And we are here. Final chapter. It's been a ride, has it not?


That morning, Charlie felt wonderful, drunk with sleep and warmth. He lay with someone fast asleep in his arms after an ''eventful'' night. Well, an eventful day in general, the second-biggest reason being that he wasn't contemplating the ways he and Vega would duke it out in a battle to the death or something to that effect. They could peacefully coexist, although calling it peaceful was an overstatement.

Amongst everyone, Menat was the glue that held the brittle peace together. Menat, who was now sleeping next to Charlie. Someone who was in for some news. He had to find a way to tell her; make it special for her, make sure she sat down to hear it. Even plan it out if he had to.

Telling her in a dipshit Spaniard's castle was out of the question. This, Guile had suggested as they read the paper themselves days prior, himself trying not to dance in joy at the news. But first, everyone needed to play house with Vega and placate him with basic levels of decency.

When Charlie fluttered his eyes open, the room was partly lit by a lamp on the nightstand, its light shielded behind the drapes of the canopy. The fireplace had long since died, as its glow was no longer present. Noises from outside the drapes caused him to sit up, spotting a nude body walking around the room. Soon Menat climbed onto the mattress and took cover under the duvet. In the dimly lit space, he could faintly spot her exhausted smile once she noticed he was awake.

One couldn't blame her; Charlie had been adventurous with her, for lack of a better word, having a second round after they ate. Why? Because he felt like it. He liked to watch her writhe and listen to the sounds that spilled from her mouth. He enjoyed touching her in places that would make her purr the loudest. He hoped to create more moments like these and memories with her in general. He knew he could.

Because there would be time.

"Good morning," Menat spoke softly into a yawn. She stretched under the duvet and closed her eyes, her faint breathing being the only sign that she was actually awake.

"Morning. What were you doing running around?" Charlie asked, partly curious.

"Uh-" she began, then buried her face in the surface of the pillow. "C-cleaning your mess."

For a moment, Charlie had no idea what she was talking about until it struck him like an anvil. Heat shot to his cheeks at the thought and filled his gut with warmth and a little bit of devilish yearning to do that a third time.

Oh. That.

With time on their hands, they'd at least have more chances to get intimate without desperation being a factor. Charlie lay down next to her, covering himself with the duvet to hide the grin on his face, feeling like a young boy in school again. When he looked at Menat, she had fallen asleep again and Charlie soon followed suit. In the winter months with the short and dark days, it was easy to sleep in. It was even easier when he did it next to someone he loved.


An hour later, everyone had been summoned to ''break their fast'' as the head maid, Belinda called it. With such phrases within the walls of a castle surely built before any of them were even born, Charlie truly felt as if he had been kicked into a past century.

The grand hall that was a simple dining room wasn't helping either but it seemed that Maggio and Menat had grown accustomed to it, waving at the maids and receiving a similar gesture back while they guided the trio to the ridiculously long dinner table.

It had already been set up for four people, currently only joined by Vega who sat nose-deep in a magazine, only looking up from its pages when Menat skipped to his side with a friendly; "Good morning!"

She kept her distance but remained friendly to the man who referred to her as a hole and other vile things. And it was surreal. Despite how casual Menat seemed to be with him, Charlie couldn't help but think it was all a facade when her mission was to butter him up enough to give money away.

Of course, she had to be sweet and nice to him. Deep down, there was a part of Charlie that felt disgusted that they'd make her humiliate herself like so. Moreover, despite how she had acted yesterday, Charlie had the sneaking suspicion that the snowball to Vega's face hadn't been such an accident after all.

"Greetings, mi querida," he smiled at her and she chuckled a bit, slightly uncomfortable. That was the same slimy nickname, he had given her initially upon meeting their initial meeting. Charlie could feel the bile in his gut react and he almost let his bitterness slip.

