Shirou's grip on his gun loosened, and though he perhaps surprisingly didn't look too riled up to begin with he seemed to visibly relax a bit.
"Protectin', huh? That what your dad taught you? Yeah, maybe you or I are a tad stronger than some people. But we're still people. We still got our own priorities we gotta deal with. What we're supposed to do? How to use power? That's all up to you. Only you can decide what you're gonna do."
A father, Clark said. Perhaps that made some of the difference between them. But what was in the past was stuck there. Thinking about stuff like that was nothing more than a wasted thought experiment.
"Haha, even though I toldja to sit back?" Shirou couldn't help but laugh. Not at her, but just in surprise. Sure, it was an attempt to protect him, but he'd told her to do the exact opposite of that this time. So to do otherwise had to mean one thing. This desire, at the very least, had to have been born from her own will.
Raising his left hand, he wiped at her wet eyes while continuing to support her.
"Don't cry, then. Gotta look clearly if you wanna do something, right?" Clark was backing off and had forgiven him. That much had been made clear. At least from the farm boy, his life was in no peril. But he didn't know how everyone else would take take the cold-blooded murder of an innocent woman. There would, perhaps, be those who wanted to at least imprison him, if not condemn him to death.
But he didn't want that. Setsuna didn't either. If she wanted to stick around and help him out on her own will, and not on some stupid thing like duty, then he had no right to stop her. Nodding, he shot her his usual smirk.
"Alright. Wanna help, let's do it then. But first, you gotta stop lookin' like you're 'bout to pass out. Need a juice? Or food?"
He wasn't sure where he'd procure those things if they ended up having to bust their way out of here, but it wasn't like not knowing what she needed would do any good either.
...
Oh wait, the last time she collapsed, she needed a kiss for some reason, right?
"Or ya need another kiss? That what this is?"
@Josh M @Midnight Maiden @CrunchyCHEEZIT
Clark didn't reasoned. Clark knew the two men were never going to see eye to eye. Lana wasn't going to get justice. Once again, Clark had failed . Leaving with saying a word, Clark had to move on. Now it was time to go.
With Clark's debriefing over with, Clark was ready to go home. The Coalition would have Lex for his crimes, so maybe there was some justice. As went to the portal to take him home, A force was keeping him from going home. It was a curse. by Diablo, a parting gift from the monster to his last traitor. Anger and frustration were clear as day on Clark's face. He couldn't go home. He was stuck in Limbo.
After discussing the situation with some coalition member, Clark had his options. He was going to go to Avalon. However, Seeing friend Lucio about to leave, Clark stood up, and called to the D.j Clark had already said his goodbye to Lucio, so it would a shock to the D.j
"You Leaving?"
Lucio seemed to linger around the area,it seemed like the DJ had done every he had the energy for; he was tired. After everything that had happened, he was actually tired for once. He needed some time to...for once, kick back and look at everything he did from the safety of the only place that he knew that was truly safe;
Home. Home, sweet home. The DJ was making his way towards the shimmering gateways when he heard Clark's voice behind him. He turned, mustering a weak smile, as he always did.
"Huh? Oh...yeah, I was uh, jus' about to head back to my 'world', you know-- oh, crap, I didn't say goodbye, did I?" his eyes widened, realizing that he almost left his friend hanging in the wind.
But, Clark had something different in mind than just saying goodbye.
Smirking, Clark kicked the ground.
"I'm not able to leave, Lucio. Diablo, he cursed me. I'm not able to go home. the Coalition promised me they'd look into it. I'm just....."
Clark turned slightly, looking at the wall. Caught between anger and confusion, Clark looked at friend for help
"I'm lost, Lucio. what I'm suppose to do? I feel like this whole thing, this whole event is a test. Lana dying, being controlled as traitor, now I can't go home. My family and friends need me. I just feel so powerless."
Lucio listened intently to Clark's plight, frowning slightly as the man whom Lucio saw as practically invincible began to crumble under his own stress. Looking back at everything, it was all justified; Clark was given a bad wrap. Everything he had done, in Lucio's eyes, was carried with good heart. He didn't deserve what had happened.
No one did. Not even the worst among them.
Lucio looked down at his skates and tapped his chin.
"I...well, Clark, I gotta head back. I don't know how I can..."
How he can keep those he cares about at home safe.
But.
But wait.
