The evening sun painted Novaria's streets in shades of amber and gold, casting long shadows between the towering buildings. Angelo walked with his shoulders hunched and hands buried deep in his pockets, each step heavy with the weight of his recent suspension. Around him, the city pulsed with its usual energy - cars honking through rush hour traffic, neon signs flickering to life as dusk approached, people hurrying home from work. But Angelo barely registered any of it, lost in the storm of his own thoughts.

  Red's voice cut through their shared consciousness like an irritated wasp: "A whole month of suspension? What are we supposed to do, twiddle our thumbs?"

  Blue's response floated back with the calm precision of a chess master considering his next move: "Perhaps we could solve the mystery of our parents' demise. I'm sure that won't take more than an afternoon."

  "Can it, you overgrown blueberry," Red snapped back, his mental voice crackling with frustration. "No one asked for your two cents."

  "Oh? Were you soliciting Angelo's opinion then?" Blue's tone remained cool as mountain stream.

  "It was a rhetorical question, you insufferable know-it-all!" Red's fury blazed through their shared mind like a bonfire.

  The internal bickering finally pushed Angelo past his breaking point. "For the love of- both of you, quiet!" The words burst from him before he could stop them, sharp and loud in the evening air. A young couple walking ahead turned to stare, their eyes wide with surprise at his apparent outburst at them.

  Heat rushed to Angelo's face as he realized how he must look. "Sorry about that, I wasn't... nevermind." Without waiting for their reaction, he channeled energy into his legs and leaped upward, orange light trailing behind him as he landed softly on a nearby rooftop. The cool breeze up here helped calm his embarrassment, though his cheeks still burned.

  "See what you've done?" he thought at his two other selves, annoyance coloring his mental voice. "You've made me look like a lunatic."

  From his elevated vantage point, the city stretched out before him like a painting coming to life. The setting sun caught on thousands of windows, turning skyscrapers into towers of flame. But the beauty was lost on Angelo as his mind churned with their predicament.

  "We don't have any leads," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "We don't know where to start..."

  Blue's voice drifted through their shared consciousness like a professor offering guidance: "Perhaps a visit to the Professor's research facility is in order. It's been some time since our last energy donation. His wisdom, while not directly applicable to our situation, might provide a fresh perspective."

  "Oh joy, another thrilling adventure in Boringville. I can hardly contain my excitement," Red's sarcasm dripped like acid through their mental link.

  "I mean, there are some complex machinery there to look at, that's always fun." Angelo tried to sound encouraging, though he knew it was probably futile.

  "Sure, if you're a hopeless nerd," Red scoffed, exactly as expected.

  Angelo's patience stretched thin as old rubber. "Fine. Stay here and count pigeons for all I care. We're going."

  "You know full well I'll be dragged along for the ride!" Red's protest carried all the indignation of a cat being forced into a bath.

  Blue's calm voice cut through their squabbling like a knife through butter: "I'm afraid the decision's been made, Red. We're off to see the Professor."

  Orange energy rippled around Angelo's form as he summoned his power. Tendrils of light, looking almost like living smoke, extended from his body to grasp nearby surfaces. Using these ethereal ropes, he began leaping from building to building, the city blurring beneath him like watercolors in the rain.

  The research complex rose before him like a mountain of glass and steel, its windows catching the last rays of sunlight. Even after countless visits, the sight of such advanced technology made Angelo's breath catch. Sleek curves and gleaming surfaces spoke of discoveries yet to come.

  An assistant recognized him immediately, her professional smile warming with familiarity as she gestured him through. The corridors felt almost sacred, walls lined with the physical proof of scientific achievement - diplomas in heavy frames, newspaper clippings celebrating breakthroughs, awards whose gold surfaces had dulled with age. Each bore the name "Albert Goldstein" like a signature on history itself.

  The journey ended at a set of imposing doors that whispered open at their approach. Inside, Angelo found Albert hunched over an array of equipment that looked more like abstract sculpture than scientific instruments. The old scientist's gray-white hair, still holding traces of its original brown, fell past his shoulders as he worked. When he turned, light caught his square glasses in a flash that momentarily hid his eyes.

  "Angelo, my boy!" Albert's face lit up with genuine surprise, making the wrinkles around his eyes deepen like laugh lines. "What an unexpected pleasure. It's rare to see you here of your own volition."

