Golden cities reside on heavenly clouds touched by the light of sun far from the surface, a paradise in the sky of perfection. Towers twinkle and skyscrapers shimmer in the urban centers that build the foundation of the floating world, populating the largest islands all over the atmosphere of the entire planet. Such vast estate is covered by the islands unbound to surface constraints such as altitudinal limitations, and higher up was more area too. Truly it was a marvel of a world, a perfect vacation, a perfect getaway.

Connecting the islands are the streams of traffic, thick canals with multiple stacked lanes creating their own rectangular array with unique colorations that amalgamate into rainbows soaring the skies, beautifying and populating the heavens.

Within one of the streams are swarms of diverse pods, huge and long ships with the shape of semi trucks, compact and short vehicles with the shape of motorbikes, and amongst the dense variation all moving to their own destinies is the sleek matte black pod by the edge, its engine’s hum mixed with all the others in a bustling yet harmonious tune.

Within that one particular black pod seats both Meditat and Ekitai in the front with nobody behind them, similar to the day of their initial collision. Ekitai’s gaze leaps around the wide windows in observation of the golden towers below and above with amazement, glitter in his yellow irises. Meanwhile Meditat’s stare fixates straight ahead through the windshield at the traffic ahead of him with monotony, only shadow over his blue irises.

Inside the pod was hardly any sound as the hums of the engines are suppressed incredibly, only leaving a gentle echo. Beyond that quiet wind, neither of the two speak at first, for they’re both immersed in their own thoughts and worlds, next to each other yet eternally separated.

That silence continues until Ekitai faces Meditat with a grin and mentions, “Oh wait, you don’t know where to go, do you?”

Driving the pod with a stern face that doesn’t move, Meditat simply elucidates, “Seeing how I’m not accustomed to this world nor know where in general you would purchase batches of chemicals I don’t know the specifics of, no I do not, right now I’m just heading towards the urban centers.”

Ekitai chuckles before nodding his head and raising his right wrist, exposing the grotesque device built into his body. He keeps his eyes on it for a few seconds while offering, “I’ll send it to you real swift, give me a minute.”

At last he then swipes his left hand from above the disk on his wrist to Meditat before then lowering both of his arms down, and smiling pleasantly to himself.

On the top left corner of the windshield appears a square widget where a series of gray parallel lines run vertically in the center in between a few circular gray regions, although part of the central line is blue. In the center of the screen over the central parallel line is a blue triangle facing up, which remains in the center although the gray circles appear to be constantly moving down. Also above the blue triangle is where the particular line it’s on is blue, seeming to be carving a path out for him to take.

Below the first map is another square widget also with a blue triangle in the center as well as gray regions, although the gray regions are now plates filled with gray towers. There are also still several gray lines on screen, although now horizontal with the blue triangle in the central one, with more sets of gray lines further below a few of the plates which resemble the city islands outside.

Seemingly while the top map appears to be providing a view from the top down, this lower one appears to be viewing from the side. The second map also has a blue line in front of the triangle, although rather than merely continuing straight it instead moves straight down and curves before integrating into the other set of lines further down and continuing.

Analyzing the directions shared with him, Meditat’s blue eyes sharpen in suspicion.

Smiling innocently, Ekitai stares up at the ceiling next to the driver, remaining entirely silent with a bead of sweat on the side of his head.

Keen blue eyes glare straight at the map with a contemplative hum, the hum of a detective picking up on an anomaly.

Shaking yellow eyes gaze aimlessly around the pod with heavy breaths, the breaths of a culprit covering themselves up as best they can.

Sharper the eyes contract and louder the hums get.

Shakier the eyes become and louder the breaths get.

Suddenly both of the maps undergo an aggressive change as the views are pulled away from the blue triangle, which vanishes off the screen in a second, and instead both maps follow the blue line. The front map provides the birds eye view, showing the various turns made on the different streets, while below the map shows the line continuing to descend into lower and lower lanes, plummeting down the world rapidly through the swift animation.

During the animation, the second map reveals a sudden steep drop down, although regardless of how fast it moves it doesn’t appear to be approaching any other lanes. The upper map shows a declaration of horizontal movement due to the change in angle.

