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“I would like to propose an arrangement.”
Technically, it’s the first time Solar took the initiative to speak to the person who tended to his wounds and his sudden emotional outburst just a few days ago and outside of their usual check-up on his unstable power.
Halilintar stared at him in bewilderment for a good moment before, “Go on.”
Honestly speaking, it is merely a curiosity.
Solar knew he shouldn’t be too surprised by the fact that the multiverse actually exists knowing one of their friends also has superpower based on a time-manipulation, but it still shocked him regardless.
It doesn’t help that the proof of it manifested in a form of the grief the six of them still mourn.
He is the one in charge of intelligence and information—the most reasonable and rational after Gempa. Setting aside his mourn feelings and pursuing any possibly new intel for the sake of their revenge strongest adversary yet is something he specializes in. Especially because there are too many questions and there are too many things this … person has hidden from them; this person named Halilintar but also not the Halilintar he used to know.
“Similarities are what we both have in the moment, but I’m sure there is more you want to know regarding this … universe, correct?” He tried to keep a steady gaze on him as he laid out as simply as he could. “Ask away and I shall provide you with answers.”
He received a small huff and mutterings he didn’t quite catch (though he could’ve sworn he heard smartass ) as Halilintar looked away from him before turning his too familiar sharp gaze back onto him. “Then what’s in it for you?”
“I get an explanation as to why you asked that question,” he replied in a single beat. “You may answer it as if I ask the same question to you as well. A fair deal, right?”
Both Solar and him need all of the information they could get, this is something he knows all too well. That is why he’s risking taking the first step; for the sake of his curiosity, for the sake of his brothers, and perhaps for the sake of this Halilintar as well. Putting a semblance of trust on him is simply a price he’s willing to take.
( Perhaps only then Solar might be able to stop associate this Halilintar to his belated brother. )
If this Halilintar is similar to the Halilintar of this world … to the Halilintar he used to know—
A sigh. And then, “Alright.”
—he’ll be willing to take any chance he could get. Though that doesn’t necessarily mean he will probe the details straight away.
“You said you guys are … brothers…?”
( Solar hates how similar the two are. )
He might know where this would be going if he remembered what Halilintar said to them the first time he awakened. Perhaps this should be a good start—it’s one of the first questions Solar has in regard of him.
“Septuplets, to be precise.” The slightly widened eyes in Halilintar’s expression went not unnoticed. “You—Halilintar of this universe is technically the eldest, then—”
“Is Bel—Taufan the second one?”
How did he—? Didn’t he said that, “I—yes, but how did you—”
“No wonder he acted like that yesterday,” perhaps he was muttering something to himself, but it feels like it was directed to him especially since this time he heard, “Is it related to being the last one?”
“ ONLY by a thirty minute margin!”
He retorted out of a reflex. By the time Solar realized it, there was another slight throb in his heart as the other slowly formed an expression far too familiar to his own liking. What he hated most is he knows Halilintar probably didn’t realize it —just like his older brother.
The regret was already starting to brew inside him before a faint cough pulled him out of his stupor. Right. The arrangement. He pushes his glasses up, “You said you don’t have brothers.”
“I don’t.” There is a deep frown on his face as if trying to put his pieces in place. “It’s the order of the power manifested inside Boboi—”
Halilintar stopped himself with a look of pain which confused him more. Even if the name is cut short, Solar knew that name by heart already since it’s one of the things the septuplets commonly shared between each other. The question is, why is this Halilintar said the name as if both of them are two separate identities…?
He shook his head slightly. “Anyway. I was the first one manifested. Then came Taufan and Gempa,” there is another wistful look he almost missed before Halilintar once again schooling a neutral expression. “If you’re also the last one, then I have the feeling the order is the same as yours.”
“Wait.” The order or whatnot is the least of his confusion, the information is seemingly easy to digest, but there are these implications he got from all of the pieces here and there. “You don’t have brothers.”
“You already said that twice.” there is an inaudible brat from the tone of his words, but Solar wouldn’t let himself baited this time.
“But you have that … ‘order of the manifested power’.” He didn’t think he worded it correctly but from the lack of response from Halilintar as if waiting for him (with another of that look on his face) to finally place the puzzle pieces in place, the surrealism of the theory that came up isn’t that far-fetched.
Because it all makes perfect sense as to how this Halilintar doesn’t wear a power watch to use his power. There shouldn’t be even a need to use one in the first place.
A hand on his head jolted him out of the reverie. Softly ruffling his hair before leaving him inside his own lab and revelation. He could hear him smiling as he muttered, “What a smart little brat.”
Solar couldn’t help but dislike how the praise seemingly directed to someone else when there should be no one but both of them in his lab.
—
Solar thought the deal they made is only a one-time thing after what happened last time, but it seems to be proven wrong. Both of them coincidentally watched Blaze and Ice sparring when Halilintar suddenly throws another one.
“Are you guys able to do a fusion?”
