AU Short Stories

(DOW AU/AT) Bad End

This is an AU (Alternate Universe)/ AT (Alternate Timeline) of my story 'Dawn of Whisp' that you can currently read in my stories under that name. WARNING: There will be spoilers for the book. (duh)

An adult Marie took a deep, shaky breath. She looked down at the microphone in her hands, then back up to the curtain covered entrance to the stage that was so close, yet so far. Today was the day she would announce her identity, as well as explain the recent disappearance of Whisp.

She had a professional-looking suit on now. Black hugging her body tightly, yellow swirls coming from her toes and fingers, A dark purple cloak dropped around her shoulders and head, a black mask covering her eye area.

She took another breath before stepping forward, stiffening her stance as she walked onto the stage of people cheering the second they caught sight of her. She walked to the center of the stage, bodyguards watching intently from the sidelines.

The cheering and chatter slowed and lowered as she cleared her throat, connecting the microphone to the stand.

"Hello." She said, her voice shakey as she stared out at the crowd of thousands of people.

"As you all know, I am Whisp. One of the superheroes in this world, one of the first to ever emerge into the public." She continued, taking a deep breath. "Though... If you know me, you also must've known my teammates, others who were one of the first heroes.

"Over the past ten years, not only have we grown in popularity, but others have become known. The world I always dreamed of ever since I was a little girl became a reality. One with excitement and magic and opportunities to save the day.

"This was my dream world. Ever since I was a small child, I wanted to be a hero. Despite everyone telling me it wasn't possible, I held the smallest bit of hope, even when I was hit with the reality of it all and decided on a new path for myself.

"Then I got my abilities, without a thought I became the hero I had always wanted. Taking inspiration from Spider-Man and helping out the little guy, I saved countless lives. Though, a small bit of me always wanted more. Then I got it.

"I fell into another world, one I had always loved the idea of being in, and met two people I will never forget. My teammates, Ellectricia and Inphonite." Her voice cracked.

"We met while I was only 15, they were there the moment I turned 16, they were there throughout all the years of us growing into stronger and better people. We worked together to help people, our own smaller goals being helped along the way. We all had our reasonings, mine being admittedly the worst, in my opinion.

"Inphonite wanted to make a world where no one had to be alone like he had been for so long growing up. Ellectricia wanted to make a world where no one would have to lose hope as she had after so many different versions of heartbreak." tears became to fall, she wiped them away and continued.

"You may be wondering, why aren't they here to say this? Well... From the beginning of my journey, I always suspected there would be a cost of this. Nothing could ever be this amazing, right? Something had to equal it out. Well... I was right.

"The realization that we could lose our lives by doing this hit us early on, after a bomb was aimed towards us while we were at the bottom of a warehouse and it exploded, nearly trapping us underneath if it weren't for Inphonite. We talked and all agreed that we would face this. But, we never knew it would affect others around us as well."

"I've had my fair share of loss. My grandparents, not too long after we came to the public as an official team. My mother and best friend after the main villain we faced murdered them in front of my face. I healed, none the less. But, not everyone will go out in some act of glory. Not even heroes, even if some will." Her voice cracked more, the tears pouring off of her face like waterfalls.

"Inphonite, Elliot Sullivan" Gasps were heard. "Died only a month ago from a fatal form of a disease he had no knowledge of having."

"Ellectricia, Dawn Yoro." She sniffled, trying to dry her tears. "Died only a week after, going out in the only way I could ever expect her to, sacrificing herself for the greater good."

"Dawn gave off a shock wave of electricity to electrocute and immobilize the villain we had been facing for ten years, giving me the chance to kill him and end it all."

"We tried, we tried so hard... to save her..." She sobbed. "But no one could do a thing..."

"What I'm saying this all for, is for you all to learn a lesson. One I should've lived by way before this all happened."

"Care for those you love. Tell them you love them. Tell them how much they mean to you and you appreciate them before it's too late. Because one thing I will always regret is instead of my last words to Elliot being 'I'll always remember you' or 'I'll always love you' it was 'You can't leave me.' and god knows he's already feeling guilty for that in the afterlife, if there even is one.

"I'll always regret not becoming closer to Dawn, so instead of her last words being the first time she called me by my name, it could've been a heartfelt moment where we told each other that we would trust each other no matter what happened. Just like she had trusted me to end our burden once and for all. So her last words wouldn't have been 'I'm sorry Marie' but 'I'll be fine.""

"Don't ever take what you have for granted, hero or civilian, rich or poor, criminal or president. Because in the end, we're all people. No one has no risk of loss. And I'll be damned sure, to make up for my mistakes of not following my own advice."

"I, Marie Harellee will make the world one of which my teammates... my family, always dreamed of. Because they're the reason the dream of a small child that could barely balance or run came true, they're the reason my dream world came true."

"Thank you."