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toontails · 3 years ago

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Toon Quest|| Reader Insert

Chapter 3: I'm Here, You're Here, Everybody's Here!

A/n: Hey guys! Sorry I’m late (5 months late) sorry about that. I was busy! I promise! I had to

Split the chapter as this was a lot longer than I wanted it to be. So you’ll be seeing Chapter 4 and possibly chapter 5 real soon! I won’t leave for so long again. Don’t worry.

But I’ll make this note quick. A couple people messaged me and said that this story reminds them of Babqtfim. At the time I didn’t know what that was. Until I did research. And to satisfy some of you. I incorporated some of that in the plot. Don’t worry. It won’t change the plot drastically.

I particularly didn’t wanna publish this chapter as I feel nothing really happened in this chapter. But I couldn’t leave you all waiting for any longer!

Oh! And the next chapter. I’ll introduce to you—musicals! Don’t worry they won’t stay for too long in the story. I know not everyone likes songfics lmao. But it goes with the plot I promise! We’re starting to get rolling again so buckle up.

Enjoy!

“Now...where did I put that folder…” M/n searched the desk for a folder she was searching for—for about 4 minutes now. The day has pretty much been frantic—after Henry and M/n left from the board meeting yesterday, work had to be done in all departments. To start the new set of episodes—M/n was in charge of getting the scripts from the writers that were out of town—meaning they had to be shipped into the studio. Which was delayed about a day everyone was supposed to be scheduled to start reading through the script. But that was pushed off because of Bendy now being out of town and the fact that there was a new objective for everyone in the studio to do. Or...more to attend to in that matter.

M/n was silent as she looked under the receptionist desk. Muttering under her breath incoherently. She hardly noticed Charley sauntered over. After pestering Annie for a few minutes M/n so happened to be in his path as he was on his way to go find Edgar. Leaning over the desk he looked as M/n stood back up with a time ticking expression of annoyance slowly etching on her face. That was until she saw Charley standing on the other side of the desk where she flinched slightly, surprised at his sudden appearance.

“God dammit Charley—what did I tell you about sneaking up on me—“ she held a hand to her chest to feel her heart pace slowly slow down after seeing Charley.

“I dunno, I lost track, I think this is the...uh….5th time?” He fakes a thoughtful expression as if he were really counting the many times M/n told him to announce himself before just standing off to the side to be noticed. Which he was known around the studio for.

M/n shook her head and rubbed her forehead. “Did you see my clipboard today? It had stuff on it that I need because Henry wants to have a meeting with everyone in the conference room later on today and I need that.” She said, Charley raised an eyebrow, his eyes slowly sliding away from M/n and to the background where he saw..Edgar! Thank god...Edgar was holding a clipboard as he skipped down the hallway where he left earlier to follow Boris and Alice. He hardly noticed Alice and Boris trailing behind the spider as they talked to each other. The clipboard that Edgar had a grip on was yellow...well from what it seemed from where Charley was standing.

“Is it yellow?” He asks her. M/n perks up, removing her gaze from a stack of paper to look at Charley, In hopes that he had a clue to where her clipboard went. “Yes, it is. Do you know where it is?” She smiled at him. He looks back at her.

“Nope.”

“Then why did you—“

“But, I’ll go find it for ya’, how about that? I got a keen eye, don’t ya’ worry about a thing! You stay right there and I will be back in a jiffy!” He said before turning the other direction and walking off. M/n looked as if she were about to say something...but took his word that Charley would have her clipboard. The only reason Charley was going after it was so he could find out what Edgar wanted to speak to Alice and Boris for.

He, Edgar and Barley rarely talked to Alice and Boris and Bendy—actually they talked a lot because they were a part of the same production. But seeing Edgar seemingly...in a rush to speak to the two? Did raise questions to Charley. But Charley then remembered as he stopped walking.

“Where is Barley..?” He muttered.

“Fer’ the love of—where are ya’ takin’ me? You toss books on my head then expect me to venture off with ya’ to spy on Eddie, so what? Let the guy have a li—“

Charley smacks the back of Barley’s head who wouldn’t stop bantering with him. The eyepatch wearing toon grunts at the impact and rubbed the back of his head.

“Shut up you moron, you sure do love to bicker…” Charley grunts as he and Barley walked

down the hall where Alice, Boris and Edgar once were walking down. “We’re going to see what Ed and the others are talkin’ about, Alice has been rambunctious lately.” Charley said, looking at a door as they passed by, listening to see if anyone was in the room. Barley raised an eyebrow. “And why would that be our problem? Look—Bendy’s outta town. I can finally get a full night's sleep without him somehow having the urge to pull a joke on me at 3 in the morning. And I’d like to say, I slept wonderfully.” Barley said. Bendy was always around the studio doing little jokes and...well being a disruption. Especially to Sammy. It was just that Bendy rarely got out and interacted with other people—other than anyone in the studio. But now that he is gone for a day or two. Barley was glad to get some sleep in and some peace and quiet without having to run into Bendy’s antics.

“Look, I just wanna know what Ed’s got planned. Shut your trap and help me find them.” Charley walked ahead of Barley in search of the three. Barley muttered under his breath.

“Fine..”

“Don’t worry about society’s problems, they say, their problem isn’t our problem, they say—“ Y/n mocks. Watching the fields go by. It was still the afternoon and they..obviously were still on the road. Oswald was still seated next to Y/n. His ears flat against his head as he watched her...rather sarcastically bring up the last ‘meeting’ they had at the studio about all that was going on between toons and humans and how—it wasn’t their concern nor responsibility. And;

“Now look at us.” She said, She leaned far back into the car seat. Arms crossed across her chest. Bendy was still looking at the road. But Y/n could see his expression had almost turned sour.

“Are you hintin’ towards somethin’ or talkin’ just to be talkin’?” He asks her. Finally getting a reply from him. Y/n shook her head slowly. Looking at the road as well.

“I didn’t expect a diner to be a place where toons weren’t allowed. I don’t even know when they started doing that.” She said, Oswald opened his mouth to speak. As he did so his ears raised slowly.

“I’m pretty sure there’s other establishments that serve all of us.” Oswald said. Y/n didn’t reply for a second. She silently agreed with Oswald. There’s no way every single establishment or building had a no toons policy.

“Yeah…” she muttered. Everyone fell silent and for the most part the sound of the car's muffled engine was heard. It was nice to have a quiet feeling. Considering what had happened a few minutes ago. Y/n was no longer hungry after the altercation at the diner so for the most part her main focus was no longer on getting food. But figuring out what was in Idaho—or more who was in Idaho and what their next objective was. She felt Oswald sit back next to her. His shoulder touched hers as there wasn’t much room to begin with. But the space was still comfortable to sit with him in. She saw Oswald turn his palm face up and edged it over to Y/n. Y/n looked at his hand, uncurling her hand from her crossed arms hovering it above his and looked over at Oswald who was already looking at her. He must have seen she was maybe upset from not eating—or just the fact that the people at the diner were so...rude and the unexpected turn of events. Was he trying to comfort her somehow?

Soon he lifted his hand and took her hand in his. Y/n smiled and looked back out the window feeling the warmth cascade her hand—touching a toon seemed—odd. She could feel a soft texture from his ‘fur’ but then again it didn’t feel like fur. He was warm and not to mention, odd feeling four fingers instead of five intertwined around her five fingers. But, either way. It did relax her and stop her from bickering she was

Once doing it for about 40 minutes—which was mostly aimed towards Bendy but he didn’t seem to give her a reaction from her constant complaining. But either way, she was calmer and serene.

Soon the car slowed down. They were in a small town—similar to the one they just left in Oregon considering they were now entering Idaho. Y/n blinked momentarily. “What’s wrong?” She asks Bendy.

“The trail is gone.” He said his gaze still focused outside of the window to try and see if he could spot any sort of hint towards their new direction, but to no avail he couldn’t find any sort of trail or subliminal hint anywhere. Y/n looked at the welcome side on the side of the road. A chipped green painted sign with white letters elegantly painted on the wooden sign. ‘Warlington Hillside’

“Warlington Hillside…” Donald read the name, Panchito looking out the window at the sign as well. “Well. A mile back I saw we entered Idaho so..I guess..it’s up to us?” Y/n said. Turning to look at Bendy and then over her shoulder to Panchito and Donald. Donald's expression stirred into utter confusion.

“Why would it drop us off here? It couldn’t just lead us to where we need to be? Or who we’re looking for? For all we know—whatever we’re looking for can be in an entirely different town in this state.” Donald took the book that was on Y/n’s lap. He shook it momentarily as if it would make the book shake to life and get to working again. Panchito tilted his head.

“Ah...Donal—I don’t think it works that way my friend. It would just be best that we start here. After all! We are in a town!” He motions towards the front window of the car towards the town that would have been entering if Bendy kept driving.

“What are we supposed to do? Ask everyone in town if they see any suspicious activity?” Donald sarcastically said as he flipped through the pages of the book. Panchito froze for a moment. And then he shrugged as if to say the idea wasn’t so bad after all.

“Actually, I think that would be a perfect idea!”

“I was kidding—“

“I can’t believe we’re actually doing this. This is the dumbest idea ever…” Donald rubs a hand across his face and soon edged his beak. Y/n closed the car door and looked around the town. She actually took notice that the town wasn’t exactly a town? But more of a city. Its twinkling lights from each building caught her eye. The street lamps were now flickering on as it was nearing sunset—but the sun was still out, showcasing its melodious colors in the sky. Her eyes traveled around the area. Watching the cars drive by in the street and watching such...fashionable people walk down the street.

Looking over she saw a man and a woman walking by. Arms intertwined with each other as they both seemed to be in a deep conversation. But what took Y/n’s attention was the clothing. Their clothes seemed—dated back. The vest. The pants. The dress. It seemed tailored. With rich fabrics. Vintage clothing of something straight from a film in the era of the 40s.

Y/n never heard of this place before. In the distance she could hear jazz.

“Now. All we have to do is ask around!” Panchito glanced at the small group as he extended his arms to motion around his surroundings. Bendy had a hand on his hip. Giving Panchito a blank expression. Obviously he thought the idea of going around asking random strangers for any suspicious activity was a horrible idea. What kind of idea is that?!

“Oh lighten up. I like the looks of this place.” Oswald nudged Bendy. Bendy only sneered before moving away from Oswald’s constant nudging.

“This place—I don’t know. I don’t like it.” Donald denied. Crossing his arms and tapping his webbed foot to the pavement. The four turned their gaze to Panchito who caught their attention when he spoke to a random stranger passing by.

“Hola! A quick question.” Panchito says. The man stopped walking and looked at Panchito. A smile appeared on the stranger's face.

“Of course!” He said.

“Do you have any news around town? Anything suspicious? Anything new? Or big?” Panchito asks. The man thought for a moment. Bringing a hand to tap his chin.

“Well—nothing too out of place has happened around town! But you all should really go to this jazz band tonight—might not be the place you all are looking for. But it really is a good way to relax and loosen up for the night!” The man informed—not exactly information they were looking for. But then again. It was something.

“Is this some place everyone frequently goes to?” Y/n’s asks. Walking over to Panchito to look at the man. The man shook his head. “Oh no—I assume you all are looking for something? There’s been this toon in town—I can’t remember his name. But he’s looking for two other people? From what I remember he said something about them being on the radar from some other group of men. But anyway! He’s mostly at this bar around sunset after—well I don’t know what he does throughout the day—but either way. He’s always at this bar a few blocks down on Columbus Street. I would go ask if he needs works done if that’s what you all are askin’ for.” He thoroughly explained. Panchito hummed in amusement before glancing at Y/n to see what she had to say. Which—was great. Not only did they get information on the fact someone was kidnapped? Y/n wanted to assume it were toons in the same predicament Oswald was once in. But who was at the bar more than likely on the lookout for the same thing they are.

“Thank you! We’ll certainly give him a visit.” Y/n smiled. The man smiled and nods.

“He’s a toon—he’ll be easy to spot in the bar. I wish you all luck! Bye!” The man then turned around and walked off. Donald still had his arms crossed.

“I wonder who’s the big guy that’s on the same page we’re all on.” Donald said. Y/n turned around and looked at Donald. Bendy and Oswald stood next to Donald. Y/n tapped her fingers on her leg. Was it a good idea to even ask a random stranger that would seemingly have information? Maybe. Maybe not…but—either way.

“It’s worth a shot.” She muttered to herself. Glancing around the city she looked at the group of toons.

“Alright. Let’s go find this guy.”

“Okay—“ Alice took the yellow clipboard from Edgar. Edgar scattered into the empty meeting room. Past Alice. Boris walked in shortly after, closing the door as he walked in. Alice read over the list of things that M/n and wrote down—it was more of a to-do list. A series of things that needed to be done—mostly before the week let out. Alice ran a hand through her hair as she tapped her foot to the ground.

Boris stood by the table and then looked at Edgar. “So—what was it that you were trying to tell us? Other than that clipboard.” Boris spoke up. Edgar squeaked as he hopped on a chair. Standing on two legs. He placed his hands together as if he were some sort of pastor. He then pointed over to Alice mostly signaling towards her halo—but she was too busy reading the clipboard to take notice. Boris tilts his head. His gaze moved over to Alice when he took notice of Edgar’s gesture.

What could he be referring to? Looking back at the spider. Boris’s nose twitched. “I need more detail.” He says. Edgar nods before looking around before dashing off to the side of the room. Ripping open a closet and pulling a black throw over blanket from the closet before speeding over to Boris and hopping back in the chair. Edgar placed the black blanket around him as if it were a cloak. Edgar placed his hands together once again. As if he were praying. Boris' ears perked up slowly as his tail slowly swayed side to side.

“Is it someone or a something?” He asks. Edgar points to himself. Alice looked away from the clipboard and focused her attention on Edgar.

“Were you pointing at Alice’s halo?” Boris asked. Edgar nods once again. Finally! They were starting to understand him! What a miracle!

“I’m assuming this someone takes on—something religious?” Boris asks. Edgar once again nods. Alice was about to speak before a familiar voice interrupted. “He’s talking about nuns, you idiot.” Boris and Alice turned around and saw Charley standing in the corridor. Alongside Barley who had his arms in his pockets—as he always had them.

“Where did you two come from?” Alice asks. Turning to face the two. And placing a hand on her hip. Her upper lip twitching in annoyance. Charley motions towards Edgar. “Lookin’ for him! And M/n is looking for her clipboard—which you seem to have and I’m here to retrieve that and Edgar—“ Alice quickly cut Charley off by turning the clipboard around and showing it to Charley.

“July 23rd. A board party for toons and humans. It’s more like an integration celebration.” Was all she said. She practically shoved the clipboard in Charley’s face to show the circled date at the bottom of the list. Charley glared at Alice snatching the clipboard from her grip. He looked down at the clipboard and he felt Barley walk closer to him to read the list as well.

“Wuss so bad about it? It’s just some shindig.” Barley asks before looking at Alice. Instead of Alice explaining. Edgar hopped from the chair. Leaving the black blanket in the chair. He landed in the middle of the circle the four created. He squeaked and squeaked frantically. Waving his arms in the air. Charley furrowed his eyebrows.

“Aye! Calm down! What’s the rush?!” Charley told Edgar. Barley took the clipboard from Charley’s hands and read the list attentively. Alice looked between Edgar and Charley.

“What’s he’s saying?” She asks quickly. Edgar huffed before he went still and composed himself before looking at Charley. Letting out a series of squeaks.

“He’s going to explain from the beginning.” Charley translates. Alice nods before raising a hand. She leaned over and closed the door.

“But first. Charley—Barley. There’s something going on. World wide that is.” Alice said. Charley huffed. “Yeah—obviously we can tell. Sudden flux of toon riots and anti toon lovers are starting to rise.” Charley said. Alice nods—that was one thing that was out of the way that she didn’t have to explain. Thank goodness.

“Yes that. And—the fact that Bendy—and a few others are—I guess you can say are resolving some upcoming problems.” She said. Barley laughed under his breath. “What’d he do? Wreck private property again and get himself in cuffs?” He asks—mostly jokingly but Alice deadpanned for a moment as she shook her head.

“No. This is serious. Long story short. The real reason he’s away and out of town because M/n’s daughter found this book—the—“

“The one on TV.” Boris finished for Alice. Alice nods. Charley furrowed his eyebrows and thought for a moment…when the hell was the last time he looked at TV? He did remember seeing a news segment about some government artifacts being looted from a museum a few days ago. Now that he remembered. He could remember being told that the artifact was a book. And…he did hear Bendy in a room the night fumbling around as if talking to someone—now mentioning he heard more than one voice.

Well…he be damned.

“Now that’s somethin’ new.” Barley absently said—it were as if he read Charley’s mind. They were on the same page. Charley crossed his arms and gave Boris and Alice a look.

“You know I didn’t think Bendy would be this stupid and troublsome enough to steal a book for fun and then run off with M/n’s daughter.” He missed the point.

Smack!

“Ow! What was that for?!” Charley rubbed his forehead where Alice deliberately gave a slap to. Alice had her hands on her hips as she glared at Charley.

“He didn’t steal the book you idiot! There were three of them that night. Edgar knows it all—as well as additional information. Edgar can explain all that—but what I need for you too to know…” Alice looked between Charley and Barley.

“Is that we are now working together to help Bendy and the others—“

“What?! No! I’ve basically been told he had a stolen book with him. I’m not gettin’ involved in this mess. Look at society’s impression on toons right now. You think that when they find out that a group of toons with a young girl are on the run, with a book they are currently lookin’ for would look good on us?” Charley sneered at Alice. Barley on the other hand agreed with Alice.

“I’m agreeing with Alice on this. Bendy wouldn’t just do anythin’ fer just the fun of it. When was Tha’ last time Bendy stole anythin?” Barley asks Charley. And Charley couldn’t name off a single time. Charley’s nose twitched as he sneered yet again. Of course Bendy caused trouble around the studio. But anything revolving anything in public—he was—well. A normal toon. That didn’t cause any trouble. So obviously there had to be a reason why he was traveling around as of now. Alice took note of Charley’s silence and then continued speaking.

“Charley. We know. You hate Bendy—hell. Even at times I get angry at him. But he’s still family. And if we have information that will very much help him and the others he’s with. We should help him as best as we can.” Alice’s halo slowly glimmered the beautiful golden light. Charley silently stared at her before grunting and waving his hand.

“Fine! Tell me the info and let’s get started.” He said. Alice smiled and clasped her hands gently at his participation.

“Edgar. Fill Charley and Barley in first on what’s going on. As well as the book.” Edgar nods at Alice's command before turning to both Charley and Barley. It took only a few minutes to inform and get the two to update them of what was going on. Charley stood in front of Edgar, arms crossed and nodding his head every once in a while as he took in the information. Despite it being a bunch of squeaks and motions. He still could understand the spider—as well as Barley.

“So. He’s in Oregon now?” Barley asks. Alice nods slowly. “From last I checked. He is. I was going to give him a call today to see where he and Y/n are—I believe that’s her name.”

“A magic book…” Charley muttered under his breath. It sounds so—made up. Childish. But if Edgar seemed pretty serious about it. Then Charley was willing to go the distance with the others.

“The night when M/n’s daughter came to the building and when she and Bendy and—a third person That was in the room. Edgar was in there—but you said you had more information. Right?” Boris asks. Edgar nods frantically. Charley motioned Edgar to continue.

“Alright then let’s get to the important stuff.” He said.

Edgar looked at the four before he started explaining.

“What are we gonna do now? The brat and those toons got away.”

Edgar peeked from behind the garbage can. A few blocks away from the studio. Edgar was entertained by the action in front of him. The rabbit that he saw as he peered from the ceiling out the window in the room where Bendy and two others were discussing with each other—two when how Bendy and that rooster leaped from the window with a lasso.

He had to follow them to see—what were they up to? Edgar had always mostly been in the studio all his life. And seeing such adventurous actions take place out of nowhere really caught his attention. Unfortunately he was too afraid to wander near the bar. But when he saw Y/n, Bendy, the rooster and the rabbit appeared from the buildings. Edgar could tell that they were after something. Which led to them chasing two people—who he now deemed the bad guys. He followed the car chase—but mainly swinging from building to building by his web. Which was how he kept up. And how he ended up behind the garbage can in the alleyway where the van of the two ‘bad guys’ had crashed near. He saw the man in the trench coat slip off his jacket. The two backs were turned towards him. So he couldn’t take in any facial details. But with the coat off. Edgar could see a black blazer vest. A velvet red undershirt. The man's hair was a familiar dark color slicked back with hair—not a single strand disobeying.

The woman had dark hair as well. Fair skin. And a dark knee length dress. Her hands on her hips as she stared at the wrecked car. The man sighed and rubbed his temple.

“We need someone that can get in there for us to grab the book…” the man muttered. The woman glanced at him as she silently watched him contemplate. The man reached in his pocket slowly before pulling out a device—a phone now that Edgar thought back on it—at first he didn’t know what it was.

“I’ll contact him. You know he’s been practically yearning to join.” The man told the woman. Who had then nodded. The two had abandoned the crashed van and wandered down the sidewalk. Edgar squeezed between people who had checked to see and check on people in the car crash. Followed after the two as they then turned down an alleyway after several minutes of walking. Which only led Edgar further away from the studio—but he knew his way back perfectly. So he didn’t have to worry.

Edgar peeked from around the corner. The alleyway had a few puddles from the rain from earlier. The brick walls glistened from the water and the fluorescent street lights that gave light to the alleyway. Edgar saw that the two slipped into a building from a metal door. But it closed unfortunately so it wasn’t able to make it. Looking up. Edgar could see an exhaust hood near the top of the doorway. Scurrying over. Edgar with ease climbed on the wall and up to the exhaust hood. Edgar placed four hands on the hood and with a strained grunt and groan using all his strength he pulled the exhaust hood from the wall. Anyone would have fallen back from the sudden motion of something being ripped from the wall. But seeing Edgar was a spider and could travel up and down walls. His balance didn’t falter. Edgar tossed the torn metal behind him—a distance; ‘clank!’ Echoing in the hall. He quickly crawled in a dark humid vent. The feeling of dust tickling his form wasn’t his worries.

“You had one job!” A shouted echo was what Edgar followed. It seemed the lady that man was with was the one who was shouting. No doubt there may be more people. Edgar crawled through the vents and absently walked by a vent that peered down into the room. Perfect.

Edgar backtracked and quickly placed his full attention down below.

Despite outside being what seemed to be a worn down warehouse. The inside seemed more of an office building. He could see the features of the woman. But the man stood in blind spot. Standing next to a coffee table as the woman stood in front of the coffee table as well as standing in front of three toons—the beagle boys. Magica was standing off to the side. Arms behind her back.

The beagle boys seemed to flatter at the woman's scolding.

“Was it so hard to catch that girl!? She’s 18 for crying out loud! What damage could she do?! She’s a kid! And that—that damn toon! You couldn’t catch him?!” She shouts. The shortest of the three beagles raised a finger to speak. “They all worked together..Miss..” he said slowly.

The woman’s expression only hardened.

“It seems we can’t depend on you three to take them out and take the book. This isn’t some ordinary schemed show where every episode the plan foils and we say oh well better luck next time—and the same thing happens! We mean business!” She shouts. Soon Magica finally spoke up.

“Miss Susan. Might I remind you that this particular group is indeed chosen by an ancient powerful book. She’s more than just some teenage girl with an absent mind and those toons are more than just toons.” The duck said. The woman—now Susan now that a name had been given sighed as she raised both her hands and slowly rolled her fingers down to lock them both into a fist. Each finger gives a satisfying crack. But before she could say anything. Two figures burst through the front door. Standing around the same height. They both were toons. One had two horns on his head. And black fur—he almost resembled a goat. His yellow optics gleaming at everyone in the room. “Ding dong!” He shouts as he extends his arms. Next to him stood a toon. Dressed in a tailored purple suit. His head was a dice. Arms behind his back as he trailed

Behind the demon like-goat into the room.

“Well. What do you know?” Susan mutters. Edgar felt himself shrink at the sight of the horned toon. It indeed was the Devil! He’s heard of him—not someone to be messed with. His Right Hand Man as most toons know of—King Dice. Was also another toon that meant business.

“We heard the news. They got away? Bummer.” The Devil circled around Susan. His tail brushed under her chin as he then stood by the coffee table. Susan scoffed and shook her head slowly.

“Yes. They got away. With the book—we planned this all out. I don’t see h—“ she was cut off by the man in the trench coat.

“As I said. We need someone to go along with them to get that book.” He said. The Devil placed a hand on his chest. “Which..ladies and gentlemen. Is why I’m here.” He grinned. Showing the sharp rows of piercing teeth that were ready to sink into anything.

“Who do you have?” Magica asks. The Devil glanced over to her and placed his hands behind his back.

“Two hard headed people. And might I say. That can make anyone run for their money. Two toons. They’re brothers and I think they would do this mission just fine. After all, They do owe me their souls. Having them run a small errand for me won’t be a problem.” The Devil said. Susan's interest had been caught with the new way to retrieve the book. But there was a small problem.

“Where are they?” She asks.

“Good question. They got away from me a couple months prior to this entire plan you all manifested. But nevertheless. They still owe me. It should be easy to track them down. After all I have their souls and can do what I please with them at any time.” Susan nods at the Devil’s explanation. “I can track them down if need be.” Magica pipes up.

“That would be perfect.” Susan whispers.

“When we find the brothers. All it would take is for me to tell them their objective. Which is to retrieve the book from those toons. And bring them to me.” The Devil said. The man in the trench coat spoke up yet again.

“They would need to approach the group carefully. Go along with them, not startle them.” The man said. Susan nods.

“Heard you loud and clear.”

“I’ll go and track down these brothers.” Magica straightens her shirt before turning to face the Devil. The dice man had yet to speak. More so standing next to his boss with a calculating expression.

Magica had her eyes closed as she furrowed her eyebrows. She was a powerful force. A witch. With powers so ancient and powerful. It wasn’t a surprise how quick she was able to get the location of their supposed ‘minions’.

“They’re in Idaho. Not too far of a drive.” Magica speaks up. Susan grins.

“Well. Off we go! It’s only a matter of time before those toons and that brat get too far!”

“They’re sending hitmans?!” Boris shouts. Tugging at both of his ears. Alice had a hand over her mouth taking in the information that Charley basically had to translate to the group.

“They’re sending someone out to go after the book and kill them…” Alice said slowly. Charley had a hand on his hip as he looked between Boris and Alice.

“Why don’t we just head down there and warn them?” He asks.

“Henry will be looking for us.” Boris answered. And Alice nods. Barley shook his head. “Ah please. The lad is busy gettin’ a headache about that board meetin’ we can leave now maybe make it to Oregon by midnight.” Barley said. Alice raised a finger.

“I have a feeling we should head to Idaho instead. If those brothers are down there, No doubt the others will be.” Alice said. Barley perks up yet again.

“Wait a minute…Charley. Ya’ said somethin’ about nuns?” He asks. Charley looked at Barley and slowly nodded. “Well Eddie did. But yeah. Why?”

“Those boys are in Idaho for a reason. Ed. You said somethin’ about that Devil guy ownin’ their souls. Yeah?”

“Squeak.”

Barley nods at Edgar’s confident answer before looking at the four.

“Well in this city located in the state. There’s this monastery. Filled with nuns. It's an ancient chapel. I remember Wally sayin’ somethin’ about learnin’ in his history class that that monastery has this jewel that can keep away all evil. Spirits and demons. Those boys must have been after that if they’re bein’ chased by the Devil himself.” Barley informed. Alice clasped her hands together. Brilliant! Just the information they needed!

Charley snorts. “Good luck with them thinkin’ anyone would let them inside the sanctuary.” Alice ignored Charley’s statement before she focused her attention on Barley.

“What’s the name of the church?” She asks. But Barley shrugs. “I dunno. Neva’ asked. We could ask Wally. But I doubt he’ll give us an answer without questionin’ why? And I’m pretty sure we should all lay low for now and not run our mouths about all that’s goin’ on.” He said. He was right. Alice wasn’t too upset. At Least they knew that the chapel was in Idaho. That was a start.

“Well..if you think about it. The Devil is also after the others as well…that jewel can come in handy..” Boris said. Charley raised an eyebrow. “You sayin’ Bendy and the others should steal it?”

“Not that!” Boris quickly shook his head. Alice had a look of concentration written on her face. She then furrowed her eyebrows.

“We’re leaving now.” She said. Charley, Barley, Edgar, and Boris all looked at Alice with the same expression. Puzzled and shocked.

“Now?” Charley asks.

“Now.” Alice said. She walked over to the door and opened it. But Charley quickly shot in front of the door and blocked her exit.

“Hey now. Let’s think about this. We have the Devil involved and the government and a witch. Are you sure this is a good idea? Besides. Idaho is hours away from us. And neither of us can leave because everyone will be looking for us.” Charley quickly spilled all of the reality common sense out. But Alice furrowed her eyebrows.

“They need us. I doubt they know those ‘minions’ are after them. Alongside with the Devil himself. This has gotten serious. So everyone let’s go. We have a road ahead of us.” She was serious. A hint of malice dripped in Alice’s voice. Charley stared at Alice. Contemplating. He had no choice. One way or another some sort of altercation would happen.

“Whos car are we takin?” He muttered before moving away from the door.

“Thanks Wally! Love you!” Alice sat in the drivers

Seat as Boris sat in the passenger. Wally stood on the sidewalk watching the toons. Charley muttered under his breath as he slipped in the car. Alongside Edgar and Barley. No bags packed. Just them.

“Okay….uh..when will you be back?” Wally asks. Alice smiled innocently. “Soon! Bye!”

And with that. The car pulled out of the parking lot and down the road. Wally blinked—but he never questioned a thing..good thing his apartment was close by.

