#Valkyrie transport

[yourlocalsmutwriter]

Unsurvivable ride - Fernando Alonso x reader

Summary: Old man loves his car, and you, once again, written on a train, author loves old men and old men know

Fernando Alonso wasn't the type of person who loved to boast. Sure, when he was young, he was cocky. Impressing female reporters with his card tricks or the fact that he could crack a walnut with his neck. A line that didn't make it to air was him saying, "So you don't need to worry about sitting on my face, I'm strong, I can take it, see?" right after. And even with "Fernando is faster than you," even with the "villain" comments in drive to survive, he wasn't prideful. He was just honest. You wouldn't see him flaunting his wealth or doing noveau rich stuff. Yacht aside, luxury cars aside. Yes, he had those things but didn't ever mention them or use them as props, the way some of the other drivers did. Fernando Alonso was the king of quiet luxury, old money. But, with every job came its little quirks. And in Nando's was the new car. 

Don't get him wrong he loved the Valkyrie. It was truly a beautiful car. Fast, too. Perfect for him. But having to prep your shared Monaco living room for it was not fun. Fernando loved having pictures of you two around, the framed memories were a must-have. Whether it was in the tax paradise where most F1 drivers lived, in Spain, to even his garage. Everyone was seeing that Fernando was with you. It was almost funny to see new people guess the nature of your relationship. With you being closer in age to your 20s than your thirties, people assumed you were his relative, a cousin, or perhaps a sister. Some even thought you were his daughter. Then he pulled out the vacation pictures of himself, taking down your swimsuit with his teeth. That cleared up the fact that you were his girlfriend. All the pictures were gone for the day. Any magazines or books that didn't seem like they fit him. Your clothes that hung on the hooks, everything. Truth be told, now the living room looked white and sterile and, thus, perfect for a video. Fernando had to film, and it was fun. Driving around the streets of Monaco in this custom beast didn't suit him still. But he had to do it again and again. That was in his contract. 

Despite him having to take it around all the time, you didn't get a chance to ride in it for a long time. Truth is, you avoided it. The two seater was way too fancy for your taste. You couldn't shake the sinking feeling that you'd scratch it just by opening the door or something. So you didn't even come near it. Took public transport or walked. Used the excuse of "I know it's Monaco, and people don't film you as much, but in this, they definitely will.". And that was literally the point. The Aston Martin marketing person called it a mere exposure theory. Show something to people enough, and they will remember it. Then something about the car creating organic word of mouth and this driving sales. Nando thought it was a little ridiculous that all he drove week in and week out was an Aston Martin. Especially after Brazil. 

But duty called. And the word of Lawrence Stroll and co was law. So Nando took the Valkyrie out, again and again. Finally, he managed to get you in it. Seeing you in the Valkyrie did something to him. Maybe it was the triple header. Maybe it was you in a mini dress pressed up against him. With the seat belt between your perfect tits, he was a goner. Lord knows how he made it to the restaurant without slipping his fingers inside of you while driving with his left hand. It was a miracle. The fancy restaurant he had picked out had no vallet. Only an exclusive underground parking. Fernando got out of the car with a plan in mind. By the end of the night, your first ride in the Valkyrie was going to be a memorable one. 

Everything went smoothly. Then it was time to go. Fernando put on an Oscar worthy performance of looking for his car keys. A pat down of his jeans, a scrunched up face, a low swear in Spanish. All the while, they sat snugley in his jacket pocket. 

"I must have left them on the dash. The car, it has this app that lets you do certain functions remotely. Can you look after I've rolled down the window, doll." He asks. Sometimes, he loves how serviceable you are. Others would call you ditzy, but he knew that all you ever wanted was to be a good girl for him. So you didn't question why the Valkyrie's windows could be opened remotely. You assumed it had something to do with its confusing butterfly doors. Fernando rolls it down, and you twist your body inside. At his plea to "really look, make sure the keys aren't somewhere on the floor," your entire upper body is pretzled in. Leaving your ass to stick out. And that's when Nando strikes like a viper. The window moves up. Not enough to hurt you, but it is definitely enough to make you stuck. He unlocks and locks the car again to taunt you, to show you that he wants you there. 

"Can I touch you, pretty girl?" He asks, but you can already feel his fingers near your bare legs. He's flipped up your skirt, completely exposing your underwear. As soon as you say yes, he traces the seams of it, enjoying how you get excited over that. 

"Look at you, already getting wet for me. We'll have to be quick here, princess. Is that okay with you?" He asks, and he's happy when you practically beg for that. Truth is, he can't stand to tease you right now. He needs you like a fish needs water. Fernando wasted no time in taking off your panties and putting two fingers inside of you. He curls them and tries to get them to hit that spot inside of you. When he uses his other hand to rub your clit, you're a goner, clenching against him. But he doesn't stop.

"You got yours, doll. It's time for me to get mine." He says. Fernando's belt clangs on the concrete, his pants pooled against his ankles. He takes his fingers out of you, and you can hear a loud suck as you guess he puts them in his mouth. The same fingers wrap around his shaft as he guides himself inside of you. The position is driving you both crazy. You can feel his deeper than usual, and you can't squirm away from him. You're at his mercy, and he has none. He thrusts inside of you, almost bottoming out and then slides almost all the way out. He squeezes your ass and hips. Watches himself wreck your pretty weeping pussy with his cock. Feels you get tighter against him. Sees you cum and then clench against nothing as he pulls out. Wonders whether his cum might somehow damage the paint as he watches it on your thighs. 

"There goes one incentive to keep driving this thing. Now I'll think of this every time I get in it." Fernando says, to see you squirm and tell him to shut up. Yep, he was gonna make you warm up to the Valkyrie, one way or another. 

[hard-core-super-star]

Hey rubix!! I just watched the marvels and I LOVED it!!! I was wondering if you could do a carol x reader fic where Carol is introducing her gf to Monica and Kamala and they just click really quickly and bond 😭

I’m going on a carol rampage atm bc she just looked too GOOD 🤭

- ✨

if forever will have me [C.Danvers]

paring: carol danvers x reader

summary: your girlfriend brings two stowaways on board after a rough mission, you welcome them with open arms while carol tries to adjust.

warnings: none?; fluff with minimal plot; carol's a dorky mess and we love her for it; brief emotional moments but nothing too drastic; R's a mom friend in this one frfr; not proofread; i still suck at endings

wordcount: 2.5k

a/n: I AM SO SORRY FOR TAKING OVER A YEAR TO WRITE THIS 😭 you deserved so much better, lovely anon, please forgive me. in an effort to make it up to you, i turned this into a longer fic than i originally planned, and sort of tweaked the movie plot a little because i felt it was missing a few scenes like this. i really hope you enjoy (and that i didn't totally forget how to write for carol) and once again, i'm so sorry for taking so long to write this. hopefully, there'll be more carol fic in the making soon <3

* * * * * * *

To say you were worried about Carol would be an understatement. 

While it wasn't completely unusual to go a few days without hearing from her, thanks to how chaotic her job could get, she always made sure to update you as soon as possible. Especially when you were staying in her spaceship catsitting.

Truth be told, Goose didn't really need babysitting. Mainly because more often than not, Carol just took the alien cat with her, both for comfort and companionship. However, it gave the blonde the perfect excuse to convince you to join her.

Again, you didn't really need convincing, but it made your girlfriend feel better when you were brought on board as part of her team. Her "team" being you and her...and Goose...and the occasional call from Nick Fury...and King Valkyrie. As much as the blonde insisted she preferred working alone, she was surrounded by a pretty badass support system.

Said support system wasn't enough to help her with her newest problem, though.

A problem that even you weren't qualified to help her with.

Ship full of homeless Skrulls and emotional visit from the King of Asgard aside, it was nice to have other people aboard. Even if one of those people was Carol's sort of adopted (and abandoned) daughter and the other one was a teenage girl who was quite literally Captain Marvel's biggest fan. They might not have been your first choice of companions, but you were nothing if not a welcoming host.

As soon as King Valkyrie transported the Skrull refugees back to Asgard with her, you made your way to your girlfriend's side.

"Hey," you say, you hand reaching out to take hers. "Rough day?"

Your words make her chuckle despite herself. "That's an understatement."

"What do you need from me?"

"Just...don't let go."

Her arms envelop you before you can even try to question her. You happily return her embrace, allowing her to bury her face against your shoulder and let out the heaviest sigh you've heard in a while. She doesn't have to say anything for you to known she's trying to decompress after the shit show that's gone down.

You hold the blonde close as you run your hand up and down her back, eyes bouncing back and forth between Monica and Carol's biggest fan. As awkward as it is for you, you can't imagine it's any easier for them so, you break the silence.

"Cool ship, right?"

They both nod, although the older of the two looks anywhere but you. You can't really blame her considering her history with Carol and how weird the whole situation is. A situation you still don't know any details of.

"Is, uh, is she okay?" The younger brunette ask.

"Oh, yeah, she's just...recharging."

Your girlfriend grumbles something in response, but you don't pay her any mind. It's not your fault she's literally a human lamp.

You sidestep the two of you until you're out of sight. It's not like you want to be secretive or anything, there's just a higher chance the blonde will tell you what's wrong if it's just the two of you.

"Hey, babe," you murmur.

She grumbles once more, slowly detaching herself from your neck. The glassiness of her eyes instantly makes alarms ring in your head.

"Carol-"

Your girlfriend instantly shrugs you off. "I'm fine, I just...need some time."

As badly as you want to argue with her, the last thing she needs right now is more difficulties.

"So, you're just going to leave me here with your new friends?" You ask with a raised eyebrow.

"You'll be fine, it's not like they're too happy with me either right now."

She tries to laugh it off, but you're no fool. You can see the heaviness on her shoulders, the far-away look in her eye that can't mean anything good. As badly as you want to go with her, you know she needs some time to catch her breath on her own.

So, you let her go, leaving you alone with the newest members of your unofficial team.

Not even five seconds go by before the silence is interrupted by the young brunette. "I didn't know Captain Marvel had a girlfriend."

"Does that mean no one talks about me in the fan forums?"

"That's probably for the best."

You cross the small space until you're in front of them, offering them the warmest smile you can muster. "Listen, I know this situation isn't ideal, but it's nice to have other people on the ship."

Monica gives you the smallest of smiles in response, which might not be much, but it's a start. A start you're not about to waste.

"Let's start over, yeah?" You say, somewhat aware of how shitty they must be feeling too, if Carol's barely hidden emotions are anything to go by. "I'm y/n, this ship's second captain."

"Kamala." She eagerly shakes your hand. "This ship's nice. Actually, it's really awesome."

"I know," you whisper in response, earning yourself a brighter smile.

Once Kamala finally releases your hand, you turn to face the older brunette. The soft look in her eyes does little to soothe your nervousness. You'd imagined meeting her many times before, although under much better circumstances.

"Oh, I'm Monica, but I'm assuming you already knew that."

"Yeah, it's really nice to meet you."

The sincerity in your voice seems to catch her off-guard, but she recovers before you can call her out on it. And by recover, all she really does is sidestep the conversation you need to have.

"Do you think Carol needs help?" She asks.

"Oh, she needs a lot of help but good luck getting through to her," you reply with an affectionate roll of your eyes.

Kamala barely stifles a laugh at your words, clearly enjoying the dynamic you're starting to form with them. While Carol wasn't exactly hard to read, she could be a little rough around the edges at first, especially when placed in stressful situations she feels responsible for.

Monica, on the other hand, lets out a long sigh. "I meant with the ship."

"Oh, yeah, probably. Just know she'll say no if you ask her."

"Yeah, I had a feeling."

 There's an edge of nostalgia to her words that you understand all too well. As badly as you want to talk to her about it, to reassure her that what happened wasn't her fault, that Carol still cares, you know it's not your place.

Unfortunately, you're also aware of how awkward your girlfriend can be. It's as endearing as it is frustrating.

While Monica goes down to the ship's engine room to talk to Carol, you stay with Kamala. 

You let her admire the place for a few moments before you speak up again. "Hey, you okay? Want to talk about what happened?"

Her eyes remain glued to Goose, busying herself with petting her even while she responds to your question. "You mean how I totally got scolded by my idol?"

You honestly have no idea what she's talking about, but you want her to feel supported, so you nod anyway. "Sure, if you want to."

The only response you get for a few seconds is a heavy sigh. You can see her shoulders slumping forward as she allows herself to finally accept how she's feeling. "I really didn't think our first meeting would go like this. It was supposed to be cooler, y'know? Full of bonding and really funny jokes and me getting to show off my awesome powers. Instead, I just messed up and made THE Captain Marvel mad."

You do your best to stifle the laughter that threatens to bubble up inside your throat. The last thing you want to do is invalidate her feelings but...you can't deny how amusing her rambling is.

"Sweetheart, I promise you Carol's not mad at you and I don't even know what happened. She's just protective. And really stubborn. And not the best team player."

Your words seem to bring little comfort to her. "I just...I don't want to disappoint her."

Kamala's voice breaks at the end, leading you to spring into action faster than you can even process. Even though you're not exactly sure how to comfort her, you know you have to do something. At least until Carol comes back.

"Hey," you say as you walk over to her, your arms wide open for her. "You won't. You're not going to disappoint anyone, okay? I guarantee you Carol's beating herself up for yelling at you. She's a captain, not a tyrant."

Your words make her chuckle even as she accepts the hug offer. She might not fully believe you right now, but that's okay. All that matters to you is that she doesn't feel like an outsider. Because as weird as it might be, you're all in this together now and that means being there for each other.

A few seconds go by before she speaks up again.

