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andrewmoocow · 3 years ago

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The Black Pearl Brigade chapter 7: Seeing Pink (originally posted on April 25, 2022)

AN: We're almost at the end of this season, ladies and germs! When last we left the Black Pearl Brigade, though they successfully managed to overcome Cinnabar's latest scheme and destroy Black Rutile's base, Cinnabar is still out there plotting revenge. But where could she have possibly ran off to this time, and can the Pearls stop her once and for all? We shall see.

Synopsis: With help from Lars and the Off-Colors, the Brigade pursue Cinnabar to a jubilee held in her honor.

Cast:

Deedee Magno-Hall as The Black Pearl Brigade

Matthew Moy as Lars

Enuka Okuma as Rhodonite

Ashly Burch as Rutile Twins

Erica Luttrell as Padparadscha Sapphire

Kathleen Fisher as Fluorite

Christine Baranski as Hessonite

Olivia Olson as Citrine

Avi Roque as Cinnabar

Awkwafina as Kyanite

Allison Janney as Pyrite

Kimberly Brooks as Dalmatian Jasper

Zehra Fazal as Zoisite

Lena Hall as Bloodstone

Kathleen Barr as Púrén

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Featuring Jodie Whittaker as Xenotime

This was Blacropolis. It was a dreary, perpetually rainy metropolis that seemed never to sleep no matter how dark it was outside. The perfect setting for a cyberpunk story or the current hiding place of Cinnabar following the evacuation from Revanche 666. Despite the racism she and her cohorts suffered since arriving in Blacropolis, Cinnabar remained undeterred in his conquest of Homeworld's former colonies. With any luck, once Black Rutile is located, and her campaign against the Crystal Gems can start again, Blacropolis shall become the first to fall to their combined might.

"And stay out, ya damn stone!" an angry shopkeeper yelled as he forced Kyanite out of his store.

"Been nice seeing you too!" Kyanite cheerfully replied, only for the owner to close up shop in response. "Hm, talk about a grouch."

Kyanite then began strolling through the streets of unending pouring rain, trying her hardest to stay dry throughout her walk while getting nasty looks from the seedy folks of Blacropolis. "Uh, good evening, sir." She politely said to a mutated man with a newspaper.

"It's afternoon." The man scowled at Kyanite before looking back at the papers. "You blue-skinned freak."

"Hey, I take pride in my appearance, thank you very much!" Kyanite hmphed in disgust before she kept walking. Eventually, she came across a dark alleyway illuminated only by a single streetlamp, and she knocked on the nearest door she could find. "Hey, it's me. Open up."

"What's the password?" Dalmatian Jasper's voice echoed from the other side of the door while she peeked through the sliding peephole.

"When did we have a password?" Kyanite wondered, seemingly unaware of the rule.

"Just come up with anything; I don't care." Dalmatian Jasper grumbled in annoyance.

As DJ said, Kyanite came up with her own password on the spot. "Pearl sent me."

"Good enough." DJ declared and opened the door, allowing Kyanite to enter Cinnabar's dingy new lair. "Come on in. She's expecting you."

With most of their forces gone, Cinnabar's group has turned to the criminal underworld of Blacropolis for shelter until they could find help, but until then, they had to keep on their toes lest they anger the criminals and lowlifes they've fallen in with.

"Hey, Cinnabar, where are you?" Kyanite looked around the bleak speakeasy for her master while seeing how her comrades were adjusting to their surroundings. Pyrite was hawking her wares to the patrons like she always did. Zoisite treated herself to a game of pool, and Bloodstone was carefully analyzing the chemical makeup of the liquor sold at the establishment.

As for Cinnabar, she was hiding in the bathroom with a bulky communication device on her lap, desperate to pick up a signal from any allies she or Black Rutile might have left. "Come on; somebody pick up already!" Not a very dignified way to be seen.

"Hey Cinnabar, how's the search going?" Kyanite asked her boss as she stepped into the restroom.

"Not well." Cinnabar growled in defeat. "I could've sworn we had more allies willing to take us in, but it seems they're either still in hiding, or those Pearls have already captured them all." Suddenly, the device began beeping loudly, giving the two Gems a scare as Cinnabar scrambled to find out what was causing the noise. "What, who is this?!"

"Well, answer it!" Kyanite answered in a panic, forcing Cinnabar to pick up the receiver as someone began talking from the other end.

"Hello, is anyone there?" a semi-robotic British accent asked, an accent that Cinnabar recognized a little too well.

"Ah, you must be Xenotime." Cinnabar smiled. "Black Rutile has told me about how she saved you from shattering. Where have you been lately? Your time-controlling abilities would've been so useful to our cause earlier."

"Just been in hiding for the past couple thousand years." Xenotime responded. "So, what made you decide to call me, Cinnabar?"

"No, I didn't call you, I was merely looking for allies when you picked up my SOS." Cinnabar replied. "Listen, my crew and I are in a bit of a pickle right now. Our base on Revanche 666 has been destroyed, and my attempt at a race of supersoldiers needs finetuning. Is there any way you can assist us?"

"Oh, of course I can." Xenotime declared. "In fact, I was just planning a party to throw in your honor for all you've done for the Rutile Rebels' cause, and you, of course, are the guest of honor!"

"A party, for little old me?!" Cinnabar gasped elatedly. "You really shouldn't have! Just give me your location, and my entourage will be there ASAP!"

"You are too kind, my Cinnabar." Xenotime grinned. "As it turns out, we're in Blacropolis right now as we speak! You may find us in the Quadruplet Complex, top-floor ballroom. You can't miss it; it's the four big towers."

"I shall inform everyone immediately. Thanks for your time." Cinnabar said as the call disconnected. "Well, Kyanite, it seems we're back in business!"

"Awesome, I loves me a good party!" Kyanite exclaimed cheerfully. "I wonder if they're in the market for a big ice sculpture? I can make a really good one for the occasion."

As the two Gems left, neither of them realized that a small orange listening bug was eavesdropping on the conversation and had begun transmitting what it heard to its controller.

Far away from Blacropolis, Hessonite was hard at work analyzing what her little bug had gathered from the conversation Cinnabar had with Xenotime.

"You may find us in the Quadruplet Complex, top floor ballroom. You can't miss it. It's the four big towers." Xenotime's directions played back for the Garnet to hear.

"Citrine, come here." Hessonite ordered her Quartz sidekick while the message kept looping behind her.

"Got anything, Hess?" Citrine asked her superior.

"We seem to have zeroed in on Cinnabar's current location at Blacropolis." Hessonite responded. "In addition, she is also in cahoots with an old criminal that we thought vanished ages ago by the name of Xenotime."

"Xenotime?" Citrine asked. "Don't think I ever heard of her before."

"Xenotime has been on Homeworld's most wanted list for centuries." Hessonite explained to her partner while bringing up an image of a green-colored Gem with robotic features and her hourglass-shaped gemstone on her wrist. "She was a former timekeeper who used her control over time for selfish reasons, which led to all Xenotimes made after her to be stripped of that ability while she was sentenced to be shattered for her distortion of time. However, she quickly vanished before the execution was set to occur and hasn't been heard from ever since."

"Sounds like a real dangerous Gem." Citrine said worriedly. "I think the Pearls might need a little help against Xenotime, because if she and Cinnabar join forces, none of us stand a chance."

"Correct, but I think it'll take more than just us to stop this menace." Hessonite declared before she stopped the looping voice clip and changed it to dialing an old friend. "Come in, Lars of the Stars. Can you read me?"

"This is Lars, over." Lars Barriga replied as he appeared on Hessonite's screen. "Oh hey, Hessonite! I haven't seen you since Black Rutile invaded Little Homeworld! How goes hunting down her forces?"

"That's exactly why I called you." Hessonite declared. "We have reason to believe that one of Black Rutile's lieutenants is falling in with a Gem criminal named Xenotime, and I fear we need all hands on deck for this escapade. I need you to relay this message to the Black Pearl Brigade post-haste."

"Xenotime? I think I read up on her once or twice." Lars commented. "I'll tell them at once." The transmission quickly ended, and Hessonite began walking away from her massive monitor.

"Citrine, we're moving out." Hessonite declared. "If we don't make it out of this adventure alive, I wish for you to know that it's been a pleasure having you as an associate."

"Hey, you too." Citrine smiled back at the Garnet.

The Servant drifted through a local asteroid field, hoping that it could pick up any signals that could lead them to Cinnabar's current location. Unfortunately for them, Púrén found no signs of her or the Belligerence. At this rate, the Pearls were starting to get worried.

"Could we please hurry this up?" Braids complained impatiently. "I am starting to get very bored here."

"Me too, but please be patient." IQ said while typing away at her console. "We'll find her soon. At least, I hope."

"Yeah, she's been awful quiet ever since she fled Revanche 666." Tails stated. "And what's more, barely anyone knows where she is now."

"If only we could get a sign or something." Cap declared just as the communicator started vibrating. "Could someone get that? I think it may be just what we needed."

"On it." IQ stated and took the call, revealing Padparadscha Sapphire on the other end of the line.

"The Black Pearl Brigade shall soon receive our call!" the Sapphire exclaimed merrily.

"Oh hey, you're one of those Off-Colors, right?" Cap wondered before Padparadscha moved out of the way to allow Lars to answer. "And that Lars boy, too."

"Hey, Black Pearls, you listening to me?" Lars asked the Brigade. "First off, hi, I don't believe we got properly introduced to each other back when you were under Black Rutile's control, so it took me a while to realize that you were free Gems now. And second, Hessonite wanted me to send you this message about Cinnabar."

"Wait, you found her?!" Cap yelled in excitement. "Tell us, where is she?!"

"Hessonite and Citrine have been spying on tons of different planets hoping that Cinnabar could be on one of them." Rhodonite explained as she joined the call. "While most of them have given her nothing, one of them has finally shined a light on her current status."

At Rhodonite's command, Xenotime's message to Cinnabar began playing. "As it turns out, we're in Blacropolis right now as we speak! You may find us in the Quadruplet Complex, top-floor ballroom. You can't miss it; it's the four big towers."

"And what's more, another one of Black Rutile's minions has decided to show herself." Fluorite added, joining the call too. "Xenotime has been arranging this jubilee in Cinnabar's honor after reemerging thousands of years since she disappeared on the day of her execution. As you should know, Xenotime is a former timekeeper who can distort time to her will, so she must be a very dangerous foe for you to face."

"Control over time?" IQ wondered. "What compelled the Diamonds to allow a Gem that powerful to be created?!"

"I don't know." The left Rutile muttered worriedly.

"But whatever she does, we have to stop her." The right Rutile added.

"Affirmative." Púrén stated. "Just give us the coordinates to Blacropolis, and we'll be there in a flash."

"I'll do just that." Lars replied. "And don't think you'll be going this alone."

Just then, Hessonite and Citrine joined the call. "We're coming too." Hessonite declared boldly.

"A Gem that powerful needs more than just one team to stop her." Citrine added.

"Thank you all for your willingness to help." Cap responded gratefully before she turned to the other Pearls. "Well, girls, shall we depart?"

"Surely." Tails nodded.

"Affirmative." IQ added.

"Let's finish this!" Pony cried. "I hope."

"Our battle shall be glorious!" Braids roared happily.

Outside the Servant, the Pearls' ship was joined by the Sun Incinerator and Hessonite's warship, now in one piece once more. The three ships blasted off into the unknown, searching for Blacropolis and, hopefully, Cinnabar & Xenotime.

Back on Blacropolis, multiple worshippers of Black Rutile from all over had begun to gather at the Quadruplet Towers for the party. There were Gems of all kinds present, from Jaspers to Amethysts, Lapis Lazulis, Peridot, Hessonites, Jades, Pearls, and many more. But despite their differences in shapes, sizes, colors, powers, and social standing, they were all united by a singular goal: the end of the Crystal Gems' tyrannical hold on their lives.

Just then, Cinnabar and her posse entered the ballroom and were greeted with cheers from all guests. Suddenly, the cheering came to an abrupt stop because Xenotime had frozen time to greet Cinnabar herself personally. "Oh, Cinnabar, so glad you could make it, dearest guest of honor."

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Xenotime." Cinnabar replied. "I hear Black Rutile has saved you from execution once and allowed you to live in hiding for the past thousands of years. Could you please tell me how it all went down?"

"Oh, I'd be delighted to, Cinnabar." Xenotime said as she began to tell her story. "My tale begins thousands of years ago, about a couple of decades into the Rebellion."

Far into Homeworld's distant past, Xenotime once lived comfortably and quietly, serving as a timekeeper for the Gem empire. However, she possessed a unique gift that would make most Gems revere her as a god on par with the Diamonds. She had power over time itself, allowing her to freeze, rewind, fast forward, or even alter its flow to her liking. Through this power, she had forged Hourglasses that could allow whoever held one to travel through time and create alternate timelines.

Naturally, with some unlimited power, this made her go a little stir-crazy, and she used her abilities to selfishly warp time however she pleased, and made her desire for more power than she already had. Out of fear that she would use them to subvert their rule and install herself as the ruler of all Gems, the Diamonds ordered her to be shattered and her Hourglasses locked away in a shrine at the bottom of the ocean.

"So Xenotime, any last requests before you are shattered?" an Agate growled at Xenotime, locked away in solitary confinement for her duplicitous actions while forced to wear a straitjacket and muzzle.

"Yes, I'd just like to repent one last time." Xenotime stated quietly. "Originally, I had been worshipped as a deity by Gems for my possession of the power to warp time, and I had let it drive me mad. Now, as I far certain death, it has given me time to reflect on how my selfishness has sealed my doom."

"Yeah yeah, you're sorry and all that." The Agate said cruelly. "But unfortunately, just saying sorry won't instantly save you from being shattered for crimes not just against the Diamonds, but against the entire universe!"

Suddenly, alarms began blaring, distracting the Agate from her prisoner. "What's going on?!" she exclaimed before being poofed in a single shot by one of Black Rutile's Robonoids.

"Ah, Xenotime, how nice to see you." Black Rutile greeted the imprisoned timekeeper while hacking into her cell, allowing Xenotime to leave her cell with a smile. "So, almost executed, eh?"

"Indeed I was." Xenotime replied as Black Rutile helped her out of her restraints. "I must thank you for freeing me from these chains." She added while kneeling before the Rutile. "Anything you ask, I shall obey."

"Please, you're too kind." Black Rutile blushed. "I can see that the Diamonds have committed such an outrageous crime against you. Well, it turns out, you're not the only Gem who's been mistreated in favor of Pink Diamond."

"Wait, you and Pink Diamond?" Xenotime looked up at the Rutile in shock. "How? Why?"

"I would explain in-depth, but I'm afraid I'll have to keep this quick before the guards come back." Black Rutile said. "In short, Pink Diamond keeps getting away with everything because the Diamonds keep bending the knee towards her bratty behavior, while honest, hardworking Gems such as I am forced to suffer under her."

"Even me?" Xenotime wondered in awe before Black Rutile put a hand on her shoulder, and the two walked out of prison.

"Indeed, even you." Black Rutile replied, cupping a finger beneath Xenotime's chin and budging her face to meet hers. "Just look at you, so ungodly powerful and full of potential. They were right; you are comparable to a god. Unfortunately, the Diamonds choose to ignore that in favor of the rose-colored brat."

"Oh, that is exactly what I needed to hear!" Xenotime responded excitedly. "So, what do you request for me to do? I'll do anything!"

"Unfortunately, I do not believe you fit into my plans at the time." Black Rutile said mournfully. "But perhaps I can help you find somewhere to hide in exchange for your loyalty."

