(The next morning, back at the hall.......)
“I can’t believe you guys escaped an alien spaceship. Keywords; alien spaceship, I have questions,” says Cisco.
“They can wait,” says Oliver. He turns to Nate Heywood. “Thanks for helping me get my sister home.”
“Yeah man.”
Oliver turns to us. “What’s our status?”
“Nothing, since the Dominators paid a little visit to mess with our heads,” says Barry.
“Their heads Barry, since Oliver, you, me, and my friends were on the bench.”
“I thought we were over that,” says Felicity.
“They are. I’ll work with you all, but I’d keep things to myself. Unlike a certain Viber.”
“Anyway, why would they do that?” Asks Nate.
“What if they were trying to pit us against each other, in order to gain intel about meta-humans?” Proposes Ray.
“Man, I wish they would just send us an IM with a questionnaire,” says Felicity.
“Well, metas pose the biggest threat to their invasion. It would make sense they’d want to get to know their enemies,” says Kara.
“By kidnapping people. Perhaps they were searching your minds for potential meta-human vulnerabilities,” says Stein.
“The meta-gene.” Everyone looks at me as my eyes shrink.
“The ‘what gene’?” Asks Felicity.
I smack my forehead. “They were scanning the differences between human, and metahuman genes, of course!” I look at them all. “When the particle accelerator exploded, it released theoretical matter and energy, yes, but that energy activated one specific gene, in specific people. The meta-gene. it gives one the biological potential to adapt, and evolve in life or death circumstances. Like how in natural selection, you adapt, change, even integrate certain dangers to survive against them.”
“They must’ve been............scanning your DNA, to piece together the difference between the different genes, to ascertain how to use the gene against us!” Stein realizes.
“I think it’s time to return the favor, learn how to use their biology against them,” says Oliver.
“What do you want to do? Kidnap one of them now?” Says Dig.
“Ever since we fought off that one ship, they’ve been in short supply,” says Barry.
“And half my team is busy keeping tabs on something else.” Everyone save Barry tilts their heads towards me. “Let’s just say I thought we’d need all the help we could get.”
“Plus something from another world attacked yesterday while you were on the ship,” says Lightmare.
“Don’t worry, we have it covered. Right now, we need to figure out where we can find a Dominator.”
“Actually, I know where we can find one,” says Nate. He walks over to a computer. “I’ve been reviewing old Army footage of their first encounters with the Dominators, and I think I pegged the fight to.........” The big screen turns on and shows the footage from before. “Redmond, Oregon. 1951.”
“You’re suggesting we travel to 1951, abduct a Dominator, and interrogate it to determine their intentions,” says Stein.
“They kidnapped us. Seems fair,” says Sara.
“Whoa. Time travel. I’m definitely in,” says Cisco.
“Okay, hold on, though. Professor Stein and Caitlin have been talking about a way to take down the Dominators. They could probably use your help,” says Barry.
“Pass.”
“Staying here. Not risking time travel, less than 24 hours after that incident. After this is all over I’ll explain, but.............keeping to one time period.”
“Yeah, I mean, I’m with him, mostly ‘cause I just don’t want to lose my geek cred, but time travel! eeee!” says Felicity.
“I could take Amaya and Mick.”
“Do it,” says Barry.
“Yeah!” They both shout as they head out.
“Okay. And, uh, the new president called, which would be cool under different circumstances, but she wants to meet with us.”
“Let’s bring Ray and Sara as backup,” says Oliver.
“What about me? I can do backup,” says Kara.
“Can I talk to you for a second?”
They walk away as Barry turns to me.
“How’s Riolu doing?”
“Ayo Kub and Sans are helping as best they can, but................things like this need time. I’m more worried about how this’ll affect everyone.”
“What are you guys talking about?” Asks Sara.
We turn to her.
“Sigh. While you were on the Dominator ship, I contacted friends of mine, brought them over. Right at the end, S.T.A.R. Labs was attacked.................by a Cyberman.”
“Cyberman.............like from Doctor Who?”
“In an infinite Omniverse, There is probably at least one Multiverse where a TV show, game, or other type of fiction is real. Asriel and Riolu are proof of that,” says Lightmare.
“They’re working with an enemy of ours..................who has corrupted the other Travelers. Devastated Riolu, since they sacrificed themselves so he could get to our world.”
“I think I understand. He’s having survivors guilt.”
“That is..............a way to simplify it. Yes. Out of all the people who were called to fight that enemy, he survived. Originally we thought they were all killed.”
