#i guess there's other things to apologize for in this chapter but heh

[livesworthlivingau]

Behind the Vale Chapter 24

Spoilers for ISAT/Two Hats below the break as always. CW: Some slight mental spiraling but hey that's to be expected at this point.

{You walk along with Bonnie sitting on your shoulders, gently but securely holding their legs to keep them from falling. Mirabelle and Odile joining you through the market as well. You smiled so brightly as Bon went on and on about their journey with the other saviors, listening intently to every word, so happy to have them back and know they were so well taken care of while you were frozen.}

{After a while, Isabeau finally returns, catching up to you all with a big smile.}

"Woah! When did you get so tall Bonnie?!"

"Hah! I'm taller than Za now! I'm unstoppable!!" {Bon proclaims with their fists confidently raised into the air. You can't help but chuckle heavily at that.}

"Thank y'all so much for taking such good care of Bonnie for me..." {You can't hold it in anymore, you're so grateful for everything they did, all the stories you've heard. Isabeau gives a bit of a nervous smile, rubbing the back of his head.}

"Thanks but... Sif's really the one you should be thanking the most." {You perk up at that, glancing at the others curiously. Mirabelle looks away with a shameful look. Odile has her arms crossed and doesn't want to meet your gaze either. You peek up at Bon, who's got a sad, pouting look on their face.}

"Did something happen Bon?..." {They look away as well, not wanting to talk about it, clearly.}

"There was this sadness once..." {Isabeau begins to explain.}

"None of us were close enough, and before we knew it it was about to get Bonnie... Sif's the fastest out of all of us, and suddenly he was there, in between them... He took the hit for them, lost his eye in the process..." {You're shocked at first, looking back up at Bon again, they still don't want to make eye contact. You pat their leg lightly to try and comfort them.}

"Well... I'll just have to thank them with the biggest hug I can manage when I meet them then~!" {You cheer, trying to lighten the mood for everyone. You're used to being an emotional rock for your sibling, it's almost comforting to get the chance again.}

"Y-Yeah! J-just be sure not to sneak up on him!" {Mirabelle chimes in, happy that that didn't ruin the good time you were all enjoying.}

"Heh... Don't want him to suplex you either Nille." {Bon teased with a grin. You roll your eyes a bit with a playful pout.}

"That was one time Bon!... Okay twice but still!" {You two have a little pouting stand off before you both break out into heavy laughter.}

"HAH! Not used to touch either then?"

"Not exactly, more just, easily spooked. Don't like things sneaking up on me, liable to get a hammer to the face that way."

"I'll do my best to stomp around as loud as possible." {Isabeau says with a grin. Bon giggling heavily at that.}

"That's what I had to do!! She even got me in a headlock once when I tried to surprise hug her!!"

"You knew not to sneak up on me Bon! I can't help what my body does when it gets surprised like that!"

"Perhaps it may be best to keep that hammer of yours by the door when we're in a safe place." {Odile chimes in with a light smirk, you're glad to hear she has a sense of humor, chuckling back a bit before responding.}

"Yeah that's usually the rule at home too." {Odile smiles at that, before her face turns more serious... studious maybe?}

"I apologize for the sudden shift in topic but, could we discuss your 'traveling companion'?"

"Hmm? Vale? Oh yeah, uhhh.. Y'all knew them as someone else I guess?" {You noticed they all called them Loop earlier, you don't want to expose too much since you aren't sure what they know versus what Vale told you.}

"Yeah, with a star for a head and everything, they were with Sif during the-" {Isabeau quickly claps a hand over their mouth.}

"Oh, Vale told me about the loops already actually, if that's what you mean."

"Oh!... Uhh... That makes things easier I guess?" {Isabeau looked relieved bit also pretty thrown off by that.}

"Including the new ones?" {Odile chimes in.}

"New ones?"

"I'll take that as a no then. What did Vale tell you about exactly?"

"Well... They kinda got really personal about a lot of stuff, I don't know what I'm allowed to talk about or not, y'know?"

"Yeah, we shouldn't be prying too much behind their back. How about your travels together then? You said they saved you from a sadness?" {Isabeau starts to shift the conversation.}

"Yeah! They must have been walking for a week straight or something, they passed out right after."

"Did they look like they do now, or?..."

"Oh, no, they were the star head you mentioned. My 'knight in shining face' as I called them." {Isabeau lets out a heavy belly laugh at that, you follow it up with a proud little chuckle. Bon even gives a little giggle at that.}

"We stuck around after that since they mentioned knowing y'all. We did some random busy work for coin, and they blew it all on some 'fancy outfits'." {You explain with a little smirk, it was difficult to even pretend to be angry about that, remembering the look on their face after trying on their first one. Isabeau watches your face curiously, smiling a little himself.}

"Heh, sounds like you two got real close already, huh?"

"Huh? Oh yeah I guess, just uhh... had a lot of bonding time together! Went through a lot in these past weeks." {You start to explain, a light blush across your face. Isabeau just gives you a knowing grin. Why does he keep looking at you like that?}

"O-Oh?! I hope your journey wasn't too difficult! What did you go through?" {Mirabelle chimes in nervously.}

"Oh! No no not like that kind of... Again, it was mostly personal stuff, I can't really talk about it much, but I've been helping them deal with some things."

"You mean like... Feelings buddies?!" {Her eyes beam brightly with excitement, you let out another laugh.}

"Yeah! Feelings buddies! That's a good way to put it." {Bon makes a gagging sound above you playfully. You lightly slap their leg before they giggle again.}

{You all continue sharing stories about your separate journeys, catching up while they gather supplies, doing your best to avoid any information that Vale might want to hold close to the chest.}

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

"So, have you told them anything?" [You ask, breaking the somewhat comfortable silence you both sat in.]

"Huh?" [Stardust perks up, confused by your sudden question.]

"About this go around, about the new loops... about me?"

"N-No! Nothing about you! I promise!" [They shoot up in a panic.]

"This isn't an interrogation, Stardust... I'm just curious where they're all at." [He settles back into his chair after a moment.]

"... I told them it's been 30 years, and some stuff related to that... I think that's it." [He ponders for a moment, trying to remember everything.]

"What have you told Nille?" [Your gaze drifts to the side, letting out a heavy sigh and taking a moment to speak.]

"Damn near everything..."

"Everything?!"

"... She knows I was you, and what I went through, and in turn what you went through. Sorry for telling your secret, it's not exactly easy to only tell my own."

"Th-That's okay!... Wow..." [They look absolutely dumbfounded by this bombshell.]

"I'm just as surprised as you are, I didn't expect to be spilling my guts about that ever, let alone to someone I've only known for such a short time."

"She really is special like that, huh?" [They ask with a bright smile.]

"She really is..."

[There's a knock at the door before it starts to peek open.]

"Hey! Sif, Vale, we're back!" [The Fighter calls in cautiously, taking a moment to open the door as to not interrupt so suddenly. You visibly tense up as they arrive, taking a deep breath or two to try and still your nerves.]

"Ack-Hey!" [He shouts as the Kid squirrels their way between him and the door, rushing up to Stardust.]

"FRIN FRIN FRIN! WE FOUND NILLE! NILLE'S HEEEEEERE! THE STAR WOOORKED!" [They yell at the top of their lungs in excitement, practically jumping on him and trying to tug him towards the door.]

"I heard! Hold on Bonbon!" [They protested in vain while the Kid kept pulling them towards the entrance. The rest of the party spilling inside, along with Nille.]

[Stardust finally gives in, letting themself be dragged along, giving a little wave hello to Nille before she suddenly envelops him in a massive, tight, warm hug... You look away as you feel your face heat up a tad. Please tell me that didn't make us jealous...]

