Persona BLEACHED 3: Gaiden Pt. 7

Gaiden: The Long Summer Pt. 7
July 23, 2031
.....
.....
How long are you going to pretend not to hear me?
.....
You must think it's all going to be alright now. You're back with your family, your friends are slowly letting you back in, a girl way out of your league loves you and wants to help you. You might call it peace.
I call it complacency.
Like those awful adults we've punished. What is it that we said? 'Having the power and doing nothing with it is worse than having no power at all'. You think with the old man gone, our mission is over?
---
Max jarred awake, and the sight before him would've caused some sort of vocal response, if not for the fact that his mouth was being covered.
Captain Thunder, or at the very least his armor, was on top of him. A blue, spectral aura emanated from his form. When he spoke, it was Max's own voice, distorted.
"Look me in the eyes when I'm talking to you. You can't abandon me and our holy war that easily, amigo. I'm with you whether you want it or not. I am thou, thou art I. Reject me all you want, it'll only make me louder and stronger. Our campaign of vengeance may have ended prematurely, but the war is never-ending. And do you know why that is? Because you NEED it to be."
Max tried breaking free, but his phantom copy tightened his hold. "You're nothing without me. Who were you on the Ashen totem pole? Nobody, an extra. That's what you've been from Day One. Who was the one getting all the attention growing up? The one everyone expects to be on the big stage, performing for legions of adoring fans? Certainly wasn't you. You've been a walking shadow your entire life. Always latched onto someone else who actually gets the glory. Your best chance of being something is me, and you know it. You need conflict because fixing it is your only path to recognition. I'm the power to make your Desires a reality. Now tell me, amigo. Does your ideal world involve kissing up to the people you backstabbed and cuddling with a former streetwalker?" The armored figure pointed at Ibuki, sleeping soundly next to Max, blissfully unaware of what was happening. "Or does it involve taking the power and glory you deserve by punishing the scum of this Earth?"
Max finally shook free. "You shut your mouth. Call me a nobody all you want. No one agrees more than I do. But you don't get to talk about Ibuki that way. What she did before just to survive isn't something I hold against her. She's the strongest, most unselfish person I've ever known. And the fact that I caused her as much distress as I have is something I'll regret until my dying day. And as for our 'holy war'? It's finished. Our chance at closure is gone. This campaign of ours has caused more trauma than it's solved. I'm done playing hero. Now...I just want to live in peace."
"We can't get any peace until the scum of the Earth are put in their place. I'm everything you want, amigo. You can't ignore me forever. We're going to finish what we started whether you want to or not..." The armored phantom vanished.
Max glanced over at the slumbering Ibuki. He put his head back down on the pillow. "(You're not everything I want, 'amigo'.)" he thought.
---
It was a short while later, before the sun had risen, that the group were packing their belongings into the bus. There'd been a deviation in plans, and they had decided to first travel to Miami before hitting Atlanta on the way up north. The early departure was to accommodate for the 12-and-a-half hour ride to south Florida.
"How's your shoulder holding up, Barbie? You OK to go long distance?" Kat asked.
"Honestly, it's still a little achey, but I can tough it out." Barbara replied.
"I could always--" Kibō spoke up before Carrie promptly wrapped her arm around his mouth.
"That won't be necessary, love. We'll just have to manage Barbara's discomfort, even if it means a longer trip." she insisted.
"I'm not particularly fond of either of our options." Sakuya said.
"Actually, now that I think about it...Maxwell, don't you have an American driver's license?" Kenneth asked.
"Yeah, actually. I can take over if it's not a big problem. At least to give Barb some time to rest. But, uh...there any reason why Keeb can't--" Max responded.
Ibuki grabbed his shoulder and shook her head. "Some questions you're better off not knowing the answer to."
"Just promise us you'll go the speed limit." Sahir urged.
Carrie released her hold on Kibō. "God!" he griped.
"The world will thank me." Carrie replied.
"Maybe that's taking it a little too far. Our bones might be enough." Natalia added.
Everyone got onto the bus, with Max in the driver's seat. Barbara gave him a hug on her way back. "Thanks for the assist, bro~."
"It's what I'm here for." he replied.
"I don't get why everyone's so freaked out, I drive just fine." Kibō said.
Kat cackled. "That is such an obvious fake laugh." Kibō griped.
"It's as real as your driving skills, Lightning McQueen." Kat replied.
"But did you die? Didn't think so."
"Unless we're all ghosts. We'll know if some dudes in black start trying to record what we're saying." Ibuki replied.
"I'm gonna pretend to know what that means."
