Jack: Why were you even near the fire?! furrows brows What were you thinking?!
I was trying to get to my friend...he’s trapped under debris…
grabs QuantumFlame by the collar Your friend? You mean the one who abandoned you? The one who left you behind?
releases QuantumFlame's collar and punches him in the face And you think risking your life is going to bring them back?
i-…i don’t expect you to understand…
leans in close, his voice low and dangerous You're damn right, I don't understand.
look…I’m going to get my friend…
grabs QuantumFlame's arm tightly You listen to me, kid. You're not getting anywhere near that fire. Your friend is gone, and you're not going to get yourself killed trying to save someone who didn't even have your back.
he looks into her eyes…and sees the pain she has…
softens his grip on QuantumFlame's arm Look, I may not understand what you're going through, but I know pain.
puts his arm around QuantumFlame's shoulder You don't have to carry this burden alone, kid. I'll help you find a way to deal with it.
leads QuantumFlame away from the fire First things first, we need to get out of here before anything else happens.
a few minutes later they are at a bar…
sits down at the bar, motioning for a drink Two shots of whiskey, please. We need to take our minds off things and drown our sorrows tonight.
they both take a shot…and feel a bit better…
As the night goes on, Jack and QuantumFlame end up confiding in each other, sharing their past traumas and supporting one another through their pain.
raises his glass To healing and finding strength in each other.
he raises his glass…to healing…
clinks his glass with QuantumFlame's Cheers to that. Now, tell me more about this friend of yours. What's their name?
my friend’s name is eggman.
leans in closer, his voice filled with concern Eggman? That's an unusual name. Are you sure it's really their name?
…yeah…I mean…it’s a nickname…
narrows his eyes A nickname, huh? And what about the person behind the nickname? Who's the real person?
leans back, his expression softening Ah, I see. So Eggman is your support system during tough times.
pauses, deep in thought You know, kid, sometimes people hide behind nicknames or fake identities to shield themselves from the pain.
leans forward, his voice filled with urgency Look, QuantumFlame, I may not know what it's like to live in your shoes, but I do know pain.
looks into jack’s eyes thanks for being there for me…
grips QuantumFlame's hand firmly It's not just about being there for you, kid. It's about fighting alongside you, shoulder to shoulder.
thanks… he smiles at her..
stands up abruptly, his voice filled with determination Alright, enough of this heavy stuff. How about we lighten the mood a bit?
grins mischievously Let's play a game. Ever heard of "Truth or Dare"?
slaps his hand on the table Alright, let's turn it up a notch! We'll make it "Truth or Challenge."
pulls out his phone and starts scrolling through a list Alright, first question for you, QuantumFlame.