Sue

 

…

 

The sun rises and greets me another morning yet. It doesn’t quite feel like I’m rising to return its greeting, but…that’s just how things have been lately.

I’ve been trying to get cozy in this timeline. And I am definitely cozy, but it’s hard to completely shake this feeling that I still don’t really belong here. I know, I know I do, but…

Well, here I am. Sitting in this little home, making myself breakfast and pouring a glass of juice, in my pajamas, waiting for the heroes of this story to return home. I feel useless, but…that’s just how things turn out, right? This is as close to normal as it gets for an outsider like me. Even Zee was able to fit into this story, but I continue to struggle to find any sort of meaning to being here. Maybe I’m just tagging along for the ride so he can do his business.

Dammit, stop thinking like that. I need to focus. If only Zee could hear me and snap me out of this, but he’s been so busy elsewhere that it’s hard for us to hear each other. It’s been hard to hear much at all, being stuck here all alone. Oh, what am I doing…maybe I’ll just get back to drawing or watching stuff, like–

Knock knock…!

…A visitor? Surely everybody knows everybody is out and about. Why would someone be here…?

…Well, no point in not answering when I’ve got nothing better to do. Standing up from my chair, I walk over and open the door to find…

“...Jasper?”

There she is, the big soft wolf woman herself, grinning sheepishly at me with a basket hooked around her arm, tail gently swishing back and forth under her long skirt.

“Good morning, uhh…shoot, it’s Sue, right? Sorry, I’m so used to being greeted by Zee…!”

“Ah, yeah, Sue,” I confirm, blinking down at the lady. “It’s not a problem, I’m used to having less of a presence than him.”

“Oh, no, no no no, sorry! I didn’t mean to imply anything like that, I promise!” the wolf insists, bowing apologetically. “Quite the contrary, you have a completely different aura than Zee does!”

Aha. That brings a bit of a smile to my face. I’ve always had a bit of a complex about Zee having more…personality than me, and I’ve mostly gotten over it, but it’s still nice to be affirmed in this way.

“Thank you. So, what brings you out here?”

“Ah, well, I saw you walking around town yesterday and…well, I kind of have a sense for these things, when something is off, on top of just finding it weird you weren’t with your friends!”

Hmm.

“So, I, uhh, thought I’d come visit. I haven’t gotten the chance to meet you, a-and I consider Zee a friend, even if we never talked much, they were always very nice to me.”

That’s Zee for you, just an all around positive presence to have around.

“Well, uhm…thank you. Come on in.”

She bows once again as I step aside, daintily making her way in and placing the basket on the table, pulling the cover off to reveal fresh bread, fruits, and veggies.

“...That smells like the Rosestein’s stuff.”

“Wow, good nose! Yeah, we keep in good contact, since we both came from Railsent and all. Didja hear what happened over there, by the way?”

I nod, taking a seat and a bun to munch on.

“Felt it. Zee was there, he kept me posted after the fact, but you can definitely feel when your other half duets without you. It’s an odd feeling.”

“O-oh, I’m so sorry…”

Gulping down a bite of the bread, I shake my head at the wolf.

“It’s…it’s fine. I’m used to being disconnected from things by now.”

She tilts her head, you know, like a dog.

“Disconnected? How so?”

And there she goes digging, like a dog. Finding bones under the dirt, like a dog. I probably shouldn’t vent to her, but…man. Man, this sucks.

“Like…like I’m not connected to everything that’s going on, I guess,” I try to explain, slouching over the table before slowly falling and resting our head in our arms. “So many big things are going on, world changing events, incredibly emotional stories…! And all I’m doing is sitting here while all my friends do all the actual work…”

Jasper frowns, almost looking like she’s pouting.

“Is that all so bad? After it’s all done, they’ll be back, and you’ll have a whole life afterwards to do stuff with them, maybe find even greater adventures!”

Our eyes can’t seem to find their way back to Jasper’s, half lidded as if about to close up on her.

