Alec Troven (
element_wizard) wrote2021-07-26 03:14 pm
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The other side of the portal lead to the end of everything. Or an everything. It was a surprisingly nice end of everything. A bar with plenty of tables, booths and comfortable chairs sitting by a fire with fish swimming within the flames. Rats wearing little suits scurried around carrying trays with food and drink on them to various patrons at various locations.
There's a scattering of people around with friends or by themselves. Doing everything from nothing, to eating to reading to making a mess on the table because they've pulled apart a machine. The rats are not happy about that.
And of course there's the Window where the end of the universe can be seen in all its glory. As it is the natural time of death for the universe, it won't do anything to Zack beyond looking beautiful. Repeating every few minutes or so as time is rewound. People pay to watch the universe end, not be there when it ends after all.
Alec stands on the other side of the portal, which also corresponds to a doorway, even though he was behind Zack a second ago.
"Welcome to Milliways. The restaurant at the end of the universe."
There's a scattering of people around with friends or by themselves. Doing everything from nothing, to eating to reading to making a mess on the table because they've pulled apart a machine. The rats are not happy about that.
And of course there's the Window where the end of the universe can be seen in all its glory. As it is the natural time of death for the universe, it won't do anything to Zack beyond looking beautiful. Repeating every few minutes or so as time is rewound. People pay to watch the universe end, not be there when it ends after all.
Alec stands on the other side of the portal, which also corresponds to a doorway, even though he was behind Zack a second ago.
"Welcome to Milliways. The restaurant at the end of the universe."
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Eyes loosing focus, he peers at the space around Zack. The strings that make up his reality. All the connections that make him up. From him to Abe and everyone else he's interacted with. One of them would link to his headaches and then he could follow the string back to who did it. It won't do him any good to undo the problem if it could be redone, after all.
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The magic was used when Abe was making Zack, or at least modifying him. It may be from his very creation, but it's not part of what makes him Zack. In fact it's the opposite. It impedes what should make him Zack. It's a sort of lumpy, add-on, which suits its purpose very well but is hardly refined or elegant.
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He blinks back and returns to focus into the 'real world' whatever that is. "Well. That is interesting...," he said slowly. "I know what's happened. Do you want to know what's going on?"
Again, because knowledge comes with a price. Does Zack really want to deal with the consequences? It'll be a three times ask on Alec's end, because you've got to acknowledge that yes, you really know what you want there.
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"Interesting?" That's good, right? or at least not bad. or Alec would have said if it was terrible. Zack continues for the next couple of mouthfuls, considering this carefully. He's now afraid it's a magic thing, and he's still very nervous about that.
"Gotta know," he says eventually. "If I don't I'll just imagine a shitload of what it might be. None of it good."
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"The... there's a block on you. Keeping you from what ... you really are," he said slowly. "You're not what you think you are. You've been ... modified... it's a janky job, given time it'd come apart, but right now it's there."
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"But I am what I really am," comes out of his mouth before he thinks. Zack assesses what he's just said and decides to go with it. "What else would I be?"
Putting down the burger, Zack rubs his jaw with his fingers, as if that will tell him that he's actually what he is, or whatever. Then realising how dumb that is, he asks instead, "How much time? for it to come apart?"
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He then laughs. "Don't ask me about temporal things. I've barely got a hang on existing in a linear time."
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Which supports what Alec is saying.
The idea of existing outside of linear time is a weird concept too. Zack thinks it must be amazing to be Alec, despite all the shitty aspects.
"Could we... you..." Gaia's arse, Alec has given him so much already. He hates to ask, but, "would you help me get rid of it?" It's scary. No, it's fucking terrifying, the thought of magic and change, but to lose the pain would make such a difference to Zack's existence.
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Currently.
It might change later.
As for it being amazing? Well... it is.
Amazing doesn't mean good after all.
"Sure. But it will have consequences. Abe had it done to you."
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However terrifying change might be, it feels long overdue.
