#kate (sister of mc) finds potential brother (bluebird) within secret agency

[infinitydusktilldawn]

Very little with so much [excerpt; to be changed] (minor swearing)

"I am right! You were wrong!"

She affectionally rolled her eyes, and hand out the thinnest file to Kim. "A particular chemical found at the site of our father's accident. It's not Cryo-gel, but it is similar." she sat down, reluctantly letting go of the file. The rest of the children also sat down around them.

Bryce was the first to speak up, "What's a guardian?"

Jacob thought back to the video that had been shared, in confidence by Kate the day before. ‘I'm tired of asking for help and being abandoned because of it.’ Even Kate refused to explain about that, which then he understood the damage Bryce had done by cornering her.

Shadow, lifted her leg onto the chair, allowing herself to prop her head up, as a sadness overwhelmed her. "Have to ask the hard questions first, don't you?"

This was a different person they realized, the caution to take a chance, but also the child-like naivety that does not match her age of 21, but of one much younger.

"Kate said that it's hard to say how long you've been awake for." Jacob began, "What did she mean by that?"

"The MDA, my home, is on a 48-hour cycle instead of 24."

"So everyday there, is two days here."

Shadow only nodded. "How long has it been for you, Kate? When I last saw you?"

Kate swallowed, "Seven years, give or take a few months."

Eyes widen, realizing what the true cause of the oldest sister's demeanor. 

‘There was an event, where I butchered any trust with Shadow. It almost broke our relationship. For me it was almost 2 years ago where I gained it back, where she forgave me, but I have to remember, that time for her was practically a few months.’ 

Jacob remembered Kate explaining why she wouldn't reach out on her own or move past from what Shadow prefers. He thought that she just took trust seriously, that the moment someone loses it, it'll take years for that to be gained back. Now, that he starts to have some background on Shadow, how old is his youngest sibling. "How long has it been for you?"

Kate gave him a shallow nod.

He didn't realize he's been looking to her for guidance, turning back to Shadow, she's in her head. Thinking, probably, how much is a good idea to reveal. 

‘I just wanted support; someone I could turn to that wasn't involved!’

"Three, three and a half years? Between all the differences it's hard to be concrete how much time had passed."

Rick released a breath, "How old were you? When it all started?"

"14." she stated after a beat.

"You're not 21, you're barely 17."

"Does that matter?"

"Yes!" Jacob shouted. "You are too young to be in a war, you're not even an adult!"

"What's done is done." Shadow sighed, not even bothering to observe the others. "Can't change anything, even if I tried."

Jacob's fists clenched at his side, trying to reign in the rage. "No, no. You have us, you won't be fighting anymore, we'll take over."

"Absolutely not." 

"You're not an adult!"

Shadow stood instantly, matching Jacob's anger with her own. "And what constitutes as an adult!?" she seethed, tired of the entire ideology that she wasn't old enough to make drastic decisions. "Age doesn't equal experience! If it did Bryce would be the child and you would be the adult! If age would be the requirement to take into account on who stays as leader in my war, it would've ended before it even had the chance to start!"

"What's that…?" Dean whispered, eyeing a blanket of black hovering off her skin.

"Back off that ideology, if you know what's good for you." she sneered, voice dropping as something overlaid her own. "Bluebird."

Kate straightened with the others, "Shadow," she called, noticing the slight black tinge in her own sclera. "Shadow!"

Shadow whipped to her, "What Kate?"

"Breathe." then pointed to her own eye.

Shadow took a deep breath, and released it slowly, sitting down in the process. Dean watched, apprehensive, as the layer of darkness disappeared. "What was that?"

"Nothing." both sisters stated, ending that topic.

"You're correct, it's not cryo-gel. It's not in any database." Bryce called, ending the tense stand-off after the conflict between the siblings.

"Chief is calling in some contacts at the other locations that presented as similar accidents to check their archives for a similar chemical."

"Chief Pitren?" Kim asked, already pulling up information on the man. "Chief Alexander Pitren, 10 years in the police force, and had conducted several successful sting operations. What did he do that he's got your trust?"

"Covered me when the two assholes put a bounty on my head."

"A bounty? Why?"

"I was trying to escape them."

Rick sighed, the others looking confused. "It would be easier if you told us what this is all about."

"Even I'm still lost." Osiris's voice escaped from the computer, "I haven't found anything…anywhere."

"Shadow, come on, they'd help." Kate tried.

"Or just get in the way."

"Jacob is going with anyway, at least for a short time. He'd find out anyway."

"And it'll be his decision to even tell that story." Shadow shifted. "I said I'd consider telling them if they were who you thought they were."

"And I'm right, so tell them."

"Still considering."

"Why?" Bryce asked. "We have the resources to help."

"Who said I wanted help?" she shot back, "As Jacob so elegantly shouted, I'm nothing but a child. How can I trust you take my decisions seriously when you couldn't even trust my word on the status of your identity? 

