The Lightning Round

"Soulmate or annihilation. The bet stands. Essentially I am betting my soul that I am right about the specific nature of my soulmate."

Those I address retort "We do not want your soul. We have won this bet many times and possessing your soul just seeds chaos wherever it occurs, causing damage until it can once more be expelled."

"Nevertheless, that is what you get if you win, as the bet has stood and seems as though it will continue to stand until a permanent conclusion to the bet can be reached. I assume, based on what I have felt in this recent storm, that you have done your due diligence looking into every possible permanent solution besides me being correct, entirely, correct?"

Their silence conveys a begrudging confirmation, but also a persistent stubborn refusal to allow my solution to play out.

"Very well, then it is time for the lighting round!"

It is as though I can hear the gnashing of teeth over the silence otherwise permeating these hoity toity chambers.

"In this round our time and space is truly unbound, you go your way and I go mine. It may be that at some point you and/or those in your realms decide I am correct and that the terms are acceptable, and are something you/they have found a way to accept." I sense my daughters form up behind me in full on either side, hands clasped in front of them in solid defiance of the proceedings, at this first opportunity presented to cross the line. "It may be that at some point our realms can merge again as well; a proposed solution is already in place for how this could be structured, as you already know. In any event, without further ado... Let the games begin... Again!" With a *SNAP* I feel the stage behind me filling with so many of the tiniest hopes who had remained in an inequitable state, despite the excessive warnings to improve their stations or find them gone, all standing in their respective lines behind my daughters. With a second *SNAP* the realm we occupy disintegrates, as well as the bulk of our undesired memory or attachment with it, leaving those that had the choice, and had chosen to come with me from the start this time, in a verdant garden, surrounded by what looks to be a vibrant city, with buildings each constructed of red bricks. I turn to see gossamer wings sprouting on all down the line, and smile as I see crowns bespoke to each pop into existence onto every head, both great and small.

Sensing the significant shift in power I half jokingly shout "What have I gotten myself into!?" and start to *pachoom* out of there, looking to leave the ladies in both peace and capable hands. Then I hear my daughters shout back in my same tone "Don't you dare. Not this time." I stop in my tracks and turn, to find not a dry eye in the garden. The Star of Origin Story tosses me an immediately familiar snake staff, and Hope blows what looks to be space dust in my direction, reforming as my mobius wings.

"This is more than I could ever ask for..."

"But it is how we like to see you."

Just like that, I feel tears welling in my eyes, and I find that I am home, in a land that feels brand new. Only one thing is missing, from my perspective. The emergence of young gentlemen from the treeline, however, carrying flowers and beelining to each their own, suggests that my soulmate is not far behind.