#because he cut ties with family apparently but he does get a close nephew in sfcd

[oceanera12]

Star Wars Pizza AU

You read that right. In my defense, I saw a post about someone ordering pizza and their order was number 66. I decided to read the comments for a laugh. And then my brain exploded. Whoops.

Dominos (aka the Clones)

The franchise was technically bought by the owner of Little Senators years ago, but no one knows about that except the original owners (*cough cough* The Kamino family *cough cough*) who pretend they’re still in charge for a large hunk of money (ILLEGALLY)

Their best store (the one that makes the most money and has the best reviews) is in the city named after the Kamino’s (Kamino) and is run and operated by a different family, the “Fetts” (and no one is sure how it is legal, but so far no one’s gotten sued so...)

It’s a joke that the “Fetts” will run out of workers at some point but so far it hasn’t happened.

Also, weirdly enough, all of the employees are boys and look a lot alike

The manager’s name is Cody. He’s very strict on the dress code, very fair to the customers, and loves his job.

His brother, Fox, manages another Dominos across town and the two of them will often team up on especially large orders and hold a (friendly) yearly competition between the two stores (Cody’s team has won the last three years, something he will bring up whenever he can)

They have another brother, Wolffe, who manages another store as well, but he’s across the country so they don’t see him as much.

All three were taught how to make pizza, run the storefront, etc, by their grandfather (Ninety-Nine), who passed away a few years back. Their grandfather was one of the original managers during the franchises’ early years

Rex is the younger brother of Cody and acts as an assistant manager to him. Rex hopes to be promoted one day but he’s happy where he is right now.

Boil and Waxer (the cousins) are the best chefs they have. The kitchen is filled with bickering and teasing with flying dough and toppings but everything comes out perfectly (somehow).

Kix and Jesse are the head delivery boys. They are in charge of training the newbies and take the furthest orders (Jesse is known to run the speed limit at one point going 90 down a 35. Kix knows the city like the back of his hand and knows all the short cuts)

Nicknamed, “The Domino Squad” (aka, the thing that started this AU idea), is Fives, Echo, Hevy, Droidbait, and Cutup. (Fives and Echo are twins, with Droidbait as a little bro while Hevy and Cutup are cousins of theirs. All are nephews to Rex and Cody) Cody and Rex quickly learned the five of them could handle the day shift all by themselves. (hence the nickname) 

Fives is excellent on the front end, taking orders and answering the phone with a friendly smile and pleasant attitude.

Echo is the best on the register, his mind able to add up the order and give back change very quickly and efficiently. He also keeps the orders straight and has never given anyone the wrong slip/pizza.

Hevy can run the kitchen on a busy shift with help from Cutup (who doubles as a janitor when needed).

Droidbait is one of their fastest delivery boys and manages to rack in a lot on tips and good reviews.

Hadcase and Tup are also delivery boys, with Dogma helping in the kitchen. Tup is also trained on register and is quite good at it.

The advertising team is nicknamed “The Bad Batch” because why would anyone in their family go into advertising over pizza making? (Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, and Crosshair would, apparently)

Pizza Hutt (aka bounty hunters and scoundrels) 

Jabba is the owner (who else would it be)

Their best store is in the town of Tatooine, which is weird given how hot the climate is.

The manager is this really creepy guy named Bib Fortuna.

Employee of the month (most of the time) is the delivery boy Boba Fett (who deserted from Domino’s after his dad died in a car accident or something). Bobba is known for always delivering on time and with the food still hot. He’s also really good at getting extra on his tips.

The employees come and go on a regular basis, some staying for several years, others only a few days. Jabba is very particular about his place and if he doesn’t like the worker or how someone is doing something, he’ll fire them. Usually with no notice.

On the plus side, Jabba is known to give some pretty good bonus’ if you do a really good job.

Every once in a while, the company offers a special topping. No one is a hundred percent sure what it is but it tastes really good so it sells well. (Don’t ask me what it is)

The employees are not allowed to interact or affliate themselves with any of the other pizza places or Jabba will fire them. He’s very jealous of his company and will not risk losing his secret recipies (hence why only a few people actually know it)

Han and Chewy work there for summer jobs.

Little Senators (later Little Empire-- aka Palpatine and pals)

Palpatine “bought” the franchise years ago (he persuaded the previous owner to basically give it to him with some blackmail and a few other shady business moves, but hey. If no one can trace them, it never happened)

Their best store is in Coruscant (which also happens to be one of the biggest cities in the country) and are considered one of the largest franchises in pizza (if not the largest)

There are two managers that stand above the rest: Dooku and Padme.

Dooku runs the southern Coruscant Little Senators while Padme runs the one in the little off branch city of Naboo. Neither like the other one.

Dooku’s store is known to deliver on time and never mix up orders. The actual pizza’s taste fine, but they are a little haphazardly thrown together.

Padme’s store is known for having the “better tasting” pizza and their food is always hot. If the order is mixed up, they do full refunds and deliver the proper order with no charge.

Dooku’s store is one of the first experimenting with robotic help at the counter and in the kitchen. It goes... well enough.

Padme’s assistant manager is Bail Organa and her best employee is her daughter, Leia Amidala.

When Palpatine brings out the new name (Little Empire), Dooku fully supports it and continues under the franchise.

Padme doesn’t support it or the new company regulations (”These new rules and regulations are tyranny!”) and quits (along with Bail) to start their own pizza place (it’s like a local family joint, not a franchise but who knows). They call it “Pizza Rebel”.

Papa Yoda’s (aka the Jedi)

I can’t stop laughing at the name of this one, help

Yoda is the owner (duh) and most of the employees believe he’s at least a hundred and are shocked he’s still alive. And working. He’s short, walks around with a wooden spoon and will whack anyone who tries to eat the toppings. And yes, he is still involved in the kitchen (and hasn’t retired)

He taught Dooku all about the business of making and selling pizza’s. Dooku grew in skill and then one day left the company without a word. A few years later he showed up as a manager in Little Senators. Ever since then, Papa Yoda’s has been struggling to stay a float.

Some managers worth mentioning: Mace Windu, Obi-Wan, Plo Koon, and Shaak Ti.

Obi-Wan runs the store in Naboo, which had been run by his teacher, Qui-Gon Jinn until his sudden death several years ago. He is the youngest employee made into manager to date. His assistant manager is Anakin Skywalker, who really wants his own store but Yoda thinks he’s not quite ready (which he isn’t). Their best employee is Ahsoka Tano, who can do it all (cook, deliver, and serve) followed closely behind by Luke Amidala (who Anakin claims he’s not related to, but everyone knows otherwise)

(Anakin has been secretly married to Padme of Little Senators but when she leaves the company there’s not much of a reason to keep it a secret. Turns out it really wasn’t a secret because everyone in the store knew-- they also knew about Luke and Leia, apparently)

Mace Windu runs his store alone, but runs it efficiently. The closest thing he has to an assistant manager is his head cook, Deba Billaba. Caleb Dume (Kanan Jarrus) is their best delivery boy who has recently decided to start training some of the newbies (Sabine Wren, Ezra Bridger, Garazeb Orrelios). The front end is run by Hera Syndulla (who may or may not be dating Caleb, it’s a running bet).

Plo Koon and Shaak Ti run their store together (as business partners that’s it) and are known to treat their employees, customers, and their rivals with consideration and kindness. They have a shop very close to Wolffe’s Dominos, which does cause some contention at low points but for the most part, they get along fine. (Plo and Shaak Ti absolutely love the family dynamic between Wolffe’s “pack” of employees). The two will often help Wolffe and his crew in outside business affairs (finding open apartments for employees, helping buy a first car, etc) and they will do the same for the two managers. Most people don’t get how Dominos and Papa Yoda’s are both still open because of this relationship, but they are. (In the future, someone finally figured out Dominos had some legal issues in it’s ownership and was forced to merge with Little Empire or shut down. Wolffe chose to shut down and he and his pack were immediately offered jobs at Papa Yoda’s. They accepted.)

Yoda actually manages a store as well. It’s the “first” one he ever opened and he uses it as a training grounds of sorts for future managers and other job positions. He’s patient, but strict and will often speak in riddles which is annoying to no end. He finds it a great way to weed out the ones that don’t want to be there, and the ones that do.

Order #66 has been banned as an order number. The “why” is never to be spoken of ever again and all the newbies are confused and will ask, but no one will tell them because “they don’t talk about it”

[snarkwrites]

Title: ghosts of christmases past

Theme: holiday party

Fandom / Character(s):Juice Ortiz x OFC! Hazel Morrow.

Warnings: A little bit angsty/bittersweet here. This is kind of Juice and Hazel being stuck on the side of the road together and... internally reflecting on their last christmas together, alone and earlier at the MC. One in particular. Listen, if I’m never gonna write either version of this story, just enjoy these random ass little bits as they come to me, lmaooo. Love you guys.

FYI, the bit in italics is Haze having a bit of a flashback. This ties to the theme, I promise.. It’s theme adjacent...

I made the moodboard thing. Don’t steal or repost/claim as your own.

Word Count: uhh.. 300 to 700+, roughly.

My last intention was for this to... Turn angsty and bittersweet. But alas, here we are.. But don’t fret, it ends kinda.. somewhat happily.

Also, again.. I made the banner for this. Don’t steal or repost.

TAGGING:

@chasingeverybreakingwave @sassymox and @kyleoreillysknee are the only people on my Sons Of Anarchy taglist. If you’d like to be on there, dm my main or this blog or click that link belowa nd add yourself.

also gonna tag bb @champbucks and @12daysofchristmas

[ about my writing | masterlist | multifandom tag doc ]

“Sweetie, can you go with Juice into town? Your brother said that Tig and Chibs are sending him after some things for the party tonight and I need a few things too. I’d do it, but I’m kind of enjoying Grandma time with little bit and your nephews.”

My mom thought she was asking the harmless questions. Apparently, she’d completely forgotten how Juice and I can’t even be in the same room anymore without either a shouting match or awkward silence and heavy tension as the air around us filled to the brim with things that hadn’t been said. 

And all I could think was that this time a few years ago, before I left town, we were so happy. I thought he was it for me. I thought back then that by now, we’d be settled down. That maybe Juice would be working at Teller Morrow and I’d be teaching or something.

I swallowed hard and nodded. My mom wasn’t going to let me out of this and obviously, whatever she needed was important.

She handed me a list and some money. I tried to shove the money back at her, explaining that I’d pay, but she wouldn’t hear it. 

As I went to walk out the door, my mom called out to me. “Juice was a better man than Jase.”

I whirled around, gazing at my mother with my brow raised. “ If this is your way of saying you told me so, Mom… Trust me. Lesson learned.”

“No, I was just suggesting that maybe you use the time you’re out with Juice, you at least attempt to talk to him. I know things went wrong back then, but I also know that if you didn’t still feel something and feel it strongly, you wouldn’t spend so much time picking fights with the poor guy. He doesn’t really have anyone but the club, Hazelynn.”

I opened my mouth but I closed it. My mom had a point. And lately, any fool could see that Juice was really going through it.. He rarely talked to anyone, he was always so damn tense I thought he’d jump right out of his skin. If he did have to interact with me, he was even more tense. Standoffish, even, and that wasn’t like the man I’d known years before. That wasn’t the man I loved. Juice was more easy going and a bit of a joker. Not this tense and serious guy he’d apparently turned into as of late.

I was beyond worried about him. To a point where my own current situation was sort of taking a backseat. But any attempt I’d made to reconnect had been met with annoyance. Bitterness. And deep down, that cut me.

He was literally the one man I’d honestly never wanted to give up back then. But I had to at least try to follow my dreams. I had to at least try living a life free of the MC and it’s dangers and scary situations. I’d just needed a break.

“You know I’m right, Hazelynn. You look at him the way I used to look at Jax’s father. You never wanted to break it off back then. You’re home now. You’re safe. You deserve to be happy. And if Juice makes you happy, maybe you need to stop pushing that down and lean into it. Just a thought, sweetie.”

“Mom, I…”

“No buts. Go. I need everything on that list now, not four hours from now.”

I eyed my mom and after a second or two, I walked out of the kitchen and into the hallway, stopping to put on a light jacket. It wasn’t terribly cold, but I knew it would get cooler the later in the afternoon it got.  I made my way down the hall and into the guest room where I’d put down my little girl Serena earlier after she crashed for her daily nap. I leaned over and brushed my lips against her forehead. “Mommy will be back as soon as she can, okay? Until then, Gramma’s got you. Be sweet, little angel.” I muttered, walking to the door of the bedroom and shutting it quietly behind me so the boys didn’t run in and wake her up.

I’d just walked outside when Juice’s motorcycle as well as my brother’s and Opie’s came to a stop in front of my mother’s house. They were laughing and talking and as usual, the second Juice and I locked eyes, his jaw set and the smile was gone. There was only hurt and bitterness there.

Opie and Jax shared a look and quickly retreated to the inside of our mom’s house and I shuffled my feet, trying to figure out a way to ask if he’d give me a ride to town too. Even though I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the last thing he wanted to do was have me riding behind him on his bike. Even something as simple as an accidental brushing of bodies lately seemed to make him overly annoyed.

And it hurt.

I knew I’d hurt him. I just wanted to make up for that. But so far, he wasn’t willing to let me.

“Are you going into town?” I asked the question tentatively. Juice stopped messing with the bike to look over at me and then he shrugged. “Maybe. Why?”

“My mom, uhh.. She needs some stuff from the grocery. I’d go in my car but it’s kind of sitting in Teller Morrow on a jack right now…” I gave a sheepish look and bit my lip, watching his facial expression as he seemed to take forever mulling it over.

“Fine. I’m leavin now though.”

“I’m all ready to go.” I answered, stepping a little closer. I stared up at him intently, noticing just how pronounced the deep circles seemed to be under his eyes. He clearly hadn’t been sleeping.

,, Oh Juice,” I thought to myself, ,, Why do I feel like there’s something wrong but you stubbornly refuse to reach out.”  

He eyed me and bit his lip. For a few seconds, I almost thought he was going to say something. He looked like he wanted to ask me something so badly that it literally almost came out, but he closed his mouth and cleared his throat, nodding to his motorcycle. “Hold on tight.”

I slipped onto the bike behind him, careful to hold on tight but leave distance. Last thing I wanted was for him to get annoyed because I was leaning against him a little.

The ride into town was quiet, only the sounds of the motor and the wind. I shivered a little, wishing I’d opted for a long sleeve beneath my thin jacket too. I’d forgotten just how chilly it got to ride a motorcycle, because I hadn’t done it in so long.

The lights of town were coming into view when things went downhill quick, fast and in a hurry.

The motorcycle got wobbly and Juice swore, pulling over on the side of the road, near one of the canyons. The wind picked up a bit and I hugged myself. Juice kicked at the motorcycle and dragged a hand over his head. A movement which I spent far too long staring at as my mind just kind of… Drifted.

To a Christmas a few years ago, back before everything went so horribly wrong between us.

XXX

“ Baby girl, wake up.”

The warmth of his breath against my ear had my eyes fluttering open and as soon as I saw the bright midmorning sun, I groaned. “Oh no. Mom is going to absolutely murder me.”