“Now. Let’s go get our friends…”

Pushing the doors open. The sound of various people talking. Cigars. Music—jazz and liquor wafted into the air. Y/n looked around and saw toons and humans together in the bar. All dressed in their Pristine clothing. Some at pool tables and booths interacting with one another.

The floor was made of mahogany wood. The dim golden lights after so lightly lighting the room. It had a warm feeling and not a feeling like that dinner that had that odd feeling of sticking out like a sore thumb.

“Thought the guy said our guy would be easy to find.” Donald said. He crossed his arms and his eyes looked around the area. There were toons in the building. And the person they were looking for could be any one of them.

“We could ask around.” Panchito piped up. But Donald scoffed. “Not that again!”

“Well. We have no other choice.” Bendy said. He looked around the building. At Least to find a hint of their target. Hopefully they would track the guy down more sooner than later.

“Let’s go sit in the meantime.”

The five had wandered over to an empty booth. And sat down. Feeling the tension in Y/n’s leg let go. Y/n relaxed in the booth and sighed in pure relief. “At Least for sure we won’t get kicked out from here.” Y/n told the four. Panchito and Donald sat across from Y/n. As Oswald sat next to her and Bendy sat next to Oswald. Sitting on the outside of the booth.

Taking the menu and opening it. Y/n absently went over what would be served in the bar. “What time is it?” Donald suddenly asked. Y/n took her phone from her pocket and glanced at the time. 8:14PM

“It’s 8PM.” She groaned. It was so late already! Suddenly the thought of where to sleep appeared in her mind. She looked over Bendy who was looking over at a small crowd of people.

“Bendy. Are we sleeping in a hotel tonight or are we still on the road?” She asks. Bendy turned his attention to Y/n. “Well. We hadn’t exactly found out what we needed from here—not to mention. We still need to find that toon that guy was talking about. More than likely we’ll stay in town for tonight.” He replied. Thank goodness. She didn’t think she could stay cramped up in the front seat much longer.

“So! Oswald. Where have you been for these past couple of years?” Donald asks. Turning his attention to the rabbit.

“I could ask the same for you, pal.” Oswald gave Donald a smile. Donald huffs before placing his head in his palm. “Watching my nephews. It was a headache. But they’re good kids.” Y/n perked up and placed her attention on Donald. “Oh? You have nephews?” She asks with a small smile. Donald nodded at her answer.

“They left with their mother a few weeks ago.” He said. To which Donald and Y/n strikes a conversation. First talking about his nephews talking about living in a boathouse. Which Y/n still saw as interesting. Within a few minutes. The sounds of cheering and laughing and clapping were heard. Causing the group to turn their heads over by the bar.

Bendy had been rubbing his temple as if his head was aching. He stopped when he heard the cheering and looked over to the bar. A toon was standing on the bars tops. From what it seemed to Y/n. He was a cat, with a white face and black fur. He had on a brown button up undershirt..an odd color for a button up. He had on a tanned faux leather bomber jacket. The shoulder pads seemed to be tanned like soft cotton. And the collar of his jacket was a sherpa design. Which also had that soft cotton look. He had on brown dress pants and brown loafers. An odd choice for his outfit. But that wasn’t Y/n’s business.

He also had on a brown cloth fedora hat. Which, now she’s thinking about it... He sort of resembles Indiana Jones. On his hip was a wrapped up rope underneath a yellow Fanny pack that was wrapped around his hips.

“It almost killed me! But I was too quick! It quickly tried to grab onto me with its claws—but. As quick as I was, it only nicked me.” The cat reached down and pulled his button up. Untucking it and lifting it up to show his torso. A healing wound was seen on the side of his torso. Three distinct claw marks ripped into his fur. The wound was pink which made it much more noticeable.

“That’s more than a nick!” One person shouts. The cat only smiles wider.

“Tell us more!” Another shouts. They obviously were intrigued by his story. He must have been the guy that was drawing that crowd over by that bar when they first walked in.

“Yes. Another. Let me buy you a drink lad. You must be thirsty from your last journey!” A man states. But the cat shook his head. Waving his hand he turned down the offer.

“Ah. No thank you sir. The only thirst I have. Is the thirst for adventure!” His statement made the crowd cheer loudly.

“Who is that guy?” Y/n asks as the cheering calmed down enough for her group to hear. Donald was the first to reply. “He’s this archeologist. I only know about him because my uncle reads his books. His name is Felix.” Donald explains. Yet seeing a renowned person was in the same building as him. He didn’t seem too excited though.

“I’ve heard of him too. I think he’s a cool guy.” Oswald said. His eyes still planted on the cat toon. Who was now off the counter speaking to someone. But Bendy didn’t seem too interested in the toon as he leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. “That still doesn't answer our question as to where this person is we’re searching for…” he muttered. Y/n noticed his change in demeanor and energy. She leaned over Oswald slightly and pressed the back of her hand on Bendy’s forehead. The heat coming from his head gave a little warmth to Y/n’s chilled hand.

“Bendy, are you coming down with something?” She asks him. Before he could speak. Y/n removed her hand and spoke once again. “You need to rest. You’ve been up all day. I think it’s best if We all stay in town tonight.” She told the small group. Panchito looked away from the cat and placed his attention on Y/n. “You still have not eaten anything.” He told her. Y/n took in account that she indeed still hadn’t eaten anything. And it would be best to eat before they ventured off to do anything. And now it seemed they had a lot on their plate to get through.

“So. What are you in town for?” One of the patrons of the bar asks the cat. Y/n, Bendy, Oswald, Panchito and Donald looked over back at the bar and saw the cat was sitting on a stool facing a man—most likely no one important but their conversation caught their interest.

“I’m lookin’ for two fellow toons. I ran into them about four days ago because they were looking for something down here—to stop someone—that had something to do with a church I believe. They were talking so quickly I could barely latch onto what they were panicking about. So. I helped them here. Where the church was located. But an hour ago when we got here they were napped. Someone took them when I was off on the street asking for the location of the church.” The cat explained. Despite the sounds of the bar with the clattering dishes and murmured talking from other patrons. The group was able to hear the conversation crystal clear.

The cat must have felt the gaze of the five staring and listening to the conversation. His ear pivoted in the direction of their booth before he turned his head to look at the group. Bendy quickly grabbed the menu and lifted it up towards the end of the table to block his gaze. Using it as some sort of wall. Ducking his head. Y/n, Panchito, Oswald, and Donald followed the same as Bendy as they leaned into the table as if having a group meeting.

“Are we all thinking the same thing?” Y/n asks the toons. Bringing her voice down. Oswald glanced at her before he spoke.

“Well the man down the street did say something about someone looking for kidnapped victims. He might be the person we’re looking for.” Oswald said. Y/n sighed and placed both hands on her face to ease the tension. Why him?

“We can’t have him tag along. He more than certainly knows about the book. He’s a damn archeologist! And if he finds out we have it—lord knows what would happen to us.” She whispered to them. Bendy raised his finger to inject something. “Then again doll, he might know more info about the book than we do.” He said. Donald slowly raised an eyebrow.

“Okay—that’s nice. But what about those kidnapped victims? Are we looking for them..?” He then slowly pivoted his thumb towards Panchito—which he was really motioning towards the direction a few feet away at the bar where Felix was.

“—Or the cat?” He finished.

“Well we can’t look for the people that were taken. We don’t have any information on them. But he does.” Oswald answered Donald’s question. Hinting towards Felix. So making it clear. Felix was the person they were on the search for. And now. Someone they needed to lend a hand maybe for the night.

Bendy sets the menu down and sits properly in his seat. “Well I guess we all can agree that he’s helping us.” Bendy glanced at the group. Which they nodded in agreement. Y/n was about to add something else—about who would go to speak with the cat. But with luck on their side. The cat decided to come around himself.

“Hello!” The five looked at the end of the table and saw Felix was standing by the table. A smile planted on his face as he glanced individually at the group. The group was caught off guard by the cat's sudden appearance—other than Panchito. Who waved in return for his greeting.

Felix continued speaking before he placed his gaze on Bendy. “I notice you’re Bendy, right? From the show?” He asks. And Bendy slowly nods. Odd having someone who travels a lot know about his show—but he didn’t complain.

“I am.”

“Great! Nice to meet you! My name is Felix!” Felix took Bendy’s hand and shook it fiercely. Bendy’s smile twitched before widening. His arm trying to keep pace of the cats shaking.

“Hi, nice ta’ meet you too.” Bendy’s voice wavered and bounced from being shook like a doll. Felix let’s his hand go before digging into his Fanny pack. And pulling out a small notebook—not exactly a big notebook—but one of a size that shouldn’t exactly fit in the Fanny pack.

“I love your show! I find it funny. You know. I watch it from time to time when I’m just lounging around—whenever I get the chance.” As he spoke to Bendy he pulled out a pen from his pack and opened the notebook and passed it to Bendy. “Might I have your autograph if you don’t mind?” He asks.

“I—well—sure.” Bendy didn’t seem to know how to respond. Instead he took the pen and the notebook and wrote it down in the notebook. Felix then looked over and placed his gaze on the three that were staring at the cat.

“I’m assuming you all aren’t from around here?” He asks. Oswald shook his head. “No. Actually. We all aren’t exactly—it’s a long story—“

“We’re on a mission and we’re looking for someone—but we got word they were kidnapped at the last minute and some guy on the streets told us to come to you because you know the people who we are looking for to advance further in our objective. And we didn’t want to really bother you—but we really need to leave town by sunrise because we have a lot to do ahead of us because we’re running from these guys who are out to kill us! And if they find out we’re here—we’re dead a-“ Donald quickly slaps his hand over Panchito’s running mouth. Felix ears perk up—obviously his attention now fully on them.

“Sorry—it’s been a rough day—we..” Donald tried to think of a way to make the group seem less…fugitive-like and…predictable. Y/n could feel herself shrink—she didn’t exactly know what to say. Because either way—with explaining what they needed and who they were looking for a why would result in circling back around to the book—the book that was stolen—and obviously is wanted by various people…for some reason. For all she knows, Felix could potentially be someone that wanted the book like that…man in the trench coat..or. Take them in..either way. There were a lot of options.

Instead of anything hostile. Y/n saw the cat's tail slowly swaying from left to right as a smile appeared on his face.

“Am I glad I ran into you all then.” He said. Oswald lets out a perplexed yet shock noise. “You are..?” He asks slowly. Felix nods. “I’ve been searching for those two for hours. Unfortunately not many people are much help here. But now that I need you and you need me. We can make this easier by finding them. But my question is. What do you need them for? Are they friends?” Y/n knew this question would occur. One way or another. None of them replied. Instead glancing at each other waiting for each other's answer. Donald soon sighed.

“Follow us.”

Thump

Y/n placed the book on the counter. After leaving the bar. Felix led the group to a hotel room he was staying in for the time being. It was small—but comforting and out of reach of anyone else so the group—along with Felix. Can safely discuss amongst each other.

Felix's eyes widened when he saw the book Y/n placed on the counter. His tail wagged quickly as he quickly placed his paws on the book.

“Oh my! How did you all get your hands on this?!” He ran a finger over the embroidery on the leather book. He quickly turned around and looked at the five. He didn’t seem angry, too shocked or scared—but more ecstatic with seeing the book. How on earth did they get it? Y/n held her book bag close to her chest as she watched the cat. Standing next to Panchito, Y/n spoke up—for the first time to Felix.

“Well. It's a long story that we constantly had to repeat—which I’m sure we have to repeat many more times but, we promise we aren’t thieves or anything like that. We’re just doing what the book tells us—damn that sounds bad..” Y/n muttered the last part under her breath. Felix shook his head and smiled.

“No—no. I have so little information and notes on this book. There’s so much to learn about it. I only know the bare minimum.” Felix turned towards the book yet again. He was silent for a moment before he continued speaking.

“It’s a book created eons ago. The story seems like a fairytale. But I assure you. This is all real.” He picked up the book. But didn't try to open it. Instead Felix examined the leather casing on the book. After a few moments of silence. Felix continued talking again.

“This book holds a lot of power. Along with knowledge about life—“ He then turned around and faced the five who were looking at the cat. Felix then pressed a finger in the stitched name on the book.

“Hint the name.” He adds.

“So…it’s about the evolution of life..?” Y/n asks. Felix smiled but shook his head? Y/n was left perplexed. If the book wasn’t about life itself. Then what was the purpose of it?

“No. In fact. I don’t even know the meaning of it! No one does!” He laughs. Which only left Y/n more puzzled. Donald furrowed his eyebrows.

“What?! Aren’t you the guy with the brains? I thought you knew about this thing!” Donald shouts as his hands flew to his head to tug at his feathers. He didn’t take it well knowing how mostly everyone was aimlessly traveling around without a thought in their head. Which Y/n couldn’t blame him.

“Well. All I know is that this book has knowledge of people that it chooses—from my understanding. This book only awakens when great danger is near.” Felix explained. That was something Y/n assumed would be the answer. The book acts as some sort of warning. Hearing Felix say it. Was a relief in an odd way.

“When was the last time the book was awakened?” Y/n asks. Felix lifts a paw. And taps his chin with his claw. A look of contemplation ridden on his face.

“I don’t have a clue. Any sort of information on this book was held from the last holders and—-well they’re not here. All I know is that only the holders of the book are able to access it.” Felix said. He glanced down at the book before glancing back at the group. “Which is you all.”

“The people that were kidnapped. What did they come here for? The book led us to this town.” Bendy asks. Cycling back around to the main reason they all needed Felix. Felix nods firmly before passing the book back to Bendy. Who took it and tucked it under his arm.

“Yes! The brothers. Their names are Cuphead and Mugman. They came here because they were looking for a jewel I believe.” Felix reached into his Fanny pack as he spoke. He quickly pulled out a photo. And showed it to the five. The photo was a picture of a red ruby. Or a jewel. It was perfectly placed on a white pillow for display. Around it seemed to be something reflecting it. Like some sort of glass box was encasing it. Which raised the answer. Was the jewel another artifact?

“They were escaping the Devil—big guy—I don’t know if you all know about him.” Felix adds. Oswald nods as well as Bendy. Panchito, Donald and Y/n only stared at Felix for further information. The Devil? As in..

“Satan?” Y/n asks. Felix furrowed his eyebrows and contemplated yet again. “In a way—yes!” He answered.

“Wha—huh? Wait..are we talking about. Big furry guy? Horns. Yellow eyes? The one that runs a Casino on this small island near the Atlantic? That Devil?” Donald asks. Leaning forward slightly in disbelief. Whoever this guy was. He seemed like someone not to mess with. Felix nods at Donald’s statement.

“I…I apologize. I do not understand who this fellow is.” Panchito pipes up. Y/n looked away from the rooster and over to Felix. “Neither do I. I only know one guy who people referred to as the ‘Devil’. And that’s this weird guy that lives on our street that shaves his back in the morning every Sunday and when he shaves you can see this tattoo of a demon—“ Y/n crossed her arms and looked at the ceiling in thought.

“I think he was a biker…” she looked back at Oswald, Panchito, Donald, Bendy and Felix. Who all gave her a questioning look.

“Every Sunday? Jeez. How fast does that guy's hair grow?” Oswald asks before grimacing at the thought. Y/n rolled her eyes. “Tell me about it…” she muttered. Donald quickly got back on track by placing his gaze back on Felix.

“That doesn't matter. Why would they be running around from the Devil?” He asks. Felix placed the picture back into his Fanny pack and zipped the pack up as he started to speak yet again.

“They never told me. But they seemed to really try and get away. So I helped them. And got them here. Our plan was to find that jewel. That jewel comes from an ancient tomb on this island called Ruby Falls. Though the location doesn't matter. The jewel is here in Idaho. And last I checked in. It was in a convent.” Felix informed. Thank goodness he was a help. A church would be the last thing Y/n suspected to be a part of their journey.

“The jewel works as a shield. Keeping all negative spirits away. Which in all. Means. The Devil wouldn’t be able to touch them as long as they had that jewel with them.” Felix finished. Bendy’s grin wavered before he raised an eyebrow. “And how exactly were they going to get this jewel? Steal it from a bunch of nuns?” He asks.

“That’s something I don’t know! Never got to find that out!” Felix laughs.

“How do we even know these brothers are who we’re lookin’ for?” Donald asks. Turning his direction to his group. “For all we know we would be chasin’ people that we don’t even need.”

“It’s worth a shot. We don’t have much to go off of but this information we have here.” Y/n said.

“In the meantime. You all can stay here tonight?” Felix smiled. But his ears quickly perked up—as if he had just remembered something in the nick of time.

“Oh! I didn’t get your guy’s name! Besides Bendy of course.” Felix walked closer to the group. His attention sets on Y/n first as he lifts a paw and gently takes her hand in his to give a soft shake. “My name is Felix.” He introduces—as if by now Y/n didn’t know his name. The silly gesture caused her to smile. As she felt him shake her hand.

“My name is Y/n. Y/n L/n.” Felix smiled once more. “Nice to meet you, pretty lady.” He said softly. The cat took a moment to take in Y/n features. By surprise Y/n’s smile widened at the action when Felix looked over to Panchito. Who had been standing next to Y/n.

Felix spoke to Panchito, Oswald and Donald. Getting their names and striking an interesting conversation with Panchito and his home in Mexico. Where he explained he lived on a family farm owned by his father. The conversation went before Felix told the group to make themselves at home;

“Sorry for the mess—I didn’t expect guests.” Felix quickly tossed a book bag across the room. Where it landed by a couch. There were only two rooms. The living room. Which was connected to a small walk in the kitchen and bedroom. Which had one bed. Enough room for everyone to sleep for the night. Y/n had wandered over to a window that was by the couch seeing it was pressed against a wall. Peering out the window. She saw they were a few floors up. Maybe the 4th floor or so. But it was a nice view out in the street. The bar was actually across the street from the hotel. Peering down she could see people walking down the street—which begged the question.

“So. What’s up with this town? Weird clothes and stuff..” she asks. Turning around and surprisingly Felix was standing behind her—which she didn’t know. He was holding a blanket and pillow balled in his arms. Hearing the question he leaned over and placed the blankets on the couch.

“Well this town isn’t exactly ordinary to say the least.” He said. Moving to stand next to her he glanced out the window.

“This town likes to keep a tradition—well. If you would call it that. Singing is their passion. Ya’ know. Back then a lot of films had musical numbers and all that jazz. Very happy town I do say so.” That was..some odd information that she didn’t know even existed…

“A real life musical?” She asks. Her eyes glued on him. Felix turned to look at her before nodding. “Yeah! Something like that.”

“How come I haven't seen anyone sing yet?” She asks.

A town that spent their time in joy and ..singing? Certainly that was something she would like to see.

“Oh trust me. You’ll hear it sooner or later. You should head to bed. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.” Y/n nods at his statement as Felix turns around to walk off. Still stuck on the fact the town was like a musical film! Certainly she was sure it was down to annoy her friends sooner or later—-mainly hinting towards Donald. But with fatigue now creeping onto her every so slightly. Y/n turned towards the couch. She kicked off her shoes before she placed the book bag down on the floor as well. She sat down on the couch and lifted the blanket and laid it over her shoulders. Looking over she saw Bendy sitting on the floor with a blanket. Along with Oswald, Panchito and Donald. Felix had left his room to give everyone space and quiet.

“What are you guys doing on the floor?” She asks. The four turned their heads away from the TV that was one and held their attention. They looked at Y/n and Bendy spoke up.

“We all can’t fit on the couch.” He said. Y/n glanced at the couch. And he was right. The couch wouldn’t fit five people. Nor was the couch a pullout. But Y/n didn’t want the four to sleep on the floor. Y/n grabbed her blanket and pillow and stood up from the couch before she wandered over to the group and plopped down on the floor as well.

“I guess we’re all sleeping on the floor then.”

“Oh yay! It’s like a slumber party.” Panchito sets his sombrero down away from the group before he nicked Y/n’s blanket and tossed the warm cloth over her and his own form.

“Whatever you all do. Please don’t sleep wild. I don’t need someone’s foot in my face in the mornin’” Donald turned over to lay down. Lifting the blanket to his beak.

And there. They all had their peaceful sleep.

“Now stay ya’ asses quiet, my boss’ll be here soon.” Doug fixed his tie on his blazer. Walking away from the cage Cuphead and Mugman were still seated in.

Cuphead seemed to have run out of energy to shout at the two toons. Moving his eyes from Doug who had his back turned to the cage. Fixing his tie and speaking to another toon—or henchman—what Cuphead was now referring to them to. Soon Doug turned around and looked at Jack who was standing around idly.

“Put the cage on the carrier and take it to the next room.” Doug told Jack who had snapped from out of the dazed expression and nodded quickly

Jack stumbled over to the cage picking it up and putting it on the carrier. “Yes sirrrrr!” Jack drawled. Doug then snapped his fingers impatiently. “Hurry! The lady will pay us handsomely when she sees those two!”

Cuphead and Mugman shuffled slightly at the sudden movement of Jack pushing the cart. Cuphead yelped as he tipped over and crashed into Mugman. Causing Mugman to get stuck between the bars of the cage and Cuphead. Mugman wheezes before shoving Cuphead’s form off him with a heavy groan. Cuphead muttered before he watched Jack pushing the carrier to another room in the warehouse.

“Where are you taking us?” Mugman asks, placing his hands on the bar to look at Jack. Who then sniffed and wiped his nose momentarily.

“The garage area. It’s where all my friends are.” Jack replied. Cuphead punched Mugman’s shoulders. Mugman rammed into the cage at the impact. A painful expression written on his face. “Ow! What was that for?!” Mugman hissed at Cuphead.

“Don’t talk to him.” Cuphead nonchalant in response.

“But you talked to him earlier!” Mugman pouts.

“Correction. I was trying to be condescending, you’re tryin’ to make pal-pal with this idiot.” Cuphead whispered to Mugman. Grabbing Mugman by his shoulder to speak to him more closely.

Mugman gasped softly—rather dramatically—and furrowed his eyebrows. “Cuphead...that’s not nice.” He said. Cuphead gave him a blank expression before looking at Jack.

“What’s 2 plus 4 Jack?”

“Negative 7!”

Cuphead looks at Mugman. Who still had his gaze on him. But he didn’t seem to care about the fact that Jack completely got a math question wrong. The two were interrupted by the sound of metal doors flinging open. The two cup brothers faced forward as the cage entered the new room. The fluorescent lights illuminated the room as the cage was placed down. Cuphead and Mugman’s expression immediately deadpanned at the sight of various figures.

“Well—howdy doo!” Zip cackled. Shooting from behind a man cloaked in a trench coat. Cuphead didn’t pay attention to the shadow like toon. And turned his gaze over to a figure he was very familiar with.

“Ah! Dice. Long time no see—is that a new mustache?” Cuphead smiled. Standing up—more crouching in the cage before he wrapped his hands around the bars in front of him to look at Dice. Dice didn’t respond as he held a stoic expression—before rolling his eyes.

“Out of all people…” he mutters.

Mugman looks away from Dice and the odd man in the trench coat to see a woman. She wore a black dress—flats—a sharp gaze settled on the two—next to her was a duck toon. Raven black hair. Dark eyes—and a black dress..what an odd group…

“Country boys…” the duck’s voice was stained with disdain. She sighed before shaking her head. Cuphead could hear the disgust in the ducks before he placed his gaze back on her and sneered.

“Why are we here?” Cuphead skipped the jokes and introduction as he glowered at the group.

“You two have a pretty simple job.” Dice finally speaks up. Mugman shivered slightly. They were dead they were dead they were dead—they are going to die!

“No.” Cuphead responds. Mugman immediately shoots up from his seated position and covers Cuphead’s mouth.

“I—he means—what—what is the—what’s the offer?” Mugman stammered. But Cuphead didn’t budge. He pushed Mugman’s hand away and pointed at Dice.

“And I said no! We—“

“You—“ Mugman quickly added as he nervously grinned at Dice. Cuphead then points his thumb to his chest harshly—pointing to himself.

“I’ve had enough of these games! Just let us go! We want nothing to do with you nor that crybaby Devil either!” He shouts. Susan smiled before looking at King Dice. “That’s one fiesta cup.” She chuckled. King Dice rolled his eyes. “Tell me about it…” he muttered.

“Well. If you won’t listen to me. Listen to him.” King Dice raised a hand. Placing his middle finger to his thumb in a motion of snapping.

“Crap…” Mugman mutters. And with a snap of his fingers. The two felt the ground leave their shoes and into the dark—hot world.

“AAAAAAAH!!!”

Crash!!

Laying flat on his face. Cuphead lets out a heavy yet pain filled groan. His arms sprawled out and his shoes almost beat touching his head. Mugman on the other hand was caught by his shirt by a long appendage. Mugman had his eyes covered. His body curled into himself as if he were cowering from the ground he thought would be his demise. Cuphead’s gaze slowly left the red dusted colored stone ground—he squints as he gazed around his surroundings—almost familiar to a cave—humid—hot—real hot…

Cuphead’s blurred gaze soon landed on Mugman—who had yet to uncover his eyes. Cuphead heaved himself up as he stared up at Mugman. His blurry eyes soon subsided and his eyes trailed over to what had caught Mugman by his shirt. Tracing the long black appendage which soon landed on the imp that stood still—gleaming down at Cuphead with its bright fierce golden eyes. The Devil.

“You gots to be kiddin’ me…” Cuphead whispered to himself. The Devil’s ear twitched and his tail slowly lowered to the ground. Placing Mugman on his feet. Once Mugman felt the ground beneath his shoes he brought his hands down slowly and glanced over at the Devil with frightened furrowed eyebrows.

“Long time no see you two.” The Devil grins widely. Cuphead sneers before he takes several steps to the Devil. Pointing an index finger up at the imp.

“Now you listen here! I have answers that need questions!” He shouts. The Devil immediately deadpans and rolls his eyes.

“I believe you mean questions that need answers…” he corrects the cup. Cuphead sputters before glaring yet again at the Devil.

“What’s the big idea! What do you need from us? We’ve done what you’ve asked the last time—I told ya! Our deal with you—is off. It’s over!” Cuphead shouts. Mugman rubs his forehead in an anxious manner.

“Cuphead—stop.” Mugman grunts. But Cuphead didn’t listen.

“You two still owe me one more deal. That was our agreement. 3 deals. You’ve done two so far. And this shall be your last objective for me. And it is important.” The Devil explained calmly. Placing his hands behind his back. His golden eyes looked at the two in an attentive manner. The corner of Cuphead’s lip twitched as he gleamed up at the imp.

“No more deals.” He repeats. Though the Devil smiled—he’d expected this from the hardheaded cup. The Devil lifts a hand and points at Mugman—who had yet to speak. Mugman felt himself shrink under the Devil’s gaze. “You’ll do this deal—or you’ll lose him. The choice is yours.” He calmly said. Cuphead glanced over at Mugman. Mugman raised his eyebrows.

“Wait—who me? Huh?” Mugman sputters. Placing a hand on his chest. “Death is inevitable for everyone. But I can and will take something precious away from you Cuphead if you don’t comply. As said this is your last deal and you two won’t have to hear or see from me ever again.” The Devil said. Cuphead sighed through his nose harshly.

“But if you don’t. Mugman will die. I do own you both after all—but on the bright side! Haha! Hey! After you two finish this deal. You two won’t be owned by me anymore! This is a win-win deal here!” The Devil lets out an airy laugh. Mugman shuffled under his feet.

“What do we have to do?” Cuphead asks. The devils ears perked up. “All you have to do. Is take and eliminate.” He answers.

“Wait—no! We can’t—no!” Mugman rushes between the Devil and Cuphead. Spreading his arms to intervene. Mugman then looks at the Devil.

“We can not do that! We can’t kill anyone! I apologize—but this is way out of me and Cuphead’s bargain—“

“We’ll do it.” Cuphead replied. The Devil hummed before looking at Mugman. Mugman sighed before shoving Cuphead away and fully facing The Devil.

“I can’t..I can’t do that—I—I can’t just hurt someone.” Mugman pleads.

“Why Mugman I didn’t even tell you if they were even good or not! For all I know I could be sending you two to take out one of the world's most wanted criminals!” The Devil laughs. Mugman frowns. “I can guarantee you that they more than likely aren’t.” Mugman said. The Devil grins before nodding.

“You’re right. They aren’t.” He chuckled. Cuphead soon spoke up. “Like I said. We’ll do it. What do we need to do.” Cuphead went back to the topic at hand. And the Devil wasted no time.

“A book. You two are off to capture a book. You will retrieve that book and bring it back to me. As for the people that are holding the book. You will take someone by the name of Oswald. And kill one person—she’s a useful source that needs to be stopped.”

“And her name is Y/n L/n.”

Y/n felt her nose twitch. It felt like something was crawling on her nose. The light touch on the tip of her nose felt soft. But caused her nose to twitch yet again. She furrowed her eyebrows and lifted a hand to rub at her nose. But was met with something soft. Her eyes fluttered open. The smell of something sweet wafted in the air. But her focus was more on touching her nose to see what it was that was bothering it.

To Y/n’s surprise; it was Oswald’s ear. The rabbit was asleep. And his ears must have flopped over in her direction. Y/n places a hand on his ear to gently move it away. The sudden feeling over his ear caused him to awaken. His onyx eyes slowly and heavily opened. He must have been awfully tired. He smiled at her softly and Y/n returned the smile.

“I made breakfast.” Y/n flinched at the sound of Felix’s voice. As well as Oswald. The two glancing above them to see Felix hovering over them. Arms behind his back with a smile.

“So. First thing we need to do ask around town if they found any details last night about—“ Y/n ignored Felix and was busy stuffing her mouth with the pancakes he made—she didn’t know if the fluffy pancakes were so delicious because she was yearning for food for the past several hours or if they really were just some really good pancakes. Panchito watched Y/n as he held his fork. A smile stretched on his beak. Boy was she eating fast!