"Thank you so much for what you did for Bonnie!"

"Agh! C-Can't... Breathe!" [You peek back over as she loosens her grip, still holding them close.]

"Sorry! Sorry. Just... Truly, thank you... thank you so much. I don't know what I would have done if anything had happened to them."

"Yeah, of course..." [The look on their face says it all, they'd do it again a thousand times, without any hesitation. But no one wants to say that around the Kid.]

"What was that star anyhow?"

"You can thank our well dressed friend here for that!" [Nille proclaims, gesturing to you. You force a light smile.]

"I made a little wish, a gift from the universe… It seems it's not quite out to get us all the time after all." [The researcher continues to examine you curiously, it's incredibly unnerving. Stardust seems to take notice.]

"Odile, please let Vale relax at least before you interrogate them with your piercing stares." [They comment with a playful chuckle.]

"Ah, my apologies. You have me curious about a great many things, Vale, but that can wait til later." [Why did that feel like a threat? You do your best to shake that off, letting it be a problem for later.]

"Yes, well, I'm sure it's been a long day for all of us. Why don't I go figure out where I'll be staying for the evening and you all can get acquainted properly!"

"You're not staying with us?" [The Housemaiden chimes in.]

"Oh no, I couldn't possibly impose!"

"But we've got plenty of room here! As long as someone doesn't mind taking the couch!" [She continues her insufferable insistence.]

"P-Please, I really couldn't interrupt just a lovely reunion like tha-"

"Vay, you're staying and that's final~." [Nille says plainly, as if it were a simply fact of the universe. You think for a moment before letting out a defeated sigh.]

"Fine… But I'll be taking the couch, I won't let anyone else suffer it for my benefit."

"Deal!" [The Housemaiden finally agrees, why must they all be so insufferably kind… You glance back over at Stardust. He has a bright smile plastered on his face, so glad you'll be staying. You let out another sigh, still so unsure about all of this. At this point, you've made your bed, somewhat literally, and now you must sleep in it.]

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

[You lie on the couch, blanket over you, forearm resting over your head, the other over your chest. You stare blankly at the ceiling while sleep eludes you, not that you expected it to come easy this night. With everything going on it would simply be a miracle to get a wink of sleep that night.]

[You perk up as you hear a door open, a stifled cry, and footsteps down the hall. You peek over the couch to find Nille leaving the hallway, wiping the tears from her eyes and heading over to you quickly.]

"Nille?! What's wrong, why are y-" [You begin to ask before you're suddenly enveloped in an incredibly tight hug. You blink in confusion, but slowly bring your arms up to wrap around her as well.]

"Sorry, sorry, just got emotional thinking about Bon and... Thank you so crabbing much for protecting them..."

"What? But... that was Stardust, not me."

"You mean the one who used to be?" [She asked like the point wasn't even worth refuting, slowly bringing a hand up to move the hair out of your face and behind your ear. She then rests it on your cheek, looking into your eyes. Her rough, calloused hands still managing to hold your face so gently.]

"I always wanted to ask about your eyes being different colors... I noticed you were blind in one a while ago but didn't want to bring it up... You lost it for Bonnie, didn't you?"

"... That... That was Stardust, I can't take credit for it..."

"Vale... That happened before your wishes, right? And your eye is still affected. That means it happened, and you saved them. So thank you. Thank you for making sure me and Bon got to see each other again..."

[You look away, you still don't feel deserving of the thanks. Even if it was technically you back then, that's not you anymore. Would we even make the same choice?... Would we be strong enough to do so?]

"Well, I just had to get that out of my system." [She explains, sniffling and wiping her eyes again, trying to get a hold of herself.]

"I better get back before Bon wakes up... Thanks Vay, for everything, and for sticking around." [She says, her touch slowly leaving your form, in spite of your desperate, internal wish that it would stay... No... no we can't trap her, we can't trap anyone ever again... She heads back to her room, closing the door and leaving you to yourself once more. You simply stare at the ceiling again until the sun begins to beam through the window.]

[gt-abby]

Mar and Jake- chapter 8

Here comes the angst!

Tag list: @soakedmilkgt

Chapter seven chapter eight (you’re here) chapter nine

——- 2100~ words

“I only have work this evening, so we can chill at home until then.” Jake said. He moved his hand through his hair.

“That’s great, I hope you can help me figure out this new flight ability with me so I won’t break my other leg.” Mar joked, but Jake didn’t really find that funny himself.

“Of course, let’s go get some breakfast first, though.”

Mar nodded and hopped on the palm he offered her (with one leg), then sat down for stabilization. He then carried her over to the kitchen and placed her carefully on the counter, moving on to the fridge and taking out four eggs, and a few vegetables. Skillfully, he cracked the eggs onto a pan and chopped the vegetable as small as he could. After a few minutes, a steaming pile of scrambled eggs and tiny pieces of veggies were presented to Mar and she clapped, congratulating Jake on his masterful chef skills. They both laugh and begin to dig in. Jake was watching something on his phone, positioning it so that she could watch too. This was a bit weird for her, to be at eye level with the phone, but she said nothing, shrugging it off as she began to feel okay with her new size.

Later, after Jake cleaned up after the two of them, Mar stood up on one leg with the help of Jake’s finger, as she held it to stay upright.

“Ready?”

“Ready.” Mar closed her eyes and jumped up on one leg. But she quickly returned to the ground, as if gravity didn’t want to let go of her easily. She tried again but the result was the same. “Maybe it only works when I’m sleeping.”

“Try to focus and imagine yourself floating.”

“Since when did you become an expert?”

Jake shrugged, “I’m only guessing.”

She tried as he said- closing her eyes, she imagined herself rising from the ground and levitating up.

“You’re doing it! That’s awesome!” She heard Jake exclaim, so she opened her eyes and looked down but she was still standing on the countertop. She looked up at him, displeased, but he only laughed. “Kidding, you’re so gullible.”

“Hmmpf.” She looked away from him pouting.

“Aww come on, I’m only joking, try again, if you can do it, I’ll get you ice cream as an apology.” Mar’s eyes lit up, but then she frowned and looked back up at him.

“You better not be ‘kidding’ this time, or else I’ll burn your hand.”

“Y-you can do that? Since when do you have fire powers?” He gasped, almost letting go of her hand.

She was the one laughing this time, “Now who’s the gullible one?”

“Heh, touché…”

“Okay, here we go!..” She focused her mind on her feet, or rather, one healthy foot, imagining it leaving the ground and rising up, her body rising up with it.

“Woah…” she heard Jake mumble under his breath above her, and saw his eyes sparkle as she opened her eyes. This time, she really was floating up from the ground. She smiled brightly.

“I’m doing it! Jake, it’s really happening!”

“Y-yeah…” He was in a state of disbelief as he stared at her tiny form rising to eye level with him. He returned her a broad smile, “great job!”

Mar giggled giddily, as she floated closer and touched Jake’s nose. “Now where’s my ice cream?”

__

Jake left for work and Mar stayed behind, now that Jake could trust her not to hurt herself anymore- if she fell off any counters or tables, she could easily avoid hitting the ground. She was again surrounded by unsettling silence. She got used to being around giant people all the time, and when she’s alone in a giant space it feels unpleasantly empty. She looked around her in the communal area of the apartment. The blanket on the couch was halfway to the floor, the blinds slightly flowing in the wind that was coming out of the window that was a tad bit open. She decided to wander around in the air, looking around at the things she would otherwise never be able to see, like the top of the cabinets in the kitchen. Everything was full of dust and dead bugs, making Mar feel disgusted as the bugs were much bigger to her now in comparison to before, and it made her shiver. She then landed on the coffee table and pressed with her whole body weight on the button that started up the TV.

