Chapter 5 "Hero Time"
All is silent in my crooked house. In the house, in the yard, and as always the silent things in the shadows are silent. They all feel the building tension of my anger. My crooked house is emptier than it once was. My dears, I was BETRAYED.
This broken realm makes manipulating time difficult, and my home is resistant to such things more so. Still, I try for her sake and my heart.
Time rolls backward in a flickering static kind of way. I see more than I want to, but not everything I need.
In Rex's workroom, an Ultimatrix was in pieces. It may have been an inelegant jury-rigged attempt at weaponizing a work of art, but it was still a force to be reckoned with. Gwendolyn handed over the Nemetrix as she beamed.
"I got it, Rex! Do you see, do you see!?"
He pats her head and for a moment I forget what he did in the name of defending his world. I will never forget what I helped make him into that he might survive. Rex smiled as he spoke.
"I knew you could do it kiddo. Glad to have you back in action."
Kirby looked on with hungry eyes. Those toys he's collected really are just a security blanket. My past self is there watching Rex and not Kirby.
The Nemetrix opened beside the Ultimatrix. The star-shaped stabilizer from one was replaced with a circular one from the other. Then complicated communications equipment is removed, and replaced with off-colored red storage cells. Then one is now useless as anything more than spare parts, the other one closed itself. Rex looked up at Kirby.
"Do you know the shepherd's prayer, my son?"
Kirby raised an eyebrow.
"Dude the last time I was in a church it this weirdo place in Florida. I think they worshiped Tom Cruz?"
Rex laughed, and it was an off-key thing half synthesized and it made our blood run cold.
"Hahaha! No, my man. I mean Alan Shepard the astronaut. They strapped him to a rocket and before they lit that candle he said "Dear God, don't let me eff this up"."
With that, he rebooted the Ultimatrix. The watch's face turned blue, and science that literally equaled any magic there is, began its work. The face turned orange, and Rex shrugged.
"OK, we aren't dead."
He put his hand on the watch again and spoke in a synthesized voice.
"Geno-archetype mismatch. Incompatible with a sentient host. Primus connection lost. Plumber Badge Functions not found. Failsafe 1 to 4 offline. Override code "ALBEDO" cannot be verified."
Kirby smiled and removed a black rectangle from his pocket.
"It's alright the last two are there all the time. Part of the hack job Albedo did in order to get this thing to work."
He held the device to the Ultimatrix while Rex watched this time.
"Delete Geno-archetypes and reboot."
The screen flashed blue again and then green. Kirby put the thing back on as Rex quipped.
"Nice trick Kirby, we need to hang out more I like people with an ace up their sleeve."
The look on the boy's face was a classic fake smile meant for TV or a movie. Kirby opened a small box he had placed on the counter. He removed an oversized dried-out finger-like digit from the box.
"Why have just one, buddy?"
The watch flashed yellow, and a new hologram appeared on Kirby's list for a total of 2, his own human form included. Kirby smiled.
"The Highbreed were powerful, this is a good start. Time for a test."
Rex frowned.
"Sorry man looks like animals take up less space than anything you can have a conversation with. You've got like room for five total, and one of those has to be used for YOUR DNA or you're not turning back into you."
Kirby shrugged and said. "I can work with that."
With that Kirby left to test the watch in the yard Gwendolyn following behind.
In the backyard I watch Zak return from the forest. Its predators silent as church mice in the presence of their betters. I keep looking down at my hands I feel my armor calling me. Something is not right, and if I was any other place or time I'd be wearing it.
"What do you have my boy?"
Zak looked at me his eyes ancient things. His voice wasn't his voice, and it wasn't that aping of Argost's voice he uses when his trauma is showing.
"Kirby and Gwendolyn came from the house. Lyn's sent is strong in the yard, and her tracks are deep like she was carrying more weight. They made their way through the woods to the forest portal. Their trail is easy to spot they didn't try to hide. I couldn't track the portal so that means they made HER open it for them."
My heart, my poor, poor heart breaks a little. My voice is still and without emotion.
"Zak, did she go with them willingly or was she forced?"
The ancient hunter answered with the boy. I wonder if they are finally becoming one.
"She wouldn't go with them, she loves it here. No creature acts against its nature not really unless it's forced."
Then the door opened and Rex walked out. He hasn't left his room since I dragged him there so very long ago. He spoke like him being here was nothing, and there was no danger at all from it.
"I liked the kid. She was the only one other than you that came down there to talk to me."
