jane." Cox signaled the group to return within earshot, but before then Derek asked, "Do we actually have someone like that in our forces?"

"Nope," replied Jane matter-of-factly.

Zach then whispered to him and Bridget, "Remind me to never mess with Jane for any reason..." and they both nodded in agreement.

"Where is Upton's base of operations?" Cox asked.

"It's in Antarctica...I'll give you the coordinates..." Otome replied, and then said them while Cox wrote it down.

"Where can I find the Continent Commanders, and how many are there?" Cox asked.

"There are five Continent Commanders. Two of them are at our main base most of the time. The other three are usually not. I do not know where they are, and I have rarely interacted with them..."

"Oh really?" Jane said in an unconvinced manner. Otome had a look of fear.

"I promise, I really do not know where they are. Please spare me." Jane hesistated, then nodded. "I can at least tell you which ones are at our base and which are not. The Uptoneast Commander and Uptonwest Commander are at our base. The Uptonnorth, Uptonsouth, and Uptonislands commaders' whereabouts are unknown."

"Hmm, alright," Cox said, "One last question? Why did Upton ask you to follow three of my troops?"

"He did not, I chose to follow you myself," Otome replied. I wanted to gather more information about you three, who suddenly appeared with 1 million dollar bounties. Upton brushed you guys off as unimportant, but I was hoping to make him happy with a discovery."

"Wait, you think highly of Upton?" Derek asked.

"Oh, yes," Otome replied, smiling, "Mr. Upton has treated me very nicely over the last 8 years, especially considering the other times I've revealed our bases' location..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Cox said, "Are you telling me you getting captured by other rebel groups is the reason they found Upton's base?

"Eheh...honestly, it is the only reason anybody has found Mr. Upton's base..." Otome replied awkwardly.

"What happened to 'death before dishonor'???" Zach asked beligerently.

"Oh, shut up, dumb guy. That old ' _Dai-Nippon'_ saying is useless in today's world...it just sounded good," Otome replied, which caused Zach to groan, "Hey, I heard that!" she said, moving her head in Zach's direction. At this time, the blindfold, which had been poorly tied to begin with, fell off.

"Ah, crap...whoever tied that blindfold is going to hear it from me," Cox said, sighing. Otome quickly glanced over the five people surrounding her.

"So you are the true identity of Death Lightning," Otome said, "Heh heh, now I do have something useful to report back to Mr. Upton!" Cox signaled the other four back out of earshot.

"Jane, I'm going to need you to wipe her memory of our faces." Jane sighed, then nodded.

"How easily can you wipe memories?" Bridget asked. "The spell can only be used on a stationary and restrained target, as I have to manually drain the memory from the person slowly, and if they move out of place, it's interrupted. I have to locate the specific time window, and then drain that time window, at a rate of 1 second of memory time per 1 second of real time," Jane replied.

"But what about sleeping targets?" Zach asked.

"I can't use it on someone who is sleeping or unconscious," Jane replied. Everyone nodded, then Jane went over to re-blindfold Otome.

As this occured, Otome made an inquisitive face, "You know...you look familiar..." she said.

"Have we met?" Jane asked.

"Somehow, your face reminds me of someone I know..." Otome said.

"Who would that be?" Jane asked. As Otome was about to respond, Cox said, "Hurry with the memory drain, we have to make our next move ASAP." Jane nodded, and then began the drain.

"Hey...what are you doing to me...stupid woman..." Otome said in a weakened manner. After ten minutes, Jane had a depressed look on her face.

"What happened? Did you do it?" Cox asked.

"I could have erased her normal memory of our faces, but I can't find a way to erase her Orb scan memories of us. I'm so sorry..."

Cox said nothing for a moment, then said, "No, it's fine. If our next move is a success, none of us will have to hide anymore."

"Wait, do you mean..." Derek said, and his eyes lit up.

Cox nodded, "We're going to Upton, and taking him out of commission, permanently."

Jane was surprised, saying "Lewis, are you sure about this? I know this has been our ultimate goal, but do we even have the forces for this?"

"I've been devising a plan for a while now. We won't be bringing our entire troop, like the others did. It will be a small group, sneaking in." Cox replied.

"And who will be in this group?" Jane asked.

"Easy, our strongest orb users, which happens to consist of the people in this room, plus a hostage," Cox said. Derek, Zach, and Bridget looked at each other, then nodded in approval.

"I don't know..." Jane said hesistantly.

"Listen, Jane," Cox said, putting his hands on her shoulders, "Up until a couple months ago, we were the only Orb users above Level 1 here. We have strong backup now, even if they are inexperienced. On top of that, we have a hostage that can lead the way for us. This is our best opportunity that we've ever had. Would you really pass on this?"

Jane paused, then smiled at Cox and said, "You're right, Lewis. Let's do this."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Derek, Zach, Bridget, and Jane left the interrogation room, and Cox, who was carrying Otome, said, "Jane, give her a room, but set up a 1-day barrier so she can't leave. I"ll bring her there once it's ready." Jane nodded, then went off.

"Hey, you cannot do this to me. Mr. Upton will have your heads!" Otome exclaimed.

"Kids, prepare to leave for tomorrow. We have a long journey to Antarctica," Cox said, ignoring Otome. "Jane is already storing copies of clothes for you, so just bring the essentials." The three acknowledged Cox, and went back to their house.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That night, Derek laid awake in his bed. He pondered, as he had many times, what it would be like to confront Upton. _"When I see him, I'll do whatever it takes to knock him out of power. Even if it means...killing him...I have to, for Dad, Mom, and all the others who died senselessly. I just wonder how strong our enemies truly are..."_
Chapter 29

Journey to the Bottom of the World

October 11th, 2033

Derek, Zach, and Bridget woke up the next day and walked to the tram station, each with a backpack that contained some supplies. Waiting there was Jane, Cox, and Otome, who was blindfolded and had her hands behind her back.

"How did you know what my clothes look like?" Otome asked.

"Well, I have my own type of scan, too," Jane replied, "Oh, hey kids. Ready to go?"

The three nodded, then Cox said, "We'll be taking the Trans-Continental Tram down through South America to a city in Argentina. From there, an oceanic tram is available to Antarctica, otherwise known as 'Uptonnoman's land.' Frankly, I think that name is stupid, even compared to the other continent names, so I"ll use the old one. Once we are on land, our hostage will lead the way to Upton's base."

"How will we communicate with the locals in Argentina?" Zach asked.

"I'll be able to translate," Jane said, "If they doubt we're rebels, Lewis can demonstrate his Orb power. They know of Death Lightning."

"Oh, our leader is a big shot after all, eh?" Derek said, slyly. Cox gave Derek a confused smirk, and then signaled for the group to board the tram.

"The trip will be 6 hours, with 3 stops along the way," Cox said.

"So the time it takes to stop the tram really is a long time..." Bridget thought to herself.

After a couple minutes, the tram sped out of the station south towards Central America. To pass the time, Derek played on an electronic device, Bridget and Jane both read a book respectively, Zach attempted to sleep, and Cox simply sat down, thinking.

"Aren't you going to get bored, Mr. Cox?" Derek asked.

"I grew up poor, so I had to make up my own entertainment, and in general I'm used to just being alone with my thoughts," Cox replied.

"I see...that's impressive to me. I get bored pretty easily," Derek said.

"For me, that wasn't much of an option," Cox said, "When you're from where I'm from, you had to be alert for as much time as possible during the day, and keep one eye open at night."

"Where were you from?" Derek asked.

"A poor suburb of Atlanta." Cox replied, but then he chuckled. "It's funny, I remember when my childhood was considered terrible by others; nowadays mine was nice compared to what you, Zach, Bridget, and many others your age had to go through."

Derek grew quiet for a moment, and then said, "I think the five of us have all had hardships, but...those hardships made us stronger, and now we have a chance to do something incredible for the world. I'd say we made the best of our bad situations." Cox looked at Derek, surprised, "Why do I feel like you don't act as smart as you actually are?" Cox asked.

"Are you saying I seem dumb most of the time?" Derek asked.

Cox laughed, and shook his head, "Of course not, Derek..." Derek gave Cox a confused smirk, akin to what Cox gave him earlier.

After an hour, the tram arrived in Mexico City, Mexico, with one passenger getting on. They had their face hidden, and was in a black cloak. After a few more minutes, the tram left once again, heading further south down the continent.

Within a few minutes, Bridget noticed that her lips had become dry, and that the atmosphere in the tram had become somewhat uncomfortable. She went over to Jane and whispered, "Did you notice the change in atmosphere as soon as this cloaked person entered the tram?" Jane nodded, then whispered to Cox, who stood up and walked over to the cloaked woman.

"Excuse me. What business do you have on this rebel tram?" he asked.

They looked up to Cox, and a slightly raspy female voice responded with a light Mexican accent, "I am also a rebel, although we haven't met before, Death Lightning."

Cox was surprised, "What makes you think I'm Death Lightning?" he asked.

"Oh, was I wrong? You have a strong elemental aura and matched the physical description, so I just assumed. My apologies."

Cox sighed. "You're not wrong, I am Death Lightning. Who are you?"

"I am Tierra Muerta, a fellow rebel leader," she replied.

"Oh...now it makes sense. Sorry for questioning your motives," Cox said.

