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It was a normal, peaceful day, until it wasn’t.
One moment, the two of them were running, laughing, sparing with each other, as they had any other day. The next, the sky had turned red, strikes of lightning-like energy raining down on the world around them, watching helplessly as their home was being destroyed.
Fred and SMG0 shared a worried glance, neither of them knew what was happening. They knew one thing for sure; this was bad, but… what could they do about it? Sure, the last time everything went to heck, they were seemingly saved out of nowhere, and even got a new friend out of it! But what were the odds of them getting that lucky again?
It was then that Zero noticed it; a flash of something heading straight towards his best friend. Time seemed to slow down around him. This can’t happen! This- this won’t happen! His legs moved on their own, with him barely getting the chance to process what he was about to do.
Moving quicker than he thought possible, adrenaline pumping through his veins, Zero holds his hands out and shoves Fred out of the way, mere milliseconds before he was hit. Leaving him, however, right in the offender’s path.
As a searing, hot pain permeated his whole being, he opened his mouth to scream, only for nothing to come out as his vocal chords failed him. Just as quickly as the pain came, however, so too did its end, as well as darkness. His body, now lifeless, crashed down onto the ground beneath him, unable to even hear the shout of his friend, who immediately rushed to his side.
Niles had assumed he’d get the chance to talk to the others about his plan first, before they got to work on destroying this universe to make room for the new, perfect one. He had, however, assumed wrong, judging by the sight that met him when he first arrived back home. Well, shit. Not ideal, at ALL, but he just needed to find the two of them and explain the situation so they could work together to get everything working proper! Just as he’d planned!
He scanned the area for his two nearly-identical friends, growing more worried each second after he didn’t immediately spot them. Then, a familiar voice cut through the surrounding chaos.
“H-hey, c’mon, cut it out! I don’t wanna play this game anymore!”
He spun around toward the source of the voice, one that he had almost missed due to its meekness. There they were! Niles rushed towards them, a little confused as to why Zero was laying on the ground given the current state of everything around them, but he didn’t question it too much. However, as he came closer and closer to the duo, things started to become clearer. Zero wasn’t just laying on the ground, he wasn’t moving all together. His jaw was slack, his eye wide open, but with no visible pupil. He watched as Fred frantically shook him side to side, only to be met with no response.
Eventually, Fred noticed Niles’ approach. He looked… horrified. Scared. A look unfitting of someone so goofy and carefree.
“Niles! Tell him- tell him to stop! Tell him to wake up!” He clutches onto the body and holds it closer to him. “Please… please wake up…”
The reality of it all, of what he had just done, came crashing down on him. The body, Fred’s sobs, the onslaught of pure energy still striking down all around them, it was obvious.
Niles had killed him.
He fell to his knees beside them, utterly speechless and shaking. He held his hands out to touch the corpse, only to recoil them back. His breathing was heavy and quickened. He didn’t want to believe that Zero was just- gone! They’d seen each other just this morning! They’d ate together, talked together, laughed together! And now… in an instant, the person he cared for most in the world was taken away from him, and it was all his fault. If he had known this was going to happen…
IT IS NOT OVER…
A familiar, sickeningly comforting voice echoed through his mind, silencing his thoughts.
IF YOU STOP NOW, IT WILL ALL BE FOR NAUGHT. WE NEED TO FINISH WHAT WE HAVE STARTED.
But… I can’t. Not without…
ALL WE NEED IS ANOTHER GUARDIAN.
No… no! No one can replace him!
YOU WISH TO GIVE UP?
No, I-
TO ADMIT FAILURE?
No! I’m not-
THEN YOU MUST PRESS ON.
But… how can I…?
THIS CAN BE FIXED.
…Can it…?
YES. BUT FIRST, WE WILL NEED A… TEMPORARY SUBSTITUTE.
…
Niles appeared to stare off for a moment as the conversation within his head played out. Once it concludes, he looks Fred in the eye, who was staring at him, brow furrowed in worry, still sniffling, with waterworks dripping down his cheek.
“I…” What should he say? Should he admit everything? About the God Box? About their plan, his purpose? His… guilt? Would Fred even be able to look at him the same way, with the knowledge of his crime? Would he lose both of his friends in one day?
“We…” He holds no belief in the words he’s about to utter, but… what is there left, but to try? He can’t give up on Zero, his best friend, his love. If there’s even a sliver of a chance at getting him back, of reuniting not just the two of them, but all three? Then who was he to not pursue that opportunity?
Niles needed to try. For him.
He looks down at the limp corpse still held in Fred’s arms, now with a new octagram-shaped scar across his upper left torso. His own tears start welling up, only for him to quickly blink them away. Now was not the time, he needed to stay focused. He returned his gaze to his red confidant, who was waiting for a response with bated breath. He takes a deep breath.
“We can fix this.”