"I know this is a big moment, take some time to–"
"Time to shine."
Flap. Flap. Flap.
The sound of naked feet running against the smooth floor. We all turned to see Lance running towards the lake. Ass naked, with a grin that bordered on splitting his face.
Apollo reached out a hand, as if to stop him.
But it was too late.
Lance had flipped into a somersault and splashed into the lake. The liquid didn't ripple, but swallowed him whole. We watched as the lake settled, impossibly calm.
A minute of tense silence passed.
Then, a bubble formed in the center of the lake. It was small at first, but rapidly swelled until popping with a bang.
What emerged from the explosion was Lance.
He rose like a Greek god. Cosmic dust rolled down his frame and dripped into the lake below.
He flexed, his eyes were wide and elated.
He hung in the air, suspended for a moment.
Then slowly, he dropped down, landing on the surface of the lake. He walked along it, running a hand through his hair.
Unity clapped her hands excitedly.
Lance stepped onto the floor. He raised his arms and flexed. One pose after another. "Fuck, feels like I can punch a hole through a cruiser. Maybe two."
Usually that sounded like arrogance, but now it felt like a fact.
Kara rushed to him, wrapping her arms around his naked form. "You survived… that means you can save me, right? Right?!"
Lance snorted, before tossing her into the lake. "Save yourself."
Kara didn't even have time to scream.
Just a splash.
Then nothing.
Lance stood there, naked and glistening. He crossed his arms, shaking his head. Droplets of cosmic dust splashed on the pristine white floor.
"She's been consumed," Unity stated plainly.
Lance chuckled.
"Well shit, she died how she lived." He walked away, back to where we came. "I'll be at the ASUV."
I felt a hand slide into mine.
It was Lumina. She pressed herself against me. "Marcus, I can't… please… do something. It was supposed to be you and me, so help me."
I held her close.
She trembled violently, her nails digging into my back. I pressed my face into her silky, blonde hair. I wished there was something I could say, or do. But there was nothing.
Apollo wouldn't let her leave, and I definitely couldn't fight him. But even if I could somehow beat him, there were dozens of destroyers outside.
"Daniel, wait…"
I looked up to see that Daniel had stripped and now stood at the edge of the lake.
Apollo was approaching him slowly.
"You don't have to rush. We can stay here all day if you need."
Daniel shook his head, wiping his tears. "There's no point in fighting the inevitable, I'd only be wasting his time." He looked over his shoulder at me.
He forced a smile, "Remember when I was the first person to faint when those stragglers attacked? I was terrified." He chuckled softly.
I let out a laugh that was more like a dry cough. "Y-yeah."
Lumina looked up from my chest to watch him.
Daniel touched his chest, "I don't like being terrified, Marcus. It didn't help then, and it won't help now." He tightened his hand into a fist.
"So, I won't go out terrified. I'll face my death with dignity and respect." He swallowed hard. "Can you just, can you promise me one thing?"
I nodded.
"Anything, anything at all."
He smirked.
"Visit my family. Tell my parents that I didn't die like a coward. Can you do that?"
I nodded, my throat dry.
"I promise."
Daniel let out a shaky breath, "Alright, I've made my peace." He looked down into the vast, white abyss. His skinny frame shivered.
He was just a kid, facing a fate that scared even the hardest of humanity. And he did it with a smile.
Damn it, Daniel.
He took a step forward, whispering a silent prayer before falling into the pull of light.
Plip.
The sound was quiet. He barely made a ripple in the lake. It swallowed him whole.
I glanced over at Unity.
Come on… tell me he made it.
A minute passed.
"He's been consumed."
My expression fell.
Lumina let out a pained gasp as she turned back into my chest. "MARCUS PLEASE! Do something!" She pushed me back towards the entrance. "Anything! We can… we can kidnap Unity! We can use Zero! We can… we can…"
I locked my feet and gripped her shoulders.
"Lumina."
She met my gaze, gripping my chest.
"Marcus, you're the man with the plan." Her voice cracked, "That's you, that's your thing. Don't tell me… don't tell me you don't have a plan. Because I know that's a lie."
