Date: X/XX/2013 — Time: XX:XX
Nothing ever really ends until it’s forgotten.
Homeostasis knew that, hence why she worked so hard to remember. Why she buried each memorial into a bottle, so there would be some life left to something, so the ends did not have to come.
She placed another bottle on a high shelf. Of course, it was all metaphysical, so unless anyone walked into this digital plane with the proper mindset, they wouldn’t see anything. And, for the moment, Homeostasis was content with such. Without Gennai, there was no one to talk to in the first place that wasn’t subservient.
The thought of him made Homeostasis press the cap on another bottle a little too tight. She left the footstool behind and took the extra steps to her chair. It was still as soft and squishy as ever, but then the beanbag would never deflate. It had been one of his last gifts to her, before the end.
Her heart ached for him. But then, perhaps this was better. The restless spirit could finally be at peace and another would come. When he was ready. Or she. She’d quite like a female acolyte to stick around this time. It would make her life much more interesting. Or at least different.
But until then, Homeostasis would be alone and she was going to have to get used to it, for all the problems she had caused. Or let Yggdrasil cause chaos in her grief and pain.
Homeostasis took a breath to calm her nerves and closed her eyes. “Everything has been set into motion,” she said to no one and everyone, to her bearers, to the children below. “What you do with it is your choice and yours alone. I would ask you let me rest for a time. But I will come back someday, when the queen needs to be culled, I will be. I only ask that this time, you think of me fondly and wish happiness for me, as I do for you.”
Dramatic farewell, yes, but it would do.
A book appeared from nowhere, settling on a desk that began existing alongside it. A pen appeared and scribbled Homeostasis shut her eyes. Her breathing, a mechanism that was a recollection of a time long gone, evened out after a good few minutes until the only sound was a little god, snoring peacefully alone.
Well, almost alone.
Soft footsteps padded across an unseen floor. Their owner clutched a soft blue blanket in both hands, dragging it on the carpet. And yet, when they put it up to Homeostasis’ chin, it was as clean as if they had brought it from the dryer.
Nishijima Daigo sat on the spare chair, lanky limbs ungainly and torso sunk inside of it. If anyone could have seen him, it would have been downright comical.
Homeostasis slept through his flailing and dismay, which he was glad for. Once he was to rights again, he stared up where a ceiling would be, at the cosmos and lines blossoming out over their heads.
With fervor, he swiped his hand and a plain white ceiling righted itself over head. Soft elevator music came to life from now visible walls.
Daigo breathed out and in, over and over. The air was quiet. No one came.
Then he pushed himself up to roll and pat the young girl on the head, smoothing her hair and tucking her in. “Soon,” he told her. She slept through it. “You will have justice someday.”
But that day was not today. He was not going to be the one to dig into Yggdrasil’s circuitry and make the old monster pay for the murders it probably didn’t care about..
Words spoken, he closed his eyes and disappeared.
It was time to go and wait. He couldn’t see her yet. He didn’t have the courage.
Gennai watched.
Slumped in his bed, buried in tea, the elderly, youthful looking man stared blankly at the screen. On it, the tiny figure of Homeostasis slept, pretending to breathe—
Unlike him.
He coughed. Nothing came out this time. He was still breathing. He was still living.
She pretends to live and you have to struggle to try. How fair is that?
The voice was his own, only a little more excitable, a little less expectant. He would almost say it was… childish.
Well, I am. Is something wrong with that?
This was a question the chosen children could answer. There was no way to remain a child forever.
Unless you die as one and where’s the lie in that?
Gennai swallowed saliva again. “Go away,” he grunted, unable to muster up the effort to shove the voice away.
But why? We have so much fun together! I’m the highlight of your life. You accomplished so much with me at the wheel and you know it.
Gennai said nothing. He didn’t have to.
Fine. The voice was pouting, or smiling. It was very hard to tell. I’ll sleep for now, just for now. But remember, the choice is yours to make and you will make the right one. I know you will.
And he was left with wonderful, blissful silence.
Gennai wept in it, his master’s name on his lips. But she could not hear him, nor touch him. If they dared to meet once more, she would fall to this, and so would all the humans who heard her voice. And the worlds one day would end. One way or another.
So he suffered in silence. Or nearly.
He too, tried to sleep.
Yuuri never wanted children.
He loved his nieces by bond, loved his new goddaughter, loved sitting down at a table full of people and to be washed over by the comfort of knowing them all and knowing they really wished him about as much harm as a freshly made fruitcake.
But hearing the triplets start screeching down the hall of the inn after Makiko almost cemented the idea that he did not want to have anyone small of his own for at least another decade. Maybe a decade and a half. Never seemed like a good option too.
“Do I want to know?” he asked as Makiko leaped high up over heads (there was something in the Himekawa genetics, he was sure, to make impossible feats like frog leaping natural) and landed perfectly on her feet as she kept up towards the entrance.
Maki, sitting by the table with a cup of coffee in hand, merely sipped on. “Nothing exciting. They’re just jealous Lopmon behaves for her and none of their little Chibimon like them much.”
Yuuri wanted to laugh. “First world problem?” As he spoke, Poromon settled on his shoulder and rested comfortably against one cheek.
“A bit of one.” She didn’t shift at the sight, there was no envious flash. Her hand did tremble a little as she lowered her cup however. ‘To be fair this happens a lot, though, especially in larger families. They just get used to the family they have and then it doubles in size.’ She smiled and shook her head. “They’ll slow down soon enough.”
“At least they’re toilet trained,” Yuuri said with a snort. “You missed when they weren’t.”
“One little toddler learning how to sit on a cold toilet was enough thank you.”
Yuuri laughed and Poromon, quiet as ever, chirped agreement.
Maki glanced back at her paper, before returning to the work at the small table. “Don’t you have training to do?”
Yuuri blinked. “I… you remembered?”
“Your husband extrapolated for me.” A grin crossed her face and he saw the little girl who had danced through trees and yelled curse words she shouldn’t have known at giant dragons in that smile. “If you hurry, you can at least eat some breakfast.”
Yuuri squinted. “I’m up on time.”
“Are you?”
Now Yuuri couldn’t help but wonder. “At least I’m dressed.”
“There is that.” Maki settled back as people rushed in and out. One, Yagami Taichi, spared them both a nod before he went past them all in his too big suit.
The two of them watched him go. Then, with a sigh, Maki packed up her papers. “I suppose I should find Makiko before she hits a tree.”
“I’ll go with you,” he offered. “In case Viktor got a hold of her.”
“Humans are such easy prey,” Maki replied in answer.
Yuuri managed a smile as she stood up beside him. “Indeed we are. It’s what makes us interesting.”
“So it does.”
There were voices outside. One high and one lower, both giggling like champions. “I think that sound signals terror.” Her voice was wry. “For us.”
“We should head it off,” Yuuri managed to say, stroking pink feathers.
“Probably,” she agreed.
There was a pause.
“Want to skive instead?” Yuuri offered, eventually.
Maki smiled. “I thought you’d never ask.”
As they walked, Yuuri’s phone rang. He flicked the call open. “Phichit?”
“Yuuri!” His friend’s voice was breathless, excited and trembling with something. “You won’t believe who I just saw!”