PLD Chapter 32

"CHAPTER 32: All Good Things..."

Sub-Entry 311: "Asriel's Clue Will Lead to the Truth":
It was after visiting hours.

I opened my eyes and shifted them toward the doorway.

"So.  You've come."

"I...felt I had to."

"But you clearly don't want to."

Asriel hung his head.

""It's...not that I don't want to see you."

"Could have fooled me." Okay. That was rude of me.

"I deserve that." He responded.

"But what I don't deserve...is you.  Your forgiveness."

I'd heard this before. In other timelines. Chara even said it. Honestly, I wanted to say it at some point...and in some form I probably already did if I could think back and remember what I put in my reports.

Plus he had said it to  me...to all of us.

I could have thrown it back in his face. But...

"You did what you had to do."

I couldn't do that to him. Whether Flowey, Hyperdeath...or just Asriel. I had too much sympathy and empathy to ever hurt him even if I was hurting.

"When...Kommand......Future Violet contacted me, she said she detected the signal in your system...in your...atomic structure...the last time she beamed you out of...well wherever it is you go.  She had to explain it to me several times before I understood.

I didn't want this to happen...I felt like this had happened before and I felt like I knew what was going to happen next. I'd already lost Chara because I didn't do what she said. I drove her jealousy and pain. I betrayed one friend. Then I turned right around and did it again. I'm...I'm a bad kid..."

Asriel had learned so much in the lines of vocabulary and technical jargon. He was above his academic level at this point. But...what he was saying felt like he was right back to where he started. That night I rescued him and he asked me why I didn't let him die.

"Azzy..."

"I didn't want to lose you...I didn't want to lose anyone.  But...I was going to have to lose you temporarily or...everyone...permanently.  There's always a choice...but it's not always an easy one to make."

Where had I heard this before? Gods...did we really think that much alike?

Asriel sniffled.

"I wanted to tell her...I wanted to say...I don't like the plan.  Let's forget about this.  But...I...I thought about the consequences if we didn't go through with it.  What...what would have happened to you.  What would have happened to all of us?  Would...everyone we care about just...?  I couldn't let it be your fault...no...that's not what I mean.  I mean...I couldn't let someone turn you into a weapon.  I...couldn't stand by and do nothing.  That would have made it...my fault, too."

Asriel was really starting to cry now. I could see it in his eyes. This was torture for him. He was in agony treating me so badly all this time.

"It...tore our hearts out....doing this to each other, didn't it?  Me...pretending you didn't exist.  You...containing all your resenstment for what I did and directing it at sensei.

I don't know how I'm going to earn back your trust after I did this to you."

"I've...got a lot of trust I need to earn back after how I treated Bunnie."

"She was expecting it from you.  She knew that what she was going to do to you, she'd have it coming and more.  In a way she made you hate her."

I looked on. I guess I was in for apologies from her at some point.

"She told me...that deception is unfortunately a part of the ninja tool kit.  So...the best way to deceive your enemy...is to deceive your friends."

Yeah. A play out of her half-sister's book. Bunnette was closer toward the assassin's teachings of ninjitsu.

"I know you didn't come up with this plan on your own.  As much as I'd like to believe it...this wasn't your style.  This was someone else's..."

"Sensei and I...got help from--"

"This has Robin's fingerprints all over it.  And that's a task for someone who wears gloves as part of his superhero costume."

"Yeah...it kinda was his idea."

I wasn't that surprised in the long-run. Robin did this before. When he took on the identity of Red X to infiltrate Slade's operation, he didn't tell his team mates. He drove them away. When they figured it out, their trust in him had been compromised. Before he knew it, he has forced into Slade's servitude with the lives of the other Titans hanging in the balance with the push of a button.

What I went through...was the reverse of that. Everyone know my life and anyone I was close to was in servere danger on this world...but they didn't tell me; they couldn't. A nanovirus that's thought-activated. It could have brought any REAL-TIME terrorist act directly to what I considered Holy Ground; off limits to the Council and my enemies.

It could have opened  a portal right inside my own stomach. Or even a black hole. I could have been someone's willing or unwilling puppet. Or I could even have become Patient Zero for what could be a real life World War Z or the Walking Dead. Who knows what chaos could have triggered if Kommand and the medical staff not deprogrammed me and decontaminated me.

This wasn't technology that could have been detected by this world's progress level. Not even by Mainland, Appra, or Renalia. By betraying me, Kommand ended up saving me.

"I'll have to pay him back in kind." I said in a low voice...one that implied sinister motives. Or at least a desire to prank him hardcore.

"I guess you're still pretty upset about it all, aren't you?"

"Yes...but..that's not the secret I've been keeping from you."

"...what?"

"I'm...sorry but...I can't say any more just yet.  But...you'll be ready to know the truth.  I promise." Asriel put something into my hand.

"I have to go."

Asriel turned and headed out.

"Wait...what is...!"

How frustrated was I? In a word...hopelessly.

I looked at the paper in my hand.

These were...

"Coordinates?  Off world coordinates?  I've seen these coordinates before..."

There was a date and a time as well...and a note.

"When you're ready to know...we'll meet each other again here on this date on this time.  Come to this place and you will understand everything.  This is the only secret I will ever willingly keep from you.  -Asriel."

Sub-Entry 312: "Finding the Determination to Recover":
You're something else, Asriel. This secret of yours. It's done the impossible.

It's rekindled my determination.

With each passing day my curiosity started to build.

I had to answer the questions.

"What is this place you want me to go to?  What are you hiding?  Why would you keep this from me?  Was the Major in on this too?  What could it be?"

Once I was wracked with grief. Now I was riddled with questions I needed to answer.

I tried thinking of every possible route.

"Did he learn about the timelines?"

No...every time he talked about his world, it was always in past-tense. While he did put one over on me over the whole...abandoned friendship thing...I was absolutely sure he didn't know. After the talk in the med bay, I was convinced he didn't keep this secret as a way of turnabout. It would have been fair play but that's just not the kind of person he is. Asriel is most assuredly not spiteful by nature.

Maybe he was in trouble? Maybe he was just protecting the ones he loved and needed help? No...that didn't feel right either. He'd tell me and anyone else in that matter. Besides...he already protected everyone else and me from the unseen danger. It hardly seemed likely he'd have another thing to protect us from at the same time.

"What could it be?"

He wasn't sick.

He wasn't lonely.

I was running out of ideas.

"This is so frustrating."

The more I pondered it, the more I had to know. And to know, I had to recover. That meant a strenuous amount of rehab to reverse the effects of entrophy and muscle attrophy. Every exercise. Ever drop of blood, sweat, and tears I put forth. I swear, I put an entire Arlene patented regimen to the test.

"Come on...come on....!"

If I never saw another set of weights, a treadmill, or exercise bike again that would suit me just fine. I know I'm not that lucky but it was good to dream after all that.

I guess I should be taking my own advice, shouldn't I, Toriel? The medicine is bitter to let you know it's working.

By the time I finished my intense regimen, it was already nipping at fall. I'd missed out on a whole year of fun times. Holidays. Birthdays.

I wondered to myself...what was it all for?

I know that everyone else got to reap the benefits of my sacrifices.

It was selfish. I know. But...I was getting tired of "No-Good-Deed-Goes-Unpunished".

