#'Bitch' - the emperor and the human thinks while glaring at each other

[flowery-king]

Wait a minute, if Luz doesn't travel back in time, then she never learns that Philip was a complete jerk, and because of that she still thinks Philip is super cool.

Knowing that, I have a feeling that Hollow Mind is gonna be really awkward.

She's soooo excited to find out the greatest witch of all time was HUMAN but then she's also like oh god no wonder there's laws like this in the boiling isles - goddamn British dude

[techno-woman]

WELCOME TO THE FRIEZA FORCE, MY DEAR

(FRIEZA X READER)

::The following story takes place after DragonBall Fighterz villains arc. I do not own any DBZ characters. Enjoy the story!::

It has been over a month since you had returned to your own body after Frieza kicked you out despite you accepting his offer to join him. Honestly you didn’t have much to keep you here on earth anyway since bad luck had a habit of shooting down your spirits. It all started when you had graduated from high school; your dad suffered from a stroke and eventually succumbed to it within two months, your brother was killed in a car crash with your mother two years later, and just recently you had broken up with your boyfriend whom you’ve been dating for four years after finding out that he was cheating on you with another woman. You’ve at least managed to keep your job at a fast food restaurant thanks to your hard working attitude,however; your heart has been closed off since the breakup and you were tired of all the misery in your life so far that it wouldn’t have even mattered if you ended up robbed, murdered or worse.

Then one day you found yourself linked up with Frieza. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how much of an evil prick he was after the way he spoke to you for the first time. He was obviously not a happy camper when he noticed you were controlling his body and not him. Although you couldn’t necessarily blame him since body snatching wasn’t your cup of tea either. Frieza had openly expressed his disgust towards you many times and while his attitude may have annoyed you to no end you somehow oddly find some comfort in it. Perhaps it was because you too had days where you just had to let out your frustrations though it was all in private. You’ve powered through mentally with Frieza because the sting of your ex’s betrayal was still fresh. But working with the tyrant hasn’t been so terrible not when you had experienced his amazing power which would’ve been found in a comic book or a superhero movie. You felt invincible, untouchable almost like a god and you loved it especially the flying part.

The link you had with Frieza had become more stronger with each battle and along the way you encountered Nappa, Captain Ginyu and the Ginyu force, Cell, Goku, Vegeta, Krillin,and the rest of the z fighters. Through them you experienced each of their own unique powers and got along with most of them. Even Frieza was showing subtle signs of him warming up to you which you were grateful for. But deep down you couldn’t help but develop some attachments to the emperor of the universe himself. You weren’t sure if he had felt the same way as you when he had offered you a position in his army after you both took out Android 21 and you knew for a fact that you wouldn’t make a good soldier since part of Frieza’s requirements to joining the Frieza force included strength which you weren’t confident about despite how well you were doing with the link. But of course if it meant that you could start your life anew and leave your misfortune behind then you’d gladly take it. Then afterwards Frieza had warmly welcomed you to join his forces when Android 21 was taken down at last. You smiled at the thought of being in space looking at the stars and planets while riding in a spaceship boldly going where no human has ever gone before. Suddenly Frieza, Cell, Ginyu and Nappa immediately began charging up when their powers had returned to them, getting ready to attack Goku and the gang and before you knew it Frieza chased you out of his body so he could fight Goku without you holding him back. Devastated and heartbroken at the tyrant’s actions you took to the skies leaving Frieza to exact his revenge on his sayian nemesis.

That was the last time you saw him and you never got to tell him how you felt about him. You shook your head as you headed into work wiping away your tears deciding that you were better off without him anyway. You didn’t have much to offer to a guy like that except for your loyalty and love which you doubted that he would be capable of. Two hours in and the events of last month had already been pushed to the back of your mind as you worked hard cleaning dishes, prepping up food, and sweeping up the floor. The lights flickered faintly above and you thought to yourself that the light bulbs must be starting to give out. You were wiping down the tables when a random guy came up to you in an attempt to flirt with you but you ignored him completely.

“What time do you get off, cutie?” The man asked you.

“Sorry sir but I cannot indulge such information to someone I do not know.” You said with a customer friendly tone which surprised you internally to hear such words coming from your own mouth. Apparently you picked up some of Frieza’s elegant speech pattern while you were linked with him.

The man looked surprised in a happy way. “Fancy way of talking, eh? Then how about you let me take you somewhere fancy to eat after you get off?”

“No thank you.” You said as you started to get irritated with him. The lights above you started to flicker.

“Don’t be like that, baby. I can treat you real nice.” The guy insisted.

“Please sir, I have work to do and I am not interested. Have a nice day.” You told him as you kept your tone friendly while your temper was rising. The lights flickered faster causing several of the staff and customers to look in confusion.

“C’mon don’t tell me that a pretty face like you already has a boyfriend?” Inquired the guy.

Now it was starting to get too personal for your liking as the memories of your ex flowed into your mind like a stream of water. Anger was bubbling up as the flickering lights intensified causing everyone to become concerned and even scared. “That is no concern of yours. Now please leave me alone and have a nice day.” You clenched your teeth as you managed to say in a sweet tone while keeping a grip on your temper. You were getting ready to head back into the kitchen when you felt a hand grab your arm and pulled you back.

“What’s the matter, bitch?” The guy hissed. “You think you’re too good to have a good time with guys like me?” He smelled like he hasn’t bathed in a week and his grip on you grew tighter.

Your coworkers and a few customers saw this and attempted to get him to let you go. But the guy insisted that he was your boyfriend and that it was no one’s business.

“SHUT UP JACKASS! YOU’RE NO ONE TO ME!” You yelled angrily at him and at that same time the lights that were flickering above you exploded. Everyone in the store screamed and covered their heads as glass fell upon them. A fire broke out causing several staff members to grab fire extinguishers and put out the fire.

The customers ran out screaming in panic as you were also running out of the store. You didn’t know what was going on but you did know that this had never happened in the restaurant before. So why now? Sounds of police sirens were drawing close as was the firefighters and you just hoped that no one got hurt. Suddenly you felt arms grabbing you by the waist and you were then carried off by someone.

“Hey! Let me go!” You exclaimed. “Put me down! What do you think you’re doing!”

“It’s just us, human!” Said a familiar gruff yet friendly voice.

You turned to see none other than Captain Ginyu of the Ginyu force. “Ginyu!” You cried as you instantly gave him a hug.

“Don’t forget about us, sheila!” Jeice said happily.

“Hey Jeice, Burter, Recoome, Guldo! It’s great to see you guys again!” You grinned as you saw the rest of the Ginyu force. “But how did you know where to find me?”

Ginyu pointed to the scouter on his face. “We detected your ki with these and by the looks of it your ki skyrocketed to another level!”

You looked at him confused. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Didn’t you see what had just happened at the restaurant?” Burter asked pointing back to where your job was.

You felt your heart sink as you came to realize what they were talking about. “I did that?”

“You sure did!” Recoome said with a smile.

“But that’s never happened before. I don’t understand why it would happen now.” You said still trying to grasp the reality of the situation.

Ginyu looks at you with a sympathetic expression on his face. “Perhaps it’s because you were linked with Lord Frieza and that his ki has awakened yours.”

You looked up in surprise. “Really?”

“That’s the only explanation that I can think of. But let’s get you to Lord Frieza first.” Ginyu said taking off into the sky with the others.

“So Frieza wants to see me now after he booted me out?” You said in a sarcastic tone.

“My apologies, huma-“

“It’s Y/n.” You interrupted Ginyu.

“Y/n. Please forgive Lord Frieza. He has been humiliated twice by Goku and needed to get his revenge for it.” Ginyu said.

You huffed. “Did he succeeded?”

“All I can say is that it ended in a stalemate.”

“Figures.” You rolled your eyes.

“I don’t mean to speak out sir but is no one going to say anything about y/n here being a woman?” Guldo asked.

“Is there something wrong with that?” You asked with a small smile.

“No. Not at all. Just surprised is all.” Guldo said.

Minutes later aboard Frieza’s ship....

Frieza stood by the window as you entered with the Ginyu force leading ahead.

“Lord Frieza, we’ve brought the human with us.” Ginyu said as he bowed.

“Excellent work, Captain Ginyu.” Frieza said in a happy tone while turning slowly to face you. “It has been awhile my dear. You look so much lovelier in person.” He smiles his usual smile that you had come to recognize as his causal expression.

“You don’t seem surprised that I am a girl.” You said observering him and then noticed his tail wiggling about almost like Frieza was glad to see you in the flesh.

“I had Nappa keep a close eye on you afterwards since Saiyans can be easily passed off as humans when their tails are well hidden that is.” Frieza said as he approached you.

“Well no wonder why Nappa has been absent lately.” Guldo mumbled.

You turned your head to glare at Ginyu and the others. “Scouter my ass. You already knew where I was at, didn’t you?”

“Easy Y/n, we weren’t lying about the scouters picking up your ki level. Besides even with Nappa we aren’t familiar with the city you were living in.” Ginyu said.

Frieza cleared his throat getting your attention back onto him who was directly standing in front of you face to face. “As I was saying; I had ordered Nappa to watch over you after the Android 21 incident. When you left I sensed a slight change in your ki and made a mental note to look into it after I delt with that damned Saiyan Goku.”

“I was told that it was a stalemate.” You said.

Frieza grimaced. “It would not have been such a stalemate if Cell hadn’t tried to steal my glory for the last time.” His tail curled up much like how a fist would ball up in anger.

“Did you....kill him?” You asked.

“No, of course not. Goku’s eldest son already did him in with Maijin Buu.” Frieza said. “But enough of that. I believe we have much to discuss about your future here on the Frieza force.”

“Thanks but there’s a concern that I’d like to address with you. Namely my sudden ki rising. Captain Ginyu said that it was the result of our souls being linked together. Is it true?” You asked.

Frieza watched you before motioning for Ginyu and the others to leave the room. They did so without hesitation and now it was just you and him alone. “Indeed it is as you were told. The slight increase of your ki didn’t happen when you and I first met but after destroying Android 21 was when it changed. I have surmised that while you were linked with me your ki was being amplified by mine thus causing it to grow with each battle we’ve faced. Though it is not as strong as mine it’ll at least give you a bit of an edge to defend yourself with.”

“How long do you think it’ll last?” You asked.

Frieza closed his eyes and sighed in annoyance. “Don’t you understand what this means exactly? I’m saying this is permanent. That this newly awakened ki is what you’ll be living with from now on.”

You were dumbfounded at this. You now had powers of your own and yet you were unsure about how to handle it. Or if you could handle it. “Oh boy.” You covered your face with your hands as you rubbed your eyes with them. “This is a lot to take in.”

“For you I have no doubt that it is.” Frieza said flicking his tail casually. “Fortunately you will have plenty of time getting use to it in my army.”

“I probably might but there’s also the issue of controlling it. Before the Ginyu force picked me up I was getting upset with this one guy trying to make a pass at me and when I lost my temper the lights exploded above us.” You told him.

Frieza hummed with curiosity. “Certain emotions often trigger such power like yours. Perhaps that will be something we can work on together.” His tail then slowly wraps around your waist as he pulls your body into his. “I’m sure that you will find it most enjoyable.”

You blushed at how close you were to him and even more so when his tail pulsed. “Frieza? Just to be honest with you, I’m still upset with you for kicking me out.”

“I had a score to settle with Goku. You of all people should understand that. Especially with the amount of time that we’ve spent together sharing the same body.” Frieza said in a stern tone as he took your chin into his hand. “It’s Y/n, yes?”

You nodded.

Frieza smiled his mischievous and cruel smile. “Welcome to the Frieza force, my dear y/n.”

[votederpycausemufins]

No one figured out the upcoming twist, which is going to make the reactions i hope to get so much sweeter. have fun all~!

@petrichormeraki

Techno was the first to push to the front of the group, axe out and at the ready. Dream sat up a little straighter before moving his hand to touch NPG’s shoulder and get his attention. The robot turned to face Dream and the masked man lowered the handkerchief just far enough to reveal his mouth. He then used a hand to block his mouth, and the fact that none of them could hear what he said made it look like he was telling some sort of gossip to NPG instead of whatever he really was saying.

“Oh no! I didn’t! I’m very sorry. I could do that now if you want.” NPG started to stand, but was stopped and Dream whispered again. “Oh, okay then. Technoblade, you need to put your axe away or else.”

“I’m not going to listen to any government. Not even him.” Techno growled, tightening his grip on the handle of the weapon.

Dream stood up and then gestured to NPG. The robot then went over to Techno and tried to take his axe. The hybrid attempted to swing at NPG but Grian was on him in an instant and yanked the weapon away. “NO! I do NOT want you killing another of my kids today! I’m barely tolerating that since you didn’t know at the time, but this is different!”

Techno attempted to take the axe back, but it was held out of reach. “You don’t understand. That’s Dream. The admin of our server.”

