#OH MAN I FORGOT DRAVEN I KNEW I FORGOT SOMEONE

[kandadiff]

Van Der Wulff : Welcome Parents

Im starting the parents one over - after field day we see everyone is back but no parents yet.

~

Principle Fitzpatrick always claimed to want to do his absolute best by his students. He did this by making up his own school calendar and trying his best to keep the gossip about the students to himself and between trusted teachers. However, with Christmas coming up, a few teachers came to him regarding students who seemed to be having a hard time in the year so far. They suggested the resurgence of the students’ parents. Which is how we found ourselves in this predicament. 

It should have been a normal day of school. As normal as one could have at Van Der Wulff Academy. Field day was a few days ago and since everyone was back the school was full of life once again. Friendships were being remade and even some tried to rekindle relationships. The fact that Xavier was barely paying attention to that should have been your red flag but honestly you were to busy dealing with Bethany Thorne and working for her while lying to Xavier and saying you were working as a party promoter for Negan's club, The Red Room.

It was another long night of working for Bethany and you were exhausted. You walked next to Xavier towards class but you might as well have been walking by yourself. He gave you no attention. You thought he was mad because since Hawaii, Robin was spending his time in the guest room between Draven and my room. Your stomach flipped wondering if Xavier knew what happened between you two. No, he would have said something....or done something.

You're eyes spotted the taller boy walking with me towards the basement of the school where the majority of the rhersals took place. You tried not to thirst over him but your mind quickly wandered.

"Have a good class." Xavier said quickly shutting down your thoughts. You looked puzzled at the door he stopped by, this wasn't your classroom. He placed a quick peck on your forehead and started for the stairs.

"What the fuck?" You mumbled heading down the hall to your classroom.

~

Xavier did love Damien, in his own way. He considered them close friends and thinking about it, he would hurt someone for Damien if he had to - maybe not kill them but hurt them yes. He did know Damiens weakness though and as he approached the large black doors of one of the band rooms he saw it on stage setting up to sing.

Since coming back from Hawaii, he knew Damien and I hadn't spoken which made Damien go for the bottle and when he did that he was loose lipped about things he didn't think were secrets. Xavier unconsciously touched the scar that formed from the knife wound I had given him. He thought about Damien slurred speak to him a few nights ago while he was on his third bottle of Jack Daniels.

'Oh and she forgot when I had to hide her secret searches about Robin all when we were drowning up! He forgets that too! if not her parents would have moved her again! they hate him! Say hes a bad influence on her! but look she got with that old man without him! she's a bad influence on herself!'

Xavier wasn't foolish enough to hurt me here. No, you would know it was him - everyone who witnessed it in Hawaii would know it was him if anything terrible were to happen to me. And while Hoodie or Shawn didn't scare him. He saw the look in Robin's eye when he was choking him - and that made him think a bit smarter. He knew whatever the relationship between the both of us were - it extended beyond what he originally thought and that was dangerous for him. What if they teamed up on him again? His thoughts turned to you. Or if they turned on you?

"Mr and Mrs. Snow." He called back pulling himself out of his thoughts and looking down the hall. My parents approached him with wide smiles, he inwardly scoffed at how my mother was dressed. In all white and feathers like a Dove or an Angel. My father wore a simple champagne suit. "She's in rehearsal."

Stefani smiled "Can we watch? Thats allowed here, right?"

"Oh yeah." Xavier said opening the door. Rock music played loudly from the stage as the song started. Xavier smirked to himself recognizing the guitar riffs coming from Robins classic guitar.

A few students looked back as the parents moved to the two seats Xavier made sure were reserved for them. He took a seat by the door, just next to the lights. He knew neither me nor Robin could see them with the stage lights in our faces. It would be a sort of surprise. He kept his eyes on my parents. They hadn't noticed robin yet, instead both were focused on me - there smiles were enough to show the love they felt. It made Xavier a bit sick.

The song was one written by Robin for a class Xavier never did the work for. It was a good song about a kid getting involved in crime young and murdering someone and going to jail for it and I sung it. Xavier might have thought it was about him but he was starting to loose patience. That was until the song ended and Xavier could see the sudden change of expression in the Snow's faces. There happy faces turned stony when the song ended and I went to catch my breath the room watched Robin happy pull me to him and kiss my head while catching his own breath.

The room erupted in applause - all except for my parents. He flipped the lights on with a smugness he hadn't felt in a while and watched as my eyes scanned the crowd. He knew when I saw my parents - my smile quickly leaving my face. "Mom?" Robin stepped forward as though ready to pounce on the couple if they dared make a sudden move. The room didn't seem to notice. The teacher already calling other students for rehearsal.

We moved towards the backstage but Robin quickly shot out of my sight "How did you get here?" My mother hissed at him as he approached. "I'm going to file a fucking retstraining order on you. Stalking my daughter for years."

"We are happy! Just leave us be!"

"Don't speak for my daughter!" Stefani spat back at him. "You don't know what's best for her! You don't get it! You're not family anymore-"

"Does she even know who you are?" Daniel, my father asked. Robin glanced at him his anger simmering a bit. At least he hid his disgust behind designer sunglasses. "Or did you lie to her about that too?"

Stefani gasped, as though solving a conspiracy theory. "You're right!" she turned back to Robin.

"We told her to never, ever go near you again! You must've tricked her or some shit! What does she think your name is?" My father accused.