“Boring… no… nope…” she was scrolling through the channels, looking for something interesting to watch to pass the time.

Then, a familiar sound reached her ears- her ringtone. Who could be calling her at this time? Jake’s at work and Emily doesn’t have her number… she flew over before they could hang up, and her heart dropped. It was her father.

“H-hello?” Though she tried her best, her voice did give away a bit of a shiver.

“Mar, sweetie?” she heard her mother’s voice from the other side of the line. Oh great, now it’s her mother, too. “How are you?”

“I’m okay… why are you calling me?”

“I… wanted to apologize for my behavior the other day. I didn’t expect it to happen so soon, I-“

“what do you mean, ‘happen so soon…?’”

“I- I….” the line was silent. Then her dad’s voice piped up: “you know, what… you’re going through.”

Mar didn’t know what else to say, she was in shock. Her lower lip was quivering. “You… you knew?”

They didn’t reply.

“How long?”

Silence again. Mar’s voice grew angrier. “All this time you knew this would happen to me and you didn’t say anything? What even is this? What else do you know?” She demanded.

“Mar, honey, back when we got married, we discovered that both of us were… infertile. And we both wanted children, we wanted a child so bad, there was nothing we wouldn’t do to be able to conceive. After years of IVF and all the procedures that exist, and no success in any of them, my mother decided to prey to God for a grandchild.

“Well, instead of God answering her call, something else came to me in a dream. It was-“

“The fire deity.” Mar began to piece everything together.

“You met them?” Her father asked, surprise in his voice.

“Yes, of course I did. They also came to me in a dream the first night. They said I belong to them now. Did you… have me in exchange for me to be their… host…?”

“Pretty much, yes.” Jane’s voice was heavy with guilt. “We never imagined it was real, but unlike other dreams, I just couldn’t forget it. I made the bargain in that one dream, but I didn’t think it would do anything until I did get pregnant the day after.”

Mar clenched her fists. Her face was slowly turning red. “So you sold me to a god you didn’t even know existed just so you could have a child to bare?”

“Well, we- “

“No. Nothing about this could be explained in a way that will make you look good, mom.” Mar felt warm tears fill her eyes and fall down her cheeks. “I can’t believe it. The people I should be able to trust the most, sold me, gave my life away for their selfish reasons. I… I don’t want to hear from you ever again. I’m sorry.” Her voice quivering, Mar, against her parents’ pleas, hung up on them. She then sobbed for a while of the counter, with her face resting in her hands.

—

A few hours later, after night fell, Jake returned home, while Mar was asleep by her phone on the countertop. Jake smiled to himself when he found her, not being able to help how adorable that looked when she was leaning on her own phone as she was barely bigger than it. He nudged her awake, asked her if she waned to go to bed properly, and when she nodded the tiniest of nods, he picked her up with both hands and walked over to place her on his nightstand. He noticed tiny tear stains on her cheeks but didn’t pry given she looked so tired. He then quickly got everything ready for bed and went to sleep himself.

In the morning, during breakfast, Jake asked Mar if she’d like it if Emily came by more often. Mar nodded, not quite listening to him. She was in a world of her own.

“Did… something happen when I wasn’t here last night?“ Jake asked, even though he was questioning himself whether he should.

“Huh, what?” The question pulled her out of her thought bubble. “Oh, yeah… My parents called…” she paused, pondering how she should continue. “They basically explained why this is all happening to me, and it’s all their fault.” Mar took a bite of her food as Jake waited for her to continue.

“So they knew?”

“Yap.”

“Can I ask what they said?”

“Um… well, long story short they wanted a kid, couldn’t have one by themselves, so they found the deity I keep seeing in my dreams and got to raise me in exchange for me becoming their physical host for the rest of my life.”

“I- well- umm… wow.” He chuckled nervously, not knowing what to say.

“Yap.”

“So what did you say?”

“I told them to kick rocks and never talk to me again. Then I cried for hours until I guess I fell asleep.”

Jake was in shock. He figured her parents would be supportive and help her with her new situation, but he never guessed they would be capable of selling their own child’s soul to a god. He couldn’t imagine what emotions Mar was experiencing, and given her blank expression, he figured she already went through all stages of grief. Her entire life was basically a lie. She was sold off to someone else that God knows how they will treat her, and given what she has already experienced, it wasn’t going to be pleasant.

He sighed, “how…are you feeling?”

“I’m…. Going to be okay.” Mar looked up at him with a small smile. He returned her one as well.

“I’ll make sure of it.” He reassured her.

—

Later on, Jake came back from uni with Emily, who immediately came over to Mar and picked her up in a giant hug, smiling and spinning around, like she just found her best friend after years, or rather, picked up a house cat. Mar felt her heart drop to the floor.

“Wait- umm Em, please don’t make her throw up…” Jake stammered behind her and as she turned around to him with a puzzled look, then looked down at Mar and saw her green face.

“Oh- sorry, hehe.” She placed her tiny friend back on the counter. Mar took a few moments to recover.

“Ugh, p-please don’t ever do that again.” She mumbled, as she sat back down with her hands on the ground to feel more stable and grounded, with her head down.

Emily shrank down to Mar’s height then hugged her. “Is this better?”

Mar retuned her the biggest hug she could give, “yeah…much better…” she couldn’t help but tear up whenever Emily did this. It just felt so good when someone could give you a proper hug.

“So….” Jake piped up, rubbing the back of his head. “Mar, don’t you have something to show Emily?”

“What? Oh yeah, hehe,” she put on a big smile, “you might want to step back a bit.”

Emily stepped off the counter and returned to her normal size when Mar held her arms up in a T pose jokingly, as she rose up from the ground and floated up to sit on Emily’s head.

“Oh. My. God.” Emily hesitated to move lest Mar falls off of her head and placed her hands on her mouth in shock. Mar levitated down and stayed in front of Emily’s face, crossing her arms.

“That is so cool, since when can you do that?”

“Since yesterday, actually.”

Jake nodded. Emily had her mouth open in shock. Mar floated away a bit, feeling uncomfortable with a giant gaping mouth right in front of her.

“I don’t have to feel so small anymore!” Mar excitedly exclaimed, unknowingly making Jake a little self-conscious. He hated being so intimidating, especially to Mar. If he could help it, he would shrink down to her size whenever he’d come back home so she would feel comfortable, like Emily can. But he can’t, so he’d never admit it.

The three of them kept hanging out until the end of the day, Mar finally not feeling so alone.

[cainluvr69]

Surely, We Can Make Miracles Chapter 23

Previous Chapter

Cain: …kh…

Chloe: I can't…breathe…

Hwylryn: Of course not. This is the bottom of the ocean. Children of man aren't meant to live here. So can you hurry back to land already? Anyway… I guess I should be getting back to Shylock now.

Rustica: …My apologies, but… I'd like you to accompany us for just a bit longer. <Amo…> …gh!

Chloe: Rustica…!

Hwylryn: Nope, you don't get to do that. Your singing makes me start daydreaming. The next whirlpool is going to take you right up to the surface. Don't try to fight it. It's pointless. And it'll only rip you up.

Rutile: …Hwylryn…! Please, listen to what I have to say…

Hwylryn: I'll see you tomorrow. On land. Now withdraw.

Cain: …I won't…let you…! Uwaaahhh…!

Rutile: Aaahhh…!

Rustica: …Chloe…!

Chloe: Rus… Everyone…!

Natalie?: <Cure Memini>

Hwylryn: …Oh, my.

