Level Down

6

Upon returning to the plaza, the sun was beginning to set. The streetlights hadn't turned on yet, but the sky was a rich shade of orange that faded into a deeper red close to the horizon. Clouds overhead filtered the warm colours into a pale shade of pink around their edges. Enid stared out the window watching the sky as Red pulled into the parking lot and stopped just in front of the store.

"We're here," Red called into the back of the tank where K.O. and Dendy were sitting patiently. They hadn't been nearly as quiet as they were when sneaking into the Danger Zone, but their chatter wasn't annoying or even all that distracting. If anything, they were quieter than Enid would have expected them to be on the drive back. Enid hadn't been talking much on the way, either. Even Red seemed less inclined to speak.

As the tank's engine was stopped, Dendy looked to her side to see K.O. picking at the bandage over his elbow. She pushed his hand down and when she tried to say something to him she yawned through her statement instead. K.O. yawned as well.

"Okay, it's been a long day," Enid stood up to usher Dendy and K.O. into the store. "Let's go into the bodega and wait for your parents. They should be here soon." Enid followed K.O. and Dendy outside and towards Gar's Bodega.

Red sat back in her seat. She let out a breath and looked out her left window towards Enid. She walked towards the bodega just behind K.O. and Dendy. There was something off-putting about the way Enid seemed to drag herself along as she left. Red had never seen her move as slowly as she did then. Before Enid could follow K.O. and Dendy through the doors, Red knocked on the window just loud enough to get her attention. Enid turned around again and Red rolled down her window.

"You need my help with the radio or something?" Enid joked. She let out a light laugh but Red's smile at her joke wasn't the kind Enid had hoped to see. It looked superficial and faded quickly.

"You okay?" Red asked with a sombre tone.

"I'm something, that's for sure." Enid's response was drier than she meant it to be. She didn't follow up on her statement regardless. There wasn't much to be explained, and she couldn't find the words to correct her tone. Instead, Enid diverted her attention towards the side of the Red's tank, dented and scratched from Elodie's arrows.

Red's response was a tight-lipped smile. "Keep me posted, okay?"

"I can do that." Enid returned her own smile, but it was just as hollow as her tone had been before. "I can help you pay to repair the tank."

"It's okay, I'll handle it," Red assured her. "I'll see you around, Enid." With that Red closed her window and drove off again. Enid stood on the sidewalk for a moment before turning and walking through the front doors of the bodega.

She had wanted to justify herself and pay Red back, but she was already gone. Enid thought about it for a while. It had been her idea to follow Elodie in the first place and she wanted to make up for it. Red didn't mind the trouble; she never really did. She would probably accept a pack of gum or something else small. She usually went looking for adventure on her own, anyway.

Dendy turned in every hypothesis to the other heroes investigating Elodie's disappearance just as she said she would. She'd also recited the story of their encounter with Elodie to those who asked her. Many people asked her. Enid remained apart from it, reasoning she had already shared what needed to be shared and she had nothing to add. For the most part, people didn't bother her as much as they had before.

Dendy's daily visits to the store for gum stopped after they returned but Enid would still see her with K.O. on occasion. They still avoided trading Pow Cards at the bodega.

For the next week, Red Action had to take the bus around Lakewood and to the bodega. Not only was her tank scratched and dented from Elodie's arrows, but the front windshield was still cracked on the left side. She had to once again take it in for repairs but still kept up her newly developed tradition of helping around Gar's Bodega when she could.

Sightings of Elodie ceased to be rumours that floated around the plaza. It wasn't to say nobody was talking about her, but nobody claimed to have seen her after she was last tracked down in the Danger Done. Enid assumed that nobody really wanted to talk about it anymore even though people still felt they had something to say.

The slow days working behind the counter continued to be unbearably slow. Enid could sit through them without being bothered by somebody more concerned about Elodie than actually buying anything, which was relieveing. It wasn't like she wasn't glad for it, but it was the status quo. Elodie's poster still hung in the window of the bodega. It had been ripped off by the wind and retaped since, but part of it was still uneven and folded strangely on the top right corner.