With that last bit of banter, the bus began its long drive. A while later, with the crew already on the highway, most of the passengers were sound asleep. Kat moved herself up to the seat behind Max. "Hanging in there OK, capitano?"
"Yeah, I'm alright. My uncle taught me the rules of the road. You're in safe hands."
"I wasn't talking about the drive. How are you holding up? It's gotta be whiplash, being back in the fold after so long."
Max breathed in. "In the span of a day and a half, I've knocked Keeb around, found out the old man's been dead for a year--rendering my quest for payback moot--, and learned that the girl who wanted nothing more than to beat my face in now wants to help me and...be with me. So yeah, 'whiplash' sounds about right."
"You know if it ever gets to be too much, you can speak up and we'll try to help you out. Keeping secrets doesn't help anyone. And I don't think hiding things from everyone is gonna win them over. There anything bothering you right now?"
".....nope."
"Sparky."
"What do you want me to say, that I've been seeing ghosts? I don't even know if what I saw was real or me going crazy."
"Tell me. Burying it does nothing."
"...last night, or...this morning, I guess, I had this dream. Or a vision. Captain Thunder was real. He spoke to me. Then I opened my eyes and he was right on top of me. He told me I was pathetic for abandoning our 'holy war'. That he's gonna make me do what he wants, whether I choose to or not."
"And is it what you wanna do?"
"Deep down, part of me must want it. The part of me that wants to punish criminals and hates the way the world is. That part doesn't want to stay silent any longer."
"And what does the other part want?"
"I..."
Max could hear someone else sitting down next to Kat.
"Go on, Sparkplug. What is it you really wanna do?" Ibuki asked.
"How much of that did you hear?" Max asked.
"Enough. I can't imagine what you've got swirling around in your head, but if there's any chance of keeping it quiet, you've gotta be honest. What do you, not Captain Thunder, want?"
"...I...I probably shouldn't be doing this while driving..."
"It's OK, there's a rest stop not that far ahead. It'll give you a chance to breathe." Kat urged.
"Yeah, I need a second...my head's starting to feel off..."
The bus pulled into the rest area. The rest of the group began to stir awake. "Nngh...are we there already?" Sahir asked.
"Well, this doesn't look like south Florida to me..." Kenneth responded.
"Sorry about that, we needed five minutes." Kat said.
"Hey, is he OK...?" Natalia questioned.
Max was clutching his head. Barbara got up and ran over to him. "Hey, what's wrong?"
As he struggled, Max's eye jarred open, revealing a yellow coloration.
"Oh...oh dear." Carrie uttered.
"He's...he's not gonna take no for an answer...he's trying to take control...and I can't stop him..." Max strained.
"Who, Maxie? Who's trying to control you?" Barbara asked.
"Oh geez, now we've got a problem. Bookie, Barbie, you're coming with me." Kat took out her phone. "We're gonna fix this, alright, Sparky?"
"Do what you have to...just make him stop...!" Energy sparked around Max.
"Emergency therapy time, ladies." Ibuki stated.
"Oh, Maxie..." Barbara uttered.
Kat input the command, and the four of them vanished. "Well...that just happened." Sahir uttered.
---
The women reappeared in the Metaverse, where the surroundings were now tinted red and green. Kat was garbed in her black and pink thief suit, the same one she'd worn in her battle with Max over a year ago. "Not exactly what I had planned for vacation." Ibuki spoke. She wore a stark red set of slender armor, her head covered by a hood, and she sported a red quiver on her back. The words 'Love is Like an Arrow' were engraved into it. "But now that we're here, something's caught my eye."
The two glanced at Barbara, who was still wearing the Artisans' old black hoodie. "Oh, uh...guess this is a little outdated now, huh? Sorry. I haven't exactly been training as much as you guys have..."
More energy sparked close to them. "We'll worry about fashion later. We've got bigger problems to tackle." Kat said.
Max was on his hands and knees, as electricity crackled around him. "Uggggh...uggggh..."
"Maxie! What's wrong with you?" Barbara questioned.
"His inner demon doesn't feel like staying 'inner' anymore." Ibuki replied.
"You all need to leave...he's not gonna leave me alone...ugh!" Max groaned.
"Get his happy ass out here! I'll set him straight myself!"
"Nngh...!" Max's shadow extended out in front of him, as a figure rose out from it. The armor he once wore stood before the women.
"Ladies." the Shadow uttered.
"I never wanted to see that rust bucket again." Kat responded.
"The feeling's mutual, delinquent. I'd thought you were done meddling in our affairs, but it looks like you won't be satisfied until you've completely ruined our noble quest."
