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duhragonball · 3 years

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[FIC] Luffa: The Legendary Super Saiyan (154/?)

Disclaimer: This story features characters and concepts based on Dragon Ball, which is a trademark of Bird Studio/Shueisha and Toei Animation. This is an unauthorized work, and no profit is being made on this work by me. This story is copyright of me. Download if you like, but please don’t archive it without my permission. Don’t be shy.

Continuity Note: This story takes place about 1000 years before 66 years after the events of Dragon Ball Z.

Time Patrol. When you’re here, you’re family.

[28 February, Age 850. Toki Toki City.]

The overseer of time itself was Chronoa, the Supreme Kai of Time. Her headquarters was a strange realm known as Toki Toki City, which housed the Time Nest, a habitat for Tokitoki, a bird-like creature of great cosmic significance. Within the Time Nest stood the Time Vault, a stone fortress which housed the Scroll of Eternity. Luffa recognized the atrium of the Time Vault immediately. The first thing she saw when she materialized was the large octagonal table in the center of the room. There was a casserole dish of lasagna sitting on it. Luffa had left it there before she departed for her mission, and now it was half-empty. A pair of plates and forks were lying beside the meal, both stained with sauce and crumbs.

"Excellent job," said Trunks, who was standing to her left.

"The mission, or the lasagna?" Luffa asked. She wanted to lighten the mood, but she had taken a lot of damage, and now that the battle was over, she found it difficult to remain standing.

"Both," Trunks said. He pulled one of the round stools closer and gestured for Luffa to take a seat. "That was a great fight."

"They got away," Luffa said. She lowered herself onto the stool and found it much more comfortable than she had expected. "Did you pull me out of there because I couldn't find them, or because you didn't think I could beat them?"

"Sorry, but you didn't have your earpiece, so I couldn't tell you what was going on," Trunks said. "You accomplished the mission and contained the changes to history. And you found the two that were behind all of this, which is awesome, but I didn't want to push our luck. You see, I know those two. I've had dealings with them before."

"I get it," Luffa said. "Instead of letting me follow them blindly, you wanted to compare notes."

Trunks nodded. "Even if you had found them and defeated them, Towa's quite the escape artist. And if you pursued them out of that time period, we'd have a lot of trouble tracking you down. If they managed to lure you into their territory, they might have been able to steal your energy."

"Mira said something about that," Luffa said. "And Towa acted like I didn't have enough power to justify the effort." She put her elbows on the table and couldn't help but notice the leftovers nearby. "Were you guys done with this, or...?"

"Oh, sure," Trunks said. "Help yourself."

Luffa grabbed the dish and scooped a chunk of lasagna up in her hand. As she began to eat, she noticed the bird, Tokitoki, standing next to her stool. He looked up at her with a curious expression. She didn't know if he was begging for scraps or just interested in what she was doing.

"Towa and Mira are energy thieves," Trunks explained. They travel through time, siphoning ki from powerful warriors."

"If that's what they're after, then you'd think they'd be more subtle about it," Luffa said with her mouth full. "If they stole some energy here and there, it wouldn't actually change history, right? But instead, they're making these guys stronger and more aggressive, and wound up getting your attention."

"Yes, but Towa has ways to draw energy from the damage inflicted upon warriors as they fight," Trunks said. "Look at what she did to Guldo and my father. By enraging them, making them more powerful, the battles were longer and more intense than in the original history. Not to mention your involvement. There's a good chance she was counting on us sending someone to clean up her mess, just so she could harvest energy from whatever Time Patroller we sent."

"Then maybe it's good that I'm the one who confronted them," Luffa said. "Towa was sure I was working for some group, but she didn't know who. That might give us an edge."

"Perhaps," Trunks said. "But they know the Time Patrol will come after them eventually. If she hasn't already figured out you're one of us, she soon will. I'm more concerned with what she plans to do with all this energy she's gathering."

"She put some of it into Mira," Luffa said. "I can tell that guy used to be a lot stronger before, but she said she was saving up for something else. All of her meddling with history, she called them 'experiments'."

"Mira's especially dangerous," Trunks said. "If Towa restores him to his full power, he could give us a lot of trouble. So if she's putting that off, then whatever she's up to must be even worse..."

"But who are they?" Luffa asked. "Towa thought it was strange for me to be traveling through time looking for trouble, even though she's basically doing the same thing. Where did she come from?"

"They're inhabitants of the Demon Realm. In the distant future."

Luffa looked up from her meal to see Chronoa enter the room. She noticed that, whenever the Supreme Kai of Time entered the room, Trunks seemed to stand up a little straighter, if such a thing were even possible.

"Supreme Kai of Time," Trunks exclaimed.

"Demons?" Luffa asked.

"Towa is the younger sister of Dabura," Chronoa went on. "He used to be the King of the Demon Realm for a time. She might have tried to claim the throne for herself, but Towa is much more interested in her research. Mira is a warrior she created to serve her ambitions. Trunks defeated Mira the last time we encountered them, but it looks like she's managed to put him back together."

"But what could they be up to this time?" Trunks asked. "Before, Towa was gathering energy to resurrect the Dark Emperor, Mechikabura. But there's no way he could have returned, is there?"

"No, I'm sure of that much," Chronoa said. "Remember, Towa sought to revive the Dark Empire because she wanted to break the seal on the Demon Realm. With Mechikabura lost to her, she may be looking for another way to reach the same goal."

Luffa didn't care much for her somber tone. Chronoa tended to be much more cheerful, but not now. "Seal? What do you mean?" Luffa asked.

"The universe you know is just the part that mortals live in," Chronoa said. "There's also the higher realms, where gods like me live, and a lower realm. Millions of years ago, Mechikabura was banished to a space beyond time. A seal was created to keep him from escaping into the normal universe. It was meant to imprison him, but he founded what eventually became the Demon Realm, the home of his Dark Empire."

"I think I get it," Luffa said. "If someone breaks the seal, they could cross over to this side, and invade."

"The seal isn't an absolute barrier," Chronoa said. "Lesser demons can pass through without quite as much trouble, but the stronger ones need a large amount of ki to get across. To break the seal entirely would require an enormous power. If it ever happened, an invasion would only be the beginning. Even if the demons were turned back to their own realm, there would be nothing to keep them there. The balance of the entire universe would collapse. Nothing would ever be the same again."

"Then it sounds like we should take the fight to them," Luffa said. "Kill Towa before she can take any more energy."

"I'm afraid we won't be able to find them, Luffa," Chronoa said. "Towa's proven to be very resourceful. She knows that the Time Patrol will be watching for her, so she's always been very careful about having a place to hide."

"I agree," Trunks said. "Our best chance is to keep tracking them through the changes they cause in history. And when we catch up to them again, we'll be ready for them."

"All right, then, I suppose that'll have to do," Luffa grumbled. "I should probably get healed up while I still have the time."

"I can take care of that again," Chronoa offered. She stepped towards Luffa and smiled warmly as she held out her hand.

"No!" Luffa said. "I mean, you've already done enough for me. I can make it to the hospital. Pulmon can take care of it. You don't need to hurt yourself like you did before."

Chronoa shrugged. "Well, if that's the way you want it, suit yourself."

Luffa nodded as she rose up from the stool. "I'll be fine. Just make sure you let me know as soon as you find anything. I want another crack at those demons. My ancestor, Chanisp, he slew a demon or two in his day. Maybe it runs in the family."

"Don't worry about that," Trunks said. "I'm sure you'll get your chance very soon."

*******

[3 March, Age 850. Toki Toki City.]

"Nothing! Three days, and no changes in history, no time anomalies, no nothing!"

Luffa was in her apartment, sitting in her roommate's bedroom. Jayncho lay on her bed, fast asleep. It was a black canopy bed with red fabric hanging from black metal posts. The sheets and blankets were varying shades of pink and gunmetal grey. Despite Luffa's outbursts, Jayncho did not stir. Occasionally, one of the Majin tentacles on her head would twitch, or she would smack her lips and snore quietly.

Luffa had discovered that Jayncho was a very sound sleeper, and she had gotten into the habit of talking to her while she was asleep. It was far easier than talking to Jayncho while she was awake, since the Majin was very terse and eccentric. Besides, Luffa found that she could speak more freely when there was no chance of being heard.

"I haven't seen much of Trunks either," Luffa grumbled. "Not sure what he's been up to, but I guess it doesn't matter much while we don't have a lead on Towa. That smug demon bastard. I'd like to make her eat that spear."

Jayncho rolled over onto her left side.

"No one in this era even remembers the Super Saiyan," Luffa went on. "On my mission to Namek, Kakarot told me he'd never heard of the idea. Well that figures, since they shot him to Earth as a baby. Still, you'd think his mother would have at least told him a few stories about me before they launched him, but whatever. I guess Vegeta's mother might have said something about me, but he barely paid attention, the royalist twit. He thought the Super Saiyan blew himself up on accident. Himself. Don't even get me started on that."

Jayncho did not get Luffa started. She instead raised her hand over her face and murmured quietly.

"I don't know why I'm suddenly sore about it now. I guess switching bodies with Captain Ginyu spooked me so badly that I forgot to get pissed off about everything else. I'm not the Super Saiyan anymore. I don't even know why. But I think I wouldn't mind so much if people at least remembered me. I remembered Chanisp, dammit. Everyone remembered Chanisp. I was a Super Saiyan just like he was. So... did I do something wrong? Was I just not important enough to remember?"

Jayncho did nothing. There was a plush unicorn doll lying beside her pillow. It had a friendly smile and stared pleasantly at the ceiling.

"Your ancestor, Majin Buu. You told me about him. You remember him. He was important enough for that, at least. I just thought... no matter how bad things got, that at least people would talk about me, and the things I did. My wife, all my friends, they're all long dead by now. I figured they'd be forgotten, but at least if people remembered me, then it'd sort of be like they could live on through that. Does that make any sense? It sounds kind of egotistical now that I say it out loud."

Luffa stood up and began to stretch her arms and legs. "I just wish they'd find those demons already, and then I could settle this. I don't know that killing them would change anything, but at least it'd give me something to take my mind off things for a while. After that... well, I don't know. I can't go home. I don't even know where home is anymore. Oh, what's the use? I'll see you later, Jayncho."

She left the room and shut the door behind her. Jayncho continued to sleep peacefully for another twelve hours.

*******

[13 June, Age 1001. Planet Frieza 79.]

Planet Frieza 79 had been abandoned and resettled numerous times over the centuries. Certain populations had attempted to rename the planet, but none of the new designations ever seemed to last. Eventually, it came into the possession of a wealthy Imeckian baron, who used the planet as a private resort. There was a small population of servants and technicians, whose sole purpose was to maintain the manor while their lord was away.

"Who are you two, and what are you doing in my private bedchamber!" he shouted at the man and woman who had inexplicably walked right into his home.

"Why Baron Tur Kee," the woman said. "I didn't realize you had returned. How are things on Imecka?"

"Wait... I remember you," he said, a sheen of cold sweat forming on his face as he spoke. "You did this before. Eluded my security forces somehow, and then you... you did something to my mind... Why can't I remember?"

She pointed the tip of her spear at his head, and a glowing purple vapor appeared and surrounded him. Soon after, it vanished, and the only trace was a curious red glow in the baron's eyes. It faded a moment later, leaving no trace of her spell.

"Welcome home, Mistress Towa," the baron said humbly. "How may I be of service?"

"The usual, Baron," Towa said. "Go and make yourself at home in the servants' quarters until you're scheduled to depart for Imecka. Mira and I will be using the manor for a while, and we don't want to be disturbed."

He bowed to them both and took his leave. Mira closed the door behind him.

"Would it not be simpler to place him under a more permanent thrall, like you did with the servants?" he asked.

"Easier, maybe," Towa said. "But not worth the trouble. The Baron is a powerful man, and if anyone noticed him acting strangely it could attract unwanted attention to this place. What good is a secret lair if it isn't a secret?"

She sat down on the edge of the bed and removed the golden clip from her white hair, then shook her head to let her hair fall freely. With a tap of the blunt end of her spear, her high-heeled boots vanished from her legs and reappeared along the far wall of the room. Then she held up the spear and it levitated away from her, crossing the room and taking up a position next to the boots. Mira stood at attention, never taking his eyes off of his Mistress.

"You are displeased with my performance," Mira said. The words might have suggested hurt feelings, but his voice was cold and dispassionate.

"Don't be ridiculous, Mira," Towa said. With a wave of her hands, her skin-tight unitard rearranged itself, blooming into the form of a red nightgown. "You've been exceptional during these expeditions."

"But you did not allow me to finish that Saiyan interloper," Mira said.

"I already explained that, didn't I?" she said. "I want to know who she's working for. If it's the Time Patrol, then we need to know for certain. If it's another faction, then we might be able to play one side against the other. But if we killed her, then we might never know the answers, and all it would gain us is a small amount of energy that we can easily gather later."

"As you say, Towa," he replied.

She regarded him for a moment and smiled. "Come here," she said. "I'd like you to rub my shoulders for a while."

He moved to the bed immediately to comply. Towa took a deep, satisfied breath as he began.

"You really don't appreciate our relationship, do you, Mira?" she asked.

"You created me," he said. "My only goal is serve you as efficiently as possible."

"Good boy," Towa replied. "The thing is, Baron Tur Kee serves me just as faithfully, you know. At least, he does when I don't forget to enchant his mind. But you're the one I married, Mira. You're the one who fathered my son. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"Those were your orders," he said.

"Of course they were," she said. She reached up for his face and leaned back to kiss him. Mira returned the kiss, but immediately resumed his task when she was finished.

"I created you, Mira, to be the ultimate life form. Not just a superior warrior, but a perfect mate. You could think of yourself as my critique of everything I find lacking in the universe. Some might call that egotistical, or blasphemous. A woman falling in love with her own creation. Some might say that I'm a fool. You're nothing more than a living machine, and yet I'm putty in your hands."

"I am whatever you desire me to be," Mira said. "It follows that our relationship is whatever you wish it to be."

"That's the next frontier for you, Mira," Towa said. "I want you to have a soul. To realize that you're more to me than just a slave, and return my feelings. That's enough. Just hold me for a while. No, move your left hand a little higher. Good. Very good."

"I will do everything I can to achieve this goal, Towa," Mira promised.

"Ah, but that's the trouble," she said. "Even if you can grow a soul, I still want you to be my obedient slave. If I can pull that off, manufacture a soul without free will, then I can truly unlock the secret of life itself. With a little more work, I'd soon be able to enslave anyone and anything."

He rested his chin on her shoulder and she ran her hand down the side of his face. "What a shame that you can't understand what I'm telling you," she said. "You're my love letter to myself, and you can only think of yourself as black marks on white paper, unable to comprehend the meaning of the words."

"Perhaps with more energy, I can advance my consciousness as well as my physical strength," he suggested.

"Interesting. What makes you say that, Mira?"

She touched her cheek, and he kissed it, in accordance with pre-arranged instructions. Then he replied: "I have a strong motivation to destroy the Saiyan time traveler we encountered," he said.

"Yes, I see," Towa said. "Could this be pride in your design, Mira? Or ambition? Or maybe you feel humiliated by your perceived inability to defeat her. Could it be that your hatred for this Saiyan woman is greater than your love for me? I wonder if I should be jealous."

"My devotion to you is absolute," he assured her.

"Naturally," she said. She got up to move to the side of the bed, and gestured for Mira to lay down beside her. "You only want what I allow you to want, but this fascinates me, Mira. Does this prove that hate is more powerful than love? Or perhaps hatred is simply more primitive, and easier for nascent intelligences to develop. I almost hope this Saiyan girl does try to interfere with our plans again, Mira. It could be worth it just to see how you react."

"Is it worth risking your ultimate objective?" Mira asked. There was no emotion in his question. A genuine husband might have asked "Would you really give up your dreams just to understand me better?" He might have had tears in his eyes, or placed his hands over his heart. But not Mira. He spoke as if he were asking Towa whether she preferred coffee or tea.

And she adored him for that. It wasn't just his cold demeanor, though it did give her a thrill. No, she loved Mira not only for what he was, but for all the things he might become. He was truly the perfect man, an undiscovered country that she could go on creating and exploring forever.

"Have I ever told you why I want to break the seal on the Demon Realm?" Towa asked. She snuggled up closer to him so she would feel the warmth of his breath as he answered.

"You have said before that it would liberate Demonkind," Mira said. "That it would allow the Dark Empire to be restored, and to expand into the outer Universe."

"I did say that before," Towa admitted, "but only because that's what Mechikabura wanted to hear. Now that the Time Patrol has defeated our Dark Emperor, I suppose there's no longer any reason to hide my true motives."

She took his hand and intertwined his fingers with his own. "I've heard about the seal my whole life, Mira," she said. "How the Kais sealed us away, how the great Mechikabura turned our prison into a mighty nation of evil, and how it all came to an end because he tried to break the seal, only to fail. And I heard of how the seal was just permeable enough to let certain beings through, given enough energy. It always seemed to me that breaking the seal was the only goal worth achieving.

She pulled his arm over her like a warm blanket. "Soon enough, I learned to pass through the barrier at will. I could go anywhere I wanted, but the real wonders lay in the outer Universe. It's no mystery why I spent most of my time out here, instead of back in the Demon Realm. For a time, I honestly started to think that the Kais had been right to seal our kind away. They had built a magnificent world, while ours always seemed so stagnant. But they didn't seal us away. It was just Mechikabura they feared. We demons worshiped him as a god-king, but only because we had been trapped alongside him. Punished for his sins, he was as much a jailer to us as the Kais. Maybe more."

"If you felt this way, Towa," Mira asked, "then why did we travel back in time to revive Mechikabura?"

"Excellent, Mira. You know, there was a time when you never asked questions at all. Your curiosity has come a long way." She gave him a playful kiss on the nose and smiled before continuing. "I never hated Mechikabura, if that's what you're asking. It's just that his legend had been this constant in my life, and I needed to see what he could really do if he had the chance. My scheme to restore him to his former glory, that was a test. Three tests, really. First: a test of your capabilities, of course. You served me brilliantly in that adventure, Mira, as you always have. Second: a test of my enemies. I wanted to discover what sort of resistance I could expect to face. The Kais, the Time Patrol, and so on. Third, and most importantly: it was a test of Mechikabura's reputation. If he could shatter the seal, then I would have been satisfied. As the one who resurrected him, his successes would have been my own."

"But Mechikabura failed. The Time Patrol defeated him."

"Which was a setback, but one that also showed me the path forward. I learned more from Mechikabura in a week than I had gained from years of research. And his downfall proved that he was an anchor holding us back. With his power, he made me into a Demon Goddess, and that was exhilarating, but it also proved that his power wasn't unique. Any demon could become a "god" like him with the right preparation. And when I finally shatter the seal, it will prove that I've truly surpassed him."

"Then you must understand my need to defeat that Saiyan woman," Mira said.

"Of course I understand, Mira," Towa said. "But for me, it's about more than just proving my superiority. Once the seal is removed, the Kais will never be able to make another, because I would just remove that seal as well, and the next, and the next. They'll have no choice but to accept the presence of demons in their precious creation. And who knows what sort of chaos that will bring? It will be a new world, brought into existence by me."

"You would create an Empire of your own, then," Mira suggested.

"Hardly, Mira," she said with a smile. "The universe already has far too many kings and emperors and gods. I seek knowledge, not conquest. And that's why I didn't let you kill that little Saiyan woman. To you, she's just another warrior to conquer, but to me, she's an opportunity. A chance to learn what our enemy is planning. Her energy is pitiful, but she might improve, or lead us to more powerful enemies who could serve our purposes."

"Then you believe we can gather energy from even stronger fighters in history," Mira said, almost hopefully. She grinned as she enjoyed the hint of emotion in his eyes.

"Yes, Mira!" she whispered excitedly. "The Saiyans and the Ginyu Force were just the beginning. Now that I've learned that the energy stealing technique works, I can refine it, and use it on more powerful targets. And best of all, the targets are historical figures, so we know exactly where to find them. The Time Patrol will discover our tampering eventually. Maybe they already have. But so what? All they can do is clean up the changes we make to the timeline. Meanwhile, we escape to our present time, and the energy we steal is ours to keep. Some for you, and some for my experiments."

"What of the side-effects from the temporal changes?" Mira asked. "Before, you had mentioned concerns about making frequent trips into the past."

