The evening sun painted Novaria's streets gold as Angelo walked with hunched shoulders, each step heavy with the weight of his suspension. The city bustled around him—people laughing, shop doors swinging open and closed, street vendors calling out—but he barely noticed, lost in the storm of his thoughts.
Red's voice cut through their shared mind like a jagged knife. "A whole fucking month of this bullshit? What are we supposed to do, sit on our asses and twiddle our thumbs while those scumbags run wild? This is complete garbage!"
"If I may interject," Blue's measured tones flowed through their consciousness, "this unexpected hiatus could present an opportunity to pursue our parents' untimely demise."
"Nobody asked for your scholarly bullshit!" Red snapped, his mental voice practically crackling with irritation.
"I was merely attempting to contribute a utilization of our leave of absence," Blue replied with clinical precision. "Was your initial query not intended to generate potential courses of action? Or was it purely an exercise in futile complaint?"
"It was a rhetorical question, you walking dictionary!" Red's thoughts burned hot as embers. "Why don't you take your fancy words and shove them up your—"
Angelo's jaw clenched so tight his teeth nearly cracked. "Both of you, SHUT UP!" The words burst from his mouth before he could stop them, his voice echoing off the nearby buildings.
A young couple walking ahead turned to stare, eyes wide with alarm, their shopping bags clutched tighter. The woman nudged her partner, whispering something behind her hand.
Heat rushed to Angelo's face as he realized what he'd done. "Sorry," he muttered, avoiding their eyes. "Wasn't talking to you."
He ducked into a narrow alley, its shadows cool against his skin. Once hidden from view, he channeled energy into his legs and leaped upward. Orange light trailed behind him like a comet's tail as he landed on a nearby rooftop with a soft thud, safely hidden from curious eyes.
"See what you two have done?" Angelo thought bitterly, running a hand through his hair. "Made me look completely insane in public. Again."
From this height, the city stretched before him in a tapestry of light and shadow. Festival preparations were visible even from here—workers hanging colorful banners, stages being constructed in plazas, decorative lights strung between lampposts that would soon transform the streets into rivers of color.
"We don't have a single lead," he muttered, pacing along the edge of the roof, boots crunching on loose gravel. "No idea where to begin looking."
Blue's voice drifted through their mind, calm as still water. "The Professor's research facility would be the most logical starting point. It has been precisely twenty-three days since our last energy donation session. His scientific perspective could prove invaluable to our investigation, given his expertise in Auron physiology."
Angelo stopped pacing, finger tapping against his thigh as he considered. "That's not a bad idea, actually," he said, leaning against a warm ventilation unit.
"Great," Red groaned, the mental equivalent of an eye roll palpable in his tone. "Another thrilling trip to Boringville. Just what I wanted to do with our forced vacation."
"His equipment is pretty impressive though—" Angelo started, fingers tracing the edge of the metal vent.
"Right, because staring at flashing lights and beeping machines is so exciting," Red cut in, his sarcasm sharp enough to cut glass. "If you're a complete fucking loser."
Angelo's patience snapped like a dry twig. His eyes flashed orange as energy surged through him in response to his anger. "Fine! Stay here and count pigeons if that's more entertaining. We're going to the lab."
"You know I don't have a damn choice!" Red protested, his frustration boiling over. "Wherever you go, I go. That's the whole fucking problem!"
"I'm afraid the decision has been made." Blue stated with formal finality.
Angelo took a deep breath, his chest expanding as he pulled in the cool evening air, then summoned his power. Orange energy rippled around him like living flame, warm but not burning. Smoky tendrils extended from his body, reaching out like ghostly ropes to grab nearby ledges and poles.
With practiced ease, he launched himself into the air, the wind rushing past his face as he swung between buildings. The city blurred beneath him, each leap carrying him closer to answers he hoped to find.
The research complex stood tall against the sunset, all glass and steel catching the dying light like a crystal growing from concrete. Angelo paused at the entrance, his reflection fragmented across the polished surfaces, still impressed by the building despite his many visits.
