#The Whole Island Trembled as from an Earthquake

[tomoleary]

Jeannette Berkowitz “The Whole Island Trembled as from an Earthquake” Old Swedish Fairy Tales by Anna Wahlenberg (1925) Source

Jeannette Berkowitz “A Young Man Had Bought the Only Castle Within Miles” Old Swedish Fairy Tales by Anna Wahlenberg (1925) Source

[aetherdoesthings]

HALLOWEEN EVENT

forethoughts: Hey guys! No, I'm not dead, I've been taking a break to work on my mental and physical health. This piece is a part of @edgeray's halloween event! Thank you for letting me join, and for the rest I hope you enjoy and have a happy halloween!

notes: goddess!arlecchino, gn!reader, reader is a child

Thunder boomed around you, the rocky terrain under your feet trembling from the shockwaves. Rain was constantly attacking your body, the heavy downpour making the climb harder to accomplish as you held onto your walking stick, keeping the potato sack close to your heart. Just a few more steps, you told yourself. Just a few more steps. What you were experiencing now was nothing like what your village was experiencing down below. You had to do this. For them. For their safety. 

A yelp was ripped out of your throat as your sandals slipped on one of the steps, your chin landing first onto the uneven, sharp surface. You grimaced in pain as your teeth sunk into your gum, the metallic taste of blood filling your mouth. Your hand clutched onto the potato sack filled with all your village’s treasures, placing it in the nook of your stomach you created from your fall. Pain trembled through your body, your muscles begging you to give up and go home. No, your mind shot back. You had to do this. You were your village’s only hope. With legs that shivered every second and wanted to collapse, you forced yourself into an awkward crawling position, pressing the potato sack next to your chest as you started your climb again. Left, right, left right, you chanted to yourself. Just a few more steps. The sound of lightning became white noise to your ears, the rain becoming a source of comfort to your sweaty and exhausted body as you got closer to the temple. Sharp pebbles found its way beyond your skin, shattered wood from other offerings penetrating your soles as you trudged up the mountain. 

Trudging your feet in front of the other, your body collapsed the moment you stepped foot inside the pristine marble temple with crimson ornate patterns, your body under the protection of the roof. No time. You don’t have time to waste. You told yourself, trekking into the center of the temple, until you faced an altar. The altar was made with the villages’ expert architects and builders, as was the whole temple; Not a single scratch nor dust covered its surfaces. The halls were covered with marble statues and extravagant art commissioned by the church of your village, displaying the images of the patron goddess to your village. 

Many had deemed your village to be cursed and unfortunate, for legend had it that your patron goddess would steal the souls of the young and take it for Herself. The legends and stories you heard about the deity was enough to make you sleep with one eye open during your entire childhood. The Goddess that had claimed your island as Hers was a just and righteous one as the church proclaimed, however the toll for safety and protection from Her omnipotence was a heavy one. Plague and disaster always found its way to your island; it was Her who kept it away, in exchange for the souls who had not seen nor explored the world. It was the souls of the pure and innocent She seeked, thus every month you’d watch as priests brought children your age up the same stairs you had gone up and never see them again. The next day the sun would shine and farmers would find bountiful harvests. 

Your mind raced with the instructions the church had given you on what to do, taking all the treasure inside the damp potato sack and laying it out on the altar, before sinking to your knees, head touching the ground and hands in front of you. You murmured the prayer the bishops had taught you, clenching your eyes shut and praying for an answer. 

“Oh, Arlecchino, patron Goddess of our village, answer my pleas!” You cried out, eyes flying to the ceiling. The temple trembled like an earthquake was shaking the mountain the temple was on, as the ground below the altar started to crack, the rocks falling down into an abyss along with all your treasure. You shuffled your body back, away from the hole in the ground that grew crimson vines on the side. 

“Mortal, why have you woken me from my slumber?” The temple shook at the blaring voice, as a dark figure emerged from the hole, two crimson crosses staring at your tiny body. Your parents had told you that the Goddess’ cruelty extended only to the elders and those who had committed atrocities towards the young; there was a soft spot for the innocent the Goddess had. But those were only fantasies you filled your head with as you faced the being that could take your life away in a blink of an eye.

You kept your head to the ground and eyes clenched shut, repeating the words the church leaders had told you. “Goddess, I plead to you, the almighty, that you remove the storm and famine that struck my village and spare everyone. Please take these precious artifacts from our village as an offering.”

Your muscles tightened, bracing yourself to have your soul erased from the world. Instead, your body was soaked in warmth and comfort, all sense of fear and trepidation losing its power over your mind. You naturally allowed yourself to sink into the comfort, reclining back on a soft surface that pulled you away from the cold and hard marble ground. The scabs and scars on your knees and foot healed itself without any traces; a light and warm feeling ignited inside your heart. 

“Child, why are you injured?” The voice spoke again, this time with a softer edge and calming tone. Your eyes locked onto the source of the voice, reality finding its way to coexist with the serenity that filled your head. You were lying down on a hand. The hand. The hand of the Goddess that killed your people and brought terror to your village. In front of you was Arlecchino Herself, the Goddess allowing you to see Her face fully. Your jaw fell at the sight of the Goddess’ features, as it was a stark difference from the descriptions of the church and the storybooks. 

“Do not be afraid.” Words flowed out of those pink lips, the crimson crosses in Her eyes softening its gleam as She observed your body. She was looking at you. You were in Her hands. Despite your mind trying to remind you that your village was in a crisis and you were their only savior, all you could feel was an overwhelming want of comfort and warmth. 

“My village…” You managed to stutter out.

“Has doomed themselves for their wrongdoings against one another and the greater good. Greed and evil has consumed your village, the wickedness filling the hearts of even those in the church. The lust for money and power has consumed your village, even though you cannot see it, my dear child. Your village has doomed itself to fall, consumed with sin. No amount of artifacts nor trinkets can save your village.”

My mind went blank, eyes staring into Hers with my mouth ajar, shoulders slumping. What? No. It can’t be. You grew up with these people. How could they be evil?

“Therefore, their fates have been determined and decided. What they are experiencing now is fated. However… yours has not.”

“...W-What?” You stammered, falling back against her fingers. Within the blink of an eye, the same surging feeling of serenity and warmth trampled your worry and fear for the people whom you grew up with.

“You do not deserve to grow up in a world consumed by evil and sin, with those proclaiming to be just but are hypocrites in the dark. I can take you to a place where no harm or bad things can happen to you, my dear, pure child. This world has been doomed, but rest assured that I will not let this world consume you.”

Your mind couldn’t protest; there was something blocking all the senses to tell your brain something wasn’t right and to stay focused on what you were sent here to do. Your body reclined itself against the palm of Arlecchino, fear and worry slipping away into nothingness. The words that poured out of those lips took away all your control of your own body, your eyes shining with curiosity and wondering, pinned to the Goddess. 

“Would you like to see what that world may be? All your friends are there. Past, present, and future.” Arlecchino asked, Her lips curling upwards as She brought you closer to her gaze.

Your lips parted, head nodding as a single breath escaped your lips. Your brain couldn’t even comprehend your surroundings and give a reaction accordingly; your mouth moved on a foreign command. In an instant, a familiar feeling of warmth flooded your body. It wasn’t uncomfortable, nor painful. Rather, it felt like the flames fueled by care and comfort, the flames that kept you warm during the harsh winters, not the flames that you saw the elders use to burn those at the stake. But the sight of seeing flesh burning alive was scorched the moment your mind conjured it, and was the other memories you had that once brought you pain.

One moment, you were scrambling up a mountain in the pouring rain and thunder with bruises and scratches on your skin. The next, you were standing in a luscious grass field, the sounds of other children your age laughing grabbing your attention, eager to join them on their fun. A house stood a few yards ahead of you, ornate with vines, the walls made with marble chiseled to perfection. All you wanted to do was play; the concept of worry and fear left your mind. 

“Ah, a new arrival.” You looked up. A woman stood before you, a kind and warm smile on her face as she bent down to your eye level. She had white hair that was tied into a ponytail behind her head, crimson crosses in her eyes that only shined with warmth. You thought you saw her before, somewhere, but you didn’t feel like thinking. 

“Fret not, nothing will harm you. You may call me Father.” Father picked you up, as you instinctively snuggled against the woman. “Welcome to the House of the Hearth. May your stay be filled with warmth and joy.”

[quitealotofsodapop]

So we been DMing. And thought the greater group would like this odea I had.

FFM is in a volcanic ring, so it goes to show that it's likely an active volcano as well. What if the first time MK sees Wukong's kaiju form is due to an impending eruption?

It was a beautiful day put when MK and Wukong were having a training session when the mountains shook and trembled, interrupting the two monkeys as the play fought. MK was confused about the matter, but shrug it off thinking he and Wukong had been too rough and caused the tremors. It certainly hadn't been the first time.

Wukong, who is a monkey born of the earth and knows the mountain better than anyone else, knows better.

He immediately cuts the training short and tells MK to get off the mountain. All training is canceled until further notice, and he is to stay clear of the place unless instructed otherwise. That tremor was the first warning sign of an impending eruption, and it was a large one, too.

MK had gone home that day confused, wondering why his mentor had suddenly kicked him off the mountain. When he tells his friends, he can't even answer why Wukong had done so as he had been so desperate to get MK to safety the king had forgotten to tell him what the problem even was! This will lead to a problem when the eruption happens, because the whole group wasn't going to let MK be kicked fork training without an answer and they decided to go confront Wukong, not realizing they were stepping foot on an active volcano within hours of a Cesuvius level eruption

Prev.

Wukong goes full "General-King-Mode" during this time. He can't risk his subjects (demonic and wild) or his beloved island from getting hurt in the eruption.

Wukong breathes steady but nervous, all things are going to plan. The volcanic ring around FFM isn't just a useful security measure - but also evidence of previous redirected eruptions. The danger is ultimately caused by heat and gas being under pressure beneath the earth. Normally all Wukong has to do is punch a hole in the magma chamber every so often to "let off steam".

He calls upon begrudging allies like Macaque (using his portals to evacuate the monkeys) and Iron Fan (to redirect the poisonous fumes). Red Son and DBK are even involved since they are super-heat resistant (DBK literally walks through a waterfall of lava with dinner during "The First Ring") and can help punch holes into the crust to help ease the pressure beneath the earth. Royal sea dragons like Ao Guang are on call to minimize any tidal waves caused in the eruption's wake.

It's a mutual understanding between the immortals. Wukong never wants devastation like The Burning to ever happen again.

He can't let innocent people be hurt by-

MK, waving from Sandys' ship: "Hi Monkey King!! Wukong, furious with worry: "I thought I told you to go home!" MK: "I did go home! And me and the guys are worried why you sent me away like that? If that earthquake was sign of something bigger then we could help!" Mei: "Yeah! And my parents got weird and flew off after the earthquake too! We shouldn't be kept in the dark like this!" Wukong: "Guys, listen very, very carefully; I sent MK home so suddenly because The Island is About to BLOW!!" The Noodle Gang, looking furiously at MK: "WHAT!?" MK, wincing with realisation: "Oooooo... I don't think we can help with that." Wukong, eyes glowing red: "YA THINK!?"

Whilst Wukong is partially to blame for not explaining himself clearly, he isn't blamed for his sheer worry. This isn't some tangible enemy he could defeat, but Nature itself.

Eventually Wukong feels this terrible pit in his stomach. Like his heart is about to burst out of his chest.

Huaguoshan itself is about to blow.

And all his friends are in its' path.

With a Heaven-shaking roar he activates his War Form.

Macaque activates his own, forcing the entirety of the Noodle Gang through one of his portals (boat included) a safe distance from the island. In the shadow's eyes is no longer fear as he once felt towards his mate's form, but adoration.

Wukong plunges to the bottom of the sea beneath the island chain, digging through the silt and rock until he reaches the mantle. With each new punch he releases a new viscous explosion of magma that violently shoots to the surface like an underwater bomb. But with each new punch, the pressure beneath the island itself lessens.

He feels no pain from the heat - it's not comparable to the True Fire he felt within the Furnace.

Around him miles away in all four cardinal directions, sea dragons (including the Ao-Long couple) come to his aid; redirecting the waves away from the cities and islands that would be swept away in the tide.

Above the waves, Iron Fan gets to work fanning the fires and clouds of poisonous sulphur away from the island, a skill she perfected from protecting her home in the Flaming Mountains. (Tang in particular squees at see her in action, followed soon by PIF's own husband).

DBK and Red Son are running along the existing volcanic ring - destroying the old chimneys and opening new channels in the hardened basalt to ease the load off of the King's shoulders. Red Son's fiery mane even seems to be increasing in volume the longer they work to release the heat.

Soon it seems like the ring of fire has been built from the mantle-up.

The Gang are watching the whole thing with amazement. Depending on what happens in between, they may actually try and help the Demon Bull fam with their efforts.

Mei gets a crash course in her own sea-dragon abilities when she has to direct the waves away from Sandy's boat. Her and Red Son laugh, teasing that for a sea dragon, she's more familiar with flames than water!

Pigsy might not be able to withstand the heat - but the indestructible, size altering rake he inherited can! He slingshots it towards DBK's waiting hand - the nine teeth of the rake making nine times the amount of new chimneys in the mantle.

MK is tempted to follow the Monkey King below the waves, but the gentle hand of Sandy (and the not-so-gentle hand of Macaque's kaiju form) stop him from leaving the ship.

As the tremors quiet and the spouts become less frequent, the peak of Huaguoshan seems to "sneeze", and settles back to normalcy as if no great danger was a foot.

After many tense minutes, the Monkey King emerges from the sea - cloaked in salt and lava like he was born from the core of the earth itself.

Macaque makes an appreciative growling sound before slinking his way through the water to greet his King.

All three face of the King are confused. Confused and afraid. Not because his mission failed, far from it.

But because he honestly didn't expect the reaction of his allies;

MK: "MONKEY KING!! YOU LOOK AMAZING!!!" Mei, emerges from the waves: "WE ROCKED!!" Red Son, victory-hugging his parents: "We certainly did rock!" Tang: (*fainted from fanboy-ing too hard*) Pigsy, catching Tang: "YOU DID GREAT, KING!!" Sandy, softer shouts: "I don't think anyone else could have done that!"

Wukong is so taken aback. They... aren't afraid of him??

Each face of the King blushes beneath the yellow-orange glow as the cheers fail to cease. The Demon Bull couple applauding their sworn brother's courage to let his inner self free after so long.

Macaque sidles up to his King. The Shadow's bandage-like tendrils examining Wukong's golden body for injuries or burns. His soft but deep voice whispering into his mates' now-matching six ears.

Kaiju!Macaque: "I t o l d y o u, P e a c h e s. B E A U T I F U L."

[dailychapel]

Acts 16:1–40 NLT - 1 Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 Timothy was well thought of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium, 3 so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek. 4 Then they went from town to town, instructing the believers to follow the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day. 6 Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. 7 Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. 8 So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas. 9 That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us!" 10 So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there. 11 We boarded a boat at Troas and sailed straight across to the island of Samothrace, and the next day we landed at Neapolis. 12 From there we reached Philippi, a major city of that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. And we stayed there several days. 13 On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. 14 One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. 15 She was baptized along with other members of her household, and she asked us to be her guests. "If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my home." And she urged us until we agreed. 16 One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a demon-possessed slave girl. She was a fortune-teller who earned a lot of money for her masters. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved." 18 This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And instantly it left her. 19 Her masters' hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace. 20 "The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!" they shouted to the city officials. 21 "They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice." 22 A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. 23 They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn't escape. 24 So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. 25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted to him, "Stop! Don't kill yourself! We are all here!" 29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household." 32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. 33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34 He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God. 35 The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, "Let those men go!" 36 So the jailer told Paul, "The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace." 37 But Paul replied, "They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison--and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!" 38 When the police reported this, the city officials were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. 39 So they came to the jail and apologized to them. Then they brought them out and begged them to leave the city. 40 When Paul and Silas left the prison, they returned to the home of Lydia. There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town.

[gumnut-logic]

Warnings: Pure and simple Virgil hurt/comfort with a dash of an unrequited longing to hear John sing.

-o-o-o-

He had fallen, he knew that much.

The lights in his helmet blinded him and a fumbling hand found the switch that turned them off.

He closed his eyes.

“Virgil!” John’s voice was sharp in his ear and it sparked sluggish neurons into activity.

Wha-?

“Virgil, respond!”

He managed a grunt and forced his eyes open.

His world was blue ice.

It was beautiful. He stared. Sculptured arcs, white through to deep blues in the dim light. Water was running somewhere, trickling like tinkling bells. He was lying on a narrow ledge in a narrow crevice. This was probably bad, but the fog in his mind was fixated by beauty.

“Virgil! Status!”

John was upset. Why was John upset? This is a wondrous place.

“Virgil, Scott and Gordon are on their way. Please respond.” Johnny was pleading.

“J-John? ‘S beautiful.”

“Virgil!”

“S-sto’ yelling.”

There was silence for a moment and Virgil let his eyes close again. His head was so foggy he needed to sleep it off. He drifted.

Only to be yelled awake again. “Virgil, please!”

“Huh?”

“Oh, thank god.” John sounded worried.

“Wha’ss wrong?”

“Virgil, you fell down an ice crevice.”

He did? He forced his eyes open again. So beautiful. “‘S beautiful.”

“Virgil, medical status?”

Medical status? Uh? Flat on his belly, he couldn’t see anything but the blue of his fingertips. Fingerless gloves were a mistake. Useful, but a vulnerability. He really needed to remove them from the uniform pattern assembly. He had been meaning to do that for some time, but...time. God, he was tired.

“Virgil?”

“Wha-?”

“I’m reading some injury. What is your status?” Gentle. Johnny was being gentle now. Why was that a worry?

“You ‘kay?”

“I’m fine, Virgil. How are you?”

“Tired.” He let his eyes close again.

“Virgil.” It was almost sung, like Gordon at his most annoying. But this was Johnny. Johnny was kind and smart and always there.

“Mmmhmm.”

“You need to stay awake, Virgil. Scott is coming.”

Scott. Scott knew what to do. Always did.

“Virgil?”

“Hmm?”

“Are you in pain?”

Pain?

That prompted him to move.

His chest and left leg screamed at him. His breath vanished. He must have said something because John was calling his name again.

Oh, god, ow.

“Virgil, are you there?”

“’m there.” It was more a whimper than anything else.

Another exhaled breath of relief drifted over comms. John must have a shit of a time up in space just watching and being unable to do anything. The thought pushed a few neurons into more rational thinking. He had to do what John said because he didn’t want him to worry. “Sorry, John.”

Sorry.

Sorry.

Damn, he was tired.

He closed his eyes again.

Only to be shaken awake.

What?

“Virgil.” There was fear in John’s voice.

What was scaring his brother?

The ice beneath his fingers shivered. Huh?

“Virgil, you need to get out of there. Scott’s not going to make it in time.”

What? Scott was always on time.

“Virgil?”

Focus. John needed him. John was scared. Little brothers shouldn’t be scared.

“’m here.” He spat something out and red splattered on the inside of his helmet. Shit. That can’t be good. The medic in him activated, listing off causes.

Shit.

“Virgil, can you move?”

“Uh, not without pain. May…may h-have busted a rib or two.”

The ice under him shivered again. What was doing that?

“Virgil, you’re going to have to climb out. The glacier is unstable and the area is still experiencing tremors.”

Tremors. The thought sparked more thoughts. He had been fishing a climber out of a glacier after an earthquake. New Zealand.

“Climber safe?”

“He’s on Thunderbird Two. You were retrieving equipment when a tremor collapsed the ice you were standing on.”

“Tha’ sounds stupid.”

“It wasn’t, trust me. Do you have your ice pick?”

Ice pick? Moving sucked. He didn’t want to move.

“Virgil, do you have your ice pick?”

God, John knew how to nag. But John was worried. John shouldn’t be worried.

He moved his arm and felt around, hissing between his teeth when his ribs complained. But his hand landed on the cold metal of the tool he had been holding when he fell. He forced his cold fingers to curl around the implement and pull it close.

His eyes closed again without permission.

“Virgil?”

He forced his eyes open again. “John?”

“Do you have your ice pick?”

“Mmmhmm.”

“Repeat.”

Sigh. “Yes, John.”

“You had your crampons deployed before you fell. Do you have your grapple gun?”

Grapple gun?

He clung to the ice pick and felt around again. Ice. Cold. Crumbled fragments. Sharp slivers that hurt when his fingers encountered them.

“No grapple gun.” It was a pain-filled exhale.

John didn’t respond immediately and Virgil took the opportunity to drift into a painless oblivion.

The ice beneath him shook and groaned. He startled as the movement triggered whatever the hell was wrong with his left leg. His gasp must have hit orbit because John started calling his name again.

“Virgil, you have to get out of there. Climb!”

Climb? Are you kidding?!

He could barely move!

But his decision was forced as the ice beneath him suddenly cracked and began sliding downwards.

Not good. Not good! He gripped his ice pick as training and reflexes were shoved to the fore.

He moved without thinking and his whole body screamed as the ledge fell away beneath him. One arm whipped out and dug the pick into the crevasse wall. It bit hard as his body fell and impacted with the ice.

Everything whited out.

“Virgil! Respond! Virgil!”

His little brother’s voice drew him back.

God.

Oh, god.

He forced clarity and found himself on a sharp slope of ice, once again on his belly, but this time gravity was attempting to drag him into the dark depths below. The soft glow of ice was no longer beautiful. It was more of a maw desperate to swallow him.

“Virgil! Answer me!” John sounded terrified.

“J-hn.”

Everything hurt so much.

“You have to climb, Virgil. Climb, please, big brother.” Such pleading couldn’t be ignored. He…he…had to…had to…oh, god…John, I can’t…hurts. He squeezed his eyes shut and moisture leaked out the cracks. But he was aware of his choices. Climb or die. The maw below gaped at him.

He couldn’t do that to John.

Couldn’t.

“Scott’s nearly there. Gordon’s with him. You just need to climb a little, Virgil, please.”

Climb.

He forced his right leg up. The crampon on his boot dug into the ice and took some of the weight off his arm. His ribcage complained at every movement. His left leg hung useless. He had no idea what was going on down there other than a few smears of red on the white blue which he wasn’t acknowledging. Scott would fix it.

Scott fixed everything.

Gordon.

The thought of his little brother seeing him like this was enough to bring his left hand in contact with the ice searching for a handhold. The cold burnt, but at least it wasn’t quite numb yet.

Yet.

Fingernails bit into frozen water and with a grunt Virgil inched himself up a little.

He wriggled the ice pick out of its purchase and, trying not to scream, whacked it back into the slope higher up.

A strangled whimper escaped anyway.

“I’m here, Virgil. You can do this.”

John believed in him.

He wanted to cry. He honestly didn’t know if he could do this. But John was his little brother, he couldn’t fail his little brother.

Couldn’t.

He dragged himself up again, grunting. All those workouts, all that training, and it came down to this.

The will to make it happen.

The slope trembled under him.

No. Please, no.

He dug his boot into the ice again and pushed up.

Up.

Fingernails in ice.

Pick out and digging in.

Pull up and try not to scream.

He failed that last almost every time. His ribs whited out his vision and he almost lost it.

Almost.

But John was there. His little brother urging him on. Only a voice, but so much more. John’s voice was always a soothing presence. He loved talking to John. Late at night when his brother couldn’t sleep so far up above Tracy Island. Virgil used the excuse to check up on him, but in reality, he just wanted to talk to John. He missed him.

John was made for the stars. They were his home and Virgil would never not encourage him to pursue his dreams, but he missed his brother. His quiet, gentle brother with the voice that should be singing. They were five, but there was always one missing and Virgil ached sometimes for his little brother’s absence.

“Love you, J-hn.”

“Virgil?! Talk to me! Scott’s on approach!”

Such alarm in that beautiful voice.

Virgil let his helmet contact the ice and just clung to the cliff face.

Breathing hurt.

He spat red.

That was not good.

As if to urge him on, the ice shook again.

He had to move, but he didn’t know if he could. “John, I-“

“Virgil Tracy, you move your ass now!”

The anger and fear in his brother’s voice startled him.

“I’m not losing you, big brother, not this close. You move and you move now!”

Virgil blinked and realised the ice was lighter here. He looked up and was surprised to see a patch of blue sky above. A roar swelled from beyond that patch. A familiar roar.

Scott.

Gordon.

He pulled the ice pick out and reaching up, sunk it in again. It bit in strong.

His whimper trembled in tune with the vibration of the ice beneath him as the glacier shook again.

Snow fell over the lip of the crevasse and dusted his helmet.

“That’s it, Virgil. Not far to go now.” There was hope in his little brother’s voice.

Can’t disappoint a little brother.

He pulled himself higher.

And again.

A shadow blotted out the light and a deeper, authoritive voice joined John’s.

Scott.

Oh, god, Scott.

He almost fell limp with relief.

That shadow became his big brother, became arms that held him, a safety line, an emergency upward ascent as the cliff face finally cracked beneath his finger tips and began to slide, threatening to take him with it.

Everything hurt.

Everything screamed.

John’s voice.

Scott’s voice.

Gordon pleading with him as he drifted away.

-o-o-o-

 “’Mutton yesterday, mutton today, and blimey, if it don’t look like mutton again tomorrer,’ said one of the trolls.

 “’Never a blinking bit of man flesh have we had for long enough,’ said a second. ‘What the ‘ell William was a-thinkin’ of to bring us into these parts at all, beats me – and the drink runnin’ short, what’s more,’ he said jogging the elbow of William, who was taking a pull at his jug.”

Virgil frowned. The three trolls. Bilbo was watching the three trolls.

 “William choked. ‘Shut yer mouth!’ he said as soon as he could. ‘Yer can’t expect folk to stop here for ever just to be et by you and Bert. You’ve et a village and a half between yer, since we come down from the mountains. How much more d’yer want? And some time’s been up our way, when yer’d have said ‘thank yer Bill’ for a nice bit o’ fat valley mutton like what this is.’”

John’s accent was perfect. The familiar words sculpted out the scene in his head and he anticipated the drama that he knew was going to happen next.

His little brother’s voice sketched out the action of Bilbo and the dwarves being captured and Virgil just enjoyed it. It was a long moment before the question of why John was reading to him actually occurred.

It stopped him in his tracks.

He was lying in a bed. Most of his body was numb and his head was foggy.

John had such a musical voice. He could listen to it for hours. He really wished his brother would sing more often. Their mother used to sing and John had inherited that from her, but he refused most of the time. Virgil thought it was a travesty, a wasted talent. But it was John’s choice.

The trolls turned to stone as Virgil began to realise a few important facts.

The bed wasn’t his.

It smelt like hospital.

He tried to draw on his most recent memories and came up blank. This was disconcerting and increased his heart rate. A rapid electronic beep was the result.

John stopped reading. “Virgil?”

“Mmmhmm.”

A scuffle off to his left. “Can you open your eyes?”

Could he?

A slow blink and light flooded in. He squinted. Ugh.

“Hey, there you are.” There was a smile in his brother’s voice and Virgil forced his eyes to open again to confirm it.

John was standing over him, complexion pale and drawn, but smiling. There were dark smudges under those turquoise eyes.

Virgil frowned. “Are you okay?”

John’s half-hysterical laugh at those words had Virgil widening his eyes. His brother touched his arm and squeezed gently as his other hand reached for his collar. God, that shirt still sucked. “Scott, Virgil’s awake.” There was a mutter of acknowledgement and John’s gaze fell back to Virgil. “It’s good to see you.”

Virgil blinked. “What happened?” Something had obviously happened. John looked like death warmed up.

His brother didn’t get a chance to answer as the door flew open and a mess of an eldest brother tore into the room. “Virgil!”

Virgil stared at Scott. He looked awful. His usually perfect hair was askew. He had canyons under his eyes and their blue was dulled by exhaustion.

“What the hell happened?!” Virgil tried to sit up.

And failed spectacularly. Both Scott and John reached out to hold him down, but they needn’t have bothered, his body wasn’t working. That alarmed him even more.

“Hey, Virgil, look at me.” And John was holding his gaze. “Take a breath in.”

Virgil blinked, his heart beating a mile a minute, but did as he was told. His body responded like a creaky and numb old machine.

“Now let it go.”

He did and melted into the bed, suddenly exhausted.

His eyes darted back to his wreck of an eldest brother. “What happened?”

“You fell into an ice crevasse during a rescue. Broke a few ribs and mangled your left knee. There was some bleeding.”

His medic brain filled in the gaps. “Bad?”

Scott’s eyes dipped a moment and Virgil’s heart sank. His brother looked like he had been through hell and back. “I’m sorry.”

That did it. “Are you kidding me?!”

“What?”

A pale hand reached across the bed and touched his big brother’s arm. “Scott.”

The man visibly deflated. “Not your fault, Virg.”

Virgil’s eyes searched his brother’s face. What the hell had happened?

“Virgil.” John’s soft voice drew his gaze to the other side of the bed. “You’re going to be okay. It’s going to take some time, but you’re going to be okay.”

“Okay.”

Scott dropped heavily into the chair beside the bed, his head dropping into one hand.

“Scott?”

His big brother reached out and grabbed his bandaged fingers and squeezed tight. Scott refused to look at him, his face hidden by his hand.

Virgil’s heart clenched.

It had been bad.

The need to apologise rose to his lips again, but a tug on his other arm drew his attention back to John. A subtle shake of his head and Virgil remained silent.

Another glance at Scott sitting beside him and he squeezed those fingers gently.

John dragged over his chair and sat down again, not once letting go of Virgil’s arm. He picked up his tablet and a moment later, resumed reading ‘The Hobbit’. Virgil stared at him a moment as he let the words wash over him.

He still didn’t remember much, but there was something about his little brother’s voice, something leading him on, pushing him forward, making him do what needed to be done.

He watched those turquoise eyes track text and those lips translate it.

And speak with that musical voice.

-o-o-o-

FIN.

[jordanstrophe]

Evercrest Island

(Hi again! Yes, I know it’s been all for 30 minutes since I posted the last part. But I’m bored, and really wanted to get the whump going)

CW: kidnapping, gag, blindfold, restrains, manhandling, intimate whumper, abusive coworker 

Masterlist

“Yo Eden! We got stacks of boxes with some new books out in the back lot.” Calvin called.

“That’s great.” He muttered back, trying to shove multiple books back on the shelf at once.  “Yeah it is. Go get them.”

