ZatG: Neptune (Revisited)

III

Two More Problems (This Makes Three, Ninety-Six to Go)

Histoire flew into the living room. "There's been another emergency, you too."

"What is it this time?"

"Sparky, she...she's been spotted in Virtua Forest."

6:00 AM

Nep and I woke up in sync, it makes sense. "Hey, Neptune," I said. "What did you wish for?"

"For you to look dumb this chapter!"

"Chapter? No..." I sighed. "This is a log, not a chapter."

"Okay? Potato, tomato. So what?"

"Your poor wording has made your wish irrelevant. I am invinicble this log."

"There's no way."

"Just wait and see."

Histoire flew into the living room. "There's been another emergency, you too."

"What is it this time?"

"Sparky, she...she's been spotted in Virtua Forest."

"Well then, let's go stop her!" Nep said, jumping up."

"Wait," I interrupted. "It's six in the morning.

"Six hours too late! Let's hurry!" Nep grabbed my arm and dashed out of the Basilicom.

6:30

"Hey," Sparky said, calmly, almost as if she's been waiting for us. "I've been waiting for you."

Two for two.

"What are you up to?" I asked.

"Nothing much."

"What's the bag in your hand contain?"

"A smoothie," Sparky said, pulling out a smoothie.

"And?"

"Confidential."

"Uh," Neptune interrupted. "You said you were waiting for us. Why?"

"I wanted to fight my...well...self? I guess. It seemed fun, and since you were nearby, I figured it'd be worth the wait."

"That's it?" I asked

Sparky frowned. "You don't seem as enthusiastic...I got it!" She cleared her throat. "There's a ton of medicine in this bag. Beat me, and I'll help you distribute it back—"

"Excuse me?"

"—to all the sickly in the area."

"What?"

"And if you lose—"

"Sickly? Did you steal medicine from the sick?"

"—you'll have to do whatever one thing I ask you to do. Sound good?"

"You're crazier than Mr. Whip..."

"Who?"

"Nevermind. Sure, I'll fight you."

"Great!"

"And...go. Shock Blade, Thunder's Edge."

Ten hits later...

"That's not even a proper fight!" Sparky wailed. "Rematch! I want a rematch!"

"Those wounds better be patched before you get a rematch," Neptune said.

I sighed. "6 out of 10."

"A D! Not bad."

"It was still really bad."

"It wasn't failing."

"Guys?" Sparky called. "A little help?"

"Why?" I asked.

"I'm hurt?"

"Aren't you...the bad guy? Or girl?"

"True!" Sparky jumped up and dusted herself off.

"Er, those wounds..."

Sparky immediately fell back down. "I know..." she muttered. "The pain..."

"Should we get her some help?"

"Nah," Neptune said. "She's the bad guy-girl."

"Okay, let's go back then."

"Wait!" Sparky called.

"No."

"Fine...I'll be back!"

"Sure. Make sure you bring all the medicine back."

"Okay..."

6:50

"For a bad guy-girl," Neptune said, "she doesn't seem all that bad."

"Make a bad guy out of a good guy, and it's not exactly pretty. Sparky's good at heart, but she's still a bad guy-girl."

"Yeah. She's weird."

"Indeed." I feel like I know somebody like that...

5:00 PM

"One more problem," Histoire said, putting her hands together. "Sorry..."

"It's fine. Nothing we can handle," I said. "...Right?"

"Right." Histoire cleared her throat. "S. Zap has been spotted. IF wouldn't specify what was going on. She's marked an area on the map, he should still be there."

"Thanks, Histoire."

"Thank you as well."

6:00

"...S. Zap?"

S. Zap looked up at me. "Greetings, friendly adversary. What brings you here?" He was sitting cross-legged on the grass, examining his whip.

"What are you doing?"

"This is what you'd call rest, no? I don't give my victims any of that, but it's quite nice to experience it myself. Oh, and if you're wondering, no, I did not harass anybody today. I will hold true to my word and stay peaceful for a while."

I sighed. "They marked both of you as a threat and neither of you were being a threat. Are you kidding me?"

"Are you craving action?" Neptune asked.

I stopped. "No, actually. This feels nice."

S. Zap smiled. "Enjoy it while you can." He stood. "I will be on my way now. May we cross paths and weapons once more."

"Bye."

"He sure does sounds like a poet of some sort, doesn't he?" Neptune asked.

"When he's calm. Most of the time, he's just weird."

"So he's weird 100% of the time?"

"Precisely."

"Makes sense." Neptune paused. "Ready to go back?"

"Yep."

"Pudding."

"Fine."

7:00

Pudding? Delicious?

Hotel?

8:00

We're home. Was today a long day? Absolutely not. I haven't had much sleep in a while, though. I need to sleep early tonight...