MIRACULOUS
CH. 51
AFFIRMATION
Author's note:
Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sorry but the dreaded news has come and I'm ending this fanfic. Details at the end of the chapter, enjoy.
"What?"
"Cat Noir!" Afterglow's eyes widened.
"How is this possible?" Etheria was paralyzed.
The masked teen punched her head on both sides, locking her in a sandwiched grip with his fists. Luka took this chance and made his getaway.
"AAAARGH!" Etheria was in so much pain and so stunned she couldn't react appropriately. She dropped the black cat ring. Cat picked it up.
Cat Noir then knocked her off her feet with his knee on her face. The impact was so strong that she rolled back uncontrollably. Gabriel pushed Nathalie out of the way, which led Etheria to clash on the steel crane. She quickly got back up.
"How dare you!" She growled in a very raspy voice. Afterglow stepped in in Cat's defense readying her rapier.
"Stay behind me kitty," she suggested.
"Ugh," Cat collapsed again but held himself.
"Gave you the advantage my lady," he said.
"Not really," Afterglow lamented. "I've used up my power and I can only hold onto my alter ego for so long…"
"Out of my way!" Etheria charged at them, only to be intervened, by not one but two people.
"Huh?"
"What?" Etheria growled. She saw who they were. Queen Bee and… Vesperia… "Impossible…"
"I refuse to be your puppet!" Vesperia said in an emotional voice, that of a teenage girl. "You took me away!"
"Zoe?" Cat bare whispered.
"You took away my sister, twice," Queen Bee said. "Didn't you think I was going to take it personally?"
"It is over, Etheria," Ryuko's voice appeared from her side, clearly having won against Dragon Lady.
"Not Quite…" Etheria grinned and summoned someone. "Come, my Glacia."
Afterglow's blood froze yet again.
"My lady…"
She raised her hand, silently and approached her undead mother. Mother and daughter approached each other and walked around a circle. They stood…
They charged and clashed blades.
Meanwhile, Queen Bee, Vesperia, and Ryuko charged at Etheria who she fended off with ease. Ryuko charged in with her own barrage. Etheria clapped her hands hard, emitting a bright light, blinding her. Etheria kicked her in the head, knocking her out.
Vesperia began to attack her.
"How could you even think of attacking me?" she asked. "You do realize that if I'm subdued, you'll pass on to the afterlife!"
"Whatever it takes!" Vesperia said. "I don't belong here anymore anyway!"
"You, on the other hand, belong in a prison cell!" Queen Bee jumped from behind her with a roundhouse kick.
"AAGH!"
"Give it up, Etheria," The untransformed Cat Noir stepped in once again.
"You expect me to give in after what this world took from me?"
"'Took from you?'" Queen Bee quoted. "Look around you! You took half the city!"
"You took me!" Vesperia added.
"My sister!" Queen Bee added.
"Stop this, now!" Cat Noir yelled. "This is not what Emma would've wanted!"
"YOU ARE NOT WORTHY OF THAT NAME!" She turned to where Sentibug was recovering and charged at her.
"SHE'S AFTER EMMA!"
Sentibug whimpered, not able to get ready to defend herself. She shut her eyes tight and prepared for her second demise…
It never came, she opened her eyes and saw that Nathalie was in front of her with her arms spread wide…
And in front of Nathalie, there was another figure shielding them. It was Vesperia. She received the blade.
"UGH!" Etheria grunted as she tried to drive her rapier deeper onto her.
"ZOE!" Queen Bee ran to her sister's aid, only to be pushed back by Etheria's force wind.
Vesperia, however, grabbed the blade from her wound and she pulled it down onto herself as she approached Etheria.
"What?"
Vesperia lifted her up by her rapier as she was lifted off her feet. Vesperia swung her Etheria to the crane once again. The construction ibeams above her withered once again.
Cat tried to approach Etheria again but Afterglow stopped him and readied her rapier.
"Let's settle this," Afterglow suggested.
Etheria got back up on her feet and readied her rapier.
"Fine."
"My lady…"
Afterglow raised a hand, silencing him, and looked at her. She looked back at him and nodded with a reassuring smile. She could hear Cat's hesitant breathing behind his mask.
"Please." She said, barely above a whisper.
"I trust you, my lady," Cat stepped back.
The two women circled each other once again. Queen Bee and Vesperia stepped back as well. Ryuko's pendant gave her its warning alarm, causing her to reluctantly back off as well. Luka carried off the unconscious Mordecai and gave her a nod, she nodded back.