"'Noble', nothing! You're only beating up on criminals to make yourself feel powerful! Maxie doesn't want to do it anymore! Why can't you let him live?" Barbara retorted.
"Use your brain, glory hog. If he truly didn't want to continue what we started, then why am I here? I am his every buried emotion given form. Deep down, he realizes the fight isn't over. There is still evil to be dealt with. Our existence is only given meaning by this one fact."
"Bullshit! He's not about to spend his entire life wailing on people because that's what you want him to do! He's got plenty of time to get himself sorted and find what he really wants!" Ibuki yelled back.
"And what do you think he'll want? You?"
"Grrr..."
"You're a confounding one. To go from wanting nothing more than to strangle him with your own hands to voicing your desire to share a life with him is beyond my understanding. What do you see in such a worthless shell of a man? One who was always second-best compared to everyone around him? One who manipulated you for his own gain? Has a life of offering your body to anyone completely shattered your standards?"
"Shut the fuck up, you piece of--"
"Stop it, Ibuki." Max urged.
"Maxie?"
"He's right about me. I'm a nobody without the power he gave me. Just a sad geek who thought he could be a hero. I thought I could be something more than I was, but the truth is, even that wasn't good enough. I'm just a screw-up. A loser. One who only hunts down crooks to make himself feel better for a second. I could never be a hero. And I could never be the one to make you happy. I have no right. I never did to begin with."
"That's not true, Maxie! What did we do yesterday? We sat around watching the dumbest TV shows imaginable, and it was fun! It was fun cuz I was with you! You were chill, and funny, and everything felt right! You don't have to feel like you have no choice in how your life goes. The Maxie from yesterday is the real one, not this angry bucket of bolts!"
"She's right, Maxie. You don't have to be like this. There's not a rule that says you have to stay the same way forever. You're the best brother I could ever wish for. I know that you aren't what this ghost says you are." Barbara added.
"We love you, Maxie. You have every right to better yourself, and we want to help you. We know the real you. And that's someone who deserves to make things right." Kat said.
"...you guys...I..." Max uttered.
Energy sparked once more as the armor broke apart, wrapping itself around Max.
"Maxie!" Barbara called out.
The armor's eyes lit up, and it transformed into the horse-mounting figure of Don Quixote. "Enough of this drivel! I'll send you all to Hell myself!"
The sails on his back began to rapidly cycle, as bolts of lightning came crashing down around him, driving the girls back. "Looney tune's not gonna let Sparky go without a fight. I shouldn't even be surprised." Kat said.
"You! Wench!"
"Yo."
"Call forth your other self! Don't think that I've forgotten the indignities you and the lunar witch inflicted upon me! Such wrongs will not go unavenged!"
"You mean Selene? And by 'indignities', you mean when we flattened you like a breakfast cake, right? Hate to tell ya, but she doesn't make it a habit to swat the same fly twice."
"I'll not stand to hear from that toxic maw any longer! This time will be different!" The horseman charged up an attack, lobbing bolts of lightning down towards the women. Before they could connect, a stream of water appeared from the ground, and the women disappeared into it.
"That's only gonna happen if *you're* different, Caballero. First impressions are telling me that ain't the case. Us, on the other hand? You don't wanna know." Kat's voice echoed out.
"Show yourself! What's the worst you're going to give me? Turning into a cat?"
Kat's voice sounded out from behind the rogue spirit. "Something like that."
What rose up from behind the horseman was not a small cat, but something more akin to a lioness, pitch black in color and possessing glowing pink eyes and claws. She buried her fangs into his shoulder, her jaws piercing his armored plating.
"GAARGH! Meddling pickpocket! Get...off of me...!" the phantom tried grasping at Kat.
Ibuki drew an arrow and took aim. She hesitated to fire it.
"Nnnngh...Ibuki...take the shot..." Max suddenly uttered.
"Keep fighting it, Maxie! I don't wanna hurt you!" Ibuki replied.
The horseman's eyes flared up. "Insolent...idiot! I'll not be denied our glorious--"
Kat caught sight of something, and released her grip. Immediately after, a giant hand constructed out of water appeared from the ground, and grabbed the phantom off of his horse. The hand tossed and slammed the entity around, finishing its assault with a crushing blow into the ground. 
Kat, having returned to human form, and Ibuki both looked back to Barbara in shock. "Daaaamn, girl." Kat uttered.
The entity shifted back into an armored Max, who grabbed at the helmet on his head, prying it off. He began panting.
"Maxie! I'm so sorry, are you hurt?" Barbara ran over to him.
"I'm alright, I'm alright." Max tossed the helmet away. "I should be the one apologizing."
"It's OK, you didn't ask for this to happen." Ibuki said.
