The hospital room door creaked open, and Aurelia and Alithea stepped inside. Their faces were etched with determination, their eyes reflecting the weight of the world that rested on their shoulders. The room, filled with their friends, fell silent as they entered.
“Lead,” Aurelia began, her voice steady despite the fear within her. “It’s time.”
Lead nodded, his gaze meeting hers. He understood the gravity of the situation. The world was on the brink, and it was up to him to turn back time and save it. He knew he couldn’t let his anger against Aurelia cloud his mission. His hands trembled slightly as he reached for the photograph on his bedside table, and slid it into his pocket.
But before he could act, Nick stepped forward, his face full of betrayal. “Aurelia,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Is it true? You were cheating?”
The room went deathly quiet. All eyes turned to Aurelia, who stood frozen, her eyes wide with shock. She had hoped they wouldn’t find out, not now, not when they were so close to saving the world. But the truth was out, and there was no turning back.
“Yes,” she admitted, her voice barely audible. “It’s true. I cheated off you in that Elemental Manipulation pop test. But… in my defense, it was only that one question.”
Nickolas’s eyes flickered with a mixture of emotions, the betrayal mingling with the urgency of their mission. “Just one question?” he echoed, his voice laced with skepticism.
Aurelia nodded, her posture rigid with the weight of her confession. “Yes, just one. I was desperate, and I made a mistake. But right now, we have bigger fish to fry.”
Nickolas’s expression hardened, his voice rising with frustration. “Aurelia, I’m not talking about the test. I’m talking about us—about you and me. And about you and Lead.”
Aurelia’s face paled, the gravity of her personal missteps crashing down upon her. “Nick… Lead… I…” she stammered, struggling to find the words.
Lead’s eyes, once filled with understanding, now mirrored Nickolas’s sense of betrayal. “You’ve been playing us both, haven’t you?” he asked, his voice a mix of anger and disappointment. “And all for what, a stupid experiment? Normally, I’d appreciate your logical reasoning, but this is too logical to be logical… if that makes any sense at all.”
Aurelia closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. When she opened them again, there was a resolve in her gaze. “Yes, I have been dishonest with both of you,” she confessed. “I let my fear and indecision get the best of me. I thought I could avoid choosing, avoid hurting one of you, but I see now that I’ve hurt both of you, and I’m so sorry.”
The room was silent, save for the beeping of the heart monitor. The friends looked at each other, their shared history now tainted with distrust.
Gallus broke the silence, his voice calm but firm. “We need to focus on the mission. The world needs us, and we can’t let personal issues get in the way.”
Selena nodded in agreement. “He’s right. We’ll deal with this later. Right now, we have to work together.”
“You guys realize that she’s spent eighteen years with zero drama? She’s very inexperienced. So, just leave this drama be.” Alithea suggested. “We have work to do.”
Thalia stepped closer to Aurelia, her earlier confession forgotten in the face of the larger crisis. “We’ll sort this out, Aurelia. But Lead is right; we have a job to do.”
Aurelia nodded, grateful for the support despite the circumstances. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Let’s save the world first. We’ll deal with the rest after.”
“I can’t forgive you,” Lead affirmed, his voice still icy. “But this last time, I’ll work with you.”
“Me too,” Nickolas added, his gaze softening slightly. “But don’t think this conversation is over, Aurelia.”
With a heavy heart, Aurelia turned to face the room. “I understand,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Let’s get to work.”
As they began to strategize, the tension in the room was palpable. But despite the personal conflicts, they knew they had a mission to accomplish. The fate of the world was in their hands, and they couldn’t afford to let their personal issues get in the way.
As they neared the end of their mission, they couldn’t help but reflect on the journey they had undertaken. They had faced numerous challenges, both personal and professional, but they had overcome them all. They had learned valuable lessons about trust, friendship, and sacrifice. And most importantly, they had learned that no matter what, they could always rely on each other… unless it came to Aurelia and romance.
Finally, the time of reckoning arrived. With a deep breath, Lead stepped forward, ready to make the ultimate sacrifice. He looked at his friends, his gaze lingering on Aurelia and Nickolas. “I may not forgive you, Aurelia,” he said, his voice steady. “But I will always respect you. And Nick… I hope we can find a way to move past this.”
“Don’t worry, man. It’s not your fault at all,” Nick replied, with a reassuring smile.
Lead gave a small nod, acknowledging Nick’s words. He then turned his attention back to the task at hand. The room was filled with a tense silence as everyone watched him, their breaths held in anticipation.
