Void Guardian 1.5

Impact 1.5

I walk. I don’t really care about where to, or why. I just need to get away from that house, from the pain I was causing and the pain I am carrying with me. I stare at the ground and let my feet carry me away. I suppose I knew it was a long shot going in. I was a major stabilizer for Sandy - I was her rock and this whole thing just tore out one of the foundations of her life. Would I believe some strange teenage boy if he came home claiming to be my wife? Fuck. Even if I couldn’t be daddy anymore, I had hoped that maybe I could be auntie, or even mommy number two. With the way she is now, I don’t think I’d be welcome in the house. Not for a good long while. Maybe not ever. I am effectively dead to my daughter.

Fuck, I’m effectively dead to everyone now, aren’t I? I might be able to manage ‘introducing’ myself to some of my old friends via text message… but then what? I can’t just show up at work - I couldn’t convince Sandra, who was supposed to know me best. I somehow doubt I could pull off just telling my coworkers I had a surprise sex change. Questions would be asked, I’d be thrown out, and I have even less dirt and things that only I would know than I did with my wife.
My parents? My old man is more level-headed than my wife, but he’s a hell of a skeptic. I doubt he’d be convinced. My mom is stubborn as a mule. She’d make up her mind in the first couple minutes and then sit on that position. Which could go my way, but even if it did she’d end up butting heads with my dad and if it didn’t, well, she might distract me while my dad called the cops. Hell, worst case scenario, I’d get another gun drawn on me.

I keep walking, trying to think of people who I could contact who would believe me and coming up with a whole lot of nobody. My mind keeps returning to my wife screaming ‘I don’t know you!’ With every person I could think to contact, when I ran through how it could go - that’s all I could think of. The same phase, repeated over and over again by everyone I had ever known - everyone I had ever met. The only people who might believe me are those who never met me in person - and even if they did, internet buddies who live on the other side of the country wouldn’t be helpful at the moment.

After several minutes of brooding and walking I stop, puzzled, as some people give me funny looks as I pass a bus stop. Why would they…? I jolt as I realize the answer. I’m carrying a big black case around a suburban neighborhood. Likely the only reason nobody’s run screaming yet is the fact that my case is more of an elongated cube than obvious rifle case. Shit shit SHIT. I’ve been walking for a while. What are the odds that someone recognized what I’m carrying and called the cops? My heart falls as I think about where I live. Lots of military. Somebody HAS to have noticed. There’s no firing range around here I could be heading to, and I’m a teenage girl carrying a weapon. Someone probably thinks I’m on my way to shoot up the theater, or the school, or a classmate. Fuck.

I up my pace from a slow brood to a brisk power walk. I think the stream has a tunnel I can hide out in - at the very least I can least stop to think without being interrupted. The chain link fence around the stream is visible fence from here, and a lack of sirens tells me at least the cops are not imminently arriving.

A glance around once I’m at the fence tells me nobody is actively observing me, and I toss the case over before scrambling over the chain links myself. I briefly note that that was far easier for me than I would have thought. A few moments later and I’m squatting in weed filled water in a covered drainage ditch under the highway. My ankles are submerged and water squelches in my shoes as I squat. I keep the case on my knees to keep it out of the water.

“Christ,” I breathe. “I’m really fucked, aren’t I?”

“Yes you are~!” a sickeningly familiar voice sing-songs from deeper in the tunnel.

I turn with hatred toward the voice and hiss vindictively. “This is your fault!”

“It isn’t really my fault at all, puu.” It’s tiny, amorphous body flops along, splashing quietly in the flow of dirty water before forming up into a less disgusting plush-mongoose like shape. “You were the one who hit poor Krystal with your car. And killed her even!” It laughs and it’s an ugly, mocking sound.

I feel my face flush and I lash out with the case, trying to bludgeon it. “But you did this to me!” I cry as I take my swing.

It dodges nimbly, the case splashing water and weeds against the wall. Then it begins leisurely walking up the side of the tunnel. I can feel the space near it warp as it adjusts its personal gravity. It stops when it’s directly upside-down and stares at me. “I did wish you luck. Botching the reveal to your family was all you. Besides, it seems like you’re in quite a pickle now, chuu. Wouldn’t you like to meet some folks who can help you out?”

I narrow my eyes and stare at it. “Why should I listen to you, you little monster?”

It motions to an ear as if listening to something, and my brow furrows before I realize what I can hear too - sirens coming down the highway.

“Doesn’t seem like you have many options, puchuu. And you may hate me, but I’m offering you a way out that’ll keep you… nominally free. You’ll probably even get a place to stay out of it.” It gives me a sly look.

I grit my teeth. I hate it, but I will need somewhere to sleep tonight - the house I used last night will have workmen in it tomorrow. “Nominally free better not be a euphemism for forcing me to do anything untoward.” I grind out. “Anything seems fishy and I’m backing the fuck out. Where am I headed?”

“Follow me,” it says, with a remarkable lack of undulation or concealed amusement. It turns and marches down the ceiling of the pipe, leading me upstream and away from the highway. It continues to float along at head height as we emerge from the tunnel into a high-sided concrete stream channel. The water weeds here are tall and choke the flow of water. I slog along, taking high steps and grateful for my added height. I follow the critter and there is nothing but the sound of my sloshing footsteps, the sight of concrete and sky for some time.

After some distance the creature stops, and takes a floating bound up the left hand side of the concrete barrier. “Up here,” it says, its voice still devoid of mockery. It pauses at the lip of the barrier and turns back to me. “Just so you know. These people I’m taking you to meet. They aren’t like you. They’re exactly how they appear. Might be better for you if you don’t ask any awkward questions.”