Than shocked Grian and he looked back at the man sitting on the throne. Tommy had a problem with masks when he first joined Hermitcraft. If this was their admin, he could see why.”

“Who’s Dream?” NPG asked, making everyone’s heads snap in his direction. “And why do you think that’s him?”

“Because who else would wear that fucking mask?!” Tommy yelled, gesturing to the porcelain piece.

“Wait,” Mumbo started. “Perhaps it’s both Dream and isn’t? This could be his hels version. All worlds have them.”

“But why would he be here?” Tubbo asked, causing a small discussion to stay about the answer to that. But Tommy wasn’t paying attention to that. His blue eyes stared at the brown eye looking back at him. Then he looked down at the handkerchief. It was the same color as the one he was currently wearing. Well, maybe it was a slightly different shade, but the size as well as the rips and tears were the same.

Helscraft housed the hels versions of the hermits. And that’s what Tommy was now. A hermit. The person sitting on that throne wasn’t Dream. It was him.

“What’s your name?” Tommy spoke up, loud enough it made everyone else stop talking. Tommy could swear he saw the fabric of the handkerchief move as his hels copy smiled. He gestured to NPG, who happily gave the answer.

“His name is- well I guess I should use his title too. This is Emperor Theseus!”

“Heeeh?!” Techno asked. “That’s Tommy?!”

The man, or teen they supposed, nodded.

“Well his name is Theseus. I just said so.” NPG said, earning quiet raspy laughter from the emperor.

“Why does he look like Dream?” Tubbo asked. Theseus pointed as his mask questioningly, earning a nod from Tommy, so he pulled it off.

The skin that had been hidden under the mask was slightly paler than everything around it, but part of Tommy expected something more. “So how’d you get that? Kill your version of Dream and keep it as some sort of prize?”

Theseus gestured with a finger, calling NPG back to him, and for the first time Tommy realized that his double hadn’t once spoken. 

“He says no! He was given the mask by his admin.” NPG answered before Theseus pulled him in to say something else. “Also his admin was named Nightmare.”

“Why are you only talking to him?” Grian asked, and Theseus pulled down his handkerchief again, loosening it to reveal his neck. It reminded the group of the scar that Sense had, but much more gruesome.

Before anyone could ask what happened, the emperor was making NPG answer for him. “His admin got really mad at him one day and they fought and he sort of got his vocal cords damaged to the point that now they’re… gone.”

The group cringed and the comment. Even with how horrible their version of Dream was, this seemed like overkill. “But yeah, my mechanics let me read his lips very well as well as understand sign language so I’m able to talk for him!”

Grian smiled. He had forgotten about trying to implement the sign language. He never really got to test it out; it was more because he had learned it back in highschool and didn’t want to forget. Though it took long enough to activate NPG that he did.

“Uh, are you planning to hurt me at all?” Tubbo spoke up, making Theseus look confused. “Well, Tommy and I are friends, but I don’t know, this place sort of seems opposite, so maybe we’re enemies?”

Theseus quickly shook his head. “He wouldn’t do that. Uh, even if he was enemies with his own you, you’re a different you so he wouldn’t attack.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Wait are you and your Big T enemies?” Theseus shook his head. “Alright, because we’d have problems if you did.”

“He would probably have a good reason if he did.” Mumbo said, putting a hand on the teen’s shoulder.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. Just was worried after we saw that other guy.”

“You mean Sense?” NPG asked as Theseus scowled behind him. “Well, Theseus said that exile would help make him better.” Tommy flinched at the word exile. “Besides, I visit him all the time to make sure nothing really bad happens!”

Tommy looked up as his double, ready to shout, but Grian was yelling first. “I don’t care who you are or who he is, but obviously you’ve gone through some shit. That doesn’t mean you can just make it everyone else’s problem. I’d stop sooner rather than later before you do something you’ll really regret!”

Theseus glared back at Grian before gesturing to NPG. “Um, he wants you guys to leave.”

“We’re not going to just-” Phil started, wanting to back up the others, but Theseus pulled a weapon and made another gesture.

“No you guys should really leave. He’s saying he could let you be like Sense.”

“I’d like to see him try.” Techno huffed, but Mumbo was trying to be reasonable and helped push everyone out.

“You may be able to keep yourself safe, but I doubt you can do that for all of us.”

Just as the group was almost out the door, NPG spoke again. “Wait. He wants Tommy to stay behind.” Everyone was reluctant at first, but another weapon pulled out by his double made Tommy agree and he stayed behind, NPG closing the throne room doors. 

Tommy stood facing Theseus who sat back down on the throne, regaining his bored look from the start of their meeting. NPG nervously went back to his own chair, not sure how he should be reacting to all this. Everything was eerily quiet as the counterparts stared each other down, but then Theseus took some sort of metal disc out and put it on NPG’s head, the light from his eyes suddenly fading.

“Hey! What the fuck did you just do to him bitch?!”

“Made it easier to talk with you, that is all.” NPG spoke. “Can’t use it all the time with it overheating and potentially damaging us both, but I may not need to use it much longer.”

Tommy nervously glanced at NPG before talking to Theseus again. “What the fuck do you mean by that?”

The emperor leaned forward. “We’ll get to that later. Tell me, why were you here to see me? I was told you had a question?” Tommy hesitated, but eventually answered, making his copy nod. “NPG has spoken highly of his family. Had they been here, I would have kept them safe, but they have not been here.”

Tommy cursed. All of this for nothing. “May I ask where you have looked?”

“All the worlds Grian’s lived in, all the worlds Mumbo lived in, where they were made, and here.”

“Then I believe there’s one you haven’t tried yet.” Theseus said and he held the porcelain mask out, making Tommy’s eyes widen.

“No, they can’t be there! If they’re there then they’re with Dream! And If they’re with Dream then-”

“You know, my admin was a horrible person, but he took an interest in me. Possibly because of my family lineage or just because I seemed the best to do what he wanted. He trained me, taught me to be like him. He gave me the mask I have now, a smile to his frown, when he decided I was his equal. I told him I wasn’t. I was better. And so I killed him.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because while those from this dimension can be opposites of our counterparts, we all have the same potential. If I was able to kill, or at the very least surpass Nightmare, then you can do the same with Dream.”

“Right, great pep talk.” Tommy rolled his eyes, but then sighed. “Is that all?”

Theseus shook his head. “I wasn’t the only one Nightmare did this too.” he gestured to his neck. “He attacked my brothers as well. At least the ones he could get to. I’m guessing your dad came to the world Dream controlled?”

“Yeah.”

“He never did for us. He would only come if we called for him, and so Nightmare made sure we couldn’t. I’m not sure it would work, but you are technically me and have the same voice. So I need you to repeat this phrase.”

“As long as you don’t attack everyone back there once you have what you want.”

Theseus held his hands out to make sure Tommy could see them. “I make a promise that none in the group will befall any harm from me or him.”

“NPG too.”

“Yes, NPG too.”

“Fine, what do you want me to say?”

“I call the angel of death.”

“I call the angel of death.” Tommy repeated, and the room suddenly got colder. Behind Tommy, a voice spoke, echoing in a manner that reminded him of Ghostbur, but was districtly Phil’s voice.

“Hello Theseus. It’s been a while.”

If there was one thing Grum absolutely hates, it was that even though he was a robot, he still had a lot of things humans did, like being able to feel hot and cold, getting sore from working too much, and feeling groggy when waking up. And currently two of those three things were happening. The only thing that helped Grum feel better was the fact that he was even awake to be feeling this horrid. He knew he passed out before the charger was complete, but the fact that he was awake now meant that Sam and Jrum had finished it.

Grum rolled over and saw his brother resting next to him. He put his hand on Jrum’s monitor and he shifted. So he was charged too but in sleep mode. That was fine. Grum almost went back to sleep and just cuddle with his brother when he realized the noises he thought were just from random things outside were actually arguing voices.

“I don’t care how many times Puffy gives you the benefit of the doubt, they are children, and we both know what happened to the last one you took an interest in.”

“C’mon Sam, that was his own fault. He was given a chance by his own people to not grief and steal and he did exactly that. I’m not ever the one who sent him away, I gave him company!”

“What you did is force everyone away from him and make it seem like you were his only friend.”

“Oh really? And what proof do you have?” There was silence. “That’s what I thought. He was dangerous, and now he’s gone. I’m just making sure it doesn’t happen all over again.”

The arguing stopped and Grum started to think. That was Sam and Dream. There was someone who griefed and stole and possibly other crimes who was punished. Sam seemed to care for this person, but others knew their crimes were bad and let this person get punished. Obviously, Dream was keeping things on this server safe and Sam was disagreeing with that. 

But what else had the redstoner said? Sam called Jrum and him children and referred to the… problematic individual as the ‘last one’ so they were also a child. Perhaps he didn’t agree with someone so young being punished? Grum could see both sides of the argument. He wished he knew more for a better decision, so he would have to ask around.

Jrum stirred and then stretched, his monitor turning on with a yawn. He saw Grum awake and then smiled. “Morning!”

“Good morning Jrum.” Grum replied, and he heard footsteps approaching.

“Oh good, you two are awake. Glad to see the charger worked.”

Jrum sat up to look at their host. “Thank you for helping! Um, can I call you Mister Sam instead of just Sam?”

“Yeah, I guess you can. Any reason?”

“We knew someone else named Sam.” Grum replied for Jrum. “Well, more we heard about him. We know it is a common name, but we would like some way to distinguish you from that other person.” And that was a thought, wasn’t it? The Sam their dad knew had been around Tommy’s age when he did all those bad things, and for some people, Tommy was still considered a child. Grum supposed that some punishments wouldn’t be good for the crimes the mystery person had done, but there was a chance that they were.

“Whatcha thinking about?” Jrum poked his brother, who realized he had been thinking so hard, his screen had changed his face to a loading circle.

“I am thinking about… something dad has told us. Things about Sam from the past, not this one we are calling Mister Sam.”

“Bad stuff?”

Grum nodded before looking at the Sam here. “The Sam our dad knew was not a good person at all.”

“Oh? We don’t really have the best people around here either.”

“Sam was a murderer in a known hardcore world where murder was illegal. From what I recall, he escaped prison at least once if not more. This is while he was in highschool and not yet even eighteen.”

The skin that could be seen through the visor of Sam’s mask paled. “Ah, that is pretty bad.”

Jrum swung his legs from where he was sitting before moving into the territory of children having no filters. “Yeah, he kinda tortured Dad and made him pretend to be someone else.”

“Uh… good to… know?” Sam wasn’t sure how to react. “Uh, you know maybe we should take you back to see Puffy. I’m sure she’d like to hear this. Did you know she does therapy?”

“Oh! Our daddy does that too! Do you think they would be friends?”

“Yeah, probably.”

“Yay! I’m gonna tell her all about Dad and Daddy and- Oh hey! Grum you could talk to her about Iskall!”

“I’m sorry, did you say Iskall?” Sam asked, he had heard that name somewhere before, but where?

“Yeah! They’re our auncle! They’re best friends with our dads! And then their other friends are our uncles and aunts like Uncle Scar and Aunt Stress. And then Xisuma is like our grandpa! But now we have another grandpa because our dad found his dad! And also his brothers! And now Uncle Tommy is like double Uncle Tommy. And Dad says we’ve also got Uncle Techno and Uncle Wilbur.”

By this point, Sam was frozen in place. “Wait. TommyInnit, Wilbur Soot and Technoblade?”

“Yeah! Oh! Did you live in the an-are-ick empire?”

“Jrum, it’s pronounced antarctic.”

“Yeah! That!”

“No, that’s not-”

“Hey Sam, almost forgot something.” Dream spoke up, having poked his head back into the place. Grum made sure his projected face looked normal when he stared at the admin, wanting to glare. He couldn’t tell with the mask in the way, but he could feel the admin looking back. That interruption was too convenient. Something was up.

Tommy caught up with the rest of the group who were sitting around on the ground outside the throne room. “Hey guys! I think I figured out, well, the other me figured out where the bots might be.”

Grian jumped up. “Really! Where?”

“Uh, it’s not exactly the best place.”

“Really? What could be worse than here?” Grian asked, and he saw Tommy look over at those from the SMP. “Oh… Then we need to get there as soon as possible.”

“But first we need to see Evil X so we can get back to Hermitcraft.” Mumbo piped up, but Grian shut him down.

“Nope, We’re going my way.” And Grian started using his Watcher powers. “Next stop, the SMP.”

“Wait Grian! I don’t think that’s going to-” The magic swirled around them and then dropped them in a new universe. “Work…”

There was a putrid smell and everyone covered their noses, Tommy pulling his handkerchief over his nose to help block the smell. “Ugh, what is that?!”

Phil was the one to respond. It was something he was unfortunately familiar with from his long lifespan. “To put it simply. Death. This looks like the SMP, but way more destroyed.”

“That’s what I was trying to say.” Mumbo spoke up, gagging slightly as he could taste the smell on his mouth. “If we try without going back to Hermitcraft, it will probably just take us to the hels version.”

