(The people of Larkspur desperately fight back against the crimson flames; Flare awaits her powers to return so that she can take action; and both Commander Cromwell and Locke grimly wait for news at their respective office desks, all while Focus gets ready to end this matter. He twists his body and swings his arms with a loud grunt, then he slams the two gauntlets against each other, and to Gauntlet’s shock, they break into pieces.)

  Gauntlet: (shocked) You… actually did it.

  (Focus… has done it. The moment he destroys the gauntlets, another giant burst of fire is unleashed, one that finally awakens Flare’s powers, who opens her eyes at last, her pupils lighting up in flames. A giant, intense, fiery aura envelops her, sending bursts of fire all across the area; even Focus and Gauntlet manage to sense it, and they turn to the source of this burst in surprise.)

  Focus: You’re up, Flare.

  (As the people of Larkspur give it their all to put down the crimson flames devouring their town, they notice this powerful burst of fire as well and turn to find Flare standing on one knee in the center of the town, her pupils lit up in flames as she envelopes herself in her intense, fiery aura. They stand still in awe and witness Flare standing up on her two feet, a fierce yet firm expression on her face. She raises her right palm and lights it up in flames, the crimson flames around her intensifying. Despite her best efforts, she still can’t absorb the surrounding flames, instead subtly amplifying them.)

  Flare: (thinking to herself, gritting her teeth) No, not like that! I need to absorb the flames and put down this fire! I’m only amplifying it!

  (Flare forcefully shuts her eyes in an attempt to concentrate, while the townspeople look around in shock and horror as the flames get even stronger. As she keeps struggling, even getting forced to her knees, she recalls the dinner she had with Mr. Gallagher, all of the preparations she took part in for the Lantern Jubilee, and the festival itself, how she felt awed by her surroundings back then. She reopens her eyes with a fierce expression and slowly gets back up on her feet, raising her other palm and lighting it up with flames.)

  Flare: (thinking to herself, fiercely) You gotta do this, Flare! For once in your pathetic existence… DON’T MESS IT UP!!!

  (With a loud grunt, Flare amplifies her aura even further, and the crimson flames devouring the town start to distort and contract uncontrollably, to the other townspeople’s shock. Back at the forest, Focus and Gauntlet notice that same change as well, the wildfire around them starting to destabilize and struggle to maintain its form. Mr. Gallagher too sees Flare pushing herself while grunting with everything she’s got.)

  Mr. Gallagher: (muttering) Flare…

  (With both of her palms lit up with fire, she starts to collect the embers around her, which form a small fiery orb above her palms. As she pushes even further, she gradually snuffs out a greater range of flames, enlarging the fiery orb even further. Before the townspeople know it, the crimson fire they keep struggling to fight back against weakens and eventually curls into orbs, heading for Flare’s massive crimson fire orb. The orb keeps getting larger and larger, its light shining on the entire surrounding area, and soon enough, the townspeople, as well as Focus and Gauntlet, watch in awe as the entire crimson wildfire gets snuffed out and becomes part of Flare’s massive orb. With another loud grunt, Flare closes her palms, and the orb dissipates, unleashing a massive burst of energy and a blinding flash of light that envelops the entire area.)

  (After a while, this flash of white dissipates as well, and the area starts to settle. Focus and Gauntlet glance around, finding the trees around the forest burned but still standing. Back at Larkspur, the townsfolk take a look around, finding their homes and surroundings still noticeably damaged but subtly relieved to see that the fire has been put down.)

  Townswoman 1A: (relieved) It’s over! (placing her hands on her mouth) Thank goodness!

  Townsman 1A: That girl… did she do it?

  (Mr. Gallagher and the other townspeople glance at Flare, who stands in the center of the town with the people surrounding her, bowing her head while panting in exhaustion as her aura slowly fades away. As she takes a more firm posture, she glances around and notices that everyone in the town has seen what she just did, to her horror.)