“There are some fates worse than death. Who is this enemy of yours?” Asks Barry.
“.................No one knows his true name. Last we fought, he called himself..................Infinite. Fitting, since he nearly killed me. If it wasn’t for my Determination, I wouldn’t be standing here.” We all hear a beeping, and I pull my left sleeve, revealing a communicator. “Asriel speaking.”
“we need ya to come over here kid. obsidian was able to catch one,” says Sans.
“I’m coming.” I snap my fingers, opening a breach. “Lightmare, call me when we’re due for the new president.” I jump in.
I walk into the Pipeline, and find Sans, Obsidian, and the Architect surrounding a deactivated Cyberman.
“What’s the status of this thing?” I ask.
“Obsidian used Electrokinesis to deactivate it. Can’t you poof up a small brick of gold?” says the Architect.
“Nope, no can do. I sealed off my essokinesis, Emergency use only.”
“Sigh. Guess we’re gonna have to make do with the cleaning fluid.”
“Obsidian, get ready to turn it back on. Sans, hand me a bottle of that Windex.”
They both nod, and Sans hands me a spray-bottle as Obsidian’s hands spark with electricity.
“On five. One......”
“Two......”
“three......”
“Four......”
“Five!” Obsidian sends a jolt of energy right into the Cyberman. Exactly two seconds after, it’s left hand moves, and it looks up.
“Systems activated. Hostiles detected. Delete.”
It tries to get up, but we aim the bottles staright at it.
“Scan the contents of the bottles. You move to kill one of us, you’ll have more than some system issues to deal with.”
We hear some beeping. “Acknowledged. Standard cleaning fluid. Requesting desire.”
“We need some information on your partner. The skeleton is a good judge of..................of actions. Tell the truth, and we’ll send you back, albeit with what’s transpired erased from your neural-net. Lie, and your scrap.”
“and don’t bother trying to call your buddies. this room is laced with lead in case of a radiation leak.”
“Now then..............” I approach it, and kneel two feet away. “What does Infinite want from me?”
It takes several seconds for it to respond. “He wants you to suffer. Along with your family and cohorts.””
“Why? I never did anything to him!”
“Affirmative, In this point in time.”
“What..............?”
“i think it means at some point in time in the future, you do something to tick off the guy.”
“Tick them off enough to wanna end you, to be exact,” says the Architect.
“Okay............what has he done to the others? Daniel, Kyuubi and the other three to be exact.”
“He merely converted them to his way of thinking.”
“That would not have been easy.”
“really kid? it’s been quite clear this guy has some manner of essokinesis, similar to you. the most common abilities that come with that power over reality are adjustment, alteration, bending it to ones will, straight up controlling it, distortion, and in rare cases................overwriting. he could’ve adjusted their moral compasses and minds, altered them, bended them to his will, or is just straight up controlling them.”
“I would be more worried about how this could affect their timelines. It’s been four months, and we don’t know what they were doing before this whole mess. You yourself told Luna the consequences of abusing that power, Asriel,” says the Architect.
“Guys, we’re veering off the smoking gun,” says Obsidian.
“i don’t see smoke, or guns.”
I facepalm. “He means there’s one big question to have answered.” I turn back to the Cyberman. “What.............is Project Genesis?”
Several seconds pass before it answers.
“It is an exodus to his prison...........and the beginning of it all. It is the end of someones song.............And the beginning of his. It is the ending of your world. A n d t h e b e g i n n i n g o f o u r s .”
I stick out my hand, sending out a current of electricity right into the scout. It short-circuits for several seconds before going limp.
“If that didn’t fry it, wipe the last 24 hours from its drives.” I walk away, Sans following me.
“kid, where are you?”
He looks into the Speed Lab, and spots me laying against the wall.
“okay. clearly something is up. wanna tell a friend what’s up?”
I don’t respond.
“okay..................be that way. can you at least tell me why you electrocuted the poor excuse for mettaton?”
I don’t respond.
“c’mon kid. i wanna help, but i can’t really do anything. not unless you throw me a bone.................”
Right then, his SOUL turns blue, and gets flung into the air. His eye lights, and he stabilizes as I stand under him.
“It was always so easy, for you to joke around, and the rest of us to take the literal bullets for you!!”
Midsentence, I change form and jump into the air. I summon a blade and try to slash him, but he teleports to my right a second before the blade hits.
“’throw you a bone’!? Well excuse me, you never tried to help out when we needed it most!”
