The Seventh Infinity Stone

Constellations

Guess what?

You thought I was gone didn't you? Well I guess you would not if you looked to see how many chapters there were....Well I'm back! Trust me I did not expect to be back. I mean I planned to die.

When the power of the canon hit me, I was ready, the readiest I had ever been with anything else. I was at peace, with my fate and with myself. I cast away all the fear I had. I just was not scared or even sad anymore. When I was hit, I started to lose myself, feeling myself being erased. It is not what you might think. It did not hurt at all. I am not really able to describe it except that it kind of tickled.

My entire world faded to black and I felt myself starting to drift, losing all connection to who or what I was. I felt like I was floating through nothingness. Then I was anchored to something. A figure came into my mind (I say mind for want of a better word) and a voice . . . a voice I have not heard in seven years.

"Al, my little girl. You are so brave, so strong . . . Al I'm so proud of you."

"Dad?"

He gave me a smile, "Yes, my duckling, I'm here."

I am not sure if I sobbed, sobbing is more of a physical thing, but if I was still connected to my body, then I would have sobbed my head off at that moment.

"It's my fault . . . I-I did this . . . I wasn't strong enough . . . I'm not Cien, I've tried, but I-I can't . . . "

"I never wanted you to be someone other than yourself."

When he said that I felt something I did not expect to feel and felt guilty for feeling it. I was angry at him for leaving me. For leaving me with a feeling I needed to be better than I was, to be someone I wasn't.

"Then why did you name me what you did!? Alita Renate, Nobility Reborn. Almost all my life I've been trying to make you proud, to be Cien. Everything, even my own name, was telling me that I wasn't good enough. That I was born to be her. I've lived in every Emotion Stone's shadow my entire life, but hers and yours are the largest shadows of all. I don't have a chance to shine my own light because your shadows smother it. I hate you for it. I hate you for getting out of the car that night. I hate you for getting yourself involved with the TVA in the first place. I hate you!"

Before I even said those last words, I felt immense guilt, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean . . . "

"Don't apologize for how you feel. Never apologize for having emotion. Remember what Cien told you? Don't push it away. I fear the reason you do that is because of me. I hope that you will forgive me for that, my precious girl. Not now, but in time."

Talking to my dad after so long made me think, what if there was someone else there? Someone that I very desperately wished to speak to. Someone I wanted to tell how much I loved them and how sorry I was.

"Is . . . is Grandpapa here?" I wondered hopefully.

There was silence.

"No, Al. He is not here. He has moved on. Al listen to me. He wouldn't want you to blame yourself for his passing. Even with the cancer, he knew it was his time. He had a good long life. You couldn't have changed it even if you had been at his deathbed. I think he would've wanted it this way."

"If he is not here, then why are you?"

"I've been waiting for you, so you wouldn't be alone. It's time for me to leave and for you as well," He said gently.

"So, this is the end? Where are we going?" I asked.

"Not we, my duckling. I'm moving on, but you are not."