#galaxycops

[ask-the-tlm-deities]

Tipping the Scales

Chapter 6

Good Cop hummed happily to himself as he left the Underworld. That had gone better than he’d expected! Oh, he’d known from the start that the meeting wouldn’t go poorly; he knew both his brother and Benny well enough to know they’d get along (even in spite of Bad’s token protests). But to see that look on Bad’s face as he was leaving… Good smirked to himself. Suffice it to say, Bad certainly wasn’t going to be lonely from now on.

A chill settled over him, and he frowned to himself. It wasn’t from mere temperatures, this was…

He tensed. Something was wrong. He couldn’t sense Rex or Lucy anywhere in the Shadowlands.

He slapped a palm to his forehead as he belatedly remembered. It had been Benny’s Light that kept the others trapped down there, and with him now in the Underworld, there was nothing keeping the others down here. But- why couldn’t he sense Business, either? Good Cop had no doubt the younger two deities would jump on the chance to go cause some real trouble, but Business had seemed to have learned his lesson…

He got another chill.

His stomach churned in realization.

Oh, hell.

“No, no, no-” He raced toward the villa, hoping he wouldn’t be too late. He’d hoped those two wouldn’t pull such a stunt, but really, he should have known better. Of course Rex would dare, and of course he’d sway Lucy into aiding his plot. She’d fallen for Rex’s sob story right from the start, and refused to listen when Good Cop and Business tried to warn her otherwise. They were old. They were corrupt. And so she’d written off their attempts to advise as simply trying to corrupt her as well.

“Man Upstairs save me from bull-headed children-” Good Cop cursed as he checked every room in the villa. He finally found Business in his private quarters, slumped on the floor and so utterly still. The sight made him freeze up for a moment. With a terse shake of his head he lurched back into motion, quickly crossing the room to check on the other god. With shaking hands he reached for Business; he looked dead.

But there was still the faintest spark of life.

Good Cop let out the breath he’d been holding. Gray eyes opened and turned their unfocused gaze toward him. Business croaked out two words that Good was pretty sure was his brother’s name. How far gone was he to think that Death had come for him? “No, sir,” he murmured, pulling Business’ limp form against him and pressing a hand over his chest. “It’s not your time yet. Not if I have any say about it.” He carefully began feeding tiny amounts of his own magic into the body slumped against him, relief flooding him as Business twitched and began to stir in his hold, his skin regaining some of its healthy glow.

“Good…?”

“It’s me, sir,” he answered softly. “I found you just in time.”

“Surprised you bothered…”

That stunned the Messenger for a moment. “Why?”

“My fault we’re in this mess…”

Good Cop sighed. This argument again? “Sir, how many times do I have to tell you-”

“My fault that Rex even exists in the first place.”

That got his attention. “What do you mean…?” None of them had the power to create new deities like The Man Upstairs-

Business drew in a shuddering breath, trying to pull away from Good Cop’s hold but not yet having the strength. He settled for staring resolutely at the floor. “Been doing everything I could think of to get your attention for centuries. Went fooling around with humans, thinking it might make you jealous. Worst mistake of my life. And you still never looked my way.”

Good Cop was silent as that sank in. “I never realized…”

“Of course you didn’t,” Business muttered bitterly.

“...We’re going to have to have a talk about this later,” Good Cop sighed. “As much as this subject intrigues me, we’ve got to get you sorted out before we can come up with a plan to stop Rex and Lucy.”

“If we could just find Benny, we could probably put an end to whatever they’re plotting pretty quickly,” Business said with a roll of his eyes. “I don’t suppose you’ve seen him?”

Good Cop tensed. “Ah… I may have…?” He gave Business a sheepish grin as he finally managed to turn to stare at him incredulously.

“WHAT did you do?!”

“Umm… Took him to meet Bad Cop…?”

“What were you thinking?! You KNOW his Light is all that’s kept us down here!”

“I forgot, okay?!” Good Cop protested with a pout. “The way you all carry on about ‘those spoiled brats on the hilltop’, it’s pretty darned easy to think you all choose to sit down here and sulk all day!”

