As the man in the blue suit continues to stride away, he lifts his foot, preparing to boost off of the ground and back up into the air, ready to return to the campus in hopes that he'd get at least some time to relax before his first exam in the afternoon.
He raises his head and looks up at the sky, seeing that the clouds seem to have dispersed already, with only a few slim patches left in the overall clear sky.
Just before he can lower his foot to take off however, the officer finally speaks, mentioning "I noticed that for all the other suspects, they had that silver disk on their head. I'm not exactly sure but I'm going out on a limb here and asking, are they yours?"
The man freezes in place for a moment after hearing the question. He lets out a soft sigh, and gently places his foot down, however he doesn't boost away. Instead, he stands in his place, staying on the ground by the officer.
He doesn't turn his head, still staring off into the sky. He gulps and nods his head, although he knows the officer wouldn't be able to see it.
He answers verbally, "Yeah, they are. I call them 'EPDs,' they're devices that can paralyze the body but more importantly can inhibit certain brain functions that are necessary for using abilities. With those on, even if they wake up, they shouldn't be able to pose a threat."
The officer nods his head silently, breathing softly as he takes in the answer. He then gulps, knowing that the answer he could get next could be heavy, but he felt he needed to know, as there was just such a strong sense coming from the man.
He follows up with another question: "So uh...in that case...why didn't you put an EPD on the last guy?"
The man lets out a deep sigh upon hearing the question. He keeps his head facing the sky, his blue eyes staring at the supersun rising in the distance.
His arms stay by his side as the wind continues to lift his cape in a smooth current. He knows the answer to the question, however he's unsure how to phrase it, as even now he still felt uncomfortable having to state the fact out loud.
But it was a good question, and it would be best to answer truthfully. He decides to try as best as he can.
The man answers back, initially explaining: "Well...the EPDs are there to keep targets from being able to free themselves, since even if right now they're unconscious they can still wake up and become a danger."
The man takes a deep breath, and he squeezes his eyes shut as he tries to keep himself calm. He opens his eyes and lets out the breath, managing to maintain a steady heartbeat.
He continues, "But uh...the last guy...I guess in his own way he's already…'freed himself.' What I mean is...he uh...well…."
Just by what the man has already said, the officer can confirm to himself that his theory is correct, and it was true that the last member was indeed deceased. He frowns as he notices the trouble the man seems to have with explaining that death, as it appears that it's something that he feels sensitive about.
The officer sighs, knowing that feeling of sensitivity to such a grim subject, regardless of who the focus is.
He responds in a gentle voice, "I understand, he's not going to wake up again, is he?"
The man lets out a soft sigh, and he admits, "Yeah...he can't."
The officer huffs after hearing the total confirmation, and he lowers his head. While part of him is relieved that a man who had murdered so many people and caused such chaos was finally put down for good, he could tell that the man who put him down didn't seem to feel so relieved, as instead he seemed washed with guilt.
Even though for the most part the officer is relieved, he is reminded of the youthfulness on the suspect's face, as it seemed that the leader was potentially even a teenager. That one fact gives him a sense of concern, knowing that these terrorists may be nothing more than children.
There was also something about the boy's expression that felt haunting, that relief in knowing that he wouldn't wake up again, as though it was a death he desired. There was a sense that part of the boy did want to depart, and even with all the sin he committed, that's still unsettling.
The officer turns his body to face the man, seeing that he's facing away, as he was about to leave. The officer's eyes contract for a moment before widening to a relaxed state, staring at the man with the dancing black cape.
The officer continues to question, however this time his voice seems even more apprehensive as he continues down the dark and deep slope. He asks again, "Well uh...so I guess that last fight must've been rough by the look of things…. Maybe I'm wrong but that last guy, 'Indra' if I remember correctly, he looked kind of young. Maybe a late teenager or young adult, to be honest I expected a bit older, especially for someone with so many years of being around. Do you uh...have any idea how young he could've been...and in that case...do you know about the others? Because I don't think we've ever really had reports with younger people before...even for me it's a first."
The man lets out a soft sigh, and he lowers his head, looking straight. He then turns around, facing the officer as well, as the two once again catch glances.
