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mysticstarlightduck · 1 year ago

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Looking For Feedback: Updated Prologue Chapter of Supernova Initiative

I mentioned I was looking for feedback for this chapter of Supernova Initiative, and after some feedback from my friends and mutuals, I did some editing and am going to post the new version here now!

Please give me feedback on this new version! It's still not the final one!! 💕

Important Context: The Prologue chapters take place around ten years before the main story of the WIP takes place. Those chapters serve to establish character backstory and showcase how the MCs became the characters they are in the main story - which takes place almost ten years later, where all the MCs have become famous outlaws. Each backstory chapter follows important events of the MCs past, and establishes who they used to be before. (However, only the Jack & Cassie backstory chapter is a part of the prologue, all the other backstory chapters are peppered throughout the book). In this backstory chapter Jack is 15-years-old, Cassie is 8-years-old and Deimos 16-years-old. (In the Main Story, ten years later, Jack is 25, Cassie 18, and Deimos 26)

SUPERNOVA INITIATIVE

We’ll Make It to the Other Side

CETHEA III - TEN YEARS AGO

One could say Jack Tithus was having a bad day - in fact, he had been having ‘a bad day’ for the past couple of years. Good salaries were a far-gone illusion that Jack, and pretty much everyone else who called this broken moon a home, had long since forgotten. Right now, Jack took what he could get - and as things grew dire, started accepting gigs and odd jobs from lowlifes and mobsters of all kinds, having long since been familiar with their moon’s bustling, and cutthroat underworld. Yes, he was an errand boy for criminals, but at least it put food on his sister’s plate - and on especially lucky days, on his too.

Today was not gonna be either of those days, apparently.

“Hey, what the fuck?!” Jack counted and recounted the pitiful amount of units Zeke, the thug sitting leisurely on the swivel chair across the grimy desk, had tossed to him. He could not believe his eyes, and it took every ounce of self-control he had to not lunge across the desk and strangle the smug right out of the guy’s face here and now. He didn’t even get a quarter of the price they’d settled on the day before.

Jack hit the desk with his hand, rattling the cheap metal in his anger. “I did the job. It was so fucking dangerous, but I did it. Got the merchandise past those stupid guards at the Station. You said you’d pay me in full.”

The man across the desk burst into laughter. “And you were stupid enough to believe me?” Zeke mocked, lighting a neon-blue cigarette and leaning back on the chair “I just needed someone desperate and gullible enough to smuggle those parts to my clients. You fit the bill like a glove.”

Jack fumed, staring daggers at the man. “Oh yeah, Zeke? Well, I think maybe a broken nose would fit your face quite nicely.” His words came out with a bite to them and he closed his hands into fists “You sure talk a lot of game for someone who needs a teen to do your dirty work.”

At that, Zeke’s eyes turned dangerous. He took one slow, long drag from his glowing cigarette, letting the cyan smoke billow from his mouth lazily. At a motion from his head, two figures stepped out from the shadows behind Jack, seemingly out of nowhere. “If I were you,” Zeke began, coldly “I’d be grateful for the scraps and call it a day before you find some real trouble. You’re treadin’ on thin ice here, being this mouthy on Onyx Striker territory.”

The young man didn’t move, but he could see - from the corner of his eye - the guns glimmering on the duo’s holsters, ready to be drawn. The unspoken threat caused his bravado to falter - he swallowed nervously. Jack couldn’t afford the risk, he couldn’t leave Cassie all alone in the slums. Kids didn’t last long on their own around here, and when they did, it was at a cost. He couldn’t get himself killed for something stupid, as much as his pride told him to fight.

Thanks to the Junction, Jack and his sister, Cassiopeia, hadn’t had the concept of a ‘home’ or ‘money in a long, long while. And that as the basic reality for most of the mismatched families that managed to make it in Cethea III - the third and most forsaken moon of the frozen planet, Ivion, below. A Junction mining colony, where poverty and crime run amok, while the government strips their supplies dry day by day. Pride was a luxury most had to abandon early on in this place.

