At the Resident Universe, Alcina was currently in her room, wearing her usual dress and hat but this time it was silky white in color while holding, having a glass of wine in her hand, staring out the window, and resting on her comfortable chair.
As she continued to observe outside, she heard a knock on the door.
"Come in."
With a clinking noise, Alcina waits as the door opens to reveal Rodeo.
"Rodeo, what brings you here?" Alcina asked him nonchalantly as she lay her golden eyes on her wine before taking a sip of it.
"Just wanted to pay a visit."
"I see." Alcina murmured, "I hope you rested well after your job at my little brother's factory, I heard it went well from what Heisenberg said on the phone."
"Yeah, it did, and yes, I've cured myself of my exhaustion after a good rest." Rodeo said, added, "I can't sleep, but my body does need to rest either way. May I sit down on the couch?"
"Certainly."
Upon sitting down on the couch in her room, Alcina noticed some scars on his body, and while she knew some of them were a few days old since those were received during their fight when Rodeo first arrived in the village, the other scars were old, with the most noticeable one being the one on his face, which consisted of five vertical scars given to him by Albert Winchester, the Stand User of Faded with his clawed gloves.
However, she was unaware of this despite Rodeo's explanation of the foundation but not the full detail of some of the struggles he has gone through during his time with them.
"Scars from past battles?"
"Hm? Yeah, they are. I've been through some crazy stuff over the past few months I've been with the foundation. Most of them are good. Most of them are bad. Or sometimes a bit of both."
"So why do you do it? Why work with people who capture and study monsters? Don't they see you as a monster as well?"
"I do it because I want to bring change to the dark world of SCPs, to keep people who don't and do treat me like a monster safe, and to give them a better world, no matter what type of physical or mental damage I have to endure myself." Rodeo explained, "I'm just glad I haven't gone insane yet."
Glancing at Rodeo from the corner of her eyes, Alcina silently sighs, "...You know, I've never really thought about what I should do for my daughters' future given their need for blood and not being human. They've known only the village, me, the castle, the other lords, and the taste of blood, nothing else." Alcina said with honesty, before continuing, "I just want to give them something more, something new and different, but being worried for their safety and what the world thinks of monsters... I can't, especially for myself as well." she added with a sad look on her face.
"It's okay to be worried, but don't let that stop you from trying on what you think is best for the ones you care about."
"...You're right." Alcina whispered, which she slightly felt surprise by her own words, but what Rodeo said made sense to her, and she agreed. "You know we still have a cosmic monster to take out somehow." she added.
"I'm working on that part," Rodeo replied before asking, "And I do want to ask something though."
"Go on."
"Well, there is a person who works in the foundation named Amelia, and we see each other as mother and son."
"Really?"
"Yes, and…" Rodeo hesitated, looking down as he twirls his fingers in embarrassment, "We've always called each other by name ,which is totally fine, but we've yet to say mom or son to each other and, uhhhh…"
"And you both think that it will be weird for you two, right?"
Rodeo massages the back of his head and nods, "Yeah."
Alcina chuckled, "Oh Rodeo, it's not weird. When I first adopted my daughters and when they got the Cadou, they called me Lady Dimitrescu or Alcina most of the time, but as time passed and we bonded with each other like true mother and daughter, they started calling me mother." she smiled warmly, "It was a nice thing to hear and it warmed my heart dearly, which makes me care for them even more. So I think you and this Amelia should accept it rather than feel weird about it."
"Yeah, you're right." Rodeo wryly smiled, "It's just... I need to make sure Evan doesn't start cracking jokes and annoy me like last time."
Alcina frowned upon hearing this, "...He sounds like a jerk."
"Oh Lady Dimitrescu, if only you knew how bad he is at getting a girl."
"How bad?"
"Too bad."
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"Achoo!"
Evan sneezed, which was odd because since he transmigrated into the SCP universe, not once did he ever sneeze.
"I feel like I'm being insulted somewhere in the great beyond." Evan said briefly before noticing Iris making her way to his direction, "Hello there, want to do some training at the shooting range and chat~?" he asked, laying his arms on the wall with a flirtatious smile. "I can show some awesome knife throwing skills and... more awesome things with my ability and get to know each other a bit~"
"...Jerk."
With a displeased expression, Iris simply walked past him and ignored his existence.
Glancing down with a forehead shadow, Evan deeply muttered under his breath, "One day. One day I'll surpass Rodeo in getting a girl."
——————————————————————
"But he's a nice guy." Rodeo stated.
