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"EL!"
mike's screams echoes, piercing all the ears that can hear him. he's being held back by military men who could never understand what he's going through—watching the love of his life seconds from death.
dr. kay stumbles, "GET THAT GIRL!", she orders. her whole life and token for the laboratory to start up is slowly inching away from her power. her men gets out of their post, some release their hold from everyone—gripping their rifle as they made their way towards el.
mike gets dropped to the floor and looks forward, locking eyes with el who somehow seemed motionless. then his eyes travels to her stretched out palms, twitching and glitching. his eyes widened in realization, it wasnt el—it was..
"kali", he breaths out.
he looks at the girl, her small frame standing idle—focused. mike notices it subtly, blood softly trickling down her nose.
but it was too late for the soldiers. once they manage to get a hold of el, she vanishes into dust—and so they will.
the explosion ringed them deaf as they scramble to the ground, shielding their ears. once it stops, mike looks up to see the portal now undescribable—buried and mangled with remnants of the other world.
suddenly, dr.kay turns and looks at mike—pure anger and terror in her eyes. but in just one glance, her neck snaps in a horrid way—sending her to the ground quicker than ever.
everyone looks forward, no sign of who could it be. they look to the side, no person or supernatural being. to the gate, all painted like ruins.
mike turns around and sees her.
it was el. nose bloody as ever as she used the remaining will she has to end this battle. it wasnt vecna or her brother that she had to end—it was the people that wants to start a vicious cycle of her life all over again.
as soon as she realized that, el used everything in her to make sure that another kid wouldnt go missing—and another kid wouldnt have to suffer like she did.
"el!", mike exclaims and runs to her, engulfing each other in a tight hug. "im sorry, im sorry", el mutters all over again. "i thought i almost lost you", mike cries, "again".
dustin couldnt keep it to himself and wails, making his way to his friends and join in their embrace. "el", he cries out. "hi", el chuckles through her tears and pulls him closer. will pulls away from joyce and clings to them. lucas steps forward slowly and finishes the circle.
hopper sighs in relief, watching the future of his daughter play out right in front of him even if it ended minutes earlier. but it wasnt just el, it was for kali too. her realization that things doesnt have to be tolerated, for her to realize that anything is possible.
el made her choice, kali made her choice—and it was all the right choices. the right choice because it wasnt for mike, or hopper, or anyone else—it was for themselves. the chance for them live and redeem whatever it is that they have missed.
it was el's time to live as jane hopper—not el the superhero.
and it starts today.
months after, hopper's cabin turned lively as ever. el and will shared a room where will's paintings blended well with el's arts and crafts. they often stayed up late, listening to music, watching movies on vhs, or just painting (to which el tries to copy will's drawings).
jonathan had it somehow worst on his end though. he occupied the living room and a makeshift bed since there wasnt any other room. jonathan was the older brother who would terrorize will and el by choosing to watch his tv show every time the two would decide to watch their own show. but when el found out he was moving out for NYU, she surprised him with movie night of his favorite film the night before he moved out.
kali exempted herself from this dynamic though. after a few months in the hopper-byers household, dr.owens resurfaced and shut down any remnants of the laboratory (including any projects that would endanger the lives of el and kali). with his help, kali managed to move out of hawkins with a new identity. el writes to her every single day and keeps tabs on her.
as for el, joyce and hopper promised to enroll her back to school once hopper gets his promotion. they ensured that they will find a nice school with nice people. she's excited and has a countdown for when that day arrives. el tries to lessen the use of her powers.
her and mike are closer than ever. when mike opened up about his plans of becoming an author, she was ecstatic and wanted to read all of them that second. she became his muse, the main characters of his stories resembling her in certain ways.
"el! come on!", will calls out to her. "coming!", el yells back and looks in front of the mirror, making sure her hair is nice and her dress is kept. she smiles and exits her room, using her powers to shut it.
joyce, hopper, and will stands in the middle—waiting for her. today was their graduation, hence the orange robe will has on.
