" It was so gorgeous it almost felt like sadness...."

- Banana Yorimoto

(Greater Los Angeles, 10:05 PM)

The homeless pink-Kree sat beside his Kree-Lizard hybrid companion and went drinking two bottles of expired beer which they found a crate of discarded alcoholic beverage near the garbage dump in a famous bar. Mar-Vell turned to his friend and took another bottle for him.

" Hey, Boy! " he grinned and offered a bottle. " Have a drink..."



" A drink? Why? " the hybrid boy's face became puzzled and curiously asked.


" You deserve it! Come on! You did a good job in working too much for the day! Have a drink! "


" Are you really sure? Is it safe? "


" Yeah! Yeah! Come on! "


" Okay...."


The Kree-Lizard boy took the bottle from his friend and opened the lid using his blue sharp nails. He slowly drank and emptied the bottle which he widened his eyes in shock and almost puked the beer for he never liked the bitterness and obnoxious smell of the alcohol. Mar-Vell loudly laughed at him when he saw the hybrid trying it for the first time.


" This is really....disgusting! Why humans have to take this putrid drink?! " he angrily exclaimed.


" Okay, Boy. Humans tend to forget everything and want to meet their slumber, " the pink-Kree explained. " Don't worry, you'll tend to like it. "


" I don't think..."


" You're just saying that. "


Mar-Vell grinned as he saw his hooded friend was looking for more. The Kree-Lizard boy was curious, yet he felt disgusted and interested at the alcoholic drink. He was incessantly searching at the dump and seeing some empty bottles of beer.


" See? You're looking for more! " he laughed.


" Fine..." the hybrid sighed. " That drink arouses me to take more. "


" Well, I'm seeing a new arrival, " Mar-Vell said and turned to the rejected crates of alcoholic beverages. " We can spend our happy hour here! "


" Right...I want more! "


The two men walked over and instantly opened the seal which they saw the same expired beer and both grinned. The pink-Kree man and his friend took their share and enjoyed their time drinking for more bottles. They were both laughing and talking at each other. It was the first time for the Kree-Lizard hybrid to have his drinking spree. That made him to forget those memories from the brutal 682. They spent hours emptying those drinks and then started to leave the place. They were both walking three steps forwards and two steps backwards. The Kree-Lizard boy was laughing and pushing Mar-Vell on the ground, enjoying their unusual walking on the streets.


Just then, the two ended up on the seaside bench as they were sitting. The boy was counting and pointing out the stars. His fellow homeless friend was still listening and nodding at him.


" Sheventy-Sheven...Sheventy-eight...Sheventy-nine...Eighty! " he exclaimed and finished counting.


" Hey, it'sh that it, Boy? " Mar-Vell asked. " You could have made it to one thoushand! "


" It'sh too many....I want to shpend the night looking at them inshtead! "


" It'sh that sho? "


" Yeah! "


" Right, " the pink-Kree nooded and sighed. " I wissshhh shomeone could shee and hear you right now..."


" Who? "


" My greatesht granduncle...."


" I don't undeshtand...Mar-Vell, " the boy scratched his head.


" I've already mentioned him, before..." his fellow homeless companion raised his voice. " You eashily forget? "


" Yesssh..."


The Kree-Lizard hybrid boy sadly sighed and kept looking at the starry sky which he felt hopeless. His sadness and forgetfulness had succumbed his thoughts. The horrible memories of SCP-682 have been haunting him. His first binge drinking with Mar-Vell was the only way to make them disappear. Would it benefit the boy's hope of breaking free from his darkness?


Mar-Vell intently looked at his companion's depressing humanoid green irises in his eyes. He sensed that prolonged negativity from his friend which the boy tried to ignore those feelings. The pink-Kree had finally understood why he had those frequent nightmares. He has been helping over a month, but the sadness was still present from the boy's fragile and unstable mind.


" I...." the Kree-Lizard boy broke his silence, thinking and composing of his words.


" Yeah? "


" I shtill have...problemsh....with..."


" Go on, Boy. "


" Myshelf..."


" Yeah, you have already told me that, " Mar-Vell scratched his beard and raised his eyebrows.


