Author's Note: Just a reminder that I will be referring to an event in the following chapter that was not covered in the previous ones. It's a little teaser to what I will be working on next for the Loonatics fans. I have to say as I get ready to wrap this thing up that I've really enjoyed writing this and I hope many of you enjoyed reading it as well as I did writing it.
Looking back on the past year, I'm reminded of how blessed I am. I know…it's kinda hard to imagine anyone who's on their death bed talking about being blessed. It was once said by a wise musician that "it's not what you take when you leave this world behind you; it's what you leave behind you when you go." Well with the help of my new friends, or more appropriately family, I was able to make a major difference in this limited time I have left. As a member of the Loonatics for a little over a year now, I've been able to help keep the universe safe from all forms of evil. One of the biggest accomplishments though would have to be the final vindication of Black Velvet. It felt so good that day to officially remove her from the Loonatics' most wanted list. It wasn't an easy task as the others felt she was somehow involved in the whole Second Cloaking operation with Dark Matter. The fact that she left the clues to clear her name and tell of her post-impact experience with me was my assurance that she did remember me and not just that but she still trusted me as a good friend. She's had such a tough life, not just after the meteor strike, but before it as well. What's become of her since her vindication, I'm not too sure. I suspect she went back to researching vision correction and restoration, striving to bring light to those forced into the darkness. I'm so happy for her and yet I'm a little sad that she's not here to say…goodbye. Just for the best I guess. Even she's no longer a dangerous villainess; there's always been some mistrust from some of the Loonatics. It's mostly Duck who still has trust issues with her but…unfortunately, so does my brother Tech. I can't blame him. He was captured by her and placed under her spell. Still I hope he gets to a point where he can get past that and accept as the kind, compassionate young lady I knew…know her as. I feel a great sense of victory getting past the six month mark that was placed on my life. Heck…I managed to more than double that prognosis. Now, however, the battle is coming to a close. It takes about every ounce of strength I can muster to transcribe these last few words and thoughts. It's time for me to go now. Nothing left to do but call the others in and say my final farewell to them. I had them promise me that they wouldn't get too emotional when the time came. I suspect that's all gonna go out the window. There are gonna be tears, lots of em. I hope that there are just a little laughter as well as I bid farewell to a life well lived.
It only took about an hour after all the farewells were said for Cobalt to pass away. He was brought back to Acmetropolis where he was honored by a grateful city before being laid to rest next to his parents and near his beloved fiancée Cassandra. One lone canid figure stands over Cobalt's grave at this moment. His younger brother Tech had decided to stay back a little longer and just be here at his brother's final resting place before rejoining the others back at Blanc. He was shocked out of his solemn mood by the sound of a familiar and unwelcomed voice.
"It's been quite a week for you, hasn't it dog," Mastermind said. She was in a mobile prison bubble and escorted by one of the prison's top guards.
"Mallory," Tech snarled as he turned to glare at his nemesis. "So you just couldn't help it could you? You had to come down here and see the grief on my face. You just had to come and see me…cry. Well…are you satisfied?!"
"Relax Fido," she responded. "I didn't come here to add to your grief. I actually came to personally…deliver my condolences."
"Why would you even care Mallory," Tech growled. "You never met him. You don't know anything about him…"
"But I know you Tech. Look…we have huge ideological differences between us but you can't deny the intellectual connection we share. We made such a good team you and me. I was so happy when you agreed to assist me with my project. Ever since you began tutoring me, the only thing I ever wanted was to collaborate with you on something big."
"What you had me help you with was a device that could've destroyed the minds of several innocent instructors," Tech snapped.
"It was never meant to be permanent Tech. I only did so…so that you and I could work together once again…this time in the pursuit of fixing what went wrong. I should've known you would find out about me sabotaging my own machine…"
"Sabotage?!...so…you never meant to cause harm to those instructors?"
"No Tech! I only wanted to transfer some of their intelligence to me. Once that was done, I was going to claim that I didn't know the device would have that affect and then we would have worked together to make everything right. Then you had to go and ruin everything. You had to catch on to the fact that something wasn't right. You had to get my zapped with neural biofeedback. In one little action, you ruined my life's work, you ruined my figure, and you ruined my affection for you. I let vengeance blind me for so long. Despite how much I loathe you for what you did to me, I still feel for you Tech. I needed you to know that. You don't have to acknowledge what I just said. You don't have to respond at all. What I said is what I mean. I'm truly sorry for your loss Tech. There'll always be a part of me that cares for you, even if you don't care in return. Let's go guard. Heaven knows I'd hate to miss tonight's meatloaf surprise," she adds sarcastically.
