And hey, if you feel like there's one thing you can guarantee for them, I would recommend this at the end of the oneshot: "and they lived life to the fullest, in whatever form that came."

~~ XenoSaiyan ~~

The multiverses out there don't just exist for fictional characters alone.

No, they too exist for those who live in our lives today.

For Ficmata Gaea Valdez Xena-Namikaze, the fictional world had been a constant for ages. From their youth, as a coping mechanism to deal with the harsh world they lived in.

Yet in many worlds, he was always part of them.

Here are some of them that have been seen as of now; the stories of the broken who found a place to belong in various worlds, where the people they cared for were real instead of figments of their imagination.

Aconite Blooms (with mama_kurogiri)

"Oiiiii, Gaea!"

The guard looked over to the half-demon hybrid with an amused smile. "What's up, Sarah-san?"

"Don't leave me behind like that!" The other huffed. "I swear that you run off faster than an actual demon!"

"Sorry about that! Just felt like it wasn't really my place," She answered while looking over to what was left of the Demon Slayer Corps. "I know that I was already part of it, but I didn't contribute much."

(Plus, something about the Masters' glances her way unnerved her. As if they knew something she didn't.

But she had never interacted with them that much before, so how...?)

Sarah sighed as she plopped to the side, looking at the girl who was older than her by a few years. "Yeah, I totally get you. But hey, it's all done now. We... We finally cleared the skies."

Gaea looked over at her. "You... You miss Fubuki-san and Sinae-san don't you?"

Said as bluntly as she could have put it. "Yeah, that's true. I just... Miss them, but it won't bring them back."

The guard frowned, fingering a coconut shell necklace she had found during a fair, carved out into a letter G with an emerald on it.

"The beauty of one's hands... Perhaps you could make a better world."

"But what will it cost?" She murmured to herself. "What... Truly matters?"

She looked down at the former Mist Hashira, now sleeping on the grass. She had heard her tears one too many times.

None of them had gotten a chance to say goodbye to their friends, had they...?

She looked at the necklace, and decided right there.

She took off the necklace, and closed her eyes. Hearing the song of the wind, she got up and danced along.

As the winds roared, as those who had not gotten closure finally got one last chance, Gaea let her soul guide her movements.

She had been the secret Nature and Psyche Hashira, the leader of the SES, for a reason.

PokéSRS (this and most of the others were made with XenoSaiyan)

"Ficcc, get up!!"

"Come onnnnnn, the sunrise is about to hit!"

The champion laughed as he got up from the sleeping bag. "D, HiHi, you two are way too whiny some days! How are we even the same age?!?"

His lovers (no, husbands now, right? They did get married quietly and hopped to Pelango before the others realised and caught them.) both gave sheepish smiles as their teams laughed at their impatience.

Fic smiled while scooping up the three baby Pokémon that D had picked up as eggs once. "Come on, you three. We got a sunrise to watch."

The three Paldean starters giggled before Nyaoha hopped to Dan while the Hogator went to Hiro, leaving him with the Kuwassu who squirmed to get comfortable.

The trio did arrive at the top of the cliff, and as the sun slowly began its descent to start the day, golden rays bursting out and forming a beautiful scenery, the other two pecked their husband on the cheek.

"Happy birthday, Miracle," Hiro said with a smile.

They smiled back. They hadn't been able to head back to the main group's world to celebrate their counterpart's birthday with them, but they knew that their counterpart was going to be fine.

Leaning on Dan's shoulder, he said, "I'm really happy I could finally reach this peak of my life."

He meant it. His relatives had exploited him for so long, even sending him to Sinnoh to learn how to be more efficient in his work by ordering him to fight wild Pokémon with just a starter and then come back.

That was their fatal mistake. Their meeting with Fubuki Shirou changed their life, and Fic had cut off ties with Pelango until the three had decided to drop into Pelango at long last to train up their team. The trials he had gone through had been tough but worth it.

Looking at his lovers, looking at the team he had found to become family, he hummed the Happy Birthday song to himself.

Once celebrated in the darkness of night, now celebrated while bathed in the light of the morning. 

