#bc of waves hand their positions and all that happened with the sages

[general-cyno]

Al-Haitham and Cyno throughout Sumeru’s archon quests.

Yes... General Mahamatra Cyno, head of all the matra at the Akademiya. He’s a formidable hunter, and the ultimate nightmare for any who have committed academic crimes. 

You seem to have placed a lot of trust in Alhaitham, to the point of blocking an attack for him. If I were you, I’d never choose to side with him. I wouldn’t believe a single word that comes out of his mouth. 

[inkperch]

Linked Universe Zeldas:

My takes on LU style- Zelda’s. Note: I don’t really follow Linked Universe, and I don’t like a lot of their takes on the Links, so uh, don’t assume these Zelda’s dealt with the LU versions of the Links.

SS: goes by Hylia, she jokingly suggests it when they’re picking nicknames, and everyone else just pauses for a second then realises who exactly she is and freaks the fuck out, so it kinda sticks as a combination of an in-joke and just... well, she’s Hylia reborn, can’t argue with that! The others are all low-key taken aback by how not-leadery she is, she tends to be the most hands-off when it comes to planning because well- she just guards the triforce, Link is the one who earned all 3 pieces and used it’s full power. Meanwhile her descendants picked up Wisdom sometime in the intervening centuries, so she’s pretty happy to leave the plans to them and stick to being a mediator. Third most likely Zelda to pick a fight she can’t win, most likely to win despite that.

Minish Cap: goes by Shortie, bc these beanpoles tried that with Tetra and she threatened to stab them, but Minish just found it hilarious so it stuck. Surprisingly quick to pick up how to fight, occasionally gets the other Zelda’s into trouble by running off, but they usually agree with her that whatever caught her eye was actually pretty worth it, because deep down they’re all massive nerds, no matter how functional they appear. Also tends to randomly grab gifts for the other Zeldas.

Four Swords: just goes by Four, jokes about how much her Hero(es) would be annoyed by that. Usually the first to notice encroaching danger, and always the first to investigate it. At first the more combat-experienced Zelda’s were Concerned(tm) that she is the one sticking herself into unknown dangers, until she pointed out that A) she is considerably less likely to get herself caught unless Sheik wants to go, bc she knows she has less leeway to get caught than they are and B) they won’t be down a fighter for the rescue if she’s the one who gets caught, which they reluctantly concede.

OoT: goes by Regrets, which like, the other Zelda’s just hear her bitterly pick as soon as the topic comes up and immediately decide they aren’t touching that emotional baggage. It’s an mix of Child and Adult timeline Zelda, which kinda fucks her up when she thinks about it- especially seeing as she remebers both Ganondorf breaking free and killing one of the Seven Sages in the child timeline, and what became of the Hero of Time... who she remembers clinging to the thought he got to have the childhood he rightfully should’ve in the Adult Timeline, as the waves climbed up over Hyrule to seal the awakened and unchallenged Ganondorf. So yeah, she tries not to. She also remembers the start of the Defeat Timeline, where she was too late to save the Hero and was forced to lead the exhausted and scattered remains of her people to war to kill the Demon King.

Wind Waker: literally just Tetra, she also is the first to look at the less murder-happy Zeldas and give them a knife. She’s currently working on getting them all up to basic pirate crew levels of fighting without magic, just in case, and she’s constantly pestering the fight-y Zelda’s to a spar. Regrets goes along because she’s had three slightly different Zelda’s merged in her head so her skills are a little rusty, Hylia likes to do it just because people keep forgetting she learned to fight at the same school Link did, and their responses when she reminds them are funny to her. Tetra is picked up from after establishing New Hyrule, and she looks up to Hylia more than she’s willing to admit, often going to her for advice on the whole ‘founding a nation in peaceful cohabitation with the locals’ thing. Second most likely to start a fight she can’t win.

Spirit Tracks: goes by Ghost, refuses to explain the joke to any of the others and thinks she’s hilarious for it. She is, but she doesn’t need the ego stoke. They find out about the ghost thing when she accidently astral projects in her sleep at one point and wakes up to them freaking out over her corpse, which is implied to happen often. Tetra notices that she’s really really weird to train as a fighter, because she already fights pretty well but she also fights like she’s a giant fuck-off suit of armour with a sword as big as she is. She finds it amazing to get to meet Tetra, and is constantly asking her if various stories she heard as a child are actually true or if her mother just made them up or exaggerated. They were not, and Ghost thinks Tetra is the coolest person on the planet for it.