Mallory and the guard with her get only a few feet from Cobalt's grave when Tech called out to them to wait and ran up to them.
"Mallory…thanks for your condolences. I can't say I cared for you the way that you cared for me. If it's any consolation…I do forgive you Mallory. I hold no ill will toward you. As I've learned all too painfully from recent events, life is too short to hold a grudge. I'd hope you'd keep that in mind while in your cell."
"That's actually the best thing you could've told me Tech. I will try my best to let go of my grudge against you just as you have with me. It'll be tough though. You know what they say about a woman scorned," she laughs. "Goodbye Tech. Perhaps I'll see you again sometime."
"Goodbye Mallory. Probably not."
As Mallory is escorted away from the graveyard, Tech is alarmed at the sound of rustling leaves just behind him. He turns to see someone standing over Cobalt's grave. Even in the pale moonlight, Tech notices the mocha skin and the black hair as well as the prosthetic right arm. He slowly approaches the figure who addresses him even before he reaches her.
Hello baby," Black Velvet said in her sensual sultry voice. The thing Tech noticed immediately was that her voice no longer had that hollow edge. That was kinda disappointing as he recalls having found that quality of her voice rather sexy.
"Black Velvet," Tech responds she turns to look at him face to face. Tech is drawn instantly to her brown eyes…eyes no longer clouded over. She was wearing some dress slacks and a dark blue blouse along with simple, black high heels. "So we meet again. I must say I like this look. It's so…normal," he chuckles. "So do you even still go my Black Velvet anymore?"
She laughs at this question but then answers in a serious and solemn tone. "No honey…Black Velvet pretty much died the day you and your friends destroyed my city in the clouds. Not that I'm real bitter about that anymore. It turns out the bright light that was shown into my dark lair was just the thing to break my dark curse. At least, it was part of what was needed to free me from the darkness. The second thing I needed was the compassion of an old friend," she added looking down at Cobalt's grave."
"Yeah," Tech interrupted. "He told us that he was the one that saved you and helped get your sight restored. When the whole incident with Dark Matter occurred, we all believed you were working with him. Cobalt never believed it and thanks to the things you left him, that was proven true. You know…he wandered what happened to you after that. To tell you the truth, I was beginning to wander myself."
"Oh nothing earth-shattering I would say. I helped Dr. Joel Raines with his research on advanced vision correction and restoration techniques. He was the surgeon that Cobalt sent me to…the one who saved my precious sight."
"Yeah…he thought as much. He always knew you were working to bring light into the dark worlds that some must inhabit. It's good to see he was right. So…how should I address you then? Is it Vivian?
"Vivian," she shudders. For all intents and purposes, she died when the meteor struck. Vivian's still my official name but I'd rather you just call me Velvet. Hearing my old name brings back painful memories of a past I can never reclaim."
"You obviously reclaimed some of it though. You're back to studying what you were studying before. You remembered things from your pre-impact days. You remembered my brother."
"Yes…I remembered him. Truthfully though, I thought it was you at first that came to rescue me from the wreckage of my ship. He began to speak to me and told me his name and…I got flashes of images from the happier times of my life. The times we were at the Institute just trying to find a way to change the world. After the surgery, I spent so many days and nights just peering over my scrapbook from those days. I was forcing myself to remember. Forcing myself…to reclaim Vivian…reclaim me. I understand now that I can never fully reclaim the past…"
"You can only learn from the past's successes and failures to improve your future," Tech added with a little know-it-all grin.
"Well put baby."
"Thanks hot stuff," Tech replied back. "I wish you would consider coming back to the planet Blanc with me. You might be able to help fill the vacancy left by my brother's passing. I have a feeling though that you prefer to stay here and focus on helping the human race maintain its precious gift of sight."
"You can read me like a book Tech baby. As much as I appreciate the offer, my place is still here in Acmetropolis. I once tried to block at all light here. I owe it to them to continue to bring sight to those who long for it. You never know how precious such a gift is until it's taken from you."
"Too true Velvet…too true. There is something I want to give you before I go," he says as he removes a note from his pocket. "This is my personal number. If you ever want to just talk to me about the past, about my brother, about your other friends, about the future, about whatever…just give me a call and I'll be there for you. You're not alone Velvet."
Velvet's response was to wrap her arms around Tech and hold him close to her. As the wind rustled through the trees, the two shared a long, tender kiss beneath the pale moon. A nice light in the midst of the darkness.
The End