“Ugh… and looks like you’re right.” Grian groaned, quickly taking them back. “Fine, let’s go find Xannes.”

[ben-j-man]

Secret War: Chapter 21

Link to chapter 1- http://ben-j-man.tumblr.com/post/180097372453/secret-war-chapter-1

I was wrong, Garrakson's Autocannon hadn't pinned them, they'd just fallen back. The four-metre wide corridor was ablaze with the blinding blaze and the defining sound of shooting. Dozens of Edracian's mooks had laid in wait behind sandbag walls for our advancing forces. Not just that but further down were two Heavy stubber emplacements, laying down a constant barrage that should've left us completely and utterly pinned. But like lightning I dashed through It all, weaving side to side with a speed and agility I'd no idea I was capable of and fell upon five of Edracian's mercs as they cowered behind one of the sandbag walls.

Two were dead before they realised I was there, the first I decapitated, the activated edge of my powersword cutting through his neck with ease, the second I impaled, kicked him off the blade and smashing into his comrade behind him. The fourth took a swing at me with the butt of his rifle, but he seemed to move in slow motion, and I effortlessly weaved underneath it, then cut his torso in two with a backhanded blow. The fifth tried to raise his rifle to shoot me, but before I could even blink my body moved and I was abruptly behind him, and he was cleaved in twain. The third, I hauled to his feet, just in time to use as a human shield as his comrades further down the corridor tried to shoot me. His body was torn to pieces in a few seconds by the concentrated fire, but it mattered little as I was safe behind the sandbags well before that.

Arlathan, Torris, Arlathan and Garrakson used this opportunity to advance, joining up with me. Arlathan and Torris fired their shotguns from the hip as they ran.

"What the bloody hell was that?" demanded Torris over the din.

"What?" I asked.

"You, just running forward through that hell without telling us anything!" he roared. "You suicidal or something?"

I shrugged, I wasn't suicidal; I just knew deep down that I could make it, that my newfound speed and agility would get me through it all.

Torris sighed, shook his head and blasted over the wall, "well good work I guess, just tell us next time, kid. It'd be appreciated, thanks!"

I cut my reply short as I saw more figures emerged from around the corner we'd came from, ten metres down the corridor, their weapons raised. Before any thought I was moving, power sword activated.

"Attelus stand down!" came a yell over my vox link. "We're on your side!"

I stopped. "Olinthre!" I spat the name then dived for cover as they opened fire.

Twelve more guns joined in with Torris and Arlathan's as the mercs advanced past me.

I vaulted over the sandbags, twisting to shoot blindly over the lip in an attempt to provide cover fire for the mercs.

The Olinthre-thing joined me, while he fired bursts of his auto gun.

"Good work at blowing the wall!" It yelled.

I didn't reply, just clenched my jaw and gave it a glare.

It shrugged and smiled, "well I guess we can't always get what we want, right?"

As if by its own volition, suddenly my hand shot out and clutched it by the throat, slamming it against the sandbags.

"You made the timers five seconds instead of ten," I growled. "I'm lucky that Garrakson looked at it or I might be dead right now."

It smiled, grabbed my wrist and tore my hand away, "yeah I did, I did the same for the others as well. I don't know what happened, exactly but I guessed you betrayed Glaitis, and I bet they did too."

I glared at It and shook my head, "I don't get it, why do you care so much? You didn't seem to care before."

"Because I've thought it over and I think I owe her," It said. "If it weren't for her, I wouldn't be what I am today."

I looked it in the violet eyes, "really? And what you are today? Did you want this? You truly wanted to be this? You owe her nothing! Nothing at all!"

I didn't wait for its reply; its gaping wide-eyed look was enough. I vaulted over the wall and sprinted like mad, weaving through the fury and the fire to join back up with Torris, and the others.

"Emperor damn it!" snarled Garrakson as he jumped in fright at my sudden appearance. "How the frig can you move like that? You're like one of those damn Eldars!"

I clenched my jaw and said nothing.

"And Emperor damn it!" Garrakson said again. "If you'd let me use my damn Autocannon we wouldn't be like this!"

My eyes narrowed, "we can't risk you using any more ammo, Jeurat! We don't know what we'll encounter the deeper we go! You've only got, what? A hundred rounds or so left?"

"More daemons!" yelled Torris. "It'll most definitely be more daemons!"

I was up then, firing my shotgun, trying to draw a bead through the chaos on an enemy, any enemy, but just like the ambushers in the alley, they hugged their cover way too well, and I was never the best at ranged combat.

With a smug smile, I pulled out one of my four frag grenades.

Garrakson gave me a tired look, "y'know doing that, kid. Might give 'em ideas."

I shrugged, thinking there was no point in hiding my new found enhanced strength anymore, pulled the pin and with a grunt, threw it. The grenade flew, it flew a good forty-five metres and landed almost in the lap of the merc manning one of the Heavy Stubbers. The explosion and the man's scream I could barely hear over the din of battle.

All three of my acquaintances had seen it and gaped at me with wide eyes.

"When the hell did you get that strong?" said Torris.

I shrugged, "don't know! About the same time, I could move this fast!"

"Wait! What?" Torris was in the midst of shouting as I was up and moving, lunging over another sandbag wall and in my descent, kicking one of the three defenders in the face, throwing him flying back. His features now a bloody, ugly ruin. The second twisted with impressive speed, rifle raised to fire. Only so my sword could slice through it, then impale his face. The last threw himself back just out of range of my next slash and drew a laspistol from its holster. My instincts somehow knew the exact second he'd pull the trigger, and my body weaved, feeling the laser kiss my cheek, and I smelt it as it fried some of my hair, then I slipped in, so fast he couldn't get another, then my powersword sliced him two.

Next thing I knew, I bounded behind the sandbags before the rest could shoot me, their fire tearing into the sandbags a mere millisecond after I was in safety

I frowned and looked at my hands, was this new ability just from my, Wraithbone bones? I'd heard from Glaitis of assassins who could move like this. Highly experienced, trained and skilled far beyond normal human parameters. The elite assassins of the Officio Assassinorum were the first which came to mind.

A sigh suddenly filtered through my thoughts making me jump in fright.

+Again I did that, Mon'keigh. I didn't just enhance your bone structure but brought you to a physical peek that would normally be almost impossible for your slow, clumsy kind ever to attain. You with your genetic lineage may have been able to reach it, through years more of training but I fast forwarded you through it, saving you the time and effort.+

"Why?"

+Is that not obvious? Even for you with your simple, slow mind? That is because I need you at your best to be in proper service to me, you are lucky I care so much. Now shut up, you have a battle to fight, oh and watch your left.+

I turned just in time to see the soldier sneaking up on me, his knife already in the midst of swinging at my skull.

I leaned back, so it sliced slightly through my nose instead then sidestepped his stab. The range was terrible for my powersword effectively so instead I elbowed him in the face, it connected with a crunch, and he screamed, blood spraying from his nose like a geyser.

"Nose for a nose you son of a bitch!" I snarled, and my front kick caused him to stumble further back, allowing Torris a clear shot, the round blowing through his torso and sent his limp corpse smashing hard against the sandbag wall.

I smiled as Torris, Garrakson and Arlathan joined me.

"Why would he try to take me in close quarters?" I asked.

Torris shrugged, "outta ammo, maybe? He almost had you, though. You were very deep in la-la land there for a second or two. I would've warned you, but it all happened way too fast for me. And what did I tell you about running forward all on your lonesome without telling us, again?"

"I did tell you," I said.

The corner of his mouth twitched, "well, yeah, but not very well."

"Alright! Enough of the damned talky!" roared Arlathan as he fired. "and more damned fighty!"

And for once I agreed with him.

The explosion sent the large double doors flying off their hinges and falling into the enormous old dining room beyond.

We were ready for the inevitable counter, hugging the cover of the sandbags as the mercs fired through the kicked up smoke.

There were fifty of us, mostly made up of Taryst's mercs. There were more before, but we'd lost over two dozen men overwhelming the well-entrenched enemy in this corridor alone. I couldn't help wonder how many more were going to die attacking this place.

For what felt like forever we waited for a lull in the storm, when it finally came that's when Garrakson opened fire with the remaining working heavy stubber along with the rest of us.

The enemy had set up their defences well; they'd turned over the long, thick dining tables for makeshift protection and reinforced them further with more damned sandbags, which made me wonder how the hell on a hive world like this did they get so much sand? Was it rockcrete sand? Or...?

I smiled and shook away the thought, now was the worst time to get hung up on such details.

Fighting the urge to flinch from every sight and sound, through the utter chaos I did a very quick, very rough headcount. There were two balconies situated along each length of the room, gunfire rained down from them, but they were too elevated for me to make out anything of importance and on the floor were three makeshift walls four metres separating each.

"I count approximately twenty-five on the floor!" I shouted. "Nine behind the first, eight behind the last two!"

"Twenty three now!" roared Garrakson as he cut down two with a withering hail of fire and I treated him to an equally withering look, which he ignored entirely.

"What about on the decks?" asked Arlathan.

I just pursed my lips and shrugged, wondering why he thought I'd know.

"If we give you covering fire, you think you can get onto one of them?" yelled Torris as he fired a flurry of shotgun shells.

I smiled, "you were all upset about me running off by myself but now asking me to suicidally climb up there?"

Torris shrugged, "I only get upset when you do it without telling us about it! We can't help you if you don't! Your teamwork skills kinda suck!"

I clenched my jaw, wanting to point out how Castella and had worked together well against the daemons earlier and remind him of how Elandria and I used to team up all the time.

I frowned, and my gaze fell to the floor at the thought of Elandria.

"Kid! I wouldn't ask you this if I didn't think you could do it!" he yelled, taking me from my reverie.

With a sigh I looked over the sandbags again, the balconies were a good two and a half metres off the floor, and both ascending staircases situated at the other end of the room. Three, half metre wide, dark wood pillars held them aloft, but I could tell they were only there for decoration. Taking them out wouldn't collapse them at all, which was my initial hope.

I slipped back into safety and shook my head.

Torris gritted his teeth and growled with incoherent rage.

Just then we heard Garrakson cry out and throw himself to the floor as his heavy stubber was abruptly torn apart by concentrated fire.

"We've gotta do something about the enemy on those damn verandahs!" snarled Torris. "Even if we take care of the ones on the floor, we try to advance we'll be caught in a damn crossfire! From enemies on an elevated position no less!"

Garrakson climbed to his knees, brushing himself off as though he'd just had dust thrown on him, instead of potentially deadly, jagged shards of shrapnel.

"Well why don't we have Mr little freaky speedy here just run through them, to the other side of the room and climb up the stairs, while we lay down cover fire," he said.

I sighed and placed my hand on my face, why did all these plans involve me rushing forward through gunfire. I guess it was my own frigging fault for showing off so much before.

"Could actually work," said Torris.

"Only if we can bloody coordinate properly," said Arlathan.

"Or if I could use my bloody autocannon," said Garrakson, as he not to subtly glared at me.

I sighed and glanced back at the other mercs taking cover behind the sandbags further down the corridor; pinned down, just as we were, I wasn't going to get any cover fire from them, sure as sure.

With a frustrated growl, I turned to Garrakson and mumbled something.

"What?" yelled Garrakson, but I could see him smiling slightly.

"I said, damn it! You get it your way!" I bellowed through clenched teeth. "Use the frigging autocannon!"

Garrakson's face lit up like a child who'd just been told all his birthdays had been rolled into one.

"Alright!" he said rubbing his hands together eagerly, then began gathering up the oversized bullet hose. "You ready kid?"

I swallowed and only nodded nervously.

"Be aware, kid I'll only be able to pin the bastards on the floor. The ones up there on the balconies, not so much!"

"Torris and me could throw some grenades," suggested Arlathan. "We could try to get them onto those balconies!"

I looked at him, eyes wide with surprise, glanced at the room beyond, seeing just how high and how bad the angle was, then back to him.

"But you'll have to expose yourself to do it," I said.

Arlathan frowned and furrowed his brow, "why are you so worried? You've got to run through that hell!"

I turned to Torris who shrugged and said, "I agree, kid. It's an idea. I'm willing to give it a go."

I nodded and glanced at Arlathan still surprised he'd risk himself so. Whatever had happened to him during his unconsciousness must've changed him somehow.

My eyes narrowed, as another thought hit me, perhaps I wasn't the one Brutis should be worried about.

"We ready?" asked Garrakson eagerly.

"Yeah, we are," I said as I tossed Torris and Arlathan a grenade each. "Jeurat, blaze away."

"With pleasure!" he beamed, climbed to his feet and began firing over the sandbags, ignoring the countless munitions flying his way.

"Wish me..!" I yelled but stopped as simultaneously both Torris and Arlathan were standing and throwing their grenades.

I didn't wait to watch where they went as I was up and sprinting into the room, knowing that Garrakson with all his skill would miss me.

