V.I.R.A.L

The city had started to freeze over once more like before. Alton was bare witnessing to his very own destruction standing at the helm staring blankly on. "It's happening again… It's eight years ago all over again."

Hannah burst down, slipping on the snow catching her footing. "Hey! What the hell is going on here? Where did all this snow come from?"

Alton lowered his head in disgust, whispering. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, forgive me…"

"What are you blabbering on about?" Adam snapped, shaking Alton. "Don't go breaking down on us now!"

"This is my doing. The other me…"

"What does that mean, the other you? What is going on?!" Hannah barked, lost.

Alton slowly sat down in the snow, sighing, just letting the situation pass him by. "As I said before, I'm like you too, a Child of Garden who managed to escape its clutches. A man soon to be my father found me and took me in, treating me like his own. But he soon learned of the consequences of his actions, trying to make amends killing me. During such a battle, I lost control of my powers, freezing an entire city and beyond into a never-ending ice age. That same event is happening here and now, and soon everyone in this city will die…"

"You're kidding me," Eve whispered. "What sort of power is that?"

Adam held his chin, lost in thought. "Is there any way to stop this?"

Shaking his head, Alton feels deeper into his burden, whimpering. "I can't stop it. Not like this; it doesn't matter anymore. I have nothing more to lose."

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Hannah frowned, turning to the Berry siblings. "Any ideas? You're a custom to these sorts of happenings."

"While I wouldn't disagree with you there, I think this is a little out of our paygrade. We're going up against one of the five stages of grief Acceptance. If what I believe to be true, he made this world to break Alton to his very limits, and it seems he succeeded."

Eve stood up, looking towards the blizzard. "Well, I guess that's that. We've served our purpose, right?"

"Seems so," Hannah stated. "We should get going."

Adam turned to Alton, shrugging his shoulders. "He really had high hopes for you; he expected you to pull out one last ace in the hole. Guess even Acceptance can get things wrong sometimes."

The three walked into the blizzard vanishing from sight, leaving Alton alone once more. Losing all feelings, Alton collapsed to the ground staring onwards, whimpering. "This is how it ends, huh? What a fitting ending for someone like me. Nothing but the monster and tool of V.I.R.A.L…"

"We both know that's not true." A voice echoed. Alton turned, not giving any sort of a response staring blankly at the source of the voice. "The Alton I know never gives up no matter what."

"You again… Another one of Acceptance's tricks to hinder in the fact more… Why can't you just leave me to die in peace, Zinnia?"

Zinnia sat down next to Alton rubbing her hands together. "If that's what you truly want, I'll leave. But we both know that isn't the truth. It's been what three years almost? In three years, you've fallen apart and drowned in false judgement and lies."

Shivering, Alton stared blankly forward past Zinnia whispering. "Lies or not, it doesn't matter. I've lost everything again. My home, Sam, Team Rhapsody… You. No matter how hard I try, how hard I fight, the outcome is always the same. Really what's the point of trying if there's no chance of winning?"

Zinnia stood up, dragging Alton away, trying to stand him up. "On your feet! I said, on your feet, Alton, I'm not letting this be the end. We fight until the bitter end. If your fate is to die here, then we shall do that together!"

Dragging Alton away, he dug his heels into the ground forcing Zinnia to a halt. "Stop it… You're not real; you left me for this very reason. I'm self-centred, selfish, and a coward who puts overs in danger to survive. I'm just a parasite with nothing to show for it. I keep believing in such pep talks, but it's futile and useless."

Zinnia dropped Alton panting as she, too, sat down, sighing. "So, I guess that's it then? We're just going to accept defeat?" 

"Yes."

Stretching her arms, she laid back, letting the blizzard slowly consume her. "The others are going to have to clean up our mess, now aren't they? Do you think they; I could survive your mistakes?"

Alton flinched, staring up, lost for words. "I'd just make things worse if I intervened."

"How do you know that?"

"I… I just do."

"Really? But I thought you were a Child of the Garden, right? You defy all odds each and every day. You shouldn't exist, right? You're nothing but an anomaly, a mistake that should never have happened. That's who you are, right, Alton? The way I see that you are the only one who can overcome this. Truth and lies? What does that matter to the likes of you? You being here is the very truth you need. The Garden wants to kill you; V.I.R.A.L wants to kill you. It seems like these days, everyone wants a piece of that pie. Let them win and take you, and well those words will be engraved and true forever. Prove them wrong; you've defied this world over and over. What's stopping you now? Burn it all to the ground if you must allow everyone to be your enemy. You have the right to live more than anyone because you weren't born into this world. You fought and perceived all the odds time and time again. Giving up now will all be for nothing, take reasonability for your actions and fight if not for this world, fight for you. Fight for the sake of it."

"Zinnia?"

"Yes?"

Alton turned his head, facing her with a conflicted look. "What would you do if you were in my shoes? If you knew what I was, what would you do?"

Huddled up, Zinnia smiled. "I would have given up a long time ago. I'm not strong-willed like you, Alton. I give up on things all the time. Rebecca called me a quitter so many times that the word lost all meaning to me. The one thing I thought I could do, the very one thing, be a hero. Even that fell apart. But you aren't like that; you've never been like that, really. You fight for a reason no matter what, right?"

Alton looked at his hand, giving a faint nod. "I do… I'd always fight for one simple reason; I fight to prove others wrong."

"And wow, you've sure done that, haven't you?" Zinnia chuckled. "The Montagues, the Syndicate family, V.I.R.A.L and even the Garden have fallen victim to your mentality. Why stop there?"

"Every journey has an end. Perhaps mine is here?"

"I suppose you're right. I mean, just look at you." Zinnia ranted, eyes closed, looking pissed off. "You can really get on my nerve always playing the victim card instead of doing something about it. You push people away when they are there for you and refuse to allow others to carry your burden. You keep secrets that put others in danger and never trust people fully. You allow others to look down on you and don't care what happens to strangers whatsoever, and sometimes I really hate you, Alton. You get on my nerves because I know you can do better, but you always accept second best and are fine with that. You're a failure who can't even keep a stable job, let alone save the world I even question why the hell we all follow you for."

"Zinnia…"

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Turning to Alton, she took a deep breath, smiling. "But none of that matters because even with all those flaws, you're still incredible, Alton. Everything about you is just that. Even when all hopes seem lost, you fight even if it's got nothing to do with you. You'll sacrifice everything to protect the people you care for and are always there to help those in need. But most importantly." Tilting her head with tears in her eyes, Zinnia blushed, capturing Alton's full attention. "You became my friend."

Alton stood up, patting himself down, not making eye contact with Zinnia at all. "You'll always see me like that no matter what, won't you, Zinnia?"

"Yes." She exclaimed without a second thought.

Smirking to this, he wiped his face. "Idiot. I really don't know what you see in me, Zin, but I guess there's no point dwelling on it. But you're absolutely right; I've come this far. Giving up will make all those memories we had to be all be for nothing. I'm not a hero; I'm done trying to be one for others. That doesn't suit me one bit. No, I'm a survivor who defies all the odds to survive. My very existence shouldn't have happened. I'm going to keep it that way, so you just sit there and watch as I put an end to this little dream."

Alton kneeled down, igniting a puff of smoke flying through the sky towards his final battle. Zinnia stood up, watching as she smiled, holding her hands behind her back. "Go get them, Alton… Show the world what the Phantom Survivor is truly about."