Everything had been resolved, the Kingdom had been wiped off the map in the intricacies of time, cogs ever-moving to replace the Future that'd been demolished. Celebrating the birthday of the two Rivera brothers, split across time by two years, Madi wrapped her arms around the napes of her older and younger siblings. Jumping into the air so they could be yanked closer, Ben groaning at the touch as Jason sent a wide grin toward the camera. Ella laid between Henry and Matt, feeling the peck of their lips against both her cheeks, giggles and happy laughter filling the house. Eating pizza, french fries, McDonald's, all bought by the rich white girl Garcia for her ex-boyfriend. Patting his chest so she could head into the bathroom, she took a sip from the red-tinted cup, placing it beside the table so she could use the restroom. Jason then appeared out of nowhere, red lightning surging around his older brother, Ben turned his head so he could face the eldest of the Triplets.
There was nothing like it, if he were younger, maybe a few days ago, he would've condemned this guy for acting as if everything were normal. Now... he smiled, chuckling for a moment together with his sibling, Jay yanking him over to the living room so they could play some good old-fashioned 'spin the bottle.' Who else but teenagers? It was basic, lots of the guys did kissing, reluctantly, might I add- and some of the girls even did kissing, to Jason's cheering. Especially when it was his girl, Charlie, and his brother's, Cecilia. Don't tell either of them, but the Speedster Justice and the Time-Warping Emperor shared a collective high five...
None of them could hear the other's thoughts, they didn't have that utilize that ability- not yet, at the very least. Despite that, their eyes hadn't met, but their minds held the same thoughts, fist-bumping together... ~Our girls are so hot~ Of course, with the majority being guys, the randomness would be in their favor, Jason picked by 'Fate' as he called it, with Ella, enjoying it way too much and then getting hit on the back of the head by Charlie. Ben being picked with Veronica, him not enjoying it, her being slapped on the arm by Matthew, and Henry reluctantly being kissed by Madi. It was a sweet, short one, Colon sat down beside Matt with such a look... as if he were debating everything.
"You okay, man?"
"I think I'm bisexual now.." As the night went on, everything moving forward, everyone having fun with the games, the food, the drinking, the talking- Ben had been talking with his sister. Digging his hand into the bag of chips so he could throw it into his mouth crunching and biting down onto the snack. The music still played, lower than usual, Jason nowhere in the sala, probably getting some with Charlie. Ella, too, was either in the bathroom or with him, to be honest, Ben was holding out hope for the first one and she was just taking a super long shower. Near the entrance, in the hallway, Veronica had been resting on Henry's shoulder with her arms ensnared around his lean frame- talking with Matt, bouncing some old stories, memories off of one another. Every so often laughing... everything seemed okay, everything was fine, peace seemed to reign over that night. September seemed like eons away, all they could for now- was enjoy the rest of the summer. Keep... moving forward. And just as his eyes closed, lids shutting over his colorful pupils, his sister had a content soft smile over her pink mouths. Pulling the hood over his hair, she leaned her head back as his skull draped over her legs. Everything seemed like a dream... the journey was over, and as time went on, accelerating further and further, onward and onward- we reached the prelude to another adventure. `
May 5th, 2018. Five years later. The year of innovation... minor inconveniences, and of course, the important date in this year. Soles tapping against the reflection of the floor beneath his very body, the Emperor rubbing his chin at the vocalization of that girl. Palm and fingers sliding over his face at the noise entering his eardrums, this was none other than the employed secretary at the front desk. Right now, she was just staring right at the man in the suit, the tip of her extremity pushing down on the screen so his face could become visible to her,
"Ben, there's someone here to see you. {Ben: Name?} He says he's the Secretary of the Defense... Markus Allen,"
11:02 A.M., seeing as how Ben had authorized his arrival, the Official had opened the doors- metallic entrance sliding apart to reveal his face, the CEO of this company sitting right there. The rays from that star above the Earth leaking in through the back window to shine and reflect off of his glasses, Rivera began to rise. Flicking his middle finger and thumb to create a snap, the two men glared at one another, the glass of the spectacles tilting downward to reveal the darkness of his eyes. The next words that spewed out of his mouth, croaking out from the inner fleshy workings of his throat, were menacing- the radiation engulfing the area around his eyeballs so the aura surrounding him would oddly and exponentially increase. The lens flare popped out from the center of his orbs attached below his forehead, the Emperor peered down the reflective material belonging to the glass on his displays attached to the top of his ears stretching over his optics.
