Resurrecting Vengeance

[Gildarts]

Her face. Frozen. Mid-scream.

But this time her jaw was free, and her chords ascended freely, carrying over the hollow room and beyond. Heads spun across the canvas world, to see a woman clutching desperately at her neck as she collapsed to the ground. Behind her, the fountain, once marble, hovered over her like a black looming shadow. Jagged teeth sprouted from its strange angles and the blonde's fingers clawed at the contrastingly pearl ground which would not give way. Her forehead brushed the smooth floor, she had bowed down as though praying, but in any world where her sister could be taken for "entertainment" and approved by God was no world she would accept, and no "God" she would ever declare loyalty to. Her sister had already been taken from her once, now, what would happen next?

She would rise. 

It was as simple as that. And the mocking callous laughter of Karl echoed in her ears, behind her eyelids she was flooded with the crescent smile of the eyeless being who always watched. His purpose meant nothing to her, neither of them. She would rise, if only to spit on their graves. If only, to prove them wrong.

Christa felt the sensation of air caress her esophagus and happily accepted the breath as it washed out the lingering taste of iron on her tongue, "Ugh," the weary prime muttered as her shoulders straightened and her bent leg dug into the ground, forcing herself upward with an unstable lurch. A hand met the base of her back as her weary eyes gazed outward. The pain in her neck, striking once, had left. Lightning speed of a quick death had struck her once again. She shuddered and flexed her stiff digits. Once they had been smothered in fresh and dried blood, now, they lacked any smut caked on, her pale skin was here once more, ready to write the moments again, and ready, always, to draw fresh blood. Christa wavered and used the black fountain for support as she checked to see if her toes were still there. Then the familiarly empty room. 

"Miss, miss, are you alright?" A voice flittered in her ear.

"You took quite a fall there," another voice echoed.

"Can I get you a glass of water?" a man asked.

"Do you need any medical attention?" a final, superior voice offered.

Christa drew back her lips, ready to snarl for space when she saw two storm trooper helmets inches from her face. She could've even screamed again, or pulled out her knife and sliced every chink in their armor. Then she remembered her place. And theirs. 

"No. No, I'm all set, thank you," mere words. All of them. What drove theirs? Ambition? False kindness to compensate for the torture they had caused another the prior weekend? Her own. What for? They fell from her open jaws, disgusting her, the prime flinched even as she spoke them. 

What she was last doing was a bit hazy, but she had the distinctive desire lit in her to set the world aflame. And Katia, oh, her sister's kind and lovely face. There would be Hell to pay, and so much fucking more.

[Gildarts]

Christa’s eyes swept the chalk room, she calmly blinked, calculating the taste of disappointment which was bitter on her tongue. Red and Abner’s faces faded from her mind into the white backdrop of empty reality. What if they were trapped? In Karl Jak’s verse of Hell? But what about Katia? She had wasted too long already...Shit this was worse than the sudden flood of human bone, then flesh, all bound together by the horror of death that was her resurrection.

Abner and Red or Katia? Why did she have to choose? The flare of nausea was back again, anchoring her with such human emotion, most of which she had cast into iron many years ago. Bonds were formed and broken by her death. They too could be dead. It could be too late for all three. Fuck.

Okay, okay, let’s get this straight, Abner and Red have each other and are Primes, they are bound to live, and Katia only has me, and is mortal. And it’s been who knows how long? That stupid, damned island! She thought of curses, every one in the book, targeted at the man who’s classy attire always framed his smarmy aristocratic face.

“If they are in the Underverse, Karl Jak, I’ll go get them, and then I’ll come for you.” she declared, an elderly woman was still by her side but the others who had gathered had dissipated with her reassuring words. She flushed, her cheeks hot, as she the aged woman looked at her all too knowingly.

“Whoever they are, I’m sure they’re in the good hands of a friend,” her voice shook, but the wisdom was a firm pillar.

Christa blinked, “I have to leave them, to save my sister,” she confessed to the stranger.

“If they too, are your friends, they will know and understand you for it.”