Eden let out a sigh. It was less exhausting to just do what was asked of him, rather than try and argue with it. He walked past Calvin who had his legs propped up on the desk with a phone in hands. It was warm outside, with a nice breeze, at least he had that to enjoy.

There were multiple large boxes laid out on the side, as he grabbed each box one by one to stack it on a landing next to the back door. 

Before he could grab the last box, two hands shot out from behind him, one wrapping around his waist pinning his arms to the side, while the other hand roughly covered his mouth, muffling his cries in surprise. 

This was a prank, right? Clearly this was a trick by Calvin just to scare him, but a gag was shoved into his mouth along with a tight blindfold across his eyes. Adrenaline spiked, as he tried to push the hands holding him, but they kept dragging him further and further back. 

He wasn’t a strong man by any means, but he managed to kick his legs back, tripping whoever had a hold on him. His victory was short lived, as it only forced the person to full on tackle him from behind. He slammed onto the pavement, the breath being knocked his lungs, as he felt a sharp knee digging into his back. Two hands wrenched his fists behind his back, binding them together from his wrists all the way to his elbows.

He let out a desperate muffled cry, the hands immediately went still. They became gentle, as a soft hand comfortingly rested on his head.

“Shhh, it’s going to be alright. Bear with me.” The deep voice soothed. 

He felt like he had to stop breathing just to hear the voice through his hyperventilating. That voice... It was familiar. The peaceful moment was over just as quickly as it came, as the hands moved down to his legs, tying them together at both the ankles and knees. He tried to kick them from the strangers grasp, but they held him in place with ease. 

He tried to let out a plead, begging for his life, offering any money he had, which really wasn't much... But maybe it would spike some pity from whoever had a hold on him. 

Two hands grabbed his shoulders, bending his body back just enough for the stranger to wedge their shoulder in, hoisting them up over it at his waist. 

He quickly went limp from exhaustion as he was forced to accept this fate, at the mercy of whoever was carrying him away. He could feel his heart quickly beating in his chest, his body trembling against the shoulders of that who carried him.

He was gently laid down on a soft surface, the gentle hand returning to his cheek. “Sit tight, you’re going to be alright.” The voice soothed, before he heard a deafening *slam*

He was in a trunk, wasn’t he? His instinct was to reach for his phone that was in his back pocket. Wait.. No! Drat! He left it on the desk before he came out! How could he be so forgetful and stupid?! Of all the times to forget a phone...

 He squirmed around, trying to feel what was around him. A loud engine noise blasted, as he jumped, heart pounding even faster. It was safe to say he was indeed, in the trunk of a car. 

He twisted his body till he was on his back, slammed his feet against the roof. It was hopeless, he knew that, but he had to try something, anything. His legs quickly gave away, as they helplessly collapsed back to the ground. 

Don’t cry... Crying isn’t going to help, crying isn’t going to solve anything.

But he cried. He wept as the blindfold soaked up his tears. He cried until he slowly began drifting to sleep. It was definitely the last thing he should have ever done in that moment, but his body was so exhausted he had no control of it anymore. If anything, sleeping would give him some much needed energy to maybe be able to get out of this situation. 

*Splash!*

Eden jolted awake to the sound of... Water? The sound of loud crashing waves surrounded him as he opened his eyes, the blindfold and gag missing. He leaned up, he was laying in a soft bed covered in a thin soft blanket in a small room. He tiredly blinked around, trying to remember every detail about what happened last night. 

He let out a panicked shuttering breath when he looked down to his hands shackled together with some kind of thick shiny metal cuffs, nothing like he had ever seen before. His legs were free, thankfully, as he struggled to climb out of the bed. 

Don’t panic, just breath. 

He jumped out of his skin when the whole room jostled and rattled, the ground beneath him slightly swaying. Was that an earthquake? What was going on? Maybe he was still dreaming.

There was a heavy circular door, as he gripped the handle. He knew it was locked, but of course he had to try.

*click*

The door popped, slowly swaying open. Eden just stood there in complete disbelief. No way... No way it was unlocked. What was going on here?

He cautiously crept out, there was only a long hallway with a couple other doors, with a questionable metal staircase at the end. He tiptoed out, glancing all around as he headed towards the staircase. He climbed it to find another door just like the first one, surely this one will be locked... Surely

*click*

He sighed with disbelief, as he pressed both of his shackled hands to the door. Whatever was on the other side of this one, he had to just book it and run, it was now or never.

He slammed the door open, about to bolt out for his life, but *oof!* his foot caught on the last step in his panic, as he slammed onto the floor. His vision was jostled, as he awkwardly glanced up. He could see someone's feet not too far, just standing there, facing the to the side outlooking their surroundings. The air turned chilly, with a salty scent, the ground shifted again, as he clung to the floor to steady himself.

“There you are, good morning! You were pretty exhausted, how are you feeling?” The voice asked, the feet turning to walk towards him. He pitifully looked up, eyes going wide when he realized...

“You?!”

“Me.” The old man smiled.

Tagging @just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi​ @heathenwhump @alien-octopus  ​@whatwasmyprevioususername

o(^∀^*)o *:･ﾟ✧Thank you for reading!

[atlas-of-a-human-soul]

Fix Me (doctor/soulmate AU) {5}

Summary: With an active shooter in the hospital, Ethan and Y/N remember their lives and all times they’ve spent together.

Warnings: angst, fluff, swearing, triggering content

Word count: 5000+

Fix Me (doctor/soulmate AU) series Masterlist

A/N - heavily inspired by Grey’s anatomy, my own experiences and thoughts, but also by songs: Birdy - Not about angels, Bear’s den - Fortress, Matthew and the atlas - Out of the darkness, Harry Styles - Falling, Kodaline - Wherever you are, Isak Danielson - Love me Wrong, Dove Cameron - Remember me, Tom Odell - Can’t pretend, The XX - Angels, Coldplay - Fix you, Coldplay - The scientist.

I really hope you guys like it! Feedback is always wanted and appreciated, no matter how small or big it is!

If you want to be tagged for future parts, reply down below.

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Ukiyo (japanese noun) - living in the moment

When your world comes to a stop and the value of life is amplified by those dead before their time in gruesome ways, it feels like an earthquake shakes the very foundations your life is built on. But when the walls start falling, past and future no longer exist, only the moment you're in and the first person that comes to mind when those walls are gone is what your life is all about. For Ethan, Y/N was the first person that came to mind and his brother a close second.

There wasn’t anything he could do as the doors around him slid close, the inability to pass through the glass barrier pushing him closer to madness he ever thought possible. He was just a few inches away from the ward they’re both supposed to be on and he’s stuck? It felt like a cruel game of fate.

Not only did he have so much to say and not enough time, but he wanted to do something else as well. He wanted to wrap Y/N in his arms and tell her there isn’t a chance in hell he would ever let her walk away, not after he had a taste of what it means to be with her. He wanted to tell her his love is unconditional and that his soul is hers, even if she didn’t want to give him hers. He would wait, as patiently and as stubbornly as he did by now and that she will never lose him because even if he wished, he can’t scrub his heart clean of her tender soul. And he never wanted to.

Slamming his fists against the Plexiglas, red in the face, Ethan falls to his knees. His hands are shaky, his eyes filled with tears, his body feels warm and the back of his neck is trickling with beads of sweat. He’s terrified, seeing his worst dream manifest into reality and while she may be far from the shooter, he can’t be certain and if something were to happen to her, to his brother too, Ethan would lose his mind.

And he can’t help but remember the time he had the whole world in the palm of his hand, yet he failed to do the right thing.

“You really outdid yourself.” She smiled up at him, her eyes focused on his lips as she tilts her head up to reach his chin with her own, falling short a few inches, leaving a small peck just under his swollen bottom lip.

“If I knew making you food would make you that grateful, I’d have done it sooner.” Ethan chuckles, tightening his arms around her just a little more, hoping she knows he would never want her away from him. She had become his heart, his reason to live. She lit a fire within, something he had lost over time and while she’s completely unaware of it, if her world started to fall apart, Ethan would wage war to make sure she’s untouched by grief.

“Oh, shut up!” Slapping his chest playfully, Y/N had managed to hide a smile as she tucked her head under his chin, hiding her face in his neck shyly as his giggle filled her with joy she never felt before. She didn’t give a damn about her soulmate anymore, not when Ethan felt more like a soulmate to her than anyone else ever could. And maybe that is temporary, but she wanted to experience every little thing and keep it in her memory until her dying breath. Ethan Dolan would inevitably break her heart, but she didn’t care. She’ll take the pain for more nights like this.

“Mind if I ask you something”, she spoke quietly, just above a whisper. Ethan could hardly hear her, yet his heart jumped with the notion of her possibly facing him to his crime against her – his secret about their connection. What if she figured it out?He wasn’t exactly sly when she insisted they stop using condoms because she believes she can’t get pregnant and he managed to come up with a possible STD fear since they were anything but exclusive which is dumb since they basically spend every night together. When would he have time to fuck anyone else? When would she? Would she if she did have time?

Shaking his head to get rid of that painful afterthought, Ethan sighs as he nods as a response to her question, praying her suspicions over his excuses didn’t become more than suspicions. He wanted to be the one to tell her the truth about them being soulmates and he wanted more than anything to tell her he never wants to touch another for as long as he lives, but he needed to know she can love him even without the connection.

“You’ve been alive for a long time now. Much longer than me. I guess I’m just curious about your life.” She managed a small smile as their eyes meet, her index finger trailing up and down his chest as she notices his lips part, surprised by her question.

“Yeah, um…I’ve been around for 119 years now. I remember a happy family – mom and dad were like two lovebirds, just a typical soulmate couple that loved each other deeply. After my dad died from cancer, my mom was getting by. She was badass. After she died, Ethan and I left New York for a long time.” Letting out a heavy breath, Ethan closed his eyes and swallowed thickly. It wasn’t easy to remember his parents. Every day that went by, Ethan missed his family. Maybe that’s why he longed for his soulmate so much, because he wanted to replace the family he had lost?

“If it’s too hard”, Y/N tried to give him an out, propping herself up on her elbow to face him properly, her palm resting on his right cheek as her sweet lips pressed a kiss to his for comfort.

“No. I want you to know.” She laid beside him, instead of his chest. It felt vastly important to see the change in every line of his handsome face as he remembered the past and she didn’t want to miss a single word, expression or look he could bestow upon her. He felt more important to her than anyone and this wasn’t just a story, it was his story. With her leg still thrown across his waist and her hand splayed on his chest, she felt confident about her feelings for Ethan solidifying. There would never be another like him. She was sure of it. Drawing a deep breath, Ethan continued.

“My sister left to look for her soulmate, something she managed to do in just a few years and they’ve been happily living in Australia ever since. Grayson and I decided to start medicine, something neither of us regrets. It allowed us to travel, to learn, to save lives and make the world better, even if it’s just one person at a time. We’ve moved a lot for residencies, met a lot of people and moved back here thirty years ago. I’ve taken art classes for a few years, taught anatomy for a decade and even took a year off and lived on an island.” Reminiscing wasn’t easy, there were far too many things Ethan had allowed to slip his mind – some because they were too heavy to think back to and other just because he never felt the need to dig up his past. And while they spoke of his past the entire time and he recounted every mishap he ever had and every victory just to show off, Ethan had never once mentioned the cause behind the grey hair at the back of his head and no matter how curios she was, Y/N let him off the hook for a while. She couldn’t handle seeing his beautiful smile disappear and she absolutely adored his smile.

Ethan wished he was braver that night. He wished he told her the truth and let it all play out on her terms instead of his. Selfish. That’s how he feels now. He could have loved her openly, had her love him too? But he was too selfish back then and he couldn’t change that now. No matter how bad he wishes he could.

And while Ethan remained helpless, grasping his hair with trembling hands, praying his girl and brother are safe, Y/N was rather close by.

“How do we know where he is?” She whispered, looking around with wide eyes as she tried to assess the situation. Her steady hands grasped Grayson’s shaky ones, forcing eye contact as his lips started to tremble.

“Hey. We’re fine, Gray. We’re completely safe and there is no one with a gun pointed at our heads right now. Breathe.” She tried to calm him down, wishing she could roll her eyes right now because she didn’t understand his fear nor how bad she is at talking people down from a panic attack. Grayson’s hands became a cage for her own, his hold strong and relentless. Her jaw is tight, her resolve clear to Grayson who shakes his head.

“Whatever you’re planning, you can’t. I won’t let you.” Making himself clear, Grayson clears his voice as he examines her body language only to find she had no signs of fear taking over her. In fact, she seems fearless and that’s not always the best thing, especially in these situations.

“Protocol says the boss should make sure everyone is safe and you’re clearly shaken up. Grayson, it will take me half an hour tops. I just need to count everyone and make sure no patients are dying.” The fire in her eyes scared him even more than the possible shooter, realizing she isn’t going to back down and if he let her do this for him and got hurt, Ethan would never forgive him. But Grayson was almost paralyzed and it wasn’t death he feared but missing out on meeting his soulmate. He realized how stupid it is to wait for her to walk into his life without moving a finger. If anything, he should have been looking for her since the moment he knew there was a soulmate for him. He was absolutely terrified of dying without ever knowing what true love feels like.

“I’m not letting you leave here without me. I’m coming with and if I tell you to do something during this, you will listen. IS. THAT. CLEAR?” Grayson’s voice wasn’t shaky anymore and he was in charge once more. Y/N’s lips twitch in amusement, actually enjoying a serious Grayson with a badass attitude.

“Sure. Why not?” She shrugged, gifting him with a smile and even if he didn’t mean to, Grayson smiled too.

“Good. Let’s go.”

Amaranthine (adj.) - undying, immortal, undying, beautiful

And while they tiptoed around the wards – Pediatric, Gynecology, Neonatology, Y/N had recounted a night with Ethan she had bared her soul.

“You never talk about your parents.” Ethan noticed her stiffen, her back against his chest had turned into a brick wall, just as strong as those she built around her heart. He had craved a peek ever since they met and he definitely didn’t expect any of the bricks to fall.

But her body relaxed and she turned in his embrace, her eyes focused on his chest and her hands are curled up under her chin. She never seemed as vulnerable as she does now and Ethan felt honored to have her trust run deep.

“They were bad people. I like to pretend they never existed because they did the same for me. I felt like a flaw in the plan, like I was never meant to be born. That’s how they treated me. I feel like they were relieved when I got sick. Even then, they just paid the bills but ignored my existence. I grew up with an army of nannies and nurses, barely ever seeing them. Sometimes I’d hear them fighting…I don’t think their relationship was healthy but they stayed together anyway because the love they had thanks to the bond was unbreakable.” Biting her lower lip, she looks into his eyes briefly, but long enough to know he won’t judge her. He had all the understanding she sought in his hazel hues, a tenderness she always prayed to find in someone. There was no doubt in her mind she could trust Ethan Dolan.

“They owned a company that profited off people’s misery. They funded armies, and as I’ll later find out, terrorists too. My dad was arrested, took the blame so my mother would be free. He was killed in prison two days before his trial. As for my mom…After the nanny came for me in the hospital and took me home, I found her hanging from the living room ceiling.” Closing her eyes, she felt her body betray her as the memory shook her to the core. It just reminded her of all she wants to forget, but she wanted Ethan to know her and why she’s so fucked up. She never felt what love is, to be loved and cared for. She never knew how to love because all she ever had were these fucked up people who saw nothing but each other and even they didn’t know how to love one another.

“I’m here.” But Ethan didn’t run from her or her truth, no matter how fucked up everything is. Instead, he held her tighter, his hands rubbing her back soothingly until she let herself breathe again.

“Do you think I’m broken?” She whispered, her eyes watering as he frowned, his forehead forming a few worry lines she’d normally tease him about because their age difference is so vast despite them both looking so young, but she reveled in knowing he actually cares enough to worry about her. No one ever cared for her so much before.

“Do you?” He speaks and his voice had never been softer, so heavy yet coated with pure love – something she tried not to pay any mind to.

“I do. I feel like I’ve been shattered my whole life and you’re sort of picking up the pieces. Will you fix me? Please?” He didn’t respond with words, but with his lips, claiming hers so passionately as his fingers wiped her tears clean off. He didn’t see her as a project in need of fixing, but he would heal her if that’s what she needs. He would make her see she is wanted, needed and if anything, she healed him too.

It was great while it lasted, great to be loved, the warmth of his cheek next to her with his soft hand brushing her hair from her face and his cheeky laugh in her ear... it was great to be loved but when their bubble was gone, she shattered and felt isolated and alone, on her own in the world with no one to care for her, no one to laugh with. She hated herself for losing him, all because she didn’t know how to let him love her. She didn’t know how to love him either and it tore her apart.

“Okay, so we have everyone covered but the pediatric ward. I feel like we should split up, get it done faster so we can report to the police.” Y/N talks in hushed voices, trying to remain calm as Grayson nods reluctantly, assuming that the danger for them is gone. Who would go to a ward with kids holding a gun? He just wanted to finish his duty and go back to contact the police, his brother too. He worried about Ethan and while Y/N showed no signs of worrying, he knew she was dreading the possibility of losing Ethan too.

“I’ll go left.” She forced a smile, giving Grayson a small wave as she turned away and let out a long sigh. At first she wanted to tell him that Ethan is fine, to give him a message for him in case something went awry, but she decided against it. Why bother when they would be just fine and leave with their heads attached to their shoulders? Why say something when emotions are running high only to regret the words later on?

Sneaking down the hall, she entered every room with a soft smile upon her lips, checking on the kids quickly and instructing them to stay still. Luckily, most kids had a nurse with them, or even a parent, someone to barricade the room once she left and it left her relieved. Those who were alone, she ushered with ones who had an adult by their side, helping kids unwind as well.

She walked out onto the bridge connecting Pediatrics with otorhinolaryngology, her eyes going over the patient list on her side, but no matter how many times she went through them, she was one kid short.

“Fuck.” She mumbled under her breath, sitting down before taking her phone out and dialing Grayson.

“Gray, I’m missing a kid. A Martha Levi? If you found one extra kid, let me know.” Pocketing her phone, she leaned back against the glass made railing, looking at her shoes with a heaviness in her heart. 

Petrichor (n.) - a love for the scent of rain in nature

She couldn’t help the feeling of regret as it washed over her. She should have told Ethan she loves him too, that she wasn’t perfect but she would find a way to make it work between them for as long as he wants her, but she didn’t. Even if she is absolutely crazy for him.

A small smile formed on her lips as she remembered the night she realized she loves Ethan, the night he had acted on impulse and still managed to create such a beautiful memory she would never forget. He made sure she never forgets him.

“It’s starting to rain.” Y/N groaned, holding out a hand as a few drops wet her palm, making her shake her hand and frown.

“Don’t like the rain?” Ethan chuckles, cocking his head to the side as he walks forward, even if the rain started to pour in seconds.

“You’re gonna get a pneumonia!” She shouted over thunder, watching him push his wet hair back before outstretching his hand for her to take.

“Not gonna happen, Dolan!” She meant it. Rain was anything but a favorite to her. But Ethan seemed relentless.

“Come on, sweetheart! I promise it’s just a little bit of rain!” Ethan insisted, a grin taking over his face as she started to gnaw on her lips, a clear sign she’s contemplating his offer, something she wouldn’t have done if she didn’t plan on joining him.

And she hates rain with burning passion, but Ethan seems to love it, every single drop. He enjoyed the rain, the thunder, the smell that lingers after, everything about it. And she loves him. Enough to step into the horrid wetness rain brings, just as long as she gets to kiss him after.

“I really hate you sometimes.” She rolls her eyes at him before taking his hand, allowing him to draw her near and as he does, he rests her hand over his shoulder, taking her waist with his other. Pulling her close, Ethan smirks while she gawks at him, noticing him move in a slow rhythm to a song playing in his head.

“What are you doing?” She narrowed her eyes and furrowed her eyebrows, all while a smile formed on her lips – all in disbelief as her own hips started to sway with the silent song in the storm, a song in their hearts.

“Dancing with a gorgeous woman.” Ethan snickers, leaning his forehead on hers lightly, their noses brushing together and her eyes close for a moment, collecting herself, reminding herself this is real.

Unable to take it, she leans into him, her head resting on his chest as her arms close around him, feeling his hands rest on the small of her back, virtually no space remaining between them. And that’s when she heard it – “Wise men say only fools rush in” – at first it was so quiet she thought she was imagining it, that maybe the thunder had made her imagine the sound, but his lips were right by her ear and he mostly whispered it, - “But I can't help falling in love with you “ - ,but the words made her heart race fast enough that she felt faint.

Her lips part, her mind screaming with every syllable, yet she never felt more at peace. - “Oh, shall I stay, would it be a sin. Oh, if I can't help falling in love with you?” – How can one man make her feel so many things at once? She didn’t know what is stronger – her need to run and save her heart from heartbreak, or her need to stay in his arms forever. – “Like a river flows, surely to the sea, darling, so it goes, some things are meant to be.” –

Taking a deep breath, she stopped dancing, not even caring about the rain ruining her make up when he stopped too, his lips still moving as his voice got slightly higher, but looking into his eyes as he sang? – “Take my hand, take my whole life too. Oh, for I can't help falling in love with you “ - Even if it was a half whisper, Y/N never felt happier.

Ever since, rain had become a friend, more than a foe and Ethan? He had taken a permanent residence in her heart.

She could still hear him singing in the back of her mind, her eyes closed as she tried to relax, to let his voice ease her nerves for she couldn’t lie – Y/N felt like she’s standing on edge of a very high cliff and she didn’t know if she had the strength to come back down and face everything that pushed her there in the first place. She tells herself she’s fine with how her parents hated her, but she’s not. She tells herself she’s fine with her battles with cancer, but she’s not. She tells herself she’s fine with Ethan being hers but having a soulmate out in the world, but she’s not.

There isn’t anything she’s fine with in this case and she can’t help but wish Ethan was there with her. He would know what to say to calm her raging storm and to stop the war inside her. He’d remind her she’s a fighter, something she has no strength to remind herself of.

“Y/N?!” But then she heard it – heard him. For a moment she was sure it’s a hallucination, but when she turned her head, she saw him standing on the other side of the glass, mere inches away from her with a relieved look on his face.

“Sweetheart, are you alright?” Looking around, Ethan wanted nothing more than to open the door and hold her, but with the key-cards being useless at this point, he was just happy to put his hand on the glass and have her do the same.

She couldn’t hide her happiness, her hand quickly laying against the glass, longing for his touch.

“Yeah. How”, she pauses to take a breath, her throat closing up as her emotions flood her senses and she’s on the brink of crying. “How are you here?”

“I was on my way to see you. I had to talk to you.” Ethan spoke when her phone went off and she saw it was Grayson. Holding up her index finger, she picked up the call, eager to tell him she and his brother are both fine.

“Hey.”

“Martha isn’t here either.” Grayson’s panicked voice is enough to make her mutter ‘fuck’ under her breath, letting out a heavy sigh.

“I’ll do a second sweep. Stay put. And Ethan’s fine. I’m sort of with him right now.” She let out a weak chuckle, ending the call before rubbing her forehead.

“A kid is missing, I’ll have to go back and check the rooms again.” She explains and Ethan nods, wetting his lips.

“Did you check the janitor closets and on call rooms?” Ethan suggests and Y/N facepalms.

“No…I bet Grayson didn’t either. She might be scared and hiding.” With her hands on her hips, she half smiled at him. “Your brain is beautiful. Thank you.” But Ethan was no longer looking at her, rather over her shoulder with his eyes wide and mouth open and while she didn’t have to look back, she knew it just by the expressions on his face.

Turning halfway toward the door connected to the pediatrics, Y/N felt her heart speed up. She didn’t frighten easily, in fact, people would say she’s not one to flinch, but the sight of a grown man holding a gun to a scared little girl’s head? It was enough to scare her.

There are times in your life when everything comes down to one moment - one defining moment where you're either the hero or a coward. And in that moment, Y/N could see her life pass before her eyes. She saw her father imprisoned, her mother hanging in the hall, the nurse that always hid an extra cup of her favorite jelly, chemotherapy, trying to stand after surgery, fainting in med school when her cancer returned, meeting Ethan, Ethan's smirk, Ethan's warm arms, the way his fingers coil around her neck as his hips meet hers, Ethan in the OR, Ethan kissing her in the rain, his haunting voice as he sings in her ear, Ethan pushing her against the wall as his lips press against her throat, when Ethan said he loves her...when she summarized her life, the past few months she's known Ethan had overshadowed every bad things, every tear and every pain and all she could see is HIM. And her choice was no longer a choice, but a certainty - something she saw worthy of whatever is to come.

"Take me!" She shouts, her hand above her head and her palms turned to the shooter, her insides shaking but her face remained impassive and at peace with her decision.

"Take me, leave the girl alone." She insisted, her voice not wavering, not even a little. She glanced back at Ethan who remained stuck behind the glass door just outside of the pediatric ward and her lips pressed together to keep in the shattering scream of emotions just bubbling to come out.

Ethan pounded on the door but Plexiglas doesn't break easily and no matter how hard he screamed and his face turned red, Y/N was out of reach and he couldn't do a damn thing.

"Fine then." The shooter kicked the little girl, the little one running straight to Y/N who gave her a quick hug and whispered directions to take after she was gone with the man.

"Go straight down the hall to the gynecology ward, you'll find a handsome doctor to keep you safe there."

She knew once the little one arrived, Grayson would know she wandered and would lose his mind, but she couldn't just let a little girl be used for whatever this man intended.

Glancing at Ethan one last time, Y/N mouthed 'I love you' and the next thing she knew, the shooter had grabbed her arm and pulled her before him, the cool barrel of the gun pressed against her temple and he whispered in her ear menacingly.

"Don't do anything stupid."

Trembling wildly with adrenaline overflowing her system, Y/N couldn’t force herself to even try and see Ethan, quite possibly for the last time. She could hear him begging, screaming, offering himself, but she was forced back onto pediatrics and just as they stepped into the main hallway, blood splattered her face.

Gasping, her ears ringing, Y/N falls to the ground, the world around her slowing down as the man falls with her. She’s quick to stand back up, using the adrenaline rush to keep herself going, seeing red dots dancing along her pink scrubs as she raises her hands up in the air, her breath caught in her throat.

All the doors opened at once, the SWAT team swooping in, but the man’s brain is painting the floor, he wasn’t dangerous anymore.

Struggling for a few short breaths, Y/N felt her heart beating out of her chest. No matter how hard she tried, everything seemed out of control and while people are talking around her, she can’t hear a damn thing.

But then she sees him stumble in the ward, his face blotchy, hair a complete mess and she didn’t even realized she was moving. Without even thinking, she jumped up and threw her arms around him, making some weird sound that combined laughing, choking, and crying. Ethan was holding her so tightly that she couldn’t see his face, and she can’t tell when he let her go as her vision faded and her body went limp in his arms. Unable to handle the shock of the day, her consciousness slipped away from her and she found herself enveloped in darkness, but she never felt safer in her entire life.

It wasn’t until later that she regained consciousness. Finding herself in Ethan’s bed, wearing his over-sized t-shirt, she smiled slightly. It’s exactly where she wants to be. Looking toward the door left ajar, she hears him.

“What are you doing? She’s a perfect picture with a broken frame. You can’t just glue it back together and think it’s enough. You need to be honest. That might make it new.” Grayson whispers and she couldn’t help but wonder what they’re talking about. Her? Is she the one with a broken frame? She never realized Grayson thought so low of her. It stung to know it now.

“Plus, you see the world in black and white. She doesn’t. You need someone like her in your life, brother. Just tell her everything. She’ll understand.” Now her curiosity is peaked. She can’t help but wonder what the truth is and if it has anything to do with the mysterious soulmate Ethan seems to hide from her.

“It’s not that easy, Grayson. I can’t just come out and say it.” Ethan exclaimed, lowering his voice when he spoke the words Y/N never dreamed would be true. It stopped her heart when he admitted the truth, unaware she had never been more awake in her entire life.

“I can’t just tell her – Hey, we’re soulmates and I’ve known all this time – Y/N would kill me.”

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Tags: @beinscorpio​ @peacedolantwins​ @heyits-claire​ @dolandolll​ @godlydolans​ @dolanstwintuesday​ @ethanhes​ @iwastornsincethestart @graydolan12​  @zeusgrayson​ @libradolan​ @justordinaryjen​ @pineappledolan​ @graysavant​ @voguekristens @imayoutubere @livexdolan​  @shadowsndaisies​ @maybgrayson​​ @dolans4lyfe​​ @mendesficsxbombay​​ @fxkthatdairy 

Anyone crossed out wasn’t able to be tagged, probably an issue on Tumblr’s side, sorry.

[mystic-kitten-writer]

Limerence [M] ︳27

Pairing: Zuko x OC

AU: Adult-Verse

Genre: Romance, mainly fluff with smut, and if you squint hard enough - you’ll find some angst.

Rating: SFW

Words: 6500+

Notes: Thank you, everyone, for the lovely comments, follows, and just overall support. Take care everyone, and stay safe!

Masterlist ︳26 ︳ 28 ½

❤ Buy me a coffee? ❤

Limerence: (English/n.) the state of being infatuated with another person. The moment their eyes locked they knew - the flames within him twisted while the water within her turned. It was a connection, a connection that would lead to love, adventure, and drama.

Appetence

(French/n.) a longing or desire; a natural tendency or affinity.

~ Ying Yue Jiang ~

            My hands were trembling, so much so, one would have thought a damn earthquake was happening. A small huff left my lips, frantically seizing whatever laid on the vanity and dresser; and throwing it in the suitcases. Whatever my eyes fell upon fell into the bags – and quite chaotically might I add.

            Zuko’s stern voice resonated in the unfinished house, speaking with the guards outside in the kitchen. Even with the door closed, I could make out a few words, their soft mutters as they discussed amongst each other. His voice was different, no hint of compassion or warmth – taciturn.

            And I found myself stopping, just remembering the look on Zuko’s face when he took in what I said. It was Mai – she was snitch, and I knew it killed him to hear that. She was a childhood friend, and for someone that close to turn against you…I could only imagine how hurt he must be. My eyes lined up with the floor, looking at the mess I left.

            Photos scattered of Azula, Zuko, Mai and Ty Lee. They were children, innocent. Smiling away with not the slightest idea of how things would have turned out in the future. That now, they were at war with each other. I sighed. The pain, of fighting with your flesh and blood…

            I let the remainder of things drop from my hands, picking up the scattered photos. I should probably put these away before Zuko sees these…another droned out sigh fleed my lips as my fingers drew along the images. I was a fool – how did I not clue in that the maid wasn’t a maid but Zuko’s sister? But how was I supposed to know that his sister was crazy…?

