Stepping out into the street, Freddy briefly glanced at the beautiful setting sun before starting to walk home.
However, walking to the end of the path, Freddy was about to turn the corner when all the hairs on his nape suddenly stood on end.
"It's that feeling, something's about to happen" Freddy immediately stopped and started looking around, turning in time to see a black hooded figure sneaking into grocery store.
A single thought rose in his mind at that moment "Sophie's alone in there."
Without a second to lose, he immediately jogged back towards the store.
As he approached the store entrance, the words he heard finally gave him a confirmation of the whole situation "D-don't move, just o-open the cash register and you won't get hurt."
"Great, another new addition to the criminal society" from the voice, he was sure that it was an amateur.
"Freddy?"
Just as he prepared to sneak in, a gentle voice called out in surprise.
Looking at the other side, he saw a woman who looked to be in her thirties approaching.
She had the same face as Sophie, except more matured and graceful. Her blonde hair tied up in a ponytail behind her.
"Did my daughter sneak off again?" She asked.
Rushing up to her halfway, Freddy quickly handed her the takeout and grocery bags he was holding "No time to explain aunt, call the authorities and tell them it's a robbery and don't enter the store until they arrive"
Seeing the serious expression on Freddy's face, the lady quickly connected the dots and pulled out her phone.
Freddy on the other hand stealthily approached the store entrance and tried to slip in. However something funny actually happened.
Ding! Ding!
He was actually betrayed by the entrance bell.
The bell sound startled both the robber and Sophie to look at the entrance. Having been spotted, Freddy abandoned the idea of stealth and strode into the store.
"Uncle Fred!" Sophie exclaimed.
"D-don't come any closer" the robber, a handsome teenager holding a knife stammered, his expression spoke volume about his anxiety.
"Easy there champ. Listen why don't you just walk out that door and we'll all forget you were ever here." Freddy spoke as he slowly approached.
"I said don't move" the boy shouted again and pointed knife at Sophie "open the register."
However, Freddy moved at this moment. Seeing Freddy lunge towards him, the boy panicked and stabbed towards Freddy's chest.
Freddy, filled with adrenaline sidestepped the attack and grabbed the arm. Widening his stance, he grabbed with both hands, twisted his upper body and pulled.
The boy felt his world turn upside down as Freddy flipped him over. He landed with a resounding thud, his body smacking hard into the floor.
Not wasting a moment, Freddy quickly twisted the arm behind the boy's back, grabbed the knife and placed his left knee on the boy's spine while one hand held his head to the ground, effectively disarming and restricting him.
"Guess all the fighting tutorial videos finally paid off" Freddy smile lightly, feeling nice and proud.
Feeling dazed by the sudden move and the impact of the ground, before the boy could figure out what happened he was already pinned to the floor.
Realizing what had happened, the kid started struggling, but it yield no results.
"Wow!! Since when are you a fighter uncle Fred" the astounded Sophie finally moved out from behind the counter, her eyes shining brightly in adoration.
Freddy's eyelid twitched subtly as he glanced at her "Why don't you go meet your mom outside, tell her to send in the Alliance guardians once they arrive."
Nodding in understanding, she quickly ran out the store door.
"Let me go, i-i'm sorry please let me go this once. I-I-I promise I won't come here again" hearing the mention of the alliance guard, the kid immediately panicked and started struggling more violently while pleading.
Looking at the struggling kid beneath him reminded him of his little brother "Why did you do this?"
"My friends, they made me do it, otherwise they won't let join them. I'm sorry" the kid said somberly, no longer bothering with the futile struggle. "Please let me go, I promise I won't do it again"
"I can't let you go kid, every actions have consequences attached to them." Freddy spoke and at that moment, the sound of siren sounded outside.
Moments later, two Alliance guardians in ocean-blue uniforms entered the store with Sophie and her mom.
Seeing that Freddy had everything under control, the two men quickly came over and cuffed the kid.
"Take it easy on him, he's just a misguided kid" Freddy said to the men as they dragged the boy away.
One of the guardian looked at Freddy and nodded "nice work kid"
"Thanks"he replied and looked at the boy thinking"Hopefully, you learn your lesson and distance yourself from them"
"Freddy! Freddy are you alright" Sophie's mom quickly ran to him and started checking him.
"I'm fine aunt Lucia" he replied with a smile.
"That was very reckless of you, how could you just charge in like that" Lucia immediately launched into a series of berating.
Freddy watched her for a while before grabbing her shoulders with both hands "I'm fine aunt, nothing bad happened okay?"
"Hah, I swear you're gonna give me gray hairs earlier than my age" she sighed and chuckled.
"Why don't you close the store early today and have an early rest?" Freddy spoke and gathered his things.
"I guess so" Lucia answered tiredly.
"I gotta go, Kelvin's probably expecting dinner already." Freddy spoke and headed towards the exit.
"Home's upstairs, so just close the door behind me." He said as he approached the the door.
"You should really play Arcadia Online uncle, fighters like you always find game mechanics easy" Sophie yelled from behind.
Freddy's eyelid twitched again "and what in heavens name, makes you think I'm a fighter?"
"You don't want to play Arcadia Online?" Lucia raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Nah, I need money for lot of things, especially Kelvin's surgery and others. I don't have time for games." Freddy's voice clearly showed his lack of interest.
"I'd suggest you try it, even I got myself a VR headset" she spoke again.
"I'll think about it. Good night aunt, you too Sophie" Freddy said and stepped out into the streets again.
"Good night dear, say hi to Kelvin for me" Lucia replied to which who was already walking away raised his hands and without turning gave a thumbs up.
Lucia looked at Freddy's disappearing back with a gentle smile before returning into the store"He's all grown up now"
Walking to the end of the path Freddy halted and glanced back at the store, being delayed by the incident it was almost dark.
The light on the lower floor had already been turned off, while the lights of the apartment on the upper floor were now on.
As he glanced at the apartment upstairs, a feeling of gratitude and relief washed over him. Smiling, he turned the corner.
Walking forward, his mind wandered back to all the things aunt Lucia had done for him and his brother.
Losing his parents very early in life, aunt Lucia, his mother's best friend was the one who took them in and cared for them until he started working.
"Once Kelvin's surgery is done, I'll try to get a little building in the urban region so all of us could move over there" with this thought in mind, he raised his head and spotted the familiar silhoute of his apartment up ahead.
Yet he was unaware that the night was far from over.