Time was never one to sit still, and so it would pass, especially seeing as August didn’t intend to show May the whole past. He saw most the future, and knew he didn’t have the leisure to sit around, even if he did warp her perception.
There were limits after all, for a normal person at least. Thus, he’d skip through them one at a time to expedite the process. He’d show all his favorites, or that’s how she interpreted it at least.
The first of which, was him and Sonata playing hide and seek in the clouds, though he didn’t seem to be there, at all. He was a projection, having taken up the burden of Fate’s power to allow her to be normal, for a time at least.
Her laugh echoed throughout the clouds, infectious, as they floated through the white expanse, it was the least he could. It had a time limit too, for eventually, the two parts of Fate would become incompatible.
It was a strange experience, even as she sat in August’s head, even then, it was like watching a movie, he wasn’t really there. It was made worse by the state of his body, destroying itself and the space around him the longer he held the two parts of the monster within himself.
Yet, he never rushed her, in fact, she wouldn’t know until the day she herself took up the other half of the power against his wishes.
As for the second of the memories, it was May as a child. The love he felt for her then, he was sure of it, sure it was real, and so, he cherished the memory. Her smile and giggles, it was one memory he could never forget.
As for the third, it was him and Cali surfing, as per their agreement, he was there at her behest.
The way she smiled, the way she laughed, even as she was tossed by the waves. He admired it, admired her, her attitude, her personality, to him, she was perfect. Yet, even that feeling, he could not validate of his own accord.
Thus, May would realize the obsession he had with happiness, something he himself, could not obtain.
The fourth memory, was one of him as a child, he was learning to walk, his parents smiles ever present.
The fifth of the memories, was him, Brody, Kim, Bob and Cali, having a picnic. And though he smiled along with them, he was empty, void of all emotion.
She’d realize that the closer time moved to the present day, the emptier he was, emotionally, and mentally. In fact, he was slipping, turning into something else entirely.
The sixth memory was a recent one, it was him looking at May’s sculptures as he waited for her. He was proud of her, or he wanted to be at least, yet he was empty, mimicking the emotions he should have had. The memories of his mother eating away at him.
As for the seventh and last of the memories, he’d return to the past, it was with Cali. It was some point after when the time they spent together changed from obligation, to comfort, to love. He felt love, but he wasn’t even sure of that.
She laid on his lap beneath the night’s sky, her eyes mesmerizing, her laugh almost contagious. His eyes showing him the torrent of emotions she felt, all, reassuring. Yet, he cried, or tried to at least, all there was, blood. She didn’t see at first, didn’t notice.
“The best part of being able see the future, is knowing what will happen, and the worst part of it, is watching it happen. Because nothing can prepare you for when it actually happens…” His tear would fall on her cheek.
She’d look up into his eyes.
“What are you saying…?” She wiped away his tears.
“In every one… I fall in love with you… and in every one… I try to save you… and in every one… I fail… and you die…” His eyes would over flow.
May, had no means of discerning the validity of his feelings, but sitting there then, feeling what he felt, she didn’t care what he thought, it was real. As even she began to cry, cradled in the confines of his mind. The pain in his chest, the rock in his throat, the blindness of his human eyes. It was real, it had to be, because of it wasn’t, perhaps he had never felt anything at all.
“What…? What do you—” As she got up he’d meet her halfway, their lips locking.
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As he pulled away, she seemed to lose focus.
“The stars… their beautiful tonight, aren’t they…?” He’d look to the sky, containing his tears.
“Yeah…” She’d rest her head on his lap once again, wondering why she had gotten up in the first place, caressing her lips.
May would see the world before her turn to dust, in fact, she could feel it, her eyes would open as she returned to her own reality. Thus, she’d witness the reason why. It was August, fading away, turning to dust.
“I love you, so, so much… please… please… never forget me…” A tear would finally trickle down his cheek as he disappeared, his humanity returned in his final moments.
“Wait… Wait!” She tried to grab hold of him, but it only made it worse. “No! No…! Please… no…!” She’d cry herself.
He’d reach for her, but never reach her, his hand turning to dust. She’d try to hold his hand, but nothing but dust, or it should have only been dust. As she opened her hand, she saw it. It was his necklace, but it wasn’t the same.
