Just as Alias turned around from expressing her timid farewell to Grayson, she immediately frowned as Red Hood was standing parallel to her, arms crossed so tight she felt his jacket would give way any second. A sigh left her lips as she casually walked up towards him and stopped short, staring into his glassy crimson visor. "Still mad?" No answer; she pouted even more and slid her hands up his arms to his smooth cheeks. "Please don't be mad. I didn't mean you any harm, I thought...I thought that―"
He caught her hands before she could finish and she widened her eyes in surprise when he gently pulled them away. "I know. But some things aren't meant to be, Alias, no matter how much you try and fight it. I appreciate the help but I don't need Grayson when I got you and Rex covering my back."
"Wait. So you're trying to say that we're a...team of some sort? Like your other friends, Princess Koriand'r and Harper?"
"How do you know about them?"
"Rex. He had more of a hold of you than I did…one harnesses the power of a star and the other's accuracy is beyond me. He must have amazing sight to never miss his targets."
He sniggered as he placed a hand in his pockets, "Roy's a joke. Guy can't even sit still without saying something stupid and most of the time he's not even trying."
"Yet you speak of him like you miss his stupidity…" She tilted her head, her voice suddenly more sincere and cool that it completely stole Jason's attention. "Why did you leave them behind? Scared to let them see your world?"
"They already know," he spoke dejectedly. "And I'm not finished here in Gotham. This was where I was born, where I was brought up. As much as I really hate this place, there's still something about it that I can't abandon."
"Your history," she answered for him. "It's not something that you can abandon, it's something that won't let you go. It sticks to you like another layer of skin, always there protecting you from future mistakes. I understand it was hard facing Grayson like that, I understand your anger and frustration, but like I said; a ripple in one's history can leave an impact in their world."
"Did you seriously go all philosophical on me?"
"I...think I did." She shook her head. "Sorry about that. Sometimes I don't realise what an idiot I sound like." As she flashed him a coy smile the air around them shuddered upon Rex's arrival, the blonde man looking at Alias then at Red Hood and back at Alias again, and wondered why they were standing so close.
"Alias, your friend Max told me everything. Didn't realise he was a Meta until he told me to give you this." He stepped towards her and cupped her cheek, her face twisting gently as memories exploded within her mind; a name, a place, an objective. "And, no, it's not on any map. It actually exists between realities."
"Morpheus. The City of Light, my memories...why is Max leading me here?"
"He said that you can find your own life there. You can't get lost, there's a gate when you get there." He crossed his arms as he glared down Red Hood, "And why the hell is he here?"
She sighed, "Jason, just tell him. I feel bad enough as it is."
"Talk about the element of surprise...Rex, it's me."
"I know exactly who you are, I'm just pissed off at the fact that you couldn't even tell us anything." Alias looked at Rex in surprise as the words were fuelled with a bitterness enough to even stab her heart. She didn't know that Rex was this affected by Jason leaving. "You just go and leave us, leave everything behind like that? Did you even feel any sort of regret or guilt when you vanished like that? Breaker, he...he barely survived and saving him almost killed Alias. You didn't know that, did you?"
Jason shifted his gaze towards Alias, whose eyes were already cast down. "She didn't tell me…"
"Because you weren't there." The Meta Mercenary placed a hand on Rex's chest as a sign to calm down and he did without hesitation, letting out a breath to ease away his anger, and her cloudy eyes found his glassy visor again.
"What happened to Breaker was something I could solve and didn't need the attention of you, Jason. I'm fine, I'm well and I want to get this over with."
"What happened to him?"
She hesitated, "He was affected by the fear toxin because he was trying to look for you, that's what happened. I healed him but rather reverse the damage it mirrored onto me. I could see his fears, feel it crawling underneath my skin. If it wasn't for Rex I...I would've lost myself." Red Hood looked down as he acknowledged her sacrifice and how much he felt sorry; she didn't want him to say it. His sorrys flooded out of him in the recording he sent her. She understood the intention in his body language. "It was a while ago, so there's no point worrying about something that's already happened."
"I'm the one who's supposed to be protecting you, Alias," he suddenly said. "Of course I have every right to be worried...I could've lost you."