I warp behind him, and spin kick him into the wall in front of me.
He turns to me. “what’s gotten into ya kid!?”
“’what’s gotten into ya kid’!? I’ll throw you a bone alright, a large one!” I raise my hand, several large, orange bones forming from fire. I point at him, sending them all at him.
He warps to the ground, and starts to run for it.
“Oh no, you, don’t!” I warp down, and run after him.
He turns his head for one second, and turns a corner after he sees I’m gone. Right after he turns the corner, I force my hand forward, sending him back onto the ground.
He gets up, and starts crawling away from me. “kid come on! Why are you doing this!?”
“Decided to drop the font I see! Won’t do you any good now!”
“C’mon kid, tell me what’s wrong! It’s just you and me, together!”
“’come and let’s see, which of us is better’! You could’ve ended all of this from the very beginning, the very first RESETs! I mean come on! You knew Frisk was hiding something, was RESETTING FOR A REASON!”
“All of this is because I didn’t tell her sooner!? Come on! You know I felt it was pointless in the face of RESETs!”
“She would’ve stopped if you had just, talked! She only ever found out in the Genocide run, the one time you actually did something!” my hand lights with flames.
He looks between me, and my hand before doing what I never expected. He sighs, warps in front of me, and hugs me.
“What............what is this!?”
“You haven’t been hugged for awhile, have you? I’ve................i’ve seen this before. you’re losing yourself.”
“Why..................why are you doing this? After everything I did, and Flowey did, you still forgive me!? I............I don’t understand!” I grip my head in pain and confusion. “I just can’t understand! I just can’t understand! I just can’t understand!” I collapse to the ground, gripping my head and eyes as tears go down my face from the pain. Bits of my fur and sweater start to change into yellow flower buds, and green roots wrap around my wrists.
“you don’t need to understand...............just accept it.”
“I-I-I can’t! Please, help me! I can’t stand this! I-It hurts so much!”
“kid, you’re losing yourself!”
I turn my head to him.
“you lost, smiley trash bag.”
He sighs, and puts a hand on me as more petals grow.
A stab of pain. Flowey kills Papyrus. I grip my head harder. Flowey fights Sans, RESETting multiple times.
Obsidian and the others run in, and stop when they see more vines grow on me.
Omega Flowey kills Frisk a million times, RESETting instantly. I feel a burning feeling in my chest. ”You IDIOT! In this world, it’s kill, or be killed!”
“Asriel. it’s not how you are the same.................it’s how you aren’t.”
Frisk hugs me. two of the vines break. Mom hugs me. more vines break. ”Don’t kill, and don’t be killed, alright? It’s the best you can strive for.”
“You............will never have any friends....................and will never be loved. I..............I pity you.” I pass out, everyone running towards me.
(Five hours later...........)
“When will he wake up?” Asks Barry. I’m on a stretcher, without a shirt, and several bruises on my chest.
“Soon. That was quite the shock to his system,” says the Architect.
“i just don’t get why it affected him so badly. SOULless beings can only feel three things;basic survival instinct, anger, and the satisfaction of winning....................yet he acted so scared.”
“Not exactly.” Everyone turns to Lightmare. “..........When he came to me, to apologize.............he told me he could feel something else. Fear.”
“He told me and Oliver the same thing,” says Barry as I quickly take in air.
I open my eyes, then quickly shut them in pain. “Ugh! Okay..............Any lasting damage?”
“If by ‘damage’ you mean side-effects, then yes. Under your sweater and pants, we found petals and vines that we couldn’t get rid of.”
“Sigh..............then I made a big mistake.” They all look at me in confusion. “When we first faced that evil Twilight, you all know how I started hearing Flowey in my head.............I was so scared. We worked together, sure..............but after I died, they tried desperately to make me start killing again. In my fear, I tried to distance myself from those memories. Eventually............it reached the point, that they became a separate entity, altogether.”
“i don’t completely get it kid.”
“Lightmare knows............” I struggle to get up. “For now.................I won’t risk it.”
“Don’t push yourself too hard.” She puts a hand on me. “That was very taxing on your body.”
“Sigh. Don’t worry.” I pull out a syringe from behind me, containing a red liquid. “One injection and I’ll be good to go.”
“What is that stuff anyway?” Asks Barry.
