Here's to the Future
It was a never-ending battle. One he was losing, terribly.
And the world just moved by him, like there was nothing wrong.
Magnetman forced himself to still his trembling as he stood in the great aula of the Jawaii airport's network, looking for his little brother. He couldn't spot the kid in the crowd, but surely he was just late.
He's not late.
Yes, he was. It was a week day, the kid was coming from work.
He wasn't restored.
He was. The whole world was!
He's gone.
Magnetman could feel panic creep back into him. The general noise grew distant, the colors lost their saturation rapidly. Duo's network danced on the edges of his vision, those dark patches threatening to drag him away. Magnetman focused on the details around him with an almost maniacal obsession, like he always did in these past few weeks. He was looking for something, anything that would reveal this whole thing to be a mere illusion. A glaring mistake in a pattern, wrong texture on something, half-finished forms.
But no. Everything was perfect in his eyes. The panic slightly drew back in him.
It could not have been a dream. It was far too detailed, too perfect. Everything was normal, looked normal, moved and behaved normal. Magnetman fought the urge to strike out and grab a random stranger by the arm roughly, just to see how genuine the reaction would be. That would be the ultimate test, to see how really alive everyone was around him.
You are not alive. You are dying.
No, he wasn't!
You are on Duo's Comet, with the others. You are all dying. Tesla is dead, killed just like Regal had been.
The world was losing focus again, Magnetman's hands trembled. Tesla was alive! She was back in DenTech City, in her sky-scrapper like always. She allowed him to come here, for crying out loud! She wasn't dead… right?
You are merely reliving your life in your last moments. These are all memories. You are dying.
Duo's network creeped back up and Magnetman could do nothing to stop it, nothing to fight it, nothing to—
- Mag! Mag, over here!
The veil was torn away and Magnetman snapped his head up in alarm. The world came back to focus, the aula regained its loudness and colors. The magnetic Navi looked to his right in a daze.
- Elec! – he shouted, running up to the figure who was busy pushing his way through the crowd.
Magnetman almost tackled his little brother to the ground, crushing him into an embrace and lifting him up.
- You are alright! You are alive! – he cried out, barely daring to believe.
- Wha—what? – choked Elecman from the tight hug. – Of course I am fine, what are you—
- I was so worried that you—that you… – Magnetman just couldn't finish the sentence.
For weeks, he was living a nightmare. On his worst days, he was convinced that it was all just a hallucination at Death's door, a recollection of memories before the end. Other times, doubts plagued his mind that was unable to recover from the confrontation with Duo: the world had been restored, but was it just like before? Did his family, Magnus, Jack and Elecman all been brought back as well? Or were they lost forever, skipped over because they weren't "important"?
Magnetman wrote a letter to his brother, trying to schedule a meeting in Jawaii. He got a reply, but his doubts were simply stronger. In the following days, as he waited for the time to visit the island, he caught himself sometimes staring at the e-mail written by Elecman, pondering if it was truly real, or just another mind-trick.
Holding his little brother right now felt better than anything else in his life.
- Mag… what has happened? – Elecman awkwardly returned the hug, worry permeating his every word. – You have been so silent in these two months…
Magnetman finally let him go and settled him back on the ground gently. He exhaled loudly and tiredly, unable to put up his usual brave front anymore. It had been pulverized, and Magnetman had to wonder if it was ever to come back.
- I… There are so many things I need to tell you… – he whispered weakly. – But not here… please…
Elecman's eyes flashed up with understanding.
- The usual place then? – he offered, grabbing one of his brother's large hands strongly, trying to pour some heart into him. – Come.
oooOOOooo
Few things actually scared Elecman.
Of course he knew how to worry, to feel threatened or at unease, just like everyone else. He knew when a situation was dangerous, when it was wiser to get out of there. But actual fear rarely crossed his mind. He had simply lived long enough and seen enough to be that way.
But seeing his older brother, who had always, always been indomitable, confident and unwavering, in this exhausted and broken state… this sent shivers down his spine.
