They all gathered in Able’s apartment after the mission. Heart, Eden and Logan now with them, they recuperated and chatted here.

  Peaches and Evelyn was cooking up something for everyone, as they cooked, they danced. Singing a tune in a language only they both knew.

  “Pass the pepper,” Peaches said to her, twirling from the stove to the cabinets along with her.

  “Pass the salt,” Evelyn said to him. They were in charge of their own individuals' meals.

  “Where’s the flour?” Evelyn asked Peaches, skipping along to the beat as Peaches hummed it.

  “In that cabinet,” Peaches slightly nudged his head to the cabinet and went back to cooking.

  “I must be blind,” Evelyn opened the assumed cabinet to see nothing but dishes.

  “Maybe you are,” Peaches teased her as he opened another cabinet, mockingly handing her it as he went back to his bot.

  “How am I supposed to get that from-!” She was about to argue but, Peaches grabbed her and danced around with her. It worked; she forgot about her agitation.

  Emilia and Lauri sat by the counter on barstools, chatting while also expressing their competition. The topic of their conversation wasn’t Kayne as you’d assume, he was only mentioned a few times.

  Able was finishing up a report to the King of the Damned on his laptop, sitting in Heart’s embrace as he did so. He wore his glasses to write the report. Eden and Logan were playing games on Able’s console, it was the first they were using one and they learnt quickly. Everyone was distracted by their own interactions.

  “Are you showing me this affection because you think you’re obligated to?” Able always daydreamed of the day he had Heart like this; it was finally here. The only thing is, he wanted it to be genuine.

  “Do you really think I couldn’t save myself if I wanted to,” Heart slowly moved her hands around his waist. She was taller than him, larger too. “I am doing this because I finally have the chance to.”

  “I didn’t return your flirts for no reason.” Heart whispered in his ear. Able’s heart raced, which he isn’t used as he is a being of pure rage. He realized that all of his interactions with her was in public, that’s why he never got familiar with her intentions.

  As everyone was looking away, she kissed him passionately. Able became weak and returned it with said emotion.

  “Orders up!” Evelyn said with great pride, Able and Heart stopped quickly before the others saw. Evelyn and Peaches came out with bowls for everyone, “Tteokbokki and Korean Fried Chicken, with Rice Cakes!”

  “I’ve never seen food like this!” Logan eagerly grabbed his bowls and scarfed down the food. “It’s so good, I haven’t taste anything like this either.”

  “This food is from Asia, from the former nation of Korea,” Peaches explained, after handing out the meals and placing some under cover for a certain someone. He saw down in the couch along with the two boys, with Evelyn sitting beside of him.

  “Lynn, where did you learn to cook this?” Lauri asked her, shocked that she could even cook. Though they hate to admit it, they were pampered. In fact, Elijah and Keizer were waiting outside in the car for them. They lied saying they were hanging out with friends and would know if they were being followed.

  “Grandpa left behind a lot of manhwa for me, I just pieced some things together,” Evelyn said casually. Taking a bite out of the chicken, she prepared and almost cried from how good it was, “This is so damn good! Peaches, you should kiss the chef.”

  Without a remark, Peaches immediately kissed her and got back to his food.

  “You’re right, the meal is more important,” Evelyn stopped herself from grabbing his so important food.

  “Ugh, everywhere around me I see couples,” Emilia gagged. She admitted that the food was amazing. Proving just how much the Confederation robbed from them.

  “Miss you’re really pretty, you don’t have a boyfriend?” Logan was too honest for his sake, he just said whatever came to mind. Emilia almost choked on her food.

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  “Logan!” Eden became embarrassed for him, reprimanding him for his directness.

  “I wonder, why don’t you have a boyfriend, Emilia?” When it came to that topic, Lauri’s personality did a 180.

  “It’s like you have a vendetta against me,” Emilia glared at Lauri.

  “Did I miss something?” Heart looked at Emilia, realizing situations escalated for her best friend when she was gone.

  Tristan stayed quiet and read a book while eating. It wasn’t the first he was eating the meal, his sister, Renfri, cooked it for him before. He did enjoy it though. The book was more interesting to him than the conversation. It was Able’s newest draft. The Records of Dystopia, Volume 2.

  Suddenly, the apartment door opened and Bryant came in. Carrying a plastic bag in hand, he took it out to reveal cookies and muffins, “I got some snacks on my way back- Oh, you guys have food already.”

  “Sugar!” Eden and Logan said in unison, launching after the treats in a crazed frenzy.

  “Dammit, now they won’t go to bed tonight,” Heart realized she should have warned them about the boys’ sugar addictions beforehand.

  “Have you ever tried beating the child?” Able asked with a very sincere look. Logan and Eden looked back at Able with glowing eyes before returning to the sugary treats, Able muttered “I understand.”

