Sky picked at his black, military-style uniform uncomfortably. The magical clothing had not quite abandoned his father’s shape for his and was a little loose in place, bunching up awkwardly. And the short ape kept getting caught between his body and the carseat, choking him.

Luka looked him up and down from the other side of the backseat, their eyebrows raising, “do you have to wear that thing? You look uncomfortable.”

Sky closed his eyes to keep himself from glaring at them, “yes, I have to wear it.”

From the front passenger seat, the Astral Oracle spoke up calmly, “we are getting close. Be prepared.”

Sky opened his eyes again and glanced out the window. His heart sank a little as he recognized the neighborhood they were driving through.

Isn’t this where Leo works?

*

The creature made of blinding light turned its ‘eyes’ towards Leo. It slowly started stalking towards Leo, its shape like a man walking on all fours with slightly too long arms. The sweat on the back of his neck froze and his heartbeat echoed loudly in his brain. Time seemed to slow down for a moment as he looked down at the keys he dropped when the thing landed and then at his car, trying to figure out if he had time to get in his car and escape.

But in trying to calculate his opportunity he lost it. And the creature began barreling towards him.

Leo turned and ran, sprinting back towards World Star. Only when he was almost there did he remember that he locked the door already and the keys were on the ground several feet behind him along with his car keys.

Feeling the white hot creature bearing down on him, sweat prickling on his back, Leo turned on his heel to run to the side. But the creature was too fast and slammed into Leo’s side. Leo fell to the ground with a scream as the creature burned him on impact.

The smell of burning clothes and flesh filled the World Star parking lot. The creature let out a high-pitched buzzing ‘sound’ and lowered its head towards Leo.

Time slowed again as death approached but Leo could see no way out. Until... “Leave him alone, you ugly piece of shit!”