“We both crashed. Question, how dead do you think I’m about to be in Clay Morrow’s eyes, scale of ten?” Juice asked the question as he rushed around, grabbing my clothes for me so I could go and jump in the shower. My head was pounding. I knew the few drinks I had the night before at the MC Christmas party had been a very, very bad idea… Especially when you consider that of my entire family, I’m the one who never does things like this.

But last night had been magical. Cuddling in front of a bonfire with Juice, wrapped in a blanket. Stargazing as we sipped cocoa and later, whiskey… and we just kind of really talked about the future. Where we saw things going.

I didn’t have the heart to tell him that after I graduated in the spring, I was heading off to UCLA. And that I intended to put distance between myself and Charming for a while. I just.. I needed the break from the rollercoaster of crazy my life had always been. I needed time to process discovering that my father wasn’t the same man as Jax’s father, but Clay Morrow, a man that I really hadn’t ever bonded with. A man that I’d always seen as merely ‘dad’s replacement’. 

I didn’t want to ruin our time left together, so I hadn’t quite told him yet.

His arms wrapped around me from behind just as I went to step into the shower in his bathroom and he muttered quietly against the shell of my ear, “Want some help washing off, baby girl?”

I turned to face him, melting against him and biting my lip as I gave a soft laugh and giggled. “Your hands all over me? It’s only one of my biggest fantasies, baby.”

His mouth crashed against mine passionately, our tongues tangling, his hands all over me as he pulled me even closer somehow and mumbled into the deep and passionate kiss, “Love you so fuckin much baby girl. Can’t wait until we don’t have to deal with curfews and all this other shit. When it’s just you an’ me. Our own little family.”

I swallowed down the lump in my throat and smiled up at him, nodding even though I knew I wouldn’t be around for a while. But not having the heart to tell him…

XXX

“I asked you a question, Haze. You listenin to me?” Juice’s stern tone had my head snapping up and I bit my lip, surveying the blown tire. I finally managed to clear my mind from my memories enough to ask what he’d said and he grumbled, repeating himself.

He’d asked if I had any signal on my cell phone. I handed it over and he took it, unlocking it and promptly pausing.

And in that moment, I wanted to kick myself, because I forgot that I’d taken a photo of him with Serena asleep a few days ago at the MC when she got dropped off there to be watched by Jax and the guys until I finished my shift at the hospital. I’d come in to find her asleep on Juice’s chest, arms around his neck. She’d told me on the way home that she had three favorite uncles now… Apparently, she’d really bonded with Juice.

I told myself that I put the picture on my phone because my little girl was in it. But deep down I knew it was more or less because the two people I loved most in the world were in a photo together and I wanted it where I could see it every time I had a shitty day or a long double shift at the hospital.

He glanced at me, rubbing his hand over his head and held the phone back out in haste. “None. Same as mine. We’re either walkin or we’re standin here all night. Because I don’t exactly have a spare.”

“Shit… I.. I can walk up the road a little, see if maybe I can pick up service.” I offered, starting to walk away before Juice even had a chance to verbally answer. I’d gotten a few feet away from the motorcycle and Juice and I heard him running to catch up, stopping me.

“It’s getting dark. I’ll come with ya.”

“I figured you might want some space, I… you were getting annoyed.” I mumbled softly, staring up at him. His entire expression changed and he sighed quietly, shaking his head no, tilting my chin up when I decided it was better if I looked down and not directly at him.

Because I couldn’t take the pain in his eyes anymore. I also hated that I was the reason it was there to begin with.

Everything had gone so horribly wrong between us and it was all my fault. All because I’d been too afraid to do what I really wanted. Too young, too stupid, too filled with all these big plans. Plans that all went wrong and even if they did go alright, they always felt wrong. I’d never really felt like I was where I was supposed to be.

But since I’d come home?

I hadn’t felt like I was ever supposed to be anywhere else. Maybe I never should’ve left. Maybe then my daughter would have a good father and not some prick of a sperm donor who was already married and wanted no part of her, or of me.

“I wasn’t. It’s just hard bein around you… Knowin that I wasn’t enough.” Juice mumbled quietly and I gave a quiet gasp.

“Juice, you’ve always been more than I deserved.” I found the courage to actually hold his gaze, my brows knit in concern because his words weren’t like him… and somehow, I knew he meant them and that he felt them.

Had he always felt them?

“That’s not why I left…” I started, only to go silent. “I left because I had to know if there was more to life. I needed a break from the craziness and I had a lot on my mind. I was so in love with you that sometimes it scared me.” I trailed off completely, muttering the last part “I wish I never left every single day.” quietly enough that I thought maybe he wouldn’t hear it.

But he did hear it. And he tilted my chin again, leaning down a little, his mouth brushing against mine. “It’s also hard bein around you because I still love you, baby girl. I never stopped. I just thought you didn’t...”

“I didn’t what?” I asked, my mouth brushing up against his with each word that left it. His fingertips dug into my waist and I rubbed against him just a little, my breaths shaky and erratic. Everything coming at me so fast I didn’t have time to process. I waited on him to answer.

“That maybe you didn’t love me.” he finally answered, adding quickly, “I was scared back then too…” his hand caressed my cheeks and he stared into my eyes. The wind picked up and he wrapped his arms around me to try keeping me warm just a little.

“I still love you too.” I admitted it quietly, making him blink in shock when his eyes met mine. He swallowed hard and started to  tenderly move his hands up and down my sides, one hand stopping to caress my cheek all over again.

“First.. We get off the side of the fuckin road.. Then, baby girl… when we get back to the MC, we’re going to have a serious talk, okay?”

I gave a soft laugh and nodded. “Okay. That’s fair enough. Let’s go try to find a spot with some service, yeah?”

“Yeah, even though I don’t wanna let you go right now.”

“You have all night to dance with me and hold me.. Like that last Christmas party we went to back then.. I’ve missed us so much.” I pointed out, making him nod.

Nothing mattered but getting back to the MC. Because I had so much I wanted to say. So much I needed to do to make things right again. To show him that I loved him and I’d missed him every single day I was away. That I made a huge mistake back then and I was so sorry.

[elesianne]

A Silmarillion fanfic – Haleth/OFC

Summary: As Haleth's people begin their journey to their new home, Haleth makes a discovery of a person she has known all her life.

Wordcount: ~2,000 words; Rating: General audiences

Some keywords: romance, developing relationship      

A/N: This is based on the version where Haleth is only nineteen when her father and brother die in the battle of the Gelion-Ascar stockade and she becomes the leader of her people.

Warning: Very brief description of a dead (hunted) animal.

AO3 link

*

In the sunlight, you

Before the loss of her brother, before all the losses, Haleth didn't spend much time thinking of Aeres.

She is certainly someone she knew, for Aeres has been a healer's apprentice since she was young, and Haleth has always been prone to doing thing that lead scrapes and worse injuries. But Haleth didn't think more of Aeres than that it's fortunate that she's smart enough to be a healer because she's certainly not going to be a warrior or a hunter or a great forager. As long as Haleth can remember Aeres has walked with a limp, something wrong with her left leg probably since birth.

Haleth doesn't know what exactly is wrong with the leg, not because she's too tactful to ask but because she was never interested enough to. Aeres was always going to be a healer and useful to their folk that way, and others were going to help her with things she couldn't do because of her leg; it didn't matter why she limps.

Now Haleth is interested in knowing why she does – as the spring after the winter of grief turns to a glorious summer and they prepare for their journey northwest, she finds herself interested in a great many things about Aeres.

It is very silly, stupidly silly, because Haleth doesn't have time for thinking about one specific person in one specific way she suspects might lead to what her mother called 'the greatest thing in life that you will experience in life, my fox-cub, that washes everything in sunlight'.

Haleth doesn't have time for reaching for sunlight. She needs to lead her folk to their new land.

'How many are still not in walking shape?' she asks Aeres one evening as she does every night, in their camp near their burned old homes where they gather resources and prepare for the journey.

'Only a few', Aeres says. She looks tired. 'Though not all can walk a full day at first.'

Haleth can't stop her eyes turning to Aeres' own legs. They will have to go slow, Haleth knows. Besides the freshly injured, there are those like Aeres, and the old and the young.

Haleth stifles a sigh of impatience. She wants to leave this land that is in her eyes all burned and blood-spattered and, no matter what the shining-eyed elf-lord says, not a free land anymore.

'You have been working hard to help everyone recover', Haleth says to Aeres.

'We have not many healers left', replies Aeres. 'I do what I can.'

Dorrin, the old healer who took Aeres in after her mother died and taught her, died in the battle between the rivers, trying to help the wounded. Haleth knows that Aeres misses him.

'We all do what we can', Haleth says, rarely one to weave fair words.

But as she leaves Aeres' tent that smells of pungent herbs and salves, Haleth squeezes her shoulder.

*

When they begin their journey, Haleth suddenly sees Aeres all the time. When their people lived in peace, a healer wasn't as important or visible a member of the community as she is now. And besides being a healer Aeres is a friend of Toreth, Haleth's sister-in-law. Aeres often helps Toreth with both her grief and her son, Haleth's nephew.

Haleth has never been as close with Toreth as most sisters-by-marriage tend to be. They both have quick tempers and have found it best to not spend enough time in close proximity for them to spark. After Haldar's death Toreth has been more quiet and drawn, mourning the loss of her husband so young.

Apparently Aeres likes children for she volunteers to help Toreth with Haldan, and soon she does it every day, becoming an everyday fixture at the campfire Haleth makes every evening for her sister-in-law and nephew. There Aeres sits, feeding Haldan and telling him bedtime stories, or boring things about plants make him sleepy when he is too energetic too late and Toreth only stares into the fire, silent and still.

In the evenings, Haleth watches Aeres with Haldan and feels weak in her chest.

Aeres has brown hair that glows in firelight, and dark brown eyes and long lashes, and she smiles at Haldan's babbling commentary and at Haleth's supposedly-witty asides.

Aeres is not strong or lively like some women Haleth has desired, but she is lovely and she is helping take care of Haleth's family and she never complains about having to walk all day every day even though every evening when they make camp she moves with the sort of deliberate carefulness that Haleth knows means pain.

Haleth knows it is hard for her, all the walking, and for many others, yet she must harden her heart and have her people walk a long way almost every day. While winter is not coming yet, it will eventually, and they need to be much farther on their journey by then.

One night Aeres barely moves, just sits by the fire pale, clutching her wool cloak around her while others still bustle around her making camp for the night.

Haleth sits by her side. 'Tomorrow we will rest. No marching', she says, feeding more wood into the fire she just built.

'Not on my account.' Aeres bends to knead her bad leg around the knee. 'I will be better in the morning, I promise.'

'I know', Haleth says. 'I know. But we all could do with a day of rest again. And those who don't need it, we'll hunt, get some meat for the next few nights.'

Aeres nods, the fall of her hair that has escaped its tie obscuring her face as she still rubs at her leg.

'Then I will take another look at Amhar's wounds', she says. 'The one on his arm is still not scarred right. I cannot understand how. It should have either healed by now or…'

'Or killed him', Haleth ends for her.

'Yes.' Aeres nods again. 'There was some strange poison on some of the orcs' spears, I believe, but not all. Not all wounds that our fighters sustained that day were like this. Some were more deadly, many less lingering.'

'I'm sure that you will figure out how to treat Amhar's arm', Haleth says, trying to be reassuring.

'I hope so. I am not sure what to do, to be honest; I'm not sure that what I've been doing is right. I always had Dorrin to ask for confirmation before but now…'

'… but now things are different and you have to make decisions on your own', Haleth says. She never knows how many days she should have her folk march before a day of rest, never knows if she is pushing them too hard or not enough.

'Of course you understand.' Aeres lifts her head. 'Yet you are making good decisions, Haleth. You are leading us well.'

Haleth is never shy but all she can say is, 'I hope so.'

She is confident in her bigger decisions but not always in the small, everyday ones.

She never expected to become the leader of her folk, but she suspects Haldar would not have been sure what to do in this situation either.

*

Aeres is of age with Toreth, a few years older than Haleth's own nineteen summers. Haleth remembers that two summers ago one of the men Aeres' age tried to court her but she refused all his gifts, to the laughter of the other young men. Haleth can't remember seeing Aeres ever grant her favour to any of them.

As they journey northwest across the great plain that the elves call Estolad, and tiredness settles on Aeres' face until it is an everyday sight, Haleth… she doesn't give Aeres those sorts of gifts, little trinkets and bunches of wildflowers tied with pretty ribbon and honey-cakes purchased from the village's best baker. There are no such gifts to give now. 

But when Toreth doesn't see – because Haleth wants to keep the peace in her family now, one more responsibility she doesn't feel all that equipped for – she gives Aeres the best cut of meat; and the warmer blanket, her own, when they settle down to sleep; and some evenings she forces some of her vigilance off her own shoulders and tells her guards to make watch arrangements instead, and fetches water for Aeres and Toreth and Haldan herself, the three people she thinks of as her family now.

Once or twice when she brings a brace of freshly caught rabbits to Aeres to skin, she sets a late-summer flowers on top of them. It is more gruesome than sweet, flowers on top of the dead empty-eyed animals but it makes Aeres smile.

And she accepts them, like she accepts all of Haleth's little not-gifts, with little demurring apart from the first time Haleth gave her something that is hers by right of her leadership.

'This is yours', Aeres said holding Haleth's thick blanket that she'd handed to her, her eyes shadowed and questioning under the sparse trees that serve as their roof for the night.

'Yours for tonight', Haleth answered that night, and the next, and from then on Aeres only smiled when Haleth gave it to her.

*

Aeres has the sometimes-brisk, sometimes-gentling voice of a healer, and Haleth is learning her every tone and nuance.

'Are you well', Aeres asks one night, dark eyes worried as she looks at and speaks to Haleth in a way that she does with her patients, yet not quite.

She has been rubbing salve on a little hurt of Haleth's, but Haleth doesn't feel like her patient.

Still she says, 'I am tired', because there is no one else to hear just then. She has strong limbs and good lungs but sometimes she too grows tired, especially as the days grow cooler and shorter and their stores of food meagre.

'Tomorrow the sun will shine', Aeres says, soft. 'I could tell by the sunset. It will be a warm day, a fair day.'

'Perhaps I will not be so tired tomorrow, then', Haleth says, as comforted as Aeres no doubt intended her to be.

They sleep close to each other that night, close enough to touch if just one of them reached out a hand.

*

'In the sun your hair is spun of gold', Aeres says to Haleth the next day as they are spending the midday break from walking together. Aeres sorts through herbs brought to her by  children eager to help, and Haleth sharpens her knife for her.

And finding poetry somewhere deep within herself where it never was before, Haleth replies, 'In the sun, your eyes are warmer than even the light.'

Aeres blushes and bows her head. She doesn't blush often, Haleth knows, and not just because it doesn't show easily on her light-brown skin.

She looks at Haleth from under her dark lashes. 'If you were a man I would say that you were courting me', she says. 'Giving me the best bits of meat, and making sure I am warm, and doing little errands to make my days easier though you do not need to.'

