Somebody Stop Them. Chapter 39: Blue Screen Moment

Justice Nova stared at me for a long moment, his orange eyes flaring against dark gray scales, hands twitching. Then he glanced at his wife, who was still radiating maternal power, her wings spread and shimmering with mind-bending colors. 

Finally, his gaze settled on Cinder, whose hands and wing remained firmly wrapped around me.

"Cassiopea...." He began.

“No,” Cinder said sternly, reality around her bending into wobbling rainbows. “I’ve made my choice. You can accept it, or fight me over it and lose me forever, dad.”

"Your daughter is aware of everything that’s in those files. She knows everything and she still chose me, initiating a one-way soul bond to claim me as her own," I revealed, making Anitta beam brightly while the Justice frowned. "I could have already asked Father Matthias to two-way bind us without your consent, but I am a goodly Nazarite and I came to you to seek your approval, both you... Justice Nova and you, Hearth Keeper Lady Nova.”

I looked at Lady Nova for support.

"I… sense incredible bravery and passion in Alexander's words," Anitta purred, her feathers shifting through thoughtful blues and golds as she wrapped her elongated, clawed hands around Justice Nova. "He seeks to do things properly, my love. And our little Cassie has chosen him... just as long ago, I have chosen you after our Arx trip, Nathy."

As her brilliant wings thrummed against the Justice’s massive shoulder, he seemed to relax ever so slightly. 

Nathaniel exhaled slowly, his orange eyes moving between me, the folders, his wife, his son and daughters.

"Very well," he said finally. "I will review these documents and consider your request, Alexander. But, if any of this is some kind of deception…”

“It’s not,” I said. “I intend to fully commit to your daughter because she is my world, the Shield of my Heart.”

Justice Nova nodded slowly, his expression softening further at my words.

"I'll... need to make some calls," he said, standing up. "And review these files thoroughly."

"Of course, sir," I smiled. "Take all the time you need."

As Justice Nova left the dining room with the folders, Lady Nova beamed at me.

"Now, who's ready for something sweet for the occasion?" she offered.

The Nova family made various sounds of agreement.

"So," Lance finally found his voice as his mother departed to the kitchen. "You took over an entire prison island today?"

"Yep," I nodded. "The previous owners were quite rude about my human heritage and tried to feed me to a shark."

"A shark?" Lance sputtered.

"Made friends with her," I grinned. "Using the magic of AI-composed music."

"I see," Lance commented. He didn't see. I'd have to introduce him to Mags sometime in the future.

"And you have a death ray?" Lenora asked excitedly from my right side. “How big is it?”

"Pretty damn big. Built by my Prima Engineer," I winked at her. "Though currently she most likely doesn't remember building it."

"That's so cool!" Lenora squealed. "Can I see it?"

"Only if your parents allow you to go to Arx," I smiled.

"Mom!" Lenora yelled to Lady Nova. "Can I visit Arx to see Alex's death ray? Pweeeease?"

"We can discuss it after your father visits the place first," Anitta's voice carried from the kitchen.

Cinder's wing was still wrapped around me, but her tense posture relaxed now.

"You planned all of this, didn't you, you chuppy bastard?" she whispered in my ear, claws digging into my side.

"Some of it," I shrugged. "Some of it was... winged. Ow, stop biting me! Look, there's delicious ice cream en route! Bite that instead!"

Cinder let go of me, blushing furiously as Lenora chortled beside us.

The rest of dinner passed rather pleasantly, with Lenora, Lady Nova and Lance asking questions about my compounds on Earth and Arx. Finally, Justice Nova returned, his expression carefully neutral.

"I've spoken with Father Matthias, Scrutimancer Satosh and Attorney Thornheart," he announced. "And reviewed the initial documentation. While I still have concerns, I... cannot deny the validity of your claims."

I nodded.

"Therefore," he continued, "I will... provisionally... accept your request to court my daughter."

Cinder's feathers exploded with violet-pink joy.

"Thank you, sir," I said solemnly. "I promise to be worthy of your trust."

"See that you do," he replied sternly. "And about these… legal matters. Let's discuss them in my office.”

I followed him out of the dining room, giving Cinder a reassuring smile as her wing reluctantly unwrapped from around me.

The Justice's office was exactly what I expected - dark wood paneling, leather-bound law books, and an imposing desk with an Infix Kitlix on it. He settled into his chair and gestured for me to sit.

"Now then," he began, spreading the folders across his desk. "Let's start with the Stratos situation. You claim to have evidence of illegal activities at their youth rehabilitation facility?"

