Lisa the Pointless.
Scholar of the Wilbur Sin.
One-shot.
"Maybe it do matters after all..."
.
.
.
It had been like an eternity.
For how long had they been fighting everything and everyone that stood in their way? sure, Joel had said that they should pick their fights carefully, but how could they when literally everything and everyone wanted nothing but torn them into pieces?
"Hey Lucky. You ok?"
Both his best friend and most recent companion looked at him with worry in their faces. Alex felt the desire to lie to both the pistolero and the salt man, but he couldn't. He desperately wanted a rest, even if he didn't had a foot in the grave, he couldn't lie about the fact that he wasn't in his prime anymore, he was sixty years old after all.
"I don't think he is, HAHA!"
Despite his cheerful tone, Salt Crab walked towards the trash man and shrugged slightly. Churchland understood immediately, getting his arm around his shoulders carefully to not touch the boulders of his skin. Joel did the same, starting to walk slowly, while the user of Velvet-Fu kept doing his best to breath normally. They crossed a god-forsaken island made of trash and a dessert, he couldn't die here on this hellhole of a town.
"Easy there, Lucky. I think there's a bench somewhere nearby, you need to rest."
He couldn't help but nod. Just a small rest, that would allow him to replenish his energy as much as possible. Maybe Milo would offer them some shelter for the time being if he still didn't felt good enough to continue their travel? that was something to think of. Letting his tired body touch the wood, Alex Churchland smiled while he felt the sweat coming down from his skin, looking back at the faces filled with worry his friends were making.
"Hey, I ain't dead yet... I just need... a small moment..."
Were his last words, to reassure them. Salt Crab looked at Joel for a brief moment, nodding. Neither of them felt as tired as him, so they would keep watching while he napped. Resting his head on the bench back, some calm finally allowed itself into his system and mind.
For just a little while, he wanted to get away from everything, specially that damn number.
.
.
"Alex..."
The sound of the music filling his ears made the child smile. Unable to hear the sound of the voice calling his name, the brownhaired kid opened his eyes slightly, looking into the ceiling. That was until the green eyes of his auntie looked at him, arms crossed, the woman pointed at the small stereo her nephew was using at full volume. A red tint covered his cheeks.
"Turn that off, young man."
Nodding and immediately obeying, he stood up, pressing the off button. Sighing, Beth smiled at him, walking to the T.V under his curious gaze. Despite everything feeling so familiar, whether it was something in his gut or just survival instincts, Churchland couldn't find the ease he was looking for. Countless times he has gone through this dream, memories from a distant past that made nothing but fill him with hidden pain and regrets time did everything but heal in his case.
But... just this one time...
"You'll love what I found at the thrift store. C'mon, Alex!"
Smiling, she pushed the VHS right into the player, turning it on. His eyelids opened in disbelief as instead of Zhang Xianzhong who's face he had memorized perfectly, what greeted him was a red background with green numbers, that damn number that kept popping everywhere he went, the 88 of the so called Infinity Franchise flashing with the word kill, in big letters, over and over and over again.
"It's what you-"
"No."
Interrupting his family, the little man stood up to her, moving his head from side to side. He wasn't someone prone to ire neither rage, but this was more than enough. He wasn't a fool, he had seen this happening already to many people, and right now, apparently, whatever was brainwashing them was trying to erase his tale and overwrite it with blood and senseless violence as well.
"What? but this is-"
"NO! I don't want this! I never did!"
Beth took a step back, while his sisters finally raised an eyebrow. This wasn't what she was expecting, in the slightest. Alex walked down to the television, quickly taking out the tape and handling it back to his aunt, a serious expression in his face. Enough was enough. He was tired, it was sickening. He was his own man, not a tool, not a monster, and even more, not someone who killed for pleasure.
"I refuse."