Swallowing his anger and all the instincts that told him to stand his ground. One last time, he tried to bargain, but this time more controlled. His attention didn’t leave the two thugs lurking behind him. “This isn’t enough, you know I have a sister -”

Zeke cut him off. “Eh, cry me a river.” The man took another drag of glowing smoke, and Jack instinctively held his breath - out of anxiety and rage combined “Fuck if I care, that ain’t a problem of mine. The brat’s yours. Ain’t none of my business and I ain’t wasting even more money on you.” The man dismissed him with a scowl, waving to the door vaguely. “Now scram, kiddo, before I change my mind and take back those units we already gave ya. I’m growing bored.”

Jack took in a sharp breath, instinctively clutching the small pouch of coins tighter, knowing they could be taken away at any moment. He glared at the thug for a moment longer, before relenting. “... Fine.”

He didn’t wait for an answer, instead turning around and pushing past the two men stationed behind him, storming out of the greasy and now smoke-filled office. “Stingy fucker.” Jack mumbled, mind racing faster than a hoverbike, a million thoughts a second. He didn’t look over his shoulder nor slow down his pace until the mob-owned building was far behind him.

As he trudged through the dusty, bustling streets and alleyways, he scrambled to figure out what he was going to do next. 5 units wouldn’t even be enough to pay for half a meal in the greasiest, cheapest diners of this settlement. It wouldn’t even scratch the surface. Jack wanted to curl up and die at the thought of telling Cassie they were gonna have to skip dinner tonight. Again.

He ran a hand through his hair with a drawn-out groan, trying to come up with good enough excuses that wouldn’t sound like blatant lies to a genius 8-year-old. The best he could come up with were excuses he’d already used a million times before. Which didn’t help at all.

Turning a corner around a quieter part of the slums, he made his way to the local junkyard. He knew the path with his eyes closed by now. Cassie loved the place - to her, it was like a playground where she could build as many bots as she wanted, and to him, it was a safe enough hiding spot for when he had to leave her unattended. He hoped to all the stars he knew that she had stayed put for the past seven hours like he told her to. She usually did.

Climbing over the broken chain fence wasn’t much of an effort, nor was finding a way to maneuver through the assortment of scrap metal and broken spaceship parts. After a minute or so of walking, he spotted a familiar head of blue-dyed hair barrelling toward him, as small arms wrapped around his waist tightly.

He let the resentment and anger he’d been feeling before wash away for a brief moment, thankful that his sister was here, and that she was okay. With an arm still wrapped around her shoulders, keeping her close, they began to make their way out of the junkyard.

Jack avoided the pressing subject of dinner, pushing it to the back of his head after giving up looking for solutions where there were none. He could feel his blood still boiling from his interaction with Zeke, and it took almost everything he had to hide the frustration and slip into his usual doting, brotherly role. Jack never wanted Cassie to be upset about things he should be able to solve. So, meanwhile, he asked something else, voice practicedly happy and calm, a complete opposite of the annoyance he was still feeling at the mob. “Did you have a good day, Cass?”

The girl, who was skipping along beside him, holding onto his arm, nodded. “I did, I think. Got bored after a while because you were so late, so I went for a walk in the city. Was pretty fun.”

Jack bit back the knee-jerk instinct to berate her for wandering into that settlement alone, “Yeah?” He hummed instead, in a kind tone, injecting optimism into his answer despite his every thought “That’s good. A bit risky though, but sounds fun indeed! Did any of the other kids give you any trouble?” They stopped by the broken fence once more, and Jack gave her a boost to get over it, before following suit with ease.

Once on the other side of the fence, standing once more at an alley, Cassie answered, holding his hand “Not really. Some older kids were being loud and causing trouble at a pub. Didn’t go near them though.”

Jack sighed in relief, “Good,” He nodded at her “You did the right thing, never get involved with those sorts, ever. They could hurt you.”

He wasn’t sure if Cassiopeia was listening, as she seemed pretty focused on following the cracks on the concrete, walking over them like someone tracing a line on the floor. Jack found it cute and didn’t bother repeating himself at the moment.

They wandered aimlessly for a while, taking the ‘scenic route’ - if one could call anything on this heap of space rubble scenic - around the settlement. Jack was in no hurry to find somewhere to stop, as it would mean facing that subject, so he simply let Cassie ‘guide’ him around town.

