@writingprompts From a folder of mine labeled "Inspiration":
"Dammit, Eternus, I hate when you do this mysterious shit, just fucking tell us."
"It doesn't work."
"Telling us doesn't work?"
"It never does, Streak. It never has and never will. I keep telling you this, and you keep pretending like we've never had this discussion."
We've had it more than he knows, because for every one he remembers, I've had to deal with him doing it a dozen times. Asshole.
"Well, what do you expect, Eternus? All we get is you interrupting and slamming into us and being dickish in general. You say you're reliving the mistakes, but all we know is the present, the now. But you expect us to just suck it up and do what you say. It gets old, fast."
"No shit, Streak, you wanna guess how fast dying because your surly ass wants to play pissing contest instead of listening to the guy that's saved every life on the planet a dozen times, and your life so many hundreds of times I can't even keep track. Why do people do this? The psychics, the time travelers, it doesn't matter how many times we're right, it's this same, shitty argument.
Yes, I expect you to fucking listen to me because this is the fifth time we've had this argument for me, and that means I've died five times today. Which isn't even a record, for fucks sake. And, it's you whining that's the worst part of it. I almost wish I could just die and not come back, if it meant not dealing with you again."
The General did his usual, "Gentleman, can it. Eternus, just brief us; Streak, go take a walk and cool off."
Fifth time. Fifth fucking time. "The Ragnarok are going to hit London. We get there, and they're tearing the city apart. This will be my fifth run, and we've only made it maybe two minutes in the fight before Nuke unleashes and we're all ashes. Streak, every single time, tries to play stupid and just hits him at speed. It keeps not working. It just gives Nuke more kinetic energy to redirect into his blast.
If we're going to even get close, we gotta either hit him hard enough to put him down permanently, or try something new. Streak isn't following the plan. We need to leave him behind this time, try to at least gather more details before I get taken down. I said this last time, and you said.. "
"I said he's fast enough to cross the ocean and get there before we do."
"Finally! Something different. That's the first time you've interrupted me with that! The last two times you waited until I was done and said that of course you said it, it was true."
"Believe it or not, Eternus, I do pay attention. I started thinking it and realized I must have thought it before."
"So, what's the new play, general?"
"I talk to him anyway. If we haven't tried before?" I shook my head, almost giddy at a new twist. "Good, then you four get ready, I'll pin down Streak and get him to hang back."
So, we did. Me, Hellion, Damage, and Lightstorm got geared up and moved to the transport room, where Switch was ready to port the team once the General showed. And, we got there before the alert too. Two new occurrences. Maybe this would be the right one.
The alarm blared, and the General ran in, pulling on his helmet, "Alright team, let's handle business." There was a tugging at my stomach as Switch switched us, and the fight was on.
