Good Times Must Come to an End(2)

– Rooftop, Site-17 - 10:05 AM –

With his arms resting on the metal railings, Rodeo stood on the rooftop of Site-17, gazing up at the night sky. The sky was bright with stars along with the full moon shining brilliantly into the dark field below and the dark sky above. Right now, Rodeo was feeling upset that the entire welcoming party which Michelle and the rest had set up for him ruined because of Numita and Logan. He wanted to deny it, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was responsible for it. As a result, he kinda felt guilty about it given they mentioned him to be the center in the scenario.

"...Now that I think about it, why do good things need to be ruined with me being in the center of the matter?" Rodeo wondered as he sighs, "Can't get one good day of happiness. Seems like I just bring problems to others."

"Rodeo?"

Hearing a familiar voice, Rodeo turned around to see Michelle before turning away to face the fields beyond the facility. A moment later, he could feel Michelle standing next to him.

"You okay?"

"...No, I might get the party ruined by two guys who have a hate for me and anomalies in general. I fix problems and yet some problems come to me and ruin some things, I'm kinda like a bad omen," Rodeo murmured, "I'm sorry, Michelle, because you worked so hard to make that occasion for me."

Michelle pats his back and gives him a reassuring smile, "Hey, It's okay. I'm not feeling bad that the party got ruined, I was just concerned about how you were feeling."

"I want to feel happy, Michelle, but... I just don't understand it sometimes, even you and everyone else. I feel like the more time passes, the more I'm becoming something. Since I returned from the two universes I went to, I've been plagued by people's advice to mature and make the tougher decisions in life. What if this change... will time and change turn me... into... a monster?"

"Rodeo! You will not be like them... Ever. Look, changing the way you make decisions and fight, yes, that's admirable and you can do that, but that does not mean you have to become someone you're not. A guy who is kind, brave, honest, prepared, understanding others' emotions, willing to take on evil forces, and a great friend. But never say that you will be a monster like they claim you are, will be, or meant to be."

Rodeo smiled at her response, "...You're right. Sorry I... just said something I shouldn't have, and I wasn't thinking straight in what I was going to say. Just been facing these things in my mind... alone."

"You don't have to always," Michelle said, placing her palm on his cheeks and gently held his face, "You got Amelia, Evan, the rest of the team, and... me."

"Yeah. Me, the rest... and you."

Rodeo and Michelle locked their eyes on each other, and soon engrossed in their own world. And when the world seemed to move at a slower rate, that is the moment where they noticed their faces were becoming far too near to one another at that point. Before their lips could connect, the two immediately retreated and turned away from each other, rubbing the back of their heads while blushing red embarrassingly.

"Yo guys!"

Hearing another familiar voice, the two turned around to find Evan and the rest of the group had arrived. The moment they arrived, Karl and Carson set a bonfire in the middle of the roof with burning pieces of wood and a metal bowl.

"What's with the bonfire?" Rodeo asked.

"Jeff's idea." Karl responded.

"Guys you don't need to-"

"Shut up. Don't tell us to stop helping you out."

Jeff added, "You need this man, and me and Miguel are gonna give it to you."

"I'm confused." Rodeo said, expressing himself exactly just as he described.

"Just sit around the bonfire. You'll see.

As the group gathered together and sat or either stood around the bonfire, Jeff handed Miguel sheets of paper which had the musical notation and chords scawled on them for a certain song. With his guitar in hand, Miguel started tuning it and began playing it based on the music notes of the song Jeff had given him, all the while hearing the latter sing the lyrics.

The song was Take Me Home, Country Roads.

~ Take Me Home, Country Roads - Song by John Denver ~

"🎶Almost heaven, West Virginia. Blue ridge mountains. Shenandoah river. Life is old there. Older than the trees. Younger than the mountains. Growin' like a breeze🎶"

Jeff was singing the song with all of the emotion and love that it had as Miguel continued playing the guitar while the rest calmly listened to the magnificent song Jeff was performing.

"🎶Country Roads, take me home. To the place I belongggggg. West Virginia, mountain momma. Take me home, country roads🎶"

Jeff paused and became silent, but Miguel still continued strumming the guitar with harmony and love. Moments later, Jeff went on.

"🎶All my memories gathered 'round her Miner's lady, stranger to blue water. Dark and Dusty, painted on the sky. Misty taste of moonshine. Teardrop in my eye🎶"

As Jeff resumed singing, he noticed the others were peacefully staring at him with a smile on their faces listening to his song and they seemed to be enjoying it, even Rodeo appeared enjoying very dearly. Jeff smiled and carried on with the song.

