COLD❄BLOOD/Incubus Eyes/Fireflies

Fireflies is the sixth episode of the Japanese anime Incubus Eyes, written by lead writer Athena Panacea. After having relapsed into a depressive state upon internalizing the core values of his lifestyle, Silver Zin goes on a spiritual journey around New Naxaz City to rediscover himself and reach a better state of mind. He is joined by his close friends Valerie Heartgold and Azrail Neos for this journey, both of whom are seeking for their own answers while attempting to help him out.
==Transcript==
Silver Zin is shown lying down alone in what looks to be a barren and beaten orange landscape that never ends, with a cracked sandbaked floor below him and several empty plateaus surrounding his pastel body. He has trouble getting up from the floor, reaching for something that doesn't seem to be there.
:Silver: Wha... where am I...?
Silver looks around himself. Nothing but orange sand for miles around. There didn't appear to be any signs of life; it was just him in the desert, all alone with nothing but towels and rags wrapped around his body.
:Silver: Oh right, the Orange Sands. I must've fallen asleep again...
Silver is actually sleeping on his queen-sized bed in his underground home, his spirit vanishing to another world every time he falls asleep with bad thoughts collecting in his head- as always. Pierce Hazel, the only person in the house besides him, is watching over his boyfriend protectively, his eyes strained with red from staying up too late.
:Pierce: Good night Silver...
Pierce kisses his cheek.
:Pierce: You sleep well, okay? You've been really tired lately, so I want you to get all the rest you can possibly get.
:Silver [asleep]: Mmnnn... 
Pierce smiles as he clicks off the lights, rolling next to him and starting to drift himself off to sleep. Things looked to be fairly normal at first, but Silver would begin flinching moments later, much to Pierce's surprise.
:Silver [asleep]: Pierce... [slowly breathes] I can see you...
:Pierce: Of course you can silly, I'm right here!
Pierce laughs as he pinches Silver's cheek.
:Pierce: You must have a hard time sleeping, would you like a glass of water?
:Silver [asleep]: Mmnnn... [mumbling] A glass of water would work well in this heat...
:Pierce: Uhhh... alright, I'll go get you a glass.
Pierce heads off into the kitchen to get Silver a glass of tap water from the faucet. He walks back into the room, witnessing Silver flinching hard on the bed.
:Silver [asleep]: Pierce? PIERCE?
Silver flings his head wildly.
:Silver [asleep]: I said yes, Pierce!
:Pierce: Silver, are you doing okay?
Silver doesn't really respond, his body only continuing to toss itself around on the bed. Pierce quickly set down the glass of water and quickly scrambled onto the bed.
:Pierce: Silver!?
Pierce shakes his shoulders.
:Pierce: Silver, it's me! Pierce! Oh shit, this is the orange sands shit isn't it?
:Silver [asleep]: Where are you, Pierce!? You're running the wrong way, please turn around! Please, you're all I have left now, don't leave me here, don't leave me like this!
:Pierce: Hey, I'm right here Silver!
Pierce tries to shake him awake.
:Pierce: Wake up! Those orange sands you keep talking about aren't real, I'm not gone, I'm right here for you!
Silver continues to toss and turn in his sleep, breathing irregularly as Pierce attempts to shake him awake.
:Silver [asleep]: I don't want to be here all by myself, please don't leave me...
Silver starts to cry a little bit in his sleep.
:Silver [asleep]: Pierce come back to me! Please come back! COME BACK!
:Pierce: WAKE UP, SILVER! WAKE UPPP!
----
In the next scene, we get an outside glimpse of a temple-like building that's gotten overrun with vegetation, named the Amour Clinic. The next shot shows Silver weakly sitting up in bed, looking really tired and overwhelmed. He was alone in the room, looking very exhausted. Before he knew it was coming, the door opens up to show a white-haired lady wearing fantastic clothes, wielding a clipboard and pen while an anxious Pierce Hazel follws in right after her.
:Silver: Mmmnn...?
Silver weakly opens his eyes.
:Silver: Pierce? Spade? What's going... on?
:Spade: You've been hallucinating about the Orange Sands again, Silver.
Spade sighs as she walks to the side of the room, pulling down a blind with a chart on it.
:Spade: At least seventy-seven percent of your reported dreams over the past few weeks have been about that realm. You've clearly been in a troubled state of mind lately.
:Pierce: Honey, I'm getting really worried about you. You keep panicking about people leaving you, people hating you, people betraying your trust... when everything's perfectly fine!
:Silver: I'm sorry that I haven't been very honest about my emotions lately, you two.
Silver looks down, sighing.
:Silver: I tried to keep everything bottled up because I didn't want to bother anyone, but it came back to bite me in the ass.
:Spade: Clearly you've been troubled, Silver.
Spade reaches into her pocket.
:Spade: Please, have a chocolate.
Spade smacks him clear across the face with a thick chocolate bar to wake him up fully, before shoving it in his mouth. Silver looked a bit confused, but ate it up slowly.
:Spade: Now then, how are you really feeling? Please know that I will not take "I'm fine" for an answer, because you're clearly not feeling fine, and you haven't felt fine in a while it seems.
:Silver: I've just been thinking about the core values of my lifestyle a lot lately.
Silver sighs and leans back.
:Silver: If you think about it deeply enough, I'm nothing more than an alcoholic junkie on a road to self-destruction. I'm too reliant on other people, I keep thinking too deeply about outcomes, and I spend all my time thinking about shit that isn't actually important.