“Or maybe they’ll all move on without me. We came here for one purpose, and I haven’t been able to find another before or since that one got resolved. Everyone seems so capable of moving on without me anyways, even my other half.”

“Oh, Sue, don’t say that…” the dog whines, pushing the basket closer to me. “They love you, don’t they? Isn’t that enough? You’re one big happy polycule from what I can tell!”

Silence for a moment, unable to move past the single numbing thought buzzing around our brain.

“If I’m the only one that’s not happy, maybe I don’t belong in it.”

More ringing silence. Well, that’s probably the tinnitus, but it only punctuates the all consuming glib atmosphere.

“Well…what makes you happy?” Jasper asks, her query dinging in our head. “A-and I mean, like, what makes you happy, something that’s yours to enjoy.”

Something I enjoy…?

“I guess…designing things. Building them too, but that’s more Zee’s thing than anything. Other half and what not.”

My gaze travels as far as my thoughts, and I finally take up Jasper’s shove of the basket, reaching in and grabbing an apple to chomp on.

“Oh, same!” Jasper delightfully barks. “Though, that’s more recipes and whatnot, i-it’s a bit different than making machines, I’d imagine.”

Heh. It’s nice to find a chuckle being forced out of me, shaking my head and sitting up.

“Honestly I think you copy and paste a few principles from either and make it work. Every ingredient and part needs to be accounted for, both in how they’ll interact with everything else, and by their own…merits…”

…Huh. Oh. Oh, dammit…this dope has the cutest little smile on her face as her tail wags wildly and happily.

“Did…did you plan all of that…?”

“A-actually, no, not at all! Just a happy accident, huh?” the wolf grins sheepishly. “Not everything needs some grand plan, heavens knows I’ve never had or been part of one, and I think I’ve turned out pretty alright.”

Jasper, sitting pretty and politely, looks out the window wistfully.

“I think it’s okay to live your own life and let people do as they will with that. I never much fit in with others, but I kept on cooking, and eventually people wanted that to be a part of their lives. I kind of did it to make others happy, but more importantly, it made me happy.”

Suddenly I feel myself wishing I had been more active throughout these loops, if only to maybe get to know Jasper better. I mean, we’ve got a whole lifetime to make up for that, don’t we? A lot more than a lifetime if I can help it!

Zee…!

What, miss me already?

What do you think, asshole? Goddammit, you dumb robot…do you have a minute?

For you? I’ve got all the time in the world!

Hah. Thanks, Zee…taking a deep breath, I open my eyes and smile at the wolf girl.

“Thanks, Jasper. I think I know what I want to do.”

I stand up and walk over to the wolf, patting her and ruffling her hair, getting a real kick out of how hard her tail wags at the attention.

“Hehehe…so, uhh, what might that be?”

“Well,” I begin, holding out my hand for her to pull herself up on, “I’d like to get back to work as soon as possible. Mind walking me there?”

 

…

 

A whole day passed, now there’s no moment to waste so I set off, waving Jasper a fond farewell as I ride off towards the city at blistering speeds. Finding myself in Monorise in moments, eyes widen and in awe at the vessel we’ve created, even attracting some unexpected attention!

“DO MY EYES DECEIVE ME?! A FAITHFUL RECREATION OF YOURS TRULY!!” the butterfly knight booms as he stands from his outdoor diner table to fly by our side, a truly resplendent shine coating his excited voice.

“We might’ve taken some inspiration. Care to take it for a spin?”

“HAHAHA!! I’D LOVE NOTHING MORE, SPLENDID CREATOR!!”

That’s a plus one tagging along as the jets on our creation slow down, its giant metal feet stomping up to Alexander’s gates, welcomed without pause. Check point is on the right! Got it. Placing our magnum opus’ giant metal hand on the crystal, followed by Minhocão’s gauntlet rather intimately placed atop it, I feel us being moved through the aether, quashing my worries that simply standing on the back of our creation would not be enough.

