Chapter Text
The end of Ying's world started on a normal day.
Or, maybe not that normal of a day. They were on Earth for their vacation, having been here for three days now, and their gang agreed on spending the third day overnight at Boboiboy's family's home.
The reason was what happened the next day.
"Do you think they're awake yet?", bleary purple eyes looked down the stairs. Fang removed his glasses to rub his eyes, just as Ying went past him with a yawn.
Surprise surprise, she could hear voices down to Tok Aba's kitchen despite it being, like, 4AM right now. She thinks it's only natural, for today.
"Do you think we should stack three crackers this time, or should we stick to five? Thi--Daun, don't put the strawberry jam in! Not yet!"
"This is stupid."
"You don't have to do this if you don't want to, Petir."
"Shut up, Cahaya, no one asked you."
"Tanah, I think we should add peanut butter to everything."
"Angin, we can't do that."
"Come on, guys, take this seriously..."
"Boboiboy's right! Be serious! We need jelly! MORE JELLY!"
"Api, my ear!"
At least the brothers are up and about in this ungodly hour.
According to Tok Aba, ever since they were still six years old, the siblings have had this tradition on their father's birthday every year, even if the guy isn't here anymore.
What's the tradition?
Oh, just making treats.
Which would be fine, except as Ying rounded the corner, she saw the table in a mess of crackers, filling, and ribbons. Eight identical-looking teens wearing different colors of silly-looking pajamas conquered the kitchen together, turning to her in sync when she walked in.
Having entered this scene several times in the past eight years she's been friends with them, though, Ying barely bats an eye. "Good morning. Can you make way for me to go to the fridge? I want water."
One of them, with hazel brown eyes and brown pajamas, smiled. "Good morning, Ying. Did we wake you?"
"Nope", Ying shot that down quickly. She doesn't want to make Daun upset, and anyway, she's telling the truth. "Just wanted to drink."
Tanah nods. The brothers all returned to what they were doing as he passed his red-wearing and gold-and-white-wearing siblings. He didn't mind Petir, the former's resting b*tch face, and the horrid concoction the latter, Cahaya, is making, in favor of getting the pitcher of water and a glass.
Ying figured Tanah would give her the glass of water himself, so she turned to look at the treats. Coincidentally, she met eyes with the one wearing orange.
"Hi, Ying", Boboiboy smiled.
He didn't have his cap on, so Ying couldn't help drifting her gaze to his brown hair--particularly, to the white strands visible there.
Her friend didn't use to have that many white strands. Boboiboy used to only have one, until...well, until Api almost died.
It was then that Boboiboy discovered a hidden side of the power his power sphere, Ochobot, gave him, but it came with a cost...
This is supposed to be a happy day, however, so Ying smiles and greets back. "Hi. Good morning, Boboiboy."
Tanah passed over the water to Ying, who took it gratefully and started to drink. In the meantime, she took the time to observe the teens for a little bit.
The one wearing green, Daun, was enthusiastically smearing each cracker he can reach with strawberry jam. Next to him, blue pajamas were stained with peanut butter as Angin tried his hardest to put in peanut butter, too.
Wearing crimson pajamas, Api jumped around, trying to hoard all the jelly, while Air, in cyan clothes, watched Api passively as he finished a stack. There's Petir looking at what Air is doing, and there's also Cahaya doing, uh. Whatever it is he's doing.
And then Tanah clapped his hands together and proposed. "For Tok Aba...how about we put different flavors together? Chocolate, peanut butter, strawberry, butter, cream, jelly. You get that, everyone?"
Daun hummed.
Api looked around. "Who has the cream?"
Cahaya, who definitely has the cream, says. "I don't know. Ask Petir."
"That's too much to remember", Petir protested to Tanah, scowling. "You're going to be like this in making cookies, too? And--what if we don't do what you say here? You're going to punish us again?"
Tanah's eyes sharpened. "Petir."
The room fell into a hushed whisper. Cahaya paused. Air and Api exchanged looks. Daun put the strawberry jam down.
