Persona BLEACHED 4: Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Thunder
September 21, 2031
Max sat at the dinner table of the Kubo home. Rin was standing close by. Both were staring intently at the man seated across from Max--he, himself, apparently named Max.
The older Max drank from a cup of tea. "Mmm...my compliments to the chef...or, whatever you call someone that makes tea."
"I would assume that someone from another universe would be more cautious about foreign substances." Rose said.
"Unless it's customary for people on this planet to poison their houseguests, I think I'm in the clear there."
"So, Commander...O'Donnell." Rin began.
"Please, don't be so formal. Call me Max."
"Yeah, I don't think that's gonna be happening." the younger Max said.
"Oh, formalities are big here, I'm guessing. So what am I gonna call you, kiddo?"
"Max. Max Jadefang. Formerly Max O'Donnell."
The older Max blinked. "Oh. Ohhhhh. Well I'll be. Never had this happen before. Was wondering why I had this buzzing in my brain about you."
"Sure it's not a hangover?"
"Oh God, no. Can't stand the taste of alcohol. I know some people that can't get enough of the stuff."
Rin and Rose were off to the side. "Are we believing any of this?" Rin questioned.
"He might be some sort of product of the Metaverse we haven't documented yet. The fact that he would give that name at that moment, along with everything else he's mentioned, definitely lends credence to him being from elsewhere than this plane." Rose replied.
"I just don't get how he can be so calm."
There was a knock at the door. "I'll get that." Rose opened it. 
"Evening, happy pair. Is my man around?" Ibuki walked in. Kat and Tabby were with her.
"He's right here. Along with...a guest." Rin replied.
"Hello!" the older Max waved at the ladies.
"Why's there a DeviantArt OC in your house?" Kat asked.
"Oh, hold on a second..." The older Max got up and looked closely at Kat. "Curiouser and curiouser. Has your hair always been like that?"
"Back up, gramps! I'm packing!"
"Hunh. Definitely the spunky sort. Way different. Hmm..."
"Maxie...who's the geezer?" Ibuki asked.
"Oh, that would be Commander Max O'Donnell. From something called the 'Planetary Defense Force'. Allegedly." the younget Max replied.
The girls all cocked their heads. "Huh?"
"Yeah. My reaction exactly."
"What exactly is happening here?" Tabby asked.
"Commander O'Donnell here is visiting from...another universe." Rin answered.
"Another what now?" Kat questioned.
"Not really visiting, more like I was wrapping up work back home, and then someone messed around with some tech that they shouldn't have, and...here I am." Max the older explained.
"I don't think that's how it happened." Rose replied.
"I came here to destroy that fragment of armor I've been carrying around. Dr. Wolfe did it, and then...he showed up." his younger counterpart explained.
"While I was doing so, I heard my father's voice echoing in my head. 'Captain Thunder, your Desire is granted'. Once the armor was ashes, Commander O'Donnell appeared from an orb of light."
Max the younger sighed. "When I made that armor, I put a Desire into it. 'Create a world where Max O'Donnell is a hero.' With how damaged the armor was and it being such a small piece, it must've only carried part of the Desire. And once it touched Dr. Wolfe's power, well, this happened."
"So you're really from another world? Dad isn't crazy? The multiverse is REAL?!" Tabby exclaimed. She started buzzing around the visitor. "Oh, you have to let me take notes! Dad will be green with envy! This will rewrite the rules of modern physics! Space-time being pulled apart and transmitting matter across universal planes, ohhhh, the mind goes wild! You have to tell us about your world!"
"Easy, there, kid! I was getting to that!" the older Max replied.
"I'll have to consult with my mother about this. The duty of the Velvet Room is the observation of the worlds. She must know a way to get Commander O'Donnell home. Do excuse me." Rose disappeared into a portal.
"Whoa. Maybe it's not so different here after all."
The older man sat down on the couch, as the others listened in. "So. Where do I start? I come from a world where magic and technology work hand-in-hand. Most people where I come from know some kind of rudimentary magic. The electricity that powers our ships and even our home appliances is magically generated."
