...

...

[END OF PLAYBACK]

The video freezes at the sound of a rumbled click.

A young man with dark brown hair and a violet-blue jacket with a yellow fist emblem embroidered on the back removes the dusty goggles from his head. The light of the sun seeping through almost feels overwhelming. The breeze from the cool air lifts his scarlet muffler scarf. It is a pleasant contrast to the warmth of the noon day sun in the bright cerulean sky. He hangs the goggles back on the y-shaped stick. Behind the stick, is a corroded obelisk stretching into the sky with a deep inscription reading:

"IN MEMORY OF ZETA AND KIWI BOYEGA. THE ONES WHO RETURNED THE SUN TO BIG GULCH".

To the obelisk's side is a crushed sphere the size of a two-story house made of the same material. He hears the ruffling of clothes behind him.

"Do you usually make a habit of messing with what you find at memorial sites?"

The young man in blue spins around and lowers his stance. He quickly analyzes the new person. About ten-years his senior, this man had short blonde hair with a green front tip, an orange neckerchief tucked in a brown bomber jacket with yellow stripes on the sleeve. Red initials on the breast pocket read: P.B. His hand rests on the metal baton clipped to his belt. However, his slightly tilted head, and tall stature indicates a relaxed demeanor. In response, the younger man in blue shortens the width of his stance.

"I was told I might find a clue to bringing down Desert-Salt here."

The blonde man chuckles.

"Ah yes. Desert-Salt. The mechanical menace of today. The one who burned the world. Did you find your clue?"

"I found inspiration to keep fighting. It was a long video though. I'll need to take those goggles with me to watch it again."

The blonde man looks directly at the one in blue but keeps his jovial tone.

"Not a chance, unless you want to become a part of the memorial."

The one in blue tosses up his hands.

"I guess I'll just have to come back and rewatch it. Too bad they died before seeing the sun. I would have really liked to meet them."

"Who said this is a gravesite?"

The young man in the blue jacket turns around to read the heading again. No where does it explicitly state the brave couple had perished.

"Huh. You're right. It doesn't say-"


The man in the brown bomber jacket is nowhere to be seen. Just grass and mounds of soil where buildings used to be. Without hesitation, the young man in blue refastens the antique goggles to his head. After feeling around the front, he inadvertently slides a tiny plastic wheel behind the center camera lense. He flinches at the sudden cut-in of audio.

"-ive years since I put these on."

The voice coming through is raspy, but with a familiar cheeriness. The speaker himself, who is heard behind the goggles, appears to have his arms fixed to his chair's armrests.

The date on the top right of the playback video reads: "07/15/2010".

Running around the chairbound speaker is a laughing child around four or five years of age. The small one breaks his course when a woman with long green hair wearing a pink apron covering her baby bump walks in. The child clings to his mother's leg. Her lively voice is immediately recognizable.

"Petrock. Just because it's your birthday doesn't mean you're ready to watch the goggle movie. You're still not old enough. Plus, daddy's still recovering."

The man in the chair laughs.

"That's right. It is your birthday, Petrock. Can I trust you?"

The boy named Petrock nods his head eagerly and after a glance at the pregnant woman, she nods and reaches around the view of the camera and pulls out an orange scarf. She loosely ties it around his neck and tucks it in his shirt. The voice behind the goggles speaks again.

"It's a little piece from the goggle movie. Don't you lose it now, or I'm gonna get you when I recover. Ha ha ha! Promise?"

The boy named Petrock nods his head and tightens his scarf. He tilts his head and squeaks.

"Dad. How come you look so happy even though you can't move?"

The space goes silent, yet the faces on the wife and boy maintain a gentle smile. Finally, the father in the seat behind the goggles answers.

"Because my son has kept shining ever since your mom and I stopped the-."

[END OF PLAYBACK]