"No. At some level, I wanted this. As long as those old wounds exist in my heart, he'll never go away. He was born from my desire to become a hero and save the world. But breaking into places and threatening people...attacking my friends...altering personalities...that's not what a hero does. I wanted this suit to be a beacon of hope...and I've stained it with blood." He let out a somber laugh. "I'm the biggest idiot on the planet. Just a dumb hick who thought he could be Superman. I'll never be anything more than that."
"Sparky, come on, no one here thinks that--hm?" Kat noticed something.
The eyes on Max's helmet flickered on. "Don't abandon me...please...we can still...be more than what we are...we can't go back...to being nobody...you need me..."
"Shut it! You're the reason he's been in so much trouble! Just let him live in peace!" Ibuki countered.
"Oh, he's gonna have peace, alright. A full life of bein' absolutely nothin'." a male voice boomed out.
Both Max and Barbara's eyes widened in shock. This was a voice ingrained into their minds. A voice that shouldn't be.
"Oh, no." Barbara uttered.
Shadowy energy sparked up behind the group, as a mammoth figure suddenly appeared. A hulking, gorilla-like creature constructed entirely out of green beer cases. He towered over the youths.
"Dumbass boy." he bellowed.
"What...the hell...is that?!" Ibuki questioned.
"Oh...shit." Kat uttered in response.
"Why...why is he here?!" Barbara demanded.
"You just refuse to get out of my head, huh, old man?" Max asked.
"'Old man'? Hold up...is that supposed to be your dad?" Ibuki asked.
"It's Sparky's cognition of him. We fought that thing all the way back when we were just getting our powers." Kat replied.
"And we couldn't put a dent in him until Maxie came around and fought him. But why is he back?" Barbara added.
"Thought you could get rid of me that easy, huh, brat? That scrap of junk ain't the only ghost haunting ya. That head of yours is prime real estate, 'specially with how empty it is. Who else but some dweeby dumbass would think they could be more than a girly sack of shit? I dunno how I got cursed with a bum like you." the giant boomed.
Max sat in silence. Shadows covered his eyes, masking a grim expression.
"The only one that's been cursed here is Maxie! Having to have your beer-chugging ass haunting his every move when he's only ever tried to do the right thing!" Ibuki sniped back.
"We'll happily take his 'girly' self over whatever the hell you had planned for him. He's only the way he is now because you did this to him. As silly as he is, I'm grateful for the dad I have. I couldn't imagine having to grow up with someone who'd tie me to a tree and leave me in the cold over a can of beer." Kat added.
The ogre whistled. "Oooh, you got yourself a pretty one here, boy. I've had a few of these myself when your ma was pissing me off. Who says you ain't a chip off the ol' block?" He pointed towards Ibuki.
"You'd better not be smiling when you say shit like that..." Ibuki's aura turned dark.
"Listen to me, bro. You're NOTHING like that monster. You're a kind, loving guy who only wants to protect me and Mama from animals like him. Don't let him keep lording over everything that you do. He's gone, Maxie. He can't hurt you or me or Mama ever again. If you keep wallowing in your mistakes, you'll never be happy. You'll be letting him win from the grave. You have to take your life back, bro. That's not something we can do for you. That has to start right here, right now." Barbara urged.
"Oh, I've had it with listening to that yappy trap! I'll start with you if the bum won't budge!" The ogre brought his hand down towards her.
Kat and Ibuki both moved to defend Barbara, but the demon's fist never reached them.
Barbara herself had braced for a hit, but opened her eyes when no such blow came. Before the three girls, blocking the ogre's fist with his own, was Max. He glared up at the assailant.
"Wuzzat, boy? Still thinkin' you can play the hero? 'Swat I get for lettin' Uncle Flyboy fill your head with all that bullshit. If I could just get a shot off on him and that witch of a mother you've got--"
"SHUT. UP." Max ordered.
"Hmmm? You orderin' me around, boy?"
"Damn STRAIGHT. I'm sick of listening to your flapping jaw badmouthing the people I love. Uncle Davie was more of a father to me than you ever were. He taught me what respect and honor were. Mama kept me safe from you and told me to do the right thing. And Barb, no matter what I did, no matter how much I didn't deserve it, always has my back. Because that's what a family is *supposed to do*. They don't belittle me at every opportunity, or tie me to a tree, or have other people rough me up because of shit *they did wrong*. Everything a father is supposed to do for his son, someone else did for me, because you were such a titanic piece of shit that you never saw me as anything but a problem."