"Hey, um...is there somewhere I could shower?"

"Yeah, let me show you."

You show Kamala to the bathroom, helping her figure out how the shower works and giving her some of Carol's oversized clothes to wear. It's a small thing, but you hope it'll help her feel a little more at home in your large spaceship. It'd taken you a long time to get used to the whole being in space thing too.

Once you get back to the main area, you find Monica again, a thin layer of tears making her brown eyes sparkle. You're not exactly sure how to approach her, or if she even wants to be approached, but you know you have to do something. As much as you love Carol, you don't trust she didn't accidentally stick her foot in her mouth.

Monica watches you approach, silently analyzing your next move.

As much as you want to simply walk away, you can't. Not when you know how hard your girlfriend has been on herself about what happened with Monica and her mom.

"It's been hard for her too, y'know?" You say with a soft smile.

She blinks a few times, seemingly trying to hide how affected she is. "Oh, I don't...I'm fine."

Maybe you should leave it alone, it's technically none of your business, and yet...you can't stop yourself from prying a little. Mainly since you're also acutely aware of the team-up situation they find themselves in. The last thing they needis to be at each other's throats because of their past.

"Yeah? Is that why you can't look at Carol for more than five seconds?"

Her jaw clenches at that, but you stand firm. Or as firm as you can be when you're staring down the barrel of a loaded gun. The gun in question being Monica's exasperated expression.

"You have no idea what you're talking about."

Despite her attempt at sounding mad, the way her voice cracks reveals the true feelings lingering under the surface. The ones she's been pushing down for who knows how long.

"Maybe." You shrug. "But I know she's been beating herself up for not coming back sooner. I know she spent the majority of the last five years talking about your mom. About you. You're her family. The only one she has left."

Monica tries her hardest to appear unaffected, but the change in her expression says it all. Her eyes soften as her jaw unclenches, her bottom lip trembling just the slightest bit to let you know you've cracked her defenses.

"She has you."

Her words are soft. Not really a complaint or an argument. Simply a statement. One that makes your face flush despite your hardest efforts.

"That's not...you know what I mean."

For once, she drops the cool act. "I do, but my point still stands. You're her family too. And honestly? I think she needs you more than I do right now."

You let out a soft chucke. "Yeah, I can't argue with that. You'll be okay?"

The question is far more loaded than you realize and yet, she nods. "Yeah, I think so."

With that, you make your way back to Carol, not at all surprised to find her muttering under her breath as she paces back and forth. "Everything okay, Captain?"

She stops in her tracks the second she hears your voice. "Something like that. It's been a long day."

"Tell me about it, it seems you've brought out some strong emotions in everyone."

"Yeah." The blonde does her best to glue a smirk onto her face, but she fails miserably. If anything, her smile comes off more like a grimace than anything.

You cross the space between you in an instant. "How are you holding up?"

She answers your question with one of her own. "How's Kamala doing? I shouldn't have yelled at her earlier."

As much as you hate her tendency to side-step talking about how she's feeling, you allow it. Clearly, you're not the only one who's gotten attached to the young girl. "She's okay, maybe a little upset, but nothing a warm shower can't fix."

A long sigh escapes her and even though you want nothing more than you wrap her up in your arms, you hold back. As difficult as it is, you wait for her to show you what she needs. "This is why I don't work with a team. I'm awful at it."

You can't stop yourself from poking fun at her. "You're literally a captain, though."

This time, the smile that crosses her face looks warmer. Real in a way you're used to. "That's not funny."

"I thought it was hilarious."

You wrap your arms around her neck before she can complain about your shitty jokes, pulling her closer. She catches on pretty quickly and wraps her arms around your waist before she leans in to capture your lips in a slow kiss.

The moment ends far too quickly for your liking.

Her forehead rests against your own, her blue eyes sparkling with emotions you know she can't fully put into words. Not that you'd ever force her.

That being said, you wish you didn't know exactly where things were going.

"You're not going to tell me what's going on, are you?" You ask even though you already know the answer.

"Nope." She pecks your lips before you can protest. "I have enough to worry about, I can't put you in the line of fire too."

"You know I don't mind. I want to be here for you."

Her hand leaves your waist to trail her finger up your arm. She grips your wrist and slowly brings it away from her neck and toward her chest. "I know, princess, but I have to do this on my own. I have to fix my mistakes."

You find yourself huffing in response. "I hate it when you get all serious like that."

She chuckles, bringing your wrist up to her lips for a few lingering kisses. "I'll come back to you before you know it. Promise."

"I'll be waiting, Captain."

You pull her back in without another word, knowing full well you'll both keep to your promises.

[valkyrieappreciationweek]

Less than 7 weeks until Valkyrie Appreciation Week

Who doesn’t love a good Alternate Universe (AU) fic, artwork, or moodboard? We love seeing the Valkyries transported to different fictional universes or imagining what they’d be getting up to in our own world.

This fun piece from @bookishkoda shows the Valkyries getting ready to take on the Eras Tour, dressed impeccably as their favorite eras

For our Swifties, do you agree with the eras picked for each? Are there any other artists or bands you think the Valkyries would be dying to go see?

[snarp]

I guess this is what makes Malenia a "valkyrie": she's responsible for transporting a "hero's" soul. Y'know, Radahn's. Let's ask her how she feels about that.

So, if she Rotted his brain specifically as a means of transporting his soul from his body to the site of the Church of the Bud: was he already dying? Of something other than Rot?

In combination with the obsession with gravity magic; Leonard, The Horse That Is In Hell; the paraplegic albinaurics riding animals to get around; and the DLC's firm reminder in the form of Radahn's paraplegic boar-riding friend who died wearing shit designed to mock his disability...

...I think we're supposed to recognize that Radahn had been paralyzed for a long time by the battle of Caelid, and trying very hard to hide it.

Assuming that Marika and Radagon's kids never get normal-ass nerve damage, that basically has to mean Deathblight.

[nonndrawz]

This is the last interesting detail I found!!! So the chair that we see in the opening of the GOW: Ragnarök Valhalla DLC trailer is actually the same chair in the Council of Valkyries location!!! In case you don't know, in GOW 2018 you fight corrupted Vallyires and after defeating them you put their helmets on their assigned chairs. So it's awesome to see an homage to the Valkyries, especially since they yell "Valhalla!" when you fight them and they're meant to help transport souls to Valhalla.

[maple-seed]

Thrown - Chapter 46: Lokabrenna

Summary: Loki makes an escape with you.

Word Count: 1,482

Author's Notes: We are back. 6 chapters to go and I'm going to do my best to keep to the once-a-week schedule.

Thrown Masterlist Loki Masterlist

Bruce Banner was a perfectly tolerable person to be around, probably. Loki could recognize this in an objective sense. He was polite, deferential even. Quite intelligent. He had a decent sense of humor, in a quiet sort of way. Easily the most amiable Avenger to have in one's company. Loki also knew, logically, that Bruce Banner and the Hulk were two separate entities that merely shared a common point of origin, on occasion. Still, despite all of this, when Loki was in the presence of the mild-mannered scientist he could think of little else aside from the marble floor of Stark's penthouse, and the sound it made as Loki passed through it.

As Bruce had stepped off the quinjet Valkyrie greeted him with a grin and a punch to the arm. "Hey, big guy." He responded with a nervous smile while rubbing his arm. "Hey." Before he had a chance to recover, Thor had swung in with one of his exuberant hugs. "Banner! Welcome back to New Asgard!" "Yeah, thanks, good to be here." Banner met Loki next and extended a hand. "Hey Loki, are you... uh, how are you?" The man seemed to be uncertain even of the question he was asking. Loki shook his hand, pleased that it seemed the discomfort wasn't entirely his to bear. "I'm well, Dr. Banner. And you?"

Loki had been made aware that Banner had played a key role in the Asgardians' escape from Ragnarok, and then Thanos after that. This explained the warm welcome he had received from the citizens of New Asgard. It did not explain the strange closeness he shared with the Valkyrie. It was Loki's understanding that she had sold the Hulk into slavery on Sakaar, yet they seemed to be on very friendly terms. There must be more to that story, but Loki considered that he may not want to know. Then again, she had also sold Thor into slavery and now she was essentially his advisor and lieutenant. Perhaps she was simply very gifted in making amends.

Part of the agreement that allowed the Æsir to settle here on Earth involved certain aspects of trade. They would be given a place to make their home, and in return the Asgardians would share their knowledge and technology with carefully-chosen human parties. Additionally, in exchange for allowing New Asgard to be built here specifically, several benefits of Stark Industries were being extended to the mortal town. Banner was here to oversee progress and move forward with these trades.

Blessedly, this meant that Loki's presence was not needed, as most of Banner's interactions were with the Æsir engineers and human officials. And so it was not much of an issue that Loki had somewhere else to be, and he quietly excused himself and slipped away from the clamor.

You had suggested another hike to spend the night on the mountain and Loki jumped at the opportunity. He hadn't told you of the dream he had when he was away at the compound, but the images from it had lingered in his mind. It was something he longed to recapture. You had invited Thor, but he declined, citing all the work that needed to be done. Loki had never been so grateful to his brother.

As he approached your cabin you were on the porch, laying out supplies that you would likely be asking Loki to transport. You straightened and smiled. "What took you so long?" "I beg your pardon." He leaned in to plant a quick kiss. "We received Bruce Banner along with a number of his apprentices today. I had to perform certain duties before I could diplomatically extricate myself." Your eyes lit up. "Bruce Banner? Bruce Banner is here?" Loki raised a brow. "Yes. He's here to learn of our technology and to grant us some of his." "Why didn't you tell me?" You turned your head toward New Asgard, peering down the road, as if you could see him from here. "Why is it of such keen interest?" "It's Bruce Banner! A world-renown scientist! The Hulk!" You eyes were still fixed down the road. Loki frowned. "Need I remind you that you dine with gods on a regular basis?" You waved dismissively. "Exactly, you're old news." He narrowed his eyes. "You shouldn't test me today, little bird. Soon we will be isolated on a mountaintop, alone in the darkness, far from help." He pulled you in close. "I'll have you completely at my mercy." You bit your lip and grinned with a new excitement in your eyes. "You promise?" He chuckled, his nose grazing yours. "I would say I should teach you a lesson but something tells me you would be too willing a student."

You laughed as he released you, then turned back to the provisions you were organizing. "How long is Banner here?" "A few days, at least." "Great, we can have him for dinner tomorrow." He sighed. "Must we?" You smirked. "Aw, are you still sore from that time he beat you up?" You offered him a mocking pout. "Show me where it hurts." Loki sulked. "My pride, mostly." "Well, that's ideal. You've got plenty of that to spare." You straightened and swung a pack over your shoulder. "No reason why we can't be social." Loki folded his arms and leaned against the post of your porch. "Perhaps I simply prefer not to?" "Oh, don't worry." The mocking tone had returned to your voice. "It's just a little dinner. I promise I won't let the big scary monster get you." Loki glared. "One day, you will reach the edge of my patience." You grinned. "Not today? I'll keep looking for it." You gave him a conciliatory peck on the cheek. "Now magic up these supplies so we can hit the trail." "Your mortal frailty is the only reason I tolerate this treatment." Loki begrudgingly waved a hand and vanished the items, then followed you down the road to the trailhead.

The climb felt different this time. It felt almost clandestine with just the two of you. As if Loki was sneaking away from all of his troubles. Like you were leading him to a paradise where they didn't exist. The hike was easy, with light spirits and laughter.

You grew quiet as you reached the end, and stopped altogether before stepping out onto the terrace. You stood for a moment, looking out onto the outcrop, and it occurred to Loki that this would almost certainly be your first time here without Ash. He reached down and to your hand in his. After a moment you sighed, squeezed his hand, and managed a slight smile as you looked up at him. "Come on, let's go make camp."

After a brief stop to admire the view, the both of you set to work. You pitched the tent, Loki gathered firewood, though not nearly as much would be needed this time. Spring was waning and the nights were growing warmer. Dinner was cooked and shared, and afterward Loki found himself seated on the ground, his back against a boulder near the fire. You were stretched in front of him, with your back to his chest, your head resting back against him. His arms wrapped around you and in turn your arms held his. The two of you gazed out over the landscape, which was bathed in gold and shadow as the sun began its descent. A few quiet words were shared but it seemed agreed upon that this moment was meant to simply be absorbed.

Sequestered away here with you, this was exactly the peace Loki had craved. He wanted to tell you about his dream. He wanted you to know that for him the majesty of this place was intrinsically tied to you, so much so that when he was longing for you this is where his mind brought him in his sleep. It felt like something you should know.

Before he could find where to start, you raised a hand toward the horizon. "Hey look, your star is out." The sun had begun its retreat in earnest, and the first stars were making their appearances. Just above the horizon was the one you were pointing out. "Our star." He corrected. You turned your face toward him, a brow raised. "Our star?" He nodded. "You told me it was named 'Lokabrenna', correct? My burning?" You looked back to the horizon, as if the star could explain. "Yes, that's right." "Then it is our star." He assured, leaning forward to graze his lips against the shell of your ear. "For I burn for you." You turned to him again with a wild affection in your eyes, which he could only appreciate for a moment before you pulled him to you and kissed him with a fervor that was unexpected but immediately reciprocated.

Loki felt the rise of familiar flames.

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[heraxic]

re8 as classical music

badly explained cause its 2am and i dont know musical terms.

