Downgrade

His Resting Place

Vixen went to their diminutive, bleak, backyard where Quinten is resting. The insurmountable, rustic fence surrounded the place. The rough, stubby grass that covered most of it was well trimmed a week ago. The lumps of soil that had been tilled were damped from the rain. Cody was sitting on the ground as he observed the sullen, wooden cross that was laid beside the cotton. His broad shoulders were somewhat moving up and down. He took off his thick glasses and wiped them gently. Vixen slowly went to him and sat beside him. There were tears on his face. She sighed and felt the cold breeze touched her skin. She looked at the sky, the birds were flying and chirping.

“Do you think, he’s in a good place right now?” Cody suddenly asked.

Vixen placed her hands on the ground and felt the roughness of the surface. “Where do you think he is right now?” Vixen returned the question.

He threw a stone at the side, pulling some of the weeds. “I think he’s in his favorite place.” He made a soft chuckle.

“Then…he’s probably having a lot of his time roaming around the seaside.” Vixen smiled at him.

The sea was one of Quinten's dreams for him to visit just like them and the others.

“You see, I do miss him. And,” She placed her hand on his shoulder. “We’ll have justice for his unacceptable death.” Her eyes were solemn. Cody forced a smile, trying to cheer the atmosphere.

“How about Jack?” He pondered.

Vixen rubbed her hands and placed Quinten’s scarf. “He wasn’t already there when Miguel picked Quinten.”

The memory had whelmed them in grief as if it was still fresh. It was.

Miguel suddenly appeared in front of them in the base using the transportation dust, carrying Quinten in his arms. His coat was covered in blood. The team rushed to them as he laid their friend gently on the floor. The siblings were on the couch, resting themselves. Loshiana feverishly grabbed a cloth and tried to stop the blood on Quinten’s chest. There was a hollow. They cried as they earnestly strove to save him. Cody touched his pulse but there was none.

Vixen was throbbing with her tears. She helped Loshiana in wrapping his chest. The pure white cloth was slowly pervaded with his blood. It was tainted. They tried everything, they used every piece of their remaining hope to save his life, to bring back Quinten. But it was a failure. A moment of pause had overwhelmed the living room. Slowly, Loshiana stopped wrapping the wound, her hands despondently fell on her knee.

“N-No…We can save him.” Vixen continued to wrap his chest between her tears.

“W-We…just have to stop the bleeding….W-We just have to find…a h-healer.” She sniffed.

“I-It’s too late….” Cody said, almost in silence. His head was down. He slowly held Vixen on her shoulder. “V-Vix…”

But then a shrug was there enough for him to pull from his touch. The woman pushed him away, making him faltered. Vixen stood up. Her clothes were filled with blood. Her exhausted, scratched face displayed anger as her eyes furiously gave an enraged gaze.

“I-It’s…all your fault!” She utterly yelled at them, sobbing. “I-If you didn’t turn your backs on him, he should be with us right now. But what?” You’re all cowards! You left him alone to fight that devil. You made him die!”

In a snap, Cody dashed on her and shook her off. “Did you see what happened there?! You’re there, Vix. You’ve seen it with your own eyes! We can’t make it through, and it was already according to Plan B. We were falling back. We don’t have a choice – “ Just before he can finish his, Vixen detached her gape and looked to the other side. She doesn’t want to hear any explanation from them. “And that was your…choice…to leave him to die…” Her words slashed them like swords. It hurts.

Cody was struck by what he heard. It was the truth and there’s always a choice to make, and that time they chose to listen to what Quinten said, instead of saving him. His fingers quivered as he held her. “And…I was the first one to turn my back on him…”

“I shouldn’t have listened to Quinten…I shouldn’t have followed the sign.”He added.

It was the signal they have seen. The sign to run, and Quinten gave them that by pointing above the sky.

Vixen wiped all her tears with annoyance. She faced Cody and slapped him straight on the cheek. The impact made it red. Loshiana was shocked and immediately held Vixen’s hand.

“V-Vix…please stop.” She shrugged her off, giving her a cold glare. But she didn’t twitch, instead, she gripped more of her hand. Loshiana needed to break the wrath wandering around them. “Listen…I know…this breaks us…but…Quinten doesn’t want us to fight…he…he sacrificed himself for us…” She took a deep breath. “As far as we want to save and bring him back, we all know…that we can’t do anything now…It’s hard…but we need…we need to continue.”

Vixen slapped her grip. And there it was, it wasn’t anger. She wasn’t asking for retribution. It was an emptiness that Loshiana saw in Vixen’s eyes. Her face was blank.