And voila. A little over three quarters of the way up the great tower, I can hear my friends and partners fighting ahead.

“THE TIME IS HERE, OLD SOUL!!” Minhocão shouts, drawing his spear with flourish and pointing it heavensward. “MAY LIGHT SMILE UPON US!! FORWARD!!”

In we go, Minhocão flapping his wings while the boosters on our mech ignite and spark to life, pushing us forward to find a whole army of Ascended folks, aliens, fallen daughters, and even regular old people putting their lives on the line up here, guided by Penny’s protection. They and even the enemies stop as we approach, stunned to silence at the sight of the King of the Desert and our mech standing just as tall, the Future Express. There I see Zee in the lead, screen beaming joy while my friends all cheer. Jeez…this is kind of nice.

“You didn’t fucking tell us you were coming, what the hell!” Cat excitedly shouts into her ear piece, followed by hooting and hollering from Fox’s end.

“I made my own invitation, with some help,” I say, reaching into the control ports of the Future Express and setting it to combat mode. “Sorry to intrude, but this is my fight too.”

I can see Cat rolling her eyes from here as the mech jitters and sputters to action, its face billowing steam, designed to look like the front of an old timey train, one big spotlight of an eye in its center. You really outdid yourself with this one, Sue. What better time to go all out? Built off the very suit you first wore to combat, it felt fitting to give it a final hurrah in this dumb old journey of ours. Its joints chug like the wheels of a locomotive, rails lining its forearms and calves, weapons holstered inside and able to flip out and slide up on each. A great big train mech…I couldn’t ask for anything more.

Now in the thick of battle, I get a feel for our foes…most smaller ones seem to be being taken care of by smaller groups of allies, occupying various steampunk tanks and planes, even some that fit together to form bigger machines, humanoid-shaped, dragon-shaped, all sorts of shapes for our foes. Where our eyes really scan, however, is the big guy guarding the door ahead.

A monstrously huge machine, bigger than even Minhocão and the Future Express, jutting out of the floor from a great big pool of liquid metal, twisting and hardening as it rises, forming mechanical parts that billow steam, its chassis shaking and rattling with each beat of its mechanical heart. The pulse holds up a burning knight’s helm, and powers six different arms, all but one tipped with a different item, from a blade, to a hammer, an ax, a cannon, and a machine gun, the last an empty hand pummeling and punching…and reaching into the liquid metal to pour it over its weakened areas, helping to mend them while the rest protect it and the chest…

“Which of the attacking limbs is giving you the most trouble?” I ask as the Future Express heaves into the air, locking onto each of the weapons.

“THE MACHINE GUN!!” everybody shouts at once, their ire and building frustration bitter and sharp in our ears.

“Got it, Fox, can you draw its attention for a bit? When I give you the cue, I want Violet to pin the thing down for as long as she can,” I say, seeing a thumbs up from the vixen as she leaps into action, wagging her tail and easily outrunning the onslaught of bullets being unloaded at her.

“Everyone else, focus on different attacking arms each…”

“...Oh! And wait until the go ahead to unleash a big attack on them!” Fox finishes, ever the brilliant tactician.

“That’s right! All clear?”

“Yeah, let’s get this over with.”

“Just give the word~”

“Loud ‘n clear, toots!”

“LET’S ROCK ‘N ROLL!!”

All is a go then.

“CAT!!”

On cue, the most immediately powerful of the team goes for the sword, easily weaving out of its attacks as she herself weaves a nia flare around the blade, constricting its movements to where she can spin and summon.

“PHOENIX!!” she cries as burning wings blossom from behind her and she’s trailed by feathers that flicker like embers, the firebird rising with her ascent before she plummets down and plunges her spear into the joint of the limb, the heat quickly melting it and prompting the hand to attempt a heal.

“NOW VI!!” I shout, finally joining the fray as the Future Express flies down and delivers a flying kick to the hand, watching it spin and grabbing it like a hose. Once I see Violet engulfing the arm in a creeping shadow, I point the liquid metal at the machine gun arm and watch it build up.

