#Brick City Blockade

[catboyklug]

Characters: Sonic [ he / it ] ; Tails [ they / them ] ; Dr. Eggman [ he / him ] ; Infinite the Jackal [ ??? ]

Warnings: Vaguely described blood/injury ; Sonic Loses Lol

Notes: dividers by @rookthornesartistry !! ; this is the first in a series i'm making where i just. rewrite forces from the ground up. very excited about it

Word Count: 1.9k

As always, Sonic did what he did best - race through the track he was given.

Eggman had been leading frequent attacks against the more urban areas dotting the planet Earth, and now he had finally decided to reveal his master plan - a plan for war.

Apparently, he had built a new Death Egg, and was launching it near one of the most densely-populated cities on the planet. Though nobody was sure about the finer details of this new model, one thing was for certain...

Things were about to get messy.

So Sonic ran, past every second-rate badnik and "deadly" lazer, closer to the Death Egg Mark...

"Hey, Tails," Sonic called through his communicator - a handy-dandy wristwatch that Tails was still thinking of a more sci-fi name for, "Which version of the Death Egg are we on, now?"

"I think we should be on--well, technically we're on Mark III..." Tails's voice crackled due to nearby interference - weird, but not unheard of.

"Technically?" Sonic hummed.

"There was that first one you destroyed with Knuckles, then the second that we raced on," he started explaining, "Then the one we all fought to blow up, the... one with Emerl... and then the one he sent at us on the anniversary of you and Amy meeting!"

"But, two of those were considered the Death Egg Mk.II, and the other three just the Death Egg, so I have no idea what Eggman thinks of this one."

"Looks like Eggman's as good at naming things as he is planning ahead," Sonic remarked, audibly grinning.

Even though it was absolutely nothing as quick quips go, Tails bursted out laughing, which prompted a smile from their brother.

"I'll talk to you later, little bro, think I'm almost there," Sonic says, "You keep up the good work over there!"

"Oh, thanks, Sonic-" Tails flushes, "I mean! Good luck to you, too, big bro!"

With an encouraging smile, Sonic ends the call, picking up the pace as he nears the Death Egg launch site.

Now at the city's edge, Sonic noticed the sheer amount of Badniks in the area, and how weirdly placid they were.

Sure, they took a swipe at him if he got too close, but otherwise none of them even bothered turning his way.

Not to mention, they're at the edge of the city. Eggman's only been attacking the most populated areas for a while...

Just as he tries to figure out a reason for these oddities, though, he notices a massive blockade in front of him.

With his depth perception, he can't tell how big they are, but he figures he can just jump over them if there's a ramp nearby.

He notices, almost too late, that there isn't.

Skidding to a halt right before he crashes into them, he prepares to run the opposite direction to look for a building to run up instead, but...

He's surrounded.

It was a trap.

He tries to spindash underneath them, but their legs are too tight together. He can't burrow, since the ground under him is concrete...

Even bashing them seems to be out of the question - they're harder than bricks, and he can't even make the slightest of dents or scratches on them.

At least they aren't trying to attack him back...?

If he had more room, he could build up some speed and make shrapnel of this new plating. But this weird arena's barely big enough for him to jog in, and every time he starts gaining speed he ends up just smacking against one of the drones.

Just as he tries formulating a plan, he hears a familiar, annoying laugh behind him.

He turns, crossing his arms and tapping his foot at the new arrival.

"Sonic, you're just in time to meet my newest pet project," Eggman grins, "Meet Infinite Mechanism - the greatest weapon I've had the pleasure of working with."

This "Infinite" is tall, towering above Eggman. Long and lanky, and Sonic thinks he can see bones through the thin fur and skin.

Or... maybe not bones. They look sharp. He notices a metallic sheen coming from a particularly papery part of skin.

Creepy...

Oh well.

"Infinite Mechanism, huh?" Sonic grins, keeping his confidence close and arrogance closer, "Guess it's better than Monkey Dude..."

Despite how weak the 'insult' was, his enemy seems to immediately deflate upon hearing it. For a moment, his stance changes, and his height makes him look less terrifying and more like a stretched-out piece of plastic about to collapse in on itself.

"Come on, Infinite! You're one of my greatest creations yet!" the doctor roars, apparently offended, "Defeat this blue brat! Put him in his place as punishment for insulting you!"

And there he goes, right back up to pompousness.

No big deal! Sonic's faced off with tons of uppity jerks before, and each time it's been their self-assured swinehood that was their biggest weakness.

There's no doubt that this Infinite guy was briefed for hours about each of Sonic's offensive moves, so he decides to make fun of 'em by keeping it simple.

A light kick there, a weak punch here... He doesn't even spindash, keeping his moves entirely to running around and occassionally taking potshots at his new rival.

When Infinite gets more aggressive, Sonic responds by zipping around the arena as well as he can - not a tactic that could help him get out, sadly, but more than good enough to tease.

He dodges a punch by speed-walking to the other side of the arena and avoids a spinning kick by just... leaning out of the way.

Absolutely enraged at this point, Infinite picks up the speed, trying to reach Sonic, and Sonic takes the opportunity to bait him, tripping him up in mid-air and sending him crashing into one of the badniks making up the arena.

"You're supposed to be Eggman's greatest weapon? Seriously?" he huffs, "This fight's so boring it's making me miss Metal."

"INFINITE!"

Both the combatants turn to Eggman, one absolutely less amused than the other.

"IGNORE THE RAT, FOCUS ON ME!"

"You're more powerful than he could ever dream of being!" the doctor barks, "You have him in the palm of your hand, now - CRUSH HIM!!"

"Talk about ignoring the truth, huh!" Sonic chuckles, crossing his arms.

Before he can finish the quip, though, Infinite barrels him over, grabbing his arms and forcing him to the ground.

He draws a massive, red sword from his belt, raising it above Sonic's neck -

"WHOA!"

Panicking, Sonic kicks him in the stomach and runs to the other side of the arena - wait, is it getting smaller?

No time for that - to take this bigshot down, Sonic needs an opening...

"So you've got a fancy weapon, big deal!" Sonic yells, "I don't need weapons to take anyone down, especially not a loser like you!"

It seems Eggman's 'speech' really got through to him, and Infinite is now completely ignoring Sonic. Drat.

"Keep going, Infinite!" Eggman cheers, "Put that rat in his place!"

With each word Eggman says, Infinite seems to only grow stronger. He fights quicker, harder, and smarter - still no match for Sonic, but... he's getting there.

To prove this point, he makes a sniper rifle appear out of thin air, and aims it at Sonic, pulling the trigger the second its sight meets his head.

Only having dodged because he was dashing when Infinite fired, Sonic's definitely getting a little shaken up now.

For his own sake, and to not power Infinite up even further, he keeps a cool head - and sticks his tongue out when Infinite turns to see if their shot hit.

Outraged, they throw away the now useless rifle and supplant a sword for it.

Infinite can't hear him, but he sure can see him...

Sonic looks, extremely disappointedly, at the sword. Shaking his head to truly convey how upset he feels at Infinite trying to use the same trick twice in one battle. He knows Infinite can do better!

This tomfoolery, albeit nonverbal, seems to get Infinite back to that deflated state. In fact, he seems positively depressed as he halfheartedly swings at Sonic, rendering the sword practically useless.

Well, it would be useless, if it wasn't still incredibly sharp!

Too worried about what'd happen if he tried jumping over a sword in such a tiny arena, Sonic gets backed into a corner, and the realization of this seems to reinvigorate his enemy.

He raises the sword, not too dissimilar from earlier,

Swings it down,

And Sonic kicks it away.

High on adrenaline, he rushes behind Infinite, kicking him down.

"One..." he breathes, "Two... three..."

"Four, five...!"

But before he can call it a knock-out, Infinite shakily pushes himself off the ground.

For a moment, he simply stands facing away from Sonic, and the air stills.

He starts shaking, but with his mouth hidden in a mask, Sonic can't tell if he's laughing or crying.

Thankfully, the awkwardness of the moment is shattered when Infinite swings a new weapon his way - a ridiculously oversized flail, with huge spikes to match.

Starting to get bored of how often he has to quickly dodge out of the way instead of just pummeling the dude, Sonic sighs as he runs away again, keeping his distance.

Deciding not to try his luck against something twice as big and three times as pointy as he is, Sonic uses his new 'running away' position to see if there are any other weaknesses he could make use of. Then notices-

Every time Infinite attempts to draw a new weapon, he has to take several seconds to fish something out of a satchel on his belt.

Great! Now if Sonic could just catch him unawares when he-

Throws the flail, and grabs several daggers.

Sonic might be tired of dodging, but he's absolutely not tired of speed. Or showing off.

A dropdash into a kick off the ground into a frontflip and he sticks the landing!

He gives a joking bow to several of the eggpawns surrounding the arena, making sure to sprint to each one individually and in random order, throwing off Infinite's aim.

Or maybe not.

He realizes, a little too late, the flow of wind as another dagger is thrown at him - and it hits his waving arm.

Shocked by the pain, and the blood, Sonic staggers.

That's... bad.

He grips his arm, trying to slow the flow of blood, but it's hopeless - the blade hit at an odd angle, and the wound is too wide.

It hurts too much to do anything but grip it, however, and the sight of the blood pooling at his feet makes him feel dizzy.

While he's preoccupied with his injury, Eggman lets his egg carrier float into the arena, taking in the sight with glee.

"Each picture is worth a thousand words," he grins, "But I believe this scene only requires three..."

"Good boy, Infinite."

With the praise, Infinite practically glows.

He advances on Sonic, a dark gleam coming from his mask.

Gently, he puts his hands on the sides of Sonic's arms,

Sonic hears a sickening crunch,

And everything goes black.

"Sonic! You there?"

"I managed to drive off all the badniks! Something really strange happened, though... seems like they all turned heel and ran off."

"I guess Robotnik must have called them back..."

"Wait, that means they're headed for the Death Egg!"

"If I'm right, do you need any help over there? None of my 'drones are any worse for wear, so we're all here if you need us!"

"I bet you could handle anything Eggman threw at you, though, big bro!"

"..."

"...Sonic?"

[theonetruegnome]

Slice o' life #1

It's a beautiful day in Fracture hills, not a cloud in the sky nor a breeze in the trees. The shifted critters are all once again outside, this time enjoying the board game 'The swift frontier'. Well, most of them are...

'Dandy, it's your turn.'

'Hey! I'm not done trading! So, about those bricks Conk...'

Conk sits up straight and does a big ol' stretch.

'Hngh! Ah, that's better. Anyway Eli, we both know I'm not giving up my bricks until I can build a masonry, right?' '...Right' 'So we both know this trade isn't going to happen. Let's let Dandy have her turn.' 'Eli, if I give you my bricks, would you-' 'Too late, the dice have been passed. Dandy?'

Dandy stops picking at the grass and sighs.

'Do I have to?'

'Dandy, for the past three weeks Leah has put up with us playing football, hockey, skating, pretty much any sport under the sun. So, for the sake of fairness, we're doing something she likes today!'

'It's only fair dandy.' Says Mana without even looking up from her cards 'Knight blockade Eli, discard three luxury goods' 'Bribed officials, goes to Callum. Sorry bud.' 'Don't worry, Divine omen, I'm unaffected. I play red Bladedancers as a retaliatory, Everyone else loses one random citizen.' 'Well played!' 'Dammit, my surgeon!' 'Zzzzz... Hah! I'm awake! What'd I miss?'

'But it's so booooring!'

'How? Swift frontier has player alliances, tons of buildings, trading between players-'

'Alright, I get it! Ugh, fine, I'll play... Serf's representatives, I get to take another three resource cards this turn.'

'No, you don't have enough political power to play that one. See? it says four'

'I have four! Right there, in my capital!'

'It has to be a medium or smaller town, that's what the crossed pitchforks above the cost mean.' 'Well, she could send along a political caravan to bring some political power to the village-' 'Nope, Knight Blockade stops any caravans though my land as well.' 'Not necessarily, *YAWN*. Oh, sorry about that. Anyway, if you discarded one of your soldier cards from Callum's Bladedancer attack, you wouldn't have enough for a full blockade and they'd be- *smol yawn* be able to get through.' 'In that case, I play Villager's militia, Mana gets to draw another two soldiers.' 'Why Munch?! We were trying to starve the Dandy and Mana out and force them to trade away their kingdoms!' 'Because now we'll be dependant on him for land. See how much he's expanded?' 'Yeah, he's right on my doorstep! How did I not notice that...' 'Muahahahahaha! You fools! I am now MunchyPup: God of the world!' 'It's fine guys, I'll just activate my saboteur.' 'WHAT?!' 'Yeah, I planted a traitor in your city. So, your entire hand of cards is discarded, and you only draw three back.' 'Then I play Poisoned chalices.' 'And I'll do shoddy masons.' 'And my angry peasants to finish.' 'So you lose all your cards, your entire court is discarded, your farms and foragers are disabled for 2 turns, and your Capital is downgraded to level 2.' 'NOOOOOO! My Empiiiire!'

'See, This right here is what I mean Leah, it's too complicated and it takes forever.' 'That's just sort of how the game is Dandy' she ignores Mana and continues; 'And I don't get it, why are we trying to settle this hellhole?' 'Well, you see, overpopulation has overcrowded a lot of the cities in this world, so...' 'Why can't they just expand the pre-existing cities or build storied houses like apartments?' 'Well, I guess that's an option...' 'Do you see? I could be doing something productive and useful during that wasted time. Instead, I'm here doing all of this overcomplicated resource managing, which as it turns out I shouldn't need to be doing! And you know that I don't like long games Leah, so why are you making me play one? You sort of Brought this onto yourself.'

To the surprise of everybody, Leah doesn't shrink back as usual. Instead, she slowly begins breathing faster, flushes red in the face and goes around the board to put her face near Dandy's. Leah, now inches away from her nose, begins to speak in a raised voice that's just shy of full on yelling.

'And why do you and Eli make me run around after a ball and get all sweaty huh? Why does Mana make me sit down and talk about some stupid Wizard I've never heard of before?! Why do I try to force myself to eat every bite Munch's experimental new recipes that I don't like, or walk in the hot sun all day with Sunny?! Do you know why I put up with every single activity that I don't like? Because it makes you guys happy! I do it for you! I know that you like it, so I compromise! But you never hear me complaining! And you know what? I was going to have us at my studio today, modelling, because we haven't done that is literal months, but I thought I would do something everybody would enjoy, so I picked this! But no, you had to ruin the mood because everything is all about DandyDoe! Dandy is the main character, she decides everything! How about, for once, you stop BITCHING about boardgames, quieten down, and TRY to enjoy yourself?!!'

Suddenly, Leah feels like she's herself again and stops seeing red. Her friends are all looking at her. Conk and SweetiePup are both open-mouthed, Mana is cowering with her arms covering her face, Callum looks to be on the verge of tears, Eli is mouthing 'What the fu-', and Sunny is looking at her with a mix of concern and fear.

Dandy meanwhile, looks like she's been shot. Her eyes are wide, her lip is quivering and she's breathing like... Well, like someone who just got yelled at for 20 straight seconds.

You can practically hear the colour draining from Leah's face as she realises what she's said.

'Ohmygod, I'm so sorry Dandy! I- I didn't- I- I didn't mean it! Please, I'm sorry. Oh god, you're going to leave me aren't you?

