Oscar Macuahuitl’s dark brown eyes scan the vast neon lit main city of Newon from the balcony of his apartment. He is unusually tall for a human, almost eight feet, and has an extremely muscular build. He puts his hands on his hips and stretches slightly, his pronounced muscles moving under his light brown skin. A masculine white person, who is only around six feet with long brown hair, emerges onto the balcony. They stand beside Oscar’s powerful frame. “Any word yet?” They ask Oscar. “Not yet, Dani. But I have a feeling news will come at any moment.”

Oscar is the leader of the Newon Safety Force, a group of carefully drafted individuals who have magical powers that are far stronger than average. Just a week earlier, Tribez had suddenly announced that they would go to Earth and finally bring Aarón into the multiverse earlier than planned. However, one of the seemingly innocent janitors who had been cleaning around the meeting room during Tribez’s announcement turned out to be working for Circuit-Breaker and had been relaying sensitive information to him for years. The last Oscar had heard from Tribez was that they were spying on Circuit-Breaker who had set up camp in the now abandoned mall where he had killed Aarón’s brother years ago.

Dani leans against Oscar, resting their head against his waist. “Moog told me that they keep having weird dreams almost every night.” Dani says. Oscar peers down at Dani, a look of concern on his tattooed face. “What kinds of dreams?” Oscar asks. Dani sighs. “Just upsetting nonsensical ones. However he claims he has some where he’s lost in a hospital…” Dani frowns. “You know better than anyone how hard his birth and first three years were.” Dani adds. Oscar feels a tingle go down his spine as he remembers the long, traumatic night in which he had given birth to his son, and the three years full of medical procedures his son had to endure. “Yeah, I just hope he ends up better than I am…” Oscar sighs.

Dani looks up at their husband. “Don’t say that. If he does inherit the same conditions you have, we at least will have the knowledge and resources to help him cope and thrive.” Dani puts a hand on Oscar’s. “I guess my biggest worry is that he will face stigma because of what I did in the past.” Oscar admits. “Oh…” Dani says. “I keep forgetting that not everyone in the multiverse understands what was really going on with you all those years ago, and that you are no longer that way.” Oscar closes his eyes. “I’ve been thinking about what my life would be like if my biological parents hadn’t left me in Mexico as a newborn.” Oscar says.

A sad look crosses Dani’s face.“I feel that. I sometimes wonder where I’d be now if my dad hadn’t killed my little brother…” Dani trails off. Oscar puts an arm around his nonbinary lover. “The thing that matters most now is that we found each other, and made a new life for ourselves as our true selves.” Dani nods. “Yeah. I never could have imagined I’d marry and have a kid with such a handsome and brave man in the multiverse.” They smile, both leaning against the rail for a few quiet moments, enjoying the cool breeze. “Aarón is transgender like us, right?” Dani asks. “Yes. And his nephew is also two spirit, like me.” Oscar says. “What do you think Aarón is like?”

Oscar shakes his head. “I have no idea, but it seems like he and his nephew are very close.” A sharp beeping sound comes from one of Oscar’s golden bracelets. “Tribez said they’d send me that notice after they manage to get Aarón.” Oscars explains. “Good. Are you heading to HQ now?” Dani asks. “Yes, I’ll see you and Moog again soon.” After grabbing something to eat, Oscar decides to walk the four blocks to the Newon Safety Force HQ for a change, not quite ready to put on the colorful costume and intimidating demeanor of his safety force persona. Pedestrians scurry out of his way as he walks down the busy sidewalks, looking up at him with wide eyes. Oscar instinctively makes sure he retains a friendly look on his face, past memories of being singled out by the long defunct Newon police force due to his looks creeping into the forefront of his thoughts.

Not only had Oscar faced stigma and disgust from the police back in the day, but he had also faced racism and anti-masculine rhetoric in queer “safe spaces.” Oscar cringes as he remembers one particularly embarrassing incident that had happened during the peak of his transition. During a queer gathering in the park, A white queer woman had claimed Oscar had exposed his penis to her. Oscar had quickly debunked her claim seeing as he doesn’t even have that type of sexual organ, and had also arrived at the park much later than when she claimed the incident occurred. The woman had suddenly gone into a fit of rage, spewing hateful rhetoric and stupidly preaching that Oscar was “appropriating vaginas” and “Encouraging the genocide of women.”

Oscar sighs, pulling himself back to the present and finding himself in front of HQ, a modest looking office building. He touches the golden skull pendant he wears on a chain around his neck, activating an advanced mix of technology and magic that quickly takes the form of a very striking costume, one reminiscent of a Mexica warrior with futuristic flair. Now suited up, Oscar enters the building which is far bigger on the inside. He approaches an archway, clocking in. “Good evening, Deathmatch.” A disembodied feminine voice greets him. Even after ten years, Being addressed as “Deathmatch” in a casual and positive way throws him off. I’m not the old Deathmatch, I’m not like that anymore…

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Deathmatch shakes his head slightly, walking through the archway which leads to a long corridor where his personal office resides at the end of. Deathmatch enters the room, suddenly stopping in front of the mirror that hangs on the left most wall. He had sworn he had seen someone else reflected in it. Oh, I need to take my medicine. He suddenly remembers. Deathmatch walks into the small restroom adjacent to the mirror and takes off his mask before quickly swallowing a few pills. His head spins before stopping as his vision sharpens, the capsules beginning to work instantly. Deathmatch exits the restroom and sits down in the comfortable armchair behind his desk, idly waiting for Tribez to reach out to him with more information.