But Felix hadn’t noticed as he was busy going over today’s routine with everyone—which actually mostly consisted of Bendy listening to him. Donald was trying not to drift back off to sleep. As he had the bottle of syrup in his hand. The syrup substance had long over spilt on his plate and was now dripping on the counter. Oswald hadn’t eaten his pancakes—he must not have been hungry. But overall..majority of them were distracted and weren't listening to a damn thing Felix was saying.

“So!” Felix clapped his hands. Causing Donald to jump in his seat and quickly place the syrup bottle upright and put his attention on Felix, Panchito and Y/n to quickly place their attention on Felix and Oswald to snap daydreaming and place his attention on Felix as well. Felix thought he had their attention the whole time. Smiled with glee.

“You all got that? That’s the plan!” He says. Bendy looked at the four. He could tell they didn’t take in a single thing of info.

“Okay. I think it would be best if we all would split up.” Felix said as he looked at his wrist watch. He and the group stood on the pavement. In the early hours. It was around Looking away from his wrist watch he looked at the group. Counting before nodding. “Luckily we have an even group.” He says.

“Oh! Can we pick our partners?” Panchito asks. And Felix nods—“well of course.” He said in the background as Panchito hops over to Y/n and hooked his arm around hers. Y/n smiled as she stood next to Panchito as the others took their partners as well. Bendy went with Felix and Oswald went with Donald. An even group—thankfully.

Leaving out Panchito practically was skipping down the sidewalk in joy. Y/n scrolled through her phone for a mere few minutes before she placed it in her pocket and looked over at Panchito.

“You think we’ll even find them in town?” She asks. Panchito took a moment to think. “Ah—a slim chance. We'd have already run into them by now.” He replies.

“But. I’m more on the optimistic side.” He smiled at her and Y/n smiled back—their characteristics should be too hard to see as the brothers—from what Felix explained—literally had cups for heads. So they would be easy to spot. Rounding the corner. As Panchito and Y/n were in a deep conversation—Y/n accidently ran into someone. Not paying attention. Y/n was gladly able to keep her balance, opening her eyes that she didn’t realize she closed on the impact. She looked in front of her to see who she had accidentally ran into. Not before placing a hand on her forehead after feeling the pain starting to travel on her forehead. She must have run into them pretty hard.

Standing in front of her was a toon. Also holding his forehead—his head was as shaped as a ceramic pale gray cup. He had a red nose and wore a black dress shirt with brown shorts. He held his eyes closed as he muttered under his breath—damn. She must have run into him pretty hard.

“Sorry! I wasn’t paying attention.” Y/n sheepishly apologized. Removing her hand from her forehead. The toon slowly opened his eyes and looked at both Panchito and Y/n. He held a sour expression but that was until he took a moment to stare at Y/n.

“Oh—uh—No. I’m sorry—I should have been payin’ attention.” He apologizes, speaking slowly as if he were unsure. As for Y/n it were as if a brick was tossed at her face to bring her back to reality. Wait.

“What’s your name?” They both ask in unison. Both Cuphead and Y/n put on a surprised expression. Cuphead quickly then replied. “My name is Cuphead.” He replied. Y/n felt her heart leap in her throat. Well what do ya know?! Look at how quick they were able to find one of the brothers! How long have they been just wandering around town?

Gasping slightly. Y/n smiled. “Hey! Aren’t we glad we ran into you—me and a couple of friends of mine have been looking for you and your brother.” She explained. And Cuphead couldn’t wipe the look of awe off his face—what is he supposed to do now?! He can’t just kill the poor girl. Not to mention—

“You’re pretty!” He nervously exclaims. Y/n stopped talking slowly as she stared at him before she smiled yet again. “Oh—thank you.”

“Qué nombre tan extraño…” Panchito mumbled under his breath. As he stood beside Y/n and gazed upon Cuphead.

Panchito then softly nudges Y/n’s arm.

“No. No sé de él.” Panchito told her before putting his gaze on Y/n. Y/n looks away from Cuphead and to Panchito.

“What’s wrong?” She asks him. Panchito grabs Y/n by her arms softly and directs her to face the opposite direction of Cuphead. “I don’t know about him.” Panchito lowered his voice for only him and Y/n to hear. The sound of various footsteps and murmured voices of people in the town were seemingly muffled to Y/n’s ears.

Cuphead stood behind the two. His eyes found sight of Y/n’s book bag that she had strapped around her shoulders—more than likely he assumed that’s where she kept the book.

“Why?” Y/n asks Panchito. “Do you think it is odd that we spent hours last night searching for him and his brother and no sight? And seemingly we now run into them?” He asks. Which. Y/n agreed. The town wasn’t that big from the looks of it. They should have ran into the brothers hours ago last night—but then again—seemingly they were kidnapped. And Cuphead didn’t show any sign of stress from being taken—then again she knew nothing about Cuphead nor his brother.

“Yeah…I guess you’re right.” Y/n muttered.

“Hey—sorry to interrupt—“

Y/n and Panchito both flinched at the sight of Cuphead standing in front of them.

“But. Do you two know Felix? The guy we came to town with.”

DING!

“OH! Look! Oswald! Look!” Donald points at the game stand in front of the two—Oswald looked away from whatever he was gazing at and looked over to Donald and then the stand his friend had been playing at. The two managed to come across a small fair in town. A few stalls held games and unfortunately Donald grew distracted and started to play the silly game—tossing the baseball in a bucket—much to Oswald's mind it didn’t interest him.

“You’ve played this 3 times already Donald.” Oswald told him. Donald looks at the stall and back at Oswald. “You must be the fun guy at parties.” Donald grunts before he walks past Oswald and down the dirt path. A few people walked by to have fun on their own at the fair. Oswald's ears perked up slowly before looks behind him. He then started walking slowly—following after Donald.

“Is it just me. Or do you have this weird feelin?” Oswald asks. Donald opened his eyes after walking with his eyes closed for a few seconds. He had an expression of contemplation on his face. Before he dismissed the thought. “You think always like that.” He grins triumphantly. Maybe in a way to get back at Oswald’s last remark. Oswald blinks before squinting his eyes. “No I don’t.” Oswald quickly reputed.

“I’m joking..” Donald laughs. The two walked down the fair, the sound of murmured voices and games wafts in the background.

“But really. You hadn’t told me anything about what you’ve had going on.” Donald picks up. Oswald looks at Donald. “Well..nothing too exciting happened lately.” He started before looking ahead of the two again. Oswald’s ears slowly flattened. “Just been hangin’ around.” He finished. Donald’s tail feather flickered as he looked away from Oswald. When he knew Oswald the rabbit was very outgoing and straightforward. But he couldn’t find the sense in himself to keep pestering the rabbit.

Trying to think of another topic to push aside the now awkward silence—before Donald could say anything. Oswald turned his gaze back on Donald. “I’m sorry I left suddenly.” He said abruptly. Donald looks at Oswald as the two slowly start to trail off with their walking before standing still.

“I’ve…been meaning to tell you that for years—and the others of course. But more importantly you because well—you were always there.” His voice was quiet but Donald could still understand and hear every word that came from Oswald’s mouth.

“I feel horrible for what I said and—and I didn’t mean it—Especially not towards you—I was angry and sad and at times I can’t really control that because…” Oswald trailed off. His ears felt flat against his head before reaching a hand up to wringe nervously at his ear. “A lot has happened when you and the others were away that I tried to get myself through and I couldn’t..” he trailed off yet again and Donald felt himself frown.

“Oswald. You don’t need to apologize. I’m always here to talk. What ha—“

Pew!

THUD!

A light blue light of energy whizzed between Donald and Oswald. Oswald’s ears quickly shot up. As Donald quaked in fear before jumping away from Oswald.

“Bettigan! Don’t do that!” Shouts a voice. Oswald and Donald quickly shoot their heads over to see 3 figures. A lanky stack of casino chips. In a western get up outfit holding onto the wrist of a cup headed figure. With a blue nose black sweater and blue shorts. Floating in the air was black 8 ball.

“HAHAHA! THat was funny! You almost got em’ Mugs!” Shouts the 8-ball as he cackled.

“That’s not funny. You almost caused a scene you nut!”

“Is that…?” Oswald whispered. Donald slowly nods. “I think.”

“Should we?—“

“Run!” Donald dashed past Oswald and grabbed onto the rabbit's wrist and dragged him down the fair.

“Hey. They’re gettin’ away!” The 8 ball cried out. Mugman looks away from Bettigan—one of the few partners he was assumed to be before looking over at where Donald and Oswald stood.

“Come on your idiots!” Bettigan laughs before he runs after the two in the general direction they headed. Mugman and Mangosteen followed after Bettigan.

“I thought he was on our side!” Donald shouts as the two run out of the fair and back into town. Oswald huffs before throwing his hands in the air. “I did too!”

“Do we find Felix!?” Donald asks.

“We need to find So—OW!” Oswald’s ears dropped low to steer clear from the blue peashooter that whizzed past them yet again. Donald looks behind them to see the three were indeed after them—the town didn’t seem to take heed that the peashooter was a dangerous weapon as it didn’t seem dangerous at all. So they kept on with their day.

Oswald soon ran into someone knocking the two onto the ground. “Ow! Hey!” That voice! Looking down he saw Y/n who had squinted her eyes from the sudden impact.

“Oh. There you two are.” Panchito stops walking as he turns around to see Oswald quickly shooting from the ground dragging Y/n along with him. Cuphead stopped walking as well but didn’t face the group as he saw Bettigan, Mangosteen and Mugman running over. Mostly Bettigan holding Mugman by his handle and Mugman holding a sour expression.

“Run! Go!” Donald shouts as he shoves Panchito with him. “What’s going on?!” Y/n said as Oswald took her wrist and they jogged off with Panchito and Y/n.

“Hey! You didn’t get the girl?! I just saw her!” Bettigan said as he skids to a stop to stand in front of Cuphead. Cuphead sends a glare to the cowboy. “I was going to you idiot!” Not entirely true.

“They’re gettin’ away. The girl has the book.” Cuphead picked up Mugman from Bettigan and placed his brother on the ground.

“Are ya’ sure?” Bettigan asks. Cuphead nods. “Yes! It’s in her book bag. But I wants the girl. You all stay away from er’” he sneers as he eyed Mangosteen and Bettigan.

“What? Why—“

“I said so! Now go catch that rabbit!”

“Aye aye. Capn’” Mangosteen cackles before In a blink of an eye that magical 8 ball vanished in thin air.

The four ran down the sidewalk—that surprisingly didn’t have many people as it was still the early morning.

“Where is Bendy and Felix?!” Y/n shouts as the four rounded the corner. “Don’t know! The town is small, sure we’ll run into them.” Donald shouts.

“Okay! New plan! Forget the last plan! Keep the book safe! And don’t die!” Oswald shouts. Panchito smiled. “Sounds delightful!”

Soon a black dot formed in front of the two. Two eyes rolled around as well as a smile forming an 8 ball with a face?

The 8 ball opened his mouth and a light illuminated within its mouth and a loud vibrating sound hummed as if some sort of weapon was starting up. As the sound got louder the light grew brighter and brighter. The four took wind that they needed to stop running. The four skidded to a stop just as they were about to get too close to the 8 ball. A light of energy soon shot from the 8 balls mouth and landed on the sidewalks creating a small explosion. Unfortunately being too close and not having enough time to react. The impact caused a powerful force and Y/n flew back. Not knowing whenever the others were she felt herself land somewhere soft.

“Hey—I know this is sudden—“ quickly opening her eyes she was face to face with Cuphead who held a nervous grin. Y/n shrieks before swinging her fist and it collides with Cuphead’s temple—unbeknownst of her his cup head was..well actually a cup. And the solid ‘tink!’ Made that known as the pain surged through her hand and through Cuphead’s head. “Ow!” He shouts as his hands fly up to his head. Y/n fell to the ground and immediately scurried away. Tripping over her shoes she ran past Cuphead and across the street where she thankfully didn’t get hit by any passing cars.

“No wait!” Cuphead shouts before groaning heavily in frustration.

Donald quacks in fear as he runs in the opposite direction. Taking Oswald by his ears and Panchito by the collar of his shirt. Dragging the two—more so Oswald. Donald ran the opposite direction to avoid the 8 ball.

“Who are these people?!” Donald shouts. As Panchito ran beside him. “Ow! Let go of my ears!” Oswald cried out as Donald shoved the two in an alleyway—Panchito heaves before turning around.

“Ah! Where is Y/n?!”

Y/n ran down an alleyway. Hopping over forgotten garbage and trash bags. She heard footsteps behind her and she felt her heart leaping in her chest. She was going to die! She was going to DIE!

She skids around a corner and sees a dead end. A garbage dump against the brick wall. If she could hop that she could get to the roof!

“Fuck am I thinking?!” She quickly disputed the thought. She couldn’t do that—she wasn’t in a movie. This was real life! She panicked as she heaved out of breath to try and catch her breath. She paced back and forth until she heard the sounds of the footsteps getting closer. Turning around she spotted Cuphead.

He heaved and tried to catch his breath as he frowned. “Jeez—you’re fast—“ he heaved. Y/n quickly stooped down and picked up a few rocks and pebbles. She quickly yet harshly threw one at the toon and it hit him in his face—some landing on him as some didn’t. Cuphead flinched and raised his hands up.

“Ow! Listen! Ow! Stop! I’m not here to hurt y—ow! I don’t wanna hurt you! I’m just here for the book!” He shouts. The minute he mentioned the book. Y/n felt herself jerk backwards. The familiar tug caused her to drop the rocks in shock. Her shoes slightly lifted from the ground from the book now awakening in her book bag and the dumpster vibrated and echoed at the impact of her shoes.

“No—no-no.” Y/n quickly tried to run past Cuphead—but the book dragged her back over to the toon—undoubtedly running into Cuphead sending the two to the ground.

“Ow!”

“What was that?!”

The two shouts. Y/n quickly got up before turning to face the streets and running off yet again. “HEY!” Cuphead shouts.

Y/n almost tripped over a stroller a mother was pushing. Y/n glanced over her shoulder and shouted a quick apology to the mother. “Sorry!”

Looking back ahead. Y/n tried glancing around the town for her friends but to no sight she didn’t see anyone. Breathing heavily through her nose. Y/n looking over on the porch of a house. There sat. Water gun. Not a weapon but she was sure it would come in handy. Her fight or flight mode was kicking and she was desperate for survival and protection. Grabbing the toy gun she ran down the sidewalk and looking around.

“Guys!” She shouts in spite of catching the attention of her friends—but instead. Catching the attention of a certain cowboy.

“Well looksy here!” Bettigan shouts. Y/n stops jogging before turning around and spotting the toon. Bettigan flicks his hat up and grins at Y/n. “Put em up—cow girl—“ he demands. Y/n blinks as she shuffled on her feet. The sidewalk had little to no one to hide behind but she still felt crowded. She quickly lifts the toy gun up and glares at the opposing opponent. “Stay back!” She shouts!

Bettigan stared at Y/n for a moment before reaching to his side and pulling out a pistol—in fact..it was real. Not ever having a weapon pointed at her. Y/n—like a wimp. Dropped the toy gun and raised her hands up in fear.

“Drop the bag.” The gun motioned for Y/n to turn around. But Y/n felt her mind go foggy. HOW WAS NO ONE SEEING THIS?!

“Come on now..drop it.” Y/n slowly took the book bag off her shoulders before placing it on the ground. Bettigan smiled—but before he could talk. Something whizzed in the air and knocked the pistol from his grip.

“Bettigan! I told ya’ don’t kill her! What are y—“

“You idiot I had her right there she has the bag in the ground!” Y/n saw Cuphead walk over pointing his index finger at Bettigan’s chest out of fits of anger.

“She’s right there!” Bettigan motions over to Y/n. Only to find.

“Where did she go?” Bettigan muttered.

Y/n tripped over her shoes as she rounded yet another corner. She rushes past a street where a quiet neighborhood resides. On the whim she heard two voices! One she was familiar with.

“Hey! Watch the horns!” It was Bendy!

Y/n skids to a stop and looks down the street. Standing on the side of a building was a tall lanky figure. He was furry, dark and…his horns were large and he had Bendy by his tail. Bendy hung upside down as he gazed up at this creature.

“Where’s the rabbit?” The creature asks. Y/n could only see the back of the creature and see Bendy being held. Y/n wasted no time before she ran over. Picking up a rock from the ground and chucking it in the air.

“Put him down!!!” She shouts. The rock hits the creature at the back of its head. It was a hard hit but not enough to deter the creature. But enough to make him turn around and gaze over his shoulder to the girl. It’s yellow eyes pierced into Y/n’s form.

Yellow eyes, black fur, horns.

“Oh shit…” she whispered.

The Devil drops Bendy before turning to Y/n. Bendy soon scurried away from the creature and over to Y/n. His arm looping around Y/n’s waste and picking the girl up to run from the neighborhood.

“What are you nuts?! You just hit the Devil!” Bendy shouts at her. Y/n frowned as she looks over Bendy’s

Shoulder—not seeing the creature anymore.

“I didn’t know that was him!” She cried out in fear. Bendy slowly stops running as he looks around frantically.

“Do you still have the book?” He asks her. Y/n felt him put her down. “Yeah, where’s Felix?” Y/n asked. Bendy looks back at her. “I dunno. The guy wandered off. No wonder he lost the twins!” Bendy sneered. Y/n breathed heavily trying to grasp onto her breathed as she looked around.

“I can’t find the others.” Y/n huffed

“Me ei—“

“a…a…a…a..” a distant scream echoed in the air.

Y/n and Bendy looked at each other as they heard the distant screaming grow closer.

“aaaaaAAAAAAAAHH!!!” Oswald had soon flown into Bendy and Y/n and the three had unfortunately rammed into a glass pane window of a store; the glass shattered into shards as the three fell into the store. A few screams of the pediatricians pierced the air. And Y/n felt wind get knocked from her lungs. Y/n rolled on the ground. The glass shards sticking to her shirt, pants and bag, Bendy groaned in pain as Oswald did as well. The sound of feet slapping the concrete grew closer.

“Guys! Are you okay?!” It was Donald. Y/n felt her eyes go blurry from the sudden impact. She groaned at the feeling of air not being able to properly cycle around her lungs. Soon Panchito and Donald hopped into the store through the broken glass. Donald reached down and helped Y/n up. Y/n groaned as she stood up slowly. Closing her eyes to help regain her balance.

Oswald slowly got up as Panchito looked down at Oswald. A few cackled and laughs echoed in the air—similar to being surrounded by a pack of hyenas. Y/n opened her eyes to see Bettigan, Mangosteen, Cuphead and she assumed his brother Mugman was standing in front of the broken glass pane. A few imp like creatures with different shades of red fur—there had to be at least 8 imp creatures that stood next to the now villainous people that weren’t on their side.

Mangosteen had yet again opened his mouth—like how he did to throw the energy ball at them earlier—but instead. Y/n felt herself slightly lift from the ground and her book bag unzipped and the book soon slipped from the bag leaving Y/n to tumble to the ground. Bendy had caught her and held her by her waist.

“No!” Y/n protested as the book floated over to the group. “Nice running around. I’ll give you all that.” The western cowboy—Bettigan praised. His voice was deep and husky. The book was an arms length away from him as he reached out to grab the book. But instead;

Whip!

A thick lasso rope embraced around the book. With a tug the book was pulled away from the beam of energy that was pulling it closer to the opposing group—being snatched off the go side where it landed in the hands of Felix. Felix stood in the doorway entrance of the store. A couple of customers cowered behind a shelf that stood next to him.

“I don’t think so.” Felix smiled at Bettigan. Bettigan huffed before pointing at the group. “Get em!”

With a blink of an eye. Donald, Y/n, Panchito, Bendy, Oswald and Felix dashed from the store. Almost tripping over her feet. Y/n ran down the sidewalk with her friends to seemingly nowhere—their main objective was to just get away from their opposing team.

“Where are we going?!” Y/n shouts as she and the others found themselves on the main street of the town once again.

“I don’t know!” Felix shouts—but he didn’t seem to sense the danger they were in. Instead enjoying the cat and mouse chase that ensued. He then grunts before looking down at his hands where he held the book.

“Ow! Hey—it’s burning me!” Felix said curiously. He tossed the book over to Y/n and she caught it. “Maybe it—AH!”

Y/n was dragged back, her arms being tugged harshly by the book. It lifted her from the ground with great strength. Y/n shrieks as she feels herself seemingly get tossed backwards and ramming into someone.

“Ow!” Shouts a voice but she couldn’t match the voice to the face as she and the person fell and rolled on the ground—rolling in a few summersaults from the impact. With adrenaline pumping she didn’t take much time to get up as she did the first couple of times. Sitting up and looking over. She was met face to face with an exhausted looking Mugman.

“Ah!” The two scream before backing away from each other. Her back hits the car that was parked off to the side of the street.

“Gotcha! You brat!” Y/n felt someone take ahold of her hood and lift her up yet again. She sunk into her jacket and aimlessly kicked and tossed her legs. “Ah! Let me go!” She protested. Swinging her arms back, try and hit whoever had her hold by her hood. Looking off to the side she saw the book laid aimlessly on the ground in the middle of the street.

“Mugman! Get the book and take it to Mango! I’ll deal wit’ da girl!” An accented voice shouts. Mugman stared at Y/n momentarily before he slowly backed away and scurried off towards the book. Y/n was dropped to the ground. She fell to her knees and before she had the time to get up and run off. She was grabbed by her shoulders and flipped around onto her back. A foot pressed into her torso. She gazed up at the person to see that they were a toon. A fox toon in a red suit. He looked to be some sort of pimp.

“Alright Noid. Heard ya’ve been givin’ my boss problems.” He sneered. Leaning down as his nose pressed against Y/n’s. Y/n glared at the toon. “I dunno who you’re talking about! I don’t even know what you guys are after us for!” She shouts.

“The book! Where’s the rabbit?” He got to the point. Y/n was silent for a moment as she stared up at him. “Oswald?” She asks.

“Yes, him—“

“What makes you think I’ll tell you!” She tried to swing at the fox. But he backed away before her fist could make an impact on his face. He holds his belly and laughs boisterously. “HAHAHAHA! OH man! You’re too good kid!” He laughs. He reaches behind his back and pulls out a pistol.

“Too bad you gotta be put out da’ picture.” He aims the gun at Y/n. Y/n wheezed slowly as she saw the weapon. Her fingertips running cold. She was going to die! She tried to sink into the concrete road away from the barrel. She could see the black hole pointing at her eye. But before the fox could pull the trigger. A loud thud was heard above Y/n. The creaking off a car and the alarm on the car went off—letting her know something heavy must have landed on it. The fox lowers the gun and looks up.

An animalistic growl rumbled the ground and Y/n shivered at only thinking what creature was there to kill her now?! She slowly moves her head to roll her eyes back to glance behind her. She only could see a large silhouette crouching on the alarmed car. She didn’t wasn’t to move too much in fear of having that fox toon wanting to quickly finish the job and shoot her.

“Let. Her. Go.” It was no one she was too familiar with. It couldn’t be any of her toon friends. Y/n cursed under her breath

But instead the fox's ears lowered as he lifted his foot from Y/n’s torso. “Go on. Take the girl.” He retaliated. Or so what Y/n assumed he did. The creature took a step from the car. And Y/n could feel purgatory chanting her names. She was going to die. She should have listened to her mom! Just stay in the house! This was crazy! She didn’t even know what she was doing! Should she just give them the book?!

“Whoa!”

Thud!

Whoever the big and bad creature was must have taken a step too wide and fell off the car. And fell face first into the ground. Deciding to take a look at this mystery hero. Y/n slowly sat up and saw;

“Boris?” She asks slowly. The wolf had landed on his chin, ears dropped low as he looked at her. His body arched over his head as he gave her a flustered smile.

“Ah…hey Y/n—“

“AAHAHAHA! This?! This is supposed to be the big wolf?!” The fox hurled over and laughed, arms curled over his stomach as he laughed hysterically.

“You—YOU HAD ME THERE FOR A SECOND!” He laughs. Boris’s attempts to try and spook the fox clearly almost had the enemy—but with one silly move caused Boris’s plan to fail.

As the fox laughed. Y/n quickly pushed the fox away from her, causing the toon to fall into the car behind him. She scurried off the ground and rushed over to Boris. Grabbing his arm and tugging him up—with how heavy he was her tugs meant nothing—but Boris thankfully was quick as he stood up and towered over her—she never realized how tall the wolf was—but thinking more on that later. She and Boris ran down the street away from the fox who just then got back up and shouted curses at the two.

“Where did you come from?!” Y/n shouts. She smiled at the wolf who ran next to her with a silly grin. Without taking notice. He closed his eyes and started to explain. “Well! Alice decided it would be best if we—“ Boris was cut short by running smack dead into a light pole. He stood stiff as a board. His ear twitched as his two eyes were replaced with X’s

“Didn’t…see that…sign…” he wheezed. Y/n skids to a stop as she looks forward to seeing that wandered into a construction sight. Looking at the sign that Boris inadvertently ran into she saw it had a black photo of a sewer hole. Boris staggered as he held his head.

“Oh my…” he whimpered. He seemed like he was about to fall.

“Hey! You two can’t be over here.” A construction worker warned. Y/n saw Boris falling back. She gasped and tried to stop the wolf from falling but he was far too heavy. She pressed her back into Boris’s but he already seemed to be knocked out unfortunately when turning the opposite direction to hoist Boris up. She noticed the open sewer hole a toe length away the black darkness was calling her name to just fall in.

“NO!” She shouts.

“Yes!” Y/n quickly looks up to see that flying 8-ball again. Gasping she stiffened at the sigh of the creature.

“Boris! WAKE UP!” Y/n legs gave out as she then fell into the sewer hold. With Boris limply falling in after. His foot had kicked an abandoned street sign and it flew in the air before falling into the sewer hole with Y/n’s descending screams. Mangosteen blinks before reaching a hand up to his chin (?)

“Wow—she’d much rather toss herself in a sewer line then be up here with me?” He seemed hurt genuinely as he frowned.

“…”

“OH WELL! Time for some brutal murder!” He cackled before floating over to the sewer hole and falling in as well. The construction worker blinked slowly and furrowed his eyebrow. Before he rolled his eyes

“I don’t get paid enough for this..”

Boris landed on top of the metal street sign shortly Y/n landed between his legs oddly Boris was still sitting up muttering under his breath—eyes closed but he seemed out of it.

“Yes—I’d love to….” He muttered under his breath. Y/n couldn’t see anything in front of her as her shaky breathing echoed in the sewer.

She shakily reached for her phone. Once finishing it she quickly took off her bookbag and placed it in front of her. Mesmerizing where her front zipper was. She unzipped it before turning in the flashlight in her phone and placing the phone in the front zipper. Once the light was on she could see the sewer line. The street sign oddly secures at some sort of boat as in the shallow water kept she and Boris afloat as it floated down the line.

She heard water a few feet ahead but it was so dark she could only see what was really in front of her. She looked over her shoulder and nudged Boris.

“Boris! Wake up—wake up please! We’re—we’re in the sewer and I think we’re lost!” She panicked. She lifts a hand up as she looks infront of her. Her hand softly pats at Boris’s face.

“5 more…minutes…Henry….” He muttered.

Y/n had her focus on the end of the tunnel—where she soon could see that—there was a drop!!

“Nonononono!! No!” She shouts. Pressing herself back into Boris. Boris snores before he snorts and wakes up. He looks around with an alarmed expression.

“What?! What’s going on?! Where am I?! Why is it so dark?!” He cried out. Y/n wrapped her arms around Boris’s arms as if to use them as some sort of restraint.

“Oh my gosh!” Y/n shrieks in fear. Boris shouts as he wraps his arms around Y/n as well. The street sign lurched forward and the two were sent sliding down the steep hill, Y/n felt her stop spinning in circles. Similar to how it felt riding on a rollercoaster. Their screams echoed in the sewer.

“AHHHHHHHH!”

“AAAAAAH!” They both shout in fear yet—excitement.

Suddenly a ball of energy shoots down the tunnel. Lighting the way down the tunnel where Y/n could see for a split second an abrupt turn. Y/n looked over Boris’s shoulder to see the 8 ball had followed them into the sewer line—possibly to make sure they were dead for sure. Y/n hid her face in Boris’s shoulder as she felt the abruptness. The metal street sign that acted as a sled skids the wall. Creating a spark as the tunnel dipped down yet again causing them to go faster.

Another energy ball had been shot and it landed right in front of the two just before the second dip. Y/n shrieks as she flies off the sled—as she deemed it.

Boris yelps and frantically tries to grab onto Y/n but he is separated by going into another direction which is downwards into the sewer. The energy ball had torn off another metal plate which held cables to the sewer lines wall—thankfully with luck on Y/n’s side she lands on the new sled and was separated from Boris when she was led to different tunnel—which was a form as Boris went left and she went right—on the hood side she managed to lose Mangosteen. Y/n had landed in her stomach and was holding onto the metal plate that was curled at the end so she could have something to grasp onto. It really resembles a sled now.

Y/n felt another dip and her legs lifted from the sled and she flipped forwards mid air. Screaming Y/n felt herself free fall as she lost the metal plate she was on. Boris had made it from the tunnel he was separated from Y/n. And he looked up in the direction of Y/n’s screaming. And right when he looked up. She landed back between his legs.

“AH I THOUGHT I LOST YOU!” He shouts with glee. As he hugged Y/n. Rubbing his cheek on top of her head. Y/n felt herself shivering at the thought of maybe landing in the sewer water and scraping herself up pretty bad. She was thankful that Boris was there. The two looked forward and saw at the end of the tunnel a large pipe that led upwards. The pipe had a valve. And spurts of water were spilling from the crevice of the pipe.

“I think that's the way out!” Y/n shouts and smiles. Boris smiled as well before frowning.

“Why aren’t we slowin’ down.”

