"Where did you come from?" Kurt asked sternly, staring down at me.
I looked up at him, expression flat.
"Nexyrr," I said. "Center of the universe. Whatever you're planning to do with that won't matter."
My pitch-white eyes drifted away.
"Hey — eyes up here," Kurt snapped. "This is an interrogation. Focus. Answer the damn questions."
I sighed and looked back.
"Then ask better ones," I muttered. "Let's pick up the pace so I can leave."
"You think we're letting you go?" he shot back. "You stupid little alien. You're staying right here. I don't know what they're planning — torture, experiments, turning you into a weapon…" His jaw tightened. "…somehow."
"Whatever," he continued. "What are your real intentions with Earth?"
I leaned back, surprised.
"I thought I made that clear?" My eye twitched. "I'm here to save Earth from evil. That's why I call myself the savior of humanity — because I am."
I snapped.
"HUMANITY NEEDS ME. EVERYONE NEEDS A HERO LIKE ME — TO SAVE THEM!" I paced. "And you asking that just proves how stupid you are. Because…" I smirked. "I already proved it when I killed those bank robbers."
My eyes flicked away.
"And that rapist. And that school shooter."
I grinned, waiting.
Kurt just stared.
"Okay," he said flatly. "Thanks for not answering my question. Next — what's your real name?"
I tilted my head like he was slow.
"Blackpool. What? My name is Blackpool, you damn idiot."
"Jesus, relax," he muttered. "You know that's a place in England, right? And it sounds dumb for a superhero name."
He grinned.
I growled and punched the double-layered glass.
It cracked.
We both noticed.
I smirked, charging another punch — purple cosmic flames wrapping around my arm — and swung.
The shock collar fired mid-strike.
"AHH—!"
Electricity ripped through me. I screamed and collapsed, slamming into the cold metal floor, hands clawing at my neck.
Kurt shook his head.
"I told you what would happen if you tried anything."
He rubbed his eye.
"So. What's your planet like? Since you can't give real answers, you might as well tell me about Nexyrr."
I sat up slowly, jaw tight.
"My planet…?" I muttered. "It's horrible. The best you get is basic respect — and even that barely exists." I crossed my arms. "I worked for the government. We're called Nullpools. The government is the Null Regime. Strongest force in the universe."
Kurt nodded, processing.
"Nice. So what was your life like?"
I looked away.
"Fuck you."
First Ashley. Now him. Why does everyone want my life?
He raised his hands.
"Alright. Fair enough."
He pushed off the wall.
"That's all I needed." He turned toward the door, then glanced back. "Oh — and even when I'm not here, security's watching. That collar's still linked. So please… try escaping."
Smug.
He walked out and shut the door.
I scoffed at the camera. Damn humans.
I scanned the room, wondering if there was a less painful way out. Wondering how Ashley was doing.
What day is it? How long have I even been here?
Wait—
My heart dropped.
What if I already missed our second date?
What if she moved on?
No… she wouldn't. She's not a bad human…
Right?
My heart sped up.
She replaced me. I know she did.
No one could ever love me.
I looked down — and froze.
The shock collar was broken in my left hand.
Have I been tugging it this whole time?
I stood.
Guess I overestimated humans.
I stepped toward the glass and punched again — this time shattering it.
"I thought someone was watching me," I muttered.
I fired a cosmic blast straight upward, smashing through the ceiling, bursting into open air.
From up here, everything looked empty. Remote.
Where the hell am I?
I flew until momentum died and gravity took over.
⸻
9:20 P.M. — Back in the City
"Oh," I said flatly as I slammed into the street. "Huh. Don't think I've been here before."
I climbed out of the crater, dusted myself off.
Cars screeched to a stop. Phones came out.
Honestly, I was more confused why the collar hadn't shocked me like Kurt promised.
I tapped on a car window.
The woman inside rolled it down, shaking.
"Hello, human! What day is it?"
"I-it's Wednesday…" she said.
Thank darkness.
"Oh! Thanks! Have a good day!" I waved, then blasted off once I was far enough away.
As I flew, I wondered.
I wonder how Ashley feels about me…
⸻
9:46 P.M.
I'd been doomscrolling in bed for hours.
That date with Ben was honestly the best thing that's happened to me all year.
I kinda miss him.
Then I saw a video.
Blackpool.
"Is Blackpool really here to save us?" the man said. "Well, considering he hasn't killed anyone innocent or gone on a rampage… I'd say he's not actually a bad guy. Sure, nobody deserves to die — but he did save lives during that bank robbery. Yeah, he traumatized the victims… but at least he didn't kill them. That makes him a hero."