Everywhere, I saw the devastation wrought by Garrakson's autocannon as it tore through everything, punching holes through the sandbags and turned over tables as though they were made of paper. I saw at least five defenders torn apart as they cowered behind the first wall. Inwardly, I cursed that we'd been forced into using it so damn early in the peace, but desperate times, I guess.

It must've taken me less than a second or two to sprint to the first wall, but it felt like forever it was even more intense than the siege outside than even in the close confines of the corridors.

Just as I vaulted over the first wall, the grenades Torris and Arlathan had thrown went off. I heard no screams, no nothing; I couldn't even tell if they'd been thrown right, but I had no time to dwell on that.

I just had to have "faith" in my friends they'd done it right. Well, the definition of "faith" meant belief without evidence. I didn't have "faith" in Torris he'd proved time and again that he was skilled and highly competent. It was bloody Arlathan I had to put faith in, and I didn't like that.

The defenders behind the first wall were already dead and the ones behind the second and third were pinned down by Garrakson's fire.

I could see in my peripheral vision and somewhat feel the gunfire from above, and my heart sank as I realised that it was a frigging crap ton of them and most of them automatic.

Despite this I didn't break my stride, I just kept sprinting forward hoping my insane speed would outdo them.

As I ran, an idea hit me, and with quick hands, I took out my last grenade, pulled the pin just before lunging over the wall and in mid-air, dropped it amongst the five defenders as they gaped up at me in shock and awe.

I bounded onwards as it exploded, covering my ears so barely heard the screams of the defenders as they died.

The defenders behind the last wall started to peer over it, so in the blink of an eye, I drew my auto pistol, firing with utterly no accuracy in the hope to pin them back in place, unloading the entire clip faster than I thought possible. Much to my relief, it worked and with no time to reload; I vaulted over the wall, pistol-whipping one over the skull in flight.

I landed and drew my sword, simultaneously roundhouse kicking one in the face as he turned to attack me. The other three, still crouched raised their guns to shoot but before they could even think, I'd dashed forward, right into their midst, so their shots only cut through the empty air. One on my left, two on my right

My powersword sliced through the torso of my left side attacker and I slid into a sidekick that connected the first right's sternum with a crack somehow audible over the chaos, and he was thrown onto his back so fast, and so hard, I could've sworn it broke his spine. The last had backed up about a metre and showered a frenzied point-blank, full auto burst that I barely managed to weave out the way of. But in his panic, he'd stood, exposing himself and my with allies no longer pinned, so a tidy shot from Emperor only knew who took off the top of his head. Which was lucky, I was pretty sure I wouldn't have been able to dodge anymore.

Next thing I knew I'd retrieved one of the Auto guns off the floor and was moving, sprinting up the left side staircase, laying down a barrage of automatic fire that caused the merc guarding them to him throw himself out of its path.

Then I was at the top, smashing the butt of the rifle hard into his throat, grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and utilised the poor bastard as yet another human shield, allowing me a second or two to take in my surroundings as he got shot to hell.

I saw four smaller sandbag walls only two metres in length and three apart, four mercs were behind each wall, except the furthest, they were already dead. I dropped my borrowed autogun, took my new shield's one and over his writhing shoulder, sprayed a wild flurry that was so inaccurate, no one bothered to duck for cover, and soon I found my human shield torn from my grasp.

With a desperate roar, I dashed forward, firing the last of the autogun's clip from the hip in a spray not much more accurate than the previous but somehow still caused them to duck.

I vaulted over the first wall, my power sword relieving two mercs of their heads before I Ianded and sprinted on, their fire missing me entirely in spite of such short range, my insane bravado and inhuman speed taking them off their game.

I reached the next wall in a split second, only now were the men behind it getting up. So instead of vaulting over, I slid to the side and around their wall, my reloaded pistol drawn and firing. I fired six shots four for the mercs in front me two for the remaining two at the first wall before; then I bound back behind the safety of the second sandbag wall.

There, despite the tiredness and exhaustion that was starting to wear on me, I threw back my head and laughed. I laughed at the insanity of it all, of how I could do all this. Was I even really human anymore? What other transformations had the Farseer wrought on me? I guess I had to wait and see.

I was tired of it already, scared I'd pushed my luck too much and wished not to move even an inch as the remaining four mercs fired my way.

I looked to the other balcony, seeing that they were more concerned with exchanging fire with my colleagues as they advanced into the dining hall than trying to kill me, thank goodness.

As I clenched my teeth, I tried to glance around the wall but was quickly forced to flinch back from the shots whizzing my way, and I cursed savagely, wishing I hadn't used all my damn frags.

Then an idea hit me; I still had grenades just of the "krak" variety, didn't know why I'd just grabbed six frags instead, but oh well.

With quick hands, I opened my flak jacket and pulled one out, not even bothering to pull the pin, stood and threw it as accurately as I could before throwing myself to the floor.

"Grenade!" I heard the yell and needed no more prompting before I was up again with pistol raised. All four had scattered two moving left, two right. In a rush I opened fire, my first two shots went wild, but my third winged one on the right and my fourth blew a bloody hole through the bicep of his mate behind him.

Before I could draw a proper bead on the left two, they'd already realised my ploy, and their withering fire caused me to duck behind cover again.

Perhaps I should've pulled the pin it may've been a krak, but it still could've frigged them up a bit. Once more I glanced at the other balcony and down into the dining room below. I could see we'd lost at least three more men down there while they hadn't lost any. I would've liked to shoot at them, but I had enough attention on me already, didn't want anymore. At least I'd diminished the casualties a bit by risking my arse to get up here.

I breathed deeply and took out my mirror from its pocket in my flak jacket and raised it on an angle to allow me to see the muzzle flares of my enemies.

One was left, the other right, they were advancing, trying to flank me. It was hard to tell this just from listening alone as there were so many munitions exchanged in here I couldn't tell high from low.

With another deep breath, I was up again and shooting at the right one. My first shot missed the merc but my second hit him in the stomach, the manstopper round blew through his flak armour and with a pained cry he reeled limply and fell onto his back.

I switched my aim to the second, just as his auto gun pointed at me.

In that split second, I realised he had me and I dived to the floor, throwing myself to the other side of the wall, just before his full auto flurry cut through the air where I'd stood.

Then I shot him through the skull.

I lay there for what felt like an age, eyes wide and gasping for air, not daring to move, not even daring to blink as the battle raged. Emperor that was insane! And close, so frigging close! I barely noticed when the fire finally died and was in the midst of climbing to my feet when Garrakson, Torris and Arlathan appeared at the top of the stairs. Garrakson now carried a Lasgun.

"You alright, kid?" asked Torris as he approached and helped me to my feet.

"Yeah," I sighed, shaking my head to try to regain my composure, all the shit that I've been through over the last day must've been really wearing on me, not just physically but mentally as well. "You run out of ammo, Garrakson?"

"Yeah," he said with a guilty grin as he scratched the back of his shaved head. "Sorry about that."

"How many lost?" I breathed through clenched teeth.

"Sixteen dead," said Arlathan. "Three wounded, but I'm sure we would've lost more if you hadn't run the gauntlet, shit you're insane."

I gaped at him, unsure what to make of that...compliment? But despite myself, I felt a smile cross my face.

"Please, Arlathan, tell me something I don't know," I said.

"What? That you're a complete screw head?"

"No, both."

Arlathan shrugged and shook his head.

The Olinthre-thing with a few other soldiers arrived at the top of the stairs, "yeah, yeah stop the dilly dally, no time to waste we have a building to capture. Oh and next time you decide to pull a stunt like that, tell me beforehand. I am y'know, your commanding officer."

Torris and Garrakson turned to face It, but it was hard to miss the hatred in Garrakson's eyes.

"I..." started the ex-guardsman.

"Sorry, sir," Torris quickly interrupted. "We've just been working independently for so long it's easy to forget, right, Jeurat?"

"Right," Garrakson growled, hesitantly.

The Olinthre-thing smiled and looked at me, "yeah right, whatever. Just don't do it again. Now move your arses, Let's go!"

It turned and began to descend the stairs, waving us after It. It was really enjoying this command shtick.

I grinned as we followed it's wake, "well, enjoy it while it lasts," I hissed under my breath. "It isn't going to last much longer."

For a long time, we moved through the maze of corridors kicking in a door after door, clearing out any enemy within. Thanks to Arlathan's auspex we were able to tell where they were, but at my insistence, we checked every room even the ones lacking heat signatures, just in case. It was slow going, gritty and tedious work but it needed doing. We cleared out a total of thirty rooms twenty of which had enemies, killing at least thirty enemy mercs who'd attempted to fortify themselves within. We lost about twenty more of our own in the process, twelve of which were injured, three fatally Luckily for us there seemed to be a constant flow of reinforcements to replace the men we'd lose. The rooms without signatures were all empty of course, but I just had to be sure.

Most of the time I listened into the comm chatter of our other forces, keeping the others updated on their progress. Casualties were mounting, well into the hundreds now. Brutis Bones' force had it the worst, they were made up of the less well-trained Hammers, and it seemed his side had the highest concentration of enemy numbers. Ours was doing the best much to my surprise, we were advancing the fastest and of the four forces, suffered the least. I also kept track of Hayden, Darrance and Castella's activities; unsurprisingly they were on the front lines each performing admirably, killing countless and preventing numerous casualties single-handedly.

I just hoped they'd get through it. But what really bugged me was; why were we doing the best? Was it because we were facing the least numbers? That was the only reason I could comprehend, which was interesting, very interesting indeed. Yes.

The Olinthre thing didn't seem to mind this fact, though. It just choked it up to us being the best, but I doubted that.

Finally, we arrived at the end of the corridors to a pair of large, ornate doors, that according to the schemata led into a large ballroom beyond.

"Arlathan?" said the Mimic as we lined up at the wall, there were sixty of us total now. "What we got?"

Arlathan cursed as he fiddled with the auspex, "nothing! Can't pick up anything! It's like the dining room back there!"

I nodded, for the more essential areas the enemy had a way to block out our scanners that or there was no one in there, but I doubted that. Quickly, I echoed this find to the other forces through my vox link.

'Olinthre' sighed and turned to me, "what about your psyker girlfriend? She able to help us?"

I shrugged, "I haven't heard from Karmen since I was scouting outside. I don't know even if she's alright or not. She's probably still locked in an invisible war with whoever that psyker was she'd mentioned before."

It cursed colourfully, "we got flashbangs?"

Three of the nearest mercs nodded and pulled out one each from pouches on their belts.

"Good! Now we've got a plan!" It exclaimed and then it turned to me. "Attelus Kaltos, would you kindly cut a hole..."

"What? Through the doors?" I interrupted.

It gave off no outward sign of emotion, but it's next sentence blatantly sounded like it was through clenched teeth, "no, through the wall, there!"

It pointed to a part of the wall about two metres left of the doors, "you said earlier that your powersword could cut through the wall, right?"

"Uhh, yeah," I said dumbly, quickly seeing the genius behind the Mimic's plan.

"Well then cut a hole that'll allow them to throw their grenades through!" It snapped impatiently. "Hurry!"

I nodded and approached the part of the wall indicated, activating my power sword in a blaze of blues as the three mercs followed.

"Garrakson! Torris!" snapped the Mimic, "get ready to take out the doors on my signal!"

With surprising obedience, both of them nodded and set themselves on each side of the door.

I exchanged glances with the three mercs, then clenched my teeth and with four quickfire slashes cut a hole just large enough for one person to fit through.

The enemy fire was almost immediate, but that didn't stop them from blindingly throwing their grenades through.

The Olinthre-thing then lifted its hand with three fingers raised and one by one It lowered them then pointed to the door.

Torris nodded grimly and with one shotgun shell, blew out the lock allowing Garrakson to kick them open and with Las gun raised he, Torris and five other mercs advanced inside, firing.

The Mimic turned to me, pointed to the mercs and waved us through my makeshift entrance.

I nodded and immediately two of them fired their auto guns on full auto through it, pinning fire. Then with shotgun raised, I slipped inside, weaving quickly leftward, toward the nearest pillar. There were seven thick, pillars which held up the big balcony overhead, the two closest were about six metres from the door, and two dead men lay in pools of blood just behind them. I could see the enemy had turned over tables and reinforced them with more sandbags, all set in between the farthest four pillars, which were another good seven metres away. I could just make out the twelve mercs cowering behind the middle two barriers, six behind each. All of them still reeling from the flashbangs and Garrakson, Torris and the others were advancing, as they exchanged fire with enemies further into the huge room.

I pressed my back against the pillar, trying to get a better assessment of the situation. The room was huge, easily one of the largest of this infernal mansion-fortress, the balcony above must've been at least three stories off the floor and who knew how high the ceiling itself went.

Amazingly ornate, golden chandeliers hung every few metres (much to my annoyance none were situated anywhere near the enemy fortifications) And the walls and floors were polished white and silver marble, lined with silver and gold.