"I would be most grateful, my Rutile." Xenotime accepted the offer. "But whenever I am needed again, you can just call me, okay?"

"Indeed." Black Rutile replied before she heard footsteps approaching. "I can hear them; go find the nearest ship and get out of here! Land on the most remote planet you can find, where you can never be found again!"

Xenotime nodded as Black Rutile used a device to turn herself invisible, then used her powers to freeze time around her to buy herself enough time to escape without anyone noticing. Once she found a ship to take off in, Xenotime officially vanished off the face of Homeworld and was never heard from again.

However, Xenotime soon found a distant planet that the Diamonds didn't even bother turning into a colony. It was a modest farming world in the Bennyson system, where its inhabitants lived unaware of the Gems' existence, their occupation of over 63.7% of the universe, or the Rebellion, a perfect opportunity for Xenotime to perhaps lay low for all time.

After demonstrating her abilities to the residents of the first village she discovered, they believed her to be some higher being, just like how Homeworld revered her in the past. That was how happily Xenotime lived for the next thousands of years, using her abilities to speed up crop production and even save the dying. Finally, Xenotime could live in peace without fear of being tried for her godlike abilities. At least, at first.

"Please, Miss Xenotime, you've got to save him!" a farmer urged Xenotime as the two of them, and the farmer's family stood over the dying body of an old man who seemed just about ready to pass on. "His death was an accident, and we don't want to lose him so soon!"

"I'll see what I can do." Xenotime replied and began working her magic on the dying man. Her gem began glowing a brilliant green as the man was wrapped in life-giving energy, eventually returning him to the land of the living to the delight of his family.

"Thank you so much, Xenotime." The old man said gratefully as he was helped to his feet and gave Xenotime a big hug. "You've been such a gift to our people for so long now. I don't think our lives would ever be the same without you."

"Oh, thank you, mister, it's the least I could do." Xenotime blushed in response when she heard a loud buzzing sound in the distance. "My apologies, everyone, I must leave at once. I think someone is calling me."

Xenotime left the farm to follow the buzzing sound, eventually returning to the ship she had used to discover this planet and finding out that a message had been waiting for her. When Xenotime answered the call, Black Rutile happened to be on the other end.

"Ah, Xenotime, long 'time' no see." Black Rutile punned with a grin. "You may be wondering why I'm calling you after so many years, correct?"

"Indeed, I was living so peacefully on this backwoods planet, all thanks to you." Xenotime answered. "Tell me, what do you request of me?"

"It is concerning Pink Diamond." Black Rutile explained. "As I'm sure you may not have heard, since you've been hanging around the middle of nowhere for centuries, Pink Diamond has been shattered by the leader of the Crystal Gems." Black Rutile pretended to act sad over the news before switching her tune. "Except she hasn't. Instead of taking responsibility for her actions, Pink had decided to fake her death and make things worse for everyone before she died. She gave birth to some brat who decided to brainwash the other Diamonds and force us to change our society to his liking! Another perfect example of Pink Diamond forcing everyone to bend the knee to keep her from throwing yet another apocalyptic tantrum!"

"So, I suppose you want my help?" Xenotime asked in response.

"Exactly." Black Rutile nodded. "Your mission is to assist in reclaiming old colonies for my new empire. I trust that you'll succeed, understand?"

"You can count on me." Xenotime declared as she shut off the call. Now that she was perfectly alone, the timekeeper put on a devious grin and began steepling her fingers together. "She allowed me to come here because I would've been too powerful for the Diamonds to handle." She declared. "Now, let's see how I could possibly seize power from her."

As Xenotime returned time to normal, her party had received a few uninvited guests. Beneath everyone's notice, the Pearls had successfully infiltrated the party by disguising themselves as their brethren and seamlessly blending it with them via changing their hairstyles. Fluorite and Rhodonite had also defused into their components so they wouldn't stick out in the crowd. At the same time, half of the Rutile twins were hidden using special cloaking technology courtesy of Hessonite. Overall, a brilliant disguise.

"Hey, how ya doing?" Lars greeted a few partygoers while incognito as a Gem. "Don't mind me, I'm just a perfectly normal Gem like all of you."

"Is that a new model?" a Demantoid said to an Almandine Garnet. "Looks a little masculine."

"Maybe they're non-conforming." The Almandine suggested. "I say we let them be."

Cap, Pony, and IQ stood guard with some of the other Black Pearls, not one of them guessing that there were spies among them, much to their relief. However, IQ was a little on edge out of fear that they might be found out, twitching in place and looking every which way while sweat began dribbling down her face.

"Anything the matter, soldier?" one of the Black Pearls said to IQ. "You know, you can leave if you want."

"Sorry, just a little nervous." IQ answered. "I mean, Xenotime is a mighty Gem, after all."

"I don't blame you." The other Pearl nodded. "Though I've heard that she's got a bit of a superiority complex. She believes that she should rule the empire because she can basically rewrite time however she pleases."

"Wait, really?" Pony asked. "Why would Black Rutile recruit someone like her?"

"Guess power-mad Gems gotta stick together." Cap stated. "Hey, can you excuse us for a bit? We got something else to do."

"Sure, go on ahead." The Black Pearl said, allowing the trio to leave their posts to search for Braids and Tails, who, along with Citrine, were locked in conversation with Bloodstone at a giant ice sculpture dedicated to Cinnabar.

"And that is why I believe the Andromeda Galaxy is super overrated." Bloodstone just finished a winding explanation. "Would you agree, girls?"

"Why yes, everyone is always talking about the Andromeda Galaxy!" Braids bombastically exclaimed. "Why can't we give some other galaxies some loving?"

"I can't believe I spent the past ten minutes listening to you." Tails grumbled morosely when she noticed her three teammates in the crowd beckoning her and Braids over. "Excuse me; I'm off to get more punch."

"Sure, take your time." Bloodstone replied, a little offended at how she was being ignored. "I still have a ton of hot takes to give out, but fine, go and mill about, I guess."

"Someone seems a little passive-aggressive." Tails remarked as the pair walked over to their comrades. "What's up, guys?"

"We seem to have gathered up some dirt on Xenotime." Cap declared. "We think she might try to backstab Cinnabar and take over the Rutile Rebels for herself. The girl always did have a bit of a lust for power, being so godlike and all."

"What do you say we rat her out?" Braids suggested eagerly.

"Exactly what I was thinking." IQ agreed. "But how?"

"I got a plan." Cap declared. "Anyone seen Citrine anywhere?"

"Last I checked, she was watching for trouble with Hessonite." Pony said. "You suggest we bring her into this?"

"Might be worth a try." Cap responded. The five then walked over to where Hessonite and Citrine were standing. The pair were close to the entrance, just in case they needed to make a getaway if their cover was blown. "Citrine, we need you for something."

"What do you need?" Citrine asked.

"We need a distraction while we dig up some dirt on Xenotime." Pony replied. "You got anything for us?"

"I can sing." Citrine answered while turning to the front stage, where Xenotime was giving a speech honoring Cinnabar's achievements. "Maybe as soon as she's done, I'll ask if they take requests."

"Perfect." Cap nodded.

"Be careful, you five." Hessonite said. "As we have repeated, Xenotime is not to be trifled with. Any threats to her, she will respond in kind."

"Yeah yeah, she's almost like a god, we heard." Tails brushed off the Garnet's warning.

"It is indeed such a gift to see all of you here tonight, cheering me on in my darkest hour." Cinnabar said happily to her adoring audience after Xenotime finished her speech. "Lately, I've been in a rough place with the loss of Revanche 666 and the failures of my Concretes. But knowing that there are Gems out there who still support Black Rutile's cause and are just as devoted to the return to our glory days. So, I propose a toast!" Pouring herself some wine, Cinnabar held out a glass. "To Black Rutile!"

"To Black Rutile!" the audience cheered.

"To me!" Cinnabar added.

"To Cinnabar!"

"And to Steven Universe," Cinnabar smirked. "The biggest idiot in the known universe. Poor kid doesn't know what he's up against."

"Uh, hello!" Citrine called while walking her way through the crowd and pulling herself up to the stage. "Do you take requests? I got a song a friend taught me that I'd like to sing tonight."

"Singing, eh?" Xenotime wondered, raising an eyebrow at a nervous Citrine. "Well, we could use some entertainment, so by all means, be our guest."

"Oh, thank you, miss." Citrine said before she took the mic and began to sing. "I can't help it if I make a scene, stepping out of my hot pink limousine. I'm turning heads and I'm stopping traffic. When I pose, they scream, and when I joke, they laugh."

"That's a glorious song." Braids declared as the Pearls and Lars snuck backstage. "Where did that come from?"

"A song from Earth that a friend of mine loved singing." Lars replied. "Now come on, let's get moving."

The group inched closer and closer to Xenotime while she retreated backstage, unaware that she was being followed. "They all don't know what they're dealing with." Xenotime monologued to herself. "Black Rutile may have the intelligence and the military power, but I can literally change history! I can even prevent someone's existence if I felt like it!"

"Someone's a little confident today." Cap muttered. "Come on. We need a way to expose her without her knowing."

"Allow me." IQ declared before pulling out a small video recording device that captured Xenotime in the middle of her plotting.

"Once the Rutile Rebels are mine to control, the entire universe will soon be next!" Xenotime declared. "And with my powers, I shall erase whoever opposes me from existence, starting with Cinnabar and her cronies!"

The bug then transferred what it saw as a holographic screen projecting Xenotime's true insidious nature to the entire party, much to their horror. "Once the Rutile Rebels are mine to control, soon the entire universe will be next!" her words were repeated to her unwilling audience just as Xenotime emerged from backstage.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Cinnabar yelled as she stormed onstage to face Xenotime. "Xenotime, what do you have to say-" Before Cinnabar could finish, Xenotime abruptly froze time all around her with a mere snap of her fingers.

"How could this have happened?!" Xenotime cried in shock when she finally noticed the Pearls emerging behind the curtain. She was left enraged at how a group of measly Pearls could have exposed her but was also terrified at how she could be punished. "I have to go!"

Running off like a coward, Xenotime returned time to normal as soon as she left the room, leaving everyone concerned about where she went.

"Xenotime has been exposed and will soon escape!" Padparadscha Sapphire exclaimed. "How exciting!"

"After her!" Cinnabar and Cap cried for their forces to join them before glaring at each other. Though they were enemies, they also now shared a common goal of stopping Xenotime from escaping. As soon as everyone assembled, the chase was on.

Using a flying car she hijacked from a bioengineered humanoid plotting a revolution, Xenotime was officially on the run from the Black Pearl Brigade & their allies and the Rutile Rebels. No matter how much she froze time, the two groups were one step ahead of her. She was nervous; she needed a way to get them off her tail for good, but how?

"How could we not have known Xenotime would try to betray us?!" DJ roared as she piloted the Belligerence side by side with the Servant, the Sun Incinerator, and Hessonite's ship. "Why would Black Rutile recruit such a turncoat?!"

"Beats me. I guess she just wanted someone powerful on her side." Zoisite suggested.

"It doesn't matter!" Pyrite declared. "Why would she recruit someone so powerful? It'd force us to side with the enemy against her?!"

"Will you all be quiet and keep tailing her?!" Cinnabar angrily commanded.

As for the Pearls, the Servant swerved throughout Blacropolis while trying to shoot down Xenotime's ship. Braids, Tails, and Sculder operated the ship's weapons, IQ locked the ship's targeting systems on their target, while Cap and Pony guided the team with bated breath.

"Faster girls, we can't lose her!" Cap ordered. "No matter what trick she pulls, we can't-" Before Cap could finish, however, Xenotime launched a massive energy blast that seemed to briefly trap the Servant in a time vortex. They began witnessing many future events, from their eventual victory over Cinnabar, to a Jasper and a White Topaz discovering an alternate universe where Steven was the tyrannical ruler of Earth, the real Steven fighting against Black Rutile in a coliseum populated by snake people, and finally, the two enemies fighting side by side against a massive cosmic snake emerging from a wormhole.

"What is this?" Tails gasped in wonder at the possibilities before her.

"These must be visions of the future." IQ deduced. "But some of these are a little too farfetched. I mean, Steven teaming up with Black Rutile? What gave either of them such a stupid idea?!"

"This vortex must be a means of distraction!" Braids declared. "We must escape at once!"

"Find the nearest vortex that'll take us to the present, like that one!" IQ pointed towards a portal back to Blacropolis, where they could see the other three ships firing at Xenotime. "NOW!"

"ALL SYSTEMS, FULL POWER!" Cap screamed as loud as she could as the Servant blasted its way out of the time vortex and back to Blacropolis, where they accidentally rammed into Xenotime's ship, seemingly taking her out once and for all.

But before Xenotime could fall to her doom, a tractor beam fired from the Belligerence to bring her aboard, no doubt to imprison her for her crimes. "Easy does it, you timekeeping traitor." Cinnabar snarled before turning the ship to face the Pearls. "I must thank you for your assistance, Pearls, but consider this temporary alliance over. As for myself, we shall make ourselves scarce for now. Ta-ta!"

With Xenotime onboard the Belligerence, the bounty hunters' vessel turned away from the trio and warped away from Blacropolis, leaving her foes in the dust.

"She may run, but we'll be coming after her." Hessonite declared. "Well, gang, shall we?"

"Right behind you!" Lars agreed.

"The battle is over, but the war has just begun!" Cap exclaimed. "Púrén, take us out of here!"

"Understood." Púrén obeyed and programmed the Servant to depart from Blacropolis, with the Sun Incinerator and Hessonite's warship following close behind.

"Rise and shine, Xeno!" Dalmatian Jasper barked at Xenotime from outside her new cell. The timekeeper opened her eyes and slowly realized that she was now a prisoner of the Gem she had thrown a party for, only to be thanked with this.

"Are you kidding me?!" Xenotime yelled. "This is what I get in return after throwing that jubilee in your honor?!"

"You tried to take over the Rutile Rebels." Cinnabar coldly stated. "And you should know that Black Rutile does not tolerate any kind of insubordination, whether it be leaving her organization or trying to take it over." Xenotime winced in fear of what could be in store for her. "But, since I try to be a fair and just master, perhaps there's a way you could redeem yourself."

"Oh please my Cinnabar, I'll do anything!" Xenotime pleaded on her knees. Cinnabar simply looked at her other minions before turning back to Xenotime with an uncertain look.

With that, we're on our way to the season finale and eventual hiatus! Look, I'm just really swamped in schoolwork and other stories right now, I feel like I could use a break. As for when I'll return, I'll come up with a release date for season 2 later. Anyways, what could Xenotime do to restore her honor, and how will she come into play? Stay tuned.

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pettynam · 3 years ago

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Willet

Dallon Wheeks

Askari

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Waffle

Baliyo

Woodson

Linkers

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Speedy the Snail

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Toucan Dan

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#boys

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protagonistprepblog · 6 years ago

Text

Protagonist Prep Ch 14 Team Alien’s Mission: Seeing Double

Just a few miles away from Beach City everything seemed to be peaceful and calm with nary a worry in sight. Until a massive rainbow sized portal ripped through the fabric of reality, out of the portal five figures walked out. One was gigantic nearly the size of a Jasper, one was a small boy with a strange haircut, a girl with purple hair, a insect like creature, a pudgy boy and finally a girl with long hair tied in a ponytail.

“Alright, team,” the giant man said in an authoritative tone, “let’s go over the mission objective one more time to make sure everyone’s clear.”

"Zim knows what to do!" The insect like figure exclaimed his voice filled with arrogance.

"Then please explain what we are doing?" The giant figure asked Zim who quickly clamed up, the giant figure just nodded and turned to the chubby boy.