"The same can be said about you," she softly gestured her head. "But here we both are, alive and fighting. Let's hope that the next time something happens, we're actually aware of it...Rex, what are you doing?" Rex stopped in the motion of unsheathing his energy sword and chuckled softly at the bewilderment across Alias's face. She always made such strange, cute faces that he had to laugh.
"Oh, I never got the chance to tell you. My sword isn't just an energy sword. Blue is for using ionic matter," then he pressed a mechanism on the hilt of his blade and the hue changed colour, "And white is for cutting through realities. I've got a pretty awesome sword, I just never used it because cutting time and space while fighting is very dangerous, don't even think about thinking about doing something like that."
"How do you know where the City of Light is? Wouldn't your sword just blindly cut through?"
"Well said. Thankfully, and somehow, that man Max told me about linked me to a psychic anchor, so it doesn't matter where I cut. I open a rift, and boom, straight path to the City of Light. You're welcome."
She smiled, "You're an absolute dream."
"I wish to be nothing more." He spun his wrist before quickly slicing the air and the rip in time and space released gusts of summery winds and a light hue that illuminated its portal. "According to how time works there, you should be out fairly quickly. Now go, I'll be here if you need me."
"I think Grayson might need you more, that's if he decided to contact you. He could use the help."
"Then I'll go meet him halfway. Good luck out there." With a parting wink Alias followed Red Hood and leapt into the rift after him, the portal shutting just after she jumped in. It closed with a swirly whump, the last gust blowing his hair back. "Get back safe, Blake."
Alias was left disoriented at the drastic shift in space and gravity so it took her a while to realise that she was descending fast and twirled her body in the air. She collected the cold she could reach before suddenly flipping forwards and landing on an icy platform she created. The platform had splintered slightly on impact, absorbing all those G's she was carrying but she didn't stay too long as she leapt to another.
"Jason. Here." She summoned Jason's own descending platforms and he utilised them with thanks as he gave her a thumbs up before displaying his own acrobatic feats. As they fell through the clouds, the environment was more distinct with snow stretching into the horizon and jagged, crystal pillars leading to a silver, embroidered gate. Although it was snowing lightly and the sun burned against the terrain, the temperature never dropped past 17.46 degrees Celsius.
Eventually she joined their two platforms into one and both finally landed on one knee, with Alias up and fixing her hair and Red Hood bringing out a gun for insurance. "This must be it." She told him as they walked along the pearly-stoned pathway. "The City of Light."
"It's disgustingly warm for a tundra."
"Yeah it's...why is your gun out?"
"In case intel was wrong and I get to shoot something."
"We got intel from Max, and I know for a fact that he wouldn't betray me on his life. We're in the City of Light, that should be evidence enough."
"Okay then. Just in case otherwise."
"Just in case otherwise? You're dealing with Metas here, not humans."
"Probably. Still doesn't mean I can't shoot them." Alias rolled her eyes as they stopped before the entrance, both of them glancing up at the tall barricade before bringing their sights back onto the reinforced gate. "So...is there some sort of special passcode? Something cliche like abracadabra, shazam, hocus pocus?"
"You wanna try?"
Jason narrowed his eyes at Alias before trying his luck, "Abracadabra." Nothing. "Shazam?" No response. "Hocus pocus―I don't know why I listened to you, Alias."
She laughed, "I can't believe you did. You're so adorable."
"Adorable does not fit my profile, I can tell you that."
"Well, it fits mine. Also I don't think there's a passcode. It's..it's alive." Alias momentarily brought the fiery scar to her face to examine the gate and assumed correct. "No, it is alive. It's like it's reading us."
"So no to shooting it?"
"No to shooting it." Jason hesitated for a second and scowled under his visor as he tucked his firearm away and crossed his arms, letting out a breath of mild frustration as moments passed. Then it startled him.
