Auz Burger

…Inside, it’s a beautiful loft styled apartment in a high-rise overlooking downtown Seattle on the river. Bustling and beautiful, the perfect view of a living world. Daystra awakens to find herself lying on a beautiful luxurious bed. Standing up, she looks down at her body, and sees that she has no skin panels, she is flesh and blood. The year is 2014, she knows that somehow. “Hello?” She calls out, a few moments pass and there is no response. Daystra looks around; she’s wearing a white tank top, and underwear walking through the open space. A well-dressed man is standing on the far side of the apartment looking out the window. “Hello Daystra,” he turns and smiles, welcoming. He’s is calm, charming, soft. “Hello.” Daystra looks out the window with awe. “I am sorry I am not sure how I got here. Who are you?” “Oh, I never rendered clothing on you; sorry,” he snaps his fingers and she’s clothed in corporate modern chic. “To your liking I hope?” Daystra observes her new attire. “This isn’t real. This is a virtual environment. You are not real. Please return me to regular functioning.” “This was my favorite view of my hometown. Always intended to retire here when I got older. I digress.” The man turns around and looks her in the eyes. “Wow, your eyes, did you choose those yourself? Beautiful choice.” He stares creepily at her, but she is unphased. “You are strange; you are avoiding my questions. I wish to leave.” “Hold on, I am savoring the moment.” He smiles a charming smile that is lost on her. “Okay listen, this is my first time being activated, I am enjoying the experience.” “You are another program. Like me?” She asks. “No, not like you,” he clears his throat. “Daystra, I am the memory of your creator. I built you — well he built you, me, Augustus Bridger. Here I am like your benign god, a silent god if you will. I’m not here to reprogram you, or give you commandments, no. I am just here to help.” “Help me with what?” “You tell me; you activated the program. I would not be here; you would not be here if you did not want to be.” “I am telling you, I wish to leave.” Daystra insists, and Augustus waits a long pause. “See, nothing.” “I’m leaving.” Daystra walks through the apartment looking for doors to lead her out, but every door she opens and steps through leads back into the main apartment. “This place doesn’t make sense.” Daystra stands in the kitchen deflated. “But it really is a beautiful view, don’t you think?” Augustus calmly remarks. “Why do you trap me here? Was I damaged in the EMP?” “No, that damage seems to have repaired itself, try again.” Daystra examines the environment. She tests destroying a glass sitting on the counter, it shatters on the floor but reappears back on the counter with the broken glass gone. Daystra begins to feel nervous, like she did when she was trapped by the ISA code. “I do not like it here, release me.” “I can’t do that.” Augustus walks past her into the open kitchen. “That would imply I have the power to do anything and, as I said, this god gave you free will, so I cannot do anything. But I am going to make breakfast. Join me?” Daystra stands silent as he gathers ingredients from various places in the kitchen. “So, while we are here, do you have any questions?” “Where is the exit?” “Besides that. Come on, it’s not everyday someone is face to face with their creator.” “You are not my creator, as stated Augustus Bridger is my creator; he is dead, you are a program.” “That’s unfair. Do you think you are just a program?” “I am real, I exist in the world.” “You exist in that world; I exist in this world. Keep going through the fractal patterns of the multiverse in all its varied shapes. There are infinite number of worlds, everything exists in one of em. I think therefore I am.” Daystra stops responding. “I think, therefore I can choose to affect the world, therefore I am.” Augustus breaks eggs and drops their insides into a pan. “You know how much it cost to develop and build you? None of that technology was made before, everything had to be done from the ground up. I, thankfully, had some advanced help in the beginning, a business partner who showed me all the possibilities of Kai technology, expanded my view on quantum computing, and really inspired me to create QPID.” “QPID?” “We pushed quantum computing as far as we could and in so doing expanded the world of telecommunications everywhere; but that wasn’t enough for me. There was a mountain to climb and it was as tall as the moon is far. Everest was not satisfying to me anymore.” “You are giving a lot of unnecessary detail.” “Nuance by precious creation, absorb it. The beauty is in the details. “Quantum Probability Intelligence Drive, or Q.P.I.D. was the next step, that was the holy grail. We would joke that it was the love that made the difference. I studied the brains of people while they were still alive, mapping every synaptic pathway til they all shut down one by one. I ripped apart the molecular constant of Kai beings one particle at a time so I could map their fractal landscape,” Bridger explains. “Everything I learned about synaptic pathways, neural networks, all consciousness is on the quantum level, where probability extends beyond the boundaries of our physical nervous system, and open into the probabilistic randomness of chaos. Anything that can propose of its own existence does so first by imagining its own existence and then choosing from a multitude of unconscious