Btw if anyone has any notes or other songs that would fit them id love to see it-

Ethan: Tchaikovsky - Marche Slave

Slow start, Ethan is unknowingly ensnared in a trap. As he realizes the danger Rose (and himself) are in the song becomes tragic and determined. Fastpaced strings, frantic beats —like prey escaping from predator— keeps escalating into something more and more insurmountable. A hopeful jingle is heard as Ethan finds out he can still save his daughter. A heroic theme plays as he overcomes the horrors despite it all (a sense of control over the situation is marked by highpitched anxious flutes superimposed by a deep stable horn). Then comes the first faceoff with Miranda who taunts him and Ethan’s tragic hero theme comes to a grinding halt as his heart gets pulled out of his chest. The drums pick up again and the little soldier is off to his final battle.

Mia: Claude Debussy - Clair De Lune

Sadly the real Mia doesn’t appear much. In the Winters home, Ethan writes that Mia doesn’t want to talk about what they went through in Louisiana, which leaves him with a lot of questions unanswered. In the flashback where she desperately tries reaching out saying ‘𝘺𝘰𝘶 matter’, she still can’t help keeping secrets- maybe out of fear that Ethan wouldn’t let it go (being extremely persistent) and they’d never return to normal. The song is heartbreaking and sad as she struggles coming to terms with the guilt and grief over what she’s done and what the one she loves went through because of it. On a last somber note, her child, who takes after her father both in looks and unresolved powers, is all she has left.

Rose: Saint-Saëns - Le Cygne

A little girl whos only ever known unconditional, all encompassing love. Even before her birth, it was known that her life would be full of uncertainty. Though stolen away for possessing powers she’s not even aware of yet, she continues to live and provide a beacon of hope for her family.

Chris: Richard Wagner - Ride of the Valkyries

Comes in the dead of night and rains hell on the Winters home. In his eyes, he’s doing the right thing, but has made himself the villain to the one he was trying to protect (victorious trumpets superimposed by high fearful strings). The transport gets intercepted by Miranda and the music falls. Once Chris finally explains himself to Ethan they’re allowed a brief bit of victory (steadier horn) as their combined efforts take down Miranda’s last line of defense (Heisenberg). In the end, Chris has to live with the victory of taking down the megamycete, the guilt and grief over Ethan’s death/sacrifice, and the troubling news from BSAA. A tainted victory.

Alcina: Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake

Appears first as a noble elegant socialite. She’s at the height of her power, owns a castle and three daughters and believes herself to be Miranda’s favorite. It’s business as usual, calm serene music. Suddenly an outsider has made his way into her home, killing her daughters one by one. She reaches out to Miranda, who only cares about the stupid ceremony, and realizes everything she knew was a lie. Anger and frustration builds. The music deepens, falls and rises again as she transforms, tries taking revenge on Ethan and fails, having lost everything in one evening.

Bela, Cassandra, Daniela: Rimsky Korsakov - Flight of the Bumblebee

Self explanatory. Hurried, manic and playful.

Donna: Tchaikovsky - Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy

Entrancing but with eerie insidious undertones. Fitting for the childlike dollmaker and her little porcelain friends. Ends with a fast and chilling theme for the twisted game of hide and seek

Moreau: Edvard Grieg - Hall of the Mountain King

Quiet, lumbering and slow. Ethan takes the Rose flask back easily; threatened with losing Mother Miranda it very quickly escalates as panic sets in and Moreau throws everything he has at him. The music swells and ends with a bang.

Karl: Aram Khachaturian - Masquerade Suite

A bold start. Right from the beginning he exudes arrogance, charisma and danger. He plays nice in front of Miranda with a waltz that picks up in intensity when putting Ethan through his first gauntlet. Then the tone gets deeper and quieter for a moment, as he plots in secret; it’s finally time to set his plan in action. It’s a race to the finish line as Ethan tears through the other lords, unknowingly playing right into Miranda’s plan. Realizing he could be a particularly useful asset/ally, Heisenberg puts him through the second gauntlet. The music is sadistically playful as he tests his will and endurance. Upon failing to recruit Ethan, the music picks up for the third gauntlet and ends with a bang, as Karl dies at the hands of Miranda.

Duke: Georges Bizet - Votre Toast

A friendly face unfitting in a place such as this. The upbeat and energetic theme sticks out like a sore thumb among the others. Whimsy and grandiosity acts as a brilliant facade for his enigmatic true nature. Though the jolly merchant schtick may be a lie, he always delivers on service.

Miranda: Sergei Prokofiev - Dance of the Knights

https://youtu.be/bBsKplb2E6Q?si=jnSpMO-bIhEcjJzb

Immediately imposes a sense of authority and dread. The dark theme plays over and over as she performs the same cruel experiments expecting different results, though it only succeeds in remowing her further from humanity. She imagines a world of pure bliss in acquiring her child, which at this point is as illusory as chasing the holy grail since she’s never satisfied. When she hears of Rose she schemes her way into the Winters home, elated to find the perfect vessel after a century of searching. She steals the child away, leaving behind a trail of destruction that finally catches up to her.

[achaotichuman]

...or at least keep going until dawn?

For @emerieweekofficial Day Two: Soul of a warrior.

Summary:

She’d keep going. It didn’t matter if she couldn’t, she would. She'd cleave this mountain in two with her bare bloodied hands if that’s what it took.

The Blood Rite is nearly finished. With Dawn just on the horizon, and the last stretch of the Breaking out before them, victory is right within sight. But the Illyrian males behind them are faster than Gwyn, who wouldn't be able to make the last of the journey before the three Valkyrie were torn into by dozens who wanted their heads.

They're trapped between a rock and a hard place, someone needs to stay as the last defence, and someone needs to take Gwyn and make the last of the treacherous climb.

Nesta and Emerie say goodbye, and then, Emerie pushes herself beyond her limits, and conquers the Breaking.

A/N:

This fic covers the last part of the Rite from Emerie's POV when she carries Gwyn through the rest of the Rite. I've kept the first half of the fic canon compliant, however, instead of the Stone transporting Emerie and Gwyn to the River House, I had it take them to Emerie's shop to have a more in depth look into both Emerie and Gwyn's character and relationship. As I wanted to explore how they would react to the possibility of losing Nesta, and how they would support each other.

Anyway, hope yall enjoy!!!

Read on Ao3 or below the cut!

Something deep in Nesta’s chest cracked. Cracked open completely, and what lay within bloomed, full and bright and pure. 

She wrapped her arms around Gwyn. Let her friend sob into her chest. “I’ll face it with you,” Gwyn whispered, over and over again. “Promise me we’ll face it together.”

Nesta couldn’t stop her tears then. The chill wind froze them on her cheeks. “I promise,” she breathed, stroking Gwyn’s matted hair. “I promise.”

Gwyn sobbed, and Nesta let herself sob with her, squeezing her tightly. Letting her stroking hand come to rest on Gwyn’s neck. 

A pinch in the right spot, exactly on that pressure point Cassian has shown her, and it was done. 

Gwyn went down. Unconscious. 

Nesta grunted, carefully lowering Gwyn to the ground as she peered up at Emerie. Her friend’s face was grave but unsurprised. 

Nesta only said, “Can you carry her the rest of the way?” It would be a feat in itself. “Or at least keep going until dawn?”

“I will.”

She would. She saw Nesta, her arms still holding their friend so tightly. Gwyn’s matted ginger hair splayed over Nesta’s bloody flesh. Silver fire burned bright as the North star in her eyes, this was resolution, a last rush of determination. Even as Emerie’s heart shattered over and over with every passing breath, she should have known that they would not make it out of this together. 

But maybe, maybe at the very least, Emerie could protect one of them. 

Her whole life had been spent carving out her own path. Making her way in a world that was dead-set on forcing her down another road. Then one day, a High Fae with a sort of sadness came into her shop, and a new path opened before her. 

She wasn’t able to protect her mother, she had barely been able to protect herself. But now, she would protect Gwyn, and maybe, she might be able to protect Nesta, in the one way she could. 

Emerie kneeled down, laying her sword across the cool snow. Her dagger. A shield. A last attempt at carving this shitty world into a better place for all of them. 

“Keep the canteens,” Nesta said, gesturing to her own strapped to her side, “I’ve got enough.”

It was a lie, a lie brimming with tears that Nesta pushed back. A lump found its way into Emerie’s throat but she willed herself to believe it nonetheless. 

“She’ll never forgive you for this.” Emerie said. She meant it to be light-hearted, but her voice refused. Gwyn wouldn’t forgive her for this, and Emerie didn’t want to either. She wanted to shove both Gwyn and Nesta through the last stretch of the Breaking, to the top of Ramiel, and take on each and every one of the assholes who had spent their lives making hers a living Hell. 

But Nesta would never let her. She’d use everything in that deep, deep well of raw Goddess-given power to stop her. 

And for that, Emerie couldn’t make herself hate Nesta for this even if she tried for a thousand years. 

“I know.” Nesta said, with a voice of finality. Like the ringing call of Death itself. 

The other Illyrians were getting closer, and closer. They were out of time. 

Nesta didn’t speak as she picked Gwyn up and helped heft her into Emerie’s back. Sharp pain shocked through her back, a deep ache settled in her bones, pulsing through her entire being as her wings spread out farther than they ever had since they were clipped. The scars stretched and stretched until she felt the skin tear, blood flowing freely down her already sweat and crimson slick skin. Tears started to well in her eyes, but with every ounce of willpower in her soul, she blinked them away. 

Nesta tied the bloody rope around them, and it began to truly sink into Emerie, that this was it. This was the last time the three of them would ever be together. After tonight, Nesta will be gone. 

Her eyes filled with tears again. 

“Come with us.” She begged, it was futile, this game was over before it started. Emerie didn’t know how, but she could feel it. Nesta was never meant to leave these mountains. 

She shook her head, “Consider it repayment of a debt.”

Emerie stared at her for a moment, for a startling second laughter nearly bubbled from her throat, because what her friend was saying was so absurd, instead more tears slipped down her face, “For what?”

“For being my friends. Even when I didn’t deserve it.”

Those words were what broke Emerie entirely. 

Nesta was going to leave them tonight. 

And she would leave them thinking she had owed them something. 

“There is no debt, Nesta.” She didn’t know if she was laughing or crying anymore. 

“There is. Let me pay it.” 

Emerie forced back her tears. They were out of time. She thought she might have had the opportunity, the chance, to thank Nesta for everything she had done for her. 

Instead, she couldn’t. The chance had slipped through her fingers, the time was gone, the life they all could have had been stolen, like every other damned thing that so many others had stolen from her. 

She didn’t have the words, she didn’t have the time. So, she just nodded, her final salute to the warrior, the friend, the random High Fae that once showed up in her shop, that she loved with all of her damning heart. And then, she headed through the rest of the Breaking. 

Emerie felt the air spark around her, viciously cold, flames that felt like ice spiked in her soul. Anger for what was done to her mother, hatred for what they had done to herself, rage for what had been done to Gwyn and worst of all pure terror, hatred, disgust and burning, burning rage for what had been done to Nesta, and what would be done to her now. 

She gripped Gwyn’s thighs hugging her waist tightly and forced her burning legs towards the peak of Ramiel. Every single muscle ached, she was on fire, and it fueled her. She had come so far. Gone so far. Defied everyone, broke every rule, and she would not stop now. 

She couldn’t protect Nesta, but damn the Mother, damn the Cauldron, damn the males, she would protect Gwyn. And she would live, godsfuckingdamnit, she would live to protect every daughter born like her. 

The sound of steel, shouting and flesh being carved open echoed from behind her, Emerie did not look back. She felt Gwyn stir against her, fighting rest, even as blood loss pulled her in and out of unconsciousness. The very thought of rest tried to chip at Emerie’s resolve. If she stopped for even a moment, she would collapse, and more than likely, never wake up. 

“Whas happening?” Gwyn slurred, exhausted, still half-gone. 

“We’re almost there.” Emerie whispered, her breath clouding in front of her, she could see it, they were almost there. They were almost there.

“Where… Nesta?” 

“She’s…”

The sound of a male screaming as something drove into his body. Nesta. 

“She’s right behind us.” Emerie lied. 

“She kept her promise.” Gwyn said. 

“I am the rock against which the surf crashes. Nothing can break me.”

“We are Valkyrie.”

Laughter bloomed from Nesta and Gwyn, Emerie joined them as she lightly stroked the friendship bracelet around her wrist. She could feel nothing but pure, radiant joy. 

They had found each other. Through the thick of the mountains, stayed together in the dark of night, hiding in that tree. Together, they had faced it. And they were gonna win this. It just meant they… they were gonna be separated now, for a little while. 

“Yeah.” Emerie said, “Yeah, she kept her promise, we faced it together.” And this time, her words were not a lie. 

They were so close now. The sharp tang of blood frozen by the harsh winds whipping against her face. Blood dribbled along the pure white with every shaking step. He wings felt as though they would tear at the base. Spots of black edged her vision, bile rose in her throat, Emerie was trembling so badly, she could feel every fibre of her being alight with blinding pain. Open wounds weeping as the ice biting at the raw nerves caused them to burn like fire. 

She’d keep going. It didn’t matter if she couldn’t, she would. She'd cleave this mountain in two with her bare bloodied hands if that’s what it took. 

For her mother. 

For Gwyn. 

For Nesta. 

For every pair of wings turned flightless both in the past and future. 

“I am the rock against which the surf crashes. Nothing can break me.”

“I am the rock against which the surf crashes. Nothing can break me.”

“I am the rock against which the surf crashes. Nothing can break me.”

This mountain would crash against her too, it would wash over her and she would be what came out the otherside. 

This mountain would not break her. 