They charged at each other and their blades made a staccato sense of the barrage of strikes against one another not letting either of their opponents the opportunity. This wasn't a delicate fencing match but a near barbaric sword fight between two women from the gothic barbarian era.
"Stop disgracing the art of fencing with your fake existence!" Etheria kicked her in the stomach, with Afterglow landing on her butt. Etheria thrust upon her opponent but blocked it.
"I should tell you the same after that cheap shot!" Afterglow swept her foot under her, throwing Etheria off balance. Afterglow swung upward, targeting her grip, disarming her, and pointed the tip at her face. "It's over, Emilie."
"NEVER!" Etheria threw dirt on her eye.
"ARGH, My eyes!"
Etheria picked her rapier up again and knocked Afterglow's rapier off her grip.
"DISHONORABLE!" Ryuko sneered.
"No… You're not the Emilie I once knew…" Gabriel quietly lamented.
"Your existence is so unforgivable I don't care how I end it!" Etheria sneered. "But first…"
She kicked Afterglow hard and rolled off, rendering her unconscious. She quickly turned where a weakened Sentibug laid on her and charged at her with killing intent.
Sentibug whimpered and tried to back off as she once again braced for her second demise… Once again, it never came.
Cat intervened and harshly knocked her off course, tearing her miraculous from her neck, transforming her back to Emilie. His mask fell off in the process. His hoodie lowered and caught a glimpse of his mother who once again clashed on the mechanical crane. She winced and opened her eyes. Her initial anger quickly faded when she saw who was behind the mask of who had been her enemy.
Cat stood in position, fully aware of his exposed face but did little to conceal it.
"Adrien?" she was entranced by the face of the boy she had threatened again and again.
"Mother…" Adrien breathed with a suppressed joy.
Before either moved a muscle, the construction ibeams fell on top of her…
Adrien could not even process what just happened. The fact that his mother finally saw his face and that now she was gone forever. It was just as abrupt as it sounded.
He had finally gotten his mother back and now she's gone for good. Right now Adrien felt nothing. It all went so fast that it hasn't even sunk in what had happened.
That uncertainty of knocking his mother off course was still present. He only got a taste of that wave of joy he was about to feel when his face was revealed, it'll never come full swing. And now he knows that the pain of losing his mother forever will soon kick in.
"EMILIE!" Gabriel ran to the mounted ibeams with Nathalie following suit.
"Gabriel!"
Gabriel kneeled at the widest opening he could find. He could make out his wife's hand, but he reached in and pulled out her lifeless hand. It was still warm but turned freezing cold in a matter of minutes. Adrien finally choked a sob. He took a step back and looked away with his eyes shut.
"Emilie…" Gabriel lamented not letting go of her hand. With a sigh, he winced and gritted his teeth. "You just couldn't let it go!"
"Gabriel…" Nathalie placed her hand on his shoulder.
"Then again, I would have never let go of my quest had I not learned the truth," Gabriel said and scoffed cynically. "What a hypocrite…"
"Gabriel…" Nathalie soothed. Gabriel caught a glimpse of his now unmasked son. Adrien was unable to look back at the gruesome display right before him…
"Adrien…" Gabriel was about to approach him but ran off.
"Adrien!"
"Gabriel!" Nathalie held his arm tightly as the hostages were recovering.
It was also noticeable that the last remnants of the white plague were fading. Including Vesperia.
Vesperia held Queen Bee's hands and gave her a sad smile. Queen Bee sniffed as she struggled to come up with something to say.
"I… I wish I did something differently…"
"I don't know where you come from, sis," Vesperia noted Queen Bee's older age. "But I know that it's something I can be proud of…"
*sniff* "I just got you back and now I'm losing you all over again!"
"SHhhh…" Vesperia shushed. "You never lost me." Vesperia let go of her hands and backed away. "I'll always be with you."
Vesperia broke apart into tiny bright lights and floated away. Queen bee stood paralyzed once again. After what may be half a minute, she broke down on her knees and bawled her eyes.
Ryuko didn't want to admit it but it tore her on the inside to see Queen Bee in such a miserable state.
"Everyone okay?" Luka tried to gather around. All the still transformed heroes detransformed before the hostages recovered enough to walk away.
"Mordecai!" Rigby noticed his friend knocked down on the floor.
"Hey, Marinette," Luka called Afterglow who was just snapping out of her slumber.
"Luka? What happened?"
"I think you should see for yourself," he answered and pointed to the small hill of construction ibeams.
