TWENTY-FOUR: EXPLOSIVE (The origins of Boom and Blast. Featuring Plurri, Garron, Morda, Travis, Macy, Sebastian, Ilsa, and more.)
Roughly a hundred and seventy-five years ago, a massive explosion took the lives of nearly half of the residents of one village on Eltar. For most, it was a catastrophe. For Meltan and Valora, it was a celebration. Valora had just given birth to a healthy set of twins. Naturally, the terrorist couple set off an explosion twice the size of any they'd detonated before. It only seemed proper, given there were two babies.
Meltan despised Eltar. He'd been "rescued" from the war-torn planet of Keitan at the age of ten, mistaken for a helpless child caught in the middle of a battleground. The family who abducted him fled to Eltar in search of sanctuary. Meltan had loved the carnage, the screams, and especially the explosions. Eltar was quiet and full of peace-loving fools. He hated the entire planet, and he desperately wanted to destroy it.
The only thing Meltan liked about Eltar were the Warlocks. As a boy, he befriended them, working very hard to earn their trust. He was accepted as an apprentice and allowed to train, but he wasn't a big fan of magic. He preferred science and weapons. Still, he remained close to the dark, mostly evil Eltarians.
Eventually, he met a young Warlock named Valora. She was a beautiful girl with a fair but not particularly strong affinity for dark magic. No one paid much attention to her except to torture her in rituals meant to give them more power. She was starved for affection and proved to be rather clever from a young age. Meltan, who was nearly a century her senior, took an interest in the thirteen-year-old girl. He would soon seduce her.
What bloomed between them cannot be called "love." It was more like lust and a mutual respect for one another's talents. Meltan was a sociopath. Valora was not quite as far gone, but she was definitely clinically insane. She soon embraced his love of explosions and torture. The weak, tormented little girl was gone, protected by Meltan from anyone who wished to harm his favorite little pet.
They realized the truth about Zell long before others did. After all, they were too clever to fall for lies built on superstition and paranoia. They enjoyed the destruction he caused and secretly vowed to be his allies should the opportunity ever arise.
Meltan and Valora were married when Valora turned twenty. They left the Warlocks and lived in seclusion, only coming out to wreak havoc. Eventually, Zell noticed them. He accepted them as secret members of his Alliance, never letting them near the others. After all, blowing everything up was frowned upon. They were anything but subtle. Eltar had labeled them as insane terrorists, and that's exactly what they were. They had already been sentenced to execution, but remained alive because they were simply very good at escaping and not getting caught. That skill might be of use to Zell. They also made easy "fall guys" if Zell ever needed to cast blame for his crimes on someone.
It was only a couple of years later that Zell fell from power. No longer having a master to serve, Meltan and Valora resumed their mission of destroying Eltar one terrorist attack at a time. Three centuries later, they started a family. Their daughter, Kessia, was beautiful, strong, and unexpectedly kind. They hated her, and tried to break her by torturing her as Valora's parents had tortured her. She was abused in every way possible, but she never broke.
One day, when Kessia was sixteen, they decided she was of no further use to them. Meltan and Valora locked her in their home before blowing it up. The rush of power this gave them was incredible. They liked it so much, they decided to keep having children, raising them and torturing them until they tired of the child and killed it, usually when it was a teenager. They did this for several millennia as they continued to wreak havoc upon Eltar.
Then one day, much later, Valora gave birth to twins. For the first time, they had two children to torture at once, a girl and a boy. Hattie was born just four minutes before little Harry followed along. The twins were different from Meltan and Valora's other children. From a very young age, they seemed to understand the world in ways other children did not. They both showed an affinity for technology and proved to be very clever, especially when it came to science. Meltan and Valora knew these two were special.
Fairly early on, Hattie realized cooperating and proving useful kept them safer from physical abuse. If they did everything that was asked of them, whether it was helping build explosives or pleasing them in ways her father called "earning your keep," their parents did not beat them as frequently or as severely.
Harry was the gentler of the two. He'd been born a little on the frail side. He was skinny, weak, and had terribly sad eyes, which made Hattie's eyes sad, too. Although he was brilliant, he was also terrified. Harry always took the abuse worse than Hattie, who tried not to let it break her. Only having Hattie by his side comforted Harry when things were at their worst.
One day, when the twins were seven, Harry awoke to a girl standing beside the bed they shared. He sat up in terror, staring at her in the darkness.
"Harry? What troubles you?" Hattie asked, still groggy as she sat up. She followed his gaze. Her eyes went wide as she spotted the girl. "Who are you?" She asked nervously.
"I am called Kessia... Little Sister," Kessia replied.
"We have no older siblings," Harry replied in confusion.
"That is because our parents killed them all," Kessia informed them.
The twins widened their eyes identically as they took in her statement. "They... killed them?" They asked in unison.
"Yes... All twelve of us, one after the other," Kessia explained. "They usually wait until we're older... But they realize something is different about you. One day soon, you'll be a genuine threat to them. They can't fully break you because you have each other. The rest of us were alone."
"They're going-" Hattie began.
"To kill-" Harry chimed in.
"Us?" They finished in unison.
"You can stop them... You're clever. The two of you together can save each other," Kessia replied. "You need to escape. I cannot watch any more of my siblings die at their hands."
And so, the twins began to plot their escape from certain death. Two weeks later, when they caught their parents building a pretty impressive explosive, they listened to their conversation.
"This will be the biggest one yet!" Valora said excitedly.
"Well, there are two of them this time," Meltan said. "It's only fair the boom and the blast be more impressive than usual." He smiled wickedly.
That night, after making the twins "pay their keep" one more time, their parents tucked them into bed and waited for them to fall asleep.
Hattie and Harry pretended to be sleeping before slipping out of their room. They watched their parents set up the explosives. They went behind them, grabbing triggers and resetting them to respond to a device they'd rigged themselves. As their parents went to their door to check that they were still inside, the twins slipped outside and locked their parents in the house. From a safe distance, they pushed their device in unison and watched as their house exploded.
"They were right," Hattie said.
"It was the biggest boom and blast yet," Harry finished.
Suddenly, they smiled at each other. They'd done it. They were safe. And now, they needed new identities.
"Hattie and Harry died in that house with their parents tonight," Hattie said.
"Yes," Harry agreed. "Now, we're Boom and Blast." Without having to voice it aloud, they knew Hattie would become Boom and Harry would be Blast.
Life on the streets was hard for two seven-year-olds, but Boom and Blast adapted quickly. They became skilled pickpockets, and they realized people were easily charmed by some of the quirks that came with being twins. Whenever they were in public, they made sure to complete each other's sentences, bouncing off the walls and acting extra hyperactive because that distracted adults. As they struggled to keep up with what the twins were saying, they became easy marks, and the twins walked away with food money. They worked as a team in the marketplace, distracting adults again so they could steal whatever they needed but couldn't afford.
Still, being children, they couldn't exactly buy a house. They squatted when they found shelter. Most of the time, they slept in the woods or in abandoned alleys. The nights when it was too cold to stand, they'd seek help from anyone they could. The adults were never trustworthy. They took advantage of the orphaned twins, and made them "earn their keep." Blast didn't handle that well, just as he hadn't handled it at home. There were many times when Boom offered herself up just to spare him, always making the person who took them in promise not to tell her brother what she was doing. He always knew anyway, and he'd hold her tightly afterward, crying silently once she'd fallen asleep and not letting her go.
One day, when they were eleven, it was storming, and the twins were soaking wet. Neither one was up to staying with whatever creepy adult they could find, so they were desperately trying to find a place to squat.
As lightning struck all around them, a man with slightly shaggy blond hair jumped in front of them. He let the lightning strike him as he protectively held his arms out and shielded the twins with his body. He didn't explode in front of them or drop dead. Instead, he seemed to radiate with power, and then the lightning flew from his body and toward the sky. The storm suddenly stopped.
He spun around and smiled at them. The twins gasped as they recognized Eltar's most wanted man. "You're Plurri," Boom whispered in awe.
"You've been on the run-" Blast chimed in.
"For millennia..." Boom continued.
"For High Treason," Blast added.
"You're a very bad man," they finished in unison.
The infamous Plurri laughed sadly, which seemed odd. "I see my reputation has even reached the children of Eltar," he sad with a very sad smile.
"Are you-?" Boom began.