Electricity flared around Max. "And one more thing. That woman's name is Ibuki. She's not the trash you think she is. She's one of the strongest people I've ever known, with a heart to match. The pain I caused her is something I'll never forgive myself for. But that's part of the past. The Prisons, Captain Thunder...and you. If I'm ever gonna move forward in my life, I have to erase every trace of you from my mind." He pulled his free hand back. "Here's what I should've done when you were still breathing!"
He punched the ogre's hand, and simultaneously, a giant, spectral fist appeared above him, mirroring his attack and knocking the monster away.
"What was that?!" Ibuki demanded.
"Maxie...did he..." Barbara pondered.
"He's awake." Kat stated.
Max's body began to be enveloped in armor once more, though it was now primarily blue instead of black. "Do you want to see how much I've kept bottled in, old man?" Behind him appeared a spectral giant, coated in silver and red armor, with glowing yellow eyes, and a blue sphere in the center of its chest. "THIS MUCH."
"Shiyaaaaaaaaa!" The phantom giant lunged and struck a crushing blow to the ogre's face.
Ibuki watched on, the Ultraman figurine visibly sticking out of one of her pockets. "Knew you had it in you."
Max's Persona proceeded to land heavy hit after heavy hit, culminating in it chopping off the ogre's left arm, before grabbing it and beating his opponent with it. "Doesn't feel so good when it's you on the receiving end, does it?" Max rhetorically asked.
"Guuurgh...damn you and those costumed freaks of yours...it's all just made up bullshit for kids to waste money on...that shit doesn't exist! I'm proof of that!" the giant angrily ranted.
"Really? So you're getting your ass kicked by a fairy tale, then? Here's a healthy dose of reality for you."
The Persona delivered a brutal uppercut, sending the ogre flying back. It then struck a pose, crossing its arms into a 't' shape, as a vivid beam of light was fired from the vertically pointing arm. It blasted through the ogre, causing a massive explosion and blowing it apart.
As fragments fell to the ground, Max dispelled his Persona, and walked over to where the remains were falling. He picked something off of the ground: an older man with graying hair. Max grabbed him by the throat.
"Keh...kehehe...fists first, ask questions later. You and I ain't so different after all, shrimp." his father grunted.
"Maybe we aren't. Maybe we're both monsters in our own ways. But I'm willing to admit when I'm wrong. You never got the chance. You'll never hurt me or anyone else again. Hope you're enjoying Hell. It's the type of place suited for you. No beer and all the women hit first." Max tossed him aside. The old phantom and all the fragments crumbled into the shadows.
Max walked back to the girls, his helmet disabled. Barbara hugged him. Kat patted him on the shoulder. Both let go, and he went to Ibuki. "Hey." he said.
"Hey there, Mr. Hero. Get it all out of your system?" she replied.
"I don't know if I ever will, but it was therapeutic, at least. I can leave him and everything he did to me in the past where it belongs. On that note..." He scratched his head. "Listen, Ibuki. I've made more mistakes than I can count. I've done things that I thought were for the best, but they just ended up hurting people. I know that what we have is...complicated. But one of my biggest regrets involved not saying something when I really should've."
Kat made a purring noise. "Wonder what that might be?"
Max flinched. "What I'm trying to say is, I don't want to be a screw-up anymore. I want to make up for everything, even if it takes the rest of my days to do it."
"SAY IT, IDIOT!" Kat and Barbara both demanded.
Max started turning red. "Ibuki, I...I love you. The happy ending you're searching for...I want to be part of it. If that's OK."
Ibuki put her arms around his shoulders. "Kiss me, you complete dork."
The two embraced. After a short moment, Ibuki opened her eyes and glanced at the other girls. "Ahem. Can I help you two?"
Kat and Barbara were both taping the encounter on their phones. "I just like to watch you guys." Kat cheekily replied.
Max grunted. His eyes briefly crackled, and the girls' phones promptly shorted out. "Hey!" Kat complained. "You know we need this thing to get out of here, right?"
"Fine, but no more taping sessions." Max's eyes flared again, and the phones regained their charge.
"I would've made you pay for a new one if it broke..." Barbara mumbled.
---
"This is exactly what I wanted out of my vacation. Sitting in a dark, rural parking lot with no means of escape." Kenneth complained.
"You know, I could--" Kibō began.
"NO." everyone in the bus retorted.
"My driving's not *that* bad..."
"My back aches tell a different story." Carrie replied. She, Natalia, Sahir and Sakuya were all playing cards.
Suddenly, a portal opened up inside the bus, and the remaining four reappeared. "Ta-da. We're back from the land of hoverboards." Kat said.
Sakuya took notice of Ibuki's arm being around Max's. "I...see there's been some developments."