  “Yo, Bradley, we got some food over there for you,” Peaches pointed to the counter, he wanted to make sure everyone ate.

  “What is this stuff?” Bryant loved the aroma but, his training as a Detective-In-Training stopped him from immediately chowing down.

  “Tteokbokki and Korean fried chicken, eat it,” Peaches said after taking a large bite of his meal, “It helps with sexual drive or something like that.”

  “Does it increase it or reduces it?’ Bryant asked, he wondered if he truly wanted to change his sex drive or not.

  “Increases,” Peaches plainly answered with a blank stare.

  “Whatever, we ball,” Bryant chowed down on it and it was amazing.

  “Dad says he wants us home now,” Evelyn spoke up. She checked her phone to see her father’s notifications, “He doesn’t like the boy to girl ratio in the room. Kids included.”

  Knowing that they can’t rile Naohiko up, Able stood and went to the center of the room. Taking his glasses off, he spoke, “Before you go, let us introduce ourselves to the newcomers.”

  Upon hearing that, the members of Zebra Effect began a chant. Whatever surface closest to them, they banged to a certain rhythm. All except for Peaches, he was a temporary member of the group.

  “We are Zebra Effect, a sword to call upon when a nation needs it!” As he spoke, Able’s voice boosted their morale and excitement quickly. Even Tristan, who was usual non-caring, joined the rhythm. “We may be the smallest faction of the Roundtable but, we are our own force.”

  Heart recognized that title, the Roundtable. It was an alliance of wanted monsters that served the King of the Damned.

  “What we traded for in numbers is great skill amongst all of us. Big factions cannot bring out the full potential of each individual soldiers but, we are!” Able sparked interest in Heart, Logan and Eden. A chance to bring out their powers to the fullest. “A single sword meant to take on hundreds. Thousands.”

  “Millions!” Able’s red eyes glowed as he spoke.

  “Heart Reed, Logan Davilla, Eden Duarte,” Able called on each of them. He knew their names, their details too by what the Roundtable had. This was to send a message to them, they are monsters. “Will you join us?”

  Immediately, they had their answers.

  The first to respond was Logan, “I saw how strong you are when you went against that guy with the wings! I’ll definitely join you all”

  Heart smirked, “I have nowhere else to go and I am more than likely a registered monster now. It’s better that I join you all.”

  Eden, who shyly hid behind Logan, realized it was his turn to speak up, “I will go where Logan and Heart go.”

  “There you have it!” Able spoke up and an eruption of claps ensued. “Zebra Effect’s numbers just increased from 7 to 10!”

  Heart, Logan and Eden assumed that Peaches was one of the members so, they didn’t question it. But, Bryant, Evelyn and Lauri did. They knew Peaches was temporary and not counted. Who was the other person?

  They all slowly left. Evelyn and Lauri left first since Elijah and Keizer were waiting for them outside. The others also filtered out, too many monsters in one room would cause problems. They didn’t want the Confederation banging on their door.

  Heart, Logan and Eden stayed in Able’s apartment. It would be safer there since the Confederation doesn’t know about it. He had two extra bedrooms, the boys shared a bed while the other remained vacant. Why? Heart was in Able’s room.

  Someone had carried Heart and the boy’s luggage from their old apartment to Able’s. She wore her night gown and prepared for bed.

  Sitting by Able’s window, she could see a lot of the settlement from the view.

  “I have been taking care of those boys so long that I almost forgot I was a teenager,” Heart stretched and then crawled onto his bed. Able had just taken a shower and stepped out in only his boxers.

  “All work and no play makes Heart a dull girl, you even disappeared from school,” Able smirked back to her. He dreamt of having her in his room, and there she was. “Do you know how I was losing my mind to see you?”

  “You kept missing your chance to have me,” Heart loved poetry and the likes, the way Able was speaking made her enticed. She observed his back as he put on a t-shirt, “Your back is covered by scars.”

  “Yeah, inflicted by the worst monster,” Able’s scars ached with animosity as he was reminded of them. “You’re aware I am from outside the walls right.”

  “I am well aware,” Heart responded. She could put the pieces together by herself. She rested by his pillows and spoke, “How is it like out there?”

  “It’s bloody, only the strongest will thrive. Monsters roam about, but,” Able crept onto the bed and stayed above her. Peering into her emerald eyes, “Nature isn’t forced to die. You have a higher chance of survival out there as a monster.”

  “Are you finally going to take control?” Heart grinned, taking his hand placing it where she wanted it. “Or, you’re going to keep me waiting.”

  Able hoped that the boys were asleep and his door closed. He kissed her,

  “Why would I lose my chance again?”