Answers lie ahead
•••••••••••
As anna fell asleep, 4 and amina came running in.
“WHAT, was that?”
4:”I have no idea! She was charging something. A special?”
Anna’s lines were still on. They slowly faded out. She was asleep like a block.
“It looked like, she wasn’t walking herself. She did not wanted to do that!”
4:”Do you think it was Atmos?”
“Yeah! Anna did not go, but deep inside she wanted to sing. Atmos made her do it. Not herself. Maybe anna was angry about that.”
4:”She looked unnatural. I mean-not like that, she sung wonderful. But a little overwhelmed. She is shy.”
“But what was that state? She had freaking lines and glowing stuff on her! I have never seen that before, its totally new. I think anna did not know that in the first place.”
4:”yeah. She looked shocked.”
“The crowd reacted positive. Can you call annie inside?”
4:”sure.”
As 4 got annie, anna turned on her back.
“Are you awake? Anna?”
“No...sorry...”
A:”I am awake!”
Anna’s face filled with lines.
She slept further.
“What happened. What did you do to her?”
A:”I got her on stage. She really wanted that.”
“Then WHY was she panicking backstage?”
A:”i forgot to tell her that she has a new special. I mean, her power output is getting higher. So she has an extra stage. To match and balance it.”
“Stop putting her to her limits! You are exhausting her!”
A:”I am not! She chose to train, and fight! You saw that at the skatepark!”
Annie walked in.
a:”What happened with her? Did she have a respawn?”
4:”No, she activated a special. A new one.”
a:”let me take a look.”
Annie stood next to anna. She touched one of the lines.
“Be careful.”
4:”watch it”
As annie touched the line, a zap went trough her. She fell on the ground.
a:”Defense. Ouch. That hurt.”
“Is it defense? Like a bubbler?”
4:”that would be weird.”
Annie got up and got a meter. On the system was a black text:
Energy-Watt meter, pointer.
a:”mind if we try this? Im curious.”
4:”go on.”
“Please don’t hurt yourself or her.”
a:”i won’t. Its an experiment.”
A:”Why do you all need to do tests and experiments? She is fine!”
a:”Shut it. She feels tired. So do you. Go to sleep.”
A:”yeah.... sorry. I should not have said that.”
Atmos went to sleep. The lines growed. All over her skin.
a:”Jeez. She is stubborn.”
She got a little needle. She putted it in one of the lines. The meter filled halfway. In the red.
a:”yup. Just as expected.”
She nodded.
“What?”
4:”what did you expect?”
a:”High pressure ink, trying to defend herself. She was indeed loading a special. It has the power of a stingray for the ones that are not following me.”
4+am:”AN STINGRAY?”
a:”She is on critical level. You saw that before-on the monitor. High critical level power output.”
“Why is she on critical level?”
4:”Stress? Atmos?”
A:”Yeah.... i was asleep.”
4:”Is she stressed?”
A:”Kinda. Just thinking she does not add up to expectations. Or your kind of energy level.”
Atmos went into anna’s head.
•••••••••
Purple room. With a glowing floor.
Atmos faded in.
Anna was sitting on the floor.
“Hi, are you doing allright? Sorry for pushing you. I should not have done that.”
“And NOW you are coming with an excuse. I do not need this kind of power, or so called emotions. I rather be alone.
Everyone expects im doing fine, or feel good. Or that im making progress. Im not some kind of doll. I don’t need other people.”
“You do! Don’t you feel great now that you have friends, and have a better life?”
“Not yet. If im being overtaken again, my power will increase even more. Im barely holding it together. Who knows what kind of abomination i will be soon.
That means i have even less control over my actions.
And that i WILL hurt people.”
“You won’t! You would never want that!”
“Maybe rokas, or that serum, or my anxiety is going to take over!
I don’t want to fight!
THE ONE THAT WILL BE ATTACKING YOU, IS THAT. NOT ME.”
“I...., understand. Sorry. I was lying about that shadow. But i wanted you to experience hope.”
“ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!
NOW YOU TELL ME?
AT THE WORST MOMENT.”
