YAWARAKAI: I kept taking it down, tweaking it, posting it, and repeating...I am now finally content with how I want this to go. Enjoy :)
DISCLAIMER: Lara, Tarko, Rengar, Addison, Matthew, and the moron who fished his degrees from a food box are mine. Everything and everyone else belong to the wonderful creators of Smallville unless otherwise noted at the top of a chapter.
There was nothing left.
Lara went down on one knee and brushed away the dust from a faded newspaper, her gloved fingers tracing the bold letters that graced the top of the page. 'END OF THE WORLD?!' In smaller letters it read, "Hell's Legion continues rampage'. Steel eyes were blank as she raised her head to survey the remains of what had once been Smallville. Now it was simply a testament to the power and single-minded ruthlessness of the monster she had created.
The hybrid knew that nearly everywhere around the world had met the same demise. Humans were now an endangered species. At least, that was the goal anyways. Lara knew that the pathetic creatures had taken to hiding in desperation. It didn't matter though. Her 'monster' was more than capable of hunting every last one of them down and painting the earth with their blood; them and the fools that sought to protect them, the Justice League. The brunette turned sharply on her heels and moved briskly towards the two companions that had stood by her side for over fourteen years.
Tarko was an experiment that humans had created to test biological weapons on just to see what would happen. He was short, coming only to her chin at five feet and three inches, with a slight feminine build. His long sun-gold hair, ocean blue eyes, and creamy skin gave him an angelic appearance; and during the beginning of her genocidal campaign he had used his innocent looks as an advantage to put unsuspecting humans at ease so that he could gather information that would benefit Lara. As the campaign wore on his appearance made it easier to draw out the scum from their crevices so that they could be slaughtered by Hell's Legion. He was also one of only two in the entire Legion that the hybrid trusted implicitly. The other stood beside him, a copy of 'Robin Hood' held open and nearly finished. Lara wanted to roll her eyes since this was the male's third time reading it.
Rengar was a bit of an oddity really. Lara had found him chained to a giant boulder in an underwater cave during her teenage years before the campaign. In fact, he had been her first recruit (in a manner of speaking) and the one that had helped her bust Tarko out of an underground military laboratory the experiment had been held in. Rengar was taller than Lara by nearly a foot, standing at six feet and seven inches; and his powerful build was the perfect contrast to Tarko's wispy presence. His eyes were a striking violet color, his skin a pale mocha, and his short ivory hair spiked in every direction (naturally!). If Tarko was the deception that Lara used against the humans, then Rengar was the intimidation that kept many of the survivors from forming an effective resistance against them.
There were others in the Legion, all of them with one common goal: the destruction of the human race. The hybrid kept track of them fairly easily using injected nanites invented nearly thirty years ago by her late father. If there was even a remote suspicion that someone was going to turn against her, she would simply send out a command to the little robots to go haywire and the problem was solved. The only members without the technology were herself, Tarko, and Rengar. They didn't need them. Lara really couldn't turn against herself, and the other two cared for their little makeshift family too much to hurt her.
The brunette came to a stop before her comrades and cleared her throat, grabbing their attention immediately. The two men shared a quick glance before the blond spoke in a voice that had always reminded Lara of spring winds winding through willow branches. "Are we heading out now?" the hybrid shook her head. "No, not yet. There's someplace I need to stop by before we leave for Africa." "Oh?" A hesitant look crossed the woman's face, drawing curious stares from the other two. "I...want to go to the mansion for a moment." Understanding dawned in her companions' eyes before Tarko spoke again, his eyes gentle. "Would you like for me and Renggy to join you? Or do wish to do this on your own? We can entertain ourselves if you wish to be alone." "...I won't be long." With that said Lara took to the air and flew towards what had once been her home as a child.