“You have to go get him. NOW.”

“I can’t.”

Business glared at him. “What do you mean ‘you can’t’.”

“If I go back now and interrupt them, that’ll be the end of everything! If we can convince Benny, then he can convince the others and Bad Cop will finally be free again…”

Business sighed, massaging his temples. “Do you ever think the consequences through before putting your harebrained schemes into action?”

“Not usually,” Good Cop admitted sheepishly. “Now come on, let’s go see if we can find Vitruvius, he wasn’t up there earlier. He’ll probably know what to do that can help you.”

[kittybricks]

I’m gonna get myself in fighting trim

Scope out every angle of unfair advantage

I’m gonna bribe the officials,

I’m gonna kill all the judges

It’s gonna take you people

Years to recover from this damage

Space between us is a truly generational fic. Been revisiting it with boyfriend and I am truly still obsessed. These two have had my heart for years. Everything still holds up so much better than I’d dreamed- the business plot line is so elegantly executed and so achingly accurate. I could say a thousand things. Perfect perfect fic. Thanks forever @cleversnail

I dive deeper into this fic and the grittyverse as a whole on college radio:

[spacecopz]

reblogging again 💙

https://discord.gg/NvhnhDq7p3

🖤💙coppernauts server!! join if you’d like!💙🖤

[spacecopz]

i got this idea at 5am

[norosesnolife]

When will the Lord stop my sinful hands

[brobro-googoo]

hes talking about spaceships

[actionfigureinsider]

I’ve always loved the 12” #galaxycop #starwars #bootlegs I’m delighted every time I look at them in my collection. I’ll never forget the time I showed my buddy Jo-Man the #darthvader figure unmasked and he said “he looks like a schoolteacher.” 😂🤣😂🤣 https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvd4w8GFbCM/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=e88tzraocv67

[tiredarcher]

A Christmas present I made for the wonderful @galaxycops

Trying something new with this style ✌️✌️✌️

[ask-the-tlm-deities]

❤️ Coppernauts

💀 Benny and I take turns with cooking. He's a little better at it than I am.

☀️ Oh I spam him for sure! He doesn't usually understand them though.

💀 We both keep the place clean. Neither of us is the biggest fan of clutter. The only exception is Benny's workshop; he'll just leave parts and tools where he left them when he's in the middle of a project.

☀️ Neither one of us does any pranking- at least not on each other. Brennan's not a fan. Galen, on the other hand... Oh, come April Fool's, all bets are off!

💀 I don't think either of us really asked the other? It was just kind of understood that my home in the Underworld was open to him should he need or want it- which he did end up needing after Mount Harmony fell- and our houses we've always bought together.

☀️ Whoever's driving gets to pick the music! And most of our car rides aren't really long enough to bicker about it anyway, usually just to the grocery store or wherever nearby.

💀 I'm not ticklish, but Ben is. I'll get him when he least expects it.

☀️ We cuddle during scary movies. Our favorite thing to do is point out discrepancies and throw popcorn at the screen.

💀 Benny had to help me with tech, right up until the 80s, where he kind of got stuck. So these days I help him. His crew thinks it's hilarious.

☀️ Since he's still a full-on god, Brennan doesn't need as much sleep as the rest of us, but he'll still come spend several hours in bed with me just to see me wake up in the morning.

💀 Benny thinks I don't see him taking photos of me, but I do.

☀️ Neither of us is really prone to forgetting our wallets. Brennan still tries to pay for our meals out as often as he can though, hehe.

💀 As Benny said, I don't really need sleep- three hours of rest is enough to get me through a week, even a busy one. He does snore though. Just a little. I think it's cute.

☀️ I'm definitely the better one at videogames. I've tried teaching Brennan but he just doesn't really have much interest in them.

[kittybricks]

I can finally post my full zine piece! A love letter to my special interest of 8 years, which is as much the niche fandom lore as it is the movie itself. What better way to thank y’all than with something straight out of 2014? Shoutouts of course to the fic that shaped my adolescent brain. You people rock. I’m at the top art school in the country thanks to this silly toy movie.