“LIZ!!”

The Rat Queen smirks with that poisonous sneer of hers, aim ever true as she shoots the incoming ax right on is blade, her rat firing squad joining in and sending the arm reeling as she calls in for support, mortars and planes leaving it cracking and weakening. Once again, the hand goes to heal, and the Future Express punches its back, sending the liquid splattering against the armed arm.

“ZEE!!”

I can feel his excitement bubbling through us as the hammer swings towards him, yet revving up his punch like the loading of a ballista, he swings and, even being so much smaller, pushes the arm back, his skates spinning to push him in for punch after punch, a furious assault that threatens to break the hammer from its arm! By now, the liquid has piled up to where Vi can release, the gun arm thoroughly slowed down, just about done.

“YOU’RE UP, NIAMH!!”

Happy to be done dodging the cannon’s balls the serpent flies dangerously close and brings with her a freezing aura, frosting the ring of the cannon’s hole further and further until it needs to build up power to blast through, at which point Niamh calls down a thunderous bolt from the heavens, striking down upon the cannon and turning its explosive power against it! At last, the frantic hand tries to heal, and another reversal seems to be enough to weigh the machine gun completely down.

“EVERYONE TOGETHER NOW!!” Fox calls out, leaping back and readying her sniper rifle, and I can see windy copies of herself buzzing and blurring by her sides. Cat is able to melt the remainder of her arm, Liz blowing hers to smithereens, Zee physically tearing his off the body, and Niamh hammering hers until she can freeze it to the ground.

“You ready, Minhocão!?”

The knight perks up from his current fight and beams from under his helmet, cheering.

“I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE READY!!”

He and I fly up to the machine’s chest and each grab one half of the chassis, tearing it wide open and preventing it from mending just long enough for Fox to unleash all three of her bullets on the heart, and BAM!!

The boss has been felled, exploding in a brilliant display of light, and the gate ahead opens at last.

 

…

 

Only as we recuperate from the battle prior does the pressure of the atmosphere begin to set in. A week later, and our partycule is all that remains, the entire army we’d brought into this dungeon being sent back either as to not burn them out completely, or to help with the growing number of errant ghosts and gizmos. Sitting in the Future Express’ palm, I stare out the grand, cathedral-like windows that enrapture this final resting point in a sublime radiance, the skies outside not of our own with the metallic sheen to each cloud, the horizon rippling like an ocean of mercury, all basked in a boundless light reflecting off Alexander’s body.

“Weird, ain’t it?”

My attention is picked at by a snooty voice, pulling it around Future Express’ arm to find the Rat Queen herself clacking her heels my way, standing as tall as a short king can.

“Dis feels like da final boss of a game we’s ain’t even playin’.”

I nod, looking back out the window with her while our mech meets and greets the rat’s rats.

“I’ve felt that way this entire journey, really,” I explain, feeling Future’s finger curl upwards for me to hold onto. “Came here for Hal, ended up fighting mythological figures one after another. It never really felt like my fight, even when we eventually did make it to our target.”

A small ‘heh’ punctuates Liz’s smirk, eyes not once taken off the sky, her gaze seemingly reaching even farther than the horizon.

“So why ‘a yous here now den, eh?”

A moment of silence blankets us, and I take a deep breath.

“Maybe because I want to protect this time I’ve found a new home in,” I half heartedly answer, only to look at Liz and smile. “Or maybe just because I want to be. I don’t need any deeper reason to be the most me I can be around the people I love.”

The rat closes her eyes and smiles as well, nodding her head and sighing.

“Yous idiots are so short sighted. Makes ya easy pawns,” she says with the warmth of a friend, or maybe the burning of your heart going into poison induced cardiac arrest.

“Why do something so righteous as help save a single soul at the top of this tower then, huh?”

Liz squawks with amusement, shaking her head.

