Okay, how do I contact the Electronians? There has to be something…
I sat in my room back here at Alex's mansion thinking how to get this over.
“Well…I could ask my hacker friend…” I muttered. “Then…maybe he could help make it a three way call?” I hummed, trying to think of how to do this.
Ten years… ten years without dying or losing anyone…
It was ten years I had to stay alive… but like hell I'm letting the others all die…
“Ugh…this sucks…” I muttered, hopping off my bed and heading to the computer room to see if I can contact him.
The computer in question didn't seem to have been hacked by Coder yet…great… huh. This is Alex's dad's office… I know he had a lot of money… but what did he ever do anyway?
“Well…lets figure some of that out…” I hummed, starting to look through his computer.
I typed away, looking through files finding this computer was pretty empty. Come on, there has to have been something…
“Jeez, it can’t be this empty…” I frowned, trying to find any weird hidden files or even weird links that were saved on his browser cause who knows.
I ended up finding little, and what was there was password protected.
With a huff I figured I'd wait til Coder hacked the PC so I could talk to them.
"Wish I knew more about computers…" I sighed, crossing my arms as I tried to think about how to do this.
While I waited for Coder, I checked the desk again. Past few times I saw little of it all or ignored it. Aside from the usual, pens, papers and such I wasn't finding mu-
The computer suddenly began to glitch out. Great, Coder must be hacking it now.
"Okay, cool…hopefully he can help me here with the Electronics…"
After a minute or so the text box that always appears appeared.
'Hello?' The word came up as the lights from the monitor built in camera began flashing.
"Hi there." I said to Coder. "Who are you?" I asked, feigning ignorance at this meeting.
I went through the usual song and dance, used to it by now and eventually managed to get Coder to hack the password protected files.
They were mostly contracts for pharmaceuticals and food production plants. So that's what Alex's dad does. Or did.
I managed to lead Coder into telling me about the aliens and asked if he was able to contact the Electronians.
'Probably, just gonna take some time.' Coser replied.
"Alright,thank you." I nodded. "Oh, uh…has there been anything about Ventrals as of late?"
'Nothing I've seen.'
"Right…" I said carefully. "Alright, thank you, but how long do you think it'll take to get into contact with the Electronics?"
'Few days to a week.'
"Works for me." I nodded. "Hopefully they'll be friendly enough to help us out here."
With that done I went back to check on the others.
I found Jenny cleaning a shotgun in her room.
"Hey Jenny." I said. "How you doing?"
"Hey Kira." Jenny said, looking up at me. "I'm fine. Just keeping this thing clean and working."
"That's good." I nodded. "So, I got in contact with someone."
"Who? Also how?"
"His nickname is Coder, and he contacted me through Alex's dad's computer."
"Oh, so he's a hacker. I guess that's a useful skill to have for finding people."
"Yep, and he said he'll get in contact with people willing to help us." I said happily.
"Thank god."
"Yep, and from what he said, he'll get in contact in around a week."
"That's good at least."
The week went by uneventfully, and then the ship came, we packed and were quickly evacuated to off planet to Electron.
I then found myself back in that classroom with Lord. He gave a sarcastic clap. "Congratulations, you unlocked the boring ending." He said.
"Boody fucking hoo." I growled. "So what now?"
"Now, well you didn't learn what you were supposed to do now," Lord snapped his fingers, my power restricting bracelet coming off suddenly. "Now it's time for a more blunt approach."
"And what the fuck was I supposed to learn? How to live without powers? How shit can go wrong with one simple decision? The fuck you want?"
"To accept loss." Lord said. "You first lost Alex, and rather than run when told, you let the vines grab you while lost in rage and sadness. When you saved him the second time, you saw what happened to Zeke. You didn't run. You didn't leave them behind."
"Why in god's name would I abandon my family?"
"To learn pain. To know ache and agony. To be forced to rebuild yourself after you're broken. You want to save people, well power doesn't come without a cost and you are pathetically broke in the currency of misery."
"What sort of demented torture porn are you watching?" I asked incredulously.
"Really? Torture Porn? That's what you came up with?"
"Than a bad guy’s origin story, what do you want?” I asked. “Seriously, how insanely lucky do you need to be that whatever ‘training’ you have in mind not bite you in the ass?”
"When it tries I bitch slap them back to reality." Lord shrugged.
“So stupidly lucky it never came back to bite you.” I said, slowly growing more spiteful against this asshole that seems to not understand things. “Power of Friendship and Love asshole, that’s where the real power is, not pain and suffering, that’s how we got Nexus.”