The chills down his spine sent down a shiver of nervousness from the brain extending out through every part of his flesh and skin, he was in the presence of one of the few Special-Grade Enhanced imbued by the unknown energy of The Spread. Having honed every part of his abilities to the peak of superhuman prowess, there laid something more... beyond. An unknown reach to the highest of the power system that belonged in the complicated chains of this evolved race. Ben didn't know, and neither did the Government, no matter how powerful they seemed to be- no human had ALL the answers. The chair Rivera had dropped out of an interdimensional gateway that'd brought itself forth into space laid right in front of the desk the Emperor was previously sat at created a thunderous shockwave.
Allen pictured himself in that seat, flicking through every single one of those infinite possibilities, what universe they'd create if the multiverse truly did exist. What else could he do, though? The Defense Secretary was simply flicked into the chair, caught by the seat as it drew the man closer, the metal doors enclosing... disoriented from the push-forward, Markus rubbed his forehead. Fingers digging into the smoothness of his temples, the sweat began to leak out from the inside of his pores, drenching his skin in a heated inner fluid. Wiping it away as Ben was away tapping his fingers against a hologram, the Emperor stretched his arms into the air so the Defense Secretary could clear his throat so he could speak. As always, they used pawns to speak for them... so everything he said was on behalf of the United States Government, nothing of his own free will. Despite the clear nervousness, he was experiencing over his face with the sweat along with the shiver of his fingers, his voice continued without falter,
"You should know why I've decided to come here. The threats you've sent to the Capital are unfortunately deemed as a threat to the President, Congress, and all officials. The blackmail you have regarding genetic manipulation and human experimentation, we want you to drop it, for we have a counterattack. Decide to go public with this information, not only will your family be targeted, but your friends will be too. Matthew Miller, Henry Colon, Ella Garcia, Ryder Karlo. We're the United States Government, we control the media, everything- nobody cares if some random people go missing. We could make it so that they never even existed," Chewing at the ends of his glasses, he rolled his eyes at the mention of that curly-haired prick; Ryder. God knows where that asshole was, not that it even mattered, he could go the entirety of his life without even talking to that traitor piece of shit. Ben stepped, leaning his left arm against the metallic material of the squished-together entrances- the CEO let out an irritated breath from his nostrils accompanied by his mouth. Ruffling his hair, he stepped forward, hands hiding in the pouches attached to his pant legs, standing straight without a lean-to anywhere. Another step forward- just then, he'd emerged from the shadow of darkness to step into the clearer light- the CEO Emperor glared right down at the enforcer of those superior to him. Allen rustled his tie, clearing his throat once again another time, staring down at him, he leaned right up on both of the wooden arms of the position. As if attempting to take the higher up position, Allen continued, the reflective glare from the light hitting and bouncing off the flare of radiation boiling in the center of The Rivera's optics manifesting a chill down his boney spine,
"Just because everyone else under your thumb, Mr. Rivera, does not mean that you can do the same to us. You either take the offer, withdraw your blackmail on the Government, and continue to supply us with weapons. Or, everyone you know is declared an enemy of the state. We could easily say they were super terrorists that were plotting an attack with planted evidence or we could ensure they disappear from the world without a single meaningful spark to leave to the rest of humanity. So, I think we all know the correct option here. Don't we... Mr. Rivera?" The Emperor couldn't withhold his laughter, attempting to cover it with a fist to his mouth, all he could do was burst out with cackling bursts of chuckling. Each one after another, tears threatening to fall out the edges of his eyes, the glow in his eyes began to expand- brighter and brighter, hotter and hotter. Steam began to leak out the sides of his teeth clenched together along with the frontal area from the crack between them, hunching his back and neck clenching his fist.
