Chapter 81: A Poisonous Truth

One last breath before the end, that's what Mew was allotted before he reached his ultimate destination. He had put a lot of ideas in his head about what the "higher-ups" residency was like. He expected to be greeted by a massive starry expanse with newly forming galaxies far beneath his eyes. He thought the fires of creation would burn brighter than any sun in the skies above him. That all manner of elements new and old would stretch before the lands like an endless sea.

What he got was...nothing. And disappointment.

His first step out of Yukari's gap made no sound for there was nothing for sound to be made with. All his surroundings were perfectly blank and white, a canvas with no work put into it.

This was pure nothingness, which all of creation will someday break down and become. Every life, every planet, every soul, will not even carry the memory of its existence.

Here, in this infinite void, Yukari stepped up behind Mew and giggled, unfazed by surroundings that have become a natural playground for her to step around in.

"Welcome to The Outside, the realm that borders the Omniverse." She introduced the place with a residual tone of calm in her voice.

"The Omniverse?!" Mew said, grasping just how big a scale that put them on at the moment. Looking down immediately for any sign of other universes, his actions amused Yukari.

"Oh don't bother. You won't find anything here on your own," She then gracefully stepped forward past him, plunging the tip of her parasol into the ground, and offering him one look back, "So, have you made your final preparations?"

Mew clutched a fist over his beating chest and nodded slowly, "I'm ready whenever."

Yukari smiled and tapped the ground three times. Her hair rose like in the middle of a squall, and a violet aura surrounded her, "By my rite as one of the Four Guardians, I request the presence of the 'higher-ups' immediately."

A subtle ripple went through her surroundings, and the air began to turn calm and warm. Mew looked around a bit, before suddenly finding his head forced front-and-center as a gleaming source of light appeared far, far away.

Slithering forth from the nothingness it called its domain, the light manifested into a physical shape: A serpentine dragon whose length seemed to have no end in sight. Its jaw was rugged, its snout rectangular. A two-pronged mustache draped past the sides of its face, appearing like milky waves of cosmic gases. Its scales on its face were like a reflection of the morning dawn, while the ones on its back reflected the appearances of the millions of worlds he had breathed life into.

The dragon had no arms or legs to speak of, nor a mouth to speak forth from, and in a rather way undignified show of its majesty, it had no horns either. But it needed none of these to strike Mew's nerves cold as the blackest of space could. Its eyes were haunting like a red giant seen from up close, and its pupils consumed all around it like a pair of black holes.

"S-So...big!" Was all Mew could muster, and that was truly an understatement. He was being pushed down just by looking at this entity from afar. If the entity got any closer, its presence alone would warp entire galaxies around itself.

But the entity was still, only waving its elongated body a minuscule amount, and keeping its eyes focused solely on the two of them.

"Yukari Yakumo, what is the purpose behind this summons?" The entity spoke and just like that, it felt as though a thousand cosmos' would bow to it.

Yet Yukari playfully twirled her parasol up before her head and met the creature eye-to-eye from this distance, "You come alone, O' Great Creator?"

"There were affairs the other two needed to attend to, I alone will suffice."

"As well as you should. You are the perfect candidate to answer this boy's questions." Yukari turned aside and stepped back, putting Mew in the limelight.

Mew dropped one knee and bowed his head like a knight to a king, "I-I've been looking forward to meeting you, u-uhhh...!"

"You...!" This almighty entity showed momentary surprise, not rage, not disappointment, and upon this emotion's passing he resumed his sagely tone, "Raise your head, Mew Whiter, Phoenix of Rebirth."

Mew slowly stood up then frantically brushed off the front of his shirt before shoving his hands behind his back and stiffening upright.

"No need to be so rigid child," The dragon said, sounding a little amused, "I am Futanji Shinryu, the Arbiter of all your Worlds and the one in charge of the 'higher-ups'."

The dragon's voice then cracked a little as he inquired, "I...presume that Sarajin told you about me, correct?"

Mew flinched and then stuttered back, "W-Wrong guy, I never got to speak with him."

"This is a lot more...pleasant than I was expecting."

Futanji let out another sigh and then wobbled his head, "Yes, I was mistaken. A pity, at that, that he is not."

