Key To Life

Settling Affairs

Y/N POV

I inhale, here goes nothing.

Y/N: "Around. But listen, may I come in? I wanna talk."

Ruby: "By all means."

I take a seat on her bed.

Ruby: "So what is it you wanna talk about?"

Y/N: "First, how've you been?"

Ruby: "Good. For the most part."

Y/N: "Why most part?"

Ruby: "Just nervous I guess."

I scoot closer.

Y/N: "Talk to me."

Ruby: "It's just..."

She sighs.

Ruby: "We made it to Atlas. We're in the endgame. Whatever happens next will decide the fate of Remnant. And it's got me scared. What if we fail? What if we mess up and the world perishes?"

I wrap my arm around her.

Y/N: "It's gonna be okay Ruby. No matter what we won't fail. We've got all of our friends by our side. Because of that we'll win. As a team. Together."

Ruby: "But if we lose?"

Y/N: "Then we'll lose together."

She smiles leaning onto my chest. 

Ruby: "You're the best friend anyone could ever ask for."

I smile.

Y/N: "Thanks Ruby."

We just sit there enjoying the other's embrace. I now walk down the academy hallway to her room. Reaching it I knock on the door. But as I do she exits.

Penny: "Y/N, what're you doing here?"

Y/N: "I actually came to tell you something."

Penny: "What?"

I become nervous. I quickly steel myself.

Y/N: "Brace yourself okay?"

Penny: "Okay?"

I grab my glasses. Slowly I pull them off. When my eye is on full display she gasps leaning closer.

Penny: "What happened?"

I pull out my cable. She inserts it. I then reveal everything to her. When she pulls the cable out tears brew in her eyes.

Penny: "So this' the end?"

Y/N: "Yeah. This'll be the last time you ever see me."

Penny: "And there's nothing that'll make you change your mind?"

Y/N: "No."

She hugs me tightly laying her face on my chest. Her tears then drench my shirt.

Penny: "I'm gonna miss you."

I hug her back.

Y/N: "Me too."

Dad: "So damn dramatic."

I ignore him enjoying Penny's embrace. We eventually break the hug. She then kisses my lips.

Penny: "Goodbye Y/N."

Y/N: "Goodbye Penny. I'll see you in the next life."

I walk away from her room. Along the way I hear my father's voice.

Dad: "There he goes. The lone wolf, off on a suicide mission."

Y/N: "Do you ever shut up?"

Dad: "I will soon. You know, since you're dying."

I roll my eyes. 

Y/N: "Okay. Since half my systems are down I'll need help tracking down the lab footage. Thankfully all Atlas systems run on the same network. Meaning I gotta go to the main server."

Entering a bullhead I ride out to my destination. During the ride I think about what's about to happen. But it's runed.

Dad: *manifests* "Not much longer."

I pull up the timer. 

Y/N: "Two more hours."

Dad: "Until you're pardoned from life."

Y/N: "Don't get cocky. You won't win."

Dad: "Whatever you have to tell yourself."

I smile.

Dad: "Such bravery. Glad you accepted your fate."

Eventually we arrive at our destination. I enter heading to the main control room. But entering the room I have guns aimed at me.

Guard1: "This area is for authorized personnel only."

Guard2: "So get lost before-"

I manifest my cannon shooting them with stun rounds. They drop to the ground allowing me to jack into the main console. 

Y/N: "Alright. Now let's see where you're hiding Salem."

I comb through all the footage from back then. Eventually I see a bullhead leaving the lab.

Y/N: "Bingo."