The Six Sectors

Chapter Twenty - Helo

Helo ran down the hallway, Energon right behind him. He was ecstatic to get his best friend back, but his mind was on other things. One of them being his crush on Nori.

He couldn't help it, really. Nori was beautiful, resilient, a fighter - all the things he would want in a girl. But the way she looked at him... No, there was still hope, he decided to himself. He glanced behind himself to see Nori running with the others. He looked away, frowning. Energon seemed to have sensed what had been going on, because he gave him an indignant warble. Helo rolled his eyes at the dragon.

"Yeah, yeah. I don't care if I'm a different species." Energon gave him a "really?" look on his face. "Don't give me that look. I know my genetics. I know I'm female. But that doesn't mean that one day I can't get bottom surgery." Energon rolled his eyes. Helo was offended. "Hey- did you-" En sped off. Helo growled. "Oh you little glitch!"

"Wait up!" Nori called to Helo, "We need to stay in a group! It's safer that way!"

"She's right!" Saturn added. Helo sighed. She was right.

"Sorry. Of course I get reunited with my dragon and he messes with me." He slowed down.

Nassa still seemed a bit moody. "Knock knock" Nori says. Helo smiled. He liked the occasional joke.

"Who's there?" He asked.

"Lettuce," Nori says. Helo cocked his head. A vegetable?

"Oh! Oh! I know this one!" Saturn says. Of course he does. Helo thought to himself as he rolled his eyes with a grin.

"Lettuce who?"

"Lettuce in, it's cold out here," Nori grinned, pleased with herself. Saturn let out a giggle, and Nassa just sighed. Helo laughed.

"That's a good one." He said. Helo looked down and sighed. "Nori, I think I might've underestimated my dysphoria levels..." He told her. He wasn't lying - he never lied about this sort of thing. But his chest was starting to bother him in ways he hadn't even known.

Nori frowned and hugged him. Helo was surprised, and tried not to blush. He eventually hugged back. "You can get your binder back, I can use my water manipulation to dry it off. I know how to battle without water." He nodded.

"Thanks." Helo said gratefully, shoving the now wet garment on after untying the bottom. It was like putting on a wet swimsuit.

Nori looked at it, and the water started floating away from the binder, until it was dry. Then she let the water fall. Helo smiled.

"Thanks." He said again, feeling better and blushing.

"You're welcome," Nori says.

"Earth to water nymph and cyberican, we need to get going," Nassa says. Helo buttoned up his shirt and ran off, trying to forget the feeling. But he couldn't. He had to face the truth.

He was in love with Nori. And he wasn't ashamed of it.

His thoughts were interrupted by the familiar roars and yelps of Energon. Helo stopped running, a look of horror on his face. Nori looked at the dragon, concerned. Helo ran to his friend, who was bleeding on his side, and had a giant rip in one of his tailfins.

"Energon?" He whispered. The creature didn't respond. He was unconscious. Helo felt tears pricking the corners of his eyes and so he let them fall, crying. "Buddy, no.... I just got you back...." He choked out.

"Energon!" Nori and Saturn both yelled, running up to the small dragon. Energon's breathing was shallow. Helo broke down at this. His best friend, now gone. He remembered the night he had gotten Energon. Energon was skinny and hungry, and had stolen the bun 10-vornear-old Helo was eating. Once Helo had tracked him down, he saw how alone, hungry, and scared the little guy was and brought him back to the shop, asking Jarvistan if he could keep him. Jarvistan had said yes, and Helo had his first bestie.

And now he was gone.

Helo pulled Energon onto his lap, sobbing.

"Uh- I can help with the bleeding a bit," Nori says, "But someone needs to get bandages to help him. And I can only help for so long." Helo nodded, wiping his tears.

"Bandages, huh?" An unfamiliar male voice said. Helo turned. There was a cervitaur, with orange-brown fur. With him was...

"Wheatley?" Nori asks. Saturn merely stared at the cervitaur. Ben smiled at Wheatley, who only nodded. He reached into a satchel and pulled out a roll of bandages.

"We don't have long." Wheatley ran over, wrapping the gauze around the gash. Ben ran over.

"Where did you learn first aid?" He asked, sounding surprised and impressed. Wheatley gave him a look of 'whatever'.

"Where do you think?" He finished up, getting up from his stance. "Nori, do your thing. Energon can be carried by my father. Everyone, my adoptive father, Aeris Spydos of Lerivia." He gestured to the cervitaur. "Father, these are my friends, Nori, Nassa, Saturn, Helo, Kaithenne, Energon, and my best friend Benjamin."

"Hello sir," Nori said, then focused her attention on Energon.

Nassa looked at the cervitaur, and mumbled a greeting. Saturn was himself, and trotted over to Aeris, "Hello sir!" He said cheerfully.

"Hiya!" Ben and Kaithenne said in unison. Kaithenne looked at him, then looked away, blushing.

"Greetings to you all," Aeris said. Helo waved, knowing that if he had had that binder off earlier, he would've gotten misgendered. He returned his attention to Energon, still red in the face from crying.

The bleeding hadn't completely stopped, but it had slowed by a considerable amount. Nori kept her eyes on the dragon as Aeris picked him up gently. Helo patted Energon's head with a sad smile. "Get some rest, buddy." Then his expression turned into anger as he opened his leg and got out his knife. The scientist who nearly killed Energon was going to get killed himself, and his remains are going to be fed to Nassa. He thought, growling.

Nassa had an animalistic form at current, and Aeris seemed unnerved by the wendigo hybrid. Nori was practically dead to the world, not noticing anything happening outside the little bubble with her and Energon. Wheatley loaded his crossbow. Ben got out his sword. Kaithenne hid behind Aeris. Helo roared and ran into the room of the Scientist Council.

Bad Idea.

Scientist after Scientist was there, and Helo felt as if a million eyes were watching him. He saw Wheatley shudder. "God I hated this room."

Nassa was ready to fight, and Nori was too focused on Energon to notice. As for Saturn, well, it's hard to say. Helo growled.

"Then let's kill them all." Wheatley smirked.

"I'm cool with that."