Paragon X:
This home,This crypt.
Tammy Arcanus-Johnson was looking out the window doing dishes when her husband came home for work. He came in the door with flowers in hand as he did every Friday. Tammy quickly dried her hands and ran to the door. "Oh Bernie, they are so beautiful!"
He handed her the flowers. He smiled and said, "They are just for you babe!"
She took last weeks flowers out of the vase and tossed them outside in the compost heap then, came back in and placed this weeks flowers in the vase. "How was your day dear?"
Bernie sat on the couch and took out a cigarette. He lit it and then laid back. "It was okay. We ended up cleaning a minor leaking at one of the power relay plants. It wasn't bad though."
Tammy sat next to him on the couch and took his hand into hers. "I went to Doctor Simms today. He said I am still a normal human female able to have children."
Bernie immediately stood up. "We went over this a dozen times. I don't think it's a good idea. What if you revert back to a ghost while your pregnant? What if the baby becomes a ghost? We don't know what the hell will happen!"
Tammy now stood up. "I'm normal now. I have been normal for over two years! If anything should happen, we will know how to handle it!"
Bernie turned toward her. "You mean YOU will know how to handle it! The great Numina can handle any problems, right?"
Tammy turned away from his stern gaze and began sobbing, "That's not fair...that was another life. I'm not Numina anymore I'm just Tammy Arcanus-Johnson, a normal human woman!
Bernie turned his head away from his sobbing wife and said, "For now".
A few miles away, in a seedy part of town sits a dive bar. In this dive bar sits a man. In his hand sits his 12th beer. "I can't bloody get over it...bloody Rikti everywhere...even my bloody bartender is a bloody Rikti..." He tips back the glass and the golden liquid empties from the glass and into his mouth.
The Bartender, a big ugly Rikti, takes the empty glass from him and pours him another cold beer. "Look, buddy. I know you use to be a big hero and all, but you gotta watch what ya say 'round here."
He snatches the glass from the bartender's hand and says, "I wasn't just any hero, or just any old bloke, I was Hero 1. THE Hero 1...yea that's who I was...."
Two Rikti in the corner look over at him and watch him carefully. The bartender leans toward him and says, "I know who you are guy, but you ain't got powers anymore and I don't wanna have to clean you up off the floor so either keep it down or get out a here!"
Hero 1 stood up and swayed slightly. "Very well, I shall go elsewhere me mate..." He stumbled out the door into the dusk.