:Pierce: Honey, I know that you've been making a lot of wrong choices lately, but those things aren't what define you for me.
Pierce smiles reassuringly.
:Pierce: You've always been one of the sweetest and most thoughtful people I know.
:Silver: Yeah, I know that, and I appreciate it Pierce. But I just keep living this same mundane and stale lifestyle, and all the things I take pleasure in end so quickly. 
:Spade: Perhaps it's time I made suggestions for your day-to-day lifestyle, Silver.
Spade scribbles some stuff down on a clipboard.
:Spade: Pierce, I need you to do a thorough cleaning of Zin's household. Eliminate all signs of drugs, sell off all the alcohol he has, and refrain from intimacy for maybe two weeks.
:Silver: I don't know, Spade. We know I'm just going to relapse back into doing all of this. I'm going to go back to where I was last night as soon as I drift back to sleep.
:Pierce: Silver's right, Spade. [shakes his head] Every time you suggest for him to stay off his substances, he goes right back to his usual shit, no matter how much of a time limit you apply. Removing this shit from his life isn't going to fix it, sudden withdrawal isn't going to help clear his head.
Spade sighs, sitting down in a swivel chair and looking unsure of what to do. She thinks to herself for a moment before turning her head to Silver.
:Spade: Then I'm going to suggest something completely different.
Spade looks at both of them intensely.
:Spade: This will sound reckless and silly, but I want you to avoid sleeping tonight. Instead, I want you to take a long walk into the city with whichever friends you want and think everything over for yourself.
:Pierce: That's insane, there's no way I'm going to let him walk in the middle of the ni-
:Silver: I think I'll take this advice Spade. Maybe a walk tonight can do my mind some justice, thank you.
:Pierce: W... What?
Pierce stares at his partner, looking baffled.
:Pierce: You know how dangerous the city is at night, Silver!
:Silver: Would you rather have me get over my problems or see me wallow back into the orange sands, Pierce?
Pierce goes silent.
:Spade: Alright, I suppose your session today is over, Silver.
Spade taps her fingers down on the side of her swivel chair's arm.
:Spade: Good luck out there Silver. Feel free to come back if you're feeling down again. Anything to prevent myself from feeling responsible for not being able to prevent someone else's death.
Silver nods, getting up and holding Pierce's hand.
:Silver: Thank you Spade, I really appreciate all the help you've given me today. I promise I'll be back if things keep going down this path for me.
Silver goes to give her hug, only for her to push him back a bit.
:Spade: No hugs, remember? I don't like affection. Anyway, please return soon.
:Silver: Sorry, I'll keep that in mind.
Both Silver and Pierce leave the room and shut the door. Spade turns around, facing a picture on the wall.
:Spade: Don't worry, brother. [sniffs] I won't let you down again.
----
The next night, Silver is shown dressing himself up in a black cloak and a pair of shiny brown shoes. Pierce walks up to him holding a bag of Takis, which he tosses to Silver.
:Pierce: Honey, are you sure you want to go through with this?
Pierce places a hand on his shoulder.
:Pierce: I don't want you to relapse into the same state you were in, but I don't want you to feel like you're doing something you don't want to do, either.
:Silver: Nothing's going to happen if I don't take matters into my own hands, so I need to do this.
Silver turns to face his boyfriend, smiling.
:Silver: Please don't worry about me Pierce.
:Pierce: As long as you feel like you know what you're doing and as long as you promise to not do anything reckless while we're out on the streets, I'm willing to do what you want.
Pierce sighs as he sits down in his wheelchair.
:Pierce: I'm proud that you're making better choices for yourself, Silv.
:Silver: Anything to make life feel less like a drag. [yawns] Maybe I should consider opening up an alcohol shop somewhere in this place, I know all 'bout that shit.
:Pierce: Hey, success helps with easing out pain, so I'm all for that if you wanna go down that path.
Pierce smiles a little, eating at a slice of a powdered donut.
:Pierce: I can help you out too! I used to run an adult convenience store.
:Silver: You're the sweetest goddamn thing in the satellite, I hope you know that.
Pierce cheekily grins as they begin to go towards the elevator leading outside Silver's home.
:Pierce: Nah, you are! I couldn't think of anyone as empathetic or well-meaning as yourself. You're a personified rich sugar cube!
:Silver: No, you're the sweetest thing in the satellite! Even though you claim to be weak and so fragile, you're such a strong fuckin' backbone for me and I couldn't ask for anyone more supportive than yourself.
:Pierce: You're far too kind, hon!
Pierce hugs him tightly.
:Pierce: Just... I do still feel concern for you. I'm not sure if things will turn out the way you want 'em to.
:Silver: Hey, it's okay if things don't go through as I intend them to, part of the recovery process includes having me accept that I can't control everything that happens in this lifetime.
Silver returns the hug.
:Silver: I appreciate your concern, but let's try to think optimistically tonight.
Pierce nods as they go into the elevator, then fly out of their well using the rockets attached to Pierce's versatile wheelchair. They land down on a sidewalk, with Silver smiling at his boyfriend as they're surrounded by the familiar Stenographer-shaped statues of their garden.
:Pierce: Do you mind me asking Val and Azrail if they wanna come along, dear? I have my phone out and I'm ready to call 'em if you wanna see them.
:Silver: Hey go ahead, I don't mind anyone comin' along. Besides, I want to feel as involved as possible with others tonight so I can keep myself occupied with the good things.
:Pierce: Sounds like a hell of a plan to me.
Pierce flips open his phone.
