1 month later
The city 50 km north of Metropolis was loud.
Traffic snaked in tight lines. Every building had screens. People rushed past each other without a second thought.
And in the middle of it all, a bank alarm screamed.
Inside, chaos.
Katie moved fast.
She leapt over the front counter, her wings flaring just wide enough to vault over a guard diving at her legs. A bag hung over her shoulder, already half full.
"Too easy!" she laughed. "You guys need to upgrade your security!"
A red blur shot through the front doors.
FWOOOM.
Katie stopped.
"…Oh."
Nico stood there.
Relaxed.
Unimpressed.
"You again," he said.
Katie groaned.
"Don't ruin this."
She darted toward the exit.
Nico stepped once.
He was already in front of her.
She skidded to a stop.
"…Seriously?"
"You done?" Nico asked.
"Not even close."
She tried to sidestep him.
He blocked her again.
Then again.
Then again.
"Okay, this is annoying now," she said.
Nico reached for the bag.
Katie pulled it back.
"Hey! Don't touch that!"
Nico grabbed it anyway.
One quick tug.
Gone.
The bag flew out of her hands and landed behind him near the police.
Katie crossed her arms.
"You suck."
"You're robbing a bank."
"I wasn't even gonna keep it."
Nico paused.
"…Then why take it?"
Katie shrugged.
"Practice."
Nico stared at her.
"…You're a problem."
She smirked.
"I heard what happened last month, by the way."
Nico's expression changed for a split second.
Katie noticed.
"Dr. E really messed you guys up, huh?"
Nico looked away.
"…Drop it."
Katie tilted her head.
"Still thinking about it?"
"Leave."
Katie sighed.
"Fine."
She stretched her wings.
"But next time I'm not going easy on you."
Nico didn't respond.
Katie smirked and launched through the ceiling, disappearing into the sky.
Nico stood there for a moment.
Then turned and walked out.
South Island was quiet.
The ocean shone under the sun. The wind rolled through the grass.
Nico ran.
Not fast.
Not pushing himself.
Just moving.
Then someone stepped in front of him.
Pink.
Bright.
Standing right in his path.
Nico slowed to a stop.
"…You again."
She smiled.
"Hi, Nico."
Chica.
A pink bunny with a slim, energetic build. Her long ears bounced slightly as she shifted her weight. Her eyes were bright blue, full of energy, way too cheerful for someone blocking his path.
"I've been looking for you," she said.
Nico sighed.
"…Of course you have."
Chica put her hands behind her back and leaned forward slightly.
"So—have you thought about it?"
"Thought about what?"
She blinked.
"…Us."
Nico stared at her.
"…We've had this conversation."
"Yeah," she said. "This is number one hundred."
She stepped closer.
"I think we'd be really good together."
Nico didn't move.
Chica smiled wider.
"I mean, come on. You're fast. I'm fast. You're strong. I'm cute. That's basically perfect."
"No."
She paused.
"…You didn't even think about it."
"I did."
"And?"
"No."
She crossed her arms.
"You rejected me instantly."
"I always do."
She leaned closer.
"Just one date."
"No."
"Five minutes."
"No."
"A walk."
"No."
She huffed.
"You're actually impossible."
Nico stepped back.
"You're persistent."
She smiled again.
"I'll ask again tomorrow."
"I won't be here."
"I'll find you."
Nico shook his head.
Then vanished.
FWOOOM.
The grass bent as he disappeared across the island.
Chica stood there for a moment.
Then smiled to herself.
"…I'll definitely find you."
Viper's workshop felt different.
Quieter.
The usual energy wasn't there.
Nico walked in.
Rex was already sitting down.
Viper leaned against a workbench.
No one spoke.
Nico sat.
Silence filled the room.
It stayed there.
Heavy.
Rex broke it first.
"…I thought we were dead."
No one responded.
Viper exhaled slowly.
"…We should've been."
Nico stared at the floor.
Rex looked at his hands.
"I couldn't even hit him."
His voice was low.
Frustrated.
"…Not once."
Nico spoke quietly.
"…Same."
Viper shook his head.
"No."
He looked up.
"You had a chance."
A pause.
"You lost it."
Nico didn't argue.
He just sat there.
Rex clenched his fist.
"That thing… Metal Nico…"
He didn't finish.
Viper did.
"…95,000."
The number sat in the air.
Heavy.
Nico closed his eyes.
"…I got one tapped."
No one laughed.
Rex leaned back.
"…So what do we do?"
Viper didn't answer right away.
Then—
"We get stronger."
Nico opened his eyes.
"How?"
Viper looked at him.
"…I don't know yet."
Rex let out a breath.
"…Great."
Silence again.
But now it wasn't empty.
Nico stood.
"…I'm gonna run."
Viper nodded.
"…Yeah."
Rex stayed where he was.
"…I'll stay here."
Nico walked to the door.
Then paused.
"…We're not losing again."
Rex looked up.
"…No."
Viper adjusted his goggles.
"…Not happening."
Nico stepped outside.
And ran.
Far away.
A cliff overlooked the ocean.
Waves crashed below.
The sky stretched endlessly.
Noir stood at the edge.
His body was covered in scars.
Some fresh.
Some not.
He didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Just stared out at the horizon.
His tail flicked once.
"…Next time."
He turned.
And disappeared.
Nico Power Level: 1,050Rex Power Level: 625Viper Power Level: 313Chica Power Level: 400Katie Power Level: 395Noir Power Level: 890