Conscious, Conscientious

Ryan’s peers watched uneasily to the side of the cafeteria, unsure of what was going on or who these two mysterious men were.

“You’ve done your part, now hand the girl and her friend over,” Najinzu demanded.

Ryan nervously glanced at Zayza and Lammy, who now watched him with fear.

“What…does he mean…?” Zayza asked Ryan faintheartedly.

“Are you with them?” Lammy questioned, his heart racing.

Ryan was speechless, his eyes shifting between everyone nervously.

Fewpar laughed, as if he was having a relaxing cup of tea. “How amusing,” he observed. “They appear so perplexed. Do humor them, Ryan. Go on and tell them who you really are.”

Ryan continued to look apprehensively at everyone as they all awaited a response. Then he cleared his throat and his eyes settled on Zayza and Lammy.

“Like I said…” Ryan began quietly, “I’m a consciousness…sort of. The truth is…” He turned his attention to his schoolmates standing to the side. “…I didn’t leave College Town College three years ago to do a research project. I left because I was afraid of failing my classes. Ever since I came here to study engineering, I’d been struggling. I didn’t really tell anybody, but I barely passed first semester and was about to fail second semester. I felt like an idiot, and I didn’t want my friends to see me that way. So I ran away, hoping I could disappear and start over.”

“Ryan…” Cheese muttered, but he didn’t know what else to say to his friend.

Ryan returned his sober gaze to Zayza and continued. “I spent a while being down on myself and feeling stupid, but then one day this group approached me called Proscious. They told me they could help—they could make me intelligent. In turn, I would have to join their organization. It seemed kinda sketchy, but I was sick of being dumb. I would take any chance I could get to somehow be smarter, and that’s exactly what they offered me. So I joined them. They used this crazy genetic technology on me and turned me into a consciousness type—a Mastermind, to be specific. It was exactly what I wanted.”

A Mastermind…thought Lammy. So his new powers gave him the intelligence to build that special laptop he used…

…But…they turned him into a consciousness? How is that possible?

“Since then, I’ve worked for Proscious,” continued Ryan. “It’s a secret service that partners with organizations to bring people to justice. This year, a kingdom in Fantasy Country needed us to help find a runaway criminal…which was you, Zayza.”

Zayza brought her hand to her mouth in horror. “C…criminal?” she repeated. “…Me?”

Lammy’s heart raced even faster now, though he didn’t believe it. How is Zayza a criminal? That can’t be right…he thought.

But something else seemed off: this group, Proscious, gave Ryan powers artificially, and now he was hunting down Zayza…

There was one other person with an eerily similar story: Folel and Foler’s brother.

So Felix was a part of Proscious, too?! Lammy realized.

Ryan looked into Zayza’s fearful eyes with the same heartbrokenness she displayed. He continued: “I got assigned to your case, so when they heard that you and Lammy were coming to the North Mountains, they stationed me in the caverns to be on the lookout. Their orders were that if I spotted you, to contain you both and wait for Fewpar and Najinzu to show up. Fewpar told us you have amnesia but you could be extremely dangerous, so I was hoping to hold you here without having to use force.”

“And as it turned out, you were entirely successful,” Fewpar added with a calm smile. “So do you see now, Zayza? He was only being nice to you to trick you.”

Zayza said nothing. She took a couple tiny, nervous steps away from Ryan.

“No, wait—” Ryan began.

“He deceived you,” continued Fewpar. “He’s not really your friend. Do you know why, Zayza?” Suddenly Fewpar’s relaxed face grew dark and bitter. “It’s because people like you don’t deserve kindness or friendship. Not after everything you’ve done.”

Zayza turned to face Fewpar and Najinzu as her eyes became watery. “I’m…so sorry…” she told them shakily. “I can’t remember…”

Lammy was filled with anger—he couldn’t stand to witness sweet Zayza getting scolded for something she didn’t even remember doing. And he found it hard to believe she would do anything to harm others in the first place.

Najinzu rolled his eyes. “Alright, Ryan, you’ve shared your testimony,” he said in his raspy voice. “Now, as I said, hand over the girl and her stout companion.”