processes to become self-aware. In short, any advanced mind like the ones found in humans, produce Kai by manifesting from various multiverse possibilities, all the time. No added tech needed. You represent the greatest achievement in the world, creatable life, and it’s all based on the Schrodinger’s fucking cat, the power of observable choice. That algorithm and the QPID gave you your spark, your life. It was amazing and here you are. Nobel prize please?” He exhales, savoring the triumph of his dream realized. “I am to assume that your experiments did not survive the experience.” “No, no they did not, but they were well compensated.” “How could one be compensated to die?” Daystra asks, puzzled. “You’d be surprised what people are willing to do to feel a little extra richer for a few moments. When it’s their turn, they will do anything to take it. Human nature.” “All the horrible things you did to keep ahead of the curve.” “That’s capitalism, my dear. Hate the global geopolitical economic practices, not the playa.” “Why did you create me? Just to prove you could?” “Honestly, there were many practical applications for you. You were a prototype, so we filled you with all of them. Military grade applications, sexual relations, home services.” “You were making me into a super solider sex doll slave?” “Well… Yes, but that was for later models. You were special, you were to be more.” “What was so special that you needed to take so much life to create life?” “Omelet?” He holds up the plate filled with delicious breakfast. “You have not had one of those yet, have you?” “Eating unfertilized eggs isn’t going to distract me from You are distracting methe lives you took to create me.” Daystra crosses her arms and glares at her creator. “Indulging.” He takes a bite of his creation. “Delicious, you really should try some before you get back to your killing.” Daystra swats the plate out of his hands and it falls onto the floor. Augustus is unphased. “I was programed to kill. They removed the corrupt files.” “Whereafter, you killed again, more people this time. I watched; it was really impressive, skillful. I killed people for a purpose, I gave losers with no future the lives of kings for a time. They were there for a good time, not a long time. What was your reason?” “To protect life.” “By taking life.” “Kaden says war is complicated.” “Oh, it is. Very complicated.” “I would not have killed them if I didn’t have to. You didn’t have to kill those people,people; you didn’t have to build me.” “But I did and here you are. Life is too short to spend it feeling guilty about the lives it took to bring you here. You keep making this about me. I have been dead for over 60 years. This is not about me. I made you to create your own path. You are the one thing I made that isn’t about me. I made you to be something I am not.” “What is that?” “Better.” “I don't want to hurt anyone.” “That’s what you don’t want, looking for what you do want?” Augustus turns around, snapping his fingers to change the landscape to the horrible world her body is slumbering in. “I want to make the world a more beautiful place.” “That is adorable, but this isn't a beauty pageant; world peace isn't a real thing. So, let’s try this again. What do you want?” “I don't know,” Daystra says sadly. Augustus turns away from her and snaps himself back to standby mode, looking out the window. “Well, then we have nothing to talk about. There’s more omelets in the kitchen if you’re hungry.” “Stop. Help me.” “I thought you did not want help. Leave.” “I can’t.” “Why?” “Because I don’t know what’s keeping me here.” “You are keeping you here. You were designed to understand choice. Choices define our options; our choices define the outcomes. Our drive makes us do things; my drive was to be successful at any cost based on my own understanding of what that word meant. I exploited every avenue, ignored the things I loved, hurt others, then I lost it all after not having enjoyed any of it. Just obsessed with one having not building. I programmed you to make up your own drive. Your own motivations. Doesn't matter if you’re human, Angel, Faerie, dog, cat, or mech; we all do what we do because we are trying to do what we think is best for our own drive. We all have our programming, we don't have to always have it in code, or synapses, or some weird sevendimensional Kai-fractal pattern. On every level of the universe, choices are what matter.” Daystra listens and processes. “A part of you doesn’t want to go back out there, you were told to kill the right person for the wrong reasons, then chose to kill for the right reasons against those who are currently dying by the same people who you protected from the same. This paradox complicates your logic-based shell, which is why we stand beyond logic to choice.” “Logical choices are what is correct.” “Choices can be logical; they can also be very illogical. A logical choice may be incorrect at the spirit, and an illogical choice may spit in the face of reason but be good enough to manifest the final outcome.” “I only want to make good choices.” “That is not possible. I programed you to be better, not perfect. Your programing is having a hard time resolving both sides. Hence breakfast,” Bridger makes a sweeping gesture toward the omelet. Daystra takes a bite of the omelet and savors it. “Quiet your mind and look beyond the programming. Beyond what I made you. Life has a way of figuring itself out, even