Leave The Monster Alone

When has the world changed this much? It felt like only yesterday that he had watched it be all sunshines and rainbows. In a single day it had changed to a hell on earth and they were its victims. He had watched it burn and then reshape itself into an image it had liked.

It had happened one day out of the blue, the world reshaping itself. Alan had not felt the change coming but he had realised once they hit him like a truck. He had tried his best to survive since then. He had not wanted to be a burden to others after all.

He had met a lot of fun people along the way. Some who had tolerated him, the others who had not but he had never really complained about it to anyone. There was no one to complain to after all. Everyone else who had been left behind had their own worries and sorrows to look after.

Then he had met Mark and Kuro, both who had changed his life for the better. They had become his pillars in a world where no one seemed sane anymore. He had made a vow that day, to live and protect them.

Then his brother had come back wrong but he had still been the same Luna Alan had always loved and respected. Wrong or not, he was his brother and nothing was going to change it for him, least of all the push from Luna himself.

Alan had pushed back at Luna and others, carved himself another family in that mismatched segment and he had been happy once again.

Then Rika had come and it had felt like the last missing link connecting in it's hold. Alna had never liked poetry but it had really seemed like the final clog in the clock that made it move. She had also made home in their group easily. There were four now.

Things went well after that, events happened but Alan had no complaints. Mark was hiding things from him, he always did from day one but Alna did not care. Whatever was bugging the other man, Alna would know at his pace.

When Mark finally told him, Alan had been surprised but not in an urgent and terrible way. Maybe a part of him had always known this all to not be true. His existence was a coding? Maybe. But he believed he exited and his existence was making a change in their small world.

Even when Mark started to push him away, Alan knew he could not allow this. There were things he needed to accomplish and staying with Luna was not going to accomplish them.. Besides, Mark was the one who needed him the most. (Alan needed him just as badly for emotional support).

And he had finally gotten his way. He had achieved his first goal when Mark had taken him under his wing in the resistance base. Becoming a divine beast was suddenly worth everything he had undertaken.

Then there had been more divine beasts and more chaos and things had changed once again. He had met a terrifying being in the form of Nathan and had felt true fear and despair. He had felt hate and helplessness which he could not have otherwise experienced.

And he had come out stronger. He would like to believe he had come out stronger and much more dynamic than before. He was quicker on his feet and street smart. He had known what true power was.

He had gained more allies, one he could count on in the future. Yun gave him a wrong feeling at the start but he was pretty cool in the end. He was especially fierce as he stood over what he protected. He was the one to train Alan initially once he accessed his core.

Alex was an enigma and did not interact with anyone anymore than what was strictly needed to be. He was someone Alan was wary of but Mark seemed to like him so it was all cool. When the other did interact with Alan, he generally provided really good tips which Alan was thankful for and could not help but appreciate.

His brother was a rocky person for Alan to get along with. They had great chemistry but not a lot of communication. Actually, it was better to say that Alan was afraid of him. He was afraid of the other's rejection and it would crush him if that happened.

Then there was Mark and it always came back to him in the end. And not only for him, but for others as well. Luna looked for the other's advice, not something he had seen his brother do after this mess. Yun and Alex worked with him, Kuro adored him and then there was Liam who had a secret.

And it was not only those two. There was Zeno, En and even the other divine beasts. Somehow, everything came back to Mark and he seemed oblivious about it all. Sometimes he was emotionless, other times he was a mess. His mood was unpredictable all the time.

As Alan faced his end, knowing he would never wake up again, he could not help but ask for them all to tell him something, anything he could hold onto as he sank further down the hole.

"Time to say goodbye. Perhaps next time you will be a better pawn" the faceless creature said in his emotionless voice and Alan felt bitter at his defeat. He had not been able to keep his promise in the end. Everything was ending with their defeat and he could do nothing to help his brother or Mark.

The glint of the word came down and Alan braced himself for the last time. This was his end and he was ready. He would never open his eyes after this.

And somewhere, those pairs of eyes opened with a frightened expression. There was a wet layer of tears on that young and soft face.

"What a terrifyingly real dream that was"