CHAPTER 49: DANDY STEEL!!

"Where’ve you been, Edward!!" Sabrina said, her voice trembling with a sorrowful weight, each word soaked in emotion she could no longer suppress.

"Look, Sabrina, I lost track of time. It’s really not that—it’s really not that serious. I’m here, aren’t—" Edward began, but Sabrina’s voice cut through his excuse like a blade.

"’I’m here, aren’t I?’ Edward, I’ve been waiting for three freaking hours!" she shouted, voice cracking from the buildup of frustration.

"I was busy. I was with Summer," Edward replied quickly.

"Summer, huh? Did Summer remind you up to four times to meet her?" she snapped, her voice growing louder, sharper.

"Look, I lost track of time," Edward repeated, but the words fell flat against the fire in Sabrina’s eyes.

"’Track of time,’ huh?" she echoed bitterly, eyes narrowing.

"What is this argument, Sabrina? What’s so important that you couldn’t wait to tell me?" Edward raised his voice, clearly agitated, waving his arms in exasperation.

"This!!!" Sabrina cried out.

Without warning, she arched her back as glowing white wings burst from her shoulders, expanding with force and flapping against the air. With a few powerful beats, she rose above the ground, hovering in front of Edward with trembling hands and teary eyes.

"This, Edward! This!!" she said, her voice breaking as tears welled up and slipped down her cheeks.

Edward’s eyes widened in astonishment. He stood in stunned silence, eyes fixed on the vision before him—Sabrina floating midair with radiant white wings, almost angelic in her presence.

"Amazing," he whispered.

"Get down, Sabrina—people might see you," he said urgently, glancing around in panic. He motioned for her to land, the danger of exposure tightening his chest.

She gently descended, wings tucking behind her, and collapsed into Edward’s arms. He caught her, holding her close.

"Come on. Let’s talk at my house," he said as he carried her, legs trembling slightly from the adrenaline rush, and guided her across the lawn and into his home.

Inside, they were greeted by Jennifer, who raised a curious brow but said nothing. Edward hurried up the stairs, Sabrina in his arms, until they entered his room and gently set her down.

"Okay. We can talk here," Edward said, brushing off his jeans as he looked at her.

"You’re taking this pretty calmly. Well, obviously, you also have powers. Why wouldn’t you?" Sabrina said, settling onto his bed.

"Wait—how did you know?" Edward asked, his face twisting in surprise.

"I’m not sure. I could just sense it. There’s also another person in this neighborhood with powers, but I’m not sure who," she said, her eyes focused distantly as though searching.

"Is that why you showed me your powers? Because you sensed I had them too?" Edward asked, intrigued.

"Yeah. I couldn’t keep it in anymore. So when I sensed you had powers too, I felt comfortable revealing it to you," Sabrina said, her voice soft but sure.

"Nothing cool like yours, to be honest," Edward said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "I can switch bodies with anyone I touch."

"What! That’s cooler than mine!" Sabrina said, puffing her cheeks in playful protest.

"It’s really not that cool. You can fly, Sabrina," Edward said, lifting his hand with a grin.

"Wanna go for a spin?" she asked, her tone mischievous and full of excitement.

"Woooooooooooooooo!" Edward shouted with exhilaration as he clung to Sabrina’s back, wind rushing past his face while she soared through the sky. The speed, the height, the chill of the breeze—it was all exhilarating beyond words.

"This is awesome!!" he yelled.

"Rapture," a man’s cold voice interrupted from above.

Before either could react, a metal bat crashed into Sabrina’s wings with brutal force. Edward was still on her back when she cried out and plummeted downward, spiraling to the ground below.

"Sabrina!" Edward shouted, hitting the grass and scrambling to his feet. He found her writhing on the ground, clutching her injured wings.

"Get ready to pay for your sins, O ye member of Rapture," said a stranger—tall, intimidating, bat in hand—his eyes burning with conviction.

"What the fuck," Edward muttered, trying to process what was happening.

"This is your last day on Earth, Rapture member. Prepare to meet your end, served specially by Dandy Steel," the man said, hoisting his bat over his shoulder.

"Bruh, you don’t attack people out of nowhere with a bat," Edward shouted angrily.

"People? I don’t see people! All I see is a Rapture member—and her accomplice," Dandy said, pointing his bat directly at them.

"Rapture? Dude, what the hell are you talking about? And why are you dressed like an old Japanese delinquent?" Edward snapped, eyeing Dandy’s strange outfit.