The video looped.
I turned my phone face-down.
He's not saving anyone.
All he does is make things worse.
My eyes burned.
Blackpool's face flashed in my mind — covered in blood.
Blood dripping from his mouth.
The man who tried to rape me — dead on the floor. His stomach ripped open.
My body stiffened. Tears slid down my face. Ever since that day, the nightmares and flashbacks hadn't stopped.
I just want Blackpool to disappear…
⸻
10:09 P.M.
I landed in front of my house.
Yawn.
I walked inside, closed the door behind me.
Hmm… what should Ashley and I do for our next date?
I think I've got it.
But for now…
Yawn.
I collapsed onto my bed.
I'm sleeping.
⸻
THE NEXT DAY
I stretched awake.
That was nice.
I sat up — and froze.
A female Nullpool stood in my room.
Silence.
We stared at each other.
"Violetpool…" I whispered.
She moved instantly. Dual swords snapped into her hands.
"Blackpool. I have been ordered to execute you," she said, voice flat.
I shrugged. "I like your new haircut. Bangs suit you."
Her eyes narrowed.
She lunged.
One blade stabbed straight into my chest.
I barely moved, letting it scrape instead. I smirked.
She teleported behind me and swung again.
I spun midair, blocked with a cosmic shield, and flicked a cosmic punch that she barely dodged, flipping backward.
She vanished — reappeared — vanished again — striking from angles I didn't expect. I jumped high, energy crackling around my fists, slashing with glowing claws that forced her to leap back and stick to the wall like gravity didn't exist.
I bounced on my toes, circling her, physically taunting her to come again.
She gritted her teeth and attacked faster, teleporting in bursts. I threw up a cosmic body shield as blades sparked off it. She feinted left — disappeared — reappeared above me and kicked downward.
I caught her ankle midair and tossed her aside, letting her land cleanly just to prove I could.
She smirked.
I charged a cosmic blast and fired.
She rolled, sliced straight through the energy with one sword, and teleported behind me. I spun, claws flashing, forcing her airborne again.
I laughed silently.
She teleported onto the ceiling and rained strikes downward. I leapt to meet her, fists blazing, and threw a cosmic punch. She blocked, vanished, and landed atop a shelf, staring down at me with visible irritation.
I flexed, glowing — deliberately cocky.
That annoyed her.
She accelerated, teleporting unpredictably in tight bursts, striking in feints and misdirections. I blocked with my shield, grabbed her blade mid-swing, and shattered it with a pulse of cosmic energy.
Her eyes widened — but she didn't stop.
She appeared behind me and struck again. I let it hit, twisting so it barely cut skin, then launched her with a cosmic kick. She crashed into the wall, rolled, and came up instantly, remaining sword raised.
I hovered, energy crackling around me, enjoying myself far too much.
Her frustration sharpened into focus.
She stopped rushing.
Instead, she teleported in patterns — baiting, baiting — then breaking them. I lunged with a cosmic blast, smashing through a wall as she vanished at the last second.
She reappeared at my blind spot.
Too late.
I predicted it.
A cosmic punch slammed into her side.
She went flying, skidding across the floor, swords clattering away as she coughed, struggling to breathe.
I floated down slowly.
She lays on her back, chest heaving, eyes still sharp but body spent.
"Just do it…" she muttered.
I tilted my head.
"Do what? Kill you?"
She nodded.
I sighed.
"Buddy, I'm not gonna kill you." I rested my hands on my hips. "You're not even worth the kill."
Her eyes flicked up.
"What…?"
"Plus," I added cheerfully, "it's not like you killed any innocent humans, right?"
"So… because I didn't kill humans… you won't kill me?" she asked, genuinely confused.
"Exactly." I nodded.
She stared at the floor.
"But… I failed my mission."
"So?" I grinned. "You fought well. That's what matters. Maybe next time, you'll actually kill me." I gave her a thumbs-up.
She slowly stood, blood trailing down her face.
"…Thank you," she muttered, avoiding my eyes.
"No problem." I softened. "So how'd you even find me?"
"Tracker. All our suits have trackers."
I looked down at my torn suit.
"SHIT!!!"
I ripped it off and incinerated it in cosmic flame.
Then looked at hers.
"Don't you dare," she said flatly.
"I wasn't!" I raised my hands. "I swear!"
We stared.
"So… what now?" I asked.
"…Can I stay here?" she said quietly. "I was supposed to kill you, then kill all the humans and wait for extraction. But… yeah."
I shrugged.
"Sure."