The Second Archon War: Interlude 14

Interlude 14: Plot Bunnies

“There’s something wrong with the moon.” 

Dr. Myung blinked, looking up from his laptop. He was currently working on a paper describing a brand new lifeform in the Narukami Trench, namely a type of giant and extremely hostile seahorse that was infused with Electro. There was only one on record so far, but it was extremely intriguing. “I’m sorry, what?”

The person standing in his door was a middle-aged professor much like himself, going a bit to seed from years spent doing desk work and peering through telescopes. Dr. Jinwoo Ha also worked at Seoul Nation University, though he was in the astronomy department. Myung recognized him not because of the facility meetings and get-togethers over the years, but rather because recently they’d been collaborating due to Myung’s expertise on Electro, and the fact that the lunar surface had recently been completely reshaped by Korea’s new goddess. 

“There’s something very wrong with the Moon. I want you to take a look to make sure I’m not going completely mad,” Dr. Ha repeated, coming up to Myung and thrusting a laptop at him. 

“I’m hardly an astrological expert, though I am rather familiar with the Moon’s effect on tides,” Dr. Myung said, accepting the laptop somewhat hesitantly. 

“Yes, but you’re the resident expert on Electro, and I want to be very sure that this isn’t a result of that,” Dr. Ha said, gesturing to the laptop.

On the screen was an incredibly high-definition photograph of the Moon, or so Dr. Myung assumed. He could see various craters that were marked, as well as some other notable features he didn’t recognize. There was one very odd thing, however. He zoomed in several times, then blinked. His eyes weren’t deceiving him. He looked up, frowning. “Is that…a house? And a garden? Are you sure an intern isn’t just playing a prank?”

“No. This is the Mare Moscoviense. We were remapping the far side of the moon, though at first, we didn’t think there had been many changes, unlike the very visible one on the near side. But then when I was going over the scans, I found this… irregularity. I was wondering if it could have somehow been caused by electro.”

“Er, no, I don’t think so,” Dr. Myung said, running a hand through his thinning hair. “Can we get a closer view?”

“The satellite won’t pass over for a few more hours, and then it will be on the far side so we won’t be able to communicate for several more,” Dr. Ha said, clicking. “However…we did find this.”

A few more clicks and a new picture was brought up and zoomed in on. A figure was walking across the lunar surface. It appeared to be wearing a dark jacket…and had two long ears sticking up from its head.

“Is that…an alien?” Dr. Myung asked, his heart pounding. And here he thought he had some interesting discoveries with the muted lifeforms in the Narukami trench. 

“Oh, it gets better,” Dr. Ha said. He zoomed in closer to the figure, and a few objects near them were revealed not to be rocks at all.

“Are those…rabbits?” Dr. Myung said, looking up incredulously at Dr. Ha.

“Oh good. I’m not going mad. Because I thought the same thing,” the other professor said, giving Dr. Myung a lopsided grin. He pointed to small lumps, which seemed to have white fluffy tails, and were hopping across the lunar surface. “There’s more plants and houses, and a rather large construction project they’ve got. It’s an entire village. Of rabbit people. And rabbits.”

“Are we sure it wasn’t from Sphere? He was trying to build a Moon base at one point, and he was captured and imprisoned by the Americans,” Dr. Myung asked. 

“No, that was in the Mare Crisium, the complete other side. And those habitats have long been dead. I think we have another suspect,” Dr. Ha said seriously. 

Slowly, Dr. Myung nodded. “I suppose so. It would make sense…”

Dr Ha coughed slightly. “You ah…wouldn’t perhaps be able to make introductions? I know you’ve worked with her in the past…”

“Yes, I think perhaps I might be able to. This calls for a few favors. I have got to know about this. If there are elemental lifeforms on the moon…” Dr. Myung picked up his phone, and made a few calls. 

The next morning, he and Dr. Ha drove out to the newly constructed Cheondungdal Seongso, or Divine Thunder Moon Shrine. It was located at the heart of Seoul, and housed the very first Sacred Sakara Tree, one planted there by Raiden Dalnim, though she had been Raiden Tsukoyomi at the time. Likely still was, as that was the Japanese name for their Moon God. 

There, a priest in purple robes was waiting for them, and led them into the heart of the Shrine, under the very boughs of the Thunder Sakura tree. There, they found two women sparring. 

One was a giant of a woman in a sports bra and boxing shorts, with heavily muscled arms, wielding a great axe. An Electro Vision sparkled on a thong around her neck, and she was vislbly sweating as she roared and whirled her axe about her, going at her opponent with everything she had. Dr. Myung recognized the infamous pirate (turned mostly legal entrepreneur) Captain Bukdu. 