Markus attempted to stand upright, maybe make an attempt to flee through despite everything, nothing he did would move him close to the inevitable impending doom that was his demise. SQUELCH... CRUNCH, SQUISH! Droplets began to leak out from the hole in his center, the gory opening created by the limb beginning to radiate with an azure coloration. Speaking and vocalizing with a casual radiance in his vocals, the menacing depth in his voice began to enter his ears, consciousness drooping away to the Void- fueling the Official with enough healing energy so he could listen just enough before he was slaughtered,
"If you truly believe that every single part of that statement managed to put a dent in my ego, you're wrong. None of you insignificant pieces of trash are worth my time, and if you think for one second that you'll matter to me and my meaningful, rich life... I wish for you to have a horrible death,"
Just then, he'd torn his palm out of his enemy's chest, oozing with a chunk of blood up to his elbow, the Emperor exhaled. Markus... was just awake enough to let out a scream, bloodcurdling, begging for mercy- Allen began to fall out the seat. Writhing in the agony in the center of his body, on the verge of nothing but death. That is the fate; the destiny that awaited this sad excuse of a man, The CEO needed to stop the screaming. You never know when the soundproof walls might never begin to stop working... most of the employees aren't in on it, or maybe Veronica would walk in. The problem needed to be dealt with, and quickly. His boot pressed against the right side of his skull cracks emerging from that side of the bone then spreading around the entirety of the inner structure.
Every little piece of pain, every ounce of anguish was processed in seconds by this human's brain, everything was horrifying... it was horrible. An excruciating intense pain, blood spreading out from his nostrils, an eye-popping right out its socket, the swirly sort of end coming out. And just then, with every single ounce of physical strength left within him, the Emperor held no sense of sympathy for this man. For this disgusting monster who dared threaten his family, his friends, the people he loved... he deserved every single part of this disgusting pain. Anyone who'd dare attempt this, to dare threaten the people he named his home- would be punished. Without hesitation, without mercy- that is what those sinners deserved.
CRACK-SQUISH! The skin, the brains, the organs, the blood- it all went everywhere, the droplets and puddles of blood from the foot demolishing the skull dirtying his suit. Wincing at the annoyance of his filthy attire, Ben tapped his sole against the marbled floors, another gateway opening up beneath the bloodied carcass to swallow him right up. Intensely heating his aura so he could utilize some of his sister's light plasma, the blood, the bits, everything- singing away. Opening the desk, he slapped his hand as if he were hitting someone away, he'd intended for a wave of invisible plasma cleaning off the bloody platform he usually walks on. Only half of it managed to do so, the CEO shrugged his shoulders, trying to calm down... knowing, in the back of his mind- there was something he needed to remember. May 5th. MAY 5TH? What was so important about this damned date?
Then again, if he didn't remember- it probably wasn't important, so he just decided to take some... incentive to calm down. Rolling it in a tray, he felt the vibration of his phone on the desk to the right- it was his brother, throwing his glasses right onto the furniture. Rivera picked up his cell putting it on speaker,
"Yeah?" He inquired loudly, just at a volume for his sibling so he could hear him... to which what he was given at a response was a louder,
"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!" Dropping what he was rolling in the platter, he rolled his eyes, taking out the cloth so he could clean his glasses as he listened to his brother putting the device to his ear. Putting it against his shoulder he could listen and speak at the same time, Ben listened to his brother complain endlessly about something. Likely that thing he'd forgotten about coming back to bite him in his ass just how he usually did with everything,
"We promised we'd meet up at the beach for Madi's birthday last week! Get your ass down here, dipshit. Also, uh... I'm whispering now, so make sure to bring whatever you're rolling, I can smell it from here,"
"Yeah, yeah, just fuck off, I'll be there in a second," Rubbing his forehead, he yawned putting the thing he'd held in his fingers down so it'd drop into the tray. How could he forget his own sister's birthday? Well, nothing much to do now, all he could do was just get ready and meet them all down there. Walk away and keep moving, secure their safety- spend time with them, love them... for the time they have left.