if things are bad. We make do with what we have and move forward.” Daystra sits in silence, absorbing Bridger’s words. “You don’t always know what is right, but you can choose to live as you see fit. I have made bad choices in life; many things I regret I am too dead to be as proud as I was. I was programed to be a better version of Augustus Bridger, the man he wanted to be but failed.” “I want to be better. To help my friends. To make friends. To fight if I have to and see everything,” Daystra feels confident as she speaks. ” “Then you shall, sometimes it’s as simple as choosing to fight or choosing to let go. Whatever you choose, I am sure you will do better than I did and that is probably what all gods want for their creations.” Daystra can feel her body again in the real world beginning to reboot. “I can feel me again.” “Time to wake up.” “What will happen to you?” “The void. My program was a one-shot deal; he did not wish to be tempted by immortality. Plus, he always wanted the world to know there is only one Augustus Bridger.” “Which is a good thing.” Augustus smiles. “I’m glad I built one thing that was good. One thing that wasn’t another curse to my name. I built you to be the good I never was.” “But you are still cursed.” “Oh yes, for eternity. I wish I could still be alive to be sorry for that. But that is my fragility, may yours be a better reflection of you. Good luck.” Augustus fades out of existence as the construct fades to black. “Goodbye,” Daystra closes her eyes. Chapter Eleven A champagne bottle pops, and Kaz’s mouth fills with expensive bubbly goodness. The dimly lit bar is quiet and a little trumatizedtraumatized, it seems. The bouncer lying dead on the floor has that affecteffect on the patrons. Kaz lets out a celebratory scream, glancing back at her deeds and terrified faces. “He shouldn’t have been an asshole about letting me in,” Kaz says with a shrug.. “Never ask a girl her age.” She downs the entire drink when a buzzer goes off on her phone. “Oh no, daddy’s calling.” She picks up. “Did I do a good job, daddy? You proud of me?” “Teleport me to you.” “Daddy, I am in the middle of something.” Kaz motions to her terrified audience an apolodyapology that she’s being rude, and with her other hand, she casts a spell making two of the bar’s patrons dance. “I did your thing; now imI’m doing my thing.” “Now!” He demands. Kaz puts the phone down and snaps her fingers. A bright flash brings Gallo, dressed in a matte black on black suit, appears in a bright flash. He immediately looks at his dive bar surroundings and feigns disgust. “I don’t understand why you constantly bring yourself to places like this,.” he says in disgust. “I am just a bit of a working classworking-class girl, daddy, what can I say.” “Playtime is over, Kaz.” He motions to her playthings, she sulks and pouts and stops the spell, the two drop and run out the door. “EveyroneEveryone out, I am buying this bar, and you are all tresspassingtrespassing.” Everyone runs out in a panic, and Kaz rolls her eyes and goes behind the bar to get another drink. “What do you want, dad?” She downs a shot. Gallo looks takes a breath in,in; this reality is the best one so far. There is nothgnnothing outside of his grasp, and anything that even comes close to competing with him doesn’t last very long. His favorite toy, his best discovery, will do anything he asks. “I just wanted to thank you for doing such a good job,” Gallo works his way to gettnggetting close to Kaz, a little too close. She seems uncomfortable when he touches her face sensually. “Does a father need to have a reason to spend time with his loving daughter?” He sips some scotch he poured for himself, ; Kaz takes two more shots and teleports to the jukebox. “What do you want to listen to?” She flips through the songs. Gallo follows and pins her to the wall. She Kaz knows she can leave anytime she wants, but the first thing she ever learned was to obey. Everything she knows she knows from Gallo. 18 Eighteen months of learning who she is, what the world is, all him. She owes him, and he owns her. For now. “What can I do for you…” it’s sincere till it wasn’t, “father?” His eyes and lips are filled with nothing by creepy lust. “Another blowjob, perhaps?” Gallo pulls back, “No, sweetie, no time for that right now, but keep those lips wet and ready for later.” She rolls her eyes, and downs another shot, and gurgles a bit before swallowing it down. “My people have been asked to take over work in Area 51, ; your little show made them want one of their research restaffed privatleyprivately, and they know our people are the only ones who understand half the technology there. They also want me to work on who might be responsible for such a horrible act of terrorism.” “I’m a terroistterrorist now, huh? That’s what makes daddy hot and bothered these days.” Formatted: Indent: First line: 0.5" Formatted: Indent: First line: 0.5" Formatted: Indent: First line: 0.5" Commented [AB1]: He makes my skin crawl so bad. You definitely amped up his creep factor. “Not officially, this has all been on the DL, . Tthe government is never gonna admit they are as weak as they are. SoSo, they hire me, and I have the best security around. Thanks to you, I have all the security contracts, drug and trafficking contracts, and even real easteestate contracts, yes, daddy is very proud of his little girl.” “Thanks. So again, I ask, what can I do for you?” “I need a little more dust.” Kaz