“Sorry.”
“What is it? Tell me.”
“The shadow is fear, made by yourself. It is going to control you if you are not careful. That serum takes control if that happens. At that moment, you can’t do anything about it. See it as a panic attack.”
“So. That shadow was my own fear, and only i can feel and see it. Is that what you mean?”
“Yes, that serum, the ink, its just a remote. Panic, and it takes over. Then you will be trapped inside a body that rampages. Last time you banned yourself, like a last stand. If you rampage, you will see everyone as an enemy and bully. Its the outcome of all these years, being bullied and kicked.”
“But why do i have that bow? And can make bubblers and still use it when controlled?”
“The panic controls you. If you decide to do something about it, with your mind and body, you will charge power. And load specials and ajust it.”
“So whenever i feel stressed, and decide to fight, i load a special and a potential weapon. And get knocked out after.”
“Yeah.... you could see it like that. Your body and your mind need to ‘reset’ or regenerate.”
“So that is one thing i need to be careful about. Sorry for being so rude. And being so rude to my friends.
I need them. Even when im being controlled. Or scared. Or rather being alone.”
The room shaked. Anna fell over.
She got back up.
“What was that?”
“I have no idea, do you want to wake up? You might still have your second form.”
“Yeah.”
Anna looked into atmos’ eyes. And fell over once more.
••••••••••
The concert was already done, and it was midnight. annie was already at home.
anna woke up.
Amina was trying to wake her, she shaked her.
“Would you mind....”
“SHE IS AWAKE.”
4:”Finally.”
M:”What happened to you? You looked scared.”
“Atmos? A little help?”
A:”yeah, yeah im awake.”
6 people were looking at anna, curious and afraid of what happened. Anna still had lines on her face. Like markings.
A:”i have just discovered that she went into a second fase, a stage that matches her power-output. And that her black shadow is fear of others and herself. That serum, that she got in the octarian lair, is a kind of switch. Whenever she has a panic attack, the serum takes her over.”
M:”that is weird. So when she panics, she goes bezerk.”
A:”you could put it like that.”
“I don’t like it at all...
Im scared of it.”
C:”i can imagine that.”
M:”what can we do about it? If she has one, how to stop it?”
Anna and Atmos were thinking.
“Low tide ink? Or securing me until i calm down.”
M:”Im not going to do the second one. That is horrible.”
“Marie, if im in that state, it hurts me. You can try to keep me secure, in a bubbler or something. We need to find a solution. I accept it, if it means i need to be in a room, a closed container.”
M:”I AM NOT GOING TO DO THAT.
CASE CLOSED.”
Everyone was looking suprised. Suprised of marie’s outburst. Marie looked at them.
M:”I did not mean to do that. Sorry. I-i, just can’t stand it. Keeping someone under control.”
“I know. Just like callie.”
Marie looked down to the floor.
M:”yes...”
“Do what you need to do. If it means getting a respawn or being set apart, DO IT. i don’t want to hurt you. Im as unexperienced as you with this.”
C:”So, whenever she gets a panic attack, we decide what to do.
At that moment.”
M:”allright. Are you feeling better now?”
“Slightly. Im a little sad that it needs to go like this.”
P:”we understand. Im feeling ya.”
Ma:”If you need any help, just ask.”
“Thanks. Are you allright?”
Anna looked at amina and 4.
4:”Yeah, a bit shocked. But i am fine!”
“Kinda... i don’t like it. The whole plan. And that you are so scared. That you become SOMETHING different.”
“Sorry. I should never have done that.”
“What?”
“The whole training thing, the special thing. I just learned myself how to superjump, because i was at a ‘critical’ level. It is not good for you to do that! It can’t be!”
Anna grabbed her head. The lines grew to her hair.
M:”IT WAS GOOD! CALM DOWN!
You ARE doing great.
You just learned yourself to super-jump!
I never seen someone do that!”
“THEN WHY AM I STILL THE ONLY ONE? TO DO THAT?”
M:”Because you are skilled. And powerful. And have a lot of determination to do something.
DON’T bring yourself down like that.”