Cain: …You…you're… The lady from earlier…?!

Natalie?: … Excuse me…?

Cain: You were really a wizard?!

Natalie?: Excuse me? The fact that you can see me should give you all the answers you need.

Cain: …Huh? I mean, we got pretty touchy-feely earlier.

Natalie?: We did?

Cain: Huh?

Natalie?: Hah?

Cain: …You're Owen!

Natalie?: Sir Knight. Don't tell me you did something unbecoming of a knight to this woman.

Cain: Of course I didn't! I just didn't have a handkerchief, so…

Owen: You don't even have something like that? Chloe, can you believe this. Cain doesn't have a handkerchief.

Chloe: …sniff…Owen…

Owen: Heh. What, did this guy make you cry? What a wretched sea snake you are.

Hwylryn: Oho. Something interesting showed up.

Owen: I'm going to turn you into dog food. <Cuare Morito>

Hwylryn: I don't think that little puppy's tummy can fit me.

Owen: …kh… (This guy is…strong…!)

✦✧☾✧✦

Lennox?: …!

Faust: … (Leno's moving his arms the same way the mermaids with spears did, now that he has one at hand…)

Shino: Faust, watch out! Lennox is good with a lance!

Faust: …I know that…!

Lennox?: …!

Faust: …Waugh…!

Heathcliff: Mr. Faust…! (He forced Faust against the reef, and now he's lifting his spear…!) (He's going to stab him…!) Lennox, stop! Please, don't hurt him…!

Lennox?: …

Heathcliff: …He stopped…

Shino: Lennox…

Faust: … …Leno…

Lennox?: …… …Lord…st…

Faust: …! Leno…!

Lennox?: …!

Faust: …?!

Shino: Stop, Lennox! Don't hurt him…! You'll regret it until the day you die if you do…!

Lennox?: … ……. …

Shino: You can't! Put the lance down…!

Lennox?: …!

Faust: Leno?! Why did you stab your own leg…?! Stop! Stop, let go of it…!

Lennox: …gh…

Faust: Leno! Leno…! Stop it, your leg's already hurt enough…!

Lennox: …Fau…st… …Lord Faust…

Faust: …Leno…

Heathcliff: Mr. Faust! We finished the circle!

Shino: All we need to do is scatter the firstlight salt… Done! <Matzah Sudipas>!

Heathcliff: <Repsev Aivulp Sunos>!

Faust: … <Salliuqnart Mulcredo>!

✦✧☾✧✦

Lennox: Hah… …Haah… …

Faust: Leno…!

Lennox: …Lord Faust… Woah…!

Faust: …I'm so glad you're okay… Alec told me your unit might have been completely wiped out…

Lennox: Several others survived as well. Things seemed hopeless, but we still managed to return alive.

Faust: Thank god…

Lennox: …

Faust: …What's wrong?

Lennox: I'm just surprised.

Faust: By what?

Lennox: I didn't think that you'd jump on me the same way Lord Alec does.

Faust: Sorry. Are you hurt anywhere?

Lennox: No. …Haha…

Faust: What…? I don't hear you laugh very often…

Lennox: Haha… I could say the same to you.

Faust: I do laugh. More than you, at least.

Lennox: That's true…

Faust: …Haha…

Lennox: Ahaha!

✦✧☾✧✦

Lennox: … …That's right… …I'd forgotten… I found him, Courir. I found the person I'd been looking for. I need to go to him. I'm glad I got to see you again. You always trusted me. And you were always by my side. I never really spoiled you, but you still always slept next to me. I love you very, very much. And having to part with you hurts very, very much. But, I need to… Goodbye. I love you. Goodbye, Courir. I hope you can run freely as far as you want. Thank you.

✦✧☾✧✦

Faust: …Leno… Leno…!

Lennox: … …Lord Faust… Woah…!

Faust: …Thank goodness…

Lennox: …

Faust: …Sorry. I did that when I know you're injured…

Lennox: No… …Haha…

Faust: …Are you okay? He's not controlling you anymore?

Lennox: No… I should be fine now.

Shino: Lennox, are you okay?!

Heathcliff: Lennox! Do you know who we are?!

Lennox: Yes, I do. I do know. … I can't clearly recall what happened, but I'm sorry for putting you through so much trouble…

Faust: Don't say that… Let me look at your wounds. Give me your leg…

Lennox: …

Faust: Lennox…?!

Shino: Did he pass out?!

Faust: He must be completely exhausted. I should get him out of the ocean as soon as possible. The two of you must be at your limits, too.

Heathcliff: You're right… I still feel okay for right now, though.

Faust: Shino, Heathcliff.

Shino: What.

Heathcliff: What is it?

Faust: This was only possible because of the two of you. Thank you.

Shino & Heathcliff: …!

Shino: Heh, yeah!

Heathcliff: It's an honor!

Faust: Let's return to the water's surface. Vespa, can you show us the path up?

Vespa: …! …!

Heathcliff: Let's go, Shino!

Shino: Yeah!

✦✧☾✧✦

Owen: <Cure Memini>

Hwylryn: Ahaha! This is fun!

Owen: …tsk!

Rustica: I'll support you! <Amores Viesse>

Hwylryn: You're kind of annoying.

Rustica: …cough…!

Chloe: Rustica!

Rustica: ……!

Rutile: Rustica…!

Rustica: …

Rutile: Oh no…! Rustica isn't breathing!

Chloe: What do we do…?! Rustica! Rustica!

Rutile: We need to bring him to the surface!

Owen: Then get on with it. Or else your teacher's gonna turn to stone!

Chloe: But…!

Owen: Whatever, just go. You're at your limit.

Chloe: Owen…

Owen: Tch… Yeah, that was stupid. You're going to die here. Just like I thought you would.

Cain: Go, Chloe! I've got things covered here!

Rutile: I'll stay, too! Please look after Rustica for us!

Chloe: …Okay…! Thank you…! (I need to hurry! I need to hurry!) (I'm definitely going to save you, Rustica!)

Owen: Hmph… And what do the two of you think you can do?

Cain: Swordplay and magic.

Rutile: I can heal, and fly very, very fast.

Owen: Lame… Just so you know, if I die, the two of you have exactly zero chance of winning. So if I die, just run.

Cain: … No, I won't.

Rutile: I won't, either.

Owen: Super lame…

Hwylryn: Are you guys ready yet?

Owen: The lamest one here is you.

Hwylryn: I like your dog!

Owen: Shut up. <Cure Memini>

Hwylryn: Let's play.

✦✧☾✧✦

Torta di Cocco Shopkeeper: Here, it's finished baking.

Riquet: Wahh, it looks so tasty!

Mitile: It smelled so good while it was in the oven!

Nero: Hmm… Y'think you could teach me the recipe?

Mithra: Is it done? Can I take it to the bottom of the sea now?

Mitile: N-not yet! It needs the cream and coconut on top first.

Mithra: Then can you hurry, at least?

Mitile: If you could, please!

Torta di Cocco Shopkeeper: Yes, of course.

Claudia: My, what a delicious-looking cake.

Riquet: Yes! Thank you for being willing us to let us have your cake so we could know how it tastes. I'm incredibly grateful.

Claudia: My, what a good boy you are. I'm happy I could meet you boys again, in fact. It sounds like you've helped Dianne out a lot, too.

Riquet: How is Dianne doing…?

Nero: She's talkin' to Bradley right now.

Riquet: Did she ask Bradley to help her?

Nero: Uh, somethin' like that.

Riquet: Thank goodness. She seemed to be having a very difficult time, and Bradley can be a very helpful person.

Nero: …True that.

