Disclaimer: I’m just borrowing these characters, they belong to Pixelberry
Author’s note: This is the second part in the 732 Days series
Summary: Thea returns from the Prism World and reads the notes Kenji wrote for her while she was gone.
WARNINGS: This piece is VERY angst filled, deals with thoughts of someone becoming very depressed, and involves character death.
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3 days away
We told Rochelle and Grayson the truth about everything today. Neither of them seemed very surprised; both had their suspicions that something was going on with you. Still, they were unbearably heartbroken.
They’re going to help us find out what happened to you. Grayson vowed to give us whatever resources he could and Rochelle is going to team up with Dax on the science end of things.
Be ready, we’re coming for you.
7 days away
Dax and Rochelle have ‘hypothesized’ that your Prism Powers and the energy from Silas exploding may have combined and opened a wormhole to another dimension. They think you’re still out there somewhere, alive, and they can bring you home.
I told them it took a lot of late nights and fancy scientific words for them to tell us something I already knew.
You’ll be back soon, I’m sure of it.
13 days away
Poppy and Dax banned me from staying overnight at the Clock Tower. They claimed I was being an extreme annoyance and it’s not good for my health.
I think they just want to get freaky up there.
I don’t see their points, but I gave in eventually. I have a feeling I don’t want to see Poppy mad right now.
The jokes on them though. Guess who found your spare apartment key?
28 days away
Eva and I defeated Caleb for good today. He helped us once or twice right after the battle with Silas, then dropped off the radar for a couple weeks. Life on the straight and narrow must have been too hard because he resurfaced as rebellious and reckless as ever.
I told you so.
47 Days away
Minuet and Talos received the key to the city today for helping take down Silas. I didn’t know they did that anymore, did you?
We accepted an award on behalf of Steel Falon for ‘exceptional bravery and sacrifice’. We’re keeping it at the Clock Tower, for now.
I don’t know what they think you sacrificed, you’re not gone forever. We’re going to get you back.
Unless they were talking about not seeing me for over a month. Then it’s true, that is a sacrifice.
86 days away
Poppy had a little too much to drink while we were all hanging out at The Grand tonight and blurted out that she loved Dax. By the look on his face, I’d say it was the first time.
There was a whole scene. He got flustered and didn’t say it back, Poppy got upset and ran out, and then I played the hero and convinced him to run after her.
You know the old saying, “no good deed goes unpunished”? It’s true.
I stopped by the Clock Tower on my way home and saw more of both of them than I ever wanted.
87 days away
I can’t stop thinking about yesterday. Not because of what I saw.
Ok, a little because of what I saw. Unfortunately, I don’t think anything can erase that image from my mind.
Anyways, I realized I never got to tell you something before you disappeared. It didn’t seem all that urgent at the time.
I may have been a bit embarrassed, too.
But the longer you’re gone, the truer it becomes.
I love you, Thea.
118 days away
Eva’s dad was finally released from the hospital today, hopefully for good this time. He had her invite us all over for dinner to celebrate and told us embarrassing stories about her.
Did you know Eva loved magic when she was a kid? I asked her to show me a trick and she said she’d make my smirk disappear. I thought she was joking. She wasn’t.
In other news, I have a broken toe.
142 days away
We celebrated you birthday today. Dax, Poppy, Eva, Grayson, Rochelle, and I all sat around in the Clock Tower eating your favorite, double chocolate cake, and told our best stories of you. It was all very cheesy and nostalgic, but I learned a lot about you.
Why didn’t you tell me you were on the debate team in high school? Now I understand why it’s so hard for me to win an argument with you.
Rochelle wants to make this an annual event. I think next year we should celebrate at The Grand instead, just you and me. And maybe Talos.
190 days away
The Fans of Talos instagram page turned one today. It’s the most popular fan page for a superhuman now.
And for the thousandth time, I did not make it. Well, not that one.
I have posted to it. After all, it is my duty to give the people what they want.
You should see the comments my abs are getting.
204 days away
Even with everything Eva and I have done in the city, including teaming up with the police and fire department, crime and destruction continue to be everyday occurrences.
We’re still working to find all of the Liquid Prism that Silas released into the city. Once every so often some overzealous criminal pops up with superhuman abilities and we have to fight them.
Eva and I have gotten a groove down by now and we always beat the bad guys. Today we stopped a robbery in five minutes flat. I timed it.
But she’s not you. I miss our special teamwork and banter.
I especially miss our after fight celebrations.
