I opened my eyes when the feeling of piercing never came. Did something happen? I didn't hear the sound of them clattering to the ground. Did...did someone die? I was reluctant to find out, but I looked anyway, and what I saw in front of me paralyzed me.
The purple robe that I had adored was now stained crimson, with blades sticking out here and there. My mother gritted her teeth and used a shadow orb to push Alex away, then turned to look at me, the blades still sticking out in a horrifying way and tears in her eyes. I couldn't move. I couldn't speak.
"I promised on the days that I had you and Luo that I would always protect you two. Even though I couldn't save Luo, I got to save you, so I...fulfilled my promise. Please, take care of your father...I love you," she whispered quietly before collapsing on the floor. I couldn't find the strength to do anything except stand there, denial flooding my mind. She can't be...no...no no no...I'm dreaming. I'm dreaming right!? I have to be. I have to be! This isn't real! None of this is real! I couldn't deny it though, the evidence was right in front of me. I was clearly awake. I was clearly living my nightmare.
I dropped to my knees with my breath shaking. I struggled to speak, but nothing came out. Every inch of me trembled as I stared right at her, my brain trying it's best to deny it all. It was hard to deny though. My mother was dead.
Once I finally thought I was able to say something, all that came out was a loud sob. Tears began spilling from my eyes like a waterfall and I found that I couldn't move again. I'd never hear her voice again. I'll never feel her hugs again. I'll never...I'll never do anything with her ever again... Everything hurt and I paid no attention to my surroundings. I didn't care what came to get me. I just wanted it all to end. I wanted it to be a dream. I wanted everything to be fake! I wanted my life back! I wanted my family back! Luo, Uncle Clouse, my mother, I wanted them all back NOW! Life doesn't work that way though...and that was something I couldn't grasp at that moment in time.
I suddenly started feeling angry though, knowing who caused this all. Alex. He did this. He killed her. Now he's gonna kill you and Kai next. I looked up from my mother's body at the return of the master of psionics. At first he looked shocked, but then a victorious smile came to his face. That bastard.
I got up and faced him, glaring at him. He chuckled a little bit. "What's wrong? Poor mommy's got a booboo? How awful. Boohoo," he taunted. I narrowed my eyes. He thinks he can just go around, killing who he wants? No. I'm putting an end to this. I'm putting an end to it all now!
A new energy pulsed through me, taking every ounce of anger and hatred and turning it into energy. I could see black, smoky darkness surrounding my hands and feet. I didn't know what was happening, but it felt great! I felt powerful! I felt like I was bigger and stronger! I felt like I could do anything!
"Woah there. I know I've said you're smokin' before...but you're literally smoking right now..." Alex began to look nervous. Good, be nervous, be scared. Regret what you did! I decided to stop waiting then. If I really do wanna make Alex pay for what he's done, I should do it now, before he decides to teleport away like a chicken.
"Nankai datte...nankai datte...Again and again you kill people for your own personal enjoyment, believing it spreads your cause and makes you look more powerful. Though, believe me, it doesn't," I spoke, beginning to circle him. The intricate lines from earlier wrapped themselves around his ankles and hands, holding him in place. He began to look more panicked. "All it does is make you look like an animal. Like you should be locked up, chained to the wall, and hunted. It doesn't make you look like genius. It doesn't make you handsomer or higher in class. It makes you uglier."
"Okay...don't lose your chill here..." Alex's voice was just as nervous as his expression. I turned and connected my knee with his face, hearing a crunch come from his nose. He cried out from the pain, trying to reach up and hold his broken nose.
"That's what it felt like when you killed Xavier. Someone I barely knew but still admired like a friend," I circled him. I then proceeded to kick him in the groin and punch him in the face. I didn't stop though. I landed a hit everywhere I could, taking out my anger on him. He was now a human punching bag. Though, just so I could disable his ability to teleport, I turned and broke his hand by bending in the wrong way. I heard him cry out in pain. Good. Are you regretting what you've done yet?
"And that's what it felt like when you killed my mother. Need I demonstrate more?" I growled. He didn't answer, only groaned and gritted his teeth from his bruises and broken hand. I released him, letting him fall to the ground. He clutched his hand, whimpering like a puppy, but I didn't want to end it here. I wanted to hurt him more. I wanted him to actually feel my pain. I wanted him to feel the loss. The denial. The longing to see them again. All of it.