"This is mine now." Ibuki replied. Max rubbed the back of his head.
"So, um...are you alright in the head now?" Natalia asked.
"As alright as I can be. I had issues to sort and they've been sorted. I should be okay to drive." Max replied.
"Good, cuz we're not gonna force the starlet to pull her shoulder while you're having a freakout in the back." Sahir said.
"No, no more freakouts. Little bro's all good from now on~." Barbara chimed.
"I'll try my best. As long as you stop calling me 'little'." Max replied.
"Okay, the detour's all settled, now we can get back to vacation mode. This is probably the only time I'm ever gonna say this, but, Sparky...take us to Florida." Kat directed.
"Hoo-boy. 'Top 10 Things Said Before Disaster' material there..."
---
August 9, 2031
Tulsa, Oklahoma. Late morning. A silver SUV pulls into a house in a quiet neighborhood on the south side. From the driver's side, Annette Jadefang steps out. She opens the trunk and picks up several bags of groceries. She walks up to her front door, but drops her keys. "Oh, come on..." 
She puts her bags down to pick up the keys. And then...
"Need help with the food?"
The voice made Annette stop. She looked behind her. There he was, hands in his pockets, having grown a beard since the last time she'd seen him in person. It was Max, her son. "Hi, Mama."
She practically jumped from the front porch to wrap him in a hug. She said nothing, and instead started weeping.
"Yeah. I missed you too." Max responded. "I'm sorry for everything. Are you mad at me?"
Annette shook her head. "I know, no matter how boneheaded it was, you did what you thought was right. I'm just happy to finally have you home. But please don't put your poor Mama through that again, dummy."
"I'll try my hardest."
"That's all I want to hear. Say, where's Moonbeam and the rest of your troupe?"
"They went to go park the bus. I asked them to drop me off so I could surprise you. So you need help with the groceries?"
"Oh, yeah, of course. I'm gonna have to wait for my hands to stop shaking, but I'm gonna make sure you have a good old-fashioned meal before you leave."
"A meal from you sounds perfect right now."
A while later, after the rest of the group had arrived, everyone sat down to eat. "So I guess vacation time's all said and done, huh?" Annette asked.
"Uh-huh. Just a couple more days and it'll be back to LA." Barbara replied.
"Which means..." Sahir sighed. "Back to reality."
"Goodbye beachside mojitos, hello textbooks and lectures. For y'all." Ibuki teased.
"I can feel myself snoring already..." Sahir slumped in his chair.
"You'll be flunking out before the semester even starts with that attitude." Kenneth chided.
"But it means that we're gonna be going our separate ways for real this time, huh..." Natalia uttered.
"I know it's a major bummer, Hoods, but that's what the interwebs are for. And you're still gonna have me and Care." Kat assured.
"And you'll have your kitty around this time, too." Carrie added.
"One with a better temperament than the other resident feline." Kenneth said. "Ngh!" Kat kicked him beneath the table.
"It was a ghost." Kat deadpanned.
"Someone call the Travel Channel." Ibuki joked.
"Going away from everyone is gonna be hard, but spreading your wings is part of growing up. College is an exciting time. The last one before you have to start worrying about mortgages." Annette said.
Sahir shuddered. "Nyeeeh. Yeah, I think I'm gonna relax and enjoy the ride first."
"Good plan, striker. Starbolt, you want to help me in the kitchen for a sec?"
"Sure thing." Max got up and followed his mother.
Annette peeked into the oven. "Still needs a couple minutes. While we wait...how are you? Like...up here." She pointed to her head.
"I'm...getting better. I've had to come to terms with a lot. And I still have a lot more to go. But..." Max gestured towards the table. "They've made it hard to stay down for long."
"They're a lively bunch, alright. Very persistent, too. Especially Ms. Kit over there."
"That she definitely is. I called her dangerous once. She sees a problem, she's gonna take care of it no matter what. Even after everything I put her through, she still wanted to help me. I don't know if anyone else would've given me that kind of chance."
"Count your lucky stars that it worked out for you. You're home now, and that's all that matters. We just have to figure out what comes after--"
"About that, Mama...I'm not gonna be staying here."
"Ah...you're not? But..."
"It's hard for me to say that after being gone for so long, but I meant it when I said there's some things for me to work out. So I'm going back to Japan. I have to make amends with everyone I hurt. It's the only way they'll ever find peace. Them...and me."
Annette let out a sigh. "I really don't want to see you go again. But...part of being a parent is knowing that, some day, the chicks are gonna grow up and want to venture out on their own. And at least I'll know where you are this time. OK. If it's what you need to do, I won't stop you."
