Cherry Parlour

The man who appeared picked up the young Coco without any struggle and took him to an abandoned warehouse just a few meters away from his house. He tied him down to a pillar with a rope.

"This is illegal. You are a trooper, you shouldn't be doing this," the boy complained. "What do you want from me?"

The boy complained about the act but was calm. He fixed his eyes on his kidnapper, watching his every move.

"I'm sorry boy, you'll come to understand why I am doing this…"

"Will I? Cause the more I stay here, the more questions I get in my head… did those boys send you? I swear I didn't take anything from them," he chipped.

He remembered his bullies threatening to send someone after him.

"Relax kid. As you said, I'm a trooper from Department H. And I am you."

The warehouse was filled with silence the moment he spoke the words. The boy remained silent, trying to consume what the stranger had just said. He kept making different facial gestures as he think.

"What?" He blurted.

The man sighed. "I knew you wouldn't believe me…"

"No no," he chipped. "I believe you. I just don't believe that you are me," he said, gesturing at the man's body.

The man furrowed. "I am you, 10 years from now," he revealed.

The boy looked at him from head to toe, taking in all the biceps and muscles and how grown-up the man was looking. If what the man said was true then he surely can't wait to reach that time.

"You mean it takes ten years to get all those?"

The agent's face palmed. He was disappointed that all the young Coco was worried about was how long it'll take for him to get the muscles.

"Anyways, why are you doing this if you are me? And what the hell are you wearing?… I've watched the documentary on the D.H. and I've seen all their squad, and none dresses that way. I mean, it looks like the uniforms, but it's different, what squad are you?" He queried.

"It errs, not any you know about now. "The agent pulled a wooden box and sat on it. Crossing his legs together. "But you see, 10 years from now, you're gonna be in great trouble. Everyone you know will actively try to kill you…"

"Why?" He asked. Eager to dig deeper and get all the information.

"I can't tell you."

The young Coco stuck out his tongue in disappointment and looked away from his older self. He glanced at the exit and then back at the man in front of him.

"But there is something I can share though," he started. Regaining the young man's attention instantly. "For the rest of today, if you step into Cherry parlour, and into the arcade, you'll regret that moment…"

"Wait," he chipped. "Cherry parlour? The Cherry ice cream parlour? That's the only place that keeps me going in Zoda," he stated.

"Especially the menu where you get to mix all the flavors... it's not really on the menu, I came up with it. You get a rush of different flavors in your mouth. It's crazy, and that's why I love it…"

"Kid," the agent yelled. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "You don't believe me, do you?"

The boy remained quiet. The agent sighed again before he stood up from the box he was seated on. He walked behind the boy and lose the rope. He then grabbed the boy's hand and pulled back the sleeve of his shirt, revealing a scar on the boy's wrist. He let go of the boy and also pulled his back. The same scar was on his hand. He raised his head to look at the boy, who was genuinely stroked.

"We got this when we were ten. Placed our hands over a fire to see if we were resistant to heat. Never healed, and never will," he returned the boy to the past. "I also spoke to my, your, our," he struggled to find the right word. "…a guy that also claimed to be me. He was lenient and only spoke to me about not going. But I was stubborn, and still went there anyways."

The boy's jaw was buried in the sand. He had to shake his head before he regained himself. "So they did invent time travel?"

"Err… something like that," he answered.

"What will happen if I do go to the Cherry parlour?… To you?"

The D.H. agent stared at the kid for a few seconds before answering.

"Bad things kid. So I'll make sure you don't, even if I have to break your legs."

"Whoa. What did you turn into."

The agent shrugged and fixed back his sleeve.

"I guess I'd just stay here," he said before turning back. He walked towards a box and kicked it. As he realized it was empty, he picked it up and threw it at the agent then quickly race for the exit.

The agent easily knocked the box away and chased after the kid. Just as the boy was just a few steps from leaving the building, a hand grabbed his collar and pulled him back. The boy screeched and took out a knife. He turned and waved the knife in the face of the agent.

He collected the knife and looked at it. Then turned back to the boy who was smiling.

"What are you smiling about, you brat?"

The boy inhaled and then used every strength he had to scream for help.

"Don't do that."

The agent grabbed the boy and placed his hands over his mouth. He looked up at the door, luckily for him, no one was coming in.

"Seriously kid. You rather endanger your life than bond with, yourself…"

"What's happening here?"