Twilight Princess: goes by Twilight, out of tribute to Midna’s nickname for her. Absolutely misses Midna, respects Regrets more than Regrets thinks she should, but she still angsts a lot about how she just surrendered to the unkillable army its implied she’s the only one who could even see properly who could turn them all into ghos- ahem. I may or may not have opinions about people thinking it’s the wrong decision from out of universe. But yeah, she absolutely angsts about it, and really looks up to Tetra and Regrets bc at least they acted, she just sat in her tower and waited for the hero she knew would be coming. Saying that though, she indulged Tetra’s pestering to fite exactly once (1), and promptly kicked her ass and went back to her book. Because really, what else was she going to do with all that free time while Link was fishing to win a Heart Container and she couldn’t leave her room? Ganondorf had to get the idea to have her use a sword somewhere.

FSA: Even among Zelda's, she stands out for how friendly she is- more than once she brought a ‘new friend’ back to camp who’d been trying to kill them seconds earlier. This got her the nickname Torch, because she shines light into even the darkest of creatures- although, Hylia would like it if she never interacted with any of the mini-Imprisoned from HW ever again please and thank you, that was a step too far for exotic pets.

(I’ll do a followup post for the Defeat Timeline, it has a lot of the older games I haven’t played and need to familiarise myself with the characters in, and it’s already getting late)

Hyrule Warriors: goes by Sheik, was unironically ready to fight her ancestor for the name, but Regrets doesn’t really care. Speaking of regrets, upon learning that Regrets did the exact same disguise in the Adult timeline, Sheik immediately wants to go stab Cia (and maybe Lana too) for letting her think she was getting away with the disguise when Cia had literally seen the exact same trick just one timeline over. (post post-game definitive edition, so Cia has her redemption arc) She also was never meant to be the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom, and views it as a burden- without Cia’s interference, the Triforce of Wisdom and it’s visions would’ve been passively sitting in the royal vaults instead of etched into her hand, but fate got confused when the Triforce had been split, but the one who should inherit Wisdom was much better suited to Courage. This leads to a bit of a disconnect sometimes, where fate has changed her into a suitable host for the Triforce of Wisdom, but she just kinda isn’t one. She’s also a MASSIVE nerd (I saw those TP references in Linkle’s Twilight stage Nintendo! She literally started dropping random history quotes after almost dying, the nerd) so she’s constantly fangirling over all her famous ancestors, because if anyone had managed to hear legends from all 3 timelines, it would be HW Zelda. The most likely to pick a fight she can’t win, she literally only pretends to be functional and have impulse control when they’re in her Hyrule and her people can see her.

BOTW:

Both BoTW Zeldas avoid each other like the plague because yeah, that’s a physical manifestation of my failures. They’re not consolidated like OoT was for bonus angst- because just merging them would show her there’s a happier timeline where all of her friends survived and Hyrule didn’t fall and crumble to ruins while she and Link took a 100 year nap.

AoC: goes by Terrako, because why the hell not. Has Terrako with her, which gets confusing, but he’s an adorable Eggy Boi, and basically team mascot. Is using her Master Cycle+Sheikah Slate movesets, bc she tried to use her Goddess bow moveset and reality just kinda glitched bc there were two Zelda’s using the exact same power, and they both agreed to never try that again. 

BoTW: goes by Architect, because that’s what she spends half her time doing these days. Regularly nerds out with Sheik. Low-key dying inside from self-worth issues rearing up again now that she’s hanging out with all these legendary queens, but tries not to let it show and keep with a positive attitude, too mixed results.

[fuyonggu]

Preface to the Biographies of the Eight Princes (Book of Jin 59)

自古帝王之臨天下也，皆欲廣樹蕃屏，崇固維城。唐、虞以前，憲章蓋闕，夏、殷以後，遺跡可知。然而玉帛會于塗山，雖云萬國，至於分疆胙土，猶或未詳。泊乎周室，粲焉可觀，封建親賢，並為列國。當其興也，周、召贊其升平；及其衰也，桓、文輔其危亂。故得卜世之祚克昌，卜年之基惟永。逮王赧即世，天祿已終，虛位無主，三十餘載。爰及暴秦，併吞天下，戒衰周之削弱，忽帝業之遠圖，謂王室之陵遲，由諸候之強大。於是罷侯置守，獨尊諸己，至乎子弟，並為匹夫，惟欲肆虐陵威，莫顧謀孫翼子。枝葉微弱，宗祐孤危，內無社稷之臣，外闕籓維之助。陳、項一呼，海內沸騰，隕身於望夷，系頸於軹道。事不師古，二世而滅。漢祖勃興，爰革斯弊。於是分王子弟，列建功臣，錫之山川，誓以帶礪。然而矯枉過直，懲羹吹齏，土地封疆，逾越往古。始則韓、彭菹醢，次乃吳、楚稱亂。然雖克滅權偪，猶足維翰王畿。洎成、哀之後，戚籓陵替，君臣乘茲間隙，竊位偷安。光武雄略緯天，慷慨下國，遂能除凶靜亂，復禹配天，休祉盛於兩京，鼎祚隆於四百，宗支繼絕之力，可得而言。魏武忘經國之宏規，行忌刻之小數，功臣無立錐之地，子弟君不使之人，徒分茅社，實傳虛爵，本根無所庇廕，遂乃三葉而亡。