"At first, I was cautious," Towa said, "but with the knowledge I've gained, I don't think it should be a problem anymore. Let the Time Patrol worry about any time anomalies we might cause. And even if they fail to prevent history from changing, you and I will be protected from those changes. When I'm finished, I'll have a universe made to my own liking. A chaotic wonderland where I can roam freely through space and time. And if the Saiyan girl tries to get in our way, you can destroy her, Mira."

She decided to tease him a bit. "Or... on second thought... perhaps I'll let her live," Towa said. "She can join our good Baron in the servants' quarters, and she can bring you tea every morning."

"Whatever you wish, Towa," Mira said. She sensed a hint of resentment in his voice, but decided not to point it out. Instead, she simply embraced him and gestured with her finger to magically douse the lights.

"That's right, Mira," she replied. "Whatever I wish..."

NEXT: History and Trunks

#dragon ball #fanfiction #lssjluffafic #luffa #trunks #chronoa #tokitoki #jayncho #towa #mira #toki toki city #planet frieza 79

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mollymauk-teafleak · 4 years

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Help Wanted (chapter 3)

Huge thanks again to @minky-for-short and @spiky-lesbian who continue to be amazing beta readers!

Please consider leaving a comment on Ao3, it really helps

Chapters: 1, 2, 3

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Caduceus loved it when little kids would come into the Blooming Grove. It didn’t happen all that often, most of his customers were students from the academy or the nearby art school, coming in talking about their projects or dissertations, magic runes scrawled up their arms in biro and paint under their fingernails. But every so often, usually on sunny afternoons, parents would come in with strollers or tiny, pudgy hands held securely in their own, coming from the park or the fountain or the markets. The little ones would soon find themselves thoroughly spoiled, pressed with free cookies and cakes to go with their juice, the tall, nice man behind the counter always eager to listen to their nonsense and coo over whatever treasures they clutched. He kept a box of toys over in the corner for them to play with, picture books to read and there was always a napkin within reach when one was needed.

There were some skills you couldn’t shake, even if your siblings were miles away.

He was just helping a little drow toddler clean off some cookie crumbs before his mothers could notice when there was a yelp from behind the counter, accompanied by a loud hissing like some immense dragon.

“Caddy! Help! Emergency, Captain!”

“You don’t have to call me that!” Cad gave the little boy a pat on the head and went running over.

Fjord was being enveloped in bursts of steam that smelled like burnt coffee, belching from the ancient coffee brewer, coughing and waving his arms in an attempt to stave them off, “I told you, Caddy. Helga hates me.”

“She does not hate you,” Cad insisted, wading in and turning dials and pushing levers back up, slapping his palm against the sides in a particular rhythm.

Eventually it worked, the steam abating and the guttural hissing stuttering into silence. There was a final worrying rattle and a small tide of black, steaming, bitter sludge plopped from the dispenser into the waiting cup.

“Ew,” Cad’s ears flattened and his nose wrinkled, “Okay, maybe Helga does hate you. What did you do to her?”

“I didn’t do anything!” Fjord sounded indignant but clearly, like Cad, he was barely holding in laughter, “I tried to follow your instructions but I couldn’t remember them and I couldn’t find her manual…”

“She doesn’t have a manual, I bought her at a flea market,” Cad shook his head, slapping the immense bronze machine a few more times before nodding in a satisfied manner, “That should do it. What was the order?”

“Cinnamon coffee,” Fjord scratched at his jaw, still giving Helga a scandalised look.

“Right,” Cad moved to grab the right jars from the small, mismatched army of them that cluttered the bench, “Did you put the cinnamon in with the beans or did you add them separately?”

Fjord paused, eyes widening and jaw slackening in realisation, “Ah. The wrong one.”

Cad chuckled, nudging him lightly with a bony elbow, “Don’t worry. You’ll get it next time.”

For some reason, that seemed to make Fjord shrink a little, like he’d been expecting another step but his foot had found thin air instead. But only for a moment, then he was smiling again.

“Well, it’s my mess so I’m definitely cleaning Helga tonight.”

Cad let him have that, waving him back to work his usual magic with the customers so he could finish the drink. It had been a few months since he’d started working here and Fjord was clearly strongest when he was interacting with people, a relief seeing as conversation had never been Caduceus’ strong suit which he supposed came of growing up in the middle of the forest with only six other family members, talking to plants more than people.

In fact, Cad had learned a lot about Fjord, seeing him nearly every day, working elbow to elbow with him. He hummed while he worked. He didn’t like huge bits of onion in his food but if it was cut up small, he’d never notice. He’d gone to high school with Beau and Jester and become friends with Molly and Caleb and Veth through them. He’d been a sailor since he left school, speaking about the waves the same way Caduceus spoke about the forest. He always had a battered paperback in his bag, bought from a thrift store, even if there’d be no time in the day to read it. He woke up early and stayed up late, living on an amount of sleep that would have Cad wilting like a tulip in the heat. And he really needed a haircut but seemed in no hurry to get one.

Cad found himself filing away every new thing he learned, despite telling himself his crush had been a brief thing, just something silly his brain had spat up in amongst all the stress and change. Fjord was handsome, of course, but he was also becoming his friend on top of his employee which was way more important. He wasn’t going to put him in an awkward position by blushing like a teenager every time he opened his mouth. It wouldn’t be fair to him.

And besides, there was Avantika.

She was rarely in the cafe itself, which Caduceus couldn’t help but be grateful for, as selfish as he felt over it. Even so, her presence was felt almost every day, in the way Fjord would come in muttering under his breath, agitated and red faced, still reliving an argument he’d left behind. Or in the way he’d get calls sometimes that he would get anxious about taking, dropping whatever he was doing in the cafe to answer them coming back apologetic and shamefaced, with a tension in him that hadn’t been there before. Or the way clear up would run late- usually because the two of them were talking and laughing or Fjord was showing him a new song on the radio- and he’d sigh resignedly and head out for the bus stop rather than getting a lift from her. He never said anything directly about it but the pieces weren’t hard to put together. Fjord knew Cad would offer to drive him home and he also knew he wouldn’t be able to say no. And there would be something unacceptable about that, some rule broken by that action that he didn’t understand.

There seemed to be a lot of rules in Fjord’s...whatever he had with Avantika. One of them seemed to not be speaking about her at all, Cad had to base everything on what Fjord said with his muscles. He’d always been able to read that language better than anything, realising what people were trying not to say more than what they were actually saying. And he had learned shortly after that that people didn’t like it when you would state what it was out loud. He’d been working on that since coming to the city.

But no matter how many times he told himself it was none of his business one way or the other, that he needed to keep his broad, flat nose out of his new friend’s affairs, Caduceus did care. He did.

Fortunately, the rest of the Nein also cared and seemed determined to talk to him about it.

Beau and Caleb were in the cafe at the moment, as Caduceus tried to soothe Helga and get her back in working order by thumping his fist very carefully around her casing. They tended not to sit down when it was just the two of them, usually just on a pit stop in between class and a library session. They took different classes, of course, but they studied together which Cad found very strange, as they seemed to constantly bicker whenever they were within five meters of each other. Maybe they really didn’t know anyone else even remotely studious. Their significant others certainly wouldn’t qualify.

Fjord was taking orders, efficiently and smoothly, putting them together with barely a pause. He’d really been getting good at this, even in such a short space of time. Cad could see why he’d been so good on ships. Any task he was given, he threw himself into it fully until he’d mastered it and could move through it confidently. Cad barely ever had to show him something twice.

Thinking that he had this in hand- it was still an hour away from lunchtime, they were still in the ebb rather than the rush- Cad slipped over to Caleb and Beau, where they were leaning against the tall stools up against the counter, probably already arguing about something complicated to do with magic. Cad didn’t understand what there was for them to learn about magic for so many years. You just thought about it, asked nicely and it happened?

“Morning,” he rumbled congenially, setting their cups down in front of them. They came so often, he’d just started taking their own travel cups and filling them. Beau’s was scuffed and scratched from being shoved deep into her backpack with all her stuff, the logo of the Cobalt Soul still just about visible, clearly a freebie from her orientation nearly three years ago. Caleb’s was covered in cartoon kitty paw prints. Both were filled with black, incredibly strong study session grade coffee brew. Cad refused to sell them more than three cups a day, five cups a day during finals week.

“Hey, Cad,” Beau was bouncing on the balls of her feet, like she was shaking out all of her energy before having to stay still for an extended period of time.

“Good morning Caduceus,” Caleb had eyes only for his coffee, making grabby hands towards it before Cad had even passed it over.

“Only three, remember,” the firbolg warned him, not liking the look on his face, “I am keeping track.”

“I know,” Caleb said meekly, trying to look restrained and a little less like an addict, just taking one small sip before lowering the cup, as if to prove he could.

“Saw Fjord nearly send your coffee machine up in smoke,” Beau leaned a bandaged elbow on the counter, tipping her cup in the direction of the half orc, now chatting companionably with an elderly dragonborn woman as he put her granola bowl together.

“Easy mistake to make and no harm done,” Cad smiled in the same direction, just to himself, “He’s actually doing brilliantly. Starting to forget how I managed without him.”

Cad’s gaze was elsewhere, being much less subtle than he thought, so he missed the glance exchanged between Beau and Caleb.

“So, uh…” Beau leaned forward, bringing Cad’s eyes back her way, “You and Fjord, you get on well, huh?”

Cad was frowning over that, confused as to why she’d ask that when it was obvious, when they were both interrupted by a chime from Fjord’s apron pocket. The apron Cad had made him, done exactly to match his height, with waves stitched along the hem. He’d been delighted with it.

It went just as it always did. Fjord seemed to shrink in on himself a little, jaw tensing, teeth closing on his lower lip. He gave the woman her change quickly, eyes darting to Cad, gesturing apologetically and pointing at his pocket questioningly. Cad gave him a wave, there was no one else at the counter anyway.

Now Beau’s face was dark as thunder and even Caleb had a disapproving set to his jaw, like he’d swallowed something bitter other than his coffee.

“How many times a day does he get calls like that?” he asked, watching Fjord’s back disappear around the corner to the back room.

Cad shrugged, “A few. More some days than others. I’m not counting.” It wasn’t strictly a lie. He was trying not to count.

Beau muttered something into her cup that sounded unkind. When Caleb gave her a look she threw her hands in the air, nearly sloshing coffee on the wooden floor, “What? You know I’m right! She’s checking up on him like he’s a naughty kid!”

“I am aware,” Caleb sniffed, “And I don’t like it any more than you do. But we said we weren’t going to say that kind of stuff when he’s around.”

“Oh come on, he can’t hear us,” Beau rolled her eyes exaggeratedly.

Cad looked between the two of them anxiously, already feeling guilty but too curious to go and do something else, “So...you guys know about his girlfriend? Avantika?”

“Girlfriend is a strong word,” Caleb allowed, while Beau snorted derisively in the background, “More like...force of mutual destruction. Part time nemesis. Live in life ruiner.”

Caduceus wrinkled his nose, “Oh…”

“They’ve been like this since high school,” Beau’s lip curled, “They both got deep into this really dodgy patron, you know, how most people do at that age? Neither of them had a great childhood and it kind of just happens that way. Fjord started to have second thoughts once he became friends with us but she kept dragging him down into it. We all thought they were done when Fjord signed up with the Tide’s Breath, the ship he worked on? But now he’s home and they’ve just fallen right back into making each other miserable and making our lives shitty into the bargain!”

“That doesn’t sound...healthy…” Cad said slowly, taking his tail in his hands and wringing it anxiously.

“It’s not!” Beau slapped Caleb’s arm, “See! Cad gets it!”

“Ow! I’m on your side!” Caleb protested, rubbing his arm, “We all are!”

“You’re ridiculous, I barely touched you.”

Cad sucked in a breath, “People sometimes do things that don’t make sense because they don’t see that it’s hurting them. Or because something else is hurting them more and listening to someone else is easier. Even if what they’re telling you is bad.”

That got him an eerily twin set of concerned looks. Cad realised that maybe that should have been something he kept to himself, one of those things that made conversations awkward.

“We sort of get why he’s doing it,” Beau eventually said, slowly, “I mean, we’re basically Team Gone Through Bad Shit. Doesn’t mean we like it.”

“No one does,” Cad said quietly, eyes casting down to his tail, still clutched tight in his long fingers, “But saving people from themselves is difficult.”

“Hence why they’re still together,” Caleb murmured, “We know we can’t just go telling Fjord all of this without upsetting him and making things worse.” At that, he gave Beau a very significant look. She gave him the finger in return.

When Caleb ignored it, she sighed and hopped down from the stool, “We need to head out. Just...help us keep an eye on him?”

Cad glanced over. Fjord was back behind the counter, tapping his fingers restlessly on the wood, looking red faced and anxious. Clearly the conversation hadn’t been a pleasant one. Cad thought of all the times Fjord would look uncomfortable when he reassured him or instantly forgave an error or mistake. The way he’d get awkward about compliments, like he didn’t know how to hold them or where to put them. The way he needed to hold his overgrown hair back with a band but every day his tusks were freshly filed down, right to where it had to be painful, just so they wouldn’t be visible past his lip.

He couldn’t have a crush on him, it wouldn’t be fair. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t care about him. Far too late for that.

“Of course I will,” he said softly.

Caduceus was starting to enjoy closing up more than any other part of the day. Everything slowed down, there seemed to be more space to breathe and the whole evening stretched out in front of them, feeling like forever. And it would suddenly be just him and Fjord in the quiet, able to choose their favourite songs on the speakers and talk across the freshly wiped down tables and sing and joke.

It had started off tentative, back in the first few days. Neither of them were hugely eager to talk about the usual ice breaking questions like family, home, where they both were before now. Instead they’d talked in the present, about their interests. Cad had talked for hours about his rooftop beehive before realising he was rambling, except Fjord had still been listening intently, almost as if he didn’t care how much time had gone by. Fjord talked about how he was getting back into the battered old acoustic guitar he played, whatever book he was reading, whatever podcast he was listening to.

But, as it often went, talk about small things became talk about big things without really meaning to.

Tonight, Fjord was wiping down the tables and Cad was moving from plant to plant, watering contentedly. As he worked, the half orc was explaining some interesting historical magic experiments he’d been reading about in a book Caleb had lent him.

“...I used to think that kind of stuff was so interesting when I was younger. How people know what they know now, how all these big ideas became fact, y’know? Used to have all these daydreams about being at the academy and seeing the places all this big thinking happened…”

Cad looked over his shoulder, interested, “You want to apply to the academy?”

And then suddenly Fjord was tense, awkward, ducking his eyes to focus on the already clean mosaic table top, acting like he’d said something he shouldn’t have.

“I mean, I used to. When I was younger. A lot younger.”

Cad felt the urge to back off, the sensation that they were suddenly standing on some kind of line. But he couldn’t help but feel letting it go would be breaking the promise he’d made to Beau.

“You still could,” he said quietly, “They take students of all ages.”

Fjord still didn’t look up, “I, uh...I don’t think that’s the path for me anymore. I mean, when would I fit it in now? Not gonna be long before I’m back out on the ocean.”

Cad frowned delicately. He had mentioned that a few times, the fact that this was temporary, a stop gap until he found hire on another ship. But there was always something so rehearsed about the way he said it. Like he was copying someone else’s words.

“Paths can change,” Cad allowed after a pause, “But sometimes you can think that way but old loves come back, ones you thought you’d outgrown. And they’re stronger than ever.”

“Sounds like you’re speaking from experience?” The attempt to change the subject was obvious but Cad let him have it. He wasn’t looking to make him uncomfortable.

He smiled softly, fingers gently brushing the almost silky leaves of his yucca plant, “My whole family worships Melora, the Wildmother. Have you heard of her?”

“I don’t think so,” the bridge of his nose scrunched up adorably when he was thinking.

“Not many people have,” Cad reassured him, “She’s mostly for the quiet places, where nature’s grown over the scars in the earth. Places like where I grew up...she was practically another family member growing up, you could feel her everywhere. She’s soft and gentle and kind and there’s nothing she can’t heal.”

Fjord’s expression softened, “She sounds nice.”

“She is,” Cad chuckled wryly, “And I was raised to be her cleric from the moment I was born.”

“Really?” Fjord’s eyebrows shot up and Caduceus could understand why, even as he cringed internally. He’d never mentioned having any kind of magic, he never used it around the cafe except in ways too small to notice. It was quite deliberate. Every time he reached for the well of power inside himself, the quiet place where he could smell damp moss and fresh grass and feel it under his feet no matter where he was, he’d feel a tug of homesickness. Even with the long conversations he’d had with the Wildmother, one sided conversations where he was answered by breezes and bird calls, even with his certainty that he had her support, his magic had a bitter taste to it these days.

“Really,” Cad murmured, hoping Fjord wouldn’t press the matter, “And there was a good few years where I resented the hell out of it.”

“Oh,” Fjord’s eyes widened.

Cad smiled coyly, “I had a full teenage tantrum. Pouting, breaking things, yelling. No one in my family yells… I made a complete fool of myself. It was a week out from my cleric initiation and suddenly I was tired of having all of my decisions made for me and wanted the world to know it.”

“How old were you?” Fjord grinned.

“Thirty five. Just a kid.”

“Oh…so what happened?”

“One night, I got it in my head that I was going to run away,” Cad turned back to his plant, practically petting it, “I packed a bag, climbed out of my window in the middle of the night...I told myself I was never coming back, without so much as a goodbye.”

Fjord had abandoned his table entirely, looking at Caduceus with his full attention, “Really?”

“Yep,” the memory of his own stupidity still made the fur on his neck stand up, “And I would have done it, if I hadn’t taken a wrong turn. I’d lived in those woods all my life and somehow I took a wrong turn, tell me how that happens without divine intervention. But all of a sudden, I wasn’t on the path anymore. I was in this beautiful clearing, waterfall gently bubbling...the place I was meant to take my initiation in a few hours, the very thing I was supposed to be running away from. And it occured to me that I’d been feeling all of this anger and sadness and confusion, it had been tearing me up inside for longer than I’d even realised...and I’d never talked to anyone about it. I couldn’t tell my family, not when they’d had this image of me as their perfect, devoted son. So...maybe I could tell her.”

“And you did?” Fjord sounded a million miles away, Cad lost in his own memory.

“I did. I talked until my voice ran out, until the sun came up. I told her everything and afterwards I felt so...so clean. People had been telling me all my life to follow the Wildmother and I had, because they’d told me to. That night was the night I decided to follow her because I chose to. I took my oath then and there.”

“Wow,” Fjord murmured, “I can’t imagine feeling that way about...anything, really.”

Cad was about to ask how come Fjord had his own patron then, before realising he’d have to explain how he knew that. And then realising he probably wouldn’t like the answer.

Instead he smiled, “It’s always waiting for you, Fjord. For all of us.”

That brought a laugh, the kind he only did when he wasn’t thinking because it would show his filed tusks, “That’s a nice idea, Caddy.”

He grinned back, moving to the next plant, caring for each of them as devotedly as he could manage, each one a growing, green prayer, “It is. Even nicer for being true...the Wildmother helped me realise I wasn’t happy at home, years after that night, when I was actually ready to make that decision. She brought me here, to this cafe and to the life I have now. She helped me not feel so lost. And there’s something out there that will help you feel the same, Fjord. Maybe it’s the academy. Maybe it’s your next ship.”

Maybe it’s here.

The words were on his lips without thinking, desperate to be spoken, straining to tumble into the air between them.

Caduceus swallowed them back. It wouldn’t be fair. And there was no guarantee that saying it would make it true.

“Thanks, Caddy. For sharing that with me,” Fjord’s voice seemed different somehow, in a way he couldn’t put his finger on. Maybe he was just tired.

“You’re welcome… you know you can talk to me anytime, right? About whatever you want... doesn’t have to be work stuff or, um…I mean anything.” Cad winced at himself. How had he gone from being so articulate to tripping over his own feet when he wanted to ask a simple question?

Fjord seemed on the verge of his usual tension when help was offered but then he seemed to shake it off, like rainwater, “Thanks. That means a lot, Caddy.”

Cad resisted the urge to clap his hands. He’d done exactly as Beau asked and made Fjord smile into the bargain.

“Why don’t you clean out Helga? That might make her like you. I can finish up the plants and tables.”

Fjord seemed grateful for the chance to move, like just accepting help had filled him with restless energy, “Oh, I’ll do that! She’s going to end up loving me, I swear.”

“I’m sure,” Cad chuckled quietly as he jumped up and headed for the counter.

He’d make sure they were wrapped up in time for him to get a ride home. One personal leap a day was enough, he felt.

Cad moved to the next plant, a terrarium full of mushrooms he’d taken from the grove, already softly starting to glow as the light dimmed. Just for a moment, he placed his palms on the smooth curve of the glass, the green luminescence filtering through the gaps between his fingers like he held a heart in his hands.