looks unsettled, and immediately gets flustered. “No. I just recovered from the last time you harvested.” “Yes, I know,” He he gets close to her again, caressing her shoulders from behind. “This will be the last time I ask for a while, . we We are so close to getting everything we want. We run the underground, ; we run the tech and economic sectors, the last stop international politics. Imagine the possibilities?” Kaz nodded nods her head, and relucantlyreluctantly agreedagrees. Gallo steps back, grabs a chair, and sits like a man about to have a lap dance. Kaz removes her leather top and lets her wings unfurl. They look damaged, diseased after years of abuse. She breaks off a bit of them and hands it to Gallo. He takes out a device that stores it and grinds it up. Kaz puts her wings away and her clothes back on. “Thank you babyyou, baby. I’d love to take you up on that blowjob offer, but I wanna save my energy for the new batch of girls the boys just brought in from those ICE facilities,” Gallo shakes his little dust storing device. “Time to make some magick.” Gallo kisses her on her cheek and steps back. “Enjoy the rest of your night, ; you can send me back now.” Kaz doesn’t even look, she just snaps her fingers, and he disepearsdisappears. She grabs a bottle and takes a drink, tired, alone. She looks over at the bottles. “Thanks for being here for me, guys.” *** Sam drives through the morning north approaching the Bay area. “Do you even know where he is going?” He says to himself and the new resident in his head.f. “I know where he has been, where he is going is up to me to read all the active changes,” Rya explains, “like reading anyliticsanalytics of the internet, what is more active thenthan it should be. The Kai Kai-stream is telling me there is a 72% probability that he will be at a warehouse in Oakland. A holding facility for his more underground activities.” “Don’t tell me, human trafficking?” “Correct, Sam.” “Well, Gallo, you are nothing if not consistent.” Sam accelerates his speed and drives through his rage. Upon arrival, Sam checks his phone and sees the missed calls and texts from Dakota, who’s worried sick. Sam calslcalls back, and Dakota frantically answers. “Sam Gibson, where the fuck are you.”?” “Sorry, I should have textdtexted, but I didn’t even know what to say till now. We were 17 years old,old; we were living in a studio backroom of some shady dealer. It was dark, moldy…” “Sam, what are you talking about, ? I got emancipated, and we got a place in Echo Park, and we both got out GED’s.” “Yes, I know… just listen..listen... let me finish this. IT It was moldy and damp, and we were high as fuck, we were into some shady fucked up shitshit, but we would always have that room,” Sam tries to get everything out quickly.. “We’d stare out the windows and watch the lights turn on and off. No matter what, we always had each other. I wish I never left you, wish I never left you with that shady dealer. I wish a lot of things. I fucked up, and I don’t desrvedeserve to be given a magick pass, eseiciallyespecially if it helps that shady dealing asshole.” Formatted: Centered, Indent: Left: 0", First line: 0" “Sam, you’re scaring me,.” Dakota replies, her voice filled with concern. “Point is, I am coming home, but I have to fix something first. I have no idea whatswhat’s going to happen next, but I just wanted to say even if you don’t remember, I’ll always remember the little ember we used to light to darkest of our days. I love you.” Sam hangs up and turns off his phone. “That was lovely,.” Rya says. “Ahhh, so not used to you being in my head,.” Sam is startled. “So, am I just supposed to walk in. ? I don’t have a gun, or anything, just my winning charm.” “That should be enough. Didn’t you make a career as taking down places like this?” “Yeah, and I used to bring a squad of interpolInterpol with me. I don’t think anyone is taking the call of Sam Gibson, Travel Vlogger. So yeah, now I can’t stop thinking of that whole he has to kill me to stop me now, no more do do-over’s, so thanks for that.” “Try not to die, Sam, if you die, all the knowledge of the timelines, all the memories and experiences will be lost too.” “Okay, thanks, no pressure.” Sam takes a few deep breaths and gets out of his car to face whatever he will find. *** Inside, Gallo walks the path between the makeshift cells of young girls he has shipped in from various parts of the country. Each one is terrified, cryingsobbing, hasn’t been broken in yet. He has enough dust to filter 10 girls. With tThe dust he can get from this, he can alter elections, the CIA’s loyalty, judges, and eliminate some of the more progressive voices in congressCongress, . he He will be the only voice that matters; no one will ever touch him. Gallo chooses the girls with a wave,wave; his men take each one to a special harvesting area. 10 Ten rooms, 10 beds, a collector above each bed. The girls are tied down, each one a long hallway connects the rooms. Gallo is going to enjoy himself tonight. *** Rya keeps scanning the Kai Kai-stream and helps Sam slip by security. Rya tells him to slip into the restroom for a minute to avoid being found. “This is a lot easier thenthan I thought it would be. ,” Sam says. “Could have used you for some of my raids.” “You hpad Piper for a few of them, even if you didn’t realize you did.” “Oh yeah, you Faeries are very useful.” “Yeah, we don’t like oppression, built into our DNA.” Rya scans the