"What's this Planetary Defense Force you mentioned?" Rin asked.
"Well, with the tech that we have, we're freely able to cruise across the galaxy and communicate with other worlds. Of course, not every race we meet is entirely friendly. That's where the P.D.F. comes in. We protect the planet from threats both external...and internal. I run the New York branch along with my family."
"Magic *and* aliens?" Kat questioned.
"The two don't have to be mutually exclusive. You don't have aliens here?"
"...kind of."
"Prove it." Ibuki said.
"Prove what?" older Max questioned.
"That you're Max O'Donnell, first of all. And that this isn't just some loonie giving the plot to his sci-fi novel to us."
"Well, here's my ID." He took his photo identification out. "As for the magic thing, I'm not exactly comfortable with showing it out in the open like that. Plus I've gotten the impression that you all have your own craziness going on. So let's make a deal. I'll show you mine if you show me yours."
"You wanna go a few rounds, is that it?" Max the younger asked.
"Nothing that drastic, but if you wanted to show me what you've got in your arsenal, I'd be open to it."
"Alright. Do your thing, Kitty Kat."
"Whoahoho, you're gonna take this geezer at his word and take him to the Metaverse?" Kat questioned.
"The Metaverse? Isn't that where Digimon come from?" older Max asked.
Kat sighed. "Please don't kill the old guy."
"I'm barely middle-aged, enough with the old man talk!"
Kat pressed the app, and the world started shifting.
---
The older Max came to outside, which was now varying shades of red and black. "What in the whaaaaa? What was in that tea?"
"It ain't the tea, old man." Max the younger appeared, garbed in his armor.
"Whoa! That you, kid? That is some top-notch armor you've got! Where is this, the Matrix? Are we in the Matrix?"
"This is the Metaverse. It's a world born from mankind's thoughts and feelings."
"Wiiiild. Okay. This trip might be worth it after all. Alright, kid." The older man patted his chest. "Show me what you're made of."
"You're just gonna stand there in your GI Joe outfit and let me hit you?"
"Didn't say I was gonna let you. But you're open to try."
"Alright. Don't say I didn't warn you."
Max charged at his older counterpart and threw a punch...which was promptly dodged. "Huh?" He tried again and again, but the older man got out of the way each time.
"Might be getting on in years, but I've still got enough juice to dodge that."
Max tried over and over, but the older man deftly dodged each strike. He fired a laser from his palm, but the more experienced Max got out of the way and hid behind a building.
"Pretty nimble for an old man. This that magic you were talking about?"
"Oh, you haven't seen magic yet, kid. You've got some weight to those punches. Might really hurt if they could actually hit me." The older man got out from his cover. "Got any other tricks to show me?"
"I've got plenty. Watch this. Persona!"
A gigantic, silver-and-red figure materialized behind the younger Max. "Sheeeeeeyah!"
The giant brought its fist down on the older Max. "Tried to warn you, man. I--huh?"
Max couldn't comprehend what he was seeing. His older counterpart was blocking the punch...with one arm.
"Dude! You can summon Ultraman from out of nowhere?! That's amazing! Summoning magic takes years to master where I come from! Can you do the Specium Ray? I want to see!"
"How are you blocking that?!" "(What's this old guy made of?!)" Max thought.
"It's an impressive sight, kid. You've got a ton of potential, I'll give you that. But I've taken my fair share of hard hits in my time. And I promised that I'd show you what I can do if you gave me a good show. So."
The older man began generating electricity from the lower half of his body going up. His eyes glowed blue. "My turn."
He charged electricity into his free hand, then delivered a punch hard enough to knock the giant Persona away. The younger Max recoiled in response. 
The older man bolted over to his stunned counterpart. "Let's take a closer look at that armor."
He turned into pure electricity and vanished into the armor. "What the--where'd you go?!"
"Maaan, this is something else! Never seen tech like this before. What's this do?"
The armor began moving of its own accord, the arms waving around without its pilot doing so. "How are you in my armor?!"