:Pierce: Alright. I'll go behind the well to make the call, you can hang around for a bit and breathe in your surroundings. Feel free to relax!
Silver grins wide at him, doing the thumbs up.
:Silver: Gotcha!
Pierce wheels himself behind the well leading in to Silver's home, making his phone call and leaving Silver standing alone. Silver takes a few deep breaths, slowly inhaling and exhaling air as he leans back against a telephone pole. He looks around his surroundings, smiling as he slips a few Takis out into his hands and chews them up.
:Silver: Excellent idea, Spade.
Silver kicks back against the pole.
:Silver: It feels so refreshing to be outside, just chilling out and relaxing, not having a care in the world...
Silver smiles a little bit, chewing up his Takis peacefully. After a little while of waiting for Pierce to get off the phone with Val and Azrail, a purple-haired woman dressed up in traditional Balmism clothes approaches him with a wooden handbasket.
:Stranger: Hi there, Silvie!
The stranger excitedly moves her shoulders up and down.
:Stranger: I was wondering if you'd be interested in a sample of my all-new "wonder bread"? It's got a nice nutty texture to it!
:Silver: Whoa there, how'd you know my name? Seems a little... strange to me.
:Stranger: Don't be silly honey, you've been everywhere in the satellite newspapers for the past couple of years! How would I not know of your existence by this point?
:Silver: I suppose that's a fair point.
Silver scratches behind his horns.
:Silver: But do you actually go around the streets by night selling this wonder bread stuff?
:Stranger: Yep! I have a market down the street that I want you guys to check out later. You mind paying me a visit in a while? I'm sure my bread will blow your mind!
Silver shrugs to the lady.
:Silver: Yeah why not, I'm off on a spiritual journey tonight to clear my mind anyways.
:Stranger: Great!
The stranger keeps her face hidden as she hands him a sample of her bread.
:Stranger: In the meanwhile, that's the first sample of my bread I'm giving you tonight! Enjoy!
Silver looks at the bread in his hand. I mean, it looked like bread. It sure felt like bread.
:Silver: Thanks.
Silver threw the chunk of nut bread in his mouth, much to the delight of the stranger, whose shoulders and arms were shaking with excitement. Even though Silver expected something to be off, it actually tasted delicious. Upon swallowing it, he noted there were no immediate side-effects or stomach cramps.
:Silver: Holy shit! [grins] That was fucking delicious! I'll drop by your place later.
:Stranger: THANK YOU!!!
The stranger squeals loudly with excitement, her horns escaping her hood before she hides them again.
:Stranger: Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh...
:Silver: Say, what's you-
The stranger squeals as she runs off, much to Silver's surprise, who couldn't even ask her for her name.
:Silver: Well, that was awkward.
Just then, Pierce races back to him in his wheelchair, grinning wide at his boyfriend.
:Pierce: They accepted my invitations! They should arrive real soon, they're conveniently both in this town looking for things to do. Syi said she'd look after Val's possessions.
:Silver: Awesome, thanks for calling them up sweetie! Let's wait just a bit for 'em, I'm sure they'll be here in a minute or so.
:Valerie: How about now?
Both of them jump, startled.
:Pierce: W-WHAAA???
Valerie and Azrail sneaked up right behind them! Pierce jumped in his seat out of pure shock, but Silver let out a hearty laugh and folded his arms.
:Pierce: Good lord, y'all! I almost had cardiac arrest!
:Silver: Well well well, that didn't take you two long at all!
Silver pulls them in for a hug, grinning as they return it.
:Silver: Welcome aboard, we're really happy to have you two here with us tonight.
:Valerie: I'm really happy to be here myself, Silv. To be truthful, I've been really stressed out lately by work and I've been meaning to get out of the house for a while.
:Azrail: My pleasure to be here with ya, pal! I've just broken up with my girlfriend, so I'm lucky to have gotten some time out of the house so soon.
:Silver: Glad that you two are on this journey with m- wait.
Silver looks to Azrail.
:Silver: You had a girlfriend and didn't say anything!?
:Azrail: You never knew that 60+ year old woman Ginger was my girlfriend?
Azrail chuckles a little.
:Azrail: Damn, I guess I've never been really open about my relationship with her. Uh, we ran into some differences with each other, and I don't just mean the age difference.
:Silver: Pfft.
Everyone laughs together.
:Silver: That sucks though, but I hope the journey you take with us tonight will help you feel better after that. We're here for ya!
:Valerie: It's great to see you in high spirits tonight Silv, I was worried about your well-being for a while now. Let's do this walk and beat the shit out of our inner demons!
:Silver: Hey I was worried about your well-being for a bit myself!
Silver smiles and lets go of everyone.
:Silver: I'm glad we're all using this opportunity to go on a hunting party against our bad thoughts!
:Azrail: Alright, let's bring 'em all down!
:Pierce: Right on guys! At this rate, the satellite's gonna be ours to rule!
Everyone throws their fists up together in a shout of appreciation.
:All: Yeah!!
There was a bit of silence.
:Azrail: So, where're we goin' fellas?
:Silver: We're gonna walk down Main Street, I have to pay someone a visit I promised to make. Though first, we're gonna visit some other stores. Do y'all have any suggestions?
:Valerie: Wouldn't hurt to take a visit to the Rose Shop, I heard that Crymsia Rose works after-hours on Sundays and I'd like to pay her a visit 'cuz it's been a while since we've talked.
:Azrail: I'd like to go to the Collin Shop warehouse if it's not too much trouble, Silv.
