Begin Again In Marvel

Last Time On Dragon Ball Z... What... What do you mean this is the wrong chapter... Of course, I know what chapter this is... What? I am still live... Oh Oops...

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Rio: "Who are you?"

???: "I am you. Or at least what you are destined to become."

Rio: "Destined? No, this place feels wrong. Cold. Alone."

Future Rio: "That is because we are destined to be alone. Once we ascend, all will be tranquil in the Universe."

Rio: "Tranquil? That sounds like..."

I open my eyes and stare at him. I move farther away from it.

Rio: "Like Valkorion."

Future Rio: "Valkorion? Ah, yes, him. He was a weakling. He had all the chances to succeed but failed every time. I am better than that. I succeeded. As did you, or will."

Rio: "You are not real. This is a test."

Future Rio: "I am quite real."

The ground shakes, and I have to try to keep my balance.

Future Rio: "Deep inside, you know how powerful you are. You don't need anyone. You can have it all. And all you have to do is kill anyone who stands in your way."

Rio: "No. I need my family. They give me a place to belong."

Future Rio: "A God has no family."

Rio: "You are not me. I would never disown or harm my family."

Future Rio: "You have done it before. It was your weakness that killed our family."

Rio: "There was nothing I could do."

Future Rio: "We both know that is a lie. You knew it was going to happen. But you let it happen. You let the chains hold you. And when it was all over and we had lost everything. You didn't finish the job."

I look down and reflect on the past. That day so long ago.

Future Rio: "You were so close to victory. To breaking your chains."

I look back into his eyes.

Rio: "And then we would be broken. Revenge can sometimes be the right thing to do, but often, it is not. Our mother taught us that even in the darkest night, there will always be a light to guide you. What you have is not power or strength; it is emptiness."

I am lifted by him, and he brings me closer. With a snarl, he responds.

Future Rio: "You are a blind insect. You are weak. You do not see the truth of the Universe. Only the strong can survive. Our family, you, all of them were weak. You cling to this... this Humanity for what?! So you can play the ruler. To watch as everything around you does the same thing over and over again in the same pointless cycle. Until nothing remains and it all repeats over again. You are nothing more than a mere character in a story. A puppet on strings of others. I have broken free from the delusions of the others. I am the face of power itself!"

(AN: Play Frozen Night - Loneliness on YouTube for some atmosphere.)

???: "No, your power is your weakness. It blinds you."

He turns to the new being, and I sense shock and fear from him.

Future Rio: "You!? That isn't possible; you are dead!"

He drops me and backs away. I look up to the new being but I find I can't see them. They are blurry.

Rio: "Who are you?"

I feel like they smile, and I feel like I know them. My cheeks feel wet, and I touch them.

'I'm crying?'

I look back up to them, but they are looking at the false me.

Future Rio: "It doesn't matter. Even with your help, you cannot defeat me."

Lucario: "Then luckily, he isn't alone!"

We all look, and I see beings I know appear one by one.

Trench: "Everyone he's saved!"

Chrysalis: "Everyone he loves."

Sunset: "Everyone he's taught."

I am helped to stand up. When I do, I face the false me.

Future Rio: "This has nothing to do with your friends. This is you and I."

Rio: "In a fight against you, no one is alone. Come on! Together we can end him!"

Future Rio: "I AM ENDLESS!"

Kreia: "Everything ends, even you."

A mass of lightning is blasted our way but I trust my instincts and don't block it. When the lightning fades we are unharmed and are even glowing.

Future Rio: "What?! That's Impossible! You don't have magic! This realm has no magic for you to wield!"

Rio: "You may have my power but you can not wield it. As I draw power from those around me. I will never be like you because unlike you I have friends and family that will always be there to pull me away from the edge. To keep me balanced. Even with all that power you are alone."

Future Rio: "No, you cannot destroy me! I am everything you want to be!"

Rio: "No, you're not! You are just a representation of my fears. My fear of becoming a monster. Of letting down those I care about. Of being alone. My fear of death."

Future Rio: "There is no death. There is only The Force. And I am its master."

Rio: "I guess we will see if that is true."

I lift off the ground, and light from everyone I ever knew beams into me. My eyes go white, and I gather an attack meant to purge the taint I see before me.

Future Rio: "You cannot erase me. I will outlast you all! Now feel the power of eternity!"

A wave of death is launched from him, but it simply melts off our protective barrier.