"Blakelyn Mercer," it spoke with no mouth, with its deep, booming voice shaking the snowy ground underneath their feet. "Jason Todd. The City of Light has been expecting you. Please, come in." A gentle mechanical click sounded through the air and the solid gates made a soft whining sound as it opened without command, their arms coming up to protect their eyes from such a blinding view. But it only lasted a moment as their eyes adjusted to the change of lighting and Jason gestured for Alias to enter first, with a kind nod as appreciation and sauntered through.
It was simply breathtaking; the land stretched into fields of clear waters with the sky appearing like the night sky with its beautiful stars and shooting comets that illuminated the water with glitters of silver and gold. Alias moved first, glaring at the water under their feet and wondered why they weren't falling through the surface. Jason stayed behind her and admired the scenery; what'd it take for someone to build the world's everlasting dream in this place? Nevertheless, he did feel slightly more content in here than outside; it kept deceiving his brain about the temperature of the climate and was incredibly tempted to take his helmet off. Wasn't like he could hide his identity since a fucking door knew who he was.
"You feel it too, right?" She asked him. "My memories...my past...it's gone. I can't remember destroying Syndicate. Not how I escaped, not how I got there. It's all gone."
"Yeah, no, I feel it."
"My memories aren't real, so now I can't remember. This place, it's...entrancing."
"I'm guessing not in a good way. I hope your friend was true to his word. Because if he did lie―"
"I'll deal with him." Jason glared at her with his glassy facade, able to hear her killing intent in her subtle tone. "It's that simple. Adopted or no, it's nothing personal." What made it worse was that he knew she was telling the truth. "Nevertheless, it's...it's beautiful…" She trailed off, spinning on her toes to admire a certain shooting star.
"I wouldn't be surprised," a voice replied and only when she focused her attention on it she widened her eyes, a memory she's never experienced suddenly coming to life. Dark blue hair that tousled down his back, amber eyes, a floral kimono, a devilishly handsome smile. He was sitting cross-legged on the surface of the water, with different sized orbs floating around him.
"And you must be Morpheus," Alias started as she moved elegantly towards him to greet the man and noticed a woman was standing beside him, a cheery smile on her face. She had rosy cheeks, short dark hair and bright, lime eyes, with a flowing dress and a floral scarf around her shoulders.
Morpheus smiled. "And you must be the lost Meta, Blakelyn. I've heard stories of your mercenary background and I'm glad you've come to shed light on your past...oh, and this must be Jason Todd."
"Sounds like you don't like me already," Jason rose a brow underneath his mask as he stood beside Alias.
"The last time a...mortal was here, they were very close to wiping out this precious, sacred land."
"But he's with me, Morpheus," Alias told him. "In fact I worked with him. He's had many opportunities to kill me, but in the end he doesn't. Don't compare him to the guys that have come in here."
"Overperception can save you, my dear―"
"But he isn't anyone. Sure he's killed before, stolen goods, gotten himself into trouble. But he's saved the only person that can help you. So you either take us, or we both go." Jason caught a side-glance of the meta's assertive tone and composure that he had to hold in a 'damn' just in case she ended up slapping him or something. Alias was a lot more than charm, that he was definitely certain about. Morpheus sighed before adjusting his kimono and signalled to the woman. "So, I've been sent here to retrieve my memories that...somehow managed to be placed into your hands, why?"
"The memories of Blakelyn Mercer are kept in my possession for I am the Memorial Keeper of this world."
"But why you?"
"I was a Syndicate lieutenant , just like Rhys Sinclair currently is, and had control over everyone's memories, even Taeyeon's. When I heard of your death however, and what happened to lead to your death, I left and treasured many memories including yours. Some are difficult to comprehend but others, others are beautiful. This place, it's very fragile and vulnerable to spatial and temporal disruptions every time the gate is opened and closed."
That figures. "So you're here to make sure the memories are okay when it happens, and also to protect it."
"And every time it's opened, it changes location. You were extremely lucky its last location was Gotham City. But to regain your memories, please discard your clothing. Unless you have a spare."
"I'm going in the water, aren't I?" She questioned as she began stripping off her garments, starting with the two-tail jacket, and Morpheus smiled at her answer.
"How did you know?"
