What Lies Beyond the Multiverse

That was fast

"Kid."

...

"Kid!"

"What?" the boy blinked quickly, as the sound immediately awoke him. "What happened? Everett!"

Kid fell off the bed.

"Ouch," he rubbed his head.

"Aaaand another great entry!" Everett laughed.

"Not funny, you scared the shit out of me. You could have told me you'll be coming."

"Nah, that'd spoil all the fun," Everett flicked his hand. "We're going on an adventure! Get ready!"

"What? When? How?"

"Am I the only one who's having flashbacks?"

"Sorry, just didn't see that coming."

"Dear, are you okay?"

Kid realised that his mum is coming upstairs.

"Yes, I'll be down in a minute!"

She went back downstairs. The kid sighed.

"Don't panic. I've got everything under control."

"Okay, so please tell me where are we going, when, and what should I take?"

"We're going to the darker part of the Multiverse, as I've told you a few days ago. My plan is to save Nash."

"Your plan?," kid looked at Everett askance.

"Fine, our plan."

"Now that's better."

"Take whatever a teen like yourself needs on a... school trip? I don't know, damn it. What did you bring previously? Nothing. You'll be fine without unnecessary packages now, too. Let's go."

"But..."

Everett used his voyager and they both disappeared.

"Meow (That was fast)".

The kid found himself in a dark space. He was standing in a wet place and felt pervasive cold.

"Where are we?"

"Alfa Minoris. First dimension that we have to deal with in order to get to the centre of this darker Multiverse."

"And I assume it's the easiest and most pleasant one?"

"Exactly," Everett smiled widely. "It's gonna be fun!"

"I admire your optimism, really," the kid sighed.

"Why?"

"It's so dark in here, I cannot see anything. How am I supposed to go anywhere if I don't see the path and don't know the directions?"

"Right, sorry." Everett shook his voyager and it's end lighten up. "Better?"

"Yeah, thanks... Everett?"

"Huh?"

"You won't leave me, will you?"

"No, kid. I will not repeat this stupid mistake ever again."

"Okay, that's cool, 'cause I trust you."

"Actually, you should be the one to guide me."

"Why?"

"You exactly know why. I don't want to repeat myself. You're better than me. Now let's go."

"Oh, no, no, no. We'll not go until you listen to me, Mr. 'Presumably-Worse,' whom you're not. You've made mistakes in the past and hurt many people..."

"Yeah, and killed a few."

"It doesn't matter now."

The Everett couldn't see kid's face clearly, but he heard strong confidence in his voice and imagined his serious look.

"What matters is that you want to change and remedy your mistake. You want to save a life. Focus on that, let go of the past."

"I... Kid, I don't know what to say. I've got a feeling that a simple thank you is not enough."

The boy sighed.

"I'm not stupid. I believe in you. I know you're telling the truth and you're a totally different person now. I know you've been through a lot. You can be my guide in the darkness of this realm and I can be yours in your own darkness. Okay?"

"That... That'd be great."

"Where are you?"

Everett put the voyager between them to enlighten the space. He didn't even realize what was going on when he felt that kid is hugging him. He couldn't name this feeling. It was quite new to him.

"Humans do this often?"

"Yeah, they do."

"Feels weird, but nice. I've never been given a hug before."

Kid blinked his eyes in disbelief.

"Never?"

"Never."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Either way, I never deserved them. I'm glad that now I do."