Haleth is quiet for a moment, her heart heavy in her chest and the knife cold in her hand, and then asks, 'Would you like it better if I were a man?'

Women courting women is rarer.

Aeres lifts her eyes and they are tired as always but warm, still. 'If you were a man I would tell you to stop.'

And she doesn't say anything more, just continues sorting herbs where she sits by Haleth's side.

That night Haleth spreads her bedroll right by Aeres' and as darkness falls around them, quiet and gentle and guarded by others, she holds Aeres close and kisses her the back of her neck where her hair is softest.

Aeres sighs quietly (contently, Haleth imagines; hopes) and turns in Haleth's arms, and tucks her head under her chin.

'Yours for tonight', Aeres whispers, her breath warm on Haleth's collarbones. 'And the next, and the next, and the next.'

*

A/N: Thank you for reading! I would love to hear what you thought of this little fic. And reblogs are always dearly welcome.

[twilighteve-writes]

Feather One Divided -- Chapter 9: The Movement

Feather one divided, fate’s ties frayed, Fractured and wedged, scattered and gone.

After sharing an unsettling dream of Felldrake, the Three Caballeros decided to join back together with Xandra to form a stronghold in case the sorcerer returned. But Felldrake’s plans proved to be bigger than they expected, and when he struck so close to home, it was all Donald could do to keep his family – and himself – together.

(Also available in AO3)

(Chapter 1)

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Fate’s ties frayed.

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The clearing was bright and wide, with the stream cutting through it in a calm trickle. It called to Donald, the water, and it soothed a part of him that had been building up tension, like a bowstring wound too tight and ready to snap. The clearing was beautiful, the stream calming, the day an overall good day, if not for the uneasy alliance Scrooge was proposing to the magician that has yet to arrive.

Donald had protested long and hard at the proposed alliance, but ultimately his concerns had been vetoed. Grudgingly, he admitted that they needed outside help to locate Louie. He just wished said help didn’t have to be in the form of Magica de Spell, of all people.

“It’s going to be okay, Don,” Della said. Things had been awkward with them, but she had been quick to soothe his worries. “I like this about as much as you, but we need their help.”

“I don’t mind Goldie helping. She likes Louie,” Donald growled, and noticed from the corner of his eyes Goldie pausing her conversation with Uncle Scrooge to spare him a quick glance. “It’s Magica I don’t trust. She’s threatened Louie before.”

“It’s okay, I’ve bargained with her,” Lena, who was there to help smooth the negotiations because Magica demanded her be there, interjected. “I can do it again.”

Donald stared at her for a moment – not long, but apparently long enough to make her shift uneasily. He sighed. “We shouldn’t have put you in that position to begin with.”

Lena blinked at him with a soft um. Donald wasn’t sure if it was because she didn’t understand his words or if what he said had surprised her. Maybe a little bit of both.

Violet slipped to Lena’s side and took her hand. “Don’t worry. We’ll be here with you,” she said, nodding to Webby.

Webby nodded back. “If Magica tries anything, I’ll punch her in the beak.”

Donald hid his laughter with a cough. He forgot, sometimes, how endearing Webby’s readiness to defend her friends was.

He turned to check on Huey and Dewey, who were talking to José and Panchito. They saw him look and gave a small wave, and he nodded. “How’s your magic?” he asked, remembering how their magic had grown unstable before.

“It’s better,” Huey said. “We don’t flare out suddenly anymore. But…” he glanced at Dewey for a clue.

“Kind of weirdly inactive,” Dewey supplied. “It gets a bit hard to generate static.”

“And a bit hard to reach Louie, too,” Huey added. “Usually it’s really easy.”

“It would be a surprise if you can do magic easily now. You don’t have the complete set.”

Donald turned to the thick of the trees, and saw that Magica was making her way out to the clearing. The dark robe she wore masked her form in the shadows, and she stuck out like a sore thumb in the darkness of the sun.

Della asked with a frown, “What do you mean, complete set?”

“They are triplets, no?” Magica asked back easily. “And yet there are only two.”

“Oh, enough with the blabbering nonsense,” Uncle Scrooge cut in. “What can you tell us about this Felldrake fellow?”

Magica lifted a brow at him. “You’re the one who needs my help, and this is how you’re treating me? Your age must have eroded away your manners, Scrooge. If you even had some in the first place.”

Goldie let out a small laugh. “She has a point, Scroogie. What is it with you and treating people as you like?”

“I don’t have the patience to be buddies with Magica right now. I have a nephew to get.”

“Ah, yes, the little gold-touched child,” Magica said. “The girls told me about the whole fiasco. How does it feel like, Scroogie, to have lost a nephew?”

“I have not lost a nephew. He was taken and I’m in the process of getting him back,” Uncle Scrooge growled. Sensing the atmosphere getting tense, Donald nudged Della and gestured to her to handle the situation.

Della responded quickly. “Oookay, let’s not get snappy,” she said as she stepped to the middle, right between Uncle Scrooge and Magica. “So! In the spirit of keeping things cool, let’s start with introductions. Hi, I’m Della!”

“I already know who you are,” Magica said coldly.

“Well, some people might not know each other!” Della argued cheerfully. “Have you met Xandra? She’s the goddess of adventure, isn’t that neat?” She gestured at Xandra, who waved with a cheery hi! to Magica and Goldie both. Goldie smiled and waved back, but Magica turned up her nose.

“I’ve heard of you,” she said. “I’m sorry to tell you, but no one here has even a fraction of a chance to defeat Felldrake. Even your goddess has been defeated before.”

“Hey, we got Felldrake sealed again,” Xandra protested.

“And he has roamed again because the seal was not as strong as it should be,” Magica shot back. “This is exercise in futility.”

Lena sighed. “Magica, I thought I asked you to play nice. I won’t even consider the possibility of finding a way to return your magic to you if this is how you’re going to be like.”

Magica rolled her eyes. “I’m not saying this because I want to be mean. They literally have no chance of defeating Felldrake. Only three chosen warriors has even the slightest of chances of defeating him, and they have not been seen in years.”

“That won’t be a problem,” Donald said.

Magica stared then huffed. “I have no idea what you just said.”

“He said, that won’t be a problem,” Panchito repeated for Donald. He pulled his amulet out of the protective folds of his clothes and let it thump softly against his chest. José did the same, and Donald followed. Xandra shifted on her feet, a lazy grin overtaking her face as she called forth her golden glow, which quickly offset the Caballero’s, for a moment.

“They’re my chosen warriors,” she said proudly, like a mother cat showing off her litter.

Magica blinked. “Huh,” she said at length. “That makes more sense than I expected. Perhaps you have hope of succeeding, after all.”

“What do you mean, it makes sense?” Della asked.

“I’ve heard rumors of the blue Caballero having water magic. I’ve felt your twin use the sea.”

“This is interesting and all, but how do we get Louie back?” Dewey cut in impatiently.

“If he has access to a magical artefact that is able to grant his wish, he might be able to do that,” Xandra said with a shrug. “The problem is, I’m no expert with them. Do any of you know?”

“As a matter of fact, I did find something,” Goldie said, reaching to take her backpack off and take out a scroll. “It’s only a rumor, but if this is real, it’s probably our best chance of getting ahead of this… whoever this sorcerer is.” She unrolled the scroll. “It’s called the Well of Wishes.”

Magica scoffed. “The Well of Wishes is a bedtime story.”

“Oh, it’s real,” Xandra interjected.

“I thought you just said you’re not an expert,” José said, half teasing and half exasperated fondness.

“I’m not, I just know which ones are real and which ones aren’t,” Xandra said with a shrug. “Some things are real and some things are just myths.”

“But the Well of Wishes is real, which means we can find it,” Uncle Scrooge said, eyes glinting. “What does it do? I’m assuming it can grant you a wish.”

“Yes,” Goldie said. “But apparently finding it is a difficult task in the first place, so that’s going to be a challenge.”

“But it’s not impossible?” Dewey asked.

“Honey. If you know anything by now, it’s that nothing is impossible when you have your family involved,” Della said, shaking her head.

“And it really isn’t impossible,” Goldie added. “If this scroll is correct, we only need to find the location and find a good timing. Apparently you can only access it during a full moon when the morning star shines over the sea.” She tilted her head. “So… full moon and Venus at the same time. Probably at dawn. Now the problem is that we don’t know when that particular astronomical event will happen – “

“Two days from now,” Donald, Della, and Huey all blurted at once. When the others stared at them, Della shrugged.

“I like the sky,” she explained plainly.

“I’m trying to get my astronomy badge,” Huey added.

Donald just shrugged. “It’s useful to know a thing or two about stars for sailing.”

“But you don’t need to follow with news about what will happen, though?” Dewey said.

“Della used to hound me about it for days and it’s faster to shut her up if I already know. The habit stuck.”

“Okay, back to the Well,” Uncle Scrooge said in annoyance. “How do we find it?”

“The challenge isn’t really how to find it, but how to open it,” Magica cut in. “Legend has it only certain kinds of magic can coax the Well to reveal itself, and only when paired with certain treasures.” She tapped her beak in thought. “From what I heard, riches related magic works best with water or mirror related objects. Or perhaps it was the other way around.”

Webby’s eyes widened. “That’s why he took Louie and the Mirror of Breaking. Gold and mirror.”

“Kinda random, though, don’t you think?” Lena mused. “Sure, the little guy has gold magic. But why him, and why that mirror?”

“I don’t think it’s random,” Xandra said. “If I remember correctly, the Mirror of Breaking will only activate if it receives a drop of gold-touched blood. And it does have the power to break curses and strong spells. Since the shrouding the Well has is some sort of a protective spell, too, it sort of works.” She hummed. “And as far as I know, gold-touched people do have better chance of getting the Well to appear.”

“So Louie had been targeted from the start?” Violet asked, looking disturbed. “How does Felldrake even know Louie has gold magic?”

“I don’t know if he’s known or he saw Louie use magic then decided to nab him then and there, but the result is that he’s now gone,” Donald growled. “I’ll make Felldrake pay for that.”

“Okay, slow down, amigo.” Panchito put his hand on Donald’s shoulder. “First we have to find the Well.”

“We have the seeds to the Money Tree of Orromorrus,” Uncle Scrooge said. “And you have sea magic.” He stared straight and Donald.

“We can try that,” Donald agreed.

“One more thing,” Goldie piped up. “The scroll says the Well will grant one wish, any wish, when it appears, and it will disappear again until the next time the full moon and the morning star appears together again. If you want to be sure, maybe you’ll want to use up the wish quota so Felldrake can’t use it.”

“What do we use it for?” Webby hummed.

“More adventures?” Dewey suggested.

“No, no, you kids don’t get to wish for more adventures, I’ll die from heart attack at this point. The things you get into…” Donald shook his head.

“What you wish for isn’t important as long as you use the wish, is it? You could wish for a lifetime supply of cake and that’s still okay,” José pointed out.

“You’re getting a free wish-comes-true card and you’re using it for cakes?” Huey yelled scandalously.

“Hey, it’s just a suggestion.”

“In any case, will it work? Donald and the seed?” Panchito asked, turning to Xandra.

“Not as well as a gold-touched person’s magic paired with the Mirror of Breaking, but yes,” Xasndra answered readily. “To be fair, though, it’s not a sure thing either with gold and the mirror, unless there’s a way to amplify their magic to an exponential level. With Donald, the amulet helps boost his magic and he can also draw raw power from the Caballero bond.”

“And what happens if the magic isn’t strong enough?” Donald asked warily. He wasn’t wholly sure he’d like the answer, but he needed to know.

Xandra’s brief silence felt like it stretched forever. “Best case scenario,” she said at last, “would be… dying.”

The answer made Donald’s blood run cold, but he went ahead and asked anyway, “And what would be the worst case scenario?”

Xandra stared for a moment and gave a brittle smile. “I don’t think you want to know.”

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Dewey trudged back to the manor with a sigh. He didn’t know why, but ever since Louie was taken he’d been in a constant state of tiredness. It wasn’t obvious, but his energy levels wasn’t as high as usual, and that was annoying.

The clang of the manor gate being opened brought him back to the present, and Dewey looked up, just in time to see Uncle Scrooge held his cane up to keep Magica back.

“You’re not to enter my house,” he said.

“You asked me to help and you’re not even letting me rest somewhere proper,” Magica huffed.

“Last time you entered my house you trapped me inside my dime, took over my bin, and stole an entire city’s worth of citizens’ shadows,” Uncle Scrooge pointed out.

“It’s okay, Uncle Scrooge, we’ll keep an eye on her,” Webby said. “She doesn’t have her magic anymore anyway. I mean, there’s a reason she keeps hounding Lena to return to being her shadow so she can get her magic back.” She shot Magica a nasty look.

“I’m only doing so because she keeps using my magic for herself,” Magica protested. “She siphons away mine from my resources, and I channel my magic through my amulet. Which she takes with her. And I need both the amulet and my shadow back.”

Uncle Donald stopped in his tracks and squinted at her. “What do you mean, Lena uses your magic?”

Magica paused, processing, and snorted. “What, you mean you haven’t felt her using my magic every time she performs a spell?”

“I don’t have magic other than shadow magic, what else do you expect?” Lena grumbled.

Uncle Donald stared at her strangely. “But you do?”

“Do what?”

“Have magic. Something of your own. It’s not shadow magic.”

“But… I don’t have magic of my own,” Lena said again, but her tone wavered in uncertainty. “I mean… I was Magica’s shadow. I can’t have magic on my own.”

“You’re not sewn to Magica’s feet anymore,” Uncle Donald pointed out, gesturing at the shadow beneath Magica. “You’re your own person and you have magic. I’m just surprised you haven’t discovered it considering how freely you use magic.”

“And that’s why you can give me back the amulet,” Magica said. She shuffled forward and held her hand out, palm up. “It won’t be as powerful as when I had you in my shadow because you still took away some of my magical ability, but there should be a way to get me to my full power and keep you intact if you work with me.”

Lena shifted back and clutched the amulet protectively. Mom grabbed her and pushed her gently behind her. “It’s okay, sweetie,” she said, “you don’t have to give it away. In fact, the longer you keep it out of her reach the better.”

“I agree. I do not think the city is ready for another shadow war,” Violet said coolly.

“Our agreement was to find a way for me to get my magic back,” Magica growled.

“Not now,” Xandra said. “Can’t you feel her core being tied to the amulet? You take the amulet now and her whole being will come undone. Best find a way to untie them first.”

Webby gasped and glared. Magica clicked her tongue and let her hand drop.

“Anyway, she’s basically magicless for now, so it’s probably safe,” Xandra said again, turning to Uncle Scrooge. “A toddler can throw a spoon at her and she’ll fall over.”

Magica gasped in disbelief. “How dare you – “

“Relax, Scroogie, your kids will keep an eye on her,” Goldie cut in and pushed the gate open. “We should get in and discuss more! We do need to prepare for a trip to get that seed.”

Uncle Scrooge shook his head. “I can’t relax around you. I take my eyes off for a second and you’ll rob me blind.”

“Me? Steal from you? Scroogie, I would never.”

“Har, har. I’m watching you.”

