One Twisted Family

            Once upon a time, there lived a married couple named Gust and Wind. These two weren’t no ordinary couples. They were tornadoes, who had three kids together: Spin, Cycle, and Cyclone. One day, the kids were outside playing together in their yard until a severe storm suddenly rolls in. Wind, the children’s mother, peaks out the door and shouts, “Kids! Get inside! Now!” The kids make their way towards the door, only for Cycle to trip over his bike in the process and get swept away by the storm.

“Mommy! Daddy!” shouts Cycle while being blown away.

“Cycle! Nooooo!” shouts Wind while chasing after Cycle. Gust, Wind’s husband, stops Wind in her tracks and says, “Honey, it’s no use. You’ll never catch up to him. We must take shelter immediately.”

“Cycle!” weeps Wind while heading back to her house with Gust. After the storm clears, Wind sits out on the front porch, sobbing about Cycle while Gust comforts her.

“Poor Cycle.” said Spin.

“I hope he’s ok.” said Cyclone.

“Let us not give up hope. We Galesons must remain positive and pray for the safe return of our beloved Cycle.” said Gust. Cycle awakens to find himself stranded in the middle of a farm field, looking around frantically for his family.

“Mom! Dad! Spin! Cyclone!” shouts Cycle while frantically looking around. Cycle worriedly moves forward, observing his surroundings while asking, “Mom? Dad? Spin? Cyclone?” While searching for his family, Cycle unknowingly wanders into Arcanum, triggering an alert on Micah’s computer.

“Warning! Warning! Tornado touchdown!” said Micah’s computer.

“Tornado touchdown? Where?” asked Micah. Micah’s computer shows live surveillance of Cycle going through Arcanum with his back turned.

“There’s not a minute to lose!” says Micah while pulling out his Power Micah Mask. After turning himself into Power Micah, Micah flies uptown while Cycle continues searching for his family in Arcanum with everyone running away and screaming.

“Mom? Dad?” asked Cycle. Cycle sees a man with his back turned and taps his shoulder while asking, “Excuse me, mister. But have you…?” The man turns around and runs away while screaming to Cycle’s disappointment.

“I mean no harm. I’m just…” said Cycle. Cycle suddenly starts crying and inadvertently starts a stronger storm, damaging homes and buildings with Micah arriving and getting pulled towards Cycle.

“Can’t…break…free! Air…current…too…strong!” says Micah while attempting to fly away at top speed. Cycle turns towards Micah and asks, “Excuse me, but…” Micah turns around and exclaims, “Whoa! You’re a living thing?!”

“I’m looking for my family. Have you seen them?” asked Cycle weepingly.

“There’s more of you?” asked Micah in disbelief.

“Help me, please!” sobbed Cycle.

“Ok, ok. Calm down. Just tell me what’s going on.” responded Micah.

“I lost my family in a storm, and I might not ever see them again!” replied Cycle weepingly.

“Why, that’s terrible!” said Micah sympathetically. Cycle pulls out a family photo and points at everyone in it while saying, “This is my mom, dad, and brothers. Spin and Cyclone.”

“Of course I will help you. Just do me one thing…” said Micah.

“Sure. Anything.” responded Cycle.

“Try to control yourself. Arcanum can’t afford any more repairs.” replied Micah.

“It’s hard when you’re scared.” said Cycle weepingly.

“I know. Nobody said it’d be easy. But, I did say, just now, that I would help you find your family, and I will.” responded Micah. Cycle wipes away his tears and hugs Micah while joyfully replying, “Oh thank you! Thank you, mister! I should be back home in time for dinner!”

“Uhhh, I don’t know about that. But I’ll see what I can do.” says Micah while flying off with Cycle on his side. People run for their lives as soon as Cycle crosses their paths with Micah shouting, “Don’t be alarmed! He lost his family!”

“Are you crazy? Tornadoes don’t have feelings.” responded a man.

“This one does.” replied Micah.

“Whatever.” says the man annoyingly while walking off. Cycle begins to weep with Micah saying, “Pay no attention to him. He’s just being a jerk. Keep in mind, these people aren’t used to your kind.” Micah and Cycle make their way out of Arcanum while Cycle’s parents and brothers enter Arcanum behind their backs, inadvertently causing panic.

“Greetings, everyone! We come in peace! We’re just looking for our son, Cycle! Have any of you seen him?” asks Gust while Cyclone pulls out a photo of Cycle. Everyone continues to panic and seek shelter to Gust’s annoyance.

“Come on, guys. These people are no help.” says Gust annoyingly while guiding his family out of Arcanum in the opposite direction of Micah and Cycle. A while later, Micah and Cycle arrive at Cycle’s house with Cycle rushing inside and excitedly shouting, “Mom! Dad! I’m home!” Cycle searches his whole house while asking, “Mom? Dad? Spin? Cyclone? Where are you guys?” Cycle finds his house completely empty and begins to cry with Micah saying, “I’m sure there’s a logical explanation for this.”

“What’s the use? I’ll never find them!” responded Cycle weepingly.

“I’m not giving up, and neither should you. We’re just in the wrong place at the wrong time. That’s all. It’s a common occurrence. Let’s keep looking.” replies Micah while leading Cycle off. Cycle’s family leaves Arcanum with Wind saying, “Honey, can’t we take a break? We’ve been searching for hours.”

“My funnel cloud’s about to give out.” said Spin.

“Mine too. I feel like it’s going to fall off any minute now.” said Cyclone.