She starts to pace back and forth, looking down, holding her head in her hands 'You see me as an awful person and I'm gonna be alone again. Oh Jesus, now I'm just worrying about myself! I'm such a stupid, selfish-'

'Leah' Dandy's voice is so uncharacteristically calm that she looks up from her Near mental breakdown. 'Leah, please, I'm the one who should be apologising. You're right, I shouldn't have acted like that. Today was supposed to be your day, and I treated it like it was another of mine. I'm sorry for making you do all of those sporty things with us, I just wanted to make you feel included. I shouldn't have decided I hated the game before we started when you were always willing to play our games with us.' She looks up and stares Leah straight In the eyes. 'I'm so sorry! I am so, so sorry!'

'...Dandy, that was so sweet! Apology accepted. I guess I was holding that in for a while now and I had to get it off my chest. But I really did mean my apologies. All of you, I'm sorry for scaring you.'

*Awkward silence*

'How about from now on, we try to tell each other how we feel instead of bottling everything up? Otherwise we'll have another exploding Leah event. And that goes for everyone here! If you don't feel like doing something, tell us and we'll fix it and try to make it fun for everyone.'

Dandy sheepishly looks from Sunny to Leah. 'Deal?' 'Deal. So, if you want, do you wanna play something like soccer?' 'No way Lensbear! We started this game, we're gonna end it. Besides, you still need to teach me the basics again, then team up and destroy everyone else with me in a Hollywood underdog-style movie!' 'He he he he! Okay, fiiiiine, if you insist!'

Slowly, everyone regathers their cards and sits back down at the board. However, before they start, Leah insists on one last thing. She very quickly whips out her camera and snaps a few photos of everyone together, smiling and happy.

The rest of the game is a complete wipeout. Leah and Dandy team up, easily annihilate Conk, Callum and Mana, and leave Eli and Sunny to fight for what's left of the ruined kingdoms. By the time they realise they should be teaming up the armies are already breaking down the gates. Sunny only has one thing to say to Leah after she and Dandy stop celebrating.

'So, what do you have planned for next week?'

'N- Next week?'

'What, you didn't think this was a one-and-done thing, right? I have a lot of catching up to do on my compromises. So, we all talked and agreed on it when you left for water. You're deciding what we do next Wednesday, ok?'

'Uh, yeah, sure!'

As the crew part ways in the light of the setting sun, Leah walks away, clutching her camera full of precious film. She'll develop it, make a backup copy, and have the resulting pictures framed. That way she'll never forget. Her anger and frustration and spite are temporary, but her friends are forever and will always be there, ready to forgive her. And no amount of yelling or insults can change that. At the end of the day, they will all have each other.

[bloodofthefates]

x. continued from here with @lovehungered

Nothing but sheer terror was pushing her forward now combined with the stubborn will to live, the drive to survive. Nami ignored the strain of her muscles fighting against her control, her mind overruling the aches of her body and stabbing pain in her lungs as she grew more and more out of breath. They had to keep going, they needed to keep running and she could feel only the comfort of Sanji close on her heel, the only thing that kept her from losing momentum or making the mistake of looking back over her shoulder. A cold sweat had broken out beneath the layers of fine fabric that made up her rather constricting costume; the last thing she wished they’d be wearing when running from their lives.

What made the ensuing chase worse were the narrow and crowded city streets and alleyways between buildings, rife with barrels and crates of goods and the usual milling about of late night revealers taking advantage of the shadows of night to conceal their pleasure or their crimes. It made tracking the creature impossible but navigating their sense of direction even more difficult without guidance of sunlight but by the flicker of window candles and swaying overhead lamplight.

Nami nearly jumped out of her skin as the crashing sound of wood barrels careening against brick walls and the screams of fear and terror sounded as close as Sanji’s urging cry for her to keep moving. With a steadying hand at the small of her back, it was the only way she hadn’t nearly lost her footing in the grooves of cobblestone before they duck into the next sharp turn with Nami’s claws digging into Sanji’s forearm to keep him latched ever closer to her. Arriving at a blockaded dead end, it was the first chance she had to stumble to a halt and eyes instantly shooting to the edge of the opening of the alley for fear of what she would find waiting there. Sanji was quicker to action, tearing her gaze away to follow the line his pointed finger drew toward a nearby window. Low hanging fruit. With instant recognition and no further ceremony, she ducked her face behind her hands and half-turned away from the direct trajectory of the window just as the power of his foot shattered the pane into splintering pieces. Following his command left only small pebbled pieces flying in her direction, glass she’d be picking out of the lace of her once beautiful gown for hours to come if they made it out of this in one piece. Already eyeing the height of the window and glaring down at the layers of her skirts, Nami groaned with equal annoyance and frustration, a diversion from her trembling fingers as she lifted her dress high enough up her thigh to produce a blade she’d concealed there. “There’s no way I’m making it in this get up.” She huffed, tearing into the material with the tip of her blade and tearing it free so that her legs had more free range of movement as Sanji offered her his hands to boost her up to the height of the window.

With expertise that only came with years of practice scaling building of her own, she managed to hoist herself up by the frame of the window covered by his coat and once she’d made it through she slipped off her own shoes and tossed them ahead of her before turning back to reach a hand out to him in return. “Sanji hurry!”    

[final-girl96]

Firefly Chaprer Thirty-Seven

Authors Note: Sorry this took so long. I was trying to figure out exactly how I wanted to do it. Also, this chapter 2,204 words, so it's long, lol.

Thank you for being patient with me. ❤️

Pittsburgh 2023

We had jumped up into the building and over a desk and around shelves that were used as a blockade. A large window looked out into the open alleyway. First we saw a woman running into the alley then we heard the sound of a vehicle. I pulled Ellie down with me to a kneeling position at the same time Joel said get down. The woman screamed and Joel peaked his head up to see what was happening. He didn't need to say anything, the gunfire told us exactly what happened.

Once they were gone we got up and headed for the stairwell. The way down was blocked so we headed up a flight and came out where the offices were for the bank. As we stepped out into the hallway there were the voices of two men talking. We rushed across the hall and hid. "How does some chick and a guy with a kid kill that many people by themselves?" One of the men said.

"Man, I don't know. But when I find 'em I'm going to kill the guy and the kid and take the chick for a spin." That made me fucking nasouse and fucking pissed off. Before Joel could even say anything or even stop me, I was walking out from behind the wall and shooting the first guy in the head. "Hey, asshole, still wanna spin?" The other guy turned towards me and as soon as he did I pulled the trigger. "That's one way of doing it." I turned to see Ellie walking up to me. "That's way to get fucking killed!" Joel said, walking past us.

I rolled my eyes and headed down the hall to a busted out window. Below it was a delivery truck so I jumped down with a thud. Two more thuds followed and then we were on a street that we could only go forward on, because, of course, the other roadways were blocked off. In the center was a red bricked building. A delivery truck had crashed into the side of it, exposing the bookstore inside.

I had actually tricked myself into thinking that we were going to have a break from that group of assholes that still linger around here. Maybe go through the books that were left and take a few. I was wrong. I was so fucking wrong. Joel pulled me back against him, pulling us to the ground behind the truck. "Are you trying to get yourself fuckig killed?" He hissed in my ear. "There are at least three men up on the second floor of that building across the street. And lets not forget the fucking trip wires."

Great now I'll never hear the end of this shit from him. I pulled away from him and checked the magazine in my gun. Almost empty, that's just great. I grabbed a loose brick off the ground and pushed Ellie behind me before throwing it at the wire. A loud bang echoed through the quiet city, dust and dirt clouded the hole in the wall from the truck. Shouting from the men on the other side of the building started yelling to each other.

Joel gave me a death glare and I shrugged. We may as well get it over and done with. I want to get the fuck out of this damn city already. I heard gravel crunch under the heavy footsteps of someone. Joel moved closer to the front of the truck and as soon as they came into his view he grabbed them, putting them in a headlock then snapping his neck. "Watch out!" I turned when Ellie yelled. Another man was running towards me. Jumping over the rubble on the ground near the truck.

I pulled my gun up and shot, hitting him in the shoulder. He stumbled back a little giving Joel the opportunity to kill him. We killed the other four guys but not without any injuries. Nothing too serious though. We checked around for anything useful and I grabbed a few books. We climbed a fire escape so we could get over the wall blocking the road. We hopped down onto yet another delivery truck.

"FEDRA Military Academy," I said, coming up beside Ellie. "Another name for an orphanage. Wonder what happened to all of the kids," she said. "This place has been closed for a long time. Those kids are no adults," Joel said, from the other side of her. "Come on, we can cut through this alley." Joel walked away from us and Ellie turned to me. "So, what are we doing after we get out of this city?"

We followed after Joel down the alley. "Get you to that lab with or without him. I mean unless you've changed your mind then we can just go wherever. Find a nice place maybe out in the country or something." Was I getting attached to the kid? Maybe a little. I know why I'm taking her to this lab and where it is. I just don't know exactly what they will be doing to her. "Um…that sounds nice, but I have a chance to save humanity. What's cooler than that?"

She skipped ahead to walk beside Joel and bombard him with a bunch of questions. I could here him sigh and knew he was rolling his eyes. We stopped in our tracks when we heard the sound of the truck we've seen a couple times. It was one of those heavy military trucks with a .50 caliber machine gun on top. They must be held up somewhere the military was to keep that thing loaded. But then again there aren't exactly a lot of people and the infected stay deep inside buildings.

We were right. The truck was sitting in front of a store. There were a few guys inside the store as well as inside the truck. It didn't take long to take care of the four men inside, but it would be fun trying to get across the street. "How are we going to do this, Joel?" I asked. He was silent as he looked around. "I'll distract them while you two make a run for it," he said. "Are you fucking crazy? They'll shoot you!"

Even I wasn't reckless enough to try some crazy shit like that against someone who has a military grade vehicle with a machine gun! "I'll be right behind you. When you get inside, hide and wait for me." Before I could even say another word he was running towards the broken windows of the store and jumping through one. There was a bang from him throwing something, then the machine gun erupted. I took that opportunity to grab Ellie's hand and sprint across the road.

As soon as we got inside a man rushed us. I pushed Ellie out of the way before I was tackled to the ground. My head snapped to the side, pain spread across my left cheekbone from him punching me. As soon as my brain caught up to what just happened I was bringing my own fist up and punching him back. He still didn't move though, he pinned me down, brought his fist back, then pushed it forward. I waited for the blow, the pain, but it never came.

Joel's boot came into view, kicking the guy in the face, sending him backwards, the sound of a loud nasty crunch was heard before he was thrown off my body. Then Joel is standing in front of me where I lay on the ground, he's hovering over the man, hands fisting to the gray material on his body, hauling him to his feet, and dragging him just outside the door.

A hand moved to the back of the guy's neck, then his face was slammed into the brick wall once, twice, three times before he went limp. The sound of machine gunfire erupted and Joel hit the ground. "Stay low and make your way to that window." He pointed to a broken out window on the other side. The three of us stayed low and slowly made our way to the window. When we got there we jumped out into an alley and ran around the corner.

As we turned the corner another man came running towards us. With Joel in front of me and Ellie, the guy went straight for him. They struggled, throwing punches at each other. I licked up a broken bottle off the ground, jumped on the guy's back and jammed it into the side of his neck. Joel grabbed the gun the man had dropped and shot another one running up behind me. Then we ran towards the alley across from us and around the corner just as the military truck busted through the iron gates.

We ran into another building, into what looked like an employee break room. Lockers were lined up on a wall and there was a small kitchen on another. We ran to the door on the other side that led to a stairwell. Of course, the only way we could go was up. The stairs leading down were like all the other staircases we've come across, blocked with furniture.

The stairs led us to the top floor and we came out to two offices. One had a fire escape, which we took, and walked across a couple boards that were put down between the fire escape and the ledge of the building across from us. There was one window open that led into a one bedroom apartment. The door to the apartment was barricaded by the furniture in the living room. "Jesus," Ellie whispered. "The window in the kitchen is open," I said.

I walked over to it only to see that the fire escape was broken and we would need to walk the ledge like we did to get to the apartment. "I'll go first, Ellie, stay between us." Joel went out the window first, then Ellie, then me. The window to the apartment next to the one we were just in wasn't far away and when Joel got there he was able to jump in since it was opened. He helped Ellie inside and then me. The room we stood in was a nursery, the door to the room opened into a hall.

Luckily the door was barricaded this time. We walked out into the hall of the building and headed down the stairs until we couldn't anymore. The door we come out of leads to different places. One went to the apartments and the other went to a toy store. This place was like a maze, nodding to go through buildings to get to a different road or alley.

We ran into a few more men as we made our way to yet another building. This time the building and floor we were on was Duality Architecture. There were modules of building and drawings of blueprints for other building ideas. A set of double doors led to an office that led out another set of double doors and to a room where a model of the Fort Pitt Bridge sat in the middle of the room. That was our destination. We get there and we finally get out of this city.

And as easy as it might seem, it wasn't. We had to go through more men and that damn truck again. It was now dark, rain fell from the sky in big heavy sheets. We were standing on the bridge, the only problem…the bridge was destroyed. One of the bombs had hit it, cutting off the city from the world that lay on the other side. Truck was trying to push through the cars and buses that separated us. "We could jump!" Ellie shouted over the rain.

Looking down below us into the river I shook my head. The water was rising the more the rain that fell, the current rushing by, waiting to suck something, anything or anyone under its dark cold depths. "Are you fucking insane? You can't swim! And it wouldn't matter if you could, the current is too strong! We'll all drown!" I shouted back. "Well, we have to do something!"

Yeah, no shit we had to do something. We all stood with our backs towards the edge, watching the bright headlights of the truck getting closer and closer. "Wait! What about up there?!" Ellie pointed upwards, Joel and I followed her finger up above us. Someone had laid boards out on the top of the arch that wasn't destroyed. We couldn't see how fair it went but it was either that or being shot down or jumping and hoping we didn't drown.

Joel and I looked at each other but didn't say a word. We didn't need to. It was decided that's the way we would go. "You go first and I'll take up the back," he said. I swallowed hard and nodded my head. It was a long way up. I wasn't afraid of heights, not really, but it was dark and raining hard. This was dangerous and a risk. I turned to Ellie and made her look me in the eye to make sure she paid close attention.

We're going to go across…take it slow and steady, don't look down, and follow exactly what I do. Joel will be right behind you, don't try to stand and walk, stay on your hands and knees, understand?" She nodded her head and I turned, then started to ascend up the ladder. Once the three of us were up there, Joel knocked the ladder down asurring no one would follow. If they did, they were going to be delayed just a little.

It was slow, very slow. I couldn't see that well with how dark it was. I had my light on, but with how heavy the rain was, I couldn't see more than maybe two feet ahead of me. When I got to the very end, I realized we were on the other side, no longer high above the raging waters. Another ladder was there, and I climbed down carefully. I went halfway down and made sure to instruct Ellie on what to do. I don't know who made this or how they did it, and I didn't care. I was just glad to finally be out of that maze of hell.

[mariacallous]

BELGRADE, Serbia — Tens of thousands gathered in central Belgrade on Saturday in one of the largest protests since the Serbian election two weeks ago, united in their charges of vote fraud and in urging the EU to take serious note of unfolding events in the country.

“I want to invite our friends from Europe to pay more attention to what’s happening here,” Srđan Cvijić, a member of the Belgrade Center for Security Policy who was an election monitor in the December 17 vote, told those gathered around the capital’s Terazije fountain Saturday.

He decried the fact that Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, who often boasts of his close relationship to EU and Western officials, only promotes European values and “hangs up EU flags” when officials from Brussels and foreign dignitaries pay the country a visit.