Her opponent wore a purple dobok and bore a hwando that glowed white on one side, and was pitch black on the other. Her hair was short, save for two longer side bangs, with the back pulled into a tight tail at the nape of her neck. She was shorter than her opponent and much less muscled, but she flowed with a speed and grace that was nearly impossible to track. Raiden Dalnim didn’t look particularly divine at that moment in time, though she was still a preternaturally beautiful young woman, somewhere in her late teens or early twenties by appearance. Myung hazarded that meant she was restraining herself to only mildly superhuman at the moment. 

Despite his complete lack of understanding of the martial arts, Myung could still appreciate that the two combatants were skilled far beyond most mortals, and both were displaying abilities that far exceeded anything even peak humans could manage. Neither were using any elemental powers, though Myung knew from personal experience that Captain Bukdu’s were considerable, having seen her slay many a giant monstrosity that had emerged from the Narukami Trench, and saving Myung’s life on at least two occasions. 

After several minutes, both fighters suddenly froze. Bukdu’s axe was millimeters from Dalnim’s throat, which shocked Myung until he saw that her sword rested just on Bukdu’s side. Both were surely lethal blows if they’d connected. 

“Not bad, kid. But you’re too reckless,” Bukdu panted. “You should have waited for a better opening. That was an obvious trap.”

“Perhaps. But I have guests. I am afraid I was over-eager to end the bout,” Dalnim said, her tone even. She didn’t even have a drop of sweat on her. 

Bukdu laughed and lifted her axe at the same time that Dalnim removed her sword. Both weapons vanished with a gesture from their owners, though in Dalnim’s case, it looked like she sheathed her sword into her own heart, which was rather disturbing. 

“Oh hey, what’s up, Doc?” Bukdu said, striding over and grinning down at Dr. Myung as she slapped him heartily on the back. 

He winced but managed to smile at the gregarious sea captain. “I’ve come with my college Dr. Ha for a question of her Excellency.”

“Egghead stuff, huh? Bores me to tears! Good bout, kid! We’ll do it again when I’m back in port!” Bukdu said, waving merely before striding away from the courtyard. 

Both Myung and Ha turned and prostrated themselves before Dalnim as she stepped towards them. 

“Thank you, Most Divine Dalnim, for agreeing to this meeting,” Myung said reverently. Like most Koreans, he’d wholeheartedly embraced Dalnim as his goddess. Seeing her divine power overhead every night when the moon was more than a sliver was certainly more than enough to convince most unbelievers. Even more so when that woman provided security and power to the entire nation by her will. 

“Arise. I am given to understand this is an inquiry of an academic nature,” Dalnim said, nodding to academics. 

Both men winced slightly as they rose to their feet. Old age wasn’t for sissies. 

“Yes, Excellency,” Ha said as his knees clicked. “I was wondering…did you put rabbits on the moon?”

Dalnim blinked, tilting her head ever so slightly to the side. “I do not understand. I am the Moon. Ever have I been associated with rabbits in Korea and Japan both.”

“Er, yes, but, ah, we have been to the moon,” Dr. Ha said, coughing slightly.

“Have you? I do not recall hosting you,” Dalnim said, her brow furrowing slightly.

“Well, no, not us in particular…but mankind has,” Dr. Ha said with a cough. 

“Ah,” Dalnim’s expression grew stormy. “You speak of the Yankee trespassers. They will not be welcomed again.”

“Er, yes, the Apollo Missions,” Dr. Ha agreed. “It’s just…they proved rather definitively there was no life on the moon. Especially not rabbits.”

“Well. They were wrong,” Dalnim said simply. “I conferred with my court just this morning. They were hale, and the harvest is doing well. My palace will soon be finished, and then I shall host guests.”

“You…visit the moon?” Dr. Ha asked, looking poleaxed. 

“I am the Moon. It would be odd if I did not know myself,” Dalnim said, a hint of amusement entering her voice. 

“But, how do the rabbits breathe on the moon?!” Dr. Ha began, then slapped his forehead. “The interference! We thought it was just Electro, but…you put an entire ATMOSPHERE on the Moon?!”

“Ah, yes. I did notice the lack of Anemo on my body. I corrected this,” Dalnim said with a nod. “Perhaps that is why you were confused. Of course, I restored the Anemo to my surface. It is not my primary element, but it was a simple matter to change myself. I have been considering where to place my waters. I will consult Keiga on the matter. Already, I have had to ensure that the wells flow properly, but as the population grows, there will be need of larger waterways.”

“Wait so…you’re saying…you really are the Moon?” Dr. Myung pressed. 

Dalnim gave him a mildly annoyed look. “I am the God of the Moon. This is like questioning if my mother is not the Lightning’s Glow, or is not Eternity itself. Of course I am the Moon. I could not be the God of the Moon if I were not the Moon.”