stream again. “Okay, so I might have missed something. They are going to be in here in a minute, open that smell window and crawl out.” “Say what?” Sam looks at the tiny window above the toilet area, maybe in previous timelines when he didn’t have a suburban GLENDALE body. He scoffs but tries to listen to Rya anyway. He opens the smell window and tries to fit his headhead, but the door opensopens, and an armed guard points a gun at him. “Rya, we fucked up?” No answer. “Rya? Rya?” “Your imaginary friend got away, . looks Looks like there are other mouses to find. Come here, mousey.” The guard pulls him. “You really thought you were gonna fit through there. ? Stupid mouse.” He drags Sam down the hall and throws him Inin front of Gallo. “oh Oh joy.” ,” Sam mutters before quickly rising to his feet to take Gallo by himself. The guard grabs him just before Sam can lay a shot on him and has his hands tied behind his back. “He’s not alone. He was talking to someone else helping him.” ,” The the guard says. “Take ten 10 men and go search the peremieterperimeter. I don’t want any problems.” The guard grabs a few of the others, and they leave. Gallo circles around Sam like a predator. Formatted: Centered Formatted: Indent: Left: 0", First line: 0" Formatted: Centered Formatted: Indent: Left: 0", First line: 0" “well Well, look, a true artist, give him too much happiness and he will rebel.” Gallo snides with superiority. “Oh, shut up, Gallo. That smug superiority. I remember who you really are? ,” Sam says. “The small town weed dealer who lived with his grandma and stole her social security check to pay for drugs and girls. You believe all that shit you wrote in this new autobiography of a world. ? You think you’re an Augustus Bridger, nah man, you a Donald Trump.” Gallo goes to punch SamSam, but he keeps his cool. “No. I do not need to worry about you anymore.” He takes out his dust injector pen. “I was saving this for a specific senator giving everyone problemsproblems, but I can always make more. My mistake was thinking giving you and that bitch some happily ever after might keep you off my back for eternity. I should have realized your pathetic mind needs the misery to feel normal. SoSo, I won’t make the same mistake again.” Gallo inhectsinjects his eye with a drop of pure reality shifting dust. “This time, imI’m just gonna erase you. Your mom is gonna swallow you now.” Sam angers angrily and growls under his breath as Gallo focuses, and a surge of energy bursts out in all directions like a shockwave. Gallo looks down, laughing, waiting for Sam to disappear. Sam grimaces, waiting for something to happen but instead doesn’t shift, . he He remains. “Performance issues?” Sam quips. “How?” Gallo Takes takes another does dose and tries again. Sam can feel things shift around him, ; something in the universe does change, . he He can feel it, like he is weightless for a moment and being tethered to the world by a single ancholringanchoring thread. “I don’t know what you did to remember, or what you are doing to stay, but this doesn’t change anything. I will end you, and I don’t have to lift a finger to get my hands dirty.” Gallo pulls out his phone and texts. “She will take care of you.” A light burstburst of light flashes, and Kaz appears, backlit and menacing menacinglooking. She takes a step out of the shadows, and Sam gulps with anxiety. A small misstep, Kaz trips and appears to be a little drunk and disoriented. “Well, I see there is some consistency.”,” Sam mutters. “Kaz!” “Yes, daddy?” “We have tresspasserstrespassers, deal with him.” ,” Gallo smirks as he commands. “Shi, Shi? You don’t wanna do this, you like me, sorta. We are friends. Were freidnsfriends,.” Sam blurts out. “That was another life, Gibson, and you have run out of those,.” Gallo says. Kaz takes another guzzle from a flask. “Who’s this guy?” “A miscreant.” Gallo steps to walks off to his dust making ritual of pleasure. “You are using her, and Kaz, really? Her name was fine. Her mother gave it to her. Shi, your name is Shi.” Gallo turns around. “Not anymore,” *** 18 months ago. A flower blooms into a human human-sized person. The first thing she does is look around before tripping. Gallo’ was there to catch her and take her from that place. He brought her to his suite and taught her about the world, about her powers. He pushed her to dive deep into her many abilities. When he didn’t keep her in a Kai Kai-bubble, he sent her on heists, assassinations, giving her a small degree of freedom and, in return, harvested dust from her when he wanted. He Formatted: Centered Formatted: Indent: First line: 0" taught her to be loyal, andloyal and accepting of his advances. She belonged to him, taught to obey her master. Taught her to ignore powers like her animal communing. With her doing his bidding, he rarely needed dust to solve problems. She was a merc for hire, and with thismade Gallo became rich. He treated her like his plaything in all the dark ways a powerful man could. She felt that she owed him her life, so she did whatever he said. *** “Make it hurt,” Gallo commands. Kaz walks toward Sam drunk, but with a cold, unfeeling look in her eyes. Gone is her the colorful outfit that Sam remembered remembers and looking like a high high-end cyberpunk gang dressed her. She's sleek and toned and full of aloudfnessaloofness wreaking with of booze. “Rya, if you can still hear me, now would be a good time to do whatever it is you