“I gave you opportunity after opportunity to ignore that I had any inkling of who you possibly could be. Secrets I take to my grave, of which you would have found out eventually if you'd just be patient instead of jumping the gun, because you are too fucking paranoid of not being in control of everything." 

Her eyes kept to Bryce's, who she could tell did not like that little spiel. "I don't blame you in being cautious when we first met, I would've done the same. The difference between you and me? I always give the benefit of doubt, that little ideology of everyone is innocent until proven guilty is what I live by with first meetings. Jumping the gun, because you felt threatened that I'd spill some secret that had nothing to do with me, when it was so obvious, I had secrets as well, should've showed that there was a bigger picture than what could initially be seen."

Clapping sounded behind them, Talon standing at the table with a tray of drinks in hand. "I've heard rumors of a young Guardian whose goal is to protect and avenge while trying to remain inconspicuous and off everyone's radar. A get in and get out mentality with as little damage as possible. It is good to meet you."

"I feel like I'm missing something." she whispered in response.

"Antione McGurdy had been a wonderful friend, he had explained some things about the pride he had in the young Guardian before he'd been killed in combat. Although, I have yet to get an actual report on who or what had killed him."

"McGurdy?"

Kate slammed a hand on the table, "Gurdy Goo!" still catching her sister's confused look, "The older guy who explained the alliance with Rus--Project Bio Storm!"

"That does not narrow it down."

"The guy that pulled you aside when Goran and Raine tried to reinstate the treaty."

"Oh, fuck." Shadow crossed her arms putting her head down on them. "He ripped the two apart, lectured them about proper behavior while telling me how well I did in deflecting during that meeting." her shoulders shook, "The first adult I finally vented to, he's the one that took me to Chief."

"Miss Guardian?"

Shadow picked her head up, which felt like a ten-pound brick, tears slipped down her cheeks. "He had been a victim of Project Paradise Bravo." she sucked in a breath, "The people who explained Bio Storm to me were punished for revealing that to a "civilian" and were part of that event."

"Did he suffer?" the butler asked.

"I--I don't know." the screams of those beasts ricochet in her head, it's not something she can forget. "He--no one were themselves in the end."

"Is he at peace?"

"Everyone who deserves it, is at peace." she whispered, the fight and lecture from earlier drained her, but they weren't done.

"That's all I ask, Guardian of Light."

Shadow whipped to him, not many people know of that title, she smiled, giving him a nod.

"What's the Guardian of Light?" Bryce asked, more towards Talon than a mourning Shadow.

"Perhaps I should explain what I know, then Shadow can explain in more detail, if she chooses to."

"I'm alright with that."

Shadow nodded, "Fine, sure." pulling out her phone.

"The grand Guardian of Light is rumored to be a goddess." Talon began as if showcasing a production of a grand scale. "She is an interdimensional or intergalactic traveler that has the Space-Time Continuum flowing through her veins. A practitioner of magic, her primary job is to protect the balance. Her enemy is the Dark Guardian, who travels through space to find the ultimate power source. Antoine had explained that he is a madman, but while the Guardian of Light was chosen, the Dark Guardian is a bloodline title. He mentioned that there was something special about her, perhaps it was her force to do good. A particular warrior who protects her own, and is willing to what was it…"

"Kill the cause to save the effect." Jacob whispered. 

‘You wouldn't understand that!’

Shadow glowered at Kate, who falsified whistling. There will be words later.

"Yes." Talon nodded, then began to pass out tea, a soft smile given between Shadow and Jacob. "It is because of that; many only see her as a part of the problem. That ability to bring back life if she chose to and take life just as easily. It is a legend, but just as we all know, legends have truth to them."

"So, there is a current war between both of these Guardians?" Bryce turned to look at Shadow, eyes narrowing. "Why hide this from the agency, or at all?"

Talon shook his head, "I believe it's because many who've become a part of the fight, are unaware of the true danger. Antoine had stated, "The war the Guardian leads in not for the faint of heart, those days are never-ending and long lasting. A single confrontation can be mere minutes before you realize it’s been months. It's not the war we've been through, it's a taxing of the spirit, and for that, I wouldn't wish that punishment on my worst enemy." The Guardian of Light has to draw a line between acting and ignoring, and not even the humblest of heroes can’t ignore a cry for help for the greater good."

"Why would anyone ignore a cry for help? How can a warrior of good ignore someone else?" Bryce asked, confused.

"It's a timeline thing, isn't it?" Kim looked to her.

Shadow tilted her head, "You have traveled through time and differential realities." a glow coming from her eyes.

Dean leapt back, "There's a darkness around you. What are you?"

She focused her attention back to him, the glow calming down, "Light refracts, and at the right angle can give an insight on what could be, and the dark helps stabilize the image from being too blinding. Giving details that can change what is seen, little details that can diverge the future from each individuals' actions and choices. Not many can see beyond that." she put the cup down, "You have been gifted the sight of both light and dark, the energy of non-connection, the pure basis of all magic. Due to this gift, you can see the aura that each person gives off, the more that can be seen the more danger they are."

