revivey thing

A quiet morning in Nintendria.

Several months now, had passed since the major events that led up to Xerizero’s death and the rise of Astra. She still visited often, as did the other gods and the Guardians. There was no reason not to, after all, and they did owe them for bringing him down. Perhaps especially Astra though, as she did not want to stop seeing the woman she loved. And also, because she knew it may be a struggle for a woman born during the hundred years of corruption to figure out how to raise an Existen child with no actual reference.

The stragglers who had been picked up through the adventures were welcomed by Immortalia to stay at the castle for as long as they may need, though the royals, of course, returned to their home kingdoms to sort out the relief efforts for the fight against Zempheriea that started all this and just in general do what they did best. The eight kingdoms all sent up their best and their brightest from both the main kingdoms and the colonies to aid in relief on Cerphixen as well, since it was definitely in more dire need. A hundred years in the dark had all but halted the development of society there, and the people born during the corrupt years didn’t even have the average knowledge of someone born in 1913 anyway.

All and all, things had returned mostly to relative peace, for both worlds.

Anyway, it was a very quiet morning. Things had returned to a peacetime cadence, and most people were still asleep.

Q lay flat on her back on a couch, unable to sleep normally due to a conspicuous bump on her stomach. You see, during the few months that had passed, she had learned that that little fling she had with that super secret project of Cherry’s the night before the big event had cost her the joys of not being pregnant. Every so often, one of the others might catch her out at night, staring at the sky, waxing poetic about her life ever since to the stars, as if longing for someone out there somewhere. Most folks hanging around knew the situation though, and didn’t question it.

Kit lay sprawled out on a cot, with a young woman snuggled up to her. In the days since, she had recovered from the event that locked her into service with the Darkness Requiem. Having back the one she lost of course, helped with that.

The Murderesses were all sleeping on one another. For the most part, they hadn’t changed. You know, except for the three sisters having their mother back. That was a very good thing.

Midnight was coiled up against Morning. She had been offered many times by both Lucentielle and Astra to have her vision restored, but she turned them down every time. She preferred being blind, it kept all her other senses sharp as a tack.

Cherry leaned up against a wall, one of the only ones awake. During the months since, she had finally worked up the nerve to tell Ananta just what she really thought of him hitting on ladies when he had her at home. They split pretty cleanly, and became friends again after a few weeks to recover. Shortly after that, she shacked up with a military woman from the Terrantian colonies and had been quite a bit more content since.

Vera was also asleep, very comfortably on a bed she demanded they set up for her. It just so happens that today was this old woman’s 80th birthday. Congratulations, Vera.

The royals of Nintendria were nestled safely in their own rooms on this day, with perhaps the only remaining royalty in the castle that belonged to a different kingdom being Angel, who was sleeping soundly (and smugly) in Daniel’s bed. In his shirt.

Finally, we come around to Astra, who was visiting for the last few days. She was awake, since she found little need to sleep for long periods anymore, and she held Cameron in her arms, petting her hair slowly. She wore a small smile on her face - she was very much enjoying the peace. Around her neck, she had taken to wearing two reviver stones, on account of a promise she had made to a young woman in heaven. A promise that ensured she would be duty-bound to answer the call that rushed through her mind at this very moment.

I’m ready.

We’re ready.

Bring the stones.

I’ll be waiting.

She gently lay Cameron back on the couch and quietly rolled the alien awake.

“What… what happened…”

“Come with me. It’s time.”

“Time for what, it hasn’t been nine- …oh…”

“Yes, that time. Come with me. She’ll want to know about this.”

Q rolled off of the couch, slumped for a moment, then stretched and yawned before floating up into a standing position. “Let’s… let’s go then. We’ll leave everyone else sleeping for now.”

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It was a long walk. First to the crossroads, then through Ethernealrus. They stopped not for anything, and took the shortest route possible to the Chaotic Spirit Tomb. Outside the sealed entryway to the Grave of the Creators, there were piles of flowers, and candles. Seems others had made pilgrimages here, possibly Existen and Spirit Children looking to honor the ones who saved them, given that the flowers looked to be Cerphixen species.

“Stand back, and cover your eyes.” Astra placed a hand on the barrier as Q stepped away. The seal, as soon as she touched it, began to splinter and crack and glow brightly, before finally, in a final shattering noise, fell away. The seal had long ago stopped being necessary to keep others from knowing what was inside, but she and Ranthael, after the burial, had set it back in place anyway to prevent crazies from trying to revive them against her wishes before it was time. But after today, there would be no need anymore.

