Similar powers

Chapter 15. Feelings

After the meeting with Kate, Max and Chloe stay in the room talking about the fact that as soon as the situation was resolved they would go to Portland together with Rachel to start living a more normal life again, and they get to talk for so long that it becomes evening.

"Max, do you think we can work things out with Rachel?"

"Chloe listen, I fully understand how much you care about her and that this situation has become stressful, but there is a need for both of you to take a step forward by admitting your mistakes: you acting like a mature person not attacking her like you did today, and her by not lying to you about even the most trivial things by trying to blame you."

"You always have the right word for everything Max."

"You're wrong Chloe, I can be wrong too. I may have powers but I am not infallible, what I suggest is based on the fact that you are my best friend, and I want to help you to the best I can.  I still feel damn guilty for ignoring you these past five years, but I care about you more than anyone else and I want to make up for my mistakes."

"Gosh Max, you managed to move me. How I wish time would never pass, that everything would stand still."

"If you want someone to freeze time for you, I'm here."

With this sentence, Dio makes his appearance in Max and Chloe's room, with the latter trying to open the door, but Dio's gaze and his subsequent sentence make her blood run cold in her veins:

"Open that door and you're dead."

Chloe backs away from the door, while Max starts talking to Dio.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well Maxine..."

"Max, not Maxine."

"Wow, I have to say I didn't expect that in one day the shy, submissive little girl I saw yesterday would bring out such aggression, I'm surprised."

"Good for you, now though, I'll ask the following question again: what are you doing here?"

"I was passing by and since this incident was in the news, I wanted to see how Arcadia Bay's superheroine was doing, plus you still have tomorrow regarding that proposal."

"If you want I can give you my answer right now, and it's GO TO HELL!"

"I'll take that as a "maybe," in the end in 24 hours many things can change; so, I'll give you this time frame to make a more lucid decision."

*Chloe intervenes* "I want to know one thing: Why don't you kill us here and now? What drives you to torture us psychologically when you could finish it in five seconds?"

"That's a very interesting question. Well, the answer is very simple: I'm bored."

"So Max having a nervous breakdown, almost killing a man, trying to trick Rachel to turn her against us is all the result of boredom?"

"Exactly. You know at least when I was in the old world I had the Joestars to keep me entertained, but since the little bitch who rewinds time didn't know how to handle a power like that, she put me in this shit-hole place where nobody is my equal, and as a result I want to spend some time before the whole world falls at my feet."

"You are a devil."

"Thanks for the compliment."

"You are underestimating us, and that will cost you dearly!" Says Max

"Blah blah blah, say what you will, but I have already won and what I am doing is simply postponing the inevitable. Now excuse me but I've just remembered an engagement that I just can't put off. Goodbye."

"WAIT!" Max and Chloe say simultaneously.

Not even time to say it that Dio vanishes without a trace.

"I don't know how the hell he got to our room, but at least he didn't find out anything about our plan, we can breathe a sigh of relief. Hey Max, are you okay?"

The accumulated tension leads Max to have a crying breakdown.

"Chloe, I can't take it anymore. I'm afraid I've reached the end of my rope."

"What are you talking about Max? Did you see how you kept that monster at bay? You were incredible."

"I did it because you were scared, and I was afraid that if one of us wasn't strong enough it would hurt us. I'm scared Chloe, I'm scared that even if we could stop him we couldn't in any way stop the tornado and save Rachel. I don't want anyone else to die, and I especially don't want to lose you Chloe."

"I swear to you Max, we will get out of this situation. I don't want to lose you again, I'll always be with you."

"Forever."

Max and Chloe embrace each other both crying because they do not want to lose the rebuilt bond again. After the hug, an intense eye contact begins, which leads the two girls to express their dormant feelings by kissing.