"You were always too close" Stefani shook her head, her hatred bubbling to the surface. "I bet you want to get in her pants or something! oh my god!" She grasped her husbands sleeve. "What if he did?! What If they are dating?!" She turned back to Robin. "Its cancelled! keep your filthy fucking hands away from my daughter!"

"MOM!" I shouted, I felt my face heating from the looks they were getting and I started to shove them towards the door. My stomach was doing flips as I pushed them into the hallway. I had known my parents didn't like Robin - they believed all the terrible stories about him. But I didn't know they hated him so much.

My father grabbed me to him. "Kalyn, what did he tell you?"

"Tell us, honey, nothing will happen to you. Did you both...?" her trail off made me confused and I looked at him. He was shaking in anger. his fists were clenched so tightly that I thought he would punch one of them.

I pushed my father away going to him in an attempt to calm him but I was snatched back. "Get the fuck away from her, you trash!" My mothers nails dig protectively into my arm as she neared robin.

"What the fuck!" I shouted pushing her away but she held me tighter.

"Leave this fucking school before I have you arrested!"

"You can't do that." Robins voice was eerily calm and deep.

"Oh yes I can!" Stefani spat back "You're never going to see my daughter again! You think I would ever let some fucking creep like you near her?! Now get the fuck away!"

"She's my fucking family, you blonde cunt!" Robin exploded throwing both my parents off for a bit. He stalked toward them and I gently pushed him back. He would swing at them - but he wouldn't touch me. "You are not going to fucking take her away again! She's not fucking rapunzel! You can't lock her up! If you touch her again! If you separate us again! If you take her from me again! I'll fucking make sure you never find either of us! I'll fucking bury you and your stupid fucking husband too you selfish fucking pricks!"

~

When you saw her, it was as though a cold rain had washed over you. There was your mother, dressed in one of her originally designed red dresses sitting in your desk. She looked just as you had last seen her - nearly perfect. Her hair was perfectly in place, her makeup natural seeming and you smelled her expensive perfume from where you were standing. You could see the smile on her face fooled those students around you, that knew every little about your mother. Given how they were looking at you now, you knew you were going to get the compliments about her or her job and how completely lucky you were. But you could sense the rotten essences at her core that started to show as soon as she looked you up and down and she made a face. "Sweetie, darling" She said standing up. "Why didn't you where the dress mommy made especially for her homecoming?"

"I didn't know you were coming." You said back through gritted teeth. Your eyes wandered over to Maddy who was looking at your mother as though she were some type of genie that would grant her three wishes.

"So unappreciative darling" she waved her hand. "I make you a one of a kind dress from my own fingertips and you can't even be bothered to wear it. Honestly, why do I make it then?" Great starting with the guilt trips early. "Oh well, this dress isn't bad. You look nearly perfect. And here is where it starts. The compliments that aren’t full compliments - always packed with some bitter sentiment in her words. “Come with me.” She gently took your arm in hers and you walked toward the man who was with her. “I’d like you to meet Boris Rosewood.” 

“You must be Arianna! Your mother has showed me nearly every picture of you! And I’ve heard so much about you! It���s great to meet you finally!” 

Your mother smiled and looked from him to you. “Boris is my husband darling.” She said and your eyes widened. You had absolutely no idea she had gotten married again. Your confusion seemed to amuse her “oh sweetie, done give me that look the wedding was a small intimate affair. Just very close family and you know I didn’t want to interrupt your schooling.” 

The man was too old to be a student, and the way he looked at your mom, you guessed the step-father title is coming soon.

~

[askdragonbladetalon]

[fic] RIVEN: An Eulogy

When a hero dies, a country mourns. 5 reactions to Riven's death, feat Talon, Kat, Cass, Trifarix and Black Rose.

i.

They still tell stories of her after her death.

Every second soldier in the Noxian army swears that they’ve served with her or that they know someone who has. Riven, they say, was the heart of Noxus. The Trifarix are Might, Guile and Vision but Riven was the Noxus’ Heart. Riven was the best of what Noxus could be and Riven died fighting for Noxus, just like any true Noxian should aspire to.

Talon hears these stories in every bar, in every barracks. Women wield swords larger than themselves and men tattoo themselves with runes in her honor. The runes on her sword are sacrosanct; what they mark themselves with are the runes for ‘riven’, spelled out one letter at a time.

‘Riven’, Talon knows, means to split apart violently. He does not think it is something that should be tattooed onto flesh. It feels too much like an invitation.

Their tattoos glow, pale green-blue, and Talon thinks of the Shadow isles and their slow, creeping corruption of flesh.

He does not say it but he thinks that they are calling the wrong god.

ii.

Katarina paces restlessly around the rooms of the Du Couteau mansion. The click-click of her heels sounds like the gunshots fired at Riven’s state funeral; her fists are clenched, her jaw tight and when Talon enters, she whirls on him like he personally called the strike down on Riven.

“She shouldn’t have died like that,” Katarina spits, shaking from the force of a fury that has nowhere to spend itself. Her eyes are green as Singed’s toxins, far more green than the runes of Riven’s swords, and they bore into Talon. “She was the symbol of Noxus, the Heart of Noxus. What will the Ionians think of us – what will the Demacians think?!”

Talon shrugs and watches Katarina’s hands. He knows these moods. She’ll draw a knife soon and throw it either at him or the mirror. He doesn’t understand why she’s so angry with herself for Riven’s death, but he does understand that being quiet is safer.

Nonetheless, he asks, “What did Riven think of us as she died?”

iii.

“If I had the body, I could revive her,” Vladimir suggests in the council.