"Yeah, cause Crow is really feeling the love from you all. He felt it so much he basically dropped you all to found his own kingdom in the realm of darkness."
“So who gives a shit? Just double down on bad decisions and expect this double negative to magically turn into a positive.” I rolled my eyes.
"What? You think he did that to spite you all or something? Please. He is moving on. In short, he's done with you and your family. He's been making his own path for a while now."
“Thank you, it’s not like I had that revelation thrown at me a week or two ago, it’s not like I’m still suffering from that fact, but no, as I said again, double down on bad decisions, I’m sure it’ll all work out in the end.”
"So what, you don't think he can be anything other than a screw up?"
“Stop shoving words in my mouth asshole!” I snapped. “My point was that ‘pain and suffering to gain power’ is a bad idea, but then you mention Crow and I said why not double down on bad decisions?” I asked, getting more and more aggravated by this bastard.
"I could also mention your past lives, the lives it cost trusting your so called master over one another, and oh yeah, the fact you blame Heart for losing Daybreak Empire when you weren't even there to defend it when it was In need. I could go on but then we'd be here all day."
“I’m not in the mood for any of this.” I frowned, so outrageously done with this asshole. “Also, who’s Heart?”
"Oh, right, you also weren't there for that. I mean Zeke, they go by Heart now cause time travel nonsense and time breaking it's a whole mess." Lord shrugged.
“Wha?” I asked, now outrageously confused. “The fuck happened while we were busy with our own lives!?”
"Oh, the usual. Trauma, rage, bullfuckary and prep work for the war to end all wars that will determine if everyone in all of existence gets to live or die all because an old as Fuck entity was board and decided to see if we could manage."
I blinked. “Wha?”
"Would you like me to repeat that slower or should I not bother since clearly you aren't processing cataclysmic reality ending threats well?"
“How has no one killed you yet?” I asked, snapping back from the fact that reality is ending with his snarky bullshit.
"Oh people have tried but even the ones who made me into this couldn't kill me so… if I'm stuck here then it's everyone else's problem. Just be glad I'm on your side and not the other guys cause then you'd really be fucked."
I rubbed my temples. “Whatever…this is getting us nowhere, and your ‘blunt’ approach isn’t going to help at all…”
"I haven't started my blunt approach yet you've just been arguing with me."
“I was expecting you to be a bitch and just throw me into your ‘blunt’ approach mid argument.” I pointed out.
"Well, if you insist but my blunt approach isn't what you're thinking." Lord said, snapping his fingers.
I suddenly found myself in an empty buffet restaurant. Food piled high among the service tables… and across from me, was Crow.
"Seriously…" Crow huffed, rubbing his eyes. "First Dan now this…"
“Oh Lord can suck my whole ass…” I groaned. “Hi Crow…how’s it going?”
"...Did you just swear? I guess hell froze over." He sighed. "I was planning expansion for the kingdom. Found a good mining spot but now I'm here in… this…" Crow looked around. "Holy…"
I decided to look around before I started to rant about the crap I’ve been put through just before this, wondering what Crow was on about.
Crow actually stood up, looking around and just looking at the whole building. "It… can't be…" He said, rushing over to a corner book in the back. I got up, walking over there and saw an old booth table and chairs drawn on in pen, marker, crayon and even a bit of paint. "How…?"
“What is this place?” I inquired.
"This… was the booth I used to sit in all the time…" Crow said, sliding into it and placing his hands on the table gently. "This… was my parents restaurant…"
I was surprised. I knew… nothing, nothing about Crow's life before the orphanage.
“This…is the first time I’m hearing about this…” I said, gently sliding on the opposite side. “I never asked cause I didn’t want to bring up any bad memories…but…what was your life before the orphanage?”
"... I don't remember much. I don't even remember my parents voices… their faces… I was three when they… but, I remember this place. I was here all the time. Sitting here just making a mess of the booth and my folks would check in on me, bring me a drink or some food fresh from the kitchen… I remember… Dad worked in the kitchen, him and some others, and mom worked the register but also did the office stuff…"
“Oh…well…I can see the mess part…” I said, just imagining a tiny Crow playing with crayons and paint on this specific booth and mentally found it adorable. “But…I can imagine your parents made some great food.”
"It was great." Crow said, smiling. "They did a healthy mix. American Southern, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese. They'd rotate menus out weekly. Kept customers coming and they were always interviewing and testing out new chiefs and recipes…" Crow sighed, taking a deep breath. "Their success… caught the anger of rival businesses… One day, some men ran in, rifles in hand and… shot up the place. Only my parents were killed."