It was true. Christa blinked and knew what she had to do, a gulp first, to brace for the impact of pain. Then she realized, what if Red made it but Abner didn’t? Immediately she felt the pangs of a headache tease her temples, the old woman was still there. Christa muffled her thanks but the white haired woman did not leave, instead she observed, “You’re missing something that is yours, girlie.”

Christa blinked, repeating the words in her mind. She couldn’t particularly feel her legs, but there was something nagging at her gut that said the exact same thing. Katia’s kidnapper had surely been aware of her death, Karl had said he was broadcasting it, right? But then, he also couldn’t even find a fucking way off the island last she checked, still, there could’ve been a person on the inside... A spy.

Flooded with revelation, she rushed to the black fountain, and yes, taped to the bottom was a bright envelope. Oh, but it was neon pink, rather than a calm, sunset orange. It was from a different person. She fished it out and opened it immediately, hoping for news on her sister. News indeed. Scrawled in glorious handwriting was information in its purest form. Katia was in the Vastly Deep. Immediately, Christa’s head shot up, and stared in the direction of that very gate. There was more, so much more, and then, Karl, signing his love with a repugnant remark about wet letters.

“More than you get, Karl.” she scoffed and had a few things to do.

The old woman had disappeared by then. But it didn’t matter, now, Christa had the right direction, and quickly summoned the courage to get there, and a bird.

Its shape formed a glowing silhouette of freedom as it took to the sky. She had whispered in its ear, just prior, “Find Red.” In its talons hung a small package, containing the phone with Red’s own objective, as well as a note which reads as follows:

Dear Red,

It is my hope that you are reading this in good health, and that you escaped Karl Jak’s Hell alive. I have gone to find my sister, and cannot stay to find you too. If you are reading this, you’re not in the Underverse, or still trapped in Jak’s verse which means I won’t be coming to save your sorry ass.

This is the phone that was in my pocket when I died, promises of Karl Jak’s compliance with the number on there is still unknown. The bird I summoned understands english, and while it doesn’t have fingers, I made it so it could peck in the numbers with its beak, should you desire to call the number. I put my number in there too, have the bird type a text that way I know you’re alive. If you have any word on Abner, I’d appreciate it too. He and I have some unsaid words.

I hope we meet again,

Christa


P.S. - I couldn’t change the wallpaper of the phone, don’t ask.

The falcon circled high in the air until it sighted Red, or caught a whiff of him in an accessible verse. She hoped its current spiral did not mean the worst for her feline friend and partner, but she could not spare much more time. Her hands were fidgeting, the unknown and the known were meshing together. One more thing to do.

SLAP!!!!

That got his attention! And she was sure he felt it through his black and white mask. The man spun around, expecting terror, and his arms grasping for a gun that was not empire-issued. The storm trooper was ready for a fight, and caught her in his sights, but she was too close. In fact, the blonde took up everything the narrow slits they called eye holes in the mask told him almost nothing about her.

“YOU THERE!” She shouted, not as wrathfully as it could’ve been, “Do you know Abner White? Good, and if not, you’re going to ask every dark haired man you see for the rest of your life. I have a message for him and I can’t stay. And,” she sighed, “I can’t believe I’m leaving this up to your sorry ass, but as you can see, I’m desperate.”

He couldn’t actually see much of anything, and he would’ve said something to that effect, had she not started on again, “You’re going to tell him that I’m going to find her. Tell him I’m alive, and God damn it, tell him I love him. Just kidding, don’t include that last part, else we’ll both be dead. Just see to it that the message gets to him as soon as possible, or you’ll be feeling a lot more pain than in your cheek, pal, you can count on it.”

The female pulled away slightly, and he got a better look at the blonde’s face. She had a sloped nose, hair past her shoulders, and well-trained eyes. She tilted her chin when she still saw that the trooper’s finger was on the trigger of his gun, “You’re not like the others, are you?” but he proved her wrong, as the gun was held more firmly after that. Her eyes narrowed, suddenly menace covered her face, “Don’t you even think about it. Just pass on the message, and you’ll never see my face again, capiche?”

The man nodded his head. Christa could’ve growled. “Don’t tell me I picked a mute one... Or maybe he doesn’t even speak english!”

“No, I do.” finally, he answered the distain that lined her voice.