Boboiboy and Ying met gazes. Then, Boboiboy sighed, and Ying pats his back as consolation.
It seems whatever happened to Tanah and Petir hasn't been fixed yet, even after all this time...
"Let's just make whatever we want. Okay?", Boboiboy reached out to grab one of the chocolate-smeared crackers he made and one of Daun's strawberry jam crackers. "Hmm. Let's see. I'm going to go with chocolate, strawberry, chocolate, strawberry--"
Tanah noticed Boboiboy getting close to him. By that time, it was too late.
"Chocolate!", a laughing Boboiboy smeared the chocolate cracker on Tanah's cheek, quickly followed by the strawberry cracker on the other one. "Strawberry!!"
Well. That's one way to make the tension disappear.
"Wh-no!", Tanah giggled, trying to get away. "Stop! Stop!!"
It just made Boboiboy smear more of the crackers on him, which made Tanah get one of the peanut butter crackers and use it to smear Boboiboy's face in retaliation.
The two of them are cackling, giggling like children, and Petir shakes his head at Ying. He didn't seem angry anymore, at least. "Why are they like this. They're like little kids, I swear."
And then Boboiboy smeared another chocolate cracker on Petir's nose and mouth.
Glaring, Petir licked his lips. He grabbed a strawberry cracker. "You're lucky I can't zap you right now."
Boboiboy stuck his tongue out. Tanah snickered.
Petir went for Tanah--but Tanah sidestepped and Petir hit Angin instead, just as Boboiboy went to chase a shrieking Api.
"Hey! I wanna join, too!", Daun called out, which was the only warning Air got before Daun lunged at him with both hands filled with crackers.
And so the siblings, except Cahaya, are chasing each other around and trying to hit any part of each other they can reach. Laughter filled the whole kitchen, probably loud enough to wake Papa Zola all the way to the other side of town.
Ying continued drinking water. She's smart enough not to get involved, thanks.
"Look at that", Cahaya didn't seem interested in joining, too. "The overgrown toddlers are playing."
His brothers stopped. Turned to him like sharks drawn to blood.
"Ohh?", Angin grinned mischievously. "Whaddya mean?"
"Solar's feeling left out!", Daun chirped.
Cahaya realized what was about to happen the second Boboiboy raised another cracker. He took a step back.
With wide smiles on their faces, the seven of them pounced.
"No, get away from me!", Cahaya made a run for it. Unfortunately, Angin went off to block the doorway, and Tanah reached him before he started finding another way to escape. "No!! Heathens, all of you!!"
Cahaya tried to protect himself by covering his face. His brothers kept trying to ruin his pajamas with filling anyway.
Amused, Ying laughed at all of them.
And if this continued to be a normal day, the brothers would have probably turned and jumped at her, too. The noise would have woken Tok Aba, and Tanah and Boboiboy would've needed to scramble to distract their grandfather while the rest of them continued making the biggest cracker stack.
If this continued to be a normal day, there would be a small party after Tok Aba sent them to clean up and take some more time to rest. Yaya would bring in the cookies she packed, Boboiboy would practically die eating said cookies because he dared to fall in love with Yaya and become Yaya's boyfriend, everyone else would try running away from Yaya like Yaya is the devil incarnate, and the rest of the day would be just as silly.
If this continued to be a normal day, their vacation would be well-spent with laughter and fun.
But Ying didn't know, because that's not what happened.
Instead, the brothers' play-fighting was interrupted when a loud BOOM shook the whole town, like a giant powerplant exploding. Their laughter stopped immediately.
Silence. Mischief and joy were quickly replaced by wariness and worry, as they tried to make sense of what they heard and the earthquake just now. Boboiboy gently pulled Daun aside, trying to peek at the outside.
Ying put her now-empty glass down. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Fang start to go down the stairs with a book in his hands.
Cautiously, Tanah called out to his siblings as he went to enter the living room. "Stay here. Don't move. I'll go check it out--"
And then the windows exploded.
==
Ying didn't know what the heck was going on.