An assistant waved him through with a familiar smile. Angelo walked past walls lined with framed achievements—diplomas, newspaper clippings, and awards all bearing the name 'Albert Goldstein.' The certificates caught the light as he passed, like badges of honor on display.
He found the professor hunched over strange-looking equipment, his gray-white hair falling past his shoulders like a winter waterfall. Albert turned at the sound of footsteps, his glasses catching the light as he spotted his visitor.
"Angelo, my boy!" His face brightened with genuine surprise, crow's feet deepening around his eyes. "What brings you here voluntarily? That's quite the unexpected pleasure!"
Angelo shifted his weight from one foot to the other, hands stuffed in his pockets. "Thought it might be time for another energy donation. For your research." He glanced at the equipment, trying to sound casual.
Albert leaned back against his workbench, arms crossed as he studied Angelo with knowing eyes. "Indeed? No other reason behind this sudden scientific interest?"
Before Angelo could respond, blue mist swirled beside him like morning fog coming to life. It twisted and solidified into Blue, who materialized with perfect posture and gave a slight, formal bow.
"Professor, it is a most pleasing occasion to make your acquaintance once again," he said, his words crisp and measured.
"Oh, Professor, I worship the very ground you walk on! Please share more of your brilliant wisdom with us lowly peasants!" Red's mocking voice echoed through their shared mind, dripping with sarcasm. Blue's composed face twitched almost imperceptibly, a muscle jumping near his eye.
Albert's smile widened as he spotted Blue, crow's feet deepening around his eyes. "Ah, Blue! Always a delight to see you. Where's your more colorful companion hiding? Not like him to miss an opportunity to share his unique perspective."
Angelo rubbed the back of his neck, his fingers working out a knot of tension. "Red's sulking. Still upset about getting his ass handed to him in our last fight. His pride took a bigger beating than he did."
Crimson energy suddenly erupted beside them like a small explosion, swirling and forming into Red, who materialized with his arms crossed tightly over his chest. "The hell I am!" he snapped, his voice bouncing off the lab walls. "I don't sulk! I strategically withdraw!"
Albert's eyes twinkled with amusement as he pushed his glasses up his nose. "There you are! I was starting to think you'd lost your fighting spirit! Good to see you're still as... passionate as ever."
Red spun away dramatically, kicking at an empty cardboard box on the floor. "Whatever, old man. Don't get all sappy on me. I'm only here because these two wouldn't shut up about coming to see you."
Albert watched Red's agitated movements carefully, noting how the crimson energy surrounding him flickered unstably like a flame in the wind. Interest sparked in his eyes as he tapped a pen against his palm thoughtfully.
"Our fiery friend seems particularly volatile today," he observed, reaching for a tablet on his desk. "Perhaps it's time I shared something with you all. Something I've been working on for quite some time."
Angelo and Blue exchanged confused looks. "Shared what?" Angelo asked, leaning forward.
"You've successfully captured our attention, Professor," Blue added, adjusting his posture to appear even more attentive. "What information of significance have you been withholding from us until this moment?"
Albert's face lit up like a kid about to share a secret stash of candy. He rubbed his hands together, energy practically radiating from him. "Just the preliminary results of my research into your unique energy signatures, and a rather fascinating theory I've developed. It might explain Red's recent... difficulties maintaining his physical form."
Red's aura flared like an angry bonfire, the crimson light casting strange shadows across the lab equipment. "Great. Another boring lecture about energy fluctuations and quantum whatever. Just what I needed to make this day complete."
Without warning, Red dissolved into crimson smoke that whirled through the air like an angry tornado. He circled Angelo once before vanishing into his body with a sharp crackling sound.
Blue stepped forward smoothly, adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves as if they were physical rather than energy constructs. "Please disregard Red's discourteous behavior, Professor. His manners appear to have deteriorated along with his physical cohesion. We would be most interested in your scientific findings, regardless of his objections."
Albert nodded and settled into his chair, the worn leather creaking beneath him.
"It began when Sleeser first introduced us. Do you remember that day?" He glanced up at Angelo over his glasses. "You might be surprised to learn that Sleeser approached me first, shortly after Red and Blue emerged from your consciousness. The old dog suspected there was something truly extraordinary about your condition from the beginning. Being an energy Auron himself, he sensed something unique in your situation—something he'd never encountered before."