"It's understandable, considering my apperance. Don't worry about it," she replied.

"I have something to ask of you though," Cox said, "Can you fix the atmosphere in here? It's pretty uncomfortable."

"Oops, sorry about that. Sometimes I don't pay attention to my own powers," she said. The atmosphere quickly returned to normal.

After another hour, the tram stopped in Panama City, Panama, and Muerta stood up to get off the tram.

"Before I go, I must ask who you are, purple-haired woman. Your dark magic aura is almost as powerful as Lightning's elemental aura. Are you a rebel leader yet to be bountied?" she asked.

Jane laughed and said, "I work with him, although mostly behind the scenes."

"I see," Muerta responded, "You have quite a powerful troop then, especially considering the potential of the younger ones with you." She then got off the tram, which headed towards South America.

"Who was that?" Derek asked.

"Tierra Muerta, bounty of 85 million. She has the Desert Orb, which gives her immeasurable powers from desert regions," Jane said.

"So that explains why the atmosphere was so dry," Zach said.

"Yes, she is quite powerful, I wouldn't want to make an enemy out of her," Cox said.

After two more hours, the tram stopped in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but nobody got on or off at this time, and the tram continued south. After yet another two hours, the tram finally arrived at its most southern point, Rio Gallegos, Argentina. The group of six hopped off the tram and stretched.

"Man, that was a long one," Derek said.

"Our journey isn't over," Cox said, "We have to go through the city to reach the oceanic tram. Hopefully it will be at the station, or else we'll have to wait a little while." He then signaled for the group to go upstairs, where a guard nodded at them, then let them through the door.

The main floor of the Rio Gallegos Rebel base, however, was nothing more than a run-down cantina. " _It must be a struggle for the rebels out here_ ," Bridget thought. " _They don't seem to have many resources."_ Outside, the sky was foggy, and the streets and shops were in [poor condition. Many of the palm trees were slumping, and all the paths were dust roads.

"This town used to be a decent tourist destination," Jane said, "But with the beaches in such deplorable shape, there's no longer a reason to visit beachfront areas. As such, these types of towns have become impoverished. Stick together, as the people here are desparate." The group nodded, and then collectively headed east towards the ocean.

Despite Jane's warning, nobody dared attack the group of six, although they did get a few stares. Eventually, they reached a pier right along the beach, although most of the shops had been abandoned. Cox signaled for the group to enter one with the name " _Casa Del Barcos."_ When they walked in, they saw a mustached man asleep across the counter. Jane looked at him for a moment, than tapped him on the shoulder. The man woke up suddenly, saying " _Perdon."_ He then looked at the group, rubbed his eyes, and said, "What can I do for you, friends?" Noticing his somewhat heavy accent, Jane spoke to the man in Spanish. After talking with each other for about 30 seconds, the man nodded, closed up shop, and then said, "Follow me."

He reached over to a rope attached to the ceiling behind the counter, and a hidden staircase appeared. The group followed him down to a relatively small underground tram station. "Here is the tram to Uptonnoman'sland," the man said, "I do not know what you expect to find there, but I wish you luck."

As the group got on the tram, an automated voice said, "Next stop: Palmer Land, Antarctica." It then began moving, albeit slowly, before stopping in front of a large steel door.

"Why did we stop?" Derek asked. "They have to set up the area so we can go underwater," Cox replied. At that time, a steel door closed behind the tram, followed by the steel door in front opening up, letting in thousands of gallons of water. Once the tram was submerged, it began moving along a rusty, underwater track. "The journey should take about an hour, in the meantime, take these," Jane said, and she made winter gear appear out of thin air. "You three change first; Lewis and I will go afterwards," she continued. Derek, Zach, and Bridget nodded, and then took turns in the bathroom changing. Cox and Jane did the same when they were done.

"Will this be enough?" Zach asked, "You only gave us one extra layer of clothing." "Normally, you'd be right," Jane said, "But I imbued those clothes to keep you warm even in the harshest cold."

"I've been wondering this for a while, but just how many different powers does your Orb give you?" Bridget inquired.

"You know, I actually don't know," Jane said, "When I self-examine my Orb, it has a list of powers I can use, but it didn't start out that way. When I first got my Orb ten years ago, the only thing listed was, 'Store Dark Magic Here'. Since then, whatever basic necessity I wished for, a magic was created for it."

Derek looked shocked. "But wouldn't that mean you could wish for a way to locate Upton, or even remove him from power?" Derek asked.

Jane shook her head. "I thought of such things, but the magic created is limited if it would be too powerful. For example, I can only locate someone if they would want me to locate them in the first place."

"So certain Orbs have balancing mechanisms, huh?" Derek said. "There really is still a lot we don't understand about the Orbs." The group nodded to this.

A little while later, the tram slowed down greatly. It rose above water and stopped on dry land, in an icy, outdoor station. The group stepped off the tram to find the place empty. " _Makes sense it would be empty, this place would be terrible to live in,"_ Zach thought _, "Knowing that, is Upton actually here?"_ He then whispered to Jane, "Are we sure we aren't being mislead? This place seems pretty unlivable."

Jane nodded, then walked up to Otome and said in a foreboding manner, "Reminder that if you're lying to us, we're taking you back to have a nice 1-on-1 session with Mr. Octopus."

"No, _onegai,_ er, please, I am not lying. I will lead you there right now," she replied fearfully.

Jane whispered back to Zach, "I think we're good." Zach nodded, somewhat fearfully as well.

The group followed Otome, who was no longer blindfolded, through the snow for about 20 minutes, before she stopped and pressed a button on the bracelet she was wearing. About 10 meters in front of Otome, ice mechanically formed into the shape of stairs leading underground. "Other rebels that held me hostage had hundreds of people with them, so they could not use this small tram. It took them weeks to reach Upton's base," Otome said. "I would rather not spend weeks out here, and if we take this tram, it will take only one hour."

"But we can't sneak in if they know we are using your own tram..." Cox said. "Ugh, I hate to be giving you this information, but the tram is not monitored at all. They will not know you people are here," Otome responded. "Is it really that far from here?" Bridget asked.

"Yes, for Mr. Upton's base lies in the Bentley Subglacial Trench, over 1000 miles from here," Otome said. The rest of the group was shocked.

"There's no way the tram can only take an hour though," Derek said.

"We have certain technologies the rest of the world does not," Otome replied. "Hmm...yea, it makes sense when you put it that way," Derek said.

Cox pulled the group aside. "How do you all feel about this? I'm pretty skeptical," he said.

"This type of scenario has happened to Upton and her before; they may have a procedure set up to deal with us," Zach said.

"But could she have really planned for this when every other group was much larger than ours?" Derek said.

"Oh! I forgot to mention. I prepped and casted Truth Serum magic on her while we were walking here," Jane said.

"No wonder you were lagging behind a bit," Cox said, "Also, could ya tell us sooner next time?"

"Sorry, I found it too hard to prep the Truth Serum magic and communicate telepathically at the same time," Jane replied.

"Well, whatever. At least we won't fall into a trap this way," Cox said. The group moved back towards Otome. "Is this a trap to kill or capture us?" Cox asked.

"No...Mr. Upton did not plan for this type of scenario," Otome replied, sighing.

"I guess we're good then," Derek said. The group got on the tram, which eventually started moving towards Upton's base.
Chapter 30

The Multi-Talented Mercenary

The group waited patiently for the tram to arrive at Upton's base. About halfway through the journey, Cox walked up to Otome and asked, "What happened to the other rebel groups who located your base?"

"We have a trap set up in the entranceway that I led the groups to. It has a weight minimum before it activates, though, which is why there would be no point in trying to use it on your small group," Otome replied, straight-faced. "It trapped them in a large box that we filled with sleeping gas. We then restrained them with the anti-Orb handcuffs and sent them off to prison."

Cox looked shocked. "You mean they're alive?!"

"I have no idea. We sent them to different places, and it is not my duty to keep track of them. I have never even been to one of our prisons, nor do I know the locations." Otome replied, still with a straight face.

" _This is weird; usually people freak out when they realize they can't lie and start revealing important information,"_ Jane thought _."_ She then stepped forward and said, "Don't you even care about giving us all this useful information?"

Otome shook her head and snickered. "Why does it matter? I have the utmost confidence in Mr. Upton to put you rebel scum in your place. It does not matter what information I give you, because they do not tell me much crucial information anyways." She then covered her mouth in surprise. " _Kore wa nan desu ka?_ " she said to herself, before saying louder, "Pretend you did not hear that last part."

Bridget, Zach, and Derek gave Otome questionable looks, which in turn led to her scowling at them. " _I don't think the Truth Serum was even needed,"_ Jane thought to herself.

After a few more minutes, the tram arrived at the base station. The group stepped out into another empty area and walked upstairs to ground level. About a mile in the distance, an enormous, white palace could be seen.

"Are there any side or secret entrances we can use to go in?" Cox asked Otome. "Yes, but you need to untie me so I can activate it," she replied.

"Why do you need to be untied?" Cox asked. "It is a fingerprint scanned passcode," she said. Cox looked back at Jane, who nodded, and then he sighed and untied her. Otome touched a nearby rock, and a keypad emerged from the ground.

Otome entered a passcode, and the screen said, "Identity verified as Otome. Password correct. Proceed." From there, a platform emerged from the ice.

