Reunion: All Couples
Hi, everyone! And welcome back to "Love Through Lifetimes!" We're glad you've enjoyed this journey through various time periods. But now we are moving to the afterlife and to the couples' new lives in the 21st century. So this first story will take place entirely in Heaven. We hope you enjoy it.
Usual disclaimer: We don't own GX, Heaven or the afterlife in general. We own our OCs and interpretations.
Authors' note: The reference to God, we hope, is neutral enough. We know that you all have different ways of expressing faith and we want to be respectful of that. Thanks!
As the centuries rolled by, the couples that loved each other on Earth and in the Duel Monsters kingdoms passed from life to death and into the afterlife. They had lived good lives and ended up entering Heaven. "Where are we?" King Jaden asked his beloved years after they married. "Alexis, my beloved. You are here!" he shouted happily. She had died before him at an old age, and now he saw her as she had been when they first met.
Alexis smiled happily and wrapped her arms around Jaden. "Oh, Jaden, my love, I missed you so!"
"How long was it? It seems an eternity since I last held you," he murmured and then realized something. "Am I young again?" he asked, looking puzzled as he looked down at his young body. "And my scar is gone!" he yelped, noticing that the arm he had cut years ago was no longer scarred.
"Yes, the same happened to me when I found myself here, Jaden. It seems that when you arrive here, you become young and healthy again," she explained. The couple enjoyed their happy reunion, and had a feeling they were waiting for something…
GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX
A few centuries after King Jaden and Queen Alexis arrived in Heaven, two souls were about to meet after separation. Prince Syrus had been forgiven for his sin, and had begun searching for Princess Anne the moment he walked through Heaven's holy gates. And then, he heard a happy yell. "SYRUS!" It was Anne, whole and happy. "You're here," she murmured, hugging him tightly.
He returned the hug, spinning her around for a moment before setting her back down. "Anne! Oh how I've missed you, my love."
"I missed you as well...but...you killed yourself," she said a bit sadly.
He frowned. "You could see me from here, couldn't you?"
"I could...but...you were declared insane, so you came here...but oh, my love...you should have lived," she murmured in his ear as they hugged.
"Anne, what I said were not the words of a madman. I was in greater pain than I could ever imagine...and I simply could not see myself living on without you by my side," he answered, looking into her blue eyes.
"That was not what made you insane," she murmured, gazing into his eyes as well. "It was when you decided to end your life. The pain did it and you were forgiven for killing yourself. If I had not gone to the battlement...but...I would have died later..." She had looked at her future and found that she would still have died young.
He frowned. "Then I still would have lost you... I am sorry, Anne. I simply was not strong enough. I could kill a dragon but I could not kill my love for you," he murmured, brushing at her hair.
"You would not have had to do that. And you would have lived for our babe," she answered, smiling.
His eyes widened in shock. "We would have...had a child?" he asked.
"Yes...I was with child when I died and did not know it. And I would have left you in childbirth... She was beautiful, Syrus," the princess explained, remembering the blue-headed, blue-eyed baby girl she'd been shown. Anne regretted that the baby girl had never had a chance to draw breath.
"It would have been a girl...oh, Anne. If only we had made it that far," the prince said with regret.
"You will make it that far next time," said a deep, booming voice.
Syrus gasped. 'Is...is that who I think it is...?' he thought in wonder.
Anne knelt, pulling her love with her. "Hello, Lord," she said as God Himself appeared before them. He was clothed in light and one could not see His face, even here.
"Hello, young ones...You will be sent back...but not for some time," God said.
Syrus barely contained his gasp of surprise. "S-Sent back, Lord?"
"Sent back," He repeated. "You will go back to fight evil as My helpers, in addition to others. There are others here who are waiting to go back to Earth because their mission is not yet complete."
Syrus glanced at Anne, a smile alighting upon his face. "Anne...we will have another chance to raise a family together..."
"You two will be excellent parents," God told them. "Syrus, you again will have a brother, and may be called upon to save him from himself. Anne, you will have hardships as well, but you will survive this time. And you will both find each other."
"Thank You, Lord...Thank You!" Anne was crying tears of joy.
"Yes, we cannot possibly thank you enough for this!" Syrus agreed, tears brimming his eyes as well.
"Thank Me by living well and as you should..."
Anne nodded, amazed and happy as God walked away. "Syrus..." Her eyes were bright and happy.
"Anne...can you believe that God is giving us a second chance?" the boy prince asked, stunned.
"He is...Syrus...We will be so happy...and I will be a good wife and mother," she said. "If that is all I am...I will take it gladly. And perhaps in the time we'll live again, our children will know peace...real peace..."
"Yes. And we will fight any evil that tries to disrupt that peace in the name of God," he replied.
"We will...and with His help, we will triumph!" she said. "I wonder who our friends will be, my love."
"I suppose we shall have to wait, and hope that we meet them here, my love," he answered.
"If not, we'll meet them there...wherever we go," she smiled, thinking of that happy future.
"I'm so happy to see you again," he sighed blissfully as another couple came toward them. It was the king and queen of the Monster Heroes kingdom, also having been informed that they were to be sent back.