"Lucky guess." Once Alias had only her lingerie on, the woman by Morpheus's side holding her clothes, the seated man stood up and walked until he stood in front of the Meta and tapped her shoulders. She hissed as ink came to life under her skin, burning white-hot as it stretched below her collarbone and spanned across her shoulders down to her hands. "I am going to get my memories back, right? You're not sending me to my death?"
"If it was that easy, you wouldn't have had to come here. Jason, would you mind stepping back please?" Jason, who was still pretty annoyed by the man's first impressions, followed his orders anyway and stepped back a couple times and crossed his arms. He knew if he tried to stop this, Alias would've persuaded him otherwise. Her words did that a lot. Morpheus nodded thankfully and looked back into Alias's eyes. "Try not to breathe."
Before she could say anything she had broken through the surface of the water, the splash hitting Morpheus's kimono but not soaking it. Just as she was fully submerged a number of floating orbs sank underneath the water and formed a circle around her aura. "So tell me, old man," Jason started as he watched her relax against the mild currents and saw the mist rise against her face. "Why is it that you still have her memories, and don't give me that bullshit."
"Because I felt as if her death was in vain, to prove a point to the rest of us. I had stored her memories in these orbs after Max told me that she was alive. He wanted to protect her, and made me promise to give it to her if she ever made it to this place." Then he smiled. "She trained you didn't she? I can smell her on you. I apologize for my hostility towards you, Jason. It's just that Kyle and I have bad experiences of mortals being here." Kyle bowed her head in response to her name being mentioned.
"...it's fine. But the water...it isn't regular water. If that was the case, you should be wet."
"Observant. No, it's infused with my own abilities to manipulate spatial and temporal spaces as well as Kyle's abilities to amplify whoever is in the space I manipulate. Where Blake is, space and time flows at a completely different level to here. To be exact, a minute in the City of Light equals a day in those waters but a day in reality equals a month in here. I guessed you didn't want to waste time while you have an organisation to destroy."
Alias shot out of water at near-lightning speed and landed just as fast, bringing a shockwave that blew Kyle's dress and Morpheus's hair back. As she landed facing him Jason only stared as she rose up from one knee, not even remotely drenched. "Alias?"
She lifted her head to look at him, her cloudy eyes burning alongside the hazy mist, that sparked and flared against her cheeks. Her expression seemed lost until her sights fell on him, and tried for a smile as she stepped towards him. "Ja-son…" she whispered and her legs buckled from underneath her, the masked man catching her before she fell and transferred her into the bridal carry.
"It'll take some time for her body to adjust to her physiological and cognitive changes," Kyle told him, her voice as fragile as the memories in this world. She drifted towards the couple and placed a palm on Alias's forehead. "She thinks highly of you, Jason. She thought she would be alone and falling in love with you meant the world to her. But she also feels that, at times, she might be a burden to you. Alias did have a mark on you."
"I've never seen Alias as a burden," Jason answered back. "She...she means alot to me too. I don't think she realises that...and how did you manage to do that?"
"Do wh...oh." Kyle grinned as she moved her hand away. "My spatial amplification includes complete identification of the person being enhanced; you couldn't hide the marking of the cleansing if you tried. And, well...I am one of Ducra's disciples. It would be shameful if she knew I used my powers for granted." Another person given another chance at survival. Ducra really was a humble woman.
"She'd be proud of you."
"Thank you, Jason. As of you."
"Since it did cause you some trouble getting here," Morpheus joined in. "I'll send you to your desired location. If you need us, Blake will know how to contact us. Good luck." Kyle waved as they eventually vanished in a luminous pop and peered at her teacher, who stood up from his place. "The future I see is dark and full of uncertainty, but it's in the future they save everything. I pray the light will guide their way."
"I have faith in them, master. Both of them. A Meta Mercenary and an exceptional student of Ducra. They may be at either ends of the continuum but their destinies intertwine. I can feel it."
"His visor."
"Hm?"
"He didn't take it off. Why?" Kyle tried to hide her smile as she circled behind Morpheus. The skies above were reflected on the waters and she had taken a memorial orb from his aura, before raising her hand and letting it float upwards.
"There are just things that were meant to be. Something not even I can understand. But all I know is that it's beautiful."