Angelo's jaw dropped, and he blinked rapidly as he processed this information. "Wait—Sleeser started this whole thing? I always thought... I remember him being there when we first met, when you offered to study us, but he never mentioned..."
Albert smiled knowingly as he spun his chair back toward them. "I'm not surprised he never mentioned it. Sleeser always preferred working behind the scenes, pulling strings without drawing attention to himself. Always been that way, even back when we were young."
"After running extensive tests on your energy donations and comparing them to samples from other energy Aurons, I've made quite a remarkable discovery," Albert said, adjusting his glasses with one finger, the lenses catching the light from the overhead fixtures.
Angelo leaned forward in his chair, the metal frame creaking under his weight. "And? What did you find out?"
Albert's eyes lit up behind his glasses like a kid with a new toy. "You three are truly extraordinary. To properly explain why, we need to understand how pure energy works first."
From inside Angelo's mind, Red groaned loudly. "Great, another lecture about energy mechanics. Wake me when it's over. Or better yet, don't wake me at all."
Blue stepped forward, his back straight as a ruler. "Pure energy is what we energy Aurons produce, is it not, Professor? Unlike elemental energies such as fire or electricity, ours lacks specialized properties beyond its basic manifestation."
Albert raised a finger. "Close, but not quite right. Pure energy doesn't actually exist in physical form at all in nature. It's potential, constantly shifting and changing. Energy Aurons somehow give physical form to something that, by all scientific understanding, shouldn't have one."
Angelo rubbed his temples, feeling a headache brewing. "How does any of this connect to our situation? What does this have to do with Red, Blue, and me?"
Albert lowered his voice and leaned closer, his chair squeaking beneath him. The overhead lights reflected off his glasses as he spoke. "I've developed a new theory I call 'The Components of Pure Energy.' I believe pure energy consists of three distinct components."
Blue's eyes widened with interest, his body leaning forward slightly. "Fascinating! Please elaborate on this theory, Professor! What evidence supports this conclusion?"
Albert smiled, pushing back in his chair and lacing his fingers together. "As you know, energy is matter's building block. But what if energy itself could be broken down further? What if it has its own components?"
Angelo and Blue exchanged confused glances, uncertainty written across their faces.
"Let me use an analogy," Albert continued, fidgeting with a pen. "What happens when white light passes through a prism?"
"It splits into different colors, making a rainbow," Angelo answered, crossing his arms.
"Exactly!" Albert pointed the pen at him excitedly, nearly jumping from his seat. "You break down light into its components. Each color is still light, but just part of a whole."
Understanding dawned on Blue's face like a sunrise. "Remarkable... Then if the same principle applied to energy—and by extension to matter—you could theoretically have multiple identical copies of the same matter existing simultaneously!"
"Now you're getting it!" Albert clapped his hands together. "Looking at your unique situation, I believe there was once a complete Angelo whose energy somehow split, creating three different 'shades' of the original."
Angelo's face went pale as chalk. His fingers gripped the edge of the table so hard his knuckles turned white. "Are you saying we were once one person who got... split apart?"
Albert's smile faded as he noticed Angelo's reaction. He set his pen down gently. "Well... yes. Your energies are unlike anything we've ever seen in nature or other Aurons."
Angelo gripped the arms of his chair, the metal creaking under the pressure. "How? How did this happen to us? Was it an accident or..."
Albert's expression darkened, shadows falling across his face. "That I don't know. But something—or someone—caused it. This isn't natural, not by any means I can determine."
Blue stepped closer. He seemed unbothered by the revelation that had shaken Angelo. "What makes our energies so unique, Professor? Are there measurable differences between us?"
Albert straightened up, his enthusiasm for the science returning despite the heavy implications. "The division isn't uniform, and the three components repel each other at different strengths. That's how I named them."
He raised one finger, holding it up like a teacher making a point. "First, what I call neutral energy—fifty percent of the total. It repels the other two equally. That's Angelo's energy. The larger allocation makes you the 'main body,' so to speak."