            Crawling on my hands and knees, I picked up the rest of the photos, tossing them to the bottom of the box. A few stuffed animals laid at the top of the box, I wanted to wash them, place them in the children room. A plan for a later day…

            The door creaked - opening slowly. It caught me off guard, rushing to get back on my feet, brushing my curtain of hair behind my shoulders. Zuko stepped inside, the door sliding shut as he studied my frazzled posture and suitcases, “What are you doing?” He enquired, voice low.

            “I-I was packing to head back home…” I whispered, anxious. The way his face seemed pale, eyes dim as he huffed, “Don’t bother.”

            “What?”

            But he didn’t speak.

            With shaky steps, Zuko walked over to the side of the bed, sitting down with shoulders slumped. The bed dipped, a drained sigh escaping him and I hesitantly stepped forward, eager to ask more.

            But as I inched my way towards him, he weakly patted the plush sheets of the bed, “Come.” He muttered under his breath, and my brows pinched together. I strolled over, ready to take a seat next to him, but as I made a move, Zuko shook his head, “Sit in the middle of the bed.”

            I frowned, what’s going on with him?

            But I didn’t utter a word, the way his head hung low, voice gruff – he wasn’t in the mood to argue, and I wasn’t going to test him. I lifted up my light summer dress, deciding that since the romantic vacation of ours is long gone, might as well put on decent clothes and brush my hair.

            I sat with my knees bent in the center of the bed, staring at Zuko’s broad back with uncertainty, “Uh, now what?” I awkwardly muttered, expecting some damn magic trick to happen, but instead, he dropped like a rag doll.

            Zuko’s raven hair spilled over my lap, his head dropping flawlessly between my legs as he squeezed my knees like a teddy bear – my cheeks turning a bright red at the gesture. The way he groaned, eyes closed as he snuggled closer to me, legs pulled tight into a ball.

            My eyes softened, hands instinctively falling over his head and combing through his locks, “Zuko…” I whispered as he sighed achingly. Zuko wanted comfort, to feel safe – and I smiled because it was heartwarming to know that Zuko trusted me this much. To be so exposed as he was now. “I should’ve known Azula was involved in this.”

            “How? You thought she was gone…”

            “No, I wished she was gone, gone for good. But now she’s back, and Mai-” I found myself cringing at the mere mention of her name, “I knew we weren’t on good terms, but-but I didn’t think…her brother almost got hurt in that incident, why join Azula? It just doesn’t make sense.” Zuko hissed, hands covering his face as he vented.

            I sighed listening to him rant before I let my hands fall over his and pull them down. His eyes were dark, lips chapped as he fumed underneath me, “None of this makes sense Zuko. Why would Mai join Azula? Why is Azula targeting me if she’s trying to get at you? There are so many unanswered questions…” I huffed, letting Zuko’s hands rest on his chest as he gazed upwards to me.

            My fingers stroking through his hair once again, watching as his silky strands of hair slipped through my fingers with ease.

            “Because the best way to get to me is through you.”

            I stopped. My eyes fluttering back to Zuko, our eyes locking.

            Defeat – that was the look that painted his face. I lamented and closed my eyes, letting myself fall into his figure, feeling his warmth as his hand brushed through my hair, “I promise after everything is done, I’ll take time off. A week, a month, as much as you want.  I owe you.”

            A soft smile flickered, pulling away slightly and looking down at Zuko, determination in his statement, “A month, me and you. We could start working on that baby.” I teased. And for the first time since he walked through that door, Zuko chuckled. Shaking his head as his hand trailed down my face, his thumb brushing my lips.

            His touch was divine, a calming effect that made my breathing ease and heart relax. “Zuko…”

            “Yes, love?’

            “Why did you tell me not to pack?”

            “Cause we aren’t leaving.”

            I frowned, brows pinched together as I looked down at him with a look of bewilderment. Not leaving? What? That makes no sense-

            “I don’t understand…” I muttered, trying to study Zuko’s expression, “It’s risky. We don’t know who is helping Azula and how many people. If we try to leave, and we get caught mid-way through transport, we’re at a disadvantage. So the gang is meeting us here, at Ember Island.”

            “The gang is coming?” I blurted, jumping up as my eyes widen in shock. Zuko nodded, “I need them, they know how dangerous Azula is. I sent word to them, they should arrive in a few days.”

            It was a horrible mixture of emotions – happiness to see everyone again, but how I wish it were on better terms, “Is…Azula that dangerous?”

            “It’s her lack of moral boundaries that’s the most terrifying.” To think that I met her far too many times without realizing her strength, her power. But if she was so mighty…why did she seem frightened by me the other night? She could have easily overpowered me if she was indeed powerful.

            “Yue…” My head snapped downwards, surprised to hear Zuko refer to me by my name. At this point, it was always pet names, names I’ve learned to love and respond to. His lips were pressed tight, thinking about something, struggling to form the words. “What’s wrong, Zuko? Spill it.”

            “I-It’s just…”

            What does he want to ask? Why does he seem hesitant? Fearful?

            “How did you know it was Mai? You said you got into an argument, but I don’t remember you telling me this…” Zuko muttered, and I lowered.

            Not so much at the fact that I may have to come clean soon about the whole fist in the face thing, despite Iroh’s efforts of keeping it under the radar. But because that wasn’t the question Zuko wanted to ask. I could tell.

            The way Zuko’s eyes shifted shouted curiosity – and I would know that look, it, unfortunately, has been the cause of my many downfalls. He’ll ask me his real question… eventually, I won’t pressure him.

            I let my hand run down Zuko’s face, tracing his lips. “Zuko, you need to rest, don’t worry about it.”

            “If she tried to start something with you…” Oh, she did start something, but he doesn’t need to know that I dealt with it.

            “Zuko, close your eyes, rest…you’ve had a rough day…” I cooed, letting my hand caress his face. And although he wore a scowl, I grinned, because his eyes did flutter close, “I can’t – there is so much to do, to plan-”

            “Zuko…” I whispered, letting my fingers fall over his closed eyes, humming the same tune he has hummed to me countless of times. And just like his breathing evened out, his chest rising and falling at a steady pace, his lips parting. And I smiled, he looked at peace – finally.

            And I sat there, with Zuko fast asleep on my lap, watching him so at ease. I’m such a creep, I’m literally watching Zuko sleep. But I couldn’t help it – it was rare for him to snuggle up to me. Usually, it was me cradled in his arms. I kind of like being the bigger spoon for once…“I love you so much…” I hummed softly, studying his features. I can stare at him forever-

            A soft knock on the door caught my attention, speaking softly as I covered Zuko’s ears, “Come in…”

            The door slowly opened, a head peeking through, it was the head construction worker. His wrinkled eyes fell upon Zuko’s relaxed figure, his expression soft, “You got a magic touch.” He chuckled, nudging his head to Zuko, and I smiled, “Do you mind passing me the blanket over there?”

            He nodded, carefully waltzing in the room and letting the blanket slip from his grip and onto the bed, “Is there something you need?” I asked, and he shook his head, “I actually came to ask you for permission.”

            “For what?”

            “The maids and workers were thinking of leaving early, the guards will stay put, but we think you two need some time alone. I can imagine this is a tough time, for you both…” He muttered, and I sighed. Both of our eyes falling upon Zuko, “Was their relationship that bad?” I asked.

            He winced, “You can’t pick family.”

            I nodded, I knew what he meant by that.

            “Thank you for giving us space. It means a lot…” I whispered, and the man nodded, “We’ll leave, the guards are in their posts, something about formation 12 and 17…” He grumbled, a hint of confusion in his voice, “Don’t worry, I’m just as lost as you are.” He sniffled in a laugh, walking back to the door, “Have a wonderful evening, Ying Yue – make sure you two eat dinner.”

            “We will - see you tomorrow.”

            He shut the door behind him, my hands leaving Zuko’s ears as I started placing the light blanket over his body. I could hear a bit of shuffling, the front door closing, meaning it was just Zuko and me, and a few guards at position 12 and 17 – whatever that means.

            Carefully, I got Zuko’s head off my lap, swiftly grabbing my teddy bear and placing it over Zuko’s chest. I giggled tenderly, watching the way Zuko instinctively hugged the bear to himself. My eyes gazed around the room, what to do now.

            I was torn.

            We were stuck here for a few days. What are we supposed to do? Carefully, I got out of the bed, making sure to shut the bedroom door delicately to not disturb Zuko. And with a successful click sound, I let out a long huff.

            The house was empty.

            What do I do now? Do I sit for the rest of these days, waiting for the gang to come? Do I act like nothing is wrong, continue on in vacation mode – we’re here anyway. I frowned, running my hands through my hair as I waltzed into the kitchen, noticing the maids left behind seasoned meat. They’re literal spirits.

            I could cook the meat in the oven, cook some vegetables…yeah, I can probably do that without setting the whole house on fire. And without a second thought, I grabbed the cutting board, washing a few vegetables before mincing. “What do I do…” I hummed.

            Zuko and I dealt with stress differently.

            Zuko indulged in more work when stressed, while I tried to meditate, take time to myself to think. And if we were back at the kingdom, and this happened, I would’ve had an idea as to what do. But it was different, we were at a vacation house. I can’t sit here, waiting, for something to happen. Gosh, I would go insane. But it feels wrong to relax, go to the beach and swim like nothings wrong.

            I stopped chopping, huffing as I stared at the raw vegetables, “If only you could talk and give me an answer…” I grumbled but quickly chuckled, “Actually…good thing you don’t talk, I’m literally butchering you at the moment. Oh my gosh, am I actually talking to vegetables?” The knife slipped out of my hands, and I slapped my face. I’m going insane. I’m talking to vegetables.

            A large pot sat over the stove, and I began filling it with water, ready to boil the vegetables. The water dripped from the tap, the liquid splashing about as I absent-mindedly watched. Water…

            That was another issue. I had to train – genuinely train.

            I couldn’t avoid it like the plague anymore. I had the skills, and my confidence has grown. The thought of bending didn’t frighten me as much anymore, and I had to thank Zuko for that. He was patient, and whenever I did bend, he cheered me on. I smiled softly, shutting the tap and turned on the burner.

            Zuko would help me train, I knew he would – he told me countless times how he would help me. I knew what I was doing, but I needed to refine my skills. I was rusty, and while I could definitely untangle my way out of a sticky situation – it would be better if I were prepared. If Azula was as strong as people said she was, I needed to be ready.

            I slipped the roast into the oven, letting the vegetables slowly cook as I grabbed the nearest baking ingredients – a simple plan coming to mind. I could cook dinner, train with Zuko for a bit, and have a few sweets ready for us for the night. A delicate balance between work and relaxing. And I smiled to myself, I got this.

            The smell of the meat cooking, the soft sounds of the boiling water while I whisked away. So lost with what I was doing, I didn’t hear the bedroom door opening, and a grumpy Zuko waltzing into the kitchen. His gruff voice caused me to jump, not realizing that a bit of time already passed between baking, setting the table, and washing a few dishes, “Are you baking?” Zuko asked. A hint of exasperation in his voice.

            I pouted, placing the batter to the side to rise while we eat, “Sweets for later tonight. Dinner is almost set, I figured after dinner we could train for a bit?”

            But the look on Zuko’s face wasn’t what I expected.

            The way he scratched his head, still a bit drowsy as he had just woken up, “What are you making for dinner? We don’t need a feast.” He fussed, and I grimaced. Zuko had a certain attitude in his voice, and I could feel my skin itch. He’s stressed Yue – don’t let it get to you.

            “It’s just a roast the maids left for us and a few vegetables. It’ll be ready in a few more minutes-”

            “And that’s time wasted. Something simple would’ve been enough. We have things to do.”

            “I don’t think three minutes of waiting is going to be a life or death situation.”

            Zuko rolled his eyes, snickering at my words and I bit my tongue. “You aren’t taking this seriously at all.” He snarled under his breath, but loud enough for me to hear. My eyes widen, letting my hands rest on the counter, “I am. And if we’re going to train, we need to eat. A good meal.”

            “And we need sweets too?” Zuko seethed, chining the bowl I set to the side. My fingers pressed against the marble countertop, relax. Zuko is just under pressure. Breath. “I figured after training it would be a nice treat. To unwind.”

            “I can’t believe you’re actually in vacation mode after finding out that my sister may hurt you,” Zuko growled with crossed arms. I bit my lips, nails digging into the palms of my hands as I glared, what is wrong with him? Why is he such an ass? “I’m not. But I also know we can’t lock ourselves up inside this damn house and just wait for something to happen.”

            “Obviously you are if you’re baking.”

            “It’s a damn treat Zuko for after we train! I’m sorry for wanting to help you de-stress from a stressful day with a damn muffin!”

            “I’m stressed because you aren’t taking anything seriously!” Zuko shouted back, and my breath hitched. He was furious at me at the moment, and I didn’t understand why. “What are you trying to say Zuko?”

            Zuko stomped forward, breathing uneven as he narrowed his eyes, “I’m saying I’d appreciate if you’d fucking stop playing house for a minute and realize we have more important things to do than fucking baking!”

            “Playing house? It’s DINNER Zuko and a damn SNACK. We can train after we eat.”

            “We need to train now. I don’t want to babysit you during a damn battle.”

            My body trembled. Hands into fists. “Babysit?” I hissed, moving away from the counter. Breath Yue, just breath. He didn’t mean it, he’s under stress. Don’t let him-

            “You’re weak Yue. I can’t always come running to your damn rescue all the damn time.”

            I lost it.

            “Come to my rescue? I’m sorry confiding in you is me being weak!” I cried.

            Zuko’s eyes widen at my tone. The way his face paled, seemingly recognizing how out of hand this bitter argument has gotten. But I was passed the point of being understanding – he said things that he knew would trigger me. “Yue you know I didn’t mean it like that-”

            “No Zuko, you did. And you know what, you’re wrong. Because the truth is; I punched Mai in the face, and I loved it. I almost killed Kayto during our damn walk, but I kept it a secret. And last night, I had your sister cowering away from me. So if you want to be next on my list, keep on talking.”

            Zuko rose his hands, a grimace on his face as he dubiously stepped forward, “Baby, I didn’t mean it-”

            I pulled away from his reach, my chest heaving as I shuddered. His eyes were soft, almost pleading, and it was then I realized I was crying. Fuck me and being such a damn crybaby, no wonder he thinks I’m weak. Maybe he’s right – I’m just a damn burden to everyone. “Leave me alone, Zuko. Dinner’s almost made, eat by yourself-”

            “Babe no, I’m sorry, I’m stressed and-”

            I shook my head, turning on my heel - storming away as I flung the door open, “Where are you going? Yue!” I ignored Zuko’s shouts, and also ignored the fact that I wore nothing but damn house slippers. The sand stuck to my bare feet, a few random pebbles jabbing into my skin, “Come back, please-”

            The sound of his heavy footsteps on the wooden floors behind me, as I furiously kicked the sand underneath me, “Yue, where are you going?”

            “Away from you!” I shrieked, turning around to face him. Zuko stood at the front entrance, face dropped, and I irritably wiped my tears, “I just wanted to help you relax while getting things done, and all you do is get mad!”

            At this point, a few guards heard my shout, hesitantly watching, unsure whether to get me back into the house. “I’ll do anything for you, Zuko – I just want you to be happy!”

            “You do make me happy-”

            “Obviously not if I’m stressing you out!” And with that, I turned on my heel and stomped away.

            I didn’t know where in the world I was going, and I didn’t care. I needed to get away, get from this crazy life I ran myself into.

            I could hear Zuko shout after me, but he didn’t dare chase me, and for that – I was grateful.

            The setting sun cast mellow dramatic hues of red and yellow along the water, the foam sticking to my feet as I savagely kicked the ground over and over. I knew he was stressed, I knew he didn’t mean those things, but it hurt.

            And it didn’t hurt the same way when Mai said it or his sister, even Kayto – it hurt more. Because Zuko meant everything to me.

            Another sob bubbled up, and I dropped to my knees. Crying in my hands as my body quivered. My eyes hurt, nose runny as I wailed like dying animal. He’s right – I’m weak. I cry over everything. I cry whenever I get frustrated or happy or angry. And sitting here alone as I wept made a longing that I’ve pushed away for years come back.

            I wanted mom and dad.

            Their touch, their laughter, everything – I missed it all.

            Dad’s terrible jokes, mom’s stubborn attitude. If only I didn’t listen to dad that day –running away like how he told me to, and I stayed with them. If I fought.

            Would they be alive? Would I still be living in the Earth Nation – with them, happy? But I wouldn’t have gotten the chance to meet Zuko-

            I hissed under my breath.

            “Why did you say those things to me?” I hiccupped, only then raising my head to look around. The beautiful white house of ours long in the distance. How long did I walk for? I sighed, my feet hurt and it’s getting dark out…

            “Here-”

            A white handkerchief appeared right in my face, catching me off guard as I tumbled backwards. My eyes widen, sniffling as the hand followed my fall. I sat on the ground, speechless, meeting a pair of stunning blue eyes, “You need it more than I do.” A man murmured under his breath – voice rough and strained.

            He was older, skin tanned and brown hair pulled back into a tight bun, “Take it.” He hissed, and instinctively, I grabbed the napkin from him – his tone demanding.

            My fingers brushed against his coarse skin, bringing the clean cloth to my face as I wiped my tears, “T-thank you.” I muttered, still taken off guard. I didn’t hear him come in front of me. Was I crying that loud? Gosh, I probably look terrible.

            The man sighed, stopping my thoughts as he sat down next to me, looking conflicted with himself. The way he tapped his stubby fingers on his knees, watching the waves ease up the sand, and then back into the vast body of water. Stealing a few seashells along the way.

            And being myself, I shamelessly studied him. His dark coloured blue robes. He didn’t dress particularly fancy – rather plain. Simple slacks and shirt, no accessories on him or any ink or piercings. Maybe he lives in the town? Going for an evening stroll…I would do that same if I lived in such a lovely town. But it was his eyes that really had me mesmerized.

            They were a deep blue, and they lacked life.

            Void of emotions – and based on the wrinkles and scars that ran across his exposed skin, I could tell he lived a hard life. He couldn’t be old – maybe early thirties? But his indifferent expression made him seem older. He abruptly turned to face me, his thin lips pressed together as he stared at me.

            His gaze was intense, having me cowering away internally, “What happened?” He blurted. My eyes widen, frowning as I shrugged my shoulders, “N-nothing.”

            “I ain’t stupid little girl. Boyfriend issues?” I coloured, looking at the water, was it that obvious? He let out a long sigh, running his hands against his pronounced jawline as he watched me, “Y-you like nature?”

            But this time his tone was a bit different. He stuttered for a minute before finishing his sentence. I smiled, nodding my head, “Y-yeah…my mom used to take me sightseeing.” His expression hardened, nodding at my words.

            Silence…

            My breathing relaxed, playing with the fabric between my fingers. I knew Zuko would kill me if he found out I was sitting on the beach with some random man and his handkerchief. But…he didn’t seem like a threat. Just scary looking.

            And I laughed under my breath.

            “You’re right…” I wheezed, bringing my knees closer to my chest, the breeze kissing my skin and causing goosebumps to appear. The man snickered, shaking his head, “What did he do?”

            “What makes you think it was his fault?”

            “Something tells me your boyfriend is an idiot.” I snorted. Whoever this man was – had no idea who I was. If only he knew that he was insulting the Fire Lord. “He’s not an idiot…he’s just…”

            “An idiot?”

            We both snorted, laughing softly as he bared a soft smile. A smile that oddly suited him. “Well – it’s not like I have anything better to do with my life. So enlighten me – what happened.”

            I looked at him, “You want to hear about my relationship problems?”

            “Like I said; I have nothing better to do at the moment. So amuse me, little girl.”

            “I’m not little…” I grumbled under my breath, and the man rolled his eyes, “Yet you cried like a child.”

            “H-hey!” I gasped, and the man grinned, seemingly enjoying the rose he got out of me. “Just because I show how I feel doesn’t make me a child.”

            “Wouldn’t know, I don’t do emotions.”

            “You can’t not not do emotions. They just come.”

            “Does this face look like a face filled with emotions.”

            The way he looked at me, face stone cold with narrowed eyes, and I giggled. “You know, just because you don’t show your emotions so obviously, doesn’t mean you have none. You seem like someone who cares…but…they’re good at hiding it.” I spoke, not really taking account that I just met this stranger.

            He scoffed, rolling his crystal coloured eyes as he picked up a few tiny seashells. The way he flicked them off his palm, like some sort of game, “Do you pick apart your boyfriend the same way?” I smiled, looking at the water as I thought of Zuko.

            Zuko was probably one of the frustrating and fascinating people I’ve ever had the honour of knowing.

            He was sweet and harsh, handsome and cute, just the embodiment of opposites. You never did know what you were getting. And while most people would get annoyed dealing with someone, someone who couldn’t go a damn hour without running off to attend some political matter – I could.

            Because now that I saw through that façade of Zuko’s – I realize Aang was right. Zuko was rough along the edges, but Zuko was a good guy. The things he said, the way his eyes glazed over and screamed my name as I stormed off, “He said mean things to me…he’s stressed and I know he didn’t mean it but…”

            My voice trailed off. Looking at the different tones of white sand that we sat on. I knew Zuko didn’t mean those words, but I was still upset. Just with everything going on, a large pout formed on my lips as I huffed.

            “You love him?” The man beside me grumbled, shaking his head as if loving someone was something to be disappointed about.

            I nodded, biting my lip as I brushed my hair behind my ear, “I love him a lot…” The man snickered, shaking his head at my words. “Do you love someone?” I asked, curious to learn about this strange man. He scoffed, and I rolled my eyes, “Let me guess – you don’t do love.”

            The man glanced at me with an amused look as he scratched his chin, “Depends. Some would say I’m driven by love, while others would say I’m driven by everything but love.”

            He watched the way I pouted, ready to ask more questions, but he glared, “You’re a curious one.” I reddened, looking back at the water. “Yeah…my boyfriend tells me all the time.”

            In fact, Zuko tells me tons of things.

            He always says how smart I am, how beautiful I am and how he wants a family with me and- “Thank you.”

            The man turned his head to me once again, brows pinched together as he looked at me with a puzzled look, “For what? I gave you a napkin.”

            “For helping me feel better about the fight with my boyfriend.”

            The man rolled his eyes, starting to shift in the sand as he stood. I followed his lead, dusting off the sand that stuck to my summer dress. I have to wash my feet for sure, I hate the feeling of sand between my toes.

            I held the napkin, turning to the man, “Your handkerchief…” I mumbled, and the man scrunched his nose. “Keep it…” And I realized why. It was kinda dirty because of me. I pouted, pulling the fabric to my chest, “If you come tomorrow in the morning, I can give it to you washed-”

            “Don’t bother.” He mumbled, crossing his arms as he huffed, “Go, little girl. It’s late.”

            I nodded. But despite knowing that the sun was almost set and I had a bit of walking to do, my feet didn’t leave. I studied the man in front of me. He was tall, a large build, sharp features, but I was once again absorbed in his eyes. His blue eyes, they reminded me of someone, and I smiled softly.

            “You’re a really good person.” I hummed, and the man’s eyes widen. The way his thin lips parted, shaking his head, “Only for today.” I tilted my head at his words, puzzled. He seemed to be speaking in code this whole time. “Why only for today…?”

            “It’s my birthday.”

            My eyes widen, jumping upwards as I clapped, “Happy birthday! I hope you got to spend it with family and friends.” He nodded, shrugging his shoulders, “…I did – family.”

            I took a few steps back, smiling and waving, “I’m glad, and don’t forget – everyone has a bit of good and bad in them, but it’s up to us to decide what side we want people to see.” The man smiled, arms crossed as he nodded his head. A smile, it really did suit that grumpy face of his.

            “Hope to see you soon, mister!” I chirped, before turning on my heel to go back to Zuko.

            I didn’t know who that man was, but he had some good in him. He looked scary, and he spoke roughly, but he seemed kind. I held the handkerchief closer to my chest, skipping back to my beacon, home.

            The lights from inside the house glistened against the white stone, the sky dark and the moon shining. A few guards spotted me, their faces bearing soft smiles and relief. But they never approached me, just gave me hidden smiles. I really shouldn’t have left like that, I probably made everyone worry.

            My hand reached forward, turning the knob with ease, surprised it was left unlocked. I pushed the door slowly, my head peeking through and letting my body slip inside with ease. The house was eerily quiet, but it didn’t take long for my eyes to spot Zuko. It was like a natural skill of mine, being able to detect that man from miles away.

            He slouched in the couch, face in hands, grumbling to himself and I frowned. No matter how upset I was, it hurt seeing him like that. My fingers glided along the door edge, trying to shut the door soundlessly, but the clicking sound caught Zuko’s attention.

            His head shot upwards, eyes wide the moment he spotted me.

            I didn’t get a chance to breathe, let alone think.

            Zuko jumped from his seat, hastily running to me. The way his arms wrapped around my body, pressing me so close to his chest, stuffing his face into my neck. I gasped, wincing at his tight grip but he didn’t loosen – instead, he hugged me tighter.

            “Z-Zuko I can’t breath.” I groaned, but he just scoffed, ignoring my pleas as his hands ran up my hair and back, “I thought you left me.”

            My body stiffen, inching away slightly to look at his face. His eyes were glossy and red, and it clicked. Was he crying? I really frightened him- “Zuko,” I whispered, my hands reaching to cradle his face. Was he insane? He thought I would leave him? Sure we fought, but I wouldn’t leave him over a damn argument.

            I wouldn’t leave him because things in life were starting to get tough. I loved him – and that meant through the good and bad times. Because that was what love was.

            “I shouldn’t have said those things – I just took everything out on you for no reason and-”

            “No Zuko I’m sorry for leaving like that. I know you’re stressed and I’m sorry for-”

            But Zuko pulled away, a scowl on his face as he looked at me with bewilderment, “Why are you apologizing? You did nothing wrong! It was literally all me.” He huffed, staring at me with such disbelief. I frowned, biting my lip, “Because I know you didn’t mean anything you said, but I let it get to me and-”

            “There’s no and Yue. I hurt you, I should be the one on my knees begging for you to stay, for your forgiveness.” And I grimaced because the look on Zuko’s face killed me.

            He looked so worn out, hands running through his hair as he stared at me. “I just get so fucking scared. I know you can handle yourself, everyone tells me how strong you are but just the thought of something happening makes me sick to my stomach.”

            I opened my mouth to calm him, but he was faster. The way Zuko’s hands grabbed my hips, pressing me up against the front door. His forehead against mine, cheeks flushed, as we stared into each other’s golden eyes. “I don’t know why I said those things, I just get so overwhelmed whenever things involve you. I-it’s like I change. I ruled this Nation for years without an issue, and you come along, and the thought of tying my damn shoes overwhelms me.”

            The way Zuko spoke, words flowing out of his mouth in a jumble. His cheeks were glowing, forehead scrunched upwards as he struggled to breathe. “I love you – and I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for you. For when Mai said whatever she said to you. When you fought with Kayto and my sister-”

            My hands cupped his face, feeling his fair skin underneath my fingers. “And Yue…you’re not weak. I never meant that. You’re the strongest person I’ve met. The most patient and beautiful woman I know.” My cheeks flushed hearing his words, trying to look away as I bit my lips, tears threatening to pool over. Because hearing those words slip out of those precious lips made my stomach flutter and heart pound.

            But Zuko's hands trailed upwards, cupping my face in his hands and forcing me to gaze at him once again. The way his thumb trailed along my lips, my lips parting as we stood so close to each other. “I promise, tomorrow, we train. And you can kick my ass all fucking day.” I cracked a smile, laughing softly. The way Zuko chuckled, his breath tickling my lips.

             I let my fingers trail along Zuko’s jaw, his eyes studying my lips, and my eyes staring at his. The way Zuko’s chest rose, his thumb rubbing my bottom lip tenderly. “I love you, please don’t leave again. I-I’ve had so many people walk out of my life, and if you walk out to I-” With an affectionate peck, I shut Zuko up.

            I knew of the pain.

            The loss.

            The want.

            My eyes fluttered close, feeling him press me up against the front door as I hummed softly. His plush lips against mine, the way we danced to a sweet tune – a single song that only we shared. Zuko groaned, his hands intertwining with mine, spreading them against the wall behind us. I gasped, the kiss turning from a sweet dance to a possessive want – a need.

            “I love you, Zuko.” I gasped, hands held against the wall, loving the feeling of being completely engulfed by Zuko. His lips turned upwards, my eyes fluttering open as he playfully rubbed the tip of his nose against mine, “Go wash up, I’ll heat up dinner to eat.”

            “You didn’t eat yet?”

            The way Zuko looked at me, surprised that I would even ask such a question. “Of course not, not without you. I’ll set the bath and heat the water for you, and while you bathe, I’ll set up dinner.” I smiled, his hands untangling from mine, watching him step back. And before I knew it, my mouth opened. Asking him a question that had been itching my mind the moment I got here, “Zuko…were you crying?”

            The way Zuko tensed, looking over his shoulder with the brightest red tinge. He looked like he got caught red-handed, holding a flustered look as he struggled to speak, “Hurry up and get that cute little ass of yours inside that bathtub before I change my mind of heating up the water for you.” He grumbled, shyly walking away while rubbing his head.

            A grin painted my face, giggling as I eagerly skipped behind him.

            I got my answer.

Copyright © 2019 Mystic-Kitten, inc. all rights reserved. No reposting, modifying, or translations of any kind allowed. Thank you for your cooperation.

Disclaimer: I do not own any Avatar characters portrayed in this story besides Ying Yue Jiang, Lia, Kima, and any future creations.