Afterglow gasped at the scene before her. The lifeless hand sticking out of the ibeams was all she needed to see to know what happened. She looked back and forth…
"Where's Cat Noir?"
"He…"Luka hesitated. "Said there was something he needed to do…"
"Huh?"
"Hello," A soft timid voice was heard, and turned to see that it was. It was Sentibug, rubbing her fists close to her chest.
"Sentibug, I didn't see…"
"My name is Emma," she said.
"Hmm?"
"It's the name Cat Noir gave me," Sentibug closed her eyes. "Tikki spots off."
She detransformed in front of them and was caught off guard to see she was completely naked.
"Ummm…" Luka was speechless as he frantically looked around for something to cover her.
"Thank you for saving me," Emma said, unconcerned by her complete lack of attire.
"Oh," Afterglow blurted out, averting her gaze from her new friend. "You're welcome. I guess that means you're free to live your…"
"Oh, I believe these are yours." Emma took out her earrings and gave them to afterglow.
"Oh, umm thanks," Afterglow didn't really put any emotion in her words. "Anyway, I think we should cover you up with something before…"
"What's going on!" Alya's voice screeched as Nino, Kagami, elder, Chloe, and Max were looking on.
"Too late…" Luka muttered.
"Ummm, why is she unclothed?" Kagami asked.
Emma raised her hand in a wave with an innocent smile.
"Hi, I'm Emma!" she said out loud and bowed. "Nice to meet you!"
"ALL RIGHT!" Mordecai came out of the blue and covered her with a semi-dirty blank he must've found. He proceeded to pick her up in his arms.
"Where are you taking her?" Afterglow asked.
"Gabriel has agreed to take her in the manor just now," Nathalie stepped in. "Afterglow, I think you and I understand."
They both looked into each other's eyes.
"Of course," Afterglow said. "But why isn't Mr. Agreste…?" she cut herself off when Nathalie motioned towards where Gabriel silently mourned his wife. "Oh."
Sirens could be heard from the distance.
"Rescue workers and the press are coming," Nathalie revealed. "I suggest you disperse now!"
"I…" Emma was drowsy and leaned onto Mordecai's chest. "oh..." she soothed.
"Heh heh, Poor kid," Rigby added. "Probably seen too much action to be literally the day she was born."
Meanwhile…
Adrien ran as fast as he could to nowhere in particular. He tug down his hoodie over his face so that no one would see him.
He panted amidst his uncontrollable sobs. He stopped in his tracks and leaned his hands on his knees for support. He took another look at his hand to see the white owl pendant his mother threatened him with.
He couldn't stop the barrage of memories and images of the time they were together. The times she borderline spoiled him while his father made an effort to get him to do chores and work harder on his studies to earn whatever toy or present he wanted. The difference between their pasts was a lot clearer to him now. His reflection was then abruptly halted…
"Well, well well, just at your weakest," a snarky yet familiar female voice was heard. Before Adrien could look up he was kneeled right in the upper abdomen, near the chest.
"OOOOOHH!" Adrien collapsed to the ground, dropping the pendant. He struggled to get back to his feet but he could barely move his head upward. It was Bunnyx, her grin made it clear that she could no longer try to hide her intentions. "Alix…"
Bunnyx abruptly kicked Adrien in the face.
"Awww, what's the matter?" she asked mockingly. "Is mommy not here with you anymore?"
Bunnyx then picked up the white owl miraculous.
"It's not too late, Alix," Adrien pleaded as he winced in pain. "Stop this now and give us the Blue Mustang so we can end this…"
"HUSH!" Bunnyx shouted. She kneeled and lifted his chin up to meet her gaze. She smiled and spoke rather sweetly "Hush, little kitty. Don't say a word. You'll see that this world is so in need of an improvement you don't even know of. You'll see."
She got back up and created a portal behind her.
"I'll be taking this, thank you," Bunnyx showed the white owl miraculous and went in and disappeared.
"Argh… Damn it…" Adrien still struggled to get up. He took out his ring from his pocket and put it on.
"Seriously, took you long enough!" Plagg noticed Adrien's weakened state. "*GASP* Adrien, kid! What happened?"
"The white owl…" Adrien moaned. "She took it…"
"What?" Plagg was exasperated, he looked back and forth between where Bunnyx had gone and the physically and emotionally broken Adrien lay. For the first time since he met Adrien, he was uncertain and defeated and began to hyperventilate. "No… No… NO….! AAAARGH! EEEEEELEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNDDDDD!"