Swain steeples his long fingers together and smiles coldly at the hemomancer, a crow’s cluck coming from his teeth. “Because your magic fared so well with Sion?”

“Sion had been dead too long.” Vladimir bristles, coat collar jutting up with steel tips that match his claws. “Riven’s far fresher.”

“I think not, Vladimir,” Swain says, resting his hands on the table, “Noxus needs no more monsters made of its heroes.”

“Let her rest in peace,” Darius rumbles from across the table. His words have the impact of mountains moving, the ageless strength and presence that will not be brooked.

LeBlanc, usually Vladimir’s ally, laughs and leans back. “She was growing too popular. What if she decided to turn on Noxus one day? She’d have the support of the people and we can’t afford a civil war.”

Something sparkles in her eyes at the thought, a vulture’s hunger behind a feline’s smile, and Talon shifts his hold on his sword slightly.

iv.

“This is not like my shed scales,” Cassiopeia says as gently as possible as she slithers up to Talon. He’s kneeling not at Riven’s monument, where the masses still leave offering and burn letters to her, but below the tree where the last time Riven was at the Du Couteau grounds, the two of them climbed high and spoke seriously in solitude.

Talon turns and looks up at her, fingers dirty and a small hole scraped into the ground. “What?”

“Remember the first time you saw my shed scales? You thought I’d been killed and skinned. You were so relieved when I came around the corner.” A small smile twitches at Cassiopeia’s lips as she rests a clawed hand on Talon’s head, but then it fades as she keeps talking. “Riven is dead, Talon. Hoping otherwise won’t bring her back.”

“I know,” Talon says, shoulders curving defensively as he bends over his task once more. “I’m not – like those people. I’m not burying a talisman for her safe return.”

“Then what are you burying?” Cassiopeia asks, sharp snake-eyes unable to make out the small item that Talon’s clutching in one hand.

There’s silence for a few seconds, then Talon says, “Her heart.”

He opens his fingers, showing the Crimson Elite crest. “We traded them before she left. It’s a good luck routine – it was supposed to mean she’d come back. But if I die outside of Noxus now, then hers won’t make it back. Assassins don’t get their bodies retrieved. I need to bury it now so she’ll always stay in Noxus.”

v.

A small figure enters his tomb (his prison?). There’s just enough light from the glowing sword to recognize her before the shattered edge drives into his heart. Blood flows from the wound over the sword, dark and congealing, and extinguishes the light.

“Rest now, Sion,” she says as she stands over his dying form. “Your war is won.”

[yourcutelittlegayfriend]

Can you do a Mecha kingdoms sett x reader??? •~•

Ok I've done my research and made a few adjustments instead of 3 kingdoms it's gonna be 4 where the reader came from and instead each of the kingdom or the other champions making the robots it's gonna be the reader who made them

Also in my defense Mecha Kingdoms is alot like Power Rangers but it's more awesome.

Here ya go

Srry the title sucks ⬇️

_________________________________________

The Metal Fighter

and

The Creator

For years 4 kingdoms have been fighting each other for power even the outer territory joined as well.

Being the only child in the family I decided to join the army to bring honor to for them.

But the general found another way for me to help my kingdom after seeing that I can't bring myself to kill another.

I was in charge of making brand new weapons to aid the soldiers in the battlefield.

In the middle of the fight between my kingdom and 3 more the ground suddenly rumble made us stop in mid fight, soldiers and the generals looked at each other in confusion forgetting the war for a second.

then the monsters came, a big Leviathan emerging from the seas following more as they started destroying everything in their path, creating havoc, screams all around the me, some running a way too scared that they might lose their life.

I looked around in fear as I see people getting killed everywhere and more dead bodies fell in the ground, I stare at the general without noticing the tail of the monster coming straight down on my figure.

The general started screaming at me but his voice was muffled by the chaos emitting around the battlefield then he run towards me.

It was like the world spin around us in slow motion before I knew it he push my body roughly aside making the large appendage crush his body instead of mine.

I stare in horror on the tail in front of me after the Leviathan flew away I see the bloody body of my general.

I kneeled down screaming while the tears in my eyes fell down on his face, he was still breathing but hardly, he took a hold of my hand to get my attention away from the large wound in his stomach I looked at him.

"please.....(Y/N) run..sav...save your life.....your mother needs..you...I promise her..th-that I'll bring...bring you back..alive". He tried saying between his breath but I can see him trying to hide his pain.

"No! You won't die! you save me! You'll go home with me, still alive and breathing!".

I glared at the figure of the monster that continued to kill more soldiers who tried to run away.

"I'll fix this General, they'll pay for this".

"N-no....(Y/N)!" He shouted.

I stood up and run trying to dodge other soldiers in my way but I trip on a dead body I looked down a see blood in my hands and in my armor this made my eyes prick with tears growling I push my self up and keep trying.

Once I reached my equipment, I started working on the cannon I made, tears still covering my sights but I wipe them away.

Finishing I pushed it and aimed directly at the flying creature as I wait for the right moment.

While it was busy I took the chance and fire at the unexpecting bastard, the ball hit it straight in it's head.

It roar in agony as blood came out in the wound, it turned his head a saw me, screeching in anger he then fly straight at me.

I reload the cannon with a bigger and special cannon ball that I made ,stood my ground waiting for the Leviathan to come near me.

By now the people were looking at me especially the ones on my side with fear in their eyes knowing that they may lose the only woman in their army.

The Monster open it's mouth getting ready the burn me with it's fire, the orange light glowing under it's throat.

