Shmd

Heya, a new chapter!

Where a secret is revealed!

Happy reading,

With love, Sh'.

 

Chapter 73 : Dawn of a new era (You're an idiot)

Unspecified location, unspecified time, the Astral Plane, in Gwendolyn Stacy’s mind

 

Gwendolyn struggled to her feet as soon as Aria started to scream.

 

The blond in a white dress scrambled through the few measly meters that separated her from the golden girl in a mad, desperate dash.

 

She paid no heed on the fact that she scraped her knees when she roughly landed next to Aria’s seizing form.

 

It was only when her hands were hovering over her trashing form that Gwen realized that she had absolutely no idea what to do.

 

And there was so much heat, so much smothering, heavy pressure on her shoulders and her back.

 

As she absentmindedly brushed away her sweat-soaked bangs out of her forehead, she turned her wide, panicked eyes toward the one responsible.

 

“What have you done to her?” She asked, her voice cracking as her eyes locked onto the twin suns that served as the Phoenix’s eyes.

 

The damned bird’s head tilted His head counterclockwise as He seemed to ponder her questions.

 

Another one of Aria’s wails made Gwendolyn snap her attention back to her as she kept trashing.

 

Not really knowing what to do, Gwendolyn decided to try to clamp Aria’s shoulder to the ground in a vain effort to stop her from hurting herself while trashing so hard.

 

At no moment the blond considered that it was happening in a realm far removed from the mortal one and that she would be as good as new once the ordeal was over.

It was so raw, so visceral and it was happening right under her eyes.

 

-GRANTING HER HER WISH.- The Phoenix finally answered, His eyes boring a hole in her back, -AND SHORING UP ONE OF HER WEAKNESS.-

 

Gwendolyn closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then decided to take another one when Aria moaned piteously under her hands.

 

“What do you mean by that?” She asked, a bit coldly.

 

The blond wasn’t really in the mood to play the sycophant with the self-entitled chicken right now.

 

Diplomacy seemed to have backfired quite splendidly onto Aria, after all.

 

If the Phoenix took umbrage, He apparently decided to stay mum about it.

 

-DID SHE EXPLAIN TO YOU WHY SHE WASN’T ABLE TO PRACTICE MAGIC?- The raptor of life asked curiously.

 

That made Gwendolyn pause, at least as much as someone who's attempting to immobilize someone in the middle of what looked like an epileptic seizure could.

 

“She said something about not having the necessary ‘organ’ in her soul.” Gwendolyn answered, dredging a memory from months ago.

 

The blond could almost feel it when the Phoenix narrowed His eyes while looking at the both of them, despite still having her back to him.

 

-AND DID SHE EXPLAIN WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO HER IF SHE WAS THE VICTIM OF ANY FORM OF MAGIC? OR SUBJECTED TO TOO MUCH COSMIC ENERGY?- The raptor of life carried on.

 

Gwendolyn blinked.

 

Under her hands, Aria trashed once more, sobbing all the while.

 

“...She didn’t.” Gwendolyn admitted under her breath.

 

-I SEE.- The Phoenix answered, His tone suddenly serious.

 

The bird of fire seemed to take a very deep breath, as if suddenly extremely weary.

 

For an intemporal construct that had been born at the beginning of the universe, the gesture seemed extremely human-like.

 

If you forgot the moment when the whole Astral realm seemed to bend toward Him when He inspired, that is.

 

-THE CONSEQUENCES… WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN PLEASANT.- He explained, -ANY OFFENSIVE SPELLS COULD HAVE BEEN LETHAL TO HER AND A MEETING WITH ONE OF MY MORE BELLIGERENT KIN WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY BE-

 

Gwendolyn’s blood turned very cold.

 

“Are you sure that she knew?” The blond asked, her voice suddenly very small.

 

The Phoenix cawed His bird-like laugh.

 

-HER MIND IS AS TRANSPARENT AS YOURS TO ME, CHILD OF FATE.- He explained kindly.