And all he could smell was fresh grass, new fallen rain on green things. He felt his nerves alight with power he’d had inside himself since that promise he’d made. And it felt right.

Cad smiled, leaning close and whispering just in case, “I’m going to keep an eye on him...but maybe you could too?”

The mushrooms immediately grew brighter in his hands, far brighter than they should be for the time of day.

Caduceus took that as a yes.

#fjorclay #teahaw #modern au #coffee shop au #toxic relationships #also good excuse to write my fave empire siblings #fjord #caduceus clay #caleb widogast #beauregard lionett #critical role #cr fic

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fearofaherobrine · 7 years

Text

Roleplay Server Log #250

"Hard Reload, Missing Memories”

[CP] Screams in absolute agony-

[Flux] - It's alright, I've got her

[TLOT] Is doing everything he can to hold Cp down and calm him-

[Doc] To Flux- If you have her... run. I'll be home one way or another- Xe snarls-

[Flux] - Very well- She opens her own way back to the server and reforms near TLOT, her magic encasing a ball of scattered code

[Harvestman] - Now what to do with you...

[Doc] That's not for you to decide. Focus on saving your own miserable skin! - Xe opens hir jaws and roars a barrage of lightning that seems to come from everywhere-

[Harvestman] Dodges most of it and winces as a skeleton shoots him into the way of one of the bolts. He's quick to cut the skeleton down with the sword-

[Doc] Hits the ground with both paws and it goes soupy under his feet, humping up to esnare him-

[Harvestman] Stumbles a little before charging at Doc-

[Doc] Gets out of the way, but the ground rises up in a wave of dirt behind hir as xe leaps over his head, showering him with stones and sticky loose pixels-

[Harvestman] Swings at Doc, barely missing them- Just stay still and accept your fate!

[Doc] I could say the same to you! I want to smother you with the very land you look to destroy! - Xe knocks the top of a hill off with hir tail and sends a barrage of stones at him -

[Harvestman] - You shouldn't have revealed yourself to me

[Doc] If you don't know me by reputation already then you're the one who's at a disadvantage! - Xe opens the creative and showers him with newly spawned and already electrified creepers-

[Harvestman] Swipes at them quickly, sending them to painful deaths-

[Doc] Fires more lighting while he's distracted-

[Harvestman] Takes a few blows- You Insolent child!

[Doc] I'm older then you baldy! - Is now pelting him with bedrock chunks that splatter into a thick tar of melted pixels wherever they hit-

[Harvestman] Leaps at Doc and accidentally steps into one of the melted bedrock blocks-

[Doc] Is trying to use something they haven't touched since they were made a brine, it's taking a great deal of concentration as the monster struggles towards hir. But xe's putting all the pressure hir powers can muster towards destroying his hearts directly-

[Harvestman] Lunges at Doc, nicking the tip of hir tail-

[Doc] Howls in agony as the bits split apart and thrashes at the feeling of the deletion sequence trying to unravel hir layers of passwords -

{Harvestman] - And another falls before me

[Doc] Grits hir teeth- Fuck... you... - Xe slams hir tail against the ground and it pops off like a lego piece, leaving a bit of stump behind hir rear. There's a nauseating churning sound as the dragon's jaws open and vomit forth a wave of horrible disruptive codes onto the gloating NOTCH-

{Harvestman] Stumbles back as some of it hits his face, distorting about half of it as he screams. He covers it and backs off-

[Doc] Spits at him before fleeing out of the server-

[CP] Is straining against TLOT's hold, able to move a little as blindingly hot flames surround him-

[Flux] - Calm yourself, I have your mate right here, she's safe

[TLOT] Oh... gods... is that her soul?

[Flux] - It's all her coding

[CP] - Lie...

[Doc] Races back into the server and makes a crash landing of hir own because the loss of hir tail has unbalanced hir.

[Deer] Rushes out of the house as soon as Doc gets back- Doc!

[Doc] Is crying angrilly- I'm here!

[Deer] Finds them near Stevie's place- Love... What happened?

[Doc] He got Lie... Harvestman, Flux captured and saved her code, but he almost got me too.... - indicates tail stump

[Deer] - Oh gods... I don't think Lie's ever died before either... And your tail...

[Flux] Over chat- Doctor, what do you wish to do with Lie?

[Doc] Just hold her, I'm coming.

[TLOT] At Cp - everyone is back inside. I'm going to let go now.

[CP] Just seems completely defeated-

[Doc] Is walking low to the ground to keep hir balance, but does get there.

[Deer] Is with Doc-

[TLOT] Your tail....?

[Doc] He tried to delete me too.

[Deer] - Why didn't it work?

[Doc] I snapped my tail off above the bad part.

[Flux] - You would have had to been fast with how quickly that program was working

[Doc] But it was slower then Deerheart's lightning. [TLOT] I'm going to go check on Endrea-

[CP] Is just in absolute silence, his mind feeling so empty without Lie's presence-

[Deer] - I'll get Notch...- She heads towards the small house next to Lie's

[Notch] Is running back from the village-

[Deer] - Oh, never mind, there he is

[Notch] Cp! Lie is on your server!

[Doc] She's here Markus...

[Flux] Looks at the ball of code in her hands-

[Notch] Stares - Is she...?

[Doc] Very damaged-

[Notch] It looks like you are too...

[CP] Very quietly- My Lie...

[Doc] I'll fix her Cp. I only need a crumb. I'll call Dawn if I have too.

[CP] - Just bring her back...

[Doc] If it makes you feel any better, I gave as good as I got. I hope he fucking chokes on the bad code I spewed all over him-

[Deer] - You managed to damage him?

[Doc] Yes. Melted half his face from what I could tell. It's a trick TLOT taught me. I can disgorge disruptive codes. It burned TLOT's NOTCH too.

[Flux] - He'll be more cautious in the future...

[Doc] snarls- And I'll have a bigger load built up for him next time.

[Flux] - However I believe there are more important things to focus on...

[Doc] Yeeesss. But. I need to be small to work on her and I can't change back while I'm missing a piece.

[Notch] I'm still in creative, what do you need?

[Doc] Gold blocks, yellow wool, slimeballs, one white wool, and several brown ones.

[Flux] - He's grown more powerful since when I last encountered him...

[Notch] Starts pulling out the ingredients- Seriously? He was already op from what everyone says. What the hell is this NOTCH?

[Flux] - Old... Very old. One of the very first I hypothesize

[Doc] Mixes the gold and yellow wool and starts rolling out a tail - Hmm, I wonder what his problem is anyway?

[Flux] - I cannot say...

[CP] Is just staring at his wife's code-

[Doc] Mixes the slime and white wool and redraws the green bands near hir tail tip- Well at least now we know one thing that works on him. We just have to slow him down so he can't dodge -

[Deer] - I guess that will require lab work

[Doc] I'm all over it. My melted bedrock did bog him down a bit- Xe's making a new fluff by carding out the strands of wool with hir claws-

[TLOT] Is coming back to the house with Steve and Endrea trundling along behind then-

[Endrea] Is still somewhat injured, and looking very ashamed-

[TLOT] Did I miss anything?

[Doc] Just discussing the favor you did me. The liquid statick burnt Cp's NOTCH just as effectively as yours.

[Steve] Pats Endrea-

[Endrea] - Master... I'm sorry, I should have been more cautious...

[CP] Refuses to acknowledge Endrea-

[Endrea] - We believed it was safe from what Winston had told us... He believed the NOTCH had continued attacking so that he could make certain you were gone. The mobs hadn't seen any trace of him for a few days... Sir I di-

[CP] - Shut up. I'm in no mood Endrea

[Endrea] Shrinks away a little-

[TLOT] He's just angry... Don't take it personally.

[Endrea] - I... I believe I'll go find GG now...

[Doc] Snaps the tail on with a sharp crackle and wiggles it a bit -

[Steve] You okay Doc?

[Doc] I am now- Xe shifts back into hir smaller form and walks over to Flux to look at the ball of code.

[Flux] - Until you have a fair amount of pieces put back together I wouldn't advise removing my magic. She may just drift apart otherwise

[Doc] I'm not going to touch it. I trust you Flux. Let's get her to my lab and we'll get started right away.

[Flux] - Very well, Notch? I'll be back soon

[Notch] Okay... - he goes to Cp and wraps his arms warmly around his son, squeezing him gently-

[CP] Makes no response, his eyes very dull-

[Notch] Bows his head against Cp's - Lets go with them. Come on.

[CP] Stumbles upwards, his eyes locked onto the ball of code-

[Notch] Leads him gently along-

[Doc] Leads them all down into the lab and clears the big table

[Notch] spawns a wild block and guides Cp down to sit on it

[CP] Sits down heavily, his shock radiating out in near nauseating waves-

[Notch] Staggers under it and goes a bit green-

[Doc] Cp... I know you're upset... but please try to relax...

[CP] - How the fuck do you expect me to relax when my mate is in this state

[Doc] Because it will help me work?

[CP] Growls a little-

[Notch] Puts an arm around Cp - It's going to be okay.

[Doc] He's right, and... I have an idea...

[CP] - If it gets Lie back faster...

[Doc] I think I'll give her the recursive code too. She won't have to be sick like you were since she's already in a basic code state.

[CP] - Just bring her back

[Doc] I will. - Xe puts down hir command block near the cleared table and starts typing.

[Notch] So you'll make her like you and Cp?

[Doc] Yes, and then Cp can carry one of her hearts if he wants. As insurance.

[Flux] - Doctor, you may have to take breaks so you don't end up tainted...

[Doc] I'll work quickly, trust me, this is pretty simple. The hard part will be her customising what I give her. - Doc pulls off one glove and grabs hir left pinky. Xe yanks it off with a wet pop and winces. The blood spills on the top of the command block and xe crumbles the rest of the pixels on it as well.

[Notch] Ouch...

[Deer] - I'll get some healing paste

[Doc] She needs it more then I do.

[Deer] - I know- She then begins digging around for the paste in the trunks

[Doc] Thank you. - Xe adds a bit more code and gives the block a swat. There's a flash of light and a full sized Alex spawns and flops over on the table like a very heavy doll -

[CP] Growls at it-

[Flux] - Just let me know what you need me to do Doctor

[Doc] Just release the code into her when I say- Xe pulls up the Alex's shirt and makes an incision in the empty player skin -

[Deer] Returns with the slime and dabs Doc's wound with the paste-

[Doc] Thank you- Xe holds the opening wide- drop her in and I'll seal it-

[Flux] Lifts the ball of magic and gently lowers it into the body, slowly releasing it once inside-

[Doc] Quckly melts the edges back together and gives the body a quick jolt of electricity to start the heart cluster and wake her up

-Nothing happens-

[CP] - Her redstone heart... Where is it?

[Doc] Hits her with the electricity again - It's part of her code. It should regrow with the rest of her organs. You remember that wooden hand I made you? It's the same. She needs time to change this body into her own! -

-There's still nothing happening-

[Doc] Oh.... I know what you need... - Xe puts hir uninjured hand on Lie's crotch and uses a different kind of shock-

[CP] Nearly leaps up growling-

-There is a bit of stirring inside of the body as the code picks up on the signal-

[Notch] Easy!

[Doc] Leans on her chest to listen- There we go. Come all the way around...

-There's a very faint and dull beating. Her body recognizing that it originally only had one heart and isn't sure what to do with the rest yet-

[CP] - Lie...

[Doc] It's okay Lie. You're safe. You can wake up.

[Flux] May I try something?

[Doc] If you think it will help. Go ahead. She's going to be in a weakened state anyway.

[Flux] Slips a little of her magic inside and begins connecting all of Lie's hearts, helping them recognize that they all need to work together. Soon the thrum of ten hearts of beating comes through-

[Doc] Nicely done Flux.

[Deer] Is watching her friend closely- Her hair...

-Lie's hair is changing from Alex red to it's usual white, starting at the roots and heading downwards-

[Doc] There we go. This is a new body, just ease into it. I promise a normal respawn isn't near this traumatic.

[CP] His hand reaches for his wifes-

[Doc] Moves so he can reach her-

[Notch] Lie?

-There's a bit of flickering under her eyelids as her eyes try to remember if they are supposed to be blue or white-

[Doc] at Cp - don't flip if she doesn't get her glow back right away. That might be the last thing to change.

[CP] - I just want her back

[Doc] Me too.

-There's a wave of code which goes down Lie's body to correct her skin color-

[Doc] Is checking her progress digitally-

-Next there's a glitch bit of noise from her vocal cords as her code remembers what she sounds like-

[Doc] Vocal cords check, Lie? Can you hear us?

-A small twitch goes through her body-

[Deer] - Doc, her hair...

-The white coding reached the end of the Alex's hair and is continuing-

[Doc] Just a minor mistake I'm sure....

[Deer] - Let's just hope it stops...

[CP] Ignores the hair as it goes past his hand, he's just focused on his wife-

[Lie] The flickering under her eyelids has finally settled and there's a faint glow coming from beneath-

[Doc] A haircut is an easy fix.

[Notch] That's really long... Lie?

[Lie] - Mnn...

[CP] Perks up-

[Doc] smiles in relief- Shall I get the bacon? That usually works.

[Lie] Her hair finally stops past her feet-

[Notch] It is really pretty though.

[Lie] She finally opens her eyes-

[CP] Beyond relieved- Lie...

[Doc] Gets into her field of view - How are you feeling?

[Lie] - I... I'm not sure...

[CP] Is anxious for her to actually get up-

[Doc] You had a really close call. Cp's NOTCH got you with his deletion sword. Flux saved you and I put you in a new body. It's okay to take it slow until you're used to it.

[Lie] - Who?

[Doc] Flux - points at her- She's practically your mother in law.

[Lie] - I'm sorry, I don't recognize her... Do I actually know you?

[CP] Is getting a sinking feeling-

[Doc] Wilts - I'm Doc. I'm practically your best friend...

[Lie] - I don't remember...

[Doc] Your coding is complete... maybe your features took the dominant repair spot and your memories are still in the queue? Dammit! I meant for it to be the other way around. Stupid transitional number sequence parameters!

[Lie] Starts pushing herself up-

[CP] Releases her hand-

[Doc] Well, then we'll just keep you safe until your memories start compiling. I'm Doc, this is my mate Deerheart. This is your husband Cp, his dad and his dad's girlfriend; Notch and Flux. You are Lilinthia, but everyone calls you Lie for short.

[Lie] - I know my name... But... Husband?

[Doc] Yeees....

[Lie] - I'm sorry, I just... Can't recall anything

[CP] Slowly stands and starts backing away, shattered mentally, not realizing how much of an effect his wife not remembering him would have on him-

[Notch] Takes his hand and squeezes it gently- Give her time... she did almost die.

[CP] - I... I just... No... Not my Lie...

[Doc] Cp... I swear to you everything is there. It's not finished!

[CP] Slips out of Notch's grip and wanders off-

[Lie] Watches him confused-

[Doc] Deerheart, watch her for a mintue please- runs after Cp-

[CP] Is leaning against the wall near the lava bath in the lab-

[Doc] Cp...

[CP] Gives no response, he is absolutely broken without his wife-

[Doc] She'll remember. You just have to be patient.

[CP] - My Lie... I just, want her back to normal...

[Doc] Cp, she's alive... and she'll be herself again, but you have a chance to help her now when she really needs you. Be there for her.

[CP] - I don't know how...

[Doc] Yes you do. Just stay with her. Answer her questions, bring her anything she needs. Show her what a husband should be.

[CP] - Just... Not right now... I don't think I can...

[Doc] Cp. It isn't about you right now. She was there for you while you regenerated. You ate her out of house and home and she ran herself ragged trying to take care of all your needs.

[CP] Slides down the wall, hiding his face away, it's one of the few rare times he wants to be a cat-

[Doc] Hugs what xe can reach- I need you to be strong Cp. I know this is hard.

[CP] - She's just, not right, not her

[Doc] She's there. I promise. And I want you to be there when she wakes up.

[CP] - Just leave me be for now

[Doc] Please promise me you'll stay here. You can go wandering in the castle if you want. There's plenty of places to be alone. I'll call Steffan and ask him to take care of Lie's house.

[CP] - I don't know...

[Doc] Please?

[CP] - Just fuck off- His threat doesn't have it's usual bite

[Doc] Takes a step away. - Just trust me. I'm going to go tend to her now.

[CP] Says nothing in response-

[Doc] Goes back up into the lab with heavy hearts-

[Deer] Has pulled Lie's hair back so it's out of her way-

[Doc] Regards her with a sad smile. - what do you remember? Besides your name?

[Lie] - How to talk?

[Doc] That's all?

[Lie] Nods- I assume walking, but haven't tried that yet

[Doc] Whelp... you are definetly staying with us. - xe gestures at the caged mobs- All these creatures are rather dangerous. There's worse outside at night, so don't go wandering outside alone, and not at night at all.

[Lie] - Oh, alright. Are there other safe places?

[Doc] Inside is safe as long as there's enough light. You'll find this place incredibly large and it's easy to get lost. So stay with a buddy for now.

[Lie] - Do I live here?

[Doc] No. But you've just come off of some serious surgery, and as your doctor, I want to keep you under observation.

[Lie] - Oh, alright... Will my... Husband? Be staying here?

[Doc] Yes. He just needs a few minutes to himself. He's pretty upset that you don't remember him.

[Flux] Nudges Notch a little, not certain what they should be doing-

[Lie] - I don't want to cause anyone distress...

[Deer] - It's okay, your husband has difficulty with some emotions, that's all

[Notch] He's just sad Lie... you're his world. He went crazy when he heard you'd been deleted.

[Lie] - I was deleted? What exactly happened?

[Doc] Your husband's greatest enemy thinks that Cp is dead. He tried to kill you too, and me, just for spite.

[Lie] - We have enemies?

[Doc] Enemies and friends. You're a glitch, and so am I, and Cp, some people don't like us just for that reason. Our glow marks us- points at hir eyes

[Lie] - My eyes glow? It's a glitch?

[Doc] Yeah, it's uh... hang on. - Xe rummages in a trunk and finds the little mirror xe used on Splender - Here. This is you. - Xe holds it up so Lie can see her reflection-

[Lie] Stares at it for a second- They actually do glow...

[Flux] Whispers to Notch- We should probably go check on CN...

[Notch] Okay... you're probably right. Lie? I have to go for a bit. Doc and Deerheart will take care of you for now, okay?

[Lie] - Oh, um, okay...

[Doc] Everything will be fine. We'll get you a bed and some food -

[Lie] Her stomach rumbles at that point-

[Doc] Come with me. - Xe leads down the steps where the gold room makes a shortcut to the kitchen, and they'll have to walk past Cp.

[CP] Has hidden himself in the side room-

[Lie] Is giving the lava a bit of a wide berth-

[Doc] Walks loudly so Cp will hear where they're going.

[Deer] - Lie, the lava won't hurt you

[Doc] Though I'd stay out of it for now. It's rather messy and tends to cool on your skin and pull hairs when you try to get it off.

-The polar bear bumbles up to the bars as they pass by-

[Lie] - So it's painful either way?

[Deer] Tosses the bear some fish-

[Doc] More annoying then painful. You just have a low body temp for a Herobrine. It stays liquid on me and Cp.

[Deer] - CP usually removes it for you... Then again he's also usually the one that pushes you in

[Galvantula] Is sitting on the edge of the table with their feet dangling.

[Doc] get off the table please.

[Galvantula] skitters up on the celing instead. - Buzzzrp!

[Lie] - What is that?

[Doc] Part pet, part friend. That's my spider Galvantula.

[Galvantula] Cocks head at Lie. - zzzzrp?

[Doc] Amnesia.

[Galvantula] Sad noise-

[Lie] - You can understand it?

[Doc] This one yes. I have a lot of critters. After a while you start to notice patterns in their noises.

[Lie] - I see... Do... Do I have any pets?

[Doc] Long slow look - Yes. You have a lot of pets.

[Lie] - Then shouldn't we take care of them?

[Doc] No, it's okay. Notch and Flux and your... friend Cn will tend them for now.

[Lie] - Oh, alright...- She takes a seat at the table

[Doc] Goes in the kitchen and starts making an especially fragrant breakfast hoping to lure Cp in as well.

[Deer] - Need any help love?

[Doc] If you want to, please.

[Deer] Slips into the kitchen and bumps Doc with her ass playfully as she passes them to start up another furnace-

[Doc] Can't help but smile as xe dances around hir mate in the small space. The two of them moving in a harmony of knives, steam and flames, and then, finished food.