"Yes sir," I nodded. "Including unauthorized human experimentation, illegal disposal of bodies, and collaboration with known criminal elements. Scrutimancer Satosh, his daughter and others provided sworn testimony. More evidence is coming in as we're currently combing through the island."

"And you acquired this facility through..."

"A hostile takeover after they attempted to murder me there," I said, watching the Inflix Kitlix on his desk flash green.

. . .

The Judge pounded me with question after question, confirming the truth of my cases, releasing me after about two hours of an interrogation with a stack of signed documents.

"Oh good," Lenora commented when she saw my tired face. "You're still alive."

"Obviously," I smiled at the young Black Shuck. "Your dad is quite just and dedicated when it comes to the law. Also, I gave him a present."

"What kind of a present?"

"A bow from Arx," I replied.

"Did he sign all your stuff?" Cinder asked anxiously from her perch on the living room couch.

"Yep," I nodded.

She relaxed, drawing me into her embrace. "It's getting late. Wanna head to my room?"

I raised an eyebrow, then glanced at the direction of her parents.

"They won't say shit," she said. "You told them about our soul-bond. In their eyes we're practically married."

"Better ask your mom just to confirm," I said. "She's still the boss of this house."

Cinder rolled her eyes but called out, "Mom! Can Alex stay in my room?"

"Of course, starshine!" Lady Nova's voice carried from somewhere in the house.

"Thanks mom!" Cinder called back, then grabbed my hand and practically dragged me upstairs.

Her room was exactly as I remembered it from my previous visit–violet walls covered in band posters, random things scattered about, and a large bed with dark sheets.

"So," she said, closing the door behind us. "You really straight up told everyone everything, and it somehow worked out, huh?"

"Was there ever any doubt?" I asked, watching as she marched over to the corner and grabbed her electric guitar.

"Ehh," Cinder strummed a few chords on her guitar. "I honestly thought dad was going to throw you out when you mentioned the four Omnicorps."

"Your mom definitely helped," I smiled, settling onto her bed. "She's quite the powerhouse when she wants to be."

"Yeah," Cinder's feathers shifted through violets fading to dark reds. "Haven't seen her get that tall via Phase-Shift in like... ever."

Cinder settled on her bed next to me, guitar in her lap, and began strumming. The melody was lovely - something original, not a cover. Her feathers shifted through deep blues and vibrant violets as her fingers danced across the strings.

"New song?" I asked quietly.

She nodded, continuing to play. The riff intro-chords ended and then she began to sing.

“There you stood with that camera,
Acting lost, looking so unsure,
Just another nullie with no aura,
But something made me want to know more.”

She smiled at me, shaking her head.

“From that first blue screen moment,
When my wings made your brain short out,
To invading all my classes,
And turning my world inside out.

You drove me crazy with your questions,
Made me sing, when I swore I never would,
Turned my rage into protection,
Made chaos feel so damn good.”

She admitted, wings spreading and igniting with an entire rainbow of color.

“Now we're facing four Omnicorps,
At our back our crystal tower,
You've got plans within your plans,
But I wouldn't trade you for another.

You say I might be Ein Sof,
That I'm infinity in disguise,
But all I know is with you,
I finally feel alive!

From that fateful Tuesday,
To dancing with ancient gods,
You've made me question everything,
And I wouldn't have it any other way.
No, I wouldn't have it any other way!”

Her smile grew wide as she strummed more confidently beside me.

“Then Vespera joined our madness,
Thunder matched to Rainbow's call,
Three-way soul-bond burning bright,
Never meant to watch it fall.

When they took her memories away,
Left an echo in our hearts to stay,
But they can't erase what's true,
'Cus the bond between us only grew.

Started as your stupid game,
Manipulation, plots and schemes,
Now I'm falling, truly falling,
Beyond my wildest dreams.”

I smiled back at her as she leaned against me.

“From that first blue screen moment,
When my wings made your brain freeze,
To sharing souls with thunder,
And bringing gods to their knees.

Now I know it's real,
Now I know it's true,
No more running from these feelings,
I'm completely lost in you...”

Her blue eyes struck me as she inhaled deep.

“You say I might be Ein Sof,
Dancing through space and time,
But all I really need to be...
Is yours, and you be mine…”

The song ended, the last word stretching out. 

“Wowza,” I said. “A gift of lovely song. Trying to beat my offer of a farm, huh?”

Then her guitar slipped to the floor and I was mauled by rainbow wings and black claws, my brain blue screening beyond recovery.

. . . 

I gripped Io's fuzzy hand tighter as a dark gate bloomed in front of us.

First it was just a small circle hovering inside the Warden's office.

Then the dark circle popped and the phone featuring the frozen frame of 'Day After Tomorrow' appeared.