He stares at him for a few moments, knowing that the Babylonians were also his friends, his college freshmen friends. They were young and had aspirations, even if their lives had been corrupted by their own mission.
As he thinks on his response, he remembers his conversation with Dana, about how at the end of the day they were still people, and they were just fighting for what they believed was the right thing. At the end of the day, they thought they were heroes, and he had put those heroes down.
The man responds with a softer tone, "Well...yeah...he was pretty young. He was a late teenager, but still just a kid. I didn't expect it either to be honest...I was also thinking they would've been some other older Exhumans who had banded together for whatever purpose, but no...all of them are his age...all just kids. Yeah I didn't expect younger people to be partaking in these kinds of acts...it's...disturbing. I'm guessing that the others are probably going to uh...I know what kind of punishment is in line for those crimes. I know that Indra is already...gone...but...is there any way there could be something else you could do to the others? I don't know...I mean they're so young...I feel like there's a chance for them to be better...I mean I know what they've done but still. They aren't evil...they just see the world differently…. It just feels wrong executing them I guess, is there anything you could do?"
The officer lets out a heavy sigh after hearing the quite strong request laid out by the man. He gulps and raises his head, pondering on the idea for a few moments as he stares at the sky. He squints while trying to contemplate the likelihood of such a turn, and once he arrives at his answer, he lowers his head and looks back at the man.
He responds apprehensively, "Sorry kid, I know it's all thanks to you for capturing them, but at the end of the day there's really not much of a choice we have. Even I don't think I can change much, I mean I'm really just a cop, that's something the guys at the top would have to decide on. And I understand that they were young, and I'll admit it does feel a bit sour thinking about what's going to happen to them, but they were...they were Exhuman terrorists, they've done a lot of bad, I'm sorry. Look uh...we were able to scrape some footage from the central region during your fight with him, we saw the kinds of things he did. We uh...saw the kinds of things he put you through. Now I always tell the new boys that you're going to see some things in this line of work that'll make it hard to want to keep going, I mean even now after being in this field for so long there's always times where I get a new case and it just takes everything to stomach it. It seemed that you were given a handful tonight, and I just wanted to say right now, if you feel guilty about anything that happened, don't be. You did your best, and it's never your fault for failing, so try not to let that weigh you down too much, although even then I'm guessing it still will. Also, you'll have trouble sleeping for the next few nights, I really don't know what to tell you, it's just part of this life. But I remember warning you to stay away from this, and I remember you actually surprisingly followed, hell I even started to question if I had gone too harsh on you back there. But I see that you're here now, and I guess this time you've actually done the impossible, and speaking for the department I just want to tell you that we're truly grateful. We gave up even trying to get them years ago, so I'm sure those boys will be glad to know that eventually the case was complete."
The man nods his head, remembering that he only even managed to get as far as he did because of that one abandoned case. He realizes he can't exactly tell the department that fact since it could get him in quite the trouble and completely destroy this one brief moment of peace, but he finds relief in knowing that others would find joy in knowing that the case could be closed properly. He was able to help the city and its people, and that was the goal of the mission, to which it seemed he truly succeeded.
He replies to the praise, "Thank you officer, it means a lot. I guess it took me some time to follow up on that promise I made back there, but at least this time I didn't come empty handed. I uh...had to contemplate it for a while...and I know if I'm going to keep pursuing this life I'm going to probably see a lot worse, but I'm going to stay and keep fighting with you guys. This world is my home like it is yours, and I want to help the family in it. I understand if you can't do anything about it...I guess it was worth the attempt. I guess even if I could get used to death, I almost feel as though I wouldn't want to. Every life has a meaning to someone, maybe I don't know everyone directly but every lost life is mourned by someone, and being the cause of that mourning...it feels wrong. I understand there are reasons but...I don't know...I wish there was another way...one where nobody had to lose…."
The officer nods his head after hearing the man's short rant. He lets out a soft sigh after hearing that glimpse of idealism still somehow present in the man who had to witness so much, and yet still believes in a better way.
It's almost marvelous, as most men who witnessed the cruelties of the world would be overwhelmed and fall into a pit of despair and hopelessness.