[finnieforshort]

@galaxycops

Gay

[ghostsnackss]

Here's a little galaxy drawing and an upcoming one underneath. I love space. #drawing #illustration #copic #copicmarkers #space #galaxycopic #uniballpen #uniballsigno

[insert-math-username]

Look what I got in the mail today!

I finally have a physical copy of the badge in my icon!

Ft. the lesbian pin I got for @galaxycops

I got them from Rebelbadges

[ask-the-tlm-deities]

Tipping the Scales

Chapter 15

Good Cop grumbled to himself as he continued his trek through the human settlements, trying to find where their Prophet had sequestered himself. Vitruvius was very good at not being found when he didn’t want to be; at this rate, Watevra would beat him back to the Veil. It didn’t help that many of the mortals had started to recognize him, and stopped him in his path, pleading for help, asking for an explanation. “What have we done to anger you so?” they would cry. “Why do you punish us so harshly?”

“You haven’t done anything wrong,” he tried to soothe. “This isn’t a punishment meant for you; you’ve just been caught in the crossfire. We’re trying to fix things but I need to find Vitruvius.”

It took almost an entire day of hunting for him to finally turn up. Good Cop scowled at him, the expression out of place on his face. “About time you finally showed your face,” the Messenger huffed.

“Oh? You were looking for me?”

“Only for the past three days!” Good Cop shouted. “Where have you been this whole time?! Why are you just ignoring everyone?! I know you saw all this coming, so why have you been deliberately making yourself so difficult to find?”

Vitruvius blinked at him. “You mean it hasn’t been resolved yet?”

“NO!” Good Cop threw his arms into the air in exasperation. “Of course it hasn’t, because we need your token to fix it and you’ve been avoiding everyone!”

Vitruvius stared as that processed, then winced. “Ah… I had rather forgotten about that part.” Good Cop only glowered in response and held a hand out in silent demand. Vitruvius murmured under his breath and gestured, summoning his token of power. It fell into Good Cop’s waiting palm. “Don’t beat yourself up over what’s been happening at the palace,” he said as Good Cop turned to leave. The Messenger turned back to give him a quizzical look. “Regardless of the chaos it’s caused, it’s a good thing you took Benny to meet your brother. Bad Cop’s the reason Benny was drawn here in the first place.”

Good Cop’s eyes lit up in joy at having his suspicion confirmed. “Their fates are entwined, aren’t they?”

“They are,” Vitruvius said with a nod, and smirked. “And so are Emmet’s and Lucy’s.” Good Cop’s eyes went wide in shock, but before he could even think to ask, Vitruvius was gone again. He huffed in annoyance.

“Crazy old bastard,” he muttered to himself. He glanced down at Vitruvius’ token. It was a small medallion, made of silver so fine it was nearly white, and it glowed faintly in his palm. He sighed. If Vitruvius wasn’t going to take action, then perhaps everything would work out for the best after all. He hurried back to the Shadowlands, spreading his wings to make haste to the Underworld’s entrance. Watevra wasn’t there yet.

He clasped his hands together and began to pace. He was tempted to go back up to the palace and find out what was keeping her, cause a scene if need be, but it wouldn’t do anyone any good. Watevra’s aspects were the direct antithesis of Bad Cop’s; she would never be able to find her way to the Veil on her own. She needed him to guide her. He wouldn’t be able to do that if he got himself captured- or worse. He was no match for Rex or Lucy even on their own. Together? He didn’t stand a chance.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he heard Watevra’s voice calling to him. “Good Cop?”

“I’m here,” he answered immediately.

“Oh, good,” she sighed in relief as she came into view. She had her arms wrapped around herself, visibly shivering as she glanced warily around. “I don’t remember the Shadowlands being this bad the last time I was here…”

“Kind of what happens when you unfairly exile several gods and leave them to fester in bitterness for a century,” Good Cop murmured absently. Watevra winced. “You were able to get everyone’s tokens?”