“The will to live on. The strength to continue. The resolve to change fate. Aside from the occasional boost in emergencies, I have to take this twice a day to keep my form stable.” I stick in my neck, and push down the plunger. My chest glitches, and melts for several seconds before condensing back into place, healed completely. “Anyway..................Sans, I’m sorry. Flowey might have a SOUL fragment, but they still have that twisted view..................they aimed all my anger, all the HATE................right at you. They tried to turn me into a weapon, to end you once and for all. What you all witnessed, was him trying to take control at the last minute.”
“kid, it’s okay. you weren’t yourself. besides, we’ve broke you out of that, didn’t we?”
I sigh, and turn to Barry. “Weren’t you at the hanger, waiting for the new president?”
“Yeah..........about that. We have bad news. The Dominators...............they came back here because of me.”
They all turn to him.
“What do you mean?” Asks Betty.
“The FBI.........they had a truce with the Dominators, until I changed things.”
“They must’ve been...............checking the planet for Metahuman threats. You creating Flashpoint clearly ticked them off then.”
He nods. “The Feds said that if I turn myself over to the Dominators, they’ll leave in peace.”
“...............your wondering if it’s a viable option.” I stand up, then grab my chest. “..............the Determination healed my body, so why do I still feel pain!?”
“I told you, that was very taxing on your body. Besides, we don’t know what he did inside of you.”
“............I’ll be fine.” I turn to Barry. “I believe it’s best if the whole team met up.”
(Two hours later.........)
We’re all back at the hanger. Turns out, the stunt with the Waverider didn’t work.
“This isn’t up for debate. It’s not even a close call. I mean..........Turn myself over to the Dominators, they leave the rest of the world alone. Simple.”
“No, it’s not simple.” I walk out to him. “Barry, it doesn’t matter what you’ve done. You can’t do this.”
“It’s been an honor to know all of you, to fight alongside of you. Now it’s up to you to keep our home safe.” He starts to walk away.
“Barry!” A wall of fire surrounds the exit. He turns to us. “I’m not letting you leave.”
“Neither am I,” says Oliver.
“No offense, Oliver, Asriel, but you and what army?”
We both stand in front of the entire group. “This one.”
“Listen, Red. I don’t like you. But when you got a crew, you don’t take a hit for the rest,” says Mick.
“Hehe! that was actually pretty inspiring,” says Sans.
“I mean, up until the point that Mick compared us to a bunch of criminals, but...........” says Ray.
“According to the Dominators, we might as well be,” says Jax.
“And maybe they’re right. Maybe we do more harm than good, but this is our chance to find out,” says Sara.
“We’re not letting you sacrifice yourself. There’s no way,” says Cisco, to my surprise. He walks up to Barry. “I don’t care if that’s what it means to be a hero. You’re not a hero to me. You’re my friend.”
I smile, and walk up to him. “You finally moved on, huh?”
“You were right.......about everything. When we went back in time, we tried making things right by helping a Dominator. But in doing so, we just made things worse................I shouldn’t have blamed him for wanting to see his family alive again.”
I nod, and turn to all of them. “I don’t care, if we aren’t from the same world. I don’t even give a crud that we aren’t the same species. What I care about, what we all care about, is doing the right thing.”
“agreed kid.”
“Never thought I would say these words again................never cruel nor cowardly. Never give up, never give in. Without hope, without risk, without reward.”
“I want to keep my friends safe. I’m in.”
“I’m with you, all the way,” says Ayo Kub.
“Same here,” says Lightmare.
“Yo. Guys.” We all look over at Felicity. “You know that ship that landed in Central City? It’s opening up.”
“Here we go,” I announce.
We all walk towards the screens. “Reading reports of ships opening all over the world.”
“Oh, frak.”
“Talk to me,” says the Architect, as he rushes to a computer.
“Something from the Dominators’ mothership just broke atmo, and, not to get too technical, but it’s really, really big and falling to Earth really, really fast.”
“It’s the meta-bomb,” I say as my eyes shrink.
“Why would the uglies drop ships on us if they’re just planning on blowing us up?” Says Mick.
“because the ships were a distraction to keep us from stopping the meta-bomb.”
“Too bad, ‘cause we’re gonna stop it,” says Kara. She turns to Barry. “We’re gonna stop it, right?”
“Let’s hope.”
“We have to keep the Dominators at bay,” says Oliver.
“But how? From what Barry told us, they have the numbers to keep us all busy.”
“and obsidian is busy comforting riolu.”
“This might help,” says Stein. He walks over and shows everyone a small disk. “I’ve mass-produced a small device that, when placed on individual Dominators, will cause indescribable agony. Not the nicest invention, but this is war. "
“Nice going,” I compliment.