The officer states, "Well, as I said, that's not something I can do for you, even if I wanted to. People have been pretty tight about Exhumans since the dawn of their existence, hoping for change is kind of...well...you can't expect it all overnight. But actually, on that note, we had some other footage that we managed to scrape up, particularly the incident that happened in the ZPrints Enterprises headquarters. I'll be honest and say it first, that was incredible what you did there, I don't think anyone saw any other possibility after that explosion. But...well...we were looking at the footage earlier and...well we haven't gotten the professionals to analyze it, but that didn't exactly look like tech you got in your suit. I've been in this city for a while now, I've seen a lot, and I know the difference between technology and, well, something else. And whatever you did to save that building, well, no normal man could do that. So, what I'm meaning to say is, I'm guessing you didn't have that suit built in some factory or out of spare parts, didn't you?"
The man's eyes widened in complete shock, as he didn't expect the officer to deduce his true Exhuman nature. His jaw drops as he steps back, his heart beginning to race instantly, as he remembers that he had gotten away with the lie that he was just a normal man in a suit, and nothing more.
But now that his greater act of his abilities had been recorded and noticed, he couldn't lie so easily, and he was caught red handed. He wasn't only just an Exhuman however, he had used his abilities to try harming others, and even though that other was another Exhuman, the damage of the battle still made him fall in place as a dangerous Exhuman criminal worthy of execution.
Even though he was trying to do the right thing, at the end of the day, as he said once long ago to Orial, he was a criminal. Now that he had been outed, there was nothing he could do to keep the facade, and his plans collapsed.
The man lets out a soft sigh, and he steps forward again. He lowers his head and closes his eyes, knowing that he couldn't run away like the first time. He holds his hands and locks his fingers together, standing in front of the officer.
He then admits with a guilty voice, "You're right, I'm not just human, I am an Exhuman, and I used those powers to make this suit just like I did to rebuild the walls of that building. I'm sorry for betraying your trust, I won't resist whatever punishment is deemed for my crimes, not even execution. I'm sorry...I know what I've done, I shouldn't have tried to get away with it...but I'm prepared. I knew this day would come eventually, and at least I was able to take down the Babylonians first. You can take me in, officer, I've accepted my punishment."
The officer's eyebrow raises upon hearing the man's melodramatic response, as it seems that he's already assumed that he'd be terminated only after having been revealed. The officer lets out a soft sigh, and he lowers his head, understanding that it may seem like he would be seen as a criminal now.
He lifts his head back and puts his hands behind his back, for now he is put in a complicated situation, where he could very well be seen as someone who should be apprehended, seeing that he's an Exhuman who did indeed use his abilities to cause damage to someone and the city's property.
But at the same time, while he did do those things, it was hard to label him too as a criminal. As the officer admitted months ago, he believed the man to be good, and even knowing now that he is truly an Exhuman and even lied in previous accounts, he couldn't see his assessment having been changed.
Also, the purpose of such harsh laws and apprehensions were in order to keep the people safe from danger presented by the Exhumans. However, as the officer looks at the man, all he can see is someone who's willing to lay their own life down to keep the people safe from that very danger rather than cause it.
While it was quite the dicey call to make, the officer comes to the conclusion that if anything, it seems that if he were to apprehend the man, he would be the one failing to keep the people safe from danger.
While the man seems to be a free agent and isn't authorized to act the way he is, and while his methods have caused damage during the fight, in the end he was able to bring an end to a long case against very dangerous people.
Perhaps he is a vigilante, or perhaps he is that 'ally' that he was claiming himself to be, but whatever he is, he's someone that the officer realizes isn't an enemy worthy of being put down.
The officer takes a deep breath, and he shakes his head, his decision made up. He then decides to give a light remark, lifting up the dramatic mood, "Well, if I were to throw you away, who's supposed to do our jobs? Who's going to take down the next Babylonians? I mean hey I've been in this line of work for a long time, but I can assure you, these sort of things aren't a one and done situation. Now, I don't know if I can really persuade you to register for the VPD right now since honestly they might not even allow you given-...well...I guess it's a bit weird that I'm talking to an Exhuman like this at all, but I can tell you're not a bad guy. In all my years I never would've thought I've met someone like you, one of them but...different. I don't really know what to call you, actually now that I think about it, I don't even know your name."