Ever since ancient times, kings and emperors who presided over the realm wished to provide security and protection for their rule by appointing trusted people as feudal lords and placing them in command of strategic locations, like protecting a city by expanding and fortifying its walls. 

Though we know little of what took place in the mists of time prior to the sage rulers Tang (Yao) and Yu (Shun), by the time of the Xia and Yin (Shang) dynasties, we see some evidence of this principle already emerging. But although we read that jade and silk were distributed by Yu the Great (the founder of Xia) at Tushan and the records speak of "the myriad fiefs", so that we know that in principle there was a splitting of the land and a distribution of territory, still we do not know the precise details.

Matters become brighter by the dawn of the Zhou dynasty, where all becomes clear; we find the precise details of the organization of the feudal lords and how titles were granted to this relative or that worthy person, and that the realm was divided into particular fiefs and domains. When Zhou was ascendant and peaceful, we see the admirable conduct of the Dukes of Zhou and Shao; when Zhou was in decline, still we find Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin supporting the royal family through times of turmoil and danger. And thus their rulers were blessed with prosperity and success through the ages and the span of their rule was long indeed.

By the time of the last ruler of Zhou, King Nan, the blessings of Heaven had already expired. King Nan perished (in 256 BC), and then the realm had an empty throne and no sovereign for more than thirty years, until in the end the state of Qin conquered and annexed all the realm (in 221) through its violent barbarity. It was the belief of the First Emperor of Qin that the downfall of Zhou had been brought about because of the weakness and isolation of its kings, who had forgotten the farsightedness needed for the imperial enterprise, and that the royal house had become the plaything of the feudal lords, who took advantage to become great and powerful. Thus he did away with the whole feudal system and organized the realm into commandaries under the central control of the court, and he reserved all honor and majesty for himself alone, so that even his brothers and sons were no greater than commoners. In doing these things, it was the First Emperor himself who sought only to indulge his cruelty and flaunt his tyranny, for he gave no consideration of what might happen to his descendants after him. The branches and leaves of the tree of state were flimsy and weak, and the crown had few friends to turn to for aid; within, there were no subjects who would preserve the altars of state, and without, there were no lords who would guard and defend the imperial family. One cry of rebellion from Chen Sheng and Xiang Yu was all it took to set the whole realm within the Seas roiling like a cauldron; the Second Emperor of Qin lost his life at Wangyi Palace, and Ying Ziying surrendered at Zhidao with his seal around his neck. Qin failed to heed the teachings of the ancients, and thus their dynasty perished within two generations.

When Gaozu of Han (Liu Bang) rose to the fore, he made changes to correct these faults. He divided the realm and restored the system of the feudal lords, making princes of his younger relatives and granting fiefs to his accomplished ministers. Rivers and mountains were they granted, to serve as their belts and grindstones. The error of the early Han sovereigns was that they went too far in the other direction, like one who blows on hot soup so much that it grows cold; in the granting of lands and fiefs, they went beyond what the ancients had done. Thus they first had to execute Han Xin and pickle Peng Yue and afterwards experienced the crisis brought on by the Princes of Wu and Chu. But though they eventually stripped the feudal lords of the power to threaten the dynasty, the princes and nobles still retained enough power to protect the royal family from harm. Yet by the time of Emperors Cheng and Ai, again the situation had pivoted to the other extreme; the imperial relatives and feudal lords were oppressed and weak, allowing the great minister (Wang Mang) to take advantage of the opportunity and usurp the throne. Luckily, once Emperor Guangwu stitched the realm back together through his boldness and cunning, he once again generously distributed fiefs across the realm. Thus was he able to purge the wicked and quell the chaos. Han once more received the blessings of Heaven; they enjoyed peace and repose, flourishing between the two capitals (at Luoyang and Chang'an), and their legacy endured for four centuries. One could certainly say that it was because the extended royal clan once again exerted on the dynasty's behalf the strength that they had lost.