Next morning.
Unable to turn in for the night, Marinette, Alya, Nino, Luka, Kagami, Max, and elder Chloe stood around, pondering and sinking in what they just heard.
"Fascinating…" Max muttered.
"Huh?" Nino asked.
"Cat Noir expressed interest in Markov's artificial intelligence," Max clarified. "I calculate that there's a 70% possibility that he seemed to have some sort of realization."
"What do you mean?" Alya asked.
"I mean what if Cat Noir came to the realization he had with Markov is what led to his determination. What made him determined that Marinette is just as real as the rest of us, thus the same applied to Emma."
Marinette smiled and shook her head.
"I think it's deeper than that," She said.
"I beg your pardon?"
"He already believed in me and saw me as a real person when he found out what I was…" Marinette said, placing her hand in her heart. "Markov may have confirmed what he always suspected. But he already knew that we are real. I think that's what gave him the idea of how to bring Emma back."
They all stood silent, pondering what Marinette just said. Alya smiled and came over and placed her hand on her shoulder.
"Hey girl," Alya said. "Why don't you check on Emma? The sun is already pretty much up.
"Huh?" Marinette blurted as she looked out at the rising sun.
"Go on, we'll join you later," Alya said with a thumbs up and a wink.
Marinette smiled shyly and took a look at everyone else who all smiled and nodded and she nodded back.
"Ok," Marinette conceded. "I see you all later."
Meanwhile…Kamarucho…Tokyo, Japan.
"And that's how the cookie crumbled, huh?" Kaito said after hearing what his partner said.
"No doubt," Yagami said. "This lady's motives are indeed outside the Blue Mustang's goals. She working against them."
"But she has a history with them," Kaito added.
"Anyway we kinda back to square one," Yagami said. "Maybe I should check the Tokyo public library and…"
He was cut off when a knock was heard in their office.
"Were you expecting an appointment today?" Kaito asked.
"No, my schedule was clear," Yagami went to answer the door. "What the?"
He saw a woman, who seems well into her late twenties, wearing very little, if at all. She had only a leaf necklace, barely covering her breasts, and a green loincloth. She seemed like she came from a jungle movie.
"Who is it, Tak?" Kaito asked from behind. The girl looked up with an initially stern look.
"Ummm… Are you alright?" Yagami asked.
Her look suddenly changed to a gentle look with a smile. She appeared that she was going to greet him properly but as she was unable to keep her composure she sniffed and suddenly she hugged him.
"ONI-CHAN!"
…
…
…
…
"Ummm… WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTT!"
Adrien's storage…
Plagg looked at Adrien's laptop monitor as he watched live news. He saw that both Gabriel and Nathalie were pretty much off the hook but Emilie's name was pretty much all over the feeds.
"You know Adrien, at least your dad can finally detach himself from that burden. And besides, I think Nathalie is the best way for him to pull him out of his obsession. I've seen it!" Plagg said in his effort to mend the situation.
However, as he turned, all he saw was Adrien lying on his bed in a fetal position, sniffing. Plagg wordlessly came upon his head and hugged him as tightly as he could as Adrien sobbed.
Back in Paris… Agreste Manor…
Marinette stood nervously at her room's door. She still couldn't get over the fact that this was once Adrien's room. Knowing Emma was in there, she didn't know what to expect. It was the very same girl who she had seen disintegrated, while painfully clenching her chest. If there was one person who may have taken it even harder than she did it would be Cat Noir. Maybe that's why he was the one who came up with the idea. Then again she rejected the idea out of fear that it wouldn't work and if it didn't the world would've reset and even if it succeeded he would've fallen into a permanent coma and it was only a miracle that he actually woke up.
Part of her wanted to be angry at him for taking such a gamble. But at the same time, he brought Buggette back. Or maybe it's Emma now…
She knocked at the door. It was Rigby who answered.
"Oh, hey," Rigby greeted.
"You brought Emma here?" Marinette asked. Rigby opened the door, letting her in.
"Yeah, she's in your bed."
Marinette walked in and saw Mordecai lying on the floor, leaning as Emma slept on the bed. He looked up at her.
"Oh, whattup?"
"We were keeping an eye on her," Rigby said from behind.
"We let her borrow your jammies," Mordecai got up to his feet. "Hope you don't mind."
Marinette simply waved them off and approached her sleeping doppelganger. Whom stirred with a moan. Marinette was about to tap her but her twin curled herself even tighter. Marinette couldn't help but giggle at the sheer cuteness of the sight.