Eventually the second map’s depiction reveals a new line that the blue streak approaches, although this line isn’t the same slimness as the others but rather is much thicker, so much so that the bottom isn’t exposed. The descent of the map’s view halts as the blue line is then curved up and is revealed to come to a stop in the middle of the endless bottom line. On the upper map it also shows the end of the line in what appears to the middle of nowhere, for there are no other objects, but rather it’s all on a white space. There are also no visible gray lines to indicate official streets, but rather the path diverges off legitimate trails.

On the top of the windshield next to the top map, a new rectangular widget appears with the icon of a large X as well as the following text: ‘DESTINATION: ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO’ above another line of text, ‘LEVEL 0.’

After a few moments of dwelling on the destination, both maps are instantly whipped back all the way up the blue path where it returns the blue triangle in the center of the screen, now closer to where the bottom map indicates the decline. The maps continue to show the triangle moving past other islands, gliding down its marked path.

After having studied the interesting findings as the rectangular destination widget vanishes, Meditat slightly pivots his head to cast a blazing glare at Ekitai, who is quietly chuckling to himself nervously after also witnessing the discovery.

With a clear expression of discontent, Meditat chastises callously, “Why are you trying to take me to the surface? And why are there no registered buildings in the entire area, there isn’t even a real address here. I am helping you make a purchase for an errand, not explore empty plains. If you have nowhere to go and just want to play jokes, then I can take you back.”

Called out and put on the spot with the two paths now being to the destination or the beginning, Ekitai places both of his hands together in a prayer before begging desperately, “No no, you don’t understand! It’s a real place with real people who can really get the real deal! It’s only on the surface with no official buildings because it’s off grid since, well, the ingredients I use aren’t particularly…legal.”

From irritated to aggravated, Meditat harshly scolds, “Illegal? Ekitai, what are you thinking?! I’m not a criminal, we’re going to take the next exit to go back home!”

More desperate than ever, Ekitai leaps forwards and grabs Meditat’s shoulder with both hands, shaking him while crying, “No, please! Don’t worry, they won’t recognize you anyways, I’d say that wearing the mask could help hide your identity but to be honest I think that’d be worse for your case, but anyways these people are all about confidentiality and privacy, they don’t care who you are as long as we don’t know who they are! And besides, it’s not like you’re actually in the deal, you’re just driving me and I can do all the dealing myself! Don’t worry about payment either, I got that covered, in fact I actually have the right profile to get us some sweet deals since I have a reputati- never mind. Just don’t worry about it, please?”

He stares at Meditat with wide shimmering eyes on the brink of tears, begging earnestly with all that he has.

Meditat glances back at him, staring into his reflective yellow eyes as it seems Ekitai’s attempting to make a puppy face despite the wrinkles on his senile face.

A deep groan of apprehension exhales from Meditat.

Outside, the black pod descends down the vertical lanes, passing the lower pod lanes and gliding all the way through the bottom. It continues to drop down the open skies, approaching a lower stream of pods further down below many stories as the distance between the two is grand.

Gently humming as it makes its way down, the black pod inclines straight to smoothly merge onto the top lane of the next current, having moved down a whole section. It then begins to merge down onto lower lanes, smoothly making its way towards the bottom to prime for another dramatic descent as it sinks into the traffic of all the other differently shaped and sized pods, passing pickup trucks and such.

Guiding the pod through the traffic with a quiet growl, Meditat glares ahead after having made the silent approval given the choice to follow the directions.

Overwhelmed with joy, Ekitai smiles brightly with a chuckle, celebrating enthusiastically, “Thanks so much!! I swear, you will not regret it, these people are surprisingly professional, they’re all about efficiency and stuff, you’d like them!”

Keeping his eyes forward to avoid more unnecessary eye contact, Meditat through bitter teeth fumes, “First off, don’t try doing that face again, it’s disgusting and it’s only path of success is being grotesque enough to force others into acting in such a way that’d make you stop it. Secondly, if that’s the case, then I expect that this transaction will be professional and smooth, and that there will be no altercation. Remember our deal, if we have to give up this world, we’re not going anywhere you request.”

Scrambling to continue this winning streak, Ekitai grins proudly before assuring, “Don’t even drop my guy, even if something did go wrong, which it won’t, usually there aren’t too many of them so we could just dispose of them all!”

A heavy groan releases from Meditat before he shakes his head and admonishes, “We are not killing anybody, okay? This is my mission, this is my rule. I shouldn’t even be helping you get your hands on this in the first place, and if you do break the rule, I won’t hesitate to confiscate and ‘dispose’ of it too. Do we have an understanding?”

