The day after Gabriel fought his first Timebreaker, he's still stuck in the Time Realm.
He's training, taking his frustration from yesterday to the rocks at the edge of a cliff. His fists are bloody from the rough edges. He's so focused he doesn't hear the sound until it's too late.
"...Mr. Gabriel?" A small voice calls softly from behind him.
"What do you want?" he asks without turning around. She hesitates for a moment before stepping closer and placing a plate on a rock next to him.
"My name is Lillian... I'm just here to bring you breakfast..."
The girl looked no younger than 16...her brown hair flowed down her face and partially into her green eyes. Her dress and apron were lightly stained with food and dirt.
Gabriel stops punching the rocky wall and sits down for a moment...the girl stares at him, flushed.
"Thank you..." he says quietly, wiping his face with a towel.
Lillian immediately takes his hand and observes his bloody knuckles, which are lightly scarred. "You're bleeding!" she exclaims worriedly. "Oh, you poor thing!"
"The hell? What are you doing?" Gabriel asked incredulously.
"You're hurting yourself, hitting that cliff over and over again," Lillian said slowly. "And you've even cut your hand open!" She stood up and took his hand gently. Gabriel winced as her fingers brushed against his cuts. The girl frowned and examined the blood on his palm. "I...can heal these myself if I want, so stop being ridiculous." Gabriel sighed irritably. He tries to use his Gift to heal away his injuries, but it just burns more, causing him to scream in agony...
He fell angrily onto the boulder and clutched his knuckles. "Damn it! What the hell?!"
His Giftspirals out of control, as he's immediately engulfed in flames, so angry at his pain that he punches a crater into the cliff in front of him, with light embers trailing everywhere, leaving black scorch marks on the surface.
"Stop it," Lillian pleads with him, reaching for his hands again. "Please don't be angry! You're just...you're just hurting yourself and you can't fix this, but please...please, let me try..."
...Gabriel looks annoyed, but...he lets the girl help him... His Gift simmers down to a warming heat...
"You must really be a Prodigy...you definitely have the passion and fighting spirit...but now you need to learn to fight for Time itself...because if you can't...the entire universe will...die off..." Lillian explains. "I know you and the rest of the Prodigies don't know a lot about each other yet...and you have a lot to learn about the Time Realm...but I know you can do it...together..."
Lillian cleans his knuckles with cold river water. She then wraps bandages around them tightly enough to hold the pressure. He grunts at the pain. "There," she says when she is satisfied. "That should help."
"...Why do that?" Gabriel asks after a few moments of silence. "Why help someone who doesn't even know you?"
"You deserve it, Gabriel. You're a Prodigy too..." Lillian smiled.
"...Whatever..." Gabriel muttered, taking his jacket and tying the sleeves around his waist and walking off. "Just don't get mad at me when your feelings get hurt. Not everyone wants to be helped...not even me..."
***
Tristan sneezes, and more spores come out from behind his mask...causing more mushrooms and fungi to appear on his face and hands.
"...Not again..." he says, rubbing his face and examining the mushrooms on his face.
"...Do ya wan' someone ta cut 'em for ya, Tristan?" Coyote asks, pulling out a small knife.
"No...they hurt to take out...I'll just wait until they leave...if they do..." he answers. "What about you, May?"
May laughs. "Don't worry about me!" she says."I'm enjoying my new look!"
May was back in her "demonic" state, admiring her face. "I couldn't believe I freaked out before! This body is so cute!"
She runs her hands through her bright white hair, giggling happily. "My hair is so fluffy! And my eyes are...they're beautiful!" she gushes, staring at herself in the mirror.
May talks on and on about her transformed body as the other two sit silently, staring blankly at her words. Finally she stops, her mind returning to Earth. "So, what do you guys think?" she asks, twirling in the chair.
Tristan was so confused and overwhelmed by her that he almost didn't hear what she asked.
"Huh?...Uh...yeah," he says finally, looking at Coyote. "It...looks nice..." Coyote agrees quickly, nodding.
