Precious Lives

- At Your, Kim, Hollie, and Joseph's House, September 27th -

All celebrate the birthday boy of the hour, the day, the year. Scott Pilgrim!

"Happy Birthday, my friend!" You exclaimed as you raised a glass.

"Happy Birthday, baby." Ramona smiled.

"How does it feel to be positively ancient?" Kim teased, even though she was about a month younger.

Scott turned to Kim, with a frown before proclaiming, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I have an announcement to make!" He started, pointing at nowhere in particular. "I, Scott Pilgrim, will be the best 24-year-old ever!"

"That's really good, Scott." Hollie said as she placed a chocolate cake with Scott's face on it and 24 candles. "Now, blow the candles out."

"Make a wish!" Knives urged.

"You still believe in wishes, Knives?" Stephen asked.

"Hey, nothing is a wish if you make it come true." You replied.

- And then Scott blew his candles and you all ate chocolate cake... -

- At Julie's New Apartment, November 1st -

So, Julie got a new place. A studio loft in what was once a warehouse or something. Julie shares a small apartment with three other girls because, although it is out of their price range, they knew it'd be the best place to throw the coolest parties. And you had to admit, they were absolutely right.

"Y'know, I never thought I'd say it, but... I think I'm starting to get sick of themed parties." Scott, dressed in a nice black suit, slacks, white sneakers, and masquerade mask, minus the fancy factor. It was basically the masks superheroes wore.

"Tell me about it." Ramona, dressed in a black dress, a skull necklace, gray tights with lightning-like pattern, and boots that were a darker gray.

"Okay, underwater pimp and ho party, Canadian Politics Circa 1972 but you're secretly Batman party, then that last one..." Scott listed.

"That one was Halloween, so I think it gets a free pass." Ramona pointed out.

"Then what's this?" Scott questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"It's my Mexican Day of the Dead party, you retard." Julie, dressed in a dark blue dress, black stockings with skulls, and blue shoes, scoffed. "Look at Y/N, they're festive as fuck."

"Feliz Dia de los Muertos, cabrones!" You exclaimed, wearing a full black mariachi outfit, with calavera makeup and everything, and your sombrero hanging on your neck by the chin strap.

"Man, Julie, ever since you moved over here it's been non-stop." Scott complained.

"Yeah, well, next time I'll think twice before inviting your ass." Julie snarked, leaving.

"Whatever... her outfit is barely even theme-appropriate. This party sucks." Scott huffed.

"Y/N is definitely having fun." Ramona chuckled. "By the way, don't you think you overdid it, with the makeup and everything?

"Nonsense, señorita. If there's a theme, I commit to it." You answered, taking a sip from a drink.

"Imagine if she didn't invite you, though." Kim, dressed in a skeleton hoodie, told Scott. "No horror-themed Mexican food, no slutty dead people... You'd be missing out on a cultural bonanza."

"Ehh, at least she's trying. Or something, I guess." Scott jested.

"Trying to run us into the ground." Ramona added.

"Too bad for her, all we've done for the past month is grow as a group." You said, smirking. "If someone's gonna separate us, it's gonna be by force. Even then, I promise I won't rest until I'm reunited with the ones I care about."

"That was sweet, Y/N." Kim smiled. "But I need some air. The stupidity in here is making me feel faint."

"Hold that thought... I see my ex-boyfriends." Ramona noticed, looking to her right.

"Plural?" Scott asked.

"Carajo." You muttered. "Who are they, Ramona?"

"Kyle Katayanagi and his brother, Ken. The Twins." Ramona identified.

"What are they doing here?" Scott, a little worried, asked.

"Maybe you should ask them." Kim sarcastically suggested.

"Go, Scott. I've got your back." You assured, playing your drink on a table.

"...Hello, boys." Ramona greeted, her tone less than cheery.

"My goodness, it's Ramona Flowers." Kyle said.

"How lovely. Are you here alone?" Ken inquired.

"She's with me." Scott defended.

"And that would make you... Spot Pilgrim." Ken stated.

"Uh... it's Scott." Scott corrected.