Otome stepped on the platform and said "Well, it's been fun, but I must go off to warn Upton of intruders," she replied, before laughing triumphantly and started riding down the platform, but she remained in mid-air while the platform went downwards and through a tunnel. Eventually Otome stopped laughing long enough to notice this, and said, "Uh...what?"

Jane walked over to her, smiling, and said, "I have a magic field set up so you can't move a certain distance away from me. I guess you underestimated us." Otome groaned, and signaled for the platform to return. The rest of the group stepped on, and then the platform moved through another underground tunnel before surfacing inside a dimly-lit room.

"Where are we?" Cox asked.

"This is the Platform Room. The reason for the name is obvious," Otome replied. "Are we really in Upton's palace?" Derek asked.

"Unfortunately for you, yes," Otome said, "And you are all on camera, so once the guard notices and sounds the alarm, you will all be finished." The group focused and prepared their abilities, waiting for the alarm to sound, but it never did.

"Is there even a security guard?" Cox asked.

"Yes...but he is always asleep...Mr. Upton said he wanted the 'authentic security guard experience,' so he hired a lazy, overweight man to do the job," Otome replied. "That seems pretty silly coming from the Ruler of the World," Zach said.

"Mr. Upton is a great man! He just...has some strange things about him," Otome replied. "

Either way, we're in," Cox replied, "Jane, can you silence Otome for now? I'd like to not draw attention for as long as possible."

Jane nodded, and then put her finger to her lips as if saying "Shh," in the direction of Otome. Otome opened her mouth, but no sound came out, to her own surprise. "It'll wear off in 30 minutes, so we have to make haste," Jane said.

"Alright, kids, let's knock the king off his throne," Cox said, turning to the trio.

The group moved out of the Platform room and moved north, eventually reaching a directory map. "This place is like a freakin' mall," Cox said. After staring at it for a few seconds, he said, "There are multiple ways to Upton's room, which is due half a mile east. We can either take the direct route via the Grand Hallway, which we are in right now, or take some side hallways."

"To avoid attention, I vote for the side hallways," Jane said. The group nodded, then began running eastward through the marble-covered halls, except for Otome, who was floated along by Jane. However, after turning the first corner, they were met by Leningrad, who was quite surprised at the sight of the group. Otome desparately tried to communicate with her, but had to resort to flailing hand gestures.

Leningrad then sighed and said, "So not only did you get captured by rebels again, but you led them past our traps this time?" Otome shook her head, but Leningrad ignored this. "Have you no shame or tact?" Otome became furious, but couldn't yell at Leningrad. "Regardless, I'll have to free you," Leningrad said.

"I don't think so," Cox said, while Jane's hand begun to glow with a dark energy. "Move any closer and your comrade gets blasted." Leningrad took a deep breath, and then said, "Ninja Arts," and her outfit swapped from her standard black jumpsuit to the appearance of a _Kunoichi,_ as well as her hair changing from straight down to a ponytail.

"Hey, what are you doing!?" Cox said. Leningrad smirked, and then vanished from sight, before reappearing behind Jane and pulling her down by her neck using wire. Jane fell to the ground in pain, while Leningrad dissappeared and reappared where she intially was. Due to the damage Jane sustained, Otome was freed from her grip and ran over to Leningrad.

"Sound the alarm, I'll take care of these guys," Leningrad said to Otome, who nodded and ran eastwards down the Grand Hallway.

"Jane! Are you alright?" Cox said, kneeling down. Jane nodded, and began healing her neck wound using magic.

"She's tougher than I imagined. That usually breaks people's necks," Leningrad said.

Jane telepathically relayed a message to the group, " _I sense her aura; she is very powerful_." Cox nodded, and then said, "Leave her to me. Zach, carry Jane, and the four of you should continue on."

"Will you be ok on your own?" Derek asked.

"I'll be good, don't worry about me," Cox replied.

" _Good luck,_ " Jane sent telepathically to Cox, who gave a thumbs up to the group. The rest of them continued running eastward.

"You think I'll allow that?" Leningrad exclaimed, before dissappearing again. The group prepared for the worst, but Cox exclaimed "Electric Wall!" Lightning shot out of Cox's hands and blocked off the two sides of the room. Leningrad, who was in the act of teleporting, ran into the wall and had to back off after being shocked. "I told you, I got this, now go!" Cox yelled to the group, who continued on their way to Upton's room. Leningrad groaned angrily. "So your teleportation is actually you moving extremely fast in a line?" Cox said.

"I'm surprised you figured that out so fast, Death Lightning," Leningrad replied, "But you'll need much more than that knowledge to best me."

"Who are you?" Cox asked.

"I'm known as Leningrad, Uptoneast Continent Commander," Leningrad replied.

"I see..." Cox said, before smirking "I guess I'll finally be adding 'Defeated a Continent Commander,' to my resume'."

Leningrad also smirked, "We'll see about that."
Chapter 31

Isolated

The four continued on down the hall quickly. "Thank you for carrying me, Zach. I'm sorry I let Otome escape," Jane said quietly, "I guess I've been out of the field too long."

"It's alright," Zach said, "But is your neck ok? That looked pretty brutal."

Jane nodded, and then said, "My neck hurts, but it's not as bad as it looked because of Orb Resistance."

"Orb Resistance...that's the force that weakens the power of Orb powers on other Orb users, right?" Bridget said.

"Yes, and it prevented me from dying right there," Jane replied, "However...the reason I can't walk is because when I hit the ground...I tweaked my back, heheh...I'm healing the bruises as we speak, but I can't really run and do that at the same time."

"Take as much time as you need, you're pretty light to carry," Zach said.

"Oh, you, flattery won't get you anywhere," Jane said, lightly slapping Zach on the back.

"You know his Orb basically gives him super strength, right?" Derek said, "You could be 500 pounds and it would seem light to h...." before finishing his sentence, Jane gave him a sadistic glare, and Derek said no more.

"Halt!" the group was met by fifteen soldiers with machine guns.

"Holy crap, that's a lot of guns," Derek said.

"Now is really not the time to be marvelling at things," Zach replied.

"Zach, let me off your back, I'm better now," Jane said. Zach nodded and let her down, although she still seemed a little frazzled, considering she remained seated on the ground.

"Don't move!" a solidier yelled.

" _I still don't have much strength to run, so I'm going to set up a barrier. It will hold off the soldiers and gun shots while you guys go on to Upton_ ," Jane said telepathically to the three.

" _But, what about you?"_ Bridget asked.

" _I'll be alright, and I'm sure Lewis will catch up with us soon. I believe in you all, even if you've only recently become rebels,"_ Jane replied. _"If you work together, you can defeat_ Upton."

" _Alright_ ," the group replied.

"Go!" Jane yelled and she set up a purple barrier as wide and high as the room. The three ran off towards Upton's room.

"Fire!" the captain yelled, and the guns started firing, but in vain, as the bullets absorbed into the barrier. "Damn, guns aren't working, run at her," the captain said. The troops ran at Jane, only to be rejected by the barrier and be knocked back. "Goddamnit!" the captain yelled as the troops fruitlessly attempted to breach the barrier.

" _I just need a few more minutes until I can turn the tables_ ," Jane thought.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The remaining three continued down the side hallways until they reach the point where the side hallways met with the Grand Hallway. To their right was a single hallway, and at the top, below the ceiling, was a glowing sign that read "World Leader Charles Upton's room."

"Finally, we've made it," Derek said, "Let's hurry!" he ran off towards the sign hallway, but stopped right past the entrance when he noticed that Bridget and Zach hadn't followed him. "Guys? Come on!" Derek exclaimed.

"I just...I can't go on knowing we left Jane behind," Bridget said.

"She said she'll be fine! This is a huge opportunity!" Derek replied.

"Don't you read between the lines? She was trying to sacrifice herself for us, but I don't think I could live with that," Zach said.

Derek sighed and said, "I feel like you should both have more faith in her. You heard that Muerta person on the tram; Jane is really powerful. Soldiers should be nothing to her."

"But still..." Bridget started, when suddenly, a white wall extended from the floor and covered up the entrance to Upton's room, separating Derek from Zach and Bridget.

"What the hell is this?" Derek exclaimed. Zach and Bridget ran over to the wall.

"Derek, are you alright over there?" Zach asked.

"That's a shame; looks like I missed one." Zach and Bridget turned towards the entrance to the other side hallways to see a black-haired man in his early 30's walk towards them. "Oh well, I'm sure Mr. Upton can deal with one teenager."

"What have you done?!" Zach exclaimed.

"I simply set up my wall to prevent you two from reaching Mr. Upton, although my angle of sight was bad, so I didn't see your friend," the man replied. "It's part of my Orb power, so that won't be coming down unless you can defeat me."

"Derek! Go on without us! Find Upton and capture him!" Zach yelled.

"But, you guys..." Derek said.

"What, you trust Jane, but not us?" Zach replied playfully, "We'll join you when we're done with this guy."

"Believe in us," Bridget said in a calm, yet confident manner.

"...You're right. Good luck, and don't you two go dying on me!" Derek said, and then he ran off.

"So, whom do we have the pleasure of knocking out?" Zach said.

"Cocky, are we?" the man replied, "I am Regal Justice, Uptonwest Continent Commander."

Zach thought for a moment, then asked, "So are you the reason America became so shitty?"