"I've turned my body into pure energy, kid. You can't do that, huh? Bet I can find things in here you don't even know about yet..."
The armor flew up into the air. "Hey, knock it off! This ain't a--" It flew around in a circle. "--toy! I said--" It continued to fly around erratically. "--cut it out!"
"Hey, is there a setting in here for summoning Ultraman? How'd you do that, anyway? I didn't see any runes or hand motions or any of that."
"I'm not saying a word til you put me down!"
"Okay, fine. Spoilsport."
The armor turned off and fell limply onto the ground. "Ow!"
The older Max emerged via a stream of electricity. "Hoooo, that was awesome! With a bit more training, you'd be hero material, kid. Guarantee it."
"Yeah no, I'd rather not." Max the younger got up.
"So we good? Satisfied I'm not talking out of my ass?"
"Well, you've got the magic. Still dunno about this Planetary Defense whatever you're talking about. So do you just fight aliens dressed like that?"
"Oh, I've got some armor, myself. The best engineer we've got designed it for me."
"I want to see it."
"Oh, you're not ready for it. That's for when I'm *really* being serious."
"So that wasn't you being serious?"
"Hey, what's with the 4 on your chest? Or is it IV as in it was built in the Ivory Coast?"
"That is *so* weirdly specific that I'm not gonna humor it."
"Alright, that's enough of a recreational fistfight." Rin appeared, wearing her own set of red-and-white insectoid armor, with a red scarf billowing.
"Whoa, you've got Ultraman AND Kamen Rider here?! This place is amazing! I should set up an office here!" Older Max exclaimed.
Kat appeared behind her. "Playtime's over, boys."
"And Catwoman?! Dude, why didn't you tell me?"
"You're *way* too excited about this." Younger Max replied.
"Rose should be back from seeing Ms. Kaya any minute now. She'll hopefully have a way to get you home. Until then--" Rin began.
Interrupting matters were a series of teleports. Numerous figures garbed in black and purple high-tech armor appeared. "Nobody move!" one ordered.
"What the what?!" Kat exclaimed.
"These friends of yours, old man?" Younger Max asked.
"Not exactly. Guess someone found out about your armor-breaking thing." his older counterpart replied.
"What's the meaning of this?" Rin questioned.
"Max Jadefang of Earth-727!" one of the armored men yelled.
"Um...guess that's me?" Younger Max spoke up.
"You are being detained for breaching the barriers of space-time!"
"Uh-huh. Under whose authority--"
One of the armored men fired at Max, electrocuting him, and he fell down limp.
"Sparky! What's your problem, freaks?!" Kat demanded.
"Settle, everyone." a voice echoed. Kaya teleported in.
"Ms. Kaya? What's going on here?" Rin asked.
"Rose told me what happened. I had no choice. I had to report this to my superior. Rose has already been detained."
"*Your* superior? What's happened to Rose?"
"I'm sorry, Ms. Kubo. But it's out of my hands now."
A large, purple portal appeared. "You all are coming with us. Take the kid to holding." one figure dictated.
Two of the armored figures hoisted the younger Max up. "Move!" one ordered.
"Hey, watch where you're pushing!" Kat complained.
"Sorry I'm late for dinner, honey. Multiversal stuff, y'know?" the older Max muttered to himself.
The group were all led through the portal, which closed behind them.
---
Max found himself in a dimly lit room, locked behind bars. He was out of his armor. What had begun as a triumphant day for him, one where he was finally going to let himself know peace, had developed into something beyond his understanding.
"It seems that we've upset someone, Mr. Jadefang." Rose spoke. She was locked in a cell across from Max.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Wolfe. If I hadn't come to you with that armor..."
"Neither one of us could have predicted this outcome. I was happy to give you some peace. I hadn't even considered that some of Father's power could have remained inside of it. This was brought about by my own lack of foresight."
Kaya appeared from a portal. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Rose."
"I hope you're happy with getting your own daughter locked up." Max chastised.
"I had no other option but to report the anomaly. I'm here to take Rose back."