"🎶Country Roads, take me home. To the place I belongggggg. West Virginia, mountain momma. Take me home, country roads🎶"

The rest of the group started applauding along the song while Miguel kept playing the guitar and Jeff continued on as he proceeded to put more love into his singing with increased passion.

"🎶I hear her voice. In the mornin' hour she calls me. The radio reminds me of my home far away. And drivin down the road I get a feelin' That I should be home yesterday, yesterday🎶"

Pausing, Jeff turned to face everyone present and said to them.

"Sing with me."

Nearly everyone in the group followed his words and sang along with him.

"🎶🎶Country Roads, take me home! To the place I belongggggg! West Virginia, mountain momma! Take me home, country roads! Country Roads, take me home! To the place I belongggggg! West Virginia, mountain momma! Take me home, country roads! Take me home, Country Roads! Take me home, Country Roads!🎶🎶"

~ Song Ends ~

As soon as the song was over, Miguel stopped strumming the guitar and Jeff and the rest stopped singing. Everyone cheered for Miguel and Jeff for their performance.

"Thanks Jeff and Miguel, this really made my day." Rodeo remarked, expressing gratitude to the two after he paused his applause to thank them both.

"Told ya you need this." smiled Jeff in response.

"Thanks." Rodeo replied back with a smile in return.

"Rodeo, I got you something," Carson stepped in with a gifted box in his hand, "I was going to offer it to you in the cafeteria but after those two came I was unable to do so, but I'm handing it to you now."

"This might be interesting." Rodeo remarked, watching as Carson handed him a wrapped box.

Rodeo can't contain his curiosity and tears away the wrappings to discover that inside was a gaming console together with a CD with the most epic game known to man.

"Is that…?"

[Palworld]

Deep within Rodeo's mind, the tune of the American National Anthem started playingin his head while battling pokemon-like creatures with his own, but instead of employing any pokemon moves, they used guns to blast their enemies to smithereens.

"...I expected it could be Elden Ring or something, but never knew you would give me a Pokemon game that took place in Florida and could pissed both PETA and Nintendo off."

"So do you like it?"

"Despite having animal cruelty there… hell yeah I like it."

"Glad you like it," Carson said with a breath of relief, "Green got an Xbox Series X/S for you guys last night when you were recuperating in the infirmary."

"Yeah," stated Green, "Check it out in your room when you get the time."

"Thank you two, I really appreciate it, but I have something to say." said Rodeo, standing up and began to make an announcement.

"My friends, we shall welcome our new allies and embrace this wonderful night with open hearts, even though two of them are joining us for their own reasons which I can consider good enough. So welcome my new friends," he declared before casting a glance at Rip and Zorin, "And frenemies... to Mobile Task Force, Omega-141. Codenamed, "Queen's Requiem""

Miranda, the four lords, the Dimitrescu daughters gave him a short nod in acceptance although Rip and Zorin merely rolled their eyes.

"Now let's continue the night."

As soon as Rodeo finished his speech, everyone cheered and continued partying and chatting with each other through the night without any interference until midnight came.

——————————————————————

As midnight had arrived, Queen's Requiem retired back to their quarters while Amelia and the rest left the site and went back to their homes for the night. Rodeo and Michelle, however, still stayed on the rooftop and continued to sit on the floor and gaze up at the night sky.

"So do you feel any better?" Michelle asked.

"I feel great," Rodeo replied as he looked at the glowing cracks on his body, "Wonder how I will get rid of these though."

"Forget about that. As long as it's not hurting you, you're fine. Amelia is planning on researching the dark aether crystals from Zorin's head and try to find a solution tomorrow for it."

"You know, it really felt wholesome hearing her call me son." Rodeo said, referring to that scene.

"Yeah, you should talk to her about it tomorrow."

"I will. Thanks for the party again, Michelle. I really appreciate it."

"No problem."

"...You're a great friend."

With a small pause, Michelle smiled even wider, "You too."

Turning to face forward, Michelle rested her head on Rodeo's shoulder which made his cheeks blush red but he accepted it, even Michelles felt the same but she didn't mind and the two both continued gazing up at the starry sky above.

While that day had its ups and downs for Rodeo, at the end of the day he still got to enjoy himself and being back with his friends as well as gaining new alliances. It was a great end of the day for them.

But in the morning, that will all change... as the great darkness that spans several universes would unleash its vengeance on the Scp world that will shake it to its core.

——————————————————————

In the dark aether realm, the Forsaken, in his human form, sat on his dark aether crystallized throne like a monarch. Using his telepathy that transmits through dimensions, he gave an order to all dark aether and Reich forces.

"All forces mobilize…"

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"...It is time."