That was all she needed. Beth Churchland smiled back at her protégée, nodding. Kneeling down, her arms surrounded his shoulders, squeezing his small body tightly in a loving embrace. Alex let out a sigh, finally feeling at peace and loved again, he was home.
He was-
[Unacceptable.]
"!"
Opening his eyes, he was back into his current self, no longer a child, neither in his room, the old man turned back. What greeted him, sent chills down his spine. Alex had seen many fucked up things on his search for a better home, and he had to admit, these infinite freaks were one of the worst he had ever experienced... but nothing could have prepared him for this.
Clad in that cursed red jersey with that sickening eighty-eight, blood coming down his mouth due to a stab wound on his chest; looking down on him with a somber look as if he was nothing but a cockroach, was no one else but himself. He seemed more dead than alive, almost soulless to a certain extent. It was like looking in a mirror, but a wicked one instead.
[Unacceptable. Unacceptable. Do you really think you can escape this?]
He asked, clearly angry and annoyed. Closing his eyelids just a little bit, he stood up to himself. It was ironic, but he could see it now. This land, this place, everything was trying to desperately took him into an abyss of blood he would never be able to escape, and he realized it just in the nick of time to save everything he used to be, and would be.
"I don't wanna kill. Not anymore. I am better than this. Beth knew it, Joel knows it, Salt knows it, Clarence... and Chie knew it too."
As the names started to come out of his mouth, the body language of his doppelganger changed into a more aggressive one; showcasing his blood-stained teeth, like a dog ready to attack, he took a less elegant, weird variation of their Velvet-fu stance, but he could tell, it was still balanced enough to be both defensive and aggressive at the same time.
[It doesn't matter. It never did.]
The battle had begun.
Infinity Alex immediately jumped right into his other self, taking the initiative. At the same time, the user of Velvet-fu took a defensive position, the hands of his other self shone in a green-reddish color, channeling the power of the Infinity; his open palm went straight for his chest, hitting right on his ribcage, forcing him back.
The amount of power just one hid had made the air escape his lungs immediately, shocking him.
But he wasn't done; Doppelganger quickly raised his knee, hitting his other self right into his chin, sending him backwards. Alex spinned on the ground, yet stood up, using the receding stance, as Doppelganger let out a scream of pure rage, raising one of his arms, he seemed to be taking a different stance to his one, he advanced, while his right fist started to shine.
[Knuckle Cracker]
And then, a super charged punch went straight for his face, however, due to his own focus, Alex evaded his other self's hit, just in time to hit him right into his face with a headbutt, making him tumble backwards, stunned. Taking his opportunity, he quickly clawed his other self's face, before a kick hit him right in the face, a mimick of how he attacked him first.
However...
Using one of his most recurrent moves, Alex raised himself from the ground, his right leg stuck Doppelganger's chest; the jersey got cut due to his own strength, making a big long cut, from where blood started to come out alongside the one from the already open wound in his chest. It was incredible that, even despite how much pain he seemed to be in, that wicked "Infinitized" version of him seemed to be stronger and still willing to fight.
Alex turned backwards, blocking just in time a combination of strikes from the Jerseyhead.
What he didn't expected was the fact that his teeth sunk into his flesh, making him scream.
"HYAAAAARGHHH!"
This couldn't be real, but he could still feel every single movement from his other self's jaw as he tried to rip some of his flesh, like a tiger. Even if one of his arms was unavailable, he still could do something. His head going back, he slammed his forehead against his face with all the strength he could gather, hitting him directly on the nose.
[Mnght...]
Receding again, Churchland looked at his right arm, and the marks his wicked self left on it, alongside the blood coming down from the still open wound. His other self ended up in the ground; he couldn't waste any movement. Running towards him, he raised one of his legs to use Iron Hoof, pointing directly at the stab he had from before.
The blood came out of his mouth like a fountain.
[It doesn't... matter...]
