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She was eventually introduced to all of the other Aspects, but she found no reason to leave her room. As it turned out, by ‘room’, Bennett had meant an apartment that took up an entire floor of the Tower. It had everything she needed, so she saw no reason to leave.
She expected that she would eventually be asked to go on a mission outside the Tower, but two months passed without that happening.
Not until a knock came at her door.
She opened it, doing her best to remain visible, even if every cell in her body was desperate to disappear.
To her surprise, she saw Perception beyond.
“Can I help you?” Loneliness – part of being an Aspect meant shedding her old name for her Aspect title – asked him, trying not to be rude, but wondering why he was there.
He gave her an understanding smile. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude, but another Tower has asked for our help. I thought you might want the chance to get out of the Tower.”
“They asked for me?”
Perception nodded. “They don’t know that you haven’t been on a mission yet. Though I wouldn’t have agreed if I didn’t think you could handle it. They suspect there is a lone monster living outside their city that has been climbing the walls and attacking. They only need the two of us to help them find the monster.”
“That’s all, huh?”
He nodded. “The others should be able to kill the creature.”
Loneliness sighed. “Well, I suppose if that’s the case, it would be nice to get out of the Tower. Do we know which Aspects we’ll be on the mission with?”
Perception nodded as Loneliness followed him down to the hangar. “The Aspect of Empathy put the plan together, but we’ll be working with the Aspect of Vengeance on the mission itself.”
Loneliness almost stumbled at that.
Vengeance... She was going to see Vengeance again.
That meant that Justice would be there as well.
She was tempted to tell Perception that she couldn’t go - that she would stay at the Tower - but she didn’t.
There was no excuse she could give him, after all, aside from the truth, given that she had already agreed to go. And the truth was too much. She didn’t want to admit how much Justice’s loss still stung.
#
PERCEPTION PILOTED the ship that took them to Tower Five as Loneliness sat in the co-pilot chair.
“Does every Aspect know how to fly these?” Loneliness asked him as the ship approached the city.
Perception shook his head. “No, just those who want to learn.”
“Why did you want to?”
He smiled, though it was bittersweet. “I... I had hoped that I would visit this Tower more often.”
Loneliness frowned. “Why?”
“The Aspect of Empathy is my daughter,” he admitted, refusing to look at her. “I had hoped to be able to see her more often after she was chosen.”
Loneliness frowned as she looked him over. He barely looked thirty... “How old is she?”
“She turned nine last month.”
Loneliness’ eyebrows shot up into her hairline. “Nine?!”
“Whoever is the best for the job is chosen, Loneliness. Children aren’t often chosen but... Emily was always too empathetic for her own good. As a parent, you try not to let them see it when you’re hurting - you want them to think that their parents are fortresses that they can always rely on - but she always knew. And then she’d tell Claire, her older sister, and the two of them would embark on some great scheme to make me and my wife feel better. It was adorable...” He sighed, shaking his head. “So, despite the fact that I would never have chosen this life for her, it was no surprise when she was chosen.”
“At least you get to see her now,” Loneliness offered.
Perception grimaced. “Which would be fine, if she wanted to see me. I was chosen before she was and she still hasn’t forgiven me for leaving her and her mother and sister. To be honest, I still haven’t forgiven myself...”
Loneliness gave him a sympathetic smile. “I’m sure she’ll get over it. I mean, she was chosen herself, wasn’t she? Didn’t she leave them behind?”
Perception shook his head. “She was chosen just after a monster killed her mother, and I still haven’t figured out what happened to her sister. We’re supposed to give up all ties to our old lives, so I can’t learn the truth easily, and Em won’t tell me. Likely because she died as well. So, Em didn’t leave anyone behind to go. Not like I did.” He sighed. “It’s so easy with everyone else. I can see everything. With her... Her powers are like mine, but she doesn’t just see. She absorbs. I can’t read her, I just get a reflection of everyone around her. I’m not even sure if my little girl is in there anymore...”
“I’m sorry,” Loneliness said.
He sighed again. “It’s simply part of being an Aspect. A pain you apparently know all too well. Why didn’t you tell me you were in love with Justice?”
Loneliness looked away. “Your powers tell you that?”