Being tossed through a window of a house that was nearby. Bendy groaned as he laid on the floor limply. The debris of the glass shards and dust particles from the wall wafted in the air. The demon's tail twitched as he sighed…tossed through a wall…again. Bendy glared up at the ceiling in irritation.

“This is not my week…” he grumbled.

Hearing the sudden tiny gasp caused Bendy to snap from his trance before sitting up on his elbows. Looking over he saw two children. One boy—no older than maybe the age of 10 holding a bat over his head in fear that Bendy may have been an intruder. And a little girl who had to have been 8 cowering behind her brother. They both held a fearful expression thinking Bendy would harm them. Bendy blinks before having a nervous smile. “Um—-I can explain—“

Donald was caught off by frantic huffing and puffing. Oswald quickly crawled into the apartment. Crawling over the glass shards and wall pieces. His fur was ruffled as he landed on his stomach to breathe.

“They—are Vicious!” Oswald's voice cracks as he shakily points behind him which leads outside. Bendy was surprised that the rabbit crawled up to the second floor to get away from beagle brothers—who had also shortly after decided to make their appearance after Y/n suddenly vanished.

Oswald looks at Bendy before looking over at the kids. His ears dropped once he saw how alarmed the two kids were. Seeing two toons being thrown through the wall into your home? That would frighten any kid.

“Oh man…” he muttered.

The two kids then screamed in fear and the brother dropped the bat to the ground before he grabbed his sibling and scurried off down the hall. Oswald quickly gets up as well as Bendy.

The faucet in the kitchen trembled and the ground vibrated. Oswald and Bendy look down at their feet before looking at each other. Bendy blinked before the sound of water spraying widely outside caught his attention. Two distinct screams were heard and both Oswald and Bendy were yet again tossed to the ground by Boris and Y/n. The two were soaking wet. The mildew smell of water wafted the air. And the sound of a heavy sew lid smashing onto concrete echoed in the streets.

Y/n coughed up water and crawled off of Bendy. She gasped for air and groaned heavily. Bendy yelped as he quickly wiped the water from him as he looked over to Y/n who were on her hands and knees trying to free her lungs of water. Head to two she was drenched and shivering.

Boris stood up quickly and shook his coat of fur. Splashing water everywhere. Bendy wandered over to Y/n and helped her up.

“Boris! What are you doing here?” Bendy was relieved to see his friend. And Boris wagged his tail quickly, happy to see Bendy as well. “Alice led us here! She had something to tell you! That there’s this group of people trying to kill you all!” He explained before he grunted.

“But it seems you all already got the gist of that.” He muttered under his breath shaking his left foot from any water. Y/n gagged and groaned.

“I’m all wet! With sewer water! And—and they took—-The book!” She shouts. Bendy and Oswald both looked at her.

“They took the book?” Oswald repeats. Y/n looks at him and nods, breathing heavily to catch her breath. “Yes! And we need to get it back!” She looked out towards the hole in the wall and ran a hand through her hair.

“Where’s Alice?” Bendy asks as he turns to look at Boris. Boris thought for a moment. “They’re still in town.” He answered.

“They’re?”

“Oh yeah! Charley, Barley and Edgar are with us too!” Boris nods with a bright smile. Y/n didn’t know who they were other than Alice. But Bendy didn’t seem pleased.

“Come on. We need to find Donald and Panchito.”

Rushing down the sidewalk. Y/n could see the water spluttering from the sewer hole that she and Boris had exited from. Water everywhere on the street after busting that pipe they ran into shortly after their victory chase with Mangosteen. Luckily the water damage didn’t floor the street—but surely construction will pull their hair out when they see that.

“How did you two get up there anyway?” Y/n asked Bendy and Oswald before motioning up to the hole in the building on the 2nd floor. The two kids that were in that room peered down at them. Bendy points to himself. “I was tossed.” He then points at Oswald. “He was hiding.” He finished. Oswald looks away down the road to avoid eye contact. Y/n’s clothes felt heavier she sighed and shivered yet again.

“All we need to do is locate that bo—“

“Squeak squeak!!” Two loud echoing squeaks that reminded Y/n of a dog's chew toy echoed in the air. The four turned around and were faced with a spider toon—Edgar. He held the book in his hand and smiled triumphantly.

Bendy smiled.

“Eddie!” He shouts with glee and runs over to the toon. He wrapped his arms around the spider toon and lifted him up to give Edgar a tight crushing hug. Edgar let’s out various squeals of laughter. Y/n didn’t know who the toon was but assumed he was good and that Bendy knew him. She jogged over and once she got closer the spider smiled at her and handed her the book. Y/n smiled before taking ahold of the book. At long last!

“Thank you.” She thanks the toon as Bendy sets Edgar down. Edgar smiled before he looked away with a flustered expression.

“There you guys are!” Y/n glanced up and saw Panchito and Donald running over. Once they were close they skidded to a stop once spotting Boris. His height must have made the two cautious as Donald quacked in a surprised manner before hiding behind Panchito. Boris’s nose twitched before he smiled and waved. “Hi!” He says. Panchito soon smiled and waved at Boris—remembering the face from the studio. As for Donald he cautiously looked at Boris but remained silent.

Bendy took the book from Y/n and smugly grinned.

“And we have the book. You all can thank—“ he then looked at Edgar but—Bendy then points to himself with his thumb as he grinned.

“This guy.” Just as he said that. A black blurry figure ran in between him and Y/n. Snatching the book from Bendy’s grasp. Bendy still held the hand up that was holding the book. He looked at his head before he looked at Y/n whose mouth was agape.

“What the hell Bendy!” She shoved him—for what felt like the 100th time the book was taken from them! Bendy grabbed Y/n’s hands to stop her from shoving him again. “Hey! Hey! Don’t get hostile with me—“

“Hah! Losers!” Everyone looked over to see the shadow like toon that Oswald, Y/n, Panchito and Bendy encountered. The fast shadow toon grinned as he held the book above his head before dashing off reaching behind his back with his free hand. He held a small metal like ball.

“You know out of everyone we’ve encountered—he doesn't make me scared.” Panchito absurdly confessed. Oswald rubbed his eye so that he could start to bruise up. The toon then smashed the ball to the ground like a smoke bomb. Black smoke seeped onto the ground and out popped 4 shadow creatures. All with sharp features their glowing white eyes caused Y/n’s bookbag to fall off her shoulder as everyone stared in awe as the 4 shadows loomed in the air threateningly.

“I take that back.” Panchito said nonchalantly.

“Get them!” Zip shouted before he cackled loudly and rushed away with the book. The four shadows quickly started towards the group and all six of them screamed in fear before scurrying off in different directions.

Edgar tripped over his legs running away as he followed Y/n. With how small he was he sure was fast as he kept up to speed with her. Boris and Bendy had run off into another direction. Boris screams and he tripped over a trash can. But he rolled off the ground and kept running. Oswald, Donald and Panchito found their different paths as well—everyone splitting up yet again.

Y/n held her bookbag as she tripped over her wet and saggy pants that were weighing her down. She had to think big instead of running everywhere! She looks at Edgar hoping he could understand her. “Do you think you can find that book again?!” She asks the spider as the two rounded a corner. Edgar squeaks before he remembered she couldn’t understand him. He nods before he stops running and zips off to another street in hopes of finding the stolen book. Y/n looked behind her and saw that the shadow like creature was quick and series of voices were in her head—she assumed it must have been the effect of the creature she covered her ears and huffed she was running out of breath and her legs urged her to take a rest she was running too much! Y/n ducked under a man's arm as he stood in the way. He almost tripped over and looked at Y/n in confusion but didn’t seem to notice the shadow creature chasing after the girl.

As soon as Y/n thought could outrun the creature. To arms stuck out. And grasped onto her dragging her into an alleyway. Y/n yelps and almost tripped over. Turning around quickly she was met with Cuphead.

“Sh! Quiet! I’m helping you—“ he raised a finger to his mouth to silence her. Y/n huffed and placed her back on the wall opposite of Cuphead. She felt water dripping from her and onto the concrete ground. She tried to contain her hard breathing but she couldn’t as Cuphead peeked from the alleyway. Should she even be standing near him?

As he was busy looking away and out the alley to see if the creature was far off somewhere. Y/n looked over and saw a gate she could hop—would she even be quick enough? She couldn’t even run—her clothes were wet and she felt icky and tired! Y/n looked down at her hands to see the bandage around her hands were loosely coming off.

“Are you okay?” Y/n heard the voice echo in the alleyway. She looks up to see Cuphead had turned around to face Y/n. He was wringing his gloved hands slightly.

Y/n didn’t really know what to respond as she stared at him. “Yeah…” she cautiously said. Cuphead smiled. “Great—“

“So. You’re out to kill me?” She abruptly asked…well she had to know! Cuphead opened his mouth before placing his hands on his chest. “They told me to. But I don’t wa—“

“So you are going to kill me?”

“No! I’m not—I was but until I ran into you today—I made the decision that I wasn’t—“

“So your original plan was to kill me—“

“I don’t think either way I put it—it’ll sound good. Look—let’s start from the beginning.” He wandered over to a trash can and leans his elbow onto it. Before looking at Y/n he then smiled.

“Hey, I’m Cuphead. Cups—whateva’, but you can call me…anytime.” He winks at her. Y/n mouth was agape as she stared at him. Feeling butterflies in her stomach as she saw him lean too far in the trash can and almost fall over. He played it off by reaching a hand out to Y/n to shake.

“And I know you. You’re Y/n—my uh…boss…sorta told me. To kill you.” His words went quieter—as blunt as he was he really didn’t seem like the guy to want to kill anyone. But Y/n couldn’t even form words as she looked at him…what an odd guy..

“Don’t seem too…moved..okay..uh…you're still there?” He moved his hand when he saw Y/n didn’t take the hand shake. He waved his hand in front of her to see if he could snap her from her daze. Y/n blinks before she slowly removes herself off the wall.

“What suddenly made you not want to kill me?” She asks. Cuphead gave her a closed lip smile as he gazed at her with a far off look. “Well…you’re pretty.”

What?

Despite feeling the fluffy feeling of butterflies in her stomach. Y/n didn’t find the reply good enough. She furrowed her eyebrows and Cuphead soon raised his hands.

“I know—that doesn't sound like anything too believable—look. My brother and I aren’t people that go around for fun harmin’ folks. This—our boss—The Devil. He sorta owns our souls for the time being, and he said to release us. We had to take that book from you and your friends and specifically kill you. I don’t know why.” His reply seemed genuine and authentic. Y/n tensed muscles slowly eased as she slowly nodded.

“So you’re not going to kill me?” She asks yet again. Cuphead shook his head. “I’m not. I promise I won’t lay a finger on you..” the two were silent for a moment as Y/n tried to wrap her hand around everything. She doesn't understand.

“I don’t understand…Why would you not kill me if that’s the only way to not be soul bound to the Devil.” Y/n repeats. Cuphead looks off to the side.

“You know Felix..right?” He asks. And Y/n nods.

“Well. Me and Mugs—my brother. Our original plan was to get this jewel that would protect us from the Devil. But as you can see—“ he motions around himself. “We’re here. I was going to let you all go—I hope your friends are still alive.”

“Trust me. They are.”

“Well. If you all can get away safely and find that stone. That can break the string between the Devil and me and my brother.” Cuphead finished. Y/n stared at him for a moment.

“So you want us to help you?”

“If that’s not too much to ask..”

Y/n was silent…the book..something about it from earlier…she ran into both Cuphead and Mugman because of the book. Idaho…wait.

Gasping softly she looks at Cuphead.

“You—you and your brother. The book—okay look. We have this book. And this book is leading us to people that should belong on our team. And you and your brother are two of the few people!” She quickly explains. It all made sense now! Cuphead tilts his head.

“What’s the purpose of it. Everyone on my team—the head honchos as I put it. Want that book. I never really cared to find out why but..what’s so important about it?” He asks. And frankly;

“We don’t have an answer for that yet. It’s—it's a lot to unravel. And we’ll explain that when we get you and your brother out of this mess. All you need to know now. Is that. You need to be on our team. And I’ll make it happen.” She boasts. Y/n gave him a smile and Cuphead then smiled back.

“I like ya’ spunk.” He winks. “Have any boyfriend’s?” He grins. Y/n smiled slowly. “No.”

“Lookin’ for any?”

“We have bigger things to look at right now—“

“Alright, alright. I have a plan for you to get your book back and for your friends to leave town safely.” Cuphead moved on. Y/n nods as the two walks deeper into the alleyway.

“Tell me and let’s put it into action.”

#fanfic #fanfiction #bendyxreader #cuphead x reader #oswald the lucky rabbit #toon quest #jose carioca #panchito pistoles #duck tales x reader #ducktales 2017 #the three caballeros x reader #batim x reader

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polin-erospsyche · 4 years ago

Note

The prompt number 16 is quite interesting lol 16. “Control your anger or you’ll have me to worry about.” Choose the ship/character you like :)

Hello! Ok, there are literally zero reasons as to why it took me a year to write this bloody thing except maybe that I had some not fun moments and also this literally never could have been written if I hadn’t waited this long. I don’t know if you’ll read it. You’ve probably forgotten about this in all fairness but if you do read it I hope you like it.

Also taking this opportunity to thank everyone for following me. I’m at 400 followers! This is insane. I’m not sure why you’re all following tbh but to celebrate I forced myself to finish this long overdue fic, hope you like it! Also disclaimer: I love all of the characters from TLH. I am aware of the existing debate around Matthew and Alastair and my writing in here does not represent my point of view. But I I decided to represent Matthew and his view in this way for story telling purpose. Please don’t come at me with gun blazing. If you do wanna talk, we can, but in peace 😊💕

Somewhere Where Our Shadows Meet, It Feels Like Coming Home -

a Fairdale one-shot (is that even their brotp name???)

This was the fifth time James was rereading the passage of the book he had picked up. It was no use. Each time he finished the page he had already forgotten the beginning. His mind was foggy with a multitude of thoughts. Thoughts about Lucie and her strange dalliance with a boy who used to be a ghost, about Grace which inevitably led to unsolicited questions on his own identity, and, as much as he tried not to think about it, thoughts of Matthew and Cordelia. He really did not enjoy these last kinds of thoughts. He couldn’t help but imagine what kind of relationship could have blossomed between the two during their trip to Paris. He knew how Matthew felt, but when it came to Cordelia, he had no single clue. He constantly wondered as to whether she hated or loved him. Daring to hope that he hadn’t ruined everything. Just for that hope to vanish the next second because there was no possible way he did not ruin it. And even if ever decided to ask her, he would have no idea how to approach the topic without sounding like an arrogant bastard.

James let out a long breath, rolling his shoulders, trying to let go of the tension. He was pretty sure that if he ventured to look at himself in the mirror that was hung above the chimney, he would see huge dark circles beneath his eyes. Circles which color could rival the color of London’s night sky. A result of many nights plagued by bad dreams and worry. During some of those sleepless nights, James had gone to Cordelia’s room. The first time it was under the pretext of looking for books. Her room had been full of her personal belongings. A bottle of perfume on her vanity table, an evening dress carefully laid out on the chaise longue, a copy of Majun and Layla on her bedside table. So many little pieces of who Cordelia was scattered in a room she had run away from. She hadn’t been back to Curzon street since that night. Upon arriving in London, she had decided to move back with her mother using the excuse of the soon-to-be new baby’s arrival. James kept going to her home though, eventually admitting to himself that he did so because of the smell of Jasmin that lingered. It was the closest thing he had to a semblance of her presence in the house. It was a soft smell that grounded him. It was also a heady smell that reminded him of the sweetness he had lost.

He shook himself out of thoughts of her. Something he had gotten quite good at to be fair, considering how many times he thought of her in the span of a day. Pushing himself up from the table he was leaning against, he closed the book he was reading, giving up on understanding it, and made his way to the window. Outside the sky was tinged in pastel colors drawing the day to a close. James would slowly make his way back home. He would rehash the day, come up with new plans to wake his sister from her deep sleep, find out that these plans would fail again come morning, and finally decide that he would need to eat a bite because going to bed with an empty stomach was just not advisable. His parents had offered for him to stay at the Institute with them but James had refused. He preferred the calm and silence of Curzon Street. He found that the bittersweet cloak that covered his house was, in some ways, almost reassuring. Maybe he was going insane. Just when he was ready to go bid his goodnight to his family, he heard the doors of the library open wide behind him and slammed shut again.

“Did you know?” Matthew growled. James might have thought that he himself had gone slightly deranged chasing down the smell of Jasmin throughout his home, but at least he did not look half as unhinged as Matthew looked right this instant. Matthew’s eyes were wide, his pupils dilated, and his fist clenched so tight his knuckles were turning white.

“Are you alright?” James asked, keeping an even tone.

“Did you know?”

“Know what?”

Matthew took a few strides in James’ direction. His stare holding James’ gaze in place as if daring James to contrary him. “Did you know about Thomas?”

“Um yes,” James nodded, a sly smile playing on his lips. “I do know Thomas.” At that Matthew narrowed his eyes and almost seemed as if he was trying hard not to grind his teeth. Noted. Attempts at humor and alleviating the situation were not going to work. “What about him?” James tried again. His smile replaced by a serious gaze.

“Did you know about Alastair?” Matthew asked, almost spatting out Alastair’s name.

James took a few steps back, reinstating the much-needed personal space for such a conversation. James did know about Alastair, but only because Thomas had looked so miserable and James had pried so insistently that Thomas had had no choice but to give up his well-kept secret. James had understood, sometimes you couldn’t choose who you fell in love with. Sometimes you fell in love with something that only you saw in the other person. Love was usually shrouded in mystery this way, best not to question how it worked. Obviously, by the look of things, Matthew did not agree.

“Please sit down,” James pointed to one of the green velvet armchairs. “I’ll pour you a drink.” James said, making his way to the stash of liquor in one of the dark wooden commodes. James had always wondered what kind of people, for what kind of situation kept alcohol in the library of all rooms. It always seemed to him that a secret stash of tea would have been more appropriate. Now he understood what kind of situation required people to put alcohol in every room, even if it was just one abandoned bottle of Parkmore. “Is Whiskey alright?” James turned his head in Matthew’s direction.

“So you knew?” Matthew answered, seemingly in a staring competition with the mustard yellow wallpaper in front of him. “He told you?”

Whiskey it would be for a total lack of all other present choices James thought as he started to pour a glass.

Matthew kept going on his verbal onslaught towards the wallpaper. In all fairness mustard yellow was a color that could potentially enrage everyone. “How can he? It’s Alastair that we are talking about. It’s not as if there wasn’t any other man in London that Thomas couldn’t have a fling for.”

James very much doubted that a fling could start to describe Thomas’s feelings for Alastair. However, seeing how Matthew was nearly spitting out every single one of his words, he thought it safer not to share this piece of information.

“Matthew, please calm down and control your anger or you’ll have me to worry about.” James handed the glass to Matthew, which he waved away.

“No, thank you. I don’t drink.”

James squinted. “Since when?”

“Since Paris.”

James couldn’t help but feel a pinch in his chest at the mention of Paris. Paris city of lights, city of lovers. An escape his friend had taken with the only girl James had ever, truly, loved since he was barely old enough to understand the concept. It was a wondrous thing how much pain a single word could hold.

“What a strange place to decide to stop drinking.” James took a sip of the honey-colored liquid, trying to hide his hurt to the best of his ability.

“Cordelia asked me to. That was her condition for coming with me.”

James did not want to go in the general direction of a conversation that involved Cordelia. Especially not if that conversation was with Matthew. He had written a letter. James had understood. He slightly had the urge to strangle his best friend for going with her; for loving her; he did not quite know. But that was it. They hadn’t spoken of Paris nor of Cordelia together and that was for the best. Neutral conversations were for the best, they could avoid the hurt and the blame, and if James let it come to that again who knew what would be next. Yet he couldn’t help but ask.

“Why did you leave?”

Matthew turned to James, his anger receding ever so slightly. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” A beat, a choice to either keep going or retreat before it is too late. A beat, a choice to see where this could go “why did you go to Paris?”

“You owe me an answer first. Did you know about Alastair?”

“Yes.”

“How could you not tell me?”

“You weren’t here Matthew.” James’ voice almost broke, almost. “How was I supposed to tell you anything?”

James had wanted to throw so much more at Matthew’s face. Throw words that he wouldn’t be able to take back. He had been feeling so alone. So utterly lost after Grace’s admission. After Cordelia’s departure. He had needed his best friend. He had wanted to tell him so much, to figure it all out with him. To have Matthew hold him at times when he didn’t know if he could hold it up together and tell him, simply, that he believed in him. But Matthew hadn’t been in London. He had been in Paris. Happy. With Cordelia.

“And you accept it?” Matthew asked, carefully studying James.

“I guess it depends on what we are talking about. In any case,” James turned away from the fireplace to look at his friend. “why are you so against it if it makes Thomas happy?”

“I don’t know. Maybe because Alastair doesn’t deserve to be loved?”

“Maybe it is more about deserving a second chance rather than deserving of love. Maybe it is about getting a chance to fix your mistakes. Surely no one is worthless of that.”

“Sometimes the mistakes are too big to fix.” Matthew shrugged, breaking eye contact.

“Is that why you ran away?” The question was asked so softly as if asked any louder and James would be terrified to see Matthew run away again. James wasn’t sure he could bear it, no matter how much frustration towards Matthew he still felt.

“I didn’t run.” Matthew shook his head. His gaze far and distant as if in another land, in a shadow realm. “I took a train, there’s a difference. And I left because of Cordelia.”

James had an inkling he hadn’t left because of Cordelia but rather Cordelia had followed in a desperate pursuit to drown both of their sorrows in the glamour of a city like Paris. After all, Paris was so similar to Matthew, it was no wonder he had chosen it. At the surface, both were golden and shining like a polished jewel box. Once that jewel box was open, however, shadows, pain, and sadness would pour out like a damn breaking loose.

“I never thought you’d try to run away from me.” James knelt in front of Matthew, his knees landing on the soft midnight blue carpet. “That one day, I’d become a part of the shadows that you try to outrun.”

Matthew turned around so fast and reached for James’ face. His green eyes were darker than usual. “You’re not my shadows, Jamie Bach. You’re my home. You are the reason why I still believe I’m worth being forgiven for.” He said those words like a damned man dying for a confession, following blindly a faith he held so dear to his heart, hoping that that faith could be his saving grace. James understood that he had become that faith.

“Forgiven for what?” James asked.

“I can’t tell you.”

“It’s me, Matthew. What is so bad that you cannot tell me?”

“I can’t tell you because I’m afraid. I need you to stay with me. I need you to believe that I am good, even if it means that you believe in a lie.”

“Matthew …”

“If you keep choosing me and believing in me,” Matthew interrupted. If he couldn’t finish now, he never would. “then maybe I can believe that I am no monster.”

“You are not a monster, you are my parabatai.”

James felt like they were back on that bridge, at night, so close to being let in in Matthew’s secrets. Back then James hadn’t been in control of himself, he hadn’t known what was happening to him. He had lost his chance. It would not happen again. It could not happen again. James was so tired of walking a frayed rope line with Matthew, guessing at hinted truths. Being someone’s constant north took work and time and effort but because it was Matthew, James could do it. He would always do it and he needed Matthew to know that as clearly as they both knew that one day would come when they would both cross the other side together. Because after all, that was what it had always been about. Despite shadows and lies and deceptions and miscommunication, they would always be together. So James continued.

“Do you know what that means? It means that I made a promise to you. I said entreat me not to leave thee, for wither thou goest, I will go. If aught but death part thee and me. I will not leave. No matter what you’ve done, I will stand by you, because that is the choice that I have made. That I still make. There is not a thing in this world that you could have done that would make me stop loving you, calon fy enaid.”

Matthew looked up at James and teased “Does that mean that you accept my feelings for Cordelia?”

“Don’t change the subject.”

“I must say, I don’t think I’m her type. It’s a pity, really.” Some strands of Matthew’s hair fell in his eyes as he shook his head. James could see the old Matthew again. The carefree one that balanced out his own shadows so well. The one he would choose and forgive a thousand times over because he too was his home.

“Matthew.”

“All right, all right.” Matthew threw his hands up in a mock gesture of surrender. “I just … wish you could promise that I would not lose you.”

“I promise.”

“You can’t promise something you don’t know.” Matthew said before he started to talk about his own misbeliefs that had led to a terrible accident. James listened and did not judge and stayed long in the night after Matthew had said everything that had weighted so heavy on his heart for so long. And somewhere, under the warm light of oil lamps and next to a warm fire, the frayed rope between the two started to mend and James could only describe the feeling as one of coming home.

Tag List: @lady-ofroses @clockworknights @the-axewielding-herondale @tess-the-dreamer @coloandreablog

Do let me know if you want to be on the tag list and I’ll happily add you! (I have a tag list now visibly, wild and mind-blown) I will try to post more now that my exams are somewhat done. Who am I kidding? There will always be more stuff to do XD

#tlh fanfic #the last hours fanfiction #the last hours #tlh #coi spoilers #coi #chain of iron #chain of gold #chog #Matthew Fairchild #james herondale #lucie herondale #jesse blackthorn #cordelia carstairs #thomas lightwood #alastair carstairs #grace blackthorn #jordelia

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key-to-my-heart · 4 years ago

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🌈RH POSITIVITY🌈

DISCLAIMER: you do not have to agree with the following writing. you can believe in these pairings romantically or platonically, however you’d like to interpret them! these are personally written to be in a romantic way, as ships, so please at least acknowledge that! you don’t even have to like any of these ships! if you are still into shipping but don’t ship these pairs, that’s completely fine! you are not obligated to agree. this is a post about positivity.

FEATURING:

Jade x Skyler

Poppy x Skyler

Ruby x Bella

Sunny x Poppy

Bella x Sunny

Skyler x Violet

Bella x Amaya

💙SKYLER X JADE💚

i haven’t really thought of a ship name for them, but i’m getting nature vibes (blue like the water and green like the earth) so idk! maybe something elemental? i have no clue haha.

anyway this ship is so underrated! one of their most iconic moments (in my opinion) is the way they look at each other in the fashion studio commercial. ofc, there is more to them than that. i like how in tune these two are with their emotions. they feel them on such powerful levels. i feel like they can really connect this way, even when there’s a misunderstanding going on (episode four) i love how they made up. usually jade is the one to focus hard on projects, even if it’s in a sarcastic manner, but the roles sort of switched with skyler thinking about the project and jade being caught up in her emotions. i love how they made up & bonded at the end of the episode, too!

🧡POPPY X SKYLER💙

i also don’t know if these two have a ship name. maybe Blue Butterfly? or SkyFly? or Popler? i have no clue! but i do know that these two are super underrated! i have been shipping them from around episode three because they are just so cute! they definitely seem to have a close bond, especially being complimentary colour gals along with being roommates.

i feel like even though skyler gets very emotional, she is still pretty grounded & realistic. i think poppy gets caught up in her feelings in a different way than skyler does, so i imagine skyler could be someone who helps bring poppy back to her senses. i also imagine they are supportive gfs who give each other tips & advice from time to time. i feel like one of skyler’s fav things about poppy would be her sense of silliness as well as her skills with music. i can imagine poppy would often talk and brag about skyler to all of her friends.

❤️RUBY X BELLA💗

i haven’t really seen an established ship name for this pair nor have i come up with one for myself. i’m thinking of something along the lines of Valentines, Roses, Strawberry or Sweet Cherries! but i think this pair is very overlooked in the series.

they are definitely close, being roommates and all. they are both very amazing gals, impulsive in any way possible, and always there to help hype a friend up. i feel like they share a common interest in getting the job done, no matter what the cost is. ruby needed to prove her point to violet, even if it meant contradicting herself. bella wanted to take a photo of her set design, even if it meant losing her spot at rainbow high. i feel like this duo could accomplish a lot together, and they’re definitely smarter than they appear. i feel like they would do amazing things together!

💛SUNNY X POPPY🧡

i have seen Sunset used at this pairs ship name! i personally use Citrus but i think Sunset is just adorable! i feel like this is yet again, one of the most underrated duos in rainbow high

i love how poppy just knew her music would cheer sunny up when she was feeling down. i also love the chaotic energy these two hold. they simply share one brain cell. i feel like my top three scenes of theirs would be when they were dancing together in episode two, when they were trying to read the words behind the mirror in episode four, and when sunny was trying to stall from poppy entering her dorm room in episode twelve. i just love the goofy energy this duo radiates. cheerful girlfriends! i feel like they would have very little complications in a relationship together and would always come to mutual understandings.

💗BELLA X SUNNY💛

i personally refer to this ship as Pink Lemonade and i haven’t seen another ship name for them! but ive never really seen content about this duo. they haven’t gotten too many scenes in the series so it’s understandable. but of course, i see potential in them!

i feel like they would possibly be a thinker x feeler duo, so i already sense a sort of balance between them. they’re both very considerate and caring. i feel like sunny, with her naturally sweet and convincing personality, would be able to successfully handle bella’s impulsive decisions and i feel like bella would make sure sunny gets the care and support she deserves! they were both very caring of skyler and ruby’s whereabouts in episode six, and i feel like they would have fun working on projects together.

💙SKYLER X VIOLET💜

i don’t talk about this duo as much as i should! i refer to them as “Skylet” and they give me mega rarishy vibes! (from my little pony)

honestly, i think they aren’t so bad. ofc, there’s the factor that violet showed absolutely no care whatsoever for skyler’s breakup and really only wanted to stream it for her channel. i like to think that behind the scenes, violet realized that and apologized for it, and skyler was understanding and thanked her. i feel like the more developed version of violet pairs well with skyler. violet is another one of the impulsive, aggressive characters in rainbow high. she does what she wants when she feels like it. with skyler being someone who usually sees both sides to a situation & gives extremely helpful advice, i feel like she could ground violet when needed. that is, if violet were able to consider her words. i also think this duo would just generally be very soft! vi would totally give support to sky when she’s feeling v emotional.