The lighter's flame danced between us, mana pouring into our connection as we shaped the portal together.

The gate expanded slowly, showing off the rest of the massive crystalline room.

Something blurry flashed into existence behind the widening tear in reality. In another minute, Archmage Ovijus materializing within the frame.

The elderly crow-man's form seemed to flicker and blur as he slowed time around himself and crossed between the different time streams, his silver staff leaving trails of light in the air.

"Good tomorrow, Lord Protector," he smiled when his body stabilized fully synchronizing with our dimension. "We are ready to receive you! I'm holding the temporal bubble from my end."

"Arx party!" I barked. "Onwards!"

The gathered Omnids dressed in gray correctional officer uniforms began marching into the gate. Each one held a massive box in their claws - server towers and more mana-electricity converters bought in various Omnid shops.

I watched from my position beside Io, maintaining focus on the portal.

Justice Nova stood nearby, staring at the portal with wide, orange eyes.

"Quite the operation you have here," he commented. "Truly, I did not expect for you to actually open a gate to Arx."

"Just the first wave of infrastructure deployment," I smiled.

Cinder hovered protectively near me, her feathers shifting through alert blues and violets. She was dressed in her full delving gear, as was I.

"Shall we?" I asked her.

She nodded.

Officer Satosh saluted us from where he stood. He was wearing the Warden's cap and would watch over the Island for the day.

Io and I stepped through the gate together, still channeling power into it. The transition felt like walking through thick syrup.

Cinder, Katherine and Mags followed close behind. Justice Nova came after, his orange eyes widening at the crystalline architecture of our receiving chamber.

The gate snapped shut and then Archmage Ovijus accelerated time within the bubble to match it to that of Arx.

Hundreds of people manifested all around us, standing in orderly lines, dressed in lavish, black robes.

"Lord Protector, now arriving from Earth!" Guild Master Mortrdem announced, his voice echoing through the crystalline chamber. "All hail Lord Protector!"

The assembled staff bowed in perfect unison.

Mage staffs ignited all around as mages slammed their amplifiers into the crystalline floor. "Hail Lord Protector!" My well-dressed mooks boomed.

Justice Nova and Magdaline gaped at the spectacle as hundreds of mage staffs lit up the crystalline chamber with their radiant display.

"Welcome to the Crystal Horse Citadel," I grinned at the Justice. "As you can see, Justice, our operation here is quite legitimate."

The Justice's orange eyes scanned the massive chamber, taking in the bewildering crystalline architecture, the well-dressed mage staff, and the sophisticated magical infrastructure.

"This is... remarkable," he managed after a pregnant pause.

"So, how much time did I miss?" I asked the Guildmaster.

"Thirteen weeks, Lord Protector," Mortrdem bowed. "Everything is proceeding fairly smoothly."

"Did upworlders attempt any other shenanigans?"

"They have," the Guild Master smiled at me with white, polished teeth. The change in his appearance and posture had been quite impressive compared to what he looked like just a few days ago from my perspective. "The mites and the Death Ray dealt with them as before. They've tried to gate into different locations of Katsburg too, but were repelled just as effectively by Yulia's targeting system."

"Lovely," I smiled.

"Is Lady Vespera not with your party?" Mortrdem asked, looking over our party. "We're making good progress on ward installation, but we could use her expertise."

"Alas," I said with a sigh. "She is currently indisposed."

I gestured to Magdaline, who stood tall and proud in her new uniform adorned with the Thunder and Rainbow insignia printed in the prison's workshop.

"This is Magdaline Satosh, my new Scrutimancer Knight," I announced.

Magdaline shook hands with Morty, her hand completely dwarfing his.

"And this... Is Justice Nathaniel Nova," I continued, gesturing to the imposing Dover Demon. "My future... father-in-law."

"A pleasure," Mortrdem greeted the Omnid with a deep bow.

Justice Nova nodded stiffly, still taking in the crystalline architecture and assembled staff with a look of slight befuddlement.

"Shall we begin the tour?" I suggested.

"Lead on," Justice Nova nodded, trying and failing to appear stoic.

"Our first stop is the Administrative center," I announced, leading them into a vast chamber filled with crystalline desks and busy staff members. "We've implemented a completely transparent governance system, with all decisions and transactions recorded by my LLM."

The tour continued through various crystal chambers, each more impressive than the last. My mooks had not been wasting time and had implemented many of our plans for the tower. Justice Nova's expression grew increasingly thoughtful as we showed him the refugee housing facilities, the mage training academy, the Katsburg Bank, the trade halls and markets, the medical facilities and etc.