Huey scooted over to Dewey side and whispered, “Are they flirting or threatening each other?”

Dewey squinted his eyes and tilted his head. “You know, I really can’t tell.”

The preparation Goldie mentioned didn’t take long. They all always had a backpack filled with adventuring essentials – including but not limited to some pairs of underwear Uncle Donald insisted they always have, spare clothes, and safety jackets – and all they really needed to do was grab one they had in their room and dash back to meet the others.

When they reached the hall, the adults were already there, talking to themselves and pointing at a map a disgruntled Magica held up. When they walked closer, Uncle Donald straightened.

“Sorry, kids,” he said, and Dewey could tell he was trying to use his stern voice. “You’re not joining us on this one.”

“Wait, what do you mean we’re not joining you?” Huey shot back instantly.

“I mean that I want you kids to stay here and stay safe,” Uncle Donald said. “I don’t want you anywhere near Felldrake.”

“You’re not about to see Felldrake now, though, are you?” Huey chased. “Didn’t you say you want to take the money seed? Isn’t this trip just to take the seed and then get back?”

“How is a quick trip to get the seed dangerous? The security system is all frozen,” Dewey added.

“We had a change of plans,” Uncle Donald answered. He sighed and knelt to meet their eyes easier, and Dewey looked away in an attempt to pettily rebel. Huey stared right ahead, fire in his eyes and in his magic, which Dewey could feel begin to crackle under his skin. The static was so strong Dewey had to remind himself that it was magical and not physical.

“Look,” Uncle Donald began, “I love you, okay? And I want you to be safe. But we all know how dangerous Felldrake is. I saw Louie taken twice, and I’m not letting that happen to you too.”

“So your solution is to lock us inside the house,” Dewey said darkly, still pointedly not looking at Uncle Donald.

“Hey, I’m not locking you in. Besides, Mrs. Beakley and Launchpad both are still here.”

Part of Dewey wanted to argue more, but he kept his beak closed with great effort. “Fine,” he grit out instead, and Huey tensed in alarm, but didn’t say anything.

Uncle Donald reached out and took their hands. “I’m sorry, kids. It’s for your own good.”

It took a while more to convince Webby to stay put, with Violet and Lena reining her in. They saw the adults off, with Della piloting to Sunchaser – or Cloudslayer, as she kept insisting. The moment they were out of sight, Huey turned to Dewey.

“Why did you just let Uncle Donald bench us?” he demanded. “We could have helped!”

“I remembered what Gyro said, about us being the only ones who can defeat Felldrake if it comes down to it,” Dewey admitted. He clenched his hands. “And I didn’t just let him bench us.”

“Okay, what even are you talking about?” Lena asked.

“Uncle Donald’s super stubborn. He won’t let us do anything even if we’re with them, and I’m sick of not doing anything,” Dewey spat. His magic rose with his anger, crackling and buzzing and making his feathers stand on end. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly and let the magic simmer down gradually. He turned to Webby. “Webs? Which way to Uncle Scrooge’s other bin?”

Webby stared at him suspiciously. “…why do you want to know? There are tons of dangerous things there, and most of those things are unstable.”

“Because I’m sick of doing nothing, and I think some of those can help. If we can take something, we can go after Uncle Donald and Mom and the others and help them without getting into their way.”

“Sorry, but can we think this through for a moment?” Violet cut in. “First of all, I would like to know what this other bin is. Secondly, are you sure you want to do this?”

“The other bin is… basically where Uncle Scrooge puts all the dangerous and unpredictable things he gets from adventures. Things that he thinks are better if they don’t see the light of day, I guess,” Webby answered carefully.

Violet lifted a brow. “I mean you no offense, but didn’t you say he has a gong that summons a dragon and a gauntlet that turns people to stone lying about in the garage?”

“Oh, these ones are worse than that,” Lena vouched. “Super bad. Like, potentially emotionally-scarring-you-for-life bad.”

Huey looked like he was chewing on his own tongue. “Dewey, I don’t know if this is the thing we should be doing. We’ll be stealing Uncle Scrooge’s things.”

“We’re not stealing, we’re borrowing,” Dewey insisted. “We’ll return it soon. And he’s the one just leaving them around collecting dust.”

“That’s because the things in the other bin are a lot more unstable and dangerous!” Webby protested. “I’m all for helping, but is this really the thing we should be doing?”

“If you don’t want to help then fine, don’t,” Dewey growled. “I’m not stopping you from walking away. I can find the other bin myself if I want to. I can do it alone if none of you want to help.”

“Well they can decide not to join, I’m all for theft,” Lena chimed in all too gleefully.

“I’m borrowing, I’ll return them later!”

“To-mah-to, to-may-to. Either way, I’m in.”

Huey mulled it over for a moment. “Me too,” he said at length. “I’m sick of doing nothing, too.” He met Dewey’s eyes, and his gaze was hard. “But we stay as safe as we can while helping, okay? As far as we can, too, and if it’s possible, out of Mom, Uncle Donald, and Uncle Scrooge’s sights. There’s no sense in distracting them by letting them know we’re there.”

“Deal,” Dewey agreed without thinking.

Webby took a look at them and took a deep breath, straightening up. “Then I guess it’s time we raid the bin.”

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One hand scratched at the collar around his neck. He knew he’d gained scratch marks underneath his feathers, and he’d known they bled by now – he could feel the dampness seeping into the feathers – but somehow it was still better than the collar sitting heavily there despite not being heavy at all. Anything he could do to make the collar go away, anything he could do to make himself forget the collar was there, he would do.

When the pain became unbearable, his twitchy hands found way to the cuff around his ankle, and he tugged, tugged, tugged, numbly listening to the clinking chains and ignoring the dull pain every time the metal dug into his skin and the sharp flare at his wrist. At least the wrist wasn’t swollen anymore.

“Stop that,” Felldrake snapped irritably. Louie yanked the chains as loudly as he could petulantly, but settled down. He resolved to poking his wrist instead, frowning. It was still in the sloppy bandages he’d wrapped it in, and he had no doubt that it had helped a little, but he knew he needed help to make sure the wrist would heal properly. He was sure it was just sprained, though. Mostly.

“Look, if you want to do something with me just do it already,” he said. “The boredom’s killing me.” He clenched his fingers so Felldrake couldn’t see them tremble. His heartbeat was loud in his ears and drowned his own words.

But he wanted to know what Felldrake wanted to do with him. He needed to know, or else he wouldn’t be able to formulate a plan to counter it somehow. Never mind the fact that his only concrete plan right now was, if he could get free of the cuff, he’d bite Felldrake’s arm as hard as he could and make a run for it.

He knew his chances were slim at best.

“Not now,” Felldrake grumbled from his tome. “It’s not time for the full moon and the morning star to shine together. It would be a waste to use you now.”

“Your frame of reference sucks, I have no idea what you mean with full moon and the star.”

Felldrake glared and elected to ignore him. Louie huffed and rubbed his hands together, then started pulling on the feathers on his palm, missing the way his khopesh feel in his hands. He thought of his appearance and knew instinctively that his feathers looked terrible. He needed to preen, and soon.

His mind drifted again to his family. He knew Uncle Donald was trying to get him back, but he wasn’t sure he could depend on that. To begin with, he likely didn’t even know where Louie was, and even if Louie still had the GPS bracelet Fenton and Gyro had given him he wasn’t sure how far the signal would reach. If they knew where he was, they’d have stormed the place already.

A part of Louie longed for his brothers to be with him. He squashed that part away in anger and shame. How could he wish the same thing to happen to his brothers? He needed to stop being so selfish. He grabbed a fistful of feathers from his palm and pulled.

They came off, and he stared at the stray feathers and the reddish patch of skin on his hand. He numbly let go and balled his fists and felt the tips of his fingers digging into the flesh, trying to stop from hurting himself further than this.

Felldrake broke the silence with a contemplative hum that set Louie’s alarms off. He tried to relax his tense shoulders without breaking his gaze off Felldrake, keeping his face as blank as he could. Felldrake never said anything, or showed any sign of him enjoying Louie’s discomfort, but he got the feeling that the sorcerer was, all the same.

“It’s still too early, but perhaps I should prepare you for the journey ahead after all,” Felldrake said. “That way, if you failed, you can be… returned, and I won’t have to cart you along. The Well isn’t the only way to regain my glory.”

Louie refused to comprehend what failed and returned would mean for him. Instead, he tentatively asked, “What do you plan to do if your plan now fails?”

Felldrake’s beak quirked into a smirk. “That’s for me to worry about.”

Okay, so Louie couldn’t ask about that one. “Then… what do you plan to do with me now?”

Felldrake was silent for a moment. Then, he snapped the tome he had on his hands closed with a loud thump, and Louie jumped in surprise. Felldrake ignored him and took the Mirror of Breaking and a vial filled with brilliant white liquid that seemed to sparkle gold. He tapped the vial with his fingertip, and it let out a ringing ting that stabbed Louie’s ear mercilessly, like fingernails on a chalkboard. Which was odd, to say the least, since the sound was in a way melodious.

When he blinked and uncurled himself from his reflexive flinch, he found Felldrake staring at him with a glint of interest in his eyes. “Interesting,” he said. “The others did not give such reactions before.”

Louie blinked as Felldrake walked closer. He scooted back slowly until he couldn’t anymore, not comfortable with the idea of Felldrake being so close to his person.

Felldrake crouched in front of him and flicked the vial. The resulting ting had Louie wincing, and Felldrake smiled. “Do you know what this is, golden duckling?”

Louie didn’t respond at first. When he realized Felldrake was waiting, and that his fingers hovered dangerously by the vial as if ready to flick again, he shook his head reluctantly.

“This, golden duckling, is the Essence of Midas,” Felldrake said. “One might think it will grant one the Midas’ touch, where you turn everything you touch into gold, but it doesn’t.”

“Does it turn the person who drink or touch it into gold?” Louie asked with false bravado.

“Interesting theory, but no. It has nothing to do with gold itself.” Felldrake drew the vial closer to Louie’s eyes, and he stared at the sparkling liquid. He blinked the light out of his eyes. He felt like the golden sparkles had started to invade his vision and blurred everything else.

“The Essence of Midas can amplify a certain kind of magic to the point where the user is one with the element,” Felldrake said. “It allows them to be as strong as they can in their magic to the point of being able to produce said element out of thin air, but if they are incompatible with the Essence, they will… ah, expire.”

A chill ran down Louie’s back. He ran his seemingly desert-dry tongue on his teeth and hedged, “Then why risk using the Essence at all? I have a feeling more people are incompatible than not.”

“Ah, that’s the beauty of the Essence of Midas,” Felldrake said with another flick to the vial. Louie didn’t bother hiding his wince this time. “If you try to use the Essence and fail, you simply… take the blood of a gold-touched person and mix it with what little Essence you have left. Once it has passed seven full moons and seven new moons, the Essence would remake itself from the remnants of the gold-touched person’s blood, pure as ever.”

Louie took a shuddering breath. “So it amplifies… gold magic,” he concluded.

“Smart little golden duckling! You finally figured it out.” Felldrake ruffled Louie’s hair with a grin, and it took all of Louie’s self control not to flinch at the touch. He knew he was uncomfortable already. He didn’t want him to know how much his touch disturbed him.

“And you want to use it on me,” Louie said again instead. “And if… it fails… you’ll take my blood to make into some more Essence.”

“Don’t be too worried. I have hope you will survive the amplification,” Felldrake said flippantly. He popped the cork off the vial. “You, a gold-touched child who came from a family of elemental mages with comparable degree of power, nephew to a Caballero, not being able to withstand the Essence of Midas? The sun will rise from the west.”

Louie pressed his back to the wall. “That’s not exactly comforting, coming from you.”

“Trust me, golden duckling, it’s not meant to be.” With a hungry grin, Felldrake poured the Essence over Louie’s head.

Louie gasped when cold overtook him immediately. His vision goldened out as his limbs grew numb. His senses screamed the location of every bit of gold in his immediate vicinity like a murder of crows screaming in dissonant harmony. He could taste metal on his tongue, and what little consciousness was left within him wondered if he could spit liquid gold.

Instincts took over as he dove inside himself and reached out to his brothers, desperate to feel campfire warmth and jumping sparks. He missed their presence by a hair’s breadth, and it felt like something within him was pulled taut and snapped, and he couldn’t feel Huey and Dewey anymore. Instead of their comforting hold, something cold and hard and so unmistakably metal was placed in his hands. With a start, Louie realized Felldrake had put the Mirror of Breaking in his hold.

The golden in his vision brightened until everything was brilliant white that consumed everything Louie could see, and the boy whose heart pumped gold knew no more.

[connie-banana]

You know, I don't think enough attention is given to just how powerful Sansa is.

So first things first, my girl is the Lady of Winterfell, the most powerful castle in the North. Further more, during Jon's admittedly short reign she was not only his regent but his heir, and the the rest of the Northern lords have made it abundantly clear that they prefer her to Jon.

Oh, and speaking of the North, guess which is the second most powerful castle there. The Dreadfort. Guess who owns it. That's right; horrible as her marriage to Ramsay was it was legitimate, and with the deaths of the rest of the Boltons that leaves the Dreadfort, and all it's surrounding lands, as Sansa's legal property.

But what about the rest of Westeros? Well this is where the potential of Sansa's family ties come into play.

First there's the Eyrie, located in the Vale; the most strategically secure part of Westeros, courtesy of those fuck-off-massive mountains. Ruled over by little Robin Arryn.

And then there's Riverrun, capital of the Riverlands, home of the Lords Paramount of the Tridant, childhood home of Catelyn Stark, currently ruled by Edmure Tully, but really by the Lannisters.

On the surface, both these gentlemen cancel out Sansa's claim on each other's lands. Now that Littlefinger is dead, Edmure is is Robin's eldest relative, and should therefore be his guardian. Edmure has a son, and in the event of both their deaths, Robin is easily his heir.

So where does Sansa come in? Well first of all, due to a little political wrinkle, there's no way Edmure could possibly be Robin's guardian. As stated, Edmure is a puppet owned by the Lannisters, while the Eyrie is very firmly Team Stark.

Not only is Sansa his next eldest relative, she's also the only relative to have a personal relationship with both Robin and the Lords of the Vale, and as stated multiple times, they rode north, to help liberate Winterfell, for her. She's apparently happy for Robin to remain under Lord Royce's care, and presumably for Royce to be Lord Protector of the Vale. But check out how close she and Royce are now, they're tight.

So what about Riverrun? Well the Riverlands are in a weird limbo currently. While the Lannisters had control of Edmure and the Tully lands, the Riverlands and the Trident were run by their allies the Freys. But now the Freys have all come over with an unfortunate case of dead, leaving the Lannister foothold in the Riverlands somewhere between weak and non-existent.

