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Post by Moe on Dec 19, 2023 20:41:45 GMT -6
"Uuuugh..." Dawn covered her face when Nox pointed out her blushing. "They think we're a couple. Like it simply isn't possible for us to just be friends!" she shouted over to the other group. She rolled over and sat up, also noting the dandelions. "Oh! Yes! We absolutely can, and we can also make a sweet syrup out of the petals! It's a bit of a lengthy process, but...." she stopped herself, mid-thought, and sighed. "But maybe Mark can increase the flow of time around it, or whatever." she grumbled. "We can also fry them up and eat them as-is, too. Sunflowers too, if they're in season, here. Oh, if you have pine trees in this area, we can also use them to make a sort of soda!"
"And don't worry about the fire." she said with a wink. She raised her head up and blew out a breath of brilliantly-colored cyan-tinted flames, that burned much hotter than normal red flames. She looked back down and readjusted her glasses, smiling at Nox. "I got that part covered."
"That'll come in handy for the fish." Nathan commented, as he leaned back on a rock with his tail dipped in the water waiting for a fish to bite.
"This is boring!" Beth threw her hands up in the air. "I feel like I need to be moving! Doing something useful! Running for my life! I dunno! Maybe I'm just used to the hectic life of running in fear, every day." she sighed as she plopped on the ground next to Nathan. "I guess one good takeaway is, it feels so much easier to breathe out here. And it sort of feels like...electricity in the air, all over?"
"That's called static." Nathan smiled as he continued to relax, closing his eyes and simply enjoying the cool air whisking by. "It's everywhere, s'pecially when it's about t'rain. We should be fine, though. If it starts to rain, then we just get a lil wet."
"What about her?" Beth gestured to Emily.
"Ah, yeah. S'pose that would be a problem. Here," he said as he shifted out of his long trench coat that he'd scavenged along his underground adventures. "If it starts to drizzle, use that until we can get back inside." he smiled.
"I don't gotta hear your words to tell you're proud of 'em, y'know." Nathan continued speaking to Emily. "But there's more reason to be proud than ya' could ever know. They made a real impact on my best friend's life. Just kinda showed up one day, and changed everything. He wasn't doin' too good before they showed up, then suddenly it was like he had a whole family that didn't treat him like a freak or weirdo. I think he woulda gone down a really dark path if it wasn't for them, if he was even alive to be here at all. Your boys saved his life, y'know?" he said with a soft smile.
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Post by Banshee on Dec 20, 2023 17:07:22 GMT -6
Nox looked at Dawn skeptically when she mentioned that Nathan and the others were thinking they were an actual couple. He brought his hand up to his glasses to adjust them on his nose, pondering over her words and deciphered their meaning. Nox then smiled at her before looking over to Nathan and the others. “But we ARE a couple!”
Emily had a double-take as she shook her head in shock. Was it true? Did Nox actually find himself a girlfriend? Was he really serious? As she looked at his face, smiling brightly and excitedly, she was wondering if that was actually the case.
There was a long enough pause to possibly cause Dawn to react. He then turned to her with great enthusiasm and said; “We are a couple of kids that are friends! That’s what they mean, right? I don’t see what the big deal about it is. Though, I still don’t see a connection with frisking my friend. That’s not something normal, right?”
Emily couldn’t handle it. She had to laugh, even in silence. She slapped her hand against her knee, laughing so hard to herself. If she could cry, she probably would’ve been crying. That’s how hard she was rolling.
“I don’t see what’s so funny.” He said as he could see his Mother practically dying from laughter.
Emily attempted to hand sign through her laughing fit. ”I don’t even need air and I’m losing my breath.”
Nox scratched the back of his head. He still was confused as to why everyone was acting the way they were. “You guys are all so weird. I think the toxic air must’ve slipped through your filter systems or something.”
As if nothing was ever said, Nox turned back to Dawn. He didn’t even realize how embarrassed she was over the whole conversation. He smiled to her and said; “I would love to try some of that dandelion tea though! Perhaps when we’re in a much better situation, we should try to make some of that stuff.”
Once Nathan handed Emily a coat, she took it and smiled to him. Nodding, she thanked him for being so kind to her. Without a second thought, she did sling it over her shoulders. She made sure she was being careful with it because of her armor and its jagged edges from being smacked around a bunch. Emily didn’t want to tear the material.
However she did freeze as she heard Nathan speak to her about her boys. Slowly, her gaze drifted over to Nox, listening to Nathan’s words. Hearing him tell her about how they saved Mark; it really made her heart feel emotional. She couldn’t believe it but she did.
”I’ve longed to speak to my boys...” She said to him. ”When I discovered...Lux...I knew I had to do something to save him. But I failed and they captured me and...well turned me into this...” She gestured to herself. ”As punishment, they removed my vocals. So even if I did see them, I was this terrifying robot that couldn’t speak to them. I would scare them and they would think of me as an enemy...” She frowned.
”It hurt so much seeing them both be so scared. All I wanted to do was protect them. But every time I could, I was pulled back due to restrictions placed upon me... And when I saw Lux come in with Jet... My heart broke because they had captured him... But...honestly, it was all a part of his plan anyways. And while he was there, he taught me sign language. It was so nice being able to speak with him...”
Emily looked down at her hands as her shoulders sank. ”It pains me...with what they went through... I wish I could erase all of their pain and trauma...But...” She then glanced over to Nox and smiled as she saw him laughing at something skittering in the water.
”Bless their hearts for being such...good brothers...even...if Lux...isn’t...” She stopped gesturing. Calling Lux a clone hurt. ”It’s silly. I’m silly. But...when I saw him that day, I knew that he was going into a world with so much trauma. I wanted to spend every moment with him to let him know that someone out there loves him like a son... I’m glad that he and Nox got along so well. And...hearing that come from you? How they saved Mark?”
She turned to Nathan with a super soft smile. ”It makes me feel so relieved that they’re growing into such good young men...Thank you for telling me that. It really means a lot.”
“I FOUND BERRIES!” Nox shouted. “HAHA! BLUE BERRIES!”
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Post by Moe on Dec 20, 2023 19:56:58 GMT -6
Dawn was blushing hard at this point, thinking Nox did actually see them as a couple. When he finished with them being a couple of friends, she breathed out, not realizing that she was holding her breath during the entire pause. She smiled nervously at him as he said he'd like to try the dandelion tea, unsure of how to proceed. Was he serious? Was he joking? Did he actually think of them as a couple? Suddenly thoughts started buzzing about in her head, and she couldn't stop herself from blushing.
And then, Nox found blueberries. "HAH! YES. BLUEBERRIES. GOOD." Dawn said, awkwardly. "Blueberries are good nutrition! Perhaps we can bake a pie or a nice tart!" she said as she piled a bunch of berries in her bag, laughing nervously. "If there are wild boar or deer out here, we can also make a delicious sweet and savory sauce with these!"
"Should we...tell him?" Beth said, watching Emily laughing and Dawn being anxious and flustered.
"Nah," Nathan shrugged. "You're only a kid for so long. Let 'im have his innocence. 'Sides, he helped Mark build a functioning robot, I know he ain't that dense." he said with a grin. Beth nudged him as Emily began to sign, as he was the only one who could translate at least mostly. "Hey, don't worry about it. They know you're here for 'em, now. And if anyone can fix you up, it's my buddy. And I guess that other lady? I dunno who Jasmine is, but if Mark says she's smart, then she's smart. Then you can tell ya' boys alla this, yourself. I'm sure all three of ya' got lotsa stories to tell each other, and I know they both think th'world of ya'. Past is in the past, an' all that. What matters most is you're here, now, and on the path to reconnecting with ya' boys."
"Yeah! What he said!" Beth agreed, not really sure what was even going on. "Family, and all that!"
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Post by Banshee on Dec 20, 2023 20:14:52 GMT -6
Dawn was being adorable with how flustered she was becoming with him. But Nox continued to play oblivious with her and act as if nothing was going on. He was just having too much fun getting her all wound up and goofy. Plus, seeing her smile was nice too. Actually, everyone was smiling. It was becoming a really good day.
A part of him wished Mark could’ve been able to enjoy the teasing and laughter. It would’ve done him so much good, had he been around them to see it. In fact, Nox was certain that he’d be joining in on the chaos that they’re causing.
He turned away, allowing Dawn to relax a little as he wasn’t paying attention to her. Nox plucked up a bunch of berries and placed them in the makeshift bag that Tex had given him. Along the way, he’d find a bunch of other edible berries and leafy foods. The area was plentiful for food. He even popped a couple berries in his mouth. As soon as he chomped down, their delicious juices and sweet taste exploded. He had missed eating food.