FateSRS 

"Hey, Gaea, whatcha thinking of?"

"Who, me?" The Master looked at Emiya Shirou as the two sat down side by side on the grass. "Nothing much, really. Just considering how being involved in the Grail War led me to meet so many new people. And I had just moved to Japan, too!"

It was true. Being orphaned and then adopted by a mysterious person who showed up and claimed to be his actual family was a shock, and he had just settled down when he was dragged into the Grail War. He could barely speak the language and it was not easy at first. Thankfully the other Masters had some grasp of English, so he could gradually expose himself to all this nonsense. 

He did not understand having these Magic Circuits, even after all this time, he mused. Even now, he couldn't help but wonder how he fit in with all these crazy people. They had just... clicked somehow. Their dynamics, maybe seem quite out there compared to most groups, but the Chaldean Rescue Squad team had found their home in each other. 

The stars above were pretty tonight, he reflected. It was as numerous as the team, shining just as bright in this world. 

He reached his left arm out to a certain star. Small, but still present. 

He smiled as he said, "Hey, Shu, I'm glad that I met you. That I met everyone." 

Emiya couldn't help but laugh at that statement. "Cheesy as usual, eh, Gaea?" 

"Heyyyyy!" Fic pouted while swatting at his Servant playfully. "Don't be like that! You're used to me being cheesy!" 

"That I am, that I surely am," he said back to his partner. 

Gaea burst out laughing, and the two looked back up to the sky, stars twinkling from far above. 

A beautiful sky, a beautiful night. 

A life that he attained through hard work and believing in himself. 

BakuSRS 

"FICMATA GAEA VALDEZ XENA-NAMIKAZE, GET YOUR *** BACK HERE!" 

"Dear Kami, Leonidas, you would think that the world was being attacked by another crazy threat!" Fic dodged their partner in ball form. "I swear I will get some rest after I finish this assignment! This project is way too fun to pass up!" 

"What is it even!?" He demanded. "You need sleep!" 

"It's a horror story thing! I'm supposed to twist up a legend to make it an urban legend!" 

And immediately his movements stopped. In fact, his eyes shone with such glee as the Aurelus Bakugan finally looked at the document open on his partner's laptop. "You should have started from there, Fic, you dumbdumb." 

Fic rolled his eyes, but he was relieved that his partner was no longer hunting him down for rest and sleep. 

He sat down on the desk as he looked at the story. He was meant to make it end badly, cause it WAS a horror story, right?

He paused. His fingers hovered over the keyboard as he looked at the current page. 

Gideon closed his eyes and looked at the sun. 

Once he feared it so much, but now...

All he could do now, after everything he had been through, was cry and move on. 

He knew that nothing could change the fact that he alone survived the consequences of his student's arrogance. That he was all alone now.

But at the same time, the sun was now a reminder of the love he had once felt, and it made him hopeful. That his loved ones could rest in peace after he took out the final sun. 

He shed a tear, but moved towards the closest village.

He would come to live life to its fullest.

After all, the true horror was living to see another day, but it was a horror that could be overcome. 

He would live on to become the sorrowful yet helpful urban legend, who protected the ones hunted by the dark forces, even as a spirit. 

His name... was the Extra Sun, Chang Houyi.

He hadn't meant to make it end so hopefully, yet something about this ending compelled him to not make it end badly. Houyi had already suffered through so much. It was only fair that he didn't give up and ended up protecting others. 

It was only fair that he ended up having a happy ending at the end of the day. 

After doing a quick skim of the paper, he saved his progress and sent it to his lecturer for evaluation, leaning back while smiling. 

He had done it, hadn't he? He too had suffered so much, yet in the end, he chose to protect other people, and here he was, finally in a better life, in a life where he was free of the childhood wreckers. 

"Hey, Agiad," he called out to his Bakugan, who looked back with a pout, but nonetheless prompted, "Yeah?" 

"Thank you. Thank you for showing up when you did," Fic said gently, genuine gratitude in his tone clear. 

The Bakugan simply knocked his head onto his partner's forehead gently while Fic's pets both hopped onto his lap, their Bakugan partners smiling. "Says the idiot who stopped me from hurting the childhood wreckers." 