"Yeah...uh...yer a very....pretty girl..." Coyote says, scratching his head.
Gabriel came in afterwards. "What are you three talking about?"
May, Coyote, and Tristan look at Gabriel's bandaged hands. They stare in confusion.
"What happened there?" Tristan asks, with a hint of concern in his voice.
"I screwed up my hands while training. And my stupid Giftdidn't heal it this time..." Gabriel says with frustration, looking away from the others. He sat down on the couch. "Ugh. I can't wait to get outta this place."A loud knock interrupted him from his thoughts.
"What is it now?!" Gabriel asks tiredly, massaging his temples. The knocks continue to reverberate. He sighs and stands up, stretching. "Alright, fine! Hold your horses! Damn..."
Nathaniel stands on the other side of the door. Gabriel looks frustrated.
"Ah, c'mon don't friggin' tell me!" he yells.
Nathaniel nodded. "There is indeed a Timebreaker looming. Aweak one, from what I sense...this one you will have to defeat on your own."
Gabriel rolls his eyes. "Fine, let'sgo already!" He grabs his gloves and prepares for battle. Once the Time Warp is opened and the Prodigies pass through, they arrivein 2083. They're standing near a park. There are people playing games in front of them, families sitting together under shady trees, couples holding hands on a bench. The scene seems innocent enough. It seems nothing has changed between those days, but Gabriel sensed something amiss. He could feel himself tense, but he still stayed silent. "Where the hell are we?" he growls lowly, looking at himself in his updated attire.
May looks around for clues. She sees a holographic sign in the distance with Japanese glowing in neon colors. It reads: Neo City - Tokyo.
"I'm rough on my Japanese..." May starts. "But I know it says we're in Tokyo. So, Tokyo."
"That still ain't helpin' us with where this Timebreaker is." Coyote adds.
"Then we split up. Wherever this asshole is...they can't be far..." Gabriel growled softly, looking around for any suspicious activity.
They all nod at the same time, and walk in different directions.
Gabriel sighed. This was just his second time facing head-to-head with a Timebreaker and the first one already overpowered him by several notches...he couldn't lie, he was nervous. Not only did he not know what he was doing, but he was stuck in the middle of an unknown city in a country with a language he didn't speak.
He entered an alleyway as usual when footsteps made his head snap towards them. As he turned, he froze on the spot, ready to fight.
"Alright you asshole! I know you're following me, so stop it with your bullshit and come fight me like a man!" he growled.There was no response for a while.
"...So you're trying to be sneaky with me now?" he sneered. "Stop being a coward! Come out here and fight already!" He looked around.
Someone grabs him by the face...and he tries to scream out but it's muffled...The figure pulls him into a more secluded, away from prying eyes and ears. A familiar voice answers. It's...himself. It's like staring into a mirror. But...something's not right.
"Looking for me?" the doppelganger asks.
"The hell? Who the hell are you?" Gabriel asks.
"I'm the Timebreaker you're looking for. I'm Kagami...but for now, you can call me...Gabriel."
"Piece of shit! You're copying me!" Gabriel growls angrily at the copycat.
"Hell yeah I am! What'd you expect?" he exclaimed. "I'm gonna screw up all of you guys' minds and then kill you using your own Gifts!"
"Like hell you are!" Gabriel retorted. "You're not gonna kill me, or anyone for that matter!"
Both of them prepare to attack. As they launch each other, they stop when each is blocked by the other.
The two shout insults at each other. Every second they're fighting, the copy acts more like Gabriel. He mimics Gabriel, even taking on his personality. However, it doesn't end there. He takes Gabriel's fighting style and throws punches.
When suddenly, the copycat stopped.
"Welp, I got enough info out of you to be...you. I'm gonna find and get the rest. See ya, Gabriel." The copycat turns around and walks away.
"Hey! Wait!"
Gabriel runs up to his copycat and tackles his doppelganger, sending them both to the ground.
Once the other Prodigies notice, Coyote pulls out his gun, aiming it at the two. May gasps.
"Two...Gabriels?" she asks. "Wait, two Gabriels!"