"Thanks, Mama."
"But be honest." Her eyes darted over to Ibuki. "There's other reasons you're going back, hmmm?"
"Uh...heh. Is it that obvious?"
"Me and her had a heart-to-heart the first time they came around here. Figured she'd have something to do with it if you came back around. I think she's a great girl, Starbolt."
"She is. She really is. I just hope that I can be someone who can make her happy."
"The boy I know and love can 1000% be that. Are you gonna be staying with her?"
"That's the plan. Of course, there's the whole other issue of her sister. When Ibuki told her about me coming over, Kaede was...not pleased. To put it lightly. So everything hinges on my ability to win her over. I'd be lying if I said I was confident."
"Just be your honest self. Nobody said making amends was gonna be easy. It means giving someone the kind of closure no one else can give them, and proving that you've changed for the better. What did I always tell you? Do the right thing. It sounds really easy, but sometimes it takes a lot of work. And I know my boy doesn't shirk away from getting his hands dirty. Right?"
"Yes, ma'am. But speaking of things getting dirty...you smell that?"
Annette took a sniff. "Oh, jeez!" She opened the oven to find that the turkey she'd been cooking had been burnt to a crisp. "D'oooooh...sorry, folks. We're having some technical difficulties!"
"Yeah, we can smell it from here, Chatty Cathies!" Kat called out.
"Starting to remind me of another Jadefang--" Kibō said. Barbara immediately pinched his neck. "Yow!"
"...why don't we order take-out?" Max suggested.
"Nuh-uh, you're not leaving this house until you've had a meal made with love from your doting Mama! I'll change the locks if I have to!" Annette responded.
"Overnight?"
"I can be very resourceful, Starbolt."
"Let's not go that far, please." Max took a small piece of the burnt turkey, and with some hesitation, started eating it. Though clearly showing some distress, he continued to snack on the doomed bird. "Y'know...it adds some spice to the flavor. Very crunchy."
"Oh, don't put yourself through it just to make me feel better. I can scrape something else together..."
Barbara had gotten up and also took a piece of the turkey. "Mmm, no, no he's got a point, Mama...the crisp adds a lot to it."
"Ohhh, you two are impossible! The next thing you're gonna tell me is--what the what?!"
The rest of the group had all taken pieces of the bird. "Yep, good old-fashioned southern cooking..." Kat uttered.
"Gordon Ramsay could never..." Kenneth said.
"I should take a few pointers..." Natalia mumbled.
"I've had spicier." Sahir deadpanned.
"And I've had much more singed." Sakuya added.
"Once you get past the crunchy bits, it isn't so bad..." Carrie uttered.
"Yep, now I can see where Barb got it from..." Kibō said.
"Not every meal's gonna be award-winning, Ms. Annie. It's the thought that counts. Behind all the burnt parts, I can taste the love that went into it." Ibuki insisted.
All the praise for the botched dinner got to Annette, and she started laughing. "You kids are so ridiculous! I think I've gotten more compliments for a burnt turkey than for anything else I've cooked in my life!" She put an arm around her twins' shoulders. "Sending these two overseas might've been the best decision I've ever made. I can't thank you all enough for everything you've done for them. I'm not exaggerating when I say I think y'all saved them. You and Professor Apple. Even when one of them was being a blockhead." She rubbed Max's head.
"Well we're glad you sent them our way too, Ms. Annie. I can't imagine life without my Barbie. Or Sparky. No matter how many headaches he's given me." Kat replied.
"Yeah, well, I've got a nice souvenir from the last time I have you a headache." Max pointed to his facial scar.
"And I wouldn't have met this jolly crew if Barb wasn't so persistent. And yeah...if Maxie hadn't used his magic. Could've done without the rest of it, but it worked out in the end." Ibuki said.
"And I couldn't think of a life without our motley gang. Or the stud with the pointy hair~." Barbara chimed.
"Well it doesn't sound so bad when you put it like that." Kibō said.
"You're gonna try flattening it again at the first opportunity." Max replied.
"I plead the fifth."
"Hey, ya got it right! Now we just need you to get innuendos. Did he ever read your book, KittyKat?"
"Again with the book..."
"The answer is no, he still hasn't read it!" Kat chided.
Kibō groaned as the rest of the group laughed. "Now why don't we celebrate with some more of that nice...crispy turkey." Ibuki suggested.
"Yeah, no. I'll just order take-out." Annette conceded.
"You sure? I could help out with the...seasoning." Natalia suggested.
"I think the kitchen could use a breather. Gimme a sec to find a place. Maybe something not involving birds..."
