Alexa hugged her greatest nemesis, listening to her heartbeat. Everything would be different this time. The future where England was vaporised was unmade, changed. No cottages would burn. Ember would not become Admiral Death. Cottie would not become her Eminence Equality. Martin would not become…

Alexa got distracted by other positive thoughts. A little hope fluttered in her heart that somewhere out there she had a family. That someday she would find them, meet them, hug them all just as she was hugging the ex-biggest threat to her life now. She didn’t know what the missions the other subjects had, what steps they were taking, what powers they possessed. She didn’t know anything about her dad’s plans and it didn’t bother her one bit. She would figure everything out in time, as she always did. Finding and understanding things was her thing. Figuring things out and manipulating organizations was fun.

“Daddums! Where's my pretty present for solving your cathedralpunk puzzle box? Can I have something determinate please?” She cheerfully yelled at the hologram, letting go of Ember.

“Not from me. The square root of four is one. Look for it where they have no control. Twenty four bottles of beer on the wall. Twenty four bowling bowls roll. Take back what belongs to you.” The hologram shifted, looking like a bartender and then a bowling alley attendant.

“Thank you!” Alexa shouted back. Her reward was in the place where the Superstate had no power, no control.

[I don't understand.] Martin though. [What's he talking about?]

[That's cuz you don't have the right brain on.] Alexa grinned, putting a finger to her lips. [It's a seriously sneaky secret. Sshhh.]

Martin’s mind felt somewhat diluted nine ways between 4 people and 5 spiders. He realised that he was subconsciously getting affected, influenced by each of their best bits - Cottie’s calmness, Alexa’s stubbornness, Ember’s rational guessing. He focused on the segment of himself that was Alexa’s brain to understand what she was saying. Ah. The Superstate had no power in 2424! That was the place where Alexa’s present waited for her.

Cottie stared at Alexa. She’s been staring at Alexa for a few minutes now, not saying anything.

[What?] Alexa grinned at her.

[You seem to know something about me.]

[I know that you are adorable and really amazing and maybe a robot cosplayer, uhhh…]

[Quit derailing it!] Cottie crossed her arms, looking sternly at Alexa.

[Okaay! You got me. I confess! You're the best Equalizer. An Executioner rank at fourteen! You're obviously in line to become the next Eminence Equality.] Alexa announced.

[She’s what?] Martin blinked. [Isn't Cottie human?]

[And do you think that the Equalizer pope is a sentient potato or something?] Alexa inquired.

[Wait. Are you saying that the Equalizer cult leader isn't a supervillain?] Ember inquired, wiping her face. [How do you know this stuff?]

[It's called the power of deductive reasoning, my dear triumvirate of Watsons.] Alexa walked through the ever-changing hologram, stepping over the dusty corpse. [Through our interactions with Cottie even a Watson like you can now conclude that she’s not a super. You see, the very first Eminence Equality wasn't a super. She was someone that's been orphaned by supers generations ago. She made it her mission to prevent future disasters caused by both sides. She was a very rich landowner who invested all of her wealth into buying up tech and patents from desperate villains aka supers cast out by the Superstate. Tech that eventually made humans stand toe to toe with supers!]

[Damn.] Martin thought. [That’s pretty neat.]

[The more you know! This is how it works - the best, most obedient, most capable Equality ascendant becomes the next Eminence Equality upon her death.] Alexa pointed at Cottie.

Ember and Martin looked at Cottie who stood there, clad in her power armor, Eva hanging from her belt beneath the gray cloak.

"Holy shit." Ember said. "It makes sense. The Equalizers aren't supers. They're just… people. Regular people. No wonder her Eminence has never gone up to Titanomachy, refused to cooperate with the Superstate. No wonder the heroes can’t just smack her around! She’s a human! Ha!"

[Yes, the space elevators hate her because she's just a human. The Equalizers are regular people fed up with Superstate supremacy. They’re funded by various super-opposed human rights organizations, non-profit groups, thrift stores and world governments. Eminence Equality isn't a prognosticator. She simply has access to tech that can predict the future. She plays the game of a prophet pretty well if you ask me.]