"Huh. Said I wouldn't put it past him, didn't I?" Zack isn't shocked, or even all that surprised. Which is sad. It makes him sad. If he had a younger brother, by Gaia, he'd never pull a fraction of the shit Abe does. "You mean consequences in Abe getting mad? Good. Let him. Arsehole.”
It might incur a punishment, but not having a near-permanent headache trumps that risk.
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"If you're fine with it, as long as you realize what you're getting into... I can get rid of it."
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And now too, he has the choice, where he didn't before.
"Free will, right? Comes with its own set of problems."
He'll start munching on his burger again, pondering the future.
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Zack will have to open up on the book and start the summons himself.
"Free will, such as it is, does come up with its own problems," he agrees. And a tilt of the head as he notices something across the room. "Mm... I'm going to be right back."
And he slides out of his chair to leave Zack alone.
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And change can be painful. That much he's learned from all the foolish mortal organisations who put wealth before the welfare of their planet.
"Uh. Oh...kay." It's actually a little alarming when Alec leaves but Zack will continue to be brave. It's the first time he's been left alone outside of Antillioch since they met. Alone in a restaurant full of strangers. He'll just glower at a few of them, and finish his meal.
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Right?
Where someone could hurt him.
He's a nice guy. Doesn't want Zack hurt. He wouldn't leave him around somewhere just to abandon him.
Sure Zack's known him for what? All of three? Four hours? But that's plenty of time to get the figure on someone. Even if he is some capricious entity. Telling him that everything he knew about his life before is ... well, not wrong... perhaps... but the people he trusted weren't doing him right? Sure. Alec would know that. He's got no ulterior motives going on. Why would he? He's not going to try and use Zack to destabilize his home and destroy it... what reason would he?
Besides it would cause chaos. And he is a chaos bringer. He is chaos.
It'll be fine.
Everything will be fine.
"Hello." The voice is warm, welcoming. Familiar. Somehow. A hint of home long forgotten. The arms of a forgotten parent holding tight during a nightmare, saying it will be okay. It belongs to a... cleanly dressed man... with a faintly amused smile on his face. Amused at what, it's hard to say. But he radiates friendliness.
"You're new here, aren't you?" he asks, curiosity in his black, rimmed with red, eyes.
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But he did. And that's free will in action. Of a sort.
When somebody speaks, Zack's gut reaction would be to turn and snarl. He's already told himself he won't though, but he does turn wary eyes to the newcomer. Zack isn't ready to make friends yet. He'd rather eat, drink, observe. Sitting in a corner somewhere and assessing people would be his main strategy, before actually speaking.
Being socially awkward too, it seems a good policy.
The warmth though... it calls to him. The odd disjointed memories of sitting on his pa's shoulders, or being cradled after waking in tears over some bogeyman or other - all resonate. It's still in Zack's nature not to be trusting though, even if his own beloved parents walked into the bar... Not that he'd recognise them.
"New. Yeah," he grunts, his hand tightening around the glass of water. "M'here with the Everstorm of Chaos," he adds, just in case. It's probably not cool to hide behind Alec, but fuck it. He'll apologise later.
It's all new and weird, and Zack is feral. He's been dealt enough blows to remain paranoid.
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Abe has to be afraid of him for a reason. He is afraid of him for a reason. Who knows what goes on in such a creature's mind. What he considers amusement...
It's a good thing that Zack doesn't trust him completely. He shouldn't.
Keep himself safe from any emotional hurt later.
Sitting down, the man continues his with his faint smile. Sure he shouldn't sit down, he hasn't been invited. But he seems like a nice enough person. Doesn't he?
"Ah. Yes. Him. He is quite the interesting creature," the man said. "He appears to have adopted you. Rare enough for him to do so."
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Well, he didn't. Not really. At first. But if the Everstormn wanted to yank his chain, Zack always understood he was powerless to prevent it.
Abe's fucking terrified of him, and Abe is a lot of things, but not stupid.
Okay, so at first he wouldn't have been surprised or hurt at getting caught by a bigger more powerful predator. It's how the multiverse works.
But he'd be hurt if Alec turned against him now.
But Alec won't. So there.