"Steven could you explain what the mission is?" The giant asked the now known Steven.

"We're going to stop a bad guy from disrupting this dimension?" Steven suggested still new to this interdimensional work.

"Good job!" The giant figure told Steven who smiled at the praise.

"Why does this place look familiar?" The ponytail figure asked rather confused by this.

Steven agreed with her sentiment, he looked around and it looked familiar to him as well. He looked further down the beach and noticed a massive monument of a multi armed woman.

“Connie,” he addressed the girl with the ponytail “This is Beach City. We’re home!”

"How is this possible?!" Connie asked in bewilderment as she stared at the familiar statue.

"The multiverse is full of possibilities, so it's not out of the realm of reality for us to come upon a similar dimension." The giant figure told the young girl as he began to rub his chin in thought.

"New plan, Steven, Connie scout ahead and see if there's anything here that's unusual. Signal us if you need back up." The giant figure told the two as he tried to channel what Sir called his inner boss.

“Will do,” Connie said as she and Steven ran into the town.

“So, what’re we going to do?” the purple haired girl asked in an apathetic tone.

"Look around the area, if Odchodnik has operations here then it must be close somewhere." The giant figure answer, he began to walk fowards to what scent he could catch.

"Come know accolytes an adventure awaits!!" The giant figure exclaimed and the three kids began to follow him. Meanwhile, in a house resting at the base of the massive stone monument.

“Come on, dad,” Rose exclaimed, “why can’t we come with you?”

“Because,” Steven replied with crossed arms, “we’re coming to be investigating a recent rash of child abductions, and we don’t want to risk you getting taken too.”

“Then wouldn’t it make more sense for us to come with you,” Vihaan asked.

“Not if the kidnappers return to the scene of the crime,” Connie added, “besides, Jasper will be watching you.”

“I’ll watch them like hawks,” Jasper reassured them.

“Steven, Connie,” Garnet called to the couple, “let’s go! We’re burning daylight!”

Steven and Connie Hughes the kids, “We’ll see you when we get back."

Steven, Connie, and the gems then ran out of the house, leaving Rose, Vihaan, and Celeste alone with Jasper.

“You guys wanna get some training done while the others aren’t home,” Jasper asked the youths slyly.

“Yeah,” they replied enthusiastically.

They then grabbed their weapons and raced out to the beach to get some training done. As young Steven and Connie were walking through Beach City they noticed that several things were off, the Big Donut had new workers, there seemed to be no sign of the cool kids and Onion wasn't in sight doing anything anarchist.

"Wow, Beach City really changed while we were gone." Steven joked trying to make the situation light.

"Well this is different from home, I wonder what's different about it?" Connie mused as she looked around the boardwalk.

“The rides are all the same, but they look even older,” Steven observed as they walked around.

Steven then accidentally walked face-first into a statue, since he wasn’t paying attention. He fell backwards and Connie quickly helped him back up. “I know that wasn’t there.”

The pair looked at the statue curiously, it seemed familiar to them, but they just couldn’t figure out why.

“Hey, Connie,” Steven asked, “does that guy in the statue look familiar to you?”

Connie noticed an inscribed plaque at the base of the statue, “Aha! Maybe this’ll shed some light on the subject.”

She then read the inscription aloud for them both to hear. “Steven Quartz Universe: Beach City’s Greatest Hero?” Connie and Steven gasped, Steven started to read the rest. “He and his Crystal Gems have not only kept Beach City safe from various threats, but have also touched the lives of many of our residents. “

Steven and Connie looked at each other. “Steven”

Connie got the attention of her friend. “I think we’re in the future.”

"That's impossible, how could that happen?!" Connie wondered as she pressed a hand to her forehead trying to wrap around the situation.

"Well maybe interdimensional travel sometimes accidentally sends people into the future." Steven suggested as he was surprised by this as well but that meant there was a silver lining.

"Connie if the gems are here that means they could help us!"

“Yeah,” Connie agreed, “let’s go to the temple.”

The pair then ran back to the temple, hoping for answers and assistance. As the other members of Team Alien were traversing the area Behemoth began to pick up something on his ISO sensors.

"Children I suggest we proceed with caution there's something up ahead." Behemoth told the trio which some of them began to take out their weapons. As they went further Behemoth saw what set off his sensors, it was a tall Amber colored woman with dark orange stripes, a wild mane of white hair and burning molten eyes.

"Stay here, I'll try to talk to it." Behemoth told his acolytes and walked out of the cover.

"Greetings and good tidings, may ask what you are doing?" Behemoth asked the Cheeto woman. Jasper looked at the tall Samoan man, she was surprised to see someone as tall as her.

“Just getting some training in with the yungins’ here.” Jasper informed the massive man.

“Don’t turn your back to the opponent Jasper,” Celeste shouted as she fired a blast of magic at jasper, knocking her and Behemoth to the ground. However, from farther away the kids took this as a sign of attack and quickly sprang out.

"Meteor Strike!!" Gaz yelled out as she swung her meteor hammer down at the one who fired the spell. Celeste quickly jumped back, and just narrowly avoided being hit.

Rose saw her cousin being attacked and used her scythe to pole-vault herself into Gaz, knocking her away. Dib grabbed one of his bolas and swung it around as he did it began to spark and crackle, once he had enough momentum he threw straight at Rose with enough volts to stun an elephant. Somehow the bolas wrapped completely around Rose like a python around its prey. Rose screamed as the bolas sent electricity surging through her body.

“ROSE,” Jasper screamed in horror. She quickly ran over to Rose, grabbed the bolas and tore them apart, freeing her.

Rose fell to her knees. “You okay, kid,” Jasper asked, her voice laced with concern.

Rose used her scythe to hoist herself back up to her feet and gave Jasper a half-smile and a thumbs up. She wasn’t out of the fight yet.

Jasper sighed with relief, then flared at Dib. She summoned her helmet, rolled into a spin dash, then charged at Dib with all her might. Before Dib could process the fact an alien Amazon women was charging at him something sped forward and blocked the attack with one arm, and that someone was Behemoth. As easily as one would throw a water bottle, he smacked Jasper away causing her to slide into the sand leaving a 20ft long channel in it.

“Of course you realize this means war,” Jasper grumbled, her face still buried in sand. Jasper then stood up and dusted herself, Rose, Vihaan, and Celeste stood with her, each holding their weapons. The two teams stood there for a moment, glaring at each other, then charged at each other. Behemoth went with Jasper each of their blows shaking the earth; Gaz and Celeste trying to sneak in some devastating hits on each other; Dib and Rose where playing a game of cat and mouse each of them avoiding each other's attack; finally, Vihan and Zim were going at it like a like two angry wildcats.

“Let’s see what you’ve got, big guy.” Jasper taunted Behemoth. He responded by punching her in the gut, knocking the air out of her. Jasper fell to her knees with a gasp.

“How’s that even possible, I don’t have lungs!” She then pulled out a small communicator, “Steven, Connie, we need you back at the temple. NOW!”

Meanwhile young Steven and Connie arrived at the scene of the fight with wide eyes.

"What happened while we were gone?" Connie questioned as they ran down to the fight and pulled out her khanda ready to fight. Young Steven ran over to Dib and used his shield to deflect one of Rose’s attack.

Rose stopped fighting when she caught sight of Steven. “Dad,” she said, utterly gob-smacked.

Vihaan threw his clackers at Zim, only for Connie to deflect them. He gasped at the sight of her, “Mom?”

Connie on the other hand was rather confused by what Vihaan told her.

"Ummm, I think I'm a bit too young to be mom yet." She Vihaan and then proceeded to side kick him away. While Steven decided to make a joke about what Rose asked.

"I guess your Dad must be pretty handsome." Jasper finally noticed the younger Steven and Connie.

“WHAT THE HECK,” she shouted. That proved to be a bad time to look away as Behemoth charged towards the tiger striped gem and delivered a powerful uppercut to her face. So powerful that it caused a sonic boom and sent Jasper flying through the air until she was nothing more than a speck in the sky.

“I’LL BE BACK IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES,” Jasper called out as she flew through the air. The kids looked at what happened in shock s briefly stopped fighting for a few minutes and Behemoth turned to them and said.

"May we try to talk peace now?" Before anyone could say anything, a colossal pink shield zipped through the air, and dug itself into the ground, separating the two groups. Upon further inspection, Team Alien noticed the pattern on the shield was identical to Steven’s. A figure then leapt onto the beach, creating a huge cloud of dust. As the cloud dispersed, they noticed some key features about his appearance; he had dark curly hair a bulky frame, and a light red trench coat. It was Steven, the older Steven from this reality.

"Woah!" Young Steven gasped at amazement at he just saw while Connie felt something but wasn't sure what it was. Cautious Behemoth put himself in front of the kids and spoke to the future half gem.

"Be thee friend or foe, choose the answer correctly." Steven glared at them, “Depends on your explanation for attacking my kids.”

While Steven was dealing with Behemoth, Connie checked on the kids.

“Are you kids alright,” Connie asked worriedly.

“We’re fine, mom,” Rose said, “but I think there’s something you and dad should see about those guys.”

Connie then glared at Team Alien and began to march over to the group, intending to give them an unfiltered piece of her mind. Behemoth stood tall as he could and began to explain what had happened to cause these unwanted events.

"Well first I began to try and talk to a Jasper, was it, about this town. Unfortunately I did not realize this was a training session and one of the children casted a rather explosive spell, my acolytes took this as a sign of attack and one thing led to another I'm afraid."

“Then where’s Jasper,” Connie asked irritably.

"Ummm, somewhere in the upper atmosphere I fear." Behemoth told the older Connie, and oddly enough not afraid.

“WHAT THE HECK, MAN,” Steven roared.

"To be fair it was a heat of was most would say." Behemoth told the older Steven with a stern voice and glare. Steven and Connie didn’t back down, nothing was more important to them than their kids. They were about give him an earful, but they finally noticed the younger versions of themselves.

“And now there are younger versions of us,” Steven said in shock. He then pinched the bridge of his nose, “Alright, who’s been messing with time travel?”

“Don’t look at us, we’re innocent this time,” Celeste replied.

"I can actually answer that, these two are from a Dimension not so different from yours." Behemoth told the Older Steven. Steven breathed a sigh of relief.

“That’s a relief, I was worried we were all in danger for a second.”

The kids joined Steven and Connie. “Since no one appears to be asking the big question, I’m just gonna come out and say it,” Rose said, “who the heck are you guys?”

"My name is Behemoth and I shall let my acolytes introduce themselves." Behemoth told the future crowd, first went the insect like figure.

"I am the glorious Zim!!" He yelled out at the top of his lungs, next went the girl with purple hair.

"I'm Gaz, got any food." She lazily told the group with disinterest, finally the boy with a strange haircut.

"I'm Dib." He shyly introduced himself.

“I guess you’re already familiar with my wife and me,” Steven said before gesturing to the young ones next to him, “these are our kids, Rose and Vihaan, and our niece, Celeste.”

"So I'm guessing that you are wondering why we're here." Behemoth said as began to move slightly away from the kids feeling that they weren't in danger. Young Steven and Connie’s eyes shot wide open and their jaws dropped to the ground.

“WIFE,” they exclaimed in unison, “KIDS?!”

"Ok, I believe we should hold off on the potential space time continuum destroying information for now." Behemoth told his two older versions of his students with a stern serious voice.

“Why not,” Rose objected, “it won’t affect our timeline, and it could help you guys out a lot down the line, probably even prevent a couple of mistakes.”

“Yeah, but we learned from those mistakes,” Steven explained, “some of them even helped shape us to become who we are today.”

"He's right telling someone an excessive amount of future information could have dire consequences." Behemoth told Rose but currently Dib was getting a little anxious.

"Ummm, don't we have a mission?" He asked his teacher.

“Why are you guys here anyway,” Vihaan asked.

"We're here to arrest an interdimensional crime Lord known as Odchodnik, he's a notorious drug king pin." Behemoth informed the young boy.

Rose looked at him with a raised eyebrow, “Chokesonwhatnow? That name is going to be impossible to remember.”

"Here's what really makes me mad, he takes kids from their families and forces them to work for him. All because of some stupid drug called regunitavium." Young Connie scowled as she said that but Behemoth was slightly impressed.

"Someone’s has been paying attention in Villains 101." Behemoth praised proud of Connie.

“We were just investigating a recent spike in child abductions around here,” Connie explained.

"Where there is smoke there is fire." Behemoth told the two groups but that just got him several looks of confusion.

"What I meant to say was that if there are child kidnappings Odchodnik might be behind this." He explained to the crowd.

“Well what are we waiting for,” Rose exclaimed as she held her scythe aloft triumphantly, “let’s nail this guy!”

"Ummm, actually that's going to be a bit difficult." Connie slowly told the daughter of her older self, which felt stranger than everything she's seen.

“And why’s that... mom,” Rose felt even stranger after stranger after saying that.

"Well Odchodnik is smart, he's able to hide in plain sight and look like a philanthropist. When he is arrested or something else a mysterious beneficiary somehow gets him off the hook." Connie explained to Rose and slightly caught off guard by the mom statement.

"She's right, he usually hides his operations quite well meaning we're going to look for a weak link." Behemoth added on to Connie's statement. They all then heard a buzzing coming out of Steven’s pocket.

“What’s that,” young Steven asked.

“It’s my communicator,” Steven explained, “one of the gems must be trying to call me.”

He then pulled out the device and pressed a button on it. “Steven,” a woman’s voice with a British accent came out of the device.

Young Steven instantly recognized the voice. “Garnet,” he said softly.

“Everything okay, Garnet,” Steven spoke into the device.

“We found one of the kidnappers,” she exclaimed, “but we’re having trouble catching him, we need you and Connie, right now!”

“Thank you, authors,” Rose said softly.

Vihaan quickly shushed his older sister, “Shh, they may not know about the fourth wall.”

"Actually my kind not only has knowledge of the fourth wall but we regularly break it, just look at the first few chapters." Behemoth whispered to the sibling pair.

"Ummm, even though I'm ok with some humor shouldn't we focus on getting the Gems some help?" Steven asked the future versions of his family.

“You’re right, me,” Steven said awkwardly, “we’ve got no time to lose!”

He and Connie then latched onto each other. “Let’s go, hun,” Connie exclaimed.

Steven leapt into town, with Connie holding onto him tightly.

The kids and Team Alien watched the couple fly through the air. “I guess we’re running then.”

They quickly ran towards the town, knowing fully well that time was of the essence. As they ran into down they saw the reason why the Gems were having problems catching the kidnapper he wouldn't stand still. Everytime one of the gems would make a move he would either speed out of the way or somehow it wouldn't be able to hit him. He almost got away at one point, but his path was blocked when Steven threw down his shield.

"Woah!" The perp yelled out as he began to skitter across the boardwalk and began to move in a rather discord pattern. Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl cornered him on one side, Peridot, Lapis, and Bismuth on the other. Steven and Connie landed on his only means of escape, he was surrounded on all sides. Team Alien and the kids soon arrived, standing behind the Gems.

Pearl glanced back at them, “Rose, Vihaan, what are you doing here?” She then caught a glimpse of young Steven and Connie. “WHAAA?!”

"No time to explain, right now we got to focus!" Young Steven told the gems as they began to help surround the perp. Who was trying to look for a way out but he quickly gave up when he saw Behemoth. Upon further inspection, they all saw that the kidnapper was a giant cockroach. Pearl gagged at the sight of him.

Steven grabbed the bug by his antennae, “Alright, buddy, we’ve got a couple of questions.”

"If it's why am dealing on your turf the DJ guy told me that you guys wouldn't mind." The bug creature told Steven as he began to move his limbs nervously.