Mew blinked a few times until the dragon's sterner voice made him stop, "So, why have you come before me?"

"Is...is this really the same being who's wiping out entire worlds and timelines?" Mew's doubts were clouding his determination, but once he shook his head he was back on track instantly, "No, focus, you might be getting deceived. Still, I..."

Mew's heart pounded as he took a couple steps forward, fighting the monstrous pressure the one called Futanji exuded so that he may stand eye-to-eye with him as Yukari just had.

"Futanji...Uhhh, do you mind if I just call you Futanji?"

"If that makes you comfortable, certainly." The dragon replied, amused.

Mew's eyes widened and he swallowed briefly in hesitation, "O-Ok then uhhh...Futanji."

Mew swallowed even harder and then with a heart-wrenching gasp he stiffened his head upright and stared deep into the dragon's eyes, his whole body fighting hard to stop shaking.

"I...I want to make a request to you, if you're willing to hear me out."

"Go right ahead." He said without hesitation.

Mew raised his right arm out and drew his sword into his hand. Futanji floated there, waiting, anticipating, but all Mew had to show was his blade. No fighting spirit, no aggression, none of that.

"If you could just promise not to destroy my home at all, then I'll become the next true Elemental Overlord, just like Sarajin was."

Futanji laid frazzled, Yukari in turn whispering in intrigue, "Such boldness. However..."

Futanji breathed his heaviest sigh to date, his head bobbing like that of a tired old man's. Through his withered maw, came a release of regret, "So that is what this is all about. I suspected such a topic would come to my ears eventually, ever since Justek Arcavira made his move. But to think that you would also come at me with such a brazen request..."

"Unfortunately, I have to deny said request."

Mew's eyes popped wide-open and he dropped his arm to his hip while wondering aloud, "H-Huh? W-W-Why not...?!"

"Because of a promise I made to Sarajin not so long ago." The dragon said, his tone nostalgic.

"...You made a promise to HIM?" Was the last thing Mew expected to hear from the omniversal observer and it was kind of throwing him for a loop mentally.

"I empathize with your surprise child. There is much you do not know about Sarajin, and in turn, nothing you know about who I am and what I do. Which has led to this misunderstanding, and our meeting here and now."

Mew dispelled his sword and waved his hand out, his eyes permanently glued wide-open in disbelief, "Misunderstanding is an understatement! I assumed the old Elemental Overlord was your slave, but you're coming off like you two were-"

"Friends. Yes," It seemed like the mighty dragon was smiling, an act far more unnerving than his natural presence gave off, "The most unlikely of them, but friends nonetheless."

Mew stared at the ground with his mouth agape. Throwing his hand into the air he plopped onto his rear and laid his hands flat by his hips. Feeling thoroughly drained all over he found himself saying out loud, "I-I was expecting there to be more resistance in coming here. Like, I had you pegged as some quick tempered demon with a big foreboding appearance..."

"Some see me as such, others see differently. The perception of my form changes according to the nature of the soul," Futanji wiggled his head closer to the ground and whispered, "Tell me child, what shape do I take before you now?"

Mew stared at Futanji and told him instantly, "You...look like a dragon of some sort."

"Then you gaze upon my true form and are welcomed," Futanji seemed to smile some more, "For mine is the shape of a friend."

It was a lot of sweet talk and honesty but how much of it truly came from the dragon's heart and not only his tongue? Mew stared at the entity that could end entire universes and found it hard to believe that anyone with this sort of attitude could ever commit such heinous acts...If they were being sincere. For all he knew they could just be saying what he wants to hear. It'd be easy for an omnipotent being to do so.

But for as easy as Mew made it sound, he went along with the dragon's kindness anyways by asking him, "So then...what was the deal you made with Sarajin? And...what does that have to do with me?"

"It has everything to do with you. You and your brothers," Futanji admitted, "Sarajin made a fatal mistake long, long ago that cost him his right to live. But out of respect for his selfless acts, I went along with all his requests regarding how his punishment should...To choose a world of which to lay his powers to rest...And also, the place where his successor would one day come to take them."

"He chose to carry the weight of all his sins alone on one condition...That his successor would not be interfered with. Hence why this is our first meeting, child, and why I cannot have you replace him."