It had Cali, as she expected, but it also had her parents, Kim, Brody, and August. Her hand began to shake as she looked at the thing. It seemed to get heavier by the moment.
They weren’t afforded peace still, as from the void that was the sky came a comet, and a familiar one at that. It wasn’t alone in the darkness still, as following it was a golden one.
The things crashed into the river, the sheer force of them causing rain and flood. The one would emerge first, scars donning every inch of it, even more than before. It had a target, its beaming red eyes falling on a May being washed away.
It sought advance, a step, it wasn’t allowed as much. From the flowing domain of death and consciousness, a silver streak. Its Achilles hit with enough force to clear the turbulent weather. It’d trip, its crafted abomination a weakness it sought strength in, yet, it was betrayed by its own ambitions.
The streak would continue, stopping to hover above a shaking May and barely conscious Bob. The waters of destiny flowing around them, an invisible shield. She had a thought, and perhaps she was right.
May looked to the thing with a crooked smile, but no dice, it was Sonata, hair ablaze, eyes empty, skin peeling as she became a silver puppet. She’d lower herself to them, and though May attempted escape, she moved but stayed in the same place. She’d refuse the futile attempt, realizing something.
Sonata was older, a woman, she had aged at least ten years. Questions weren’t for then still, as the fetish got up in earnest.
“A fair trade! And payment for your sins Sonata! Give me the girl before it arrives! This will be over, this will all be done!” The monster sought reason.
“A fantasy… he’d never allow such a thing, nor would I ever betray him!” Sonata would take May and Bob into her care as she spoke, carrying them like children.
“Is this your atonement… puppet of Fate…? Use it, use that, that same power that aided our escape from this prison to escape yourself!” It moved forward, but not an attack, a bargain stood at the banks of death.
“That’s not even possible… nor will your tricks work on me in this form…” Sonata had begun slowly drifting off into the desert’s sands.
“It wouldn’t work…? Why wouldn’t it? You hold her powers in your hands… she cares not for sides… she will not stop you if that is what you desire… if that is what you… ‘decide’… so go on… like you drew us… drew our perfect realities… our perfect forms… our perfect futures… go ahead… and draw your own perfect reality, escape into any one of her other broken worlds…! He’d never find you…! He couldn’t…” The thing halted its advance awaiting an answer.
“No… and what would it have all been worth if I abandoned it all now—” Sonata was interrupted.
“This meaningless war!?” It strode, kicking up a sand storm.
Sonata would flinch in response, pointing to the things forehead, it blocked, but the whistling force tore through its hands and took back its step in light of red rain.
“How could I trust you…? Of all the ideas… you…?! No. Look at you… Frankenstein's monster… a twisted amalgam of weeping souls… something like you doesn’t need to be human, doesn’t need to be alive… Look at you! How many?! How many restless souls do you have trapped in that thing…?!” She’d caress its body with her eyes, disgust.
“How many…? How many…? How many?!” It resumed its advance, the earth quaking in turn.
Sonata raised her hand once more, and one ear splitting whistle after another carved holes in its flesh, yet it did not yield.
It fell to one of its knees above them, the red from its eyes bathing the landscape.
“How many…? How many did you give me…? How many did you send to their deaths…? This body is as much my responsibility as it yours… And I bet you feel nothing for it… all those innocent souls you sent to their demise… one… after… the other, and never the thought to stop…? But you blame me?” It lowered its face to them, Sonata backing away instinctually.
All that they could see then warped by the very presence of madness himself. Squares turned circles, and triangles with no sides.
“We are accomplices Sonata… had it not been for you, none of this would have been possible… so how much longer until it comes for you too…?” He stared into her eyes, her being, her existence, her very soul, looking for a crack, a nick in which to embed himself, his madness.
He’d see it, a chip in the armor, but as he went to enter, beautifully warm and burning incandescent light. It would recoil with a wail raging yet another storm, smoke rising from its eyes as it backed away.
“That’s enough…” A voice that signaled safety for all the humans present, but stirred fear into the hearts of all ideas.
The monster attempted to look up at him, his perfect machine of war, but such wasn’t allowed. He waved his hand and the thing was tossed away like a dirty rag. It flew out of death’s domain, disappearing into the distance.
It was August, but looking up at him, his hair ablaze, everything below the neck silver, his eyes golden, was he really. Well, his eyes would fall on them, so they’d know.