"Canceling most of the public programs and other luxuries you once utilized were not my ideas, but I suppose I have some responsibility for not doing anything about it," Justice replied.

"That's enough motivation for me," Zach said, cracking his knuckles. Bridget nodded and prepared for battle.

"Otome told me of the intruders, but I figured it was inefficient to sound the alarm and bring in reinforcements for one well-known guy and four no-names," Regal Justice said, "Plus, it'll make it that much better when I take you both out by myself."
Chapter 32

Facing the Leader of the World

Derek ran until he reached a large room. The walls were covered with the world's most famous paintings, such as the _Mona Lisa_ , as well as a large mirror on one of the walls. Across the room from the entrance layed a double king-sized bed containing Upton, who was taking a nap, although he was awoken by Derek's arrival.

Rising up and rubbing his eyes, he said, "Who the hell do you think you are, disturbing my nap?"

"You're...him. Charles Upton," Derek said.

"Damn right I am. Are you a new butler or something? That would explain why you woke me up," Upton replied nonchalant.

Derek shook his head, then said, "I'm not here to do anything for you. I'm here to remove you from power, however I have to."

Upton looked at Derek skeptically. "How did you even get in here? And who do you think you are, making such outrageous claims?"

"My name is Derek Mathew," Derek replied, "Remember it well. You're the reason my parents, and my friends' parents are dead! Because of you... the world is in a terrible state!"

Upton shrugged and said, "That's a shame, but it had to be this way."

"Why!?" Derek asked angrily, "Why are you doing all this? Why did you ruin everyone else's lives? I know the world was far from perfect before but...there's no reason it had to be this way."

"Well, I think it did have to be this way," Upton replied, "How else would I be able to live this lavish? How else could I name entire continents after myself? How else would I be this superior to everybody else in the world? So what if a few billion people are worse off? What did any of them do for me?" Derek couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"How do you even live with yourself?!" Derek yelled at Upton, but then he said more calmly, "I doubt you can be reasoned with, so I'll force an end to this."

"I was also getting annoyed with your ramblings," Upton replied, "But do you really expect to beat me, the Leader of the World? You think I got here by luck? I have the Influence Orb, which means I can control people to do my bidding. The quantity doesn't matter either. Whether it's one or one billion, all bend to my whim when I want them to."

"Wait, so that's how you keep winning re-election?" Derek asked, "You just control the people to vote for you. Your 'elections' are just a sham!"

"Yea, it's not even really necessary, but it feels good to win elections, you know? Well, I guess you wouldn't know," Upton said, grinning.

"You'll pay for what you've done, here and now!" Derek declared. Upton shook his head, laughing, and then said, "Your words mean nothing. Soon, you'll be under my control. It'd be easier for you if you just ran, kid, unless you want to lose your free will. What could a no-name like yourself expect to do vs. me, the great Charles Upton?!"

He then continued laughing condescendingly as Derek looked downwards for a moment before saying "...I didn't come this far just to back down. I could never forgive myself if I let this chance go by." He then charged forwards using his Bunny Hop Orb.

"You'll need better powers than that to defeat me!" Upton said, and then his eyes glowed. He stared directly into Derek's eyes, and Derek suddenly stopped his rush. " _What? Why did I stop_?" he thought.

"Hahaha! You can't defy me, I'm a god amongst men!" Upton exclaimed in a cocky manner. "Within the next ten seconds, you'll be under my control for as long as I need you to be!" He then continued his laughing, while Derek thought, " _Is it really this effortless for Upton? Is there no hope left for any of us..."_

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cox attempted to shoot lightning bolts at Leningrad, who either dodged them or had a mirage that vanished into thin air when hit. All the while, Leningrad fired shurikens at Cox, which were hitting with pretty good accuracy, albeit to little overall effect. "Enough of this poking. Disintegrating Aura," Cox said, and his body became covered with lightning energy. Leningrad continued to fire shurikens, but they started dissappearing in the aura. Leningrad then vanished, and appeared behind Cox, but the aura pushed her back, and she could not attack his neck as she did with Jane. "Give it up! How could a ninja expect to breach my defense?" Cox said.

"I see now you really are someone worth your bounty," Leningrad replied, " Kung-Fu Arts!" Her outfit switched to that of a kung-fu artist, with her hair now in a small bun. "My Orb is the Mercenaries Orb. I have a small catalog of mercenary archetypes whose powers I can swap between," Leningrad said.

"Well, I am a bit surprised, but how will this make any difference?" Cox replied. "You underestimate the resolve of a martial artist," Leningrad said, before charging at Cox. He put out his hands to stop the blow, but her fist punched right through the aura and knocked Cox back. Cox fought back by firing another lightning blast at Leningrad. However, she did not try to dodge, and instead stood in place and endured the blast with her arms. They came out unscathed.

"This isn't your average kung-fu artist, I see," Cox said before running at Leningrad while firing lightning at her. She either dodged each shot or simply endured the hit with her arms. "Zeus Fist!" Cox exclaimed as his hand became concentrated with energy, but his blow was stopped by Leningrad's hand, before she gave him a swift kick to his stomach. Cox grabbed his stomach in pain, before getting punched in the face and falling on his back.

"Yes, this archetype is much more suited against your flimsy lightning," Leningrad said. Cox got up, and noticed his nose was bleeding a little. "You're strong, Leningrad," he said, "I guess I have to get serious myself. No more 'flimsy' lightning aura or blasts,"

"What?" Leningrad said rhetorically.

"I don't remember the last time I had to go all out, so your records may not know about this," Cox said, before clenching his fists. After a short moment of channeling energy, the lightning around his body switched from a white to a red color, and engulfed him. Leningrad could not believe what she was seeing as the energy dissipated a bit. Cox's eyes went from brown to red, and lightning periodically bounced from his body in random directions. "This form is a bit unstable, but I have no choice," Cox said as his voice echoed. Leningrad stared in awe for a moment until one of the stray lightning bolts flew in her direction.

She quickly put up her hand to stop it, but she groaned in pain when it hit her hand. " _And that's just from his aura..."_ she thought, but then shook her head. " _Enough being distracted. What would my comrades say if I went down like this?"_ She strengthened her resolve and moved into a kung-fu stance. They both charged at each other, and their fists met, creating a red and gray energy explosion.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Full Bulk," Zach said, and power flowed through him. He then ran fast at Justice and tried punching him. However, it was blocked by a white shield attached to Justice's arm, and Zach was pushed back. "Knockback Force!," Justice turned around to see Bridget attacking him, but he created a shield on his other arm and blocked the blow, only moving slightly.

"Magic Counter," Justice said, and Bridget's own move materialized from the shield and was thrown back at her.

"What the-," Bridget said before being knocked far back, although she managed to stay afloat. "My Shell Orb allows me to absorb attacks and even fire back non-contact moves, Orb or not," Justice said, "You have no hope of defeating me."

"I'm not done yet! Arms Master!" Zach said and then he ran back at Justice and tried to punch him, but again, he was blocked and pushed back. "Alright, how about Lighting Legs?" Zach said, and ran extremely fast at Justice before kicking him. For the third time, the blow was blocked, and Zach was forced back. " _Maybe if I hit him from all sides_ ," Bridget thought, "House Tornado!" However, this time, Justice's put his arms side-by-side, and his shield extended around his body into a sphere. Despite the force of the tornado, he was unnmoving.

" Magic Counter!" Justice exclaimed, and then he burst from his shell and fired the tornado back at Bridget. Bridget was thrown up into the air and fell back down, but she managed to soften the blow a bit before making impact.

"My turn," Justice said, and he shot out small, thick blocks, which were easily dodged by Zach and Bridget. " Living Barrier!" he then exclaimed, and the blocks swiftly moved from off the ground towards Zach and Bridget. They barely dodged that time, but the blocks continued to bounce around and continue their assault; Justice orchestrated this with his hands. "You're keeping up well," Justice said, "But how about this?!" and he added two more blocks. This time, the four focused in on Zach, who was unable to dodge and endured a heavy blow from one of them, being knocked on his back.

" _Shit! Those are heavier than they look!"_ he thought. Although the block that hit him dissolved, the other three were still in hot pursuit. Bridget set up a Storm Shield in the nick of time to save Zach, but the blocks continued banging on it. Zach noticed Bridget experiencing pain from this, and shook himself off and got up again. "Enough of this. Arms Master!" he exclaimed, and when the blocks flew at him, he retaliated with punches that dissolved each one. The assault had ended, although both were breathing heavily.

"Well done, rebels. But still, there's no chance for either of you to damage me, and I'll be able to create more blocks shortly," Justice said, "Why don't you save yourselves some pain and leave?"

In a strained voice, Bridget said, "You're right; neither of us are a match for you...at least...individually. But...together, we'll find a way!"

Zach let out an exasperated chuckle and said, "I never expected you to be so inspiring Bridget."

"Hey, even I can be dramatic too, sometimes..." Bridget replied.

"Heh, you think words will win this for you?" Justice said.

"No, we don't," Zach replied, "Our actions will!"
Chapter 33

A Sheep in Wolf's Clothing

Jane remained in place, keeping up her barrier, even when the troops stopped to reload. "Why can't we breach this damn shield!?" the commander screamed.

"The bullets are dissappearing in the barrier, sir!" one of the troops said.