"Really?" Mew said, taken aback.

"He wanted to train his successor alone, learning from his mistakes to ensure that the same tragedy would not happen again..." Futanji sighed, "But it seems he was mistaken with his successor, and it nearly cost everything...And in a way, it still did. His soul has been lost, dragged under by the Phoenix of Destruction's flames."

"In a way...this was my failure."

Mew stood up and waved his hands out, "You had nothing to do with what happened with Alex!"

Futanji turned his head ever-slightly and chuckled, "You warm my heart with your words, child...But you are mistaken."

"For it was my decision to trust the Phoenix of Destruction's worth over my instincts that set him free from our trial, and unleashed him back unto the world."

"T-Trial?" Mew stood agape.

"For the crime of the destruction of the Marvel Universe." Futanji stated plainly.

Mew had to close his eyes and shake his head viciously to get over what he was hearing, "S-S-So that was true?! Alex actually...?"

"That matter remains uncertain. We suspected foul play from another, but have been unable to determine the source," Futanji sighed, "But given the true nature of the beast, I wonder how much of our suspicions were true, or mere deceit..."

All this had Mew thinking out loud, "What happened is terrible but like...Why would anyone be judged for that?"

As Futanji turned his head so that only one eye was on him, Mew felt a chill down his spine and lowered his voice a tad, "I-I mean, you guys destroy entire worlds...Don't you?"

Futanji was silent, the lack of any presence in the room suddenly making the air feel more stale and inhospitable. Finally the dragon breathed new life into this void, and did so with a major sigh.

"Of that, there is no misunderstanding involved. We 'higher-ups' govern the nature of all worlds and timelines under creation...And that includes both creation, and destruction."

Mew's heart was stung and he immediately lashed out with, "But why?! You're killing so many people and-"

"You think me ignorant of such matters...?" Futanji raised his voice just a little and Mew's skin began to crawl off his flesh, "When my scales beat as one with the hearts of all worlds I created? Does my form appear so hollow, that I do not ache when blood is spilled, or my children poisoned?"

Mew didn't budge an inch. It could be argued he wasn't even looking, or thinking.

Futanji relaxed, and the void relaxed with him. Mew breathed out deeply while the dragon remarked, "Forgive me for raising my voice."

One thing Mew knew for sure. That came from a genuine place in the dragon's heart. So he had to ask again, more carefully this time, "So why...?"

"Why...?" The dragon had to pause for an extended while to think, "I find myself asking that a lot more than I'd care to admit."

"...I sense there is a lot weighing on your mind...The guilt and pain of your loved ones, and a great confusion in your own heart...And I am to blame for that?"

Mew stood up and looked at the dragon's eyes, seeing a glint of regret muting out his sun-like irises, "I just want to know that we'll be safe."

"A sense of security is the greatest gift one can receive..." Futanji bowed his head in a nod and murmured, "You are owed the truth, if you will allow me to speak it."

Mew gave a half a smile and shrugged, "Its half the reason I came here."

"Very well," Futanji settled in the air gently and looked at Mew directly, "It all starts from the beginning, as all things do."

"Humans call the creation of the universe the 'Big Bang'. In truth, that event is known as the 'True Birth'. The energies that forced itself outward, creating the atoms and molecules that would become the building blocks of the universe...Were in actuality, the shell of the egg of which I was born from."

"I was forced into being by the 'True Birth', and with my creation...Came a shadow."

"Akumu Jigokuryu, an entity of unquenchable malice that fought for the right to own all of creation. We fought bitterly as the universe was born beneath us. Blood spilled to form the cosmos, and from his wretched bones came forth the first demons, as my scales shed the matter of which the first angels were born."

"The outcome was decided only by a hair's thread, as in a decisive moment, I locked my jaw around Akumu's neck, and twisted his head immobile. But the deed had already been done. Creation's beginning was already proving to be its end."

"Our blood had spilled across the vast void our battle took place in. Mustering the powers of creation within me, I began to shape the first worlds by instinct, and fill them with life. In turn, I gave them protection, shielding them from the harsh toxicity of my blood. Yes, what all life refers to as space is merely our blood, hardened black from age. And the stars you gaze lovingly at in the night sky, are the electrons that stirred in my blood."

