Perfect weather for a funeral...
The usually busy town of Bricksburg was quiet and lifeless. Every street was seemingly empty without a single moving thing in sight. Not even the sound of litter tapping on the asphalt could be heard.
Every civilian from every realm, as well as the MasterBuilders donned on traditional black suits and dresses, or whatever they thought to be appropriate for such occasion.
They had left their homes and gathered in Brickburg where it was being held, in a large field just outside the cemetery, under a large oak tree.
The perfect resting place for The Special.
Six of his very best friends had arrived, standing in their reserved spots in the front of the crowd, near where their friend was supposed to be once he arrived. Each one of the six MasterBuilders wore grief-stricken expressions.
Unikitty sat on the damp grass, tail curled around her legs, ears folded as they twitched reflexively under the rain drops, and her shoulders quivered with each hesitating breath. Streaks of tears stained her cheeks, darkening the bright color.
Benny stood beside her, petting the nape of her neck in attempt to comfort her as the other hand remained in his pocket. He looked completely deflated; his dim, blue eyes focused on the earth. His usually static hair now became flat blonde strands around his face. He then filled his nostrils with air, exhaling. It carried the scent of rain and moistened grass, sure, but he couldn't help but believe he sensed a hint of smoke there, too. Just that thought was enough to make the chipper astronaut weep, severe senses of guilt traveling his mind.
Good Cop stood next to the spaceman, holding a large black umbrella for the both of them in one hand, and a wooden basket in the other. It was filled with chocolates, a bouquet of flowers and a purple banner around the whole thing, with the cursive words 'We'll miss you, Emmet" stitched in white. And although his good nature intended for him to keep a cherrful attitude, hopefully to help the mourners, but the whole scene was enough to make even him feel like the people around him.
He had left Bad Cop to grieve in the back of his mind.
Metalbeard stood far off the side as he respectfully removed his hat, and bit his slightly quivering lip.
Batman stood next to Lucy, wrapping his large cape around her, covering her from the icy rain. He forced himself to stare ahead at the pale horizon, stone-faced as usual, trying to keep his stoic figure in front of everyone. However, he couldnt help but allow his eyes to scroll toward Lucy's direction, and her present state made him wish he hadn't.
Her paralyzed expression tugged at the superhero's heartstrings.
That feeling. That same feeling of losing someone you care so much about. It was all déjà vu to him.
He wrapped his caped arm slightly tighter around her shoulder as unshed tears welled behind his sealed eyes.
Much to everyone's surprise, Lucy looked the least distraught out of all of them. She stared blankly at the grass as she cupped her mouth and nose with one sleeve of her plain black hoodie, lifeless eyes glistening under what little sunlight there was. She refused to wear her "Wyldstyle" jacket, as it reminded her too much of Emmet, the Special-her Special. Just the thought of his name was causing her body to quiver. Her other hand remained in her pocket like Benny, but instead of a clenched fist, she had something plastic and metal clenched inside it.
As she rubbed the plastic frame with her thumb, she squeezed her eyes shut and began to reminisce, trying desperately to wake up from this nightmare.
She could see it now; waking up in her bed, a knock on the door, Emmet showing up to greet her with a passionate kiss, the taste of maple syrup and coffee lingered to his lips, and Emmet's cheerful smile.
But when she opened her eyes, the hearse had just arrived, and she sighed at her attempt to avoid the cruel reality of the situation.
As soon as the hearse had stopped on the trail, Benny, Bad Cop, and Batman made their way around the crowd as other three pallbearers dressed in black suits had opened the trunk.
They managed to flawlessly slide the coffin out from the trunk and lifted it over their shoulders, each taking one handle. Everyone in the crowd then silently stood up as the six men slowly walked down the aisle, each trying hard to keep their eyes dry.
Once the casket had been placed in the burial vault above the draped grave, everyone had sat down and the three men returned to their original spots as President Business approached the podium.
He fixed a strand of hair off his face and cleared his throat before speaking.
"Family and friends, we are gathered here today to honor and remember the life of Emmet Brickowski."
He sighed as he reached into his coat and pulled out an unsealed envelope. He opened the slot and pulled out a folded paper. A speech.
A eulogy...
Every time he would attend a funeral, he would always carry a formal eulogy, saying the same thing about a person he barely knew. But this time, much to Bad Cop's surprise, he crumpled it into a wad and shoved it in his pocket, and breathed again.
