The sun was dropping fast, painting Nagashima's sky in streaks of neon orange and violet. Music pulsed in the distance — the deep bass of a DJ set rolling across the beach like a heartbeat.
Quinn and the others sprinted across the soft sand, barefoot and laughing, dodging beach balls and surfboards as they went. Hydro followed behind them, duffel bag slung over his shoulder, hair a mess, breath steady but heavy.
"Where—" Hydro panted, dodging a flying frisbee, "—are we even going?!"
Quinn turned back mid-run, her face glowing with excitement. "Dan's disco event! It's over by the right side of the beach! You have to see it — it's huge!"
"Define huge," Hydro muttered, wiping sweat off his forehead.
"Like, music festival meets karaoke war huge!" Terry yelled, barely keeping up.
Hydro rolled his eyes. "Oh great, my first night back and I'm about to get crushed by people dancing to Eurobeat."
But the sound was getting louder — they were close. The beach suddenly opened up into a massive setup: colorful disco lights reflecting off the waves, food trucks lined up in glowing rows, and a huge dance floor under a tent covered in LED panels. It looked like someone dropped a piece of Shibuya in the middle of Nagashima.
The crowd was insane. Cosplayers, tourists, locals — everyone vibing. The music was blasting, the atmosphere thick with sweat, laughter, and the smell of barbecue and saltwater.
Quinn pointed, "There! That's the entrance!"
Hydro slowed down, squinting. Two guards stood by the gate, dressed in formal black polos and sunglasses, looking intimidatingly chill.
"Uhhh," Hydro muttered, catching up with the group, "you did bring the invitations, right?"
Quinn's smile faded instantly. "…Wait."
Terry blinked. "You did bring them, right?"
Kai groaned, "Don't tell me—"
Bea slapped her forehead. "You forgot them again, didn't you?"
Quinn bit her lip, laughing nervously. "Okay, okay, before anyone yells, yes, I may have forgotten to grab them from Dan's email drop—"
Hydro raised a hand, exhausted. "Cool. So we sprinted across half the damn beach for a party we can't get into."
They stood there awkwardly, sweat glistening, music still thumping behind the gates like it was mocking them.
"Okay," Quinn said, trying to sound confident. "Just—just act natural. Stay cool. We can talk our way in."
Hydro stared at her. "You say that like we're about to rob a club."
Quinn smirked. "Same concept, less jail time."
They walked up to the guards, trying to look casual. The guard on the left, a tall dude with kind eyes, gave a polite nod. "Evenin'. Invitations, please?"
Quinn flashed her most innocent smile. "We're, uh, friends of Dan's! He told us we could come through!"
The guard tilted his head. "Name?"
"Quinn. Atlarus Quinn."
He looked down at his list. "Hmm… don't see that here."
Bea and Kai started sweating. Terry tried to fake a cough. Yurei subtly looked ready to bolt.
Hydro sighed, feeling the weight of the moment. "Okay… so now what?" he muttered under his breath.
Then, out of nowhere, his duffel bag — the one he always carried — is creating a symbiotic small printer out of the bag's skin. It made a soft fwip sound the faster it printed, it's like a Godly creation.
Hydro glanced down and blinked. A crisp invitation card had slid halfway out of the bag, perfectly sealed with Dan's gold-foil logo on it.
"...No way." Hydro whispered.
Quinn blinked. "What was that?"
Hydro bent down, grabbed it, and faked a casual grin. "Ahem, excuse me," he said to the guard, waving the card. "Sorry — it was, uh, in my bag the whole time. Must've slipped down earlier. Totally our bad."
The guard looked at the card, then back at Hydro, and smiled. "All good, sir. Looks valid. Go on in. Enjoy the party."
"Thanks, man." Hydro exhaled in relief.
As they stepped through, the girls all turned to him, eyes wide.
"Hydro," Quinn said slowly, "how the hell did you just pull that off?"
Hydro froze for half a second, trying to come up with a cover. "I, uh…" he stuttered, scratching his head. "So… funny story. I might've borrowed one of Dan's invitation cards earlier when I saw it posted on the corkboard, and uh, printed a copy just in case something like this happened."
Bea blinked. "Wait… you printed a gold foil invitation?"
Hydro smiled weakly. "Y-yeah! I got a… really good printer?"
Terry looked at him suspiciously. "That doesn't even sound like a lie you rehearsed."
"Exactly," Kai chimed in. "He's lying on the spot."
Hydro put up both hands defensively. "Hey! Look, whatever I did, it worked. So can we not question the miracle and just enjoy the night?"
Quinn laughed, linking her arm with his. "Fair. But that was slick, not gonna lie. You still got that smooth charm."
Hydro sighed dramatically. "More like panic adrenaline."