"When all universes had been shaped by my will, I encapsulated each of them in their own bubble, keeping them from interacting with one another through deception of the highest caliber. The universe you know is vast, yes, but not nearly as infinite as you may have once thought. One with the proper will or imagination will find their universes to be much smaller, much more easily traversed. Thus, travel to other universes tends to be very, very difficult for all but the brightest few."

"And these clusters of smaller universes are bound together into one big universe with Akumu's bones acting as the spine that binds it together, his imprisonment acting as a permanent solution to an unstoppable problem."

Mew took this pause as a cue to ask him a question, "So all the worlds are...connected to you?"

"Through my blood, yes," Futanji then remarked, "And with it, comes weaknesses."

"The destruction of any world wounds me temporarily, as does the erasure of the stars, as Justek Arcavira demonstrated to you not long ago. And then there is...The Poison."

"...The Poison?" There was a dreadful feeling settling in Mew from the dragon's words and Yukari, having been rather silent up until now, began to twist her hands around her parasol.

"Yes, The Poison. A phenomena that digs its roots into the hearts of any world it touches. We do not know its origin exactly, but we know what carries it..." Futanji's pause added more to the sense of dread in the void before we uttered, "'Blanks'."

"Blanks?" Mew's skin suddenly turned cold, like a part of him felt as though he recognized that word.

"There are many ways in which a 'Blank' can be referred to as. In terms according to humans though, you could think of them as a 'self-insert'."

Mew closed his eyes partway and stuttered, "S-Self-insert? Those are like...original characters put into other fictional worlds right?"

"The principle remains the same for our reality as it does for your writing. An 'Author', as we call them, creates and disperses their 'Blanks' among our worlds. Through these 'Blanks', an 'Author' can corrupt the very nature of the world they appear in, twisting the minds of its inhabitants to feed an ever-growing sense of grandeur."

"But in doing so...they give birth to The Poison."

"The nature of the soul is malleable...To an extent. Just because a being does not show love does not mean they cannot express it. But an 'Author' is ravenous. They cannot accept normal love. They must be worshiped through their 'Blank'. They must do so, even if it means devolving the object of their affection into a drooling, depraved creature. But that is just one way an 'Author' exerts their corruption. Other 'Blanks' are made to be the strongest, shattering the fundamental rules placed upon each world so that they can be seen as 'Gods'. Others deny the reality before them and set out to create their perfect world. To them there can be no flaws. Everyone in the world must act, speak, and live perfectly."

"But no matter the intent, what they do is wrong. These worlds unfold as they do for a reason, I know as I was born to govern them."

"But The Poison seeps off the corrupted bodies, drenches the ground they walk upon, and slowly but surely it spreads to infect the entire world and all those who inhabit it. By then they are no longer my children...They have been lost to the 'Author's' control."

"So then...you have to destroy them?" Mew was taking things in stride pretty well all things considered, "Couldn't you just remove The Poison before it spreads?"

"If only it were that simple. The Poison spreads fast once it is unleashed upon the world itself, and my connection to the worlds causes me to become paralyzed."

"That is why our numbers are three. While I am incapacitated, my other two colleagues work to try and stop the spread of The Poison by hunting down the 'Blank' that has infected the world, and then containing it in The Outside for eternity."

"The 'Authors' are unaware of our presence at first, so it is easy to track them down with some powerful magic. Then, someone with the ability to control or stop time is able to render them catatonic so the 'Author' cannot connect to them again. If we succeed in stopping the 'Blank', the 'Author' rarely attempts to try again...Though we do not know the reason why."

"...And if you fail, that's when the world needs to be destroyed?"

"Its a calculated cost," Futanji noted, albeit with a heavy sigh, "Because The Poison does not discern between boundaries, or time, or space. Once its fully taken hold of one world, it seeks to spread itself out towards others. It swims through the bloodstream, corrupting everything in its path."

"But it always moves towards the center of everything, as if...Heeding a call."

"Think of each individual timeline as the root of a tree..." To aid in his example, Futanji summoned a glowing abstract effigy of a tree directly in front of Mew. One of the roots was grimy and purple, representing The Poison.

