Christa Reborn - The Saga's Final Goodbye

[Gildarts]

"You will be reborn."

Christa couldn't wake herself up fast enough. Her thoughts had been a medley of worry and doubt, but at this part, this assurance, finally, her stirring thoughts found something true to hitch to.

It didn't take long for the dark void she had been cast into, to fill instead with the vast and pearly room that was the Nexus. Great light flooded to her still spinning eyes and before her legs were ready, Christa swiftly rose to a stand. She wobbled, but expected it and used the fountain for support.

The fountain.

Its gargling sound caught her attention, and while her mismatched body was still putting together the 'intricate' declivities of the very flat room and deciding which direction was up, and which was down, Christa's mind remained entirely sound.

She now had the means to get exactly what she wanted. And of course, as she had proclaimed to everyone in her group, even the mighty Omni, she wanted her sister back. Was it wrong of her to desire to bring back the past? Christa no longer cared. While the impulsive leader stood taller than she ever had, she recognized her status as a Prime and it didn't change a thing, other than that her sister was the first and only thing on her mind.

Her mind reverted back to the tutorials, to the words of Primes who explained how to summon. Most of them said the same thing, "You concentrate on the object, and then, just sort of do it."

Christa held out her hand and a bubble formed at her will. Transfixed, the woman held her focus, and remembered everything and anything there was to love about her sister. The good moments, the gentle kisses on her forehead, the soft shine of her blonde hair, and the caring smile that always fixed a dimple on her left cheek, but not her right.

Even the bad things and mistakes helped to make a person, so Christa was forced to forge her sister exactly as she had been. Exactly as she could remember, the sobbing when they had been taken from their homeworld, the icky heat of sweat on Katia's forehead when she had come down with the fatal infection that had nearly killed her, and the moment their cat died after stepping too close to the ledge of their new, Coruscant, apartment.

Everything.

Finally, after some time, Christa's hand fell to her side and her eyes slowly opened to reveal her ten year old sister's gentle face made up of a pair of innocent blue eyes, freshly brushed hair, and that caring smile with an indent on her left cheek. The young girl's eyes were filled with worry for her sister and despite Katia's front tooth missing, she asked with a wispy, "What's wrong Chris?"

Tears splashed on Christa's cheeks as compassion warmed the woman's heart, which had been cold for so long. Christa's arms wrapped around her sister with the protective intent never to let go. Katia, despite her adolescence shared an understanding for one who needed to be hugged, and offered her arms willingly around her favorite sister.

The two shared the loving hug, until Katia finally pronounced, "What are we doing here, and hey, where's my birthday cake?"

Christa slowly rose, but not without a last kiss on her sister's little head and kept her eyes on the girl, as though Katia were a ghost, and would vanish from sight, never to be seen again if her eyes were to leave Katia for a second. Finally, Christa composed herself and sniffled, "Don't you worry, I'll get you a new one."

"Where's our apartment, Chris?" Katia asked, and looked around.

"I'll get us a new one of those too, only this time, better." Christa assured.

"What's going on, you're beginning to sound like that lullaby..." Katia's eyes widened, "Wait a minute... You're a Prime now! What happened?!"

The young girl was stunned into silence as she noticed a new face, a fixed set of eyes on her older sister, and Katia could only read between the lines. Christa, with much prompting from her sister's shy expression, turned to face who it was, only to find two familiar eyes staring at her. The leader wiped the joyful tears from her cheeks with an embarrassed blush, and could only smile in response to the gaze.

She was home.

[Zack Fair]

Omnilium.

It was the building block of this reality he'd come to know so well. From it, he'd seen buildings, weapons, people, and countless unimaginable things created. And just the same, he'd seen all of it reverted back into the same substance. Dust to dust.

Among the first things Abner White had learned upon arriving in the Omniverse was that there were those who could shape this realm to their will, and there were those that were subject to it. He had not been one of the lucky few, so instead he'd spent his days welcoming the chosen ones to the land where their wildest dreams were in reach. At no point did it ever feel fair, but he had long since accepted that it was the way of things.

And yet, here he stood, in the Nexus he knew so well, surrounded by creatures and beings from every conceivably reality, like always. This time it was different. Hovering just above his open palm was a shimmering orb of Omnilium, twisting and reshaping itself as he mentally instructed it. It was the power of the primes.

It was his power.

He couldn't fully comprehend it. He was a prime, and no longer a secondary. He felt no different, except for the simple, yet amazing, ability to wield Omnilium as he saw fit and the knowledge of how to do it. But that alone made him see everything differently. This place that he knew like the back of his hand felt new and foreign. Looking around, he saw stormtroopers walking about the place. It was a familiar sight, and it simultaneously made him feel like nothing had changed, and everything had changed.

It had been a silent hope of his, among many other secondaries, that one day Omni would come and straighten out this messed up reality they knew. They'd silently wished that he, too, had had enough of the conflict between Coruscant and Camelot, the looming threat of Diablo and the Underverse, and the countless hazards of the other verses. Instead, Omni had used the words "fun" and "interesting" to describe these events. It was disappointing, but not discouraging. Instead, he'd have to continue to pave his own way. He had the curse of being too skilled and lucky to die, thus far, and now it seemed that even if he did, it wouldn't matter. He might as well make the most of it.