“Yes. And they tell me that Vengeance is the closest thing to a brother you’ve ever known. You knew them before they became Aspects?”
She nodded.
“And their leaving... Is that why you became the Aspect of Loneliness?”
“Bennett never said so in as many words, but I don’t doubt it.”
“Well... You could see them now.”
Loneliness shook her head. “I... I don’t know...” She looked down only to see that she was invisible. “Don’t... Don’t tell them it’s me.”
Perception looked as if he was going to argue for a moment, but nodded before docking the ship at Tower Five.
Loneliness followed him out, still invisible, only to see three almost identical people waiting for them.
One was Vengeance. She would recognise that cocky grin and washboard abs - why was he wearing an open vest? - anywhere.
She assumed that the woman beside him was Justice. She didn’t look drastically different from how Loneliness had last seen her - she didn’t know what she expected, it hadn’t been that long - but it was enough so that she no longer looked like a carbon copy of her brother.
The third person, however, looked almost like a morph between the two and Loneliness wondered when they had acquired a third twin. Or at least, she did until they approached and the third figure’s skin darkened slightly, like Perception’s, and their hair turned Loneliness’s shade of golden blonde.
“Em,” Perception greeted as they approached. “It’s been a while.”
The strange morph - Empathy, Loneliness assumed - just glared at him. “Vengeance is aware of the mission parameters. He can inform you.” She turned to Justice. “Can I go now?”
Justice folded her arms with a sigh. “Yes, if you must. Though, I would prefer it if you went over the plan with Perception yourself.”
Em responded by simply leaving the room.
“I’m sorry,” Justice said as she turned to Perception, her look of apology tugging at Loneliness’ heart. She found herself rooted to the spot, which was the only thing stopping her from running to her and wrapping her arms around her. Justice simply continued, oblivious to Loneliness’ presence, “I’m not sure why she’s like this when you come here.”
Perception gave her an understanding smile. “It’s okay. I know that you worry what her reasons may be, and I promise, it’s a personal matter, but she is in no danger. I won’t divulge it to you if she hasn’t, but I can assure you that I am not offended by it, and I would rather that she not be around me if she isn’t comfortable.”
Justice looked away. “I’m sorry, I don’t want to assume anything bad about you...”
“But you know that Em knows things about others that you don’t, and whatever she knows about me has her running. I understand. I wish that I could put your mind at ease, but I doubt Em would forgive me for telling you.”
Justice nodded. “I understand,” she said before looking around the room with a frown. “Where’s Loneliness? I thought Em said you would bring her.”
“She’s here,” Perception assured her. “She’s just a little shy, and that has her using her powers around everyone.”
“You don’t seem concerned by that.”
“I married an autistic woman,” Perception said with a shrug. “I’m used to it.”
Justice turned to Vengeance. “Well, if you’re ready to go, I suppose I’ll see you later. Are you sure you don’t need me to come with you?”
Vengeance rolled his eyes. “Yes, I’m sure. I’ll be fine. Go talk to Em. Maybe she’ll finally tell you what’s wrong.”
Justice shook her head but did indeed leave the room.
“Sorry about her,” Vengeance said. “She’s overprotective.”
Perception smiled. “She cares about you. She doesn’t want to leave the one family member she has left.”
Vengeance looked away. “Okay, okay, I get it. Can we just get a move on? We need to be fast, do you know how to ride a Rena bike?”
Perception nodded.
“Good. Can Loneliness ride with you? Your power bypasses hers, right?”
“It does.”
Loneliness glared at him and he simply shrugged as he turned to face her. “I assumed you had picked up on that fact.”
“Follow me,” Vengeance said, grabbing a helmet before getting on one of the bikes. “We have a vague idea of where the monster is nesting.”
Perception nodded before grabbing a helmet of his own and passing one to Loneliness. “These bikes fly,” he informed her. “If you fall, the height will kill you, but the helmet will at least protect your face from the elements.”
Loneliness hoped that he was picking up on her unamused look as she put the helmet on.
“I am,” he assured her before he got on one of the bikes. “Get on behind me.”
She did as she was told, doing her best not to move as the bike’s engine started to whir beneath her as it lifted from the ground.
Vengeance’s bike shot out of the hangar door, and Perception’s followed immediately after.