"Going to-?" Blast added.
"I won't hurt you," Plurri cut them off. "I promise, I have never harmed a child. I know there are many stories about me, but let me ask you something... Do I seem like a bad man?"
"No," the twins agreed in unison.
"But we've been-" Boom began.
"Fooled before," Blast finished.
"Children... Where are your parents?" Plurri asked softly.
"Dead," they replied with identically casual shrugs.
"I see... So you are on your own?"
The twins exchanged glances. Should we? Blast asked silently.
He did save us from the lightning, Boom replied.
He seems nice enough... Do you think he's going to hurt us?
If he does, we'll blow him up! We'll be heroes then, Boom joked.
Blast laughed aloud. Plurri watched them with a fascinated expression on his face. No one could hear their telepathic conversations aside from perhaps Trerry and Trinity, who were supposed to be Eltar's strongest telepaths, but it seemed like Plurri understood that they were communicating without speaking aloud.
It was the tears in his eyes that drew Boom's attention. "Why are you sad?" She asked, speaking without her brother because she was genuinely curious and Blast hadn't noticed the tears yet.
"You remind me of someone," Plurri said softly.
"Really? Who?" Blast asked.
"My sister and I... We are twins, too."
"You have a twin?" Boom asked.
"Where is she?" Blast added. No one had ever mentioned Plurri having a twin.
"Grace is somewhere in the timeline, but I shall never know where," Plurri said sadly. "For her safety, she had to go into hiding millennia ago, and if I had gone with her, we would have been caught."
"You had to separate from your twin?" Boom and Blast asked in horror. It was their worst fear. They were only safe if they were together. They completed each other, and neither could survive on their own.
"I did... And it was the hardest thing I've ever done, but Grace is safer for it. I believe we'll find each other again one day," Plurri replied.
The twins didn't know how to reply. They clung to each other, trembling from how soaked they were. Plurri smiled at them kindly. "The storm will return... Do you two need a place to stay?" He asked.
They nodded. Plurri was a twin. Surely he understood them and would not harm them.
"Then follow me," he said. He led them to a house about a mile away, on the edge of the woods. "My housemate isn't home currently. He's on a mission."
"A mission?" The twins asked.
"Don't worry about that," Plurri replied with a patient smile. "My friend Rhanna may drop by unannounced... She does that frequently... However, no one else knows where we live aside from Stone. You shall be safe here."
"The Great Elder, Stone, knows-" Boom began.
"Where you are? Then why-" Blast jumped in.
"Haven't you-"
"Been-"
"Arrested?" They finished in unison.
"Stone was my biggest champion the entire time I was in prison. He repeatedly tried to appeal my case. He never believed I was guilty," Plurri explained. "Are you two hungry? I'll prepare something to eat."
The twins were starving, so they nodded. Plurri ran off to cook and they explored the house. They came across a small portrait of Plurri, Stone, a woman, and another man. Boom flipped it over and read the words on the back aloud. "Plurri, Stone, Rhanna, and Vagris... 1792." She gasped.
"Didn't Vagris of Eltar die millennia ago?" Blast asked. The twins read a lot. They knew Eltar's history extremely well.
"Apparently not," Boom replied. "I bet he's Plurri's roommate."
"You're quite clever," Plurri said from behind them.
The twins jumped, dropping the portrait with identical guilty expressions on their faces. "We're sorry..." They said. Both expected Plurri to attack them. They recoiled automatically and clung to each other.
"Now, now, there's no need for that," Plurri said soothingly. He picked the portrait up and put it back where it belonged. "You are correct. Vagris is my housemate. He was nearly killed a long time ago... For far too long, I thought I'd lost him. He is the one who freed me from prison... Can I trust you children not to tell anyone that?"
Boom and Blast nodded. If Plurri tried to harm them, now they had leverage. They'd keep his secret unless he gave them a reason not to.
That night, after they were fed better than they'd ever been before as they dried off in front of the fireplace, Plurri let the twins sleep in what he called "Rhanna's unofficial room."
In the middle of the night, Boom sensed Plurri lurking outside of their door. He went into his room and she figured it was time to pay their keep. She slipped out of their room for the night and walked into his bedroom.
Plurri was sitting in bed reading when she burst into the room. She froze as she realized he was topless. Plurri was incredibly beautiful to look at. He radiated light. His chest, however, was covered in very old scars. Boom walked toward the bed, sitting beside him and reaching toward the scars before she even realized she was moving. She traced a few of them as Plurri tensed. He took a deep breath before asking, "Is something wrong, Sweetheart?"
"People hurt you," Boom said softly.
"A long time ago, yes," Plurri said. He reached for a shirt, but Boom stopped him. She climbed into his lap, hugging him tightly.
"They hurt us, too," she whispered, resting her head against his chest. She listened to his heart beating. It was oddly soothing, and his body was warm against hers.
"I'm sorry, sweet girl," Plurri said softly. He held her then, stroking her hair gently.
"Do you want me to kiss it better?" She asked nervously as she looked into his eyes. "I... I know what men like."
Plurri's eyes turned incredibly sad then. "No, honey... You don't have to do that here," he promised.
"But I would... For you. You're not like them. I can... I can make you happy."
He looked like he might cry. She knew he understood everything she and Blast had been through. "You being here, safe, makes me happy," he replied. "That's all I want... To protect you."
Boom started to cry, and she couldn't stop. She buried her face in his chest, sobbing hard as Plurri stroked her back soothingly. For the first time in her life, she fell asleep without laying beside her twin, safe in Plurri's arms.
Part of her wanted to stay there forever, but she knew they couldn't. Plurri and Vagris were in hiding. The presence of the twins would only endanger the sanctuary they'd created. Plurri fed them breakfast. After that, while he was in the woods gathering supplies, Boom grabbed Blast's hand.
"He's not a creep," she said.
"You didn't come back to bed! I was frightened. Did he hurt you?" Blast demanded. "I'll blow him up if-"
"He didn't hurt me," Boom promised. "I threw myself at him... At first to pay our keep, and then because I wanted to make him feel better... But he refused me. He held me and comforted me and promised it was safe here."
Blast looked stunned. "Do you believe him?" He asked.
"I do... He's a good man. That's why we can't stay. We'd be risking his safety."
Blast sighed. "We can't... Not if he's a good person."
"He's been hurt like we have. He has scars... And I can tell he has been violated before. He flinched from even my touch. He's afraid to have his bare flesh touched... And his eyes when I offered to give myself to him... He understood, Blast. He just wanted to protect me from that stuff."
"Then we must go... To keep him safe," Blast agreed.
And so, they fled. They went back to their unsafe existence, comforted by the fact that there was at least one good person on Eltar.
Plurri was heartbroken that the twins had run away. He desperately wanted to protect them from the horrible life they were clearly living. He told Rhanna and Vagris about them, and they kept an eye out for them, but it wasn't until Garron visited Eltar on Rebellion business nearly three years later that the twins resurfaced.
Garron first saw them blowing up a building. There were thirty people inside, and none escaped with their lives. He noticed the twins standing in the shadows watching and suddenly saw a vision of them carefully wiring explosives throughout the building and blocking the exits.
"Quite a sight, isn't it?" Garron asked the twins.
They jumped in surprise. "Yeah, the explosion-" Boom began.
"Was huge! And it looks like-" Blast continued.
"Everyone has perished," they finished in unison.
"Indeed... You both do impressive work," Garron said.
"Us? What? No, it-" Boom started.
"Wasn't us," Blast finished.
"There's no need to lie to me, children," Garron said. "I won't be turning you in. I'm simply curious why you did such a thing."
"They were bad," Boom explained.
"Evil people. They-" Blast continued.
"Ran a ring of-"
"Perversion. They-"
"Needed-"
"To be-"
"Stopped," they finished.
Garron nodded. "I have heard rumors of that group," he said. "You did well... My name is Garron. What are your names?"
"Boom..." She replied.
"And Blast," he added.
"You're the twins Plurri has been searching for," Garron said, although he'd already guessed that much.
"You know Plurri?" They asked.
"I have known Plurri for a very long time. I am a founding member of the Rebellion of Eltar," Garron explained patiently.
"The Rebellion?" They asked in wonder.
"Aren't you-" Boom began.
"Terrorists and-" Blast added.
"Anarchists and-"
"Severely wanted-"
"Criminals?" They finished.