This. This was what a warrior was, Emerie thought, as every muscle in her body burned and contracted. As her wounds wept blood that spilt across the floor. As her bruised face was whipped by the wild wind. She gritted her teeth, spat out the blood in her mouth, letting the pain wash over and pass through her.

Emerie barely remembered the rest of the way up, the sounds of her feet crushing the snow underneath blurred into the sounds of the battle behind them. But she remembered her heart hammering in her chest, and the brush of the stone underneath her fingertips when she made it. 

The blinding light filled the world, blooming into this space of dark and death. 

For a brief, blinking moment in time, Emerie saw her. A glorious streak of red and glinting silver in the world. Gwyn saw it too, but her echoing scream for Nesta, reaching out into that pocket of space, was swallowed by light and power. They were swept away into the blanket of space and time. Caressed by a never-ending sea of night. 

Then the world crashed back into her, and Emerie passed out. 

Someone was shaking her, yelling her name, the voice that spoke was familiar and it made her feel warm inside. But there was something that cut through that warmth, as Emerie slowly came back to consciousness. Blinking away the haze, she saw someone kneeling in front of her. It slowly occurred to her that she was laying sideways. 

Finally looking up, Emerie recognised the long, ginger hair that stuck to pale, freckled skin. Those teal eyes reddened, cheeks stained with tears that continued to fall without stopping. 

“-merie! Emerie thank the Goddess!” Gwyn cried when she saw her friend open her eyes. 

“Gwyn.” Emerie croaked out. She was alive. They were both alive. They escaped. 

No. Not escaped. 

They won. 

Gwyn tried to say something but it was choked out as a sob broke free from her. Racking her chest, making her shake uncontrollably, her tears were a never-ending flow, the cry that tore from her throat was animalistic, raw and grieving. 

Emerie shot up, briefly caught off guard by the lack of sharp, deep pain from her injuries. 

Emerie wrapped her arms around Gwyn. Pulling her into her chest. Keeping her close. 

“It’s over.” Emerie whispered, “It’s over.”

“She’s gone!” Gwyn cried out. 

The words hit Emerie like a blow to the gut. 

Looking up, Emerie saw just the same four walls of her bedroom. The fireplace nothing but cold ash now. The curtains of her window was drawn. They sat on the hardwood floors, their sight only lit by the light of dawn pouring in from her open bedroom door, and the windows in the corridor. 

It was all the same. All the exact same. Only she wore the leathers of a dead Illyrian male, and blood, most of which was not hers, clung to every pore. No bath would be able to scrub this away entirely. 

In the quiet light of Dawn, the first ever Valkyrie-Carynthian, grieved the friend they loved and lost. 

The Stone seemed to have simply returned them to the place they last were before entering the Blood Rite. Emerie was thankful for it. She couldn’t imagine having to hike all the way back from the boundary around Ramiel to her home. 

After what felt like forever, Gwyn had passed out again in Emerie’s arms. She herself couldn’t sleep if she forced herself too. Everytime she closed her eyes, she saw Nesta, defending them with all her might for the last time. So, she picked up Gwyn and focused all her energy on making sure her friend was okay. 

Her energy was renewed from the Stone. The burning in her muscles was still there, but without the injuries for the first time in the last day, the burning alone was the easiest task in the world to bear. 

Emerie had hated herself for it, but she shook Gwyn awake after running her a bath. Gwyn had been in a trance of her own. Having looked at Emerie, Gwyn had seen what she was doing. Trying her best to focus on anything else. Understanding had passed over her. This was Emerie’s way of dealing with it, picking up the pieces of what was left, and trying to make something of it. The same as she had done when her mother was killed, and the same as she had done when the piece of shit who claimed to be her father had died. 

It was that same mindset that gave her the strength to get through the Breaking, even as her wings had been ripped and torn under Gwyn's weight. Even as Emerie had listened to the sounds of fighting and gore behind her. Event as she had weathered the terrain and cold that tried to force her to yield. She never stopped moving.

So, Gwyn allowed Emerie to dot on her, it gave them both a sense of calm. A sense of belonging after so much loss. 

After Gwyn bathed and changed, she took her clothes and put them in a basket, along with Emerie’s stolen leathers. Then she cleaned them thoroughly, till they were scrubbed of all that had happened, before putting them back in a basket outside and leaving them there. In just a half-hour, they were gone, and coincidentally, Emerie saw two young boys outside her shop window, sporting worn Illyrian leathers that were just a bit too big for them. 

Gwyn helped in preparing the shop, and once the floor was swept, the fire was lit, the shelves were cleaned, the beds were made and the linen was washed and drying. They both sat at the table, and looked down at the tea Emerie didn’t remember making. 

“What do we do now?” Gwyn was the one to break the silence. 

Emerie didn’t have an answer for her. So, she stayed silent. 

Did they grieve? Did they follow the traditions that were custom when Illyrian males were killed in the rite? Did they follow the traditions for High Fae of the Night Court? They tended to differ in Illyria vs the Hewn City. 

Emerie wasn’t sure if Velaris had its own set of customs. Or would Nesta want them to follow human traditions? She didn’t even know where she would find out what human traditions were. Her first instinct was to ask Nesta, but when she looked over at the seat where Nesta used to occupy, it was empty and cold. 

It was then that Emerie noticed that she had poured a third cup of tea, and its steam wafted into the air, untouched. 

“She might not be dead.” Gwyn whispered, “There’s a chance she was able to hold them off until dawn.”

“But we were transported back here by the stone. Wouldn’t she too? Dawn has long come and gone.”

“Maybe it transports us back to where we feel safest?” Gwyn suggested, “She could be back in the House of Wind with Cassian?”

Emerie just blinked at her, letting the implication of her words sink in. Gwyn continued, “Or maybe it’s only the stone that transports you. Maybe Nesta had to walk back?”

 “You feel safest here?” Emerie asked. 

Gwyn looked at her for a very long time, then she stared down at her tea, “I…”

The morning light shone on Gwyn’s still damp hair, gleaming like fire. The steam curled around her face. Emerie studied every part of her. High cheekbones, a smatter of tan freckles across her nose, travelling down to her collarbone. Teal eyes that glowed with emotion. 

Emerie memorised it all. Every single part of her. Who would know if Gwyn was next to be taken from her? Stolen in the night, or ripped from her arms. Dying for her salvation, or being killed in crossfire. Who would know? They were Valkyrie. They were warriors. They were soldiers. 

And soldiers died. Soldiers fought, and died. Warrior fought, and warriors died.

It had been the same for the Valkyries of the past, and it was the same for them.

So, Emerie looked through the stretch of space between them, capturing the glow of Gwyn's eyes, shining with tears, and kept it tucked away into the deepest parts of her heart.

This is what Nesta had fought for. What she had fought for. What she would continue to fight for. Gwyn, herself, all the others...

“I feel the safest with you.” Gwyn eventually said, lifting her eyes to see Emerie, “I feel safe with you, and her.”

Gwyn’s voice cracked at the mention of Nesta. Something splintered in Emerie’s heart, again and again, and again.

“There is still a chance she’s alive.” Emerie murmured, “There’s a chance she’s… not.”

“What do we do?” Gwyn asked again, “We are… We are Valkyrie-Carynthian now.”

“We are.” Emerie agreed, “Valkyrie-Carynthian.” She murmured the words slowly, trying to wrap her tongue around them. It still hadn’t quite set in. But it also felt so right.

“What would she want us to do?” Gwyn asked, in a voice too small for what she had accomplished the last few hours. What they had won together. 

“Move on.” Emerie answered. 

“How could she possibly want us to just move on-”

“She thought she owed us something.” Emerie muttered, “Her defending us, her fighting for us, in her eyes it was paying her debt.”

When Emerie found it in her too look up at Gwyn, she saw those teal eyes wide with horror, brimming with tears. 

“No-” Gwyn started, her voice breaking with the force of her tears. 

“She said ‘Consider it repayment of a debt. For being my friends, even when I didn’t deserve it.” Emerie remembered every word like they were burned into her mind’s eye. She didn’t think she’d ever forget them. 

She just wished she’d been able to push Nesta to say something else. To say anything else. Emerie stayed at her tea, and hoped with all her might, that Gwyn was right and Nesta fought until Dawn, so that her last words were not that. 

Gwyn did not answer, she just cried. Her lithe shoulders shook, she lowered herself to the table, hands clenched so tightly they were white. She trembled without stopping as she cried and cried. 

Soon Emerie began to shake. Her wings trembling. Her body spasming. Even when she bit down on her tongue so hard blood filled her mouth. Blood with its horrible, horrible tang. Even as she gripped the table until her fingers were burning. She couldn’t stop it. 

“You don’t owe me anything!” She wanted to scream. “I am yours because I want to be! You are mine because I need you!” 

Tears burned in her eyes. They burned her cheeks. Her heart was on fire, her body was on fire, she was burning up in the memory of silver flames. 

‘It’s your fault,’ Emerie thought to herself, ‘You should have pleaded with her to say anything else. You should have forced anything else from her mouth!’

We needed more time. 

We deserved more time. 

For every time we were left alone. For every dream we wished to the stars. Begging for what we had. The three of us. We deserved to have more time. 

"Emerie," Gwyn whispered through shallow breaths, reaching her hands out between them. Holding Emerie even as her own crying was persistent.

"Yes?" Emerie managed out. Trying to hold back the onslaught of emotion she was drowning in.

"It's not your fault." Gwyn said, "You... You fought for us. For me. Alongside us. There was nothing to be done."

Emerie didn't answer. She couldn't if she tried.

The bell of the shop door rang out as it opened, Emerie just stared at her hands. She did not sob, but her tears flowed and she could not stop them. 

Gwyn managed to force her body to stop its grieving. She looked up at Emerie, after a moment, she put a hand on her knuckles. Pulling them away from the edge of the table, Gwyn pressed a sweet, gentle kiss to Emerie’s fingers. Then, silently, she got up, wiped her tears, put on a blindingly sweet smile, and walked out to the shop floor. 

Emerie sniffled, thanking the Goddesses, thanking The Mother, thanking her own mother’s spirit watching over her, that she had the strength to carry Gwyn through the Breaking. If she had lost Nesta and Gwyn… Emerie didn’t think she would be able to survive. 

Gwyn screaming snapped Emerie entirely from her thoughts. Before she even processed what she had heard, her legs had forced her to her feet and she was running to the shop floor. 

Just as she went to grab the closest blunt object to use as a weapon, Emerie stopped dead in her tracks. 

There she was, gleaming in the morning light. Bright as a new moon, blooming as she looked at Gwyn. 

Gwyn seemed lost in a trance, tentatively she reached out a hand and cupped her blood-stained cheek. Like she couldn’t believe she was here. 

They seemed frozen in that moment. Emerie took in every detail. The silvery light that bounced off the snow outside, framing her from behind. The flicking of the fire that warmed her face from the front. Her bloody hair, braided in a crown around her head. 

This was a moment Emerie would never forget, staring at Nesta once more. She was alive. 

It seemed to click for Gwyn at the same time, as the redhead suddenly broke down crying as she threw her arms around Nesta pulling her into a hug so tight Nesta winced. Her injuries still present. But she ignored her own discomfort as she held Gwyn just as tightly. 

“You came back.” Gwyn sobbed into Nesta’s shoulder. 

“I always will.” Nesta murmured. 

Eventually, Gwyn forced herself to pull away, still staring at Nesta like she couldn’t quite believe she were here. That their hopes had been answered. But she stepped back, and Emerie stepped forward. 

Nesta lifted her eyes to Emerie, and for another snapshot in time, they faced each other like warriors. Fellow soldiers. Knowing something had been sealed between them on that mountain when Nesta had asked Emerie to carry Gwyn to victory. 

“I-” Nesta started. 

“YOU WILL NEVER OWE ME ANYTHING” Emerie screamed with all her might. The mountains might have shook. The ground might have split. The world might have shifted. And then Emerie leapt forward and grabbed Nesta into a hug that couldn’t possibly be close enough. 

“How fucking dare you.” Emerie whispered, “How fucking dare you let those almost be your last words to me.” 

Nesta shook with silent tears, burying her face into Emerie’s shoulder as she broke. 

“Everything I do for you is because I love you.” Emerie continued, “I love you.  And I love you selfishly, Nesta. You are mine. I am yours. There will never be a price.”

“I love you too.” Nesta whispered. 

There was another set of arms, and Emerie simply wrapped Gwyn into the hug, pulling them both close. 

Yes, something had been sealed between them on that mountain. 

A deep understanding. A bond that could never be broken. 

Even if one of them went through the veil to the next life first, they would always meet each other on the other side. 

"I saw you." Nesta whispered into the space between them, "I saw you, when you conquered the Breaking."

"Yeah?" Emerie whispered.

Nesta lifted her eyes, pushing her forehead against Emerie's, as she murmured, "You looked like one of the Generals of Old. Like a Goddess of Battle carved from marble."

Emerie swallowed, "You were a blinding streak of steel and fire." The words rolled easily from her tongue, like she was kneeling before an altar. Presenting a sacrifice to her God.

"You have the soul of a warrior, Emerie." Nesta said, and her voice was filled with such wonder, such awe, Emerie felt heat shot through her face.

She distantly felt Gwyn's hand slip away as Nesta cupped her face with both hands. The Priestess slipped behind Emerie, wrapping her arms around her waist and burying her face into her shoulder. Like she knew what Nesta was trying to do for Emerie.

"You have no idea what you looked like then," Nesta whispered, "But I saw, and what I saw was magnificent."