The moment they stepped inside, they were swallowed by the chaos. The bass was booming now — the kind that shook the sand under your feet. Bright lasers shot across the dance floor, people were shouting lyrics, and Dan's voice echoed through the speakers:
"YO NAGASHIMA!! WHO'S READY TO GET CRAZY TONIGHT?!"
The crowd erupted.
Hydro blinked, half-deaf from the noise. "...Oh yeah. Definitely gonna lose hearing after this."
Quinn laughed. "That's the point!"
They waded through the crowd, bumping shoulders with people in glowing outfits and animal cosplay suits. Hydro kept close, protecting Quinn and the others from the push and pull of the dance floor.
"Man," Hydro muttered, "the last time I was in a crowd this big was… never mind."
Bea nudged him. "What? The war you fought in?"
Hydro blinked. "...You mean the war for limited edition merch? Yeah. That one."
Kai snorted so hard she nearly tripped.
As they finally found a small space near the bar, Quinn pulled out her phone and leaned close to Hydro. "Hey… I heard your community kinda… fell apart? After 2025?"
Hydro went quiet for a moment, leaning against the wall. "Yeah," he said softly. "After I disappeared, everyone scattered. Some joined other groups, some stopped doing cosplay altogether. It's like… I left, and the heart of it just faded."
Quinn's voice softened. "That must've hurt."
Hydro nodded slowly. "It did. I blamed myself for a while. But… maybe it wasn't my fault entirely. Life just moves, y'know? Everyone has their own path."
Terry looked at him. "And what about yours?"
Hydro smirked faintly. "Still figuring that out. But for now…" He glanced at the crowd, the lights, the chaos — and his friends laughing beside him. "...I think this is a good place to start."
Quinn grinned. "Well, try to have some fun for me, alright?"
Hydro chuckled, standing up straighter. "No promises."
Then, Hydro couldn't believe it—that the name "Dan Le Fish" was actually real and not some long-running meme from their Discord server.
Quinn suddenly squealed like a kid spotting a celebrity.
"DAN!! Bro, you finally showed up!!"
From the crowd came this tall dude wearing a fish-shaped neon visor, an open Hawaiian shirt, and white slides with socks. He looked like if "vibe check" became a human being.
Dan turned around, spotting them instantly—
"YO! OHARA GANG IN THE HOUSE??"
They both bolted toward each other like a shounen reunion moment. Quinn jumped in, Dan caught her halfway, and then they started doing that weird handshake-hug combo that only old friends can pull off. Bea, Kai, Nate, and Yurei joined in one by one, each getting a solid dab or side hug.
Then finally, Dan noticed Hydro.
For a sec, he froze. The air got heavy but not in a bad way—just nostalgic.
Dan raised his hand for a dap, that confident grin plastered on his face.
Hydro tilted his head, stared for a moment, then grinned back. "You still alive, huh?"
Dan chuckled. "Man, I could say the same for you."
They dapped—the loudest dap ever—and then immediately pulled into a bro hug. The kind that slaps the back hard enough to echo in the music.
"Ten years, dude," Dan said, laughing as he patted Hydro's shoulder. "Ten freakin' years since the last Ohara meetup. What happened to you, my guy?"
Hydro smirked, trying not to get too sentimental. "Long story, bro. But I'll tell you everything inside."
Dan snapped his fingers like some kind of movie character. "Say less. Y'all, follow me! We're headin' to the Friends Room."
The "Friends Room" was basically a VIP lounge, but with beanbags, LED lights, and old anime soundtracks blasting from hidden speakers. Posters of old conventions from the 2020s covered the walls—some were faded, others full of Sharpie autographs. It smelled like energy drinks and instant ramen nostalgia.
Inside were two familiar faces—
Matt Tomizawa, the chill dude with a camera permanently hanging from his neck, and Kristine Denise, a.k.a. Galala Bing, the most wholesome cosplayer to ever exist.
"HOLY—" Kristine yelled, jumping from the couch.
"NO WAY!!" Matt added, nearly spilling his drink.
They both shouted at the same time—
"HYDROOO!!"
Before Hydro could even blink, both of them rushed forward and hugged him. Kristine almost tackled him while Matt half-laughed, half-yelled, "Dude, I thought you got snapped or somethin'!"
Hydro chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. "Nah… just, you know—high school, college, all that chaos."
Kristine stepped back, her eyes soft but teasing. "Ten years, Hydro. No message, no DM, not even a meme tag? That's a crime."
"Yeah, yeah," Hydro laughed. "I had… stuff. Senior high crams, then college hit hard. Barely made it out alive. Tried getting hired as a photographer too, but my boss—he kinda helped me realize what that really means, y'know? Not just taking pics, but… telling stories through them."
The room went quiet for a moment. Then Dan whistled.
"Man's talking like he's in a Netflix doc."
Everyone laughed, and Hydro rolled his eyes. "Shut up."
Then he noticed a small figure sitting on a beanbag nearby—
a little girl with bright brown eyes and hair tied in two loops.
She looked up from a coloring book.