Eventually, after crossing a tight street, weaving their way through passersby, vehicles, and robots alike, the siblings reached one of the city’s few ‘plazas’. Calling the place ugly and unsightly would be an understatement, but at least it allowed for freer movement than the cramped alleyways behind him.

However, a commotion drew their attention, and Jack skidded them to a halt. An armored Junction airship was landed in the middle of the square, surrounded by officers in their tight, grey uniforms. A man, who seemed in his mid-thirties, could be seen struggling against the soldiers, clutching some kind of bag in hand. He must’ve stolen something - and by the looks of it, that something was food. A quick punch from one of the Sentries ended the struggle, and as the man doubled over in pain, his arms were quickly restrained in cuffs, the bag swiftly removed from his grasp as the officers pushed him towards the vehicle.

Jack felt his heart tighten in sympathy but began walking in the opposite direction, gesturing for Cassiopeia to follow quietly. The last thing he wanted was for the Sentries to turn their attention towards them, once they were capturing that poor man. Jack knew how Junction Sentries functioned - and he knew you didn’t have to do anything wrong to be put under their aim. You just had to be born here - that was enough to earn their disdain.

Once the commotion was out of sight and the sounds of sirens gave way to the familiar buzz of the city’s center, with voices overlapping, cars flying past and a myriad of other familiar sounds filling their senses, Jack muttered bitterly, under his breath, to no one in particular “I can’t wait for us to get outta here. I hate this fucking place.”

Still holding onto his hand, Cassie seemed to have caught onto his words, despite all the background noise. “Mhm.” She hummed in agreement, nuzzling closer to his arm. Before he could reply, she skipped a few stones on the ground as if she were playing hopscotch, each jump punctuating her words, “Got us some snacks though!”

Jack couldn’t believe his ears, blinking rapidly at the concept “You… you did?”

Cassie didn’t look over her shoulder, still skipping stones “Yep.” She answered simply, apparently unaware of the importance of what she just said “Saw some folks at this fancy eatery-place throwing out a box of tarts because they didn’t sell the week before. It’s a bit stale but tastes good enough.”

Jack could sob in relief right now - in fact, he almost did, barely holding onto his composure by a thread as he let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. He stopped walking for a moment, simply basking in this moment, watching her absentmindedly skipping around ahead of him after basically saving their night. After a second, he caught up to her once more, playfully ruffling her hair.

She giggled, batting at his hand and combing down her now-tousled hair. Jack smiled down at her. “You’re the best, Cassie. Did you know that?”

Cassiopeia looked up at him with bright, mischievous eyes. “Mhm. I’m pretty amazing.” She beamed, proud of herself.

Jack laughed, nodding “That’s the Cassie I know.”

As they continued walking down the empty, Cassiopeia always skipping and running ahead, Jack enjoyed the feeling of a weight lifted from his shoulders, for a split second, before the feeling returned tenfold once they walked into another alley. There were droplets of what looked like blood splattered on the concrete - and before he could tell Cassie to slow down and get away, she’d already turned the corner. That same corner. The one with the blood.

His heart skipped a beat, “Cassie, wait!” He yelled as he ran after his sister, ready to yank her away from whatever was waiting for them in that alley, but stopped in his tracks once he turned the corner. There, hidden behind a metal trashcan and broken containers, was someone. Someone around his age, who looked a little more than worse for wear.

“...Is he dead?” Came his sister’s blunt question, shaking him from his shocked ‘trance’. Jack watched the strange kid intently for a moment, tilting his head to the side as he tried to gauge whether or not the other was dead or alive. The boy didn’t seem quite completely conscious, but they didn’t look dead either.

“I…” Jack stammered. “I, um, I’m not quite sure myself.” His answer was as unsure as he himself was right now. Every fiber of his being screamed for him to grab his sister and get them both away from this place and this random person right now. But another portion of him seemed to claim that it wouldn’t be right. His conscience, apparently.

“Maybe we should just go away…” Jack said, tentatively trying to ignore his better judgment, tugging on Cassie to come back near him. The eight-year-old looked outraged and sad at the same time.