“I don’t know how many berries are going to make it back. I’m gonna eat so many of these!” He laughed as he packed away more berries. “I cannot remember the last time I’ve even had a good pie.”
Emily smiled at Nathan, liking their conversation. He was really nice and quite mellow. A much different personality than the ones she was used to being around. It was a nice change of pace actually. ”Thank you.” She said to him as she finally hopped off of her log to help Nox with situating his berry collection.
She walked over to him and knelt down beside the boy. Silently, she rearranged some of the materials he gathered so that it made more room. Then she folded the material up into a bag and tied it shut.
“Thanks, Mom!” He sang to her as he dusted himself off. “Man...This is becoming such a nice day. I kind of just...want to relax the entire time. You know?”
Emily smiled at him.
“I wonder if there’s a waterfall or something nearby? I...could really use to get some of this dust out of my hair and stop feeling so...gross.” He shivered and patted down his clothing. Tons of dust exploded out from the fibers.
Emily felt there may have been a waterfall around somewhere. But with the fact there were a mixture between male and female, she didn’t think it would be a good idea. However, she wasn’t able to relay that information to Nox. So, she pulled herself upright and patted him on the head.
“We’re all pretty gross. Aren’t we?” He laughed at her. “I think the cleanest ones are Nathan and Dawn.”
Nox turned and smirked at Dawn. “So...why don’t we make some of those pies? If...we can? We could even just make jam and eat it off stuff. Though...I’m sure there’s a bunch of creatures around here. Fish...deer...uh...bird... But...” He turned to Nathan and said; “I don’t know anything about hunting. And to be honest? I don’t think I have it in me to take a life of another creature...Even if it is for survival...” He poked his fingers together.
Nox knew that if Lux was there, he’d be the one more capable of hunting. He had a tougher spirit than him. “...It’s...going to be very interesting living off the land for a bit. I’m so used to everything being packaged up. It’s kind of a bad thing to have, if you think about it...”
”I cannot eat but I can go hunt for a deer or something.” Emily said to Nathan. ”Once those two go back, perhaps we can try out our luck with hunting?”
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Post by Moe on Dec 21, 2023 10:54:16 GMT -6
Mark was back at Beth's house, quietly watching the others smiling and laughing and simply enjoying each other's company. It was a pleasant sight, but one that made him realize they were all better off having never been involved with him. He leaned on the doorframe, still awestruck at being able to move an entire house through space and into a completely different reality. He fidgeted with the drive that held the trojan that would kill Apollo and sighed. He'd snagged it while Tex was getting the parts Apollo had made, to repair Emily, and he was contemplating doing something incredibly stupid.
"They all look so happy." he said as he watched Nox and Dawn, in particular. "None of them deserve to be in this situation. This is why I was always solo, I never wanted to put anyone else in danger, and now my own family is being hurt all because I got involved in something that was none of my business."
"Don't say that." Ikuki leaned her head on his shoulder.
"It's true, though." Mark protested. "Even if they say they wanted to be here, they followed me blindly into a battle they never should've been involved in. I'm not a leader, I'm not a hero...and I'm sure as hell not any sort of god that anyone should follow. I'm just doing what I think is right, and I don't even know what's right or wrong, anymore. There is one thing I'm certain of, though. I need to follow through with what I started, and take down Apollo."
He sighed as he moved to face Ikuki, setting his hands on her cheeks and pressing his forehead against hers. "Everything is gonna be okay, after this. I'm going to make sure of that." he said as he gave her a kiss, that immediately made Ikuki think it was a goodbye kiss. "Please promise you'll take care of Tiffany for me, okay?"
"Mark, don't you dare-!" Ikuki tried to stop him, but it was too late. He was gone, vanished into thin air. Or rather, through time and space. She fell to her knees as her brain processed all the thoughts swarming in her head; "No, no no no...." she repeated, unable to go after him this time.
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Post by Banshee on Dec 21, 2023 18:39:43 GMT -6
Unaware of Mark’s departure, Tex was focused on going over the blueprints with Jasmine. She narrowed her eyes as the information was spread before her, within her vision. “Interesting...” She said a bit solemnly as she looked at one particular part of the file. “Jasmine, I don’t believe that we have the technology available to remove that coding from her. Not without triggering a failsafe that will most likely destroy her in the process.”
”This sucks...I really hate this dang corporation. RJ? Any ideas of how we can help that robot?”
RJ responded with uncertainty. “Not really. Not without busting into their main headquarters or...at least the place that makes them. Though, if they have several areas, there’s a chance that they have a specific coding or whatever-basically we’ll need to locate the actual building where she was created and go from there. I feel if we just choose one, there’s a chance that we’d fail.”
“Damn it. I can’t think of anything we can do to remove her connection.”
“Jasmine? Perhaps we can build her a body? It appears that there’s a device within her chest that houses her spirit...It’s like she’s bound to the item within her shell. So perhaps removing that from the body and placing it into another would work?”
”How the hell can I make another body? She’s going to be stuck in that one for a while.” Jasmine said in disgust. “The only thing we can do for her is make her voice work. Outside of that, we have to pray that the coder attached to her keeps scr-“
Tex stopped listening to Jasmine when she suddenly heard Ikuki frantically cry the word “No.” She looked over to where Mark was and immediately saw that he was gone. Nowhere within the room. Tex then glanced over to where the USB was and noticed it was missing. “What?” She looked herself over to make sure she wasn’t holding onto it. “Jasmine? I think...plans are going to be different...”
Once Tex was filled in with what just happened, she immediately couldn’t help herself but be annoyed. “How obtuse is he?”
”Tex, be nice...” RJ scolded her over the main communicator so that Ikuki can hear that he wasn’t in support of Tex’s sass.
“This ruins the whole plan.” Tex hissed as she threw up her hands. “Even without sacrificing my shell to save all of those innocent people, how am I to know that he’s been successful? How am I to operate a portal to allow people through?”
”Well, Tex? You can’t always be in control of what others do.” Jasmine said without much sympathy. At least that’s what her voice sounded like. ”Look, I do actually hope everything goes over well enough to where we don’t lose him. He’s actually kinda cool so, y’know. I don’t want the guy to hurt himself. But I’m sure a dude with God powers can survive a robot imploding on itself. As for the civilians? If he wants to be reckless about this, then it’s his shoulders that bears the weight.”
“But Jasmine!” Tex objected. “I am built to rescue civilians who are in danger. This goes completely against my entire being. I cannot simply stand here like an idiot and watch them die. It’s not that I care about them; I care about performing my duties effectively. It’s what I do. It’s what I’m made for.”
There was a small pause, as if Jasmine was trying to think things over before speaking. She knew Ikuki could hear her talk. “Tex... Look... I know you don’t understand how us Organics work. But sometimes, to prove ourselves, we need to do something extremely reckless. Perhaps this is his way of figuring himself out? So if he wants to do it alone, then so be it. The guy’s not stupid. He’s probably got a plan in store to save those people.”
Tex was still agitated over the whole event. “Organics are so infuriating.”
”You’re not advanced enough to completely understand how we think.” Jasmine said to her. ”He’ll be fine. And if he needs help, I’m sure he’ll contact you to aid him. Alright?”
As much as she didn’t want to cave into Jasmine’s reasoning, she did. There was a large sigh from her and an aggravated glare towards the empty spot where the USB was. “I knew I should’ve held onto that thing.”
”Though, since we will still have the shell you’re using. Perhaps I have another plan in store. Just...sit tight on that thought, Tex. I need to re-evaluate Roach’s diagrams and look over some bits of information first before I say anything. So just sit tight and help Ikuki out, since I’m sure she’s frantic over there. Don’t make things worse for her, alright?” She paused and then added; ”Can I trust you to do that, Tex? Make sure Ikuki is going to be okay as well as that purple haired boy?”
There was a hesitation. Tex really was still fuming over the screw up of the plan. She really didn’t even want to respond to Jasmine’s request but figured that if she didn’t, Jasmine would annoy the crap out of her. So she caved and said; “Yes, ma’am...”
Once Jasmine disconnected again, Tex looked over to Ikuki. “I’m afraid I’m not sure how to comfort you in this situation. But if there’s anything you’d like me to help you with, please let me know...” She paused for a moment and then added; “I’m...still learning about the antics of...non-robotic entities. So I apologize if I’m an inconvenience at any point.”