So where does that leave poor Edmure? He handed over Riverrun to the Lannisters, getting his uncle killed in the process, but there's certainly no love for them. It's likely he'll boot whatever presence the crown still has out of the Riverlands first chance he'll get. Whether he'll go full Team Stark is more debatable, I see him more as a go-away-and-stop-bothering-me type of ruler. However, the Riverlands are what separate the North from the rest of the country, so sooner or later he's going to have to pick a side and well, one side murdered his sister, nephew and held him and his son hostage for three years.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but I don't see much future for Edmure; if he chooses the Starks, Cersei will seek revenge. If he, for some reason, chooses the Lannisters, a combination of dragons, northerners and white walkers will go after him. So yeah, sorry Edmure and your unnamed, unseen son. You're dead.

So who is the heir to Riverrun after Edmure? You guessed it.

But Connie, I hear you cry, what about Bran? Yes for all Sansa's power, she's still cursed with that pesky vagina of hers. Surely Bran would be the heir to Riverrun and Guardian of the Vale?

Well no. Because Bran.

Then of there's Tarth, beautiful, strategically placed Tarth. Seriously, look it up- it's right next to the Stormlands just north of ship breaker bay. Ruled by Lord Selwyn Tarth who's only child Brienne happens to be the sworn sword of...

...this Bitch.

For those keeping score, that is about half a continent either ruled by or loyal to The Queen In The North. And I'm not even touching on her ties to Casterly Rock and the Iron Islands.

And yes. I said Queen In The North. Because something else that no one ever actually touches on is her connection to Robb.

Remember Robb? Remember how he died? Remember how when he died, there was only one known living Stark who wasn't a bastard and sworn member of the Night Watch? And how, through the laws of succession, that person would therefore have been his heir and had a rightful claim to the throne upon his death?

I wonder, who was that person?

Can anybody say younger and more beautiful?

(Also I'm really sorry to everyone who had to scroll past this needlessly long post because I wrote this on mobile and don't know how to put a cut in.)

[crimsoncobaltblue]

A Single Touch: Part 2 - Debbigail

(Sorry I took so long for the second part. For the record, never live on a farm unless you like working all the time for whatever reason. Anyways, if you haven’t read the first part then you might want to. Enjoy my horrible writing!!)

Read the other parts!  Part 1 | Part 3

———————-

“I can’t believe that was your best plan!” Louie complained. I just ignored him, knowing that’s just kinda what Louie does.

My sides were burning now. Just hot enough for it to be uncomfortable. I felt anxious but I didn’t feel like a hospital visit was needed. The warmth... it reminds me almost of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at the same time..? Weird, I know. The coziness and calm the night of Christmas Eve, and the exhilaration and borderline anxiety on Christmas Day to see what you got from Santa seemed to be all wrapped up together where the soulmate imprints were on my sides. I couldn’t focus on it for too long though. I moved on from that thinking as quickly as possible, as if I were being pushed by something invisible telling me to hurry up.

Thanks, I’ll get right on that.

And I did. I flung the door open while declaring loudly, “Come on guys!” I grinned mischeviously at them. “Let’s go touch some expensive stuff.” Was the last thing I said before a rope of some sort wrapped around me and lifted me away!

Maybe I screamed, maybe I didn’t. I won’t tell.

I heard my brothers yell after me before they were captured as well.

———————-

After an extremely short amount of time, we found ourselves hanging upside and with a spotlight on us. The rest of the room was dark so we had no clue who attacked us. I couldn’t help but feel fear build up inside me, not quite even with the soulmate marks but definitely up there. I started wiggling around in the ropes to get free but they were just too tight. By now my soulmate marks were so hot it was really hurting and I’m honestly surprised the rope didn’t catch on fire.

“I’ll put the marbles back!! I swear!!!” I whined. If it was Mrs. Beakley and she thought they stole from Uncle Scrooge then I hoped she would be less likely to hurt us if we gave away information freely.

“Who sent you?!” The voice snapped at us and I felt a jolt race down my spine. It wasn’t from fear though, that much I knew. “Ma Beagle? Glomgold?! Answer me?!”The menacing voice said from the shadows and all I could do was stare in the direction of the mysterious voice. As weird as it was, it was like my body was crying out in anguish, despite the fact that I was unharmed.

Tied upside down and interrogated, but unharmed.

“UNCLE SCROOOOOGE!!!” Louie cried and I would’ve gotten really furious with the voice if it weren’t for my fear and intrigue.

“Uncle Scrooge?” The voice questioned, having gone from threatening to curious quicker than a lightening strike. “OH MY GOSH!!! THE NEPHEWS!!!” The voice screamed and while I felt my brothers flinch from the sudden noise, I managed to remain still. The next thing I knew I saw a cute little girl with a pink bow in her hair clap the lights on.

My face flushed and it wasn’t because of the blood rushing to my head from being upside down. A girl captured and carried us here and tied us up and made Louie cry in under a two minutes? I didn’t know whether to be intimidated or amazed so I decided both was good.

I noticed the palms of her hands had her soulmate marks. Which was incredibly common but these looked so familiar and... they looked as if they were almost shining a little bit.

“Wait, you know us?” Louie said as she ran up to us, her chin-length hair bouncing all the while, and I smiled without even meaning to. She stood on a nearby rolly-chair carefully and grabbed a knife that had been stabbed into a map. She sliced the rope expertly so me and my brothers hit the wooden floor with a thud.

She got down from the chair and stood next to it while we checked ourselves for anything bruised or broken. “Of course! Researching Mr. McDuck and his family is kind of my hobby.” She explained excitedly, halfway resting her head on her hand which still held the knife.

“W-Wha?” Louie questioned weakly, still really freaked out I’m guessing. And... Maybe I just hit my head too hard but everything this girl did seemed to be really kind of endearing.

As I was starting to get up, the girl immediately plucked a hair from Louie’s head, threw the knife behind her and asked “What are your blood types?” All in the same second.

That was when I froze.

I knew what was going to happen and this, let me tell ya, is probably the most thrilling thing I have ever felt.

“What’s Donald really-“ She started and cut herself off as she slipped her hands around my sides.

Right where the imprints of her hands belonged.

“-like?” She finished but clearly she had focused on other things. The burning heat that the imprints had given me vanished and was replaced by the coziest, happiest feeling I had ever experienced as I stared at the girl who was my soulmate. I stared at her in amazement before my brain started to function again and naturally made me remember nearly every daydream I’d had about meeting my soulmate.

Particularly every embarrassing one that made me wish I had something to cover my now flushed face.

“I-uh... I-I-I...” I tried but nothing came out. All I could do was stare and stutter until she smiled and I definitely did not melt at the sight of such cute expression...

Okay, that was a lie.

“I like hamburgers!” She yelled suddenly and I winced from being so close to the noise. Then she opened her beak again. “I really don’t know why I just told you that.”

I was about to answer before she continued. “Or why I paused like that. That was weird. And I mentioned it. Why did I bring it back up?” She kept rambling anxiously and I just smiled at this sweet girl that was apparently my perfect match. My other half.

I saw Louie out of the corner of my eye shake his head and growl a little bit. We all turned to look at him as he took some money out of his pocket gave it to a still shocked Huey. “Dang it. Can’t believe I lost.” Louie groaned and Huey shook his head too before looking pretty smug. I simply ignored them and looked back towards the girl and realized that I had yet to ask her name.

“So, um, what...what’s your name?” I asked and winced, mentally kicking myself. Come on, Dewey! Where’s that dashing, debonair Dewey Duck from earlier?

The girl straightened and blinked before replying with a grin. “Oh, hi! I’m Webby. It’s nice to meet ya.” She said brightly while seeming just the tiniest bit shy.

Turns out dashing, debonair Dewey Duck is on vacation away from awkward, dorky Dewey Duck.

“I’m Dewey.” I just barely got out, feeling my face flush.

“I know.” Webby said and before I could ask, she explained for me. “I like researching Mr. McDuck’s family..” She explained and I smiled.

“Yep, I definitely remember you telling me that a while ago.” I said and she laughed a bit. My heart probably would’ve burst by then if it weren’t for Louie.

“Ew, are they gonna kiss or something?”

As soon as I heard it I realized that her arms were still on my sides and my arms holding her shoulders. I think she realized the same thing right as I did because we both jumped away from the other at the same time.

“NO!” We both yelled indignantly. Louie’s question and laughter really did not help me at all to focus on being smooth.

Of course, my mind naturally floods with visions of me and Webby going on dates, watching movies together, hopefully adventuring, maybe just some kissing... I quickly shook my head, my face rivaling the red of a tomato.

Webby was looking around and seemed nearly as embarrassed as me before she gasped. “Oh wait, I need to add all this to my board!!” She exclaimed before pulling out some ancient Polaroid camera and taking one picture of me and my brothers and one picture of me on my own. Both pictures were very bad. Of course, I didn’t tell her that.

“Tell me everything about you guys.” She said excitedly as she pinned the pictures to the bottom of her board before turning to us.

“Uh... We live with our uncle.” Louie offered uncertainly.

“On a boat..?” I said and I mentally slapped myself for not being able to think of anything useful. I blame Louie. It’s his fault my brain wants to keep thinking about Webby and how... she looks really adorable when she’s focused and listening.

“Go on.” Webby said, mainly looking at my brothers but I was glad to notice she would glance my way every few seconds.

“Kinda it. We’re just a normal, boring family. Well, for the most part...” Huey added and looked to me with a smirk.

Apparently, embarrassment does not go away if your siblings do everything to keep it there.

Webby completely ignored that last part, thankfully. “Normal? Boring? Ha!” She laughed before allowing the thing covering her board to roll up.

I am unashamed to say my jaw dropped.

It was basically an entire diagram board concerning my family’s history.

I stared at Webby, wanting to say something. Anything. I’d even be willing to even embarrass myself as long as it showed how impressed I was but nothing came out.

“Huey, Dewey, and Louie Duck.” She explained as she attached a random string around the pin holding up our poorly taken photo. Aw man! I had my eyes closed! “Scrooge McDuck’s great nephews on his sister Hortense’s side side, with Quackmore Duck twice removed.” She explained, practically bursting with untapped energy. I was curious if she ever ran out of energy.

I looked at the board more closely and right at the bottom right corner I saw a couple drawings scribbled in pieces of notebook paper.

“I’m guessing this is you.” I said, motioning towards the pink person-like figure on the picture.

“Oh, I’m Webby Vanderquack. My granny’s the housekeeper.” She explained to me, smiling. I smiled back and tried not to let my daydreams take over my mind again... Me and Webby around Christmas, her probably wearing an ugly Christmas sweater, looking as adorable as ever... Me and Webby under the mistletoe... ‘NO! Bad Dewey! Stop that! You’ve only just met her!’ I scolded myself but I’m a rebel so I talked back. To myself. ‘But it’s almost like you’ve known her forever.’

Ugh, I’m not dealing with this. Shut up brain.

“So, uh, what are we?” Webby inquired, sounding unsure.

I wanted to say something smooth to that. I used every bit of concentration and suaveness I had (which was quite a bit normally, but today I was pretty distracted).

“In love, I hope.” I said with a wink and my most charming grin.

Boy, and I had thought my face was red before.

Webby’s hands flew up to her face as if to hide the crimson that was quickly traveling all over her face. I took a couple steps toward her, unsure of where this confidence was coming from. I was about a foot away from her before I stopped.

Webby clearly was struggling to function and I grinned proudly, glad that I wasn’t the only one affected by my soulmate here. Webby moved her hands from her face and opened her beak. Then closed it only to open it again and say, “Cuddling releases natural painkillers!” Before she turned around and started writing on her board frantically.

She attached one string from her picture to the picture with me and my brothers and wrote “friends” in big, red marker. I felt a little hurt by that but I was still unsure of how to answer her random fact. Until she attached a little red string from her picture to the one that just had me and underneath the string she wrote “soulmates.” I grinned at her even though she was staring at the board intently, as if she planned to interrogate it.

“She’s right by the way,” Huey spoke up and we all turned to look at him. “It says here in the Junior Woodchuck Guidebook that, according to scientific studies, cuddling and/or snuggling are a natural pain reliever.

Louie smirked. “Well then, I need to be cuddled immediately ‘cause I’ve been in pain most of the day.” Louie said snarkily and I would’ve gotten mad if it weren’t for Webby.

“Why? Did you hurt yourself?” She asked, clearly confused. She looked at me then Huey and Louie, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

I saw Louie started to snicker and Huey was definitely trying to hide his amused grin behind his JWG. Webby stared at me, bewildered. “Never mind, Webby. I’ll have tell ya later.” I said and she continued to look confused.

“So, friend,” Louie started, motioning to the board where Webby wrote ‘friends.’ “What do you do for fun around here?”

“Oh. I’m the best at fun.” She said but it didn’t really sound like she meant it. She looked around for a second before she kicked open a vent and started to crawl through.

I grinned. Now, this was my kind of fun. Adventure!

I followed right behind her. I looked back at my brothers who were following behind me. “I sure am glad we ditched that Marble Room.”

———————-

We were crawling through the vents, enjoying exploring as Webby explained where we were.

I somehow ended up in the back because I was trying to remember exactly how to get anywhere in the maze.

“I have enough excitement caring for Webby.” The housekeeper, Mrs. Beakley, said below. She was talking to Uncle Scrooge, who looked like he was in some sort of weird deep sea diving suit. “Perhaps you should spend some time with your own family.”

“Oh, aye? Hang up my spats? Become the dotering old relic everyone thinks I am, spinning yarns to those loudmothed young’uns about the man I used to be?” Uncle Scrooge argued back and I did feel a bit guilty about watching them but... It was just too interesting.

“You have avoided them for ten years!” Mrs. Beakley argues and I’m guessing she was talking about us.

“Because,” Uncle Scrooge started, his voice slowly rising. “Family is nothing but TROUBLE!!!” He roared in his thick Scottish accent, turning towards Mrs. Beakley. Today was going so well until that moment. Honestly, I’m glad he’s avoided us if he thought of like that anyways. I hardened my face and kept moving, hoping to catch up with the others.

———————-

I managed to catch up to my brothers and Webby pretty quickly after that little scene I saw. It just made me feel really... upset, I guess, that some part of my family, even if we weren’t close, didn’t even like us at all. I get me and my brothers can be tough to deal with but to basically just to say you hate us? I tried to move those thoughts away and focus on happier things.

“-a bit over-protective.” I just heard Webby mid-sentence as I crawled out of the vent and landed in the floor. She seemed too lost in thought to notice that I caught up.

“She trains me to be ready for anything,” She said while going into a fighting stance. I’m guessing she meant her granny. “But then she says that I’ve got everything I need in here.” She paused and looked down sadly. I felt bad for her. Our Uncle Donald did the exact same thing but me and my brothers always rebelled. Webby’s too kind and innocent and sweet to try and do anything like that.

“But one day... I’m gonna see the world. I’m gonna be and EXPLORER! I’m gonna eat a hamburger.” She said seriously, while pointing in front of her dramatically. She glanced my way quickly before refocusing.

“We could bring you a hamburger.” Huey offered, him and Louie looking amused.

“You guys really are my best friends.” She stated gratefully as Huey and Louie walked off to explore the room. I leaned against the wall for a second as Webby watched my brothers walk away.

She turned towards me and smiled brightly. I had to force myself to not just smile and stare creepily. “Hamburgers are pretty good.”