“But he’s hurt!” She protested, pointing at the limp figure near the wall “He needs our help. We can’t just leave.” Then she added, with big, sad eyes, like a puppy “You always say we should be kind to others. That we should help those we can help,” By the looks of it, and the sound of her voice, she knew exactly what she was doing. And Jack hated that it was working.

“Ugh, don’t you turn my words against me,” He complained, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms over his chest. She continued staring up at him, and there was a long moment of silence - Jack didn’t want to budge, and neither did Cassie. Eventually, her puppy-eyes won. Jack groaned. “Fine, fine. But if I get stabbed, I say it’s your fault” He says, half-heartedly poking at her, to which Cassie answered by sticking out her tongue at him and making a face.

Moving toward the other teenager, Jack could see a bit more of their appearance - they weren’t human, that much was clear. Bright blue skin, long ears, dark blue hair. Peeking their mouth, which hung slightly agape, Jack could see a row of small fang-like teeth, as he closed the distance and knelt down beside the stranger. From what he could tell, this kid was a Zatrian - a species native to the tundra deserts of the planet below - who had somehow ended up battered and bruised on a grimy alleyway in Cethea III. Someone else was also having a very bad day, it seems. That level of irony wasn’t lost in him.

Jack, hesitantly, reached forward, giving the figure’s shoulder a gentle nudge. Deep down he didn’t know if he wanted the figure to stir or not - he knew it was a selfish notion, but years of ingrained survival instincts told him a situation like this was often a perfect setup made by a gang looking to mug whoever intended to play the good samaritan. It never did them any good to help someone they didn’t know. Still, a small, shy part of him, for reasons he could not quite comprehend, hoped that this kid - whoever they were - would respond.

At his nudge, the other boy whined softly in discomfort - but didn’t seem to rouse.Jack frowned, growing unsettled with this alleyway more and more with every passing second, wishing for this to be done with as soon as possible. He tried again, with slightly more strength “Hey, can you hear me? Hello?” Jack asked as he shook the other’s shoulder a few times. It seemed that the figure would remain unresponsive, but when Jack was about to give up, the boy finally stirred, eyes blinking open with a groan of pain.

Grey eyes, first glazed over with pain and confusion, then filled with a look of sheer dread and panicked rage that Jack knew all too well, met his. Before he respond or do anything really, the boy stumbled backward with a sudden jerk, which caused him to hit his head on the wall behind him. “G-Get back!”

The alien yelled, followed by a cat-like hiss that took Jack off-guard. He pushed himself further and further into the corner between the trash can and the wall, curling into himself as tightly as he could, pressed against it, The figures’ eyes flitted between Jack, who was still kneeling near him, and Cassie, who was standing a few feet away, with her brows furrowed in a puzzled look.

Unsure of what to do, Jack withdrew his hand, instead raising it in a placating gesture. “Hey, hey, hey... Take it easy” He said, in a clear voice, backing a feel inches away himself - fearing that the kid may lash out. Those claws, a detail of the alien’s hand that Jack had only just noticed, looked sharp. “We’re not here to hurt you.”

Apparently the gesture was anything but calming, as when he backed away and raised his hands slowly, the boy cringed way with a violent flinch, hugging himself and pointedly looking away for a moment. As if expecting to be hit, Jack realized. That reaction alone said more than words ever could, and despite himself, Jack felt his walled up heart thaw a little bit.

Finally, after a drawn-out while that felt like an eternity, the alien boy realized nothing was going to happen, and looked up once more. There was a sharp look of distrust and paranoia in his eyes, one that Jack knew all too well - he often saw that same look reflected in the mirror. Much to both of their surprise, the boy spoke.

“...What do you want with me?” His voice was weak and fearful, carrying a sharp accent, though it seemed he tried to inject as much venom into the words as he could “ His face scrunched up into what was supposed to be a menacing look, but he only looked more anxious.

