City of Rain: RGN

She was horrified at herself. She spun through a liminal corridor within the multiverse, Regen Buirell hugged at her shoulders. The space was cold. She was used to doing this. Used to holding herself. Used to consoling herself. Used to being there for herself. But it didn’t get any easier. For years now, she had hugged at herself whenever things got insurmountable.

Whenever chaos seemed unending, relentless, and unyielding. Whenever agony was too big a pill to swallow. Whenever loneliness appeared like a great, engulfing chasm. Or, plainly, whenever a favorite paintbrush of hers broke, vexing her ability to paint.

Just moments ago, she and the great Queen of the Undertow, Alisandra Requiette, defeated a persistent threat. It was an old friend of hers, gone rogue, by the name of Carmen Tartarus. Alisandra plunged her super-strong fist through the boy’s chest, garnering his eyes to go lifeless. Carmen Tartarus of Earth #36 had successfully detonated a bomb in the Crofton & Soiree Defense Force’s main ship.

It had scattered the members of the Crofton & Soiree all across a savage Earth that Alisandra had also conveniently stumbled upon in her journey to reclaim her powers. Carmen had promised to hunt down the other members of the Crofton & Soiree Defense Force.

All in the name of humbling the Defense Force -- Regen included --, in order to make sure that they knew just how egoistic they were being. Since, after all, the organization had crowned themselves with the burden of gathering any and all Interdimensional Traveling Devices. They thought that other people were unfit to have them. Carmen found this to be irreconcilable. The organization needed to then face his idea of justice.

Of course, deep down, Regen knew…

… that Carmen was just deeply hurt and lonely.

As so she continued to spin and swim. She continued to float through the liminal space in the multiverse. She held tightly to a piece of an ITD that Alisandra had given her. She gritted her teeth and couldn’t bear the throttle of the teleportation any longer. With her eyes still shut, she let out a horrified, traumatized shriek. The memories of her old comrade, Carmen, tormenting her.

She had really just watched, frozen with ambivalence, as Alisandra brutally stole the remaining breath from Carmen’s lips. Of course, it had to be done… he was too far gone. But, maybe, this time was different. In this universe, hoping to all hope, she could find another Carmen, and befriend him.

________

No longer screaming now, Regen found herself huddled over a patch of grass. She mumbled to herself about her regrets and hang-ups. How much she felt bad for the complicitness in killing Carmen.

Slowly, her eyelids opened. She wiped away a few dust particles and tears and put a hand to her head. In a silver, sporty jacket, and a pair of blue jeans, she got to her knees. She tossed a glance all around her, now collecting herself.

For as far as she could see, tall dormitories, clock-towers, guest-speaker halls, and academic halls sat proud and wide over a tuscany-style boardwalk. Flags flew in the distance, signaling the different countries of this Earth.

It wasn’t too far from her own Earth, with the stripes of France, Germany, Ireland, and the moon of Turkey all flapping in the wind. She started to walk forward, a meek smile creeping up on her face.

With profuse blinks, she folded up her Chalice Sword. It was a sword that Alisandra had given her a long time ago. Even before their reluctant team up against Carmen Tartarus’s murder-spree. As she shoved it into her pocket, she pulled out her phone.

In the distance, some foreign pop music played from the speakers of the college. The upbeat song relaxed her anxious heart. She brushed back her light blue hair. She wore it in a medium-length bob. Always had.

“I… made it. I’m here. Wherever here is.” Regen said. She spun on her heel in a complete rotation. She took in the entire sight of the campus boardwalk. “Holy crap. Where am I? This looks… a lot like Kernfurt Academy. My old college, before it got attacked. I--”

“Uh, excuse me, um, lady, buuuuuut are you a new student, or a registering guest?”

As he approached her, the familiar voice of a short, young man piped up. He was complete white hair and pink eyes. His voice seemed to almost swim across the air. He wore a light blue sweater and almost had a bowl cut. He played with the strings of his hood and stood awkwardly. He had a scratchy, nasally voice and a buccal face.

Regen whipped around, startled. “C-- Carmen?”

“Ah--” The student backed up. “Whoa! How do ya know my name? Aw, crap! Wait, lemme guess. It was my older brother, wasn’t it? He told you about me?”

“Uh-- Oh, right, sorry, um, this probably looks a little creepy, right? Ah, this is the part where I come up with a good excuse for why I’m here.” Regen scratched at her hair. “Eheheh. Uh, I’m a… registering guest?”

