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February 26th

I healed the injured and fixed up as much of the radiation damage as possible. Over a hundred thousand civilians were dead, but the attitude isn't a somber one, instead it's almost, no there's no almost about it, it is celebratory. I keep to my duties and just feel tired and terrible, there are going to be more Endbringer attacks. From now on it's going to get a lot tougher. When I'm finished, I get into the plane and collapse. I sleep the entire trip. When I wake up in Seattle they scrub me for radiation, get me another outfit and put me on a flat bed truck.

I let my mind drift with the fog, they were coming, the other Endbringers. The odds for me were quite simply put, not good. I got up and walked back home, the PRT agents of the special district nodded at me as I walked in. I continued walking until I saw the lights of my home, June sat on the front opening.

"Hey big guy."

"I missed you."

She got up and hugged me, I hugged her back.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm here, I just want to be with you."

"...ok."

The hug went on for awhile.

"So we finished all those enhancements I needed to do."

"I'm worried that you will get hurt or squished or-"

She jumped up and kissed my screen.

"Come on, we have put off that honeymoon long enough."

My screen glowed as I walked back into my home.

January 1st 2001

The Jackalope was open for business and packed with PRT agents, mostly singing off-key, I leaned back and enjoyed it, waiting for my turn.

"Hey."

I looked up, he dressed like a civilian.

"Oh, do you need a seat?"

His hands were balled up.

"I...I never thanked you for giving me my legs back."

I shrugged.

"It's not a big deal."

"I said some things, I insulted you and you still healed me."

Ok, I have no idea who this guy is, seriously that happened alot.

"It's, as the human saying goes, water under the bridge."

"Um ok."

There was silence as he fidgeted.

"Thanks for killing Behemoth."

I looked away.

"I don't like talking about that."

"What he did-"

"Was terrible, his death was necessary and had to be done, he was a horrible, vile person, I have searched my memories for a single moment. One moment when he treated me with decency and kindness and I can't find a single one. He fully deserved to die...but he was still my brother."

There was a look of guilt on the man's face.

"Oh."

I sighed, June was going to leave the bathroom sooner or later.

"But what he did-"

"I am well aware of just how far my family has fallen, of how depraved we became. Let's say you found out all your family members were serial killers and that the only way to stop them was to put them down yourself."

He grimaced.

"I was a coward for holding off for so long, but I will do what has to be done, I would just prefer not to talk about it, Mr..."

"Zack, I'm sorry it's... I was going through a lot, thanks for everything."

I put out my hand.

"Are we the cool?"

"Yeah, if you're ever on PHO, my handle is Vas Dafuq"

"You don't have to leave, I have ordered the pizza, I find it's best when it's shared, yes?"

I motioned for him to take a seat, I looked at my book and handed him a pen, Karaoke was a shared experience after allMarch 1st

"I need to talk to you alone."

I looked up at Eidolon and shrugged, I still had more people to heal, but he did outrank me.

"Mind if I finish my duties?"

"No...of course not, go ahead. But afterwards...."

"Of course."

I walked to the next warehouse full of people and conducted more healing. On average each warehouse fit about 200 people, and it took about five minutes to do a proper job. Thinking about it mathematically, I probably healed over 28,000 people a day. They came from all over the world, I didn't get a chance to really talk to them, but hey that had to have an impact.

When 7pm hit Eidolon came back and motioned for me to go into one of the warehouses. A woman in a fedora studied me defiantly.

"I killed your mother."

Eidolon cringed, I dropped to one knee.

"Then you have my thanks, I owe my freedom to your actions."

She crossed her arms.

"You're not angry?"

"It is true that blood is thicker then water, but enough water will wash away even the thickest of blood, and there was more then a single ocean between mother and myself."

Eidolon sighed, his left eye twitched at the woman. I had a feeling an argument was going to happen after I left.

"Then you owe me."

I got up.

"I do owe you a boon, what is it that you wish?"

"Immortality."

"Not possible, I can extend your lifespan into thousands of years, but true immortality is not possible."

"Acceptable."

She held out her hand and I concentrated on lenghtening her lifespan, adding in a slight regenerative effect.

"I am not increasing your production of eggs, if you desire to become a mother yourself you will either have to have children within the right time period or use technology."

"Acceptable."

She turned to Eidolon her movements jerky and unnatural like she was controlling her body from the outside.

"Talk."

He gritted his teeth.

"I'm losing my powers."

"Please hold out your hand."

He nervously put his hand out and I studied, truly studied his powers and his shard.

"You possess Keter."

He stared at me.

"And that means?"

I let go of his hand.

"It is a part of the royal regalia amongst the Old Ones, it was Queen Eden's crown. The thing that signaled that she was a queen amongst our people, her most powerful and sacred possession."

"Then why am I getting weaker?"

"Your shard uses too much power, too much energy, it needs to devour other shards to stay functional. Not very often but it requires it occasionally. There are plenty of villians with kill orders, I recommend feeding your shard with theirs."

He seemed unhappy.

"And how exactly do I do that?"

"You have thinker powers within your web of power, use them."

Eidolon frowned, but he seemed to relax.