Kristine smiled, calling out, "Hey, Mina! Come meet Hydro!"
The girl stood up, clutching her book to her chest. "Hi! I'm Mina!"
Hydro blinked, crouching a bit. "Mina, huh? That's a cool name."
"She's the Five Million Dollar Girl," Kristine said proudly.
Mina puffed her chest, grinning. "That's me!"
Hydro smiled for real this time, waving back. "Nice to meet you, Million-Dollar Girl."
Mina giggled. "You're funny!"
Matt smirked. "Bro, you forgot my handshake though."
"Oh, right—" Hydro laughed, giving him the most awkwardly delayed handshake in history.
"Man, it's like old times," Dan said, plopping down on a beanbag. "Except now we're adults with bills and trauma."
"Facts," Yurei said, taking a sip of soda.
Meanwhile, outside—
the security guards spotted three weird silhouettes approaching the entrance.
One of them had a tophat and just black eye pupils—his limbs were black sticks like a doodle come to life. His name was Electroman, self-proclaimed "Leader of the Indie Squad."
Next to him was Atlas, this tall dude whose body shimmered with neon-green outlines, like a walking hologram. His voice was modulated and slightly robotic.
And then there was Hyper, a messy blue-haired guy blasting EDM in his headphones like life depended on the beat.
They all stopped in front of the guards.
"Evening, officers of the groove," Electroman said, tipping his hat. "We're here for the party of destiny."
"Do you have invitations?"
"Of course," Electroman said dramatically, snapping his fingers—Atlas pulled out three glowing, techy-looking cards.
The guards looked confused but scanned them anyway. The devices beeped green.
"Alright, you're good to go. Enjoy the night."
Electroman smirked. "We shall."
As they entered, Hyper whispered, "You sure this is the right place?"
Atlas replied, "Hydro's energy signature was detected here. Can't mistake that anomaly."
Electroman clenched his gloved hand. "He stole my Airpod Shotty, Hyper. Nobody steals from the groove."
Hyper blinked. "Wait, you mean the one that plays Daft Punk when it reloads?"
"Yes," Electroman hissed. "That one."
The three strutted in like villains entering a rhythm game cutscene.
Back inside, Hydro sat with Kristine and Matt as the others messed with the karaoke setup.
Kristine leaned closer. "You really disappeared, huh?"
Hydro nodded quietly. "Yeah… My Community kinda fell apart after 2025. I left thinking it'd rebuild itself, but… I guess it just went quiet without me."
Kristine smiled softly. "Sometimes, people drift. Doesn't mean they stop caring. You're here now, right?"
Hydro exhaled, looking around at his friends—laughing, yelling, drinking soda, living.
"Yeah," he said. "Guess I am."
Dan, from across the room, yelled out, "Aight, who's up for karaoke?! Loser buys fries!"
Quinn jumped in immediately. "BET!"
Hydro chuckled, shaking his head.
For the first time in years, the world didn't feel heavy.
But somewhere in the crowd—
three glowing outlines were pushing through the dancers.
The night outside was louder than a concert and brighter than a Y2K fever dream. Neon lights painted the beachside in gold, pink, and violet streaks, bouncing off the waves like liquid glass.
Hydro and the crew stepped out from the Friends Room, all smiles and laughs as the distant sound of 80s disco thumped through the speakers. They followed Dan toward the outdoor bar area—a stretch of polished wood and hanging lanterns, lined with stools overlooking the ocean. The air smelled like citrus, salt, and smoke from some nearby barbecue pit.
Dan waved his arms dramatically. "Yo, bartender! Hit us with something sweet—just a tiny bit alcoholic, my dude!"
The bartender, a tall guy with tattoos shaped like cocktail glasses, grinned. "You got it. You want something with flair or just vibes?"
Dan leaned on the counter. "Vibes, bro. Always vibes."
Hydro slid onto a stool next to Quinn, adjusting his duffel bag as he leaned forward. The bartender turned to him. "And for you, sir?"
Hydro hesitated, scratching his cheek. "Uh… you got any Zest-O Apple Juice?"
The bartender blinked. "...You mean, like, the juice in a plastic pouch with the straw?"
Hydro nodded like it was the most normal thing in the world. "Yeah. The GOAT drink."
The bartender burst out laughing. "We don't carry that here, bro. But tell you what—I'll make something close. No alcohol, pure juice, max nostalgia."
Hydro smiled faintly. "Welll uhhh... ookay, appreciate that."
Quinn elbowed him. "Apple juice? In a bar? Oh man, you never change."
Hydro shrugged. "Why fix perfection?"
Everyone laughed. Dan was halfway through telling a story about a cosplayer who accidentally set off a smoke machine backstage when his phone buzzed. "Ah—dang. Be right back, y'all. Gotta grab the food before it burns." He darted off toward the grill area, waving over his shoulder.