"They're setting me free?" Rose asked.
"With *several* stipulations. We'll discuss them when we return home. Unfortunately, Mr. Jadefang, you still have many questions to answer."
"Of course. Of COURSE." Max griped.
Two armored guards appeared. "I'm sorry. But matters of dimensional interference are not taken lightly." Kaya said.
The guards opened Max's cell. One placed a slim, metal collar around his neck, which attached itself with a *beep*. "Am I gonna be sold off?" he questioned.
"This is to neutralize your powers. There won't be any outbursts in there. Bring him along."
"Really dig the dystopia aesthetic, really welcoming..." 
The guards forced him along. "You've really done it now, Rose." Rose looked on with concern.
Max was taken down a hallway lit up by faint purple lights. Eventually, he was taken through a set of metal doors. The guards forced him in, and the doors were closed behind him. Inside was a giant chamber, also lit up by purple lights. Above him was a throne, with several seats just below it. "Yeah. This looks like a 'You're going to die' kind of room."
Kaya teleported next to the throne. "This is the arbiter's hall, where my superior passes judgement on those deemed to have committed grave offenses against the multiverse. This is where you are to be judged."
"'Grave offense'? All I did was break up a tiny piece of metal!" Max griped. "Are you pissed that I destroyed your giant AI husband? Is that what this is about?"
"Ed's transgressions were resolved over a year ago. If not you, it would have been someone else. This is a different matter entirely. The Great Will shall see you now."
"The 'Great Will'?"
The sound of a chamber door opening echoed throughout the room. Then, footsteps.
"Max Jadefang, the keeper of the multiverse, the Great Will." Kaya presented.
A lone figure appeared from behind the throne.
"Hey, man."
Max had expected someone much more grandiose. What appeared instead had the appearance of a young bearded man wearing a backwards baseball cap and sneakers alongside a dark cloak.
"The Great Will is the guy I got my Starbucks coffee from yesterday?" Max questioned.
"Ha, he's got the jokes. FYI, sparky boy, this is the form the human brain can comprehend. What I actually look like is...well, incomprehensible. This is so your brain doesn't melt just by staring at me."
"Right. So the form my brain makes me see looks like it's gonna advertise Monster Energy to me. Yeah, I think I'm done. Thanks for the laughs--"
Max turned to leave, but was immediately met by the bearded man. "Why the rush? Got a hot date coming up or something?"
"Wha--how did you--"
"Everywhere at once, dude. See, I don't much like being disrespected in my own office space, so do me a favor." He snapped his fingers, and a wooden chair appeared in the middle of the room. "*SIT*."
That last word echoed throughout Max's being, and despite not physically moving himself, his body moved to sit on its own.
"Good boy. Now then..." The Great Will reappeared on his throne, with one leg slumped over the chair's right arm. He materialized a soda cup, and took a sip. "I'll have you know that I was having a *very* pleasant day up until about an hour ago. 'Somebody tore a hole through space-time', they said. Imagine how delighted I was to find out that the one that did it was, gasp, Max O'Donnell. *Another* one. If I had a dime for every one of you I've had to bring up here because you royally messed up..."
"Whatever those Maxes did has nothing to do with me."
"See, that's where I disagree. Because it's getting to be an alarming pattern. So I set up this little trial for you and your pals to explain what in the *hell* you were thinking. Guards! Bring the redhead and Ms. Personality in."
The doors opened once more, and Rin and Kat, both with the metal collars around their necks, were brought in. "Quit it! Don't any of you freaks know how to treat a lady?!" Kat griped.
"I'd like to know why you brought us here." Rin demanded.
"She's right, they didn't have anything to do with me opening that portal. If you're gonna judge someone, leave them out of it." Max added.
"Oh but they've got plenty to do with your screw-ups. After your extra-fun Captain Thunder escapades, they had the option to do you in and spare us all further headaches and potential catastrophe. But they let you off easy. I'd like them to explain why." the bearded man replied. "BUT. Not just to me. See, I'm getting really fed up with having to do these by my lonesome, so I brought some people from another world to come and help me out. People with *plenty* to say about Max O'Donnell." He clapped. "May I present to you all the guardians of Earth-992, the Ashen Avengers."