Tristan looks confused. "Which one's...the real one?"
"I'm the real Gabriel!" they both said at the same time, then they both looked at each other angrily. "Why you little-!" they both yelled. "I should beat the shit outta you!"
Coyote raises his revolver... "What should we do?" he asks.
"We should ask questions only Gabe would know!" May exclaimed.
"...We... don't know Gabriel enough to ask those questions, May..." Tristan says.
The two Gabriels are having a heated argument about who's the real Gabriel. Both look so convincing that it's almost impossible to tell. Coyote's gun is aimed at them, but he's too confused and nervous to pull the trigger. He's worried he'll accidentally hurt the real Gabriel if he does...
One Gabriel looks at him."Coyote, listen to me. I'm the real Gabriel. That one's the Timebreaker. Shoot that one," he ordered.
"No, I'm the real Gabriel! That one's trying to trick you! Shoot him, Coyote!" The other one retorted. "Don't listen to that asshole!"
"Both of ya shuddap!" Coyote yelled. "It ain't the time to be pointin' fingers... you're confusin' me.."
"You're literally pointing a gun at us! I'm trying to convince you to shoot the right one!" Gabriel said in a serious tone. The two Gabriels were glaring at Coyote.
"I'm ain't shootin' anyone until I find out who's who..."
A few minutes later, Tristan returnswith Catherine and Lillian.
Catherine immediately recognizes the situation. "I see... we've got a doppelganger situation...have you tried asking questions?"
"We don't know enough about him to ask anything...that's why I brought you..." Tristan responded. Catherine nodded. She's thinking about something. Suddenly, a light bulb turns on in her mind. "Lillian. You saw Gabriel this morning... when you sent him breakfast... what was he doing?"
"He was... training. He hit the rocks... with his fists..." Lillian responded nervously. "I had to stop him before he got too hurt..."
"I see... Gabriel. Use your Gift on your hands."
Both Gabriels use Fiery Combat with their hands. The Gabriel on the right looks fine, but the left looks distressed. Lillian immediately gasped, as if she'd realized something. She pointed at the Gabriel in pain.
"That's the real Gabriel!" Lillian exclaims.
The fake Gabriel shrugs. "Awe, man. Caught again." Then he chuckles, turning back into base form, Kagami. "But hold on, before you guys shoot me...I wanna ask for a truce. A treaty, if you will. I'm still sentient in this head. Sentient enough to understand that my 'boss' is a pretty screwed up guy. You let me live, and I'll help you kill him."
Gabriel glances at Catherine. "What should we do, Cate? Should we trust him?"
Catherine steps forward towards the Timebreaker. "Alright then. If you want a ceasefire, we'll give it to you. You can enter the Time Realm. However, you're not allowed to use your powers there. If I find out that you harmed someone, you'll face punishmentmore severe than death. Are we...clear?"She says. Kagami nods, his head bowing down."Crystal clear..." he responded.
"Good. Now let's go."
A Time Warp appears, and Nathaniel, Isabelle, and Arsenio walk in. The minute they see Kagami, they immediately show their Gifts, ready to fight. Kagami smiles smugly. "Relax everyone. I'm not here for a fight," Kagami says. "I'm here to be your ally."
"Yeah, right. You're a Timebreaker."
"Yeah, but... I'm being rebellious. Recently, I've recovered some of my previous memories... from before I became...this. I want to get revenge on the guy who did this to me... and my friends... maybe bring them all back...to their original selves... again. So... let's make a deal... I promise I'll help you defeat this guy... If you let me stay here...and help my friends..."
Kagami said. Catherine thought about this for a moment. She nods. "Alright... we accept your offer. But take heed to my warning."
"Alright, alright, no need to threaten me. I already gave you plenty of reasons to trust me. Let's talk about terms. What kinda stuff can I do?" Kagami asked, sounding eager.
"Well...I guess you could...become a Prodigy for the time being...you can help the Prodigies subdue your friends...as long as you stay within their eyesight..." Isabelle said, still skeptical.