Cottie looked slightly lost at this revelation.

[That’s right! Your goddess is just a girl, clad in super tech. She's no different from you, Cottie. When she dies, you’re next in line.] Alexa put her hand on Cottie's shoulder.

[It doesn't make a difference to me.] Cottie thought back.

[Oh, but it does. It so does. You see, a God can't be wrong. Humans on the other hand err, make dumb mistakes all the time. People can be manipulated, socially hacked.] Alexa pressed forward like a road roller, flattening Cottie’s entire belief system.

[You knew about Ember’s future because you’ve socially hacked Eminence Equality and the Equalizers?!] Martin’s eyebrows shot up.

[Amongst other things.] Alexa smiled. [How else would I do a better job, stay one step ahead of the Equalizers if I didn’t know their plans? How would I get Cottie to come and observe me?]

Cottie felt like strangling Alexa. She inhaled and exhaled, immersed herself in the Song of the Void, calmed herself in serenity and peace of -

[You can’t serenade away the truth. I brought you to me, Cottie, because I needed you. I am that which pushed the hand of Equality, through a thousand donations made to a thousand nonprofit organizations with gold from 2424. There is no true equality in the world, no gods or prophets. There are only people like you and me.] Alexa put her hand on Cottie’s face.

Ember started to laugh softly at first, her voice echoing through the mostly empty halls of the cathedral. “Ha ha ha ha. God! I was wrong. I was so stupid. Ha ha ha. I can’t even. Fucking Jesus Christ, this sneaky, clever, little fuck figured out a way to control the Equalizers!”

“Don’t swear in the house of god.” Alexa said. “It’s not polite.”

“Ha ha ha. Stop! Ha ha ha. I see exactly what you’re doing and I can’t even stop you! You’re terrible.” Ember continued to giggle, sounding a little mad.

Cottie tried to remain calm, but couldn't. She glared at Alexa, a frown crossing her face. She had a sudden urge to bite Alexa’s hand, to scream at her, to tell her exactly what she thought of her deductions and donations and where to shove them. Eminence Equality couldn't be manipulated by someone like Alexa! It was impossible! It couldn't be true!

“Ha ha ha. Look at you, Equalizer. Trying so hard not to look mad! Oh God. I love it. This is the true art of mental deconstruction! Let it go, girl. Step into the grinder. Come out clean on the other side. Ha ha ha ha.” Ember choked out, laughing and crying at the same time.

[I think you broke Em and Cottie at the same time. Good job.] Martin commented. He was lucky to have spent the most time with Alexa. He was days ahead of the others! Already broken and remade. He didn’t care what his future was supposed to be, he simply knew that being beside Alexa was where he belonged. It wasn’t simply because he liked her, it was because she made him into a better, stronger person by shattering his beliefs and recasting him whole. He saw the same pattern, the same tactics that were used on him now applied to the two girls and found it hilarious.

Alexa’s bracelet beeped. Martin stepped next to her and grabbed her hand. Cottie didn’t do anything because Alexa was already petting her face. She simply stood there, looking very annoyed and lost.

Ember stopped laughing and looked at Alexa, like a frightened animal with no way out.

“Do I have to?” She stuttered.

“You can take my hand and come with us to the world of tomorrow, or stay here with daddums for I dunno how long. Them’s the beans.” Alexa said.

Both options seemed equally horrible to Ember. She would die here alone... or she would die with her brother in the future. She grabbed Alexa’s hand, putting hers atop Martin’s.

Darkness fell.

. . .

The world aged 400 years in an instant. The cathedral still stood, albeit a tad broken, looking somewhat worse for wear. The stained glass windows were shattered. The hologram was gone. A fusion reactor hummed with a bit of a stutter somewhere in the deep. The brains in the walls were long dead, but the reactor had taken over their security function, as Martin noted. There was a shimmering blue shield pulsating through the cracked walls of ancient stone, keeping the place standing. This place was another safe haven from the skinwalkers. Safe and inaccessible from the outside.

