DIVA/WISP: Platinum Soul Epilogue

[deucexm]

The promised part two!  I suspect I'll be doing a meta post after this, because 
there are a few things that really should be explained.

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Platinum Soul (Epilogue): A DiVerse Alpha Chronicle
by Felix

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A mountaintop arena, its sky full of dark clouds; a theatre, its seats now
empty, where moments ago a host of heroes filled it to capacity and beyond; a
stage, its centerpiece a gemstone pillar of deepest black.

And one last occupant, her gaze fixed on the infinite, her companion invisible
and unknowable.

"Ah... what a show it was," Platina Soul finally whispered.  Then coughed,
raggedly, one hand pressing against the black pillar's surface to steady herself
until the spasms passed.  "Oh... oh, it was /worth/ it; every battle, every
victory and defeat.  Just to see them... to see the Line in its fullness.  To
hear them all... hah..."

Another coughing fit racked her body, and she slumped against the pillar,
sliding into a heap at its base.  "Ohhh.  Oh, it has been such a wild journey. 
Thorny and full of rocks.  Rocks in my boots."  Her voice was barely audible
now; not that it mattered.

<but you would do it again,> the Whisper returned.  <without a thought, if you
had to, and without regrets.  wouldn't you?>

"Ah... absolutely."

Platina gazed up at the sky for a long moment, then: "I could let it end like
this, you know, and... it would be alright."

<you really think so?>

A wry grin curled the woman's cracked lips, and a wheezed 'heh' passed between
them.  "They'd figure something out.  But."  She closed her eyes.  "That
wouldn't be very kind of me, now, would it?  After... making that promise."

<promises must be kept, after all.>

"You know it."  Platina took in one pained breath between her teeth, then let it
out.  "... Take me home, Whisper."

<even if you didn't say it,> came the response, as the clouds in the sky froze
into stillness, <i would still do that for you.>

The world seemed to fracture, cracks spiderwebbing through the stage, blacker
than the jet pillar, blacker than the Void itself.  They yawned wide, and
Platina fell-

-and the fragments of reality casually brushed against her and scattered away,
the all-consuming blackness surrounding her.  And still she fell-

-and falling still, the Whisper held her hand.  <even if there was no promise, i
think>

<i would do this thing, not to sate my curiosity, nor to repay you for anything,
but>

An infinity of possible worlds stretched out in all directions imaginable, just
for a moment.  All of them disappeared, save for one lumpy grayish spheroid.

<because it is... right.>

Platina opened her eyes, and the tears welled up as she saw the old familiar
stars overhead, as she felt the liquid metal flowing against her sides - flowing
into her, replacing her broken and worn body with the one she was always meant
to have.  The one she had been given so very long ago now, the one that would
never fade or diminish.

OH, she heard the Planet call - and then the tears did flow.  OH, MY SWEET,
SWEET CHILD.  I HAVE MISSED YOU SO.  WELCOME HOME, PRECIOUS CHILD.

"I'm back," she murmured softly as the metal poured in to claim her completely,
"and I'm not going anywhere for a long time."

"... I missed you too, Matris."