279 days away
Grayson, Skylar, and I introduced our new superhuman themed cocktails at The Grand tonight. The Steel Falcon, Minuet, and Man of Bronze were all big hits. Not that I’m surprised, seeing as yours truly played a part in creating them all.
I’ll have a tall glass of Man of Bronze ready for you to enjoy when you return.
And maybe a drink too.
319 days away
Poppy took me shopping today. Well, she dragged me to the store with her, shoved clothes into my arms, and then made me try them on. She claims I look like a hotdog with my ‘ketchup and mustard’ color palette.
I see no problem with this. Everyone loves hotdogs.
In the end, I had to give in. Poppy is too persuasive. You never warned me about that.
Don’t worry, I kept the leather jacket. I know it’s your favorite.
365 days away
Yesterday was the one year anniversary of you becoming my girlfriend. Does it count if you haven’t been here the whole time? I’d like to think it does.
Do you remember that night? You walked into The Grand and there I was, in all my bronze glory, just how I know you like me, lounging on the couch waiting for you. Your laugh was music to my ears. I love that laugh. I miss that laugh.
I miss you, Thea.
It’s been a year, a whole 365 since you disappeared. I want to tell you I’m doing great, never better, just waiting for you to return. And I am, mostly. I know you’ll come back to us, to me. But it’s getting harder to remember sometimes. So much has happened that I haven’t been able to share with you.
I won’t give up though.
I told you once that I’d fight so you didn’t have to. I’m still doing that, fighting here, for you. And I know you’re fighting too, wherever you are, to get back home.
Maybe fight a little faster, okay? We need you here. I need you.
And darling? I love you.
401 days away
There was a funeral for you today. It was getting too difficult to keep up the charade that you were just overseas for work. Grayson created some story about the private airplane you were on going down over the Pacific.
I didn’t attend. They didn’t say anything, but I could tell our friends were concerned and disappointed. My mom called me tonight to make sure I was okay.
I’m not okay. I miss you.
But I also know you’re coming back. If I went to your funeral or visited your grave it would mean accepting that you might really be gone.
I don’t want to accept that yet.
437 days away
Well, my mom knows I’m Talos now.
You know how my bronze powers go kind of haywire when I’m sick? Well, it hasn’t been that big of an issue lately until I caught the flu a couple days ago.
My mom wouldn’t listen when I told her not to worry about me. She stopped by to bring me tea and soup. I managed to hold in my sneezes for a long time, but then, well they came back with a vengeance.
I think every part of my body turned bronze at a different time.
I tried to joke with her about it taking her so long to figure it out, considering she is the DA and all. She didn’t find that funny.
She’s angry, Thea. I don’t think she’s been this angry since the whole Caleb attacking her debacle. I’m going to give her time to cool down and then give her a peace offering of her favorite Earl Gray tea.
I wish you were here. You’d know exactly how to fix this.
You always do.
504 days away
Remember when I told you a couple months back how Hazel found out all our secrets? Well, today she officially joined the team. She’s set up a mini superhuman infirmary in one corner of the Clock Tower. Poppy claims it throws off the whole aesthetic of the place.
I just think she’s jealous Dax is spending more time with Hazel.
They’re fighting relentlessly, again. It’s probably about time for another of their famous break-ups, and then they’ll reunite two weeks later pretending nothing happened.
Those two really fall apart without you around.
I’m not doing the best at keeping it together these days either.
598 days away
Poppy found a stray cat in the alley behind the Clock Tower today; a tiny, but feisty black kitten. She and Dax fought over keeping it there. Poppy can’t keep it in her apartment and refuses to take it to a shelter. She says a cat will help us relax after a long day, plus she’s just cute. Dax doesn’t want cat hair all over the computers, lab equipment, and medical supplies.
Poppy won the fight of course. Are you sure she wasn’t affected by the crystal on the night of the gala? I swear, her persuasive powers are superhuman level sometimes.
Eva is thrilled with our new pet. I really see no difference between her and the cat.
Personally, I’m more of a dog person, but I guess she’s not so bad. Her purr while she’s sleeping on my lap reminds me of your cute snoring.
657 days away
Eva and I tried to make Halloween fun this year by betting on which costume would be more popular at the annual party at The Grand, Talos or Minuet. I beat her, of course. No surprise there. There were more Steel Falcon costumes than anything else, though.
Who knew saving the city from Silas and disappearing in a pink explosion would make you so popular? Maybe I should have done it.
Sometimes I wish I had.
699 days away
We needed you today, Thea, things got rough. Eva and I fought Mother Nature.