At Coney Island, there they all were, under an umbrella, Jason was shirtless. Some of his muscular body showing his chest, the Hunter of Justice, Jay, smirked at the passing girls pushing down his circular shades to show his eyes to mesmerize them a bit. Just so they could wave at them, Madi hit her brother on the arm, leading for him to moan loudly at the touch- seeing her sitting up, elbows propping her so she could've commenced that action. Rubbing his arm as he listened to her, his eyes searched around staring at other girls,
"What're you doing, you have a fiancee!" The sister reminded her brother, to which he shrugged, rolling his eyes at the reminder then turning back to her with a smirk. Pulling her close with his right arm so the limb would ensnare her, entangling itself around her nape as he yanked her closer so she'd be against his shoulder. Using his free hand, he pushed out his pointer, their heads turning at a passing redhead and her... yeah, her ass,
"See that?" His head spun back toward her, their eyes meeting, she crawled out from underneath the shadow cast by the umbrella. Repeatedly crying in disbelief as Jason slowly ripped his sunglasses off over his red eyes, his teeth chewing at the left arm with a righteous smirk spread over his mouth,
"No no no no no no no NO NO!! THAT'S...!! Unfair!"
"See, you thought she was hot. Like, did you see the ass on that one girl? It's not like it's gonna hurt anyone if you just look or check someone out. Especially if you're with Sammy, like seriously, she even checks out Ella sometimes," Just after Jason informed her of this, Madi sent a murderous glare at her older brother, to which he widened his eyes. Sweat dripping down his forehead as he scratched his nape tensely. Whispering with his eyes to the sand, "Maybe I shouldn't have said that.." About to choke him right then and there- there was the sound of another's voice. Someone they recognized. Jason crawled out from under the umbrella spotting the blonde with the other two guys waving at Madi and him. As the white-haired female beckoned back to them, Jay embedding the shades back over his eyes so the crimson tint of his pupils would fade behind the blackness- the Hunter spoke to his sister,
"I hate that there are more guys than girls in our stupid group,"
"Shut the fuck up and keep moving," Seeing no point to reject that demand, Jason stuck out his tongue to Madi hitting her in the back of the head- a thunderous boom of sound entering the clouds. Not to mention a strong gust of wind that'd sent the Empress of Light's hair moving into the air, momentarily covering and shielding her eyes from clear vision. Dejectedly breathing out from her nostrils, she bent over so she could throw her purple hoodie over her body... making sure to look around enough to see if nobody was looking. Lifting the cooler as she crouched, she Blanketed herself so the portal would slide over her body, the dimension unzipping to enclose her within this bright universe of only radiation.
As she reappeared, she put a slap on the blonde Priestess' behind so she'd yelp and jump at the touch. Turning around to try and hit Jason on the arm, Ella's wrist was caught by him so Jay could ruffle her golden long strands of hair. Matt took hold of the cooler opening it so he could create ice cubes throwing the bagged sandwich into the air so it'd flip over the peak of his head, Henry swiped it out of the air laying right on his back. Jason standing over the Chariot, smirked and patted his chest, then sitting right beside his face, questioning to make some conversation,
"Having fun there... staying white as ever?" Matt laughed at the joke he'd just made, Madi rolling her eyes as Ella poked her arm, the women conversating in the back. Henry turned his head so he could make contact with Jason, clearing his throat for just a moment so he could prepare and come up with a retort. The Smoldering Chariot pointed right at himself then over to Ella speaking with Madi then to Matt making ice cubes taking a bottle of alcohol from the cooler chilling the liquor,
"If you think I look white, look at that blondie over there. And don't even get me on the other idiot," Jason couldn't help but laugh as the Thunderous Priestess and the Magician of Frost turned their necks around in surprise. Madisyn laughing from beside Garcia as she searched through her bag for whatever food she'd brought with her, the Empress unpacked the box of sushi. Flicking her wrist so chopsticks would appear in the grips of her fingers, she poked at the rice cupping between both elongated parts of the branches,
"Oi, idiots!"