“So…you just believed that there were rabbits on the moon…so of course there were,” Dr. Ha said, sounding stunned. 

“The texts I have consulted all indicated that there have always been rabbits on the moon. I find them quite charming,” Dalnim said with a nod. 

“She’s a god,” Dr. Myung said, only now slowly coming to the realization of what that truly meant. “Reality bends to her will. Not the other way around.”

“For scholars, you both seem somewhat lacking. Come. I tire of this. I will let your own eyes convince you,” Dalnim said. She turned, drawing her sword from her chest, then making a slash that rent the very fabric of space time. Both doctors gaped as they watched a wormhole form, which looked out upon a rocky grey landscape, with endless stars twinkling above it. 

“That’s…that’s the Moon,” Dr. Ha said, taking a step forward, his expression rapturous.

“I am right here,” Dalnim said, sounding amused again. “I give you leave to set foot upon me. I have already sent for Kroos. She will guide you.”

Blinking, Myung followed Ha through the portal, and out onto the Lunar surface. 

Instinctively, Myung looked up, expecting to see the Earth hanging in the sky above them. But no, this was the far side of the Moon, the Earth wouldn’t be visible.  However, the Sun was there, glowing brightly in the sky. It was actually quite warm at the moment, though not intolerably so. 

“The portal!” Myung gasped, as before his eyes, the window back to Earth simply winked shut. Both men stared for a moment, then Ha laughed. 

“Honestly? This is a dream come true for me! If I must die, dying on the Lunar Surface is a dream come true! Think of what we could learn, Ye-Jun!” Ha said excitedly. 

“I suppose,” Myung said, looking about. He spotted a plume of dust, then another, moving in their direction. He grabbed Ha’s shoulder and spun the man, pointing. Both scholars held their breath, then released it, both laughing. An enormous red rabbit was hopping towards them with great leaps and bounds, sending up clouds of dust as it landed. 

With one final leap, the rabbit launched itself at them, and Dr. Myung felt a pang of fear. He’d heard of killer rabbits before, and if this was a lunar breed created by a mad god…

With a puff of dust, the rabbit suddenly transformed into a young woman with reddish blonde hair, and a pair of bunny ears poking out above her head. Oddly, she still had a pair of human ears, which left a lot of questions about her biology. She was dressed in a green blouse and black shorts, with a purple jacket with the image of Dalnim’s face on the moon embroidered on the back. 

“Hii Hiiii!” the rabbit woman said with a cheery wave.  “I’m Kroos! Welcome to the Moon! Sorry if this isn’t a proper welcome, I’m a bit inexperienced, but I’ll do the best I can!” 

“It’s…a pleasure, Miss Kroos,” Dr. Ha said, bowing formally. Kroos returned the bow, and Myung hastily bowed himself. 

“Well, you’re both scholars, right? I’m not sure that we have any here on the Moon, at least, we didn’t! Why don’t I show you two around?” Kroos said. She had a bit of an odd accent that Myung couldn’t place, though she was speaking Korean clearly enough. “Come along, this village is just this way!” 

With that, the rabbit woman spun about and began to hop back with long leaping strides, though this time, she did it in humanoid form. 

With a shrug, Myung and Ha began to follow, though they were soon stumbling over themselves. The lack of gravity meant their movements allowed them to take great leaps, and both old men ended up sprawling all over themselves. 

“Goodness!” Kroos said, hurrying back to help them up, though it was much easier here than it would have been on Earth. “Are you both quite alright? That was a nasty fall!”

“No, it’s just…we’re not used to the lesser gravitation on the moon,” Ha said, trying to dust himself off, though the powdery dust had stained his dark trousers and suit jacket. 

“Ah, yes. I visited Earth once with her Excellency. Too heavy! Could barely make any jumps at all. Moving about’s much easier here!” Kroos said happily. 

“You did? I don’t recall any reports of a rabbit woman at the temple,” Myung said, furrowing his brow in thought. 

“Oh, it was very secret,” Kroos said with a giggle, putting a finger to her lips. “I stayed as a rabbit the whole time. Honestly though, moving about was so tiring! I just took a nap, really.” 

After a bit of practice, both men were able to follow Kroos across the Lunar surface, and a short while later they found a picturesque village set in a small valley. The buildings were made of wood of all things, though where they had gotten wood in the barren lunar scape was anyone’s guess. Still, it looked like a small Korean town from any time before the 20th century, or even a very rural village today. There was a small stone well at the center of the village, along with rice paddies full of water, and vegetable gardens. There were even chickens and cows in a barnyard that had grass growing in it. Indeed, the whole valley was rather green, with trees, flowers, grass, and several decorative bushes. 

