Panacea

Panacea 13

Disclaimer: I certainly don't own Scarlet Nexus or any of its affliated properties.

"Scarlet Nexus": Speech (Bold for yelling or Boss level creature)

'Scarlet Nexus': Thought

Scarlet Nexus: Memories

[Scarlet Nexus]: Brain Talk (Capital letters before braces refer to speaker; e.g: Yuito=Y)

Chapter 13

"So you guys want me to enlist with the OSF? Why would I do that?! No one gave a damn about me when I was a dumpster diver!"

"Listen you little brat. The world is a whole lot bigger than your little hovel here. What you have now is an opportunity to be something better than this...whatever you call it."

"Hey! You tryin' to start somethin' here?! I aint shy to wail on some old man!"

"*Tch* You lay a single one of those grimy fingers on me and I'll break them."

"Karen! He's just a child...he isn't so different from how you and Luka."

"Calm down little one. Think of it like this- do you want other kids to live like you?"

"Gah...another repressed memory popping up. Oh joy..." Hikaru mumbled as he woke up in the dead of the night. Everyone was busy doing their own thing, be it sleeping or otherwise. Sighing in defeat, he ran a hand through his hair as he got out of his bed (which was really just a pile of blankets he piled up behind the couch).

"Well, I won't be able to sleep for a while now. Might as well play some video games...got a whole lot of playthroughs I haven't finished." Hikaru said as he pulled out his game console. The familiar plastic casing, beat up as it was, reminded him of simpler times, back when he used to fight for game time over training with Kyoka and arguing the finer points of character builds with Arashi. Booting up a familiar RPG, he then spent an hour or so questing, collecting rewards and basking in the virtual accolades that came with being the titular chosen one in most video games.

"Man, I have to catch up with Arashi and Kyoka-didn't find the time to talk after all the chaos that's just happened. They must still be awake...both of them are hardcore nerds and love to tinker with stuff." Hikaru said as he pulled up a Brain Talk screen and messaged both the women about meeting up at Musubi's.

H [Hey Arashi, Kyoka-you girls want to catch up a bit? Maybe try and explain why exactly we are enemies now?]

A [I was wondering when you'd try to contact us. Kyoka here has been worried sick ever since she saw Karen's broadcast. Figured a big boy like you could handle it but looks like the hotshot still needs his big sisters to pull him out his messes.~]

K [Hikaru, I am glad to hear to from you. I was concerned about how the OSF back in Suoh are treating you since you were the General's aide before the rebellion. I have a prior engagement with Yuito at Musubi's but we can meet up at my favorite tea shop later.]

H [*Sigh*I am not falling for that again Arashi...but alright. We can meet up in the amusement district in Seiran before I head out to meet Kyoka. About OSF drama...we'll talk about it...a bit later. The old man has gone senile or something...]

A [No need to sound so glum there, we can talk about other things. Work is such a pain anyway-let's see where the night takes us!]

K [Now, now Arashi, don't tease the poor boy too much.]

Hikaru then promptly closed the connection, already seeing where the conversation was going.

"Man, now I am beginning to regret calling the two. Arashi is strangely energetic and Kyoka's actually going along with it. *Shudder* Weirdest thing that happened to me today, that's for sure." Hikaru said as he left the hideout, wordlessly activating his hypervelocity as he jetted off, the world slowing down around him as he idly noted that he needed to normalize off of Arashi soon with the way he way burning through his power storage.