A heavier groan releases from Ekitai, overtly in dramatic exaggeration, before he leans against the chair thus causing it to recline. He stares straight up at the pods above him while whining, “God, why are you so uptight about that anyways? I mean what, people die anyways, these guys aren’t immortals, and besides these guys in specific lead lifestyles where they’re practically begging on their knees for it! It’s not like I’m some senseless serial killer who murders for no reason, I only take the lives of those who make the choice to be my enemy! Well…and I guess those who are around as collateral…but really I’m not killing them it’s more that they’re being killed naturally you know. Anyways, why are you so strict against killing? I never understand that, I know it’s your whole thing but it makes no sense, I mean of all people who exist you literally have the most amount of ways to destroy people, hell it’s infinite! I mean you have the power to do anything and you’re doing nothing with it!”

With a simple sigh, Meditat judges with disappointment at Ekitai’s complaints, and shakes his head simply, his agitated state having calmed after being presented with the question to his own core. He tsks twice, keeping his focus ahead on the road as he drives the pod past the bottom lane and down in free space towards the next level.

In a tranquil tone, he expatiates reflectively, “It’s not about what I can do, in that case sure I have more means to make an action but many others can do the same, sure I can manifest a great nuclear bomb but in the same way many others can build the same or exert similar strength. But it’s not about how, it’s about why, I only ever started this life for the sole purpose of wanting to change the world into something at least closer to ideal, a world of people that don’t eat themselves up but rather help feed each other. When I first started I sought to ‘fix’ the world as I saw it, I used to think that by beating up ‘the bad guys’ whom I thought was Exhumans at a time I’d solve everything, but the deeper I got into the world the bigger it became, the more complicated, the more real. Honestly that immature motive only ended up making me want to quit, and I only was able to try again by changing how I saw that mission, instead of fixing it I wanted to help guide it into improving itself. Instead of getting rid of problems I wanted to help turn itself into a solution, I only fight to de-escalate violent situations, but that’s not how I resolve them. I wanted my Earth to be what it claims itself to be, a free world where all those who live in it have the freedom to pursue the destinies they carve out for themselves, and to help that come to fruition I wanted to clear the path to make it easier, not to make their lives for them but to give them the chance to make it for themselves.”

Staring straight at Meditat Ekitai nods over the duration of the declaration, and finally once it concludes he stops to meditate, putting his chin on his hand and humming to himself as though he had been moved by the speech, his eyes staring up in wonder.

Then Ekitai makes a verbal “Bleh” and spits his tongue, as though spitting all over Meditat’s words in disgust.

Again groaning, Meditat retaliates defensively, “What was that?”

In response Ekitai chuckles to himself before shaking his head and waving his hand, his reaction having been clearly picked up on thus putting him in a shaky spot. He scavenges frantically with nervous chuckles, “Oh nothing nothing, don’t worry about it, I’m honestly just surprised that you actually said that. Like, you genuinely, unironically, said that. Like you actually have those thoughts and you have the will to express them. It’s just…you know…kinda funny.”

Groaning more from the harsh critique on his entire morality, Meditat tsks before retorting, “I guess I shouldn’t have expected much more.”

Continuing to wave his hand assuringly, Ekitai in recognition of the hole he was digging for himself attemptively elaborates, “Wait no, I just mean that it just hit me that you really are the guy Kokei would always rave about, the golden hero with the perfect ideal morality who everyone adores; I mean like it’s exactly the creaky stuff that superheroes say, you know? Like: ‘I am Superbman, and I stand for truth, justice, and the capitalist way!’ I mean I guess yeah the powers is sort of the big identifier but dang, I don’t think I’ve ever met someone like yo-, wait no, actually that sort of reminds me of how Kokei used to be now that I think about it.”

Rather than being disgruntled by the bombardment of insults, a spark of intrigue ignites in Meditat’s eyes as his eyebrow raises, and he slightly tilts his head while integrating the pod into the next lane before imploring, “Wait, Kokei? How so?”

Lowering his arms back to his side after now being in the clear, Ekitai takes in a deep breath and exhales it before reclining further back on his seat. He then softly reminisces, “Well, I guess it might not look like it now, but she used to be a very different person back in the day, honestly back then she was more of an adventurer than me. She was strong, charismatic, popular, and always seeking to do good, she was a people person I guess. I mean she still is, she’s always attending parties with her coworkers, and she got along with Dana really quick.”