“Why am i the only one that has these problems? Because im a human?”
Anna’s hair started to glitch.
“ANNA CALM DOWN!”
Amina grabbed her.
P:”don’t be so stressed. You are going to be fine.”
A:”STOP THAT. YOU ARE CHARGING A SPECIAL!”
Anna quickly touched the orb. All her energy was sucked away. She hung over like a puppet. The lines dissapeared.
“I don’t like using that thing.”
She said it on a grumpy tone.
She sat up.
M:”i noticed.”
“Sorry...”
P:”shall we get the stuff in the truck?”
Ma:”yeah, lets go.”
They walked outside, searching for sheldon. Anna was stretching herself.
Amina ed her.
“Oh. Right. I dont have to stretch.”
A:”no, you dont have bones, silly.”
“Why did you need to stretch? Is that a human-thing to do?”
“Eh. Yes, like we have bones and other structures. To stretch our muscles, so we have less of a chance getting injuries. See it as a warming up.”
A:”Although i had barely some...”
“That was not true! I was pretty strong!”
“Well it is pretty nice to do.”
Amina was stretching.
M:”what are you all doing? Have you seen sheldon?”
“No i haven’t, we are stretching.”
M:”At mid-night?”
“I just slept for some hours, so that is why”
M:”Right....
She walked further. Still searching for sheldon.
C:”Have you seen him?”
M:”No, he was sleeping in the truck.”
Anna stopped streching and looked around. Some people were still up. All the shopkeepers were enjoying some coffee. Bisk waved to her.
B:”Ayo! Girl! Come over here.”
Anna walked to the table, amina following her.
B:”How are y’doin?”
“Fine...”
Jelonzo smacked his head on the table.
And fell asleep.
B:”He isn’t much of a party guy, don’t mind him.”
a:”How are you feeling now?”
“A bit better. Physical less. I can barely walk.”
B:”What do you mean?”
a:”HAVEN’T you read your phone? Or where you looking at shoes again?”
“Do you guys have a group chat?”
A:”Of course.”
a:”Yeah? Were the second line of defense. We are delivering gear and weapons. Speaking of weapons, where is sheldon?”
“The guys are looking for him. I have no idea where he is. I was sleeping.”
Marina ran to the table. She smacked both hands on top of it.
Ma:”WHO CAN FLY THE TRUCK?”
B:”Calm down! What is happening.”
Ma:”Problems in the city! They say there is another invasion!
With octavio himself!”
a:”Allright then. Everyone! Move it!”
They all got up from the table. Everyone ran to their car.
Ma:”Then marie must do it.”
“Lets go.”
Anna ran as fast as she can. She climbed with some help on the truck.
“Attacking at midnight.”
She talked to amina.
“Why now! You are tired, and are still discovering stuff.”
Callie and 4 climbed on. Pissed. Marie sat in front, lifting the truck. With pearl.
C:”AAAACH. STUPID OCTOLING.”
4:”THE WORST TIME.”
“I hope i don’t get landed another shot, it might trigger something.”
A:”A panic attack?”
“Yes, and with so many people. I might hurt people...”
Anna started to crouch into herself.
“You know what we are going to do if that happens. That you can’t hurt others or yourself. I rather have a different solution.”
Amina took a deep breath. Callie ed and looked at her.
C:”We need to find a solution. I also have a question for Atmos.”
A:”What is it?”
C:”Is it true that you overtook max? Can you do that with other people?”
A:”Yeah... it is very hard to do though. And exhausting.”
C:”How?”
4:”How do you do that?”
A:”UHHHH. See it like an empty space in your head. At the moment that anna gets scared, the empty space fills with fear. That is the only thing she can think about. If she loads a special, it is filled with determination or the need to do something about her current state.”
C:”Weird.”
A:”And max’ head was empty, confused and relaxed. So i could help him by giving him his normal weapon and my part of power.”
4:”Sooo, the same that you did with marina?”
A:”Yeah. And anna is asleep once more.”
Anna indeed toppled over.
“Are you kidding me. She just needs to sleep for a day.”
Everyone grinned. The speakers bonked.
