The room was quiet, warm, and softly lit.
Chris and Twilight sat across from each other at the small table near the window. Steam rose gently from their mugs of hot chocolate, filling the air with a comforting sweetness that almost felt out of place after everything that had happened.
Twilight took a sip and leaned back slightly.
"So," he said casually, trying to keep the mood light, "what's up?"
Chris stared into her cup for a second, then took a slow sip.
"Nothing," she said. "I just… wanted to talk to you."
Twilight narrowed his eyes playfully. "That sounds suspicious. What do you want to talk about? I'm all ears."
He took another sip.
Chris set her cup down carefully, her fingers trembling just a little.
"Well… if one day you got to know that your friend had serious psychological issues… would you still be their friend?"
Twilight froze.
He slowly put his cup down and looked at her.
"What do you mean?"
Chris lifted her eyes and stared straight into his.
"Just answer. Yes or no."
Twilight didn't respond immediately. He picked the mug back up, took a thoughtful sip, then shrugged slightly.
"Yes," he said simply. "I mean, if my friend is sick, I'm staying anyway. That's not even a question."
Chris's throat tightened.
Her heartbeat grew louder in her ears.
She opened her mouth.
"I am—"
Silence.
The word refused to come out.
Twilight leaned forward. "You are… what?"
Chris inhaled deeply, like she was about to dive underwater.
"I am psychologically sick."
The moment the words left her mouth—
—cough!
Twilight choked violently on his hot chocolate.
He bent forward, coughing hard, his face turning red. Rony instantly jumped off the couch, sprinted over, and gave Twilight a sharp little punch to the throat with his tiny paw.
Twilight gasped and finally managed to breathe again.
Rony stood proudly, chest puffed out.
Twilight wiped his mouth and looked at Chris, wide-eyed.
"WHAT happened to you?" he asked, half-panicked, half-confused.
Chris hugged her arms around herself.
"I get nightmares… panic attacks… sometimes I lose touch with reality," she said quietly. "I've been seeing a therapist. Lily knows. No one else does."
Twilight's expression softened completely.
He didn't laugh.
He didn't step back.
He leaned closer.
"Hey," he said gently. "That doesn't make you broken. It just means you're fighting something invisible."
Chris looked up, her eyes glassy. "You're not scared?"
Twilight shook his head. "I'm more scared of losing my friends than of labels."
Rony climbed into Chris's lap and gently tapped her hand, as if agreeing.
For the first time that night, Chris smiled.
Far away, the basketball court echoed with the final bounce of the ball.
The practice match ended.
Henry and Lily collapsed onto the edge of the court, breathing heavily, sweat dripping down their faces.
"Ugh," Lily groaned, stretching her arms. "I think my legs are officially dead."
Henry chuckled tiredly. "You played like a monster today."
Neon walked over and handed them bottles of water.
"Thanks, brother," Lily said casually as she grabbed one.
Neon froze.
"…Brother?"
His face darkened instantly. "I'm not your brother," he snapped. "And I have a name. Call me by it."
Lily blinked, surprised.
Why is this big guy so angry? she thought.
She glanced at Henry. "Who is he? Your new friend or something?"
Henry sighed, clearly annoyed.
"He's my younger brother."
Lily nearly dropped the bottle.
"WHAT?" she exclaimed. "You have siblings and you never told us?!"
She jumped up immediately, walked over to Neon, and held out her hand with a bright smile.
"Well then—welcome to our city, sir."
Neon stared at her hand, confused, then shook it slowly.
"…Neon," he said.
The three of them began walking home together, the evening sky slowly darkening above them.
Deep inside the jungle, torches burned like angry stars.
Military units moved carefully between trees, guns raised, faces tense.
"He's been spotted in this area," one officer whispered.
"Search every corner."
They were hunting the masked man.
Unaware that something much worse was already moving.
At midnight—
ALERT.
The city trembled as earthquake warnings blared through phones and sirens.
People rushed under tables, into shelters, hearts racing.
But out in the streets…
Shadows moved.
Monsters emerged again—this time not alone, not confused.
They moved together.
Like soldiers.
And the city had no idea what was coming.