Chaos In a Nutshell: Fresh-ish Start

33. She's back

"YAMI!" Alayna squeezes her, tears falling from her eyes

"I thought-I thought you were gone" Yami hugs her back, tearing up slightly herself

"You know her?" Hyper asks

"Yami, I tried looking for you a-all these years, but I could never find you, I'm s-so happy you're back" Alayna sniffs

"I can't believe you're here-I missed you so god*mn much" Yami smiles

"Aww, I just love happy endings" Hex smiles

"I thought you-okay" Cipher shakes his head

"God, WE'VE GOT SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT" Alayna lets go

"Yeah, how'd you get the name Loca?' Yami asks

"Just an inside joke" Alayna explains

"We've been calling you an inside joke for 5 years?" Cipher asks

"Wait, when'd you get back to living...How'd you get back to living?" Yami lets go

"Funny story, uhm...you know before you entered those gates?" Alayna asks

"What does that have to do with this?" Yami questions

"Uh...right after you went in, I...came back to this weird dystopia of glitches and blackness, I think it was the shadow realm and there was a portal, and in front of that portal was this" Alayna pulls out a piece of black metal

"...Is that what I think it is?" Yami asks

"You think so too, huh?" Alayna asks

"It's gotta be Ren" Yami stares at it

"I've never found a blacksmith that I think can actually rebuild him, they all suck, not even that guy from that one anime" Alayna shakes her head

"What's wrong with it?" Yami asks

"No matter how much magic, how strong someone was, anything, they could never mold it" Alayna explains

"...I can only think of one guy I know, but he's way too busy" Yami explains

"Troy?" Alayna asks

"Yeah, he's the reason I came out here in the first place, I'll thank him when I get back over there" Yami looks away

"What's wrong?" Alayna asks

"You know his brother?" Yami asks

"He had a brother? He was an orphan" Alayna shakes her head

"Yeah, it's all complicated, anyway, his brother is equal to his strength, like, exactly, and while he's over there fighting him, the whole planet's getting invaded by a bunch of people Ultimas brought, even robots and all of that" Yami explains

"Oh sh*t, that's no bueno" Alayna shakes her head

Yami's eyebrows raise

"Yeah, I'm really trying to be more Mexican, but you're planning to help him take back the planet by hopping planet to planet recruiting it and then saving your own planet with all of their help?" Alayna asks

"...That's pretty much my idea down to a T, so yeah" Yami nods

"I'm f#cking in, let's go, we got a spaceship or something? Do we have Doomguy, Deadpool?" Alayna asks

"CAN I GO TOO?" Hex asks

"Someone has to help protect this base" Alayna explains

"Yeah, let Cipher or someone else do it" Hex puts her hand on her hip

"Why can't Hy-" Cipher starts to say

"I'm gonna go take a nap" Hyper goes inside the base

"...I get it now" Cipher nods

"Well, that's up for you to decide anyway because while I'm gone, you'll lead the group" Alayna explains

"Wait, really?" Hex asks

"Yeah, the most dangerous job you can have" Alayna smiles

"Are you sure ab-" Cipher starts to say again

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, THIS IS F#CKING AWESOME, THANKS BOSS" Hex hugs Alayna

"I'm not the boss" Alayna grins

"Oh yeah-thanks Loca" Hex lets go of her

"Mhm" Alayna smiles

"Cool, that means I can slouch off more too" Cipher stretches

"You're funny sometimes" Hex smiles

"I guess I should get back with my group and tell Matt the good news" Yami nods

"Cool, hey, I've just got a question for you" Alayna puts her hand on Yami's shoulder

"Go ahead" Yami smiles

"You know how I used to be in your head all the time where people couldn't see me?" Alayna asks

"...Go on" Yami stares at her curiously

"Would you care if...I did that again?" Alayna asks

"You can just enter and exit my head on command?" Yami asks

"Yeah, with consent I can" Alayna smiles

"You don't have to, I think I can fare good by myself, I can at least take on a guy with a gun" Yami laughs a bit

"I'm just afraid that your new friends won't like me" Alayna puts her hands over her face

"The only reason they should be scared of you is because of your height and how much alcohol you can down in an hour" Yami smiles

"Can I just stay in your head for a bit?" Alayna asks

"If you really want it like that" Yami shakes her head

"Thanks, chica" Alayna smiles

"Go ahead and do it before I change my mind" Yami rolls her eyes

"I have, let's go meet your friends" Alayna starts floating off

"..." Yami smiles, shaking her head and following Alayna

Yami stares at the bushes

"They're still knocked out cold" Yami raises her eyebrows

"Just wake them up, it's fine" Alayna crouches down beside Kyron

"Hey, you still alive?" Yami shakes Flake

"Huh? Oh yeah, just a little seeply" Flake stares at Yami

Alayna stares intently at Flake

"How's uh...the...How's Twenty-Seven?" Flake asks

"You've got a concussion" Yami  crouches beside Flake

"Nah, I'm just drunker than a fish" Flake can barely support her own skull

"Alayna, you got any idea how to help her?" Yami asks

"Yeah, just slap her in the face a few times and rile her up, should make her remember her emotions" Alayna explains

"Uh...Stupidest thing I've ever heard, but what the hell, I've got no better idea, pucker up" Yami slaps the HELL out of Flake

"RICH?" Flake rubs her eyes

"Who's Rich?" Alayna asks

"You good now?" Yami asks

"What the f*ck's going on, I'm seeing like four different shades of purple in the sky" Flake looks around

Yami chuckles

Alayna keeps staring at Flake intently, like she can't get her eyes off of her

"Are you still alive or are we both in heaven? I saw that one girl with a shotgun to your head and you weren't looking too good, are you okay?" Flake asks

"You had a concussion, I just wanna know if you're okay" Yami smiles

"Yeah, of course, I'm good, where's everyone el-why is Clara in a bush?" Flake asks

"Wanted to hide you guys from anybody else coming through here" Yami explains

"Oh, thanks" Flake smiles, getting up

"Yeah, no problem" Yami nods a bit