As the group waited, Hydro leaned on the bar, the night air brushing his face. For a brief second, everything felt peaceful.
Then… something shifted.
A soft ripple of shadow moved on his shoulder, and a small, black-scaled head with faint glowing eyes peeked out—Noirach.
"...My liege, why are you in a tavern right now?" Noirach muttered, his voice low and regal, like some medieval narrator trapped in a demon gecko body.
Hydro didn't even look at him. "It's a bar. And I just asked for juice, chill out."
"Juice?" Noirach tilted his tiny head, suspicious. "My liege, that fermented drink is forbidden for thine kind."
Hydro sighed. "It's not fermented. It's apple juice. Literally sugar water with... flavors."
Noirach blinked slowly. "Hmm. Then carry on."
And just like that, he faded back into Hydro's shadow, muttering something about "unsanctified establishments."
Hydro smirked to himself—but the bartender's voice broke his thought.
"Hey, man, just a heads-up," the bartender said, leaning over the counter. "Our dispenser's acting up. Might take a minute to get your juice going."
"No problem," Hydro replied. But something in his tone shifted.
Because he felt it—
that ripple in the crowd. That weird static hum in the air. That sense of being watched.
He didn't turn. He didn't need to.
His godly perception flickered into action—colors dimming, outlines sharpening. Three signatures stood out from the chaos like neon warnings:
Electroman. Atlas. Hyper.
Hydro muttered under his breath, "God damn it… it's those Indie guys again."
The same trio that got through security earlier—pushing through the dancers like they owned the rhythm itself.
Hydro straightened up. "Uh, guys?" he said, interrupting Quinn mid-sentence. "Gotta… use the bathroom real quick."
Quinn blinked. "You okay?"
"Yeah, yeah," Hydro said, forcing a smile. "Just—apple juice's revenge, you know?"
Nate groaned. "Well that was fast."
Hydro was already walking off, waving behind him. "Don't wait up too long!"
He slipped into the crowd, trying to stay low-key—but man, this place was packed. Strobe lights flickered as people danced, laughed, and spilled drinks. Hydro weaved through, muttering apologies and trying not to accidentally elbow a mascot in the face.
The bathroom sign glowed ahead—salvation.
He pushed the door open and stumbled inside—
Only to freeze.
Inside the massive, luxury restroom were a bunch of anthropomorphic creatures—
a literal octopus washing its hands, a fox-headeddude fixing his tie, and a penguin looking at himself in the mirror like he was questioning his life choices.
Hydro just stood there like, "What the hell…"
The octopus nodded politely. "Evenin', sir."
Hydro nodded back slowly. "Yeah… uh… evenin'."
Eventually, one by one, the bathroom cleared out. Silence.
Hydro took a deep breath. "Alright. Guess it's go time."
He scanned around and hid behind one of the stall doors—perched up like a ninja about to ruin someone's day.
Seconds later—slam!
The door burst open.
Electroman, Atlas, and Hyper stepped inside, eyes scanning like they were in a detective movie.
Electroman's tophat glowed faintly as he spoke. "He's here. I can feel it. The Airpod Shotty's energy… resonates."
Atlas's digital eyes flickered. "The readings are inconsistent. Are you sure he's not in another frequency?"
Hyper was tapping his headphones. "Nah, he's here. I can hear his vibe. It's like… edgy jazz fusion."
Hydro raised an eyebrow from behind the stall. "What the actual—"
Before he could move, Electroman turned toward his direction. "There!"
Hydro cursed, grabbing the nearest object from the stall wall—a random stick mop.
He swung it out the door with full force—WHACK!
"ACK—" Electroman staggered back, his hat flying off.
"Bro just hit me with a janitor's arcane staff!" Electroman yelled.
Hydro burst out from the stall, still holding the mop like it was Excalibur. "It's a mp, dumbass! Look, whoeber you are, I didn't steal your damn Airpod Shotty!"
Atlas stepped forward, voice cold. "How did you know we are asking that? Then why does our tracker lead to you?"
"Because your tracker sucks!" Hydro snapped.
Hyper jumped over a sink, trying to tackle Hydro—but Hydro ducked. The guy flew straight into a hand dryer, face-slamming the "Push to Start" button.
The dryer whirred loudly, blowing his hair into an anime spike.
"AHHH—MY HEADPHONES!!" Hyper screamed.
Hydro dashed back, grabbing something else from his duffel bag—
and somehow pulled out a Captain America shield.
Everyone froze for a split second.
Atlas: "...How did you—"
Hydro: "Don't question it."
He used the shield to block Electroman's electrical blast, sparks flying across the bathroom. The tiles cracked, mirrors shattered, and alarms started beeping from the air conditioner unit.
"Why are you even after me!?" Hydro yelled over the chaos.
Electroman threw out a neon whip. "You know damn well why! You took something sacred to our crew!"
"I DIDN'T TAKE YOUR AUDIO-BASED GUN, DUDE!"