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CODE Z3RO | CODE 04

characters: BTS & Red Velvet genre: thriller, futuristic au warning: blood, death summary: The twelve most ambitious and promising university students are welcomed in Choego, the world’s first entirely artificial intelligence-driven city, to compete for five job contracts that could change their life. But what if something goes wrong? What if they get trapped? What if the city suddenly turns against them? Can they find a way out before the countdown reaches zero? words: 4,7K tagged: @philosopher-of-fandoms​

➼ Chapter Index

The corridor was dreadfully quiet as if Jung Hoseok had walked down on an abandoned graveyard full of long forgotten souls. Honestly, he hated every damn minute of this impossible trial that the researchers had forced upon their group of twelve, but at least his rivals weren’t too much to bear except for Taehyung whom he hoped would have disappeared along with or rather instead of daddy’s little princess. At least, Sooyoung had been a weaker link than him, a brainless doll dressed in gold and glitter. Considering the dynamic of their miniature society, she had meant no harm, meanwhile Taehyung seemed to be one of those guys who would have given you the last drop of drinking water just to poison you in a deserted island. He was ambitious and Hoseok knew that people like him would have done anything to get what they wanted.

Taking a sharp right turn, the Sociology major pushed the canteen’s double door open and walked towards their group that was eating in the corner, putting his arms on the edge of an ugly, plastic chair’s backrest. For a few minutes, he listened to their quiet chatter about neutral topics in silence, rolling his eyes when one of the girls changed the subject from a television show to the weather. It was a natural reaction for the chaotic situation they were in, complete ignorance, but the fact that he had known that it was something he should have expected didn’t mean that it didn’t rub him in the wrong way.

He cleared his throat to gain everyone’s attention. Looking at the empty lunch boxes and the dirty cellophane in front of Seokjin, he couldn’t wait to leave this creepy hospital behind, finding useful clues in the researchers’ headquarter, earning some good points for his neatness from their supervisors. He had always been good at finding links between reasons and consequences until the equation hadn’t expanded with risky variables such as haunted buildings, axe murderers and walking zombies. Would have it been possible that the researchers had made a complex trial for them, getting their inspiration from stupid, American survival shows and lame books for young adults? Shit! How much he hated their sick society and the masterminds behind the contemporary entertainment industry.

‘Did anyone see our Korean Richie Rich or that scary IT guy with the eerie look?’ he asked before he could have overthought their situation even more, his long fingers already shaking under the imaginary weight on his shoulders. Staying composed in an ambiguous situation had already taken a lot of energy out of his body and was harder that he had first thought. 

‘Did you check the toilets?’ the grumpy guy with lilac hair asked, chewing on the last bites of his sandwich in an obviously annoyed pace and Hoseok wondered whether Taehyung had hated people in general or it was him whom he had an actual problem with.

‘Well, obviously. I’m coming from there,’ he answered and patted the front side of his jeans with a wide grin, satisfied that he had finally found a toilet after he had failed so during his first attempt, half an hour prior when they had stepped into this eerie labyrinth with dozens of empty rooms and abandoned beds. Although a part of him did find rationality behind the absence of people - Choego was still under construction and was waiting for its wealthy inhabitants after all -, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy whenever he thought about the silence that surrounded them 24/7.

His gaze never leaving the boy deep in his own thoughts, Taehyung rolled his eyes at Hoseok’s stupidity, saving his energy as he swallowed a cocky comment on the inevitability of having more than one toilet in a huge building like this one with at least six floors. Humming, he honestly started to doubt the company’s management, considering that they had indeed thought of idiots like Hoseok as valuable candidates. From his point of view, even his three-year-old little sister was smarter than a significant part of their group of so-called prodigies. The thought of teaming up with a bunch of losers was utterly ridiculous yet he couldn’t disobey the researchers’ orders.

They all finished the remains of their food in utter silence except for Wendy who hushed her boyfriend when he tried to break the unpleasant atmosphere with a joke about two cartons of milk talking in the desert that only Seokjin could appreciated. Said boy stood up not long after the carefree laughter left his mouth and looked around with a pinch of worry in his eyes as the peace finally settled between the lovebirds on his right.

‘So now that we all finished our breakfast and Joohyun also got her insulin, I suggest to go and find the others. Any objections?’ he asked in a firm tone as he took the lead voluntarily. After all, when it came to measuring their possible strengths and weaknesses, he was far the most qualified for the job since he’d already had experience in disastrous situations thanks to his degree in Crisis Management. He’d served his required volunteer service in Nepal where a massive earthquake had killed more than eight thousand people in 2015. He was certain that he could handle the researchers’ tough simulation just as smoothly as he’d helped to rebuild hundreds of buildings for those who had lost not just their homes but their loved ones, too, from one day to another. Although back then, he hadn’t had to deal with disrespectful youngsters like Taehyung.

‘You bet! Could you explain, why are they so freakin’ important?’ he asked as he stood up just the same, his itching palms resting on the top of the table, voice heavy because of the boiling anger in his veins. He looked at his rivals, annoyed, then smashed the wooden furniture, fingers curling into pulsing fists as he stretched his back and faced with the eldest challengingly. ‘I mean, we’ve already left that crazy bitch behind - thank goodness -, so why are they any different? Is it because of his money?’ he came up with the first thing that seemed rational enough to waste their time for losers when Seokjin’s sharp glance rendered him speechless. The lilac-haired boy gulped but didn’t blink, holding onto his pride with tooth and nail regardless of the others’ disapproval snorts. 

‘It’s because we’re in the same team, Taehyung, and we won’t betray another fellow. Not until I’m here,’ Seokjin claimed earning a few smiles mostly from the girls. When he took the first step towards the double door, no one stayed behind. They all followed him to the hallway, leaving their bags and luggages casually in the corner, close to Jimin’s belongings. 

As if the obvious disagreement between Taehyung and Seokjin had forced everyone’s mouth shut, the incomplete group walked down the hallways without exchanging small talks, only Joohyun’s heavy breathing emerging from the background noise of their firm steps. Unlike his caring girlfriend who simply couldn’t hold herself back from glancing at her roommate’s direction, Namjoon looked more than bothered because of her current state.  But he chose not to confront the redhead more than once within a single hour and fixed his gaze on the strange duo right in front of him. Seeing Taehyung’s clenched fists and crimson ears, the mechanical engineer had some serious doubts whether Joohyun was the only one they should have been worried about. 

‘Did you see the Saw?’ Hoseok asked completely out of the blue as his gaze glided from the light green tiles to the boy on his left with an arched brow floating slowly yet challengingly to the middle of his forehead. He seemed nervous, Namjoon could tell, as his trembling hand ruffled his messy locks unintentionally, his hair already resembling to a bird’s nest because of his ugly cap that now peaked out of his jeans’ huge back pocket.

Namjoon narrowed his eyes, waiting anxiously when the lilac-haired boy’s annoyed voice reached his ears with a harsh ‘What?’

The older boy had always thought of himself as someone who rather avoided conflicts than raising his voice on the verge of an upcoming storm yet he couldn’t stop his shoulders from becoming naturally tense as he observed his childish teammates. He didn’t understand why any of them or anyone in general would have made an anxious sphere even more uncomfortable on purpose and if not on purpose then how came that they didn’t notice the obvious, the negative effect of their debate on the remaining people in their group. For him, it was enough to shoot a quick glance at Wendy’s creased forehead and he knew that something was definitely off with the situation.

‘In the sixth movie, although I’m not sure, there was this horrific game in which all the victims had to work together…’ Hoseok went on, trying to take a further discussion on the subject that seemingly made the whole situation worse as Taehyung’s fingers curled up in a slightly shaking fist.

‘Jeez! Just shut up already, would you? You’re such a headache,’ he snapped and speeded up his hasty steps to get as far from the Sociology major as possible considering his limited options. In the end, he slowed down next to Seulgi and walked by her side in silence as if she hadn’t been there in the first place. Not that the girl would have minded the momentary peace, Taehyung’s rejecting attitude was better than listening to their whining.

‘Asshole,’ Hoseok murmured under his nose, darting his tongue out at the younger’s back when he thought that no one was watching. But his resentful comment didn’t slip Namjoon’s attention as the engineer stepped behind him and watched her girlfriend as she checked on Joohyun when she was finally left alone. Her genuine eagerness to help others in need never failed to amaze the ever so rational boy therefore the fond smile that played in the corner of his mouth was rather proud than annoyed.

‘I saw that movie, man. It was the fifth actually,’ he answered the question Taehyung refused to and even patted Hoseok’s shoulder a few times to soothe his nerves, encouraging to follow the others who were already a few steps ahead of them. ‘A bit disgusting, if you ask me, but genius.’

They changed their opinions on the mentioned movie in which there had been a group of people who had to work together in exchange for their freedom. Yet, they failed miserably as they couldn’t stop sacrificing each other, not caring about anything but their own lives. Every single task in the survival game was designed to emphasize the importance of teamwork hiding it behind selfishness and the players only realized it when it was too late. At the final challenge, they had to fill an enormous object with their own blood and considering that by the time they had reached the last room only two of them survived, they almost bled out and died inches away from their redemption. If they hadn’t been killing one another so carelessly, a few ounces of blood would have been enough from each one of them. It was mind-blowing, one of the most amazing plot twists in the history of horror for sure.

Opening every single unlocked door and walking into every damn toilet and janitor’s room, they searched for Yoongi and Jimin literally everywhere in vain as if the Earth had suddenly opened its mouth and swallowed both of them up in whole. It made everyone uneasy.

They were on the ground floor in the eastern wing when Seokjin finally stopped and they all could take a short break from this insane hide and seek. Though, not everyone was so keen to rest as Jungkook and Taehyung markedly walked back and forth, not knowing what to do with their energy. But while the grumpy boy kicked into the wall here and there lightly, testing his strength, Jungkook observed the remaining doors on the current level one by one.

‘I really don’t think that they’ll be there,’ Namjoon stated when the youngster pushed the door with the basement sign on it open and peeked inside, turning his head left and right.

‘Maybe,’ he hummed, not really paying attention to the fellow engineer’s presence as he stepped on the first step behind the door instead. He had questions and he was more than willing to leave their group behind for a few hours at most if it was really necessary to find the desired answers. What was the whole point of this simulation beside the obvious, that the researchers were curious about their problem-solving abilities in an artificial catastrophe? What happened with those who had left the group? What if they all managed to pass the trial? Why had they lied to them about their schedule for the rest of the day when they clearly had other plans for their candidates? What kind of skills were required to get a contract? Creativity, cooperation, critical thinking? ‘But I’d like to check the whole facility in case they hid some clues on one of their computers,’ he explained, grabbing the handrail as he looked at Namjoon from above his shoulder. ‘You don’t have to follow me, though.’

The older boy furrowed his brows and opened his mouth, ready to protest but the voice that filled the air was definitely more high-pitched and less raspy than what his vocal chord could have ever maintained. Both Jungkook’s and Namjoon’s head turned towards the petite girl, standing right behind the latter, watching her acting all embarrassed because of the faint ‘I’d like to. Sounds like a good idea even if I won’t be much help,’ that had left her mouth. Yerim brushed a tiny mop of hair behind her ear over and over again, unable to stand the younger’s piercing gaze for more than an ephemeral moment. And everything became much worse when Taehyung decided to join their company.

‘Hah! Of course, she thinks that. After all, it’s his idea,’ the lilac-haired boy blurted out, his deep voice heavy with ill will and mockery. The Marketing major’s loud presumption and malicious smile turned the girl into a blushing mess within a blink of an eye and seeing her frightened look, anyone could have told that she wished nothing but to dissolve into thin air.

‘Is there something you want to say?’ Seokjin joined the conversation as well and stepped between Taehyung and Yerim like a human shield as if his presence could have protected the girl from everything that the grumpy boy had been so ready to throw at her face.

Taehyung snorted. Ridiculous. 

‘Sure. Your sister isn’t any better than Sooyoung was,’ he claimed, tilting his head to Yerim’s direction as the others walked closer, their figures forming a lame, irregular circle around the epicentrum of their debate. ‘Now that Gangnam girl’s gone, she’s the weakest link,’ Taehyung scoffed matter-of-factly, earning a few deadly glances from their teammates although no one protested, not even Seokjin. The eldest just stood there with tense shoulders and clenched fists, breathing shallow and worried. He hated that the Marketing major wasn’t that far from the truth - considering their abilities in an emergency situation, Joohyun, Hoseok and Yerim seemed to be the less useful members of their group. While the older girl panicked in stressful situations and Hoseok got easily scared even of his own shadow, his sister usually froze when everyone around her was loud and pressing. He had still remembered the first fire alarm test they’d had in primary school since Yerim’s homeroom teacher had made sure, it remained unforgettable as he’d freaked out in front of everyone when he had failed to find the little girl. But it didn’t mean that they couldn’t have surprised them with unexpected, innovative solutions. They had plenty of time to prove Taehyung wrong and Seokjin hoped they would. After all, without Yerim, they would have slept through and have failed the first part of the simulation.

Turning towards Jungkook, Seokjin relaxed his stiff muscles and spoke up in a rather calm voice.

‘Actually, we have plenty of time. Let’s go and check the area,’ he said, encouraging the younger with a firm nod as he took the first steps towards the door. To Taehyung’s dissatisfaction, everyone followed them thus he was the only one who remained in the hallway.

‘It’s useless. It’s not that we’ll find some nasty skeletons in their basement,’ he shouted like a sulky child and his annoyed statement forced Namjoon to stop on the first stair, head snapping at his direction. He looked at Taehyung, confused, lips in a firm line, white like virgin snow. Truth to tell, he didn’t like him - especially not his destructive attitude - but he was a part of their group, just as much as anyone else, and teamwork was the keypoint of their task. The researchers wanted them to work together, in unison, and Namjoon wasn’t that stupid to disobey their will because of Taehyung’s ill-wishing behaviour. He didn’t plan to shut him out since he didn’t plan to lose his chance to get a contract because of him either.

‘Don’t be a dick, man! I’m sure, you don’t want to be their enemy,’ he said, calling for him with a simple wave of his hand. ‘Let’s go!’

A few seconds later, the hallway was as empty as it had been before they would have crossed the threshold of the abandoned hospital - eerie and silent, lack of human souls.

Kim Seokjin was an excellent team player until his little sister wasn’t a part of the said group because then she became more important to him than anything or anybody else and preferences inevitably destroyed the collaboration. It wasn’t his fault though, their parents had raised him to be like this, they had literally planted the protectiveness in his nature from the moment Yerim had been born.

‘Are you okay?’ he asked in a voice so quiet, it was barely above a whisper although he did it out of goodwill rather than being ashamed of the fact that his sister wasn’t as fierce and independent as their mother who had been a zealous activist in Yerim’s age. She and their father had met on a protest against the educational system and its clearly disadvantageous and sometimes sexist rules such as the unsaid privileges that the wealthy students had gotten and the must of mini skirts even in winter. Well, back then they had been on different sides and that was what had made their love a groundbreaking story. Seokjin found it endearing and inspiring at the very same time. 

Shaking his head, he put his palm on his sister’s shoulder and squeezed it lightly. His caring touch earned an equally light sigh in return. 

‘Yeah. It’s not that I suddenly become useless just because he said so,’ Yerim replied and even though her voice was faint, both her eyes were shining with a reassuring glint, her lips curling up all the way to her ears. She didn’t want her brother to worry to no end nor was willing to give the satisfaction to Taehyung by letting him see her fall apart. So she strengthened her heart and didn’t let anxiety consume her soul.

‘That’s my girl,’ Seokjin smiled and patted the top of his sister’s head, staying by her side as they followed Jungkook who seemed unbothered by the fact that Yerim couldn’t take her eyes off of his back and could have easily burnt a hole in the middle of his bladebone if one had been beared with superpowers. Ah! He would have given everything to be able to turn simple object to gold.

At some point when the first closed door appeared on the hallway, Seokjin started to make mental notes and different theories based on their surroundings and all those things that had happened to them since they had arrived to the artificial city. Although it looked logical that the city was empty considering that it didn’t have any citizens and the food supply in the canteen was also rational, the lack of instructions bugged him as if something had been off, as if the simulation hadn’t gone as planned. They should have found at least a video or audio file by now that could have help them step on the appointed path, shouldn’t have they?

Sharply turning right, Seokjin was so immersed in his own thoughts that he didn’t notice that Jungkook’s firm body stopped dead in front of a glass wall that separated them from a well-equipped laboratory full of huge, white cabinets and tables, papers laying in piles on their titanium surface. 

‘Look! There’s a computer,’ Jungkook spoke up, his index-finger pointing at the electrical device in the left corner of the room. He didn’t hesitate, not even for a moment, as he lifted his bracelet in front of the small control panel on the right side of the door with a victorious smile on his face, demanding entrance which he got after a few seconds of complete silence. ‘Cool.’

When the boy stepped inside the lab, Seokjin grabbed his sister’s wrist, looking deep into her eyes, searching for some kind of confirmation in them that she knew what she was doing and she wasn’t so impatient to follow the raven-haired boy inside the room because she was indeed attracted to him as Taehyung had suggested approximately ten minutes ago. Not that he had problems with Jungkook as a person because he seemed like a really nice guy but the fact that he had let Sooyoung stuck inside their dormitory didn’t make him the most reliable fellow. He didn’t want Yerim to be used by some guy who was mostly alluring because of his distant behaviour. He was familiar with young adult books, he knew that these kind of boys always got the shy girl in town. 

Yerim pulled her arm out of Seokjin’s grab and walked inside the laboratory soon followed by the rest of the team except Taehyung who refused to play by Jungkook or anyone else’s rules. He leaned against the glass wall from the outside and shot an ill-wishing smile at the eldest when he gave in to her sister’s wishes and crossed the threshold as well.

Since her steps came to a halt a few inches from Jungkook’s back, Seokjin walked to the computer, too, while the others opened the cabinets and the hidden drawers that they couldn’t have seen from the hallway. Joohyun and Namjoon made themselves busy with the printed papers on the tables.

‘Honey, could you take a look at these reports? It’s absolutely Chinese for me but you might be familiar with the ingredients in the right corner. They sound pretty medicine-like,’ he mused, looking at the said girl from above his shoulder, watching her as she put a tiny phial filled with some blue fluid back to its container.

‘Just a sec,’ she replied and slid the glass door back to its frame, paying close attention not to break anything inside.

As she step behind her boyfriend and took the paper out of his hand, Seokjin’s gaze glided back to the computer’s screen. Honestly, he didn’t understand a single thing but Jungkook’s clicks were so firm and confident that he put his trust in his knowledge without thinking. He opened then closed some folders, pushed the keys on the keyboard, furrowed his brows and started everything all over again until a stubborn window blocked him from further investigation and after a careless right click, everything went black.

‘What happened?’ Yerim asked, curious, leaning a tad bit closer to the blank screen and so to Jungkook without thinking twice. As her nostrils got filled with the boy’s characteristic scent that was definitely stronger and manlier than she would have thought, her whole face turned ruby red and she stepped backwards so hastily that she bumped into her brother’s shoulder. Seokjin rolled his eyes but didn’t make a comment on her obviously awkward behaviour. No, he turned towards Jungkook instead, waiting for his reply.

But that answer had never come as the door that allowed them to leave the room started to move, fast. 

‘Everyone! Get out of this room! Now!’ Seokjin shouted as soon as he caught a glimpse of the closing exit, waving with his hands towards its direction as if his exaggerated gestures could have fasten everyone’s speed. But it couldn’t. 

Since Joohyun couldn’t handle stress and Wendy cared too much, Namjoon couldn’t pull them out of the room on his own because dealing with a mild panic attack and his stubborn girlfriend was simply overwhelming. He needed help and Seokjin was the only one who was willing to give them that extra hand. He ran towards his frozen teammates and grabbed Joohyun by her wrist. The eldest threw her arm over his shoulder casually then lifted her petite figure as he carried her out of the lab, letting Namjoon show him the way.

‘What the…,’ he heard Jungkook swearing as he accidentally crashed his shoulder into the glass wall, trying really hard not to collide with Seulgi who got to the door the same moment as he did. Seokjin rolled his eyes, panting, before he put the girl in his arms down.

‘Where is Yerim?’ he asked when he caught his breath and looked around, anxiety growing in his chest due to the absence of his little sister.

‘Inside,’ Taehyung stated with a flat face while he pointed at the girl who had seemingly frozen a few steps from the blank screen. Her gaze were cloudy, lips slightly parted with fear.

‘I left her with you. You should have grabbed her hand and pull her out, you selfish bastard,’ Seokjin snapped, screaming like a wild animal and the only thing that kept him back from slapping Jungkook’s face was the clinking sound of the closing door. It was already through halfway but he couldn’t stay still.

The boy ran back inside the lab and wrapped his long fingers around his sister’s wrist, pulling her towards the hallway like crazy but Yerim fell into her knees because of the sudden force and hit her head into the table, feeling the bitter taste of her own vomit in the back of her throat. She didn’t move until her brother helped her find her balance and pushed her towards the door. Three. Yerim finally took her first steps on her own, running. Two. Seokjin was so happy that his sister managed to reach the hallway in time that he didn’t notice the report that had slipped out of Wendy’s hand on the floor. One. Glass collided with glass at the same time, the young man’s butt crashed to the floor. Shocked, no one dared to say a word.

The relieved smile soon froze onto Yerim’s lips as she realized what had happened. Her whole body was a shaking mess as she turned on her heels and looked at her brother, stuck inside the lab. She put her palms onto the wall, tears blurring her vision.

‘No,’ she whispered over and over again while her spirit slowly gave up, knees fitting close to the ground. ‘We’ll get you out, don’t worry, okay?’ she promised, not knowing that the room was actually soundproof and all Seokjin could see was her sadness and guilt. So he smiled, crawling to the wall in his own pace. He didn’t have to be fast anymore, there was no need to rush.

Meanwhile Hoseok stepped to the control panel and lifted his own bracelet in front of it in vain. It didn’t work, in fact, it rejected his request more dramatically than he would have ever thought. It shifted red and turned on the security system.

Seokjin’s shoulders tensed as the ventilation system markedly stopped working and the air became heavy with an unfamiliar chemical product, something transparent with no scent yet with something that burnt his veins. He shook his head, leaning his sweaty forehead against the glass, and took a few swallow breathers as if it could have magically solved his breathing problems. It hurt like hell, moving his limbs, keeping his eyes open hence he stayed still, gaze fixed on his clearly panicking sister. She was worried, he knew it. She must have been already screaming for a while, making silly promises that she couldn’t keep. It would have been so typical of her. He laughed and his raspy voice echoed in the sphere as the world turned red.

Red walls, red people, red tears. Even the last memory that popped up in his mind between confusing, fading pictures was red, cherry lips sealing his mellow ones with the untrue promise of infinity.  

➼  chapter V.

[roughntoughdirtkissers]

【 💎 】 ⦊ ❝ OKAY, forget the fact that we have this HUGE emerald keeping this island staying in the air! ❞ The brown mole dusted herself off from trembling on the ground due to the island’s sudden earthquake.

                ❝ And the fact that it has some control over the Chaos Emeralds… you don’t get bored here? At all? Ever? ❞ She asked, eyes full of concern and curiosity.

                 ❝ Not once. I’ve been here all this time and I like it that way, ❞ he replied, touching his large green gem.

                 ❝ But, but, but! ❞

                 She shot and waved her claws in the air, saying, ❝ What about exploring?! Checking how big the seas are?! How tall mountains are?! You can find so many things, but you stay stuck ‘ere. ❞

                  ❝ I’m not stuck if it’s my choice to stay here. ❞

                  ❝ … Is it really your choice? ❞

                  ❝ … You don’t get it. ❞ He turned to her with stern eyes.

                  ❝ I’m staying here so the world doesn’t turn upside down into chaos. I want to prevent that, and I’m going to, no matter what happens. ❞

                  She shot back, ❝ I do get it! I just want you to enjoy life and live a little! You’re here all alone! Don’t ‘cha at least miss somebody?! ❞

                   All He did was look down upon the stone shrine. The silence pained her, enough to make her hands her drop and her mouth hang open slightly.

                  ❝ That doesn’t matter. ❞ He said plainly, with a hint of hurt. The last thing he wanted to admit was someone challenging his resolve and having them win. Yet, he was surprised by the sudden hug he felt around his torso.

                 ❝ Yes it does. It does matter. ❞

                 She looked straight into his eyes, much to his dismay, as he wished he could hide his blush.

                 ❝ You deserve to have fun. You deserve to have friends, lots of them! And you deserve lots and lots of good things to happen to you! ❞ She couldn’t resist nestling her cheek into his shoulder. The whole thing perplexed him, enough to leave him paralyzed. She finally let go, throwing her claws into a peace sign and giving him a wink.

                ❝ And that’s why I’ll always be here with you! I’ll visit often so you won’t be so lonely! ❞

                ❝ W- who said I was lonely?! ❞ He was taken aback by her pushy attempt.

                That got a laugh out of her. ❝ You so funny, Knuckaroo! ❞

                ❝ ARE YOU SERIOUS?! I never asked you to be here! ❞

                She pointed at him, saying, ❝ And that, my friend, is th’ gift of giving! You ain’t have to ask for nothin’! I’ll do all the work! ❞

                ❝ WHAT? Are you even listening to me?! ❞

                ❝ I’m so happy you understand! ❞

                ❝ I KNEW YOU WEREN’T! ❞

                Before he could even get anything across, she turned on her heel and ran towards the stone steps. ❝ Alright! I’ll see you next time, Knuckaroo! Bye-bye! ❞

                ❝ HEY! GET BACK HERE! ❞

 The memory was fresh in his mind as if it happened to him the day before. He smiled, laughing at her obvious attempt to cheer him up.

                 She’s always there for me, even when I don’t need her to be.

                 He looked beyond his shrine, deep into the trees that covered his forests.

                 ❝ I wonder where she is now. ❞

[elisajdb]

Life With You: XX

Part Twenty:

 Family Reunion: Part One

  “I won’t have you lie to me again! Where is my husband?!”

 Master Roshi wished he checked the caller ID before answering the phone. If he had checked, he wouldn’t have picked up the phone and he wouldn’t be talking to ChiChi right now. The woman sounded as angry as when he last saw her nearly a year ago. “I don’t know.”

 “Liar!” ChiChi barked through the phone. “Goku was revived yesterday.”

 “How do you know that?” Master Roshi didn’t call her after he talked to Goku. Bulma didn’t either.

 “I saw the sky turn dark. I know what happens when the dragon balls are used. It’s been twenty-four hours. He should be here. Now tell me the truth. Where is Goku?!”

 “Why would you think I would know?” Master Roshi shouted back.

 “Because you kept the secret of what happened to my husband and son from me for a day! You told me Goku wouldn’t be wished back until he completes his training! He was wished back yesterday!”

 Master Roshi rubbed his temple. Gyu-Mao didn’t know about the dragon balls. It had to be Goku who told ChiChi what happens when they’re used. He wished his former student kept his mouth shut on that topic. “We did wish Goku back yesterday. He told us the Saiyans are coming today and he’ll be late.”

 “You…..” the anger disappeared from ChiChi’s voice. “You spoke to Goku? How is he? How did he sound?”

 At least she wasn’t angry anymore. “Sound cheerful as usual. I don’t know why Goku isn’t back yet but he’ll be here. Just stay home and he’ll be there after the fight is over.”

 “I’m coming over there!” ChiChi announced. “And don’t even think of turning your home into a capsule and moving off that island. I know that trick!”

 “No, wait!!” Master Roshi reached out to ChiChi but she already hung up the phone. “Dammit.”

“Was that ChiChi?” Bulma asked. She, Oolong and Puar were surrounded by the TV waiting for any breaking news of the Saiyans arrival.

 “Yeah,” Master Roshi hung up the phone. “She’s on her way.” He sighed. “She sounds as ornery as ever. The past year hasn’t calmed her at all.”

 “Well, she did go a year without her husband and son,” Bulma tried to emphasize with ChiChi. “Maybe she’ll calm down when she sees Goku and Gohan again.”

 “Are you sure we’re gonna know about the Saiyans arrival this way?” Oolong flicked the remote on the TV for any breaking news. “Goku’s brother arrived without any notice.”

 “Raditz was looking for Goku. These Saiyans are coming to get the dragon balls and kill all of us. They are gonna draw attention.”

 “Where is Goku?” Oolong asked. “We wished him back yesterday!”

 Master Roshi rubbed his beard. “Goku did say he will be late. Piccolo and the others will have to hold off until Goku returns.”

 Oolong snorted. “Assuming everyone is alive when Goku gets back.”

 “Oolong!” Puar scolded him. “How can you say that?”

 “I’m being truthful. What fight have we won without Goku? When you guys went after King Piccolo, the Old Man and Choazu died. How do you know it won’t happen again?”

 Bulma and Master Roshi couldn’t answer that question for they wondered the same thing. 

ChiChi was not happy when she hung up the phone. “Master Roshi wished Goku to life yesterday but Goku told him he will be late and the Saiyans will come today.”

 “Today?” Gyu-Mao didn’t like that. The news Goku will be late and the Saiyans will arrive today left a bad feeling in Gyu-Mao’s gut. “That’s a month early and why do you wanna go to Master Roshi’s place? Goku will come here after the fight.”

 ChiChi shook her head. She knew better. “No, he won’t. Goku will go to Master Roshi’s after the fight and he’ll expect me there. It’s what he wanted.”

 Goku and ChiChi returned home after spending a day at Gyu-Mao’s castle. Aki dropped off food from the local farms and was invited to stay for dinner. Gohan loved the attention he received from his grandpa and father’s friend. ChiChi worried Gohan will be spoiled, but one look at Gohan’s sweet smile at the attention, melted her worries.

 “Gohan enjoyed himself.” Goku remarked to their son in ChiChi’s arms.

 ChiChi caressed Gohan’s hair. He had dried food stains on his clothes and face. He was a messy eater tonight. “Gohan needs a bath.” ChiChi stepped into the bathroom. She turned on the water in the sink and undressed Gohan. “He’s wearing more than he ate.”

 Goku stood by the door watching ChiChi prepare Gohan for his bath. Dinner was great. Aki was fun company but his discussion of King Piccolo was still on Goku’s mind. “I didn’t know how far King Piccolo’s terror reached,” Goku admitted. “I was consumed with getting stronger and avenging Krillin and Master Roshi’s deaths. I didn’t know how scared everyone was of him.”

 Gohan played in the soapy water as ChiChi wiped him clean. “King Piccolo scared everyone when he put a target on all martial artists. The whole village was on high alert. Dad didn’t believe King Piccolo and his minions will settle for only killing martial artists. All able bodied men were on night and day shifts to keep watch over anyone coming into the kingdom. The ones that weren’t on shift worked with Dad to designate safe zones for everyone in case we had to evacuate the village.”

 ChiChi pulled a clean Gohan from the sink. Goku helped by offering ChiChi a towel to wrap Gohan in. “I’m glad we never had to implement an evacuation plan from the village.” ChiChi left the bathroom with Goku following her. “It was definitely a scary time. I hope we never experience that again.”