"I can do that. I have a few memories of what to do...I think..."
"Good. That would mean that I, nor anyone else, will assist you with your Gift or Prodigy duties..." Nathaniel says, still glaring daggers at the Timebreaker. He stepped back, "You are on your own." He turned and walked out, leaving the room.
Isabelle turned to Lillian. "Why don't you show...him...where they will stay?"
The girl nods, and shows Kagami, and the rest of the Prodigies back to their room.
Once they arrive, Kagami places his mirror on the wall next to the door. "Well, this is nice..." Kagami looks around, enjoying the room. He notices a window, sunlight streaming through it and illuminating the room. He smiles, relieved to be back in familiar surroundings. "It's definitely in better shape than when I last saw it..."
Kagami notices a porcelain statue of a woman in the middle of the room. He looks lost in thought as he remembers the glossy, yet cracked face he was looking at.
"You guys remember this woman?" he asked.
"No." May answered. "That statue was there when we got here."
"Weird. She looks really...familiar to me..." he says, before shaking himself from his reverie. "I feel like I've seen her somewhere before," he muttered, his brow furrowed in contemplation.
As he hovers over the statue, he thinks. "Damn this guy...stripping my memories away from me...he really knows how to play me. "Kagami stares hard at the woman, trying to decipher what makes her look so familiar. "Who is she?" he asks himself.
The others looked at him in confusion, but also with sympathy.
"You have amnesia?" Gabriel asked. "What did this guy do to you?"
"The same thing he'll do to you if he gets his hands on you. That's why you're fighting for your life."
A chill ran through the Prodigies' spines. What would happen? Would they become grotesque and evil like the Timebreakers they're fighting? They had to stay strong and fight for their freedom. Otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Gabriel sighed, shaking fear away. "It's...we're not gonna let that happen. I'd rather die than let that happen," he continued with determined eyes, "so they better be lucky. I'm ready to kick some serious asses..."197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfFsmzLtU7
"That's what I want to hear." Kagami said, giving him thumbs up. Gabriel smiled, feeling more confident. He knew he was going to do anything he could to protect the ones he loved. Taking a deep breath, he turned to Kagami and said, "Let's go. We have a lot of work to do."
Gabriel is doing some serious exercise. Everyone watches in awe at how hard he's working, getting so worked up that the flames of his Gift burn brightly with every beat in his heart. He doesn't show any signs of stopping.
"He's been doing this all morning..." Tristan says as he slips his mask on.
"Do you think he'll stop anytime soon?" May asked curiously.
"He's eager now... we keep it that way..." Coyote says, drinking a steaming cup of coffee... May nods in agreement. She felt the same eagerness in her veins. This is so much so that she comes right up next to Gabriel and starts doing push-ups along with him, although at a slower pace.
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"What...are you...doing?" Gabriel asks between pushups.
"I'm working out with you. You've got me motivated today!" May replied. "I want to do a hundred push-ups every morning without stopping!" May nodded, her face determined. She counted out loud as she pushed her way through the reps.
As Gabriel rises, drenched in sweat, he wipes his face with a towel. "There's something seriously wrong with you..."
"It's the good kind of crazy! The kind of crazy that makes you invincible!" May tries to maintain her pace, but tires herself out and collapses. Gabriel shakes his head, taking his jacket and walking out of the training room.
***
Taking a Time Warp back home, Gabriel slips back on his jacket and shows up at his gang's hideout. The entire Onyx gang planned a gang war not too far from their hideout with their rivals, the Half-Skulls. It's a tradition for the two gangs to duke it out for territory and to demonstrate their strength.
Gabriel was a bit nervous. With his Gift coming on and off whenever he feels an extreme emotion, he could instantly and seriously injure someone. This was never the intention for these. It was just a friendly spar...nothing more. He looks at his hands in concern...what if scars this guy's face...or even worse?
...He takes a deep breath. Hopefully, his Gift doesn't activate during this....hopefully.
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To be continued in Prodigy: Remnants of Forever: Chapter 3197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLmPdoYuFi
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