"Enmity" by Dante Ross

"No! You said that you never wanted a kid! We both said it! When did you change your mind? And why now of all the damn times to do it?" Rick screamed at Lisa. He rarely ever raised his voice, even at football games. She was pinned against the wall with nowhere else to go. She cringed as he growled in her face, his breath hot and full of rage.

"I don't know, okay?" she shouted. "I just felt like it wouldn't be right to get an abortion! I felt it kick, alright?" Rick would not back up. Lisa waited for the blow. Rick had never raised her hand in anger at her. She had never believed that he was even capable of thinking a violent thought letting alone acting out in it. She no longer believed this to be true. "Just back off, okay, Rick? Just back off."

"No" Rick hissed. "I can't believe you would do this to me!"

"I didn't get pregnant on my own, you know? Alright?" Lisa said. She tried to move away. Get some space between her and Rick. He slammed his fist into the wall next to her face, putting a hole it.

"I know you didn't!" Rick shouted in her face. He was so close that his nose was touching her forehead. "Is it mine?" he asked. Lisa's eyes grew wide filling with tears. "Don't you dare cry!" Rick pounded his fist into the wall. Plaster raining down into Lisa's hair. "You don't get to cry! Weren't you on the pill?"

"Maybe" she said. "I don't know." She wiped the plaster from her hair and tried to hug Rick. He shoved her arms away and pinned them to the wall.

"You have to take care of this" he said. "I don't even care how. Just…do it." Rick let out a heavy sigh, blowing Lisa's hair back. "I'm going out" he said as he walked out of the living room.

Lisa slid down the wall until she was cradling her knees. She looked at the phone and reached for it from across the room. The handle of the phone shifted slightly. She pulled her hand back and bit into her knuckles hard enough to draw blood. She slowly rocked back and forth. She did not want a child but also did not want to destroy it. She knew what would happen if she gave birth. But still she could not force herself to do what she knew had to be done. Lisa stood and wiped her bloody knuckles on her shirt. 

The baby kicked.

Rick was riding his motorcycle faster than he knew he should. He checked his speed. 112mph. Fast but not fast enough to get away from his problems. There was no way he could be a father. He knew because he had tried before. Three separate girlfriends that bore no children. After that he figured that it was not just the women. It was him. He was the one that could never have a child. He watched as his friends had child after child while he came home to a house not filled with the laughter of a family, but the tears of emptiness. Sirens approached from behind him. He slowed down as a police cruiser flashed its lights at him.

"Okay, damn it" Rick muttered to himself. Rick pulled to the side of the road. Traffic whipped by but after traveling as fast as he was it seemed to move in slow motion. The officer walked towards Rick with his hand on his gun. Rick smiled to himself.

"What's the problem, son?" the officer asked.

"Seriously?" Rick replied.

"Yes" the officer said.

"Well, I just found out that my girlfriend of two years is pregnant. Now, if that isn't bad enough I just got fired from a job I have had for over 10 years" Rick said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "And to top it all off, some asshole cop pulled me over for speeding. Other than that, I'm cool." Rick placed his hands in his pockets and leaned against his motorcycle.

"Cute" the officer said. "Real cute." The cop grabbed Rick by his collar and lifted him in the air. Rick struggled but could not break his grasp. "You silly son of a bitch!" the officer growled. "Do you have any idea the shit that could happen if your mother found out about this? Do you?" Rick spat in his face. "Obviously you don't." The officer lifted Rick even higher and slammed him against his bike. The bike fell under his weight, smashing the rear view mirrors.

"Fuck my mother!" Rick shouted. "What about me?"

"I wouldn't fuck your mother for all the money in the world, Richard" the officer said. "Hell, if anything you'll be the one getting fucked after she finds out you knocked up that Terran whore." The officer grabbed Rick by his shirt collar and yanked him to his feet.

"Been working out?" Rick asked.

"Yeah" the officer replied. "Could you really tell?"

"Dude, you lifted me and I couldn't even break away!" Rick said. "I used to be able to break your grip with one hand. What you been doing?"

"Yoga" the officer said. "That stuff isn't just for bitches, you know? But the cool thing is that the hottest pieces of Terran ass go to those places." The officer brushed Rick's shoulders off and straightened his shirt. "So seriously, she's pregnant?”

"Yeah, man" Rick said. "And she doesn't want to get rid of the damned thing."

"You know what'll happened if she carries it to term, don't you?" The officer removed his shades, as he looked Rick in the eyes, a small spark in his irises as he continued to speak. "Not only have you fucked that Human whore, you have fucked all of us."

"I'll take care of it" Rick said.

"Will you?" the officer asked.

"Yeah, man" Rick said while lifting his bike. "I'll handle it. There's no need to bring my mom into this."

"Yet" the officer said as he filled out a ticket. He handed it to Rick.

"What the hell's this for?" Rick asked.

"Speeding" the officer replied. "Oh, and your rear views cracked" he said as he kicked it clean off.

Rick climbed back onto his motorcycle and revved it up. The officer just shook his head at him and drove away. After giving him the finger Rick sped off. Back at home Lisa was now in the kitchen. Her eyes were red from crying so hard for so long. Eyeing the knives on the counter she rubbed her stomach. The baby kicked. She figured that she was only about 3 months pregnant. She had no idea that a baby could kick so hard at this stage of pregnancy. She walked over and picked up a knife, slowly rubbing her finger along the blade. This time the baby kicked so hard that it hurt.