“The caveat, of course, is that if we activate the weapons before all the devices are placed on the Dominators, they’ll know what we’re up to.”
“Well, we got to do it fast then.”
“Only way I know how.”
We’re all on a rooftop in the city, and see the large sphere of a bomb coming in.
“Whoa,” says Lightmare.
“Damn, that’s big. I didn’t think it was gonna be so big. What are we gonna do?” Asks Kara.
“You got me. I only know how to stab, punch, or skewer things,” says Sara.
“You guys........just keep them busy, I will buy us time. Sans, get Cisco and Sara on the Waverider, then come back,” I respond.
“What can you do, furball?” Says Mick as I spot Dominators coming this way.
“Hehehehe! Isn’t it obvious?” I shift forms in a flash of rainbow light, emerging in the God of Hyperdeath form, with one key difference. Flowing from my back are a pair of large, rainbow wings made of magic. “I am the God of HYPERDEATH!!!!!!!!!!!!”
I launch into the air as everyone faces the Dominators, and Sans warps Sara away.
“Let’s be careful..............But let’s get it done!” Shouts Lightmare, everyone running/flying in.
Barry started placing the devices on them as I flew towards the bomb.
“Let’s see how much I can handle!” I put my left hand to the side, and swing it back, igniting a rainbow flame in my left eye. I close my fist, causing a flame to surround my hand and the bomb, causing it to start slowing down.
“Sans, Urgh! now would be a good time to lend a hand!”
“how about a timeship?”
Right then, the Waverider appears in the air.
“This thing has to have a tractor beam, right?” Asks Cisco.
“Yep,” says Sara. A blue beam emits from the underbelly of the ship, slowing it down even further.
“It’s slowing down, but, like, barely.”
“Thank you, Cisco. I haven’t noticed. Strap in.”
“Even I can’t handle this for long! At this rate, it’ll touch down within seven minutes! Firestorm, if you’re done playing with your friends out there, we could really use your help!”
“I’m on it.”
Right then, my body glitches.
“Come on-on-on! Agh! hurry up-up Firestorm, I’m running-running-running-runniiiiiiiiiiiiing on fumes-fumes!” I clutch my chest with my right hand as my hold on the bomb starts to falter, putting more strain on the Waverider.
“Firestorm, we’re still holding it up,” says Sara as the metal starts to creak.
“But, like, barely.”
“Not helping, Cisco!”
I spot Jax flying up. “Firestorm, do it now!”
“Do what?!...........I was afraid you were gonna say that.” He lands, and places his hands on the bomb, sending yellow energy waves through it.
‘He’s transmuting the bomb. Clever.” I grab my chest again as my hold on the bomb completely fades away.
“Grey I can’t do it man, it’s too big!”
“Youuuuuuuu have to, or-or-or-or millions are gooooooooona-gonna die! Agh!”
“I can’t, I can’t do it!”
I reach out with my mind.
“Lightmare, Firestorm, listen to me. I have enough juice left to boost the transmutation, but I’ll be as good as dead! Get this done, you can do it! And Lightmare, you better come over here’s and save me!”
‘Asriel, no.......!”
I conjure all my energy straight into my hands, and blast it right into Jax. Before I fall, I hear Stein within Firestorm.
“He’s right, you must, Jefferson. I have a daughter. Her name is Lily, and she’s counting on you. She’s counting on both of us.”
I crash onto the streets below, my body glitching erratically.
“This can’t-can’t..........can’t be how I-I-I-I-I-I die...........”
“Asriel!” I turn my head to the left and see Lightmare running towards me. She stops and falls to her knees next to me. “Where’s your DT!?”
“The..........left, sweater-sweater-sweaterAgh!........”
“Just-Just hold still, okay? I got you,” she says panickingly as she pulls the syringe out of my pocket. “Come on...........” she shakily sticks it in my neck, and presses down the plunger. I pass out from the pain of it all.
“No no no no!” She pulls me over. “Wake up! Please!” She holds me in her arms. “Please...........don’t leave me. I.................I love you!”
As the Determination works it’s way through my system, the glitching slowly stops. I slowly open my eyes half way.
“Thank...........thank you......”
Right then, we get splashed by several tons of water from above.
“Cold! What in Tartarus was that!?” She shouts as she holds herself, the water spreads into the streets, and I slowly get up.
“I think..............that was us, winning.”
“you’re right kid.”
“They’re retreating. It’s not just them, it’s all around the world.”
“They did it.”
