Shattering Humanity-Chapter 52: Time Stops

Nephilim and Silpheed are in a tall city building looking out at the sun well over the ocean horizon from a huge hole in the building. Silpheed is behind the "bounty hunter", still with 75% of their face covered and their words are muffled and ’almost’ undecipherable to others.

Silpheed: "Ai d-d d-n d-i-gi wo-d r-d u- ra- do ii zan-gu-ari."

Nephilim: "No, I knew Mina wouldn’t be foolish enough to lead us right to his sanctuary either. He knows we’re watching him from somewhere. Luckily he only knows the powers of my Particle Eye being able to control positive and negative air particles in the area I’m looking at. He doesn’t know how much stronger it’s gotten or anything about your "Cut and Paste" eye and just how special it is compared to all the other eyes, even mine.

Silpeed(bows): "Oor doo gi-nd Ne-fi-m zr."

Nephilim: "I will say, watching that girl catch one of those alien eyes intrigues me even more. What did they see in that arcade? Why did that Katsu boy only have a sprained ankle going in there but was unconscious as they all hurried out with that same girl carrying him?"

Silpheed: "Maei-be eii-ad-ah-zuz-ezf-uh-uheii-dr-anf-r."

Nephilim: "No, that cute blondey killed the Iceman so if it did transfer to him that means two things, he’s incredibly stupid and incredibly lucky, but...(smiles)... I knew I could trust this group. Well, from what Gray’s final message to them was, I can thank him for a little ’insider trading’. Ok they’re on the move Silf, get ready."

Silpheed: "Ye-zz-r!"

The two stalkers watch as the Squad exits the building they ran into the night before. They are all wearing their sets of A.I.G and backpacks along with their Academy Squad sweatshirts. The building they were in, like the others around it, has been damaged. Once everyone is outside they begin walking through the quiet city.

Nephilim: "Ok Silpheed, put me in that building they’re passing by.

"Silpheed: "Eh-zz-r!"

The underling focuses on Nephilim as he disappears then after Silpheed focuses on the building he wanted to go to, Nephilim appears in the window inside the building.

Silpheed then looks at their hand for a second, looks at the same spot Nephilim appeared in and disappears. Reappearing next to the man they follow.

From inside the building they left, the real Daisuki peeks from a window and watches the clones of themselves walk away. The rest of his new squad in their gear are waiting for his signal but now there is a new person with them.

A 28 year old woman with short red hair, large bust, and a beauty mark under her bottom lip. Her left eye color is yellow and she has an IceEye in her right eye actively in 2nd stage with a yellow/pink aura. She’s wearing a red one shoulder top and jeans with earrings that have three loops in each for a total of 6 loops. Daisuki turns to them.

Daisuki: "If I know Nephilim, he is still watching us and now that we don’t have the mountains to go back to. He probably thinks if we’re desperate enough, I’d bring you guys and lead him right to the sanctuary. Luckily I could open a portal so Scylia here could help us lead him off our trail with her ’Clone’ Eye."

Scylia: "It’s my pleasure to assist you, Master Mina. You’re in luck too. My eye can make a max of 6 different clones but be warned, once I make them disappear, all the memories and feelings of those clones go back to the original, even pain."

Katsu walks up to the new friend.

Katsu: "Hi Scylia, it’s nice to meet you...(smiles)...I’m Katsu, as a thanks for helping us... (he holds out his fist) welcome to the Squad!"

Scylia smiles back with her gorgeous smile. She connects fists with the boy and in the same motion, kisses his forehead. It makes both Katsu and Shelly blush bright pink. Shelly looks at Itsuka and the "Big Sis" smiles back.

Itsuka: "See, I told you how easy it is for us."(winks) 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Saku(unphased and picking ear): "So if you can open a portal out of here why not have us all leave that way? Instead of doing all these unnecessary extra steps. "

Shelly: "Don’t you like to be the ’deep thinker’? If we don’t leave, sooner or later that ass and his lackey would get suspicious."