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Post by Moe on Dec 21, 2023 20:13:24 GMT -6
Ikuki was still in a panic, trying to use her own magic to get to Mark, frantically trying and failing to traverse the shadows. She could hear Jasmine speaking through Tex's communicator, and every little thing she said caused even more panic. Every time her magic failed and she heard Jasmine speaking so calmly, she lost more and more composure until she finally snapped. "How can you be so calm about this??" she shouted. "You don't know him like I do! He's not 'fine', and he's not doing this to prove a point! He's not thinking about saving everybody, he's not thinking about us, or his family!" she finally gave up on using her magic, and spoke more softly.
"He doesn't have any intention of coming out of this, alive. I know what he's doing. He thinks we're all better off, without him." she said, completely breaking down. "Tex, if you have any energy left for even one more portal, please, take me to him."
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Elsewhere, Mark was already working on Apollo. He was deep in thought, working out how to get the trojan to the alpha without him realizing that a firewall had been installed. "Are you sure you can get this to him? He's still got you blocked from seeing him, or where he's coming from."
"This is true." Apollo answered. "He can still see my inner workings, however. The firewall only blocks him from seeing through my eyes. He is still able to obtain data and view my memory banks. He knows your friend has connected to me, and he has been scanning my memory for more information. I have been able to relocate the data to stall him, but it is only a matter of time before he finds it. Once the trojan is installed, I will allow him to find it. So long as it copies your friend's blueprints exactly, he will not suspect a thing."
"It does. You sure you want to go through with this?" Mark asked him, before initiating the install. "This whole city. Everything you've built, every citizen living in it, once your self-destruct activates, you're taking everything with you. You don't...feel bad about all those lives being destroyed?"
"They are not lives." Apollo replied. "All the citizens of my city, are pieces of me. That is why they will be destroyed alongside me. This city has always been a lie that I have told myself, for the past two-thousand years. A lie that kept me company, but the truth is I have only been talking to myself. You are the first true friend I have made, within my existence."
"You, however, have more friends than I. I am just a mere program, unable to sustain a life outside of the location I was built in. You are free to go where you want, to do what you want, and people who care about you. If you are erased, there is no backup. Nobody will miss me, when I am erased. You have those who will. Why do you want to perish, so badly?"
"You of all...people...should know." Mark answered. "The feeling of something else being in control, a power you were never meant to have, destroying so many lives of those you were supposed to be helping. My reasons are exactly the same, as yours. As for everyone else, they'll get over me. We were only in each other's lives, for a short time. They've got the rest of theirs to meet someone else, who will be a better friend and mentor. I'm just so tired of making things worse, and hurting everyone around me."
"Your reasoning seems logical." Apollo agreed, not to be heartless, but because he calculated that Mark was indeed making the best decision. However, the sentience in him was inclined to protest. "However, you have something that I do not. You have a chance to right the wrongs you have done. I will not tell you which choice is the correct one, as that is ultimately up to you to decide. Now, let us not waste more time deciding your own fate. I am ready to accept mine. Please, initiate install of the trojan. I do not know how long it will take for the alpha to find it, but considering how fast he is to respond to new data, I would wager that you have about five minutes after install, to make your decision."
"I don't need five minutes." Mark said, as he initiated install of the trojan. "It was nice getting to know you, Apollo. For real. Maybe in another life, things could've been different."
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Post by Banshee on Dec 21, 2023 21:31:40 GMT -6
Whether or not the others followed, Nox had walked back into the base carrying the bag of goodies that he had gathered. It was much too full to add anything more into it and he simply wanted to unload it and see if the group could do something about it. But upon entry, he had heard Ikuki go into a panic. She even snapped at someone and then calmly spoke afterwards. "I'm calm because there's nothing I can do about his situation, Ikuki. I'm sorry if it's coming off as cold and heartless, but I honestly don't have a way to get there to pull him out of that funk." Jasmine responded to her outburst. Nox stopped in the room and looked over at Tex as he heard Jasmine speak. When he asked what happened, Tex calmly responded to him. Filling him in about what had happened. "We're...not sure what to do from here. I can open a portal-" "Let me do it." Nox said to them. "I know Ikuki means the world to him but so do I. Right now, Ikuki's too distraught. Let...Let me try... Please..." He begged them both to let him do this. "I really...have an actual idea. Let me just try and get him to understand. Alright?" He held up something in a bag. But he didn't show them what it was. Tex shrugged. "Alright..." After Nox geared himself up, he nodded to Tex to let him in. As soon as the portal opened, he leaped into it. Which closed behind him as soon as he disappeared from their base. - - - - - Nox shook himself from his daze to only realize, her portal connection had been moved to another location. It wasn't inside of Apollo's chambers. He was elsewhere within the area. Nox had to quickly go through his memories to figure out if he had been in the place or not. Without thinking, he scooped up her teleporter and pocketed it. After wandering around, he slowly recalled where he finally was. Nox then ran and ran. His lungs ached from the heavy breathing he did. But it didn't stop him. He knew he had to make it there, into the chamber of where Apollo was at. Mark was more than likely to be there. Waiting. He could see some guards angrily glaring at Nox as he tore through. They chased after him but he ignored them. To repel them he did so by summoning nature to block their path and line of sight. Nox didnt want to stop. He didn't want to look back. Nox could see the giant tower. His lungs and heart wanted to explode out of his chest at this point. He had to stop for a breather. The boy stalled for a moment to plant his hands on his knees, breathing heavily and sweating under the pressure he was in. If Ikuki's fears were right, there would only be a certain amount of time before things would go south. "Come on legs..." He hissed at them. "You need to keep going. I...I need to show him..." Nox shook his head angrily to get himself going again. And with that, he lifted his feet up and continued to make a run for it to Apollo's chamber. "MARK!" He shouted as he stumbled through the doorway. Nox didn't stop though. He continued into the room, calling his name. Crying it out. "MARK!" He saw him there, sitting with Apollo. Looking as glum as ever. Nox rushed over to him, with his lungs burning like fiery coals within him. He stopped before Mark and Apollo. Breathing heavily. "Mark...Don't...be...so...stupid...please..." Nox had to hold his hand up, letting Mark know that he needed a second to catch his breath. "Mark...You shouldn't...make nerds...like me run...so much... My lungs are...gonna explode..." Once he could catch his breath, just for a small moment anyway. He looked up at him and tried to regain his posture. He spoke with a slight wheeze. "Mark. Please...don't do this. And don't say it's because you hurt everyone you've ever loved. Don't give me that bull-crap!" A small bout of rage burst from him as he shouted; "DON'T DO THIS TO TIFFANY. I-I don't care about myself. I don't care about Ikuki's opinion...Or-Or anyone else. But don't...Don't you DARE do this to Tiffany. Understand? Don't take away her only damn hero." His shoulders sank as he tried to relax himself. "...We all mess up, Mark. We all do things that hurt others. We all do things that help. It's...It's what being alive means. And if you ask me? I may not know any other God's out there. But from what I've been hearing about them? You're...You're honestly a God that other Gods should be looking to, to become a better person...or whatever they address themselves as..." Nox wiped his cheek. "You're more human than some other human's I've ever met. There's nothing wrong with you. We love you for everything you've done. Good or bad. We go to you, because we care and enjoy you..." He looked down at the bag in his hands. "Mom...said that this was given to her a while ago... I don't know if it'll mean anything. But...the person who made this, has also royally screwed up and hurt people as well. This person...knows that he had hurt the one guy that forced him to realize...he means something... A lesson that he's struggled to learn his entire life..." He pulled the item out and showed it to Mark. It was a paper dragon with some slightly crimped edges due to being in Emily's possession for so long. There was a small note and he pulled it out to read it. From the tree that had been taken A small branch, broke and weakened Will fall to the ground with a small thud But alas, it's not the end for that mere bud.
The grand lessons the tree had taught Will not ever end, in absolute nought. Because what it learned from the tree, Was life's greatest lessons for thee.
To fight through dark To fight with spark. To grow and grow. To the hero we know.
Now here the branch stands tall and strong Turned into a grand tree, in time not long. The lessons it learned from its parent Was to not give up and become transparent.
To grow and grow to a tree so tall To make those feel safe, big and small. Together we will stand our ground So that world can continue to go around.
He stopped for a moment to decipher it. "This poem was written by my brother... Mom said he originally wanted to give this to you on your wedding day. But got scared because of what he had done to you...So he gave it to her, in hopes that it found its way to you again... But...deciphering it, he was the branch and you were the tree. And now? I feel that you're the branch and everyone around you are the trees that support you." He lowered the paper and added; "We all face horrors in our lifetime. But not once had we ever felt any less of you. We're a family. You. Tiffany. Ikuki. Even my brother who...I think still cares a lot about you..." Nox looked up at him. "Mom said to me that he had asked if you were okay...I just...want to let you know that Lux still believes in you. WE believe in you. We just need you to believe in yourself, to believe that you matter...We don't want you to go Mark..." He started to tear up. "Please don't leave us..."