:Pierce: I think it'd be good to pay a little trip to the Cole Studios, I haven't seen Vizole in a while and I wanna make sure he's okay. [smiles] Maybe we should go to the Moore Lounge and see if anyone's working there at this hour, though I doubt Oyster works that late.
:Silver: These all sound like good plans to me.
Silver grins to himself, throwing some peppermint gum into his mouth.
:Silver: So, we're gonna visit these places one by one and talk a bit to the people inside of them, then I'm gonna go to this bread shop that supposedly exists on this street. Sound like a plan?
:Azrail: Hells to the yeahs!
:Valerie: Let's do it!
The group begins to walk down the street.
:Silver: Everything's going to be perfectly fine.
----
Inside the stranger's bread shop, way down the street, we see her working on her next batch of bread. She snickered a little bit, dripping purple fluids down onto it.
:Stranger: I bet I'll really impress Silvie with this loaf of bread...
The stranger giggles to herself.
:Stranger: It's been a while since I've actually impressed myself, actually, hopefully this'll do the trick! Hehe.
A hooded figure with cross-shaped golden eyes stands nearby, staring at her work.
:Hooded Figure: I think it'll turn out great, miss.
The hooded figure stares at her perfect loaf of bread.
:Hooded Figure: Now that looks beautiful. I think there's a lot to be proud of in this.
:Stranger: Thank you, assistant.
She smiles as she keeps it out on the counter.
I can't wait to see his dumb face come in the store, I've been dying to share this with him for reasons I can't explain...
:Hooded Figure: It'll happen soon enough, I'm sure!
The stranger cackles as she overlooks her bread, purple flashes emitting from her eyes.
----
Silver's group continues walking down Main Street, all of them holding hands as a bunch of noiseless space pods zoom along the airy roads of New Naxaz City. Silver looks around the streets, taking deep breaths as he uses the silence to clear his mind. He smiles a little bit as they begin to approach the Rose Shop.
:Silver: It's a quiet night, huh?
:Valerie: Yeah, it is quiet tonight.
Silver stops in place.
:Silver: Too quiet.
:Azrail: Doesn't seem that bad out here, though.
:Silver: Actually you're right, I kinda like it being this quiet. Gives me more room to think about things.
Silver smiles as he leans back against a telephone pole.
:Silver: Maybe I should take walks more often.
:Valerie: Yeah, I think I should start doing the same.
Valerie leans back against a nearby brick wall.
:Valerie: I need to get back into that fitness program with Syi, I've put on a few pounds over the past month just snacking on Mike & Ikes.
:Azrail: I used to be overweight and get nauseous often 'cuz I couldn't tell whether I was actually hungry or not and so I'd overeat. I'd suggest setting times for when you eat snacks, it's helped me a lot.
:Valerie: Thank you Azrail, that'll help me plenty.
Valerie smiles as she looks at Azrail.
:Valerie: Uhh, when I'm feeling upset or down, I find it relaxing to just fix my bedsheets or clean up my room. Gets those priorities off my mind.
Azrail smiles at Valerie, giving her a gentle hug. Valerie returns it happily. When some guys begin jeering in the distance about the satellite's richest woman hugging one of the satellite's most notorious fellows, Azrail pulls away and sends some of his Hammerbees after them, making them run away in fear.
:Azrail: Scram!
:Pierce: Oh yeah, sometimes I throw glass bottles at people I don't like. It helps me too.
:Silver: When things don't work out for me, I find music to really help drown out those bad vibes.
:Pierce: And whenever I'm feeling low, I just try to stop, take deep breaths, and think about all the good things I have in my life rather than all the things I don't have.
Pierce leans against his partner, who blushes a bit.
:Pierce: That means I think about Silver a lot.
:Azrail: Thanks guys, that advice really helps me.
Azrail sighs happily.
:Azrail: Aight, we should probably start moving again or we're gonna wind up sleepwalking some hours from now.
:Silver: Right! Right...
Silver and his group come up to the Rose Shop, with Silver knowing on the glass door. They find a really groggy-looking Crymsia Rose knitting away, looking up to see who the hell was knocking on her shop's door at this hour.
:Crymsia: What the hell are you four doing out at this hour? Whatever, I'll let you guys come in because I see Valerie's with you, and I'd hate to make a scene in front of her.
:Silver: Thanks!
They all enter Crymsia's shop but Azrail, the bell on the rose lady's glass doors ringing soundly as they come inside. Crymsia looked really busy knitting before they came in, but when she saw Valerie approach closer, she placed her work down.
:Crymsia: Valerie, it's nice to see you.
Crymsia smiles sweetly.
:Crymsia: I finished your commission, I got it right here underneath my desk. I hope you like it!
Crymsia smiles as she pulls out a black tank top with Valco's logo on it, with Olympic rings designed behind the logo. It had a golden collar and golden cuffs as well.
:Pierce: Oooh...
:Valerie: That looks wonderful, thank you!
Valerie eagerly slides 200 ValCoins across the table, which Crymsia happily accepts and slides into her register.
:Crymsia: No problem Crymsia, I handle your commissions with pride and love. How've you been doing lately, hon? It's been a while since you've dropped by last.
:Valerie: I've been doing alright besides from feeling a bit sickly. But with this shirt I'll feel inspired to get back into my fitness regime! It'll help me feel less like a slouch.
:Crymsia: That's the spirit girl. [looks over Valerie's shoulder] Hey, you know you've gotta have to pay for that right? Or else put that back on the rack!