 They were in Gohan’s room now. ChiChi busied herself with getting Gohan in a diaper and a clean onesie. As he stared at his wife and son, Goku wondered what he would do if they experience terror like that again. Piccolo was Earth’s only threat. He could handle Piccolo but if he came here, Goku’s first priority will be getting his wife and son to safety. There’s also the possibility a threat bigger than Piccolo surfacing. His home was the safest place if they had to go into hiding but Goku knew of one place he considered safer than his home.

 “If Earth experiences anything like King Piccolo again, I want you and Gohan to go to Master Roshi’s place. It’s the safest place other than here.”

 ChiChi turned to Goku. She held Gohan protectively against her. “What about you?”

 Goku answered with a kiss to ChiChi’s lips. He placed a gentle hand on Gohan’s head. “I gotta protect you and Gohan. So, while I’m fighting, I want you and Gohan to go to Master Roshi’s. Wait for me there.”

 Gyu-Mao was impressed. “I didn’t know Goku had the foresight to prepare for a time like this. I don’t agree with Goku allowing Piccolo to take Gohan but maybe he had the right intentions in doing so.”

 “The right intentions? He let our four-year-old son be trained by a monster that tried to kill him years ago.” ChiChi shook her head in disagreement. “Goku better have a good explanation when he talks to me over what he did.”

 Gyu-Mao’s teacup suddenly shook on the kitchen table. The shaking spread all over the house. ChiChi grabbed the counter while Gyu-Mao remained seated until the shaking subsided.  

 “Was that an earthquake?” ChiChi asked once it was over. “I didn’t know this area had earthquakes.”

 Gyu-Mao rose from his seat grim. “I don’t think it was an earthquake. We better hurry over to Master Roshi’s.”

 “Wait….” ChiChi stopped her father at the door. “You don’t think that was an earthquake?”

 “Earthquakes aren’t known in these parts. We know these aliens are coming today. It could be them.” Gyu-Mao popped open his capsule revealing his car. “We’ll listen to the radio on the way over.”

 ChiChi sat worriedly as her father drove them to Master Roshi’s. The radio was on but nothing was mentioned of the tremble they felt. ChiChi began thinking it was a small earthquake and nothing more until they were ten minutes away from Master Roshi’s island when news suddenly broke into regular music programming.

 “A catastrophic earthquake has struck East City. Communications have been cut off leaving the safety of all residents in doubt. Military and police surrounding East City are on their way to investigate.”

 “East City?” ChiChi recalled her and Goku visiting that city when buying furniture for their home days before the wedding. They even brought Gohan there on a family outing at an amusement park. “That area is miles from here. Hundreds of miles.”

 “And we felt a slight tremble,” Gyu-Mao pressed down on the gas pedal. They needed to hurry to Master Roshi’s. “I don’t think that city is there anymore.”

 ChiChi clutched a hand over her heart. “The aliens. My baby will be fighting monsters that destroyed an entire city.”

 “Don’t worry, ChiChi. Gohan isn’t alone. Piccolo and Goku’s friends are there.”

 “And what about Goku?” The thought of her son fighting the aliens without his father angered her. “Why isn’t he there? What’s he doing?”

 Gyu-Mao wanted to know the answer to those questions, too. “We’ll find out more when we get to Master Roshi’s. We’re almost there.”

 ChiChi kept her ears tuned to the radio. Nothing new was reported when they reached Master Roshi’s island. While Gyu-Mao turned his car into a capsule, ChiChi was lost in horrible memories rushing to the forefront of her mind during her last visit. When Bulma came by to pick up the dragon balls Goku collected, that was the last she saw of her. Since then, no one came by. No one called. No one even sent a letter to see how she was coping in the year without her husband and son. It was very clear to ChiChi where she stood with Goku’s friends.

 Gyu-Mao entered the home first. He saw Master Roshi, Bulma, Oolong and Puar surrounding the television. “Master Roshi, have the aliens arrive yet?”

 Master Roshi turned to his former pupil. Gyu-Mao wasn’t happy his teacher kept the news of his son-in-law and grandson from his daughter, but over the year, his anger thawed. Master Roshi could feel the anger had waned from his pupil. His pupil’s daughter was another story. “The aliens left East City and are heading off to meet everyone. The fighting should begin soon.” Gyu-Mao’s massive frame filled the entire doorway. He couldn’t see ChiChi. “Did ChiChi really come with you?”

 ChiChi suddenly appeared from behind her father causing Master Roshi to have a mild heart attack. “Master Roshi,” ChiChi gripped the old man’s shoulders. “Where is Gohan? Have you heard from Goku yet?”

 Master Roshi shook his head. “Gohan’s still with Piccolo. Goku’s on his way but the others are with him.”

 “How do you know that?” ChiChi demanded to know.

 “With this.” Bulma held up Raditz’s scouter. “I can read all the strong power levels on Earth. The two aliens are heading to three strong Kis here. Three others are going to that same spot.”

 ChiChi stared at the device in Bulma’s hands. She noticed various numbers all over the screen. “Is one of them Goku’s?”

 “No,” Bulma didn’t hide her disappointment. “I know the Ki of our friends. Two new ones appeared less than an hour ago. It’s the aliens. Goku’s Ki is the biggest but it hasn’t appeared on this scouter yet.”

 “Are you saying Goku’s not on Earth?” ChiChi questioned. “You wished him back yesterday!”

 Bulma understood ChiChi’s frustration. She felt it, too. “I don’t get it either. When Master Roshi and Krillin came back to life, they were revived immediately.”

 “You had our bodies,” Master Roshi reminded Bulma. “Goku’s body was taken by Kami. Maybe there’s a delay because of that.”

 ChiChi turned away from them. She paced the room. “After all this time, Goku’s not on Earth and these aliens are here ready to hurt our son.”

 Gyu-Mao noticed the television. He saw a reporter standing in an empty field. “That’s East City? It’s completely gone.”

 “Those aliens did it,” Oolong chimed it. “They wiped the entire city off the map.”

 “Oolong!” Bulma scolded the pig and bopped him on his head. She looked at ChiChi; read the worried married woman’s face. If those aliens did that to East City, what will they do to her son?

 Bulma jumped back as ChiChi approached her. “Bulma, can you track the destination of the three Ki the Saiyans are going to?”

 “Uh…. yeah.”

 “Then let’s go!” ChiChi grabbed Bulma’s hand. She pulled a reluctant Bulma towards the door. “I’m not letting my baby fight those monsters alone!”

 “No, wait!” Bulma pleaded. “Let me go!”

 “ChiChi!” Gyu-Mao freed Bulma from ChiChi’s grasp. “It’s too dangerous!”

 “It’s too dangerous for a five-year-old but he’s out there without his father.”

 “These aliens are two powerful!” Master Roshi jumped in front of the door, blocking ChiChi. “You’d only get in the way.”

 Gyu-Mao grabbed ChiChi’s arms and pinned them behind her back. “Goku is on his way. You know he will never let anything happen to Gohan. Have faith he’ll get there.”

 “Hang on, everyone. It’s starting.” Bulma sat down with the scouter over her left eye. Everyone gathered around as Bulma read the various power readings popping on the scouter.

 Free from her father’s grasp, ChiChi wrung her hands as Bulma mentioned the rise in power levels while Master Roshi speculated on what could be going on. The higher the power readings Bulma read, the nervous ChiChi got. What was her five-year-old doing out there among beings that could destroy the planet? Gohan didn’t fight. Sure he had the strength but he didn’t have the skills.

 Unable to sit anymore, ChiChi paced. Goku, where are you? It’s been a day. Why aren’t you on Earth? Why aren’t you with Gohan?            

 Gyu-Mao remained positive for his daughter. “It’ll be okay, ChiChi. Gohan is Goku’s son. He’s strong like Goku. He’ll be fine.”

 “No, he won’t!” ChiChi argued. “Gohan’s five years old. He’s never been in a fight. How can you think a five year old is ready to fight monsters ready to kill everyone on this planet? Gohan may be part Saiyan and maybe they do force their young to fight early but Gohan’s also human and he’s not ready for this! ”

 “Oh, no!” Bulma gasped. “Someone just died. A Ki just vanished from the scouter.”

 “Gohan?” ChiChi grabbed Bulma’s shoulders. “Is it Gohan? Is Gohan dead?”

 “No.” Bulma pushed ChiChi away. Gyu-Mao pulled ChiChi back so Bulma could read the scouter correctly. “It’s not Gohan. It’s a bigger Ki.”

 “One of the Saiyans?” Oolong asked hopeful.

 “It’s one of our own.” Master Roshi’s eyes were hidden behind his dark shades but his voice was filled with anger and grief. “I didn’t think he would be the first to go.”

 Bulma noticed Master Roshi didn’t look at her. “Don’t tell me it’s Yamcha.” Master Roshi’s silence confirmed it. “No.” Bulma shook her head. “No, it can’t be Yamcha.”

 “It’ll be all right, Bulma.” Master Roshi spoke gently to her. “This is Yamcha’s first time dying. We can wish him back in a year.”

 “I know, but….” tears pooled down Bulma’s cheeks. “He’s still dead. I know we argue a lot but I care about him.” Master Roshi embraced Bulma as she cried on his shoulder. “I’m gonna miss him so much.”

 ChiChi quietly watched Bulma and Master Roshi mourn Yamcha’s passing. She looked across from her to see Puar had fainted and Oolong waving a fan over her. ChiChi put her hands together in prayer. Gohan, please hold on. Please don’t die. Goku, where are you?

 The numbers on the scouter beeped wildly again indicating the fighting resumed. Hope continued to die as two more power readings were erased. Two more people died. Bulma and Master Roshi assured ChiChi it wasn’t Gohan. ChiChi didn’t find comfort in their words. Given how quickly Goku’s friends were dying, ChiChi worried Gohan’s time was running out.

 My baby boy. My five year old son shouldn’t be out there. Goku, how could you think it was okay for Piccolo to take Gohan? How could you think he’s ready to fight aliens? He’s getting traumatized watching people die around him.

 “This is strange,” Bulma tapped the scouter. Something wasn’t right. “All the numbers have dropped. No one’s dying but it doesn’t seem anyone is fighting.”

 After two hours of no change, the speculation of what is happening continued.

 “They must be taking a break,” Master Roshi figured. “Maybe Piccolo convinced the aliens to stall the fighting until Goku arrives.”

 “Where the hell is Goku?” Bulma slammed her empty glass down. “All our friends are dying! We lost Yamcha, maybe Choazu again and I don’t know who the third one is.”

 “Yajirobe?” Oolong guessed. “Maybe Tien but he’s really strong. He couldn’t have died. He’s the next strongest besides Piccolo. Maybe Krillin died again.”

 Gyu-Mao entered with a tray of sandwiches and a pitcher of iced tea. He placed the tray on the table and refreshed everyone glasses. “The good news is the fighting has stopped. This break may give our friends time to come up with the strategy to defeat these aliens.” He encouraged everyone to eat. Oolong and Bulma reached for a sandwich. Gyu-Mao refilled ChiChi’s glass. “Here you go, ChiChi. Drink. Eat.”

 ChiChi dismissed her father. “I can’t eat or drink anything. I can’t do anything. I….” she sighed. “I need to be with my son.”

 In the nearly three hours since the ceasefire began, everyone found ways to kill time. Oolong and a depressed Puar watched the news coverage of the destruction of East City. Bulma called her parents. ChiChi sat alone, weeping sometimes but staying mostly quiet as she could only think of her family. More than once she thought to grab Bulma and call Nimbus to take her to Gohan. Seeing how her father and Master Roshi kept near the door, she knew they were expecting her to make a run for it.

 “He’s back!” Bulma screamed. “Goku’s back!”

 “Goku?” ChiChi rushed to Bulma’s side. “Are you sure?”

 “A large Ki just appeared. It’s equal to the Saiyans. It has to be Goku!” Everyone erupted in cheers. ChiChi hugged her father. Oolong and Puar danced. Master Roshi grabbed Bulma’s butt and was promptly slapped. Putting distance between herself and Master Roshi, Bulma focused on the numbers popping on the scouter. Bulma’s joy immediately evaporated as she noticed someone’s Ki falling rapidly. “Someone else is dying. It’s a big Ki. It could be Tien this time; maybe even Krillin. It…it’s gone.”

 “Who was it?” Oolong looked to Master Roshi for an answer. He detected Yamcha’s death but could only speculate on the last two.

 “It’s not Krillin.” Master Roshi was certain of that. “I’ve been around Yamcha and Krillin long enough to know their Ki. They were my students. This one is strong but I’m not familiar with it. It could be Yajirobe.”

 “You really think he’s there?” From what Bulma knew of him, he was a coward showing up at the end of a fight. He hid the entire time Goku fought Piccolo.

 “It has to be him. It’s not Piccolo who’s dead. Everyone knows he needs to stay alive so we can use the dragon balls to wish everyone back.” Since he wasn’t familiar with his Ki, it was very possible Piccolo was killed but since he needed to stay alive for the dragon balls, Master Roshi hoped that wasn’t true. “What’s going on now, Bulma?”

 “Goku’s finally there and he’s fighting.” Bulma read the numbers popping on the screen. “All right!” Bulma cheered. “One of the Saiyans died. Goku got one!”

 “Well,” Gyu-Mao relaxed besides a worried ChiChi, “looks like things are finally going our way. Goku’s back, he’ll defeat the other Saiyan just as easily and return with Gohan. Your family will be reunited very soon, ChiChi.”

 ChiChi wished she could be as relaxed as her father but couldn’t be until Goku and Gohan were in her arms again. “I hope so.”

 Bulma tapped the scouter over her eye. “Looks like Goku and the other Saiyan are leaving the other two. Wait.” Bulma studied the readings on the scouter. “They’re leaving, too.”

 Master Roshi rubbed his beard, speculating what this could mean. “If two are leaving the battle site, then they must be coming here. Goku must’ve sent them away to report to us what’s happened.”

 “No.” ChiChi put a hand over racing heart. “That’s not it.”

 Bulma wondered why ChiChi looked so worried. Goku was back. Everything was going to work out. Didn’t ChiChi have faith in her husband? “What else could it be?”

 “Goku always wanted Gohan to see him fight. Until last year when he allowed Piccolo to take our son, Goku always put Gohan’s safety over everything else. If Goku sent Gohan away, he’s doing it for his safety.”

 Master Roshi understood ChiChi’s worry. “This Saiyan is stronger than Goku expected.”

 Oolong cringed. “What if Goku dies again? The dragon balls can’t bring back people who’ve died twice.” Master Roshi smacked Oolong. “Ow! Why’d you do that?”

 Gyu-Mao wrapped an arm around ChiChi. “Goku won’t die again, ChiChi. He’s had a whole year to prepare. He’ll win.”

 Seeing Gyu-Mao comfort ChiChi, left Master Roshi feeling a twinge of guilt. He let ChiChi think Goku allowed Piccolo take Gohan when he was actually dead. Goku was probably very confused when he saw Gohan. Then again, if he’s like the Goku he knew, Goku’s chest was filled with pride seeing his five-year-old son on the battlefield.

 Still, the old martial arts master thought ChiChi should know the truth in case Goku did die again. “Listen, ChiChi…..” Rapidly rising numbers on Raditz’s scouter, diverted him from continuing. “What’s going on, Bulma? Did something happen?”

 Bulma couldn’t make sense of the rapidly increasing numbers. “I---I think it’s Goku but this power level is increasing too fast. 17,000…. 19,000…. 21,000….!!” Smoke rose from the scouter…..a few pops and sizzles and the scouter exploded. Screaming, Bulma closed her eyes protecting herself from any sparks flying debris. “How….” Bulma opened an eye. She noticed the glass shield of the scouter popped onto the floor. “How can this be?”

 Master Roshi picked up the glass shield and instantly dropped it. It was hot. “It overloaded. Goku’s power was too much for it.”

 ChiChi was on her feet beside him inspecting the glass. “We can’t keep up with the fight anymore.”

 “No.” Bulma picked up the scouter shield and removed the other piece over her ear. “I guess we just wait until the others come here.”

 Wait. She’s waited all day. This whole mess started just before noon. Now it was almost sunset. In that time, a whole city was destroyed. Four of their friends were killed. Her son could be among the dead. For a year, she was told to wait for her husband and son to return to her. For a year, she had to worry what was happening to her son.

 Wait, they told her. Wait for Goku and Gohan to return. Wait for the fighting to be over.

 “I’m done!” ChiChi had enough. “I’m taking Nimbus and I’m going to my family!”

 Gyu-Mao wasn’t close enough to grab ChiChi. “Stop her!” Oolong was the closest. He grabbed ChiChi’s left leg. ChiChi yanked Oolong off her leg and tossed him. The shape shifting pig went flying over the sofa. Master Roshi was next. He grabbed ChiChi’s waist with the full intent of grabbing her breasts. ChiChi broke his hold and kicked him sharply in his face. Gyu-Mao grabbed ChiChi from behind putting her in a full nelson hold. Her feet dangled off the floor. ChiChi deliberately swung her body, getting some momentum as she flipped in the air and behind her father to give a firm kick to his back. Gyu-Mao released his hold on ChiChi as he crumpled to the floor.

 No one to stop her, ChiChi dashed for the door.

 “Wait! We’ll go with you!”

 That was the only thing refraining ChiChi from leaving. She turned. “You will?”

 This is crazy. Really, really crazy. Bulma smiled kindly as she approached ChiChi. “If I were you, I’d want to be with my husband and son, too. We might as well go since we can’t use the scouter.”

 “Do you know where to go?” ChiChi asked. “Nimbus can easily take me there.”

 Bulma held up the broke scouter. “Just let me pinpoint the last location before this thing went dead and I’ll punch the coordinates in the ship.”

 “I see.” It was nice to have at least one of Goku’s friends on her side. “Thank you, Bulma.”

 “I’ll call you when I’m ready to go.” Bulma pulled a capsule from her pocket and tossed it on the beach. A large air ship appeared from the smoke.

 “Bulma!” Master Roshi joined Bulma as she stepped in the ship. “Are you crazy? We can’t take her with us. She needs to stay here.”

 “Oh, because you, Oolong and her Dad did so well restraining her.” Bulma rolled her eyes. “You have to be smart dealing with over emotional people like Goku’s wife.”

 “You would know,” Master Roshi murmured. “So, how to do you plan to stop her?”

 Bulma fingered the scouter. “I’ll stall for half an hour with false coordinates. After that….” Bulma shrugged.

 “False? But you said---“

 “This thing is broken. Even if I could find the last coordinates, it’ll take hours.”

 “Let’s stop by Master Korin’s Temple and pick up some senzu beans. That’ll buy us more time. He might be able to direct us to the real battle site.”

 Bulma gave Master Roshi’s a thumb’s up. “Now you got it. By time we get there, the fight should be over.”

 An hour ago

 Is that Gohan?

 It looked like his son but it didn’t feel like him. High above everyone, Goku watched Gohan unleash an enormous amount of Ki against the tall Saiyan. He deflected Gohan’s attack but Goku was shocked and impressed such power came from his little boy.

 How did he get so strong…. and was that a Masenko? That’s Piccolo’s move.

 Gohan dropped to his knees exhausted. He couldn’t move as the large Saiyan approached for a final attack. Goku jumped off Nimbus. “Nimbus! Go!”

 With lightning speed, Nimbus zipped down and scooped Gohan before Nappa could crush the child under his foot. He saved his son but everyone else……

 I’m too late. I didn’t make it back in time.

 Goku dropped from the sky. He felt the gazes of the two Saiyans on him. They weren’t his concern….for now. Goku’s eyes were on Piccolo’s still body as he walked by the stunned Nappa. He knew his casual dismissal was insulting but Goku didn’t care. He only cared about Piccolo. If Piccolo was dead, then no one can come back.

 “Piccolo.” Goku touched Piccolo’s neck. As he feared, no pulse.

 “He died trying to save me.”

 Gohan’s words stunned Goku. Piccolo saved Gohan? That Masenko….. Did Piccolo train Gohan? So many questions and no time for answers. There was a battle he needed to fight. Goku saw Yamcha and Tien’s dead bodies. Nappa bragged about a smaller one blowing up. So they got, Chaozu, too. Even if Piccolo hadn’t died, there was no way to bring him back.

 All of them worked together and died. Piccolo….I never imagined he would sacrifice himself for Gohan. No! It suddenly dawned on him. “Kami…” He was gone, too.

 Goku ignored the big Saiyan trying to swing at him and ordered Gohan to follow him. He’ll get some answers from Krillin and Gohan. Goku couldn’t take his eyes off Gohan. His little boy changed so much. After giving Krillin and Gohan senzu beans, Gohan confirmed his suspicions. Piccolo did train him.  

 How did Piccolo convince ChiChi to let him train Gohan? Did ChiChi change her feelings when she learned Piccolo joined me to stop Raditz? I doubt ChiChi knows everything Piccolo and Gohan did. Maybe I’ll take Gohan fishing after this so he’ll tell me.

 Goku turned to his opponents. The tall one, Nappa, killed everyone. The short one, Vegeta, hadn’t stepped in to fight yet. Goku knew he will have to be on his toes with that one when they battle. Still, Goku was confident he will be the victor. With King Kai’s training, Goku felt almost invincible.

 He had to be invincible. He had to be perfect. He owed it to his friends. They all died buying him more time to get to Earth. Without their sacrifice, the world would be in ruins now. For his friends, he couldn’t show mercy to these Saiyans. For them, he had to kill these Saiyans.

 An hour later

 “I can’t believe I listened to you, Goku! What about you saying you wouldn’t show them mercy? You were so angry at the beginning of the fight! What happened?!” Krillin turned away frustrated with Goku and himself. “I shouldn’t have let Vegeta go!”

 Goku understood Krillin’s anger. His actions now were very different from the beginning of the fight. Then, he was filled with rage. He wanted to kill Nappa and Vegeta. He told Nappa he wouldn’t show mercy but during both fights something changed. He taunted Nappa, loved the frustration from the Saiyan as he dodged each of his blows but when it came time to kill Nappa, he showed mercy. Nappa was going to kill his son and Krillin. Goku had every right to kill Nappa in that moment but instead of killing him, he only wounded him enough so that he couldn’t fight anymore. He even told Vegeta to take Nappa and go.

 Why did I show mercy when they are responsible for everyone’s deaths?

 It didn’t matter in the end since Vegeta killed Nappa. He should’ve died at his hands but Goku couldn’t do it.

 I lost my killer instinct. They killed my friends and I showed mercy.

 It was worse with Vegeta. Vegeta exceeded Goku’s expectations. Not even two times Kaio Ken was enough to stop Vegeta. He pushed his body to the brink and even then needed Gohan, Krillin and Yajirobe’s aide to stop him. Vegeta was a menace who would not stay down. Last time, Goku was outmatched, it was during his first fight with King Piccolo. Then, he got frustrated like Nappa. He lost his cool and when he realized, he couldn’t defeat King Piccolo, he felt fear for the first time in his life. With Vegeta, he didn’t lose his cool, he didn’t feel fear. He was excited. Pushed to think faster, fight stronger and smarter against Vegeta, he felt excitement.

 Picture it, Kakarrot! Picture the carnage! Feel your Saiyan blood stir!!

 Raditz told him that when he tried to tempt Goku to join him in space. He wanted him to kill all life; thought by creating images of death by his hands would stir his Saiyan blood.

 It did the opposite for Goku. It repulsed him but fighting Nappa and Vegeta, stirred something in him he now found troubling.

 Fighting against these Saiyans; fighting against my own sparked something in MY Saiyan blood. It was exciting. It was thrilling. I loved it. This feeling….is this what Raditz meant about stirring the Saiyan blood? Is this what Raditz and all Saiyans feel?

ChiChi was going out of her mind. It’s been nearly an hour since they left Master Roshi’s island. Bulma assured her they were going the right way but suddenly decided they should fly to Master Korin’s Tower and pick up senzu beans. Korin didn’t have any beans left but offered to show them where Goku and the Saiyan Vegeta were fighting.

 Korin acknowledge her with a kind smile when he came on board. He was kind to her now as he was when she visited his home a few months ago.

 Korin’s Tower was so high above ground she couldn’t see the top. It was hard to believe a tower built so high it could reach the clouds.

 “I wonder if I can do this.”

 “Of course you can.” Upa’s confidence in ChiChi was very high. “You’re Goku’s wife. If he can do it, if his friends can do it, you can, too.”

 ChiChi appreciated the young man’s confidence. Goku told her of Upa and his father. When she introduced herself to them, father and son invited her to stay the night and start her journey up Korin’s Tower in the morning. With a pouch of food and water for nourishment, ChiChi leapt on the tower.

 It took ChiChi a full day before she reached the bottom of Korin’s Tower. She dozed off a few times but never fell off. ChiChi leapt to grab one of the round entrances and pulled herself in. Goku told her no one stayed on the lower level so ChiChi climbed up the staircase.

 “Hello? Master Korin?”

 “Up here.”

 ChiChi climbed the stairs faster. When she reached the top, Korin stood alone as if expecting her. ChiChi bowed before him. “Hello, Master Korin. I’m Son ChiChi, Son---“

 “I know who you are,” Korin cut her off. “You’re Goku’s wife.” The white cat looked ChiChi over. “Pretty and one with better manners than Goku. My appearance doesn’t surprise you?”

 “Goku told me about you.”

 Korin smirked. “I get the feeling he tells you a lot. I know Goku is dead but why are you here?”

 “I wanna get stronger. Goku told me climbing this tower was part of his training. I know it’s only tap water but I wanna get your flask. It may take me more than three days but I wanna try.”

 “Ya wastin’ our time!” the crass voice of Yajirobe entered the room before he did.

 “Anyone who climbs my tower is free to challenge me for the flask.” Korin reminded his guest who wouldn’t leave.

 Yajirobe snorted. “She ain’t gettin’ stronger. Tell her to go home an’ stay there. Ya only gettin’ in the way.” Yajirobe looked ChiChi over. “Why ya wanna get stronger anyway? Ya ain’t tryin’ to fight them Saiyans are ya?”

 “It’s not your business.” He was rude like Goku’s other friends. “Why are you here? This isn’t your home.”

 “Ya a long way from yours! Tch.” Yajirobe scratched his butt. “Just go home. Ya ain’t strong enough to fight these Saiyans. Ya only gonna get in the way.”

 “If she wants to get stronger,” Korin said, “there’s nothing wrong with that. Earth can use every fighter available.”

 “Maybe but she ain’t a fighter. She’s Goku’s wife.” Yajirobe shooed ChiChi away with his hand. “Go home and wait like a woman who knows her place should.”

 Yajirobe’s rudeness was frustrating. “I was among the top eight fighters at the last tournament!” How dare he speak to her this way? “Where did you place?”

 “It don’t matter.” Yajirobe ignored the question. “Kami wanted me to come to his temple for more trainin’. He didn’t ask for ya, which means Kami doesn’t think ya strong enough to fight these Saiyans.”

 “Do you wanna challenge me?” ChiChi questioned.

 “Ya got a mouth on ya. Goku ain’t bein’ a good husband not stiflin’ it. I’m his friend. I saved his life. You should treat me with respect.”            

 “Respect?” ChiChi balked at his words. She was Goku’s wife. Where was his respect for her? “You’re not being a good friend speaking so ill of his wife.”

 “Ya don’t deserve it!” Yajirobe yelled back. “The Goku I know wouldn’t have died! What ya do ta him?! How come he was so weak he couldn’t defeat one person?!” The stunning slap from ChiChi reverberated from Yajirobe’s head to his toes and spun his body so fast he lost his balance.

 Yajirobe wiped the blood off his lips as he rose. If ChiChi’s eyes could morph, her pupils would be filled with fire. “You may be Goku’s wife but I don’t tolerate any woman hittin’ me.” Yajirobe threw a fist at ChiChi. ChiChi dodged and threw a punch of her own to which Yajirobe blocked. A flurry of fists and kicks were thrown by Yajirobe and ChiChi. Yajirobe had to bite his words. ChiChi wasn’t strong enough to fight the Saiyans but she was stronger than he ever thought to give her credit for.

 Yajirobe grabbed his sword. He wouldn’t kill her as he did Cymbal but he thought if he cut her, she would pull back. Yajirobe grinned. Right across her breasts would be perfect. It would embarrass her enough so she’d pull back but give him a peak at what’s underneath. It was a win either way for him.

 He unsheathed his sword with perfect precession. Instead of his sharp blade slicing the cloth over ChiChi’s breasts, it slapped the hard rod of Goku’s power pole.

 His sword was blocked?

 Before Yajirobe plotted his next move, a sharp foot stabbed him between his legs. “Damn,” he cursed crumpling to the ground. He barely took in a breath before a hand grabbed him. His eyes saw the fury in ChiChi’s before he was spun and tossed off the tower!

 “Yooouuuu bi……..” Yajirobe’s words were drowned out as he dropped down to the ground below.

 Korin strolled to the balustrade. He couldn’t see Yajirobe but he knew he didn’t die. He’ll have a huge bump and he’ll be in a foul mood though. “He’s not gonna be happy when he gets up here.”

 “How long will that be?”

 Korin chuckled. “Probably not until you leave.” He waved his stick, shaking his flask. “Let’s see how strong you can get.”

 “A little more to the left,” Korin directed Bulma. They were closer to Goku and Vegeta’s battle site. From the lowered Ki Korin felt, he suggested the battle was near its end.

 “Are you sure Gohan’s safe?” ChiChi asked him.

 Korin grunted, “Probably.”

 “Probably?” She couldn’t handle probably. She needed to know. ChiChi shook Korin. “Probably?! That’s not good enough! I need to know!”

Master Roshi rolled his eyes. The gall of this woman shaking a highly respected Master as Korin. Did she treat Goku like this he wondered? If Goku dealt with this over the years….. “I told you we should’ve left her behind.”

 Eventually Korin broke free from ChiChi’s grasps. He rubbed his neck. “I think someone left the battlefield. There’s one less Ki.”

 “Did someone die?” Bulma asked.

 “No,” Korin shook his head. “It didn’t feel like that.”

 “I see them!” From her view Bulma could see Goku’s broken body lying on the ground. “It’s Goku!”

 ChiChi leapt from her seat to see Goku. Goku’s body looked crushed. He was badly beaten but alive. Where was Gohan? She couldn’t find him? Were the others wrong? Was he killed?