Loneliness shut her eyes tight, though she was surprised to hear, “We’ve stopped,” from Perception after less than a minute.
She opened her eyes to see that they had, indeed, landed just outside a forest, her fear having kept her from feeling the bike from landing.
Vengeance smirked as he got off his own bike and removed his helmet. “I take it she’s not doing well with the travel.”
Perception shrugged as he took off his own helmet. “It takes everyone a while to get used to it.”
Loneliness simply remained silent as she took her helmet off and placed it with Perception’s on the bike, her mind refocusing on the mission.
“Loneliness is wondering where we’re heading,” Perception said.
Vengeance rolled his eyes. “Is this going to be how we communicate throughout this entire trip, or is she ever going to reveal herself?”
“She’s currently thinking that she would be far more likely to reveal herself if you were being less of a dick, so... maybe?”
Vengeance sighed before turning to the spot that he assumed Loneliness was, a foot to her left. “Oh fair maiden, please do forgive me. Shall I make it up to you with a kiss?”
“Urgh,” Loneliness said before her mind had time to catch up with her mouth, “you know that I’ve said a million times that you shouldn’t flirt like that when you don’t mean anything romantic by it. It’s confusing.”
Vengeance turned to her with wide eyes, and she realised that she had become fully visible.
“Lex...”
Her breath caught in her throat as he looked her over and she wondered what he was thinking. Was he disappointed? Angry? Upset?
A moment later, however, he grinned before running forward and hugging her so tight that she was afraid he’d crack her ribs.
“Ow!” she exclaimed, getting him to let her go.
“Why didn’t you tell me it was you?!” he demanded as he pulled away. “I missed you.”
She looked away, unable to give him an answer.
“Do you know how happy Justice is going to be to see you?”
Loneliness shook her head. “No, I... I’m not going to tell her.”
Vengeance raised an eyebrow. “Why not? Loneliness, are you kidding? What were the odds of you being chosen after us? The two of you reunited... It’s like something out of a fairytale. Unless... Unless you don’t care about her anymore...”
“It’s not that,” Loneliness told him quickly. “I just... She seems happy. She got to have a fresh start when she left, and I don’t want to weigh her down.”
“Loneliness... She’d never think of you like that. Losing you was one of the hardest parts of being chosen.”
Loneliness shook her head. It was just like him to do everything he could to make her feel better, but he never saw the reality of the situation. He always seemed to think that the fact that he got on with her meant that everyone else would as well.
“Let’s just deal with this monster,” she told him, refocusing on the task at hand.
He looked as if he was going to argue for a moment, but he just turned to Perception. “Well, your power lets you see everything. Do you know where this monster is?”
“It’s not just my power.” He turned to Loneliness.
“Huh?” she asked.
“Your power also allows you to see what others do not. Including being able to see in the dark.”
“Okay, but it’s not dark.”
“It should still allow you to find some sense of where the creature is. You simply need to focus on the surrounding area.”
Loneliness raised an eyebrow. ‘Focus’ was an annoyingly vague instruction. Still, she looked about the area, deciding to at least give it a try before she complained.
After a while of looking, however, her eyes fell on the trunk of one of the trees in front of her. “There,” she said as she walked over. “The trunk is splintered. As if something large knocked it...” She looked to see similar damage to the other trees, forming a path.
“After you,” Vengeance said, following her into the forest.
It wasn’t long before Perception put his arm out to stop them, however.
“What is it?” Loneliness asked, keeping her voice low and quiet.
Perception frowned. “I think we’re close. There is a pond... I can hear the creature drinking.”
Vengeance nodded as he turned to the other two. “You two don’t have weapons, so stay back. I’ll deal with the creature.”
“How?” Loneliness asked.
Vengeance cringed. “I saw the damage it did when it attacked the city last.” He clenched his fists and Loneliness swore she saw a green light leaking from between his fingers. “It should be more than enough to fuel my powers.”
Before Loneliness could ask what he meant by that, he stormed off in the direction Perception indicated, and Loneliness found every muscle in her body tensing at the thought of what he was about to face.
She heard a creature’s cry several moments later and her breath caught in her throat.
After just another moment more, Vengeance returned with a look of grim determination. “It’s dead,” he told them.