“Oh! Well, uh, only you would know that. So… cool! Here, come on, follow me. The Hall for that is this way. My older bro and dad hang out there most of the time in the evenings. So, what’re you looking to study? Guests typically audit classes, and then come to be full-time students. Ya hear about our menu options? People like the Pudding Pies, but I’m more of a fan of Cordon Bleu Fridays!”

“H-- Huh?” Regen swallowed. This place really is a college, isn’t it?

“Yanno, like, Cordon Bleu, man! Everybody knows Cordon Bleu. I mean-- Ah, sorry, I don’t mean to be snappy. I’m, uh, actually just a bit… shy, to be honest. Didn’t have my favorite energy-drink this morning. That doesn’t help the shyness, either. VitaGee Deluxe, ya see. It’s, like, your run of the mill ‘Electrolyte Sports-Drink’ with some bad stuff for your heart. You know how it goes. Uh…” This universe’s Carmen licked his lips awkwardly. “... so, like, whaddaya think your major’s gonna be? Spanish Studies? Upper Respiratory Medicine? Welding?”

“Oh, right! Um, well, I’d like to just find that out as I go along.”

“Honestly? That’s a pretty valid move. I’m, uh, Carmen, by the way. Although it seems like you already knew that.” Carmen teased. Him and Regen now stood by a set of completely brick stairs. The outdoor stairs led up to a building filled with more checkered flags. Different countries flapped in the wind. “Tell me, what’s your name?”

“Regen.” The blue-haired girl grinned. “Regen Buirell.”

“Ah. Well, I guess I’ll welcome you to school, Regen. Soiree Academy. Come on, I’ll introduce ya to my bro. I warn ya, though. I warn ya: He’s a real ass. Likes to keep to himself a lot. And doesn’t text fast, which, in this day and age, is social suicide. The gall of not responding to messages in the next instant is just so indicative of contempt.”

Wow, sounds like an ass, I guess. Regen shrugged. Hope he’s not like Carmen’s older brother from the last universe. That guy had worse tunnel-vision than a groundhog. And I should know. I used to like reading Groundhog Magazines.

As he propped open the push-door with his elbow, Carmen allowed Regen to walk on ahead. After they walked through a miniature hallway, composed entirely of glass, the two strangers then found themselves in a cushiony, dim room that smelled of bergamot, black pepper, and vetiver. The aroma proved heavy, and Regen put a hand up to her nose. She feared she could sneeze at any moment.

“Why, hello,” Came a soothing voice. It was from a tall, young man with flowing, blond locks. He slowly put a hand out to Regen. “are you registering for the spring-semester, perchance?”

“Dude!” Carmen rolled his eyes. “You can’t just say ‘perchance’.”

Regen couldn’t believe what she was seeing. A gasp escaped her peppermint lips. In front of her, a man with a face both smooth and chiseled gave a perfectly symmetrical smile. With a pair of light-blue eyes, he had a slight purse to his lips.

His dress was as elegant as his voice, with a white, button-up over a black muscle shirt. Black pants and dress-shoes softly followed from this debonair attire. His teeth were also as white as the stars in the sky. And his voice was as soft as a bluejay landing on a tree-branch.

Regen gulped. Oh, shit. He’s… terrifyingly handsome. I didn’t know they made guys like that! Kinda makes me wish I had long, blond hair. Wait! That’s Carmen’s older brother from the last universe. Only… he seems nicer. Clearing her throat, Regen nodded. “Yes, my name is Regen Buirell, and I’m here to register for the spring-semester.”

“Ah, very well. Any transcripts?” The princely man asked.

At this, Regen felt her heart quicken. “Uh… whoops. I think I left them… not with me.”

“O-- Oh.” The debonair blond nodded, shocked. “Well, I could get into contact with your last school. Do you remember where you last left them?”

However, in an old, cranky fit, a second man -- older, grimmer, and with less hair on his head --, whacked a cane against the floor. “Ah, to hell with the transcripts! It’s not every day a person just waltzes in here and says they wanna become a student. The express goal of our university is to make it accessible, Mavier. Make education accessible!”

“U-- Understood, father, it’s just… process is process. Tradition, tradition.” The princely man, Mavier, looked away.

Regen cringed. “Ah, geez! Look, I’m really sorry if I’m making things awkward right now--”

“No, not at all, ma’am.” Mavier put a hand to his chest. “Forgive me, I can be very susceptible to tunnel-vision. If you wish to be a student at our school, then by any and all means, I shall hurry with your enrollment.” Then, the princely blond performed a rather regal bow. “Enchanted to meet you, by the by. I am… Mavier Tartarus, and I must welcome you to my father’s crowning achievement. He helped make this school. Soiree Academy.”