Silver was dressed up in a black wedding gown. Pierce was flashing photos of him from all angles, wheeling around in his wheelchair as he does so.
:Silver: Looks good on me, Crymsia!
:Crymsia: Look, if you pass me at least a thousand ValCoins for that gown, I'll let this slide.
Crymsia folds her arms.
:Crymsia: I'll strangle you next we meet if I find that your dress isn't in perfect condition.
:Valerie: Don't you think you're being a bit harsh, my dear?
Pierce nods in agreement with Crymsia, placing his camera away.
:Crymsia: Maybe I am, I just spent a good amount of time in making that dress and I don't want it to get ruined by some pastel boy's idiocy. [sighs] Alright it's cool, just give me the ValCoins or put it back on the rack Silver.
Silver smiles as he takes off the dress, placing it back on its hanger as he walks over to Crymsia, spending a thousand ValCoins on his gown, which Crymsia takes a moment to accept.
:Silver: I just want this for when I finally wind up in marriage.
:Crymsia: We have tuxedos here, Silver.
:Silver: Not a fan of tuxedos personally, they just don't seem right for me.
Silver shrugs as he takes his dress and leaves the store.
:Silver: See you down the road, Crymsia!
:Crymsia: I hope I don't!
The three of them walk out of the store. They see that Azrail's been leaning back against a telephone pole, having been waiting for them for the past five minutes or so.
:Silver: Why'd you stay out, Az?
:Azrail: I've never had a good relationship with that Rose woman. We were actually dating at some point in the past, but we went our own separate ways when she realized some of my more embarrassing secrets.
:Silver: Huh? [raises eyebrow] Like?
:Azrail: Y'know, my collection of girly things and just how shitty of an inventor I actually am, it embarrassed her more than it could have ever embarrassed me. I'm over that now, I just don't want to bother her when we agreed to never speak to each other ever again.
:Valerie: That makes sense. [smiles] C'mon, there's more places to go, more places to see.
:Pierce: Let's get a move on. Next stop... the Collin Shop.
:Azrail: Right!
Azrail springs up.
:Azrail: Right behind you!
The group rush off to go visit the Collin Shop.
----
Back at the bread shop, we see that the loaf of bread's still on the counter, with the stranger's smile having faded a bit. She looks at her assistant, who remains in the shadows.
:Stranger: How long have I been waiting?
:Hooded Figure: I'd say roughly twelve minutes. [sighs] I'm getting a bit impatient myself, but don't lose hope. You'll catch him right where you want him soon enough.
:Stranger: The bread's going to go cold.
The stranger frowns.
:Stranger: It won't be as satisfying to see him eat the bread when it goes cold...
:Hooded Figure: Do not fret, dear one.
The hooded figure walks further into the shadows.
:Hooded Figure: I understand your feelings, but I wouldn't give up hope just yet. Maybe there's just something in the way.
The stranger nods, sighing to herself as she plays with her hanging-out purple hair.
:Stranger: I just hope he arrives soon...
----
Within minutes, the group manage to reach the Collin Shop. They enter what looks to be like a garage, except much larger and with excellent lighting. Azrail grins as he walks way ahead of the others, stopping by Epica Collin's desk. You can tell that's her name because it says so on her desk.
:Azrail: Heya Epica, it's been a while hasn't it!
Epica jumps up, a bit surprised that he'd be here this late but smiling nonetheless. Epica's sister, Sarona, glares at Azrail as she places cans of paint in alphabetical order by brand on the shelves.
:Epica: Hey Az, what's up? [smiles at him] It's been a while yeah, how are you doing?
:Azrail: I'm doing absolutely wonderfully right now, I'm walking with some great friends and I've never felt more inspired to do something grand! So I was wondering if you two still had that steel kit deluxe on sale? I could really use it for my next invention!
:Epica: Yeah yeah, we still have it, it's been marked down from 1200 ValCoins to just 800.
Epica walks into the back room, pulling out what Azrail wanted.
:Epica: What're you gonna build with it?
:Azrail: Hmmm...
Silver leans over to Pierce, whispering in his ear.
:Silver: I bet he's gonna build a panty searcher...
:Azrail: I plan on making a stainless steel grill that kinda works like a pressure cooker. And I've just hatched the most brilliant plan: to make it cage in critters, cook them instantly and manually dislodge their bones, then clean out the guts into a disposal bin.
Silver looks slightly embarrassed at his assumption, crawling up a shelf when nobody else is looking.
:Epica: That sounds sick! [laughs] Alright, I'll hand you it as soon as you hand over 800 ValCoins.
Azrail reaches into his pocket, starting to look a bit dismayed.
:Azrail: Sure, let me just... reach into my wallet... oh.
Azrail sighs, pulling out his pockets to show they're empty.
:Azrail: Damn it, I forgot to bring my wallet with me, I was trying to rush out the door as soon as possible. Uh, how long does the sale last tonight, Ms. Collin?
:Epica: Until tonight, unfortunately.
Epica looks down at him, frowning.
:Epica: Sorry man. Next year we'll have it back on sale, at least. 'Til then, safe travels!
:Azrail: Alright... uh, good day.
Azrail almost begins walking away when he bumps into Valerie's chest.
:Azrail: Whoa shit, I'm sorry! That wasn't intentional!
:Valerie: Now you just wait right there, Azrail.
Valerie winks at him, walking up to the register.
:Valerie: I'll handle this Azrail, it's the least I can do for you.
:Azrail: I can just race back home and grab my wallet... no biggie, I'll be willing to pay full price.
:Valerie: I'll feel less scummy about myself if I do this.