“You’ll do it, or I’ll come and find you. Don’t think I won’t be able to see who’s behind that mask, my senses are excellent. And well, I came back improved, too. The consequences won’t end there, either. So should you choose to fail, watch your back.” In a swift movement, she stole the clip from his rifle, leaving one accounted for round in the chamber.

Christa took a step back, giving the man room for contemplation, “And, should you choose to kill me now, you’ve got one shot. Don’t miss.”

She stood idle for a moment, well within range, and stared down the man who’s face was hidden. He could kill the threat now, and maybe he didn’t recognize her as a prime, not that Christa wanted or had the time to die, but it was fair game, if she had to hunt for him later. She had expected this, the raise of his rifle, and yes, his precise eyes were trained on her. This one wouldn’t miss. But then, he chose to.

Her pupils dilated as the bullet scorched her ear, leaving a bright slash of crimson blood drizzling her neck and staining her shirt. She pushed him too far, but at least not far enough so that he’d kill her. Maybe he liked her style, or left the scar on her ear as a warning. She felt the heat of her blood trickle over her ear and down her neck as she began to walk, eyeing the other storm troopers who had assembled to his side.

But she walked free... All the way to the Vastly Deep.

[Kenpachi Zaraki]

The fiery feline’s knees buckled as he crossed over the dimensional divide, his snout dropping to smear against the strangely smooth floor of the Nexus. The newcomer drew ragged breaths as stars danced before his eyes, the pesky phosphenes providing sporadic splashes of color over the otherwise blank canvas of the Omniverse hub. As his vision began to clear, Nanaki felt too the agony and fatigue evaporate from his bones. It seemed that somehow or another he had left them in the Danteverse.

Magical healing or not, it was several minutes before the disoriented Prime could finally get a firm grasp on his bearings. With his body and mind having recovered from the grueling trials of trans-dimensional travel, Red peered around at his surroundings. Save for the familiar silhouette of the colossal fountain that marked the center of the Nexus, nothing else of note met his eyes. At the far end of the void, toward the Coruscant end, he caught sight of a small group of stormtroopers chatting amongst themselves, no doubt assigned to keep the peace and sway the off Prime to their end of the spectrum. The soldiers seemed entirely disinterested in Nanaki’s arrival, only bearing acknowledging him before returning to their chatter. 

Nanaki finally got to his feet, taking a single step before noticing a steel attache case lying neatly by his side. Stamped into the metal near the handle was his assumed moniker, both the letters and the roman numerals painted a matte crimson. He clawed clumsily at the latches for a few moments before finally popping the cover, the case springing open to reveal its contents. An index card had been taped to the topmost item, upon which a note of appreciation from Karl Jak was scribbled. Red swiped the memo aside with his paw, flicking the paperboard absentmindedly into the fountain. His eyes widened as he caught sight of the prizes left for him.

“Huh?” the lion wondered aloud, glancing down at what appeared to be an extremely gaudy belt of some kind. The enormous buckle was stamped with the words “DANTE’S ABYSS GRAND CHAMPION” sweeping across the top, below which was etched the image of a small island bearing a single swaying palm tree. The cameo displayed a scene a good deal more pleasant than the ‘competition’ had actually been. The burgundy beast had evidently been crowned the winner of the hellish event, though he was at a loss to explain what criteria upon which he had been graded.

Caw. Caw.

Oblivious to the call, Red continued to paw through his pile of ‘gifts’. Beneath the belt he spied a smallish plastic case, a quick skim of the back cover telling him it was a recording of the island’s events. He paused briefly to wonder just how many hours could be contained on the disk within before forcing the thought from his mind, vowing to never watch the DVD. It took a special kind of person to enjoy watching people die alone on an island of horrors and he was not quite the type. 

Caaaaw.