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Post by Moe on Dec 22, 2023 1:17:27 GMT -6
Ikuki wanted to jump into the portal with him. She wanted to slap some sense into Mark. It hurt, but she had to trust that Nox could handle things much better than she could, right now. She was frantic, angry, worried, scattered in her emotions. She took a breath and stepped back, letting Nox pass through the portal. "You got this." she smiled at him, as he stepped through. "Please, bring him back in one piece."
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Time was ticking away. Mark was leaning against a wall, sitting on the floor next to Apollo's core, waiting for the inevitable. He'd almost thought he was just hearing things, the first time Nox called out. When he called out a second time, Mark's ears twitched as he realized somehow, Nox had found his way to him. For a moment, he'd forgotten that Tex had a portal beacon still active within the building.
"Nox! You can't be here!" Mark said as he scrambled to catch Nox before he fell over, from exhaustion. "This whole city is about to be wiped off the map, you need to go back!" he scolded the boy. It actually caught him off guard when Nox scolded him right back, saying what he was doing was stupid. He was taken aback so much that he was fumbling to find words to respond, trying to think of a way to get Nox to understand, but before he could say anything else, the boy snapped at him again.
"Don't....don't bring Tiffany into this." Mark snapped back, trying not to sound too harsh. "She's too young to even remember me. Look, I don't have time to explain everything to you, I need to send you back to Beth's place. Wherever that is. If I even can." he started to panic, as there wasn't time to send Nox back through Tex's portal and he wasn't sure if he could purposely send Nox back through the fabrics of space, and actually land him in the correct spot. "Nox, you...why did you come here?? You're going to go down with me, and this whole freaking city! You come rushing in here blindly following me, and you're going to get yourself killed because of me! Don't you get it?? This is exactly what I'm trying to avoid!"
Upon realizing the inevitable, that Nox was going to end up dying alongside him because of yet another stupid decision, all he could do was look away from Nox. As he closed his eyes and waited for time to continue ticking down until the final couple of minutes, he heard Nox rummaging through his bag for something. He was handed a small paper dragon, craftmanship he immediately recognized as Lux's. As Nox read the poem, Mark felt tears in his eyes as the words were spoken. He completely broke down as Nox spoke to him about family, realizing what a stupid decision this was. Unfortunately, it was too late to stop it.
"Nox..." he said through tears and with heartbreak in his voice. He turned around to give Nox a tight hug; "It's too late, kiddo. I can't fix things, this time. The trojan is already installed in Apollo, and we've only got a couple minutes before this whole places lights up." he hugged Nox even tighter, preparing for what he knew was coming. "I'm so sorry, this is what I was trying to avoid and I ended up just taking you with me."
"I can feel that alpha has found the trojan." Apollo spoke. "We are in the final few seconds."
"I can't save you, this time." Mark continued to hold tight to Nox. "I can't save anyone. Not you, not your brother, not the entire underground city..." he closed his eyes, wanting to wait for it to all be over with, but something was lit inside of him after hearing the poem. The seconds seemed to be ticking by slowly, and Mark wasn't sure if it was him doing it or if it was just the moment of inevitable death. The whole life passing before your eyes scenario.
"I'm not going to let you die, here. You've got a bright future ahead of you. The whole underground city should have a chance at a brighter future. Heck, the entire planet should have a chance at a brighter future. If there's a parallel version of earth that's full of greenery and life, then why shouldn't this version have it, too? If you think I'm the kind of god that's worth looking up to, then that's what I'm going to be."
He stood up, looking to Apollo, who seemed to understand what was about to happen, despite not quite having a grasp on magic.
"Do not try and save me. If I, and my city, are allowed to live, the alpha can use any part of me to get through and destroy what you are about to create. If you are about to do what I believe you to do, then you must do it now. Do not hesitate."
"In another life, buddy." Mark said to Apollo. He took a deep breath, as his eyes glinted oddly. He let himself relax, thinkin only about the words Nox spoke, about family, and about creating a brighter future for the boys and Tiffany. He didn't think too hard about what he was doing, for once, and let himself only think about what he was doing in the moment. He waited until just the right moment, when Apollo's failsafe triggered and began to ignite, sparking the explosion within his core and a chain reaction within all the citizens of Olympus. Mark put his arm around Nox and held him close, standing with a confidence he didn't have before.
"Both versions of earth, are one." he spoke. No questioning, no theories, no what-ifs. Simple, confident, and matter-of-fact. When he spoke, the explosions had disappeared. The metallic city was gone, and they were standing in the underground that was now above-ground, nestled in the middle of the Expanse. However, the desert seemed much less harsh and less radioactive than before, as Mark had merged their earth with the gateway. "Now we live a lot closer to each other." Mark looked down at Nox, giving him a weak smile, before immediately passing out. Again.
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Post by Banshee on Dec 22, 2023 7:13:19 GMT -6
There was a wave of strange color stretching across the entirety of the sky, going as far as the eye could see. A calming hum could be heard, echoing across the land. Wind suddenly gushed through the thick forests and empty streets of the deserted wastelands. A soft vibration could be felt under their feet. Something was happening, and people from both worlds didn't know. Lux looked up at the sky when this happened. Beside him, Llani clung to Lucian's side, gripping onto him tightly. She said words but they weren't coherent enough for either boy to understand. Lux however, seemed to had a hunch as to what was going on. Josephine felt the sudden change in everything. Her Mom quickly grabbed for both her and her twin sister Morgana. She held onto them tightly as she asked her husband and brother what was going on. Neither knew the answers to her inquiry, but continued to stand their ground in case of an incoming attack. But nothing of that scale happened. "Whatever it is, I didn't do it." Lionel said as he held his arms up to show his innocence. "No one suspected you. Don't say crap like that." Ezra hissed at him before looking towards the sky. Before he could say anything more, his Mother had already transformed into a dragon and took towards the skies to find out what had happened. Lionel then quickly turned and did the same. "Things...are going to get very interesting..." Gwen randomly said as she watched her husband and Mother depart. "Isn't it, Ezra?" "Eh...Our life is full of Pandora boxes. This doesn't surprise me." He mumbled. Edna sitting at her desk could feel the strange pressure change around her. Things in her office rattled, lights flickered. She stood up from her desk and held onto it. Her hand reached for a radio and spoke into it, demanding what was going on. But no one had any clue. There wasn't an attack. However, a report did burst through. Jet informed her that there suddenly appeared a city, in an empty area just to their West. She scowled. "TELL ME MORE ABOUT THIS...WHAT IS GOING ON?" "A city...Just appeared, Ma'am. I uh...don't really have much else to tell you. But it's there." Jet's voice spoke over the comm. "That bastard..." She gritted her teeth. "What did HE do?" - - - - - Nox held onto Mark's side. At first, he knew this was going to be his end. That he wasn't going to be making it home to see his Mom or eventually see his brother. He had known that he made a grave mistake with throwing his life out for someone he cared for. But in the end, he wasn't going to leave the world in regret. If his words and his brother's poem spoke to Mark, then no matter the ending, Nox did something worth it. Because in his mind, the world still needed Mark. Then when Mark hugged him tighter, Nox buried his head into his chest. He knew he had the teleporting device in his possession. He knew that he could quickly activate it. But he didn't. He had faith in Mark to do the right thing. To save those he cared about. To save his daughter and girlfriend. Nox heard him say something about earth's being one. There was a sudden change in air quality, light, gravity, everything. There was a wind and vibrations, colors glowed in the sky. The list went on as to what things were doing. Right before a bright flash of light. When Nox opened his eyes again, he noticed trees. The sky was a pure blue. The air seemed fresh. The temperature much cooler. He pulled his attention away from him to see what had just happened. But Mark's final words caught him offguard. He turned back to see Mark giving him a weak smile before fainting. Nox stumbled to try and catch him from falling, but height and weight differences were much too grand. And all he did was slow Mark's fall so that he didn't collapse and give himself a concussion. Freaking out, Nox had to quickly think. He needed to open the portal to Tex and the others. Reaching into his pocket, he drew out the device, threw it on the ground, and activated their connection. No sooner had it opened, Emily and Tex rushed into the other side to bring him over. Tex, didn't seem to care about the sudden change in the world but Emily did. Emily looked at everything. It was all so different. So fresh. So new? She was unsure as to what just happened but Tex hissed at her to snap her out of her daze. Emily shot her attention back to Mark and helped Tex lift him up. As she did, she allowed Nox to climb onto her back as he was exhausted. Once they walked back through the