The Villains' Hero (second draft)

Chapter 5: Enter Blythe

            Karma climbed the stairs to his apartment only to open the door to a completely ransacked room, as if a tornado was isolated only within his home. “You’ve got to be kidding me…” He began to pick up the place slowly, his muscles aching and his heart racing from the exhaustion. He was shaking and weak and he sat down to take a rest, blacking out for a moment. When he opened his eyes, the apartment was cleaned and Paxton was sitting on the bed nearby. He had a serious expression and Karma looked at him then around in confusion. “Did you-“ 

            “Yeah, I did. You ‘er gone so I figur’d you needed my help. Are you okay, sir?” Karma was too worn to comment on Paxton calling him sir, and instead just thanked him for his help. He said he was okay, just extremely out of it as the past three days caught up to him. He tried to get up but collapsed back down, panting and leaning back. “Damn, even standing takes a lot out of me right now…” Paxton told him to rest while he floated over to make some coffee, using poltergeist abilities. He brought Karma a coffee, which smelled richly of the toasted bean with a hint of chocolate. He also handed him a letter saying he found it when cleaning. The note read: 

            ‘Hi! Sorry about your apartment! I really liked it not messed up but, you know, Eros and such.. I’m the one they told to destroy your apartment, but I didn’t want to ruin anything so I just made it look like I did for the inspection. I’m your neighbor, Blythe! Well… More of your street neighbor. Want a friend? Head to building #4 at apartment 99! I’ll be there working on some stuff, stop by whenever! Sorry again about your home!’ 

            This Blythe character seemed far too energetic for Karma at the moment so he let out a sigh. “I’ll deal with her in the morning… Hey Pax, wanna chat a little? I actually don’t know a lot about you and this coffee will keep me up a little bit.” Paxton’s eyes widened in surprise, as their prior agreement Karma didn’t want to know much due to keeping a detachment since Paxton wanted to be a guinea pig for his dead manipulation abilities. ‘If you really want to do this, it might be better if I stay out of your personal life so we stick to a work relationship. I feel it to be more respectful,’ he recalled Karma saying a few months ago. What changed? His bewildered look must have caught Karma’s eye, because he began laughing a bit. 

            “Sorry, that came out of nowhere! I just feel like, after what I just went through, I could use a brother. This Blythe offered a hand in friendship so I’ll talk to her later, but while I’m here, let’s hang out, ya know? Maybe play something, chat a little. Just have some type of fun and take a break and relax. It’d be better to relax with someone I trust.” Karma took a sip of his coffee, the warmth spreading throughout his body and helping him to relax. Coffee and tea were his favorites after all. Paxton got over his shock and turned on a video game system, adjusting it so Karma could play where he was.  

            They played and talked for a couple hours. Karma learned lots of things about the ghost boy he would’ve never thought about. Things like, he was born prior to Eros but doesn’t have many memories of the time, or that he died at 15 due to an accident, or even that his body was buried in the cemetery in Dene prior to Dene being built over top of it, trapping his soul here. He learned that Paxton signed up as his partner because he was bored and also because he hoped Karma could become strong enough to free his spirit from the entrapment. He even learned that Paxton’s favorite color was orange, because it was different and also because he said nothing rhymes with it making it one of a kind. Eventually, Karma couldn’t stay awake any longer and passed out once more. Paxton wrapped him in a blanket and went to explore Hunloy like he usually did, glad to have a real interaction with someone like he hadn’t had in a long long time. He did feel bad about lying, though, he did have memories from his past, not a lot, but the ones he did have were too painful to talk about and he figured Karma wasn’t in a position to bear it anyway. For now, he thought, it would be okay he didn’t tell the truth… 

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            Karma awoke at 3am, like usual. He was stiff and sore, but he felt a lot better. He stood up and grabbed some breakfast, consisting of eggs, some leftover chicken, and some waffles with butter and golden brown maple syrup. And of course, another coffee. He gave a big stretch after eating, wondering where Paxton went but figuring he’ll show back up at some point. He got up, grabbed new clothes and planned to fix his hoodie later so he left without it. Today was Monday, shop and med day. He needed to run to the pharmacy anyway, needing to get a refill on his weekly shots for the month. He headed to Hunloy’s pharmacy, if it could even be called that. Open once a week, hardly had any supplies, and the meds they do get they charge an arm and a leg for. Luckily, Karma’s shipment and insurance comes from Dene so he was able to get his medication with no cost, but it’ll expire by next year. Then the struggle would really begin… 

            He spotted Paxton above, and rang the bell around his neck to call him over. “Hey, you wanna join me today? Do some training?” Paxton agreed and entered the bell as Karma entered the building. He got his vials and needles but before walking out, he noticed a young girl around 10 coming up and soon crying and shouting began. The girl was crying and begging, and the pharmacist was refusing her service without payment. “Please, I need it or I’ll die..! I need my insulin!” She cried out, tears running down her face. 

            “Sorry, girlie. No payment, no meds. End of story.” 

            “No no no! Please…! Have mercy..!” 

            “No can do. Now, if you want meds, you need Wa’me. No Wa’me, get out. I have no need for you here.” 

            Karma knew he needed to do something. He rang his bell and Paxton came out. He then nodded to the man, and having heard the conversation within the bell, he knew what Karma wanted him to do. He went over and entered the man’s body and possessed him. Karma went over and started speaking to the possessed man. “Say, why don’t you just get this poor girl her medication. You can’t be that cold can you?” The man’s eyes glowed green just a bit and he nodded his head. “R-r-right away, s-s-s-sir…” The voice sounded strained and forced as the man walked like he never had before over to the meds. Paxton saw the girl’s name on the computer through the man’s eyes and made sure to grab the right meds, handing them over as the man though with poor coordination. He wasn’t used to being in a living body anymore. The little girl knew something was up but didn’t question it. She took the meds, thanking everyone and running off. “Wait until I’m outside to release Pax, erase memories too.” 

            Paxton did just so, returning to the bell while the man looked around bewildered. “Great job, Pax. That was your first possession but that little girl has her insulin now. You did a good thing.” The bell chimed on its own, as if he was speaking back. On the way towards the market, he spotted apartment #4 and remembered that Blythe girl. He decided to stop on by, heading to apartment 99. Thankfully the number was deceiving and he only had to climb a few flights of stairs, not 99 flights. He came up to the door and knocked against the steel. Noises and clambering could be heard inside as well as stuff falling over and a small bang. Then the click of the door as it swung open. “Hi,hi! Come in! Come in!! I’m Blythe!!” Karma looked in to see a small yellow dragon, only coming up to his waist. She had large red webbed wings, red spikes on her stubby tail, and red feathers acting as ears. She also had orange spots and a black tee shirt with an anchor and a lotus flower on a lillypad. But her most defining features were scars over her right eye, which appeared blind, a cybernetic false left leg, and small rounded fangs sticking out like buckteeth. “Oh yes, and in case you’re wondering, I am not a child. I’m 24. And I know a lot about you, new kid! We have a lot to discuss…” The sudden shift to a serious tone through Karma off as he followed her inside.