It was all in surprisingly good condition, emphasis on 'was' as now it was pockmarked, torn through by the countless munitions being exchanged.

Two small staircases were set after the enemy fortifications about leading two metres upward, there were handrails, but they were already being shot to shit by Garrakson and his men.

I watched as they converged on the just recovering mercs and couldn't help wince as they brutally executed them with point-blank fire.

The rest of our force was now advancing into the room taking up cover behind the barriers and pillars. I had to admit, the Mimic's plan had worked extraordinarily well. Perhaps It was worth leaving alive after all.

With the three from before, I moved up as well, pushing my back against the furthest left pillar, gaining a better view into the place. I could see the huge staircase leading to the balcony above now and the further three fortifications at its base. Nine enemies took cover behind them, three behind each. Six more were on the balcony, raining fire down on us with their excellent angle and elevated position. The sound was deafening as it echoed through the huge, cavernous room and even the barriers were little protection as six of us were quickly cut down, and the rest were forced onto their bellies, pinned. Only those of us behind the pillars were immune, still pinned but we were safer.

I clenched my jaw and sighed, glancing around the left side of my pillar as I struggled to think of a plan. I saw that the two-metre tall wall extended to each width of the room that another pillar sat atop it. I could climb the wall easily but beyond that may be a wall of fire that not even I could sprint through. I also suspected there were more mercs on the balcony above, waiting for us to advance to catch us in a crossfire. I glanced up seeing the balcony finished just near the staircases but extended about five metres more beyond on my side.

"What do you think we should do?" asked one the mercs, his expression hidden behind his helm, but his voice sounded dishearteningly young.

I shrugged, "I really can't see how we can get through this without losing many more of us! This place has been designed to be defended, and our enemy know how to defend it, damn it!"

"You could try to run through it like you did before!" said another.

I growled and glanced around again, "I think I've tried my luck enough for today!" I exclaimed. "Hell! I'd say I'd tried my luck enough for a frigging lifetime! Besides! I'm pretty sure they've got more men on the balcony above us, and the only reason why I've done so well is because they've only shot from the front or the sides! Not from all around!"

The plan was for all of us to converge on this room, most of the paths on the ground floor like a labyrinth led to this ballroom, which was effectively in the epicentre of the huge building. On the balcony, just over my head was the entrance to a large circular staircase which climbed up through the remaining seven stories, zig-zagging to the main chambers on the top floor and where we thought Edracian might be.

There were a few elevators scattered throughout the building, but we'd found them shut down by the defenders before we got here.

That thought sent a shiver up my spine, what if the enemy reactivate them, then use them to flank us? As I thought this I remembered that there were more of us advancing and securing the building in our wake. I clenched my jaw; I saw there was nothing we could do, not now anyway.

I sighed and turned to the three mercs, "I don't see any other way to get around this than wait for the rest of the force then rush them; there's nothing we can do."

"Yeah, thought as much," said the third merc

I cursed savagely and activated my comm link to the 'general' channel, "this is Attelus Kaltos of the western advance force! We've made it to the ballroom but meeting heavy resistance! I repeat heavy resistance! We're pinned down!"

As though to emphasise my point, a merc only about a metre way took a bullet in the neck, exploding the poor bastard's throat in a shower of blood and he fell, clutching at his neck, despite the cacophony, I could still hear him gurgle as he spasmed and struggled for breath

"We need reinforcements, now!" I snarled.

"Acknowledged, Attelus," said Wesley over the vox. "We are on our way, meeting heavy resistance ourselves! Will be there in approximately five to ten minutes!"

I clenched my teeth, wanting to swear back profusely, but held my tongue and said instead. "Yeah got you, over and out!"

"Nothing?" asked the first merc.

"Yeah nothing," then an idea hit me, and I turned to Garrakson.

"Jeurat! I need the schemata data slate, now!" I bellowed.

Garrakson didn't need any more prompting as he lay on the floor, behind the sandbags and he slid it over to me.

I snatched it up and began looking over it, my plan was risky and more than a little bit insane but it might work, and any plan was better than where we were now. Quickly, I found what I was looking for, the perfect place and switched my vox link's channel.

"Major!" I snapped over the vox, seeing Olinthre behind the furthest pillar glance my way.

"Yeah? What?" it said.

"I've gotta plan! I'm gonna need at least ten men and a shit ton of frag grenades and a distraction! Can you acquiesce?"

"What are you scheming this time, apprentice?"

"What I'm scheming?" I said with a smile despite myself. "No this was all your idea; I'm just refining it a bit."

"Okay, sure tell me what it is you've got."

I told 'Olinthre' my plan, needless to say; it made it quite happy. The bastard.

I finished the last enemy by embedding my throwing knife through his visor and firing flurries wildly; he fell to the floor. Just my frigging luck that the room I'd decided on using just had to have frigging enemies holed up in it.

"Nice throw," said one of the mercs, "I'd say you are better at throwing them than shooting a gun, but that's not saying much."

Many of the nine others sniggered heartily at that.

I shrugged, "well, none of us is perfect," I said and approached the left side wall, placing my ear against it. I could hear nothing of the firefight on the other side, which didn't bode well.

I clenched my jaw.

"So how are we going to play this one out?" said the same merc. "You use that fancy power sword to cut us an opening, and we'll rush in just to get mercilessly cut down?"

"Yeah pretty much," I muttered. "but without the 'mercilessly cut down' part, hopefully. That's what we got all those grenades for."

"Has anyone ever told you, you're insane?" said another.

I smiled, "yes, many times, actually. Even once very recently."

The merc sighed.

"Alright!" I yelled, pulling out the bandoleer of grenades, "take one each!"

"There's, thirteen here," said one.

"Yeah three for me," I said, then pointed to the wall. "I'm gonna cut through there! I need five of you on each side."

They shared glances that looked confused even with their expressions hidden.

"Uhh okay," said one hesitantly.

I sighed, really wishing Garrakson or Torris had come as well, "look! The more time we waste, the more chance more of our comrades are going to die! Once I cut open the entrance, I need each of you, one by one, to throw your grenades at the enemies behind the sandbag walls on the floor, they'll be right in front of us. After that, just provide cover fire for me., I'll need you to pin down the hostiles on both left and right side balconies so I can advance."

"What are you going to do with that cover fire?" asked another.

I swallowed, realising how dumb it was going to sound, "I'm going to try throw a grenade onto each balcony, hopefully killing a few, allowing us to advance a little easier."

They exchanged glances.

"You're right, Huarit, he is insane," said one.

"Yes, completely," agreed another.

I bristled, "just trust me!"

"Those balconies must be at least three stories up," said another. "you really think you can throw that far? And that accurately? All while moving and not to mention you're gonna have a crap angle."

"Yes," I lied, stone-faced. "After that, then wait for my signal and advance Now are we gonna do this or not?"

The nearest merc shrugged, "yeah. Sure, kid," he said. "You're the one risking your arse in this."

I sighed, typical merc mentality.

"Alright! Get in position!" I yelled and activated my sword with a flourish. "And wish me a shit ton of luck!"

"Luck? Why not ask for the Emperor's blessing?" asked one as he jogged up and leaned against the wall.

Because I don't believe in that bull shit, I thought and with a snarl, thrust my sword into the wall.

It took me a good half a minute to create a two-metre wide entrance, which was longer than I liked. I struggled a bit as the wall was much thicker than the last and despite the powerfield, there was a lot of resistance. I just hoped the enemy was too distracted by the firefight to notice.

Once finally frigging done, I didn't bother to hold back my relieved sigh, and with a roar I spun into a sidekick, knocking the bit of wall over with a large crack and crash!

Immediately I darted into cover as the first two mercs leaned out and threw their grenades. I couldn't see the result nor even hear it over the shooting inside I could only hope to hell it'd work. The first pair slipped back and away from the wall allowing the next to throw theirs, in quick, professional succession they did this while I watched with bated breath, expecting in any second enemy fire to cut one down in mid pin pull or throw, but it never happened much to my relief.

The last one finished his throw, watched it results and turned to me, "the floors cleared, kid. Now there's six on the left balcony and four on the right; all spread out in pairs though! With a good three metre gap between, don't know how good your grenades are gonna be! Can't see how many are over us!"

I nodded, really sweating now, and the tiredness replaced my massive amounts of adrenaline, and I started jumping on the spot, "alright! Get ready to lay me down some cover fire! Anyone wanna swap an auto gun for a shotgun?"

One shrugged, handed me his and two clips of ammo, "yeah sure! Don't know how good it'll do ya!"

"Thanks!" I shouted, "I'll make sure to give it back later! What's your name?"

I asked this even though I'd forget it later.

"Jevven Farnoth!" said the soldier, "and don't worry about giving it back, the shotgun will do fine!"

I nodded again, relieved I didn't need to remember his name, "alright! Open fire in three, two, one!"

Immediately the four at the edges of the makeshift door leaned out and fired their auto guns on fully automatic.

I took out a grenade, pulled the pin and sprinted into the huge, brightly lit ballroom.

It took me all of a second to gain my bearings, but the first throw made me pivot, and with a grunt, I threw it at the balcony overhead, the eastern one so to speak. I didn't have time to see where it went as I turned again, pulled the pin of the second and threw that at the closest pair on the left. Then I sprinted to the right, running on a thirty-degree angle to make myself harder to hit and threw the third at the pair positioned near the top of the stairs than before I knew it I was under the northern balcony, and behind a pillar.

My vox link beeped, "Apprentice!" came Olinthre's voice. "We're advancing! Provide cover fire against the south balcony.

"That was the plan!" I exclaimed, and before It could reply, I cut the link and signalled the soldiers at the breach to move in.

They did and without hesitation, moving along the edge of the room, from pillar to pillar under the comparative safety of the balcony, they advanced, exchanging fire all the while.

I smiled, maybe I'd earned a modicum of respect after all. Then leaned out, spraying sporadic bursts that had no hope in hell to hit anything and surveyed my damage. I could only see four were actively fighting now; perhaps my grenade was on target!

I slipped back and spun to shoot a brief salvo at the enemies on the east balcony.

"I can't believe that actually worked!" said a merc as he and another pressed their backs against the pillar beside me.

Me too, I thought but only shrugged and smiled and fired.

I could see now Garrakson, and the others were advancing, pinning the enemy mercs on the balcony overhead with a constant withering hail.

Despite this I couldn't help but frown, it was working, working a bit too well for my taste.

As if summoned by this thought, I saw them; it happened almost too fast to follow as two zip lines suddenly descended from the balcony behind Garrakson and the others and a pair of lythe figures dropped to the floor. I didn't even have time to activate my microbead before seeing the familiar blue light of power weapons and heard the sound of screams.

"Shit! Frig! Cover me" I roared through clenched teeth and without a further word I was moving, sprinting from cover.

Garrakson and the others reeled as the two figures swathed a whirlwind of a blur of blood and body parts. At least ten were more mercs were mercilessly cut down, but I couldn't tell who. I could only hope that Torris and Garrakson weren't amongst them.

Finally, I got a good view of the attackers, both were female with supple amazing bodies and wore tight, ornate crimson and black bodygloves, and wielded duel power blades. They fought back to back as one. It was beyond beautiful to behold despite them slaughtering my allies. It made me not want to kill them, how could I put an end to such perfection? Such art, such poetry in motion. They also reminded me of Elandria; they fought with a similar style of acrobatic fancy. Brilliant! And they would be my end, of that I had no doubt.

I smiled despite this and only activated my sword's power field in the last second, lunging into a horizontal slash that'd have cut them both through.

As one they cartwheeled back and just out the way, I slid to a stop on the other side, cutting vertically down at the left one. She leapt to the side, spinning through the air with breathtaking grace as the right one thrust her blade at me. I sidestepped it, just and was forced to duck as the left one's horizontal slash blurred for my skull.

I laughed, my blood sang in my veins as I parried the vertical slash of left and weaved under a decapitating cut from right. I sent a swift kick at right as she riposted, which she dodged with a cartwheel and smashed aside another thrust from right. From that, I brought my blade into an overhead strike which she parried with her spare sword. I back peddled right's counter, and tilted my head to the side, out the path of left's stab.

Right suddenly lunged at me, a blur as she slashed horizontally at my torso, simultaneously left cut horizontally at my head, both from opposite directions. I cursed seeing what they were doing but had no choice but to leap back, exactly as they wanted and right attempted to catch me from behind with a backhanded blow.

But I'd leapt back faster and farther than she'd expected so by the time she'd attacked I was already out of its path. The assassin faltered slightly in surprise, but that was all I got as the other one was on me, spinning into a butterfly kick that I ducked. Her forward momentum, allowed her to slip behind me as the other sliced vertically at my skull. I blocked the blow, twisting to bring my blade on top of her's and pushed it into the floor, allowing me to face them both again.

Only in the very last microsecond did I catch right's thrust and I leaned sideward desperately. Cursing in pain as the powerfield skimmed my torso, cutting a horrific gash that made me reel and stumble back.