  Angelo shifted his weight from foot to foot, suddenly feeling like a schoolboy called to the principal's office. "Well, we thought it might be time for another energy donation. For your research, of course," he offered, trying to sound casual but hearing the awkwardness in his own voice.

  Albert's eyes sparked with interest behind his lenses as he studied Angelo's face. "Indeed? And I suppose there's no other motive behind this sudden burst of scientific pursuit?"

  Before Angelo could fumble for a response, Blue materialized beside him in a swirl of azure energy. His form solidified as he bowed slightly, the perfect picture of respect. "Professor, it's a pleasure to see you again."

  Red's mocking voice echoed through their shared mind like a bratty kid in an empty hall: "Oh, Professor, it's such an honor, please bestow upon us your vast knowledge!" The taunt made Blue's perfectly composed face twitch almost imperceptibly.

  Albert's weathered features brightened further at Blue's appearance. "Ah, Blue! Always a delight. But where's your more... colorful counterpart?"

  Angelo rubbed the back of his neck, discomfort clear in the gesture. "Red's... indisposed. Still nursing his wounded pride from a recent defeat, I suspect."

  As if summoned by the challenge in those words, crimson energy erupted beside them. It coalesced into Red's form, his eyes blazing like hot coals as he materialized. "I am not!" he snarled, the words bouncing off the sterile lab walls.

  Albert's smile grew warmer, his eyes twinkling behind his glasses like he was sharing a private joke. "Ah, there you are, Red. I was beginning to think you'd lost your fighting spirit."

  Red spun away with theatrical disgust, though the effect was somewhat ruined by how he kept glancing back to make sure they were watching. "Yeah, yeah, good to see you too, old man. Don't get all mushy on me now."

  Albert watched Red's dramatic display with the patient amusement of someone used to dealing with difficult students. His keen eyes studied Red's unusually agitated movements, noting how the crimson energy around him flickered like an unstable flame. After a moment's consideration, excitement crept into his voice.

  "It seems our fiery friend is in quite the mood today. Perhaps... yes, I think it's finally time I shared something with you all."

  Angelo and Blue exchanged puzzled glances, curiosity sparking between them like static electricity. "Shared what, exactly?" Angelo asked, unconsciously leaning forward.

  Blue stepped closer, his usual analytical tone colored by genuine interest. "You've piqued our interest, Professor. What revelations have you been keeping from us?"

  Albert's eyes lit up with the enthusiasm of someone about to share a favorite story. "Oh, nothing too earth-shattering," he said, though his barely contained excitement suggested otherwise. "Just the results of my research into your unique energies, and a little theory I've cooked up. It might shed some light on Red's recent... shall we say, difficulties."

  Red's reaction was immediate and explosive. His crimson aura flared around him like a angry bonfire, his aura seemed to vibrate with indignation. "Oh, joy. Another lecture. Just what I needed to brighten my day. Thanks, but I'll pass."

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  Without warning, Red's physical form dissolved into swirling crimson smoke, like a red fog caught in an invisible wind. The cloud spiraled around Angelo once before vanishing into his body, leaving only a faint red glow that quickly faded.

  Blue stepped forward smoothly, as if trying to cover an awkward moment at a dinner party. "Please, don't mind Red, Professor. His manners seem to have retreated along with his form. We would be most interested in hearing your findings."

  Albert nodded, settling into his chair like a storyteller preparing for a tale. His expression grew serious as he began to explain. "Well, my boys, it all began when Sleeser introduced us. Do you recall that day?" His eyes grew distant with memory.

  "You might be surprised to learn that it was Sleeser who reached out to me initially. It was shortly after Red and Blue first emerged from Angelo. That old dog, he suspected there was more to your condition than met the eye. Being an energy Auron himself, he could sense something... extraordinary about your situation."

  Angelo's eyes widened like dinner plates, his usual composure cracking. "Wait, what? Sleeser initiated this? But I always thought... I mean, I remember him being there when we first met, when you said you wanted to study our condition, but..."

  Albert's lips curved in a knowing smile. "Yes, I'm not surprised he never mentioned it. Sleeser always did prefer to work behind the scenes. I suppose he didn't think it was important enough to bring up."

  The old scientist straightened in his chair, his voice taking on the familiar rhythm of a favorite lecture. Excitement bubbled just beneath his words like carbonation in a shaken soda. "After that fateful meeting, you three began donating your energies for my research. And let me tell you, it was no simple task. Measuring and studying the different properties of the energy produced by each of you, comparing them to Sleeser's energy as a control... it was like trying to solve a puzzle where the pieces kept changing shape!"