"Hello, there," Queen Alexis said with a smile, her husband at her side.
"Alexis, who is this?" King Jaden asked politely. He already had a good idea, knowing that there were other couples that they would meet and later fight alongside when they were sent back.
"Jaden, this is Anne and Syrus. They were a prince and princess back on Earth, in the human world," Queen Alexis explained, smiling. She had met Anne upon her arrival in Heaven and then had gone to get Jaden when Syrus was due to arrive.
"Earth...that other dimension, then," he said, understanding. "Hi!" he grinned, coming to the medieval couple. "I'm Jaden."
"It's nice to meet you, Jaden. I'm Syrus," the gray-eyed prince greeted warmly.
"We would've been friends in our worlds, I'm sure...Did you come here after a long, great life?" Jaden asked, not meaning to hurt anyone.
Annie sighed. "No; he should've had a longer life...I wasn't meant to have a long life, it seems..."
Syrus frowned. "But you should have had a longer one than you did, my love."
"Jaden, they were not as lucky as we were," Alexis said.
"I'm sorry," the king apologized. "I just died of old age..."
"My heart was too weak...If I hadn't seen Syrus hurt and thought he was killed, I would've only lived to birth our child," Anne sighed. It was bittersweet to her to know all of this, but the thought of the future mission made her feel better.
"I...took my own life soon after she came here. But I was forgiven, and I shall forever be grateful to God for doing so," Syrus explained.
"You couldn't live without her," Jaden understood. "I tried taking my life too when Alexis was expecting our first son."
Alexis explained what had happened with Yubel to the other couple. "You were confused and in pain," Syrus replied understandingly. It is how he had been when Anne died.
"It's all right, Jaden...Sometimes, we don't think," Annie said.
"Yeah...I didn't end up with a lot in the brain department," the brown-haired young man grinned sheepishly.
"Alexis says you're smart," the blue-eyed princess countered.
"Jaden, you are smart. You were a wonderful king, remember?" Alexis added, smiling.
"Yeah, but you were the power behind the throne," he explained.
"All I did was support you and give you advice. Jaden, your people counted on you to make good decisions, and you did every time. Even when I wasn't there to help you," she reminded him patiently.
"I guess you're right, my love," he smiled. And so the two couples got well acquainted.
Eventually, another couple joined them. "I can't believe we didn't meet up before now," Tiberius said. "I mean, I think Rosalia and I have been up here for longer than you, Anne and Syrus."
"I suppose that our paths simply never crossed," Rosalia added.
"The landscape of Heaven is larger than any other land," Syrus agreed.
"I guess you're right, my love," Tiberius smiled.
Jaden looked around, still awed at the size of the place. "It's big here..."
"And much better than Rome. People aren't killed here," Tiberius observed.
"Yes, it is nice to be free of that worry. And it is so peaceful here," Alexis replied, smiling happily.
"And everyone is wanted," Tiberius added, looking lovingly at his wife. He had indeed kept his promise to her and kept all their children.
Rosalia smiled at him, and then another pair walked over to them. "Hello," Violetta greeted cheerfully. She was holding hands with Bastion, and both were as young as they had been the day they met.
"Hey, welcome to...Heaven, right?" Jaden grinned.
"Yes, I think it is," Bastion answered. "My name is Bastion and this is my wife, Violetta...And you are?"
"Jaden," the other boy grinned.
"I'm his wife, Alexis," Alexis added.
"I'm Syrus and this is my wife, Anne," Syrus greeted.
Anne moved forward. "Hello, Violetta."
Violetta grinned, also coming forward. "Hello, Anne. It's nice to meet you."
"I know we didn't meet before, but...I think we should have," the princess said, genuinely feeling the bond between herself and the purple-headed girl.
"It's strange, but...I feel the same way, Anne. Though, it would have been hard. Judging by the way you are dressed, you lived a few centuries before I did," Violetta replied, sweat-dropping.
Anne nodded. "Did you have a full life? Were you a mother?"
Violetta smiled, remembering all of her children. "Yes, I had seven children." Anne sighed. Even here, there was the lingering regret she had from her past lifetime. Violetta frowned, catching the sigh. "Is something the matter?"
"I'm sorry...My child never even drew breath," the princess said softly.
"Oh, I'm sorry...if I had known," the Renaissance woman replied, feeling bad.
"No, I asked...I just wish...My one wish was to be a mother, and I died before my babe could even quicken in my womb," Anne sighed again.
"I am certain it would have been a lovely babe. I am sorry that you died before it could be given life," Violetta said kindly, her green eyes full of sympathy.
"It was my fault," Anne groaned softly. She hadn't been able to let go of her regrets yet.
"Anne, did you wish to die?" Violetta asked pointedly, not wanting the princess to torture herself.
"No, but I should've known. If I had not gone to the battlements...I would have lived the necessary months and Syrus would've lived a much longer life. He would have stayed alive for our daughter..."
