The sun was low and gold, pouring through the branches of autumn trees lining a wide park path. The air smelled like warm soil and fresh-cut grass, and somewhere nearby children were laughing. The world wasn't broken here. It hadn't broken yet.
"YOU'RE SLOW!" a voice rang ahead of him.
Bell Hopper darted forward with her long, chocolate, brown hair streaming behind her like a banner. Her tall rabbit ears bounced with every stride as they twitched with playfulness as a Young Asol pumped his arms furiously.
"That's not fair!" he yelled between breaths. "You have stronger legs than me! And you're faster!"
Bell laughed, the sound light and wild and entirely unburdened.
"That's not my fault! It's evolution!"
She kicked off a park bench, vaulted cleanly over it without breaking a stride, and landed smoothly in the grass beyond. Young Asol skidded around it, nearly tripping.
"That doesn't count!" he protested. "You cheated!"
Bell stopped at the old fountain at the end of the path with her hands on her knees and ears tilted back with a mocking seriousness.
"Okay," she said generously. "I'll go easy on you."
His younger self froze mid-step.
"…I don't need you to go easy on me."
Bell tilted her head.
"But you're losing?"
"I'm not losing. I'm pacing myself."
She blinked once. Then grinned deviously.
"Ohhh. Pacing. Is that what that is?"
The Younger Asol crossed his arms dramatically.
"You just don't understand strategy."
Then, Bell Hopper leaned closer as her eyes gleamed teasingly.
"Alright, strategist. One more race. No shortcuts. Just a straight line to the bridge."
"Don't go easy on me!"
"If you say so!"
"And no jumping over benches!"
She considered.
"…Maybe I'll do a little jumping."
"BELL!"
She laughed again.
"Fine! No jumping!"
They lined up on the worn dirt path, side by side. The wind moved through the trees gently. For a moment, everything was simple.
"On three," she said.
"One…"
He narrowed his eyes.
"Two…"
Her ears twitched.
"THREE!"
They bolted.
This time, she didn't immediately sprint ahead. She stayed just barely in front of him, matching his pace, letting him believe he was catching up. He gritted his teeth and pushed harder.
"You're still holding back!"
"I am not!"
"You are too!"
"Maybe you're just that slow!"
He lunged forward, but she vanished in a blur of motion as her legs compressed and released like springs. She shot ahead, clearing half the distance in seconds with laughter trailing behind her like windchimes.
Young Asol stumbled to a stop at the bridge, hands on his knees, panting as she stood at the railing, victorious, ears perked high.
"You said you wouldn't go easy!"
"I didn't," she said innocently.
"You totally did!"
"Well," she shrugged lightly, "if I go easy, you complain. If I don't go easy, you still complain."
"That's different!"
She stepped closer and flicked his forehead gently.
"You'll catch up someday."
He swatted her hand away.
"I don't need you to wait for me."
Her expression softened.
"I know. But till then, I'll enjoy seeing you catch up!"
The wind picked up and the sunlight shifted. The sky began to crack. Bell's laughter echoed once more, then everything turned white and Asol woke with a sharp inhale. He lay on his back as the sheets tangled at his waist. The early morning light filtered through the curtains in pale gold slats. For a moment, he didn't move.
His heart was racing. He hadn't dreamed about Bell in a long time. Not since after he woke up in that room in the KAC Headquarters. He then stared at the ceiling.
Why now?
The memory of her laugh still lingered in his ears. Not distorted. Not tragic. Just… normal. He lifted his right arm slightly as the Adamantium caught the morning light faintly.
"You'll catch up someday."
He swallowed.
"I did," he muttered under his breath. "I just wish you were here seeing me."
The apartment was quiet. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat there for a moment longer than necessary, with his elbows resting on his knees as he questioned himself again.
Why now?
Why was he dreaming about racing Bell in the park instead of the day she died? Instead of rubble and the white light that devoured her as she launched him away into the Multi-Versal Gate? Then a loud pounding slammed against the front door.
He blinked as it came again.
"ASOOOOOL!"
He exhaled slowly.
"…Of course."
He stood, running his flesh hand through his hair, and walked down the hallway as the pounding continued.
"I KNOW YOU'RE HOME!"
He unlocked the door and it flew inward before he could fully step back as a short, petite redhead with twin pigtails burst into the doorway with her emerald eyes blazing.
Toma
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME YOU WERE BACK?!"
Asol stared at her.
"…Good morning?"
She shoved a phone in his face.
"YOU KILLED THE KAIJU THAT I WAS SENT TO DESTROY, AND THEN YOU SHOW UP ON THE NEWS?"