"I think we have a soccer player on our hands" she said aloud as she rubbed her stomach. She went into the living room and turned on the television. She flipped through the channels until she stopped at a news station. There was footage from the Iraq war. The newscaster smiled as he read off the number of soldiers killed. The baby kicked. She changed the channel. On another news station a female broadcaster grinned as she mentioned the amount of deaths caused from smoking in 2006. Lisa sighed and turned the television off. The baby kicked harder. "Ow! Are you serious?" she asked her stomach.

Lisa picked up her phone and dialed a number. After the first ring she hung up and bit her knuckle. Her phone suddenly rang startling her. She picked it up and the voice on the other end began speaking before she could even say "Hello."

"Why would you call someone and then hang up, Lisa?" her sister Taylor asked. "Is something wrong? I felt something a few minutes ago that I didn't like at all. Did Rick do something to you?" Lisa regretted calling her sister.

"No, nothing is wrong" Lisa lied. "Well, I don't know. I haven't figured out what to do about it just yet."

"What's 'it'?" Taylor asked. "'It' is a very broad term, Lisa." In the background Lisa could hear the sound of paper shuffling and keyboards being typed at speeds that were almost inhuman. "Hello? Lisa?"

"Yeah, I'm still here" Lisa said while rubbing her stomach. The baby kicked.

"There!" Lisa shouted. "Tell me you didn't feel that. Something isn't right. I can feel it and if you cant then you may be losing it." Lisa snapped her fingers repeatedly at one of her employees. Lisa never spoke on the phone away from work. She felt that the fact that she was talking to Lisa for more than half a minute was a breakthrough.

"I didn't feel anything but the baby kick" Lisa whispered into the phone. "I'm pregnant, Taylor."

"Please tell me you're just joking with me" Taylor said. "Is it Rick's?"

"Why does everyone think I am some kind of whore?" Lisa shouted as the baby kicked as if in agreement. "Of course it's Rick's!"

"I can't believe you would do this to us" Taylor shouted as the noise in the background faded. Lisa knew that Taylor was heading to her office so she could shout even louder without the stares of employees. Lisa listened to a door slam. "Kill it" she said.

"No!" Lisa said.

"I swear if you don't I will find someone who will" Taylor said. "Do you have any idea the trouble we'll be in if they found out you allowed some Terran slob to impregnate you?"

"Yeah…" Lisa said as she stretched onto the couch. She knew this would not be over soon and if she was going to be yelled at she might as well be comfortable while it happens. "But its been kicking me all morning. It's alive."

"Of course its alive, you idiot!" Taylor screamed. "It's been alive for centuries!" Taylor sighed and placed the phone to her chest as she tried to gather herself. "Listen to me, Lisa. You need to get rid of that thing in you. Now."

"No" Lisa said defiantly. "I'm keeping it." The baby kicked once more.

"I swear that ever since mother died you have been on some kind of stupid spree" Taylor said. "You keep at this pace I wont have to send a team to kill that thing in you. You'll do it yourself."

"Shut up, Taylor!" Lisa shouted.

"The stupid spree continues with no further commercial interruptions…" Taylor said as she sat on her desk. "Lisa, I love you, okay? You're my baby sister. When mom and dad died who took care of you?"

"They didn't 'die', Taylor" Lisa said. "They were assassinated."

"Details, details" Taylor said while rubbing her temples. "I took care of you. I took care of you, Tracy, and Candice. No matter what you three did I made sure you were fed, safe, and loved. I will not let you ruin not only your life but mine as well by carrying that abomination to term."

"Do you think you can stop me from doing what I want?" Lisa asked.

"I have before" Taylor said without a trace of bragger in her voice. "I could do it again."

"I doubt it" Lisa said while scoffing.

"Don't you see its already affecting you?" Taylor asked. "It has you believing that you could possibly pose a threat to me."

"Goodbye, Taylor" Lisa said as she slammed the phone down. Her stomach rumbled as she rubbed her eyelids. Suddenly the house shook. Her small collectibles tumbled to the floor. Plates flew from the cabinets and shattered against the floor. The television fell to the floor shattering the screen. Just as fast as the rumbling started it stopped. The phone rang. Lisa picked up the receiver knowing who was on the other end before they spoke.

"Get rid of it" Taylor said before hanging up.

**

Rick stopped at a gas station after seeing that he was near empty. He walked over to the cashier handed him $20. The cashier smirked as he took the money. Rick looked at him as he handed back change. As he took a few steps away he turned around to face him.

"What's so funny, guy?" Rick asked.

"You're so fucked" the cashier said while shaking with laughter.

"Do I know you?" asked Rick.

"Dude, when your girl has that kid the world is going to, just, I don't know, man" the cashier said while sweeping his hands wide across the side and making an explosion sound. "You know?"

"No, I don't" Rick said as he looked at the cashiers' name tag. "Todd."

"Okay, man" Todd said. "Like, you and your girl shouldn't be having a kid, right? Like, not now."

"Who the hell are you?" Rick asked. "And how do you know my girl is pregnant?"

"Man, almost all of us know" Todd said.

"Who the hell is 'all of us'?" Rick asked.

"Us, man" Todd said. "Hey, some pig is looking at your bike, man." Rick turned around and saw the same policeman checking out his bike.

"I'll be right back" Rick told Todd as he walked over to the policeman. "Now what?"

"Still haven't fixed that rear view I see" he said as he wrote another ticket and handed it to Rick. "Word is spreading fast, Richard."

"I know" Rick said. "That freak behind the register knows that Lisa is pregnant."

"He knows everything" the officer said. "He's older than this planet. Have you told him anything?"

"No" Rick replied. "Why?"

"What did you say to him?" the officer asked.

"Nothing" Rick said. "Why?"

"That innocent looking fellow can gather a years worth of information from a few words you say" the officer said.

"He kept saying something about 'all of us'" Rick said. "I didn't know what the hell he was talking about."

