#but the food part IS the plot so i have to read slowly and retain

[cinnabeat]

im reading dungeon meshi rn (painfully) and i really really sympathize with marcille rn

[troubatrain]

good for you - t. jost (part two)

a/n: apparently the only things i can finish are smut which is honestly on brand for me. this part is a bit of filler but to be fair this entire fic is smut with barely a plot so i meannnn but anyways, let me know how you guys like it :)

big shoutout to @hookingminor because nothing gets posted around here without ilyana fr fr

part one

warnings: it's smush time (smut)

So you fucked?

Mat was confused, posted up in his hotel room in Philly trying to navigate the bits of information he’d been getting out of you. You’d barely spoken to him all week, your classes were already killing you and you’d been missing the nightly Facetimes you promised when you moved. Mat thought there was another reason you were ignoring him, the evidence that you did the diry with Tyson was obvious. He was pretty sure you did, the mark on your neck wasn’t as hidden as you seemed to think it was, and you had a pep in your step that you only got after a good hook up.

“Yes Mat, we fucked,” You sigh, pressing your hands against the cool countertop and staring at Mat through your laptop screen, “This is your fault.”

“Oh it’s my fault two consenting adults had sex? Did he stay over?” Mat asks, trying to grab onto as many details as he could.

“No I kicked him out after a second round in the shower,” You admit, covering your eyes so you wouldn’t see the shit eating grin on your best friend’s face, “I kind of want to do it again.”

“Three’s the limit,” Mat reminds you of the golden rule of hook ups. You both came to the conclusion one day, if you fucked someone more than three times, you had more feelings than you realized and it was time to run or let yourself get hurt. Mat seemed to do just fine with it, and most of the time so did you, but Tyson was tempting you.

“Oh my god, he’s calling me,” You panic, Tyson’s contact flashing across your screen. Mat went to open his mouth, some sort of roast about how nervous you were would probably have followed if you hadn’t hung up on him. You waited for one more ring, not wanting to seem too eager to answer his calls, “Hi?”

“Hey,” Tyson drags out his greeting, pacing around his own apartment trying to figure out what the hell he thought he was doing. He wanted to see you again, clothing optional if he was being honest with himself, he just needed you to know somehow that you weren’t just a booty call, “What are you doing?”

“Drowning in homework already,” You whine, rolling your eyes at the chaos around you. The city has been jackhammering outside your place since the day you moved in, stalling you every time you tried to do anything.

“Everything alright?” Tyson asks, his voice was laced with concern by the crashes coming from your end of the phone.

“Yeah, sorry they’ve been doing construction outside since I moved in,” You sigh, rubbing a hand over your forehead, “I really need to get these done-”

“Bring your stuff over here,” Tyson blurts out, grabbing onto the opportunity to see you. He could handle hanging out while you studied, you were sort of friends before, how hard could it be?

“You want to spend time with me while I study?” You question, genuinely curious about what kind of dude you’re fucking wants to do nothing while you actually get some studying done.

“Yes Y/N, I want to spend time with you,” Tyson chuckles, shaking his head at your shock. Of course you didn’t do that with anyone hooked up with, but you’d never hooked up with anyone you knew outside of the bedroom either. Keeping both of those worlds separate kept your heart safe, “C’mon, I’ll even buy you dinner.”

Okay fine, I’m on my way.

***

This was much harder than Tyson thought.

It was easy at first, you came over a little while later and Tyson thought he could control himself. You settled on dinner a few minutes ago, and that’s when things went south. It was the pout, the way you looked at when Tyson said he wasn’t in the mood for sushi. You batted your eyes at him, a small pout on your face and the words Tys please following. Tyson was a goner, calling up for sushi almost immediately while you smirked at him for giving in so easily.

Now, Tyson was just watching you, and not even in a way you wouldn’t notice. Your nose was tucked into your notes, it’d scrunch up every once in a while and Tyson assumed that meant you got to something you didn’t want to deal with. Your cardigan had fallen down your shoulder, leaving a spot where Tyson’s lips could have just landed easily. Your feet were across his lap, Tyson’s large hands on your legs while his thumb rubbed along the fabric of your leggings. His hand was creeping up slowly, your lip between your teeth while you watched him, “Don’t get distracted princess.”

“You’re making that a little hard,” You whine, just as Tyson’s finger slid under the waistband on your pants, “Tys-”

“No keep reading,” Tyson reminds you, humming when you let his hands slide your leggings off. His lips pressed softly against your hips, your eyes far more focused on Tyson’s head between your thighs, “I’ll stop if you can’t focus.”

“Don’t do that,” You sigh, feeling Tyson’s smirk against your skin. Tyson chuckled, a finger sliding your panties to the side.

“This wet already huh? Physics must really get you going,” Tyson teases, glancing up at the book in your hands. His breath was hot against your core, “Smart and pretty is a dangerous combination princess.”

“So I’ve been told,” You let out a gasp, Tyson’s tongue lapping at your pussy slowly. Your hand fell from your book, pulling at Tyson’s curls. His mouth unlatched from your core, forcing you to let out a whine, “Tys that’s not fair.”

“I told you keep reading, can’t have you failing on my watch,” Tyson laughs, laying his head on your hips. He had you in the palm of his fucking hand, every bone in your body was on fire and you hated every second of it. The way you were whining for Tyson to touch you was uncharted terrority, a craving you couldn’t satisfy and it was going to get you into trouble. You focused on your work, a small hum came from Tyson before his finger slid up your folds, “Good girl.”

Your eyes were fixated on the words in front of you, retaining as much as you could while Tyson’s fingers were teasing your entrance. He was moving slowly, loving the way your body reacted to his touch in a way he could have only dreamed. One finger slid in, curling against your g-spot and pulling a moan out of you, “Fuck, I’m almost done-”

“Finish pretty girl, go ahead,” Tyson pushes, smirking to himself at your reaction. His mouth moved to your core, swirling his tongue around your clit and sucking on it. Your breathing was heavy, chest rising and falling while you finished the last paragraph before you were seeing stars. You tossed your book on Tyson’s coffee table, throwing your head back and grabbing his hair.

“Faster, Tys, please,” You beg, your hips lifting off the couch. Tyson slipped in another finger, tongue working against your core. He fingered you through your orgasm, fingers moving lazily in and out of

you when you finally came down, “Tyson, holy shit.”

Since when was Tyson this cocky? His smile was smug when you finally met his eyes, the same sparkle in his eye from the first time

you fucked. You pressed your lips to his, grinding your hips against him, “Your turn.”

Tyson’s eyebrows raised, a wave of shock over his face while you lowered yourself off the couch. You weren’t going to let Tyson just get off with a smile that smug. If Tyson wanted to play that game, you

needed to remind who he was playing it with. Your fingers slipped under his sweats, pulling down his boxers and letting his cock spring free. Tyson’s hand ran through your hair, a finger tracing your jawline while his thumb ran across your bottom lip, “You’re so fucking hot.”

“I’m aware,” You tease, licking the underside of his cock. You moved slowly, teasing him just as much he did to you. Tyson’s hands went to push your head down faster, so you pulled back with a smug smile that matched his, “No touching Tys.”

“C’mon, princess, that’s not fair,” Tyson’s hands flew back, a giggle falling through your lips at his whine. You swirl your tongue around the head of his cock, taking his length into your mouth until you couldn’t anymore. Tyson groans, his hands balling up into fists to keep himself from touching you, “Fuck, your mouth babe-”

The echo from Tyson’s doorbell bounced through his apartment, reminding you both of the food you were supposed to be waiting for. You pulled away, a smirk on your face, “I think you need to get that.”

“You did that on purpose,” Tyson groans, collecting himself enough to open the door for your food. You waited patiently, watching the way Tyson snapped back into the incredibly kind man you’d always known. If he thought you were dangerous, then he was absolutely lethal with the way he could speak to you as filthy as he did and smile as kindly as he does to others. He closed the door, watching back over to the couch where you were still sitting in just your panties and a tank top, pressing a quick kiss to your lips, “Let’s get you fed babe, I’ve got plans for us.”

“Hm, how about you eat it off of me?”

“I swear Y/N, you’re never leaving this apartment.”

[an-ambivalent]

Word Count: 5.7K 

Warnings: This work deals with yandere themes, symptoms of depression such as hopelessness, and other types of distorting thoughts that may be triggering or uncomfortable to read. Read at your own risk. I do not condone this behaviour, nor do I believe any of the mentioned members would display this type of behaviour in real life. 

Beauty lost, and love stripped away;  Deep scars were carved in the flesh of her heart.  With the destined one’s torn apart, and new tensions,  Look out for all the devils with evil obscure intentions.

Another day, and another load of struggles that had begun. 

 At the outskirts of the city, in the suburbs of the east, a new story was going to unfold. There were only very few places that were going to be relevant to the plot of this story; the main setting begins with two houses that were right beside one another. The distance between the houses was so minimal that the resident of one house, could easily catch a glimpse of what was happening in the house next door. 

 While it was true that in life, everyone had a plate of their own burdens and problems to bear, undoubtedly, daily challenges in one person’s life can be worse than another’s. This was the case for [Name] [Surname]. 

 There were so many unexpressed emotions, unprocessed feelings and thoughts, untold stories -- [Name] did not even know where to begin. The scars -- physical, mental, and emotional were like broken pieces of glass digging into her very being. Slowly hurting her, and killing her, because she had never taken the moment to get rid off its pain, and attempt to heal from it. It was all buried away -- her trauma, screams, and hurt -- she had repressed it until it became nothing. Blank, seemingly non-existent. She thought it was best to become numb to all of it, until the pain simply felt like a permanent part of her. 

 [Name] believed that this was for the best -- the past was the past and she could not let it become her present, or define her future. She could not afford the luxury of seeing the best in everyone else anymore, not when her actions now, would not only hurt her, but her child as well. 

 For Ha-neul, who was the result, the very reminder of the man she wanted to forget with all of her, but never could, [Name] had to push through. She could not afford to spare time on herself, because she was broken beyond repair -- she could not be fixed, she had no hope. 

 But Ha-neul, she was still just a young girl, an innocent blossoming flower who could prosper. [Name] needed to do her best to make sure her daughter got to live a fulfilling life where she would be happy -- where she would have everything [Name] could never have; someone to love, someone to look after her, someone to create memories and bonds with. She really hoped that out of everything, Ha-neul would retain her innocent spark, achieve her dreams, and be bright and loved. Everything that [Name] used to be, but had lost. And now, there was nothing but darkness shrouding her. 

 The sound of eggs sizzling on the pan was audible, and the smell of toasted bread, appearing to be crispy, brought a delightful warm aura in the room. [Name] was never really a cook. In between the two of them, even though it did not seem like it, Taehyung was the one who always prepared their meals. ‘A disaster’ is what he would call her everytime she tried to make something, because it always ended up in exactly what his nickname for her implied -- a disaster. However, Taehyung was not here, not anymore. She was alone, left with more responsibility than she was capable of handling. And this thought alone, like her, was enough to bring tears to her eyes. It was either that, or her eyes were watery -- the type of wetness that’s there when they feel quite dry and painful due to a lack of sleep. Dark eyebags covered [Name]’s under eyes because she had slept for only four hours once again. She had to work extremely long shifts these days, so she could earn enough money to meet the need’s ends. 

 She had become more independent than she ever wanted to be, and that showed in her cooking too. Once considered a disaster, after more than enough practice because she was the only one who could do this for Ha-neul, she had become a rather skilled cook.  Just like how she had no one but her daughter, her daughter had no one but her. 

 [Name] would have liked to say they were close, and they were, but there were still some tensions that rose every so often. 

 Feeling somewhat tired already, [Name] finished setting up breakfast for herself and Ha-neul; two pieces of bread and eggs for each person, with an entire glass of their favourite beverage. As [Name] walked to set the food on their dining table, Ha-neul was already seated there -- dressed in her school uniform. 

 She smiled innocently at [Name], with the corner of her eyes widening slightly as she did. Her expressions of joy were always etched with a particular innocence that was almost a bit too like Jungkook. However, unlike Jungkook, Ha-neul’s smile did not scare her because whatever Jungkook had to have experienced to make him behave the way he had, Ha-neul had an innocent smile. And everytime she smiled, [Name] could not help but return it. 

 “Thank you for the food mum,” Ha-neul greeted, and she could feel her mouth watering in hunger. Really, there were many children her age who were picky, and would put up a fight with the food they were given. But Ha-neul never protested with the type of food she was given, or the life she lived. She was an incredibly smart girl, much more mature and wise for someone her years. She was aware, and understanding of the struggles [Name] encountered as a single mother, who had to look after her, work, and had many other responsibilities. She was grateful for how much her mother did for, and never allowed her to feel poor despite the fact that their financial crisis could be devastating at times. 

Ha-neul did her best to support her mother in helping her with chores, or making her own lunch whenever she could, and tried to not to ask for anything to lessen her burden. There was only one thing that Ha-neul wanted from [Name], and it was only one simple truth. It really wasn’t much, at least, it did not seem like a big deal for Ha-neul. However, unbeknownst to her, the very truth, the only thing that Ha-neul sought desperately from her mother, was the very cruel reality [Name] never wanted to reminiscent in or think about ever again. This was the underlying cause of all of their fights, and their tension -- it was the only struggle Ha-neul was not smart enough to understand. Ha-neul decided that she would push her luck at dinner once again, and ask her mother about the truth. 

 “I got it,” Ha-neul proclaimed brightly, as she grabbed the empty dishes before [Name] could, and walked to the sink to wash them. Momentarily, in response, [Name]’s eyes had widened. However, her expression soon changed into a gentle smile, and she ruffled Ha-neul’s hair lovingly.

 “My sweet baby,” [Name] said in endearment. Referring to Ha-neul with such nicknames were her way of saying thank you, and teasing her daughter at the same time. Jokingly, Ha-neul scowled at her, but still wore a bright smile on her face. 

 “You’re dropping me off to school as a thank you,” Ha-neul said in a mockingly demanding tone, and [Name] grinned at her. 

 “I would drop you off to school regardless,” she countered, in the same tone as Ha-neul, as she picked up her keys, and walked towards the garage. “You know where to come once you’re done.” 

 Ha-neul nodded as she set the last of the washed dishes on the drying rack beside the sink. Once she finished cleaning the shelf, washing and drying her hands, she picked up her school bag and walked in the direction [Name] had gone in. She hoped that by doing the dishes, and keeping her mother in a happy mood, it would prompt her to tell Ha-neul the truth she wanted to know. 

 As Ha-neul entered the garage, she expected her mother’s car to be parked outside, and for her mother to be waiting in the car so Ha-neul would close the garage door before they departed. Only one of those expected things had happened: [Name]’s car was indeed parked just outside the garage. However, she was struggling to close the garage door. This was evident in the expression she wore, and the loud rackty noises that the garage door was making, while refusing to shut down fully. 

 [Name]’s eyebrows furrowed, and within the creases between them, there were signs of tension. She gritted her teeth as she tried to close the damn door for the fifth time. 

 “Ugh, you stupid machine shut close! Please shut close, I can’t afford any unnecessary expenses at the moment,” she pleaded out-loud, desperately hoping to whatever higher power there was, that by some miracle, the door would magically fix itself and start working again. 

 Although there was no higher power, [Name] did hear the sound of a mellifluous angel. Her cheeks felt warm, and feeling flustered, [Name] turned her head towards the person who was giving her a small shy smile. 

 Her eyes widened. She gasped out-loud in surprise due to the person’s presence, and how beautiful he was. 

 “I-I, w-what? W-Who are you?” she stammered in shock, and clumsily fell back against the wall behind her. 

 The man before her reached out and grabbed onto her to stabilize her balance. The sensation of his gentle and warm touch burnt against her skin, and it caused [Name] to freeze. 

 “Are you okay?” he asked, leaning closer to her face to examine it, since her face was beginning to lose its colour. 

 His warm breath fanned her cheeks, causing her to feel more flustered. And after much difficulty, [Name] finally realised the proximity of his face being merely inches away from hers, and how he was touching her. Such a normal action, caused her heart to skip a beat because she realised the sad reality:  she had not experienced a man’s touch in a long time. 

 Ha-neul who was observing the interaction, raised an eyebrow, questioning her mother’s rather strange behaviour. She spoke in response to the question [Name] had asked initially. 

 “Mom, this is Jimin, he’s our new neighbour. He introduced himself like just a few minutes ago and offered to help us with the garage door,” Ha-neul answered simply, and [Name] felt her embarrassment increase in realisation.

 “R-Right, sorry. N-Nice to meet you J-Jimin,” [Name] stammered, feeling red, as she nervously and awkwardly held out a hand to greet him with. 

 For a mere second, Jimin stared at [Name] oddly, with a gaze that seemed to question her sanity. The embarrassment from this prompted the release of metaphorical steam out of her ears. Then, he chuckled, as he gently released his hold onto her. Once he made sure she was stabilized on her own feet, he shook her hand. He could not help but let his thumb brush the skin at the back of her hand; he perceived the sensation of holding her hand in finer detail and realised that while the palm of her hands felt a bit rough -- a sign of hard work, her skin still felt soft and smooth. Her touch was cosy, and he did not want to let go. 

 Both [Name] and Jimin seem to share one brain cell, since neither made an effort to end the ‘hand-shake’ and were staring at each other with a stare that held a mutual understanding. However, unlike them, Ha-neul did not have time to waste the whole day, and she was starting to run late to school. Her eye twitched, and now, impatience was fixed in her voice. 

 “Mum! We need to get going or I’ll be late!” she snapped, breaking [Name] and Jimin out of whatever trance they had found themselves in. Both of them looked like a deer caught in head-lights, and immediately, released their hold on each other. 

 [Name] turned her eyes towards Ha-neul and smiled sheepishly. 

 “Sorry sweetie,” she began in an apology, before she turned towards Jimin. “I… Need to drop Ha-neul off to school and the garage doesn’t seem to be closing. This isn’t a bad neighbourhood or anything but I still just don’t want to leave our house open to any chances for burglary. This is a lot to ask, and you’re new, this is our first time meeting, and I’m pushing the limits and making a bad impression by asking this but--” [Name] rambled, but Jimin cut her off. 

 He shook his head and smiled at her. 

 “It’s alright, I understand. You aren’t making a bad impression or pushing any limits. I’m not doing much anyway. I’d be happy to guard your place, and since I offered to fix it, I might as well get started right now,” Jimin said. Then, his eyes flickered towards Ha-neul, who was standing beside him, and pouting, because barely anyone was focused on her. Jimin found his smile widening at her adorableness in endearment, and similarly to what [Name] had done earlier, he ruffled her hair. 

 “Besides, I understand having too much to juggle,” he acknowledged, gesturing to her. It took a few moments for the implication of his words to register in her mind. The young girl found her cheeks reddening in embarrassment, all the while, [Name] giggled at Jimin’s teasing. 

 Once her giggling ceased, [Name] was grinning, and Jimin could not help but notice how much prettier she looked with a much more radiant and happier face. Somewhere within the pit of his stomach, he felt one or two pairs of butterfly wings beginning to flutter, and he wondered…  Could she be his one? 

 “You have kids of your own?” [Name] asked, feeling somewhat shocked. 

 “No, I live alone but--” 

 “MOM! SCHOOL! You can chat with Jimin LATER!” Ha-neul snapped, as she grabbed onto her mother’s arm, and started dragging her away towards the car. 

 “Oh right, sorry! Thanks for helping me out Jimin! Please let me repay you through a nice dinner! Come over tonight!” [Name] proclaimed, as she was dragged away. 

 Jimin wanted to refuse because he didn’t want to intrude on their family time. But… he didn’t have one of his own. The thought of sharing a home-cooked meal with someone once more, instead of having cold takeaways that were not made of love, after such a long time -- the thought was too much and he did not want to say no. 

 And maybe, just maybe, their family would have room for one more. After all, there did not seem to be a father around. 

 So, after such thoughts overwhelming him emotionally, Jimin easily accepted [Name]’s offer with a nod. He waved them off with a smile. 

 “Sure, I’d love that. See you tonight,” he said. As they left, the way Ha-neul narrowed her eyes at him, as if he was definitely intruding on something, did not go unnoticed by him. 

To say that the atmosphere around the dining table was awkward, could potentially be the biggest understatement of the century. 

Ha-neul and Jimin were sitting opposite one another, awkwardly staring at the table before them in order to avoid making eye-contact with each other. Meanwhile, [Name] was finishing the last touches and preparation of the dinner dishes. Admittedly, in excitement for finally having someone else to cook for once, [Name] had gotten a bit carried away. She ended up making more food, and more variety of it than necessary. As she settled the aromatic, and mouth-watering dinner on the table, both Ha-neul’s and Jimin’s eyes had widened. 

[Name] sat in the seat next to Ha-neul, the one that was actually directly opposite of Jimin. Both of the people she had cooked for, had an opinion to contribute. 

“You didn’t need to make all of this for me,” Jimin protested. Despite this, there were slight hints of evident redness forming at the tips of his ears. This, combined with the small smile that was starting to light up his face, were more than enough signs for [Name] to know that while she indeed did not need to make all of this for him, he loved that she had put in so much effort for him, and was incredibly happy about it. 

“I didn’t need to, but I did because you helped me and seeing that expression on yours face made it worth it,” she responded cheekily, smirking. 

Ha-neul was not happy about this. 

“Mom! This is so unfair! You haven’t cooked like this for me before!” she whined, and glared at [Name]. Instead of taking her complaint seriously the way Ha-neul wanted her to do so, [Name] grinned at her. 

“You’ve never fixed the garage for me before,” [Name] joked, before she brushed Ha-neul off easily. Afterwards, she returned to her seemingly much more important and fun conversation with Jimin. 

Second turned into single minutes, and single minutes turned into double digit minutes. All the while, Ha-neul did nothing but watch [Name] and Jimin talk and flirt with each other as if they were the only ones in the room. Ha-neul had not even started on her dinner yet, and [Name] did not even notice! Besides, how could her own mother treat a complete stranger better than she treated her? Here she was, making him so much food, laughing genuinely, and talking to him about her problems, and about herself. Ha-neul was her daughter, and no matter what she did, how hard she tried, [Name] never laughed like that with her, or ever vented to her. To Ha-neul, it  was like despite [Name]’s actions and her words of ‘I love you,’ something about Ha-neul always seemed to upset her; it felt like that somewhere deep within her, she resented Ha-neul and wished that she never existed. 

These thoughts caused a few tears to well up in the corner of Ha-neul’s eyes. Before anyone knew what was happening, the sounds of soft sobs were heard throughout the room, and with a broken voice, Ha-neul murmured. 

“What about dad?” 

The words were barely whispered, but audible enough that [Name] froze amidst her conversation with Jimin. Then, when Ha-neul let out another sob, that was when both of the adults had turned their attention fully on her. However, since she received no verbal response, Ha-neul continued. Only this time, her patience with [Name] had finally vanquished, and she wanted answers, and she wanted them NOW. 

“WHAT ABOUT DAD?! HOW CAN YOU EVEN THINK TO BRING SOMEONE ELSE HERE WHEN MY DAD ISN’T HERE AND I DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIM?!” she screamed in frustration, and threw the cutlery in her hands, and whatever food was in it, on the ground. 

Panic was written across [Name]’s face, and timidly, she reached out to Ha-neul in hopes to attempt her to calm down. 

“Sweetie, this isn’t the right time to talk about this--” [Name] tried to reason, and for a moment, her words had caused Ha-neul to still completely. However, just as she quickly as she had frozen, she jumped back into action; her emotions and misery returning to her ten times more intense than before. 

Her eyes held the most hateful look one could imagine, as she slapped [Name]’s hand away in disgust.

“That’s what you always say, you never tell me the truth. I’m sick of it! I don’t want to talk to you or see you ever again. I hate you!” Ha-neul snarled coldly. Then, before anyone could respond to her, she ran towards her room, with tears streaming down her eyes. The sound of Ha-neul harshly shutting the door of her room resonated throughout the now sombre atmosphere of the household. 

Weakly, [Name] fell back in her chair, and with her own tears prickling the corner of her eyes, she covered her face in shame. 

“What am I doing?” she weakly muttered, and swallowed the painful lump of cries that threatened to slip past her lips. All the while, she had forgotten that Jimin was there until she felt him embracing her, and gently patting the top of her head. Such an innocently intimate action would have left [Name] flustered, however, right now, this was what she needed. She could not recall the last time she had been hugged like this, the last time she was touched in the way where she felt supported, where instead of being the pillar, she had a pillar to prevent her from crashing into the ground during such vulnerable times. 

“I’m sorry,” [Name] mumbled, as she grabbed Jimin’s arms with her hands, and nuzzled her face into them. 

They were muscular, strong, and sturdy -- the stability she wished she had in her life. 

“You don’t need to apologize,” Jimin reassured. “You just need to look after yourself, and you need to look after Ha-neul.” 

[Name] let out a tearful broken laugh. 

 “That’s easier said than done,” she responded somewhat humorously, but her words had caused Jimin to frown.

 “It is hard, I’m not denying that. But it's also not impossible. You should make amends with your daughter and respect her as a human while she still gives you the chance. Children are smarter, more sensitive, and understanding than what we give them credit for. If you don’t value her now, then there will be a time where she’ll come to stop valuing you too,” Jimin murmured, with hints of bitterness, and somewhat of a strange understanding lingering in his words; it was almost as if he knew exactly what Ha-neul was going through. The cold reality of his words caused [Name]’s eyes to widen. She looked up and was about to question him, when he released his embrace, and stepped back from her. Suddenly, she felt cold, and she wanted to return in his warm arms again. As if he could read her mind, Jimin had the tingest hint of a teasing ghost smile on his lips.  

“The whole father thing… Do you want to talk about it?” he asked. While he questioned this, his voice was a few pitches higher. This was because fear was laced in his voice; he was afraid of the answer [Name] was going to share. Unbeknownst to [Name], despite the question he had asked, Jimin did not want to know the answer because he feared that what he might be told, could somehow jeopardize his chances with [Name]. 

“Her father, he’s…He’s no longer with us,” [Name] muttered softly, and her words were barely audible because she did not want Ha-neul to hear. 

Jimin’s eyes widened in surprise. He could not think of what to say, so his only response was a simple “Oh.” 

“But… The situation, this situation around Ha-neul is really… Complicated to say the least. It’s, it’s a long story that, that I, I d-don’t think I can share yet. I-I’m sorry, maybe another time,” [Name] stuttered, and looked away from Jimin in order to avoid eye contact. 

He narrowed his eyes at her, not particularly feeling happy about being left in the dark. But for now, he decided to not push this matter any further. Now, it was [Name]’s turn to question him. 

“That whole ‘she’ll stop valuing you if you don’t value her, and children are more understanding than we think’ talk, that was from experience wasn’t it? Do you want to talk about it?” [Name] asked, and Jimin sighed. 

“My mother… she, well, firstly, she’s no longer with me either,” Jimin started in similar tone akin to how [Name] had spoken. “Our relationship was messed up. It’s really… complicated. Maybe, I’ll tell you another time? Perhaps when you tell me your story?” 

[Name]’s eyebrow twitched. 

“You’re devious,” she noted, and Jimin merely smirked in response. Then, he began to walk towards the direction Ha-neul had gone towards. 

“Where are you going?” [Name] asked, furrowing her eyebrows. 

“To go talk with Ha-neul. I’ve pep talked you, and now it's her turn,” Jimin responded grinning, and [Name]’s eyes widened. 

As he disappeared from her line of sight, and went closer towards Ha-neul’s room, [Name]’s cheeks felt warm, and her heart was pounding loudly against her chest. 

For the first time in a long time, it felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, and she no longer felt alone. The darkness she had lost herself in, there was finally a peak of light that was beginning to shine in the distance -- it was hope. 

[Name] hugged herself and she smiled. Thank you Jimin.

 Jimin had knocked on the door of Ha-neul’s room a few times. He was waiting for a bit, hoping he would receive a response from her. When he did not get a response, but instead heard the soft sounds of her quiet wails, he decided to enter.

At the moment, Jimin knew more than anyone that Ha-neul was in a very vulnerable state. She already seemed to dislike him, and in hopes to help her, increasing her distrust in him was the last thing that he wanted. He knew he needed to approach her with much caution, especially if he wanted her to listen to him. So, he made sure he announced what he was doing loud and clear to prevent himself from treading on any boundaries that could upset Ha-neul any further.

“Ha-neul, I’m coming in,” Jimin said loudly, as he knocked on the door once more. When he did not hear any protests, he entered, and gently shut the door behind him.

The room was dark as it was night-time, and Ha-neul had not turned on the lights in her room. She was sitting on her bed, in the furthest corner of her room. Her legs were brought to her chest, and she was hugging them tightly. Her face was buried in her knees and her loose hair strands fell over her face and knees messily. Jimin was unable to see her expression, but the way she continued to cry silently to herself, made it clear that she was upset. 