“Incredible,” Dr. Ha breathed, shaking his head. He turned to Kroos with a bemused expression. “What do you eat?”

“Well, the same things you do, I suppose. Mostly rice and vegetables, though we do get milk and cheese with some eggs for protein,” Kroos said happily. “And some fish from the pond there, though honestly, I’m not fond of it.”

“You’re omnivorous then?” Myung asked eagerly. 

“Hmm, well, I suppose I’ll eat just about anything, but I really prefer a nice salad with greens and carrots! Perhaps with a bit of dressing if we’re feeling really fancy,” Kroos said with a smile and shrug. “Mostly it’s rice for us though! I do fancy a bit of rice with a nice egg for breakfast. Are you hungry? I’m sure we could find you something to eat!” 

Before they could answer, Kroos hopped off down the hillside excitedly. “Come along then! It’s about tea time, so we’ll scare something up!”

They mimicked her motion, bunny hopping down the hill, though they both fell and tripped over themselves twice, laughing like men a quarter of their age while they did it. Kroos seemed to find the whole situation amusing as well, and helped them up.

“Are you two quite alright? If you’re injured, we could go see the Doc Ansel, he’d fix you up right as rain!” Kroos said cheerily. 

“No, no, like I said, just getting used to the lighter gravity,” Myung assured her. 

“Fair enough, well, let’s just hop along to see the boss then!” 

Myung expected to be led to see Dalnim again, but instead, they went across the village and up a small hill with a few saplings to where a large building was being constructed. There were rabbit people everywhere, all of them wearing hard hats with little holes for their ears to poke out, and wearing safety orange vests. Kroos just waltzed right in, until a rabbit wearing a bandage eye patch and holding a stop sign in its teeth hopped up with a stop sign and transformed into a bunny girl to blow a whistle. 

“Ummm, Kroos…you’re supposed to wear safety gear at the construction site,” the girl said. She was lopeared, with the ears tied back by a pink ribbon, and a nametag that read “Popukar.” These rabbits had rather odd names. 

“Oops, silly me!” Kroos said, sticking her tongue out and striking the side of her head. “Right then, come on, boys. Let’s get you kitted up!” 

A short time later, hard hats and safety vests on, they headed over to a small platform where a rabbit woman in a vest was directing the construction with a set of blueprints. 

“Hi hi, Amiya! I brought our guests! They wanted to see the palace!” Kroos said cheerily. 

“Thank you, Kroos,” the woman said. She had on a white hard hat, though she still had on the safety gear, she wore a dress under it. She seemed rather young, actually none of the rabbits seemed much over 20. Unlike the others, however, she bore an Electro Vision. She turned to Ha and Myung and bowed respectably. “Welcome, honored elders. I am Amiya, leader of Tokkiwa Village. Her Excellency sent word you had questions about life on the moon. I will do my best to answer them.”

“How long have you been here?” Myung asked curiously.

“Not long, though it’s a bit hard to tell I suppose. By your calendar, I’d say no more than six months ago,” Amiya admitted. 

“It wouldn’t happen to be on June 20th of last year?” Myung asked. 

Amiya turned and consulted a calendar on her desk, then nodded. “No, not quite. Her Excellency found me on June 23rd. I’d received my Vision before then, though honestly, I’m not sure where. I remember living in a metal place, surrounded by wires and cages, and there were always humans there. They frightened me. I think I must have been experimented on in some sort of medical facility. They did some sort of procedure on me, and I slowly became aware I was trapped. I dreamed of more, of building something as great as the warren I saw the humans had built. And then I received my Vision and escaped with all the other rabbits. Then her Excellency found me, and brought us here.”

“You were at some sort of medical or cosmetic facility in Korea?” Myung asked, surprised. 

Amiya laughed and shook her head, and switched languages. “Actually, I started off speaking English,” she said with what Myung recognized as an Australian accent. “Her Excellency taught me Korean and Japanese, and when the other rabbits started to awaken, they all spoke English too at first.”

“You’re Australian then, or at least your accent is. Interesting, rabbits aren’t native there,” Myung mused. 

“Really?” Amiya brightened at that. “Fascinating! We never really knew. There are others who originated on the Moon, but they’re mostly wild. Every once in a while her Excellency brings one to us, or we find one that’s woken up.”

“Wait, so…there have always been rabbits on the moon?” Ha asked, sounding dazed. 

Amiya shrugged. “They were here before I came, anyway. It’s hard for them to articulate how long they were around too. Rabbits don’t experience time the same way humans do, though those of us who have awakened are rather closer to humans in that regard. Lady Dalnim calls us oktokki, but I prefer the term homo leporidia.” 