Vučić has for years skillfully navigated the tightrope between the West and Russia, often turning to the latter to bolster nationalist support. Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Botsan-Kharchenko has publicly backed Vučić’s unverified assertion that external forces are guiding the protests — a narrative often used by Russian President Vladimir Putin when confronted with dissent.

Serbia’s ruling party and pro-government outlets have disparagingly likened the protests to the Maidan uprising in Kyiv, which started in late 2013 and saw pro-democracy and pro-EU supporters engaged in widespread demonstrations and civil unrest. Notably, that movement was exploited by Putin as a pretext for Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2014.

“Support for the EU might have weakened, but it’s understandable because our friends from Brussels do not criticize the government of Aleksandar Vučić enough,” Cvijić said, holding up a faded European flag from back in the 1990s when he and his family protested against Serbian strongman Slobodan Milošević.

Recent events in the country are reminiscent of protest movements during the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. Much like now, a diverse crowd of all ages but spearheaded by younger generations took to the streets at the time to resist the erosion of freedoms under Milošević’s rule, a period marked by bloody conflicts in neighboring countries.

Saturday’s demonstration was set in the same location most of the protests in the 1990s were held.

Both local and international entities, including the OSCE and European Parliament observers, have condemned election fraud and manipulation in the December 17 vote.

Actress Svetlana Bojković, part of the non-partisan ProGlas or ProVote coalition which encouraged electoral participation, passionately read out from reports pouring in from across the country detailing the tactics employed during the election. The list includes instances of cancer patients awaiting transplants being manipulated to support the ruling party in exchange for advancement on the donor list; senior citizens being enticed with monetary incentives to alter their residency; and deceased citizens resurfacing on voter rolls.

Since the Monday following the election, daily protests have unfolded in front of key institutions including the Belgrade city hall and the central election commission. Saturday’s rally marked the 13th consecutive demonstration, with a notable incident on December 24 when the police responded with considerable force after a small group shattered the front windows of the Belgrade city assembly.

Opposition politician Marinika Tepić, who has been on a hunger strike since the election, had to be hoisted on stage due to her frail condition as Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall” was blasted from speakers.

“These elections need to be overturned,” Tepić said, after apologizing for not being able to say more. After her appearance, she was transferred to the hospital due to her worsening health.

Ahead of the protest, student organizations organized a 24-hour blockade of a key intersection in the capital, cutting off access to the foreign affairs and defense ministries.

They camped out overnight in around 20 tents set up for the purpose in freezing temperatures, passing the time by studying, doing crossword puzzles and playing chess. They also organized panel lectures, including one on what to do if they get arrested by the police. Dozens have been detained since the December 24 escalation of the protests.

Emilija Milenković, one of the leading student figures, said that her generation was deeply disappointed by the decay in democratic norms caused by the manipulations in the election.

“That disappointment was transformed into fury. We’re furious that our elections were stolen, that our votes were manipulated, because our will has been tampered with again and again,” she said. “A democratic election process is the absolute minimum,” she concluded.

[maximumtalewonderland]

Berlin is divided

Shortly after midnight on August 13, 1961, East German soldiers begin laying down barbed wire and bricks as a barrier between Soviet-controlled East Berlin and the democratic western section of the city.

After World War II, defeated Germany was divided into Soviet, American, British and French zones of occupation. The city of Berlin, though technically part of the Soviet zone, was also split, with the Soviets taking the eastern part of the city. After a massive Allied airlift in June 1948 foiled a Soviet attempt to blockade West Berlin, the eastern section was drawn even more tightly into the Soviet fold. Over the next 12 years, cut off from its western counterpart and basically reduced to a Soviet satellite, East Germany saw between 2.5 million and 3 million of its citizens head to West Germany in search of better opportunities. By 1961, some 1,000 East Germans—including many skilled laborers, professionals and intellectuals—were leaving every day.

In August, Walter Ulbricht, the Communist leader of East Germany, got the go-ahead from Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev to begin the sealing off of all access between East and West Berlin. Soldiers began the work over the night of August 12-13, laying more than 100 miles of barbed wire slightly inside the East Berlin border. The wire was soon replaced by a six-foot-high, 96-mile-long wall of concrete blocks, complete with guard towers, machine gun posts and searchlights. East German officers known as Volkspolizei (“Volpos”) patrolled the Berlin Wall day and night.

Many Berlin residents on that first morning found themselves suddenly cut off from friends or family members in the other half of the city. Led by their mayor, Willi Brandt, West Berliners demonstrated against the wall, as Brandt criticized Western democracies, particularly the United States, for failing to take a stand against it. President John F. Kennedy had earlier said publicly that the United States could only really help West Berliners and West Germans, and that any kind of action on behalf of East Germans would only result in failure.

The Berlin Wall was one of the most powerful and iconic symbols of the Cold War. In June 1963, Kennedy gave his famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” (“I am a Berliner”) speech in front of the Wall, celebrating the city as a symbol of freedom and democracy in its resistance to tyranny and oppression. The height of the Wall was raised to 10 feet in 1970 in an effort to stop escape attempts, which at that time came almost daily. From 1961 to 1989, a total of 5,000 East Germans escaped; many more tried and failed. High profile shootings of some would-be defectors only intensified the Western world’s hatred of the Wall.

Finally, in the late 1980s, East Germany, fueled by the decline of the Soviet Union, began to implement a number of liberal reforms. On November 9, 1989, masses of East and West Germans alike gathered at the Berlin Wall and began to climb over and dismantle it. As this symbol of Cold War repression was destroyed, East and West Germany became one nation again, signing a formal treaty of unification on October 3, 1990.

[spectaculardistractions]

Failing in this last attempt the Peloponnesians left a portion of their forces on the spot, dismissing the rest, and built a wall of circumvallation round the town, dividing the ground among the various cities present; a ditch being made within and without the lines, from which they got their bricks. All being finished by about the rising of Arcturus, they left men enough to man half the wall, the rest being manned by the Boeotians, and drawing off their army dispersed to their several cities. The Plataeans had before sent off their wives and children and oldest men and the mass of the non-combatants to Athens; so that the number of the besieged left in the place comprised four hundred of their own citizens, eighty Athenians, and a hundred and ten women to bake their bread. This was the sum total at the commencement of the siege, and there was no one else within the walls, bond or free. Such were the arrangements made for the blockade of Plataea.

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War

[bouwrites]

Those Warm and Halcyon Days: Chapter 83

Conclusion of the Crossing Roads

Ao3.

First, Previous, Next.

Story under read-more.

“About time you showed up, princess!”

Veery jumps down a tall brick wall to the path below, winding down towards the dock. Fighting uphill to meet them are familiar, friendly faces, grinning ear-to-ear.

“Show some respect, pirate!” General Kaia shouts over the clashing of steel, but even she is smiling at the sight of their princess (mostly) unharmed, with a magical sword, swooping in to cut through the Empire.

Daithi laughs. “Really? You scold me even now? Maybe I should take my ship and crew back to Dagda if you’re going to be like this.”

“That’s your princess, you-”

“It is good to be seeing you again!” Kieran shouts, waving from another tier down the path. He points off to the enormous gatehouse further down the curve of the dock. “There is where we must be taking! They are blocking the harbor!”

From the gatehouse to the identical one across from it, a massive chain hangs. A few ships are well inside, already assaulting the harbor, but many more, the bulk of the navy, remains blockaded outside that gate.

“They raised it on us the moment it was clear we were attacking!” General Kaia shouts. “Luckily, Daithi was fast enough to slip inside before they got it up, but most of our forces are sitting ducks out there!”

“My crew is already clearing a path towards the far gate,” Daithi says, pointing towards the further gatehouse. One of just a few Brigidan ships in the harbor is sailing close to the shore, blasting the soldiers stranded on land with arrows, magic, and explosions from massive weapons something like ballistae sticking out of the side of the ship. “You guys take the closer one, and we’ll crack this egg wide open.”

Veery flinches at the explosions from the ship’s weaponry, and the ensuing blasts tearing up the very foundation of the city.

Daithi grins, close enough now to lean in close to Veery’s ear. “Never seen a cannon before? Don’t blame you. Picked them up on west coast of Dagda, if you can believe it. Hard to sail all the way over there, but they are very creative when it comes to blowing things up. And secretive; remind me to tell you the story of how I convinced them to share those cannons with me when they won’t even let the east Dagdans know how they work.”

Oh, Veery is definitely going to remember to ask after that story.

“Hey, pirate!” General Kaia yells. “Get your ass over here! That gate isn’t going to take itself down!”

Daithi pats Veery’s back and winks. “Once we’re done here, let’s get a drink to celebrate. I promise I’ll only bug you to join my crew a little bit; I still haven’t given up on recruiting you, you know!”

With that, he runs off, joining General Kaia to pick through the flaming remnants that his ship leaves behind.

Veery turns his eyes in the opposite direction, towards the closer gatehouse. It stands so tall, so proud, a yellowed but strong monument to the city’s defense. Veery will enjoy bringing it down.

“Let’s go,” Petra says. “It’s not far.”

(His only regret is that structural damage would be pointless. As much as he wants to tear the whole thing apart, they aren’t actually trying to raze Enbarr to the ground. They just need to get in and take control.)

Kieran ends up following them, adding to their small crowd as they work their way to the gatehouse. Veery is down an adjutant, leaving Sadi at the opera house to recover, but he’s still got Hoarvug. Petra has Acis and Vanora as well as her usual battalion and Dorothea has her own battalion at her back. With Kieran and his crew, there are enough of them that an assault in close quarters like within the gatehouse shouldn’t be an issue.

And it isn’t. It’s almost like raiding the tower on Immram again, back where they found Ambrose. The gatehouse is quite a bit wider, so Veery sees more action despite still not being at the front of the pack, but the essentials are the same. Those in front don’t leave enough alive for those in the back to have to do too much. They form a line and push through, slaughtering any opposition they encounter on the way.

Like on Immram, Veery takes to investigating the side rooms. He cleans up the straggling soldiers there, so they can’t attack from behind. But in those rooms he finds more than just soldiers. Humans in rags. Worn, working clothes. More than a few try futilely to pick up arms. A fallen sword or something more improvised doesn’t matter. Their eyes blaze with fury, hatred, loyalty, patriotism, and they pick up arms.

If they do not heed Veery’s warning growl, he kills them.

Still, more cower, and their cowardice saves their lives. They are not soldiers, but maintenance workers, dock workers, cooks, the people who do the labor the soldiers do not. It is not their war. They do not choose this.

Veery passes them by without a second glance to watch how they tremble before him.

They take the gatehouse. It takes a few of them working together, but they lower the chain blocking the harbor. The walk back down is slow, peaceful, a lull in the storm.

“You…” Kieran starts hesitantly, drifting close to Veery’s side. “You are winter, now.”

A prideful burst like gleaming light carries like laughter from Hoarvug’s heart. “Of course, he is,” it seems to say. “He always has been.”

Kieran sighs, huffs, shaking his head. “I… what I am trying to be saying… War makes ice of our hearts. Your eyes… they were not so cold before.”

Weren’t they? It’s not as if Veery ever cared for the humans he’s slain. Regret that people had to die, sure. Try to avoid killing, absolutely. But care for the ones who must be killed? No. Veery is not that kind of cat.

Veery looks deep into Kieran’s wide, distant eyes and frowns. He might say the same thing of Kieran. He might say the same thing of all of them. Eyes made of winter look back at him, stare out over the ocean, survey the death and chaos of war.

“I have hope,” Kieran says, “that once this war is over, we will finally be able to be thawing.”

Veery closes his eyes for just a moment. There is no judgement, like it sounds at the start. Kieran does mean everyone. War makes them all cold. Cold to the death, to the violence, to the fire and the red.

Death is not a reaper. Death is the earth and snow. It is cold and numbing. It steals everything right down to feeling itself.

Even, it seems, if it is not their own deaths. It still steals away all warmth.

Veery bumps Kieran’s leg, nosing affectionately into his side for a moment. Maybe. Veery doesn’t have much hope for himself, with the Degradation and all, but maybe. Maybe, when it’s all over, winter will finally recede, and spring will come. Fódlan’s new dawn, right? That’s the phrase Claude likes to use.

If only for his family’s sake, Veery hopes that, too.

---

The visiting Brigidans stay behind to push in from the harbor while Veery follows Petra to the Imperial Palace’s rear courtyard. They climb over a pile of rubble at the base of a large hole in the wall, courtesy of Daithi’s cannons, and enter the immaculate gardens. Soldiers are already ready for them, of course, but they cut through.

Once they clear the courtyard, they take a breath. “There are more enemies inside the palace than we thought,” Petra says. “Be prepared; Edelgard is well defended. But this battle is a deciding one. I believe, when we get to the end, it is her wish to face us.”

Dorothea sighs gently. “Ferdie, Bernie, Caspar… now Hanneman too. If Teach and the others have made it into the palace yet, I’m sure Hubie’s gone. Even Dimitri, Ingrid, Caub… We’ll end it. For everyone.”

Hoarvug hums, amused, caring not for the feelings the humans bring with them into this fight. For him, it is the glory of conquest. The test of his strength, to walk through Chaos and come out the other side.

Veery himself… is just tired. They’ll kill Edelgard today, and then tomorrow… who knows? Everyone has their grand plans, but Veery? He’s going to nap. He’s going to stretch out in the sun and rest, and he will warm himself with the promise that this war is over.

Even if tomorrow brings a new war entirely, at least they will still be moving forward. On to something anew.

Edelgard was his friend. Veery accepts that, he remembers that, and he lets it go. He will not hesitate for even a single moment.

And so, today, he fights.

“Onward,” Petra says grimly. “To the end.”

Veery rubs against Dorothea, winds ahead to do the same with Petra, and purrs.

“Thank you, Veery,” Petra says with a small smile. “Don’t worry. I made my choice. I will not falter now.”

“We’ll make it through,” Dorothea says, gripping tight to Veery’s fur for just a moment. “We have to be strong for Teach, too, you know?”

Right. Onward, then, to the end.

They break into the palace. Falling glass frames them as they charge through. Veery shreds into a knight’s armor, tearing open the soft flesh beneath. Petra aims for the weak points, the joints in her enemies’ armor, and even when they manage to move enough that she does not cripple or kill, ice springs from her blade to lock up those joints, and they do not avoid a second strike. Dorothea dances with fire and lightning, and the palace reeks of burning flesh.

In a massive kitchen, Hoarvug knocks down an overhead chandelier of pans, reveling in the chaos it brings when the soldiers there scramble. Veery throws a soldier into the burnt stew and the fire still cooking it.

In a servant’s bedroom, a crowd of people huddle. They survive, but Veery freezes the door behind him as they leave. The ice will thaw eventually, after the battle is won.

In a hallway, Petra’s ice blade freezes three men to the wall, and she is kind enough to simply knock them out with quick strikes to the head.

In a greeting room, Dorothea spins away from an axe, and Veery tackles the warrior into an expensive vase, shattering it over his enemy’s head. Dorothea skewers the swordsman behind him with her levin sword a moment later.

On a stairway, Hoarvug tosses a mage over the railing, almost right on top of Acis, who unflinchingly puts them down. Vanora glares up but just gets her own heap of a mage to kill when Veery throws another down to them.

When they breach the top of the stairs, they run into familiar faces. “Petra! Veery!” Claude grins. Teach stands behind him, ready but smiling at the sight of them. “I take it you took care of the reinforcements?”

“We’re a bit behind, it seems,” Dorothea answers. “But we’ve cleared the path behind us – no enemies are coming up through here.”

“Excellent work, you guys. Just about now, Lysithea should be sealing off-” The palace shakes, and Veery hears shattering glass accompanying a bone-deep explosion some distance away. “-the other passage,” Claude says. “That’s that, then. The enemy won’t be able to send any more reinforcements now. Come on, Edelgard is in the throne room.”

