In Abel’s cold lab. The atmosphere feeling like heavy machinery, Steve is on the bed tied up to several ropes. He is dizzy, feeling like he slept a long night. Steve slowly wakes up and is shocked at the sight. He pants heavily as he faces the left, the right, and left again.

‘’What’s going on?’’ Steve shouts, panting heavily. ‘’Do you want an autograph? I did have a NordVPN sponsor on Tiktok.’’ He laughs nervously. Suddenly a shadow drops from the ceiling, the silhouette looking like a demon.

‘’Okay, I was joking. I was banned from Tiktok’’ Steve looks at the shadow, terrified. The shadow then walks closer and it is revealed, it’s just Lil Bot who holds a cloth.

‘’So, where should we start from?’’ Lil Bot asks, monotone. Steve screams in terror, ‘’Don’t scare me like that, and don’t trap me like that!’’ Lil Bot scoffs, ‘’Shut up and get to the point.’’

Steve is confused, ‘’Uh, which point?’’, Behind Abel is repairing a large motorbike, he grabs the screwdriver and turns to Steve, ‘’The point about…’’ He drops the screwdriver, ‘’I don’t understand what you’re talking about.’’

Lil Bot groans and crosses his arms, ‘’Alright, fine!’’ He turns to Steve, his eyes flashing red, ‘’Why are you so obsessed with Marla?’’. Steve is creeped by the question, he then looks around, ‘’Uh, why are you asking?’’

Lil Bot gets in Steve’s face, ‘’Just answer the question, Watson. Before things get messy.’’ His hand turns into a chainsaw, Steve is scared.

Steve then sighs, ‘’Because in middle school, I was a very anti-social, and introverted kid. I had no friends, I was just sitting in the corner, and I was terrible at Math. So, Marla was the new girl sitting next to me, she realized this and helped me. Giving me answers, and then I got a B- for the first time. Well it was something.’’

Steve clears his throat, ‘’Then she used to share her lunch with me, took me to concerts. She made me feel free, wild, and importantly myself. But then….’’

Steve’s tone gets somber, ‘’She told me that she was moving to Louis’s. A place in Cointropolis, for rich people. I felt sad, and said, ‘’Okay. Hope, you enjoy.’’ And left in the taxi, leaving a gift, A phone. My precious iPhone.’’

Steve adjusts and looks up, ‘’And then me and Brad also moved to Louis’s, because of Cointropolis High. And you were there, Lil Botty.’’

Lil Bot nods mechanically, ‘’Yes. Can you finish the boring story, please?’’ Steve then continues, ‘’It was very recently and I was so excited to see her again after 5 years. But sadly, she had a change of heart. She was an Enemy, she was different. And I never managed to say the L word until it was too late.’’

Steve sighs, rubbing his hair, ‘’I had a huge crush on her. Saw her as the Girl of My Dreams, and that obsession overtook my personality. I became so selfish, sidelined everyone and became…a frustrating no-respawning person. For that, I’m sorry. I will continue saying sorry until it’s enough, but it won’t work. Because words are just…not enough.’’

It’s silent. Air passes through the lab. Abel is shocked, ‘’Wow…Do you know about this?’’ Lil Bot turns robotically at Abel, ‘’Yes, I’m explaining it to you so you can do your ‘’experiment’’, Abel.’’

Abel twirls his scroll-driver, ‘’About respawning? To be fair, I don’t know. I also don’t know why Steve can’t respawn. I thought it was post-heartbreak therapy.’’

Steve laughs, ‘’Actually, I went to Disneyland for that. Mickey Mouse was a good therapist.’’ Abel turns to him, ‘’Mickey Mouse is so desperate for a job, he became a therapist?’’

Steve rubs his hair, ‘’I only enjoyed his voice though. His advice was about how much of an object he is.’’

Lil Bot facepalms, ‘’This topic is so irrelevant, Steve. Just leave.’’ Steve turns to Lil Bot, ‘’What? Why? I love it here; the machines and area are cool.’’