She tapped her on the shoulder, who turned to stare back at her 'big sister.' Not knowing exactly how to react, she slightly gasped but did not take her eyes off her.
"Easy," Marinette soothed. "It's okay."
"Ummm…"
"So, it was Cat Noir?"
"Uh-huh…"
Marinette took Emma's hand and took a look at it. She looked back up at her eyes, noticing the slightly different color her eyes are from her own. She still found it hard to believe she was a living breathing person in front of her.
"How do you feel?" Marinette asked.
Emma hesitated and looked down her hands as if she was trying to take in the reality that she was once again part of existence. After waking from her night's sleep she realized that for the first time in her existence she wasn't threatened. Now she didn't really know what to do now.
"It's strange," Emma said. "I'm happy, yet I'm scared."
"Scared?" Marinette asked and she heard the door closing gently, probably Mordecai and Rigby had left them alone.
"I… I don't know what to do…" Emma said. "But Cat Noir said…"
"Did Cat Noir really name you Emma?" Marinette asked.
"Blue Jay said he named me that to 'piss Etheria off,'" Emma said.
"Riiiight…!" Marinette raised an eyebrow.
"At first I was so scared that I was going to die again," Emma admitted. "But what he said that I was going in to help you, I was so grateful of being given a new purpose to help you. I was so moved, so happy that I didn't care if I died again anymore…"
"What?" Marinette couldn't believe what she just heard.
"But here I am now," Emma said. "He also told me not to waste my second chance, so I guess I…"
She took a moment to reflect and took another look at Marinette's eyes again.
"I want to be here," she said. "To be with you two."
Marinette's was frozen in place, letting what she had just heard sink in. Slowly but surely, Marinette's cheeks were cascading with tears, and finally hugged her tightly.
"I…" she stammered. "I've always wanted a sister!"
Marinette's happy tears were really infectious as Emma heard her 'sister's' sobbing that she felt the joy build up within her and teared up herself and returned the hug. The two embraced for some time as they more than welcome each other into their lives.
Bourgois residence…
"Huh?" Chloe woke up on her bed and as if on cue her butler Jean entered.
"You have awakened, Chloe," he greeted. "Would you like me to contact Sabrina?"
"Ummm…" Chloe scratched her head. "Did I just laid down here?"
"Whatever do you mean?"
Chloe merely raised her eyebrow at him.
Later…
The doorbell rang and Gabriel actually let Nino, Alya, Kagami, and Luka into the mansion to greet Marinette and Emma. They were told to wait in the hall as the two newfound sisters made their way there.
Marinette and Emma were on their way to the hall when they crossed paths with Gabriel and Nathalie.
With a gasp, Emma hid behind Marinette while clenching onto her.
Nathalie immediately knew what it was all about and looked down in sadness. Both Marinette and Gabriel kept quiet as they both realize that neither of them have a say on the matter. They both slowly made their way to the other side to their respective destinations.
"HAYA Mari!" Alya greeted as their friends followed.
"Guys!" Marinette and her friends made their proper greeting as Emma stood idly as she couldn't take her eyes off Luka, who took note of that.
"Oh hey," he greeted.
"Hey," she greeted back. "You're Viperion, correct?"
Luka noted that her voice is a lot gentler than Marinette's, which made his heart melt.
"The name's Luka and I'd rather not talk about our alter egos here," he said scratching his head and seeing that she was barefoot. "Hey uh, Aren't you wearing shoes?"
"I don't have any clothes."
"You don't?"
"These aren't even my…' jammies?'" she said, naming them after what Mordecai had called them.
"Pajamas," Luka corrected. "I heard that 'jammies' as American slang for them.
Emma blushed and tugged her arms behind her and giggled. Luka was taken aback by this but couldn't help but smile back.
"Hey, how about we make some breakfast together?"
"In the kitchen?" Nino asked. "Isn't Mr. Agreste a little uptight about these things?"
"He became more relaxed about these rules," Marinette said, looking up with her finger on her chin. "I'm sure he has his reasons."
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Alya said as she encouraged everyone to follow Marinette.
"Do not push!" Kagami protested.
They all went to the kitchen where Marinette immediately opened the refrigerator. She took out the eggs, some ham, and greens.
"How about some omelets?"
"Sure, I'll help!"
"MC Nino," Luka called. "How about some music?"
"Good call," Nino agreed. He whipped out his speaker and MP3 player.
