Understanding the Self.

Talen scrolled on his phone while smoking a blunt. His head raised from the screen and looked out at the sea surrounding them for miles, while the starry night sky overlooked them from above. Looking back at his phone, he sighed.

'We're lucky this boat has a hotspot. I would've gone crazy if I couldn't watch stuff on this thing.' Just about to watch a video, Talen looked up at the sound of footsteps.

"Why aren't you inside?" Lora asked with pocketed hands and a tilted head.

"Too crowded. Plus, if I smoke in there, moms with children will complain and I'm not afraid to smack a bitch."

She chuckled. "That makes sense. And here I thought you were sulking." She sat beside him.

"Well, that too…" Talen looked at her. "How are you feeling? Especially after—"

"Dunno. Kinda doesn't feel real, y'know? I have my two best friends beside me, but no lover. When I was with Tony, we could imagine a life together without the fighting. Beyond Fate. A future for all of us."

"I thought the same thing. But, when he died, I guess his mind changed. That the future we were all supposed to share together couldn't be fulfilled because of them. Because they'd planned it out all along," he said.

Alora glanced at him. Then, she took the blunt from his hand and started smoking it, looking off into the distance at the endless blue sea.

"What else?"

"He thanked me for saving him. And also…" He looked at his sister.

Anthony's last words flashed through his head. No mention of either Uri nor Alora exited his mouth. Then again, considering the situation, that wasn't exactly his fault. Even so, Talen knew his cousin better than anyone.

Despite the vessel's unfortunate demise, he'd undeniably wish for his best friend and lover to experience long and happy lives. But telling her that Tony said nothing about her on his deathbed and offering her his own piece of condolence were equally bad choices. So, he thought even further back. To before Anthony's death.

"I think it was early-June. Back when you were kidnapped, he and I had to train to get stronger. The old man instructing me and Mom instructing him. We spent more time together as my parents' pupils," he said. "I think we were talking about relationships in a restaurant."

A brown raised above her eye. "Helenheim had functional restaurants?"

"No, no," His waving hand rejected her query. "We went to Jotan. I think we were talking about—"

One month ago. June 1st, 2022.

Back at the Kismet Empire, Talen and Anthony sat across in a booth, while people walked past the window embedded into the side of their persons.

Tony lifted the menu and started reading. "Hey, I've been meaning to ask: ever thought about getting a girlfriend?"

Talen dug into his pocket and revealed a packet of edibles. He threw one into his mouth, beginning to chew. "No. Why?"

He shrugged. "Dunno. I feel like you'd enjoy one."

"To be honest, I agree but having a relationship and actually putting in the work to make it stick is such a painnnn," Talen said.

"That's true. Then again—" He flipped a page. "—depending on the person, it doesn't have to be a pain. Like what about Lily? You told me 'bout her, right? Why'd you two break up anyway?"

The lawyer sighed. "I'm waiting for this edible to kick in so I can have a proper excuse to not answer your question."

"Haha," Tony deadpanned. "Lemme guess—you wanted to play the field when you were younger but regretted it as you aged."

"Is it really that obvious?" Talen's eyes started drooping. His hand gradually extended, picking a fry from the basket and throwing it into his mouth.

"Sorta." Tony sighed. "That's kinda sad though. Was she hot at least?"

"Hot? Well… she definitely had a butt. I also liked her braided hair and freckles—she was just my type."

"And you really threw that all away to be a manwhore?" He asked.

Talen's eyes rolled. "Like you have any room to talk. Your girlfriend's kidnapped so you can't get any to begin with."

"You know you're talking about your sister, right?"

"Yeah, just dawned on me after I said it," he said.

"Still…" Tony smiled. "I can't wait to see her again. After we defeat Atlas, we can go back to Barronia! Alora and I will actually be a real couple." He chuckled, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. "No matter how many times I say it, it doesn't sound real."

Talen smiled. "If you want, I can tell you some things I know she likes you can impres her," he said.

The vessel's eyes sparkled brightly. "Really?! Thanks, man! You're the best!" He exclaimed.

"Heh."

Tal stared at Tony, admiring the shape of his smile and the simple happiness he experienced just from his words. A good memory. One to be cherished.

Present day.

"It's so odd. He never once thought of himself as worthy of you. But… I guess you knew that, didn't you?"

Lora played with her fingers. Touching the tips of two together, her head raised—letting the sea's chilly winds away her short and snowy hair.

"After Uri died and you left, it was just us. But even though we knew each other, we were distant; neither of us capable of making the first move. Until one day, I suppose. One day I guess I… just noticed."

Talen's head tilted. "What do you mean?"

She looked at him. "I've been around you my whole life. I've seen every lover you stupid siblings have had. I know the way you guys look at them; the ones you love." Her gaze averted. "I guess I was sort of envious. I always felt like an outsider so—I guess I just wanted someone to look at me the same way. Then we met Tony."

'Well, I guess it's weird for me. Technically, I've killed hundreds. I should be lamenting all those lost lives. Maybe the only reason I haven't killed myself yet is that… it hasn't set in for me yet,' the memory of her past lover's voice echoed through her mind.