§§§§
The mansion stood tall and dark in the approaching twilight, its stone exterior showing no damage from the genocides (she had been very careful to always draw confrontations away from her childhood home). Steely eyes lost some of their edge at the sight and the hybrid allowed herself to feel a measure of warmth deep in her chest. Taking slow steps, she eventually found herself at the front doors of the imposing building and (after removing her gloves), placed her hands against the age-roughened wood. With a sigh, Lara allowed herself a moment to gather herself for the emotions she knew she would experience once she stepped inside. The hybrid's left hand drifted down to the door's handle. Inhaling deeply, she turned the handle, gave a gentle push, and stepped over the threshold she hadn't crossed in seventeen years.
§§§§
"Do you think we should have really let her go on her own? I don't think we should have let her go. Maybe we should have gone with her?" Rengar turned the page of his book, giving a soft 'humph' sound to let Tarko know he was listening. The blond wasn't paying attention though. Pacing nervously back and forth, his thoughts were a jumble of worry over Lara's mental and emotional state. "I mean you know how she gets when she starts thinking about the past. She goes all quiet-y and sad and then she starts hunting down humans like crazy and-" "Enough Tarko." Blue eyes stared at Rengar in shock before the ex-experiment released a sigh and sat on a close-by bench that had definitely seen better days. "Sorry Renggy...I just...I just don't like seeing her like that is all; and this is the first time she's ever wanted to go to that place in the entire time we've known her. Who knows what she'll be like when she comes back..."
Giving up hope that he would be able to continue reading while his comrade was panicking about their friend, Rengar closed his novel and shoved it in one of many pockets his cargo pants had to offer before turning to look at the blond. Ocean eyes were downcast and his full lips were twisted into an adorable pout. The mutant let out a soft huff before taking a few steps forward. When he was close enough, he drew Tarko into a comforting hug (making the other let out an adorable squeak). "I know that you are worried about her. I am too, but we have to allow her to do this on her own. They are her memories and it is her past. We have no right to involve ourselves without an invitation." Tarko knew that Rengar was right, and he allowed himself to lean into the embrace. "Okay...I just don't like when she's sad." "Neither do I."
§§§§
Everything was as it had been from her childhood, excluding the generous amount of dust which coated everything thickly and assured her that her presence was the only one that had entered the mansion in over a decade. Lara made her way slowly through the majestic structure, stopping every now and then when a fond memory came to mind. She could easily remember running up and down the stairs at only three years old while being chased by her Papa when it was bath time. The large vases that lined the wall had once been filled with plants from all over the world. Further in was the kitchen where Mrs. Marshy, the cook, would help her make pancakes for her Papa and Father on the weekends.
Heading up the stairs towards the second floor, she stopped when she reached the landing and closed her eyes. Her emotions were rolling inside her gut and the hybrid struggled to get them under control before she eventually proceeded to the one room in the entire mansion she had never entered before; not even when her parents had still been alive. They had always told her that it was Father's working room and that they didn't want her getting into anything that might have been important.
It was time she saw the room.
§§§§
The sun had long since set and Lara still wasn't back yet. Tarko wanted nothing more than to go see for himself if she was okay, but he was pretty sure that if he tried Rengar wouldn't hesitate to sit on him. Speaking of the mutant, the blond stopped his pacing and looked over at his friend, taking in the relaxed posture and old book. He simply studied him for a few moments before a voice that reminded him of earthquakes and tornadoes startled him. "Sit Tarko. Lara will be back soon enough."
Letting out a sigh, the blond did as was asked and sat down on the bench he had abandoned earlier. A few moments passed in silence. When he didn't think he could take it anymore, he decided to ask a question that had been bothering him lately. Normally it wasn't something he would think think twice about...but this visit to the mansion was out of character for their companion as typically she would ensure that the closest she ever came to it was only a random stop into Smallville's rubble taken sparingly. "Rengar?"
