Innocence at its Worst

Eight Years Later - 2

The choice begins with ascension from power. The choice made in this world wasn't made for them, nor by them. It was never present. 

What was, cannot be. Their powers to save worlds was denied, yet they still go through the same loop with the same ending. The game was designed by their own minds, ensnaring them within it's own trap through means of... an extremely unrealistic simulation.

Rhea was driving to school, drumming her fingers on the wheel. She vaguely wonders how the first day of school would be. She had spent an entire summer at an away camp to learn karate. She saved up all her money just for that, so when something evil comes, she can karate chop it's head off! She giggles at the memory of one of her friends, Calla. They hit it off right away and became instant friends. Almost like how Rhea and Charlie first became friends. Rhea sighs, parks her car, then waits. 

Her phone buzzes, a message from Charlie shows up. 

[Did u remember that assignment from Modern History?]

Oh crap. No, no she didn't. Rhea grimaces, slamming her fist against the dashboard. She decides to do it during class. Rhea sighs and hurries into the building, past tons of people she recognized from last year, but too busy to do anything about it. She almost brushes past the Trio, but abruptly stops in her tracks.

"Hey!" Charlie greets her happily, fluffing her long golden blonde hair over her shoulder. "What's up? Oh! The sky is up. That's what's up. Guess what? I had a dream about the sky! I was painting the sunset again! I love those dreams! Did you get your homework done? I didn't," Charlie continues to babble on while Rhea drops to the ground, digging through her backpack.

"I really wish I did that assignment," she mutters. The homework for her class was supposed to be about what your parents were doing during the Shatter attack sixteen years ago. Rhea grunts, frustrated. She knows for certain that her father was stuck underground while the Shatters rained bombs all over the country, but that's it.

There is nothing to know about her mother.

Levi touches her shoulder gently, jerking Rhea out of her solemn silence. She glances up at him, admiring his caring eyes, defined jaw, and his hair.

She wistfully wonders how on Earth she is going to get a date with him. The moment was too fleeting, too quick. 

"Are you okay?" he asks, concerned.

"Uh, um... No. I don't know," Rhea shrugs. "How was your summer?" she asks.

Levi shrugs, "Just went back to South Dakota. You know my dad," he shares a secret smile with her. Rhea nods, yes, she does know. Orion tends to spend all his money on keeping Jules happy. Rhea heard that Jules' family wasn't doing too well, so they go to her hometown as often as they can, even though they're undercover. 

Rhea zips up her backpack, "That's cool," she says simply. 

"How about yours?" Levi asks, listing his head.

"Oh, um. The usual. I stayed at home all summer. Dad went to work. I went to work. Yeah..." Rhea shuffles her feet, hating to lie to him. He would think she was weird and an oddball if she told him about her karate classes, and... training. 

Levi gives her a curious look, "Right..."

Rhea huffs, "You don't have to look so disappointed. I'm not as filthy rich as you guys are."

Levi looks almost hurt, "If you ever need something, you know we'd be more than willing to help you out."

"I don't need charity." Rhea says tiredly, embarrassed of this entire conversation. "Let's just go, the bell's about to ring," she says, shouldering her pack, already walking to the doors.

Charlie was still spewing nonsense, but had turned her attention to Brook who simply listened with an intense quietness. 

"OMG!" Charlie exclaims. "I see a hottie, and- MINE!!!!" she sprints down the path to a guy who Rhea doesn't recognize. 

He must be new, she thinks to herself. Brook watches Charlie carefully, then after a long moment of indecision, she turns away to enter the school.

"Verdict?" Rhea asks.

Brook slides her cool gaze to Rhea, nods once, then turns her attention back to walking.

Rhea smiles mischievously, "Excellent. He will have to pass my test."

"How does anybody ever pass your tests?" Levi asks.

"Huh?" Rhea blinks. "Oh! They have to ask questions and be super nice and actually care about how Charlie feels. He would have to be super careful about joining the family, because it's so messed up, knowing that I don't have a mom and all. Because- well, it's stupid. I mean, he would have to be be extremely patient and..." Rhea stops herself at Brook's significant look. "Um. He's just got to be hot. The usual." Rhea ducks into a nearby classroom.

Shortly after avoiding everybody, Rhea only wished everybody could see her. Could find her...

Rhea's head exploded with an unimaginable pain; images and brief glimpses of the future and other worlds flashed across her vision. She couldn't interpret any of it, but she saw it all. 

Rhea collapsed onto the floor, breathing heavily. She curled into a ball, blinded by sparkling white flashes that wouldn't go away. Tears sprung up in her eyes as she came to a terrible conclusion.

She wasn't supposed to exist. Nobody here is supposed to be alive.

What she saw told a story of greatness. Of heroism and triumph. What she saw existed in a world parallel to hers. In a world where the good survived.