  Angelo leaned forward in his chair, his eyes fixed on Albert with the intensity of someone trying to piece together a mystery. "And what did you discover, Albert? What secrets did our energies reveal?"

  Albert's eyes sparkled behind his glasses like a child about to share a treasured secret. "Oh, my dear boy, you have no idea how extraordinary you truly are. To understand this, we must first grasp the nature of pure energy."

  From within Angelo's consciousness, Red's voice groaned like a student hearing there would be homework: "Here we go again. Wake me when it's over."

  Blue, ever eager to demonstrate his knowledge, jumped in. "Pure energy is what we energy Aurons produce, correct? Unlike elemental energies, ours lacks specific properties."

  Albert nodded, but his raised finger suggested a correction coming. "An astute observation, Blue, but not quite accurate. Let me clarify," he said, leaning forward in his chair. The movement made his lab coat rustle like paper in a breeze.

  "Pure energy, in its truest form, doesn't exist as a physical manifestation at all. It's a concept, a potential, constantly shifting and transforming. What energy Aurons produce is something quite extraordinary - they give physical form to something that, by its very nature, shouldn't have one."

  He paused, letting his words sink in like rain into dry earth before continuing. "In essence, they create a physical analogue of pure energy. It's not pure energy itself, but rather the closest thing to it that can exist in our physical world. This is what makes energy Aurons so unique and, frankly, fascinating from a scientific perspective."

  Angelo's forehead wrinkled in concentration, like someone trying to read fine print. "Okay, so how does this relate to our... unique situation?"

  Albert's voice dropped to an almost reverent tone, like a priest about to reveal sacred knowledge. "After extensive study, I've developed a new theory: 'The Components of Pure Energy.' It posits that pure energy itself consists of three distinct components."

  Blue's eyes lit up like stars, his analytical mind clearly racing ahead. "Interesting. And you believe this explains our condition?"

  Albert's hands moved excitedly as he explained, painting invisible pictures in the air. "Precisely. Imagine an object, any object really, say a boulder. Now, if we could split the energy composing that boulder into its three components-"

  "-we'd create three identical replicas of the original boulder, each composed of a different energy type, yet all fundamentally the same matter. Fascinating!" Blue finished, his usual calm briefly cracking with enthusiasm.

  Albert beamed like a proud teacher whose student just solved a difficult problem. "Exactly, Blue! You've got it!"

  Angelo, however, looked like someone trying to read a map in another language. His brow furrowed deeper as he admitted, "I... I'm not sure I follow. How does a rock splitting relate to us?"

  Albert's expression softened with understanding. He adjusted his glasses and tried a different approach. "Ah, I see. Perhaps another analogy might help. Angelo, think of pure energy like white light. When white light passes through a prism, it splits into a spectrum of colors."

  Albert's hands moved through the air like he was conducting an invisible orchestra, mimicking the way light splits apart. "In the case of our boulder, instead of a range of colors, we get three distinct... let's call them 'shades' of energy. Just as each color in the spectrum is still light but with its own unique properties, each component of your energy is still fundamentally energy, but with distinct characteristics."

  Understanding dawned on Angelo's face like the sun breaking through clouds. "Oh! So, Red, Blue, and I are like... different colors of the same light?"

  Albert nodded enthusiastically, his long hair swaying with the motion. "In a manner of speaking, yes. You're all composed of the same fundamental energy, but each of you represents a distinct component of that energy. These components have different properties and behaviors, but they're all integral parts of what was originally one unified energy."

  Blue materialized fully now, moving closer to the professor's desk with measured steps. "So, to combine the metaphors, we're like three boulders made of different types of energy, yet all originating from the same source?"

  "An excellent synthesis, Blue," Albert praised, his weathered hands spreading across his desk. "That's precisely it. These energy types aren't just expressed differently - they're fundamentally distinct, yet intrinsically linked parts of a whole."

  Angelo sank back in his chair, the leather creaking beneath him as the implications hit home. "That's... a lot to take in. But why? How did this happen to us, Albert?"

  The old scientist's face fell like a shadow passing over the sun. "That... I do not know. As far as I'm aware, these components don't exist naturally."

  Blue stepped forward, amused curiosity etched in his expression. "And these energies, the three components, are they different in any way? This could explain why Red is so... well, Red."