He had the tiniest feeling that Vega began doing this again just to piss him off. But Charlie wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing him upset or even remotely affected by his gross flirtations. Not for his own sake but for the apprentices who had to endure this charade to suit the selfish needs of some association.

"So, Menat, how does losing feel like?" Maggio asked, smug and self-serving while he ate his strudel. Poor thing had been absolutely smothered in whipped cream. Apparently, the maids had learned that he liked his sweets and so did their best to placate him.

"I guarantee it, you'd be throwing a hissyfit if you had lost," Menat sneered at her fellow apprentice, still a bit sore from the defeat of yesterday. She drowned her sorrows in some tea. The start of the conversation seemed to have aroused Vega's interest as he stared at the pair intently.

Ignorant of this, Maggio grinned as he sat back in his chair, "Says the one to trying to hit me with a snowball when I wasn't looking."

"I'm just learning from the master of pettiness. AKA you," Menat reached for the juice pitcher, pouring herself and Charlie a glass. There was a notch of aggression in her movements, no doubt brought on by the provocations.

If it fit her character, Charlie could imagine she'd take a note from Rose and toss the juice in Maggio's face. Watching them jab at each other and bicker was oddly amusing, for the reason that it felt like being home again. The only thing missing was Rose groaning into her cup of coffee.

"I have decided to continue sponsoring the Divination Association," Vega cleared his throat, bringing the discussion about the snowball wars to an end. For a moment, there was silence as the news sank in and a pleasant atmosphere settled over the table. Menat jumped from her seat, leaning over the table with her eyes twinkling like the light from her starlight lamp.

"Oh, that's wonderful news! Thank you so much! Everyone is gonna be so happy!"

"Holy shit, fucking finally, dude!" Maggio stretched his arms above his head, almost falling out of his chair when Menat swatted him against his shoulder.

"Maggio! Language!" she scolded him before hastily apologizing to Vega, then sat down before leaning close to Charlie.

"I told you. If I ever begin to speak like that, please, by all means, rip his soul out of me."

In all the time of knowing her, Charlie was quite aware that Menat never cursed at people. It was adorable and fascinating at the same time; it must have taken quite the discipline to reach that point where, when even drunk and furious, the worst one could get out of her was ''jerk''. He let a faint smirk spread over his lips as he voiced his musings.

"I am kinda curious to hear what a curse word sounds coming from you."

"Yeah, Menat. Stop being such a Puritan," Maggio pinched her in the waist, making her jitter in her chair again, slapping at the fingers tightly squeezing her skin.

"F-f-fudge!" it flew out of her mouth as Maggio let go, disappointed.

"Damn so close," he uttered, grimacing when his earlobe got pinched by her as she stood over him, red-faced and furious with him.

"I swear to the stars, I will end you!" she hissed and snatched the plate with his strudel. Horrified, he tried to fight for the honor of his cake, but she conquered it by dipping her spoon into it and taking a bite while snaking her arm around the plate.

"Lemon cookies and strudels are making you kooky, I'd reckon," Menat took a second bite, basking in how defeated Maggio was, staring at his strudel getting consumed in front of him. A smug smile formed over her lips. "Behold, your punishment!"

After breakfast, Menat and Maggio went out to settle their dispute in a snowball fight, although not as grand as their war yesterday. It was always surreal yet fun to watch them revert to playful children, settling whatever issues they had over games or teasing the other. Although he loved Menat dearly as a woman, he had to concur with Rose in spirit that watching the two apprentices interact with each other was like a parent watching one's children have a go at each other.

It made all the more sense when he considered what Menat had told him about herself and how she saw the people around her. She didn't have a brother and Maggio was there to fill that void, frustrating as he could be. As the snowball fight progressed, the maids stood on the sidelines, cheering and shouting, reacting to every bit of action like they were watching the sports event of the century.

Charlie imagined that the presence of the two apprentices was the most fun they'd had in years. His thoughts were interrupted by Vega inching closer, a little too close for it to not be deliberate. At most times, they had been at approximately two arm's distance between each other but now they were close enough for Vega to reach out and touch Charlie's shoulder, should he desire to.