Jimin quietly sat on the chair beside her bed, that was part of her study table. For the next few minutes, it was silence amongst them, as he observed Ha-neul. She was either too caught up in her sorrow to notice him, or was simply choosing to ignore him. Jimin did not care too much about the details of this rude action because in the moment, all that mattered was Ha-neul. She needed to know that someone understood her, that her feelings were valid, and she was not alone. He needed to make her feel okay.

“You know, you’re very lucky to have a caring mother like [Name],” he began softly, and she froze at the sound of his voice. “She cares a lot about you. It might not seem like it at times, but she loves you a lot.”

Ha-neul felt angered by his words.

“If she loved me so much, then why won’t she tell me the truth?! Why won’t she rely on me instead of sharing everything with a stranger like you?! She literally just met you today and seems to care about you more than me!” she snapped, turning her head towards him, and glaring at him through her tear-stained face.

“Sometimes it’s easier for us to share our burdens with a stranger than a loved one. Like you’re doing so right now. You’ve shared your frustration towards your mother with me despite that you only met me today as well. But you haven’t shared these feelings with [Name]. Why?” Jimin challenged, and his words caused Ha-neul’s eyes to widen. She pressed her lips in a straight line and did not reply. Jimin took this as an indication to continue.

“You didn’t want to burden her, right? You felt like she already has so much going on that it’s best to keep your feelings to yourself so she wouldn’t worry more than she already does,” Jimin stated, and Ha-neul nodded quietly.

He smiled at her.

“I can tell you that that’s probably how [Name] feels. You’re so young, and she doesn’t want to worry you too much so she kept it to herself. As for your father, I can’t say. But sometimes, we can’t talk about something because the past is too painful to remember. It makes us relive the pain we don’t want to remember,” he explained in a low voice. Subsequently to this, Ha-neul stayed quiet for a few minutes, before she sniffled and shifted closer towards the edge of the bed, and closer towards Jimin.

“So does that mean my dad was a bad man and hurt my mom?” she mumbled, looking up to Jimin with more tears forming in her eyes. By now, with how much she had cried already, Ha-neul’s eyes were red and beginning to swell. 

He felt his heart break at her expression. He reached out, and gently patted her head.

“I... don’t know. But, what I do know is that your father is a very sensitive topic to your mum. I know you want to know the truth, and you deserve to know the truth. But it’s not worth pursuing it if all it does is pains your mum, and causes fights between you two. You’re all that she has, and she is all that you have. Focus more on your current family, and give your mother the space she needs. She’s a person like you. She feels hurt, confused and sad like you do too. Be nice to her, and wait until she’s ready to tell you herself. You’re a very lucky girl Ha-neul, not everyone’s mothers love them the way your mother loves you,” he explained with a bittersweet smile.

Ha-neul pondered over his words for a few moments, before she nodded. Then, she wiped away her tears with the sleeve of her shirt, and stood up from her bed. Quickly, in embarrassment, she gave Jimin a quick hug as a ‘thank you’ before hurriedly pulling away.

Jimin chuckled, and then teasingly ruffled her hair.

“You owe your mum an apology kiddo,” Jimin said, and he held out his hand for her to take. A small blush coated Ha-neul’s cheeks. She grabbed onto Jimin’s hand with her own smaller one, and he led her out of her room and into the living room. There, [Name] was in the middle of cleaning up the mess Ha-neul had made earlier.

“Mom,” Ha-neul called out timidly, and as [Name] turned towards them, she was immediately hugged by Ha-neul.

“Huh? Ha-neul? What’s—” [Name] began in surprise, but was interrupted as her daughter cried a few more sobs. Ha-neul clutched onto [Name]’s clothes tightly, clinging onto her as if she was her entire world.

“I’m sorry! I’m so so so sorry for everything and saying such horrible things to you. Please forgive me,” she begged, and almost instantly, [Name]’s gaze had softened. She returned her embrace, before she bent down to Ha-neul’s height, and kissed her forehead.

“I’m sorry too, my baby. I’m sorry for not trying to understand you and brushing you aside. I was being unfair and I shouldn’t have done that. About your father—” [Name] said, but Ha-neul shook her head.

“You don’t have to tell me. If you aren’t able to talk about it then that must mean it hurts you right? Dad did something horrible to you,” Ha-neul murmured, and lowered her gaze. The thought of her mother being hurt in whatever way she had been, caused more waterworks in her eyes.

[Name]’s eyes widened slightly, and her lip quivered. For a moment, all of the traumatising experiences with Jungkook flashed before her eyes. She wanted to scream, and she felt a desperate suffocating urge to cry and spill everything out to Ha-neul about how a part of her loathed her because Ha-neul continued to remind her of Jungkook; but she refocused back into reality. 

In the moment, she saw Ha-neul’s big innocent eyes filled with concern for her well-being staring back at her. It reminded her that while Ha-neul did have a part of Jungkook in her genes, she was far from being such a monster. She was an innocent child that [Name] had chosen to bring to life because Ha-neul also had parts of her. She was the one who had raised her, not Jungkook, not Taehyung. If anything, Ha-neul was exactly like her. For that very reason, [Name] needed to be stronger to support both of them, and make sure Ha-neul would never experience the pain she did.

Afterwards, no words were exchanged. Instead, there was a mutual understanding between Ha-neul and [Name]. The elephant that often weighed upon them and kept up that uneasiness, had finally been addressed, and lifted. It felt like they could finally breathe in each other’s presence. They smiled at each other, and [Name] pulled Ha-neul into another hug.

Jimin watched from a few foot-steps away as [Name] and Ha-neul stayed in their warm and loving embrace. His own lips stretched into a smile, and he felt incredibly happy at seeing them happy, and knowing he was the reason behind their smiles. That was when a thought occurred to him, and his eyes widened in surprise.

Suddenly, things banded together and a whole picture that made sense to him was captured. Jimin realised that they were both happy because of him. They had both sorted out their conflict because he understood both of them, and because he helped them. Without him, they would not have come to an understanding, and they would not be happy like they were right now.

[Name] was strong, but clearly Ha-neul was  too much for her. [Name] needed Jimin to be there for her. 

One thought lead to another, and he conjured up one thought that sent shivers of ecstasy down his spine; both [Name] and Ha-neul needed him to survive. Without him, they would fall apart, and someone could easily take advantage of them.

Therefore, after such reflection, Jimin decided right then and there, that he was a part of their family; and he was going to do whatever it took for him to protect them.

A/N: Firstly, special thanks to @chikinika for proof-reading this for me and giving me reassurance. I love you for always supporting me, and helping me. Secondly, this is a sequel to Oath of Desires. I hope you guys will enjoy this! This is the first part. The second, and the last part will be released soon. Thank you for reading, and I put a lot of blood, sweat and tears (haha, get it?) into this, so please do share your feedback, it would mean a lot. 

[thebiasrekkers]

Stay With Me- KSJ [Part 1]

For the @btswriterscorner​ - Amor Fabula Launch Project in celebration of the month of Valentine’s Day!

Plot: Kim Seokjin is a Therapist for the converted but what happens when he finally understands what his clients go through.

Rating: PG-13 // SFW

Genre: dystopian!au/dystopian themes | angst | romance/fluff

Pairing: Kim Seokjin x Female OC (Leliana)

Warnings: Strong language, mentions of conversion, death

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin L’s AO3 || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,085

AN: This is the second half to Shouldn’t Be. Please read that one first before reading this one or you might be a bit confused! As always:comments, reviews and requests are always welcome!

© thebiasrekkers (Admin L). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

It was a quiet night. 

Seokjin had just gotten home, not too long ago, from his job and the events of earlier kept running through his mind. A client, Kim Namjoon, had willingly turned himself in for Therapy once he found out the news about the Rebel found in his care. He had hoped that there was a shred of his intelligence still left in him. However, the man had thrown that all away after having a taste of the other side--as he had said in his notes. 

It was a pity, the man worked for the Genetics and Hospital division but to have that in jeopardy because of the events that happened? He would be so lucky to keep his Caste and work station after that. Still, it was his first offense and with all his accomplishments--he might be able to retain what he was doing beforehand. Well, depending on how well he responded to the Conversion. Seokjin gave a sigh and finally sunk into his plush couch that he acquired about a month ago. It would be at least another 30 minutes before his own wife would be home so could have either sunk even further down into the couch or surprise Leliana with a cooked meal. 

He rolled the thought around in his mind, trying to decide on what all they actually did have in the refrigerator before finally getting up from his comfy spot and looking. He didn’t realize that Leliana had already gone grocery shopping, viewing all the edibles that were in the kitchen. He figured that she must have snuck off while he was sleeping. It was almost like she was a thief in the night, the way that she got about and he didn’t know it. 

It had been more than one occasion where she had walked up behind him and scared him with how quiet she could be. It always made her laugh when he would scream and clutch at his chest before whirling around to give her a half-way amused look. It made the corners of his lips turn upward as he thought about it, taking things out of the refrigerator to cook with. It was the least he could do since they both been out and about, with him getting home first. 

He seared the meat, watching it sizzle in the pan before treating it with other vegetables. The smell of his cooking started to waft throughout the home rather quickly and it wasn’t long before Leliana arrived home, almost as if she was summoned by the smell. She started to shuffle through like normal but paused when she passed the kitchen, a soft smile forming on her lips when she saw him in the kitchen with an apron on. Seokjin gave a cheeky smile at her and waved her on so she could put her things down. 

She nodded in agreement and resumed what she was doing but not before Seokjin noticed her movements. They seemed to be a lot slower than normal but then again, he just chalked it up to her being tired. It wasn’t too long before everything was ready for them to eat, with her setting up the table while he got the food plated. It had been like that for the last nine months, they would always make time to sit down and eat together. Seokjin had brought it up within the first month of them being Matched because he wanted Leliana to feel comfortable there with him. He knew it wasn’t easy coming from a lower Caste than him but she also had her family support behind her. His own family tended to look down on those that weren’t as high as them and even were appalled when he had the choice on what to do with his life. 

He was one of the rare ones where the System actually gave choices and that was simply because at the time--there had been a surplus of careers so the System decided to give a precious few the choice in order to even out work for the rest of people. So he had decided to go the Therapist route, preferring to work with people instead of around them. Honestly, he had been nurturing the small desire to see what makes everyone tick and it had been that way since school when they would educate them on how the Earth got that way in the first place. 

So when he was Matched with Leliana, he wanted to study her at first and learned different things about her. He knew that she was one of the Converted, one that had gone through the process of being “wiped” and reintroduced into the world. He also learned of her interest in weaving and clothing, which lead her to work as a tailor. That first month was one where it was quiet until Seokjin decided to bring home a little microphone and proceeded to walk around the house talking. The incident made Leliana loosen up and laugh for the first time with him, which produced soft talking and cooking dates. 

Now, he sat across from her and watched her slowly eat like it was an effort to do so. He reached over and took one of her hands into his, holding it as he gazed at her. There was something wrong with her and there was no way that she could hide it from him any longer. She looked up and squeezed his hand in return, giving him a soft smile. He let it go for that night but made a mental note to ask her about it later when she had rested. 

“So, how was your day today? And if I hear that the gentleman from North Beach came about again just to give you a hard time, then I will show up to give him a talk.”

Leliana just chuckled into her food and shook her head. She proceeded to tell him about a dress that she made for a Matched anniversary and what all effort went into it. He found himself listening like he would do any client but the difference was that he was more invested in what she had to say instead of just work listening. Seokjin was terrible but it was the truth, especially when it came to his Match. 

Another reason why it bothered him a bit when he came across the subject of Kim Namjoon. How he burst forth with what he was experiencing about another at the very end? He could see it a little bit when he looked at her but over all, the feelings were still the same. There was very little to none left when educated or re-educated and depending on what you did with your life, there was the option of Dissociative Amnesia that occurred when going through the Therapy process. He often wondered about Leliana, about what she was also like before going through the process but he didn’t press it. Not for fear that it would bring up old things that would trigger a relapse. 

“How about you, Seokjin?”

His face grew solemn as he speared some vegetables onto his fork. Just that alone showed her that it hadn’t been a good day for him and didn’t say anything further. She knew of the case of Kim Namjoon and the Rebel but tried to stay out of it because he was involved with the diagnosis. It was all over the news, that one of the rebels had been found and Converted as a warning to everyone. She realized that Seokjin had started to gather their near empty plates, snapping her out of her thoughts about the situation. She stood up to help him with the dishes but he ushered her to bed, saying how he had noticed her being tired. 

As she entered the room, she turned around to watch him at the sink without him knowing. She smiled knowing that she was one of the lucky ones that got Matched well. Or perhaps it was his way with people? His broad shoulders were slightly hunched as he stood over the glistening sink, scrubbing gently at the dishes. His dark hair started to stray into his face, handsome and pouting slightly at one spot that just didn’t want to come off easily. 

She knew that having those emotions would cause her to be taken away again but they had developed over the months that they were together. She could even see glimpses of it too in him, things that he would do for her. However, due to his work and the repercussions of what would happen should he foster those feelings--Leliana dared not to express herself to him or anyone else. She had successfully hidden everything despite Seokjin’s nature and skill with people but soon she wouldn’t have to hide any longer. 

She memorized the scene, something to keep with her until everything passed. 

Seokjin looked up, feeling eyes on him and saw that Leliana was looking at him from the bedroom door. He waved his hand at her, signaling her to get going. Flicks of water launched themselves from his hand, causing him to realize what he was doing and found a towel to dry his hands on before he got everything else wet. She retired to the room, a soft click letting him know that she had finally laid down. He braced himself on the sink and tilted his head at the sudden action she had performed. 

He had made up his mind that there was something amiss, other than her tiredness. Seokjin finished up what he was doing before heading towards the room himself. However, in the ten minutes that it took him to finish--there had been a soft chime that alerted him to the mail system. He frowned, knowing that it was late for it to run so he walked over to check it. Inside was a letter from a Doctor with Leliana’s name on it, marked for urgent. It was rare that actual paper letters were sent out with the advent of the System but he knew that they used that system for test results and such. 

Which worried him. 

So Seokjin opened it, hands starting to shake just a bit. It turned out to be test results that had been marked urgent. His heart sank as he realized why she had been so tired and out all the time. He’d been so blind for so long and didn’t even think that something like that would happen but there was the proof in his hands. He could feel his chest hurting, like someone had punched him. The urge to call out to her was growing but he clamped down viciously on those feelings, the action causing a lump to form in his throat from the suppression. 

Seokjin didn’t go to their bed for quite some time, sitting on the plush couch as he stared at the letter. He even emailed several of his contacts about what was going on, in hopes that someone would be able to give him an answer. None answered him at that time of night so he finally decided to slink off, scared to bother her in her sleep. 

He stood over the bed, looking down at her. Her soft voice that was a constant tone until she got delightfully excited about something. Her curves that seemed to be lit up in the most picturesque way as the moonlight filtered through the blinds. A noise caught his attention, little droplets that had started to splatter on the window. He’d forgotten that the Weather System was supposed to switch over from a clear night to storms--a sudden feature to help the environment grow in the colony. 

The rain came on slowly at first then got harder, with some rumblings of thunder off in the distance. Leliana shifted in her sleep, Seokjin noticed and remembered that she didn’t like storms. Possibly something from her past but he soon slid in the bed next to her and held her to him gently. It was the first time that he did so but the action settled her, the warmth and comfort easing her worries about the noise. As he held her, a tear escaped his eyes as he held her a little closer to his chest. The lighting lit up the room but he fell into an uneasy sleep with her drawn up to him, his very being troubled and turbulent like the storm outside. 

[sootcloak]

Crow’s Shadow: Carrion Circle

Second part of a short serial installment I’m working on as a general exercise on plotting, editing and the like. You can find the other parts linked here - {Part One: Repair Required} - I’ll add the last link once Part Three is up. Same spoiler warnings as Part One apply. Same general content warnings apply.

~2400 words, featuring Hilda the Mongrel and Rostnthal the Reborn. Centered around a tense cross country trip, and the looming specter of a dangerous foe. Twelve help me I’d hoped I could fit more of the plot into this one the last part is gonna be so long, such a pain to edit.

A cold, mountain spring cuts through the highlands. The water runs babbling over old, long-smooth stones. Along its bank, a cart is still. A pair of chocobos sleep, curled in on one another. Bright yellow feathers pool starkly against the grey and white of the highland’s snow-covered earth.

The campfire, dim and growing colder by the minute, pops and sizzles in the moonlit dark. Every few moments, the earth rumbles with a heavy snore from deep in Rostnthal’s chest. The old Sea Wolf is leaned up against the back of one of the birds, a canvas sheet thrown over both he and the chocobo. Hilda lies beneath the cart itself, nestled up in a tight ball of quilts and jackets.

In the back of the cart, Vavara rifles through the packed supplies. She loads specially marked shells into her revolver. It’s reflective white metal glints in the moonlight. It has a mirror shine in the dead of night, it’s engravings doing little to break up the perfect polish she’s maintained. It is a slow process, painstaking with just one hand. The cartridges hum and vibrate in their chambers, the ether concentrate within nervously singing to her heightened hearing.

Six shots in each cylinder.

If he’s there, it’ll take at least fifteen of these to break his barrier. Even with aether-charged rounds, the inadequacy of her armaments hangs over her. Missing an arm means choosing between her spear and a firearm. Damaged as she is, she might not even have enough aether at her disposal to ignite the spearblade.The core nested between her lungs is pressed cold and stark against her heart, like a long-dull knife. Her soul, nestled within it’s crystal depths, aches from long-faded scars. Her whole body would be a treasure trove for him, secrets to decipher, power to steal. Weapons to wield.

Even then, measured against his life - her secrets, her safety, all things are cast into the pot.

--

She loads a spare cylinder with slow, committed strokes. It’ll take a long time to reload the weapon, even with this preparation.. She didn’t pick this hand, but she’ll play it till the cards are on the table. Folding was never an option, anyways.

Light falls on the small camp, the morning sun casting light into the narrow crevice beneath the cart. Hilda wakes up with a yawn. Her arms stretch across the dirt, eyes squeezed shut. She growls softly deep in her chest, and sits up. Her forehead slams into the wood with an audible crunch.

“Seven hells-” She snarls.

“Gyahah!” Rostnthal’s laughter echoes over the small glade, watching with a gleaming eye as she clutches her forehead.

“‘Ey, Ashenheart! I won! Ye’ owe me a drink when we get back!” His grin is audible, a chuckle reverberating in his voice.

“I never agreed to playing your game.” Vavara says. “Besides, I owe you more than a drink if we all return safely.”

“Heh. Humorless. What with ye’ hangin with the Scions lately, thought you may’ve lightened up some. Guess even they can’t get ye’ out’a that shell.” His voice is no less mirthful, seemingly unfazed by her chilled tone.

“A’ight, come get yer food. Breakfast’s done.” He slaps the side of the kettle, ringing loud and full. Still groaning and clutching a bloodied face, Hilda drops into a cross-legged sit besides Rostnthal.

They goad and poke at one another, the words fading into white noise as Vara sits atop the cart.Her eyes’ light dims, old, ash-soaked memories rising from the shadows of memory. A wave of nauseating nostalgia hits her in the gut.

“You not eating?” Hilda prods Vara with an empty bowl. The old, smoke-scented memories submerge into the dark again. 

“Not right now. I had hardtack before you two were up.” She pushes herself up to her feet, her arm stretching, slight shoulders squaring for a moment under the winter overcoat.

“I’ll get the birds ready while you two eat. We need to move soon.” Her footsteps crunch in the snow as she walks away. A hanging tension in the air slowly seeps into the air as she walks away.

“Y’know,” Rostnthal calls out, voice low and rumbling. “Ye’ still haven’t told us where we’re goin’. Or anything else of substance, really.”

“Yes,” She says as she hoists the barding onto one of the birds. She glances over her shoulder, eyes dimly glowing with an unnatural, cold light in the shadow of the brim of her cap. “I am aware.” The words are biting, dismissive.

“D’ye intend for us to go into whatever trouble is brewing blind?” His tone is calm and grim, his one, good eye locked on hers.

“I do.” She returns his gaze, ironclad.

“An’ if that means things get bloodier than they ‘ad to?”

“It won’t. I can’t protect you on the battlefield. Not in my condition.” She turns away, leading the chocobos to the cart’s front. She clips their barding in, the ‘coos’ and ‘kwehs’ of the birds giving her occasional pause to double check her work.

“So you won’t be there.” She says without turning. “I’ll be leaving you and the birds out of danger. When my student finds you, you’ll take him to Dragonhead.” 

“Wait, what?” Hilda pauses halfway between bites, eyes narrowing. “I came out here to help, not to be a damned taxi. You’re not traipsing off on your own, ‘specially not after all your talk about this fucker who’s hunting you.”

“You want to help?” Vara’s grip on the wood tightens, words turning venomous. “Then I’ve told you how. You want to die? Then go on, follow me after we part ways.”

“Oh, that’s rich.” Hilda’s tone sours, “What’s your deal? We went over this on our first day out, and now half a week in you’re changing your tune? We know it’s dangerous, we get it.”

She sets her half-finished meal aside, standing up. Her hands come to rest on her hips, Rostnthal’s eye moving to rest on her.

“We signed on for this. We knew it’d get bloody, we knew it’d be a close thing. Y’think we’ve not learned to read you? That we were blind to what we were getting into?” She says, defiantly staring down at Vavara.

“So you’re going to ride in and save the day? Vanquish the bad man with your shiny gun and sporty marksmanship? You think you have what it takes to stand against  a man who��s decided he’d rather be a demon?” Vavara takes a deep, steadying breath. There’s something about the question which makes Rostnthal’s hairs stiffen. The skin on the back of his arms and back prickles. He’s still watching Hilda, a blooming anxiousness slowly taking up more space in his chest. He pushes the feeling down.

“Wouldn’t have stepped up if I didn’t think I could help” Hilda says, “An’ I may not be some vaunted champion of the realm like those you’ve been keepin’ the company of, but I-”

“You sound like a child. Too busy playing hero to see the danger you’re in.” Vavara’s chiding words cut through her momentum.

“What do you believe you are wagering? Your life? That in failure, you would die?” Her laugh is a single, wrenching cough. “This isn’t a battle of life and death. I’d sooner shoot myself in the head than allow any of those ‘vaunted champions’ to face him. Even the Warrior of Light, no especially the Warrior of Light.

“He does not kill. He captures. And those he captures become another one of the Empire’s experimental weapons. You would not die, you would become a monster to be sicked on your allies, your friends, and your loved ones.

“So I will face him alone. And you two will ensure an innocent boy does not become a monster because my past came to call. And if after hearing that, you still want to be the hero? Fine. You can be like all the others before you and die like one, too.” Her voice nearly chokes at the end. Shoulders tense, she pushes out a hoarse, whistling breath.

“I’ll do what I do best. Survive. And whatever I have to do to make sure he gets through this too? I’ll pay that price. Worry about yourself.”

“Vavara.” Rostnthal says, leaning in. “What’s so important about this kid that yer so concerned about ‘im getting captured.”

“Nothing. He’s just-” She begins, only for him to hold up one hand to silence her.

“Ye’ never go this far ‘just because’. I’ve seen ye’ in the ‘eat of battle. Cuttin losses ‘as never been somethin’ yer averse to. Even with lives. So if this kid is a hazard to himself more than anyone else, I reckon ye’d try and save him, sure. But to be willin’ to train and tutor a complete greenhorn, let alone throw yerself into the fire for ‘im?? Doesn’t add up.”

He waits. His eye locked on her back, her greying, braided hair shifting with a breeze. Hilda glances between the two, silence bubbling and steaming with tension.

“He is Blessed.” She speaks with a hushed admission, her voice accompanied by an undercurrent of choked, hissing metal.

“And from my observations, he has an aptitude for its power rarely seen. But he is young, foolhardy. I took him in because he otherwise would have found the Scions. And I refuse to see them make another martyr.” She glances back to the other two, over her good shoulder.

“His power will invite controversy and challenge, especially if he cannot wield it. And should Llain capture him, the prospect of an anti-eikon weapon imbued with the power of the Echo is a looming threat I cannot risk. If he can wield the Echo, if he learns how to use it to reinforce his sense of self and being, then he would retain his sanity through any kind of augmentation. Any kind of torment.” Her hand reaches up and rests flat against her chest, claw-tipped fingers scraping against the cloth and leather of her coat. 

“His soul could reside in even steel and crystal, and be unharmed by the process. But if he is captured before he learns to understand and wield the Echo, he could well become a weapon of terrifying power. An incarnation of death made manifest in steel and ceruleum.”

“I refuse to be the mother of death.” She says, softly, almost-inaudibly.

Rostnthal opens his mouth to speak, but the glare he receives from her in return stifles him for a moment.

“None of that changes what you must do. I trust you enough to determine your own path, if you will not heed my warnings. I will tell you what you need to know, even if it is not all you want to know.”

“No, it does change what we need to do. Whether you think so or not.” Hilda says, her confidence returning.

“That kid. What’s his name?” She asks, eyes fixed on Vavara’s.

“Tahve’ir.”

“Well, he’s going to need a teacher still, by your tone. So getting him out isn’t enough. I’ve got to make sure you both get out.”

“And if you can’t?” Vavara says as the two share a long, grim stare.

“Then I get him out, and come back for you. You said he doesn’t kill, and I doubt he can make it back to Garlemald in a single night. So, we get Tahve’ir out, and if you get caught in the meantime, I’ll run back and get you out in the night.”

“Nah.” Rostnthal’s voice rumbles softly, quietly. “Ye’ ain’t got experience with that kinda work. I’ve ran with the yellow jackets and the like, bustin’ slave rings and smashin’ smugglin’ ops. If she gets caught and we have to pull out, I’ll go. An’ you’ll take the kid.” He looks towards Hilda, a confident spark in his eye.

“Alright. Best not mess it up, y’old drunkard.” Hilda says, she cocks a nervous grin and playfully jabs his arm. He just chuckles grimly.

“So you won’t heed my warnings.” Vavara’s voice is distant, a kind of shrill, haunting whistle riding under the injured voice. “It always happens like this.”

“Chin up.” He says, crossing the distance between himself and her in a few steps. He drops to one knee, and rests one hand on her shoulder. He grips her softly, confidently.

“I’m not ignorin’ what ye’ said. We can’t win in a direct fight? Then we’ll just have to run ‘im ‘round the bush. Keep ‘im guessin’. Keep ‘im dazed. We’ll work on strategies on the way there.” He takes a deep breath, and then stands. He climbs into the driver’s seat.

“Have faith.” He says, patting the birds with a solid, steady palm. “‘Ave faith, an’ all will be well. Besides. Yer not meant t’look so glum. Doesn’t suit yer’ image. Times like these, a snarl’s better.”

She just takes a deep breath, steadies herself, and nods.

She jumps up into the back of the cart as Hilda finishes dumping the last bits of the kettle, and scooping her bowl back up into one hand. The dinnerware sack lands in the back with a cataclysmic, chaotic crash.

As soon as her boots are fixed upon the wood, Rostnthal whips the reins and the birds kick up dust as they run.

--

The sun sinks back low in the sky again. Pale-red light streaks across the untamed mountains between Ishgard and Ala Mhigo.

A small shack with a sprawling, chaotic garden sits on a low, narrow plateau. Heavy, metal boots scratch into the wet, snow-melt fed earth. A man with sandy skin, a straight back and strong shoulders stands at the edge of the homestead. His hair is neatly, painstakingly pulled into a long, salt and pepper braid. It rests on his armored pauldrons, and hangs down to his waist. His eyes, a gilded, ember orange, take in the small, humble abode.

In one hand, he holds a thick, angular blade. It’s gunmetal edge reflects no light, despite the bright morning. Coarse and rough, like a painted, sharp thorn of ink clutched tight.

In the other, he holds a stark, shining revolver. It’s pearly white metal casts myriad colors onto the ground around him, and up onto his own blackened platemail. 

In the light of dusk, his aura shines bright and ethereal around him. Dancing, half-there reflections in intangible glass.

He takes a deep breath, and cracks a cheery grin His shadow stretches over the gardens in the evening light. He can smell the faintest hint of ceruleum in the air.

“Finally. Progress.” His smile is all teeth and ambition.

[cutegirlmayra]

Commission Receipt: Soler’s Story Ch. 2

@solerwolf21 once again returned to have a part 1′er of the next chapter, it was very fun to work on and I’m glad I got the opportunity to have his Sonic OC Soler shine again!

Time: After a brief discussion about what story elements he wanted and what plot points were to be addressed in this chapter, I began work and development on the story. It took only a day to write out a basic plot which he requested to see and approved. Then it took a few months for the completion and editing.