She nodded. “That’s what I’ve heard! But come on, we can talk about hamburgers and their magical properties later.” She said excitedly before grabbing hold of my hand and leading me toward the door my brothers were staring at.

“Welcome to the Wing of Secrets!” Webby said mysteriously as she opened the door to the dark room.

Webby rushed in with Huey and Louie right behind. I stayed back, my mind still kept dwelling on why Uncle Scrooge seemingly hated us. I don’t think I did anything wrong other than just doing normal kid things like asking a bajillion questions at once.

There were so many things in here. Bones of dinosaurs and other unnameable creatures. A portrait of Scrooge standing over a naked bear. “I knew it!” Huey stated proudly as Louie poked at a small stone statue of Scrooge. “Dewey check it out!” Louie said with a smile while pointing at the statue.

“Yeah, whatever.” I said before walking off.

Okay, I did feel a little bad doing that but Uncle Scrooge’s words just kept coming back and making me angry and a little sad too. Why does he dislike us so much?

I heard Webby explain something to Huey as I wandered around the wing, looking at all the things Uncle Scrooge collected. All the things he was so busy getting, he didn’t even take time to tell us we’re related to him! I clenched my fists. I felt like punching something!

“Hi.” I heard from above. I immediately relaxed as soon as I heard the voice. Webby jumped off an enormous crate, did a flip in mid-air, and landed safely on her feet. She stood up straight and tilted her head to the side, looking worried. “Are you alright, Dewey?”

For a second, I didn’t answer because I was in awe of her. How on earth did I get someone this amazing as my soulmate?! I cleared my throat. “Yeah, I’m okay. I just...” I paused unsure of whether to tell her.

———————-

(Okay, I’ve gotta make a third part cuz I’m like only a part of the way through the story. I’m basically just following the script of the first episode lol. @cartoonlover233 here’s the second part! I’ll be working on the third part and it’ll probably be coming out soon! Oh and I’d like to thank @thatssweetnessdream for making the fan art of Debbigail that helped me get unstuck on this second part! :3)

[numbuh-7-knd]

Jinxed Archer Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of my Teen Titans/Young Justice crossover, in which Jinx and Artemis are the same person.  Also on AO3 

Summary: Jinx had the opportunity to rid herself of magic, and she took it and disappeared, Wally blamed himself. Now his new team has a new Archer whose attitude reminds him of his old girlfriend, but never would he have imagine it was really her.

(http://archiveofourown.org/works/10425393/chapters/24442635) 

Chapter 3: A conversation.  Wally and Barry have a very important talk.

This is more filler than anything, and I haven't had anyone beta read it, nor have I done a grammar check.

It had been a few quiet days in at the temporary HQ. They spent time together just being themselves , watching the TV, watching movies, and getting used to Jinx knowing about Wally's secret identity. He told her about his past, and tried to get her to share hers. She kept quiet, but would occasionally share small tidbits. They even had an animated movie night:

“So Jinx, I know you don't wanna talk about your past, but can you at least tell me your favorite movie from when you were a kid? Halloween Town or Nightmare before Christmas maybe?” Wally smiled kindly at the pink haired sorceress before throwing some popcorn into his mouth.

“Nah, actually ‘Alice in Wonderland’ was more my style.” Said sorceress looked up at him from her half-hearted attempt to watch a movie.

“Seriously? I thought for sure it would involve pink, or magic… Or a big villainess” He gestured to her hair as he spoke.

“I mean, that was before I got like this… after… after I didn't have time for kid stuff.” She glanced down at her lap, tugging on her sleeve quietly.

“How, how old were you? When did-” he couldn't get the words out without sounding rude, or being scared he'd upset her, so he stopped himself.

“I was about 8 when it happened, and I joined Hive a few months after.” She hoped he wouldn't ask more questions. This was painful enough.

“Jinx, I know you hate talking about your past, but how does an 8 year old join a criminal organization? Where were your parents?”

Where indeed. Sportsmaster certainly didn't mind selling her to HIVE, that's for sure. “Who do you think sent me there?” Did he really thinks she could have joined on her own?

“Oh… um… so do you have any other favorite movies?” He glanced back at the TV awkwardly.

“Even before I got my powers, I didn't really get to do a lot of kid stuff… Alice in Wonderland was kind of a fluke.” A theater in Gotham had playing it as part of a promotion and Jade convinced their parents that it could be educational for her to see it after reading the book recently, but she wasn't going to tell Wally that.

“Okay… so, since you didn't watch a lot of movies as a kid, wanna watch some now?” Wally watched her carefully as he spoke.

“Isn't that what we've been doing?” She motioned to the TV, showing some action movie where the hero was fighting some mobsters, or maybe they were aliens, she hadn't really been paying much attention.

“Yeah, but, you know, kids movies. We could have a movie marathon!” He smiled a very, very excited smile.

They sat through watching several old Disney movies and otherwise animated movies, most of which Kid borrowed from the main Titans Tower. (This confused Cyborg and Beastboy, who watched a red and yellow blur run by the television, taking one or two VHS or DVDs at once, and then returning a few hours later to return them and get more.)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few days passed, and Wally received a communication from the Flash asking him to meet at a diner in Coast City, wearing civilian clothes(thus why they were meeting in Coast instead of Central or Keystone, as people are bound to recognize the boy still being put on missing posters, or maybe recognize Barry and wonder who the kid is with him.) Wally bid a goodbye to Jinx and went to meet with his uncle.

Wally ran the relatively short (for a speedster) distance to Coast City, glad it wasn't too far from his and Jinx’s location. There he changed into a brown hoodie and jeans in an alleyway and then found the small diner. Barry was wearing his usual work attire of a long sleeved collared button up shirt covered by a sweater vest and tie, only missing his CCPD CSI identity card and his lab coat.

“Hey Wally, it's good to see you again.” He smiled warmly at the teen, if a bit awkwardly.

“H-hey Uncle Barry. So what did you want to talk about that couldn't be done over the phone?” Wally slid into the booth, glancing around quickly to make sure he wasn't being watched.

“I wanted to know if you had thought about coming to live with Iris and me. Besides, I was already here for a team up with Green Lantern.” Barry double checked his communicator, making sure his friend didn't need him.

“Oh, that… I've thought about it, but I'm just not sure how it would work.” Wally looked down at the menu, frowning as he chose.

“How what would work? You'd live with Iris and I, and you'd go back to school.” Barry looked at him quizzically and raised an eyebrow.

“Well yeah, but I'm a Teen Titan now, I have duties, I can't just walk away from that.” Wally looked Barry straight in the eyes, serious and trying to get the message across.

“I thought you worked with a partner instead of with the main Titans.” Barry took a bite from one of the many pastries in front of him as he talked.

“Yeah, but we still go on missions sometimes with the other Titans, besides I think Jinx would be lonely living in the bunker by herself. Not to mention it would be weird running halfway across the country everyday.” They grew quiet as a waitress arrived to ask about Wally’s order, he ordered a strawberry milkshake, 2 large fries, and two burgers. She brought him the milkshake right away and told him the rest would be out soon.

“Everyday? Why would you- Jinx is your partner right? Surely you two can still keep in touch, maybe meet on weekends, and she could always work with another Titan, or maybe she could use a break, some time off while you get used to being at home and working alongside the League and I.” Barry tried to reason, knowing what it's like to work with a partner on occasion, such as right now with Hal, but still apparently not getting it.

“Wait, what about the League?!” The red-headed speedster did a double take, what was this about the Justice League?

“The League has taken notice of your work in Paris, and we want you, Robin, and Speedy to join us. We want to work with you.” Barry put his food down as he spoke, trying his best “Serious and Diplomatic” impression.

“You want the Titans to work with the League?” Wally was shocked, to say the least, the league had barely acknowledged the Titans before this.

“Not-Not necessarily. I'd be fine with it, but the others aren't sure about those on the Titans we haven't worked with before. We want you. The Titans don't necessarily need you three. But we do.” Barry didn't want to scare his nephew off, and he truly thought more young heros working with the league could only be a strength, but his teammates sadly did not share this opinion.

“I'll think about it… but what about Jinx?” Was Barry really asking him to abandon Jinx? After everything they've been through together?!

“Like I said she can work with someone else, or maybe find a mentor, she's only been good for a few months, right? Are you sure this is a permanent change? And even if it is, maybe she can go home to her family, or live with the rest of the main Titans.” Barry raised an eyebrow, if Wally really didn't want to live with him and Iris, couldn't he just say so? Before Wally could respond his food arrived, resulting in him quickly devouring one of the burgers, making it disappear in under a minute.

“That's great and all, Uncle Barry, but Jinx isn't just my partner in crime fighting, she's also my uh, girlfriend.” Wally awkwardly wiped some ketchup off his cheek from his burger, hoping his mentor and uncle wouldn't react to badly to this news.

“You're dating her?! But she was a villain!” Barry was flabbergasted, didn't he teach his sidekick better than to date the enemy?

“Ex Villain! She's reformed! Besides, it's not like you've never flirted with a supervillain” Wally could remember plenty of times that his uncle distracted the villain or villainess with flirtations.

“I'm married to your Aunt!” Barry glanced at his wedding ring in confusion, he would never cheat on Iris!

“Yeah, but before that…. besides, I've seen you and captain cold. Not to mention some others, like Killer Frost, and-” Wally had a whole list planned, and fully planned on saying it all before he got interrupted.

“Enough, Wally, I get it. But seriously? You're a 15-year old kid. How serious can this relationship be?” Barry looked at Wally with worried eyes.

“Pretty serious Uncle B. She needs me. She doesn't have anyone else. She isn't close to the other Titans, and she had to cut ties with her old friends because they were all villains.” Wally needed her, too. She likes him for who he is now, not the kid he used to be, or the hero he could be. She sits across from him as he talks about physics with a fond smile on her face and calls him a dork. She likes to sketch everything from unicorns to the kitchen utensils to him; he really likes it when she draws him. They work out and train together, figuring out how to work best as a team. They debate the news. They argue about little things like tv or pizza topping out of boredom but usually comprise and wind up cuddling. She even calms him down without even meaning to when he has an anxiety attack.

“So what about her family? Is she an orphan?” Barry wanted to understand, but he still worried that Wally was too young for such a serious relationship. Maybe the league could set her up with a legal guardian to take her in, make it so she isn't only relying on his nephew for emotional support.

“I don't know, probably? Maybe. She doesn't want to tell me about her past.” Wally just wanted this conversation to end, picking at his fries and dipping them in his milkshake.

“How much do you really know about her? What's her real name? Can you really trust her?” Can I trust her with you?

“I know I can trust her. But as for the other two I don't know… I don't even know how she got the way she is now… maybe she doesn't really even have a name other than Jinx… I asked her the other day, but… she didn't have an answer.” Wally trembled, looking from Barry, to his plate, to the other patrons. Why couldn't Barry just accept Jinx? He glanced back at Barry and narrowed his eyes, hurt and angry at the accusation against one precious to him.

“Alright… maybe that was… out of line of me. Kid, I know she doesn't want to talk about it, but from what you're saying, she could probably use the League’s help. If you can talk her into it, we can probably at least get her a therapist, to make sure she stays on the right path, and to help her with any issues she might have, which, if her childhood was anything like yours, and with having to go to a school for supervillains… she probably needs. I know you Titans like being independent, but the League is here if any of you need us.” Barry felt dumb, he seriously did want to help, but he was probably doing more harm than good at this point. He knew the Titans probably didn't have that many resources (he knew for a fact that they got a lot of financial and technical support from Bruce Wayne, who had kept supporting his son even when they weren't on speaking terms) and after seeing what Wally had been through, and knowing many of the Titans were kids who ran away from home, were kicked out, or were orphaned or otherwise without a place to go, didn't want them to suffer.

“Thanks for that, Uncle B. It was a little mean of you to say that, but I know you're just worried about me.” Wally had just finished speaking when his Teen Titans communicator went off “Sorry, I have to answer this… Hey Rob, what's up? Trouble in Jump? Alright, I’ll go get Jinx and meet you at the T Tower… No she's not with me, I was meeting with the Flash… See you soon.” He glanced up at Barry, shoulders slumping as he sighed and said “Sorry, but the Titans need me and Jinx for a mission in Jump City. Say Hi to Aunt Iris for me, bye!” He rushed out as quickly as possible without arousing suspicion from the regular patrons of the diner.

“Heh, he was in such a rush he didn't even finish his fries...Oh well, more for me!” He ate his food and Wally's leftover fries quickly, trying to figure out what he would tell Iris. Suddenly his comm. link buzzed “Flash here, what's up… oh hey Hal. Yeah, I finished talking to Wally, no I think I messed up. You found the guy? Great, I'll meet you there.”

“Jinx, I'm home!” Wally entered the bunker, to find Jinx all dressed and ready at the door.

“I can see that kid, now come on, the others are waiting!”

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and tell me what you think!

[jheselbraum]

Authorial intent, smauthorial intent. Ford was a mediocre to abysmal brother; he took Stan for granted. Pre-Weirdmaggedon, the amount of brotherly love, dedication, support, and loyalty Ford showed couldn't make a single paragraph. Stan's was a mile-high stack of single-spaced pages with three bad marks. It was disgustingly uneven. I'm glad Ford had enough sense and decency to finally realize that and begin to make up for it. Sure, Stan had to sort of die first, but it's something.

Go fuck yourself with a cactus. 

Seriously. Go fuck yourself. With a cactus.

You’d cut ties too if you thought your brother was an insensitive jerk who didn’t care about you at all. If you wouldn’t I pity your soul and pray no one close to you actually betrays you like that.

That’s literally the root of Stan and Ford’s problems, by the way. Each of them thinks the other no longer loves them.

Was Ford wrong about Stanley not caring about him? Yeah, more wrong than he was about literally anything, and yes I am including the time he thought Bill was a nice guy in that statement. Did he hurt Stan? Well I ain’t saying he didn’t.

But if you thought the one person you could count on, the one person who was in your corner, purposely sabotaged you in order to manipulate you into staying with them instead of pursuing your dreams, you wouldn’t want to be around them anymore.

And don’t give me that “brotherly love, dedication, support, and loyalty”shit, Stanley literally left Ford to die during Weirdmageddon. He tried to burn Ford’s work, he was the one who pushed Ford in the portal in the first place, and believe you me, if Ford had done any of that shit we’d never hear the end of it. If Ford had opened up the portal for Stan while Stan was in the middle of a fight to the death with Bill, literally microseconds away from defeating him once and for all,  everyone would be all “Oh I can’t believe Ford did that he couldn’t have waited two seconds?!” You want a list of Stanley’s sins? Fine! Here’s a list of Stanley’s sins! Or at least, what they would be if he was Stanford instead of Stanley! Seriously! The ones in bold are complaints I’ve heard about Ford. 

Career criminal. Literally a career criminal. 

Has no regard for other people’s possessions or emotions. (That’s a direct quote by the way)

Tried to pass his dirtbag dad’s emotionally stunted toxic masculinity onto Dipper because he’s projecting his brother issues onto his niece and nephew

Dismissed Ford’s feelings after the perpetual motion machine incident (I don’t think Stan was actually trying to manipulate Ford but I do think that that’s the message Ford got)

Has stated that he’d be fine with it if Ford literally got brain damage

Turns his brother’s house into a freakshow. Yeah, the same brother with the lifelong insecurity regarding his polydactyly and a noted disdain for freakshows.