I didn't have much left to gift before I used myself up...my mind, my heart...my soul. Wasn't it said that you have to take care of yourself every so often or you won't be able to take care of anyone else?

"The balance...it's just so frustrating." I looked skyward.

"So.  You going to let your sister get away with all this, Lady Destiny?"

I sighed and sighed hard.

The day was approaching. I'd finally be able to put an end to all this so I could move on. Maybe I could get back on track to being a best friend.

Now with the Council completely off my case, maybe it was time to retire. First things first...

"...but not necessarily in that order."

I would start off by reporting to Brooke. Which was where all of this was directed from. Yeah. Even our queen was in on it. So was Jaimas. So it didn't surprise me when I saw them both together in the throne room. Things REALLY must've been dire for Kommand to get them in on this; which I knew she did through Garfield.

Considering that Brooke and Jaimas were not known to get along on a personal level, yet they were strong allies on a professional level, I could tell this was a red-letter date.

"Former Commander Volt Arcade.  On behalf of the people of Fontraile, government and its people of Miranda City, I offer you this formal private apology."

Brooke had to keep it from the public. Telling your people that a time-space-dimension traveling werewolf representing an organization that enforced and corrected history that his arch-enemy had turned him into a possible bomb or black hole was a sure fire way to start a panic or mass hysteria. But I didn't need or want public recognition.

As far as I was concerned this was a private matter to be swept under the rug and disavowed from the books.

"You really had us worried there." Jaimas assured.

"I had YOU worried?  I was about ready to impose permanent self-exile until the timeline reset and kicked me out to the STC Agency Headquarters."

"Those fools in the council again.  Another product of their agendas?"

"Directly...yes...indirectly, I'm...responsible."

"How so?"

"The one who orchestrated this was...originally a protegee.  But...I saw the danger early on.  I saw the signs.  The Council overruled my strong recommendation to deny him the Genie's Lamp and Pandora's Box."

"And his psyche cracked like an egg." Jaimas reasoned.

"That's...putting it lightly.  If you ever have to wake up every morning and know that you share a quarter of the responsibility of creating time, space, and reality's worst chaos-embracing, anarchist, megalomaniacal, sociapath of a terrorist and destroyer of an exponential number of lives--"

"They ignored you.  They pulled the trigger." Jaimas cut in.

"But I filled the chamber with the bullets." I sighed.

"What matters is that we'll all have to be on guard until we can find a way to permanently neutralize this threat."

"Easier said than done.  I've never seen anyone pull off so many instances of "success"...so many acts of terror without making plans.  He just...does things.   Coerces some, bribes others.  Creates what Earth Prime calls "Mexican Standoffs".  Orchestrates catch-22's.  Ruins people just for the simple fact that he can.  Because it staves off his boredom."

"Sounds like a dangerous wildcard."

I nodded.

"Well.  We'll just have to take it as it comes."

"We won't be ready no matter how much we prepare.  Just saying."

"Let him come.  We might not be able to kill him but we will make his life Hell."

"His life is already Hell.  A Hell that he enjoys.  The more people he draws into it, the better he likes it."

"That is his first mistake and his last."

"I had that confidence once.  That belief I could stop him so easily."

"What happened?"

"A universe died." I hung my head.

"Jeeze."

Silence.

"I don't think we'll hear from him soon.  He wants this to be a loose end.  An unresolved issue.  He wants us to watch over our shoulders for as long as we can until we settle back into feeling safe and secure.  It's not a matter of if...it's a matter of when.  It WILL happen.  I think we all know it."

Brooke uttered a growl that was...inhuman. Demonic would be a good word to describe it.

"Then for the time being, we will let it."

"Lady Brooke?"

"Our lives...our feeling of safety and security is not negotiable.   We will enjoy life.  We will have our peace.  To live in fear is surrender.  That I will not have."

"I think we're on the same page." Jaimas agreed.

"Until then we live.  We laugh.  We love.  But we prepare.  We make contingencies.  We look to the future when we can and anticipate what we may."

"..."

"Dismissed for now.  Go back to your life and be there for Asriel."

I sighed. That wasn't going to be nearly as easy as I once thought. It all hinged on what Asriel had to reveal.

Sub-Entry 313: "The Graveyard"/"A Visit to Father and Mother"
The Graveyard. That's what I code-named it. The storage depot where I housed all of my failures. But this time I wasn't going there to add something new to it. I was going there to come to terms with old history. I needed to accept that the past was the past. I needed to move on from this.

I know what you're thinking. Going to a place like this isn't healthy. I spent a long time in a deep depression. Filled with frustration, anger, loneliness...pretty much every negative emotion there is. This was just dumping fuel on the fire.

I needed to convince myself none of this was my fault.

Oh, make no mistake. I wasn't completely clean from this whole incident. Even before the name Asriel had come across my eyes, I'd done unorthodox things for a greater good at stake. I'd acted selfishly so that I could bring about an altruistic final result in many a case. I'd stay covert. I lied to many to keep my cover and preserve history as best I could without changing it entirely...tampering with deliberately.

The things I'd done had caused people to get sick, get hurt, get killed, get arrested, get deported or banished, even get excommunicated. I regreted every instance. It weighed me down and this was the most tangible proof of the weight on my shoulder. Every instance I let someone down. Every instance the Council put a red note in my ledger. Hell...every time my friends and family nearly paid the price for the crime of being...flawed...of making mistakes.

"The propane tank..."

I picked up the ruptured cask of metal.

"It wasn't your fault.  You couldn't have known."

Elektra could withstand fire but an explosion was a different matter. Fragmentary lacerations, ballistic force trauma, and other medical injuries that scared me out of my skull.

I looked over to the case containing the remains of the Tox Drill that tore through Mitzi's arm.

"Regina did this.  Not you."

How would I have coped if she lost an arm.

I looked at the severed arm piece of Sally's old Quadrafecta Suit, the predecessor to the modern Tengu Suit. That mission actually DID cost Sally an arm. But you'd never know after an all-night session in a specialty underground clinic that had the technology to regrow her arm from just a DNA sample. For her, regrowing that arm was the only option. A bionic replacement or going without it would have have ended her career entirely as an OGPX Racer and probably downgraded her agent status in UCIAT. Bionic implants and prosthesis was BANNED from OGPX. There would also be rules and regulations to abide be when she returned to active duty in UCIAT.

"You weren't there.  Sally knew the risk.  None of us could have foreseen her armor wasn't adequate enough protection.  Her arm was cloned back and after a few months of training with the Cyclo-Droid frame, she was rehabilitated enough to resume full active duty."

The Cyclo-Droid frame...I compared it to what Violet had showed me from that anime, "Ride Back". While I couldn't picture Sally as a ballerina who gave up her career I could see the similarities of using a robotic motorcycle with deployable mechanical limbs to do things even a ballerina would have trouble pulling off.

"I can't be everywhere.  I can't hand-hold them."

But could I even protect them? If this happened because of me...because of my enemy and his evil reach...what hope did I have to keep Asriel safe for several more years to come if I couldn't keep him out of danger for even one?

This was just collections of failures from Miranda. There was more here. More grim reminders of my screw-ups on  S.T.C. Missions.

I looked at the rustic tan jacket with the gash in it. This was the Mobius Bunnie's once. A grim reminder of how misinformation and acting on impulse nearly rewrote her future.