"How the hell can this barrier absorb bullets, but people can't enter? This is riduclous!" the commander replied.

" _Well, it is magic..._ " Jane thought, " _Oh! I'm charged up now. Time to send these guys packing."_ She finally stood up.

"Sir! She's standing up!" another soldier said.

"Hey! Don't move!" the commander said fruitlessly. Jane's hair began levitating, and her eyes glowed, before she exclaimed, "Absorption Reversal!" The barrier immediately exploded forwards, hitting the entire group of soldiers and knocking them either into the back wall, or out into the side hallway. "Knocked em all out cold with that one. Looks like I still got it," Jane said, chuckling to herself, "Alright, I've got to check on the kids. I'm sure Lewis can handle himself," she tried to run, but had to slow down after a few seconds. "Ok....still pretty tired..." she strolled down the side hallway towards Upton's room.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

" _I said some dramatic stuff back there, but I'm still not sure how to beat this guy,"_ Bridget thought, facing down Regal Justice.

" _Zach! Bridget!"_ They both received the message telepathically.

" _Jane! Are you alright?"_ Zach thought. " _Yea, I took care of those soldiers, no problem,"_ she replied _, "More importantly, are you two alright? Why are you separated from Derek?"_

_"We don't really have time to explain that right now,"_ Zach thought _, "We're fighting a Continent Commander."_

_"Oh my! That's a pretty big task,"_ Jane thought _, "I won't be able to reach you for a little while, but are you doing ok?"_

_"Honestly, we're struggling,"_ Bridget thought, " _This man has a powerful Orb. His defense is impenatrable."_

_"Hmm..."_ Jane thought _, "Well, I can't see what's happening, but I figure every Orb has a weakness, at least based off of my experience. Try to find a way to breach the shell if you can't break it. It may take some sort of teamwork technique, but I believe you two can do it!"_

_"Thanks for the advice, Jane,"_ Zach replied, " _If it doesn't work out, I'll clean him up for you,"_ Jane thought playfully.

_"I'm sure you will,"_ _Bridget said._

"What, have you two given up already after all your big claims?" Justice said, as Zach and Bridget had not made a move while communicating with Jane.

"Uh, consider it an internal strategy meeting," Bridget replied.

"Huh?" Justice replied.

"No need to explain to him, Bridget," Zach said, "Let's just focus on a solution." "Hmm...I wish Derek was here. He's pretty good at finding solutions mid-battle," Bridget said.

"Yea, he is pretty resourceful in battle, probably due to his Orb lacking the punch ours have," Zach replied, "Wait a minute...Bridget, do you remember when you used your tornado on him?"

"Yea, he just put the shell around his whole body. What about it?" Bridget replied.

"He put his arms together, and then formed a shield around his body. Not only that, he's only blocked blows with his arms thus far," Zach said. "I've just been focusing on his face or torso, because that's generally a more effective way of knocking someone out. If we can lock up his arms, maybe we can reach his actual body."

"I see..." Bridget said, "How do you propose we do this?" "Let me distract him initially. If you go at the same time I'm in his face, you can use your wind to split his arms up. At that time, he'll be wide open for an attack," Zach said.

"Alright," Bridget said, nodding, "Make the move, I'll follow up."

Zach nodded back, then said, "Full Bulk!" as the Orb energy flowed evenly throughout himself again. He then charged at Justice. "Another futile attempt," Justice said as he put his arms up to block Zach's attempted punch. He then forced him back.

"Differing Winds!"

"What the...?" Justice said, but it was too late. Bridget maintained a constant stream of wind that split his two arms towards the sides of his body. "Nice job, Bridget!" Zach said, before charging at Justice once again. Justice struggled and cringed ,unable to shield himself. He tried to run away, but Bridget levitated him just slightly off the ground, and kept him in place. Once Zach was within punching range, he said, "Arms Master!" and then delivered an extremely swift, yet powerful blow to Justice's solarplexus. Justice flew backwards, crashing into and breaking the wall. Bridget and Zach ran over to the crash area, to find Justice unable to move, gasping for air. The artificial wall created by him had dissappeared.

"That punch seemed stronger than usual," Bridget said.

"I think so too..." Zach said, "Something inside just told me I was capable of enhancing even further..." He thought for a second, then said. "I"ll think about it later. Forget this guy, he'll be out for a while," Zach said, "We gotta help Derek." Bridget nodded, and they both ran in the direction of Upton's room.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Derek stood still for ten seconds, but noticed not only that he still had free will, but that he was able to continue moving towards Upton. "Uh...what?" Derek said. Upton also appeared confused.

"Uh, your Orb IS a Level 1 Bunny Hop Orb that you stole from us, right?" Upton asked awkwardly.

"No...my Orb is the Mimicry Orb, Level Z." Upton's face quickly became fearful. "Could it be...your Orb only works effectively on lower level Orb users?" Derek asked.

"Um...can we talk this out? I can give you a nice sum of money." Upton said desparately.

Derek prepared himself and said, "Mimic's Combo: Jumping Cactus!" He then charged towards Upton while firing spines from his hands. "Ahhhh!"

Upton screamed as he used his powers to put a table in front of the spines, blocking them. Derek jumped around the table and threw a punch, but Upton barely dodged out of the way. Upton continued screaming in fear as he threw various objects at Derek, including his nighstand, ferns, and even some of the paintings.

"Hey! Those things are priceless!" Derek exclaimed.

"I'm worth more!" Upton replied, throwing more paintings at him.

" _This guy is a joke_..." Derek thought, " _I almost feel bad for holding a grudge against him...almost." "_ Enough of this," Derek said, before taking a hit from a painting. "Ha! Got you!" Upton exclaimed, but it was actually just a Mirage Clone. Upton looked stunned, while Derek appeared behind him and hit him with a spiny fist in the back.

"Owww! Shit, that hurt!" Upton said, running away from Derek. He then threw a couch at Derek, which hit him, except it was another Mirage Clone. "Not again..." Upton said, before Derek hit the back of his head with a Spirit Fist. "Please...oww..." Upton said. This time Derek didn't need a Mirage Clone. He ran up to Upton and punched him in the face with all his strength, knocking him into the mirror. The mirror smashed, and Upton fell down, heavily injured.

Derek walked up to him slowly, only to hear Upton crying from the pain. "No...more...mercy..." he said between sobs.

"Look at me!" Derek said angrily, and Upton obliged, although he was still shedding tears. "You're a pathetic scumbag. Your Militia ordered for the murder of my parents and my friend's parents. You made our lives horrible. There will be no mercy from me." Upton cowered on the ground in a begging-type of pose, but simply continued crying. Derek looked around near where the mirror shattered and noticed a large, sharp piece of broken glass. He picked it up and said, "Sit up!" Upton obliged, but when he saw the glass in Derek's hand, he backed against the wall.

"No..." he said, but Derek brought the glass up to Upton's neck.

"This is what you deserve," Derek said. Upton looked at the glass, then closed his eyes, albeit while still sobbing.

He kept holding the broken glass to Upton's neck, but didn't move. " _Come on Derek, you can do this!"_ Derek thought, " _This guy ruined you and your friend's lives. Kill him!"_ Despite these thoughts, he could not bring himself to slit Upton's throat. " _What other purpose have you worked towards, but this?"_ Derek thought. Derek's face grew more sour, his hands shaking and sweating. " _Just do it!"_ He thought back to memories of his ruined childhood, his dying parents...but he couldn't commit the action. After a few seconds, Upton opened his eyes, and at that moment, Derek yelled and reached his hand back. Upton put his hands over his face in fear, but Derek threw the glass away. Upton stopped crying and acted confused. Derek let out a huge sigh and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a pair of white handcuffs and linked Upton's wrists, which caused Upton's eyes to go from red to blue. He then began walking out of the room.

"...What?" Upton said hesistantly.

"Don't move!" Derek said angrily, "Or I'll actually kill you!" Upton nodded fearfully as Derek exited the area.
Chapter 34

Mr. Cox's Final Effort

Derek was halfway through the hallway when he saw Zach and Bridget, and his face brightened up a bit. "Hey!!! Zach! Bridget!"

"Derek!" they both said, as Derek ran towards them. "Are you two alright? You both look a bit beat up," Derek said.

"Yea, I guess..." Zach said, before shaking his head, "That doesn't matter! What happened with Upton?"

"Did you beat him?" Bridget asked hopefully.

"It looks more like you had a nice talk rather than a fight," Zach said.

"Well..." At that moment, a loud alarm began sounding, and red light filled the room. "Shit! I thought he was knocked out, but he triggered the alarm!" Zach exclaimed.

"Alright, we gotta move then!" Derek replied, "I got Upton in handcuffs; let's grab him and go!" Zach and Bridget nodded, and then all three ran back to Upton's room. He was still sitting down in the same spot Derek left him. The three started to approach him, but suddenly Upton was grabbed by a set of hands.

"What the...ahh!!!" Upton screamed as he was dragged underground, his body somehow phasing through.

The three stared in disbelief as their primary objective dissappeared. Eventually, Zach snapped out of it and said, "Let's hurry back to Jane and Mr. Cox. They'll know what to do." Derek and Bridget heard this and nodded, and the three ran back through the side hallways.

In one of the hallways, they met up with Jane, who hugged all three at once. "Are you all alright? You look beat up," she said in a worried tone.