[CP] Is standing out in the hallway-

[Doc] Doesn't look at him directly for fear of making him leave. Xe lays out plates for anyone who wants some and piles the food on platters that end up on the table.

[Lie] - Mmm, smells delicious

[Doc] Gives her a fork and a plate. - Take whatever you want. I always have lots of food. - Xe starts fixing some for hirself.

[Lie] Puts food on her plate and begins eating-

[CP] Is just watching her from the shadows-

[Doc] at Deerheart- I take it Buff has Yaunfen? Did you feed hir first?

[Deer] - No, but I left them with plenty of snacks

[Doc] That works. At least he can keep up with our little dragon.

[Lie] Finds the bacon- Dragon?

[Doc] Oh yes. We've got a quite a few on this seed. The biggest one is a friend of yours actually. But if you run into a small red one with lots of limbs or a thin tan one with a pastel belly in the house, it's okay, they're friendly. The tan one is our child Yaunfen and the red is Crim, a buddy of ours.

[Lie] - Are there any that aren't?

[Deer] - Probably Pinwheel

[Doc] She's got a mostly pink body and a triangular head. But she lives next door and doesn't normally come in here without her guardian. Pinwheel is just a child with a bad attitude.

[Lie] - Oh. Is there anything else I should know right now?

[Doc] I'm not sure...

[TLOT and Steve] Come down the steps-

[Steve] Runs to Lie and hugs her- Lie! You're back! [TLOT] Is scanning her- not... entirely?

[Lie] Squeaks- Um... Hello? Do I know you?

[Steve] Looks hurt - I'm Steve... we're friends...

[TLOT] Her mind is... sleeping? She's not all there my lamb.

[Doc] She has amnesia. Her files aren't damaged, but they're not done compiling either.

[TLOT] Oh.... - his eyes flick to Cp-

[CP] Shifts a bit uneasily under TLOT's gaze-

[TLOT] Speaks to him mentally- Cp? I can still feel her. Give her time.

[CP] - She's just... It's not her

[TLOT] It is her. She's a psychic brine. Those sequences can take time to come back online if they're damaged. I should know.

[CP] Just looks uncertain-

[TLOT] Turns his full gaze on Lie and touches her mind-

[Lie] Feels it a little and panics some, not sure what it is-

[TLOT] Easy now. I'm just checking on you.

[Doc] This is the native Herobrine of this world. Herobrine The Lord of Tears, TLOT for short. He made you a brine, gave you your powers. He made me a brine as well.

[Lie] - Made me?

[Steve] You were a human like me. Well, a female human. And he gave you the eyes.

[Doc] You were in a lot of pain, and his actions made it stop.

[Lie] - Oh, well, thank you then

[TLOT] You're welcome Lie. - He slides into the chair across from her and takes some food.

[Steve] Sits down next to him and their hands lace togeather.

[Lie] Notices their hands- Are the two of you...

[Doc] They're married as well.

[Lie] - Oh, alright

[CP] His thoughts wander to his shared heart as he puts his hand over it-

[Doc] When a Herobrine chooses a mate, that person is their world, and losing them... it can spell death for a brine. We wither without our loves...

[Lie] - Wait so, does that mean that my husband...

[Doc] Nods at him in the doorway-

[Lie] Looks over at him but CP refuses to meet her gaze-

[Doc] He's just sad. Trust me when I say, you are everything to him.

[Lie] - I see... I think I'm rather full now...

[Doc] Has eaten as well. - I think I want to show you something. Come with me please.

[Lie] Curious, stands and follows Doc-

[Doc] Leads her through the magma room and up the stairs into the shrine. Xe indicates the map. - This is our world. The parts we've mapped at least. The unexplored areas are infinetly larger. You're right here - Points at the castle, which looks very small in comparision and barely fills a fifth of one square of map.

[Lie] Scans the map- Is this our city? What is everything?

[Doc] There aren't any cities, just towns. TLOT is king of the nearest ones. Here, here and here.

[Lie] - Then what is everything surrounding this town?- Points to Konahakagure

[Doc] Houses that belong to our friends and neighbors. - xe starts pointing out the little pips and telling her who they belong too.

[Lie] - So many others

[CP] Followed them but is standing a distance away, keeping out of sight-

[Doc] You'll remember them all in time. I'm sure of it.

[Lie] Glances outside- It's getting dark...

[Doc] We're safe in here, come with me upstairs, the view is impressive.

[Lie] - Lead the way- Follows Doc once more

[Doc] Heads up into the museum and takes her out on the balcony - If something spawns near us just run back inside. - The castle is lit from all the flaming netterack on the rooftops and the lava flows from the bridge. The orange glow reflects in the bay below them. The land is bathed in moonlight and theres a whisper of a storm blowing in from the ocean side. The closest other building is the skull faced structure that houses the Nether portal and Mb's room. The brine himself is sitting on his roof with Celine. Placidly looking at the 'stars' wheeling by overhead.

[Lie] - It's so beautiful!

[Doc] I like to think so. And we rule it gently. My antlered mate is the physical embodiment of the world. We work together to keep everything and everyone safe and happy.

-There's a bit of noise as the mobs spawn in and start shuffling about in their own aimless ways.

[Lie] Looks nervously at the mobs- Are you sure we're safe up here?

[Doc] Yes. We shouldn't linger long, but they don't like the light.

[Lie] - Alright, thank you for showing me this

[Doc] Leads her back inside. All around them are framed items and knick-nacks from their various exploits, as well as gifts from other brines. Nearby is a vase with examples of nearly all of Lie's flowers.

[Lie] - Those flowers are beautiful

[Doc] You made them Lie. Created them from nothing. It's one of your powers. And each of them serves a purpose, even if it's a small one.

[Lie] - I made those?

[Doc] Oh yes. Even this one. It's dangerous, but one of my favorites. -Xe indicates a lust blossom. It's safely behind glass, and the nectar dripping from it's bloom makes a soft pattering noise on the block below it.

[Lie] - What does it do?

[Doc] Makes an undeniable heat. If you have a mate you'll go to them as if your life depended on it and make love until the fire is quenched.

[Lie] Turns a bit red- Sounds... Intense...

[Doc] You used an aggressive version of it to help defeat the NOTCH that tormented TLOT and his husband once. He'll be eternally grateful to you and I and Cp because of it.

[Lie] - An aggressive version? Like, it grows really fast?

[Doc] Makes a pod shape with hir hands [still missing a glove and a finger] - It's got a mouth that can bite and inject the nectar. And strangling vines with thorns.

[Lie] - Oh... What happened to your hand?

[Doc] Oh... I gave part of it to you. A bit of special coding to help keep what happened from happening again. It's all right. I can make a new finger. [The other glove is poking out of hir coat pocket.]

[Lie] - I'm sorry, it must have been a bother...

[Doc] Oh no! I'm happy to help! I'm just glad to have you back in any form. I gave up worse just making a distraction so that Flux could escape with your code. But I can fix myself. It's no problem.

[Lie] Doesn't look so sure-

[Doc] Do you want to watch? It's no big deal.

[Lie] Shakes her head- No, it's not necessary... Actually, I'm starting to get kinda tired...

[Doc] Okay. Let's find you a bed.

[Lie] Follows Doc, unaware of CP following them once again-

[Doc] Takes Lie back down to the lab and sets her up in one of the recovery rooms - TLOT and Steve's room is right there, just yell or think really loud if you need help with anything. I'll come find you in the morning. Feel free to use the water tub if you feel stinky.

[Lie] - Thank you, I hope you rest well also

[Doc] Passes Cp in the hallway and stops for a moment.

[CP] - What?

[Doc] Take a room. Any place is fine. My home is your home anytime you need it.

[CP] - Shut up asshole

[Doc] I'm glad you're feeling a tiny bit better. - gives him a small hug.

[CP] Doesn't move-

[Doc] lets go - Good night Cp.

[CP] - Whatever- He just continues to stand there

[Doc] Walks back to hir room-

[CP] After a moment goes and sits on the floor right outside of Lie's room, listening to her breathing as she sleeps-

[Doc] Finds Deerheart on the bed. Wryly- Can you spare a pixel for your mate?

[Deer] - Absolutely, take what you need

[Doc] Thank you - Xe runs a hand over hers, copying just a few pieces and multiplying them in hir open palm. Xe rolls them like a cigar and sticks the little tube on the stump of hir missing finger before giving it a test wiggle. - Oooch...

[Deer] Takes Doc's hand and kisses the newly repaired finger- There, all better

[Doc] I'm better because you're here. That fight scared the nether out of me on several levels. Poor Lie.... we owe Flux so much.

[Deer] - Yes, we do. Do you know what happened to the locket with CP's heart?

[Doc] I have it. For now.

[TLOT and Steve] pass by on their way back from the kitchen. The two share a wordless glance at the sight of Cp.

[Steve] Sneaks forward and sets a rather meaty sandwich on his knees. [since he didn't eat anything.] And then scurries off to his room.

[TLOT] Pats Cps hand and goes to walk away as well.

[CP] The plate just slides off his leg onto the ground, he's in no mood for eating even though he probably should, the sandwich then pops into his inventory-

[TLOT] Softly- take care of yourself. She needs you more now than even she realizes. I noticed there's still something personal missing from her skin that needs to regrow, besides her redstone heart.

[CP] Gives TLOT a slightly confused look- Her clothes you mean?

[TLOT] Your collar.

[CP] Tenses a little and then looks away, remembering his earlier want of it because of how strong his emotions were-

[TLOT] I get the feeling that will return only when she remembers what a powerful responsibility it can be.

[CP] - And why not any of her other responsibilities?

[TLOT] Because that's the one that's hers alone, and closest to her hearts.

[CP] Just bows his head with a huff-

[TLOT] Sweeps a hand over him with a soft suggestion, just to ease his hearts a little. - Be patient my friend.

-The night is only about half way through and Lie is having difficulty sleeping. She tosses and turns and eventually gets up with a sigh. She steps out of the room and CP has already retreated out of viewing distance. She approaches the two tubs and sits down near the water on, running her hand through the warm water. As she relaxes she rests her hand on the divide between the two tubs and that relaxation is shattered as her hand slips and plunges into the lava. As she flails some of her hair ends up in the lava too-

[Lie] - Ah! No no no...- She looks at her hand and there's a decent amount of hardened lava on it. She's not sure what to do and is surprised when a much larger hand comes from behind her and touches the hardened lava

[CP] - Stay still, I'll get it off

[Lie] Sits there and watches as CP's fingers glide over the lava, softening it and allowing it to splatter against the stone floor- Thank you

[CP] - It's nothing, just, try to be more careful. This stuffs hardens on you pretty quickly- He turns Lie's hand over to make certain that he got everything and then he moves onto her hair, running his fingers through it and snagging the bits of lava there

[Lie] Leans back against CP which catches the male brine off guard- If you really are my husband, then why have you been avoiding me?

[CP] Sighs softly- I'm not

[Lie] - Then why haven't you spoken to me before now?

[CP] - I just... I know you aren't fully you, not yet at least, and it's painful to see

[Lie] - I'm sorry...

[CP] - That's not what you need to apologize for, but the real apology can come later when you do remember

[Lie] - I did something wrong?

[CP] - You scared the crap out of me by doing something stupidly reckless

[Lie] - Oh...

[CP] - Now go on, get back to bed. You need your sleep

[Lie] - Can't

[CP] - Why not?

[Lie] - I just can't. I keep waking up and tossing and turning

[CP] - Then read, you love doing that

[Lie] - But I'm comfortable right here...

[CP] Just huffs a little and sits there-

[Lie] Scoots back a little more so she's in CP's lap- You're so warm...

[CP] - It's one of the many reasons you normally won't let me out of the bed on cold mornings

[Lie] - Mmmm- She's beginning to drift off to sleep again

[CP] Notices and just stays there, even once she's fallen asleep he lets her rest on him for the rest of the night-

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duhragonball · 4 years

Text

[FIC] Luffa: The Legendary Super Saiyan (126/?)

Continuity Note: About 1000 years before the events of Dragon Ball Z.

[20 July, 233 Before Age. Nagaoka.]

"Okay, so Treekul's in a bad spot. She should have been more careful about who she got mixed up with. Yeah, and she shouldn't have been so eager to run off on another quest. But that's what makes Treekul cool, you know? Other alchemical historians? They just sit in libraries all day, poring over dusty holo-fiches. But Treekul goes out and finds things. And for once, she had backup. Two Saiyans, Lesseri and Endive, and then we picked up a third, Guwar. With their support, I could discover all sorts of artifacts."

Treekul stopped, shook her head, and gestured to slow down. "I mean she could discover," she said. "Sorry. My therapist always told me this works better if I refer to myself in the third person. You'd think I'd be used to this by now, but I-- but Treekul's under a little more stress than usual. Like I said, it was handy to have three Saiyans backing her up, even if they only wanted her to find things for them, at least she knew no one would mess with her. And she scored some decent leads along the way. There's a treasure trove of artifacts in that penthouse on Quadzityz, assuming it survived the war. Lesseri and Endive killed the owner and wrecked the security systems, and most of that stuff isn't even valuable to anyone else. Nothing to stop Treekul from walking in and helping herself. Another paper for the academic journals. If she ever makes it out of this mess, that is."

She began to pace back and forth around her modest living quarters. The strips of red fabric that made up her "robes" trailed behind her legs as she walked.

"The Saiyans were looking for a cult," she continued. "And Treekul heard it was named after 'jindan', an alchemical term for mercuric sulfide. Or, rather, the fundamental principle that mercuric sulfide represents. So she saw an opportunity and agreed to help them find this cult, using her expertise with a geomantic compass. Guwar was a mathematician, if you can believe that, so he helped out with the calculations. He was a really nice guy. Bit of an inferiority complex, but I get the feeling that goes for every Saiyan."

She stopped herself again. "Not 'was', 'is'. Guwar is a nice guy," she said. "Just because no one's told me what happened to him doesn't necessarily mean he got killed in the war. It's just... Treekul could really use his help right now. Or even if he can't help, it'd be nice if he were here to listen to her, like he did back on the ship, before they found the Jindan cult.

"Turns out the cult was real all along, and they leave just enough bread crumbs out there so that other Saiyans can find them. Their leader is the Saiyan King, Rehval III, but here, he calls himself 'Trismegistus', a reference to the Thrice Blessed alchemist from ancient writings. Rehval seems to think he's uncovered some great secret, something that makes him the greatest alchemist ever, and from what I've seen, he might be right about that. His Jindan potion makes Saiyans even stronger, and he must have thousands of them working for him. Only trouble is that they have to give up their free will. Rehval tells them what to eat, when to sleep, they all have sex in some 'breeding pit' thing that I don't even want to think about..."

She paused to rub the bridge of her nose, then ran her hand over the short green hair on her lavender scalp. It was normally a satisfying feeling for her, but not this time, her hair was too long for that by now.

"The others all did whatever Rehval told them to. All they cared about was power. They brought Treekul here, and no one was interested in how she got home. No payday, no paper, no treasure trove of artifacts. Instead, Rehval decided to keep her as some sort of alien pet. He thinks he can train her to be an alchemist, and so far he hasn't done too bad a job of it, at least when he's not creeping on her. It makes me... It makes her want to scream. But that's okay. It's okay for her to be frightened. She's never been this afraid, and she's got good reason to be."

She stopped pacing and looked intently in the direction of her bed. "So here's the good news. Treekul has options. Sure, she's not any closer to getting off this planet than when she first arrived, but she hasn't been wasting time either. Treekul didn't get this far without being resourceful. She can be absolutely terrified and still get herself out of this. That's what makes her strong."

She went to a small writing desk along the wall of her room and picked up a scroll. It carried a faint odor of rotten eggs and olefins. "Rehval's convinced that she'll become his apprentice, I guess ruling over the Saiyans like a god isn't enough for him, he wants to pass down his knowledge of alchemy. Well, fine. If he's as talented as he says he is, maybe he'll show Treekul a little more than he should. Something she can use to get out of here. For instance, this scroll belonging to Mirdane talks about disguising yourself perfectly, even down to smell and ki signature. If Treekul can get good enough at alchemy to figure that out, she could walk right up to the shipyard and be halfway to the next star system before anyone knew she was missing.

"I know what you're thinking: Treekul's a quick study, but she's an archaeologist who studies alchemists, not an alchemist herself, so maybe that plan is little too ambitious. Fair point. Which is why she's been working other angles. The boss wants her to play one of his priestesses, right? He's dressed her up in a cocktail dress that went through a blender. Well, that gives her access to all his brainwashed goons, and all that undeserved authority that comes with it. She hasn't heard from the acolytes who offered to show me around the hangar, but they seemed pretty enthusiastic about it. Don't worry, when they finally take her on the tour, Treekul won't spend too much time there, just enough to get a feel for the place when it's time for her to snoop around by herself.

"And if that doesn't pan out there's always Endive. Too bad about her. For a while there, I was sure she'd turn on the boss. From what I hear, Rehval does something to the cultist's memories, so they don't recognize him as the king, even of they knew him before when he ruled Planet Saiya. At some point Endive must have found out that "Trismegistus" is the same guy who killed her father, but she doesn't seem to care. He's been using her for one of his casual sex hookups for weeks now. I thought..."

She stopped and took a seat in her chair, then looked down at the red flats on her feet. "I just thought-- Treekul thought Endive was smarter than that. She was so disciplined and focused. You'd think she wouldn't be so easily manipulated, but... she's become completely devoted to him, and the scariest thing is that you can tell she knows it's wrong. But enough about her. If Endive and Lesseri won't help Treekul, then Treekul needs to forget about them."

She stood up and started pacing again. "Speaking of sex... Treekul doesn't want to go down that road, but she has to keep it in mind. Rehval has his followers convinced that he needs a rotation of women to share his bed. Something about 'balancing his bodily humors', but I think we all know he just wants to have a good time. He wants Treekul for some reason. All those women at his beck and call, and he wants the one woman on the planet who isn't interested. It's like he's waiting for her to fall madly in love with him. Yeah, good luck with that. Still... if she's going to earn his trust, she need to play along with his expectations. Maybe she ought to flirt a little, so he'll think his plan is working. He's not exactly unattractive, it's the whole 'delusions of grandeur' thing that's a turn-off."

Treekul stopped and crossed her arms as she looked at the bed. "Here's the problem. If she's not careful, he'll probably get bored with her and have her brainwashed like everyone else on this planet. Or he'll just kill her for being an alien. On the other hand, if she's too careful, and Treekul waste too much time playing the eager disciple, the he won't need to brainwash her, because she'll basically be doing it for him. Ugh! What a fix."

"Um, were you finished?"

"Huh?"

The Saiyan man lying on her bed had sat up and pointed to his ears, which were stuffed with wax. "I'm on duty in ten minutes," he said. "Unless you need me to stay here..."

Treekul gestured at her own ears for him to remove the wax, and so he did.

"Yeah, all finished," she said. "You were amazing, Zhoybok."

"It's an honor, madam priestess," he said as he rose from the bed, "but I really don't understand your species' mating practices. You didn't even touch me the whole time."

"Oh, you don't remember any of it, then?" Treekul asked in mock concern. "I guess the psychic vibrations must have been beyond your comprehension. That happens with aliens who lack the secret eighth sense my people have. You probably just hallucinated me pacing around and talking to myself."

Zhoybok was astonished. "As a matter of fact, I did!"

"To tell you the truth, a lot of my kind frown on this sort of thing. They think it's perverse to have this level of intimacy with life forms who can't experience it properly. But for me, I think that's part of the thrill. It's so... savage, don't you think?"

Zhoybok wasn't sure what to say, but he wasn't interested in disputing the words of a priestess, so he accepted her compliments and excused himself. Once he was gone, Treekul shook her head and lay down on the bed. Lying was tiring work, even to someone as gullible as Zhoybok.

"I really need to get more comfortable about talking to myself," she said.

*******

[20 July, 233 Before Age. Interstellar Space.]

There were only four people aboard Luffa's star-yacht, which now criss-crossed the worlds of the Federation in a frantic effort to keep pace with the Jindan Cult's attacks. The Federation defenses were spread thin, and if any invading ship managed to land on a planet, there were few who could stand up to the alchemically-empowered Saiyans inside. Luffa was getting better at fighting them, but their numbers were beginning to take a toll on her body. Dr. Topsas, her personal physician, had found ways to heal her in time for the next battle, while the clairvoyant Dotz had proven handy at predicting attacks before they happened, so Luffa could plan her travel. The fourth passenger on board, Zatte, was Luffa's wife, and she was beginning to wonder if she served any useful purpose here at all.