Regen gulped once more, blushing. I’m gonna be here for a long time, aren’t I? Eh, I don’t think I can complain too terribly. Then, with a sudden jolt, she piped up with, “Wait a minute! Wait, that means that… your Carmen’s dad.” She looked over at the old man.

The old man groaned with, “So I am. Carmen is an average boy. Painfully average! He could use some more friends.”

At this, Regen clenched a fist behind her back. That’s why I came here, isn’t it? In this universe… I won’t let Carmen feel neglected and go mad. Carmen, I swear that this time… I’m going to reach out more. To everyone else, too.

“I’ll show her around campus, father.” Mavier did a formal bow again before turning to Regen. He gestured her to the doors in which she originally entered. “This way, please.”

“Aye-Aye, captain.” Regen said. She snapped a pair of finger-guns and awkwardly chuckled. She walked a little faster than Mavier. “Haha, hope that wasn’t too cringy!”

“Nonsense, that actually shows a lot of spirit!” Mavier grinned. Good God Almighty, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a woman in my life as beautiful as her.

As she stepped back out onto the boardwalk, Regen drank in the spring weather. She put her arms out and sighed in relief. Well, I guess it’s back to being a student again. Great. So, Soiree Academy, I hope ya don’t bite.

________

In the city of Neociss, a group of hybrid-humans known as Carals loved to shop. A group of them skipped and jumped around one night. Neociss City was one giant shopping center with bridges and street lamps.

Some Carals were the cross between a person and a bunny, while others were either part-dogs or part-cats. A pack of them kept close and made way for pottery stores, pet stores, and furniture stores.

Behind them, a strange figure in a purple and silver suit watched.

He kept himself hidden as he thought. Tonight’s another night out in the action. Carals are a hybrid-race of part-animal, part-human beings. They deserve just as much respect and love as the next group of citizens, but other people seem to have different plans. Oh well. I’ll just crash their plans and save the Carals. Right… about… now. The figure wore a faceless mask. He also had a long, blond ponytail that ran down to his rear.

A group of suspicious men tailed the Carals. They had clubs and bats in their hands. Some of the bats were metal. As the Carals turned a corner, the men walked around the other side of a building.

They wore insignias on their shirts, indicating some membership into a gang. The Carals walked around the corner of a fastfood joint. As the goonish gang members walked up to them, the masked figure appeared. One of the goons turned around, all too late.

“Oh shit!” One of the other goons yelled. “It’s that superhero, Respite!”

The suited figure sucker-punched one of the goons in the face. He kicked another thug into the shins. He smacked two thugs’ foreheads together. One of the thugs broke a wooden bat over the back of the masked hero’s neck.

The mysterious hero paused, then whipped around. It had no effect. He smacked the thug across the face and wagged his finger. A lot of the other thugs ran off. The remaining thugs brandished some metal bats. The masked hero, Respite, grabbed their bats and threw them into the horizon. The thugs ran off screaming.

The armored figure ran off behind the store. “Well,” They breathed heavily in a muffled tone. “Hopefully I can make it back to school in time for tonight’s dinner in Mensa Hall.”

And, oddly, he spoke with a soothing, debonair voice.

________

As she stood in her dorm-room, a rather small abode with just enough space for a window, a bed, a closet, and a bathroom, Regen tried on a new jacket. Overall, it was black with a pink trim. As she stretched her arms out, she eventually struck pose after pose in the mirror. She performed poses for herself such as two fists forward, a kick to the side, palms out in defense, and a simple peace-sign to top it all off.

“This… doesn’t really feel like me. I like blues and whites… and pinks. But, like, bright pinks. Undeniable pinks… mixed with more blues. Ugh. And how am I gonna go back to… anyone? My old friends… Alisandra, the Crofton & Soiree Defense Force, Liana De’Marquis, or anybody else? I wonder what any of them are doing right now. Ugh. I just need to--” She walked closer to the mirror, inspecting her skin. “I just need to get out of my own head. I came here with the express purpose -- As this Mavier likes to say -- to befriend Carmen. I need to stick to that. But--”

Suddenly, she looked over at an advert on her room’s desk which read:

Soiree Academy’s Fencing Club

Learn to Fence with the academy’s two-time champion… Jennifer Aliseth Norman!

Regen felt her heart jump with delight. “This Jennifer chick looks pretty cool. Yanno, I think I’m gonna get into fencing now. This is exactly what I need. A sport where I can just wack people with a stick. I’d have too much fun with that!”

________