Note: Not as dark as you might think.
"Come out, come out, Marinette. Don't make me come and find you."
Marinette did not flinch.
"So you want to play hide and seek then? Really? This will be fun!"
Reality walked away to begin his search.
"Monster..." she whispered. A little too loudly. She heard a laugh and the car she was hiding behind was thrown away.
"Found you."
"S-stay away!" she threatened.
"Oh? What happened to you? You used to be so confident. Now you are afraid of my mere presence. You've turned soft."
"You killed so many people!!" she yelled.
"Did I? Or was it an illusion? Either way, you lost the game. Faster than I would have liked." Reality smirked in response.
He snapped his fingers and the world around them faded away to a black void. He walked past her and grabbed her by her leg, beginning to drag her along.
She wanted to struggle. Oh, how she wanted to struggle. But this void she was in was making it unbearably hard. It was as if she was completely unable to move her body.
"I wanted you to entertain me, but... Oh well."
A chainsaw came out of the ground. Not good.
Reality lifted her into the air...
Static
...
Adrien
As far as he knew, he was in deep trouble. An evil kwami was after him with the intent to kill. Evil? That didn't suit right. Monster? Oh yes.
This was not the Aatrox they faced within his mind. There, he was confident, smug, sinister... And as funny as that sounds, fair.
This was the Aatrox that was written about in the diary he read. The Aatrox who killed just for the sake of keeping his own sanity.
How? How was he the one after him? Shouldn't he be with Reality?
"You want to know?" Aatrox said from behind him.
Was he reading his thoughts?
"You didn't think my powers did not include mind reading, right?"
Creepy...
"Let's just say... Reality and I seperated. I simply gave him all my power to use. It's only one of my many powers. Unlike your Plagg, I can control my powers without causing a disaster in the world."
Why was he after him? Why now? Why today!? Why reveal themselves only after one year of no activity!?
"You shall find out soon enough. In fact, I think Reality will like his birthday gift..."
Ignoring everything Aatrox was saying, he ran faster and continued to slice through as many twisted versions of his loved ones as he could.
But he grew tired. Too tired too fast. He faceplanted to the ground, unable to keep going. He wanted out of this hell.
Just let this end.
"As you wish then, Adrien... Welcome to paradise..."
Without saying anything, the world turned black and all that could be heard were screams.
Static
The world is full of the unknown. No matter where you looked, it was filled with wonders and beauty.
But sometimes, even the purest of hearts could turn into the darkest of nightmares. And such would be the case for Aatrox.
To think, he was a kwami with a kind heart at one point. But it was a curse inside him that took everything from him. And he was unable to stop it.
It took the lives of Kiil, Laara and many other of his bretheren to turn him into a monster.
A monster...
Would that be the right term to calm him? Or was it something everyone sees him as? Mayne they did not know the full story?
Why would he kill with no remorse? Surely there had to be another reason than to just satisfy his own sanity.
Bunnyx's burrow
"N-no... No, no, no, this can't be real!" she denied and dropped to her knees, tears threatening to fall. Seeing no reason to stay transformed for the time being, Fluff came out of her pocket watch.
"Alix..."
"Th-they're dead... I... I could not do anything to stop it... Why, why couldn't I do anything?"
Fluff's ears dropped. "Because wrong manipulation of time can have dire consquences. But please remember that this is only one of many timelines. I think I know how I can fix it, but... It will be risky." Fluff offered.
Alix wiped the tears away, even if they continued to fall afterward. Regardless, her attention was on her kwami.
"I'm listening..."
"I am going to need to take over your body from here on out. Whatever effects occur won't apply to us, since we are in the middle of the time stream."
"I get it... You want to start looking into other timelines..." Alix muttered.
Fluff nodded.
"It's risky, however, it is safer for me to do it rather than Aatrox."
"How so?"
"Aatrox can also erase timelines if he wanted to. If he finds a result not to his liking, he can reset to a point where it all began and find an ending he wants. But then there is a side effect to using timeline erasure."
"Deja vu." Alix replied.
"Deja vu won't affect the person doing the erasure. If I delete timelines, Aatrox will have no clue on where he wouls go wrong, but our friends may get deja vu, feeling as if they have been in a similar situation before and act accordingly." Fluff explained.
"How is that different? Aatrox erasing a timeline would still give our friends deja vu, right?"
"Yes, but he would remember the events of the erased timeline and use that to his advantage. Just trust me. I know this will work."
Alix looked down, her eyes catching a glimpse of one of the many time portals in the burrow. A timeline where she was laughing with the others.
That was a dream and a memory worth protecting.