" It'sh just I couldn't break free from the pasht which it bothersh me, " his friend replied and wept. " Everytime...I fall ashleep... I'm sheeing thosh...shkirmish thingsh from him. I'm afraid I might do thosh thingsh to anyone! I jusht don't want to do thosh horrible actsh anymore! "


Mar-Vell heavily sighed and looked at his friend with a concern. He gently patted the Kree-Lizard boy's back and kept listening at his venting out.


" I want to do shomething elsh in my life, " he continued and rubbed his face. " I don't want to be branded ash 682! I desherve shomething better! I want to feel and experience what ish normal life like anyone elsh I shee in our journey. "


" So, what'sh your point, Boy? "


" A family which I will be loved and belonged, that'sh what I really I want. "


" Oh yeah, you sh-saw a child with his parentsh sh-strolling at the park once. I undershtood how you felt, " Mar-Vell answered. " It'sh the void that's inshide your heart. Now, I know why you're looking for love. "


" I hope I could find shomeone shoon..."


" Well, that will take time, Boy. You're shtill broken hearted after all those people in your containment cell did shomething in you, even that demon who hauntsh in your mind. I know your life wash very complicated than mine. It'sh just it'sh too terrible in shuch degree you have experienced. I have never heard of shomeone like you with that problem. "


" Really? "


" Yeah, honeshtly, it'sh a big chunk of messh in your mind, but I wash glad to help you out a little. I wash sho proud you have s-sh-saved a little girl from that incident two daysh ago. You're in the right sh-step to break out from your darknessh... "


" Will I ever get through with thish? "


" Like I sh-said. It will take time. Jus-sht keep your head up in the sh-sky. Eventually, you will meet shomeone along the way. He or sh-she will help you to break free and dishcover what you really want in life. "


" But Mar-Vell, you're helping me, right? "


" Yeah..." he nodded. " What if the time comesh...I will be no longer with you. Of coursh, you're gonna find more friendsh to be with and a family that you want. "


" I guesh-ss...sho..."


" You will be, Boy. You will be, " the pink-Kree slightly smiled and coughed.


The hybrid boy noticed his bearded blond friend made his nagging cough. He was concerned of his companion's health which he had seen him for days.


" Mar-Vell? Are you...."


" Jusht don't mind me, Boy. This is a sh-sore throat. "


" But you have been sh-saying that in daysh. Can you tell me what'sh wrong? "


" Nah....it'sh nothing! " he loudly laughed and stood up from the bench. " Let'sh just go find s-sh-shomewhere elsh to shleep! "


" In cashe.... you need help. "


" I don't need help, Boy. I'm gettin' old and expect people will die of sh-sickness-sh...It'sh normal..."


" Right..."


" We'll be leaving the city anytime sh-soon. We're going to Sh-San Francishco and continue thish..."


" Good plan..."


The two left the seaside and headed their way to find a place for them to rest. Mar-Vell kept looking at his scarf as he wearily saw some traces of blue blood after he coughed. The pink-Kree wanted to keep his illness a secret as he walked along with his friend. Thinking of his condition, he turned to the boy and sadly sighed.


" Great Pama! I don't wanna die yet. I still need my days to work-out with this boy. He needs me! I can't leave him unanswered and clueless! I just still need more time to take care of him before I show him to Uncle Methu-Selah, " he thought. " I need to hang-in there before he gets pull through. "

(MOMENTS LATER)

They found a new resting place in the alley as Mar-Vell sat beside his friend. The Kree-Lizard boy was still sleeping and snoring which he placed his head on the large garbage bag. He went coughing and tried to regenerate himself using the remaining powers he had, but it never worked. He closed his eyes to meditate using his Kree-Cosmic Awareness and checked his body which an illness had spread quickly from his lungs to the throat.



" Dammit! " he angrily thought and gritted his teeth. " I'm gonna die very soon! This is so unfair! I still have one more day to help this boy out before he sets out on his own! I don't want to leave him like that! "



Mar-Vell heavily sighed and leaned his head on the wall. He couldn't believe he had few days left to live while his terminal illness struck him. The pink-Kree felt more uneasy than ever which he couldn't tell his friend of his true condition. A former hero like him had his physical limits, however he wanted to push further to be with his tall hooded hybrid companion.