“We did it!” She puts her hands in the air, right as I give her a kiss on the cheek, causing her to blush as I smile.
(Seven hours later..........)
We’re all back in the hanger, watching the new president congratulate everyone.
“Many responsibilities have fallen to me since the president’s passing at the beginning of this crisis. Sobering, sad responsibilities. This is not one of them. Today, it is my distinct honor to bestow upon you a small acknowledgement of the great debt that the world owes to you all. Although your brave efforts must remain a secret.................Know that, meta-human or not, masked or not, each and every one of you is a hero.”
I stand up, and walk towards the stage to everyone’s confusion.
“Forgive me, Mrs. President.........but I have something I would like to say.”
“.........sure, sure, Mr?.......”
“Asriel.” I jump up onto the stage, and walk up to the microphone.
“Sigh................When I first came to this world, I was just starting out. Didn’t fully know my place in all of this, of the power I wielded. But overtime, I bonded with team Flash. I convinced Barry to fix things, helped him, and in return he helped me. Even let me stay when........something evil, had found its way into my SOUL. It was here I found myself. And I will always defend it, my friends, and their worlds. Even now...............with my SOUL gone, I haven’t lost sight of that.” They all gape save Oliver, Barry, and the others. “I will never stop defending everyone and their homes. And neither will the heroes here. Many here have dealt with their own losses, some have even lost family. But that has never stopped them. And that will never stop me, from doing the same. What some people don’t understand is that..............love can get you through the darkest of days. And if any new threats come to take away what we care about, I say to them................you’ll have to stand through us!”
I put a fist in the air as everyone applauses, and I get off the stage to walk back.
“good speech kid. your parents will be proud to hear you said that.”
“Thanks.”
“Now, care to tell us why you didn’t say your SOUL was gone!?” asks Ayo Kub. We were celebrating, but they all started grilling me for not saying I’m SOULless until now.
“We had other things to worry about. Besides, if you wanna beef on anyone, beef on Celestia.” They all tilt their heads, And I rub my face. “Sigh...............She is so distrusting, you have no idea. She accused my mom of being a tyrant, for god sake. I............I eventually, realized........that I was too casual with my essokinesis, hence why I sealed it off, but it was too late. She thought I was a threat from her past............one that we’re facing right now.”
“Infinite.” They all turn to her. “She thought you were Infinite.”
I nod. “Up until the end. So..........when Discord, a..........creature, capable of warping reality using magic, escaped and teamed up with three others, and flipped Frisks personality around................I knew I would need Celestia’s help. But I knew she would never willingly work with me, not after.............everything. So, when our friend, the Author, told me the morpher was ready...............I was willing to finish what I started.”
“What exactly does this ‘morpher’ do?” Asks Stein.
“He created it as an alternative to the HATE, due to how corruptive, and risky it is to use. It allows the user to become legendary villains, from throughout the many worlds. Basically, I could use it to become Damien Darhk,” Oliver turns. “Zoom,” Caitlin backs up. “Or even Vandal Savage.”
Sara shifts closer to me. “So you’re saying that.............you used the morpher to become a villain?”
“Not just any villain. You see, Infinite is more than his name. He uses it as an alias, because he has the same morpher...................uses the form of a certain Mobian as a booster rocket, and to instill fear into his opponents.”
“You used that form he took, didn’t you?” Asks the Architect.
Eventually, I nod. “I pretended to be Infinite, to make Celestia work with me, and to make sure I could beat Frisk. She’s done a Genocide run before, it wasn’t pretty. She was..........LV 19, before she RESET. Celestia guarded everyone, while Sans and I fought Frisk. But before we could finish the fight................Celestia stabbed me in the back.”
“Well................why didn’t you RESET? Clearly you have Determination,” asks Ray.
“Because then, I didn’t have enough to refuse, let alone LOAD before my death. I only refused it when we first fought Infinite because I had gotten an injection weeks before, due to falling down. Frisk has the power to RESET there, not me.”
“So................what did you do?” Asks Cisco.
“Couldn’t move, couldn’t heal, couldn’t RESET or LOAD. So..................I used the last of my power, to do something else. I gave all three races a gift. Restored the Six Human Children, resurrected Applejacks parents from the dead.................and did the same to Celestia’s and Luna’s mother. Since she killed me, I balanced it out with breaking a spell of hers.”
“here’s the kicker though.” They all look at Sans. “he knew. he knew it was coming.”
Caitlin quickly turns to me. “That’s why you reacted that way when I showed Cisco that I had cold powers!”