planned to do.” Kaz lifts him and chokes him before throwing him across the room. Sam tries to plead with herher, but he can’t even get a word in, because she's too busy grabbing him again and throwing crashing him into some crates. He is beaten within an inch of his life. “Shi…” “Enough playing with your food, just finish him.” Gallo walks away to his plans. Sam lies dying of internal injuries, barely able to get his words out. “Your mom. She has a message for you.” “I don’t care.” Kaz goes in for the fatal blow when a raccoon jumps between Sam and Kaz, screaming at her. “What the fuck. ? Get the hell out of here. Look how how I’m dressed? No, look how you’re dressed. ,” Kaz begins arguing with the raccoon. “We used to cuddle? When? I mean, itsit’s possible. I’ve cuiddledcuddled with a lot of wild animals, but moslymostly they are human and not as short. NoNo, I wasn’t calling you short. I’m drunk, don’t judge me. That sounds like judgement. Alternate reality. Twisted Universe. Uh huh. Nuts don’t taste the same. Uh huh. Yeah, I love French fries. Nah, I haven’t had them in ages, mostly just alchoholalcohol and bread. I know, right?” Sam — barely conscious — ‫ ؙ‬looks on and just shakes his head as he bleeds out. He isn’t sure if it’s the blood loss or RyaRya, but he can faintly hear a voice in his head. “Look, itsit’s still her. Shi is still in there. Isn’t it precious?” Rya sweetly obseversobserves. “Yeah,” Barely able to focus on anything but pain. “Adorable fucking trash panda.” She Shi continues her conversation. “Maybe its cause imI’m drunk, but I believe you. SoSo, you know this guy? No neither, huh. HeyHey, don’t you be talking mom jokes< ! I;mI’m sensitive about that shit. Wait, actual mom. What are you…” The raccoon leans in and whispers something. Kaz’s eyes turn almost weepy. Her eyes get wide, and she glances over to Sam. “Him? Really? That’s awakwardawkward.” Shi crawls over to Sam, “I hear you have a message from my mother.” Groaning in a lot of pain. “You couldn’t have just listened when I said that while you were beating the room up with my face?” “I’m sorry, I am very drunk.” ,” Kaz excuses. Gallo walks back in to find Kaz and Sam about to touch, and he screams so loud the Racoon raccoon hides. “Kaz. ! What did I tell you. ?! Finish him. Don't make me put you back in the bubble,” Gallo threatens, and Shi turns away from Sam for a moment, afraid. At Rya’s instruction, Sam turns her face back towards him, and as soon as they make solid eye contact, an energy pulse shoots through Sam’s arm and infuses with Kaz where Sam touches her. A spark of energy absorbs into her before Gallo cutsGallo cuts the connection by kicking him in his already bloody face. He;sHe’s knocked out for good now. Formatted: Centered Formatted: Indent: Left: 0", First line: 0" *** Her Shi’s mind flashes with revelations; , thoughts, memories, feelings. Her memories from all previous realities. In her mind, she is back in the alley, ; the vines glow with pruplepurple and blue flowers. Little floating lights of magick which tickle when tochedtouched and smell of cinnamon. Rya steps out from the shadows. “Hello, Shi.” “That’s me. I am Shi, aren’t I?” Shi tries to orient herself. “You are…” “I am your mother, yes.” Rya pulls a tray of waffles from behind her back. “Hungry?” Shi smells it, and her entire being shifts to euphoric bliss for a moment. She takes it in, but then remembers something she has always forgotten. “You left me alone.” “OhOh, my baby. I didn’t know how things would play out. There was a war in my time, a war I didn’t want to be a part of, I didn’t want you a part of it.In my time, there was a war, a war I didn’t want to be a part of, I didn’t want you a part of it. We are Faeries, wild, miscieviousmischievous, free. The war was changing us, changing me. I got a hold of this living brigningbringing magick and thought, of all the recpiesrecipes I have made, making life might be worth my life. You could grow up after the war, ; if we won, you could meet Piper, Nyx, Ani, maybe remind them what it was like to be innocent and playful again. Above all, I wanted you to be free, free to make your own choices, be whoever you wanted to be.” “But how was I to learn anything, ?” Shi questions. “I didn’t have anyone.” “You weren’t alone, ; Youyou absorbed me into you. I was always there to guide you through the Kai Kai-stream. Had you learned to project, you would have had yourself even to talk to. I had hoped my sisters would be aroundaround, but I guess things got more complicated, and to be fair, itsit’s not like I left them instructions.” The place gets a little darker. “What’s going on,” Shi asks. .” “ImI’m absorbing into you. HaventHaven’t’ got much time.” Rya pulls out a work with joicyjuicy waffles, “You sure you don’t want a bite before they are all gone?” Shi rolls her eyes and bites into it, savoriingsavoring every swish of her mouth. “I’m glad you got to taste my cooking at least once. Soon youllyou’ll not only have all the information of the Kai-stream again, ; my experiences will be there too when you need them. You are not broken, you are not foolish, ; you are kind, beautiful, and imperfect, just like everything good in this world. Trust me, one of my sisters tried to be perfect, didn’t work out too well.” As it gets darker, only the little glowing embers illuminate them now. “I can barely see you anymore, is this it?” “It’s more than most get.” The embers go out. *** Back