Graduation

Kyco had a lot of things to think about as of late.

She had more or less been going through a routine of going to school, working and spending time with her friends and family which suited the young woman just fine.  After the type of environment she had been born in and everything else, she wasn't exactly looking for trouble.  She really had no idea what she wanted to do with her life but her mother and others told her that was the standard for someone her age. But with graduation for her approaching she felt she should have something by now.

There was a event during the Trojan invasion that made her more skittish of getting into any physical confrontations however.

During the Trojan attack on a trip with her mother and some friends, she ended up dying defending them. Though she and seemingly most of the people had been brought back to life, she literally couldn't remember anything what so ever about the After Life. Nicole remembered it in vivid detail. Why couldn't she remember? Was it because so many souls had popped up at once so it took longer to process? Or was the old  insecurity she had about not having one actually true?

It did bother her a bit, but she did what she always did and kept moving forward.

Of course, it had freaked out her mother and everyone when it happened, and she had to deal with being hovered over and pampered for a bit before things settled into another normal.  That being said, she'd never of course pause to protect her own, just she was even more cautious then before.

Kyco finished cleaning up her room, satisfied. It was pretty girly in some way with stuff animals around as well, at least the ones she had gotten from those like Christine and others when she was young. they were more or less good memories from the past. These days everyone was busy with their own lives, and Nicole while it was said family stuff, she had a feeling something else was going on. There wasn't as much of a text update.

"Morning Kyco." A beautiful woman greeted them. "You usually wake up pretty much and are animated.  You really feeling all right kiddo?"

"I'm fine." Kyco answered, stiffling a yawn and smiled. "I was just thinking of a few things is all, but breakfast smells good."

The older woman seemed to study her before nodding. "All right, if you're sure. Could you pick up a few things from the store for me for breakfast? I'm missing a few things I realized after the fact." She handed the woman a list of things.

"Sure. I'll be back no longer then a few minutes, promise." Kyco  left after that, despite everything she was in a good mood and really had nothing to complain about.

Now more important things, like shopping! She had plenty of time to think about what she'd do after High School.

On her way, she spotted Torin who seemed to be heading towards their place, so she waved to get his attention. "Hey!"

Her brother turned, before noticing them and made his way over. "Hey there. Sorry been kind of scarce, just been kind of busy in my own world. What are you doing around this early?"

Kyco shook her head. "Could ask you the same thing, but just getting some stuff for mom."

"Eh." He shrugged. "It's more running errands and visiting. Mind if I come along though?"

"Of course you can. It's not going to take too long though, plus we can catch up." She didn't get to spend as much time with him and some of the others as much anymore so she'd make these times count.

Shadow the Hedgehog, or 'The Shadow', as he sometimes likes to be called, was wandering around, wondering what to do. Today was his enforced day off, meaning he had been working too hard with no days off and Abraxus Made Shadow take a day off.

And now, the brooding hedghog doesn't know what to do with himself. He doesn't have any friends to hang out with, the closets he has are acquaintances, and most of them have their own lives to deal with. So, he just wanders around Tokyo, Hoping that something exciting happens.

After their shopping, Kyco opted to instead stay out for a bit while Torin headed back to their home; she'd be back later for sure. It was just at the moment she didn't feel like heading back while Torin wanted to catch up with their mother about a few things.

As to where? She wasn't sure, but she figured it out.

What she didn't expect to see was Shadow; it had been a very long time since either of them had seen each other in person. Shadow hadn't changed too much from what she could remember, but she had a rather big growth spurt so he might not recognize them at first.

"Hey Shadow, its me Kyco long time no see." It did make her wonder if Shadow aged a bit slower and that's why he looked exactly the same.

Shadow looks over to the young woman "Yes, I know who you are." he says in his usual grumpy tome "Torin had shown me some pictures of you on your first day of middle school and high school." he says "He spoke quite highly of you when he was in our Hunter cell."

Unlike Abraxus and Christine, Shadow wasn't upset that he and Camlo haf left their team. He, of all people, understood the need to not be locked in the past.

He looks around "Is it just you out here today?" he asks. He spies a few of the scanner cops looking his way. Probably thought he was a Zoanthrope in their animal form, or they could be looking at Kyco. Heartless weren't Exactly common.

Kyco didn't know Torin had shown pictures but she wasn't as surprised that he told some of the others about her. The last time she had seen or interacted with Shadow had been literal years ago when they all first met.

At his question, she nodded slightly. "For the moment. I ran into Torin earlier who wanted to catch up on some things, he's at our mother's house at the moment, or heading there."

He didn't speak too much about it, but Torin did tell her a part of him regretted leaving the cell. And figured even if he could get back into things, he doubted he could bring the group back once it had settled.

Shadow nods "The Hunters, in their 'Infinite Wisdom' thought it would be good for me to take a day off from work... so Abraxus ordered me to 'enjoy the day off' and kicked me out of the HQ." he grumbles "They all said I was 'Working too hard', can you believe that?" he complains.

Normally Shadow was very stoic, but now he felt like he was being punished for doing his job. Still, in hindsight, Maybe not taking a day off in Over a year was a Bit much.

Knowing Shadow, that probably really was the case when it came to over doing it with work. Kyco could imagine them working until he was told to take a break, and in this case literally ordered. When Torin was active he was a believer in taking breaks.

There had been some thought back for herself if maybe joining as well, though she never went the extra step because it seemed more like a comittement then something on the side.