M:”Fasten your seatbelts, we are going to land.”
Anna flinged herself up. She got jumped by the sound. A small glow was in her eyes.
“AAACch, jesus crud. Don’t scare me like that!”
“We have arrived. Lets go.”
Everyone jumped off the truck. Everyone landed in a classy way.
Except anna.
She looked over the edge of the truck.
“Guys.... i don’t feel so good about this.”
She was scared of heights.
A:”Go! You can do it!”
Atmos appeared and gave her a little push. Anna fell over the edge. Getting herself stable in the air, she yelled.
“AAAAAATMOS! STOP PUSHING ME AGAINST THINGS I DON’T WANT!”
The 4 were looking at the sky. A falling, yelling anna was preparing for landing.
4:”We should probably move.”
C:”Good idea.”
Atmos ed anna.
A:”Here, like this.”
Atmos took over and got her in a landing pose. Anna was focusing.
She came to the floor, and a big cloud of dust flew up.
“Did she do it?”
The cloud dissapeared and anna was sticking a landing pose. Not with grace, but anna yelled with triumph.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.........
-BONK-
I did it!”
She standed up and made a small bow.
“Thank you, thank you.”
They got their weapons, and ran to the location. Marie and pearl followed. They all changed to purple.
There was still snow on the ground.
Anna shivered and tried to change her clothes. A bobblehat, a hoodie and some sneakers appeared.
“FRICK.
Yes.”
At the location, octavio and some octolings were hovering in ufo’s around the place. They appeared to be looking for something.
O:”WHERE IS SHE? THAT GIRL?
FIND HER!”
P:”Who are they looking for?”
4:”Callie?”
M:”That doesn’t seem like it. I think i know who. Anna? Try to get yourself in a bubbler.”
“Are they looking for me? I can’t get myself a special!”
A:”your hairclip!”
“Who knows what special it is!”
A:”Just try!”
M:”Be carefull.”
Anna touched the orb and got special loaded. Her outfit changed. It was the dress, but reinforced. And shorter. With little hexagons on her chest.
C:”WOW!”
A big bow appeared. It was the same as last time. Anna did not have a beadache, or was tired. She felt fine.
M:”Your bow!”
Anna grabbed it, and purple lines swirled around it. The shoulder-wings started glowing.
“I don’t feel tired or something...”
M:”Then keep going.”
Anna pulled the string back, and a arrow made of ink appeared. The tip glowed.
M:”Sheldon would want to see this really bad.”
C:”Do you think he is here?”
4:”I think he is.”
“I have no idea-WAIT WHAT IS THAT!”
Another weapon appeared. A splatterscope. It landed in front of amina. It has digital vizors.
A:”For you, for coming with us, and helping us with this mess.”
“Oooooh..., thanks.”
She grabbed it and shot forward. It had the range of a modified e-liter and the charging time of a splatterscope.
“WOAH THAT IS COOL!”
M:”Are we going in?”
C:”YEAH!”
P:”Ready!”
Ma:”Everything is set up, lets go.”
They ran into the sight of octavio. He noticed within some seconds.
O:”ALLIES! COME OVER HERE! WE FOUND HER! ATTACK.”
Octavio pushed some buttons, and giant suction bombs came out. They were pinch-black. Anna ran out of the way, and others fired their weapons or dodged. Anna did not get hit.
M:”I think its the same stuff that took you over, its the same substance.”
“Wait, really? So, if i get hit...”
M:”Yup. Stay calm and determined. You are doing fine.”
A fist came anna’s way. It was propelled by black ink. Anna ran to the side. Ink splatted behind her. A small drop fell on her hair. It went black.
“OH NO YOU DON’T!”
She aimed her bow at the second fist. She loosened a arrow, but it bounced right off. She began to panic.
O:”PEEP THIS! NOW IT HAS A SHIELD!”
“NO!”
Amina ran towards anna, shooting. The fist was still flying towards anna. Amina cried.
“DON’T HURT HER!”