---
August 13, 2031
The Artisans had left Tulsa the following morning. With one last tearful goodbye between the twins and their mother, and a promise from both Kibō and Ibuki to look after them, the group continued their trek back to Los Angeles.
So it was on this Wednesday morning, that the Ashen Artisans gathered one more time at LAX, where their cross-country journey had began a month prior. 
"So. Looks like this is it." Barbara said, the tears already welling in her eyes.
"For now. We're only a button or a plane ride away. Like it or not, you're stuck with me for life." Kat reassured.
"This isn't 'goodbye forever'. It's the start of something new for everyone. We just have to coordinate our meetings from now on." Carrie added.
"Gotta admit, though, I'm gonna miss you jokers. If you're ever back in Japan and needing surgery, you know who to look up." Sahir said.
"Yes, a professional. Because you won't be performing for years, yet." Sakuya corrected.
"Aw, c'mon, at least let me sound cool for a second!"
"A second is all you can manage." Kenneth quipped.
"Oh, you know you're gonna miss me, Kenny. I know I'm gonna miss that dagger tongue of yours."
Kenneth grumbled. "I suppose there are worse things than having you around."
Sahir gasped. "I knew it! I knew you loved me, you grouch!" He hugged the resistant Brit.
"I pick the worst times to loosen my tongue..."
"I just have to keep telling myself that it's not the end. We'll get together whenever the chance arrives. I never have to feel lonely again." Natalia said.
"Exactly, Hoods. Families find their way back to each other somehow, some way." Kat replied.
"Ain't that the truth. Right, Maxie?" Ibuki asked.
Max nodded. "Yeah. That's right." He took something out of his pocket: a fragment of the helmet he once wore, specifically an eyepiece. "When I started creating the Prisons, I put a single Desire into this armor that fueled my every move. 'Create a world where Max O'Donnell is a hero'. Now I know that you don't get to be a hero just because you make a costume and do fancy moves. Actions make the person. So I'm gonna do whatever it takes to fix things. Without running off."
"Good, because chasing you gets old really damn quick." Kat replied.
Sakuya looked at her watch. "We need to get moving. Our flight's in less than an hour. Thank you for the wonderful time, everyone. We need to do this again soon."
"Heck yeah! Maybe a big trip through Europe's in the cards, hm?" Sahir suggested.
"We'll get there when we get there. Y'all have to come visit our cozy abode at some point and experience all the fog." Kat replied.
"I swear that fog has to be filled with weird stuff..." Natalia uttered.
"Well if there are monsters in the fog, we'll deal with them the same as everything else." Carrie replied.
Barbara approached her brother. "Good luck, bro. You can come by and visit whenever you want. Can't believe I have to say goodbye again so soon after finding you..."
"I know. But it's for better reasons this time. You're gonna be doing big things, and I've got stuff to take care of. I can only do that because you never stopped believing in me. I'm gonna make sure that belief isn't wasted." Max replied.
Barbara tearfully embraced him. "I love you, Maxie. Take care of yourself, OK?"
"Only if you do the same thing."
Ibuki put her arm on his shoulder. "Don't lose that sparkly head of yours, starlet. I'll make sure he keeps out of trouble. Cuz you're stuck with me now, too."
"And I couldn't be happier about that." Barbara hugged her.
"Hey, same goes to you, Kid Thunderbolt. You protect her with your life, you hear? Or we're gonna have Bayou Battle Round 2." Max extended his hand out.
Kibō hesitated, but reciprocated and shook his hand. "On my honor. But for the record, if we fight again, I'm winning."
"Fat chance of that."
Max felt a poke on his back. "Y'know you're not getting away without a hug, right?" Kat asked.
"How did we go from a duel for the world to hugging it out in an airport terminal?"
"That's just how we roll." Kat embraced him. "Take care of yourself and Fireball, Sparky. I'm still in your corner. The crazy ex that won't go away. Just without the stalker-ey bits."
"I'll know that for sure if I don't find a tracking device in my pants."
The four heading for Japan walked away, waving back to the four who would soon after leave for London, and the two who would remain in Los Angeles. "Until next time, blockhead!" Kat called out.
"Until next time, crazy girl." Max answered back.
And so the ten extraordinary youths went their different ways, with promises of an uncertain, but bright future hanging in the Los Angeles air.
.....
But there was something else hanging in the air. A single Desire.
"*A world...where Max O'Donnell is a hero.*"
The young Jadefang was still on his way to making that a reality.
Within his pocket, the eye of his old armor flashed for a brief moment.
"*Max O'Donnell...hero...*"
But if not in this world...
Then perhaps...
---
TO BE CONTINUED IN PERSONA: BLEACHED 4