Hydro ducked another strike, flipping behind a divider. He yanked open his duffel again—this time pulling out Thor's Mjolnir.
Everyone froze again.
Hyper blinked. "...Is that—"
Hydro flabbergasted. "—Holy s███."
He twirled it once, and lightning literally flashed through the window.
Electroman pointed dramatically. "He's armed with fictional weaponry! This confirms it—he's cheating reality!"
"THIS IS HOW OUR WORLD WORKS, SO YOU BETTER THINK—" Hydro shouted back but he's interrupted.
Atlas fired a green pulse blast—Hydro blocked it with the shield, then accidentally dropped Mjolnir, which crashed through a sink. Water sprayed everywhere.
"Ah, come on!" Hydro groaned.
Hyper leapt again, but Hydro instinctively grabbed something else from his duffel—
and pulled out the Gravity Gun from Half-Life 2.
He aimed. "Smile you son of a—"
BOOM.
Hyper was flung backward into the ceiling like a ragdoll, before landing perfectly into a trash bin.
Hydro blinked. "...Okay, that was actually kinda cool."
Electroman gritted his teeth. "Atlas, flank him!"
Atlas duplicated himself into holographic clones. Hydro sighed. "Man, I hate when they do that."
Thinking fast, Hydro reached into his bag again—this time pulling out… a rubber chicken.
"…Bruh," Hydro muttered. "Really?"
He tossed it aside.
Electroman lunged forward, his electric baton humming, but Hydro sidestepped. The baton hit a mirror, sending sparks flying. Hydro retaliated with a push kick, sending the tophat flying into the urinal.
"You're not gonna find your damn Airpod Shotty in there either!" Hydro snapped.
Atlas's clones charged—Hydro ducked under one, spun, and tossed the shield again. It ricocheted across the tiles like a pinball, smacking three clones before returning to his hand.
Hyper, crawling out of the trash bin, yelled, "HE'S BUILT DIFFERENT!"
Hydro irritated with the joke. "I'm so tired of this joke."
The music outside faintly shifted—bass thumping harder, people cheering—like the party continued completely unaware that an anime war was happening in the bathroom.
Hydro finally backed up, panting lightly. The three Indie guys surrounded him again, electricity and neon energy sparking through the air.
"ALRIGHT," Hydro said, lowering the shield. "ENOUGH!"
He looked dead at Electroman, eyes sharp.
"Why the hell are you after me for some Airpod Shotty? You think I need that? I am unauthorized to hold with a lethal weapon, sir. You think I need a glorified Bluetooth gun?"
The room went silent except for the broken hand dryer still blowing air at Hyper's leg.
Electroman hesitated, his glow dimming slightly. "...Well, when you put it like that…"
Atlas crossed his arms. "He's telling the truth. The energy reading could've been a false positive."
Hyper groaned from the floor. "Can I get out of the trash bin now?"
Hydro sighed, lowering the shield. "Yeah, man. You good."
The three of them looked at him awkwardly.
Electroman rubbed the back of his hatless head. "...Our bad."
Hydro screamed. "Our bad...? OUR BAD?! I'M GONNA KILL YO—"
Atlas flabbergasted. "WHOA WHOA WHOA, OKAY OKAY, WE'RE SORRY."
"Nevermind," Hydro said, grabbing his duffel bag and heading for the exit.
He turned back before leaving. "I swear to god, if I ever see, one of you following me again, I swear I will give you a huge amount of jail time for stalking."
Electroman stared. "…Okay, okay okay okay, we will."
Hydro, emotionless. "Alright. If any of you have concerns, just... Call me. "
Then he left, shutting the door behind him as the three indie guys just stood there, surrounded by broken tiles, running sinks, and embarrassment.
Hyper broke the silence first. "…So… tacos after this?"
Electroman sighed. "Yeah, sure. But he's paying."
OUTSIDE
The outside air hit different — humid, faint smell of grilled street food and cheap fireworks from the far corner of the event. Hydro leaned against the metal railing by the back exit, looking like someone who's half waiting for an apocalypse and half pretending he's just on a smoke break. His glasses glowed faint blue, reflecting the party lights leaking through the door cracks.
He didn't even get a full breath of peace before the door slammed open.
"HYDROOOO!"
The three voices echoed in chaos — Electroman, Atlas, and Hyper — stumbling out like they've just escaped a crime scene.
Hydro blinked. "...What."
Electroman, still brushing off sink water from his jacket, grinned awkwardly. "So uh— mind if we, like... go with you for a bit?"
Hydro tilted his head. "Why?"
Atlas scratched the back of his neck. "Oh it's— you know, just getting to know each other more! Sorry about what happened in the restroom, by the way."
Hydro squinted. "Yeah, about that…"
Hyper nervously laughed, "It was an accident. Totally not my fault the soap dispenser exploded."
Hydro exhaled through his nose, like a man who's seen way worse. "Fine. But only on one condition."
