Butterflies of the Dark Star

50 (REVISED)

WARNING: THIS CHAPTER HAS THEMES OF SUICIDE. THOUGH THIS CHAPTER IS IMPORTANT TO THE PLOT, IF THE CONTENT IS UPSETTING, FEEL FREE TO SKIP!

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In the end, nothing made sense.

It brought her back to square one.

In the briefing room, Nova wiped the last of her tears away and confusion took its place.

You've beheld the truth.

The disembodied thought beckoned her. Behind her, Thuni and Ulin said nothing further. At the door, Izerva fidgeted in distress. Nova frowned and fought to recall the previous moments before the loop. No... No! This doesn't make sense! Did I undo all that work? Is it back? Did I rerelease the D.S Butterfly?

Stars, Neo!

Nova twisted to check on him.

In his trembling hands, a half-finished pixel butterfly fluttered pitifully in his palm. What have I changed? Nova winced when his datascroll glitched and echoed out the incomprehension of time. What have I done?

"Researcher Teimea, you have the stage," Admiral Mythrai said on loop.

Nova expected the butterfly to flutter into her hands, but she frowned at its struggle to transcend space time. Neo stared down at it.

"Teimea?" Admiral Mythrai asked.

Neo lifted his head with a small breath she stole from him. Nova clung onto the sides of her chair to head for him, to stop him when he got out of his.

Time stopped.

I can't move. Why can't I move?

The universe glitched with every step he made down to the podium, shambling like a zombie to time itself. Ice crept down her spine when he hauled himself onto the stage of his constant demise. Everyone froze, with her and Neo in a bubble of reality.

"Neo?" Nova tried to wrench herself free, but unseen leashes kept her in her seat.

He swayed on his feet and shook his head. Pain carved into his face as he looked straight at her. Grey swirls reflected the nebula. It all fell silent, and stars flickered on the screens.

No one else noticed. No one else moved, frozen in time.

"I was wrong," he whispered, soft and shut his eyes tight. "It was just our hearts reflecting off it." He swayed in an unseen wind, another shuddered breath leaving his lips. "No, what it is is much harder to define." He opened them once more, and the nebula remained. "I got lost in the expanse of the universe — in myself. All I see are the lost stars within the stream of space and time."

Nova fought. "Neo, what do you mean?"

He brought both hands to his head and torment cracked his face with a sharp, singular laugh. "You actually did it. You killed me," he gasped. "And it killed me so many times." He stumbled when the universe flashed with the glitch in time. "Over and over."

Misty tendrils trapped her against her seat, but she fought the hold. "I'm sorry! I wish I had another way! I didn't want to, Neo. I wanted to find another way before you subject yourself to that."

He dragged his fingers down his cheeks and the entire universe writhed in pain. "It's wrong," he rasped. "It's all wrong."

"Neo, I said I'll take you back home," she whispered.

He stilled, but never removed his hands from his face. "Home?"

"Yes. Yes!" Nova tried to force herself out of her seat, but it held her down to stop her from reaching him. "Yes, we can go home... this doesn't have to happen again..."