章 42: Jungle Fever

The young Lockhart didn't know what to do. There was nothing to watch on TV, and Alice was asleep in the Skyline Hotel bedroom. Only when she woke up would they return to Gotham. It had been a long week after all.

Sora was up to date on the supernatural events happening across the globe. Because of the Lockhart intelligence app, he could know about things before the government knew. Thanks to Shizuo and Celty. Information was constantly sent to the server.

At that moment, he felt a presence zooming out of the city. It was the speedster. The Flash! There wasn't any time to waste. This was a chance to cure his boredom!

The aura of null manifested in the room. Sora's hair and eyes silently changed color. He tapped the back of his right ear, causing the metallic mask to expand across his face. It only covered the lower half of his face.

DING

He was gone in a flash of darklight. By the time Darkstar caught up to Flash, they were already moving across the Atlantic Ocean. They'd both reached speeds impossible to replicate. It still took a while for Barry to notice that someone else was moving right above him.

"It's you! We saved the world a month ago. Remember?" The hero called out.

"...How could I forget? That's kinda impossible. Anyways, where ya headed? Off to fight crime?" Sora asked slowly. It contradicted the extreme speeds they were moving at.

"Not quite. I'm actually going to Gorilla Island. I can almost guarantee that this is because of Grodd."

"Grodd. I've never seen him in person…only on the news."

"Welp, here's your chance. Wanna come with?"

"Of course. It's rare that I meet someone who can almost match my speed." Sora praised. To the speedster, it sounded like an insult.

"Almost? Heh."

"That's right. Almost."

'Saying almost is just me being polite.' The young Lockhart thought.

"That's some arrogant words. Also, how do you move like that? It's much cooler than my run." Flash questioned.

In comparison to Barry's normal sprinting, Sora was stepping off the air every few seconds. This kept the momentum and allowed him to accelerate if he ever needed to. The lazy man's hands were always in his pockets.

"Our powers are similar but the fundamentals are different. I'm sure you could move like this if you trained hard enough." Sora explained. Flash shook his head.

"Nah. Not really my style. Plain old running works for me. Besides, if I moved like you I'd have to change my hero suit!"

The duo was still speeding across the ocean waves. The distance between Hawaii and Central City was more than a country. From the Atlantic Ocean, they would have to reach the Pacific Ocean.

"...Well, I guess I'll see you there."

Darkstar took another step on the air, this time with a bit more strength. His figure disappeared with a flash of darklight. One moment he was beside Flash and the next, he was gone.

DING

"Wha-not on my watch!" Flash exclaimed.

Golden lightning flashed in his eyes as he charged up more energy. There was a crackle of thunder as he exploded with more speed. It only took a few moments for the Flash to catch up.

"You think you can leave me behind? Nu-uh." He joked. Sora couldn't help but chuckle.

'What a fun guy.' The lazy man thought.

"I respect the enthusiasm but alas…you need more training."

Another step. This time it was serious. Darkstar didn't hold back at all. It was as if he'd popped out of existence. There was no flash of light this time. Only the sound.

DING

He left the Flash running on water. Sora instantly arrived at Gorilla Island. Destroyed buildings and houses spanned the horizon. It went on as far as the eye could see. There were smears of dried blood all across the landscape. Dead bodies were everywhere.

It wasn't just the dead bodies. It was the way they died. Intestines spilled out of their stomach. It was as if they'd been ripped open. Expressions of fear and pain could still be seen on their faces.

A few milliseconds later, Flash arrived. He stopped beside the light human while catching his breath. His hands were on his knees.

"Haah…Haah…Damn dude…" As he caught his breath, his eyes scanned the area.

Barry's face grew solemn the longer he looked. He couldn't help but grit his teeth and clench his fists. This was probably the first time Flash had seen such carnage.

"Let's go." Sora muttered.

The duo finally moved. It was a comfortable walking pace. Unfortunately, the scenery wasn't something fun to look at. The dead bodies were endless. Only embers rose from what were once great flames. To make it worse, the surroundings were silent. The only sound was their own footsteps.

"Monsters…the lot of them!" Flash growled. His body was shaking with rage.

"Shall we put them down?" Darkstar suggested. The hero looked at his own hands, struggling to find an answer.

"Killing is…Batman wouldn't approve." His words went from denying, to finding an excuse.

Sora could easily tell what Flash wanted to do. His morals and ideals were holding him back. A dark smile adorned the Lockhart's face under the mask.

"Don't worry. We'll keep this between us! Batman hasn't experienced Gotham being wiped off the map. He has no say in this situation." Flash looked at the dead bodies. His eyes crackled with lightning.

"It-It goes against my code. My morals." He said in frustration.

"I don't think it does, Flash. They're just animals. The only one with intelligence is Grodd. Are you unwilling to kill even a rabid animal? Especially when they're a threat to humanity? Animals are put down for way less."

"But-"

"The military is already on its way here. Do you think they have the luxury of sparing a bunch of monkeys? Their life's on the line. No super strength. No superspeed. Just weapons to kill." Hearing Sora's words, his eyes widened.

"That's right. They're just animals! Monsters!" Flash exclaimed as if he understood something brand new.

"It's not like you always have to kill. It's an action required only for the ones who deserve it. Wonder Woman is a warrior. Do you think she's never killed before? During battle? During war?"

"I understand, Darkstar. I get it. You don't have to say more."

"Oh, but I will. How many times has Batman arrested the Joker?"

"Enough times."

"And how many people have died in the process? Almost every villain that he puts away ends up breaking out just to murder once again. Innocent civilians…dead. If I had to say, it looks like the upright heroes are the bigger villains."

"Heroes are not villains!"

"It almost makes me wonder. Is he getting paid for putting them in jail or something? Why else would he spare mass murderers and psychotic villains? Child rapists, cannibals, serial killers, you name it. Think about the innocent families-"

"ENOUGH! I don't want to hear anymore." Flash exclaimed. He didn't need to hear anything else. It was enough.

"I said all of that to say, are we putting down these animals?" Sora asked.

"Are we putting them down?! Hahaha! We're gonna put them six feet under!" He responded.

Golden lightning danced around his body. The intensity was unmatched. The aura around them had changed. They no longer looked as if they were here to save anyone. They were bloodthirsty.

At this moment, the white apes appeared. They'd been hiding behind the environment. Only now did they show themselves. There were thousands of them. Some atop burnt trees, others on broken buildings, they were everywhere. The duo was surrounded.

Sora couldn't help but chuckle. It was an eerie sound, as the darklight circulated inside him. He levitated a few inches off the ground with his arms crossed. Flash began to vibrate as golden lightning burned the ground at his feet. His face was stuck in a perpetual scowl. He was angry.

The young Lockhart opened his arms with glee. His eyes shined, those icy blue pupils seeming like death incarnate. The black color of his iris made it even scarier. Black and white flames rose from his body.

"Hello Monkeys!"