I looked at an empty one of Naraku's poison insect husks. Yeah. The earful I got from Inuyasha was too good for me.

There were the six broken Power Morphers. The coins were long since destroyed. It didn't matter. The Zordonian Era was long over.

Finally...there were two halves of a crystal heart. The only proof I ever had that Universal City ever existed. It had long since lost its power. But the sad thing was...it had long since lost its meaning to me. Adonis' gambit was so final...so twisted...so horrid that it actually managed to make me lose any sentiment for what the Heart of the Childhood once represented. That's just not right. When your enemy creates a situation that it really IS at least half your fault that things are the way they are...and it bothers you less and less...

"Never again."

I took a long look around this mount of dust-collecting, aging relics. The polar opposite of the X-Vault. The more I stayed the less I wanted to be here. So. I decided to leave...and lockup. I think despite how bad an idea it was to come here...it was what I needed. It was what was necessary to move on. I'd bury this all under a rock for now. I was genuinely curious about the future, now.

While I had the answers ready and waiting at the coordinates, I still had time before then. After crushing my own ego (because that made perfect sense), I decided to neutralize my mood. Maybe...maybe I could get answers. Maybe I wanted insight. Maybe I was restless. Maybe I wanted some kind of closure.

But...maybe I just wanted to check up on Scott and Callista. I had just visited them...but...maybe it wasn't really them that was on my mind. Was it that obvious?

"...thanks for letting me come over."

"I...guess you're...still wary if you're welcome here.  I understand."

"Intuition or--"

"I assure you I'm not reading your mind.  Bunnie and I have completely removed all psionic influences on you.  You're clean."

"..."

"At ease, Scott.  Though...I don't know if I have any right to give orders.  I'm...kinda out of a job now and...Miles is the Commander.  Has been for a long time now."

"If it's all the same, sir...you'll always be our Commander."

"I appreciate the sentiment."

A bit of silence.

"I think we both know what...or rather who you're really asking about."

"Asriel..."

"It's been so hard on him.  I know he's probably told you himself but..."

"No, I get it."

"Keeping those tears inside for so long and letting them out when you weren't around...  All of our hearts were breaking."

Silence.

"Well.  It's...run its course now.  I think it's best to move on and try to rebuild what was lost."

Get to the point, Volt.

"Listen...Asriel has been...secretive about something else.  I was hoping maybe you had a clue as to--"

"Oh.  That."

So they were in on it, too.

Wait...that sounded wrong. It couldn't be as sinister as it sounded in my mind. That was just reflex; reacting to how my psyche was rewired. I'll have to do better about that.

"It is a secret, yes."

"Which he made you promise not to tell?"

"It's...not as bad as it sounds.  In fact you might like it."

"Well there's a sales pitch." I shrugged.

"It's...that that much longer a wait."

"I get it, I get it.  I just need to be patient."

"Yeah."

I stayed a bit longer to enjoy the hospitality and mend what was still wounded. In the end it did a lot of good.

It wouldn't be that long a waiting period before the day finally came to learn the truth.

Let's see what you've been hiding, Asriel...

Sub-Entry 314: "The Secret Finally Revealed/Asriel Finds His Talent":
The day was here. It was time to check out these coordinates.

I headed down to the Gateway Room. Rows of gates, each looking like it had been lifted off the set of Stargate SG-1 or Stargate: Atlantis. Whatever the case was.

I picked the first available gateway and entered the coordinates. Then I engaged the time circuits I had added and put in the date and time.

THe display showed a lot of computations before it showed:

Destination: Capcom World. Dimension: RMS-001. Area: Monsteropolis.

"Wait...what?"

Why were Asriel and Bunnie sneaking off to a world in VideoLand's galactic space? Why were we headed to...this world?"

"Time Coordinates accepted."

I checked the year. 20XX. Of course the last two digits would be censored out. That's how a lot of these kind of "game worlds" worked. It made it more...futuristic and mysterious...as things in the 1980's portrayed them.

"This date...it couldn't be..."

One day after...that incident?

I took a deep breath and stepped through...

...and ended up on the other side, my sandals landing on...grass...but not wild grass. This was more like...a field?

I looked around my surroundings. The high-tech, robotic city of Monsteropolis. This world was spoken of in Pit's tales of the N-Division. I'd...inherrited a lot of research form this world and its sub-dimensions. As well as a lot of data, hardware, and software.

But where I was standing was a man-made area...yet covered in life. The kind of grassy area you'd see in a...sporting event.

"No.  No way..." It was just a feeling. But the longer I stuck with that feeling, the more things were starting to come into focus.

I looked at one end of the field, then the other.

Goal areas...with netting. Soccer. There was a soccer game about to take place here!

And then I saw him.

He looked at me and smiled with big sparkling eyes. And then I noticed his uniform.

And sure enough not far from him were other kids in uniforms...crowded around...

"Major."

Sure enough. Bunnie Rabbotou...who'd have thought of her playing the role of a soccer mom.......no.....not a soccer mom....a soccer COACH.

The big secret suddenly unraveled before my eyes. Suddenly I understood EXACTLY why Asriel and Bunnie kept this secret.

All the clues were there...all the signs...I'd even said a few of them out loud, myself.

Hah...hah......just when I thought I'd said those things offhandedly...you had to go and pay attention to them.

"I wonder if I should regret telling you about my bad experience with sports."

It was true. As a kid, growing up, Arlene tried to get me into physical fitness early. And how did she introduce me to it?

Soccer.

I was terrible at it. I lagged behind. I couldn't figure the game out despite it being so simple. I knew there was strategy and formations behind it. It should have been so simple just kicking a ball around. But it was frustrating and tiring and it always made me stand out as the weakest link. In the end...I gave up on it and begged the others not to sign me up for sports again.

But here Asriel was. Part of a team. I didn't even know if he was any good.

Asriel headed over to me.

"Well um...surprise!" He spread his arms out.

"So.  This was the big secret.  This was the real reason you were avoiding me."

"Well...the other reason, yes.  I know you don't like sports much and....I was kinda afraid of what you'd say."

"Azzy, I'm your best friend.  At least...I hope I still am.   I'll support anything you're interested in.  Even if I'm not any good at it, myself."

"Of course you still are.  Am I still yours?"

"You never stopped being my best friend.  I think...this experience was...just a a test.  And...well...I think it will help us grow closer." I had a seat in the bleachers, down in front. Asriel joined me...and handed me a slice of Butterscotch-Cinnamon Pie. I soon discovered he baked it himself after Mitzi and Nermal taught him how. Heh. Entry 314...as in 3.1415. A pie for a pi. How fitting.

"Asriel...I have to confess.  I've...always felt a deep guilt.  I don't know why it is but..." I thought for a moment. "Since we met...we've never fought.  We've never argued.  We've never had a real disagreement.  Our friendship has been perfect."

"Yeah, it has."

"But...that's...not how life is supposed to work.  It's been too good to be true.  I feel...I've gotten off easy for...choices I've made.  You've been merciful.  I feel like I should be punished for things I've said...or done...like something has to balance it out.  The times I've asked if you resented me or had any problems or issues with me...you've told me no.  That's...that's better than I deserve."