"There are many rumors about the Rebellion... Some are true, however, many are not. I'd like to help you. The street is no place for children, and Plurri has been quite concerned about you," Garron said.
"Plurri's safer-" Boom began.
"Without us," Blast added.
"Is that why you left?" Garron asked in surprise. They nodded. "I assure you, Plurri is very well-protected by us." He paused. "Come with me. At least let me offer you shelter tonight."
After a moment, the twins nodded in agreement. Garron led them back to the safe house he was staying in. "There are two guest rooms, and my room is at the end of the hall. Make yourselves comfortable while I prepare something to eat," he said.
"We prefer-" Boom began nervously.
"To share-" Blast continued.
"Our room," they finished.
"Of course. Choose whichever one you like," Garron replied.
They chose the room furthest from his. The bed was large and comfortable. "This will be nice," Boom decided.
"How long do you think we'll stay?" Blast asked.
"I'm not sure. A few days... A week at most. We never stay anywhere longer than that," Boom replied.
"He's a little..."
"Scary? I know. Really-"
"Intense. I agree."
"He's powerful..."
"Do you think he'll hurt us?"
"Adults always do... Except Plurri, but he was different."
"He was like us."
"Exactly... Don't worry, Blast. I'll keep you safe."
"We'll keep each other safe," he corrected her. She smiled at him reassuringly.
That night, after they were sufficiently fed for the second time, the twins went to bed. After Blast was asleep, Boom slipped out of the bed.
Might as well get this over with, she thought. Blast was too intimidated by Garron. She couldn't risk him hurting her brother. She found him sitting in the living room on a chair and promptly climbed into his lap.
Garron remained calm as he studied her. "Boom... What, exactly, are you doing?" He asked after a moment.
"Paying our keep," she replied softly. Unlike Plurri, Garron's eyes were full of desire. Still, he didn't immediately have his way with her.
"My dear girl, that won't be necessary," he said.
Maybe he prefers boys? I cannot let him target Blast, Boom thought.
"Please... My brother is frightened of you. He does not like doing these things with people who seek to harm us... Take me. I promise I will let you do whatever you want to me as long as you don't touch him," Boom replied desperately.
Garron's face softened. He wrapped his arms around her. Boom automatically began to grind against his lap. It was clear Garron was aroused, but he found enough self control to shift her gently onto the arm of the chair.
"Boom... You are very young," he said.
"I'm fourteen. And I know what men like," Boom replied.
"I'm certain you do... However, I'm sorry you had to learn that so young," Garron said. He gently pet her head for a moment before he said, "You have not had things easy, have you?"
She wasn't sure why, but Boom began to speak. "Our parents made us do things like this... Nearly every adult we encountered seemed to want us to do this, too. Plurri was the first to ever refuse me," she said softly.
"Boom... What is your true name?"
She hesitated. She couldn't say it. "I'm not her anymore," she replied.
"Then choose a new name... The name you choose will become your true name."
"How do I choose a name?"
"I have a list of names from Earth and their meanings. Why don't you and your brother look it over and decide? Names have great power, my dear girl. Only tell those you trust what you have chosen to be your true name."
He stood up and grabbed a list from the shelf. "Do you carry this everywhere or something?" Boom asked as she took it.
Garron laughed. "I have visions. I didn't know why, but I saw myself with this list, so I wrote it up and brought it with me. It appears you are the reason."
Boom smiled and headed to the bedroom she and Blast had chosen. She tucked the list under her pillow before curling up beside her twin and falling asleep.
Blast awoke in the middle of the night. Seeing that Boom had kicked off her covers from nightmares, he covered her carefully before slipping out of the room.
Garron was still awake. Blast nervously approached him. He was terrified, but he looked Garron in the eye as he said, "Please... Don't hurt my sister. I... I can take care of you."
Garron raised an eyebrow at that. "I have no intention of harming either of you," he said patiently. "Come sit with me, Blast."
Blast cautiously approached him. He sat on the couch beside Garron's chair. "I'll... I'll do whatever you want," he said. He took a deep breath. Garron looked like a man who liked things rough. He refused to let his twin be subjected to that just to protect himself. He could do this. If it meant Boom was safe, he could endure whatever Garron shelled out.
Garron sighed. "You children have been through enough," he said. "I promise you I am not looking to use either of you for my personal pleasure. You are safe here, my poor boy... I vow you will always be safe in my care."
Blast looked at Garron with broken, lost eyes, searching for a lie. He saw none. He didn't realize he was crying until Garron moved closer, gently dabbing at Blast's tears with a tissue.
For the first time in his life, Blast knew he was safe. He wished it could last, but things in his life never did.
Garron was genuinely touched by the strength and courage it had taken for Blast to offer himself up to save Boom. His fear and trauma were far more obvious than her's, yet he had willingly tried to take her place to spare her just as she'd done for him. The boy was far braver than he appeared, and the loyalty the twins had shown for each other was a quality Garron valued greatly.
The following morning, as the twins sat at the table eating breakfast, Boom stared at her brother. Did he hurt you? She thought. He promised he wouldn't hurt either of us! I'll blow him up if he-
He didn't hurt me, Blast replied quickly. I offered to let him if he'd spare you-
Blast, no! I know he scares you! Boom thought in horror.
He scares you, too, Blast pointed out. But he didn't hurt me, Boom. He told me he never will, and I believe him. He didn't even try, Sis. He was kind to me... Like he cared about us.
Garron joined them then. "I'd like to make you both an offer," he said. "I will be returning to Earth shortly, and I will bring you with me if you wish to remain in my care."
"You want to take us with you to Earth?" The twins asked in unison.
"You can join my Chapter of the Rebellion. We are based in a town called Las Vegas, in Nevada. The land is mostly desert, but I have seen that Las Vegas itself will become a center for entertainment of all sorts eventually. There will be much corruption there for the Rebellion to clean up, so I established my Chapter three years ago. You both have impressive tactical skills. I believe Travis and Macy can help your talents grow even more. My Lieutenant, Morda, is technically your age... She is immortally fourteen."
"Your Lieutenant-" Boom began.
"Is a child?" Blast finished.
"Technically, yes. Morda went through some very traumatic things early in her life. I have kept her close to me ever since. She is quite gifted." He paused. "Will you join me on Earth?" He asked.
I trust him, they silently agreed. "Yes," the twins decided together.
"Good. Decide on your true names before we leave. A new planet warrants a fresh start." He smiled at them kindly. "I'll leave you to discuss it."
Boom took Blast's hand. "True names?" Blast asked.
"He gave me a list to look at... He says we should choose new names to be our true names, but not to tell anyone unless we truly trust them because names have power," Boom explained. She led him to their room and pulled out the list.
"Hmmm... There are a lot of names here..." Blast said.
"Earth is a new start for us..." Boom said softly.
"We should choose names representing who we want to be," Blast finished her thought.
They examined the list thoroughly. In unison, they declared, "I've got it!"
When they returned to Garron, they made a decision silently. "My name is Amy Rose," Boom said.
"And I'm Arthur Rose," Blast added.
Garron smiled. "I appreciate you trusting me with that information," he said. "Those are lovely names."
"We chose Rose-" Boom began.
"Together because, in magic," Blast added.
"Roses symbolize a lot of things... Love,"
"Friendship,"
"Innocence,"
"Or even-"
"Death," they said in unison.
"We want to be-" Boom began.
"A lot of different things, too," Blast finished.
Garron looked impressed. "You put a lot of thought into this," he said. "My list didn't explain any of that."
"We read-" Boom said.
"A lot, and-" Blast added.
"We're trained-"
"In basic Warlock magic and-"
"Mild Sorcery." Boom smiled. "We're pretty-"
"Decent at spells," Blast finished.
Garron nodded. "You two are full of surprises," he said.
"Garron... Amy means beloved," Boom said softly. "And I really want someone to love me besides Blast. Do you think that's possible? That someone will care about me and not just use me?"
Garron looked into her eyes. "Amy... I already care about you both. I'm sure others will, too," he said before giving her the hug she clearly needed.
"Arthur means brave and noble," Blast chimed in. "I've never felt like I was either of those, but I want to be."
"And so you shall be, Arthur," Garron said, putting both hands on Blast's shoulders. "In fact, you already are. Your actions last night proved that."
The next day, Plurri came to see them. The twins flung their arms around him in excitement.
