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Alex teleported back to Morgan’s apartment. That fight took a lot less time than they were expecting. The new crop of hero’s have so far been deeply disappointing. Alex teleported into the front room. Morgan was standing in a corner.
“Morgan,” they called out. “Hero’s are so dumb, you won’t believe what the new guy from the FA said today… Hey, what the hell is that?” asked Alex, the portal had started to form in the floor by Morgan’s feet, a pit of tentacles and ichor slowly widening to full size.
Morgan looked guilty for a second before smirking, “visiting my Grandma,” they said with a shrug. “Be back for dinner!” Then they leaped into the pit.
**
Morgan appeared in a forest clearing, the darkness was oppressive and sort of wrong. The feeling faded as the portal closed and the dark within the forest settled back into something more normal. The dead silence was replaced with the sounds of birds and small animals scuffling around. There was a small campfire to Morgan’s left, with woman sat near to it.
“Morgan!” she called, waving them over. She stood, nearly six feet tall, including the twisted horns on her head. She wore loose purple dress that brushed the floor as she stood and the black feathered shawl was as always draped over her shoulders.
“Hey, Grandma,” said Morgan with a smile. “How’s Culthlu?”
“We await his glorious return when he will destroy this pitiful world and awaken those who slumber, so the usual,” answered Morgan’s Grandma pulling him into a hug. “Now why did you call me for the portal? Is your mother giving you trouble? I swear she is no daughter of mine sometimes.”
Morgan and his Grandma sat next to the fire. “No, actually my friend sort of… killed her… a bit.”
Morgan’s grandmother snorted. “Serves her right. Honestly, she renounces the great old one and runs off with some silly boy to play ‘superhero’.”
Morgan smirked. “Gandma, you’re ‘The Hero of Reality’.”
Their Grandma smirked back. “One reality’s hero is another’s war criminal, Darling. Oh to be young again.” She looked wistful and terrifying for a second, eyes glowing with an unknowable energy briefly. “I assume my daughter will be back given time though, did you come all this way just to tell me that?”
“Yeah, her and Dad were back after about a week, something to do with inter-dimensional energy, I didn’t really pay attention when Diego explained it.” Morgan stared at the fire. “No actually, I’m… getting married.”
Morgan’s grandmother clapped her hands together and squealed. “Oh my, my Darling! Tell me everything!”
“It’s just… for tax purposes really,” started Morgan.
“My dearest,” interrupted their Grandma, “You know how I feel about tax fraud.” Eldritch energy curled and crackled around her fingers, like a living thing looking for escape.
“It’s not fraud,” argued Morgan. “We are really getting married. And Alex, that’s their name, Alex, they are the most important person in my life. Really. We just haven’t dated or anything. We kinda just ended up living together, by accident.”
“So, why are you here? It’s not like you to ask for permission,” she said with a smirk. “Oh, don’t give me that look. Why else would you have come all this way when you could have just used the sending stone and sent me a message? I know how you hate portal travel. Not to mention if your Mother realises you can get here she’ll tighten the barrier, then we won’t even be able to message.”
Morgan took a deep breath and just… opened their mouth. Once Morgan started talking they couldn’t stop. All the rubbish that had been gathering in their head for what seemed like years started spilling out. “Well, I think we might be making a mistake. I… what happens when Alex gets bored of me? I mean they haven’t yet. Also they are a mass murderer, like properly, just for fun. Which I feel like I should have more of a problem with than I do. I don’t think I’m a bad person. A villain sure, but not bad. Or just a little bit bad. Alex is a bad person. I should have a problem with that right? Because I don’t. I really don’t, I kinda find it cute. Also Alex’s parents are lovely, and I’ve manged to fool them so far into liking me. What happens when they realise I’m not good enough? Also I was aiming for a courthouse wedding with the minimum amount of people but Alex’s mom is talking about some great huge event and Alex is getting all excited about putting on a show because he’s a dramatic motherfucker and I’m just.. me…. Also…”
“Okay,” interrupted Morgan’s grandmother. “Stop. Breathe. Oh my poor Darling, how long have you been holding onto this. You clearly like this Alex. So that’s the first thing sorted. Does it matter if he kills people? I kill people, honestly I do it for fun. And convenience, and the glory of Cthulhu, but mostly for fun. Sometimes I help people too, if I feel like it. But what even is good and evil? Arbitrary sides in a conflict we can’t possibly even understand. Chaos is the only force that we can be sure of. What matters is are they good to you, will they meet the Chaos at your side?”
“Yes,” said Morgan. “Yes, they make me feel safe.”
“Good,” replied their Grandma with a nod. “Next, you have not ‘tricked’ anyone into liking you. You are strong, independent, and you know what you want from your life and you do your best to achieve it. You are wary without being cowardly and you are my favourite. If this Alex or their parents are not completely stupid then they can see all that in you too.”
Morgan frowned at the floor.
Their Grandma sighed. “I know you struggle to believe that my Darling. But I don’t lie about such things. Next, if you don’t want a big ceremony, don’t have one. Remember what you told me all those years ago, you are no one’s sidekick.”
“Thank you, Grandma” said Morgan.
“One last question, my love. Do I get an invite?” her eyes sparkled with mischief.
**
Alex was stood in the hallway, staring at the floor where the hell-portal had been. “What the hell!” they asked the empty air. They raised their fingers to click not yet sure if they were going to Morgan or if they were bringing Morgan back here. The portal reopened but this time in the celling, tentacles sprouting out of it and rubbing the walls in a disturbing way, ichor was dripping on the carpet. Morgan and a strange looking woman dropped out of it. Morgan stumbled and fell onto the floor. The woman kept her feet and landing gracefully on the carpet. One of the tentacles patted her on the head and then waved as it retreated into the portal and it closed and disappeared.
“Oh, hey Alex,” said Morgan climbing back to his feet. “You haven’t been stood there all this time have you?”
“It’s been less than a minute,” replied Alex. “What’s going on? Who’s this?”
“What?” asked Morgan turning to the woman. “I’ve been gone hours.”
The woman shrugged. “Inter-reality travel, it’s a lottery. At least we didn’t arrive before you left –that can be a headache.”
“Morgan,” said Alex sweetly. “I have been very patient. Who is this? And what is going on?”
“Okay, okay, geeze chill out,” complained Morgan. “I told you I was going to see my Grandma, this is my Grandma. Grandma, this is Alex.”
“Wasn’t your Grandmother some kind of legendary hero that died years ago. Your mom never shuts up about it in interviews.” replied Alex feeling the annoyance rise.
The woman smiled but it was without any warmth, she smiled like a crocodile. “Martha told everyone I was dead? I mean we’re not the closest family but still! As for ‘legendary hero’ that depends entirely on who you ask.”
“In fairness,” said Morgan. “She does think you are mostly trapped in a pocket reality.”
“And who fault was that,” snapped the woman.
Morgan held up his hands in a placating gesture, “Oh Mom’s, totally.”
She sniffed then turned to Alex looking them up and down. “Hello Alex. You can call me Grandma. Hmmm, let’s say I’m pleased to meet you, I’ve heard all about you.”