 

Struggling to stop another of Aria’s fits, Gwendolyn mulled over her thoughts for a beat.

 

“Why wouldn’t she tell us?” She wondered aloud.

 

A beat passed as another painful moan escaped the golden girl’s lips.

 

-THE LITTLE OUTSIDER THOUGHT THAT HER ALIEN SISTER WOULD BE ABLE TO SHIELD HER.- The Phoenix answered finally.

 

“Would it have worked?” Gwendolyn asked, a little dazed.

 

-NOT AGAINST THE KIND OF ENEMIES SHE’S PITTING HERSELF AGAINST.- The Phoenix said.

 

Gwendolywn’s heart fell as her eyes grew heavy with repressed tears.

 

“You’re an idiot…” She muttered under her breath as she looked at Aria’s face, distorted by agony.

 

Closing her eyes for a beat, Gwendolyn took another breath, trying her hardest to center her mind.

 

This was not the time to berate her for something she could have done nothing against by herself.

 

She could have told us.

 

She could have told me.

 

-SHE DIDN'T WANT FOR YOU TO WORRY ABOUT IT.- The Phoenix answered in the golden girl’s stead.

 

“I know.” Gwendolyn said through gritted teeth.

 

That didn’t make it any less hurtful.

 

But again, what could they have done about it?

 

“And this is going to help?” Gwendolyn asked, coming back to the issue at hand.

 

Aria’s scream made it difficult to hear the Phoenix’s answer but somehow the blond managed.

 

-IMMEDIATELY, NO.- The Phoenix explained, His tone reassuring, -HER SOUL IS OLD AND FROM OUTSIDE THIS REALITY, THE GRAFT WILL TAKE TIME TO MERGE WITH IT. BUT IT WILL, EVENTUALLY.-

 

Gwendolyn’s brows furrowed.

 

“I thought that an Astral body was a projection of the mind, how is her soul related to it?” She asked, perplexed.

 

The Phoenix cawed another of his laughs.

 

-THE SOUL ANCHOR THE MIND.- The bird of fire answered, as if it was the very basis of what she should know, -THE LIFE-LINE THAT TIES YOU BACK TO YOUR OWN VESSEL IS MADE OF SOUL AND MIND INTERTWINED.-

 

Gwendolyn’s eyes drifted down to her own ‘stomach’ from which emerged the shimmering link that seemed to stretch far, far away.

 

“So there’s always a bit of our soul that travels with us when we visit the Astral plane.” She formulated under her breath.

 

-THAT IS WHY IT’S A PAINFUL PROCESS FOR HER.- The Phoenix elaborated, -THE CONSTRUCT I BUILT TO HEAL HER IS TRAVELING BACK THROUGH HER OWN LIFE-LINE TO JOIN WITH HER SOUL.-

 

Gwendolyn remained silent for a beat, still trying to ease Aria’s trashing and quieting her wailing.

 

“How long is it going to take?” She finally asked, her expression pained.

 

-AS LONG AS NEEDED.- The Phoenix said, his tone as dry as a desert, -SHE MAY HAVE NOT WANTED IT, BUT SHE WILL NEED IT.-

 

Gwendolyn felt His eyes narrow once more on her back.

 

-AND I WILL MAKE SURE IT COMES TO COMPLETION.- He very pointedly said.

 

Not like I could do something about it.

 

Gwendolyn realized something at this moment, something that Aria had warned her about before this adventure.

 

Cosmic Forces are scary.

 

The blond firmly decided that she wanted to have as little to do as she could with them in the future then and there.

 

***

Unspecified location, unspecified time, the Astral Plane

 

When I finally come back to my senses, I have the very distinct impression of having been run over by an army of american-sized trucks.

 

That, and a pounding headache.

 

So the only thing I can do as my eyes flutter open after what felt like an eternity spent with my insides torn apart by tiny white-hot needles is groaning piteously, still sprawled on the ground.

