IV: MARS

black stain.

"Come on, we have to go. We're already late!" Vii cried out.
"No, I'm not leaving without him."
Neptune faced the locked door and tried knocking again.
"Kid, he's probably pissed-drunk and passed out. Just go with Ura to the stupid cheer tryouts," Mars remarked.
"Don't call me kid, I'm turning 16 next week."
"Oh my apologies, your highness," he hissed out. Vii slapped his arm and told him to go to the assessment room.
"If Pluto gets to skip out on it then why should I have to go?" He argued.
"He's not, he's going to go WHETHER HE LIKES IT OR NOT!" Neptune yelled at the door.
Vii rubbed her temples and Mars shook his head.
"Look, kid. Since I admire your grit and I hate this performative activism that's going on, I'll do you a solid just this once." He cornered him against the door.
"You and that bastard owe me one. Got it?"
Neptune nodded.
"Good. Now get out of the way."
He obeyed and stood back to where Vii was standing.
"Listen asshole, if you don't open the fucking door I'll kick it down."
He waited 10 seconds. No movement was heard from inside the room.
"Okay suit yourself."
The sound of wood splitting echoed down the corridor. Pluto whipped around to see Mars heaving over the charred wood and cracked doorframe.
"Jesus Christ! I thought you were bluffing!"
"Do you think I'm the type of person to bluff?" He seethed.
"Mars, not now. Thank you for your help but you can join the others now," Vii said.
"Vii, you should go too," Neptune said, "I've got this from here."
Vii looked at the boy and then at the man sitting hunched on the edge of his bed that hasn't been slept on.
"Are you sure?" She asked.
Pluto grimaced.
"Oh for Christ's sake, I'm not going to eat him. You two go have fun with Little Miss Sunshine."
Vii still looked wary, but nodded to Neptune and headed out the door to catch up with Mars.
The room was now silent except for the hum of the box fan. Neptune stepped over what he assumed to be dirty laundry and made his way to the edge of the bed where he sat down next to him.
"I'm glad you're back. I missed you." He said.
Pluto gave him a weak smile.
"You might be the only one."
Neptune rested his head on his shoulder. He reeked of smoke and liquor, with a hint of rotting corpse. But he didn't care. His friend was back.
"You should probably go back. I don't want you getting in trouble because of me."
Neptune made no effort to move.
"I'm not leaving without you." He said.
"Trust me, kid. You don't want me there."
"You have to be there, it's required. And don't call me kid, I'm turning—"
"Yeah yeah, 16 in a week. You're still a kid as long as I'm still older than you."
They sat in silence for what felt like a millennium. Neptune lifted up his head and stood up. He reached out his hand.
"C'mon. At least give it a try."
Pluto looked up at him and the dark circles under his eyes seemed to deepen. He was unshaven, unwashed, and exhausted. He was in no position to present himself to The Council. But looking up and seeing the light behind Neptune's one blue eye was enough to convince him. Pluto took his hand and pulled himself up. Once he straightened up he looked Neptune up and down.
"When did you get so tall?"
He only laughed in response and lead him out of the room still holding tightly onto his hand.