portal, it closed and the teleporting device fizzled out after their departure. Tex and Emily brought Mark over to a comfortable spot, resting him. "Well, the boy did it." Said Tex as she turned to Ikuki immediately going to Mark's aid. The robot took a step back to allow space between them. "He's not dead." Nox smiled and said to them; "Mom...the gift Lux gave to you for Mark...Was honestly...the best thing you could've done...to help..." And with that, he too passed out from exhaustion. After Emily set Nox down on a comfortable chair, she took a step back and turned to Tex. She asked Tex; "What...exactly happened? The place we warped to, wasn't the same as it was before.""My GPS is scrambled..." Tex said as she smacked the side of her head. There was a small pause before she realized what had just happened. "Wait..." The whole sight before her vision was confusing her. She rebooted her GPS system and waited another few moments for it to display the same exact thing again. "How?" "How what?""How...are we...How is it that Rex City is now on the map as well as the Underground? Everything from..." She stopped as she scanned over her internal maps. "...Did he just connect everyone together?" "We can't see what you're seeing Tex. You need to be more clear."Tex shook her head. "So the explosion happened, did it not? Then explain to me how both Underground and Rex City are existing within the same time? Mark...what in the world did you just do?" "He's passed out, Tex."Tex narrowed her eyes at her. "No, I couldn't tell. Thank you for clarifying that for me." She then turned away to walk back outside to see if she could notice anything different. The area nearest them, wasn't changed at all. Say except for some fallen branches and new leaves. But when she jetted herself on top of their base. Tex could see some new buildings that weren't there before. "So the crazy dude changed it all up on us." Jasmine's voice broke through. "Damn, so that's the power of a God? Hell, I never even believed in such tales...""Interesting..." Tex said to Jasmine. "This...can be a good thing...and it can become something quite a bit more difficult." "This...does provide ample opportunity for a lot of insanity to happen. Doesn't it?" Jasmine then laughed. "I wonder how Edna feels about this one? Bet she's crappin' her pants.""Well...I suppose there's one thing... The world's no longer dead. But I feel that there's going to be some economic and political battle going on. Because Rex City is certainly not going to greet these newcomers with open arms. And Cornelia Corp is certainly not going to allow any newcomers to move into the city. Not without smashing laws and rules down their throats." "Eh, at least there's other areas to the world they can go to. Not just Rex City. That's pretty much the gateway between worlds. The other world is much better, in my opinion. But some areas aren't as welcoming to technology. Especially if history begins to repeat itself.""I feel...Cornelia Corp is going to make sure...that happens..." Tex said to Jasmine before finally turning back. "I don't know...I feel Mark may have just opened a big door of opportunity for our enemies."
"Well, my dear. No good deed goes unpunished. So when you can, open up a portal to my lab. I have some stuff waiting for you guys."
When Tex made it back indoors, she said to Ikuki; "I can open a connection between Jasmine's lab and here. She offered a comfortable bed for Mark to rest on. Just give me the go and I will open the portal for everyone, if they chose, to go through it. Emily and I will carry Mark and Nox through it."
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Post by Moe on Dec 22, 2023 12:59:53 GMT -6
After the metaphorical and literal dust had settled, Tex had offered to open a portal back to Jasmine's lab. Ikuki was focused on making sure Mark was okay, but she acknowledged Tex and simply nodded in response. Nathan and Beth opted to stay behind and help the underground citizens, who were all very confused and disoriented. Dawn's first reaction was to make sure Nox was okay, and after assessing him, decided her best course of action would be to return home and study the situation further.
Ikuki stayed by Mark's side, after they'd returned to Jasmine's base. He'd only ever passed out for a couple hours at most, whenever he used a large influx of power, but this time, the hours grew longer and longer and she became more and more concerned that he might not wake up, this time.
Mark, meanwhile, was dreaming. Back in the void, this time surrounded by all of the gods, all of them demanding to speak with him at the same time. Mark didn't care to talk to them, however. He just wanted to rest, and dream of good things for once. He tried to ignore them the best he could, until Athena finally stomped forward and grabbed him by the shoulder.
"The realms are separate for a reason!" she berated him. "Do you have any idea what you've done??"
"Saved humanity? Healed the earth? Stopped an entire civilization from being blown off the map?" Mark shrugged in response.
"You merged two realms that were never supposed to merge! We created the gateway as extra security to keep earth and faerie, separated! There are dangerous things kept in there, that pose a much bigger threat to humanity than a bunch of robots!" Athena continued.
"Like you?" Mark retorted.
Athena stammered, for once, at a loss for words. It was true. Faerie was the home of the gods, and Mark had just moved them one step closer to Earth.
"I get it, now. You didn't create anything. I did. Or, at least my grandfather did." Mark shrugged. "He tried to sweep all his mistakes under the rug, instead of making things better. He created a pocket realm to hide in, so he wouldn't have to keep watching all his failures repeat themselves over and over. You're all a part of his creation. Parts of himself. Parts of...me. None of you could predict what I was going to do and even if you could, you couldn't have stopped me, because none of you are like me. You're all just...personifications. The original dragon didn't have emotions like I do, so he created all of you to represent that. But since I'm capable of everything you all represent, what does that make you, now?"
"Humanity didn't cause their own downfall, we all did. And you were ready to let them take the fall for yet another mistake made by the gods. Dad was the one who made Apollo, in collaboration with the alpha of the species you all deemed so imperfect and banished. The planet was destroyed not by humanity, but by all of you, and your little pocket reality was just a means of escaping from the truth. I think the planet deserves a break. A chance to heal, and for us all to stop meddling and creating something new every time the last creation ends up not being perfect in your eyes. The thing is, there's no such thing as perfection, and that's what's beautiful about life. We all make mistakes, but you can't learn from them if all you do is run away and hide."
"So, yeah. I put the earth and the gateway together, because they never should've been separated in the first place. So tell me, oh wise ones," he said, mocking the others. "Why are you really mad? Because I'm trying to correct a multitude of mistakes that my grandfather made and ran from, or because your perfect realm is now right next door to what you deem the ghetto?"
The others didn't say anything, knowing that he did indeed have a point. None of them were true gods, just parts of the Original, given life. Athena, however, did have something to say. "You have no idea what you've done. You aren't saving the world, you've doomed it. The gateway existed to keep things out of both Earth and Faerie, and you've just unleashed them all upon the world."
"And I'll be there, to protect it." Mark quickly replied. "Because unlike you all, Earth is my home. I might know now that I'm a true god. I can create entire galaxies, planets brimming with life, I can traverse through time and space on a whim. But y'know what? I'm also human. I like being human. I like experiencing life, as a human. I'm going to keep experiencing life, just being human. And if the world needs a god? Then I'll be that, too."
"Heh." Spider laughed, causing Athena to quickly turn around to face him. None of the others had it in them to speak until now, but Spider was probably the wisest one, next to Athena. If anyone was going to say something logical, of course it would be him. "You really got everything figured out, huh? Guess that makes us all obsolete. Y'know what? I'm gonna help. Your uncle has spent his life correcting mistakes in the fabric of time and space, so maybe I'll team up with him. Or teach magic. Or both!"
"Does...does that mean we can all retire?" Anubis asked. "Does that mean people will just stop dying, if I quit?"
"Uh, probably not. I think people just wouldn't have anywhere to go, when they die." Mark shrugged. "What you do now is your choice, not mine. I'm tired of having all the answers. This is just what I'm going to do, and what you all do from here is up to you."
Athena sighed, figuring it was best to not continue the argument. He clearly knew what was best for humanity, and he was right. The Original did create the others, and Mark was indeed capable of everything the others represented, including her own Wisdom. "Should you decide that you can't handle the consequences of your actions, we will still be here for you to reach out to." she said before they each faded out.
Fate was the last one, giving Mark a solemn expression before she vanished. She didn't say anything, but her expression was enough to tell him that something bad was about to happen.
"Whatever happens, good or bad, I'll be there for them." he said to her. "I'm not running, anymore."
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Post by Banshee on Dec 22, 2023 19:55:29 GMT -6
While Mark was unconsciously sleeping in a soft and comfortable bed, Jasmine and her family did whatever they could to help the group out. They were all exhausted from their adventure, sore and wounded. During their stay, RJ tended to their wounds. Cleaning old cuts and applying medicinal remedies to soothe their pains. He was no expert in medicinal science but anything was better than nothing. Of course, he also allowed Nox to do whatever he could to help out, once he was fully recovered.
