King's huge frickin' book of randomness galore:The ultimate

Up there

"hic...hic...sniff...."

Crying, sobbing. 

Wanting answers, like any kid would.

But there were no answers to be had. 

Well....

Expect for....

"Uncle king...."

"Yeah?"

"W-where...."

"Eh?"

"Where are....Where are papa and mama?"

Ah dammit....

The hell was I supposed to say?

I didn't like thinking about it any more than they did.

Less.

I was there.

I watched them die.

All of them.

I watched them cry.

Watched them mourn.

I watched them lose it all.

I did too.

And how was I supposed to explain that to a couple of kids?

It all flashes through my head like a horrible polaroid, stuck on loop as the painful, constant answer dangled on the tip of my tongue.

"Listen....Kids....."

I stood there, hanging with my mouth open like a fool, staring into their eyes. They were damp and innocent, begging for closure.

And they were looking at me to give it to em': The hardest job I'd ever had. Hell, I'd willingly welcome another hellshow like the last one if it'd make this just a little easier. 

"Scott and Luc....Your parents....they're...."

Suddenly, it hit me. And when it did, I couldn't help but smile, feeling the answers surge to me.

"They're gone, kids. Gone from Earth, at least. You wanna know where they went?" I asked, already knowing the answer, cackling at the excited "where, where!?" I got in return. 

"Well, if yah must know, they're up there! Right in the sky! See all those pretty stars?" I pointed upward, their little gazes following me. 

"Yeah...."

"Well, pick at the two yah like the most. Any two." I told them, to which the two twins exchanged looks, before looking around, carefully picking two stars together that they looked, chuckling as they finally decided. 

"Those ones!"

A bright yellow one and color-changer, the former flitting like crazy as the latter was forced to follow. I grinned; I could already guess who that was.

"You're in luck, kids! Because you...." 

I hooked my arms around the two children, pointing to the stars they'd chosen. 

"Just picked out yer parents."

They immediately went wide-eyed, sharing yet another look before glancing back at me.

"Really?"

"Yeah, really!"

"They're all up there! Your parents, Titania and Steele's parents, everybody! Y'see, the bad guys thought they took em' out during that big ol' fight that broke out. Remember the one?"

"Yeah....It was really scary..." Piped Sillia, the most like Scott of the two. Honestly, she was a dead ring of him, with the same black hair and dark brown eyes, not to mention that ridiculous sweet tooth.

  "But it's over, right?" Asked the second, Lian, who was alot more like his mother, being a blonde and sporting a pair of all-natural cat ears, not to mention how absent-minded the kid was. Sillia was dopey like her dad, but picked up on every little detail the same way he did, while Lian was perfectly fine being relayed those details while he focused on whatever it was that seemed more important at the time, which, for a kid, and more key, Lucy's kid, wasn't...always that important.

"You bet, kid! Thanks to your parents, and all the others. They tried to take em' away, tried to get rid of em', and they thought they did, but they didn't. Y'know why?" I asked, leaning in real close.

"Why?" 

I grinned.

"Because, they went up to the sky, 'cause their work here was done. They didn't what they had to do, so they get to take a break-a real long break. But that don't mean they're done watchin' over you. It just means it's my turn for a while, is all."

"How long is a while, uncle King?" Asked Sillia, to which I took a breath.

"Just about all the time, kid," I told her, straightening up. "'Till yah don't need me anymore and you're on your way to take a break too."

"Uncle King?"

"Yeah?"

That night, those kids asked yet another question I'd never forget.

"When's your break?"

I gasped, going wide-eyed, mouth glued open in shock as I tried to think of a response....I couldn't, because I knew the truth.

"Well kid...."

I sighed.

"I don't get one."

"What? Why not?"

"Because....I don't belong here. Uncle King ages real slow, you see, everything he does is slow. Back where he comes from, from his home, things are different. One of his seconds is about five of your minutes, and one of his hours is one of your weeks, and one of his weeks is several of your months, and so on. That was normal where he comes from. There was no need to rush. But, then, some bad people tried to take my race, just like they took your parents. I stopped em', but....it was too late. I came here, became one'a you. But I still don't belong.....I can't take a break, I can't be taken, and I ever go grey, the way you humans do. Now, you don't understand all that now, but you will.....One day."

That little speech was all it took to get caught up in the memories, fading as suddenly four pairs of arms wrapped around me.

"That's okay, uncle King....We'll be here for you, and the others too....And when we go up to the sky and meet Mama and Papa, we'll say hi for yah, and help yah visit sometimes!"

God, I felt myself crying then. 

"Thanks kids.....

I'd really like that....."