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Chittering mandibles and buzzing wings drowned out the usual roar of SAM’s propulsion jets. Firefly flew front and centre of Penacony’s swarm, for once she wasn’t fighting for her life in the thick of it. She didn’t know which she preferred, leading bugs or destroying them, but it wasn’t as if she’d had a choice in either scenario; Back then she had a mission to complete, and now it was no different.
She redoubled the efforts of SAM’s thrusters and rocketed on through the seemingly endless expanse of memoria. Despite all the time that had passed, she was still being strung along by the nature of her creation. The battlefield may have changed but she was still just a soldier, fighting to defend the universe and its people from an unfathomable doom. Fighting for the future. Fighting was all she did. Fighting was all she could do.
Elio’s script hadn’t told her exactly what to expect, but Firefly had no doubts the moment it began. She felt the instant the Preservation’s hammer struck, its mighty blow reverberated through the fabric of the dreamscape around her. The throng of bugs surrounding her shrieked and cried in awful discordant tones but stayed the course, loyal to their commanding spawn node. Which was her. Before Firefly could be too revolted by that thought, a second impact shook the dreamscape. A cacophonous chorus of explosions rang out through the deepest depths of the memoria.
The continued shrill cries of the stings rang sharp amidst the maelstrom of noise, until it was abruptly silenced by a quiet so absolute it cut through the waking dream as if it gave no resistance. The power of Nihility’s emanator sliced through all aspects of life, the primordial nature of Propagation’s path fared worse than the realm around her; SAM’s engines spluttered and bugs dropped from the sky as withered husks drained of all pigmentation.
Sweat clung to her brow as she fought the instinct to die. She had survived the third and final blow, and according to the script Stelle would emerge—
There.
A jagged tear in the reality above her. A small figure— Stelle, tumbled through, swept away in a torrent of ink-black water. Focused, driven by a singular desire to protect the woman she loved, Firefly’s strained cry failed to be heard above the roar of SAM’s jets as she poured everything she had into speed. There were a countless number of bugs that still trailed in her wake, but Acheron’s single slash had taken its toll. More and more of the swarm keeled and died, falling like ashen snow into murky waves of a disturbed pond. That life-rending power would kill her too, should she not outrun it.
Purple cracks of energy spiderwebbed out from her breast, where she had forced the Stellaron inside of her, as she burned brighter than ever before. She was to be the kindling for a glorious blaze of power. Just enough to right Stelle’s course, just enough to guide her to the next stage where she would perform the closing act of Penacony’s play.
It would be enough, it had to be enough. She slowed her rapid ascent and moved in to intercept the falling trailblazer.
As she closed the gap, Firefly closed her teary eyes, she couldn’t help herself but utter a selfish last request. Nobody would hear it, nobody but herself. She’d given up so much, so selflessly. A silent display of weakness wouldn’t unmake her.
“I just wish I could have had more time.”
Ill-begotten power surged, and the nausea that came with it. Reality was changing to her hastily conceived command, and before she could gasp in horror, the simple change was made manifest. Warmth now came where scouring energy tore her body apart. Firefly slowly lifted her screw-shut eyes and beheld an impossible sight. SAM had disappeared and a small pocket of teal-green energy shielded both her and Stelle, held aloft amidst the chaotic storm of energies that surrounded them.
“Firefly!” Stelle cried out, then impacted her with the same clumsy loving hug she was so fond of giving. Were gravity behaving itself, they’d both have tumbled and fallen into a violent hellscape of clashing energies around them, but it was not. Instead they flipped over one another a few times until whatever force that bound them righted the pair. Firefly’s somber expression died underneath Stelle’s adoring gaze. She smiled.
“This is the last stop,” she said. “After I see you through this rift, you’ll face down Sunday and free everyone from this dream.”
Firefly followed Stelle’s eyes. She caught the glint of yellow and glanced down at the Stellaron in her chest. The cancer of all worlds that was currently killing her.
“Is that the only thing that you want to say to me?” Stelle asked, an uneasy grin played at the corner of her lips.
“Well, this and more,” Firefly replied, “As you can see, you’re not the only one to be hosting a stellaron right now.” She guided Stelle’s head up to meet her assured look. “But, It’s only temporary.”
“…It’ll kill you.” Stelle said. “My body is special, it—“
“I’ve already died here once before, I doubt it’ll stick this time either.” Firefly reassured. Stelle’s worry melted off her face like glacial ice sheared off in summer.
“Alright.” She sighed, the smile had returned and looked far less unsteady. “And… is that the last thing you wanted to say or shall I be on my way?”
Firefly shook her head and gave a gentle laugh, “You dummy,” and with two hands on either cheek she pulled Stelle in for a kiss. She held it for as long as she dared while the yellow lights that danced behind her eyelids reminded her of the limited time they had. The stellaron’s power was waning. This time, their separation came with no guarantee of reunion. She kept that worry to herself. “I believe in you.” She whispered, and Stelle’s eyes opened.
“I got this.” She reaffirmed with a nod. “And once I’ve beaten this sad bird’s ass, I’m coming back for you.”
“I’ll be waiting.” Firefly said, despite her desire to tell the truth. “Good luck, Stelle.”
“Don’t need luck. Just someone who I can return to.”
Some truths were better left untold, a beautiful lie told in its stead would give Stelle the strength to do what was needed. “I’ll be here, I’ll wait for you.”
The bubble in time popped and SAM reformed in the same instant. Her body acted as if following predetermined instructions, Firefly gave Stelle one final push and she watched as her body was swallowed by the yawning chasm in reality before her. SAM’s engines finally sputtered to a cold stop as the last of the insects died below her. The Stellaron had claimed its due price. She closed her eyes and let herself fall. Just a little more time, it’s all she could have asked for. She would embrace her withering death with the assurance that Stelle would succeed. She would die happy.
Motes of yellow sparks drifted lonesome against the backdrop of deep blues, with a lingering sense of fulfilment accompanying the small cloud of light.