She felt a bit better about it when absolutely nobody else knew, too. Which was bad. Very bad.
To her credit, Yaya didn't beat around the bush once she flew back into the house's yard. "There's a crystal thing near Papa Zola's house. It probably caused the earthquake and the shockwave that broke all the windows."
Yaya's normal pink hijab was half-heartedly draped all over herself, having woken up just now and left in a hurry to see what happened.
Ying felt guilty Yaya had to do that, but since Yaya could fly, she could see what was going on without risking anything of herself, just like what Cahaya said. It makes sense, so Ying stamps down the feeling.
"Do we need to fight someone?", Petir grumbled, pulling at the air and making a sword made out of lightning in his hand. "What's the plan?"
Gopal looked at his teammates nervously, also waiting for instructions. Fang stood beside him, crossed arms and body posture relaxed, but shoulders tense.
Tanah frowned, tapping his chin with a finger. "I think...does TAPOPS know about this?"
"I'll check", Cahaya brings out his watch. He goes to stand beside Tok Aba and Ochobot at the doorway, leaning on his grandfather while dialing their captain for this.
Ying shivered. The sun's starting to peek through the horizon, which means day is approaching. She wished she could stay with her family right now.
Or have a boyfriend, she thought dryly, watching Yaya and Boboiboy hold each other as they looked at the sunrise together. Seriously...
Don't get her wrong, Ying's happy Yaya and Boboiboy finally finished their mutual pining and started dating. But also, Ying's kind of jealous. Of them both.
But it's not as if she has someone in mind, okay, that would be ridiculous--
"I've got good news and bad news", Cahaya spoke up, the call on his watch shutting off. "Good news is that Commander Koko Ci knows what's happening and he's sending a ship full of reinforcements here to help and to explain."
Movement out of the corner of Ying's eye. She didn't get to see it clearly...what was that?
"Okay...", Tanah stepped forward. "What's the bad news?"
"Why do you think the Commander of all people thinks we even need reinforcements?"
A flash of green went past them from the corner of the house. Before any of them could react, the green went past Yaya and Gopal, heading straight to Petir--
"Earth Wall!"
--but Tanah's power got there just in time, blocking the way of the attack. Looking at it now, Ying could see a spike protruding on the wall made of rock, similar in property to a jade gem.
It was glowing.
Then there were shimmers of the same glow, all around them. One, two, three, many more incoming.
Ying runs.
And then the fight starts.
Having the ability to manipulate time for yourself means Ying gets to see much of the action as she goes. She sees Tanah create a container of rocks, and so she takes Tok Aba and Ochobot first, followed by every civilian in this town.
While she does that, she sees Petir use his lightning blades to cut through the projectiles. Angin stood behind Petir, catching all the projectiles Petir missed with his wind.
And then, up in the sky, she sees Boboiboy's power give him beautiful wings of orange and violet and blue, like that of a butterfly. She sees him fly with Yaya and Fang, using those wings, to fight whoever's throwing these things. Ying didn't get to see how they were doing it, but they must be making significant progress if the projectiles suddenly stopped coming in some areas.
Ying reached a house, where Yaya's brother Totoitoy and their mother hid inside a closet. She quickly brought them both, passing through Cahaya and Gopal slowly making their way to where the source of the attacks must come from. Daun was there in the Earth barrier, assuring the civilians and defending them from the inside in case
Ying didn't see Api and Air. She heard them, though, through the watch where they had comms set up automatically.
"Guys!", Api was saying. Ying sees red flames go up a few blocks down from where she is, and figures that must be him. "Any idea who our enemies are?"
The sounds of crumbling. The beanie on Ying's head almost got blown away from her head when a house collapsed next to her--but she kept running.
"They look like plants", Air dutifully murmured. "They have flowers for heads. One's trying to eat me."
Oh, gosh. Ying changes course to look for Air. He probably doesn't need it, but she's going to help!
Yaya hummed. She sounds troubled. "We have more than one enemy, then. Boboiboy cut down some of these crystal humanoid things--I think the projectiles came from them."