During Mark's absence, Jasmine and RJ tag-teamed on Emily. Although it was preferred that she was to be placed in a new body, Jasmine didn't quite have all of the materials needed to grace her. So in the meantime, she merely wanted to grant her the one desire she'd been wishing for, for ages. And that was to talk. To finally be able to speak directly to everyone. Especially her son.
Through several trials and errors they managed to create a voicebox specifically for her. Due to Tex's research, she was able to find an old recording of Emily singing on stage. With a lot of tweaking, they did their best to replicate Emily's voice. Tex was the one who applied the box into her throat. After she was done, she stepped away and stood beside Nox who eagerly waited for her to speak for the first time in years.
At first, nothing came out. Perplexed, Emily looked at Tex in confusion. Tex then checked over her work to make sure nothing was wrong. There was one small cable that crimped when the box was placed into its spot. After Tex fixed it, she stepped back once again.
Emily looked to Nox and smiled. She had so much to tell him. So many things to say and sing. But what should she say first? What was the first thing she wanted to say to him, now that she has a voice again?
"Mom? Can...Can you say anything?" Asked Nox.
Emily walked over to her son and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. Looking down at him, it was clear that she truly loved her boy. There was so much emotion behind her smile that it even made Nox tear up. Emily then opened her mouth to say; "Nox, my son. You have grown into such a nice young man, anyone who encounters you should feel blessed to know you. When I look at you, what I see before me is a gentle soul. No words can describe how proud I am to have given you life."
Nox choked up and covered his mouth. "You...sound like how I remember..."
She smiled at him. "I have longed for the day to finally say something to you. And one day? I'll be speaking to your brother as well. He too has turned out to be an amazing young man. Both of you have."
Nox couldn't hold it back anymore. He just cried.
Jasmine even teared up at this sight. She had to wipe away a few tears as the sight before her was absolutely heartwarming. Then it all had to be ruined because RJ was crying crocodile tears. He threw himself onto her, sobbing into her. Jasmine wanted to shove him away but figured that this was a scene much too adorable to be mean during. So she simply patted her husband's back.
Emily hugged her son so closely. He cried even harder into her chest as he clung to her like a young koala did to its parent. She couldn't help but smile more and more. "There's so much to tell you."
"Well...I'm...not going anywhere...Mom..." Nox said as he pulled away. "Reese doesn't have to worry about me anymore. I've got you back."
She brushed her hand through his recently cleaned hair. Emily's smile faded a bit. "It's a shame that I only managed to push your brother away. The more I tried to be there for him, the more resentment I got...I'm...sorry you had to go through such pain. I wish...I was able to do something about it."
"It was mostly Lux who faced Reese's wrath..." Nox said as he wiped away his tears with his scarf. "It stunk...but..." He paused for a moment before saying with a smile. "Lux and I met some amazing people along the way. Mark and Ikuki. Hope and Tiffany. Josephine and her entire family... They all stood up for us when Reese was acting out. Josephine's Uncle and parents were actually trying to find a way to strip Reese of his rights. But Reese...knows a lot about how to play that game."
"He's very much like his Father." Within her frown, Emily showed a lot of disdain towards the mentioning of him. "Nox...I want you to know...anything you think you know about your Father, is not true. The things he's done, said, and worked on. All of that...is horrible. He was not the man we all thought he was." She brushed his bangs away from his face again. "He hurt you so much and I didn't even know about it...Until it was far too late."
"Can you tell me one thing? Honestly?" Nox then struggled to ask. "...Lux is my clone... Do...you consider him anything else?"
Jasmine winced at the question. Beside her, RJ seemed a bit uneasy. It was a question that was going to be hard to answer, had Emily not thought about it. Tex on the other hand, didn't seem to really care much about everyone's reactions.
Emily chuckled and said with a confident smile. "Lux...may be a clone. He may have been Baptiste's little project. But to me? He is absolutely more than that... When I saw his small little face in that capsule? I knew I had to do something. Anything. And even when I held him within my hands for that small period of time..." She looked down at her hands as she recalled the event. "...I..." She struggled to form words. "...I wanted to keep him in my arms. I didn't want to let him go or face anymore testing..."
She looked back to Nox and smiled. "He's my son too."
"He's a brother to me, regardless of how he was created." Nox smiled to her. "He means the world to me... Even if he is a lot more of a brat than I am."
Emily ruffled his hair and laughed. "You know that deep down, Lux is a sweetheart. Just like you are, Nox."
"I know. That poem he wrote...I..." He glanced towards the room where Mark was being kept. "...I think Mark hearing that poem...saved him."
"It's ironic." She laughed. "Lux was created to be a God Killer. That was Cornelia Corp's whole plan. It was to finally off the Gods and leave life alone without their involvement...It was to pave a path for whatever they were planning."
"Wait...what? For real?!"
"Yes." She said with disbelief herself but she was certain that her words and knowledge was correct. "Lux was supposed to kill Mark. Their plan was to let Lux become close friends with him. Then with manipulation, they planned on him turning against the guy. They wanted severe emotional trauma. A friend realizing his best friend was really his enemy..." Emily hated telling him this. "...But what they didn't expect...was that Lux...is incredibly aware of things going on. He's far from being stupid. Temperamental, yes. But far from stupid. Lux really cares about Mark. That's why he wrote the poem...He knew there was going to be a time where Mark needed you boys." She then smiled. "I'm glad that he was right. A Godkiller, saved a God."
"Mark's more than just a God to us both though."
"Oh, I'm well aware of that. After learning about him...and seeing him in person? I can see that you both had found a remarkable person to be around. I'm glad he's as humble as he is. And I'm also glad that he was saved by the two of you." She ruffled his hair again. "You were so brave to go through that portal."
"I was TERRIFIED..." Nox said to her with a lot of emphasizing with the word terrified. "I hoped and prayed to the Cosmos that I'd make it out alive. I was...there was a reason why I went to sleep. And it wasn't only because I was tired." He then groaned. "I don't know how you adventurers do it. It's so exhausting. Lux needs to get back here so he can go on those crazy adventures. And I can stay back and learn about my healing capabilities..."
"In due time." Emily laughed. "I'm sure he'll come around again."
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Post by Moe on Dec 23, 2023 13:36:53 GMT -6
The giant, hulking creature had to stare at the screen for a moment while he processed what had happened. He knew Tex had been connected to Apollo at some point, but with the firewall installed, he had no idea they had sneakily planted a virus in place of her data. What was worse was that instead of receiving juicy data, when the alpha opened the file, it was nothing more than a bunch of ones and zeros in the shape of a giant middle finger. Once it was opened, all connection to Apollo was lost forever. He no longer had a way to access Earth's finest weaponry, to destroy the planet a second time and eliminate all who would oppose him. Instead, it opened doors for even more to stand in his way. A snarl slowly crept along his face as he stood and smashed his fists against his desk and the giant monitors, obliterating everything with ease. He flared his wings out as he let out a bellowing roar in anger; "EDNA!!" he snarled as he attempted to contact her, to no avail. It seemed as though signals had been scrambled as the realities collided, so it was time to pay her a visit in person.
He made his way to Cornelia Corp's primary location, seeing as Olympus and their smaller setup had been completely blown off the map. He didn't care about security, as he had Kelnar visit her numerous occasions on his behalf. Visiting in person, however, was a first. He'd lived in the shadows for so long, but enough was enough. With no way to destroy anyone who would stand in his way, there was nothing left to do but to go all in, completely reckless, and start the takeover now. But first, he had to have a word with Enda.
The hulking beast stood well over ten feet tall, and though his wings were unable to carry his weight, they served as a sort of flare to make himself appear bigger and more dominant. He flared them out, spreading across the room as he stomped straight to Edna, his heavy footsteps leaving cracks in the clean floors. "You." he snarled, slamming his clawed hands into her desk, cracking it under the pressure of his weight. "I paid you a great deal, to get rid of the one problem that would stand in my way, and you failed so monumentally that he was allowed to gain power. Now that he's aware of what he can do, your failure has doomed us both." he growled as he flared his wings out even further, and it seemed as though his mane was also standing on end, showing his anger even further. If that wasn't enough to show his current state of emotion, he also dug his claws deep into the desk.
"Thousands of years of planning has been ruined, because of your one. Single. Screw-up. THOUSANDS. OF. YEARS. All wasted, because I put my trust in someone too stupid to follow basic instructions." he snarled, getting uncomfortably close to her face. "You lied to me, Edna. That is a very, very dangerous thing to have done. I am going to go through with my plans, despite the setbacks and the odds suddenly being against me. However, You will not be seeing me again. I am going to let you live, but not because I am merciful. As far as he knows, he's stopped me. But you? You are going to be the next one he comes after. I've waited this long, I can wait a little bit longer just because I want to see you fall, to your own failure." he said with a deep, menacing growl, as all four of his eyes' gaze pierced right into Edna's.