“Alright, everyone,” Steven said “let’s get back to the temple.”

***

The two teams found themselves standing in the living room of the temple, with the bug villain chained to a chair. Young Steven and Connie were surprised to see not only how the house had changed, but also how the gems had changed, especially Jasper.

"So Jasper how exactly did I--- I mean he help you?" Steven asked the former mad warrior Gem of Homeworld, hopefully he won't get too beat up.

“Well, he and Amethyst fused and beat me in the beta kindergarten,” Jasper explained, “and good thing too, I was so desperate to win that I was willing to fuse with a Corrupted Gem. I mean, who knows what could’ve happened to me if I did. After that, they bubbled me and I stayed in the burning room. Soon I was unbubbled in healing fountain, though I did try to attack you and other stuff I realized something. You kept on trying to help me and heal me, somafter everything was explained I decided to join you.”

"Wait me and Amethyst fused!?" The young half asked and Behemoth just internally facepalmed at what just happened.

"Another question what about Blue and Yellow Diamond?" Connie asked as she remembered the stories about them, and from when Blue Diamond was called to the school.

“I think it’s best we don’t spoil any of that minefield right now,” Steven said. He then turned to the villain, “Now where’s your boss holding the kids!!!”

"Hey I'm be a coward but I'm not an idiot, if I spill my guts to you no one will hire me and not to mention my head will be on a spike!" The bug creature exclaimed as he tried to wiggle out of the chains.

“Oh you’re gonna tell us,” Steven said aggressively.

“And why should I,” the overgrown cockroach exclaimed.

“Because,” Steven said as he shape shifted his mouth into that of a Predator’s and hissed at him. He then turned his mouth back to normal.

Young Steven watched with a shocked look on his face. “When do I learn to do that?” he asked Amethyst.

"Ha, please a Yajuta? I've seen more than a hundred of them in a week so unless you got something else, I'd suggest you do better." The bug creature taunted the older half gem with his senses of bravado growing.

"I know a way to make him talk." Behemoth informed the group as he began to walk towards the bug.

“Okay, but if this doesn’t work I’m going with plan D,” Steven said as he turned his hand into a drill.

"It will but I'm going to need someone to take the children away from here." Behemoth told him but his students started to get upset.

"Come on we want to stay we're heroes too!!" Steven exclaimed feeling a little angry about this.

"Yes Zim wants to see him squirm!" Zim yelled out in bloodlust.

"No, this not up for debate." He told them his eyes steely, voice strong and held fast like metal. Steven turned to the kids, “Celeste, take them up to your room.”

“But we wanna stay too dad,” Rose complained.

“No ‘buts’ young lady,” Connie interjected, “except for yours going up stairs.

Rose grumbled as she and the other children walked upstairs to Celeste’s room. Behemoth sighed as he got ready for what he planned to do.

"You may come out." After that sentence Behemoth's body went slump seemingly lifeless, but that would soon change. His body began to spaz out of control; his suit ripping as he grew bigger; next in some places his skin ripped showing muscle but soon metal filled in the gaps. As he rose, he opened his eyes showing nothing more than swirling metal orbs with unreadable emotions.

“Reminds me of the first time you entered Diamond Mode,” Amethyst said to Steven quietly. The new Behemoth just looked at the now shivering bug creature and smiled, he stomped towards him and ripped him out of the chains.

"Fresh Meat!!"

Connie nudged Steven “Don’t you think you should... you know... just in case he goes overboard.”

“Oh right,” Steven said, “Diamond Mode.” He then closed his eyes and his gem started to glow under his shirt. He reopened his eyes revealing them to have turned pink with Diamond-shaped pupils.

"Come on Shrapnel, do we have to do this?" The bug creature asked the new Behemoth in fear as he could feel his thorax being crushed.

"I haven't been out for a long so I'm going to do what I want." Shrapnel told the roach as he opened his mouth ready to eat the bug creature.

"Alright, alright I'll talk!!!" The bug creature screamed out.

“You can let him down now,” Steven called out.

"No, I want to taste his fear!!" Shrapnel yelled back as he began to lower the bug creature into his mouth. He only stopped when a large hand grabbed his arm and stopped him from eating the bug. He turned to see a giant shirtless Steven with pink eyes and Diamond-shaped pupils.

“I said that’s enough,” Steven ordered. Then in a surprising twist Shrapnel grabbed Steven's hand and began to do something shocking to the Gems. He made the Diamond mode Steven bend to his knees in pain, Shrapnel hissed to the half gem.

"You have no power over me all you are is vulnerable." Steven looked up at him with a pained smirk.

“So are you,” he said as he turned his other hand into metal and grasped Behemoth’s throat, choking him.

"Hahaha!! You think I need air all I need is metal, which you gladly gave." Soon the metal fist collapsed on itself causing a scream of pain from older Steven, Shrapnel seemed to love the sound until.

"Stop!!" He turned to see younger Steven with his eyes full of horror and terror, soon the metal orbs flashed a seas blue. Then Shrapnel's body began to contort and pulse as he began to turn back to normal.

"No, no, no I won't go back!!!" Shrapnel yelled out as he was now trapped again. The kids rushed over to Steven and Behemoth.

“Are you okay, Uncle Steven,” Celeste asked worriedly.

“I’ll be fine,” Steven panted, “Just need a little time... and some of mom’s healing tears.”

Connie pulled out a bottle of healing tears and poured a drop on him.

Amethyst walked up to Behemoth, “YOU WANNA TELL US WHAT THE $&@# THAT WAS?!!!” Behemoth gasped as he was extremely tired from the transformation.

"That was Shrapnel a being of pure evil, I had to trap him somehow so I chose my body. I only use him for more desperate situations but he's been going out of control." He explained to the purple gem.

“Ya ever think of freezing him and punching him into deep space,” Vihaan asked.

"He is not the physical plane but the mental, if I did that, he would just find another host. So, he is my cross to bear." Behemoth explained to the young child.

Nows not the time for bickering,” Steven said as he put his shirt and trench coat back on, “we have a roach here ready to spill his guts.”

As the adults listened to the bug squeal on his associates, Steven had a question or two for his hypothetical children.

“Why was older me giant just now,” he asked.

“I’m not sure we can tell you that,” Rose explained, “because that would spoil a major revelation about grandma.”

“That’s kinda ominous, but what about the tattoo,” he asked remembering he saw a tattoo of a rose bud on his older self’s left shoulder.

Rose crossed her arms, “How are we supposed to know that, you’ve had it ever since I was a baby.” Steven just felt like he now had more mysteries that he would experience in the future or maybe not. Anyway he turned to the bug who was so scared he didn't realize he could've just escaped a few minutes ago.

"So where are the kids?" Young Connie asked the venom in her deadly enough to kill an elephant.

“I’ll tell you whatever you want,” the bug screamed, “where my boss is, where the kids are, even my bank information!”

“We don’t need that,” Rose said annoyed, “we’re filthy stinkin’ rich.”

“YOU GUYS ARE RICH,” Young Steven and Connie exclaimed.

***

After learning everything about Odchodnik’s operation, they made their way to his base of operations. Soon they were outside a large construction site with a sign that read 'Bright Minds School: For The Future'

"Well this couldn't be any more obvious hideout." Gaz sighed out at the disguise.

“Here’s the plan,” Steven said in a demanding tone, “We’ll sneak into the compound and take out all the guards without alerting any of the others. After they’re knocked out, you kids need to lead the kidnapped children to safety. When all the kids are out, then we can take out Odchodnik. Hopefully this’ll be easier than the time I met Peter Griffin.”

***

Peter Griffin walked up to Steven and threw a suction cup dart at him. “I’m really into suction cup darts now,” Peter said without any emotion.

Steven just looked at him with an unimpressed glare, “You really have run out of ideas, haven’t you?”

“YES,” Peter exclaimed with eyes full of tears, “And the network just won’t cancel me!!!” Peter then broke down and started crying on the floor.

***

“What was that?” Young Steven asked.

“A cutaway,” Steven explained, “I was thinking maybe we could try doing them from now on.”

"Ummm, I hate to say something negative but I think the cut away gave us away." Dib told the group as they began to notice the large group of thugs around them. Everybody pulled out their weapons and leapt into battle. In a few short minutes the thugs were unconscious, too injured to move or knew better than to run away; next they began to walk towards the inside of the construction site.

“Well that was easy,” Pearl remarked, “maybe I will be able to join Mystery for his book club tonight.”

“Who’s Mystery,” Young Connie asked.

“A friend of hers,” Connie explained to her younger self, “he and his family moved to Beach City a while ago. If you guys end up meeting them, you’re really gonna like them.”

While Connie talked with her younger self, Rose walked up to Behemoth. “So why does Chodnodik want that ‘reguvinatum’ stuff?”

"It's a highly addictive drug similar to human stimulants, reguvinatium can make someone feel young and full of energy again. The odd thing about is the fact it can only affect adults, children or those with long lifespans are unaffected." Behemoth explained to the daughter of the older versions of his students.

“So then that means Uncle Steven and Aunt Connie are in danger,” Celeste cut in.

"Yes, that is true though I theorize that Steven may be fine due to his alien half." Behemoth told the magic girl as he put a hand to his chin.

“Well I don’t wanna take any chances,” Celeste said as she pulled out her wand. She then said a little incantation and a pink light appeared around Steven and Connie.

“What was that, Celeste,” Connie asked.

“Just a little protection spell,” Celeste replied.

“Hmm, you’re getting pretty good with the wand,” Steven remarked.

"I have to ask a rather obvious question but are of the Butterfly line?" Behemoth asked the young girl while the other kids soon paled.

“Yeah,” Celeste replied cheerfully, “I’m the daughter of King Marco Butterfly and Queen Star Butterfly.”

"Well it was nice to know Marco." Dib whispered to Steven who just glumly nodded about what they just heard.

"Let us focus on the mission, and hopefully Sir won't be too mad." Behemoth ordered his students while muttering the last part of his sentence.

The heroes quickly and quietly made their way through the base disabling every guard they came across.

“Well that was quick,” Rose remarked.

“Alright,” Steven said in a demanding tone, “now you guys need to lead the kids out of here.”

“But I wanna help,” Rose replied.

“No ‘buts,’ young lady,” Connie said firmly, “except for yours running out of here with all the other kids.”

“Ugh, fine,” Rose sighed, “Everyone, follow us!!!”

All the kidnapped children followed her orders and followed the young heroes to freedom.

"Seriously the is a breeze!" Amethyst exclaimed but the universe decided to make things a bit harder.

“Amethyst, no,” Steven screamed.

"Oh really lassie?" An Irish voice asked the purple gem, soon as the group turn they could see a group of ten all ranging in heights and looks giving them the death glare.

"Oh dear." Behemoth muttered out in worry.

“So I take it these guys are the big bad’s closest lackeys,” Steven asked Behemoth.

"Yes and whatever you do never make fun O'Riley." Behemoth whispered to the older Steven his voice dead serious.

"So how'd ya like to die?" A short red haired man wearing dark shamrock green clothing asked the group. Amethyst started laughing uproariously.

“What’s so funny lass,” O’Riley asked confusedly.

“It’s just– I didn’t expect to be fighting a leprechaun,” she tried to say through her laughter. She then turned back to the others, “Hey! Ya think if I punched him in the gut he’d puke Lucky Charms?!”

Bismuth raised an eyebrow, “That’s just dirty.”

‘Boy am I glad Rose isn’t here right now,’ Steven thought to himself, ‘knowing her she’d add to it and make it worse.’

The red man quickly began to huff and puff, his face went red, and steam seemed to be coming out from his ears.

"Ya making fun of me ya dafty little blighter!!?!!?" The leprechaun yelled out extremely angry at what the purple gem said. Meanwhile Behemoth just faced palm at the action of the purple gem. Amethyst started to wheeze, she had laughed too hard. “You’re really not helping your case dude.”

“Any specific powers we need to worry about here?” Steven asked Behemoth.

"He's a leprechaun, cousins of dwarves let's just say it's going to be a mess." Behemoth answered and soon older Steven saw why, soon the man launched himself in Amethyst's gut causing her to go flying.

“They’re aiming for the gut guys,” Jasper exclaimed, “get ‘em!”

Soon the field was in chaos with everyone trying not to get squashed, impaled or possibly eaten. Garnet was facing off an octopus like creature always having a limb up on the situation. Pearl was facing what seemed to be in a fencing metal man who seemed to be disinterested in the fight.

"Yeoch!!" The octopus creature yelled out and then sprayed a navy blue liquid at the fusion. Which caused the fusion to let go and try to clear her vision.

Meanwhile with Pearl and the metal man fencer was a rather strange with the metal man talking while attacking.

"I must say your style is rather unique if not crude.” The metal man commented on Pearl’s sword fighting.

“I may be a little rusty,” Pearl said with an upturned nose, “but training isn’t the first thing you think about when you’re raising a child.”

"Hmm, never understood why people have children to my life givers just think I'm a mistake." The metal sword fighter told the alabaster gem seemingly upset.

"I'm a general of an interdimensional crime Lord yet they still want me to be a miner." He added as he blocked a swing from Pearl. The metallic man then lunged at Pearl, but she quickly leapt back and sliced off his arm.

“And I used to be considered a living purse,” Pearl replied, “we decide who we want to be.”

"First I made from metal remember, and besides I chose to be a general." The metal man told her as the limb soon moved and grabbed Pearls gem. Seeing that Pearl needed help, Amethyst quickly grappled the limb with her whip and swung it around, smacking O’Riley in the face.

“Thank you, Amethyst,” Pearl exclaimed.

Amethyst nodded her head ,“No problem, P.”

Meanwhile Jasper was fighting a four armed creature with only three fingers on his hands and seemed to be doing good at holding the gem back. Peridot was currently having difficulty with a small creature with gravity powers. The small creature smugly chortled at Peridot.

“You won’t be laughing for too long, clod,” Peri roared.

She made the index finger of her right limb enhancer spin rapidly. She then pointed it at the wall behind her and fired the finger like a bullet.

The small creature laughed uproariously, “Ha! You missed!”

Peridot adjusted her visor, “Did I?”

Her finger ricocheted around the site before finding its mark in the back of the small creature. It felt like a dull drill was trying burrow it’s way into his back.

"Ow, you know what no more misses nice girl!!" The creature yelled out and decreased her gravity field causing Peridot and the finger to float in the air.

“A little help over here,” Peridot called out. Steven quickly threw his shield at the creature, knocking her down. However that distraction caused a huge elephant like creature to try and stomp on him.

"Look out!!" Behemoth yelled out as he pushed the older Steven and took the stomp. Steven growled at the creature, “Looks like I’ve got to teach you how I earned the nickname, ‘The Forest King.’”

“I ain’t interested in a long story, old man,” the elephant creature said in a booming voice.

Steven smirked, “It’s more of a demonstration, really.”

He plunged his fists into the ground. Colossal vines then shot out of the ground and wrapped around the beast. A small bud appeared around it’s face and released a cloud of spores. The elephant creature then fell to the ground, knocked out by the spores.

Steven rushed over to Behemoth, “Don’t worry, I’ll fix you.” He quickly spat on Behemoth. Actually, surprisingly Behemoth seemed to be alright despite the fact that he was spat on.

"I'm believe that my human for might not be a spectacular choice for this fight." Soon Behemoth began to grow as his skin changed to dark greens, two arms sprouted from his sides, a huge tail sprouted from his end, and soon he was no longer human but a 40ft tall crocodile like creature.