A yellow portal appeared over one of the chairs below the throne. A figure in yellow and black insectoid armor appeared. They took off their helmet, revealing a girl with brown hair and glasses. "The Insect Queen, Sumiko Sakaki."
"Miko?! You're alive?!" Rin exclaimed.
"Hiya, Rinnie. Guess I'm not on your world, huh? Irony..." Miko replied.
Next to her, a stream of shadow energy manifested, and up from it came a man in a dark hood and fabrics, carrying a black katana on his back. He lifted his head, revealing black hair and a goatee. "The Overlord of Shadow, Tohru Kubo."
"Hello there, dear sister." Tohru said.
"So that's what you would've looked like." Rin replied.
"How very ominous."
A pink portal opened over the farthest end, and from it came a woman, wearing a green hood and jacket stylized after a serpent. "The Snake Empress, Kit Joon-yi."
"MOM?!" Kat exclaimed.
"Manners when you're addressing your elders, So-yin. Suppose that's a problem in every universe." Joon replied.
Next to her, a beam of light rose up. Out stepped a brown-haired man in a glowing set of white armor, a broadsword sheathed behind his back. Unlike his counterpart, he had no scarring on his face. "The World Knight, Kyohei Ishimaru."
"There's a face I never thought I'd see again." Kyohei said.
"There's a face I'm used to seeing terrified at the sight of me." Rin replied.
"And lastly, the overseer of the Ashen Avengers..."
A crimson orb appeared above the central chair. It unraveled to reveal a woman in red armor, with white hair with red streaks in it. She carried a glowing red scythe. "The God of the Damned, Sheila Chambers."
"KERBEROS?!" Max exclaimed.
"Yep. I'm gonna be scarred for life." Kat uttered.
"G'day, lassies and gents. Let's get this shindig on the road, eh?" Sheila spoke with an Australian accent. She sat down, as did the others. "So. We've got ourselves another Maxie O. to deal with, eh?"
"As if the one wasn't horrid enough." Joon commented.
"Last I checked, I'm not your Max." Max replied.
"You're not that far off, from where I'm sitting." Tohru said.
"How many times has he told you that he's changed, Rinnie? Did he go around making 'amends' yet?" Miko questioned.
"He was *really* sorry after we stopped him and his scheme. He put up a pretty good front. We were all fooled. But I've learned some things about psychopaths of late. Like how they're so brilliant at conning people into believing whatever they tell them. So he bided his time. Told the right people he was sorry, said everything he needed to say. And then when we were all marveling at his progress..." Kyohei snapped his fingers. 
"Turns out the good Captain wasn't so kaput after all." Sheila said.
"So your Max was more twisted than ours was, you can't say for certain that they're the same." Rin retorted.
"What was so bad that y'all traveled all the way here to shit talk him?" Kat questioned.
"Killing you." Tohru stated. "Both of you."
Kat and Rin were speechless. 
"I...what?" Max uttered.
"When he had the opportunity, Max O'Donnell killed you both when your guard was down. Then he siphoned your power and induced a change of heart in the other Artisans." Miko explained.
"We'd thought he was invincible. Until Her Ladyship intervened and freed the children. But it was far too late for my So-yin. Cut down by someone she trusted. That she tried her hardest to help." Joon got up and pointed a dagger in Max's direction. "If it was my decision alone, you wouldn't be walking out of here alive. I'd be sparing another Joon the horror of having to bury her baby. I should have known what a devil you were from the beginning."
"I'm sorry, really I am, but that's got nothing to do with me! You'd be punishing me for someone else's crime! I'm not that Max, I've never even thought about going back to that! The whole reason I'm even here is because I asked Dr. Wolfe to destroy the last piece of the armor! I never want to hear the name 'Captain Thunder' again!" Max argued.
