Walks Off Life: Epiphase

Into The Smoke

Without even noticing, it's been a year since they drove out the last Hollowans out of the Earth System. All of them were still a team, only because Qyu wanted them to be. It was difficult rebuilding their worlds after almost two decades of conflicting war followed by a foreign imperialism. With the New Heads as momentary leaders and the Forefighters as facilitators and coordinators, they did their best to restore what once was.

If they didn't had a job, some of them would train. Kane and Bitzer had the studio all to themselves. It was equipped with air mattresses and weaponry tables. Spike had taught the boy some skills for a few weeks after the Battle. However, they decided Bitzer was the soldier that had most combat experience. They would meet up every week.

"Use your upper limbs to defend as well," Bitzer projected as he swung his fist to Kane. Kane took that note and stopped it with his arm. "Now, after you make every move, react faster."

Bitzer demonstrated his point by giving several blows to Kane one after the other. He was learning fast and managed to defend and attack as well. They both didn't realize Spike had entered the room. The sounds of the fist-fight was interrupted by Spike's playful voice, "Take him down, Kane!"

They stopped mid-fight with sweats rolling down, although Bitzer didn't sweat as much as Kane did. Spike told them to finish up because he had ask for both of their help with a fellow Fighter. All of them neatened themselves and took a VECO to the mainland. The studio they were training in was located at a recently renovated building named Quarters, and it's the center of what Qyu called, Project Worlds Socio-Physical Reconstruction. Quarters was set in Newland, for the geographical area and it's current government.

"Phi? What is he doing at Burg now?" Kane referred to the largest city in Republic of Oceanic Afrikaans. A mega country founded just a thousand and three hundred years ago. Before that, it was five separate individual countries in the southern part of the continent. 

"He was going to report the civil damage there, but turns out everything was under control. So he decided to let loose with some drinks," Spike responded.

"You should call Lin into this," Bitzer suggested.

"He's on his way from Colombus City."

When they arrived, coincidentally at the same time with Lin, they found Phi sitting alone outside the bar he told he was at. When Phi saw their approach, he quickly stood up and handed over a digital pad. 

"What's this?" Lin asked. He opened the Medium, a worlds-wide inter-network space that was recently being used again by everyone. Bitzer, Kane and Spike leaned in and watched a footage of him inside the bar. It was havoc, and Phi was seen beating up a few men. He stopped the video before it could show any more and Phi frowned, "Yes, I was drunk. And I punched those fellas down when they started talking bad about the New Heads. They don't know what they're talking about."

It was the only explanation he gave and they went with it. He gestured to Lin in sign language that he was going to wait in Lin's vessel. Spike and Kane checked in the bar and paid for any damage that was caused.

"He's not going to in there himself?" Bitzer turned to Lin when they were just waiting outside.

"He wouldn't know what to say, but I can tell, he's not proud of this." Lin smiled in reassurance. "Were you teaching Kane?"

"As always," Bitzer replied.

"Sorry I can't help with that, Fuzale wanted me at Colombus City."

"It's alright. We both know your only good with the blades." 

Lin accepted that response with a snicker. Few moments later, Kane came out of the building with some news, "Sonie has something to tell us"

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