I was still in the mindset Omega Flowey had put me in. I felt that through Flowey, Asriel could take out his frustrations and grief and overall negativeity out on me. I tampered with the timeline; as much as I tried not to make a mess of it. I took away his former best friend and sibling. I lied and manipulated to earn friendships. I was trash. I just couldn't leave well enough alone.

I still felt like a fraud for just doing my job but...doing it with my own spin on things. Things no other agent of STC would even bother attempting. Some of them would sooner step on a Froggit and squash it until it turned to dust just because the mission said to do so...without even an ounce of remorse. Just puppets of the Council. Was it so wrong to save my soul for the sake of trying to preseve what little decency there was in the InfinityVerse at times?

I kept all that secret from him.

"Volt...life isn't fair.  I get that now.  But...remember why you rescued me.  You thought I deserved better than to die alone.  Isn't it only right that you deserve happiness in exchange for a good deed?"

"Most of the time...good deeds don't go unpunished.  It's not right but Lady Destiny and Madam Fate are fickle.  Even with one another.  We get delt the cards that they agree upon and either prosper...or suffer.

"Volt....please don't overthink this."

It looked like the game was about to get underway.

"Well, you better get going.  I don't mean to hold you up..."

That's when I noticed he was barefoot.

"Azzy, I think you better hurry up and get your shoes on."

"Actually...there might be a little twist to this game."

Huh? You're not actually going out there in bare feet--"  And then I noticed the rest of the kids were out in bare feet.  Either they were going to be playing by third world country standards or the funding of this soccer program was really, really scarce.

"I'm ready, sensei!" That's when I noticed the Shodouphone out and Bunnie scripting runes on each of the player's foreheads, chests, knees, legs, and feet.

"What the...?"

I then noticed each of them glowing with a bright neon green aura.

As I watched the other team...sure enough, Bunnette Von Rabbotte was the other coach and she was using the same runes on her team but with neon purple auras.

"Check it out!" Asriel walked over to one of the metal posts of the outer fencing and give it a swift kick. Then a headbutt. The metal reverberation was...almost otherworldly.

"Didn't feel a thing.  Not even a scratch."

Okay...martial arts and soccer. This I had to see.

It wasn't that much longer before the game would start. But Bunnie felt inclinded to pull me asside, away from the kids. Definitely out of their sight and hearing range.

"So."

"So."

"I guess you understand now."

"I do."

"It took...a lot of mental preparation."

"I wonder.  How much of your soul is left after all that?"

"Blunt...but a fair observation.  You remember well...what I said about killing a part of your soul when you lie."

"Indeed I do.  Having said that..." I started to turn away. Then without warning I decked Bunnie hard, sending her to the ground.

"!!!"

I waited for her to look up at me before I extended a hand.

"Even?" She asked.

"Even." I replied as she accepted my hand and let me help her up.

"Well done, Commander.  You caught me off guard."

"I have have a mind to reprimand and discipline you for gross insubordination and anything else I can come up with.  However since I'm not active UCIAT leader, I guess you get a free pass but a sore jaw.

I'm glad you took your punishment well instead of calling me horrible for striking a woman."

"Commander?  I would have been INSULTED if you hadn't.  Real equality doesn't make excuses even when it comes to an act of violence."

"Nothing that can't be fixed with an apology and a first aid kit."

"Let me wear my wounds and scars with pride.  That is how a warrior should be."

"Okay.  But if you pull another stunt like this again, I'm aiming for the eyes next time."

"Telegraphing a move this far in advance?   A very naive and un-strategic choice, Commander.  You shouldn't be so callous in announcing that.  I might actually hit back next time."

"I'll take my chances.  Now come on.  You have a game to coach.  And your team has to whip your sister's team for bragging rights, right?"

"Listen to you get all competitive."

"Bunnie Rabbotou with sass.  The world is coming to an end."

"No.  Just a chapter in the book of life."

"That's the Major I know."

"The decisions you make and the actions that follow are a reflection of who you really are.  You cannot hide from who you've become."

"That's beautiful.  Who said that?"

"A father.  Of a samurai."

"You?"

"No.  In a way...I wish I could have been him."

What she said...made me think. Was that her desire? To get back? Back to the past? Nah. I was overthinking this. But just to be safe I was going to avoid grossly large, red-haired men wearing kilts and carrying bagpipes.

And so the game was on.

Sub-Entry 315: "Game On"
I watched in amazement as the game started.

Both teams started out in 2-3-2 formation. Asriel took center of the midfield line. His team looked ready. Their opponents looked formidable. I Had a lot of confidence in my best friend, but I could tell it wasn't going to be an easy victory. There was more that Bunnie and I had to discuss, but right now she needed her full concentration. As did Asriel.

I found my way to the bleachers where the entire UCIAT and a few others from Miranda City had come out to support our goat prince...of soccer. Hmm...I wonder. If he had chosen tennis as his sport would that make him our goat prince of t......nah. I'm not about to channel another reference.

The whistle blew and Asriel got in the first kick of the game. And wow, what a kick! I didn't know if it was his own abilities or the runes in his feet that were giving it the extra oomph, but seeing it fly like that? There was no way that was your average soccer kick.

He quickly passed it to his team mates at the forward line and I quickly leared that he wasn't the only one showcasing special abilities. One of them I could see the distortions of a swirling tornado vortex. The other, I could make out flower petals surrounding her. Was Bunnie already teaching them jutus? Were they using hybrid abilities?

Bunnette's team was just as prepared for her half-sister's students and using similar powers and martial arts moves.

That slide tackle just now was familar.

"Whoah!"

"I'm on, it Asriel!" A shoulder charge with no penalties? I wasn't sure how the rules were modified but no whistle-blow meant it was all good. As the ball threated to cross the half-field, I wasn't prepared for the midfield left to suddenly sommersault kick.

And soon Asriel had the ball and pressed downfield.

"This kind of thing happen often?"

"I suppose now would be the time to tell you this is a championship game, Commander.  This is for all the marbles."

"...that's what the big surprise was.  Since April began you've been coaching this team for an entire season.  Asriel's big secret was that he was trying to keep me from finding out about it so that I could see his big final game of the season."

"Correct."

"You went through a lot of trouble keeping something so trivial under wraps when the whole city was in danger from the pico-machine virus?"

"It was not trivial.  This was the world to him.  It was a gift for you.  It was to be given with love and respect."

"Well you both got your priorities in order..."

"Don't be salty, Commander."

"How's the jaw again?"

"..."

"Don't be salty, my second in command."

"Watch the game."

I smirked as the forward were having difficulty getting past the rear guard. That was when they tried something unconventional.

"Go for it, Azzy!"

I watched as he did a handstand vaulting kick, somehow sending the ball straight up as he shot up like a missile. That was when I saw Asriel sail through the air. His solar aura was suddenly so strong, like he had been charging up...

"Secret Dreemurr technique: TAIYOU-DAMA!"

"Did he just--"

In that moment Asriel launched into an air hurricane kick. As soon as the ball was level with his kick...

* KA-WHUMPH *

The ball burst into flames as it soared toward the goal. It was like a miniature sun as it scorched past the the rear guards and past the goal keeper. It  impacted the net, spinning for a few seconds, straining the martial science runes covering it before the flames went out and it dropped.

"Goal!  Goal!  GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!!"

I recognized that voice over the loudspeakers.

I turned and sure enough there was Violet at the commentator's table. Okay. How many of you guys were in on this?