"Still, I think he sounds like a jerk."
Until then, the old-fashioned phone in Alcina's room started ringing, and Alcina picked up the phone and whispers, "Hello?"
[Alcina, is Rodeo with you?] The voice, belonging to Mother Miranda, asked over the phone.
"Yes, he is."
[Good. Tell him to meet me at the lab, I need to discuss something with him regarding our strategy against the dark aether.]
"I'll let him know."
Once the call ends, Alcina turns to Rodeo and says, "Mother Miranda wishes to speak to you at her lab regarding the dark aether and what should be our next step against it."
"Okay, I'll be heading out right now."
"Do you want me to send Bela, Cassandra or Daniela to escort you?"
"Thanks, but I'll go by myself for today."
"As you wish."
With a nod of his head, Rodeo exits the room, leaving Alcina in deep thought over the conversation she had with Rodeo.
'I'm not sure how your first meeting was with this Amelia and what type of person she is, but judging how you respect her, your mother-son bond with her must be deep.' She thought, a small smile formed on her face.
——————————————————————
In Mother Miranda's makeshift lab, the latter herself was looking through the maps of the underground mining tunnels, planning their next approach against their enemy until she sensed Rodeo's presence entering her lab.
"You called me?"
"Yes." Miranda said before pointing to the maps, and saying, "Take a look at these maps."
Looking at the spot where Miranda was pointing, the latter started explaining.
"I went through the maps of the underground a few times, even comparing them to the maps of the village, and after several more times... I found something."
Miranda then brought out another map and showed it to Rodeo, who proceeded to scrutinize it. The map in front of him displayed the entirety of the land in which the village resides, as well as various roads, walkways, and even tunnels. As Rodeo continued to examine the map momentarily, he noted that all of the tunnels lead to a place far from the village and into an unknown location.
"These tunnels lead to this place." Rodeo pointed out.
"Yes, apparently all of the tunnels lead to a mining cavern which was sealed off long ago, according to one of the villagers who had been to that area a long time ago." Miranda said, "Unfortunately, it's only entrance is through a cave which actually caved in on itself a long time ago as well, but we can still enter the cavern through the multiple tunnels underneath the village, as long as there aren't too many obstacles in our way."
"I see, but there is no doubt that the Forsaken is hidden in that mining cavern with his army and is ready to strike with full force if he needs to, but how do we strike him before he strikes us?"
"That's the problem, if we directly go for a straight assault, we leave the Megamycete and the village itself vulnerable to an attack, and after hearing from you about how the dark aether can corrupt organic beings, we might create huge problems for ourselves if no one is there to defend it."
"What if we do both? Attack and defend at the same time."
Miranda raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"
"The Lycans, Karl's Soldats, and those in the village who can fight will defend the village and the Megamycete since they will target it no doubt." Rodeo explained, "And while the dark aether forces are busy, that's when me, you, and the rest of the lords will go through the mining tunnels and head for the cavern where the Forsaken is and we take him out because once he is taken out, all the zombies will go back into the dark aether or just straight die."
"Hmm…" Miranda paused as she rested her fingers on her chin and pondered briefly, "It could work, but what about Donna and Angie?"
"They won't be directly involved in our fight against the Forsaken, they will stay in the village and use their hallucination flowers to keep the dark aether forces at bay when they started attacking." Rodeo said, "Only me, you, Alcina, Karl and Moreau will go up against the Forsaken, I'm doing this for their safety."
"I understand, but can we win against this cosmic foe?"
"I'm still not sure, but if we don't try something anytime soon... it's over."
"Hmm... Very well, I'll go with your plan."
"Thanks, I'll head to Donna's place and inform her about this directly while you contact the others about the plan."
Miranda gives a nod. Turning back, Rodeo is about to head out until Miranda says.
"Wait!"
"Yeah?"
Staring at Rodeo with a frown look, Miranda questioned, "...You really think we are worthy of redemption? After the things that we have done through the decade, you think we deserve it? Redemption?"
Rodeo could tell where she was going, so instead of nodding, agreeing or anything, he merely shook his head and said, "...I don't think so, I just know that it's possible, but then again, that's up to fate."
"Perhaps you're maybe right."
"I'm still not forgiving you for what you did, but that doesn't mean second chances don't exist in this world." Rodeo said, "They do, and I suggest you use that chance for redemption... starting with stopping the dark aether."
"Right."
Rodeo turned around and was about to leave, "I do want to ask, though. What was Eva like to you?" he asked, pausing.