We may contrast this with Emperor Wu of Wei (Cao Cao), who was ignorant of the generosity needed to sustain the state and who through his suspicion cut those who might have supported his state down to size. His accomplished subjects never received even a spade of land to call their own, and his younger relatives reigned rather than ruled their domains; they were divvied up and sent off to pitiful dwellings, and their titles were form rather than substance. Wei had no foundation to grant it shelter, and thus it lasted no more than three eras.

有晉思改覆車，復隆磐石，或出擁旄節，蒞岳牧之榮；入踐臺階，居端揆之重。然而付託失所，授任乖方，政令不恆，賞罰斯濫。或有材而不任，或無罪而見誅，朝為伊、周，夕為莽、卓。機權失於上，禍亂作於下。楚、趙諸王，相仍構釁，徒興晉陽之甲，竟匪勤王之師。始則為身擇利，利未加而害及；初乃無心憂國，國非憂而奚拯！遂使昭陽興廢，有甚弈棋；乘輿幽縶，更同羑裏。胡羯陵侮，宗廟丘墟，良可悲也。

The Jin dynasty might have learned from these earlier examples. They were like drivers of a cart in a convoy which, seeing the carts in front of it topple and fall, might have profited by steering clear of the same danger. They could have laid a foundation for themselves solid as a rock. Some of their relatives and accomplished subjects might have been empowered with banner and scepter to lead troops out to the borders and carry out the labor of governing the land and protecting the capital, while others remained behind to serve in the government ministries and provide continuity in the administration. 

Instead, the opposite took place. Positions and appointments once granted were as soon withdrawn, and people were chosen for this role or that based only on the expediency of the moment; the government and its policies were inconstant, and rewards and punishments swirled together. Some with talent were never employed; some innocent of any crime were executed regardless. Those who in the morning were honored as the peers of Yi Yin or the Duke of Zhou were denounced by the same evening as the equals of Wang Mang or Dong Zhuo. Power and authority were surrendered above, while chaos and disaster spread below. 

The Princes of Chu, Zhao, and all the rest sought one after another to sow dissension; they acted righteous as though they were imitating the old "call to arms at Jinyang", but they never exhibited the conduct of cautious lords. They undertook their designs to grasp at profit for themselves, yet before the gains were in hand, doom overtook them; they never showed any concern for the state, so how could the state help but suffer calamity? Power changed hands more drastically than the pieces flip in a game of weiqi; men rose to power and were cast into prison with more dizzying speed than King Wen of Zhou's stint in the jail at Yuli. And in the end, the Xiongnu and the Jie pillaged and plundered the realm and the dynasty's ancestral temples were left empty and bare. Truly, a pitiful thought.

夫為國之有籓屏，猶濟川之有舟楫，安危成敗，義實相資。舟楫且完，波濤不足稱其險；籓屏式固，禍亂何以成其階！向使八王之中，一籓繄賴，如梁王之禦大故，若硃虛之除大憝，則外寇焉敢憑陵，內難奚由竊發！縱令天子暗劣，鼎臣奢放，雖或顛沛，未至土崩。何以言之？琅邪譬彼諸王，權輕眾寡，度長絜大，不可同年。遂能匹馬濟江，奄有吳會，存重宗社，百有餘年。雖曰天時，抑亦人事。豈如趙倫、齊冏之輩，河間、東海之徒，家國俱亡，身名並滅。善惡之數，此非其效歟！西晉之政亂朝危，雖由時主，然而煽其風，速其禍者，咎在八王，故序而論之，總為其傳云耳。

For those who serve the state by acting as its shield and screen are like the rowers on a boat crossing a river. Whether the boat enjoys peace or suffers calamity is entirely up to the collective efforts of the rowers. If they dip their oars in unison, though the river might have waves, they will not be enough to threaten the ship. And if the feudal lords act in unison to protect the state, how could turmoil ever grow so dire as to bring down the dynasty?

During the Han dynasty, there were the examples of the Prince of Liang (Liu Wu), who served without to oppose the treason of the Princes of Wu and Chu in their effort to overthrow the dynasty, and the Marquis of Zhuxu (Liu Zhang), who acted within to purge the Lü clan in their attempt to usurp the throne. If only these Eight Princes of Jin had done as they did! Though there might be foreign threats, if the Princes were united, how could such threats dare to despoil the realm? Or if there were internal dangers, even so, how could they have seized power? Even if the Son of Heaven was a blind fool or the chief ministers were arrogant and unrestrained, such things could have been dealt with; there might be shocks and quakes, but it would not have caused the mountain to collapse.