Elecman did not let go of his brother's hand on the way to their usual NetCafé, nor when they finally sat down by their usual table. A single look at the visibly shaking Magnetman told him to maintain that physical contact.
In that moment, Elecman wanted nothing more than somehow protect his big brother. Only he didn't know how, and that scared and infuriated him.
- What happened, Mag? – he asked softly, automatically ordering two cups of tea, without the intent of actually drinking it.
Magnetman took a shaky breath, his enormous fingers curling tighter around his brother's hand.
- Remember… that meteor shower and that huge comet… from almost a year ago? – he began weakly, keeping his eyes on the table.
- Yes, it was… beautiful.
- That thing was not a comet. Elec… what I am about to tell you will sound absolutely crazy and stupid, but… I swear it is the truth – Magnetman glanced up at him as if afraid he wouldn't believe a word.
Elecman only nodded.
- That comet was a ship, actually. Or a station or base, or whatever – the magnetic Navi finally began, still not letting go of the other's hand. – An alien NetNavi, Duo and his henchman, Slur travelled on it. Their mission was to seek out and observe civilizations all across the galaxy, and… if one proves to be dangerous, then destroy it, completely.
- I remember that… thing disappeared far too quickly from the night sky – Elecman added softly. – So Duo left?
- No, not right away. He was unsure about us, whether we would be a scourge or not, so instead he began sending out tests and challenges, to see what we would do.
- All those viruses in the real world…?
- Were his doing, yes – Magnetman nodded tiredly. – It's… really too long to tell everything, but you know Video, Savage and Desert? They were sent by him as well. "Asteroid NetNavis", capable of entering the real world with only a chip.
- Neo-World Three, I like the ring of it – Elecman offered a weak smile, but it got no reaction.
- Eventually, all those who could CrossFuse received something called the "Crest of Duo", some sort of insignia that allowed us to see the comet – Magnetman went on, staring at his right palm as if remembering something. – Sooner or later everyone got it, until there were 13 of us. Eventually we decided to board the comet, just as Duo got tired of the tests and thought it was fruitless. So he…
A heavy pause.
-… Prepared to destroy the planet? – Elecman offered gently.
Magnetman hid his face into his right palm, but the left one's fingers curled around Elecman's other hand as well.
- He actually destroyed the planet – the magnetic Navi finally said it, voice nothing but a quivering whisper. – Everything… gone, in a blink of an eye. We saw it… happening straight before our eyes…
Elecman silently waited, trying to process the information. So that meant that he actually… died?
Magnetman had to take a couple of breaths to be able to continue, still refusing to show his face.
- There was no other option… so we moved forward. Still, Duo nearly killed us, separated us from our NetOps. I… I don't know how we made it out of there alive. I think it was only dumb luck, that one of us, Baryl could convince Duo. He and his Navi, Colonel offered to stay with him and teach him what it means to be human, and the cooperation between Navi and NetOp… Duo, somehow, agreed to it and… restored the Earth to its original state. He sent us back down, then took his leave with Baryl and… that was the last time I've heard of them.
- Mag… – Elecman said weakly, struggling to say anything that would offer solace to his brother.
- I know it sounds… unbelievable. But I swear, it all happened – Magnetman finally pulled his right hand away from his face, revealing a steady stream of tears that he tried to wipe away.
Elecman thought for a moment, trying to ignore the absolute terror he felt upon seeing that face.
- There is… a gap in my memory – he said slowly. – From a few weeks ago. Everyone I asked has it, around the same time. Jack, Wacko, the others… we don't know what it is, but almost like for a few hours our brain just… stopped recording. Was that…?
- You were dead during that time, yes – Magnetman inhaled deeply, closing his eyes. – Only a few hours? Fuck, it felt like we were trapped in that Hell for years.
Elecman pondered on this new information, unable to tell what to think of it. He had been dead… everyone on Earth had died a few weeks ago. Yet… nobody knew. It was a terrifying concept, just how easily and undetectably all life had been snuffed out, in a blink of an eye. Calling it "fragile" now sounded like a horrible understatement. It was a terrible shock, knowing that their eternal death had been prevented only by thirteen people and their Navis.