Interested by the story, Meditat hums to himself. He tilts his head slightly before diving deeper into the topic and questioning, “Huh…. She…sounds like a good person.”

“She is, even after all these countless years of meeting crazy characters on surreal adventures, she’s still my best friend!” prides Ekitai with a wide, genuine grin.

Hearing Ekitai’s pride in his own friend, Meditat hums deeper to himself, and slightly lowers his head, understanding the light that she’s seen in by others despite his own experiences. His eyes contract as he peers into space contemplatively for a prolonged moment.

Outside the pod merges into the rightmost lane as it approaches a bustling intersection of other pods moving in all other directions, however the lane that the black pod is a part of slows down as it approaches the open rectangular region in between.

Inside the pod, a red window pops up in the center of the windshield with white text reading: ‘STOP FOR 34 SECONDS,’ although every second that number declines by one.

However, the pods on the rightmost lane do not stop, rather upon reaching the intersection they instead make hard ninety-degree turns to the right, merging into the lane in front of the pods to the left, who are currently suspended.

As the black pod makes a turn as well, the pods on the left side begin to take off as they appear to be permitted, racing behind the black pod and the rest who moved from the right lane. They all continue soaring through the air, where further ahead in the distance are other pods part of the same road.

Facing the windshield, Meditat keeps his head down as he hears Ekitai then curiously contend, “Although, I mean what we’re doing now isn’t really what you were doing before, I mean I take it that your whole holy crusade was for hashing out the civil fightings in Earth 50, but isn’t that different here?”

Finally Meditat raises his head after being questioned again, able to reel his mind out of the black sea and into fresh air to think on other matters. He lightly sighs before admitting, “Well, technically I did more than just Exhuman problems back then, that was what got me in and my backbone but there’s all kinds of people who want to do…all kinds of horrible things to everyone. But anyways, well as I said back when I worked with…’in’ The Shield, I did have to come to terms with some missions requiring lethal action, and sure there’s nuance in there, but regardless the way I see it, if there’s a viable alternative to lethality then that’s the preference. Besides, casualties compromise our position by worsening our reputation into being driven out, it detriments us if anything. So stop with your excuses, no killing, understood?”

After a heavy pout, finally Ekitai surrenders, “Hmph, fine.”

Again Meditat sighs, but rather than it being one of discontent and disappointment it’s instead one of optimistic relief. With a neutral face he then thanks, “Good, now we can hopefully spend less time worrying about where to hide and more time focused on dealing with why we’re hiding in the first place. I definitely need to start working on plans for combating our main conflict, perhaps today after this errand. We’re spending too much time running away, we’re just playing His game, and if all we do is run then it’s not a matter of ‘if’ he wins, it’s ‘when’. Dammit, from the start I really didn’t like this plan at all, it’s just not right. We shouldn’t be the ones running away, that’s not what he would’ve done.”

Perplexed by the strange use of identification, Ekitai tilts his head before seeking, “Who’s ‘he?’”

“Me, I meant,” corrects Meditat swiftly, shaking his head.

While Meditat keeps focus on the road, Ekitai hums to himself in intrigue, raising his head up and contemplating to himself.

Ahead of the black pod, which merges onto the next lower road of pods as it continues its drop towards the Earth’s surface, is another intersection not a whole half mile away. Pods facing towards the black pod’s road, which are shifted to the left, drive through the intersection square currently, although the stream is slowed down as before reaching the intersection, pods begin to come to a stop.

Deep in curious thoughts while staring through the window, Ekitai asks inquisitively,

“Well…what should we be doing then?”

Provoked by the interesting question, Meditat hums to himself meditatively while approaching the intersection, and his eyes sharpen into a concentrated glare as his thoughts are honed in.

Keeping his head up forward, he speaks in a suddenly sincere, determined tone, using a deeper and bolder voice to declare, “We shouldn’t be acting as weaklings, hiding in dumps to get away from those who threaten us. No, we need to act better than that, we need to be better than that.”

Red light is casted on Meditat’s face from the warning screen, to which a moment later he abruptly halts the pod, yet his body doesn’t waver. His white locks wave behind and beside his face as he sharply glares forward with blazes ignited in his shining azure eyes, his body emanating with the aura of resolve while firmly facing forwards.

Then he answers.

“We need to be Warriors.”