What is the proof of this? Consider how the Prince of Langye (Sima Rui) compared to the Eight Princes. His authority was less than theirs, and he had fewer troops than they did; he was a more distant relative than they, nor did he have their seniority. Yet he was able to cross south of the Yangzi by himself, take control of the regions of Wu and Kuaiji, and preserve and revive the imperial family, thus prolonging the dynasty for another century and more. Though one could argue that Heaven was helping him, still it required his own efforts to make it so. He was far different from the likes of Sima Lun or Sima Jiong or the ilk of Sima Yong or Sima Yue, who brought about the destruction of their families and their state and the annihilation of their lives and their honor! Could there be any clearer examples of the differences between good and evil?

Circumstance itself may have been the primary factor that caused the turmoil in Western Jin and the instability of its court. Yet it was these Eight Princes who fanned the flames of its destruction and hastened its demise. And having prefaced the discussion with these remarks, we have gathered their biographies here to illustrate our argument.

[coleress]

Some angst antigravityshipping bc I’m sad

TW BELOW FOR ABUSE, GORE, HOSPITALS, AND SAD BITCH HOURS

[[MORE]]

“He’s right in here, Mister Looker.”

Nurse Joy could be heard outside of Colress’s hospital room, ushering in the tired detective to see the washed up scientist. Faint daylight seeped through the hospital rooms curtains, shining onto the empty hospital bed, blanket pushed to the side. Colress stood a few feet away from it, silent, staring out of a crack in the curtains to view the outside world. He wore a baggy hospital gown, which was visibly three times his size. As Looker made these observations, he cleared his throat.

“Doctor Colress.” The scientist, unkept and unhinged, shook his head, turning to view the detective.

“There’s no need for any formalities, Looker. I know why you’re here.” Colress let out a pained sigh before slowly limping back over to his bed, using his arms to help himself sit down. He cringed in pain.

“You’re looking much better,” Looker observed.

“Last time we spoke, you could hardly move.” He tried to lighten the conversation by chuckling. Colress gave a thin smile in return, but shook his head.

“Well, I assume you’re going to arrest me now, yes?” Looker’s smile faded.

“Not quite. You’re a victim too, Colress. That’s why I’m here.” The injured man let out a bitter sneer.

“A victim... That’s what the law sees me as, yes? That’s why you can’t throw me into the prison life I deserve?” The detective gave Colress a sympathetic look.

“... It’s about your relationship with Ghetsis, Doctor. When we found you, you were...” Colress looked away.

“I know what I was like. There’s no need to preserve my feelings, detective.” Looker inhaled sharply, before pausing for a moment.

“... Very well. When we found you with your injuries at the Plasma Frigate, the grunt who led us to you stated that Ghetsis had been the one to harm you. What exactly happened?”

The scientist let out a sigh, and glanced at the floor. If he had looked hard enough, perhaps Looker could’ve caught a lone tear falling from Colress’s cheek.

“... I have no choice but to explain myself, do I?”

——

Colress trudged through the Frigate, his lab coat tattered and worn down. His cotton gloves had clumps of filth and debris stuck to their soft fabric, but the man tried to not let it bother him too much. After all, such wear was expected after the the battle Colress had just had - and it was the battle of his life.

All of his years of work to bring out the true potential felt... fulfilled, in a backwards sort of way. On one hand, he had finally developed a hypothesis. But on the other...

Colress had finally reached the control room of the frigate, and gently opened the door. A strong hand forcefully pulled him inside, slamming the door to the outside. Colress looked up at who the hand had belonged to.

“Ghetsis...” the older man said nothing, loosening his grip on the scientist. Numerous grunts worked in the control room, running back and forth between the monitors that showed security camera footage, and at bags they were packing. Colress sighed.

“This is all that’s left of team plasma, isn’t it?” Ghetsis looked back at Colress, before bitterly nodding.

“We will make for the Kanto region and reform once more after we arrive. An old business friend is there.” Colress tugged off his cotton gloves, slipping them into his lab coat pocket.

“Ghetsis, call off the grunts. It’s over.” Ghetsis’s eye widened, as he looked down at his lover.

“What?” The scientist cleared his throat.

“Team plasma is through. Look, Ghetsis-“ he gestured to the monitors, depicting many policemen storming the Plasma Frigate.

“- They’re on the way. You’ve run before, and look at where you’ve ended up. Please, it’s not too late to change.” He reached out to hold Ghetsis’s arms, But was swatted away.

“Colress...” Ghetsis was fuming. He turned to his grunts.

“We leave in five minuets. Hurry!” He looked back down at Colress, and grabbed the smaller man, tugging him close enough to where Ghetsis could whisper into his ear.

“We are leaving, Colress. I want you to come with me.” The scientist sighed, and brought his face closer to Ghetsis’s.

