(A/N: This is my first piece of writing. This will be a part of the collective Multiverse of stories known as the Riftiverse, written by Sleepysaurus Rex. Check his stories out! Constructive criticism welcome. I do not own any of the franchises/media that are/will be mentioned in this series. Enjoy!)

"Take me down to the-"

"Burn, burn, burn, burnin-"

"All my fri-"

"Uhg! Nothing good on the radio these days…" I muttered to myself.

The same 'classics' tracks had been running on repeat on every station imaginable on my drive home from work. At first, it wasn't that bad, but as the drive wore on, they progressed from hippie beach songs to agonizingly catchy songs to the point I turned the radio off.

I sighed in sweet silence upon entering my driveway, in quaint Backwater, Missouri. Truthfully, it was just a small town called Simon, but let's not dwell on semantics. The neighborhood wasn't anything fancy, just your average suburban one-stories with friendly folks. Trees lined the street on both sides, opening onto a larger road on either end. The views and sounds of nature sure beat New York. I turned off the car and got out and started walking towards the mail, knowing Clara wouldn't have done it. 187 Walters, the label read. I opened the box, surprised to find no mail except for some random promotional about girl scout cookies.

"I don't remember signing up for this," I muttered. I took the promo with me anyways, figuring I could use the sugar at some point.

"Hey, Wally! Still driving that hybrid?" I heard someone call behind me.

"Fuck off, Tommie! A Prius is a good and economical choice of car! What do you get on that F-150, ten?" I called back. It wasn't anything ill-natured, just a sort of ritual I did with the neighbor. Tommie was pretty chill, just a bit of a gearhead with a fixation on trucks.

"'Sides, tonight's the finale with Clara! Can't be late!" I shouted back to Tommie as I made my way back to the entrance to the house.

I used the key on my keychain, getting in without any hassle. The living room opened up before me, merging into the kitchen in an open design. Clara was nowhere to be seen, probably in her room re-enacting anime fights. To follow up on that theory, I turned left down a small corridor filled with pictures. Clara and I at the park. Clara and I shaking hands with Mr. DuPont in front of a marble column. Clara, Dad, and I-.

I stopped looking at the pictures, some of the memories too painful to remember. Clara insisted we keep them, bless her heart. If it weren't for her, I'd have tossed most of them. Approaching her door, I heard muffled sounds of a mock Gundam fight, coming from Clara's room, guessing right as I threw open the door, startling the teenager.

"SIEG ZEON!" I shouted as I grabbed the nearest Gunpla from its stand, uncaring for its model.

"Soren! Stop! You'll break it! I just got it! And Zeon's not in Iron-Blooded Orphans!" Clara yelled back at me, her golden blonde hair flaring out at me as she attempted to grab the model kit from my hands.

Upon closer inspection, I noticed it was her newest model, the Barbatos Lupus, clutched in my grip. I set it down, calming the little hellion. I was one of the few people she let touch her Gunpla, solely because she knew I helped pay for them and wouldn't break them. I grabbed her in a bear hug, with an indignant "hmph" coming from the teenage terror.

"What's a big brother gotta do to get a hug around here?" I asked teasingly as I released her.

"Well if you didn't mess with Barbatos first, I would've given you one. At least let me know you're coming in next time. I could've been undressed!" Clara shot at me.

"I haven't heard of any Gundam pilots going into battle naked before, so I didn't think it'd be an issue. Besides, aren't you forgetting something? About tonight?" I prompted. It took her a second, but she brightened the instant the realization came to her.

"It's the season finale!" Clara exclaimed. I backed out of her way as she rushed to get Netflix up on the living room tv.

"Did you do your chores first?" I called after her, getting a distinct "Yes!" in response, with no further answer.

Following at a much more casual pace, I settled onto the couch just as she was putting on the most recent show we were binging. While we were watching a season finale, the show had been out for a few years now. Clara was about to press play when the doorbell chimed off, signaling a pause in our activities.

"I'll get it," I said, weary body aching from my day at the warehouse. "Hurry back!" Clara urged, impatient to get started.