Jack answered, using the same calming voice as he used when Cassie had nightmares. It usually worked, and though he wasn’t quite sure of why he was even doing any of this “We want to help.” He gestured to himself and then to his sister, trying to muster a reassuring smile but still eyeing the boy anxiously, as if waiting for something to go wrong and for trouble to begin. Cassie waved at the other boy, who seemed even more confused, before Jack added, trying to provide some much needed explanations “Look, we kinda…stumbled into you - not literally, but y’know what I mean - and you looked like you needed help. You seem pretty hurt…”

At that, Jack’s words trailed off. He saw a deep, crimson stain pouring from the torn up sleeve of the boy’s shoulder, and noticed how the other nursed that arm protectively, holding it to his chest, face scrunched up in a grimace of pain. He was no expert, so he couldn’t quite tell if it was a stab or a gunshot wound, but thankfully by the looks of it, whatever had caused it had only grazed the arm.

Better than the alternative, Jack guessed. Though it must still hurt like hell.

Jack opened his mouth to say something, but the other boy was faster, cutting him off as he spoke instead. “Ha. As if someone like you would want to help someone like me.” His breathing was labored, pained, but even then, Jack could feel the resentment and sarcasm in his voice “I know… I know your kind. It’s all just a big game. And I won’t go back to that place -” The boy’s voice cracked, but he steeled himself with a growling, bitter chuckle “You can’t trick me like they did. I won’t fall for it.”

Jack tilted his head to the side ever so slightly, cocking an eyebrow in confusion, trying to make sense of what the other meant. “Who said there was any trick? Why would there be any?” He asked, genuinely, glancing over his shoulder slightly to check on Cassie. She gave him a shrug, just as lost as he was, “We have no clue who you are, my guy - we only just happened to find you. By accident. And you look like you need help so someone” Jack nodded towards Cassie “convinced me to come check on you. And that bleeding arm of yours only confirms that yes, you do need help. So let us help.”

Jack wasn’t quite certain if he wanted to help this guy they’ve just met. It could very well end poorly. Very poorly and very bloodily. But he already started this, so he might as well commit to the whole thing now.

Meanwhile, the boy seemed torn between giving into relief or succumbing to fight-or-flight instincts and trying to dart away. Jack was certain that, if it wasn’t for the exhaustion the other must be feeling, that kid would have run away the second he woke him up. Instead, he narrowed his eyes, looking at Jack suspiciously. “Leave. Me. Alone.” The boy hissed, punctuating every word in that sentence, a jaded, tired look in his eyes.

Jack facepalmed slightly for a moment, dragging his hands down his face in frustration, before taking a deep breath and collecting all the patience he didn’t have to continue this conversation. This dead-end conversation. In a shady alleyway. With someone he did not know.

“Look, let me be open with you real quick: I don’t want to be here, and she doesn’t want to be here, in this exact situation and place, either. So I think if we could move the topic forward a bit that would be great.” He said, gesturing vaguely to the other in hopes that he would develop the conversation a bit more. When the kid remained seethingly silent, waiting for an answer Jack sighed, “Okay, then.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose. After a second more of silence, his patience wavered and Jack stood up, dusting off his clothes and turning to Cassiopeia with a shrug. “Eh, fuck it. I can’t deal with this right now.” Jack gestures for her to follow him, but his sister won’t budge. He groans in frustration and stops in his tracks. “We tried, Cassie. Kid’s hopeless, and if he’s keen on being a sitting duck to a mugger, let him. This alley looks wrong in all the worst ways.”

He tried to reason with her, hand outstretched waiting for her to grasp it. For a moment, it looked like his sister would agree, before instead of taking his hand she sauntered over to the blue-skinned alien still curled up near the wall. Jack stared at her silently, a mix of tired frustration with deadpan disbelief as she crouched down close to the other kid. “You’re from Ivion, right? The planet this moon orbits?” She asked, innocently, head tilted to the side. Surprised, Jack could hear it in her voice that she was going somewhere with this, so he just watched, ready to yank her away in a second if he sensed any danger. The alien boy didn’t move for a moment, curled up like a statue with big, fearful eyes, before silently nodding. Cassie continued, “If so. Um. How did you end up…?”