"One root accidentally sucks up The Poison, and over time it crawls up towards the main body..." The Poison follows along with Futanji's words, making its way up to the trunk. But when it arrived there, suddenly it began to spread out in a radial pattern, touching the others roots beside it.

"It does not stop just because it reaches the top. It spreads to the other roots, other timelines, and infects them as well."

"And in time..." The whole tree wilted with purple darkness, "All would become The Poison."

Mew stared, his eyes shaking as the image of the corrupt tree was withdrawn, "That's...that's terrifying."

"Many timelines have had to be trimmed off to save the omniverse. More than I would care to admit. I have had to watch...so many lives perish due to my decisions, or lack thereof. I wish I could do more, save more lives...But time and time again I find myself powerless against The Poison."

"So my children suffer, so my children cry, and I can provide them no savior..."

The dragon hung his head and looked away, drawn into his own sense of powerlessness. It was an almost...human response.

Mew hung his head for a moment and then looked at Futanji sternly to try and cheer him up, "But we're still here. So you must be doing something right, yeah?"

Futanji nudged a little closer and seemed to be trying to smile, "...It is true that The Poison and thus the 'Blanks' have been appearing less and less over time. The measures we've implemented to fight against it have certainly helped. But there is always this lingering sense of dread that one wrong move could lead to the end of everything."

Mew looked the dragon straight in the eyes and was starting to see less of an omnipotent being, and more of a tired, withering old man who just wants to lie down and finally rest. The majesty of its form did well to hide the scars its guilt had created.

In a strange sort of way, Futanji's feelings towards the world felt similar to Riku's.

Mew closed his eyes and thought about all that he's heard up until this point and commented so far, "I think I'm starting to piece it together now. What happened to Beerus' world is that you had to stop a 'Blank' from spreading The Poison, but-"

"That is incorrect," Futanji intervened, "Some worlds' actions threaten the boundaries of their universes' all on their own. My two colleagues tried to warn them of such dangers, but the Zenos did not take kindly to that. They destroyed thir universe all on their own, but Beerus blames us for that because we were present."

Mew fluttered his eyelashes and then wagged his hand around, "Soooo, just tell them that...? Heck, if you brought any of this up to Auris or Justek they might've understood what happened with Sarajin."

"Again, were it so easy," Futanji lamented, "Though I appear normal sized to you now, I am bigger than the true size of your universe. I cannot manifest my presence without threatening to tear apart multiple universes. As for my colleagues, well, their presence is allowed back into the world only in an emergency, as with the Dragon Ball universe."

"And so ignorance breeds misunderstandings, which becomes the catalyst for more death and destruction."

"Guess even omnipotent beings have a lot to worry about." Mew thought, sympathizing with the dragon's strain.

"While Sarajin was around that burden was lessened a bit though."

"Oh?" Mew was curious.

"He offered to help keep the worlds in order, allowing us to put our efforts into better finding and stopping The Poison," Futanji chuckled like a dragon half his age, "I didn't even ask him to do that for me. He just did it on his own, and that was that."

"Sounds like Sarajin was a really great guy."

"...Indeed he was. He shall be missed."

Mew began to cross his arms and took a moment to think. This was a lot to take in all at once. He was now in the know about something very few knew about...And he didn't quite understand all of it. But the principle of the matter was very clear. There was something terrible going on in the universe.

He waved his hands out towards Futanji and asked him politely, "Are you sure there's nothing I can do to help out with The Poison?"

"I would not go back on my word to allow it," Futanji paused with a huff of air, "But I acknowledge your sincere desire to help, young Mew. I wish there was more I could do to reassure you."

"Haaaa..." Mew laid his hands down and sighed, "Yeah, same here..."

"After all this time you're still like this, Mew."

Mew perked up while Futanji outright gasped in surprise. A holy light descended from up high, carrying with it a brown, tattered cloaked man with ghoulish hands and a face hidden behind shadow.

Futanji bowed his head immediately, while Yukari begrudgingly did the same. Mew, however, blinked a few times and then suddenly recognize the figure in question.