Review: @solerwolf21 -  First, yes I have read it and not gonna lie there were at least two to three times I was scared for (how) things were going (to) go lol. I was too scared for Soler and Sally’s relationship and Shay was terrifying and his mom was wonderous and pops is cold. I also enjoyed the hints of depth behind certain actions or things said like Sally stopping Soler from making a promise, or Shadow’s lack of insight on familial ties, really good touches. Overall great work! Also I love love love the characterization! The contrast of thought of how Soler handles situations compared to Sally, Shadow, and his retrospective on Soler. Heck their whole relationship as a whole and its evolution. I just loved Shadow in this so so much.

Paid amount: After deciding on a price, I was surprised to find that he actually paid for more in the end! I was really touched, and at first, worried he may have overspent and contacted him to alert him of the situation. He told me he put in more and so I gave him more, it was around 50$, and I’m very grateful that he enjoyed the story! It was fun to write for him again!

With permission from the customer, here is the rough draft of the finished product for your viewing pleasures:

Soler's Sequel: Chaos Panic.

Ch. 2

A story for Solerwolf21!

By: Cutegirlmayra

New Mobotroplis was centered with a bright, yellowish castle for the Acorn's to rule in peace, but nowadays, it is a military fortress for the headquarters of the Freedom Fighters.

It's princess, Sally Acorn, continued to lead the Freedom Fighters time and again against the Eggman Empire, who threatened to destroy all organic things into robotic slaves for his mad ambitions of power and control.

However, Eggman's forces began to grow and increase in unspeakable ways... a new ally had aligned themselves to Eggman, choosing to be on the power-hungry side that seemed to be winning, instead of freedom-bound heroes. These heroes wouldn't cease in doing good, fighting for those who couldn't, and protecting all Mobians from certain peril and robotization.

Sally carefully counted inside the freedom force's food storage warehouse facility, tapping her pen in the air as she went through each box and marked to check off each category on her clipboard. "There!" she giddily swiped the last check mark onto it's corresponding box. "After this hostage rescue, we should have enough supplies to keep them well fed for a few months or so. At least until our next harvest and supply run." She nodded to herself until she heard an alarm go off. "Huh?"

Turning to see Rotor waving for her outside, she felt her anxiety spike and quickly ran back out as the large, almost barn-like doors began to automatically close behind her.

"What's going on?" She inquired, her voice sounding serious and her eyes showing the leadership fixed in them like a fire lit on the spot.

"Nothing." Rotor calmed her, letting her know it wasn't that serious. Still, it put Sally on edge, and she had to calm herself into a gentler state of mind again.

"Go on." After a short breath, she straightened out and loosened up a bit. Though, the tension in her muscles seemed to be unending... such was the life of a benevolent ruler in times of war.

"Soler set off another security alarm again," Rotor chuckled, noticing her demeanor had returned to being somewhat normal, for now. "He's training with his power again... he used to go so far out of our radar that he'd be gone for a few days or so, training remotely. Now? He doesn't mind just blasting his power all over the place without a single thought!" Rotor lifted up his arms and shook them about, but the action only made Sally smile.

It was true that Soler had a hard time training within New Mobotroplis. He was constantly in panic that he'd do something wrong, or hurt someone... It took a lot of time for him to trust himself, but Sally was glad to hold his hand through it all.

She was happy he was comfortable around everyone now, but still worried about their alarms...

"He's just so used to controlling them now, he's not as afraid to use them as he was before." Sally was still mostly glad, he was showing some confidence, and that meant that everyone's efforts for him to feel included within the Freedom Fighters had not failed in fail. He was slowly coming out more, being more lively and talkative. He was still somewhat lazy, but at least he was lazy with others now... Though, she was upset that he was triggering off their alarms so frequently. Poor Nicole...

"I'll go talk to him."

"You know, he hangs around a lot more because of you." Rotor gave her a sly look and put his hands on his hips, "I'll get back to my equipment inspections but,... Something tells me there's more going on between you two then just causal dating..."

Her face turned a little brighter, but she batted his prying away, "Dating is dating, don't make unnecessary assumptions!" she didn't like her values being questioned, but it was true that Soler had been hanging around a lot closer to base lately...

She had just never supposed it could have been because... because of how close they had gotten to one another.

"I wasn't saying that, but it's interesting that that's what you thought. I wouldn't dream of it!" Rotor shook his hands out with a goofy grin on his face, teasing her. "I just meant... maybe you two are more committed than you think?"

"Alright, enough teasing." Sally pushed her finger against his nose to move his face out from trying to read her own. "I'll go check on him. Which way?"

"The little chaos engine is southward." he pointed behind him. "Turn just a little west, and good luck!" He laughed, clutching his belly and swinging his leg up a moment to really give his teasing a good kick into Sally's pride. "He's letting all the new recruit's legends and stories about him get to his head!"

"L-legends?" A bead of sweat trailed down from her forehead, but she wiped it off, trying not to worry. "I'll see what the fuss is all about."

"Just his popularity, that's all." Rotor waved her off, moving on and placing a leisurely hand by his tool belt. "Try and stay calm, Sal. It's better for your health!"

"Not in these times..."

As she made her way towards where Soler usually trained nowadays, she stopped in a jolt. "Oh, wait!"

She remembered something and quickly turned to Rotor, seeing he had already moved quite a bit aways from her. "Really, quick!" she ran back and placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, grabbing his attention again as he turned to look at her curiously. "For the night operation... the village is covered in dense fog, correct?"

"Very much so." Rotor confirmed. "Make sure your operation is covert. We can't have anyone disappearing on us. If the village is being rounded up for roboticization, then we don't have a huge window for error. We can't lose anyone again, Sally..." He looked distraught, and Sally comforted him with a few pats on his back. "Shard and Sonic are off on reconnaissance. Espio, Rouge, and Shadow are spying on different Eggman fleets. Bunny is still with Anton... I'm afraid all we have is a handful of us left." She shrugged, showing that they were worn pretty thin at the moment when it came to available, capable hands. "Soler and Nicole are all we got so far. Maybe Tails will be willing to come. His twin tails could push some of the fog away?" she seemed to be stretching it, squinting her eyes and shrinking down a bit, as though embarrassed to have to question her own tactics.

"Eh, it's a team. I'll see what I can do on my end, too." Rotor nodded, patting her shoulder, "Hey, Sal. You're doing good." He encouraged her, giving her some much needed confidence in her abilities too. "Go and get'em back safe."

"Will do." Sally nodded, taking his advice in. She felt a sense of pride then, telling her that she could do this, but hoping to not have a cost. One life meant so much to Sally, saving so many would be wonderful, but... losing even one Freedom Fighter... Sally didn't want to think about it anymore, or have to live through the consequences of one wrong move. She placed her hand to her chest and took three breaths, telling herself it was in the past and she could do this. "I'll talk to Soler, see if he has any ideas..." She began to head off again, pushing back the sorrow she had learned some hard lessons from.

Soler was powering up as much chaos energy as he could, having it jet through his power and manifest as white aura all around him. He let it course through his veins and rise in large quantities throughout his whole body, spiking his power range up and trying for a Chaos Break, hoping to hold it for a longer period of time than he was used too.

If he could somewhat master retaining chaos energy in his body, instead of always having to expel it because of the limits on his physical form... he could do a lot of good for a set of minutes.

And more good, meant more people saved.

A few recruits were watching, interested in what he was doing as he tried to concentrate. He moved his hands, almost as though practicing martial arts, but kept his eyes closed. The aura moved like misty clouds around his hands and body, seeming to spin like steam as he rotated it around him. A small dust devil formed at his center as he took deep, calming, focused breaths to try and lessen the pain of holding onto to chaos energy and trying to store it in and not let it out all at once either. Making chaos energy out of nothing would have a severe toll on his body, but with little measurements of success like this, he could maybe one day hold a massive amount, and finally give Eggman's army what's coming to them.

One of the on-lookers was a young girl, she swung her legs as she sat on some wooden crates, watching the strange sight in excitement and curiosity. "Is that him? The guy who rose in rank in just one month?"

"Yeah! They say that Shadow trained him!" Another dude piped up, moving up on the crates to answer her and share in the amazement. He gripped the edge of her crate and wagged his tail, seeming to be a fan of the stories about Soler's missions and adventures.

"Shadow?" Someone else turned to the boy, a young boy having a ponytail for his long, extensive hair. It seemed they were all fairly new recruits, still in intensive training. "But I thought he's scary!"

"He's just anti-social. That must speak volumes for this guy! If he had to have Shadow train him, he must be powerful!" A girl threw her arms up, as though showing her support for Soler as she watched to see what he'd do next for his training. She wore pigtails that spun as she admired the powerful energy surge around Soler's dust-devil effect.

"Wow..." the original recruit that spoke up stopped dangling her legs and watched him more closely, amazed by what she was hearing. "So what will he do now?"

Soler took a controlled section of chaos and forwarded it to his hand,... gliding his hand down, he felt the physical pressure of the moment, and grunted slightly as he felt more and more exhausted from just trying to force the chaos energy to one part of his body. He took a deep breath, and began hitting the air with rapid fast reflexes, jumping into a back-flip and spinning into a kick. The misty clouds shot forward, as though wind being propelled. He was training his memory, making sure his body knew what to do, and all the while channeling chaos energy throughout his movements. It was much more fluid and easier to move than before, and chaos energy wasn't so frightening to him, mostly because he knew he wouldn't hurt any curious gawkers like the kids on the crates. He could feel their energy, but it wasn't anything like chaos.

After a few more acrobatic fleets of strength, precision, and mastery over his chaos energy in Chaos Break, the effects wore off and he fell to a knee, panting strongly from it's toll on his body.

Sweat dripped from his forehead, his muscles ached and waned to keep him up on one knee. He even felt his body tremor a few times, unused to having to hold that much chaos before.

Still, training was training, he'd have to build the stamina for it, one day at a time...

"You keep that up, and you won't have any chaos energy stored up for the mission tonight." Sally stepped up and placed her hands on her hips, proud to see him showing off for the younger recruits.

He smiled, eyes still closed and hunched over, gripping his knee before pulling himself back up like he had a pair of wings, beating fiercely to look impressive. Though it was all in his head, he felt like a hero rising from the ground, and acted as much. "I'll be ready." he turned to look over his shoulder at her, another smoldering look of affection that let her know—without words—what she meant to him. "You doing alright?"

She couldn't help it, moving quickly over to him, she gave him a warm, tight hug as he returned the gesture with as much gratitude as she had. "Look at you, you've grown so much since then..." she remembered with a slight hint of teasing, tightening the hug a moment in gratitude. "You haven't had a bad dream in a while, or a walking one... for that matter." her arms wrapped around his neck before slowly loosening to let him go.

But as if not wanting her to release him, he held her at the same intensity, before pulling his head back and staring into her deep blue eyes...

"I recall a sweet moment where you used to say you'd never let me slip out of your embrace... what happened to those days?" He was amusing himself with these games, and she pushed him away from her, unable to hide her blushing grin.

"Maybe someone should move forward at a pace I can keep up with." She was acting a little shy, but he found that adorable. She folded her arms, then fiddled a moment with her muddy, scarlet hair. "Your powers... they're easier for you now?"

"Much easier to handle." Soler confirmed, dusting off his chest a moment from all the dirt he had kicked up onto himself during his workout. "Though I'm trying to figure out how to grow them stronger." he gripped his fists together, looking each over with every turn of his head, examining them. "I feel I've got the hang of it,... but I also feel there's so much more there that I haven't quite tapped into... I'm not sure how to go into the next level, as Sonic calls it, you know?"

She turned around and pointed straight at him, "Ha! You're nervous!" she laughed, "You know?" She teased, and walked back over to take his balled up hands and delicately place her own over them. "Listen, Soler... Things take time. Even using your power more strains you, right? I know you probably feel nervous about what's buried deeper inside you... but we'll worry about that together." she saw him move his hands and rub his wrists, not hiding the fact that it was a lot on him, but he was just glad he had gotten the hang of it this far.

"Thanks, Sally... but strength is strength. I'm making progress!" he flexed his arms up, "Aren't ya proud of me?" He joked. "I bet Shadow won't even recognize me when he gets back!" Striking a Hercules pose, it was clear he was only trying to impress her and the watching recruits. They all gave him an awestruck reaction, and Sally just rolled her eyes to it.

She giggled, "Immensely," and wrapped her arm around his own, "But let's not praise that 'can-do' spirit too much... might go to your stubborn head." she laughed at her own joke, but that wrinkle in her nose always made him fall deeper in love with her. She wanted to get him away from influencing the younger recruits too much... wouldn't want them setting off alarms, either...

"I love the way you laugh..." he sighed, catching her off-guard as she let his arm go and scooted back slightly. Her original plan seemed to falter as now, he was the one holding the reins.

"You're just saying that." she smiled to the ground, but he came a little closer, not wanting the distance between them to break so much.

"No, I mean it. I may be headstrong, but I'm also headfirst in love with you, Sally." His words were tender, but they were overwhelming her as she touched her redden cheeks.

"I-... I-I told you Sonic wasn't much for showing his emotions, and Monkey Khan, well... I-I'm just not used to your forwardness, sometimes." she fidgeted with her feet and then stroked her hair down over one eye, "B-b-but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate it." she humbly looked back up into his eyes...

"Well, it's hard for me not to compliment... something that strikes me as beautiful." He took on the heroic persona once more, leaning back and mimicking Sonic as he put his hand to his hip, trying to look down into her gaze to hopefully have her swoon again.

Then a recruit whistled.

Soler pulled Sally to him, instinctively, seeing their encouragements. He knew Sally would get more embarrassed though, so he held up a hand to the recruit, "Chaooosss-!" he threatened a blast.

The recruits all ran in terror but Sally just covered her face. It was a humorous scene, as they all toppled over one another and flipped over the crates to escape.

Soler put down his hand and turned back to Sally, "Sorry, I'll try and save those moments and comments for when we're alone." He lightly kissed her forehead.

"I highly doubt that." She peeked up through her fingers at him, and all at once, his heart melted again.

"Aww... you're right, you're just too cute not to say anything... I can't wait till we're alone, it's too long a time!" he hoisted her up into the air and held her swinging with his arms, around and around she went in glee.

"Ahh-! Soler-! Wooah, haha!" she clung to him, a kind gesture that put her at ease. With the audience gone, she relaxed a little bit more too. Slowly, he slipped her back down into his embrace, "I can't seem to get enough of you. There's too much to take in." She looked just as lovesick as he was, and his muzzle showed his joy at accomplishing his mission.

"There it is." He chuckled lightly, "I'll not not to say how... how that smile makes me feel... all the time." He nuzzled her nose very lightly.

"Heh," She tried to remain still, but he knew he shouldn't push his luck just yet. She needed time to adjust to... well, to how out of control he was when it came to how madly in love he was with her.

He ducked his head down, "Y-you're right. I should take it easy..." He gently, though retreating his arms to do so, let her go unwillingly. "I'm just... really happy we're together more, Sally." He scratched behind his head, mentally scolding himself and saying he should cool the engines a bit.

Sally also ducked her head, then took some courage, and lightly placed her nose to his again. "Me too..." She liked the compliments and affection, but just wasn't used to it. To not set him off, she dashed away, hoping that the subtle return of affection would be enough to show her reciprocated love. Still, she was too shy to do anything more, "I'll-! I'll see you as we head out! Please remember to be stealthy!" she called back behind her. "The mission is launching out tonight!"

"Will do." he lightly touched his nose with two fingers, then grinned from ear to ear, feeling the slight hurt on his cheeks from how happy he was. "Smiling never hurt this much... not like before." He looked out towards the sun. "...I hope this never changes..." and with that sad reminder of the doubts that filled his fate, he continued onward, preparing for the stakes that tonight would bring.

Taking on a serious demeanor, he decided to meditate, giving his body a chance to renew his chaos energy supply.

Later that night...

Eggman robots were stationed right outside the perimeter of the village's main townhouse. Their lights remained dormant of life, but vibrant in the quiet of the night. They held their forms like soldiers, grasping their metallic, flat fingers on their other arm's machine gun. Sinister sentinels, protecting nothing but serving all evils...

Shadows moved swiftly around the stagnant metal husks as the Freedom Fighters made their way to the roof of the where they guarded. Moving like silent ninjas in the night, they got to a secure wall and using ropes and jumping from a partner's hands laid together and palm facing up, they were able to make it well onto the top without being detected. However, before they did so, a figure flew up and dropped a small device that sparked as it fell to the roof. The sparks fizzled out any detection system, and finally... the shadows landed one at a time upon the roof.

A few cameras also were sparked... but they remained unaffected, slowly turning to hide their glares but watch the crew closely...

The shadows all landed one after another, before one removed his black scarf around his mouth, revealing white tuff protruding by his cheeks.

Tails's beaming face looked pretty pumped his device had worked, "Looks like there were trip wires and security detection measures on." He whispered to Sally, who also removed her black scarf from around her mouth.

"Good work, Tails. I'm glad we have you this time around." She lovingly ruffled his hair, still unable to help the feeling like he was a cute kid. "Okay, let's go with Plan B now."

But as Sally turned around to instruct the rest of the crew, Soler was out of sight. Panicky, she looked around and then peeked down the roof, seeing him moving behind one of the Eggman robots.

She let out a quiet groan of disapproval, this wasn't the first time this had happened. But still, he knew the costs, why would he act so recklessly!? In the past, he would follow orders simply because he was worried his power could act up if he didn't watch himself. But now... he was more cocky than ever! Even Sonic would sneer with pride. She turned to the others, knowing she needed to be a leader, and not risking the rest of them. She gestured the plan, using code signs to let them know what was going on, and started quietly taking the roof apart to make a small opening... hoping with all her heart that Soler wasn't going to be rash and do something to jeopardize the whole of the mission.

'He wouldn't risk innocent lives like that.' she told herself, 'I have to start trusting his instincts. I have to.' she repeated to herself as she carried on and dared not to look back. 'Be careful, Soler... Please.' her silent prayer was mingled with her frustrated clamp of her teeth, gritting through the stress of trying to keep the tools from making noises as they performed their incision on the roof.

Soler sneaked up behind one of the guarding robots, his red shoes with black X's lightly whipped up the loose dust upon the ground with each careful footstep. Using his expert knock-out techniques he had learned form Shadow, he dug the side of his hand into their little slit around the round, bulbous head's gap that made their neck. He was careful to observe some broken Eggman robots on his last missions, and studying their mechanize, it seemed that some essential wires were just under the head. Protected by both the chrome dome of their head and the heavy plating around their body. 'Too bad Eggman never gave them any bulky shoulders, this will be easy to penetrate!' Soler had already won in his mink, smirking in the dark. Summoning the chaos energy to his hand, he caught a quickly formed, sharp Chaos Spear and struck it precisely into the gap he had found in his studying. Rotor and Tails were helpful in teaching him about robotics, but it was all worth it when he could single-handedly take one out. It short-circuited and collapsed on itself, looking like an egg that fell in on it's pegged stand. Wires flickered a moment like a sparkler, but with no power left, the eyes blipped and then were out like a car's blinker.

Feeling pretty good about his technique, he continued to do the same with the others, but none were reacting to him. He'd jump, stab, and roll back into the shadows, and like dominoes, they all soon collapsed on themselves. It was like something straight out of Alice in Wonderland, but instead of folding cards, its crushed Eggbots. "Huh?" he noticed they were all strangely still... no alarms, nothing.

It was too quiet...

The night had no sound, so with all the robots downed, he walked just a little bit out of the shadows, holding his Chaos Spear in hand, having to surround it in chaos energy so it didn't burn his hand.

'A trap?' he quickly looked back up at the roof. 'Could it be..? Why else were they all... Oh no...'

His eyes widened in fear, "Sally..." he uttered, and took off to climb back up the townhouse.

Soler was used to thinking fast, over-complicating things was sadly a knack of his. His mind raced with rescue strategies in case this really was a bait, but people needed him... and he hadn't forgotten his main objective: Protect those who can't.

He raced up the wall, clawing it just enough to not make too much sound but still scale it efficiently. His reflexes helped him leap over some cameras and then kick them out. 'Cameras..? There's only two of them...' he shot the chaos spear still in his hand at the second one, watching it fizzle out and shoot out like a blown firecracker. "Not my friends you don't." he bit on his teeth, glaring, and moved towards the hole in the roof.

He stuck his head down into the gap his team had made, and looked frantically around to make sure they weren't in danger. So far, so good. He saw them rounding up the villagers, before a hand grabbed the tuff of his chest and spooked him out of his cautious observations.

Sally pulled him to her, making him wobble a second like a swung clock part.

"What do you think you're doing?" Sally had his face right up in front of her own, clearly showing him she was in warrior princess mode, and he wasn't doing as he was told...

He weakly smiled, knowing he was going to get pretty harshly scolded, "M-making sure you're all alright?" his voice shook in his delivery.

Conflicted, Sally let him go, swinging him back as his legs wiggled a moment and then he flipped them down to land.

"I'm glad you want to help at all costs, but going AWOL on a covert mission is highly hazardous!" she looked about ready to whack him, but held it back. Her whispering reprimand made it sound like she was hissing at him, and he rubbed his head apologetically, ducking his head down as she kept coming at him. "I'm worried you don't take orders well. We've done countless missions! You always aren't cautious enough!"

Ironic, he was coming back because he was being cautious...

Still, he knew she was right. He just wanted to make sure their exit plan went out without a hitch.

Unknown to them... cameras moved from the rafters to look at where Soler and Sally were talking to one another from... They bent like mechanical arms, hiding themselves, and not stationary like the well-hidden roof ones that Soler had taken out previously... The cameras on the outside, also undetected by the others, carefully watched through the windows. They rotated themselves and zoomed in on Sally and Soler... then turned to the sparking robots and the jammed chaos spears wedged into their openings by their non-existent necks. The spears flashed and the robots further exploded as Soler clutched his fist to release his control over them while Sally scolded him, distracting him from keeping the chaos hidden and silent. The robots loose wires flailed around before all light disappeared from the area.

The cameras turned back to the inside of the house... all but one... who mechanically moved to zoom in on the evidence of Soler's power...

"It'll be alright, it always is, in the end." He winked to her, trying to calm her racing nerves. "I prom-" his words were cut off as Sally clasped her hand over his mouth, pulling herself over to him and getting up on her toes to look him dead in the eye.

"Don't ever say that to me." She stated, fiercely. "Don't ever make a promise you aren't sure you can keep."

His eyes bent, seeing the pain in her eyes at saying those words. The moonlight extenuated the gloss in her eyes... Something painful had happened with a promise left unkempt, and he wouldn't pry further into it tonight.

Everyone worked well and efficiently, those tension was still lingering in Soler at the solitary guardbots all remaining motionless in the far too quiet dark, he decided to let it go since the villagers were eager to get away anyway. Gathering each mobian and placing them in a pulley system, they hoisted them up through the hole and then raced them off into the forest. Once again, Soler reflected on the easy rescue... it didn't sit right with him, and he knew from Sally's expression that she was on-guard about it too.

Why was the night so still..?

However, there was still some celebration to be had. Everyone was rescue without a single scratch or skirmish.

But then again...

The camera's feedback blitzed in a frizzy light upon a screen in an extremely dark room... scratchy static finally visualized the figure of Soler, moving in blocky images upon the frame. Many eyes reflected the light of this secluded viewing... The camera showed Soler summoning a Chaos Spear, grabbing it before it shot out of his hand, and stabbing the Robot from behind.

"It doesn't seem possible, boss." One spoke, much older in years it seemed. "But it's definitely a chaos energy attack." The man had his arms folded, a deep husky voice. He then turned to bow down to the leader. "We hoped to stage this hostage situation to learn more about the FF's tactics of rescue... but I find this a lot more alarming..."

Two figures suddenly approached the light of the screen, and one seemed to smile in wicked fascination of the image. "So, it's not just me out there, is it, Dad?"

"Quiet." The father spoke, glaring at the image. "This is an anomaly. Eggman won't be pleased if we don't perfectly execute this attack. We need to know what they have..."

"Ah, come on! We can go in, guns-a-blazin', and handle whatever their little acorn-hole can throw at us!" the son seemed pumped but the father punched his side.

"When I say quiet... I mean it." He removed his fist, "I thought I had taught you that by now." He moved his cloak to the side, covering his arm that he used to thrust his fist into his son earlier. "Assemble some more intelligence. I want to look over this footage carefully... I don't like... the blue in his quills..." The father glared heavily at the frozen image of Soler, still blurred out on the screen. "...It looks too familiar..." he almost growled in a lowered tone, and then proceeded to storm away.

The son, barely hunched over, straightened up and still held a frightening smile, "Ow... Daddy seems amiss." He turned in a joking manner to a woman who had just entered with a pitcher of water, pouring it in a cup and the leftovers onto a plant. She turned to address the boy calling her, her face hidden in her raggedy brown cloak before spilling the pitcher at the image she glanced at on the screen. Her eyes shook, as if she'd seen a ghost, recognizing the blue in his quills...

The past... had finally returned. But should it be a return?

"Oh? Still so concerned for me after all these years, dear mother?" The son moved over to her, holding some of her quills in his hand. He must have thought her reaction was from the previous punch, since he was still holding his side... "Such useless compassion..." He let it go and walked on.

She held her panting to a minimum, not wanting to raise any alarms as she pulled her ragged cloak around her more. 'Better now than never... I have to do this... for the sake of so many, and for once... myself.' she whispered, her eyes narrowing in resolve but watery with fear. It was her compassion that would never leave her, even after all these years of servitude and self-pity. Her voice came out almost like opening a creaky, dusty wardrobe. It was as though she hadn't spoken in years, "It was compassion... that poured the tea, my son." her voice seemed dry and starved for life. She took the cup she had just poured, drank as much as she could, and began to cover herself as she made her way through another corridor...

He watched her exit, but said nothing. Simply moved on, as though he was simply speaking to a memory.

Watching some guards patrol by, she then took her chance and grabbed a decorated, golden, steel conduct opening and began to tug it out. It creaked loudly at her attempts, and she looked around frantically to make sure no one was watching or coming to investigate.

She was lucky, she had studied there ways for so long, hoping for a moment to escape.

Finally, after years of tugging on it behind her husband's back, it rusted enough to come out.

She had poured water and other corroding materials onto it in hopes of breaking free and now was her chance, so she crawled through the square pipe and shut the steel behind her.

Men turned the corner, as was their routine, but paid no mind to the steel lid. She peeked through its gaped design, and then slowly... backed into the drain...

-Back at New Mobotropolis-

"Nicole," Soler typed in some things, "What would make an Eggman fleet malfunction?" He was still concerned about the stillness of the robots he had encountered...

Nicole materialized and gave a kind bow to him, "If there function was disrupted, but... why do you ask?" she seemed curious, "There are many ways to malfunction a robot."

"No, I mean... without-" He held his tongue, "Nevermind." he shook the feeling off, "We made it all back safe and that's what matters." He loosened up and smiled to Nicole. "Did you scan the villagers?"

"All are healthy and well. A few sick here and there, but nothing more than a common cold." She happily relayed. "It seems the townhouse was a great shelter for them in the end, they were there for a couple of hours..." She informed, and then hovered over by him, her pixels lighting up his fur. "Soler... everyone is waiting for you in the celebration hall... are you not dining this evening?"

"O-oh, I forgot! Y-yeah, I'll be there. Can't miss my own celebratory party, now can I, ya know?" he seemed nervous... but quickly straightened himself up and went out, trying to look more cheery. He was jittery, mostly because he now had a reputation to maintain, but that didn't make his uneasiness any less apparent...

Nicole watched him intently, before shrugging it off as a human strangeness and continuing on her way back into her computer.

"There's the man!" a few fighters hoisted Soler up the second he walked in, letting him be thrown up on their arms as they cheered, "Oh, he's a jolly good fellow!"

He felt awkward at the praise, but did like the confidence boost. "W-what's this all about? Why just me?"

Tails covered his mouth a moment, chuckling. "We saw the Eggman robots you single-handedly took out! It was so impressive, we decided to toast to you!" Tails picked up a drink and handed it to Soler.

Soler tried to lean over and reach for it, but with all the commotion,... someone threw him up again and Tails toppled over, having the drink slip through his gloved fingers and begin to fly through the air. As though making it look easy, Sally miraculously caught it, her hand moving in a precise and skilled fashion to do so. To add to the sensational catch, she swirled the water with her pinkie out, and then walked over to Tails.

"Be more careful with the cups, Tails." She lovingly instructed, helping him up. "What were you doing?"

"Trying to hand it to Soler, but..." He smiled to her and then awkwardly looked back to Soler, who was being hoisted away.

