The Phenomena of Fireflies and Star... - Chapter 37: Chapter 37

One Year Later
Blackbird Peak
5:45 AM
Apollo kept his makeshift bow at the ready as he proceeded deeper into the woods. He'd heard footsteps in the woods earlier. Big and speedy footsteps. That wasn't normal in Blackbird Peak. The source of the sounds had to be a pretty large animal. The shadows of the trees blocked a lot of the sunlight, allowing only the faintest of early morning sun rays through and leaving the surroundings in a ghastly illumination. He kept his footsteps quiet as he proceeded forward, weaving through the thick trees and stepping over random protrusions of roots, the crunch of earth underneath his boots suppressed.
All around him was a dim green maze and absolute silence. No birds. It was almost as if birds specifically avoided this place.
He maintained his stealth on his way forward, making sure he wasn't standing out from the rest of the surroundings.
'Come on,' he thought as he walked further. 'I can't have you running around and being a potential threat.'
A cracking sound came up on his two o'clock. A bit far away.
He swiftly moved into a proper aiming stance, pulling the string to his lips. His anchor point. He trained his aim toward the direction of the sound, moving cautiously through the spaces between the trees. There wasn't anything visually outstanding. There were only natural shadows. Nothing.
Another crack popped up on his twelve o'clock, followed by swift footsteps. This time, he acted quickly.
'Moving leftward.'
He aimed toward his ten o'clock, catching a glimpse of the tall quadrupedal shadow moving toward his aim trajectory. He released the string, launching the arrow through the space, through the cracks in the trees.
A sharp thump.
Harsh crunches of a change in direction.
A miss.
"Dammit," Apollo complained, carefully making his way toward his arrow, which was stuck right in the heart of a tree trunk. He loaded another arrow from his hip quiver as he moved. "Could've hit it at eleven o'clock instead."
The moment he reached his arrow, he heard another crack. This time, on his three o'clock. The footsteps that followed were consistent in the direction. He turned toward it, aiming right away.
Too late.
It was gone.
"Bastard's fast," Apollo complained, cancelling his aim.
Frustrated, he pulled the disappointing arrow out of the trunk. The broadhead broke off, much to his annoyance.
"Kind of regretting picking this place right now," he thought, remembering last year's change of plans. It would've been some other remote place, but Apollo had offered a different idea.
Besides, he had promised Ames that they would go back here when everything was over.
To this day, Apollo still didn't know when that day would come, but he wasn't about to give up on waiting.
He broke out to the clearing, bow at the ready as his eyes scanned the open area.
Nothing.
He scanned the perimeter of the clearing next. Nothing.
As for the Astronomer's Rock? Nothing.
Until there was something.
Something stepped out from behind the large rock. Something tall. Quadrupedal, too.
The horse neighed, stepping out to full view.
"A horse...," Apollo scoffed, lowering his bow as he calmly walked toward the animal. It had been twenty hours since his last suppressant shot. His second-exposure powers should work a bit by now. Especially his pathokinesis.
He focused on the horse, synchronizing with its anxious pulsation before implementing his own pulsation of calm.
"Hey there, friend...," he called out softly, maintaining his pathokinetic link as he got closer and closer to the brown thoroughbred horse, which looked at him with curious black pools for eyes. "You better not be aswang. I could really use a buddy here."
He reached the side of the Astronomer's Rock, closing the gap between him and the creature, which, thankfully, was now responding to his pathokinetic influence.
The thoroughbred approached him placidly, huffing softly before lowering its head.
Apollo giggled gladly as he placed his hand on the horse's head, petting it softly and guiding the warmth of his pathokinesis over its surface.
"You're going to really want to be my friend," Apollo said gently. He noticed that the horse was bare. "From what I can see, you must've strayed."