“The throne room is just down this hall,” Petra says. “Let us hurry.”

They barrel through the hall towards the grand doors leading to the throne room. From the opposite end, more of their allies approach. “You all made it!” Lysithea says when they get close. “Good. Just one last fight.”

“Open the doors already,” Felix growls. “We’ll end this once and for all.”

“Ugh, of course, of all the people to make it here, I’m part of this group,” Linhardt sighs. “I hope Caspar appreciates all I’m doing for him.”

Hilda reports directly to Claude and Teach. “Almost everyone else, including Judith and my brother, are still outside. We’ve cut off reinforcements within the palace, but Edelgard still has pockets of troops around the city that are closing in hoping to corner us. Leonie and Judith are trying to stamp them out, while Lorenz, Ignatz, and Raphael protect the common folk. Marianne is with Holst taking on the last of the demonic beasts. We shouldn’t see any coming in here, in any case.”

“Sylvain and the rest of the Lions are with my father and the Knights of Seiros,” Felix says. “They’re in control of most of the city now. Only the Palace District is left, but she’s got that handled.” He nods towards Hilda. “Now let’s get going. Edelgard isn’t going to sit idle while we give reports.”

“Right you are,” Claude says. “No time to waste. Once we take care of Edelgard, we’ll finally be free of this war. Are you all ready?”

Everyone gives their assent, as eager to get this done as much as they dread having to kill someone they know. Only Professor Byleth hesitates. “…I don’t want to kill Edelgard,” she says.

The air is tense following her confession, but Claude reaches out to her, putting a firm hand on her shoulder. She lifts her eyes to his. “I know,” he says gently. “She’s a fellow student to all of us. But she refused the path we could have walked together. Even cornered and with her allies defeated, she won’t yield. I don’t want to kill her, either, but if showing pity will put my allies in danger, I will not hesitate. Are you prepared to do the same?”

Byleth turns her eyes down, then, when they turn wintry once more, she lifts them back to Claude’s. She nods. “I won’t let her hurt any more of my students.”

Claude nods back, they each take position at one of the double doors, and together they push through.

There, alone, Edelgard stands afore her throne. She looks down upon them with disdain across her countenance. Veery’s gut broils as he takes in the scene.

“I must confess I never imagined that you would be able to pursue me this far,” Edelgard says when they all enter. “I don’t mean to belittle your skills, professor, Claude, but you’ve far surpassed my expectations. But having made it this far, I suppose you think you can defeat me. Is that right? But no matter how strong you are, I will never give up. Even if my arms and legs fail me, I would still find a way to move forward. My progress cannot be stopped! I will trample the past underfoot and move on to a brighter tomorrow!”

“What do you mean to accomplish with this, Edelgard?” Claude asks, trying in vain for the last time to talk to her. “We’ve already taken down Shambhala. Your Agarthan allies are no more! Why are you still insisting on this path of war?”

Edelgard actually has the gall to laugh. “Claude… your ideals, they are not so far removed from my own. But even with all your cleverness, you don’t have a shred of self-awareness, do you? This war was never about Agartha. It is about the false goddess and her minion who ruled over Fódlan for far too long. And now here you are, just another of the goddess’ vanguard.”

“I’m no vanguard of the goddess,” Claude says. “If anything, I’ve got my own god to follow.”

Edelgard snorts. “Veery, do you mean?” Her eyes fall on him. “The patchwork god. The winter sun. You… you were a surprise, I admit. But I cannot allow a new god, whoever he may be, to simply take the goddess’ place. I do not blame you, Veery. I know you have no desire to rule. I even still believe that you would be a good ruler. Yet if I permit you to live, Fódlan will never let go of her old habits. When gods interfere in the affairs of mortals, corruption follows. I can never achieve peace so long as you remain. I am sorry, truly, but the option to let you live is long past.”

And Veery will do whatever it takes to survive. And so, they must fight. The worst part, the part that sinks into Veery’s heart and stings, and pisses him off, is that Edelgard is completely sincere.

“And even if I could let you go, even if you were still mortal… I cannot leave Fódlan to you for the same reason I cannot leave her to Claude. Without sufficient knowledge of this land’s suffering, you cannot possibly heal it.”

Lysithea narrows her eyes. “You call us just more of the goddess’ vanguard, but what does that make you? Saying all that about Veery… You’re just the Koterija’s weapon, aren’t you? Not a shred of self-awareness yourself.”

“It is not so easy to understand others,” Claude says in the heated silence of Lysithea’s accusation. “People are more complicated than that. You understand your suffering, Edelgard. No one can understand all of Fódlan’s. The best chance to help the most people is to work together and listen to each other. Please, put down your axe. Let’s end this now.”

“I will not relent,” Edelgard murmurs. “You fools who are so caught up in the sacrifices at hand that you can’t see the future ramifications at stake… I will never entrust Fódlan to you.” She hangs her head for a moment. “It is time. There is nothing more to say. Your path lies across my grave. Claim your victory, if you can.”

She doubles over suddenly, wincing like she’s been stabbed in the chest. “Ugh… This pain is nothing… compared to what I have already suffered…”

Like he’s back in Conand Tower all those years ago, Veery watches in horror as something emerges from the blindingly bright Crest Stone within Aymr. It pulses, like blood is running through it, and flows out of the Crest Stone like thick, viscous liquid. Edelgard grunts, but does not scream. She takes the pain, the change, without an utterance of complaint and without a shred of hesitation. Dark tendrils consume her entirely, quickly encasing her body, then writhing up over her face, into her nose, slipping through the pressed line of her lips, and still she makes not a sound. The sinister substance, wholly surrounding her, expands into a massive hulking form.

“A terrible price indeed for such terrible power…” Claude mutters. His face is set like stone. No hint of hesitation mars his eyes.

A terrible price indeed… to be changed beyond recognition… Veery scowls up at Edelgard, at this black amalgam, and his breath catches in his throat. The odd, long limbs, the massive skirt-like feature… the proportions, the appearance… it’s like those golems in the Holy Tomb.

Claude’s words – Caub’s words – echo in Veery’s head. “A terrible price indeed…” Caub never mentions Edelgard turning into a black beast, but she isn’t, is she? Definitely, there’s some aspect of the change that’s the same, but she’s not a beast. She’s just like those golems. Too human-like. Not a rampaging creature in suffering, but a puppet designed for war.

Veery chirps urgently to Claude, Lysithea, and Dorothea, who also heard first-hand Caub’s warning.

“I see it,” Lysithea answers. “Caub warned us to review tactics to battle something like those golems beneath the monastery. We thought he only meant the titanus. I never would have imagined…”

“It doesn’t matter now,” Claude says. “What’s important is that, thanks to Caub, we’ve trained for a fight just like this. Don’t get complacent, she’s sure to have tricks up her sleeve, but we’re ready. Let’s finish this, once and for all.”

“So, this is the end of the road,” Felix scoffs. His eyes are fixed on Edelgard. He doesn’t speak to Edelgard so much as to himself, chanting in a low murmur. “After everything, this is where your path has taken you. Is this worth all you’ve done to the Kingdom? To Dimitri?” He raises his sword. “…I’ll take your head. For Ingrid. For His Highness. For Faerghus.”

Edelgard starts the battle in earnest by holding up her hand. Smoky purple magic appears, pulling a startled yelp from Veery. Dark magic? It really shouldn’t be as surprising as it is, but Edelgard never favors magic before, so her turning into a black beast and throwing dark magic suddenly is jarring.

And terrifying. The ball of magic she hurls at them is pitch dark with bloody red light deep within and as big as Veery. Everyone close enough leaps out of the way to avoid the massive thing.

“What a fascinating phenomenon,” Linhardt says, eyeing Edelgard when he’s back on his feet. “I haven’t the slightest idea how they managed to avoid turning her into just another Black Beast. Then again, I suppose she’s been groomed for this from the start.” Louder, directly to Edelgard, he says, “So, you’ve finally given in, huh? Whatever free will you still had… now is when you hand it over to the Koterija? When I fought for you, I thought you were resisting them. But it seems you’ve accepted the role they’ve so graciously laid out for you. Are you satisfied, dying as their pet?”

“You understand nothing!” It surprises Veery that she can speak at all like this, but she does. Her voice comes out twisted and malformed, a grating façade of her former timbre. It comes out like stones rolling down a mountain, with just as much impact. It rattles Veery’s bones as he dodges another magic attack. “I have opposed them at every turn! I am protecting Fódlan from them, and from the children of the goddess!”

“Then why are we the ones who had to put them down?” Lysithea asks. “Why is it that we killed them, while you started a war for them? You could have been with us, Edelgard. We wanted to change Fódlan together with you. But you chose to side with the Koterija, and now look at you. This is where your choices have led you. If you have any real agency left, use it wisely and die gracefully.”

“Lysithea…” Edelgard grinds. “You and I are so alike…”

Lysithea scoffs. “Our backgrounds are similar, yes, but don’t compare me to you. I slaughtered the people that did this to me. You slaughtered for them. Whatever our similarities, that’s where any kinship between us ends.”

“I used them!” Edelgard roars, striking out once more. “As much as I hate to admit it, I had no chance against the church alone. I needed their power to defeat another evil!”

“It’s not that simple, you know,” Hilda says, surprisingly kindly. “Fighting an insurmountable enemy isn’t just a matter of strength. House Goneril has held the Throat and kept the Almyrans out of Fódlan for a thousand years, yet all it took to stop the fighting and the death and the enslavement was talking to each other. Now they’re here, in Enbarr, helping us. I know there are some things you have to face with force - that’s why we’re facing each other now. But you had it all wrong from the start; war isn’t the path to your dream. …But don’t worry. We’ll finish the job for you.”

Edelgard roars. Another blast of magic blows Veery clean off his feet, and the following impact as Edelgard slams her hand down rattles his bones. He recovers quickly, notes Felix in front of Hilda holding Aegis over his head. He’s collapsed to his knee, but he and Hilda are both upright, even with Edelgard’s massive form attempting to crush them.

Twin slashes of ice and lightning arc, crossing each other at Edelgard’s gnarled elbow. It’s enough for her to recoil, letting Felix and Hilda escape, but Edelgard turns her hateful red eyes to Petra instead. Specifically, the blade in her hand.

“Petra…” Edelgard growls. “So, even you have chosen a false god. Even one that has nothing to do with your people.”

Petra stands tall, winter blade at the ready. “The patchwork god helped to liberate Brigid, so I don’t know how you can claim he has nothing to do with my people. More than that, I have not chosen a god. I have chosen a friend. If you had been brave enough to do the same, we might still be allies.”

“Liberating Brigid… I must admit, that was masterful work. There wasn’t a thing I could do at any point to stop you. If you had been by my side… But you’ve chosen your path. I will give you the response that deserves. I will crush you with everything I have!”

Petra sinks a little lower into her stance, blade at the ready. “And I will free Fódlan of you, just as I have freed Brigid.”

When Edelgard’s attack comes, Petra skillfully sidesteps it, cutting a deep gouge into Edelgard’s arm for the attempt. The magic thrown at her is diverted with Linhardt’s Wind spell just enough that Petra doesn’t even have to dodge. She leaps forward instead, and her blade meets Edelgard’s rough hide.

Black ice blossoms from the site of the blow, a wide gash across her hip, but, unhindered, Edelgard strikes back, grabbing for Petra.

“Look here, Edie!” Dorothea shouts. Her lightning intercepts Edelgard’s reaching hand. Before she recovers, Petra jumps back out of range.

Edelgard does look to Dorothea, and her eyes, blankly red and hateful as they are, widen at Dorothea’s stance. “How fitting,” Edelgard says. “Dancing magic suits you. You have always been an inspiration.”

“So have you,” Dorothea says. “You were always the strongest. Always unflappable. I admired you so much, because I thought you wanted to use that amazing strength to help people.”

“Dorothea…”

“Look at yourself, Edie,” Dorothea hisses. “This isn’t helping anyone. Even now, people all around Fódlan are killing each other. Just outside, your people, who you trapped inside the city, are dying! Please, Edie, I don’t want to kill you, too. Let this end. Protect someone before the only thing you leave this world with is death.”

Edelgard stares for a tense few seconds. Her head lowers. “…I cannot stop,” she finally says. “I am the only one who-”

“The only one?” Dorothea scoffs. “I really did think you were different, Edie. Even up until now, I hoped. I guess I was wrong. What is it that you even want, anymore? I can’t tell.”

Dorothea doesn’t wait for an answer before she fires Thoron, arcing right for Edelgard’s chest. Edelgard moves to dodge, but Hoarvug barrels into her, stalling her attempted movement long enough for Thoron to strike true. Edelgard cries out – it must hit a sensitive area. It’s a wailing, pained cry not that dissimilar to the demonic beasts. Even the fury and loathing are there, too.

“At least we tried,” Claude says. “There’s no reasoning with her. Everyone, all together now! Let’s end this quickly!”

Claude releases a gleaming arrow. It shoots through to Edelgard, lodging in her shoulder. Without a moment to spare, Linhardt and Lysithea’s rainbow Seraphim spells follow up, drawing another agonized cry from their prey. Edelgard tries to strike back with another dark spell, but Dorothea drops Ragnarok on her before she can release it.

In the wake of the charged magic, the rest of them close in. Petra, Hilda, and Veery open up Edelgard’s thick hide, Felix, Hoarvug, and Petra’s retainers fill in to cut ever deeper.

Edelgard swipes at them like they’re naught but gnats, but like gnats they flit out of the way in time for another round of magic and arrows to punish her for even trying.

They take their time, fighting patiently like a pride, working together to take down prey far larger than them. They pull and twist Edelgard in every direction until she has no choice but to break under the tension.

And it’s terrifying, but it’s pride. It’s Veery’s pride, doing what they do best, doing what they were prepared to do.

It takes a long time, and a lot of patience – a lot of nipping at her heels and running in circles to draw attention – but finally there’s an opening. Claude’s arrow bursts, knocking her hand away. Petra cuts at Edelgard’s legs, encasing them in ice. Veery and Hoarvug together leap onto her, their combined weight enough to topple her before she can break free of the ice around her feet.

Atop his prey, Veery does what comes naturally. He unleashes Abraxas. He claws, he bites. Anything exposed is a target, and anything that isn’t has it’s armor stripped away in a blaze.

Hoarvug does the same, digging in with his claws. Felix and Petra jump on as well, and the others carefully continue striking around the ones so close to Edelgard’s prone body.

And that’s it. Standard golem-type enemy strategy – to distract, immobilize, and pile on. Of course, it takes all of their skill combined to pull it off on Edelgard, but they do pull it off relatively unscathed in the end. They use the result of Caub’s warning and come out victorious for it.

The black carapace encompassing her evanesces. She shrinks back down to normal size. As the heady, dark magic dissipates, all that is left is Edelgard. She kneels before them, leaning on Aymr to manage even that much. Aymr itself glows weakly, then sputters out with the last of the fight left in Edelgard’s heart.

They surround her, ready for any sudden movement, but none comes. She only looks up at Byleth, right in front of her, at everyone else around her. Byleth sets herself. Steels herself for what she must do. “Edelgard…” Byleth says, barely a whisper. “What do you believe in?”

As she witnesses the Sword of the Creator rise, Edelgard says, “Power… and you. I wanted… to walk with you.”

Professor Byleth, gently, says, “So did I,” and brings her sword down on Edelgard’s neck.