Enid was shaken from her staring when K.O. came running towards the counter calling for her. He stopped and ran around the back to meet her.

"Whoa, whoa," Enid turned to face him where she sat. "What's going on, K.O.?"

"Look!" K.O. held up a familiar Pow Card.

Before registering what she may be shown dread filled Enid immediately. It almost felt as though her vision had gone foggy while still remaining crystal clear. For a moment she didn't comprehend what she was seeing.

K.O. was holding up his copy of Elodie's Pow Card. Her level had risen and was set at two. The apprehension that Enid felt before seemed to disappear.

"She's still good!" K.O. exclaimed. "I knew it, Enid! I knew she was still good!" He laughed with excitement and relief.

Enid let out a breath. She didn't say anything for a moment, but she crossed her arms and turned back to look out the window. K.O. eventually calmed down when he realized Enid wasn't sharing in his enthusiastic celebration. K.O. paused and looked down at the card in his hand.

"Enid, do you think Elodie will come back?" K.O. asked.

Enid was quiet for another moment before she looked back at him. "I'm sure she will eventually."

Seemingly comforted, K.O. smiled and nodded. "I'm going to help Rad stock the shelves!" He called before running off.

Enid smiled and waved as K.O. ran off. She looked back down at the counter and her expression faded. She rested her head on one hand and propped her elbow on the counter, staring down at nothing.

The rest of the day passed with the only noteworthy event being Rad tripping over a wet floor sign and then slipping when he tried to stand up again. After Enid had laughed as much as she felt was appropriate she helped him stand up again. Rad then attempted to kick back the collapsed sign only to stumble forwards and catch himself on Enid's shoulder, almost causing both of them to fall. Enid once again found herself laughing as the two of them struggled to keep their footing and made their way back to their stations. Onlookers glanced at them teasing each other like children. Enid didn't care much, but Rad did. He quickly composed himself again and returned to stocking shelves. It felt free to be able to laugh like that.

For the rest of the day, Enid and Rad were poking fun at each other over it. Whenever Rad walked past the counter Enid would fake falling off her seat and rad would mimic her laughing.

It wasn't until later when the sky turned orange that Enid found herself once again lost in thought. By the time the streetlights had turned on, there were no customers left in the store.

That night when closing up the bodega, Enid saw something sitting on the sidewalk as she exited the store and walked into the empty parking lot. Stuck in a crack in the pavement was a single pink arrow. Enid picked it up and turned it over in her hand. Looking to the side of the store, she saw a familiar figure standing just out of sight. They stood far enough out of the way that they were shrouded in darkness.

"Hey," Enid greeted the figure. "I'm sorry."

The shadow didn't move but tilted her head towards Enid. The light Enid stood under didn't do anything to illuminate them.

"I mean," Enid started again. "I'm sorry for blowing up at you and following you into-"

"You shouldn't be sorry," the shadow interrupted her. "I'm the one who should be sorry. I should never have treated you the way I did. You were my closest friend and I still left you in the dust for a scholarship. It's no wonder you hate me as much as you do."

"I don't hate you," Enid corrected. "Not anymore, at least."

"It was justified when you did."

For a moment the two of them were silent.

"Will you come back?" Enid asked.

The shadow smiled. "I think I just might."

"I told K.O. you would," Enid said. "I'm not sure if you've formally met him, but I'm pretty sure you saved his life. I can't thank you enough. He came to the counter earlier with his copy of your Pow Card and he was so excited to show me that you had started gaining levels again."

The person in the shadows said nothing for a moment before letting out a short laugh.

"Well, I'd do anything for a fan."

Enid chuckled. She left her place in the light to face the figure and enveloped them in a hug. She pulled her close, still holding an arrow in her hand. The figure seemed to twitch as if confused or reluctant before she returned the hug with greater force than Enid had initiated it with. When they broke apart Enid returned to her place under the streetlight as the shadow also backed towards the alley.

With a small smile, Enid nodded to her. She nodded in return before she turned and disappeared into the dark. The arrow Enid held faded in her grip as she left.