"Fair, but it would be better if we didn't have any bodies on our conscience," he said. 

Agiad laughed a bit. "Fair enough." 

Fic chuckled at the life he was in now. 

Just as Houyi had decided to move forward, so had Fic, and he was proud of the progress he had made. 

Evil Puppy/Puppy Villain SRS AU

"NOW GO TO REHAB AND NEVER COME BACK!" She stuck her tongue out at the person who had DARED question her authority as they were kicked away to rot in the worst place on earth to ever be in! HAHAAH! Served him right! He was a fool to even assume that he had any place in the world! 

"We take down stupid rival!" Ficlet giggled while Wheava smirked. The Fushigidane sagely said (well, a quick translation from Ficlet could tell Fic) that they were stupid for even going against them in the first place. 

Fic burst out laughing. "They truly were fools, were they not? To even question our position! Now if only our counterparts would do the same!" 

She did not understand their counterparts. How could they not fear their team, powerful and capable of taking down eldritch powers who tried to hurt the world THEY had taken over? The sheer nerve! 

(Somewhere deep down, she was happy that she had managed to find a family who loved her, unlike her family who threw her out.)

She cackled. "We will make them yield one day! Of that I am sure! And when we do, their worlds, no, the entire multiverse will be at our command! All who oppose shall rot in rehab, never to return until they have fully submitted to our will! AAHHAHHA!!!!!"

She flipped her hair as she turned around. "Come along, my minions! We must go and regroup with the rest! Surely, they have sent all the heroes to rehab by now!"

The other two voiced out their agreement, and soon the three were off.

And there are worlds where despite not being born into that world, he still made do.

SRS Nap AU

"They should be fine after some Hibernation. It's just their bodies are still adjusting to their choices and their new understanding of themselves. Make sure that they don't Hibernate often, though. It'll mess with their mentality," the doctor told Fic as he looked back at the newer members of the team, all lying on beds. 

"Got it. They're..." He paused. "They're going to be fine, right? I know that most dream demons have the same process even if their demonic features manifest in different ways, but..." 

"You've seen a lot of demons through their growth, Fic, but you're still nervous huh?" the doctor burst out laughing. "It's definitely not easy for you."

"I guess," he admitted with a sheepish laugh. "It's kinda nerve-wracking seeing all of them manifest in weird ways. Even Yuujin had his weird moments and he chose to be human." 

"Still worrisome, I get it," the doctor reassured him. "I'll keep an eye on them, so you should probably head home and rest. You have to work soon enough right?" 

"Darn, don't remind me," he mumbled. "The projects keep on piling up and I-"

"Take it easy. They won't be going anywhere for now. I can guarantee you that, Fic." 

"Shinhi-san, you are way too chill some days." 

"Am I now? I like to think Alruma is more chill somehow," he joked. "Which is funny, considering his situation." 

Fic snorted. "Fair enough. I'll be off then. Let me know about any changes in the chat." 

He saluted before the Fate Changer popped away, leaving him to smile as he looked at the new members. "Man, how Fic managed to pull himself together when I wasn't around to help him figure out everything about dream demons is amazing."

Sure, people were looking into it, but being the only human at the time when all these changes started to happen was probably very hard on Fic. 

Shinhi chuckled. He had a feeling that Fic was going to go places. Any Fic could, really, if they put their mind to it. 

Isekai SRS AU

"They finally understand our suffering," Ajit solemnly said as the older members watched the newer ones FREAK after coming back from their own Isekai adventures. 

That just made Nico and Shirou burst out laughing as Fic snorted. "Ajit, chill." 

"No, seriously. They understand our suffering. My entire Bakugan arsenal were Pokémon, still are when they switch to that form, and it freaked me out. I'm glad they finally understand how stressful it was for me." 

Dan laughed. "It wasn't that bad, though." 

"Says the dude who has a dragon familiar now," Hiro snarked at his boyfriend. 

"And says the one with multiple spirit animals." 

"You guys are ridiculous." Fic rolled his eyes. 

Xeno chuckled. "But you love them all the same." 