Oktokki. That was the name of the rabbit that lived in the Moon and made chapssaltteok, while Homo Lepordia…

“Would you mind terribly if I stayed a while and studied your people?” Myung found himself asking. “I’d have to let my wife know somehow, but this is an incredible opportunity. You must be like Miko Yae, the Japanese Kitsune, and her two retainers. Or that awakened owl named Ziz that’s been traveling the world. But to have a chance to study an entire civilization of near humans living on the moon…”

“For myself, I would ask to be able to study the Moon’s geology. There is so much we could learn, but with life spreading here, much of it will be lost if we do not act quickly. Additionally, this would make a spectacular place to build observatories to learn more about the universe! There is the matter of atmosphere now, but still, this would be better than any location on Earth I can think of,” Ha said eagerly. 

Amiya considered that. “I will have to ask her Excellency permission, but yes. There is so much we need to learn ourselves. Lady Dalnim has given us books, and a few of us have returned to Earth in disguise to learn the ways of humans, but still…” She gestured to the ongoing construction project. “We’re trying to build her Excellency a palace, and she’s given us materials, but we know so little of construction…we’re doing our best, but there’s only so much you can learn from books and Dailymotion tutorials.”

“I’m sorry, did you say…Dailymotion tutorials?” Myung asked, baffled. 

Amiya laughed. “Oh yes! Lady Dalnim set up what we’re calling an ansible relay. I dare say our ping is better than some people on Earth’s is! But yes, we’ve learned a lot by watching YouTube.”

Both older men shared looks, and shrugs. They vaguely had some idea of what online videos were, but neither were much accustomed to using the internet for more than email. 

They did, however, understand the implications of the relay.

“Instantaneous telecommunications between Earth and the Moon?” Myung gasped. “But it would normally take…how long, Ha?” 

“An average of 1.3 seconds one way, so two-way communications should take a minimum of 2.6 seconds. If she can do that…this changes everything,” Ha said with a shake of his head. “Still, this only reinforces that I would deeply love a chance to study here.”

Myung nodded his head. “I as well. This process of awakening you described it’s fascinating. I’ve been studying the effects of elemental energy and especially balethunder on living things, but seeing an entirely new species evolve…it’s the chance of a lifetime. Who thought that someone who studied oceanography would end up so invested in lunar biology?” 

“Excellent! I’ll have quarters prepared for both of you. Kroos, will you find a place to set up these fine scholars?” Amiya said.

“What’s that?” Kroos yawned, sitting up from where she’d turned back into a bunny and scratching her ear. Apparently, she could still talk, which opened even wider questions about how this all worked. “Oh, sure! We’re still building all over the place. Hard to burrow here, so we’ve had to build above ground, but we’ve got a nice cottage we can put you in, so long as you don’t mind sharing!”

Soon, both were settled in, and Myung was able to borrow a computer from Kroos to send a message to his wife. Eventually, she joined her husband on the moon, and the first true satellite campus of Seoul National University opened on the Lunar surface not long after. The world was shocked at the news of the first true aliens, but the Lepordians were close enough to humanity that most eagerly welcomed them. 

Humanity had at last escaped its cradle. But the question of if they would survive long enough to conquer the stars was still an open question. 

Winter was a relative term, and in Guadalajara Mexico, there was rarely if ever frost on the ground. Most of the time, the harvest season was year-round as plants matured at different rates, and even in the coldest month of February, there was work to be done.

The harvest this year, however, would be poor. Just over a year ago, the global snowstorm had devastated the blue agave that the region was famous for, and new plants were years from fully maturing. Workers were out in the field tending to them, but there would be very little to show for it this season. The only mature plants had been in greenhouses during the Scream, and that was only a fraction of the normal crop. 

A young man was kneeling amongst the agave. At first glance, he looked much like the other workers, with a weathered cowboy hat, a red and black flannel shirt, and dirty blue jeans. His fingernails had dirt under them but were unusually well-manicured for a farm hand, and while his hands were callused, his immaculate white teeth bespoke a more affluent upbringing than the workers around him. 

There was a sudden shout, and a few of the workers swore, jumping back as a plant suddenly burst out of the ground. The Whopperflower crackled with electro, swirling around vines that knocked over several hands. Swearing, the young man stood, and unstrapped a machete from his side. He raced towards the elemental creature as it fired off shots of energy, dodging several of them. He planted his feet and slashed down with near-perfect form, taking off a petal and causing ichor to splatter the ground. Other workers moved in with rakes, hoes, and axes, stabbing and jabbing at the creature. 

“Don’t let it get away, or it will ruin the whole crop!” the young man shouted, slicing again the the creature. He was forced back by the slashing vines from its head, swearing loudly. 