Finally, we reached the top of the central spire, where the view of Katsburg stretched out below us - a dark city engulfed by the snow of mites.

"Below lies Katsburg," I said, waving to the view. "Currently it is under renovation. Please excuse the cold, it's to keep the defensive mites out."

Justice Nova nodded, shivering slightly.

"Now, would you like to see our farm?" I grinned at him.

He nodded.

Master Mortrdem called up a gate mage, who opened a portal straight into the farmhouse.

The old farmhouse was absolutely crammed with hired Shandrian Agromancers, many inhabiting temporary garden sheds and tents out in the fields.

The doors opened into a vastly expanded agricultural operation, the gardens blooming with fruits and vegetables.

Justice Nova stared at the view of Shandria in the distance, watching as Agrilopods moved across the fields, picking fruit.

"So?" I asked him. "Are you satisfied with our Clan's Citadel?"

"Yes," Justice Nova admitted, watching as harvesting beasts moved across the fields. "I remember this place from my delving days. That's Shandria over in the distance, correct?"

"Correct," I nodded.

"And you own all of this?" Justice Nova gestured at the sprawling farmland.

"Yep," I nodded. "About two hundred acres, all the way to the sea. Once I've got some resort cottage buildings set up closer to the Chasm Sea, feel free to bring Lady Nova for a vacation here."

"She... will undoubtedly appreciate the offer," the Judge smiled for the first time in two days. "Thank you."

. . .

Justice Nova stood at the crystal pebble beach, watching the Agrilopods work in the distance. Cinder approached her father hesitantly, her feathers shifting through nervous violets and blues.

"Dad..." she began.

Justice Nova turned to face her, his orange eyes softening. "You've chosen... quite the partner, Cassie."

"Yeah... he's... something else," Cinder rubbed her elbows.

"Indeed," Justice Nova nodded, glancing at me where I stood chatting with Io. "I must admit, when you first brought him home, I didn't think that much of him. But it seems that you've picked a man of great ambition."

"Yeah," Cinder's feathers shifted through soft pinks. "He's... he's going to change everything, dad. And I want to be part of that change."

Justice Nova turned to fully face his daughter, his stern expression lightening. "I can see that now. Just... be careful, starshine. The path you've chosen won't be easy. Great power equates to having many enemies."

"When has anything worth doing ever been easy?" Cinder smiled, then suddenly launched herself at her father, wrapping him in a tight hug, her wings enveloping them both.

Justice Nova seemed startled for a moment before returning the embrace, his bulky gray arms wrapping around his daughter.

"I love you, dad," she uttered, her eyes filling with tears. "I'm sorry. I think that... I haven't told you that in two years now. Sorry... I've been... kind of lost. But I think I finally found someone who helped me find my way back to myself... Found... home."

Justice Nova held his daughter tight for a long moment, his orange eyes glistening slightly. When they finally separated, he cleared his throat gruffly.

"Well then," he said, straightening his formal robes. "I should head back to Earth. Your mother will want a full report, and I have quite a mountain of paperwork to process regarding your... fiancé's various legal matters."

"Thanks dad," Cinder's feathers shifted through grateful golds and pinks. "For giving Alex a chance. For helping him with... all that legal bullshit."

Justice Nova patted Cinder's head one last time. "Take care, daughter."

"You too, dad."

I once again grabbed Io's hand and we focused on reopening the portal back to my prison island, relying on our Time mage to solve the time-dilation problem.

. . .

As the portal closed behind the Justice, Cinder's wings shifted through relieved, calm blues and content violets.

"That went better than expected," I commented, sitting down on the colorful pebbles next to her, watching as Io and Mags walked along the beach in the distance, occasionally throwing random pebbles at the glowing, green waves.

"Yeah," she exhaled. "I can't believe you actually pulled that off. Getting my dad's approval for anything seemed impossible. Abyss, I've never seen him this shocked and polite."

"Nothing's impossible," I smiled, wrapping my arms around her waist. "Just improbable."

“So, how long can we stay here?” She asked.

“Till Monday,” I replied. “Two months.”

“Two months,” Cinder chewed on the word, stretching across me to enjoy the sunshine. “That’s a long time to get sick of each other.”

“I don’t think that I could ever get sick of you,” I smiled at her.

“Abyss, I miss Vee,” she curled into me. “I don’t think that I could stay here that long, knowing that she’s back on Earth… probably not even aware that we exist.”

“We’ll stay just enough for me to set up Yulia’s new servers then and to give all of my mooks phones and further instructions,” I said. “Good?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, closing her eyes and humming the 'blue screen' song under her breath. “Sounds good."