"We'll live," Zach replied.

"We saw Upton, but he vanished," Bridget said.

"Really?...never mind, we have to get out of here," Jane said, "That alarm is probably bringing in hundreds of reinforcements, and I don't know if we can handle that right now. We need to find Lewis and leave." The group nodded, then continued running back the way they came.

"I think this is the...WHOA!" Derek said, barely dodging a stray lightning bolt. Cox and Leningrad were still trading blow-for-blow, despite obvious injuries.

"This must be his Rai-jin Ascension..." Jane said.

"His what?" Zach asked.

"It's the form he takes only when he's pushed to the limit. Now's not the time to go into more detail about it, though," Jane replied, "Lewis, we need to leave now! Reinforcements are coming!" Cox, who was breathing hard, nodded, and then turned to Leningrad, who was in slightly worse shape, and said, "I guess we'll have to finish this another time."

"What? You think I'm letting you escape?" Leningrad exclaimed. She charged at the group, but Jane put up another barrier, this time blocking Leningrad off.

"What the...goddamn it!" Leningrad said, while repeatedly punching the barrier. "It won't last long, let's move!" the group ran towards the main entrance, although Zach eventually had to carry Jane on his back, as she had no more energy to run. A few guards were at the entrance and yelled, "Halt!" while firing bullets. Bridget blocked the bullets with her Wind Wall and Cox eventually fired a concentrated bolt of lightning towards the entrance. The soldiers moved out of the way, and the doors were burst open.

"Everyone, put on your cold gear!" The group did, and then as they stepped outside, Cox said, "Everyone grab hands with me and each other. Jane, can you maintain a magic link to prevent us from separating? Bridget, can you maintain air resistance shields for you four?"

Bridget nodded, and Jane said, "Yea, but what do you have in mind?"

"I'm getting us out of here, pronto!" he replied. The group followed his instructions. Cox then took a deep breath, and shot out into the sky at a very high speed, bringing the rest along with him.

"Hold on tight!" Jane yelled. Derek looked down, and saw the icy land moving very quickly below him.

" _This is surreal_..." Derek thought to himself.

" _We must be going thousands of miles per hour..._ " Zach thought.

" _I can't even imagine flying this fast..."_ Bridget thought.

After about 15 minutes, Cox began slowing down, and in sight was the tram back to Argentina. They landed, and then Cox collapsed on the ground, unconscious. "Lewis!" Jane exclaimed, and checked his pulse. "He's not breathing and his pulse is weak. I'm going to heal him. Do any of you know CPR?" Zach nodded, and administered CPR on Cox while Jane used her powers to heal the physical stress Cox endured as much as possible. Derek and Bridget could only watch in horror as the attempts failed to show progress in reviving Cox. "Damn it! If only I had more energy left to heal him faster," Jane said, frustrated.

Eventually, her face became grim, and she turned to the group and softly said, "His pulse...stopped..." Bridget gasped, and Zach punched the ground in anger. Derek couldn't believe what he had heard.

He walked up slowly to Cox's limp body and said, "Come on, Mr. Cox...get up...you can't be dead..." Jane began crying. "You're our leader!" Derek continued angrily, "You don't get to die like this! What about your resolve...what about making the world right again...what about your family..." Derek fell to his knees and slammed his fists into Cox's chest. "God damn it! We need you!" he exclaimed as he banged Cox's chest multiple times.

Suddenly, Cox' chest began to glow bright red, revealing his Orb underneath. Electricity could be seen coarsing around that area. The group stepped a bit back, confused as to what was happening. After a few seconds, the Orb stopped glowing, and Cox coughed a few times, breathing once more.

"Lewis!" Jane cried, "You're alive!"

"I guess...I am..." he said, clearly in severe pain. Jane teared up again, although this time because of happiness.

"We all thought you were dead!" Zach said, and Derek and Bridget nodded in agreement.

"I'll...explain later...we need to go," Cox said as he looked towards the tram, "Zach...help me out...I can't move." Zach nodded, and picked up Cox, carrying him to the tram. Bridget helped Jane up and they walked to the tram. Derek got to the door, looked back over the landscape one last time, and then got onto the tram.
Chapter 35

A Changing Landscape

_October 18_ th _, 2033_

"Hey, hurry up guys. Jane said we can finally visit Mr. Cox at the hospital!" Zach said, signaling for Bridget and Derek to come.

"Yea, yea, we're coming," Derek replied nonchalant. Bridget simply floated along with them.

The three eventually reached the hospital, and arrived at Cox's room. Jane greeted them at the door, and they all sat down around Cox's bed. He was still in a full-body cast, recovering from the events of the previous week.

"You doing alright in here, Mr. Cox?" Derek asked, poking fun at his full-body cast.

"Boy...if I wasn't in this cast..." Cox replied, although he laughed after saying this, despite it still being a little painful to laugh.

"Despite how he's acting, Derek was pretty distraught when he thought you were dead," Jane said. Bridget and Zach snickered at this, and Derek looked away from Cox.

"I appreciate everyone's concern for my well-being," Cox said, smiling.

"So what happened with your body during that sequence of events?" Zach asked.

"We've been wondering this whole time," Bridget said.

"So, first, the reason I nearly died," Cox said, "I didn't know how fast or how strong the reinforcements were, or where they would even come from. I decided that I wanted to get you all to safety, even at the cost of my own life. I pushed myself much harder than I ever had before, and put way too much stress on my bones and muscles. I put my whole being into those 15 minutes. So once we landed, I let go, and my power faded. By the end, my whole body was on fire, and yet wouldn't respond. I lost consciousness, figuring that was it."

"Lewis..." Jane said, "That was really stupid of you."

"Huh? Why would you say that?" Cox said, confused.

"If you brought up your plan with us, none of us would have approved," Jane replied, "What's the point of escaping if you don't make it with us?"

"What? Isn't it better if 4 out of 5 make it then none?" Cox said.

"Do you really have that little faith in us?!" Jane said, incredulous. Cox was silenced by this, and Zach stepped forwards.

"Jane's right, Mr. Cox. Not only would it suck to have any of us die, but your strategy is almost disrespectful to the rest of us. We could have fought our way out if necessary," he said, grinning.

"You kind of ignored our feelings on this one, Mr. Cox," Bridget said.

Cox glanced at the three who had spoken, then said, "Derek?"

Derek looked back at Cox and said, "Us three, we haven't known either you or Jane too long, but we...care about you...a lot. You took us in and gave us hope in this crappy world; hope that we could make a positive difference. We don't want you to throw your life away for us. We want you to fight with us. We should all reach our goals together." The rest of the group nodded at this, and then turned back to Cox, except for Derek, who turned away again in embarassment.

"You're all right. I'm sorry, I was selfish. I tried to be some martyr hero when I didn't need to," Cox said.

Jane sighed with relief, then said, "Good, now that that's settled, tell us how you came back from death's door."

"On that subject, I'm not 100% sure," Cox said, "I think my Orb wouldn't let me die."

"What exactly do you mean?" Zach asked.

"My Orb is the Lightning Orb," Cox replied, "When my heart stopped, the Orb created an influx of lightning around that area, which may have restarted my heart, sort of like a defibrillator. I didn't try and do that though; my Orb acted on its own." "That's pretty incredible," Bridget said. "It makes you wonder just what the Orbs really are."

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Cox said, "Derek, you fought Upton right? How did that go?" The group all turned to Derek, who cleared his throat.

"When I reached Upton's room, he revealed to me what you all already know by now: his Orb is the Influence Orb. It can control people, but only non-Orb users or Level 1 Orb users, and can move small or medium-sized objects effortlessly. However, I haven't shared how the fight went...Upton was very weak."

"It's hard to believe," Cox said, "But considering you were the only one of us that didn't have any injuries, it must be true. Not saying you're weak, but you'd think the Leader of the World with a Level 3 Orb would be stronger."

"Either way, I easily incapacitated him. I then had an opportunity to kill him," Derek said, before his voice shook, "And I didn't." The group appeared shocked by this revelation. "I mentioned my revenge to you all. I've thought about killing him many times. But when my chance arrived...I let it go by and I don't know why. I'm sorry..." Then he teared up, "I let you all down...I let the world down...I'd understand if you were furious at me; even I'm mad at myself...You all took beatings, and I wasted your efforts," Tears ran down his face.

"Derek..." Bridget said sadly. Zach and Cox didn't say anything. Eventually, Jane went up to Derek and brought his head down into her busom while hugging him. Derek's tears stopped, due to his surprise.

"How can we be mad at you?" Jane said, "You tried your hardest, and succeeded in defeating Upton. Nobody expected you to be a killer. It doesn't mean you're weak; it means you care about people, even the evil ones. You did what you could, and it should have been enough. If not for unexplainable circumstances, we would have brought him to justice. Don't feel shame; be proud of what you did, Derek."

"I think we can all agree with that sentiment," Cox said, as Bridget and Zach nodded. Derek stood back up normally, wiped his eyes, and said, "Thank you for that, Jane. I feel a bit better."

Jane smiled back at Derek, as Cox and Zach thought, " _I'm a bit jealous of Derek for experiencing that hug..."_

"Commander! Vice-Commander! New wanted posters!" a delivery man brought five rolled up pieces of paper to Jane.