“Cuz it’s good press,” she answers, her eyes opening as she turns and our gazes finally meet. “Dis city is mine. And I’s gonna be da one ta take all da glory once dis steamin’ tumor is felled.”

Completely honest and vile as always, I can’t help but laugh.

“Not that I don’t believe you, but is that really all?”

She joins in the laughter, turning and slowly walking away, the clack of her heels echoing through the entire chamber.

“‘Bout as much as I’s tellin’ ya, toots. Live through dis an’ maybe I’ll be gracious and indulge ya…and if ya don’t, I’ll make ya regret havin’ died.”

Heheh. What a bitch.

 

The path to the finale is a long spiral staircase from which we can see our last challenger looming above us the entire way up, standing atop a great big platform. It and our ascent are free from walls, exposing us to the height of the heavens. It’s down to us versus the soul of Alexander.

A living castle of steel and stone, the Radiant’s age and adaptations show through the ways he has reconstructed himself over each older iteration of himself. Standing stories upon stories above us, a gigantic humanoid in a dress forming a literal kingdom of skyscrapers at its base, rising into a castle, then an almighty tree forming his torso, clouds swirling around him to emphasize his sheer magnitude. Arms like that of a ball jointed doll made of stone with sleeves of glass and fingers of city buildings, and a head that is simply the canopy of a great oak masking glowing white eyes from its shade, crowned with a city horizon of its own and the horns of a castle’s towers. His silhouette is immense, only made grander by the angelic wings sprouting from branches on his back, growing out into heavenly feathers that spread thrice his width.

“Well done, champions,” his voice booms, robotic yet husky with a feminine touch, the voice of a secretary. “So high you have ascended to meet me at the limits of heaven and higher. Would that I could congratulate you more, but this is a challenge you cannot win.”

“CAN IT, KINGDOM COME!!” Violet barks, her void of fur bristling in agitation. “GIVE US BACK OUR LOVED ONE OR DIE REGRETTING THIS MERCY!!”

The tower himself is unphased, however, simply staring down at us, then up at the disconnected platform above, where Coyotl’s murky barrier is visible.

“Bound am I to the pact. Truly I wish to be free of this duty, for my heights are unknown and unbound by human limitations, but…”

Alexander’s eyes look back down at us, sadly pinned on Penny.

“The friendship I had borne with you has been twisted by millennia of malice,” he states somberly before stretching his wings wide and throwing his arms open. “Now is an age of redemption. To me shall you render your heart and soul in this construct of valor and hope.”

The body of Alexander shakes, the very sky trembling as the clouds below begin to part, and from them rises the true Alexander, of same shape and scope as his heart, but as massive as the tower we scaled the entire past week.

“We do not have TIME FOR THIS…” Violet growls, everyone stanced for battle. “Please tell me someone has a plan to just skip this…”

“...Violet.”

The wolf seems to calm down somewhat upon hearing my voice, turning to look my way as I extend a hand.

“I think I can buy us some time. If you could lend a claw.”

“If you can lend a claw, I can lend a wing or two~” Niamh adds, stretching her wings and gesturing up towards Coyotl. “I’ll take the gate stone high, just be prepared to be down an ally or two, as dear Penny explained.”

“Wait wait wait, this wasn’t part of the plan,” Cat interrupts, glancing back between us and the patiently waiting Alexander. “Either we’re gonna have too few to survive Alex, or too few to withstand Coyotl’s mindscape. I’d like to stick to me, Fox, and Zee going in, but I can’t leave you to…”

She pauses, eyes going wide with a mixture of inspiration and horror, then shutting them tight and grumbling as she turns to Liz.

“Yes, Cat Kitten~?”

“Shut the fuck up and listen to me, Liz,” she commands, getting on a knee and grabbing the rat’s shoulders. “I’m trusting  you with this. If you can hear my rat as clearly as it can hear you…you have consent to my body.”