"H-hey!" he tried to protest a bit, seeing Sally and wanting to join her.

Her face fell a little flat as though not in the spirit of things, thinking it ridiculous to give Soler so much credit when it was clearly a 'team' effort. "They're lifting him up into the air for being reckless?"

"That's a bit cruel, Sally." Tails's ears lowered, "He made sure we'd all get through successfully. Nothing was left to stop us!" Tails cheered, "Why don't you praise him too? He's being kinda humble about it all, isn't that worth praising? Just a tiny... bit..?" He withdrew from her after seeing her harsh features on her face, and pulled back from continuing the peer pressure.

"...I don't think it's something that should be praised." she sighed, moving away from the scene. "It's good that nothing bad happened, but with how we set things up, he shouldn't have acted on his own like that. It wasn't necessary and could have jeopardized the mission, the villagers, and us all. What if it didn't work out, Tails? Then what?" She sat down and lowered the glass down gently. "I can't help but feel like this is all going to go to his head more..." He had only just began mastering what he could of his powers, and Sally didn't feel it right to give him such an ego boost when she knew he needed more time to adjust.

Tails sat down by her, worried, before he saw Soler speed his way over to her quickly, panting. "Whoo! What a rush!" he laughed, sitting down beside her. He had gripped the table, feeling the slippery floor and trying to not let his lightheaded feeling get the better of his balance. "I finally convinced them to put me down!" he reached over for the drink in her hand and took it after a moment of skimming her hand. Knowing she wasn't used to him yet, he tried to be gentle and subtle about it, before chugging the water down and laughing that it was milk. "Now that's something." he chuckled to himself, banging the glass down. "Still, I'll take another!"

Sally rolled her eyes, "Half the recruits here are underage, you really think we'd serve anything more than this?" She raised her hand and a man rolled down the glass of milk to her. "Besides, it'd get unruly. I'd rather have my friends with sharp minds than a bunch of half-there, half-not hooligans."

It did sound a bit harsh, and Tails just gave Soler a look like she wasn't in a good mood.

Sally did see the gesture of his hand though, and not watching their subtle, muted conversation... she moved her hands around her own glass and rubbed her fingers lightly, biting her tongue. She was about to scold him, but stopped herself, deciding there would be a better time soon, anyway...

"You haven't slept yet." Sally decided to go with concern, watching as the waiter brought a few more drinks over, and passed one to Tails.

"Nah, been too much fun." Soler calmly responded, taking the drink and giving it a light twist with his fingers in a corkscrew way on the ground, not drinking it yet as he noticed Sally's hesitancy about something. "Something troubling you?" he finally did a sip, and she tried to compose herself.

"You know how I felt about you disobeying orders." She took a small sip as well, mostly to calm herself down. She didn't like the situation, but she wanted to be a good role model to Tails too... she couldn't favor anyone over the other, and she needed to be strict about Soler coming on missions. It was almost like a role reversal, now that Shadow wasn't acting as his mentor much anymore, Sally seemed to inherit disciplining Soler in a new skill he was unfamiliar with. Controlling himself in high risk situations... he had power over his chaos energy, but what about his headstrong behavior? "Jeopardizing the mission shouldn't be praised for the results turning out alright, it should be from the execution of the assignment."

"You sound like my teacher." he smirked, winking to her as he referenced Shadow. Seemed he was catching on to her inner-monologue...

She touched her face, was it that obvious?

She grew shy and embarrassed, losing her leader-like apparence as Tails also chuckled into his hand, looking to Soler. He had flipped the scene in a matter of moments, just being his charming self again.

"All about the process, he says." Speaking of Shadow, he took another sip of the non-alcoholic beverage, having gestured for the drink to the man passing them around.

"...I'm not happy about this, Soler." she finally stated, and then looked to Tails. "Tails..."

He got the message, nodding and bouncing up from his seat. He could tell Sally was holding herself to a standard, and appeased her by flying off, "See you Sally, Soler!" he waved. Sally was someone everyone looked up too, so he respected that she didn't want to appear too kind to Soler... though it was obvious she and him weren't so formal.

She nodded to Tails's sympathetic kindness and turned back to Soler, a serious expression of weariness on her face, "I understand how you must feel. You were a hero today, but a true hero thinks of everyone, even the rescuers' safety."

"Do we have to confront this now?" Soler knew what she was saying, but wasn't in the mood to be reprimanded. "Can't we just enjoy the morning..? Maybe we do need sleep." he pulled her stool closer to his, making her wobble and grip her hands to the table. He put a loving arm around her and then his head to her shoulder, "Suddenly... I'm so sleepy..." he cooed, teasing playfully as he went limp.

"Oh, you." she did find that cute, but tried to get him off. "This isn't the time for that... and besides, we're in public..." Her eyes shifted around nervously. Was she like Sonic? Worried about images all of a sudden..?

"Emm... So comfy..." he continued the act and she finally giggled as he rubbed his nose under her cheek.

She'd have to get used to it. He loved her too much to not tease, and with all the tension she was carrying, he had to do something to put her at ease.

"That's not fair! You know I'm ticklish! This isn't going to get you out of- ah-! Ahahaa!" she laughed when he tickled her stomach and she tried to weakly push him away.

"You advise me all the time, it's about time I advise you to relax." he teased, but then a harsh wind opened the doors of the hall as a woman in muddy rags coughed and stumbled against the side of it, looking around frantically to get her bearings straight.

A few people were rushing after her, but stopped when they saw she had opened many different buildings, seeming to be searching for something...

Everyone remained still a moment, not sure where this had come from.

A rescued person suddenly got up, "Weren't you... the one that was with those abductors?"

The Freedom Fighter's all turned around, surprised to hear this, to say the least.

"Abductors?" Rotor immediately stomped forward, "Okay, lady. Who are you and what are you doing here?" he took out his taser wrench, but watched as she fell to her knees and just didn't have the heart to look intimidating. "Woah! Lady!" he threw the weapon back and used his free hand to reach out to her.

She continued to breathe hard, "I'm... not with them... I was forced to be with them... but I'm not." she explained through heavy, soggy breaths.

"She's lying!" another rescued member stood up, slamming his hands to the table, "I personally saw them from my village!"

"Your village?" Another Freedom Fighter turned to the individual, "You mean... You're not from the village we just saved?"

"N-no..." A village boy seemed timid, but wanted to help out with the misunderstanding. "Not all of us. My Ma and Pa were taken from the city..."

Another rescuer got stepped forward, one of the pursuers, "We chased her from the walls, she used her bare hands to climb it, this is no ordinary woman!"

An elder rose then, ignoring the woman and commotion to speak truth as well. He stomped his walking stick to the ground, making himself known, "I was taken from several miles away from their village. I haven't stepped foot in that village before then! the abductions are happening more and more frequently, but I never thought they'd come to the monastery's shelter!"

"They're taking everyone!"

"They're ruining our lives!"

"She's with those monsters!"

"I-I... had to reach him..." The woman in rags coughed, trying to spit out the dirt from her mouth. "I had to... I must..." her arms trembled as she tried to upright herself. Her old knees wobbled, malnourished and like old sticks, but somehow, they kept her going.

"It's not just here?" Sally's eyes shrank and shook with the horror of what she was hearing. "Why hasn't anyone spoken up about this before? And this woman... she's apart of it? But how is that possible, she's not a robot..." she slowly got up to examine the woman, but stopped a few steps away as someone else spoke up. Soler remained by Sally's side, standing behind her and keeping a hand in her own.

"It's not just where you're Freedom Fighters' are stationed! There are hostages all over the different bases!" another woman, holding a child stated in a cry that could only mean she was desperate to have them understand their plight.

"We..." Sally found herself compromised, unable to hold back the terror in her tears, realizing she hadn't truly saved anyone. "We have to alert the other zones! Contact them through Nicole, she can travel faster. If hostages are being moved around then that has to be a trap!" she quickly took charge, turning off her emotions as quickly as they had come and harshly ripping her hand out of Soler's.

This left him worried about her, the vacancy in his hand making him feel like he was being left behind. 'No... Sally.' he wanted to be by her side, wanted to fight with her. Did she not trust him? Was his actions today too reckless for her to include him now? 'Don't do this alone, let me help you.' he kept trying to keep up with her, but the woman had crawled her way over to Soler and grabbed his now freed hand.

"H-huh?" He looked down, shocked she would take it as she pulled her hoodie back, and stared at him in wonder.

The first thing he noticed... was the blue streaks in her quills... and the gentle fall back they had. Then the pristine, porcelain white that was dirtied and matted with clots of earth... leaves... icky green grass stains...

What had happened to this poor woman?

His heart was immediately softened, but caution and the unknown swarmed quickly into his judgement like a pipe being turned on and filling up his thoughts.

"They must know where we are." Sally started up, pulling Soler's mind away from the desperate woman, but she began to speak just after her, guiding Soler back to her longing, anxious gaze.

"Your defenses are too much for them to take on, without the proper information, they won't know how to storm New Mobotroplis... you're all in grave danger... but safe, for a very small window of time." she had caught herself, brought some form of power into her voice that gave envy to Sally and admiration in Soler. She slowly moved up from her knees, looking Soler over and then deeply into his eyes, as though moved by a painting. Her hands wavered slightly by his face, but dared not touch.

"What did you say..?" Sally spun around, before seeing the strangeness of her behavior towards Soler.

Not wanting to be rude, Soler allowed her to cling to him, remaining still. However, it was extremely awkward... before he noticed the similar colors and style of her quills compared to his own again, and marveled at the oddity of it all. 'Do all hedgehogs have some common genes?' he wondered, knowing Sonic was blue and Shadow had red streaks in his quills, but shook off the thought since Shadow was bio-engineered, and Sonic... was just blue.

His eyes made a squint of confusion, and he suddenly realized this woman was examining the same things as he was in his appearance. '"A-ah..." he moved his other hand up, trying to stop her from looking at his features so much...

It was a very peculiar, having someone judge your appearance this obviously...

"I'm glad you kept this blue..." she smiled as though relieved, looking to the stripes of blue in his quills and gesturing up towards the ceiling, but the movement was unknown to Soler and so he got a little creeped out. "...Ha... I hope there's more of me in you, that it's a sign of good things." Her eyes sparkled with hope and pride as she looked down and gripped her raggedy brown tarp over her more, "Finally... the Mercenaries will at last meet their match... and Conor will realize he's created his own doom... in me." she glared suddenly in great hurt.

She turned to Sally, "They're setting up for intelligence scans, trying to read your strategies. They'll ambush you after their tactical assessment is complete. But with my escape, it may be now or never." she turned back to Soler, "Only you can defeat a Stratus," she cupped her hands gently by his face, "My... Son."

His whole body felt a surge of electrical, chaos-like lightning at her touch, freezing him before he felt a shard of static explode at his chest, making it hard to breathe.

There was a quiet as Sally's face configured into a deeper seeded confusion, but her protectiveness kicked in and she moved over to Soler, pulling him lightly away from the woman. "I'm sorry... but until we get this situation figured out-"

"She has no shame!" A rescued woman called out, pointing accusingly to her from the door. "She's part of them! A spy! Come to infiltrate the only safe place we have now!"

"Hear, hear!" another man stepped forward, this time from within the once giddy hall, shaking his fist.

While the argument commenced intensely throughout the room, Soler felt an abrupt presence wash over him like a mountainous wave, sucking him under as thoughts of the orphanage and the caretakers returned to him... He was abandoned, unwanted, and left on the steps of their humble institution. Before, he had always thought of Luna's village but now... Memories just gushed over his senses, leaving him in a darkened place with his mind. He felt strangely null here, and that was comforting for the time being.

The caretakers always assured him he was meant for big things, wonderful and amazing things that were left to be uncovered when he was older. The younger kids hid behind him from the older, more ruthless children and he would take beatings on their behalf, then get scolded for the fighting by the caretakers. Still... he never once questioned it. While the other children sobbed over the loss of parents, or the missing of family, he never had such emotions... but he was always curious. 'Maybe someday, I'll find them.' he thought to himself, countless times before his powers started to turn dangerous, and he left the orphanage with one goal in mind: To master them.

He explored and helped people when he could as a nomad until Luna's village... a real home. The only thing that consumed his thoughts beforehand,... before Sally saved him from himself.

But with this woman's appearance, nothing but the orphanage's memories came to mind. All those young souls praying for their mothers and fathers to return... while Soler feared the powers he was beginning to manifest.

"Well, this party was a bust." A sarcastic voice rang through the hall as everyone turned to the familiar silhouette of three, spiked quills off to the side... "Come on! Where's the merriment?"

Sonic The Hedgehog had finally returned, and with him, many of the Freedom Fighters. Shard looked cautiously around him, then dashed over to stop people who had started brawling in their wild emotions.

"We come back to celebrate and tell of our spoils, and look! Others are spoiling it for us!" Shard kid, separating the fighting individuals by flying halfway across the room with his jetpack-like engine.

Sally was still unsure of where to even begin to describe to Sonic and Shard what had occurred, and looking at Soler's expression... she definitely knew he was in no state to respond.

"We'll continue this later." She instructed, looking to others behind her. "Get everyone to bed. Nicole will run a scan on the woman. We'll investigate her later, as well. Make sure everyone has what they need today."

"Woah, so serious." Sonic raised an eyebrow, cocking his head to the side. "You getting enough R&R lately, Sal?" He looked to Soler, as if accusing him of something.

"Sonic," Sally scolded, placing a foot forward as he smiled and held up his hands in a fake surrender.

"Right, right. Take care of things." He winked in a friendly manner, but nothing that would be seen as romantic. That ship had long left the harbor and sank, "Knuckles?"

Knuckles nodded, pointing swiftly to Rotor and Tails. To Rotor, he gestured to Shard trying to calm down the brawling, and to Tails, the woman clinging as though in a dream to Soler.

They nodded, then split up into teams as Tails calmly gestured for the woman in rags to come with him.

"N-no, I must speak with you more." She resisted, struggling a bit and moving back towards Sally and Soler. Sally flinched back, but noticed as she tried to move Soler, that he was like frozen stone... His feet planted firmly to the ground.

"This isn't the time." Sally stood in front of him, hoping this wasn't another trigger moment like with Luna... "You stated a warning to us, for that, we'll give you the benefit of the doubt." She looked to Tails, "For now." she nodded to him.

There was something awful about how this made her feel. When, at last, she thought Soler's only troubles were his natural tendency to go solo when he needed to stay with the team, but now...

Tails heard the urgency and command in her tone, so he nodded back and continued to help the woman begin to move away and out the doors. Slightly dragging her, she wouldn't remove her eyes from Soler... so much emotion in those eyes... like marbles with galaxies of knowledge hidden inside of them... they held Soler suspended.

"You don't understand!" She once again fought, but Tails was soon helped by more of her pursuers, wanting justice for not catching her in the first place. She had many arms grabbing and looping around her, and in a mournful cry, she reached for Soler. "They could track you through your transmissions!"

Soler immediately reached out, so quickly in fact, that only Sonic could see his reflex was powered by chaos energy. He sparked the ground just lightly and Sonic watched with a little bit of surprise.

"...Well, that's interesting." Sonic narrowed his eyes on it as it was all done in a blink of an eye. He wondered how Soler was able to do such a fleet so fast, "Almost looked involuntary for the guy..." he pondered out loud, "Friction? Perhaps?" but followed up by walking over to Sally. "Lots of things I should know about?" He actually was resisting the urge to try and make static with his own feet moving that fast, but held it in. Time for fun later, right now, the Freedom Fighters needed him.

"Most definitely." she sighed, "Soler-" trying to get him back on their side, she began to move towards him like the leader of the Freedom Fighters, not a girlfriend.

She touched his arm, "Whatever this woman is or isn't... we need to discuss the matter more fully later." she squeezed lightly on his arm.

She lightly moved her hand down to then grasp his trembling hand, feeling a little electrical zap from it, but figured it was from her fingers gliding over his fur.

However, Soler's hand felt the woman's, her fingers curling around his own and then clinging as though for life to his own, outstretched mercy. In that moment, he knew... he knew with certainty that she was someone in need. Someone he needed to help.

"Set off the alarms." he finally spoke, but it was more like a breathy whisper.

"What?" Sally gently moved closer, leaning her ear towards him, but keeping her eyes on his ghostly white countenance.

Two different forces of pressure. One gentle, in one hand... the other in great need, unable to loosen their powerful grip, not even by one bit. Was all hope truly lost for this woman? Was she that desperate for him..?

"...We've been breached." he finally admitted to himself, not just about New Mobotroplis, but within his own being as well.

Suddenly, Sally's eyes widened, realizing that if this older woman could get in so easily then...

Why hadn't the alarms gone off?

She looked to the woman, "How did you get in here without setting off the defenses?"

The woman's eyes began to tear up, blinking fast as she gritted her teeth and kept her hold on Soler, not responding to anything. Her mouth trembled in her quiet crying...

Sally immediately held herself up, a princess with a job to do, and headed straight out the door. Picking up Nicole's computer, she flipped it open, just like the old days. It was an ancient device at this point, but a good communicator, nonetheless. "Nicole, this is Sally. We've been breached!"

It wasn't long until Sally was able to set up an interview with the woman, claiming to be Sophia Stratus. The interrogation room was mostly a one-way mirror like in any police station, but this time, the room was more like a small living space than just a empty feel with one table and two chairs.

"So let me get this straight..." Sally rubbed her hands through her silk-thin hair, having it flow by her shoulders in her exhaustion from pulling an all-nighter and now working into the afternoon. She was mostly slouched on the table, trying to get answers but too exhausted to record them. Instead, Soler was in charge of writing what she said down, and it was some pretty disturbing stuff about the mercenaries. Still,... why wasn't Sally asking the real question that she knew he wanted to know?

Sally had some paper with notes scribbled onto it, seeing that indeed, Nicole had run a few blood sample tests and the woman did appear to be Soler's mother. She purposefully didn't question that, and continued to avoid the topic. "You're an arranged marriage that went horribly wrong, and now you're trying to make things right?" she seemed incredulous at that statement. "Why now? Why not run away beforehand if this is all really true?"

She hadn't told Soler... that this was, in fact, his mother.

How could she? This woman may use that as leverage for something.

How would the mercenaries know about Soler and even accurately identify his mother? Besides the looks and blood tests, it's unlikely they'd go to that extreme.

But she was keeping it an option, nonetheless, for Soler's sake. She'd seen crazier anomalies in the past...

But this one was highly unexpected.

"You seem more than a friend." Sophia pointed out, "But I'm glad he has someone to guide him..."

She saw the look of tenderness in the mother's eyes, but also of hurt, and shook off the spooky feeling. She knew Soler was listening, and didn't want to give him any more reason to freeze up. He didn't deserve this, who did? Finding out your family is some-kind of sick breeding nest for evil? She kept her thoughts to herself, maybe she was losing grip of her true nature due to her fatigue?

She couldn't be affected by this woman, no matter what she said or did, for Soler's sake... Everything she was doing was for Soler and for New Mobotroplis.

"You warned us before that it isn't safe here? Could you elaborate on that." She knew they were being recorded too, and adjusted the mic towards her. Soler wrote some more notes down but soon tossed the paper to the side and intently listened in, growing more and more frustrated that Sally wasn't asking her directly about her statement claiming to be his mother. His hands spread out on the table as his nose was inches away from the viewing, one-way mirror.

'Sal...' he bit on his teeth, grinding them slightly. 'Why are you avoiding it..?'

"We're just trying to learn the truth." Sally put her hands together, seeing the woman look off from her and stare at a painting of the sky, brimming with green rolling hills littered with feathered, hair-like grass and ferns beneath it.

"I'd only risk death by fleeing if it meant keeping my hidden son safe." Her voice seemed older now, as though aging rapidly now that she was finally out of that abusive situation. She finally looked to Sally, acknowledging her hesitancy in not asking about it beforehand. "If you don't mind, I'd like to tell my child personally... why his life has been the way it has."

Sally looked down at the paper, flipping it over to cover it's specific details of truth and shook her head. "I don't think that's best." There was already enough on their plates as was. It may seem crucial now, but everyone's safety was greater than that.

She blew out from her mouth after stating that, leaning up a bit to carry on with her conversation, trying to fight the her weariness.

She hoped Soler felt the same... And that he'd do the right thing.

But then, a large bashing crashed through the room as the door was swung open, and Soler stepped inside the interrogation room.

"Soler-!" Sally's chair scooted back, seeing him barge in and not even look at her, but fold his arms. He held himself higher, as though trying to desperately seem alright, and moved by her to the woman. "You can't just-!" Sally continued to protest but he simply didn't listen.

"I'm here. So, go on." Soler stated quite forwardly, as though not leaving room for Sally to object any further.

Heartbroken by him once again disobeying direct orders, she sighed and sat down. He was already here, but his emotions were rampant. She didn't know if she could trust him to think of everyone's safety over his own curiosity, but she also knew it must be challenging. She did know it was his mother... so maybe that instinctual knowledge was driving him to behave this way... even though she knew that he was aware of how much she wanted him to remain in control over himself.

It just wasn't possible for a situation like this...

There was a moment of thought between everyone, as though silence in the world was like a cacophony of words left in the mind.

After a moment, Sophia finally had the strength to speak up, and took each word carefully, speaking slowly.

"What is the earliest memory you can recall?" Sophia Stratus stated, "I would like a decent starting point."

"Nothing you would know." He coldly stated, and Sally placed a gentle hand on his arm. He took a deep breath, "First, let's see if you know where you left me."

"The Sun-Side Orphanage. Though it's name changed after the war." She explained without hesitation. "You left, like I hoped you would. But I had prayed you'd see better days... away from this mess." She looked solemnly down to the ground, "I had to leave you... Could you imagine what would have happened if he made you like-" she cut herself off, as though being cut physically with a knife, and turned away. "I'm sorry..."

As she collected herself, she closed her eyes, "My first son... Shay Stratus... was such a sweet boy." she began, "But when his chaos abilities began to formulate into wonderful displays of art and beauty,... my husband tortured him, beat him down until Shay turned his gift into a monstrous weapon..." she could see the shadow of her son rise in her eyes, and burning flames conquering up the rest of the spaces in her mind... "He can no longer go back... to gentle tea time moments with his mother..."

She took a deep breath, opening her eyes to see Sally and Soler looking entranced at her words, "...I couldn't let that same fate... no matter how hard I tried to preserve my first son... befall my secret blessing." she once again covered her eyes in the darkness behind her eyelids, as though transporting to another place in reality.

"I ran in the night..." A young woman's eyes opened, a seamless transition that burst through the curtains of her eyes, as though a memory lost long ago. A hidden tragedy... but that lead to such hope.

"I held you tightly in my arms... and hoped the ever-free skies would connect us again, linking us through the never-ending circle that created the orb upon which we reside..." The younger Sophia, showing now that she was once beautiful, and her colors radiant... placed the baby in a hurried haste down on the porch, before about to take off. "But then I noticed... how similarly our quills were." The wind blew harshly, and as she covered her face, the bundle of cloth that swaddled the baby suddenly blew off, revealing his crying face. "I had been so distressed... since last feeding you, I had barely checked to truly see what you looked like... worried I would find his face in yours... I was brought to my knees at the sight... of those ever-free blue streaks of sky still reigning in your appearance... and that your blood may one day defeat the sinister, underling devil of the blood you were mixed with." Seeing the boy's face, the mother fell to her knees and wept silently, about to grab the boy. "But it was not meant to be..." She paused and flinched at the click of a door, staring wide-eyed as someone was coming out. "Fate would not let me turn back on my decision... and for that, I am grateful. For my temptation, at first seeing you, my son... was too great a trial to have gone uninterrupted."

The woman fled into the snow, hiding as best she could as she dug herself into the cold. Soler was picked up by some nurses and monks, who looked around to see who had left the baby there.

"We've got another one, Misses!" A man cried out, smiling gleefully at the little boy. "A munchkin, indeed, he is! He's as white as the winter that brought him, and as blue streaked like the tears that forged him!" He billowed a laugh, as though so used to this scenario that it wasn't sad anymore. "Oh? Lookie 'ere. Soler... What a name! A fine name! Think we'll keep this one?" He turned back to enter the door, "Soler... yeah, let's keep it. It's got a destiny to it, me finks." the man disappeared through the door as the women all crowded to see the new arrival, and as the child's cries shredded through the blistering cold, the door was finally shut to everything now...

But awakened one last hope in the young woman's bawling, brokenhearted eyes.

Sophia opened her now stained, red eyes as though feeling that cold alive again. Those harsh, but true words resounded in every bone, forcing those fading cries through the night into a great sense of empathy.

And thusly, Soler and Sally too had glossy eyes, feeling each hit that her words gave them, and remaining in reverent, sorrowful silence.

"Shay is stronger, due to his years of experience over you, my son." It was the sentence that broke the tension, but there was still a thick mist of deception around Sally. Could she really believe this story? It struck her heart, but what if it was fabricated by the mercenaries? Blood doesn't lie... but still. She wouldn't falter her resolve to learn everything first, then provide the trust later. However,... her true nature wanted to comfort the woman... "But if even a little of that power resides in you, you must use it to defend mobian lives... that shade of blue you wear." Sophia gestured to her own, looking finally into Soler's eyes, but weakly so, as if the emotions were too great to bear again. "Is what will stop the Stratus's from their murders and secret combinations of the infernal pit!" she pat out the words, as though hatred had singed her motherly love into burnt coal. "Stratus... that accursed word... meaning to send a continuous streak of horizontal grey against the ever-free skies... blocking out freedom. The blue color that symbolizes the blood of a free man, and the value upon which good, harmony, and peace live upon... the air is free, the clouds steal from the seas... the skies are open, but the clouds are clever blankets of pure white that shield such a view... making it seem an illusion that there is something greater beyond them... that it's somehow out of reach." She opened her hands up, "When really... we are all apart of the sky... it only ends at the ground." she took a deep breath, as if sucking in more freedom to remain courageous and steadfast in telling them the information. To her, it was vital to keep going, though it was like watching a woman tear herself apart trying to speak such hidden truths she had kept silent for so many years...

Sally finally turned to Soler, and noticed the ghostly expression, as though his soul was hovering on every word, and his mind carried in her visions she described.

"That freedom has always been a value of mine... and I'm glad to see it carried in you." She nodded to him, but he was already so deep in her world, he felt like he was transported and hovering upon the skies she described... "Until it was compromised... when I learned that Conor Stratus was no man of value or worth, but one of deception and ruthlessness... Now my skies have been grey, with never-ending... torturous memories of snow... and the rainstorms your father has kept me trapped in... for so... so long."

She looked truly weighed down by her life's sorrows, but a strong, subtle strength remained present in her nobility too. "It broke me to leave you there... but I vowed to never let my values be compromised again. Nor will I allow him to find you. That was the strength that drove me to finally take my leave, and risk everything, Miss Acorn. The strength that pulled me out of my wet self-pity, and into the sun of a brighter morning to come." She wiped her tears and stood up, which in return, made Sally stand up with her... almost as if a reflex of her princess-training years... this woman... was acting like a dethroned queen.

"You are not Conor's son." she boldly stated, as though giving Soler a knightly honor to uphold. She ignored Sally a moment, who refused to leave the situation, and kept watching Soler as he seemed strangely influenced immensely by her words. Sally had already come to her senses, her suspicions reactivated again as she saw the hypnotizing trance this woman had on Soler, and looked to her with narrowed eyes now... "You are mine,... and as such, I beg of you to uphold your truth! Save them all, please... and blow harshly against the grey lining of the clouds that dare to blur the skyward eyes... that search for a world without tyranny... or malice!" she hissed the last words out, and then felt herself overwhelmed as she sat back down, clutching her heart.

Nicole's voice immediately set in as the woman gripped the desk and fell over, "Sally! Her heart-! She's-! It's a heart attack!"

Almost stuck in spot, Sally's sudden feeling of being tricked dissipated in disbelief of what Nicole had stated. Was it jealousy? But rapidly now, Sally's compassion flooded her senses and she wanted to believe what was really happening, but did that mean those emotions from before that she bore were that great? How could that be? Could her want to protect Soler cloud her tenderness for poor, elderly woman?

Soler fell to his knees, grabbing the woman and pulling her to him. That value had been instilled in him at such a young age... he never thought he could actually be born with that. That he could have inherited it... from his... "Mother..?" he breathed out, unable to form the words due to their unnatural tendency to be spoken.

His mother was breathing with great gasps, her face looking pulled back as though being tugged by an invisible force as she shook slightly and struggled to remain in the moment, "I.. thought I'd... never see you again... I didn't know.. I still had... tears... left to sh-e-e-e-ed." The attack began to make her shake more violently than before, her eyes rolling.

Soler looked to Sally with tears, and she knew he believed her... but she still hesitated.