Asriel's first point of the game certainly set the stage, but the opposing team wasn't about to let that stand.

"Satoshi." Bunnette Von Rabbotte said plainly.

"Hai!" The boy responded.

With the ball now in the other team's possession.

"Be careful.  We don't know what special ability--"  Asriel started before

WHOOOSH!

"Ooof!" Asriel and the forwards came crashing down once the tornado died down.

"...wind.  It's wind." He wrinkled his snoot. "Guess we're not the only one with an air-bender."

"I got it!" Our team's defense attempted to intercept. One with leaves, the other with water spheres. You know...there was something failiar about this...something I'd read about in the archives from the N-Division days.

"Oh no you don't!"

The slide tackle came out of nowhere but the orangish crescent in front of it...

"That's...!" I heard Pit say.

"Nice one, Bruce!"

"Is he allowed to wear shades on the soccer field?" I scratched my head. "What kid wears his hair in a pompadour?"

And back the ball went to the other side of the field where the other team's defense were waiting.

One coughed up a dust cloud out of no where, obscuring vision.

A comotion within the cound and a moment later the soccer ball sored out, wrapped in ice.

"Ice shot!  Look out!"

Asriel dove to the side as the ball again slingshot in the opposite direction before being nabbed by the opposing team's forward.

Bunnette nodded.

With that Satoshi drew back and the kick connected... ...but no one saw the path the ball took because it vanished without a trace.

* BAMF *

That's when I saw it hit the back  of the net out of nowhere. No. There was a dilation...like a miniature quantum singularity.

"A warp shot?"

"This guy's going to be hard to beat." Asriel pushed himself up from where he landed.

Bunnie lowered an eyebrow.

"A fair move." She conceded.

Bunnette smirked briefly in response. From there on out, back and forth the score see-sawed.

"Lightning shot!"

"Yeah!" Asriel shared a high five with his team mate after the goal was made.

That was when the whistle went up.

Half time.

Sub-Entry 316: "Half Time/Catching Up":
A tie game. Bunnie and her half-sister had coached some pretty formidable teams. This was most certainly a championship game.

"Well done all of you." Bunnie assured as she checked the runes on all of her players.

"Enjoy a period of rest.  Second half starts up in fifteen minutes, do not be late."

I decided to check on them. Hopefully I wouldn't be ushered back to my seat too soon.

"Are you happy?  Are you impressed?  This game is dedicated to you, best friend!"

"Azzy..." Was I actually getting teary-eyed? "You've outdone yourself.  You're the best."

We hugged each other longingly.

At the same time.

"Soul twin."

"Soul twin."

"You look well."

"It has not been that long since we were last together."

"Perhaps it merely...feels that way."

"Sister.  Is your Commander going to be okay?"

"He is strong.  He is determined.  He will go on.  It will all seem like a bad memory sooner or later."

"Well then.  I see you've honed your team very well."

"Indeed I have.  I believe we have a strong chance to win this."

"Do not be hasty.  I too have trained an excellent team.  They will prove to be your equals.  We might be the ones savoring victory before this day is done."

Bunnie smirked in response.

"I look forward to the challenge." Both sisters shared a respectful bow.

And...

Pit looked longingly at the world around him.

"It...hasn't changed much." He said to himself.

That's when he felt the hand on his shoulder.

"You haven't changed at all."

Pit slowly turned.

Blue eyes. Raven black hair. That shirt. Those shorts. And those flaring-ly large, vaguely bell-shaped legs.

"It...can't be...!"

"It's been a long time, partner!"

"Rock!" Pit embraced the robot kid.

"I missed you, Pit."

"You...you haven't changed, either."

A pleasant smile and rubbing of the back of his head. Our little angel was as humble as ever. And it seemed like his ex-partner, Rock Light AKA Mega Man was just as much so.

"But...the Expiration Date law...I thought--"

"Yeah...I thought so, to but...I guess my world is always going to need Mega Man.  I have so many stories to tell."

Rock had a seat.

"Do you...miss the others?  Simon?  Samus?  Link?  The Mario Brothers?" A momentary pause. "Kevin?  Duke?  Princess Lana? Game Boy?"

"More than you know.  You?"

"More than you know."

Laughter.

"Time marches on...even if we seem to be stuck in the same place."

"You're a celestial so...you won't age for many many generations."

"And you're a machine so...with general maintenance you could exist forever."

"Well...it's a nice thought but...nothing ever lasts forever.  Not even the two of us."

"Well...there is one thing."

"There is?"

"Our friendship."

"That's a good thought, Pit."

I watched with admiration. Scott and Callista were in the stands. They waved to us. I saw other members of the UCIAT there. It was not reassuring how many people were in on this but me.

I noticed the other team members clamouring for Asriel to join them for socializing and rehydrating.

"Looks like you got this, best friend.  Go on.  Your team mates need you."

"One more for the road?" Azzy looked up.

"Okay." I smiled. Then I booped the snoot.

"Baaaaaah!" He bleeted happily.

"Oh you.  Don't keep your friends waiting."

Wow. Popular, aren't you? As long as one cinnamon roll gets to enjoy popularity. I'm sure the Great Papyrus would be happy for you if the both of you had ever gotten a chance to meet.

That was when Bunnie finished conversing with her sister then headed over to meet me. We still had a lot to talk about.

"I don't know how Rotor talked me into this..." Skeeter panted after coming off the field from the goal post. Yup. He was the goalkeeper on Azzy's team.

"Heh." I turned my attention back to Bunnie.

Sub-Entry 317: "Further Explanations/Remembering Them All":
"...okay, Azzy's occupied with his team mates.  We got a moment  or two to talk about...the things we can't let him overhear."

"First...let me offer my condolences, Commander.  They were your friends."

"In a way...they could have been my family, too.  I mean...nothing could...REALLY replace you guys, but--"

"I know.  We pushed you into their arms, knowing you'd be safest under their care.  Volt...there's enough room in your life for both our worlds.  For ALL of the worlds you're part of.  For all of us to be one big family some day.  You're continuously expanding our circle and...well..."

"You were looking forward to meeting them."

"All of who knew about the Underground were looking forward to it."

I sighed and released the Butterscotch-Cinnamon pie from storage. I had already eaten the pie that Azzy had shared. But this meant something else. This was all I had to remember her.

"Toriel's?"

"Toriel's."

"The size of the pie...it intimidates me."

I facepalmed. "Bunnie.  Really."

"...it does." She shrugged. Then she turned serious. "We cannot let Asriel know about this...we'll...have to eat it ourselves."

I put it back into storage then released the jigsaw puzzle.

"A gift from Papyrus?"

"Indeed.  He...wanted to give me his scarf but......I think that would have made things worse with Sans."

I put it back in storage then released the container of Golden Flower Tea.

"Undyne?"

"She gave me some for the road.  I thought maybe you'd like to try it." I handed it to Bunnie.

"Hmm." She sipped. "It is good.  Rather good."

When I settled my debts with Muffet, I made sure to buy extra.

"Spider donut?"

"A bit unhealthy...but sure." We each had one. "Let's not discuss what they might be made of."

"It would not matter.  If it is true, it may be a rite of passage for them when they pass on."

"Can we not discuss this?" I shook my head. "That reminds me.  I got a few Steaks in the Shape of Mettaton's Face for Jon as well as a couple Glamburgers.  I could tell him what they're made of and he'd still eat them."

