" Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome. "

- Isaac Asimov -

(ONE WEEK LATER: SAN FRANCISCO, CA, 3:00 PM)

Leaving Los Angeles was the only way to avoid any trouble and detractors which Mar-Vell and his Kree-Lizard hybrid friend had thought of. They spent walking on foot and hitchhiked to any vehicles going along the highway. There was a day the two couldn't get a free ride from trucks and buses. All they did was to keep walking until they found a new ride.

The two wanderers spent talking and remembering of what they did in the City of Angels. There were good and bad memories which they had left. The Kree-Lizard boy also mentioned about of how he got escaped from the MTF Facility as Mar-Vell got interested to hear. In that long journey, they had sleepless and tiring experience. They reached every town and city either by foot and drive.

From Los Angeles to Oakland, the two enjoyed seeing sights of the forests, mountains, and the wide blue ocean. It took them a week for this travel, however the pink-Kree began coughing and weakening in the entire trip. His friend noticed the alien man's health began to deteriorate. Still, Mar-Vell made such excuses and assured him of his well-being.

Finally, they made it to the Golden Gate where the truck was heading. The breeze from the Pacific Ocean wandered over the famous city where seagulls flew above. Mar-Vell and his companion spent days in travelling from Los Angeles to San Francisco avoiding the people who tried to hunt them.

The two wanted to experience another city to begin with their exploits. They headed on the streets where the tram went uphill. Unlike in the City of Angels, the two street beggars had a hard time to earn money as no one gave alms to them. They went everywhere begging for the rest of the morning. The Kree-Lizard hybrid boy sadly sighed and looked at his money can. He rarely collected few coins.

Mar-Vell heavily sighed and frowned as he couldn't get anything from the crowd, even getting food from the dump. The two were hopeless in taking everything from the garbage. It was a difficult time for them to survive in another city and continue their begging exploit. They ended up sitting on the grass at the Alamo Square Park and looking at the urban view. The trees waved at them while the park-goers spent jogging and picnicking.

" I thought we can get luck here, " the homeless pink-Kree crossed his arms and complained. " No money, no food from the dumps! NOTHING! "

" I understood how you felt, " his hybrid friend empathized. " Since we moved here, humans really ignore us no matter how we try. "

" Exactly, unlike in the other places that we've been through. People tend to give everything. "

" Some of them are generous and some are not. "

" Exactly. "

" Maybe we should try begging again, " the boy suggested. " We can get attention to some people, here. "

" I don't know, boy if that will work. We tried everything earlier. "

The two were still thinking of what to do next, however, Mar-Vell began to cough loudly. His friend noticed him and saw the large blue blood coming from the Kree beggar.

" Mar-Vell?! " the boy raised his voice in shock. " You're..."

" Sick, I know. "

" Why didn't you tell me when we're in Los Angeles?! You could have told me what's going on with you! "

" Look, Boy. I'm gonna die, " Mar-Vell sternly explained and panted. " I'm trying my best to straighten up in shape. So, I lied to you..."

" Why?! I don't understand..."

" Few days from now, I'm not gonna be with you... That's the truth..."

" But Mar-Vell..."

" You're gonna be on your own, Boy... You just have to..."

" I can't...."

" I'm sorry, Boy. Not all good guys have happy endings, " the pink Kree sadly replied and gently patted his friend's back. " But I just want you to know you learned so much from me and somehow you enjoyed my company for more than a month. "

The Kree-Lizard boy was in tears and wiping his eyes. Mar-Vell sensed his friend's sadness. The truth was finally unveiled, however his hooded companion couldn't accept the fact which the former Kree warrior was dying. The hybrid covered his face while weeping. Despite of the fair weather, there was sadness coming into their lives.

(FISHERMAN'S WHARF, SAN FRANCISCO, CA, 9:00 PM)

The two headed to the famous tourist attraction after they spent begging for food and money from the residents and tourists on some streets. The Kree-Lizard hybrid was sitting alone on the dock and thinking of his friend dying. He looked on the bright star on the sky and heavily sighed while his legs were soaking on cold saltwater.

" So, Mar-Vell is going to die, just like I used to thought of when I was in the containment cell, " he sadly thought. " Why a good man like him has to experience that way?! I mean he did a lot of things before he met me. If only I could do something for him, but I don't know what to do. " The boy still looked up to the star. " Just please give me a sign to make him happy before he passes on. "

From a distance, Mar-Vell stood up and spent coughing blue blood. He was feeling dizzy as his body was about to pass out. The bearded pink-Kree fell down and became unconscious. The hybrid boy turned to his friend lying on the ground, immediately stood up from his position, and rushed to the dying friend. He instantly carried his fellow homeless one and went away from the docks.

" Mar-Vell, wake up! Come on wake up! " he shook the man's body and carefully touched his forehead as the pink-Kree was having an extreme high fever.

