AN: What this is, is a short epilogue from When It All Falls Down, originally written and not directed by Captain Darko. Let's hope this is good.
"To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering." -Friedrich Nietzsche.
"Three fourths of the population. That's how much of the residents of this now destroyed town were wiped in the initial blast. A majority of the survivors turned this shithole into a warzone, going around killing, looting, after the Ritteal bomb's toxic atmosphere had decreased. We've found Sarin gas tanks during the three day sweep of the town, after this deadlier gas got out."
"Sarin gas tanks? The same ones which were stolen awhile back from Vial Corp?"
"The very same ones. What a clusterfuck this is. Out of all the townsfolk, only these survivors made it."
State Senator Jordan Leak and General Joe Williams turned to the group of survivors, who were the remaining Louds. They waited in a big tent, sharing water with each other.
During the event, a military post was set up, and smaller checkpoints were scattered around the outer blast radius. And that's where they were now, outside the metal, eight foot fence that surrounded where Royal Woods once was.
Leni's eyes were focused on nothing, for her mind had gone to a dark memory that happened not too long ago.
"There has to be another way, Lori!" Leni would go out to find them all food, however possible, if it meant not killing Lola. But, the need for food wasn't the main reason Lori finalized the death of the diva.
Lola lost them the gas, and screwed up majorly. Punishment was demanded in this place where law and rules switched themselves off. This was basically the closest thing to the Purge.
"We need food, Leni. Now remember: there's a change of clothes for you by the stairs. Be sure to do it quickly and quietly-like I showed you with her arm. And try not to spill blood everywhere. We don't need questions." Lori had no compunction about this madness.
Leni sniffed, voice breaking. "What if they ask where she went?"
Lori sighed with an annoyed tone, and headed upstairs. "Let me worry about that. Don't tell anyone anything ever- Not even Lisa. She doesn't know and I wanna keep it like that. By the way…" Lori turned around, and looked back to Leni with the coldest expression on her face. "If you don't do this, you can take her place..."
Leni was quietly sobbing, looking to her bloodied sister still hanging upside down.
"I-I'm sorry, Lola! I'm so sorry! I don't want to, but I have to! I-I-I don't know what to do and..." She trailed off, unable to keep her incoming regret from being confessed.
Lola's eyes were blinking, as if she was being sprayed with water in her face.
Leni lifted the drugged girl's head, and took the knife up to the girl's small neck. Leni turned away, and she quickly slit Lola's throat. She peeped, in the most broken tone. Lola then moved all of a sudden, trying to breathe the breath of life. She succumbed to death's stroke, the life in her eyes finally eluding her.
Leni didn't cry anymore. What's done was done, and Leni developed a hard gut after killing Lori on her own.
Lincoln looked up at her, and held her hand, assuring her that everything was going to be fine. She returned the sibling affection with a tight hug.
Lynn blew a kiss at Ronnie Anne.
"Ahora que haces?" She retorted.
Luna laughed slightly.
"What are you laughing at?"
"Nothing, dude." Luna turned away, trying to hold it in.
Ronnie Anne was laying down. She closed her eyes,
She pulled his body. His eyes were replaced by dark, meaty holes. He was shot mortally before she decided to help him. Ronnie Anne held the body of her brother, crying into it. Why did this happen? Mother died in the blast, split into two right outside the backyard. Bobby covered and buried her, and Ronnie Anne broke down.
She felt less alone. Her lover, and his family came to her aid. Unfortunately, there was chaos and death that lingered itself onto them. Parasites, its what they were. They came at night.
Luan held baby Lily, gently rocking her to sleep. Her arms had become numb already, and at any second, she felt like she could drop the baby.
"Leni, could you take Lily?"
Lincoln had his eyes on both of the men in front of them. Lynn made her way beside him, once replacing Leni. "What do you think they're talking about? What are they gonna do to us?"
The beings of the Void, whether they were the ghosts of the fallen sisters or beings disguised, had no longer visited Lincoln. He wishes he could, so that he could be warned again of further danger.
"I don't know, but they might know everything as much as we do. Lisa said they locked the town to keep the truth from being outed. I'm not sure why we are here, but we'll find out soon enough."
Leak offered Williams a cigar. "These kids here, they're the only survivors out of everything?"
"Yes. As I've mentioned already, my men here found empty Sarin gas containers, released from their own home. But, I think you knew that." Williams held up a disc. "And I also know what you do."
Leak looked at the disc. "What is that, there? Give me it."
"Look here, I put me and my men on the line for you political sons of bitches, and yet, you're here, doing the devil's own work, doing the dirty things." He snapped the disc in two. "That was evidence that can put away BB Inc. Or at the least, turn some heads. Get this under control next time, Senator. And these kids will not be harmed. Otherwise, this goes everywhere."
Leak groaned, leaving the scene.
Luna moved around the stump of what was left of her arm. "Fuck me, dudes, I can't play anymore. I'll never play anymore..." She brushed her hand through the sleeping Lana's hair.
"Poor Lana..."
"Poor us. I still hate what she did to Lola, to Leni. Even Lisa was against this."
"I know what you mean, Luna."
That's it! That's why suffering exists.
The pain of it all, the constant need to know what happened, and why. The need to know what happened to mom and dad, the breaking of the family, and the head-straightening that was required to survive. The paranoia of worrying too much. And the insanity of killing. Lori, her rules, Lisa, her secrets, and Lincoln, his visions.
To push all past it, to get through it and making the loved ones around see that everything would get better, it was all a forced lesson only felt from the suffering direct. You destroy a fortress, and its men would only make it stronger until it would never be destroyed in any way anymore. The attackers were the suffering, and the Louds were these figurative fortresses. They'll learn to rebuild, and this was a big step, and Lincoln got the idea.
To get better, they had to get worse.
Lincoln was greeted by the man in front of him whom the boy recognized as a man of war. "Who's the oldest of you lot?"
Leni raised her hand, while still holding the toddler.
"Are you legal, ma'am?"
"Well... I was born her, so yes." She smiled.
"No, sir, she's sixteen. We don't know where to go from here on out."
"It seems to me like that could be an issue. I will personally attend to this matter and see it through that all of you end up in a nice, safe house."
"Thank you, sir." Lincoln stood up and saluted the general.
Lynn whispered in Ronnie Anne's ear. "I still want another kiss."
Madre de dios...
"You're not gonna let this go, are you?" Ronnie Anne pulled Lynn by her shirt.
"I like where this is going..."
"Perra madre..." Ronnie Anne delivered, planting a kiss to Lynn's lips. Lincoln facepalmed.
"Come on, man!" He yelled.
Luna and Luan laughed in unison. Lincoln calmed, seeing them smile and laugh. It began here, it began now. The first step of everything going back to normal, or whatever the closest thing to it would be.
"No one's even drunk this time. Lynn, stop hitting on my... Uh, girlfriend."
"Well, alrighty then. I'll call you when this is all over." Lynn winked at the Mexican loli.
"I'd appreciate it if you don't. Seriously, don't."
Once, it has fallen. And there to be times when it would fall again. It was their job to stick together, and make sure it wouldn't stay fallen. Lincoln looked towards the skies.
This is it... This is what you've been trying to tell me. This is the meaning of it. Lori, Lucy, Lola... Even you, Lisa, we'll always remember you.
Lily was awake now, giggling her way from Leni's arms. Too young, too precious. She didn't need to know of the bad, but rather the better memories they've all had and shared. He smiled, for had he to fear?
AN: Captain Darko has approved the beta read, and so, I do not know what else. Hopefully I got this right, for the readers of the original fic. Not too much added but I did the best. ;_;