He dismissed those thoughts from his mind as he finished his very first summoning. He'd been tempted to create a pack of cigarettes or a tin of dip, but decided to make his very first creation something that would stick around for awhile. So, instead, he'd crafted a simple baseball cap with a woodland camouflage pattern to replace the black one, with the Imperial logo, he'd cast aside in the Swamp of Sadness. He snatched the hat out of the air and calmly put it on his head, looking around as he did. They may not have noticed him yet, but he could tell who a lot of the stormtroopers were, even through their armor. Everyone had their own little quirks and bits of body language, and as long as he'd worked with them, he was able to identify a good many of them.

He glanced over to Christa, noticing that her first summoning was a young girl. Their interactions made it abundantly clear that this was the true Katia, not some twisted demon halfheartedly created by a careless prime. He paused for a second, once again reminded of his new status in the Omniverse, but then went back to looking at Katia. His eyebrows lowered but his eyes widened for just a second. As surreal as it was to see Christa so emotional, it was also pretty difficult to forget something that looked exactly like that young girl telekenetically using him to rearrange the landscape of the Tangled Green. She wasn't doing so, yet, however, and Christa was all smiles, so he relaxed a bit, and looked around for the more pressing issues. A stormtrooper or two would be here, soon, as part of standard procedure. If Christa didn't obliterate them and get the attention of the whole Nexus, then he would be recognized. That would start a whole new chain of events that he wasn't sure he was ready for.

He looked to Christa, making eye contact. As his former leader wiped a tear away, Abner couldn't help but feel happy for her. Christa had recovered Katia, and had her peace. Her journey was over, her goal reached. Abner, however, was a different story.

Abner was just getting started.

[Gamzee Makara]

“Ich...Wo bin ich?”

The sky is blank white. Again. Is that the sky? Everything is white. Mein eyes hurt and burn. Such a stark contrast from slumber, because that’s what it felt like. I don’t know where I am. I did not ask that creature for anything; resurrection as a Primary or otherwise. The most lingering thought in my scrambled noggin is that death may be a more suitable or enjoyable end to this journey. But…

Where am I? That is key. I need to know where I am to-

ACH MEIN GOTT!

My head. My verdammt head, it fucking HURTS! Involuntarily, my hands fling to my skull, grasping at my hair and skin. Hysterical, hoarse laughter erupts from a parched throat. Thoughts, nasty, gruesome, and awful thoughts. They breach the inner sanctum of my destroyed mind. These thoughts are foreign, yet similar. They are mine, yet they are not. I see flashing images of ugly deaths, similar to the visions I experienced in the murk of the Swamp.

After a few more moments of excruciating pain, this torture subsides. I take a deep breath and push myself up into a sitting position, only to find that I am in the Nexus.

I am in the Nexus.

“No. No! Unannehmbar!”

In the blink of a twitching eye, I am up on my feet, staggering around in a lopsided circle whilst staring at the blank sky in apparent agony. I soon begin to ramble incoherently, various swears and curses tumbling forth in between incomprehensible German. After one final damning, I stomp on the white canvas that passes for the ground in this place.

That smiling bastard! He had no right to put me in this position! Does this make me a prime? Can I not die? Can I not end my suffering!?

In the midst of my self interrogation, something hits me. Where are the others? The companions of our expedition, where are they? Did they get summoned here as well?

My head whips around behind me to see that accursed fountain. Stupid monument. Then, my focus locks on to the more interesting entities.

Herr Abner and Madame Christa.

I make a valiant attempt at composing myself. Then, I approach them. At first it is a strange sort of silence. I stare at the both of them, speechless. With a bit of a huff, I speak.

“Ah… Am I interrupting anything, fearless leader?” My forced smile gradually becomes more of a coy grin.

[Strazio Rockwell]

Finality.

So this was the conclusion to Isaac's grand journey of repentance? Melanie was still dead and hehad turned his nose up at the only true offer to resurrect her. His stomach balled itself up tight, his intestines tied knots in his gut. The other secondaries were now primes, every one of them except for the old man. He held out his hand and tried to summon the familiar rainbow substance into existence. Nothing, not even a single speck of omnilium sparkled in his hand. The miracle material from which wishes were made manifest was so very far from his reach. The entire Omniverse was built upon this wondrous substance and he turned down an offer to become a manipulator of it.

Some would say he was a fool.

To finally meet God and refuse his generosity was something that only a fool would do. Perhaps he was a fool, but perhaps he was just a tired old man. Omni had promised him the ability to bring his wife back from the dead, and yet he felt that it was nothing more than a false life. Melanie died in his arms, he had felt her last breath slip from her chest. Brought by death was a finality that even omnilium couldn't erase. If she lived once more, was she truly his wife or just a well made facsimile?

Isaac watched Christa's reunion from afar. His heart skipped a beat as Christa began to cry. Katia was alive, more importantly Katia was real. At least in her sister's eyes the girl was no longer dead, through the miracle of omnilium she was once again amongst the living. A weak smile crawled across the old man's lips, at least Christa found peace. She held her sister tight and promised her a better life. Could he have done that for Melanie? Could he have held her tight knowing that she was nothing more than a recreation made from omnilium? Was he strong enough to lie to his wife a second time? The world hadn't changed, the empire still slaughtered innocent people and the Omniverse was still full of death and violence.

The old man sighed, “perhaps some things aren't meant to change.”

Perhaps it was time to let go.

The others had begun to gather around Christa and test their new found abilities. Primes, all of them immortal and powerful primes. The Bloodlance sauntered over to the group, his clothing was still tattered a grimy, but his eyes held a certain spark that told the world he was still alive. From his chest hung scraps of crimson cloth, a grim reminder of his past. Katia looked up at him as he placed a hand on Christa's shoulder.