“Enter.”

Q went in before Astra, who navigated her through the twists and turns in the maze that led to the gravesite. They made haste through the tunnels, eventually coming across the cavern, and its eleven statues. On the four at the far end, there hung a few objects. On one, a bright purple scarf. On another, a pair of prescription sunglasses. On the third, a… pair of panties? And on the last, with the still fresh-looking mound beneath it, a vest. A while ago, these objects would have been used as keys, to open a mythical place called the Timeless Rift. But the Rift had ceased to exist, and its contents brought out and attached to Ethernealrus, making it all that much larger. Nowadays these objects hung here, a testament to their owners. But not for long.

“You needn’t worry about digging them up.” Astra explained. “There are temporal barriers surrounding them all, so Ranthael told me. They’re perfectly preserved, he claims.” From her infinite storage, she procured three shovels. “And I know for fact this one is. I will take the first one. I owe it to her. From there, the three of us can get the rest.”

Q stayed silent as Astra levitated the shovel and began to dig, speeding up time ever so slightly to get it done faster, but not so much as to risk breaking the time-stop barrier. Eventually though, you could see a faint glow at the bottom of the hole.

“Aha, a whole ten milliseconds less time than it would have taken.” Astra smiled gently. She raised a hand, and something began to lift out of the hole. Soon, the body of one Zora Blackwood was laying there in front of them, still looking the way she did on the day of the big event. If it weren’t for the two stab wounds running straight through her, you might even think she were only asleep. Q rushed up to her, but was stopped by Astra.

“Ah ah. Not yet.” From her neck, she removed a small, light blue stone on a chain. “Take this.”

“But… hold on.” Q had to pause. “If she gets revived, what happens to your powers?”

“Transfers of power are permanent, in cases like these, to my understanding. I’ve been told about a War of the Undead and a Frost goddess that I never knew, because it happened while I was still sealed away, who rose up after the old Frost god was killed. They eventually rose him up after his soul was reacquired, but the power stayed with this young woman. Two young women in fact, but it gets complex beyond that. Though I wouldn’t mind either result. But that is beside everything. Use the stone. I‘m sure she‘s waiting.”

Q took the small stone in her hands and paused. How would she react when she found out? Was she only looking for a lay? Would she abandon her? She had felt at the time that the love was real, but it had only been a few weeks, far too soon to tell.

There was no sense in not taking the chance.

She gently lay the stone on the body’s chest and waited patiently. For the longest moment, nothing happened, and she began to worry that because of her origins, it wouldn’t work.

As she began to turn around, however, she caught a faint spark from the corner of her eye. Shortly thereafter, the body began to glow in the usual fashion, the flames giving the place light began to dim, and the air swirled around them in an ominous wind.

This lasted about a minute or two, before it finally quieted down. The glow faded to reveal the healed body, which promptly began to start breathing again. And now, Q took her hand as she began to stir.

“What… where am I… why am I back here…”

“Shhh… shhhhh…” Q papped her face. “Stay calm, let it all come back…”

“I… remember… being stabbed. I remember getting back up, and there was glowing, and then all of a sudden I was in this courthouse, and there was this intimidating-looking dude, and he… bowed to me. Everyone was bowing to me… I went outside, and my family was there, I got to hug them for the first time in forever… And… it felt like I was there for months… it was such a peaceful place. We caught up, and I was feeling so much better with everything… and… you were there…” She pointed at Astra, “But… you weren’t…” And then she nodded toward Q, “And everything was just pretty okay… Don’t tell me that girl really did heal me and it was all a dream, please don’t tell me that…”

Astra stepped forward. “None of that was a dream, believe me. You did die, and your death saved millions of people and spelled the end for a cruel tyrant. And for that, I owe you everything. And today, you sent out the call to have us revive you. Welcome back to the waking world.”

“Wait, wait woah… what the hell happened after all the glowy stuff when I was in the courthouse…”

“That, my dear, is a story for later on. I’m sure your family will love to hear it also.”

“My… family… You mean, you can…”

“Yes. Sadly, only them… but if I remember the story you told me, we would be better off anyway.”

“I would rather not talk about that… my family… they’re gonna see it after all…”

“Yes… hold on to that Reviver Stone. It’s clear you need to recover after that. I trust the temporal barriers are still in place, so you need not see them decomposed, anyway. Q, please help me take it away.”