  Flare: (thinking to herself, horrified) They know about me!

  (She remains frozen in horror, her body involuntarily trembling and awaiting whatever comes next, but to her surprise, the townspeople actually give her a round of applause, cheering on her in elation. Flare is stunned by this reception, glancing around with her lips slightly parted in awe and her pupils dilating. Seeing the people welcome her with such fervor and kindness warms her heart, and she glances at her palms, unable to figure out how to react to this, but then Mr. Gallagher runs towards her to check on her.)

  Mr. Gallagher: (standing on one knee in front of her, placing his hands on her shoulders) Flare! Ye okay?!

  Flare: (glancing at him, muttering) I… guess. And what about you all?

  Mr. Gallagher: (sighing deeply, softly smiling) Ye did well, lass. We’re all grand.

  (Flare’s body starts involuntarily trembling once again, not in fear, but in awe, and she glances at Mr. Gallagher then looks at the townspeople around her with a soft, sheepish smile. As she glances around at her surroundings, noticing that things didn’t go as bad as they could have, she feels relief, chuckling sheepishly and scratching her head as she meets up with the townsfolk.)

  Flare: (chuckling sheepishly) Thanks… I guess? I… I dunno.

  Girl 1A: (excitedly) You were awesome, Miss Flare!

  Flare: (bowing her head, sheepishly smiling) It’s nothing, really.

  (Mr. Gallagher gets back up on his feet and watches Flare awkwardly interacting with the townspeople, even the little kids, a genuine smile on her face, and he too softly grins. However, that sweet moment is put to a halt when none other than the previously beaten Ironclad Response Unit soldiers crash into the scene, holding all of the townspeople at gunpoint, to Flare’s shock. Mr. Gallagher too suddenly gets restrained by a soldier and placed at gunpoint.)

  Flare: Shay!

  (Flare suddenly finds herself surrounded by numerous IRU soldiers, who extend their weapons at her. She grits her teeth and clenches her fists, glancing around in a tense moment of indecision. Back at the jungle, a defeated Gauntlet leans his back on a burned tree, and Focus approaches him with a firm expression.)

  Focus: (firmly) You’ve been defeated, Gauntlet. I’m sure even you would acknowledge that.

  Gauntlet: (shrugging) Oh, yeah? If you think I’ll leave without getting the job done, then you’re way off the mark. It’ll be an unpleasant blemish on my record.

  Focus: And you can’t head back without us. (narrowing his eyes) I know what’s going on with the IRU.

  Gauntlet: (nonchalantly) Of course you do. I’ve been told you’re more aware of your surroundings than the rest, and all because you’re Aegis’s ‘golden boy’.

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Focus: With the way things have gone, Aegis has been held accountable. However, the Secretary of Defense just can’t forsake their services… at least without someone to fill their role. So by capturing both me and the Surge Beacon, a task that Aegis failed at, you’ll prove yourselves as the superior replacement and the organization that can sort out the mess left behind by their predecessors without fail, thus enabling the government to pin the blame on Aegis, a story that would keep the public quiet at the very least. Now tell me, Gauntlet… how correct am I?

  Gauntlet: Unnervingly accurate, but you skipped over a few details. You guys messed up when you failed to capture the Beacon. Surges became apparent to the world, and now everyone’s asking questions. Can’t really blame us for jumping at the opportunity. (slyly) However, we wouldn’t have had to worry about all this if you got the job done back then. Do you even comprehend the repercussions behind that?

  Focus: (sternly) Do you and Commander Locke comprehend the magnitude of the situation in our hands? I guess not.

  (Gauntlet is taken aback by this and grits his teeth, while Focus remains firm with his stern expression. Back at Larkspur, Flare still finds herself surrounded by the IRU soldiers, who hold the entire town at gunpoint, and then one of the soldiers steps up to confront her, the same soldier who’s holding Mr. Gallagher at gunpoint, who grits his teeth at him.)