“I think that's the first time I've seen you truly happy Christa, it's a good thing,” he nodded over at Katia, “it is a pleasure to meet you Katia, your sister has told me all about you, and don't worry it was nothing but good things.”

[Proto Man]

Top Man's eyes shot open, taking in his watery surroundings.

With a groan, the android sat up out from the water and glanced around. He'd been through his area before, so he immediately knew where he was... The Fountain of Infinity!

Had that been Omni in those visions? The words were fuzzy in Top Man's head, but he remembered something about Omnilium and other mystic garbage about the nature of the Omniverse.

Then I guess that means...

A grin spread across Top Man's face as he looked around and saw some familiar faces. Almost everyone was here who had been to the Oververse, which meant that Omni had kept true to his word. With a laugh, Top Man closed his eyes and focused on a familiar image. He didn't know how long it took, because he couldn't keep track of time with the people yapping around him, but eventually the floating camera came into existence in the air around him. A beat later, the green light popped on, indicating that he was broadcasting on his normal feed.

"Hello, my lovely viewers," Top Man cackled as he activated his buster arm. "It's your favorite Dataverse streamer, and I'm here to tell you that I've just done the impossible." He lifted the gun to the side of his head as a few of the other fresh primes turned to stare at him. "Secondary? Nah. I stared into the eyes of our resident god, and he made me a prime. Don't believe me? You better keep this feed active, because I'm about to do some Jesus Christ shit."

With a bang, the buster arm shot a burst of energy that tore clean through Top Man's head. The Robot Master, his eyes losing their light despite the smile frozen on his face, fell backwards into the Fountain of Infinity and faded into a swirl of rainbow streamers.

[Yu Kanda]

Klaud stood still, she was stumped at the fact that merely a second ago she was still in the presence of the great Omni. Now, she was in the nexus together with her companions, friends, brothers and sisters. But none of it felt real, not yet at least. She just stared at her open palms, waiting for reality to kick in. Nothing happened. Was this real ? Was this horrible tragedy finally over ? She was grateful for a great many things, but the journey was hell. Her palms closed and a fist appeared, it resembled her conflicted thoughts. Never again, never again would she make that journey. After all, she got what she came for, finally she would be reunited with Lau jimin, and Jan. The general kept looking at her clenched fists. Nothing changed, was she really a prime ?

Not too far away from her the emotional scene unfolded with Christa and her sister. Klaud overheard the emotional conversation, tears were flowing, but for a change the tears no longer represented sadness. They were tears of joy, to finally get achieved what you fought for. That's what Klaud wanted, nothing more, nothing less. If Christa could do it, so could she. How did this work ? Does she just wish for something and it happens ? The exorcist started to concentrate, a strange, new sensation started to take over. It felt strange yet familiar, at first Klaud was fighting it, trying to understand what was going on, but she quickly learned she just had to go with it, let the Omnilium guide her. The sensation in her stomach informed her she was on the right path. She started to smile as she felt she was getting close when suddenly her eyes shot open by the sound of a gunshot.

Klaud wasn't able to finish her summon, her body tensed up and her senses went into battle mode. The last couple of months scarred her more than she would've wanted. Normally she would have been calm under pressure, now she expects the worst every single time. This time was no different, she looked over and there he was. Their robot companion's torso lay on the floor, headless. "What the hell happened ?!" she shouted.

"It seems he wanted to show his fans he was a prime by, well, taking his own life. You know how primes return to us after they die. I think this is the entertainer's way of saying he managed to become a Prime." Lyra said rather calmly.

This whole experience never stops being strange. Klaud stood over the headless corpse of her ally, how could he have this much faith in Omni, it puzzled her. Lyra seemed strangely calm underneath it all, perhaps its the disbelief of it being finally over, or perhaps the experience changed her. Whatever it was, it wasn't the young girl she met at the beginning of it all, she was stronger and more mature now. It's a shame it all had to happen this way. Christa and Katia came rushing over as well, to witness the act of Top man. Before returning to her own summoning Christa and Klaud shared a look, no words were spoken, just a nod from Klaud. It told their leader all she needed to know, everything was going to be alright.

Finally Klaud started to distance herself a bit from the group, she wanted to be reunited with the ones she loved. Her eyes closed and once more the same sensation she felt earlier took control. Her thoughts went to Lau Jimin and all their travels, battles and bond. A smile started to appear on her face as her thoughts warmed her. Her smile grew larger as she felt a furry tail curl against her neck, it felt familiar. She opened her eyes and finally, there he was. The monkey like chirp sounded like music to her ears. "Welcome back friend, I missed you so much." She held her comrade close as she savor the moment. This was all worth it, all the hardships. Lau was obviously happy to see her aswell, he sat comfortably on the his boss's shoulder. And now it was time to set another wrong right. It was time to get 'him' back.

The same ritual started to take place, her eyes were shut, the sensation took it course throughout her body, almost as if the Omnilium had a life of its own. Her thoughts were with Jan, the man she fell in love with. This time it took longer, took more effort. Sweat drops were appearing on her forehead, concentrating was allot harder, it started to become uncomfortable, right up until the moment she heard the words she missed for the last couple of weeks, "Klaud ? Is that you".