"Right", Tanah said. "Everyone, don't be reckless!"
Petir grumbles.
"Petir, now is not the time!"
Boboiboy cut in. "There's too many! Guys, find Fang and regroup! We need to hold out until reinforcements come!"
Ying sees a cyan jacket, and a head about to be eaten by a giant venus flytrap. Unwilling to hesitate, Ying flies in and dropkicks the thing again and again and again. "Speed Kick!"
The venus flytrap drops dead with a crushed head. Api then looks at the monster plant, then at Ying. "Thanks."
Ying nods with a smirk.
"TANAH!"
Ying and Air jumped at Daun's shrill scream.
The two teens looked at each other, just as more of those flower monsters came in. Air inclines his head. "Find Daun."
And so Ying does.
She does, and when she reaches the barrier again, she sees Daun, sees his face twisted in horror.
She sees Petir kneeling on the ground, someone slumped over him.
Ying sees Tanah...
"I told you to--be careful..."
Tanah, whose back was spilled in blood.
==
It all went downhill from there.
"T-Tanah, you're going to be okay. Okay?", Daun kneels down, summoning healing herbs--"Which one...this!"
Petir's face fixed into a grimace, head bowed, hand clutching Tanah's own so tightly it might as well be glued together.
"I'm s-sorry, 'Tir", Tanah managed a laugh. "I've--pushed you so much...haven't I?"
"Don't talk, fool", Petir cut in. "Save your energy."
Ying thinks that despite all disagreements, despite the fights, these brothers still...
She crouched down in front of Tanah, blue meeting brown. "I'll get you to Tok Aba, okay?"
Tanah smiles. "Ying--"
Brown eyes suddenly widened.
Tanah abruptly pushed Ying away.
Landing on the ground, Ying's first reaction was an indignant, "Hey!"
But when she raised her head, there was only horrified silence from her, from them.
Then, Petir breathed. "Tanah...?"
"No", a whimper. Daun reached out, hands shaking. "No, no no no...! Big brother, no, please, please please--"
Brown eyes faded, arms losing strength. The earth walls started to crumble.
"Tanah!"
Tanah's eyes closed for the final time, the heart pierced by the green crystal beating its last.
It felt like the world stood still.
And then Petir screamed, arching red electricity lashing out like a forest fire.
Ying pulled Daun away, hurriedly getting away from the direct line of attack. She didn't care where she was going, tried to ignore the stinging in her eyes.
When Ying stopped, Daun was openly sobbing and curling into himself. She fell to the floor next to him, head spinning.
Tanah.
Dependable, level-headed, caring Tanah...saved her. He saved her, and now he's gone...
The sound of rocks crumbling filled her ears. Then, whizzing, and cries from the civilians echoed throughout the town just as monsters were fried by Petir's out-of-control power.
And then, silence.
"Ying...?"
Ying's ears were ringing.
"Boboiboy!!"
"Daun!? Wha--what happened--"
"Tanah...it's-it's Tanah...!"
Hands grabbed her shoulders. Pink sleeves, pink hijab.
Yaya.
"Ying, are you okay?", Yaya fretted. "Are you hurt?"
It took a second for Ying to register the question. When it did, Ying's lip trembled--but she managed shake her head. "But..."
Orange and violet went past the girls. Eyes widening, Yaya saw Boboiboy take off and hurriedly went after him. "Boboiboy!!"
Without anything else to do, Ying picks up Daun in her arms. She sees Fang head to them with Gopal, sees the confusion and worry on Fang's face.
"What happened?", Fang reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Ying couldn't say anything.
==
It was ironic.
Ying had the power to manipulate time, but it was like time itself started to slip through her fingers.
"Gone. They were--they were all gone--and then Boboiboy..."
"What? What did he do?"
"He--he used it. A-again, and..."
Like a broken hourglass; no matter how much she tries to catch the sand, it always slips away.
White hair. Blank red eyes devoid of anything but a flicker of something.