I looked on. "By the way, coach...are we ALLOWED to take food with us to the game?"

Bunnie shrugged.

I produced one of the bones I had saved from my battle with Sans. "If only he hadn't been so stubborn."

Bunnie decided not to pry.

That left the Temmie armor.

"A piece for your X-Vault?"

"Yeah."

An awkward silence.

The last thing I released was a test tube. In it...white dust.

"...Commander..."

It was morbid. It was macabre. And...it was heartbreaking. I think it was as messed up as Chara-Wraith covering Bunnie with Toriel's dust. Now here I was with the remains of Asgore.

"How messed up is this, Bunnie?  His soul is gone.  This dust is all that remains.  You can't bring a Monster back with just a sample of their dust.  Not with science or magic."

I wished I would have found a crown or a piece of his armor  Even his trident would have been a better thing to bring back than...this. Each of these items was a pledge to me...to never let myself forget them. To always keep them in my heart. But that wasn't what was bugging me.

So. Let's review. A previous Asriel's dust had been in my central nervous system. Toriel's dust had been scattered as blinding powder. And now I had Asgore's dust. The dust of the entire Dreemurr family had found its way to Miranda. But did it have any meaning if each iteration was dead? If their souls were gone? They'd technically made it to the surface but they'd never know.

Gods, I was doing a lot of rambling.

"Maybe...they should have a proper burial."

"Bunnie.  A monster's dust is spread upon their favorite thing when they die."

"I see."

"Bunnie..."

"Admittedly...you do have issues with this but...we'll help you work through them."

I sighed.

"Gaster...said something that's really shaken me.  He implied...maybe I shouldn't have taken any action.  Maybe I should have left Asriel to..."

"You  know very well you made the right choice."

"If I had done that...I'd be no better than anyone in the Council.  I know I can't save everyone but.  Who am I to say I can't save anyone if I'm not willing to save anyone?  I had to try.  It's what Dad...Mom...Mentor...Sarge...Uncle Ed would have wanted."

"Volt--"

"But most of all it was what I wanted."

"...well then.  I suppose nothing more needs to be said."

"You don't really think that's the case, do you?"

"Volt.  If you had left him there...supposing the timeline didn't come to an end.  Supposing you had left Asriel in the void.  Violet's and Nikita's tests all pointed to him being altered by his time in the void.  He didn't...lose cohesion like Dr. Gaster.

But...could you have really been sure he'd continue to exist? If his magic was leaking out that fast once he left the void...what would have sustained him? Supposing it wasn't a Genocide Timeline; what if it had been neutral or pacifist? He wouldn't have made it to reincarnation. A monster is made of magic and love...you know which kind, right?"

"Yes."

"So...wouldn't the evidence suggest he'd cease to exist?  His body would just...dissipate, dust and all?  And without a body, his soul wouldn't last but a moment or two.  It would break and shatter and he'd be swept away.  A different Asriel would take his place like it did in UTPR-3224."

Bunnie might not have been a scientist but she was very analytical. As a ninja, a ronin, and many other warrior forms that her heratage was rich with...she had quite a mind.

"One did.  That Asriel became Flowey.  The whole cycle started again." I shoved my hands in my pockets and sighed. "Proof that I can't save everyone."

"But you saved one.  This Asriel was a once in a lifetime miracle and you saved him.   He's alive; he exists because of you.  That's a better chance than Madam Fate was ever gonig to give him.  That's your legacy.  That's your greatest triumph.  You changed a doomed soul's fate into destiny.  That's why Lady Destiny chose you as her white knight.  That is why you'll prevail against Madam Fate's black knight......your nemesis, Dr. Adonis."

"Right again, Bunnie.  Right again."

"So.  Disregard Gaster's words.  You've paid the price.  This is here.  This is now."

I nodded.

"Now...we just have a present and a future to focus on." Speaking of which...

Sub-Entry 318: "The Hornet's Nest Was Kicked Long Ago.  We Wait for the Coming Swarm":
"...I ssuppose we have a lot of loose ends to tie up."

"We do...but not not now." I looked on.

"When Adonis finds out the plan didn't--"

"It wasn't his plan.  It was never his plan.  He just delegated it to anyone who was willing to serve him.  He just sets things in motion and lets the chaos write itself.   It all just worked out like he knew it would.  By not planning things himself, he's a true harbinger of chaos.  He completely isolates himself from order while his followers fancy themselves the brains...until their plans either fall apart or Adonis gets bored and disposes of them on a whim."

"...what a twisted individual."

"Alloicious once said that what he wants from the Council is accountability.  I don't know if he still wants that anymore as his mind has eroded so much."

"Greater sins committed in order to punish the lesser sins?"

"Makes very little sense, I know.  Like shattering thousands of GP worth of fine crystal and glass works with a sledgehammer because a fly walked across a single glass.  Don't get me wrong, the Councils' done attrocious things."

"It's become quite a mess since your life's work got out of hand."

"I don't know if I'll ever be able to clean up my mess...make up for my sins."

"One step at a time, Commander."

"You are right.  The hornet's nest has been kicked.   Just not as recently as you think."

"Hmm?"

"I look back...and think about how Emmett and I took this...time technology to the next level.  I think back to everything I dug up on the research of Videoland's warp zones.  And then I ponder all of the dimensional research that has ever crossed my desk.  We unleashed the technology.  We tried to establish a foundation to use it responsibly and devote it to the good of all intelligent life but..."

"Volt."

"Power just ends up entrancing.  They all let it go to their heads...then stopped listening to me when I warned them.  When they got tired of me, the sought a successor they could use as a puppet yes man.  When Adonis betrayed us all, they punished me and demoted me down to this for their mistakes.  No matter how you slice it--"

"Was it not said that one should not unnecessarily accept the blame for something that was no fault of one's own?"

"...not...in that exact context...but......yes." I rubbed my eyelids.

"Bunnie...where do I even begin with what could come back to haunt us because of this?"

"Hmm."

"The Followers of Chaopolis won't let this slide.  But...they're not going to go in for the kill with things as they are.  We're too on guard.  We'd be expecting it."

"But now we'll be able to focus on it full-time.  Your focus won't be divided between the Underground and Miranda City."

"When you put it like that..." I grimmaced.

"I apologize.  Sore spot."

"No.   I can't ignore the reality.  The fact that it was divided between two worlds left a vulnerability."

"There is hope.  If your theory is correct..."

"Then another unstable timeline will reconstitute from the reset, eventually."

"Or maybe not at all."

"Commander.  What do we say about hope?"

I put my knuckles to my hips.

"Do you keep track of how many times you're right?"

"Of course not.  That would be gloating."

I decided to go over what we knew.

"So.  Let's review.  This began before my mission even started.  Adonis' stooge put the pico-drive virus in me.  I put my previous missions on hold for reassignment to the UTPR times.  I spend an inordinate amount of time researching countless stable timelines in order to be completely briefed on what I'll be studying.

During one of them, my tech support dropped me in an unstable timeline and the dust and blood messed subconsciously linked me to Asriel before I even really met him.

After a few more runs they have me investigate UTPR-3219 where things went...differently. One hundred years later I save Asriel from that timeline before it dies and we raise him here. Little did I know Chara-Wraith has used Chara's soul to break into the new timeline, 3224 where it manipulated her into playing that twisted game.