The female exorcist's body was overjoyed and the butterflies reappeared in her stomach. She opened her eyes and Jan was standing a few feet in front of her. Klaud could feel her eyes tear up, Jan stepped towards her and wrapped his arms around her. Her lips moved apart from each other ready to speak, but before any words emerged she saw something behind Jan, far in the white distance. The silhouette was something Klaud knew all too well, and it gave her chills. Did she see that right ? Her mouth slowly dropped in awe as she released Jan from their embrace and walked passed him. "Klaud ? Are you alright ? " The worried man spoke.

"I, I got to go." She stuttered. " Go with Lyra, take care of her. I will find you once I have found what I am looking for." Klaud didn't turn around, her eyes were locked towards the distance of the Nexus.

"I don't understand Klaud, you brought me back, I died and you brought me back. And now you are leaving ? No, you are taking my child away and leaving me ?" Jan's voice sounded heartbroken and confused.

"Jan, listen to me, I will return. This, is something I have to seek out, it's my duty as an exorcist. Please understand this, I WILL come back. Please tell the others not to worry about me, I have to do this, please Jan."

Without a second glance Klaud started to wander off with her companion on her shoulder, leaving Jan behind with the group. But she was sure she saw what she saw, there was an Akuma in the nexus.

Klaud will be used in the storyline for the Black Order together with Yu Kanda, Zoro and Dante. But she will return.

[Demetri Malius]

I THINK IT'S ABOUT TIME FOR A LITTLE REUNION!!! :D

The living motorbike sped through the Endless Dunes gate into the Nexus, sand dispersing in a large cloud as some grains crinkled between a few gears. The artificial intelligence was getting tired of its sloppy body, and longed for its old form.

She logged the past few hours on the dataverse, keeping track of the events before he memory gap. It appears she had died during her quest with the other secondaries. A tinge of guilt hit her as she remembered her defeat, and her failed mission for Creator. Even worse still, she had to leave him behind.

She grazed over her new assignment, which seems to be the one Creator was doing in the Ashen before they parted. Included were some directions, and a short description of each member of the group he had met there. She skimmed a few details before-

ACH MEIN GOTT!

That familiar dialect. It couldn't be...

Richtoffen?

More familiar voices, over by the fountain. A huge influx of prime activity. The single tire of the motorbike screeched as the back wings lifted its rear, threatening to send it tipping over, tire over handlebars. The blurs became clearer, and it seemed to be a dream as IRIS was reunited with all of her friends.

"RICHTOFFEN! CROW! JAN! EVERYONE!"

The motorbike bolted towards to now confused group, who all turned to the machine as it spun out of control and slid to a stop at their feet. They didn't recognize their robotic friend at first, and all stopped in case the new arrival had evil intentions.

However, they were met with a excited voice and and eccentric whirring of an engine, as if it were hyperventilating. The dials and equipment went haywire.

"ACCORDING TO MY RADAR ANALYSIS YOU GUYS ARE ALL PRIMES NOW! WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED?! DID YOU GUYS SEE OMNI?!"

[Marcus Wright]

Jan sat on the fountain staring at his hands, just confused. He sat on the ever changing fountain just trying to comprehend what the hell just happened.. He saw... Klaud again, and her other friend she promised back. He noticed everyone's happy reunions with everyone yet he didn't feel right.

He stood up and just watched as his wife walked off with thier future child. Would she be alright? She could protect herself... Yet.. she was now a prime as he tried to rub the uncomfortable feeling off himself.

Richtoffen... the German doctor... The one in his group that healed everyone as best as he could.

He went to shake the new prime's hand "It's...good to see you again, doc."

Then a motorbike showed and blinked. Jan's friend over time, IRIS had showed up "I...IRIS?! It was...a long time and a lot different to see IRIS as a motorcycle now.

Jan had a lot on his mind as he turned and looked over at Lyra, Klaud's friend. Klaud had given him instructions to protect Lyra. He was a father now, he had so much to protect. His friends, his wife, his future child and now his old friends.

[Proto Man]

“Fuck that hurt!”

Sitting up out of the Fountain of Infinity, Top Man glanced around at the collection of nascent primes still wandering the area like newborn children. After smirking at a few of the scrubs, the Robot Master glanced at his camera, still hovering in the spot where he’d left it.

“How do you like dem apples?” He snickered as he flashed a middle finger to his lovely viewers and started to drag himself up out of the water. Pausing on the rim of the fountain, he threw his head back and let out a few more laughs. A few primes glanced his way as he calmed himself and shook off the remaining fluid. “Welcome to the party.” He shouted as he hopped down and motioned for his camera to follow him.

Once he’d made it a few yards from the Fountain, Top Man glanced over his shoulder at the floating piece of equipment. “Where do we go from here?” He asked to his audience as he pulled up the feed chatbox on his internal display.

[Gildarts]

Christa’s eyes remained on Abner’s. She had a feeling the moment wouldn’t last. That their time together was fleeting.

She was right.

“Ah… Am I interrupting anything, fearless leader?”

Christa grinned, and was rather silent about the introductions with her sister. She was something valuable. While Christa had been ruthless to achieve her goal, now she had everything she wanted, and her momentary silence was proof enough that she was content.

“It is a pleasure to meet you Katia,” the old man, her closest friend, spoke.

Katia greeted him, “It’s nice to meet you too, I take it you’re one of Chris’s friends?”

Isaac grinned in response to the small mention of Christa. Not because he was regarded as her friend, but because the nickname up until now had gone unmentioned. Unmentioned even by the other side of Katia, the one in the woods. It was almost like ‘proof’ and the youthful girl’s smile remained to fill the settling air with new hope.