💗BELLA X AMAYA🤍

okay hear me out. this duo has potential. of course, i can only really run off of headcanons and theories with my thoughts on this ship, since they lack content in the canon series. but i feel like they have potential. i kinda wanna call this ship Strawberry Marshmallow but idk haha. maybe there would be a cooler name that is kind of in reference to the episode 7/8 drama

i feel like bella, being considerate in the way she is, would definitely make sure amaya feels included during group tasks. they both play leadership roles and would honestly make a great power duo in that sense! another thinker x feeler ship in my opinion but they still share common personality traits that i feel wouldnt clash. of course, they have a misunderstanding going on in canon, and last we knew, bella wasn’t real fond of amaya. but she doesn’t know amaya personally so who is to say that wouldnt get along if they did!

#rainbow high #rainbowhigh #rainbow high ships

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jangofctts · 5 years ago

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Madness (Poe Dameron x Reader)

Rated: Explicit

Word Count: 5k

Warnings: Smut, handjobs, language, sex, creampies, Poe Dameron is a warning in its self, slight description of blood/injury

A/N: sorry that this is a day late y’all. I'm v sick and high on nyquill yehaww brothers

This is not your fault.

Oh, Stars, but it is.

You bury your fingers, blackened with motor oil, into your hair and fold into yourself. You wish you could disappear. Wouldn't that be a fucking miracle and a half? You spare another glance at the destroyed droid and with a despaired wail, you bury your face into your knees again.

What the fuck were you thinking?

See, it started out fine, like most things do. But of course, like always, it turned out to be a real garbage fire. No, not even that. It was worse than a garbage fire. All you wanted to do was help out, and with the slowly dwindling amount of pilots available, you are pushed to the side. No pilots, no mechanics.

Droid maintenance is not your forte, but Kaydel Ko had specifically asked for your help and of course being the blubbering mess you are, you couldn't say no. All it took was a sweet, helpless smile and then boom! Here you are, stuck with a First Order droid with a processing chip all but fucking obliterated.

You thought it'd be easy to rewire the little BB unit, but the spunky little thing had its very own arsenal of weapons. Your legs and hands are a mess of electrical burns and tiny slashes that sting much worse than a papercut and steadily ooze blood. It would absolutely not stay still, so you resorted to a makeshift prison made out of duct tape and bungee chords until you could sort of pry into the droid's mainframe. You toyed with one wire at most and the droid spun its little head around, knocked the tweezers clean out of your hand, tore three more wires and with a disheartening woop; exploded in your face.

You aren't really thinking straight the moment you decide that hiding the blasted thing would be a grand idea. So, with your face covered in black soot and your hands bordering being numb, you scoop the destroyed droid up and sprint out of the base. You do have some luck, you figure. You run into nobody in the hallways leading outside; no one to see your absolute disaster that you plan on chucking into the dense forest.

You beeline towards the X-Wings and just as you think that you'd finally, finally be done with this whole mess, your worst nightmare appears.

Poe Dameron in all his neon orange jumpsuited glory steps out behind the body of his X-Wing. Right in your path of destruction. It's inevitable, really. The first syllable of watch out is barely out of your mouth before he even comprehends you're there and then you're crashing into him, faster than fucking lightspeed.

The resounding 'oof' as you barrel into him will no doubt haunt your dreams, and you have just enough time to watch as the droid bounces on the ground, spraying sparks everywhere, then disappear into the underbrush, before Poe collapses on you. At least one of your problems is solved.

"What the hell?"

You would ask the same thing, but the entirety of Poe's weight focused on your back is doing a splendid job of crushing your lungs. Your hand shoots back and slaps at whatever it can. "P-poe! Can't breath!"

"Aw, shit. Sorry, kid."

You heave in precious air once he unravels himself out of the pickle you've put yourself in and before you know it, he hooks an arm underneath your armpit and hauls you up. He takes one good look at you, up and down, and has to bite his lip to keep his smile away. Not like it does much good.

"You—uh—ok, kid?" He coughs, trying real hard.

You throw your hands up. "Oh! Go ahead and laugh! That's all I'm good for anyway!"

What little pride you have left rapidly dwindles but as his shoulders shake in uncontrollable laughter that morphs into one of those laughs where you can't breathe, you can't help but smile yourself. Poe's glee is contagious (even if you are the butt of it) and you're glad you can give him some comedic relief. The days are getting darker, more friends are dying, and it's harder to put on a smile, even for Poe. It's a rare and special moment to provide some momentary happiness.

Eventually his chuckles taper off. He's folded over, clutching his stomach as tears shine at the corners of his eyes. "You—you!"

Another fit of giggles consume him after taking another peek at your face. "Wha—what ha-happened?"

You huff and cross you arms over your chest. Try as you might to appear irked, a lopsided grin still lines your face. "That is none of your business."

Poe wipes at his eyes and stands, his chest still heaving. "You're the one who tackled me. The least you could do is tell me."

"I did not tackle you," you scoff. "You were in the way!"

He's still smiling as he shakes his head. "Yeah, whatever. Kaydel Ko asked you to rewire that FO droid, right?"

You grimace. "No."

He raises a brow and ruffles your unruly hair. "Sure, kid."

Poe takes a glance at where the droid launched into the trees and points. "C'mon, I think it went over there."

To your horror he seizes your upper arm and drags you forward. Oh. nonononono. You dig your heels in but Poe is persistent and you're quickly coming to terms with your impeding doom and ridicule, so you let him take you.

It's easy to find. The droid is still smoking and sparking, looking oh so sad nestled between a tree and a large fern. Poe starts laughing again.

"The hell d'you do to the poor thing? Run it over with a pod-racer?"

"Something like that," you mumble.

Poe scoops it up and the damage looks even more devastating when he's holding it. You chew your lip and sigh as he hands it back. "Thanks, I guess."

With an amused 'mhm' he once again places a hand on your shoulder and wheels you out of the forest. You don't mean to tense up (a force of habit really) as his thumb whispers over your shoulder blade, but the damage is done and his hand drops. You want to wack yourself with a stick.

You pause by his X-Wing. "Hey, I'm sorry for, y'know tackling you. Also, th-thank you..."

He flashes you a smile and shrugs. "No biggie, Sparky."

You scowl. "Don't call me that."

That pulls out another laugh and then he's staring at you. Those big brown eyes, so warm and deep like the richness of the soil, capture yours as if they have their own gravitational pull. All grasp on words slip your mind and you're left to wrestle with your tongue into saying something. Why is he looking at you like that?

"I can help."

You blink. "What?"

"With the droid, I mean," he offers. You swear you can see the skin underneath his collar flush red. Poe Dameron blushing. Hm.

You have absolutely no clue why you agree, but his bright smile is enough to launch your heart against your ribcage.

"Great. I'll let Kaydel know we'll have it done by tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" You squeak. Fat chance.

Before you can argue, he ruffles your hair again and shoots off. "Meet you at 1900 in maintenance!"

You glance down at the droid. The hole in its head sparks. "Oh, Stars."

=-=-=-=

You're pacing by the time 1850 rolls around, your stomach a mess of knots and twists. You don't want Poe Dameron to help you. In fact, you don't want him here at all!

You're clean at least. The black soot covering your face was a bitch to scrub off and there's still some of it hiding in the lines of your skin, but it's the best you can do. Not that you care. Well, you shouldn't care what Poe thinks. You know each other—scratch that. You know him from the years spent in the Resistance, because, well, he's Poe Dameron. As for yourself, you're 99.9 percent positive the only reason he happens to know your name is because there's only fifteen of you still alive following the aftermath of Crait. Kinda hard not to know your fellow survivors.

You never minded it. You're used to being alone, pushed to the side where you could blend in like a shadow. Really, it's the only reason why you managed to escape the First Order. No one paid you half a mind when you slipped inside that ship and piloted away. Well...you were shot at shortly after, but that's not important.

You're not paying attention--lost inside your head again when the blast doors swoosh open. You don't even fucking see him until you collide head on for the second time today. With a strangled yelp, you both stumble and trip over a flailing limb here and a hidden wire there. The whole debacle ends up with you smacking the back of your head devastatingly hard on the duracrete floor and with Poe's entire weight once again crushing down on your chest cavity.

"Holy shit, Sparky," he groans. His head is nestled in the crook of your neck and if you weren't seeing stars spinning in your fucking orbit, you'd have the decency to be embarrassed. "You trying to kill me?"

"Un-Unsuc-successfully," you wheeze. "How-how m'I doing?"

He pulls away just a fraction, hovering so close that you feel his nose brush against yours. "A for effort. Though, I don't think you're really cut out to be an assassin. Might wanna reconsider that career path."

"Agreed."

Fuck. Your head is pounding. You don't even get to enjoy the way Poe feels pressed against you, or how good he smells. Maker, he smells good, something warm and woodsy, but fuck, you are in so much pain. Are you bleeding? You're pretty sure you're bleeding.

"Did you hit your head?" He asks, his plush lips twitching into a frown. He still hasn't moved from the current position of lying between your legs and it makes everything worse.

"I'm fine."

"You're not fine," he huffs. "I heard your head smack the ground, Sparky. Lemme see it."

Poe peels himself off of you and tugs you into a sitting position. You reel and squeeze your eyes shut as nausea punches through your gut and the edges of your vision go a bit fuzzy. Damn, you really did not plan on getting a concussion today, nor have Poe Dameron be the one to patch you up.

He sits behind you and as his calloused fingers sweep across the back of your neck, you tense up. Poe hesitates then, his fingertips ghost above the skin, barely there and you try to relax. Years spent in an organization where corporal punishment is encouraged will surely make one hesitant of touch and try as you might, it's a hard habit to curve.

"I'm just checking to see if you're bleeding," Poe says softly noting your tension. "Is that ok?"

You nod and wave his concerns away. "Yeah, s'fine."

He cradles the back of your neck in one calloused palm while the other gently cards through your hair. He sucks in an audible wince and icy panic floods your veins. He must sense your apprehension because his thumb unconsciously begins to rub tiny circles onto your skin.

"Don't freak out... But you have a teeny, tiny cut," he tells you. "Microscopic, really."

You're gonna die. Maker, you're gonna die because of that stupid fucking droid. You're going to smash that fucker into smithereens even if it's the last thing you do. You try and move, eyes locked on the piece of junk across the room, but Poe is hurriedly pushing you back down.

"Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa!" His hands are like metal clamps on your shoulders and you grunt in irritation. "Just sit. I'll go get a medkit. Nothing a little bacta won't fix."

He's right. You're overreacting, but that droid's beady little eye seems to sparkle with smug satisfaction at your demise. You glare and swear revenge.

Behind you, Poe runs to the wall where the kit hangs and hurries back with the spray on bacta canister. You barely feel it coat the back of your skull and then he's done. "See, I told you. It's already healing."

"Wow, thank the Maker that the joke of the Resistance is saved," you sigh. You reach up to touch the dully throbbing area but Poe smacks your hand away. "Ow!"

"Don't touch it." He chides.

You roll your eyes and turn your head to face him and jut a thumb over your shoulder, "How long do I have to wait until we get to fixing that piece of shit over there."

Poe blinks, glances at the droid then back to you. "I dunno, half an hour?"

"Half—Poe! Are you serious?" You hiss. "We're going to be here all night!"

The pilot has the audacity to shrug. You want to throttle him. "It's not like we have anywhere to be."

You open your mouth to protest, but once again he's right. You scowl and glare at the frayed laces of your boot. This is officially, the worst day you've ever had.

A prolonged silence, a bit awkward and filled with your obvious irritation, blankets the room. Poe has enough sense not to prod at your buttons and settles down to your right. Your head is starting to feel much better at least.

It continues like this. Neither of you speak for the better part of ten minutes and then, quietly, almost to too quiet, he says;

"You're not a joke, y'know."

Your brows furrow together and you pause. You look up and he's got that warm, familiar look again and it only brings a dull ache that eats away inside your chest. Part of you wants to agree, but that dark and nasty other part that lurks deep in your chest lashes it's claws out at the thought. He doesn't know you—doesn't know the pain you've been through. You don't want his pity.

You look away. "I...I don't think you know who I am, Poe."

Your teeth bite the inside of your cheek as you pick at the skin along your fingernails. You can feel his eyes crawl over your face and you do everything in your power not to catch his eye because tears are starting to prick at your eyes. Maker, why are you crying? This situation, in its entirety, is beyond stupid.

He says your name, your full name and the air in your lungs seizes. "I know you. You were a Lieutenant in the First Order before you came to us. I remember the day you arrived too."

You spare him a glance and he smiles.

"I remember 'cause that janky Xi-class you were piloting was blasted to hell and you somehow managed to park it without killing anyone. And then—this is my favorite part—you walk out, still in your uniform and you go 'I do hope I don't have to pay for parking'. And then you collapse face first onto the ground." Poe's chuckling as a blush flushes up to your ears. You recall. Vividly.

You snort and rub at your chin. "It wasn't all that amazing."

"Sparky, you stole a First Order ship and flew to a Rebel base. That's pretty ballsy."

You shrug.

"I also remember that time you tricked out Jess's rig with those mods. Me and Snap were jealous for weeks. And that time you spilled caf all over Leia's datapac. Remember that?" Poe says. His hand inches closer your knee. "And when you gave her that replacement one, all those ads about male enhancement pills and 'hot Twi'leks near YOU' kept popping up?"

"Arhg!" You cry, burying your face into your hands. You're pretty sure at this point you could fry an egg on your face from how hot your skin feels. "That was so fucking embarrassing. I-I can't—why would—ahg!"

"Kid, that was the funniest thing I've ever seen."

"That still makes me the butt of every joke! And I still can't even fix a droid properly!" You wail. "Or how about that time I dropped a crate of explosives? I might as well throw myself in a trash compactor."

Before you can even fucking blink, Poe's hands snatch up yours and hold them so firmly you have no choice but to look at him. "Sparky, listen to me."

You quite like the color of his eyes you come to find. A honeyed caramel, so rich that it'd take years to explore the countless layers. There's no malice, no hidden motives you can detect. Just pure, unrefined kindness and hope and—Stars, he's gorgeous.

His thumbs run across the slopes of your knuckles and it's electrifying. "You are one of the only people keeping the Resistance together."

"Bu-"

"Shut up. I'm not done."

You mouth zips shut

"You focus so much on the bad that you don't realize how much you contribute," he says with a gentle smile. "You maybe aren't the best with droids, but people? Sparky, so many of us look to you for hope. I know it's cheesy, but you really do brighten a room with your smile."

A tear trails down the curve of your cheek and he's quick to cradle your jaw and swipe it away with the pad of his thumb. "I don't know what we would—what I would do without you."

"Poe," his name comes out shaky and soft and you know he can feel your blush under his palm, "I—I...thank you."

His eyes flicker down to your parted mouth and then he brushes his thumb across the seam of your bottom lip. He leans in close enough that you can feel his lips just graze yours, warm breath fanning over your chin, and your eyes flutter shut.

"Can I kiss you?" He whispers against your lips. Fuck, he is so infuriatingly perfect, isn't he?

"Yes." Maker, yes, yes, yes. That shouldn't even be a question.

The first kiss is fleeting. An innocent peck that flings open the gaping maw of your desire. Your hand shoots up, tangles in the thick curls atop his head and you drag him closer. He groans into your mouth, grabs at your neck and tilts your head, deepening the kiss. His tongue, hot and wet sweeps over your bottom lip and you readily open your mouth and let your tongue glide over his.

He's playful; breaking away to catch your bottom lip between his teeth, then releasing to hook the tip of his tongue into your top lip then swoop in for a lingering kiss. It's impossible to keep up—he dances to his own tune while you stumble along. There's no lack of enthusiasm on your part however and he isn't bothered in the slightest by the occasional bump of your nose or when the hard enamel of your teeth click together. Your whole juxtaposition changes, and you suddenly want to thank that dumb droid. You'd break a thousand of them if it meant you could continue forever on like this.

Poe eventually leans away, the hand tangled in your hair firm so that you're still only a hairsbreadth apart, carefully lowering himself down until you hover above him. His warm hand that leaves a burning trail down your waist, hooks around your thigh and helps tug your leg over his hips. You pull back to suck in air that's suddenly so difficult to inhale and Stars—he's a sight to see. Those lovely black curls are wild and untamed, his plush lips swollen and pouty because you won't give him another taste of your mouth. His chest heaves and your breath stutters as he plants his hands on the swell of your hips, thumb pressing lightly against the outcrop of bone there.

"Maker, you're gorgeous..." You murmur. You lean down and nestle your head in the crook of his neck, lips seeking out the soft skin above his collar. You trail your lips across the curve of his throat and as your teeth catch his earlobe then lick at the small divot behind his ear, a soft groan leaves his mouth.

"Are-aren't I the one—fuck," his hips twitch as you mouth beneath his stubbled jaw, "s'posed to say that?"

You grin and pull him into an opened mouth kiss. His tongue pulls yours into the wet heat of his mouth and sucks lightly. With a whine, your hips stutter forward as fiery heat trickles into your belly. You can feel the growing bulge in his pants, pressing against your inner thigh and shit—you need him.

Your hips rock forward on their own volition and Poe is quickly there to support as his hands grip you tighter and drag you down harder. He props his knees up and with a sharp moan and digs his clothed cock into the apex of your thighs. The fabric of your pants catches on your clit and it's good. Dry fucking Poe Dameron is a wish come fucking true, but it's not enough.

Poe's smirking as his fingers toy with the buckle of his belt. "You wanna take a ride, Sparky?"

You punch him in the arm.

"Ow!" he pouts. "What was that for?"

"Don't say that shit to me ever again."

His warm chuckle echoes through the room and sends a pleasant shiver down your spine. "What if I ask if you wanna ride my cock reeeal nice and slow? Feel how hot and tight your cunt is when you sink down onto me. You wan't me to say that?"

Paired with his voice, his strong hands grab your ass and roll his hips up into you and you're done for. You melt into his chest, whining out your affirmations and you don't care how he's already got you wrapped so tightly around his fucking finger.

"Take these off." He purrs, skimming his fingertips over the waistband of your trousers.

Somehow you manage to escape your boots and shuck your pants off through the haze of your arousal. When you return, he's got his pants halfway over his knees, pristine white shirt haphazardly torn open revealing the beautiful expanse of tan skin peppered with dark hair. You straddle his thighs, eyeing the tent in his boxers that leaves little to the imagination and the heat in the pit of your stomach swells.

Poe shoots you a coy grin and sweeps a hand down. He grips his cock, still hidden beneath the confines of his boxers, and gives it a teasing stroke. "You want me?"

"Poe," You whine. Stars, he's making this difficult.

He's smug as he slowly, to the point of teasing, tugs down his boxers with his other hand and eases out his cock. It's gorgeous like the rest of him, deliciously thick and curving towards his navel. Precum shines at the head that's flushed a deep maroon, darker than the rest of his sunkissed skin. You're mesmerized with the way he strokes himself; lazy and gentle, focusing on the head then dipping down to squeeze at the base.

His cock bounces as he lets go and snatches your hand that's lying limp over his hip. He guides it over the searing flesh and it feels like velvet covering reinforced durasteel. He swears as your thumb rubs over the head of his cock, wiping away the bead of liquid that pools there. You circle your fingers around his length and stroke down to cup his balls and he juts his hips into your hand.

Fuck. You want to suck him off. Feel him shake and twitch under your tongue and cum down your throat. Yet, as his fingers trail up your inner thigh and pass through the slick folds of your cunt, you are vividly reminded where else you want him.

"Shit," he breaths, circling your clit with the tip of his forefinger. "You're dripping."

Poe probes further, curling his fingers into your cunt, juuust pushing into your entrance until his fingers are shiny and slick with your arousal. He pulls back and you groan at the loss.

He sucks his fingers into his mouth and moans. Fuck, why is that so hot? It shouldn't be. "Can I eat you out, Sparky?"

He's digging his fingers into the flesh of your ass, tempting you closer and Maker it sounds good, but—"Later. Fuck me instead."

Poe's lips curl into a wicked smile. "Are you sure?"

His fingers return to your the soaking flesh between your legs and thumb at your swollen clit. You shudder, quickly catching his wrist. "Please."

"Fine," he grumbles. "Later."

Finally, you think as you hold his cock loosely and grind your slick folds against it. He makes a punched out sound when you raise your hips and move the blunt tip to your entrance. You slowly let him sink in, a long stuttered groan falling past his lips at the feel of your hot, tight walls stretching around his cock. Your own breath catches in your chest and you dig your nails into chest, leaving behind tiny crescent shaped dents.

—oh—shit—holy fucking shit.

His cock is catching every ridge and curve until the back of your thighs are seated on his. His eyes are squeezed shut and little gasps, as if he were in pain, are tumbling out every time you twitch around him. He's thick—deliciously so, and when you raise your hips and slide back down, his cock drags against your walls and presses in deep. You grind your hips down, catching your clit on his pubic bone and wildfire spreads throughout your whole frame.

"Ah, fuck," he moans. He gives your hips a squeeze and pulls you against him harder, guiding you into a slow, steady pace. "You fe-feel good. Knew-knew you would."

At this point you're hardly doing any work despite being on top; he has his knees propped up behind you and thrusts up into you then drags you back down by your hips. You're loosing your fucking mind like this. One of his hands drifts down and reaches for your clit, his middle finger stroking against the slick bundle of nerves and the fire in your belly quickly spreads down all the way to your toes. You're shaking, panting sharply, and Poe continues to toy with your clit paired with the even rolling of his hips.

"You gonna cum on my cock, Sparky?" Poe huffs out, grabbing a handful of your asscheek. "Yeah, just...just like that. Cum for me."

Your back arches and everything seizes up tighter than a fucking clamp, and with another pass along your aching clit, you burst hot and wet around his cock. With a hoarse cry, your core clenches and spasms through each one of his thrusts, stretching out your pleasure.

In one smooth, fluid move, Poe sits up and pushes you forward until your back hits the ground and he's towering over you. His hand is buried in your hair, cradling the sensitive area but you're still riding your high to notice the pain. With his free hand he hooks the back of your knee and folds it over his shoulder. Stars, you didn't even know your leg went up this far and when he roughly thrusts into you, the air in your lungs is sucked out and replaced with a strangled wheeze.

"You like that?"

You claw at his bicep as he kneels up and pounds down into you, hitting that heavenly spot within you. Your eyes roll back and Poe curls over you to nuzzle into your damp skin, teeth digging into the exposed skin above the collar of your shirt you never bothered taking off. His thrusts are slowly reaching the pace you need him to go and you bury your fingers in his hair and pull. His moan vibrates over your skin.

"Harder." You order. "P-Poe. I-I n-need—"

Poe digs his teeth in between the junction of your shoulder, slips his cock nearly all the way out of your cunt, then slams it back in deep. It's fast and brutal, and you can hear your flesh slap together, hear the obscene squelching noice your cunt makes from how wet you are. Your face burns in embarrassment, but he's hitting something so devastatingly wonderful that you don't really give a shit.

He's grunting in your ear, whispering praise—how wet you are and how perfect you whine and beg for him. He's plowing into you and you're close. So close to the edge again.

"Fuck," he growls, "m'gonna cum. Where—where do—"

"Anywhere," you gasp, arching into him. "In-in me. Cum inside."

Poe's hips stutter. The fist in your hair tightens and he rocks his hips into three—maybe four times before the muscles in your back stiffen and everything blurs and goes out of focus. White hot pleasure rips you apart, floods each cell with razor sharp heat as your body convulses in ecstasy.

He's hissing out swears between his clenched teeth, as his hips jolt and grinds himself balls deep inside you. Poe captures your lips and feel him pulse and throb, chest heaving, as his load, thick and hot, spurts into you and coats your walls.

Poe keeps you pinned there as his hips shallowly rock into you, savoring the last dregs of his orgasm as you catch your breath. He stills and you two lay there, filling the room with your gentle pants. Your knee slips off his shoulder and he moves to plant a lazy kiss on the corner of your mouth and pulls out. His cum trickles out after and drips down your slit but you're too spent to care right now.

He lifts his head that's resting on your sternum. "How's your head, Sparky?"

"Wha—oh." Truth is you hardly feel it now. The bacta truly does work wonders. "S'fine. Never better."

He shoots you a dashing smile, the gap in his teeth and his boyish air makes your head spin. "Wanna take me out for another spin, then?"

"Poe!"

And the droid never did get fixed...Oh well...

#poe dameron #poe dameron x reader #poe dameron x you #star wars #the rise of skywalker #fanfic #itsspacecowboys #this is disgusTANG beware #probably doesn't make sense cuz I'm sick af but eh #smut

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letarasstuff · 5 years ago

Text

I like it

A/N: Ok ok, this is like my first Poe Fic (and Star Wars tho) ever, so please don’t be mean to me :c Also, English isn’t my first language

Summary: After having your whole family slaughtered by the First Order, Poe takes you in. Suddenly the base gets attacked by them, when he is not there. How will he react?

Warnings: Language, mentions of death, anxiety, panic attack and bad grammar

father figure!Poe Dameron x Teen!Reader

On your homeplanet there weren't many options to make money. You are either good with mechanics and motors or you look good enough, that the greasy men like you. As one can say, you were lucky.

Your parents owned a workshop. This isn't anything unusual, given the fact there is one at every corner in the bigger cities. But yours was the best. You don't wanna sound cocky, it's just the truth.

So your mother and father taught you the inside of every thing, that has a motor. Before you were even able to form a proper sentence, you could repair any ship on the planet. Still you had a nice childhood, playing with the kids in the neighborhood, going to school and learning new stuff. You are happy to say, that your parents did a damn good job at giving you the best memories a kid can ever have.

But anything good comes to an end, so does this. You were 14 years old, when the First Order came down to your homeplanet. Even though your leaders weren't that nice people, they still refused to be in an alliance with them. Initially they wanted to stay neutral in the war, but as soon as they declined the offer, they tried to get into contact with the Resistance.

Unfortunately, they were too late. When they got their pilots on your ground, nearly everything was burnt down. They swarmed out to look after survivors. Even though they did their best, they couldn't find anyone, who has a beating heart. The sight was heartbreaking. This once living planet was now the aftermath of the First Order's wrath.

The pilots gave up eventually. Nobody agreed to it, but they didn't have many options. The last one to leave the planet was a man, who is known as the golden boy of the Resistance. Poe Dameron. Especially to him it was unacceptable to leave this planet with bare hands.

So he started a last desperate attempt and looked into one of the most destroyed buildings. He shoved a bit of rubble to the side, when he saw a leg. Hope began to rise inside of him. Quickly he put another rather big piece of rubbish to the side to expose a face. It was a young kid, their eyes are closed.

Poe rushed to their side and checked the wrist for a pulse. The sigh he let out, when he felt a light one, has to be the loudest the galaxy ever witnessed. Happy to be the messenger of good news, the pilot told his squadron about his found. All of them cheered, it was kind of a miracle for them.

Now they have to act fast. Poe picked the kid up and rushed them to his own ship. He knew, that a team of nurses would take too long to get to the both of them. So he put them on a seat and secured them with the belt. He was quick to make his way back to base. He told the ground team about the only survivor and let them prepare a team of doctors and nurses to help the kid.

Luckily the kid made it. Just a few broken ribs, a concussion and a few bruises were what they got as a punishment for their leader's decision.

You are a lucky kid.

You spent a few days unconscious in the medical wing, before you woke up to a steady beeping. To be honest, this noise really got on your nerves. So you opened your eyes to be met by blinding lights. After shutting and re-opening them you got used to it. Then you had the time to take your surroundings in. There were a some machines, that monitor your vitals. Seemed like you were still alive. But why were you here?

Out of all sudden it hit you. The First Order attacked your homeplanet. Your parents, who tried to bring you into safety. Then another missile hit the building and everything goes black. What happened to them? What about all your friends, neighbors? Where were you?

Your breath began to quicken. The beeping got faster. This added to your panic and made you more and more frantic. Your throat tightened as did your chest. Everything seemed to break over you and you don't know what to do.

Then you feel another presence. The person put their hands on your shoulders and spoke in a calm and warm voice:"Hey, hey. Breath, ok? Just take a long breath in, hold it and let it out slowly. Try to feel the way it enters your body and leaves it again. We can get through it, but you have to work with me here, buddy."

You do as the someone told you and mimicked their breathing as they showed you the exercise. Your breathing steadied again as did the beeping. Finally you were able to face them. The person, who talked you through your mini panic attack, has dark brown locks and brown eyes. There were also the shadow of a beard on his jaw.

"Better?", he asked you and gave you a glass of water. After savouring every last drop of it, you answered:"Yes, thank you..?" "Poe, Poe Dameron. The Resistance's best pilot." Well, this is an introduction only he can do.

"Then hello Mr Dameron. I'm (Y/N), the best mechanic my age you can find in the whole galaxy." Actually, you were never the person to be cocky around strangers, but with this Poe guy it felt right at an instance.

"Hello (Y/N), just call me Poe and if you want to address me by my last name, do it right. It's Commander Dameron." "Thank you for this information. Where are my parents though? Why are you here, not them? Also no offence, but it seems pretty weird to wait for a random teenager to wake up."

The first answer were a sigh. He explained the whole situation to you, even though he didn't want to be the one to bring the bad news. Your only reaction was crying. You felt so many things at once and this was your only way to let it out.

While holding your crying form, Poe promised himself to take care of you from now on. He partly did it, because he felt like it was his fault, that your family was dead. If he was there earlier, he could have saved them. But the other part was you. Even though he only knew you for a few minutes, he felt a connection. Now it's upon him to protect you.

And he does keep his promise until the very day. The both of you share a room, you and BB-8 get super good along, he helps you to make yourself a name as the best mechanic the Resistance has to offer. Hell, he even teaches you how to fly an X-Wing. To say he is impressed by the skill you already have is an understatement. But neither he nor Leia allow you to tag along missions until you old enough. This also counts for training and wearing a blaster.