With a sad expression on her face, Miranda explained, "She was the only thing I had in my life after my lover was gone forever. She was just like other children. Sweet, kind, curious, happy... and innocent." she said, a small smile appeared on her face as she continued, "There is no moment that I can ever forget when she was still with me, playing outside, reading stories for her whenever she went to bed, helping and caring for her whenever she was hurt or sick. Things that a mother like me knows about their children."
Rodeo noticed some tears were leaking out from her eyes. Slowly, Rodeo approached her and proceeded to wipe her tears away and said to her.
"I'm sure she was a really nice daughter to you who didn't deserve to pass away before your eyes and something you shouldn't have gone through, but she is in a better place."
Miranda glanced down and added, "...You know I always wondered how life would have been with her still with me, seeing her grow up, find someone she loves, and have children of her own, and me watching her children from time to time as well as seeing them grow up, it would..."
"Have been a nice thing to see and have until death finally gets to you." Rodeo finished her sentence.
Miranda smiled faintly, "Yes, then maybe I wouldn't have had to go through all of this, but that never happened unfortunately."
"True."
"I think you should head out."
"Oh yeah, right."
"Also, thank you for the talk, really appreciate it."
"No problem."
Waving his hand at Miranda, Rodeo finally heads out of the lab.
——————————————————————
After his surprising safe and nice conversation with Miranda of all people, Rodeo was now back outside and was heading to Donna's house when suddenly he noticed a man with glowing eyes wearing a hooded black trench coat with fingerless gloves and a purple scarf around his mouth that hides most of his face, as well as wearing a backpack down the road.
"Hm?"
A sudden familiar feeling upon looking at the man which Rodeo hadn't seen in the village before. Curious, Rodeo approached the man to find out who it was.
As he had reached the mysterious man to see his appearance, Rodeo suddenly halted his steps and gasped in surprise, as he had not expect him to appear here.
'Its him…'
The Merchant.
[IMAGES]
"Well, aren't ya a bizarre looking stranger now, huh?" The man, who was revealed to be none other than the Merchant himself, said to Rodeo in a raspy voice.
"Who are you?" Rodeo asked, even though he definitely knows who this famous individual is, he doesn't want him to raise suspicion on himself.
"People call me the merchant, I deal with sellin' some rare items and things, stranger, and I also came to visit an old friend here."
"The Duke?"
"Yes, him. We go way back and know each other, at least in the business side of things," The Merchant stated, "After my business services in a Spanish village were over, I decided to expand it to other places where special people find themselves in odd places, one of which is you, and my friend the Duke knows that as well."
"Okay, now it proves some fans' theories." Rodeo remarked silently.
"Anyways, what're ya buyin?" He asked, opening his coat to reveal boxes of ammo of all sorts, guns and enough explosives to blow them both to high hell if Rodeo had shot him.
"Will you accept Leu?"
"Sure, stranger."
"I need two double-barreled sawed-off shotguns for more close range combat, quick efficiency, and damage, as well as their ammunition for my current zombie enemies."
The merchant nods and hands him two sawed-off shotguns with their ammunition, and Rodeo pays the merchant the Leu he had for the shotguns. Since Rodeo's previous two weapons which consisted of a handgun and a standard shotgun are currently being under repaired with the Duke since he couldn't get Karl to do it due to his busy schedule, therefore he will make use of these weapons for the time being.
"Thanks, merchant."
"No problem, stranger."
Putting the gun away, Rodeo added, "Gotta ask, what do you even do with that money? Buy those eerie glow in the dark contacts?" he remarked sarcastically.
Once he had finished pocketing his money, the Merchant replied defensively, "Wot oi do with my money is none of your concern, Stranger. And how should I know why my eyes glow? Ask the people down at Capcom."
"Capcom?" Rodeo raised an eyebrow.
"If'n there's somebody in a third dimension watchin' us right naow, they'll know wot oi'm talkin' about."
Rodeo shrugged, and said, "See ya. Don't get killed."
"Eheh heh… don' you worry about me, Stranger."
"Oh, and my name is Rodeo, not 'Stranger'. Got that?"
The Merchant smirked, "Whatever you say, Stranger."
"Nevermind," Rodeo rolled his eyes and headed down the road, making his way to Donna's house as the merchant watched him leave.
As the Merchant looked around, he then spotted the G-man standing next to a tree in the distance. When he blink his eyes once, he was no longer there.
"...I've seen way weirder things than whatever that was."