More familiar faces showed up. Even ones they had lost. Christa too, had plans to honor some lost memories, but not here. Prickles of sensed danger caused the hair on her neck to rise, even during the rush of seeing a familiar face, it was almost like she was greeted by an old friend. A reminder of what she had given to get here.

...

Christa had, however, not been at ease during her moments with her sister. Her senses were on point, and her eyes glided over the room as though searching for untold secrets.

There was something in the leader’s gut that told her the agony was over, but there was also another, more compelling instinct that told her there was definitely more to come.

Eternity.

She would’ve spent it with her sister, doing nothing, raising her, watching her grow into a better version of herself - and it wasn’t like that would’ve been hard to achieve. But Christa had killed people, in the name of her goal. She hadn’t searched for her destiny, but only longed to be delivered home. When asked if there was an escape, she was pretty sure Omni had said no. So she opted for her real goal anyway. Like she gave a damn if she ever returned to her war-ridden world anyway.

Her sister was safer here. Christa knew where she’d take her. She knew where she would settle. But she also knew she wouldn’t stay. Not forever. It pained her, even the thought, to think of leaving her sister’s side even for an instant. But the woman had grown over these months. She had grown to know what was best. For her and her sister.

Deep down, doubt, unquenchable doubt, wrestled in her sound mind. Doubt that it was over. Doubt that Katia even recognized a face that once was her sisters, but now, was a completely different woman. Christa was a year older, and a hell of a lot more composed than she may have been having a stormtrooper look her straight in the eyes.

Christa was about to greet Abner, introduce her sister, and all the pleasantries with a cherry on top. Alert senses however caused the Prime to sidestep directly in front of her sister as a faceless threat stepped into a dangerously close range. Unflinchingly, repulsively, Christa drew her pistol and aimed at the armed man’s tall forehead.

He wasn’t expecting the whole ‘mother bear’ deal, that was evident enough as the revolt of fear quivered on his lip. For Christa, the journey still wasn’t over. They weren’t safe, and were far from it in the Nexus. Out in the open. All she could think about were land mines. It was unreasonable, and the logic of the situation told her the same, but, there was no reason for her to not use every precaution in her power to survive. No, not even that. For her to protect what she had gone all that way for. Everything she had sacrificed was for her sister. She wouldn’t lose her again, and frankly, Christa wasn’t sure she could bare witnessing her sister’s death again without some serious gunfire being delivered to those responsible.

Oh that’s right. That man would be held responsible too.

For now, she gulped down her spite and confronted the older man, asking in a stern voice. “Who (the hell) are you?”

“Ah, you’ll have to excuse me, I’m Ginas from the Pale Moors. You’ll have to excuse me for exercising precaution,” he lowered his very ready sword. Christa’s eyes icily tore through his skin and bone. Her eyes were unyielding, and it seemed as though she assume he was an assassin. “Can’t be too careful in that verse. But, aside from that-”

“What are you doing here, what do you want?” Christa seemed to relax, but her pistol’s aim didn’t move an inch.

“You see, I was sent by someone to get your-”

There was a click as the bullet cocked in the chamber. Fury fueled by gasoline, in her gaze. “Does it look like now’s a good time to approach me?” A swift glance down to her sister, whose head had dipped, broke Christa out of combat-mode. “Damn it.”

Her weapon lowered, though her muscles remained tense, as could be told by the bulges in her neck. “Who was it, Huffinton? Barney?” Christa seemed to guess, but the names from a year ago escaped her.

“Mornel.” The man said dismally, and his face darkened at the thought, while his hand lingered close to his belt, where his sword hung ready to be sprung loose.

“Mornel, huh, that bas...” Her eyes fell on her sister. Poor example. Warning thoughts rang loudly. “Listen, I’m with my sister right now. She’s not to be involved. If you’ll excuse me, didn’t I give him a number to reach me at?”

“You’ve... We’ve tried that number for months now. Suddenly it stopped ringing, and we were sent to a disconnected line. All this time, we all thought you were dead.”

It dawned on Christa, just how long their journey had taken, and perhaps, how long their time in the Void, and their time in the Oververse, had extended to the many verses below.

“Well, I’m here now.” She relented, and seemed as though she were going to add something before the man continued.

“They’re dead,” Before Christa could ask who, he continued, with dread weighing heavily on each word, “All of them. No one survived. It was a massacre. I... My leg was... Well you can see.” Her eyes, once imperceptibly cold, were now chilled with fear as her mind exchanged the distant memory of an able-bodied man in his twenties, to the withered old man that now stood in front of him.

“Jesus, is that you Marko?” A nod came from his fragile movements. The man looked like he was fresh from battle, and the arthritic ache in his hand would not hold the crutch any longer. She lunged to catch him, and as she lowered him to the ground, she found his skin cold, and his eyes, now glazed over. The words escaped her without a filter, they wavered, as though she had been reduced to someone naive to death. They were words so full of worry, words almost as though they were meant for a friend, “Oh my god.”

“He’s dead.” She concluded, and quickly abandoned the corpse to the entourage behind him. Each wore black, and the others had donned masks to shield their faces. One leaned close to whisper something in Christa’s ear. The others would not have been able to pick it up, but the words were a warning. War is coming.

Shit. Christa cursed to herself, so that Katia would not have to see her panic. Once she had screamed, and she had lost everything to fear. Never again.