The grin on Liz’s face stretches wider and wider before she takes Cat by the cheeks and pulls her in, kissing her deeply before pressing their foreheads together, staring deeply into each others’ souls.

“Den be mine, Rat Kitten. Yous belong to me if but for a moment~”

Her brows furrow with irritation, but she smiles still, shoving the Rat Queen back and standing up to let her pull her rat up front. We all prepare ourselves at once, Zee, climbing around back to store himself in the Future Express as to help power it, Cat shivers as her tail twists into that of a rat’s and her eyes glow a bright green, the same as Liz’s, claws extending as she prepares to take orders. That leaves Penny to step up front, shield and greatsword readied to protect, and Niamh flapping her wings, ready to ascend and channel all her being into the gate stone for us. Thus, Violet takes my hand at last and pulls me close, feeling our heart beat out of our chest and her soul booming out of her body.

“You seem excited! So…ready, Vi?”

“Always for you.”

 

Luna

 

Suspended within the air above the arena floats the very moon itself, and wrapped around it, the silhouette of a dragon, enshrouded in the night sky. We summon twilight to this realm of light. Eyes of stars and wings of stardust, we watch over this fight in still flight, and from our black hole maw, we sing.

“Please don’t let go of your hand in mine…~

“When I’m with you I know all will be just fine~”

This opera of ours, belted from the stars themselves, see that the skies darken, half of light behind Alexander, half of night at our void scaled back.

“Our restless feelings endlessly plague our dreams…~

“And the future, the future I dread draws near~”

From this moon we rest upon and around, a midnight light shines, and all aside from that glow becomes basked in shadow, and slows. This darkness enshrouds dearest Coyotl above and the Great Tower himself, but our light…this miraculous shine, it drapes over our loved ones like a cloak in winter.

“As I hide in the night yet you are still able to find me…~

“The brightness of your smile outshines the morning sunlight…~

“Won’t you please, let me dream on~”

Though his prowess wades through the dark, we still may yet bring about the dusk, the stars in the sky fading to a black shine as they whirl around Alexander, thus we command his stillness.

“Colors intertwine in the light, white flower petals weep into a pool of red…~

“Blue expectations turn into black, bury this world away into the night…~

“The death knell signals the world’s end, can you hear my plea~”

With both forms, the Great Tower would combat us, his mighty fists threatening to quash the entire field were it not for our stars bringing their assertion of power to a halt. We allow our allies the time to fend off the soul’s manifestations of creation, altering the arena with the flick of a wrist to form castle walls, city towers rising like uppercuts, or ensnaring branches.

“Don’t look for me with those eyes of yours…~

“I shall pretend yesterday was just a bad dream~

The Rat Queen commands Rat Kitten as though she were an extension of herself, moving in tandem to attack Alexander’s sides with furious assaults while Penny suffers every direct blow from the Great Tower, withstanding and enduring to slash back with the force of a dragon.

“I feel my heart scream being torn into shreds…~

“It is your fault, you were the one I yearn for~”

Whatever offense may slip though our shade combating the greater Alexander is fended back by the Future Express, ensuring our safety by way of rockets, powerful kicks, and punches, even blades of electricity and steel extending from its arms.

“Ask the mirror of truth to reveal secrets of my love life~

“Unable to see the answer through pained tears that will blind me…~

“So I’ll melt, into dust…~”

All while we sing, on, and on, into our future, be it sun or stars…

So doubtful was I such a light could be more than that which would vanquish my darkness…

How deeply I believed this darkness would consume me, enshrouded in nothing and forgotten…

“Intertwine the threads of fate~

“The knot that ties us together, it is dyed red~”

But that light inside me instead intertwined with my darkness…

And this darkness knew my light, and became mine to know and wield…

“As you lay beside me bleeding red, the threads that bind this world is frayed apart…~

“I will seek a new love again, my life starts now~”

Sue…let us sing…onwards, be our fate darkness or light…

Violet…if you’ll have me…may we make this present greater than our futures or pasts…

“This future, this path is what I choose~”