"Our Max O'Donnell said much the same. Before he stabbed my sister in the back. I felt her last breath leaving her body. You'll have to excuse us for not believing someone who looks and sounds so much like a proven liar." Tohru replied.
"This is ridiculous. Max made an innocent request that had unpredictable consequences, and you're making him out to be a soulless monster. Whatever your Max did, I'm sorry that it happened, but it has nothing to do with him. I make no apologies for giving him a second chance because that's my life's mantra. If what we're doing is judging based on the people we know, then you are in the lowest place to judge, 'brother'." Rin chastised.
"Pardon?"
"My Tohru died over a decade ago. He tormented me in life *and* in death. He resented me more than anything else. Oh, he was SO jealous. I bet you're the exact same way."
"Shut it. You don't know a thing."
"I'll bet part of you was pleased while I was laying there dying. Now you could have your spot as the prodigal son. The other part of you was probably upset that you didn't get to do it yourself."
"Stop it, Rinnie! He isn't like that, believe me!" Miko interjected.
"Don't, Miko. It's alright. If we're to judge them on our experiences, this is to be expected. Even if she is completely wrong." Tohru replied.
"But--"
"Your words are reassuring, my love. But I can handle myself."
"'My love'?!" Rin was dumbfounded.
"Ewwww!" Kat uttered.
"Alright, that's enough of that!" Sheila knocked her scythe. "You want us to make a judgement, don't ya, chief?"
The Great Will sat on his throne, eating popcorn. "Go ahead. This has been primo theater."
"Ya've got a point, red. Maybe it ain't fair to judge the kid on what ours did. But Max O'Donnell ravaged our world. If I hadn't wasted the tosser myself, we'd all be dead. So the kid made a mistake. How long until he makes a mistake that does a whole lot worse than teleportin' another one of him? If he ain't the same, he's gonna have to prove it."
Max put his face to the ground. "How? How do I prove I'm not a monster when you're all so convinced already..."
"Sparky..." Kat uttered.
The doors flew open again. "Alright, time out! I think we're going a little overboard, don't you think?" Commander Max proclaimed.
"You again..." his younger counterpart uttered.
"Commander O'Donnell, you are to wait in the lobby until your universe is located." Kaya ordered.
"Tempting, but no. I've been listening in on this school board meeting from hell, and it sounds to me like you're all set to execute this poor kid for something he didn't do. I don't know the details of what he's responsible for, but if his pals decided it's okay to let him be, then I don't see what the problem is." the commander replied.
"You seem to be a reasonable man, Commander. But what you have to understand is that what we've endured--" Kyohei began.
"Has got nothing to do with him. If you're gonna go around capping every Max O'Donnell you can find, you might as well end me right now. You're basing your judgement on something he *might* do, and I can tell you that that is a VERY slippery slope to ski. Now I am sorry that you went through what you did, but you don't gotta take it out on him."
The younger Max listened, and was moved. "(He's really standing up for me here...the Desire...a Max O'Donnell who's a hero...I thought he was just a goofball, but is he really...?)"
"Do you have any suggestions for how to resolve this, Commander?" Miko asked.
The older man thought on it. "Yeah. I've got one. I'll take him."
"What?!" the younger Max exclaimed.
"Take him back...to your world?" Joon questioned.
"The P.D.F is always looking for some extra hands. I've molded a ton of trainees in my time who've gone on to have excellent careers defending our world. If he can put in the work, prove himself and impress my notoriously hard to impress family, then that'd be good enough, right? If he's really a psychopath, my team would sniff it out in a hurry. I think he's a good kid. And if he ain't now, then I'll make him one. There won't be any need to end his life in that case, no?" the older man explained.
"And if he makes another catastrophic mistake?" Tohru asked.
"Then my people will handle it. And I'll take full responsibility."
"Haaaaaa!" The Great Will applauded. "I love a goody-two-shoes spilling his ideals. Alright, I'll humor you, Commander. Drill the sparky boy as much as you please. I'll be sending the Ashen Avengers to your place every so often so they can judge his progress. If there's even a hint that he's about to turn full Capitano again, then that's it. No more chances. Y'all good with that?"