“Diego!” someone called, and the young man glanced to the side. Another young man about his age, though dressed smartly in khaki pants and a sports jacket, tie flying to the side, ran up, tossing a scabbarded claymore sword. 

“Carlo!” Diego laughed, grabbing the sword out of the air. Carlo had a cavalry saber in his hand, and saluted the whopper flower with it. “Didn’t know you were back already.”

“Just got in. You’re lucky I was passing by your truck. You should keep that thing with you, or it’s a waste of good money. That’s Toledo steel, you know,” Carlo said.

“Ha! Well, let’s see who puts paid to this thing,” Diego laughed, and the two young men attacked together. The whopper flower fought back, but with two skilled combatants facing it, it was soon cut down. 

Panting, Diego leaned on his sword for a moment and grinned at Carlo, who gave him a cooked smile. “Good to see you again, brother.” He stood and went over, embracing Carlo and pounding his back. 

“You as well,” Carlo said with a smile. “Tell me, are you finally going to see sense and sell this place?”

“What? How could you say that?” Diego said, looking rather offended as he held his brother at arms length. The two did not look alike at all: Diego was much darker in complexion and wore a beard and mustache that was neatly trimmed. Carlo was clean-shaven and lighter, with hazel eyes and hair that looked like it might have been blond when he was a child. Their features were not similar either, though both were tall young men who were easy on the eyes. “This is what father left to us!”

“To you,” Carlo said, and there was more than a bit of bitterness in his voice. 

“Bah! I’ve told you, what’s mine is yours. Ours. I can run the farm, and you can run the distillery and sell the finished tequila,” Diego said, turning away. 

“The business is finished,” Carlo said with a shake of his head. He gestured around. “What will be the crop this year, eh? We certainly didn’t have an Archon to come and green up our pastures. And after the Great Storm, well, I’ve heard you’ve gotten a cold snap.”

“It didn’t freeze, and it will be a wet winter, which is to our benefit,” Diego said, shaking his head. “Europe is a long way away, brother.” Raising his voice, Diego shouted, “Pedro!”

“Yes, boss?” an older man who had taken off his ballcap that read, “Tequila del Amanecer” with the logo of a rising sun on it. 

“I’m taking my brother to celebrate. You have this sorted?” he said, pointing to the dead whopperflower. 

“Sure thing, boss. Welcome back, Senor Carlo. You staying with us long, eh?” Pedro said with a smile. He had a weather-beaten face that had seen many long summers, and a gap-toothed smile with stained teeth from a life cigarette smoking. 

“We’ll see, Pedro. We’ll see,” Carlo said with a wave. 

The two brothers headed back up to the road, where a mudstained Toyota Hilux pickup waited beside a brand new dark blue Nissan Z sports car. “Aren’t you afraid you’ll scratch the paint?” Diego asked, inspecting the car. 

“It’s more fun to drive than a pickup. Here,” Carlo said, tossing Diego a key. 

He shrugged, taking out his own key and setting it on the dash of the Hilux. Pedro or one of the other workers would drive it back for him later. 

The Z roared to life, and Diego said over the purr of the engine, “It’s one of the new Electro-powered ones! No gas engine, but she’s fast!” 

“Oh? Well, let’s see,” Diego said, then put the pedal to the metal and squealed away, throwing up a cloud of dust as Carlo hooted with delight. 

They rumbled over the dirt road for a bit, until they came to a paved section where the car could really pick up speed, even on the winding country road. 

“So, University life not suiting you?” Diego said as the car sped along.

Carlo shrugged. “It’s fine. But I’m thinking of doing something new. I never wanted to spend my life behind a desk anyway.”

“You could spend it in the field with me,” Diego joked, but Carlo didn’t smile. 

“You’re wasting your time out there. You’re a wealthy man, Diego. You can hire someone to check the fields who knows more about growing agave than you ever could,” Carlo pointed out. 

“No, it’s like father said. You need to get your hands in the dirt and see your own crops. I have to honor his memory. Do things the old way. As the Rodrigez family has done for the past 100 years here in San Cielo,” Diego said, downshifting as he took the car through a tight turn, then accelerating again on the straight. 

“There’s no money in it. You could sell the land and make a killing in real estate ,” Carlo said with a shake of his head. 

Diego set his jaw and shook his head. “No. Our father, and grandfather, great grandfather, and great-great grandfathers all grew blue agave and made tequila. And someday, our sons will as well.”

“Suit yourself,” Carlo said with a shrug. “But things are changing. Have changed. And I’m changing with the times.”

