Sparkplug took the role of leading him to the grave. It lay under a statue in her likeness in the center of Ianite’s garden. A sapling saved from Jerry’s tree had been planted nearby. On the way over, His older counterpart had told him the garden was built around where they had reburied her.
Old emotions were hitting all at once now that Sparklez was seeing the statue. Even though it wasn’t really her, or maybe it was. For all he knew, with all he’d seen, statues could carry life. Spirits bound themselves to structures or manifested themselves. The dead walked. she had walked for a short time. Perhaps her previously lost soul bound itself to this statue in another world. Honestly, that would have been one of the less weird things he’d seen sense dealing with gods.
“I’m back. I’m sorry it took so long. Things happened.”
The ambience in response honestly took him as a shock. What had he been expecting? he wasn’t sure. maybe her ghost to come and judge his actions. Maybe a breeze would come through representing her touch to comfort him. Instead the same birds chirped. The same crickets clicked. A cicada made an obnoxious noise somewhere nearby. But there was no representing reaction from her. She wasn’t there.
“I... Gods, why did it have to be you? Furia could have easily attacked any of us but just talked us down, why did he lose his temper when you came along? Why couldn’t it have been one of us? We could have come back even if Furia was the one to bring down the blade. Why couldn’t it have been-”
He almost said her brother’s name. He held off. He’s not that desperate. He and Redbeard both had a lot taken from them that night. Redbeard probably more. He new her better. Sparklez had only known her a few weeks and the universe itself, along with tens of thousands of the voices as well as the pair’s freinds began arranging for them to get together. Not that he would have disliked it. Neither of them would have. They felt drawn together and even if things were awkward, it didn’t sound like a bad life. Then, as the wedding was being prepared she was...
“I’ll find a way. I’ve learned magics and different technologies. I haven’t found an answer in them yet, but I won’t quit. I’ll find a way to bring you back.”
A promise. A vow. One to replace the one he never got the chance to make.
“Ambitious, aren’t you. I suppose we are quite similar, even if you’ve got a lot for life to teach, still.”
Spark Plug snuck up on him. Fair Lady, he could’ve killed the old man.
“Sorry. It must look odd to see a grown man giving such a heartfelt speech to a statue.”
“Not really. I’ve had my time to grieve the loss of my wife. You never got the chance to mourn yours.”
“She wasn’t my wife yet.”
“And mine’s not exactly dead. Doesn’t make it hurt any less.”
If the old man was trying to cheer him up it wasn’t working. Well, maybe it was sort of working.
“It’s in good hands, then. I won’t get much use out of it anyways.”
“I got it by defying her.”
“Then you probably thought it was in her best interest.”
“Of course I do. They both say the same things about you, so there’s no doubt in my mind about it.”
“She visits me sometimes. Mine does, I mean. In my dreams.”
Spark Plug looked to the sky.
“She talks about you. She talks about the other you connected to you. Or the other you that was connected to you, rather. She talks about what you did for our world. I tell her of the version of her from your world, and the world you lived in with so little magic. We talk about here. Each day it takes all I have to just brew a Brew of Sleep and just... not wake up.”
He looked ack at his double.
“But I have duties here still. I have to watch out for the heroes of my world who look to me for guidance. I aid The Guide in interceding for Nade when disputes arise from his status as a follower of The Reaper. Now, my daughter is here with her love, and my grandson is still learning his powers. I need to be here to do what she can’t be here to do for our family, and for those I care for.”
Now he looked to the statue.
“You should do the same for her now.”
“I’ll take that into consideration. Thank you.”
“of course. What life hasn’t taught you, I’ll be there to. You’re included in those she isn’t around to help, after all.”
Spark Plug began to walk off.
“Are you going to linger here a bit longer?”
“I’ll leave you to it then.”
“How did you know? That we aren’t connected to our selves at the screen, I mean?”
“It was a hunch, honestly. Even though this world was a game to them, they still cared deeply for it.”
He continued on the path.
“The fact that you were in the void so long means they likely couldn’t help.”
“If you could figure that out, I guess you really do know more than me.”
