And the stars look very different today...

[zunesareawesome]

It was a way out. But it wasn't home.

Truthfully, after Norfinbury, anything would be better than that place, but the cold truth was--there was no way to find his own universe out of the endless multiverse, even if Norfinbury's busted technology had worked properly. He was stuck, here, with a megalomaniac Flynn--granted, a Flynn that managed to open up a portal out of there. Maybe that's what it took to get out of Norfinbury.

Or, Peter thought sometimes on bad days, Norfinbury only released you once you became the twisted version of yourself it wanted you to be. A specially-designed virus inflicted on countless worlds.

Besides, he ought to know something about that.

He didn't stay long on earth, he couldn't. Maybe it had something to do with the mystery of how they were revived in Norfinbury, their bodies recreated or cloned or healed, or maybe it was something that was gonna happen to him anyway, but he could feel the Light burning inside him, inside his head almost as soon as he landed. A desperate need to take to the stars. He'd managed to create a ship and took off.

Time passes, and scientists notice something odd about several exoplanets they're monitoring, especially ones marked as 'earth-like' or other planets in zones that could make them potentially habitable. Bright bursts of light and changes in the composition of the atmosphere or surface, it was inexplicable. Possible evidence of intelligent life? If they didn't know any better, especially with the rocky planets that now somehow boasted extreme changes, it was like something was terraforming them.

There was cause for alarm when Mars suddenly turned blue and green a few months later.

Meanwhile, a small blue-and-orange ship that looked suspiciously like a slightly more organic-looking Milano was racing towards the earth.

Comments

[bookbrawler]

You are. Well, not as awesome as--

[Me? Is it him? Or is it Flynn? He's not as awesome as someone, and his amused tone fades, as he stammers.]

As...as...

[He freezes, and tries to push his confusion away. Jones doesn't seem okay, that faltering smile is worrying.]

Anyway...are you sure you're okay up there?

[luckythief]

As you? Please. I'm... in a whole 'nother league of awesomeness, mate, you don't even...

[His voice suddenly fails him and he shakes his head. Are you sure you're okay up there?]

... I-I had to stop him. I had to try.

[bookbrawler]

Yeah, as me. [He thinks.]

...stop him? Stop Quill?

[Oh...no.]

Jones?! Did it work? It didn't work did it? What happened? [Suddenly he's filled with more clarity than he has in a long time. He needs--he needs to rescue him--he needs to do something--]

[luckythief]

I-- [He presses his lips together. He can't, he shouldn't tell him.

But what if at some point he... won't be able to? What if Peter... changes him like he changed Flynn? What if this is his last chance to warn Stone?]

... We were wrong. The Expansion, he was still... he had more flowers. He had so many more flowers, Stone?

[He laughs, shaking his head again, rubbing at his eyes.] But it's okay now. It's all good. I destroyed them, I... I corrupted the magic connecting them, he can't use them anymore. They're all gone. Everything's okay now.

[bookbrawler]

There were--there were more?!

But you stopped him? You stopped him, it's over? He won't be able to come after earth anymore, you can come home!

[He's frantic. You can come home, right?]

Did he--does he know? Did--did he hurt you?!

[luckythief]

He knows. And I'm-- not coming home.

[He can't bring himself to answer that last question. There's a shuddering breath and then he laughs again, trying to play up his usual bravado.]

Got him good though! He was so mad, it was hilarious. He wants me to fix it but it's alright, sucks to be him, because it can't be fixed. I can't fix it, I made it unfixable.

[And he's really mad at me.]

Listen, I-I don't know what's gonna happen but if I turn into a raging jerk I just, I need you to know that I--

I'm sorry. I really wanted to be okay for you. I really wanted to save you, too. From the tattoos. And from what Flynn was doing to you. A-and from whatever he's doing to you now. And I didn't and now I can't and I'm-- I'm really sorry about that.

[He's smiling but they must be having a bad signal again because Jacob's face swims out of vision.]

I used to be so good at these single player games. I don't know what happened. [You happened. The Library happened.] I'm sorry, Stone.

[bookbrawler]

[He knows. And I'm-- not coming home.

The clarity is awful and he almost wishes he wasn't thinking coherently because this is...horrifying and the words ring in his head loudly, like a bell.

not coming home not coming home not coming home

he knows]

I--I'm sure that...that was hilarious--what do you mean, not coming home?

[Did he hear that right? He can't be sure of anything these days.

And then it gets worse and he feels cold again, like the world's stopped still and become frozen.]

...raging jerk? Why--why would you become a raging jerk?

[Is this happening? Is this something Flynn is putting in his head? His heart races and he feels sick--]

No, no, it's not your--not your fault, don't--don't apologize for that. Don't.

[This can't be happening.]

I'm gonna--I'm gonna come and get you, okay? I'll come and get you.

[Flynn's probably not going to let him. The thought of Jones up there with that maniac--and he knows so much better than most the monster that Quill is--is too much to bear. His voice hitches and he can't--he can't handle this, he can't, not with what's been happening because knowing that Jones is okay is what's been keeping him from fully going under, fully drowning--]

I'll come get you. [His voice breaks.]