"what did i say about using powers for basic things el", hopper says. joyce shuts him off and pulls el beside will. "its easier!", el replies with a laugh. jonathan rolls his eyes as this exchange goes on and on, "CAN WE TAKE THE PICTURE NOW?", he says.
"but what about you?", el asks, feeling sad about jonathan taking the photo and not being in the photo. "its okay el—for memories", jonathan replies, trying to find a better angle.
"can el use her powers one time? please?", will pleads, looking back to joyce and hopper. hopper sighs heavily and gives them an 'okay' sign. jonathan props the camera on a flat surface, not knowing if its gonna capture all of them (but its worth the shot).
jonathan inserts himself next to hopper, will now in the center, while el is on joyce's side. "now!", will exclaims as he flashes a smile. el uses her powers to click the shutter of the film camera, their smiles suppressed longer than intended.
"has it taken our picture yet?"
"wait"
"my teeth hurts"
"there's a timer guys"
the flash hits their eyes and they separate. "come on! we're gonna be late!", hopper leads them all outside and into the car, driving to the venue.
packed with a lot of people, el felt anxious. even if she was free, there is still a part of her cautious about everything else. will intertwines his hand to her, "come on", he beckons softly.
but el doesnt have to fear anymore. cautious is okay, its good. but fear? there shouldnt be room in the table for that. she has found her people—people that will never let her go ever again.
from a distance, el can see mike jogging to her direction. they hug and share a kiss, "you made it!", mike exclaims. el nods and looks at him, "of course!".
the ceremony starts gracefully, and ends chaotically with dustin's sudden move. "am i gonna do this when i graduate?", el asks hopper. he laughs, "yes, except what dustin did. never do that".
el finds them in the crowd after that. slightly conscious about the fact that she isnt wearing an orange robe too. but dustin and lucas assures her that when her time comes—it will be a purple color. max was also adamant on letting el choose schools that isnt hawkins high. will says that hopper wouldnt even let her go to hawkins high in the first place. while mike is just excited about the fact that el will have the chance to go to school.
"guys! look here!", jonathan calls out to them. they stand in the stage and lines up, making cheesy smiles and laughing like kids.
it was perfect!
well not exactly, el still doesnt know the basics of d&d.
in the wheeler's basement, the six of them sit around in the middle of their session—trying to explain to el the rules again and again. "cant i just use my powers?", she turns to max. max laughs and shakes her head, "no silly! i mean you can use your powers in the game but not actually"
in the end, the mage, the zoomer, the bard, the ranger, and cleric defeats vecna—ultimately mike who drops to the ground in theatrical fashion. "now you know how dramatic mike is", will says to el who returns a laugh.
"what happens now?", she asks, determined to continue the game. mike smiles and looks around, "well now, the heroes rest and move on"
"thats it? no more playing?", el exclaims. lucas shifts in his chair and nods, "thats it el, no more monsters, no more saving the world, and no more being a superhero". el felt solemn, like all of these messages were for her. "but what about these guys", her fingers touch the small characters that resembled her and her friends.
"well, they all move forward el. the knight and the zoomer, they retire from battle and settle down in a small village—with each passing day, their love grows stronger", mike gestures to lucas and max.
"the bard, craving knowledge, makes his way to the mage's guild of enclave—where he spends his days in their vast library. though deeply devoted to his studies, he still makes time for the occasional adventure", dustin sighs at his memoir.
"as for will the wise, he travels far and long to the bustling city of vallaki. its overwhelming at first. so very different from the village where he spent his youth. but it isnt long before he finds his place there. and with that, deep happiness and acceptance", el looks at will and smiles.
"and for me?", her voice meeks, hopeful.
"and for the mage, she turns a new life. a new chance. she settles in the town that she saved. even if it hurts—she never wavers and never gives up. surrounded by people that loves and cares about her, she lives for the first time. not as a mage, or a magic user, she's a girl and finds happiness forevermore", mike says.
el smiles as tears softly flow. max pulls her in for an embrace. soon, they all stand up and cling to her.
at last, years of waiting—the mage is no longer a mage. for the remaining years left of her life, she will live as a daughter, a friend, a girlfriend, a sister, and her own self.
years into the battlefield, el has now returned home.