"Nicole, send in medical aid!" she called out, before turning to him. Bending down to his level, she went to reach a hand to his shoulder. "Soler..." but he scooped Sophia up in his arms and moved passed her, seeing her not move in time to help her and instead, reach for him. It was impulsive anger that spiked in him. He'd have to ask her later, why she was being so distant from a woman who clearly was in need.

"Help! I need a medic!" he cried out, as Sally reached and stroked a bit of his back and quills as he bulldozed out of the room. Longing to explain herself... knowing... he saw her lose this battle...

She looked at the paper on the table.

"But maybe not the war." she knew there was only one other person that could confirm such a tale and prove that Sally's suspicions were justified to some degree, and one who knew Soler's silent tears beyond her own knowledge. "I need a Shadow in the snow..."

Thinking it a possible ruse, though knowing the blood-test was still accurate, Sally still couldn't throw off the feeling of a planted spy or disrupter. "Am I being silly? Overthinking it all?" She bit her nails, speaking to Shadow through Nicole's signals. She was worried about what Sophia said before, in fact, everything she had said. But the part about the mercenaries possibly tracking their calls? She couldn't take the risk...

Still, a part of her wanted to believe her. However, she had to be absolutely certain that Soler's mother was on their side, like her words and story suggested...

"...You're doing this behind Soler's back?" Shadow seemed to be amused at that. "Then yes, you're too dead set on this being his evil mother who's come to finish the job and thereby somehow disrupting his purpose in life. You need to stop his possible father and brother from needlessly destroying freedom for gain, that's the ultimate takeaway from all this. It doesn't matter whether he believes it's his missing link to his family or not... all that should matter to you, right now, is the safety of your people and stopping Eggman's forces from staging another attack on New Mobotroplis."

His words made sense, but she didn't think it right to just abandon the dilemma now.

"It... It is his family." she finally admitted, both to Shadow and to herself, "But he's already so far gone... he doesn't follow orders and I'm worried that if his mother asks him to do something, he would..." Would his loyalty so quickly change?

"Then this is about control?" Shadow's voice seemed to rise in accusation against Sally. "They're apart of the abductions. I've found out where they are... and they're moving quickly like a swarm of ants... I think this activity could be directly from this Sophia's escape... If that helps you to trust her, maybe it's enough to take her at face-value... for now." Shadow warned.

Sally felt the sting of his words but nodded, "Maybe it is my pride." she tried to confess, "But I'm also just so worried about him being manipulated..."

"Soler has always felt two values in his life... protecting those who can't, and mastering his abilities to defeat those that have wronged him. He has already completed the latter... but he'll never fully be satisfied with the first. If this mother-figure is triggering his first and foremost value, then it's possible she could control him over you."

"So then I'm not crazy and an overly protective girlfriend?" Sally seemed to be showing her feminine anxiety, and Shadow sighed loudly into the mic at it. It was like a funny reminder for her to stay—professionally—the Princess. "Right, sorry. I'll try and... not power-struggle too much with her. I just want Soler to be alright." she turned tender towards the end, and Shadow conceded that that was enough.

"You have every right to be worried about him... after all, you were the one that helped his fears in resolving his second value... you helping him through this... this behavior of yours is very much what I'd expect of you. If you love him as much as you seem too." He gave her a slight pick-me-up and she smiled fondly in recognition of it.

"Thank you, Shadow..." she lightly stated.

"It's not wrong of you to concern yourself in his life, but perhaps making him apart of his own life's concerns with you wouldn't be a bad idea, either... this isn't just your battle to fight. Soler is emotionally reckless..." he seemed to say that last line with the same disappointment a loving mentor would, "But that is exactly why he needs you to stabilize him. Don't call again." With that usual 'anti-social' and 'anti-hero' persona that Sally has come to love in Shadow, he hung up on her and she knew he was done talking about emotions for one day.

"Guess I'm not on my own after all." She held the phone, knowing she needed to tell Soler the truth. With a heavy heart, she texted him the truth, and said she needed to attend defenses since the mercenaries were moving and they needed to save the other hostages...

When Soler received the text, he was laying in his room, having been told to take a day off; which he found hard to enjoy. After reading it, he felt his soul quake with a slight bit of anger that Sally didn't speak with him personally.

'Why didn't she tell me herself!? I know she's busy, but...' he got up and rubbed his eyes from having stared at the ceiling in thought for so many hours... Now, the woman he had met really was his mother, and Sally had texted the document of their DNA test to prove it. Nicole had even stated some interesting facts about his mother's blood, but he wasn't going to pour through it yet. He wasn't ready, though acceptance was coming...

"Sally..." He smushed his fingers around his face, just disgruntled. "Saallllyyy..!" he fell back onto his firm bed, tossing a bit as he just wanted to see her, talk to her about all this.

It was hard... but he knew what everyone was trying to do, and it was less about him than those suffering people who desperately needed help.

The Freedom Fighters weren't going to stand for Eggman and his mercenary recruits, no one was going to be robotized today.

However...

Why did she hesitate to help Sophia? She would only call her Mrs. Stratus too... Why did she want to be so unemotional towards her?

That part did bother him... how overly cautious Sally seemed to be around her.

He sighed, turning over in his bed to slightly curl up, putting his hands behind his head as he did so, "Whatever..." he was too tired to do anything about it now. He was also emotionally drained, though it seemed Sophia would make it, she was also in recovery.

He would have to wait till later to resolve this matter... and get more intel on what his mother wanted him to do about his... father and misguided brother.

Unknown Territory: Eggman Empire's Robotization Camps

Like a line in a slave-train, the prisoners marched. Mercenaries were covered in shadows from the clouds that blocked out the sun and the lightning that slashed the sky in a sound like the whips on the prisoners backs. They drove them on, before each one was thrown or forced with a heavy push into Eggman's machines that robotized them and put them headfirst into the army.

The landscape was barren and like the dunes of nothingness. Lead into steel domes and then hauled through contraption that would close rapidly and zap a few times, then rise up to reveal the new Eggman Empire robot solider.

"Quite a loyal regiment." Shay smirked, seeing the process unfold. "You'd never need to recruit again, father." He looked beside him, a very broad shouldered man who glared with little emotion down at the screaming and terrified hostages.

"Is this all of them?" Conor stated, bluntly.

"Ouch, you make it sound like it's easy to pluck ants from the ground." Shay pinched his fingers together to demonstrate. "We're getting there."

"We should have been there." Conor began to walk on, and blowing a raspberry behind him was a frustrated Shay.

"I do this for no pay, and now, no respect too?" he complained.

His father growled over his shoulder, "Watch your tongue."

"And bite it till it bleeds?" Shay grinned, teasingly. "Honestly, you make it sound like I'm not even trying to please you."

"Because you're not. You're sadistic. You purposefully take no pay because you know you'll inherit the clan the moment you turn the appropriate age." Conor looked on, "If I had a few more sons like you, I wouldn't even need to take jobs like this..." he put his hands in his large cloak's pockets. "But for some reason... your mother..." he then stopped a moment and looked around.

"...Where is your mother?"

"Already hungry for something you've been dry of for years?" Shay mocked.

"...No, she turned dry." Without so much as remorse, he said that as though she was useless to him now. "But where is she?" he tried to mentally remember the last time he saw her. "Something's not right..." he walked bristly towards the camera room, looking at the plant. He touched the leafs... no one had watered it for a while...

"Dry..." he hissed out, "Your mother has finally signed her death wish." he took a bit of a breath, as though knowing this would happen, but not thinking she'd have the guts to actually go through with it. "You have a new job now,... Son."

"Pfft, so depressing." Shay stretched out, "I'll bring her back."

"No..." Conor closed his eyes, before walking back over to the cameras, "This seems to be more than that..."

Shay looked confused for a moment, before his eyes widened and he looked surprised towards his father. "Really? You think the wells done for?"

"I don't need a well." He typed in the last thing she must have saw before deciding to flee, and then... saw Soler. "Ah... I knew that blue looked familiar..." He zoomed in, "It looks just like her..."

"How... can that be?" Shay pulled on his own quills, "He looks different than me..."

"Not by much. He's the splitting image of your mother." Conor smiled, "She's led us straight to him..."

"Straight to..?" Shay still seemed on a different page, but Conor just turned his massive form towards him.

"A heed of warning... I believe your mother hasn't always been dry... perhaps I had mistakenly taken my eye off of her for too long..." He fiddled with a knife by his side. "Take care of it. Retrieve your... 'beloved' mother." Conor took the knife out and stabbed the screen where the son he never knew he had resided... Then tossed it to Shay, who let it drop on the ground, staring at it with a bit of a narrowed look. "That chaos energy should have been mine..." he hit the control panel with all his brute strength, his fangs crunching against his other teeth in his anger.

"...I have a little brother?" Shay began to connect the dots, looking at the Chaos Spears and then Soler's white and blue quills... He then looked to the knife, in curiosity... putting new points together... "All... apart of the dirty work... I suppose." He looked down, as though feeling betrayed as well, and turned towards the door. "But what if she's told the Freedom Fighters? She's already 'increased' their odds..." he gripped his hand before having a flourishing flick of it, acting more sinister in what he was about to do.

The father said nothing, and Shay just pulled on his gloves, making sure they were tight in their resolve. An order is an order... after all. He tsk'ed, "Just another day then, eh, dad?"

Conor slammed his fists to the control panel again, denting it , clearly wanting to have another unit with chaos energy with him.

Shay rolled his eyes, "Never enough for you, is it?" and began to walk on out... laughing as his evil grew...

Rouge watched from above, then signaled to Espio, who quickly moved to alert Shadow... moving invisibly, he only appeared to whisper into Shadow's ear, who was wearing a garb to keep the dusty dirt that flew in the barren wind out of his face.

They were a while away from the camp, but Shadow's eyes widened in distress, and quickly pulled out Nicole. "Alert them. There going to move, and fast."

Back in New Mobotroplis

Shadow had finally returned to the Freedom Fighter's Headquarters, upset by the distressful scene he, Espio, and Rouge had all witnessed. They didn't wait for backup, and did save a few hundred people or so before arriving back in New Mobotroplis... but to reverse the effects of robotization was still a feat that everyone was working on.

Sally, exhausted from not getting any sleep, moved over to Shadow like a zombie as she placed her hand on his shoulder, her eyes barely open. "Good work out there, Shadow... I should check on Soler... could you lead the research community for now?"

"Have you not slept since-!?" He was bewildered by her state, and with everything happening, he wasn't in the mood to loosen-up on her. He took a breath and lowered his angled arms which had been raised in his aggressive state, "No excuses. You should rest. Let him stay close to the action." he folded his arms, as though not willing to hear her fight back on this one.

"B-but-" she began, looking like she could collapse forward any minute as he helped her steady herself.

"What did I just-?" he sighed, "Trust that Soler is smarter than that." Whatever her concern was, he already knew.

She nodded, chuckling lightly, "You really believe that he won't... be manipulated? She's his mother, Shadow... I'm just constantly worried. We don't know her. I've only seen two sides of her, scared and... strangely regal." she stood straight again as Shadow seemed to ignore the fluff of the information and turn her towards the living spaces where the rooms were located.

"I hope I do." he stated, "And no matter who she is... he's known us the longest. You have to trust your heart over your blood, sometimes." Shadow seemed to be speaking from his own experiences, and watched her begin to move towards the living quarters. He wouldn't take his sights off of her until he knew she was safely inside, in case she got any ideas. She did turn around to look over her shoulder at him, but he just folded his arms and glared heavily towards her in a deep, authoritative frown. She now knew what Soler must have felt...

Squinting at the light, Sally finally gave in and opened the door to the building.

"...Honestly, you worry me more." Shadow watched her a second longer before turning to the rescued hostages and helping pass out water and collect further information. It was difficult, they all asked about family and friends, describing them as Shadow fought hard to not remember any particular faces or features. He simply passed out the water, and didn't say any comforting words. Rouge and Espio were slightly different in their approach though, but looked to Shadow in understanding.

Everyone knew he felt the most about it, but would be the last to say anything. To Shadow, actions spoke louder than words... and they only were able to save the few lucky ones they smuggled out or rescued along the way.

Sally was comforted... having someone admit she needed to rest made it more easier for her to accept having to go to sleep, so it wasn't surprising when she dropped on the couch by the entrance and fell into a light sleep. As she did so, Soler was dreaming himself, recalling a moment in the orphanage where the children were bullying one another.

In his sleep, he tossed, "No... leave them alone..." He turned again, "Stop it... You..." as he flinched, he suddenly rose up from the bed in a shaken state, "I won't see them fall!" he breathed heavily, unsure why he was sweating so much, but moved the bed-sheets and rubbed his face again.

"Ugh... a night terror? Haven't had those in a while..." He wasn't used to such vivid dreaming for quite some time, remembering getting beaten-down and standing right back up again, so the older kids didn't bully the younger, more weaker ones. "Bad dream..." he shook his head,... having seen the younger children all fall to the ground by the cruel, unfeeling punches of those who had no other means to vent their uncontrolled and uncomforted emotions. But then... he remembered the last thing he was thinking about before falling asleep.

"Sally... Soph-" he stopped himself, "My... mother?" He looked back at the communication device, feeling strange again, and looking downhearted.

"No, I have to see her." He made his decision, and got up. Fixing his shoes on tightly, he adjusted his quills into place from the bed-hair with all the tossing and turning he had done and headed out the door.

Walking to the living space, he immediately saw Sally's red hair and froze, amazed to see her so quickly. "Sal?" He walked quietly over and noticed her sound asleep.

Her eyes blinked a moment, and he remained still.

She slowly... fell back asleep, and he gently stroked her cheek and lowered himself down to her. "How long... have you been here?"

She blinked her eyes lazily open, weak with fatigue, and he narrowed his eyes.

He picked her up without another word, taking her back to an opened room and set her down, tucking her in, and kissing her forehead. Closing the door, he knew he must have missed a lot that was going on. He had so many questions for her... so much he wasn't aware of. But that would have to wait.

Still, he knew there was one woman who would have some answers...

More than he bargained for...

Heading to Sophia Stratus's interrogation room with purpose, he didn't even noticed Shadow hide himself and begin to watch him... closely...

For Sally's concerns and Soler's well-being, he just wanted to observe how their relationship really was developing. Was Sally's concerns justified? He had no reason to believe they weren't, but wondered if Soler was truly being aware of the influence this woman was supposedly having on him.

'I taught him better than that,' Shadow gritted his teeth, 'He better not disappoint me... or the princess.'

Sopia was sitting on the couch, having eaten only a little bit of the nicely made food provided for her. She wished there was a window... but instead, fixed her sights on the painting's lush colors and vivid depiction of a meadow and brilliant sky, feasting on the feeling it gave to her. It had been so long since she had seen the real sky, but even looking at it through a painting was somewhat comforting. Still, she knew she wasn't safe, and wouldn't be until Conor and her son's mercenaries were finally put to an end. Eggman already was a lot to take for the world, and now them?

When Soler opened the door after the green light turned red, showing that the door was unlocked, she took another cleansing breath and sat up straighter.

'No going back,' she told herself, 'You must address this. Head-on. He may dislike it, but he must know the significance of defeating his father... and possibly saving his brother...' she looked down, as though in her heart she worried her eldest son was now beyond saving...

Soler had always felt like his nature started in the orphanage... but seeing the look of fear and love in her eyes... he was conflicted now.

"I... wanted to talk to you." He slowly moved himself to the table, sitting down.

As he put his hands together, trying to do something hard, Sophia patted the couch a little ways away from her, as though encouraging him to come closer. She scooted over to make him more comfortable, giving him some space.

He looked at the space a moment, but conceded to the notion.

So many thoughts raced through his head, as though he was trying to form a script of all the questions he wanted to ask her, but they were coming off too direct in his mind, and he wanted to be gentler.

It was so hard. This was hard.

He felt like his whole body had bricks and weights on him. Every time he moved closer to her, every step was like a crumbling bit off the stone. Jagged in his movements, he was awkward as he tried to be formal and polite, but clearly was holding back every bit of him that wanted to know more, to be sure.

He cleared his throat and sat down, taking a glance at her and noticing once again the similar features, and then looked away again. "In the orphanage... I mean, I should start with, I had a dream about the orphanage." He seemed nervous, "You know," His famous tell came out, and she tilted her head to listen intently. "I was always sticking up for the weaker kids, I didn't care if I got beaten up for them. I grew tough, and I never regretted the orphanage, just how awful people can be to each other." He spoke a lot with his hands, maybe trying to lessen the nerves as his whole being tremored like earthquakes at random intervals.

She saw his shaky hands and looked away, trying to figure out how to break the awkward tension in the air.

He didn't need to ask her for proof, or tell her he knew she was telling the truth. It wasn't relevant. She already knew that and he didn't want to come off making her believe that he doubted her. Even if everyone seemed to... he just was incredulous at the shock of it all. He hadn't made a decision, per-say... but now it was official.

What would she do? What would she want of him? Of anybody?

Maybe this was the same feeling Sally had, and he had to accept that her caution was out of love, too.

Sophia listened gently, before looking off with another soft sigh. "As a young girl, far into my youth, I would stand up for my sisters constantly." she looked back at the painting. "Many offers for their hands came through the pipeline to my father, but he was a very political man... only certain suitors could qualify. Sadly, these suitors were not anything we could have desired." She removed some of her raggedy brown cloak, bunched at her neck, to reveal some awful scars. "I couldn't watch them suffer." she admitted, then covered herself up again. "I haven't had that strength to stand up to others in years... but when I saw you, I had life again, and..." She turned towards him, but worried she was coming off too strong, she adjusted herself away again. "Sorry..."

She had stood up for Shay countless times while he was still young, but after getting beaten down so many times, she couldn't fight anymore. The little boy willingly went after a time, and he never shed further tears for her. He had become harden and stiff, and she feared to ever admit that she had lost her darling eldest son. But she didn't want that for Soler, and knew in her heart that she could still prevent this tragedy.

It gave her strength to keep going, to keep having this conversation.

Soler immediately got up and embraced her. "I said the same thing." he admitted, and though it took all his emotional strength to do so, he also couldn't bare to hear that she suffered.

Although Soler was uncomfortable, giving her this bit of reassurance that she wouldn't be abused anymore was still apart of him. He could feel it... His origin's pieces, half of them lied with her, and he wanted more than anything to learn more and also accept the good that he gained from her.

But what of his other blood..? His powers... what did he truly inherit from his mother? And what... was the rest?

He had always wondered about his unknown abilities and powers, looking at his hands from behind her back, peering over her shoulder. Was he really... the horrible monster he always thought could possibly be there? Or was he the angel of the ever-free skies..? Was it possible that he could choose?

The closeness was soon interrupted, lightly returned by the mother, but didn't feel right when Sally suddenly burst through the door. Her hair a mess, her eyes blackened underneath, and clearly distressed.

She scanned a moment and slowly softened her accusing eyes, looking full of betrayal to now one of understanding. She sighed, trying to lighten her fears, "What did she tell you?" she asked, looking exhausted still.

It was clear she was upset that Soler had disregarded her fears, but as he moved away from his mother, looking towards her, he also wanted to comfort her. "S-Sal..."

He was finding himself torn between a mother figure and a companion...

He looked between the two girls, and Sally was hurt by the struggle it seemed to be. She felt she was his family,... maybe Shadow was right?

Shadow had seen Soler speak with his mother in secret, and went to find Sally. He felt the closeness wasn't a bad thing, but maybe not alone in case the woman really was affiliated still with the cold-hearted mercenaries. His prejudice did him in, and he ended up leaving halfway through observing them to retrieve Sally, siding slightly with her fears. He also didn't understand fully the dynamic of what it must feel like to have a parent, especially being on one's own for so long, so partially his was his ignorance to that emotional pull that also moved him to act as he did. He had only had Maria... and that was that.

Shadow wouldn't put it passed the mercenaries to scheme up something like this, even if it was Soler's biological mother. He had seen where half his blood came from and rejected it's evil, and now it seemed, Soler would have to do the same. Soler could have been a planted pawn this whole time... though it seemed unlikely, Shadow worried the mother could be conditioning him to be as such.

Soler looked beyond Sally, seeing some curious eyes peek in of other Freedom Fighters, having seen Sally and Shadow talking before her bolting towards the interrogation facility. Not liking how everyone was so against her, he narrowed his eyes in authority, "Hey!" they all jumped except Sally at the door. "Get my mother some food and water." he then got up briskly and took Sally's arm, tugging her out with him, "We need to talk." he gave her a serious expression, and humbly realizing her error, she nodded and submitted to his anger.

"You have every right to be upset." she began, "But I do too." she pulled the arm away from him as he remained facing away from her.

He bundled his fists, "She's my mother... why didn't you tell me in person?"

She opened her mouth to speak but withdrew instead, holding back what she really wanted to explain, but felt it was pitiful.

Sophia stayed in her new trap, a lot nicer than where she used to live. She placed her hands elegantly to her lap and sighed. She knew she wasn't trusted, and seeing a figure in the shadows with red eyes... she also knew she was being carefully watched.

She was in the right, so she had nothing to fear from these people... but it was those who did wrong that truly terrified her.

What if they come for them..? Hurry their preparations knowing she would tell their enemies everything?

She remained still and silent, her breath catching on the fear of that irreversible travesty.

Sally's hand clung to her arm in defeat, "Shadow agrees with me... that sometimes, you let your emotions cloud your judgement."

Soler turned around, "Does she seem like a ruthless killer to you!?"

The door was slightly shut, but not locked. Sophia looked to it, slightly listening in on the muffled conversation, but unable to make most of the words out.

"How do you know that she's not just pretending!? Using this to lure the Freedom Fighter's into an elaborate trap!?" She swung her once held back arm out towards where Sophia's interrogation room was. "Is her name even Sophia!? Was she bought out to lie about this?! We can always put it passed Eggman to come up with something like this, but mercenaries are an enigma. We know they'll take innocent lives to Eggman's robotization machines for power and greed, what makes you think they wouldn't devise something like this!?"

"It's too-" Soler began,

"Unethical?" She had a point, "Soler, it may be complexed, but so are our lives!"

"I just... I can't see that in her." He looked away, "I can't see her not being my mother, in both heart and blood."

Sally looked concerned.

Sensing that, he spoke up again to reassure her, "Look..." He put his hands on her arms, gently bringing her closer. "Nothing will replace what I have here, with you, in the Freedom Fighters. But I can see the missing puzzle pieces in her, Sally. I can see where I got some of me from."

"But you develop on your own course, Soler." She placed her hands up by his shoulders, wanting desperately to embrace him and not fight anymore, but as a leader... she needed to be fierce. "You can't grow too close to her... not until we gain more information and learn to trust that what she says and demonstrates to us is factual and true."

He sighed, disappointed, but knew in his mind that was the right thing to do. His heart ached, but he nodded to her logic. "Okay... I'll try and not see her without supervision."

She smiled, "Thank you. Just be-"

"More cautious?" He smirked, trying to lighten the mood.

"You really do have a wonderful smile." she giggled, and he took that as an invite to hug her.

They held one another for a good, long, solid minute. There was so much healing in that embrace as Sally whispered 'Sorry' a few more times, and Soler gently stroked her back and also admitted he was in the wrong too.

"I won't act on my own again... not without you." All his tender love poured out into that sweet sentence, taking her in and not wanting to let her go. He wanted her apart of this, not against it, but knew now that it was out of love. He had felt her doubt, even in himself, he just chose to accept it... which may take more convincing for Sally, but it was all with good intent.

"You can, but... maybe talk it over with me, once in a while." She was in a much better mood, hearing him say such kind things. Considering it wasn't just him going through this odd, new experience... She wanted to be there for him too. "I want to be apart of your troubles... Soler."

"But you're already apart of my happiness," Soler moved his head a little aways to look directly in her eyes, their foreheads touching in a longing moment. "Those two don't always collide..."

"You saying I take your troubles away?" She stated, amused, but he lightly touched his nose to hers and closed his eyes.

"That's exactly what I'm saying..." his voice turned into a breathy confession, and she moved slowly up to kiss him... but then a large alarm sounded out and Nicole's voice echoed in terror over the speakers.

"Fighters! Enemy has infiltrated the city walls! It's heading straight for us!"

Screams and cries from frightened civilians and rescued victims sounded out in an array of chaos.

Looking to each other and then racing out, the two forgot to lock Sophia's door...

It swung slightly, and Sophia watched it with real intent.

Now was her moment... to try one last time.

Chaos energy shot up the walls of a building like lighting embedded into it's structure before the entire thing burst once it reached the top. Shay walked through their defenses like a battering ram, though he seemed to have barely made a sweat.

"Oh, mother?" he spoke very casually, then flicked his hand towards another building. "Are you hiding in here..?" the lightning chaos effect traveled up the building, and as he crushed his fist, it exploded once again and he moved on. "Well, we were hoping to knock a little later... but seeing as things are, you playing hide and seek with my mother and all, now seems to be as good a time as any!" he called out with a cruel glee, creepy in how his satisfaction seemed to skyrocket once seeing Sally and Soler rush out into the open before him.

"Ah, my unknown brother... and the Princess? Isn't this charming... a real family and enemy reunion." he bowed slightly, in a showy fashion that would have mimicked Scourge in an awful sense. "Does dear mother love you more than me? Is that why she left me to come see you?"

"Brother?" Soler shook off the comment, "You're hurting people! That's enough for me to take you on!" He was about to step forward.

"No!" Sophia quickly dashed out, spreading her arms to stop him and hold him back. Her eyes were glossy with tears, she knew this would happen. She looked up at the sky, hoping to avoid this day as much as possible, and taking in the beautiful outdoors again.

Freedom... she had freedom for a split second, and she wanted to make the most of it... do the right thing with it... since a long, long time.

Soler and Sally were amazed to see her out of her room, but Shay only gleefully exclaimed a loud cry of surprise and relief, but it sounded completely faked.

Looking back down at the ground, Sophia had to tighten the resolve around her heart, and without looking to them, she spoke in a much more lowered and solemn tone. "I'm glad you've found someone to be there for you, son... He's lucky to have you, Princess." she blinked her eyes to push back the tears and turned in her noble way towards Shay.

"Shay..." she spoke as though pleading for his humanity.

"Dearest mother..." he spread his arms out, as if welcoming her back...

But his smirk showed his true motive, and Sophia had to be brave... "I won't stand to see you make them suffer."

Something once again triggered in Soler, he felt his whole being resound with that.

"I won't let them fall to your chaotic rampage. You find solace in other's suffering simply because there was no one to protect you from it... no matter how hard I tried." She looked truly pained to admit her weakness.

He rolled his eyes, "Still living in the past, mother?"

"The ever-free skies still cover the earth with a never-ending blue!" she pointed to the sky, "I wear that color in my blood and upon me! It will forever be woven in my DNA, and it is apart of you too, Shay..." she gestured to her blue streaks, then to him, "You can still change, Shay... you can choose to be something you truly are! Not what your father has made of you!"

He watched her a moment, a still look but his smirk dampened to a smile... and his arms lowered to his side.

He shook his head, "Shame," He seemed to have thought about it, but not very much. He flicked his head back to crack his neck, as though relaxing from that declaration... which he took as her breaking ties with their mercenaries pack. "Why would I disinherit all that father has left me? Such a pity... I did enjoy our little tea parties..." he then fired out a chaos attack that Soler had never seen before. The lightning that shot from his hands looked like randomly zig-zagging Chaos Spears but with trails of visible light and power shooting behind them.

Sophia stood her ground, for if she moved, Soler and Sally would be in the line of fire from the spider-webbing chaos attack.

The lightning chaos power suddenly pierced around her, upon the ground, flashing out of existence... Did he purposefully not hit her? Miss and just do it to threaten?

All at once, there was a momentary lull as he held his hand up, seeming to pause only for a second. Then, he closed his fist and the ground beneath her blasted and shot her up into the air.

Soler watched the particles of earth spray up around her as she was flung up, her back arching, her air coming out in a large exhale. "Haooh...!"

She fell hard back to the ground with the earth crumbling over her after her...

"Nooo..!" Soler dashed towards her, it was all so fast, he barely saw the attack.

Shay swayed his hand down, massaging it, "Ohh... I actually wanted to disintegrate the ground, but I figured... saving my power to destroy my secret brother... your precious son, would be more rewarding." he gripped his fists again, his smile like a devious demon as he waited to see if Soler would retaliate. "What's wrong, little brother? What did she call you anyway..?"

Soler held Sophia up to his shoulder, but it was clear she was knocked out pretty badly...

Besides maybe some broken bones, she did still appear to be breathing...