The man lifts his head, perplexed by the sudden decision not to punish him as an Exhuman criminal. He felt as though he'd certainly be deserving of it, especially for all the damages in the city in terms of destroyed walls and windows. He also knows that he technically hurt people, and so him seemingly being let off the hook felt odd in a way he didn't know how to feel about.
He lets go of his hands and brings them to his side, shocked, but pleasantly shocked. His secret was out, and yet it seemed he was somehow being accepted even with it in mind. For the first time, it seemed that an Exhuman wasn't immediately seen as a threat, even if it was only one man.
Meditat smiles behind the mask, however his smile slowly tapers as he comes across the thought: If only Shuraj could've held out a little bit longer, maybe he could learn that there would've been another way.
Seeing how the officer reacted to him being an Exhuman proved that there was still the possibility of exceptions in an otherwise seemingly black and white world, the world that had consumed Shuraj in the dread that forced him to live miserably.
If only he could see that there was a way to live without hiding and fighting, maybe he'd understand, and maybe he wouldn't have felt so helpless.
The man gulps and nods his head, still astonished by the warmth that the officer gave even to an Exhuman like him, to someone who was among what had been thought of a group of devils that were nothing but absolute evil.
The man smiles softly again, and he announces in a less dreary voice, "Oh, sorry, I guess I never remembered to mention it. My name is 'Meditat,' and thank you so much for sparing me. I uh...sort of planned to be taken out eventually...so I guess it feels strange that you're letting this be...but I'll make sure not to waste this chance. Thank you so much, uh, officer!"
The officer chuckles from the man's delight, and he nods his head twice, seeing that he seemed to have been extremely anxious of being taken down after being exposed, and this development seems to give him a great sense of relief.
He responds, his voice still lighter as he seems to be in a brighter mood, "Well, isn't that a special name? Did your parents give that to you, or is that just an alias?"
Meditat tilts his head in confusion by the odd question, as when he ponders it, he isn't entirely sure. While he had used the name as an alias, he originally picked it up after having been referred to by that name by the figure in his memories.
The figure seemed to be a father of some sort; he wasn't sure if it was his own since he appeared nothing like his dad back home, but he could tell that the man was meant to represent a fatherly figure to this 'Meditat' that he was viewing the memories from the point of view of.
There was always the possibility that Meditat was nothing more than an illusion, and the memories he had were nothing more than dreams that he didn't understand as easily. But that name felt as though it came from somewhere, and it was a name given to him by someone else.
Meditat straightens his neck upon arriving at his answer, and he gives: "I guess a little bit of both."
The officer's eyes widen and he blinks twice, seemingly confused by the response.
He then responds, "Huh, what's that supposed to, huh? Well okay then, I mean hey, 'Meditat' is a nice name, I'll go with it. Well, I don't have such a crazy name, you can just call me Scott. I know, disappointing, right?"
Meditat shakes his head as though he disagreed, now finally knowing the name of the police officer he had several run-ins with, knowing that there's a good chance he'd have many more if he continues this life.
He hastily refutes, "No no, 'Scott' is a nice name too, I like it."
The officer, Scott, chuckles after hearing Meditat's desperate attempt to flatter him. He lets out a sigh, and then looks down at his hand which holds the calculator-shaped device, the one that had been recovered from the Octagon. He inspects it for a few moments, seeing that it wouldn't seem to turn on, as though it had been broken.
He raises his hand and shows Meditat the device, holding it out in front of him. He then asks, "So, do you know what this is? Apparently one of the boys found it in that building, but really I'm not sure what to do with it. Also, I don't think it's working anyways, so maybe it's just junk."
Meditat's eyes widen as he looks at the recovered device, remembering it as the device dubbed the 'Red Virus' by Shuraj. He nods his head, also remembering that he had short circuited it in order to prevent Indra from successfully hacking and using the teleportation pad to escort the machine. While the device was made to appear broken, he had made a very precise shot to make sure it could be fixed if looked at by the right people.