"You told him that you didn't know?" the officer asked.

"Maybe" Rick said sheepishly.

"You're something else, kid" the officer said. "Well, now he knows that we weren't prepared for what your silly girlfriend is planning. That leaves us one step behind." The officer removed his shades and walked over to the cashier.

"Hey, man" Todd said. "How's it hanging?"

"Cut the cute shit, 'Laggard'" the officer said. "What do you know?"

"Man, there's no need for name calling" Todd said. "Call me a sentinel, sentry, or maybe even a ranger. But 'laggard' is just mean, man."

"Just spit it out" the officer said, obviously losing his patience.

"All I can tell you is this. Your Godson over there" Todd said while pointing at Rick, "has fucked all of us, man."

"We all know the story" officer said. "Tell me something I don't know."

"Well, his girl is getting set to fight her sisters" Todd said.

"And?" the officer replied.

"Dude, what do you mean 'And'?" Todd asked before his eyes grew wide. "You mean you don't know?" he asked while chuckling.

"I am losing my patience with you at an alarming rate" the officer said while removing his leather gloves.

"Dude" Todd said. "His girl is Affrayan."

"Impossible!" the officer said. "We'd have known if an Affrayan was on the planet, let alone sleeping with our prince!"

"Guess you Cessatians aren't as smart as you think!" Todd said as he laughed and pointed at Rick and the officer. "An Affrayan and a Cessatian not only dating, but having a kid!" Todd fell off his stool he was laughing so hard. The officer walked away from him and went back to Rick.

"So what he say?" Rick asked. The officer slapped Rick hard across the face. Rick flew back several feet before landing hard on his back. He walked over and kicked Rick in the ribs sending him up over five feet in the air. As he came down the officer kicked him hard in the chest. Rick landed near a garbage can.

"You have killed all of us!" the officer said. He threw his glasses to the ground. His eyes blazed a shiny green. His teeth began to sharpen and grow in length. "Spoiled, pampered, incompetent fool!"

"What the fuck are you so upset about?!" Rick screamed. "There are people around! Close your mouth and do something about your eyes!" The officer dove at Rick and landed on his chest in a crouching position.

"After what you've done there won't be any people around to worry about!" the officer hissed at Rick. His eyes slowly went from an unnatural green to brown. His teeth became smaller but retained a sharp point on each. "Your lovely Lisa is Affrayan."

"Bullshit!" Rick shouted. "I would know!"

"Well, apparently none of us knew" the officer said. "We have to contact your mother. Only she is strong enough to destroy that thing that grows in your girlfriends stomach."

"I am so fucked" Rick moaned as he rubbed his ribs.

"If that child is born you wont be the only person fucked" the officer said. "Venus, Earth, Mars, and Jupiter will also be fucked. If the legend is true that monster that grows inside of her will destroy all matter."

"Like I said, I am fucked" Rick replied.

***

Lisa sat on the couch staring at the shattered television. She stood and walked over the glass that was sprayed all over the floors. Leaving bloody footprints on the carpet. She wondered where Rick was. If he was out driving at psychotic speeds on his motorcycle or at a bar ranting about how his girlfriend ruined his life. That was one thing she always disliked about Rick. He never took responsibility for his actions. It was always his bosses. It was his friends. It was his mother. 

His mother more than anyone else.

She had never met his mother but had seen pictures of her. She looked beautiful. She looked strong. The kind of strong that doesn't exist anymore. Like when you look at photos of people during the Depression. That hard-nosed appearance that comes with the knowledge of knowing what a hard life is. What failure is. What success is. Rick does not have that look. Rick is a pretty boy. Slender nose. Beautiful eyes. Long eye lashes that women would kill for and spend money for. What he and his mother did have in common though was their unnaturally black hair. It was so black that it did not even shine.

When she and Rick first met it was love at first sight. They could not keep their hands off of each other. He took her to all of his favorite bars and introduced her to his friends. They were all nice but there was something strange about them. They also looked at her as if they knew her and couldn't quite place her face. The odd thing is that she felt the same way. As if she knew all of these people. Once she introduced her sister Tracy to a few of Rick's friends. It did not end well.

Lisa walked into the kitchen and once again eyed the knife. She picked it up and waited for a strong kick that never came. She walked to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. For a moment her iris turned red and she gasped. Then came the hardest kick in her stomach. Her phone rang. She walked to the living room and stared at the phone for a few moments before picking up.

"Hello?" Lisa asked.

"Some weird kid at school said that you're pregnant!" It was her youngest sister Candice. "How can some freak at school know you're pregnant before you even tell me? I'm your sister!"

"I don't know how that 'freak' knew but its true, Candy" Lisa said. "I am pregnant."

"Oh, my, God!" Candice screamed as Lisa held the phone away from her ear. "I'm gonna be an aunt!"

"I wish Taylor and Rick were as happy as you" Lisa said. "They both want me to get rid of it."

"Like an abortion?" Candice asked. "That's horrible!"

"That's what I think" Lisa said. The other line was ringing.

"Hold on, sis" Lisa said as she clicked over. "Hello?"

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" It was her other sister Tracy. "Kill it now."

"Nice to hear from you, Tracy" Lisa said sarcastically. "I see you spoke with Taylor."

"I almost didn't have to!" Tracy shouted. "I felt something wrong in the air just like she did. Hopefully you'll kill that thing before Candice finds out. You know how much she loves kids."

"She's on the other line" Lisa said.

"No" Taylor said.

"Yeah, she is" Lisa replied. "And she is very excited about being an aunt."

"Don't you dare drag your sister into this fight!" Tracy screamed. "I do not want Candice there when a team comes!"