"We're sorry-" Boom began.
"We ran. We just-" Blast added.
"Wanted to-"
"Keep you-"
"Safe," they finished.
Plurri hugged them tightly. "It's alright," he said. "I'm just so relieved you're safe, Boom and Blast."
"We're Amy-" Boom said.
"And Arthur-" Blast jumped in.
"Rose now," they said in unison. "But the names are a secret. We only trust you and Garron."
"Amy and Arthur... I like that," Plurri said with approval.
"Will we see you-" Boom began.
"On Earth?" Blast finished.
"I don't leave Eltar," Plurri replied a bit sadly. "But you two know where I live. Any time you want to visit, you're welcome. After all, Garron tells me you've joined the Rebellion." He smiled. "We're family now."
"Family..." The twins repeated. "You're Uncle Plurri!" They decided in unison.
Plurri smiled. "I'm very proud of my niece and nephew," he said. He hugged them both again. Somehow, the twins knew everything would be okay from then on.
On Earth, they stood outside of a large house. It was the biggest house the twins had ever seen. "Welcome to the Rebellion of Eltar," Garron said grandly. He opened the door.
A blonde-haired woman looked up from the sword she was sharpening. "Hey, Garron," she said with mild interest. She looked at Boom and Blast in confusion. "What's with the kids?"
"These are our newest recruits," Garron said as three more people entered the room. "My friends, meet Boom and Blast."
"Boom and Blast?" The woman repeated. "Seriously? That's what you're going with?"
"Be kind, Macy," Garron said sharply. "Our new recruits may be young, but they are skilled with weapons. Their intelligence level may surprise you."
"Very well. Welcome to the Rebellion," Macy said casually. "I'm Macy. This is my husband, Travis." She motioned toward a man with dark features.
"Macy and I are tactical experts," Travis explained. "We build weapons and plan out battles."
"We like to blow things up," the twins said in unison.
"That was creepy," Macy mumbled.
"This is Morda, our Lieutenant," Garron said, motioning to a young girl with dark hair. "She is mute, but she has perfect hearing."
"Why is-" Boom began.
"She mute?" Blast finished the question.
"The Government of Eltar found her guilty of killing a man," Travis explained. "Morda can bend reality to her will. It's a unique gift. They thought she had to speak aloud to use that power, so they cut out her tongue. Amusingly, they were wrong. Morda only has to think something to make it become reality. Taking her tongue was pointless and cruel, especially since she didn't even do what they accused her of. Garron broke her out of prison and convinced her to use her talents to stop the corrupt monsters who silenced her and others like them."
"If she bends reality-" Boom said.
"Why not grow her tongue back?" Blast asked. The mute girl was creepy, but having a voice might have made her a bit more approachable.
"She won't give them the satisfaction," the other man said. "By remaining mute, Morda has proven they accomplished nothing. They cannot and will not stop her. She is stronger for it." He paused. "I didn't introduce myself. How rude, my apologies. My name is Sebastian. I am a Sorcerer." He bowed to them grandly.
Sebastian was exceptionally handsome, and Boom and Blast suspected he used that to his advantage. He was laying the charm on thick. Still, they smiled at him politely, assuming Garron wouldn't keep anyone untrustworthy around.
The twins settled into their new home. They chose to share a room, as always. They didn't know what it was to have their own space, and they liked it that way.
As time passed, they realized Macy's cold and sarcastic nature wasn't something they should take personally. She didn't seem to let anyone get too close to her except for Travis. Her husband was much friendlier to the twins, treating them like apprentices and teaching them all about the Rebellion's weapons and technology. He seemed to appreciate how quickly they picked things up.
Morda was always silent and often unexpectedly popped up from the shadows, startling them. She was small and her movements easily went unnoticed. She lurked in darkness and showed signs of mental instability, but Garron always pulled her back from the edge before things went too far. She initially frightened the twins, but since she was sort of their age, they decided to befriend her anyway. After all, they'd never had a real friend before. Boom and Blast treated Morda as a strange, silent cousin. She was not very sociable, but she seemed to appreciate it when they showed her kindness or tried to involve her in their adventures.
Sebastian acted like a doting mentor, helping the twins develop their magic as much as he could. They'd always focused more on science than magic, but they did seem to have the potential for much stronger spells than they'd initially believed. As a result of this, they spent a lot of time with Sebastian, but they were always together. They still had trust issues.
The first time Sebastian got one of them alone, they were seventeen. Morda, Travis, and Macy were out on a mission. Garron had stepped out to get supplies for them. Boom was feeling ill, so she was in bed. Sebastian had an urgent spell to perform and needed a partner.
"Will you help me? I promise it will be fun," he said to Blast.
"I... I shouldn't leave my sister," Blast replied uncertainly.
"We'll be down the hall. She needs to rest anyway," Sebastian pointed out.
Blast looked at his sleeping sister. "Very well... But only for a little while," he said.
"Of course," Sebastian replied.
They entered Sebastian's room. Blast heard the door lock behind them. He suddenly knew he'd made a horrible mistake.
"I... I think I hear my sister calling," Blast said.
"That's unlikely," Sebastian replied. "The poison I slipped her will keep her unconscious for a while."
"Poison?" Blast demanded.
"It won't kill her... Unless I deny her the antidote."
Blast stared at him. "Why are you doing this?" He asked.
"I wanted to be alone with you... You're such a handsome boy, Blast... Those sad blue eyes are so beautiful..."
It had been three years, but Blast still knew how to play this game. "I'll do anything you want... Just save my sister."
"Prove it. Right now." Sebastian tore at the buttons on Blast's shirt, ripping it open. Blast struggled not to cry. He was terrified of what Sebastian was going to do to him, and he was even more terrified that his sister might die. He didn't fight as Sebastian forced him roughly onto his knees.
You can do this, Blast told himself. You can save Amy. You're doing this to protect her.
Sebastian had grabbed him by his hair. Blast refused to look as Sebastian unzipped himself. He felt tears in his eyes as he waited for the inevitable act that would follow. He could feel Sebastian in front of his mouth, and he forced himself to open it as Sebastian pulled his hair hard enough to make him wince in pain... But suddenly, Sebastian was gone.
"How dare you?!" A voice demanded.
Stunned, Blast opened his eyes. Garron had Sebastian pinned with his back to the wall. He was holding him a few inches off the ground by his throat. Blast hadn't realized Garron possessed that sort of physical strength.
"Garron..." Sebastian choked out.
"He's a child, Sebastian!" Garron shouted.
"He's seventeen... And he wanted this. Didn't you, Blast?" His voice was hoarse as Garron squeezed harder, and his tone was desperate.
"Don't you dare speak to him! He's still just a boy, and he is in tears. Clearly, he did not want this," Garron said firmly.
Amy... Amy needs you to do this. He's the only one who can save her, Blast thought.
"I... I wa... wanted this," Blast forced himself to say.
"No, you did not," Garron said.
"Please... Please just leave us..."
"My boy, you have nothing to fear. Tell me why you are lying," Garron said gently.
You can trust Garron, Blast thought. After all, he had to trust someone. "Boom," he whispered. "He poisoned her. It's why she's sick. Only he can save her."
Garron glared at Sebastian. "I trusted you," he said. "And you have attacked both of our youngest Chapter members today." He shook his head. "The Rebellion of Eltar does not tolerate members betraying each other... And I do not tolerate grown men attacking children in such a horrific way." He took a deep breath. "Look away, my boy," he said softly.
Blast closed his eyes, too terrified to disobey. He heard a loud crack. He didn't have to see anything to know Garron had snapped Sebastian's neck.
After a moment, Garron knelt beside him. Blast registered that he was still on his knees. He flinched as Garron reached toward him. Then, he began to sob. "You killed him... She'll die, Garron... Amy can't die..." He cried.
"Shhh, Arthur... It's alright. I had a vision of Sebastian attacking you and rushed home... I contacted Morda. She is on her way," Garron said soothingly. "She can simply use her powers to make the poison vanish from Amy's veins. Your sister will be fine."
Blast sobbed in Garron's arms, unable to control himself as too many emotions burst from him at once. "I'm scared, Father..." He said, only catching the word as it slipped out. "I mean... I'm sorry..."
Garron looked both sympathetic and surprised. He pulled Blast tighter against his chest. "All is well, Arthur. If seeing me as your father comforts you, then go ahead. I care for you both as if you are my kin anyway."