Sheila pondered it. "Guess when ya put it like that, it's fair enough. We'll let ya work your magic, Commander. Just remember, we'll be comin' for him if he slips up."
"And if we don't let you take him?" Kat questioned.
"Pray you don't have to find out, So-yin." Joon replied.
Most of the Ashen Avengers disappeared into portals, save for Miko. "Alright, I'm going back to doing nothing all day. Catch ya on the flippity flip." The Great Will vanished.
Miko hopped down in front of Rin. "I just want to know one thing. The way you were speaking earlier...on your world, am I...?"
"....." Rin looked down.
"I see...I'm so sorry. I remember what it felt like to lose you. I think about you every single day."
"I'm the exact same way. It happened seven years ago now, but not a day goes by where I don't wonder if there was more I could've done. But I have to know...how did you and Tohru...?"
"He's not as bad as you think. I don't know how bad the relationship you had with him on your world was, but he genuinely grieves for you. I think we both want to believe that your Max is different. It's so easy to have your views skewed when you saw him murder your best friend in cold blood. The last thing I want to do is fight you, Rinnie. I hope it doesn't come to that. Take care of yourself." Miko disappeared into a portal.
"That was intense. Seeing them like that must've been insane for you, Prof." Kat said.
"...it's alright. I'm just glad that there's a place where she's healthy and happy." Rin replied.
Commander Max got in front of his younger counterpart, who was on his knees. "We dodged a bullet there, kid. Wish I could've gotten another minute to come up with something else, but they were fixing to banish you or worse. I didn't have much choice."
"But you saved him in the end. That was the kind of authority and poise I'd expect from someone with the title of 'Commander'." Rin said.
"You think so? My wife always jokes that I should've gone into daytime talk shows. But I've got more important things to do than throw chairs around a stage."
"...heh." the younger Max uttered.
"Sparky...?" Kat uttered.
"Unbelievable...it's so unbelievable! I finally have peace in my grasp, and now I'm being hoisted to another universe thanks to something that's not even my fault! This is the kind of thing that could only happen to me! Ha...ahahahaha...it's so absurd that I have to laugh..."
"I'm sorry, kid. But the choice here was either come with me, or let them have their way with you. But my home's awesome! There's never a dull moment, and once they get a feel for you, my family's as loyal as they come. I'll help you every step of the way. When I'm done with you, those bozos won't have a reason to bother you ever again." Commander Max replied.
"I guess I should thank you for bailing me out of that. Ugh...what am I gonna tell Ibuki? We were finally gonna have the kind of life we'd wanted, and now this..."
"We'll look after her and the rest of the clan for you. She's going to be heartbroken, so we'll do our best to ease her mind." Rin assured.
"I'll arrange to bring you over tomorrow night. I'll let you get all your affairs in order and say goodbye to who you need to. It's gonna be a lot of work. We're not short on problems to solve. Get ready, kid. You're gonna be in for it." The commander walked out.
"....."
"I'm sorry, Sparky." Kat said.
"...I guess I have to make some calls..."
---
September 22, 2031
The backyard of the Kubo house. Late at night. Max had a bag slung over his shoulder. "You got everything you need?" asked a woman with auburn hair and a red checkered shirt. It was Annette, his mother.
"I don't know what exactly I'd *need* for a trip across universes, but I think so."
Annette adjusted his jacket. She was trying her best not to cry. "I can't believe I have to say goodbye to you again. You just remember to keep being the good man I raised you to be. Okay, Starbolt?"
"I'll do my best, Mama. Sorry to do this to you again."
Someone stepped out of the house. It was a blonde girl with blue streaks in her hair. She wore glasses, and wore a light blue tank top, skirt and sandals, and had blue nails. This was Barbara, Max's twin sister, a kindhearted songstress and aspiring theater actress. She looked as though she'd been crying herself. 
"Barb..." Max uttered.