"Hey! Chronicler! Its been a really long time buddy!" He raised his hand in a friendly manner.

"YOU STAND IN THE PRESENCE OF THE ALMIGHTY! BOW YOUR HEAD, CHILD!"

Futanji's roar shoved Mew's skin, muscle, flesh and bones right across the void for miles, only for it to immediately snap back and leave him standing paralyzed with his skin completely devoid of color.

The Chronicler laughed and gestured a hand dismissively towards the dragon, "Easy, Futanji Shinryu, the boy and I have met before."

"Yes, we are quite...acquainted with each other."

Mew shook his head and stared at Futanji continuing to bow in reverence, then stared gawking back up at the Chronicler, "W-What's going on...? Why is Futanji bowing...?"

The Chronicler smirked and levitated a little closer to the ground, "In my earthly guise, you knew me as the Chronicler. But here...I am God."

Mew recoiled and began stuttering like wild, "G-G-God? As in the big guy? Capital 'G' with a halo, God?"

The Chronicler bowed his head in answer, and Mew threw his hands down and immediately tried to go for a bow, "Holy shit man, I'm really, really sorry! I thought you were-"

"Calm yourself," The Chronicler's voice breathed calmness into Mew's nerves, "You've had a long day. And learned a lot too. How does it feel now, having come this far?"

"Uhhh, I'm not sure exactly," Mew replied, feverishly rubbing the back of his head, "...You were really God this whole time?"

The Chronicler chuckled, then descended straight before Mew, "Its admirable that you wish to help stop The Poison. But you do not need to concern yourself with that."

"Why?" Mew wondered aloud.

"Yes, indeed," Yukari interjected with a foul smirk, "Why?"

The Chronicler paid her a moment's glance and then floated up to Mew, placing one of his hands on his shoulder. Mew tried looking him directly in the eyes, but found his vision clouded up with static within the man's hood.

"You've done so much for this universe already. Mr. Reality can live a life of peace. The Dark King is no more. Justek Arcavira has been put to rest, and with it, you have allowed the 'higher-ups' to continue their mission. Gravitus' empire has crumbled, Joe Dark can live out dreams, and the Seven Deadly Sins pose no threat anymore."

"You and your friends have gone far and beyond the pale. All of Sarajin's mistakes have been corrected...Its only a shame that he's no longer with us. I would have gladly undid his punishment and allowed his soul to return to his body."

With one solid pat the Chronicler retreated to the air, bathing in his own holy light, "You have more than earned a life of peace and happiness Mew. Should the day come to fight again, I know you'll be ready. But for now, you should return home, and be with the ones you love."

Mew dwelled on God's words for a moment while rubbing the back of his head, "Well, I guess I did sort-of accomplish what I set out to do to begin with..."

"You can bring reassurance to those around you at long last. And isn't that the greatest gift of all?" The Chronicler said, seeming to smile.

"..." Mew perked his head up and nodded with a smile back, "Yeah. Yeah, you're right."

"Futanji," Mew directed his attention towards the dragon, who craned his head back up slightly to look at him, "Thanks for having this talk with me. I know you made that promise and all but if you ever need any help in the future, seriously, just give me a call."

"And Yukari." Mew turned to the Youkai, who took a moment to turn to him and hum in response.

"Sorry for beating you up and having you take me here," Mew said with an awkward grin, "But uhhhh, can you send me back home now? I think I've worried a lot of people in my absence."

Yukari closed her eyes and with a lofty gesture to her left, summoned a gap for him to enter, "This will take you right back to Sancturia. Fare thee well, Mew Whiter, may we meet again someday."

Mew nodded his head and then walked towards the gap, waving back towards the Chronicler, who waved in turn.

The gap sealed tight, and with his departure Futanji no longer had reason to be here.

"I must return to my duties. If that is quite alright, Almighty God."

"You're dismissed, Futanji Shinryu." The Chronicler said with a gesture of the hand.

And so the mighty dragon dispersed into light and vanished from sight. Thus, leaving only two: The Youkai, and the "God".

Yukari had gotten behind the cloaked man when he wasn't looking, now standing back-to-back with her hands slowly twirling her parasol around, and her eyes staring icy cold towards the ground.