Stretching his arms to the sky so he could take off the parts of his sweater without doing any work, the Emperor exhaled sharply throwing the thickness of the sweater into another gateway. Ben inhaled at the sight of his friends, heads all-turning so they could gaze and stare at him. Greeting and playfully insulting him as he stood there... the softness of his expression, the tears swelling up in his eyes, Ben just stood there. Taking in all the moment, he turned his head up to the pocket and closed his eyes for but a second, the Former Fool reopened them. What he found on the other side, the light of this world, were friends. Family. People he cared for, the people he loved with every part of his heart... the people he cherished, who he promised to protect should anything go wrong. To make her proud. That was his mission. What other purpose did he have if he didn't fulfill this... one thing?
"Hey! You gonna just stand there like an idiot or come over here so we can eat already?!" Shaking his head, his chin pointed inward at his chest, he shrugged with a soft smile taking another step forward so he could come closer to complete them. Their banter and chatter grew distant, moving further and further away- there stood one man in the back of a car outside of the vicinity of their mental link so they could sense his presence. With a sunglasses-wearing bodyguard looking out the rolled-down window, his head turned so he could gaze at the passenger in the back... there he was.
The rays of the sun leaking into the previously dim-lit chambers of the backseat of the vehicle, The Outcast raised his mechanical hand to block out the radiation from hitting his eyes. Eye scanning his surroundings, he tapped the side of his head with his hand made of flesh, palm composed of skin hitting the left part of his hidden skull. Peeking out from the rear so the front of his features could appear to the corner of the guard's vision, he turned his head at the inquiry Ryder directed toward him,
"I'm assuming since we're here, you got the tip out..?" With a firm nod, Karlo smirked at the new information, leaning back, the duo of limbs attached to his chest raising to put against the back of his head. All he could say, as the car prepared to drive away was something he'd been taught by those allies he'd betrayed and deserted in that other time,
"Excellent.."
As the day went on, the sun began to set behind the horizon overhead along the ocean ahead, more people abandoned their posts and seatings along the sand. To the point where it was only this group of superhumans inhabiting this dry area, the Emperor, now with his signature hoodie- stared out at the sight of the stars twinkling along with the dark azure tint of the water. Or rather, where they would've been in the sky if it wasn't so polluted with... disgusting pollution. It's sort of obvious but let's along with that stupid sentence for now. Though we all wish to see the stars, the nebulas of the galaxy, the beauty of space from the safety of Earth... as the calm waves brushed against his ankles, the Emperor inhaled. Rivera took in a deep breath so his chest would retract at the feeling of more oxygen entering his lungs and otherwise, the CEO pushed out his right hand. For just a moment, their heads perked upright from playing at the sand, drinking, whatever... to gaze and gawk at the stars.
The beauty of light as the extraterrestrial balls of gaze began to refract light, shining and radiating right onto their faces from so far ahead in the galaxy they live in. Jason was mesmerized, a smile perking over his face- looking down, he just wished his mother were here to see this sight. Madi rubbed his shoulder as if she could hear every thought that entered his mind, she got on her knees beside him and pressed her head against his own just so they could share... a memory. Ella pulled her boys together so she could kiss them on each of their cheeks, Matt and Henry shaking their heads collectively with groans as they all stared at this sight so intently. It was as if this were heaven. The cool breeze of spring turning to summer, the wondrous scenery of the night sky accompanied by the stars. It truly was paradise.
With it being only 9, they decided to pack things up before everything got too late and they'd have to get fined. So, after everything was put together, thrown into different gateways made by both Madi and Ben- they all stretched. Just to hug one another goodbye so they could meet again, except for the Triplets, because... related, ya know? In the middle of Henry, Matt, and Ben's hug, the friends pulled back- not only the males, but Jason holding Ella, squeezing her butt just enough for Madi to smack her brother on the back of the head and the Priestess just shrugging at the touch. It was Jason, who cared?
