" You know it's forbidden. "
You hear Tom's voice echo from next to you as you're both walking through a village at night together.
" What if Anito finds out about her? You know that he's willing to do whatever it takes to preserve our existence. He'll kill her the moment he finds out that she knows what we are. "
You respond to Tom in a dismissive tone.
" Ariel is my world, Tom. What we have is something special. I'd lay down my life in a heartbeat if it meant saving her. "
Tom puts his hand on your shoulder and turns you around as you're both on a bridge overlooking a river that runs through the village. He nods his head subtly like he's making sure you're absolutely resolved in your decision.
" She's only a mortal, Abbadon, no older than 25 years of age. There are infinite versions of her across the Omniverse, but there is only one you. The One doesn't plan on stopping his hunt for Black Traps until our kind is extinct. She was created by The One, so you must understand that the danger of her unknowingly leading The One directly to us is very real. Is your love for her really worth risking our extinction? You do understand that by loving this woman, you're putting her life at risk along with ours as well, right? "
You pause for a moment, then you take a deep sigh as you start to look out over the river and lean on the railing.
" We've been through alot together, Tom. For thousands of years, you've always looked out for me like an older brother and kept my head on straight when I needed it most. You've saved me so much trouble and heartache that I'm sure I'd be a completely different person without you… but with Ariel, it's different. I didn't choose to exist as a Black Trap. It's unfair how I have to outlive everyone that's not like I am. Throughout all my years, I've made so many friends. Met so many good people. People with kind hearts, loving souls, complex personalities. Each one, completely irreplaceable. Each one, lost to time, never to return again. In the end, time takes them all, regardless of how much I wish that they could just stay with me. The difference between them and me is while their lives are all short and happy, mine has been the opposite. These people live their lives with the joy of having a family that they love, and through all of this time, I've never even had a family to call my own. I feel so alone, Tom… and Ariel is the person who I want to give me a family that I've always dreamed of having. "
Tom smiles and leans on the railing with you as he responds sarcastically.
" Thanks alot, Donny. Glad to see you love me too. "
You punch Tom on the shoulder as you both giggle and you respond to him.
" Shut up! You know I love you like a brother. "
Tom stands closer to you and puts his arm around your shoulders as you both look back out over the river together.
" Love you too, man. You know I'd have your back no matter what, even if you were putting our lives on the line. I'm just making sure that you understand the risks, and if you still choose to follow your heart despite them, then I believe that your endeavor is worth supporting every step of the way. "
You smile gently as you both admire the view of the water.
" Thank you, Tom. This dream of having a family is something that me and Ariel have shared for years now. I'm glad you understand how I feel and you're willing to go against what Anito and the others think is best to support me. "
Tom looks at you with a playful glare. He smiles as he responds.
" Seriously, Donny? It shouldn't even be a question whether or not I'd choose you over everyone else. I've already invested too much time into saving your ass for me to even think about choosing them. "
Tom then pulls you down with the arm that's around your shoulders and starts to playfully tussle with you as you both laugh and start to play around. After you guys have a good laugh and are done playing, Tom then sits down on a nearby bench and pats the seat next to him asking you to sit down. As you sit next to Tom, he pulls a locket out of his pocket and hands it to you.
" Here. I can tell that when you're away from her, she's all you can think about. I told her about how you daze off when she's not around and we both think it's funny and adorable. "
Your face flushes a bright red as you shout back at Tom playfully.
" I do not! And I'm not AdOrAbLe either! "
Tom laughs for a bit, then he hands you the locket and gently closes your hand around it.
" I know that eventually, time is going to take her too. That's why Ariel and I both got together in secret and we had this made for you. "
You look down at the locket in your hands and open it to see a moving picture of Ariel blowing you a kiss and smiling as she looks at you with loving eyes.
Tom continues talking as you stare at the locket.
" It's so you can still see her when you're away from her. I know that you guys can only see each other once every few weeks, so hopefully this'll help when you're longing to see her again. "
You look at Tom with a gentle smile before you put the locket around your neck, tuck it in your shirt, and give him a hug.