"Bye, sister" Lisa said as she hung up on Tracy and continued talking to Candice. "So, you feel like coming over?" she asked.

"Of course!" Candice shouted. "I'll be over in an hour. I am still in school. I lied and said I had to use the ladies room. See you soon!"

"Okay!" Lisa said as she hung up. She felt bad about using her sister to fight against Tracy, Taylor, and whomever they were sending to kill her unborn child. She knew that Candice had yet to exhibit any powers but there was nothing like the heat of battle to get those inhibitors flashing and new powers manifesting. Lisa smiled and the baby kicked. The phone rang. Lisa grabbed it and smiled. "What?"

"Just making sure you're still there" Taylor said as the front of the house exploded.

****

Rick rode slowly behind the officer as they headed God knows where. Rick had never liked the officer. He had known him for quite some time. His mother introduced him as his godfather when he was a child. The officer just nodded and quickly left the room.

"Make sure you always show him respect!" his mother had told him. "He is a very powerful man and will hurt you if you ever do wrong by him."

Rick had done as he was told until he was a pre-teen. For some reason the officer had always managed to be the one arresting him. For shoplifting after school. For drunk driving in high school. For getting high at work. The officer was always there. Rick did not even know his name. He was never told his name nor ever asked for it. The officer had a badge that had writing but for whatever reason the name was never in focus.

It was not until Rick was 20 that he ever saw the officer exhibit some form of real power. Growing up Rick was always able to overpower the officer if need be. But now he realizes that the officer was just allowing him to win. Especially after his little exhibition at the gas station. Rick had not been manhandled like that since he fought his cousin Herbert when he was 12. He missed his cousin Herbert. He wondered why he never called him anymore. That's right. He discovered girls.

The officer motioned for Rick to turn at the next corner. Rick nodded and turned with him. They pulled into a driveway that was long enough to hold about four homes. The officer stopped at the front of a large doorway and cut his engine. Rick stopped and did the same. The officer exited his vehicle without looking at Rick as he walked up the stairs leading to a large wooden door with a symbol near the peephole.

Rick followed and felt a nervousness he had not felt in years. His eyes began to glow green for a moment which made them water. He was no longer use to using his powers and whenever he did it would cause him discomfort. The officer placed his hand on the door and opened his mouth wide. His jaw unhinged as he exhaled deeply. Rick covered his ears as the vibration from the officer's rumbling growl made his chest ache. Just as he thought his heart was about to explode in his chest the door opened quickly.

"Come in, Captain Dominian" a small white haired Black male said. "She's been expecting you for quite some time." As Rick approached the man scoffed and shook his head at Rick.

"What's your problem?" Rick asked.

"You" he replied as the door closed quietly behind Rick. "Do you have any idea what you have set in motion, young one?"

"Whatever, man" Rick said as he followed the officer.

"Try to keep up, kid" the officer said.

"What?" Rick asked. "You plan on running really fast? Plan on flying and leaving me here?"

"I haven't decided yet" the officer said without a hint of humor in his voice. "Just keep up."

"Sure, dude" Rick laughed. "I'll do my best."

"Then I am sure you'll fail" the officer said. He stopped suddenly and looked upwards towards a skylight. "Can you get up there?"

"Up where?" Rick asked. "You mean up there? Hell, no!" Rick squinted at the light emanating from the ceiling. "That's way too high!"

"Apparently you haven't been training like you were instructed to" the officer said as he bowed to one knee. "I can't take you up there so figure it out." The officer was suddenly up near the ceiling with the smell of a combination of sulfur and gasoline trailing behind him.

"What the fuck?!" Rick said aloud. "No way I can get that high!"

"Have you even tried?" the white haired man asked.

"Who the hell are you anyway?" Rick asked.

"Just an old man" he laughed. "They called me Armistice Warrior millennium ago."

"Before you continue just know that my mom never taught me the old language" Rick said. "So stop being cute."

"Armistice Warrior" the old man said. "Or 'Warrior for Peace."

"That makes no sense" Rick said. "How can you be a warrior for peace?"

"No peace is won without blood spilled" the old man said. "It was my duty to…" he said before a loud humming was heard from above.

"I will not wait all damned day for you, jackass!" the officer said from somewhere high above. "I will throw you up here if I have to!"

"Guess that's my cue" Rick said as he bent low at his knees. "This is gonna suck so hard." Rick jumped as far as he could which was not close enough to pass the third floor railing. He flailed wildly before landing back on the hard floor in front of the old man.

"That was horrible" he said as Rick spit blood on the floor.

"Look how high that shit is!" Rick said as he wiped his mouth. "Let me see you try!" The old man smiled and vanished. Again the smell of sulfur and gasoline was left behind. "Impossible." Suddenly the old man was behind him and smiling.

"I don't fly" he said. "I don't need to. I have mastered my gifts to the point where I bring where I want to be to me."

"How can I do that?" Rick asked.

"If you are able to live for another several thousand years I will teach you" the old man said. "For now you should try running there."

"Any day now, little girl!" the officer shouted from above.

"Alright, pig!" Rick shouted. "I can run up there?" Rick asked the old man who nodded that yes, he indeed could. "Okay" Rick said. He started running around the room slowly. As the room began to blur around him he scaled the wall. He knocked paintings from the walls. Vases were destroyed. But eventually Rick made it near the officer. Just as he was about to reach the top he began to lose his footing. When he slipped the officer grabbed him by the wrist and jerked him upwards.

"How you're our future king I'll never understand" he said. "Now let's go."

"Where the fuck are we anyway?" Rick asked while rubbing his wrist.

"Watch your mouth" the officer said as he paused at another large doorway. He opened his mouth wide and a large rumbling emanated from the other side of the door.