"Fuck, Nesta-"

"You did something so extraordinary. So... So, Godlike, I-"

"You don't owe me your compliments, Nesta. You owe me nothing. Did you not just hear me-"

"Emerie." Gwyn cut through, "What you did won us the first female Valkyrie-Carynthian title in history. Let it sink in."

"You both know it wasn't just me-"

"No, it wasn't. But..." Nesta bit her lip, like she couldn't form the words she needed to say.

She took a deep breath, a thumb caressing Emerie's cheek. A touch so warm and gentle. Emerie leaned into it, breathing in her seat. Feeling Gwyn's arms tighten around her.

"You're a warrior, Emerie. And when you made that climb," Nesta's eyes were hard like the steel she had wielded, they burned like her fire, "When you made that climb, you shouted that from the tops of the mountains, to the darkest pits of the Bog of Oorid. Now, everyone will know the name Valkyrie-Carynthian. You are powerful beyond language, and now everyone knows it."

Emerie screwed her eyes shut. It was too much. Everything was too much. Just months ago she had been nobody to anyone. Nobody's daughter, nobody's friend, nobody's anyone. And now...

"Goddess, save me. Mother hold me..." Emerie felt a sob choke out of her. She collaspsed and Nesta and Gwyn caught her. Emerie buried her face into Nesta as she cried her prayers, as she held what was hers so tightly.

"Cauldron bless, and carry our souls through the darkest nights and treacherous days." Gwyn hummed as Emerie cried and cried and cried.

They stayed like that for the Gods know how long. Gwyn whispering the prayers and songs that Emerie's mother used to sing to her when she was so, so young. It comforted her, it made everything feel a little smaller again, a little more manageable.

Eventually, when Emerie could stand without falling over again, Nesta and Gwyn took her up to her bedroom. Gwyn made them all another tea and they held each other as they cried and laughed and cried some more.

Eventually, they fell asleep, and when Emerie awoke again, the moon was high in the sky. It's light slipping through the curtains.

She slowly peeled herself away from her friends, as fear had gripped her from the memory of being stolen away from her bed the night before. Gwyn didn't wake, only pinching her brow in unconscious frustration before rolling away from where she had been clinging to Emerie's side.

Nesta, a lighter sleeper, woke easily when even slightly jostled. Her steel eyes blinked open, she yawned and sat up as well. Leaning against the headboard, silently observing Emerie through half-lidded eyes. At some point during the night, Nesta must have slipped away from Gwyn and Emerie, as she was clean and in a new change of clothes. The thick, warm shirt and sleep shorts she wore Emerie recognized as her own.

"I can't go back to sleep," Emerie eventually said, breaking the silence.

Nesta nodded, then glanced back at Gwyn, who mumbled something in her sleep, her mouth open, and a small bit of drool running from the corner of her mouth. Emerie had to bit her lip to stop her laugh.

"Let's leave her be." Nesta whispered, slipping out of the covers and padding towards the door. Emerie watched her, and when Nesta reached the threshold, she turned her head over her shoulder, lifting an eyebrow.

"You coming?"

Emerie's feet moved on her own as she followed after the High Fae.

Nesta made them both tea, her hands moving in slow, precise movements. She winced with every wrong turn, but when Emerie tried to help, she told her to sit down. So, sit she did.

Soon, Nesta was pressing a warm mug into her hands, which Emerie gladly took, then Nesta slid into the seat beside her.

"So," Nesta started, "What do you want to talk about first?"

"What happened? After I touched the stone?"

Nesta swallowed, "A lot."

"Tell me." Emerie said.

Nesta took a deep breath, then explained. She told Emerie all of her Belluis' true intentions, and the battle with Briallyn. Then of Feyre and the new Heir's early arrival. And how Nesta had made a deal with the Cauldron to give up her power.

Emerie listened intently to all of it, at some point she had rested her hand on Nesta's, when the High Fae's knuckles had gone white as she went tense, recounting the tale.

"No wonder you were late getting back then." Emerie mumbled, Nesta let out a sharp, barking laugh.

"Yeah. I was a little preoccupied." She smiled.

"That's the understatement of the year." Emerie squeezed Nesta's hand once more. Then another question came to mind.

"Why didn't you stay with Cassian?" She asked, "You could have sent word, we would have gone to you in Velaris. You didn't have to come all this way and leave your mate alone..."

Nesta shook her head, "I... the Bond was taken along with my magic. The Cauldron saw fit to remove everything. I only have a small sliver of magic now, and it is little more besides winnowing."

"Oh... Nesta, I am so sorry-"

Nesta waved her hand, "Don't be. The removal of the Bond itself didn't hurt, it felt the same as my magic being taken, it just... drifted away, as if it was never there to begin with."

"Still. I know you love him."

Nesta furrowed her brow, "I love him. I do, I really do, but... The Bond, it confused platonic and romantic love. Didn't help that I was locked in a house with him for months."

Emerie nodded slowly, "How did Cassian feel?"

Nesta shrugged, "I left as soon as I knew Feyre and the babe were safe. Cassian was occupied with ensuring everyone was unharmed, I don't think he even knew. Again, it was all painless."

Another squeeze of her hand, "What are you gonna do now?"

Nesta shrugged once more, "Same as you."

"I don't know what I'm doing." Emerie revealed.

Nesta smiled, "Exactly."

A short, quiet laugh. Emerie stared at their conjoined hands.

"It killed me, you know." Emerie murmured, "To leave you there. I think it killed me."

There was silence, Emerie couldn't bring herself to look up. She didn't have to, Nesta spoke.

"It killed me too. To know we didn't have any more time. But I couldn't have made the climb. You were the only one strong enough."

Emerie turned slightly more towards Nesta, enough so she could hold Nesta's hands with both of her own.

"I would have rathered I fight with my whole soul and body, with you two behind me, until Dawn, than see you die, Nesta. Than you leave me." Emerie's words were a whispered breath, a secret confession in the quiet of the night.

"I would have rathered I be the sacrifice-"

"I would rather fight to my dying breath than live without you. It does not frighten me to die, it frightens me to be without you. So, don't ever fucking do that me again." Emerie gripped Nesta's hands harder, "Don't ever leave me like that again."

"I won't." Nesta whispered, "I won't."

"You asked me if I could keep going until dawn." Emerie recounted, "Nesta I would have kept going until my flesh fell away from the bone."

"Thank god it didn't come to that then." Nesta murmured, staring down.

"But one day, it may. We are Valkyrie. We are warriors, and I need you to know, that for you, for Gwyn, for us, I will fight and fight and fight."

Nesta swallowed hard, "You're stronger than most, Emerie."

"I'm as a strong as you are, Nesta. I'm as strong as Gwyn. I'm strong with you two. But if I didn't have you, I would... I could not be brave without you two."

"I wouldn't be strong or brave without you two either." Nesta murmured.

Emerie lifted one hand, her fingers grazing Nesta's chin, gently tilting her head up. They were so close, they nearly shared a breath, and Emerie caught the near silent hitching gasp Nesta let out, the way her pulse began to flutter faster in her neck, the way her skin coloured a beautiful, dark red.

Emerie whispered, "Thank you, Nesta. For being you."

Tears pooled in Nesta's silver eyes, "Thank you for being strong enough to carry us through."

That night, hidden in the warm dark of Emerie's shop. Guided by the moonlight and dying embers, Emerie learned that Nesta tasted like jasmines and apple. Her skin was soft underneath her lips, and she bit her lip whenever Emerie dragged her teeth over her pulse.

They went to bed, and the next morning, there was no sign of what had been said or done that night. But there was something restless put to sleep between them. They both felt lighter, like they had been unchained after so, so long.

Emerie knew so much from her time alive, she had felt so much, seen so much, sometimes it was just too much.

But she'd always go forward. Never looking back. She'd march on, and on. Forever she go, until the break of dawn.

[simlit]

Chosen of the Sun | | dawn // fifty-two

| @rollingsim | @catamano | @keibea | @maladi777 | @poisonedsimmer | @amuhav | @sani-sims | @mangopysims | @izayoiri | @thesimperiuscurse

next / previous / beginning

THERION: What do you mean “King”? ELION: Yes, pray tell, what do you mean? TAYUIN: Why should we discuss anything in front of you? Can’t you wait outside? KYRIE: Tay… ELION: Rest assured, Prince of Faeries, I’ve no love in my heart for the Church. I won’t betray you to the clergy. I’m just here to keep your sainted priest safe and sound. KYRIE: He’s true to his word. At least, he’s kept it thus far. EIRA: What happened to your respect for authority? ELION: Darling, the only authority I’m interested in is in this room. EIRA: You really need to evaluate your priorities. KYRIE: Enough. Can we please focus? Lord Tev’us, care to explain? TAYUIN: I wouldn’t. We have no idea who this guy is. SARAYN: And why should I care either way? As far as I can tell, no one is trying to murder us. To these so-called vigilantes, the Chosen Ten must look like helpless victims drafted into a merciless battleground. If they’d like to bring the fight to our front, I am more than happy to accept the challenge. EVE: Let’s not be unreasonable. I’m sure most of us here would prefer to avoid violence. At least we should all be fully aware of all the stakes. So, if you will, please proceed. Let’s put everything out on the table here and now. SARAYN: Very well. It’s no secret. When the Valkyrie and I were transported into the past— thanks to your charming display of self-control— EVE: That’s so unnecessary! ASTER: If this whole magic tradition thing falls through, we ten would excel as a theater troupe! KYRIE: Lord Tev’us, do continue. SARAYN: We were witness to, what I assume to be, some sort of cover-up. One of the Chosen murdered by elves of the royal guard. KYRIE: Are you certain this is what you saw? SARAYN: Without question. ÅSE: Deathling is not wrong. It was all very confusing. Though, it seemed that all were familiar. They knew each other. Still, they killed him all the same… SARAYN: Before he was slain, the elf, Castien Thallan, alluded to having angered his father. The ambush seemed to be the escalation of a particularly long-standing conflict. Either Thallan’s father had substantial pull in the royal sphere, or was one who could command such an attack. Someone like the King. THERION: Killing his bastard and hiding the evidence? That’s low. SARAYN: Perhaps. In any case, the guard made it clear that Castien was not the first.

[randomly--accessed--memories]

Every year, during the Extermination, Valentino and Velvette need to move Vox out of his usual quarters and into a different area of the tower. They do this partially to keep him safe (the windows are unbreakable and one-way, but they’d rather not risk the exorcists somehow finding a way in and him being on his own) and partially because watching tens of thousands of valkyries descending from the sky to slaughter everyone in their path isn’t the most comforting thing for someone in Vox’s condition to see.

It’s always a nightmare to transport him to their bunker, but they’ve had a few years where everything wasn’t completely awful. Once or twice, the three of them have been able to hole up together and actually enjoy themselves, just like old times. It's like hunkering down during a storm (which is what they tell Vox is happening unless it happens to be a day when he remembers what the Extermination is); they watch movies and shoot the shit, just waiting it out and enjoying each other's company as best they can.

[deleteddewewted]

Not my drawing but a commission i got of one of my Warhammer OC's. (The second drawing is mine)

Her name is Lysandra, she's nearly 400 years old, and she serves her home planet of Tavear with pride.

I put the description below if anyone wants to read it.

- Character Information -

Name: Zaniyah “Lysandra” Necalli

Age: 353 Years

Allegiance: Loyalist

Status: Alive

- Character Synopsis -

Zaniyah, also known as Lysandra Necalli, was born on the planet of Ome (Tlaltecuhtli), a planet that underwent extermination 300+ years ago. Lysandra was raised by her biological father and her stepmother. She had a younger brother by the name of Nihle who was taken during the haste transportation of the surviving children of Ome. During her 7th cycle of life, Lysandra’s parents were executed under the pretense of practicing anti-imperial faith. Ultramarines and a Salamander Captain, Caius, lead the inhalation of the adult population. Once all the children were put onto their fleet ship and transported out of orbit, they were then divided into groups of boys and girls. Lysandra’s brother is taken away from her care by Ultramarine soldiers under the orders of Captain Caius of the Salamanders. His reasoning was that he had no use for sons. This is later on revealed to have been done due to Caius's fall into chaos and belief that by creating a greater army of Valkyries, it would help aid Empress Cicel’s dream of an ideal homeworld for her people.

Lysandrra right after the destruction of her home planet is brought to Tavear and is enrolled in the La Maison des Vengados school. Lysandra aimed to be a top student and get the lucrative opportunity to join the Valkyries as a new soldier. This did not come to fruition and instead, she was asked to lead her sisters of Ome as a Legion Master. This legion was named the Ultio Compagnie. This legion specialized in advanced knowledge of the art of espionage and human connection. The Ultios are masters of creating deeply rooted human connections and use this to their advantage to further themselves in their assignments. They act as the secret police but masquerade as public servants such as nurses, doctors, and caretakers to the masses. As time passes, they are encouraged to have children as their children would inherit their mutated traits.

Considered a valuable asset alongside her other Ome sisters, Lysnadra and the other Ome natives were given life-lengthening procedures and medication.

After Cicel fell into her coma, Lysandra was elected as the new ruler and corrinated ‘Empress’ of the planet much to her dislike. She reinvented the political system on Tavear, ensuring that not only she would have sole power or control.