One time you ask Poe which age this should be. He answers with:”It’s the same age you are allowed to kiss somebody.” It is this moment, when you realize, that you will never be old enough.

It is another rather calm day on the base, which is quite suspicious. The First Order hasn't pulled any stunts recently. Still everybody has something to do, except for the majority of pilots. There aren't many missions for them now, That's why Poe sits next to you, while you repair an astromech. "And then I saved the whole galaxy", ends the older man yet another of his heroic stories. "Again", you add with an eye roll. He nudges your shoulder with his own and exclaimes: "Well, somebody has to do it!" Laughing you tighten another screw and knock gently on the astromech's head.

"Now you are all done, buddy. But be more careful next time while playing with the others tag, ok?", you speak softly to BB-031. Happily she nods and drives off to her pilot. You turn back to Poe. "When do you have to leave?" "Not in another two hours, that means we can grab lunch together. It's just an abandoned outpost with new activities. I don't even think that this has something to do with the First Order", he reassures you.

You sigh. "I know, but still. So many things can go wrong and I don't wanna be alone again." The both of you walk towards the mess hall. The brown haired man throws an arm around your shoulder. "We are soldiers, as sad as it may sound, it's the truth. We have to keep in our mind that death is always right beside our side. But as long as you are on this base, you will never be alone. Leia is going to take care of you. Always."

You look up to him and smile, a warm and fuzzy feeling bubbling inside of you. The last time you felt like this was with your parents at home.

Before he boards his X-Wing, Poe gives you a last hug and says:"Be good for Leia, ok buddy?" "This sounds like I am four!" "Well, when I think about it, you are like a four year old!", he jokes. With a pout you punch his arm. "Good luck out there and come back in one piece or else I hunt your dead ass down!"

When the Black Squadron left the hangar, you turn back to your own work and get totally engrossed into it. It's just you, your tools and the project infront of you.

That is until a blaring alarm sounds over the speakers. Confused you look up, only to see everyone in the hangar running around like chickens in panic. People throw stuff into bags, others finish their work up hastily and the remaining just run out. And you don't have a kriffing clue what's happening.

You try to stop one of the other mechanics. But to no avail. Nobody wants to explain the situation to you. But then you see the reason for all the commotion:

Outside at the sky are countless TIE-Fighters and it won't take long until the first one reaches the ground.

You begin to scramble and run, but get pushed into a cart with tools on it. With a loud yelp you land on it and get pocked and cut by wrenches and such. Again, nobody pays attention at you. The own safety is the only present thing at the moment.

When you hear the TIE touches the ground, you get up as quickly as possible. Even though your legs hurt from the fall, you run like your life depends on it. And it does.

The hangar is deserted. No pilots, no mechanics, no one is there. Expect for you. You can hear the stormtrooper enter the building, while you dash for the gateaway. Their steps are getting closer and closer. It doesn't take long for the enemies to spot you. Sooner as you want, you have to dodge shots from behind. But this isn't your only problem.

As a kind of safety guard the gateaway closes. You run faster than you ever did before. A quick look behind you tells you, that there is a stormtrooper too close for your liking. So you reach into your utility belt and throw the first thing you can grasp at him. Turns out it's one of your favorite wrenches, but it's not the time to mourn the loss. Saving your own life is way more important right now.

When you are close enough at the gate, you throw yourself on the floor and slide under it before is closes completely. But there is no time to catch your breath. You make your way through what feels like the whole base to get to the safety ships.

When you finally reach them, there's only one left. Leia stands at the entrance, looking for someone. As soon as her eyes set on your form, she seems relieved. The General grabs you by your arm and drag you inside the ship. Once you left the base, she pulls you into a hug while scolding you: "Never ever scare me like this again, (Y/N)!"

The Black Squadron is already on the new base. The news of the attack were spread fast to them, so they were quick to react. After your ship's landing the hatch opens. You emerge out of it into a crowd of nervous, scared and clamouring people. But there is one voice shouting, that stands out.

"Where is my kid? Where are they? Has anyone seen my kid? (Y/N)?!"

It's Poe, who is looking for you. You try to make the direction out from where he shouts. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, you see his dark locks. You push your way over to him and so does he, when he catches a glimpse of you. As soon as he is able to he pulls you in for a hug.

Poe strokes through your hair and makes it a mess, but you can't care less. "I was so scared, that I lost you, kiddo." "I'm fine. I'm fine", you assures him. "I don't care, let us get you to the medical wing, kid." "Ok, Dad."

"Did you just call me Dad?"

"Yes, I did."

"Well, I like that. Love you, kid."

"Love you, too, Dad."

#star wars #poe dameron x reader #poe dameron #father figure!poe dameron x reader #father figure! poe dameron x teen!reader #x reader #x teen!reader #poe dameron x teen!reader #fanfic #fanfiction #please be nice c:#i'm a small bean c:

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soyeahitsmiddleearth · 5 years ago

Text

Return Her pt. 3

The Company (and friends) x Reader

Bard the Bowman is quite accommodating (and cute too), but how will the others feel about you clicking so easily with him?

No amount of words or hyperbolic phrase can express the joy you feel when you see Bilbo coming in clutch with a ring of keys and a big smile on his face.

First he releases Thorin, and then you.

When he sees your disheveled appearance and swollen face he falters and looks as if he wants to say something. Bilbo says nothing, but his eyes linger on you as he goes to free some of the others.

Thorin immediately approaches you to you while Bilbo frees everyone else, his hand reaching up to lightly press against your warm cheek. “I told you Master Baggins would have a plan."

You nod your head once, a smile brightening your features, "You did, and you were right.”

Once everyone is freed from their confines Bilbo ushers you all down to some sort of cellar, kitchen thing.

The first thing you notice are the unconscious guards - passed out drunk - behind the large shelf the hobbit snuck you behind. In front of you all is a huge pyramid of barrels and you can’t help but to stare at it with confusion.

The others speak in hushed whispers when Bilbo tells everyone to get into the barrels, and though a bunch of them protest Thorin shuts it down and tells them to just trust him.

Everyone files into a barrel each, and while you have to bend your legs awkwardly in order to fit into your own, you end up fitting rather well.

Bilbo stands a few paces in front of everyone and you find yourself wondering what he’s going to do next.

Suddenly there is shouting that comes from somewhere else and the guards start to stir, and right away Bilbo rushes over to a lever just out of the way and pulls it.

The next thing you know, your stomach drops and the barrels drop into a large body of running water.

Your head goes under and you breathe in the water unintentionally, panicking internally before your head resurfaces.

When you break the surface of the water you gasp loudly, pressing your hand to your chest as you hack and cough up the water you accidentally choked down.

You don’t have much time to recover before your barrel begins to drift away, like everyone else’s.

There’s a splash from behind you, and when you look back you see that Bilbo has jumped in.

He flails and grabs at air, trying to find something - anything - to hold onto.

You lean over the side of your transportation and grab for him, getting a hold of his hands and hauling him closer so to try and pull him up. “C-Climb in!” You cry.

Your efforts to hoist him up don’t do you any good, though, because he can’t get enough momentum to pull himself in nor do you have the upper body strength to lift him.

When you realize that you cannot keep ahold of him anymore you pass Bilbo along to a dwarf much stronger than you so he won’t drown, and the relief is instant.

A lot happens between escaping and getting in the water, and when the Orcs try to kill all of you because they decided now was a great time to show up, you found hopelessness seeping into you.

Even worse? The water gates are closed and now you’re all stuck, barrels bumping into each other as Thorin yells his internal distress.

Kili decides to play hero and jumps out of his barrel, running up to pull the lever while also fighting orcs on his way, when suddenly an arrow shoots through the air.

At first it seems like Kili doesn’t realize what happened, but then he collapses with a cry.

“Kili!” Fili yells in anguish.

You begin to try and get out of your barrel, yelling his name as well, when an orc gains on him with it’s weapon raised. Another arrow splits through the air and this time it’s from an ally, for it kills the orc and Kili is out of harms way.

Your gaze snaps to the source of the projectile and see the red-headed elf Tauriel.

As soon as you see her you whoop and pump your fist in the air, “Yes!"

Her gaze slides over you and an expression akin to relief passes over her countenance, but you don’t get long to think on it for abruptly the gates open and everyone starts to flow out of the underpass.

Kili flops over the side and lands into his barrel, a gross snap resounding as the end of the arrow breaks off and flies in some random direction.

The expression on his face is pained, but when you try to inquire on if he’s okay the roaring of the water drowns you out.

Things move very quickly after that.

You grip onto your barrel for dear life as you fall down a short waterfall, head going under again, and when you resurface you splutter and cough loudly, your eyes and throat beginning to burn.

You’re vaguely aware of Orcs being killed around you and the elves chasing after the foul beasts, but you’re too dazed from the fast pace of things to properly process anything.

When an arrow pierces just under your hand, though, you sober up.

Since there isn’t any way that you can help anyone against the Orcs attacking you all, you begin to try and steer your barrel as it swerves left and right so they don’t have to worry about your safety.

The elves kill the orcs along the way and, probably unintentionally, keep you all safe. The blond-elf Legolas, who separated you from everyone at the beginning, gets saved by Thorin while he’s distracted with some other orcs.

You would’ve liked to see how the rest of it plays out, but one of the beasts jumps onto your barrel and swings it’s long sword seemingly out of nowhere; and to avoid losing your head, you duck down further into your barrel.

You vaguely make out the sound of someone calling your name, but the rushing water is so loud you can’t decipher who it is nor how close they are.

Something whips through the air as it tries to stab into you, and when you look up there’s an arrow sticking in its head.

It falls back and when you poke your head back up you see Tauriel looking at you with her bow still drawn.

You cup your hands over your mouth and yell, "Thanks, hot-stuff!” And then go back your barrel steering.

—

Many different things transpire after all the excitement.

For example Kili had to be tended to, Thorin started to be pushy and complain about losing time, oh and a bargeman is now smuggling you all on his boat for gold after threatening to kill Ori.

Everyone is now huddled together at the front of said bargeman’s boat, and after Oin took a look at the bruises so unfairly inflicted upon your arms and face he leaves you to your own devices at the back of the ship with the bargeman you now know as Bard.

They are all discussing the payment they owe, but since you have nothing to offer up (other than yourself which, I mean hey this guy is pretty good looking) you stay out of it.

Bard looks on ahead at the waters to avoid killing you all in a crash, though his gaze flickers down to you ever so often with curiosity sparkling in his lovely greys *I have no freaking clue what color his eyes are*.

He then speaks softly, “This companionship you have with the dwarves… is it mutual?”

It takes you a moment to figure out what he’s implying before you realize how this all must look. A battered human girl quietly tagging along with a group of male dwarves, disheveled, bruised, and being timidly quiet away from the others curled up on yourself (for warmth, but he doesn’t know that).

Your face heats up and you nod your head frantically, “A-Ah, no… Er, yes. It’s mutual. I’m fine. They’re my friends, I just… ah, ran into trouble with the elves is all…”

His eyes look out over the water again and he nods his head, “I don’t doubt their honor, I am only making sure… But I never knew elves to be violent like that.” He looks at you again and you can see that he doesn’t completely believe your words.

“I know… The elf king, Thranduil I think, wanted me to tell him something but I didn’t wanna. I guess he’s just not used to someone telling him to screw off.” You smile cheekily (ignoring the throbbing that takes place when you do), and Bard seems taken aback before a smile of his own works its way to his face.

“I suppose,” he pauses for a moment, then muses, “The way you speak is odd. I’ve never heard someone quite like you before.”

Ah shoot, you forgot that you’re supposed to be blending in better.

“Oh… yes. Um, I come from a place where.. speech patterns are much different. You see-” You’re cut off by one of the dwarves calling your name.

You sigh dramatically and stand, offering the bargeman a kind smile, “Forgive me. I have to see what those brats want.” Without further chit chat you turn and approach them, hands on your hips while you look down at them expectantly.

“What is it?”

They all stare at you for a few moments before Thorin speaks, “Why do you talk to him so? You’re not giving anything away now, are you?”

You just stare at him quietly with annoyance clear on your face. Like, did he really just ask that? After getting hit around and stuff for them you’d think he’d trust you a bit more.

“Of course not! After taking all of this”, you gesture to your face and arms, “to stay silent from that elf guy, for you, do you really think I’d go blabbing off to some man we all just met?” That sure silences them.

“Maybe you shouldn’t talk to him so much. We don’t know him.” Dwalin grunts out earning an eye roll from you.

“I’ll talk to whoever I want thank you very much. I don’t need permission from any of you, I’m a big girl and a big girl can have friends.”

“Male friends?” This time it’s Fili, and you sigh loudly.

“Oh, you too? You’re all men! And you’re the only friends I have. How must that look?” Everyone goes quiet again, and this time you smile triumphantly. “That’s what I thought. Now… Bard, our host, is awfully lonely over there and I’m going to speak to him again- and you won’t say a word about it.” And you leave before anyone can say anything else.

Dwalin grumbles something under his breath, and Thorin simply rolls his eyes while Fili mumbles his discontent to his agreeing brother. Even Bofur, Nori, and Dori are sneaking glances over at the two of you conversing every so often.

It’s safe to say that they are rather jealous.

#kili #fili #legolas #romance #reader insert #thorin oakenshield #thorins company #fanfic #the hobbit fanfiction #the hobbit bilbo #the hobbit #the company of thorin oakenshield #tauriel #the company x reader #reader #return her #tolkien #return her pt. 3

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rohad93 · 4 years ago

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Sea Glass - Ch 2

This series is 18+ only so I don’t wanna hear about it.

~ ~ ~

"Up an at 'em!"

The curtains were whipped aside and the window thrown open with a bang, letting bright sunlight fill the cabin along with the smells and sounds of the sea. The shouting and cursing of the men on deck along with the crashing of waves and screaming of the gulls.

Blue groaned from her place laying splayed out on her bed in her quarters. The sunlight was shining on her face, she rolled over to bury her face in the pillows, preferring the stale smell to the blinding light on her face.

“This ship ain’t gonna captain itself…” Rose stood at her bedside, hands on her hips as she watched her sister try to smother herself in the goose-down pillows, and rolled her eyes.

While this was the usual act after Blue had spent a hard night drinking, she also knew the captain was definitely avoiding her, especially after what she was fairly certain she had seen outside the tavern last night.

The fearsome Blue Diamond practically melted up against her most renowned rival in a lip lock that made Rose flush a little, and she had seen more than a thing or two after all their years on the high seas. The crew was not made up of the most modest men and women who ever sailed the ocean.

The thought was so ridiculous she wasn’t entirely sure that was what she had seen… even as she watched it happen, followed by Blue decking the captain of The Cluster in the nose.

It had been a very confusing evening all in all.

The crew had limped back to the ship not long after they had, and Rose had watched her sister boost their bruised morale with a yarn of how she’d left Yellow Diamond battered and bruised behind the tavern.

She supposed that technically, that was true, even if she had left out some important parts.

She had only watched silently.

Blue just grumbled, not moving from her place laying face down in the bed.

“If you don’t get up were going to miss out on that merchant ship headed for Caracas… and Yellow Diamond is going to make off with all the valuables,” she tacked on when Blue still made no motion to get up.

That did cause a reaction.

Suddenly, Blue pushed herself up, eyes still squinted against the sunlight as she threw herself out of the bed and moved to the vanity pushed against one wall and started to brush out her hair, grumbling under her breath the entire time.

“What’s our bearing?” She asked, not looking at Rose but staring into the mirror.

“At our current clip we should intercept it by midday, but The Cluster left much earlier, even if we’re faster we’ll be there about the same time…” She said, and could hear Blue curse under her breath, her hand pausing midway through her hair before continuing on,

They sat there in quiet for a long moment before Rose decided to bite the bullet.

“Are you going to tell me what that was about last night?” She finally asked and this time Blue did stop.

“That’s hardly the first time I’ve gotten besotted and started a row in a tavern…,” she huffed.

“That’s not what I’m talking about and you know it…” Rose crossed her arms, the sleeves of her blouse were pushed up to her elbows and her boots thumped quietly on the floor as she walked up behind Blue to look at her sister’s eyes in the mirror’s reflection. She suddenly stopped, unfolding her arms as a thought struck her, a hand wrapped tightly around the polished, ivory handle of the dagger at her waist.

“Did that... scurvy lout force herself on you?’ Rose suddenly asked, cerulean eyes popped open wide and Blue spun around to face her.

“What? No!” She assured her sister, who relaxed somewhat. Honestly, that would have been even more unbelievable to Rose.

Yellow Diamond was a terror on the sea but she had a reputation for honor that few could deny. She didn’t allow her crew to do as they pleased with hostages, women, and children on a boat they boarded were left at peace while they robbed it blind, unless they decided to fight back and she only killed enough to get her point across, which never took much. Very rarely did tales of Yellow Diamond massacring a ship down to it’s last ever float around the port taverns; royal navy ships being the exception.

That being said, she was quite well known for pulling her pistol on anything that displeased her. Rose had seen the towering blonde shoot a man for making a lewd gesture at her.

Shoot first ask questions never was the general policy aboard The Cluster.

The rumor was that there was a boatswain on her crew that regularly took the brunt of Yellow’s displeasure by being thrown overboard whenever the captain felt the inclination, only to be fished back out and carry on about his day.

She often wondered if it was true.

Knowing Yellow, it probably was.

“Yellow would never do that.” Blue huffed, turning back to the mirror, unwavering certainty in her words.

“So you were just letting the one person you hate most in all the seven seas stick her tongue down your throat?” Rose crossed her arms, watching Blue’s face turn blood red.

“I never said I hated Yellow Diamond.” Blue sniffed, obviously avoiding the rest of that accusation.

“I think you had all of the Caribbean fooled…,” Rose deadpanned and Blue rolled her eyes.

“She’s the one person I’ve never been able to crack…” She said and it was Roses turn to roll her eyes.

Blue had a reputation of her own.

For being a flirt.

No one could deny that the captain of The Menagerie was beautiful, a veritable siren of the sea, but Blue knew it too and had always taken a keen delight in being able to fluster her friends and enemies alike; especially her enemies. It was the icing on the cake of stealing from or defeating them in battle; to throw them a wink or a flirty smile and watch them fall further all over themselves.

She never had to lay a single finger on them, nor had she, to elicit a reaction.

She had an unbroken record of leaving men and women alike a floundering mess... until she had crossed paths with Yellow for the first time, years ago when they had both attempted to finish off a royal galleon carrying a small fortune in silver that a sudden storm had left limping along.

The blue-eyed captain hadn’t known how to react when Yellow brushed of her flirtatious words, her face, hard as stone and pistol leveled at her.

Ever since the two had been in a constant push and pull with the other. Blue making it her mission in life to break the stony facade of the infamous golden pirate. To date, it had yet to happen; she kept trying.

“You certainly got a reaction out of her last night.” Rose sighed. “I think that’s the first time she’s ever pulled her gun on you since the first time you met.”

“Frothing rage is hardly new from ol’ Yello’,” Blue laughed. “I might have pushed a little too hard last night…,” she admitted sheepishly. “Besides, we both knew that’s not the reaction I’m looking for.”

“I don’t understand your need to get under her skin…” Rose admitted, making a face. Blue smiled to herself in the mirror.

“She’s challenging…,” she said simply, standing from her vanity and flipping a lock of silver hair over her shoulder. “I like that.” She turned to face Rose.

Rose doubted that was the entirety of it, but Blue didn’t look like she was going to say anything else about the matter.

“And outside the tavern, last night?” An eyebrow popped up questioningly.

Blue paused, thinking about what to say.

All she could think about was the unshakable grip of Yellow’s hands on her wrists as she held her, pressed flush against the rough wood of the tavern wall.

Amber eyes set in a sharp glare as she loomed over her, hot breath fanning out on her face and every nerve in her body was ablaze.

Even more so when the blonde had wrapped her arms around her waist and pulled her in flush against her.

The poet shirt and loose coat belied how rock solid the blonde was beneath; arms of corded muscle.

She still tingled with the memory

"Blue!"

Blue snapped out of her thoughts as her sister called her name, snapping her fingers in front of her face.

"Ahh, I was lost in thought…," she mumbled.

"I could tell… your red as a whore's lips." She grinned as Blue spun around to look at her face in the mirror.

"Whatever could you have been thinking about I wonder…" she couldn't help but smirk. “So what, did you kiss her just to try and fluster her? Your calling card was always that you didn’t have to touch them to do that.” Rose set her fist on her hip, the hanging beads dangling from the sheer magenta fabric wrapped around her waist over her breeches jingled with the movement. “

“I… don’t know.” Blue finally admitted, glancing at Rose over her shoulder. “I… couldn’t help myself.” She shrugged.

“Well…” Rose started after a long uncomfortable pause. “She didn’t seem to mind if your neck is any clue.”

“My neck?” Blue leaned in closer to the mirror and immediately spotted the large purple and blue bruise on the side of her throat and her face was again a dark maroon color.

“I don’t know how you missed that…” Rose snorted at the scandalized look on the captain’s face.

After looking at the bruise for a long moment was when Blue had a sudden epiphany.

Her sister was right.

Rather than taking the opportunity to shoot her, or toss her off the pier, Yellow had been kissing her back.

Snarling, glaring, shoot first ask questions never, Yellow Diamond.

She wasn’t sure what to do with this information.

“As many quarrels as the two of you have had, I’m surprised that’s only the second time she’s ever pulled a pistol on you and never shot you… I’ve seen her shoot at members of her own crew...,” Rose grumbled as she turned and walked out of Blue’s quarters.

Blue rubbed at the bruise, staring silently back at herself in the mirror.

~ ~ ~

“Well, it’s not broken.” The ship surgeon gruffed after she’d finished looking at Yellow’s nose.

Yellow only grunted at the assessment.

At least there was that.

“The bruises should clear up on their own soon enough. Otherwise, you’re in good health” The grizzled, old woman said, turning away from the captain, her silent way of dismissing her. Yellow grunted as she walked out of the surgeon’s quarters.

She was probably the only person on the ship that could get away with talking to Yellow that way, and it was because she knew that without her, the rest of the crew, Yellow included would be adrift without a paddle, as many scuffles as they got into.

Yellow glared at everything and everyone she passed as she headed up to the deck.

She was angry… and confused.

She had gone over the previous evening at least a hundred times in her head and still couldn’t understand how one minute she was being punched in the face and the next being kissed breathless…

Then punched again!

Her pride and nose throbbed with the thought.

She growled to herself.

In all her years sailing she had never met anyone as vexing as Blue Diamond. The woman was a constant thorn in her side, ever since they had met. She was just as brazen even then.

She’d never forget when they had almost finished sinking that galleon when The Menagerie had appeared out of nowhere and boarded the vessel they were already holding.

She pulled her pistol on the silver-haired captain who had only smiled coquettishly and cocked a hip.

“Ah, the infamous Yellow Diamond. It’s a pleasure.” she winked

It had taken everything Yellow had not too drop her pistol at the salacious tone and look leveled on her. She’d only snarled in response, wiping the look right off Blue’s face.

She’d seemed almost confused at the time.

It was later when she began hearing the tales of Blue that she finally understood how Blue liked to toy with her enemies by using her beauty and charm to goad, or further humiliate them.

Yellow wasn’t about to give the other pirate the satisfaction of letting her see how she got under her skin. She was always careful to maintain a cool facade when the other woman was around, no matter how bawdy her comments could be.

That of course didn’t mean that occasionally Blue wouldn’t say or do something that would leave Yellow burning up on the inside.

Yellow would be a fool not to admit that Blue was a sore sight on the seas. She could give any siren a run for their money. She moved like a cat, light, quiet, and sure of every step she took; never bothered by the chaos around her and her quick wit and charm was unparalleled.

Not even under duress would Yellow admit to any of that, nor her begrudging respect for a woman as ruthless and exacting as she was beautiful; when she needed to be.

Blue was always in the thick of things with her crew, pistol, and saber flailing, she was well known for going toe to toe with any man and beating him to a bloody mess, as well as her treatment of her crew; their unwavering loyalty a silent testament to that.

When Yellow stepped out into the harsh light above she squinted, her head still throbbed from all the drink the night before.

Not too mention the multiple blows to the face she had taken.

“Captain on deck!” Someone shouted and she grunted, waving a hand in dismissal at the calls from her crew as she headed up the steps to the helm.

“Heading?” She demanded without preamble as she walked up to the wheel. Jasper rattled off some numbers and Yellow hummed. They should be catching up to the merchant ship within the hour if they kept up this clip.

After the last few days, they could use an easy score, it would do wonders for the morale on board, and help her take her mind off her suddenly confusing and muddied relationship with Blue.

She could feel the crewmates milling about around her looking at her bruised face and barely closed split lip and growled, making them scatter quickly.

“Captain?” She turned to look at a large grimy man with a faded jolly roger inked atop his shiny head and holding a spyglass. He’d been on Yellow’s crew since she’d gained The Cluster years ago.

“What Joe?” she sighed.

“Theirs uh… a ship coming up on the starboard stern…” He shared a nervous glance with Jasper at the helm.

Yellow stomped over and took the offered spyglass, holding it up and looking out at the horizon behind them. A ship was ever so slowly gaining on them.

A large, familiar, sloop, flying a bright blue flag with three white diamonds at its center.

Yellow scowled behind the spyglass, teeth grit together as she exhaled deeply

“It’s Blue Diamond, Cap’n…” Joe said and amber eyes immediately whipped to the boatswain.

In a flash, she had grabbed the man by the front of the shirt and flipped him over the railing into the water below with a loud snarl.

Yellow closed her eyes and took a deep breath before turning and walking back toward the stairs.

“Fish him out.” She growled to Jasper as she walked by, handing her first mate the spyglass.

“The usual overboard!” Jasper called out to the crew below, who quickly set about pulling the senior crewman out of the sea.

Yellow growled to herself as she stomped across the deck.

She had hoped to have at least a few weeks before she had to face Blue again, but apparently that wish was not to be with The Menagerie trailing behind them, no doubt Blue had also heard about the shipment heading for Caracas and was trying to beat her to it.

“Not today, Blue,” she sneered. After last night the captain was not in the mood to play nice.

She had spent all night sleeplessly thinking about why, why had Blue kissed her, and more importantly, why had she pulled her close and wanted more?

She straightened, shaking off the exhaustion she felt and frowned.

Anger, confusion, and exhaustion all mixed together in a storm of frustration in her gut.

If Blue got in her way today she wouldn’t hesitate to sink The Menagerie right along with the merchant ship.

~ ~ ~

Blue stared at the stern of The Cluster on the horizon through her spyglass and frowned.

For the first time in all the years, she had been going round with Yellow over bounty and the like she felt a certain case of nerves after what had happened last night.

She still didn't have an explanation in words for why she had foisted herself upon the blonde the way she had, nor for why Yellow had reacted in kind.

After all this time she felt like she had a pretty good understanding of the surly captain.

Yellow did things for a reason.

She just couldn't understand the reason this time.

Not that she had any room to talk considering that she couldn't even explain to herself why she had the sudden desire to kiss the rogue.

Blue could admit, Yellow was attractive. Tall, fair, with cheekbones and a tongue as sharp as her saber.

One could always count on a cutting and witty remark from the captain of The Cluster and she was one of the very few out there that could stood toe to toe with her in every way and never flinch.

Blue frowned to herself. She needed to be getting in the headspace for battle, not thinking about Yellow.

She shook herself, closed the spyglass with a snap, turning to the portly woman on the helm, her hair tied up in two rolls upon her head.

"Keep the course, Holly. Stay right behind The Cluster."

"Of course, captain." The older woman nodded.

Rose stood nearby, leaning against the railing and watching her sister carefully.

She put up a good act for the crew, but the young master thief could tell that Blue was lost in thought.

She glanced at the small black speck on the horizon that she knew was The Cluster and frowned.

Something about all this was troubling her. There was an ill-feeling on the wind, she just knew it.

#bellow diamond #Blue diamond #Yellow diamond #pink diamond #AU #pirates #fanfic

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krizaland · 5 years ago

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Defying Gravity Chapter 4

First Chapter Previous

Hey guys! Hope you’re ready for another musical number!

Be warned: There is a slight touch of ZADF ahead.

Here’s the song I used btw

Meanwhile, Zim, GIR, Minimoose, and Dib had all hopped into the Voot Cruiser.

“Just a few more adjustments and we’ll be ready to rescue My sweet human from the FILTHY EMPIRE!” Zim growled as he begun pressing a few buttons.

“Hey, do you mind if I play some music? The soul crushing sounds of the void of space kinda drives me crazy during space travel.” Dib mused as he pulled out his smart phone.

“Yeah, sure. Whatever. Just don’t try anything funny, got that?” Zim grumbled as he tossed Dib an alien AUX cord and gestured for him to plug it into Minimoose.

“Thanks!” Dib chirped as he caught the AUX cord and plugged into his smart phone.

The moment the music started up, Zim found himself softly singing along.

“I got this feeling, I’m losing you.” Zim murmured as he continued to adjust the ship.

“Wait. You’ve heard this song before?” Dib raised a brow.

Zim simply nodded and continued to sing.

“It’s got me reeling. I need a clue.” Zim flicked a few switches.

“Got my heart burning. I lost my spell.” Zim’s voice got slightly louder as he became more invested in the song.

“Can’t see you turning up! ah! This looks like hell! Oh!” Dib soon found himself joining in.

“I can’t fight this feeling. It’s not in my head! And I know it’s something I did baby.” Zim didn’t seem to notice as he pressed a few more buttons.

“I can’t fight this feeling! I’m out of control! Got to get back to life that I know! Hoo!” Dib slowly turned up the volume.

