War of the Roses (3) (MANUSCRIPT)

Stem 16: Neutral Futures (END)

      "Wherever that thing went," Iona bit her bottom lip. "I'll take full responsibility for any shit it might've stirred." 

      "This little 'war' has gone on long enough. Hope those stupid broccoli-brats know what's up with your Laven Spirit peeps." Temuri hunched over, rolling over a skateboard. 

       "You've used quite a lot of materializing magic recently. Thinking of getting into sports, Temmy?" Iona raised a brow as she hovered across a sidewalk. "It was some tennis-rackets last week, and now it's a skateboard." 

        "Yeah, basically, dude. Met a cute girl the other week. She's into somethin' suburban and boujee like Field Hockey. I wanna show her that I can do an Olley without any headgear." 

      "Hah, you're so- Wait. I think I saw some-" 

      The air around him chilling, like a soft tornado of ice, a man with sharp, red eyes bowed before Iona. His pants tall and dark blue, the figure held but a grin upon his pale face. Around him, the quiet sounds of ice popping began to inseminate the sidewalk. 

       "Ah, good afternoon. Tell me, for you two do not seem to be human. What happened to this city?" 

      "Huh? Look, I might be a cop, but-" 

      Her legs froze. Iona's head couldn't move. Nahum appearing behind her, he put a hand on her shoulder. 

      "Iona, what's- Oh. It's... him." Nahum cleared his throat. 

       "It's not been that long since I was last here, but I've been seeing a series of plant-like organisms terrorizing the country across from across the sea which separates our two countries. And, ah, I've spoken too quickly. I recognize you all. Nice to meet you three again- Temuri, Iona, and the comforting one... Nahum. Weren't there... more of you?" The stranger put a hand up to his chin, the sun beaming down over his black mane. 

      Nahum nodded. "There were, Gwyllomay, there were." 

________

      Putting a hand to his stomach, a bruised teen leaned up against a tree. "I... have survived this long. I've fought off the sickening, combative, cursed... clan. The Wildoses and the Dendrons. I'm sure more will come for me, but I've made my statement in the sand." 

      His legs shaking, Leleonus stood up and felt another slice of wind cut a strand of his hair. 

     "Found you." A crowd of Flower Children, their faces green and riddled with holes, crept towards Leleonus. "The 'Lion' of the Lavendelles. The one responsible for killing so many of his own people. You really think it was," A slithering vine wrapped itself around Leleonus' neck. "your place to be a judging god against a bunch of people you never really knew? I wanna honestly hear your input." 

      His teeth gritting, Leleonus' skin transitioned to a pulsating, aggravated blue. "You don't understand. All you... 'people'... wanted... was war! I was just another one of you, that's true, but I had to do what I had to do. You don't think I had to process any of this, once I was done? That I had to walk around as the man who committed near-genocide against his own species?" 

      "What do you mean? You- You did it so bluntly. You knew what you were doing. Every bit of it! The Flower Children will have one final fight... with no interlopers! Not even from our own kind." 

      The vine dropping him to the ground, Leleonus' eyes closed. "That's too bad. It's so unfortunate that you -- you violent crowd -- never tried to see my side, even if you say you wanted to. You really underestimate my guilt. However..." Raising his back, Leleonus brought his arm up. "... you also underestimate my ability to do it all over again. Besides, the antagonizing responsibility... falls on the Dendron clan. If I have to go down, I'll have to take at least that much with me!"