“That’s…that’s horrible.” I said in horror.
Crow nodded, taking another deep breath. "I was put in the system immediately. One day, while I was being moved to another foster home I ended up being neighbor to some Ventrals, they were squatting in the empty house and one day I snuck food over to them. Figured they were hungry. Foster folks didn't like that but the Ventrals asked if I wanted anything in return. I just said 'my parents.'." Crow said. "Two weeks later a letter came for me. No return address or anything just said 'They can rest now'. Some years later I learned five well known hit men were slaughtered four days after I helped those Ventrals out. That's why I always liked and idolized them… they avenged my parents deaths… for a kid who just gave them some bread and cheap bologna." Crow chuckled.
“I…guess that’s why…” I sighed, remembering Crow did work for Ventrals and now seeing why he would work with them more even if it was to help us. “Dumb question…but why didn’t they adopt you or something? Seems like they cared more about you than us…”
"Would you?" Crow asked me. "A kid, traumatized, barely clinging to the memories of their parents. Would you bring them into a world of danger like that?"
“I did say it was a dumb question, but no…I wouldn’t do that.” I shook my head.
Crow exhaled. "I have missed you, you know." Crow said. "It's why I never told you all when I was working for them and why. I knew you'd talk me out of it…"
“Now would that be before or after you told us the truth?” I asked. “Cause before? Probably yes…after? No…you were risking so much just so we could be a family…”
"Even if I did tell you all the truth, we both know Lan wouldn't have it…. After all, the Ventrals are the reason you two went to the Orphanage after all. You might have been too young to remember… but Lan remembered it all…"
“And Lan would have trusted me, I was…too innocent back then…I did argue with Lan back then a few times about it…it felt more like he was abandoning you, and the Ventrals were just some giant excuse everyone made constantly…but no…I’m little Kira…who cares what I had to say or why I cried for days about it…”
"Hey now," Crow said, ruffling Kiara's hair. Something she hasn't felt him do in… a long time. "Don't go hating your brother now. He might be a bit arrogant and an ass at times but he's still your family."
“I mean…yeah, he can be a bit arrogant and an ass.” She nodded. “He tries…but sometimes he needs to know when to stop…” I gently grabbed his hand still on my head. “I missed you Crow…I missed you so much…” I teared up, feeling my heart ache and crack at just how much I’ve missed my older brother and how…how I might never see him again.
"Hey, suck up the water works pipsqueak." Crow said, ruffling my hair into a mess before pulling his hand away. "No offense but someone has to be the backbone of your family, and frankly you're the only one there who can handle that job." He chuckled. "Besides, like I told Dan, if you guys want a part of me with you, should probably go find my escaped Light Half."
“I’d rather have the Whole you…that’s what our adventure started as anyways…” I sighed. “But…mind if I rant a little about how unfair a ‘training session’ I had was?” I asked. “Cause it does involve you and everyone else…”
"I suppose. Not sure how long we're stuck here. Before we do though, let's grab some of the food."
“Yes please, cause it involves me dying twice and getting the ‘boring ending’ from what my ‘teacher’ said.”
I quickly grabbed a few plates with Crow and we returned to the booth where I proceeded to eat and vent about Lord and his bullshit teaching methods.
It was honestly the happiest I've been in a long time.
Eventually I finished my stories and my ranting and venting about that whole shit show.
"Yeesh. Some really weird Twilight Zone stuff he put you through." Crow said.
“Yes, and he claims that me saving everyone is the ‘boring’ ending, I did what I wanted, which was saving my family and getting your legs fixed…and I still didn’t get an Electronian boyfriend…” I pouted. “I’m sorry, but giant ferret people are so adorable…”
"Huh….never took you for a furry. Figured that was more Alex's thing."
“I mean, yes.” I admitted. “You in that world also questioned me about being into them but…I mean, come on, anthro ferrets, they looked adorable and…yeah.” I said sheepishly.
"I imagine Lan is gonna have a heart attack the day you do have a boyfriend." Crow laughed. "Wish I could see it."
“I mean…you always can…” I said softly. “You’re…You’re still Crow…you’re still my big brother, I don’t care if you’re his Dark half or if I have to give Featherweight a piece of my mind…” I grumbled.
"Thanks but… I have people that need me back in the realm of Darkness. Everyone always thinks it's some inhospitable place but that's not all there is to it. It feels like the bigger the kingdom gets the more… at ease, the realm feels."
