We are all butterflies. But butterflies only last so long out in the world.

Session 111

I wish

Cody took a deep breath.

As final 'battles' went, this was not what he would have done. No, he would have gone with something slightly less flashy and more personal. But, it wasn't the call he could make.

"So, what do you think?"

The author rolled his eyes, giving a shrug as an added bonus.

"Unimpressed." he answered. "Though, was I supposed to expect something grand and amazing from a villain with almost no backstory?"

He got no response to that comment. Not that getting an answer would really help, it would at least give him a chance to at least talk to his supposed 'arch-nemesis'. Well, could he really call her that? Sure, the author had allowed some questionable things to occur under his watch (the mahora incident and Chibi's 'sacrifice', to name just a few), he made an effort to patch things over as best he could.

Sure, he could never quite reach a point where everyone would consider him a buddy, but that was alright in his book. One couldn't quite please everyone, after all.

At this particular moment, the author found himself in what appeared to be the entrance area. It wasn't anything special, outside of the mural. So he focused on that, only to do a double take.

The mural in question was that of a boy hard at work on a large doll. An emerald green cloak and undergarments hung on a couple hangers, awaiting placement on the character. The artist had done their best to paint the interior of his former base of operations to the utmost detail. Thankfully it was far less stalkerish than he was expecting.

Cody fished an old black notebook out of his messenger bag and began to flip through the pages. Julie's mansion was long gone for this particular moment, getting replaced with his former abode. Which in this case was a villa floating in space. e was standing over his 'newest' creation, doing a quick check to make sure that everything was at least in working condition.

"Awaken, Nina."

He watched her eyes open up for the first time as joy and accomplishment filled his heart. Somehow, he had managed to create his first personal character. Not some scorceressmon doll or something for a school project. In time, such a feeling would wane. But right now, the author on top of the galaxy itself.

"Hello." she had greeted and carefully got up from the table. "Is there anything that I can do for you at the moment?"

Cody shook his head, choosing instead to wrap his arms around his assistant.

"Just your company."

In retrospect, saying something like that now probably had all sorts of unintended consequences. But back then, it made sense to middle school him.

"Are you going to move or what?"

Cody returned to reality, finding himself still staring into the mural. His gaze shifted on the doorway ahead, only to find him staring head-on into another mural. It was of the same two individuals, this time chatting with each other. But unlike the previous mural, there was only regrets within him. The days of him venting still hurt now, the result of which twisted what was once his assistant into a

"I'm sorry…" Cody whispered and took a deep breath, ignoring the tears rolling down his face as he walked through. "This is my punishment isn't it?"

Every once in a while, he would wish to turn the clock back and do it over all again. Maybe the hateful words of the past would have remained unsaid. But by the same token, would he be in the place that he was in now without it? Would he even be standing here right now?

I doubt even I know the answer to those questions. Even if I did know, I doubt it would really change how I feel about this. If anything, it would probably would make it hurt even more.

He headed onward, finding himself in a dining room/kitchen combo. As those sorts of rooms went, it wasn't that special. All the nessecities were included, with a nice-looking table to boot. Of course, someone had painted a mural there too. Because why the fuck not?

At this point, he let the image sink in. This particular one showed the appearance of ChaosOphanimon and the first Victoria, known as Nina at the time. The original Nina had been renamed Chaos at that point, with the dark blades coming not long after. Originally, they were to be faced by a group known as the original digidestined. Who actually had the balls to join up with their successors to do battle with them. Compared to the ones we got in the actual digimon canon, they were… competent.

"Please shut up."

But she was ignored as Cody headed through the next doorway. There, he found himself in a hallway. Of course, someone had taken the time to paint another mural.

Unlike the other murals he had seen, the artist had gone for a more graphic route, showing one of ChaosOphanimon's first kills. It had been the 'supposed' parents of Davis Motomiya. He wasn't entirely sure why them of all people, possibly because they seemed like a cheap way to increase the tension of the story at the time. At opposing sides of the painting, were Davis Motomiya and TK Takaishi respectively.

Cody took a deep breath, letting out a laugh and made his way down the hall, always keeping one eye on the mural. As he headed onward, the mural shifted its image, displaying various events of this multiverse. From the start of the hunters to him look, it was all there. But along with that, it displayed something else.

The next image was that of six heroes, standing before a simple inn. Towards the top, a mountain hung out with a dark shadow. But then he stopped.

One more mural awaited him, this one seeming to be different from all the others. A variety of heroes stood in what one could call battle positions, taking in what appeared to be an unknown being. Strangely, the order itself was painted among all of them. And while that didn't seem to concern him, he did take a photo.

He pushed on through one more doorway, finding himself face to face with Julie.

"Here I am." the author remarked and cracked a cautious smile. On one hand, he would've preferred to have not been the one to take on the final hand. On the other hand, he was willing to 'man up' and take her on. "After all these murals, I'm not sure whether or not I should be disappointed."

A scowl formed on Julie's face, but was unseen by Cody. No, he was currently entertaining himself by drawing a chalk circle.

"Are you going to just complain or will you actually fight me, dammit?!" Julie screamed, only for a twisted smile to form.

"Why exactly?"

His answer did little to faze whatever feelings were coursing through the bimbo's head at the moment.

"Because I can do what you can't." Julie muttered and swiped some stray hairs away. "You're some fool who believes he know's best."

Cody rolled his eyes and sighed.

"I'm just an observer." he explained. "Nothing more, nothing less."

She charged towards the author, slamming his entire body to the floor. What followed, was the slamming of a boot against bone, a sound no one ever wants to hear.

"Do you give up? Do you concede to the greater good?" Julie screamed, only to watch the now bloody author roll over onto his circle. Somehow, this was enough to activate the magic held within and bring forth a familiar figure. She was dressed in green, wielding a greatsword of sorts.

Yet, that did

"I'm sorry…" Cody whispered and rolled away, doing his best to ignore the loss of blood and dizziness. So he had a snack, choosing goldfish for this particular occasion. Once the dizziness had finally subsided, he pulled his toy rifle out and carefully swung it into the plastic homunculus.

"What did you call me?!"

Cody did not answer, choosing instead to roll his eyes as everything went black. There, he, no I, made a wish. It was a dumb and stupid one, the sort one makes when the chips are down and the odds seem so far out of your favor that not even your greatest fans will cheer you on. But you know what, sometimes you have to tell the odds to go fuck themselves and make your own choice.

As he finished, Julie landed the final blow and grabbed the notebook away.

"Now, bow to me mortals!" she announced and opened the notebook up, writing down her own wish. "Or not, I could care less."

Time seemed ready to wind backward, returning to a long off point. But, not quite in the way the order leader was expecting. Not that it matters right now.

"Work dammit!"

Of course, Julie had far harder expectations than the book, so she threw it off to the side in a huff.

After all, she had far more pressing matters at hand. Such as choosing a proper outfit to rule in and what to have in celebration. Had she been paying the

Bad End?

Ending 1/3

Notes:

Yeah. Chibi's dead. Not that it matters really, in the grand scheme of things.

And I'm also dead. And before you ask who's writing this. It's... complicated. All you people need to know is that things have reached a crossroads. You get to see one end now, the other later.

.

Next Time: The end?