It was strangely pleasant to Apollo how he'd had the luck of finding a horse today. The past months had been rather lonely. The only contacts he'd been having were with the NAIs that dropped by every day to administer his suppressants and the members of a nearby community. In the weekends, drones would deliver him groceries and necessities. Sometimes, NAIs did, especially when special purchase requests were involved. It had always been business as usual with some small talk, followed by the rest of his day. For the most part, Apollo had gone back to his farmer days. Having his own produce was already such a blessing, and when Ames could finally reunite with him, he could definitely share some new tricks he'd learned and make the whole farming life their new start.
A horse would be a good addition to their little family.
"I should give you a name," Apollo decided, letting go of the horse, which seemed to immediately miss the comforting warmth of his hand. "In here, everything is simple. Almost no modern monkey business. Free."
The right name popped up in his mind right away.
"Malaya," he said, smiling at the sound of it. He gave his new friend another caress on the head. "Malaya."
6:30 AM
Apollo excitedly walked into his bedroom, which had been set up and decorated pretty similarly to how it had looked in his youth. He had reconstructed his old house, opting for a recreation of its structure and walling system but with a touch of modernity. A monthly supply of energy cells helped him with his gadgets, no more than Eliza's old laptop, a cellular phone that connected him exclusively to Division, and a simple printer. His internet access was also limited to what Division allowed. For their sense of a good measure, there were simply some sites that Apollo couldn't access, and internet use meant a close observation by cyber security personnel.
He threw the bow and the quiver onto the bed and checked himself out in the tall mirror. He'd grown his hair to a short curtain style and been shaving daily, and his return to the farming life had really toned his body even more, but the budgeting of the water supply meant that perfumed baths were a thing of the past. Collecting rainwater and NAI-delivered supplies really helped. He'd been planning on digging up a well, but fitting that into his schedule hadn't been easy.
'I look like I could use a change of clothes,' he commented in his mind, taking off his brown cargo jacket, which was a delivered gift from Battle Cry for his 103rd birthday. His gray racerback tank top was moist with sweat, and he couldn't wait to slip out of his jeans, too. There were a lot of things to be done for the day, and he could use more comfortable clothing.
Quickly changing into a white tank top and brown sweatpants, he walked back out to the living room, which was now as dainty as he remembered it. Division had been kind enough to buy him cushions for the two adjacent sofas, at least. The rest of the furniture, he had crafted on his own using rattan, bamboo, and wood.
He went straight for the wooden work desk on the side of the living room opposite the sofas, right next to the kitchen and dining area. He'd made sure to make a large enough work desk for both his studies and his work. Piles of books on various fields of study lined up the side of the desk that connected with the wall, and his notebooks had their own rack on the right-hand corner of the desk. He pulled the work chair out and helped himself down on it, proceeding to open his laptop to get started with the first task of the day: writing learning materials for the indigenous community he'd found living in the next mountain, just beyond Blackbird Peak. An Igorot community. Ibaloi, specifically. It hadn't been a year since its settlement, and many of its members were struggling with displacement. That was one thing that Apollo had been trying to formulate a solution for, as well. Due to the increased number of superhumans and everything becoming at risk of being collateral damage, many indigenous tribes had been losing land. Leaving land, too, for safety's sake. The first time he'd walked into the community had been a tense experience, but it'd been eight months since. He had since earned the community's acceptance of and fondness for his presence.
The Mastermind had already been destroyed, and he hadn't heard about whether or not Eliza had truly made a new one. All he knew was that there was still something good that he could do for people on his end. With his mental capacity, which was almost no different than that of The Mastermind, he could still continue what Ames had started. So he did. In his own way.
'And when he comes back,' Apollo thought to himself, the idea making him smile. 'We'll teach them together.'
He'd been living for a very long time. He had so much to teach. To pass down.
'I haven't changed my password yet,' Apollo remembered for the nth time as he typed it in. It was still his previous alias. Soon enough, he'd make the mistake of calling himself Max Angeles again. He hadn't even used that alias for ten months now for cover-up reasons, and Division had been smart enough to formulate legal and valid documents for him under the new name. He didn't want to risk busting himself. He hoped Ames had been informed, too.
