AAOOOSC! Exposed!

The cold winter air hits Brett’s face as he bursts outside into the players’ lot of the Staples Center. He marches down the asphalt, passing under the light poles casting their eerie spotlights on the dark area. His fiery, resolved eyes are locked ahead of him where his target is located.

Sitting on the asphalt under the light of a light pole is Steven. He dusts off his white jersey and blue hockey pants before looking up with raised eyebrows.

“Your plan stops here!” Brett barks at him. He continues his flouncing as metallic plates, shields, and cuffs assemble over him, enclosing him in a suit of metal armour. “They’re over!”

Steven shakes his head with a pitiful look at the angered man. He hears the clicking and whirring of the armour as it bears the colours blue with red and mercury-coloured designs. The asphalt snaps beneath his metallic boots with each step Brett takes toward him.

“Oh, Brett, if only you knew—”

Brett halts in front of him, looming above him. “Knew what?” he snaps. “That you’re not as virtuous as you portrayed yourself as? That you’re not as honourable as people claim you as? Look at yourself!” He juts a metallic-gloved hand at him. “You used an unfair advantage! All those matchups you fought in don’t even count because you made the victory slide over to you!”

A scowl then overtakes Steven’s face. “Fine. You didn’t give me a chance to explain—”

He throws his hands out from his sides, casting ribbons of electricity in opposite directions. The bolts ricochet from one light pole to another, blinking them out in sparks.

The parking lot plummets into a thick darkness. The only light is the luminous, white, tangled lightning popping in Steven’s hands.

“—so I’ll shut you down,” Steven finishes off.

With that, the strings of lightning stretch from his palms and whirl around him. They pick up in speed and intensity, causing him to be lifted from the ground and up toward the inky skies.

Brett follows the captain with his eyes, craning his head to see him ascend up to the height of the light pole. His armour blinks with its own small, white lights to make up for the receding light from Steven.

Steven halts in his swirl of white electricity with the soles of his feet above the head of the light pole. Then with a swift motion of his hands, he gathers a torrent of the energy and thrusts it at the rookie.

Brett instantly holds his bulky arm in front of his head as a shield builds itself on his forearm.

The torrent is instantly thrown to Brett’s right by a streak of golden and white energy.

Brett’s eyes fly open with shock at the unexpected route of the projectile. He lowers his shielded arm and with curiosity, he peers to the right.

Straightening himself in the air is the back of Nolan; his sparkles drift around him and fly in all directions like a roaring firecracker beneath his feet. He spins around, swaying the sparkles around him, to face the two. In his arms is the lively, zapping torrent of electricity.

Steven’s eyes widen at the sight. “What?!”

“I wouldn’t be able to do this with my usual powers,” Nolan replies flatly. He then hurls the large bolt of lightning back at its owner. “URGH!”

Steven redirects his hands in front of him to suck his bolt back into his raging whirlwind of electricity.

In frustration, Nolan cries out, “AURGH!!!!” before blasting his own thick stream of white and golden sparkles.

Steven simply absorbs the foreign energy into his current, giving the white colour subtle, golden streaks. He keeps a firm posture despite the gradual shaking of his hands and arms he is beginning to exhibit.

Meanwhile, Nolan has his teeth bared with lowered eyebrows as he presses his surge to pump out the massive amounts of his energy. “It’s not doing anything…!”

Brett swings his keen eyes to the captain. He notices him subtly tilting from side to side as ribbons of bent energy stick out from the smooth shape of the unstable whirl.

“No! Keep going!” Brett hollers over the roaring of energy. “I see something! I’m joining you!”

He then holds his fist at shoulder-length as a sturdy gun builds over his fist and forearm. He aims it the spinning aura of white energy and unleashes beams of red energy.

The beams are instantly swallowed by the swirl. The swirl itself shakes as more amounts of energy launch from it.

Steven grows tense as he sways in more obvious motions, attempting to balance his torrent while bearing so much energy. Yet the energy augments and gradually encloses him in a trembling, white glow.

Suddenly, a large wave of glowing teal water sloshes over Steven.

BOOSH!!!

Brett and Nolan quickly retract their emission from the disruption. Their eyes then widen as they witness Steven falling flat on his face in front of them.

Steven writhes on the ground, completely soaked and dripping with water. He lets out wheezing breaths, grasping onto the rocky ground.

All Brett can do is gawk at the agonizing man. “What the heck—?”

“BRETT!!!!”

Brett is instantly clobbered into a massive frontal hug. Brett leans back due to the force, yet does not stumble with his suit holding him in place. With large eyes, he peers to his left, where he spots the familiar side of his bestie’s face.

“Jake?” Brett cranes his head away to get a good look at his face with his armour’s small, yet shining lights.

Jake pulls his face away from his shoulder and perks down at him. “Yeah?”

Joy overcomes Brett’s face. “Jake Dog!” He pulls him into his bulky, metallic arms again with a large smile and closed eyes.

Jake squeezes his bestie even harder, as hard as he can with the solid armour covering his body.

In front of them, Nolan lands gracefully on his feet. “Thank goodness.” He walks up to the two with his eyes on the tallest one. “I would’ve thought I’d be saying this to you, but thank you for saving my energy, Jake.”

Jake peers behind his shoulder and lets out a bark: “Ruff!” He returns to his bestie by nuzzling his face against his neck.

Nolan darts his eyes down with crossed arms and a frown. “And he’s not even in Boston anymore.” He then pauses with furrowed eyebrows and his eyes looking up. “No, Carts, it’s weird.”

Jake then pulls away from his bestie with each of his hands on his shoulders. “Where have you been?! I would’ve looked for you, but the team was holding me back, especially my coach, he was cracking down on me and all the team and—”

“It’s alright, Jake Dog…!” Brett pats his arm assuringly. “I’ll tell you later. But for now…” He peers downward past Jake.

In the centre of his vision is Steven, who has his shaky palms against the asphalt in an attempt to rise to his knees. Yet he quickly plops back onto his stomach.

Brett peers back at the two standing power players. “...we gotta deal with him.”

Notes