He glanced at the screen. The news clip was paused mid-impact as the camera was panned onto his face.
"I was busy."
"Busy?!" she shrieked. "You were trending!"
He rubbed his temple.
"I just got back yesterday."
"And you couldn't send one message?"
"I was at the headquarters."
That stopped her.
"…Fujiwara?"
He nodded once, then her expression softened briefly.
"…Oh."
Silence hung there for half a second. She had forgotten that Asol felt responsible for Fujiwara's current condition. Then she narrowed her eyes again.
"That doesn't excuse you not telling me."
He sighed.
"I'm sorry."
"You should be."
"Sigh. Fine, I'll make it up to you."
She crossed her arms, intrigued at his proposal.
"How."
"Lunch."
She blinked.
"…That's it?"
"You can pick the place."
She squinted at him suspiciously.
"Aright fine. A full meal with desserts included."
Her lips twitched slightly.
"…Lunch accepted."
He stepped aside.
"You coming in or you wanna keep yelling from the doorway?"
She huffed and marched past him into the house. He shut the door and headed to the kitchen.
"You want soda?" he called.
"Yes. The good kind."
"They're all the same."
"They are not."
He returned with two cans and handed her one as she plopped onto the couch with her legs tucked beneath her.
"So," he said, leaning against the counter. "What'd I miss throughout the months I've been gone?"
She popped the tab.
"Where do I start?"
"Try the beginning."
She took a sip.
"The Saviours are still active."
His posture sharpened slightly.
"How active?"
"Scattered. Less organized, but louder."
"Meaning?"
"They're recruiting and still summoning the Kaiju from beyond."
He frowned.
"So even without the Leader, they are still set on destruction?"
"They're desperate."
He nodded slowly.
"What about the Leader?"
Her expression shifted.
"We found him."
Asol straightened and then leaned forward.
"…Then we have him?"
She shook her head.
"No. When we found him," she said carefully, "he was already dead."
His stomach tightened.
"…How?"
She hesitated.
"Light-based attack."
He froze.
"…What."
"It was like a laser pierced through the sternum in a precise fashion."
Asol's thoughts flickered rapidly as he thought of only one person who could've done it.
Providence.
After discovering his relations to the Saviours, it wouldn't be impossible that he too was involved with the events that took place on Earth prior to when he had arrived to Aegis Prime. Though, how or when he did it is in the air. If he even, did it.
His jaw tightened.
"That doesn't make sense."
"I know."
He exhaled slowly.
"What about AM and Patrick? His two closest men?"
She shook her head.
"Dunno! After your fight with them, they disappeared. Though that probably has to do with Patrick's ability to create spatial rifts and travel constantly."
Silence stretched between them and Toma leaned forward slightly.
"And there's more."
He looked at her.
"Remember The Rock?"
"The Rock?"
Asol recieved flashbacks to him and The CEO underneath the headquarters, alone with it. He remembers a peculiar familiarity with it. But he also remembers it absorbing Fujiwara's Aura. He also remembers her telling him it was the cause of her friend's death.
"What about it?"
He asked with a frown.
"Just as the Saviours, or what's left of them, are becoming active, it's done the same."
She nodded.
"Something's changing. Like it's hatching."
"So what's the plan?"
"There is no plan. Yet."
He ran a hand over his face.
"So the Leader is dead. The Saviours are becoming active once more. AM and Patrick are still missing. And The Rock is becoming active?"
"Yep."
"And lemme guess, The CEO sent you to tell me."
"You seemed tired."
He let out a small breath that almost resembled a laugh.
"You're unbelievable. Then again, you were the one teaching me how to fight."
She leaned back.
"I try."
A moment passed. Then she looked at him carefully.
"You okay?"
He hesitated.
"…Yeah."
"That wasn't convincing."
"I just woke up."
"From?"
He paused.
"…A dream."
"Good one or bad one?"
"…I guess you can say both?"
She studied him for a moment longer but didn't push. Instead, she stood.
"Let's go on a walk."
He blinked.
"What."
"You just got back and you're thinking too much."
"I always think too much."
"Exactly. That's why we must go on a walk through the city."
"…Fine."
Her grin returned faintly.
"Good."
She headed toward the door.
"Wait," he said.
She turned.
"Are you still mad I didn't tell you?"
"Yes."
"Are you going to hold it over me all day?"
"Yes."
He nodded once.
"Fair."
She opened the door.
"Come on. Before another Kaiju shows up and you accidentally go viral again."
He stepped out into the daylight beside her. As the door shut behind them, he glanced once at the sky and they began walking.