They gave me no respite, both lunged at the same time, each thrusting with one blade and cutting horizontally with the other.

I leapt to the left and well out the way, but too far too allow me a counter and immediately they darted my way. I snarled in frustration; now they'd found their damn cohesion! I wasn't going to last much longer if I didn't ruin it! Moving faster than I thought possible, I slipped left as they fell on me again, parrying left's thrust and countered by cutting down diagonally at the back of her head as her momentum carried her onward. With gravity-defying grace she somehow leaned out the way and twisted into a kick that smashed into my arm, sending pain coursing through it and me stumbling to keep my feet.

Right was already there, cutting vertically up with her left blade and diagonally with her right. I could see it now, both blows were not quite at the same time and despite the huge risk, lightning fast I parried them, the superior strength and stability of my two-handed grip allowing me to smash them way off course, opening her up for my front kick to connect with her solar plexus in an audible, crunch! Despite the cacophony of gunfire through the hall. She cried out in pain, the first sound I'd heard from them yet and fell to the floor.

I doubted that'd stop her, they were both amped on combat drugs I was sure, but it'd slow her, and their cohesion was now gone.

I'd have thanked the Emperor if I wasn't the one responsible for it.

Left leapt at me, her roundhouse kick aimed at taking my legs out, but I back stepped and flicked my left wrist, ejecting a throwing knife into my hand and threw it point blank at her face.

She tilted her head out the way with an almost contemptuous calm, defying my hope that she'd smash it out of mid-air with her sword so getting a face full of shrapnel for her trouble.

I slipped forward, slicing down at her but her backward cartwheel made me miss.

Right was finally back on her feet and with what seemed to be in a rage, snarled as she thrust at my side.

I back stepped it, cutting at her horizontally but she parried with her spare blade. I ducked left's spinning hook kick, and sidestepped right's downward slash then leapt back from her next cut.

I furrowed my brow, dearly wanting to check on my friends fights going on around but didn't dare. The Assassins paused in their offence and looked at me, tilting their heads curiously. It was then I realised I was grinning, almost from ear to ear and a sharp pain suddenly coursed through my face with this realisation. I was enjoying this, perhaps a bit too much for my liking.

This was one of the few things I was truly good at, sure as sure.

Abruptly I lunged, slashing at left who leapt away, spinning through the air. I parried Right's pair of quick-fire thrusts, then sent a sidekick she dodged with a pirouette. Left dashed forward, slicing high at my head which I weaved under, then she spun into a low cut at my legs that I barely managed to dance away from. She was lucky; I had my boot knife extended.

I cut out at right as she lunged at me, which she barely managed to duck. Despite being distracted by this, she was still able to dart back from my following roundhouse kick. Left's spinning side kick forced me to sidestep, and I blocked her horizontal blow as it blurred at my flank then slid aside of her next thrust. I countered with a diagonal cut which she stopped short with both blades, trying to entrap mine in between, but I kicked out, forcing her to abandon the trap and spin away.

With a growl of frustration, I barely managed to back step Left's spinning hook kick; I could start to feel the adrenaline was waning, the exhaustion, returning. I couldn't keep this up for much longer. Hell, I was surprised I'd lasted even half this long.

However long that was exactly, I could only hazard a guess.

Both lunged at me, left pirouetting into horizontal slashes with both blades. I bounded backwards their powerfields missing my nose by the barest of margins. Right was on me a microsecond later, stabbing with each edge, one after another. I barely managed to parry them and countered with a desperate thrust of my own. Forcing her back, then I pivoted into a slash at Left, she blocked, twisted, forced my blade over her head and down to her right, then cut with her offhand blade, at my skull.

My eyes wide, teeth clenched, I threw myself away, stumbling to keep my feet as the blade missed slightly. The cut on my side was really beginning to hurt now, and I had to fight the urge to clutch at it.

Right reposted, cutting her swords simultaneously, horizontally. I ducked that and wound to the side, turning to face left as she bared down at me. Weakly I parried her thrust, then clumsily backpedalled her diagonal slash. But her roundhouse kick caught me off guard, connecting hard into my wound which sent razor-sharp agony coursing through my entire being and with a cry I fell onto my side, so hard it knocked the wind out of me, and my sword flew from my grasp, clattering away somewhere.

I groaned and began climbing to my feet when a weight abruptly fell on my back pinning me down, and a rough hand grabbed a clump of my hair and painfully pulled my head back, allowing a blade to be placed at my throat. I saw a pair of stilettos walk into my vision and the assassin towered over me.

She looked down at me, a slight smile playing on her full lips, then she nodded, nodded in what almost seemed in admiration and respect. Which made me smile and despite the state I was in, I nodded back. I'd fought well; I'd tried my best, I didn't mind dying now. I just wished I'd taken one down with me.

She nodded again, gave me a gorgeous full-fledged grin, it was a shame most of her face was hidden as I was sure she was beautiful. The one on my back let go of my hair, and the other activated her power sword, raised it over her head and cut down in a decapitating arc. Another powered blade abruptly blocked it in mid-swing and suddenly with a cry of pain the weight thrown off me. Darrance with his power scimitar appeared in view, causing the assassin to lung back from his vertical cut.

"Nice work apprentice!" he yelled. "Now let us take it from here!"

Gaping in dumb surprise, I rolled over to see Castella was now locked in combat with the other Assassin.

Despite myself, I sighed as slowly, laboriously I climbed to my feet and searched for my sword, yet a-bloody-gain I was getting my arse saved, seems to be a theme around here.

[veryangryhedgehog]

“The Priestess, the Emperor, the Empress,” an Ede Valley story by Hedgehog.

“You want me to do what?” Cindy blinked at Niko from across the dining room table. It was December, and finally the first real snow of the year was falling outside the frosted windows.

“Just... you know, back me up,” Niko shrugged. “I’m gonna be goin’ into some pretty dangerous turf, and I need all the firepower I can get.”

Cindy frowned. “Well... what about Lila? She can take down pretty much anything, right? Besides, I got shit of my own to deal with.” Like an ever enigmatic quest for “the Truth”, whatever that meant, and a long-lost brother who hadn’t called her in the last forty-eight hours, she added to herself.

“I’m not worried about getting jumped,” Niko explained. “I’m more concerned about being intimidating. This guy’s not violent, as far as I know, but a hard customer to crack. I just need him to know we mean serious business.”

“You’re the spectacle, and I’m the steel,” Lila added from between them as she took a bite out of an especially crunchy bagel, which sort of temporarily cancelled out her badass persona.

Shaking her head, Cindy folded her arms. “Witchcraft isn’t even remotely ‘spectacular.’ I don’t know what you expect me to do.”

“Not spectacular?” Niko scoffed. “What do you call the fire that comes out of your friggin’ hands then?” He wiggled his fingers dramatically. “5 out of 10? Lacked a certain pizazz?”

“Oh, that? It’s not as great as you think it is,” Cindy shuffled in her chair. “I mean it’s fire, but... look.” She reached for the chain she kept around her neck and showed them the yellow-orange amulet that dangled from it. “It works through one of these, but they don’t have much power. I only had a little to work with, after all. Anything big will expend most of its juice. I mostly keep it for emergencies.”

“Perfect, wonderful. Listen: I don’t care if it only burns at room temperature,” Niko leaned towards her, grinning. “I just need it to look like it’s something.”

“I dunno...”

“Okay how about this: if you use it all up, I’ll get you the shit to make a new one free of charge. Better yet, a better one.”

Frowning, Cindy thought for a moment. She had a bad feeling about this. But at the same time, Niko and Lila had become her friends, and if they needed her help...

“Alright,” she said finally, sighing as she leaned forward on the table. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

“Yes!” Niko stood, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. “This is the big one, ladies and, uh, ladies. I think some celebration is in order. I’ll go make some pancakes.”

Cindy raised an eyebrow. “Pancakes? Why that of all things?”

“It’s the only thing he knows how to make,” Lila supplied.

“Hey! That’s not true,” Niko pouted. “I’ve learned how to make a lot of stuff in the last couple months.”

“My apologies, young master,” she bowed as much as she could while sitting. “It’s the only thing he knows how to make well.”

Nodding, Niko seemed satisfied. “Much better,” he replied, before disappearing into the kitchen.

Once he was gone, Cindy turned to Lila. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?” she asked. “I feel like I’m kind of taking your job.”

“Oh, no,” Lila smiled, “it was my idea, actually. I’m...” she paused, looking back into the kitchen. “I’m afraid Niko’s getting a little in over his head with this one. People with guns I can, and have, dealt with, but this is... something more along the lines of your expertise. I’d feel much more confident if you were there, for your knowledge if nothing else.”

“And are either of you actually going to tell me what it is we’re walking into?” Cindy asked.

Lila sighed, as if she didn’t quite believe what she was about to say. “We’re going to conduct business. With a daemon.”

Cindy blinked. “Oh shit.”

So it was with great reluctance the following afternoon after school that she met Niko and Lila at the house and together they walked down to the old part of town. Lila had her katana strapped to her shoulder like a backpack, and certainly had several weapons besides on her. Though Niko seemed less armed, there were several suspicious lumps under his trench coat that Cindy suspected were guns. Cindy felt positively naked with only the fire amulet and the hasty protection charm she’d whipped up for the three of them last night.

Meanwhile, Lila was feeling just as nervous, if not more so. She wasn’t used to not being the toughest person in the room, and her every instinct was screaming to bodily grab Niko and run. But she didn’t.

Niko had found himself a real niche here, in this small, unimportant suburb, selling substances of an... occult description, mostly just because this town was so gosh-darn weird. With the exception of that one family down the street from the abandoned house—what was their name? The Jeffersons?—she suspected that there wasn’t a single ordinary person in the whole of Ede Valley.

She knew that he’d been saving the money he’d been making until his eighteenth birthday rolled around and they could get a place that didn’t have more cobwebs than a football player with a concussion. If he could get a daemon in the chain of supply and demand, that would be huge.

But still, it was one of the more dangerous things she’d done in her life, right up there with trying to steal the watch off a rich mob kid with a heavily-armed bodyguard. Daemons, to put it lightly, weren’t human, they didn’t think like humans did, and most could probably tie her up in a knot of words before she’d even drawn her katana. Niko might fare better, he was good at that kind of thing. But Lila was afraid, even for him.

Lila was so lost in thoughts that she didn’t realize they’d reached their destination until the hum of the neon sign cut through the haze. Blinking, she saw with a start that she recognized that image of a scrubby goat. This was the bar right below the safe house, err well, ex-safe house. She glanced over to Niko and briefly caught his eye, trying to convey just how dangerous this was. True, it had been almost four months since the “Vincent Incident” but she was still paranoid that they might be recognized.

Niko nodded, ever so slightly, probably telling her to keep her cool, and then carefully stepped over the threshold, into the Smiling Goat.

Apt name, Lila thought, almost bitterly as she followed suit with Cindy behind her, though she had no idea whether the proprietor had any real associations with the land down under. From the décor, it certainly didn’t seem like it. If anything, the place had a worn-in feeling; Lila would have called it homely if not for the crawling feeling that something dangerous lurked in these walls.

Niko gestured for the two of them to hold back, and Cindy and Lila obliged, glancing around the place while Niko approached the bartender, a tall, dark-haired kid with an exceptional amount of tattoos. He leaned on the counter conspiratorially, a smirk that seemed to say he already owned the place painted on flawlessly. “I’m here to speak to the boss,” he said softly, but firmly. “He knows we’re coming.”

So far, so good as the bartender nodded. But Lila shouldn’t have dared to even think it, because just then Cindy happened to glance over at the bartender, her mouth dropped open, and she almost shouted: “Tommy?”

Annnnd the spell was broken. They had lost the intimidating edge. They had ceased to be dark, mysterious strangers and had become teenagers playing as them. But surprisingly, the bartender didn’t scowl, or scoff, he looked kind of sheepish, and almost a little scared. “Cindy,” he said, “what are you doing here?”

Swiveling back and forth between the two, Niko looked just as confused as Lila felt. “You two know each other?”

“He’s my brother,” Cindy provided before turning back to the bartender, Tommy. “Why didn’t you call?”

“I, uh...” Tommy began.

“Wait, your brother?” Niko interrupted over the top of him. “I thought you only had one of those!”

She shrugged. “I thought I did until two days ago.”

“What does that even mean?”

“It means,” came a new voice, “that dramatic irony is still functioning as it should.”

All eyes turned as the black curtain at the back of the bar was pushed aside and a tall man with round spectacles slunk out. Said curtain was then nearly set on fire a second later out of sheer reflex.

“Oh hell no,” Cindy said, a jet of flame separating her and the newcomer. “Not you too.”

“Cool your jets!” Niko yelled. “Are ya trying to set the place on fire?”

“I would if it would burn this son of a bitch with it.”

The newcomer chuckled. “I’m a little tougher than that, I’m afraid.”