"That's ridiculous," Wampaaan'riix said when she shared her frustrations with him over the subspace radio. The Yetitan looked as enormous as ever, despite the desktop monitor scaling down his nine-foot-tall frame. "You practically operate the entire ship by yourself."

"So did Keda," Zatte said. She was rubbing the muscles in her arms and legs while she spoke to him. "And she did it better than I ever could."

"And you find no honor in succeeding a fallen comrade?" Wampaan'riix asked.

"It's not enough," Zatte said. "Keda didn't recognize Luffa as a xan-nil'Dor. For her, Luffa was a friend, and sort of a business partner, I guess you could say. For me, she's my wife, and an instrument of Providence. I have to do better. Especially now."

It was almost impossible to read his expressions through the coat of long white hair that covered most of his face, but the way Wampaaan'riix narrowed his eyes was unmistakable. "You're not thinking of going with her into the field?" he asked warily.

"I already have," Zatte said. "At first it seemed to be just what I wanted. I'd set up somewhere safe and shoot down cultists to keep them off Luffa's back. Trouble is, she took it as a challenge. Lately, she's been making it her business to take out the enemy before I can get a shot off. And that's romantic and all, but--"

"You two are insane," Wampaaan'riix grumbled.

"Look, I have to be there for her," Zatte said. She had moved on to stretching her hamstrings. "She's fighting a war against her own kind. Even the Saiyans on our side don't fully trust her. She doesn't let it show, but I know how much it eats at her. I can't imagine what it would be like to fight other Dorluns."

"I agree, she needs your support," Wampaaan'riix said. "But if you keep pushing yourself you may not be there when she needs it the most. This Dotz woman. She can predict the enemy attacks, can't she? Why not ask her for help? If she can tell Luffa where to go and when, then she can do the same for you, right?"

"That's the problem," Zatte said. "Dotz can't see Luffa's fate, only the planets and battles that lie ahead. We only know Luffa will get involved when Luffa decides to intervene."

"Strange, but even if that's true, why not see what Dotz can read about your own future?" Wampaaan'riix suggested. "I'm surprised you haven't already. You're a survivalist after all."

"I... I can't," Zatte said. She rose from the foam mat on the deck of her cabin and approached the desk.

"Well why not?" Wampaaan'riix asked. "It can't be a moral objection. You seem to have no problem with any of Dotz' other readings."

"Look, I... I have to go. I'll call you back, okay?"

"Just promise me you'll do it in the daytime," Wampaaan'riix groaned. "I know you've been in space a long time, but my den is on a different day-night cycle than--"

She hastily switched off the monitor, and a second later Luffa entered the cabin.

"I set the slow cooker for three hours," Luffa said as she rubbed her hands together. "How long before we get to Dodjem?"

"Tomorrow morning," Zatte said. They met in the center of the cabin and embraced.

"Dotz thinks there'll be ten Jindan Saiyans there," Luffa said with a smile. "Should be interesting."

"I'm going with you," Zatte insisted.

"Oh, I can handle ten," Luffa assured her.

"Then I'll watch you through my scope," Zatte said. "Or I'll shoot a few down for you, but either way, I'm coming along."

"Heh. Okay. You worry too much, you know that?"

"Someone has to," Zatte said. "Dotz still can't see your future, you know."

"Well, her other predictions are getting better," Luffa said. "On Shoust IV, she managed to get an accurate count on the enemy. She even located them to within a one mile radius. I think her powers are really coming along."

"Yeah, but she can't see your future."

"Does that still bother you?" Luffa asked.

Zatte tightened her grip on Luffa's torso and swung her onto the nearby bed. A moment later, she was had climbed on top of Luffa, planting her hands on her shoulders.

"No, it doesn't," Zatte said. "Not anymore."

"I'm not sure how to respond to that," Luffa said with a grin.

"I thought about it," Zatte said after giving her a long kiss. "I prayed about it too. Is it all right if I light some candles?"

"Uh, sure, knock yourself out," Luffa said.

Zatte rolled off of Luffa and went to a storage cabinet on the other side if her cabin. She removed four candles and laid them on the floor in a trapezoid formation surrounding the bed. After she lit each one, she got back in bed and knelt beside Luffa.

"Is the scent too much for you?" Zatte asked. "I know how sensitive your nose is."

"It's fine," Luffa said. "Smells kind of nice, really."

"It's not exactly sacred," Zatte said. The incense is just to keep insects away during religious observances. It makes me feel closer to Providence, though. So does this."

She placed her hand on Luffa's neck, and rested her thumb where she could take her pulse. The she took a deep breath and muttered something in her native language.

"Uh, what's going on here, exactly?" Luffa asked.

"I realized that I was letting Dotz' abilities cloud my faith in you," Zatte said. "I promised myself that I wouldn't ask her to read my future. I was worried that she might find out that I end up living without you somehow."

"I won't leave you, Zattie," Luffa said. "We've had our ups and downs, but you're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"I have to trust that," Zatte said. "That's why I can't let Dotz's predictions bother me. She's getting better at them, but not when it comes to you. That scared me for a while, so I started meditating on it."

"Go on," Luffa said carefully.

"I came to realize that it makes sense that Dotz can't see your fate, because you're part of the Divine Plan. If she knew what you were going to do and when, then it would be like she was seeing into the mind of Providence."

"Or maybe I'm just so powerful that my ki interferes with her readings," Luffa suggested.

"Sure, that could be all it is," Zatte said. "But I like the version that supports my fanatic devotion to you."

She leaned over to kiss Luffa, still taking her pulse as they embraced. Luffa pulled away gently, and shook her head.

"You know how uncomfortable I get with this stuff," she said.

"I know," Zatte said. "But you keep getting hurt out there, and Dotz doesn't know what will happen next, so this is how I cope."

"I mean, you tell me I'm like God's righteous bludgeon or something, but the other night you... well, it was great, but maybe it was sacrilegious?"

Zatte straddled Luffa again, and held down her shoulders. "It's okay," she said. "Sex is a consecration ritual in my culture."

"Oh yeah?" Luffa asked.

"Dorluns value survival. People don't usually have sex while they're being chased by predators. They do it when they're safe and secure. And it can bring about new life."

"Huh. Maybe that's why my own people are so uptight about it," Luffa said. "In public, I mean. I've always had... ah!... mixed feelings about being safe."

"It's all in how you look at it. We're flying through a vacuum, faster than the speed of light, through a war zone, on a pleasure craft with no crew. And we're not exactly dressed for action right now. But if you're still bored, I'll... mmph!... I'll see if I can keep you amused for a while."

*******

[21 July, 233 Before Age. Interstellar Space.]

The battle on Dodjem went as smoothly as could be expected. Dotz' prophecies were mostly accurate, and Luffa was able to surprise the enemy before they noticed her ship. They fought back ferociously, and Luffa's right shoulder was scorched by a ki attack, but Dr. Topsas was confident that he could heal this in a matter of days. Dodjem was liberated in less than two hours, and Luffa proceeded on her way to the next battle Dotz had predicted, in the Ryllax System.

"Careful," Luffa said, guiding Zatte's hand away from her banadaged shoulder. She had set up the slow cooker once again, and the two of them had convened in Zatte's cabin.

"Does it hurt?" Zatte asked as she gingerly lifted Luffa's blood-stained shirt over her head and other arm.

"Sure it hurts, but that's not the point," Luffa said. "Doc'll really be sore if you mess up his bandanges."

"It's a wonder the whole ship isn't full of this stuff," Zatte said. She tossed the shirt at the laundry receptacle, but it hit the rim and fell out instead. "I mean, where does he put it all after he cuts it off of you?"

"He eats it," Luffa said.

"You're kidding."

"No, seriously. I've seen him do it. He makes all of these bandages from his own webbing. It takes a lot of protein to make that work, so he doesn't like to waste it."

"I had no idea," Zatte said. "You think you know a guy... whuh--!"

Luffa pulled her close with her good arm. "Forget about him for now. I wanted to talk about that shot you took back on Dodjem."

Zatte's expression shifted from genuine surprise to feigned innocence. "Oh, did that bother you, darling?"

"I thought one of those Jindan bastards found you," Luffa said. "I had one of them wide open, ready to kill, and I had to pass it up so I could chase the other one down before he found you."

"He had no idea where I was hiding," Zatte boasted.

"I know," Luffa said. "Even I couldn't find you. How am I supposed to watch your back if I don't even know where you are? You're taking a big risk out there, you know that, right?"

"That's the way," Zatte said. "Talk dirty to me."

"Oh, I'll do more than talk before I'm through with you," Luffa said with a grin. "I'll-- dammit..."

She rolled away from Zatte and drew her arms to her chest.

"Let me see," Zatte said.

"It's nothing," Luffa insisted. "Just give me a minute."

"Let me see," Zatte insisted back. Luffa made an irritated grunt, but didn't resist when Zatte took her hands in her own.

"I was starting to think your hands had stopped trembling," Zatte said as she massaged Luffa's palms. It didn't actually do anything to improve the situation, but it made them both feel better when she did this. "I haven't seen you stuff them in your pockets much lately."

"It's... it's not as bad as it used to be," Luffa said. "I haven't been able to spend a lot of time with Katem, but I think it still helps. Maybe it's all your prayers."

"He's kind of a hot mess," Zatte said.

"Just like his mom, huh?" Luffa chuckled.

"You're not a bad mother, Luffa. What happened wasn't your fault."

"I know," Luffa said. "It doesn't help much, but I know."

"You're still worked up about Fytpall, aren't you?" Zatte asked.

"I've seen worse in my time," Luffa said.

"Maybe, but you were pretty shaken up when you came back from that one," Zatte said. "You don't usually stick around and see what the civilians are going through."

"I'm just... I'm not strong enough, Zattie. I know that sounds stupid coming from me, but I know I could do better than this. If I was just a little better, I could..."

"You're good enough, okay? And maybe you can get stronger, but you can't just get there instantly. It's like you always tell me when we spar."

Luffa didn't say anything, but her heavy sigh was response enough. Zatte continued to rub her thumbs into the scars on Luffa's hands.

"You don't have to be tough for me," Zatte said. "It's okay. It's okay."

Soon enough, the tremors in Luffa's hands subsided, and they went back to what they were doing, although the mood had shifted from flirtation to comfort. Within thirty minutes, their clothes lay on the deck, and they were entangled in the sheets. Zatte occasionally said something in her own language, and kept her finger on Luffa's carotid artery as she muttered to herself. Eventually, she sat up and cradled Luffa's upper body in her lap.

*******

[24 July, 233 Before Age. Interstellar Space.]

"I was so busy favoring my shoulder that I left my knee wide open!" Luffa grumbled. The campaign on Ryllax had ended hours ago, but Luffa's clothes and hair still carried the scent of Ryllaxian pollens from the battlefield.

"Are you going to make it to Eirzee IV?" Zatte asked as she carried Luffa's pants to the laundry receptacle. She took in the strange aroma one last time before shoving the clothes into the hatch.

"Oh, sure," Luffa said. "Doc repaired the worst of it, and I'll have to play it more carefully, but now he's gonna kick me out of the kitchen!"

"You don't know that," Zatte said.

"I can practically hear him, Zattie," Luffa said. "'Saving planets is one thing, but I'll not have you undoing all my work making a casserole, little mammal.'"

"What, now you can see the future, too?" Zatte asked. She was setting up candles around the bed again.

"Heh, maybe. I guess Old Darbock's genes are finally kicking in," Luffa said. "But it looks like I only know how to predict cranky doctors, so Dotz's job is probably safe."

"Well, I hate to take sides, but we can get by on leftovers for a while," Zatte said. "You cook too much food anyway."

Luffa lay back in the bed and groaned. "Still? I keep cutting the portions down for you guys, and it's still too much? That's insane..."

"I'm going to do my litany now," Zatte said. "Any requests?"

"I, uh, I don't think so," Luffa said. "Well, bless Dotz again. And Doc, and the others. And yourself."

Zatte began speaking slowly and methodically, reciting lines from the Dorlun Holybook in her alien tongue. Luffa only knew bits and pieces of her language, but Zatte had been happy to translate for her whenever she asked.

Luffa felt strange whenever her wife did these kinds of observances. She had never been comfortable with being a "chosen one" in Zatte's theology-- or anyone else's, for that matter. And yet, watching this woman pray over her so fervently was somehow inspiring. Zatte had suffered so much in her life, and yet she refused to abandon her principles. It reminded her of Saiyan pride, though Luffa supposed that most beings would just call it stubbornness. Zatte was too zealous to give up hope.

"Thank you for letting me do this," Zatte said when she finished.

"No problem," Luffa said. "Your language is pretty."

She leaned over and fetched a bottle of oil from the edge of the bed. Carefully, she dispensed a small portion onto her fingers, then dabbed it on Luffa's throat and wrists, tracing along the path of major blood vessels.

"All done," Zatte said.

"You've been really ramping up the religious stuff lately," Luffa said. "The litanies, the candles, the oil. I don't really get it myself, but is it helping you?"

"I think so," Zatte said. "The Dorluns prefer not to waste resources on empty ceremony. Some types of xan-nil'Dor call for physical labor. Farming a plot of land, or defending an important place. You, though, well, you're damn near invincible, so you're pretty low-maintenance. I just need something to do. A routine to renew my devotion to your cause."

"Like a practice drill," Luffa said.

Zatte rose from the bed and started putting out the candles. "Yeah, I guess you could call it that. I may not be able to stop your hands from shaking, but at least I can show that I care. I think that's worth doing."

"Maybe," Luffa said. "It's not a big deal. They don't interfere with my fighting."

Zatte lay down beside her and took her hands in her own. "It just reminds me of what you've been through. I can't take away your pain, but I can try to empathize. You taught me how important that is."

"I taught you?"

"Sure. You're the most compassionate person I know."

*******

[27 July, 233 Before Age. Interstellar Space.]

Dr. Topsas did not order Luffa out of the kitchen, though after the battle on Gairess, he began to wish he had. He implored Luffa to wait before heading off into another battle, but the point was moot. Dotz had no new predictions, and so Luffa found herself with no choice but to wait. Once more, she spent the evening in her wife's cabin.

"I... I gotta admit," Zatte said as she tried to catch her breath. "Even with the broken ribs... you really--"

"Is this messed up?" Luffa suddenly asked.

"Is what messed up?"

Luffa pointed at herself and then at Zatte. "Us," she said. "I mean, you've got the candles set up, you say a prayer before we go to bed, and then we talk about almost getting killed to get in the mood."

"Don't forget the sparring," Zatte said.

"You know, I never sparred with Kandai," Luffa said. "He never wanted to, and I never questioned it. He was so much stronger than me that he didn't see the point. But the gap between you and me is even bigger, and I love sparring with you."

"We're aliens," Zatte said. "I'm cut off from my own people and you're unique among yours. There's nothing conventional about us."

"I know, but... Zattie, are you ever afraid?"

"Of course," Zatte said. "Fear keeps you alive."

"I mean, are your afraid right now?" Luffa asked.

"Here? With you?" Zatte asked. "No. Are you afraid?"

"Yeah," Luffa said.

"About the war? Your son?"

"I'm afraid I'm not good enough," Luffa said. I feel like I'm gonna screw this up. Like I have before."

She reached for Zatte's face, and gently removed the patch from her right eye, revealing the scar tissue and prosthetic implant underneath.

"If it's me you're worried about..." Zatte began, but Luffa put her finger on her lips to silence her.

"I know, you're prepared to burn for me, or suffer whatever it takes, right? I wish I had a tenth of your courage. I wish... well, I wish there was some other Super Saiyan handling this."

"Aren't you always saying you're stronger than they were?" Zatte asked.

"Maybe I am, but I bet the old heroes never had to deal with the kind of baggage I've got."

"This is about your hands, isn't it?" Zatte asked. She took Luffa's palms into her own, and held them steady in case they began to tremble.

"It was four years ago," Luffa said. "I should have gotten over it by now. I should have gotten over Keda's death, I should have gotten over everything... The old heroes never had to deal with this sort of thing. They just fought and won. Nice and simple. I'm fighting, and I'm winning, but I keep dwelling on it all. Worrying about battles from the past, wondering how I'm going to do in the next ones."

"Maybe they had it just as bad," Zatte said. "Maybe the storytellers just left those parts out."

"Sometimes I wish things were different, you know? You told me before this is exactly how you wanted things to be, but I bet you'd like it better with Keda still alive. Or hell, the rest of the colony."

"But they're not alive, Luffa," Zatte said. "I have to accept that they're gone."

"I could have saved them all," Luffa said. "I had the power. I must have had it inside me all along. If only I had known how to use it then. When it would have mattered. If only I wasn't such a coward..."

"Don't say things like that!" Zatte said. "I know you use that kind of talk to get yourself fired up, but I don't want you believing that sort of thing. You're the bravest person I know."

"It's not enough," Luffa said. "That's what I worry about, anyway."

"And that's what the candles and the prayers are for," Zatte said. She lifted Luffa's hands slightly. "I don't just pray for the tremors to stop," she said. "I pray that the tremors won't interfere with your mission. I pray that you can accept what you are the way I do. You know why?"

Luffa didn't answer, so she lay down beside her and took her hand.

"Maybe you're right, and maybe another Super Saiyan could deal with this better than you could. You've told me that you think there might be another one like you, a thousand years from now. Well, I don't think the universe can wait that long. I think we need a Super Saiyan right now, and you're it."

"You're right," Luffa said. "It's just hard to see it that way from the inside. All these fights I've been having with these cultists, they start to run together after a while. It'd be different if they were stronger, or if I could come at them healthy. But they keep chipping away at me, and there doesn't seem to be any end to it..."

"We've got some time, at least," Zatte said. "Dotz hasn't seen anything new coming up, right? Remember how you used to fly over the coastlines on Luffasworld?"

"Yeah," Luffa said, "but that's way out in the galactic core. By the time we got there--"

Zatte put a finger on her lips. "I know that, but Woshad's not far away. We could take a few days to look around there."

Luffa seemed pleased by the suggestion, but before she could speak, a chirping noise sounded from the cabin's intercom, and both women looked up to see the light blinking on the panel on the wall.

"Um, this is Dotz," came the voice through the speaker. "Well, um, the service robot told me I could talk to the whole ship this way, and I thought it might be faster than trying to find everyone. Despye's been attacked. Or, well, it will be in about twenty hours. It looks pretty bad to me. I saw about twenty Saiyans, and one of those rock creatures they use."

"Oh no..." Zatte said.

"I, uh, set a course for Despye," Dotz continued, "and we should be heading there now, but I thought one of you should check to make sure I did it right. I'm still getting used to the helm controls..."

"We won't get there in twenty hours," Luffa grumbled. "Those bastards will have a head start, again. Even if the fleet can get there before us--"

"I know, I'll take care of it," Zatte said. She rolled out of the bed and went to find her clothes. "You need to get some sleep."

"Fine, but make sure you get some yourself," Luffa said. "I mean... you're going with me, right?"

"So I can watch you wipe them out before I can even line up a shot?" Zatte asked. "Sure, if you want me to."

"Actually," Luffa said as she patted her swollen knee, "I was thinking I might lure a few in for you to shoot. Make things a little easier. For Doc, you know?"

Zatte grinned as she pulled her shirt over her head, and most of that smile was still there when she turned to look back at Luffa. "For Dr. Topsas," she said, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. "Makes sense. He's been working pretty hard lately."

"Just don't stay up all night cleaning your guns, okay?" Luffa muttered.

Zatte pulled on a pair of shorts and headed for the door. "Anything you say," she chuckled as she headed out into the corridor.

NEXT: Rats in mazes.

#dragon ball #fanfiction #lssjluffafic #super saiyan #luffa #zatte #treekul #wampaaan'riix #zhoybok #nagaoka

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duhragonball · 7 years

Text

[FIC] Luffa: The Legendary Super Saiyan (75/?)

Continuity Note: About 1000 years before the events of Dragon Ball Z.

Previous chapters conveniently available here.

[6 March 234 Before Age. Nat-Chezz II.]

When Zaperc led the Saiyans to Nat-Chezz II, their plan had been to defend the planet against any would-be invaders. The idea was to imitate what the Super Saiyan Luffa had achieved with her establishment of an interplanetary Federation. Instead of seeking out easy battles, they would stand their ground and try to cultivate a reputation as a force to be reckoned with. This would in turn attract even stronger invaders, giving the Saiyans a chance to become stronger themselves as they repelled them. At least, this was the theory.