"So that's it, huh? You have to go away because of something that's not your fault? I finally get you home, and you have to leave again?" Barbara questioned.
"I wish it wasn't this way. I was finally gonna be happy. Now this. I'm starting to think the universe won't ever stop punishing me."
"Can you promise me something?"
"What is it?"
"Can you try to get back by Christmas? I was looking forward to you watching me perform again...and having us all together for the holidays..."
"Moonbeam..." Annette consoled her.
"Barb, I...I want to be there. I'll do everything I can to make it happen. I don't know how, but..." Max replied.
Barbara embraced her brother. "I love you, bro...you don't deserve this...I'm sorry..."
Annette embraced her children. "I know how bad this hurts, but...we'll be together again one day. We'll be okay until then, Starbolt. Just promise you'll come home safe and with all this behind you."
"I'll try my hardest, Mama." 
Max looked to see Ibuki now outside. "....."
"Ibuki, I..."
She grabbed his hand. "It's okay. This is par for the course at this point. Just gotta do what needs to be done, right?"
"Don't pretend to be alright. It'll just make it worse."
Ibuki couldn't hold it in. "This is such bullshit...we were finally gonna be good...why can't we just be happy?!"
"Auntie?" Kanae stepped outside. "Why's everyone all sad?"
"I'm sorry, bubblegum. Uncle Maxie has to go away for a while..."
"Huh?! Why?!"
"I made a mistake. Now I have to fix it." Max knelt down next to an emotional Kanae and patted her head. "You be a good girl and look after your mom and auntie for me, alright? I promise I'll come back. Then I'll get you as many cupcakes as you can eat."
Kanae tearfully hugged him. Kaede looked out, a somber look on her face.
"We'll be okay, Maxie. We've taken care of each other forever. You focus on doing what you've gotta." Ibuki said.
"Everyone...I'm sorry. If I wasn't so boneheaded, we wouldn't have to keep going over this. So I'll keep doing the right thing. Then maybe one day, I'll be able to come home and stay there. Until then, I'll..." Max dictated.
Ibuki hugged him. "Fight for the happy ending. I'll be waiting. For however long it takes."
Kat stepped out of the house. "I'm not late, am I?"
"Had to get a word in, didn't you?" Max asked.
"You're not leaving without one last snarky remarky. Is what I'd say if I wasn't bummed out beyond belief. I'm sorry this is happening. Just...take care of yourself, OK?" She gave him a hug. "You're still my blockhead, Sparky. I'll count the minutes til you come home."
"That means a lot, crazy girl. Really."
A large portal materialized nearby. Kat stepped away from Max and began to console Barbara. Out stepped the commander. "Howdy, folks! Sorry to rain on the parade. Ready, kid?"
"Nope. Not at all. But it's what has to be done." Max turned back. "I'll come back better than ever. Take care of each other until then."
"I love you, Maxie! Never ever forget that!" Ibuki yelled.
"We'll be waiting, little bro. Stay safe, because my heart can't take any more of this." Barbara said.
"Hey, Mr. Military!" Annette called out.
"Yes'm?" the older man asked.
"You take care of my boy, you hear me? He'd better come home in one piece, or I'll make sure you regret it!"
"Duly noted, ma'am. He's in good hands. You won't have to worry. Step on in, kid."
Max turned back to look one more time. His friends and family waved. He waved back, took a deep breath, and stepped through the portal.
"Cheers!" Commander Max followed. The portal closed.
Ibuki's head dropped. Annette put an arm around her. "It'll be alright. Our boy's strong. He'll come back a man you'll live happily ever after with."
Ibuki sniveled. "Yeah. He'll come back. And I'll be here waiting for him. As long as it takes..."
---
The sight that awaited the young Max was more than he ever could've fathomed.
Skyscrapers as far as the eye could see. Airships flew about the sky, as the vehicles on the ground hovered. People walked around with holographic images emerging from their phones.
His older counterpart emerged from behind him. "Home sweet home. Follow me, kid. Welcome to the city of dreams. Welcome to New York City."