She made heavy steps to her room, without looking back. She stopped as soon as she was in front of the door. “Yeah…it’s all our fault…that is why…we need to hassle more...In order for us to feel what he felt there.” Vixen entered her room and left everyone with despair just like what she’s feeling.

“Hey…I’m sorry about the slap.” Vixen bit her lip.

Cody rubbed his cheek where Vixen had slapped him. He made a soft chuckle. “It’s okay. I deserved it anyway.”

Vixen made a gawky sneer. “Yeah…”

“I-I’m sorry.” He exclaimed. “I-I’m sorry for stopping you that time.” He raised his head and watched the sky just like they usually do both.

“Everything has a reason. For now, we need to accept what’s inevitable.” Vixen uttered those hurtful words. She rubbed his hair suddenly. “I-I’ll be here for you…Codfish. Just like the old times. Just like the orphanage. Cody stared at her, his eyes began to water. Vixen slapped him twice at the back. “Aye. Save your tears if I’ll be the one to leave.”

He shrugged and laughed a bit as he composed himself again. “Silly.”

Cody and Vixen were the closest among the rest. They were childhood buddies. And it was the kind of bond that they always keep for themselves. Unbreakable. As life seems to be warry and crooked to them, it was a way for them to continue and hunt those who’re responsible to their families’ deaths. And that would mean they would take anyone down and the headmasters themselves. Vixen turned her gaze to the fountain’s water in the distance. It was still the same – surrounded with those faces, the mocking, infuriating ones.

In a sudden, small shrilled steps were coming in their direction. It was Loshiana, panting. Her wound on her arm had already healed – a scar that was only a flaw to her. She was catching her breath. “G-Guilbert and Loshiana have just woken up.”

Straightaway, the two stood from the ground and hurriedly went inside with Loshiana. They saw Guilbert being assisted with Miguel on the couch. His eyes twitched as he felt a tingling sensation on his head. He slowly touched it. Kinzel was staring impassively. Her eyes were glued to the painting on the wall. Vixen was worried about her. They slowly walked to them. Vixen sat beside Kinzel and gently placed her palm on her lap.

“Kinzel…”

There was no response. She grazed upon Loshiana. The woman was a bit upset and shook her head. “Kinzel…do you recognize us?”

The woman turned her head to see Vixen. Kinzel gradually nodded.

“I-I feel strange.” Kinzel pondered and looked at her body. “Did I sleep for too long?”

Everyone nodded. “W-What happened?” Miguel said, resting his back. Cody rubbed his butt and snooped in. “Y-You don’t remember anything?”

“I…I just remember that Quinten was hanging up above with that man…and…I took you back here.” He said. The thoughts slowly beheld him and realized something. He acted in a swift, standing from his seat. Everyone panicked and went in his direction, but eventually, a nagging pain struck him, which made him crumpled back to his seat. Miguel sighed an ease.

“You shouldn’t do that.” Miguel scolded him.

“W-Where’s Quinten?” Guilbert’s gaze roved the place. He looked for him and called his name but there wasn’t a Quinten for him to see. He shifted his gaze on the floor. The stained blood was still visible. An aloof, portentous breeze steaked him.

“W-Where is he?”

Everybody went into introversion.

“Answer me.”

“He just left…” Vixen timidly answered.

The two siblings froze from their seats. Kinzel was digging her nails on the pillow, almost ripping it off. Her tears rushed on her cheeks. They have slept for a week, and now it’s their time to mourn.

Guilbert stared at his feet. He couldn’t believe it and he doesn’t want to. He wished that it was a lie, a dream not to be in reality. But the truth shattered him in pieces. What happened cannot be undone.

Vixen pulled her gaze upon them and reverted it to the window. The sun was beaming hot. They should be now eating their breakfast with Quinten. She didn’t expect that it will hurt her that much that it made her cold.

“D-Do…you want to see him?” Loshiana woefully asked them.

Cody and Miguel assisted them cautiously to the backyard. Kinzel wasn’t still feeling well and she felt different as if there’s something unusual flowing from her wholly. They walked and as soon as they saw his resting place they burst into tears. Guilbert couldn’t take hold of himself. Loshiana rubbed his back. Vixen stayed at the door, patiently watching over them. She had enough of it. She turned her gaze to the second level. Her drive was in total darkness. All she wanted was to face Jack herself. For the first time, she longed for vengeance.

Cody glanced at her and he had seen a different side of Vixen. It was frightening. Since then, when they heard that Vixen’s power is Clairvoyance, they’ve seen it as an asset but to others it was deceitful, and that made her as the Eye of Era. As soon as Vixen learned to use her power, she had once a time of obsession where she couldn’t control herself anymore. She longed too much. She wanted to know everything. Anything. All she knew that, she can see everything, from the secret, personalities, strengths and down to the weaknesses of the people.