Little did I know Adonis set that up...I don't know what his connection to the Wraith was, but he played me behind my back.

I thought back...

~

"Undyne?  Yeah, she's a local hero around here.  Through grit and determination alone, she fought her way to the top of the Royal Guard.  Actually, she just came through here asking about someone who looked just like you...  I'd watch your back, kid.  And buy some items...  It might just save your hide!  Wa ha ha!"

Kid? He needs those glasses more than Frisk does. And for that matter he was a little late on--

I stopped short.

Wait a minute. Asked about someone who looked like me? Undyne came through here AHEAD of me? How did she pull that off? Was she really that fast out of her armor? I suppose if she factored strength into the equation she could make jumps like the Incredible Hulk and clear some pretty sizeable distance. But why would she be looking for me? Did she have a lead on Frisk?

I'd overlooked it. The clues were all there.

Someone who looked like me...or rather was IMPERSONATING me. It wouldn't be the first time Adonis had used my image just to tarnish it.

"I put the kabosh on the Wraith's plan and take Chara out of the equation.  That pushes up the timeline but it still goes according to Judas' plan which suits Adonis fine.  The tests awaken the pico-drive virus and it starts unpacking over the time it takes us all to move on and get into our comfortable medium.

Somehow he's interacted with Flowey. Somehow he's had a brush with Undyne. Somehow he made a deal with the Wraith for some purpose; likely to amuse their agenda while getting what he wanted. Somehow he sabotaged this whole thing."

"But it has not run its course."

"No.  This is just his way of reminding me I can't escape him.  Whatever happens next will be him saying "hello".  Then toying with us.  Then...who knows what.  Chaos isn't something you predict."

"We'll just have to wait for the coming storm."

"Considering the size of the hornet's nest, we should be prepared for the coming swarm."

"Humorous."

"Well...you better get ready.  Time's almost up and both teams look ready to take the field again."

"Indeed." Bunnie headed back and called the team together and quickly relayed the strategy and the formation. It seemed Bunnette was going with a Sweeper formation. Bunnie with a 3-1-3 formation.

"Sub-Entry 319: "Champions":
The second half launched with the switching of the goal posts.

"Cover me, Asriel.  I have an idea."

"You got it!" Asriel pulled multiple somersaults and flips across the field while his team mates got into position!

* CHING *

I knew that sound. But it couldn't be!

But sure enough one of Asriel's team mates was frozen in time while star-like sparkles drifted around her.

Now I was sure these abilities seemed familiar.

"Darnit!"

"Don't worry!" The hybrid dove sailed through the air like a torpedo, knocking the ball out of the path with a headbutt.

"Nice glide!" Asriel gave props as his feathered team mate pulled a handstand flip onto her feet and started running as the ball was deflected by one of the human players on Azzy's team sending it back to Asriel.

"Comin' your way!" Azzy alternated the ball back and forth with knee kicks. With a spin and a twist he jumped and axe-kicked the ball at a downward angle toward the other forward wing.

"Time to double up!"

"Do it, Jason!"

WIth a well place kick, the ball...suddenly split into two, each taking criss-crossing sine-wave paths toward the goal.

"What the...!"

"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!"

"Nice Gemini Ball!"

"Thanks!"

Bunnette raised an eyebrow.

"Well played."

Bunnie briefly smirked.

Honestly, I was invested. All the pain and regret I had as a kid playing soccer and failing at it washed away. Asriel was having fun. He was making friends. He was showing real promise as a team player and a leader. This was it. This was the sign that Asriel had reached the end of his long road to recovery. He had been through a nightmare and back.

It wasn't the ending I was hoping for...but it was an ending. I could live with this. If Lady Destiny found a way to make that Ultimate Happy Ending come true, then I'd welcome it with open arms.

It finally came down to Asriel making the last shot...

"Come on, little goat.  Once I block this, we'll take this in the shootout."

"Don't count on it!"

"Intercept him, Satoshi!"

Asriel heard the taunt in Jangese.

"Uh-oh..."

The dark matter dilation appeared in the path of the ball.

"Not this time!"

Asriel cupped his hands together and quickly amassed a Solar Buster--like a make-shifted,  solar version of Chaos Buster in plasma ball form. Not like the lasers and death beam of AGOHD; obviously since he wasn't hefting the weird fountain-pen shaped rainbow-filled hypodermic framework. Yet...something about it had that weird familiarity about it. Is this what his powers had evolved to? Would I see...other attacks of Ascended Asriel in new forms?

"Violet owes me GP!"

Oh no...

And then he quite literally launched it like a hadouken, sending it into the black hole portal. With that, the solar energy and the dark matter somehow canceled each other out.

"Nani...!......iie!!!" Satoshi wasn't able to get another portal up in time.

Asriel launched the ball up then super-jumped, passing the ball on the way up.

With a grin, he launched into a spinning drill kick, smashing both feet into the ball.

"Ultimate attack: TORNADO DRILL TAIYOU-DAMA!"

And with that the spinning solar fireball burned downward into an arc.

"...!!!"  With that the goalkeeper dropped to the ground and covered his head. "I don't want to play anymore!"

The ball hit the net...and the energy kept pushing until the whole goal post tipped backwards.

"GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!!!"

With that the clock had run out and the cheers went up.

"Hmm." Bunnette crossed her arms and looked dour.

"Hmm." Bunnie kept blank as a refrigerator.

WIth that sisters and rivals shared a formal bow.

Both teams headed to the field and lined up and exchanged formal bows before going their separate ways.

You know...it occurs to me that people in my circle did not participate in normal sports. But that wasn't my concern now. What was my concern was...

"Congratulations Team Rabbotou, your new Monsteropolis Ninja Soccer champions!" Violet's voice boomed over the P.A.

"And to present the championship trophy, all the way from Technopolis in Kaeleron on planet VGM-1996...OGPX circuit champions, Team Acorn!"

Well. Our planet did have a name but...for all practical purposes, in the galactic numbering system we were VGM-1996.

Sally made her appearance with Willie and Honey.

"Congratulations, all of you.   You showed sportsmanship, honor, teamwork, discipline, and most of all true determination."

"Thank you!"

Asriel accepted the rather impressive trophy. He was tempted to call her "Aunt Sally" for a moment but decided to keep it on the downlow. Azzy didn't need a lame claim to fame with his friends by trying to impress them that he was practically family to someone famous. He was kinda famous enough. That was good enough for him.

Asriel let Bunnie take the trophy off his hands so his teammates could celebrate. I'd see it happen in a lot of works of fiction; TV shows, movies, cartoons and the like...but at that moment...?

"Hip-hip...!" "HOORAAAAAY!"

Seeing them all toss Asriel up into the air and catch up repeatedy? It was like out of a fairytale or something.

He had gone from lonely Prince...to orphaned goat child...to hero...to extraordinary kid.

I don't know. Was I overselling it? He just seemed...like he had really grown into someone far greater than what he started with.

"Volt!  We did it!  We did it!" Hahahahahaahah! We did iiiiit! Yaaaaay!"

I smiled. I raised my arm and gave a thumbs-up.

"Yeah.  You did it.  You all really did it."

Sub-Entry 320: "Hope Never Walks Alone":
Afterword...

"Well.  Was the surprise worth it?"