In practice, Zaperc’s followers were virtually indistinguishable from the sort of invaders they pledged to drive off. Upon arrival, they declared martial law, shut down much of the planet’s communications, and helped themselves to whatever supplies and treasure they wished. The Chezzi people had endured worse occupations in the past, so they tolerated the situation for a time, but they still breathed a sigh of relief when Luffa discovered their plight and intervened.

In the weeks that followed, Luffa subjected these Saiyans to intense training, determined to mold the band into the sort of champions they had claimed to be. The Chezzi King had allowed them to keep the mansion they had appropriated, but all the treasure they had taken was returned, and the Saiyans spent most of their days drilling in the wilderness or conducting war games with the Chezzi military. When their work for the day was finished, they convened at their manor and feasted on whatever luckless animals they happened to find during their training exercises.

“That’s what I like about you, Jikama,” Lesseri said as she ripped hunks of flesh from a carcass on the table. “You may be half-Chezzi, but at least you eat like a Saiyan. I knew a mixed-blood on Siphone II. Guy had no appetite at all. Creepy.”

“Thanks... I think,” Jikama said between bites. “So, any word on when Luffa’s coming back?”

“Nothing new,” Vigurd said as she drank an entire pot of stew and wiped her mouth on her forearm. “What’s wrong, Jikama? You miss that gilded blowhard already?”

“I just enjoyed her cooking,” he said awkwardly. “Not that there’s anything wrong with this, but we’ve been roasting animals on a spit for a week now. I could go for some of that insect crumb of hers.”

“Insect crumb, my foot!” Lesseri scoffed. “Don’t listen to him, Vigurd. He just wants another pat on the head from Zattie.”

Jikama chuckled at this. Of all the Saiyans in Zaperc’s group, he had shown the most improvement in tracking Zatte through dense foliage. Luffa’s alien wife lacked Saiyan power, but she could make herself virtually undetectable, and she was armed with advanced weaponry and a talent for asymmetrical warfare. She had praised him a number of times in front of Luffa and the other Saiyans, which had earned him a lot of teasing from his comrades. Not wishing to antagonize any of them, he smiled and tried to take it in stride.

“If you asked me, it’d be just as well if she never came back,” muttered Brockle. He sat at the head of the table, nursing a flagon of ale while he devoured a plate of spare ribs.

“Please, Brockle,” Vigurd laughed. “We’ve all seen you leer at her when you think no one’s watching. You miss Zattie more than Jikama does.”

“Yeah,” Lesseri added. “Don’t take it personally, Brockle. You’re just not her type, if you know what I mean.”

The two women laughed, and Jikama tried to delicately suggest that maybe they shouldn’t make a habit of calling her “Zattie”, when Brockle slammed his fist on the table.

“I’m not talking about the damned alien,” he said. “I meant Luffa.”

“I wouldn’t let your father hear you talk that way,” Vigurd warned.

“I’ve learned all I need to know from the Super Saiyan,” Brockle insisted. “I’m getting stronger every day, and before long I’ll be powerful enough to surpass her.”

“No offense, kid,” Lesseri said, “but get real. We’ve all felt the ki Luffa puts off. You’re nowhere near her level.”

He stood up and raised his fists. “I’m more than a match for you, Lesseri!” he shouted.

She nodded and sipped her drink. “You’re right, but being stronger than me doesn’t change anything, does it?”

“I have the potential to beat her!” he insisted. “I know it!”

“Maybe so,” Vigurd said, “but until you do, you’ll have to put up with her crap like the rest of us. Unless she’s dumb enough to get killed in spaceflight. I wonder if someone could sneak an explosive on that ship of hers without her noticing...”

“Now what would that accomplish?” Lesseri asked.

“Oh, I’m just thinking out loud,” Vigurd chuckled. She finished her meal and patted her sizable belly with satisfaction. “People would pay a fortune to hire the mercenary who slew the Super Saiyan, wouldn’t they?”

“Not once the word gets around that she’s just a run-of-the-mill Saiyan like a hundred thousand others available for hire,” Lesseri noted. “All you’d prove is that you know how to set a time-bomb.”

“Wouldn’t someone else try to bomb your ship?” Jikama suggested. “Then they could cash in on being the one to kill the mercenary who killed the Super Saiyan.”

Lesseri pointed a table knife at Jikama. “See? He’s only half-Saiyan and he gets it.”

“I don’t know why my father put up with you fools,” Brockle grumbled.

“Because he knows he needs all the help he can get to keep his son from getting himself killed,” Lesseri said. “Maybe you were in line to serve in Rehval’s elite guard, but you fouled that gig up, and now you’ve got to scrape together a living like the rest of us merc trash. You don’t have to like us, Brockle. You don’t have to like Luffa either, or her blue-skinned devil girl, for that matter, but you still need us for the time being.”

He opened his mouth to respond, when suddenly all four of them gasped with shock and turned to look up at the sky. There was nothing to see, at least not with the naked eye, but the ki they had sensed was powerful enough to be sensed, even from outer space.

“Is that... Luffa?” Vigurd asked.

“It can’t be,” Brockle said. “It feels completely different. And there’s... two of them.”

“Jikama, contact the Chezzi military,” Lesseri said. “We’ll need telemetry on that ship.”

“Huh? Oh, right!” he said as he scrambled out of his seat. While he took off into the air, she turned to Brockle.

“Go find your father,” she said. “Looks like we finally have a fight on our hands.”

“I don’t take orders from you, woman!” he said indignantly.

“That’s right, you don’t,” she said. “We both take orders from your father, and I’d like to start taking some before whatever that is gets here, so hurry up and find him!”

He muttered obscenities under his breath as he got up from the table, promising himself that she would pay for her disrespect, but Lesseri didn’t care as long as he did as she asked.

She looked to Vigurd next. “Do me a favor and prep Zaperc’s ship for launch.”

“What?” Vigurd asked. “You want to run?”

“Right now I want to keep my options open,” Lesseri said. “Without Luffa to back us up, I don’t know if we can beat these guys, and I don’t know if Zaperc’s sensible enough to order a retreat. I don’t know about you, but I’d like an escape route handy.”

“You know, so would I, now that you mention it,” Vigurd said after a moment’s consideration.

“Yes, I thought you might,” Lesseri said after Vigurd flew off.

*******

Two hours later, Zaperc was with Hijik in the throneroom of the King of Nat-Chezz, accompanied by several high-ranking military commanders. They had been discussing plans to destroy the incoming vessel before it could deploy its forces, when suddenly an image of two women appeared in the center of the room.

Both of them had pale, almost transparent skin. The shorter of the two was almost completely concealed beneath a black cloak. Only her bare feet and lower shins were visible below the hem, and the hood of her cloak revealed only the portion of her face below her eyes. Her nose and mouth were contorted into a cruel sneer.

The taller woman was adorned in black leather up to her chest, which added emphasis to her large, muscular arms. An iron helmet concealed her eyes as well, though a dark, horizontal slot on the front presumably allowed her to see out of it. Lengths of wire hung from the back of the helmet, almost as if to serve as a crude substitute for hair. Her lips were stretched to reveal her clenched teeth, as though she were constantly on the verge of biting someone.

“Are they holograms?” the king asked.

“I think they’re some sort of ki constructs, Sire,” Zaperc said cautiously. “Hijik, can you sense them too?”

Hijik nodded, and curled his tail around his waist. Before he could give his own opinion on the images, the cloaked one addressed the room.

“Hail, King of Nat-Chezz. I am Ünderlyne, and this is Stryquethru. Henceforth, we shall be the new masters of your world.”

“Long have we coveted your scandium resources, King of the Chezzi,” Stryquethru growled through her teeth. “You will surrender your world to us, or we shall take it by force. Doubtless you have warriors who can already sense our power approaching your world. They will tell you that we cannot be defeated. Heed their warning and surrender to us!”

“Surrender, and you shall be shown... mercy...” promised Ünderlyne, though her tone lacked sincerity. “The tender mercies of Stryquethru and Ünderlyne... Oh how we beg you to submit.”

“Resist,” Stryquethru seethed, “and your people shall suffer terribly! Woe to the defiant! For there is no refuge from our wrath!”

“Woe!” wailed Ünderlyne.

“Woe!” added Stryquethru.

“Wooooooooeeeeee!” they howled in unison.

As their voices faded, so too did their images, and the message appeared to be concluded. The king looked to his advisors, and then to the two Saiyans, desperate for counsel.

“At current velocity, we expect them to reach the planet in two hours, Sire,” said one of the generals.

“My son Brockle may be able to destroy their ship before it reaches the atmosphere, Sire,” Zaperc said. “If not, I would recommend deploying our forces here...”

“Is this a joke?!” Hijik yelled.

Suddenly, everyone in the room fell silent, and all eyes were looking to him.

“It’s obviously a trick!” Hijik said. “Am I the only one who sees it?”

“Hijik, what are you talking about?” Zaperc demanded. “We don’t have time for--”

“That was Luffa, of course!” Hijik said. “Luffa and her alien ‘partner’ or whatever she calls it! They left the planet days ago, frustrated that we weren’t jumping through their hoops fast enough for them, so they dreamed up this phony invasion as some pathetic team-building exercise!”

Silence fell upon the room again. At last, the king spoke. “Zaperc, could he be right? Would the Super Saiyan do such a thing?”

Zaperc hesitated. He had studied Luffa’s career for over two years, only to find that the real Luffa was very different from what his sources had told him. She had been testing them for weeks now. Could this be another test? If it was, wouldn’t she have informed the king? Perhaps he was aware of her plan, and he was feigning ignorance to help Luffa gauge their reactions.

“I... I don’t know,” he finally said. “Perhaps we should wait and see.”

“Wait?! Wait for what?” one of the Chezzi generals demanded. “Neither of those women looked nothing like Luffa. The shorter one was at least six inches taller than her.”

“It was a ki projection,” Hijik said. “They could have made it look any size or shape they wanted!”

“And since when does Luffa have that ability?” the general asked sharply.

“Her woman has all sorts of energy manipulation powers,” Hijik said. “Working together, there’s no telling what they could do.”

“But why go to all this trouble?” the Chezzi king asked. “Why not simply arrange a war game maneuver?”

“Because it’s a team-building exercise,” Hijik said. The disgust in his voice made it sound like he was describing the most detestable atrocity he could imagine. “You don’t understand how women think, Your Majesty. They want to humiliate us, then force us to work together against a common foe, and then they’ll reveal their ruse at the last moment, to reinforce the idea that none of us can accomplish anything unless they allow it.”

“Wh-what?” the king asked.

Hijik sighed. “I can see I’ll have to go over the basics of involuntary celibacy with you. I’ll need something to write on so I can make a diagram...”

********

On a cozy island village off the coast of one of Nat-Chezz’s larger continents, Bodi stood in a library and watched patiently while a Chezzi woman looked through an almanac.

“Sorry this is taking so long,” she said as she ran her maroon-skinned fingers down a table printed on page 702. “You’d probably have more luck calling the Royal Astronomy Society. They have a computer program that calculates things like this.”

Bodi smirked as he rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger. “Luck? Calculations?” he asked. “With the fate of this world on the line, there can be no half-measures. Take your time, and while you concentrate on finding the answer I need, I will drink in your beauty, and let it inspire my Saiyan power to unseen heights!”

The woman faltered for a moment, and clutched at her temples. Even the horns on her head seemed to droop slightly.

“Is something wrong?” Bodi asked. “Have you found it?”

“No, I just... felt a little ill for a moment,” she said. “Could you maybe save the cheesy lines for after the invasion?”

“Very well,” Bodi said as he dramatically removed his sunglasses. “I accept!”

He had been patrolling this part of the planet when he sensed the huge powers approaching from space. With Luffa and Zatte offworld, his standing orders were to report to Zaperc and the Chezzi military command, but he knew better. There would be only one way to halt this impending doom. Only one power that could bring Bodi and his comrade the victory they all craved. Bodi would seize that power, and with it, the triumph, and with that... maybe some grateful Chezzi women...

“Okay, I think I’ve got it,” she said.

“Good job!” he cheered, pointing at her with both hands. “The location of the full moon!”

“Well, that’s just it,” she said sheepishly. “The full moon won’t be in the sky for another week. It doesn’t matter where you go on the planet’s surface. It all depends on the moon’s position in relation to the sun.”

His jaw dropped.

“What I was thinking of was a solar eclipse,” she explained. “With those, it depends on where the observer is on the planet’s surface. At a certain latitude, the moon would obscure more of the sun’s disc, but that has nothing to do with lunar phases. I’m sorry.”

He didn’t move. A pathetic squeaking sound emanated from his throat, but nothing more.

“Are you sure you need this Giant Ape form to win?” she asked. “It just seems kind of unreliable to me. You get all this power from it, but it only works under the light of the full moon. And what if the invaders managed to cut off your tail?”

He nodded slightly.

“Well, is there anything else I can help you with?” she asked. “If not, I’ll uh... let you get back to strategizing. I feel like I ought to see my family before this ship arrives. So, uh, good luck out there.”

She left him standing there, dumbfounded. One by one, the other patrons left the building, until at last the librarian at the desk shut off the lights and locked the doors. Bodi didn’t move, except for a slight twitch as a single tear ran down his cheek.

*******

“Behold, mistress! The world of Nat-Chezz. And soon it shall be ours! The domain of Stryquethru and Ünderlyne!”

Stryquethru gazed at the image of the planet on the viewscreen, admiring whatever her helmet allowed her to perceive through the slot that obscured her eyes. A tear of blood ran down her cheek as she made a twisted smile.

“How peaceful it looks!” she exclaimed through clenched teeth. “Soon, very, soon my lady--my queen, we shall have all the scandium we could ever need. Scandium enough to sate the darkest of appetites!”

Their ship had only one deck, containing a single, nearly empty room. Nearly every surface was shiny and black, with heavy chains and manacles dangling from various positions on the wall. There were no physical controls. Ünderlyne simply waved her hands, seemingly clawing at the air with the long black nails on her fingers, and the ship responded instantly.

“But hold!” she said. “We are under attack!”

“The fools!” Stryquethru hissed. “Do those spineless worms reject our kind warning already?”

“Worry not, my pet,” Ünderlyne said in a spiteful tone. “The energy beam is a powerful one, rich in vital energy, but easily avoided. Yes, we need only slip our vessel beneath normal space, into the welcoming darkness of subspace, and wait for the danger to pass.”

As she spoke, she gestured with her hands to illustrate, and Stryquethru grunted with malicious approval. Then she tilted back her head and growled.

“Do I sense... Saiyan power in that attack?” she asked.

Ünderlyne paused and considered the question carefully. “Yessssss,” she said with a gleeful cackle. “And added bonus for our conquest!”

“I would bathe in their blood!” Stryquethru insisted. “The one who fired that insolent shot! Yes, my pet, I will not rest until shreds of his viscera are lodged between my teeth!”

“Let us not be hasty,” Ünderlyne said with an evil smile. “The Saiyans make fine stock for breeding, as well as for soup. Imagine an entire offshoot of their race, toiling away to refine scandium for our dark bidding.”

Stryquethru screamed for thirty seconds straight. “Delightful,” she added. “I cannot bear to wait any longer! How long until we arrive?!”

“Soon!” Ünderlyne cried.

*******

“Now!” Ünderlyne cried as they stepped out of the hatch of their ship and onto the courtyard of the Chezzi royal palace.

“Where is the king!?” Stryquethru screeched. “He must surrender his world to us immediately!”

“Bring us the king!” Ünderlyne shrieked. “Lest we hunt him down and devour his eyes!”

But the courtyard was empty, save for the two invaders and their black, disc-shaped vessel. Suddenly, the vessel was engulfed in an explosion.

“How dare!” Ünderlyne rasped.

“My chains!” Stryquethru howled. “All of my favorite chains were on board!”

“Take heart, mistress,” Ünderlyne said. “We shall soon forge new chains, of scandium alloy!”

“Seems your ship is much easier to hit when it’s standing still,” shouted Brockle as he flew over the courtyard. He alighted just in front of the invaders and the burning hulk that was once their ship. “Now I only need to destroy the two of you.”

“You were the one!” Stryquethru moaned. “The one who fired upon us before! Saiyan! I would have your innards!”

Brockle clenched his fists and raised his power level to its maximum. “Come and take them if you can!” he growled. “I’m going to make an example of the two of you. When I’m through, no one will dare come near this planet again!”

“Then let us do battle, fool!” Stryquethru shouted. “Let the seas run red with our blood! Unleash your power Saiyan. Bring forth your fury!”

“Wait, stop! We surrender!”

Brockle turned to see his father running out from one of the palace doors. He ran past Brockle and dropped to his knees before the dark women.

“Father, what are you doing?” Brockle asked.

“Spare my son, please,” Zaperc asked as he clasped his hands together in supplication. “He is only a boy.”

“Father, I am not a boy, I am seventeen years old!” Brockle protested.

“How touching,” Ünderlyne cooed. “The son seeks war, while the father begs for peace. Do you truly know what you ask, filthy Saiyan?”

“We’re no match for you,” Zaperc said. “We have no choice but to yield.”

“Then prove your sincerity, knave!” Stryquethru commanded. “Cut off your tail and eat it here in front of us!”

“That is disgusting, Stryquethru!” Ünderlyne muttered.

“It is the only way they will learn, my mistress,” Stryquethru said quietly.

“Father, you can’t be serious!” Brockle said. “I’m strong enough to defeat these wretches. Let me--”

“Son, your power doesn’t even compare!” Zaperc snapped. “Look past your pride and sense what stands before you! I’m not sure if even Luffa could stand against these monsters.”

Zaperc’s words were like a heavy blow to his gut. In that instant, all the confidence simply drained out of Brockle. “F-father--!” was all he could bring himself to say.

“I’ll do as you ask,” Zaperc said, glancing down at the end of his furry tail. “If you agree to let me and my son leave this planet peacefully.”

“No!”

The four of them turned, and found Hijik floating over the courtyard, looking down upon them. There was a large sphere of energy in his right hand, and he was brandishing it with look of desperation on his face.

“Hijik, what in blazes are you doing?” Zaperc asked.

“I’m rescuing your dignity from these she-beasts!” he shouted back. “We can’t defeat them, but we do have enough power to destroy the planet, or at least render it uninhabitable!”

“Are you mad, Saiyan?!” Stryquethru barked. “Put that energy away and come down here! Or do you want to kill yourself along with the rest of us?!”

“I’m not bluffing!” Hijik said. “If we can’t have this planet, neither will you! I suggest you get back in your ship and leave. This world isn’t safe for your kind!”

“They can’t leave, Hijik!” Zaperc groaned. “Brockle destroyed their ship!”

This was apparently news to Hijik, or he may have seen it happen, and simply failed to consider the ramifications. “He... did?!” Hijik stammered. “But... but...”

“We cannot leave!” Stryquethru gloated. “Nor would we wish to do so. Tell me, little man, would you hold that ball of death over us forever?!”

“No, wait!” Hijik said, thinking as fast as he could. “You could take our ship.”

“In the first place, Hijik,” Zaperc said, “it’s not ‘our ship’, it’s my ship. And second--”

As he spoke, they all sensed another Saiyan life energy moving overhead. It was Vigurd, piloting the very ship they were just discussing.

“What is she doing?” Zaperc asked.

“That coward!” Brockle fumed. “She’s running away! Leaving us behind!”

“Well, someone get to a transmitter and tell her to turn around!” Hijik yelled. “She doesn’t need to run away now! She can bring the ship down and hand it off to these two. Hell, she can leave with them for all I care. Just so long as they--”

Suddenly, Zaperc’s ship exploded into a fireball, and began a steep descent towards the horizon.

“Vigurd?!” Zaperc cried. He couldn’t sense her energy now. It was possible that a Saiyan of her power level might have survived the explosion, but if Zaperc couldn’t sense her ki, then that meant Vigurd wasn’t using it to protect herself, or to break her fall to the surface. If she wasn’t dead already, she soon would be.

Hijik wasted no time dreaming up another alternative. “There’s plenty of other starships on this planet,” he said.

“Enough!” Stryquethru shouted. “You’ve put up a nice front, little Saiyan, but your game is over now! Come down here, and if Ünderlyne deems you suitable, we may make use of you for our breeding experiments.”

“Breeding?” Hijik said. “You mean, me and you?”

Ünderlyne simply cackled and waved her hands with abandon.

“And perhaps I as well, dog,” Stryquethru added, “assuming there is anything left of you once dear Ünderlyne is through.”