"Emmet Brickowski was, bar none, the bravest man I ever had the good fortune to have known..." He stared down at the Piece of Resistance symbol carved onto the casket before continuing. "A year ago, during the T.A.K.O.S. Tuesday incident, Emmet confronted me, and I remembered he said 'You are the most talented, most interesting, and the most extraordinary person in the universe.' Well, I believe I speak for all of us when I say that I think that prize goes to Emmet. I showed him destruction, and he showed me peace. He took me from my clouded and confusing state and led me into light. No one, no MasterBuilder in their fearful mind would ever do something as brave and risky as that. And that is why I believe that Emmet Brickowski truly was...The Special." and then he nodded and exited the podium.
It took a while for anyone to decide to have their turn, so Benny took the stage.
"When Emmet passed, it was like when I lost my co-pilot, Moppy..." he paused before he could continue. "Emmet was always like a brother to me. We would do all kinds of crazy stuff together." he spoke softly as a little, forgotten smile formed in his cheeks. "Whether it was going on awesome spaceship rides or watching 80s sci-fi movies every Friday night, Emmet was always a blast being around with." The smile slowly disappeared. "And it really, really breaks my heart that he's gone. But, I think he'd want us to keep the memories of him alive in our minds, as well as in our hearts, so that when we think of him, he won't really be so...far..." The blue astronaut dismissed himself from the podium to let another friend on.
Unikitty didn't take the stage. She slowly walked passed her friends and over to the casket. The princess paused as she blankly stared at the wooden chest. She began to tear up again.
"Please...come back, Emmet..!" the pony-cat wailed, throwing her front paws on the coffin, sobbing hysterically as her tears stained the wooden material.
Metalbeard then brought Unikitty over to him, letting her sob his gigantic shoulders as he gently patted her back, softening her cries.
A few soft murmurs were heard from the crowd before another stood.
It was Batman, leaving Lucy as Benny took his spot, and the spaceman softly rubbed her back.
Most people in the crowd became interested when the superhero took the podium.
Batman cleared his throat. 'Look, it's not that hard, okay?' he thought to himself, 'just tell them what you thought of the kid, it's not an interview!'
He breathed then spoke.
"Whe-"
It was then when the superhero's body and mind became stiff as a dark memory flashed in his mind.
A faint scream rung in his ears, its echo traveling through his subconscious.
'BRUCE!'
A flash of crimson and white woke him from his trance.
"Jason..." he murmured grimly.
Everyone, including Lucy, stared up at him in a mixture of worry and confusion.
He realized this, excused himself from the podium, and relocated near where Metalbeard and Unikitty stood. The pirate slowly reached a hand over to the man's shoulder, but he quickly turned away, hiding his pained expression, and fists clenched at his sides. Rain coated his face as the dark thoughts flooded his mind.
'Jason...'
After a few other friends and family members paid their respects to the construction worker, it was time for the burial, and by that time, most people had already left to their homes and realms, heavy hearted.
Only six stayed to see their friend one last time. No movement came from either of them, until they heard something flop on the grass. They then turned their attention toward the source of the sound. It was Benny, who had dropped to his knees, tears streaming down his face. He clenched the grass and soil as he sobbed uncontrollably.
"I-I'm sorry!" his words came out in hysterical gasps. "I couldn't...couldn't...I'm so sorry-he-hee..!" Good Cop and Unikitty knelt on both sides of the astronaut and rubbed his back, shedding tears of their own. It wasn't long before they led the crying man out of the cemetery and into the police car, practically excusing themselves from the others.
Lucy watched as the grave had finally been finished.
She didn't seem to take notice at the orchestra of bouquets and baskets laid upon the cement, nearly covering the carved MasterBuilders symbol.
She didn't pay attention to the icy rain soaking through her cheap cotton hoodie, like wet bread.
Not even the constant stinging in her eyes.
Her focus was perfectly on the Special's full name carved deeply onto the large tombstone, and scanned it repeatedly, as if she could do it forever. It just wasn't believable that that name could ever be placed on something like that. At least, not so early. Not a year later when she had to watch him die before her eyes. But this time...
She reached in her pocket one last time for the object, pulling it out as she looked it over.
It was Emmet's name tag.
She clenched it to her heart as Batman approached her and laid a hand on her shoulder. "W...We should go...It's late..." Lucy nodded, and turned away from the grave.
"I'll wait for him at his apartment." -was the first and last thing she said that whole day.