“Oh, I see what you’re getting at,” Steven said with confidence. He removed his shirt and trench coat, and then a light enveloped his gem. When the light faded, his gem had shifted it’s position to point upwards. He opened his eyes, revealing them to be pink with Diamond shaped pupils.

“Let’s do this,” he said as he grew to the size of Behemoth. Meanwhile Amethyst had O'Reilly cornered and ready to hit him in his lucky charms.

"So any last words little man?" Amethyst asked really tired of the little man, who looked up and gave her a grin.

"How do you like kebobs lassie?" The leprechaun asked the purple gem, who looked confused. Until an arrow with the shaft covered in strange runes shot through her head. Amethyst’s form the dissipated, and she retreated into her gem.

“Amethyst,” Garnet exclaimed. She then launched her gauntlet at O’Reilly, pinning him to a nearby wall. She then raced over to her comrade and picked up her gem, inspecting for cracks and breaks. Unfortunately that proved to be a terrible idea as she was then dropped kick by the archer. Who was a tall human like woman with long silver hair, cold icy eyes, pale snow skin and ears that ended in a slight point.

"My, my what interesting little trinkets. I wonder how you'll look in chains." The woman said as she withdrew a slender scimitar. Before she could attack Garnet, Connie threw her sandal at the elf’s hand, knocking away the blade.

She quickly grasped her hand in pain, “Who throws a shoe?! Honestly?!”

"A mother who has to take care of three kids!" Older Connie yelled back as she dodged a punch from a four armed red alien creature, but she just gave the elf woman an idea.

"Her nightmares sanda, her fears realitime, care- mana se dreads truth." She whispered under breath, and soon wisps of dark lilac magic flowed from her finger tips into Connie's ear. The sword fighter felt pain but ignored it but as she looked back to face her adversary the environment was different. The sky was darkened blood red, her children hollowed out and stuffed, the gems shattered, and worst of all a huge heart shaped figure was standing above her holding Steven's dead body.

"Did he honestly think I could be trapped forever?" The heart figure mused as she squeezed the body to pulp.

A chill ran down Connie’s spine, but she still stood tall. “You think this is the first time someone’s tried to pull this stunt on me?”

She then pulled out another sword and threw it at the figure, causing her, and everything around her to vanish in a puff of smoke.

The elf stood there, stunned by Connie’s indominable will. “That was your worst nightmare,” she said, utterly agast, “you should be a quivering mess right now!”

Connie picked up her other sword. “It’s like I said; I’m a mother with three kids to take care of, I don’t have time to be scared.”

She then pointed one of her blades at the elf. “Now I thinks it’s time I send you back to Middle Earth... crying!”

As Connie began to rush towards the elf the ground began to shake and rumble, and the higher ups began to smile. Soon a enormous copper colored drill pierced the earth followed by a futuristic drilling vechile. The elf woman kneeled down to it and began to speak a strange language.

"Λυπάμαι το βασιλιά μου δεν θα μπορούσα να τα καλύτερα." Then something odd began to happen, the vehicle began to shift and change like it was alive. In the vehicles place was a Titan of metal, 50ft tall, shoulders wider, heavy tred like feet, red glowing eyes, and one of his arms was the drill.

"Don't worry Rania, I'll handle this." The massive machine told his Commander as he stomped towards the group. He pulled out six strange spike like devices from his shoulder and whispered.

"Seek them out." The six devices then shot out like misses impeding themselves in each of the gems.

"Ha, what was that for?!" Jasper called out hurt but not poofed yet, the robot just smiled as he pressed a few buttons on his arm. Which caused black hole like portals to open up in the gems sucking all their light into the mini black hole. Amethyst’s gem then flowed and she popped out of it.

“What did I miss,” she gasped as she saw the state of the other gems.

“Don’t know,” Steven said quickly, “and I don’t really want to find out!”

He then turned to look at Connie, “You two take the others and get them to safety!”

“I’m not leaving you behind, Steven,” Connie exclaimed.

“He’ll be fine,” Behemoth said, “he has me.”

Steven looked at his wife, with sincerity and confidence in his eyes, “Trust me, I’m not going anywhere this time.”

Connie didn’t say anything, she just nodded, grabbed half of the gems, and retreated with Amethyst, who was carrying the other half of the Crystal Gems. "Odchodnik, surrender peacefully and no further harm shall come to you and your family." Behemoth tried to negotiate with the massive machine who just glared at the two giants.

"Ha, like I would listen to someone of your status Mangler." Odchodnik mocked the two as he walked up to the two as he signaled the others to escape.

"Oh then eat this!!" Steven yelled out as he threw out an enormous version of his shield, which did nothing as Odchodnik revved up his drill arm and shattered the shield to dust. Steven pulled out two more shields,

“I’ve got plenty more where that came from!”

Steven and Behemoth then charged at the titan. Behemoth led first with a hand strike aimed to Odchodnik's shoulder, while it sped towards him the Cybertronian grabbed Behemoth's arm and preformed a Judo throw. Older Steven followed up with a right hook but was foiled when the robot delivered a side kick to his side. Odchodnik laughed, “You organics just don’t know when to give up, do you?”

“We call it ‘tenacity,’” Steven said as he spat out some blood, “it makes giving up hard for us.”

“Well then it looks like I need to teach you,” Odchodnik said as he cracked his metallic knuckles, “and after that, I’ll take back my slaves, and add your kids to my collection!”

At that moment, something inside Steven snapped: everything went red, and the only thing he could see was the transforming robot.

In his intense rage, Steven raced over to Odchodnik and punched him in the face so hard, he created a dent that crushed his eye.

“I’LL KILL YOU,” Steven roared. Odchodnik placed his regular hand in his face and felt the energon drip from his face, the crime boss just grinned at the prospect at this.

"Finally an organic that can actually fight!" He exclaimed as he began to charge towards the half gem with impressive speed and began to deliver a devastating blow. Odchodnik revved up his drill and stabbed it into Steven's upper chest.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!!!" Behemoth roared out as he tackled the cybertronian and the two Titans began to shake the Earth, with each punch creating shockwaves.

“Behemoth,” Steven called out, “keep him busy, I have an idea!”

He then put his hands together in front of his chest, as if he were praying.

"I'll try!!" Behemoth bellowed as he began to try and wrestle the giant metal man into submission, but it seemed to be like trying to grab a hold of a slimed hagfish. Odchodnik noticed Steven and tried to get out of Behemoth’s grasp, but every time he got free, he was pulled back in.

"Are you really willing to risk you're life for this mudling and this planet?!" The metal man roared out as he began to try and stab Behemoth with his Drill arm. Behemoth grabbed the appendage and bent it the other way trying to hold it still.

"If it means to extinguish the flames of villainy and tyranny then so be it! Steven do it know!!!" Behemoth bellowed out to the half gem. Steven opened his eyes, revealing them to be glowing white. Bright light then surrounded his hand as he pointed his palms at Odchodnik.

“I call upon Butterfly’s Decree,” he said, voice echoing throughout the facility.

Odchodnik pushed Behemoth away and charged at Steven, but pillars of light surrounded him then engulfed him.

***

Meanwhile, outside the site, Connie and Amethyst dragged the gems away from the battle.

“Mom,” the pair heard as they lugged their companions around.

They looked up to see the kids running towards them.

“What happened,” Young Steven asked.

“The guy in charge appeared and attacked them,” Connie explained.

“Well that explains that,” Dib said, “but WHAT’S HAPPENING THERE?!!!”

They then turned to see the mine was glowing.

Celeste gasped, “Butterfly’s Decree.”

“What,” Rose asked.

“That’s Butterfly’s Decree, my mom’s most powerful spell,” Celeste explained, “it drains an enemy’s power and will to fight with magical light.”

"Behemoth!!" Young Steven, Young Connie and Dib yelled out and raced to the mine; fearful for what might've happened to their teacher.

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

Back at the mine the light faded away, revealing a still standing Odchodnik and a frozen in place Behemoth as if something was going on in his mind. Suddenly the Cybertronian took a step towards Steven it's face contorted in anger and rage. But before he could get further he fell to one knee and warned Steven.

"You may've beaten me now, but barely. Next we met and I will be free you and your family are going to be working for me for a millennia." The bot's optics then slowly faded showing that he was unconscious.

“You’ll die trying,” Steven said softly. Soon the kids arrived at the scene and the the students saw their frozen teacher not even moving a muscle. Young Steven zoomed to him in worry ready to spit on him to try and heal him, The reptile then shook himself awake, as if a chill ran down his spine.

“What happened,” Behemoth said with his hand on his forehead.

“Sorry,” Steven said apologetically, “Butterfly’s Decree only hurts the enemies of the user, but for some reason it temporarily stuns anyone within a close proximity.”

"Are you ok?" Steven asked hoping that there wouldn't be anything too bad.

"No, just a tad stark but nothing a good rest will fix." Behemoth answered as he began to stretch trying to loosen his muscles.

"That's good but what about tin man?" Amethyst asked staying away from the unconscious robot.

“He’s down... for now,” Steven said.

Celeste look at Odchodnik with a puzzled expression. “That’s weird; people hit with Butterfly’s Decree usually end up pale, quivering, traumatized messes. Why didn’t it do that to him?”

“Maybe it’s because he’s a robot,” Young Connie supplied.

"That is a feasible theory, magic tends to effect beings differently. Now all that is left is to take this scoundrel to jail." Behemoth added on to Young Connie's theory and told the group as he walked to Odchodnik.

"Wait what about the others?" Dib asked looking over his shoulders trying to see any other being. Behemoth was quiet for a bit thinking how to deal with this problem.

"Nothing right now, we don't know where they could've gone but without Odchodnik they won't get the operations running. We could ask for some assistance but I do not want to bother them." Behemoth answered his young student. The other gems then snapped awake. “What happened,” Garnet asked, very groggy.

“We won,” Rose explained, older Steven sighed a breath of relief, happy to see his family was okay. Later, the two teams stood in front of the temple, bidding each other goodbye. Steven put his hand on Behemoth’s shoulder.

“You take good care of me, alright.”

"Oh don't fret I'll try but you have an aptitude when it comes for finding it." Behemoth assured the older version of his student as he began to open the portal. Young Steven approached his older self.

“There’s still so much I want to ask you.”

Older Steven knelt down to his young counterpart. “Now I can’t tell you anything major, but I can leave you with this.”

He then closed and reopened his eyes, revealing that they had turned pink with Diamond-Shaped pupils. “Not everything is as it seems.”

Young Steven just quietly gasped in wonder at what he just saw and began to think of the ideas that those pupils meant. Young Connie then came up to her older counterpart with her eyes looking down to the ground.

"Am I really going to be this great or this just an outlier dimension?"

“I think you’re on the right track to becoming me,” Older Connie said confidently, “just keep training and talking to Steven, it’ll be very helpful down the line.”

The young girl just gave a hopeful smile at what her older version said and quickly looked at the two children.

"I have to say you two are amazing, and I'm lucky to be one of the few people to actually meet their kids before their born." Rose and Vihaann blushed. Without saying a word, Rose hugged the younger version of her mother.

“Thanks, mom.” The girl told the younger version of her Mom. Young Connie was surprised by the hug bit returned it.

"Thanks dear, I'm already proud of you." Connie then slowly let go of Rose.

Vihaan then turned to Dib, Zim, and Gaz.

“Ya know,” he started, “I think I’m gonna try to find out if you guys exist here. Maybe see about meeting up with you.”

"Well prepared to be amaze by this version mighty me!!" Zim called out his pride echoing in his voice.

"Just try not to be disappointed too much ok." Dib informed the child, feeling like this world's version would probably be a joke.

"You probably won't find me." Gaz deadpanned as she began to pull out her game system. As the team began to walk into the portal Behemoth stopped for a bit.

"I'd feel rather discontented if we did not do anything to mark this chapter of our lives, how many of would like to partake in a picture?”

Older Steven chuckled “Sure.”

Team Alien and the Crystal Gems quickly began to get into picture ready group but there were a few problems.

"Zim desist from using your arachnid legs, and stand with the children." Behemoth sternly told Zim like a parent to a child.

Zim grumbled something (most likely alien profanity) and joined the other kids.

Behemoth pressed the timer button on the camera and ran to join the others.

“Everyone say ‘Future,’” older Steven said jovially.

“Future,” everyone repeated as the camera flashed.

After flash died down one could see a picture of mismatched characters of various sizes, shapes, and tones. Some would be a little weird out by this but others would call it friends or family. When Team Alien received their copy of the picture they went back into the portal waving goodbye.

Thanks @ask-sfsf

#su #invader zim #oc #svtfoe

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reese-weasley · 3 years ago

Text

{ CHARACTER BIO; reese weasley } i'm not interested in preserving the status quo i want to overthrow it.

BASICS

Name: Harrison Reese Weasley Nicknames: Reese, because he was named after his uncle/godfather, so he goes by his middle name. Name Meaning: Reese; fiery and passionate. Age: 31 Gender: male Sexuality: heterosexual Place of Birth: London, England Birthday: July 1st Currently Lives: London, England Nationality/Species: English, wizard Occupation: defense attorney Blood Status: half-blood Patronus: hawk Army Affiliation: The Resistance

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

Build: tall, muscular Height: 6′1 Hair Color: auburn Eye Color: blue Distinguishing Marks or Tattoos: he has various tattoos, some of which being his wedding vows to Marcie on the left side of his chest, a bird that matches his brother’s, and his sons’ birth dates and times on the inside of his left wrist. Face Claim: Chris Evans.

PERSONALITY

Positives: dedicated, genius, open-minded, trustworthy, wise. Flaws & Weaknesses: bossy, hardheaded, proud, know-it-all, sarcastic. Personality Type: ISTJ, “the Logistician” introverted, observant, thinking, and judging personality traits, reserved yet willful, with a rational outlook on life. Character Label: The Polymath Likes & Dislikes: likes - reading, going to the gym, fall, halloween, quidditch. dislikes - not getting his way, not being in control or the boss, things not going the way he wants. Fears: nothing extreme, but he can become obsessive when it comes to his family’s well-being. Etc:

SCHOOL

Former House: Slytherin Best Class: he had near perfect marks in everything Worst Class: n/a Quidditch: he played beater from 2-7th year and was captain 6th and 7th. Extra-Curricular: Prefect, Head Boy, Dueling Club, Slug Club, Drama Club, Frog Choir

FIVE SONG CHARACTER PLAYLIST

Gold; Imagine Dragons.

Style; Taylor Swift.

Whatever It Takes; Imagine Dragons.

Blinding Lights; The Weeknd.

High Hopes; Panic! At The Disco.

RELATIONSHIPS

Wife: Marcie Graves-Weasley Children: Toby and Gene Graves-Weasley; three year-old twins. Parents: Hermione Granger-Weasley and Ron Weasley Siblings: Hugo and Reese Weasley Siblings: Hugo and Rose Weasley Niece: Ilsa Malfoy-Weasley Nephew: Lucien Malfoy-Weasley Other Family: the Potters, the Weasleys Pets: their dogs, Olaf and Pumpkin, and cats, Henry and Mistletoe. Best Friend: Emmett Rowle, Jasper Travers, Teddy Lupin Potter Friends: Alice Davies

BIO

Reese was always ahead of other kids his age intellectually. He could already read and write by an early age, and taught himself piano, not because he’s musically gifted, but because of the patterns music made. Even before he went to Hogwarts, he’d already read his way through most of the required reading for his first year’s curriculum.

When he arrived at Hogwarts, the Hat wanted to put him in Ravenclaw initially, given his high IQ, but his drive for perfection and ambition won out. While at Hogwarts, he was prefect and eventually Head Boy. Reese always hung around the older kids at school, and kept to himself most of the time, preferring to be around a smaller group of close friends. It wasn’t because he was anti-social, it was because he had a hard time getting his brain to actually turn off. He finally found an outlet in Quidditch. It gave him a distraction, even though his goal-scoring skills came more so by mental mathematical equations, probability and reasoning, rather than actual athletic ability - though he he had that as well.