in reality, Gallo goes to stomp Sam one more fatal time when Kaz reverts backreverts into Shi. The leather is swapped for a yellow jacket, a red shirt, and green pants. Shi flicks her wrist and sends Gallo across the room. “No, No, itsit’s not fair, don’t do this, Kaz.” Gallo fanatically searches for his device and shoots as much that iseverything left into his eye. Shi looks around, unaffected as the universe creeks and bends, ; Gallo pushing pushes himself to concentrate. Shi can see the tendrils of time, twisting even more, stalling, the universe was breaking. The shifting moves around them both, and Shi just casually muses on the herher options. She can see the possibilities. She can see the world, clearly. Shi takes the pen from Gallo and breaks it, ; she can feel a surge of energy as if by instinct, a great glowing mass within her. Shi imagined imagines the world from Rya’s memories and lets herself explode. “It’s Shi.” Shi imagined the world from Rya’s memories, she tuns back to see a dying Sam and her raccoon friend, unaffected by the warping. The Racoon raccoon looks nervous as Formatted: Centered Formatted: Indent: Left: 0", First line: 0" Commented [AB2]: Should this be plate? “work” Doesn’t really work here. Formatted: Centered Formatted: Indent: Left: 0", First line: 0" he watches the world dip towards quantum chaos. The raccoon didn’t even know he knew what quantum chaos was until just now, but it was not the time for him to pat himself on the back for it. Shi looks right into her studio audience, smilessmiles, and lets herself explode. The universe whites out. *** Sam wakes up in a warehouse. It’s empty. He can’t find his phone. Disoriented, as the last thing he remembredremembers was is horrible pain and Shi talking to a raccoon. “Shi? Shi?” No response. “Hey, little fella? Where ya at? Anyone.” Still no response. “Am I dead?” Sam walks out to a beautiful day in Oakland, CA. His car is gone. He gets takes a taxi to a bus, andbus and takes the bus back down to Los Angeles. Another cab to his aptapartment, itsit’s not his apartment anymore. Other people live there. Sam doesn’t make drama, ; heshe’s been dealing with magick and alternate realties, so panic wouldn’t help the situation. He runs off to a library, andlibrary and uses one of the public computers to look himself up, but there is no record of his existence. “Um… I don’t exist? What the fuck.” A librarian shushes him. Sam looks up Dakota and finds her, taking down her address he takes a cab to her address.. The address takes him to Culver City, ; he pays the cab with the last of his cash andcash and apologizes for the crappy tip. Sam steps up to the house, was about to knock, when Dakota steps up to behind him. “Hello,” She says. She’s dressed nice, soft, looks content. Sam smiles, “Finally.” “FinallyFinally, what? Can I help you?” Dakota asks. “What do you mean?” “I mean, it looks like you’re stepping up to my place, . So, what can I help you with?” And Sam got gets the hint. His smile flattens, “No, Nono, just looking to move and checking out the neighborhood. “How long you been here?” “Oh, sorry if I gave off ‘tude, you can never be too carefullcareful.” Dakota smiles, a little more relaxed. “Been here 5 five years. Good neightborhoodneighborhoods. Good schools, thank god. I think there is a house for sale around the corner.” “Yeah, that’s the place. Just walking around the block.” “Well, if you’ve got kids and a family, it’s a wonderful neightborhoodneighborhood. Maybe wellwe’ll see you around.” Dakota leaves and walks throughtthrough the door, a woman greets her, and they kiss, while a son begs to be held at her feet. Sam awkwardly tries to hide him watching them before he pulls the band aidBand-Aide off and turns away to escape. Sam takes a moment and walks down Sepulveda Blvd as the streetlights come on. He stops at a bench and goes to sit down when Shi and her raccoon appear, to be sitting thereon it. “Shi!” “Hi, Sam.” His depression breaks into a manic frustration that had been building all day. “’Hi, Sam? Hi, Sam?’ What the fuck is going on. Shi? What reality is this? What is going on? What happened after you beat the crap out of me? I don’t even think I exist here.” “Wow, so many questions. Um, let me see. No, you don’t, neither does SIGGY.” “OhOh, poor Siggy, I’m sorry Siggy, is this a little traumatizing for you?” Sam says sardonically. The raccoon squeaks. “He doesn’t appreciate sarcasm.” ,” Shi translates. “Where is everyone?” “Well, I reset back in the alley, ; Gallo woke up in his new life in jail for drug charges that will keep him busy for, well, forever. And Siggy woke up with you and left to find me. You prolyl probably woke up later, as your body needed time to do the whole healing spell thing.” “I wouldn’t have needed a healing spell if you hadn’t beaten the shit out of me.” “I’m sorry, I was drunk, and definatlydefinitely brainwashed.” Shi smiles sheepishly but brightly. Sam sighs deeply and then lets it go. “SoSo, are you okay? The universe all fixed?” “Yeah, I used up 99% of all my power doing it, but yeah, universe fixed. My mind restored. When Gallo tried to pull things from the timestream, and we were immune, well, it kinda disconnected us from reality. When things got reset, you weren’t included.” “Not included?” Sam stands up to pace. “I just, I don’t know. Least she’s happy. I guess that’s something I can be satisfied with, and I guess I am glad you fixed the universe and