The gears spun in Lucio's head. Slow at first, like a fat bass building up in a song. He sputtered out, eyes widening as his head began to rise up; with it, so did his smile. A thought turning into idea. The bass rode on an upward spiral in his head. He scratched his locks and began to consider everything, but only for a few seconds. Not the smartest idea, but who cares, it'd be awesome while it lasted. Lucio was grinning; his wicked, defiant grin towards the static noise of despair. He blots those negative thoughts out, and he ain't hearing any of that noise right now. The road ahead was being paved, and it wasn't a super insane idea, but it was one that could work.
And, it was pretty goddamn cool.
Lucio looked to Clark, slowly approaching and resting a hand on his shoulder.
"You know how many times I gotta hear those words, Clark? 'I can't go home', 'I don't have a home'. I never got to tell you about...where I actually come from. How I became who I am today, and why I jus' do the things I do. I'm not jus' playin' around for fun and games; there's a purpose behind all of the music, and all of this junk I wear."
"I do music to change things. Not little things, man, big things. Society as a whole, from where I once stood, needed a voice. No one else was up to it, so I...well, took matters into my own hands, like a good man should, right? These rad guns n' skates were once used to hurt people. But, you know me better than anyone; I spin it around."
"I need help with this stuff. As much help as I can get...and, well, I dunno if you're down with multiversal travel, but--"
Clark knew exactly what Lucio's idea was.
"Hear me out; It's not a world too different from yours, I guess; maby a...couple years in the future compared to you? Like...oh, 60-something years-- y'know, that doesn't matter! You can crash at all my cribs, man! Be my roadie, help me on my tours! We can-- we can help out on the disaster relief efforts, travel around the world, speak about all the oppression in Brazil! Hell, take those Vishkar goons on the street, give 'em a good scare!!"
"...I don't wanna sound like some...business guy trynna strike a deal with you. But...Clark, think about it! Too much negativity in the world for us to jus' back down now."
"I always thought...the world could always use more heroes, yknow?"
Clark was good at reading people, and he could tell Lucio was genuine in every world. There was a sparkle in his eyes, like a child speaking about his dreams, because that's exactly what he is; Clark is everything Lucio is, and maybe even more. They could be a team again.
They could be heroes.
Clark could help but feel joy from Lucio's word. Lucio was a good man, and good friend. As Clark was about to A]agree, A object from Clark's pocket floated out, glowing blue light. It was the Crystal of Knowledge. Clark and Lex were battling over it before the two were taken.
Grabbing it Clark smirked.
"Thank you Lucio. I'll go with you. This means a lot."
Joyfully, grabbing Lucio, he ran into the portal. Now in Lucio's world, Clark didn't stop. When he did, he realized he was surrounded by ice. The two were in Antarctica. Almost smug like, Clark would throw the Crystal into the snow. Turning to Lucio and pointing as the Crystal vanished.
'I know you want to go home Lucio. I know you have ton of things you want to do, but I want to show a little part of my world , my home world as a thank you. "
"Welcome to the Fortress of solitude , Lucio."
Lucio's eyes widened at the shining object Clark had pulled out before they left, opening his mouth to speak before getting grabbed and dragged off towards the swirling gateway. Lucio was smiling wildly, waving goodbye to those that watched, including Riesbyfe. He managed to get one last look at everyone that stood in that room. Everyone that survived, and all the empty spaces left behind from those who were lost.
It was a good picture. Not the best, not the worst, but there was still a light in this team. A light that some had managed to carry all the way to the end.
Lucio savored the sight, before everything turned to white. A loud ringing of the ears, and a blinding flash as reality itself began to reconstruct itself. Lucio closed his eyes and rode it out.
And then everything got really, really, really cold.
"oOOOOH MY GOD, THIS ISN'T THE FAVELA AT ALL!! DID WE TAKE THE WRONG--"
Lucio opened his eyes, just barely staring out at what stood in the distance.
The Fortress of solitude. A lone, massive pillar of shimmering ice that stood among a backdrop of lonely white. Lucio never did good in geography class back when he was in high school, but this wasn't anywhere near civilization. This was...in the arctic. A lonely fortress of ice laying in the arctic. Lucio didn't know what to think exactly; if it was related to the crystal or not, and why it was in Lucio's world if...
Well, he knew one thing; it was definitely Clark's doing. Because no normal man on Earth could deal with this cold, and Clark Kent is far from normal.
"Sweet c-c-c-christmas..." Lucio chattered in awe, gripping his arms and slowly freezing. Yes, he was still wearing a short-sleeve shirt. But Lucio didn't mind. He was too caught up in the awe.
Pulling Lucio close, he'd look his friend in the eyes.
"Don't worry, it's warm on the inside."
Special thanks to
@CrunchyCHEEZIT Epilogue coming soon