Sally turned to the others, "We can't fight a power like that without the Chaos Emeralds... Where's Sonic, Shadow, and Silver?" She saw Shadow appear, but couldn't find Sonic, no matter how many times she looked around. Seeing Shadow's face then, focusing on it, she knew what that meant... "Don't tell me..."

"He's gone off with Tails and Knuckles again... I hear they're going to rescue the others." He shook his head. "Sorry, while you were busy, a lot happened..." he glared at Shay Stratus, "I've seen him and his father, during the spy operations. He's a murderer as much as his father!" he took off one of his limiters, twisting it to click with light but Soler held up his hand behind him.

"No!" He got up, gently placing his mother down and looking slightly over his shoulder, "Shadow,... Sally... get my mother somewhere safe."

"Pfft! Arrogant child!" Shay bent down, as though readying to attack again, his hands crackling with lightning spears... "She's my mother!"

"Soler, don't! He's too powerful!" Sally had noticed the buildings, the unusual use of chaos power... "We don't know what we're up against! Especially you!"

"He's tiers above you, Soler! He's the mercenary leader's second in command and heir. Of course he'd want you dead!" Shadow made an outstanding point, but Soler was too far into his emotions to care.

With Soler out of the picture, it would be Shay that inherited the ruthless clan... perhaps that's why Shay didn't seem to be after killing his mother, but mostly, in getting rid of unnecessary competition...

"You hurt her... how does that make you more entitled to call her mother than me?" He lowered his head, his anger growing. "I just got her... and I don't know her very well,... but that doesn't mean I can't cherish her as a mother!" his whole being rose into the first level of Chaos Break. "She cared about freedom just as much as I do... maybe you never realized... but she was protecting you in her own way as well! When she failed... that's why she turned to extreme measures for me. She had already bonded and loved you... she couldn't bare to part with you, but she could with me!" Soler spiked his power, hunching down, concentrating his power to his hands and feeling the swarm of infinity fill his bones. Something new broke out just then, a secondary power he barely even recognized, something inbetween that was fueling him to the next level... Chaos Surge. "I don't know her like you do..! But I feel like I've been apart of her my whole life!" His eyes were white, as though becoming animalistic for a moment, his hands pierced like claws more than hands in gesture and movement within his speech. "I won't let you destroy the family I've found, either! And that now includes her, too!" he felt himself reach an ultimate, risky limit... Chaos Synergy... he hadn't felt this way in a long time...

"Heh, pathetic." Shay swished out his wrist again, and was suddenly already at Chaos Syngery levels, and Soler could feel it.

His eyes widened and shrank, shaking in disbelief. "Wha... T-that's not possible..." He was struggling so hard to keep this form, but this-... no, his older brother, was able to just flick his hand and reach it instantly without so much as a build up.

"How did you do that?"

Shay laughed, looking up to the skies his mother once pointed at and holding a finger up to it. "You weren't planning on trying to use something I haven't seen before, were you? There's really no way anyone on this planet can defeat me." a spike of lightning rained down upon his finger, and he slowly lifted his other hand towards Soler.

Everyone was in a panic, never having seen such powers before, and rushing to escape the battle.

The Lightning randomly would strike the ground, causing havoc as buildings burst into flames, people were thrown in the impacts, and many couldn't find a suitable shelter.

"Stop it!" Soler channeled everything he had... "I may not have your power... but mine is my own! It's the power... no, the judgement of the ever-free skies!" he held his palm up to the sky as Shay's cocky attitude suddenly turned serious.

His eyes showed the aura that was forming around Soler, "Is that... Dad's..?" he wondered, but then his eyes looked a little more surprised. "It can't be..."

"CHAOOOSSSS PUNISHMENT!" Soler threw his hand down, and from Shay's hand the lightning disappeared and shot like woven designs around the suddenly bright and white sky.

"AHHHH!" Soler's whole body seemed to spark with chaos power as Shadow pulled Sally back, his whole being losing some control over himself as he became pretty instinctual.

"Get down!" Shadow warned, guarding her as he had never seen Soler at this level before.

From the skies, bolts of Chaos Speared Lightning shot down, similar to Shay's attack but on a whole another level, overwhelming the area as Shay looked around at the randomly spiking spears of lightning.

He dodged pretty well, but was actually forced to pay attention now. 'He stole my own chaos force and sucked it into the sky... how was he able to control it?! Even Chaos Synergy can't handle that much chaos!' Shay looked a little unnerved, but not by much. 'I was born with a limit... but what if mother's ability..?' he looked back to see Soler had sped through the rain of lightning, and his whole body looked engulfed with an array of bolts sparking out of him.

"...You are my brother..." Shay admitted, as Soler slammed a fist into his chest.

Shay was shot back by thousands upon thousands of chaos lightning spikes, but what he wasn't expecting was that the sky took it's whole reservoir of chaos power and converged their many different lines of lightning all to slowly move and bundle together into one giant lightning bolt. He was flung outside the city walls... With a cascade of blazing white chaos energy.

It slowly dwindled and the clouds began to disperse, as though a lull after a storm...

Soler breathed heavily, skidding to stop his super speed, giving Sally and Shadow a thumbs up, before he suddenly collapsed.

Shay tossed ash and fallen trees off of himself, getting up and panting as his fur seemed a little singed, but he was fine. He dusted himself off, "That's... not very good." He brushed his quills back. "Ha... I can't let dad know his potential. I'll talk him off as a lesser chaos wielder. Wouldn't want him taking my reign from me." He beamed as though the war had just began. "Still, I can't come back empty-handed..." He looked to see people fleeing the city, and smirked. "How about a present for Eggman..? A bigger army..."

He walked, menacingly, towards the fleeing citizens...

He knew he dealt with his mother, she wouldn't recover from that for a while... so why not have some fun and let the little brother think he'd actually done something..? Then he'll be surprised when he comes back...

Not holding back...

Soler woke up with a blink that hurt his eyes. The lights were right upon him, and the hospital didn't seem to smell all that great either.

He slowly got up, feeling the wear and tear on his body before moving the covers and rubbing his face again, "I... Did I win?" He didn't think it would be over that quickly, but he also felt like he was about to throw up.

He fled to the bathroom and vomited, his body unable to handle so much pressure.

He knew he threw himself into the fray, even taking his brother's power at one point, but it was too much to handle and he couldn't concentrate it all into an epicenter at his opponent till much later.

He had shot chaos out of him to make room to harness so much, but it still pained him. He had thought he had learned everything about his powers and abilities,... but there was clearly steps only the adversary knew...

His family... his enemies...

he shook his head, "They're not..." He held in another ill feeling, "family..." he tried to get up, cleaning himself up before remembering his mother.

"Where..?" suddenly his mind raced to Luna... then to the village... "No..." He thought of the people screaming, the fires... then the lightning shooting up the buildings, blasting his mother, what had happened...

"Sally..!" he tried to get his feet under him and move as quickly as possible, dodging and forcing himself to ram against walls since he couldn't jump over the gurneys or other medical supplies the nurses and doctors were pulling down the halls.

Many cried out when they saw him, some mistaking his speed for Sonic's or Shadow's, before faltering as he came up to the desk, gripping it to stay upright.

On the way to it, he stumbled and saw Bunny for a quick moment beside Anton, but continued on.

He felt like a child, trying to keep himself balanced enough to remain straight, "So... Sophia... Sally... Where?"

"P-Princess Sally is unharmed, she isn't here." The poor secretary stood straight up upon seeing him, "S-sir, you need to go back to your room..."

"Not without... ugh... seeing my mother." Soler was struggling, sinking down and falling from the desk, gripping it with his last strength by his fingers.

He was about to lose hope, about to slip off the counter and probably be wheeled away again when a pair of familiar hands grabbed his.

"He's with me." Shadow hoisted his arm over his shoulder, helping him to stand.

"T-...Thank you, Shadow..." Soler weakly stated, as Shadow shook his head.

"By this time, you've thanked me more than I care to keep track of." He headed towards Sophia's room, "Sally's already here, she just came in."

"She is..?" It was surprising to hear, but walking into the room, he saw Sally holding Sophia's hand by the hospital bed, and then looking over to smile gently to Soler.

"She wanted to see her." Shadow whispered quietly as an aside, but didn't move his head to Soler, hoping he heard without Sally picking up on their conversation.

"She'll be in critical recovery for a while... she's malnourished and clearly weak, but she's got a high likelihood of making it." Sally gave him that hope, that was enough to sustain him for now. She probably didn't hear Shadow, but that was the least of his worries right now.

"And... umm..." He couldn't remember the other man's name, "What about my brother?"

"Shay Stratus," Shadow began, "Which... is your last name, apparently."

"I don't think I'll take it." Soler pushed off of Shadow's arm lightly, trying to get his barrings and reaching for Sally. She got up instinctively and helped him to sit next to her, gently placing him to rest and get on the bed to sit in front of her and beside his mother.

"You don't have to worry about your brother." Shadow showed his wrist, his limiters off. "I've dealt with him. He was still alive and well, kicking back by trying to capture some fleeing citizens. We've detained him... but..." Shadow revealed that his back had been scarred and torn up. "He's a lot to handle, I think you drained most of him..."

Soler gasped slightly, "But... your healing abilities..."

"Aren't kicking in like they should." Shadow admitted, then took a deep breath, "I was trying to get out when I saw you barely able to stand at the counter," He folded his arms, "Sally apparently had me stationed here." He glared at her, and she just shook her head, defiantly.

"You were injured. Both of you need to learn to rest more."

"...Conor... w-won't... rest."

The three all suddenly turned to Sophia, who was weakly coming too.

She reached her hand out, patting it gently by the bed as Soler took it.

"S-Shay..?" Her eyes looked hazy, as though she couldn't really see through them at the moment.

"...Still bad." Soler stated, "But at least we've... somewhat, got him." Soler looked to Shadow, but Shadow would be fine, showing that by rotating his shoulders back and standing up straighter. "Just worried about you, is all."

She smiled weakly, breathing irregularly as Sally got up and adjusted the medication. "She really needs rest..." Sally urged, trying to have Soler understand that he needed to coax her back into sleep.

"I knew... this day... would come." She weakly spoke, barely lifting her eyes as she tried to breathe better.

"This isn't the day you die." Sally comforted, then looked to Soler with narrowed eyes, as though encouraging him to give her some hope to keep fighting.

Soler nodded, bending down by his mother's side and placing both hands around her own, frail one. "I just met you... but I feel I've always known you... because a huge part of you... is also in me, too." Soler finally felt comfortable with this, and continued, "I vow, mother... On the ever-free skies... on your behalf... I'll make sure to never forget the fight for freedom. That it's within liberty of the all-encompassing, continuous stretch of blue that gives everyone that right. I will fight against the grey cloud of tyranny, whether that be by the Eggman Empire or through my father and brother..." He looked down, squinting his eyes as he wondered if his father was the one possessed with chaos energy, and if so, he was certainly going to be a hard fight... "I won't let you down."

Slowly blinking her eyes, it was clear the medicine was kicking in for Sophia Stratus. She nodded twice, and then her head fell back and she was out like a light.

"...Mom?" Soler leaned forward, but Sally placed a hand on his shoulder, comforting him that she was alright.

"See that?" She pointed to the heart monitor, "She's a strong woman, though she doesn't appear to be so now, she's a lot like you." Sally grinned at the thought, but Shadow only tsk'd.

"Stubborn and full of emotions." Shadow shook his head, but Soler only smiled to his mentor.

"I thought that stubbornness was from you, good to know it's more than that." he joked, "More so hereditary."

"It's still me." Shadow returned the humor, which surprised Sally and Soler, who suddenly lightly shared a moment of laughter.

Even Shadow... smiled.

Within prison though, Sonic seemed to badger and hound on Shay...

He walked with a playful bounce in his step, "Looks who's on the other end now, eh?" He had previously just freed many held hostages, and was in the mood to pick a fight. He lifted his leg and put his hands on his hips, swinging the leg to the side and bouncing again, "Sucks when your freedom is taking away, ain't it?"

Shay just sat in the back, his head down and covered in shadows, leisurely sitting with that creepy smile of his.

He began to slowly laugh, and wouldn't respond right away.

"Bring me my dear brother... and my mother, if she's still alive." He tilted his head up, showing his eyes full of chaos energy, blinding the room in light before it faded from his eyes... his aura spiked increasingly and Sonic stopped joking... watching in all seriousness. "I'll be happy to chat, but under those conditions... This cell is rather lonely, might as well have some entertainment to pass the time." He laughed manically and held up his hand, having stored chaos energy after Shadow's fight with him and lightning shot from his hands, forcing Sonic to back away as the bars got charged with it's powers.

The room exploded as Sonic took off to avoid the explosion, "He doesn't like playing nice or fairly, but that doesn't mean he needs to act all high and mighty about it." He sped back, mostly talking to himself, and noticed the cell still remained.

"Tsk," Shay grimaced, seeming disappointed. "You have the means to stop chaos?"

"We have this room super-juiced with Chaos Emeralds," He adjusted his gloves, and kicked away some rubble. "You're not leaving that cell..."

"Chaos... Emeralds?" Shay's eyes widened, as though knowing something...

Sonic didn't know...

"Interesting... hahaha!"

Sonic just watched... frowning and narrowing his eyes. His frown carried to the side of his muzzle, and he rolled his eyes, "Why do I always end up with the weirdos who are losing their minds?"

He walked out as Shay continued to laugh and store chaos within himself... now having an idea...

END of part 1?

[selfiealien-moved]

Together This Time

Read It On AO3

Tagging: @soccialcreature you said you wanted me to tag you when I finally wrote in this universe WELL THE DAY IS HERE

Words: 1,542

Summary: With every decision made a parallel universe is made. A world that is completely different just because of one single decision.

This time everything changes, when instead of just mentoring Keith, Shiro takes him in and fosters him.

This time Adam is there for Keith when Shiro is not. And this time he is there when he rescues Shiro. This time he’s there through every crazy space adventure.

Everything changes.

Or: The Multiple One Shot Rewrite No One Asked For But You’re Getting Anyway

This time, Adam tags along when the team finds the blue lion. Shiro and Adam talk.

A/N: So! This is a one shot set in my new universe. I’m doing my own fix it of sorts with the series. It won’t be a full story, because I frankly can’t put that on my plate right now but! I am going to write one shots, which will essentially be peaks into the story. Some will be centered on different relationships, platonic and romantic, and some will be more plot based. 

This one is Adashi centered, as Adashi is going to become a large part of the series and I needed to establish their place in the story first. If you have any questions about this au feel free to ask! Also sorry for any mistakes, I don’t have a beta and I wrote this when I was quite tired lol 

Anyways without further ado here is my first one shot in this universe Together This Time!

It’s not so much that Shiro doesn’t want Adam to come with them- quite the opposite really, seeing as he hasn’t seen Adam in years, or however long he was gone after the Kerberos mission (keeping track of time while in a prison cell is trickier than one might think) and he has missed Adam every single day since he left. 

The thing is, aliens are after him. Crazy as it seems, there are bloodthirsty aliens after him who aren’t too thrilled their champion (wait where did that word come from?) got away. And the last thing he wants is for Adam to get wrapped up in this.

Though really, he already was the minute he tagged along on Keith’s ridiculous yet somehow effective rescue mission. And there is the issue of Keith sensing some sort of energy, and Shiro already knows there is no way Adam will let well enough alone when Keith is involved. Because he would and is doing the exact same.

“Look, I’m going with you ok?” Adam tells him when Shiro pulls him aside. “We have no idea what these energy signatures are. If these aliens want it, it’s going to be dangerous.” His face softens for a moment, and Shiro can feel himself melt. “You’re alive, against all hope you’re here. I’m not letting you die now. Not when I can do something. You’re not leaving me behind again.”

And well, Adam always did know exactly what to say to get to him. “Adam.” He whispers, and they both know he’s won even if he tries to argue. “I- you know that’s not fair. Kerberos was-”

“-is ancient history.” Adam cuts off. “Look we can talk about this later, right now those kids- Keith needs us. You can complain all you want but I am coming with you.”

And just like that the argument is over and Adam breaks off from their whisper-shout-match to talk to Keith.

They’ve gotten closer since he’s been gone, Shiro notices. Keith and Adam had gotten along fine before, but they seemed actually close now. Which actually raises more questions like, why is their foster kid in a shack in the middle of nowhere rather than back home with Adam? What happened while he was gone?

They’re out the door before he can ask, and he doesn’t get the chance to ask before they’re in some sort of alien lion shooting off to who knows where. Because that’s Shiro’s life now apparently. Just one roller coaster after another.

When Lance asks if they should enter the portal, Shiro looks to Adam first. As if understanding his unsaid question, Adam brushes his hand against Shiro’s and nods. And next thing they all know they’re going through a portal and Shiro wonders what deity he pissed off to fling him into this situation.

It isn’t until much later, after a run in with a space princess, some space mice and a royal adviser, some revelation about a great destiny about lions and voltron and a space battle, that they actually get to talk.

Adam comes to Shiro’s room after everything has died down, because they need to talk damn it and Shiro isn’t getting out of this one.

“So I guess this is the part where we actually act like mature adults and speak to each other.” Adam speaks first because of course he does. He always was better at this... feelings thing than he was.

“I guess so. Where do we start?”

“I don’t know, pick a subject.” Adam rolls his eyes fondly.

Shiro sighs. “I guess I should start with saying I’m sorry. You were right. Kerberos was...definitely a bad idea.”

“It being a bad idea is not why I didn’t want you to go, you know that. At least I hope you do.”

“It isn’t?”

He laughed incredulously. “No you idiot! I didn’t want you to go because I wanted to spend what little time you had left with you, not the body bag they were inevitably going to be carrying back!” Adam’s voice rose slightly and Shiro cringed. He had really messed up hadn’t he?

“I didn’t- I didn’t want you to see me die.” Shiro admitted weakly.

“What?” Adam said his voice nearly a whisper. He had clearly not expected that answer.

This time it was Shiro’s turn to raise his voice. “I was already deteriorating enough. I didn’t want you to have to see me when it got worse. I didn’t want your last memory of me to be me withering away in front of you!” 

“And I didn’t want my last memory of you to be your back out the door but I guess we don’t exactly get what we want do we?”

“I guess not.” Shiro replied childishly, crossing his arms and flopping gracelessly onto his bed.

Adam took off his glasses and rubbed at his eyes, Shiro remembers that look. The first time he ever saw it was when they were still teenagers and he somehow managed to get Shiro out of two weeks of detention. 

For a prank that Adam had helped him with thank you very much so he had no right to be looking at him that way when he was equally as wrong but also that was legendary work thank you Adam.

It was the look he got when he was exasperated with you, but not angry enough to walk away. He missed that look.

“I missed you.” Shiro says before he can think.

Adam looks up and slowly puts his glasses back on with a sigh. “I missed you too, Ta- Shiro but-”

And good god that sounds absolutely wrong. 

“Takashi.”

“What?”

“It’s always been Takashi for you.” And he can’t quite get out the ‘please never change that’ or the ‘it feels so wrong to hear Shiro from you now, so please don’t’ or the ‘please still love me’ but he hopes Adam can hear what he doesn’t say.

He thinks he just might, because Adam replies with the first genuine smile Shiro has seen from him since he was rescued. It’s not particularly wide or bright, but its there.

“Alright. Takashi.” He says as though trying the name on again, and the smile widens ever so slightly. And this time Adam can’t think of what to say so he just says. “I think I still love you.” There is no ‘i think’ about it, but he can at least retain a small bit of pride this way.

“I thought you weren’t going to wait for me.” It comes out a little choked and it is absolutely because it is dusty in here and not at all because he’s trying not to cry.

“I wasn’t, but I guess I was wrong. Didn’t help too much that you know, died. And I had a kid to watch over.”

There was a lot to unpack in that sentence, but Shiro started with more neutral territory. Keith. “What happened after I- you know. Was pronounced dead? Why wasn’t Keith back at our- your place?”

Adam’s face scrunched up in frustration for a moment. “He’s as bull-headed as you that’s why. He ran off when the news broke. I found him at the shack, he said it was where his dad raised him. Rather than force him to come home and potentially ruin any chance of keeping in contact with him, I let him. I checked on him whenever I could, I brought him the basics, ya know food, water, clothes.”

Shiro really did not feel like arguing, so he ignored the obvious flaws in that plan. “You guys seemed closer.”

“We are. We had a lot of time to talk over the past couple years. Mostly talked about you though admittedly.”

Shiro chuckled. “Should I be worried?”

“Oh definitely.” This time they both chuckled.

They sobered quickly, and there was silence. But not the uncomfortable overbearing type of silence. It was the kind of silence between two people who didn’t know where to move next.

Literally and figuratively.

Shiro hesitantly reached out to take Adam’s hand. “Is this ok?”

“Yes.” Adam replied, inching closer to Shiro. “Can I hug you?”

“Yes.” Shiro breathed and immediately was wrapped in Adam’s arms. They held each other close, melting against one another.

“This doesn’t mean things are fixed yet, Takashi.” Adam whispered.

“Yet?” Shiro echoed, hope slipping into his voice against his will.

“We still have a lot to talk about but... I think I’d like to try again. If you want to that is.”

Shiro felt as though his heart had stopped, he had hoped and dreamed Adam would be there when he returned, and yet here he was. And everything felt right.

“I mean if you don’t want to it’s ok. It’s been a long time, we’ve both changed-” Adam began pulling away, taking Shiro’s silence the wrong way.

Shiro panicked as Adam pulled away and tugged him back into his embrace. “I’d like that too. I never stopped loving you, Adam.”

Adam breathed out a sigh of relief and chuckled. “That’s good to hear.”

Shiro chuckled as well. “Yeah, it is.” He sobered for a moment. “Whatever comes next, we’ll handle it. Together this time.”

Adam nodded. “Together this time.”

[kitkatfandomgirl]

Part of the Team Part 2

Part 2/?

Sorry for the long wait, but it’s here!! (F/N) means your first name (same as in part 1). I hope you guys like it as much as you liked the last part! I worked really hard to get this out to you guys and have planned out the rest of the plot! We are looking at 3-4 parts plus an epilogue and a possible sequel/miniseries if you all want one!

Part 1 Part 2

The next 48 hours of your life went by in a near-incomprehensible blur. After the archer, Clint, helped you bring your bags down in just one trip, you were loaded onto the helicopter. After everything was situated, all 3 agents finally stopped rushing around and decided to tell you what was going on.

“Wait a second... I have a brother? As in a full-blown blood relative that gives a crap and wants to meet me?”

“We tell her she's half-alien, technically half-god, and that talking trees and raccoons exist... and she’s shocked to hear that she has a half brother?” Clint looks at you incredulously before falling back into his seat, “if only my kids were that easy,” he mumbled tiredly.

Meanwhile, your head was spinning faster than the blades that kept you in the air. Sure the godliness and whole, ‘You have a father but surprise! He’s dead!’ business shocked you, but you were just happy to find out you wouldn’t be alone in all this mess.

Natasha leans forward in her seat facing yours and casts a somewhat worried glance your way,

  “So, (F/N)-”

“If it’s alright, just call me (Y/N).”

“Alright, (Y/N), you’re sure that you are fine with all of this?” You then recognized the worry on her face, she was probing to see if you’d lost your mind or something. It was a tactic the child services’ councilors used whenever you were changing houses. You tossed a bored look her way,

“If you’re prodding for signs of any mental issues, I’m fine.This will all probably set in by tonight when I realize how weird my situation is.” The ex-assassin quirked an eyebrow in slight surprise before smirking and leaning back into her seat, never coming to a fully relaxed posture.

 “So, where exactly are we going?” You yelled to the pilot pirate in the front seat.

“You’re looking at it!” He called over his shoulder.

All that you could see was cloud and when you dared glance below, the open ocean.  That is... until the chopper rose above a layer of clouds to reveal a giant drone-looking thing? “Where are we?!”

Clint slid off his sunglasses and smirked at you, “This is SHIELD.”

“That didn’t answer my question!”

“I know, but I did sound cool!”

Nat chose to interject, “We’re on the helicarrier. This is only temporary. You’ve gotta come to headquarters with me and Clint after paperwork.”

You wanted to ask whose headquarters, but the second that helicopter landed, the true chaos began. From that moment on. you were too busy to even think. You had to sign a bunch of official-looking documents along with a contract that basically said: you wouldn't sell out SHIELD  if you ever spoke to a “civilian” and if you did, you risked (in short) serious trouble and maybe a memory wipe. After all of that and another two hours of filing statements, signing, confirming, and reading, it was over. You were then rushed onto a jet that Natasha piloted while Clint slept in the cocaptain’s chair. 

You fell asleep with little-to-no effort once the black vehicle actually took off. It seemed like you’d only slept for a minute when a harsh poke came to your cheek.

“Hey! Ummmmmm..... Person! You might want to wake up!” You cursed under your breath and unenthusiastically pried your eyes open. Once the slight blur of grogginess subsided, you realized a person in a red mask was hanging over your face- wait- a lunatic in a mask what the- you let out a shriek of surprise, shooting up from the bench on instinct and slamming your forehead onto theirs.

“Geez... Don’t need to attack me for it,” he mumbled jokingly as he rubbed his forehead.

Clint popped his head over the back of his seat, “You kids stop beating each other up or I will ask Nat to turn this plane around!” He couldn’t hold back his childish snickers as he slowly turned around to face the front of the plane.

After rubbing your head for a time, you looked up at the masked stranger. It took a second for you to recognize the suit and logo, “What the heck is Spider-Man doing on the- Naaat! I think I lost my mind!”

“Nope! You aren’t crazy,” The boy said, but then cleared his throat, puffed out his chest, and deepened his voice, “But I can tell I’m part of your wildest dreams.” 

You didn’t even entertain his musing and just stared at him with a straight face. A few seconds of silence passed before he howled with laughter and climbed down to the floor so he could resume laughing, “I- I’m sorry! I had to!” he wheezed, trying to pull himself together and up off the floor.

You felt the plane’s landing gear connect with the ground as you slowed to a stop. Spider-Man managed to stand up and regain composure as the door hissed and lowered the large opening. He padded alongside you as you rushed off the aircraft with your bag of cherished items and rushed off the aircraft without thinking to assess where you were. The second you saw the grass singed in a strange, circular pattern, your head shot up.

Woah...

A huge modern-industrial facility stood before you. Light concrete, straight and modern edges... huge windows spanned the side of the wall and finally, the Avengers’ logo... You were taken aback and for the second time today were asking, “Where are we?”

 Spider-Man put his hand on your shoulder and said happily, “This is home to Earth’s mightiest heroes, a beacon of hope for technology, innovation, and a pinnacle of-”

“It’s the new Avengers’ HQ. Geez, bug boy, no need to be so dramatic!” Clint interjected from behind you.

It had been 2 days since your arrival to what has to be the most modern secret base you’d ever seen. The Avengers and supposedly your brother and his team were on a short mission. That’s why Peter (who told you his real name the first night you were there) was at HQ with you. Tony Stark disliked the idea of two teens being alone in his house, but once he popped by to get his new suit upgrade and met you, he was okay with leaving you two there. 

You had become good friends with Peter in the short time you guys had known each other. You watched movies, threw food at each other, and exchanged stories.

Pete even took you to meet his Aunt May in the middle of the week and see the Lego Death Star that he’d built with Ned. You may have not shared every interest of his, but you had enough in common to keep an otherwise uneventful week interesting. Of course Peter couldn’t always hang out, he had to do his own thing as Spider-Man. As a result, you were also able to spend your own time alone, drawing and listening to your favorite music on full blast when you were unaccompanied was fine by you. Clocks seemed to move at an impossible speed that week and your fun, relaxing days passed faster than time had in a long while.

That is— until time couldn’t have moved fast enough, the day everyone was supposed to finally come back from the mission. Saying that you were merely nervous was a severe understatement. Clocks ticked, AI popped up, and you paced. Excitement and anxiety filled your every cell when FRIDAY said they were only half an hour away. You practically jumped out of your skin when Peter told you that they’d actually landed.

Your feet carried you as Peter walked by your side. You came to a halt when tired chatter and banter reached your ears. The world seemed to stop as you took that final step and entered the room. All conversation seemed to die as you took another tentative step forward, “H-hi. I’m (Y/N),” You smiled awkwardly and waved to the room, unsure of who you were meant to talk to or what you should be doing.

In a blur of red and gray, you were enveloped in a bone-crushing hug. The intrusion was more than welcome as you returned the hug and slowly lost the tension in your shoulders.

“(Y/N)...” The arms slowly pulled you out of the hug and the man stepped back, “I’m so sorry I never came and got you. I swear we came the second we found out, but US air laws suck and Rocket here-”

You felt your mouth turn into a smile as joy filled your very core, “It’s okay. You’re here now. That’s what matters.” You saw his tense shoulders relax and realization came upon him.

“I’m Peter, your brother.”