“Oh?” Diego glanced at his brother, slowing down slightly as he drove along the road, passing more fields, most of which were his. They too had growing agave plants, though none of them had the healthy adult plants that could be harvested for their hearts, or pina, that would be made into tequila. It wouldn’t just be a problem for this year or even the next. It would be nearly a decade before the operation recovered, though they had some reserves to sell and a few plants that had survived, the whole farm was crippled. 

“You’ve heard about the Protectorate expanding recruitment, right?” Carlo prompted. 

Diego set his jaw again, a sullen expression coming over him as he turned back to the road. “I’ve heard they’re talking about annexing Canada and Mexico. And that they mean it this time.”

“Yes, and it would be a good thing. Mexico can’t stand alone, Diego,” Carlo argued. 

“The hell we can’t! Los Valientes is a strong cape team, and we don’t need the Protectorate,” Diego snapped. 

“And what if an Endbringer decides to pay us a visit, eh? The new Behemoth is said to be far stronger than it was before, and the Twins far more dangerous than even the Simurgh. What if the next one is even worse! Or, if we want to be really dark, what if an Archon shows up, or in Guatamala, or El Salvador, and decides to conquer us like the Tsaritsa did to Estonia and Ukraine?” Carlo demanded. 

“Maybe they wouldn’t be so bad. They could be like Nahida Saeed,” Deigo argued. “Or Venti. I like his music.”

“Or they could be the next Raiden Shogun and throw away our democracy that the cartels haven’t already plundered, or the damned Ice Bitch!” Carlo snapped. “No, Diego. Humanity can’t stand alone. And besides, there’s a Latina in the White House. If there was ever a time for us to join the EEUU, it would be now.”

“Fuck off with that! We are not bowing to the Gringos,” Diego snarled real anger in his voice now. “They might be bigger, but that’s because they’ve been stealing our land and oppressing our people for 150 years! You’d throw in with them just because-”

Diego cut himself off, his jaw working, but Carlo sneered at him and shook his head. “Because I’m half gringo, you mean?”

“You’re my brother. You were born here. You’re as much a son of Mexico as I am,” Diego said, but his voice was tight, eyes fixed on the road. 

“Well, what if I don’t want any more sons to lose their fathers to cartels with capes?” Carlo said, his voice far too mild. 

Diego didn’t respond right away, his lips moving as he very obviously counted to ten. When he spoke though, it didn’t seem to have helped much. “That’s a low blow and you know it. Besides, those bastards were dealt with. And we didn’t need the damn gringos to do it.”

“But the Protectorate is recruiting. Powers in a vial they say. And I’ve applied. And been accepted,” Carlo said.

Tires squealed as Diego slammed on the brakes. He turned to his brother in shock. “You what?! You know what they’re saying about those Delusions! Just because they captured a few of them-!”

“Not a Delusion. They have ways. And I’m not going to let someone else have that power when I can,” Carlo said with a shrug. 

“This is madness!” Diego snapped. “You know there has to be a catch! They wouldn’t just hand out powers!”

“They’re not. You have to sign over a lot. But I’m willing. I came to tell you. To let you know that there could be more than just farming and making booze. You’re smart, Diego. Talented. The sort they’re looking for. If more Mexican citizens join, then it could boost President Alexandria’s initiative to expand the Protectorate south of the border, and see Mexico join the only country that seems to be standing up for humanity against the monsters.”

“They’re not monsters! Yes, the Tsaritsa is bad, but you can’t tell me that the others are! Even the Raiden Shogun leads the most prosperous and powerful nation on Earth, and that’s AFTER that golden fucker nuked her trees!” Diego argued. 

“There are rumors about Nahida, you know,” Carlo said, his expression growing dark. “She kept Farasha around, and now she has that dragon. There’s something she’s doing with the Simurgh, too. I’ve seen posts online that she-”

“Dammit, Carlo!” Diego interrupted, slapping the steering wheel so hard the car honked. “No! No! She sent food to Mexico that will get us through the winter! She saved not just Baghdad, but New Delhi, and now Mecca! Something going on with the Simurgh?! What’s going on is Nahida prevented an Endbringer from slaughtering millions!” 

“Or she’s recruiting yet another monster to her banner. Not every tyrant starts with armies, but she does have weapons of mass destruction,” Carlo said with a shake of his head. 

Diego muttered something dark and turned the car back on, pulling back out onto the road. “You’re mad. You’ve fallen for the Gringo’s lies. Hook. Line. And sinker.”

“I just see the future. And the future is either Mexico joining with the United States, or being crushed by them, or an Archon. And neither option is acceptable to me,” Carlo said testily. “Open your eyes, Diego. The world is only going to grow darker.”