Claudia: Both I and my sister should have realized how much Dianne was hurting so much faster than we did… No, I'm sure my sister knew. That must be why she tried to turn that story into a heartwarming tale, to try and take her pain away. But instead, that simply made Dianne feel like no one would protect her honor…

Riquet: It's a very complicated problem. Even with so much love and kindness given to her, her pain prevented her from finding her path… Guiding people is a very difficult prospect. It's important to carefully ascertain if what lies at the end of the path you lead them down will truly be good or not… Wanting someone to walk down a path is very similar to forcing them to think and act a particular way. It's frightening. I wonder what Bradley is telling her? Do you think it'd be okay if I listened in?

Nero: Nahh, that's prob'ly not a good idea. I don't think her Lordship would wanna have anyone eavesdroppin'.

Riquet: I suppose you're right…

Mithra: Excuuuuse meeee. We don't have any time to chat like this.

Nero: I know, man. Just wait a lil' bit longer. Actually, speakin' of, Claudia. There was somethin' I wanted to ask you about the disappearances…

Claudia: Yes, I suppose I'll spill the beans. I've seen a door through which I could see the past on the island's shore. I can't help but wonder if that door isn't related to the disappearances.

Riquet: A door to the past… That story we heard was real? Did you really see the past?

Claudia: No, it was just an illusion.

Mitile: What kind of illusion did you see?

Claudia: A man I fell in love with many years ago stepped through it and told me he loved me.

Mitile: I… I see.

Claudia: But he'd never said those words to me before, not even once. It was very obvious it was just an illusion. We had a good relationship, and he was a good friend. But though I fell in love with him, his status was far too high… He already had a fiancee before we even met. And yet, here is what I thought to myself. Perhaps if I open that door, I can see him again… Were it twenty years earlier, I imagine I would've found myself drawn to that door despite myself.

Riquet: Why not now?

Claudia: Because the paint I drew up my dream with has long since dried.

Riquet: You painted your dream…?

Claudia: The things that make your heart tremble and dance are what make your dreams shine so brightly, like light on a freshly-painted canvas. He was the one who said that to me. The paint of my dream has dried, and my heart has calmed down and put itself in its place, and so… I can't go back to such fresh and youthful excitement, not when I'm so afraid of so much as brushing against it, much less taking it into my hands directly. It's like appreciating how a cake is decorated before demolishing it with your fork, to put it another way.

Riquet: I…think I understand…

Claudia: Because the paint of my dream had already dried, and left it calm and quiet, hearing him say that didn't make my heart dance. It was an odd feeling, both lonely and relieving at the same time.

Riquet: Like looking at your plate after you've finished your cake?

Claudia: Yes. It's not like being scared of destroying something, but more like having properly eaten and savored it instead. But Dianne's dreams are still bright. They're delicate, strong, and still gasping for air. Just like fresh paint on a canvas. The idea of touching them before they're ready and smudging their colors into one she doesn't want, polluting her canvas forever, is terrifying. That's how it feels, looking at the beautiful, vivid scenery she's painted. It's as if time has stopped in place.

✦✧☾✧✦

Lennox: …ah…

Faust: Leno, are you okay? I'm going to get you to the surface soon. Just hold on tight to me.

Lennox: …Yes…Lord Faust…

✦✧☾✧✦

Dianne: …What do you mean by throwing away my fear? Are you going to cast a spell on me?

Bradley: …

Dianne: Or are you planning on providing counsel? How am I meant to do this without trembling?

Bradley: What do you think? We're here to talk about you, girl.

Dianne: …What is there to talk about…? … …Things always go so well in my imagination. …I can always make the best, safest decision for everyone, without making a single mistake in the process. I've worked ever since I was a child to become that kind of person. And yet, this is what happens instead… I'm sure my grandfather would be disappointed in me. …I'm so pathetic…

Bradley: Y'don't have to change who you are. Y'don't have to be someone you aren't.

Dianne: …But if they knew about the real me, they'd all laugh… I don't want them to laugh at me…I'm weak, and pitiful…and embarrassing…

Bradley: 'Course you don't. Who wants to be turned into a laughingstock? But I won't laugh at you. You're tryin' to fulfill your responsibilities, and that's why you're standin' here.

Dianne: …

Bradley: You good? I've got something I used to say to newbies right after they joined up, to get 'em to throw away their fear.

Dianne: Newbies…? Were you the leader of some kind of organization?

Bradley: Yeah, a bandit gang. That's why I'm a prisoner now. Still wanna hear what I have to say?

Dianne: …Yes… I want to hear you out. Please, tell me.

Bradley: Alright. Everyone's experiences protect 'em, no matter what that experience is. Failures, successes, all of 'em do the same thing. But newbies like you don't have any experience to protect yourself with. And at times like that, when y'don't have any foundation to prop yourself up with, you start doin' weird shit like this. Y'start thinkin' that if you don't protect your honor all on your own, you won't have a place to belong anymore. Even though you don't know right from left yet. So, here's what I tell 'em. You ready to jot this down? I'll protect you. I'll protect your life, your honor, your perspective. So you need to protect your comrades.

Dianne: …

Bradley: Dianne. You're about to walk out that gate and talk to the crowd, yeah?

Dianne: Yes.

Bradley: If for whatever reason you can't do it, I'll talk for you. And I'll hold that position 'til you're ready to take it from me. If anyone tries to jump on you, I'll protect you from 'em. But I've got a feelin' you'll be able to do just fine without me havin' to do a damn thing.

Dianne: …

Bradley: Remember. You're the lord of this whole big-ass castle. That ain't your average job. And you were the one who made it there. Have more faith in yourself. Anythin' else you're scared of?

Dianne: … I…don't think so… Why not…? I was so scared, but now…

Bradley: Don't hold back now. If there's anythin' worryin' you, just say it.

Dianne: … You're not lying? You're not going to betray me…?

Bradley: 'Course not. Hell, if people found out I turned on a little lass like you, that'd just make me more infamous and not in a good way. I'm not gonna betray you, Dianne. On my honor, I'll protect your honor. Now step forward. The first step's always the scariest. The rest'll be a piece of cake. Don't be scared. I'm right next to you.

Dianne: …sniff…okay… …I understand. I'm going now!

Bradley: Hell yeah! You got this!

Next Chapter

[tazlov]

Viridian Mercy: Chapter 5

“Hey, Sam?”

I approached my crewmate carefully, squeezing my shirt. Sam was busy trying to fix our shower in the little cubby we call our bathroom. She seemed visibly frustrated, so maybe this was a bad time… but she paused anyway, wrench in hand and some part of a pipe in the other.

“What's up?” She wiped grease from her face. Gosh, the way she looked right now… filthy. But…

I got distracted. I refocused. “Um… I wanted to talk about the other day.”

Sam hesitated visibly, but then cleared her throat. “Sure.”

“I just… I wanted to apologize for scaring you. Something in the air was messing with me… I was so convinced that I just wanted to stay on Phasorium forever.”

“It's fine.” She refocused on undoing a different pipe. “You said you lost your helmet?”

“Something in the water unbuckled my helmet, yeah. Some creature got its fins all over me.”

“Probably kinda scary…” She checked me for a reaction.

“It was…” I itched my arm. “But as soon as the helmet came off, it was like… a wave of calm washed over me.”

“Poetic.”

“I'm serious! Shut up.” I scoffed, glancing away. “But… that's not what I wanted to talk about.”

“Getting hijacked by a lake monster is somehow the thing you don't want to talk about?” Sam said at first, but then thought about her statement. “Actually, that's fair.”

“...I wanted to talk about what you said to me,” I refocused the conversation. “When I was under the influence.”