  IRU Soldier 1A: (sternly) That’s enough resistance, Beacon. Unless you want those people to pay for your stubbornness, you better come along peacefully.

  Flare: (gritting her teeth) So that’s how you wanna do it, huh? You want some more?!

  IRU Soldier 1A: (firing a warning shot in the sky) Do none of these lives matter to you? I said… stand down!

  Mr. Gallagher: (weakly grimacing) Flare… don’t.

  (Flare remains stuck in this moment of indecision, glancing around at all the townspeople held at gunpoint with a fierce grimace, clenching her fists and lighting them up with flames in anticipation. Back at the jungle, the confrontation between Focus and Gauntlet remains as tense as ever, the two glaring at each other dead in the eye.)

  Focus: All that bothers IRU is its personal grudge towards Aegis. What we’re talking about is an abnormally powerful Surge Beacon and an enemy who seeks to capture her. Whoever he is, he sure knows a lot, and that’s putting it mildly. Who knows what this guy could be capable of? This is something far greater than any of us, and we’re all involved in this. (sternly) Whether you like it or not, you need all the help you can get.

  (Gauntlet grits his teeth at Focus, who remains firm as ever as he awaits the former’s response, who eventually sighs deeply. Meanwhile, back at the town, Flare is still on guard, gritting her teeth as she fiercely glares at the soldier holding Mr. Gallagher at gunpoint, her fists lit up in flames. However, this tension is cut off when the Ironclad Response Unit soldiers in the area receive a signal through their communicators.)

  Gauntlet: (via communicator) Drop what you’re doing and stand down.

  Soldier 1A: (via communicator, shocked) S-S-Sir?

  Gauntlet: You heard me. So do it. And lemme have a word with the folks around while you’re at it.

  (The IRU soldiers exchange glances at one another in surprise upon receiving this transmission, and Flare too looks around in bafflement in reaction to this sudden intervention. The soldiers reluctantly stand down and take a step back while lowering their weapons, and the soldier holding Shay at gunpoint backs off and lets him go, then he extends the communicator for all the townspeople to hear.)

  Gauntlet: (via communicator, to the townspeople) So… can you hear me, folks?

  Soldier 1A: I think so.

  Gauntlet: (rolling his eyes) Wasn’t talking to you, Idiot A.

  Soldier 1A: S-S-Sorry, sir!

  Gauntlet: (sighing deeply) Yeah, right. (addressing the townsfolk once again, nonchalantly) Now listen up, people. I may have walked in at an inappropriate hour, so… sorry for the mess. In hindsight, I probably took things a tad too far and ruined everything for you guys. Unfortunately, I’m not sure we can properly compensate for what we did… not right now. But we will try to make up for it sometime.

  Flare: (blankly) What’s he doing?

  Gauntlet: We’re leaving now. (addressing Flare) We’re letting you off the hook for now, Beacon, so stay out of trouble.

  Flare: (annoying) Hey, I’ve got a name, Glove-o Gigantio!

  Gauntlet: (unamused) So do I. Just make sure you don’t make us regret it. We’re leaving. (addressing the soldiers) You know where to meet me, boys. Just like we agreed on.

  (The Ironclad Response Unit soldiers reluctantly nod and take their leave, departing from Larkspur and leaving it wounded yet still standing; they leave Flare and the rest of the townspeople baffled and surprised yet subtly relieved that this has come to pass. Back at the jungle, Gauntlet ends the transmission as he gets back up on his feet, while Focus remains firm in his stance.)

  Gauntlet: There you go. Now what? You think Commander Locke’s gonna show you more of the same?

  Focus: (firmly) You can always say that you ‘tried your best’, which you certainly did, but unfortunately, we ‘escaped’. If Locke doesn’t realize that he needs whatever help Aegis could offer after taking a look at your report, the Secretary of Defense certainly will. I’m counting on Commander Cromwell to put up a good argument in her favor for that to happen.