 There! She spotted him unconscious and naked in Krillin’s arms. Her poor five-year-old son. What happened to her baby?!  

 Why, Goku? Why did you think Gohan should fight? Why did you let our baby be in Piccolo’s care for a year? Look at what your decision did to our son! I won’t forgive you for this.

 Bulma brought the ship down for a landing. As soon as the door open, ChiChi knocked Master Roshi out of the way. Running, she saw Goku. He was hurt, maybe paralyzed but alive. Her son wasn’t moving at all. He needed her. Not his father.

 “Gohan!” ChiChi screamed. After a year of waiting, worrying and crying, her son was in arm’s reach. She leapt over Goku, her focused was only on Gohan in Krillin’s arms. “Gohan!” ChiChi snatched her son out of Krillin’s arms. Her yelling didn’t wake her son. Was he dead? No. He can’t be dead. ChiChi laid Gohan on the ground. She tapped his face. “Wake up. Wake up, baby. Mommy’s here.” No response. He wasn’t opening his eyes. His body was warm. His heart was beating. He was alive but he wasn’t responding to her. “What did they do to you?”

 Krillin shook his head at ChiChi. He pointed to Goku feeling ChiChi should focus her worry over her husband’s condition. “Gohan’s fine. It’s Goku….”

 “I shouldn’t have let you with him,” ChiChi wailed as she cuddled her son to her. “I won’t do it again.”

 Krillin turned away. He heard enough. Some wife. He joined Master Roshi and Bulma who crowd around Goku.

 “The Saiyan….got away….” Goku told Master Roshi and Bulma. “Sorry.”

 Liar. It wasn’t the first time Goku lied to them. He lied about not knowing Piccolo before the martial arts tournament started. This lie was hurtful. The Saiyan didn’t get away. Goku wanted him to get away. They had a chance to kill Vegeta but Goku wanted him to escape all because Goku liked fighting with him. He enjoyed it.

 Dammit, Goku. Is enjoying yourself in a fight more important than avenging our friends. Krillin thought Goku as his best friend. He thought he knew Goku but with his silence during the five years of his marriage, this decision to spare Vegeta, Krillin felt his friend changing into someone he didn’t know.

 More confusion followed at the bittersweet reunion. Bulma had a breakdown when she learned Piccolo died which meant Yamcha wasn’t coming back. Yajirobe was bitter Master Roshi speculated he died instead of Piccolo. It was possible Kami, Piccolo, Yamcha, Tien and Chaozu weren’t coming back but with Vegeta mentioning the planet Namek, Krillin saw a sliver of hope everyone will return.

 Master Roshi and Yajirobe placed Goku on a makeshift stretcher. ChiChi had went ahead of them back to the ship. They all assumed she was seated but both were surprised to see ChiChi standing as if waiting for Goku. She quietly held Gohan but kept her eyes on Goku as he was brought on board. ChiChi never said anything but her eyes met with Goku’s as he was secured to the ship’s floor. Goku smiled at her. “Hmph,” ChiChi murmured. She turned her back on him and sat in the seats in front of him.

 Is ChiChi mad at me? What did I do?  

Master Roshi flew the ship to pick up Tien, Yamcha and Piccolo’s bodies since Bulma was consumed with grief over thinking Yamcha couldn’t be wished back. Yajirobe sat on the floor with Goku. Goku didn’t mind the company but he rather have his wife and son next to him. He hadn’t seen them in a year.

 ChiChi

 ChiChi turned her head slightly. She could’ve sworn she heard Goku speak to her in her mind.

 It’s me, ChiChi. It hurts too much to speak so I’m talking to you through my mind. Don’t respond back since I only want us to know I’m speaking to you.  

 ChiChi answered with silence.  

 I don’t know why you’re mad at me but it’s nice to see you, ChiChi. I thought about you and Gohan a lot. That’s all I wanted to say.

 Having that off his chest, Goku tried to relax. Pain was felt all over his body. Every bump or slight turbulence hurt him. The makeshift pillow was coming loose and he felt the blanket sliding off him.

More bumps and shaking followed before the ship suddenly stopped.

 “What happened?” Goku asked Yajirobe.

 “We’ve landed.” Yajirobe stood. “We gotta collect the others.”

 “Bulma, did you bring those capsules?” asked Master Roshi.

 Goku could hear Bulma sniffing. “Yeah. I got them. I wish we didn’t have to use them.” Goku heard fading voices of Bulma, Krillin, Korin, Master Roshi and Yajirobe leave the ship.

 Only Goku, ChiChi and Gohan remained on the ship. Goku thought to talk to ChiChi. Maybe he’ll learn why she’s mad at him. “Chi—“ He turned his head to see ChiChi had come around from her seat.

 ChiChi dropped to her knees before him. Goku eyed ChiChi adjusting his pillow. She fixed his blanket to cover his feet and tucked it in a few places so it wouldn’t slide off him during the rest of the flight. It would put a strain on his voice but Goku tried to talk to ChiChi. “Chi—“ he was silenced with ChiChi’s lips on his. He didn’t hesitate. He kissed back missing ChiChi’s lips for nearly a year. He let ChiChi take control of the kiss. He opened his mouth to hers as she explored him, taste his dried blood on his cut lips; feel her delicate fingers caress his hair. She smelled so good and tasted so wonderful.

 Goku was slightly out of breath when ChiChi pulled back. Maybe he was wrong about ChiChi being upset with him. He thought he was wrong until he saw ChiChi’s eyes. “I missed you, too, but Goku, I’m so angry with you right now! You selfish fool! I can’t forgive you for what you did!”

“Huh?” Why was she angry? What did he do? ChiChi didn’t know about him letting Vegeta getting away. “For saving the world?”

 He was joking but seeing the ire on her face Goku knew he made a big mistake. ChiChi was furious. “Ow!” he grunted when ChiChi smacked his face.

 “It’s not a joke what you did! Why do you and your friends think this is a joke?! This isn’t funny! This is our son’s life! This is our family!”

 ChiChi’s anger at him involved Gohan. That didn’t help Goku solve this mystery. “Could you---“ ChiChi rose in a huff and returned to her seat. Footsteps shuffled on the ship as Goku heard the others return. Whatever ChiChi’s problem at him was had to wait.

 In the air again, Gohan finally woke up and Krillin mentioned a way to bring their friends back by finding the planet Namek, Kami’s home world. This led Goku to contact King Kai and the group developing a plan to visit Namek and use their dragon balls to bring Kami, Piccolo, Tien, Chaozu and Yamcha to life.

 Now there was a solution to bringing their friends back, Goku focused on his family. There were so many questions he had and the answers lied in his wife and son.

ChiChi sat alone in the waiting room of the hospital. It was after midnight and Goku was still in surgery. Krillin and Gohan were examined by doctors, bandaged and were resting in their rooms. While she waited for Goku to come out of surgery, her father stayed with Gohan so he wouldn’t be alone in his room. Master Roshi, Bulma and Master Korin left an hour ago. Before they left, they spoke with Krillin in his room to get more details on what happened at the conclusion of Goku’s fight with Vegeta. As she saw them leaving, she noticed Master Roshi and Bulma appeared visibly upset mumbling, ‘How could Goku do that? What was he thinking? Our friends deserve better.’

 Only Master Korin approached to let ChiChi know they will return tomorrow but he didn’t share what was discussed in Krillin’s room. She was being shut out again but at the moment, ChiChi didn’t care. Her only focus was on Goku and waiting for him to come out of surgery.

 Master Roshi and Bulma were probably still upset with her for what happened earlier. ChiChi delayed treatment for Goku because she wanted Dr. Barkley to be in the room with him. They hadn’t spoken since Dr. Barkley came to her house months ago. To her relief, Dr. Barkley promised to come. Unfortunately, she lived two hours outside West City. The wait infuriated Bulma who was the most passionate arguing with ChiChi to let the doctors care for Goku. ChiChi understood Bulma’s reasons but she had her own. She knew how Goku felt about doctors and strangers touching him. She remembered how things were during her pregnancy. Goku was comfortable around Dr. Barkley. She also was the only doctor who understood his alien physiology.

 Master Roshi and Bulma saw ChiChi’s actions as her way of lashing out at Goku for Gohan fighting. They thought ChiChi was punishing Goku by delaying treatment. It wasn’t that way and her actions were justified when she, Goku and Dr. Barkley were in Goku’s room after an initial examination of his injuries.

 Goku laid flat on his hospital bed with ChiChi by his side. In the room were Dr. Barkley and Dr. Mansfield, a doctor from Wukong Hospital. Alone in his room, Goku heard his friends arguing with ChiChi over delaying his treatment but ChiChi understood him. She knew he didn’t like physical examinations or different hands on him. He was comfortable with Dr. Barkley and knew with her in the room, she would make this as painless and comfortable as possible.

 Dr. Mansfield stood with Dr. Barkley as he gave Goku and ChiChi a breakdown of Goku’s injuries. “Judging by the x-rays, Goku, nearly every bone in your body is broken. Your spine has been twisted but not broken. Paralysis isn’t permanent but I can’t guarantee you will walk again until I see how your body accepts the metal rods.”

 “Metal rods?” Goku repeated. “What does my body have to accept that?”

 “Goku,” Dr. Barkley spoke in a gentler tone, “Dr. Mansfield wants to insert metal rods in your legs to help you walk. As part of your recovery, you will need screws and pins in your back, hips, legs and arms. It’ll help the bones heal faster and stay in proper alignment.”

 “I don’t know what type of martial arts you were engaging in,” Dr. Mansfield like everyone was unaware of the truth over Goku’s fight, “but given the state of your injuries, you’ll never perform martial arts again. My team is waiting to start surgery immediately.”

 “Surgery?” Goku looked at ChiChi. “What will he do?”

 ChiChi grasp Goku’s hand. “Dr. Mansfield want to cut you open and insert the metal rods, pins and screws in your body.”

 “Will they take them out once I’m healed?”

 ChiChi shook her head. “No. It will stay in your body forever.”

 “NO!” Goku protested. He shook his head. “No surgery! The senzu beans will heal me. We just have to wait until Korin grows more.”

 Dr. Mansfield refrained from rolling his eyes. Senzu beans sounded like alternative medicine which he wasn’t fond of his patients using. “I don’t know what senzu beans are but alternative medicine won’t work here. You need these medical implants.”

 “No, no, no!” Goku shook his head violently. “ChiChi, don’t let him do this to me. I don’t want this.” Goku tried to get up but only screamed in pain.

 ChiChi put a hand on Goku’s chest. “Shh. Calm down.”

 “No surgery, ChiChi,” Goku begged. “The senzu beans will heal me. I know it.”

 Dr. Barkley came to Goku’s other side. “Goku,” she turned his face to her. “Are you sure about this? You can’t move your body. Can a senzu bean really heal you?”

 “It can.” He turned his head to ChiChi. “ChiChi, tell her. I used them at the tournament. Remember how I couldn’t move and I ate a senzu bean.”

 ChiChi remembered. She also ate one after her time with Korin. She knew how effective the beans were.  “He’s right,” she told Dr. Barkley. “We’ll wait for the senzu beans to grow. Can’t you bandage Goku and put him in a cast or something until then?”

 Dr. Barkley agreed to ChiChi’s suggestion but Dr. Mansfield needed more convincing. He was very vocal on Goku needing medical rods, screws and pins.  However, as the doctor, he had to do what the patient wanted even if he thought it wasn’t the wisest decision.

 “ChiChi?”

 ChiChi turned as she rose. Dr. Barkley entered the waiting room looking exhausted but pleased. That gave ChiChi hope her decision was the right one. “How is Goku? Can I see him?”

 “Goku’s being transferred to Gohan’s room. He was in a lot pain when we bandaged and cleaned his wounds. We placed him in a special recuperating bed. Since Goku didn’t have rods or pins placed in him, this is the most naturally device we can put him in to help his bones heal properly until you give him senzu beans. Goku will have to be confine in it all day.”

 ChiChi already knew that will be a problem. Goku hated feeling confine. As soon as he feels the tiniest bit better, he will escape.

 “We had to give him a high dose of morphine to ease the pain.” Dr. Barkley rubbed the back of her neck. She was tired. “I’m surprised it had any effect but given Goku’s weakened state, his body is vulnerable. I hope those senzu beans do heal him. Goku has a long recovery if it doesn’t. His body may never be the same again.”

 “What is his recovery if the senzu beans don’t work?”

 “Um,” Dr. Barkley thought for a moment, “given his physiology, it will take four months before his body heals. With therapy, he could walk in six months. But,” she added, “Goku’s physiology is different from humans. We really just have to wait and see at this point.”

 “Thank you.” ChiChi appreciated Dr. Barkley’s help and advice. “I owe you for coming even after I haven’t spoken to you in months. I thank you for keeping Goku and Gohan’s secret.”

 Dr. Barkley thought it was she who owed ChiChi after keeping secrets from her and Goku. “Just tell me this. Is what happened in East City today tied to the aliens your father told me were coming last year?” Dr. Barkley asked. “News have no idea what happened. They found two round pods. One flew away but the government confiscated the other one. It’s being studied. I didn’t think it was connected to what your father told me until you called.”

 Since Dr. Barkley knew everything else, ChiChi didn’t see any reason to lie now. “Yes.”

 “Well,” Dr. Barkley sighed, hoping ChiChi wouldn’t confirm that, “at least the threat is over but there were people I knew in that city. So horrible they died that way.”

 ChiChi didn’t have the heart to tell her one of the aliens escaped and it was possible, the threat wasn’t over.

 After speaking a few more moments, ChiChi left Dr. Barkley with a promise to talk to the woman again in the future. When she entered Goku and Gohan’s room, she noticed her husband and son were asleep and her father in a chair besides Gohan’s bed. ChiChi went to Goku’s side. She caressed his sleeping face.

 “They just brought him in a few minutes ago. He looks exhausted.”

 “He needs rest.” ChiChi turned away from him to Gohan. He had bandages wrapped around his forehead and arms. He slept soundly, too. ChiChi caressed his black spiky locks. Her eyes watered. Her husband and son were finally home.

 “So, do you,” Gyu-Mao picked up his chair and placed it between Goku and Gohan’s beds. “Come on. Lay down.”

 “Dad…..”

 “I talked to the nurses. You can stay the night.” He pulled a side lever on the chair. It converted to a recliner chair. “One of the nurses got this fancy chair from one of the doctor’s office. We’ll have to return it in the morning but I can bring another chair and few items for you when I come back tomorrow.”

 ChiChi hugged her father. “Thank you, Dad.”

 Gyu-Mao picked up ChiChi and placed her in the chair. He covered her with a blanket. “It’s been a long day for you, ChiChi. I want you to rest.” He placed a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

 Gyu-Mao quietly closed the door as he left. For several minutes, ChiChi sat in the recliner, recounting the events of the day. Physically, she was fine but mentally, ChiChi was exhausted. To her right, Gohan slept soundly. He was physically fine and only needed three days in the hospital. Mentally, she knew her child will never be the same. To her left, Goku slept. He was in horrible shape. He was covered from head to toe in bandages in a weird bed with IVs dripping in him. His was confined to that bed and probably won’t be able to move until the senzu beans are ready.

 It will be long recovery for her family but ChiChi was happy. Goku was alive again and her son was home. Tonight she will sleep with a smile. After nearly a year, her family was back together.

ChiChi was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. The morning started off wonderfully for the first time in eleven months. Goku and Gohan were with her. ChiChi thought the family of three would spend the morning catching up before visitors but not long after all three were awake, Krillin entered the room.

 Knowing he was a close friend of Goku’s and missed Goku, too, ChiChi bit her tongue. She thought Krillin would visit for a few minutes before understanding her family needed time alone but he stayed all morning to talk about his training in the past year on Kami’s Temple with Tien, Chaozu, Yamcha and Yajirobe. Later, he grabbed the remote and began watching TV. Two hours after Krillin arrived, Master Roshi, Master Korin and Yajirobe dropped in. More laughs and stories were shared while ChiChi grew increasingly frustrated.

 Her father arrived just after noon with a change of clothes, toiletries and capsules for ChiChi. He was the only one to detect his daughter’s frustration at the guests who wouldn’t leave. Bulma arrived not long after her father but quickly left with Mr. Popo to find the ship Kami travelled to Earth in since Nappa’s spaceship blew up on TV by the remote she had.

 Bulma returned a couple hours later with great news that Kami’s ship will get them to Namek. It would be a two month round trip but Bulma wasn’t going alone. Krillin agreed to go and to everyone’s surprise, Gohan volunteered to go.

 ChiChi was vehemently against it. Children didn’t go into space. It wasn’t safe. On top of that, she was reunited with her five-year-old son after a year apart yesterday. She hadn’t a chance to spend even an hour alone with him without Goku’s friends arriving and interrupting her family time. Gohan’s desire to go was fueled by bringing Piccolo back and that snapped whatever patience ChiChi had left. She was boiling. Bring back Piccolo? What did that demon do to her son to earn such loyalty that he would want to wish him back? This was the same monster that tried to kill his father years ago. ChiChi yelled, louder than she ever had at Gohan before. She wouldn’t allow her son to go to a planet with who knows what threat was out there. She would not be apart from her son anymore. Her son was always obedient. He always listened. If she yelled loud enough, Gohan will obey.

 To the surprise of everyone, Gohan raised his voice at her to be quiet. ChiChi and everyone were in stunned silence. Even Goku.

 Goku remained silent during the exchange between his wife and son. When Gohan mentioned going to Namek, Goku didn’t want Gohan to go. He didn’t want to part from his son for two months after being away for a year. When Gohan mentioned his desire to go was for Piccolo, Goku understood. He didn’t know all that has happened in the past year but he knew Piccolo trained Gohan. ChiChi knew about that since she obviously approved it but ChiChi didn’t know Piccolo gave his life for Gohan.

 ChiChi started yelling. Her outburst over Gohan not going to Namek was surprising to him. ChiChi raised her voice at Gohan a few times but never like this. When she screamed like this, it was always directed at him. She could be loud but Goku learned ChiChi was all bark and no bite. He knew if he raised his voice or didn’t back down, ChiChi would give in. Gohan obviously figured that out, too, when he raised his voice to his mother.

 Goku was proud of how strong Gohan had gotten over the year but ChiChi’s deflation at Gohan yelling at her bothered Goku. Maybe he should’ve intervened. At the very least, he should’ve had everyone leave while he, Gohan and Gyu-Mao talk to ChiChi in accepting Gohan’s decision to go to Namek.

 Bulma promised ChiChi she and Krillin will keep an eye on Gohan but it wasn’t enough. ChiChi looked so hurt. Goku noticed Yajirobe staring at ChiChi grinning smugly. Goku didn’t find this funny at all. Why did Yajirobe?

 ChiChi announced. “I need to get some air.” Goku kept his eyes on ChiChi as she left. ChiChi didn’t look at him but Goku saw a tear roll down her cheek.

 “Good riddance,” Yajirobe rumbled. “Maybe now we can get some peace.” He whispered to Goku so Gyu-Mao didn’t hear. “That woman has too much mouth. Just say the word and I’ll give her a good smack for you.”

 That was the second time Yajirobe offered to hit ChiChi. He ignored it yesterday in the airship. Today, he was irritated. There was a sudden prickling feeling inside that awakened. He felt a sliver of this emotion on King Kai’s planet when King Kai read Goku’s mind while he thought of an intimate moment between him and ChiChi.

 “Yajirobe,” his voice was devoid of it’s usually innocence, “you can go now.”

 “What for?” Yajirobe complained. “I ain’t causin’ trouble. That’s your wife. She’s not a nice person. She was rude to me a few months ago.”

 There it was again. That irritating feeling. It pulsed in his blood. “You can help Korin with the senzu beans. Go. I insist.”

 “They won’t be ready for another month.” Yajirobe crossed his arms indicating he was staying put. “Besides, I wanna try the hospital food. I earned it after fighting Vegeta.”

 Gyu-Mao was the only to notice the tension in Goku’s voice. “My son-in-law has been through a lot. He’s fighting it but I can tell he’s tired and needs some rest.” To the others he said, “Your entertainment since morning has been great for Goku and Gohan but we should let him rest for the remainder of the day.”

 “Sure,” Master Roshi caught on that he and everyone were being excused. “We can visit you tomorrow.”

 “You can hang in my room,” Krillin offered. He grabbed a reluctant Yajirobe and dragged him out. Korin and Master Roshi followed after him.

 “I gotta get back home anyway,” Bulma said. “There’s a lot to do before we leave for Namek.”

 Only Gyu-Mao, Gohan and Goku remained in the room. Gyu-Mao went to Gohan’s bed and picked him up. “Come on, Gohan. Let’s leave your Daddy to rest. We still have catching up to do.” Gyu-Mao carried Gohan to the door. “Goku, I want you to talk to ChiChi when she comes back.”

 With everyone gone, they could have that talk he wanted to have since yesterday. He was still very confused. “Gyu-Mao, I don’t understand why ChiChi is mad at me. What did I do?”

 Gyu-Mao pitied his son-in-law. Maybe Goku had the best intentions letting Piccolo train Gohan. Maybe Goku saw Gohan was needed in the fight against the Saiyans. However, Gyu-Mao couldn’t grasp how Goku didn’t understand how upset his daughter would be with him for his decision a year ago. He was a little annoyed himself. His daughter was left alone because of Goku’s actions. She suffered so much and Goku didn’t grasp that.

 “It’s not my place to say but, Goku, you need to have a talk with ChiChi.”

 Gyu-Mao wanted so much to tell Goku but couldn’t. Other than that dreadful first fight and the time after Gohan’s birth, Gyu-Mao never got involved in Goku and ChiChi’s issues. While they needed guidance in the first year of their marriage, in the months after Gohan’s birth, both matured and whatever squabbles did surface, Gyu-Mao felt Goku and ChiChi could work it out together.

 “Are you….” Goku hesitated, “are you upset with me?”

 Gyu-Mao stood at the door holding Gohan who stared at him curious about the answer, too. “There is something you did I don’t agree with but you had the foresight to see what I couldn’t and for that, I can’t be angry with you.”

 He spoke in riddles. Goku didn’t understand. “What did I do that you don’t agree with?”

 “Talk to ChiChi, Goku. I want to spend time with my grandson.”

 ChiChi hoped it wasn’t obvious she’s been crying. A nurse caught her crying in the hallway alone. She escorted ChiChi to an empty room where she got ChiChi some water and lent a kind ear. ChiChi didn’t confide her business to the kind nurse but voiced frustration at her husband’s friends and how she can’t find anytime alone with her family. After a few kind words of support from the nurse, ChiChi returned to Goku’s room and braced herself for more hours of Goku’s friend talking and occupying time with her family.

 To her surprise, the room was empty except for Goku. They left? All of them? “Where’s Gohan?”

 “With your Dad. He wanted to spend time with Gohan alone.”

 A little smile turned up her face. Now she knew why the room was empty. “I see.”

 Goku knew he needed to use this time alone to talk to his wife. Other than the moment on the airship, ChiChi only spoke to Goku when needed to. When he woke up this morning, ChiChi’s attention were on Gohan. He thought at one point ChiChi would address him but Krillin entered the room and for the next hours he was entertained by his friends. He hadn’t noticed but he wondered if ChiChi was upset about that.

 “I missed you, too, but Goku, I’m so angry with you right now. You selfish fool! I can’t forgive you for what you did!”

 ChiChi was still angry with him and Goku didn’t understand why. There were many questions he wanted to ask but there was one question he wanted an answer to more than anything.

 “Why are you so mad at me?”

 “I don’t wanna have this talk now, Goku. Maybe later when you’re home…..”

 “No!” Goku disagreed. “I wanna have this talk now. What did I do that made you so angry? I’m the one who died and got my body broken again. I’m the one who should be angry. Not you.”

 Not her? She wasn’t allowed to be angry after what he did? Fine! If he didn’t want to wait, she’ll let him know. “I shouldn’t be angry after what you did! You know exactly why I’m angry! You’re so selfish you won’t even apologize!”

 “Apologize for what? Tell me!”

 “Apologize for everything! This is all you fault!” ChiChi screamed. “My baby yelled at me because of you! My baby was fighting monsters that could destroy this planet because of you! My baby was taken from me for a whole year because of you!”

 The more ChiChi yelled the more confused Goku got. “How’s all that my fault?”

 ChiChi saw red. How dare he? How dare he play innocent? It won’t work this time! “Because you allowed Gohan to be trained by Piccolo! My baby should’ve been with me but he was with that monster and now Gohan’s grown attached to him. He wants to bring him back to life!”

 Well, now he knew why ChiChi was angry but it didn’t explain why she blamed him. “Why do you think I allowed Gohan to be trained by Piccolo? I was dead.”

 “You gave Piccolo approval to train Gohan before you died! Don’t even think you can talk your way out of this. I know the truth!”

 Obviously she didn’t because he didn’t approve this at all. “ChiChi, when I died, I thought Gohan was taken home to you. I didn’t know Piccolo trained Gohan until yesterday. I thought you let Piccolo train him. Gohan definitely had the potential but I didn’t think he was ready for a fight like yesterday but if you thought he was….” he would shrug his shoulders if he could, “then I trust your decision. You always did what was best for us even when I didn’t understand.”

 It was instant. ChiChi’s anger dissipated like a popped balloon. She saw it in Goku’s eyes. He was telling the truth. “You really didn’t know.”

 “No. When I died, I made sure Gohan was okay. I even joked you wouldn’t be mad since Gohan was fine even though I was dying.” The look on ChiChi’s face was pure shock. It only left Goku thinking one thing. His friends didn’t tell ChiChi the truth. Goku forced down his own shock and rising anger at this revelation. “What they did tell you, ChiChi?”

 “Oh, my Gods,” ChiChi covered her mouth in shock. Her heart raced in her chest and her mind spun. She felt light headed enough to faint but ChiChi paced the room so that didn’t happen. All this time she was angry with Goku when he didn’t do anything wrong. She felt so ashamed of how she acted towards Goku. Damn her temper. Damn his friends. They did it to her again. They kept the truth from her.

 “ChiChi,” Goku was serious, “what did they tell you?”

 “When you weren’t home for dinner, I was annoyed,” she confessed quietly. “You promised you will be back by dinner. I forgave you for missing dinner. I understood it’s been five years since you saw your friends and you lost track of time. I got angry. Gohan needed to be in bed. He had preschool in the morning. If you wanted to spend more time with your friends, you could’ve dropped Gohan off and gone back. If you didn’t want to do that, you could’ve called and I would’ve accepted Gohan missing school for one day. I did think something happened but I rationalized that wasn’t possible. You’re Goku. You’re my husband. You’re the strongest man alive. Nothing could happen to you and you wouldn’t let anything happen to Gohan.”

 ChiChi exhaled as she fanned her face. The tears were threatening to burst like a damn. “When you didn’t return the next morning, I called my Dad, thinking, hoping you and Gohan spent the night there and you forgot to tell me. I convinced myself not to worry but to be angry with you. How dare you not call? How dare you let me worry all night? I convinced myself you were being selfish and absentminded. I knew I would find you on Master Roshi’s island laughing and playing with Gohan.”

 ChiChi couldn’t hold it in anymore. Tears fell like a river and Goku felt as if he was being squeezed to death by Vegeta in his ape form. ChiChi must’ve been really worried if she waited all night…..Wait. It finally hit him. I died in the afternoon. “No one came to you the day I died?”

 “No, Goku. I confronted everyone the next day. Master Roshi told me your brother arrived on the island, overpowered you, took Gohan and held him as ransom. He said you and Piccolo formed a temporary truce and left to rescue Gohan. When they found you, he said you were dying.  You were dying not dead when Piccolo took Gohan. Dying, not dead, Goku,” she repeated. “They let me think you agreed Piccolo should take Gohan and train him for the Saiyans.

 “How could they do that? How could they deceive me like that? I was angry at you and it wasn’t your fault.” She gasped at the sudden realization. “They knew you wanted Gohan to come home to me but they let Piccolo take our son. How could they?”  

 No wonder she was so mad at him. Goku didn’t understand his friends. Why didn’t they tell ChiChi the day it happened? If she had known, she wouldn’t have been so mad when she confronted them on Master Roshi’s island and she wouldn’t have been so mad at him after his fight with Vegeta.

 ChiChi dropped to her knees so they were at eye level with each other. “I’m sorry, Goku.” ChiChi pressed her lips to his forehead. Tears from her eyes dropped on his face. “I thought you knew. I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”

 “You missed my lips.” ChiChi pulled back to see Goku smiling at her. “I can’t forgive you if you miss my lips.” He pouted his lips at her and just as he hoped, ChiChi laughed. She didn’t miss this time as she pressed a passion filled kiss to his lips.

 “Oh, Goku,” ChiChi pressed her forehead to his. “I love you so much. My temper.”

 “Is a turn on.” He winked at her. That earned him another laugh and kiss from ChiChi. “Don’t get so mad at me, ChiChi. You know I can’t do anything about it now.”

 “Oh, Goku,” ChiChi blushed. She couldn’t believe her husband. Only he could make her mad one minute and turn her into a blushing schoolgirl the next.

 “No more tears, ChiChi,” Goku told her. “No more anger. You dealt with this for a year. It’s my turn. Can you promise me that, ChiChi?”

 ChiChi nodded as she wiped the last of her tears away. When Goku was firm, when he had a take charge attitude, she knew to trust in him to make things right. “I promise.”

ChiChi left with her father when visiting hours were over. Without his friends, things were very relaxed with his family. There was some tension between ChiChi and Gohan but Goku promised to work that out, too. Alone with Gohan, Goku saw this opportunity to catch up on the past year with his son and after what ChiChi told him, there was a plenty he needed to talk to his son about.

 “So, Piccolo trained you?”

 Gohan smiled. He was very happy about that. “Yes, Daddy.”

 It was still something hard to wrap his head around. Piccolo, who tried to kill him six years ago and succeeded last year, trained his son? While part of Goku was pleased his son learned how to fight, he didn’t like it wasn’t him. Oh, ChiChi forbid him but he knew at some point, ChiChi would give in. At the time, he didn’t have a winning argument to give her. Gohan was too young to learn how to fight even if he was a bright child.

 In regards of his son this past year, there were so many things he wanted to know. Who told Gohan he was dead? Goku remembered how he reacted seeing his grandpa’s body. Knowing Gohan was a sensitive child, he worried how Gohan reacted to his death. If ChiChi told him, she would know how to handle it but it wasn’t her that told Gohan. It had to be Piccolo.