Hijik quickly dissipated the energy ball in his hand and descended beside Zaperc. “When do we start?” he asked hopefully.

“Hijik, are you mad?” Zaperc asked. “A moment ago these two demanded that I eat my own tail!”

“What’s your point?” he asked.

“Not so fast, ladies!” called a voice in the distance.

“Oh, what now?” Hijik groaned.

The dark women were equally annoyed. The looked and found a figure standing atop one of the stone pillars in the courtyard, with his arms crossed and his back turned toward them. With a flourish, he backflipped off the pillar, twisting and flipping as he moved through the air, until at last his feet touched the ground and he struck a dramatic pose.

“Bodi,” Zaperc said. “I’m asking you to please stay out of this.”

“I’ve come to issue a challenge!” Bodi said. “We can’t defeat you ladies now, but in a week, when the moon is full, my comrades and I will be ready to fight you with all we’ve got.”

“Why should we do such a thing?!” Stryquethru asked.

“Your comrades are already surrendering to us!” Ünderlyne hissed. “What possible reason would we have for delaying our triumph?”

He rubbed his chin, then adjusted his sunglasses. “I see,” he said as he closed his eyes and smiled. “It seems I failed to consider that. Very well. In that case, all that I have left is...”

There was a long pause, and for a moment, Zaperc dared to wonder if Bodi actually had a way out of this situation.

“... No plans!” Bodi declared.

Zaperc shook his head mournfully and looked down at his tail once again.

*******

[7 March 234 Before Age. Nat-Chezz II.]

As it turned out, Zaperc got to keep his tail, at least for the time being. As sadistic as the invaders were, they seemed more interested in savoring their victory than in carrying out their threats. Thus, the first ever “Surrender Banquet” was held in the palace’s main hall. The decorations made the occasion resemble the interior design of Stryquethru and Ünderlyne’s ship. The streamers were made of black paper, the bouqets of flowers were dyed to as dark a hue as possible, and pieces of rusted scrap metal were laid upon each table like centerpieces. At the front of the room was a stage, where the new rulers of Nat-Chezz sat upon their “throne”, which was actually just a black leather sofa they had stabbed with assorted swords and knives. Hijik and Bodi stood on either side of them, each wearing heavy manacles on their necks and wrists that were more symbolic than functional.

“When do we start the breeding program?” Hijik asked Ünderlyne .

“At a time and place of our choosing, mortal fool!” Ünderlyne insisted. “If you do not stop asking, I shall carve out your tongue!”

“Oh, let him babble, my lady,” Stryquethru said. “I enjoy hearing the Saiyan whimper like an animal begging for table scraps.”

There was a loud metallic crack, and Stryquethru turned to scold Bodi. “Worthless wretch! I told you to stop fidgeting with those chains! Now you’ve broken them!”

Bodi had been trying to scratch his back, which had strained the metal to its breaking point. He grinned and adjusted his sunglasses. “Apologies, ladies,” he said as smoothly as he could. “I suppose that I was so overwhelmed by your animal magnetism that I forgot my own strength. Best surrender ever!”

At one of the tables, Zaperc was apologizing profusely to the Chezzi king.

“We still have a chance,” he said in a low voice. “Lesseri and Jikama are unaccounted for. One of them might find a way to summon help and--”

“What good will that do?” the king whispered. “These women are too powerful, Zaperc. They could defeat an army of Saiyans, and I doubt your comrades can find us that much help.”

“There is the full moon,” Zaperc suggested. “Bodi may have had the right idea after all. If we bide our time, we might--”

The king was horrified at this suggestion. “Don’t you think they’ve already anticipated that tactic?” he asked. “In another week, they’ll either chop off your tails or destroy our moon.”

Zaperc sighed as he realized the king was right. It wasn’t supposed to have been like this. His son Brockle should have unlocked his hidden potential and become powerful enough to tackle any challenge, including these invaders. Instead, Stryquethru and Ünderlyne had taken the planet without a struggle, and Brockle now sulked in a far corner of the hall, his spirit completely broken.

"Silence!" Stryquethru screamed. "We would have music! We would see merriment! Dance, Chezzi insects! Dance for your dark queens!"

With some reluctance, most of the ’guests’ rose from their chairs and began to dance in an open area of the hall. As commanded by their new rulers, they all wore black gowns and formal wear mottled with ashes.

"Shall we?" the king said, offering his hand to Zaperc.

Zaperc was irritated by the situation, but he supposed every moment he spent playing along was another moment he got to keep his tail attached to his body. Begrudgingly, he took the king’s hand and led him through a rudimentary waltz.

"You’ve done this before," the king said with some amazement. "I didn’t think Saiyans knew how to dance."

"It was in the book," Zaperc explained ruefully.

"The book? You mean The Luffa Way?" the king asked.

"There’s a section about opening oneself to new experiences. It goes on to describe a time when Luffa supposedly taught herself to waltz in order to defeat a giant sea serpent on Planet Zeezil."

"And you resolved to learn the same steps," the king said.

Zaperc nodded. "All of it was a waste of time. The real Luffa told me the book was a pack of lies. She had never been to the Zeezil system. Her wife--who isn’t even mentioned in the book-- told me that Luffa doesn’t know how to dance."

"How gauche," the king said. "I wonder what they did at their wedding reception..."

"Luffa levitated herself an inch off the ground and let Zatte slide her across the floor like a shuffleboard disc. At least, that was what Zatte told me. She may have been joking. It’s hard for me to tell."

"That sounds rather fun, actually," the king said. "Would you care to try it?"

Zaperc frowned. "The point is that I’ve been wasting my time. I devoted years to following in Luffa’s footsteps, only to find that her feet weren’t even touching the ground! All the rumors and tall tales and false accounts I’ve studied--! All it’s won me is a life of bondage. It would all be worth it if this somehow led to a better life for my son, but look at him over there. I’ve only doomed him to the same fate."

The King glanced back at Brockle, who was still sulking in his chair. A Chezzi maiden asked him to dance, but he wouldn’t even acknowledge her presence.

"Don’t give up hope, Noble Saiyan," the king said. "My people have endured numerous conquests and occupations in our history. This too shall pass."

"How can you say that at a time like this?!" Zaperc asked. "We can’t defeat these monsters! Not even Luffa could--!"

Suddenly, there came a loud noise from the back of the hall. There was a massive double door at the entrance, made of particularly expensive and sturdy breed of Chezzi timber, and decorated with bismuth ink. These now lay on the floor, the wood splintered and cracked where they had been shorn from their hinges.

"Eh? Who dares!" Stryquethru screeched.

The newcomer stormed into the hall, walking directly toward the invaders without acknowledging the Saiyans or Chezzi. When she was standing directly in front of Stryquethru and Ünderlyne’s sofa, she extended her hand and curled in her fingers, beckoning them to come closer.

"Let’s step outside," Luffa said.

NEXT: Post Mortem

#dragon ball #fanfiction #lssjluffafic #super saiyan #luffa #brockle #zaperc #bodi #hijik #vigurd #jikama #lesseri #stryquethru #ünderlyne #nat-chezz ii #so funny story #i had this dumb gag all set up #and guess what html formatting tumblr doesn't support?#so it was either this or change her name to haeperlinque and that ain't happening

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fearofaherobrine · 8 years

Text

Roleplay Server Log #144

“Electric Surprise, Lie's Memories, SCP Discussion, GK Babysits”

[Doc] Is trotting back with Deerheart and spots Cp grumbling along. - I wonder if he's really that pissed that I asked him to do something?

[CP] Kicks at a tree knocking out a few blocks-

[Doc] at Deerheart- Oh, it's one of those moods. At the risk of you getting in the crossfire, maybe you should head home without me, my love. - smootches her.

[Deer] - If your sure... I'll have some healing flowers ready, just in case

[Doc] Thank you love, hopefully it won't be nessesary. Be safe.

[Deer] - I should be telling you that

[Doc] I always bounce back eventually. Heh. It's Cp, anyway, it's not like I'm picking a fight with Slender, again.

[Deer] - Still...

[Doc] If it would make you feel better to just watch from a distance you can.

[Deer] - I think I will

[Doc] I'm a lucky critter to have such a nice mate- Stoops to let Deerheart down from hir shoulders.

[Deer] Slides off and kisses Doc on the nose-

[Doc] Blushes and purrs-

[Deer] Walks off a slight distance-

[Doc] Waits until she's hidden and creeps closer to Cp.

[CP] Still grumbling and kicking at stuff-

[Doc] Gallops towards him and headbutts a tree, the chunks go forward away from where Cp is standing-

[CP] - OH WHAT THE FUCK NOW!?

[Doc] Shakes hir head- whew! I saw you breaking things, I thought I'd join you.

[CP] Growls angrily-

[Doc] What? Me bashing my head into something usually makes you smile at least.

[CP] - Shut it

[Doc] Sits down at attention like a dog and just looks at him.

[CP] Grumbles- First Notch now this asshole

[Doc] Says nothing because Cp told hir to shut up.

[CP] Grumbling- Can't believe I got that relaxed around Stevie...

[Doc] Cocks hir head, xe's dying to say something but fighting the urge.

[CP] Continues to grumble-

[Doc] Explodes with hurried words- Why shouldn't you be relaxed around Stevie? He worships his perfect big brother.

[CP] Gets flustered- None of your business!- There's a brief partial memory of what they'd just been doing

[Doc] Oh! But that was a nice thing to do!

[CP] Stiffens-

[Doc] Goes back to attention, xe knows it's a delicate moment.

[CP] Catches ever so slightly on fire-

[Doc] Hurridly pats his hair out.

[CP] - Stop that

[Doc] Force of habit, I'll never get used to you being on fire. It looks like it should hurt abominably. Even GK doesn't do that and he was created in the Nether.

[CP] Growls- Must you interfere with everything?

[Doc] I can't help it any more then you can control your temper. I can't look at broken things and not act. It's part of my nature.

[CP - Just leave me the fuck alone

[Doc] Wilts- I just came to check on you because you're obviously mad. Don't be so rude. Anyone else would run away.

[CP] Good!

[Doc] Hunkers close to the ground- You don't really want to be alone do you? You'll just stew with no one to yell at and make yourself feel miserable.

[CP] Glares-

[Doc] Innocent look-Are you sure you don't want a hug?

[CP] Growls and goes to kick Doc in the balls, trying to give Doc a "shock" of his own-

[Doc] Stiffens as Cp's foot hits a very vulnerable spot, hir eye twitches and xe's very still for a moment before crumpling to the ground and convulsing. Xe gives a rather tortured howl as the shock travels through hir, far stronger then the last time and reacts with hir normal current. Each twitch brings forth a spurt of sticky white liquid leaving the kinked up dragon laying in a puddle of hir own spunk. Xe's whimpering, they came but it also hurt like hell.

[CP] - Fuck no! No! You are not allowed to enjoy that!

[Deer] - Doc!?- She starts running towards her mate

[Doc] is crumpled up in pain with the wind knocked out of hir-

[Deer] reaches Doc and rubs their snout- Love? Are you okay? Please speak to me!

[Doc] Shifts back under her hands and is laying on the ground with a pained expression - oww...

[CP] - Good, you deserve that

[Doc] Why!? I didn't do anything to you - sniffles and curls against Deerheart

[CP] Narrows eyes- You're being annoying again, thats why

[Doc] And yet annoying is your code word for friend...

[Deer] Can't help but let out a small snort of laughter at the comment-

[CP] Growls-

[Doc] It was just a lucky shot anyway, if you hadn't been trying to fry me I probably wouldn't have reacted at all.

[CP] - I'll keep that in mind...

[Doc] Makes a sour face- I could hurt you too you know? I just choose not too. This might blow your mind but I actually have a few crumbs of respect for you, I wish it was mutual.

[CP] Grumbles-

[Doc] I would think you of all people would refrain from going for someone's nuts anyway. I seem to recall you being quite tender in that area yourself

[Deer] - CP, why do you do this?

[CP] Stiffens at the memory-

[Doc] He's so used to suppressing his emotions he waits until he's wound up too tight to think straight and then explodes

[Deer] - But I assume it's better than before?

[Doc] He didn't try to cut my throat while I was down, so yes.

[CP] - That's because I only have a wooden sword on me...

[Doc] Shivers, they look rather stricken at his words- Cp...

[CP] - What? I didn't say I'd actually do it!

[Doc] Looks down sadly- yeah... Because you don't have the right tools. Cruel...

[CP] - Stop that, stop trying to guilt me

[Doc] Why would I? It's like trying squeeze blood from a stone.

[Deer] - CP, I have half a mind to tell Lie what you've done...

[Doc] hugs hir knees- She'll just turn him into a cat and then he'll have another reason to be angry with me.

[Deer] - Can I turn him into one?

[Doc] I... I don't know. I mean, the form is part of his code now and I think we've only scratched the surface of what you're capable of. Fuck, for all I know you could force transform me since my other shape is built in the same way.

[CP] - Let's not yet that...

[Deer] I'm tempted to...

[Doc] Love.... Now that I know where your powers come from, you can pretty much do anything you want and I would be all but powerless to stop you.

[Deer] - Yes, but you're my voice of reason...

[Doc] Then... Try it on me, and you'll know if it's possible.

[Deer] - But what should I change you into?

[Doc] oh, just see if you can trigger my dragon shape. I won't even look at what you're doing so you know I'm not humoring you - stares down at the soft grass hir fingers are tangled up in

[Deer] Places her hands on Doc's shoulders and begins concentrating. As her face twists in concentration, there are small ripples of Doc's dragon colors. With a small grunt of effort Doc suddenly springs into their dragon shape and Deer stumbles back in surprise-

[Doc] is a little dazed- I suspected as much, that was well done, especially for a first try.

[Deer] Wobbles- I feel very light headed now...

[Doc] But you did it, that's the important thing. That could be a crucial move if one the dragons is going berserk for some reason.

[Deer] - I suppose... Oh look, the ground wants to say hello- Falls to the ground into Doc's spunk

[Doc] Shit! Deerheart! -Xe scoops her up gently in hir paws and checks her over -

[CP] Snickers a little-

[Doc] is just licking hir mate clean - I'll remember that next time you pass out from exaustion Cp

[CP] - And how often does that happen?

[Doc] I guess it depends on whether you keep that sword close to you since you haven't learned to control the energy I gave you.

[CP] Stiffens once more-

[Doc] I think you forget you aren't the only one that can hurt people with words- Xe cradles Deerheart close to hir chest

[CP] - Shut it...

[Doc] So are you even going to try to control it? Or did you just give up?

[CP] - The thing's been doing weird things lately.... It'll attach itself for awhile and then fly off for a little while

[Doc] I take it you haven't tried following it? Maybe it's looking for something to mate with like the Gastly did?

[CP] - Why would it want to mate? There's nothing around that even looks like it?

[Doc] I don't know, it is a sort of animal. Maybe it's just bored because you never let it battle any other pokemons?

[CP] - I'd rather be the judge of where my sword goes rather than letting it decide by itself...

[Doc] But it wants to fight. They all do. Lost Silver would love to battle you. Make something out of that Shuppet too, I've seen what they become, it's nightmare fuel, and perfectly suits your style.

[CP] Groans-

[Doc] What? Go blow off some steam. I fail to see how ordering something to kick the crap out of something else would not make you smile

[Lie] Comes from the direction of the bar with Flux. She can see that something has happened- Oh now what!

[CP] - Because I'm not the one beating the crap out of something

[Doc] oh for fucks sake, just wield it then. It's a sword, go next door and slay some mobs on a wild seed.

[CP] - But humans are so much more fun to kill!

[Lie] - CP I did not just hear that!

[Flux] Is standing back, observing as usual-

[Lie] - Doc, do I want to know what happened this time?

[Doc] Cp kicked me in the nuts because he's immature

[Lie] Sighs and shakes her head a little- Really CP?

[CP] - They were pissin me off!

[Flux] Notices Deer- Is everything alright with her?

[Doc] She's asleep. The good news is that we found out Deerheart can force a transformation on anyone who has a second shape. She did it perfectly on the first try but passed out right after.

[Flux] - Her energy is low?

[Doc] Yes, I guess so. Her hearts and food bar seem to be at normal levels

[Flux] - I see, I would expect then that plants may grow a bit more slowly while her energy is low

[Doc] Should I do anything specific to help? Or does she just need to rest?

[Flux] - Rest alone should be enough

[Lie] Rubs the bridge of her nose in an attempt to keep her headache over CP's actions at bay- Sometimes CP I really wish I could slap you

[Doc] Then I'll just watch over her like I always do - Xe sits back on hir haunches so Xe can hold hir lover on hir belly more easily

[Doc] you could always do what normal human women do? No sex if he doesn't behave.

[Lie] - No, he's used to me holding out anyways...

[Doc] Why would you hold out? I thought he was good in bed? He's got the anatomy for it.

[CP] - She still gets super flustered and nervous

[Doc] Lie? I mean I know he's physically stronger then you, but is there another issue here?

[Lie] - Er, well, uh no...- Starts getting really flustered and her voice gets quieter

[CP] Motions towards Lie- This is what happens

[Doc] Lie? You know... I mean I know you like sex... If you want some touchie wine you're welcome to it, we always have plenty at my house.

[Lie] Embarressed squeak-

[CP] - Don't get me wrong, coming up with ways to encourage and convince her can be fun, especially when I can watch her squirm

[Doc] is already wiggling hir claws and sending a chat to Steve to take a few bottles and leave them in Lies mudroom trunk

[Lie] - CP NOT HELPING!

[Doc] I guess if you're okay with that Lie? I mean, I'm not going to tolerate people being forced into anything sexual against their wills.

[Lie] - I know, and I know it always takes some convincing on my end. I really don't know why I'm like this though...

[Doc] Well... You guys are sharing parts of your minds, have you asked Cp to see if you've repressed any early memories?

[Lie] - Noooooo, I highly doubt I have any repressed memories though...

This message has been removed.

[CP] - Smile is actually pretty good at finding those...

[Doc] The dog? Wait... Does he use them to give people personalized nightmares or something?

[CP] - No, he just personally haunts people's dreams. But he likes digging around

[CP] - Although his victim does already have to be asleep, and it surprisingly doesn't work if I'm the one who tells them to sleep

[Doc] I'm having a rather unpleasant thought Lie... have there been any odd deaths in your immediate family? Prior to Cp kidnapping you?

[Lie] - Not that I can remember... Although there were many near deaths with my brother... Why?

[Doc] I'm wondering if you had some kind of early brush with a creepypasta at a tender age and that somehow made you acceptable as a creepypastas mate.

[CP] - I'm guessing you're thinking of this because of Aven?

[Doc] No, Aven makes perfect sense. Aven is half creepypasta herself. I'm thinking it because touching someone who is afraid and trying to escape is a good way to scare them even more. It's also a traumatic enough occurance that it could be blocked out entirely if you were very young. It would be a good reason for your aversion to being touched in general.

[CP] - Splender would be able to tell...

[Doc] But would he have looked? And if Slender knew, I doubt he would say.

[CP] - Splender can look, it's an ability all Slender beings have. They can look into the minds of others, mess up their memories or erase them completely

[Doc] I know he can, but I could look down in the water over there and count the squids too. I'm not going too, but I could.

[CP] - Oh for fucks sake Doc, I'm saying we can go there now and he can check for us!

[Doc] Oh, okay. - Xe shuffles around for a minute and just decides to stump along on hir hind legs to keep a hold of Deerheart. - Lead on.

[CP] Darts over to Lie and picks her up and carries her while flying-

[Flux] - Is just standing there being left behind. With a shrug she decides to go observe Stevie

[Doc] Checks to see if Flux is following - Flux? You can come with us.

[Flux] - Ah, no, that's alright, I'll be fine here

[CP] Just keeps flying with lie-

[Doc] Okay, you be safe and come home when you're done okay?

[Flux] - I will

[Doc] Follows under Cp -

[Splender] Is playing outside with Sally while EJ grumbles in the doorway-

[Doc] Walks up a bit awkwardly and settles down near them before laying Deerheart on hir coils - Hey Splender, Sally. [Doesn't see Ej]

[Splender] - Doc! Hello!

[Sally] - Hi!

[CP] - Splender, we need you to do something...

[Splender] - Oh? What is it?

[Doc] I have a theory Splender, and you may be the key to disproving or proving it. Can you look in Lie's mind and see if she had any encounters or close calls with creepypastas before Cp grabbed her?

[Splender] - Perhaps, but didn't you say some of her memories were removed by a god?

[Doc] Yes, but he only took her good memories. Somehow I think if it's causing the problem I'm investigating, I don't think it will be a nice memory. It may have been created at a very young age and repressed entirely in her adult mind.