Valerie grins, showing her sharp cat teeth.
:Valerie: Besides, it always puts a smile on my face when I see people happy, even if that person's you!
Valerie slides 1600 ValCoins across the counter, resulting in Valerie getting one for herself as well as one for Azrail. Azrail couldn't look any happier when Valerie passed one of the steel kit deluxe kits over to him.
:Epica: Alright! You two have a good day!
:Azrail: W-Wow, thank you Val! I'll always cherish this memory.
Azrail hugs her tightly, a hug she proudly returns.
:Azrail: Say, what are you going to do with your own steel kit, Val? You never told me you were an inventor.
:Valerie: Oh I'm an inventor alright.
Valerie snickers.
:Valerie: But only Syi knows those little details!
:Azrail: Oh...
Azrail looks lightly disgusted, but he forgets all about Valerie's comment as he sees Silver laying belly-first above a tall stack of hardware, his horns twirling around a little bit as he looks at everyone from above.
:Pierce: Hey Silver, get down from there, I don't want ya to get hurt!
:Silver: Oh sorry, I was just taking some time to relax and have a bit of fun. I've actually been looking for the Nintendo Switch consoles, I've been looking everywhere for them but haven't found one.
:Epica: You're, uh, laying on them.
Silver looks underneath himself, seeing he's laying on a bed of Nintendo Switch boxes.
:Silver: So I am, huh?
:Pierce: You rascal, I love you.
Silver giggles and picks one up, frontflipping down and handing Epica four-thousand ValCoins. Epica smiles and lets him have the box.
:Epica: Have fun kiddo!
:Silver: Thanks!
Everyone laughs and smiles as they walk out of the Collin Shop with whatever they got. Pierce takes a moment to step out of his wheelchair, hugging Silver tightly.
:Pierce: Mid-walk check-in, how are you holding up sweetheart?
:Silver: I'm holding up pretty well right now actually, but you might not be if you don't sit back down in your wheelchair quickly enough.
Silver rubs his hair and kisses his cheek.
:Silver: Get it? No really, I don't want you to get hurt.
Pierce nods and smiles, sitting back down in his wheelchair.
:Pierce: Just checking in, that's all. I'm doing great, but I'm going to be feeling even better when we drop by Cole Studios. How about we do that now and then check out the bread store, and then go home?
:Valerie: As much as I'd like to go to the Moore Lounge later, I think I'm going to be too tired to really do anything by the time we make it there.
Valerie hugs Silver tightly.
:Valerie: After the bread store trip I'm gonna go home. I feel a lot better about myself tonight thanks to you.
:Azrail: Yeah I'm gonna leave this party after the last stop, but I'm really appreciative of you inviting us out here Pierce! I really needed this recovery time and I got the steel kit I've been wanting eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
:Silver: Glad you're all feeling much better.
Silver pulls two thumbs up.
:Silver: C'mon guys, let's head down to Cole Studios before it gets exceptionally late over there!
:Valerie: Right on it!
Everyone begins to race over to Cole Studios as soon as possible.
----
Back at the bread store, the stranger was beginning to look frustrated. She poked her bread- it still felt warm, but nowhere as it was before, and felt great dismay with this discovery.
:Stranger: He's not going to come over quickly enough... 
The stranger sighs to herself.
:Stranger: God damn it, all I wanted to do was to make him... make him... make... fuck, I can't speak.
:Hooded Figure: Don't lose patience, mistress! I'm sure he'll be coming soon!
:Stranger: I keep feeling like he's broken that little promise to me...
The stranger pounds the counter with her eerily white fist.
:Stranger: He doesn't want to come over. He knows who I am, assistant.
:Hooded Figure: Give him some more time...
The stranger sniffled a bit, trying hard to keep her tears away from ruining her food, nodding bitterly.
:Hooded Figure: Hurry up, Silver.
----
Silver, Valerie, and Pierce walk inside the Cole Studios together, where they found the place was a mess. They found Vizole out cold on the floor, with pizza boxes everywhere and with bottles of beer everywhere to be seen. The place was a disaster zone, and Pierce looked totally shocked by it.
:Pierce: Oh shit, what happened here?
:Valerie: Uhhh...
Vizole lets out a groan, getting up and looking up at the four that just walked into his studios.
:Vizole: Oh shit, hey Pierce!
Vizole waves at him.
:Vizole: What's up?
:Pierce: Man what happened here?
Pierce looks around the room.
:Pierce: Looks even trashier in here than it usually does. Give me answers man, this shit puts me on edge.
:Vizole: I was practicing for my solo career with a new bassist, and they were really craving pizza and beer. [sighs lowly] But now that I'm getting up, I must've been up to no good too, oh dear.
:Pierce: You're fine though, right? Do you need our help?
:Vizole: If it won't kill any of you guys, I would like a bit of help cleaning up. I think she tried to nail me down to the floor for something I wasn't willing to do. Never gonna practice with that bitch again.
Vizole struggles to get up, a lot of visible cuts shown on his arms and legs, outnumbering the amount of permanent scars he has across his body.
:Valerie: That's awful man, I'm so sorry.
Valerie pulls Vizole up by the hand, hugging him.
:Valerie: She's gone now, we're gonna try and help you get this place back to the way it was before, if not better.
:Pierce: Yeah, I'm sorry things went down this path for you. So, how long have you been like this? I haven't been able to rehearse with Black Haze without your presence.
:Vizole: Uh, three days now. I should have called for help, but I chickened out because the situation was just that embarrassing for me.