He saw Cassie gesture vaguely to their bleak surroundings and then to the boy himself, the absurdity of their situation painting a clear enough picture on its own. Much to Jack’s surprise, who half-expected the other kid to just shut down or worse, straight up push her away, he saw Deimos, slowly, ever so slowly, uncurl himself from where he was pressing up against the wall. The boy fiddled with what looked like a colorful string bracelet for a moment, pensive, but still seemed tense like a string ready to snap. His eyes seemed distant, confused and terrified at the same time, and Jack instantly knew that, whatever the answer was, it wasn’t going to be anything good. And he briefly wondered if he should let Cassie stick around to hear it.

“Bad people. Raiders.” There was a quiver to his chin, and his words are less coherent, sentences cutting off sharply, as he painfully struggled to put his thoughts into words “There was so much blood. So much. Raiders said they would sell me.” Deimos started to hyperventilate, trying to catch his breath as he hugged himself tightly “... I don’t remember… I don’t remember how I escaped. I- I don’t know anymore -”

The other kid’s words had a slightly…broken edge to them - a sound that born out of desperation, panic, rage and all things in between. He noticed that Cassie seemed slightly concerned - and anxious, if the way she tugged on the strings of her backpack was any indication. Startling even himself, Jack felt his legs move of their own volition, gently pushing past from where he was standing next to his sister until he was once more kneeling at arms-reach of the kid.

The boy seemed tired - too tired to keep arguing, too tired for anything anymore, like he was giving up, looking up at him as if he simply didn’t care what happened next anymore. Jack didn’t need a full explanation to get the picture, to understand what the boy was feeling. He felt it himself almost daily.

Without saying a word, Jack pulled the other boy into a hug, for reasons he could not comprehend - and it seems that was an action that surprised both of them. The alien stilled, frozen like a board for a moment, too shocked to move. Meanwhile, Jack himself was confused out of his mind - he’d never trusted people like this. Usually, he would have suspected any story like that was a lie. But somehow, this one felt different. Likely it was just his ‘big brother instincts’ taking over, or maybe, and that thought surprised him even more, he hoped this day could get a little bit… ‘less bad’.

The concept was almost laughable, given all of their circumstances

He thought for a second that the alien boy would surely push him away, but then, he felt two skinny, long arms wrap around him, hesitantly but surely.

The boy melted into his hug, and Jack realized that was probably the first kind physical contact this guy had felt in a long, long while. Tears wet his shirt, and Jack was unsure of what to do, but he let the boy hold onto him for as long as he needed. After a few minutes, Jack let go and put his hand on the other’s shoulder “I’m sorry for what happened to you. Seriously.” He turned to look at Cassie, who was looking at them with a mix of confusion and awe. She gave him a thumbs up, and Jack chuckled. “So, this is gonna sound really weird, but what do you say we stick together?” He stretched out a hand, waiting for Deimos’ answer.

The alien gave him a puzzled look.

“Whatever do you mean?” He asked, tilting his head sideways, trying to analyze him.

Jack shrugged. “Well, I dunno” He sat cross-legged on the floor, tired of crouching down “You’re all beaten up, we’re starving, and there’s no one to look out for kids like us. Maybe we could… stick around each other and see what happens? Look out for each other maybe, just maybe…”

He could not believe the worlds coming out of his mouth. Either this day had driven him mad or he was really looking for trouble. Jack almost cringed, but even have the energy to care anymore, he just waited for an answer.

As the alien boy seemed to mull over the offer in his mind as well, Cassie piped up, slinging her arms around Jack’s shoulders a tad too suddenly. “...We got food!” She said, like someone tempting a cat, pointing to her threadbare, butterfly backpack. Somewhere, in his mind, Jack was digging himself a grave and giving up on life. He regretted even saying anything. He regretted all his life choices including getting up from bed today. Nice going, Cass. Now we’re definitely getting mugged.

Jack immediately craned his head to protest Cassie’s offer, a million rebukes at the tip of his tongue - that was their food. Her food. Food they needed so badly and couldn’t afford to share it with someone else they’d just barely met… Before he could even say anything, however, the words died in his throat - he saw the hopeful glint in the other boy’s eyes at the prospect of dinner. He recognized that same, desperate hoping without hope, look - he knew how much a ‘no’ hurt in that situation, when one’s far beyond caring for pride and only wants to survive. It killed a part of him he could never get back, everytime something like that happened to him.