Deathmatch boots up the computer built into his desk, opening a file that contains all the info that has been collected by Tribez about Aarón over the years. Deathmatch clicks into a smaller folder with info on Mico. As he reads and looks through the small profile, Deathmatch can’t help but see the physical similarities between him and Mico at the same age. He has the same look on his face that I had when I was younger, the poor kid went through trauma- A sharp ringing alarm fills his office, jolting him back to attention. The screen of his computer changes to a live feed of central Newon, showing people fleeing into buildings. His heart drops as he catches glimpses of Circuit-Breaker speeding through the streets on a colorful motorcycle, causing panic and mayhem.

I need to get out there, NOW. Deathmatch throws open the door to the balcony outside of his office, his sights set towards the center of the city. Deathmatch closes his eyes, preparing himself for the danger ahead. He knows that his music based abilities and magic are much more powerful than the average human’s, but they are definitely not enough to take down Circuit-Breaker permanently. Deathmatch activates his music, absorbing the energy from it as he turns it up to max volume. A green aura surrounds him as he lifts into the air, swiftly flying towards the sounds of anarchy and smell of things burning. An obsidian club with jagged edges appears in Deathmatch’s hand, he grips it tightly as he scans the chaos below. He sees bodies and blood scattered around on the streets, some still move and cry out in pain while others are mangled and mutilated. So much death in so little time…

He lands on top of a roof, crouching down, waiting. His heart beats faster as he hears the sound of an engine revving only to see a familiar pink taxi peel out from an alleyway. Deathmatch times his jump carefully, landing gracefully on the roof of the vehicle. “Cabbie! We need to find Circuit-Breaker!” Deathmatch yells over the loud whipping of cold wind and his own bass heavy music. Cabbie, aka Jake, pokes his head out from inside of the taxi. “I hear ya, Deathmatch. I think he’s heading towards the Cosmic Casino! But hold on, lemme give you a boost!”

Deathmatch hears his music connect to the speakers within the Taxi, the music vibrating the air and shaking the ground as they go. Deathmatch feels the energy he is gathering from the music surge greatly. “Thanks!” He calls. Deathmatch clings to the roof of the Taxi with all his might as Cabbie recklessly speeds towards a towering pyramid made of dark stone adorned with glowing stars. There he is- Before Deathmatch can tell Cabbie to slow down, The taxi slams full force into Circuit-Breaker’s motorcycle. Both Deathmatch and Circuit-Breaker are launched into the air before slamming into the ground a few feet away. Deathmatch scrambles up immediately, seemingly unfazed while Circuit-Breaker appears to be experiencing some sort of short circuiting episode, the lights on his armor flickering as he lets out an electrical buzzing sound. Deathmatch leaps forward, striking Circuit-Breaker with his club without hesitation. However, his club simply bounces off of the robot’s metal armor, leaving no more than a small dent behind.

Circuit-Breaker kicks Deathmatch in the chest, sending him flying backwards. Deathmatch hits the ground harder than before, stunned and gasping for air. His chest feels like it is on fire, and his muscles feel oddly weak. Circuit-Breaker stands over Deathmatch, a glowing pink sword appearing in one of his clawed hands. Deathmatch tries to force himself to get up, but he can’t. Circuit-Breaker raises his sword. Then, something strange happens. The lights on Circuit-Breaker’s armor start flickering, and he drops the sword. Circuit-Breaker looks around in a confused fashion, his green and pink ears drooping as he gazes back at the trail of death and destruction he has created. Then, the robot blasts into the air, disappearing from sight.

“Deathmatch! I’m sorry I couldn’t help ya! Are you okay?” Deathmatch feels Cabbie help him up, noticing that the taxi driver has a giant bleeding gash down his left leg which causes him to limp. Deathmatch looks to the sky, confusion replacing his pain and fear. “Did you see any of that?” He asks Cabbie. “I saw him drop the sword and fly off, but I’ll admit I sort of knocked myself out in the crash…” Cabbie admits. “Circuit-Breaker just acted like he was acknowledging that he had done something unforgivable.” Deathmatch says. “His body language after he dropped the sword is like nothing I’ve ever seen him do before…”

Cabbie’s brow furrows. “That is very odd, to put it simply. The rest of the safety force should be here any minute…“Cabbie looks around at everything. “This whole thing just happened so fast, y’know?” He sighs, his eyes sad. “So much senseless violence, people of all ages are dead on the streets. I just don’t know how people will ever recover emotionally from these dark times, and I especially don’t understand how that bastard has human supporters.” Cabbie crosses his arms, bowing his head.

“It all stems from the fascism and ignorance humans brought over from Earth. Fascism is like a contagious disease that spreads from person to person until entire populations are infected.” Deathmatch huffs. “And as for how people will recover? I don’t think they ever fully will.” Deathmatch puts a hand on Cabbie’s shoulder. “You lost your entire family to Circuit-Breaker in the early days, but instead of giving up you decided to turn your pain into resilience. I know that they are proud of you.” Cabbie wipes his eyes. “Yeah, I know they are. And then there’s that old Katian saying you told me about…” Oscar looks up towards the sky. “Yes, Love has no death here.”