"If I don't, I may as well not be here." 

"... Fic," he warned. 

"It's a joke, Niisan," Fic said with a smile. "I know that I love them and care for them." 

"Good, cause the last thing either of us want is a Vessel wave, right?" 

"Yeah, let's not- The kiddos are already overwhelmed as they are." 

The two shared a laugh at that, but Fic looked at the group around him and smiled. He had to admit that he had been scared when he ended up in that room where someone had claimed that he was an extra summoned by accident during the ritual to summon some sort of chosen one. Fic had easily accepted that. He got to get away from the childhood wreckers at least. Plus, they had beat the Diggorys and Morpheus. It was kind of a high. 

The real trouble kicked in when it turned out he was the chosen one, not the other person. Of course, he never treated the poor person badly. They hadn't deserved all of this, so he just treated them with kindness. All while struggling to live on their own. 

He had pulled through, though, with the help of the people of this new realm, and he even managed to have a garden of onions at his disposal! They were just sooooo cute! 

(He could hear Livy snorting nearby, and simply chose to get back at him with a prank later on.) 

At least in this world, he could find a home. A safe space from the nonsense of the non-fictional realm. 

He was happy here. He had found his place at long last. 

Even if there were worlds where he fell into the darkness, he would be saved. After all, even the darkest of people still had light in them. 

PA SRS AU

They closed their eyes. The book on their lap remained unturned as they tuned into the world around them.

Their boyfriends were not visiting right now so they decided to take time to reflect. (The Dark Spore gave them no time to do so. Air didn't come in, they were choking when under its corruption.)

Had it really been a year since they were stopped by the SRS? Or was it TTS?

Regardless, they remembered their empire crumbling apart. The foundation was razed to the ground by the group, destroying everything they had worked so hard on.

It was something they still hated even now, but they understood. The Darkness Crystals they had made, spread around... It had hurt people. To someone who hadn't known what it was like to care for people in an environment that hurt them immensely, they...

They lashed out. (Those who hurt them, dead.)

They formed an empire to never be hurt again.

Yet who would have expected, that someone, no, their counterparts of all things, would stop them? That they would be compassionate and give them hope when they didn't deserve it, had killed people to make them submit to their will.

(The scars under their clothes spoke of the horrors they had been subjected to.)

The person, now in rehab, smiled.

"Thank you. And I hope that you don't ever fall into the darkness I had, Ficmata."

But all journeys end, to some extent. And in the case of one Ficmata Gaea, it opens up a new journey of fighting for the life God wants him to gain.

Original Dimension

"Ganbare, Tomodachi Tanteisha! Zutto isshyo da!"

Tears are shed. Hugs and fist bumps are exchanged.

And Fic just smiles.

In the real world, he says, "Bye."

No, to be exact, it's a See you later.

And as he finally fades off, seeing those happy tears, he thinks, "It's not going to be easy, but I'll make it for sure."

Under the face mask in real life, he smiles.

"Zeimon, please continue to protect the multiverse in my stead."

This is the end of a story of a candle. The candle searched the same road many times, vainly praying for something that would change. For years, nothing did.

Or so they thought. Unknowingly, they had been changing the lives around them. Something in them, the good had germinated even though they had so many reasons to lash out, to hurt and hate.

No, they had been unknowingly walking down a new path, one that was painful but worth it.

The people who supported this candle were those they helped. A group who, under no natural circumstances would have come together but had, a yuki-onna whose warm heart was a light in the darkness, a toy whose joints were slowly oiled again, a family that was slowly coming back together, an ocarina player who continued to create and check on the candle once in a while, and many more.

But the one who truly helped them see, who guided them and helped them finally consider looking down to see the rough pavement, was a wise hedgehog. One who claimed to be lazy, but whose soul just needed a flame to keep it going.

The candle's flame, once used for others, was now used to notice the world, the path they had taken.

Their final step, as the wax falls and the flame is housed within a new home, a lantern, taken when they acknowledged the light within them.

The flame would now burn bright, and even if the elements tried to snuff its flame out...

Their loved ones would reignite the flame of the candle.