3Below: The World to Come

D'aja Vu

Steve smiled at the scene, he wasn't sure how she could captivate him so much. He stared at her in wonder, loving the tough but goofy side. He should blame the soft feeling on Jim if anything. Steve wouldn't be questioning everything he knew about himself if he hadn't grown so soft and cared about others.

Maybe it was for the better, he got to be with Aja.

Krel and the robot father were sitting at the counter while the mother poured drinks, flipping pancakes and sticking them to the ceiling, along with numerous other pancakes.

"Ahoy-hoy, sleepyhead." On the floor, Luug was jumping up excitedly waiting for the pancake. It peeled off the ceiling, landing on top of the Blank father as he wasn't phased, reading the paper.

"The thing about pancakes is that they sometimes fall flat." He said as others fell, Luug growling in anger for not being able to eat the discarded food.

"We need to claim a good table," Krel started, staring at a piece of paper as Aja sat next to him, catching raining pancakes on her plate. "Somewhere with heavy foot traffic but away from the bathroom, then we'll make friends with the judges. Remember flattery never hurts."

"What in sweet Seklos are you rambling on about?"

"The Arcadia Oaks High Science Fair. It's today." Luug was waiting excitedly for a pancake to fall, however, Krel had caught the pancake without looking, taking a bite from it while Luug leaped into the air, trying to get a bite. "Aw, don't tell me you forgot."

"Okay, I won't tell you."

"Aja!"

"I've been distracted. Today is my first day of warrior training with Varvatos." She said as Luug finally caught a falling pancake.

"Indeed," Varvatos said as he stepped into view. "Varvatos will teach you the beautiful art of combat. How to reign terror and agony down on your enemies before crushing to slop like the Skeltegs they are."

"What's the first lesson? Jumping down from a speeding spaceship? Taking down an opponent with three hands behind my back?" Aja asked, acting out each force she would deliver. "Face-kicking? I really do love face-kicking."

"Sitting quietly," Varvatos answered as he pulled the pancake from his hands and sat on the chair behind him. "Varvatos shall demonstrate," he said as he stared at the empty seat behind him, Aja giving him a questioning look as he cleared his throat.

Blinky nodded in agreement, "something Master Jim has learned through his time being our protector."

"Mmhmm, the Guardian of Arcadia, if he wasn't patient in a lot of things, we could be dead right now."

"Uh..."

"It's okay, Jimmy, we forgive you for running into the Darklands."

"You cannot be serious."

"The greatest skill a warrior can hone is patience, like an Opherus Viper hiding in wait for its prey among the reeds of Siris-8."

"I am losing my patience with this lesson already, you seem to forget that I helped you fight off the Zernos." A flashback of Aja standing tall on the billboard, kicking an enemy down.

"Help was circumstantial, not needed," Aja growled in frustration and sat on the chair.

"Fine!"

"Or asked." Varvatos seemed to handle the task fine, closing his eyes. Beside him, Aja was shaking her leg, looking everywhere as her body language spoke loudly of her growing boredom.