He'd lose his fingers if he did.

"I must say, my observations have amused me greatly," he said instead. Whatever tone he was going for, it wasn't fully decipherable. Didn't exactly sound sincere either.

"Hm. Good for you. Glad you had fun," Charlie said, clicking his tongue at his distaste slipping through, taking the shape of passive-aggression.

A sardonic chuckle came from Vega. "Don't be so bitter. It'll taint the beauty from within."

Beauty within? What horseshit. So absurd that Charlie almost laughed. Instead, he grimaced a bit, letting a little acidity seep through his words yet again. "I think you should say those words in the mirror."

"Perhaps you should look into a mirror, period," Vega snarked back. He lifted his to tug a lock of blonde hair behind his ear – and made sure to show off his freakishly long nails. "But since Menat loves you so dearly despite your hideousness, I, unfortunately, have to admit defeat. Fascinating that she chose you over me. Anyway, I have access to and currently earn more money than I know what to do with so sponsoring a few pseudo-scientists is not beyond my means."

A sense of relief came over Charlie. So he hadn't just uprooted two weeks' worth of work and running around in some dipshit Spaniard's castle with his inability to hide his distaste and letting his emotions get the better of him. Again. But that left the question of; "Why…all of this? Why me here?"

Only then did Vega look him directly in the eyes. No haughtiness, or thinly veiled dislike. There was emotion but something far more human than whatever this maybe-not-dipshit Spaniard could produce. In his eyes, there was something resembling…sadness?

"I grew fond of her during her time here. I cannot stand the boy and I don't like cadavers like you either but for her sake, I'll keep sponsoring. Provided she visits again."

Charlie tried not to retch. If Menat was summoned to the castle again, he'd go with her. Regardless of what Vega said.


A few days later, the trio was finally back at the Palace of Mysteries. Finally free of the looming presence of Vega, a little saddened over parting with the maid staff who had grown quite fond of the apprentices. Maybe out of some basic generosity, Vega confirmed Charlie's worst fears and allowed them to visit the maids again.

Thankfully for now, home was sorely missed by the trio, who were more than happy to be back. Once inside, Menat twirled a bit, sighing with a grin on her face before she made her way to the first floor with Maggio in tow. In the kitchen sat Rose, enjoying a glass of that vanilla sherry. Her head perked up a bit upon seeing the trio and her go-to response was to purse her lips a bit.

"Oh, you have returned. How did it go?" she drew them into the kitchen, watching them pour inside with bags and goodies and everything. Her eyes landed on the jar of lemon cookies and Menat offered her a piece.

"Great, Master. Vega agreed to sponsor the Association again," she clapped her hands together, giddy with the news. Relief settled in the room then as the mission being a success was now confirmed.

"And his castle is still standing?" Rose asked with a playful gleam in her eye, looking at Charlie.

He shrugged and responded, somewhere between being serious and facetious. "Surprisingly yes. I don't know about his gardens though with their endless snowball fights."

"Come on, Charlie. You can't forget to mention that I won and therefore I'm the snow king! I ought to challenge you some time. Dunk some snow on your head and stuff!" Maggio nudged at him, his eyes dark with mischief and a smug thirst for victory.

"If you try to pull the same trick on me as you did with Menat, I guarantee it; you'll be buried in the snow to the neck," Charlie answered, purely jokingly but the reality of such an outcome wasn't implausible.

Maggio must have felt it too as he cowered a bit, the flame of battle in his eyes getting extinguished. From the doorway, Menat chuckled, taking the bags in her hands to carry them away lest the clutter got worse in the kitchen.

"Something tells me that's a warning, you should heed," she said before she made her way to her room and Rose nodded in agreement. Huffing in silent defeat, Maggio grabbed his bags and scurried off to his room. In the meantime, Charlie headed to the basement, thinking of his plans to tell Menat the news. It was grand so it ought to be treated like such.

