Dimension shuffler

Chapter 9: Obsession and Revelation: Part 2

"I-I can't find them, I'm sorry."

"Well, look harder!"

"Calm down. We'll find them."

Her words were of little comfort.

It had only been an hour since Stephen and Chico disappeared. Drez frantically searched for any trace of the duo while Melody attempted to console Paz.

"It's my fault. I should've been faster. I never should've let her stay outside. I sho-"

"Get a grip." Melody was far more stern now. "We've checked and they're not in the area. Return to base and quit moping. It's not helping them or you."

Paz hopped onto B.I.K.E and began her trip back, reliving the scene in her head. She was no knight anymore. She failed to protect her comrades. Her team. Her friends. In a rare show of sensitivity, she began to cry. Tears had only flowed down her face one time in memory.

The loss of her parents.

Her father, killed by beast in battle. Her mother, lost to the region. She was alone. She was scared. A child alone. No guidance. No consolation. Only a sword. A wilting bud in harsh conditions.

Paz considered stopping right there. What was there left for her?

What WAS there left her? What was left for her when her father was killed? What was left for her when her mother vanished? When she was alone?

Hope.

The child that had lost everything didn't stop there. She went searching. She found a new friend. She spent four years searching and ended up helping those around her.The wilting bud fought back. It began to grow and learn. It began to growl at that which once growled at it until it bloomed.

But it was wilting once more. It could only heal with help. A strong branch to grow alongside. Something Drez provided her so many years ago.

Reaching the shack, Paz took a deep breath in. If a 12 year old could fight back against her fate, a 16 year old could follow in her footsteps and become the biggest, brightest, strongest flower known to humankind.

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The room was cold, dark and uncomfortable. Stephen was encased in a large box. Three walls of brick. One of glass.

"Finally. No more running. You have no idea how much effort it took to pull this off."

A man in a long, white lab coat stood on the other side of the glass pane. He had piercing green eyes and a creepy yet enigmatic grin. His hair was well-kept. It was almost completely brown with a white strip of hair dropping down in front of his right eye. His trousers were dark and matched his shoes. He seemed familiar but Stephen had definitely never seen him before.

"You are quite the tricky one #50 but I'm craftier than that."

"I have a name." Stephen retorted.

"And so do I, it's Professor Andre, but I don't really care."

"What did you do with Paz?"

"The girl? Worthless. You are the one I wanted. You see, you possess power. I've seen only one other like it but, alas, they got away. I know all about you inter-dimensional beings. Reality's mistakes. A lot of you have no idea what power you hold but I do." Andre pulled a remote from his coat and pressed a button.

Coils sprung out of the walls and restrained Stephen by the wrists before slamming him against the wall. No matter how hard he tried to fight back, he couldn't budge them. A surge flowed through the coils, electrocuting him.