"Plurri called the Rebellion a family... He's like our uncle... So is Travis, and Macy's like a very angry but incredibly interesting aunt... We see Morda as a cousin... But you... You saved me today, Garron. No one has ever done that for either of us before. You are the father we wish we had," Blast said softly.
"I am honored to act as your father, Arthur. I promised you would be safe and I meant it. I won't let anyone harm either of you, even if it's someone I previously trusted. Now... I sense Morda has arrived. Let's go save Amy."
Morda had indeed just walked into the base. "Morda... Boom has been poisoned by Sebastian. Needless to say, I put him down. I am afraid we have no clear antidote. I need you to alter this reality so our beloved Boom shall be well again," Garron explained.
Morda nodded. Her eyes began to glow a shade of crystal blue as she focused her energy on Boom. Suddenly, Boom awoke. She sat up in confusion as Blast flung his arms around her.
What's happening? Boom asked.
Sebastian poisoned you, Blast explained. He...
Boom knew instantly what Sebastian had tried to do to Blast. That bastard! Are you okay?
As long as you are, I'm well.
We should blow him up.
Garron killed him... It was over really quick. Blast replayed the memory in his mind for her. Boom hugged him tightly.
I'm glad Garron got home in time to stop him from getting what he wanted... I'm sorry, Arthur. I trusted him.
So did I. It's alright. I'm just relieved you're better now. I love you.
I love you, too.
"Are you feeling better now, Amy?" Garron asked. That was how the twins realized he must have sent Morda away. He never used their true names unless they were alone.
"Yes," Boom replied. "I feel as if I was never sick at all." She paused. "Thank you for protecting us... I know Sebastian was your friend."
"No friend of mine would ever harm the two of you," Garron said firmly. "I promised the Rebellion would be a safe place for you, and I meant that."
Boom looked at him shyly. "May I call you Father sometimes, too?" She asked.
Garron smiled at her reassuringly. "Of course, my dear Amy. Just as I told your brother, I am honored to act as a father figure when you need one." He looked a bit sad.
"Garron... Did you-" She began to ask.
"Ever have any children?" Blast finished the question Boom was too nervous to complete.
"Once... Long ago... I was nearly a father," Garron replied. He looked haunted now.
"What happened?" The twins asked in unison.
Garron spoke very softly then, almost detached from his own words, but his pain was clear. "The woman I loved was murdered by her own father and the Government of Eltar. She had committed no crime other than loving me. She perished in my arms, along with our unborn child."
Neither twin knew what to say. They each wrapped their arms around their surrogate father, desperate to comfort him. It was strange to see a man who loved and mourned a child he'd never even met when their own father had plotted to kill them.
"We're sorry," they finally said softly. "We love you, Garron."
He held them slightly tighter as he whispered, "I love you, too." Garron never used words like that around them. He wasn't the mushy or emotional sort. He'd never seemed so genuinely human before. His emotions were raw from a wound that had never healed, and he was vulnerable. In that moment, the twins understood that Garron needed them almost as much as they needed him.
A decade passed. Boom and Blast proved time and again that it was unwise to underestimate them. The Las Vegas Chapter of the Rebellion completed many missions together. Then, Garron sent Boom and Blast on their first mission alone.
They went to Onyx for the first time. They were meant to procure some illegal supplies from a questionable source. As Boom began trying to find their contact person, Blast spotted someone who made his breath catch in his chest.
She had short, black hair and bright blue eyes framed by glasses. Her ears were visibly pointed, and her lips were full and painted a dark shade of red. She wore a bright, lacy red top and a long black skirt, and there was a black choker around her neck. She was the most beautiful creature Blast had ever seen.
"You have no chance, Boy," a man said with a laugh. "She's a beauty, though."
Blast turned to look at him. "Who are you?" He asked.
"I'm surprised you don't know. My reputation usually precedes me. I'm Hezzo, of Eltar."
Blast knew the name. "The Warlock?" He asked.
"The infamous, feared, horrifically evil Warlock, but yes. And, by the way, Bizzeh mada alebastes. You're Blast, right? The kid Garron took in?"
Hezzo didn't seem horrifically evil, but neither had Sebastian, so Blast accepted he might be wrong about him. He knew the mantra, so he was obviously part of the Rebellion, but that didn't mean he was completely trustworthy.
"Yes," Blast said cautiously.
"So the cute auburn-haired dame is your sister, right?" Hezzo asked.
"That's Boom," he confirmed. He tried to look intimidating, to warn Hezzo away from trying anything on his sister.
"Oh, wee lad, you're adorable," Hezzo said with a condescending laugh. "If I wanted to bed her, you couldn't stop me, but that's not why I'm here. Watch out for Tinny, though. I've yet to meet a woman he couldn't seduce."
Blast decided to ignore Hezzo and resume watching the beautiful girl. "Her name's Ilsa," Hezzo provided. "She's a political prisoner from Drezdan. She is a very outspoken girl from a planet where ladies are not respected. They banished her here for running her mouth too much in ways they disliked. She's been enslaved in service to that big bloke over there." He pointed to a very large, hideous monster who was beating on a smaller, terrified orange squid-like entity. The creature whimpered in fear and pain.
"Onyx is an awful place," Blast mumbled.
"It's supposed to be... But it's full of useful things if you're brave enough to risk coming here."
"Blast! I found our contact," Boom said as she rushed over to them.
Hezzo looked her up and down with a slightly amused smile playing at his lips. "Well... Bizzeh mada alebastes indeed..." He said. "I am Hezzo. It's a pleasure to meet you." He eyed her flirtatiously.
"Boom," she said, paying Hezzo little mind. Come on, Arthur. It's the woman at the bar, she added silently.
"Excuse us," Blast said, following Boom to the bar.
"I'm Ilsa. You must be Blast," the beautiful woman said. Her voice was like music to Blast. It called to him in ways nothing else ever had.
"Yes," he replied softly.
"Chatty, aren't you?" She teased him.
"Hezzo said you were a political prisoner," he replied.
"I am... I objected to the way they treated the women of my land... My home planet sentenced me to banishment in service to that imbecile over there. He pays no attention to me except when he's barking orders at me or beating me."
Blast noticed bruises on her neck and the exposed part of her upper torso. "He did that to you?" He asked in horror.
"We could just-" Boom began.
"Blow him up," Blast finished. He hated that someone had touched her in any cruel way.
I don't know her, yet I want desperately to protect her, he thought. What was happening to him?
Ilsa laughed. "Is that where your names come from? Your penchant for blowing things up?" She asked.
"We really could, you know... You shouldn't be stuck here," Blast said. He rarely spoke so much on his own when Boom was beside him, but something about Ilsa called to him.
"You don't know me. You're just here for the information I'm privy to."
"I'd like to know you," he said shyly.
Boom looked at him in confusion. I like her, Amy... I'm drawn to her, he explained.
Okay, Boom replied. Then I'll give her a chance, too. She smiled at him encouragingly.
Ilsa looked surprised, but he could tell she was considering his offer. She passed him an envelope. "This holds everything Garron requested," she said.
"Here's your compensation," Boom said, offering her a small sack of jewels. They'd sell for a high price on Onyx.
"Thanks," Ilsa replied. The creature who was her master screamed incoherently at her. Ilsa sighed. "Excuse me, I'm being beckoned," she said.
Before he even realized he was doing it, Blast grabbed her arm. "Ilsa... You don't have to stay here," he said.
She smiled at him kindly. "I'm fine," she replied. "Take your sister and go."
Boom guided Blast away. Don't worry, she thought. I'm already working on it.
The next morning, just before dawn, the twins figured out where the monster who owned Ilsa resided. They carefully lined the property with a variety of explosives. Blast slipped inside the building he suspected should have been condemned long ago and silently searched for signs of life.
Ilsa was chained by the neck to a pipe in the basement. She wasn't asleep, but she was lying down in a pool of blood that hadn't quite dried yet. She'd clearly been beaten, and she was obviously in pain. "Blast?" She whispered, blinking in surprise. She was squinting, and Blast spotted her glasses too far away for her to reach. He quickly grabbed them and slid them onto her face. "What are you doing here?"
"Liberating you," he replied with a charming, if somewhat shy, smile. He picked the lock keeping the chain around her neck, opening it before tossing it aside and freeing her.