That was comforting and terrifying all at the same time. My heart almost changes its mind about Rex, almost. My heart can't belong to Rex ever. I keep my word, I always keep my word. I speak the truth to Rex, despite my fear of what he really is.
"You can help, but only YOU CAN HELP. Computron isn't welcome, we have a deal about him remember?"
I swear he looked more human than ever as he answered me.
"Damn right I do. EL Diablo stays in his cage. The green man and the monkey wouldn't want me letting him out."
Whatever that means I don't know and don't care. What people did before coming here doesn't matter. What matters is I welcome them into this crooked home, this place for monsters with no other place. All I ask is that they do the odd favor, and not hurt one another. Lyn and Kirby were welcomed into my home. If my little one made up her mind to go with them, then I'll let her go, no one is forced to stay here. If not they betrayed the family, and I only know one way to deal with that.
Far far away, and long long ago.
Bellwood, NY, September, Earth-255 furthest edge of the central finite curve.
The day it all ended or began depending on your point of view. The day I lost my Omnitrix. I cried, I begged, only my brother spoke in my favor.
"Grandpa, are we really doing this? After Animo, after Vilgax?"
Grandpa Max spoke with complete authority.
"Benjamin Kirby Tennyson, you keep out of this. You're a good boy, but your sister can talk you into anything. Jennifer, it is over we did a lot of good this summer but the Omnitrix is coming off. I know all about Kevin."
I told you no lies I was crying and begging. Coddling the watch as if it would help.
"Grandpa pleaseee nononononono! I didn't mean it! Kevin was with Vilgax at Niagara Falls. I had to really, PLEASE!"
Shame prevents me from telling you what came next, but the watch was gone when I woke up. My brother was there waiting in the dark. Getting him to do what I wanted him to do was easy most of the time. This was something else. After that summer, Ben worshiped the ground Grandpa Max walked on. This was the day I NEEDED him, this was the day I figured out how to get him to do anything. He sounded like a ten-year-old never should. Like an adult.
"Do you get why you're here? Do you know what's wrong with you?"
I looked up at him with bloodshot green eyes. I was exhausted my arm hurt, and everything in me just felt broken. Ten years old but I felt used up. It's not that I didn't speak, I couldn't. Never in my life did I feel so vulnerable. After a summer being the baddest kid to ever save the day it was shattering my dears.
"There's just something missing Jenny. I don't know what, but you don't care when you hurt someone. I don't think you mean it. If you did Animo would be... like Kevin. I didn't tell Grandpa he asked me but I didn't tell him. He figured it out on his own."
Then I swear he hugged me. After a lifetime spent getting him to do whatever was funny or convenient no matter if it was bad for him, my brother hugged me. The horrid pain got a little better, and I got the faintest idea about what he was saying. It'd be years before my therapist would call me a codependent sociopath. The only thing I knew at the time was that I was empty inside, and Ben had whatever I was missing. It was like I lived in a world where everyone else wasn't real and didn't matter till I found a real person right next to me. I hugged him back and whispered.
"He just thinks I killed Kevin cuz it made me happy or something. He's afraid of what I might do, but you're not. You're my hero Ben."
I could feel it in him went I said the words "You're my hero". It's all he wanted really. To be someone's hero. If he was mine I knew he'd do anything for me. So I never even mentioned that he got to keep his magic book and I lost the Omnitrix. It didn't matter I didn't need the book, I had HIM. He was my family, not Sandra or Carl, not my stuck-up cousin Gwen, and most definitely not our Grandfather. He'd be that part of me that was missing, and we'd do things together so many things.
But until then he'd be my conscience.
Five years later the Highbreed stepped out of the dark and threatened everything. Literally everything. They thought life shouldn't go on without them. The arrogant bastards.
Much older, and maybe a little wiser we walked the dirt road to the trailer park that old Grandpa Max lived in.
Yes, I played nice with him for my brother. He knew it, I knew it, but we did it anyway. A family does that stuff for each other. Ben was the only family I had really, my good influence.
He had his soccer gear on, a shiny new medal around his neck. I was dressed for track and field because running really fast unlike a martial arts class doesn't tempt me to do things to people that have it coming.
Don't look at me like that, MY cousin Gwen was a clone of her mother, and needed an ass-kicking.
A DNAlien goon steps out of the shadows and tries to kill us. Ben had his magic, I have a switchblade. It cracked two of my ribs, but I stopped that thing. Me the one without any powers. I stabbed it right in its one BIG EYE and it was over.
Ben fixed my ribs, pretty much.
We found the message from our grandfather. He wanted Ben to use the watch. The old bastard never even mentioned me. Still, I looked at Ben with a smile on my face as I spoke.