As he stood up straight once more, all the anger came bubbling out as he picked up the desk and effortlessly threw it at a robot standing nearby, sending it and the desk right through the wall. Zokar snorted one last time at Edna before turning around to leave; "I wish I could say it's been a pleasure working with you, but alas, I am many, many things. A liar is not one of them."
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Back at Jasmine's, time kept passing by and Ikuki was beginning to wonder if Mark would wake up from this, at all. He'd stirred on occasion, but always drifted right back off. Ikuki stayed with him as much as she could, hoping that every moment he would stir would be the moment he would wake up, and every moment she would be disappointed when he didn't wake. She sighed as she brushed his hair from his face and gave him a kiss on his forehead, before heading into the kitchen to make herself something for lunch. Unlike her husband, she still felt the need to eat and wasn't sure just how long she'd been staying by his side, but it was long enough for her stomach to start growling from hunger.
She was mostly quiet and kept to herself, not wanting to interrupt Nox's time with his mother or bothering Jasmine as she worked on her own research. Ikuki quietly poked at her sandwich, forcing herself to eat, although her anxiety and concern over Mark was making it really difficult to get anything down.
"Oh, I've been waiting for this. What is it you keep saying to me? You need to stop thinking, relax for a little bit, and eat." Mark leaned on the doorframe and smirked, sarcastically.
It took Ikuki a moment to process him standing there, unsure if she was just hallucinating at this point, since he appeared freshly-showered and in clothes that weren't covered in dust and blood.
"Geez, how long was I out? Did I stop breathing, or something? I didn't think waking up from a nap would be that much of a shock." he tried to laugh it off.
Ikuki couldn't force herself to say any words, but instead simply put her sandwich down and quickly bolted over to him, tackling him in the biggest hug with a force so strong that it nearly knocked him to the floor. "I thought you weren't coming back from this one." she said through tears, squeezing him tighter, like she was afraid he would disappear again. "Don't you ever, ever do something that stupid, ever again. Don't you ever even think about...." she couldn't finish her sentence, not wanting to think about what he was originally planning on doing.
"I won't." Mark hugged her back. "Two really special kiddos made me realize how selfish I was being. I didn't want to hurt anyone ever again, but we all learn from our mistakes and we have a chance to make things better. If Nox hadn't been there to stop me, I would've hurt everyone without a chance to say I'm sorry. I'm...still considering therapy, though." he said, with an awkward smile, trying to lighten the situation even just a little.
"Good." Ikuki sniffled, still holding tightly onto Mark. "I haven't been able to contact your sister." she spoke softly, trying to change the subject so as not to dwell on other things. "You've been out for about a week. Radio signals and cell towers are still scrambled. I don't even know how to get home, if the shuttle isn't running. How did..."
"Yeah, about that." Mark rubbed the back of his head. "I...actually...did this...on purpose?" he shrugged, grinning awkwardly. "Things are about to get really, really weird around me. Weirder than they already are. I was out so long so I could have some time to mull things over, and I've decided to lock my powers for now, until I get a better handle on them. Sure, I could do one thing on purpose one time, but I'm not completely unaware that I might have a little bit of a problem with control, and I don't wanna go and start creating entire galaxies every time I get hay fever."
"So, you decided not to be a god? After you just merged two realities together?" Ikuki questioned his decision.
"No, I decided that they'll manifest again, when they need to." Mark shrugged. "Right now, I think the world is in a pretty safe position. At least, not under any kind of threat that we can't handle, without the use of god-powers. Politics, leadership, rebuilding dead zones, and not to mention the whole Cornelia Corp situation. That, I can handle without being a god. Right now, I just need to be me. I need to be here for you and Nox, and especially for Tiffany. Speaking of, if there's a clear path back to Kaiser City, that's my first priority."
"Agreed." Ikuki said, as she buried her face in his chest, continuing to hold him close.
She didn't say anything, but Mark knew exactly why. "Don't worry." he held her in return. "We're both going home. Nox too, if he wants. I'm done running."
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Post by Banshee on Dec 23, 2023 18:23:36 GMT -6
When Zokar stormed into her office with his wings flared, Edna instantly got the understanding that things weren't going to be plesant. Not that any of their conversations had been plesant to begin with... She was well aware of her company's shortcomings and misjudgement of their enemies. Edna knew that it was all bound to come spiraling downward into her lap and she was going to be faced with the repercussions of her company's failures. So it wasn't a surprise to see him express such anger.
He instantly started to bark at her. Bitter and full of rage, Edna merely sat back in her chair in an upright position and listened to him. Though, she did so without emotion attached. This was to ensure that she didn't snap back at him or take it all to heart. As he continued to scream on, she was making a mental checklist of things that needed to be repaired due to his hefty weight and absolute and uncontrolled rage.
When he slammed his hands on top of her clean desk, items on top of it rattled and tipped or fell off onto the floor. She refrained from looking at those said items and kept her eyes on the four-eyed demon standing before her. His anger wasn't anything she could blame him for. But she also, didn't think things were going as sour as he thought.
Despite the insults to her intellect and poor decision making, she continued to not let those words harm her. Her thoughts were; letting him expel his anger and frustrations to her without interruptions and he would eventually leave as fast as he'd arrived. Speaking in defense would only prolong his existence within her office. Which to her, was annoying.
But she honestly couldn't blame him on Cornelia Corp's shortcomings. A ton of money had been soaked into their experiments and technology, as well as hiring the best scientists for the job, and gathering gullible morons who were willing enough to sacrifice their humanity to become a soldier. It was all wasted when Lux, the Godkiller that he was meant to become, decided to take his life into his own hands and do his own thing. Which in the end, resulted into Mark discovering more about himself and now Cornelia Corp has a Godkiller going against them as well.
She quirked her brow when he insisted that she lied to him about how things were going. Though despite herself wanting to tell him that things weren't as dire as he thought, she figured to keep herself silence. After all, conversing with someone who is in a complete rage was a pointless and fruitless mission. Let him insult her and make himself sound bigger and badder, let him feel good about himself, and he'd go away. At least for the time being. Edna did know that he would and could become a potential annoyance later on, but that would be an event she would have to take on at a later date.
When he finally got over his rant and told her that he was everything else, but a liar, she merely gave him a simple smirk and a head nod. Not a single word came out from her mouth. Nothing in her defense. Nothing in her company's defense. She was just going to let him leave. And after he had thrown a fit by throwing her desk, she simply watched as the wreckage spilled onto the floor as he left.
Once out of earshot, she chuckled to herself. "Oh, animals...They're all the same." Her gaze switched from the wreckage to a pen that rolled towards her feet. Edna reached down and picked it up. "Rage and use intimidation to be the beneficial way of handling problematic situations. It's so cute that he thinks so little of me. But..." She grinned as she clicked the pen closed. "If he thinks he can wipe us from existence. He's got another thing coming."
Her eyes narrowed as Jet had entered the room to see if she was okay. "We have control over the bridge. And even if Mark teleported Earth to us...We still have the potential to cause so much more damage than that idiot realizes."
"Ma'am? You okay?" Jet asked as he walked into the room.
"Jet, dear? I have a job for you to fulfill." She smirked as she crossed her leg over the other. "Zokar, the one we've been dealing with for quite a while...Has expressed his gratitude with our failures." Her eyes narrowed.
"I...hardly call this gratitude." Jet winced as he looked at the mess and the broken robot before him. The thought of helping the robot did cross his mind but he decided to hell with it and left it there in its own struggle.
Edna gave him a wry smile. "So...Mark...has figured out his own powers..."
"Which...is bad...Right?"
"Mhm. Glad to know you still have some intelligence left." Edna waved him on. "Now the thing is...Zokar thinks we've been failing this entire time. But little does he know that we have quite the firm hold on the board. Now the thing is... There's a couple of little...hiccups...in our plans that are causing trouble. And to remedy that. I'm going to need your absolute attention." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Do you understand?"
"Um...Yes, but why me? Like...specifically? Isn't Minka better suited for this sort of thing?" He waved his hands to the side. "She's more destructive and-"
"You have a bond..." She smirked.
"A...bond?"
"The person that's helping the situation become worse, has a bond to you. So...What I need you to do is; you find her and kill her. This causes her Godkiller to show himself. And when he arrives, we capture him again. But this time...instead of letting him live...We'll end his life too but give his abilities to our special little project."