In the ink, laying before anna, a giant chain appeared. Fully made of ink. The chain got octavio’s fist. The chain grabbed on, and flinged the fist on the ground. Anna ed out. She did not make that chain appear. She was having a panic attack.
“WHAT HAPPENED?”
Marie looked at her.
M:“You did that! Could it be the modified weapon?”
“I HAVE NO IDEA. BUT ANNA IS HAVING ANOTHER PANIC ATTACK.”
Anna woke up, half-overtaken.
A:”ARE YOU KIDDING ME?”
Atmos flew out. And got her brush.
A robotic voice came from anna. Everything was pinch-black. Her bow, brush and eyes. She was almost invisible in the night.
“It-it is happening agAIN YOU STUPID SQUID. DO YOU THINK YOU CAN ESCAPE?”
O:”BWAHAHA! NOW SHE WILL FIGHT YOU! THEN YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT FEAR AND THAT SERUM DOES!”
“LETS SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO!
AND SHOW THEM!” Anna stood up.
M:”It has the same effect as the hypnoshades... it overtakes them, but anna’s anxiety is taking it over. Nobody can control her. Not even Atmos or herself.”
“Should we fight? Or get her in a bubble?”
“I say bubble.”
A:”GUYS, HELP ME.”
Atmos was driven into a corner, and anna was about to give the finishing blow. Her bow was pointing at her.
Anna refused to let this happen.
With all her confidence and power, she tried to make a bubbler around Atmos.
She was trapped in a horrified body, unable to take over.
A weak bubbler appeared. Anna smashed her bow on top of it. A enormous crack formed in the bubbler.
Amina took aim but instead, another chain grabbed anna. A horrified and powerful scream filled their ears. Amina holded the chain above the ground.
“L E T. G O. O F F. M E!”
Marie yelled.
M:”GUYS! WE NEED SOME HELP!”
The others were fighting octolings. They all looked around, to see that anna was overtaken. They finished the job and came marie’s way.
M:”Hold on! Amina, keep going.”
“IT REALLY HURTS.”
Amina had an enormous headache.
Ma:”OMY gosh. It happened.”
Atmos ed marina.
P:”She looks scary.”
4:”Not scary, but creepy.”
Atmos stepped in front.
A:”Who wants to have me on their side?”
M:”Are you serious?”
A:”I am. “
P:”I suggest amina. She can use some energy.”
Amina was locking on to anna. Sweating.
“I can’t do it.”
The chains loosened and anna fell on the ground. A special was loading.
O:”THIS IS GOING TO BE FUN! TO LET YOU SEE WHAT A SO CALLED ‘FRIEND’ CAN DO! LET THE ONE WHO SNEAKED IN SHADOWS BE THE FIRST TO DIE!”
He pointed to marina.
Marina quickly layed her brush before her.
A:”NO YOU WON’T.
STUPID OCTOLING!”
Atmos flew into amina. Her eyes charged with ink. Amina got a special.
A:”Relax, you are doing great.”
“Don’t hurt me!”
A:”Why would i?
I am anna, but different.”
Amina relaxed and atmos took over. Amina’s braid fell out. Her hair began to grow. It growed, until it was around 5 meters long.
A+am:”ALLRIGHT LETS GET THIS PARTY STARTED!”
amina launched into the sky. She unfolded a inkzooka. It was a pretty big one, with glowing lines. It had a vizor, and multiple ink-containers. She shot Octavio.
It had the feelings of a splatterscope,
The power of an stingray.
A beam went trough. A little yell came from the ship. Octavio got flinged into the ocean.
S:”aaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAH”
Sheldon fell out. Callie went to catch him.
Anna tried to hit callie, but amina interviened. Her tentacles, growing in size, grabbed anna.
A+am:“DON’T DO ANYTHING.
CALM DOWN.”
“BUT I C A N T. I NEVER WAS EVEN ABLE TO DO THAT! SHUT UP!”
Anna tried to get her arms loose, the black ink was dripping off her feet.
She screamed and growed in size.
A+am:”GUYS, FIND SOMEPLACE SAFE”
M:”IS SHE DOING IT AGAIN?”
A+am:”YES SHE IS! GET COVER!”