He explains informatively, "Oh that, it was a prototype device developed by the O.R.I.A.L corporation before its collapse, it was build to harness advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning to creatively combat hackers in order to prevent new methods of cyberterrorism, which theoretically could've become the right step to perfecting cybersecurity. But it seems the Babylonians had taken it and used its advanced artificial creativity into a weapon, so now it's built to be able to creativity breach any software. I guess it was used for the exact purpose it was meant to combat, which is a shame, I know there were many people who worked hard on it. But it's not broken, I just made a minor damage that can be repaired, it was just to take away its usability before Indra could use it to steal the machine he was running this whole heist for. Don't worry, it can be fixed."
Scott tilts his head to the side before straightening it, contemplating for a few moments after hearing Meditat's detailed explanation of the device's initial purpose, how it was then altered, and how he managed to disable it without completely destroying it.
It seems as though Meditat had a respect for the device and what it was meant to do, even trying not to permanently ruin it while it was being used maliciously. There is a noticeable passion in his voice when speaking on the subject, even though Scott had few intentions with the device.
He ponders for a few moments on what could be another great gamble, as he seemed to be making quite a few today. Yet he's thinking completely straight, in fact more than usual, as he contemplates the future of the city and the best outcome.
He then shrugs his shoulders after the long explanation, and he very casually responds, "Well okay, you go do that then."
Scott, in a shocking move, then proceeds to casually toss the device over to Meditat with an underhand throw.
Meditat's eyes shoot wide open as he steps forward, holding both of his hands out in immense paranoia from the airborne device, as he worries that it could be further damaged, possibly beyond repair if damaged enough.
He holds his hand out as he estimates the trajectory of the device, and then proceeds to dash forward. He throws his hands out, grabbing the device out of the air with both hands, as he hyperventilates intensely.
Meditat staggers backwards after having caught the device, which wouldn't have been very hard, yet he seemed to have acted more dramatically from the anxiety that swept him like a tsunami.
Scott tilts his head and claps with his hands after witnessing the hasty catch, and he remarks sarcastically, "Wow, that was amazing, but I think you could work on your catching a bit. There's always room for improvement, I mean."
Meditat shakes his head, completely bewildered from the seemingly impulsive and laidback move. He looks down at his hands to find himself holding onto a greatly prized item that had been built and perfected over the course of years, an item that could very well change the world, tossed to him like a ball.
He looks back up at Scott, unsure of how to react, as he isn't sure if Scott is just messing with him, or if he's genuinely planning on giving away such an important piece of technology.
Meditat questions with a concerned tone, "Wait, what are you doing? I mean if you want me to fix it and return it back I can, I don't think it's very hard, just a simple short circuit is all. Why are you just giving it to me, am I missing something?"
Scott shakes his head in response, and he gives a soft smile. He puts his hands behind his back and takes a deep breath, staring at Meditat as he carefully holds the device.
He explains, "No, I don't need it back. See, the thing is, as you said, the original creators and owners of this device are gone, meaning that the device in your hand doesn't belong to anyone anymore. Nobody can throw a price on it because the people who could've aren't around, and honestly I was just planning on tossing it in some storage box and forgetting about it completely. But hey, you seem to care a lot about it, I mean it looked like you were catching a baby just now. I mean hey maybe I'm going to regret all these decisions I'm making today, but I can swear on my sober heart, I believe a device like this would be best suited for someone like you. Besides, I'm guessing that you know how that suit works, unless you can really just mindlessly make anything. So go figure out how to use it for good like it was meant to be, it's all yours."
Meditat blinks twice under the mask, and he inquires for clarification, "Are you sure that it's okay…? Is this a test? I mean, I really am fine with you having it, I don't need rewards, you can keep this and do whatever you wish, it's not mine."
Scott lets out a deep sigh, and he squints as he stares straight into Meditat's eyes through his goggles. He then oddly quizzes, "Then what was the point of defeating the Babylonians and ending this case? I mean, I'm getting paid for standing around here talking to you, but you said you're a free agent so, what do you get out of this?"
Meditat lets out a soft sigh, and he lowers his head. He looks down at the device in his hands, and he relinquishes his left hand's grip over it, with it now only being in right hand. He then brings his right arm to his side, and takes a deep breath upon being given the heavy question.
He thinks for a few moments, as this was a question he had to ask himself before, even before he decided to put the suit back on. It was on his mind from the day he stopped wearing the suit to the day he put it back on. That was the question that had him decide if he would ever wear the name 'Meditat' again, or accept staying as 'Rohan' for the rest of his life.