I aimed and fire in it's mouth, the cannon ball entering in before exploding inside it's throat.

The Leviathan fell down on the ground, scaring and making the others fly away back to the seas.

The soldiers from the other kingdoms was standing in silence before mine shouted in glee as they run towards me the others joining us by shouting as well.

The soldiers surrounded me while shouting congratulating but I paid them no mind as I pushed them aside trying to reach the General.

Reaching the end of the crowd, I sprinted in search for his body, the others looked at me befor following me.

I turned my head around before spotting his coughing figure, I run towards him I slid on my knees not minding the pain.

"General!- I...I did it I killed-". but he cut me off.

"Ha....I knew you were.... special kid.... that was.....brave of...you-". I then started coughing roughly by now the soldiers surrounded us.

"Stop! stop talking please! save your breath! We can stil-!" But he grab a hold of my hand stopping me.

"N..no it's too late..(Y/N)..... it's time". He groan while his body started getting heavy in my arms before I knew it the light in his eyes faded away.

I looked at him letting my tears fall down on his face.

Even for just a moment the soldiers and other surviving general forgot about their hatred towards each other and payed their respect to the fallen.

Months past the Kingdoms decided to postponed the war to gather there minds about the creatures that emerged from the seas.

It was after the funeral for our soldiers when the high council of my kingdom paid me a visit and asked for help.

I was gonna refuse them at first but they said that after they heard the news of me killing a Leviathan that decided they needed me to help them make something to fight them off after all they will come back at some point.

So I agreed and here I am looking at some strange matter that was glowing.

"This was from the gods, they gifted this to us and I was wondering if you can make something that would help us in fighting the Leviathan". They gestured at the pile.

I started working with the help of the greatest minds in our kingdom by making gigantic robots that can be controlled that we called Avalons.

After finishing the last of the 5th Avalon, we decided to find 5 worthy people to control them, a man named Jax came to us and volunteer to join when he heard the news that we were looking for worthy people.

Well he was since he is the greatest weapon master in the land.

But things didn't go well when we found out that the others were stolen.

I was devastated, after all the hard work I put through they stole just it like that!?.

The high council decided to help me by sending out spies to find them.

The first one that came back with the help of Jax was named Garen a ruthless warlord that led the army of the Vercentia Kingdom deciding that we should put our difference aside and fight against the Leviathans together for the sake of humanity.

Good man.

Next was from the Dawnrise Kingdom, Leona but not willing tho she keep saying that her kingdom made it and she only joined to united her kingdom and help destroying the beast that roam our land.

I didn't argue, too busy worrying about the other stolen robot that I let her brag about her kingdom.

The third was from the mercenary named Draven that only wanted to join just for fun.

that was a 50-50 for me.

and last was by force we found my Avalon from a man named the Savage Wolf.

"WAIT HE BOUGHT MY AVALON FOR HOW MUCH!!??" I screamed at Jax and the spy when I heard that he only bought my Avalon to show off.

"A half price (Y/N), a HALF price". Jax repeated his words.

"OK! That's it I have enough of this they stole my master piece, I let Leona believe that her people made it- which is a LIE and the only good thing about this is that Draven and Garen are the only one who willingly joined". I shouted.

"Draven only joined for fun tho". Jax pointed out.

"That's beside the point". I growled.

I stomp towards where the Avalons were stationed and luckily the 4 were there as well.

I see a red haired man a standing near the one of the Avalon.

"You! are you The Savage Wolf?" I shouted while pointing at him.

Sett's POV :

Hear someone calling me by my Title, I turned my head to look and see a fuming woman stomping towards me with a man and Jax behind her

"Yeah what about it?" I asked with my eyebrow raised.

"Your him huh?". She stop a few meters away from me then she rolled up her sleeves and said.

"Good". She smirks before charging and jump on top of me.

Surprised by the sudden weight I fell on my back but she grab a hold of my collar and roughly shook me.

"WHO THE HELL WITH THE RIGHT MIND WOULD BUY MY FUCKING AVALON FOR A HALF PRICE?! HUH THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!? YOU-". before she can punch me Jax pluck her off me his arms around her waist while she keep trashing in his hold.

"JAX LET ME AT HIM YOU SON OF A-!".

*BOINK*

and here we are standing around talking about how we deal with The Avalons while the woman whose name was (Y/N) pouts besides Jax with a bump on her head.

"We should join forces by using the Avalons to fight off the Leviathans when they come back". Garen proposed.

"I supposed that will do, my people made my Avalon for that purpose". Leona agreed.

"Whoa hold on why don't I get a say in this!?". (Y/N) shouted catching our attention.

"They're MY Avalons! I also get to decide how they should be used". She throws her hands up.

"Excuse me? Yours? my Avalon is made by the finest scholars in my Kingdom that they gratefuly gave to me". Leona step forward infront of (Y/N).

"Well news flash 'Princess' your people are a bunch of stupid idiots and a liars, I made them with my own bare hands and they decided to stole them from me". She fight back also stepping forward.

"Oh? and what proof do you have that makes you the creator of this technology?" Leona tested looking smug as she cross her arms.

"Proof? Oh I'll give you a big ass proof". (Y/N) smirks snapping her fingers before saying.

"Activate Insta-Kill". She said.

then out of nowhere the Giant robots came to life and positioning in a fighting stance as the lights inside the machine turned red.

"INSTA-KILL MODE ACTIVATED". all the robots spoke in since.