“I don’t know, I’ve been there a few times…not friendly.” I said carefully. “Especially the first time when we tried to invade one of Core’s bases to find your light half…oh god I feel old just saying that.”
Crow chuckled. "I guess you have to be Darkness affiliated or like me or the half-Darks to get it."
“Half-Darks? That…doesn’t sound right, like, not saying that they don’t exist just…well…” I trailed off, not entirely sure how to say it.
"It was that or constantly say half heartless/half unversed. It was less of a mouthful and they picked it, not me."
“Yeah, that sounds about right.” I shook my head. “But Dan’s gonna kill Zephyr ya know that? Like…wow, was he actually the biggest dickbag imaginable.”
"Oh trust me… I know. Much as I hate the scuzzball, at least I take solace in the fact his new girlfriend has him on a leash so tight he can't so much as breathe without her knowing how long each breath was."
“I don’t think that’ll stop Dan and how absolutely livid he is with him.” I said nervously. “But good to know he’s got more of a handler than a girlfriend.”
"More like an owner." Crow said. "She's bat shit crazy but hey, he got what he deserved."
“I feel like Dan would have a wonderful time with the lady if it means making that bastard suffer.” I frowned, cause ever since I heard what Zephyr actually did…oh boy was I pissed.
"Doubt Dan would be into a Centaur lady with the head of a Neoshadow and a vore fetish."
I nearly choked on my food.
“Uh…okay that’s…that’s something…” I pounding my chest and coughing a bit. “I mean…Dan is finally opening up with Dash that’s for sure…”
"And now you know how she keeps Zephyr on a tight leash and miserable. Every night for the guy is a wonder if he gets let out in the morning or becomes breakfast."
“Right, good to know…” I said weakly. “Ugh…okay…now to hopefully get that out of my mind…”
"Good luck." Crow sighed. "I do mean it though. You guys should look for my light half, the idiot ran off in the realm of darkness and I have no idea where they went."
“We have been.” I frowned. “We’ve been searching for the both of you for a long time, but we also have our Union’s and School work and whatever love lives we have…we’re trying our best…” I said sadly.
"Don't search for me, search for the other one. I found my place. He needs a home now, not me."
“And that only hurts more…” I said weakly, as the entire point of this adventure just felt like it was pointless now…that we’re never getting our Crow back, only some…version of him…”I’m sorry we failed you Crow…”
"... You know, were it anyone else, I wouldn't want to hear it. But… heh, damn it Kira, you're just too cute to stay mad at." Crow laughed. "Don't be all that sad. You and the others just need to find where you belong, do what you feel you were meant to do."
“I wanted to save you damn it!” I snapped, tearing up finally. “We wanted to save you! To right wrongs and be a family again! But no…even in that stupid world that Lord made…we had you, whole, alive…I…I was so happy to see you whole…even if you were losing both legs, it meant that we didn’t lose you truly…but no…” I slumped down in my seat. “Just…I want my family whole again…not fractured still…not one of my family split in half and going ‘well, at least you have a part of me’...but that’s never going to happen…” I shook my head weakly. “All because I just sat around and didn’t do anything…”
Crow sighed, taking a deep breath before moving and sitting next to Kira. "We can't change the past, and I'm too far to be reunited with my light half. We're both individual people… but that doesn't mean we both aren't still the same Crow you remember. I mean, sure L is a bit of a timid pushover but we have all the same memories. We are both still Crow… just not how we used to be."
“I…I know…” I sniffled. “But…I mean, Time exploded so technically…” I tried to joke, but Crow gave me a look of absolute confusion at that. “So apparently, while we were all busy with our lives…uh…Existence is at stake in a massive war?”
"Oh yeah, I heard about that from the Connection Empire." Crow said. "That would be what you're all part of, run by Cript and all them."
“What?” I asked in confusion now. “Seriously, how far behind are we?” I asked incredulously. “When the hell did this ‘Connection Empire’ happen?”
"Oh that's been a thing but that's besides the point." Crow shrugged. "Point is, even if time is as you said, exploded, that just means any Crow from the past, belongs to the past versions of you guys. In a way it's not the Crow you want… just, promise me something alright?"
“What’s the promise?”
"When you find L, my light half, make sure the others all take care of him right, alright?"
"Alright…I'll make sure he's taken care of…" I said, leaning over and hugging him. "I miss you big bro…"
"When this is all said and done with l, visit me in the realm of darkness. I plan on opening the kingdom up to some tourism once everything settles down."
"Hopefully it all settles down…" I sighed
"It will. It will probably just take a long time."