Sky sat at his desk that afternoon after the hectic classes at the Elite Academy. He tinkered with the parts of his sonic gun, clicks and clanks echoing in the silent attic.

With every passing day, the threat of a phoenix attack grows. I need to be prepared for the worst, he thought with urgency as he stared at the pieces on the table.

He would turn his gun into a shotgun kind of design, with a longer barrel, a brand-new comb, and a bigger grip.

This first version of my sonic gun will not suffice forever. That Thunderbreaker I brought down died at the hands of Endurance, remotely and to ensure no one could extract any sensitive information out of its brain.

He worked feverishly, sweat beading on his forehead, as he thought about his new aim.

I need a deadly weapon that can work on every phoenix we know of. I can't risk not being able to defend myself and those around me if the need arises. Maybe I don't like my former friends anymore, but that doesn't mean I won't step up if their lives are in danger. I admit I was lucky in the last phoenix attack. My sonic gun somehow worked on the Thunderbreaker to stun it, but what if it hadn't? At the end of the day, I only made it to bring down a Sonic Echo Ranger to impress my mother and the people at the academy.

But as he worked, his thoughts were clouded with a sense of dread. He bit his lower lip.

Haywire.

Am I ready to use such a weapon that can and will take a life? Even if it is in self-defence, is it worth it? The phoenixes, after all, are majestic creatures that are being used as weapons against their will. It's not their fault.

They're all just like Haywire.

His hand gripped the screwdriver until his knuckles turned white. A mixture of guilt and anger settled in his heart like a thick fog. Guilt for even considering creating a weapon that could harm them, and anger at the fact that they had been subjected to such cruelty.

And I'm also angry at myself! Sky added with a huff. I need to find a solution that can help protect both the city and the phoenixes. But how am I supposed to achieve that? I'm just a student. Young and inexperienced.

With a heavy sigh, he dropped a screwdriver he had in his hands on the table and leaned back on his chair. His hair fell back. He softly closed his eyes while pondering what to do.

Boy, am I in trouble! Getting out of this mess won't be easy.

Sky's eyes opened and roamed around the ceiling and the nearest walls. Two posters adorned the wall in front of him, crammed between the blackboards and sheets with formulas and blueprints. Each poster represented a different team of saviours that had captured his imagination and heart ever since he was little.

He stared at them with bright eyes.

The first, featuring the iconic Ghostbusters, showed the quartet in their trademark jumpsuits, proton packs at the ready, poised to take on the paranormal threats that haunted the streets of New York. Despite being a show from a long time past, Sky admired them all, but it was Egon Spengler who held a special place in his heart.

The lanky, bespectacled scientist was the brains behind the operation, the one who came up with the gadgets that helped the team save the day time and again. Sky looked up to him as a role model, an inspiration to follow his own scientific dreams.

The second poster, depicting the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, was equally old but beloved. The four anthropomorphic turtles were also Sky's heroes. But it was Donatello, the tech-savvy and brainy turtle, who he held in the highest esteem.

With his bo staff and his sharp mind, Donatello was a force to be reckoned with. Sky often found himself lost in daydreams, imagining he helped the turtles fight off Shredder and his evil minions.

As he had tinkered away in his attic bedroom ever since he was little, Sky had often stolen glances at the posters on his wall, drawing inspiration and motivation from the heroes he so admired. They reminded him that, no matter how tough things got, there were always those who stood up for what was right, and who were willing to put themselves on the line to protect others.

Egon, Donatello... What would you do if you were in my shoes? Lost in thought and as he took a long sigh, he didn't hear his mother coming home. The front door opened and closed, but no sound could steal any attention from his mind.

"Sky?" she asked from the ground floor. "Are you home?"

Crap! Sky thought in panic mode, getting startled. It's my mom! I'm not ready to face her yet! Not sure how she will react to my heroic deed of the other night, or what I've achieved so far at the academy. I can't help but dread her opinion on those. She's never satisfied. Mrs Evergreen might've developed a keen interest in me, but that doesn't mean my mother will lower her standards.

The sound of footsteps came from the stairs.

Sky gulped and rushed to the round window. With a bold move, he grabbed a dark brown leather saddle he had customised for Haywire, opened the window, and ran away for the umpteenth time.

"Haywire? You there?"

Sky wandered through the woods that evening, searching for his best friend Haywire. They had fallen into the habit of meeting in the evening near the clearing. Flying during twilight is so beautiful. I'd rather be here than at home with my mom.

