"Oh geez. It's happening. I'm getting tossed in the ring, with not one opponent but two. At least, when I fight on Anarchy, it'll be a tag match and I'll have a partner. For this fight, I'm on my own against two guys and one of them is a straight up, legend. Centurion has been wrestling, forrr-ever. He's one of the best in the industry. Beat my uncle Nathaniel, not too long ago. It's cool that I get to face him, this early on in my career and I don't know if I'm ready, for that type of pressure but I will do my best. Then on top of that, I have to worry about Hanari Carnes being in the mix, from what I remember, my dad said he's an opportunistic, jackass.'


"Which means, he's going to look for prime moments to attack me, for instance if I'm distracted by Centurion... Hanari will see me, as an even easier target at that point. Why go after Cent, when I'm in the ring? I'm young and just starting out, Centurion is a highly skilled veteran of the company and has been wrestling for decades, dominating opponent, after opponent, with ease. Experience levels, if you look to the scales, who do you think Hanari is going to target? Not Centurion. That would be way too challenging and even though Hanari has been wrestling for awhile now, the likelihood of him trying to pull the same tactic against Cent is slim to nil. So I'm going to have this crazy, spotlight hungry, Hispanic man charging at me, any chance he can get."


"To a certain degree, there will be weapons to use. Made of candy. I don't know what that means? Did the general managers hire people to glue together Valentine's candy, in order to form weapons? String some candy hearts together? Put explosives in a box of chocolates? Are we supposed to blow the contents of a pixie stick in someone's face? Blind them with sugar, temporarily? Maybe there's hard candy that's been sharpened and made pointy? These are only guesses. Still it doesn't seem like such an arsenal would be super effective. With an exception to the exploding chocolates. Or there could be something with peanuts in it and someone's allergic but that seems like potential manslaughter to me. I want to win the match, not gamble with allergic reactions and possibly kill someone."


"I do have powers but they're not exactly, perfectly honed. They manifest and sometimes, I can use them but I haven't learned to control them completely. Not entirely, no. I am far from it. If my heart is racing and I'm in the midst of battling it out, there's really no guarantee on the extent of the damage. There's no telling the wind speed or size of the tornado, I can create. In advance. What it might do or how severe the resulting outcome would be. I have been training, my lessons have only begun though. Technically, it's rather dangerous for me to even be in a match, till I gain some kind of proper management on my powers and know I can keep my abilities in check. However, I figure if I'm not tempted to bust them out, everything should be fine, until then. In the meantime, I can relish in the fact that I have a healing factor, that should help with any injury I may sustain. That's definitely a plus in this business."


"I did fairly well in my fight against Corey and in spite of losing. To go toe to toe with him and battle it out for as long as I did, keep getting up and trying my hardest, in the face of such a challenge. In my first match, ever. That's an impressive feat. Yeah, he beat me, I won't deny that but it wasn't a flawless victory. I didn't drop after the first punch, thus ending the match, right then and there. If the bout lasted as long as it did and I kept at it, put forth the effort and managed to trade blows with Corey Smith, resulting in a bit of havoc of my own. That speaks in volumes for me and gives me hope, that I'm not totally in over my head. Who knows, maybe if I keep at it, striving for greatness and making it to the top, isn't an impossible dream. Perhaps, it's not too far out of my reach, despite my age. I simply have to keep rising and never give up, till I am the one that remains standing. Victorious."


"That's how I intend to enter the ring, every single time too. With that mentality and determination. Even when there's candy weapons involved. So bring it on, Hanari Carnes. Place your sights on me and observe me as the easy target. Look at me, like the young kid, that's bitten off more than he can chew, Centurion. I will not let your impressive history inside the squared circle, intimidate me. Not for one second. Cause while you both very likely will see this as a fight with someone youthful, inexperienced and naive, remember you were placed in the match with me, for a reason and I doubt it was to put me out of commission, for good. I didn't book the fight. Management did and maybe... just maybe, it's a sign they're looking forward to potential, fresh talent to take the reigns. Out with the old and in with the new. I could be wrong but then again, there's a chance I'm right."


"Oh well, time will tell."


"Au revoir, gentlemen."