Apollo planned to take Malaya to the community later for another drop-off. The idea of horseback travel excited him.
He just had to finish up the next batch of printouts.
Wait for his suppression shot, too, which would be before noon.
9:30 AM
The four NAIs three-point landed on the open space, eroded earth blowing up on their black body suits. It had been months of them operating without psionic scrambler helmets, even though Ames was still in their facility.
Apollo concealed a snort at their dramatic poses by taking a sip of his coffee as he watched them from the wooden porch. The NAIs straightened up to impressive postures that reminded Apollo of the former Enforcement's poise.
"One of these days, you're going to hurt your knees," he cracked, almost choking on his coffee in the memory flash of his own operating days when he had overdone the three-point landing.
"One of these days, you're going to choke on your coffee," Fraction joked back, removing the magnetized attache case from the back of her suit. The young superhuman had since become his favorite NAI nurse. She'd always had a sick response to his joking remarks. The others, so far, had been too serious in their jobs. "Sorry for being late, sir."
"No problemo," Apollo replied, putting down his cup of coffee on the floor next to him as the NAIs approached. "How's the outside world?"
Fraction stopped at his side, putting down the attache case to prepare for the administration. The other NAIs immediately did an about face and assumed defensive positions.
"Not much," Fraction said. "Pretty peaceful. Except in social media. Stan wars."
"Oh," Apollo replied, eyes squinting in curiosity. "What's it about?"
"Sun Dancer stans shipping him with Amaranth, sir," Fraction's tone was almost judgmental about the whole thing as she readied the syringe gun. Apollo remembered how he hadn't really been involved in the shipping antics of his own fans and stans back in the day. Plus, his social media accounts used to be jointly owned by his PR team and himself, and most of his uploaded content had been curated strategically by his PR manager. "Astral Chrome stans weren't happy. They're still pushing Sun-Stral to be a thing. Heck, even Ama-Dancer isn't looking like it's gonna' be a thing. A lot of people have a lot of time, I guess."
"What about my batch mates?" Apollo inquired. He would've appreciated a visit from them, but he figured they'd be very busy.
"Alpha's making waves," Fraction's tone picked up in interest again. She politely took Apollo's arm for the shot. "He's planning on stepping down. Battle Cry and Armor Falco are being prepped for the throne. Battle of the Queens, according to their stans."
"Not a good move, pitting women against each other."
"Tell me about it. It's a good thing they're like sisters. Even suggested sharing the Alpha title. Although, Battle Cry doesn't seem interested all that much. She barely talks about it. Avoids it, almost."
Fraction pushed the needle in and pulled the trigger, carefully pulling the gun off after the administration.
"What about me?" Apollo asked. "And Ames?"
"Cover-up's pretty good in your case," Fraction reported, putting the gun back in the case. "The country misses you, though. A lot. You're being mourned to this day. As for Professor Andrade, his handiwork can't be overlooked. Good thinking with making him control your light constructs on the way down, though. Kept you deceased to public knowledge."
That was worrying to hear.
"They're still trying to come up with a fool-proof cover story," Fraction capped her report, putting the case back on the device on her suit. Apollo caught a suspicious side-eye from her toward her companions, who were too busy standing guard.
Much to Apollo's surprise, Fraction bent down and took his arm again. This time, she tapped on it with her finger a series of patterns that took him a second to recognize.
'Oh, Morse,' he realized, managing to decrypt Fraction's strategic gossiping shortly after. He couldn't help but smile.
The clever NAI pulled back, winking emphatically and discreetly making a shushing gesture.
Apollo replied with a quick thumbs-up.
For some reason, Division had been keeping Apollo in the shadows about Ames's status and vice versa. Fraction's little spill was a helpful mood lifter.
"Alright, sir," Fraction said, giving him a quick salute as she backed up with her companions. "The NAI gotta' fly."
