It took some time for Sophia to properly explain the contents of the file to Gen.

“I had my theories about the Gainen from what little you told me, but I wasn’t expecting this.” She began explaining to her friend.

“According to the file, the Gainen are creatures from something referred to as an ‘Auxiliary Dimension’ that formed through a crack in our own world.” Sophia continued, reading the file.

“The crack isn’t visible, and it draws in certain types of energy. Psychic energy, as in ideas, fears, thoughts, and more, and that feeds the dimension.” She attempted to explain.

“Can ya dumb that down for me?” Gen asked, still not fully grasping the situation.

Sophia clenched her fist and let out a drawn-out, exasperated sigh.

“Okay, remember that time you punched the basketball so hard the cover broke, and when Sam Lee from the basketball team attempted to inflate it, it began growing a balloon on the outside?” She asked, trying to speak in Gen’s language, or at least through Gen’s experiences.

The young brawler nodded. “Yes, it was when I punched the ball, warnin’ somebody from the other team I would do that to them.”

“Well, imagine the basketball is our universe, and the air inside is everything people fear, think, or imagine. Fear of clowns, thinking about music, imagining a story.” Sophia was trying really hard to explain this.

“I’m followin’.” Gen kept nodding, trying his best to understand.

“Well, all that ‘air’ gets really concentrated, like when you boil water with sugar to make caramel… The Gainen are the caramel.” She concluded.

“So they go great with popcorn?” Gen asked with vacant eyes.

There was a moment of silence between the two of them, until the loud BANG! of the folder hitting Gen’s head echoed in the room.

“What was that fuckin’ for?” Gen exclaimed, covering his head with his arms. “I was jokin’, I’m not that fuckin’ dumb.”

“You better be, because so help me God, I’ll hit you with something bigger next time.” Sophia threatened.

“So the Gainen are made out of people’s fears and ideas? That’s fucked up.” Gen quipped, surprised by the revelation.

“But that isn’t what’s important from this file. What’s important is the original crack and the fact that Gainen can come into this world. It’s because of somebody who actually opened the crack in the first place, a scientist.” Sophia pointed at the lines on the folder.

“So ya’re sayin’ that some asshole created these fuckin’ things?” Gen asked, quickly making the connection.

“Not made them, but caused the circumstances for them to be created.” Sophia corrected him. “It seems that your grandfather was tracking movements, and seemingly he noticed an uptick in appearances of Gainen.”

“That’s why he left then!” Gen reasoned, hitting his open palm with the base of his fist, as if he had discovered something important.

“He either went to find somebody who knew more about this or tried to find the source.” Sophia thought out loud. “Either way, I think we did the right thing fighting those things, because we might get even more in the future.”

“I’ll keep fightin’ if they keep appearin’.” Gen exclaimed, ready to fight. “I’m goin’ to punch them back to their dimension.”

“It’s not like they come from another… You know what, you stick to that.” She said, trying to hide her frustration with Gen’s lack of intellectual talent.

“But… You could use a hand, don’t you?” Sophia said, as her eyes wandered around the office, noticing a case with a handful of medals.

“I don’t like the sound of that, Sophia.” Gen warned, placing his body between her and the medals. “Ya can’t just grab one, they gotta pick ya.” He reminded her.

“But how are they going to pick me if they don’t know me?” She said, a mocking edge to her words.

“We’ll find out later if that’s the case. It’s too late, you gotta go back to your house, remember last time? I ended up punchin’ yer dad’s bodyguards.” He said as he pushed her from behind, out of the office.

Unknown to them, one of the medals in the case let out a green spark as they left, closing the door behind them.