"Remember that fight at the truck stop when the watch got clogged up with mana Ben? Mana's bad for the watch. Grandpa was there he knows that. The old man doesn't know you still have the book does he, Ben?"
The look on his face said it all. I'd started to rub off on him. That made me feel good inside the way few things ever have.
When he found the Omnitrix, and he looked up at me I swear my mouth watered. I'd have made him beg for power like that. He made me promise him something that made me feel that empty place inside me again and wish it could be filed somehow. I wasn't like him, and never entirely could be, and worse I was making him more like me every day.
"Jenny this is important. Tell me you can do this, and not be something scary. Please, Jenny, promise me."
I swear I'd have done ANYTHING to get that watch back.
Oh for the last time we were fifteen. Get your minds OUT of the GUTTER! It would be more than a year before we started sleeping together.
Don't judge dears, he was good for me.
What followed was a war for everything we'd known, against the Highbreed. I'll spare you the details.
The day we won our war. The day we got our grandfather back. Is also the day I GAVE the watch back. The old man could see the VENOM in my eyes. I did it ANYWAY, for my BROTHER. I DIDN'T say a word to the old man, I just gave the Omnitrix back. The way he looked at me later will never leave me, but I don't care. I kept my word DAMMIT. I saved us all to PROVE I could be like Ben! I wasn't but it was the closest I have ever and will ever get! I saved the damn world and the old man didn't even care!
Then Vilgax the conqueror fell out of the sky screaming MY NAME. Then I killed the old man to get MY WATCH back. The world needed saving, and it wasn't by people at retirement age. Vilgax took our grandfather and his entire team apart like nothing. I caved the old bastard's head in with a rock right there. He took MY brother out there with HIS team of LOSERS and almost got him killed.
He wouldn't give me the watch.
So I KILLED him and took it.
I was NOT and am NOT sorry.
Dear Grandfather should have listened. Instead, he betrayed me.
Then I saved the world AGAIN. This time I KEPT MY WATCH, and MY BROTHER TOO.
They didn't help when the monster called Professor Paradox came for me.
My hunter and my mechanical man debated the nature of the universe while I was lost in my own past.
Zak barked.
"No, it doesn't work like that! We use the SAME spell there is a mathematical element to it yea BUT IT IS AN EMOTION DRIVEN SPELL. None of this matters she doesn't use mana anymore. Ectoplasm has a negative charge!"
Rex twitched like he was about to blow a gasket. He sounded more robotic, and I was getting worried.
"How you rationalize it does not matter. It exists in a world with rules, laws, and forces that obey those laws. Restructuring approach. The spells targeting component does it have five or six points of reference? Five points in space and a point of origin?"
Zak calmed down a bit.
"Umm yes and no. Five points and a cantrip that focuses on you. That would be a point of origin for most casters."
Rex ran his fingers through his hair and it looked like wires in the light.
"OK, now that means regardless of how the portal was powered it should have cut through the dimensional fabric in a way I understand or something close. Since we know what you need to do-oh never mind she doesn't care and I lost you an hour ago."
Dear oh dear, my sensor package doesn't like the machine growing from his hand. It started spinning and doesn't so much as open a portal as it undoes the closing of the one that they left through. Like watching a cut heal in reverse.
We step into a Mister Smoothy parking lot. My sensor pack takes a heartbeat or two to adjust to being in this universe. To identify what universe we are in, and I am shocked to learn two things. We are in the universe Gwendolyn came to for the nemetrix. Kirby and Lyn couldn't have reached here on their own without help. If they'd asked I'd have had the girl share the spell.
Oh, and the parking lot is a blood bath. Just what I expected.
Cars are flipped over, the restaurant is on fire, and a trail of destruction leads up the street. Zak is looking off to the side of the parking lot near a line of police tape.
"She was here hours ago. She feeds on a human. Gwendolyn must have been avoiding me at the house knowing I'd smell it on her."
I roll back time easily uncaring of who is watching. With this mess, someone IS. I'm sure.
"Correct dear boy. She took some and looked afraid of doing it. Bringing Lyn and Kirby there was a trap knowing the authorities would be here. The ultimatrix worked so her trap didn't. I can see the anger in their eyes at our dear lost Gwendolyn. They have a hold on her but only just so."
Rex chimes in probably doing a parallel search of his own.
"They can't handle her well enough without help. They think you'll come after them for leaving and want the girl for protection. Idiots, you've let a dozen people leave that I've seen at least. They need the tech to wrangle her, which means Fenton Works. That means old man ClockWork. One needs to be a dedicated blocker or that dusty old ghost will be on use for sure."