She stopped working, biting her lip. This was apparently a touchy subject for her.

“...Did you mean what you said?”

She paused for a moment, but eventually nodded. “...Yeah. I did.”

“All of it?”

“Yeah.”

I smiled at her. “That was nice of you, then. Thank you.”

“Yeah, you're welcome.” She tried her best to keep unscrewing a pipe, but her movements were less steady… her heart was racing. I could feel it. 

“Are you nervous?” I shoved at her arm. “About showing emotion?”

“No!” She took great offense to this. “I-I can show emotion! See?”

She threw her arms out beside her, making a face of annoyance. But annoyance wasn't the only emotion she could express, and I knew that.

“...Yes, I see.” I let it go, but still smiled to myself. Sam was struggling with this conversation, I could tell, so I changed the subject. “So what's wrong with the shower?”

“Ugh… dude, I don't even fucking know.” Sam dropped her shoulders with an eye roll, and dropped a plastic pipe on the floor. “I'm checking for a blockage or something, but I'm not seeing shit. I think we might have to go to a station to get it fixed.”

“That sucks.”

“Yeah. It's gonna come out of our paychecks for sure.” She rested her hands behind her neck with a sigh. “But I just can't get any water to come out. Whatever. No showers for a few more days, I guess.”

“Hmm…” I thought to myself for a moment. Certainly, the shower was broken, and would need repairs from another Viridian team. An engineer team, for sure. But perhaps there was another way to keep clean at least until then…

Then I got an idea. “Do we have any stable planets nearby?”

“What, Goldilocks planets?” Sam stood back up, itching her hair. She needed to get her mohawk redyed.

“What?”

“You ever hear of Goldilocks? Or is that just a purely human thing?”

“Um…”

“I guess it is. Heh…” She shook her head, and started piecing the pipes back together. “Go check the starmaps. See what you can find.”

“Okay. Because I'm thinking if we can find a stable planet with a good atmosphere…” I trailed off as I jogged to the cockpit, swishing the hologram map around to find a decent planet. 

“Then what?” Sam called from the back of the ship.

“Then maybe we could use a substitute!” I called back, finding a good planet not close, but not too far either.

“What do you mean by that?” Once she was done, Sam followed me to the co-pilot's seat. She was cleaning her hands with a rag.

“I mean, if we can find a good body of water or something…” I kept searching, but Edenwise was the only mapped planet worth searching. “...We can just bathe there.”

“Oh. You think so?” Sam looked uncertain as I pinpointed Edenwise.

“Yeah! I mean, we have our supplies. We just need a body of fresh water. And it looks like Edenwise is our best bet.”

“Hm.” 

“Strap in, Sam.” I got our ship ready to fly, dismantling the gravity anchor that held our ship still in space. With a low rumble, the ZZ Striker started moving.

Sam begrudgingly strapped in, still wiping her hands. “Maybe we're just out of water.”

“Don't we recycle it?”

“Yeah, but if there's a leak somewhere… eh, whatever. We can let the engineers figure it out.”

“Alright.”

We flew silently for a little while, the ship moving as smoothly as ever through the cosmos, before jittering and shaking as we hit the thick atmosphere of Edenwise.

“That one looks good.” Sam had a good eye—she found a local lake much faster than I could. I nodded and started descending the ship into a nearby clearing, and Sam stood up from her seat to go collect some supplies.

“Atmosphere's oxygen, right?”

“Yes ma'am!” I double-checked to confirm, and it was indeed primarily oxygen. Very similar biological makeup to Earth, so Sam should feel right at home. It was gorgeous here… overgrown trees and flora decorated this planet. Not nearly as enchanting as Phasorium was, but perhaps that was on purpose.

We collected some soap and shower things, and headed out. The airlock did not need to change the air pressure, so we could just walk out and explore without helmets or suits. Sam slung her small duffel bag over her shoulder, and I carried my drawstring bag to the edge of the lake.

“It's very nice here…” I smiled at Sam. 

She shrugged. “Yeah, it's pretty nice.” 

“You don't think so?”

“No, I said it was nice!” She scoffed at me, looking at me like I was crazy. “What'chu mean?”

“I'm just pulling your leg! Sorry.”

She only sighed as she started stripping her shirt, then pointed at me to turn around. I suppose there wasn't too much privacy in an open area like this, so we silently agreed to not look at each other at this time.

I nodded and turned around, collecting my clothes into a bundle to throw on the shore, then waded in and kept my shampoo bottle with me. It was bubbly… I liked bubbles a lot. They must have drifted over to Sam with the current, because I heard her chuckle after a few minutes.

I was clean much sooner than Sam was. I suppose she liked to take her time… I found my shirt on shore, drying myself with a shake, then peered over my shoulder for just a moment.

She was still turned away from me, so I didn't see anything in particular… except… 

I glanced back, feeling my face become hot. She had back muscles. And she looked good.

I tried to forget what I had seen, and more importantly, how I felt about it… but I was having a hard time. I just kept getting dressed up, then sat on the shore away from Sam as I tried hiding my face.

Eventually she finished up, and walked over to me. She laughed a little. “You good, Veth?”

“Yes!” I was a little overly enthusiastic with my answer. It was too late to correct it, though. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“What's wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Come on. I've never seen you curl up into a ball like that.” She gave me a gentle kick. I curled up tighter.

My voice was muffled in my arms. “I'm sorry.”

“About what?”

“I… I looked.” I'm sure my face was a lovely shade of purple at this point.

“Oh. That's it?” Sam laughed, shrugging. “Hey, I mean… that's on you.”

“I know! I'm sorry!” I threw my hands out. 

“Don't apologize! It's fine!” Sam kept laughing, and I just kept hiding. She could not see my face right now. “Veth, it's fine. I'm serious. I'm not mad.”

I couldn't answer.

She thought of something even worse. “...Did you like what you saw, at least?”

“By the gods, Samantha, shut up!” I exploded out of my ball, and ran towards the ship. I could hear her doubling over laughing as I escaped.

Oh, gods forgive me. This was all extremely unprofessional. What was I supposed to put in my daily log now? That I thought my coworker looked good? That we bathed in the same lake? How was I supposed to…

I paced around, hiding my face with my hands, until I heard the airlock open behind me. “Hey, I'm sorry. I was just making a joke.”

“I-I know…” I huddled onto my bunk bed.

“Listen. Relax. It's fine.” Sam gave me a little slap on the arm, then she settled in to the pilot's seat. “You didn't forget anything, right?”

“...No…”

“Cool. Let's hit it.”

The ship fought gravity as it lifted off, and I fought feelings as my coworker flew the ship. 

What was I supposed to do? I had no clue… we were supposed to stay strictly professional. Now it just felt awkward… and I didn't know how to handle the things I was feeling.

Sam just flew silently, casual as ever, as I peered out of the protective fortress of my arms. 

Gods… I needed a drink.

[north-blue-hearts]

Family Practice

CisFem Reader x Trafalgar Law

CW: sex, language, violence

Summary: Modern Mafia-coded AU starts in last semester of College

Chapter 4: Bonfire

Despite your desire to sleep an ungodly number of hours, you went to bed only a little bit early, and woke up a couple of hours before your alarm. Which was set to give you just enough time to make it downstairs for a free breakfast from the hotel. You turned off the alarm, dragged yourself into the bathroom and started up a shower. Thirty minutes later you were wide awake and brushing out your hair enough to pull it into a damp ponytail.

You: I’m up, and ready for hotel breakfast. Let me know when you’re gtg.

Pre-Med: I’ll be in the hall in a minute.