"Tell me, Alex, are you afraid of the dark?" I asked him, powering up an orb. I'd end it here. I'd be free. I would feel satisfied. My mother's killer would cease to exist, and I would be happy. But would I really be happy?
Before I could end it, I felt someone grab my arms and pull me away. I watched Kai take my place, but he kicked Alex away, casting a glare at him and showing a thumbs-down that only lasted a second. He then turned back to me, his expression still serious. My eyes narrowed. Why didn't he let me finish him off!?
"Why'd you pull me away!? I was going to finish him off!" I shouted. Kai sighed, then looked behind me. Don't ignore me you pea-brained loser!
"I think she's still in that state. The one Sammie was talking about," he spoke to whoever was behind me calmly, as if he weren't in rage mode minutes ago. What the hell are they talking about!?
"Well, let me see," I heard Lilly's voice before she came out from behind me and kneeled down in front of me. She waved a hand in front of me like she was testing if I was blind, then hesitantly poked my arm, looking concerned.
"What the crap is the meaning of this!? I'm fine! Just let me-" Before I could finish, I was slapped across the face. I instantly lost all the energy I had gained earlier as I snapped back into my senses. Gosh, what was I doing? Like, I knew I was angry, but I wasn't up for killing someone! I do hate Alex...but I don't really like killing people. It was enough I was the one who fired the shot that killed Sebastian.
"Huh?" I blinked as Lilly breathed a relieved sigh.
"Okay, it was the thing then. Sammie was right," she told Kai, in which he nodded. I was still confused. What was going on? Did we win?
"Wh...what's going on?" I asked, looking around. I noticed that most of the mechs were gone, except for one. Though, when I looked to my right, my heart shattered to pieces.
My father was kneeling next to my mother, his hair hiding his eyes. I couldn't tell if he was crying or not, but I knew I was. Just recalling the memory was more painful than sticking your foot in a meat grinder. I watched him slowly pull each blade out of her, as each blade pierced me mentally. It hurt. It hurt a lot.
"Sammie said you were having an 'elemental overload'. You know, those things Sammie talked about when she, Cass, and Nya all spent the night in our room not too long ago? Kai doesn't think it was a full one though, since he's had many," Lilly explained to me. My eyes widened. I was having one of those!? But it didn't feel like half! It felt like full!
"You didn't use much of your powers, so I assume it to be half," Kai added. I sighed.
"Is it all over though? Did we defeat them?" I asked. Kai immediately shook his head.
"No, the fight is still going on, but I pulled Lilly up here while you were throwing your rage fit. I was kind of concerned on the way you were acting," the master of fire replied, pointing to his right. I looked in that direction to see a bigger mech walking through, with many people fighting it. I was sort of captivated by it, and I got up and walked to the side of the mech, watching them all. It just looked like a big fight scene in a movie, free of any grieving or loss. Only death and people striving for victory. I could see people I knew fighting. I saw Skylor being carried in the air by Seliel as she shot projectiles from her crossbow. Both Cass and Hunter were combining their powers and trying to blow the mech away without blowing anyone out of the air. Sammie was giving Nathan light as he used waves to hit key areas of the mech's feet, while Zane froze waves that Nathan and Nya made. Cole repeatedly threw boulders at the mech's head and neck while Lloyd destroyed what he could with the green orbs of explosive energy he carried. I could see Mrs. Genisis shooting key areas of the mech's head with her sniper rifle, possibly trying to shoot whoever was piloting it. Yamikani tried to slice the mech's hands off as a blonde girl with a pink cheerleader's skirt on used what I believed to be a Gatling gun to tear up the armor of the mech. Jay and the Mailman were both tearing up the armor too. I didn't see Seok, Estera, or Anthony anywhere, nor did I see Jay's parents.
Lilly and Kai joined me at the edge of the mech, watching it all go down.
"You think we should help?" the master fire questioned, before a large explosion sounded from the back of the mech.
"No, I think they have it under con-" Lilly began to say, before the arrival of a high tech tank cut her words off. I don't think it's the vehicle itself that made her stop speaking though. I believe that it was the man standing on top of the tank.