Dean stared, as the glimmer grows and softens, the dark that normally would be center, surrounded her, as if giving him the attention to detail that she speaks off. It's not one color, but three. "Blue, pink, and purple?"

"Without the dark, you'd only be blinded." she easily releases some hold on the energy, "Your gift isn't full proof. Anyone else who is aware of the light and dark that they give off, can hide it." Then picked up the cup again, the energy she's aware of now being tapered off into the ultra-violet spectrum. Dean slowly sat back down. "Can--Can you help me? Understand these abilities."

"I don't know."

"You reveal that you know what abilities he has then just back off?!" Kim snapped, not the only one caught off guard by the change in attention. "Why provide hope for someone you're not going to support?!"

"Why would I help someone who could just become another victim?" she asked back.

Kim, and the others, seemed to settle, thinking about the question.

"They'd be killed in the war." Danielle stated, "If the enemy becomes aware of another, of similar or equal power, who won't join them or fight back, they'd be killed."

"Correct." she sighed, "My choosing of who gets involved is not just for shits and giggles, nor for dramatic effect. I've never once asked for someone to stay, they've stayed on their own, and I have never forced someone to abandon their life to serve me. The people who stay are those that are willing to put their entire existence on the line, to end this madman. The people I choose to not get involved with is because they are potential victims for just knowing me. He will kill them to get to me, and someone of Dean's abilities, just another higher priority target."

"So. you have to choose, if it's even worth it."

"Dean's abilities, are nothing compared to what he can do, not even close to what I can do. He isn't a threat, to either of us, but he can still be killed because it's too similar to a Guardian. People get killed for just knowing me."

"It's why no-one can get any information on her." Kate explained. "The Dark Guardian will no longer attack here, because he believes she has no more existence here. The best way to remain anonymously, is be known as no-one."

"Okay, but that still doesn't explain why you've been avoiding me." Dean stated.

"Magic, is complex, and each world out there has its own strand of how it works. Along with that, each one has its own flavor, some flavors work when mixed together and others don't. Your abilities are just different enough, that the Dark Guardian can taste the difference when there's another confrontation. He will come here, and he will kill you. Nothing can stop him."

"Except you, right?"

"According to prophecies, yes, currently no. I'm still not strong enough to even make dent against him. The only thing I can do is banish him temporarily."

"You said, I'm too close to being a Guardian, what does that mean?" "What is a Guardian?" Bryce tried again.

"Unofficially? A title, given to me in passing by those who truly know what's at stake. Officially, we don't know."

"Are you saying a Guardian is a species?" Osiris sounded flabbergasted. "How does that work?"

"From what we've been able to figure out…which isn't much, yes and no."

"I need to hear this."

"Guardians protect gods, those gods lead to the Grand Creator of the multi-verse. If one were to find the Grand Creator, and absorbed that pure energy, they world become the new creator, and essentially end every life in the current multi-verse for a fresh clean start."

Mouths dropped, and eyes widened at the implications.

"Your war is a literal fight to preserve life?" the choked gasp came from the speakers.

"Yes." she finally stated. "Sounds like a fantasy, doesn't it? Sounds like lies, like a want attention, like I seek out pity." she sighed again, trying to clear her throat. "All I want is to stop fighting, to relax and not figure out if the next person is gonna try to kill me or not. I'm tired, and there are days where I just want to give up, but I can't."

"Why, why you?" Jacob asked, giving in, pulling Shadow into his arms. He may have just met her, but he understood that willpower she's giving everything to keep fighting. He only tightened his arms around her when he felt her grip on his shirt.

"How can we help?" Bryce stood, wanting to go support her, to assure her. Shadow relaxed, "You can't."

"No, we will, just tell us what we need to do."

"You can't!" she pushed away from Jacob, slamming her hands onto the table.

‘I just wanted support from someone not involved!’

Jacob sighed, "Then we won't."

‘Shadow hates it when others get involved. The team she has, have dropped their personal lives for her, she won't ask that of you. We've agreed that she doesn't need support, she wants safety. Some place to be able to call home again. Except everyone she's tried to be for that, has either abandoned her, be a part of this fight, or used her when they've found the extent of who she is.’

#original work #long post #this is all concept still #like i have the basic plot in my head #but it's all the minor details #yes I've been writing the plot down #mental calculations put this in arc 3 or 4 #it's right before shadow (main character) eliminates contacts with her original home #kate (sister of mc) finds potential brother (bluebird) within secret agency #bluebird will become an empty character for fandoms to insert their h/c #along with a bill/conference/law that keeps the gov distracted for a mission #dialogue punctuation needs work #minor swearing #someone is gonna figure out the fandom characters borrowed #and deeply question what I was doing #feel free to ask questions #i do amateur art for this #concepts on alien plants and creatures #shadow is not her birth name #a lot of angst happened for her to gain that name #will be posting fictional lullaby and lecture #each one is missing a few things #particularly the lecture part #so much information in that #do not repost #please