“I was,” she confirmed. “You found Vitruvius?”

“I did. Got his token without fuss, once I reminded him we can’t resolve this issue without it.”

“I still can’t believe he just took off on us like that,” she huffed. “What in the world is he thinking?”

“I believe he was thinking that Emmet and Lucy needed to meet.”

“…No kidding?” Watevra hummed to herself. “That would explain her weird moods the past day or so. It’s kind of been looking like she’s trying to put some distance between herself and Rex. She trusted him implicitly when they first arrived. Now, she feels like she’s questioning things.”

Good Cop nodded. “Good. The Man Upstairs knows Business and I have tried endlessly to get through to her. I’m glad it seems someone finally has. Let’s get moving, we shouldn’t waste any more time.”

Watevra nodded her agreement. “Absolutely. I’m starting to think Rex has more than just the one aspect, and his second one is even worse than War.”

Good Cop didn’t like the sinking feeling he was getting in the pit of his stomach. “How do you mean?”

“I think it’s Destruction.”

Good Cop swallowed hard. He’d always had a sneaking suspicion himself, but never any way to confirm it while they were trapped in the Shadowlands. “Well. It’s a good thing Bad Cop exists then. All the death that results from Rex’s war and destruction will only make him stronger.”

Watevra was silent for a few minutes, following Good Cop through the cave system’s twists and turns. “You really think we can trust him?”

“He’s my twin, Watevra. You trust me, don’t you?”

“I trust you to stir up mischief wherever you can,” she answered wryly. “But… You’ve never deliberately done anything to harm anyone…”

“And my brother is the same way. I know everyone likes to call him ‘bad’ cause he’s so prickly and short-tempered and the mortals fear death above all else, but once you can get past that shell, you’ll find he’s got a squishy-soft center.” Watevra couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her. “I mean it. Just wait until I fetch Benny. I’m sure he’ll gush about how Bad’s doted on him these past few days.”

Watevra smirked at him. “��Doted’, hm?”

Good Cop grinned back at her. “Please, I know my brother. He’s completely smitten.” Watevra’s smirk fell, replaced by a worried frown.

“For Benny?”

Good Cop reached over to place a hand on her shoulder. “He’s letting Benny go, Watevra. On the assumption that Benny will stay in the palace to keep Rex trapped down here once more while he continues his own work in the Underworld.”

On the assumption he’ll never get to see Benny again, Watevra realized. The thought made her heart hurt. If Death truly was capable of love like his twin seemed to believe… What else had they been wrong about?

Her rich, warm tones faded into muted blues and grays, the more she thought about it. Bad Cop actually had a heart, and it was about to be broken because letting Benny go was the necessary thing to do, the right thing.

She blinked tears from her eyes as Good Cop paused before her, and stared up at the Veil. It still shimmered with the hues of their combined magics- and as a second layer just beyond the barrier, she could see the solid silvery-black of Bad Cop’s own magic at work, put in place to keep the spirits of the dead from wandering back out again. “Wait here,” Good Cop instructed. “I’ll only be a minute.” She nodded. He disappeared through the barrier.

Benny and Bad Cop were already there waiting for him. “Ready?” Good Cop asked, holding a hand out to the Sun god.

“Am I ever,” Benny said, taking his hand. He flashed a bright grin at Bad Cop. “See you on the other side.” Bad Cop only sucked in a sharp breath and nodded, barely keeping himself together.

Watevra relaxed as Benny’s warm, bright light filled the cavern. “You have no idea how good it is to see you again,” she greeted. Benny laughed lightly and hugged her.

“Especially in this place,” he teased. He took Vitruvius’ token as Good Cop handed it over before backing away to let them work. He cast the spell to activate it, and the medallion started to glow a bright white, hovering in the air before him. Watevra did the same with the others’ tokens, and reached out to take Benny’s hand. He placed his palm in hers, giving her hand a squeeze. “I am going to take so much enjoyment in tearing this thing down.”

They both reached with their free hands toward the barrier, shouting the command that would bring it down.

The barrier shattered.