"Thank you," Jane said.

"Any time, ma'm," the man replied, and then he left the room.

"You'd think with Upton on the run after we revealed his position to other rebel groups, he wouldn't have time to get these out. I'm a little impressed," Cox said. Jane glanced over the first poster, which showed a picture of Cox offering a serious stare to the viewer, with some text beneath it:

Now Updated!

Lewis "Death Lightning" Cox

Orb: Lighting Orb (Level 3)

Age: 42. Height: 6 foot 2 inches. Weight: 198 pounds (notably muscular). Race: African-American, average brown tone. Hair: Bald. Eye color: Brown. Facial hair: Mild amount all-around face. General Notes: If you're into middle-aged men, you can't do much better than this. A strong, yet contained man, who seems quite reliable.

Crimes against Upton: Jailing approximately 25 combined Uptonwest Section and Division Commanders, causing heavy injury to countless soldiers, destruction of government property, including Mr. Upton's palace, using one of Mr. Upton's MOST IMPORTANT advisors as a hostage, and injuring the Uptoneast Continent Commander.

Bounty: $105 million

"Damn, that's a pretty cool picture," Derek said.

"Why do I get the feeling Otome wrote that description..." Zach said, looking at the second-to-last crime again.

"Looks like I finally hit the 100 million club, eh?" Cox said, laughing. "But those general notes...what was that about?" Jane unrolled the next one, which featured a picture of Jane smiling sadistically at the viewer.

Un-retired and Updated!

Jane "Demon Witch" Stone

Orb: Dark Arts Orb (Level 3)

Age: 45. Height: 5 foot 3 inches. Weight: 125 pounds. Race: Mixed Caucasian/Latino; slightly tan. Hair: Light purple; long; straight down. Eye Color: Light purple. Bust: Large. Butt: Large. General Notes: Has plenty of excess fat, especially around her torso and butt; this cow isn't worth any man's time.

Crimes against Upton (pre-retirement): Heavy disruption of Uptonwest Section Commander operations, including injury of soldiers and destruction of property.

Crimes against Upton (return): Threatened one of Mr. Upton's MOST IMPORTANT advisors with unspeakable horrors, destruction of property, injuring fifteen soldiers, and in general being a terrifying person. Thus, her name was changed from "Black Mage" to "Demon Witch" to mirror this change.

Bounty: $70 million

Jane smiled sadistically with her eyes closed as she eventually handed off the poster to the others. Her hair floated as she said quietly, "So I'm a 'cow' and a 'demon', huh...When I find you, Otome, you better hope you're already dead...heheheh..."

The rest of the group looked a little fearful, before Bridget said, "Aren't these bounty descriptions a bit too personal?" while looking at Jane's poster.

"Yes, this does seem like too much detail..." Zach said, while he and Derek eagerly read over Jane's physical description. Bridget frowned at them, before saying, "Let's just move on to the next one..." Jane unrolled the next one, which revealed a picture of Bridget smiling and looking off into the distance:

Updated!

Bridget "Wind Diviner" Gates

Orb: Force Orb (Level 3)

Age: 19. Height: 5 foot 6 inches. Weight: 124 pounds. Race: Caucasian; average white tone. Hair: Brown; medium-long; braided ponytail (generally); sometimes straight. Eye Color: Hazel. Bust: Slightly above average. Butt: Slightly above average. General notes: Pretty good proportions considering her toned stomach. Probably popular among her similarly-aged peers.

Crimes against Upton: Injured a small number of soldiers, defeated United States Division Co-commanders by herself, helped injure the Uptonwest Continent Commander.

Bounty: $65 million

"Wow, this is a pretty high starting bounty, if you ignore the original 1 million one!" Jane said. She handed the poster to Bridget, who blushed and rolled it back up.

"Hey! Why can't we look at it?" Derek said.

"Well...it has descriptions of my boobs and butt..."

"Ah come on, Bridget! I'm sure she shamelessly reviewed all of our bodies, not just yours," Derek said playfully. Bridget groaned, but somewhat agreed with this sentiment, and handed it over to Derek. Zach went over and also glanced through it.

"This is also a pretty favorable review, like with Mr. Cox," Zach said. Despite his previous comments, when he received the poster, Derek read through it silently. Jane opened up the fourth poster, this time featuring Zach, staring at the viewer in a similar way to Cox's poster:

Updated!

Zach "Muscle Enhancer" Mathias

Orb: Enhancement Orb (Level 2)

Age: 20. Height: 5 foot 11 inches Weight: 180 pounds (notably muscular). Race: Caucasian; average white tone. Hair: Dirty blonde; short. Eye Color: Dark Brown. General notes: Tall, young, muscular, attractive, but also reliable. Probably popular among his similarly-aged peers, and cougars.

Crimes against Upton: Injured a small number of soldiers, destruction of property, injured a Section Commander, helped injure the Uptonwest Continent Commander.

Bounty: $50 million

"So is Jane the only one that got a bad review from Otome?" Zach said. Jane looked annoyed at this, and unrolled the final poster, which showed Derek making a stupid-looking face with his eyes closed and his tongue out:

Updated!

Derek "Copy Machine" Mathew

Orb: Mimicry Orb (Level Z)

Age: 19. Height: 5 foot 8 inches. Weight: 150 pounds. Race: Caucasian; slightly pale tone. Hair: Short; dark brown. Eye Color: Brown. General notes: Below average height, pretty wimpy-looking, and seems flakey. Not much in terms of redeeming values.

Crimes against Upton: Injured a small number of soliders, defeated a number of Section Commanders, heavily injured Mr. Upton.

Bounty: $95 million

"Holy crap..." Derek said.

"Yea, I know, dude. That's a pretty absurd bounty, but at the same time, you did heavily injure the Leader of the World. You'll have to live with that high bounty," Zach replied.

"Not that, dude!" Derek replied angrily, "What's with this terrible description of me! 'Wimpy-looking'? 'Not much in terms of redeeming values'? And what kind of moniker is that? 'Copy Machine'? Am I a piece of office equipment? What the hell is with that?" The group laughed at Derek's response.

"How can you guys laugh at my despair?" Derek said, dramatically putting his arm over his eyes.

"I think you'll live," Cox replied, still laughing.

"Yea, you know we don't really think that about you," Zach said, "Except maybe the flake thing..."

"Hey!!!" Derek exclaimed.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The group eventually left Cox to rest. As they were about to go their separate ways, Jane turned to the group and said, "Now that we're all wanted for higher bounties, we may get attacked by stronger foes than before. That being said, you all showed resolve and strength in Upton's base, so I think you three should be just fine. I'm proud of you all."

The three collectively thanked her, and then they walked back to their house.

"So, who's up for seeing the bubble guy again?" Derek said.

"Really? He wasn't even impressive though..." Zach said.

"You sound like a salty hater," Derek replied, egging Zach on.

"If you don't watch your mouth, imma show you what it means to be truly salty," Zach said.

"I'm worth more than you. I no longer need to prove myself vs. you; I am already superior," Derek said, running ahead of Zach.

"That's it, prepare for a beating!" Zach said, running after him. Bridget giggled and floated after the two.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

October 20th, 2033

Reykjavik, Iceland

Upton sat alone in a hotel room. "Why do I, Charles Upton, have to go into hiding? I'm the Leader of the World!" He attempted to leave the room, but at that moment Leningrad and Regal Justice returned. "

What do you think you're doing?" Leningrad said.

"Let me speak to the people...I deserve a better room!" Upton responded. Leningrad hit him on the head. "Ow...what was that for?" he said, rubbing the blow. "Get your head out of your ass, Charles," Leningrad said sternly, "Hardly anyone in this world likes you, Leader of the World or not. If they see you, they'll try to capture you, or worse. I'd rather not have to personally injure civilians." Upton was going to respond with something snarky, but didn't. Instead, he thought to himself.

"Why did I choose to rule this way? Does humanity really deserve to live in poverty while I don't?" He relived his past, and then thought, "Yea, they probably do deserve it."

"What are you thinking about, Charles?" Justice asked.

"Uh...nothing important!" Upton replied.

"Suspicious..." Leningrad said. Upton sweat a bit at this. "Well, whatever. Leave the thinking to us, alright?" Upton continued thinking, before a fourth person unlocked the hotel room door and stepped inside. She was an average-height and weight Caucasian woman with wavy blonde hair and gray eyes.

"How are you doing, Mr. Upton?" she said in a noticeable Nordic accent, "You were quite injured when I found you in your room a week ago."

"Yes, thank you, Spectre, for bringing me out of harm's way from those invaders," Upton said, "I don't know where I would be right now if you hadn't shown up at that time."

"Yes, it was quite a lucky coincidence," she replied happily.

"Listen...are you sure you want to travel with us?" Leningrad asked hesistantly, "I would completely understand if you returned to your base of operations."

"Do not worry, I left my top Division Commanders in charge. Although, nothing really happens in Uptonnorth anyways...."

"Considering the lack of heating available, that makes sense," Justice said.

"I want to do more with my time," Spectre continued, "Besides, it seems like you could use my help now more than ever."

"I suppose we do," Leningrad said, nodding, "Thanks for helping."