"Such a beautiful farce you put on display there, 'God'."

"Yukari Yakumo..." The Chronicler's voice became far less dignified and more scornful, taunting the lady with no hint of remorse, "Still hanging around, pretending to be relevant?"

"What a laughable dismissal, from a liar and a coward," Yukari closed her eyes and smiled, "'Do not concern yourself with The Poison', spoken from the mouth that spews it the most..."

"Ha!" The Chronicler was quite amused, "You think I'm evil just because I express my creativity upon your worlds? So is an artist evil for painting their thoughts? A musician evil for putting their emotions into words?"

"No," Yukari disagreed, "You are evil because you put the lives of others beneath your own. There is no worth you see in any of us beyond being tools for your amusement."

"This, coming from the great Phantasm herself?" The Chronicler laughed some more, "And this is why you're irrelevant. You've been reduced to barking. Your bite...is no longer a concern."

"You continue to talk big but you've long since lost," Yukari tore him down with her words, "I have dealt with your Phoenix of Destruction, and with it, you no longer have the tools necessary to tear this world down."

"Indeed. Alex Whiter has been discarded. He is of no use to me, nor are Mew and Riku," The Chronicler held his hand in the air dramatically, "I will let them live their lives the way they please. It is of no concern of mine...I do wish them happy times ahead though, they will certainly come to miss them in the days to come."

"You discard your tools yet you still cling on desperately to victory?" Yukari pitied the man with a shake of the head, "Just admit that you have lost, and leave us alone."

"Ha ha ha...you foolish, foolish Youkai," The Chronicler swiped his hand down and laughed some more, "This is only the end of Act 2. And so far, everything has gone according to plan."

"...You make for a terrible liar." Yukari said, her hands twisted around the parasol.

"Do I? Then...I guess you won't believe me when I tell you..." The Chronicler made a sharp turn and clutched tightly onto Yukari's shoulder to whisper in her ear, "The Phoenix of Destruction is still at my disposal. Alex Whiter was always just a decoy, and you FELL for it."

Yukari felt a chill across her skin, her hands tightened further around the parasol.

The Chronicler slithered away smirking, "And another thing. You claimed I have three 'Blanks'..."

Gesturing his fingers out and wiggling them in one at a time, he closed them all into a fist and chuckled, "Seems to me like you miscounted. There's always been four."

Yukari made a sharp turn and thrust her parasol against the Chronicler's neck, raising her voice just a couple decibels higher in disdain, "It doesn't matter what plots you scheme, 'Author'. I will stand against you every step of the way."

The Chronicler pushed the parasol down on one hand and grinned, "You had a taste of power, Yukari Yakumo. But that's all it was. A taste, a suckle off the teat...!"

I control the words. I write the story. You wish to stand against me, when I can see all through the eyes of my creations?

Impossible.

You're nothing more than data to be manipulated.

While here...I AM your programmer, your "God".

"And that, is NO lie," He brushed her parasol off with ease and began to move forward, dispersing into a fine mist, "Now, if you'll excuse me...I must claim a secret someone's been hiding, and then...I will begin the third Act of my Fiction Assimilation Plan."

And when he was gone, Yukari drooped her parasol to the ground, her eyelids heavy with the taste of defeat...For now. She raised the parasol over her shoulder and smirked, "Then I shall prepare for you as well. After all..."

She smiled wide, "There's some secrets even you can't see."

She disappeared into her rift, both her and the Chronicler unaware of one more observer who had sneaked their way inside of here.

It was the silver-haired seer, Alvis, perched in the air with one knee bent close to his chin, a curious smile present on his face.

"And thus, thanks to Yukari Yakumo's efforts, we've finally escaped the Cycle of Destruction," He narrowed his gaze with uncertainty and doubts, "But this is only the beginning of the end of everything."

He stood up and tucked his hands in his pockets, "However, we can only rely on the saviors who have yet to appear to change the outcome."

He closed his eyes as he craned his head back, "Yes...we could still wind up repeating this cycle over and over again."

"Or perhaps..." He opened his eyes and took upon a more optimistic outlook, "This shall finally be the future that we've worked so hard to create...Dream Weaver."

Next Time: One Last Truth