[ao3feed-blakeyang]

Pirates of the Menagerie: The Curse of the Black Pearl

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/VsZHg1U by 09jl00 It should have been a normal, peaceful day at Beacon. After all, the Breach had been stopped and Torchwick was now behind bars. But life does have a way of throwing curveballs. Team RWBY, alongside Team JNPR and several other individuals, have been transported to a strange theatre to observe another world in the style of a trilogy of movies that may have them learn more about themselves. The first movie will make them realise that the world is much larger than they could ever have known. Words: 868, Chapters: 1/17, Language: English Series: Part 1 of Pirates of the Menagerie Fandoms: RWBY, Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Major Character Death Categories: F/F, F/M Characters: Ruby Rose (RWBY), Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, Yang Xiao Long, Jaune Arc, Pyrrha Nikos, Nora Valkyrie, Lie Ren, Qrow Branwen, Coco Adel, Fox Alistair, Velvet Scarlatina, Yatsuhashi Daichi, Sun Wukong (RWBY), Scarlet David, Sage Ayana, Neptune Vasilias, Ilia Amitola, Adam Taurus, Oscar Pine, Clover Ebi, Harriet Bree, Marrow Amin, Elm Ederne, Vine Zeki, Willow Schnee, Winter Schnee (RWBY), Whitley Schnee, Jacques Schnee, Klein Sieben, Penny Polendina, Pietro Polendina, Robyn Hill, Ghira Belladonna, Kali Belladonna, Sienna Khan, Taiyang Xiao Long, Raven Branwen, Saphron Cotta-Arc, Terra Cotta-Arc, Adrian Cotta-Arc, Roman Torchwick, Cinder Fall, Emerald Sustrai, Mercury Black, Neopolitan (RWBY), Salem (RWBY), Hazel Rainart, Arthur Watts, Tyrian Callows, Maria Calavera Relationships: Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Jaune Arc/Pyrrha Nikos, Lie Ren/Nora Valkyrie, Raven Branwen/Taiyang Xiao Long, Summer Rose/Taiyang Xiao Long, Qrow Branwen & Raven Branwen, Raven Branwen & Yang Xiao Long, Weiss Schnee & Winter Schnee, Weiss Schnee & Willow Schnee, Ozpin/Salem (RWBY), Weiss Schnee/Clover Ebi (one-sided) Additional Tags: Multiverse, Reaction, Post-Volume 2 (RWBY), Alternate Universe - Pirate, Angst with a Happy Ending read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/VsZHg1U

[deathmetalunicorn1]

Record of Ragnarok x Overlord

Reader is Ainz Ooal Gown and is one of the champions

The rules don’t say anything against reincarnations -Brunhilde laughing her ass off at the loophole she is abusing

Due to the unique nature of the reader they no longer have the emotion blocker affecting them once summoned, but they are still a very intimidating skeleton who is asking questions about what the Earth was like for the other champions when they were alive

I’m just imagining the reactions everyone has when Nazerick is cheering their lord on as they absolutely destroy their opponent

This was a fun crossover, but instead of doing a reader Ainz, I just decided to put in Ainz himself!

-Brunnhilde couldn’t keep the grin off of her face, having read over the rules for Ragnarok eight times before she chose her next champion, finding there was no rule against summoning someone like him.

-Suzuki Satoru, AKA Momonga AKA Ainz Ool Gown, Overlord over the Great Tomb of Nazarick, couldn’t believe his eyes eye sockets when he gazed down upon the stadium that would hold the key to humanity’s fate. When he was approached by Brunnhilde, leader of the valkyries, he couldn’t believe that something like this was happening, but he could feel things now, he could feel anger, true anger, as well as fear for humanity, as he had once been human himself.

-The Floor Guardians were granted permission to accompany their lord to this tournament, a few inquired why he was even bothering to save humanity, but before he could answer them, to tell them that he was once a human, Demiurge tilted his head back, “You fools! Don’t you see, once Ainz-sama saves humanity then they will have no choice but to obey him! Absolutely genius Ainz-sama!!”

-Ainz couldn’t find it in himself to argue as the other floor guardians were quick to agree with Demiurge.

-Ainz did however give the order to his guardians to not start any fights and to treat humans like they were treating him, with the upmost respect, as he saw them as equals as they were all fighting for the same cause.

-The other Einherjar were not completely sure of what to make of Ainz, he was a walking, talking skeleton that seemed to radiate power and strength.

-His piercing gaze would intimidate even the bravest of foes, but the image was ruined when he spoke almost like he was a fan, “Nice to meet you Tesla! Your inventions are amazing in my timeline, at least when I was a human! What was the world like when you were alive?”

-His enthusiasm to learn about the world from when they were alive was not what they were expecting, but they humored him, telling him about how things were around the world when they were alive.

-When it came for him to fight, Ainz trolled everyone, showing up wearing the same outfit he wore against the bandits who dared to enter his home and use the names of his friends in vain.

-The audience, gods and humans alike, were stunned and a bit scared to see a skeleton.

-Zeus, furious, looked at Brunnhilde, “What is the meaning of this?! That is not a human!”

-Brunnhilde couldn’t keep the smile from her lips, “He was a human, transported into another world from our own. I’ve checked the rules and there is nothing that says that this cannot be done!”

-The outrage was so great that the match had to be postponed for a bit so both sides could have a meeting about this loophole. They came to an agreement that Ainz would be allowed to fight, but no other entrants, from either side, would be allowed to use this loophole.

-Ainz’s opponent was Chernabog, the Slavic god of bad fate, who immediately saw Ainz as a joke, laughing down at him, seeing him in what looked to be chains, ones like what a slave would wear.

-Albedo was blushing, watching her love fight, her hands to her cheeks, “Oh~ Ainz-sama, show these pathetic weaklings your true power!”

-The fight was back and forth but some felt like Ainz was toying with the dark god until Chernabog managed to punch Ainz, only once, sending him head over heels.

-His sword and shield faded and if he had lips, he would be smirking as he removed his ring, hiding his true strength as his robes returned, his arms spread out, “Since you were serious with me, than I shall return the favor!”

-Chernabog lasted about two seconds after the fact, jaws were dropped as silence filled the stadium, other than his Floor Guardians who were all cheering for his victory.

-The humans were scared but they soon were applauding him, as he put another win under the belt of humanity, while the gods were in awe of his power.

-Zeus and Odin had contemplated approaching him about making him a god, as his power would be unstoppable.

-Ainz refused their offer, “I will stay to see this tournament through, but after I am returning to Nazarick with my Guardians.” No amount of pleading could change his mind and Ainz returned to the quarters he had been provided to watch the remainder of the fights, being able to relax, but he was also nervous, praying quietly for the salvation of humanity.

[rainyweeds]

Home is where the heart is {Part 1}

Part 0 | Part 1

Pairing: Ao'nung x Fem!Human!Reader

Summary: After finally waking up from cryosleep on Pandora, you quickly realize you're not in the right place. While trying to navigate your location, a certain species of tall aliens take you captive.

Warnings: None for this chapter

A/N: I didn't actually think so many of you guys would want to read this. Anyways I'll have a mini tag list at the end since a few of you guys asked <3 and I'll add you guys to the next part too if you want!

How the hell did you end up here? You were supposed to be in the forest with Grace. This clearly wasn't a forest. The clear body of water surrounded the entire land mass, sandy beaches joining the two together.

There was no way in hell you were in the right place. What even happened while you were asleep? Did Grace know you were alive? Where was the RDA? You began trekking through the wooded area, hoping to find an answer.

The entire island was surrounded by water with no chance of you making it past the reef without drowning. How far were you from the nearest base? You recall Grace once mentioning there were small base units scattered across Pandora. Maybe there was one here?

After remembering all RDA machinery has built in navigators in case of emergencies, you walk back towards the wreckage. The ship was now less than half of its original size. But the question was, how did it even get here? All ISV ships were only supposed to operate in deep space. You were supposed to wake up and be transported on a Valkyrie to the base where you'd meet Grace. So how in the world did the ISV get here?

You entered the ship once again to look for the control panels. Once located, you try to turn them on. But of course, the panel was worn down and rusted. To your dismay, you angrily slam your hands onto the panels. Something you hit must've turned something on because the screen displayed an old recording.

"This is our final log before everything shuts down. The last ship has left and we are hoping this video reaches someone. We need help.

Once the systems shut down, we will have no contact with the RDA headquarters. If anyone gets this, these are our coordinates."

The pilot held up a piece of paper with some numbers on it. Were those coordinates where you ended up? Maybe you could still find everyone else.

"We won't make it. The ones in cryo will. The ship will continue maintaining the people's body temperatures until they either wake up or the ship goes down. But we don't have a chance.

The time is 21:37 and the date is July 15th, 2154. This is Team Beta signing out." The screen goes blank once again."

2154. Two years into your cryo journey. People who underwent cryosleep could stay under for long periods of time and not age. It was scary how long they could remain asleep. But you couldn't have been asleep for more than the six year trip. Right?

You continue to look around what was left of the ship, hoping to find something of use. There were a few extra oxygen masks, an unloaded gun, and a bunch of useless things. You took a spare mask, the gun, and set off into the wooded area of the island. Although you were practically defenceless, the gun could probably act as a threat if you encountered another human.

The jungle was scary to say the least. You continuously looked over your shoulder in case some animal wanted to attack you. And the large roots of the trees cause you to almost roll an ankle. If you could just find a way to leave or contact the other back at the forest, maybe you could make it out alive.

Surprisingly, there weren't many animals on the island, just a few harmless ones wandering around in search of food. And the plants. Oh the plants were more beautiful than any picture you've ever seen. All the vibrant colors seemed to only increase as the hours went on.

Nights on Pandora were known to be dangerous. Grace would always be in the lab at night to protect her and her avatar. But that was in the forest that was probably hundreds if not thousands of miles away. You found shelter under some exposed tree roots, tucking yourself away from the outside.

The sun rose early and the eclipse happened late on Pandora, meaning you had more time to explore your surroundings. You quickly continue your journey to the other side of the island after waking up and realising you were still alive. The hopes of finding other humans being the only thing that kept you going.

The island was huge. Or at least huge for your little human legs because you seemed to be walking for what seemed like forever. The trees finally begin thinning out once you see another strip of beach. This time there were sea creatures swimming around near the shore, splashing about under the sun. You step closer to take a good look at the creatures. They're nothing like any of the creatures you've seen from Grace's research. One of the creatures seems to notice you approach it, swimming closer.

"Hello!" You smile. The cool water now reached your knees as the waves crashed into you. "Can you help me find my way to the forest?" The animal only cocked its head, obviously unable to understand you.

"Who am I kidding, I'm probably going to die soon anyways. This Oxygen mask is only good for a few days. And I only grabbed one extra." You point to the mask tied to your waist.

The creature circles around you as if to examine you. As it does, you notice the handle connecting the two queues together. Someone was riding it. As you reach out to grab the handle, something behind you grabs at your hair and pulls you backwards.

You kick at your captor but with little success. They hold a knife at your neck, effectively stopping you in your tracks. You feel yourself being tied up and pushed forward.

"Olo'eyktan! We found this demon wandering around the ilus." You were harshly shoved forward, causing you to stumble into the sand. Despite the use of their native tongue, you were able to understand the foreign language. Having practiced for years before leaving Earth.

"Skxawng." You mutter. Large hands wrap around your arms, forcing you up to face the na'vi in front of you. The Olo'eyktan. Clan leader. He stood before you, towering over you.

"What is your business here?" He broke the silence.

"I mean no harm. I don't know how I ended up here." You respond with your broken na'vi. It wasn't the best but they seemed to understand you just fine.

"Bring her to the pod. We'll talk later." He waved you off. You were quickly dragged away towards a pod-like room. The warriors threw you into the pod and closed the curtains.

"If you leave, we will have no choice but to kill you."

Great. First you were going to die due to oxygen shortage and now you're going to die by the hands of Pandora's natives. How fun. You sat in the pod, knees brought up to your chest as you thought about how you could have been in the forest by now. Studying plant life with Grace.

You must've dozed off again because the next time you open your eyes, you're tied up again in front of the clan leader and who you can only assume is his mate. The woman steps forward, walking in circles around you, taking in your features.

"Why have you come to us?" She scowled at you.

"I was trying to get to the forest. I don't know how I got here." You watch her grab your hands. Your five fingers look out of place compared to her four.

"Sky people bring nothing but pain to na'vi. We should get rid of it." You were taken aback. More so at the fact that you were just referred to as an 'it' rather than the talk about killing you. You've had too many death scares to be phased at this point.

"I'm telling you. I just want to find Dr. Grace Augustine." You plead. What happened the last time humans came to Pandora to get such a hostile attitude? "I don't mean any harm."

"And who is this 'Grace Augustine." The Olo'eyktan narrowed his eyes at you.

"She's a scientist." You vaguely answer. All you could do was pray to whatever god there was on Pandora that you weren't seen as a threat.

You don't know how you did it, but you managed to make it out of there alive. With the promise to help Ronal, the Tsahik, collect ingredients and run errands, you were able to keep your life. You were brought back to the pod which now doubled as your home to rest. Apparently, there was a family staying on this island that came from the forest. Maybe they could help you.

The salty breeze reminded you of home. How the few remaining beaches would blow the familiar smell into your face. You sighed, stepping out of your pod and walking around the village. The na'vi could only stare at you as you walked by. How could their leader allow a demon to stay?

You found yourself wandering near the shore. The clear water displayed the vast marine life below the surface. One of the creatures from earlier began swimming up to you. An ilu as you learned, was a common mode of transportation among the reef people. Although you could not physically bond with the creature, it seemed to take a liking to you.

"What are you doing with my ilu." You heard a voice coming from behind you. Turning your head, you saw a tall figure. Tattoos covering his arm and face. Despite looking around your age, he towered over you. Sure, he was a completely different species but you liked to think you were tall for a human.

"Sorry it just swam up to me." You move away from the sea creature. The male watching you the entire time. Eyeing you up and down at your awkward movements. You reminded him of a baby. Just learning how to walk. "Well I better go!" You sped away from the scene.