I looked at each one of us and see they're faces written in shock -well except me, Draven (who was smirking) and Jax(?).

I smirked towards (Y/N) who was now looking smug seeing Leona's shocked face, her eyes looked at my direction, my smirk widen when she rolled her eyes, her smug face turning to frustration.

'heh, What a woman'

*BONUS*

months past by we agreed to join forces and used (Y/N)'s Avalons to fight off the Leviathans after they came back.

After a long day of fighting a bunch of them that came to close to the Estercrest Kingdom.

I was watching (Y/N) fix the boosters on the back of my robot.

"Hey girly! need a hand" I shouted up to her.

"No thanks!". She shouted.

"I don't want you destroying my robot more". She grumble but I heard her anyway thanks to me being half Vastayan.

"Ya know it was kinda your fault!" I shouted cupping a hands to let her hear me more.

"WHAT?! HOW THE HECK WAS IT MY FAULT?" she stop working and peer down from the platform where she worked.

"Cuz you distracted me sweetheart!" I wink at her clearly knowing that she can see me doing it.

"Wait What?!". She shouted but her hand slip from the ledge dragging her body down.

I quickly run and jump up to catch her mid air, catching her in my arms, I landed on the ground with her arms wrapped tightly around my neck.

"You can open you eyes now". I whispered in her ear.

She shivers and cup her ear while she looked at me.

"D-don't do that!". She stuttered her face turning redder by the minute.

"or you can say thanks for me saving your life". I smiled down to her.

But she shove both of her hands in my face and got out in my arms.

"Ok first of all how would I distract you?! Your the one that doesn't even listen to me! cuz you go and do you own-". She continues to blabber about what I said.

I only rolled my eyes before I neared her, she didn't even notice me.

"Your cute when you're angry".

Then I kissed her on the lips cutting her off while kissing her I opened my eyes to see her's closed, I smiled before parting a little my face still close to her.

She opened her eyes and looked in mine.

"Y-you..k-kissed m-m-me". I heard her stutter under her breath.

"Cuz I like ya". I winked before I turned and started walking a way leaving a tomato face girl.

"SETT!!!!!". She screamed behind me

_________________________________________

It's kinda long srry hope you liked it.

[forkanna]

[AO3 LINK] [EF LINK]

"What… how… why are… huh?!"

That was the most eloquence Glinda could manage in the face of her almost-lover. Fiyero, her Fiyero was standing there, with the painted-on eyes and smile, ragtag old hat and straw sticking out every which way from the sack-cloth skin, he looked absolutely nothing like her old lover… except for perhaps the expression. Something about it was familiar, even if stretched across unfamiliar features.

But his voice was what truly made her think of the guard captain. Of the one she had hoped would make an honest woman of her someday, back before her life had taken so many unexpected turns. It was the same velvety tones that had talked and sang to her when they went dancing, that had agreed they were perfect together. His voice. He.

"Sorry about this," he laughed, nodding down at his chest. "But I didn't know how else to bring it up. Actually… I kind of forgot who I was for a little while, you know."

"Forgot? What? H-how does that work?" She couldn't string together her thoughts, they were so busy flitting off in a thousand directions.

"Well… near as I can figure it, somebody put a spell on me after I got crushed by that falling house," he mused as they ascended, Fiyero leading the way since Glinda couldn't seem to make herself walk unless he made it necessary. "The damndest thing, right? But I wasn't able to figure that out right away. At first, my head full of straw couldn't put together a single thought anymore. I ran away, then forgot how to walk. I tried to cry out, and forgot how to talk! A farmer found me limp in the field, out of my head, and decided to stick me up on a pole to make use of me. Can't blame him in the slightest, really."

"Oh. S-so… so you really have been a scarecrow."

"For a day or so. Then Dorothy found me." His eyes filled with warmth, in a way Glinda could only describe as fatherly. "At first, all I could do was tag along after her, hoping someone could help me think better. Someone like the Wizard. But as I got closer and closer to the Emerald City… well, my memories started coming back to me."

That sharpened Glinda's tongue a little more. Swallowing, she whispered, "And what did you do? Coming back to your senses, with Biq and that big Lion along for the ride! You must have been scared of saying the wrong thing!"

For some reason, that only seemed to bemuse him more. "Well, about the Lion — oh, I think I'll save that for later. First, I'd love to meet with Elphaba again. Is that where we're headed?"

"Yes, yes it is. I…" But she couldn't take it any longer. Throwing both arms around him, she pinned him to the wall and huddled close, eyes leaking crystalline tears as she cried, "Fiyero! Oh, I thought you were gone forever, we both did, but you… oh, Fiyero!"

A few minutes passed as he weathered her cries, a limp, thin arm eventually encircling her back; it seemed he had not been lying about the manacles not being fit for a scarecrow. Every time she tried to dry her eyes and speak again, she fell to a fresh fit of sobs. They were tears of relief, but they would not be stemmed, not for anything in the world.

"I am sorry," he assured her as gently as he could, when she was more receptive to hearing again. "About not saying before, and for the crows. All I knew was that a couple dozen black birds were divebombing Dorothy — I didn't want to see what they'd do to her if they succeeded!"

Glinda nodded before sniffing loudly and pulling back to pet his cloth face. "It's alright! Well, Elphie will disagree, but that's… by Oz, I've missed you so much! And I wish you had said something last night!"