 “How did you find out about me being dead?”

 “Mr. Piccolo told me. When I woke up, he was the only one around. He told me you were dead and he was going to train me to fight the Saiyans. I didn’t want Mr. Piccolo training me. I wanted you to but he said you were dead.”

 I wanted that to, Gohan.

 Since Gohan was taken without ChiChi’s consent and his friends told her he approved it, Goku realized Piccolo took his son and his friends didn’t do anything. They wouldn’t have lied to ChiChi if they tried to stop Piccolo. If he was informed, he wouldn’t have agreed to it. He might’ve been wrong with that decision because Piccolo did a good job getting Gohan stronger. If ChiChi had given her consent, he would feel better about this situation.  

 “So, Piccolo told you I died.” He imagined Piccolo was very blunt when he told Gohan. “That had to be a shock.”

 Gohan nodded. “It was, Daddy. I cried and Mr. Piccolo threatened to kill me if I didn’t stop. Mr. Piccolo told me about the Saiyans and how I had to fight because I had hidden power in me that could stop them. I didn’t believe him but he threw me towards a mountain and told me to unleash my power.” Gohan laughed at the memory but Goku wasn’t smiling. “I thought I was going to crash into the mountain but something happened and I plowed through it.”

 “Really?” That definitely wouldn’t be Goku’s way. “Why did he do that?”

 “Mr. Piccolo said it was my emotions that made me strong.”

 Emotions? No wonder he never noticed. As long as his diapers were changed, he was fed, held and entertained when he wanted, Gohan was a calm baby. During his toddler years, Gohan was curious but quiet. He didn’t protest when ChiChi gave him lessons. He was obedient and easy going. Gohan never had the outbursts Goku witnessed until the ordeal with Raditz.

 “What was it like living with Piccolo for a year?”

 “I didn’t live with him for the whole year. I lived on my own for six months.”

 What? On his own? “You were by yourself for six months?”

 Gohan nodded. He was happy to share his ordeal with his Dad because he saw it as something they had in common. “It was part of my training. Mr. Piccolo said if I can live on my own for six months, then I’ll be strong enough for him to train me.”

 If ChiChi knew this, she would flip out. He was upset himself. His four-year-old son was left alone to fend for himself for six months. Even he wasn’t that young when he was on his own after his Grandpa died. Goku was glad Gohan proved himself strong enough to survive but he didn’t like the ordeal Piccolo put his son through.  

 “It was scary the first night, Daddy,” Gohan confessed.

 “It was?”

 “I was alone except for all the wild animals that tried to eat me. I had to go to the bathroom outside. I slept on the ground without a sleeping bag. It was so cold. For dinner, I only had some sour apples.” He stuck his tongue out disgusted as if he could still taste it. “It wasn’t Mommy’s cooking.”

 Gohan’s face and the mention of ChiChi’s cooking was the only thing that brought a smile to Goku’s face.  “Nothing is as good as Mommy’s cooking.”

 Gohan laughed. “Yeah. I missed her a lot.”

 He did, too. “So, what did you do for six months?”

 “I ran from dinosaurs and tigers that wanted to eat me. I hid in a cave eating fruits, mushrooms and berries you showed me when we went camping. I was so hungry I even ate insects.” Goku laughed. He remembered how Gohan refused to eat insects when they went camping. “I finally learned how to catch a fish.” Gohan was very proud of himself. Goku was proud, too. He and Gohan went fishing several times but Gohan was too timid to catch a fish. “I thought of you and Mommy a lot. I wanted Mommy to find me. I kept waiting until I understood I had to stay and fight the Saiyans. I remember what you said about sacrifices when you left Mommy and me to go training.” Goku remembered that. He was glad his advice kept his son alive. “I thought of you when I decided to train myself. I remembered the times I watched you training in our backyard or when we went camping.”

 All those times. He really was paying attention.

 “Mr. Piccolo’s punches hurt a lot more than yours.

 “What?” Goku turned his head. “Piccolo hit you?”

 “When we started training,” Gohan explained. “He punched and kicked me a lot. He shot a lot of his Ki at me when I complained. I went to sleep with a lot of bumps and bruises on my face.” Gohan giggled again. “Some days my face was so swollen, it looked like a bee stung me.”

 “Yeah,” Goku forced a laugh to assure Gohan he wasn’t bothered with what he was told. He was very bothered. “I had some tough teachers, too. So, Piccolo was really rough on you?”

 Gohan shrugged. “Yeah, but it wasn’t always rough. He was nice a few times. You’re right, Daddy. Mr. Piccolo isn’t bad like his Daddy. I saw it.”

 “How?”

 “I figured out Mr. Piccolo gave me the sour apples. He gave me new clothes and a sword. Mr. Piccolo left me alone for six months, but that first night, he watched over me. I never told Mr. Piccolo. I knew he would deny it because he likes to act tough at times.” Gohan giggled at the secret he will share with his Daddy. “He never like it when I gave him hugs.”

 “Hugs?” Goku snickered. “You hugged Piccolo?”

 “A few times. He didn’t know what I was doing. I think he thought I was attacking him.”

 Goku laughed out loud. He would’ve like to have seen that. When Piccolo comes back, he will bring this up to him.

 “Daddy, are we monsters?” Gohan suddenly asked.

 “Monsters?” Goku’s stomach suddenly turned. Did Gohan figure it out? “What do you mean?”

 “On my first night alone, I saw the full moon. I don’t remember anything after that but my tail was gone the next morning.”

 Goku wasn’t there but he knew exactly what happened. Gohan changed into a Giant Ape and Piccolo destroyed the moon like Master Roshi did when I transformed at the tournament. Piccolo must’ve removed Gohan’s tail for extra incentive.

 “I forgot about all of it,” Gohan continued unaware of his father’s thoughts, “until our fight with Vegeta. When Krillin and I returned, we saw a giant ape crushing you. I didn’t know what that was but Krillin did. He told Yajirobe we had to cut off his tail. When Yajirobe did, the monster turned back into Vegeta.” Goku mentally cursed himself. If he was strong enough to stop Vegeta before he transformed, Gohan wouldn’t have figured out the secret of his tail. “You told me to look at the ball in the sky. It looked like a full moon. I looked and I don’t remember anything except your and Krillin’s voices. You told me to go after Vegeta but I don’t remember fighting him. I remember going to sleep and waking up in Mommy’s arms. My tail is gone again, too.”

 Goku hoped Gohan had a forgetful memory like him or it’ll be years before he figured it out.

 “Are we monsters?” Gohan repeated.

 That was a tough question to answer. Goku wasn’t sure how to answer since he hadn’t dealt with the truth himself. He was still adjusting to the knowledge he killed his own grandpa. “If we have our tail, we can transform into a giant ape. It doesn’t make us monsters. Transforming into a giant ape is something we can do because we have Saiyan blood in us.”

 That didn’t comfort Gohan at all. “Does Mommy know?”

 “No.” Goku wasn’t sure how to tell her or if he should tell her.

 “Will you tell her?”

 If ChiChi knows, then she’ll know I killed Grandpa. “Let’s keep this between us….. for now,” Goku suggested. “I just came back to life and you’re going in space in a few days. There’s a lot going on right now. We’ll talk more about this when you get back.”

 It sounded good to Gohan. “Okay, Daddy.”

 Speaking of ChiChi, there was something he had to address with Gohan before they went to sleep. “You shouldn’t have yelled at Mommy today.”

 “But she wouldn’t listen, Daddy.” Gohan knew he was wrong but Mommy wasn’t being reasonable. “Mommy wants me to stay and go back to school. I want that but I need to do this. Mr. Piccolo took care of me. I got strong because of him. He gave his life for me and Mommy didn’t care.”

 “Mommy doesn’t know what happened yesterday.” Goku made that clear to Gohan. “Mommy has no idea what happened to you since you saw her a year ago. Until yesterday, I thought you and Mommy were together this past year.” He hadn’t meant to raise his voice at Gohan but he needed to understand this was serious.

 It worked for Gohan’s shoulders slump at Goku’s stern voice. “I guess you didn’t know because you died but Mommy knew, right?”

 “Mommy knew but, Gohan, your mother has been through a lot this year. There are things she went through I’m just now finding out about.” He sighed. “And I’m not happy about it.”

 “Like what, Daddy?”

 Goku smiled at Gohan. He could hear the concern Gohan had for his mother. “Don’t worry about it, Gohan. This is something Daddy has to deal with. Just remember what I said about you and Mommy. Don’t raise your voice at her again.”

 “Yes, Daddy,” Gohan promised.

 Gohan’s promise was enough. Goku knew Gohan wouldn’t do it again. “Let’s go to sleep. We’ll talk more tomorrow.”

 “Okay.” Gohan flicked off the lamp bringing darkness to the room. Gohan settled under the covers. “Good night, Daddy. I’m so glad you’re back.”

 “Good night, Gohan. I’m glad to be back, too.”

 Gohan had fallen asleep but an hour after their talk, Goku still laid awake. He was very unsettled by what ChiChi and Gohan told him. That familiar annoyed prickling from earlier returned the more he thought of what his family went through. Gohan’s ordeal bothered him a lot but Piccolo was dead and as tough as he was, he did look out for his son. ChiChi’s ordeal really bothered him. ChiChi was alone for a year. ChiChi didn’t know about him and Gohan for a day. His friends had a lot to answer for when he talked to them again.  

 Part Twenty-One: Family Reunion: Part Two.

 AN: I thought I could put the whole reunion in one chapter but it was getting too long. So I split it in two. The good news is Part Two will be up very soon. In the anime everyone watched Yamcha, Tien and Chaozu die on TV but given they could’ve been anywhere on Earth, I don’t think news cameras would’ve known exactly where to find them even with that Yajirobe gag.

[gumnut-logic]

That Musical Voice

Title: That Musical Voice

Author: Gumnut

15 Jul 2020

Fandom: Thunderbirds Are Go 2015/ Thunderbirds TOS

Rating: Teen

Summary: He had fallen, he knew that much.

Word count: 2700

Spoilers & warnings: Virgil whump

Timeline: Season One

Author’s note: Nutty’s Fandomversary 2019 Fic Twelve. For @weirdburketeer​ who asked for Virgil and Struggle so long ago and I haven’t written a thing specifically for her in all of these two years, so I put a quick hold on the current Fandomversary to revisit her missed prompt from the last one. I hope you enjoy it. ::hugs you so much:: Thank you for your amazing support throughout these two years, you have been just wonderful to me ::hugs you even more:: Please note that John crawled into this more than expected, I hope that is okay. I have no control over these things.

Many thanks to @onereyofstarlight​ @scribbles97​ and @vegetacide​ for the reading and cheerleading ::hugs::

Disclaimer: Mine? You’ve got to be kidding. Money? Don’t have any, don’t bother.

-o-o-o-

 He had fallen, he knew that much.

The lights in his helmet blinded him and a fumbling hand found the switch that turned them off.

He closed his eyes.

“Virgil!” John’s voice was sharp in his ear and it sparked sluggish neurons into activity.

Wha-?

“Virgil, respond!”

He managed a grunt and forced his eyes open.

His world was blue ice.

It was beautiful. He stared. Sculptured arcs, white through to deep blues in the dim light. Water was running somewhere, trickling like tinkling bells. He was lying on a narrow ledge in a narrow crevice. This was probably bad, but the fog in his mind was fixated by beauty.

“Virgil! Status!”

John was upset. Why was John upset? This is a wondrous place.

“Virgil, Scott and Gordon are on their way. Please respond.” Johnny was pleading.

“J-John? ‘S beautiful.”

“Virgil!”

“S-sto’ yelling.”

There was silence for a moment and Virgil let his eyes close again. His head was so foggy he needed to sleep it off. He drifted.

Only to be yelled awake again. “Virgil, please!”

“Huh?”

“Oh, thank god.” John sounded worried.

“Wha’ss wrong?”

“Virgil, you fell down an ice crevice.”

He did? He forced his eyes open again. So beautiful. “‘S beautiful.”

“Virgil, medical status?”

Medical status? Uh? Flat on his belly, he couldn’t see anything but the blue of his fingertips. Fingerless gloves were a mistake. Useful, but a vulnerability. He really needed to remove them from the uniform pattern assembly. He had been meaning to do that for some time, but...time. God, he was tired.

“Virgil?”

“Wha-?”

“I’m reading some injury. What is your status?” Gentle. Johnny was being gentle now. Why was that a worry?

“You ‘kay?”

“I’m fine, Virgil. How are you?”

“Tired.” He let his eyes close again.

“Virgil.” It was almost sung, like Gordon at his most annoying. But this was Johnny. Johnny was kind and smart and always there.

“Mmmhmm.”

“You need to stay awake, Virgil. Scott is coming.”

Scott. Scott knew what to do. Always did.

“Virgil?”

“Hmm?”

“Are you in pain?”

Pain?

That prompted him to move.

His chest and left leg screamed at him. His breath vanished. He must have said something because John was calling his name again.

Oh, god, ow.

“Virgil, are you there?”

“’m there.” It was more a whimper than anything else.

Another exhaled breath of relief drifted over comms. John must have a shit of a time up in space just watching and being unable to do anything. The thought pushed a few neurons into more rational thinking. He had to do what John said because he didn’t want him to worry. “Sorry, John.”

Sorry.

Sorry.

Damn, he was tired.

He closed his eyes again.

Only to be shaken awake.

What?

“Virgil.” There was fear in John’s voice.

What was scaring his brother?

The ice beneath his fingers shivered. Huh?

“Virgil, you need to get out of there. Scott’s not going to make it in time.”

What? Scott was always on time.

“Virgil?”

Focus. John needed him. John was scared. Little brothers shouldn’t be scared.

“’m here.” He spat something out and red splattered on the inside of his helmet. Shit. That can’t be good. The medic in him activated, listing off causes.

Shit.

“Virgil, can you move?”

“Uh, not without pain. May…may h-have busted a rib or two.”

The ice under him shivered again. What was doing that?

“Virgil, you’re going to have to climb out. The glacier is unstable and the area is still experiencing tremors.”

Tremors. The thought sparked more thoughts. He had been fishing a climber out of a glacier after an earthquake. New Zealand.

“Climber safe?”

“He’s on Thunderbird Two. You were retrieving equipment when a tremor collapsed the ice you were standing on.”

“Tha’ sounds stupid.”

“It wasn’t, trust me. Do you have your ice pick?”

Ice pick? Moving sucked. He didn’t want to move.

“Virgil, do you have your ice pick?”

God, John knew how to nag. But John was worried. John shouldn’t be worried.

He moved his arm and felt around, hissing between his teeth when his ribs complained. But his hand landed on the cold metal of the tool he had been holding when he fell. He forced his cold fingers to curl around the implement and pull it close.

His eyes closed again without permission.

“Virgil?”

He forced his eyes open again. “John?”

“Do you have your ice pick?”

“Mmmhmm.”

“Repeat.”

Sigh. “Yes, John.”

“You had your crampons deployed before you fell. Do you have your grapple gun?”

Grapple gun?

He clung to the ice pick and felt around again. Ice. Cold. Crumbled fragments. Sharp slivers that hurt when his fingers encountered them.

“No grapple gun.” It was a pain-filled exhale.

John didn’t respond immediately and Virgil took the opportunity to drift into a painless oblivion.

The ice beneath him shook and groaned. He startled as the movement triggered whatever the hell was wrong with his left leg. His gasp must have hit orbit because John started calling his name again.

“Virgil, you have to get out of there. Climb!”

Climb? Are you kidding?!

He could barely move!

But his decision was forced as the ice beneath him suddenly cracked and began sliding downwards.

Not good. Not good! He gripped his ice pick as training and reflexes were shoved to the fore.

He moved without thinking and his whole body screamed as the ledge fell away beneath him. One arm whipped out and dug the pick into the crevasse wall. It bit hard as his body fell and impacted with the ice.

Everything whited out.

“Virgil! Respond! Virgil!”

His little brother’s voice drew him back.

God.

Oh, god.

He forced clarity and found himself on a sharp slope of ice, once again on his belly, but this time gravity was attempting to drag him into the dark depths below. The soft glow of ice was no longer beautiful. It was more of a maw desperate to swallow him.

“Virgil! Answer me!” John sounded terrified.

“J-hn.”

Everything hurt so much.

“You have to climb, Virgil. Climb, please, big brother.” Such pleading couldn’t be ignored. He…he…had to…had to…oh, god…John, I can’t…hurts. He squeezed his eyes shut and moisture leaked out the cracks. But he was aware of his choices. Climb or die. The maw below gaped at him.

He couldn’t do that to John.

Couldn’t.

“Scott’s nearly there. Gordon’s with him. You just need to climb a little, Virgil, please.”

Climb.

He forced his right leg up. The crampon on his boot dug into the ice and took some of the weight off his arm. His ribcage complained at every movement. His left leg hung useless. He had no idea what was going on down there other than a few smears of red on the white blue which he wasn’t acknowledging. Scott would fix it.

Scott fixed everything.

Gordon.

The thought of his little brother seeing him like this was enough to bring his left hand in contact with the ice searching for a handhold. The cold burnt, but at least it wasn’t quite numb yet.

Yet.

Fingernails bit into frozen water and with a grunt Virgil inched himself up a little.

He wriggled the ice pick out of its purchase and, trying not to scream, whacked it back into the slope higher up.

A strangled whimper escaped anyway.

“I’m here, Virgil. You can do this.”

John believed in him.

He wanted to cry. He honestly didn’t know if he could do this. But John was his little brother, he couldn’t fail his little brother.

Couldn’t.

He dragged himself up again, grunting. All those workouts, all that training, and it came down to this.

The will to make it happen.

The slope trembled under him.

No. Please, no.

He dug his boot into the ice again and pushed up.

Up.

Fingernails in ice.

Pick out and digging in.

Pull up and try not to scream.

He failed that last almost every time. His ribs whited out his vision and he almost lost it.

Almost.

But John was there. His little brother urging him on. Only a voice, but so much more. John’s voice was always a soothing presence. He loved talking to John. Late at night when his brother couldn’t sleep so far up above Tracy Island. Virgil used the excuse to check up on him, but in reality, he just wanted to talk to John. He missed him.

John was made for the stars. They were his home and Virgil would never not encourage him to pursue his dreams, but he missed his brother. His quiet, gentle brother with the voice that should be singing. They were five, but there was always one missing and Virgil ached sometimes for his little brother’s absence.

“Love you, J-hn.”

“Virgil?! Talk to me! Scott’s on approach!”

Such alarm in that beautiful voice.

Virgil let his helmet contact the ice and just clung to the cliff face.

Breathing hurt.

He spat red.

That was not good.

As if to urge him on, the ice shook again.

He had to move, but he didn’t know if he could. “John, I-“

“Virgil Tracy, you move your ass now!”

The anger and fear in his brother’s voice startled him.

“I’m not losing you, big brother, not this close. You move and you move now!”

Virgil blinked and realised the ice was lighter here. He looked up and was surprised to see a patch of blue sky above. A roar swelled from beyond that patch. A familiar roar.

Scott.

Gordon.

He pulled the ice pick out and reaching up, sunk it in again. It bit in strong.

His whimper trembled in tune with the vibration of the ice beneath him as the glacier shook again.

Snow fell over the lip of the crevasse and dusted his helmet.

“That’s it, Virgil. Not far to go now.” There was hope in his little brother’s voice.

Can’t disappoint a little brother.

He pulled himself higher.

And again.

A shadow blotted out the light and a deeper, authoritive voice joined John’s.

Scott.

Oh, god, Scott.

He almost fell limp with relief.

That shadow became his big brother, became arms that held him, a safety line, an emergency upward ascent as the cliff face finally cracked beneath his finger tips and began to slide, threatening to take him with it.

Everything hurt.

Everything screamed.

John’s voice.

Scott’s voice.

Gordon pleading with him as he drifted away.

-o-o-o-

“’Mutton yesterday, mutton today, and blimey, if it don’t look like mutton again tomorrer,’ said one of the trolls.

“’Never a blinking bit of man flesh have we had for long enough,’ said a second. ‘What the ‘ell William was a-thinkin’ of to bring us into these parts at all, beats me – and the drink runnin’ short, what’s more,’ he said jogging the elbow of William, who was taking a pull at his jug.”

Virgil frowned. The three trolls. Bilbo was watching the three trolls.

“William choked. ‘Shut yer mouth!’ he said as soon as he could. ‘Yer can’t expect folk to stop here for ever just to be et by you and Bert. You’ve et a village and a half between yer, since we come down from the mountains. How much more d’yer want? And some time’s been up our way, when yer’d have said ‘thank yer Bill’ for a nice bit o’ fat valley mutton like what this is.’”

John’s accent was perfect. The familiar words sculpted out the scene in his head and he anticipated the drama that he knew was going to happen next.

His little brother’s voice sketched out the action of Bilbo and the dwarves being captured and Virgil just enjoyed it. It was a long moment before the question of why John was reading to him actually occurred.

It stopped him in his tracks.

He was lying in a bed. Most of his body was numb and his head was foggy.

John had such a musical voice. He could listen to it for hours. He really wished his brother would sing more often. Their mother used to sing and John had inherited that from her, but he refused most of the time. Virgil thought it was a travesty, a wasted talent. But it was John’s choice.

The trolls turned to stone as Virgil began to realise a few important facts.

The bed wasn’t his.

It smelt like hospital.

He tried to draw on his most recent memories and came up blank. This was disconcerting and increased his heart rate. A rapid electronic beep was the result.

John stopped reading. “Virgil?”

“Mmmhmm.”

A scuffle off to his left. “Can you open your eyes?”

Could he?

A slow blink and light flooded in. He squinted. Ugh.

“Hey, there you are.” There was a smile in his brother’s voice and Virgil forced his eyes to open again to confirm it.

John was standing over him, complexion pale and drawn, but smiling. There were dark smudges under those turquoise eyes.

Virgil frowned. “Are you okay?”

John’s half-hysterical laugh at those words had Virgil widening his eyes. His brother touched his arm and squeezed gently as his other hand reached for his collar. God, that shirt still sucked. “Scott, Virgil’s awake.” There was a mutter of acknowledgement and John’s gaze fell back to Virgil. “It’s good to see you.”

Virgil blinked. “What happened?” Something had obviously happened. John looked like death warmed up.

His brother didn’t get a chance to answer as the door flew open and a mess of an eldest brother tore into the room. “Virgil!”

Virgil stared at Scott. He looked awful. His usually perfect hair was askew. He had canyons under his eyes and their blue was dulled by exhaustion.

“What the hell happened?!” Virgil tried to sit up.

And failed spectacularly. Both Scott and John reached out to hold him down, but they needn’t have bothered, his body wasn’t working. That alarmed him even more.

“Hey, Virgil, look at me.” And John was holding his gaze. “Take a breath in.”

Virgil blinked, his heart beating a mile a minute, but did as he was told. His body responded like a creaky and numb old machine.

“Now let it go.”

He did and melted into the bed, suddenly exhausted.

His eyes darted back to his wreck of an eldest brother. “What happened?”

“You fell into an ice crevasse during a rescue. Broke a few ribs and mangled your left knee. There was some bleeding.”

His medic brain filled in the gaps. “Bad?”

Scott’s eyes dipped a moment and Virgil’s heart sank. His brother looked like he had been through hell and back. “I’m sorry.”

That did it. “Are you kidding me?!”

“What?”

A pale hand reached across the bed and touched his big brother’s arm. “Scott.”

The man visibly deflated. “Not your fault, Virg.”

Virgil’s eyes searched his brother’s face. What the hell had happened?

“Virgil.” John’s soft voice drew his gaze to the other side of the bed. “You’re going to be okay. It’s going to take some time, but you’re going to be okay.”

“Okay.”

Scott dropped heavily into the chair beside the bed, his head dropping into one hand.

“Scott?”

His big brother reached out and grabbed his bandaged fingers and squeezed tight. Scott refused to look at him, his face hidden by his hand.

Virgil’s heart clenched.

It had been bad.

The need to apologise rose to his lips again, but a tug on his other arm drew his attention back to John. A subtle shake of his head and Virgil remained silent.

Another glance at Scott sitting beside him and he squeezed those fingers gently.

John dragged over his chair and sat down again, not once letting go of Virgil’s arm. He picked up his tablet and a moment later, resumed reading ‘The Hobbit’. Virgil stared at him a moment as he let the words wash over him.

He still didn’t remember much, but there was something about his little brother’s voice, something leading him on, pushing him forward, making him do what needed to be done.

He watched those turquoise eyes track text and those lips translate it.

And speak with that musical voice.

-o-o-o-

FIN.

[thotsonthebible]

Signs in the Heavens

Luke 21.25

'There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars…'

A lot has been made recently about 'signs in the heavens'.  The latest of these was the 'super blood wolf moon'.  Sounds a little too tabloid to me.  Did you view that one?  Me, neither.  I wasn't about to brave 25 mph winds in 6° F to look at a lunar eclipse.  I've seen them before.

Before that, there were the 'blood moons' that coincided with various Jewish feasts.  I'm not dissing the teaching, only saying that it didn't resonate with me.  It's a little too arcane.  Unless you're a student of Judaism, those 'blood moons' would be nothing more than reddish full moons, beautiful and impressive, but hardly portents of dire events to come.  The 'signs' the Bible talks about will hardly have the world oohing and aahing, but will be terrifying sights that will have men running in fear to hide from the fury of God.

The ancients were often terrified by the totality of solar or lunar eclipses; we don't need to be. We know who created the heavens and the earth.

Thus says the LORD, 'Do not learn the way of the nations, and do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens although the nations are terrified by them.  —Jeremiah 10.2 (NASB)

What, exactly, is a 'blood moon'?  According to Wikipedia, that modern font of all knowledge, 'The red color is caused by Rayleigh scattering of sunlight through the Earth's atmosphere, the same effect that causes sunsets to appear red.'  And what is 'Rayleigh scattering'?  'Rayleigh scattering, named after the British physicist Lord Rayleigh (John William Strutt), is the predominantly elastic scattering of light or other electromagnetic radiation by particles much smaller than the wavelength of the radiation. It accounts, for example, for the blue color of the sky…'

What does the Bible have to say about signs in the heavens at the end of the age?  Does it really tell us to look for red-tinted lunar eclipses, or have we taken the 'blood moon' thing out of context?  Let's take a look.

When Jesus' disciples asked him what to expect at the end of the age, he warned them that many false prophets would arise and then added:

…'Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.' —Luke 21.10-11 (NASB)

He warned of persecution, hatred, and betrayal, and then told them:

'There will be signs [or attesting miracles] in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.'  —Luke 21.25-28 (NASB)

In this case, according to Strong's, 'signs' indicates 'an unusual occurrence, transcending the common course of nature' and refers to 'signs portending remarkable events soon to happen.'

I doubt very much that, under this definition, a 'blood moon' qualifies.  We might also note that Jesus talks about men's 'perplexity' and concern about 'the roaring of the seas' (tsunamis?) and says 'the powers of the heavens will be shaken.'

The prophet Joel also mentioned unusual occurrences in the sky.

'I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, blood, fire and columns of smoke.  The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.'  —Joel 2.30-31 (NASB)

John recorded this in the book of Revelation:

I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind.  The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.  Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?'  —Rev. 6.12-17 (NASB)

Note that preceding the darkness of the sun and moon, there is an unprecedented earthquake the shifts islands and even mountains.  (You may recall that the horrific earthquake that struck Japan several years ago moved the entire island several feet.)  After the earthquake, the sun and moon will be obscured.  An earthquake that large might trigger volcanic eruptions, the ash of which would certainly diffuse the sun's light and darken the moon.

Later in Revelation, this is recorded:

The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.  —Revelation 8.12 (NASB)

The prophet Isaiah also spoke of the end of the age, just prior to the Lord's return.

Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, cruel, with fury and burning anger, to make the land a desolation; and He will exterminate its sinners from it. For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not flash forth their light; the sun will be dark when it rises and the moon will not shed its light.  Thus I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity… Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken from its place at the fury of the LORD of hosts in the day of His burning anger.  —Isaiah 13.9-10, 13 (NASB)

When placed in context, a red-tinted full moon, even one dubbed a 'super blood wolf moon' by the media, would seem to portend little, except an occasion for the press to hyperventilate.

Don't panic.  When the signs of the end of the age that are foretold in the Bible begin to occur, you'll know it and won't need the media to hype them.

In the meantime, be prepared.  We are certainly living at the end of the age.  We need to prepare for the persecution that has already fallen on some of the Church, for those who stand firm until the end will see all prophecy fulfilled!

[drowning-in-the-universe]

Aurora Untold | Chapter 1

Originally posted on AO3 but I just thought I should post it here too ^^

Cassius Ward was Chief Officer on board the Aurora, second only to the captain himself. He had worked his whole life to get to this point yet still managed to lose it all following the crash of the vessel onto planet 4546B. As he struggles to survive, stranded on an island surrounded by multiple leviathan class predators one of his fellow survivors seems to have adapted quickly to the environment of the alien ocean. With a seemingly endless supply of luck, survival looks easy.

Blaring red lights, that was what Cassius woke up to, and a deep rumbling under his feet, much like an earthquake. In his groggy state, his first thought was to jump under his bed as the world came crashing down around him. His neatly organised desk was no longer sitting as pristinely. Ordered documents and files had fallen to the floor, a shelf had come loose and fallen with a loud crash, the noise bringing Chief Officer Cassius Ward to his senses. There were, of course, no earthquakes in outer space. But warning alarms blared in the background, muffled by the closed door of his private room. An earthquake was bad but this was a whole lot worse.

He pushed himself out of bed, the trembling of the ship making him unsteady on his feet, grumbling slightly. The last thing he remembered was coming close to planet 4546B. It wasn’t a difficult mission, scan the planet, find nothing, perform a slingshot maneuver, leave. A sleep-deprived Cassius had ended up nearly falling asleep on his feet as he oversaw preparations and was promptly sent to bed by Hollister, he didn’t mind Keen taking care of it, the man was just as good as his superior so he didn’t think it would be a problem. Clearly, it was.