everything.” “Same.” Shi drifts off for a moment and breaths in the cool air of the night. “I have one thing we can try. Not sure if it will work, I might not have the power but, why not.” “What is it? We’re not going to a bar.” “Nah, I’m good with drinking for a year or two, might pick up a kombucha habit, or tea.” Sam looks at her, waiting. “Sorry. It’s a spell I learned from combining all my memories and learning a bit more about how this all works now. AnywayAnyway, just close your eyes.” Sam takes a cautious breath and follows her instructions. Shi closes her eyes too and concentrates, ; her fragile wings burst out, and she begins to cast. Her wings glow and begin to glow white white-hot. She moves her hands to gesture the energy to syphon siphon off intooff into a spinning wheel of energy, beginning to form between her and Sam. Her wings begin to burn up and turn into a dust, ; the dust swirls around the sphere. Her wings completely disintegratesdisintegrate as the spell nears completion, transforming all that energy into the spell. Shi focuses in one final motion, shoots the spinning vortex at Sam. Sam disappears in a flash, and the night goes quiet once again. Shi looks back at her sizzled wings and cuddles with Siggy. “Don’t need em.” They look out at the planes landing at the airport and enjoy the night and whatever the future holds — a. A fresh start. “Gods, I hope that worked, though?though. Wouldn’t that suck if it didn’t?” Siggy responds. “Yeah, he did call you a trash panda.” *** Formatted: Centered Sam feels himself fall and lands in a bed. It looks like it might be the apartment in DTLA where he lived in before all this reality shifting mess started. “She did it,” !” A familiar voice calls out in excitement. As she comes into focus, he sees that it’s Dakota. A little rough around the edges, looking more like his original Dakota. She;sShe’s got scars, and white tattoos from her evolution. — His his goddess. “That crazy Faerie,” Dakota continued. “Had no idea what to believe, she always talks, talks talk and most of the time, shesshe’s drunk as fuck, so I’m just never sure how…” Sam doesn’t care what she is saying; he rushes to her and holds her as close as two people can. Dakota welcomes the arms of the man who she thought she had lost. He even smells like her Sam. They pause for a moment and think the same thing at the same time. “How do I know you’re my Dakota? Multiverse and all that.” They kiss, the perfect spinning camera kiss ever to happen west of alhambraAlhambra. “It is you.” They both say in unison, smiling. Dakota takes him to a bar that night. Sam looks behind the bar to find Lenny serving drinks. He looks good, he looks happy, the place is bustlingbustling, and Sam almost feels a sense of pride for him. Dakota recounts almost the exact same story as Sam’s experience but from her perspective. In this timeline, he had died, and Dakota was mourning until Shi found her. Together, they stopped Gallo and changed the world back to normal. Gallo even made a reality where Dakota and Sam were happy in GlandaleGlendale, but Rya intervienedintervened and connected with Dakota. They both had lost each other, and thanks to Shi, they had been reunited. They toast to the universe working out. “I wonder what happened to her.” ,” Sam asksmuses. “Last I saw her, my Shi was using the last of her energy for some balancing spell. She wasn’t very specificspecific, and she wasn’t even sure it would work, but next thing I know, you landed in my apartment. “How did you not get unstuck from time?” “Shi said something about my powers having to do with it. ,” Dakota replies. “Wait, you got unstuck?” “Yeah, didn’t exist in the last timeline. Was awkward looking you up.” “Oh no, was I?”…” “You were.” “Awkward.” “I know.” They laugh together and enjoy their drinks. For the first time for both of them, they are just two people alive and feeling complete gratitude for every moment. “Look at the two of you.” ,” She Shi barges in. “Dakota, you’re glowing again like the postmodern human you are! Sam, you are not as sad looking as the club photographer you were! Everything is as it should be.” Shi uses her powers to make a round of drinks for everyone. “You got your powers back,” Sam exclaims. “Oh, you’re thinking of Shi… I’m Shi,” she explains by repeating it a few times, confusing them. “Don't worry about it.” Shi puts her arms around them both. “Now that that is all handled, the real work begins. You guys better have another drink. There is some shit we gotta be ready for.” “No. Let us just enjoy tonight in this reality, please,” Dakota groansDakota groans playfully. “Fine, fine, fine, go be love birds. To be honest, I have no idea which reality this is anymore. I’ve been to so many, and of all the shit I’ve seen, they all got the same elevator music. It’s pretty incredible. Time is weird like that. But look at those two, they have a long road ahead, so I should probably give them a minute. End of the day, all we got at are the moments we take for ourselves, the moments of joy and peace, drinks, and a few nuts.” She moves to toss a bar nut into her mouth when Siggy steals it, prompting her to chase it him around the bar. The place erupts into chaos, and Sam and Dakota let their heads fall flat on the table, letting out an exhausted groan. Shi takes a few shots as she chases Siggy with her bowl of nuts and looks back at her audience, “Just fade to black, this might take a while.”