"Couldn't. I didn't know what was going on, but I had a feeling from the moment I met Dorothy that it was important I tag along, find out what her goal was. Even more once the Wizard told us what he wanted us to do! And of course, I knew all along that the water wouldn't do a twigging thing to Elphie, but… hey, the more I kept them thinking it would, the more of a chance you'd have when they tried to melt 'the enemy', right?"

"Clever," she laughed wetly, kissing his fabric cheeks. "Oh, so clever! And you thought you hadn't any brains!" They both cackled as they embraced again. "But now you're here… I can't even tell you what this means, to find out you're alive!"

"If you can call this 'living'," he scoffed.

"Nonsense! Compared to you being dead?! I'd take this in a heartbeat!" Again, she kissed his cheek and then grasped the hand. "Come on, Elphie has to see this! Right away!"

In mere minutes, they were in the throne room. Elphaba had stated that it would look more imposing if she received people there, and Nessa and Glinda were inclined to agree, though due to Dorothy's fright it made as much sense to be more welcoming and warm to her, Glinda had argued successfully.

Saint Aelphaba's namesake sat perched upon the old throne, prim and proper with her hands folded over her knees. Nessa sat in the "queen's throne", which Glinda had to fight down a giggle at the thought of sitting in that throne herself by Elphie's side. Her feelings were all muddled now that Fiyero had returned, when a part of her had been wondering if him turning out to be alive would quash any feelings other than for him. Apparently, that would not be the case.

"Hello, murder murderer."

"Elphie," Glinda tried to hiss, but Fiyero cleared his throat so she fell silent.

"Elphaba. I had to protect the girl; I hope you can understand that. But… if you need to punish anyone for that, punish me."

Recognition flickered in her eyes from him speaking, but she didn't catch on right away. Glinda understood; the concept was so fantastic that anyone would doubt themselves, if they even thought of it in the first place.

"Who are you?" Nessa asked, tone equally cold as her sister's. "Name yourself."

"Why should I? I already have a name, and it's one I like. Even if I haven't been using it much lately."

Elphaba leaned forward, face severe. "You're an unwelcome stranger here. You ought to show a little respect to us!"

"Really?" he scoffed, somehow managing to strike a devilish pose despite the manacles. "Because by the way I figure it, you're the ones trying to invoke squatter's rights in my house! How do you like that?!"

The severe face froze for an eternal moment. Glinda let out the smallest of giggles, unable to help herself — and the sound seemed to shake Elphaba loose from the ice entirely.

"F… Fiyero?"

All he did was nod. It was all he needed to do; the witch who had seemed so dour moments before leapt up from the throne faster than Glinda had ever seen her move, sweeping down off the dais and onto him, wrapping her arms around tight. Unable to resist, Glinda embraced both of them, laughing and even hopping up and down slightly as she watched Elphaba kiss his cheeks just the way she had before.

"Y-you- it's not possible! How could you be alive now- and how are you this… this… this?!"

"Search me," he chortled. His voice was as emotional as theirs, though he didn't cry; Glinda had to wonder if it was even possible for a man made out of straw to shed tears in the first place. "I woke up underneath a house, and barely knew what I was doing with myself until Dorothy found me!"

As he told Elphaba the same things he'd told Glinda about his journey, Nessa eventually came over to join them, content to stay at the fringes for a minute. When there was a lull, she took a step forward.

"Hello again, Fiyero."

"Nessa!" he gasped, painted mouth agape and hands pressing to the sides of his head. Glinda couldn't help leaning in to see what might be inside said mouth, but it was just straw; she might have known. "Look at you! Up and about! Guess I'm not the only one enjoying a spell or two!"

"It's thanks to my sweet, talented sister," Nessa said so earnestly that Elphaba couldn't entirely suppress the slight flush of forest green that came to her cheeks. "In fact… listening to what you told us, I'm pretty sure your condition is thanks to her, too."

"Hm? How do you mean? I didn't see her anywhere around when I woke."

"That's because we had already flown the coop. Before that… she and Glinda were both trying to revive you, and I assumed Dorothy's shiny shoes had taken both spells, since I never heard anything about you surviving. But what if they only caught one spell?"

Elphaba drew back, unwilling to let him go completely but wanting to get a proper look at her sister. "Yes, my spell went under the house; I saw Glinda's get waylaid." Then she turned up to look at his lumpy head and smiled fiercely. "If I did some good for once… even just one good deed that worked out for the best, then I'll sleep a lot easier tonight."

"We both will," Glinda promised, kissing his cheek again. He grinned.

"Sorry about… what you've become," Elphaba breathed, running her fingers over the seams. "This wasn't at all what I imagined the spell would do."

"Ah, you did the best you could. You saved my life." His words were earnest and warm, and he pulled both women in again, clutching at them as hard as his stuffed limbs could allow. "You both did. Thank you. But I'm afraid I have apologies to make."

"Whatever for?"

"The Crows." Elphaba stilled, but he pressed onward. "They weren't… I hadn't any idea what I was dealing with, they could have been from anywhere! But as I've told Glinda, I am sorry; I didn't hear one of them speak until the others were all…"

The witch took a step back from Fiyero, manner more reserved than it had been upon first reuniting. "That is… regrettable. I've been sick to death over losing Draven and his compatriots, I… but I do know you, Fiyero. I know how you helped me with that cub, and that you'd never harm a hair — or feather — on anyone's head if you saw another way."

For a moment, he allowed her to grieve afresh, frowning over at Glinda with his cloth mouth. Glinda patted his arm in reassurance. Then he perked up and said, "Actually, I did have something to mention to you, if you might be interested. That cub we rescued…"

"Hm?" she said distantly, still seeing what became of the Crows in her mind's eye.