:Pierce: Don't be afraid to call me up Vizole, you know I'd try and help any way I can.
Silver walks into the room after having spent some time looking around the studio, immediately hugging Vizole on sight, with the siren guitarist immediately responding with a hug of his own.
:Silver: Hey, we're here now for ya.
Silver looks around the totally trashed room.
:Silver: C'mon guys, whatever's salvageable can be refrigerated, whatever's not goes out in the back trash. Shouldn't be too hard if we all pull ourselves together.
:Vizole: Yeah, I'm down for this, I'd rather not do anything else until the studio's clean.
Vizole walks shakily towards the closet.
:Vizole: Let's get rid of all this pizza first.
:Azrail: NOT SO FAST!
Vizole, Silver, Pierce, and Valerie turn around to face the rather quiet mechanic, who's sweating pretty hard and holding something pretty large.
:Vizole: That was sudden.
:Azrail: I made a really quick lightning warp back home to gather an invention of mine that can clean up this whole mess! Least I can do after all the help I've been given today!
:Pierce: How'd you know the place was a mess if you haven't even stepped inside the house 'til now?
:Azrail: 'Cuz it smells absolutely rotten and gross in here, like you could smell it from several blocks away!
Azrail places his machine down.
:Azrail: Watch and learn! Someone hand me a pic of what the studio's supposed to look like.
Vizole hands him just what he wants from off the counter.
:Vizole: Will that do?
:Azrail: That's perfect!
To Vizole's surprise, Azrail shreds it away in the machine- upon doing such, a huge vacuum triggers, snatching away all the pizza, dust, blood, broken glass, etc. that's been dirtying up the floors and walls and sucking them specifically inside of its void. Upon finishing its job, the machine shuts off. Now the place looks pristine.
:Azrail: It worked!
:Pierce: Oh hey, nice!
Vizole high fives Azrail.
:Vizole: Thanks man!
Vizole smiles wide at Azrail, giving him a hug out of appreciation and thanks. Azrail returns it gleefully. Before either knew it, they were joined by Silver, Valerie, and Pierce, who each got to join in.
:Silver: You know, it was really cool watching all three of you pitch in and help each other out, it really... makes me feel nice and warm inside. [smiles] I'm really glad I have friends as wonderful as you guys.
:Vizole: Oh, you four have been traveling together?
:Silver: Yeah! We've been taking a walk around town because all of us weren't feeling particularly well earlier.
:Vizole: Wish you luck.
Vizole kisses Pierce's cheek, smiling sultrily at him.
:Vizole: I'll be back at Kilmister's studio tomorrow, you can expect me to be there playing some riffs I made up from just whistling riff patterns I came up with on my own while down on the floor.
:Pierce: Right. Well, this visit has been kind of abrupt, but I suppose we gotta get moving or Val and Az will fall asleep right before us. Thank you for letting us help out!
:Vizole: I'm glad you all came here in my hour of need. I'll be seeing all of you again soon. Here's some free tickets to the next Black Haze concert, you three.
Vizole hands off free tickets to Silver, Valerie, and Azrail, much to their surprise.
:Vizole: They should get you front row seats, and if they don't, I'll fight all night for it.
Vizole grins and waves them off.
:Vizole: See you later darlings, thank you for the help!
:Azrail: No prob! Thanks for the tickets!
:Silver: Good luck, Viz!
Silver, Valerie, Azrail, and Pierce leave the Cole Studios almost as quickly as they've gone in, all four of them leaning against the wall and taking a break.
:Silver: Alright, I'm going to go to the breadstore.
Silver looks at Valerie and Azrail.
:Silver: I don't want to keep you two up any longer, so you're free to go home now if you want to.
:Pierce: Yeah... 
:Valerie: I suppose that's for the best, I'm getting pretty sleepy anyways. Thank you so much... you're the best sibling I could have ever asked for. This walk's really helped me out.
:Silver: Aww... you too!
Valerie and Azrail smile at them, both smiling back at them.
:Valerie: Thank you too Pierce, I'm really glad you asked me if I wanted to come along for the ride.
:Pierce: No prob, val!
Azrail does thumbs ups to both Silver and Pierce.
:Azrail: Gracias you two lovebirds! I'm gonna go home now and fool around with my steel kit, be sure to visit me on the weekend so we can have a little cookout together!
:Silver: Alright! We'll see you two later, you two have sweet dreams and I'll contact you guys on Risquord tomorrow if there's any important updates!
:Pierce: Bye-bye for now!
:Valerie: See you later, guys! Have fun!
The group splits up, with Valerie and Azrail calling up space pods and going back home. Silver yawns as he continues to walk up the sidewalk with Pierce, with the breadstore in their sights.
:Pierce: After this last stop, we're going home and straight to bed, alright Silver?
:Silver: Right, that's a promise I'm willing to make to you tonight Pierce.
Pierce smiles at his boyfriend as they keep walking down the sidewalk, unaware of what's about to come to the two of them as they see the poorly-lit "BREADSTORE" sign from a quarter of a mile off.
----
In the breadstore, the stranger was loudly weeping, the bread having gone cold and hard, much to the dismay of her hooded assistant. She blows her nose on a tissue, sighing as she tries not to break down.
:Hooded Figure: I'm so sorry, I thought he would come here tonight.
:Stranger: It's... fine...
The hooded figure rubs her back.
:Stranger: It's not like you broke any promises to me, you were just trying to help me, that's all you were trying to do tonight...!