  From within Angelo's consciousness, Red's voice snarled like an angry cat: "Fuck off."

  Albert pushed himself up from his desk, moving to stand before a complex array of equipment that hummed softly in the background. His voice carried the quiet excitement of someone sharing a long-studied secret. "My extensive testing and calculations have led me to a fascinating conclusion. The composition of pure energy is far from uniform. When split, these energies exhibit a remarkable property - they actually repel each other."

  He turned back to face them, his glasses catching the lab's fluorescent lights. "These findings are key to understanding your unique condition. Based on these properties, I've classified the energies into three distinct types:"

  Albert raised a finger, counting off each point like items on a checklist. "First, we have Neutral energy. This comprises 50% of pure energy and forms the core of your being, Angelo. It's why you are, for lack of a better term, the 'main body'."

  A second finger joined the first. "Next, there's Negative energy, making up 25% of the total. This, Red, is the essence of your existence."

  The third finger completed the count. "And lastly, Positive energy, also 25% of the whole. Blue, this is what constitutes your form."

  Angelo leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees as he processed this information. A hint of amusement crept into his voice as a thought struck him. "Wait," he said, lips twitching. "Is Red's energy negative because he's... well, Red?"

  The question hung in the air for a heartbeat before Red's indignant voice exploded through their shared consciousness: "Ha, ha, really funny, Angelo. Fuck you too."

  Albert chuckled, the sound warm and rich in the sterile lab. "No, no. The names imply the level of repulsion. Neutral repels Negative and Positive energies equally. However, in my testing, Red's negative energy and Blue's positive energy showed a much higher level of repulsion."

  Blue stepped closer to the professor's desk. "Professor, if I may... Does this theory explain our physical limitations compared to other Aurons?"

  The question fell like a stone into still water. Angelo's shoulders tensed visibly, and even Red's presence within their shared mind seemed to recoil. Old memories flickered through their collective consciousness - playground taunts, failed training sessions, the constant struggle to keep up with their peers.

  Albert's voice gentled, like someone breaking difficult news. "Indeed it does, Blue. My tests show that Angelo's energy output is roughly 50% of what it should be, compared to a normal energy Auron like Sleeser. This deficiency extends to physical strength as well. Which means that Red is-"

  Crimson energy erupted in the center of the lab as Red materialized, his face twisting with barely contained fury. "That's bull! There's no way I'm weaker than Angelo!" His aura flickered wildly around him like an angry flame.

  Forcing a laugh that sounded like broken glass, Red continued, "And what... 25%? HA! Don't make me laugh. I'm not a weakling! There's no way I'd ever believe this bullshit!"

  Angelo stepped forward, one hand raised placatingly. "Red! That's enough-"

  But Red was beyond reason, his aura pulsing with each angry word. "NO! Shut your stupid face! Why should we believe anything he says?"

  Blue moved between them, his voice cutting through the tension like a cool breeze. "Red. Enough. He just confirms what we've long suspected-"

  Red whirled on Blue, his energy crackling dangerously. "Shut it, blueberry! Don't you get it?! If I'm this weak, the same goes for you!"

  The silence that followed felt heavy enough to touch. Then, Blue turned to Albert, his voice carrying carefully controlled calm. "Professor, might I request use of the training field? I believe a practical demonstration is in order."

  Albert blinked, clearly caught off guard by this sudden shift. "Of course, but... to what end?"

  Blue's response came out like a riddle. "All will become clear soon enough. Angelo, shall we? I would like a sparring match."

  Red's aura flickered with a mix of anger and curiosity as he watched this exchange. "Oh, this I gotta see. The walking, talking encyclopedia thinks he can prove something with his fists? This'll be rich."

  Albert rose from his chair, adjusting his glasses as scientific interest visibly overtook his concern. "Well, this is an unexpected turn of events. Do be careful, boys. And if you don't mind, I'll observe. This could provide some fascinating data."

  Angelo nodded, his mind already racing with implications as they headed for the exit. The tension in the air felt thick enough to cut with a knife as they made their way through the gleaming corridors. Whatever Blue had planned, it was clear this would be more than just a simple sparring match. It would be a test - of strength, of will, and of the very nature of their unique existence.

  The empty training field waited ahead like an arena, ready to host their unconventional experiment in self-discovery. The setting sun painted the sky in shades of fire, as if nature itself was setting the stage for what was to come.