Meditat lifts his head, as he finds the answer he was looking for, as it was already deeply nested within him, and hadn't wavered from the moment he settled on it.
Meditat answers, "The Babylonians have terrorized this city for far too long, and they have robbed far too many lives. Lives that were innocent and lives lived by people who had their own dreams and aspirations. I've...known some of their victims, and even if I didn't know them too personally, I knew that they had a spark in them, and that they were living for a reason, they were living because they wanted to do something with that life. Every person who lives has the freedom to make their life beautiful: to do anything, to be anything, to create anything. And while sometimes people can't achieve their goals for one reason or another, they still deserve to have the freedom to try, and even such failure is fair because they had the chance to make that dream reality. But when those people are stripped of that freedom by the vicious hands of a cold-hearted killer, when they don't get the chance to make any sort of life, that's when it's no longer fair. I just want everyone to keep their freedom of having the chance to live their life, and I know that this city is a beacon of that, and people like you strive to protect that freedom. So I want to help protect it with you, because if I can act on my freedom to be who I am, then anyone deserves the freedom to be who they want to be. And one day, I really hope that everyone gets that freedom...everyone on both sides of the coin...because I know that there are victims on all sides. I don't need pay from this, because knowing that now there will be so many people who won't fall victim to losing their freedom by the Babylonians is enough of a salary."
Scott hums softly after hearing Meditat's thorough answer, and he nods silently as he contemplates over the response. It was sincere and heartfelt, something that Scott anticipated, and there was a certain optimism that even after all the suffering Meditat endured he still maintained.
Even in all of the years that Scott had served in the field, after all of the tragedies he had to face and after all of the experiences he gained both good and bad, this optimism was something that was new, and it was something that to even an old man like him was inspiring.
Scott smiles softly and he stops nodding, looking back at Meditat after coming to his final judgment. He responds, "Then I think you're the perfect person to keep that. I'm expecting to see you out and about again, kid. Sure you took down the Babylonians, but that doesn't mean you necessarily saved the world for good. If you really want to take this challenge on, you're going to be here for a hot minute."
Meditat smiles softly, and he nods his head after hearing the response, as it is clear that Scott has every intention of letting him keep the device, and so he doesn't continue to question him on it. Even though Scott seemed a bit odd, he could tell that Scott too had a powerful conviction, stronger than his own, and to continue questioning it would never lead to victory.
He then replies, "Well, this is my home, so I'm more than fine spending some time in it."
Meditat then turns his head and looks up at the sun, seeing that during their conversation, the supersun had risen far higher, and the sky was more blue. It seemed that he lost track of time in their discussion, which while for a normal day may not be too problematic, would be an issue as he remembers that he still has work to do: the final exams.
He turns back to Scott with a nervous smile, and he nods his head again before taking a step back. He then continues, "Well also, I'm going to be here, yes, but I just realized I need to go for uh...stuff. It's urgent so yeah, I guess uh I'll catch you later or something, sorry that I have to go all of a sudden. I mean if there's anything you want to say now I can wait but-."
Scott chuckles again from Meditat's nervous attitude, and he shakes his head. He then permits, "No no, go ahead and do whatever you need, we all got our own lives. I should probably get back to the station too before everyone gets confused with what happened to me, I guess I got a bit engrossed in our talk. I guess I'll see you around again, so we can talk again. See you, Meditat."
Meditat smiles, and he nods his head. He gives a wave as he begins to walk backwards, and he responds, "No worries, and yeah okay. See you, Scott!"
He then turns around, and takes a couple steps forward. He then bends his knees and leaps off the ground, boosting off and soaring up into the sky, leaving a soft blue trail behind.
Meditat ascends up as he leaves the forest below, his cape dancing more intensely from the speed he's moving at. As his legs propel him up, he holds the device in front of him, contemplating what he'd do with it.
In all honesty, he wasn't sure he'd need to use such a device, however does find curiosity in the inner workings of how such advanced software was designed. Perhaps he wouldn't necessarily carry the device around on missions, but it could be useful to study off of so he could improve Orial's own code by using O.R.I.A.L equipment.