"He's in the dungeons."

Both of her eyebrows shot up at once. "What? You… no. That Lion is the tiny cub we rescued? The odds are… I don't believe it!"

"Well, believe it," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "He doesn't remember much, but remembers being carried out of Shiz by a pair of Munchkinlanders — and I'll forgive him for mistaking me for one, just this once. Isn't that something?"

"Oh…" Pressing a hand to her mouth, she took a few vague steps toward the door. Then she whispered, "I was worried that he might have to be put down, if he continued to pounce at Glinda, but if… if he's an Animal, if we can reason with him… well, we might at least keep him down there instead of being forced to do the unspeakable…"

Clapping her hands together, Glinda wriggled with glee as she embraced her two friends again. Elphaba remained sober from the mention of the Crows, but did not resist when she gave them both a kiss on the cheek apiece. "Isn't this wonderful? We've been through so much, and… well, I'm sorry you got turned into an old sack of rags, but I'm ever so glad you're here! Isn't it grand, Elphie?"

"Swell," she deadpanned. But then she smiled up at him. "And… I suppose I can forgive you for the Crows. You felt you had no choice but to defend her, I understand. But… you'll help me hold a funeral for them, when this is all over? Won't you?"

"Of course," he told her solemnly. "I'd have done it then and there if the Tin Man wasn't making so much racket about needing to charge ahead, axe at the ready."

"He'll either need to be disposed of, or executed in some way," Nessa said coldly, surprising all there. "I'm only being practical; if he's never loved me a day in his life, and he can't resist trying to kill me… all I ask is that he be taken away, made so that he can't attack me anymore. One way or another."

"Now, Nessie," Glinda sighed. She patted her on the arm, but the arm was pulled away so fast that she had to blink. "It's as much our fault as his; I was the one who encouraged him to ask you to the Ozdust Ballroom. Maybe if I hadn't… oh, I don't know. A girl isn't obligated to return a man's affections, you know! I should have been able to simply tell him outright that I was not interested!"

"But you didn't," Elphaba grunted. "Because you're too nice. Always thought you were, and as far as I'm concerned, this is the proof." Then she took a deep breath. "He's contained for now. Let's focus on whether or not we can trust Dorothy and the Lion and work from there. Morrible and the Wizard should be our main concern from this point forward."

The others all nodded in agreement. Then Nessa said, "What are we going to do? Nobody has ever dared stand against the Wizard; they all love him so much for unifying Oz and building the capital."

"Enlarging the capital," Glinda corrected. "It's always been there, he just made it shinier and bigger. And maybe he's not a terrible man, but he is a terrible Wizard and not fit to be our Supreme Ruler! We just have to think of a way to get him out of there!"

They all murmured about this for a few seconds. Seemed no one was going to be able to come up with an effective plan to depose the man immediately; further contemplation would have to be given.

"Guess I'll go back to my cell for now," Fiyero said, heaving a sigh. Glinda idly wondered if he really needed to sigh at all, or if he even needed to breathe. "Dorothy and Lion are probably worried. What should I tell them?"

"Oh, do you have to?" Glinda began, but Elphaba shushed her.

"Yes, he does. To maintain their trust, we can't appear to be showing favouritism. But… I do suggest you refrain from lying to them about what we've discussed, or who you are."

Eyes narrowing, Nessa asked, "What are you plotting, sister?"

"Not 'plotting'. But now we are four, and I think — except for the walking stovepipe — the others could be persuaded to join our cause against the regime if they realise Fiyero is already on our side."

Fiyero shrugged as he said, "How am I going to explain my lying up until now? At first I forgot who I was, but once I remembered I never said as much. That won't look good."

"Do the same thing: don't tell them until we're ready. I think… Dorothy should be brought up here tomorrow, as she's already shown that she's open to hearing our side of things. And I think that's just what we should tell her; the whole story. Either it will sway her or it won't."

"It is an awfully long story," Glinda snorted. "But yes, that's a good idea. Then, if that goes alright, we can try that out on the big kitten."

"Maybe we should leave him caged up instead," Nessa whispered. "He is a beast; if he decides once we get there to turn on us, he could tear us to pieces!"

"He's a Lion, not a lion," Elphaba said warningly. "And I have a great respect for the king of the forest, even if he's so far from home. Besides, he seems protective of Dorothy, and if she sides with us it might be enough to gain him into the bargain."

"Hey," the scarecrow said, folding his arms. "Don't forget those two are my friends just as much as you are. It's hard to stand here and listen to you talking about them like they're just pawns in a big chess match."

The women blinked at him a few times, and Glinda looked down guiltily. But Elphaba folded her arms right back, straightening to her full height.

"They are pawns. So are we; everyone is a pawn in the Wizard and Morrible's game. We're just hoping to band together and overthrow the players themselves. United, we stand a chance, but divided…"

The rest didn't have to be said.

                                                          ~ o ~

"I'm afraid, Elphie."

As Elphaba set her pointed black hat on the bureau, touching her index finger to the tip fondly, she asked, "Of?"

"Of what might happen if we can't trust Dorothy," Glinda sighed, shucking her dress and laying it gently over the back of a chair. She reached for the nightgown and began to walk toward the dressing screen as she announced, "I really think we can, but what happens if tomorrow we're talking to her, and she says something we don't like? Or that makes it obvious she could turn on us?"