From where I stood, he couldn't look older than forty. The oval-shaped lenses of his wire-frame glasses shined in the moonlight, just like his auburn hair. His clothing made him look like a plain citizen though: A green, plaid overshirt over a white undershirt and beige jeans. He was yelling something to someone sticking their head out of the tank, the head belonging to Jay's mother. I looked over at Lilly, whose eyes were as wide as the full moon shining down upon the City. Does she know this guy?
The tank's cannon then fired, sending a projectile straight into the mech's head. The head exploded and the mech fell, crushing the trees and park benches below. The three of us used Airjitzu to glide down onto the ground, abandoning the smaller mech and joining our friends. I heard Nya breathe a sigh of relief when she saw her brother.
"Did you guys get Alex?" Cole questioned, to which I shook my head.
"We have another loss to add to the total though. I should probably go retrieve Karma's father from the mech," Kai notified them before turning to look at the mech. I held a hand up before he could do anything.
"No. Give him time to mourn and be with her. He needs it," I told him, thinking about my father. He just found his wife dead, of course he's going to need time alone to just hold her one last time. Kai nodded and turned back our friends.
Just then, the blonde girl I saw with the Gatling gun earlier ran up to Nya, tackle-hugging her. Both girls were giggling as most of us looked at the two in confusion. Once Nya noticed our confused looks, she let go of the girl and cleared her throat.
"Guys, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Ashley," she introduced the girl. Both Kai and Jay's jaws dropped down to the ground.
"Girlfriend!?"
"A...Aren't you the girl from the slushie place?" Kai questioned, to which Ashley nodded.
"Yeah, and I recall your pickup lines being quite weak. Besides, you were with another girl at the time anyway," she reminded him. Kai gritted his teeth nervously.
"That was a robot! I've already told you that!" he argued. I heard Lilly sigh.
"Well, you got the weak pickup lines correct," she said. Jay still stood there, shocked. I thought I could hear his heart shattering.
As this went on, I watched Zane walk over to a pile of rubble and pick through it, pulling out a dirtied white flash drive a minute later. Looks like he found Pixal. I saw a smile come to a face before brushing off the flash drive and opening the panel on the side of his head, inserting it in it's designated spot. I felt happy for him. He must be so relieved he found her. He seemed worried and scared enough for her safety earlier.
Then, Jay's parents ran up, hugging him as the man that accompanied them walked up, the moonlight revealing his icy blue eyes. He and Lilly's eyes met then, both frozen in shock. The man gasped though, expressing his surprise.
"Lillian?" His voice was soft and uncertain, most likely unsure of who Lilly is. They really must be related then, but in what way? The blonde friend was hesitant at first, her slight movements hinting to me that she was unsure, then she ran over and hugged the man, smiling. I could hear her speaking, but couldn't understand it.
"Moi aussi," I heard the man who I believed to be her father reply. They must be speaking French. It would explain why Lilly is bilingual after all. When he finally let go over her though, they broke into conversation. Though, the presence of us caused her to stop speaking. She paused a moment, then gestured to us.
"Je vous présente mon amis," she said, "Nya, Cole, Cassidy, Hunter, Nathan, Karma, Kai, Lloyd, Jay, Zane, et Sammie."
The man acknowledged us, smiling. "Enchanté."
"Um, could you possibly speak English?" Jay spoke up. Kai elbowed him in the ribs.
"Don't be rude, Jay!" he whispered angrily. The man put up his hands.
"It is okay, I can speak English. I just do not know many words," he informed us all. He then nodded to Lilly.
"This is my father, Pierre. He's...nothing like my mother. Just saying that before Porcupine over here freaks out," she informed us. I thought I heard Kai breathe a sigh of relief. I was slowly fading out of the conversation though and falling inside my mind. I kept being reminded that my mother was dead by my own brain and it hurt. I felt as though I was being stabbed. Everyone was having happy endings while I was still here, just escaping the nightmare that had transpired not long ago. I could see our other friends approaching with smiles on their face. Yes, we defeated Alex, but I couldn't smile. I didn't feel victorious. I felt sort of...empty. Like, another piece of me was missing now. I always knew that the phrase 'victory comes at a price' was true but...
I never imagined it would have been like this.
A/N: Brief heads up before there's any confusion that Ashley is NOT an OC.
If you've ever heard of the background cheerleader from the fandom, that's her. I just gave her a name :D