[luckythief]

[I'll come get you.

It's stupid. It's ridiculous, false hope in the situation they find themselves in. But when Stone tells him that? Something suddenly lights up, something Ezekiel hadn't realized he had almost lost along the way, like his own light rekindled.

Not bright and blaring and searing but warm and golden, like the Library.]

... Okay.

[And for the first time in so long he means it. For the first time the world does feel a little more okay.

Maybe they've been going on about this the wrong way. Maybe they don't have to do this alone. Player Two has entered the game and just knowing that suddenly gives Ezekiel strength in return.]

Thanks, mate. I'll owe you one. ... By the way? Totally hit him with a ray gun. [His eyes are shining but this time it's not tears but rekindled mischief. Suddenly he sits a bit taller, too.] It disrupted his powers and he was fizzling in and out of existence. You should have seen the stupid expression on his face!

[He needs this. He didn't realize how much he needs this. This defiance against Peter, against the light. This connection with Stone.

This sharing.

Stone is coming to get him.]

[bookbrawler]

You will owe me one.

[There's something different when Jones speaks again, something in his expression...it's hope. Jacob knows he can't ever, ever let him lose that hope. He's not going to let him down.

He's not gonna let that light go out.]

Ray gun? Like an old-timey 1950's sci-fi ray gun or what, here? [A laugh escapes him. It feels so strange, to laugh again.] Man, I wish you recorded that. Sounds wild.

[He's got to save him. He has to.]

[luckythief]

Exactly like that! Buck Rogers has nothing on me. I'll show you the design, you're gonna love it.

[Ezekiel's smile broadens, the tiny light in his eyes gaining strength, turning into a small flame.]

It was. It even knocked out one of the tendrils! Man, he was so pissed. He was all roary and 'whaaat have you dooooone', God, what is it with these immortal guys and being super dramatic all the time?

[bookbrawler]

I can't...can't wait to see it.

[He will see it. He's going to see it.]

Exactly! You'd think they're all playin' from the same rule book or somethin'? How to be a Megalomaniac 101? Overdramatics, the chapter?

[luckythief]

[He's going to see it.

Because he's coming to get him.]

I know, right? Really makes you think what they're overcompensating? 'Oh I'm so immortal but somehow I still gotta yell at all these inferior mortals'! Yeah right, mate, who are you kidding?

[bookbrawler]

It's like--it's like do you really have to define your immortality based off of the rest of us--uh, piddly mortals?

[He freezes for a second, his voice hitching. Ezekiel wasn't us, he wasn't a mortal--

He quickly tries to change the subject.]

I'm gonna kick Quill's ass, anyway.

[luckythief]

[Ezekiel bites his lip but then shrugs his shoulders.]

Exactly. You're either awesome or you're not. If you need immortality to do it, pshh, you're already out. I mean, look at me! I was already better than other mortals when I was still mortal.

And you are so very welcome to kick his ass.

[Another pause.]

Maybe it's reversible. Maybe you can kick Flynn's ass too and he's gonna take it away again.

[bookbrawler]

Y...yeah.

And clearly they're both the opposite of awesome so...

[A pause.]

That's gonna happen one way or the other, but--but maybe you should y'know, think about it for a second. Humanity's been chasing after immortality for millennia upon millennia. You...you should think about it if it comes down to having a choice.

[luckythief]

What am I even supposed to do with all that time, tether to Jenkins?

[Pls.]

[bookbrawler]

...I don't know, what do you usually do with your free time?

I dunno, you should tell Jenkins that you'll be around forever and he might outright spontaneously combust.

[luckythief]

What kind of question is that?

[I hang out with you.]

Only if you promise to get that on video.

[bookbrawler]

I don't know, practice breaking into locks?

[Playing video games with me?]

You can tell him yourself. And I'll film it for later.

[luckythief]

Well, you're not wrong.

[He totally practices. You don't become a world-class thief for nothing!

And all the video games, bro.]

But I can't keep doing that for all eternity now, can I? That's gonna get pretty boring without you to rile up.

[And that's really as close to an admission as he can bring himself to get to.]

[bookbrawler]

[He's not sure if he's joking or being serious, but then again he's not sure about anything much these days, he can't be sure of anything except that he's going to save Jones no matter what.]

Yeah, well--I'm sure you'll find a way to pass the time. And besides, you can rile up my statue at my university and besmirch my good name.

[luckythief]

And I absolutely will.

[There's a small pause and he sobers somewhat.]

I'm-- sorry I lied to you. It was stupid. We should do this together.

[bookbrawler]

[There's an inordinately long pause. Stone looks up, his brows furrowed.]

...I mean, what choice did you have, anyway?

...but I wanna do this together. Yeah.

[luckythief]

Alright.

[He nodes, then studies Jacob some more.]

So you gonna tell me what's going on with you?

[bookbrawler]

[The pause this time is even longer.]

...I don't...think that's a good idea.

[If this goes south, if he's not able to get to Jones--

--he's going to save Jones--

--if he's not able to, he doesn't want to even think about the possibility of him living forever regretting the fact that he couldn't help him.

His voice is very low. Stilted.]

...there's nothin' you could do for it, anyway. So.