As Cindy hesitantly put out her flames, Lila took a small step forward, her hand twitching near the hilt of the katana. She could see why Cindy had reacted the way she did, there was something about this man that raised the hairs on the back of her neck. At first glance he appeared harmless, even a little foppish with his dishwater blond hair flopping over his round glasses. But there was something about his eyes. They were too sharp, too focused for the persona he was trying to display.

Niko, on the other hand, didn’t appear to be picking up on any of this. “Do you know everyone in this town?” he asked Cindy.

“Apparently so,” she glared at the newcomer.

He shook his head. “And you’re not even going to introduce me? That’s a little bit rude.”

“No offence, but I met you two and a half years ago for two minutes, and that meeting ended with me in a mental ward for three months.”

“Fair point,” he nodded.

Lila paused mid-breath. This man was clearly the daemon they were looking for, and if Cindy had met him two years ago... she nodded to herself, the pieces falling together. A brief glance over to Niko revealed that he had come to the same conclusion.

“The name’s Cowell,” the daemon continued. “And I’m the proprietor of this establishment.” He turned to Niko. “I believe you are...” Lila froze as his tongue closed around the first syllable of Niko’s name. The pub seemed empty, but who knew who could be listening at this very moment. “Looking for me,” he said instead, seeming to enjoy the momentary panic that had sprouted on their faces.

“That’s right.” Niko recovered quickly. “We spoke over the phone. I’m very interested in this place, and all the... things you’ve got inside of it.”

Cowell simply seemed bemused from the many inches of height he had on Niko. “Ah, I see. A connoisseur of the more... obscure trinkets, are you hmm?”

“More of a... business man, I’d say,” Niko matched his tone with ease.

“Mhm,” Cowell nodded. “Then let’s talk in my office, shall we?”

He beckoned Niko to the back curtain, but quickly stepped in front of it as Lila—and Cindy, a little more hesitantly—tried to follow. “Ah, ah, ah,” he intoned. “I don’t let just anyone back here, you know.”

Frowning, Niko stared at Cowell for a moment, trying to read the vague smile. But he quickly gave up. “Cindy?” he asked. “You’re good with doin’ a little catch-up with your bro, yeah?”

She looked a little relieved, and nodded.

“Good. But Lila’s with me.”

It was now Cowell’s turn to eye Niko. He seemed just on the cusp of refusing, but then smirked a little and nodded. “Alright then, the two of you follow me.”

Across the pub, Cindy watched them disappear behind the curtain. With anyone else she would have been worried. But this was Lila, after all, and Niko was no slouch either. After a moment, she turned back to Tommy, who had been polishing the same glass for about ten minutes now.

“Sorry I didn’t call,” he muttered finally, after they sat in silence for a minute.

“I was worried, you know,” she admitted, “that you’d disappeared again, or worse, and that I’d never see you again.”

Tommy looked up from his glass. “It’s just... it sounds like you and mom and Mike have a nice life now, one that I’m not a part of, and I would just bring back memories.”

Though she nodded, Cindy still wasn’t fully convinced. “You saw dad, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re not like him, you know. I know you worry that you are.” She neglected to elaborate why she was certain of this. “There’s someone else you take after, but it’s not mom either. I don’t know who it is.”

“Thanks.” Even if she didn’t, Tommy seemed to know who she was referring to, and he brightened up a little.

“Look,” she sighed, “I see what you mean about coming back from the dead and all, so I’ll make you a deal: I won’t tell mom you’re here, but in return, you need to tell me the whole story, where you’ve been all these years, all of it.”

Tommy paused, staring off into the distance for a moment, before he finally nodded. “Alright. Deal. But I can’t just ‘tell’ you. I kinda have’ta show you. Once Cowell comes back, I’ll see if I can get off early.”

And so they waited. They would be waiting awhile, because back in the office, there were some... complications.

Cowell led Niko and Lila down the black hallway and into the last door on the left. Lila’s hand twitched, ready for anything as the door opened into... a small, cozy office. The only off thing about the whole affair was the shelves upon shelves of jars containing, what else, souls. They were of all colors and consistencies, some adrift peacefully while others almost seemed to be fighting to break free.

“Fascinating, isn’t it?” Cowell said suddenly after he noticed Niko and Lila’s transfixed gazes. “How each one is so unique? I sometimes take them just because I’m curious about what they look like. And taste like,” he added, grinning to himself.

He didn’t seem aware of just how odd that sounded.

“Funny,” he continued. “Most people are a bit scared once they find out what’s in those jars, but not you two, eh?”

Niko scoffed, drawing his gaze away. “After the things we’ve seen, this is downright calming.” He plopped down in the chair in front of the desk without waiting to be invited. “But neither of us are starry-eyed kids you can con out of our essences or whatever the hell. We’re here for business.”

“Yes, yes. Of course.” Cowell grinned, sitting as well. “The young mob heir, striking off on his own, to prove to them all that he too can construct an empire with his own two hands. Thrilling stuff really, though the plotline’s been done before. Though never with this specific ‘occult’ twist.”

Raising an eyebrow, Niko shook his head. “Whatever you say, pal. Now, seems to me that you’ve got a lotta souls, uh, hanging around. I could take some off your hands, cut you a really nice deal...”

Lila remained standing, and listened with half an ear as she continued to glance around the room. She had never had a mind for this business stuff like Niko, so she let him work his magic while she prepared to back his honeyed words with steal if necessary.

The souls were really quite mesmerizing. They seemed to be in a bizarre half-state between liquid and gas, though some leaned more one way than the other, floating in their jars like hair immersed in water. But now something else caught her attention: a small, mahogany cabinet opposite the desk. She narrowed her eyes, attempting to see past the frosted glass. But, to no avail.

When a lull appeared in the negotiations, Lila took her chance. “Forgive me,” she said, “but what’s in there?” she gestured to the offending case.

“Ahhh....” Cowell’s smile grew even wider. “That’s where I keep the more... interesting things I’ve collected over the years.”

“Do you mind?” she asked, reaching with trepidation towards the cabinet.

“Be my guest.”

The doors swung open with a quiet creak, and Lila frowned at the contents beyond. Small, glass bottles glowed in the pale light, each containing... something. They looked a bit like the souls, vapory and translucent, but these things had different textures to them.

Lila picked up one of the vials. On it was a thin, paper label which read in a scratchy hand: “Loyalty, Penelope Blanchett, 2017.” Inside, the loyalty glowed a soft pink, but there seemed to be something darker at the center, almost like a heartbeat.

“Loyalty?” she asked. “What does that mean?”

Cowell rose to join her at the cabinet. “It’s all the little bits of people I’ve collected. Things they can, but probably shouldn’t, live without. Bit of a macabre hobby, but there it is. Courage, knowledge, fear, I’ve taken them all. Oh, this one’s my favorite,” he pointed out one of the taller, thinner vials. “A teenage girl’s perspective. A genius move if I do say so myself.”

Immediately, Lila and Niko caught each other’s eye. A teenage girl missing her perspective? They knew someone who fit that description. Without words, a plan was formed.

“Why didn’t you tell me about this?” Niko interrupted. “I know a lot of people who would pay big bucks for something like that. Come on, let’s get back to business.”

As Cowell turned his attention away from Lila, she took the split second chance and snatched the vial before closing the cabinet, then focused once more on the conversation. All seemed to go well, Cowell didn’t spare even a glance in her direction.

Eventually, Niko and Cowell came to an arrangement. And just like that, Cowell became part of the ever-growing supply chain. Those... acquaintances of Niko’s that were willing to pay for genuine human souls would finally get them. What they were actually going to do with them, Lila didn’t even want to guess.

Niko and Cowell stood and shook hands. “We’ll be in touch,” Niko smirked.

“I await with anticipation.”

Turning to leave, Lila followed Niko to the door. She finally felt herself begin to relax. This had been a highly successful endeavor, after all.

“By the way...” Cowell said, and Lila’s heart sank right back down as she heard the smile in his voice. She had relaxed too soon. “That bottle you’ve got in your pocket isn’t what you think it is.”

“I... what are you...?” Niko tried desperately to say something, but Cowell simply held up a hand, staring intently at Lila, and Niko fell silent.

“Check the label.”

Hesitantly, Lila pulled the vial from her jeans pocket. Inside, the only thing she could see was an almost clear sheet, slightly tinted a rose color, almost the most solid thing in Cowell’s collection. She turned it over in her hand and read the faded paper: “Perspective, Agnes May, 1975?” Niko leaned over and stared at it as well.

“Wait, this isn’t—” he began, before he realized what he was saying and shut his mouth.

“Your friend’s?” Cowell continued for him. “Afraid not.”

Lila took a step towards him, her face set. “Where is Cindy’s vial? We know you have it,” she growled.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” His smile said that he knew exactly what they were talking about.

“Bullshit.” Niko stepped in. “We know you’re the daemon she made a deal with, you bastard.”

“I don’t have it.”

Oddly, it seemed as if he was telling the truth. “What?” Niko asked.

“I never had it to begin with,” Cowell shrugged. “You can’t take someone’s perspective if they can already see the Truth. You just need to give them a little push.”

“But... why?” Lila shook her head. “Why would you just ruin her life like that?”

“I wouldn’t say I really ruined it, per say,” Cowell grinned. “I mean, I’d say that you two are probably the closest friends she’s had in years. And believe me, you’ll see someday. Now if you’d kindly hand me back poor Agnes May’s perspective, thank you, then I’ll show you out. I’ve had quite a bit of excitement for one day.”

Grabbing both of their shoulders, he guided Niko and Lila out of the office and back to the pub. And a silent vow was passed between them: don’t tell Cindy. After everything she’d been through, finding out that it had all been a lie, well, they weren’t sure what she would do.

Niko made a mental note to not get the ingredients for too big a fire amulet. He did not want to be witness to that explosion. Better to wait until the time was right.

“We’ll, uh, get out of your hair, then,” Niko said. “A real pleasure.”

“Oh no,” Cowell’s smile grew even broader. “The pleasure’s all mine.”

[ruffsficstuffplace]

Of Rocks, Romantic Rivalries, and Rune Rangers (Part 4): The Siren’s Song (Part 1)

It was pandemonium in one of Valentino's biggest beachfront districts, Zarkon's troops swarming all around the storefronts and the hotels, civilians, tourists, and military types alike escaping through the streets, or out to sea.

The Armed Forces of Avalon set up barricades and helped evacuate the area, but against the vastly better armed Galra Empire, they could only wait, pray for help to arrive, and hope no one was still trapped inside.

Atop one of the tallest roofs, Haggar's latest Robeast loomed, a bizarre, humanoid creature that looked like a mix of a fish and a human woman, too alien and inelegantly-designed to be Fae.

“That's right, everyone! Run! Run from my super scary troops!” she cried. “This city is under Galra control now and I, Mero, am going to be the one ruling it, okay?!”

Through the psychic link to Galra's headquarters, Zarkon noisily cleared his throat.

Mero groaned. “Okay, alright, fine! Emperor Zarkon is going to be ruling it, but I'm like, gonna be the branch manager or something! So bow down and respect me, peons!”

“Sorry, your highness, but looks like your reign's going to end before it even starts!” Lance cried.

Mero scowled as she noticed six familiar figures standing in the deserted boardwalk. “Ugh!” she cried. “Can't you guys just NOT show up and totally ruin Emperor Zarkon's plans for once?!”

Keith laughed. “Yeah… that's not happening.”

As one, they thrust their hands through the air and raised their runes to the sky, the carved gems glimmering in the afternoon sun.

“Strength of the Suns!” / “Light of the Moons!”

The Rune Rangers' and Allura's bodies glowed with their respective colours, so radiant they blinded and warded off the Galra footsoldiers around them until they exploded in a brilliant shower of light. Now in their armour, they got into their respective poses and cried:

“Defenders of Avalon! Rune Rangers, Celestial Guard!”

Boom.

Multicoloured pillars of smoke erupted from behind them.

Mero groaned. “Are you done?! Have you done your whole bit now, complete with your stupid catchphrases?!”

Their runes transformed into their weapons, and they held them at the ready. In Shiro's case, he socketed it into his prosthetic arm, the magic holding it together now glowing a brilliant crimson and purple.

“Yes,” Shiro replied.

Mero harrumphed. “Good! Minions: ATTACK! And don't suck so much this time!”

The Galra attacked, a horde of swordsmen, riflemen, and hulking brutes with shields and maces.

Shiro held thrust out his prosthetic arm. “Keith, Allura, Pidge, with me: we're cutting a path to the Robeast!”

“My name is Mero, you doucheschnozzles!”

Shiro ignored her. “Lance, Hunk: fire support! Focus on the shooters!

“Celestial Guard: CHARGE!”

The Rune Rangers and the Galra Forces clashed, the air ringing with the sounds of gunfire and violence as the robotic minions were slashed to pieces, crushed to bits, or left staring at the new holes in their bodies before they collapsed, inactive.