The mutant glanced up, mildly intrigued at the proper use of his first name which Tarko rarely did. The ex-experiment shifted nervously under the curious stare of the other male before continuing. "Do you think we're doing the right thing?" "What do you speak of?" "Well...the campaign...do you think continuing it is necessary anymore?" Rengar was silent, and for a few seconds Tarko thought that he had asked the wrong thing. His worry was appeased when the mutant finally spoke. "No. I do not believe it is necessary now." "...me neither..."
§§§§
The office was encased in shadows; the only light coming from the gibbous moon outside. Lara didn't care though. She sat on the old moth-eaten couch in front of the stone fireplace, her black canvas trench coat tossed over the back, her elbows on her knees, and her head cradled in her hands. The hybrid's face was streaked from the silent tears she had cried only moments before. By her feet lay the framed photo of what her family had once been. Father, Papa, Grammy, Auntie Chloe, Uncle Pete, Mrs. Marshy, and Mr. Grahams (the butler) surrounded a much younger version of herself and everyone had bright, happy smiles on their faces. She hadn't expected to cry. She never cried before.
She hadn't seen such a stark reminder of what she had lost before either.
Lara remained where she was for what seemed like hours before heaving a sigh and rising to her feet, her gloved hands rubbing away the last evidence of her tears. She grabbed her jacket, and just as she was about to make her way out of the room, a metallic glint caught the corner of her eye. She paused, staring at the slim metal case resting beside the dusty computer. On its cover was one word; her name.
Curiosity peaked, she stepped towards the large wooden desk then around it to sit in the worn-out chair positioned in front of the window. She flipped the laptop open and pressed the power button, hoping that the emergency generators still had power. Not to mention hoping that the machine still functioned as well. The brunette bit back a smirk when the screen came on. She quickly typed in the password (her name, which took a few tries to figure out) before opening the drive and placing the disk from the case in the tray. With a push, she closed the drive then waited for it to load. When that finished, she clicked on the lone file (a video) then watched as her father and papa came on the screen.
Clark and Alexander Luthor-Kent wore solemn looks upon their faces, eyes worn and tired. The Kryptonian was the first to speak. "Hey baby girl, it's Papa. Your father and I made this for you in case what we fear will happen, did happen. If you're watching this than the threats that were made towards us weren't idle. I know that right now you're very angry; and that you want to take that anger out on the world. We don't want that baby-girl." Lex placed a comforting hand on Clark's shoulder as his husband became too choked-up to continue. The multi-billionaire spoke now.
"Lara, we knew that something like this might happen when the world found out about your papa. As much as we wish we could be there with right now, it's not possible anymore. Please, don't hate the world Lara. I've been down that road and it doesn't lead to anywhere good." Both men were silent now, their hands gripping each others tightly before her father continued.
"Now, the chances of you getting this disk before you did anything rash were pretty slim. Your papa and I love you Lara, but we know that you can be impulsive; especially when you're angry. You get that from us. If you did do something rash, we don't hate you for it baby-girl. What's done is done. You can't change the past. We love you baby-girl."
The video ended, and a shaky hand shut the laptop slowly as Lara processed what she had just watched. Her parents still loved her. No matter that she had caused the start of the human extinction; no matter that she was still pushing towards their annihilation. They still loved her. They said it themselves. Another thought soon followed after. She tried to wipe out an entire species...what the hell was wrong with her?! Guilt suffocated her as she finally snapped out of the murderous anger that had fueled her every action since the death of her family. Lara didn't know what to do, so she simply sat there for the rest of the night as she finally allowed herself to break apart.
§§§§
Tarko was comfortable; more than comfortable actually, something he hadn't really been in years during sleep. Warm too. He couldn't recall any bed feeling this wonderful, and the blond shifted to get closer to the warmth. The arms around his waist tightened. Tarko froze. 'Arms?' His eyes opened and he raised his head. Blue locked with violet as Rengar returned his shocked and embarrassed stare with sleepy annoyance. "Will you stop shifting around so much? I'm trying to sleep." The blond simply continued to stare at him. Rengar rolled his eyes and huffed. "You were shivering. My body temperature runs higher than yours. Now stop staring at me and go back to sleep." "Oh...okay...is Lara back yet?" "No. Now sleep."