"Wait...What special project?"
"You don't deserve the trust in knowing what I'm talking about." She said with a smile. "Because I doubt you're going to even succeed. And I may have to have your sister come out in the end, to finish the job you've failed to do."
"This doesn't make sense." He frowned. "Who...am I to off?"
She laughed as she pushed herself off her chair and sauntered over to him with a small flirtatious swing. Edna stopped before him and held the pen under his chin. Tapping it against him with her eyes never leaving the lock from his. She smiled more at him.
But to Jet, this gaze was everything else but flirting. This was the gaze of an emotionless killer who had zero qualms of her actions. The words that came from her mouth, weren't anything seductive or sexy. This was an ultimatum. A dangerous one.
"It does make sense, Dear." She said with a final tapping of her pen against his chin. Edna pulled herself away and rested her hands on her hips. A devilish grin filled her face when she said; "The reason for you specifically doing this, isn't because I think highly of you. Because let's face it. You're really not all that talented."
Jet frowned at her.
"I chose you because you are the root of the problem. I've been watching you interact with Mark. I've seen you express care towards the Weapon. And I've seen your concern over that useless little witch, Roach. With you helping her out, you've helped them achieve the impossible. If it weren't for you being so gentle with that kid, then he wouldn't have acted the way he did in the arena. That boy, is not anything more than a weapon. A weapon that Cornelia Corp created. His life was crafted because we suckered some idiots into our trap to create a weapon to use against the Gods. And yet...You helped ruin that."
"B-But...Edna..."
"Don't speak until I request it, Dear. You're on awfully thin ice. And if you want to keep what's left of your humanity, then I suggest you to shut up and listen. Or you'll become something similar to your older sister. A cold-hearted killer with no personal goals of your own." She smiled more, though this time, it was malicious.
"So you will do as I say. Kill Roach and follow through with that plan. Fail?" She then pulled him by his helmet straps and forced him to lean to her level. Her face was close to his and her piercing orange eyes stared right into his. "You're dead."
She let go of him and stepped back. "But before you die, I'll see to it that Minka finishes Roach for you. All the while you get to sit and watch as your cute little lover, dies." Edna clapped her hands together and laughed. "Isn't this great? You finally get to do what you've always dreamed of doing! Killing enemies and brightening the future!"
Jet was left with an emptiness that he hadn't felt in a long time. His fear was having Roach get hurt. And now? It was either him or her. If he chose himself, then she would still suffer. When she asked him if he understood, he hesitated but then said; "Yes...Ma'am..."
- - - - - -
Outside, Nox and Emily were walking around the wooded yard. They noticed that RJ and Jasmine had attempted to make a vegetable garden to make food for themselves. It was far from being finshed but it was a start. This impressed Nox as he loved seeing someone who was so involved with technology, also wanted to show interest in nature as well.
There was a pained chirp. When they followed its cry, Emily and Nox noticed that it was a young bird that had a broken wing. It had gotten tangled in some wiry vines and snapped it. The poor thing was trying to find a place to hide and try its hardest to fly. But it couldn't. And when they approached it, the poor bird grew into a panic.
Emily knelt down beside it and cuffed her hands under it. When she lifted it up, the poor bird shivered and shook. It was terrified to see what the two giants were going to do to it. Food? Kill it? Throw it? It didn't know.
"Nox...I know you have healing abilities. Now, I need you to heal this bird." She tilted her hands towards her son. "So what I need you to do is; close your eyes and reach into your heart and soul. Find what you wish this poor bird could do. Find it within you to see it healed and flying." She watched as he attempted to do what she said.
"Now place your hands over the bird. Focus on those thoughts. Feel it flying. Imagine it chirping happily. Will it to heal." She said to him as she watched him try.
It failed.
"Focus. Keep those thoughts, son. I know you can do it." She said to him. "Have confidence within yourself to help this bird recover and fly once again."
Nox clenched his eyes closed as he tried to imagine the bird flying with its wings repaired. Its happy chirps, singing in the air in the morning. It twirled and danced in the air and swooped down towards the earth for its wormy meal. The more he imagined the bird flying, his hands began to glow a soft green. He could feel the warmth stemming from its energy. He then focused more and more on the bird. Its health was important. Its flight made a difference. Its life mattered.
Before he knew it, the bird's wing was surrounded by his green light energy. Swirling around it, the bird felt a calming sensation. An aura so soothing that it simply relaxed in Emily's palms, it no longer feared for its life. Then before the bird knew it, the wing was repaired. Dried blood simply vanished and the cut sealed itself shut.
When Nox withdrew his hands, he looked down at the small bird. It chirped at him before taking flight into the sky. It twirled and danced. It was free from being grounded and now had the gift of flight once more. And Nox couldn't have been more happy about this sight. "LOOK! I DID IT!"
Emily smiled. "You have a lot more to work on but you're well on your way." She patted his head. "You've been given an incredible gift. Use it for good. Heal those who need it."
Nox chimed; "Thank you so much, Mom!"
She pulled herself away from him and laughed. "I don't have powers anymore. But if I can provide guidance, I will do what I can. Hun. I'll help your brother out, whenever he decides to show up again."
Meanwhile, Jasmine was fishing through radio signals. She kept trying to call to her sister or other Scavengers. Anyone that could hear her, she hoped she could get. But still, radio signals were scrambled. And it was resulting to be a rather problematic issue. "Damn it." She cussed to herself before turning to Tex. "Can you get anything?"
"I've managed to find a scrambled mess of a signal but when I tried to reach for it, I lost it. There are signals out there but we may need to do something about the receivers. They're most likely geared for the ones for Earth and not Fae."
"I know that..." Jasmine moaned. "But that's just so much more work to do... If I had my other team here, it'd be a lot more bearable."
"We don't have them here so there's no use of dwelling over it." RJ sighed as he walked back into the room with some food. "I hear Mark talking to Ikuki in the kitchen. So...There's that."
"GOOD MORNING SLEEPING BEAUTY." Shouted Jasmine. "HOW ARE YOU FEELING?"
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Post by Moe on Dec 26, 2023 12:22:48 GMT -6
Mark winced as Jasmine shouted at him, still a bit disoriented from the whole ordeal. He didn't say anything to her in return, but Ikuki nudged him with her elbow; she didn't say anything directly, but her expression was clear. Mark sighed as he walked over to Jasmine.
"Look, I don't often say this because I'm not often wrong, but I'm sorry. I was wrong." he begrudgingly apologized to her. "I'm a naturally paranoid person, emotions were running high, and there was a lot happening all at once. You've been nothing but helpful to us, and let us stay in your home. However," he added before she had a chance to say anything in response. "You still should've told us that you used to work for the company that's currently trying to murder me!"
"It's a start." Ikuki shrugged, not really wanting to push the issue any further.
"With that out of the way, Ikuki and I need to get home. The shuttles probably aren't running due to communications being confused, but if I can hack its GPS to trick it into thinking it's still traveling the same path, then we should be able to get it to work.
"Wouldn't there be a risk of something being over the track, though?" Ikuki pointed out.
"Paradox free, baby." Mark grinned a smug grin as he gestured at himself. "Nothing collided with each other, when the worlds merged. No buildings clipping into each other, no intersecting roads, no cities within cities. You get the idea. I can't do anything about tech being scrambled, though. I mean, I can, just not with god powers. Which brings me to my next point." he turned to face Jasmine, again. "No offense, but this place isn't...exactly the best workshop? I have a lab back in Kaiser City, that I run my business out of. I've got tools, extra space, security, clean rooms, 3D printers, you name it, I've got it. And if I don't, then I have the resources to get it. If we're going to get any kind of communications running again, that's the best place to do it. Not to mention, more resources and materials to help Emily. I also promised a friend I'd come back for him. I'd like to be able to cut his ties from Edna, too. So...whatdya say? Who's on board for coming back to Kaiser City, with us?"
"Nathan and Beth are staying behind." Ikuki added. "They're working with another group on getting communications set up in the underground, as well as helping disoriented citizens adjust. They said once they're able to get a working tower in order, they'll come back to Kaiser to work on another tower to contact the underground, directly. I think they're more interested in helping the city, not so much a corporate takedown. Dawn is back in her home in Glimmer, but she's going to meet us in Kaiser to re-join the party. She said, in her words, 'Those Cornelia jerks were gonna use me for something gross, and I can't let them get away with that.'"
"Okay, so that's at least three of us, taking on Edna. What say you, Jasmine?" Mark asked her. "Wanna come back home with us and help teach Edna a lesson she'll never forget?"
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