 

I do not immediately register Gwen’s concerned question as one of my hands comes to shield my eyes from the too bright bonfire that is the Phoenix.

 

“M’sorry,” I mumble, my voice broken by the strain of my ordeal, “Could you repeat that?”

 

“Are you alright?” She asks, her own voice hinting at barely repressed tears.

 

This day keeps getting better.

 

I made her upset.

 

“Peachy.” I croak.

 

A beat passes as I start to massage my temples, my eyes closed.

 

What is it about telepaths always being plagued by headaches, seriously?

 

“Why didn’t you tell us?” She asks softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

 

My seriously strained mind takes a moment to compute her question.

 

Apparently, the whole ordeal collapsed my mental architecture.

 

I hope it’s only momentary.

 

“‘Bout what, Gwennie?” I answer after a beat.

 

It is rather difficult to formulate complex thoughts when your brain gives you the impression that it has exchanged its spot with mashed potatoes.

Badly burned and still steaming hot mashed potatoes.

 

“About the fact that magic could seriously hurt you.” She elaborates, her voice very small.

 

I freeze a little before sighing softly.

 

“Couldn’t do anything about it, the Sorceress said so.” I answer after a beat, mulling over my answer, “Figured Iris was enough, only thing I could bet on.”

 

The silence stretches for a beat as I keep massaging my temples.

 

My motion halts when something wet lands on my bare arm.

 

I barely repress a pained wince as my eyes open once more.

 

I can’t catch a break, I guess.

 

Gwen’s face is a little distraught as she looks down at me, her hand clenched and her knuckles white on her knees.

 

A tear is running down her cheek.

 

Feebly, I extend a still wobbly left hand on one of hers.

 

“I’m sorry.” I start, my voice thankfully making me sound a little less at death’s door, “I know I should’ve told you, all of you.”

 

I squeeze her hand a little.

 

Another tear falls.

 

“But there was nothing I could do and I was already committed to train you four.” I carry on softly, my thumb rubbing her hand soothingly.

 

Under my palm, I feel her hand unclench a little.

 

“That’s why the Sorceress feels free to bargain with you, right?” She slowly articulates, “Because you’re no threat to her.”

 

I slowly nod, my eyes locked in hers.

 

“There’s a bit of that, I suspect.” I answer, my right hand resuming my temple massage, “That and the fact that she needs eyes on the ground badly enough to recruit Mystic in the first place.”

 

The silence stretches between us, the slow susurrus of the Phoenix’s flames the only sound reaching us for a beat.

 

“But why take the risk?” The blond asks, her other hand wiping her leftover tears.

 

“What risk?” I ask, a little confused.

 

“To fight, when you…” She starts.

 

I sigh, cutting her with a gesture.

 

“Come on, Gwennie, I’m not disabled, I have a weakness.” I explain huffily, “And I would like to remind you that even if I remain a bystander, I still live on the same rock as you. I sort of have a vested interest in its continued existence, as well as the one of our species.”

 

I exhale slowly, starting to rub my temple once more.

 

Fucking headache.

 

“I know, that sounds cliché. And it’s because it’s the case but I have both an edge and chips on the table as it stands.” I carry on a bit more evenly, “And I…”

 

I pause, mulling over my words for a beat.

 

“I don’t think I could live with myself if I did nothing about it.” I admit lamely.

 

The silence stretches once more.

 

Her hands under mine wobble for a bit, before upturning and clenching mine in a vice-like grip.

 

I wince a little.

 

“You’re an idiot.” Gwen says as she locks eyes with me.

 

“I know.” I answer back, a weak little smile on my lips, “And I feel like I’m going to hear that a lot in the near future.”

 

She huffs, turning her head away as she wipes her cheeks once more.

 

Her hand remains in mine.

Shmd

So, yeah, I obviously planned for Aria to have some sort of weakness that had a real explanation that wasn't 'the author said so'.

I think it will reconcile some of you with the Phoenix's actions so far, because only a cosmic force could've done what he did.