Saku: "You really wanna start with me Ms. ’Can’t Live Without Him’?"

Shelly gets shocked and Katsu isn’t paying attention, still star-eyed and amazed at Scylia’s IceEye. Itsuka elbows Saku’s ribs. Hard.

It makes Saku go down in pain.

Saku: "Ah, you bitch!"

Daisuki: "Everyone relax! The reason I’m being so cautious is because if Neph finds Sanpaku, he could use that knowledge to basically start a war between our two civilizations."

Katsu: "But why would he do that? Innocent people would die!"

Itsuka: "That’s probably what he wants since eye users can grow stronger from killing other humans with IceEyes. He doesn’t seem the type to flinch from taking a life."

Shelly: "From what you’ve told us Sensei, if Nephilims ’Particle Eye’ IS strong enough that he can create lightning big enough to one-shot a giant Icemen, he must have killed more than his fair share of Icemen and eye users."

Daisuki: "And I don’t know if that partner of his was the one who was making things appear and reappear yesterday or if it was someone else around us in a building hiding. So if he’s gonna use secret allies...(holds hand out towards Scylia) I’ll use my pocket Aces, except mine is beautiful enough to show her face."

Scylia: "Your words are too kind Master Mina."

Daisuki starts to focus on a wall.

Daisuki: "I told you, don’t call me ’Master Mina’."

Scylia(bows her head): "My apologies, Master Daisuki."

Daisuki sighs while still concentrating on the wall with the hole growing larger.

Everyone hops through Daisuki’s Portal into an empty alleyway. Once everyone goes thru and they all watch the final pinhole of the portal disappear, they follow Daisuki.

They talk while Daisuki leads them to his built sanctuary. They pass several different examples of broken store displays, rolled over cars, and graffiti.

Daisuki: "Around 8 months ago I realized the mountains and the men in charge of the ’shelter’ weren’t actually in the best interest of humanity. When humans are scared, weak, or have a family to worry about, they have no choice but to see the mountains as protection. Instead of encouraging more people to become stronger, they’re limiting how many of you young ones can get better through experience. When I realized this, it was around the same time as when I saved those 3 beautiful women from a mini-horde of Icemen."

Saku gets annoyed and Itsuka smirks at the young man’s jealousy.

Shelly: "How come it’s so quiet around here Sensei? I can’t hear an Iceman snarl or shakes of a giant’s steps. If Hanabi is still so infested, where are the aliens that landed here?"

Daisuki: "Well, kinda like what you said about how these eye symbiotes ’survive to obtain a more prosperous life’, humans obtain more prosperity from not being held back. The people within Sanpaku who can fight and leave the small sanctuary, do. I started something similar to those mountains but I encourage as many people to fight back against the oppression of the Icemen as possible. Humans, with the proper technology, can easily fight back against these aliens.(looks down) Let’s jump down to this freeway."

They each hop down a broken stone wall onto what would’ve been a traffic freeway in rush hour if it weren’t an apocalypse.

Saku, Friend and Itsuka hop down first. Katsu gets to the bottom before Shelly, turns around and holds his hand to help her down. Shelly blushes and looks at Itsuka watching them, she nods at the Lil Sis. Shelly grabs his hand and time stops.

Shelly(thinking to herself): "Why is Katsu doing this? He has never done something like this. Did he hear what- Actually, I don’t care why. I’m just happy to be alive right now."

She hops down and Katsu looks down at her and stares. Shelly snapping out of her thoughts makes Katsu snap out of his thoughts too.

Katsu(blushing): "S-Sorry Shelly, it’s just, for some reason, I was remembering how adorable you looked in real sunlight."

Shelly(blushing and stuttering): "Ka-Kaa-Kaa-Kaa-Ka-Ka?!"

Daisuki: "Get a move on you two!"