I look at my mechanical man and smile under my helmet. My heart doesn't like it, but I can't help it they TOOK that girl from MY HOUSE. Rex understands the pure binary clarity of that.
"Oh that will be your job dear, Rex, I have a child to save and a pound of flesh to claim."
He tries to sound human, he fails but I appreciate it though. I know how hard it is to pretend you have a heart.
"The pair of us together versus the ghost of time? The odds are not in our favor. How far are we taking this, Prime?"
I can almost feel the enlightened self-interest being calculated in that mostly machine brain of his. Trying to assign a numeric value to an intangible non-binary concept. Things like us are just not meant for love. That doesn't mean we don't crave it like everyone else. We, after all, started out as humans.
I speak the cold hard truth.
"Priorities are getting our girl back. If we can't do that, we get out. Clockwork will never stop watching Lyn and Kirby if he knows I am mad for vengeance. No that I won't take it if I can afford it. One way or another this ends here today."
Zak chimes in and I can hear the venom of his words. I know he's beyond hearing anyone at this point. Such a shame.
"If they hurt her, I'm killing them."
Rex looks at him coldly then at me. We, time walkers, know where his story ends.
Our arrival at Fenton Works in Amity Park is a silent one. The sun is down, and the fall night is a cold one. The street looks like the set of an action movie cars flipped, billboards on fire. The Plumbers will be here soon I know it.
We should stop and leave NOW I know, but I can't just let someone be taken from me. If they choose to leave, that's one thing. I let Billy Billions go, even knowing the hell he'd go through trapped in a child's body. I let those two into my HOME and they TOOK MY GIRL. I can't let that go unanswered.
The booming voice of a highbreed lord breaks the silence of the moment as we walk into the end of someone else's battle.
"LOWBROW FILTH, STAND ASIDE!"
Drew Saturday sent a bolt of blue mystic fire into Kirby's face.
"You are a real sweet talker kid!"
I look down and Zak, MY Zak, and know this is our last adventure together. I swear I want to cry, but he loves that girl like the last bit of innocence he's got left. He doesn't know the horrible things she's done. I do, and I love her anyway. At least as much as I'm capable of that emotion.
Lyn Tennyson ignited the night sky while a Phantom and a Pterosaur voiced their objections.
"I have had a bad day, how about you three just buzz off already?!"
Lyn snapped.
"Hand over a thermos and we are gone. Keep playing the hero, I'm just going to keep breaking bones ghost boy!"
Rex is making ticking sounds in frequencies only a time traveler will ever hear. My Zak speaks, his eyes things of fire.
"There Kur is close. The Phantom girl is with him in the lab."
I look down at him.
"How do you know that Zak?"
He just shrugs.
"Kur is a cryptid."
I can't argue with that logic. The plan I weave is the one with the best chance of Zak surviving. It's not going to work, but I have to try.
"Zak, stay near me. We'll go through the house to the lab. Rex stays here, and does what he can to blind any other time walkers that might be looking."
I look over at Rex he knows what's coming, and will do what he can. I wonder what will become of him if I don't survive? My crooked house... would not be as welcoming without me I am sure. Still, if anyone lives through this it's Rex, he did, after all, survive a dying universe.
We move through the chaos of battle unnoticed by the combatants. The front door is kicked open already and we make our way through a wrecked home half suburbanite dwelling and half science fiction enclave.
As we reach the basement layer containing a portal to the flip side of our universe, maybe all universes their trap snaps shut.
First the eco-powered ghost shield springs into place around the entire block. Ectoplasm is like mana with a negative charge. It's extra-dimensional energy, and to be honest dears time is just the 4th dimension. With time and effort, I could push through, but defenses are like dressing for the cold, you do it in LAYERS in case one fails to do the job.
Second, the armored door of the ghost portal is OPEN. We watched as Zak, walked out with a Revonnahgander in blue Proto-tech armor. I hear footsteps behind me, and my armor registers NOTHING. I have to look over my shoulder to see Drew Saturday, with Ben and Gwen Tennyson.
Stupid stupid stupid me. Drew speaks with that bitchy tone in her voice.
"Hi there, if you haven't guessed Eon, Professor Paradox called."
MY Zak growled. Literally growled at them. I try to talk our way out of this while forcing my armor to adapt to whatever is blocking it. My heart oh my what is my heart doing? Is it beating again really beating?
"Just give us the girl, and we leave. We don't care about Lyn or Kirby, not anymore."
Ben runs his fucking mouth off as usual.