---

{{Arkin and Grey, both sit on the living room floor, gazing up at the television, when Donovan Blackwater enters the apartment and his sights are immediately drawn to this creature.}}




Grey and I are watching the Mandalorian, when I hear my dad return home. Door opens and closes. Footsteps. Then nothing. Utter silence. That's when I remember, the puppy. Grey brought his puppy over. I look up at my father and he's standing there, staring down at the dog. I can tell this addition to the dynamic of Grey and I hanging out has taken him by surprise. The gears are turning and he's attempting to work out, how long we haven't been paying attention to the puppy and what might be ruined or messed up, due to that factor. I know this because my dad is very particular, clean and orderly. He likes everything just so... organized and neat and puppies, make messes. This specific one also sheds. I decide to interject at this point.


"Dad."


His attention instantly draws to me.


"I see you noticed Grey's new puppy, Jasper. Uncle Griffin got him for Grey."


"I did, how long has he been here, by chance?"


"Not long. He's been in here, the whole time, didn't wander off once and he's been super, well behaved too."


Like my father has a built in radar that detects disaster, his eyes dart over to the sofa and focus on, the slight scattering of dog hair. He nods to himself and turns back to me.


"Sorry. I forgot Jasper, climbed up onto the sofa. I'll vacuum that up."


When I state this I mean, right then and there but as I go to rise, my dad raises his hand and gestures for me to remain sitting. Glancing at Jasper, he reaches down and pets the dog. Jasper barks, my dad gives a smile and plucks the pup, from the floor. Lifts Jasper up and allows the puppy to nuzzle against him. Full on holding Jasper in his arms. The puppy takes to him quickly. My father is wearing an expensive, tailor made suit as usual but he doesn't freak out or get upset, in the slightest. Instead, he looks at Jasper settling against him and gives him a scruff on the head. Then sets Jasper, gently onto the carpet.


"There that settles that matter."


Clearly there's dog hair on his suit jacket.


"Problem solved. No need to rush and clean things, while Jasper is still here."


He unbuttons his suit jacket and takes a seat on the sofa.


"Wouldn't want to insult our guest, what with this being the first visit. He's cute, by the way."


Settling back, my dad crosses one leg over the other.


"So what are you guys watching?"


"The Mandalorian."


"Very cool."


{{Arkin is now surveying Donovan. In silence. Absolutely confused. Tilting his head, to the side. His eyes are wide and he's simply staring. Mouth, slightly agape. In somewhat of a shock, it appears.}}


For a second, I don't know what to say. I did not expect this reaction. At all. This causes my dad to laugh.


"You okay?"


No words escape me.


"Arkin?"


Suddenly, my dad surges forward and snaps his fingers, in front of my face and that act brings me out of it. Back from my trance.


"There we go, I thought I lost you for a minute there, you alright? What's wrong?"


"Nothing. I predicted that you were going to be madder, than what you currently, appear to be."


He chuckles and shakes his head.


"Who me? Nah. Besides, what's done is done. Stuff can always get cleaned, later on. I am starving though, so I think I need to fix that problem and order some food. Did you guys eat yet?"


"No."


"Are you hungry?"


"Yeah, food would be good."


"Then I'll get on ordering something. Any preferences?"


"Burgers. Grey's here and he prefers burgers. Or really any meat in general."


"Right... right, the carnivorous werewolf, would. Burgers it is then. Extra rare, right Grey?"


"Yep."


"Done and done."


From there, my dad gets up, pulls out his cell and starts dialing, as he walks to the fridge. Promptly removing a bottle of water, when he reaches it. I shift my gaze to Grey and he's laughing.


"Dude, I think your dad was abducted by aliens and replaced."


"Can a half alien get abducted by aliens? And replaced? Like doesn't that seem a tad redundant? Since he's already an alien? Partly?


"Something is going on."


"Yeah, I thought he was going to be pissed and then, he wasn't mad at all. Not that he would have yelled cause he doesn't ever scream at me but I assumed he would have said something, to indicate he wasn't happy with the situation. Especially, when he seen dog hair on the sofa. I thought that would bother him. I could tell it did. Yet there was nothing. He completely switched it off and was fine."


"Total turn around. Too weird."


"Something's definitely going on."


"But what?"


I didn't know but I was going to find out.