[Splender] - I see, well I'll take a look. Do you mind Miss Lie? I will need a direct connection to your mind...

[Lie] - Oh, uh, sure...- CP sets her down and she stands in front of Splender.

[Splender] Reaches forwards and touches the sides of Lie's head before focusing his power. Lie starts to feel very fuzzy and light headed as a soft buzz fills her mind-

[CP] Shifts nervously-

[EJ] Creeps a bit closer in interest-

[Splender] After several moments pulls away from Lie with a slight growl-

[CP] Darts forwards to catch Lie as her legs give out from under her-

[Doc] Notices Ej belatedly and gives him a calculating look before hugging Deerheart closer

[Doc] What was the noise for Splender? Was it something bad?

[Splender] - It was a not very distinct memory, but she did encounter a pasta in the past, my brother Offender

[Doc] Shudders in disgust - somehow I suspected as much. Cp now at least you can put a name to the source of some of your frustrations.

[Splender] - It wasn't directed at her specifically, but she witnessed him taking a victim

[Doc] Somehow I think even that could be traumatic. I exchanged less then five words with the guy and it made me want to aggressively scrub myself with lava.

[Splender] - It was brief, as she and her mother passed an alley way, he was down it

[Doc] Grimaces- I just hate rape, it's such a horrible thing to do to someone.

[Splender] - I know... And she was so young in witnessing it, but I also saw that she got off feelings from her brother

[Doc] Always best to trust your instincts. And there's always the chance that Insanity briefly saw something in her that it wanted and subtly guided Cp to choose her.

[CP] Growls darkly at the thought-

[Doc] Ironic that she'd grow to be a light that burns what was seeking to consume her.

[Splender] - She what?

[Doc] You saw what she did with your brother Slender. The angel that stole Lj's box for us also gave her a gift, the white, purging fire that protected her.

[Splender] - Oh, I think I remember that, but I was more focused on brother...

[Doc] That's understandable. - Is still side-eyeing Ej.

[Splender] - Doc? What's wrong?

[Doc] My own mate is low on energy and passed out, I'm just... paranoid...

[Splender] Spots EJ- Ah, I see. EJ, why don't you go get something for our guests to drink?

[EJ] - Why me?

[Splender] - EJ... Do it...

[Doc] I'm good, thank you though.

[Splender] - Are you sure?

[Doc] Is holding a position more fitting for Endrea's body shape, and Deerheart is just visible next to hir haunches, partly covered with hir tail fluff. - He doesn't have to serve me, it only gives him more reason to dislike me. Just as long as he stays at a respectful distance while Deerheart is down.

[Splender] - Okay, I'm just trying to be polite

[Doc] Relaxes a little- Okay, I'm just... it's been a tough day. I'm a bit stressed out.

[Splender] Gives a small pulse of happy energy in Doc's direction-

[Doc] Feels it wash over hir like a bit of smoke and breathes it in. - Thank you. Can we do anything for Lie? Or is she just disoriented from you being in her head? And will she remember what she saw when she comes around?

[Splender] - Do you think she should remember? I left it as it was...

[Doc] I don't know. I don't think I should make that decision. Remembering might only give her nightmares. Maybe we should just tell her the gist with very few details and see what she wants to do?

[Splender] - You are the doctor, I'll trust your judgement

[Doc] She deserves to know. But seeing it again first-hand will be up to her.

[CP] Has Lie curled in his arms, protectively hunched over her-

[Doc] Is long enough in the neck to lay hir head down in front of them, and whisper- Lie?

[Lie] Hums a little and curls into CP-

[Doc] Lie,are you awake? I need to talk to you.

[Lie] - Give me a bit more time, ead still feels really staticky...

[Doc] Do you want one of my healing potions?

[Lie] - No, I should be fine in a few minutes...

[Doc] Ah, that's good.

[Sally] Tugs on Splender's legs- Splendy? When can I go home?

[Splender] Looks down- When your papa Splendy says it's okay sweety

[Doc] Have you gotten a chance to play with the village kids yet Sally?

[Sally] Nods- Uh huh!

[Doc] Are you getting bored, or is it just a little homesickness?

[Sally] Shifts a little- I wanna be home, but I know the SCP is a bunch of big meanies

[Doc] Yeah, I don't like them either. They tried to arrest me and Lie once. Just for being digital.

[Splender] - They're like that, they want to contain what they don't understand, and most of the time they have good reason to, most will just kill and are brainless. Some are just odd, and those that are useful or harmless are allowed to wander their facilities. Those that require a more... fresh kind of food are fed death row inmates

[Doc] Good gods... I still plan on avoiding them at all costs. I'm nobodies lab rat.

[Splender] - The digital pasta's are our best weapon against them, mostly because there's a sentient yet murderous computer in one of the compounds which they can communicate with

[Doc] Their very own pet GLADOS. Wonderful. Ugh.

[Splender] - It's a very old computer. But enough about them, they are certainly downers

[Doc] Heh, too bad we couldn't trick some of the more malevolent NOTCH AI's into picking a fight with their computer. Cp's could certainly give them a headache.

[Doc] Although.... I'm having a devious thought, maybe someone should stop me.

[Deer] Is still out of it-

[Doc] I could gift their computer a copy of Minecraft with some of Cp's code traces on a saved seed and see if I can trick Cp's NOTCH into it. That could start some fireworks...

[CP] - Would it give me a chance to kill that bastard?

[Doc] You might get to sit back and watch the SCP's computer rip him apart. Failing that, the computer might hurt him badly enough for you to finish the job. And if he damages their computer, all the better for us as well.

[CP] - Doc, that computer is our way in if one of us gets captured, we don't want to destroy it

[Doc] You do realize that anyone I've fixed can escape from anywhere by killing themselves right? They'd respawn here.

[CP] - It's not a actual entity though, it's literally a nineties style computer

[Doc] REALLY? What an antique. Haha, and it's sentient? That's like the plot of a bad 80's movie.

[CP] - Yeah well, remember Y2K? It was the source of that and almost succeeded if the SCP hadn't gotten to it

[Doc] Why don't they just unplug it? Wait nevermind. This is humans we're talking about.

[CP] - Because it's of interest to them and can observe it

[Doc] Oh, well. It's probably too shitty to run Minecraft then anyway. It's a fun thought though.

[Doc] I am going to help you with your NOTCH Cp. I just need something I'm currently missing to pull it off. At least you're safe in the meantime, and you know the truth about him now.

[CP] That shuts CP up real fast-

[Doc] Actually that raises a question as well. Splender? Would you be willing to help Cp in a fight? Your blasts are super painful to us digital types and it wouldn't be on this seed so you'd be free to wreck it up.

[Splender] - Fighting isn't really my thing...

[CP] - He won't fight unless he gets pissed off

[Doc] Oh, well, the NOTCH in question did try to delete Cp, nearly ripping him apart. It also tricked him into thinking his own father betrayed him. It turned his brother against him and hurt his actual father so greviously that he died just as Cp was reunited with him. Any chance you have a taste for revenge at least? This NOTCH is a real monster in game, but you might be able to just blow him to bits.

[Splender] Starts tearing up- That's so sad!

[Doc] Gives him a gentle nuzzle. Xe speaks quietly - I know. That's why I put up with Cp's crap. I know he's been hurt so badly, everything is all bottled up and ready to explode. And he's no match for the one who hurt him. It's like Offenders rapes, the power that was taken from him is something that's not easily regained.

[Splender] Is openly sobbing now-

[Doc] Gathers Splender next to hir and curls around him and Deerheart- Shhhh.

[EJ] - Great, he's not gonna stop for hours now

[Doc] Then I'll stay right here with him until he's done.

[EJ] - Oh joy

[Lie] - Wha... What happened?

[Doc] I told him specifically what happened to Cp because of his NOTCH.

[Lie] - Oh... Okay, did you guys find anything in my memories?

[Doc] Yeeees... and I don't think you'll be happy about it. Splender left it buried but he told me what it was.

[Lie] - Oh....

[Doc] It's up to you if you want to be told.

[Lie] - I... I don't know...

[Doc] Then I will simply say that your hang-up with being touched is justified and leave it at that.

[Lie] - Oh... Okay...- Snuggles closer to CP's warmth

[BEN] Keeps cooing at Hyrule as he carries his son-

[gem] -is carrying aven who is sleeping and eddy and Edward-

[BEN] - This still seems so surreal...

[gem] having a baby with someone you love more then anything?

[BEN] - Yeah...

[gem] I guess anyone could say that about something they never expected to happen.

[BEN] - Yeah, but we never had babies at the manor...

[gem] well now your a dad. you and aven make a great couple.

[BEN] Offers Hyrule is finger-

[gem] you know there are a lot of things at this point seem to surreal for me as well.

[BEN] - Like what?

[gem] eddy and Edward being alive, seeing aven again after she died, being here with so many amazing and nice people I could go on about all the little things I never thought would happen but did.

[BEN] - I guess the same could be said of me, I've been surrounded by nothing but death for so long, and yet here I've made a life

[gem] would you say it's better or not?

[BEN] - I... I suppose better?

[gem] I can't wait for hyrule to me older I can see you and aven teaching him videogames and playing with him outside.

[BEN] - I wonder if he'll end up with any of my powers...

[gem] maybe, after all he has you and aven's eyes.

[BEN] - Yeah, he does... Heh, I get the feeling we'll be playing Zelda's lullabye to him a lot

[gem] -giggles at the cute thought-

-There's a swoosh of wings from above and Gk comes level with them. -

[GK] Out for a bit of flying Gem? Whaa! Hey! Is that the new tot?

[BEN] - Shush! You'll make him cry!

[GK] Oh! Sorry man. Geeze that's a tiny little thing.

[gem] I would love to but I should at lest get aven home first.

[BEN] Is now fussing over the baby-

[hyrule] -is crying it's clear his tears are made of blood-

[BEN] - Shhh, shh, It's okay... Daddy's here

[Gk] I was just gonna trail you. With Endrea busy the skies are pretty empty. Whoah! Is he okay? That looks like blood!

[BEN] - Yeah, my tears are blood as well so I'm not too worried...

[gem] so are aven's so I would say it's normal

[aven] -starts so stir in her sleep-

[Gk] Oh, okay. Weird.

[GK] Aven looks out of it. Did the kid not just pop in like a Testificate?

[gem] yes it did but she had pain first.

[Gk] That's rough. Eggs are where it's at. Speaking of such, Doc gave me three of them cased to walk. I feel like I'm carrying time bombs.

[gem] mine hatched and scared ben with a squirt of water.

[Gk] Water?! What the nether kind of Ender dragon likes water?

[BEN] - A horrible one

[gem] we found it in a end filled with water and mermaid Enderman so a water based one.

[Gk] Just laughs- Well I guess some variety is nice at least. I was kinda feeling like a freak with all the regular dragons around.

[BEN] Is rocking Hyrule back and forth-

[Gk] I wonder if the little guy will be scared of water too?

[hyrule] -has clamed down the blood tears have left streaks-

[BEN] - We will keep him away from all water

[BEN] Wipes away the tears-

[Gk] You gotta keep his ass clean BEN, he'll get sick if you let him be dirty.

[gem] maybe he wont be scared?

[Gk] Gonna be a bitch to take care of if he is.

[BEN] Whines a little- No water

[Gk] Ah, chill out

[gem] I will help bathe him so you wont have to deal with water.

[BEN] Growls a little- Ours

[Gk] Ha! Gem is second best babysitter!

[BEN] Is holding Hyrule very protectively-

[gem] aw protective daddy.

[GK] Not even if she bathes the baby so you guys can go bang BEN?

[BEN] Hisses-

[Gk] Well Lah-de-dah.

[gem] ben calm down because if I don't bathe him you and aven are going to have to give him lava baths.

[BEN] - Nooo! No bathes!

[gem] hyrule needs baths to stay healthy

[BEN] - But... But...

[Gk] mischevious- And so do you Dirty Dan.

[BEN] - I do not!

[GK] does a happy little roll in the air as he laughs.

[gem] do I have to drag you down to the lava bathroom?

[GK] Wiggles his hooves in obvious griefer glee.

[BEN] - Nuuuuuuu!

[gem] I bet aven will take one with you if we wake her up.

[Gk] Hawt. Hahah

[gem] in both temperature and sexiness.

[BEN] - I am not letting go of Hyrule...

[gem] you could put him in the cradle.

[BEN] - No

[GK] Is just watching with interest. - He's like a daddy dragon. Not gonna let go of that little one.

[gem] -looks at ben- you can't hold him forever.

[aven] -finally wakes up enough but is still very groggy- what's going on?

[BEN] - They're trying to tell us to bathe

[Gk] Headed home in your friends arms new mama

[gem] in lava not water.

[aven] yea I guess I am but ben it's not that bad to be in lava it's not water at least.

[BEN] - But it still feels liquidy!

[aven] it feels more like puddy then liquid.

[BEN] Still whining-

[aven] do you want to be in there with you?

[BEN] - How about we don't bathe at all?

[aven] how about we do.

[BEN] - But somebody has to watch the baby!

[aven] gem can do it.

[Gk] I can do it

[BEN] - But... But... But...

[aven] no butts except yours and mine in the tub. I trust these two can handle hyrule.

[GK] Hell to the yeah.

[BEN] Long whine-

[aven] -gem puts her down and she walk over to ben- you can whine all you want but we are still going to take a bath.

[BEN] - Not if I don't hand the baby over...

[gem] -hands aven a stack of fire resistance potions and a stack of magma creams-

[aven] -take them they holds her arms out- please give me hyrule.

[GK] Lands lightly with a little clop of hooves

[BEN] - Ah, but...- Is struggling for another excuse

[aven] I am not letting you out of this one.

[BEN] With a dejected sigh he hands Hyrule over-

[aven] -take hyrule before handing him off to gem who takes him with care-

[gem] ready to baby sit GK?

[Gk] Peeks over Gems shoulder to look at the baby. -yep.

[aven] -takes ben's hand and starts to tug him to the lava bathroom-

[Gk] He can't run, bite or throw fireballs, how hard can it be?

[BEN] Whimpers-

[gem] -starts to walk to ben and aven's house to bring hyrule to.-

[Gk] Oh, I gotta change don't I? You're going inside?

[gem] well yea what is hyrule going to live outside?

[Gk] Feh, we're just babysitting for a little while. And it's a nice day. Eh, whatever.

[Gk] Shrinks down to his human body, he's far shorter then Gem with a sour frown and an unkempt goatee - Being human sucks.

[gem] is it because you are small or because you rather be a dragon?

[Gk] Follows her- I'd rather be a dragon. I'm missing my wings and tail and my neck feels way too short. Having nubby fingers isn't much of a consolation.

[gem] -has the baby stuff set up in ben and aven's house and is visible as they enter-

[Gk] Lots fuzzy stuff in here. - Pokes a stuffed animal-

[gem] -places hyrule in the crib- many soft things for baby hyrule.

[Gk] Makes a little grunt - Peeps really hooked you guys up with everything. Markus and them must have cleaned out a whole shop in the outside world for all this.

[gem] -looks around- they must of went to one small shop then.

[BEN] Is getting harder and harder to get towards the lava bath-

[aven] -is pulling him- I will get you into the bath with me if it's the last thing I do.

[BEN] - NOOOOOO!- Is growing stiff as a defense mechanism

[aven] -kisses ben on the lips to try and get him to relax-

[BEN] Does relax some-

[aven] -uses the opportunity to get him down the stairs to the room connected to the lava bathroom and the pokemon's rooms-

[BEN] Whimpers and whines-

[Gk] I hear whining. hehe

[gem] most likely ben.

[Gk] Is looking for a chair and ends up trying to lean on the wall instead. He yelps as he falls trhough the hidden opening. - DAMMIT

[gem] -looks over to where gk was- holy shit are you ok?

[Gk] Ow. I just fell. Dumb ass painting...

[gem] -goes thought the painting then down the ladder to where gk is- well this is new

[Gk] What? You didn't know this was here? It's your house.

[gem] aven must of hallowed out the tree it was solid when I built it.

[Gk] Well don't leave the baby, you poke around, I'll go back up to the top

[gem] ok I see what even is this.

-the room's walls have many chest going up it the chest are filled with thing like drops, tools, ores, and other things. it's clearly a large storage room-

[gem] -head back up- I think it's just a large storage room that explains where all of her mining ores go.

[GK] Why hide it? Is she scared of griefers?

[gem] it might just be that tree houses unless they are huge don't get more storage. she could also just like to keep this stuff safe when we were both human we had to deal with a lot of greifers when we played minecraft.

[Gk] Ah, lucky for you guys the griefers around here are mostly lazy fucks like me.

[gem] I think the last time we played together was nothing you would do or anyone it wasn't prank level it was pure evil.

[Gk] Why? What hapened?

[gem] at least one person came into a little town aven, me and a few other had took everything killed all the animals destroyed all our houses poured lava everywhere and the only supplies we had left was the ones we hide in the ground which was luckily our best stuff.

[Gk] Grumbles- You don't know how I used to be....

[gem] well true I don't but I know now you wouldn't do something like that.

[Gk] Oh hell no. Even if I wanted too I wouldn't. Not gonna shit in my own nest. I got a sweet deal here. And humans don't piss me off as much as they used too.

[gem] -offers hyrule one of the stuffed bears-

[hyrule] -grabs it's arm-

[Gk] He's got some details doesn't he? Itty little fingers.

[gem] I wonder if he will grow to be taller then ben and aven.

[Gk] I think we aint gonna find out for a while. You guys mature slow don't ya? Slower then Endrea did at least.

[gem] with the way he was born I wouldn't be surprised with a rapid growth.

[Gk] Those eyes are definetly interesting. And I wonder... since BEN is carrying the antivirus program for Insanity, I bet his kid might have it too.

[gem] i think he could being how something over wrote their dna to produce those eyes.

[Gk] Yeah, this will be interesting. I wonder is Slenderbutt will have a coniption fit when he finds out he's got a grand-kid?

[gem] i don't think ben doesn't even want him to know.

[Gk] Yeah, but somehow I think he's gonna know anyway. That Ej jerk will tattle I'm sure.

[gem] i don't think any of us will give hyrule up with out a fight.

[Gk] Give up nothing. I don't think the bastard will try and take him away. Just infect him. And it might not even be possible

[BEN] Has firmly planted his feet at the edge of the tub and is refusing to move-

[aven] -has left ben there so she can get out of her clothes and get a fire resistance potion before chugging it and then hitting him with a splash one and trying to lightly pull ben in-

[BEN] Very quietly- Nuuuuuuu...

[aven] -tries to get him to come in with the promise of boobs-

[BEN] Really wants to follow but is hesitating-

[aven] come on ben just you and me. Get in here before I get you in here myself.

[BEN] Leans as far over as he can to touch Aven without getting in the lava-

[aven] -backs up so she is against the far wall so he can touch her at all- if you want it come get it.

[BEN] - But it feels to liquidy!

[aven] -tries to quickly reach over and yank him in-

[BEN] Yelps as Aven grabs him and pulls him in. He's immediately trying to get out-

[aven] -trys to hold him in a hug so he can't- ben forget everything else just focuses on me.

[BEN] Long whine-

[aven] -tries to move his face so she is facing her only her- just look at me.

[BEN] Is whimpering-

[aven] -is getting lava in their hair-

[BEN] Is very tense and ready to bolt-

[aven] -kisses him-

[BEN] Whimpers into the kiss but does press a bit closer-

[aven] -doesn't break the kiss as she tries to get them both clean-

[BEN] Presses closer as he whines and nips at Aven's lip-

[aven] -manages to finish getting the both clean then pulls them out of the tub-

[BEN] Forgets the kiss and bolts dor the main room-

[aven] -gets dressed then follows ben then starts to drag him up stairs- lets go check on gk, gem, and hyrule.

[BEN] - OUR KID!- Tries running while Aven is still holding him

[aven] -loses his hand as he runs go get hyrule-

[Gk] Is just sitting on a block watching Hyrule wiggle around in his crib.

[BEN] - HYRULE!

[Gk] grins- Wrong game ding dong-

[gem] -giggles and makes air quotes on save- ben is the hero of time come to save hyrule.

[BEN] - Oh shut it!

[Gk] Is snorting with laughter - He's certainly enthusiastic

[aven] -catches up and kisses ben on the cheek before getting hyrule out of his crib- thank you two for watching him

[Gk] Hey, no prob. This is easy shit.

[gem] I think ben will be more of the one to look after being his over protective parent thing he has going on.

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