“Yeah, you’re probably right. Let’s find a nice, wide-open farm field to rest at, away from all those people. Then we’ll continue our search.” responds Gust while leading his family off. Micah and Cycle arrive at Micah’s house with Micah saying, “Wait here.” Micah flies into his house while Cycle waits outside in the farm field behind until a child approaches him.

“Hi there. Do you want to play with me?” asked the child. The child’s mother rushes up to him and says, “Daniel, stay away from that thing! It’s a tornado! Don’t you know what they can do to you?” The mother grabs her child’s hand and escorts him back into their house while Cycle sits down in the field and sighs in disappointment. Micah and his family exit their house and approach Cycle with Micah saying, “It’s ok. I told them everything.”

“Hi there! It’s so nice to meet you! I’m really sorry that you’re going through a rough time at the moment.” said Micah’s mother.

“Um, thanks?” responded Cycle in disbelief. Micah’s mother approaches Cycle and places her hand on Cycle’s while replying, “Don’t be afraid. Any friend of Micah’s is a friend of mine. Tell us a little about yourself.” Micah’s stepfather and brothers approach and circle around Cycle, who begins to share about his life while his family continue sitting in a farm field.

“You guys ready to continue our search?” asked Gust.

“Ready when you are, honey. Kids?” asked Wind.

“Ready.” answered Spin.

“Also ready.” answered Cyclone. Gust and his family get up and continue searching around for Cycle, who just finishes up sharing his life with Micah and his family.

“Thanks for sharing! This isn’t something that happens everyday!” said Micah’s stepfather.

“Yeah! It’s pretty cool to meet a tornado with personality!” said Micah’s older brother.

“You’re welcome, guys. I actually feel much better now.” responded Cycle.

“I’m glad to hear that!” says Micah’s younger brother while hugging Cycle. Micah and his family join in on the hug with Cycle hugging them back.

“Now, let’s go find your family! What do you say?” asked Micah.

“Let’s do it!” responded Cycle.

“We’ll all come with you. Just so you won’t feel alone.” said Micah’s mother.

“That would be great!” responded Cycle.

“All right, everyone! There’s not a moment to lose! Let’s head out!” says Micah while leading his family and Cycle uptown. After arriving uptown, Micah and his family begin their search for Cycle’s family with Cycle’s help until a man approaches them and angrily says, “Oh, you again! We don’t want any stupid tornado people stirring up trouble in our town! Now beat it, kid!” Before Cycle could begin crying, Micah stops him and says, “I’ll handle this.” Micah swoops down and angrily picks up the man, carrying him towards Cycle while saying, “Look, pal! Families come in all shapes and sizes! As long as people of his kind exist, we’re just going to have to learn to adapt! If that’s not something you’re willing to do, I will throw you into a whirlwind of punishment until you come to your senses! How long will it take? I don’t know! That is entirely up to you! It could take days, weeks, months…even the rest of your life! So if I were you, I would start getting along before I find myself spiraling down to my grave! Got it?!”

“Yes, yes! I got it! Just don’t hurt me, please!” pleaded the man.

“Good. Now, why don’t you be a good man and remember what we talked about?” responds Micah while putting the man down. The man looks at Cycle, smiling and waving nervously while saying, “Heh, heh. Hi…” The man suddenly sprints off with Micah leading his family and Cycle off while saying, “Come on, guys. Cycle’s family could be anywhere.”

“Cycle!” shouted a female distant voice. Cycle draws his attention to the source and finds his family a short distance away.

“Mommy! Daddy!” shouts Cycle excitedly while rushing towards his family. Cycle’s family rush towards Cycle and group hug him with Wind saying, “Oh, my precious child! You’re all right! We were worried sick about you!”

“I thought I would never see you guys again!” said Cycle.

“What have you been doing this whole time?” asked Gust.

“I’m glad you asked! I’ve made some new friends! Here, let me introduce you all to them!” answers Cycle while leading his family to Micah and his family. Cycle points out Micah to his family and says, “This is…uhhh. I’m sorry. I never got your name.” Micah lands on the ground and removes his Power Micah Mask, reverting to his normal state while subsequently responding, “Micah. It’s a pleasure to meet you all!”

“Wait a minute. There’s two of you?” asked Cycle.

“No. It’s called a ‘Powerup’. I use it whenever the odds are against me.” answers Micah while presenting his Power Micah Mask.

“Ooohhh! Gotcha!” responded Cycle. Cycle proceeds to introduce Micah’s family to his family with Micah’s help while Cycle’s family returns the favor afterwards.

“It’s been a real pleasure meeting you all! We apologize for any inconvenience we may have caused you or your kind. Come along, son. Your mother’s got dinner waiting in the oven.” said Gust. Cycle and his family begin to part ways as Micah and his family wave goodbye to them with Cycle looking back at Micah and saying, “Thanks again, Micah, for helping me find my family.”

“You are very welcome, Cycle. Teamwork makes the dream work!” responded Micah. Cycle waves to Micah and his family as he makes his way home with his family, who all pass by a window later on in Greenville with a man from earlier inside lying down on a psychiatrist’s couch, talking to a psychiatrist about his issues until he sees Cycle and his family.

“That is one twisted family.” said the man.

“Stop hallucinating and focus on getting better.” said the psychiatrist annoyingly. The man and psychiatrist get into an argument while Cycle and his family continue to travel home, never to be separated ever again.

 

The End