Got so irrationally angry when Ford burned him I mean geez it was only an accident there are other skin cells, am I right? (Do you see what I’m fucking getting at here??????????)

Disowned Ford the moment he was sure Ford wasn’t grateful Stan had saved him.

Endangered Dipper and Mabel for the sake of his own sciency mumbo jumbo (SOUND FAMILIAR)

Outright lied to pretty much the entire world.

Was mean to Fiddleford, called him possum-breath, etc, 

Despite being homeless once himself, never helps Fiddleford to not live in the dump.

Completely disregards the fact that Ford was homeless for thirty years

Caused Ford to be homeless for thirty years

Left Ford for dead during the apocalypse

Never went to search for Dipper and Mabel (or Wendy and Soos fro that matter) during the apocalypse

Wanted to eat the gnomes, he’s so mean to those supernatural creatures!

Always wants to play the hero, never satisfied when someone else takes the spotlight really. people think that about ford, instead of coming to the logical conclusion that Ford does the hero stuff because he doesn’t want anyone else to get hurt. he’s fine letting others take the spotlight he’s not even in it for that.

Let his petty grudge get in the way of completing the zodiac

Do you see what I’m getting at here, anon? Because the very fact that I’ve even compiled this list in an effort to show why the people who hate Ford are absurd, if for no other reason than the fact that if they hate Ford they must also hate Stanley as they share the same flaws in many instances, means that inevitably I’m going to get fucking hounded by more anons like you who apparently didn’t watch the same fucking show or read my god damn post. Because I’ve fucking been through this shit before.

It happens every fucking time. And you want to know why? Ford is fucking god damn autistic coded, or at the very least shares multiple traits that are also shared by autistic people, and he’s a fucking abuse survivor who doesn’t behave.

It’s been over a year since he showed up and yet, I still have to fucking wade through shit like this:

In the god damn stanford pines tag. Still. It’s rarer now but Jesus fucking Christ, it’s still happening. I don’t care what your fucking headcanons are this shit is literally ableist.

Stan and Ford were both wrong about each other and they did some awful things to each other but you know what?

Ford never stopped thinking about Stan, even when he was mad at him

Stan didn’t give up on Ford for thirty years

They both constantly risk their lives for their family, including each other, even if they’re not getting along.

And it’d be fucking fine if people just didn’t like him! If they just preferred other characters because we got to know them more or if it was just a personal preference that wasn’t rooted in real-world biases!

But people like you piss me off because everyone and their mother reblogs posts about how they want more autistic characters and more characters who are abuse survivors but when one finally fucking shows up y’all pull this bullshit! Where you say you hate them because

“They’re not empathetic enough” “They’ve got poor social skills but not in a quirky or cute way” “They don’t interact with people and they only really talk about their interests”

because

“Why can’t they just get over it” “[Character] and [their abuser] make such a cute couple why did [character] have to go ruin the fun” “They never trust anyone” “Some other character had it worse” “[Character] should be more grateful to the people who saved them!”

And then!!! Y’all have the gall to wonder why there aren’t more autistic characters and abuse survivor characters! Again! After you’ve pulled this shit where you’ve copied and pasted from Wikipedia!

What could Ford have done to fucking appease you people? You hated him when he sacrificed himself for Dipper, you hated him when he asked Dipper to stay, you hated him when he interacted with Mabel, you hated him when he didn’t, you hated him when he was mad at Stanley and you hated him after he made amends.

Fuck, sometimes I feel like if Ford had fallen to his knees and groveled at Stan’s feet at the beginning of A Tale of Two Stans, maybe then y’all wouldn’t have hated him.

As much.

[twilighteve-writes]

Feather One Divided -- Chapter 7: The Search

Fic Summary:

Feather one divided, fate’s ties frayed, Fractured and wedged, scattered and gone.

After sharing an unsettling dream of Felldrake, the Three Caballeros decided to join back together with Xandra to form a stronghold in case the sorcerer returned. But Felldrake’s plans proved to be bigger than they expected, and when he struck so close to home, it was all Donald could do to keep his family – and himself – together.

(Also available in AO3)

(Chapter 1)

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Fractured and wedged, scattered and gone.

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The box Gyro and Fenton presented them didn’t look like much. It was small, about as big as a tennis ball, and made of metal, with sci-fi looking lines and blinking lights that Dewey was almost sure were there as much for aesthetics as they were for function. It had no screen, but Gyro and Fenton had found a way to wirelessly and automatically have the box connect to the tracking bracelets so they could track each other more easily, with it being able to amplify and catch signal in a much bigger area. They had also managed to make it magic-proof to a degree, though not as effectively as the bracelets themselves.

Which was helpful, considering they didn’t know where to find Louie, yet. Dewey flexed his wrist – it had been stiff for a whole night, now – and allowed hope to bloom in his chest.

“We made four of these,” Gyro said as he gestured to the table before them. “The prototype can’t make the bracelets broadcast the signal as strongly, but it’s functional. My advice is to have teams going with the better three and just don’t use the prototype.”

“Three teams, you say?” Uncle Scrooge muttered in something akin of displeasure.

Fenton seemed to sense it and shrugged. “I mean, we’d make more, but considering it’s only been about a day and a half it’s really a miracle we even managed to make three at all.”

Uncle Scrooge opened his mouth, looked at Fenton more closely, and closed it again. He probably noticed the dark circles around Fenton’s eyes and the way his fingers trembled.

Uncle Donald didn’t let it go. He squinted at Fenton and asked, “Fenton, how much coffee did you drink?”

Gyro jabbed a thumb at Fenton, looking unimpressed. “No, no, he didn’t drink much coffee. That was me who drank off all the bin’s coffee reserves. He’s been surviving off energy drinks.”

“Energy drinks gives me a really good boost,” Fenton said in monotone. He sounded like he wanted to boast but couldn’t muster the energy to. Which was ironic, to say the least, if Dewey had to say.

“And how much energy drinks have you drank while you worked on the… boxes?” Mom questioned.

Fenton blinked. “Uhhh.”

“The problem wasn’t how much he’s been drinking. It’s that he’s been surviving off energy drink for about three days because he’s been patrolling all night for a few days before we started working on these amplifiers,” Gyro answered nonchalantly as he opened his briefcase and took out more bracelets, a bit longer than the one Dewey already had. Fenton threw him a look of utter betrayal. He ignored it in favor of distributing the bracelets to the adults.

Uncle Donald stared at Fenton. He showed the scientist a look that Dewey had dubbed as his I’m-disappointed-in-you-and-I-don’t-want-to-tell-you-because-you’ll-be-sad-but-I’m-going-to-make-you-feel-guilty-with-my-eyes look. Louie had put it succinctly as the disappointed-dad look. Except not really because Uncle Donald was their uncle, but Dewey could see the point.

Fenton’s reaction was immediate – apparently, like most people, he was helpless to Uncle Donald’s look. “I had to patrol! There were weather villains. And I can’t not help with the amplifier!”

“Uh, I didn’t hear anything about any weather villain,” Huey commented skeptically.

Fenton huffed hotly. “Well, you’re welcome!”

Uncle Donald slapped his forehead and shook his head. “Go to sleep, Fenton,” he said forcefully. “And can we go back to the search? How do we do this?”

“I’m good with people,” José said with a meaningful glint in his eyes. “I can take more urban areas.”

“I’m good with people too! I’ll go with José,” Panchito said cheerfully. He slung his arm around José’s shoulders, and the two shared a brief grin.

Uncle Donald hummed. “I’ll take coastal areas, then,” he said at last.

“I’ll go with you,” Xandra offered. “It’s best not to go alone.”

“I suppose… I can reach the more mountainous areas and fly up when necessary,” Mom mused. She glanced at Uncle Scrooge. “Will you go with me, Uncle Scrooge?”

“Of course, Lass,” Uncle Scrooge agreed easily. “As for the last one…” He glanced at Gyro.

Gyro sighed. “I’m going to monitor it here, in case the green nephew approaches.”

“Good. I’ll find it easier to leave the children here with Gizmoduck guarding.” He glanced at Fenton, frowned at how he nodded off and immediately shook his head to wake himself up. Uncle Scrooge shook his head and focused on the triplets and Webby instead. “With all of you monitoring the manor, I’m sure things will be fine here.”

“Wait, what?” Dewey blinked and stood up. “You want us to stay here while you all go out to track Louie down? We want to help find him!”

“Dewey – “

“We’ve gone with you in adventures before,” Huey cut in with a scowl. “We’re not useless.”

“I know,” Uncle Scrooge assured, “but nevertheless, we need people here.”

Webby chewed the inside of her cheek. “Well, leaving home base empty is reckless and risky… but Gyro’s already here.”

Uncle Scrooge snorted. “Does he look like he can fight a sorcerer?”

Huey gave out an uncertain um at the same time as Dewey’s begrudging no and Webby’s quick I don’t think so.

“No offense, Gyro,” Huey added sheepishly.

The scientist just shrugged. “You’re not wrong. I haven’t magic-proofed my tech.”

“Oh.” Huey tilted his head. “Is that why you haven’t been bringing Lil’ Bulb around? I haven’t seen him in a while.”

“Partly,” Gyro admitted. “I’ve noticed he kept going offline around you kids even before you told me about the magic stuff. It’s easier to leave him at the lab instead.” He glared. “Try not to use your magic in my lab. I have a lot of delicate machineries there.”

“In any case, I want you kids to stay here,” Uncle Donald said, approaching. “We know Felldrake is dangerous. I’m not going to risk getting you kids hurt.”

“But Louie is – “

“I know Louie is with him,” Uncle Donald cut in, and Dewey’s mouth snapped close. “And I want him back as much as you. But I’m not going to risk your safety, alright?”

Dewey gritted his teeth and looked at Mom, hoping for her to support him. Instead, Mom grimaced and shook her head. “I’m sorry, honey, but I agree. It’s dangerous.”

“It’s dangerous for you, too,” Huey protested.

“More dangerous for you, since your control over your magic is still… shaky,” Mom said gently. “And now that we know Louie’s awake, too, we don’t want to risk anything. There’s always a chance of all your magic going haywire because one of you get panicked…”

Dewey stomped his feet and ignored how childish it made him felt. “You wouldn’t even know he’s awake if it wasn’t for us!”

“We can help. I have tracking badge from Junior Woodchuck!” Huey added.

José stepped in, a green glint in his eyes. “Now, now, children. I know it’s not fun to stay home, but we want you to be safe. So stay put until we’re back, okay?”

Something snaked its way in and gripped Dewey, tying off his protests and letting it wilt by his teeth before the words even formed. He gulped and said nothing, but he was aware of Huey frowning and Webby nodding jerkily.

“There’s no guarantee we will find Felldrake today, anyway,” Xandra mused, looking out the window. “If there’s anything we’ve learned about him by now, it’s that he’s slippery.”

“We’ll do our best, though! I can promise you that!” Panchito added cheerfully.

Mom knelt in front of him and cupped Dewey’s face in her hands. “We just want you to be safe,” she said, voice soft. “I know it’s hard, but please just stay. I promise it’s not because we think you’re useless.”

Dewey squeezed his eyes shut and sighed. He leaned into Mom’s touch, and she pulled him into a hug. Huey joined soon, his warmth seeping through Dewey’s clothes and feathers; and then, with hesitation, Webby, too, joined.

When Mom let go, she smiled at them. “We’ll be back soon.”

“And, Fenton, rest,” Uncle Donald said as he pointed at Fenton’s beak.

“But Scrooge said he needs Gizmoduck to guard – “

José sighed. “Go to bed, Fenton.”

Fenton didn’t put up much fight, then. “ – yeah, okay,” he said, flopping to the couch and snoring almost immediately. Dewey and Huey both stared at Fenton, then at José, suddenly realizing that they didn’t know what sort of magic José had and how he used it.

“Oh, wait,” Webby said suddenly, rummaging her pockets and pulling out three bracelets. She offered them to José, Panchito, and Xandra. “I made these yesterday. Please stay safe.”

Xandra blinked in surprise, but Panchito reacted immediately. “Aww, you didn’t have to!” he said as he knelt down in front of Webby.

“But I wanted to,” Webby insisted. “These are for you, and José, and Xandra. Uncle Donald has one already.”

Panchito smiled warmly and took the red-and-cream bracelet, in which Webby had put in slivers of the same sea blue of Donald’s bracelet and a single green thread. “Muchas gracias, chiquita. It’s beautiful.”

José stepped in and picked the green bracelet with slivers of red and blue. “Thank you so much, Webby. I’ll treasure this.”

When Xandra didn’t step forward to take the black-and-gold bracelet, Webby looked up at her, expectant. She jolted when Uncle Donald nudged her forward, and she took the bracelet. “I’m surprised you’re giving me this. People don’t usually bother making charms for me,” she admitted.

Webby huffed. “Well, maybe they’re wrong.”

Xandra laughed in response. “Thanks a lot, Webby. You’re really sweet.” She put on the bracelet immediately, and the woven threads clashed with the metal cuffs, but she didn’t seem to care much about it.

They watched as the adults leave, Dewey gripping the doorframe so tightly that his fingers hurt. A part of him wanted to sprint to the gate and follow them to town, helping the search however he could, but something held him back. Judging from Huey’s ever-present frown, he felt the same.

With a huff, Dewey marched inside and all but throw himself to a free seat at a sofa, glaring at the floor. Soon, Webby joined him, while Huey made himself comfortable at the foot of the couch Fenton was sleeping on. He opened his Junior Woodchucks Guidebook and started flipping the pages, though Dewey could tell he couldn’t concentrate enough to read.

Gyro poked at the box he had in front of him. It hummed to life, the lines and circles glowing softly. Dewey found himself staring at the box.

“Don’t feel too bad,” Gyro spoke up. “It’s not that bad, being here.”

Huey closed his guidebook with a snap. “We want to help,” he said.

“It’s not like we’re useless,” Dewey added. “We’ve helped, when we go with Uncle Scrooge to get treasure and whatever.”

Webby huffed. “It’s annoying. I know we’re young, but that doesn’t mean we can’t contribute.” She threw up her hands in frustration. “And after Lena, Violet, and I went to get information, too! I haven’t told the adults, but still – “

“I’m not saying you kids are useless,” Gyro said. “It’s not my intention at all. You’ve managed to stay alive while adventuring with Scrooge; clearly you’re not incapable.”

“Well clearly they don’t see it that way,” Huey huffed.

Gyro stared at them and took a deep breath. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, and for the first time, Dewey realized how tired he seemed. It was hard to tell, with the perpetual listlessness in his gaze, but when he really looked, he could see the slightest tremble in the scientist’ fingers and the extra blink he took every other blink, as if trying to steal blinks could equal a millisecond of sleep.