With barely any time to change Cassius pulled on his shirt, not bothering to button it, jumping into his trousers as he pushed the door open, half sprinting while still pulling them up around his waist, having to push past panicked crew members. A few asked him what was going on, he didn’t lie to them, he wasn’t afraid to admit he had no idea. However, he didn’t have much time to stop and chat, it was clear there was substantial damage to the ship. The main lighting had shut down, the hallway only illuminated by a flashing red from the emergency lights. The ship had gone into backup power. The dark halls, the panic and the feeling of the ground shaking beneath his feet were all enough to send any officer into a panic, but not Cassius, he hadn’t gotten into high command for nothing.

“Captain, what’s happened?” he questioned the moment the doors to the bridge had slid open, an eerie calmness to his tone.

Hollister turned to him, a grim expression on his face, few crew members had remained on the bridge, all too busy with whatever they were doing to be paying attention to the new arrival. He didn’t blame them, frantically bent over their stations, trying to get in control of the ship once more. But from the looks of things, it was too late, from out of the window he could see they were approaching the planet fast, flames licking up the side of the ship, creating an orange glow in the control room.

“We were shot down,” the captain explained, “Ward I…”

“Shot down? The planet is supposed to be uninhabited,” Cassius jumped in, a sense of unease settling over him now. When the information he was given wasn’t right, that’s when things fell out of place in the Chief Officer’s mind. There was something more going on here, something Cassius didn’t quite understand. That was what made him so anxious.

“We were wrong. Cassius, I need you to evacuate the ship, get as many people off as possible,” the captain explained, a look on his face that Cassius knew all too well, the captain always went down with his ship… didn’t he?

“But sir-”

“This isn’t up for debate, Officer Ward,” Hollister replied firmly, although almost immediately seemed regretful of his harsh tone, “There’s no time. If you want a chance of survival, I need to land this thing as best as I can. Get the rest of the crew off the ship.”

“Yes, sir,” the redhead only nodded grimly, reluctant to leave but understanding there really was no other way. This was something that had to be done, it was his duty to protect the crew in place of the captain.

“It’s been a pleasure working with you.”

And as he turned to leave the bridge he could have sworn he saw the captain give a small smile. But there was no real time for sentimentality, he had been given orders after all.

It only took a short amount of time for Cassius to collect a few of his subordinates, although the ship was in worse wear than he had thought. Whatever shot them down, whatever resided on the surface of the planet was dangerous, unlike anything seen before.

Cassius didn’t think he had ever seen so much fire in his life before, he could feel the heat of it on his skin from quite far away. People caught in the heat were screaming, trying to get through to the life pods. The fire suppression systems had long since failed, leaving him and a few other crew members armed with simple fire extinguishers to put out the flames, carving a path to the escape pods. The ones that weren’t damaged anyway.

“Sir, this one’s too damaged,” Smith informed him, the few crew remaining had been pushing through, trying to get to a lifepod suitable to be used. There were only five left. Cassius figured if he got his four crew members onto a lifepod that worked his job would have been accomplished. The ones who had been rescued from the flames had long since evacuated. He couldn’t save everyone and he came to realise that. The ship was too damaged to reach beyond a certain point, there was no way he could get to any crew over there, he was sorry to abandon them but his main focus was on the ones he could save.

“Sir! Sir! There’s two here,” Dorrath informed him, and almost there and then a great relief washed over him. He had done as much as he could at this point, the smoke had made it increasingly harder to see and breathe, making the journey that much more difficult.

“I need you four to evacuate…”

“But sir…”

“That’s an order Dorrath… it’s an order to all of you,” he said firmly, in a rather professional manner, mimicking the manner that captain had spoken in previously. He would have just as happily jumped on in place of one of them. But he wasn’t about to fail his crew now, “Officer Keen has already launched, he will organise a rendezvous. I expect all of you to follow his orders.”

“Thank you, Cas,” Dorrath put a comforting hand on his shoulder, “Good luck.”

And with that, they were gone. His crew… his friends launched, leaving Cassius alone. He figured this would be the last time he saw them. If he were a religious man he would have prayed that they remain safe, that whatever was down there was sustainable for them. He couldn’t do anymore now but hopefully he had provided them with a fighting chance.

But part of Cassius wasn’t ready to die. Not yet, he couldn’t go out like this, alone on a burning ship, lungs filling with smoke, letting his crew go onto an unknown planet with unknown threats. He had to do better than that to protect them.

His feet were moving, carrying him to the nearest lifepod, almost sprinting. The thing was damaged, probably beyond repair but a small chance was better than no chance at all. The probability of him surviving was low - unless he got lucky but Cassius didn’t believe in luck.

Without hesitation his fist slammed against the deploy button, the doors slamming shut, barely managing to get into his seat as the harness came down over him, securing him in place. The pod shook and trembled as it was released from the ship, a small jet propelling it as far away as possible. Behind him, he could see the damage done to the Aurora. He was too stunned to even know what to think of the massive hole in her side. He didn’t really have time to dwell on it anyway, feeling himself being tossed about the pod as it entered the planet's atmosphere.

“Deploying buoyancy aids,” the Alterra AI sounded, at least he had something familiar with him, perhaps it gave him a sense of comfort.

“Failure to deploy buoyancy aids,” all of a sudden he wasn’t too happy to have the artificial intelligence with him, especially if it was just going to tell him he was going to die.

But a glance out the window told him he had no real need for a buoyancy aid anyway, the sight of a landmass filling him with dread. Cassius would much have rather landed in the water but he had no choice but to make do with what he had, shielding his head with his hands in a brace position.

The first thing he felt was the impact, the next was the lack of support he had, the harness breaking. Then the pod started rolling, and with nothing to keep him in place Cassius fell forward and everything went black.

[babygirlhq]

closed starter for @disastercg​  location: tower of rest, whale island

After being awoken from that nightmare, Tristan found himself sitting at the edge of his bed, trying his best to regulate his breathing. It was as if he’d run across the whole continent twice, he was exhausted, sleepless, frightened. He had to take notes, write down the whole experience so he could study it later, show it to Inna and the Wizard, try to make sense of it, but he needed a minute to get himself together. He had to keep repeating those warped memories over and over again in his head so that he would not unconsciously hide them away. A couple more exhales, long and slow, and then he stood up. He was letting his mind go autopilot as he walked to his closet, still focusing on the nightmare he had while he absent-mindedly dressed up, and he was about to reach for his book when he had a shiver come up his spine. His eyes slowly moved to his window, along with his head turning, a confused expression on his face. 

Before he knew it, his room started to move, moving from left to right and Tristan lost his balance, falling on his backside. The tower was trembling, as if an earthquake had gone through the island, except that they were in the air. He rolled into his bed, groaning as his side hit the hard wood of his bed frame. The island had been in a bad shape lately, but nothing like this had ever happened. Tristan panicked, worried about Inna, about the tower, the inhabitants of the island, were they about to fall down? If the island collided with the town below them... they would all die. There was nothing he could do. Was the Wizard home? Did he know about this? Would he help? Tristan moved as soon as the trembling subsided, even if it was only for a second. He grabbed his book and got up to ran out of his room, his free hand held out towards the wall in case the quaking started again. He had to find Inna. He had to get to her at least. 

His adrenaline was through the roof, not one doubt or common sense in him as he ran through the hallways of the tower, only the need to get to his friend. Bookcases were on the floor, tables and paintings broken and rousing the dust that’d been sitting there for years. The trembles seemed to have stopped, as it had been minutes since the last one. Lights powered by magic were still illuminating his path, having him run into a couple of the Wizard’s clones who were frantically trying to get their research papers into order, indicating to him that Rasmodius was still in a good shape as well. “Inna!” He called out when he saw another shape emerging from in front of him. He didn’t stop until their bodies collided into each other, embracing her tightly. “Are you hurt? What happened? It wasn’t just the tower, it was the whole island, I thought-- I thought we were--” 

[kindaresilient]

the lost empire

art by the talented @embracethelighting thanks so much hun!<33

wow! Im finally posting this and I am so excited! Thank you to the amazing @stupidnephilimlove for beta read it and to my amazing friend Lisbeth for the amazing art. 

This is the longest I have writen(?) and i cant with feels:') so i hope you love the concept and the story as I do.

can be read on ao3

“But afterwards there occurred violent earthquakes and floods; and in a single day and night of misfortune all your warlike men in a body sank into the earth, and the island of Atlantis in like manner disappeared in the depths of the sea.”

― Plato , Timaeus/Critias 

He heard it before it happened.

There was the sound of an explosion, followed by the rapid buzzing of ships flying high to surround the city in a desperate attempt to warn everyone. To save everyone.

It was soon followed by the sounds of the bells warning everybody about the threat, soon madness was unleashed.

People ran. Families grabbed their loved ones, to safety. He was overwhelmed, watching everything unfolding in slow motion, and he gripped his toy tightly.

That was until his mother pulled him out of his reviere.

Clutching him by the shoulders, shaking him and turning him around to stare at him with wide eyes, full of fear.

"Magnus c'mon!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him forwards. Towards where, he didn't know. He wanted to go back, at least to pick up his toy where it fell.

His mom, sensing this, shook him. "Magnus! Let it go. There's no time!" she pleaded with him.

That was when it happened.

A streak of blue lights, the same color as the crystal, engulfed her. Her eyes shone the same. Her body levitated from the ground, going limp, and she released his hand.

"Mama!" he screamed trying to reach for her as she went up in the sky and merged with the bright blue lights. Statues of stone formed a shield around them...protecting them from danger? Or pulling them into more?

He didn't know. He just wanted his mom. "Mama!" he screamed once more, tears streaming down his face. He felt his uncle's embrace then, shielding him from everything.

"Close your eyes Magnus," Ragnor mumbled as he hugged him. “Don't look."

He stared at the bracelet that fell from her wrist. It was the last thing he had left of her.

She was gone.

The city proceeded to plunge into darkness, swallowed by the unforgiving sea.

Alec couldn’t believe their luck.

First the giant robotic lobster that destroyed their submarine and cost them the life of almost the whole crew. Then all the obstacles on their way down, from walls to machines failing and bridges falling.

The fiery fireflies and the collapse took the price though.

He heard the screams of Isabelle as they descended, and he called out for his siblings and friends on the way down, hoping they would make it. Also, praying he would make it.  

Then everything went black.

Valentine lit a match illuminating the darkness. “Alright, who’s not dead? Sound off,” he grumbled.

It was soon followed by moans and groans of everyone alive.

Valentine turned on one of the car lights and looked around. “Isabelle, give me a damage report,” he asked.

“Well,” Isabelle started, checking everything with the lantern she was holding, “not as bad as it could have been. We wrecked two vehicles but the digger looks like it could still run. Lucky for us that we landed on something soft”  

“Pomez ash,” Simon exclaimed from a little mountain, playing with the dirt and looking awed by it. “We are standing in the base of an dormant volcano,” he went on.

Iris hit Simon in the head with a bengal and proceed to shoot upwards, watching the bullet go up. “It just keeps going,” she murmured.

“Maybe that’s our ticket out of here,” Jace said. In that moment, the bengal hit the roof and exploded.

“Maybe not,” Iris said with a grimace.

Simon fixed his glasses and gestures wildly with his hands. “The magma has solidified into the valves of the volcano and blocked the exit.”

"Hold on, back off, " Maia exclaimed, speaking for the first time. "You're saying this whole Volcano can blow any time?" She asked worriedly.

Simon got close to her. “No no no, that would take a massive explosion of grand magnitude to happen.”

They all turned their heads to Jace, who was fiddling with TNT. He looked up. “I probably shouldn’t do this here, right?”

“If we blow the top off, maybe we could get out of here. What do you think, Mr. Lightwood?” Valentine inquired. Silence answered. “Mr. Lightwood?” he asked again, looking around.

“Alec!” Isabelle screamed into the cave, looking around anxiously for her brother.

Alec slowly returned to consciousness, feeling like a train fell over him. Maybe it did. He opened his eyes slowly, things coming into focus...and suddenly facing strange tribal looking masks, worn by people with spears and arrows.

He did the sensible thing.

He screamed and gasped, trying to get as far away from them. His shoulder stung at the movement. He looked down and realized he had a bloody gash there, most likely caused by the fall.  At this movement, the closest one of the… tribal people took his mask off.

Alec was rendered speechless. He was the most beautiful man Alec had ever seen. The dark bronzed skin had blue patterns embedded in it, they covered all of him. His dark hair was streaked with silver highlights, his brown eyes shone like ambers and his glossy mouth, hung open, looking awed at something, at Alec. As if he couldn’t believe what his eyes were seeing.

Alec probably should pick his jaw from the floor and get his act together. He then remembered his wound and gasped in pain, grabbing his shoulder, and that seemed to snap the man out of his reviere because he came closer, invading Alec’s personal space and looked him in the eyes. Then he picked up the diamond that was hanging from his neck, put it over Alec’s wound and then touched it, blue lights coming from his hands. Alec was shocked at the feeling, and when the man removed his hands he realized the wound was gone.

Alec sighed in relief and the man smiled at him.

Of course, it was at this moment that the universe decided to interrupt them, in the form of the digger coming out of the wall, causing everything to tremble and scaring the tribal people. He couldn’t let them get away.

“Wait!” he got up, trying to chase them but damn, they were fast. “Who are you... where are you going!?” he kept screaming while trailing behind them. “Come back!”

He kept climbing rocks behind them and suddenly… he was standing in front of the most beautiful view he had ever seen. He barely noticed the others arriving, rooted in the spot at the sight of the enormous flying city surrounded by waterfalls and clouds and blue skies everywhere.  

“ Holy cow! ” Simon exclaimed somewhere behind him.

“It’s beautiful,” Izzy whispered.

Maia went to stand by his side and patted him in the back. “Lightwood, I’ve got to handed to you. You really came through.”

In that moment, they heard some kind of war screams and suddenly they were surrounded by the tribal man again, their weapons aimed at them.

“Oh, I take that back,” Maia said.

“Holy catch, who are this guys?” Valentine asked, reaching for his weapon.

Alec was still in some kind of dream. “They gotta be Atlanteans!”

“What?” Iris said. “That’s impossible.”

At this, one of the masked man started talking in some unknown dialect and pointing at them, like demanding an explanation.

“I think it’s talking to you brother,” Izzy murmured in Alec’s ear.

The tribal man continued, walking forward and talking to Alec. Alec stepped forward and spoke to the man, reassuring him they where here to do no harm.

Tha man removed his mask and -Alec realized it was the same beautiful man who healed him- asked him about their intentions, seeming surprised he knew the language.

Alec answered him, ‘they were exploring’ and again ‘they had no intentions of harming anybody’.

The man answered him with a big smile and Alec turned around to his companions. “They’re good.”

At that Valentine stepped forward, past Alec, and started speaking to them with a smile. “We are explorers from the surface world. We come in peace.”

The dark skinned man gestured behind him with a flourish to the city. “Welcome to the city of Atlantis.” He then proceeded to grab Alec by the hand, dragging him along like an excited kid. “Come, you must speak with my uncle now.”

Alec was happy to oblige, sue him. He barely noticed the others trailing behind.

The scenery was amazing. He didn’t know what to focus on. It was like a mix of lava and water, two juxtaposed elements combining together to create something surreal.

Because of the awe he was experiencing, he didn’t pay any attention to the other conversations, like the one between Iris and Valentine that would change everything.

“Commander, there wasn’t supposed to be anyone down here. This changes everything,” she told him.

“This changes nothing. Everything is going to plan,” Valentine snapped at her.

After a while, they were standing in front of two imposing stone doors. The guards opened it, revealing stones, vegetation and animals all living together in harmony. In the center, there was a stone throne with a huge lake in front of it. Sitting there was an old man with pale skin.

The dark skinned man stepped forward and kneeled in front of the old man.

“Greetings your Highness,” he started in atlantean. “I brought visitors.”

“Magnus,” the old man started, “you know the law. No outsiders may see the city and live."

Alec gulped hard and started panicking at this. Were they going to die? Just for seeing the city? This must be some sort of joke.  

"But Uncle! These people may be able to help us!" the dark skinned man exclaimed with pleading eyes.

"We don't need help," the king replied.

"But Uncle---"

"That's enough," the king said. "We will discuss this later."

Alec could feel the disappointment and sadness from the beautiful man. He felt the same. There's was nothing left to--

"Your Majesty," Valentine stepped forward, "on behalf of my troop,  may I say it is an honor to be welcomed to your city."

"Valentine. Commander," Alec hissed, "this isn't a good idea"

"You presume much to think you are welcomed here," the king replied.

"Sir, we've come a long way looking--"

"I know what you seek," the king interrupted Valentine, "and you're not gonna find it here. Your journey has been in vain."

"But sir, we are men of science," Valentine continued, "we're here in the pursuit of knowledge."

"You claim to be a man of science and yet carry weapons," the king retorted back.

"Weapons allow us to remove obstacles," Valentine replied.

"Some obstacles can't be removed just by force." The king got up at this. "Return to your people. You must leave Atlantis immediately."

Seeing things could get out of control, Alec got near to Valentine and whispered, "It’s best if we do as he says."

Valentine sighed at this. "We will leave. But may I respectfully request one night? It would give us time to rest."

The king seemed to ponder. "Fine. One night. Then off you must go."

That seemed to end the discussion and everyone turned to leave the throne room. Alec looked back and saw the dark skinned man give a sigh of resignation with watery eyes. Then the doors were closed.

"Your heart has softened Magnus. A thousands years ago you would have killed them all on sight." Ragnor sighed and lay down, watching his nephew stare at the closed doors.

Magnus turned around indignantly and approached, gesturing wildly with his hands. "A thousands years ago our streets were lit and our people didn't have to pick up scraps to eat at the edge of a crumbling city" he shouted.

"Our people are content," Ragnor told him.

"Our people don't know any better!" Magnus picked a wet drag and cleaned Ragnor's face,  "We were once thriving and now we live in ruins. The kings of the past would cry if they could see how low we have fallen."

"Magnus--" Ragnor chastised.

"If these outsiders," Magnus interrupted him, "have any way to help us understand our past, perhaps we can save our future." His eyes were pleading by this point.

"What they have to teach us, we have already learned," Ragnor retorted.

"Our way of life is dying," Magnus whispered.

Ragnor took one of Magnus’ hands between his, "our way of life is preserved," he told him. "Magnus, when you get the throne, you will understand." He cupped his nephew’s cheek with his other hand and Magnus nuzzled it and closed his eyes tightly so he wouldn’t cry.

"So how did it go?" Isabelle -Izzy- asked him excitedly as soon as the doors closed.

"I don't think the king and his nephew think alike when it comes to us" Alec told the team when they reunited outside. "He seems to like us, but I don't know, the King seems to be hiding something."

"If he is hiding something, I want to know," Valentine said.

"Yeah, someone needs to talk to that boy," Iris suggested.

"I can do it," Simon exclaimed happily from a corner.

"Someone with good manners," Maia commented.

"I have good manners!” Simon shouted.

"Someone with good people skills," Jace added.

"I will go!" Simon kept going.

"And who won't scare him away," Maia added.

"Someone who can speak the language," Isabelle commented.

"For the sake of the mission, I will go!" Simon insisted.

They were none having that, though.

"Thank you for offering, Lightwood. You're a good man." Valentine told Alec as he patted him in the back.

Alec was checking his language book, oblivious to the banter but perked up at this.  

He looked dumbfoundedly at the retreating team, leaving him alone to wait for the King's nephew.

Isabelle kissed his cheek and hugged him briefly. "Go get him, tiger," she told him with a wink.

He was screwed.

Alec watched from a column as the dark skinned man stepped out of the throne room. He went to hide and took a deep breath.

"Okay, you can do this," he told himself. "Don't take no for an answer. You have some questions and won't leave without answers. Yeah, that's it."

Alec stepped out from behind the column and started speaking when--

The man wasn't here. What that hell? He was just right here, walking the aisle of the throne room.

He sighed, already resigning himself when suddenly someone grabbed his arm in a lock and before he could scream covered his mouth with the other hand. He grabbed the wrist that was against his hand and felt warm skin under his fingertips and a breath against his ear. “I have questions for you” someone--the dark skinned man he realized-- murmured against his ear, breath hot with every word, “and I won’t take no

for an answer.”

He removed his hand from his mouth enough from Alec to mumble an, “okay but why--”

“Shhh,” he interrupted him, “come with me.” The man smiled and proceeded to drag him by his arms.

They climbed slippery rocks full of vegetation and vines,and ended up in some kind of forest.

“Oh, I have so many questions to ask you,” the man exclaimed excitedly as they stepped down from a rock, turning around to see him struggle for a bit. It was slippery, sue him. Apparently he was impatient because he grabbed Alec by the hem of shirt and tugged him down. “You are a scolar, right? I figured by your ugly set of clothes and that book you carry around,” he told Alec. “What is your country of origin? When did the flood reach there?” he started rambling.

“Eh, um, wait a minute,” Alec interrupted him. “I have a few questions for you too. So let’s do this. You ask one and I ask one, what do you think?” he asked nervously, afraid that maybe the man would say no. But he just gave him a reassuring smile and nodded.

“Very well” he said, swaying his shoulders a little. That movement shouldn’t be as entrancing as it was.”What is your first question?”

“How did you get here?” Alec blurted out and started rambling, “not you as a person, but your culture, as in all the people who live here, I mean--” he took a deep breath and tried to focus. “How did all this, end up down here?” he finally asked.

"It is said that the Gods became jealous of Atlantis," the man answered and started walking, "and that they sent a big cataclysm that buried us here. Honestly, all I can remember is that the sky turned dark and people were shouting. And then a blue light covered the city, it took my mother as if it was magic. My uncle told me it was calling for her. I never saw her again," he ended narrating, looking at his feet.

"I’m sorry," Alec told him, and he truly meant it, "if it is any consolation, I know how you feel in some way. I haven't spoken with my parents for a very long time and--wait a minute" Alec realized something, "what are you telling me? That you remember because you were there? That's not possible. That would make you like, an eight thousand years old man."

The man shrugged with a smile, "Yes, I am."

Alec stared at him dumbfoundedly, "Oh, okay… you look good." He blushed furiously after he realized what he said. He cleared his throat, trying to dissipate the embarrassment, "do you have any questions for me?"

"Yes," the man exclaimed, "how did you get here?"

"Well," Alec started, scratching the back of his neck, "it wasn't easy, but with the help of this book we found our way." He showed him the book and the man took it, looking through it.

"You can understand this?" he asked him, still not looking up.

"Yeah," Alec answered, "im a linguist"

"This right here, you can read this?" the man asked eagerly.

"Yes I can, just like you," Alec replied and saw how the face of the man fell. "You can, can't you?"

"No one can," the man answered, "such knowledge was lost when the cataclysm happened." He suddenly perked up, like the solution to all his problems was right in front of him, "you can teach me!" he asked - more like demanded.

"Um, yes, I guess I can--"

The man dragged Alec by the arm, "Come! You have to see this!" They halted in front of some kind of stone fish.

"...Is this a vehicle?" Alec asked.

"Yes, but no matter what I do it doesn't work." The man replied, looking a bit like a child throwing a tantrum. It was adorable.

Alec realized he was staring and snapped out it, focusing on the instructions that were on the stone fish.

"Did you try putting the crystal in?"

"Yes."

"Did you put your hand on the pad?"

"Yes."

"Did you turn the crystal to the right?"

"Yes!"

"While your hand was on the pad?"

"Ye--! Ah, oh. No, I didn't," the man answered.

Alec grinned and got up. "Well, that's your problem. That's an easy thing to miss, you deserve credit for getting this far honestly--" he shut up abruptly at the unamused face the man was showing. "Um, why don't you try it now?"

The man ignited the vehicle and started levitating. "It works!" Alec exclaimed happily and stared at him, who was also grining widly.

"I wonder how fast it goes." Alec touched something and the fish promptly moved forward and then made a zig zag, almost crashing into them if they hadn't ducked down. The fish crashed into a wall as Alec and the man stared at it.

After a bit the man started laughing and Alec couldn't help but smile. "So, who wants a ride?" He asked him jokingly and was rewarded with a smile.

Alec was so smitten.

They started walking again with apparently no destination, when Alec realized something.

"You know, we were never properly introduced. I’m Alec," he told him with a smile.

The man looked at him and smiled. "My name is Magnugakash."

"Magnuka-Magnuskash," Alec tried but for some reason he couldn't say it. "Is there a short version?" he asked, blushing a little. Hold it together, Lightwood.

"You can call me Magnus," The man - Magnus - replied.

“I can remember Magnus,” Alec answered with a small smile.

They kept walking and arrived at a river, and Magnus pointed at all the people who were fishing, working together. It was beautiful to see.

One man just caught some kind a lobster and threw it in Alec’s direction. He barely caught it, and the thing was thrashing and trying to bite him.

Magnus laughed and took the lobster from his hands and bit it hard on the neck. The lobster went limp immediately. “Here,” he said, putting it into the bag Alec was carrying around. “Tell me more about your companions. Your doctor, is he the blonde one?"

"No, that's Jace, my brother. His deal is explosives and such. Our doctor is Maia, the girl with the afro."

"Oh, so your mechanic is the one who keeps talking, then?" Magnus inquired.

Alec snorted. "No, that would be Simon. And he is our... dirt expert kind of guy. Our mechanic is actually my sister, Isabelle. She's the best."

"She sounds like it," Magnus told him. "It is time for dinner, we should get in."

They were in front of some sort of big, stone tent. Alec didn't even realized they’d arrived. He felt a hand tugging his own and looked up to see Magnus dragging him.

"Come, sit with me," he told him with a smile.

Alec had no objections.

They ate sitting close together, conversation buzzing around, his siblings and friends merging with the Atlanteans. At this sight, he dared to feel hopeful. He looked at Magnus, sitting close to him, talking and eating excitedly, smiling at everyone.

Alec smiled. Yeah, hope was a good feeling indeed.

Later on, Magnus took Alec on another walk. Magnus was carrying a lantern to show the path and they were surrounded by fireflies, casting lights and shadows on everything around them. Alec was honestly so mesmerized.

"You know, we were hoping to find buildings in ruins and broken pottery...but instead we find a living and thriving society." A firefly came to rest on Alec's arm and it tickled. Alec giggled. Actually giggled . "You know, these ones are kind of cute when they're no trying to set you on fire."

He looked up and saw Magnus had a sad expression. "We are not thriving," he began, "true, our people live, but our culture is dying, every year a little bit more."

Alec sighed. "I wish I could do something."

Magnus gestured around them. "I brought you to this place to ask you for help. There's a mural here, with writing all around the pictures--"

Alec got excited immediately at the prospect of helping. He took the lantern from Magnus and pointed it at the big stone. "You came to the right guy. We can start with this column right here and---Mm, Magnus, what are you doing?"  Alec asked him, a little stunned at the sight of Magnus stripping off his clothes.

Magnus shot him a smik over his shoulders as he continued to strip. "You do know how to swim, right?"

"Oh, I swim pretty boy," Alec blurted out and then cringed realizing what he said, "I swim pretty good, pretty good." He then stripped off his clothes too and was left in his trousers, joining Magnus at the big --river? lake?-- he was getting into.

"Good," Magnus said, giving him a knowing smile. Shit, he noticed his slip. "It is a big distance to where we are going."

Alec couldn't help but smile back through the embarrassment. "Lead the way"

Magnus took a deep breath and dived down. Alec followed soon after. They started diving through rubble and big pieces of stones of all shapes. Alec couldn't believe all of this was down here, wasting away.

They kept swimming for a while and Alec was starting to panic a little. Could Atlanteans breath underwater? Magnus seemed unfazed as he kept swimming but Alec was getting a little dizzy from holding his breath so long.

Finally they seemed to reach their destination, as Magnus got up for air in what seemed like the inside of an cave, followed by Alec who coughed his life out.

Magnus held his head between his hands and stared at him with a fond smile. "Are you alright?"

Alec coughed a little more and tried to smile back. "Well, I didn't drown so--"

"Good," Magnus exclaimed, "follow me," and he dived back in.

Alec sighed before submerging. The things he did for knowledge. He followed Magnus to the biggest set of stones that were there, all ancient texts and drawings being illuminated by the crystal hanging from Magnus neck.

They were close, Alec noticed. And promptly focused on reading and deciphering what was in front of him. Down there was not the place to die from staring a pretty boy. A very, very, pretty one.

Besides, he had a duty to fulfil.

He couldn’t believe what he was reading. He looked at Magnus and gestured for them to go up.

“I can’t believe it!” Alec gasped as soon as he hit the surface, followed by Magnus. “It’s the whole history of Atlantis, just like Plato described. I mean, he was off in some aspects but he got most of them right--”

“The streak of lights I saw,” Magnus interrupted him, and in this moment Alec realized how close they were. “That were in the middle of the city. What did the writings say about them?”

“I don’t know yet, but we are gonna find out.” Alec replied and dived back in. They studied the drawings from afar, getting close when some details caught Alec’s attention. Little by little he was understanding everything, making sense of it in his head.

He stared at the big drawing of what looked like big statues of men forming a giant crystal with their hands and everything clicked. He looked at Magnus and touched the crystal that was resting on his neck.

Magnus stared back at him, not understanding what he was trying to communicate. Alec pointed up, signaling for them to get out.

“It’s the heart of Atlantis!” Alec gasped once they were out.  

“What?” Magnus asked.

“I thought it was a power source,” Alec continued, grabbing the the crystal Magnus had, “but it’s actually the heart of the whole city, of the people, and the bright lights you remember. It’s all of it, somehow”

“But that’s impossible,” Magnus whispered.

“It’s what’s keeping you guys alive,” Alec said, a little too somenly for his taste.

“But where is it now?” Magnus asked.

“I don’t know, but there’s gotta be something in my book about it,” Alec replied and suddenly he realized how close they were, breathing the same air, Magnus staring back at him with wide eyes full of questions.

Alec gulped. Magnus looked beautiful and he was only human. He thought he saw Magnus’s eyes flicking to his lips for a moment. Could this mean…?

Magnus got closer, he could feel his breath against his mouth, but other than that didn’t make a move, giving Alec the chance to hold back.

Fuck it , Alec thought. He was surrounded by all the knowledge he’d craved all his life and he had a beautiful man in front of him. He deserved it.

Alec leaned down and kissed Magnus softly, sighing contently at the intake of breath Magnus took. Their lips molded perfectly like they were meant to be together, moving softly, testing the waters. They parted after a while, breathless and Magnus looking all god like with his bronze skin glistening with water, tattoos contrasting with it, lips parted, his inked hair with silver streaks pushed back, and eyes wide staring at him like he held all the answers. Maybe he did.

Right there in that moment, the real treasure was this extraordinary man in front of him.