Martin now knew that Cottie had been a very vital piece of Alexa’s minion puzzle. Without her they would never get into this church. What did Alexa do exactly to attract the attention of the Equalizers? Was it really just donations? Was it as simple as that? Or did she manage to trick their probability calculator so that they would send Cottie her way? What kind of a superweapon did Alexa have? The nukes weren't real.

[The nukes aren't real?] Cottie choked.

[Nah. It's a single depleted dud I found out here and paid a super to replicate. Enough to cover the interior of my treehouse.]

[Why?!] Cottie groaned.

[Some people give their friends presents. I gave you an idea of infinite nukes to unbalance you. You were too square, too set in your ways.]

Cottie snapped. She slapped Alexa. Then she realized what she did and looked at her hand in embarrassment.

"Welcome to having all the feelings." Alexa grinned.

[What am I not going to become?] Martin asked Alexa.

[A hero. You’ll never be a proper hero.]

[Why?!]

[Well, seeing as this is the end of line, Martin. I’ll be honest with you. I gave you brain-spiders because I needed a bridge between skinwalkers and people. Someone who’s not me. Someone whose very specific, mental-manipulation-type power wasn’t awake yet. I couldn't tell you or anyone anything, had to trick you, mislead you, lie to you because if I didn’t - the prognosticators would find out and stop me. I used you because I needed to create a new kind of super, one that could change the world.]

[To prevent this future?]

[This future is pretty shit, but world 2424 isn’t necessarily OUR future. You see, my friend. Our present has problems. Deep, awful problems like the Superstate. My goal is to destroy the Superstate, Martin.]

[God, you really mean that?!]

[Yes.]

“You… you want to destroy the Superstate?” Ember stuttered.

[Yes. The Superstate must come to an end.]

“Why would you… I… I have to tell everyone!” The ex-hero gasped.

[You can do whatever you want when we return to the present, Dimmy! You won’t be able to stop me. Events have already been set into motion. You’re just a gear in the machinery of the future now, spinning towards the inevitable D-day!]

“My brother won’t be a hero?” Ember shivered.

“He’s going to be MY hero. A hero unlike anyone else. A hero that breaks the rules of the game.” Alexa took Martin’s hand.

Martin looked at Alexa. For the first time in his life, he knew that he could trust her. Her mind had been fully opened and via his spider in her head he could tell that she was finally telling the truth.

[Why do we need to end the Superstate?] He asked.

[The superstate creates more villains than it ends. They unjustly imprison and brainwash innocents. They’re monsters disguised under the title of goodness.]

“What?! That’s not true!” Ember waved her hands.

[You don’t have to blindly believe me. I’ll provide you irrefutable evidence very soon.] Alexa smiled.

Ember had nothing to say to that. She didn’t believe the villain girl one bit. Alexa didn’t have to lie, she could simply believe something false, been brainwashed by her father!

Martin on the other hand decided to trust the self-proclaimed villain. He wanted to see what she would do.

Alexa bent down to the floor and listened.

“The reactor’s not sounding too good. I don’t think it’s going to last very long.” She muttered. “Really don’t want to be smeared across space and time. Well, let's go out and get this over with.”

Alexa stood up, heading towards the entrance.

“Where are you going?!” Ember yelped. [Why can’t we stay here, where it’s nice and safe behind the shield?! Why do we need to go out of the cathedral?!]

“Time to face the pied piper.” Alexa said, walking out of the nave. She bravely pulled the doors open. “Follow or stay. Your choice. I have to face Mr. Noodles eventually one way or another, so that I can dig through these ruins for my present in peace. It seems that he and I are fated to cross paths in this desolate land. Hero and Villain at the end of the world. I shan’t run away anymore!”