The creature doesn’t wait for a response before floating up and over the chain link fence set a little ways back from the canal.

Muttering a few choice words about its probable ancestry, I toss the case up to the edge of the barrier with little effort, and then haul myself up, only to see it hop over a chain link fence, then another wood slat fence just beyond it. Frustrated, I flex briefly and leap - the strains of starsong echo faintly in the back of my mind and I leap over the chain-link with unnatural ease. A second leap clears the wood slats and I’m in a church parking lot. A single dirty Jeep sits in the middle of the lot, and the pink monster is heading right for it at a lazy pace.

I march toward it, noting a brief tug on my magic as my shoes cease to be wet. There are two girls inside, both blonde and facing away from me, talking animatedly as I approach, and completely failing to notice me. I grimace briefly as I overhear what they are talking about.

“Well, yeah, but Becky hasn’t got with him. I kind of wanna, but he’s hers, y’know? She’s got first dibs,” wonders the passenger, flipping her long locks.

The driver is dismissive. “As if. He wouldn’t touch her with a 10 foot pole.”

“But Becky said-”

“Becky’s hot for him but he ain’t interested. At all. Pretty sure he wants Kylie. Or maybe that Kekoa boy that sits next to her. He always stares in that direction.”

“Oh, no. Wouldn’t that be a waste? Hot guy like that turn out to be gay? It can’t be true.”

I refuse to listen to this juvenile drivel any longer. “Excuse me,” I interject.

Both girls jump at my voice, then jump again when they turn and meet my nonplussed look.

“I’m told I am supposed to meet you. Pinkie, introductions if you would be so kind?”

Puchuu gives no indication of reacting to the name, but hops up onto the Jeep’s door and waves with exaggerated cheer at the two girls. “Hello girls. Your new ally is here. Say hello.”

The two girls shake themselves out of their shock and wave tentatively to me.

The pixie cut in the driver’s seat recovers first. “Jeeze you’re tall. Hannah! Pleased to me you. This is my friend Amy. Always good to get some more help. You are…?”

I blank briefly. I’m not giving my name as James, not in this body. I flash through the immediate female names I know before managing to spit out something. “Maeve.”

I plow forward, hoping to cover my hesitation at giving a name. “I’m told I can couch-crash with one of you? I’m not really welcome at home right now.” I hold my face as expressionless as possible.

Hannah waves dismissively. “Well, I guess you can crash with me. Dad’s not home and Mom won’t care so long as you’re not a boy.” Then she frowns. “What’s going on at home? Anything we can help with?”

I keep my poker face as much as I’m able, but I'm certain I slip into a pained look for a moment. “It’s not really something you can help with unless you happen to be capable of mind-control or memory editing. ”

Both girls look unsettled and shake their heads silently before being interrupted by a tinny voice. “Hannah is Crimson Sunset Princess and Amy is Sparkling Starlight Lancer. Fire and light don’t really lend themselves to that sort of thing, chuu.”

Puchuu quivers and his tone is almost warm as he speaks. Fucker’s probably acting for the blonde duo’s benefit. I grit my teeth but before I can call him on his bullshit, Amy cuts in with a question.
“So what’s your deal? Puchuu said you were new and needed help, but nothing else. You just move here?” She’s curious and tentative.

I try not to lash out, but I still come off harsh. “No. I’m new. As in I got powers last night. I don’t have a name and I have a vague sense that my powers have something to do with space or spacetime.”

“Gravity,” states the critter neutrally. “Your powers are based on gravity, puu. I’ll usually hand out names to girls who aren’t gifted with them or don’t come up with them themselves, but I bet you do have a name. You just haven’t realized it yet.”

I think about it briefly and try to come up with a name. Hopefully something less silly than the other girls. “I’m G-” As I start to say something else the celestial chorus erupts in my soul and I know who I am. I speak and my voice resonates. “I am the Guardian of the Void, Quasar Black!” The feeling fades and I take a tottering step to steady myself on the side of the Jeep.

Hannah gives a low whistle. “That’s pretty strong. I just saw a pretty sunset and Amy here said she got a vague feeling of a starfield and a streak of light. You’ve got, like a NAME name.”

“Christ.” I gasp before forcing myself to straighten up. “That was unexpected. I’ve kind of got a feel for when I use magic but that was… intense.”

She nods. “It’s a pretty big rush. ”

“Can we head out now? I’m getting a bit tired just standing here.”

“I’ll hop in the back seat. I don’t think you’ll fit in back.” Amy pipes up, a note of nervousness in her voice.
It takes some wrangling, but my rifle case lies on the floor in the back seat. I’m not sure if she realizes what it is - Amy certainly seems to though, by the looks she keeps sending my way. Hannah turns the engine and Puchuu hooks itself onto the door. As we start to pull out of the parking lot, Hannah nearly leers at me and asks an awkward question.

“So Maeve... any boys you’re interested in? Amy here has this problem, and I’m sure you could provide her with some advice.”

She’s clearly doing this as a dig at Amy, but to me it’s just another sharp reminder of what I’ve lost and what I’ve become. I give her an incredulous look as Amy protests loudly over my shoulder. “Fuck you Hannah! I don’t need any help with my love life! Don’t listen to her Maeve, she’s just being a bitch.”

As they turn their attention on each other, they launch into something that has the feel of an old argument. I give the creature on my door a flat stare. It returns it. I can’t tell if it’s also fed up with them or merely implying that my irritation is irrelevant. We drive off onto the highway, the incessant prattle of the blondes and a font gossip filling my ears. It’s almost normal. Maybe I should just be Maeve for a while. Trying to stay ‘myself’ hurts. I let myself zone out and watch the scenery as we drive off.