"Enter" a voice said. As they passed the threshold the door slammed shut behind them. Rick spun around and placed his hand on it. When he turned back a fist was coming at his face too quickly for him to dodge. The blow sent him flying hard against the door. Suddenly he was yanked to his feet and slammed against the door once again.

"I should pull your balls off through your mouth you little piss ant!"

"Mom?!" Rick shouted as another blow rained down on him. He tried to cushion the impact against the door but failed. He landed on his knees and collapsed to his stomach.

"I swear if you weren't my son I would kill you."

*****

Lisa coughed as the smoke spread around here. She could hear footsteps but not see anyone. Instinctively she spread her fingers wide. The baby kicked as she began to stand. She swiped her hand through the air and heard a grunt of pain.

"She's over there!" she heard a muffled voice shout. "Orders are shoot to kill! Use extreme caution!"

Lisa ran into the kitchen and looked at her hands. They looked normal except for thin red lines that extended from each of her fingertips. Each was three feet in length. That meant that whomever she had struck was right in front of her. With her heart racing she quickly rounded the corner and re-entered the living room. She ran into someone and plunged her fingers deep into their chest. Gunfire spread throughout the room as she used the body as a shield. She felt it jerk with each round that hit.

"I am pregnant!" Lisa shouted. "Stop!" The shots continued and she threw the body in the direction of the fire.

"Use Tempest Rain!" someone shouted. "This is not a drill! Exit immediately! Go! Go! Go!" Suddenly the room began to light up. It was a beautiful green. If the situation were different Lisa could appreciate the lovely hues. The intricate designs it left all over the rubble. But for now she had to exit the house. She ran through the dust swinging her hands wildly. Every few feet hearing a shout of pain as she sliced through people she could not see.

She made her way outside coughing harshly. The child kicked inside of her lightly. On the lawn were six black vans full of soldiers. They all wore a slimmed down form of riot gear, guns clicking as they aimed for her. Red beams all pointed at her stomach. Lisa watched as they all suddenly looked upwards. Tempest Rain. They climbed into their vehicles and peeled off in different directions. Lisa felt hot. Sweat formed on her brow and upper lip immediately. Collapsing to her knees she covered her stomach and closed her eyes as a large bolt of lightning struck the house.

Though she could see fire all around her she felt cold. Ice cold. When she breathed she could see it. She began to shiver as the baby kicked repeatedly. A pair of feet were near her. Pink sneakers.

"What's going on?!" Candice asked.

"Oh, my, God! How did you get here?!" Lisa asked.

"Help me!" Candice shouted as the power of the Tempest Rain pushed her down with its energy. She had both of her arms high as her feet began to sink into the ground. "I was walking back to class and all of a sudden I was here!" The beam seemed to get even stronger as Candice was suddenly knee deep into the lawn and yelling at the top of her lungs.

"Let me try something!" Lisa shouted. She slowly placed her hand on the ground. With her other she grabbed Candice by her leg. The beam intensified. "Come on!" The child kicked once again as Candice screamed.

"What was that?!" Candice asked. "Did you feel that?!"

"It was the baby!" Lisa shouted. "Stop talking and concentrate!"

"Concentrate on what?!" Candice asked.

"Not dying!" Lisa said as she slapped the ground. "Now close your eyes!" Candice did so as Lisa opened her eyes wide and stared at the source of the Tempest Rain. The beam flickered for a moment. Lisa opened her mouth wide as her tongue rolled in her mouth. She was saying something that Candice could not understand. It did not sound Earthly.

Candice collapsed to the ground as her shield shattered. Shards of yellow energy exploded all around them as the beam came down on Candice's head. Lisa quickly stood and punched at the Tempest Rain. The sound of thunder with each blow. Slowly rising off the ground she continued to punch. Twenty feet in the air. Thirty. Candice watched with open-mouthed amazement. With one last punch a shockwave sent Lisa crashing to the ground and knocked Candice on her back.

Lisa lay on the ground breathing hard. The child was silent. She rolled to her back and grabbed Candice by her hand. Candice had a scar on her forehead from where the beam had touched her for a moment. All of a sudden Lisa heard laughter. She looked towards the street and saw Taylor standing there. From behind she heard footsteps. It was Tracy.

"Stronger than I thought" Taylor said to Lisa.

"You've always underestimated me" Lisa said.

"I was talking about Candy" Taylor said. "You are just lucky."

"Come here, Candy" Tracy said.

"What's going on?!" Candice shouted.

"Shut up and come here!" Tracy said.

"What's going on is your sister is trying to kill us all" Taylor said. "Now go to Tracy. We're taking you home."

"No!" Candice screamed as she scrambled to her feet and began to run. She got a few houses away when she suddenly fell to the ground hard. Tracy stood with her hands pointed at her. A long, thin, red cord was attached to each of her wrists. They wrapped around Candice's legs as she pulled her closer.

Taylor smiled as she watched her baby sister being dragged closer. Lisa spread her fingers and leaped at Tracy. Taylor swatted at the air sending Lisa crashing to the ground. She held her belly as Taylor began to walk towards her.

"If you don't kill it I will" she said as she tilted her head back. Her jaw unhinged as she reached inside her throat. She pulled a thick red blade out quickly. The sound of metal being unsheathed could be heard as Taylor quickly pointed the blade at Lisa's stomach. "Make a decision right now."

"We got an audience" Tracy said as she roped Candice in. All around the neighborhood people were standing with their mouths open. Most were on cell phones likely calling the police. Taylor clapped her hands. The phones exploded in people's faces. Against their ears. They screamed and began to run into their homes.