But maybe he was overthinking this, despite how special it was for everyone involved. It could be easy to just pull her aside and fill her in.

The documents lay on the bed, resting in a folder, having been read numerous times by Charlie and Guile before being left there. They revealed a lot, primarily why he seemed to have improved physically and mentally. The lunatics had knocked him out, tested him, and experimented on him until they found something that worked for their ulterior motives. For some reason, they found it appropriate to stuff him in a tube afterward until Guile found him.

Charlie would forever have the green skin, the gem, and the stitches but the threat of close, certain death no longer loomed over him like before. He'd live as he would before his ultimate end, amazing as that was. Sure, he was rendered sterile from being a corpse once but for the chance of having a fulfilling life, that was a small price to pay.

It would also explain why they kidnapped Charlie in the first place. What their ulterior motive was, he didn't know. He was curious but not interested enough to find out. They wanted Bison dead and they got what they wanted. One of these days, he should join Guile on an adventure to bring them down if they served as a threat to the world.

Like the good old days.

After unpacking his minimal belongings, including a copy of "Hobbledehoy Of The Night", Charlie made his way upstairs to the first floor with the folder under his arm and to Menat's room, pushing the door open. She sat on the bed, polishing her crystal ball. When she saw him, her eyes lit up and she waved him over, but he kept standing where he stood.

"I'm gonna go on a little expedition. Bring tarot cards and a jacket…if you want to?"

She blinked, then turned around to gather her things, stuffing a deck of cards in her bag before she jumped off the bed and joined him. In the hallway, Rose emerged from the upstairs floor, raising a brow as she watched them leave.

"Are you traveling again already?" she folded her arms over her chest and Charlie answered with a faint smirk. "No, we're just going out for a bit."


The best way to deliver the good news was to take it to the place where everything started, Charlie concluded. As cliché as it sounded, it was a symbolic gesture, he felt. And then, he would go to that cave no longer. It was a reminder of an era long since ended. Best was it if things remained as such.

Surprisingly, Charlie did remember the path through the forest and towards the cave. In the winter, it was somewhat easier to spot due to the naked trees and the dark rock contrasting heavily against the white snow. Once Menat realized where they were, she stepped forth a bit, taking in her surroundings as the memories came to her.

"Oh…" she murmured and turned around with an unreadable expression on her face. "It's been a while since we've been here."

That much was true. It would also be the last time they ever came here.

"Yeah. It brings back memories. Do you have the tarot deck?" Charlie asked as he stood under the shelter of the cave. It looked like it always had, just colder. Inside, a few dunes of snow had blown in through its opening, making the rocky ground a little slippery. In the meantime, Menat pulled out the deck of tarot cards, shuffling them through. She was cautious in putting them on the ground, holding them all in her hands.

"Pick a card!" she announced, and he did, not surprised at what he received. It depicted an illustration of a tall structure with lighting striking its top and fire pouring out of its window – all turned upside down.

How fitting, Charlie thought.

He flipped the card, showing Menat its front. "The Tower - reversed. Avoiding a tragedy. I also read up on the major arcana."

"I wonder what this could mean though…maybe it was about Vega," she mused, folding the rest of the deck, and taking the card to ponder on its meaning more.

While she stared at the illustration, he slid the folder into her frame of view, briefly wondering if she would even understand half the stuff written there. A lot of it was written in scientific jargon, that bore resemblance to deeply technical college papers. And yet, this didn't deter her as she took the folder and read page after page, fully absorbed by each word.

"Menat, you don't have to worry anymore. There will be enough time. Even with the…man I've become, I am still alive. I'll be so for a long time," Charlie took the liberty to summarize the information, lest she'd get bored to sleep.

She lifted her head from the depths of the papers, and stared at him, deciphering every word and their meaning. Then she closed the folder, keeping her gaze intently locked on him like she was expecting him to say sike and she'd be equipped to handle the heartache.