"It sure was.  It was more than worth it."

Maybe I was being generous but I felt like it needed to be more than worth it. Some real scum had messed with our lives and taken away time from all of us. As an immortal, it was negligible.

For everyone else? That was time they were never going to get back. Adonis had stolen that from Asriel...from Bunnie...from Violet...from Lisa and the kids...from everyone I cared about. I swore that one day we'd settle the score. But not this day.

"So...what now, sensei?" Asriel accessed his other clothes from his ITEM system and slipped his sandals back on, once Bunnie had finished dispelling the last of the runes.

"You have many more belts to earn, Asriel-san."

"And we haven't even scratched the surface of all the awesome stuff I have to show you going well back into the 70's.  Plus there's hundreds of new memes and games I gotta walk you through."

"Dammit, Violet." I shook my head.

"I guess I better prepare myself for it all." Asriel said with an anime sweatdrop.

He looked to me.

"Volt...do...do you think I'll ever start growing again?  I mean...I've been...the same for 101 years now..."

"Asriel...you've done so much growing up in here..." I said as I pounded my chest. "...it wouldn't matter if you stayed that size for the rest of your life."

"It would matter to me.  It wouldn't be natural, right?"

"Well...I guess you have a point."

"What if...being part of a surrigate family...being adopted by Scott and Callista isn't enough?"

"We just gotta have hope, Asriel."

"Yeah...I guess so."

"Besides.  You shouldn't be in such a hurry to grow up.  Not everyone who does so turns out as great as Bunnie."

"Commander.  Stop.  What you're saying is...embarassing."

"What was it you said about humility, Bunnie?"

"Touche.  Always one to turn quotes around upon who said them, aren't you?"

"Funny how it works, huh?"

"So...do you think we'll get to go on vacation again next year?  We kinda missed out this year."

"We'll strive to make it happen.  Maybe back to Neo Arcadia City again?"

"Maybe, yeah!"

"Or perhaps we can visit Jang." Bunnie offered.

"You totally have to see Little Tokyo.  I can't wait for you to meet Lucille."

"The tea-shop owner who wears missiles in her hair?" I looked dubious.

"MIssiles?  In her HAIR?"

"It's...complicated."

"We could order pizza from you-know-who while we're in my home."

"Oh yeah.  Those samurai you hired who work at a pizzaria as a day job but are also superheroes."

The AU counterparts of the Samurai Pizza Cats. Yeah. Why not? But I was coming along to keep the insanity to a minimum and help keep Al Dente of Vi's back.

"Well, one thing's for sure.  I've got a lot more free time to spare."

"Volt?  I'm...sorry all this cost you your job...that you can't time travel anymore."

"It's okay, Asriel.  It wasn't either of our faults.  It just...well...happened."

I could have mentioned how much the Council were total d--(FLOWEY CACKLE)-s about it. That it was their fault I was a fugitive. But...y'know. I was as done with them as they were with me. What goes around comes around. Just let them try to keep the operation going without me.

"Well...maybe I can't travel through time as much anymore...I still have the Deloreon, the Time Train, the Phone Booth and the Epoch... but...we can still do some planet-hopping and visit old stomping grounds.  See how much they've changed."

"Sounds like an adventure."

"It probably will be." I agreed with Asriel as I looked skyward.

"Oh! I almost forgot..."

I produced the bracer.

"It's...no longer connected to A.E.O.N. for some reason...neither is mine...plus the ID link to STC Headquarters and the council itself is deactivated. They can't track or monitor ous.  And...most of the functions seem to be disabled.  But......you still have the Unitrix Core and...well...it still tells time."

Asriel kinda hesitated. He gave me a look like he didn't think he was worthy of it.

I gave him a patient smile.

A moment of hesitation later...

"Thank you."

Asriel accepted it and fit it back on his arm where it auto-fit.

"I'll...try to be worthy of it again.  Somehow."

I patted his head gently.

Neither of us wanted to address the fact that this meant saying goodbye to Kommand.

Another moment of silence.

"So. I guess I'm going to be a full-time electronics service and supply owner and proprietor."

"Actually..." Bunnie started.

"Miles had kind of a request." Violet cut in.

"Really, now." I arched an eyebrow.

"He sitll feels very inexperienced so...he proposed that maybe we need a co-commander."

"You're asking me to share leadership with Miles?"

"Well...yes."

"It's one way we could still keep calling you Commander." VIolet smirked.

"It might be worth looking into. It's better than waiting around behind a cash register for someone to to come to me asking if they still make 75 ohm to 300 ohm transformer adapters."

"What's...that for?" Asriel asked.

"..."

"Goat Son, you have a loooot to learn about how we gamers did things old school." Vi said with a mischievous wink.

"Oh brother." I shook my head. But she had a point.

"You know...it may be just what I need." I smiled.

The future was ours to hold. Ours to protect. Ours to live. Let Adonis have the victory he cheated and lied and betrayed to get. I had my victory right here--getting my friends and family back. Getting my head back on straight. Appreciating what I had when I lost it.

It was time to move on and let the plan go dormant...or maybe just end there. Who can say. It was time to prove to myself I was ready to let this go. Let all of this go. I was free. Asriel was free. We were all free to do as we may.

As a final act, I loosened my necktie, undid it and pulled it off. With that I held it up and let go; letting the wind carry it away.

I walked toward the sunset. Only moments later Asriel caught up with me. It was nice that I wouldn't have to walk back to the gateway home alone.

Bunnie and Violet would follow behind me.

Scott and Callista behind them. The rest of the Ultra Crew Institute in their company.

In what had been ages, Rock joined his best friend, Pit and chose to visit Miranda City with us and catch up on old times.

"So...how long are you going to stay with us, Rock?  Thinking about...joining the UCIAT?"

"It's...tempting.  But..."

"I know.  You have people in your life to worry about, too." Pit looked over his shoulder where Rock's creator, Dr. Thomas Xavier Light, his sister, Roll, and the eight original Light Labs robot masters--Cut Man, Guts Man, Ice Man, Bomb Man, Fire Man, Elec Man, Oil Man, and Time Man stood by.

"You know...you could bring your whole family along.  Just for a visit.  Not anything...extended."

"I'd like that.  I'd have to clear it with Dr. Light...Dad."

Rock looked back to his creator. The Santa Claus lookalike in the labcoat smiled warmly. That twinkle in his eye seemed to indicate...maybe it was time to catch up.

As Rock turned around to ask me if it was okay...

"Hmm?"

A faint whistle? Where was it coming from?

Pit, Rock, Asriel, and I looked around. So did Dr. Light and Roll and the robot masters.

Unable to find the source we went on our way...not noticing the red and grey robot stealthfully hidden in a tree-top. Arms, crossed, back against the main trunk of the tree. His helmet's shades covered his eyes but the smug smirk on his face seemed to indicate he was okay with this situation as it was.

"Huh..." Rock scratched his head.

"Let's go home, everyone." I said.

The UltraVerse was at peace.

This is hope. Hope for the present. Hope for the future. Hope for our friendship.

Hope springs eternal. It's a guiding light when the world insists on wrapping you in darkness. It's the very source of our determination.

As long as I had that hope...as long as Asriel had that hope, we'd walk together as best friends. This was what it meant. Now and forever, hope never walks alone.

The End

A Message From Flowey

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