"Like that's going to happen. You took the Nemetrix, we got so many different versions of people around here my head hurts, oh yea your weird not Gwen flipping ATE SOMEONE. Lose the armor Eon you don't walk away this time."
My Zak started frothing at the mouth. There Zak looks away. Drew tries she really does.
"Zak baby I know you're from through the looking glass, but I am here to help no matter what you've been through."
That stupid bitch said the wrong thing. Goodbye Zak, I tried I really did. He roared, and everything happened at once.
"I don't need your help, there is NOTHING WRONG WITH ME!"
He charged Drew. Ben as always went for the Omnitrix, Gwen transformed. I moved to the weak links. I smash the unarmored head into a wall dripping him. The girl Danielle was too young to know better, too full of confidence not to try. She sends an ecto-powered blast into my chest plate scorching it. I blur across the room and get the girl by the throat.
Both Zak's eyes light with otherworldly fire. It doesn't matter Gwen has him in a mana bubble in a heartbeat. Drew was smart enough to tumble through the chaos of it all and put her sword to my armored neck. She speaks.
"Put her down Eon, I took you apart when I was 18 I'm better now."
Dannielle fumed under my grasp.
"OH COME ON REALLY?!"
Ben, fortunately, turned into a tiny fish with legs.
"Walkatrout, greattttt."
I look at Drew and with a thought make the visor transparent. She can see my face, she knows I'm not an Eon, not really. My voice is as cold as I can make it. I can feel my Zak starting to lose control, there Zak looks like he wants to be sick.
"Let us be clear, I am Eon PRIME, and you and I have never met Doctor Saturday. Last warning, give my girl back, I give you yours and we all go home ALIVE."
Danny Phantom appears through the wall and froze my helmet in about ten pounds of solid ice I knew I'd lost track of someone.
"Chill out will ya!"
Danielle pulled at my wrist the armor giving just a little under her otherworldly little hands.
"My week has been SO BAD. I get dumped, have to call the guy ANYWAY, now I'm the flipping hostage!"
Ben ran his mouth. Damn him.
"Listen, lady, there is no way you walk out of this on top. We already got your goons, I fixed your ghost freaked Gwen, you're in our trap, and our backup plan is Paradox for crying out loud. Just get over yourself before I turn into something less adorable and put you down myself."
My Zak just whispered from inside Gwen's shield.
"They fixed her? Draco ignis."
The room exploded with mystic fire. Gwen's shield shattered, and Zak finally became Kur heaven help him. His skin took on a scaled appearance. His teeth became fangs, and my vision went blurry as matters escalated further.
"Time out."
The room froze as time stopped. The ancient ghost of time walked through the portal or floated as it where. Fortunately, that fire blast got the ice off my head or this would have been a scene. His voice was something that echoed across the ages.
"This was a bit much for Paradox so I've decided to be a bit more hands-on this time if you'll forgive the pun."
I know I can't beat this thing but "fake it till you can make it" as they say.
"The girl got kidnaped. I'm just here to bring her back. No one is with me unwillingly Clockwork."
It dawns on me I never really thought about his name, but he speaks and I get distracted.
"Really Jennifer? Let us just take a look back at that shall we?"
The arrogant old ghost actually takes the time to put on a show. I mean he's got literally all the time in the world, but does he really think I'm entirely powerless? No matter he's got the center stage for the moment.
Time bends backward despite my wants and part of me is 17 again. Part of me holds my Ben's hand while they put our grandfather in the ground. Part of me promises him we will do the right thing and look after our world the way the old man would have wanted. Part of me lays naked with him under the moon and we count the five thousand dollars we found in the rust bucket. Part of me takes the deal Maltruant offers me to fight in his time war and convinces my brother it's the only way to save our world. Part of me is stabbed in the heart by Paradox for my trouble.
It was a wild weekend what can I tell you?
Rex's world is on the brink of destruction as machines turn on their creators. The Alpha that leads them in the war against mankind too much for anyone.
"I contain an Omega brother Rex you cannot defeat an army without end."
"Wanna bet Jerkface?"
The Meta Nanite in Rex's chest allows for a war waged between ticks of the clock. Every move and counter move is a work of generations. Time, however, can only be bent so far before it breaks.
Paradox's sword goes through the boy's heart just like mine, with a whisper.
"I'm so sorry, but your world is a danger to every other world."
It keeps going and the part of me that isn't there is trying to figure out what the heck clockwork is doing, but gets distracted when part of me carries Gwendolyn into the house for the first time. She was covered in blood, none of it hers thankfully. The tiers in her eyes choke me up even ten years later. This bastard makes me listen again as she sobs.