"I also have some bad news, remain here and try not to panic."

He stared at me.

"Why?"

"Please sit down."

He did so.

"Keter...the shard's name and purpose is complicated, I can't describe it in your human tongue, Keter's just the closest word you have."

He motioned for me to get to the point.

"You hold the keys to our prison, to the prison that held us."

He looked like I had visibly struck him.

"So I'm... god it's all my fault."

"STAY HERE!"

I didn't normally yell but I didn't want him running off.

"We weren't controlled by a single shard, you hold our prison but our chains were made out of many links. They were shattered upon Eden's death, we were given freedom and with that comes responsibility."

He seemed to be handling it better.

"Even if you killed yourself more of us would get out, more of us would escape, the prison is imprefect and we are old and powerful."

"So now what?"

"You live, you fight, we work together and deal with my family as they come. You have a duty to live, because if you die...then no one will hold the keys."

He got up, he seemed to be confused.

"I recommend taking some time to think about it."

With that he nodded and the woman looked at me.

"Can you fix the case 53's?"

"I could induce a breaker state, there would be risks and I might not be able to fix everyone but...for the majority I could."

"Good."

A glowing portal formed and she walked away, Eidolon looked at me.

"We will put out an announcement, thanks for your help Ironwood."

I put a hand on his shoulder.

"You are still a good man."

"Thanks."

With that he walked away and I was left alone in the warehouse. I left and started walking home.Peter Brown- Owner of the historic Jackalope Karaoke Bar and Grill

The Jackalope came very very close to closing down, I know it's pretty surprising considering what a tourist place it is. I was young, not all that bright and had just gotten canned from my old job as a chef at another grill. So I figured I would get an old karaoke system, fix up an abandoned warehouse and I would do all right for myself. I was a Chicago boy so I figured I would serve up some real pizza, some burgers, some hot links, figured I could do good with that kind of setup.

I was wrong, the Jackalope wasn't close to a residential area, and the few truckers who came in every now and then simply weren't enough for us to make it. I was a couple months away from bankruptcy when he walked in. Remember how I said we were an old warehouse? Well the contractor had replaced the truck entrance with these big massive doors, he just came waltzing in, and the bar just freezes. There's this girl next to him, in a full parka and she's almost as big as he is.

I'm going to be honest, I thought about kicking him out or running away, I mean an Endbringer in my goddamned bar, that's pretty horrifying. But at the same time, well my business was sunk anyways, my life was going down the shitter so it didn't really matter, I mean fuck, it was worth it for the story right.

So I ordered my son to get him a table, we didn't have any chairs that would fit him so he gets into a corner and creates this throne to sit in. Looks all fancy and shit, and he takes a seat and one of the wise guys gets a camera because fuck, who's going to believe this, right? Ted, my buddy and DJ for the place sweats but he keeps his cool when the Endbringer brings in his request.

Those of us who are still there realize just how bizarre this all is, an actual Endbringer's about to sing and...he was actually pretty good. He finishes his song and goes back to his table and eats which involves pushing food into that screen he calls a head. We all relaxed after awhile, he wasn't bothering anyone, just eating, singing and having a few non-alcoholic drinks. When he finished, he brought out his wallet and let a good tip for both the DJ and my boy. He left the throne behind, we didn't bother moving it.

Well I figured that was it, the Jackalope would die and I would have a story to tell all my poker buddies. Only it wasn't, you see that tape those wise guys had? Well it went online, went viral as my kid put it. So people figure out where my place is and start having a look around, a few people start asking for the table that had the giant throne. Eventually I get offers by big people businessmen who want to sit in a chair made by an Endbringer.

So that little out of the way table? I started charging people extra to sit in it, and the place gets some customers. Well it turns out that the Jackalope was pretty close to the special district, so all of the PRT agents start turning up at my restaurant. The Endbringer becomes Ironwood and then he becomes Woody, just another one of my regulars. Gets up, sings, has a meal with his girlfriend, who then becomes his wife.

More people started coming, I got to meet the orginal Protectorate capes, got to meet the local capes, the occasional celebrity, Canary walked in one time, point is things changed for the better. As for my opinions on old Woody? He's alright, got himself one hell of a fucked up family but he wasn't hurting nobody. So why did he turn out alright and his family turn out, well like that? Way I figure it, Woody got over himself, his folks never did. He's got himself a full belly, a good woman and a place to live. The others got to keep hiding, guess there's a lesson in that, isn't there?

So the Jackalope's doing fine for itself, and we're starting to grow, I got another restaurant in Washington, I don't know if america can support a Karaoke chain, but I think I have pretty good odds.

March 2nd

June panted, smiled and glowed, her hair was disheveled and some drool was hanging off of her lips. She stared at the ceiling, regaining her breath.

"Wow."

I relaxed next to her.

"Are you sure, I mean..."

"Yeah, I am. So now, um..."

I focused my powers on her.

"Twins, a boy and a girl, you can still change your mind yo-"

She hit me with a pillow.

"Not going...to happen."

She clung to me.

"I always wanted a family, a big one, with like over a dozen kids. I was a single child and you know it kind of sucked. I was lonely and-"

"I have 20 brothers and sisters combined, being part of a big family is not necessairly a good thing."