Emma sat quietly as Luka and Kagami joined her.
"Affirmation" by Savage Garden plays.
Marinette smiled as she turned the stove and started cracking some eggs.
Marinette and Alya gathered the ingredients as she began scrambling the eggs while Alya sliced the ham and the parsley. Nino took it upon himself to serve the juice to everyone. Everyone moved to the rhythm of the music.
Emma smiled at what she was hearing and had the urge to do something but could not put her finger as to what. She grabbed her glass with both her hands and tried to take a sip out of it but couldn't help but to spill a little.
Luka quickly stepped in and cleaned her up with a napkin. Luka gently lifted her off her seat. He took her other hand and began motioning her hands back and forth to the rhythm of the music. Emma felt an uplifting sensation that took her. Luka lifted her arm and spun her around and she realized that this had to do with this wonderful sound.
Kagami merely sat as she enjoyed the scene in from of her unfolding. She never heard the song and her English was rather limited… until…
"I believe you can't control or choose your sexuality…"
Chloe immediately flashed in her mind upon hearing those lyrics. She shook her head furiously.
The rest were having fun as they flipped their omelet with their pan and their fun breakfast made the sun seem a lot brighter.
The day went by without a hitch, Nino distracted Emma with a laser pointer and she chased it like a kitten. Marinette questioned it at first but couldn't help but be taken by her new sister's childish curiosity.
Song ends.
Kagami noticed how Emma and Luka hit it off almost immediately. She turned to see how Alya and Nino's closeness with each other, even though they are not outright flirting, how they are having fun has this vibrant feel between them. And, of course, Marinette, though Adrien is not with her right now, she's unaware how blessed she really is despite her circumstances. Kagami now feels trapped in her own dark head.
"Hey, Kagami," Alya asked. "You've been pretty quiet since we got here. Everything ok?"
Kagami got up from her seat.
"I must leave," she said and bowed. "I thank you for the breakfast."
They waited in silence as she walked off.
"What's her deal?" Alya asked.
"Yeah, what was that all about?" Nino agreed.
Marinette looked down. She had a pretty good idea of what was going on. She looked up at one of the manor windows and saw Cat Noir looking down on her, and then he stepped out of view.
Later…
Marinette stepped out of the new custom-made trap door to the roof where Cat Noir waited for her.
"Hey," he greeted.
"Hey," she replied.
"How's Emma doing?"
"Learning, I expected," Marinette shrugged.
"Makes you wonder, huh?"
"What path she'll take?" Marinette asked. "Yeah. It's a little scary too."
The two looked out to the sunset, for a while.
"Was that how you imagined it to end?" Marinette asked.
"I really never thought about it," Cat lied.
"We didn't have the chance to question her," she said. "We have no idea who the Blue Mustang is or where they are. We're totally bling here."
"They have been around for thousands of years," Cat confirmed. "I guess this may be something not meant to be resolved by us…"
"I guess…" Marinette conceded.
"We don't know the future," Cat admitted. "All we can do is leave the best legacy we can, so anyone who is up for the task may be the one to tangle this."
"So what can we do?" Marinette asked.
"We live…" Cat said. "That's all he said."
Marinette gave a lamented look and leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Whatever happens," Marinette said. "We don't let go of our ideals. Let's not lose our reason to fight. Right?"
Cat smiled sadly and leaned his head on hers.
"Right," he agreed. "Whatever happens."
THE END
Author's note:
For the past few months, so many things have happened in my life and I haven't felt this hunger for this story as I once did. I was hoping I would somehow find the way to pace and post two chapters a month which could've gone a long way. Sadly, that did not happen and at this rate, it would make take me at least another two and a half years to finish this.
Don't misunderstand me, this is not how I imagined things to go down but again too much personal stuff weighing on me and even the show has unsurprisingly lost interest as more and more of its initial audience has moved on since I started watching the show back in 2016.
The hype just isn't there anymore and you only find out when you dig deeper as to when the next episode aired. The show was initially supposed to end in season 5 but has once again extended to 7 and with its refusal to break the status quo it is clear that the show did not grow with its audience. Is it really a surprise that the show declined the way it did?
Anyway, yes this is pretty much the end of the story in the best way possible at this point. I know too many things were left on the air, but I tried to do the "Matrix" kind of ending where the fight will go on but we won't see it.
Anyway, the next update will be my last as I intend to post a summary of what was to happen in subsequent chapters on the heroes' fight against the Blue Mustang to be posted ASAP.