"I think the time for subtlety is far past" Taylor said as she pulled out a small device. "Get back here and finish your job." Moments later the six vans returned. The soldiers quickly climbed out and once and aimed at Lisa's stomach as she lay on the lawn.

"Don't do this" Lisa said.

"Its not like you're giving us a choice" Tracy laughed. "You're willing to destroy all of us just to have a kid that shouldn't even be born for another six millennium. That's just selfish, sis."

"Tempest this entire street" Taylor said. "Then bring her back to my place. I haven't even begun to deal with you, Lisa."

"Go to Hell" Lisa said as she collapsed.

"See" Tracy said. "That's what we're trying to avoid."

******

Rick's mother lifted him by his collar and threw him across the room. He landed near a large oval shaped mirror. In it he saw not the room behind him, but darkness. He swore he heard laughter. He rose to his feet holding his ribs. Blood ran from his mouth and ears.

"What did you see?" his mother asked. She slowly walked towards him for dramatic effect. Her long golden gown dragging behind her ten feet. The red trim shining like hundreds of hungry rodent eyes.

"Nothing" Rick replied. "I saw just…black. And laughter." His mother stopped just in front of him and straitened his shirt.

"That's just fantastic" she said. "You may not remember this mirror. I had it stored away when you were just an infant. It's called the 'Soothsayer.' It shows those that look upon it their death."

"Bullshit" Rick said while laughing. In an instant the officer was upon him and had him by the scruff of his neck.

"Language" he said as he released his hold. "Though she may be your mother she is still the queen and you would do wise to treat her as such."

"Thank you" she said as she placed her hand under Rick's chin. "An Affrayan?" she asked. "How could you possibly bear a child with an Affrayan? How could you not know that she was one? They smell of anger."

"From what I've been hearing Affrayans shouldn't have even been on this damned planet! How did you all miss that?" Rick asked while wiping his hair from his brow. "You all are supposed to be so high and mighty! Huh, mom?" His mother held her hand up signaling for the officer to stand where he was.

"If you continue to behave like an ignorant child I will treat you as such" she told Rick.

"So this is you being kind?" Rick asked.

"No" she replied. "This is me knowing that I am far too old to bear another child. This is me knowing that if I were to destroy you that our race would die out just as the Quiescentians did. This is also me knowing that you could just as easily live without the use of your limbs. So if I were you" she said while her eyes flashed red, "I would watch what I say from this day forth." She looked at the officer. He stood with his head down and his teeth growing as he stood. "What is it?" she asked him.

"I feel something" he said. He opened his mouth and that loud hum once again shook Rick. He stopped a moment later as four more officers appeared from nowhere, the smell of sulfur and gasoline arriving with them. "Did any of you feel that?"

"Yes" they all said in unison.

"Find it and kill it" the officer told them. "I will join you shortly." They all bowed to him and knelt for Rick's mother. Then they disappeared. "I will leave shortly. I pray that you can do something with the prince" he said to Rick's mother.

"I'll take care of this" she said. "Go."

"For Cessatia" the officer said as he bowed.

"Always" she replied. The officer was gone in less than a moment leaving Rick and his mother alone.

"I hate that guy" Rick said.

"That 'guy' is the reason I still live" she said. "And if you even consider finishing that thought running in your head I will end your life."

"Sorry, mom" Rick said. "Who were these Quiescentians you mentioned?"

"A passive race" she said. "They never had a true ruler as we did. They allowed themselves to die out."

"How'd they 'allow' themselves to die?" Rick asked.

"They decided that mating was far too great of an effort" she said. "I always thought they were silly until now. Looking at what you have done makes their decision sound like the best idea I have ever heard." She motioned for Rick to walk with her.

"I know I fuc- messed up, mom" Rick said. "But why does everyone keep saying that I am destroying worlds?"

"It's a long story" she replied.

"Well give me the short version" Rick said impatiently.

"Many years ago there lived a race called Cavalierians. They were the ultimate form of beings. Perfect in every way imaginable. All knowing. All-powerful. All arrogant. It is said that one day one of them, allegedly their king, posed a question that completely put their existence into question."

"What was it?" Rick asked.

"'What is our purpose?'" she said. "With that one sentence he had introduced doubt. An emotion none of the Cavalierians had experienced. Suddenly everything they ever knew, felt, or thought became suspect. The king tried to quiet their fears but it was too late. From that doubt came separation. The ones that were too smart. The ones that were too strong. And the ones that were too fierce. The strong and fierce Cavalierians became what we know as Affrayan. Warriors from birth. The ones with more than enough knowledge became us, Cessatians. It was agreed that never should these two ever combine again for fear of utter devastation. Untold horrors. Endless battles." She paused to look at Rick. "Thousands of years from now a being was foretold. A creature of pure hate. There would be no logic in his destruction. None that anyone would be able to understand. And once he arrived a new breed would rise from the ashes and defeat the beast."

"What does that have to do with me and Lisa?" Rick asked.

"Your child is that beast, Richard" she replied. "And the champion will not be born for another six thousand years."

"Fuck" Rick said.

"Fuck" his mother said. "Fuck is right."

The officer and his four men traveled at over 100mph, each moving as one. Sirens blaring as they whipped through traffic. If a car happened to get in their way or not stop when they neared one of them would throw the car aside by looking at it. The officer stopped suddenly and placed his hand to his head. The other patrol cars stopped with him blocking traffic on all sides.

"Yes?" he asked. "I understand. All of you listen!" he shouted to his men. "This has now become a search and recover mission. Lisa is not to be harmed. If she attacks you are authorized to respond in kind. Lethal force is not an option."

"Yes, sir!" the all said at once.