One of them had been his brother.
Pride swelled in his chest, helping Elecman to overcome his shock. He dived deep into his own head, trying to recall the most memories he possibly could. Everything seemed intact, from his first years in the family's Kingland mansion, to his life in World Three, the Virusbeast, the curry shop, Jawaii, DenTech City. Save for that gap in his memory, nothing else felt out of place in any way. He felt whole and untouched.
- You are a hero – Elecman smiled earnestly at his brother.
- I'm a fucking wreck, Elec – Magnetman chuckled bitterly. – I can't even sleep because of the nightmares. I keep thinking about that horrible feeling I felt when I saw Earth disintegrating… I can't even put it into words, that shock, that terror, that…
- Determination? – Elecman asked softly, squeezing the big white hand.
Magnetman stopped, staring before himself.
-… Perhaps – he finally admitted. – There was nowhere else to go but forward. I… Me and Tesla both, we wanted to see that fucker die for this. Yet we couldn't even scratch him. We utterly failed, kid. All of us did.
- We wouldn't be here, if you had failed, brother – Elecman pointed out. – You showed Duo something that caught his attention. You proved him wrong.
- Baryl did all of that.
- Baryl offered to stay with him, yes. But it was the entire group whose actions caught that idiot's attention. If it weren't for the twenty-six of you, and that includes you, Mag, we wouldn't have been restored. You are a hero. All of you are.
Magnetman moaned pitifully, ducking his head and wiping away his renewed tears.
- I'm gone, Elec – he whispered. – Completely gone. I wasn't strong enough to survive that fight unscratched. I can't even fucking convince myself at times that this is reality, and not just a hallucination… I am just a wreck.
Elecman pursed his lips.
- Stay here for the night – he suddenly blurted out, determined.
- I can't, kid, Tesla—
-… Will understand. And if not, she can go fuck herself – Elecman stood up angrily, tossing a couple of credits on the table for the two untouched cups of tea. – You are in no condition to travel back, and I will be damned before I leave you alone!
- Kid…
- Don't. Even. Try. You cannot win this one, brother – Elecman shook his head. – Come on. I will take you home.
Magnetman slowly stood up as well, swaying terribly.
- Haven't slept well in weeks – he mumbled, holding onto the table's edge for support.
All of a sudden, he felt exhausted, unable to take another step. Perhaps just seeing and hearing his little brother, especially this characteristic stubbornness of his, took a load off his shoulders he didn't even realize he had been carrying. In the back of his mind, he knew the doubts would return eventually, bur right there and then, he was absolutely certain of the world's survival.
It felt like a blessing.
Magnetman leaned onto Elecman, half-hugging him close and just… being eternally grateful that his little brother was with him in these dark times. Mind heavy and hazy, he allowed the smaller Navi to guide him down the streets, quickly losing track of anything around him.
oooOOOooo
Magnetman resurfaced with a gasp from the utter nothingness that was a truly deep sleep and awkwardly set up, clutching his head that began buzzing terribly. He looked around with a slow-to-clear-up vision and beheld the interior of a PET that was definitely not his.
Wait… Shit, he was supposed to go back to Tesla! Where the hell was he?!
The bed he had lied on was clearly not his: it was modified manually to accommodate for his unusual body shape. Magnetman moved to get up but the room dangerously spun around him, forcing him to stay put. He felt like he was having a hangover, even though he was fairly certain he had had nothing last night.
He had… he had travelled to Jawaii to see Elecman whom he thought he had lost forever, yes. They talked in their usual place, that much he could recall with certainty.
Was it…?
- Brother, you are awake! How are you feeling?
Elecman logged into the PET, smiling softly. He tried to mask it, but it was clear he hadn't slept that much. Magnetman blinked owlishly at him, struggling to connect the dots with his sluggish mind.