After walking a safe distance, you sit down on a patch of grass in the forest behind the village. Nobody seemed to be around so you finally allowed yourself to breathe. Your mask begins fogging up slightly as you take in deep breaths of oxygen. Everything still felt surreal. What if you were really still in cryo and you were on your way to the forest. No. People don't dream in cryo so that can't be it.

You sigh as you head back towards your marui, na'vi clearing the way as you walk by. As you walk past the beach, you see a dark blue na'vi sitting on the sand. Her short blue hair blowing softly in the breeze. She looks like someone you know.

Like Grace.

"Grace?!" You run up to her. The girl turns her head to you as you run up to her. Shock written on her features. "How come you never told me you were here?" You remember seeing Grace's avatar in the background of the calls every now and then. The girl before you had a striking resemblance. But wasn't Grace supposed to be in the forest?

"How do you know my mothers name?" She glares at you.

The color drains from your face. Grace had a kid? How come you never knew about her? Were you really asleep for that long?

"I'm sorry- you just look like someone I know." You shake your head. There was no way this na'vi was related to Grace. No way in hell. You turn around and walk away, embarrassment evident of your heated cheeks.

"Wait!" She grabs your hand. "How do you know Grace?"

"My mother used to work with her. I was supposed to join her in the forest and research plants with her." You explain. The girl in front of you begins to pull you away as you continue explaining your situation. Soon enough, you find yourself in front of a pod.

"Come." She leads you inside.

When you step inside, you see a man sitting on the floor preparing food. A woman sits beside him. "Father. I brought someone." The girl takes a seat next to the man. He looks up at you, yellow eyes scanning your figure. "She says she knows Grace."

Both adults look at you with wide eyes. "Ma Jake." The woman speaks. Jake? As in Jake Sully?

"Kid?" The male, Jake, mumbles.

Jake would always call you 'kid' when he saw you on call. The nickname brought back memories. "Jake?" You look at the man. The more you look at him, the more he looks like the soldier you once knew. The resemblance was uncanny. "What are you doing here? Where's Grace?" You point to the girl.

"What do you mean where's Grace- What year do you think it is?"

"Isn't it supposed to be 2158?" You quickly do the math in your head. If the video you saw back on the ship took place two years after your journey started, then it should be four years later assuming everything still went smoothly. Jake looked at the woman beside him and then back to you. "What?"

"It's 2173... You were asleep for 15 years..."

A/N: Hi! I really hope you liked part 1 of the series! I have been a bit busy so I delayed the update a little bit but here it is! I'm slowly getting a vague idea on where this series is going so stay tuned! The next update might take a little longer since my weekend is looking a little hectic but I will get it up as soon as possible!

Thank you guys so much for reading and have an amazing day/night! <3

To those who wanted to be tagged: @eywas-heir @sunshinewwx @ducks118 @tiredsoulsorry @thecrazyswamp @ambria @lovekeeho @zeroqueen0555

[sjsmith56]

Connections - A Private Man, Chapter 20

Summary: While Sam and Rhodey rendezvous with the newest incarnation of the Avengers, Bucky confirms his suspicions of Ross’s intentions, and takes decisive action.

Length: 4.2 K

Characters: The Avengers, Bucky, John Walker, Tracey.

Warnings: Violence, crude language, action that results in apparent death of a major character, cliffhanger.

Author notes: Take that, James Gunn (and Kevin Feige for not contradicting Gunn's assertion of canon). Don’t hate me. Love is forever.

<<Chapter 19

As Sam flew towards their rendezvous point outside of Miami, he couldn't help being a little angry with himself.  They suspected Walker of lying and should have had better surveillance on him.  Peter Parker must have taken it on himself to watch him, but let it play so that the super soldier incriminated himself.  It was messed up as much as hoping Nebula actually followed through with rescuing Tracey.  When he told Peter Quill about Nebula's offer the Guardian had warned Sam she might make a play for Bucky's arm.

"She's been talking to Mantis about giving gifts," explained Quill.  "I wouldn't be surprised if she wants to give Rocket Bucky's arm.  He's wanted it ever since he first saw it.  I would order him to give it back, but you know how stubborn he can be."

"I'll have to wait to see if they get to Wakanda before we do anything about it," said Sam.  "Are you hanging out here?"

"No, now that we're in charge of Knowhere I've got lots of responsibilities," admitted Quill.  "Keeps me busy.  Plus, all the Christmas preparations on Earth ... it doesn't bring good memories for me.  Nebula will have the pod and can return in that.  It will just take her a little longer."

They said their goodbyes that morning after the reception and Nebula went her own separate way, saying she wanted to find where Ross and Fontaine were holed up.  Which reminded Sam to check in with Rhodey to see if the FBI had found that location after she reported its coordinates.  The response wasn't good.  They only arrested two people, caretakers at the old naval base their force had stayed at.

"It doesn't look like they're coming back there, either," said Rhodes, the sound of his flight journey audible on his comms link.  "They did take Olivia Walker in.  She was blindsided and doesn't want to believe Walker did this deliberately.  She says Fontaine is very persuasive and can talk him into anything.  Her loyalty is admirable but misguided and won't keep Walker out of the Raft.  Her phone has been tapped and if he calls, we'll try to trace his location."

"Can they access satellite imagery to track Ross's movements after they left the base?" asked Sam. 

"Working on it," replied Rhodes.  "We'll talk more when we meet up.  I should be there in 20 minutes."

Sam landed at the airstrip at Cape Canaveral, giving the code to the air traffic controller for permission to land.  He found Joaquin already there with Thor and Valkyrie.  A portal opened revealing Peter and Kate's arrival.  Another one opened with Scott coming through, accompanied by the newest member of the proposed Avengers, Shang Chi, or as he insisted on being called, Shaun.  The others greeted him with friendliness.

"Hope is delayed," said Scott.  "Malfunction in her suit.  Hank is working on it but has no timeline.  What do we know?"

"Shortly before sunrise a team presumably led by John Walker, attacked Bucky's location," said Sam.  "I received the code from Bucky's phone number but nothing since.  If Nebula rescued Tracey and took her to Wakanda they should be approaching the African coast in the next hour.  If they have his arm Shuri can track where he is, as it communicates with the shoulder insert.  Right now, Bucky's phone has no signal.  Clint has gone to the Bahamas to confirm the attack and will return here to be your transport."

"So, we wait," said Thor.  "We need to plan."

"Not until we have numbers of the enemy and their location," said Sam.  "For all we know they're on a ship in the middle of the ocean."

Shortly after Rhodes arrived and briefed them on what had been learned.  The backers for this attack to acquire Bucky were industrialists, eager to take advantage of what they saw as Wakanda's weaknesses since the death of King T'Challa.  With the financial contributions of several billion-dollar corporations they had apparently acquired a surplus aircraft carrier, had stocked it with surplus fighter jets, and armed it with mercenaries promised rich paydays.  The authorities were still trying to find it via satellite but it seemed to have been given cloaking capabilities hiding it from overhead satellites.  Rhodes hoped the quinjet would be able to scan for it as its technology was more advanced.

"How do you know all this?" asked Sam.  "How did we get this information?"

"A certain Baron currently incarcerated in the Raft," said Rhodes.  "Apparently, he's been keeping tabs on Bucky.  He's not thrilled that the Avengers are reforming but he's definitely not happy that big money is trying to corral anyone with superpowers, forcing them to work to accomplish their ends."

"Bucky said once that Zemo has a definite moral code," replied Sam.  "Obviously what Ross and Fontaine are doing offends him.  Any word on who the enhanced humans are?"

"Yeah, but I'll wait for Clint because one of them has a connection with him and with Kate," said Rhodes.

Kate Bishop heard her name and perked up.  "Who is it?"

Rhodey wouldn't say anything, and the young archer expressed her frustration by stomping off in a bit of a huff.  Sam looked at Peter and jerked his head towards Kate.  Peter followed her to calm her down.  Several minutes later she returned and stood in front of Rhodey.

"Sorry," she said.  "I still have a lot to learn about working with a team."

"Don't sweat it," said Rhodes, grinning at her.  "You care enough to be here.  That says a lot about you."

Smiling sheepishly at him she took her place with the others.  It was about an hour before the quinjet approached, expertly landed by Clint.  He came out to Kate's hugs, patting her on the back before waving at the others, noticing Shaun, with a questioning look.

"I'm the new guy," explained the young martial artist.  "Wong recruited me."

"What can you tell us?" asked Sam, focusing on Clint.

"Two military helicopters, between 6-8 passengers each, one apparently launched from an aircraft carrier seen travelling in a southeasterly direction, the other out of Nassau," said Clint.  "They landed on the beach, waking up most of the people in the area.  According to those who looked out their windows they saw Bucky running along the beach away from his villa.  No one saw Nebula or Tracey, but someone did see a UFO leaving the island shortly after, shooting straight up into the sky."

"Any witnesses to what happened to Bucky?" asked Rhodes.

Clint shook his head.  "There was a palm tree broken in two, with blood on the break.  I took a sample to see if it was Bucky's.  I did find a broken taser lead in the sand near the tree and evidence of someone firing an unknown weapon as there were scorch marks that looked like they came from above.  The resort is packing up their things and will hold them until we pick them up."

At that moment Rhodes got a notice on his display and turned away to respond to it.  "That was the FBI," he said, turning back to the others.  "They had surveillance on the house and a dark SUV drove up then parked in front.  Four men exited and broke into the house.  They've been taken into custody but they're not saying anything.  Still trying to identify them.  Likely mercenaries."  He looked at Clint.  "We got word of who else has been forced to be part of Ross's task force.  Yelena Belova is one of them, so is her foster father, Alexei Shostakov, also known as Red Guardian.  He has super soldier powers but not as much as Bucky or Walker."  He looked at Scott.  "Does the name Ava Starr mean anything to you?"

Scott made a face.  "Yeah, she's a former SHIELD operative who survived a quantum accident as a child.  Allows her to phase in and out of existence.  She also packs a big punch.  Calls herself Ghost.  I promised to help her, but she dropped off the radar.  She might not be that unwilling."

There were several other names that Rhodes listed so they all piled on to the quinjet to look over their profiles on the onboard computer.  It didn't look promising for them if Bucky couldn't convince them to resist.  Right at that moment Sam got a call on his suit.

"It's from Bucky's phone," he said excitedly.  "Bucky?"

"No, it's Tracey.  They have him, Sam.  Nebula was there to take his arm and she helped me get away.  We're just over Africa."

"With the arm?" he asked, as if not believing they had it.

"Yeah, with his arm," said Tracey.  "Is it true?  Did he know this would happen?"

He didn't answer for several moments, knowing Bucky had wanted to shield her from his suspicions. "We all suspected they would try when you were away from help.  It's why he took his gear.  We sent Nebula ourselves, a contingency to make sure you got away, although he didn't know it would be her.  If they knew you were pregnant, there's no telling what they would do to you."

"What will they do to him?" she asked, her voice betraying her fear.

"I'm not going to speculate on that," he replied.  "I do know that he's going to disrupt them as much as he can.  There's one more thing.  It's looking like John Walker was part of it all along."

"All Bucky ever wanted was to live his life without anyone interfering," said Tracey, her voice almost breaking.  "Why couldn't they just leave him alone?"

"I know," said Sam.  "When he found you, he had hope for that life.  He still does, if we can stop these people from completing their plans."

Her voice began to break up while he repeatedly said her name, but she didn't answer, and Sam realized the call had been dropped.  He looked at everyone.

"Well, they'll be in Wakanda soon," he said.  "With the arm, meaning Shuri can find where he is.  Start checking your weapons and prepare to leave on a moment's notice."

He placed a call to Wakanda and told Shuri he had made contact with Tracey.  She promised to allow them to enter the country, but she was concerned about Nebula's priorities until they actually arrived.  He agreed but told her to play it by ear.  If she got this far with the arm everything might work out.  After that conversation was over, he and Rhodes made eye contact.  It was going to be a long day.

An hour later they received the coordinates of Bucky's location and piled on to the quinjet, making their plans for landing on an aircraft carrier currently on the Atlantic heading to Africa.  Sam, Joaquin and Rhodes would leave the quinjet first, providing aerial reconnaissance of what they were up against.  Then Thor and Valkyrie would exit the quinjet by riding down to the carrier deck using Thor's lightning.  After that Clint would land the aircraft and the others would head out, attacking everyone who put up resistance to them.  Rhodes and Sam would go after Ross, taking him into custody, plus whichever industrialists who had bankrolled this operation that were onboard.  Several in the US and Europe had already been arrested, as the sorcerers had been able to get into the minds of the four mercenaries sent to take Rebecca.  Apparently the former Secretary of State had flipped as well, giving names.  As they picked up the carrier on their scans Sam received a breathless message from Bucky in his earpiece and everything ground to a halt as he yelled to Clint to turn around.  Everyone looked strangely at him as he buried his face in his hands.

It had been several hours since Bucky was dragged onto the helicopter and strapped into one of the seats.  The two helicopters were definitely out over the ocean, and he suspected this task force had a ship at their disposal.  He wasn't expecting to see an aircraft carrier in the distance.  Walker smirked at him.

"Impressed, aren't you?" he asked, seeming pleased with himself.  "We have some big backers for this operation.  Fighter jets, attack helicopters, experienced soldiers."

"Mercenaries, you mean," replied Bucky.  "Wouldn't trust any of them with my six.  Surprised you would, considering your military background."