"Remember" he said. "This woman has a bomb in her stomach. I do not want to be held responsible for setting off the end of all times. And I assume none of you do either."

"We do not, Captain!" the replied.

"I know I don't say this much but I appreciate all that you have done for me and the great race of Cessatia! For centuries you have rode with me. Whether by boat, horseback, or automobile. You have all…" he was cut off when a car began honking. The officer pointed at the car and it exploded sending flaming metal and glass everywhere. "Just know that you are all great warriors. Though we may not return to our queen today we shall fight as if we were immortal. Now lets fuck some Affrayans up."

"Hail Captain Bulwark!" they shouted in unison. They once again sped towards their target. As they neared Lisa's home they all screeched to a halt. Bulwark jumped from his vehicle landing on Lisa's lawn. He sniffed the air and growled. His eyes glowed as he flashed his fangs.

"Affrayans…" he hissed. He looked at the lawn and ground and noticed the burned rubber tracks. "There are more of them here than we could've imagined. They actually had the nerve to use Tempest Rain. The fools could've destroyed the entire planet long before the beast was born. Reckless fools. Men, destroy your vehicles."

The all emerged from their patrol cars and began to hum. All of their jaws unhinging as their cars rose three feet from the ground. Suddenly they crumpled as if they were aluminum cans and then exploded.

"No need to hide any longer" Bulwark said as he tore his policemen's uniform off.

They all began to transform into ungodly creatures. Nails extending as they all hunched over. The sound of bones cracking as they reassembled to accommodate their new, original forms. Their skin turned a dark brown as their hair grew to about two feet in length.

Their legs bent back in the form of a deer. Their arms grew to twice their length, almost touching the ground. Sharp spikes protruded from their foreheads. They all screamed at the sky shattering the last of the windows remaining in the neighborhood. With yellow saliva dripping from his fanged snout Bulwark smiled at his soldiers.

"Feels good, don't it?" he asked as they all smiled and nodded in agreement. "Now find the bitch and her demon spawn!" They all screeched before leaping away covering the distance of one city block per jump.

Back at Taylor's home she dropped her cup of coffee. She looked at Tracy who nodded to her. Candice twitched in her slumber. She had yet to awaken from the battle earlier. Lisa sat in a chair tied down and surrounded by armed soldiers.

"What the fuck was that?!" Tracy asked. "It felt familiar."

"Cessatians" Taylor said as she walked over to Lisa smiling. "You do know that your cute little boyfriend was a Cessatian, right?" she asked.

"No he wasn't" Lisa said. "We all would've smelled him a mile away."

"Apparently we were all wrong" Taylor said. "Now we have to handle this soon before they get here." She smiled at Tracy. "Are you ready?"

"Always" Tracy said as she took hold of Taylor's hands. "Time to save the universe." They each began to glow as they neared Lisa. Suddenly they were thrown against a far wall. The soldiers trained their guns on Candice who was now standing.

"Lower your weapons!" Taylor shouted. "Baby sister, calm down" she said to Candice. "We don't want to hurt you."

"Speak for yourself!" Tracy shouted as she fly towards Candice. Candice screeched at her sending her crashing against the wall again. "Bitch!" Suddenly the walls exploded. Bulwark and his soldiers were standing in a large hole when the smoke cleared.

"Affrayans!" Bulwark shouted as he entered the home. "Give us the woman that bears the demon seed and we shall leave!" He continued walking until he was nose to nose with Taylor. She did not appear to be afraid at all. She smiled and planted a small kiss on his nostril. She then licked her lips.

"I forgot what Cessatian meat tasted like" Taylor said while smiling at Bulwark.

"Affrayan whore!" he shouted as he swiped at her face with his black claws. Taylor caught his arm and threw him over her head. Bulwark landed hard on his back and jumped up, clinging to the ceiling as the guards fired at the spot he had just landed. He shot himself down at the guards and tore two of their heads off. His soldiers began to attack the others as Taylor grabbed Tracy and they each dove from the hole in the wall. "Get them!" Bulwark shouted.

Two of his men went after them. Lisa felt her stomach kick harder than it ever had. She moaned and then fainted in her chair. Bulwark looked at her and ran towards her, claws ready to strike. Suddenly he was thrown hard against the door. Struggling to raise his hand he swiped at the air. Candice cracked her head against a fireplace in the corner as Bulwark used his power to throw her.

Suddenly he growled. He looked around and saw three more guards on a balcony firing shots at him. They fired quickly as he scaled the stairs coming straight at them. He landed on one of their chest and tore it open.

The other guards ripped their helmets off revealing glowing orange eyes. The sound of cracking bones and tearing muscle could be heard as they transformed. Suddenly their heads vanished sending black liquid all over Bulwark. Downstairs one of the other Cessatians under Bulwark's command bowed to him. A moment later his head exploded. Lisa was standing up and glowing a deep shade of red. She began to speak.

"Now it is time for all who endanger this vessel to be destroyed. I am the harbinger of sorrow! None before or after shall inflict the pain that I shall for I am pain! Scum, all of you!!!" she shouted as screams could be heard from outside. Bulwark ran to the hole in the wall and saw his men burst into flames.

"Demon!" Bulwark shouted as he flew at Lisa. She smiled and grabbed his throat as he clawed at her face. Each fresh scar healed just as soon as they appeared. "I am sorry, my queen…" he said as his neck snapped.

"Ah, the queen!" Lisa said. "She too shall fall before me! For I am the first and last! United once again I shall unleash a wrath upon the universe unlike any ever seen!" Suddenly Lisa collapsed. "No!" she shouted. "I don't want this…"

Taylor and Tracy stood near the hole in the wall breathing heavily. Tracy was covered in blood. Taylor held her arm, stemming the flow of blood that gushed out. Suddenly the house began to shake. Taylor fell to the ground while Tracy held onto the wall for support. They looked up just as the ceiling collapsed. Rick and his mother emerged from the smoke. They landed hard, cracking the ground underneath them.