- Kid, what… happened exactly? – he asked uncertainly. – Feel like I was drinking too much last night…
- Well, you were clearly exhausted, physically and emotionally – Elecman shrugged, hopping down next to him onto the bed and ordering a glass of water for him. – I'm honestly surprised you are up this early.
- What's the time? – Magnetman asked, accepting the glass.
- Noon, actually.
- What?!
- Hey, it's okay, you needed the rest! – Elecman defended himself.
- How did I end up here?!
- Well, at first I wanted to program a guest bed for you, but then I realized it was just easier to modify my own, especially with you leaning on me with your entire weight – the electric Navi explained simply.
- Where did you sleep?! – Magnetman glared at him.
- I mostly didn't. Had to make sure you slept peacefully.
- Kid!
- What?
Magnetman wanted to chew his little brother out for this, he really did. What was the kid thinking, wasting all this on his wreck of a brother?! But he just couldn't deny that this sleep… fuck, this sleep had been needed terribly. He couldn't recall the last time he had slept this deeply and unbothered by nightmares. It felt incredibly nice.
- Aw hell, just… Thank you. Alright? – he conceded, massaging his head tiredly. – You shouldn't have watched over me, but… thanks.
- It's a good thing I don't always listen to you, now isn't it? – Elecman grinned at him. – You are welcome, brother. Don't worry about it.
- Shit, Tesla is going to kick my ass for this – Magnetman grumbled as something occurred to him.
He downed another glass of water he called up himself this time, failing to find any sense of concern for the berating he was surely in for from his NetOp. He was just too damn tired (and right now, relaxed) to care.
- I think you are okay there – Elecman said casually. – I sent a message to her after you went to sleep, telling her that I had you stay because you were in no condition to travel. Told her that if she wanted to throw shade around, aim it at me but not at you.
- Kid, you do not want her to throw shade at you! – Magnetman sent a deadly glare at his brother.
- Well, I'm probably not going to experience it anyway, because she didn't reply, only "saw" the message – Elecman shrugged. – I think we are in the clear on this one.
As proof, he opened a window and showed the entire letter to his brother.
- The first message you ever write to my NetOp… and you write that. Jesus, kid, are you tired of living?! – Magnetman grumbled as he read through the exact text that was even less restrained than Elecman made it out to be.
- Nope, especially not now, that I have it back as a gift from you – Elecman smiled honestly at him. – Thank you for that, Mag. This is the least I can do in return.
There was a pause.
- Kid… I am no hero, seriously – Magnetman sighed finally, leaning on his knees with his elbows.
- You are one to me. You'll just have to deal with that – Elecman gently elbowed him in the side.
Magnetman snickered and swatted away the limb.
He knew he was not out of the woods yet, not by a long shot. The nightmares would return, the doubts too. He would need to seek out professional help sooner or later, if he didn't want to lose his mind. But maybe, just maybe now he was a bit more equipped to fight this terror, armed with the knowledge that his little brother definitely survived and was unharmed.
oooOOOooo
- Magnetman.
- I'm sorry, Tesla. I knew I said I would be back yesterday – the Navi defended himself. – But the ki—Elecman's letter was actually the tr—
Tesla exhaled loudly, effectively shutting up her Navi. She glared down at her PET with those aqua blue eyes of hers. Then she leaned back on her chair, leaving the device resting on her desk.
- Do they help? – she suddenly asked, after a minute of silence.
-… Pardon? – Magnetman blinked, not expecting the question at all.
- These travels, Magnetman. Do they help you? – Tesla frowned at him again. – Resting, coping, whatever. Do they help?!
-… – Magnetman couldn't help the utter disbelief on his face at this.
Tesla was not the kind of NetOp who was overly bothered by her Navi's state, as long as it wasn't near deletion. She certainly never asked him how he felt.
… At least, not before they had started CrossFusing. That weird experience definitely brought some twists into their lives and, dared he say it, relationship even. Tesla occasionally showed concern for her Navi's mental well-being, and once in a while she even asked him how he felt. To be fair, these questions were usually once-a-month in occurrence, but still, far, far more than what it had been like before.