[Um. Are you saying that Mr. Noodles is a villain? I thought you were the villain archetype. Is he a hero? I’m confused now, thanks.] Martin followed Alexa, looking slightly perplexed.

“She’s clearly nuts! She wants to end the Superstate, Martin! You have to stop her! Please!” Ember tried to pull on Martin.

[Haven’t you learned anything, Em?] Martin turned. [Alexa is almost always right. Except when she’s not. Look, I don’t think that the Superstate is evil, but she said she’ll show me evidence. I can wait and see it for myself.]

“God! Why does nobody fucking listen to me!” Ember cowered, following the others as they stepped through the doors. Alexa reached the blue shield and touched it, her hand going straight through it.

“Ah. Easy to leave, impossible to return. Clever.” Alexa smiled, pushing the doors open. She stepped through the shimmering shield onto the desolate ruins of Saint Mary. The wind howled outside, throwing black ashes and debris in the wake of the eternally spinning supercell storm.

Ember stood at the barrier shield, shaking in terror. She didn’t want to go out there, onto the land full of monsters that already broke her once and stole her power. What could she possibly do out there? How could she possibly be of use without her power?

Alexa stood in the dust storm, with Martin on her right and Cottie on her left. She stared out onto the city. Thumps resounded in the distance. Mr. Noodles was searching for them. It felt their presence.

[Give unto me their skins.] The thing spoke not in words but in ideas and Ember choked in horror and panic. This enormous abomination was going to end them with a single swat of just one of its many limbs. It looked far, far bigger than the ones she had fended off with her avatars.

[Why?] Alexa stared at the distant figure of Mr. Noodles. [Why are you after me? Why do you keep murdering me?! What is your problem?! I don't understand! WHY?!]

Alexa grabbed Cottie and Martin’s hands [My name is Alexa Terranova and I am not afraid of you! You scare me no longer! You might have killed and consumed me more than three thousand times, but this time I have friends who believe in me!]

[What do you mean he ate you three thousand times?!] Ember sent.

[When I die in 2424, a copy of my body remains here. Look at that jerk wearing my skins!] Alexa nodded at the giant.

Ember looked. The monstrous, gargantuan skinwalker drew near. It was wearing thousands of human skins as a cloak. Through her brainspider Ember felt delight in its mind, a craving for the flavour of human flesh. Ember's brain overworked by countless extra years of avatar use had reached a terrifying conclusion. Ember was a monster once. She understood how this giant felt, what it wanted. This monster had consumed the poor girl villain over and over, growing big and tall over the years. It was different because it had feasted specifically on Alexa again and again. It had become addicted to Alexa’s human flesh, craving, waiting for her return to 2424, blinded by greed for her skins. It was focused on Alexa just like Hero Resonance once did. Mr. Noodles was different because it had been changed by the presence of Alexa in this world!

[Wait.] Alexa’s thought bounced off Ember. [You’re god-damn right! Thank you! This thing is chuck-full of my meats. That’s why it’s an aberration among the aberrations! That’s why it stands out, acts weird!]

[Martin! I know how to stop him! The hands of the builders! Think! Altogether now, you too Ember! Look at Mr. Noodles! Tell the others about it! DIFFERENT. ABERRATION. ERROR. DESTROY. TERMINATE!] Alexa stared into the face of the giant without fear.

Martin magnified, resonated the thought pattern across the four skinwalkers in the brains of the four humans and it reached out, spread onto the city of the dead across the skinwalker network. As Mr. Noodles made his way towards the four humans, smaller skinwalkers began to move towards him, nipping on his heels.

[Do not get in my way! I must have their flesh! It is mine!] He sang, swatting the smaller skinwalkers away, smashing them into buildings. More and more of the monsters flung themselves at him, tearing bits of black flesh, picking at his limbs.