All three perked up instantly. "Yes??"
Hydro crossed his arms. "If anyone asks what happened in the restroom, you don't mention my name."
"Deal," they all said in sync — too fast.
Hydro stared for a second. "You guys said that way too quick."
Before he could even process the next second, a random guy walked into the restroom. Not even three beats later—
"OH WHAT THE— WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SINK?!"
Hydro sighed. "...See what I mean?"
Now outside, the four walked through the dim event alley — the hum of generators, distant laughter, and faint techno beats still spilling from the venue.
"So," Hydro said, looking over his shoulder, "what do I even call you guys again?"
Electroman puffed out his chest a little. "I'm Electroman, that's Atlas, and the tall anxious one is Hyper."
"Bro I'm not anxious," Hyper muttered. "I'm just chronically aware."
Hydro raised an eyebrow. "Right…" He tilted his head. "Wait— 'Electroman,' 'Atlas,' 'Hyper'— those names sound mad familiar."
Atlas smiled. "Well yeah, we're from the Chill Gang."
Hydro stopped walking. "Wait. Chill Gang? As in— Discord Chill Gang?"
Electroman grinned. "The one and only."
Hydro's eyes widened. "Ohhhh… Ohhhhhh. Bro, I almost forgot your names! We met online back in like— what, 2021? During the whole Covid pandemic era?"
Atlas laughed. "Yeah dude! That's the one. You must be Hydro. The guy who wouldn't turn on his mic for like six months straight."
Hydro side-eyed him. "Yeah because someone kept playing ROBLOX at the middle of the night."
Hyper smirked. "That was Electroman."
"Shut up."
They all burst into laughter — that kind of nostalgic laugh that hits like a warm memory after a storm.
Hydro smiled faintly. "Man, I thought Chill Gang disbanded when the Discord server got nuked."
Hydro realized something. "Wait a minute? Are you guys really like... Originally human beings?? Or just completely indie?? I'm sorry the appearances confused me."
Electroman's expression darkened just a bit. "Yeah… about that."
He looked up at the flickering event lights, hands in his pockets. "Okay uhm ,shock value warning, we kinda… died. All three of us. It was an accident — explosive incident during a tech expo. Some generator malfunctioned."
Atlas continued, voice quieter now. "We were just human. Normal artists, gamers, students. But when this... shining ink, this cosmic fluid or whatever you call it, splashed over the wreckage — it twisted everything. Like it scanned our Discord avatars and just— remade us. Now we're... indie. Like drawn out of our own art styles."
Hydro didn't say anything. Just listened. He's heard impossible stories before — he is one, after all.
"Oh I'm sorry. That's wild," Hydro said finally. "You got turned into characters of your own design? I'm genuinely confused if either I should feel bad or just shocked."
Hyper nodded. "Yeah. It's like the world decided we were better off fictional."
Hydro chuckled under his breath. "I thi k three of you will get used to it."
Then Hydro asked softly, "Hey, do you remember Kevin from Chill Gang?"
The air went still.
Electroman looked down. "...Yeah. He passed in 2016, right? Heart failure. He was one of the first people to join the server."
Hydro's voice dropped to a whisper. "Yeah."
It wasn't trauma that hit him — it was life. That simple, quiet ache of remembering someone you didn't even get to say goodbye to.
Hyper placed a hand on Hydro's shoulder. "It's alright, man. Everything or anything happens and appears unexpectedly. Maybe... we're still here 'cause someone needs to remember us."
Hydro looked up, gave a small smirk. "That's such a Discord mod thing to say."
"Shut up," Hyper laughed, shoving him lightly.
A while later, Hydro and his "reincarnated online buddies" walked back inside. The energy was calmer now — the event floor buzzing with chatter, music, and lights.
Hydro spotted Quinn's table instantly. "Oh hey, Quinn," he said as he walked up. "I'm back, but I brought my new— I mean old—"
He glanced back.
All three of them awkwardly chimed in at once, "Y—yeah, old."
Hydro nodded. "Yeah. Old friends I met online in Discord back in 2021."
Atlarus Quinn gave a curious smile. "Really? That's cool. I'm Atlarus, these are Terry, Bea, Kai, Yurei, and Nate."
They all exchanged introductions — a mess of names, laughs, and awkward handshakes.
Electroman went first. "Hey I'm Electroman, don't ask about the name, long story."
Bea grinned. "Sounds like a gamer tag."
"...It is."
"Nice."
Soon the whole table just clicked.
Kai started talking about rhythm games, Yurei was ranting about some obscure visual novel, Hyper started flexing about his old KD ratio in Apex, and Nate just vibed, nodding while sipping soda through two straws.
Hydro leaned back in his chair, half-listening, half-smiling. It was loud, chaotic, imperfect — but real. For once, he didn't feel like an immortal freak or a cosmic weapon. Just a dude sitting with friends, talking about stupid stuff that didn't need saving.