"I don't want to be like them anymore I don't, I don't. Not even a little, I'll be the monster, the monster. The heroes all just left me, left me."
I whispered back.
"They turned on me too, even after I saved them. So, you can stay with me then."
The image of Gwendolyn eating that girl in the parking lot was a nice touch, but...oh...I'm not the only one seeing this, am I? They all are because time isn't stopped you lying little ghost. Time is slowed to a crawl and the images speed up so THEY CAN ALL SEE.
I realize this because no part of me is in the ghost zone right now, but Rex is, and he's showing me something too.
Danny left a ghostly duplicate to guard Lyn Kirby and my Gwendolyn. That duplicate dissolves as Rex kicks its spine up between its ears. He moves robotically to our lost girl. The energy bonds on her wrists gone with Danny.
"They took it away Rex. They took it all away! Ten years I kept that thing inside me so I could be something ELSE, and they just took it away with a wave of that stupid Omnitrix."
Rex's soulless eyes don't so much look at her as locked onto her. My tin man doesn't try to have a heart, but he does realize some of us are inclined to.
"Point of attention, Gwendolyn. I am not Jennifer Tennyson and I do not place value on some indefinable aspect I have lost."
Something flickers to life as he speaks like a lightbulb that isn't entirely burnt out trying to part the darkness.
"It's kind of fun sometimes with it comes back for an hour or two."
Then it was gone again.
"Further point of attention I will not fight, if I can not win."
My girl, my beautiful little girl, I just realized she's not stuttering anymore. My heart...
"Rex, I'm going in that portal, and I am getting her back. If I don't make it I don't care."
The pain cuts through me like a hot iron as Rex turns to Lyn and Kirby their energy bonds are gone.
"Point of attention designations unimportant. You will no longer be welcome in that house, but I offer freedom if you fight with us."
Kirby looked at Lyn.
"What do you say? In it, till we win it, or we go down like we could. That was the deal right?"
"Damn right Kirby."
My left arm is numb, I am having a heart attack. Why am I having a heart attack?
Clockwork answers me like he's been listening in the entire time.
Because I have been Jennifer Tennyson, or Eon Prime as if either of those were your real name. You are having a heart attack because that body your wearing is supported by your brother's sacrifice and he is no longer helping you. Your armors opening, so why don't you come out and join us?
Fine you bastard, I will!
The seals on my armor fail and the armor opens as my body deflates like an Anodite leaving its meat suit. No, my dears, I'm not one of those either. My ectoplasmic form congeals as Clockwork starts running his mouth again.
"Everyone stop a moment and behold. She is Jenny Purgatory the ghost of fallen heroes. See what happens when let yourselves think that because what you have done your above anyone's morality but your own."
Then that little bitch Danielle says.
"Your own brother, that was like a nightmare. All he ever did was try to keep you from making bad decisions, and all you ever did was help other people make worse ones."
My disembodied voice echo's in the room.
"You're nightmare was my love story."
I swear I form a body out of ectoplasm just so I have hands to wring her little neck. What do I look like? Oh kind of like my armor, but with more curves, no need to hide being a girl anymore. Oh and I ditch the helmet for that Ember McLain flaming hairdo. What can I say that ghost has style. For some reason, there is a heart-shaped hole straight through my chest I know will never be filled and if my brothers left me I don't want it to be ever. Are you getting this Clockwork, and not looking behind you?
Rex flew through the portal like a rocket and stuck that machine he used earlier to reopen the portal into Clockwork's ghostly chest blindsiding the old specter. When it started to spin time ticked sideways. Between two ticks of the clock, Kirby and Ben fought for an hour. Sorry dears Kirby had an Ultimatrix with one or maybe two aliens in it if he scanned the worthless cat guy and a few trinkets. Ben was Ben and the Omnitrix is after all not a knockoff.
Lyn and Gwen had ten minutes to trade sparky energy attacks.
My Gwendolyn spent three days crossing the room to get to our Zak.
Drew, Danielle, and the Zak I don't care about had a few hours to talk I think.
I got my grubby little hands on Clockworks staff. Then I brought it down on his ghostly head. It made a satisfying splatting sound.
"Tell Paradox he's next. "
I then drop my Trump card Paradox and Clockwork can both go hell I don't need the armor to take either of them. I reached inside myself for the place where light never found its way. Then I give a tiny bit of that unending void to the world.
Black fire sills out from my heart-shaped chest opening and engulfs the room like the fall of night. One by one they all fall down.