In the silence that follows, Veery breathes. Deep, slow, when for a moment after that blade falls everything stops moving, Veery takes in that blooded air, holds that sharp, metallic scent on his tongue, and lets it go.

Hoarvug presses eagerly against Veery’s side, a welcome companion in the silence. He is exuberant and proud from a battle won, but Veery… his chest feels twisted. His friend is dead. The blind, idiot puppet is dead. The one who sits with him over tea and asks him for stories about his people will never kill another again. The one who opens her arms, her country, her home to him without a thought can no longer start or perpetuate another war.

Because of Edelgard, Veery will never again wrestle with Caspar. Because of Edelgard, the only humans Veery knows back home lose their son. And so, yes, Veery has his pride. When he looks upon this corpse, he swells with accomplishment. A peace he hasn’t ever felt before lands upon him like a thrown bedsheet.

He does not pity her. Whatever else she is, whatever her excuse, Edelgard starts a war. That is not something overlooked because she has a reason. That is the end of it. Full stop. There is no answer which makes that acceptable.

He does not pity her, but… he knows not if it’s the atmosphere influencing him or if he just hasn’t gone that far yet, but he cannot feel glad for this.

“It’s done, then,” Felix says, finally breaking the heady silence. His sharp eyes scan each of them in turn, but settle on, “Hilda, let’s go inform everyone.”

Hilda sags a little, relieved for an excuse to leave the ones with much more personal relationships with Edelgard than she has. “Right,” she says flatly. “We should find Seteth and your father first. They’ll need to know.”

Felix just nods then leads the way out the door.

Veery watches them, eyes drifting between their retreating backs and everyone still gathered around Edelgard’s body. He decides, after a moment of hesitation, to leave. He doesn’t need to be here. He’d rather not be here. Edelgard is dead; that’s enough for him. He can’t stand here and pretend to mourn her, even if it’s true that his heart isn’t full only of hate for her.

But as he turns away, his fur is caught. He halts, feeling the tug. It’s weak enough that he can still leave without a fight, but he glances back at Byleth, at her hand on his back, and turns back to her instead.

She wraps her arms around him, holding him tight.

Why? Why him? Of everyone she can go to for comfort, Veery would first guess Claude, or maybe Dorothea. Not him. So…

There’s only one thing he can provide for her that no one else can, but it’s something he never thought humans find the same comfort in as he does. Oh well. If she comes to him over the others, maybe there is something to it. Either way, she’s asking him for help, so he’ll do what he can for her.

He begins to purr.

Rumbling, rolling, it carries out like waves. And maybe there’s a little magic there, too, something Veery only distantly realizes, using his divine power once more without truly meaning to. Byleth shakes just a little, silent as the grave even as his fur dampens where her face presses into him.

For a moment, Claude comes to his side, leans against him, soaking in the purr and the presence, and then he straightens up again and moves away. Dorothea and Petra both spend some time at his side, crouching low with their heads on his shoulder. It’s long enough that he eventually lowers to the floor, laying down to allow them to hold his fur. At that point, even Lysithea comes close to pet him, though her eyes are far away.

Linhardt collapses on the ground next to him, laying back on Veery’s flank. “We’re done, right?” he asks no one, already looking half-asleep. “Let the others handle the clean-up.”

Claude lets out a startled laugh. “Yeah… yeah, we’re done for now. Everyone… you did good. I’m so proud of you all, and I can’t thank you enough for seeing this through with me. Go rest. You’ve earned it.”

Veery catches Hoarvug’s eye, gestures with his nose towards Edelgard. Petra does the same with her retainers. The three of them go to handle the emperor’s corpse – Acis and Vanora, at least, will know what to do with it. In the meantime, Veery slowly rises back to his feet, nosing those still attached to him up as well. More than a few hands stay in his fur as he guides them gently away from the throne room.

Petra leads them to a lavish sitting room close by, and it’s there that they rest. Veery settles down again, Linhardt is asleep over him practically before he’s even laying down. Dorothea curls close to his belly, draping over his shoulder. Petra sits at his back, upright and ready but leaning against him. Lysithea continues petting his neck. And Byleth… she takes Veery’s head onto her lap, doubles over onto him, and holds tight.

Through all this, Veery purrs.

After a while of just being, enshrouded in pride and family, Claude enters the room, too. He finds a place behind Dorothea, leans against Veery as well, and sighs.

“This wasn’t the conclusion I had hoped for,” Claude admits in a whisper.

“It was the only one she left us,” Dorothea answers.

Claude shuts his eyes. “Even though… I… Never mind. The important thing is that we won.”

“Claude…” Petra starts. “Edelgard and Dimitri are both dead now. You are all that is left to lead Fódlan.”

Claude is quiet for a long time. “That’s not true,” he says eventually. “There’s Seteth. There’s- there’s Teach.”

“Edelgard was wrong about so many things,” Petra says tenderly, “but she was right about you. You have other obligations… you have your own people. But you are still all that Fódlan has left. What will you do?”

“I…” Claude sighs again. “Honestly, my plan was to help set everything up, then leave Fódlan to Teach. But I… I can’t do that.”

“Claude.” Byleth raises her head, finally, to stare at him. “I will do it.”

“I know you would,” Claude says, eyes falling to the floor. “That’s why I can’t. Because you don’t want to. You’d do it for us, for me, but you’d hate it. I can’t do that to you. I don’t want you to suffer for my power.” He shakes his head. “I was being too selfish, taking advantage of your care for us like that. Petra’s right. I have a responsibility to Almyra, but… I also have a responsibility here. I just… I don’t know how I’m going to balance that. I don’t have a plan.”

“That’s okay,” Petra says.

Claude’s head rises sharply. “It is?”

“Of course. We’ll help you.”

“I… you will? Just like that?”

Lysithea rolls her eyes. “What do you take us for, Claude? We’ve stuck with you this long.”

Claude laughs, exasperated and disbelieving. “I… I don’t know what to say. Thank you. Truly.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Petra says. “And if ever you need Brigid’s aid, you have it. In the meantime, rest. You deserve it as much as the rest of us. Everything else will wait.”

“Right,” Claude sighs. “Tomorrow’s another day, but for now… it’s over.”

[myhiraeth]

@starlightfreed​​ asked: DISASTER :  for both muses to work together to escape a fire, flood, or other disaster. // let August rescue Fox pls apparently I can only write short stories disguised as meme replies these days I’m so sorry Belle lol BUT IN MY DEFENSE THERE WAS A LOT OF SETUP notso NECESSARY FOR A PROPER RESCUE

When the first shudder rumbled through the floor, she didn't think much of it- big machinery was always causing rumbles in the city. It was only when she had managed to slip into the nearest office with it's low, fifth floor view out floor to ceiling windows, that she realized something was wrong. From the window she watched people running westbound, and then a figure flying past the window, followed by several more in varying shades of Hero Primary Colors. Another shuddering rumble wracked the floor, causing her to reach out to brace herself against the window. " Shhhhhh-it. " 

She bolted from the office, joining the others that were quickly running to vacate the building as the fire alarm started blaring. Most of the crowd went straight for the elevators, but she detoured with a few others to the stairs, barely making it down to the third floor before another shake and the lights went out, emergency lights flickering on after a few seconds of darkness. Fox kept running, though some of the others had stopped to see what was going to happen, and it was sheer luck that when the building gave in under their feet and the stairwell started twisting in on them that she only got her ankle twisted in the debris, but managed to avoid getting skewered by a railing as concrete and metal rails caved in above them. Others weren't so lucky, and once the screaming started, she couldn't think clearly, panic and pain scattering her thoughts.

She didn't realize the other survivors had made a run for it, the pained screams and shouts of the ones slowly bleeding out were too loud to block out, and she backed herself against the cracked wall, hands over her ears as she tried to block out the chaos, tears tracing down her cheeks as another ripple shook the building.   " Stop, stop, stop, please stop. "  She murmured, trying to override the screams. 

By the time voices had given out and lives has extinguished, allowing her to think once more, she was alone. The stairs were twisted and broken off above her head, only option was the door, with piles of concrete and brick blocking it. But the doors swung outward from the stairwell, they always did, and she only needed to pry a few heavy pieces of concrete off the pile to reach the push bar door handle and push out to freedom. 

A great plan, until she realized the door was blockaded on both sides, and the panic started to set in again.   " No... no, no, no, don't do this, c'mon. "  She shoved at the door, again and again until her shoulder screamed in protest, and started trying to yank away the debris on her side, thinking if she could clear it enough, she could push through.   " Hello! "  She shouted as broken concrete ripped apart her palms.   " Anyone! Hello?! " 

A voice on the other side of the door almost made her cry in relief. A guy, his voice filtered like he had a mask on, announced he was NYFD and called back if she was hurt. She glanced down at her ankle, her bleeding hands and arms from working the door free.  " Just trapped! I can't get the door open! "  He shouldn't leave her just for being hurt, not if he's actually a firefighter, but instinct says being hurt is a liability, and liabilities get left behind. Let him figure out for himself that she's hurt. 

He helps get the door somewhat pried open about a foot, and helps her shimmy through the opening, introducing himself as August. She offered a smile, hoping he’ll ignore the tears on her face and the way she favors her right leg.   " Hi, August. I'm Fox. Come here often? "  She teased, letting him lead her back toward the front of the building. 

A body came bursting through the walls, raining yet more debris down on them and she ducked, not realizing August had leaned over her protectively until she risked a look back up. She couldn't tell who it was, but it was definitely a super of some sort- friend or foe, who knew? August nudged her back further into the building, trying to avoid them being seen and with a wistful look at the exit, she followed. 

[fiirecracker]

don't do this to me, he wants to say, but finds his heart still blockades his throat.

it is not out of denial he pleads. rohan is aware of his faults, his flaws; he knows where he has stumbled. he is not like tramontane, whose laughter shook a room. he cannot turn off his wants, nor turn outward for a sense of joy. he is far too human for a cloud strider, and yet not enough for those of neomuna. to crumble here is to fail those who came before. to falter will be to lead nimbus down a path they were never meant to walk.

"it is not pretend," he finally says, and finds the words rest burnt and bitter on his tongue. it tempers any embers that were stirring, any hints of heat that osiris' words had dredged. if there is any fire left in him, he does not show it now. "we took an oath. all of us. it is for the city we transform ourselves, and it is for the city we die. the neomuni are not like your citizens. they cannot fight for themselves."

after all, it is not for himself he took the position of cloud strider. he was no troublemaker, like bluejay. none of them wished to suffer, like the strider. maelstrom, siegebreaker, tramontane— nimbus. they all learned the same lessons. they all knew what they were surrendering when they chose to drown themselves in the sidereal, reborn anew.

each day is suffering, so tomorrow can live on.

their suffering. the cloud striders'. not the neomuni's. not the civilians that hide in the cloud ark; not the council that holds the striders' reigns. he suffers, so that they may continue. nimbus will suffer, so that the city may thrive. so that the citizens never have to know the cost of war. is that really so different from your guardians, he wants to ask. he cannot bring himself to do so.

there is little he can do. there is nothing he can say. and, most importantly, there is nowhere he can go. of that much, rohan is certain. he could take to the sky, of course; the overlook isn't that far. his strides far outreach the warlock's, and he could end this conversation with leap to the sky. instead, he kneels.

one arm crosses over his bent knee as his eyes continue to search osiris' face. as they trace every line, every wrinkle; the sharp jab of anger between his brows, and the way his lips thin with indignation. he could study that face for hours. he could memorize it, and carry it with him when he finally slips from this world. it would be a final wish realized.

rohan has carved a wall from his flesh, solid and heavy. he has kept every neomuni who has turned their gaze upward at arm's length. and yet osiris sees through it yet. and yet he steps closer and closer, tearing away worn bricks with weathered hands and painted nails. with tired eyes and laugh lines that haunt rohan's dreams. with the smell of cardamom and cinnamon that lingers after he is gone.

silence stretches for a moment. and then, the hand over his leg lifts. rohan rests his palm against the other's cheek. his thumb brushes over osiris' bottom lip. his fingers tremble.

"tell me to leave," he pleads, and the massive strider's voice breaks. "tell me to go. i cannot give what you deserve."

"don't what?" he snaps back.

osiris is not patient, he never has been patient for obfuscation or the dance rohan tries to employ. he sidesteps it, presses down on him. if saint is stubborn, if rohan is stubborn, then osiris is twofold unyielding. this time he does not allow rohan to withdraw as often as he did when they were just beginning to grow.

"i know your kind," he starts, and though he speaks bluntly there is no venom behind his words. there is no acrimony.

he is saying listen.

he is saying you will pay attention to me.

he is saying i am the rock in your shoe impossible to ignore.

"your armor is so thick you pretend as if the heart of the city is yours and only yours to bear. you are alone, tasked with the sisyphean effort of bringing forth a brighter future, but you do not allow yourself simple human needs because you do not consider yourself worthy of such needs."

he is saying i see you.

and is there anything more cruel, more intimate, more kind, than someone reaching in to pull out your heart?

osiris knows. he knows he knows he knows. he had locked his own away for so long and kept it from being touched because he was so afraid of losing the very few who have held it so tenderly in the palm of their hands. and though he still struggles, though his instinct is to fight when he is stripped bare, he tries and he tries to allow such vulnerability.

it isn't his job to fix this for rohan. but it is his to reach out. to offer the possibility of meeting halfway. and he knows that this will only end in tragedy and heartache but is it not better to have loved than to imagine what-ifs?

"armor can be repaired. the heart cannot. you need not choose to be lonely, rohan. i know better than anyone what that does to a person."

[fanthatracks]

FanthaTracks.com https://fantha.news/g1k3b

Brick City Blockade Journey To Episode IX | The Rise of Skywalker Review

Hosts Andrew Gerrish and Robin Vogt of Brick City Blockade's journey to Opening Night of The Rise Of Skywalker ends with a bang! On this episode, the gentlemen breakdown their viewing of The Rise Of Skywalker on opening night. The community may have it's thoughts about the conclusion to the

Take The Link To Read The Full Article #starwars #FanthaTracks

[terzos-edibles]

Silver Linings

1. Gotta Keep On, Keepin' On

Summary: No kid, no tribe, and avoiding his responsibilities, Din Djarin has gone back to bounty hunting and mercenary work under the watchful eye of Boba Fett. After a job on Ibaar goes very wrong in more ways than Din would like to count, he is forced to flee with a very peculiar New Republic doctor. He is determined to get enough credits and fuel to drop the doctor off on her home planet and be done with it. But will he be able to part ways with her after she finds all the right and wrong ways to push his buttons?

Words: 1.8k

Rated Mature: language, canonical violence, depression, mentions of suicidal behavior.

“I don't know if I'm scared of dying But I'm scared of living too fast, too slow Regret, remorse, hold on, oh no I've got to go There’s no starting over No new beginnings time races on.” - My Silver Lining, First Aid Kit

Ibaar-

The fist of the Empire reached far, sweeping across the farthest reaches of the Galaxy; the deepest corners seemed to have felt its influences. Even the smallest, poorest planets had Stormtroopers deployed to them - a formality to further oppress the planets’ occupants and show their might - and dissuade any sort of rebellion from sparking. The destruction of the second Death Star and subsequent death of Emperor Palpatine at the hands of the Rebellion had shown that plan hadn’t, well, panned out. Still, in the five years or so after the fall of the Empire, the New Republic was just now starting to finally make its way into the Outer Rim Territories after ensuring that the more strategically essential planets were well taken care of. Remnants of the Empire still clung to those planets, holding out hope that the Empire would somehow revive itself and their loyalty would be rewarded. Many felt that the New Republic had abandoned them, that things hadn’t gotten any better since the Empire had fallen. It would be the same as it had always been. The Outer Rim would continue to be forgotten, continued to be terrorized by Remnant Stormtroopers, continued to be terrorized by pirates, and continued to be terrorized by gangsters. People had given up hope once again.