Violetta placed a comforting hand on Anne's shoulder. "Anne, we all make mistakes in life. Whether they are for the better or worse, there is no changing them. You must simply enjoy what you have, and not mourn for the rest of your days what you lost or might have had if things had turned out differently."
Anne sighed again. "My mistake killed three..."
"But you should be glad that you can be with Syrus. Rejoice that you were granted to remain here with him by your side," the other girl said.
"I have," Anne said gently.
"She's right," Bastion said, feeling brotherly toward the princess. "Be glad of that...and that you have each other...It's all right..."
"Oh...we...have a mission and will be sent back," Anne remembered.
Violetta blinked. "Sent back?"
"Yes," said a familiar booming and yet gentle voice.
"Hello, Lord," Anne said.
Violetta's eyes went wide. "The Lord...?" she murmured in awe.
"Yes," God said.
"No matter how many times this happens, I am so not used to it," Jaden said, stunned. And then he got a huge smile on his face. "Hi, God!" God smiled back.
"God?" Bastion added, stunned. Rosalia and Tiberius, meanwhile, had fallen to their knees in a respectful bow. Back during their lifetime, they would bow like this in prayer to the gods and goddesses in the temples. And they had been raised to do the same if they ever met such a being.
"You may stand," God said. "I may be worshipped, but My followers are also My children."
The Roman couple exchanged glances, but stood. "Mighty and powerful God, why have you appeared before us?" Rosalia dared to ask, though her tone was soft and respectful.
"Yes, Lord, why?" Tiberius added curiously.
"I am here to inform all of you that the time approaches for all of you to return to Earth. I have a special mission for all of you," God answered with a smile.
"All of us??" Alexis asked in surprise.
"All of you...and some others as well...You remember Prince Chazz?" the Almighty asked.
"Yes, he was prince of the Ojama Kingdom," Alexis answered.
"He will be part of this mission as well...But all of you will have some very difficult times ahead, even in this new life...You all have hardship. Anne, you will return to the world and what felled you then will place you in danger," God explained carefully.
"All right, but... Will I..?" Anne asked, not quite able to voice the desire of her heart on Earth.
"You will be blessed with children," God answered, knowing what she wanted.
Syrus smiled at his love, just as glad as she was at this news. "Lord, will we all find each other again?" Violetta asked curiously.
"You will and you will battle dark forces using special monsters. The Egyptians did...in fact, some of them are being sent back," God answered again.
"Then, we are not the only ones?" Rosalia asked.
God pointed over to another area where a young man with spiky tri-colored hair looked down at Earth and then at a young woman with brown hair and blue eyes. Then a young man with brown hair and blue eyes held the hand of a young woman with white-blonde hair and blue eyes. "They will fight before you are ready to do so. You will learn how they fight in your new lives and fight in much the same way."
"How?" Jaden asked.
"Dueling," God answered.
"Dueling?" most of the group asked. And of course, Jaden and Alexis quickly explained.
"We have to save the world using monsters?" Bastion asked.
"That are on...'cards'?" Violetta added, confused.
"Yeah," Jaden said. "It'll be okay..."
"One thing," God said, "this won't just be a game to you all...You have to prevent evil from taking over..."
"We are...crusaders?" Anne asked, knowing of knights that had gone to other lands.
"In a way," God answered. "But this is not like that. Do not worry, young one."
"Lord, not that we are not honored for being chosen, but...might I ask why you chose us?" Alexis asked.
"You all have courage and the ability to duel, and you will also be magnificent friends," the Lord answered again. "You will not waver when it is time to make hard choices and you will hold each other up."
The group exchanged glances. Most of them had only just met, and here they were to become that close in their new lives? But somehow, they knew what God said was true.
"Then...I guess we're in good company," Jaden said. "So...are we reborn?"
"You are. Normally I don't send you back, but occasionally, I make exceptions," God explained.
"Whoa," Tiberius said.
"Some of you will have different names," God added.
"...We will not remember anything of our past lives or what occurred here, will we?" Rosalia suddenly asked, frowning.
"No, but you will instinctively know your friends too well. Syrus...you will see your brother again, and you will not have it easy with him," God said.
Syrus blinked in surprise and frowned. "I won't? But he will be my brother..."
"He is your brother, but the choices he makes for a time may hurt you," God said clearly and kindly.
"...I will just have to do my best to help him through such times," Syrus said in a determined voice.
"You will do it," Anne said, clasping her husband's hand. "Won't he?" she asked. God nodded.
Syrus smiled. "Lord, will I have my brother as well?" Alexis asked hopefully. No matter how annoying Atticus was, she still loved him dearly.
"You will, and he will be Zane's ally, and a devoted friend. And you will receive a third brother. One that will annoy you at first because he is not your brother. But then he will be adopted into your family," God explained.
"Another brother," Alexis murmured in wonder. God explained a few more things to the group, and left. And then the group was left to talk about these things, wondering when their mission would begin.
Our couples now know that they will be friends and warriors together in their next life. So in our final tale in this collection, we will see the gang reborn into the world as tiny babies. So please read, review and stay tuned for "Rebirth." Thank you!