She had been eaten by her own strength and it might have killed her. But Kinzel was able to seal her outrage by giving her an enchanted bracelet where an ample of nullification potion is stored.

She looked at it and sighed. After all, she had been through, she’s still trapped in her nutshell. Her comfort zone.

“As long as you have this bangle, you will not fear and have a control of yourself.”

That’s what she thought.

The siblings held their chests as they saw the grave of Quinten. Guilbert was hugging Kinzel, rubbing her shoulder to calm her down. It was devastating for them to see their loved one died, especially they’re the ones who stood as his parents.

“Guilb. Look at that. Why is he eating dirt?” Kinzel pointed at the child.

His clothes were colored in mud, torn and shabby, and his face based with dust. His hands were covered with gloves. His messy brown hair swayed with the wind. Guilbert pulled his steps to an six-year-old kid and knelt down. He met his scowling eyes and exchanged his alluring smirk. Kinzel stood beside him. The man rubbed the child’s head and instantly curled to the side. He was glaring, annoyed.

Guilbert jeered. “What have you done to your face again, Hot Head? You look like a charcoal right now. Have you gone wild again?”

“Why would you care?” The pissed child uttered and continued to play with dirt.

Kinzel exclaimed a sigh. “I totally forgot that he has personality issues. This is not working out.” She turned herself to leave, but Guilbert grasped her shirt, raising his eyebrow. Her shoulders fell.

Guilbert cleared his throat and tried again. “Uncle Owen is looking for you right now. Do you want him to give a visit?”

Quinten’s eyes glimmered all of a sudden. He rubbed the dirt off from gloves, wiped his face with his shirt and stood still. The table had suddenly turned and they just made Quinten behaved. After all, Quinten loves his Uncle Owen and it would be the smartest alibi to make him go home sometimes.

Quinten, an arrogant and impatient child. He was a cousin to the Flores siblings from their mother’s side. Quinten possessed the power of Anti-Gravity. He doesn’t like being around with much people and tends to have his personal space, away from the racket. He had always worn his ruggy, gloves to stop him from making anything he touches to float.

The three of them snapped back to their base using Guilbert’s power, and just right there it was chaos. Quinten had been tricked. He pushed the two on their sides and collapsed on the couch.

Kinzel rubbed the back of her nape, as she was still not fond of having kids around that time. They decided to take the child, because the old man, Mr. Owen can’t handle kids anymore due to his work and age. Quinten was an orphan. Her father was killed for being a member of the cause a long time ago. While his mother passed away by giving birth on him. By the time that they have left Mr. Owen for good and have their lives settled, they brought Quinten with them.

“You tricked me!” Quinten yelled.

“We didn’t.” Kinzel said.

“Yes, you did!”

Guilbert clapped his hands and put his arm around the child’s shoulder. “Now. Now. Now. Don’t be mad. We got you some noodles!”

Quinten’s eyes gleamed again but eventually went blank. He hissed and crossed his arms, looking away from them as he pouted.

“You’re just doing that again.” The boy said.

Kinzel sat beside him. “Doing what, dear?”

“You’ll trick me again, and then you’re just going to offer me my food to make me feel better. That’s rude.”

Kinzel sighed and gave her brother a grimace. She knew that his plan wasn't going well especially towards a child like her cousin. She poked her head and shook, which made Quinten wondered.

"I'm sorry we have to lie. I...no we," She flushed a squirm to Guilbert. "Are not going to do it again."

Quinten rubbed his chin. "Mmm...okay. So, where's my food?"

"In the kitchen." She smiled.

The child jolted from the couch.

"And oh, are we going to see Uncle Owen?"

Guilbert patted him. "Of course. We'll be seeing him...tomorrow!"

Quinten leaped in joy and gave them both a hug. "Thank you!" Then he headed straight to the kitchen with a wide smile.

"Noodles." Kinzel whispered, resting her head on her brother's chest.

"Yeah. That was his favorite." Guilbert giggled a bit as he brushed his tears.

"And that's also the food that he often mocks." Miguel uttered, holding Guilbert still on his side.

"It's because he's been eating it for years. And...he had dreamed to eat more than that." Kinzel muttered.

Everybody sighed. Kinzel knelt and placed her candle and lighted it. Loshiana helped her to stand again. She turned to look at Miguel and gave him a smile. She walked towards him and held his shoulder.

"Thank you...for bringing Quinten back...to us...and in our house..."