After graduation, Reese went to muggle university, Cambridge to study law. He went through the coursework fairly quickly and teaches law classes part-time when he’s not working as a lawyer. Since his mother is a muggleborn, Reese focuses more on taking cases dealing with half-blood and muggleborn injustice, or going against what could be expected of him and taking a lot of cases representing former, wrongfully convicted Death Eaters.

#&& bio.

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the-edge-of-great · 7 years ago

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14 - Henry Danger (Henry and anyone)

This ended up being a lot longer than I planned, sorry lol But hope you enjoy!

Warning: Drug use ahead

“Literally everything about this is illegal.”

Henry breathed a laugh. He glanced over his shoulder, meeting his best friend’s eyes. “That’s the fun of it,” he replied, smirking.

Jasper huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Well, I don’t see the fun in any of this.”

“Jasp, c’mon. Live a little!” Henry tried.

“No! Do you know what Ray will say when he finds out? What Charlotte will say?!”

Henry reassured, “They won’t find out!”

Jasper opened his mouth, ready for another approach to talk his best friend out of whatever he was planning to do, but he froze when a guy walked over to him. The guy was in their grade and more Henry’s friend than Jasper’s. He may have a name, but Jasper only ever heard the guy’s nickname, “The Hippie.” Henry didn’t talk to him much, but they had a few classes together and talked a lot at school. Jasper glared at the guy sat between them, brown bag in hand.

“All right!” Hippie exclaimed, grinning at his buddies. “Who’s ready?”

“Me!” Henry answered, eagerly snatching the bag from the guy. It was a clear sandwich bag with two thin rolls inside.

“Not me,” Jasper declared, shaking his head. “There’s no way I’m trying that stuff.”

“Jasper,” Henry whined.

“Hey, hey, if he doesn’t want to, he doesn’t have to.” Hippie smiled. “I’m not gonna make you do anything tonight.”

Jasper scowled ‘cause he wanted to hate the guy for talking Henry into this, but Hippie was too nice to despise. So, Jasper settled with moving around the table and watching the two with a nervous glower.

“Okay,” Hippie began, taking the bag in his hands again, “so since this is your first time, don’t try to be a big shot, all right? Take it slow, I promise we won’t laugh much if you choke or something.” He paused to throw an amused look at Jasper, hoping to ease the tension a little. Hippie’s face fell when he was met with a stern look.

“You sure you don’t wanna take a hit, Jasper? You look like you could you unwind a bit.”

“Thought you weren’t gonna pressure me?”

“Hey, I’m not. Just suggesting.” Hippie shrugged, turning back to Henry. He fished a lighter from his pocket and grabbed one of the joints from the bag. “So, you gotta just roast this for a second, okay? Don’t puff till I say.”

Henry nodded. As Hippie slipped the joint in Henry’s hand and began roasting the end of it, Henry felt a bit nervous. He’d grown up being taught getting high and marijuana in general was bad news and illegal. The practice still was, at least at the age of seventeen. What would his parents think of what he’s about to do?

Henry stole a glance at Jasper. He’d never seen his best friend so stern, so serious. Jasper met his gaze. Henry smiled nervously. Jasper sighed, offering a toothless halfhearted grin in return.

After a moment or two of roasting the joint, Hippie decided it was the moment they’d been waiting for! He demonstrated taking the first hit, inhaling deeply, waiting a moment, and exhaling through his nose.

“Don’t take that big of a breath, ‘cause you’re gonna choke on it,” Hippie advised. “Take it easy at first, then work your way up.”

Jasper fished his phone out of his pocket. He ran his fingers over the screen, contemplating options as he watched Henry take the first hit. Henry cleared it with ease, watching with wide eyes as the smoke filtered out his nose.

Jasper’s phone came to life with a blinding light. The time stared up at him, seeming to remind the kid how much of a bad idea this whole thing was. 1:30 in the morning? When he and Henry had work the next day? Jasper scowled, rubbing his face. Bad ideas everywhere!

He was dialing a number before he even realized he was doing it. Jasper knew he should’ve done this first, the second he saw Hippie approaching from the parking lot. Jasper guessed he hoped Henry would call it quits and make the right decision, but clearly that was too big a gamble.

Jasper sighed, slipping out of the picnic table. He walked a few feet away until he was out of hearing range. As he pressed the phone to his ear, he turned and watched the spot he’d just left his best friend, growing more and more high and vulnerable. He could’ve dragged Henry to the car and forced him to stop smoking, but Henry was too fast for Jasper. HIs reflexes would kick in and Jasper would never be able to hold him.

“This is the Captain Man hotline,” a tired voice answered. “You better be dying, ‘cause it’s too early for this.”

Jasper cleared his throat, rubbed his neck, and said slowly, “Heeeeey Captain Maan….”

Ray growled, “I’m hanging up.”

“It’s about Henry!” Jasper cried. He slapped a hand over his mouth and glanced back at the two he left behind. Did they hear that? God, he hoped not.

There was a pause, then a sharp question, “What about Henry? Is he okay?”

Jasper chewed on his lip. Henry’s gonna hate me. “We’re in the park. Henry’s smoking weed with a guy from our class. I tried talking him out of it, but it didn’t work. I figure he’ll listen to you more?”

“Smoking weed’s illegal in Swellview, right?” Ray sounded further from the phone now. Jasper hoped that meant he was about to transform.

“When you’re seventeen it is.”

“Okay, on my way. Son, make sure he doesn’t move.”

“Got it.”

Henry and Hippie were on their feet, humming loudly to a song Jasper couldn’t really figure out. They were kinda just dancing around, bobbing their heads to their own music.

“Jasper!” Henry cried. “Here. Throw my phone at me.”

“What?” Jasper asked, eyes wide. “Why would I do that?”

“I wanna see if my reflexes are normal again!”

Jasper really did want to chuck Henry’s phone at his face or something. Maybe it would knock some sense into him.

“Hen, you can’t even see me. It’s too dark.”

“Is not.” Henry stumbled forward. There was a thud followed by a hiss of pain. “There’s no way I was that close to the table.”

A pair of headlights turned down the park street. Jasper panicked, grabbing Henry’s arm and dragging him behind a tree. Hippie staggered, looking around. He mumbled in question of his friends’ whereabouts.

“Captain Man?” Hippie asked, squinting at the superhero walking toward him. A bright light shined in his face and Hippie hissed.

Jasper stepped into the open, grip tight on Henry’s wrist. “Thank God,” he whispered, pulling Henry toward their boss.

“You called Captain Man?” Hippie spat as Jasper approached.

“Yeah. What of it?” Jasper spat.

“Okay, hey,” Captain Man snapped, shoving between the two. He turned and faced Hippie, shining his light at the boy’s shoes. “This boy tells me you’re out here getting high on marijuana you’re not legally allowed to have.”

Hippie scoffed. “So is Henry!”

“And he’ll be dealt with, right after you. C’mon, let’s go.”

Hippie scowled as he turned and walked toward the parking lot. Captain Man looked at Jasper, then nodded in the same direction. Watch him, his face said. Jasper nodded and jogged off, keeping an eye on his peer.

Captain Man turned to Henry. He grabbed the boy’s shoulder, glanced him over, made mental notes of things that looked out of the ordinary. To his relief, his sidekick was okay.

“I can’t believe Jasper called you,” Henry mumbled.

“You’re lucky I got here before the police did,” Ray snapped, eyes narrowed. “If you were anyone else, I’d take you to jail.”

Henry smiled a little. “Heh, sidekick benefits?”

“Don’t push it. I still may drop you off on the way back.”

The sidekick fell silent after that. Captain Man grabbed the boy’s arm and walked him to the Man Van. Jasper and Hippie stood side by side, Jasper watching the kid’s every move like a hawk.

“You can head home, Jasper. I’ve got it from here.”

Jasper nodded slowly. With a final look at his best friend, Jasper climbed in his car and drove off.

Henry woke the next morning in a strange room. There were no windows or anything on the gray walls. He sat up, panicked. Was he in the hospital? What happened last night? His heart began to speed up.

Then, Ray walked in. He had a water bottle tucked under his arm and a bottle of ibuprofen in his hand. Henry slumped against the bed board and asked, “I’m not in the hospital?”

“No.” Henry sighed with relief. Ray tossed the water and pills onto Henry’s bed. He explained, “No, I was such a nice guy that I took you to the Man Cave instead of home for your parents to see you all smoked up on weed and junk. So I’m expecting a thanks or something.”

Henry smiled. “Thanks, Ray.” He cracked open the water and poured a few pills in his hand.

Ray leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. “If I ever find out you’ve done that again, you’re fired.”

Henry choked on his water. He lurched forward, hand covering his mouth as he coughed. When he had calmed, Henry looked at his boss.

“What?!”

“What if there had been an emergency last night, hm? You weren’t in the right mind to help anyone. Not even yourself. You could’ve walked in front of a car and then it’d be bye-bye Henry!”

Henry pursed his lips. He began to speak, but Ray beat him to it, “Not to mention, what you were doing was illegal. If you had been caught, it’d be out of my hands. You’d be at the mercy of the law.”

That may have frightened Henry the most. Here he was thinking he was untouchable because he was Captain Man’s sidekick, that nothing bad could happen. And while that was true for the most part (Ray would protect that kid with his life), there are some things even Captain Man can’t defend him from.

“I get it,” Henry said slowly. He sighed, scratching his nose.”Sorry.”

Ray took a deep breath. “It’s okay, kid.” He wasn’t exactly mad at Henry for what he did. Teenagers make mistakes, after all. There would probably be plenty more and Ray would have to threaten to fire the kid again (though by now, there was no firing Henry. Ray figured that out a few years in, but as long as Henry didn’t know, the effect still worked).

“You’re a smart kid. You better make some better decisions next time.”

Henry nodded, biting back a smile. “Yes sir!”

Ray turned to leave. As he moved, he lunged toward Henry and ruffled his hair. The teen recoiled, swatting at Ray’s hand while complaining.

“Not the hair!” he yelled. I hangout with him way too much, Henry thought as he gazed up at his boss.

“Don’t do drugs,” Ray basically ordered as a passing word, shooting a finger gun at his sidekick and running out of the room.

Henry shook his head, smoothing out his hair. “Yeah, yeah,” he mumbled, smiling. “I promise.”

#henry danger #henry hart #jasper dunlop #ray manchester #charlotte bolton #schwoz #weed #smoke weed every day #im kidding #dialogue prompt #prompt #send me numbers yall #request something

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savage-rhi · 7 years ago

Text

First 20 Pages of Ravage

@msaruetar

@dontunderestimatemypoison

//Tagging you guys because you showed interest. I would like some feedback if you got the time! For anyone else, this is the first section or two of my novel on Rhi and her world I’ve been working on. I’m finally getting close to getting the manuscript done then have to go through editing. If you got any tips or feedback yourself, let me know! I will appreciate constrictive feedback!

Story is below the line

RAVAGE CITY

THE POISON APPLE

9:30PM

The neon colors of Ravage City illuminated the fixers red green eyes. Wild abandon had hit the citizens as nightfall sparked to life. It was time to party. A time to give into primal desires. Fucking, drinking, dancing, all of it could be done with no qualms. For Rhi, this was a time to hunt, and she had her gaze on a target.

Rhi found the hotshot heading towards The Poison Apple--a stripper and sex joint that catered to high fantasy with gene junkies. Rhi snorted with a low growl when her target disappeared into the confines of the red light establishment. There was no way in hell she was going to waste her time going in there to look for her mark. Not with the headache that was pounding the side of her head like a drummer banging with wild abandon

A migraine didn’t compare to the pressure splitting numbness that built up in her nasal cavity and frontal lobe. She felt like her face had been socked in by a pro wrestler thirty times over. At this point, Rhi wished some idiot would come up and do just that, deck her hard so she wouldn’t have to deal with the irritation of her nose being set on fire from the putrid musks that filled the crisp night air. Her olfactory zone was overstimulated from the scents of humans around her. Tar and bile, candy and oil, artificial strawberry and lemon zest all permeated from the the sweat of people that passed her by. Like a trained bloodhound, Rhi could pinpoint anyone as long as she had their smell. In a large group however, she tended to get overwhelmed. That’s precisely why she didn’t find her target Flint Jasper until now, the bastard caught onto that weakness of hers earlier in the week as she spied on him.

While waiting for Flint to come out, Rhi mentally went through her assignment. First Casey Moniker, a crime boss, had contracted her to go after Flint on suspicion of embezzlement. Second, she needed capture the thief and bring him to Casey. Third, if Flint tried anything Rhi was allowed to take matters into her own hands. Granted that meant getting her bounty fee cut in half considering Casey wanted Flint alive. Before she could continue further, Rhi grimaced upon catching a whiff of expired milk and jelly emitting from a woman that bumped into her during a drunken haze. Rhi forcibly pushed the intoxicated gal away, earning a fit of laughs as the scantily clad female swayed off.

Why do people have to stink so fucking bad? Rhi thought to herself after taking out a Crime Wave cigarette, shoving it into her mouth and quickly lit it up while waiting for her target to leave the establishment. Probably getting his dick wet with cunny juice. Who could blame Flint? Sex was good. The ladies and men that worked in The Poison Apple were sexy for gene junkies to boot.

The aroma of peach and weed musk filled her taste buds with a fervor. Nothing could ever beat the natural taste and smell of Crime Waves. Best of all Rhi couldn’t get high from them. The marijuana however allowed her to tune out most smells. Rhi could feel a pleasant hum floating in her nose now, the marijuana in the product saiting her olfactory zone for the time being. It was a terrible habit of hers, smoking. Rhi didn’t care. It helped her fit in with the local nightlife and spared her a couple hours of smelling genetic defaults in human sweat. Once upon a time when she didn’t have Crime Wave cigarettes to tame her senses, Rhi would get so fed up with the smells she’d end up killing the people that stood out the most in the crowd. Now that she learned to adapt to human society, Rhi realized that was a big no no to kill on the spot. Well, unless she was having a treat yourself day.

Inhaling for a final time, Rhi allowed the smoke to snake through her nostrils as she exhaled then put the rest of the cigarette out. She took a moment to gauge in her surroundings. There were hologram commercials playing on every corner, with the same stout middle aged man in everyone but with different attire from glittered out tuxedos to wearing nothing but a cowboy hat or doing an impersonation of Prince. Pop up Wheezy was the name of the actor. DNA havoc! Ravage’s favorite alcoholic beverage! Try out the new doberman flavor! Exotic and raw! Straight to your tongue! The Vipers Den has everything! Sex, drinks, 80s music, and personal rooms to cater to whatever devious shit your little heart can think of! Book a conference room now! You win some you lose some, but you’ll always be welcome at Drongos. Ravage’s finest watering hole! Let us cater to you! Rhi wasn’t sure which was more annoying: Pop up Wheezy, or humans in general. Both probably.

A couple passed by Rhi as she watched The Poison Apple doors like a hawk. Rhi caught the actions of the two for a brief moment out of curiosity. Their eyes were a mess of blues, reds, and greens. Eye coloration like that was usually a dead giveaway that said person was a gene junkie. It was quite common on the streets of Ravage to encounter people who have dabbled with animal genes. Using high powered chemical cocktails to enhance one’s physicality via the traits of other organisms. It became an overnight sensation in the black market, genie, once upon a time, but had the worst side effects.