"Shut up. I didn’t come here for small talk. Oh no! I came here for vengeance!" Dandy Steel growled, twirling his bat dramatically.

"You killed a family, and you have the mind —to be flying around freely, huh, member of Rapture?" he continued.

"Killed a family?! Dude, which family?! We don’t even know you!" Edward protested.

"Aargh!" Sabrina screamed again, pain shooting through her as she cradled her wounded wings.

"Shut the hell up, you member of Rapture!" Dandy shouted, glaring at her.

"Shit! This dude is crazy. I can’t run and leave Sabrina behind. And I can’t carry her and run—it’ll slow us down," Edward thought frantically. "Guess I have to fight."

He took a fighting stance, legs bent, fists raised.

"Oh, the slave wants to play hero. That’s fine by me. Oh, that’s very fine by me! I’ll save the best for last," Dandy said with a wicked grin.

He charged, swinging his bat at Edward’s head. Edward weaved back just in time, narrowly dodging.

"I just need to touch him—but that’s next to impossible. This dude’s in full clothing," Edward thought, frustration boiling.

Dandy threw a heavy swing toward his ribs. Edward managed to block with his arm, but the force knocked him backward.

"Whoa! That didn’t hurt as much as it should’ve. How’s that possible?" Edward wondered.

"That amount of force from the bat should’ve broken his hand. Is this guy also a Percenter?" he speculated.

"It seems you’re a freak too. This makes killing you more worthwhile," Dandy sneered, pointing his bat again.

He attacked again—rapid, precise swings. But something shifted. Edward’s body responded differently. His reflexes sharpened. His movements flowed like water.

"Wait—how am I dodging like this?" he thought, amazed.

Dandy, Edward, and even Sabrina stared in disbelief.

"I’ve never been this flexible. It’s like everything’s moving in slow motion. I can see the attacks clearly," Edward murmured, eyeing his hand where a strange mark had begun forming.

"I was trying to hold back, but it seems you exceeded my expectations," Dandy growled, releasing a chilling aura.

"His aura—it’s powerful. But... I can sense he’s not a Percenter," Sabrina whispered.

Dandy rushed Edward again, this time landing a powerful hit on his shoulder, sending him crashing to the side.

"Damn—I wasn’t paying attention," Edward grunted, forcing himself up.

Dandy smashed his bat into the ground—once, twice—six times. The earth trembled with each impact.

"How is that bat causing these quakes?" Edward muttered, but Dandy was already upon him, bat swinging for his face.

Edward ducked just in time, heart pounding.

"I can’t keep this up. I’m getting tired. But if I give in... he’ll kill Sabrina. What do I do? What—"

His thoughts were cut off as the bat struck his leg.

"Aaargh!" Edward screamed, collapsing as pain flared through him.

"Edward!!" Sabrina cried, forcing herself upright. She flung sharp feathers from her good wing at Dandy.

"Bitch!" Dandy cursed, flinching as feathers slashed across his skin.

"Since you want to atone for your sins so bad—I’ll kill you now, damn member of Rapture!" he screamed, charging with lethal intent.

"He’s about to kill her. Do something, Edward. Do something!!" Edward’s inner voice shouted.

At that moment, the mark on his hand flared. A wave of energy exploded from his body, rippling through the park.

"What the—how did I enter his body? I didn’t even touch him..." Edward said, now inside Dandy’s body.

"Edward? Edward!" Sabrina called out.

"Why is she—" he started to say, until he turned and saw his real body on the ground—nose and mouth bleeding.

"Whoa, whoa!" he panicked.

Then, Dandy’s body—the one he was inhabiting—also began to bleed from the nose and mouth.

"I’m losing vis—" Edward gasped, leaping out of Dandy’s body and back into his own.

He coughed violently, clearing the blood from his throat, then stood—limping from the injury, but alive.

"Edward!" Sabrina cried, running to him, throwing her arms around his neck.

"I thought you were—I thought you were dead," she said, sobbing against his shoulder.

"Nah... even I’m confused. How did I enter his body without touching him?" Edward said, dazed.

"Who cares? All that matters is we managed to beat him," Sabrina said, relief flooding her voice.

"Uh... do you think this is over?" Dandy groaned as he staggered to his feet, blood pouring from his face.

"How is he still walking? What the hell?" Sabrina said, horrified.

"Who is this guy?" Edward muttered, shielding Sabrina with his body.

"Die!!!" Dandy roared, bat raised, charging again.

"That’s enough, Dandy," a deep voice interrupted.

A man stepped into view and stopped the bat with one finger.

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