Solar stopped his typing on his pad, brows furrowed at the peculiar yet specific work. “Combining our powers is pretty trivial, is it not? Blaze, Ice, and Taufan once working together to create a cocoon trapping Reramos—”
Halilintar shook his head, somehow there was a slight amusement tinged with nostalgia lightening his dark crimson orbs. Solar wondered if there are same events (what was it called? Canon Event ?) happened in multiple universes, but judging that both of them have the same enemy it doesn’t seem so far-fetched. “Not like that, but literally fusion . For example…”
He pointed his chin to the pair who were still caught up in their sparring. Ice could be really competitive with the right buttons and Blaze always knows which buttons to push. Missions in TAPOPS don't require them all to be involved. Sometimes they went with a group of three, rarely they went with a group of five, but most of the time they went in pairs. Blaze and Ice coincidentally are one of the pairs with exceptional compatibility, in the contrary of their … over and lack of enthusiasm.
There is also another pair and a group of three on par with them, but one of them was…
He digressed. “What of them?”
“Imagine what kind of person comes out by combining the two of them.”
“….Look, I don’t know how you, your entity and your universe works but in here reproduction between two males is not only impossible but also a taboo—”
“NOT like that, smartass.” Solar let out a snicker in instinct upon Halilintar facepalming beside him. “You know what, nevermind—”
“I see you take a joke too seriously as well,” he huffs, once again typing what should be a report to Gempa regarding Blaze and Ice’s performance. “I don’t think it’s possible knowing how different our power works.”
Halilintar is quiet for a moment, before mumbling out an “I see.” as he turned to watch the spar. He thought that the conversation ended there, but turns out the former is actually waiting for him to finish with the report before he continues.
“There are six of them,” Solar unconsciously relieved to the fact that he didn’t see any of that wistful or nostalgic look on his face. “Three of them are from your power.”
Somehow, he could believe that. He doesn’t know for what reason the Solar from that universe have three fusions, but if this fusion method is possible in this universe, the most likely reason is either their overprotective-ness or to compromise the consequences of his power. There is a reason he is mostly doing missions with Duri after all—it wouldn’t be a surprise if one of the fusions is them.
“Do you have one?” He decided to ask.
“Two of them.” Even if he doesn’t specifically ask with whom, the question itself once again results in a solemn look in Halilintar’s face. Solar followed the trail Halilintar’s gaze left behind and decided to pretend to not notice it when Gempa’s room came into view.
Of course it is. He would be surprised if they’re not one of them. Perhaps the other one is also—
“I have one with you too, actually.”
He blinks once. Then, twice. Then, he found himself hugging his tab a little bit tighter.
Their fusion must’ve been so cool , Solar wistfully thought.
—
“In case you’re wondering, I won’t apologize for snitching both of you to Gempa.”
Halilintar throws him one of his sharp glares before letting out a heavy sigh. Solar raised his eyebrow; that’s unusual. Did their argument go that bad? The last time they were arguing was after their mission in Machina. A fight that Duri mentioned felt like an omen because it was before…
He digressed. There’s no use thinking about the past.
Yet it seems like Halilintar is still caught up in his when his frustrated look slowly changes to a more solemn and … guilt. All of it nicely wrapped under his anger and grief.
How familiar; he thought bitterly. He knows all that anger, grief, and guilt all too well.
“Gempa has never been this strict before hasn’t he.”
He noticed a tremble when Halilintar grasped his own wrist. The other hand trembled harder for how hard his fist clenched.
“It’s not just because of what happened in Gur’latan either.”
It makes him wonder if his belated big brother would’ve made the same expression seeing all of them after the whole incident.
It makes him wonder if this Halilintar sees another Gempa in the stead of his Gempa.
“No wonder Taufan hates to see me.”
Solar silently walks past the mourning figure, as he too mourns for the fate of three people bleeding in grief.
—
Halilintar caught him trying to gather up the broken pieces of glass tubes once again. The alarmed then soon turned into confusion and relief in his expression is bitterly familiar to the last time it happened.
Just like last time, he’s silently tending onto his wounds as Solar tries to look at everywhere else beside Halilintar. This time, it’s not because he was upset. At least, that’s what he believed. He’s thinking of the person in front of him.
This person can use his power without a power watch. This person doesn’t have any brothers. This person looked and talked and expressed too much like his belated brother. He even used to think fate decided to laugh at them more and create a fraud; a cheap copy of a human who uses the exact same power as Halilintar.
But he should’ve known.
“What is your name?” A question was asked.
“Halilintar.” The person in front of him answered after a moment. “I’m Halilintar.”
“I see.”
Because,
“Why didn’t you call yourself Boboiboy Halilintar?”
from the moment he’s awaken, from the moment he introduced himself—
He smiled, far too soft and fond yet his eyes darken once more in grief. “Because I’m not him.”
He never once played the role fate assigned him to.
“I am always and will always be Halilintar. To receive his name as if I’m part of his family is a privilege I’ve already lost.”
He closed his eyes, inhaling slowly as he pushed down the sobs urging to come out. “You must’ve missed your holder so much.”
Solar lost his Halilintar two years ago.
Halilintar still smiled, this time closing both of his eyes as if to pretend there is nothing to be heard except for their dialogues. “I am.”
Yet why is it that he felt like he lost his big brother once again?