Somewhere in another universe, Minx, Angelina, Owen, Olivia, and Shalt were sitting around the dinner table. At their feet were maccavities. Tentacled cats that came to this place with them from another world. Suddenly Shalt felt weak. Within moments, he realized he was no longer a vampire. Minx dropped her fork when she noticed his aura change.
"I think it's time we head back to Earth."
"But Mother, you can't!"
"Angelina, it's clear something has happened." Minx sighed, "I miss your father. There isn't any evidence to say whether he's still alive after all this time, I know. I can't say I have not enjoyed watching you all grow, your children and grandchildren…"
"But I left a piece of me back there a long time ago. I really don't want to do this job any more anyway. We have peace. That was our goal. The people are safe. OUR people are safe. The injustices have ended. Please allow this of me. Shalt, Caser and I will return to Earth. Which of you would like me to transfer my power over to you and be my successor?"
"It will have to be Angelina because Owen and I are going with you." Olivia spoke for her brother as she always did. This time he didn't seem to mind. "When do we leave?"
"In the morning. I need to get all the legalities transferred over." Minx also didn't argue.
Angelina wasn't even given the option of protesting. Minx spent the rest of the evening getting things ready. She would experience a decrease in her powers, her plant ability. She would retain her immortality. Qi and aura reading were a skill so those would not change. Shalt had lost his ability but she knew from ancient history Shalt could learn an ability as a human. Minx had her plant ability her entire life.
All these years, she never took another man. She never even removed the rings he placed on her finger. She kept the vows she swore all those years ago. Everything she brought with her through that portal was in her bag and the one Shalt would carry. Minx chose to wear the dress Sil always favored on her.
The following morning, they were all ready to go. Minx and Angelina stood in opposite ritual circles. Her staff had the ritual all set up. All that needed to be done was eye contact for 30 seconds straight and the transfer would begin. The intention was drawn into the circle of some of Minx's energy transferring so Angelina would be strong enough to rule. The process was extremely painful. Minx collapsed to the floor as did Angelina.
Since Angelina already had the ability, there was no training needed. The advisors would be able to help her plus she had been her mother's aid for a century. The twins didn't want anything to do with the job. They already said goodbye to their families and were excited about the trip.
Angelina then opened the portal that she could only open once. There would be no coming back that she knew of from this. The four people and cats went through after saying a tearful goodbye.
On a red-portal planet, deep in the ground, a bright light flashed and the party suddenly appeared. They were standing outside the vault where she had stored a whole bunch of her things from when she lived here over a thousand years ago. She placed her hand on the lock and the scanner recognized her.
"Thank you, Logan Green!"
She opened the vault and there stood a ship. The exact same ship she took from the vessel the military named Bertha and her friends called "The Cursed Ship."
They all climbed in, her things in the cargo bay, and hit the button Logan had designed specifically for this purpose.
Return to Earth
A few moments later, as the ship left the atmosphere of the planet, Logan's watch began beeping with a strange signal that he had set a very long time ago. An algorithm that was always searching for a specific frequency around this specific planet. He stared at his watch trying to figure out what this signal was for then simply asked his watch. The response he got back was "Minx Botan."
Logan's eyes teared up and he sent a set of coordinates to the heavily outdated software on the ship. New destination. System City.
Minx looked at the display. "System City? Logan what have you been up to?"
She smiled and sat in her seat with butterflies in her stomach…
A few hours later, as they approached Earth, Minx noted the long line of ships passing through security to gain access to the homeworld of humanity. She was quite nervous. What was she supposed to say? Lucky for her, security saw the notification on their screen and passed her through without even questioning her.
Soon they were approaching a technologically advanced city with a green dome around it in the middle of the ocean. She was so nervous, she thought she would throw up. She and Shalt sat in the command seats but touched nothing. This world was far different from the one they left all those centuries ago. They didn't know what to expect. Minx fidgeted with her wedding ring. There was a time when she had to keep their entire relationship a secret. Was he still alive? Did a miracle occur? She silently wished within her head for probably the trillionth time.
They all noticed the difference between their ship and those they saw flying around. The modern technology made them look like paupers. For someone who was Empress until the very morning they left, that was hard for her to swallow. Yet her humble beginnings didn't allow it to show and chastised her for even thinking such things.
The ship entered a building she found difficult to even describe. They landed without touching a thing and Minx waited a second to see if she should open the door or if it would also be automatic. Nothing happened so she did it herself. She took a deep breath. Owen and Olivia were the first to deboard. Shalt waved his hand, ever the present bodyguard despite him showing his age. He was a vampire but not an original. He had an extended life but not an infinite one. He had been by her side ever since he vowed to be on that day on summer vacation from military school. Caser, her ever present feline friend walked off the ship at her side, behind, just to the right.
The group was met by a blond young adult who could pass for a member of the Blade family but he didn't look like Sil. Minx exhaled. She didn't even know she was holding her breath. He stepped forward and offered his hand. She noticed he wasn't shocked by their appearance. She wondered if Logan prepared him for a family of olive-green-skinned people with fairy wings, forest-green hair and sparkly eyelashes.
The twins shook his hand in turn, each with their maccavity at their side, and then Minx followed by Shalt. Caser looked offended he wasn't offered one so he offered a tentacle to the young man. He looked confused so he decided to shake it as well. Caser looked pleased and Minx smirked.