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]

[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.

[luckythief]

You wouldn't have to be alone with it.

[Isn't that the whole point?]

Besides, now I'm gonna think about it all the time and be worried all the time and I'm gonna pester you about it until you tell me.

[bookbrawler]

[That's the problem. I'm never alone.]

...well, we can't have that.

[A weak smile, though his eyes reveal just a bit more of how terrified, confused, and lost he really was.

He shouldn't tell Jones. He's used to carrying his burdens on his own, it was better this way. Stick to the old ways.

But then again, it was different this time. He had people, people that cared about him and it actually helped, having someone there that did care.]

...I, uh... [He rubs the back of his head.] ...I'm just having a hard time, that's all. He-- [He doesn't even bother saying his name, like it would summon him in his head by accident or something.] He's doing stuff, and I'm...

I'm--I'm afraid, okay? I'm afraid one day I'll wake up and it'll all be him and not me. I won't even know it.

...sometimes I can't tell which parts are me-- [He taps his chest, the words spilling out. Maybe he was going to be lost but Jones would know, he would hold onto this last part of him.] --and which is him. And I don't even...don't even know if anything I'm thinking now is something that I meant to do. Or him. I just...I can't trust anything, and it's exhausting and one of these days I'm going to be too tired to hold it together and then...then I don't know. But it won't be me anymore.

[luckythief]

[Ezekiel's heart hurts at Jacob's fear and despair and... yeah. Now he DOES feel guilty. Maybe he should have tried harder to escape from Peter's clutches. Or keep up the charade until he saved his friend. Now it's too late and he's sorry.

No.

No, he won't accept that. He feels so helpless and angry at Flynn for doing this to Jake and he needs to do something.]

Well, then I'll remind you.

[His voice is firm, matter of fact.]

I'll just tell you when you're being a jerk. Or worse, a Flynn. You'll just check back with me until you know again.

[bookbrawler]

He...he makes me hate you, Jones.

[He wants to hope so bad in what he's saying, he should, but the despair's taken root in his heart.]

Even if you say something--anything good, to get me back, it don't take nothin' for him to just...destroy everything. Everyone I ever cared about just...gone.

[luckythief]

Yeah, but I won't let you.

[So there! Despair denied.]

And I'll make him not make you hate me. And if he destroys something I'll just rebuild it.

And I'm right here.

[bookbrawler]

[He wants to believe that so bad.]

...yeah. Yeah, okay then.

[It's the saddest smile. He doesn't believe any of that will happen, he's afraid he's going to be lost the next time he sees Jones--if he ever even sees Jones again--and by then what if it was too late for him too--]

I know you will.

[It's a lie and he hates himself for saying it and his smile is just so...broken.]