Ben mutters.
"I don't really deserve any of this. I just got lucky."
Gwen whispers.
"That girl said they made me for Ben. Is that I'll I can ever be someone else's…"
Zak slumped over.
"I am the monster."
Danielle sobbed.
"Just a mistake … all I'll ever be …."
Drew struggled at least.
"I failed my son."
The cat man finally sat up ranting in tongues I no longer have a translator to understand.
Clockwork doesn't have his head at the moment but he wiggles as if he felt it.
None of mine even felt it. The void is IN them all already and always will be.
Then oh hell I lost track of Danny again and he is right behind me. The ghost boy screamed and it cut across the skin of reality. My ghostly form threatens to lose integrity. I am not used to running around without a body.
The ghost boy looks down at me and his eyes look wrong, full of old pain, and resolve as solid as stone.
"What you showed me I've seen a monster like that before, and I almost turn into him. I won't let you take anyone else! You are a ghost lady, that makes you my business! I am telling you you are DONE!"
He levels one of those stupid thermoses at me, and for a second I think it's over. Then Gwendolyn gets to Zak, and the dance of the immortals once again comes to its end.
All of us even Clockwork witness the passing of one immortal, and the birth of another. Even time itself pauses as if in deference. We will never know what those two said to each other in those last moments. Not with so many time travelers duking it out in front of an artificial portal into another universe. The skin of reality is in taters here now.
What we do see is Zak dissolving into white lightning, and Gwendolyn changed. Her eyes take on a gold color and vertical slits like a cat. Nothing else anyone can see. There is an aura around my girl now as if the world can feel the difference and is warry somehow.
She turned her new eyes on the one Zak, we had left. Then she spoke with new confidence.
"Did anyone ever tell you that you are really bad at being KUR?"
Drew found a way to her feet, a look in her eyes I can recognize respect even.
"Screwed up or not I am a parent I don't have the luxury of a pity party. Get away from my son."
I wonder if there is a reason it's these two with a life they are responsible for that shrugged my attack off so fast?
Oh dear, I must be missing my armors computer because this is the second time I have failed to close that stupid ghost portal. Professor Paradox walked in through the portal, and put that same sword cane he killed me with to my neck. It feels cold even against ghost flesh.
"Hello Jennifer, or should I say Miss Purgatory. That was news to me mind you. Old man Clockwork normally buts in and prevents me from more direct action. I am sure with my preventing you from preventing HIM from growing a new head we can call this an END. Let's just all part ways with no more loss of life, please. "
Rex spoke in a voice so synthesized it sounded like an old computer game.
"Point of attention all parties. There are four primary time travelers and two secondary time travelers in this immediate vicinity."
Ben actually sounded insulted as he waved the Omnitrix around.
"Umm secondary I have an alien in here that will take all four of ya."
His Gwen was too busy looking ill to reprimand him so Paradox gave it a try.
"Benjamin, Serena, and Bellicus would not help matters. I am here to de-escalate this situation. Simply depart, and leave Clockwork to me please Purgatory."
I look at Rex, and honestly can't tell where he stops and Computron begins. Gwendolyn wants a fight. She's newborn and full of power. It's best if I take her away from here. Without speaking I walk across the room to my fallen armor. I kneeled down enough to recover something I dropped, and pull a pin inside the armor to boot. In a moment the armor is sizzling and sparking. Then I retrieve MY Zak's claw and take Gwendolyn by the hand over to Rex.
Clockwork finally gets his head together and sits up.
"Paradox what have you done now?"
Just out of spite, pure malice really we all end up together Lyn, Kirby, Rex, Gwendolyn, and myself. We must have looked like the cover of a comic book. I clear my throat.
"Ahem, the ghost shield please."
Paradox never took his eyes off me as he spoke.
"Daniel if you please. The space-time continuum is a little tattered here for me to do it myself just now."
Danny, I kid you not, had an app on his bloody cell phone to control that stupid shield. It shuts off, and I move my family away from that place. I, of course, LEAVE LYN AND KIRBY BEHIND. They made their choice, and between my two great enemies Clockwork and Professor Paradox I know I'll never get a clean shot at either of them. So this my dear betrayers will have to do. Count yourselves lucky.
Epilogue one
It is enough that I am called Clockwork, and by decree of the all-mighty Observants, I am the master of time. This mess much as I loth to admit it is my responsibility. Paradox as ever frustrates me.
"Plans were in motion Professor, your intervention was not required."
He checked his watch instead of looking at me.
"At the risk of sounding like young Benjamin you planned to be laying on the ground without your head for the majority of that fight?"