She nuzzled me.

"It's ok, you're with me now, so about that um..."

"Let's raise 2 children first and then see if we can handle more then that."

"Why are you worried?"

"Because I don't know if I'm going to be around, to see them grow up, if I will be alive to-"

She kissed me.

"One day at a time, ok? I know something might happen, it scares me but this way I have something that's ours."

She leaned on her side, her hand on her stomach.

"So, um looks?"

"Blue hair, violet eyes, I don't know why you asked for that."

"Well to show off their alien heritage of course, you said no to the green skin."

"It's not happening, having me as a father is enough of a curse."

She lightly smacked me on the head.

"That's for insulting the man I love."

She stuck out her tongue and then kissed me.

"We're going to need baby books, cribs, pacifiers, and I can babyproof everything and-"

She kissed me again.

"It's going to be fine."

I leaned back.

"I'm just worried, I didn't come from a healthy home and...I don't want to mess this up."

She hugged me.

"I..things with my mother were, well not great, I'm trying but you know I'm afraid I will become a control freak like she was."

I gently massaged her back.

"We're in this together."

We cuddled and then fell asleep, then we woke up and did our respective jobs, something had changed between us. June somehow seemed just a little more sure of herself ,faced the world a little more defiantly.

March 15th

"Hate mail."

The PRT had gone through all the trapped stuff, I shrugged and tossed it in the trash. June rolled her eyes.

"Same with me, lets see, oh they called me a whore again."

She yawned and rolled her eyes.

"The only person I've been with is you."

"You were a little forward."

She lifted her glasses.

"I knew what I wanted and I went for it, no regrets big guy, so how many women have you been with?"

I tilted my head.

"The empty void of space and my prison cell were just full of the opportunities for reproduction."

She chuckled.

"Yeah, highschool was pretty awkward for me to, I never even went to prom."

"Neither did I."

She leaned against me.

"So, names?"

I held up a book.

"Alice?"

She shook her head.

"Mom can't quite pronounce the letter L."

"Oh then we shall advoid the L."

I sat back.

"Maybe something Japanese?"

"No... I want, ooh Justin that's a good name...and Juno got to keep that J theme going?"

My screen blinked.

"Juno?"

"According to the book it means queen in heaven, I'm sure we're going to get along great and have all sorts of things in common."

She nodded her head.

"And our son?"

My wife shrugged.

"I will love him, even if he turns out to be a little hyper."

"I just hope they don't turn out like my side of the family."

June nodded her head.

"It's going to be ok, everything will work itself out."

Iron wood

May 2nd 2001

June's parents stare awkwardly at me as we sit around the dinningroom table. Her father has a forced smile and her mother glares at June with a kind of seething rage, she attempts to pull out a flask and is stopped by her husband.

"No...please not here, not now."

She reluctantly puts her flask away as June clinks a glass.

"Good news."

She smiles.

"I'm pregnant."

Her mother pales and downs the flask, she gets up to speak and is forced to sit down by her husband. The man smiles weakly.

"That's great June, um Ironwood how did that, um..."

I sipped some tea.

"Do you really want to know sir?"

The man blinked and shook his head.

"Good point, well congratulations June, so um boy or girl."

"Twins, I'm having both."

June seemed to vibrate with energy.

"We have names and everything, Juno for the girl, Justin for the boy, I'm about 2 months into it and it's going great. Woody has already built a crib and were going to take lamaz classes and..."

Her mother stared at her now empty flask.

"What about college."

June stopped and smiled, but there was an undercurrent of rage.

"I have my degree mom, I'm finished with that."

"But I wanted you to get a doctorate."

"I decided I had enough education."

"So you just threw away all the money we spent."

"The Protectorate spent, not you, I actually looked at those files mother, you got quite the little stipend from having me around."

"What are you implying?"

"Oh nothing, anyways I have a very good well paying job with the Protectorate."

The smile was forced now and Junes eyes were cold.

"As a whore."

The room was silent, I put my arm around her shoulder and June just kept smiling.

"Get the fuck out of my house."

"I'm-"

"You used to say my house, my rules, remember that mother? Well this is my house and I'm telling you to get out. Maybe when you sober up I will let you come back but since we both know that's never going to happen, well bye."

She stormed off and her father remained.

"I'm sorry, it's just..."

"I have my own life now, and I'm not going to take her....issues anymore, I'm done with that dad. I let her come because you asked but-"

"Give her time, she'll come around."

"I really don't care anymore, dad."

He sighed and left, we were left alone in the warehouse.

"If I caused any problems with your family, I'm sorry."

June shook her head.

"Your family's crazy, my family's crazy I just want to concentrate on our family, you know?"

I gave her a hug.

"You and me against the world, big guy."

She nuzzled into me.

"I.. why me?"

She smiled.

"Because it's destiny, you know? We will make this work, make us work, ok?"

"Ok."

She kissed me and pulled out another baby book.

"Reading again?"

I put a hand on her hand.

"I...this is important to me, I want to be a good father."

She beamed.

"It's important to me too."