The blond ignored him in favor of sitting up and looking around. His friend sighed and sat up as well. "You need to cease worrying. Lara is more than capable of taking care of herself. She does not need us to-" "That's not why I'm worried!" The mutant blinked, a little surprised at the raised voice. Tarko rarely shouted; and never has he shouted at him. He watched the other as a creamy hand nervously ran through sun-kissed locks. Letting out a sigh, Tarko turned to look at him, blue eyes apologetic. "I'm sorry...it's just that I'm afraid if she keeps going like this she's going to shatter and there won't be a damn thing either of us can do to put her back together."
"I don't need anyone putting me back together. I'm not humpty-dumpty you idiot."
The two men stared at the brunette standing only a few feet from them with her arms crossed, amusement flashing in her eyes and turning them bright. "You two were getting a little cozy there a few minutes ago. Is there something I should know about Rengar?" "Tarko and I are participating in a sordid love affair and are planning to announce our engagement at the next conference." The mutant's voice was mono-toned as he ignored Tarko's indignant squeak. The hybrid laughed, stopping the blond's embarrassment in its tracks as he stared at her in stunned shock. He hadn't heard her make that sound in a very long time.
Rengar raised an eyebrow. "You are rather...pleasant of mood." "Why yes, yes I am." The brunette put one hand on her hip as she pointed a finger at them. "You boys ready to go on a long trip?" Tarko shook himself from his shock, curiosity tickled. "Trip? We're going on a trip? Where?" "Not where; WHEN." "Huh?"
The machine was HUGE! Tarko also thought that it looked like a squid with epilepsy, but he didn't say that out loud. He had asked Lara to explain everything one more time as she set about making sure everything was in place and the portal generator had power going to it. The hybrid had simply shook her head and told him to ask Rengar so she could focus. Tarko rolled his eyes but still did as she said and asked the mutant.
Rengar put his book away (seriously, how many times had he read that thing already anyways?) into one of his many pockets and relaxed on the metal chair he had found in the corner of the lab room, and then set about repeating everything that Lara had told them hours before. "Lara is ensuring that the Parallel Time Distorter is functioning, and then she will set it for forty-two years into the past of a parallel time-line." "Why not this one?" "Paradox. If we set it for this time-line it will generate a time loop that will severely damage this reality before, eventually, destroying it and anything connected to it." "Like us?" "Yes." "Ah...why do this if it won't affect us directly?" "Because she wants to make amends, which is something she believes she cannot do here." "Oh..."
A loud cheer brought both males' attention to the activity around the portal generator, and they watched as Lara finally stepped back from its platform. A large grin stretched across her face when she looked over her shoulder and caught sight of her friends. "Ready to go? I've got everything set up, so all we need to do is step onto the platform and hit the button." Before Rengar and Tarko could do as she said, a gloved hand flew up to stop them. When they gave Lara a questioning look her grin had faded away to be replaced with a serious look. "I want to know if you two really want to come with me...because there's no coming back. Once I hit the shiny red button, that's it. The PTD is rigged to explode as soon as the portal closes with us on the other side. We'll be stuck in the past of a parallel time-line for good."
Rengar was the one to speak up. "There is nothing here for us Lara. Even if the world had not suffered your blood-lust and wrath, we would still follow you. This place never wanted us. It never accepted us. You did." Tarko nodded his agreement. "I'm with Renggy on this one. Nobody else gave a damn. Face it...your ass is stuck with us." The hand lowered and the grin reappeared, wider than before. "Wouldn't have it any other way." With all lingering doubts firmly shoved from her mind, Lara motioned the other two onto the pad before stepping on as well. "2001, here we come."
She pressed the shiny red button.