Rue: The Hunt for Harmony - Part 4

With an idea in mind for going back to Zaebos' hellscape, Rue Harlin meets with Blaze to make an uncomfortable request.

Rue waves absentmindedly at Kelly as they enter the reception area to Vigilant Tower, their hood still up and obscuring most of their face. She's seemingly busy with a group of suits, only briefly distracted by the unplanned appearance of the hero before turning her attention back to the men before her.   The tower is relatively quiet at this hour, with most office work having wrapped up a little earlier and no large active missions demanding extra manpower at the building. The sun is still out, the floors still cool from the air-conditioning that had been running throughout the day.   Scanning their hero ID once they get into the lift, Rue clicks on the button to the 32nd floor, leaning the back of their head against the wall as the doors close and the lift starts to move upwards. They close their eyes for a few seconds, their mind immediately plaguing them with the images that have kept them awake for most of the week.   Their eyes must have remained closed for longer than they thought, and so they let out a surprised gasp when the lift dings to announce its arrival to the right floor, the doors slowly sliding open to reveal the lab.   Only a handful of people are still present on the floor, some eager lab technicians working on smaller projects at their own benches and her targets. Rue finds their way towards the two women nearer to the back of the lab, one of them seemingly lost in their work as a younger girl watches on.   ''Hey,'' Rue says, giving a small smile when Blaze turns to meet their gaze. ''How are you feeling?''   "Oh. Hey Rue," Blaze says, picking herself up off the table, "I've been better, but I don't have the voice of a demon in my head anymore, so that's good. But I've been told to take some time off. No more studying or superhero work for a while, which sucks." She seems disappointed, but in decent enough spirits, though Rue can't help but notice the lingering signs of what she's been through. A few bruises here, a scrape there, and her eyes. Bloodshot and with rapidly-developing bags beneath, it looks like she's aged five years in a week, "And how are you? I heard you guys had a hard time in the prison?"   ''I'm fine,'' They say quickly, looking a little uncomfortable. ''Sounds like you're recovering, I'm glad...'' They take a moment to ponder their next words, nervously biting their lip, ''We owe you an apology...'' Rue starts honestly, ''We should've seen it much sooner that you were in danger. I'm sorry.''   "You had no way of knowing, Rue," she says, her eyes now showing a level of emotional maturity that even Rue themself couldn't claim despite having almost a decade on the younger hero, "Beating yourself up over it won't help anyone. I'm here, aren't I? And that's thanks to you too."   “I…” Rue hesitates, “Thank you. I’m really glad you’re okay.”   There’s a strange tension in the air. Rue picks a little fleck of dirt from their sleeve and rolls it between their fingers, seemingly debating something. They take a deep breath before they straighten up, apparently having made up their mind, “I don’t want to waste too much of your time, so I’ll get to the point,” Rue says, “I spoke to Ghost a little while ago  about opening a portal back into that Hellscape, and what we would need to do so. One of the things we’d need is blood of someone who’s been demonically possessed… I know I’m probably being an ass right now, but with everything that’s happened, I want to make sure that that’s at least something we have at the ready for when we need it.”   There's a moment of stunned silence as Blaze takes in what's just been asked of her, "You want to go back there?" She asks, her voice shaky as she tries to fathom what exactly could compel someone to seek out Hell.   “Less of a want, more of a need…” Rue says, looking at Blaze apologetically. “I’m sorry, I wouldn’t ask this of you if it wasn’t important.”   "Err... okay, I guess," she says, a little perturbed, but not unwilling, "Let's go down to the infirmary," She begins to lead back towards the elevator, "So, why do you need to go there, anyway?"   ''Thank you,'' They say, following the younger hero towards the lift, ''It's a long story...'' Rue sighs wearily, pressing the button for the infirmary. They lean against the side of the lift as if their body is too heavy to keep upright, and they wrap their hoodie around them a little more snugly, ''I had my reasons before, but with everything that's happened this week, I wouldn't be surprised if we need to go back there at some point to deal with Zaebos. I just want to make sure we have the means to do so when that time comes.''   "So you think she's not done yet?" Blaze asks, hitting the button for the infirmary, Rue having missed it in their drowzy state, and taking position beside them, looking concerned.   ''I'm not done yet with Zaebos.'' Rue retorts with thinly concealed anger. ''Not until we get Harmony back.''   They push themself back upright once the elevator dings to announce their arrival to the right floor, swaying a little before they compose themself. Stepping into the hallway, they can feel their anxiety rising as if on cue, but with their somewhat selfish request in mind, Rue forces themself towards the doors, leading Blaze into the infirmary. The smells are much the same as any hospital, causing them to swallow down a little bit of bile.   "Fair enough," Blaze mutters, following them into the infirmary, asking one of the nurses to perform the blood draw before turning back, "But Rue, are you okay? You look terrible. Have you been sleeping?"   '’Hmm?'' Rue asks, taking a moment to process the question. ''Oh. I'm fine... I've been busy, that's all.''   They watch as the nurse returns with a tray of tools to extract the blood, guiding Blaze towards one of the beds to sit on. Rue stares at the needle, the hairs on the back of their neck standing up as they're reminded of the blood transfusions from their past.   "Yeah, Cryo always had that 'busy' look back when we were in the future," Blaze says as the nurse begins to take the blood, Rue looking away to clear their mind of the uncomfortable flashbacks, "It all came to a head with a miscalculation that almost got us both killed. Just, don't get yourself hurt trying to fix everything all at once. You can't help anyone if you're dead, or worse."   ''I know...'' Rue concedes sheepishly, rubbing the back of their neck. ''I'm trying, but it's just...'' They purse their lips in thought. They're aware that they're running themself into the ground, that they won't get anywhere at this rate, but they also can't stop it. They feel a franticness down to their core that won't leave them alone, won't let them rest until they at least have a clearer course of action, ''I'll be alright,'' Rue says finally, shaking their head. ''Speaking of Cryogen, though, I don't want to interrupt her work, but do you think she'd be free in a bit for a chat?''   The nurse closes the blood bottle and hands it to Blaze, who then offers it to Rue, a sympathetic look in her eyes, "Alright, Rue. Just, be careful," she says as Rue quickly pockets the bottle, "Today? She's just tinkering with some of the tech she took from that alternate version of herself. It's not high-priority. I bet I could get you ten minutes. What did you need?"   ''Thanks,'' They say, eager to leave the infirmary and head back down the hallway towards the lift. ''I'd like to ask her something about time travel, figured she'd be the best person to speak to on that subject.''   "Well, I suppose it is a topic she knows pretty well," Blaze responds, waiting for the nurse to apply a cotton ball and gauze to her arm, "Alright then, let's see if she's free."   The younger hero leads Rue back upstairs, making some light smalltalk as they ascend, and into the laboratory. As they spot the elder sibling, Blaze grins and skips over to her sister like an annoying little girl, singing to her, "Cryo, Cryo, I've got someone to talk to you."   "Blaze, you have got to stop singing," Cryogen replies, looking up from the portal ring she's working on to see the pair of them.   "Never," Blaze announces, grinning, much to her sister's chagrin.   "What do you need, Rue?" Cryogen asks, sighing as she decides not to humour her sister any further.   ''I'd like to ask you about uhh... I don't really know what to call it. Target specific time travel? I guess?" They start, appreciative of Cryogen's 'no bullshit' way of working. They pull out a notebook from their pocket, having prepared their questions in advance and ready to take notes if needed, ''For starters, I'd like to understand how it works. I've seen the Chronaturge reverting himself and others back to a younger version of themselves with his magic, but I've also seen you rewind Mercy when the other Brainiac blew his head off. Just how far can you rewind someone?''   Cryogen wastes no time in getting to the point, "Localised changes, making something younger or older, are fairly simple..." she takes a moment, realising who she's talking to, "relatively speaking, at least. A few minutes or hours I can do without too much trouble. The more time you need to move, the more complicated it becomes, there's some risk of innacuracy, and you don't want to accidentally overdo it. With enough time and materials though, I could theoretically unwind something indefinitely."   Rue scribbles down a few notes, listening intently to Cryogen's explanation, ''What kind of inaccuracies?'' They ask with a concerned frown, briefly glancing up from their notes to look at the hero, ''Do you think you could revert Harmony back to before Zaebos possessed her?''   "Well, I'm not a wizard, so my effectiveness is tied to my calculations, and the more time I need to undo, the harder those calculations get. I could do too little, or worse overshoot. If they're accidentally shot back to before they were born, we could lose them entirely," she shudders a little as her mind wanders. "Yes, I thought you might want to ask about Harmony," she continues, pausing for a moment as she collects her thoughts, "The problem is that they're an amalgamated being now. I couldn't rewind one without the other, and without that girl's body for Zaebos to inhabit, there'd be nowhere for her to go. The device wouldn't be able to go back any further."   Their frown deepens as Rue processes the information, their note taking slowing. ''I figured it'd be a long shot...'' They say, visibly disappointed. ''I still had to ask, though,'' They close their notebook and slip it back into their pocket. ''Do you reckon the same would apply for a magical rewind? The Chronaturge seemed okay when he used it on himself to stop the demonic taint, but then again he wasn't fully possessed yet...''   "The Chronaturge's magic is... weird," Cryogen continues, taking little note of Rue's reactions, "Did he ever use his baby beam, or whatever he calls it, on you?"   ''Oh yeah, twice.'' Rue says, with a shudder remembering the strange sensation of their body reverting back. ''Also, baby beam? Seriously?''   Blaze giggles, "You should've seen baby Cryogen. It was-" a sharp glare passes from the older sister to the younger, her voice dying briefly before muttering quietly, "It was adorable."   "Regardless of the name, you'll know then that even while regressed, you maintain your memories and mentality, though your physical functions may be hampered. My theory is that the Chronaturge only creates a physical age reversal rather than actually rewinding time," she sighs, "If he wasn't such an ass, I'd like to actually do some research on those abilities of his, but for now we have to make do. I don't think he or his powers can be relied upon to do what you need him too. But maybe..." Her voice fades out as she seems to get lost in thought.   Rue smiles faintly at the interaction between the sisters, their interest piqued when Cryogen appears to be considering another option, ''Maybe?'' They prompt eventually when it looks like Cryogen won't continue their train of thought out loud.   "Cryo?" Blaze says, peering over her sister's shoulder and clicking her fingers at her, "Hey. Hey, come back to us. Cryo. Cryogen. Big C. Cold Shoulder. Ice Queen..." the nicknames go on for several seconds before the older hero exits her daydream.   "Maybe, if you were able to weaken her, then find some way to hold her outside a mortal host... Maybe then we could separate the two without the need for another host? You'd have to talk to someone who knows more about demons, but it could make her vulnerable. Allow you to strike at her true essence as it were."   Pulling out their notebook again, Rue quickly jots that down, ''I'm supposed to be meeting someone who may be able to help with that this weekend ,'' They say, nodding gratefully. ''Thanks, I appreciate the help...'' They lock eyes with Blaze, offering her another smile. ''From both of you.''   "Alright, Rue. Stay safe out there, and let us know if you need anything." Blaze says, smiling gently as the hero prepares to leave.   "Yeah, good luck." Cryogen joins before turning back to her work, leaving Rue to take the elevator back down alone.   Rue lets out a little groan when the lift stops halfway down, the doors sliding open to reveal a familiar pink haired woman, ''Oh,'' They say, not exactly surprised to find Brainiac at Vigilant Tower, but still not having expected to bump into her that day. ''Hey.''   "Oh hey, Rue," Brainiac says, seemingly just as surprised to run into them, "Didn't expect you to be here. I didn't think the B-team was working this week?"   ''We're not,'' Rue says as the doors slide closed again, making an effort to stand up a little straighter. ''I just had something to discuss with Cryogen and Blaze," Feeling a little awkward, Rue shifts their weight from one leg to the other, ''Rach told me you helped to sort out another protective detail for the Green family after Jacob snuck away ... Thanks.''   "Yeah, well the guys on the first shift still have no idea how he got past them," she shrugs, "Hopefully the new set will be a little more awake this time. You know where I am if you need anything else though."   ''He's the Chaos Lord, he can be sneaky.'' Rue says with a shrug. They had been upset about the slip up earlier in the week, but Rachel had been surprisingly rational and calm, helping to ease their frustrations eventually (after which Rue had decidedly teased her for using her mum voice on them), ''Actually, I umm...'' Rue pauses uncomfortably, wondering if they'd be somehow disrespecting her if they ask her for help with this. Where they found it easy not to mince their words with Cryogen, Rue realises they very much struggled to find the right words to speak with Brainiac. ''I- You know how you umm... helped me before ?''   "That's quite the moniker, maybe I should have him put on a Century watch list," she says feigning concern before beaming once again, "Oh? The boost? What about it? I didn't accidentally give you a migraine, did I?"   ''Oh no, not at all, it really helped.'' Rue quickly reassures her, taking a deep breath. ''I was wondering if you could do that again...''   Brainiac raises a brow, looking Rue up and down thoughtfully before landing before them and speaking quietly, "How long have you been without sleep, Rue?"   ''I haven't...'' Somehow, just looking at Brainiac stops the argument that they haven't been entirely without sleep in its tracks, knowing that the odd hour here and there hasn't done much to help them, especially not riddled with nightmares, ''Since the blackout...''   "So, you're looking at upwards of six days now?" She says, crossing her arms like a disappointed parent, "I'm no doctor, Rue, but I know the mind. You're putting yourself at serious risk. My boost is simply a band-aid, not a cure. You're at serious risk of sleep deprivation psychosis, if not worse. Have you started hallucinating yet?"   