“And why you told her that you ‘had to look behind you in fear of your own death’,” says Barry.
I nod. “I have a similar ability to Cisco’s, remember? Those 50 years in that other Equestria simply gave me the insight to try using it the way Cisco does.”
“But still...............How’d you survive your death, if you couldn’t RESET?” asks Cisco.
“Before I started to turn to dust, I was able to SAVE something else. Frisk. She broke, the FIGHT button, then accepted my MERCY. Before that, Chara had forced a RESET in the Underground. After Frisk and I left she did it, to bring back the Barrier.”
The Architect moves forward. “He still had Determination. Just...............not enough to do a proper RESET. The broken FIGHT button.............combined with the RESET function.............and his remaining Determination.”
I nod, and look down. “It resulted in a glitching, flashing, broken RESET button. I thought that I could just accept my fate, and finally pass on....................but I was wrong. Now, i’m in the same circumstance as I was before. It repaired my body, but not my SOULs. Now, all that’s left of them is their raw power, and Determination. Now, i’m as close one will ever get to a ‘good Flowey’. Now, I can’t feel again.”
“Didn’t you say you could feel anger, fear, satisfaction, and basic survival instinct?” Asks Oliver.
“When I say I can’t feel, I mean I can’t feel the good things. Love, compassion, mercy, forgiveness.................they’re just foreign concepts to me. Only two people have ever made me care for them. Lightmare, and Frisk. Besides, all SOULless beings can feel that.”
“So because of Celestia, you're back to square one,” says Cisco.
I nod as I stand back up. “And I meant what I said earlier. I’ll never stop defending the worlds. Not when so many others want to hurt others.”
“I just have one quick question,” says Caitlin. I nod at her to answer. “What was the syringe everyone was talking about?”
“the kids form isn’t completely stable cait. all that’s keeping him like this is determination. the will to live.”
“Exactly, thanks Sans. Those syringes are filled with the raw stuff. In order to keep my form stable, I have to take those injections twice a day, aside from the occasional booster from expending my energy. If I use too much magical power at once, my form will start to badly glitch. Eventually................”
“You’ll die. That’s what nearly happened today. If I hadn’t injected you in time............” Lightmare starts to tear up.
“Hey. The important thing is you succeeded.” I walk up to her and wipe away her tears. “We can talk about this later, okay? For now, let’s celebrate our victory.”
She sighs, and nods.
I turn to the others. “That was the past. Now, we won the day.”
I pull out a locket from my left pocket, and open it up, revealing a photo of everyone.................except me.
“I’ll find a way to fix this...............whatever it takes.” I snap it shut as Sara comes this way.
“I’ve been thinking. If you can Vibe.........you can see the future.”
“I’m not sure I like where this is going.”
“Just please, hear me out. My team has been dealing with aberrations, but we’ve also been dealing with a time traveler. A speedster.”
My pupils shrink as I try to walk away, but she grabs me. “I can’t tell you, ya know.”
“Why not?”
“Because, even I know not to interfere with time. You want to know what’s gonna happen. That’s a big no-no in my book.”
“At least tell me who the speedster is.”
I pull my arm out of her grasp, and facepalm. “Sigh.................Eobard Thawne.”
“What?”
“The Reverse Flash. An evil speedster from the future, that was erased from history, the day the skies parted over Central City.”
“He’s a time aberration?”
“He was erased from the timeline when his progenitor, Eddie Thawne committed suicide in order to stop him.”
“That explains why we don’t have a file on him. How’d he survive?”
“Originally the Speed Force preserved his timeline in order to keep the main one intact, protected him like a bomb shelter. Now, he’s alive because Barry pulled him from the timeline, to save his mom. Kept him captive for months in a meta-cell like the ones Zoom made.................we had to let him go in order to fix things.”
“And now he’s free to do as he pleases.”
“Not exactly.” She looks at me. “The Speed Force wouldn’t just let him live, not when he’s seperate from the timeline. They probably sent one of their enforcers, and............he’s been running ever since, so he doesn’t get erased.”
“.............And I assume I can’t tell the team?”
I shake my head, and pull out a small orb from behind me. “This is a timed hologram. When the time comes to tell the team, it’ll show what he’s running from. Just keep an eye on it.”
She takes it. “Thanks for the info.”
“Don’t thank me yet, it has a microphone. Tell them, and I’ll LOAD back to before this conversation. The injections give me enough Determination to use that trick outside of my world.”