I swear I am two steps from violence but I have a headache and the children are still watching.
"Professor why don't you see to the substantial damage to the space-time continuum in this area while I make sure everyone gets home safely."
He looks grim for a moment, and I relax. He is getting better, another four or five cycles of the time war and he'll be alright.
"Lyn and Kirby? They are off continuity, but close enough to make finding their home reality difficult. Even a little time spent in that horrid place changes anyone inside."
I nod my new head at him.
"Continuity dear Paradox is off continuity all the time. The plumbers and the Chronosapien Master Gear will either contain them or get them home."
He wants to object I know, but there's so much to do, and spending a century arguing with me does little.
"Right then, I leave them in YOUR keeping then."
Oh, you little. . . .
"Yes of course."
And he's off leaving me with a room full of more headaches. Most of them are resolving themselves I'm glad to see.
Drew is with Zak.
"Kiddo you ok?"
"Mom I think that whole Zak Monday, Argost Kur thing was a lot different than I thought it was. I think no buddy canceled anyone out, I think I ate somebody."
Drew really is a good mother she doesn't miss a beat.
"Umm Zak Argost lives remember? You might have gotten a bite but you didn't eat anyone. The rest well we just work that out as we go."
Lyn and Kirby lied as usual.
"Magister Blonko we formally request asylum under the interdimensional refugee subsection of the Kacey Kelly accords. We were abducted by the entity Purgatory and forced to commit many horrific acts."
Rook didn't blink.
"To quote an earthling saying. "I may have been born in the night time it was however not last night time." You are both under arrest."
Kirby looked at his diminished ultimatrix and before he could say anything Lyn did.
"We understand how this must look and we surrender Magister Blanco. We can sort this out once we are in custody."
Kirby looked at her and she just put a hand on his shoulder. Smart girl, there are six people here and both of them are exhausted.
Danny and Danielle took a minute to sort things out.
"Danny just to be clear I love you in a "clothes on" kind of way. All this keeping it in the family talk is making me glad I skipped dinner."
Danny laughed. The girl is both 14 and 2 all at the same time. It must make for interesting days in this house.
"Hahaha oh man that spider venom is making my head spin."
Ben went to Gwen.
"You ok there Gwen? Just saying there's been like two nutty versions of you tonight and all."
Gwen just ignored him and oh my I'm still in the room with them. Still recovering from the loss of my head it seems. I do nothing as Gwen walks over to me.
"Umm mister Clockwork."
I take a deep breath and make sure that no one other than Gwen hears me talking.
"Yes, miss Tennyson? Professor Paradox did in one timeline sip club soda and talk to your father at a bar once upon a time. He then went home to your mother instead of making a life-altering error. This is not the same thing as removing Gwendolyn O'Donnell from existence or "creating" you. You are far more common in the omniverse due to the fact that realities with a Gwendolyn Tennyson tend to survive the coming of the Diagon."
Then for all my power and foresight, I do a double-take as she says.
"Umm, thanks I figured it was something like that but I actually wanted to ask you if Professor Paradox knows you're well you know future him. Just wanted to avoid stuff getting awkward later on."
I am so very old now I've started forgetting how the young can surprise you.
"Miss Tennyson Paradox means well but sometimes certain details are lost on him."
I'll keep the rest of our conversation to just the two of us for now.
Epilogue two
I stand before my crooked house with everything that matters to me and everything that once did as well. I kneel before the silent things that dwell in the shadows beside my home. I am wary of these silent things but more so I do this for what I've lost and what I'm about to lose.
I hold out the tiny purple glowing sphere that was once my heart in a way that nothing else will ever be and whisper.
"I loved you but you betrayed me. Goodbye, brother dear."
Like blowing I kiss I send my brother's soul to silent things that he might walk among them when then finish gnawing on him of course.
I back away slowly and return to Rex and Gwendolyn who are waiting silently. I hope they never betray me.
We move through the yard to the house and its crooked door happy to be home. My armor is gone and my illusion with it. My enemies know me, know my name is Jenny Purgatory, and know I seek lost souls of heroes fallen. This complicated every possible future going forward I'm sure.
It doesn't matter there will always be so-called heroes that find themselves brought low for one reason or another. A few of those will go to places where heroes fallen or otherwise never should. Some of them will, of course, find me waiting.
Don't worry my dears all are welcome.
END
Note
Thanks to my beta reader DrWhoFan13. Double for this chapter it has so many characters in the same room keeping them all straight was so hard I'm sure there was nearly a regeneration into number 14.