“I’m not freaking out. But it feels like time is running out how did this shit come about? I’m not freaking out. But I’m afraid, afraid of losing you! Hoo! If that’s what it comes to, baby. If that’s what it comes to baby! It’s all you gotta say to me!” Zim and Dib’s voices melted together as the song continued.

“If that’s what it comes to, baby. If that’s what it comes to baby! It’s all you gotta say to me! Hoo!”

“Hold on to something.” Zim commanded as he slammed down on the launch button.

FWOOM!

The Voot Cruiser shot up and pierced through Urth’s atmosphere!

The Voot was going so fast that it shot through the astroid belt like a pinball machine.

Everyone started to scream as the asteroid belt sent the Voot flying further out into the galaxy.

WHUMP!

The Voot landed on the tail of a space whale. The Space whale let out an annoyed hum.

FWHACK!

The space whale smacked the Voot off of its tail.

The Voot was sent flying once more, this time smacking into several planets along the way.

When all the crashing and flinging stopped, Zim finally managed to regain control of the ship.

“WOO! Do that again!” GIR cheered as he threw his arms in the air.

“Gah! Seriously?! Are you trying to kill us?!” Dib snapped as he caught his breath.

“Hey! I told you to hold onto something!” Zim snarled as he continued to fly the ship.

“Whatever.” Dib muttered as he tried to turn his focus back to the music.

“I just keep biting my tongue. ’Til all you want is done. Alright. And you just wanna leave me. Oh yeah. Oh c’mon.” Dib sang softly.

“I can’t fight this feeling. It’s not in my head. And I know it’s something I did baby.” Zim let out a heartbroken sigh as he projected a hologram of you.

Dib gave Zim a sympathetic look.

“Huh. I guess he really does care about Y/N.” Dib thought to himself.

“I can’t fight this feeling. I’m out of control. Got to get back to the life that I know Oh!” Zim and Dib’s voices melted together.

“I’m not freaking out. But it feels like time is running out! How did this shit come about? I’m not freaking out! But I’m afraid, afraid of losing you! Oh!” Zim begun to cheer up a bit and shut off the hologram.

“If that’s what it comes to, baby. If that’s what it comes to, baby. That’s all you gotta say to me! If that’s what it comes to, baby. If that’s what it comes to, baby. That’s all you gotta say to me!” Soon GIR joined in as well.

The rest of the trip continued on without any crashing nor bashing. Just the sound of Zim, GIR, and Dib singing together.

Things seemed to be going well until.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

The Voot’s communication line went off, interrupting the music.

“What’s going on?!” Dib demanded as he begun to panic.

“It looks like another ship is trying to contact us!” Zim gasped as he looked down at the screen.

“Really?! But where’s the ship” Dib asked as he pressed his face against the window.

“THERE IT IS!” GIR sang as he pointed to a large gray ship looming over the Voot.

Back on The Massive, you found yourself unable to resume your nap.

You let out a sigh as you stared up at the lavish ceiling for a moment.

“God, I miss Zim so much. I wish he was here with me.” A few tears trickled down your cheeks.

“Oh well, at least I know he’s safe and that’s all that matter-”

PING!

The sound of the door opening interrupted your monologue.

You rolled over and pretended to be asleep as Purple entered the room.

“Aww! They look so cute when they’re in sleep mode!” He whispered as he carefully scooped you up.

You held back a gasp at the sudden contact but managed to keep up your sleeping facade.

Purple gently stroked the top of your head as he cradled you in his arms.

He let out a few chirps and purrs before checking to make sure no one was watching.

When he was certain the coast was clear, Purple carried you off to his personal chambers.

“There you go, cutiepie! This bed is much more comfy than that musty one you were on before.” Purple cooed as he gently placed you down onto a purple pet bed.

Despite pretending to be asleep, you could still feel Purple’s eyes on you. You felt a shudder run down your spine as you hoped he would leave soon.

“Oh no! You’re cold! Here, I’ll warm you up.” Purple gasped as he picked you up again and held you close.

You felt more and more nervous the longer Purple held you.

As much as you wanted him to put you down, you didn’t want to have to talk to him too.

Red already bored you to death with his boasting. You didn’t want to deal with Purple’s nonsense too.

You decided to soothe your nerves by pretending that Zim was the one holding you instead of Purple.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before you got too immersed in your fantasy. You had accidentally tricked yourself into thinking you actually were being held by Zim.

“I love you so much.” You murmured as you nuzzled closer.

“Really!?” Purple squealed as he held you up.

You let out a squeak as you realized what just happened.

“I-I can explain! I-” You spluttered as your face turned red with embarrassment.

“You don’t need to explain anything! I knew you loved me!” Purple sang as he swung you around for a moment.

PING!

“Ahem!”

Purple’s euphoria was cut short be Red barging in and rudely clearing his throat.

“Oh! Hey, Red! Guess what? The pretty human loves me! I just heard them say it!” Purple sang as he held you up.

Red’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“You can’t be serious! They literally just met you! They can’t decide they love you that quickly! ….Can they?” Red whined as he looked into your eyes.

“Yes they can! I just heard the pretty human say that they love me very much! So in your face!” Purple gloated as he literally rubbed you in Red’s face.

You opened your mouth to speak but you couldn’t get a word out as Red tried to snatch you away.

“Ah, ah, ah. The human is mine! They picked me! So you can’t have them!” Purple tutted as he pulled you away before Red could lay a claw on you.

“Is that so?” Red growled as his ruby eyes narrowed.

“Go on, Cutiepie! Tell him what you told me!” Purple sang as he held you up to Red’s face.

You were sweating bullets as you could feel the rage boiling in Red’s body.

“W-Well, you see, I-”

“C’mon, Cutiepie! You don’t have to be scared of the big bad Red.” Purple cooed.

“Stop calling them that! I’m pretty sure that’s not even their name! That’s not really your name right?” Red asked as his face softened a bit.

“No it’s not. My name is actually, Y/N-”

“See?! You didn’t even bother to ask for their name!” Red snarled as he gestured to you.

“I like Cutiepie better! So that’s their new name!” Purple pouted.

“No, their name is Y/N and that’s how it will stay.” Red seethed as he put his hands on his hips.

“Nuh Uh! They’re my pet! They chose me! So they’re name is Cutiepie now!” Purple huffed as he cradled you.

Red let out a growl before regaining his composure

“Fine. Since they’ve made their choice then I guess you’ve won…For now.” Red’s voice sounded calm but you could feel the venom oozing off of each word.

Even Purple seemed a little nervous but he stood his ground none the less.

“That’s right! I’ve won! Now give Cutiepie and I some privacy!” Purple commanded as he tried to shoo Red away.

“Very well…Enjoy your victory while it lasts.” And with that Red sauntered out of the room.

#Invader Zim #Invader Zim x reader #Invader zim tallest #invader zim red #invader zim purple #Defying gravity invader zim #ZADF

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anubislover · 5 years ago

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Welcome to the Heart Pirates, Nami-ya Chapter 7: Payback

Instinct kicking in, Nami lifted up her right leg, slamming the stiletto of her high heel down onto her assailant’s foot. The surprised yelp he let out and the loosening of his arm gave her the opening she needed to drive the sharp point of her elbow back into his diaphragm, winding him. As he gasped for air she finally had enough leeway to break from his hold, spinning around as her hand went for the Clima-Tact strapped to her right thigh, ready to fight.

Another scream attempted to crawl up her throat as her mystery attacker was revealed, this time out of irritation. “Law! You creepy bastard; are you trying to get yourself killed?!”

Rubbing the soft, sensitive spot beneath his ribs where her elbow had made contact, he chuckled breathlessly. “Please, like someone like you could kill me.”

“Why did you even do that?”

“I felt like it.”

A frustrated vein popped out of her forehead, but at least her hand fell away from her weapon. If any of her crew had tried a stunt like that, they’d be nursing a concussion and probably some electric shocks. Law was lucky she still feared him enough to keep her temper in check. “If you don’t give me a better reason than that I’m gonna prove I can kill you, you asshole.”

“Fine, it was payback for leaving me behind,” he stated, crossing his arms, an annoyed frown tugging on his lips. “You’re one hell of an actress, Nami-ya, and I applaud your quick thinking, but next time, try to come up with an exit strategy that involves both of us; I had to set a curtain on fire then teleport myself out the window in the confusion.”

Scoffing, she cocked an eyebrow in disbelief. “A curtain? I counted at least four separate fires in there.”

He shrugged. “I only accept blame for one. Harpin really shouldn’t set up candelabras near flammable materials and clumsy, easily riled up guests. It’s just lucky White Chase was on hand to act as a living fire extinguisher.” Piercing eyes softened fractionally as they landed on her injured shoulder, the streaks of dried blood a stark contrast against her ivory skin. “Let me look at that.”

Nami tried to wave him off as he caged her against the wall, insistently tugging down the sleeve of her dress to study the shallow cuts. “I’m fine!” she squeaked, pushing against his chest futilely. What was with this guy and invading her personal space?

“As your doctor and captain, I insist.” The smooth leather of his gloved fingers gently prodded the crescent gashes, his frown lessening when he saw they’d already begun to clot. With a curt nod he said, “I’ll clean these up when we’re back on the ship; she missed the artery, so they’re hardly life-threatening, but if they get infected, I’ll tear that bitch’s head off.”

The violence in his tone should not have sent such a pleasant shiver down her spine. “I think we should just send her your medical invoice and the dry-cleaning bill; heart attacks are less messy.”

His lip curled up into the familiar, cocky smirk. “That is the sexiest thing you’ve ever said to me,” he purred, leaning his forearm against the wall above her head so he could loom over her. It was times like these that she really hated that he always wore boots with heels; what right did a six-foot-three lanky bastard like him have to wear shoes that made him even taller? It practically negated the three extra inches her own heels gave her.

On her post-mission shopping spree she was going to buy the tallest pair of platform heels she could find.

Arching her neck like a swan so she could meet his eyes, she quipped, “Thank you for reminding me just how creepy you are; I was almost starting to forget.”

The heavy stench of burning fabric and the frantic shouts of the party guests were muffled in the little side hallway, but still strong enough to nearly mask the sound of a pair of heavy footsteps tromping in their direction. Had Nami’s senses not been on high alert due to the adrenaline pumping through her veins, she might have missed them along with the tell-tale scent of cigars.

“Shit, Smoker’s coming!” she whispered harshly, eyes wider than a Jolly Roger’s.

He cocked his head to the side, listening. “Sounds like it.”

“What do we do?” The easy answer would be to sneak through the servant’s door behind them, but there was too much of a risk that the Marine could catch the movement of the fluttering curtain or hear the slam of the door and investigate; then they’d look even more suspicious, sneaking into hidden areas like a couple of crooks.

Law seemed to have come to a similar conclusion, as well as developed a plan in the span of two seconds. She just wished he’d taken the time to clue her in before capturing her lips with his and pulling her curvy figure tightly against him in an amorous embrace. At first, Nami stiffened, instinct telling her to slam her knee into his crotch for being stupid enough to make a move on her at a time like this, but as the heavy footsteps stomped closer, she figured it out and gave as good as she got, tilting her head to allow Law better access and wrapping her arms around his neck, only squeaking slightly when he hoisted up one of her long legs to hook over his narrow hip.

The ballroom kiss had been tempting, but this one set her body on fire. Maybe it was the adrenaline from the thrill of being caught, but her flesh seemed oversensitive, the soft fabric of her dress brushing her skin juxtaposed with the harsh feeling of one large hand massaging her thigh while the other fisted her hair sending delightful shocks down her spine. Pressed against the wall, his body heat permeating through their clothes, dirty fantasies began to fill her head. She imagined him slowly sliding down her body, leaving teasing kisses in his wake, before dropping fully to his knees, ripping open her gown, and burying his head between her thighs.

The mental image, combined with Law’s tongue sensually prodding the seam of her mouth, made her thighs clench, the leg around his waist unconsciously drawing him closer. An involuntary moan escaped her throat just as the loud footsteps halted, the sickly-sweet scent of tobacco filling the air.

“The fuck do you two think you’re doing?”

Law was the one to break the kiss, turning his head just enough to glare at Smoker over his shoulder, the raven mask’s stern design making it that much fiercer. “Making up after a fight,” he panted, and the annoyance in his tone didn’t sound fake, as if he was genuinely displeased with the interruption.

If it had been a false alarm and Smoker hadn’t walked in on them, would Law have continued kissing her? Forced his tongue past her plush lips in a quest to discover what she tasted like? Tested his luck and slid his hand higher up her thigh? Would she have even tried to stop him?

White puffs of smoke drifted towards the ceiling as the Marine stared them down with disdain. “Yeah? Well maybe you should save that shit for the bedroom; makes me less likely to arrest you for public indecency.”

Nami’s face went bright red beneath her cat mask; had they really been that bad or was Smoker just a prude? Given how the right shoulder of her dress was hanging dangerously low and her entire left leg was exposed, cradling Law’s pelvis flush to her own, she was inclined to believe the former. “We’re really sorry,” she mumbled shyly, gently pushing Law away. He seemed reluctant to vacate his place in her arms, but after a slightly more insistent shove—along with a light kick to the back of his thigh—he finally dropped her leg, the hand in her wig sliding down to rest between her shoulders so she could safely regain her footing. Forcing tears to her eyes, she sobbed dramatically, “It’s just been such an awful night, and I was upset; that terrible old woman said so many horrid things to me…”

Slipping back into his role as the caring boyfriend, Law cradled her head to his chest. “Shhh. It’s ok, sweetheart. I know you’d never lead a man on, and you’re a hundred times classier than anyone in that room. And I’m sorry I got so angry; it’s just seeing that bitch hurt you—”

“You’re hurt?” Smoker cut in, concerned. “How bad?”

Pulling away, Law indicated the streaks of blood, mouth set in a sour frown. “Lady Beatrix must have knives on her fingers instead of nail extensions.”

“You need medical assistance? We could probably ask a servant if they’ve got any bandages.”

He shook his head. “I’m a doctor, and I’ve got a first aid kit back on the ship. They’re not deep, but I’d rather treat her myself than risk an underpaid servant messing it up.”

“Then I’d be happy to help you press assault charges.”

“Tempting, but I get the feeling the Harpins have enough money and connections to get it swept under the rug, nor do I trust them not to pay off the other guests to say I assaulted her.”

Peeking over her shoulder, Nami could see Smoker’s teeth grinding against the filter of his cigar in agitation. “Unfortunately, you’re right; I’m actually out here because Harpin bitched at me to track down the guy who hit his sister.”

“I swear I did nothing more than restrain her; she was the one who tried to hit me.”

“Oh, I believe you; that crazy bitch has tried to claw my eyes out once or twice.” He chuckled a bit, tapping the ashes of his cigar onto the marble floor. “She claims we’re all common street trash, but the second she gets pissed off, she fights like a gutter rat. So, what do you wanna do, Dr. Goodheart?”

The pair tensed. “You know my name?”

“Hina said you were the guy who helped her avoid Harpin while I was out hittin’ the head.” His eyebrow raised slightly, not missing their reaction. It wasn’t unusual; most people, even good, honest citizens, would be wary of an authority figure so easily identifying them. Still, Nami could see in his eyes that he was sizing them up, trying to place their faces to any of the hundreds of wanted posters he glared at every day.

“Of course,” Law replied, carefully keeping relief from bleeding into his voice. “Well, I’m sure you understand that I’m reluctant to let myself get arrested, especially for something I didn’t even do.”

“Mister Smoker, I know we caused a bit of a scene in there, but please don’t tell anyone you saw us,” Nami pleaded, chestnut eyes wide and frightened. Pulling away from her partner, she clasped her hands together beseechingly. “I promise neither of us meant any harm, and I just want to go home.”

The pirate hunter’s frown deepened. “Yeah, I can relate.” He sighed. “Look, technically, I should still be bringing you in since she wants to press charges but making sure nobody got hurt from that fire is way higher up on my list of priorities. So, since you did Hina a solid and Beatrix is a crazy bitch, I’m gonna pretend that I found a different couple making out in the hallway and head back. If I see Harpin or his shit family coming this way, I’ll try to hold them off. You kids get the hell out of dodge in the meantime.”

“Oh, thank you, Smoker-kun! You really are the hero everyone claims!”

Did she imagine it, or was there a faint splash of pink across his cheeks? It was hard to tell in the dim light. “Yeah, yeah. Just save any further ‘making up’ for when you’re not in public; I’m not covering for your asses a second time because you couldn’t control your damn hormones.”

With that, he spun on his heel and marched down the hall, not even sparing them a glance as he turned to head back to the ballroom. Nami was honestly surprised he’d let them go; maybe it was because he didn’t realize they were pirates, or he just hated Harpin that much. Either way, she was grateful he was willing to turn a blind eye just this once.

The second Smoker was out of sight, a blue aura surrounded them, and in the time it took to blink, they were halfway up a flight of narrow, creaky stairs. Glancing up at Law questioningly, he indicated the door at the bottom. “Took us through the servant’s entrance. Let’s get to the fourth floor; there’s a storage closet near the top where we can stash your dress. I need you light on your feet, not weighed down by wallets.”

“You’d better retrieve it before we get out,” she said firmly, poking his chest, “otherwise I’m charging you for my lost profits, plus 500% interest.”

He rolled his eyes before easily jogging up the stairs, his long legs letting him take the steps two at a time. Carefully gathering up the hem of her gown, Nami followed, scowling at his rudeness; she was shorter than him and wearing high heels, so shouldn’t he be more accommodating to her pace? It was a small but stark reminder that he was a pirate, not the gentleman he’d been pretending to be all evening.

Of course, their interaction in the hall had already done that; even if it was just an act, polite, well-bred gentlemen didn’t kiss like Trafalgar Law.

The door into the mansion’s fourth floor foyer was silent as he carefully nudged it open, the hinges well-oiled to prevent any noise from potentially disturbing the master of the house. Servants were supposed to be practically invisible until called for, able to pop out at a moment’s notice without so much as a sound. The closet was right beside the servant’s entrance, out of the way and easily ignored, perfect for hiding a Cat Thief’s contraband in.

Law quickly checked his watch. “Six minutes before showtime. Once the first distraction hits, make a beeline to the study. We’ll have to be quick; since White Chase and Black Cage didn’t take my advice to leave early, they’ll probably go after the crew. Ikkaku’s team might be able to draw their attention towards the mansion’s docks with their little surprise, but I’d like to avoid as much bloodshed on our side as possible.”

Not liking the idea of her new friends having to take on such dangerous Marines by themselves, Nami didn’t complain about being ordered around, merely slipping inside. A pull to the string hanging from the ceiling cast the closet in a dim glow, revealing an assortment of cleaning supplies, bedding, and a row of neatly pressed, copper maid uniforms, complete with headpiece, apron, and opaque tights. “I’m kind of surprised you didn’t have us sneak in dressed as servants,” she observed, glancing around.

The door closed behind her, and she stiffened as she heard Law’s voice whisper in her ear, “I considered it, but as much as I’d love to see you in a skimpy uniform, I don’t have the best track record with maids.”

Though startled at his closeness, she wasn’t surprised; logically, it was better to hide out with her instead of lingering outside where he might draw attention, and she was beginning to get used to his disregard for her personal space. Turning to face him, she raised a curious eyebrow. “Aw, does someone have a jilted lover?” she asked with a teasing smirk. “Some innocent maid you seduced and left with a broken heart?”

He scoffed, leaning against the door. The storage closet was decent-sized, though with the bedding and clothes taking up most of the space it felt cramped, especially for a man as tall as Law. “Childhood acquaintance at best, and I’m pretty sure she’d try to kill me if we ever saw each other again.”

“Well, I mean, who wouldn’t?”

“Then it’s a good thing my powers can get me out of trouble.”

Realization dawned on her, causing Nami to scowl and smack his shoulder. “Wait, you could have teleported us through the door before Smoker saw us, couldn’t you?”

His too-wide grin returned to his face, the skin around his eyes crinkling. “Possibly.”

“Then why didn’t you?!”

Chuckling, he stepped forward, caging her against the wall. Nami was beginning to think it was his default move for throwing her off-balance, and worst of all, it kept working. “Because I changed my mind; that was my payback for leaving me to figure out my own escape. It works out in our favor, though, since White Chase will have no reason to suspect we were involved when shit goes down,” he stated, hand absently brushing the batons strapped to her right thigh. Automatically, the thief’s hand smacked it away, but her back stiffened as he whispered, “Besides, you could have used your Clima-Tact to hide us—I think you were just looking for an excuse to make out.”

“Like hell I was!” she snapped, embarrassed. God, she hadn’t even thought about using her Mirage Tempo, too overwhelmed to even think straight. As much as she hated to admit it, Law’s quick thinking really had saved their asses, though it didn’t excuse his choice to kiss her instead of using his powers.

A strong hand quickly slapped over her kiss-bruised mouth. “Quiet, Nami-ya,” he murmured. “Or are you hoping to draw attention so I’ll have to kiss you again?”

When all she could do was let out a couple angry grunts in response, he laughed lowly.

I swear, he gets off on being a smug bastard, she thought sourly, russet eyes glaring daggers into his self-satisfied expression. Out of spite, she tried to bite his palm as punishment for manhandling her, but the smooth leather protected the delicate skin.

Despite not managing to hurt him, Law clearly felt her attempt. “Careful, sweetheart; I don’t mind a little biting, but I pay back with interest.”

Nami stiffened when she felt his molten breath against the exposed skin of her uninjured shoulder. His grey eyes homed in on the taut tendons of her neck, like a vampire in one of those raunchy paperbacks she’d secretly bribe Robin to get for her. The color might have been a dramatic change, but the intensity was all too familiar at this point. Before she could so much as try to squirm away, his long arm wrapped around her waist, pinning her arms to her sides. Quick and silent as an owl, he swooped in, latching his mouth onto the exposed flesh right above her thundering pulse.

Any sounds of protest were muffled by his hand, and though she tried to struggle, the close quarters of the closet mixed with his unyielding grasp made it next to impossible to maneuver about. The hand clamped over her mouth bent her head to the side, presenting him the full expanse of her tantalizing skin.

Worst of all, the feeling of his hot mouth against her pale throat was incredibly arousing. The man didn’t settle for just kissing or sucking—he bit, licked, and lavished the spot with a single-minded purpose. It was a perfect storm of sensation; the sharp sting of his teeth was immediately followed by the soothing stroke of his tongue. Firm sucks countered by delicate caresses from his lips. Nami’s sounds of protest gradually trailed off, and she had to bite down on her own lip to keep him from knowing they’d turned into sighs of pleasure. She really hoped he didn’t notice the way her knees started to tremble slightly every time he gave a particularly sharp nip. A low fire burned in her belly and her body cried out for him to bless other parts of her with his delicious attention.

He didn’t let up for at least a full three minutes, taking his time and savoring the way her fading struggles rubbed her soft breasts against his chest. When he finally released the flesh with a slick pop, followed by one last sensual sweep of his tongue, he paused a moment to admire his handywork before dropping his arms.

Pleasure clouding her brain and chest heaving, it took Nami an embarrassingly long time to regain her senses. When she did, though, her glower could have frozen whiskey. “And what the fuck was that for?”

“As always, payback. Your little mikan juice prank left an embarrassing mark on me, so this only seems fair.”

She didn’t need to see her reflection to know there was an unmistakable hickey on the side of her neck, and given how much effort he’d put in, the color likely complimented her tourmaline jewelry. “How the hell am I supposed to cover this?” All her shirts were low-cut, and if it was a bad as she assumed, even caking on her foundation wouldn’t completely do the job.

His expression was completely unsympathetic. “How the hell was I supposed to cover my sunburn? I guess you’ll just have to deal.”

“You are such an asshole!”

He chuckled but didn’t argue, hands straying down to her belt, easily undoing the black jeweled buckle.

She nearly shrieked as she batted his hands away, shoving him back with all her might. “Now what the hell do you think you’re doing?” The kiss and hickey had been one thing, but there was no way in hell she was going to stand by and let him strip her down.

“Helping you out of this dress so we can start the actual mission.”

“I can undress myself!”

“If you insist,” he replied, taking a step back to lean against the wall, watching her intently.

His heady gaze brought a hot flush to her cheeks. “Turn around!”

“You’re hardly naked under that dress, Nami-ya, and I’ve seen you in less. What are you so embarrassed about?”

“I’m not embarrassed; I just don’t need you ogling me like a pervert.”

“You don’t like me looking at you, yet you’ll shamelessly straddle me and use the pretense of putting on sunscreen to feel me up. Such an appalling double-standard.”

“You know I only did that to distract you from the sunburn!”

“So you finally admit you did it on purpose, eh?”

“You—!” she snarled before the house rocked, a deafening explosion echoing down the halls. Her legs shook as the sound made her ears ring, disorienting her briefly and making her nearly miss Law’s nonchalant comment.

“Ah, and there’s Shachi’s distraction,” Law said, glancing at his watch, face morphing into a serious frown. “Playtime’s over, then.” Bird skull cane in hand, he expanded his Room around her, murmuring “Scan” as he swept it to the side. Nami shrieked as her dress, wallets and all, vanished from her body and reappeared in Law’s waiting hand.

Without the billowy fabric of the gown she felt utterly exposed in her black bodysuit; the undergarment was little more than a bathing suit, its spaghetti straps, plunging neckline, and high leg holes designed to be virtually invisible beneath her dress and allow her unencumbered movement once they started sneaking around. Yet despite how incredibly sexy it was, hugging her curves and showing off a tempting amount of skin, Law looked at her with the same stoic, professional expression he’d worn in the infirmary.

After silently securing the gold gown onto an empty hanger, he pushed open the closet door, ushering her outside when he confirmed the coast was clear. “We have no time to waste; that explosion is sure to have attracted White Chase and Black Cage, and I don’t want my men fighting them any longer than necessary.”

Somehow, Nami felt more uncomfortable than if he’d been openly leering at her. How was it that he always seemed the most uninterested when she was wearing the fewest clothes? Was it just situational, or was there something about her naked skin that repulsed him? Perhaps he had some kind of weird fetish for fully dressed people, or he just enjoyed teasing her because he found her reactions amusing and not because he found her particularly attractive?

She knew this wasn’t the time to let insecurity cloud her mind, so she shoved her thoughts to the side, though she was certain they’d crash back down on her when she went to sleep that night. For now, she immersed herself in the burglar mindset, following Law into the hallway and toward the study six doors down.

Though hardly as large or grand as the ballroom, it was definitely the domain of a rich man. Mahogany furniture, Bookshelves that reached the ceiling, gold-framed paintings, crystal lamps, suits of armor, and massive windows dominated the room. What really drew the eye, though, was the solid gold statue of a giant squid even taller than Law, its massive tentacles arched as if waiting to grab its prey.

Mere feet from that, though, in the back-left corner of the room, was the Seastone safe. Lacking ornamentation and hardly larger than a bedside table it was as innocuous as it could get. Which, given the Baron’s tastes and the value of what was inside, meant it was clearly trapped.

Law once more used his Devil Fruit to Scan the room, snorting derisively. “Idiot hasn’t even changed the booby traps since I was here last. There’s a massive Seastone net that’ll fall from the ceiling if you step on the third row of tiles from the entrance. A pressure gage will drop a steel grate in front of the door if the safe is moved.” He pointed to a suit of armor much like Reginald’s costume that was positioned conspicuously close to the safe, a long halberd clutched loosely in its gauntlets. “There’s another pressure tile right in front of the safe; if you stand on it too long, that blade will bisect whoever’s standing there.”

“I’m surprised there aren’t more,” Nami replied, glancing around the room suspiciously.

“Oh, there are, but those are the ones you need to worry about. Your mission is getting that safe opened; I’ll deal with anything else that comes up.”

As much as she wanted to scowl as his brisk orders, she knew this wasn’t the time or place. Later, though, she had every intention of giving him a piece of her mind about how to talk to a thief volunteering her precious time to help steal classified Naval information.

She took special care to follow Law’s lead, watching for any out-of-place movements or tiles, not trusting that he hadn’t forgotten to tell her about another trap. When they were securely across the room, the Cat Thief carefully studied the safe; the main body was definitely made of Seastone, but what concerned her was the dial. It was common stainless steel, but it was a model she’d only seen prototypes for; instead of deciphering three numbers, the combination could be anywhere between four and fifteen numbers long. That meant it would take longer to unlock, and there was no way of knowing how long the sequence was except through trial and error.

“I know it’s Seastone, but can’t you teleport it out of here so we won’t have to worry about getting caught?” she asked nervously.

“I could, but I’m trying to avoid Harpin figuring out who robbed him. There are only so many Devil Fruit users who could avoid his traps and make a whole Seastone safe disappear, my name’s at the top of that list. Should we leave a calling card, too? Maybe ‘Trafalgar Law and Cat Thief Nami were here’ on parchment paper with gold calligraphy?”

“Fine, fine. Just a thought,” she grumbled, unstrapping the collapsible stethoscope she’d borrowed from the sub’s infirmary from her thigh. Without any clue to the combination, there was no other option than to listen to the little gears inside as she turned the dial and hope she got the correct amount of numbers. The trouble was it was slow, delicate work with no room for distractions, and with the pressure tile and potential noise the next explosion would inevitably cause, she was already on two separate timers.

A deep, steadying breath filled her lungs as she prepared to start, only for her eyes to drift over to where Law was studying the little plaque at the base of the squid statue, his face dark and hands clenched so hard she was surprised the leather across his knuckles didn’t split.

Curious, she peeked over his shoulder to read aloud, “‘Thanks for everything, Harp! Love, Doflamingo.’” Her eyes widened in horror and shock. Of course she’d heard that name, along with several blood-curdling stories that ensured she’d never willingly cross his path. “Donquixote Doflamingo? The shichibukai? What’d Harpin do to earn a solid gold statue from that guy?”

“Nothing good, that’s for sure,” he ground out through his teeth, eyes locked on the name as if trying to set it on fire.