Angelo frowned at the description.
Albert raised a second finger beside the first. "Second, positive energy—twenty-five percent. That's Blue's essence." Blue nodded, absorbing the information.
He raised a third finger, completing the count. "Finally, negative energy—also twenty-five percent. It repels positive energy much more strongly than neutral. That's what makes up Red."
Red remained silent inside Angelo's mind, but they could feel his presence stirring like a storm building.
"Let me guess," Angelo said dryly, leaning back in his chair. "It's called 'negative' because Red is... well, Red?"
"Fuck off!" Red snapped internally, his mental voice burning with anger.
Albert chuckled, shaking his head as he pushed his glasses up his nose. "No, no. As I said, the names come from their repulsion levels. It's purely scientific, not a judgment of character."
"Professor," Blue said quietly, his voice carrying a new weight. "Could this division conceivably result in lowered energy potency for each component? Would we each be weaker than the original whole?" They could feel Red's essence recoiling at the very suggestion.
Albert paused, then straightened in his chair, his lab coat rustling with the movement. "If we compare Angelo as he is now to this hypothetical complete Angelo... Yes, Angelo would essentially be operating at fifty percent capacity on all accounts at all times, compared to the original."
This hit Angelo like a punch to the gut. Memories flooded back—consistently losing fights to bullies in his childhood, always struggling to keep up. Now it all finally made sense.
"This is precisely why," Albert continued, picking up a tablet and tapping at the screen, "I felt compelled to bring this theory to your attention today. It would certainly explain Red's recent difficulties in combat, since he himself operates at—"
Crimson energy erupted in the center of the lab like a small explosion. Red materialized with a crackle of power, his face twisting with barely contained fury.
"That's complete bullshit!" Red shouted, his voice bouncing off the walls. "There's no way in hell I'm weaker than Angelo!" His crimson aura flickered wildly around him like an angry flame, casting red shadows across the lab.
Forcing a laugh that sounded like broken glass, Red jabbed a finger toward Albert. "And what... twenty-five percent? HA! Don't make me laugh, old man. I'm not some pathetic weakling! There's no fucking way I'd ever believe this garbage!"
Angelo stepped forward, one hand raised toward Red. "Red! That's enough—"
But Red was beyond reason, his aura pulsing brighter with each angry word. "NO! Shut your stupid face! Why should we believe anything this fossil says? He's probably going senile!"
Blue moved between them with fluid grace, his voice cutting through the tension like a cool breeze on a hot day. "Red. Enough. The Professor merely confirms what we've long suspected about our condition—"
Red whirled on Blue, his energy crackling dangerously around his clenched fists. "Shut it, blueberry! Don't you get it?! If I'm supposedly this weak, the same goes for you! You're just as pathetic as I am according to this theory!"
The silence that followed felt heavy enough to touch. The only sound was the soft hum of laboratory equipment.
Then, Blue turned to Albert, his voice carrying carefully controlled calm. "Professor, might I request use of the training field? I believe a practical demonstration would be more effective than further discussion."
Albert blinked, clearly caught off guard by this sudden shift. He adjusted his glasses nervously. "Of course, but... to what end?"
Blue's response came out like a riddle, measured and precise. "All will become clear very shortly. Angelo, shall we proceed? I would like to engage in a sparring match with you."
Red's aura flickered with a mix of anger and curiosity as he watched this exchange. "Oh, this I gotta see. The walking, talking dictionary thinks he can prove something with his fists? This'll be rich." Despite his mocking words, interest had replaced some of the fury in his eyes.
Albert rose from his chair, adjusting his glasses as scientific interest visibly overtook his concern. "Well, this is certainly an unexpected turn of events." He grabbed a tablet from his desk. "Do be careful, boys. And if you don't mind, I'll observe from a safe distance. This could provide some fascinating data for my research."
Angelo nodded, his mind already racing with implications as they headed for the exit. The tension in the air felt thick enough to cut with a knife as they made their way through the gleaming corridors, their footsteps echoing against the polished floors. Whatever Blue had planned, it was clear this would be more than just a simple sparring match.