“You know I can’t do that, my lord.” Colress looked down at the floor as he spoke, a wave of guilt rushing over him. He rested his hand onto Ghetsis’s shoulder.

“These grunts have given their lives to serve you, Ghetsis. Do them a favor and... Please, just let it go.” He ran his fingers through the other mans thick hair. Ghetsis shoved him away.

“Get off of me,” he growled, “This isn’t the end of team plasma.”

Colress reached out once more to hold Ghetsis’s hand.

“You don’t have to do this. We can come clean.” He tried once more to get closer to Ghetsis, only to be pushed away once more. This time, as Colress was pushed a bit back, he noticed something odd with Ghetsis’s cane.

“... My lord, your cane,” The scientist observed. The older sage grumbled.

“It’s sharpened, yes. Is that of concern to you right now?” The scientist bitterly paused, before turning to the grunts.

“Stop your packing, all of you.” Ghetsis furrowed his eyebrow.

“I am the leader of team plasma, and you dare disobey me?!” Colress cleared his throat, and continued.

“You elected me as the leader of team plasma in your sons place. You told me to lead the team to the best outcome, so that’s what I’m doing.” The grunts stopped packing, to watch the feud between the lovers.

“I gave you the position that you are abusing, Doctor. You have no right to interfere with my plans.” The scientist grew increasingly frustrated.

“Ghetsis, you are better than this, goddammit!” Colress turned to look at the grunts, then at his lover.

“These people deserve better - they deserve peace. And you can give it to them.” The sage snarled.

“We are leaving. Now.” He turned to walk away from Colress, But was stopped by the younger mans iron grip.

“I can’t let you go through with this,” he replied desperately. Ghetsis sharply turned around, taking his cane and shoving the end of it through Colress’s abdomen. The younger man fell backwards and hit the ground hard, lying in shock. Ghetsis drove the cane a bit further through Colress’s flesh, and the scientist suddenly tasted blood. What... What was..?

The older man reluctantly tore the sharpened cane out of his lovers stomach, blood dripping onto the ground. The grunts were frozen in shock, staring at what once was the leader of Neo team plasma, bleeding out on the cold floor of the frigate. Colress tried to open his mouth, as if to ask Ghetsis why, but blood replaced his voice, which poured out onto his chin and shirt. His hand shook as he tried to reach out to Ghetsis, to the grunts - to anyone who could help. But nobody did. It was only moments before Colress fell limp and his eyes closed. Ghetsis turned to his grunts, reluctant. He looked... Pained and conflicted.

“I won’t stop you if you want to stay,” he murmured.

“But the rest of us are leaving, now.” As Ghetsis left through a small exit,and all but one of the grunts followed. Only one remained, and she rushed towards the unconscious scientist before police pounded on the control rooms main entrance.

“Help!!” Her voice was a shrill shriek.

“Please, help him!” She rushed to open the door to the control room, and police rushed in. Looker walked in behind the police, and watched as Colress was carefully lifted onto a stretcher. The majority of team plasma was over. Their leader had just been impaled and was being sent to the nearest hospital, while grunts were being interrogated. Lookers job, was, mostly done. He decided to accompany Colress to the hospital.

—-

Looker finished taking notes, and looked back up at the scientist.

“Is that all you remember?” Colress nodded.

“All I can recall,” the blonde replied. The man let out a loud sigh, before looking at Looker.

“I hope that will aid you with your work. In the meantime, I can give you the encryption key for all of team plasmas files.” The detective smiled.

“That’s not needed. The grunt that saved your life had an encryption key already.” Colress looked up at Looker.

“I see. Then, I assume you don’t need my help any longer.” The other man nodded.

“You’re right. For our investigation, you are done. But, there is one more thing that I need from you.” Colress raised his eyebrow.

“Oh?” Looker cleared his throat.

“I need you to go to Alola when you are well, and work with Wicke in the aether foundation. Consider it repayment for keeping you from prison.” He handed the scientist a small card.

“Once you’re well, contact me. I’ll cover all of your expenses.” The detective stood up, and made his way over to the door. Colress sighed.

“... Thank you,” he murmured. Looker nodded.

“Take care, Doctor.”

[punkakess]

Medieval royalty AU - Natray

Heyyyy, late I know!!! I’m not sure this fit into the Medieval category, i got excited and my fingers slipped. I’m not sure this is considered a drabble bc it’s over 2k words. Anyway, enjoy^^

Also, this is for Day 4 of the Gratsu AU Week

The Web Valley smelled of death. Thousands of bodies littering the ground, which had absolved so much blood to the point the crimson liquid overflowed the battlefield. Screams and cries of both courage and begs for pity resounded on the natural walls that climbed up high and surrounded the armies.