As he entered the clearing, he noticed that his friend was nowhere to be seen. But a bustling sound coming from a nearby group of bushes caught his attention.

Suddenly, a hare bolted out from the bushes, and Haywire emerged hot on its tail.

Sky watched in amazement as his friend chased the hare down, baring his teeth in anger and hunger.

Haywire was a fierce and lethal hunter, and his face was a picture of pure concentration as he focused on his prey. The look on Haywire's face was something out of a nightmare, a wildness that no amount of domestication could ever erase. It was as if he had tapped into his primal instincts, and all that was left was an animalistic fury. His eyes were ablaze with an intense focus, a determination to catch his prey at all costs.

The hare zigzagged across the clearing, desperately trying to evade Haywire's deadly grasp.

Haywire's pupils shrank, proving a primal hunger that transformed him into a ruthless predator. As the hare scampered away, his gaze became fixed on the prey and his nostrils flared as he inhaled the scent of fear. With his muscles tensed, he moved with deadly grace.

As Sky watched, his legs and feet were rooted on the ground he stood. Wow! Haywire is a wild animal at heart when he's in hunting mode. Impressive.

But just as Haywire was about to pounce on the hare, he spotted Sky standing nearby, staring. His face went from a murderous beast to a friendly one in an instant. His pupils widened and his tension faded away. Eventually, he bounded over to his friend, wagging his tail and panting happily.

Sky smiled. Phew! Boy, am I relieved that Haywire's killer instinct has been turned off so easily! He reached out to pat his friend on the head, and Haywire nuzzled against his hand, still panting from the chase.

"Are you hungry, Haywire?" he asked. "Were you trying to hunt your dinner without flying and diving onto your prey, just in case they spotted you from the city?" He sighed. "I could bring you some snacks next time I come. Would you like that?"

Haywire let out a joyful shrill sound, making Sky's smile wider.

"I brought a different kind of present for you today, though," he added, showing him the brown leather saddle he had prepared for him. "Something to make flying more comfortable for both of us. I hope you like it."

Sky put it on Haywire, who gladly let him do it, and mounted his back.

"It fits nicely," Sky commented, pleased. "I feel more comfortable now. How about you, big fella?"

Haywire emitted a series of cheerful, short chirps.

"How about we go fishing to get you some dinner?"

A loud shrill cry later, they launched themselves into the sky. As they soared above the fields, the twilight sun bathed everything in a warm, orange glow. The horizon was a mix of vibrant pinks, cosy oranges, and soft purples, slowly melting into a deep blue as the night approached.

The wind brushed past their faces, whipping Sky's hair and clothes about.

Sky's heart raced with the exhilarating thrill of the flight, his worries and fears melting away with every passing moment. Haywire's powerful wings beat against the air, carrying them higher and higher into the sky.

As they flew over the fields and far from the Hovering Hive, the landscape below stretched out like a patchwork quilt. The gentle, rolling hills and winding rivers that snaked through the valley below created a peaceful, serene atmosphere that Sky couldn't help but marvel at.

I feel so free up here in the clouds, Sky thought, his whole body relaxed and smiling at the earliest stars. Up here, there's no war, no conflict, no responsibilities, no nothing. I wish I didn't have to go back!

A short while later, they went fishing in a faraway lake. While Sky sat on the grass, Haywire dived down and fished with its beak. One by one, he managed to get as many fish as he wished. One abrupt movement with its head and the fish went down his throat with glee.

"Glad to see you like these fish," Sky told his winged friend.

When the sun began to dip below the horizon, the sky became a tapestry of hues. They soared in the sky once more now that Haywire's belly was full. The oranges and pinks gradually melted into a deepening shade of blue, and the stars started to twinkle in the sky.

As the night drew on, the two friends eventually made their way back to the clearing, content in the knowledge that they had shared yet another unforgettable moment.

An hour later, Sky entered his home, tiptoeing. He walked into the living room and found his mother sitting on the couch, reading a book and sipping from a steaming cup of tea.

Damn! What is she doing here, so late? Sky thought, clenching his teeth. I expected her to have gone to bed at this hour.

He stood there for a moment, gathering his thoughts. He turned to leave, hoping not to be seen or heard.

"Sky," Halle said with a rusty voice, exhausted.

He gulped, steeling himself for the conversation he knew they needed to have.

"Why are you sneaking home so late at night?" she asked.

I'm screwed. Why can't I get a break?

Hello, my sugar cubes!

Any ideas on how this will turn out? Is he screwed?

Stay tuned!

XOXO

Mar