I just gave her a thumbs-up, and walked up to the door, passing more family photos. I ignored them, knowing they were grim reminders of our shared past. When I looked through the peephole, I was surprised to find a girl scout standing on our doorstep. I undid the latch and deadbolt, opening to a small, auburn-haired, and freckled face. She was smiling that smile only children could pull off in youthful innocence.

"Hiya sir! I saw you pull in just after I put our ad in! Our troop is sending out complimentary flavor packs to try a new line of cookies. Their flavors are based on our favorite bands!" the scout squeaked out.

"Oh, jeez. Uh, thanks. Um, what's your flavor?" I asked, getting increasingly uncomfortable as I felt Clara's stare bore into the back of my skull.

"Chemical Romance! Here's a free sample box. Just let us know your honest opinion on a survey when you're finished, 'kay?" the scout asked, almost too cheerfully. I dismissed it, though, accepting the box of cookies labeled "Chemical Romance."

As the scout left, I closed and locked the door, once again making my way to the couch. As I sat down, I opened the package and started munching on the sweets, finding them, well… sweet. I noticed Clara attempt to grab one and playfully swatted her hand away.

"I know you found my candy stash, Clara. At least let me have this." I complained, fending off the teen.

"Fine. But I'm starting it now, no interruptions," she said.

"Fine by me. Let's see how Michiru handles this crisis, shall we?" I asked rhetorically. The opening to Brand New Animal began to play, showing off the many denizens and streets of Anima City.

"Man, now that is how you do a proper plot twist. And Shirou? Man! I cannot even begin to describe that sheer badassery!" Clara exclaimed as the closing credits started rolling, an arrested furry Hitler being taken off to jail and a mayor giving a speech to her people.

"Well, I think it's about time we ma-" I started, unable to finish as a gut-wrenching pain shot through my body. I tried speaking again, the nausea coming on stronger and overwhelming my sense of balance. I fell down, convulsing as pain rocketed through my stomach and intestines. I could vaguely hear Clara frantically yelling, but I couldn't make anything out as I blacked out.

"... traces of sodium, chlorine, and calcium in his system. His organs are too damaged, and he's barely got an hour left, if that." I heard someone saying. It was distant, as if I wasn't really there. I looked to my left and found all sorts of medical machines and tubes, all hooked up to… me. The thought didn't affect me as much as I thought it would, probably the copious amounts of whatever drug they were pumping into me.

I saw Clara, her blue eyes red-rimmed as she listened to the doctor. They both noticed my waking up, the doctor giving Clara a minute to… what did he say?

"Hey, bro. The doctor said you don't have much longer. I… don't even know what to say…" Clara mumbled, sniffing as tears threatened to fall again. The realization I was dying hit me slowly, another effect of the drugs I was on. I took hold of Clara's hand in a firm grip, locking my eyes onto hers.

"Clara. Before I go, promise me something. Please" I managed to croak out. She looked at me expectantly, hanging on my every word. "Be better. Be better than me, go to college, finish your education. Hell, engineer a Gundam if you can." I coughed a little bit, the monitors beginning to beep frantically. That can't be good. I pressed on.

"Be better than our relatives, who ran at the chance of keeping us safe from the vultures in foster. Have a heart." I got out, coughing harder this time. I could vaguely see a doctor and nurses rushing to my bed.

"Be better than our parents. Don't let drugs tear you away from anyone you care about like it did them. Keep the ones you care about close, and those you love closer. Never let them go." I hacked up blood this time, still not feeling anything but the determination to see my message through. The doctors were trying to separate Clara and I, but my grip was iron.

"Be better than the crooks and evils of the world. Keep smiling, do good for others, and never let the leeches in this world drag you down to your level. I'm sorry I couldn't see you grow into the great person I can see you being. I love you." I finished, finally letting go.

As my world blurred around me, I could almost feel my mind going dark. Before everything went dark, though, I saw something. No, someone. A small, uniformed girl standing outside my room, smiling widely. In one last push of defiance, I pointed at her, and uttered one last, final word:

"Monster."

Handwritten note by Dr. Emily Patton

Patient was a Caucasian male teenager in custody of his younger sibling. I watched the heartbreak in his sister as she watched the life fade from him. Oddly, she seemed to have a determined look when he passed. At least he'll get justice since he pointed out that "girl." Sickening is what that was.