'That was catchy,' Apollo thought, grinning at how things had been turning out so far. He saluted back. After a brisk about face, the NAIs took off from the ground, flying up and away.
"Best of luck," Apollo sighed, picking up his coffee cup and staring out to the landscape to his right. There was something reassuring about the warm glow of the sun over the field below and over the open space. He appreciated that.
11:45 AM
Apollo wasn't about to question how Division could allow him to be armed. He was just glad that he could keep some means of protection. He shoved the magazine into the Stallion-ONE and pulled the slide back before putting the gun into the makeshift leather holster on his belt.
Malign may be dead, but The Legion was still at large. Apparently, Current had been warped to believe otherwise, too.
Word was that The Legion had dispersed in different mountain ranges, and Apollo hoped that the mountain where the Igorot community had settled in wasn't within its reach.
If anything did happen, he was ready for it.
He was dressed up for the road ahead: gray tank top, navy cargo pants, black cardigan, and dark brown combat boots.
"Ready...," he muttered, taking the aged chestnut backpack of printouts from the living room sofa and putting it on. "Another Monday."
1:30 PM
The moment Apollo reached the archway of the community, he hopped off Malaya and proceeded forward on foot, guiding the horse along via the attached makeshift lead rope.
It seemed to be a quiet afternoon for the community.
The thirty-something community leader, known to Apollo only as Acop, approached him with quiet regality, her colorful kambal and divet whipping slightly against the wind. Her long black hair was loose on her shoulders, framing her oval face well and complementing her tan skin and her sharply beautiful features.
From what she had shared to him about herself, she was a Gonzales alumnus. That was something that Apollo had immediately held on to, missing Ames terribly and all. She was also a lawyer, and she had once shared about returning to her hometown immediately after having taken her oath.
"Quiet Monday, Apollo," she spoke in greeting. "Here again, being a helpful neighbor. Thank you."
"Made someone a promise," Apollo replied, carefully taking his bag off and pulling out the printouts. "Just doing my best. You know how it is."
"I do," Acop replied.
Apollo politely handed the printouts to her.
"Just keep doing your best, Apollo," Acop continued, taking the printouts and clutching them under her arm. "We'll all get what we've been fighting for in the end. And he'll be back. Trust him."
'I really hope so, Acop,' Apollo thought, nodding at the enigmatic community leader in response. 'Feels like I've been waiting forever.'
"Alright, my friend," Acop said, a grateful smile on her face as she stepped back. "Thank you as always. We've prepared some kinuday for you. Wait here."
5:35 PM
It had been almost two hours since Apollo had come back to his house. He sat on the wooden bench in the open space, feasting his eyes on the peace and the solitude that the view provided. Harvey's old guitar rested on his lap. Malaya, on the other hand, was resting at the side of the house. Tomorrow, Apollo would be building a proper space for him.
Monday, however, was not yet done.
Sunset was coming up, and it looked just like how Apollo liked it: a fiery orange sea of clouds with a bit of indigo and a view of the field below.
Every afternoon, he'd sit here to think. To look back.
To imagine the day when he'd finally be with Ames again. It had to be close. It had to be.
Apollo remembered Fraction's message: an "I love you" from Ames himself. As encouraging as that had been to receive, it had only made him miss Ames more.
Apollo took the guitar up to play it.
As usual, Sunset Glow. It had become a ritual.
He began with one strum, followed by the rest of the song. Today, he felt the lyrics even more deeply than he'd ever felt them before. He sang much louder, too. It had been a year. He missed Ames terribly. Desperately. Finally hearing from Ames had to mean something good. It had to. It just had to.
Apollo dreaded nearing the end of the song and watching the sunset without seeing Ames come home again.
But he knew that this afternoon could well be just like every other afternoon before it: an afternoon of hoping and longing. To be followed by another.
"You're still
The closest thing to home"
Ames.