" I'm...gonna...be okay, Boy, " Mar-Vell slowly opened his eyes and slightly smiled. " It's just I'm having a fever. I'm gonna pull through. "

" You need some help. I can get you to someone..."

" Sheesh, Boy! You're gonna get yourself into trouble if you do that, " he coughed. " I just need my time with you...before Tam-Borr and Zo will take... me..."

" Mar-Vell, I need you to live..."

" I don't need help, Boy. I just wanna be with my best buddy who can take care of me... and that's...you! "

The Kree-Lizard hybrid boy was in tears to see the dying alien man on his arms. Mar-Vell was still coughing and panting for his breath.

" Just take me to somewhere else that no one will find us..." the Kree requested.

" But..."

" Do it, that's an order, soldier...."

" Yes, sir..."

He brought his friend as they headed on the streets. They went to the alley where they could stay for the rest of the night. The hybrid boy found an old foam bed where he carefully laid down his friend. Mar-Vell was still coughing and having a high fever.

" Tell me. What should I do? " he asked.

" Please get me a... small wet towel...." the sick alien man ordered and pointed at the faucet and the old off-white cloth scattered on the ground " Then, you rub it on my forehead....to cool off..."

The Kree-Lizard boy followed his instructions as he took the cloth and tried to open the faucet. He held the cloth in running water and then he gently rubbed it on the Kree man's forehead.

" How are you feeling? "

" A bit cool...but I need...water...to drink..."

" How? "

" Get me a...bottle or glass of water..."

The boy turned around and started finding an empty bottle or cup of water elsewhere. He couldn't find it as he scratched his head.

" There's gotta be something here! " he anxiously thought. " I can't let Mar-Vell down right now. He needs me! "

Finally, he found an empty wine bottle behind him. He picked it up and filled it with water from the faucet. He gave the water to the pink-Kree as he drank it. The Kree-Lizard boy felt pity to see his dying friend.

" Thank you, Boy. You're such a good help, " he weakingly smiled.

" You're welcome. "

" I'm so glad that you have been with me... I have been hoping for.... someone to be with..." he coughed. " Even you look so...monstrous like...682...but you are the exact opposite of that monster..."

" I'm so grateful to be with you. "

" I wished I met you as a Kree in Hala... We could have been cousins aside from being bestfriends....It would have been better if we're both soldiers in the....Kree Army....We could have been...happily getting... along with each...other..."

" Mar-Vell, I'm only a clone of that horrible one. "

" But deep inside, you have a golden heart despite of those skirmish memories. I want you to continue that noble and heroic spirit within you..."

" I will, my friend, " the boy replied in tears. " Please don't leave me! You have to stay strong! I have a lot of things to ask you. I want to learn more! Please don't go! "

" I'm...so...sorry...Boy... You have to stay strong...from now on... "

" I can't! I still have those nightmares! What if everyone will..."

" No...you will...overcome them soon..." Mar-Vell smiled. " Someday...you will find that...dream...and those...people who will care for you...Then, you will repay them in....return...Someone will... be searching for you....and then you will cherish him or her..."

" Mar-Vell..."

" Just keep your head up on that star....Keep on dreaming, thinking, and doing good things...." he finally breathed and slowly closed his eyes.

The Kree-Lizard boy bitterly wept as he saw death for the first time. The former mighty cosmic hero turned Earth-bound homeless man had passed on the arms of his tall-hooded friend.

" I will never forget you, Mar-Vell. Thanks for everything, " he thought while weeping. 

(Fifty Years Later: Rouen, France, 4:15 AM) 

" Afterwards, I gave Mar-Vell a decent burial near the beach in San Francisco, " the boy concluded as Carol was listening. " Perhaps, you can see the star which I engraved on the ground. "

" I see, " the elderly half-Kree woman sadly spoke. " I could check on that one once I get there. "

" Skoúro and Mar-Vell were my true friends aside from Jared and anyone else I met before. "

Elder Carol Danvers remembered her days with her old friend. She got surprised to hear the boy had a wonderful experience with the other Kree.

" Well, you surely missed them, didn't you? "

" Yes, " the Kree-Lizard boy nodded. " I could have spent more time on them. If Mar-Vell were still living with us, he would have been happier that I already met you. "

" Yeah, he would. Definitely, he would be joining with us too. "

" I'm sure he would be glad to see us all. "

" But what about Skoúro? Will you ever meet her again? "

The Kree-Lizard boy looked at the bright yellow star on the sky from his room's window. He smiled and hoped to see the Dark Angel from the MTF who he had met from his containment cell.

" I hope so. Someday, I will see her again. I hope you will be happy to meet her too. "

" Of course, your friends are also my friends. Definitely, I'm so excited to meet them along the way. "

" That is for the most certain. "

" Kid, I'm so glad that you have made friends in your journey, " Carol replied and raised her hand in interjection. " But I still want to hear more of your trips before we met each other in France. "

" Surely, you're going to hear more. "