“This is way too easy!” Keith cried as he blocked a Galra trooper's mace with his shield. “You guys having an off-day?!” he cried as he retaliated with an upwards slash across its chest.

Shiro thrust his prosthetic arm into the trooper's chest before the metal could mend itself. “Don't tempt fate! It never ends well!” he cried as he ripped out its power core, then threw it at the minions further up.

Boom.

Mero shielded her eyes with a webbed fin-hand as a good chunk of her forces were wiped out or severely damaged. “Too late, Rune Jerkbags!” she cried as she lowered her arm. “Behold: my super awesome secret weapon!” she proudly raised her head and breathe in deep.

Pidge shocked a swordsman with her katar, Allura smashed its head in with her staff while it was defenseless. The two of them plus Shiro turned to Keith, opened the visors of their helmets, and glared at him.

Keith raised his hand and sword in apology. “Sorry.”

Mero let out a powerful, ear-piercing screech, waves of magic erupting from her body and spreading all around the beach. The Rune Rangers all fell to their knees and clutched their heads, her “song” ringing in their heads, getting even more agonizing and out-of tune as it went on.

Not even her own troops were immune, all of them spitting out error messages and jerking around as their auditory sensors were overloaded.

Then, it stopped, and faded away into nothing.

The Rune Rangers groaned and shook their heads; they looked around, saw the Galra troopers still stunned and recovering.

“Hah!” Lance said as he held up his rifle. “Is that your 'super awesome secret weapon'? A stun wave that affects your own guys? Lame!”

“Hmph!” Mero crossed her arms. “Look again, doucheschnozzle, because I turned one of you to my side!”

The Rangers frantically looked around, until they saw Pidge still on her knees.

Lance sighed in relief, and lowered his gun. “Oh, great! It's just Pidge—I was worried for a moment there!”

Pidge got up, turned around, and shot her grappling hook onto Lance's chest.

By the time he realized what had happened, she was already zipping towards him.

Pidge crashed into Lance's chest feet first, knocking him flat on his back. He tried to grab her and throw her off, she was already plunging her katar into him.

Lance screamed as hundreds of volts of electricity were pumped into his body.

“HUNK!” Shiro cried as he, Keith, and Allura fended off the fully-recovered Galra. “GET HER OFF!”

Hunk yelped and aimed his cannon at Pidge.

She snapped her face to him, opened her visor and showed him her amber eyes, now glowing an ominous shade of purple.

“HUNK!”

Hunk whimpered, then clumsily swung his cannon at Pidge.

She jumped up, easily dodging his attack; she launched off him, and back into the fray with the others.

Hunk staggered back in surprise. He watched her somersaulting and scampering between the Galra's legs and the space in between them, the troopers ignoring her completely as she crept up behind Allura, Shiro, and Keith.

“GUYS! BEHIND YOU!” he cried as he aimed his cannon at the Galra.

Keith slashed a trooper in front of him, destroying it. He turned around, just in time to see Pidge crouching in front of him, before she sprang up and slashed a line up his chest.

“AGH!”

Pidge somersaulted through the air and behind them, Allura and Shiro stared in horror as the Galra quickly swarmed in front of her to protect her.

“Retreat!” Shiro cried as he and Allura carried Keith between them as they ran back.

Hunk covered their escape, Lance lay on the ground, unmoving.

Up on the roof, Mero stared. “Oh, wow… this is like, going way better than I expected it to...”

“Indeed...” Haggar hummed through the psychic link. “To turn the Emerald Ranger against her comrades was a move even I did not think of! Perhaps I should base all my future Robeasts off you, to ensure power and cunning...”

Mero looked nervous. “Okay, so like... before you go poking into my brain, and stuff, I just choose the green one like, at random? I didn't know this was all going to happen, you know…?”

Haggar sighed heavily. “Of course...”

“Shiro!” Hunk cried as they stood around Lance. “What do we do?”

Shiro gritted his teeth. “Let me think...”

“Minions!” Pidge cried as she raised her arm. “Attack the blue one! Finish him off, then get the rest! I don't care how many of you fall, just do it!”

The Galra Troopers all looked at each other in confusion, before they shrugged, and attacked.

“Hey!” Mero cried. “I'm the one in charge here!”

Pidge opened her visor to glare at her. “Oh, I'm sorry: do you want to actually win this fight or no?!”

Mero reeled. “… Gosh, no need to be a bitch about it!” she turned to the Galra. “Minions! Do what she says, I guess...!”

The rangers stared at the incoming swarm in horror, before they raised their weapons.

Hunk began to take potshots at the swarming Galra. “Shiro...?! What do we do?!”

“Keith: get Lance somewhere safe! Hunk: fend off those Galra! Allura, with me: we're taking out Mero and getting Pidge back!

“GO!”

Keith threw Lance over his shoulder and ran into the nearby streets, Allura and Shiro charged straight into the horde.

Some of the Galra slowed down, preparing to engage them.

“Keep going!” Pidge cried. “Ignore them: get the Blue one! We may lose this battle, but watch them crumble when one of them dies!”

“Sweet Shepherd, Pidge!” Keith cried as he laid Lance against the side of a building. “Who's side are you on?!”

“Not yours!” she shouted back through their helmets.

Lance groaned in pain.

Keith's eyes widened as he knelt down beside him, grabbed him by the shoulders. "Lance? Lance!" he cried as he shook him. "Don't die on me now, man, we're going to make it through this like we always do!"

Lance coughed. "Pidge... get Pidge...! I need Pidge!"

"Uh, newsflash for ya: she's still brainwashed and crazy! She's the one that stabbed you, for fuck's sake!"

"I know. I want her to stab me again."

Keith groaned and dropped Lance.

“Ow! Come on, man, I'm dying over here!”

“Well bleed out with your head down!” Keith said as he turned around and readied his sword—the swarms of Galra had gotten too close for Hunk's comfort, and he was now running as fast as he could to them.

Meanwhile, Shiro and Allura raised their suits' grappling hooks to the rooftop Mero was standing on. They were about to fire, when an EMP exploded and shorted out their gear. They turned their heads to Pidge, standing nearby with her finger still on the “gadget-panel” of her gauntlet.

They couldn't see her smug smirk for the designs of their helmets, but they could just tell.

They readied their weapons.

“Stand down, Pidge!” Shiro called out. “We don't want to hurt you!”

Pidge laughed. “Oh, I know—which is why you're all going to lose,” she growled as she crouched low, her dagger held at the ready.

Allura stepped forward. “I'll handle her—your reflexes may be good for a human, but you're no match for a Fae, however skilled.”

Shiro nodded, and looked up at Mero. “Guess I'm going up the old-fashioned way…!” he cried as he charged into the nearest building, breaking through the doors and running towards the nearest set of stairs.

Pidge turned around and tried to fire her grappling hook at his leg, before her ears twitched. She ducked just as Allura's staff came swinging past her head. She retaliated with a dagger thrust, one Allura just barely dodged herself.

“Snap out of it, Pidge!” Allura cried as they began to fight, dodging and dancing around each other, their attacks just barely missing one another. “I really don't want to hurt you!”

Pidge jumped back, somersaulting through the air and landing on all fours. “Good, because that works out great for me!” she yelled as she pounced.

From above, Mero watched as Allura barely blocked Pidge with her staff, former staggering back as she tried to stab and slash her with her dagger. “Uh… like, do you need any help or something...?”

“I'VE GOT THIS!” Pidge yelled.

“Are you sure?” Mero asked. “It kinda looks like you're losing down there, and those guys at the back are having a really hard time!”

“JUST SHUT UP, AND LET ME DO MY THING!”

Mero gasped, before she scowled. “Rude! Who does that little twerp think she is?”

“Someone vastly more effective than you have been so far...” Haggar hummed.

Mero gasped in offense. “Excuse me? Whose side are you on?!”

“Whoever is the strongest and most cunning...” Haggar replied, watching the duel between Pidge and Allura with interest.

Inside the building, Shiro pounded up the stairs, taking them two steps at a time before he burst through a door leading out to the roof. He looked around, cried in frustration as he realized he had ended up behind and several stories below Mero.

Then, his suit's gadgets hummed back to life. He grinned as he fired his grappling hook to just below the roof Mero was on and began to rocket up towards her.

In the back-lines, the other rangers were backed into a corner, Keith desperately holding his shield up to block a constant rain of blows and bullets, while Lance and Hunk blindly fired into the swarm—wherever they pointed, they were going to hit a Galra.

“Guys, we've got Pidge back, right?!” Keith cried. “'Cause we're not going to last much longer back here!”

“I'm afraid”--Allura ducked--”that she's going to have to”--she somersaulted backwards, avoiding a furious series of slashes from Pidge--”sit this one out!”

She swung for Pidge's head, one end of her staff connecting with her helmet.

Crack!

Pidge flew off, flying off to the side and into a bench. The wood broke apart on impact, Pidge lay in the wreckage, groaning in pain.

Allura stared in horror. “PIDGE!” she cried as she rushed over to her. “Oh Eluna, are you alright?!”

Pidge groaned and slowly raised her head. “Ugh…! What happened…?” she muttered.

“You were under the spell of that horrid wench Mero,” Allura replied as she grabbed her hand and pulled her up. “Thankfully, I seem to have knocked you out of it!”

Pidge's visor opened, revealing glimmering purple eyes. “Actually: you didn't.”

Faster than Allura could react, she thrust her dagger into her chest.

At the same time, Shiro tackled Mero from behind, wrapping his arms around her as they flew off the roof and headed straight for the ground.

Allura collapsed, twitching as stray sparks fell from Pidge's dagger.

She chuckled as she stepped around her. “Too easy...” she hummed as she looked at the concentration of Galra in the distance.

Her ears twitched as she heard something very large falling through the air, very fast.

Pidge looked up, her eyes widening as she just barely avoided getting crushed by Mero and Shiro.

Thud.

Mero's impact broke the pavement and the mind control.

Pidge blinked, her eyes growing wide in horror as everything that had just happened came flashing through her mind. She looked at Shiro, pushing himself up from Mero, at Allura, writhing on the floor, then back at the swarms of Galra overwhelming the others.

She rushed back to Allura, picked her up and held her dagger to her neck. “MINIONS! RANGERS! EVERYONE! STOP!”

Keith's shield broke, bullets and strikes struck him unimpeded. He was about to slash with his sword for his final stand, when Pidge's face with her now-normal eyes showed up inside all the rangers' helmets, invisible to the enemy.

Confused, the Galra Troopers stopped attacking, though they didn't let their guard down, still aiming their guns at the others and holding their melee weapons at the ready.

“I suggest you rangers surrender now,” Pidge growled. “I'm sure we can all see that you've lost this battle, and all that you can really change is how quick and painless you want your deaths to be.”

Mero threw Shiro off of her, and brushed off stray bits of cracked concrete off her body. “Alright, go Green Girl!”

“Shut up! Gah, I can feel my brain cells dying every time you open your mouth!”

Mero scowled and crossed her arms. “Hmph!”

“Minions: bring the other rangers back to me. I want them all to see each other one last time, before I end them.”

“Do it...” Allura muttered, feigning hopelessness.

“And make it quick, minions!” Mero added. “We've got a LOT of things to do when I take over this city!”

Haggar frowned. “Something's up.”

“No worries, Boss, I got this!” Mero said.

Haggar was about to speak up, before Zarkon stopped her. “Let her be...” he hummed.

The Galra minions marched Keith and Hunk back to Pidge at gunpoint, while Lance was unceremoniously thrown over the shoulder of one of the giants.

“Agh! Hey! I'm pretty sure I've got cracked ribs or something here, be more gentle, will you?!”

The Galra ignored him.

Soon, the Rangers were all pilled up by Pidge's feet, their heads hung in defeat and their weapons laying abandoned on the ground.

“So like, this is it, right?” Mero asked. “We win and I get to totally take over this city?”

“Oh, Valentino's going to be part of the Galra Empire alright—just not with you ruling over it,” Pidge replied calmly.

Mero grinned, before she realized just what she had said. “Wait, what…?” she asked, her face falling. “You're on my side, aren't you? I mean hello, we're all Galra here!”

“Not anymore you're not...” Pidge muttered as she raised her hand. “Minions! Prepare to get rid of this sorry excuse for a Robeast!”

Mero looked at her in disbelief, before she stared in horror at the Galra troops aiming their guns at her, coming in closer with their weapons at the ready. “Boss? Lady Haggar?! Emperor Zarkon! You're not going to let her do this, are you?!”

Haggar huffed. “You've 'got this,' don't you…?”

Mero's eyes widened as the Galra formed a circle around her.

Pidge stepped back closer to the others. “Before you all fire and destroy Mero over there, I'd just like to say:

“Thanks for falling into my trap!”

Pidge blasted out a wave of healing energy, bringing all the rangers back up to their feet.

The Galra and Mero couldn't see her smug grin, but they could just tell.