His armor, incrusted with rare gems, was heavy and ruined his equilibrium. His shield seemed more of a nuisance than protection, it impeded his movements. His helmet, decored with the crown, limited his vision, it made difficult to properly aim at his enemies’ hearts. All his attire obstructed his technique. However the king refused to take them off, even if all he needed was his sword. The ancient writing on its smooth surface was hidden under blood and gore, the hilt was slippery under his strong hold, drenched in sweat, yet it didn’t slip and never faltered. The weapon was made to the king, it loved him as much as he loved it.

They worked together, as a team. The magic was on the sword but the hero was the one who wielded the blade. Waving it with measured movements, slicing at metal and leather, flesh and bones until the foes before him bowed in bloody defeat. Nothing could stop them, together they were invincible. Together they could protect what was most important to them.

At least that’s what they thought.

A shout of his name, carried over the battle screams, caught the warriors’ attention. The voice was incontestable and a shiver of fear as well as excitement made the little hairs at the back of his neck stand on end. The king’s eyes darted around, frantically searching for the one destined to help him achieve victory. Every hero needed a lover, someone to share an invincible love. Despair filled his mind when the search ended with empty results.

Where was his lover?

“Are you searching for this little fly?” The dark sorcerer questioned with sarcasm.

The silence that settled over the battlefield was quelling and made the fear flooding his body all the more clear. Never before it had clamped its claws so tight as at that moment, when his eyes fell on the scene of his love struggling to breath as the dark sorcerer lifted him from the ground by his elegant neck. The lord of dark magic squeezed a little bit more, digging black painted, enlogated nails on olive skin and the king’s fiancé chocked on a whimper.

The painful sound made the king’s heart sink and his hold on the sword tightened. Maybe if he used more magic than usual, he would be able to reach both his enemy and lover before anything drastic happened. Several men separated him from the duo but they were nothing but insects compared to the power the sword possessed.

For a moment he locked eyes with his destined rival and immediately regretted for he caught the dangerous glint in those charcoal orbs. He hesitated. The dark sorcerer smiled insanely. A black blade teared through abdominal muscles. His lover’s scream of agony lasted only a few seconds before his slender body fell to the ground like a rag doll.

The wail of fury penetrated the hearts of all the warriors there present. It embed in them the pain in which the king was drowning. Red hot anger invaded the very soul of the hero who surged forward with a feral howl, slashing away and at random, disposing of who dared to stand between him and the one who murdered his reason to live. The king went berserker, his consciousness faded as his self retreated into his mindscape. The magic of the sword, which took form of a powerful, blood-thirsty dragon took over the body. It didn’t differ foe and ally.

Yes, his armor was heavy so he unceremoniously discarded it, baring his torso, showing the dragon like tattoo on his shoulder. The shield had been dropped even before. The helmet supporting the crown, also heavy in so many ways, was thrown far away, freeing his vision. Now, with unlimited mobility, the king crouched in a fighting position, presenting the dark sorcerer a challenge. Only one chance. Only one blow. Only one survivor. The corrupted man crouched in a similar position, accepting the challenge.

They both gazed into each other’s eyes, expressions expectedly different, giving away their thoughts and emotions. A sadist smirk for a mad man and an animalistic snarl for a revengeful man. Not a word was said. Bodies sprinted ahead in a run, swords raised, movements calculated. A black blade arched low and missed for mere millimeters. A silver blade arched high and with a clear swat detached head from shoulder.

Perhaps it was a nervous reflex or a ghostly action, either way, before the head could slide and fall to the ground, the dark sorcerer smiled in awe for a bratty king defeated him with a single blow.

Only one was dead but two bodies hit the dirt together. By the time the dark sorcerer’s corpse fell, the king was already by his lover’s side, lifting him into his lap and nurturing the unresponsive man into his chest. Navy blue eyes stared vacantly into his very soul. Their natural glow had faded, much like the color of his skin and the warmth underneath it. The young man was nothing but an empty shell made of pale, paper skin, cold and oh so fragile.

Squeezing the corpse against his own body, feeling his heartbeat but missing his lover’s heartbeat, the king screamed. Screamed in despair and angst, in anger and pain, in fear and sadness. The hero howled like a lonely wolf left behind by his pack, until his throat failed and his lungs burned in need of air. Until there was blood in his mouth and he could not breath anymore-

••

Natsu shot out of the bed gasping for air, his hand reached for his chest, clawing at the skin, hoping to somehow tear the feeling of despair, which gripped his heart. A shin layer of cold sweat coated the expanse of his body and made pink locks sticky to his forehead. Tears welled up and spilled from green eyes like a waterfall, running down his face and creating dark spots on the white sheets.