"What did I miss?" the queen asked while smiling.

*******

As Rick and his mother surveyed all of the dead Lisa began to smile. Taylor grabbed Tracy by the arm and flew upstairs. Rick's mother waved her hand and they came crashing to the ground. Candice began to stir and was immediately aflame. Rick's mother smiled as she burned Candice with a flame none could see. Rick waved the scent away from his nose.

"That's just nasty" he said as he walked towards Lisa. "How was your day?" he asked.

"I missed you" she replied.

"Honestly, I did miss you at first" Rick said while helping her to her feet. "Until I found out about that weapon in your stomach."

"Really?" Lisa asked. "You want me to keep it now?"

"Of course!" Rick said. "How many people can say that their kid is a god?"

"Very funny, Richard" his mother said. "Now step aside while I dispatch of her and that monster inside her." Rick stepped aside and stood beside his mother. Just as she lifted her hand towards Lisa she lurched forward and spat blood.

"What's…?" Rick stood beside his mother with his hand pressed against her head. From the other side a yellow blade emerged.

"I have been listening to your shit for way too long" Rick said as he pulled the blade from his mother's head. The blade slid into the palm of his hand. "I was gonna kill that asshole cop but it seems someone beat me to it."

"That was me" Lisa said as she walked over to Rick and kicked his mother in the face as she lay at Rick's feet. "Now how about those two?" she asked while pointing to her sisters.

"You two can't be serious about letting that thing live?" Tracy asked.

"Fucking psychos!" Taylor shouted while standing. "I'll die before I let you…" she said before suddenly collapsing to the ground. Behind her Tracy was smiling.

"I know when I have loss" Tracy said. She stood over Taylor and removed her red cords from her sisters back. They shivered as they coiled back into her fingertips. "If the world is going to get fucked, I want to be on the giving end."

"That is so sweet" Lisa said as the baby kicked. "But three's a crowd." In an instant Tracy fell to the ground. Her cords came from her fingers and quickly wrapped around her neck. Rick raised his hand and she was strung to the ceiling. She kicked and thrashed. Invisible energy knocking shelves over and shattering glass.

"How cruel" someone said as her body was jerked down hard enough to remove her head from her body. It was the old man.

"There is no glory in brutality."

"What took you so long?" Rick asked.

"Who is he?" Lisa said before falling to her knees. "Armistice Warrior!" She grabbed her stomach and tried rising to her feet.

"We need to be quick about this" the old man said to Rick. "She will give birth very soon!" Rick nodded in agreement as they advanced upon Lisa.

"What are you doing?!" Lisa screamed as Rick spread his fingers. Lisa was knocked to her back as her legs and arms were separated. "No!" Her stomach began to thump loud enough to make the room shake.

"Sorry, sweetness" Rick said. "But the legend never mentioned anything about the vessel surviving." He walked over to Lisa as the yellow blade once again emerged from his hand.

"Nor the father of the beast" the old man said as he appeared behind Rick. Before Rick could react his own blade was against his throat. "You could not have honestly believed that I would have you kill the queen and let you live."

The old mans hand appeared through Rick's chest. Lisa screamed as she tried to free herself. "Don't waste your time, Affrayan" the old man said. "Rick is practically an infant. He was siphoning my power. He lacked the discipline to master his gifts. Such a shame" he said as he removed his hand from Rick's leaving a sizzling hole. "He had so much potential.

"You can't do this!" Lisa shouted. "This is my child!"

"Cute" the old man said. "Have you ever heard of the legend of Cessatians and Affrayans?" he asked as he knelt besides Lisa and rubbed her stomach. "They say a king asked the wrong question. That he caused the Great Separation, which set forth the birth of the two races. I did no such thing."

"You're…that king, aren't you?" Lisa asked as blood began to run from between her legs.

"Of course" the old man said. "Do you want to know the truth? What really set forth the Separation?"

"No" Lisa said.

"I was being polite" he said as he slapped Lisa's stomach. "It wasn't what I asked my people that drove them to doubt and madness. It was what I said." The old man stood and wiped his chin. "I told them 'I grow tired of being your king!'" He began to laugh to himself. "That's it. They had never been rejected. Never. They had never heard of such a thing. I sent them away. Two planets with opposite ways of living. They had so much potential."

The old man sat on the ground between Lisa's legs. He closed his eyes and began to transform. Lisa shielded her eyes but could still see the old man. Her stomach began to pulsate. Suddenly there was silence. Darkness. She felt wet. Opening her eyes she saw the old man lying on the ground near her. His entire upper half gone. His blood all over her. She tried to stand but slipped on all the blood around her.

"Just us" she heard. She looked around and saw no one else living in the room. "Just us" it said again.

"Is that…?" she asked before her stomach thumped hard enough to make her scream.

"Just us."

"Okay…" Lisa groaned. Suddenly she was back in Rick's living room. He was in her face and pounding the wall. Rick was screaming as her stomach began to pulsate. "Just us" she said to Rick.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"The baby and I don't need you…Cessatian" Lisa said with a smile on her face. Rick took a step back and ran for the door. Lisa stopped him in his tracks and spun him back towards her. "If you tell anyone, including your policeman friend about this, I will kill you." Rick nodded as she released him.

"How'd you…?" Rick asked.

"Just go" Lisa said. Rick walked backwards out of the room. As he closed the door the baby kicked. "I know" Lisa said as she rubbed her stomach. "I know."