"He'll kill you," she said, still clearly shocked by the rescue.
"My sister and I will kill him first," he replied calmly. "Can you walk?"
Her legs were shaking as she stood up, but she nodded. "Let's go," she said.
Blast set off a small explosion. It shook the house slightly as it made a hole near the ceiling that led straight outside, but it was contained enough not to set off the rest of the explosives he and Boom had set up.
Boom stuck her head inside. "Nice," she said with a grin. She extended her hand toward Ilsa, pulling the girl free before reaching in again and grabbing Blast's hands. He climbed out.
"Let's get-" Boom began.
"The hell out-" Blast added.
"Of here," they finished together.
They moved a safe distance away just as the vile creature who'd tortured Ilsa moved into their line of sight. They could see his shocked expression through the window as they set off the rest of their explosives. Then, in a flash, it was all gone... The house, the bastard, and half of the street. The nearest house shook but didn't blow up.
"Perfect!" The twins cried in unison.
Ilsa smiled at them. "Thanks for that," she said. "But now what happens?"
"Come with us," Boom said.
"To Earth," Blast added. "The Rebellion-"
"Would love a girl-"
"Like you on-"
"Our team!" They finished in unison.
With nowhere else to go anyway, Ilsa followed the twins back to Las Vegas. Seeing how much Blast cared for the girl, Garron agreed to let her stay the night.
The next morning, after explaining Ilsa's history to his Chapter, Garron said, "I think she'd make a strong addition to our cause."
"She's not Eltarian," Macy pointed out, taking a break from polishing a rather impressive gun. "Not that she should automatically be disqualified, but we've never added anyone without at least some Eltarian blood before."
"I believe that Ilsa is a special case," Garron explained. "Her passion for speaking out against corrupt governments and doing what is right blend well with our own beliefs, she's quite clever, and she possesses a unique bit of magic."
"What sort of magic?" Travis asked.
"Ilsa has omnifabrication. She can literally invent weapons or other useful things out of practically nothing. She takes things one would never think could be of use and combines them into incredible creations. I believe she'd make a uniquely powerful tactician because of this skill."
"Does that mean we're being replaced?" Macy asked with a frown.
"Never, my dearest Macy. You and Travis are remarkably useful members of this Chapter and belong here. You have strong minds for battle and work well together. The twins are also considered tacticians, but they focus on explosions. I simply feel we can never have too many skilled tacticians on our side, and Ilsa has a strong knowledge of political structures."
Boom and Blast had been silently listening, waiting to hear what the fate of their new friend would be. As Morda slowly began to nod, Garron looked to them. "I would like all of you to vote. Boom, Blast, what do you think?" He asked.
"We like her," the twins said in unison.
"Macy, Travis... I won't bring her into our Chapter unless you both agree. She can serve us elsewhere," Garron pressed.
"I'm fine with it," Travis said after a moment. "Garron's right, Mace. Having more critical thinkers is never a bad thing in a fight."
Macy shrugged. "Fine," she agreed. She went back to cleaning the gun.
"Wonderful news!" Garron declared. "Boom, Blast, please retrieve Ilsa for me."
The twins ran off. Ilsa was sketching something on a notepad. "That's really good," Blast said as he studied the art. Boom nodded in agreement.
"Thanks," Ilsa replied. "I draw when I'm stressed or have too much on my mind. I guess I'm trying to process last night." She smiled at them warmly.
"Garron would like to see you," Boom explained.
Ilsa nodded. She followed the twins to Garron's study. He greeted her with a pleasant smile. "Good morning, Ilsa," he said fondly. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm great. Thanks for letting me stay last night," she replied.
"How would you like to remain longer than that?" He explained the purpose of the Rebellion and officially invited her to join. Ilsa listened, stopping him to ask questions every so often as she considered what he was offering. After nearly an hour of in-depth conversation and deep consideration, she finally accepted.
Blast was ecstatic. Ilsa was there to stay! He began spending as much time as possible with her. Boom was usually by their side at first, but she began leaving them alone together after a few years. Blast and Ilsa had fallen deeply in love, and Boom understood her twin needed time alone with his love sometimes. She didn't mind much, although she felt a bit lonely when she gave them space. She started taking short trips to Eltar to see Plurri, who always chased the loneliness away.
Ilsa was the first person Blast ever chose to be intimate with for pleasure and not simply survival. He loved everything about her, enjoying talking to her for hours. Ilsa often sketched him, capturing the sadness in his eyes when he didn't realize she was watching him. She chased most of the sadness away as they grew closer, but some of the pain would never leave him. To his surprise, she loved the broken parts of him just as much as the parts she'd healed.
"My true name is Arthur," he told her one night as he held her in his arms. "Aside from Garron, Plurri, and my sister, you are the only one who knows."
She kissed him. "Your secrets are always safe with me," she told him.
"I have another," he said softly. "I want to marry you."
Ilsa smiled. "It's about time you admitted that, Arthur," she said.
"Does that mean...?"
"Yes. I'll marry you." She kissed him again. Blast was happier than he'd ever been. No explosion could compare to that feeling.
They were married in secret days later, in a small ceremony on Eltar. Boom smiled at them, thrilled her twin was finally happy. The only others present were Garron, Plurri, and Stone who, as an Elder, was certified to legally perform such ceremonies. Although it meant revealing his true name to Stone, Plurri convinced Blast it was safe to do so. Plurri's absolute faith in Stone was enough to make Blast agree. To make him more comfortable, Stone promised to erase his memory of the event with a simple potion afterward. He would not remember his first meeting with the twins, not even when Vitella ultimately assigned him to take care of them decades later.
Even though Ilsa was his wife, at first, Blast would return to the room he shared with Boom every night before the sun rose. He slowly found he could sleep beside Ilsa without extreme nightmares, but Boom still needed him to feel safe. He would never abandon her, but she slowly pushed him to start staying in Ilsa's room. It was the natural way of things, and eventually, they had to learn to be their own people.
Boom was terrified to be on her own, but she loved Blast enough to try. She eventually began calling Plurri on her communication stone every night. He'd talk to her, telling her bedtime stories until she drifted off to sleep. This was the only way she'd feel safe enough to rest, and it worked well for her. Plurri never seemed to mind, and his voice comforted her even on her worst nights.
For a time, all was well. The Las Vegas Rebels were happy and productive. As the town grew more sinful by the second, they found plenty of corruption to put a stop to. They excelled at what they did. One day, in 1951, Garron learned of a very evil man named George. He ran a brothel and there were strong rumors he'd forced most of his employees to work for him. Garron asked Boom to go undercover and let him know if things were as bad as he suspected.
She'd done it before. Boom wasn't afraid to pretend to work as a prostitute in order to help young girls in danger. Morda altered reality so Boom never actually had to sleep with clients but could remain inside the brothels. With how Boom had grown up, it was easy enough to detach from anything potentially traumatic, and Garron always got her out before things got too intense. This time was different, however.
George was a horrible man. He was cruel and abusive. As soon as Boom agreed to work for him, he locked her in a small room with a bed, a ridiculously tiny bathroom, and little else. She picked the lock once she knew he was occupied and began exploring the brothel.
About two dozen girls worked for George. They all had the eyes of broken women. Some had visible marks from beatings. A few were clearly underage. One girl couldn't have been more than thirteen. Boom approached her in the common area.
"Hi," she said. "I'm Hattie." She always used her dead identity for jobs like this. If anything bad happened, it happened to Hattie, not Boom, and certainly not Amy.
"Master doesn't like us talking to each other," the girl whispered, her fear obvious.
"He's busy with one of the others. What he doesn't know won't hurt us," Boom replied. "What's your name, honey?"
"Trissy... I'm Trissy."
"Trissy? What an unusual name!" Says the girl called Boom, she added to herself silently.
"It's Tristan, really. After my father."
"Trissy, how old are you?"
"Twelve... And a half."
Boom wanted to blow George up then and there. "What the heck are you doing in a place like this?" She asked.
"My dad owed Master money... He was deep in debt from gambling, and he couldn't pay him cash, so... He sold me to him."
Better blow up Trissy's dad, too, for good measure, Boom decided. "That's awful..." She said aloud.
"It's not so bad... I... I can handle it," Trissy insisted.
"You shouldn't have to, Trissy. My father was a creep, too. You deserve better."
