I walked out the door of Black Hat's house, surprised and a little bit skeptical that neither Demencia or Black Hat stopped me. The sun burned my eyes through my goggles, and I shielded them as I looked around. I breathed in the fresh air, and smiled.

"Man, I haven't been outside in forever," I sighed, looking down at 5.0.5. "It feels so nice."

Feeling a heavy burden being lifted off my shoulders, I breathed in the air again before running off of Black Hat's property. Stepping into the city, my smile began to disappear as I noticed the stares around me. Those strange looks. Those whispers. I tried to make myself thin as I hurried through the streets. I passed by some teenagers, who began to point and laugh at me.

"He must be pretty ugly if he's hiding his face underneath a paper bag!" one of them said, their voices following me as I ran.

I ignored the laughter as I lowered my head. Suddenly, I slammed into someone, and we both fell. I was the one who stood up first, and I saw that the person who I knocked into was wearing a black trench coat. Fearing that it was Black Hat, I turned to run, but stopped when I heard a familiar voice.

"Don't worry friend, you don't have to be afraid. I'm alright."

I turned and saw, in relief, that it was just Flint.

"Flint!" I exclaimed in joy. "Thank goodness it's you!"

"L-Lance?" Flint asked, a smile forming on his face. "I can't believe that we bumped into each other again! After Black Hat got you, I thought that you were done for! I went to all the heroes, but they were all busy. Man, it's so nice to see you alive! Why do you have that paper bag over your head?"

"Well, I don't want to show my face to anyone for reasons only Black Hat unfortunately knows," I explained. "And it wasn't easy. He wanted a scientist. He made me create two inventions, and locked me up in his lab for me to perform my task. Luckily, after my second invention failed, he forgot to lock the lab door so I was able to escape."

"Ah, I understand," Flint replied. "And what inventions were they?"

I dug into my lab coat pocket and took out the anti-gravity device and 5.0.5.

"The sphere is my anti-gravity device," I explained. "By pressing this button, it causes everything around you to float away. And this little guy is 5.0.5. Black Hat wanted me to make the most evil creature in the world, besides himself, but instead this guy came out. He's one of the nicest creatures out there."

I placed 5.0.5 in Flints hand, and it smiled and gave his thumb a hug.

"It's adorable!" Flint exclaimed, looking down at the blue bear. "I can feel my heart melting! Can it walk?"

"Let's figure that out," I decided, taking 5.0.5 from him, and placing it on the floor.

As soon as it's feet touched the floor, it grew to the size of a toddler, and let out a small, but happy, growl.

"Wow, did you know it could do that?" Flint asked me.

"No, I actually didn't," I replied. "But lets see if it can walk."

I made my way over to a spot a little ways away from where they stood, and I kneeled, my arms open.

"Come here, 5.0.5!" I smiled, my voice carrying to where they were.

5.0.5 let out a small growl before it wobbly walked over to where I was, and fell into my open arms. I smiled, and picked it up in my arms. It soon fell asleep, and I walked over to Flint.

"So, Lance, what are you going to do now?" Flint asked as we began to walk the city streets.

"Well, let's see," I began, thinking about the events I've been through in just one week. "I've been kidnapped by a villain, locked up in a lab made to create inventions for him, crawled through his air vents with a madwoman, I created another being, and I just escaped from his house. I'd say that I should go skydiving next."

"You know that's not what I'm talking about, right?" Flint replied, laughing. "I meant, where are you going to go?"

I was about to reply, but a man clad entirely in red and white flew down in front of us. I jumped back in surprise, but Flint just stood there, not even flinching.

"Flint, I have finally received your message," the man replied. "Who is your friend that needs rescuing?"

He considers me a friend? I thought, smiling underneath my bag.

"It's alright, Ferd," Flint smiled, placing a hand on my shoulder. "This is Lance. He just escaped Black Hat's clutches."

"Nice to meet you, Ferd," I said, rearranging 5.0.5 so I could let him shake my hand. "And before you ask, I'm hiding my face for a personal reason."

Ferd smiled and nodded in understanding, as he shook my hand.

"You must be very brave to escape from Black Hat's evil clutches," Ferd praised.

"Well, it wasn't easy," I chuckled, turning a little pink under my bag. "He is very intimidating."

"And what are you holding?" Ferd asked, pointing to 5.0.5.

I quickly explained to him all about the bear, and he took it all in wordlessly.

"Now I have a question for you, sir," I began. "Are you a hero?"

Ferd laughed, and posed. "Why, yes I am, Lance."

"Wow, a real hero!" I exclaimed, looking at him in delight. "My parents always told me about-"

At the mention of my parents, I stopped and looked down in shame. My parents. They would be so disappointed in me if they saw me now. A young man going to pilot school, coming out as a scientist who covers his face and escaped a villain.

"Lance, are you okay?"

My head snapped up to see Flint and Ferd staring at me.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I reassured them. "I just thought of what I'm going to do since I have no place to stay."

"You can stay with me, Flug," Ferd replied.

"Thank you so mu-wait," I said, realizing something. "What did you just call me?"

"He said Lance," Flint tried to reassure me.

I could see the sweat form on their faces, and I took a step back. No. It couldn't be. They know who I am?

"Y-you know who I am, don't you?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

The two of them looked at each other, before sighing.

"Yes, Flug Slys," Ferd replied. "We do."

Panic rose in me, and I turned to run. Something hit the back of my head, and I fell to the ground, 5.0.5 falling out of my arms, and waking up.

"Go! Run!" I commanded it.

The last thing I saw before I blacked out was 5.0.5 running away, and Flint and Ferd towering over me. I saw Ferd take out a radio, then blackness, his voice still ringing in my ears.

"Target acquired. We'll bring him to you straight away."