Lammy grabbed Zayza’s hand and shot a defiant look at Najinzu. “None of you are touching Zayza!” he shouted. “I’ll tear you all to pieces!”

“No, Lammy,” Zayza pleaded.

Suddenly Lammy felt someone place their hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Ryan standing beside him, glaring at Fewpar and Najinzu with fear and determination.

“I…I won’t let you take them,” Ryan declared.

Fewpar and Najinzu exchanged glances. They burst out laughing.

“You won’t let us? Who are you but lowly engineered scum?” Najinzu jeered. “A prosciousness like yourself is not a true consciousness. Do not test us by putting yourself on the same level.”

“Well spoken, my friend,” Fewpar said. “Ryan, did you forget so quickly that Zayza is a villain? Did you allow her charms to dissuade you so easily? You are truly weak.”

Ryan tensed. “Alright, I know I signed up for this,” he began, “and I know your Country is saying Zayza is a criminal, but I just don’t see it. I may not be that smart aside from my Mastermind powers, but I know how to make my own judgments. And when I met Zayza, I saw a friendly, genuine person who wanted to help her friend save his mother.”

“You’re a fool,” Najinzu began. “Fewpar, let’s—”

“Shut up when I’m talking to you!” Ryan snapped, now gaining more confidence. “The thing is: whatever criminal you’re trying to capture isn’t here. Zayza’s memory is wiped clean; this is a totally different girl. It’s not fair to treat her like she’s a monster.”

“You’re terribly mistaken,” Fewpar responded slowly. “Sin is sin, and sins must be atoned for. And your betrayal of both Proscious and our mission is no different. Najinzu?”

“Would you like me to remove him from the equation?” Najinzu assumed.

“Precisely.”

“It would be my pleasure,” Najinzu said, stepping forward.

Ryan stepped forward as well, reaching into his book bag.

“Ryan…” Zayza said anxiously.

“Stay back,” Ryan instructed quietly. “I don’t want you guys to get hurt.” He looked over to his school friends, and the rest of the cafeteria. “Get away from here, everybody. It’s about to get a little messy,” he instructed.

The students murmured amongst themselves worriedly.

Najinzu spat. “Ha! Don’t carry yourself as a hero, traitor.” He shifted into a low fighting stance. “This shall end quickly.”

Ryan pulled his laptop from his bag, opened it, and turned it on.

The two men now stood there, facing off. By now the entire cafeteria had gone silent. Lammy looked around to see if there were any professors or other staff around who might take action to prevent the oncoming brawl. Some stood by, but they, like everyone else, seemed frozen by fear. Something about Najinzu’s dark and deadly impression made it clear that there was nothing they could do to restrain him.

“I hope you reserved a spot in hell,” growled Najinzu. He leapt high into the air with a rapid spin. Just as he did, Ryan dove to the side and three black knives stuck into the stone ground where he had stood.

When Najinzu landed, he appeared slightly disappointed. “You were lucky, boy,” he sneered.

Lammy blinked with surprise, staring at the knives. This Najinzu guy…he’s fast! he realized.

Suddenly Zayza grabbed Lammy’s arm and pulled him backward. “Watch out, Lammy!” she cried. They backed away from the unfolding fight. As they did, Lammy noticed that most people were beginning to run away. The cafeteria had erupted into chaos.

Ryan stood back up quickly. He no longer held his laptop—it floated on its own beside him. “Alright, if it’s gonna be like that…” he said. Ryan quickly typed something on the keyboard of his laptop. “Eat this.” Immediately, several pink orbs of light appeared in front of him. Ryan pressed a few more keys, and one by one the orbs fired at Najinzu.

If one of those hits Najinzu, he’s done for, Lammy thought, recalling the effect Ryan’s computer attack had on the wooden barrier in Politician Town.

But Najinzu seemed unfazed. As the orbs speedily reached him, he became a dark blur, dodging each one while somehow remaining on foot. The orbs exploded around him on the cave ground like fireworks. The last one to miss shot past the quick Najinzu and crashed just beside Fewpar, who didn’t even blink as the aftershock shook his clothes and hair.