"'Spot' isn't even a name, Ken." Ramona pointed out. "Unless you're, like, a dog."

"Please, forgive me. English isn't our first language, you see." Ken chuckled.

"So are you guys here to fight, or what?" Scott, impatient, questioned.

"Fight? What are we, barbarians?" Kyle replied, offended.

"Okay... I'm confused." Scott admitted.

"Just spill the beans, cabrones." You demanded.

"Uh... what?" Kyle and Ken asked, turning their attention to you.

"Spanish. What I meant is, what's the deal?" You clarified.

"This." Ken said as he pulled out a remote.

Something then opened the slider doors, and it was a robot. Short in size, but intimidating. It didn't even waste time, and basically threw itself at Scott, fist aiming straight for his face.

Fortunately, you managed to smoke-whip it while it was in mid-air, slamming it into the floor. "Like I said, I've got your back. So, how do you want to do this? Both of us kick the robot's ass, tag team-style, or..."

"I can take this thing alone. You uh... watch over the twins and Ramona, will ya?" Scott asked.

"Can do." You nodded. "Buena suerte!" And then, Scott fought the robot.

"You've got some style, Ramona. Very avant-chic." Kyle complimented.

"It's Halloween." Ramona corrected.

"You look... healthy." Ken noticed.

"Settling in nicely? I don't think we've ever seen your hair this long, either." Kyle added.

"Well, we still need to breathe some air, so we'll speak to you gentlemen some other time." Kim said as she, you, and Ramona walked away.

"I don't think we've been properly introduced..." Kyle ominously spoke up. But you didn't listen. If they tried something, you'd shut it down immediately.

- Balcony, air quality: somewhat smoky -

"So I guess you've dated some real jerks, eh?" Kim asked as the three of you were now outside.

"Yeah, but who hasn't?" Ramona sighed.

"Y/N, that's who hasn't." Kim reminded.

"I haven't dated at all, so... yeah, you're technically right." You agreed.

"Must be nice." Ramona replied.

"Huh?" You asked.

"Having so much control over your life." Ramona elaborated. "Not even just yours. Over everyone's."

"I'm not trying to control anyone. I just want to help, y'know? Do what I feel is right. I mean, I'm no saint. Everyone has their ugly side. A side that could pop up if I did the wrong thing, or said the wrong thing."

"Y/N, you are literally one of the most selfless people I've ever met. Then again, that's not a hard feat. Most people are selfish. But you're different." Kim explained.

"If I had a nickel everytime I was told that last part." You chuckled.

"It's true, though." Ramona confirmed. "You are such a genuinely good person. You're sweet, kind, and caring... I can tell how much we matter to you."

You turned a little red in the cheeks, but you weren't sure why. It's not like you hadn't been told any of this before. Then again, you didn't know what you would've done without any of your friends, the people who matter.

"That's our softie, alright." Kim smirked. "I swear, it's so easy to make you blush."

"Well, I also get nervous around pretty girls." You admitted.

"Oh? Are we 'pretty' now?" Kim teased, making you turn even redder.

"I'm gonna go check on Scott now!" You, flustered beyond belief, exclaimed, heading back inside.

- Back Inside -

Scott was still dealing with the robot. "So, he's doing well." You noted,

"Hi Y/N!" Knives greeted. "By the way, why aren't we playing?"

"I told you, we broke up." Stephen explained.

"Oh yeah, Julie and you broke up... for the fiftieth time." Knives remembered.

"Good riddance." Stephen scoffed.

"Okay, I think this robot rumble has gone on long enough." You decided. "Knives, care to handle this one?"

"Really? Sweet!" Knives beamed, unraveling both her chains and made glass blades at the ends.

She swung them in a circle, throwing one of them and snatching the robot, pulling it toward her, and slicing it in half with the other blade.

"That's my bestie!" You cheered, giving her a thumbs up.

"No prize? Not even a snack? Fighting robots sucks!" Scott complained. "But thanks, Knives."

"There's a ton of food over there." Stephen pointed out.

"Hey!" Scott cheered back up.

- Thusly -

"Can we go?" Ramona asked, about done with this party.