"Master will be angry if he hears us... Please... I'm okay."
Boom let it go, but she silently vowed that, no matter what, she'd get Trissy out of that place.
The next girl she met was strikingly beautiful. The girl caught her by surprise, both because she was the only Asian in the brothel and because she was smiling. No one in that place smiled.
"You are new," she said in strong English. Her accent was clear, but she obviously knew the language well.
"I am," Boom replied. "I'm Hattie."
"My name is Yasumi."
"You're not from here," Boom observed. "How did you end up in this place?"
"I was born in Japan. My family moved here when I was young. Not long after, we were forced to move to a relocation center because Pearl Harbor was attacked, and when we were granted our freedom, we moved to Nevada. We did well enough for a bit... Then my parents became ill and died within months of each other, and I ended up without a home when I was sixteen. Master George took me in, and I have been here since."
Yasumi spoke with dignity, keeping her voice soft and steady. It was clear the events of her past had been traumatic, but she still seemed to be at peace with them. Boom was in awe.
"And you, Hattie?" Yasumi asked.
"Amy," she whispered.
"Pardon?"
"My name is Amy, but you can't tell anyone, okay?" She wasn't sure why she'd trusted a complete stranger with that information. Maybe it was because Yasumi had shared her own painful history so freely. Regardless, it felt right.
"Amy," Yasumi repeated. She nodded. "Thank you for trusting me with that."
They talked for a bit after that. Boom listened to the details of Yasumi's life, fascinated with learning about her culture. Yasumi showed her how to prepare a few Japanese dishes. George made some of the girls cook for him, and he liked Yasumi's unusual meals. Boom had to admit they were delicious. She enjoyed being in Yasumi's presence. As George began allowing Boom to wander the next day, she found herself wanting to spend her free time with Yasumi.
A week later, things at the brothel got worse. Boom knew she needed help if she hoped to bring George and his clients down, so she requested Ilsa as backup. Ilsa could talk her way out of almost any situation, and with Morda working her magic from the base, it was fairly safe. Ilsa had been Boom's backup at brothels before.
She arrived the next day. Boom was grateful, and she hugged the girl she considered her sister tightly once it was safe. They worked together to spy on George and gather information to send back to Garron.
Three weeks later, Boom was sitting with Yasumi. The beautiful girl looked a bit sad, and it was clear she'd been beaten. Boom wanted to kill, but one look into Yasumi's eyes made her do something else instead. She kissed her.
Boom had never considered that she might be attracted to women. She rarely paid attention to anyone in a sexual manner unless forced. She supposed she had a bit of a crush on Plurri, but she'd never acted on it. Sex was an assignment, a chore she had to engage in, and when that had finally stopped, she'd sort of forgotten about it. Kissing Yasumi, however, Boom was filled with unexpected desire.
Yasumi kissed her back. Boom liked how soft her lips were, and how gentle and shy she acted as she slowly relaxed. They continued from there, losing themselves in each other.
Arthur... What does love feel like? She asked telepathically that night.
Like breathing, he replied. Like the other person brings you to life... And like you'll never have to be sad or alone or scared again.
I think I'm falling for someone... A girl.
I think so, too. I felt your joy earlier. It was unexpected. I'm happy for you, Amy.
She decided she'd pursue things with Yasumi, as long as they didn't get in the way of her mission.
Boom and Ilsa spent two more weeks in the brothel. They had finally discovered all of George's secrets. They were going to leave that night, after the rest of the Chapter took out George and several of his more corrupt clients.
At first, everything went according to plan. Macy and Travis stormed the building, shooting several of the clients. George barricaded himself in his room.
"Get the ladies out," Garron said to Boom, Ilsa, and Blast. "Macy, Travis, and I shall find any other threats and eliminate them. We will go for George last."
They rushed through the building, getting everyone out. When Boom finally reached Yasumi, she pulled her into her arms.
"Be safe," she said.
"Amy, what's going on?" Yasumi asked.
"I can't explain right now... I promise I'll tell you everything soon. Just go now. I'll find you... Daisuki da yo," she added. Yasumi had taught her the Japanese phrase, which meant I really love you.
Yasumi smiled at her. "Daisuki da yo," she said softly. She was still smiling as gunshots rang out.
For a minute, Boom didn't understand why Yasumi's white blouse began to turn red, or why her legs seemed to give out as she fell forward. Boom still reacted, catching her as she fell to the ground. She flipped her over to face her. The serene expression had not left her face, but she was motionless. Her eyes didn't blink.
On some level, Boom understood. Yasumi had been killed the second the first bullet pierced her heart from behind. It had happened so quickly, she'd likely felt nothing. She was simply saying I really love you one second and was dead the next.
Dead. Yasumi is dead. You told her you loved her and then she died, Boom thought. The words made sense, but not when strung together. Their meaning was impossible.
Someone was screaming. She didn't realize it was her. She hurt, but she barely registered it as more bullets were fired. Several pierced her flesh, but none hurt more than the realization that Yasumi was dead in her arms.
The bullets stopped being fired into her as new shots could be heard. Suddenly, George's top client, a mobster from a local crime family, fell to the ground. Boom barely noticed.
"Shit..." A voice said. "Boom! Boom, can you hear me?"
"What's going on in there, Mace?" Another voice asked.
"She's hurt! There's a lot of blood, Travis. Get Garron... Or maybe Morda." Boom realized it must be Macy speaking, but she couldn't process anything.
Soon, both Garron and Morda were beside her. "Oh, my sweet girl..." Garron whispered. "Find Blast and Ilsa," he told Travis and Macy. To Morda, he added, "I'm going to use Sorcery to heal her. Please ensure I succeed."
He gently removed Yasumi from her arms. Boom was too weak to protest, or to beg Morda to bend reality so Yasumi would still be alive. She wasn't sure Morda could undo death anyway.
Garron held her in his arms. "I'm so sorry, Amy..." He whispered low enough that Morda could not hear him. "I did not foresee this... However, I know the loss of love."
He began to heal her just as Boom passed out from blood loss.
Upstairs, Blast and Ilsa stood outside of George's room. Blast easily blew the door off its hinges. He was surprised to see that George was not alone. He had a child in front of him with a knife to her throat, using her as a shield.
"Trissy..." Ilsa whispered in horror.
Trissy was sobbing and terrified. Blast knew he had to save her from the monster called George. He studied the position George was in and knew there was no way to blow him up without killing Trissy. He tried to think up a better plan.
Boom's grief hit him suddenly, knocking the wind out of him. He gasped in surprise. This was followed shortly after by the sensation of bullets piercing his flesh.
Amy... Amy, no! Blast thought.
"No!" Ilsa screamed. Suddenly, she was in front of him. She knocked him to the ground as bullets were fired.
Blast hadn't actually been shot. He snapped out of his head and realized Ilsa was bleeding. She looked at him apologetically. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.
George held a gun steadily on him. "I was aiming for you," he told Blast coldly.
Blast looked at Trissy. To grab the gun, George had been forced to let her go. "Duck!" Blast shouted.
Trissy hit the floor. Blast threw a small explosive above George's head. It brought part of the ceiling down on him. Blast grabbed George's gun and emptied the rest of the clip into his head.
He looked at Trissy. "Run," he told her.
The terrified girl didn't argue. She fled as Blast pulled Ilsa into his arms. He could feel his twin starting to heal, so he focused on Ilsa.
"I love you," he told her.
"I love you, too," she replied weakly.
Desperate, Blast used one of Ilsa's portal making inventions to open a portal to Eltar. He held her tightly and focused on Plurri. Second later, they landed at his feet.
"Oh, God..." Plurri mumbled. He quickly set to work trying to heal Ilsa. He paused as he seemed to realize something. "Ilsa..." He said softly.
"Arthur, go check on Boom," Ilsa said weakly.
"I can't leave you," Blast replied.
She touched his cheek gently. "I love you... But I know she got hurt. That's the only reason you'd freeze." She began coughing and had to stop speaking for a minute. "I'll be okay," she insisted.
"I'll hurry," Blast promised. He ran outside.
"Her," Ilsa whispered to Plurri. "Save her."
"You're not far enough along... If I heal you first..." Plurri began.
"I'm miscarrying. She won't survive. Heal her, Plurri. Please. Make her strong. I just found out earlier today..."