Toward the bottom of the case the feline found a large box emblazoned with the Syntech logo, with various scenes of zombie slaying and explosions decorating the sides and back. Nanaki cringed as he rolled the box over, spying a miniature version of himself behind the clear cover. He stared back at his own eyes etched in plastic, one blue and one gold. The doll’s face was contorted into a snarl, a paw raised threateningly. Upon the top lid of the box Nanaki spied a strange yet familiar individual, an anthropomorphic feline covered in golden fur. All at once it dawned on him; the figure had been the form he had taken upon making his wish to Omni. The factory that had produced this toy had dubbed the creature ‘Christaki’ and if the descriptions were to be believed, the Nanaki doll somehow transformed into their fusion. Red could not begin to fathom Karl Jak’s humor.

CAW.

The crimson feline jumped at the sudden noise, neck snapping forward as his gaze locked on a rather indignant-looking crow standing on the rim of the fountain’s pool. Within the annoyed fowl’s claws was a small brown box tied off with simple string. The raven held the parcel out expectantly, his beady eyes staring intently into Nanaki’s. The feline took the box between his jaws hesitantly, gingerly placing it upon the ground. As if on cue, the sable bird hopped from its perch and stood beside the box, skillfully untying and removing the band, tugging it free in one smooth motion. Red’s new friend helpfully removed the cover and retrieved the items within, laying them out before the beast. 

“Thank you,” Red said, nodding toward the raven. The aven ally seemed not to notice, instead busying himself with the piece of string. 

The burgundy beast almost smiled at the bird’s antics before turning to look at what other gifts had been left for him. Inside the Syntech briefcase, Red spied his final gift: a large luminescent brick of what appeared at first to be silvery ‘metal’. It only took the Prime a few seconds to confirm that the ingot was in fact a construct of pure Omnilium, no doubt created by Jak himself as a parting gift. Red reasoned that perhaps he could utilize the ingot to craft something for finding Vincent and Christa if needed. Though he knew the two to both be Primes, a nagging doubt still rattled in his head. He’d have to find them to prove to himself that the laws did in fact work as advertised.

Finally, Nanaki turned his attention toward the two gifts bequeathed to him by the strange bird. He looked upon the first of the items, some kind of technological device, for but a few seconds before he recognized the gizmo: Karl’s communicator. The phone had been among the producer’s possessions in the office atop the library, retrieved by he and Christa shortly before the mad dash to the census building. If the phone had made it to the Nexus, its new owner had also successfully crossed over. He turned quickly to the small piece of paper beside it, a smile spreading across his face as he read the sniper’s words. She had made it.

As he finished Christa’s message, the raven stepped forward once more, the string now tied neatly into a bow around his neck. He looked up at Red and cocked his head, as if asking a question. The beast paused, remembering the blonde’s instructions. “Can you…” 

Red had no sooner uttered the words than the raven began pecking at the device excitedly, stepping back as the phone began to ring. Upon the screen's display was the information of the sole contact in the device's address book, though the profile showed nothing but a name and a phone number. The unfamiliar name flickered across the top of the screen as the phone rang: Jack Fabre.

[Zack Fair]

The white void of the Nexus was warm and familiar, if only because it was a place that Abner knew so well. Still, he’d wandered off from the pack. Even in a place that he was so comfortable, he now felt more lost than he ever had before. He didn’t have a clue what to do with his life, anymore. The sad reality was that the Empire would just send him on another fool’s errand that he’d be lucky to survive as soon as they could. And if he didn’t? Well, that was great, too. He’d just turn up here to start the whole process over again.

Eyeing the void before him, he saw a Stormtrooper approaching. Through the mask he could identify an old friend by posture and body language alone. At least one consistent thing in his life was that he could count on Stormtrooper Captain Avin Searle to be working the Nexus. But damn, did he seem upset over something.

“Nice to see a smiling face,” Abner sarcastically remarked as the masked Stormtrooper marched right up to him.

Abner offered no resistance, only a look of confused amusement, as Avin grabbed the rifle that was slung across his chest and ripped the energy cartridge from it. He continued to watch as Avin inserted it in his own gun and punched it in. They both heard it lock in with a click.

“…Did you lose yours?” Abner finally chuckled. Seriously, what the hell? “They’re jet black and this place is all white. How’d you do that?”

“You girlfriend stole it,” Avin answered as he pulled his helmet off to speak a little easier.