"Besides however he acted around you and what he told us after we saved him, I think that was the first time. The first time… he got to be honest to someone about how he felt. And because I could be that someone to him, he looked at me the same way. With those loving eyes that went on eternally." She smiled. "I suppose that's a stupid reason to fall for someone, isn't it?"

He sighed, covering his eyes with one hand. "Tony…"

She stood. Looking down at her brother, Lora smiled. "Thanks for telling me, Tal. I'll see you back inside later, okay?"

He nodded. Taking another hit from the blunt, he inhaled sharply, revealing his phone once more before continuing to scroll. In a vacant corner in the ship's interior, Alora's back stood idle against the door—nothing but darkness surrounding the room.

Looking down at the floor with nothing but despair, the light in her eyes quietly dimmed, as she fell to her knees and buried her face between her legs. A silent wish born from her heart called for him. She wanted to see him again. One last time—so she could tell him.

'I love you.'

Mainland.

With curly hair swaying before his eyes, Apollo Moloch uncrossed both arms, standing atop a vacant rooftop.

"What're we s'posed to be doin' here?"

Atlas chuckled. "Isn't it obvious?" He appeared before the Displacement some feet away, smirking softly. "You're going to be fighting me."

"Seriously?" He groaned, scratching his head. "That's gonna seriously be a pain."

The Progenitor shrugged. "I disagree. Honestly, I've been itching for some action. I only got to do so much against those pitiful relatives of mine." He raised his hands—both glowing with Fate. "Don't hold anything back, alright?"

Moloch nodded. Splitting apart his legs and raising both hands, he stared at Amit. "Understood… Master."

The ensuing battle didn't even last 10 seconds. In that short period of time, both Fate users vanished; only to reappear amid each other and throwing repeated blows that shattered their surrounding platform.

Apollo punched at the side of his head, watching Atlas weave to the left and grab his arm, throwing it over his shoulder. Moloch vanished before slamming into the ground—reappearing behind his Master, catching him in a headlock.

"Chaos."

The sword automatically withdrew from Atlas's cane sheathed on his hip, stabbing into Moloch's eye. Reeling back and screaming, the Displacement grabbed his face, gradually starting to heal upon reflexively summoning an aura. Yanking the blade from his skull, Apollo glanced around; placing his palm on the roof.

'Twin-Flame.'

A bunch of green flames started forming around his chest. Just as Atlas reappeared behind, ready to behead him in one fell swoop—the entire rooftop was engulfed by flames. The emerald fire raged atop the building and threw the Progenitor from within it, letting the schemer tumble across before reaching the edge overlooking the street.

"Those flames are incredible. I really lucked out… by giving them to you," he said.

Apollo emerged from the smoke venting steam from his mouth devoid of unburnt clothing; aura blazing around the shape of his soul.

"I can't help but agree, old man."

Moloch fired at the Progenitor, who smirked. Atlas vanished and manifested above Apollo, grinning widely while sinking his heel into the foe's skull. Covering the top of his head with both arms; Amit's blow struck, cracking his bones following the strike with one leg. Flipping back into the air after landing the kick, Atlas landed carefully, steadily advancing with two hands raised.

Apollo kicked up at his Master's face. Atlas dodges back quickly and stepped, punching his foe in the gut. Catching his arm with one hand, Moloch snickered, glaring into the human's eyes with nothing but insanity for a substitute.

'Tundra!'

Frost started building on the length of Amit's arm, beginning to reach the slit of his throat before eventually shattering upon stepping back once. Ducking under Moloch's obvious counter-attack, a punch, the Progenitor uppercut his creation and watched the blood spit out his throat. Reeling from the hit with a blooming crimson wound, Apollo growled, striving to catch the foe by his head.

Amit smiled and kicked his arm away, vanishing before reappearing behind the enemy to directly stab at his unseen flank. Glancing at the sword puncturing his flesh, Moloch coughed, hearing it slip out upon collapsing to his knees and continuously hacking until blood spat out.

He punched the roof. "DAMMIT!"

Atlas, resting the sword on his shoulder, looked down at Moloch. "I believe I understand the problem here." He tapped his forehead. "It's because of the memories I suppressed within you," he said.

"Huh? What memories?"

Atlas sighed. "All Displacements are genetically-enhanced humans following their forced imprisonment in Fate's Realm. After spending eons and eons in that place, even their own physical bodies became composed of that energy. It's only natural you'd forget the truth of your existence. Why you live to destroy and why I chose you… as my partner."

Apollo blinked.

…

In an instant, the setting altered. Instead of the scorched rooftop with Atlas overlooking him, there was nothing but the intoxicating cityscape for miles. Through the eyes in which he looked through were his own, the vision was unfamiliar. And distant. Only after his head turneddid it finally click. His legs dangling off this rooftop that warned of a near-infinite fall—it was all intentional.

Seated beside her longer legs teasing the limitless abyss, the pink-haired girl's waist twisted, handing her brown-haired brother the joint.

"You good?"

He looked into her eyes, then the blunt. "Never."

The future Displacements had their faces illuminated by the bloody sunset. For the first time in decades, the City would see its first scarlet moon. The more smoke he inhaled, the clearer it came; the memories were flooding back—no matter how slowly.

Apollo's green eyes sparkled under the crimson.

'That's right, I… had a sister.'