“Chris,” Katia’s joyful expression seemed to have weathered the storm, “I see a lot of new faces, and I can’t possibly know what’s going through your mind, but I want to assure you, I’ll be alright.”

With that, fresh fear trickled in. The words were supposed to reassure her, but now Christa couldn’t help but to skeptically think that her sister remembered when THAT had happened. Now, the girl’s eyes asked for an explanation, hell, probably everyone who was watching was asking for one.

Christa found the words, and hoped her tone would be charismatic enough to deliver them, “He’s an old friend of mine. Looks like he’s gone through hell and back again, but, he was in a rough place when I last saw him, now that I’m a Prime, I’ll have the chance to bring him back and ask him what that was about. For now though, I’d like to give you my phone number, so we can all stay in touch.”

Convincing enough? She questioned herself, and looked at Isaac and Abner’s faces. Waiting for the words to set in.

[Gildarts]

“I see you still have mommy's necklace," Katia observed, and then looked left, across the room, at a far off figure in the corner who was communicating with a man in an almost ‘invisible’ uniform. No sour expression creased her brow, but a deep sorrow weighed on her eyes. Now they looked the same as her sister's, but Katia was wise enough, and strong enough, to be open with the pain.

"Of course, you know I never found out what this trinket actually did," Christa played with the obscure shape on the end of the gold chain, which usually hung inside her shirt for protection, and to escape the curiosity of straying eyes.

"Something's changed about you." Katia said, bluntly, but without discernment.

“A lot has changed about me,” Christa paused before quickly offering, "Well of course, my aim has gotten better."

Katia blinked, looked at Christa's pistol that was held by an unobtrusive strap around her waist. "That doesn't surprise me, Chrissie, then again, you've always been lucky when it comes to that sort of thing."

Christa smiled, even sometimes she had to admit there was something beyond skill that guided her bullet to it's target, and "luck" was the only ever word she could find to define it. Before the leader could think any further, Katia’s face grew grim.

“How long.”

The dreaded question.

“How long has it been?”

That dreaded question.

She had expected to have had more time before having to explain all that had happened, but kids always found themselves asking curious questions. Meanwhile her sister’s tone was careful and innocent, but that didn’t take away from the sting the words left.

Christa paused a moment, pulled her presence and awareness from every corner of the room and her full attention fell on the beady eyes of her sister. The woman crouched down and placed her hand on Kat’s head.

“Long enough.”

...




Christa's eyes fell on the last ending she had to close.

"Abner, will you walk me to the gate?" Christa asked. Come to think of it, she wondered if it was the first thing she had asked of him. Certainly, or rather hopefully, it wouldn’t be the last.

A bit of time passed and the two had walked in silence, while Christa's young sister puttered along, trailing as much as she could get away with without Christa's light motivation to "stick close."

As if the young girl needed any incentive after what she had witnessed a moment ago.

Still, an eye remained at the corner of Christa's vision, until she tested the waters,"Costa Del Sol has the best chocolate ice cream," Christa had said quite blatantly, a little louder than her following words, which were soft and cautious, this time directed at her companion. Abner quickly picked up on 'chocolate ice cream' being the safe word for her sister, and noticed the infinite sparks of care in Christa's blue, ever-concerned eyes.

She wouldn't shut it out any longer. There was no reason not to say to Abner what she had not during their first meeting and the months thereafter. As if by prompt, he began.

"I remember the first time I saw you, I can personally say that you undeniably swept me off my feet." Abner seemed as though his words held something, but the two both shared a reminiscent smile as they reflected on their close-call in the temple. A second later, and she would have never known him. Nor would she have ever learned to care.

"You never left me behind." She added, her fearless confidence once displayed in front of the group was still there, but in this moment it resided within her and not on display with everything on the line, or risk the possibility of losing the group at all. It was less as the focal point of the conversation they were sharing, almost as though she were letting him lead the moment. While even she wondered why.

"A lot of time has passed since the beginning. I never told you why I didn't like you when I first met you," she pushed a smile, and it crippled her strength so the pain she was concealing tweaked at the edges of her expression. She reflected for a derisive moment, "I was ... A bit cruel. There is no excuse for that. But I want you to know..." her eyes fell away from his while her voice hesitated for the first time.

"My parents... They were killed by storm troopers when I was very young, back home, back to my home, the Empire, they ripped us from our home and forced us to watch." There was resolution in her voice now, and in the same way her pain had changed the air, it was now blown away by a wordlessness that her avowal had revealed about the truth, and about her own weakness.

Abner's eyes seemed to accept it, she saw no outward flinch. And, needing no words, they both let the past go.

"Hm," he noted, almost to himself, "Your hair has gotten longer." A gentle smile emerged from his expression – an outward triumph of their battle, and victory – all while hidden in the opaque shadow of his at-ease charisma. His hand reached to grasp the soft tips of her hair, which now rolled far below her shoulders.

His warm gaze was now upon her. She felt her throat suddenly clench with a bittersweet hold. Yet, a heat she was mostly unfamiliar with crested the edges of her ears and rushed to her cheeks. She wondered if he could read her, now that she had flushed with a new and very different wave of overwhelmed emotion.

The room changed. Subtle footsteps in the distance became echoes, lost in the wind. Any smears crossing the white room soon faded into the background, losing their color. Christa was held hostage by his eyes. Her thoughts had tumbled into a jumble until it all went silent. The only sound she heard, was the careful tenderness in his eyes.