"Yo Hydro," Atlas said, snapping him out of his thoughts. "You still remember that time we made that fake Chill Gang trailer?"
Hydro laughed. "Yeah bro! You edited it on CapCut and used the Attack on Titan theme for no reason."
Quinn looked confused. "Wait— like a trailer trailer?"
"Yeah," Hyper said. "It was supposed to be a fake anime opening for our Discord group. Hydro was supposed to be the mysterious protagonist who doesn't talk."
"Damn," Bea said. "So he hasn't changed."
Everyone laughed, even Hydro.
It was one of those rare, peaceful nights — the kind that hits like a flashback before life decides to go nuts again.
FOR AWHILE
The music outside softened as the night deepened. Neon lights flickered lazily across the backyard party — a few people drunk, a few passed out, and someone in the corner singing an off-key karaoke version of *Plastic Love*. The air was light, peaceful even.
Hydro sat across from Electroman, Atlas, and Hyper near the outdoor bar — half-empty soda cans and paper plates stacked like sad little monuments between them. Quinn, Bea, Kai, Yurei, and Nate were nearby, joking about weird indie games and obscure novels.
For a moment, it felt normal.
Hydro leaned forward, elbows on the table, eyes half-glowing under the colored lights. "Alright, real question," he said, half-smirking. "Why the hell are you guys even in Japan? I thought you were— I don't know, in the States or something."
Electroman chuckled, tapping his drink. "Funny story, actually. I thought you were some random thief who stole my gun earlier today."
Hydro blinked. "...You what."
"Yeah," Electroman continued, grinning. "Turns out it was actually you. Kevin's friend."
Hydro froze for a second. That name still hit like a cold wave.
Atlas's tone softened. "We were wondering if you were still around, man. You… left 10 years ago. Now we're adults, and honestly? We just came here to see if the rumors were true. That you were alive. You and Kevin — you guys were tight, right? That must've been the reason you vanished."
Hydro didn't respond right away. Just stared at the condensation running down his cup.
"I can't blame you, though," Atlas added. "We all thought you just needed space."
Before Hydro could answer, Quinn leaned in from the next table, raising an eyebrow. "Wait, hold on— ten years ago? That's wild. Hydro also disappeared on our friend group ten years ago."
Everyone went quiet.
Hydro laughed softly, like someone laughing to keep from feeling too much. "Ohhh, so we're basically the same?" he said.
He leaned back, eyes reflecting the pink neon from the bar lights. "Yeah... Look, I'm sorry. Or maybe I should say I apologize. I'm pretty sure I left several friend groups around that time. It wasn't intentional — life just... folded on itself." He took a slow breath. "Honestly, I thought it was just you guys, Quinn. I didn't know there were others who missed me."
The words hung heavy for a moment.
Quinn glanced at him, voice soft but sincere. "It's alright. I haven't really met your old friends yet, but… I'd hope we get to know each other too."
There was something gentle about her tone — not pity, not curiosity. Just real, human understanding.
Hydro looked at her, smiled faintly. "Yeah. Maybe this time I won't disappear."
Atlas raised his can. "To not disappearing."
They all clinked cans together — that quiet, messy toast between broken people trying to find normal again.
The laughter went on for a while. They talked about everything — old memes, 2020 lockdowns, anime that aged badly, and how every game franchise somehow got worse after a remake.
Bea leaned across the table. "Okay wait, so you guys were online friends for ten years?"
Electroman nodded. "Technically twelve. Hydro was that quiet guy who only spoke when the VC got too chaotic."
"I had to survive," Hydro muttered.
"Yeah, you were like our local Batman," Atlas said, laughing. "Never online, but somehow always there when drama broke out."
Kai chimed in, "Sounds like our Hydro too."
Hyper grinned. "Bro's been consistent."
Everyone laughed. The air felt good again. Like one of those rare nights where the world finally paused for them.
Then, somewhere between the chatter and music — the air shifted.
Hydro felt it first. That cold, thin pulse of danger crawling at the back of his neck.
His right hand twitched under the table. The noise of the crowd dimmed, but not because it got quieter — because his focus drowned everything else out.
Atlas was mid-sentence. "So anyway, after the explosion, we woke up in—"
Hydro interrupted quietly. "Don't move."
Electroman blinked. "Huh?"
Then Hydro's voice dropped, razor-sharp: "Something's wrong."
He turned slightly, scanning the crowd near the dance floor. The lights flickered — once, twice — before the DJ booth powered down. The only illumination now came from the scattered neon signs and phone flashlights.
And in that fractured light — a silhouette emerged.
A tall man, walking calmly through the crowd. Long black coat. Kabuki mask, white with a red tear painted under one eye. He held something metallic. Heavy.
A shotgun.
Hydro's body tensed immediately.
The man raised the weapon. The crowd hadn't even noticed yet.