:Hooded Figure: I'm regretful that I couldn't help you, but don't cry anymore.
The figure places a hand on her shoulder.
:Hooded Figure: Look, if it'll make you feel any better, it's probably that he couldn't make the time for you tonight.
:Stranger: I'm well aware, it's just such a disappointment... I put all of my all into this bread!
Just when the stranger was about to throw another fit, the front door to the breadstore opens, with Silver stepping in it alone. He grins as he walks up to the hooded stranger, his elbow now laying on the counter.
:Silver: Sorry about that, I got held up tonight by a lot of things. I guess I came here too late?
The stranger looks up.
:Stranger: No... but I'm glad you came.
She smiled under her hood, but her voice sounded glum and empty.
:Stranger: This bread isn't soft or hot anymore, but you can still have a taste if you like.
Silver nods.
:Silver: How much are you charging me to have this loaf of bread?
:Stranger: No charge...
:Silver: Hey, are you sure?
:Stranger: I have no issue giving away this loaf of bread for free, any additional commissions you make I will charge for.
The stranger looks down.
:Stranger: Just take it and get out.
Silver slowly grabs the loaf of bread off of the counter.
:Silver: Can I make it up to you?
:Stranger: No, you were just held up, that's all. Look, I don't want to trouble you more than I already am. Please just take the bread and leave. Don't come back, if you can.
:Silver: Alright...
Silver begins to walk out of the store.
:Stranger: Mallory Zin, your sister proper, told me to tell you that she has no plans to do anything with you over a prolonged period of time.
The stranger looks down at him.
:Stranger: She's been going through an ordeal and she'd rather not do anything but do whatever makes her happy.
:Silver: Wait, how are you in contact with Mallory?
:Stranger: Just... believe me.
The stranger pulls down on her hood, four horns escaping her hood.
:Stranger: I would know.
:Silver: Tell her I got the message, and that I say thanks.
Silver looks back at her, a bit reluctantly.
:Silver: And that I love her and wish for her safe recovery.
Silver hesitated with his little lie, but he didn't really want to feel like he was hurting anyone else tonight. He keeps staring at the stranger.
:Silver: And hey. I'm going to eat this bread and like it for what it is. Because you know what? You made it for me. You were passionate about making it and you were really willing to please me. Even if the bread turns out to be less than what your expectations made it out to be, it's going to taste perfectly fine.
The stranger looked like she was going to cry.
:Silver: Thank you so much, I'm sorry for having been a hassle on you tonight.
:Stranger: N... No problem.
Silver leaves the breadstore, joining his boyfriend and walking back home. The stranger unhoods herself, revealing herself to be Mallory Zin the whole time, with the Leper Messiah crawling from out of the shadows.
:Mallory: Making loaves of sweet nut bread is all I can do right now to release this never-ending guilt...
----
Back home, Silver was eating his bread in peace with Pierce, both of them hanging out and staring at New Naxaz City's starry ceiling work above. They were both clearly enjoying their bread, surrounded by many groups of blitzing fireflies, which flutter about the two.
:Silver: I feel much better tonight.
Silver holds Pierce's hand.
:Silver: Thank you so much for helping me.
:Pierce: You were the one who decided to help themselves out with their own troubles. The one thing that's been killing me over the past few weeks is seeing you so unhappy.
Pierce looks down.
:Pierce: And you're so different now... I love you so much.
Pierce kisses his cheek, which Silver gladly returns.
:Pierce: Everything's going to be alright, okay Silver? Even if we need to take a step back sometimes and go outside, everything will be alright in the end. That's something Weezer taught me.
:Silver: Who?
Both of them laugh as they continue eating up this bread.
:Silver: I don't know the stranger that made this bread, but it's fucking delicious. They sure acted strange, dunno why, but this nut bread is... great.
:Pierce: It's a bit cold and hard, I usually prefer eating warm and soft bread, but it's very much edible either way. [smiles a bit] Maybe you should talk to them someday and have a good conversation with them. They'd probably appreciate it if you gave them the attention they need.
:Silver: She seemed ashamed of herself for some reason.
Silver scratches the back of his head.
:Silver: Like she just became sober or something and realized how fucked up she is. Not that I'd know, but it's just an assumption.
:Pierce: Well, we don't need to worry about her right now.
Pierce gently holds Silver's hand.
:Pierce: I love you, Silver.
:Silver: I love you too Pierce, and I always will, no matter what.
:Pierce: Promise me that you're not going to the goddamn Orange Sands tonight or whatever they're called. This was a great night. We've done so many great things together as a couple and with our friends tonight. Don't let your inner demons take you down!
:Silver: I won't. That's a promise I can actually keep!
Both of them hold hands as they overlook a cranberry-colored lake in the Stenographer Garden, fireflies buzzing about them as they come in for a kiss.
THE END
==Other information==
===Characters===
*Silver Zin
*Valerie Heartgold
*Pierce Hazel
*Azrail Neos
*Crymsia Rose
*Vizole Cole
*Spade Amour (debut)
*Epica Collin (debut)
*Sarona Collin (debut)
*Mallory Zin
*Leper Messiah
===Settings===
*Stenographer Well #66, Stenographer Garden, New Naxaz City
*Cranberry Lake, Stenographer Garden, New Naxaz City
*Main Street, New Naxaz City
*Rose Shop, New Naxaz City
*Collin Shop, New Naxaz City
*Cole Studios, New Naxaz City
*Breadstore, New Naxaz City
*The Amour Clinic, Sector 5
Category:COLD❄BLOOD
Category:Subpages