“And why’s it a squid?”

“Who the fuck cares?” Law snapped, stalking away from the statue towards the window. “You’re wasting time. The dock will explode in three minutes, and Penguin’s squad will set off their bombs six minutes after; if that safe’s not open by then, I’m going to have to assume your skills are limited to petty pickpocketing instead of real burglary.”

She bristled at the insult but forced herself to let it roll off her back. They were both stressed, nervous about the crew and getting caught and the potential for things going horribly wrong due to forces beyond their influence. Law in particular was a control-freak, used to his powers negating most obstacles he might face, while Nami had always had her nakama watching her back, ready get her out of any trouble she might find herself in. They were both in a situation they weren’t comfortable in, and the only way they were going to get through it was to stop going for each other’s throats and just get the job done.

“Just keep quiet so I can work,” she replied, getting back into position.

Glancing out the window into the mansion’s gardens below, Law’s eyes widened. “Fuck!” he hissed, drawing a thin, hidden sword out of his cane.

“What wrong?” she asked, panicked.

A swirl of energy formed in his hand as he prepared to activate his Room. “White Chase has Shachi’s group cornered. I count at least four injured, and the last three stand no chance against his powers.” He gave her a stern look. “Stay here and focus on cracking that safe. I need to see to my crew.”

“But—!”

Her protests were met only with empty air as blue energy engulfed him, teleporting him outside to aid his men.

“He’s supposed to be a pirate; why does he always seem to run off on me to play hero?” she grumbled, turning back to the safe. Still, if Smoker had already taken down half of Shachi’s team, they needed Law’s help way more than she did. She could only hope Hina was busy protecting the guests instead of hunting down the rest of the Heart Pirates.

Now without her backup and lookout, Nami knew she really had no time to waste. But she also had no one to warn her if Harpin was coming. No one to pull her out of the way if the pressure trap sprang. What she did have was a lock that took potentially five times longer than normal. She started to quake in fear as she realized Law hadn’t specified how long it took before for the pressure trap to activate; just that it was on a timer. Glancing up, the razor-sharp blade of the long axe glinted menacingly in the light, angled just so that it would slice straight through her skull when activated. She had half a mind to remove it, but that might waste even more time.

Tense and terrified, she pressed the stethoscope to the safe door and carefully began turning the dial, anxiously listening for those telltale cues that she’d gotten the right combination.

Eight…seventy-two…forty…ninety-six…fifty-six…twenty-four. On the first attempt the door remained firmly shut. Either the slight tremor in her hands had messed her up just enough, or she hadn’t gotten the full combination.

Ok, let’s try again. Eight…seventy-two…for— The second try, she was distracted by the distant sound of an explosion; Ikkaku’s team had struck. It hadn’t been nearly as loud as the first explosion, but it completely threw her off, jumbling her already whirring mind making her hand jerk the delicate dial too far.

Frustration made her cheeks flush. She knew it wasn’t the crew’s fault—they were just following orders—but did Law have to come up with a plan where bombs would go off during the time she needed to focus the most? And couldn’t he have come up with a better distraction than loud, floor-shaking explosions? As if the blood bounding in her ears wasn’t deafening enough!

Halfway through the third attempt—which was already going badly because her hands were shaking to the point she was certain she’d fucked up the first turn—she scampered away from the safe, certain that she’d seen the halberd’s shadow move and that she’d activated the trap. Looking up fearfully, she realized it was just her mind playing tricks on her, as the blade didn’t so much as twitch.

Nerves on edge, she knew she needed to calm down before she could try again. Standing up and crossing the room, she peeked out into the hallway, hoping that doing so would give the pressure tile a chance to reset while making sure no one would stumble across a sexy thief in a skimpy black bodysuit. The coast was clear, but she didn’t feel any more secure. Part of her even wished someone was coming so she’d have an excuse to give up, or at least hide until she’d fully calmed down. But she knew if Law did come back and found she’d given up, he’d be furious, and his men would have gotten hurt for nothing.

This would be so much easier if I at least knew how long the combination was, she groused, pacing and wringing her hands fretfully. She was halfway tempted to look out the window and check on the battle below, but she knew that if she saw things weren’t going well her panic attack would get even worse.

I should just cut my losses and run. Those books can’t be worth all of this, Nami thought, heart vibrating like a hummingbird against her ribcage. Why’s Law counting on me so much for this? How does he know I won’t screw up and get captured? And if I do get caught, there’s no way he’d risk rescuing me; I’m not even part of his crew! What kind of moron puts such blind faith in someone like me? What do I do?! What do I—

A voice in her heart that sounded oddly like Luffy replied, Quit screaming your head off. You’re a nakama of the future Pirate King. Don’t make that pathetic face.

Unbidden, a smile came to her lips, her terrified, cowardly thoughts dissolving like sugar in hot tea. Luffy was the kind of moron who had blind faith in her. Had since they met, even after she turned him over to Buggy. That plan had put him in a far more dangerous position than she was in with Law’s, and yet he still asked her to be his navigator. In Cocoyashi, he refused to believe her heartless witch act and freed her from Arlong, declaring her his nakama. Back on Skypiea, her captain had told her to quit being a coward and live up to her position as a member of his crew. He’d even entrusted his treasured hat to her. He’d never do that if he didn’t believe in her ability to keep it safe, to still be there when he finished his battle. And she wouldn’t have stayed by his side, risking life and limb, if she didn’t believe in his ability to beat the odds and come out on top.

Luffy would be Pirate King someday because he had faith in both his crew and his own abilities. Shouldn’t she do the same?

Determination swept through her and she watched her hands lose their tremor. She was a scaredy-cat, but she always came through when her crew needed her. How could she be expected to aid her nakama in the New World if she couldn’t rob one little safe for the Heart Pirates? She was the Straw Hat navigator and master thief, and nothing would stop her.

A chance glance at the octopus facade cared into the dark wood of Harpin’s desk nearly made her slap herself even as a laugh bubbled up in her throat. The Baron was obsessed with octopi. The Navy called him “The Golden Octopus.” On her first attempt at cracking the safe, she’d only gone up to six rotations, but now she could see the pattern.

The answer was painfully obvious; the safe’s combination was eight numbers long, all multiples of eight.

Ok, Nami, you know what to do, and you need to make this one count, she thought, cracking her knuckles as she crouched in front of the safe. Once more steady as a surgeon’s, her hand confidently took hold of the dial. Get it open this time and you can get the hell out of here; you can grab your dress, let Law know you’ve got the stupid information, and he can teleport the crew back to the sub before anyone else gets hurt.

Blocking out every sound save the delicate mechanisms inside the safe, the dial glided easily back and forth, each tiny click ringing through her heart like Skypiea’s golden bell.

Eight. Seventy-two. Forty. Ninety-six. Fifty-six. Twenty-four. Sixteen. Eighty-eight.

Upon the eighth turn she halted, gently tugging on the safe’s handle, the door opening as smoothly as Zoro’s sword sliced through the air.

Reverently, she removed her prize, kicking the door shut and shuffling back to the base of the suit of armor as a precaution. In her hands weren’t files like she’d expected, but three black, leather-bound ledgers, each embossed with raised gold letters on the cover.

The first one was titled “Intel,” and curious to know what secrets the Navy might have entrusted to the likes of the Baron, she decided to sneak a little peek. Opening to a random page her eyes widened at what she saw, and she quickly scanned through other sections, growing more and more concerned. Even at a glance, she could tell every page contained sensitive information; coordinates of secret bases, copies of un-redacted mission reports, scientific research signed by Dr. Vegapunk, formulas for chemical weapons, and even a detailed diagram of the Pacifista robot. Most of it was older information that a former Marine Intelligence officer would have easily been able to come by, but some of this stuff was from as recent as last week!

Reginald said Harpin was basically forced to retire, Nami thought as she opened the second ledger, this one more innocently titled “Personal,” but it looks like that hasn’t stopped him from gathering information. Why, though? What could he possibly need it for?

Based on the label, she’d expected it to be full of the Baron’s own information, like finances and family secrets, but instead it was personal information on various World Government officials, Marines, and royal families. There were dossiers on the likes of Smoker, Hina, Kizaru, Akoji, Wapol, King Sterry, King Cobra, and so many others, and it included family trees and notable accomplishments, along with damning photos, eyewitness accounts of indiscretions, reports of war crimes, and notes on potential ways their connections or powers could be used to Harpin’s advantage. In other words, it was pure blackmail.

As damning as the first two books were, it was the third that made her shiver. In simple gold letters, the word “Shichibukai” gleamed up at her. Cracking it open, she cautiously thumbed through the pages, swallowing hard when she realized it was full of dossiers just as detailed as the last ledger’s, only this time solely dedicated to past, present, and even potential Warlords and their crews. Sir Crocodile, Kuma, Boa Hancock, Doflamingo, even Ace and Blackbeard were given extensive profiles that appeared frequently revised and updated.

Her fingers paused on a familiar name, the image of a stern, whale shark Fishman’s face glaring up at her.

“Knight of the Sea” Jinbei.

It was a name she’d heard at Arlong Park.

“Here’s your food, human,” Hatchan sneered, tossing a plate of Takoyaki onto her desk. Plenty of the crew liked to take out their tempers on her when they thought they could get away with it, and though arguably the least aggressive, Nami knew not to mess with the six-armed swordsman when he was in a bad mood. “Too good for the likes of you, but nobody else wanted them and I didn’t feel like wasting time cooking anything else.”

The insult washed over Nami like a gentle wave; after two years trapped in Arlong Park she was used to it, and she was just grateful they deigned to feed her at all. When they’d first set her up in her horrible chart room, they hadn’t cared whether or not she was given proper food until she had passed out from hunger. It was only then that Arlong had decreed she needed to be fed at least once a day, and that job was typically treated as punishment among the Fishmen.

Famished, she popped one of the fried balls into her mouth, eyes widening in surprise at the taste. “Th-these are really good!” she said, eagerly swallowing it down and reaching for another.

Hatchan’s expression was just as stunned. “Really? You like them?” he asked excitedly, two pairs of hands clasped together in joy.

“Yeah, they’re great!” Ordinarily, the very idea of complimenting one of the monsters that had enslaved her would have been sickening, but she was too hungry to care. And they really were delicious. Way better than the cold porridge or burnt meat she usually got.

He seemed unusually pleased, crossing his arms and grinning proudly. “Well, I guess even a human can have good taste. If I hadn’t become a pirate, I’d have opened up my very own Takoyaki stand on the Grand Line.”

“Why didn’t you?” she asked through a mouthful of fish. The young cartographer didn’t really care, but the longer she kept him talking, the more time she had to give her cracked and bleeding hands a break from the hours of mapmaking.

He sighed. “Just about everyone thought an octopus selling Takoyaki was ridiculous. It would have been hard to stay in business back home, and not a lot of other places would accept a Fishman setting up shop. Jinbei always encouraged me to follow my dream, but I’d already promised Captain Arlong I’d help him achieve his.”

Jinbei. She’d heard that name before, usually when Arlong was drunk or in a bad mood, cursing it with more venom than a Man-of-War Jellyfish. Who was he? An old enemy? A bounty hunter? Someone strong enough to defeat the Fishman Pirates and save her village?

The saw-nosed captain was terrifyingly strong, but not invincible. Maybe she could contact this Jinbei person and hire him as an assassin? She’d slowly been saving up money to buy back Cocoyashi, but she’d happily give it all to anyone who could kill her mother’s murder. And Arlong had the highest bounty in the East Blue, so surely she could use that as further incentive; she’d pay what she could, and the government would handle the rest.

Adopting a look of wide-eyed innocence, Nami turned to fully face Hatchan, “I’ve heard Arlong mention someone named Jinbei before. Just in passing, though. Who is he?”

“Oh, he was one of our comrades when we were part of the Sun Pirates. If you think Kuroobi’s Fishman Karate is strong, Jinbei’s blows him out of the water! Even Arlong couldn’t beat him!”

“He sounds strong.” She’d never been particularly religious, but it was beginning to feel like God was finally cutting her a break. Her tearful prayers were being answered, and Jinbei was the savior she’d been waiting for.

“He is!” Hatchan said cheerfully, clearing away her empty plate. “Strong enough that the government made him one of the shichibukai! I’m glad he accepted; otherwise Captain Arlong would still be in Impel Down.”

Her hopeful heart stopped. “What?”

“Yeah, when they recruited Jinbei, his only request was that they release Arlong from prison,” he said as he strolled out the door. Popping his head back in, he gave her a jovial smile. “Sure, they had a bit of a falling out after, but I like to think they’ll make up someday; after all, they’re practically brothers!”

As the door locked behind him, the young girl didn’t even feel the sharp sting of the tip of her pen piercing her palm.

Jinbei. Jinbei the shichibukai. It was his fault. If it weren’t for him, Arlong would still be in Impel Down. He never would have set foot in Cocoyashi. Bellemere wouldn’t have died to save an ungrateful daughter. Nami never would have been taken prisoner, forced to draw maps in this horrible room while the rest of her village lived in fear.

She didn’t have a savior. Just another demon added to her personal Hell.

Blinking away tears, Nami forced herself back to the present. Later she could read up on the man who’d set lose the worst monster the East Blue had seen in decades. Right now, she needed to get out of there. Law and the Heart Pirates were still fighting outside, and she needed to let them know the mission was a success so they could make a break for it.

Her ears perked up as they caught the sound of a faint voice coming down the hall, angry and vaguely familiar.

“I don’t care how far away they are, Tokikake; I need a Navy fleet here right now! Those ungrateful peasants have finally snapped and decided to set up bombs all over my property!”

The Baron was on his way to the study and there was no way she’d be able to get out unnoticed. Wasting no time Nami ducked behind the suit of armor and pulled out her Clima-Tact to quickly cast her Mirage Tempo, rendering herself invisible just as Harpin stormed through the door, mini Den Den Mushi in hand, obese face bright red with rage.

As much as she didn’t want to be in the same room as their slimy host, it was honestly better to sit still and wait for the opportune moment. Even if he’d primarily had a desk job, and even if he was in his seventies, it was safer not to underestimate him. Plus, if he was really calling for backup, she’d rather know what to expect and where they were coming from. Would the Navy send Kizaru or Aokiji? Did they really believe it was the poor, starving villagers attacking the mansion, or were they speaking in code?

The radio snail’s face was unimpressed. Nami didn’t recognize the dark brown fedora and cigarette between its teeth, but she let out a silent sigh of relief when it replied, “Harpin, if the townspeople are revolting against you—which honestly, I wouldn’t blame them—Hina and Smoker should be able to settle things. I’m not risking civilian casualties.”

“My mansion is currently filled with the crème de la crème of society! Their safety is far more important than those filthy peons!”

“All the more reason to not order a Buster Call,” the snail replied, and Nami barely managed to stifle a gasp. Was Harpin insane? He’d risk innocent lives over what he assumed was a rebellion from farmers and fishermen? “So, since that’s out of the question, why don’t you use that big brain of yours and come up with a better solution? Maybe try reasoning with them. Pay them off, even. Isn’t throwing money at the problem your normal go-to?”

Harpin sneered. “I haven’t given those fishmongers a single belli in nearly three years, and I’m not going to start now! They’re lucky I even let them live on my island! Now you get me that fleet—”

“Kkkkk—sorry—kkk—breaking up—kkkkkkkk,” the vice-admiral said, faking static.

“Tokikake, don’t you dare hang up on me! If you do, I’ll—”

“In case you’ve forgotten, Gorudotako, I’m not scared of blackmail. The worst you’ve got on me is that time you caught me golfing when I said I was visiting my mother, and I think the higher-ups would be more interested in what you were doing there; wasn’t that the weekend you were supposed to be visiting Impel Down? Considering Straw Hat’s miraculous break in-and-out two years later, I wouldn’t be surprised if Akainu starts assuming you were in on it. That whole mess at Marineford really pissed him off, and he’s been looking to melt anyone who might have been even vaguely involved.”

Speechless, all the Baron could do was make faint protesting noises, rightfully terrified of the Admiral’s fiery wrath. From where she was hiding, Nami could see thick, greasy beads of sweat dribble down the back of his head.

The Vice-Admiral gleefully continued, “On top of that, since your ‘retirement,’ certain information seems to be finding its way to ‘Big News’ Morgans and other underworld types who really have no business knowing. Now, I’m not one to toss out accusations, but leaking classified information, especially for profit, is a serious crime. One certain parties are considering investigating you for.”

“You dare to question my reputation?!” Harpin demanded, slamming his hand down on the desk barely an inch from the Den Den Mushi.

The snail’s grinning face didn’t even flinch. “Buddy, your reputation is a joke. When you left, we got over a hundred reports of sexual harassment by your former female subordinates in the first month. That alone warrants investigation. Hell, we only waited so long because there’s been so much damn paperwork to go through and Tsuru wanted the case against you to be airtight. Then those rumors about certain documents getting leaked came out…”

“You’re not going to find a damn thing!”

“Funny, I would have thought an innocent man would say there’s nothing to find.” Satisfied with getting in the last word, Tokikake hung up, the Den Den Mushi immediately falling asleep.

For a moment, the room was dead silent, Harpin staring blankly at the sleeping snail, mouth gaping open and closed like a fish that had been hooked through the gills. Just as Nami thought she might be able to use his catatonic shock as an opportunity to sneak out, his expression changed into a mask of rage, grabbing the mahogany armchair by the desk and flinging it into the wall beside the knight’s armor with enough force to splinter the tough wood.

Startled, Nami shrieked, dropping the ledgers to shield her face from wayward splinters. Unfortunately, such a distraction caused her illusion to drop, revealing the sneaky thief.

Not expecting company, Harpin whirled towards the woman, anger and suspicion melting away as his gaze swept over her curvy figure wrapped up in a tight, revealing bodysuit in clear appreciation. She suddenly missed Law’s professional, disinterested gaze, insulting as it had been.

It was only when watery eyes reached her leopard mask that they widened in recognition. “Wait…you’re the harlot who insulted my nephew! What are you doing in my study?”

Thinking quickly, Nami decided her best option was to use his obvious love of women to her advantage. Hips swaying sensually, she strolled up to the desk like a runway model, biting the tip of her finger coyly. “I’m really sorry about that; I didn’t mean to hurt his feelings, but he’s just not my type.” Leaning against the desk, she arched her back and thrust out her voluptuous chest, fluttering her long eyelashes for extra measure. “Why would I go for a scrawny little peacock when I could have the strong, sensual arms of an octopus around me?”

Though she nearly gagged just saying them, her words did the trick, Harpin’s temper immediately dropping to be replaced by smug satisfaction. He was definitely related to Kujakumaru, as he spoke directly to her cleavage. “Well, I suppose I can’t fault you for having such high standards. The boy is dear to me, but he does rather pale in comparison, doesn’t he?”

“Like a rock next to a diamond,” she cooed, hooking his chin with her index finger to make sure his eyes stayed on her instead of straying the spot next to safe where she’d been hiding, the black ledgers still conspicuously laying on the floor.

“Oh, I’d say more like coal,” he replied, shuffling closer, his hand boldly landing on her upper thigh, fingers groping the firm flesh. It was almost the exact same spot Law had touched when they kissed, but this wasn’t nearly as pleasant. “He has the potential to become a diamond with the right conditions, but for now he’s best at providing warmth to lucky ladies.”

“You’re so poetic! Smart men are just so sexy.” Unable to come up with another compliment due to the sheer disgust at his touch, she changed the subject. “I’m curious, Baron Harpin; why do you love octopuses so much?” she asked as if she didn’t already know.

“It’s octopi, actually,” he said condescendingly before puffing out his chest with pride. “In the Navy, I was touted as ‘The Golden Octopus.’ Impressive, no?”

“Extremely! How’d you get a name like that? Octopi are so slimy, and you’re anything but!” she giggled, dislodging his hand so she could sit on top of the desk. When he started to frown at the loss of flesh to grope, she distracted him by twirling one of his greasy braids around her finger, even as she gaged whether or not she could distract him long enough to knock him out with an electric shock.

Pleased with her flirting and the fact that her new position brought her cleavage even closer to his gaze, he crowed, “It’s because of my long reach and exceptional brilliance! Octopi are some of the smartest creatures in existence, after all. The World Government specifically made me the head of Intelligence because I could get anything from anywhere at any time. I had dozens of informants in kingdoms across the Grand Line, the underworld, and even in other Navy divisions. There was no rumor or piece of information that didn’t go through me. My mind was the World Government’s greatest asset; no average man could handle keeping track of so many secrets or make use of such extensive contacts.”

“Wow,” she replied, proud of herself for keeping the sarcasm out of her voice. When his hand once more drifted towards her thigh, she instinctively caught it. She could see the annoyance at her small rejection darken his face, so thinking quickly she took the hand in both of hers, fluttering the faintest kiss across his knuckles. Looking deeply into his eyes, she cooed, “You must be one of the smartest men in the world! How could the Navy ever have let you retire? They should have begged you to stay.”

“They should have!” he groused. “Instead my enemies conspired to unseat me, threatened by my revolutionary way of thinking. Did you know it was I who first proposed the shichibukai system?”

“You were?” Now that was a legitimate shocker, though it explained why he had a whole ledger dedicated to them.

“Of course! The World Government might not want to admit it, but there will always be pirates in the world. So long as there are laws, there will be those who seek to break them. So, why not ally with exceptionally strong pirates to cull the herd?” he cooed, free hand trailing a sausage-like finger along her cheek.

“Why, that is clever!” she said breathlessly, even as she seethed. From Jinbei to Crocodile to Blackbeard, the shichibukai system was one that just kept causing trouble. The World Government claimed it controlled them, but really, it just made them even more dangerous. If this guy really was the one who put such a broken system in place, she was going to make sure he got what was coming to him.

“Profitable, too! The best pirate warlords understood that our relationship was a business arrangement; they get immunity, while we get a cut of their treasure. Why, the Doflamingo Pirates even sent me a lovely retirement gift,” he crowed, proudly pointing towards squid statue.

“But that’s not an octopus,” she said, genuinely confused.

He scowled, good mood evaporating. “Ah, yes, Doflamingo did that on purpose; he always loved teasing me for being called ‘Gorudotako’ when I was saddled with the Ika Ika no Mi.”

“…what?”

“Such a cruel trick of fate, to be saddled with the ignoble squid instead of the far superior octopus! The peons below me would mock me in the shadows for it; some even suggested cooking me up like calamari if we ever ran low on food! So I made sure to erase all evidence of my powers from the records and only use them on very special occasions.”

Without warning, Harpin’s arms began to morph into two long tentacles, his hands flattening out into club-like appendages covered in tiny suckers, while the side-seams of his suit split open as six additional, slightly smaller tentacles burst out. Black, watery eyes swelled wider, head stretching back into a hooded point to accommodate, and as his mouth opened, his teeth molded together to form a sharp beak that poked past saggy lips. His skin took on a sickly grey color, the texture smoothing out to something rubbery and inhuman.

The final result was so horrific Nami didn’t want to look directly at him, instead leaping off the desk to dodge the sticky tentacles that tried to grab her. Unlike Hatchan, who was cute in a comical way, the former Marine was more like something out of a horror writer’s seafood-induced nightmare. Each tentacle glistened and writhed as if it had a mind of its own and were lined with wicked-looking suckers.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t know who you are, Cat Thief Nami?” he gurgled, voice distorted as if he were speaking underwater. Honestly, she was surprised he could talk at all with the beak sticking out from between his lips. “I’ve stared at your wanted poster as much as any man; I’d recognize that sexy stare and tattoo!”

Crap, she thought, assembling her Clima-Tact. She needed to think fast if she wanted to get out of that room in one piece. Glancing at the ceiling, she created a small storm cloud, watching it slowly grow above them. “Dark Cloud Tempo!”

It was one of her stronger attacks, but she knew it needed time to properly charge before it would be enough to take down a Devil Fruit user, so she played for time by creating an assortment of copies with her Mirage Tempo.

“Ah, so many lovely visions to choose from; good thing I have an arm for each!” he laughed, sending out six tentacles to sweep across them. The writhing arms were quick and stretchy, almost like Luffy’s when he used his Gomu Gomu powers, though not nearly as versatile. Using her copies as distractions, Nami wove and dodged each strike, calculating russet eyes observing their movements, hoping to find a pattern or weakness she could use to her advantage.

Her copies didn’t last long, dissipating with a single blow, but she was pleased to find his reach was limited to about eight feet for the smaller arms and maybe eleven for the two clubbed primary tentacles. He may have had more arms than Luffy, but he certainly didn’t have the rubber boy’s reach.

The real Nami once more out in the open, Harpin charged forward, tentacles snapping out like javelins, crashing into the floor and breaking off little pieces of tile upon impact. “I was hoping I’d have the pleasure of meeting you, Nami-chan, and here you are! Was it my gold that that enticed you, or me?”

“Ew, don’t touch me, creep!” she cried. Jumping back, she launched a gust of wind, the powerful gust forcing him to keep away from her. So long as she kept her distance, she had an advantage, and she wasn’t going to give it up easily.

“You’re such a tease, Nami-chan. I thought you wanted my big, strong arms wrapped around you,” he cooed lewdly.

“Buddy, I’d rather sleep with an actual fish than you.” Glancing up at the black cloud, she smirked, forming a spark on the end of her batons. “And even if you were my type, I’d have to take a rain check. I’m forecasting thunderstorms this evening. Look out for lightning strikes! Thunder Bolt Tempo!”

Tossing the little ball of electricity up into the dark cloud, she practically cheered as it crackled and popped, a bolt of lightning crashing down onto the squid-man, kicking up smoke and cracking the marble tiles beneath him.

Certain that he was out of the game for at least a few minutes, Nami made a beeline for the door, praying that she could grab her dress before escaping down the servants’ entrance.

Luck was not on her side, though, as Harpin wasn’t incapacitated; just angry. “You bitch!” he snarled, patches of flesh sizzling horrifically, the stench ashy and putrid. Grabbing the mahogany desk, he heaved it against the wall by the door, cutting off Nami’s escape. “How dare you? As if insulting my nephew and threatening my sister weren’t enough, you have the gall to attack me?!”

Looking between Harpin and the shattered remains of what had been incredibly sturdy furniture, she desperately tried to think of a new plan. For an old, half-squid freak, he was tougher than he looked and not nearly as stupid as she’d hoped. “Hey, you’re the creep who can’t keep his ugly tentacles to himself! No means no!” she shouted, creating another electric ball.

“As if low-born trash like you has the right to refuse me!” he snapped, leaping into the air and blasting himself forward like a squid projected itself through the water. He cleared the room in a single burst, forcing Nami to launch herself to the side to avoid getting hit and decimating the distance that had kept her safe. Catching the thief off-balance, two of his arms lashed out, knocking her Clima-Tact away and wrapping tightly around her wrists. The blue batons rolled uselessly across the polished floor as their owner shrieked in pain and horror. Each sucker that latched onto her flesh was lined with a sharp, finely serrated ring of chitin. They didn’t cut deeply, but it was enough to make struggling painful. On top of that, they yanked her arms back so hard she was surprised they weren’t jerked out of their sockets.

Beautiful pirate at last in his grasp, Harpin stepped in closer, appreciating the gorgeous body in front of him as she kicked and writhed. “You really are as lovely as they say,” the Baron chuckled, the smooth back of one of his clubs stroking her face. It flipped around to rip the purple wig off her head, revealing her signature orange hair. “Maybe I won’t turn you in right away; I think I’ll have some fun with you, first.” Two more disturbingly clammy arms ran up her bare legs before forcefully pulling them apart, easily overcoming her attempts to fight back. The very tip of another curled just inside the fabric covering her left breast, tugging playfully. Distorted lips smirked around his beak. “I mean, you’re asking for it, running around in an outfit like that.”

Twisting helplessly, she knew there was no way she’d be able to fight him off without help. Before the mess on Sabaody, she’d pin her hopes on Luffy, Zoro, or Sanji rushing in to save her just in the nick of time, but her nakama was scattered across the Grand Line. Crying and begging for mercy was no good, as her best-case scenario involved being turned over to the Marines, while just the thought of the worst-case made bile burn in the back of her throat.

Without her crew, her only choice was to stall until Law came back, assuming Smoker hadn’t captured him. Or worse, that he’d left her behind. “Not a chance in hell! I’m not into weird hentai shit. And even if I were, honestly, ugly old sissies who resort to blackmail are a huge turn-off.”

Her quick thinking worked, as Harpin looked genuinely offended, though it unfortunately made his grip tighten, bladed suckers digging deeper into her skin. “‘Resort to blackmail?’ Stupid little girl, you act as if cunning isn’t its own strength! Knowledge is power, and blackmail is the ultimate type of knowledge. It’s stronger than Devil Fruits and Haki combined! A man can be physically tough but find that dark little secret and threaten to bring it into the light, and you’ll see how he crumbles like a sandcastle against the waves.”

“And you’d do that to your own comrades?!” she asked, teeth clenched against the pain. The elastic tentacles around her legs were crawling higher, squeezing and leaving thin, shallow cuts that stung every time she so much as twitched. Now she understood why the maid uniform included opaque tights; to hide evidence of his horrible touch from visitors.

“Pretty kitty, it’s how I built my career!” The tip of his club slapped her cheek lightly. “By making the right connections and spilling nasty little secrets, I took out irritating rivals, made excellent allies, and put whole governments in my pocket. The Navy may have forced me out, but they still couldn’t keep their secrets from me; my reach is too long, and I have my arms wrapped around too many people,” he said, squeezing tighter for emphasis.

“And I’m supposed to find this attractive?”

“You should be honored I’m even bothering with you! When I was head of Intelligence, queens and Marines alike made their way to my bed!”

“And how many of them came willingly?” came a voice from the entryway.

Turning her head, Nami’s eyes widened behind her mask as Black Cage Hina strolled into the study, mercury gown and regal scowl worthy of a goddess of war.

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