Loneliness let out a sigh of relief as they made their way back to the bikes, glad that she hadn’t had to see the battle. She knew that it was just a matter of time before she would have to fight herself, but for now, she was happy on the sidelines.
#
“WELL THEN, I SUPPOSE we should head back to our own Tower,” Perception said as they arrived back at the hangar.
Vengeance gave Loneliness a reproachful look, but she simply looked away.
He sighed. “Yeah, I suppose you should.”
Vengeance then stormed out of the room, and Loneliness felt her throat sting. She didn’t want things to be so antagonistic between them. They both just wanted what was best for Justice, but Vengeance didn’t understand that what was best for Justice was Loneliness being away from her.
It was best for everyone...
Perception gave Loneliness an understanding smile before nodding to the ship they had arrived on. “I’ll go warm the engines up. We’ll be ready to go in five.”
Loneliness nodded as he headed into the ship, wondering just what Perception expected her to do for those five minutes. She didn’t want to just be standing in the hangar, where someone could see her and ask what she was doing, but he hadn’t said that she should follow him...
Her powers apparently decided that the answer to this dilemma was to turn her invisible, which brought her some relief.
She bolted upright from her seat on the bike, however, as the door opened once more to reveal Vengeance dragging his sister in.
“I still don’t understand...” Justice said as they entered, but Vengeance cut his sister off with a shake of his head.
“Just trust me, okay. There’s something Loneliness needs to hear from you.” He looked around the room. “Loneliness? Are you here?”
She didn’t respond.
Vengeance just sighed before looking up at the ceiling and asking, “Lita, is Loneliness within earshot?”
It took Loneliness a moment to realise that he was asking the Tower AI.
“Yes, she is,” the AI responded, and Loneliness cursed them.
Vengeance turned back to his sister. “Just show her the damn necklace.”
Justice frowned at him. “What exactly is this supposed to accomplish?”
“Look, just... it’s important, I promise. She needs it.”
Justice continued to frown, clearly not convinced by her brother’s words. Still, she put her thumb beneath the neck of her shirt and brought out a charm that Loneliness recognised.
The one she had given to her.
“Okay, here’s the necklace my brother wanted me to show you,” Justice said, shifting her weight awkwardly as she looked about the room, presumably looking for any sign of Loneliness.
Loneliness made sure to keep her footsteps quiet as she sneaked closer.
“Tell her why you still wear it,” Vengeance urged.
His sister shrugged. “My girlfriend gave it to me. Or at least, she was my girlfriend before I was chosen...”
“And you still keep it on,” Vengeance continued. “Even though you were supposed to give up everything of your old life?”
Justice looked away as she quickly shoved the charm back beneath her shirt. “Why would you bring that up? Are you trying to get me in trouble?”
“No, I’m just trying to get her to understand. Tell her why you still wear it.”
“Because giving her up was the hardest thing I ever had to do!” Justice bit back, apparently surprised by her own outburst, as it took her a moment to recover and continue. She looked away from her brother, turning to face the air in front of her. “I don’t know why this is important to you, Loneliness, but there it is. She was everything to me - we were supposed to have a life together - and I had to give her up when I was chosen. I wasn’t even given a chance to say goodbye, I just...” She stopped talking, looking away as tears welled in her eyes.
Loneliness felt tears of her own fall down her cheeks as she reappeared.
Justice stared at her for a moment, mouth agape.
“Lex... You... You’re Loneliness?”
Loneliness just nodded.
“Why... Why didn’t you say anything before? Why stay hidden?”
Loneliness’ heart tugged at the way Justice’s voice broke over her words, and she grabbed Justice by the front of her shirt, bringing her close so that their lips crashed together with more passion than thought to the logistics of the kiss.
“Lex,” Justice managed when she finally pulled away.
“I thought you’d be glad to get rid of me,” Loneliness admitted. “I thought, once you were gone, you’d realise how terrible I was...”
“Lex... Lo, I could never think that,” Justice told her firmly. “Never. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“I... Really? I never thought I would see you again, but I worried that if I did...”
Loneliness just closed the space between them once more, making sure to be gentler this time. “I’ll always love you,” she promised as she pulled away. “If you can trust anything, you can trust that.”
Justice just grinned before kissing her again, all doubts between them erased.