Cassie looked at him expectantly, and he hated how, instead of standing his ground and saying ‘no’, he relented with a sigh. “Alright, alright” He said to her, playfully sharply. “It’s fine. You win this round.” His voice was fondly resigned.

She gave a joyful, enthusiastic hurray, at that. To Jack, that almost made up to the fact that they were going to have to share their already limited dinner with another kid they barely knew. Just almost.

As Cassie sat down beside him, swinging her backpack from her shoulders and unceremoniously plopping it down on the dusty ground, Jack spoke, pinching the bridge of his nose again and willing himself to have patience. “So, you heard her. We’ve got… ‘dinner’.” He said that word with air quotes to emphasize his point “Are you going to join us or is The Corner too comfy to move away from?”

He looked at the other boy, waiting, impatiently, for an answer.

A bit too slowly for his liking, the alien slowly peeled himself from where he was basically cosplaying as a wallpaper, and sat down closer to them, mirroring their crossed legged positions. “...Yes. Let’s.” He said in a small voice, plainly. The kid’s mouth seemed to water at the simple thought of food, and Jack couldn’t help but feel sympathy for the fellow.

While that transpired, Cassie had already opened her backpack, placing a dented and slightly stained cardboard box in front of the three of them, opening it quickly. “I think its cheese tarts” His sister said bluntly “I think. It tasted a bit funny.”

Jack knew that was Cassie’s attempt to make some small talk but cringed inwardly just the same at the implications. He hoped their new ‘friend’ - who was still essentially a stranger whose name they didn’t even know - didn’t mind.

There were a few of those pocket tarts in the box, a jumbled assortment. They looked like they would have been tasty, fresh off the frier - though now they looked like they’d be tough to chew on. Luckily though, there seemed to be enough to divide it between the three of them equally - something Jack considered a rare treat, given that someone else was eating with them. He couldn’t help but think about how the snack might’ve lasted longer if it was just the two of them, but quickly suppressed the thought.

Without wasting a second, the trio got to eating the now-cold, fried morsels. At a first bite, Jack immediately understood what Cassie had meant by ‘it tasted funny’. The pastry was chewy, but not in a good way. In an insistent, sticky way that was hard to swallow. It seemed to have absorbed some of the plastified cardboard taste, and that… didn’t make it tastier, to put it shortly. Still, it was better than nothing. Much better than nothing.

And it seemed that their new alien ‘friend’ agreed, given how he absolutely devoured all three of his tarts in record breaking speed. If Jack hadn’t been feeling just as hungry, he might’ve even have been a bit astonished. As it stood, Jack didn’t think twice about it.

Sooner than he would’ve liked, the cardboard box was empty, with nothing but a few scattered crumbs, crumpled napkins and oil stains littering it. His stomach seemed to still need more, even though there were none. At this point, Jack was just grateful that this day hadn’t gone from a ‘bad day’ to the ‘worst day’. Small wins, but still wins.

Wiping off his fingers on one of the napkins, and then straightening his clothes, Jack stood up, stretching himself a little bit.

The weight of this entire day - which was, quite frankly an ordeal after the other - was catching up to him, and quick.

After adjusting Cassie’s backpack on her back and making sure to dust off her clothes properly, he turned to the alien boy once more. “So.” He started, a bit awkwardly, trying to come up with the words he needed “We had this… moment. Ate together and all that. I think an introduction’s in order: I’m Jack, and she” He gestures at his sister, who was admittedly giddy for some reason “Is Cassiopeia, my sister. I call her Cassie for short. What’s your name?”

He gave the boy his best friendly smile, and hoped that after all that the guy would finally start to open up a little and help break the awkward ice. If he didn’t, Jack was almost 70% sure he would implode out of frustration right then and there.

Luckily, the other kid, who was still nursing the wound on his arm, spoke up after a few seconds “...Deimos.” He answered, a bit too under his breath, before quickly adding “My name, is Deimos Soll. My full name.”

He seemed shy - looking torn between his fight-or-flight reflexes and giving two strangers a chance. Jack could understand how overwhelming that felt - after all, he was taking a similar gamble by helping him.