And no, mister bloody overfamiliar... whatever-you-are, you weren't invited. Zack takes a few sips of his water, watching the man over the rim of his glass. He has no psychic ability, but he can tell who's mortal and who's not. This one is not and may be one of those bigger predators, despite seeming okay.
"He's just a mate, is all." The stranger seems to know Alec. Zack is not going to be the first one to betray a friendship. Alec's gonna have to do it to him first. Whatever this is he's feeling right now. "Who're you then?"
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At least he's not eating Alec's food.
Yet.
But, the man isn't really mortal, no. "To you perhaps," he said. "You can call me Karan."
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"Zack," he says, reluctantly. "To me perhaps what? Just a mate? or he's something else to other people?"
He's not going out of his way to be rude. Social conventions escape him, and he's naturally gruff and wary until he finds something to like in somebody else. With Alec - he realises now - it was when he slipped and fell on his arse back on that world they destroyed. It was funny, vulnerable even, something kinda cute and so very different from the demons of Antillioch, Zack had warmed to it. That and Alec was pleasant from the start.
This guy is pleasant, sure. But Zack is feeling slightly paranoid about Alec for some inexplicable reason, and it's making him want to sit in a corner and growl at everyone. Including the Perfectly Okay person who's just joined him.
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"Everyone is something else to other people. No two people see something the same way. It's all about experiences. Your past and with the thing you interact with changes how you see things," Karan said with a shrug. "But this case, I do mean that you might see him as a friend but as I said he appears to have mentally adopted you - accidentally, I'm sure - as he would a child. Not that he sees you as child like that."
And he points to a random child in the room.
"More like someone he's decided to protect and help learn how the world works."
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Zack glances over at the child and feels a stab of... something. Something wistful and somehow cheated at the same time.
Yeah, he may be crushing on Alec some. Not in a romantic way, but it's been a bit like having a really nice brother. Zack doesn't like to admit this to himself and he wouldn't want to embarrass his friend with it.
"Didn't realise that. Thought he just saw me as a mate." Zack sits back a bit in his seat, still gripping his drink for some feeling of security. "How well d'you know him?"
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Make yourself better.
That's good.
You're a good boy.
Crush and all.
"Age thing, in a weird way. I'm sure he'd like to be a brother perhaps... but in any case, he's protective. I'm sure you've heard him threaten people who might hurt you. Or insinuate," he said, leaning back in his chair for a moment.
"How well do I know him... hmmm... better than some might think. Better than he'd like. Perhaps a like a parent...," he mused.
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Looking back, he can't actually remember if Alec has insinuated any threats. It's clear he thinks Abe is abusive, and Zack is beginning to see that for himself. It's a difficult situation, because Abe is more powerful, he can kick Zack's arse from here to the Big Bang. It's only his fear of Alec that has prevented Zack from getting a punishment or three. "He's not fond of Abe's behaviour," he admits. "I c'n tell. But he's not threatened him."
On the other hand, Abe is Zack's brother, even if technically he's not. Adopted brother then. And Zack wants to love his brother as much as he wants to be loved. When Karan suggests he has some kind of parental relationship with Alec, it gives Zack pause. His own real parents were selfless and loving. Abe may be family, but he's not blood, and is abusive.
It follows that Karan might not be all he says he is to Alec. So Zack will retain a little scepticism. "He's not mentioned you." Although Alec has mentioned his da.
Zack's head begins to ache again. He puts down the water and with his right hand, pulls at his hair.
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Abe certainly took it like one.
Fists and crackling powers with blood flying all over the place isn't the only way to make a threat.
"Mm... yes. That's good."
From out of a pocket in his very nice jacket he pulled out a ... knife... Zack has probably seen quite a few knives and weapons. Threatening and magical as well as dull and mundane. All that screamed violence. The one Karan is holding is simple. It's a dull black blade that looks like a flint napped stone with a bone handle. And it just feels like murder. This is a knife made just for murdering people. Not killing; murdering.
He starts cleaning his fingernails with it and then laughs. "No. I imagine not. He's not fond of me." The cleaning stops as the hair pulling starts.
With the knife he gestures. "Does the hair pulling help?"
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