Repeating himself again, the third folder's left hand started to shine again; he sunk his raised fingers on his feet, making the man scream and jump back. None of his items were with him right now, and even then... was this even real? it couldn't be, he knew it. This had to be an illusion, but the pain from every strike, that god damn bite, the way they clashed...
It was pure madness.
Taking his own stance again, the Franchise's tool started to channel his own magic and power through his hands again, but this time it was different. His movements seemed more slow, most likely due to the pain and all the damage Alex inflicted.
He had to keep fighting, even if it hurt, he couldn't become that monstrosity. He wouldn't let the Franchise take away who he was.
Both faces of the same coin jumped at each other, starting a clash. Alex's left hand raised on time to block an ascending claw, alongside a kick. His right on the other hand descended, hitting him and scratching his face again, but stopped middle way to thrust his fingers right into his chest, pushing him away.
He had to finish this, before being overwhelmed. This other version of himself seemed to be like a berserk, with a power punch like that of a truck and no sense of pain whatsoever.
"Major... "
His stretched fingers started to shine, alongside his eyes. The Doppelganger looked back at him, tilting his head a little bit. Surprising him again, he took a similar position to his own; closing his hands in two punches, his entire hands started to gain a pure greenish color.
[Gouged... ]
Of course. Even if he lacked all the finese and accuracy of his fighting style, at one point, they were the same person, so he still would have some of the most prominent and important techniques of the Velvet Style, specially considering this was always known as the "supreme one".
"Iris!"
[Petunia... ]
And it happened.
Both men started to clash their fingers at the speed of light, almost perfectly. Alex tried his best to bottle up all his disgust while he kept aiming at his other self's important points, the shoulders, the neck, eyes, and even his heart. If he could land any hit he would be able to continue the barrage until death, but it was easier said than done.
BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM
Just as he had to keep attacking, he also had to defend himself.
Every time his fingers clashed against his other self's -who instead of using just the index and middle finger, was using all of them- he could feel as if his hands were going to explode. He wasn't aiming at any of his vital points, but rather, just trying to obliterate him with pure power. The purple and green traces of magic started to rain down upon them, as if they were rain.
What did I became?
It wasn't an important question anymore. Despite all his choices, Churchland always felt it was his own to take. But this abomination using his face, his voice and his movements was nothing but a puppet that scared him to his core. The more their hands kept clashing, Alex started to breath and pant more heavily, the sweat coming back, alongside the tiredness.
Come on...
BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM
Defending himself from the strikes that were aimed right at his neck and then at his chest, his left hand kept trying to find an opening and hit just once, just a small movement of hesitation, an insignificant opening was all he needed. The third folder was giving him none. But just because there was still time, just one last chance to save his soul..
He couldn't give up.
He still had people backing him up, even when he took all the wrong choices in his youth, the world granted him a second chance.
"HRAAAAGAGHHH!"
And he wouldn't waste it.
The clashing increased it's intensity, almost feeling the bones of his fingers starting to crack each time they met his other self's, he tried to ignore the pain.
.
.
"Chie, she is... "
Not willing enough at first to talk about such an important topic, Clarence look straight into his best friend's face. Even before he finished his words, he was already frowning, visibly angry. This topic wasn't one Alex enjoyed in general, but he was his friend. Despite everything, he wanted the best for him, even if sometimes he had to be harsh.
"She's using you dude."
"What did you say?"
It was a rhetorical question, because obviously he heard him perfectly. Clarence however didn't backed up like he did many times beforehand. No. Now HE frowned, he wanted to be aggressive about it? fine, he could play that game too.
"I said she's USING you."
Raising his left hand to point at him as a gesture of reassurance, Churchland tilted his head a little. Was he seriously going to bring this shit again?
"And just what the hell does that mean, huh?"
Well, at least he wanted to know more about it rather than just telling him to shut up or going away, so this was progressing... slightly. Clarence took a sigh, raising a finger, he had to be methodical and smart about this, for his and their friendship's sake.