Everything else, it all fell away.

[Zack Fair]

For just a brief moment, nothing else mattered.

All of the horrible things they had experienced in their lives seemed to fade away. Atrocities that were burned into the psyche of both of the hardened warriors vanished. The horrors of the temple, the swamp, and the Void were gone. Even the trip to the Oververse, and what had promised to be the ultimate salvation but instead turned into merely another step, was irrelevant. For that moment in time, the only important thing was each other.

But like all moments, it passed as quickly as it arrived.

As they parted their lips and pressed their foreheads together, Abner and Christa found themselves smiling uncontrollably. Abner couldn't believe it. After all that he'd been through in the past months, Omni hadn't been the prize. All this time, it had been Christa. That realization was bittersweet, though, because he knew as well as she that the time had come to part ways, if only for a little bit.

They parted from their embrace, with Christa glancing to Katia to see her somewhat disgusted and disapproving grimace. To be young again.

"I needed that," Abner quietly remarked. After all, this whole journey had been one punch to the gut after another. Even if he was better off because of it, it hadn't been easy.

Christa quietly nodded, still collecting her thoughts. Her eyes drifted from Katia back to Abner as the realization sank in that it was time to go. It was a rare moment where she was unable to simply say what she was thinking. Instead, she bit her lip innocently as she tried to process her thoughts, which ended up being a gesture that Abner found irresistible.

Still, he found his eyes drifting to Katia. She was looking at him curiously, unsure of her sister's relationship with this former stormtrooper. He had read through the lines in what she'd previously said. The girl, for some reason, seemed to remember the events of the swamp and the entire journey that led them here. Whether she had the powers to display the feats she had performed before was unknown to him, for as long as he'd spent on duty in the Nexus, he never understood the intricacies of handling Omnilium. The potential, alone, was terrifying. He'd never felt so powerless in his life, and he'd dealt with plenty of crazy Primes.

"It'll be alright," Christa interrupted his thoughts when she traced his line of sight to the young girl.

Abner looked back to Christa, and genuine worry set into his heart. "You're sure?"

"It has to be," Christa firmly responded. If she wasn't convinced, her tone hid it well.

Not the answer he was looking for, but it was the ultimate truth of the situation. Christa had worked too hard and struggled through too much to accept any other outcome. He had to admit to himself, that was what he fancied about her. The concern was still there, and it sure would have been nice to get some clarification from Omni. But then, the deity was only one hellish adventure away.

Abner paused. The time was here. Seeing her go would be hard, but taking the next steps of his own would be harder. He realized he was delaying it, but he couldn't do that forever. He had run from reality for too long. Christa looked past his shoulder, and Abner did a half turn to see two stormtroopers approaching them. He had seen them scoping them out from a distance upon their arrival in the Nexus, and had little doubt Christa had, too.

They were smart. They analyzed and watched Primes from a distance to assess the nature and powers they held, so they would not put themselves in any unnecessary danger. Hell, he was probably the one that taught them that. He'd barked at more than one overeager stormtrooper about what the hell running towards a six armed flaming demon, or whatever the ridiculous prime of the week was, accomplished for them personally. A smarter approach meant a smarter stormtrooper, which was what he needed at this moment.

The stormtroopers closed the gap, and Abner instinctively shifted between Christa and the white armored men, just as she did the same with Katia. It was more for their benefit and safety than hers. One spoke, and he was cordial and polite, for the two seconds it took for him to recognize their former commanding officer up close.

"Welcome, primes, to the Omni– what the fuck!?"

Their helmets prevented their facial expressions from being seen, but it didn't take much to guess what they might be. Abner recognized the voice he heard, though he couldn't place it to a name, a face, or really anything identifiable. He just knew that he'd met the man at some point.

"Captain...Captain White?" the second stormtrooper asked, as they both stood their dumbfounded at who this new Prime turned out to be. "Is that really you?"

Abner briefly looked to Christa, and then turned to face the two stormtroopers completely. His eyes locked on the one that spoke first, and the former stormtrooper brushed right past any formalities.

"Who's the commanding officer at the Nexus, this shift?" Abner's stern tone was less of a question and more of a demand for information.

"Captain Avin Searle," the stormtrooper immediately replied.

Finally, some good news. Avin was one of Abner's oldest and closest friends in the Omniverse. Right now, it would be really nice to have someone he could trust and depend on walking this gauntlet with him.

"Go get him," Abner ordered, paying no mind to his own lack of authority over these two.

They also disregarded such trivialities, and immediately departed. In theory, it was a chance for him to slip away and bide his time until he was ready to face his past. He couldn't do that to himself, however. He also couldn't bring himself to do it to those stormtroopers. He'd have to face this one head on.

He turned to look back to Christa as an embarrassed smile crept onto his face. It felt a little awkward acting like a stormtrooper in front of the woman who rightfully despised the Empire so much, even if they'd put the past behind them. It wouldn't be long until they came back, though, so it seemed the moment he was silently dreading had arrived.

The time to walk their own ways.

[Gamzee Makara]

Dr. Edward Richtofen, the German Scientist, wielder of Kemat's Bite, the Secondary who was denied answers, is nowhere to be found.

There is a single tiny speck on the southern horizon. A silhouette plainly visible against the expansive, blinding white of the Nexus.

At least, it seems like there's only one.