Katsu and Shelly realize they’re still holding hands and let go in embarrassment. They catch up to the rest of the group and they enter a dark traffic tunnel and everyone other than Scylia shines a flashlight. Saku grabs a collar with a flashlight attached and puts it on Friend. He ruffles the top of his pups head and the dog barks in thanks.

Friend: "RRUuf."

They all walk as Daisuki leads them through the underwater traffic tunnel.

Itsuka: "Sanpaku. I know I’ve heard about it from somewhere before this apocalypse."

Shelly: "It’s an outdated Japanese medical term regarding the eyes. If my memory is right."

The flashlights shine over scurrying rats.

Daisuki: "We already know how good that memory of yours is and that’s a simple term, yes. It was a theory that claimed, depending on the way someone naturally looked at others, determined their souls destiny to either be a Yin soul that exists to suffer or a Yang soul that exists to cause others suffering for happiness to exist."

Saku: "So you believe that theory?"

Daisuki: "Not exactly. I do believe complex lives, such as humans, do need suffering to exist so happiness and prosperity can also exist. For a lion cub to eat, a baby or old injured antelope must die. With Complex Life, a more complex version of happiness and suffering must also co-exist, Yin and Yang."

Katsu: "And it coincidently is about eyes like the IceEyes. That’s so clever Big Bro!"

Scylia: "Big Bro?"

Daisuki: "Don’t get any ideas Scylia..."

Scylia: "Of course not. I would never call you something so childish Master Daisuki....unless you wanted me to."

Daisuki sighs again and ignores the obviously disguised request to call him "Big Bro" too.

After 5 minutes of walking through the underwater tunnel all the young adults look in awe at what Daisuki and Scylia are calmly approaching.

Inside the tunnel is a wall completely made with wood and sheet metal. At the base of the poorly structured wall is a small door for human only entrance. A guard stands outside the door.

Daisuki: "Ah there’s Charybdis. What’s up Char?!"

Charybdis: "Uncle Mina!"

A 22 year old, spikey blue haired male with stud earrings, and an all grey set of basketball shoot-around clothes runs up to the group. He has a previous version (3 minutes max) of the SunSwords and HeatHolsters. His left eye is yellow that matches Scylias, while he has an IceEye in his right eye.

Daisuki and Char bump fists and give each other a smile.

Char(looks at group): "Managed to save more people out there in ’Hell’?"

Charybdis takes one look at Shelly and forgets about everyone else. He quickly approaches the smallest of the girls. He takes her hand.

Char: "Hey there babe, looks like you’re the only one without an eye, don’t worry, my ’Whirlpool’ Eye can control liquids(he looks down to her waist) so I’ll keep you safe."

Shelly is unphased by his attempts to swoon her, but Katsu grabs Charybdis’ wrist and everyone in surprise can feel Katsu’s switch has flipped. Everyone looks as Katsu and Char EyeEngage. Char struggles to release it.

Katsu(in intimidation): "Off-limits."

Shelly, who was unphased by Charybdis’ attempts at sweet talk, is now bright red from Katsu’s disclaimer.

Itsuka and Daisuki smile proudly in different ways for Shelly AND Katsu.

However, Saku narrow eyes the most recent example of something, "new", about Katsu with an IceEye.

A fist connects with the back of Charybdis’ head and Scylia grabs the unconscious playboy.

Scylia: "I apologize for my brothers rudeness, I’ve been trying to beat it out of him for some time now but he never learns."

Scylia gets a surprised look on her face as her IceEye goes back to the base-kit. All of a sudden Katsu gets a pain in his chest, over his heart and a look of fear in his eyes as he wreaths on the cement.

Shelly: "Katsu whats wro-"

Shelly stops too as tears uncontrollably fill her eyes and she looks at Katsu no longer in pain, but still with a look of horror.

Once again, time stops as they make eye contact but this time when it starts again, tears run down both their face.

Shelly: "Katsu, you....died."