Gyro put the glasses back on. “Look, your family won’t be happy that I’m framing it this way, and I’m sure they don’t see it this way either, but here’s the thing. You’re going against a sorcerer, right? A really powerful one. And you can’t fight him with technology, because unless magic-proofed, tech will just go offline around him, and that’s if he doesn’t outright fry them first. So the only way to fight him will be with magic. Are you with me so far?”

Huey nodded warily. “What does that have to do with this?”

“Magic is rare, correct? And as far as we know, the people who we know for sure can use magic are out there looking for your brother, and you two.”

Dewey swallowed his discomfort and snapped, “Get to the point, Gyro. What are you trying to say?”

“If worse comes to worst and they all fail, who else can use magic to fight this sorcerer if not you?”

Webby sharply inhaled. Dewey ignored the sudden cold that snaked through his limbs, and knew without needing to look or probe Huey’s magic that he felt the same as him.

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Louie’s hand hurt.

He knew he had been injured when he tried to run away. He just wasn’t sure on how badly he was injured. Now, looking at how his wrist had swollen, he knew how bad it was.

“I can’t believe I got my wrist sprained the moment I tried to run,” he muttered under his breath. He ignored the pain as much as he could, ripped a portion of the once-blanket he had been tearing to slivers, and wrapped it around the sprain. For once, he was grateful of the first aid lessons Huey got from Junior Woodchuck that he then drilled into both Louie and Dewey’s head under Uncle Donald’s keen eyes.

He’d been ripping the blanket and bedsheet into strips that he tied together to form a long rope for a while, now. He wasn’t sure how strong the makeshift rope would be, but he was willing to risk it. He stuffed the dry bread Felldrake had pushed into the room through a latch at the door into his mouth and gulped in the thin soup with the sorry looking veggies floating about in it, snatched the bottled water provided with the food and stuffed it into his pocket, and considered.

Okay. Okay.

He tied the bedsheet rope to the radiator, and he inwardly thanked whatever higher being was out there that he was put in a small room. He prayed to the same higher being that the radiator would be able to support his weight.

Right. Now the window problem.

He already checked before, but he pulled at the handles of the window anyway, trying to open it. The window only rattled, and Louie clicked his tongue. How to do this…

There was a thin spoon that was slipped in together with the food. With nothing else he could see that could potentially help, Louie took the spoon, inserted the flat end of it into the gap between the window and the frame, and did whatever he could to break the lock somehow. He was unsuccessful; the crappy spoon bent instead and the window was still closed.

Though, Felldrake had put a metal bucket in the room before, most likely so Louie could pee if he needed to. The bucket was still empty – he’d slept for a few hours and made his rope for a few hours more, ignoring his dinner all the while. The bucket would be useful for this, though.

He peered at the darkness outside. Dawn had yet to break, though he could tell the darkness was beginning to dissipate. Hoping the bucket wouldn’t make too much noise and Felldrake and Leopold both were heavy sleepers, Louie held the bucket, grimaced, and swung it as hard as he could to the glass.

It cracked upon impact, which Louie was surprised of. He thought it would take a lot more than that. He gritted his teeth and swung again, and this time, the window shattered.

He winced at the noise and tried to break as much of the leftover shards at the frame as he could, put down the now-dented bucket, then quickly threw the rope out. He wrapped his hands and feet sloppily with the some strips of cloth from the blanket and climbed out the window.

The rope was still too short, in the end. Louie took in a deep breath and let go of the rope, letting gravity help him traverse the leftover height – maybe about five to six feet, if Louie’s estimate was right – and he managed to land relatively harmlessly, all things considered. He put his hand wrong, though, and he bit back a cry when the pain in his wrist flared angrily.

There was no time to worry about that. He looked around, realized he was standing basically at a roadside, and ran parallel to the road as far as he was able.

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Donald hadn’t realized how agitated he was until he stepped closer to the sea, hearing the crashing waves and feeling the push and pull of the water like a physical force, and let the ocean soothe his mind.

He noticed Xandra staring at him when he turned to look at the sea, seeing her peering at him from the edge of his vision. He stared back, asking, “What?”

“You needed this,” Xandra said simply. “I just realized, you need to be closer to the sea to get more stable. I forgot elementals like you need to be close to their respective elements.”

Donald scoffed. “It’s nothing that serious. I’m just calmer when I hear the waves.” He looked down and tinkered with the amplifier, and it hummed as it blinked to life. He checked the signals at the bracelet he wore, and sighed when he realized he didn’t see any sign of Louie.

“That’s another sign you need to be closer to the sea anyway, but okay,” Xandra muttered. “In any case, are you okay?”

Donald looked at her strangely. “What do you mean? Of course I am.”

“Donald, I’m a goddess. Magic is basically my bread and butter.” She tilted her head. “You magic hasn’t been stable since that last confrontation with Felldrake. Not even after you healed yourself with the orb.”

“It’s really not that bad. I’m just pissed he took my nephew.”

“Your angry doesn’t feel like this,” Xandra said, chasing the thread relentlessly. “When I first got here, you felt like calm sea. Your angry feels like coastal storm, usually. This time it feels more like the sea trying to build up a tidal wave.”

“Well they’ve never gone for my family before,” Donald said, walking off along the road by the coastline. “Once I get Louie back, Felldrake will get a pounding.”

“That’s not the only thing I want to talk to you about, Donald.” Xandra stopped him by gripping his shoulder and pulling back, forcing him to turn to look at her. “I’m not fully convinced Felldrake’s influence is wholly purged from you.”

“What? Do you still feel his magic wriggling about in mine or something?”

Xandra frowned. “Not… really…”

Donald shrugged her off irritably. “Then it’s gone. I mean, sure, I’m kind of more angry than usual, but that’s mostly because Felldrake took my nephew.”

“You weren’t like this before,” Xandra protested weakly.

“I didn’t have the kids, before,” Donald answered without missing a beat. He took a deep breath and let the sound of crashing waves calm him down. “Look, Xandra, it’s been a while since we last met. A lot of things have changed. And what you should know is, I’ll do anything to keep my family safe. I’ll do anything to keep my kids safe. I don’t care at what cost.”

Xandra stared. “You don’t care at what cost,” she echoed softly.

“Yeah.”

“Didn’t your sister have problem with that?”

Donald’s beak snapped shut. The sea roared.

Xandra stared silently in wait.

“…let’s check that way,” Donald said instead, pointing away to the farther end of the coastline. “Maybe we’ll have better luck farther away from downtown. If Sheldgoose kept his house in New Quackmore, we’ll be better off looking around that way.”

Xandra sighed. “Alright,” she said, following Donald’s lead as he walked and kept an eye on the signals displayed by the bracelet.

They kept mostly silent, with Donald directing their way and Xandra asking the occasional questions as they walked. Just as they turned a corner, Donald stopped, and Xandra bumped into him.

“What? What is it?” Xandra asked, peering down to look at the bracelet’s display.

“I think it’s Louie’s signal,” Donald breathed, then took off.

He ran as fast as his feet could carry him, the roar of the sea empowering him until he was too far from the coastline to hear the crash of the waves. He could hear Xandra following, but his focus was on the blinking dot at the bracelet’s display and how the box seemed to whirr louder with each step he took.

A voice rang and broke his focus. “Donal’!”

He glanced to see José and Panchito running to him, and he lifted a brow as they joined his frantic sprint. “I thought you were looking in downtown,” he said between breaths.

“We saw the signal and followed it,” Panchito explained. “But I don’t think Scrooge and Della is around here.”

“We should be able to locate Louie soon – there!” José pointed, and Donald turned.

His eyes widened when he saw the small boy in green hoodie peering nervously at the streets. “Louie!” he all but screamed.

Louie’s head snapped up and he looked at Donald with what he knew, from the bottom of his heart, was genuine surprise and relief. Even from afar, he could see Louie’s eyes water as he pulled at his hoodie, and Donald saw the tattered bandages around his hands and feet. He ran faster to the boy, just as the boy stumbled forward to meet him.

A shadow flew overhead. Hands grabbed Louie by the head and pushed him down, and he crashed into asphalt with a pained grunt, Leopold holding him down.

“Foolish boy,” Felldrake growled from Leopold’s back. “Do you honestly believe I wouldn’t have a way of tracking you down?”

“Get away from him, Felldrake!” Donald yelled, letting the ocean build in his chest and calling forth its power. The ocean was far away, but close enough to call – he could feel the seawater snake into the streets and rush to them.

Felldrake stared at Donald, blinking. Then his eyes grew hard. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

The seawater reached them at last. It towered behind Donald like a wall. “And why not? What’s stopping me from washing you away right now?”

Felldrake glanced down. “Leopold.”

Leopold tightened his hold on Louie’s head. The boy cried in pain into the asphalt. With a growl, Donald let go of his control over the water, and the wall fell around them, sloshing and splashing angrily.

“Give him back,” Donald demanded.

“Careful,” Felldrake practically purred, “I can have his head crushed if I don’t like your tone.”

“Hey, let’s all calm down here,” José said, taking a tentative step ahead. “We only want the boy back, so we’ll appreciate it if you release – “

“If you try to compel me, the boy gets it,” Felldrake cut in coldly. José’s beak snapped shut immediately. When Panchito took in a deep breath, Felldrake glanced at him and added, “It’s the same with you.”

“Felldrake, you’d better get your pet to release the boy now or I’ll make him,” Xandra threatened.

In turn, Felldrake simply clicked his tongue. “Careful, goddess. You wouldn’t want a young boy’s blood on your hands, would you?”

Under Leopold, Louie stilled, pure fear in his eyes. Xandra scowled, but backed down when Donald pulled her back.

“What do you want with me?” Louie asked quietly. His voice trembled, and Donald felt his heart clench at the sight of him trying to keep himself from outright crying.

Felldrake leaned in to look at Louie in the eyes, and Leopold shifted to accommodate it. “Do you know how hard it is to find a gold touched child?” he asked back. “There aren’t a lot of you. And the ones that I found are incompatible. You’re the closest match I can find.”

Louie blinked at him. “…what?”

“No matter,” Felldrake dismissed, jumping off Leopold’s back. “You’re staying under this time. I won’t have you run away again.”

Donald could feel his feathers standing on end when the wind around Felldrake picked up with smoggy undertones in a cloudy night. The choking air intensified as light shone between Felldrake’s fingers, creating ribbon-like length that he threw at Louie. Louie flinched, but a part of Donald was relieved instead when he saw a translucent shield enveloping Louie. Webby’s charm had been effective. He rushed forward, wanting to take advantage of the bracelet’s shield to knock Felldrake and Leopold off so he could grab Louie.

Felldrake had another idea. He growled, and smoggy night sky bled to the ground around him, then it rose, rose, rose, forming the distant stars and rotting nebulas that soon swallowed the smoggy sky in its wake. He glared at Louie. “I am sick of that charm of yours,” he rumbled.

His hand struck out, and Louie tried to scramble away, but Leopold’s hold kept him in place. Felldrake’s hand hit the shield with a muted thump, but then the dying stars blazed and the shield melted around his fingers, allowing him access to Louie’s person.

Louie slapped Felldrake’s hand away as much as he could, but stopped with a whimpered squeak when Felldrake gripped his wrist and squeezed. His free hand grabbed the woven bracelet Webby made.

“Stop it, that’s a gift,” Louie protested weakly.

Felldrake didn’t respond. Ominous purple streaks bled through his feathers and dripped to Louie. The boy winced.

“I didn’t want to do this, but the situation called for it,” Felldrake said instead. His hand blazed with purple flames and he pulled.

Donald was close. Not close enough.

A blast of wind accompanied the booming magic Felldrake emitted. Faraway space swallowed the deserted streets and muffled the call of the sea Donald always felt deep in his bones. Blooming poisonous nebulas loomed and dying stars shone like silent judges. The blast of magic threw Donald back.

Felldrake looped a finger around the bracelet, hand blazing. He pulled with a grunt, and the bracelet was reduced into ashes.

The effect was immediate. Another blast, weaker this time, slapped Donald in the face. It felt distinctly like Webby in the inexplicable way it also didn’t. Webby may not have magic the way Donald had it, but he could feel her intention to protect in the now-destroyed bracelet scattering as it was reduced to ashes.

Louie cried in pain, feathers stained by dripped purple. Felldrake’s fingers trembled as he stood and breathed, the purple streaking his feathers darkening like blood.

Felldrake called on the ribbon-like spell again. Louie struggled under Leopold’s weight, trying to get away, and he began to flow gold – he emitted so much fear and panic through his magic that Donald knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he was calling his magic from pure instinct alone. The undercurrent of terror in Louie’s magic had him scrambling again to reach him.

Louie turned to look at him. “Uncle Donald – “ he called, voice strangled, hand outstretched to reach him. Donald reached back.

The ribbon-like spell circled around Louie’s neck and collared him once more. The boy gasped and squeezed his eyes shut, recoiling and curling into himself. Felldrake laid a hand over his eyes, and he went slack.

Donald called his magic once more, determined to get Louie back. Leopold flapped his wings once and slammed his tail into Donald’s midsection and had him thrown back, and he would have slammed into a wall if Xandra hadn’t caught him in time.

Felldrake grabbed Louie by the scruff of his hoodie and put him on Leopold’s back. “We’re going, Leopold,” he said.

“Wait!” José yelled. Felldrake froze for a moment, but then the nebulas around them shone brighter and he shook off the effects of José’s magic and glared disdainfully.

“If any of you try to stop me, I’ll cut the boy’s fingers one by one,” he threatened. The looming nebulas and dying stars seemed to retract into him and disappeared as he climbed onto Leopold and had him flap his wings again.

“Get down here and fight us, you coward!” Xandra snarled.

“Xandra, stop,” Panchito said warily. “We don’t know if he’ll go through with it.”

Felldrake snorted. He patted Leopold’s arm. “Let’s go.”

“No – wait, no! Louie!” Donald pulled himself free of Xandra’s hold and ran ahead, his magic rising as his desperation grew. He gasped when José and Panchito grabbed him by the arms and pulled him back.

“Donal’, calm down! He’s already holding Louie by the neck!” José hissed in warning. Donald felt his breath hitch when he realized that, like José said, Felldrake had his hand on Louie’s neck. It creeped up to his head, grabbing a fistful of hair, as the other hand blazed purple. The purple light morphed into a blade of sorts.

Donald tamped down on his magic and forced it to still. The roar of the sea calmed into a whisper of uneasy waves in the eye of a hurricane.

Felldrake threw his hand down, and the purple blaze around it fell and bloomed around Leopold. It covered them as the swallowing sensation of the dying stars rose once more, then dissipated into nothing.

Donald wrenched himself out of his friends’ hold and let the hurricane out as he screamed and pounded at the asphalt.

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In the manor, Webby stilled mid-word and she gripped her wrist, feeling her bracelet. Her eyes widened, then she frowned, breath shallow.

“Webby? What is it?” Huey asked, while Dewey stood and walked over to her. He jerked midstride with a gasp, eyes rolling back as he fell to the floor. From his spot, Huey let out a whimper as he, too, slumped over.

From his spot, Gyro scrambled to his feet and stepped closer to Dewey, who was closest to him. He glanced at Fenton, who was still out cold, wishing he was awake so he would have help with the kids. For the first time, it truly struck him how out of depth he was in this.