[Zack Fair]

Abner simply smiled as he watched Christa and Katia depart into the gate to the Vasty Deep. He didn’t smile much anymore. Usually, he just grunted and sighed, but this remarkable woman had certainly changed that. Then again, she hadn’t been one for expressing positive emotions at the beginning of the journey, either, but she had certainly changed as well. He made a mental note to stay in close contact with her, and see what would happen from there. He certainly had high hopes.

He was jarred from his pleasant thoughts by a Stormtrooper roughly grabbing the straps of his bullet proof vest and jerking him aside. Abner stumbled and barely managed to stay on his feet after the sudden movement. He caught his balance and found himself staring straight into the cold, emotionless countenance of the all too familiar Stormtrooper helmet. As terrifying as it was to many, it was only an annoyance to the well-traveled veteran.

“Abner? Is that you?” a voice squawked through the voice box equipped in the helmet. Even through the robotic sound, he recognized the voice of his close friend, Avin Searle. “It is you, right? Omni’s not playing some damn joke by bringing a different you in as a Prime? What was our first assignment together?”

“Get your goddamn hands off of me,” Abner snapped in response to the weak test, throwing his arms up as he did. Avin let go and stepped back, now convinced he was still talking to the same Abner he knew. The fresh prime was happy to confirm it, though. “Yea, it’s me, shithead.”

Avin was far from done with his impromptu interrogation. He did remove his helmet so he could look at his friend face to face, however. “What in the hell is going on? Those Stormtroopers said you appeared like a damn prime.”

“That’s because I am a damn prime,” Abner bluntly replied. Avin furrowed his brow in disbelief, but Abner didn’t hesitate to hold an open palm between them and allow an orb of Omnilium to emerge from his hand.

Avin stared in disbelief. What he was seeing was something he never imagined was possible. “…How?”

“They said ‘find Omni,’” Abner answered, clenching a fist and causing the Omnilium to disappear back into his body. “So I fuckin’ found Omni.”

“Find Omni…” Avin repeated the words incredulously. “’Find Omni’…you idiot, they fired your dumb ass.”

Abner blinked once in the ensuing silence, with a matching blank expression. Then, he simply grinned.

Avin remained far less amused. “The one time you were supposed to actually do nothing…” The Stormtrooper captain paused and thought for a brief second, but struggled to find his bearings. “Dammit, Abner, everyone except you knew you were supposed to go away and just stay gone. They couldn’t execute you because of all you’d done, but you’d outlived your usefulness.”

“Well, surprise,” Abner sarcastically exclaimed as he threw his hands up in frustration. “I’m still good for something. Now what the hell do we do?”

Avin pursed his lips and nodded as he mused on that loaded question. Like any career Imperial, he knew the real question wasn’t what they should do, but instead what they shouldn’t do. This was a tremendous development. A secondary becoming a prime? That was completely unheard of, and such an insane reality touching his insignificant life was a lot to comprehend. At the same time, the fact that Abner, of all people, had introduced such insanity into his life wasn’t exactly mind-blowing.

“Well, those Stormtroopers have absolutely tweeted this shit, or whatever,” Avin said, ignoring the lack of understanding that Abner had for such terminology. “So it’s a safe bet that the Imperial High Command knows about you being back as a prime.”

“Great,” Abner lit a cigarette as a he listened to his friend, and closed his eyes as he took his first drag. It had been way too long. A couple hours at most, realistically, but more time than he was used to.

“That means they’re going to send the badasses through the gate to find you,” Avin quickly continued, as he felt Abner didn’t fully appreciate this situation. “I’m not talking about forgettable peons like you or me, or rookies that are going to get themselves slaughtered by a fresh prime. I mean they’re sending the guys that are either actively running top secret Imperial missions, or sitting in the barracks jacking off thinking about top secret Imperial missions.”

“I got it, thanks for the visual,” Abner dismissively waved his hand. “You didn’t answer my question. What the hell do we do?”

Avin shrugged at that one. The resolution seemed to be out of their hands.

“I guess we start heading for Coruscant,” Avin answered. “Meet them halfway. That, or you haul ass into that gate and have the courtesy to punch my lights out so I don’t get hanged for blatantly letting you escape.”

“That got real interesting at the end,” Abner admitted. Though he was joking, he said it with a straight face, and Avin still understood. The old veteran casually continued with his new found resolve. “I’m going to see this through, though. I made a promise in that swamp.”

Abner’s face showed a rare glimpse of resolve, but Avin’s was simply confusion.

“What fucking swamp?” Avin asked incredulously.

Abner’s facial expression straightened up, and he looked like the same old burnout that alternated between lackadaisical and serious yet again.

“How about you don’t worry about it?” Abner retorted, falling back into his old groove. “Let’s just head to Coruscant and figure this shit out.”,

“That’s a little more like it,” Avin laughed to mask his own apprehension.

With some light laughter to set the mood, Abner and Avin began their trek towards the gate that led to Coruscant. The whole time they laughed about ridiculous stories from their past adventures, and also shared stories from their time apart. The two close friends were reunited, but they couldn’t help but be hesitant at what awaited them on the other side of that familiar gate.

The unknown had never stopped them before, and it wasn’t about to now. With a simple laugh and accompanying fist bump, Avin entered the gate and disappeared back to Coruscant. Abner hesitated for only a few seconds. It was the exact amount of time he needed to light another cigarette and get the nicotine he needed for what he was about to do. He was as committed as he would ever be, so without a second thought he stepped into the gate, and was whisked away to Coruscant.