Lil Bot shouts, his eyes red, ‘’We wanted to fix your respawning problem! But we failed, so leave!’’

Silence. Steve turns to Lil Bot, ‘’I want to stay here though. I’m not ready to see the gang again. Besides, I wanted to hang out with you and Abel more.’’

Abel drops on his knees, begging, ‘’Pwetty Pwease, boss? Remember, how powerful I am.’’ Lil Bot thinks, he speaks resigned, ‘’Alright, you can remain. But only for 3 hours. Me and Abel do…stuff.’’

Steve cheers, Abel hacks on his laptop and the lab turns into a gold mansion. Abel wears a golden suite and aims his cane at Steve, ‘’Let’s party.’’

At Rita’s. Bradley is reading a book on the couch, flipping pages. He then hears some muffled sounds in the other room, his eyes blinking to the side. He stands up and puts the book down, walking towards the door. He creaks it open and finds Matthew and Rosie doing something interesting.

Rosie is on the wall, looking seductive, ‘’Come, kiss me Matthew.’’ Matthew runs and kisses Rosie on the lips, a soft, slow kiss, as Matthew’s body leans over hers. They both start kissing, smooching even.

They then drop on the bed, Matthew smirking drunk, looking at Rosie, ‘’You know, you are hot. I have a thing for red-heads you know?’’ Rosie laughs drunkenly, ‘’Oh, you do now?’’ Matthew kisses Rosie and turns her around on the bed. Bradley is terrified and shuts the door.

Bradley walks out trying to clear his mind, he then bumps into Jennifer. A gothic girl.

JENNIFER HAYWAY

AGE: 22

POWERS: BLACK MAGIC

WEAKNESSES: THERAPY

Her phone drops on the ground. Bradley kneels down, ‘’Sorry, I was just uh trying to clear my mind.’’ Bradley grabs the phone hands it to her, Jennifer grabs it and sighs.

‘’Alright, first of all, I need to know where I can put this bratty little toddler.’’ Jennifer hands over the cage in which Marla is sucking her thumb in. Bradley stumbles back as if he’s been pushed.

‘’That’s how Steve defeated her?!’’ Bradley asks shocked. Jennifer is shocked too, ‘’Steve? You know him?’’ Bradley rubs his har, ‘’Yeah, he’s my brother.’’

Jennifer looks at Bradley in awe, ‘’Oh my god. Steve is the one that turned her into a baby. Too bad, because I need him.’’

Bradley stands firm, in a punching stance, ‘’I see, you’re a fellow enemy. I bet you have come here to kill Steve.’’

Jennifer laughs, ‘’Oh, Bradley baby. It’s my job.’’ Bradley shouts, confused. ‘’How do you know my name?!’’

Jennifer puts a finger on Bradley’s lips, ‘’Shh, handsome. Did Steve ever tell you…that we dated?’’

Bradley’s eyes widen, ‘’He--, what’s Steve’s deal with dating Enemies? Is he one? Was he one?’’

Bradley raises his hands in frustration, ‘’You know what? I give up on knowing more about him. Let them do whatever he wants.’’

Bradley grabs his hammer, protective, ‘’But I’ll never let an enemy take my brother…’’ Jennifer laughs, ‘’Oh, this would be easy.’’

Jennifer crosses her arms, black magic sparkles behind her and BOOM – a black hammer is made out of the magic, Jennifer grips the hammer. Bradley is shocked, ‘’You’re a hammer person?’’ He asks.

Jennifer twirls her hammer, ‘’No way. I make any object out of my magic, anything I want.’’

Bradley gazes at her for a short while, ‘’Are you Marla’s subordinate?’’ Jennifer roars at Bradley, black wings sprouting behind her.

‘’Shut up! Of course, I am, when she stops being a baby, me and her will be unstoppable and kill Steve!’’

Bradley grips his hammer tight, ‘’Over my dead body.’’