“How unruly…” Fewpar commented.

Najinzu now stood surrounded by the tiny craters that Ryan’s failed attacks had formed in the ground. “What an idiotic technique,” he said. “But that’s just what I expected from a measly prosciousness.” He suddenly vanished from where he stood.

Immediately, Najinzu reappeared directly in front of Ryan. He kicked him in the chest, launching Ryan back. Ryan flew right past Lammy and Zayza and crashed into the front side of one of the food stations, denting it in. His laptop hurriedly floated over to him, seemingly awaiting orders.

“Ryan!” Zayza and Lammy exclaimed with worry. A fierce wind suddenly blew past them, and with it a black blur. Now Najinzu stood before Ryan. He grabbed him by the collar and lifted him inches above the ground.

“You were far too easy,” Najinzu told him, grabbing another dark knife from his belt. “I didn’t even require my consciousness abilities to defeat you—just mere speed.”

Wait—Najinzu’s speed isn’t from his powers?! He’s that fast by himself?? Lammy realized with horror.

“No, please!” Zayza begged. “Don’t hurt him because of me!”

Fewpar laughed emptily. “You have no right to utter such a statement, girl. Kill him, Najinzu. Teach her a lesson.”

“Computer: Zero Gravity!” Ryan shouted. A beam of light shot from his laptop and encompassed him in a green glow. Before Najinzu could react, Ryan swiftly placed his feet on him and pushed off. Somehow, Ryan began to soar weightlessly into the air.

“You didn’t give me a chance to show off all my techniques,” he told Najinzu with a wink as he and his laptop ascended towards the high ceiling.

Najinzu cursed. Without hesitation, he hurled his knife into the air—but not at Ryan: at his laptop. Just as the knife was about to hit, it crashed into some kind of invisible wall in front of the computer. The knife fell and clanged against the floor.

“Nice try,” said the floating Ryan. “I rigged that thing with a force field. Nothing can pass through it except my own hands.” He glided over to the laptop and typed something. “Alright, let’s try this again,” he announced. Ten pink orbs of light appeared in front of him, similar to the ones from before.

“Fool. What makes you think that will work this time?” Najinzu wondered.

With the touch of one more button, Ryan’s attack commenced. But this time, the orbs themselves didn’t move. Instead, they began to rapidly fire pink lasers down at Najinzu. As the lasers rained down, Najinzu sprung back into action. He became a blur once more, dodging each individual beam. But the lasers kept coming, picking up in speed and frequency. Soon Najinzu retreated to the side, exiting the cafeteria. Ryan followed him in the air, his orbs still firing.

“Oh dear…let’s follow them!” Zayza decided as she began to run in the direction they had left. “Maybe we can help somehow!”

Lammy chased after her, glancing over at Fewpar to see if he was going to stop them.

Fewpar simply continued to stand in place, watching with amusement.

Zayza and Lammy ran along the stone walkway, following the stream of pink lights that fell from the air. People were now fleeing in the opposite direction, attempting to evade the violence. Soon Ryan’s attacks had reached the recreational area of the campus, in between the sports court and the archery section. The cloud that was Najinzu continued sprint around in various directions to avoid the lasers.

Zayza stopped running, so Lammy joined her. They remained at a distance, but close enough to witness the continuing battle.

Suddenly, Najinzu let out a shout of pain. He slid against the rocky ground on his side and eventually came to a halt. He brought himself to one knee, clutching his shoulder. Lammy could see some smoke rising from Najinzu’s injured arm.

“Just in time,” Ryan said from the ceiling. “My laser energy needs to recharge. In the meantime…” He typed on his laptop. “This should make things interesting.”

On cue, he and his laptop became completely invisible.

“Wow,” Lammy commented to Zayza, impressed by his technique. “It looks like Ryan’s actually gaining the upper hand with his technology.”

Zayza simply continued to watch with wide, anxious eyes.