- I… I believe they do – he finally forced the words out of himself, still stunned by the question.
- You believe?
- I know they do – Magnetman quickly corrected himself, collecting his thoughts.
- How do they help?
- Uhm… Hard to explain – the Navi struggled with words. – Meeting and talking with my little brother is… very relaxing, even when we sometimes argue for a short while about something.
- Father told me you two only spent a few years before he left his home – Tesla pointed out, as unreadable as ever.
What was she trying to get at? Did she want to forbid these visits? She tended to be very straight-forward about everything, what was up with this winding path all of a sudden?
- Me and the ki—Elecman had been separated for most of our lives, that is true. But… – Magnetman tried to somehow put it into words.
He had always sucked at finding the right words to express himself, mostly because he rarely needed it. Generally his confident, loud outer shell did the job for him, stopping anyone from trying to pry. So when he actually had to be sincere about how he felt, he was at a loss. Especially now, that he had to explain the bond he shared with his little brother to Tesla, who had been an only child and even as an adult she preferred the single lifestyle.
- It is… hard to explain with words, but it's as if the kid and I share the same wavelength almost – the Navi finally continued, so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even bother to correct himself this time. – No matter the time or the distance spent away from each other, the fights we had in the past… We can somehow always find that one common ground we can stand on and relax. Easy to open up around each other. I know him, he knows me, I can say things without having to worry about slipping up or being judged, and he can do the same thing.
- I see – Tesla said simply, leaning back into her chair once more.
- I'm surprised about it too, but it just… feels nice to talk to him at times, over a tea or coffee or whatever. And about the most random things possible, too—
- Magnetman.
- Sorry – the Navi quickly shut up, having been carried away just there.
Silence settled over the pair. Tesla did not show any sign of wanting to carry on with the conversation, and Magnetman anxiously awaited to see where it would all lead.
-… Am I to stop these visits, Tesla? – he finally asked, when he couldn't wait any longer.
Being tensed and nervous was not something he could take for long as of late. Keeping these random panic attacks under control more or less was more than enough.
- What? No, I was just asking! – Tesla exclaimed, glaring daggers at her Navi. – Stop putting words into my mouth, Magnetman. I will not stand for that!
- My apologies – the Navi hiccupped in surprise, falling silent once more.
- You'd better – Tesla huffed in annoyance, redirecting her attention to the view from her office window. – These visits clearly have some merit to them. But… I am scheduling a treatment session for us with a professional. Those will probably get in the way of the travels at times.
- Hold on, "for us"? – Magnetman blinked, glancing up at his NetOp. – Are you—?
- Don't – Tesla's smoldering glare stopped him from finishing that sentence.
But she also clearly answered his question. Magnetman held her gaze for a second before slightly bowing his head.
- I understand. More than you know – he said, respectfully ending the conversation.
Tesla returned her eyes to the horizon beyond the glass wall of her office. Magnetman took his time to truly observe her and indeed he noticed the signs. Her make-up was not spotless. A few locks of her otherwise perfectly-done hair were free from her pony tail. Her sleeves were unbuttoned. Her other times unwavering gaze now darted occasionally from one spot to the next.
Of course. It was obvious for those who knew where to look. Magnetman was honestly surprised that he apparently belonged in that group.
The knowledge filled him with both sadness, knowing that someone else, and his NetOp no less, had to go through the same shit as he did; and a certain feeling of peace and hope, that he wasn't truly alone in this. Maybe together they can crawl out of this hellhole one day. With Elecman backing him up, as only a brother could, he might just make it, and make sure that Tesla does too.
Magnetman couldn't help that bittersweet smile creep up onto his features as he followed Tesla's gaze to the horizon.
- Here's to the future – he said softly.
Tesla nodded.
I have yet to reach the Stream season finale, but I kinda know the basic storyline of it, and I couldn't stop myself from coming up with this idea and then writing it down.
Enjoy! :)