“Noted. But..........really. Thanks. And it was nice meeting you.”
I nod as she heads off, and Lightmare approaches me.
“I............assume you heard me?”
“Barely. You injected the DT at the right time. One more second, and I would’ve started to fade away.”
“How did you though?”
I point at my ears, and waggle them. “These aren’t just for show. I can hear so many things. The wind blowing outside, everyone talking over there, the music............even your heartbeat.”
“I...........guess I got a break then?”
“Kinda. Don’t get me wrong, your heartbeat sounds..............nice.”
She smiles as she blushes. “Thanks. You...........really meant what you said five days ago, didn’t you?”
“It’s quite rare to make a SOULless being feel emotions like that. Even rarer for such a strong emotion as............love.” She gapes at me. “I’ll admit, I did feel a sort of...................platonic, caring for Frisk. I think I might even have a word for the mystery emotion I felt in Equestria. But you.................you actually managed to make me feel love. Even if it was for a few seconds.”
“That explains the kisses then. What..................is the word then?”
“......................home. Despite what’s happened, it’s become my home. That’s the true difference between me, Flowey, and Infinite. I’ll never stop defending my home. Flowey was too busy with the apathy to notice, and Infinite wants to destroy it...............for whatever reason.”
She takes a deep breath, and takes my hand. “Look................I might not understand what you’re going through, and you might never understand mine.................but I want to try. Let’s just..............see how things work out, okay?”
“How could it, when I can’t return your feelings?”
She starts to tear up. “Just...............consider my opinion. Let me help you through all this. The truth is.............I made my choice a long time ago, that I was never gonna leave my friends. And I ended up leaving them. So at least..............let me make it up to myself by doing this, okay?
I look between her, and the others, partying without knowing what she’s dealing with. I sigh, and hug her. “Okay.”
I look at the others. “You know what I think everyone would like? Your singing.”
“You...........really think so?”
“I don’t remember you ever singing something.............soothing. I think another world should know your voice.” I let go of her, and snap. In my hands appears a purple microphone. “It’s your choice.”
She looks between me and it, then smiles and takes it. “I think I know just the song..............something I dreamt a long time ago.”
She walks towards the others as I follow her. She stands in front of them all.
“Okay Lightmare...............you got this.” She takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, and starts to sing.
(TheFatRats Monody, sung by Laura Brehm.)
“Summer, in, the hills,
Those ha-zy days I do remember!
We were running, still,
Had the whole world at our feet!” They all turn towards her.
“Watching seasons change,
Our roads were lined, with adventure!
Moun-tains in the, wa-a-ay!
Couldn’t keep us from the sea!
Here we stand, o-pen arms!
This is home, where we are,
Ever strong, in the world, that we ma-a-a-ade!
I still hear, you in the breeze!
See your sha-dows in the trees!
Holding on, mem-or-ies, ne-ver change!”
She opens her eyes to everyone clapping in applause, and smiles.
“She’s quite impressive, don’t you think?”
“It doesn’t matter. We’ll soon have our revenge. Whatever it takes.”
“You’re not the slightest worried he’ll find out who you are? He has the same powers as Cisco!”
“He can only Vibe the past, and his friends future. His death and the Hearthswarming premonition were from the false Author. Besides, you’re not worried about the Flash.”
“You have a point. How is your precious project going?”
“Slowly. The Cybermen are primitive...............yet serve their purpose. I’ll keep my word as long as they follow orders, and work with any organics we partner with.”
“They’ll never win.”
“First they’ll know fear, then pain..............well, then at least the pain will end.”
“And there is nothing they can do to stop us!”
“How much longer............until it is time?”
“Not much longer my dear. Soon, the group will return because of the wedding..........albeit with three additions.”
“And..................Lightmare?”
“Sigh...............she was pulled from her timeline during the dragon migration. She never dealt with the changelings.”
“So............she still doesn’t know what she is.”
“Eventually she’ll find out. It’s only in the Crystal Empire that she accepts her fate.”
“What about Infinite?”
“Still trapped in Tamriel. That curse only allows him to stay in the same world as Asriel, for an hour or two at a time. They lied in the first encounter, they kept breaching between here, and whatever world they call HQ.”
“What about Savitar?”
“Still trapped as well. Now please, rest and gather energy. If this is gonna work, you need to be as corporeal as possible.”
“Sigh............fine. This better work Author.”
“It’s all we can do until I find a suitable vessel for the lingering magic. Like I said after they left..............we need to be ready for the coming storm.”