But if he beats Najinzu…thought Lammy, who knows how strong Fewpar is?

Najinzu stood, no longer holding his burnt shoulder. He looked around with an unconcerned gaze. “You had more skill than I anticipated,” he admitted. “Not bad for a prosciousness.”

Lammy’s heart skipped a beat. He picked up on something unsettling in Najinzu’s voice: the tone of someone who had victory within their reach.

“Wait…” Lammy uttered.

Najinzu abruptly turned to his left and launched a knife up into the empty air. It stabbed into something unseen, and Ryan’s voice shouted with pain. Ryan became visible and fell to the ground with the knife stuck in his stomach.

Zayza gasped. “No…” she murmured despairingly.

Lammy watched in horror.

Najinzu walked slowly over to the fallen Ryan, who lay in agony as blood began to ooze through his jacket. His laptop floated loyally behind him.

“You failed to neglect the hint I gave you earlier,” Najinzu hissed, now standing above Ryan. “I mentioned that I hadn’t used my consciousness powers yet. But when you escaped my grasp, you continued to fight as if I had no more tricks up my sleeve. Arrogance was your undoing.” He reached down and ripped his knife from Ryan’s stomach.

Ryan screamed.

“You see, Ryan, I am a Sense Enhancer,” Najinzu explained. “When you used your technology to make yourself invisible, it was no matter to me. I simply stopped relying on sight and enhanced my senses of hearing and smell. You might as well have been completely visible when you flew down to attack me.”

Ryan gazed up at Najinzu in severe pain, but said nothing.

Lammy continued to watch, shaking with terror. He wanted badly to attempt an Imagining attack and save Ryan, but he knew his lack of talent would be no match for Najinzu’s enhanced senses. Even if he could somehow tap into that sudden rush of power he felt back in Food Town, he knew his utter fear would keep him frozen.

“Please…stop…” Zayza said chokingly, though not loudly enough for most to hear. Her eyes became teary.

“Farewell, Ryan,” Najinzu said, aiming his bloody knife for the final strike. “Prepare to—” he paused and suddenly turned with his hand raised. An arrow came soaring at his face, but Najinzu caught it in mid-air, just in time.

Cheese stood a good distance away from them, in the archery station. He held an empty bow. “Get away from him, you piece of crap!” he shouted.

Ryan sprung into action. He leaped towards his computer and typed rapidly; this command was far more complicated than the others. Then he turned to face Lammy and Zayza.

“Don’t you know when to quit?!” Najinzu asked Ryan angrily.

“Yes,” said Ryan weakly. “I may not be able to beat you, but I can save them!!” He pressed another button, and a white light shot from his computer at Lammy and Zayza.

Surprised, Zayza and Lammy recoiled—but when the beam of light reached them, it encircled and lifted them off of their feet. Lammy and Zayza fell into sitting positions, feeling themselves being raised into the air by the light. They could vaguely see through this spherical force field, but right now the cave ceiling was their only view.

“What’s happening?!” Zayza exclaimed. All of the sudden, they felt themselves being jerked forward; the white orb was rapidly traveling.

“I think this thing is taking us somewhere!” Lammy answered. He tried to listen for what was happening on the outside, but the constant buzzing of the light canceled out sound. All they could hear was each other.

They flew through the air, away from the concluding battle. Within seconds, they noticed the cave walls and ceiling suddenly grow narrow and dark. It was clear they had left College Town College, and were now zipping through another tunnel towards the next town.

Aside from the buzzing of the light, everything had gone incredibly quiet. Just moments ago they were in the midst of a clamorous, fast-paced duel, and now they sat helplessly in near silence. Lammy found the contrast uncomfortable—especially considering they were unable to find out what happened to Ryan and Cheese.

Then the tunnel ended, and instantly, they were flying high above the fourth town.

Flashing colorful lights shone through the white orb. The friends peered down to see the town passing beneath them. It was grand: towering, blinking structures, games, food stands, and delighted people of all ages filled every corner. Every part of this town was so stimulating, that nobody seemed to notice or pay mind to Lammy and Zayza’s glowing vessel while they flew above.