You pocket your things and head out to the hall, leaning against your door until Law comes out. T-shirt, sweats, and a hoodie - you were both wearing the same style of clothes.

“Pfft - the morning power outfit of college students.” You laugh, pointing between the two of you.

Law grunts and the two of you get down to the lobby which is set up for a breakfast bar for the hotel guests. Loading up on eggs and hash browns and a few other random items you sit in a mostly peaceful corner, joined by Law after a few minutes.

“Coffee, eggs and hash browns. No bagel?” You ask.

“Bread.” He says shortly.

“Bagels aren’t bread. Wait, do you dislike most flour stuff? What about cake?”

“Don’t like it.”

“Pretzels?”

“The crunchy ones are acceptable.”

“So it’s a texture thing?”

“Mostly.”

“Huh. Well, alright then. Do you like pasta or are you getting most of your carbs from rice?”

“Pasta’s alright. I’d rather rice.”

You grin. “I should ask you more questions first thing in the morning more often.”

“How can you say so much so early?” Law groans.

“I mean, I slept more than usual, even if I didn’t sleep in as much as I wanted. Took a shower, got dressed, and by the time I do that I'm awake. No one sees me groggy.”

“No one?”

“No one. Not since I was twelve or thirteen and Marco was trying to drag me out of bed for school.” You assure him, downing the last of your coffee. “Speaking of sleep, your trademark dark circles look lighter today. Are you actually relaxing a little?”

“I’m not stressed.” He insists. “I slept more than usual last night.”

“Mm.” You hum, pressing your lips together.

Law quirks an eyebrow. “What?”

“I was going to say you should consider sleeping more, more often, but if you didn’t look exhausted and stressed all the time your average confession rate would rise. Speaking of,” you say a little more quickly than you meant to. “How’s that been going for you since you made a useful friend like me?”

Law sighed, looking down at his food and hiding his face with the bill of his cap. “It’s lowered.”

“And that makes me a genius.” You insist with a grin.

Law scoffs. “Any issues?”

“Hm? Like jealous college girls giving me hell for hogging all of the soon-to-be-doctor’s free time?” You almost laugh. “It’s not a TV drama, no one’s bothered me. Nutmeg even had me join a group project with her and her gaggle and it was the best group project I’ve ever been on.”

“Oh I guess there was one misunderstanding,” you admit, looking up to the ceiling. “But it was kind of cute.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, someone thought I was your sister. I think they just wanted to know if you were single or not, but when I said we weren’t related she just apologized and walked away.”

You could see his ears turning pink, since they weren’t hidden by the cap.

“Heh, poor little Idol Doctor.” You tease.

Law almost growls. “I’d rather you call me Pre-Med.”

The rest of your morning goes easily, and you both change before heading out for the tour of the city. Law in jeans, boots, a t-shirt and hoodie, you in sneakers, jeans, and three tops - a crop top, long-sleeved shirt and a t-shirt over that. You had a sweater tied around your waist in case you got cold, but unless it rained or snowed you wouldn’t need it.

Your tour of the city was more of a parkour challenge than a walk, and you weren’t surprised as Law kept up with you, mimicking your moves as you slipped through the cityscape. The energetic manner of your tour was enough to wake him up, and enough to make you realize you hadn’t kept in shape since starting college. Struggling on your home turf was a little embarrassing, but you were doing most of the talking, so you didn’t let it bother you too much.

After a few hours you dropped in on the café, getting another set of onigiri from Sanji before heading out again, and making your way to the carnival grounds. Binks’ carnival was one of the last stationary carnivals you were aware of. The place managed to stay open most of the year, shutting down only a couple weeks a year for maintenance, repairs, and upgrades.

The two of you poked at some games and rode some of the rides, but mostly you just meandered around and watched people while the day dragged on. As you left the fairgrounds you ran into another familiar face.

You stood at attention, and put a hand up in a stiff greeting as a man with shock white hair, a scar on his face, and a cigar in his mouth came over to you. He had his partner with him, the fresh-from-the-academy go-getter who had been a classmate of yours.

“Officer Smoker, Miss Tashi- ah, sorry, should I call you officer Tashigi now?” You greeted and questioned at the same time.

“You can call me Tashigi, (y/n), we’re friends.” She says with a smile.

“It’s, uh, nice to see you. I hope you’re both getting Christmas off this year.” You say awkwardly.

“How’s college going, Miss (y/n)?” Smoker inquires.

“Great! I’m really enjoying it, and speaking of, this is my college friend,” you answer, grabbing Law by the arm and dragging him closer to you “- you’ll like him, he’s gonna be a doctor, and his name’s Law. Very respectable.”

“Good luck in your studies.” Tashigi offers cheerfully and Law mutters a quiet thanks.

“Are you going to be in attendance this year?” Smoker asks you, offering only a nod of acknowledgment to Law.

“Of course. I know your opinion, but Pops saved me and raised me.” You answer, your cheerful demeanor slipping away. “He’s also paying for my college, so - augh - forget it, now’s not the time to start arguing. I truly hope you both have a good holiday.” You say, tugging Law with you as you walk away. “Good day, Officers.”

“There’s a lot in that, isn’t there?” Law asks after a few moments, when you finally let his arm go.

You suck in a deep breath and let out a long, heavy, exaggerated sigh.

“Ah.” He says knowingly. “Another time then.”

As you near the street festival’s location you start to move vertically, getting up onto the rooftops. You sit on the edge of a roof and pat the space next to you. The festival is sprawled out below you, soft lights around the vendors and you can see the musicians setting up.

“I thought we’d be down there.”

“We will be, but this is the best seat in the house for the next few minutes.” You assure him as he sits beside you.

“I admit, your perspective is unique.” Law says quietly, watching the growing bustle in the street below.

“Just keep your eyes on the street, should be any second now.” You say, scanning until you find the void you were looking for.

There was a melodic holler in the street that was repeated and echoed down the street just before a small torch of fire was lit and tossed into the void.

The flames bloomed against the dark. The bonfire was a mix of accelerants and slower burning materials, with the wood making up the bulk of it. This helped it catch fire quickly and then stay lit long enough for the logs to catch well. With adjustments and practice, it was made to be ignited by a single torch.

The fire’s strength continued to increase, and the growing roar of flames was swelling with the growing collection of music. A single fiddle became two, and then a trumpet and drums with a bass coming in and voices rising on top of that, singing songs whose words were no longer known. The emotions had stayed and survived, and the flames carried those feelings to the stars.

“… Wow.” Law’s voice was almost breathless, his golden eyes focused on the flames.

“Best seats.” You say with a smile.

You motioned for him to follow after a moment and went down to the fire near the musicians.

“Okay, so hold my hand,” you said, offering your hand, relieved when he took it without complaint. “Now stomp your foot in time with mine.”

“No one else is dancing.” Law pointed out, stomping his foot in time with you.

“They will, don’t panic if someone grabs your hand.” You say, and there’s already people paying attention to the two of you. “And now just keep up!”

You move away from him a little, moving both your feet in time to the music, giving him a chance to adjust as you move faster and faster. You’re barely a yard from the musicians when someone grabs Law’s spare hand, and the line grows quickly from there, nearly full before you’ve cleared a full circle around the fire.

The ring of people makes another full rotation before a collective holler from the musicians causes the ring to break. Spinning Law around you keep a hold of his hand and drag him around, bouncing and kicking your feet. It had taken him a moment to get into it, but he’s moving well, and there’s a smile you’ve never really seen on his face before.

The two of you enjoy the music and the fire for a good half hour, switching partners and losing one another in the crowd of people a couple times. Every time you found him again he still had a smile on his face, and you were glad you hadn’t dragged him into something he truly disliked.