"You aren't wrong. That would split our focus, having to sit on top of some girl and her companions while we figure out how we're going to bring down a Wizard with the entirety of Oz under his thumb. It's… oh, if only we could get Morrible away from him! Then the way would be clear!"

"This is so unfair! Here we are, the comeliest witches of the eon, and we have to do all the dirty work! What happened to the royal lineage? How'd the Wizard sweep in and take the throne in the first place? Whose hare-brained idea was this whole crazy crusade?!"

"Mine. Of course, it's really the Wizard's for persecuting Animals in the first place, but I am the one who decided it had to stop, and that in absence of any other volunteers, I was going to be the one to stop it. So… when it comes down to it, I have no one to blame but myself."

Emerging from behind the screen, swapped into her nightie, Glinda sighed and said, "Hey, this is Hiz Wizliness's fault, not yours. A good man would have seen that he was wrong and admitted it. His stubbornness is on his own head."

"That's true enough," Elphaba grunted as she wrestled with her bra strap. "Then it's… just a matter of… oh, I can't get this damn thing unhooked!"

"Here." Glinda's nimble little fingers made short work of the clasp, and it snapped open to reveal a smooth expanse of green skin. With a vague smile, she traced one of said fingers down the line in the middle of her back, earning a pronounced shiver.

"Y-you know I told you not to do that."

She drew back, lowering her eyes. "Sorry, Elphie. I didn't mean to- I'll wait for you in the bed."

Once Elphaba was changed into nightclothes, she put out the light and joined her under the covers, curling her body neatly around the back of her friend and pressing her face into her hair. A few seconds was spent adjusting their positions in subtle motions until they were both comfortable again.

"Elphie?" A quiet hum was her only answer. "Do… you really hate it when I touch your skin?"

"That's… not the right word. 'Hate.' But it does make me feel strange, and… and we don't have time to think about figuring such things out. Not with everything going on!"

Her stomach was wound tight as she rolled over to look into the sharp, alluring features that she had grown so fond of over the past few years. "When is the right time? When we're both dead?"

"What?"

"Don't think just because I'm a pretty face that I'm too dense to know what might happen if we try to take down the two most powerful people in the whole kingdom, Elphie. They might kill us, or worse. So…" She petted up and down Elphaba's back. "Do you really wanna put it off 'til later and risk never getting a chance?"

Green fingertips slid up to ghost over Glinda's lips, and she let them part slightly as Elphaba explored, teased. Did so with much more concentration and thought than the previous occasion they had briefly lost themselves in passion and desperation.

"If I do let myself feel this," she finally rasped, "I want it to be because it's my decision, and yours. Not because we feel we have no decision." Her hand vanished. "Besides, I thought with Fiyero back with us…"

"I dearly love Fiyero. And I dearly love you, Elphie Thropp. Do I have to give you up to welcome him back?"

"That's presuming you had me to begin with." When Glinda raised a hand and laid it across Elphaba's neck, cupping it gently, Elphaba leaned into the touch, eyes sliding closed. "Nnh…"

"We deserve each other. Once, I would have thought that was a mean little joke, but now… now I want you to know that…" Giving up on teasing her, she pushed her face into the area she had been petting, feeling the heat of skin, the scratchiness of the collar further down. "Fiyero can't give me what you can anymore. And even if he could, I… I know it's strange, and maybe some would call it 'deviant', but… I want this from you more than from him. From anyone."

"You're only saying any of this because we were stuck with each other's company for two full years."

"Yes, I am. Two full years to appreciate who you are. To me."

Elphaba drew back, turning Glinda's face up to hers with a firm touch that sent chills straight down into every cell of her body, making her toes curl in, her palms tingle, her mouth open. She didn't kiss her. That was what Glinda had craved and hoped for, but she got something else. Something better.

"I would never have made it through those years without you. And I don't want to lose you, now or ever. You came into my life for a reason; I fully and wholeheartedly believe that, Glinda! In and through you, I have been changed…"

"For the worse?" Glinda said with a twinkle of mirth.

"Maybe. But I don't think so. Either way, it's for good. Forever." Their mouths were close again, within an inch of each other, and it felt wrong and right in equal measure, but Glinda dug in with all her might to keep from abandoning herself again, to respect Elphaba's hesitance.

"Do you want this?" There was clear hesitance, so Glinda tried to help calm her with a compromise. "Maybe just a little taste-test?"

"Yes. But I can't take it. Not yet."

"You can't, it's true. I'm giving it to you. There's nothing to take when it's a gift, Elphie."

"What if you taste so good that I can't ever stop tasting you?"

Glinda's soft little shoulder rose and fell, and she let her eyelashes flutter as she felt a single tear leak from the corner of her eye. It couldn't be helped; her heart was bursting and there wasn't room for them all inside it now. "Sounds wonderful to me."

"I will. I promise you that I'll stop; I promise myself. One taste."

Elphaba kept that promise. Her lips dove in, and Glinda returned the gesture with heat and gratitude, the way her hands gripped Elphaba's shoulders making it crystal clear that she wanted the moment to stretch on for an eternity. But when Elphaba pulled back a minute later, panting and weak, Glinda let her go with the smallest pang of regret marring her joy.

"That's all for tonight," Elphaba announced numbly as she rolled to face the other way. "S-sleep well, Glinda."

But when Glinda's arms encircled her, it was so much warmer and more familiar than they had ever dared been before that Elphaba had to clutch at the back of Glinda's hand, shivering and trying to let her anxieties pass even as Glinda was rejoicing.

"I always do when you're with me."

                                                          To Be Continued…