With that, he turned back to the task at hand. The world was waiting, and they were ready. As they watched Lead make the final move, his eyes glowing a bright green, they knew that they had done everything they could. They had given their all, and now, it was up to fate.
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As Lead took in his surroundings, he realized he was standing in the very heart of the lab that had changed the world. The lab that had created the nuke intended to destroy Japan, but instead, had malfunctioned and bestowed powers upon the world. October 1946.
He didn't pay enough attention in high school to know when, exactly.
The room buzzed with activity. Scientists in hazmat suits moved around, their faces obscured, their movements precise and calculated. Screens flickered with complex data, machines hummed, and the air was heavy with the scent of chemicals and electricity.
Lead felt a chill run down his spine as he realized the magnitude of where he was. This was ground zero, the birthplace of the new world. He could almost feel the echoes of the past, the moment when the nuke had malfunctioned, sending out a shockwave of energy that had altered the very fabric of reality.
He moved through the lab, his eyes taking in the details. The scientists paid him no mind, too engrossed in their work. He could see the nuke’s blueprints spread out on a table, the calculations and theories scribbled in the margins.
As he stood there, in the heart of the lab, Lead couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe. This was where it all began. This was where the world had been given a second chance. And now, it was up to him to ensure that this chance wasn’t wasted.
“Sir, are you sure this is completely fail-safe?” one of the scientists asked him. “It is a nuclear bomb, and while the last two were successful, I am not sure about this one.”
As he looked down, he found that he himself was clad in the same hazmat suit as the scientist standing before him.
“No, not really.” he replied, a drop of sweat falling off his forehead. “There is only a 5% chance that this bomb doesn’t detonate on the way.”
He had no idea what he was really talking about, but he had to make it seem convincing.
Lead’s heart pounded in his chest as he looked at the scientist. He knew he had to stop them, but he also knew he had to be careful. One wrong move could lead to disaster.
“Wait,” he said, raising a hand. “I think we need to reconsider.”
The room fell silent, all eyes turning to him. The scientist who had asked the question frowned. “Reconsider?” he echoed. “But we have been planning this for months.”
“I know,” Lead replied, his voice steady. “But I’ve been thinking… what if there’s another way? A way that doesn’t involve risking a 5% chance of detonation?”
The scientists exchanged glances, clearly taken aback. But Lead pressed on. “We’ve seen what these bombs can do. We’ve seen the destruction they can cause. But at what cost?”
He paused, letting his words sink in. “I believe we have a responsibility to explore every possible alternative before we resort to such drastic measures. We owe it to ourselves, and we owe it to the world.”
There was a long silence. Then, one by one, the scientists began to nod. They didn’t look happy, but they looked thoughtful. And for now, that was enough.
“Alright,” the lead scientist said finally. “We shall reconsider. But if you have any ideas, we are open. Perhaps two nuclear bombs are enough on Japan. Those took a toll on our resources as well… We’ll see them try to rejuvenate after that.”
Lead nodded, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. He didn’t know what would happen next, but he knew he had taken the first step towards a safer, better future. And for now, that was enough.
He sighed. “Now, if you will be so kind as to excuse me, I need to use the little boys’ room.”
With a nod to the scientists, Lead turned and walked out of the lab. He didn’t head for the restroom, though. Instead, he made his way to a secluded corner of the building, where he knew he wouldn’t be disturbed.
He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he focused on the task at hand. He had to return to his time, to his friends. He reached into his pocket, his fingers brushing against the photograph he had taken from his bedside table. The faces of his friends stared back at him, their expressions cheerful.
With a final glance at the photograph, Lead activated his time-travel ability. There was a flash of light from his eyes, a sensation of being pulled in multiple directions at once, and then… silence.
When he opened his eyes, he was back in the hospital room. But it was empty. His friends were gone. All that was left was the sterile white walls, the beeping of the heart monitor, and the photograph in his pocket.
Lead felt a pang of loneliness as he looked around the empty room. He had returned to his time, but at what cost? His friends were gone, their whereabouts unknown. And all he had left was a photograph and the memories of their time together.
But despite the loneliness, Lead couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief. He had done it. He had stopped the scientists from detonating another bomb. He had saved the world.
With a sigh, Lead pocketed the photograph and walked out of the hospital room. He didn’t know what the future held for him, but he knew one thing for sure: he had made a difference. He had saved the world. And for now, that was enough.
【 Omg I can't believe it's completed fr! Thinking of uploading a pt 2 I'd been working on but hiatused. And maybe making it a trilogy? We'll see~】
ns 15.158.61.8da2