"Let's do it. Clockwise!"
Paris
Rain and thunder. It was soothing. But Aatrox did not complain. He was glad. Glad that Reality allowed him to revel in their victory and gave him full control over his body.
That conversatiom went smooth as butter in the kwamis eyes.
Flashback
"So, let me get this straight. You want me to take control of your body?" Aatrox asked.
"Yes, but there is a reason for it. I have a plan." Shad replied
"You already had one before. Did you change it?"
"No, think of it as... A plan within a plan."
Aatrox rolled his eyes. "Out with it."
"You have time powers, correct?" Shad asked.
"Yes, though not quite as advanced as Fluff, I can still use time. Why?"
"When I am transformed at my current age, I can not use your power to it's full potential. So I can't use time. You can. I want you to go through a little... Experiment."
Aatrox tilted his head. "Experiment."
"I want you to go through every timeline to see every outcome. In some, they all die. In others, maybe one survives and the list goes on."
"You realise the risk of deja vu, don't you? Yes, I erased their deja vu effects last time, but that was only because I underestimated them."
"Deja vu is exactly what I am counting on. It should help you reach many possible outcomes." Reality explained.
"May I ask why? It won't bring you closer to your birthday if the timeline is reset all the time." Aatrox said, pointing out the flaw in his plan.
"One can never be too prepared. Plus, it will give us an advantage on what will work and what won't."
Present
Aatrox smiled. Who knew Reality was this smart and cunning? A year ago, he was reckless, using his powers so often it gave both of them a headache. That is what cost them the last war.
Nonetheless, he liked this new side of his holder. Maybe this time they'd emerge victorious. Their dream of creating a world of dreams was in their grasp and nothing was going to stand in their way.
Except for this one...
"Hmph... Somehow I knew you would be here..." he scoffed.
The rain stopped and the clouds were pushed aside, the moon casting away the shadow that covered the person in front of him.
"You are too predictable, Fluff."
Fluff in her human form looked very similar to Bunnyx while transformed. She had bunny ears, duh, but along with that, there was no blue on her outfit. It was all white. The umbrella was strapped onto her back. Bunnyx's normal red hair had changed to a shining gray.
"Hello, Aatrox."
"I'd say long time no see, but knowing you, you already visited a timeline and we met."
"Smart...Listen... I came here to talk to you."
"Talk to me? This again? We talked before, it didn't work out."
"I understand you're mad at the king and for what he did to our culture but..."
"So, who got his title in the end?" Aatrox asked. Not because he cared, but just out of curiosity.
"The kwami of intellect."
"And you blame me for the kings death, don't you? Even when I tried to explain how it was all an accident?"
"What? Of course not! I know about your curse and want to help you, not hate you! I know this curse can be beaten, you just have to let me help you! Let US help you!"
Aatrox put on a grin that would even put Adrien's to shame. He began to levitate in the air and the souls of the dead flew around the area, looking hopelessly at Fluff, as if trying to call out for help.
"Heh heh... Doesn't matter anymore... I have the power of souls! You see them, don't you? You hear them, hear them scream and cry for help."
Fluff was horrified at what she was seeing. So many souls, crying desperately to be free.
"A-Aatrox... I didn't think you'd... Kill so many! What happened!?" she asked.
"I've just become my true self... Let me show you, friend..."
Fluff randomly showing up now of all times felt strange. Fluff never appeared until there was a disaster in the future. Could his dream alter the world too much?
No, that just seemed impossible. The prophecy he learned from the kwami of destiny long ago clearly said that he had to kill in order to get a happy ending. No other way around it.
So why did this all feel weird? He felt as if this already happened before? Maybe it did. It could have happened a thousand times and all with the same outcome. So why couldn't he remember?
He shook the feeling off. Now was not the time. His ending was in his grasp. He could feel it. So close. So close!
Fluff was no match for Aatrox. Even if Aatrox was not at his best, he was still powerful than any indovidual kwami. Such is the perk of the demon class.
Fluff was thrown back and she landed on her feet. Aatrox came up to her and grabbed her by her shirt, holding her in the air.
"See, Fluff? Even if I hold back, you are no match." he taunted and tightened his grip.
"I... Just don't want... You to fall so deep... Into darkness!"
"Too late, I got what I wanted. I will not reset this timeline. During the fight, I had a feeling this already happened. I know that the timeline was reset. But... I will not do it. Not this time. I can not bare to watch this all over again..."
Fluff grunted. "You must..."
"Stop telling me what to do! This is my decision! My destiny! MY ending!" Aatrox scolded.
"You can't kill me!" Fluff countered.