It had been too real, it always was, but this time the level of intensity had blown the charges. This time the final was what he dread the most.

After ripping the swords out of the rock, as the months had passed the dreams had turned a constant occurrence, narrating the stories of each incarnation of the hero. They were always different but the end never changed: the dark sorcerer was defeated and the hero and his lover lived happily ever after. However, Natsu had noted something, in each reincarnation the lover grew closer to death, until it finally arrived.

It was the last dream/memory. Natsu was sure. Their confront with Zeref was only a few weeks away and the last battle had happened over one hundred years ago. If the story repeated each one hundred and fifty years, that meant there wasn’t anything more to remember.

Fear made itself present as his body trembled in dread. Did that meant Gray would die?

Natsu could still feel it, the darkness crawling under his flesh, the deep grief in which his mind was lost during the dream. A feeling so overwhelmingly obscure that brought the impression that part of his spirit had been stolen away. It was suffocating and, once more, Natsu found himself having difficulty to breathe, the air refusing to enter his lungs and making his chest heave.

He closed his eyes, desperately trying to control his body, reign in the panic building within his mind. It was pure agony the mere thought of losing his lover.

Suddenly a hand touched his back right between his shoulder blades. Natsu felt the coolness emanating from the familiar palm and immediately relaxed, for the difference in temperature, the cold against his overheated skin did wonders to calm him down. In no time, Gray had his arms around his broad shoulder, whispering assurances into his ear and caressing pink locks. Long fingers snaked between his soft hair and the feeling was soothing enough to make the king sage, stiff back curving in a tired position.

“Was that another memory?” Gray asked once Natsu’s breath evened out, brows furrowed in obvious concern, “I’m assuming it was intense.”

Natsu merely nodded, still too emotionally affected to speak without his voice breaking, and he couldn’t have that. When the king first noted the terrifying pattern on the memories, he immediately reached for Gray, not knowing what to do. His lover had looked alarmed but manage to hid it well enough for Natsu to catch on it only a few days later, but once he did, he instantaneously realized his mistake. Telling Gray he might die had being a wrong move and although there was no going back he promised himself that if in one of the memories it actually happened, he would keep his mouth shut.

And that’s why he cleared his throat rather loudly when Gray opened his mouth, just about to say something, more likely to question about the content of the dream. His lover’s pink lips remained separated even if his words had being held back. Natsu stared at them for a second, willing his body and mind to calm down before he could assure with false confidence everything was all right, when it clearly wasn’t.

“It’s okay, Gray. It was just too real and overwhelming.” To make his statement believable, Natsu grasped onto one of the arms holding him and brought it to his nose, deeply breathing in, taking in the fading smell of mint.

Gray looked unsure, suspicious at most, “Nothing out of normal?”

The words of denial tasted like acid in his mouth, but Natsu forced them through chapped lips nonetheless, try his best to keep the strain out of his voice. Gray could not discover the truth about the dream. Panic and fear weren’t the answer nor would be of too much help during the battle. One could argue, saying it would serve as a motivator to sharpen Gray’s attention, but Natsu doubted it. The raven couldn’t possibly be more focused.

“Let’s go to sleep. Tomorrow we’ll discuss war strategies and we can’t be tired.” The king stated, laying down and dragging his lover with an arm around a strong torso.

Gray settled on his wide chest, chilly hand caressing the valleys of muscles on a hard belly. Natsu treaded calloused fingers through silky, charcoal locks of messy hair, once in a while scratching blunt nails against sensitive scalp. Soon enough the warm, safe atmosphere encompassing the room lulled Gray into a sleeping state, his breathing evening out and leaving Natsu to his own rumpled emotions. His mind, a whirlwind of thoughts, wouldn’t shut down or rest until a solution had presented itself on the forefront of his brain.

Hours passed and no ideas were conceived. The darkness finally started to recede, giving way to the light of the sun and Natsu cursed mentally as he hadn’t been able to sleep. For sure, dark bags would support his eyes during the day. Gray moved around, bring a leg to rest on top of Natsu’s, who held his breath until the raven settled down again. It was comforting to hold his lover so close, feel his moving chest, the warmth emanating from pale skin, life filling his form. The young king tightened his hold just a little bit more as intense love took over his very been. He wouldn’t let his lover die. Screw fate. Natsu would protect Gray with all his strength. A dream would not define their future, because they build their own destiny.

Did you liked it?? Did I scared you?? Did you thought I had killed Gray…again??