"One moment, gotta take snacks to go." Scott answered, gathering food.

"I'm calling it a day, too." You decided. "I've had enough partying for one night. Cya!"

And back home you went. However, something lingered in your mind. "You are such a genuinely good person. You're sweet, kind, and caring... I can tell how much we matter to you." Those were the words of Ramona Flowers.

You couldn't figure out why, but something about them, and that sentence in particular, stuck with you. Like an itch that just won't go away.

You've been called these things at one point or another, yet... maybe it was the say she said it, or something else.

It felt nice to hear, and you enjoyed the compliment. But from her specifically, it felt like it meant more.

Like she put a certain weight behind those words. And for the life of you, you couldn't figure out what that feeling was.

- Next Day, at the Virtual World -

"Welcome may you be to my humble abode." You greeted, turning from your chair toward a round table with Matthew, Lucas, Todd, and Roxie. "Thank you for attending. I'm sure that your invites, courtesy of Matthew, informed you of what you are here for."

"What's with the formality, Y/N?" Roxie asked, rolling her eyes.

"Ahem, just wanted to set the mood." You answered. "Sorry, I've always been a sucker for theatrics. You can blame Matthew for that."

"What can I say? My performances are not far from spectacular." Matthew bragged.

"Okay, back to business." You sighed. "As you all know, my goal is to help you not only get over your pasts with Ramona, but to improve yourselves as well. Matthew and Lucas here are clear examples of that."

"I can vouch for Y/N. They did help me change, and for the better." Matthew backed you up. "They convinced me to continue my dreams of being the star in a stage! I'm currently in the process of having my own play, and it's going swimmingly."

"Opposite happened with me, actually. They told me to step down from being a star, and slow down to take things easy. Now, I'm a barista at the Second Cup. People still love me, but who wouldn't?"

"My point exactly. So, how have you two been doing?" You asked, looking at Roxie and Todd.

"I've been double-checking my food, making sure it's vegan. And it's working, because the Vegan Police haven't visited in weeks." Todd explained. "And about my life, trying to get rid of an ego is harder than I thought."

"You can say that again." Lucas sighed. "I had no idea how big of a head I had, either."

"I've been getting better." Roxie shrugged. "Mostly, just thinking about college days with Ramona and whatnot. We were just... so close back then. I guess I was just stuck in the past. Thank you for pulling me back to the present, Y/N."

"You're welcome. You know what they say, live in the now, not the then." You nodded. "But anyways, that's not the reason I've brought you here. Not the only one, that is."

"What is this other reason then, Wyenn?" Matthew asked.

"Scott is getting closer to his final confrontation with the last member of the League of Evil Exes." You informed. "With Kyle and Ken Katayanagi being the pre-final bosses before the Seventh Evil Ex."

"Gideon Graves..." Roxie hissed.

"He tricked us into believing that by defeating Scott, we'd be able to get with Ramona once again." Lucas explained.

"But no, even if we did win, she wouldn't have gone with any of us." Matthew finished. "We were blinded by the past, and he took advantage of that. I feel like an idiot for being tricked so easily."

"So what do you plan, Y/N? I can tell you have a plan." Todd guessed.

"That's exactly right." You confirmed. "I have a feeling that Gideon's battle will not go so well for Scott. That he'll have an ace up his sleeve that'll catch Scott off-guard, and that'll give him the win. But we can stop that."

"Is this a call for a team-up?" Matthew smirked.

"Precisely." You nodded. "Scott is in for a rough time, and I plan to help him out. And I want you guys to come with me. What do you guys say? We form a new league, built on friendship and cooperation, and bring Gideon down?"

"I'll gladly take him down a peg or two. Or seven." Lucas accepted.

"Count me in, I'll cut down his high-and-mighty act." Roxie agreed.

"Vegans have a strong sense of justice. Count me in as well." Todd nodded.

"I'll make it a show that no one who watches will forget." Matthew promised.

"Perfect! That'll be all for now, people. Thank you for coming and for accepting being the members of the new, mentally improved, League of... uh..." You paused, trying to think of a good name. "League of Civil Exes."