“Christa? You saw Christa?” Abner immediately asked, the humor leaving his voice momentarily as his eyes went wide. “She was here, she was alive? When? You’re sure it was her?”

“It had to be her,” Avin said, still looking quite disgruntled. “She’s that type of crazy you always end up with.”

“Oh, she’s something different. Trust me,” Abner wistfully commented as a surge of relief washed over him.

“Adorable,” Avin bluntly and sarcastically dismissed Abner’s thoughts. “She wanted to make sure you knew she was alive.”

“I’m glad. Seriously, that’s the best news you could have told me,” Abner said, a rare moment of total and complete seriousness coming through before he reverted to his typical self. “Shit got real in the Danteverse.”

“Yea, I’m sure,” Avin didn’t seem as concerned as Abner would have expected. “She also said she’s going to find her.”

“Who?” Abner asked.

“Her,” Avin repeated. He was very clearly annoyed.

Abner nodded in silent understanding. Katia, of course. Once again, Christa's journey was just beginning while his ended.

“Oh, and she loves you,” Avin finished. “But don’t tell her I told you that because the rest of what she said was basically threats.”

“Definitely Christa,” Abner nodded, doing his best not to show too much in the way of emotion. The words were amazing to hear, though, even coming from grumpy old Avin. “And that’s how she took your rifle’s energy pack.”

“Don’t quite know how it escalated to that,” Avin confirmed. “But yea.”

“Well, it’s had a long run. Made it through the Oververse and the Danteverse,” Abner jokingly reminisced. “It could use a good retirement gun, where it won’t see a lot of use.”

“Hilarious,” Avin shot back with dripping sarcasm and anger. “Really, you two are just a great match.”

“Where did she go?” Abner ignored Avin’s frustration at the injustice that had fallen on him for more pressing issues.

“I don’t know,” Avin shrugged.

Abner scoffed. “Really? You didn’t think to pay attention to where she went?”

Avin’s eyes flared with anger for just a moment. “Yea, I was a little busy being concerned about being a Stormtrooper without a working gun in the middle of the fucking Nexus.”

Abner nodded again, this time in understanding. Fair point. “Alright. Great. Thanks, man.”

With that, Abner turned and began to walk off. Avin turned and looked after him incredulously, not paying a drop of attention to the slowly gathering crowd of mostly Stormtroopers. After all, it was interesting enough when the captain on duty for the Nexus got loud with a Prime one-on-one. It was an entirely new level when that Prime was the preceding captain from this detail.

“Coruscant’s not that way,” Avin loudly reminded his friend.

Abner turned and returned his own exasperated expression, this time. “Yea, no shit.”

“Same as last time, buddy,” Avin stated as he took two steps after his friend. “Those super serious types are coming through the gate to find you, again.”

“Well, I ain’t going back,” Abner sternly said. “They’ve sent me after Omni, and now after Karl Jak? What’s next, when I get back to Coruscant? Tate tells me the Underverse is nice this time of year?”

“Then where are you going, Abner?” Avin challenged his friend. Abner studied him for a moment, deciding he actually didn’t like his friend’s tone very much. Avin pressed on. “The Omniverse isn’t that big. You piss these folks off…”

“I’m just going to have to wing it, chief,” Abner interrupted him, quite loudly, as he looked at the gathering crowd. “Because I’m out. I’m not doing this another second. I can’t bring myself to.”

Avin didn’t respond. He just looked on in silence. Maybe even a little envy. He couldn’t afford to throw it all away like Abner intended to, and he honestly wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing at this point. He’d never seen this level of conviction and determination in all their travels together. This wasn’t the same Abner that always looked for the path of least resistance. Who was he to stop him?

“Alright. Sorry,” Avin apologized. “Good luck.”

“I’ll see you around,” Abner’s farewell to an old friend wasn’t very heartfelt or emotional, but it wouldn’t have been the same if he started acting that way now.

The Stormtrooper captain watched as Abner turned and disappeared into the white void, free of Imperial entanglements. They would want him back. There would be questions and interrogations. There would be a search. But for now, he was finally making his own destiny.

Avin grunted, while looking at the other Stormtroopers. If only they were all so lucky.

“Alright, show’s over. Back to work.”