The young woman slightly smiled. "We'll, to be fair there is a reason day off became a thing during the labor movement. Someone that at least has a day to themselves become more productive when they come back to work. When is the last time you took a day off?"

Shadow thinks for a moment "I believe it was some time early last year. I took half a day to rest up from injuries I had sustained on a mission." he says with a sagely nod.

Kyco thought that was completely and absolutely nuts, she couldn't imagine Never taking a day off in a entire year. She'd lose her mind if she was put in that situation.

She shook her head. "I couldn't do that, but I can respect taking your job seriously. I really have no idea what I want to do once I get out in the real world, which will be very soon.." She paused a bit. "Did you want company then? None of us are doing anything and we both seem bored so.."

Shadow thinks for a moment "Why not? I don't really know what to do on this enforced day off. So I guess we both could learn something from each other..." he says "Excuse me one moment." he says as he heads towards the scanner cops.

He speaks with them for a moment, shows them his Hunter's badge and they go about their business as Shadow returns "They were about to head over and give us some trouble." he says as he starts walking "But I took care of it."

Kyco had ran into the Scanner Cops while it was a bit annoying at times they were just trying to do a job. At the very least her kind was native so that was one hurdle she didn't have to worry too much about on that front. She never figured out what, ultimately, happened to the people who made her and and her kind.

She hadn't heard a peep, so she guessed they likely got shut down or something.

"They're just doing a job, still can be a hassle sometimes though." She said as she followed after them.

Shadow *Hmph!* as they continue "I don't fault them for a single bit. Nor do I think less of the UN for instituting them in the first place." he says "If it weren't for all these different, non native, people coming to Earth, or at least Letting those in charge know they're here, we wouldn't need Scanners on the look out for illegals and the Hunters wouldn't be so spread thin keeping track of them." he grumps.

"I suppose. Space stuff seems to be coming along so that should be less of a issue as time goes on." Well in theory anyway.

After a moment, she asked. "Just wondering, did the Hunters ever find the labs where my kind were made? If its classified information its all right."

Shadow shakes his head "Honestly? I'm not sure the Hunters were even checking into it." he says "I mean, Camlo could have when she was still a Hunter, but now? I'm not so sure." he says with a shrug.

Kyco paused, thinking a bit. "If we haven't heard anything from them after all these years, then its nothing to worry about. I just don't want anyone to go through the same horrors we did with people playing god. It did get blown up so I doubt they recovered."

She'd prefer to think positively about it unless evidence suggested otherwise, and so far all these years later nothing at all.

Shadow shakes his head "Don't let the lack of activity lull you into a false sense of security." he warns "They could be biding their time, or they could have moved to a new planet. I hear Noreal is popular for that sort of thing, they could even be making an even stronger Heartless. Who's to really say?" he points out "It's usually when you're back turned that your enemy sneaks up in you."

"Maybe you're right." It wasn't that she was naive enough to think it wasn't possible, just that was was out of her hands. "Right now its out of my control whether they are or not up to something. So its one of those things I try not to stress over if I can help it. Just like Nicole seemed to drop off the grid again. I don't know what happened to them, but they can take care of themselves and that's why I try to focus on unless I have reason to believe otherwise."

Shadow thinks for a moment, as he waits for the light, along with Dozens of other people "I Think, and don't quote me on this, that Nicole is off world doing Keyblade stuff, you know, fighting evil Heartless and such." he says as the chimes go off, letting them know they can cross.

Nicole, why didn't you tell us?

True she liked to remain positive and Nicole could more then take care of herself but she'd still worry about them going on some type of journey alone. "If she's out there, she can take care of herself but still worried a bit. I wonder how she left though, she doesn't have teleportation of any kind. Maybe she took a ride from someone."

Shadow eyes Kyco "That you know of, right? It could be one of the Many skills she learned in Otherworld." he points out "Don't assume you know what one is truly capable of, until they go all out against you." he advises "Though, in all likelihood, she probably took her Gummi Ship."

"That's fair." Kyco conceded to the first part of Shadow's comment about Nicole likely have skills or powers she picked up while dead. Though it did remind her of her own death, and how she really didn't remember anything. "Nicole seem to remember everything when they died, but I wonder why I don't? I don't know how 'normal' that is."

Shadow shakes his head "Don't dwell on it. When I died I don't recall anything either. No bright white lights, no tunnles... no loved ones." he mumbles the last part "It was as if someone just flipped the switch to off and that was it." he eyes Kyco "Though, if it's bothering you, I can have one of the many priests from Hunter HQ talk to you about it." he offers.

That bit of news surprised Kyco a bit, perhaps then it was something that just happened to some people. For one reason or another they couldn't quite remember their experience when they died. "Um, yeah, that would help thank you. While I wonder why, I'm also not gonna dwell or let it bother me, I have This life, right now in the present to think about after all. Lke what I'm going to do with my life after school."

Shadow shrugs "You'll think of something." he says "Why not study abroad? Go see the world. No reason to limit yourself here." he suggests.

Kyco hadn't actually thought about it, but what Shadow said did make some sense and appealed to her. She'd put it in the back of her mind for later use if she wanted to go that path.

"That might not be a bad idea, I'll give it some thought." She said after thinking about it.

There was something else on her mind, she wasn't sure if Shadow would know but since he was a Hunter, he might. "Just wondering, do you happen to know any good weapon smiths? My scythe got pretty banged up during the invasion, so I need another one a bit. Besides, I always had a interest in that kind of work, its almost like a art to me."