Plurri looked heartbroken. "I'll try to save you both," he said. He focused on the baby first, knowing she would perish any moment if he didn't. He stabilized her before realizing Ilsa was a step above dead.
He tried to heal her, but it was no use. She was too far gone, even for him. He was good, but only Amello could have saved someone that close to death.
Doing the only thing he could, Plurri shifted his focus entirely to the baby. He used magic to incubate her and speed up her growth. The spell took a lot of power. Still, he was able to deliver the baby even though Ilsa had perished.
"I'm so sorry, Ilsa," he said softly as he took the baby into his arms. He wrapped her in a blanket and checked to ensure she was healthy.
Blast came back in. "Amy's okay-" He paused as he saw Ilsa. "Plurri?" He asked softly.
"I'm sorry, Arthur," he replied with tears in his eyes. "It came down to a choice, and Ilsa begged me to save the baby."
"B... Baby?" Blast repeated, looking at the creature in Plurri's arms.
"She only found out today... But Ilsa was pregnant, Arthur. And she asked me to save your daughter."
"My daughter..." Blast began to cry. "Ilsa... Ilsa was pregnant... And now, she's..." He shook his head. He pulled Ilsa into his arms, sobbing and kissing her forehead.
"I tried to save them both, but... The baby was in distress," Plurri said apologetically.
"You saved our daughter," Blast said softly. "That's something." He forced himself to release Ilsa. "May I... May I see her?"
Plurri nodded. "Of course."
Blast walked toward him nervously. The baby in his arms was fragile and small, and Blast was terrified, but he held her anyway. Looking into her eyes, he saw Ilsa. "Hello, Little One... I'm sorry you're stuck with me, but... But I promise to love you. I'll be everything my parents weren't," he vowed.
Plurri comforted him as he bonded with his daughter. Garron arrived with Boom a while later. Boom looked broken, but she managed to smile at her new niece.
"She's beautiful," she said in wonder.
"Like Ilsa," Blast whispered.
Some time later, Garron finally held the baby. That was when he had a vision.
Someone was watching the girl, who couldn't have been more than six. She looked enough like Ilsa, right down to her need for glasses, that Garron knew who she was. As she stood in a public square, campaigning for change even at a young age, a man approached her.
He'd know the bastard anywhere, but the scar over his eye gave it away, too. Jezzeff... Impossible, Garron thought. He watched in horror as Jezzeff pulled out a sword.
"He's going to be sent back in time to kill her!" A voice shouted.
Garron looked at the woman who appeared before him. "Rosemary..." He said softly.
"She's important, Garron. Protect her. Please," Rosemary begged.
"How?"
"Hide her where he won't suspect."
"You said he'll be sent back in time? So..."
"He'll return, Garron. Jezz is coming back, in the future."
Garron cursed softly. "I'll protect the girl," he promised.
When he snapped out of the vision, he sighed before explaining, "There is a threat... I'm sorry, my boy, but we must hide your daughter where no one can find her." He looked at Plurri.
"Garron... No, it's too cruel," he said, understanding.
"What is?" Blast asked.
"If the child remains in this time, she will perish," Garron said.
"No... She has to be safe, no matter what," Blast said. He looked at Plurri. "What can be done?"
Plurri sighed. "There is a spell... It can hide her in time, but we won't know where," he said.
"Like your sister?" Boom asked.
Plurri nodded. "Exactly like Grace, yes. The girl will be safe, but you won't be able to find her until it's time."
Looking into the eyes of his baby girl, Blast nodded. "Do it," Blast said softly. "Keep her safe, Plurri. Please."
Plurri began casting the spell. The portal opened. "Will she be okay?" Boom asked what Blast was thinking.
"Yes," Garron replied. "I believe a spirit will guide her to safety. The spirit from my vision seemed determined to protect her from harm. You are doing the right thing, Arthur."
Blast let his daughter go. He had tears in his eyes as he clung to Boom. Plurri sent the baby through time.
I'm sorry, Arthur, Boom thought.
I'm sorry about your loss, too, he replied. He had lost his wife and he might never see their daughter again, but at least he'd had decades with Ilsa before she died, and the baby was alive. Boom had fallen in love for the first time and lost her within weeks. She would barely have a handful of memories to cling to.
Blast decided to try to be strong so Boom didn't have to be. They would help each other through this. First, however...
Plurri sank to his knees in tears. "Oh, Plurri..." Garron said sadly. "I am so sorry I had to ask that of you."
Plurri didn't reply. Garron patted him on the back gently before giving him space. He took Blast's hand and said, "Come outside with me. The sun will soothe you a bit."
"But, Amy-" Blast began.
Leave me, Boom thought. Blast understood. He walked outside with Garron and allowed his mentor to comfort him as he cried beneath the sun.
Boom knelt beside Plurri. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed the tears from his cheeks.
"I miss my twin," Plurri whispered.
"I know," she told him. Boom understood how much pain Plurri was in. If she'd been forced to separate from Blast like that, with no guarantee of when or where they'd find each other again, it would break her.
Plurri couldn't seem to stop himself from sobbing in her arms. She cried with him, for his pain, and for the grief she was feeling from her own loss. She stayed there with him for a while, until Plurri finally stopped crying, and remained as he held her. He kissed her forehead.
"Thank you," he finally said softly.
"Anytime," Boom promised.
After that day, the twins returned to Las Vegas. They had changed drastically. Macy called it "regressing," and Boom supposed she was right. The twins no longer slept in separate rooms, and they spoke together, as they had before, at all times, even around Garron. The rest of the Rebellion came to view them as insignificant, simply Garron's pet toddlers who blew things up, often when they probably shouldn't have. No one paid much mind to them, writing them off as little more than living weapons.
Decades later, sometime after they lost Garron, joined Zell's Alliance, and fled back to the Rebellion once they realized that had been a mistake, the twins were walking around Las Vegas. They happened to see a girl on a college campus. Blast froze in shock as he spotted her. Glasses framed her eyes, and she was holding up a sign of some sort. She was marching with others, and she was also trying to get a petition signed by everyone nearby.
"My God..." Blast whispered.
"Arthur..." Boom said softly as she looked at the girl, too.
"It's her... It's my daughter..."
"It has to be. She looks so much like Ilsa..."
"What should I do?"
"Plurri said if you were meant to find her, it would happen... Approach her!"
"I... I can't, Amy."
"Then I will."
"Amy-"
"You should at least know her name, Arthur. I won't say anything else."
He sighed. "Okay," he agreed.
Boom walked right up to her and took her pen. "I'll sign," she said cheerfully.
"Great! We're fighting for change and equal rights, and-"
"That's great," Boom said, cutting her off. "What's your name, anyway?"
"Oh, I'm Stephanie," the girl replied with a grin. Boom smiled back.
"Are you a happy person, Stephanie?" She asked.
"I like to think so," Stephanie said with an awkward laugh. "Is there any particular reason you asked?"
"I just like to know that people are happy," Boom replied. She gave Stephanie a quick hug. "Be safe out there," she added.
Stephanie smiled awkwardly. "Thanks. You, too!" She replied. She went back to her protest as Boom walked away.
"Your daughter's name is Stephanie," Boom said. "And I believed her when she said she's a happy person. So, rest easy, Brother. She's alright."
"But is she safe?" Blast asked.
"She will be now. We'll make sure of it. Now we know where to find her." She hugged him, knowing he needed it. "She's okay, Arthur. I promise."
He nodded, taking comfort in her embrace as usual. We'll protect her, Ilsa, he vowed silently. The problem was, he had no idea what threat Garron had seen. He assumed it was Zell, but wouldn't Garron have said as much if it were?
"I miss Garron," he said softly. "I wish I could ask him what to do now."
"I miss him, too," Boom admitted. Sometimes, it was hard without their surrogate father around. "Maybe we can..."
"Go see Plurri?" Blast finished.
"Yeah. That always helps."
"Soon," Blast agreed. Until then, the twins would return to their new Chapter leader, Stone, who still didn't seem to remember he'd met them before. He wasn't so bad, but he had no idea what to do with them. He didn't understand them like Garron had, and he had no knowledge of how close they were to Plurri. Maybe one day, he'd remember, and the twins could tell him the truth about how their lives had changed. Then, perhaps, he'd understand them and they could fully trust him. For now, they only trusted each other and Plurri, and that was all they needed.