Future Rio: "What, that's impossible! You do not have the elements!"

I raised my eyebrows at that.

Rio: "Elements? Why would you mention that specifically?"

What I sense next makes me more confused.

'Fear? But not from us but from what he just said?'

Rio: "You aren't just a representation of my fear. You are real. Very real. You're the Helm!"

Future Rio: "What?! No!? I am not some piece of metal; I am you. Everything you can become. Everything an Alicorn should become."

I altered the attack slightly so that I could rid myself of what I now see as the corruption from so long ago.

'It's how Nightmare Moon came into existence. She wasn't the only thing connected to the Helm Of Shadows. Or someone else is pulling at the strings.'

Rio: "Begone! From this life and the next!"

My attack connects and while he resists for a few seconds he is overcome and vanquished. All that remains is the Helm of Shadows. However, I can sense that it is purged of the darkness. I tap it and it disintegrates. The spirits of those I know slowly vanish, except one.

Rio: "Who are you really? Why do I feel like I know you? Yet I cannot remember."

???: "Come to the Palace when you return. All will be answered."

She vanishes, and I feel a sense of loss from her absence. Like a warmth had just left.

'I know her, but yet I cannot place from where.'

I slowly fade from the mindscape and reappear in the Temple on Gaia. I look around me to see my friends and family.

Rio: "Hello."

I get punched in the back of the head by a very strong person.

Tsunade: "You idiot! You had us worried!"

Rio: "Why?"

Kreia: "You were in deep meditation for 5 weeks. Nearly 6. Nothing we did woke you up."

Mace: "The Force warned us you were in danger, so we connected everyone to you. It seems we arrived just in time."

Rio: "Then who was the one before all of you?"

Ventress: "Who? I am pretty sure we were the first ones. I didn't see anyone other than you and the false you."

I get a system notification but ignore it for now and think about what the mysterious figure said. I am snapped out of my thoughts by a Ballistic Bug Missile.

Chrysalis: "DAD! You're okay, right."

She starts crawling over me like an actual bug, and I have to stop myself from laughing.

Rio: "I am fine, sweetie. Now let's all go have a party to celebrate my return and my successful trial."

Everyone: "YEEAAAAAH!"

We walk to the entertainment area on Gaia, and I start making food for everyone. After we eat and have fun we go off in our own groups. I look for the bathroom and I walk through a door when suddenly piano music starts playing.

(AN: Play Pokemon Diamond/Pearl: Approaching Champion Cynthia Piano Etude (Extended) on YouTube. If you want a visual of what is about to happen, then watch When you enter the wrong house in Undella Town by eno on YouTube. )

I see Cynthia sitting in a chair and I do a 180 and leave locking the door behind me. Then I start speed walking away. I hear Cynthia trying to open the door but I keep going.

BANG BANG CRASH

Cynthia breaks down the door with Garchomp's help.

Cynthia: "Get back here, Rio! Our eyes met, which means we must battle!"

Rio: "You'll never take me alive, coppers!"

I started running.

Cynthia: "Garchomp, stop him!"

Gachomp gets close to me, but I just look at her.

Rio: "Stop following me."

Gachomp: "Yes Dragonlord."

SLAP

Cynthia faceplams. Then she lets out Lucario.

Cynthia: "Lucario, get him!"

Lucario approaches quickly, using Extreme Speed, and we start clashing. But after a few exchanges, I use my newest tactic.

Rio: "Pocket Sand!"

Lucario: "AH MY EYES, WHY IS IT ALWAYS MY EYES!"

While Lucario is struggling on the floor with my new pocket sand mixed with peppers I put my finger to my forehead.

Rio: "Toodaloo."

I used Instant Transmission to leave. I vaguely hear Cynthia screaming in revenge.

Cynthia: "Curse you, Rio the Alicorn!"

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Authors Note:

The chapter ended on a bit of a funny note, but I thought that it would break up the heavier content of the previous chapter and this chapter. I was originally going to have a joke where Cait screamed about the Magic of Friendship, but everyone just looked at her like she was stupid, and then Cait responded by saying, "I'll shut up now." But I thought that it broke the flow of the section, so I left it out and put it here instead. Yes, Cynthia does try to get Rio to battle her, but he avoids it every time. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. The mysterious being will be revealed in a coming chapter. Also, Rio was in his human form for a very good reason. A change has occurred. Until next time Ciao.