  Gauntlet: So that’s your plan. What about you and the Beacon?

  Focus: We’ll go on ahead with our investigation. There’s a good chance we’ll cross paths with the culprit soon enough. In any case…

  (Focus places a hand in his pocket and pulls something out of it, handing it over to Gauntlet. It’s a flash drive, the same flash drive that Sylvia handed over to Focus a couple days ago, which contained the possible location of the culprit he and Flare are after. As it turns out, he managed to grab it along as he jumped out of the car before it fell into the pit just yesterday [back in episode three]. Gauntlet reluctantly grabs the flash drive, inspecting it with a baffled expression.)

  Gauntlet: (baffled) What’s that?

  Focus: This flash drive contains one of our culprit’s possible bases. That’s where Flare and I were set to investigate. You may find this useful.

  Gauntlet: And you’re sure that it’s legit? Is that really the best lead you’ve got?

  Focus: That’s the only lead we’ve got. Sylvia handed this to me, and I just have to take her word for it. Besides, if our enemy wants Flare, he’ll certainly set up such an encounter. Don’t reveal this flash drive until the IRU and Aegis agree to cooperate.

  (Gauntlet glances at the flash drive and inspects it again with a reluctant look on his face, but he sighs deeply and firmly places it in his pocket with a nod, a gesture that Focus returns. The former then promptly turns to leave, ready to make his way deeper into the jungle, but before he departs, he stops for a moment.)

  Gauntlet: So… what’s it with the Surge Beacon? You seemed pretty persistent when it came to protecting her.

  Focus: (taken aback by that comment) What’s that supposed to mean?

  Gauntlet: You’re teaming up to find the culprit behind all the recent mess, I get it, but with the way you were acting around her, it’s as if you were never tasked to capture her in the first place. I wonder what’s going on.

  Focus: (shocked, a small blush forming on his face) It’s just… the whole thing is — !

  Gauntlet: (turning to him, his eyes narrowing) You do know that she’s ultimately too dangerous for us to spare. Eventually, she’ll have to be detained, and something tells me that this wouldn’t sit well with you. What will you do then, huh?

  (Focus attempts to hide his small blush by bowing his head, his expression still in shock, and Gauntlet reacts with a dismissive grunt, which is followed with a faint smirk as he heads off. Focus too turns around and slowly heads the other way, his blush growing as he grits his teeth and his pupils narrow. With Gauntlet out of sight, he picks up the pace little by little, his expression growing in desperation, and then he panickedly runs off, breathing in and out from his mouth as his expression grows even more anxious.)

  Focus: (thinking to himself, agitated) What’s wrong with me?! Did I really forget what I was supposed to do all this time?! The mission… my mission… was to capture Flare, the most dangerous Surge Beacon ever detected, but — !

  (As he keeps on running in pure panic and anxiety, memories of Red Flare’s sudden appearance and the chaos she left behind surface into his mind, reminiscing about not only her violent rampage and sheer destructive potential, but also her wide, wicked grin as she did so, the bearings of a true monster, one that he promised to spare. Yet those memories overlap with Flare’s soft, sincere smile, forming an inconclusive picture in his mind. He finally slows down to a complete stop, glancing at his shaking palms with a horrified expression then clutching his head.)

  Focus: (panting heavily, thinking to himself) What is this?! My heart was beating faster upon the mere mention of her name! It’s beating even faster now, and it’s not solely because of the running! I… shouldn’t feel this way! (whimpering, his voice cracking) I… shouldn’t… feel…

  (He starts panting in a slower and calmer manner until he exhales deeply, clenching his fists with a frown as he slowly walks off, solemnly heading back to the jungle, attempting to lock away his turbulent thoughts and keep them from influencing his demeanor from the outside. Yet on the inside, he struggles to shut those thoughts down, all circling to the same core dilemma that haunts him: Flare.)