But, aid was coming. Slowly, but it was coming. New Republic troops were starting to make their way back out towards planets that needed them, bringing with them much-needed supplies and rations. Marshals were installed in the major cities and villages to help keep the peace and bring a sense of law to an otherwise lawless territory. Medical teams were dispatched to provide much-needed tautology assistance to planets that were unable to get the care they needed.

Doctor Gertrude Ásketill was the first in line to sign up for those peace operations. She was coming hot off of her time as a rebel medic. She was bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and full of hope as they deployed her to the first assignment. She had an entire team - plenty of assistants and droids to ensure that everyone got the proper care they needed. They were able to start a proper clinic, train the locals, and establish a line to the core planets to ensure they could get all the medicine and vaccines they would need. Trudy felt good when she left that planet for the second.

The second planet saw fewer supplies and resources. She thought maybe it might have been a mistake. This planet had a bigger population than the last. Perhaps they didn't realize they needed to send more supplies, but then the third and fourth planets came. Supplies and resources were stripped as funding got cut, and slowly her team was redistributed to other projects.

And that left Trudy on the fifth planet - Ibaar.

It was just her and a few other doctors spread across the Outer Rim that was left of the program. She was sure that they would be recalled back to Chandrila - the capital of the Republic, but that had been almost a year ago. She had been on Ibaar for about as long. She was alone; at least, it felt that way. The only other two in her clinic with her was an older model R4-7 droid named A9-C that had been reprogrammed to help in the medical field. The humanoid-shaped, bug-eyed droid was built in the early days of the Empire and complained more than he assisted. The other was a teenager named Max, who had taken an interest in medicine. Whether it was because he liked Trudy or wanted to become a medic was to be answered. He was a good assistant and listened.

The only other Republic representative on Ibaar with Trudy was the Marshal: Baxley Morgan. How that man ever got the job of Republic Marshal was beyond her. It was probably why he ended up out here. He had a good heart, but the boy was dumb as a brick, and while she was no fighter - she could at least shoot a blaster well enough to hit whatever she was pointing at. It might not have been where she wanted it to go, but at least it’d hit its target.

The Empire had put blockades up to punish the Ibaarians for being sympathetic to the rebel cause. The aid that had been promised to the Ibaarians had finally come, and it was a little lackluster. The locals were friendly enough, but they felt a little betrayed. Trudy couldn’t blame them.

Trudy had become jaded herself; things were back to the status quo. There weren’t any more Imperial blockades, but with the lack of resources and supplies coming in - there might as well have been.

Ibaar, all-in-all, wasn’t a bad planet. It was a mountainous, temperate planet. The capital village, and the one that Trudy was in, was nestled in a valley - built into the side of the mountain while the rest of the land in the valley was used for farming. The natural cliffs that reached their stony fingertips to the sky provided a natural defense for the village, and the hundreds of waterfalls that cascaded down their sides gave the village and farms much-needed water. On a clear day, you could see for miles around. Though for all of Ibaar’s beauty, the weather was the worst. They could be lucky to see the sun one, maybe twice, per month. The rest of the month was plagued with overcast clouds, fog, daily rain, and nightly thunderstorms. It took some getting used to, and Trudy had ordered extra vitamins to help with the lack of sun.

Despite being the capital village of Ibaar, Laakso Village didn’t even have its own docking bay within the village’s boundaries, especially - making already scarce supplies harder to get. Luckily speeders made that journey a bit less complicated, though it was still rough going. A local warlord and his gang - a former Imperial commander and his troopers - had taken it upon themselves to decide that the Ibaarian Mountains were a great place to hide and run their smuggling business out of, using the old rebel tunnels from the war.

It made things dangerous.

Unsuspecting travelers going to and from the port or any of the other smaller villages in the mountains would be ambushed. Those lucky to survive had their property stolen. The bandits would look for anything from blasters, food, credits, various forms of technology they could get their hands on, and medical supplies. Trudy didn’t know how many villagers and travelers she had patched up in her time there, injured by ambushes. While the gang kept the locals terrified, they still hadn’t been bold enough to make their way into Laasko Village, choosing instead to raid the smaller outer villages - ones not protected by a marshal.

Baxley was having a hell of a time dealing with it himself and had brought up hiring some extra help. Trudy had nipped that in the bud; hiding behind hired mercenaries wasn’t going to do anyone any good - that he really needed to call in support from the Republic. The conversation tapered off after that, and the emergency seemed to have died down. However, as it always did, there was no downtime. The newest crisis cropped up - the report of the flu on a neighboring planet in the same system. A planet Ibaar happened to trade with. Which meant Trudy had to work to get vaccines to Ibaar before everyone was sick. She had ordered them about a month ago. Thank the stars someone was on her side, and the vaccines only took a month to get to her. Someone had made the shipment hastily, and they were currently waiting for someone to pick them up. Trudy couldn’t pull her boots on fast enough when the docking attendant called her to report they had been dropped off. Within fifteen minutes, she was in a speeder with a blaster and Max in the passenger seat. They would get there by nightfall - if they were lucky. Trudy just hoped to the stars above that nothing happened on their way.

----

It seemed as though Trudy’s silent prayers were answered. She pulled the speeder around to the docking bay and left it idling as Max hopped out of it, striding up to the attendant’s office and rapping his knuckles on the glass. He had grown like a sprout since Trudy had been there, now easily towering over her - though that wasn’t exactly hard to do. Brownish red shaggy hair constantly fell into his eyes, much to his mother’s dismay, and he was a lot less intimidating than he liked to think he was, especially with those freckles. Trudy waited as they exchanged words, waving a hand as the attendant poked his head out of his office and motioned to where the vaccines were - clearly annoyed he had been interrupted from his dinner and whatever wrestling match was on the holo. Trudy moved towards the vaccines, scanning them in with the datapad she pulled from her pack and happy to see that they didn’t have to quite rush back with them. Their cooling system had enough charge to allow them to rest a little bit - though they would still have to make the trip back by night. Max helped her load the crates into the back of the speeder and went out front to buy them both some roasted tip-yip and drinks from the food cart out front. Trudy turned around, eyeing the gunship docked in the bay the vaccines had been stored in. Annoyance twisted in her stomach that the valuable vaccines were stored where some random visitor to the planet could just poke through them. Though, the presence of the gunship made her raise an eyebrow. Not many ships like this made their way out here; either the owner was here for a quick refuel, or they were up to something no good. She scowled at it as Max returned with the tip-yip on a stick and a couple of cool bottles of water. “We didn’t get harassed today,” Max observed as he sat down on the roof of the speeder, and Trudy took a seat inside. “You think somethin’ is goin’ on?”

She nibbled at the meat on the stick and offered a shrug, turning to look back at the gunship. “Who knows. I just hope they keep whatever they’ve got going on out of the village. I want to sleep peacefully when we get back.”

You know the phrase famous last words? Those were Trudy’s.

--- Miles away, a Mandalorian clad in beskar armor was about to attempt to take down a stronghold of bandits and remnant stormtroopers all on his own. Maybe Fennec Shand was right. Maybe he was suicidal. ** Chapter 2: But I Ain't Dead Yet Taglist: @novemberrain221, @blackdogdesignuk, @mistyfur5, @thepoisonofgod

[raindrops-and-tubestops]

Random prompts - KyaLin: 14.  “Okay, so maybe I didn’t see that coming.”

Here you go Nonnie, I hope you enjoy! 💕

“Where is she?” Kya wasn’t wasting time.

The words were out of her mouth as soon as she ducked around the corner of the building. She crouched in front of the younger detective, waiting patiently for his his answer. She could feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins.

Mako looked up in surprise, trying to find a frequency but getting only static from the radio on his hip. He had been pinned down at this corner for the better part of fifteen minutes.

How in the hell had Kya managed to get through?

As if wanting to answer his question, the Master Healer leant around the wall drawing water from the pouch at her hip. With a flick of her hands, that was probably more complicated than he was able to see, she sent a torrent of water out into the skirmish. He grinned as he heard screams and what sounded like bodies thudding against the stone of the street.

Looking back at him, she winked conspiratorially.

“Mako, honey,” she tried again, her voice softer, “where is she?”

He didn’t have to question who she was talking about. He could see the worry behind the blue eyes, all though anyone else only would have seen the determination. Kya needed to get to the Chief, Mako had a bad feeling about all this.

This whole debacle started twenty minutes before the end of shift. A call came over the emergency radio at the precinct that there was an attack on the new clinic just west of the new spirit portal. The Triads were trying to make a statement to the Chief of Police as well as the rest of the city.

They were able to establish a blockade before the fighting reached the inside of the clinic. The doors, front and back were barricaded. The patients and healers inside were safe, some were out here on the front lines working to heal the fallen officers, Kya included.

Mako swallowed, his throat dry and sticky, “The last I saw her, she was swinging on her cables in that direction.”

Kya followed his finger as it pointed across the street, landing on the roof tops of the alley way directly across from them. He watched her run through some things in her mind, maybe calculating the risks of crossing through the battle raging in the street.

As they peeked around the corner, it was clear there were no signs of either side stopping. There was fire flying through the air only to be intercepted by water from an unknown source, pieces of the street and the buildings rippled as they were manipulated by earthbenders from both sides.

Metal from nearby stalls and storefronts groaned as it was manipulated by officers, quickly shaping into flat sheets, encasing the wounded or protecting those volleying off counter attacks.

If she hadn’t been looking for it, she would have missed the shink of cables being released from their casing and subsequently Lin swinging across the street. She came to rest on the side of the clinic, one hand wrapped around the cables imbedded in the wall and the other gripping the hand hold she created on the brick.

Kya had a momentary flashback of when they were younger and Lin used to grip the walls of the Air Temple Island dormitories in the same manner…it never failed to freak her mother out. She chuckled quietly to herself, feeling the exact moment that Mako spied the Chief as well. The metalbender seemed to be looking for something, she was scanning the foray, clearly thinking she was up high enough to not be noticed.

But someone had noticed her…someone was silently curling a water tendril along the wall, not quite touching the stone. She wouldn’t be able to feel it.

Before Kya could call out, she watched as the tendril wrapped around Lin’s ankle, the look of shock on her face would have been comical in any other circumstance. The Chief was ripped from the side of the wall, disappearing from view behind a large pile of wreckage, her cables hanging lifeless, still attached to the wall.

The next thing Mako knew Kya was running, and then he was too, trying desperately to keep up with her impressive pace. He guessed it was the adrenaline and worry that made her so reckless, but at least he was there. The waterbender was able to doge most of the attacks flung her way as she rushed towards where the Chief was last seen, but Mako did fling the occasional blast of fire, he had to make sure she stayed safe at least.

Kya rounded the side of the wreckage where they had seen Lin disappear, tripping and landing in the water spread across the ground. She managed to keep her footing and pushed off the ground with the palm of her hands. She stopped short and if he hadn’t been paying attention, Mako would have slammed into the back of her.

The Chief was on the ground, lying extremely still..too still, the only thing that kept Kya from dropping to her knees was that she could see her chest rising and falling. Slowly, but it was a win nonetheless. Next to her, with a metal spike sticking out of their chest, was the waterbender Kya assumed had ambushed Lin. They weren’t moving, not even their chest.

Mako gripped her shoulder and brought her back to herself, the surroundings coming back into focus. They sprinted the rest of the way, Kya dropping to her knees next to Lin, barely registering the sting of her battered skin or the sound of Mako dragging the body away from them.

She pulled water from the flask at her hip and began to assess the younger woman’s injuries. A dislocated shoulder, a bruise on her right cheek discoloring the skin around her scars, a possible concussion…not sure how bad that was and two cracked ribs. She would be ok.

“Thank the spirits,” Kya mumbled, hanging her head in relief,

Mako was now crouched beside her, the blue glow of the healing water casting shows on all their faces. He would scan the surrounding area and then return his gaze to Kya and the Chief every so often.

Kya released the catches of Lin’s uniform, knowing just how unamused her wife was going to be when she regained consciousness and found herself in just her uniform pants and under tank. Kya stifled the absurd laugh that bubbled up, practically choking on it.

As the water was concentrated on her left side, the ribs, Kya could feel the awareness returning to her partner, her heartbeat picking up slightly. That was all the warning she got before Lin sat up, her forehead barely missing Kya’s.

“Whoa,” Kya intoned softly, Mako behind Lin instantly, offering her support, “take it easy Chief.”

Lin winced and moved to grab her head, her shoulder and ribs protesting violently.

“What the hell happened,” she groaned.

Kya was now focused on Lin’s head, trying to relive the pressure that was causing her partner to be slightly nauseous. The healer glared at the metalbender, Mako cowered in sympathy.

“Lin, what was Aunt Suki’s main rule in combat?”

The Chief looked at Kya in confusion, whether from the change in topic or from the head injury, Mako wasn’t sure.

The glare deepened, “What was it Lin?”

The anger in Kya’s voice immediately snapped the metalbender out of her daze. They connected eyes, snapping blue to sheepish green, and Lin was reminded of all the times she had seen those eyes. Most notably when they were caught sneaking back onto the island as children and when she did something particularly stupid. Kya may have taken after Uncle Aang in the Air Nomad sense, but her temper was all Aunt Katara.

“Keep track of your surroundings,” Lin sighed as the pressure in her head finally lifted.

“Yes Lin,” Kya continued, voice hard as she moved to the shoulder, “and what didn’t you do?”

Lin followed the movements and relented, “Keep track of my surroundings.”

Mako stifled a chuckled at the clearly admonished Chief…they needed to bring in Master Kya more often he thought.

Kya huffed, “Exactly, now this is going to hurt.”

As soon as she gave the warning Lin grit her teeth, sucking in a breath as Kya quickly reset the joint. The pop making Lin sick to her stomach, the searing pain keeping her from losing it completely. The ache was soon replaced by the cool feel of the healing water, a relief that Lin didn’t know she needed.

“I had the situation under control,” she bit out.

Kya went still, eyebrow raised in a challenge, and Lin had the good sense to back down slightly.

“Before or after that waterbender plucked you off the side of the building like a ripe moon peach?”

The Chief’s cheeks colored slightly, as she looked down at her lap. She started when she realized she was no longer wearing her uniform. The glare directed towards Kya was one for the books, she was not pleased.

Kya huffed indignantly, she could really give a shit right now.

Lin leant forward, taking some of her weight off Mako as the detective went to stand. She nodded towards the boy, a quiet thanks that he returned as he settled into a cautious stance.

“Okay, so maybe I didn’t see that coming,” Lin relented.

Kya didn’t respond, just kept to her task, working to heal her wife. She was furious…and scared, Lin could sense the residual adrenaline in Kya’s system.

She inclined her head, trying to catch her wife’s eyes as she worked on the shoulder joint. When Kya finally gave in and looked up, Lin could see the sheen of tears just along the water line of her lashes. She cursed herself.

Lin leant forward and cupped the back of Kya’s head, their foreheads connecting, the air between them charged with emotion. She could feel Kya shaking, everything in the last hour finally catching up with her.

“I’m ok,” she reassured the healer, her voice gentle, “I’m sorry and I’m ok.”

Their lips met tentatively, soft at first but slowly growing desperate. The need to feel, to know that each other was alright, winning out over decorum. Mako turned slightly, giving them as much privacy as their situation could allow.