Still, ignoring his best judgement entirely, he reached out a hand to Deimos, hoping to help him get to his feet so they could get out of this filthy alley once and for all.

Swiftly and without a second thought, Deimos grasped his hand, latching onto it like a lifeline. Somehow, despite this being a random kid he just met, Jack felt as if a silent pact, was being made. He didn’t know why and it was one hell of a strange feeling, but he preferred it over the alternatives. Though it is far too early to even consider calling… whatever this strange ‘truce’ is a friendship, Jack definitely was glad that this interaction ended up amicably.

Jack helped Deimos up, hauling him up from the floor with considerable effort. As he helped the other maneuver into standing, Jack realized just how much taller Deimos was from him - he’d met few people who’d reached that height before coming of age. Supporting him to the best of his abilityuntil he was sure the other had gained his footing, Jack said, “Alright, since we’re apparently gonna do this, we need to get that wound” He gestures to Deimos’ free arm, the one who isn’t wrapped around his shoulders, “Fixed up. I think given our recent ‘feast’ you can tell we don’t have the funds for that” Jack adjusted his grip on the taller teen, as Deimos’ legs faltered slightly. “We can shoplift some supplies, but that would imply risking getting caught by those prim and proper arseholes in armor and that we’ll need to be lucky enough to do everything right. Or…” Jack muttered a swear word under his breath “I can cash in a favor. But it isn’t gonna be easy. I know a retired mobster lady who owns a tattoo shop and has some - and I mean some - first aid knowledge, but she always asks something in return.”

Deimos looked at him, befuddled. “Why are you helping me like this?” He asks, this time not judgemental, but genuinely curious, “I don’t think I quite understand.”

Jack stammered to find an answer. He didn’t quite understand what or why he was doing this either. “Well…” He trailed off for a moment, “I’m not quite sure. You were hurt, my sister convinced me to help you. We had a snack together. Kinda feels weird to not help you now, I guess. Plus, its the right thing and all that. I hope.”

The young alien seemed intrigued, but was satisfied with this answer for now, it seems. Or simply just didn’t have the energy to ask any more questions, which wouldn’t be surprising given his state.

With his free hand, Jack motioned for Cassie to follow.

Once she saw that Jack trusted the other boy, for some reason, Cassie came running towards them, tugging on Deimos’ shirt and almost making him lose his balance. She had a bright, kid-like smile on her face. “Hi! I’m Cassie. Jack told you already, I saw, it’s nice to meet another kid! Why do you look blue? Are you made of ice? I heard that Ivion is made of ice, are you too? I like the winter, winter’s nice…” Her endless string of questions continued into almost unintelligible rambles. Deimos looked at Jack as if asking for emergency help in handling whatever that was, Jack chuckled, starting to walk slowly so that the other could keep up with him. “Get used to it, haha,” He said playfully “There is oh, so much more where that came from.”

Deimos keened slightly “Why am I already reconsidering our partnership?” He said, this time with a mischievous smirk. Jack knew they were on the same page, and chuckling, continued walking them both out of the alley, as Cassie rambled on ahead of them about her knowledge of planets, stars, and constellations.

Her ramble paused for a moment, as she heard their little conspiratory quip. She turned around, little arms crossed over her chest - she wanted to look angry, but given her entire style and age, she just looked more adorable. “Hey!” She protested in a playfully berating tone, imitating authority “I heard that, mister alien-guy. Just because, I’m gonna talk even more now!” She chuckled after her mock ‘scolding’ and went back to skipping stones and rambling even faster about an assortment of different and increasingly unhinged topics, just out of too much spite and sass on the same small package.

Keeping a close eye on Cassiopeia ahead of them, Jack began maneuvering Deimos down the alley. Well, all things considered, this bad day actually ended better than most of his usual days. They ate something serviceable, met someone new who did not want to kill him, and got to unwind a bit. Overall, not quite such an awful day as it had started out. From there, they walked to Madam Cyrax’s tattoo parlor, where, with luck and a bit of smooth talking, they could get that wound fixed up half-nicely.

Though he knew that this might just be yet another debt to pay in the future, he found it worth it to help this unusual ‘friend’ they met.

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