“Oh, no way! My name is Peter too- OW!”

“I am Groot.”

“Stop cursing, Groot! They’re trying to have a moment!”

“And you have made it worse by yelling, Rocket.”

Your brother turned around to look at the bickering behind him and gestured to the group, retaining a chuckle as he said with a content sigh, “Welcome to the family!”

[Tagging: @astraothia @mental–thunderstorms @mellxander1993 @thatcrazybookwormgeek @mynameispurple @huntresx @crazy-pleasures-and-crazy-habits @purplekitten30 @jadepc ]

[themockingcrows]

Whisper Just For Me Ch. 14: Rescue

THIS CHAPTER IS SFW AO3 Mirror- [X]

When you and Jade were finally given a direction as to where Dave might be, you had hopes it would be a quick and easy process to get him back. Obviously you were an idealistic idiot who was already desperate after so long apart from a loved one, but there's still hope that the lead won't be full of false directions. How can you get your ghost home and talking to you?

    Eating wasn't always the answer, but it was the answer often enough that Jade felt it was a safe idea as anything else to grab some to go food to nibble on while driving or after arriving home. While you hung to your phone to listen to Rose explain things, buying some extra time in case it turned out there was somewhere aside from your apartment that needed to be driven to on short notice, she had approached a McDonald's drive through and started to place an order for the two of you.

    “Hmm... Give me twenty nuggets. Uhhhh two large fries” she said, humming. How much caffeine did she feel like having at this time of day? A lot. “A large mocha frappe.”

    “Rose, what the fuck do you MEAN you think Dave was typing to you?” you say into the receiver, trying to wrap your mind around what you were hearing. “He's a ghost! An old ghost! He doesn't know how computers work yet!”

    “Aaaaaand a large coke,” Jade added, trying to decide what else. Might as well stock up now while they were somewhere cheap, nibble at things later or have a midnight snack. Ooh, maybe some other dollar menu things.

    “John,” Rose said in your ear. “I know. Believe me, I know. This is sort of my specialty, if you've already forgotten the amount of help I've given you directly up until this point.”

    “No, no, I know,” you promise.

    “Maybe two apple pies?”

    “Would you like to try our new strawberry and crème pie?” came the crackling voice through the speaker outside the driver's side window.

    “Good. I'm glad you know,” she said. “Now we can skip the subtleties and get back to the part where I was telling you I may know where Dave is, or at least have a hint on where he might be.”

    “Ah, no,” said Jade.

    “YES, THAT!” you shout, too jumpy for your own good. “Sorry, jus-”

    “Okay so that's twenty nuggets, two large fries, a large mocha frappe, a large coke, two apple pies and a strawberry crème pie.”

    “No!” Jade hurriedly said, shooting a look your way in frustration. “No, not the last pie.”

    “So no pies?”

    “No, no, I want the apple pies, not the strawberry please!”

    You rub the bridge of your nose and turn slightly in your seat to hold your phone closer to your ear, plugging the far ear to ignore the back and forth out the window. “Rose. Sorry, we're at the McDonald's still, can you go back to the telling me things wisely part?”

    “How forward thinking of you,” she said. You can hear a soft tinkling sound, a spoon in a cup of some kind. Maybe some tea or cocoa. ...Then again, Rose is a gremlin, it's probably coffee of some kind being mixed up that you hear. “Like I said earlier, I received communication that I'm quite sure was Dave, and that I'm also quite sure was sent from the location he's at instead of by some interception of a signal. I've no idea how a thing like that would actually work otherwise, nor do I believe he's capable of that.”

    “How are you so sure it's Dave though? You never said.”

    “He mentioned you by name,” she said. “Was asking for help, said he was lost. Kept saying Home and John. If that's not Dave trying to get assistance from someone, then I don't know who else you've managed to attract from the spiritual realm but you need to tell me your secret.”

    “You make it sound like I'm some kind of ghost gigolo and I dunno how I feel about that.”

    You could practically hear Rose smile.

    “Would you like the address where I'm fairly sure he's at? Perhaps you could grab him. She's not answering texts or any online pings, something's likely happened or she's just plain not home if there's no answer or no reaching out to me,” Rose said. “...Though, I don't know how open she'd be to two people barging in talking about ghosts.”

    “How did he even get to wherever this place is?” you ask as the vehicle slowly starts to move forward, adjusting your weight to avoid the awkward slide when it stopped again at the first window to pay the person who'd apparently taken the initial order if the voice you heard earlier was the one you thought it was now.

    “Well, unless you evicted him from his pendant, I assume Roxy found it and brought it home one way or another. Perhaps it changed hands a few times before coming to rest there. I really don't know, but I'm not sure he could have detached himself on his own for any reason. It takes a lot of effort to manage something like that.”

    “Roxy?” you ask. The name's familiar from somewhere but you can't immediately place it after the long day of ups and down's you'd been having.

    “She's family,” explained Rose patiently. “She's heard me discuss ghosts before, and I believe I've even mentioned your haunting to her before, but I've got no idea how much she may have retained from those talks. Ghosts were never really her thing.”

    “Family of yours and not into ghosts?” Hard to imagine. The second window was approached and Jade was soon setting the crinkly bag inside on the floor for later nibbling at, and the drinks into their holders before she coasted over to a parking spot. Still no directions, and she didn't want to get on the highway and need to turn around and go the other way.

    “Shocking, right? At least she likes wizards as much as I do. Shows we're still actually related. If she didn't enjoy a good wizard stroking his beard while pondering something vast and unknowing I'd be forced to disown her entirely to save myself from the shame.”

    “Where's she at, though? Where's Dave at?” you ask, probing for answers. Jade has fished out a few french fries and popped them in her mouth to munch at, but she soon leaned to take her phone out as well, ready to type up the address for some proper directions. “And would she be alright with us just... dropping in? Like. As soon as we can get there? I don't want to leave him all on his own any longer than we have to.”

    “Well, he's not alone I assume. Roxy does live there. She has a precious little cat too, I wonder how he gets on wi-”

    “Rose. Address. ...Uh. Please,” you hurriedly add. Adrenaline was starting up in your bloodstream again, enough that you wondered if you'd been leeching it from the coke and coffee by osmosis, caffeine leaking into the air somehow like a delicious junky miasma.

    “Right, right,” she said with a clearing of her throat. She paused once more and turned away from the phone to take a sip of whatever was in her mug from earlier, the slurping noise soft but too loud in your ears.

    “I've not been able to hold of her, as I said, so there's a chance you may not even be able to get inside. But, perhaps, Dave will be able to respond to you in some way if you get close enough and try reaching out.”

    “A hallway séance will make us so popular with whatever neighbors she has,” you can't help but mutter. The complaints died when Rose started to read off numbers and words for directions which you dutifully repeated aloud, giving Jade enough time to type in everything and get an idea of their plotted course.

    “Well. It's not the moon but it'll take a little bit to get over there,” said Jade. “It seems to be a crowded area, parking might be kind of iffy too. I can just.. drop you off and we can get close as possible, or I'll put on my hazards for a bit.”

    “It's not a locked down area,” Rose offered as a bit of hope. “You should, theoretically, be able to get right up to the outside of her door at the very least. I hope you can get her to answer, though, and get Dave back. Or at least verify Dave is there or not. If he's not, I'll likely need to do a bit of writing, see if this can develop into a full case study of ghosts interfering wi-”

    “Hold off the thesis till we get him back, Rose,” Jade said as she got the engine purring again and backed up, already knowing the route to take to make it the quickest route possible. “We could probably ask him to do all kinds of experiments specifically to your qualifications once he's safe and sound again so we can be sure this doesn't happen again.”

    Experiments. That's right. You were already going to be talking to him about what you'd found out of his history, his family, his death. ...Perhaps holding off on that for a little while would be the better idea. The thought made you feel funny in your stomach and drew your attention away from what Rose was saying in your ear. Was that the better option, or the worst one? Which was cruel? Potentially sending Dave away from something that made him happy the second he got it back, with the idea being he'd be going to the light and paradise of some kind? Or hiding all of that information and the option as long as possible to let him stay around, denying him an afterlife?

    This wasn't an afterlife at all, this world. It was some awkward limbo, stress and exhaustion and threats and being completely alone aside from those who could see him or hear him and wanted to know more. In the end it should be Dave's decision.

    ...Yet that didn't feel better either, with how attached you'd grown. What was even the long term goal here? Stay with your ghost boyfriend till you got old and died, and hoped you could join him or both cross over or whatever? Would joining him even be a good idea? Then YOU'D be trapped forever too! And another thing, wh-

    “John, you might want to set your phone down, Rose already ended the call,” you heard from your left, just loud enough to catch your attention before the sounds of the radio filled your ears, filtering into reality along with the sound of the tires on the highway rolling along at a steady pace. Sure enough, the phone's screen had gone black, though how long ago it had happened you couldn't be sure. It was kind of impossible to track getting lost in your own thoughts for a reason.

    “Yeah,” you murmur, setting the phone on your lap instead as if coming out of a nap daze, looking around to orient yourself again. It was really happening. If all went well, Dave would be not only found but brought home. Safe and home again with you, just like before. Just like always. You almost didn't want to let yourself get excited in case something else happened by surprise and ruined it.

    “Don't worry, John. I'm pretty sure traffic'll be on our side for this,” Jade said, drumming her fingers on the steering wheel. “But hey, give me a hand. Or, actually no, loan me a hand for a second for real and fish me out a nugget.”

    “We didn't eat super long ago,” you said, fishing out the chicken and a cup of sweet and sour sauce, cracking it open carefully and giving it a dunk. Jade took the offer while leaning cautiously in her seat, letting you guide the food to her lips.

    “Chicken nuggets are serious business, John, and wait for no man,” she said. “Besides, what if we need to muscle and use brute force to get Dave back?” she asked after giving a few chews and swallowing. “I'd definitely need protein for that!”

    “You've got a point,” you agreed, dunking a second nugget and munching on it yourself, at peace with your temporary role of food deliverer. “I just hope this goes smoothly.”

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

    Things were not going smoothly at all. When you'd arrived at the destination, it had been to a dark apartment and no answer at the door when you knocked. Though you heard the sound of a cat inside, meowing a few times plaintively in response to your knocks, there were no sounds of footsteps or thumps of someone hiding, no glow of a telltale laptop screen from behind the blinds that otherwise obscured your view from the street. It had been a struggle to heft yourself up the stairs, you felt the burn under your arms and down your back and against your palms, and yet there seemed to be no payoff.

    Jade wasn't taking silence for an answer, and she thumped the door solidly with the side of her fist a few times. Perhaps she was taking the brute force comment more seriously than you'd believed at first.

    “Roxy?” she called. “Roxy, Rose sent us. We're friends of hers, we're here to ask a few questions and collect something that belongs to us!”

    You hissed softly. “Jade you sound like a mobster, and we don't own Dave, that's weird!”

    “Well, what the fuck do you want me to say?”

    “Something that doesn't make it sound like we turned up to break her kneecaps for drugs!” you said, urgency clear as you looked around to the other doors. “We already look out of place as it is, what if someone calls the cops?”

    Jade rolled her eyes and tried knocking again, making the cat meow once more. “Well, then we can tell the police the exact same thing we're telling her. We're here to ask questions about if she's seen your pendant, and if so, to give it back. ...Can you tell if Dave's here?” she asked suddenly.

    “OH. Oh, right! Rose said I might be able to,” you realized, staring at the door before closing your eyes and trying to focus. You treated it like when you were trying to help Dave go to the pendant before, like when you were trying to get better at seeing him, when you were learning to be patient when he was still just brief flickers and obnoxious noises just out of hearing. Tried to imagine his face, so much clearer now that you'd seen what he looked like in the flesh, and since you'd met Bro. Dave felt so much more real now.

    “...Mmmm maybe she's not home after all,” Jade said softly, concerned. “Even if he's not here, we'd need to be able to ask her about if she'd been in contact with the pendant or anything. It's the only clue we've got so far for him.”

    You didn't think you felt anything. There was no instant tug, no reach, no call of your name or flicker at the edge of your mind. Nothing. Nothing tangible enough to count as interaction at least, and yet you couldn't shake the feeling that something was here. Whether it was instinct or just the strong pangs of desperation steering those feelings, you didn't want to risk it. Giving yourself no time to second guess the feeling, you walked closer to the door before hammering on it with your own fist several times, hard enough that your joints ached and the door seemed to jump a little on its hinges.

    If you'd been able to kick safely, you might have even kicked at it.

    “Roxy. Roxy if you're home, open the door!” you cried. “OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR, ROXY, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY AND I'LL EXPLAIN LATER.”

    “Oh yeah, look at you go, now you're into it,” Jade said delightedly, leaving you to your knocking till your hand hurt enough that you stopped to avoid adding another broken bone to your stack of problems. Those chicken nuggets had done a world of good! She was so proud as she took her phone out, preparing to call Rose to see if she had any ideas on what to do. Or, perhaps, where a spare key of some kind might be. Did hiding apartment keys even work if everyone lived in the same building but different parts? If so, every inch of the front lawn must be thick with false rocks full of different keys.

    “I don't know how to explain it, Jade, but we need to get in there. We can't go home even if she's not here.”

    “Am I hearing you right, Mr. I Don't Want To Sound Like We're Here To Kneecap Someone himself?”

    You sulked and looked over your shoulder at her.

    “Look. Kicking in a door is different from threatening someone,” you reasoned. “I'm sure Roxy is great and I wish her many happy days, and will be more than happy to pay for the door replacement if it comes to that, but I'm not leaving till we get inside.”

    The door opened a crack before you even realized anyone was approaching it from the inside, but it wasn't a face that greeted you. Instead it was a baseball bat, pointed as if signaling a home run was imminent and your head would be the ball. The woman on the other end was in her pajamas, hair mussed, fatigue clear. She looked stressed, she looked a bit scared, and most of all she looked a hell of a lot like Rose.

    “....Roxy?” you asked cautiously, lowering your hands to hold your ground and keep your balance. Startled? You? Pssh.

    “Who's askin'?”

    “Uh. ….Us? Thought that was kinda obvious,” Jade said, lowering her phone. Success! Person located! “There's no way you're not Roxy, you look exactly like Rose! LaLonde genetics do not disappoint.”

    Roxy makes a face, confused, uncertain if she should be flattered by a compliment or skeeved out. It was not the right time of night for this, maybe if she'd gotten a full night's sleep and gotten rid of that... that thing that was lurking in the salt ring in her kitchen.

    “Wait. Rose?” she said, realization lighting her eyes. The bat remains raised threateningly, but her grip looks less certain now as she hesitated, assessing the situation best she could on the fly.

    “Yes, Rose told us to come, you can call her to verify if you want! She's been unable to call you,” you hurriedly reply.

    “My phone's toast, no wonder she couldn't reach me. I've been havin' a bitch of a day. A week, even,” Roxy said with a shake of her head, finally slowly beginning to lower the tip of the bat to the ground. “But, what, she send her.... friends?” she said, guessing as Jade nodded a bit, “to check up on me just 'cause I couldn't get online for a night? Overkill.”

    “Why couldn't you get online?” you asked.

    “Laptop was in a state when I got home from work and stuff finally, the battery was all bloated out and lookin' like it was fit to explode any time,” she grimaced. Your heart lifted once more, the trail warm, but Roxy didn't miss the look you tried to give her apartment over her shoulder or the hungry hopeful look in your eye. “So. Why're you here? Spill, I wanna go back to bed.”

    “We're here abo-”

    “Can we come in to talk?” Jade intervened suddenly, moving forward to gesture and make friendly. “He's still recovering, and on top of it the matter's a little private and we already made enough of a scene trying to get you to the door.”

    “I'm blamin' ya'll if the cops turn up, that was a hell of a racket,” she groused, flipping the light switch inside the door on and stepping back to allow entrance to the two of you. “Thought I was getting mobbed by Yakuza or something.”

    You sigh and look at Jade before making your way into the living room, looking around more directly for any hint of Dave. Roxy beckons you to the sofa, offering you the space as she sat in another spot and crossed her legs, setting the bag entirely on the ground. Jade stayed on her feet, idly looking around as well. While she wasn't as sensitive as you were to the presence of Dave, she definitely knew what the pendant looked like and hoped she'd spot some kind of trace of it. You sat your crutches down on the ground and leaned forward, searching for the sweet spot of comfort for your body to rest in while hurriedly trying to think of something normal to say.

    Yes hello we're here to take back my ghost boyfriend you accidentally might have kidnapped, he lives in a pretty pendant I was given by Jade here, and we got separated after he possessed my body and we got into a car wreck! Please don't call the cops! We are perfectly normal and not crazy robbers at all, promise!

    This was a disaster and nothing had even happened yet.

    “Hah!” Wow, that laugh was way too loud wasn't it, more bark than giggle. Shit. Be cool, be cool! “We were.. uh. Well. I mean, we were just.”

    Roxy was staring now, eyes narrowing a bit at your baffling display. You stopped, took a breath, and slowly exhaled.

    “Have you gotten any new jewelry recently?” you finally asked, starting to gesture with your hands. “About yea big, green toned?”

    She flinched subtly and took a breath, but didn't immediately say anything. Instead, her eyes flickered up and past you before focusing on your face.

    “Green toned?”

    “Yeah, it's a rock that looks kind of like jade does, and it's set into a pendant? Has whorls of lines on it..?” you asked hopefully. “I got into an accident recently, and I haven't seen it since.”

    Roxy wet her lips, fingers curling loosely into fists as she seemed to think something over. Finally, she nodded a bit.

    “Yeah. I might have something like that. Found it not too long ago. Was going with a co-worker to a quick on-site call for a client we deal with, they'd gotten some new computers they wanted set up and linked to the rest of their system in a new way,” she said, then shook her head briefly to focus herself. “Their car made some funny noises, we pulled over so they could check under the hood, I got out to stretch my legs. Saw somethin' shiny. ...Took it home.”

    You tried to stand for a brief stupid moment, lurched, fell back, and then threw yourself Roxy's direction along the sofa faster than you thought you could move. Your leg thumped downward, hard, and bounced the cast off the ground with a solid thump that ached through your nerves like sick lightning. It took your breath away, forcing you to lower your head despite the frantic lunge, gritting your teeth hard enough your jaw ached. Jade, bless her, ignored your pained reaction in favor of lunging as well.

    “Where is it! The pendant I mean, you still have it right? Is it here? Is it damaged?”

    Roxy, uncomfortable with two strangers lunging at her in her own living room in such quick succession picked her bat back up and sidestepped around Jade to feel less cornered. She glanced towards a darkened doorway before looking back to the pair of you.

    “You're gonna think I'm a nut. No, it's not damaged I don't think but it's. ..Something's weird with it.”

    “Weird how?” Jade asked, following to Roxy's new location without hesitation. She was never the best at picking up things like personal space, but in cases like this it was all for the best. You started to recover from the dizzyingly painful jolt, running a hand through your hair.

    “It's. ...I don't know, okay! All I know is weird shit's been happenin' since I brought that thing home, and I think it might be haunted or some shit,” she hurriedly said, clenching her eyes shut to avoid your gaze. She tightened her grip on the baseball bat, lifting it to rest against her own shoulder and tap there a few times. “Don't laugh, alright?”

    “I mean. Funny story,” Jade said, smile quirking to life on one side of her mouth.

    “It's haunted,” you say, getting up on your crutches and wobbling before stabilizing yourself. “It's haunted by someone very important to me, and we need him back safe and sound. His name is Dave, please, where is he?”

    “...Shit, are you two like Rose then? Ghost talking and stuff?”

    “Yes,” Jade said. “Please, though, it's terribly important that we get him back as soon as possible to ensure everything is okay. Where is he?”

    Roxy fiddled with the bat again, and slowly looked over her shoulder to the dark doorway of her kitchen once more. “Uhm. ...It's in the kitchen. Under the colander, with the salt and stuff. Rose said salt stops ghosts or something before so I just. ...You're sure it's not something evil and bad?”

    Jade was already on the case again, flicking on the light and rustling the colander off of the much missed necklace. “It's the right one!” she cried. You almost felt bad for Roxy's neighbors at this point, you hoped she didn't get in trouble with the management because of you and Jade being so loud. Hurrying quick as you could, you made it into the kitchen right as she lifted the pendant up on display for you.

    “DAVE. Dave, shit, you were here for real. It's okay now, we're here. Are you okay? Nothing went wrong, right?” you asked, leaning more of your weight to one crutch so you could reach out for the pendant, holding it tightly in your hand as if it would disappear if the proper pressure wasn't maintained on its entire surface.

    There was no response, no flicker of light.

    “.....Dave?” you asked, voice an anxious chuckle. You jiggled the pendant a bit, rubbed it with your thumb and tried to focus in on it over the hammering heartbeat in your ears from the amount of adrenaline rushing through your bloodstream right then. “Come out come out wherever you are.”

    Roxy remained cautiously outside of the kitchen, but stood there watching with the same confused expression from earlier. She stooped down to stroke the head of a dark cat who had slithered around her ankles, finally unphased enough by the strange human guests now that it was safe to wander among them. When Roxy straightened up next, the cat was in her arms and being pressed over her shoulder, his sturdy hind limbs hanging limp as a doll.

    “Is it broken? Or did that Dave guy like. Leave my house.”

    “No, no, it doesn't look broken,” you promised, wetting your lips reflexively. “Uh. ...Uhh... shit. Okay. When did you last see activity in your house? He loves knocking things off shelves and rattling papers and books and anything he can vibrate or flip around easily.”

    “Earlier I think, I don't believe for a second my laptop fucked up on its own or because of my cat here. Battery all puffed out and fucked, entire setup I was working with toast. Thank fuck for the cloud or my project'd prolly be long gone too.”

    “So he was just active earlier at some point... nothing else?”

    “There was a red light.. before I shoved it in there,” explained Roxy, jiggling Mutini on her shoulder briefly. “I'd picked it up and it went all red and bright and intense, but I think it's been quiet since then. I kinda went in to try sleeping, till you two turned up.”

    The pendant didn't feel warm, and you saw no light, but there was no denying that sense that Dave was there. Salt was apparently more scary than you'd realized, if it had been able to block even your feelings of him so intensely till lifted out of it. You rubbed at the pendant again with your thumb before carefully bringing it closer to your face, pressing your lips to it instinctively. A kiss hello? A kiss as a welcome back? It felt important, offering a direct link like that, a reaching out as physical as you were trying to do mentally with your energy.

    Maybe he was just very tired, the things Roxy was describing must have been absolutely exhausting for the poor spirit, let alone being trapped in such a confining way for a while.

    “...Any luck?” Jade asked softly. “Is he still in there?”

    “He is, I can feel it, but uh. ..No. No, not yet,” you admitted. Not everything was instant in life, but fuck did you wish it was.

    “Maybe we should go home, then, and see about waking Dave up,” Jade offered quietly. “Let Roxy sleep, get your leg propped up, get Dave back somewhere familiar. Maybe if you literally sleep on it it'll help.”

    You looked uncertain, but Jade's sincere tone made you reconsider your reservations and nod, tucking Dave carefully into your pocket and folding the top edge down to ensure there was no slipping loose and dropping by accident. There would be no more leaving Dave behind, accident or none.

    Mutini wiggled on Roxy's shoulder and trilled till she put him down to avoid catching the business end of his busy claws, and made a beeline over to your crutches, rubbing against them fondly.

    “He's been on edge for a while,” Roxy said. “...I was worried he was getting sick or something lately, but I think that thing was spooking him. I guess he knows you're taking it away now?”

    “Him. His name is Dave,” you say, adjusting your grip on the grips of your crutches and bow your head to her. “I'm sorry for all this, Roxy, really I am. For the laptop and everything else he must have done, for scaring your cat, for waking you up and making such a ruckus. I'm really sorry.”

    “Oh! No, no it's okay,” she said. It wasn't, but you understood what Roxy was trying to get across, more or less. “I mean. It's a- he. He's a ghost, right? Must be confusing and stuff.”

    “You've got no idea,” you sigh.

    Jade touched your shoulder, firm and steadying and wonderfully solid. Right. You needed to focus on getting back to the parking spot and getting home and up to bed.

    “Let's go, John.”

    “We'll be in contact, if that's okay,” you added as you turned. “Through Rose. Try to get hold of her when you can, let her know how you're doing. We'll let her know you're okay when we get home though,” you promised.

    You and Jade left Roxy in her living room with an affectionate cat and her baseball bat, locking the door behind you with the intention of somehow going back to bed if at all possible. Jade drove silently, following the more familiar highway paths once she'd gotten back on track, the radio low and gentle in the background. You mulled your time over with your hand in your pocket, fingers curled tightly around the pendant, willing and willing with all of your might that you'd feel Dave's push or hear his voice again.

    He was there. He was definitely there, the feeling was staying with you the entire drive. There, but maybe sleeping. Still dead but not entirely gone.

    Bed was a welcome reprieve after such a long day of wandering around and being upright, Jade retiring to the couch after making sure you were set up and comfortable. Your hands were bruised and painful, as were the spaces beneath your arms and along your shoulders and neck. Your leg was throbbing even through some painkiller and being propped up, and you were tired enough to not fucking care about brushing your teeth or dealing with changing clothes. The pants came off and that was the best you were going to get done. The pendant was placed on a new cord, firm and comfortable on your neck when you put it into place, tucking the stone portion beneath your shirt so you could feel it on your skin as you went to sleep.

    You gave in to unconsciousness hoping against hope that you wouldn't be alone in your dreams that night.

[cherryblossomcheesecake]

God & His Priests & His Kings V2: Chapter 7 - A FFXV OC Fanfic

I’m rewriting this fic almost 3 years after I finished it since new ideas and plot bunnies have hit so here’s hoping I can stick with the series and see it through this time around. Sequel to How Rare & Beautiful.

Master list Word Count: 2,329 Upload: 05/23/21

Previous Chapter

I'm Alone – Joon Sung Oh

The stained glass shattered from the impact of gunfire and magitek units smashing through the windows, landing on the outskirts of the throne room in unison. The court erupted into chaotic screaming as the units opened fire on the crowd, blindly gunning down anyone in their path.

I scanned to crowd frantically, looking for Myung-Hee on the steps to the throne. I caught a glimpse of her face between panicking nobles, taking a step towards her only to be yanked back against a hard chest.

I fought wildly to free myself from the strong grip, my eyes losing sight of my mother as I was forcibly turned away from the scene. Ravus holds me tight against his chest, keeping us tight against the wall as I fought against his vice-like grip.

The screaming didn't stop for a long time, slowly dwindling in strength as more and more people fell to the onslaught of gunfire.

By the time the last of the screaming had stopped, I had ceased my struggling, crying into the front of the blonde's coat as silence fell over the throne room.

Ravus' grip slackened at the sound of heavy footfalls to our right. I pulled my head away, my blurry vision focusing on the dead littering the throne room floor in horror.

The footsteps stopped just short of a foot away, the chancellor's voice the only sound in the room aside from the whirring mechanics of the magitek.

"Phenomenal job at protecting your bride, high commander. The guards will take it from here." Ardyn's voice called out mockingly as he picked his way through the corpses towards the throne.

"Was any of this truly necessary, Izunia?" Ravus ground out, curling himself around me in defense. I only watched as the older man crouched down to examine a body, tilting his head slightly.

"But of course. His excellency wanted control of Goryeo, which is why the council and nobility had to be taken care of. We only needed one princess as hostage to ensure the behaviour of the people, and your bride fits the bill." he answered, turning his golden gaze onto me.

My eyes locked onto his in fear, body trembling from shock as the chancellor slowly approached us.

The older man stopped inches away from me, grasping my chin between his fingers so our gazes would remain locked, the chains of my headpiece brushing delicately against my face.

"The well-being of the sole remaining princess guaranteed by the good behaviour of the people, and vice-versa; a much more convenient arrangement than the pitiful treaty, if I do say so myself."

My heart skipped a beat as Ardyn sneered out the words, my body automatically removing itself from his grasp as if it had been burned.

The chancellor's eyes narrowed, glaring down at me before gesturing to the few human soldiers off to the side.

"Gentlemen, please escort the princess to her chambers. It's been such a long day for her." he commanded, flippant tone contrasting with his dark expression.

The soldiers pulled me from Ravus' grasp, neither of us fighting it after the massacre that had occurred out of greed and ill-will.

"Oh," Ardyn called out just before I had exited the throne room, "And congratulations on your marriage, I'm sure all of Eos will speak of the Red Wedding for years to come." he said mockingly as the thick oak doors closed behind me.

*BREAK*

I sat silently in the dining area of the princess' apartments, wearing a simple white ruqun with my long black hair free from any sort of style. My hand tightly clasped the hairpin Orion had given me, the last reminder of what my world had been before everything had fallen apart.

