Crisis of The Worlds: Weathering The Storm

Family

Soshi and Dwight appeared in the living room. Cheryl, an UNO Card, was sitting on the couch and she was furious and concerned. "Soshi! What the hell is going on?" was all she could get out before Soshi and Dwight ran over to her and hugged her. Tears streamed down Soshi's face.

"I imagine you already know, and nobody hates the truth of it as much as I do." Soshi said. Cheryl pushed them off.

"Pull yourself together! Are you telling me this is really the future and those urns and the calendar aren't just some sick joke?" Cheryl asked, now more horrified than angry.

"They're no joke. You, Valerie, and Rembrandt have been dead for almost a year. For me, it's been a million years." Soshi said, collecting himself by the thinnest of margins.

"My God. That's...disturbing. What happened in my absence?" Cheryl asked.

"A rebellion in Goiky Island happened. Before that, your father got arrested for embezzlement. That was after the daughter of my old science teacher was arrested in connection to a case regarding the theft and abuse of a corpse in addition to kidnapping. Not all in that order.
It really hurts that it's just you from the past, but at the same time any time with you at all is a blessing." Soshi said. Cheryl could tell he was keeping something personal to himself.

"Well, you're 32 or 33. You've got at least 30 more years to live, so make the most of it! Dwight, you might want to give us some alone time." Cheryl said. Dwight nodded, sighing and heading to his room.

"I hate asking you this, and I hate the idea anyway, but it's been suggested to me multiple times that I should remarry or go into politics as a career. Should I really consider remarrying? I don't think any other woman could possibly be Dwight's mother, so I think it's a bad idea." Soshi said.

"...I don't think you're ready right now, but I would still prefer you try to find happiness and stability for both yourself and Dwight than wither away out of grief. I know you're not religious, but if God doesn't demand we kill ourselves in his name, he certainly doesn't want us doing it in the names of ordinary people. So, when you find the strength in your heart, pick yourself up and try. Don't despair." Cheryl responded.

Soshi said nothing, only sobbing. Cheryl put her hand on his, and he didn't stop her. Soshi was reminded of her last words to him before the simulated universe where she never died had faded out of existence. To never despair.

During all this, Dwight was sitting in the backyard. His siblings, Valerie and Rembrandt walked over to him. They could see Dwight was unhappy about something, but they couldn't tell for sure. Valerie tapped him on the shoulder, causing him to turn to her in shock. "Valerie? I suppose I should have seen this coming, but don't sneak up on me like that!" Dwight said.

"What do you mean you should have seen this coming?" Valerie asked. Dwight sighed. "You'd know what I mean if you checked the calendar."

"Wait, have we time-travelled into the future?" Valerie asked. Dwight nodded. "You shouldn't think it about too much right now. It might alter history." Dwight said. He was ashamed that he couldn't try to alter history, and it showed as much as he tried to hide it. Rembrandt nodded. "I guess that's fair. But man, oh man, do I not like how this is looking."

Dwight looked at him. "What do you mean?" Rembrandt pointed up above. "Bombers. I've seen pictures of them from the front when Dad was fighting in the war, but these are colored differently." Dwight's eyes widened in horror.
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Zatarros watched something from his crystal ball. Prosperity knocked on his office door. "Malevolence! What's keeping you? It's more chaotic than normal out there!" she said, barging in.

"I'm trying to understand what's going on. And from what I've gleaned, the Aether and New Earth have been drawn into a netherverse created by Calamity. Unfortunately, they are merging together in a way that runs the risk of destroying both. And now there are four other universes that still lie outside the netherverse." Zatarros said, writing in a notebook.

"That's really unsettling. That must have been why he needed those machines!" Prosperity replied.

"And somehow, someone killed him before he could finish the process. It's up to me to throw my hat in the ring, so to speak." Zatarros responded, before standing up.

"What can you hope to do?" Prosperity asked in despair.

"A lot. The crisis doesn't affect the Aether for the most part right now, and that means I have some brief period of time to affect the outcome for the better.
From what I've seen, the Floral Kingdom is devolving into chaos as a red sky, hurricanes, volcanic activity, and earthquakes consume the surface of their world.
Not unlike what we faced here until just a few hours ago. My belief is that it and the other three unprotected worlds are on the chopping block. For them to be saved, they need outside help, and I've sent a message that will force the hands of the so-called heroes. I will not stand for the deaths of billions."

"Why do this, though? How does this help you or us?" Prosperity asked again.

"If those worlds are destroyed, New Earth and the Aether will undoubtedly be next. We need to keep those worlds alive and save them to make sure we are not threatened by the one responsible." Zatarros responded.

"Fair enough. I only hope this doesn't backfire." Prosperity said.
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Agate returned to the lab. "What's going on, Kama?" Kama looked at him grimly. "There's apparently a message from the Floral Kingdom declaring war on the Yoyle Empire, and news from the United States, New Estonia, China, and Japan of a similar declaration of war."

"That's horrible! Wait, no, I'm disappearing again!" Sage yelled before vanishing with a flash of light. Reglissina shuddered. "Things have just gone from bad to awful."

"Get Soshi over here, he and I will see what's going on." Agate said.