Their laughter got under Rhi’s skin. Especially the male who doused himself up with a genie cocktail of cat and frog DNA. He had bulbous eyes like a frog but the fleshy orbs had that signature cat slit as the pupil. His feline features, the whiskers and button nose, were enhanced by his laughter, though he couldn’t help but make a ribbiting sound in his throat as the flesh would bob in time. The female, whom Rhi assumed might have been a girlfriend or fuck buddy, had canine DNA. She had two big floppy ears, a saggy face, and a semi snout. To Rhi she looked more like a baboon than a dog. Rhi assumed the female was a newbie to the drug scene, from her jittery behavior and single genie dose. More experienced genie users loved to mix and match animal genetics to obtain unique attributes. The young twenty something nearly barked when her gentleman caller tried his luck at tickling her. Like a rabid dog, she bit him hard and thrashed around like she was tearing up a newspaper. He let out a harsh meow, but laughed it off. His first three fingers on the left hand were dangling by a tendon, blood pooling slowly around him, but he didn’t seem to mind.

To be young, dumb, and fucking stupid.

The two swayed, bumping into one another like a couple of drunk high school lovers, shushing each other as if their parents were going to find out they were wasted from a prom party. Rhi turned to face them fully for a moment. They were annoying, but she couldn’t help letting out a chuckle at their antics, especially once their temporary tails poked out of their pants started feeling one another up. It made Rhi envious. She hadn’t been able to get out of her meatsuit in a month. Her own tail was chafing for all she fucking knew. Rhi could almost feel it trying to break out of her flesh prison.

Rhi’s attention went back on the establishment. Now that the Crime Wave smoke filled her nose, it helped her tune everyone’s scent out minus her target, which she was able to give her undivided attention. She thought back to how he smelled. His sweat was a combination of tar and peanut oil, greasy and bitter. Rhi allowed that scent to flow back into her skull, almost to the point where she could taste it with every deep breath. Clicks and deep guttural growls escaped her throat as she tasted the air for her mark. Her nostrils flared, flexing like a cocaine users after taking a hit. There was no chance in hell Flint was going to be able to escape her. Not tonight.

Her red-green eyes widened. Rhi’s pupils went from dark abyssal orbs to reptilian slits as the blue neon lights across the street lit up. Rhi blinked a few times to adjust to the new lighting, then noticed her target was moving out of the stripper joint and heading down main street.

Pfft. Didn’t take long. Twenty minutes tops. Flint must be ‘fun’ at parties if he couldn’t last an hour in there. Before pursuing her hunt further, Rhi took another deep inhale through her nose. Nope. Her guy didn’t get lucky tonight. There was no smell of sex lingering off the poor bastard. She almost felt sorry for the poor fella. Almost.

Rhi observed Flint Jasper duck for cover into the farmers market. The smell of rancid dog shit hit Flint like a pound of bricks and he brought up a part of his tattered t-shirt to cover his nose. Rhi could tell the barking was intense for him, and he looked like he wanted to throw up whatever contents he possibly drank at The Poison Apple. Rhi had the impression Flint purposefully came here assuming the smells from the canines approaching the slaughter houses would throw her off.

Casually, Rhi took notice Flint would observe the food auctions going off. People buying the canines for meat resources. Flint jumped as a large doberman breed being shot between the eyes with a needle gun, stunning the animal while the butcher went to work cutting and separating the meat out to their customers. Rhi recalled overhearing Flint mention at The Vipers Den that he had eaten dog, but could never bring himself to butcher them. Flint was a rare type of man in this day and age. He didn’t like to get personally acquainted with his food. Rhi on the other hand, was quite the opposite.

Rhi could remember when she first encountered Flint at The Vipers Den when Casey first contracted her. She tried not to appear intimidating. Not on direct sight. Rhi flaunted her haughty nature, and bragged about how she was one of the best fixers in Ravage. A person whom made arrangements for people especially of a devious nature. It was much like bounty hunting, but with style. She could tell Flint was taken aback by the statement given that she was playful and a little too cocky. Even by first appearances, one wouldn’t think Rhi would be involved with some of the darker aspects of Ravage but here she was, talking to Flint like they were old school chums.

Her and Flint had hit it off well. She could tell he had a thing for her eyes. He even went as far as to compliment Rhi that her eyes reminded him of the rare emerald gemstone. She had him charmed like a snake. Upon seeing the red in her green hues, Rhi could tell Flint was thrown off and grew more cautious around her. Though he did compliment the scar under her eye. It was crescent shaped but flipped with the bowl of it turning up, meeting directly with those piercing orbs of hers. He said it was pretty, then quickly bolted once he put two and two together that perhaps Casey hired her and she wasn’t really into him. Rhi had a feeling too Flint got the vibes that she wasn’t a run of the mill gene junkie. Even with some of her animalistic attributes, there was something off about her compared to them.

Rhi could see Flint visibly swallow nervously after doing a quick scan of the farmers market and adjusted his shirt accordingly as he moved out of the area and away from the putrid dog shit. Flint was an idiot for assuming Rhi would never be able to get him. Besides for having a rep, Rhi knew people. Knew how to get the right connections to find her targets. He was impeccably stupid compared to other targets Rhi had taken down in the past. Most people that knew Rhi had a bounty on them would go to her at this point, saving themselves the trouble of being hunted down. They’d either try to kill her themselves or would make a plea bargain. Rhi loved it when people owed her favors. That’s why she was quick to take up those offers and half a bounty fee instead of the whole. Flint was running away like a coward, thinking he could outsmart her just because he got a tip about her sense of smell and how her head could get overstimulated from scents. She had to give him credit, at least he tried.

Rhi was so close to Flint now, she could practically taste his flesh.

“Hey tuna melt.” Flint froze, turning around after he felt hot breath creep against his hair and neck. Rhi’s voice penetrated his eardrums, and his heart thudded deeply in his chest. He was scared out of his wits that Rhi could almost clap in time with the sound his pulse was making. Like a deer in the headlights, Flint was locked in place, ready to meet the headlights of the vehicle. His skin was littered with goosebumps as he tried to hide a nervous swallow. That got Rhi to chuckle as she came around to talk to him face to face.

“You wouldn’t be trying to run away from me now, would you Flint?” Her tone was mocking, albeit playful in nature. Rhi was toying with him and enjoying it thoroughly.

“N-no. Nothing like that!” Flint managed to choke out, trying to sound normal. “People know better than to run away from you, Rhi. Look--I was in a hurry. A lot of errands to run, you know, for the boss. I need to be getting back to Casey. You know how he gets about people being late. I mean--he’s hired you before.”

Rhi raised a brow. Looking over Flint like a parent would after catching said child in a lie. Playing dumb. Most targets of hers pulled this shit. It got old real fast.

Sighing, Rhi shook her head scratching the side of her cheek and smiled wide. Flint noticed how unnatural her lips looked. Almost like her mouth wanted to expand, grow larger, but restrained itself. Like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. Meeting her red green eyes didn’t help the fear that was creeping up in his spine. Flint wanted to shit himself. His body was bracing itself for a fight or flight response. His eyes widened as he noticed one of Rhi’s sharp shark like teeth poking out.

“Look Flint, I don’t know you too well even after during our little swaray at The Vipers Den. You seem like a nice bloke, but you pissed off a very powerful guy. You done fucking goofed, asshole. So don’t lie to me. Casey wants you dead for your little side business embezzling money from his personal account, but I’m going to give you a couple options to get out of this mess because--” Rhi was cut dangerously short as Flint in a moment of weakness and terror, pulled out a handgun and fired.

Flashes of light and the piercing sound of machinery went to work, the guns gears clicked rapidly with the slick sound of flesh being pierced echoed throughout the marketplace. Rhi’s blood flew all over in a spectacular splash of different shades of red, her body flailed as it followed the impact of each bullet that hit her skin. The customers and owners of the dog farms moved out of the way, some screaming, others not caring in the slightest. It was another night in Ravage after all.

After Flint had made his move and bolted from the scene, the smell of the gunpowder began to recede and the strong stench of blood began to emit in their air. Everyone went back to business leaving Rhi’s body to whatever wanted to scavenge her corpse.

Rhi breathed heavily after five minutes of stillness. As she felt air fill her lungs, Rhi sounded like a feral beast catching a first wind after running. A gal smoking nearby watched, taken aback as the cigar she was chewing the butt end of fell from her chapped lips and toppled on the ground. The young twenty somethings eyes held a petrified look to them as Rhi slowly stood up. She was bathed in several streams of blood that stained the white over shirt she wore, seeping into the black t-shirt underneath the soft fabric.

“Mother fucker—” She gasped as a worn out series of chuckles began to escape from her mouth. These didn’t sound like the carefree childlike ones she had been displaying earlier. These were more sinister. And as the slick muscle of her tongue darted out, revealing it to be a dark blue color and gently swiped at her own fluids that painted her face, she vowed that Flint was going to regret putting a bullet in her hide.

Getting up, Rhi patted herself down, wincing occasionally from the bullets bee like sting. Her eyes glanced up at the woman who was still gawking. Smiling and giving an inhuman chuckle, Rhi shrugged her shoulders and gave the woman her full attention.

“You heard me right? I said I was gonna give him some options! Can you tell me where my shooter ran off too?”

Rhi had never seen a human pass out so quick.

“Well, fuck you too mate.”

RAVAGE CITY

THE ABANDONED AIRPORT

10:00PM

Flint’s right leg gave out on him after he hit one of the light poles. His running became more weak over time. He pressed himself to keep going, to get out of the area. He had pumped twelve bullets into Rhi’s body. She wasn’t going to be his problem any longer unless, but the repercussions for killing someone with notoriety was well on his mind. There were people in power that would be pissed off to hear a fixer such as Rhi went six feet under considering she was one of the best at taking care of people’s personal problems. In retaliation and in honor of the fallen, those in power could send out lackeys to pick off whoever did it. Flint had to get out of here. Had to get out of Ravage, and maybe migrate to one of the other thirteen tribal cities. Carnivora sounded good. The violence and crime wasn’t a high point compared to Ravage. It meant he would never have to deal with embezzling scandals ever again.

He tried to calm his erratic breathing. His pulse had skyrocketed. Flint covered his own mouth to get his body to chill and took refuge in an alley. Now came the hardest part of this whole ordeal: waiting. Waiting for his body to calm down before moving on. Flint was near what was once an old airport. He could see one of the hundred year old planes in the distance now a decaying relic of the past with rust and vegetation growing from it. Planes hadn’t been used since the early 2100’s in Australia, not since the Resource Wars. The place was incredibly silent. Flint could only hear his own heartbeat, the warm air flowing from his nose and the semi humid Australian air that breezed by.

He had tears in his eyes now. This was not how he wanted to go. Flint had dreamed of getting out of Ravage for a long time, and he thought stealing money from crime lord Casey would help him get out fast. He didn’t want to be in Ravage too once he found out the plans for city some folks had in mind. Flint slid down against the alley wall, hitting his head on the brick a couple of times. He felt stupid for believing that he could outsmart someone like Rhi or Casey, that no one would catch onto the embezzlements.

Flint remained in place for five minutes as he collected his thoughts. It felt like hours as his pulse ticked by like the hands of a clock on its last limbs. Somehow through the fog of adrenaline and anxiety he forced himself to look around the corner of the garbage bin. His dark eyes roved the area, not seeing anyone or anything. He quietly brought his head back.

Red green eyes stared at him mere inches away. Close enough he could see their reptilian slits Those hadn’t been there before. Flint felt several pops in his face that had a similar sensation to being bitten by a swarm of hornets; warm breath hitting his face like a steam bath and his vision disappeared in a wave of sickle sharp teeth and a blue tongue with its own set of miniature knives. He screamed loudly into the unhinged mouth of Rhi as she ravaged and skinned his face off with her mouth. She shook her head back and forth, sounding like a dog chewing up a toy. Warm blood hit her skin and Flints screams became deeper and echoed down her throat. She’d pull away after growing tired of using Flint as her personal pacifier, the skin of his face caught on the bottom section of her teeth as she could see the porcelain glow of his skull underneath delicate layers of muscle. She swallowed the last bits of his face. Flint was still screaming, his eyes now so big and bulbous without skin covering them that for a moment it made Rhi uneasy, recalling a zombie in an old 80s flick that looked like poor Flint in this sorry state. It didn’t stop Rhi from grabbing Flint by the head and bashing his skull into the brick wall behind him. It was like a bowling ball dropping on a watermelon. Bits of brain and bone flew in every direction before the body slumped over. Flint was no more.

Deep growls left Rhi’s throat as she collected herself. Her face was twisted in a glare that wouldn’t go away as she got up and decided to walk off her high. She stopped herself short feeling the sting from the bullets beginning to make their strike yet again. She leaned against a giant light pole nearby, her eyes closing while she focused on the sounds of the city. The various screeches from cars being stopped at the last second, the piercing sound of an angry group getting ready to fight, the voice of the warm summer rain hitting the ground, even the smells in the air had their broken promises and endless bounty. She could easily fall asleep right now.

Rhi took in a deep breath and another. Several bystanders appeared, exiting out of some night clubs and other establishments. Rhi composed herself and began to walk back towards Flints carcass.

“This is the worst walk of shame I’ve taken since I tapped that drag queen last spring,” She muttered to herself. Such fuck ups in life made her laugh. It made it easier to get through the day. Rhi didn’t care for the outcome of this job.

Contrary to popular belief, the fixer didn’t like killing unless she had to. Unless she was hungry. Something she was reminded of when she came across the violent aftermath of her glorious display of power. Petrichor and the metallic scent of Flints blood intermingled in a lovely dose of a natural perfume. She devoured it like candy. Rhi didn’t want to kill him, didn’t intend to but he made his choice. Technically he’d done her a favor: One, she didn’t have to give him a backdoor out of Casey’s possible death penalty. Two, she got to sate her animal needs that had been neglected for a while.

Rhi licked her chops before her mouth receded back. No longer was it that huge snake like gape, but now she carried about her regular appearance. No big ass Cheshire Cat like mouth could be seen, and no sharp teeth either. She stepped through the oozing tar pit of blood, guts and skin to come across Flints wallet lying beside him. She pick pocketed then started shoving some of the brain matter and bone bits into her mouth. Rhi sat down and picked up bone and tissue like crumbs off a pizza. Her lips smacked in pleasure as she treated herself before having to haul the body.

“Jesus fuck. Flints mom should have been shot when she found out she was gonna give birth to this cunt…” Cursing was her personal therapy when she got shot.

Rhi was beginning to head out with Flints corpse dangling from her left shoulder like a stereotypical caveman carrying a woman to his den, when she felt the vibration of her phone below her knee in a pocket of her cargo pants. She sighed, feeling like perhaps maybe there was some deity out there that just wanted to see her bend over and burn from her wounds. Rhi reached for the cell phone in her pocket. She dumped the corpse down beside her feet while she took the call.

“Yorgi! You grade A cunt, how’s it going?” She tried to put on her most cheerful voice to keep her associate from picking up on her not sounding well.

“Hey Rhi we need to talk about the--”

“Look mate we can spit in the wind later I’m in the middle of tagging my mark.”

“But Rhi I need to--”

“Yorgi I love you, but piss off mate.”

While hearing her associate chat it up on the other end, there were more folks coming into the area, taking the party scene with them. As when Rhi got shot, no one really cared about seeing a corpse by her feet. A body could be lying on the street and no one would bat an eyelash until it rot. Such was Ravage life. A couple people had some perplexed looks when they saw Flints body next to Rhi. She knew she needed to get out of there before anyone got too curious for their own good. After being able to hunt and feed after such a long while, Rhi would love more than anything to tally up the body count. She needed to tend to her wounds instead.