The guards had been bringing me minimal food, rationing the supplies that remained in the palace as they established control throughout the island nation. I was truly alone for the first time in years; no court ladies moved between the rooms, and there were no eunuchs walking through the halls. Just the foreign accents of the Nifelheim soldiers and the whirring sounds of Magitek filled the palace's silence.

I remained sitting as the door to the apartments opened and closed, heralding either food or a visitor. My heart sank at the sight of the chancellor, the man accompanied by both soldiers and the high commander.

"Well my dear, shall we discuss your fate now that the finer details have been dealt with?" Ardyn questioned as he took a seat at the table.

"We've been apprehending small rebel groups that believed they could defy the will of the empire, including that little court lady your counsel sent to Lucis. We wouldn't want her to call on the Lucian armies to mount a rescue attempt, now would we?"

That statement jolted a reaction out of me, my head whipping up to stare at the chancellor in horror.

"You will continue to reside in your apartments until the region has been brought under control. Then you will travel to Tenebrae with the high commander while the brigadier general governs the region. I'm sure you'll find Tenebrae to your liking, your highness. It is very beautiful this time of year." The vile man explained, taking pleasure in the pain he was inflicting upon me with his words.

"I do suggest beginning to pack your belongings as your departure may be sooner than you think." The chancellor announced in leu of a proper goodbye, sweeping into a mocking bow before departing from the room.

I twitched at the sound of the door as it closed, eyes locking onto the remaining figure of my husband. Ravus refused to meet my gaze as he slowly made his way into my rooms.

"I'm sure I'm one of the last people you want to see right now but I swear to you, I meant every word of my vows and I did not know Izunia was planning this." he whispered from across the room, his pale gaze firmly locked on the floor.

I offered silence as my only response, remaining impassive in his presence.

The man who was only my husband by name, sighed heavily before moving to sit in the chair opposite of mine.

"The common folk are fleeing the island as fast they can, fighting for space on fishing and trade vessels to take them out of Goryeo. The violence was mostly contained to the palace, but a few noble families who were absent from the wedding were hunted down." Ravus informed me, his words causing my heart to ache even more so than before as I mourned the innocents killed in the conflict.

I was pleased that the people were fleeing the island rather than face the iron hand of the imperial regime. They hadn't chosen to entrust their fate to a foreign power as I had.

"Both the first and second princesses were among the dead, as well as all their court ladies, yours included." These next words shocked me.

Mother. Grandmother. Se-Hyeon. Chae-Ryung. All of them dead. And I couldn't shed a single tear in mourning for them. I couldn't even perform their burial rights so they could find their way to the ancestors.

I closed my eyes, signaling my continued indifference to the blonde's presence, willing him to leave me to mourn privately.

Fabric rustled as Ravus shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

Both the noise and his continued presence irritated me. My eyes opened and met his own for the first time since the massacre. I willed that every ounce of my hatred and anger be conveyed through my eyes.

A fleeting look of shame passed over his face before Ravus schooled his expression into a mask of indifference.

Standing from his chair, he settled into a military parade rest.

"We will be leaving for Tenebrae in two days. Pack what belongings you wish to bring with you. I doubt you will see Goreyo again for many years." He informed me, taking my continued silence as his cue to leave.

As the door slid shut behind him, all my anger rushed forward. I hurled a tea pot at the wall in rage, storming from one room to the next.

I stopped in front of my open wardrobe, pulling random clothes out and tossing them towards the bed. They were all meaningless to me, every piece belonging to the now dead Third Princess. I would not have packed any of it if not for the fact that such an act would raise the suspicions of the Empire.

The only thing I wished to take with me was the small box of jewellery that I had inherited from my mother and the First Princess; my letters from Noctis hidden away among the gold and jewels.

It would be a risk to bring them with me, but I could not find it in myself to part with the only remaining piece of my identity.

Noctis POV

The prince was bored to say the least, stuck reading reports after completing homework. Soo's last letter lay on the coffee table, the portrait of his childhood companion staring up at Noctis with serene features captured in ink. He caught himself daydreaming as he stared at it, only snapping out of it when he heard Ignis exiting the kitchen to check on his progress.

The dark-haired teen was startled out of his zoning at the knocking at the door, Ignis hesitantly stepping out of the kitchen to answer it.

Noctis rose from his place on the couch, making his way down the hall just as a royal courier handed a blank envelope to his friend and retainer. As the door closed, the older boy merely looked at the envelope before handing it to the prince.

Opening it curiously, he pulled out a sheet of parchment that only one person ever used.

"Another letter from the Lady Soo? She usually waits for a response before writing, does she not?" Ignis questioned, adjusting his glasses while gauging his charge's reaction.

"Yeah.." Noctis replied, sapphire eyes focusing on the cursive letters on the page.

My Dearest Noctis,

I know my last letter may have only just reached you, but here I am writing another.

Goryeo has fallen on hard times, and each and every one of us are making sacrifices to keep our country thriving. We have been able to reach a formal peace with Nifelheim, however it deeply impacts our friendship.

Please know I'm completely heartbroken when I say that from this point on, I can no longer receive or send letters to and from you. My duty to my country has grown exponentially in the past few weeks and I can't jeopardize the progress made by continuing our correspondence. I'm so deeply sorry, if I could avoid this, I would. But this peace is too new and fragile to risk it.

Do know that I love you and I'm so proud of who you're becoming. Keep your friends close and treasure them. You need someone to watch your back since I am no longer able.

Goodbye.

Yours,

Soo

The hand holding the parchment clenched hard, crumpling the paper as he trembled. Tears welled in Noctis' eyes as his arm dropped to his side, gritting his teeth to choke back his cries.

"What did she say?" his friend inquired, not expecting the page to be shoved in his face as the prince stormed off to his room, slamming the door closed.

*BREAK*

Noctis laid curled up in the center of his bed, staring at the photo on his night table.

Among the various photos taken by Prompto over the past two years, there was one that dated back eight years. It was a picture taken by a palace official many years ago that depicted two dark haired children running across the beach in Galdin.

It was his only photo of Soo aside from the drawing she had sent. They had been so carefree then, but now he could never speak to his friend again.

The prince shed silent tears in his solitude, closing his eyes in hopes of escaping through sleep.

It was not meant to be as Ignis entered the bedroom quietly.

"My apologies, Noct, but the citadel has called with information pertaining to Goryeo. Niflheim entered a delicate peace treaty with the kingdom, and has slaughtered nearly all of the aristocracy and ruling class and their households. Their envoy was on standby in Galdin to alert the Crown if the empire planned on breaking the treaty."

Ignis paused for a moment, taking in the tense, trembling form of his prince.

"She was found murdered in her hotel room after she had received information on the invasion and massacre. All that remains apart from the working and lower-class citizens is the Third Princess. The empire is keeping her as a political hostage in her marriage to Ravus nox Fleuret." He continued, avoiding any mention of the one person Noctis cared about in this situation.

"And what of Soo? Any news on her? Is she okay?" The Prince questioned his retainer, his breath hitching as he tried to keep his emotions under control.

"No, your highness. It is likely that she perished during the initial invasion, as the entirety of the palace household was wiped out."

It was then, that the last but of control slipped. Tears slipped freely down his cheeks, sobs wracking his body as he folded into himself.

Ignis was at a loss of what to do. How did one comfort their friend after delivering news of the death of a close friend?

Soo's POV

The smoke was still rising from the island as my personal items were being prepared for transport to Tenebrae. It was hard to tell if it was from mass funeral pyres or the burning of villages and estates.

In the end, it was pointless to wonder as I was being led into the awful airship and removed from my home for the last time.

Next Chapter

[inkuisitivskins]

As if I Deserve You

Fanfic prompts

2. “You love me as if I deserve you.”

@gardengeisha

Ok so I’ll admit it took a little plotting out to get a good idea for this one! I had never read or written any fic about this ship (though I do like it!) and I also haven’t ever written Riza save for tiny cameos in things, so I’m still a little nervous about if I got her in-character enough. Like, I love Riza, but there’s a reason I’ve only written Livmiles? If I was going to write something with her, it would be Royai, but even then, the fact still remains that I feel like I don’t know her as well as I should xD It’s kind of pitiful and funny at the same time that I’m worried about her being in character rather than Liv considering Liv is the one with less screen time and character development lmao. Still, if I didn’t and Riza’s ooc at all, I really apologize ;;;;

I was super excited for this ask though, because I’ve been wanting to try new ships like this :D So thank you so much for the ask and I hope you like it! I just decided on the idea of them falling in love rather than them already being together at the beginning of the fic, because I wanted to explore how their relationship would have started. It’s canon that Olivier likes Riza (and Havoc, for some reason haha) when she mentions that she doesn’t care about what happens to Roy, so I decided to use that. Also, enjoy Roy being annoying haha

As if I Deserve You on Ao3

She watched the general from her bench in silence. While joint training sessions had been held between the Eastern Command and Briggs troops before, this was the first that she had been present for. In times past, the colonel would have her stay in the office with him, and they would work on paperwork-- however, Roy had requested to participate in the training exercises this year, and naturally, he brought his adjutant with him.

Riza sipped her water as she awaited Roy’s call to fall in beside him. The East soldiers milled about around her, resting for a few minutes before the exercise would begin. Some talked amongst themselves, while others did the same as her; watching the Briggs men in silent awe. The Briggs general gave her soldiers only a few brief moments of rest between drills. The actual joint exercises had not even started yet, Riza noted; she was making her soldiers practice even before then. She didn’t even let them sit down during their short rests; she’d keep them in formation, at ease, allowing them to get a drink only if they requested permission prior. Even then, she would timethem as they ran off, quenched their thirst, and ran back to her, before saluting and requesting to rejoin the platoon. The Eastern Command soldiers around her would mutter to themselves about how iron-hard of a fist the female general ruled with, how scary she was-- Riza even heard one man say under his breath that he was glad he wasn’t under her command, calling her a derogatory name in addition. The first lieutenant shot him a nasty look, causing him to shut up, warning him about the need to respect higher-up officers. Though, in the moment, she couldn’t help the way her own thoughts contradicted those of her peers-- she wasn’t sure what they had been watching, but what she had seen was an excellent display of one of the highest forms of military prowess. Not one Briggs soldier rolled their eyes, sighed, or pulled a face when their leader would shout an order. They moved as one body, their form impeccable, and intimidating. Just through their actions, she could tell how deeply their respect for their commander was. It was admirable, and Riza could not take her eyes off of the impressive display. Not only from the Briggs soldiers, but, primarily, their general. Looking the whole part of a high-up military commander, one step below a potential spot in the Fuhrer’s cabinet, the highest-ranked woman in the military-- she was obviously very stoic, and fearsome, and regal .   The Eastern soldier was so distracted, she didn’t even notice her commanding officer step up beside the bench she was sitting on. “Lieutenant, are you about ready to start?” Roy asked, slightly startling her. Inwardly, she cursed herself for dropping her guard; something she always prided herself in holding strong. She looked up at him, “I’m sorry, sir, what was that?” “I’m just going to do a quick inspection before we join our platoons, since the actual competitive drills are later, if you wanted to go ahead and join me. Armstrong wanted us to do a few combined ones before then, and I don’t want us to get embarrassed if our men are looking shabby compared to hers,” He smiled amusedly to himself. “Though, I don’t think there's’ any topping that form of theirs, huh?” “No, sir,” Riza replied simply, stealing one last glance at the general as she yelled at her men, as authoritative commanding as a superior officer could seemingly get.   Roy followed her gaze, a small smile creeping up onto his features, “You haven’t been properly introduced yet. Let’s go say hello.” “That won’t be necessary, Colonel,” the blonde said, a little too quickly; solidifying Roy’s hypothesis. “I insist, Lieutenant. She’s a peach,” he spoke, his inflection sarcastic and playful as he started towards the Briggs soldiers. Hesitantly, yet over-obedient, Riza stood, following her commanding officer. “Olivier,” the colonel greeted once within earshot. The general, from behind, seemed to flinch at the sound of his voice, slowly turning to glance at him with one of the most sour expressions that Riza had ever seen; one to rival her own, in fact. He saluted her once she turned, Riza reflecting his gesture out of protocol and respect to a higher officer. “What do you want?” Olivier scowled back at him. “I’m busy.” “Just wanted to introduce you to my adjutant, General,” he smiled, lowering his salute. “We three will be working closely with one another, I thought it best to go ahead and have our introductions.” Olivier’s gaze flicked over to Riza, and the lieutenant immediately knew where she got her infamous name-- the Ice Queen. Her blue eyes were cold; the color a frozen-over lake, the ice thin, revealing the hue beneath. “This is First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye, sharpest shooter you’ll ever find,” his dark eyes darted between the two blonde women. “Lieutenant, Major General Olivier Armstrong.” “It’s nice to finally meet you, ma’am,” She greeted the general, retaining her typical stoicism. Olivier gave her a small nod in greeting, Riza noticing her anger dissipate for a moment, before shortly returning upon her looking back unto Roy. “I don’t ever want my first name to come out of your filthy mouth again, Mustang. Now, you had better rally up your men, or mine are starting without yours,” she scowled, spinning back around and calling an order, slightly more forceful than she had been before. Roy spun as well, heading back over to the East soldiers, Riza in tow, unaware of his smirk. “If I didn’t know any better, sir, I’d say you knew the general beyond simply being officer comrades,” She offered carefully, walking slightly behind him, to his right, attempting to read his expression from the back of his head. “Chris has known the Armstrong family for longer than I’ve been alive,” Roy responded without turning back to her as he referenced his aunt. “I mean, she knows everyone , so that’s not too big of a surprise, but the general and I have at least been acquainted for quite some time.” He stopped, allowing Riza a moment to take her place beside him, “It doesn’t seem like she likes you at all, sir.” “She doesn’t,” he chuckled nervously, before smiling gently to himself. “Seems like she likes you, though.” “Excuse me?” “She hardly lets anyone call her ‘ma’am’.” Riza blinked, brown eyes widening slightly, “Was I not supposed to?” Ignoring her, Roy called the East soldiers to fall in in front of him, beginning their inspection, leading into their training.

It was later on, during their lunch break, when Riza finally got a moment to speak with the general. They sat at their own table, away from the other officers; and, miraculously, it had been Olivier who approached her , asking if she could sit with her. The lieutenant was unsure about if it was because she had been alone at her own table, Roy having a conversation with someone else back in the mess line, or what. Frankly, she was appreciative of the company, even if Olivier had remained silent, eyes downturned to her food, for the first ten minutes of them sitting together. It was the first lieutenant who struck up a conversation, complementing the major general on how well-behaved her soldiers were. Olivier’s response was short, and polite, but very obviously guarded. Wanting her to feel more comfortable, Riza continued talking with her, and while the conversation was rather one-sided at the start, the Briggs soldier gradually opened up somewhat, the Eastern sniper noticed. She knew the general wasn’t quiet out of shyness; she was typically an excellent judge in character, and she could tell that the other blonde was just calm, and calculating. Before she knew it, their break was over, and their conversation had to stop. However, that was not the end.

Over the course of the East-Briggs joint training session, they timidly grew closer. Riza noticed that her and Olivier could relate on many occasions; probably something the general had never found in someone else before, she guessed. While Riza had experienced discrimination in the military, once she got to know the other woman, she learned how much she had also endured. Olivier, on the other hand, was in Ishval before the Civil War began, only sent to police the area during initial conflicts, but before the fatal shooting of the Ishvalan child, so she was not in the active, brutal combat-- while Riza, however, was in the thick of it. Now matter how much she wished to forget about it, that fact always returned to her. However, having someone else who understood hardship throughout multiple complex layers of her career, Riza was comforted somewhat. The admiration she watched the general with soon evolved into something more than career-oriented respect. It was a sinking pit in her chest, the stray flutter of a heartbeat; unexplained. This was foreign to her; she’d like to consider her a friend, though none of her other female friends ever evoked such feelings within her. She didn’t know what was wrong. The sinking feeling only grew worse once Olivier had to leave, bringing her men back up to their snowy fortress to further defend their northern border. Their farewell short, Olivier having been rather rancorous due to Roy being present during their goodbyes, which resulted in Riza being unable to say something about it. That, plus she was afraid. Above all else, she respected Olivier, and did wish to harm the initially unsteady friendship that had developed between them. Not to mention, the latter was her superior officer-- not directly, of course, but she was still Olivier’s subordinate in a sense. It was illegal. Still, a few months after Olivier’s departure, Riza found it in herself to send a letter, trying to drop hints. She was not expecting anything to come of it but her own closure for getting her feelings off her chest in the most subtle way and wording she thought possible. If anything, she wanted to keep their friendship alive. What she did not expect was the eagerness on the general’s part to continue their correspondence. Also a very subtle show emotion, of course, for they were similar in that way. She knew the fact that Olivier returned her letters at all already showed that she very much cared to remain friends. And Riza would gladly take that.

Several months into their letter exchange, Roy’s team was transferred to Central. Being adaptable, the change was rather easy on Riza, yet their was a hiccup in their conversations due to the address change. Though she knew it wasn’t either of their faults, the doubt slowly began to creep in; a new letter should be here by now, perhaps Olivier did not wish to speak with her any longer. Had the first lieutenant changed for the worse? She was getting more engrossed in her work, and the distance between her and her friend was a difficult burden to bear, after having grown so close to her just through written correspondence alone. However, just as she had always told herself, she would respect Olivier’s boundaries, if that were the case. As her hopes slowly faded, she finally received a letter to her new address; Olivier confiding in her the fact that she was soon being forced to travel to Central for a meeting. Riza couldn’t help but feel a rare pang of delight in her stomach as her brown eyes scanned the beautiful calligraphy of the northern general.

During Olivier’s visit to Riza’s apartment, she had to hold back her excitement. The Briggs soldier sat down on her couch, glancing curiously around the lieutenant’s living area, “Simple, I like it.” “Thank you,” Riza smiled gently, skillfully stomaching her nervousness. “I’m so glad you’re here, it’s great to see you again.” For the first time she had seen, Olivier returned the smile. It was a very small expression, but present nonetheless, “I’m happy to see you, too. Sure beats having to wait for the post to get letters back and forth.” Nodding gently, Riza offered her a drink, to which Olivier happily agreed to. As she began making the general’s coffee, she continued, “How are things at Briggs?” Olivier’s sigh granted her a glance from the other woman, “Fine. The weather hasn’t been in pleasant, so the mail is only just now fixing itself. I’m glad you got my most recent letter, but I’m sorry you missed some of the others.” “Not your fault,” Riza mustered up a pleasant tone. “Did I miss anything important?” Olivier shook her head, though Riza had her back turned as she prepared her drink, “Nothing, just checking in. I wanted to make sure you were settling in alright, but I suppose the weather plus the whole moving situation didn’t really mix well. I hope the move wasn’t hard on you, and everything went smoothly.” This brought a gentle smile to Riza’s lips, “I’m very thankful I have a friend like you, Olivier.” She avoided telling her how kind she was, just to avoid the unavoidable contradiction from her. She knew Olivier had a heart beneath the ice, thought that ice was what kept her and her men safe and strong up in one of Amestris’s most dangerous and dangerously unpredictable regions. “Don’t mention it,” Olivier shrugged lightheartedly. “No, really,” Riza turned back to her, the mug held delicately in her hands as she carefully made her way to the couch. Olivier reached out to take the coffee, gingerly taking it from the lieutenant, their fingers lightly brushing against one another. Upon noticing that the other woman had paused, staring at her, Olivier looked back up into Riza’s brown eyes, her own gaze inquisitive and questioning. 

Riza breathed in deeply, fully unaware of what she was about to say. She wanted the other woman to know how much she had grown to care about her, and how much she appreciated her friendship-- a side she knew was seldom witnessed among the Briggs soldiers. “You’ve been so kind to me, and I feel like you shouldn’t. You love me as if I deserve you.” In an attempt to soothe the general’s somewhat surprised expression, Riza gave a lighthearted laugh, trying to ease the seriousness of what she just said. That probaby wasn't the best word choice she could've used, and all at once, she feared that she had given away her feelings. “What makes you say that?” The question caused Riza to falter. She did love Olivier, and while she didn’t believe she reciprocated, she had meant platonic love, in this specific instance. “I just… Sometimes, I don’t feel like I deserve to have friends. I’ve done so many horrible things, so I suppose whenever something good comes into my life, I latch onto it,” Brown eyes turned to the carpet in embarrassment. “I’m sorry. Is the coffee okay?” Though she tried to change the subject, Olivier continued looking up at her for a moment, before carefully setting the mug down in front of her, “You don’t think I’ve done horrible things, too?” Riza was silent. " You’ve been the closest friend I’ve had in a very long time, Riza,” it was her turn to glance away. “My whole life, I’ve been used to maintaining these walls I’ve set up around me. We’ve both done many things we aren’t proud of, but we’ll pay for them in due time, when the opportunities present themselves. You may think you’re not deserving of me, but I feel the same way.” She stood, the two women now eye-to-eye, thanks to their similar height. “We both deserve to be happy in the moment. I tend to pride myself in the fact that I read people rather well, Riza, and forgive me if I’m somehow mistaken in thinking you’d agree, but,” her eyes searched hers, and while her voice was level and calm, Riza detected a flash of nervousness in her gaze. “I’d like to be more than friends. I feel comfortable around you, and you’re one of the few people who actually make me happy. When I read your letters, even though you weren’t at Briggs with me, I felt like I wasn’t alone. My men respect me, yes, but we’re still fundamentally different than one another. I never fit in with the crowd, but you make me feel as if I’m not an outlier or some sort of black sheep.” The Eastern soldier stood in stunned silence for a moment, causing the general to continue, her tone wavering with uncertainty, “If not, I understand.” A wave of relief washed over Riza all at once, and she involuntarily let out a sigh, wholly surprised. She honestly hadn’t expected this, “I can’t believe you feel the same way.” Olivier offered her a small comforting smile, Riza unable to read the other blonde’s own hidden surprise. The Briggs officer tensed nervously the moment the lieutenant gently wrapped her arms around her in a hug. “Thank you, Olivier,” she spoke softly. Olivier returned her embrace, the gesture somewhat awkward since the general wasn’t a very touchy person, though Riza was aware, so didn’t mind in the slightest, “For what?” “Everything,” Riza smiled to herself. “I’m just so happy, I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome. I’ve felt this way for so long, but I was so afraid…” “I understand,” The other woman replied. “I’m sorry if I worried you.” Riza shook her head as she held her, a soft laugh coming forth, “I had no idea you felt this way. I was always so nervous about giving myself away somehow.” “That’s just after a lifetime’s worth of practice in hiding,” Olivier smiled to herself. “Though you’re very good at it, too. I had a feeling in the back of my mind for so long, but I never wanted to bring it up, just in case I was wrong. I didn’t want to drive you away.” The Eastern soldier’s head shook gently again. She embraced her a little tighter, wanting to be affectionate due to her overwhelming relief-borne happiness, though all while respecting Olivier’s uneasy space. Finally, she spoke once more;

“All that matters now is that we’re together. You were worth the wait.”

Once again, I hope you enjoyed! I really like seeing Olivier in all sorts of different ships, so this was really interesting for me to try :D

[preservationandruin]

Interludes

Lhan, Eshonai, and Taravangian in these Interludes! 

Queen Aesudan gets called out, Eshonai thinks, I speculate on the Diagram and the overall themes of the Stormlight Archives, and Taravangian plots. Also, someone to keep an eye on as a future possible Radiant. 

So Lhan’s interlude deals with the ardents assigned to Queen Aesudan, who...doesn’t come off very well in this, really. Pai, a new ardent assigned--who requested being assigned to the queen multiple times--is getting instructed in, basically, how to be a Syncophant. Basically, the queen thinks that if she bribes the Ardents, the almighty will like her. 

Even though she’s wasting the kingdom’s money and collecting food that only rots. 

I’ve gotta say, I’m a bit more suspicious of Pai this time around. Whatever she did, she came to work for the queen specifically to create unrest--whether it was just because she was disgusted or because she had some larger agenda, we don’t know, I don’t think. Pai does seem very devout, to be honest. 

And she basically wrote a massive callout of Queen Aesudan, the government, and of the entire organization of Alethkar. Including comparing Aesudan to each of the ten fools in exquisite detail. She was executed, but the riots started immediately afterward. 

Eshonai. 

Now her old self screams always, even when she doesn’t try to attune to peace. Venli says that they know that the Alethi will come--I really wonder if she was in contact with Amaram. It could just be the Parshendi dullform spies. But some part of me wants it to be Amaram, just so I can hate him more. 

Venli also knows way more than she should. She knows that the storm will blow the wrong way, and when Eshonai asks how, she gives the bullshit answer of “the songs”--which Eshonai knows don’t say anything about that--and then something inside Eshonai tells her to move on. 

You know, for all that people have been talking about who Odium’s Champion might be--maybe it’s Venli. It definitely seems like she’s more possessed by him than anyone else, and she shouldn’t know that. I don’t think that it’s just that she’s taken the form before--I think it’s something more than that. 

Anyway, Taravangian. 

We get his testing--that is technically self-imposed--and that he’s getting old, which disturbs him. Also, we get that he thinks that the fate of the entire world depends on his genius level. 

I retain my opinion on the Diagram: If it is what Taravangian asked for from the Nightwalker, which I suspect it was, then it is a way to save Roshar. Perhaps even the most efficient or certain way to save Roshar. But it is not the most moral way, and so the entire thing--the fate of the world--comes down to the same decision that has been echoed over and over again: is it worth it to do something morally wrong if it gives you the chance of being more successful? 

Is it worth it to sacrifice untrained boys if they provide a distraction? To kill a group of guards if you can use the Blade better than the person their leader would have given it to? To sacrifice slaves if they distract the enemy army? To kill Elhokar even if it means Dalinar gets to rule competently? To turn Parshendi into Voidbringers if it brings back the Heralds? To murder Radiants if it staves off the next Desolation? To murder good people all across Roshar to save the world?

Is a man’s life priceless, or is it worth two emerald broams, just a bargaining chip to be exchanged for better goods? 

Taravangian mourns it, he hates it--but he chooses the expedient route. Hundreds of human lives are nothing next to saving the world. Amaram takes the same view. Sadeas takes the same view. Kaladin, Dalinar, most of our protagonists--they take the other choice, to save the life and also try to avoid the disaster. You go back to save Dalinar and live through it. You save Elhokar and try to get him to rule better. You let the bodyguard give the shards to someone who is a worse fighter and trust. 

You do the Honorable thing, even if it might hurt you, because it’s the right thing to do. 

Anyway, it makes sense as well--because Taravangian’s compassion and intelligence are inverted, his plan is incredibly brilliant, but devoid of any compassion or morality. 

Also, the Thrill was apparent here--not even in Alethkar. Taravangian mentions what causes it--Nergaoul. An ancient, evil spren--a voidspren? Possibly. And then another name--Moelach. Apparently a similar thing, Moelach causes the death rattles. 

Interesting. Are these odiumspren, or merely different spren? Also, how did a Death Rattle appear on Scadrial if Moelach is a Rosharan creature? 

Also, Szeth says that Kholin has a Surgebinder--and Taravangian assumes it’s Jasnah. NOPE. Taravangian also notices, at this moment, that Szeth is broken--and in a turn of events that might be fortunate for all Roshar, he’s not at his smartest. 

Taravangian lies, saying that another Honorblade that allowed Regrowth was stolen, and that must be how Kaladin did it. He also didn’t know the gender of the surgebinder until Szeth said “he.” 

Interesting. Kaladin is an unknown factor in the diagram. They knew Shallan was a possibility--although they had been startled that she was alive, and thought Helaran might have trained her. Weird. 

So yeah, Taravangian asked for the capacity to stop what was coming, the capacity to save humankind. So he got it--but again, there is no guarantee that his way is the only way, for all that he thinks it is. 

And Radiants seem very good at taking a third option in the “kill someone who doesn’t deserve it or have something bad happen” tradeoff. 

I still think Veden--the king of Jah Keved--’s bastard son Redin is going to be important. He seemed to be a moral man in the bit with Shallan, and he kills his father in order that his father dies of his own accord, not slowly. 

Taravangian inspected this Redin, curious. This was the king’s ruthless executioner that he had read about? This concerned, helpless-looking man? 

One could say he almost looked broken. I have my eye on Redin. He specifically has been mentioned a lot--for his half-and-half eyes, his bastard heritage, his use as an executioner for his father. He can’t have had an easy life. I think he might Break and become a Radiant. He’s definitely one of my main suspects. 

Anyway, we learn that Taravangian learned about the oncoming problems from Gavilar--who told him about visions he was receiving, on the same night that he died. And Gavilar told him to unite them. And so that’s what Taravangian is trying. 

Taravangian, my dude, leave it to Dalinar.