My grip tightened on her shoulders.
"Lumina, listen to me."
She fell into silent sobs, holding my gaze. I took a deep breath. I was never good at pep talks, but I can tell her what Joan told me.
"Your ability to suffer will determine your success in life. Pain, it's nothing but a question." I shook her, "It's there to ask you one thing, do you want to achieve your goal?"
I let her go and began to strip. "Your goal is to survive, right?" I tossed my shirt aside. "That's your top priority? Answer me."
Lumina sniffled, whipping her nose with the back of her hand. "Yes…"
I tore off my undershirt.
"So you have to accept the pain, you have to smile at it. Embrace it, because it's not going anywhere and neither are you."
I unbuttoned my pants, stepping out of them. "Don't talk the talk if you can't walk the walk, Lumina. You hear me? Speak up!"
"Yes!" Lumina screamed at the top of her lungs, breaking her sob. "I want to live!"
I grinned, standing there ass naked.
"Good! You don't just want to live! You will live! I want you to be more arrogant than that asshole Lance! Say it, say you'll live!"
"I WILL LIVE!" Lumina shouted, her voice breaking from the strain of the hysteria and determination. She ripped into her clothes, "AND NOT JUST THAT, I'M GOING TO SHOW THIS GALAXY THAT I'M THE BEST FUCKING DOCTOR IN EXISTENCE!"
I felt my own adrenaline spike as she reached for my hand. I snatched it, the two of us racing towards the well of light.
We hit the surface together.
I expected the shock of cold water or the searing hot pain of acid.
But instead, I was greeted by a white void, and a question.
"Who are you?"
The voice was both close and far, everywhere and nowhere, loud and quiet.
I looked around, answering.
"Marcus. Marcus Heart."
"Irreverent information. Who. Are. You?" The voice asked again, the feeling of numbness crawling up my feet.
This was interesting. I was actively being dissolved while it asked for my identity.
"I'm a human being."
"Irrelevant. Who are you?"
The feeling spread to my ankles.
I looked down to see that my feet were gone, completely and utterly gone. There was a bit of panic that set in.
But I quickly compartmentalized it away. It wouldn't help me now.
"I don't understand what you're asking. How do you define what I am?"
The numbness continued its slow journey up my legs.
"You are defined by intention. Who you are, is your intention at this moment. I ask again, who are you?"
My intention?
The reason for my being? Is that where the answer lies? Right now, my only reason for living is Lola.
So…
"I am a protector."
"Of?"
"Lola."
"Designation, 'Lola' has not been found. That answer cannot be used."
The feeling of numbness reached my knees.
Another wave of panic set in, and again, I filed it away.
So the answer of being a protector was accepted. But what I was a protector of was rejected.
I guess that means it's looking for a destination for me.
At this moment it wants to know what I am. And what I am has to be solely related to myself.
Okay… think. My whole life, what have I done?
Survive. I survived being sold. I survived the Sisterhood. Jail. And the program up until now.
"I'm a survivor."
The numbness continued its slow crawl up my thighs.
"Irrelevant information."
I gritted my teeth.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
Okay… breathe. This is cosmic dust, what do I know about cosmic dust?
It's a very literal thing. Double-A told me that. So of course my answers didn't work. If there was nuance it wouldn't understand it.
If it relied on someone else, and they weren't here, it couldn't do anything with the information.
It's the same reason why the 'survivor' answer didn't work. Being a survivor implies a struggle, but a struggle against what?
Outside factors.
The answer was so simple it was almost funny. This wasn't some life-or-death situation where I had to answer a riddle!
I just needed to create an account.
The numbness reached past my waist. Normally this would be the time to panic for real. But I have never been more confident in my life.
"I am a user of the light."
"A potential user? Or definite?
"Definite."
The numbness continued up to my neck, but I didn't falter. I was confident in my answer. Just like Lance, Erika, Kenji… that's what made a pilot. The arrogance to believe you can control a substance as powerful as this.
"Identified, confirmed, new wielder detected. What is your command?"
I grinned.
"Get me the hell outta here."