Father & Son 5: Shards Of A Color Drained World

Night Shade

Night Shade was, more or less, a pretty chill guy.

He may have had a couple of friends, a couple with the most adorable son he'd ever met, but it didn't matter.

He loved those friends dearly no matter what.

However, he'd always thought there was something wrong with the family as years passed.

Purple, their son, would frequently show up with bruises on his arms, and Orchid would always be tense.

Navy would show up less and less, and suddenly, he was just...gone.

Orchid explained that it was a small spat, and he had left, but he thought it was always something more.

It just had to be.

He thought it was the powers Orchid had when she was younger finally showing up in Purple, but he couldn't think about it for long.

Purple was far too young for that.

Sometime later, he learns Orchid told him the story of how she learned of her son's abilities.

As much as he wants to tear her apart verbally for doing that, he knows the kid needs to learn.

And suddenly, he's thinking Navy's abandonment may have been because of Purple's dormant powers.

Suddenly, Orchid's dead.

In her will, she states Purple is left in the care of him, but the kids gone missing completely out of nowhere.

Night Shade worries for the kid, and wonders if he's okay.

Not that he should care. From what he knows, Purple doesn't need a caretaker. He's old enough to make his own decisions.

He rethinks that hearing about what Purple's gone through months later.

He hears Purple has a new caretaker, some orange stick figure named King. Surprising. Night Shade has basically been cut out of his life.

Or maybe Purple was gone long before he even knew of the will.

Who knows?

He is just glad Purple is doing alright.

A few weeks later, is when he sees Navy again.

He's found Purple, and he's got another stick with him. A red one.

Suddenly, a hooded one jumps in and rescues them both.

It takes all of Night Shade's willpower to go after them.

Instead, he goes for Navy.

"Hey, Navy! Remember me?!" He whispers.

Navy's attention is caught automatically.

"Night Shade?! What the-what the hell are you doing here?!"

"I want to help you."

Night Shade sticks with him for the entire thing.

He watches Purple grow stronger with each battle, but wonders why he doesn't use his powers.

Has he unlocked them yet?

Purple doesn't seem to notice he has powers buried inside his body. Instead, relying on the positive affirmations from his friends, he defeats Navy.

From his hiding spot behind a pile of rubble, he watches Purple embrace the tall orange one.

At least he's happy.

A few weeks later, he watches Navy send a letter to a random computer.

"Purple won't be able to relax much longer." Navy says to him.