"Is that a certainty?" Menat asked at last. It seemed that she wasn't entirely trusting of the information, she had just received. Charlie leaned back against the wall of rock behind him, shuddering at the chill seeping into his skin.

"Considering how I've felt ever since then, it seems so from the information and the reason why they took us. Not to mention a run-in with the ice bitch," he shrugged, thinking of the last encounter with Kolin. Once again, he was a means to an end, but it had a benefit this time. He stared out of the cave's opening, thinking it would be a little strange to never see that elusive woman again.

And yet, it was a blessing really. He had a feeling that this time, he could trust the words that came out of her frozen mouth. Especially since she had nothing to do with the documents from the looks of things, letting that rest with the lab rats.

"Yeah, fuck her!" it flew out of Menat, causing Charlie to look at her in surprise.

Swearing wholeheartedly sounded quite alien coming from her, she who always had such controlled language. She stood, clutching the folder, somehow having managed to surprise herself with such a comment. Quickly, she snapped her gaze to meet his, smiling broadly. In the modest light of the cave, her eyes glistened and it became apparent that she was crying.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so happy! We must celebrate this! And we should tell everyone too!" she made her way to him, holding the folder close to her chest like she was trying to protect it from the elements.

"Yes," Charlie put an arm around her and pulled her close. "Guile suggested you'd be the first person to know. Thought it could be out here where everything started."

In his embrace, Menat shuddered, then buried her face into his chest. He felt her grow tense, then relax when his hands wandered to her back. For a few moments, they stood there as she began shaking, letting the news and its possibilities sink in. He'd let her unburden herself, caressing her back, even as she began sobbing.

Stress and worries, she kept hidden, under the belief that Charlie could perish any day came flooding through her tears. He held her closely, to ensure her that he wasn't about to die any time soon. He hoped his embrace was somewhat soothing, even as the tears came coming.

Standing in a cave, located in some forest, on some island made the world seem wholly isolated. For the moment, it felt as if there was nothing outside the nearby row of trees and it was just the two of them alone, both alive. Both with a lot of time on their hands.

When Menat eventually stopped crying, she had gone soft in his arms with her face resting against his chest. She looked up, revealing her eyes to be red and puffy, completely ruining her makeup. But she was happy above all else, smiling at him with the brightness of ten suns, strong enough to melt the snow around them.

"Sorry," she whispered, wiping her face with the back of her hand. She drew a few short breaths to regain her composure and curb the hiccups.

"Don't be," Charlie reached his hand and stroked her cheek. "You had a lot on your mind."

They both did. But that was to be a thing of the past. Now, there was actually a future to look forward to. With his plan going so well as it had, Charlie figured it would be time for them to leave. He offered a still-beaming Menat his hand and she took it without a moment's hesitation, following him out of the cave as they walked through the naked forest.

"Should we get some wine to celebrate it? I wanna make it a party for everyone! A most fortuitous occasion worth getting tipsy over!" Menat exclaimed, her eyes brimming with excitement. She had firmly wrapped her arm around his by the time, they reached the main road.

"Well, I have yet to open that bottle of scotch, Rose gave me. Figured you ought to try it too," Charlie smiled, feeling quite ready for such a celebration. Feeling even more ready for the kiss pressed against his lips.

"Maybe Master had foreseen all of this. Oh, things are going to be wonderful. We have a whole lot to do but we can take it slow. Live in the now!" Menat untangled herself from his arm and skipped down the frozen road, almost slipping on a frozen puddle but laughing it off, happy as could be while they made their way back to the fishing town.

Live so that you may live. That was to be what Charlie's modus operandi would consist of from now on. Not a bad plan for a dead man walking.


You made it! Hurray! And if you did, thank you so much for reading. Happy ending, feel good, sappy shit, hell yeah! I hope you enjoyed it because I sure did.

Peace out!✌️