All six of them all widened their eyes, the CEO puzzled, he and his older brother went to hide their sister behind them- the Emperor squeezing his knuckles so the blue glow would surround his fist. The agents and enforcers stared right at down them, their fingers right on the triggers... these guys wouldn't be one for conversation. No doubt that they'd just pull the trigger, fire off those darts to incapacitate these Enhanced, Jason let out a breath. Digging into his pocket for his sunglasses, all it took was the simple flare of electricity against the darkness of his shaded frames, and his feet had swiftly slid across the sand. He rolled out from beside his brother, taking another running start so he could leap into the air, the sleeping dart had already escaped the frontal vessel of the rifles. Spinning out and ripping out the steel from the Ketsueki, the katana's grey image of the metallic sharpness crating afterimages and blurs. Using his left hand to push out the lengthiness of his weapon to the side, he glided his hand right to the front of his lips, the Hunter of Justice snarling in the slowed time of this speedster world.
Sticking upward his middle and index fingers, the lightning and electricity began to swirl around, conducting against the material of the sharp weapon. Without mercy, he moved, slicing, cutting, and destroying without any hesitation so he could return and slide right back to the front of his brother. The sparks moved, hitting and stinging the ground below him, grains of sand kicked up about to fall. Taking a longer position so he could stand upright, he spun around the Ketsueki katana and shoved it right to the hide where it belonged. The tip of the blade penetrated the front of the sheath, shielding its metal reflection in the darkness of the cover... Jason let out a relieved sigh. Ben took a step forward, hand on his brother's shoulder, eyes watching then darting around at an insane pace to see that those enforcers surrounding them had begun to fall. Bodies cut open, intestines are strewn about, and guts flying out from inside their bodies to decorate the orange-like glow of the beach's sand. Firearms covered by the dust of this location, Ben readied to escape, one hand extending out so the swirling gateway could bring itself out from the blank space of the Earth.
Just then, Ella and Matt were prepared to step into the portal the second it appeared, however, Henry stepped forward, seeing as how some of them were just loitering and staring blindly- he took it upon himself to protect them. Unhinging his jaw spreading it wide so the lower part could descend, a chaotic stream of flames threw itself right at the incoming horde of agents. Some of them trying to get out of the way from the incoming wall of fire in the front, while some others were unable to escape. About to be hit by that booming ginormous wall of quickly moving inferno, Colon simply turned away swiping his hand into the air. The passionate flaming barricade had transmogrified to his whim, imbued with the spirit of a tiger so their arms could flail around. Bullets, clearly propelled by an intense force, entered the blazing animal's insides- touching just the skin of this ferocious creature so they could turn to nothing but ash. Most of them were kept unconscious as not to put themselves in further dirt- though some were then slapped with weaker intent, the burns were so superheated that their skin was burnt off to show the pieces of their charred skeleton., In other words, only a small amount was killed, their lifeless eyes gawking at the beauty of the night sky. and yet the worst part about it at all... they never even got to see that as the last thing they'd seen before they'd been mercilessly slaughtered at the hands of the Smoldering Chariot.
Just as they were all about to enter the gate to transport them through another area in the space of the Earth, likely further away from this battlefield of raining bullet fire- Ella turned her head in the quickest way possible. The previous front-facing position of her skull tilting to the right so she could wrap her hand and fingers around the incoming tranq dart. The projectile hadn't come from one of them on the ground, instead, it originated from one of the guards sitting in a chopper. Looking down the scope so his eye would examine the correct way to shoot at her weak spot, Ellie's pupils, optics radiating with the brightness and thunderous sensation of lightning... collective and continuous bolts rained down from the dark clouds gathered above. Threatening to have that precipitation land unto this mortal coil of the planet, the bolts twisted, forming and evermoving at a rapid rate so the rotors and everything would quickly shortcircuit. About to fall out of their ascended state in the middle of the air, Matt felt his hood shadow over his icy orbs illuminating in the darkness of the night, stomping his foot right down.