A bad storm ripped through the city and we had to split up on different sides of town. A train derailed and started on fire. I almost didn’t make it there in time.
You know that little girl we saved from Caleb a couple years ago? She was there and she wasn’t as lucky this time. The doctors say she’ll survive, but she may never have full use of her hands again.
I nearly failed her and everyone.
I almost failed you.
Please come home soon.
701 days away
I don’t want to sleep tonight.
I’m having the dreams again, the ones where you come back. But when I wake up the bed is empty.
I never thought I’d miss the nightmares I had when you first disappeared.
730 days away
I wrote you a goodbye letter today.
I haven’t decided what to do with it yet, maybe I’ll just tear it up.
I don’t want to say goodbye to you, ever.
But maybe it’s time I try.
732 days away
There was a minor explosion at Prescott Industries last night. Dax and Rochelle think an energy surge from the Prism Gate was the cause. Grayson still keeps it locked up in a secure room in the basement, so no one was around except a security guard. He’s injured, but likely to recover.
You were trying to come back, weren’t you?
I almost gave up on you. I’ll never underestimate you again.
I’m here, waiting.
Thea knows Poppy’s hand is rubbing slow, gentle circles across her back, but she can barley feel it. They sit hip to hip on a couch in the Clock Tower, the setting sun casting eerie shadows around the room which match the somber mood. In her hands, Thea grasps the last note Kenji had written for her.
Her breaths come in short, choppy spurts and her mind feels fuzzy.
She had imagined this day for over two years; finally returning from the Prism World and reuniting with her friends and family. With Kenji.
Thea hadn’t let herself think about the worst case scenario, the reality she’d returned to less than twenty-four hours ago.
The nightmare she’d been thrust into.
She’d woken up in the Clock Tower with Poppy, Dax, Rochelle, and Grayson close by. They greeted her with gentle embraces and warm smiles, but she could see the fatigue and sadness in their eyes. Thea noticed who was missing from the welcoming party immediately and asked after them, assuming they were off being heroes.
They weren’t.
Only three days earlier Eva and Kenji battled a super powered security guard at the hospital, Poppy had explained. He was stronger than anyone they’d encountered in many months and the fight dragged on longer than they were used to. The guard gained the upper hand on Eva while Kenji was rescuing some civilians. He was about to finish her off when Kenji blocked the attack at the last minute, allowing Eva to defeat the guard.
But Kenji had been mortally wounded.
He never returned from the fight.
Eva ran off shortly afterwards and no one had heard from her since.
Thea hadn’t cried, she couldn’t quite find the strength. She didn’t feel sad, in fact she didn’t feel anything; she had become completely numb.
Only now, after her and Poppy had finished reading the hundreds of notes Kenji had written for her while she was gone, did she begin to feel.
She was quickly falling into a deep, dark, pit of despair and she doubted anyone could pull her out.
“There’s one more note,” Poppy says gently, her voice almost a whisper, and she hands Thea a small, crumpled piece of paper. “Kenji made Eva promise to give you one last message from him before he…” Her voice trails off, unable to bring herself to finish the thought.
Thea is internally grateful. Maybe, if the thought goes unfinished and that word goes unsaid, the truth might somehow change.
Her eyes well with tears as she glances down at the note in Eva’s shaky handwriting.
The dam behind her eyes breaks, sending hot tears streaming down her face. Heavy sobs wrack her body as Poppy tries to wrap her in a tight embrace. She shakes her off, not ready to be comforted yet.
This is all my fault.
If only she hadn’t been so impatient that day, her 731st day in the Prism World. She knew she was supposed to wait for the final diagnostic and safety checks to be run the next day before powering up the portal.
And usually she would have. She hadn’t ever been quite this impatient before. But something in her had told her she needed to return sooner rather than later, and one day suddenly felt too long.
So she’d powered up the portal on her own and it malfunctioned, likely causing the energy surge from the Prism Gate. Another week had passed before she could safely try again.
And in that week disaster had struck.
If I had waited, maybe none of this would have happened.
Maybe Kenji would be alive.
Still sobbing, Thea pulls her arms and legs towards her chest, reverting to the fetal position out of pure instinct. Her hands brush against the blue stone hanging from a delicate chain around her neck, the necklace her mother had gifted her shortly before she left. She stated it would be useful if Thea ever wished to ‘reverse the steady flow of time’. The stone feels cool and oddly calming, so she grasps it tightly.
I wish I hadn’t been so impatient; I wish I’d waited.
She takes in a deep, shuddering breath and opens her eyes, only to be blinded by a bright, white light.