Anna still growed and squidformed. She transformed into a giant kraken. Instead of the stars, she had little purple scars on her tentacles.
A+am:”I CAN PLAY THE SAME GAME!”
Atmos (amina) also grew in size. She was still smaller then anna.
A+am:”oh no.”
Anna smashed her tentacle on the ground. Black ink flowed around.
A+am:”I AM DONE FIGHTING! STOP IT! CALM DOWN!”
“BUT I AM N O T.
AND I WILL N E V E R BE.”
Anna tried to smack a tentacle into amina, but stopped at a meter distance.
Anna screamed.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW ANNA?! ARE YOU AN IDIOT? KILL HER! YOU AREN’T GOOD FOR ANYTHING. GO ON!
KILL THEM BOTH!
AND I WON’T.”
Anna’s non-overtaken voice yelled over it.
M:”She is fighting herself!”
The kraken shrinked in size. It was anna again. But a black one. Amina shrinked too.
The black shadow was staring at the ground. Amina looked from a distance.
“WHY WON’T YOU LET ME FINISH THE JOB? THEY ARE USELESS. FRIENDS, FAMILY, EVERYBODY IS USELESS.
NO THEY ARE NOT!”
the shadow seemed to split. In two parts. A black one. And a normal one, infused with lines and scars. Glowing purple lines.
The normal one looked scared and tired. The black one confident. The black one yelled.
“OH NOW YOU OPPOSE ME?”
“MOVE ASIDE, YOU SHOULD BE DEAD.”
Anna got her bow.
And made it bigger. Lines were swirling.
“YOU ARE NOT ME!”
She jumped in the air, and the shadow did the same. Anna got an arrow to appear. It had the tip of a booyah bomb.
The shadow got octavio’s fist, made of ink. It had thunder on the inside.
“YOU UNDERASTIMATE ME! DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU ARE GOING TO WIN?”
“NO I DON’T THINK SO.
I K N O W SO.”
She fired the arrow, and it went trough the punching fist. The shadow exploded into purple ink.
Anna landed and was immeadiatly knocked out.
4:”Is it safe?”
Ma:”WHAT THE FRICK HAPPENED.”
A+am:”SHE WAS FIGHTING HERSELF AND THE SERUM, THE WHOLE TIME.”
P:”WHAT. THE. HECK.”
Atmos went outside of amina. Amina was laying with atmos on the ground.
They were both exhausted.
A:”Damn. You have some power amina.”
“Thanks....”
Atmos stood up and walked towards anna. She woke up. Anna couched. Some black ink came out of her troath.
“WHY ALWAYS ME?”
Atmos ed anna.
A:”You are safe now. You are going to feel better soon.”
C:”Are you okay?”
“no...
But i am back.
That was horrible.
I tried to kill you.
I would never want to do that.
WHY DO YOU STILL TRUST ME?
OR EVEN LET ME IN BATTLES?”
Anna’s ears hung down.
M:”Because you know, that you can do better.”
“And because you are a special friend.”
A:”Because you are yourself.”
P:”You are a good fighter.”
C:”You can sing very well.”
Ma:”And are protecting everybody.”
S:”AND YOU JUST MADE MODIFIED WEAPONS O MY ZAPFISH.”
Sheldon had sparkling eyes.
S:”Can i take a look at it?”
“Go on...”
Sheldon picked the bow up. He had special gloves, the weapon thinks it has an inktank and original .
S:”That is a high quality weapon! Lets see what it can do.”
Anna fell asleep.
The string and arrows dissapeared.
S:”A bow, that reacts on the , lines to match power output, and a ink-like string. Can vary between different ammo, different state and .”
M:”Yeah. NERD.”
S:”Could you wake her up? It doesn’t work when she sleeps.”
He went to stand on a traffic brick.
Amina pushed anna. Anna quickly looked up.
“Let me sleep....”
A:”WAKE ME UP INSIDE”
Anna grinned. She stood up. Tired of the fighting.
S:”Can you shoot an arrow with it?”
“I can try, sorry if i fall asleep.”
••••••••••
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