"This feeling
Is far too beautiful"
Ames gave it to him like no other.
"I'm coming home
To fireflies and starlight"
He wondered if Ames would ever think about this song on the way here when that day of his return would come. That would be beautiful, if that were to happen.
"To fireflies and starlight..."
Apollo's pause was long. The song was about to end. The indigo of the sunset was now at an equal power struggle with the warm orange.
And he heard footsteps coming from beyond the archway that led to the open space.
He shot up from his seat, his heart stumbling in its beats a little too strongly.
'Footsteps...,' he confirmed. He couldn't argue that he was missing Ames too much and probably hallucinating. He really was hearing footsteps, along with soft crunches of soil. Normally, NAIs came in from the sky. Nobody had used the main path in almost a year other than him. Although, Division had since made a proper gate for the fence that protected Blackbird Peak.
The footsteps were coming closer, too.
"I swear I've heard that song countless times before," a familiar voice said from beyond the archway, sending a chill down Apollo's spine. It wasn't Ames's, however. He knew Ames's voice too well.
The voice he'd just heard had sounded stronger and more textured.
A tall, athletically built man slowly walked through the archway, and the recognition that followed left Apollo in a strong mixture of shock and gladness.
"Tyler Andrade?" he blurted out, his mouth refusing to close in his surprise.
Tyler, who didn't look properly dressed for the mountain in his biker clothes, looked at him and smiled.
"Ah," Tyler said. "Max. Found you. I meant "Apollo", sorry."
Apollo couldn't believe his eyes, quickly setting the guitar down on the bench and making his way toward Tyler.
He stopped in his tracks, his shock magnified almost beyond his understanding, when Ames walked into view, following Tyler into the open space.
"Holy shit...," Apollo whispered as he locked eyes with an equally shocked Ames. He was nearly speechless, but his heartbeat sounded like war drums. He couldn't control the shivers that dominated his body.
"Hey there...," Ames uttered, his voice unsteady. He looked the same as he'd always looked, just as handsome but much leaner and with longer hair now fixed in a messy ponytail. His fringed bangs framed his face beautifully. His eyes, however, no longer glowed in pink. They were back to normal color.
"I-is it now?" Apollo stammered, mind in a whirlwind as he walked slowly toward Ames. "Is it today?"
"From this day forward...," Ames managed before the first teardrop slid down his face. It was like a signal. A shot from a race gun. "Every day."
Apollo ran forward, almost flying through the restraints of his suppression, and Ames did the same.
Their collision led to the hardest, most desperate, most selfish embrace that Apollo had ever given, and the rush of joy from Ames's reciprocation was only making it tighter. They were breathless and trapped in the euphoria of their unity. Finally, together again. After what had felt like a very long time. Like a lifetime.
Apollo's tears were beyond his control, and his sobs were just as wayward.
It was like being brought back to life, finally feeling Ames again.
"Don't go away," Apollo pleaded, planting his lips strongly on Ames's forehead. "Don't go anywhere else. Please. Please."
"I'm here," Ames replied, voice broken by intrusive sobs. "I'm staying. I'm staying. We made it. Finally."
"I wait here every day," Apollo blurted out. "Every day in the sunset. Just hoping and waiting and waiting..."
"Well, what are you waiting for?!" Ames said, pulling back to look him in the eyes. "Sun hasn't set yet!"
"What do you want me to do?" Apollo's words broke out into the messiest of chuckles.
"Finish the song," Ames instructed, reaching up and caressing Apollo's cheek. "Let's make this sunset unlike the rest."
Apollo held on to Ames's hand on his face, resting his head on it.
Wanting to stay on it.
"You already did, Ames," Apollo replied, savoring the feeling of Ames's touch, hoping it would last forever. Apollo swore in his heart that he would do whatever it took to make that happen. They both would. The sunset glow cast upon them was a witness to that promise. It would hold them to that promise every single day from here on out. "Welcome home."