"Alright, guys, let's move out. Mr. Upton, don't forget to put on your mask," Justice said. Upton groaned, but put on a gorilla mask nonetheless. The group walked out of the hotel and into the outside world.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Bronx, New York

A man sat alone in a dark room. "I rushed over to Upton's palace as soon as I got word. And yet, nobody was there but other rebel groups searching in vain...It is unfortunate, and yet, it offers me my best chance to kill Upton. Since he's no longer in Antarctica, my information sources can actually reach him. It's only a matter of time until they find Upton, and when they do, I'll make my move...I'll soak the earth with his blood...Muahahahahahaha!" Above the door to the room, a sign read, "Zekomz' Chamber."
Orb Glossary

WARNING: FINISH THE BOOK BEFORE READING THIS TO AVOID POSSIBLE SPOILERS.

1. Banana Peel Orb

  * Level: 1

  * Description: Allows the user to drop slippery banana peels at a constant rate. Recharge time goes down based on prowess with this Orb.

2. Bubble Blower's Orb

  * Level: 1

  * Description: Allows the user to blow bubbles in unique ways and shapes, and create much larger bubbles than normally possible, whether that be soap bubbles, gum bubbles, or something else.

3. Bunny Hop Orb

  * Level: 1

  * Description: Allows the user to jump at high speeds and to jump large distances, while allowing them to land at high speeds and from heights without losing one's balance or injuring oneself. This Orb was mass-produced by Upton through an unknown source and handed out to all Section Commanders and above who have space for it in their Orb inventory. As such, the potential for growth has been nullified, save for the original owner.

4. Cactus Orb

  * Level: 1

  * Description: Gives the user the power to fire off cactus spines or to make spines appear all over one's body. Spines may increase in length based on prowess but not by much.

5. Dark Arts Orb

  * Level: 3

  * Description: Gives the user the power to create one's own spells. This can range from something as simple as animating a broom to sweep one's house to firing powerful blasts of energy from various elements. That being said, there are some limitations. First off, if the owner is ripping off another Orb, their maximum potential power with that particular Orb will be 33% lower than that of the actual Orb. However, this Orb does contain its own "Dark" Energy that doesn't overlap with other Orbs (it is purple-colored) and thus can have truly maxed out potential. Secondly, there are some spells that aren't allowed, such as revival of the dead or instant death. Thirdly, certain other spells are allowed but are restricted. For example, telepathy is possible but only within a certain distance, and does not allow actual mind reading; it creates a sort of chatroom that all the people the owner chooses can listen in on. Meanwhile, other spells, such as the truth serum spell, takes time to prepare and requires the target to either be unable to move or to be willing.

6. Enhancement Orb

  * Level: 2

  * Description: The owner can enhance the strength, defense, and speed of various body parts, or one's entire body. Maximum enhancement and amount of time one can remain in an enhanced state both increase based on prowess with the Orb. The type of amplification can vary as well. For example: sight can be enhanced for either precision, or distance. A lesser known ability of this Orb: Each time the owner engages in a difficult battle, their enhancement limit will slightly increase. This is a separate increase from prowess bonuses.

7. Flamethrower Orb

  * Level: 1

  * Description: This Orb allows the user to shoot flames from his or her hands in short bursts or continuous streams. The ceiling for this Orb is relatively low however, because it is Level 1. Also, it may not even exist.

8. Force Orb

  * Level: 3

  * Description: Gives the owner the power of air and wind, and whatever goes along with that. Wind speed and access to various types of air and wind increase based on prowess with this Orb.

9. Gambling Orb

  * Level: 1

  * Description: Gives the user the power of great luck for short instances with a recharge system. Recharge time decreases based on prowess.

10. Heilum Orb

  * Level: 1

  * Description: Grants the user the power to swell up parts of or their whole body with helium, which somehow enhances strength. However, if the user's inflated appendages are poked by something sharp, the balloon will pop, if you will, and that appendage will need time to recover. Recovery time decreases and strength increases based on prowess with the orb.

11. Influence Orb

  * Level: 3

  * Description: The owner has a variety of controlling-type powers. As of now, the owner of this Orb can mind control non-Orb users and Level 1 Orb users to do specific tasks when faced with specific stimuli, such as voting for a specific candidate when voting, or one losing their will to fight when thoughts of fighting others based on religious differences occur. These types of permanent effects can only occur with at least five consecutive minutes of exposure in-person or via some sort of electronic screen, like a TV. Otherwise, the action will only occur one time per command. Higher Orb users can't be mind-controlled by the owner, but if they make eye contact with him, they will cancel their current action. The owner can also move various mid-sized objects telekentically at moderate speeds. It is important to note that this particular Orb is very powerful but appears average due to the incompetence of the owner.

12. Joy Buzzer Orb

  * Level: 1

  * Description: The user can fire minor shock beams that have the potential to stun other people for a few seconds. Length of stun and speed of beam increases based on prowess with Orb.

13. Lightning Orb

  * Level: 3

  * Description: Grants the user the powers of lightning, along with loud, thunder-like sound effects. This includes lightning energy blasts as well as travelling at very high speeds, similar to lightning. Power of the lightning energy and speed of travel can both increase based on prowess with the Orb. This Orb is disadvantaged vs. insulators of electricity and advantaged vs. conductors of electricity.

14. Mercenaries' Orb

  * Level: 3

  * Description: The user can channel the power of a wide variety of mercenaries from the past, present, and in rare cases, future. If it is a group that has killed people at some point in time for hire, it can be used. It's up to the owner of the Orb to discover all of the options! That being said, the power of each archetype of mercenary will still be increased by prowess with the Orb.

15. Mimicry Orb

  * Level: Z

  * Description: The owner can copy Orbs from the owners of such Orbs, as long as physical contact is made. Up to five can be held at one time. The level of Orbs that can be copied and number of Orbs that can be used in combination with one another both increase based on prowess with the Orb.

16. Mirage Clone Orb

  * Level: 1

  * Description: The user can created a mirage of themselves that lasts for about seven seconds, and at the same time, the user is teleported a short distance away. However, this power has a long recharge time which cannot be reduced by much, even with prowess with the Orb.

17. Nature Orb

  * Level: 3

  * Description: The owner has complete domain over plant life. This mainly involves trees and roots. The owner can extract energy from such plants, and can also give energy back to plants. This Orb can even animate plants to do its bidding. Amount of energy that can be absorbed, selection of plants to animate/extract energy from, and strength of natural energy all increase based on prowess with the Orb.

18. Naval Orb

  * Level: 1

  * Description: The owner has all the knowledge of a master sailor. This includes usage of certain weaponry and speech. The growth potential of this Orb is pretty low.

19. Pirates Orb

  * Level: 1

  * Description: The owner has all the knowledge of a master pirate. This includes usage of certain weaponry and speech. The growth potential of this Orb is pretty low.

20. Scouting Orb

  * Level: 1

  * Description: The owner, given a bit of time, can acquire the Orb power information as well as physical description information about another individual. This power is generally more useful than almost all Level 1 Orbs and a lot of Level 2 Orbs, but the Orb Ranking System seems to be based on combat potential, and this Orb, by itself, would probably lose to almost any other Orb by itself.

21. Shell Orb

  * Level: 3

  * Description: The owner can create nearly impenetrable shields stemming from one's arms that can surround the whole body. These shields can also shove back hard a melee attacker. The user can also fire blocks of shield that can be manipulated. However, if the user's arms are incapacitated, they will be wide open for an attack. In general, this Orb is one of the weakest Level 3 types.

22. Skating Orb

  * Level: 1

  * Description: The owner can skate across any surface gracefully as if he or she were a master skater on ice. Can be useful for dodging attacks, but overall a very weak Orb with no growth potential. More fun than anything else.

23. Speed Samurai Orb

  * Level: 1

  * Description: If the owner is holding a sword or sword-shaped object, their arm and leg speed will both be doubled. Very specific condition, and double speed is actually quite weak compared to other Orbs, plus no growth potential.

24. Spirit Fist Orb

  * Level: 1

  * Description: If the owner launches his or her fist in a direction, he or she can release a spiritual energy version of the fist, with enhanced strength, to go towards an opponent. Can be useful for reaching a ranged opponent that is avoiding you, depending on prowess. Speed and power of fist, as well as unlocking the use of Spirit Kicks, both depend on prowess with Orb.

25. Steel Orb

  * Level: 2

  * Description: The user of this Orb can turn his any parts or all of their body into steel, and can produce steel out of thin air to be used for various purposes. The user is not slowed down, despite their increased mass. Although its main power is increasing defense, hitting another person with heavy metal certainly increases damage as well. How heavy and sturdy the steel is increases with Orb prowess. However, this Orb has no speed enhancement, meaning it can only truly excel when paired with a speed or jump-enhancing Orb.

26. Sweat Orb

  * Level: 1

  * Description: The owner's body is covered in a slippery surface that looks like sweat that causes attacks to just slip right past. If the attacker is using enough force, he or she will end up flying towards a wall or something of the like. Considering this is the only way this Orb deals damage to an opponent, it is not very strong, and has no growth potential.

27. Trap Orb

  * Level: 2

  * Description: The owner can generate, from thin air, a whole host of traps from various time periods. The main strength of this Orb really shines if given time to set up. However, the number of traps one can have down at once is limited, although this number can go up based on prowess with the Orb. In combat, the user can still shoot rope that can tie up an opponent, but without set-up, the Orb is closer to a Level 1.