" Thanks, bro. You're the best. "
Tom smiles and pats your back as he replies.
" I know I am. "
You both laugh a bit before you both stand up and Tom opens a green portal.
" Well, it's almost midnight and I gotta go back to the hideout to check up on everyone. Ariel should be heading home soon and I'm sure you plan on spending the night in this universe with her before Anito gets back from his mission. I'll see you in the morning? "
You smile back at Tom as you reply.
" Bright and early. "
Tom then goes through the portal and the portal disappears, leaving the bridge completely silent in the night. As you start walking back through the village, you can hear the wind gently blowing the trees and crickets chirping around the lamp-lit roads. Your heart feels warm as you make your way to your destination in the dead of night. After a bit of walking, you finally reach a little cottage in the midst of a garden and you knock on the door.
The door slowly opens, and you see Ariel peek through the crack in the door before realizing it's you, flinging the door open and jumping on you, giving you a warm hug. She starts to tear up as you hold her and she gives you a kiss before you carry her inside and shut the door behind you.
You let her down and she hugs you even tighter. Her voice is a bit muffled as she buries her face in your shirt.
" I missed you so much… "
You put your arms around her and rock back and forth with her slowly as you talk to her.
" I missed you too, Ari. "
After a few moments, she lets go of you and starts to look at your chest curiously. Then she reaches and pulls the locket out from under your shirt.
" I see that Tom finally gave you that gift we had made for you… "
She says as she opens the locket and looks at it. You smile as you gently put your hands on her waist and your forehead on hers while she looks down at the locket around your neck.
" It's beautiful, Ariel. Thank you. "
Ariel looks up at you with loving eyes and smiles before responding.
" It was Tom's idea… He said we should get you something like this so it would help put your feelings at ease when you're away… "
You gently kiss Ariel on the forehead and hold her again. You put your chin on her head and rub her back as you reply to her.
" It doesn't matter who's idea it was. It was something beautiful that you both made for me and I love it… "
Ariel blushes and pauses for a moment before speaking up nervously.
" Hey, Donny… "
You respond playfully.
" Hey, Ari… "
You can tell that she's thinking hard on something, so you sit in silence for a moment before she looks up at you and continues talking.
" Remember how we've talked about wanting a family together for years and it was our dream to have one? "
You look at her with nervous eyes and take a deep breath before you respond.
" Yeah… "
Ariel then puts one hand on her stomach and one hand gently on your cheek as she continues talking with watery eyes.
" Well our dream is gonna come true. You're going to be a father… "
You exhale sharply in shock before embracing her and holding her for a while. Then you get down on one knee and use your ability to see the Light and Darkness of the baby inside of Ariel's womb.
" A baby girl… "
You say in astonishment as you put your hand on Ariel's stomach. Ariel starts to cry happily as you look at your baby.
" There she is… "
As you stare into Ariel's body, you notice something strange about the baby. The baby's Light is very dim compared to the Light that belongs to Ariel. It's very easy to distinguish which light belongs to the baby and which Light belongs to Ariel as you look at them both. Could your baby girl be half Black Trap?
Ariel smiles softly as she looks down at you and talks to you in a loving tone.
" I'm thinking we could name her Rosie. "
You look up at Ariel as you think about it and respond.
" Rosie… "
" Because roses are my favorite flower and I've spent my whole life working on my garden to cultivate the most beautiful roses that I'm able to grow. "
You stand back up and hold Ariel closer as you give her a response.
" Rosie it is, then. "
Shortly afterwards, you and Ariel both go to bed together; and while you fall asleep snuggling her, the environment around you starts to fracture slowly. Light pours into the memory through the cracks around you until the orb that you're inside shatters. Before you know it, you snap back in space and are looking at the three orbs that remain.
Tom… Ariel… The locket… You remember it all now. You can't believe that Tom didn't tell you about Ariel when you saw him again. Would you even have believed him? You feel sad and guilty that you forgot her to begin with.
Suddenly, you snap into the second orb and the environment feels even more nostalgic as it forms around you once more.