"Think about it Alex. She just lets you hang out with her so she can say she has a boyfriend. She brags about how you know Karate, or how tough and mean you are."
His friend's lips moved a little, as he opened his mouth for a brief moment, thinking about it. The brownhaired one however, turned back, showing his back, not sure of what to answer.
"That's not true"
Clarence's teeth showcased themselves as he gritted them, angrier. How could he be so stupidly in love with someone as cruel as her? how could he be so deluded from the truth that was plain in sight?
"It fucking is! there's no way you haven't heard it too! Vincent tells me all about-"
"I don't give a SHIT about what Vincent says! He's a creep and an asshole, and he keeps looking at Chie all weird!"
"That's because SHE'S the reason HE can't get a boner anymore! Because she put you up to-"
"SHUT UP, CLARENCE! SHUT... UP!"
Only then, he finally gave in. Those last words, they weren't in a normal kind of anger, he could almost feel and taste the spice, the hate they carried. He wasn't joking around anymore, by the way he pointed his finger, Alex could barely hold his urges to raise himself from his seat and beat the shit out of his best friend right there and then.
The tears started to come down his face, silently.
"What happened to you, Alex... ? You weren't like this until she got with you..."
.
.
The memories started to flood into his mind like a river. Doppelganger's attack started to increase their intensity even more, despite how much blood was coming from his mouth and wounds; he gritted his teeth, Alex did the same. He managed to say "Sorry" one last time to Clarence back then, after getting out of Garbage Island, but the regrets were still there.
I'm sorry, Clarence...
His hand repelled a strike aimed at his liver, making the other one's arm lose it's trajectory for just a moment, which he took the advantage of: Alex thrusted his fingers right into his doppelganger's shoulder, managing to reach a nerve: quickly pulling them away, connecting a kick into his stomach, making him take a few step back.
It wasn't enough to take him down though.
Using his own rage, the power of his palms increased beyond what Alex thought possible; Gauged Petunia seemed to thrive off pain, because even while this version of him seemed to be on his last legs, he was still standing, getting stronger and stronger with each exchange of strikes they were having. A more wicked version of Velvet Style in every sense.
Infinity rejected a strike this time, even if his right arm was slower than the left one, he was still packing a punch.
Enough of a punch to hit him straight into his ribcage.
"GACK"
Saliva, blood and air came out of his mouth: the closed punch that blinded him seconds later sent him back into another memory.
.
.
"Thanks for getting me off that island, that was very kind of you."
Happiness visibly present on his voice, Churchland looked at his "partner" for the time being with a small smile. Joel raised a hand, waving it slightly as if saying he couldn't care less about it. Miller let out a smile as well, the heat from the air around them already starting to do it's thing on his body, yet he couldn't care less. Thanks to his hat, he was protected enough and breathing well for the first time in what felt like an eternity.
"You're welcome, Lucky."
Alex, however, wanted to address the elephant in the room. Georgy and Darry apparently, had left them. So a part of him was already thinking if Joel would do the same, it wouldn't surprise him, if that was the case.
"So I understand you're not going back either..."
"Nope. Coming with you... if that's ok, I mean."
His reply, alongside his insecureness, brought both hope and surprise to the former trashman. Churchland saw his friend scratch the back of his head a little, knowing how awkward that sounded. This wasn't what he was expecting, but far better: he always knew Joel wanted to leave the Island, he even heard about it a little when he was unconscious.
But... he didn't thought he would want to travel together.
"I don't know where I am going..."
If he wanted such thing as to accompany him, then he had to be honest about it. He wanted a place to call "home" in this hellhole, but for all he knew, that search would continue for eternity. A part of him wanted to believe in Agustus's drawing, dreams could mean something, and it wasn't bad to have hopes for a better, happier future, but he learned a long time ago to keep his expectations low.
"That doesn't matter to me. Since I... we met, things have been going really good for me. As I see it, you're my lucky charm... eh, charm-man."