"I can. But who said I will? This fight proved you are no threat to me. And that means the other kwamis are no threat to me either!"
He was about to actually claw her throat, but his eyes began to blink red and he felt weak. He pushed her away and fell to his knees. His breathing had suddenly gone from calm to restless. He tried hrd to calm down, but it was difficult. Fluff immediately ran to him and put a hand on his shoulder to help him relax. Luckily, it seemed to work.
"Your rage will take over you. Please. Let's just go back to the beginning and find another way. They must live..." she begged.
"I... I can't... I can't do this anymore, Fluff... I'm tired... I thought I was doing what I wanted. But... I'm just doing what I must. I've seen other worlds. I've seen glimpses of them. And... The whole universe is full of the unknown, full of different people and creatures. But... I? I will always be just a monster who is thirsty for others suffering." he spoke, tears threatening to fall.
"Aatrox, you're right. But also wrong at the same time. Believe me, I want to help you. But leaving the world in chaos is not the way you can achieve peace."
"You want to reset this timeline, don't you? Fluff... You can't save them! They won't survive!"
"Because each time this timeline has been reset, your memories of it were erased as well. So... If you do it... You will remember what I said." Fluff explained.
"I can do it... But just so you know, if I manage to kill them anyway, then it's their fault for giving up so easily."
"Then do it."
"Fluff...before I do... Thank you."
"For what?" Fluff raised a brow.
Aatrox could only offer a small smile and purple streams of energy began to surround them, creating wind that made their hair flow.
"For being the only kwami to not give up on me..."
Fluff offered a small smile in return. That smile told Aatrox everything he needed to know. Fluff had no intention to give up helping him.
The whole area became surrounded in a purple light. The timeline began to reset...
The worst ending. Something about it felt wrong for Aatrox. Was it really the worst? And could he really call it an ending? It sure didn't feel like it. It felt more like a beginning. Yes. That sounded appropriate.
Paris was soon turned to normal. The storm clouds that covered the sky vanished into the now gone future. All Aatrox could hope for was that the heroes survived this time. If not, ph well, at least he will satisfy his hunger again.
Black Void, Your POV
"I know what you are thinking. That I'm nothing but a monster. Well... I won't deny it. I am a monster. But just so you know, I never wanted to be one. It was the world and my destiny that made me like this. You've read my diary, haven't you? You should understand me. But I can tell you don't. You think that I am an unsavable soul. So be it then. I will keep torturing these characters however long it takes. I want a happy ending for everyone. But you should understand this is the only way. The only way that I see at least."
Silence...
"I want you to understand my world better. So I'll show you. At the each of every ending, you will learn more. There is more history to me and the kwamis than you realize..."
Memory Fragment
"Hey Aatrox, what are you doing out here?" Tikki asked, coming up to a big sakura tree as the petals flew in the small gust of wind.
Aatrox looked up from the book he was reading.
"Just doing some reading." he replied.
"Oo! What'cha reading?" Tikki asked and laid down next to him.
"I'm trying to learn about my kind of kwami. But... No description matches my powers."
"Well, you are the only one of your kind. Plus, the archives are not even complete yet, so maybe they haven't gotten to you yet." Tikki suggested.
Aatrox closed the book with a loud thud, startling Tikki a little, evidenced by her little flinch.
"Sorry. I'm just a little frustrated. Ever since Kiil died I've... Been trying to learn if there is a way to stop others from dying..." Aatrox explained, lowering his head.
"Aatrox... Death is a part of life. No one stays in this world forever."
"But we kwamis are supposed to be immortal. Death doesn't occur naturally for us."
"You have to let it go... Kiil wouldn't want you to obsess over it. He would want you to move on with your life. And you still have me, Laara and the rest of the kwamis. We aren't going anywhere..."
Aatrox sighed. "I guess you're right. Thanks, Tikki..." he smiled.
"Hey, that's what friends are for! Now come on! Xuupu is throwing a provate party in the dorms! There will be cake!"
Aatrox got up from his spot and stretched, making the book disappear by snapping his fingers. "Well, I do love cake..." he said.
Tikki giggled and grabbed his arm, dragging him along as the two ran back to their dorm rooms with smiles on their faces.
End of Chapter
Note: I decided to include like an ending song. I'll do so for every other ending, so expect a song at the end of each chapter, if it's an ending. So, why Monster?
I wanted a song to reflect on Aatrox's inner struggle. I imagined Aatrox singing this one in a maze of mirrors, trying to find a way put, but no matter where he looked, he saw the monster inside of him. And all he could do was hope to be saved, just like now.