New Prompt List 💜

PS: the prompts can be original too 😊

[tvdiaries-imagines]

Old Flame: Pt. 17

Warnings: Cursing, tobacco use

Word Count: 4694 (the longest chapter so far!)

OLD FLAME MASTERLIST: CLICK HERE

-

“WHERE IS SHE?!” 

Klaus roared throughout the courtyard, furious that you are nowhere to be found after you successfully snapped his neck. The moon was out the last time he’s seen you but waking up, the moon had disappeared and now it’s daylight. He usually wouldn’t have woken up this late from a simple snapped neck, but you took a page out of his book and stuck a vile of vervain in his system after successfully finding his vervain collection.

Hayley and Jackson were across the way on the second floor, having a quiet chat beside the railing. “Who?” Hayley asked, puzzled.

“Y/N!” Klaus shouted, fuming as he’s glancing around the vicinity.

Kol stepped out of one of the rooms on the second floor after hearing a frantic original. Hayley and Jackson stepped inside the nearest room, figuring Kol could handle Klaus. “I thought she was with you, Nik?” Kol brought up.

“Apparently, she said she was fine last night.” Klaus raced towards his brother who sauntered inside the bedroom he’s occupying during his stay. “Then she snapped my bloody neck and disappeared with the stake.” He retrieved his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed your number. After a couple rings, he nearly cursed after being sent to voicemail. It wasn’t a surprise to him since almost every time you’re in a dire situation, your phone is never answered. But, Klaus figured he’d try. 

“What happened to her when I left to speak to Esther?” Klaus asked, jaw clenched. 

“If I tell you, give me your word that you won’t be cross with me.” Kol eyed him anxiously. 

“What did you do?” Klaus muttered in an alarming tone.

“All I did for Y/N was a favor. I had no control of how she’d react.”

“Spit it out, brother. What is it?”

“She was worried about her friend, Kai Parker.” Kol answered. “Figured Esther was behind it, so she requested I find out. Turns out, mother sent him to a prison world and there’s no fixing it.”

“And that’s the reason for her lunacy?” The hybrid’s nostrils flared in aggravation.

“It is.” 

“Good riddance. I don’t know what Y/N sees in that imbecile.” Irritation pricked at him.

To add even more stress, an angry Finn Mikaelson immediately walked in, magically breaking one of the vases on the table. “Where is she?”

“Finn, please, join us.” Klaus said with blatant mockery. 

“Don’t make me ask again.” Finn sneered. 

“I assume you’re referring to our mother. Fear not, she’s tucked away somewhere perfectly safe.” Klaus added. “You’ll never find her.”

“You think you’ve won. Let’s see how long that arrogance lasts, brother.” Finn glared at his brothers before turning around and marching away with heavy steps.

Klaus tried reaching you again but was sent to voicemail. That alone ticked him off and he was close to throwing his cell phone at the brick wall. 

“I’m going to find Y/N. You’re coming with me, Kol.” Klaus made his way out of the bedroom in lengthy steps.

“Oh, splendid.” Kol responded back, trailing behind his brother.

Reaching the courtyard, there were a handful of Hayley’s wolf allies and Marcel’s group of vamps gathered together. Klaus is aware that it’s Hayley and Marcel’s attempt for them to make a truce for the bigger picture.

“Klaus, stop!” Hayley blurted, Klaus and Kol stopped in their tracks.

“Finn spelled all of the exits. We can’t leave.” Marcel added.

Klaus put a palm up at eye view, slowly reaching out until his skin sizzled against the spelled blockade, letting out a faint groan from the affliction. He threw his healing hand down to his side and shifted his view to his youngest brother, expression hardened. “Fantastic.” Klaus muttered sarcastically.

(Meanwhile…)

After disappearing into the night, you booked a suite at the Ritz-Carlton. You’re aware that Klaus has plenty of connections, so you assured that you didn’t put a card on file in case he traces it. Instead, you compelled the staff to allow you to stay for free. You even took extra precautions and showed them a photo of Klaus so that if he ever steps foot into the Ritz-Carlton, they’ll notify you right away.

Having your humanity off so far has been dandy because you had no care in the world. If you were your normal self, there’s no doubt that you would be following Klaus around like a lost puppy during one of his missions and the thought made you sick to your stomach right now.

You woke up this afternoon to your suite nearly trashed from the little party you decided to throw last night because you gathered a handful of good looking people from bourbon street and plenty of liquor to keep you inebriated throughout the night. A man and a woman stayed overnight, thanks to your compulsion. You knew you’d be famished this afternoon and fresh blood ultimately did the trick for you. 

After an incredible shower and devouring your sinful snacks, you compelled your victims to bandage up their wrists and be on their way. Housekeeping began tidying up your suite after you made your way out.

Though your craving for blood is fulfilled, you desired a hot bowl of gumbo, so you threw on your sunglasses and trekked through the quarter, crossing your fingers that your pesky beau isn’t looking high and low for you in the area. Your heels clicked along the cement, wearing your best black dress sitting pretty just above your knees.

Gumbo Shop was what you decided on and the friendly host sat you down at a table inside, farthest away from the windows. She did as expected by leaving a menu with you and handing you off to a server.

Within the hour, all of your cravings are satisfied so you left a generous tip for your server and went on your merry way. You weren’t sure what you planned to do next, so you allowed the city to decide for you. A street performer captured your attention so you stopped to observe. 

Out of the blue, you spot Finn Mikaelson nearly walking past you in a rush. “Hi Finn. Why are you always so glum?” You teased, brow raised. He put a halt to his steps, hands behind his back. He wore a dark suit, the jacket fully unbuttoned.

“No use in going home anytime soon, dear Y/N.” He implied arrogantly. “Nobody can get in or out, thanks to my spell.”

“I wasn’t planning on it, but alright.” In the blink of an eye, Finn strolled away. “Change of plans I guess.” You smirked.

(Later…)

Entering through the gates of the compound, you discovered over a dozen people in the courtyard. It seemed like they were not enjoying themselves whatsoever. There were a few familiar faces as well, including Marcel, Josh and Hayley. You wondered if Klaus or Kol managed to get trapped here as well since they weren’t in the space from what you can see. Your presence seemed to catch everyone’s attention though.

“Don’t you all look cozy.” Your haughty tone was obvious. 

“Y/N wait!” Marcel alerted. “Don’t take another step. Finn put up a boundary spell.”

“Thanks for the heads up Marcel. But I already knew that. I bumped into Finn earlier.” 

“But you came anyway?” Marcel raised a brow in suspicion. 

You shrugged your shoulders in response, leaning against the wall close enough to the invisible barrier. Once everyone else besides Marcel realized that you were no help in freeing them, they were no longer interested in your presence and went back to sulking.

“Ah I see.” He came to a realization. “You’re here to gloat. Why?”

“There you are.” Klaus appeared from the shadows. His edge of irritation returned and drew a scowl over his face.

“Here I am.” You were feeling exceptionally smug. While examining your fingernails, you planned to get a manicure after this foolish conversation.

“Where the bloody hell have you been?”

You showed uninterest without any eye contact as you pulled a cigarette and lighter from your purse. You placed the toxic stick in between your lips, lighting the end of it and taking a puff effortlessly as if you’ve always been a smoker. Klaus glared at your repulsive act.

“I’ve been around.” You responded after exhaling, finally making eye contact with the hybrid.

“Care to explain why you felt it was necessary to render me unconscious for hours on end and then scurry off to god knows where.” With a brisk elevator look, he motioned a nagging hand at you. Klaus was displeased with your outfit choice without him there to claw the eyes out of every man that looks at you with hungry eyes.

He almost asked you about the whereabouts of the white oak stake, but he remembered that there are ears around that he doesn’t trust. 

“The thought of having to explain to you bores me.” You fake yawned. “So I don’t think I will.” 

“Something’s different about her, Nik.” Kol added, his mouth set in a hard line.

“I’m aware. Her humanity must be off.” Klaus made his way closer towards you, stopping as close to the barrier as he could. You stepped over to be face to face with him, sniggering.

“There ya go.” You snorted in amusement, the toxic stick weighing at your sides, carelessly flicking off the ash on the grounds of the compound. “You really aren’t the dumbest Mikaelson, Nik.” Klaus ignored your unnecessary comment, his firing eyes following the cigarette going from your mouth to your sides.

Kol began sauntering over to his brother, standing side by side. “Oh sister. Your humanity, eh?” He shook his head in disappointment, arms folded across his chest. “I thought you were bigger than this.”

You dropped the half finished cigarette on the concrete by your feet, crushing the butt with the ball of your stiletto. “My favorite Mikaelson brother is disappointed in me.” Your hand flew to your chest, fake pouting. “I’m crushed. I really am.” 

“Stop this nonsense immediately, Y/N.” Klaus said, a scowl strewn across his face. 

“Or what?”

“Do not test me.”

“Well last time I checked, you’re trapped in there while I’m free out here. So joke’s on you, my love.” You teased. 

A sinister chuckle left Klaus’s mouth. “You shut off your humanity for whom? A useless dullard.” You stared at the ceiling, placing your hands at your hips. “Out of all the choices Esther has made in life, I’d say that sending Sir Malachai Parker back to the prison world was the best one.” He grinned, hoping to have hit a nerve to get your humanity back. “It pleases me knowing that he will be stuck there for all eternity. All alone.” He chose his words carefully and perfectly. 

Suddenly, your hands fell and your blank eyes set onto Klaus’s, unmoving. By your reaction, there was a glimmer of a chance that it worked. You grasped both of the Mikaelsons’ undivided attention. 

“Nice try.” You cocked your head to your side, your once unreadable expression is now evidently complacent and it boiled Klaus’s blood. His hands clenched at his sides as he’s trying to hide his defeat from you. Kol just simply sighed at their defeat, aware that it was a longshot anyways. “I’m bored. Bye boys.” Without a care in the world, you turned on your heel and departed the compound.

Once you were out of sight, Kol turned to face his brother who was still looking at the spot you were once standing at, unable to mutter any words. “Nik?” Kol murmured, careful not to overwhelm him.

After a beat, Klaus continued to ignore his brother and vacated the spot where he stood. He made his way towards a vacant section of the compound. Kol followed behind him. 

Before Klaus could touch the handle of one of the doors on the first floor, Kol attempted to acquire his attention for the second time. “Brother?” Klaus puts a halt to his long strides, taking a deep breath.

In the blink of an eye, he vamp speeds to Kol, barely leaving any space in between the two as his murderous eyes bore into Kol’s. “Don’t.” Klaus warned through clenched teeth. That dangerous tone itself informed Kol to leave him alone in the meantime. And just like that, Klaus swung the door open and violently slammed it behind him, causing a few of the other vampires and wolves to flinch. 

Your mani and pedi finished in an hour. You began scouring the quarter for inspiration on what other shenanigans to get into again. After walking in and out of a few gift shops along the way and stopping to tip some of the street performers, you finally stumbled upon bourbon street.

Normally you’d throw your money at the bartenders in one of the many jazz clubs, however, house music blared through one of the other clubs and it instantaneously called your name. Males and females in their 20s occupied this loud space, yet, you didn’t mind one bit because they’re of your age compared to your 1000 year old lover with anger issues.

Dancing and mingling with these fine people made your current cold heart wish that Camille was here to join you. But you wouldn’t dare risk having her call Klaus or Kol and informing them of your whereabouts. Who knows, you might end up snapping her neck dead for doing so and you didn’t care to waste your energy. Marcel and Josh could be trusted not to tell a soul, however, they’re trapped in the compound.

You released your sharp teeth from a poor soul’s neck on the dance floor undiscovered. The warmth of her blood brought you satisfaction. “Go wipe that up in the restroom.” You compelled her and she walked off like a zombie.

(Meanwhile…)

The longer time passed with the magical barrier being up, the more Marcel and his vamps’s hunger grew for blood. It wasn’t looking good for Kol and the werewolves. They were practically walking blood bags.

To make matters worse, Klaus’s patience started running out. He needed to get to you before you caused any havoc or came to any harm. This is the first time you’ve ever turned your humanity off so he has no idea what to expect. The feeling made him sick to his stomach. Not to mention, the white oak stake can be anywhere but he trusts you’re smart enough to have it hidden somewhere good.

The entirety of the barrier will not diminish until nightfall and they couldn’t wait that long. But to their luck, it’s a miracle that Davina fancied Kol. She received a phone call from him, needing her assistance for a spell to lift the barrier and she put whatever she was doing on hold to come to his aid. 

They were almost certain that the spell would work. However, being that Finn is channeling something extremely powerful, they were only to be given 60 seconds for the barrier to be down. The plan was to have the wolves, Kol and Klaus exit the vicinity. 

Davina and Kol now stood face to face with the invisible barrier in between, palms as close to touching as it would allow them. Small, lighted candles lined up in front of the witches and a circle of salt surrounded them as they continued muttering their spell to one another.

Due to the spell taking its course, all of the vampires needed to resort to cowering in the shadows until after Kol and Davina’s spell die out. Klaus and the wolves were allowed to wait beside the barrier. 

A gust of wind abruptly flew through Kol and Davina, causing the candles to blow out and some of the salt to scatter. They exchanged smiles and were relieved to have the chance to touch palms. 

“Okay, Jack. Now!” Hayley announced.

“Come on, let’s go.” Jackson didn’t hesitate to rush his pack out of there, guiding them towards the exit along with Hayley.

“Remember, 60 seconds!” Kol reminded them. He was eager for the werewolves to egress and then he followed suit. 

But before Kol could take another step, Klaus dashed to him, holding him by the shoulder. “Slight change of plans, brother.” In a trice, he threw Kol in the air until he landed about 50 feet away, grunting in pain. “I no longer have to treat you like anything but the treacherous liar you truly are.” The hybrid spat. Davina’s neck snapped to him, bewildered. 

“What the bloody hell?” Kol gradually sat up, feeling just as confused as Davina.

“Where is she?” Klaus questioned, vampires eyeing his brother hungrily while they still waited in the shadows.

“Please, they’ll kill him!” Davina pleaded.  

“Well, he should’ve thought about that before he betrayed our sister.”

“What will Y/N think?!” She added.

 “Not to worry about my beloved’s opinions of Kol’s predicament. Let’s just say, she’s not herself today.” Klaus replied to Davina before returning his attention to the mischievous Mikaelson, who now rose to his feet. “Rebekah never made it to her new body, did she? Seeing as how you casted the spell, and well, you’re you. I’d hardly call it an uncrackable case.”

“Rebekah’s fine, Nik. It was a prank.” Kol quicked marched towards his older brother. “Nothing more than what you lot have done to me.” He pointed a nagging finger. “But I guess it’s different when it’s one-” The magical blockade was up and running again and its wrath burned Kol’s pale hand, causing him to reel backwards and hiss in pain.

“Barrier’s back up.” Klaus flickered his eyes at the ravenous vampires coming out of the shadows. “And those vampires look oh so hungry.” 

Kol grew anxious as the vampires made their way to him like a predator ready to take down its prey. Davina’s eyes began to well up in tears, yearning to come to Kol’s aid.

“I was willing to welcome you back into my home, but you had to return to your selfish petty jealousies.” Klaus said. “Well, let’s see how they help you survive when you’re stuck in there!” He stormed off towards the exit without the thought of a glance. He felt no remorse whatsoever for his little brother.

(Meanwhile…)

The sun began to set and it was no secret that you look damned good in the tight dress and towering heels. A handful of men even offered to pay for your drinks and you obviously obliged although you could’ve easily compelled them to. This made your job much easier. 

