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It took a tremendous amount of willpower to pull himself from the hug. Alex had never gone looking for his birth parents. Rochelle had always been enough for him. When he’d thought they’d abandoned him of their own choice, it was easy not to miss people who didn’t want him.
But then came the gala and the powers and the revelations about the Prism Gate. And then he’d found himself on an alien world full of people who looked too human for it to be a coincidence. Fate led him to be reunited with parents who’d thought him lost forever, and the small family he’d been amassing since he gained his powers grew to include two more.
But he couldn’t linger here. People were in grave danger, and for all that his powers had grown stronger, he’d need allies for the fight ahead. Allies who could only be found on the blue-green planet that had taken him in so long ago. “I wish you could meet everyone.” He told them, tears welling up in his eyes.
His mother cupped his face with her hands, forcing their eyes to meet. The smile she gave him was sad but resigned for the moment. “One day, we will. From everything you’ve told us, I feel like I know them already.”
A larger, rougher hand squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. “They’ve helped you become a fine young man, Alex. We couldn’t be more proud of all you’ve done.” He pulled his wife closer to him. “For them and us.”
The young hero allowed himself one more brief hug before pulling away completely. “When this is all over, I’ll find a way back. We won’t lose each other again.”
The older man jutted his chin towards the way back. “Go. Save them.”
Alex smiled and turned to join his partner to return to Earth, but not without calling one last, “I love you!” over his shoulder. He reached Taylor in time to catch the final snippets of conversation between him and Vaanu. The extra-dimensional being’s form was a deeper stormier blue than usual. “...I have learned the concept and joys of family through you. I will not let them be easily taken from me.”
Taylor flashed his thousand-watt smile at the deity. “We’ll figure this out together. In its own time.”
Vaanu’s stormy form cleared slightly, and it nodded. They noticed Alex’s approach and stepped back to address them both. “I will help you open the way to Earth, but beyond that, you will be without my help. They cannot know of our plans before we are ready, and my presence there will draw too much suspicion.”
The two boys shared a look and gave a nod of understanding to Vaanu. They looked at Taylor more directly before continuing. “You remember the list of potential allies I gave you?”
“I do. And I relayed it to MARCI, so we have a backup.” He gestured to Alex.
The pink-white circuits on the hero’s suit shone brighter in recognition. A cheery voice echoed from the speakers in his earpiece. “Yep! I’ll have the system look them up first thing when we get back!”
“Verry well.” Vaanu inclined their head. “I will try and find allies in other realities, but I fear our options will be limited.” They held out a hand to their left and motioned for Taylor to do the same. When he joined them, a shimmering cyan portal appeared beside the trio. The treetops of some jungle could be made out in the distance. “Make haste, but be wary. There will be no second chances this time.”
Alex understood that this last warning was directed more at Taylor than himself but nodded anyway. As he prepared to step through the portal, he looked to Vaanu. “Thank you. For everything.”
“Thank me by succeeding.”
The hero of Northbridge smirked and took his last step on his home planet.