“Only if we allow it. By the Grace of God, we will come through this,” Diego said, gripping the steering wheel tightly as he turned off the road and toward Rancho del Amanecer. It was an mid 20th-century construction, built near a winding river and with plenty of pasture land. Horses ran on the range, and there were some cattle as well, though they were mostly a side project the amuse the Rodriguez family. There was also an orchard that had a variety of citrus, as well as peach and even a few pomegranate trees. Those were used to brew private-label wines and cordials, as well as provide fresh fruit for the master’s table. 

Diego pulled the Z up to the curb and got out, slamming the door behind him. Carlo was slower in getting out, though he looked just as perturbed as his brother. A young woman in a conservative skirt and blouse carrying a tablet and clipboard hurried up to Diego, then had to scurry to keep up with him as he stormed towards the house. 

“Adoncia. Cancel my appointments for tomorrow,” Diego growled. 

“Yes, Senor. I see you’ve talked with your brother already,” Adoncia said, her heels clicking on the tiled floor as they entered the main house. “He’s told you about dropping out, then?”

“And become a fucking cape for that two-faced bitch Alexandria,” Diego snarled. 

Adoncia paused, nearly missing a step before hastily catching back up. “I…see. A private dinner then, not the party I was planning?” 

“Private. The party can be for tomorrow night,” Diego said, coming to an abrupt halt and running a hand through his messy and tangled hair. He grimaced. “I thought my baby brother coming home would be a happy occasion. That we’d both grown out of…this.”

“I’ll schedule it then. Light on the alcohol for tonight?” Adoncia said, tapping away at her tablet. 

Diego grimaced and nodded. “The last thing we need is a repeat of the night before he left.” 

“I’ll make sure it’s the cheap plates that you can break then,” Adoncia said seriously. 

Diego laughed at that. “Perhaps for the best! Though hopefully, it won’t come to that. It’s just…how can he turn his back on all…this!” 

He gestured around the hallway, where portraits of the family hung. The first was of his great-great grandfather, Luis Rodriguez, standing in front of a modest house with his wife, a bottle of tequila in their hands. They had not been wealthy, not during their lifetimes. However, in the next picture his great grand father, Diego Rodriguez posed in a smart zoot suit. It had been during the Roaring 20s and prohibition, selling booze to smugglers that ran it north of the border, that the Rodriguez family had made their fortune. That money had been invested wisely by Diego’s grandfather and father, and now, he stood to lose it all. 

He could feel the weight of those eyes upon him. Feel the history in this home. He couldn’t be the Rodriguez who lost the family fortune and saw their empire turn to dust. Nor could he be the one that helped sell out his country to the Gringos. Not even if a blood traitor was sitting in the White house. 

“Well get through this, Adoncia. We’ll come out stronger than ever. This family, this country…the entire world! I’ve already started replanting the fields. Tequila del Amanecer will be more famous than ever, renowned the world over! And this town, this country, will not become some relic to serve other masters, but a prosperous new beginning!” Diego said, stepping up to the portrait of his father. 

Oscar Rodriguez stood smiling with his hand on the shoulders of two young boys, a blond American woman at his side. Carlo’s mother, Anna Miller. Diego’s own mother had died of Viral Meningitis when he was two years old, and he didn’t remember her at all. Anna had been the only mother he’d known from the age of four, and he’d loved her dearly, until…

“Do you miss them, Adoncia?” Diego said wistfully, putting his hand on the portrait, pain in his voice.

“Every day, sir. Your father was a good man, and it was Miss Anna who hired me in the first place,” Adoncia said, coming to stand beside Diego. She gave him a sad smile. “I was just a maid then.”

“A waste of your talents,” Diego said with a snort, turning to her with a lopsided grin. “You’re head of the house now, eh?” 

“More like orderer of your life,” Adoncia said with a shake of her head. “Now. I’m going to have to go make sure your brother keeps his hands off my girls. And they stay out of his bed. That’s the last thing we need.”

“Carlo,” Diego groaned, closing his eyes. “Yes. Please do. He can be charming when he wants to. And schedule a party for tomorrow night. Invite the usual.” 

Adoncia’s heels clicked away, and Diego opened his eyes. “Father…I wish you were here to give me guidance still. I thought I’d have you for years yet. Fuck those capes. They took you and mother too soon.”

Taking out a gold necklace, Diego kissed the crucifix. “Holy Mother, give me patience with my brother, and watch over this family…I’ll have to go to Father Juan later and confess. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, eh?”

With that, Diego turned and left to prepare for dinner.

As it turned out, he’d have a great deal to confess to Father Juan. The plates and glasses did not survive the dinner, and Carlo did not spend the night. He departed for the United States, never to return to Rancho del Amanecer.

Lines in the sand were being drawn. And the world was choosing sides.