Blinking neon signs were everywhere: “Amusement Town.”

It was spectacular, and it made Lammy feel sick.

This wasn’t what they needed right now. All these people had no idea what was happening right next door, and Lammy couldn’t alert them. He could only watch their bliss from a distance.

Lammy looked at Zayza. The lights from the amusement park reflected in her stunning green eyes.

“Are you okay?” Lammy asked, feeling stupid because he figured the answer was obvious.

Zayza pretended to smile, still looking downward. “I just feel awful because…all of this is because of me,” she answered.

“Well…that’s not true. At least, we don’t know that for sure…” Lammy said.

“It is, Lammy,” Zayza said softly, making eye contact with him. “We don’t know what I did or if I even did something terrible, but either way, because of me Ryan got positioned to these caves. And because of me, he decided to fight that man. And because of me, he’s…” she paused. “…And you ended up far away from your home because you wanted to help me, and now you’re in danger, too. And your mother…”

“We don’t know what happened to her yet,” Lammy interrupted quickly. He tried not to think about the possibilities as he tried to calm himself.

“I’m sorry,” Zayza told him.

Lammy realized he might have sounded defensive. “No, Zayza, it’s…please don’t blame yourself for all of this. Right now we need to focus on where this thing is taking us, staying away from Najinzu and Fewpar, and finding your memories to get the truth.”

Zayza nodded, but the sorrow in her eyes remained as she looked back down.

Within moments, the orb took them past Amusement Town and into another cave tunnel. They sat silently for a short while, waiting for the orb to slow or land at some point. Right when Lammy was about to wonder if it was just taking them on an endless journey through the air, he noticed a light shining at the end of the cave—this time, a natural one.

They passed through the exit of this final tunnel, and found themselves floating in the open air beneath a light gray sky. The orb of light began to slow.

Once it came to a halt, it vanished. Instantly, Lammy felt a chill as he and Zayza began to fall. He was about to scream, but suddenly they landed on the ground beneath them. Lammy landed atop his large travel bag, which weakened the impact of the short drop. He noticed Zayza had landed on hers, as well. They sat up and observed their surroundings.

They were now outside in midday, on a pine tree-inhabited hill that flattened out in the distance.

“We must be on the other side of the mountain now,” Zayza realized.

Lammy smiled halfheartedly. “That was one heck of a technique Ryan pulled,” he said.

Zayza nodded, saying nothing.

But they both knew it wasn’t over yet. Fewpar and Najinzu might still be pursuing them.

“We’d better get going,” said Lammy. “We should probably get as far away from here as possible.”

“…Right.”

Lammy and Zayza stood and continued their travels, now much more anxious and hurried than before. They had been in a race to get all the way back to Tailpiece, but now, they were in a race to escape. Had it not been for Ryan’s valiant efforts, they would now be in Fewpar and Najinzu’s grasp.

It all shook Lammy. The image of Najinzu stabbing Ryan played over and over in his mind, despite his efforts to distract himself. He had never witnessed such violence in his young life. And Ryan fought for their sake. He had only met them that day, but was willing to sacrifice himself to help them.

I won’t let your effort go to waste, Ryan, Lammy decided. I won’t let those guys lay a hand on Zayza.

As Lammy and Zayza walked, Lammy noticed that Zayza was beginning to slow down. He turned to check on her.

“What’s wrong?” Lammy wondered.

Zayza appeared dazed and dizzied as she walked unsteadily. “I feel…” she began, and then with a sigh, she began to collapse.

“Zayza!” Lammy cried, jumping towards her. He caught her in his arms and fell to his knees. Zayza was limp, and she appeared fast asleep. “Zayza, come on!” shouted Lammy, shaking her. But she didn’t awaken. Then Lammy spotted something on her neck: a tiny dart of some sort stuck into her skin.

“What is…?” Lammy began, and then he felt something sting his own neck. Before he could react, the world around him began to spin. His muscles relaxed and he doubled over. Then everything went black.