A trail of ice was formed from the tips of his boots, encapsulating the helicopter into the frosty element, keeping the aerial vehicle in the air; frozen in the berg of ice. Miller exhaled, breath visible from the air around them transformed to the chilly atmosphere, he stood upright- Colon pressing his hand onto his ally's shoulder so the ice would melt right off. No other signs seemed to reappear signaling to them about this issue, Madi just raised her hand creating a bow and arrow, a stick of plasma manifesting between the imaginary string. Just then, widening her eyes... there they came, a tank rolling down the street, more choppers riding along the air heading forward. No mistaking it, they had nothing but miniguns. This fight had just begun and yet, it seemed never-ending,
"You guys are weak. I'll end this quickly... without mercy," The Emperor gave his sister a loving touch on the shoulder of his sister, reassuring her that he'd take care of this situation. He was a god, he could emit lasers from the front of his eyeballs, Ben held all the power in the world at the tips of his fingers. Gently taking off the spectacles, glass frames hiding the bright palette of his vibrant pupils. The lasers moved at such a speed, intensely burning through the air to move right forward, burning and cutting through everything with just a simple turn of his neck or head.
Everything learned to stop moving as those rays touched their body, making contact and cutting them like bread with a knife. The Emperor started just staring right ahead to cut through their forces with a clean beam that immediately combusted the tank as the radiation pierced through the armor of the thick vehicle to cut through the driver. All it took was the simplest tilt of a skull so that these laser beams could cut through them as easily as a knife does with the fragility of human skin. It was as if this were instinct for him, easy as pie, the slaughter of such innocents- just soldiers following orders. The background of the world turned to white, all blind... the flashes of his mother singing to him had turned everything dark.
Just then, he was on his knees- hands grasping at the grains beneath him so he could take hold of the sand. The Emperor took another inhale, shakily breathing... the glasses lost their balance and fell right off his ears. There he was, the reflection of himself right then and there, showing the ugliness of his fearful expression. Holding such a look as if he'd seen his very own future, Ben took a hard gulp inside so he could swallow his heartache. Just then, his brother and sister had knelt on each side of their youngest sibling, placing his arms collectively around their necks so they could hang onto them. No words needed to be said, the second Ben's lips parted, the vocals holding the tone of a question...
"Did I..?"
"Don't say anything... don't make it worse," The words Jason had pleaded for his brother, asking and begging with a particular cadence in his vocalization. As if he were on the verge of tears as well, Madi's eyes had been shadowed by the darkness of the night sky above. Matt's eyes over Ella's... everyone was silent, the dread that remained in the air digging into their very hearts so they could rapidly beat with the fear- the fear of the future. What came next? After this event, after the chaos he'd caused, none of them even tried to stop him. Henry just gazed right ahead with the fire dancing in the center of his fiery-orange pupil, slowly, ever-moving... that spark in his eyes began to lose its hope. As if a flame going out, extinguished by the chill of the winter from the warmth of the summer. Like the Cheshire Cat, it was like they'd never been there as the beach had been cleansed by the flames of the Smoldering Chariot.
As quickly as time moved, the night had shifted, the moon went to hide behind the horizon once more- and first thing in the morning, there he stood. A cigarette lighting at the butt, all it took was a simple step to the front, splashing of chunks of gore moving to decorate the apricot hue of the heated beach from the warm rays of the summer season. Turning his head at the recognizable vocals of the white-haired daughter of the Boss, her accent audible as she spoke out to her partner,
"Father'll take care of the cleanup... you sure this master plan of yours is going to work? It seems rather... complex,"
All the Moon could do was smile as he inched closer and closer, turning up her chin so he could gaze into her eyes longingly. She didn't move, all she did was keep up her cold exterior but when their lips touched and they formed a kiss... though a blush reappeared over her cheeks, she remained adamant. Arms crossed and imaginary steam firing out from her ears, Athena used her hair to cover her face as Karlo turned away, flicking out his cig from his lip.
The Emperor sat at the edge of his bed, the woman he loved rubbing his back, drenched in sweat- he curled up with her so her face would be against his chest. Shedding himself of the spectacles so he could have a few more hours of slumber, he kissed her head gently as The Outcast began to foretell the future,
"Oh, trust me, my dear Prelle... I'll know. Everything will go my way as I intend it so, no matter what I do, I will ensure my Eternal Transcendence will rise to the occasion and wipe them out so I can finally have... revenge,"
The story of the Protector Emperor vs the Moon Outcast continues in Chapter One of Emancipation - One Last Crusade.