Well, everyone. There it is.
(Lowkey continued from @sliami 's replies)
Jade and Serenity sit at the table that presently constitutes as the centre of all of existence. There is a growing air of tenseness, especially from Jade, who, with her close ties to thefabric of space itself, can feel the collapsing of the universe as if it is in her very bones. The feeling is intensely claustrophobic, like being locked into a coffin buried within miles and miles of the concrete of nonexistence.
Jade looks at Serenity, then up at the monitor displaying the tournament progress, then back at Serenity, sadly.
"I think its almost over," she says. Serenity looks back at her sympathetically.
There are a few beats of silence, followed by a sigh. "Serenity, I... I miss everyone so much. Not just my friends. Not just the people I liked! I miss everybody! I just have no idea whats happened to them, or what's going to happen to..."
She trails off, but Serenity understands. "I'll remember all of this for you," she beeps with her insect behind. "Whatever its worth, wherever I'm going."
Jade smiles a bit, but them something seems to click in her mind. Instinctual. Not an animalistic instinct but something... more. More expansive.
"Serenity... I think there's something I'd like to try," Jade puts down her cup and opens a palm to the firefly, who understands the gesture and flies over, landing in the middle of her hand.
"What is it?" The bug beeps.
"I think... maybe I can fix this. Maybe I can put everything right... somehow."
Serenity thinks for a moment. "What if it doesn't work?"
"Well, what do we have to lose?"
Serenity nods, but before she can get comfortable, Jade interrupts the moment of silence and adds, "I just... I'm..."
She trails off, collecting herself before continuing. "Serenity, I... don't know if you'll... survive it, though."
"What makes you say that? What are you doing?"
"I don't know, Serenity. I don't even know how I know to do this! And maybe you will survive but... it won't hurt, okay?"
"You are being very vague, human. I don't understand."
Serenity crawls forwards on Jade's palm and Jade turns her hand to keep Serenity up straight.
"This whole time... You've been observing all of us, haven't you? Watching us and remembering, carrying on where the rest of us couldn't."
Serenity nods. "Yes, I could sense the way everything was falling apart, so I just wanted to do what I could for everybody..."
"I'm going to try to use that. Take what you remember and... remake everything."
"What? That doesn't make any-"
"You are going to be our new universe Serenity."
For once, I proper silence falls.
"I don't know how," Jade answers the question that wasn't asked. "I just feel it. The universe wants to survive. I feel it speaking to me. I think I can do this Serenity. No- I know I can do this! There has to be a reason that all these people let me survive this long, right? It's because they believe in me, and what I am capable of! I have to- I have to..."
At this point, Jade is holding two hands out in front of her, cupping the bug in her hands, the only being left to keep her company. Quiet sobs fill the room - or at least what is left of it. The walls are starting to deteriorate now. There isn't much time left. Serenity looks up at her sadly, knowing that there isn't much for her to do besides be with her.
"Stay with me, Serenity." Jade says, in a hushed voice. "The collapse is culminating towards me. If you stay with me, you have a chance, even if this doesn't work."
They both know this is nonsense, and isn't the way that this works, but neither of them say anything to dispute it.
They sit, sadly, for what feels like an eternity. Jade's sobs being the only noise as the clock and the monitor are both swallowed by the great darkness of entropy.
Gradually, too, they fade. Swallowed not by the darkness, but by the Hero of Space, steadying herself.
"Serenity... are you ready?" She asks, her voice shaky, but stronger now.
"I'm ready," Serenity responds.
Jade closes her eyes. She stops takes her focus outwards, into what little is left of the space surrounding them, and the will that she feels with it. Out into the first guardian instincts that became a part of her when she'd fused with Bec, all those years ago... or was it just a few days ago? It all seemed so confusing now, but- No! She had to focus.
Serenity, clasped in the girl's hands, watched as the darkness around her swelled into a kailedoscope of green light - blinding. She flew out of Jade's hands as she opened uo her fingers, and as the bug found herself growing too big to comfortably rest in her grasp. What came after that - well, it would be hard to describe from the firefly's point of view, as everything after that felt like an indescribable metamorphosis. Like everything was melting down and into itself. Not just her body, but the universe around it - even the darkness too. Everything growing, melting... birthing a new universe within her increasingly eldritch body.
And Jade was right. It didn't hurt. It felt beautiful, yet impossible to describe in the words of physical and mortal life.
Jade kept her eyes closed, just focusing on whatever this process that was occurring was. The will of the universe, and... her friends. All those memories that existed within Serenity, like souls waiting to be brought back to the physical realm. Jade focused on those, her own memories, her own bonds. She just had to focus. She just had to focus. She just had to-
Suddenly, she was waking up. Disoriented and dizzy, she opened her eyes, only to raise a hand to block the sun pouring in from the sky above. Was it all a dream...?
"Jade. Jade. Jade, hey, JADE,"
A familiar voice was beside her, jostling her awake, and forcing her to wake up properly.
"Ugh, Dave, what is it!" She responded, in a half jokingly annoyed tone, as she tried to make sense of the situation.
"Oh thank god she's awake. GUYS! SHE'S AWAKE!"
Jade flinched at the yelling in her ears, but admittedly, was so incredibly relieved to hear his voice, and to hear that others were here too.
"Jade, what happened? Everything was disappearing and I was trying to save every body but I couldn't and- Was it real? Do you know? Is everything okay now? What was all of that about?"
"Hush. She only just came to, she's going to need a moment to come to her senses. It's like none of you have ever experienced a "coming back from the brink" experience before."
Jade sat up, overjoyed to have her closest friends all here beside her. She laughed. And she kept laughing. She was so happy! How could she not?
"Uhh, Jade... Are you okay?" John/June asked in a tone that expressed worry, but was just so funny to the Harley right now.
"Of course I'm okay!" She yelled, perhaps a bit too enthusiatically. "I didn't know if that was going to work, I thought I'd lost you all, yet... Is anyone else here? Is it just you guys or... did it really work?"
"Everything seems to be back in working order," Rose responds, perhaps a bit cautious for Jade's mental state after such an ordeal. "What in the world did you do?"
"It was incredible! You're not going to believe this..."
And so she shares with everyone what she did, the universe exists once more, and the firefly comes to be revered with much love and respect from all.
Thank you to everyone who participated in polls. It was a joy to host this, especially with the enthusiasm that so many of you brought to the table! And now we have our grand winner, Jade, who would do anything to make sure the joy of her win was shared amongst all the people she cared for. Congratulations Jade, and all of her friends and supporters!
dailybridgerton
titsay
gummygunk
yousharknotpass
prguitarman
areudirty
snowghoul
romaincrisis