Perhaps then he could empower Orial with the strength of the device, and that could boost him astronomically in terms of his capabilities, giving him a whole new dimension of life. It would likely take a long time to dissect and try replicating such advanced work, however it would be worth the end result, and so Meditat mentally bookmarks that project.
However, first, he has a series of final exams to concern himself over, which he decides to tend to before worrying about his own projects. At least the city was now safe for a while, and he could take some time to focus on his other mission of graduation, as that was also something he had to be ready for.
Meditat's blue goggles project a blue light onto the device, which then causes it to vanish moments later, being stored in his suit's storage space. He brings his arms back down to his sides, with his hands now completely free to help him move.
Meditat boosts with his hands, amplifying his speed with stronger boosts as he continues to fly over the city, heading back to the direction of the campus outside.
Far down on the ground, Scott watches the blue comet soar into the sky, flying off to his next task. He lightly chuckles to himself, shaking his head after such an abstract conversation with such an interesting man.
He then turns around and walks back to his black and white police pod, which has been waiting alone for quite a while now. He approaches the driver's side as the door opens for him, allowing him to get inside and sit in the front.
He stares ahead of himself and lets out a sigh, telling himself "Well, this is one hell of a shift."
The pod door then closes, and the police pod begins to start moving. It turns around to face the exit of the area, and it drives off, leaving to take the path back to the department. The pod drives down the road as it begins to ascend, flying in the day of the city, as there's still much to do.
The police pod drives down the road as the blue comet soars up the skies, as the people of two different worlds go their separate ways having met and found an ally in the other, two people separated by a vast and foggy history of warfare, prejudice, and hatred.
For centuries, humanity had seen Exhumans as nothing more than devils, devils who sought nothing but carnage. They put their best effort in pushing against the Exhumans, going to the lengths of dehumanizing them and justifying mass genocide.
Even after loosening the tight collar, they still kept an open eye on them, and would crush them the moment they made a movement. A simple crime that would land a small fine for a regular human could lead to execution if that same crime was committed by an Exhuman for the simple fact that they were seen as more dangerous. The humans hated them, and until today, they could never see them being an ally.
For centuries, Exhumand had seen humanity as nothing more than tyrants, tyrants who sought nothing but oppression. They put their best effort in pushing against the humans, going to the lengths of devaluing them and justifying mass genocide.
When their collar was eventually loosened, they took it as an opportunity to strike back without mercy. To them, one Exhuman held the value of limitless humans, and so they savagely slaughtered as many as they could, tearing through masses of people composed of men, women, and children, for the simple fact that they were seen as disgusting insects. The Exhumans hated them, and until today, there seemed to be no way that they'd ever find an ally from their superiors.
And yet even then, with such a vast history of conflict that never seemed to have a sign of ending, a vast history of conflict that felt constantly overwritten to justify one side, there finally seemed to be clarity within the fog.
For once in history, a human and an Exhuman could acknowledge their own identity, and yet they could still form a bond. They could still find a common desire, and a common mission to work towards, one they could work towards together.
Even if one of them could be branded a sinner and the other could be branded a failure, that wouldn't stop them from creating that first bond that would hopefully be the start of a new tide, one where such bonds could manifest in greater quantities and help unite the world's separate peoples.
For once in history, a human and an Exhuman managed to find commonality in how they aimed to better the world, and within that commonality was an exceptional alliance, once that bridged the two worlds together and formed a union.
The vastly distinct worlds could be connected by one goal, one sun, and they could orbit together, not as separated objects but as a singular system.
A new and cleaner system to replace the muddied and bloodied system that had led to countless lives suffering a torturous existence from both sides.
An exceptional system could be crafted out of the exceptional alliance, bringing about a change to the great storm that set the oceans into an eternal rage, ravaging all life that's sucked into it without choice, without freedom to choose their own destiny, but rather suffer the one that the storm predetermined, an unfulfilling destiny for a short life.
Now, there was a chance for that storm to calm, for the long night to end, and for the dawn of anew, an ocean not of roaring tides but of a serene infinity.
All of that could manifest from this one exception made between anomalies thought to have been locked in an eternal war.
An exception that would redirect the tidal current of history, and endow the freedom to sow the seeds of a new era.