"Ya...ya."
Beside her, a heart was breaking into pieces. "You goddamn idiot..."
No matter what Ying did...
"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"
"Yaya! Yaya, stop!!"
But her friend was too out of reach. Honey brown turned glowing red, those eyes seemed to burn in fury.
"You...all of you...took everything from me", a promise whispered from insanity. "I'll make sure you all understand this grief."
It was like the gods above were laughing at her, at them all. The gods were enjoying their misfortune.
"Don't--don't you dare do this to me!"
Purple eyes softened. "Ying."
Another hand held her own.
"Live."
Ying slipped.
He fell.
Despite everything...
"Poor little insect, all alone."
Steps went closer. And closer. And closer.
"No one will save you now."
It all led to this moment.
==
"Ha...I can't believe--I called it stupid..."
Ying stayed silent, gripping the hand she was holding like it was a lifeline.
It was over.
It was finally over.
But it wasn't a victory at all. Not when it cost them...everything else.
"Making treats, acting like children...", red eyes looked up at the sky, hazy with pain. His skin slowly turned cold, as the red pooling from his gut grew wider. "Looking back on it now, it's--not so bad..."
Ying felt her eyes sting. She let her tears fall.
That scene with the siblings she witnessed, why couldn't that have stayed?
Why did they have to lose everything?
"I want to go back...", Petir murmured brokenly. "I want...my brothers back..."
Back to when there are still lots of problems, but at least they were complete. At least they had Tanah as the voice of reason, Yaya as the mediator, Boboiboy as the leader, Fang...Api, Angin, Daun, Gopal...Air, Cahaya...
"I want to go back, too", she admitted softly.
Back to the treats, to Yaya's cookies and schoolwork and gossip. To Ying's family, and to the other family she found...
Blue looked back up. Red couldn't see anything anymore, just as the pulse she felt on his hand slowed--and stopped completely.
Ying is all alone now.
--cRRRK!
The loud static jolted her attention, turning to her watch. What was that?
■■■■ ■ ■■■■
...huh? Ying stares with wide eyes. What the--?
■■■■ ■ ■■■■
m̰̰̹͚̙̂ͦ͗͠■k̼̼̞̦̞̼̔■ a͔͔̜̗̦ͩ̅̎ ■■s̨̞̞̰͎͎̪̩͕̈́̀ͯ̍ͧͅh̨͚͚͖ͯ̒̄͗͞
m̰̰̹͚̙̂ͦ͗͠a͔͔̜̗̦ͩ̅̎k̼̼̞̦̞̼̔ḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧ a͔͔̜̗̦ͩ̅̎ w̡̻̻̣͚̒̀ͅi̧̻̻͉̜͑ͪ̾͟s̨̞̞̰͎͎̪̩͕̈́̀ͯ̍ͧͅh̨͚͚͖ͯ̒̄͗͞
A wish?
Ying closed her eyes. This is a malfunction, from earlier, from pushing herself to the limit. It...it has to be.
But it would be nice to...
--cRRRK!
■■■■ ■■■■■■■
WISH GRANTED
"Wait what--!?"
Then, without warning at all, the world spun in on itself.
To save herself the headache, Ying closed her eyes and tried to focus on one place, anything, just to stop spinning, spinning, spinning--!
And then blue eyes snapped open to a ceiling that was supposed to be destroyed.
Ying jolted, gaze wildly looking around at the familiar walls, at the round table where meetings tend to happen, at the silhouettes of people in the room, people who are supposed to be dead--
"Ying?"
Wide brown eyes looked at her. Beneath the orange cap was messy brown hair, with a few streaks of white.
Brown eyes, when it was supposed to be red. Brown hair, when it was all white the last time Ying saw...
"Ying, what's wrong?", Boboiboy stood from his seat, perfectly fine and not gone. Not an empty shell. Not dead.
Not...
Heart hammering wildly in her ears, Ying laughs.
Ying laughs, and covers up a sob within her lips.
The only thing that made sense was--
"Did I die, too?"