Hydro's instincts screamed.
"GET DOWN!"
He flipped the table without thinking. His duffel bag hit the ground — then moved.
Two dark, symbiotic hands burst out from it like liquid shadows, stretching out with bone-snapping speed, pulling Hydro and everyone around him behind the bartender counter.
The gun fired — BOOM! — shattering bottles, sending sparks and glass everywhere.
Screams erupted instantly. People ran, tripping over chairs and spilling drinks as chaos broke out.
Behind the counter, Hydro crouched low, eyes wide. His duffel bag twitched once, then the hands retracted back into it — vanishing as fast as they appeared.
Quinn gasped, clutching Bea's arm. "W-what the hell was that?!"
Atlas was breathing hard. "He's got a shotgun— I saw him! The mask— what the hell—"
"Everyone stay down," Hydro said, calm but low. "Don't move unless I say so."
Electroman whispered, "Bro... you got something in that bag. That wasn't normal."
Hydro ignored the comment, peeking just slightly over the bar's rim. The Kabuki-masked man was scanning the crowd, shotgun reloaded, moving slow and deliberate like he was looking for someone specific.
Hydro.
He knew that walk. The kind of patience only assassins and monsters had.
A chill crawled down Hydro's spine. How did he find me here?
Meanwhile, over by the grill area — Dan Le Fish, Hydro's friend and the owner of the party, froze mid-flip of a skewer when he heard the gunshot.
"What the hell— was that fireworks?!"
Then more screams followed.
He dropped the tongs, eyes wide. "Oh no... Oh no no no—"
He bolted toward the venue.
Back behind the counter, Hydro's group stayed low. Quinn's hands were shaking, her voice trembling. "Hydro… what's going on?"
Hydro's eyes were fixed on the masked figure. "I don't know. But he's not here for you."
"Then who—"
"Me."
The air went still again.
Yurei whispered, "You know him?"
Hydro shook his head slowly. "No. But people like that don't need to know me to want me dead."
Atlas whispered harshly, "We should move. Back exit, maybe?"
Hydro nodded once, keeping his tone calm. "Not yet. If we move too fast, he'll notice."
Bea looked between them. Despite the panic, she was strangely composed. "You're awfully calm for someone who just dodged a shotgun blast."
Hydro gave her a side-eye. "Experience."
Quinn blinked. "Experience? You've… done this before?"
Hydro didn't answer. Just pressed his hand against the duffel bag, feeling the symbiotic tendrils pulse faintly under his palm — waiting.
He could end this. Easily. But doing so would mean exposing everything.
The immortality. The power. The monster he swore he'd hide from the world.
He clenched his jaw.
Not here. Not in front of them.
A glass shattered nearby as the masked gunman fired again — this time into the ceiling. "COME OUT!" he shouted, voice distorted through some kind of modulator.
The whole party was chaos now — people scattering into the streets, some ducking behind tables, others frozen in panic.
Hyper whispered, "Yo, this guy's unhinged. We can't stay here."
Bea nodded. "We've dealt with psychos before, but this—"
Hydro turned sharply to her. "Wait. What do you mean you've dealt with psychos before?"
Bea blinked. "Oh, uh— we kinda run into stuff like this. A lot. Random attacks. Weird things. Monsters, people with powers— whatever this world's turning into, we got used to it."
Hydro narrowed his eyes. "You're saying this isn't new to you?"
Bea shrugged. "Sadly, no."
Hydro frowned. "That's... not comforting."
"Didn't say it was supposed to be," Bea said with a shaky smirk.
Then silence.
The gunfire stopped.
The masked man's footsteps echoed closer. Click. Clack. Click.
He was near.
Hydro could sense his intent — cold, singular, focused on him.
Everyone was breathing shallow now. Quinn gripped Hydro's sleeve tightly. "Please tell me you have a plan."
Hydro looked at her, his voice low but steady. "...Yeah. Stay behind me."
Atlas whispered, "Hydro, don't do something stupid."
He almost smiled. "Too late for that."
The man's shadow appeared over the counter. Hydro's hand twitched — the duffel bag rippled slightly like it was alive again.
Then—
"Freeze!"
Dan's voice rang out.
Hydro's eyes widened. "Dan— NO!"
Before he could react, the Kabuki-masked man turned — shotgun raised.
BOOM!
The shot missed by inches as Dan ducked behind a grill stand. The blast sent flames licking up from the spilled oil. Fire burst across the floor, turning the scene into a half-lit inferno of panic and chaos.
Hydro's restraint broke.
He grabbed the duffel bag, ready to unleash what was inside—
—but stopped himself.
Not yet. Not in front of them.
He turned back to the group, eyes glowing faintly red now, barely suppressing the surge of power. "Stay here. If he comes close, run."
Bea grabbed his arm. "You'll expose yourself."
Hydro stared back at her — expression unreadable. "Then let him be the first to regret it."