For some reason, the journey down in the lift seems to have slowed down considerably, and Rue vaguely wonders if Brainiac has done something to stop them from getting away from this conversation, ''It's not like I haven't tried to sleep...'' They mumble with a pout, looking like a scolded child. ''I don't think I've hallucinated, per se, just- I keep running through what happened.''   "Alright, Rue," she says, rolling her eyes a little, "One more boost. It'll get you through today and ease your mind a little about what happened. But you've got to promise me that you'll try to get some sleep."   ''Thank you,'' They say, relief washing over them when Brainiac concedes. ''I promise I'll try.''   "Alright, come here." she says, squaring up to Rue and offering a hand to their temple.   Familiar with the process now, Rue moves closer to allow Brainiac to make contact and give them the boost they desperately need.   "Alright, let's do something a little stronger..." Brainiac mutters as she gently touches Rue's temple, establishing the psychic connection between the pair, "Clear up a few neural pathways, release a little dopamine, melatonin and serotonin, and..."   As opposed to the gentle calm that washed over them last time, this boost felt more like a shot of adrenaline straight to the prefrontal cortex. Rue's eyes shoot open as they're hit by what feels like the happiest little thunderbolt. Suddenly they feel like they could run a mile and can't help but smile, giggling ever so slightly as their thoughts are dragged out of the darkness, "There. That should keep you going for a few hours. I even put in a couple of funny cat memes for good measure if you just go looking for a bit."   ''That's-'' Rue lets out another laugh, feeling lighter than they'd felt in days. ''Wow. Thank you. You really added cat memes?'' They look at their hands as if they're just discovering they're there, flexing their fingers as the high starts to level out a little from the initial hit, ''I love cats...''   "I mean, who doesn't?" Brainiac giggles as she watches Rue adjusting, "Yeah, of course. Just think about them for a bit, they'll just..." Doing as instructed, a meme of a chubby ginger cat dressed in a blue shirt playing the keyboard pops into their mind, "...come to you."   ''Thank you, really,'' They chuckle, their mind a lot calmer. They feel like they can skip out of the lift by now and all the way back home, but the rational part of their brain reminds them to be careful with the newly given energy boost. Plaster, not cure, it reminds them. ''If I'm honest, I'm not sure how I'd have gotten home without it.''   As it turns out, Rue feels a lot more loose lipped after the boost, their usual worries muted by the thoughts of cats in silly outfits and evidently getting rid of some of their filter, ''I promise I will try to sleep, but with the nightmares I'm not always waking up by choice, and I don't want to panic in my sleep and set Rach's sofa on fire again.''   "Well, look," Brainiac says as the lift finally opens and the two step out into the main foyer, Brainiac beginning to hover once ahain as they come into view of the general public, "If it gets too bad, come see me again. We can put you to bed in one of the bunks upstairs and I'll clear your mind entirely of dreams for the night. I know it's not as fun as martyring yourself to prove you care about your friend, but it's a lot better than running entirely on psychic boosts and stubbornness."   ''That- That's fair.'' Rue says, the pair making their way towards the exit, giving a wave to the guard at the desk. ''More than fair, actually. I'll have to remember that once the self-loathing hits again.''   "I'm good at self-loathing. Also self-consciousness, self-sabotage, self-actualisation," she wiggles her fingers in a vaguely mystical gesture as the two exit the front doors of the building and she begins to float away, "Indigo's got nothing on these skills."   ''Yeah, Dr Upton doesn't seem like she'd add cat memes either,'' Rue snorts, waving their goodbye at Brainiac before turning in the opposite direction, holding back the skip in their step on the way home.   That evening, Rue cooks a hearty meal for themself and Rachel, their appetite having returned with the energy boost as well. They end up going over their notes, scribbling down a few more questions for the Trinity that weekend as they nurse a hot chocolate in their free hand, Rachel and Jasmine chatting away in the background. They end up writing another letter until they catch themself yawning.   Placing the notebook on the coffee table, Rue curls up on the sofa, hugging a familiar beaver plushie to their chest. ''Jacob said you'd help, so lets give it a try...'' They mutter to the inanimate object, closing their eyes and almost immediately drifting off to sleep.   Though blissfully dreamless at first, they eventually awaken from the same nightmare with a gasp, their heartbeat racing and their skin clammy with sweat. Taking a moment to collect themself, they eventually grab their phone, the light from the screen illuminating the otherwise dark room.   ''Better than nothing...'' They sigh, realising that they managed to get just under 5 hours of sleep. Looking down at the plushie in their lap, they give it a little squeeze, ''Thanks for the help, bud.''