"They get the job done," sneered Walker.  "They got you, didn't they?  Plus a few others with abilities.  Not sure what use you are now but we'll let Ross decide that.  As a former general he knows how to assign and delegate."

"They likely have your wife in custody, John," said Bucky.  "Did you prepare her to be held like a common criminal, considering you're now a fugitive?"

"She believes in me," he replied, breezily.  "She'll be alright.  If they hurt her, I'll kill them."

"She doesn't know, does she?" asked Bucky.  "She still thinks you're this big war hero, cheated out of his proper due.  Tell me, how did you explain it to her when you killed that Flag Smasher?  It was pretty brutal, surely she must have seen all the cell phone videos showing it over and over again.  Did she believe your lies?"

"Shut your fucking mouth," said Walker, "or I'll toss you out."

Bucky smirked.  "Sure, John.  You left her ignorant of what you really are, and unprotected, your own wife.  Mine is probably safe in Wakanda by now."

"Yeah, well that place won't be safe for long," muttered Walker.

"Thanks, John, you just confirmed my theory of Ross's endgame," said Bucky, trying to be as irritating as possible.  "He really doesn't know what he's up against.  You'll all be in the Raft by the time this farce has played itself out."

"I said shut the fuck up," roared Walker, lunging at Bucky. 

The men on either side of Bucky leaned away, not wanting to get hurt by Walker's rage.  Bucky laughed, a cynical taunting laugh, even after the other man struck him several times. 

"Boss!" yelled one of them.  "Ross wants him in one piece."

"He's a super soldier, he'll heal," muttered Walker, sitting back down and wiping Bucky's blood that covered his fist onto his leg.

Bucky spat blood out in between Walker's feet, smiling a bloody smile and enjoying himself fully.  A little bit of pain was completely worth getting under the other man's skin.  He looked at the mercenaries and focused on one of them, a younger guy.

"The guards in the Raft will have a field day with you," he said.  "They'll like your pretty eyes.  I'm sure you'll be offered to one of their more dangerous residents as a prize."

The man ignored him, so Bucky made a kissing sound, receiving another hit from Walker for his efforts.  Once again, he laughed, making himself appear as unhinged as possible.  He considered what John said about the mercenaries taking others with abilities, wondering who and how many.  Ross had to know that he, Bucky Barnes, wouldn't cooperate and he doubted very much that the other enhanced people would either, unless that slippery asshole had an ace in the hole.  An idea he had considered before germinated again in Bucky's mind and he accepted his suspicions were probably right, considering how confident Walker seemed. 

Looking again at the assortment of mercenaries he found the one he was looking for; the guy who smoked Japanese cigarettes.  Observing his hands closely Bucky noticed the guy had all of his fingers.  He wasn't former Yakuza, because they would have made him cut off one of his fingers as a promise not to divulge any of their operations.  Therefore, he was still working for them, meaning they were involved in this operation and their likely target was Clint Barton.  He had already been hunted by them and had managed to elude capture and/or being killed in other attempts, attempts brokered by Val de Fontaine.

Their helicopter was heading east over the ocean which meant they were heading for the ship, then Africa, as had been expected.  When his position was shared with the Avengers the rescue plan would be implemented, bringing the rest of the Avengers to the carrier.  Unless, this ace in the hole that Ross was holding had a way to turn all of them, him, the Avengers and the enhanced humans already captured by Ross and his mercenary team.  Resigned, Bucky knew what he had to do to confirm his suspicions and focused his attention on the Yakuza operative.

"Hey, did you have to give your boss a blow job to get in on this operation?" he asked in Japanese, putting on his best douchebag voice.  "Does he make you wear a harajuku girl dress while his cock is in your mouth or is he into furries?  I bet you look cute as a bear, a panda bear, yeah... I can picture you as a panda bear furry, sucking some old Japanese guy's saggy cock."

In a fury the other man came over to Bucky to beat him and the others had to separate them.  None of them noticed that Bucky had slipped a knife out of the man's leg sheath, hiding it against his leg.  He sat there grinning at the man, knowing he had probably hit close to the mark.  Some of those yakuza leaders were into freaky shit.  At that moment a song came into his head, (Everything I Do) I Do It For You, the Bryan Adams song that was used in that Kevin Costner Robin Hood movie.  It wasn't a very good movie but that song was now stuck in his head as an ear worm, reinforcing to Bucky that he had to do this, had to protect the people he loved, all of them, but especially Tracey and the baby.  With a quick flick of the knife he sliced the belt that was holding him in place in the helicopter, leaped to the open doorway, turned around to look at all their surprised faces and fell backwards with a big grin on his face.  It took him maybe three seconds to do that.  In the next three seconds he activated his dedicated comms piece to Sam that was integrated in the collar of his jacket.

"Sam?  I'm sure of it," he said loudly against the rush of air as he fell towards the water.  "Abort the rescue.  It's a trap.  They have a plan to turn all of you."  At that moment a portal opened below him and he passed through it, landing hard on the deck of Ross's aircraft carrier.  The wind was knocked out of him but he recovered quickly, looking up to see a man previously identified as a dangerous sorcerer approaching him.  Bucky passed on his last bit of intelligence before shutting the comms down.  "They have that sorcerer.  One of the big three, damn them."

Next to where the comms had been integrated into his collar was another device, a small one, and he pressed the button mounted on the end.  In the fraction of a nanosecond before it activated, Bucky's mind and heart found his connection to Tracey, like a bright shining river of light that stretched to eternity.  Racing ahead of the glowing ball of energy behind him he found her.  She was sleeping, probably tired after all the excitement of being attacked, rescued, and flown to Wakanda.  He gazed at her, full of the love she had brought out of him almost from the moment they met. 

"Baby, wake up," he said gently, touching her hair then her cheek with his left hand, smiling that it was his flesh hand, from before the fall. 

Interesting that he would get it back now, just another nanosecond before it was all over for him.  She opened her eyes, widening them at the sight of him then grasping his hand with hers, not understanding why he was in her dream, touching her with a flesh and blood left hand.  That Bryan Adams song was getting louder and he wanted to cry with how beautiful she was as the music played.

"Where are you?" she asked, confused.  "What's going on?  Why is that song playing?"

"I don't have long," he said, glancing behind him at the incoming blast.  "I have to do this to protect you, and our son, Rebecca, your mom, Sam, everyone that I love and care about.  I'm sorry we won't have longer together but this feeling, what I feel for you?  It's forever, Tracey.  I love you more than anything."

Tracey noticed the glow behind him and her eyes widened in fear as she recognized the mushroom shaped orange cloud.  "No, Bucky!  NO!" she screamed.  "Don't leave me."

"It's the only way to stop them," he replied, holding and kissing her now.  "I would die for you."

With a slight push he released her and fell back into the expanding light as she was dragged away from him back into the palace where she was taking a nap.  Sitting up in a panic her screams were heard by everyone in the magnificent structure.

The night before the wedding, hotel room

Bucky lit the cigar of the raccoon sitting across from him.  Then he leaned forward with the bottle of scotch and poured.  The furry animal put his hand out when it was enough and grasped it, taking a sip.

"Damn, that's pretty good," said Rocket in his rough gravelly voice.  "So, what's your proposal, Soldier Boy?"

"I know you want it," said Bucky.  "You make something for me and I'll make sure you get it.  You might get it in a roundabout way but you'll get it."

"Okay, but what do you want in return?"

"An explosive device, small but with a very big kick, if it's possible," said Bucky, in an even voice.  "Ignition by a button so all I have to do is push it and it's done.  The explosion has to be big enough to take out an aircraft carrier but it can't hurt any marine life.  I'm sure Quill has told you about aircraft carriers.  They're the size of a small city.  I want it to fit in the collar of this jacket and it has to get through all the scans they do in the transportation system so it won't trigger an alert or emergency response.  It has to be ready before Sam picks us up to take us to the airport on Sunday."

Bucky brought his blue leather combat jacket out and tossed it at the raccoon.  The raccoon put his cigar and drink down, so he could examine the jacket, then he looked up at Bucky. 

"You know you won't survive it," said Rocket.  "Not even a sorcerer can open a portal fast enough to get you out of there.  Who knows where Dr. Strange is or if he's found a Time Stone so there's no coming back from this."

"I know, but I have a feeling that this might become the only option," said Bucky.  "I won't ask anyone else to do this.  This is my job, mine alone."

"You're getting married tomorrow and you're already planning to make your wife a widow.  That's pretty cold, Bucky."

"No, it's protecting the ones I love, especially her."

"Buck," said Sam, who had sat quietly until this moment.  "This is a crazy backup plan.  You know that, right?"

"What else can we do?" replied Bucky.  "They'll need an aircraft carrier to act as a mobile base of operations and once they take me that's where they'll head to.  They know I won't cooperate with them if Tracey and Rebecca are already in a secure location.  So Ross and Fontaine must have a plan to turn me.  The words don't work anymore.  That leaves magic which means a sorcerer."

Sam smirked.  "One of the big three."

Bucky laughed, a dark grim laugh.  He wasn't going down that rabbit hole with Sam again.  Turning his attention back to Rocket Raccoon, he watched him looking at the dimensions of the jacket's collar and nodding his head, thoughtfully.

"Yeah, I can do it," said Rocket.  "What guarantee do I have that I'll get the arm?"

Bucky activated the kimoyo bead bracelet on his wrist, bringing up the image of Shuri, in the Wakanda embassy in New York City.  She smiled at him and Sam, then frowned slightly when she saw Rocket.  Already knowing what this was about she looked at the raccoon.

"As Queen of Wakanda, I promise that you will receive Bucky's arm," she said.  "However, the vibranium in it will be made inert, an irreversible process so that you will be unable to use it as an explosive.  I promise this on the honour of my ancestors."

"Proposal accepted," said Rocket to all of them.  "Just so you know that was never why I wanted it.  I just appreciate quality workmanship.  I'll take good care of it, I promise.  We'll have to head out right away to get the components.  Might make us late for your wedding.  Quill was looking forward to it.  I could tell him it's for a quick job that just came up."

"Don't tell them it's for me," said Bucky.  "If anyone here asks where you are I'll say I didn't know where to send the invitation.  Just come when you can.  It's open bar all night long."

The raccoon stuck his hand out, shaking Bucky's to seal their deal.

Chapter 21>>

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[beigetiger]

I wanna talk about AU Valkyrie’s soul absorption more, because it’s a pretty big part of Battlescape and I haven’t reeeeally been talking about it.

Basically, Valkyrie’s powerset is even weirder now than previously, because her natural magic is much weaker due to being poisoned by the katehedral energy, she can turn things into dust, and she can, as I mentioned earlier, absorb people’s souls.

First off, she has to make physical contact, usually with the head of a person, in order to absorb the soul of a person she wants. Since she’s actually absorbing them and they’re literally becoming part of her, she’s somewhat particular about who she absorbs. She won’t do it to any random person she’s fighting, but one of her current projects (bordering on an obsession) is collecting and absorbing the souls of everyone who ever mattered to her, based on the idea that she can then keep them safe and she’ll never lose them.

Now, her not losing them isn’t necessarily true. Essentially how it works is that once their soul is fused with Valkyrie’s and their body dies, they start our existing as an entirely separate personality with separate memories and experiences, and Valkyrie can essentially summon them into real life to talk to them (or she can just communicate with them mentally, Darquesse style). However, as years pass, the secondary personality (whoever Valkyrie absorbed) slowly begins to fully mesh with her soul, going from having to ask about certain experiences to being able to flip through those experiences to Valkyrie remembering those experiences as if she lived them. The aspects of them that Valkyrie can summon also then slowly become more distant or faint over time, although they never fade completely. At the end, they are completely meshed with Valkyrie and all of their personality, memories, experiences, and so on are now entirely hers to own and implement. She doesn’t love this inevitable stage, but she’s basically accepted it as the price to pay for never losing someone she loves.

One big thing I should note for this, because it’s important, is that she refuses to do it without the person’s consent, only exception being if they’re actively dying. She has the offer open to a lot of people for her to absorb their souls (most of them in Roarhaven) and it’s very much a point of moral and personal debate for them. Dexter Vex is an absolute disaster, and he’s definitely considered this offer the most. Saracen is pretty much what’s keeping him sane.

Another thing I should probably mention is that Valkyrie could theoretically do this to anyone, dead or alive, but it’s much less complicated to absorb people who are alive (their souls are easier to get ahold of, easier to transport, etc). A huge part of her project is finding a way to get ahold of the souls of those she’s lost or those she feels deserved better so that they can become a part of her forever. These are people like Gordon, Stephanie, Carol, Sanguine, Finbar, Cassandra, Kenspeckle, possibly mr. Bliss, and so on. She’s definitely gotten to a few of them already, but finding out exactly where they are and then getting their souls to join with hers takes a lot of effort, and so the work goes slowly. Her current focus is on Stephanie, which would give Steph the chance to become at least somewhat active and autonomous again.

Skulduggery doesn’t actually mind her bizarre fixation with finding and absorbing souls, and he’s willing to assist her with the process and stops her from going even more insane over the experience overflow that she gets. He’s arrogant and doesn’t really see himself as somebody who will ever be absorbed, but rather someone who will stay by her side but separate from her forever, acting as something real when everything else around Valkyrie is simply an aspect of her many personalities given form.

So…yeah. That’s one of Valkyrie’s many powers. Another power that works similarly but isn’t the same is that she can absorb power from extremely powerful beings and then spread that power around to her followers (which is a very overpowered ability when you regularly get into fights with the Faceless Ones).

Maybe I’ll update this in the future a bit, maybe I won’t. I’m looking forward to writing more details about this ability though 😁