He was about to close his eyes when he heard a sudden threshold nearby. The pink-Kree homeless man felt apprehensive and turned his head in sideways, thinking the Kree-Lizard boy wailed once again or his tail tapped on the ground. No, it wasn't him.


" Now, another challenger who wants to break me, then. Seriously, I'm tired of fighting, " Mar-Vell thought, stood-up, and asked. " Who is it? Hello? "


Suddenly, he got startled to see another hooded being same as his height. Mar-Vell never expected to see someone coming.


" Who the hell are you?! " he exclaimed. " Are you one of the Earthlings who hurt and hunt this boy?! Are you the one called 682?! If you are, you better reveal yourself before you get hurt! "


" Mar-Vell, it's me, " a deep male voice called his name. The hooded being revealed himself as a blue-skinned man with a long silvery-white hair. He was wearing a white suit with green trimmings and removing the cloak.


" Great Pama! It's Great Uncle Methu-Selah! " Mar-Vell raised his voice and recognized the Kree man. " I'm so glad to see...."


" Keep quiet! Can't you see someone is sleeping! " Methu-Selah lowered his voice and shushed his descendant.


" Okay...okay... Sorry! " the pink-Kree also lowered his voice and asked. " So, what brings you here? "


" I've been watching you both, " he answered. " I'm still searching for someone. "


" Who? You mean that boy?! "


" Yes, that's him. "


Mar-Vell intently looked at the Kree-Lizard hybrid's face and then turned to his greatest grand-uncle. He was surprised to see the uncanny resemblance of the two persons between him, except the boy has a shell of 682.


" Great Pama, He is truly your missing son! " he gasped. " But how? "


" It's hard to explain, Mar-Vell, " the Kree Eternal seriously replied. " But someday, he will learn the truth. "


" Then, he should be with you, before anyone finds him! Uncle Methu, you can take him..."


" Not now. It's not the right time to be with him. "


" What do you mean? "


" The Kree-Lizard umbrage will begin anytime soon. I saw the intruders who went inside the house in Chinatown few days ago. They were not ordinary Earth-men. It's them allying with another race. That's why I have been watching and fighting our corrupted brothers along with the lizards. I don't want the boy to get involved into too much trouble. The MTF has been searching for him. "


" That's too soon! What do they want, now? "


" Conquest and slavery here on Earth, " the Kree Eternal sternly spoke. " This is what I have predicted a long time ago, but our people never listened to me. "


" Yeah, you're right..." Mar-Vell sadly sighed. " Now, what should we do now? "


" I'm afraid you have to avoid anyone who gets in your way. Please keep the boy safe and take care of him for me. I'm still always searching you and your whereabouts."


" Yeah, one more thing about this hybrid kid. "


" Go ahead, do tell..." the Kree Eternal nodded and wanted to listen more while looking at the sleeping hooded one.


" So, this boy is something else, Uncle Methu, " Mar-Vell asked and crossed his arms. " He wants to break free of the miserable 682's memories and nightmares. Is there something we should do to help him? "


" That could be difficult, Mar-Vell. But there is a way for him to set free. It will take a long time for him to recover. "


" What is it? "


" Treat him like a normal person and he will slowly learn and outgrow those miseries he has. "


" Yeah, I've been doing that for a month, " the homeless pink-Kree replied. " But we both live as street rats, we get along with each other. About that incident few days ago, that boy rescued a little girl from that trouble. I helped him in taking her into the orphanage. I'm so glad that he has inherited your heroic attitude. "


" That's good to hear, " his greatest grand-uncle smiled.


" So yeah, and I apologize for letting him drink too much alcohol a while ago. I just want to help him get over with that darkness running in his life. "


" I know someday he will overcome this dilemma he has. Just help him out with this problem. "


" Yeah, I will, but...."


" Tell me, you're ill. "


Methu-Selah read his relative's mind as he understood of the lingering illness and sadly sighed. Mar-Vell remained silent and turned to his greatest grand-uncle.


" I guess I have few days or months to live, " the pink-Kree replied. " But I'll do my best in helping him out. "