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The first body to be lifted out was that of a young woman in a black t-shirt and jeans. She was of a darker, more mocha-colored skin than her sister, with darker red hair to match. She looked very battered, though nothing seemed to be a killing blow - she may have died of internal injuries rather than anything external. Zora very much winced at the sight. She had died in her arms, she hoped she’d never have to look at this again.

Astra motioned toward her as she laid out this body. “You weren’t around when Daniel was revived. You were busy assuaging the damages caused to Lumentia, yes?”

“That is correct… I have no idea how to use one of these.”

“It’s very simple. Look down. Do you see that stone you still have laying on you?”

“Yes…?”

“Pick it up, and put it on her. It still has a charge left. You can tell because it hasn’t dissolved yet.”

Zora struggled to her feet, obviously still woozy, and slowly made her way over. Before she did the thing though, she took the scarf on the statue, and wrapped it around her neck. It was her favorite scarf, she would want to have it back.

And then she lay the stone on her sister’s chest, and waited.

Yet again, a minute passed with nothing. And like Q before her, she began to turn away when she saw a spark. And she literally nearly jumped out of her skin when the revival process began, jolting into Q’s arms and shivering as she watched.

When the glow subsided, she too was fully healed and gently breathing. Zora let go of Q, and crawled toward her, checking her vitals when she approached.

“She… she’s alive…”

“Give her a moment to wake.”

Indeed, not long after, she began to awaken.

“It… feels as if I have been asleep for ten thousand years…”

“I… guess you could say you have been.”

“Yes, I remember… seeing the other side of the door. Seeing you crying… and then it was blank… we were in a very calm place for such a long time. We waited so long for you to come yourself… I suppose that would mean we were dead, and that was heaven. I also suppose our powers have long since been passed on to others as per the laws of this universe, leaving us mortal again.”

“That’s about the state of things, yes. I think. Am I mortal again?”

Astra sighed and shook her head. “Yes, yes you are.”

“Okay. Okay good I have my facts straight.”

“Hmmm.” The freshly revived one seemed very calm about all this. “I suppose I am okay with that. I would like to see this universe without the responsibility of ruling it, I think.”

“Yes, yes… two more now. If I recall, I believe these are your mothers. Q, if you would do the honors.”

“Yes, of course.”

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The last two bodies were taken out of their graves in short order, as the two sisters watched. One was of average height, with hair redder than a Smith’s and skin that was less mocha and more eggnog. The second was about eight feet tall from head to toe, with black hair and the darkest skin out of all of them. Both were fairly muscular for their figures. And both looked like they were hit the heaviest. Zora took the initiative right away, placing the stone on the bigger one while her sister observed. Like before, there was a pause before it happened, but when it did… well it sure did happen. This one seemed to wake up quicker than the other two.

“’Ey, yo…. Why do I got such a headache, was I dead, last thing I remember I had some classy pantaloons, what happened to them-” She stopped on spotting Astra. “…’Ey, I remember you. You were in the fancy castle in the place. You sure you won’t do the sex with me-”

“My answer remains the same.”

“Damn.”

“Well glad to see she’s back to normal…” Zora took the stone from her and laid it on the last woman. The process repeated as before, and soon she was fully healed and breathing as well. She sat up, not opening her eyes.

“Jesus fuck that was a rush. I’m not even gonna bother askin’ any questions, I ‘member.” She shook the dust out of her hair and opened her eyes. “…Is that a blue alien. Is that a pregnant blue alien.”

Q jolted. Well this was not the way she wanted to break the news. “I… er.”

“Wait… what. Pregnant, the hell are you talking about- oh my gods she’s pregnant.” Zora just about fell on her ass. “…You didn’t happen to sleep with anyone after me, did you-”

“No.”

“…What about before.”

“Nope.”

She just kind of lay there sputtering while her sister laughed.

“Well this certainly is a special thing to wake up to. It would seem you met the one girl who fills all of your kinks. And you got her pregnant. Good job.”

“…sh-shut up.”

The larger of the two adult women roared with laughter. “Good goin’! How’d ya do it anyhow, you best be letting’ me in on summa dat action-”

“I said shut up.”

Astra came between them all. “Okay, okay. You can laugh at her once we’ve gotten back to the castle, okay? Let’s go.”