Since you were pretty buzzed and in an amazing mood, you allowed one of the pathetic men to dance with you, only being allowed to touch your arms or your waist. 

Due to the substantial amount of liquor in his system, his confidence was at an all time high and he attempted to lean in for a kiss. You snorted at his juvenile gesture and turned the other cheek. “N-Nice try. Fun’s over.” 

“Oh come on.” He insisted. As you were about to free yourself of his hold, he tightened his grip on your waist and it caught you off guard. Little does he know that you aren’t human, so you prepared yourself to use your vampire strength to free yourself. You smirked, allowing him this minor moment before you stripped it away from him. 

The drunkard fool leaned forward once again to press his lips onto yours while his hands stroked your waist. You rolled your eyes, snickering as you seized his wrists. “I said-” In a flash, he was thrown across the dancefloor but it wasn’t because of you. Some of the clubbers' attention were focused on what just happened and others acted like nothing happened. Before he could think to stand to his feet, one of the sizable bouncers roughly brought him to his feet to begin dragging him out. 

Everything happened so fast and you focused your view to the only person standing beside you to your left. Klaus Mikaelson. “Oh fuck you, Nik.” You grimaced at your inessential savior, your heels rapidly clicking off of the dance floor towards the exit. As much as you wished to vamp speed away, you were smart enough not to do it in the public eye. Humanity off or not.

Instead of hiding off in an alley, you stayed put by the entrance of the club where passersby can clearly see you, leaning against one of the brick walls. You searched through your small purse until you found a cigarette and lighter, but as you were about to light it, rough fingers pulled it out of your mouth. 

Klaus didn’t mutter a word, but you can tell by the expression on his face and his body language that he was seething inwardly. You were revelling in the moment. “I’m a vampire. I can’t get lung cancer, idiot.”  You scoffed at him. As much as you want to try to light another cigarette, you know that Klaus is just going to toss it. 

“We’re going.” He grabbed a hold of your bare upper arm, signaling to follow him or suffer the consequences. You shook his grip off, unphased by it. 

“You’re hilarious.” You said, keeping your feet planted to the ground. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“I’m serious, love. This isn’t a game. Let’s go.” Klaus remarked, towering over you. 

You peered up at him through your lashes, shooting daggers. “Did you forget? I don’t fucking care. Now leave me alone.” You shot him a glare and attempted to walk past him, but he stepped to the side as a wall.

“You out of all people know what I am capable of.” Klaus started. “And yet, you are determined to incur my wrath.” 

“Your wrath?” You snorted. “Okay then, show me. Right here, right now. In front of all of these people.” Klaus took a peep over your head, unmoving. You hummed in amusement. “I thought so.” 

You wasted no time and began trekking down bourbon street’s sidewalk, unsure of where you are headed as long as it’s away from Klaus. You freed your cell phone from your purse and began endlessly scrolling through social media, ensuring not to bump into anyone coming your way.

To your misfortune, Klaus materialized beside you, walking on the outside of the sidewalk.  “Oh, you’re still here.” You said dryly, eyes never leaving the screen. 

“In what world is this heretic worth your humanity?” He asked, disgusted. His eyes flickered from straight ahead to you. 

“My world, apparently.” 

“You know, you have people that could have helped you. There’s Stefan, Damon, Kol.” One by one, Klaus counted up to three fingers in the air before going back to relaxing his hand at his side. “Even Rebekah, if it weren’t for Kol’s foolish prank.” 

“Good to know, Nik.”

He gazed at you, swallowing before speaking. “You also had me.” 

“I can see that since you keep following me.” You finally peeled your eyes from your phone, throwing it back in your purse, raising your chin up at Klaus. He briskly narrowed his eyes, not allowing your cold response to get to him.

“Oh come now, sweetheart. Let’s not make this difficult for the both of us.”

“You’re making it difficult for yourself.” You waved an airy hand. “Now shoo, you’re killing the vibe.” 

“Alright then, Y/N. I’ve been far more patient with you.” Klaus creeped up behind you and swiftly cracked your spine so that you were comatose. Then, he scooped you into his arms so that he held you bridal style. 

To his luck, his swift, yet flawless gesture didn’t get a second look from anyone in the crowd. It seemed as if you were absurdly tipsy and he prevented you from falling to your knees. He felt a pang of relief and his tense shoulders relaxed knowing he can safely bring you home.

(Later…)

Finn’s barrier spell throughout the Mikaelson compound is now nonexistent. It is dead silent and the only two souls occupying this vast structure are you and the original hybrid for now. Your limp, unconscious body is tied to a wooden chair including your wrists and your ankles. 

Klaus has been pacing for the past few minutes, conjuring up different plans to mentally bring back the woman he loves, instead of this facade of a nightmare that is taking over. And hell, if it weren’t for your humanity switch, he would revel in tearing that dress off of you and making love to you until the sunrise. 

The sudden sound of your groaning put a halt to his steps. He watched as your head steadily moved up and you cracked your neck. Your eyes caught a glimpse of your surroundings which appears to be one of the many rooms in this godforsaken building. You raised a brow at your lover who is standing merely a few feet away just ahead of you. “This doesn’t look like the Ritz-Carlton.” You said in your head. 

“It would be impolite if I didn’t ask how your catnap was.” Klaus commented, wearing a shit eating grin.

“It was fantastic.” You returned his cocky expression with a flashing smile of your own.

“Now that I have you where you can’t simply walk off, let’s get to business then, shall we?” Klaus took amble strides towards you and kneeled until he was at eye level with you. “This will only take a second.” He noted, voice low enough for only the two of you to hear. 

As soon as his irises stared into yours, you turned your chin to the right, but Klaus was quick to seize your jaw with his strong fingers, shifting your view back to him. You knew exactly what his intentions were at that very moment. 

He’s going to compel you. 

The location of the white oak stake is still unknown to him and since he is closer to getting you back to your normal self, he’ll finally get the stake back. 

“Get on with it already. I don’t have all day.” You implied. Klaus kept his frustration in check from your moronic remark and went on with what he intended to do.

Your eyes focused on his, observing his pupils fascinatingly growing and shrinking. "You will put an end to this madness and turn it back on.” He released his grasp on your face. 

You blinked twice and your lips parted, chest rising and falling. “Nik.” You paused. “I-” Klaus began freeing one wrist from the bindings.

“What is it?” He asked, concerned.

As soon as one wrist was free, you sneered at him and before he could blink, you tore off the arm of the chair, flipped it over so that the sharp bit pointed out and stabbed Klaus in the neck with it. “Ah!” He called out, face contorting from the unexpected laceration.

Obviously, you could have simply kept playing it off as if your humanity was back so that Klaus frees you of all of the restraints. But, you wanted to poke fun at him instead. Inflicting pain onto Klaus was significantly more gratifying right now.

“You really thought you had me there, didn’t you?” You let out a burst of laughter. Klaus cried out in pain while pulling the stick of wood out of his neck and tossing it to the floor, taking heavy breaths as the gash healed. “Nice try, Nik. But I’ve been drinking vervain as of late. Thanks to Stefan and Damon for the tip.”

Instead of inflicting the pain back to you or snapping your neck to shut you up, Klaus stormed out of the room to overlook the courtyard from the railing. As much as he wanted to rip the railing off from his frustration, he shockingly kept his cool and an idea came to mind. He obtained his cell phone from his pant pocket and dialed a familiar number.

After many rings, his call was answered. 

“Klaus?” The voice on the other line said.

“Hello, old friend.” Klaus grinned, oddly comforted to hear their voice. “I’m in need of a favor.” 

-

A/N: Hope you guys appreciated the longer chapter!! I know the last one had a lot of Y/N x Kol moments, so I gave you guys more of Y/N x Klaus moments in this one. I have to say, it was quite fun writing with Y/N’s humanity off. And it was especially fun writing Klaus’s responses to it lol...Oh and I’m sure you guys can guess who Klaus’s ‘old friend’ is :)

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[fromgreecetoanarchy]

[Video] People smash police cars outside the Third Precinct Police Station (George Floyd, Minneapolis) No Justice, No Peace: Following a protest at the streets of Minneapolis on Wednesday, 27 May 2020, protesters reached the Third Precinct Police Station, repeatedly chanting "I can't breathe" where they proceeded to throw bricks, smashing the windows of the building and attack several police cars outside the station house. "The streets of Minneapolis exploded on Tuesday evening (local time), following the horrific murder of a 46 year-old African-American man, George Floyd, at the hands of white police officers on Monday. In a now viral video, Floyd’s grizzly murder was captured on film, as a white police officer held his knee on Floyd’s neck while on the ground for several minutes, as an angry crowd gathered and recorded the killing. In the video, Floyd can be heard saying that he was not able to breathe, echoing the words last spoken by Eric Garner, who was also killed by police in 2014 in a similar incident in New York.

Overnight, video of the attempted arrest circulated on social media. Posted by Darnella Frazier on Facebook, the 9-minute video shows a white officer pressing his knee into Floyd’s neck behind a squad car. While lying facedown on the road, Floyd repeatedly groans and says he can’t breathe.“He’s not even resisting arrest right now, bro,” one bystander tells the white officer and his partner, in the video. “You’re f—ing stopping his breathing right now, you think that’s cool?”

After about 5 minutes, Floyd stops moving and appears unconscious. People in the gathering crowd plead for the officers to check Floyd’s pulse. The officer on Floyd’s neck does not lift his knee until medical personnel arrive and carry him to an ambulance. Directly following the video of Floyd’s murder going viral, all 4 of the officers that were involved in the killing were fired, a rarity in cases involving police deadly use of force. Multiple media outlets also reported that the FBI is now investigating the killing “for possible civil-rights violations.” According to Mapping Police Violence, police are charged with a crime following deadly encounters only 1.7% of the time. Data from Killed By Police, a website which tracks police killings, shows that at least 400 people have been killed by law enforcement in 2020, making for an average of around 3 people per day.

Despite expected heavy rains and the firing of the 4 officers, the demonstration brought out thousands of people onto the streets; the vast majority of them wearing masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Aerial shots of the demonstration show it stretching across several city blocks. According to folks on the ground, actions happened throughout the city. At the intersection where George Floyd was murdered, there was a continuous gathering and street blockade. Marches on Tuesday took off from various points; collectively converging on the 3rd precinct. During one of these marches, anti-police graffiti slogans were extensively painted. Upon converging at the precinct, the massive crowd surrounded the building and the front window of the precinct was busted out and people began to write slogans on police cars and building walls, while others pelted other windows with eggs and projectiles. People then began attempting to break out more windows before being repelled by police tear gas from officers inside the building. A group of police wearing gas masks were then pushing the crowd away from the building and towards the police parking lot, where people began to tear open fences to vandalize and attack a variety of police vehicles; breaking out windows, mirrors, popping tires and spray painting slogans. Enraged, police then began shooting massive amounts of projectile weapons and tear-gas into the parking lot, pushing people onto the adjacent street, and away from their vehicles. Unicorn Riot reported on the ground that these tear-gas canisters led to a series of small fires, which were quickly put out by demonstrators, who also threw the tear gas back towards the police. Officers also shot off large amounts of “marker rounds,” which left large blotches of paint behind when fired; marking an individual for possible later arrest. Over the next several hours, running street battles took place between protesters and law enforcement, much of it within the parking lot of the nearby Target store. Rioters built barricades with shopping cars while police attacked the crowd indiscriminately. Those on the streets, many very young, acted bravely in the face of intense police violence, protecting each other, treating tear-gas, and throwing back smoke canisters. As the evening wore on, smaller clashes continued to break out with police until the early morning of Wednesday. The uprising comes after several months of rising unemployment and massive State failure in the face of the coronavirus.

[arthur-rex]

Continued from here ( x ) // @multistoty​

multistoty​:

Guinevere wasn’t exactly a rebel in the sense of her duty. She would forfeit the love of a prince for the sake of the prosperity of her country. Morgana and Arthur could put to rest many of the cruelties. The people feared Uther where loyalty would be. There were no voices of dissent to be heard. Death lurked in many people’s shadow. She’d been completely okay with keeping her position as hand maiden. Cleaning could grind out the cogs of her mind and allow nerves energy into the familiar weight of labor. Pride could be taken in ones ability. It wasn’t the future Arthur could create with his lofty ideas and brick hard brain, but one where she made a difference staying in her class. The king showed some ounce of humanity to his charges. The deaths felt leaden in her heart. Yet, hope came like the sun every morning. She was formidable. Elyan always put a sword in her darkened hand. He was reckless though concerned for her safety. The feelings between Gwen and Arthur were complicated. They had touched lips like the first breathe of air. But Gwen would not allow herself to be a problem for her friend and country. Surely, some princess would catch his eye. It was so frustrating to want and hate to want. Merlin had been acting odd which was saying something. Even before the square filled with people, there was something in the light of his eyes and twitch of muscles. Arthur, ever protective, had used his kingly voice to ask for her to stay and safety. It was a kindness that wasn’t needed. He knew that even in a day dress- threats could be illuminated. Her sense of heroics had attempted to get her outside. A few moments later, she had to be apart of this fight. Morgana would need her wherever she was. Merlin and Arthur could easily throw themselves in one big conquest. The entirety of the castle was in danger. So many young nights and men battling a creature from some ungodly magic. Blonde hair and bright orbs whizzed by her. Worry and affection coiling in her stomach. Leon was quite formidable, but Arthur knew how to lead. His tactfulness and quick wit in orders was as striking as the bravery exuding off of him. Her prince. Things weren’t going well. The knights seemed to quite literally hit the blockade. Arthur had blanked suddenly. The creature attempting to take the last of the Pendragon line. Her gown tore at the hem from her distressed pull and the impact of the fall. The city would see them. It was fine if he was alive. All of them would live through it. The wisp of a smile tugged at her lips with the formalness of the moniker. Fear momentarily outweighed. “Is that anyone to speak to the woman who just saved your life? ” He could be a prick at times. overestimating his power especially with non human foes. “Besides, I’m the safest person here. I happen to be occupying the space of a warrior crown prince.” It was too close to danger. scrapes and bruises creating a map on her skin as a blot of heat rose to her cheeks. it had been a hard fall from adrenaline. Her small body would have to be enough to knock a grown man down. “Do you have any idea? besides the lot of us with swords and staffs effectively attempting to impale it.”

Arthur blinks as Gwen sits astride him; rather casually telling him off for advising her to stay inside the palace where it was safe.

"Is that anyway to speak to the woman who just saved your life?"

The sheer audacity that allowed a woman of common birth to speak to a prince in this way is striking. But it is precisely Gwen’s refusal to address him as anything more than a simple friend which is what the young royal has always admired about her. 

Quietly, of course. As Uther’s child and the heir to the throne, Arthur is expected to be firm and authoritative: issuing orders, rather than accepting them. Especially when they came from a handmaid.

He smiles at the way she teases him with the quip that she is in the safest possible location now, lying upon a fearsome warrior. It is a nice thing to say to a man with a huge ego.

Arthur frowns abruptly, closing his eyes. His armour is digging into his shoulders, the steel caps over his knees causing an ache. Now that the threat to Camelot and her people has been dealt with, Arthur wishes to retire to his chambers and have a nice long soak in the bath tub. The privileges of royal life are there for him to enjoy, after all. He worked hard for them: struggling with the weight of his princely responsibilities and the expectations of his father every day of his life.

Opening his eyes to gaze once more at the beautiful woman above him, Arthur winces slightly as he attempts to move her gently.

“Gwen, would you mind? I need to get up.”

He’ll assess the damage and any of the losses impacting his men after the fight with the griffin, once he is back on his feet.