“Yorgi I’m gonna have to call you back. I’m about to get some fast food and head home. Anyway if you bump into Casey, let him know I took care of Flint. We came to a mutual understanding on the embezzlement case.”

With that she hung up putting the phone back into her pocket, bent down and swung her prize carcass over her shoulder and began to head back home whistling an 80s tune she couldn’t remember the name of.

RAVAGE CITY

THE FIVE POINT FLATS

11:30PM

The clatter from the flats elevator came to a halt when Yorgi arrived at his and Rhi’s pad. A large yawn escaped his mouth as he scratched the dark stubble on his face with two cybernetic fingers. One was getting rusty after the first month. The cheap metal was wearing thin. His back shivered, still not use to the cold his new limbs emitted before he pushed the elevator door up and out of the way. Home sweet home, he thought to himself. Yorgi paused for a moment to observe his and Rhi’s flat. 80s memorabilia such as posters littered the walls. Intricate tapestries hung from the ceiling. Ten of their fans were spinning at a snail's pace, doing little to get rid of the humidity. The flats deck area was covered in lights, some were blinking rapidly while on their last limbs. Pillows and shirts were littered on the living room floor nearby the L couch. He could smell Rhi’s scent which was like peaches and cream permeating from that area. Yorgi needed to remind Rhi that her nests needed to be picked up after she was done phasing. He’d wait until tomorrow to fight with her on that. He was exhausted. Besides earning his fixer bounties for the night, he had been trying to track down Rhi. He was still mildly irritated at how she had hung up on him earlier. He then proceeded to the kitchen to get a much needed drink.

Yorgi kicked off his boots near the fridge and rubbed the sweat off his face with both his palms. Yorgi stopped midway after taking a big inhale. Something smelled god awful coming from their secondary living room. It was a rancid flavor. He followed the trail, inhaling occasionally before he found the source, a corpse on the couch, and nearly leapt like a gazelle evading a lion’s frontal attack. Panting heavily, Yorgi observed Rhi watching television. 80s and 90s esque shopping commercials played on the Nostal-Channel. Her four fingers dipped into Flint’s carcass, pulling up intestines and god knows what else like it was a bag of popcorn and munched on the organs contently.

“Crikey!” Yorgi breathed out loud.

Rhi’s nostrils flared when she picked up on Yorgi’s scent, smoke and whiskey, and she turned her head to face a highly irritated associate. His arms were crossed, looking down at her like a parent catching their child sneaking back into the house after they had been on a drunken rave binge with friends. She smiled big then grinned to show off those sickle teeth, stained with blood.

“Hey buddy!” She exclaimed.

“You got shot. You’re bleeding into the couch. You fucking suicidal imbecile!”

“How observant of you.”

Yorgi sighed and face palmed, rolling his eyes as his head shook.

“Rhi, you said you were off getting fast food.”

Rhi looked down at Flint’s carcass that was sitting beside her on the couch as if she were having a movie date night. The arms were even resting at the top of the black furniture like so. Not batting an eyelash, Rhi once more dipped her hand into Flints stomach and pulled out an organ and plopped it into her mouth. As she munched, Rhi gave an innocent shrug to Yorgi’s remark then looked him dead in the eye as she chuckled.

“Well he ran, didn’t he?”

She wasn’t expecting Yorgi to backhand her upside the head that quick.

RAVAGE CITY

THE FIVE POINT FLATS

12:15AM

“That looks bad Rhi.” Yorgi murmured as he sat in on one of the stools nearby, his dark brows furrowing tightly as he observed how deep the bullet wounds traveled. In the bright lighting and with her shirt off, the injuries looked more grotesque. It didn’t bother Rhi as she took a pair of tweezers and sunk it into one of the fleshy pockets. The gurgling sounds from metal meeting squishy flesh bothered her ears as she winced, digging around for the bullet before clamping down and ripping the bullet out. To Rhi, this was the equivalent of ripping a botfly maggot from the skin. Bullets behaved a lot like them, wanting to burrow further and greatly resisted being pried at.

“It could have been worse. I’m getting better at pushing them out. Gotta give me some credit there.”

“Last month you could handle up to five bullets after shooting yourself.”

“You got a point to that?”

“My point being is you took twelve hits!” Yorgi gestured with his hands, counting the amount on his fingers, exaggerating some but nonetheless was trying to get his point across to her. “Twelve my friend, twelve! Twelve shots tonight you crazy bitch!”

“I could use twelve shots of another kind after this if you catch my drift--”

“No, no drinks for you after tonight.” Yorgi interrupted.

Rhi couldn’t help but smile, trying to suppress a laugh as she went to work digging another metal seed out. Yorgi was right about one thing, even though he didn’t outright say it. She needed to take it easy when it came to testing her body’s limits. Then again Rhi wasn’t one to hold back when it came to pushing past the envelope, even if it ended up killing her in the process. If she could push science past the edge of no return, then surely there was a way for her to expand on her meat suit.

“You sound like my ex when you worry.” Rhi said.

“Well if your ex was alive, I’m sure he’d have a heart attack knowing the freaky shit you dab in.”

Rhi smiled again as she ripped another bullet out and placed it into a tray nearby with a solution at the bottom that would eat away any traces of her blood. Sighing, she took a moment to wipe off the sweat that had been trickling down her face with the backside of her palm.

She decided to change subjects while the ball was in her court otherwise she wouldn’t hear the end of his lecturing about self care. “I’m going to need a clean up crew at the site where I killed Flint.”

Yorgi rubbed at the fine black hairs on his chin. His eyes held a sadness in them. Yorgi knew what she was doing, once more trying to push him away. Even though Rhi had a hard ass nature, he had the feeling she often downplayed her personal bullshit, getting shot or otherwise, so others wouldn’t worry too much about her wellbeing. Or it could have been her animal nature telling her not to appear wounded for fear of being challenged.

“You’re perfectly capable of ripping apart a human body, you’re perfectly capable of handling the cleanup by yourself. Not to mention you could have licked the place clean.”

Yorgi snorted as Rhi looked at him via the rustic cheval mirror she was using to help see her body in the bathroom.

“True I could take care of the mess, but given half the women Flint slept with I wouldn’t be surprised if I catch an STD and die tonight after eating most of him. I might be too sick to clean up. Besides you wouldn’t send poor little me out there after I got shot up, would you?”

The quietness of the room was interrupted by Yorgi’s booming laugh. Despite not knowing much about Flint, it was well known in Ravage he was a bit of a man whore. Rhi could attest to that given how he had come onto her at The Vipers Den.

“Poor little you? Don’t make me laugh. It’s funny how Flint had a penchant for fucking women according to Casey. Didn’t think the poor bloke had it in him. I thought for sure Flint was under the belief to never trust something that bleeds for days and doesn’t die. Much like yourself.”

“The period joke is a little juvenile, don’t you think Yorgi?”

“Hm..you’re right I need to work on that. Considering you don’t go through what most females endure.”

They both snorted, then went back to enjoying a few moments of silence. The two knew as soon as Rhi would haul the last of the bullets from her body the serious talk would begin. They’d have to be quick and on the clock to get their shit done. As Yorgi let out a puff of air, he nearly regretted going out for the night to take care of his own marks. Then again he wasn’t expecting Rhi’s meet up with Flint to end this bad.

Once the final bullet had been snatched, Rhi fell back into the chair in full. Letting out soothing breaths. Her chest would slowly rise and fall almost to the point where she could easily fall asleep. There was still work to be done in the young night, and her red green eyes shot open and she adjusted in the chair accordingly to face her associate.

The three large claw scars on the left side of her chest illuminated more under the light after she moved, and Yorgi’s throat bobbed as he briefly gazed upon her breast area at the patches of rough pink skin. Even after all this time they had known each other, he felt intimidated by her body . He found it honoring and scary he could sit in the same room with her at times and hold a conversation like two old school buddies, especially when Yorgi knew what Rhi was. Truly was.

“Let’s get something straight, I would have cleaned up the scene, but I got sidetracked.” Rhi began, giving a brief pause as she locked eyes with Yorgi, making sure he was listening in full. “Flint was involved with Dingo Snake Exy.”

The raised brows and the “o” shape at Yorgi’s mouth showed his shock. Nine times out of ten, if Yorgi thought something was up shits creek his face would contort into a variety of obscene features.

“You being serious?” He asked.

“As serious as I am about purposefully letting Flint shoot me up so I could get a few days off from this fucking job.”

“Wait, so you allowed yourself to get shot just so you could take a fucking day off?”

“Duh.”

Rhi smiled and winked much to Yorgi’s chagrin. “Anyway…what makes you think Flint had it in with the ‘mother nature’ cult?” Yorgi asked.

“On the way back home I dug through Flint’s wallet. He had some sticky notes cramped up where his money should have been. Apparently he was helping Dingo Snake Exy smuggle in GMOs. Fifteen specimens were promptly delivered to them.” Rhi said.

“Flint never gave the impression he was a smuggler.”

“You learn something new everyday about humans,” Rhi paused and continued. “The only place anyone can get GMO’s is from Carnivora, but their security is so tight I don’t see how a guy like Flint could get in, much less persuade someone to let him leave the city with any modified creature. I remember when we had to smuggle GMOs it was a pain in the ass. We barely made it through. Hell we don’t take those gigs anymore, but how did he do it?”

Yorgi sighed. “There’s always Rikers Enterprises. They’re within our borders. God knows what kind of stuff they are up to in there when it comes to genetic engineering.”

Rhi had to agree with her associate, except there was something that didn’t set right with her. Rikers was a secretive company within Ravage. They worked on biological enhancements to help save humanity from the impending doom of global warming and resources near run dry. The company was founded in 2112 around the time the Australian civil war subsided and worked on creating genetically modified animals that could adapt to an earth that lacked clean air, water, and other valuable natural resources. After a number of years Rikers tanked, money ran dry, but they still continued to produce product and work with the other tribal cities in the area to de-extinct plants, clone dogs and cats for the farmers markets since bovines were permanently extinct, and the like. Rikers was a humble company. They kept to themselves, provided resources for citizens in Ravage and the other tribal cities, and people left them alone.

So after all this time of keeping a low profile, why the hell would they be involved with Dingo Snake Exy? If Flint wasn’t smuggling from Carnivora, Ravage’s sister city, then what business did he have taking from Rikers Enterprises?

Rhi was in deep thought. She hadn’t said a word in a while. She contemplated about her possible connection to Rikers. Given that Rhi wasn’t human, not in the slightest, it was assumed the company had something to do with it.

“So what are we going to do?” Yorgi asked.

“First, I want you to take care of the cleanup for me while I recover. Then I want you to do me a solid and go to The Poison Apple where I caught Flint poking around. See if he talked to anyone from Dingo Snake Exy or otherwise. It’s not our place to get involved with the cults business unless they pay us, but I gotta figure out how the hell a cockroach like Flint was able to get his hands on GMOs.”

“Why the urgency?” Yorgi asked.

“Yorgi, think about it. The last time we had a job smuggling GMOs we nearly got our asses handed over. If we didn’t have enough money bragging the cops to get off our butts we would have been executed given how valuable the assets were that we stole for Richfield Rex. Figuring out how Flint pulled it off would be a business opportunity for us.” Rhi’s enthusiasm leaked in her words.

“You got a point Reese.” Yorgi smirked. He liked the direction she was going. There was more money to be made in smuggling GMOs than taking care of people’s personal problems in the fixing world. Rhi and him needed a new scene.

For now, Rhi needed to rest. Maybe have a few drinks before taking a dive into the covers of a warm bed. She couldn’t do much when she had taken quite the punch.

Yorgi sighed and got up from the stool, looking down upon her as he mentally prepared himself for the long night of work ahead. Cleaning up murder scenes was his forte. He had seen brutal shit, but there was something unsettling whenever he had to take care of Rhi’s killing sprees. Which is why most of the time she took it upon herself to do his job for him cause most cases were so ghastly, he’d end up hurling.

“Before I go I got a call from your pal BWM. He was wondering if you’d help him out on an assignment in the Ruin District. Said he’s willing to make a cut with you, yeah?”

The tired, almost glossy look in Rhi’s eyes were subdued by intrigue as her orbs widened subtly. She seemed to perk up rather quick.

“Did he mention what kind of assignment it was?”

Yorgi shook his head. “He said he’d give the details to you personally either by phone or in person. You know how eccentric the mother fucker is.” He smirked. “But since you’re hurt and now on a temporary vacation I guess I could take the job in your stead and—“

“Nah I’m good. I’ll call him first thing tomorrow.” Rhi said.

Yorgi had an exasperated look on his features as he groaned.

“You went through all that trouble getting your ass nearly blown up just so you could have a few days to yourself, now you’re suddenly feeling better to go help BWM?”

Rhi smirked, shrugging as she closed her eyes again. This time letting the gentle coax of sleep take her momentarily.

“Hey, I need money still since I lost out on the fifty grand killing Flint in a rage. It was worth it to me at the time, but I know Casey wanted to do it himself. He’s not going to happy with the results. And more money equals food and paying off cops.”

Yorgi couldn’t argue with that. He swallowed roughly. Trying to keep it subtle but Rhi knew this part of the clean up job when it came to her dealings always bothered him to one degree or another. It was a fact of life, and considering what the woman was, this was only natural.

“Do you want the remains of Flint on the couch rare, medium, or well done?”

She could almost smell the flesh again upon hearing Yorgi’s words. Her long dark blue tongue darted out slowly from her mouth like a snake exiting its den as she licked her chops. Her eyes half open as she looked over at Yorgi with a carnal smile.

“Just put them my freezer when you’re done. G’night Bushy Baba. Owch!”

Strike two for Yorgi backhanding her.

“You know I don’t like you using my old stripper name.”

Rubbing her head, Rhi smirked. “Why, is it giving you an existential crisis?”

“Nah, just further proving my point that nothing matters in the world. At the end of the day we’re all lousy strippers. Trying to put our bodies out there for someone to take interest intermingling their genes with ours so we live on somehow. Life is about fucking and getting fucked over.”

“If nothing matters then why did you care about me calling you Bushy?” Rhi countered.

“I--well--” Yorgi was at a loss for words on his hypocrisy.

Rhi shrugged not knowing anything clever to say. She always felt put on a spot when it came to Yorgi having one of his nihilistic rants. Most people in Ravage had a passive aggressive approach to nihilism much like Yorgi. It was the staple diet for people’s minds in the day and age and fit well with their Roman empire culture where everyone knew society was collapsing, so they drank, fucked, and were merry until it was over. Rhi could wrap her head around it to a degree, but like a child, she was still learning the mechanics, the deeper meanings.

“Hey Yorgi,”

“Yeah?”

Rhi figured before the night was through for her, she’d amuse her associate. Snap him out of his funk.

“Last month when I got out of my meatsuit, a man saw me.”

Yorgi’s eyes widened. “Is this something we are gonna have to worry about?”

Rhi shook her head. “I took care of it. But he called me something I never heard of before. Dray-juh.”

“I think the proper term is drah-geh.” He corrected.

“Ring a bell since you’re the language expert?”

“Eh, not really. But it sounds like old Norse. If I could compare it to anything in old English it sounds like dragon, chimera maybe?”

Rhi leaned back in the seat, nodding in approval. She whispered the word to herself several times. For years Rhi had been trying to find something, a word that separates her from the two legged apes she had to share the planet with. Finding her name was easy, but a species name was a whole other job in itself. This new word seemed to fit the bill.

“I think I like being called a drage.”

#outofhotpockets #ooc #ravage #novel #work in progress

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