"I'm flattered."
And he truly mean it. No one had ever called him such thing as a luck charm, or actually enjoyed his company in a long time. Life was hard, and as time went on, Alex knew and started to believe that being alone was the right answer, not because he hated people, but because he knew people and company wouldn't last, and it would always hurt. Farewells were painful, and he was tired of suffering.
"Just go wherever, see what happens."
"So you don't care where we are going... you just want to be with me."
Joel kept his mouth shut a little, before raising an eyebrow. Only then, Churchland realized how weird his words sounded, but he meant it, from the bottom of his heart.
"Lucky... you make that sound really weird."
"No, I think that's cool!"
Smiling with his eyes closed, knowing he gained a true, actual friend for the first time in ages, Alex Churchland offered his hand once again, just like he did when he opened his eyes back when he woke up after being found and taken care of by that same man, who now wanted nothing but his friendship. And just this time, he knew this was the right choice to take.
"So it's settled?"
"Yeah. We're a team."
.
.
"HRAAAAAGHHHH!"
Before Gauged Petunia could land more hits on him, Alex dodged the fingers and arms of his other self, crouching and advancing at the same time, mimicking his movements. Infinity didn't expected it: the greenish irises of Churchland faced the Third Folder's empty stare, as he thrusted his fingers into his chest, piercing it with all the strength he could gather, making him lose his balance.
This was his choice to make.
And just like Beth said... he was a born winner."
The Major Iris resumed his barrage just as the third folder was about to touch the ground, he gritted his teeth. Like bullets, the tip of his fingers started to thrust over and over again, piercing his body; yet even with all his anger, his rage, his pain, Alex didn't lose his focus. He was better than this, better than the franchise, better than his own demons.
Violence wasn't the answer, and murder wasn't it either.
The man kept thrusting; holes appearing all over the Infinity Jersey, arms, the face, the legs of his other self, who even with all the pain his body was being subjected to, still tried from time to time to raise his own hands to resume Gauged Petunia, but it was useless. Alex was already too far ahead of him; attacking even his wrists and hands to avoid their movements.
His left arm kept moving up and down, and then finally, with one last touch, he reciprocated the fist Infinity gave him earlier, finishing him with a big punch to the gut, right into the stab wound; one last time he puked blood... and then silence. Alex stood there, looking at his reflection, still standing... and then he tumbled backwards.
He had won.
[...]
Not saying a thing, the jerseyhead looked at who he used to be, still with an empty stare, no emotion, not caring at all about the fact that he would disappear without even coming to exist. He wasn't glad, neither angry, or frustrated, not even surprised. He just kept looking into those green eyes, as everything around them started to vanish.
Alex, however, muttered his last words at what he could've become.
"Everything matters. Nothing is pointless. We are who we choose to be... and we can always take the right choice."
.
.
"He seems to be waking up, HA HA!"
Salt's voice brought him back to the living world. Alex opened his eyelids slowly, feeling strangely rested despite what he had dreamt of. Joel and Salt Crab were looking at him with happy expressions. The old timer smiled back at his friends, noticing how Miller offered him a hand to help him stood up from his seat, as if he was a grandpa of some sorts.
"Hey Lucky. Welcome back. You slept for over an hour I think."
Unlike Georgy, he didn't had a watch to check the time, so he couldn't be certain of it. Alex grabbed his friend's hand, raising himself and then taking a sigh. He had honestly missed this place, it felt like an eternity since he last saw them. His mind wasn't feeling as numb as before, neither he felt with enough energy to keep fighting, not because he was tired...
But because he actually just wanted to leave already.
"Lucky?... you're ok?"
Smiling, Churchland nodded at his brother's question, before turning back into the cave they came from. It was time to get down from that damn mountain and finally find the exit of that hellhole.
"Yeah. Come on guys. Let's get the hell out of here."
The end.