A voice interrupted before he could finish. He looked up to see two men standing by the door. They were both normal citizens, but they looked huger than the agent.

He realized the situation he was in. He is holding a kid captive. One hand is over the boy's mouth and the other holds a knife. And if he remembers correctly, 1826 was the year that children were disappearing in Zoda. He knows he will easily beat down the two men standing in front of him. But he doesn't want to cause a lot of trouble.

"It's not what it looks like," he tried to explain, but they weren't listening as they both approached him. One of them slowly walked to the side to trap him.

A lady ran into the building with an officer behind her.

"That's him right there," she said, pointing at the agent.

The officer placed his hands on his gun while pacing forward.

"Let the kid go, Mister," he ordered.

The agent looked at the officer and the two men approaching him. He sighed and put down the young Coco. He then dropped the knife and raised his hand.

While the boy walked out of the warehouse, he looked back at the agent with a smirk who mouthed "Don't" at him.

As the men went out, the officer turned to the agent. "Are you from the D.H.?"

…

After leaving the warehouse, the young Coco made his way to his home, murmuring different words to himself. At first, he didn't believe the man, but after he saw the scar, he's been having this weird feeling in his right chest.

He felt a hand hold his. He immediately reacted and pulled himself away. Involuntarily standing in a defensive position. He eased up when he saw that it wasn't who he thought it was.

"Jesselyn?" He stuttered.

Jesselyn Tweedy. His classmates from the academy.

"Hey friend," she waved.

He furrowed. The young Coco dislikes calling people his friend. He hates the word and considered it a waste of time. "Why can't we just be… us?" He used to argue. He's hung out with Jesselyn a couple of times, and no matter how much she tried, he refused to change his childish view.

"What are you doing here?"

"You promised to take me to the Cherry parlour, remember?" She reminded, blinking her eyes that had the color of the sun.

He stared at her for a long before answering. "Sure, let's go."

He was scared. But also wanted to do it. So they both made their way to the shop that wasn't far away from his house.

They both stepped into the shop. As usual, there weren't many people there. The duo walked up to the machine and poured the ice cream. After taking hers, Jesselyn turned to see the young Coco pouring all the flavors together.

"What are you doing?" She laughed, "is that even allowed?"

He faced her and took a huge bite. He then covered his mouth and squinted. She laughed harder as she watched him. He wasn't only covering his mouth because of the flavors but also from the ice cream headache. He joined her to laugh after getting over it.

She then attempted to take out of his, but he pulled it away. She puts on her pity face but it doesn't affect him as he continues to take his ice cream without looking at her.

"Come," she said, pulling him further into the shop.

Giggling, they ran into a different room in the shop.

"What is this place?" He questioned.

"It's an arcade…"

"They don't tell people about this place," she revealed. "The games are free. They won't stop you from entering as long as you buy some ice cream when you get in."

The young Coco looked around. The only people in the room, were four kids, about the same age as the two of them sitting at the edge of the room staring at them. And a man, standing with arms crossed just a few steps to their right.

"It was closed five years ago."

"How did you know about it?"

"My father. "

She pulled him to one of the machines there. But he wasn't paying attention to her. His heart was racing, and fast. He remembered the words he was told.

A hand tapped his shoulder. The moment he turned back to see who it was. He found himself sitting on a chair with a tube in his hand and neck. His hot breath slaps his upper lips as he looked around to see where he was.

The place was big and filled with a lot of screens. He looked to his right and saw a man tapping on one of the screens there. He had the uniform of the Electro squad from D.H.

Jesselyn was sitting across from him. Also has some tubes in her. She was also staring at him but didn't say anything.

"Jess…" he muttered.

"Oh great, you're awake." A voice called out.

He looked in the direction he was hearing the voice from. A lady also wearing the Electro squad uniform walked up to him with a tablet in her hand.

"Where am I?" He managed to ask.

"You're in a D.H. spaceship on the way to the HQ," she said, removing the tubes in his body.

"Why?" He asked again.

"Your dad agreed to let you join the D.H. And based on my test, you have the Z cells in you," she revealed.

"This one here is suited for battles only," the man he saw earlier said, removing the tube that was in Jesselyn.

"Who are you?" The young Coco asked.

"I'm Electro 01… just call me Miss Havishma."

The boy remained quiet for some seconds before speaking again.

"So my dad sold me away?"

"I wouldn't call it that, but yeah."

"You don't have to worry. You, my boy, will be the salvation of Winter Weir."

…