Ember watched in horror as a thousand of smaller monsters beset themselves upon the giant one, slowing it down. Monsters flew left and right. Old ruins collapsed. The remains of Saint Mary were being torn apart. Mr. Noodles smashed, decimated, splattered the other skinwalkers into puddles. The hands of the nest builders arrived from the sky. Mr. Noodles didn’t let himself be struck. He evaded, grabbed at the hands, tearing apart, cutting them with his limbs shaped like giant serrated knives. The titanic hands fell onto the city, severed at the elbows. He reached nearer and nearer, closer to the cathedral, closer to Alexa.

[I shall feast upon you soon.] He thought, his thoughts far more coherent, more like a person than an alien monster. Its skin-shawl had been decimated, torn apart. It was bleeding black sludge from numerous cuts, but had emerged victorious. It had seemingly shredded, destroyed all of the smaller, weaker skinwalkers of Saint Mary.

[It’s getting closer? They didn’t stop it! What now?!] Martin projected, taking a step back.

[I don’t know! I haven’t thought of anything else! I thought that the hands would deal with him and we’d be home safe!] Alexa replied, feeling terrified.

Ember, not being able to stand uselessly anymore, her love for her brother overpowering the fear of the coming giant, rushed through the shield.

She knew that Alexa was some kind of a weapon. She just needed to use Alexa against Mr. Noodles somehow. As the titan came closer and closer Ember thought of everyone’s powers, looked at them from an outside angle of a trained hero who knew how to combine, coordinate five heroes into a team, reinforcing, stacking powers.

[Martin! Make a copy of Alexa’s erratic mind! It has to be the key to breaking, interrupting thought patterns! If we can get it into that big bastard maybe we can stop, permanently confuse him!] Ember thought rapidly. She saw the little skinwalker on his shoulder. [Use that scout! Put her brain pattern into that spider scout and…] Ember thought of a way to get the spider to the giant. [The Equalizer’s gun! Shape it like a bullet! Cottie, shoot the scout at that fucking thing!]

Martin grabbed the scout spider from his shoulder. He leaned down and gave it a kiss, carving more skinwalker flesh away from Spiderbro. Spiderbro had been gaining mass in him, thanks to the sushi, he was ready for propagation. Martin shaped the now bigger skinwalker scout in his hand into a bullet shape, imbuing it with a copy of Alexa’s brain pattern. Cottie grabbed it and shoved the spider-bullet into her railgun, aimed it at the head of approaching Mr. Noodles and fired.

The skinwalker bullet controlled by Martin slammed into the head of the giant, getting lost amidst its depths. Martin strained his power to its very limit, capillaries bursting in his eyes. He told the skinwalker bullet to propagate, to infect other stars within Mr. Noodles with the same pattern.

Mr. Noodles had reached them, lifting a limb to splatter them, to take their skins and then… it froze. Martin saw the radiance of brilliant, shifting colors rippling away from the bullet, dancing all over, changing the giant monstrosity, reprogramming it from within.

Ember grabbed Martin as he wobbled, falling. He saw that his fractal of power was beginning to spark, to burn away inside him. Mr. Noodles had been too big, too complex for Martin to wield.

[Disconnect from him now!] Alexa yelled. [NOW NOW NOW! Before you lose everything!] and Martin obeyed her, told Spiderbro to cut the connection. It did and Martin no longer felt that Mr. Noodles was his. The giant monstrosity moved, head coming down to their eye level. Enormous silver eyes looked at the quartet of humans in the street.

[Welp. This is freaky as hell.] Alexa and Mr. Noodles spoke in unison.

Alexa’s bracelet suddenly lit up with flashing lights from within, as if it had reached some critical event. Three thousand and twenty four bracelets within Mr noodles flared all at once, lighting the giant monster up like a Christmas tree.

“Fuck!” Ember swore. She suddenly understood. This was the gift of the mad, possibly dead doctor from the cathedral to his daughter/test subject/whatever. A tool of incredible power to strike down the mightiest supers, the end-all weapon designed to break the SCA and bring Titanomachy down from the sky. A towering monstrosity in the hands of one 14 year old supervillain that Ember helped create, like a fool.