If he smiled like that on campus you wouldn’t be able to deter anyone from asking him out, girls or otherwise. Though the idea of stepping aside so he could-.

You swore internally, shaking the thought from your head. You weren’t standing by him that way to step aside in the first place. Besides, you both had other things you needed to focus on, and there wasn’t that much overlap in your schedules. You hadn’t gone to college to find love anyway, and his dedication to his dreams was obvious.

Enjoy tonight for what it is, you told yourself.

This wasn’t the kind of danger you thought that bonfire festivals posed. You sat down, a few paces from the crowd and waved at Law when you saw him looking for you. He handed his partner off and stepped around the madness, making his way over to you after a moment. Law sat down beside you, that genuine smile on his face still, taking a moment to catch his breath.

“I owe you an apology, (y/n)-ya.” He admits, taking his hat off and fanning himself with it. “I came along without much expectation, but – I’ve had fun.”

“If I knew you had been that unconvinced, I would’ve made a bet out of it.” You admitted, forcing a smile.

“Hey are-.”

“(Y/N)!” You hear Marco calling your name and turn away before Law’s sentence finishes. Law turns to look with you as you wave the older blonde over.

“Hey, hey – meet Trafalgar Law. Law, this is my brother Marco.” You introduce them, ducking down so they can shake hands before you stand up and hug your brother. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

“I’m just passing through to check on things, yoi. I just happened to see you on my way in and decided to say hello.” Marco looked from you to Law, and then back to you. “Look, I know you said you wanted him to relax, but you should bring him to the Christmas party.”

You looked to Law and then back to Marco. “Why?”

“If I’m right, Pops is going to want to talk to him, yoi.”

You’re utterly confused. Marco was good at reading your moods, but you were not struggling that hard with your feelings right now, you were sure of it. The confusion is blatant on your face and Marco leans in, whispering in your ear.

“Pops had a biological son; your friend looks like he could be his grandson.”

Your eyes go wide, and you look over at Law, before turning back to Marco. “Seriously!?”

“Yeah. Look, I don’t want to get into speculating on my own, but I think it’s important enough to bring up, yoi.” Marco explains.

You pinch the bridge of your nose, and sigh. “Alright, alright, but Marco, I haven’t told him anything about Pops.”

“Well, sorry then, (y/n), but you’re going to have to break into that before the party.” Marco says, patting your shoulder.

“Yeah.” You look up to the sky and sigh. “Thanks, Marco.”

Marco smiles and ruffles your hair. “I’m sure it’ll work out.”

“Huh?” You look at him again, confusion back on your face. Something in his tone made you think he was talking about something else suddenly.

“Your crush, yoi.” He said quietly, winking.

[vgckwb]

P5R: Rebel Girl (A FeMC Story/P5R Rework) Chapter 205: Sae's Palace: Act 2

November 6th. Today was the day. The thieves gathered at Leblanc before attending Sae’s trial. “Alright,” Ren said. “Do we have any new information?”

“Well,” Futaba interjected, “Riko and I came up with a ploy to make sure things go smoothly on the other side during the heist.”

“Will it work?” Ryuji asked.

“I think so,” Futaba answered.

“Well, that’s a good start,” Ren said.

“Oh, um, that reminds me,” Haru said. She took out a small drive and handed it to Futaba. “Here. It’s the data you wanted.” “Heh heh,” Futaba chuckled. “Perfect! With this, we can cross-reference the schematics of Starfall Coffee with my mom’s notes.”

“Sorry I didn’t get it back earlier,” Haru apologized. “I know I got this from you the day after Halloween, but I had trouble getting to the right computer without getting noticed.”

“No biggie,” Futaba said. “I’m glad you managed to do it at all.”

“Well, being the heiress has its advantages,” Haru chuckled.

“So, the plan is still to send the calling card at the last possible moment?” Makoto asked.

Ren nodded. “That’s right. As long as the warrant isn’t live, and the director is under suspicion, the ball is in our court.”

“But what happens after that?” Ann asked.

“I suppose we just need to leave luck to Heaven,” Yusuke said.

“Although I don’t think Heaven’s going to like our thievery,” Jose remarked.

“It’s a gamble for sure,” Ren said. “Eris even told me as such. Something is going to happen regardless of what we do. Our moves here are to get in a position where we aren’t worse for wear.”

“I’ve got an uneasy feeling about that…” Lena said.

“I think we all do,” Morgana assured her. “But we’ve come this far already, and we have no intention of stopping now!”

Lena chuckled. “Thanks Morgana.”

“By the way, how is the research into the director coming along Futaba?” Sumire asked.

“Riiiight…” Futaba said. “The man is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. Publicly, he seems to be a well-respected prosecutor, and a well-meaning family man. But every time I dig, it’s like the trail goes cold. Well, apart from one thing.”

“Go on,” Ren instructed.

“I looked into his son murdering his wife,” Futaba explained. “From what I can find, the method used was to slip her sleeping pills to make sure she fell asleep in the bath to make it look like she just passed out and drowned. And you’ll never guess how the director’s wife died…”

“You’re kidding!” Ryuji said.

“I wouldn’t joke about this thing,” Futaba said.

“Hold on,” Makoto said. “I know my sister. She should have seen the similarity.”

“Perhaps,” Yusuke said. “But correlation doesn’t equal causation. I’m sure it would be difficult to prove that the director did the same thing at this point.”

“I guess that’s true…” Makoto said.

“Still,” Sumire said, “given his connection to whoever is in charge, I think it’s safe to say it’s at least possible.”

“Oh yeah,” Jose said. “That reminds me. Whoever is really in charge is the same person who that principal was talking about, right?” Everyone nodded. “And we think he came from that wall of water to take us out?”

“Oh, right!” Futaba said. “There’s that too.”

“We should come up with a plan to investigate it,” Yusuke said.

“I think the next time we go to Mementos, we should make that our first stop,” Lena suggested.

“I agree,” Haru said.

“But, um, how?” Ann said. “It’s a literal wall of water. It’s not going to be easy to investigate.”

“I think we can get some rope,” Ren said. “We attach it to someone, and they go out to explore. They tug when they want to come back, and the rest of us pull.”

“Seems simple enough,” Ryuji said.

“But who will investigate?” Makoto said.

“I think it should be someone light,” Jose said. “So the rest of us can pull easier.”

“But it also has to be someone who can make a good amount of ground,” Morgana said. “I’m fairly light, but…well…I don’t take to water too well.”

“I’ll do it,” Sumire offered.

Everyone was shocked. “You will?” Ann said.

Sumire nodded. “I’m fairly light, but I’m also quick and nimble. I think I have the best shot at this.”

“Are you sure?” Ren asked.

“Yes,” Sumire said, smiling. “I know it’ll be alright, because I trust you all.”

Ren smiled. “Right. Of course.” She sighed.

Sumire chuckled. “It’s OK. I know you worry because you care.”

“Yeah,” Ren admitted.

“Is there anything else?” Haru asked.

“I think that’s about as much as we can glean for now,” Futaba said.

“Well then,” Makoto said, “I suggest we go see sis put on a show.” Everyone nodded, and they headed out.

In the courtroom, the thieves had assembled. “Woah,” Ryuji remarked. “This place seems imposing…”

“I get that it’s meant to be a little imposing,” Yusuke said, “and by technicality, we are criminals, but it does seem a bit much.”

“Remember,” Makoto said. “The system isn’t 100% fair.”

“Yeah,” Lena said. “Although, I guess the justice system all across the world needs improvement.”

“And I think we should advocate for such improvement,” Ren said. “But right now, we can’t vote, so our voices don’t have as much of an impact just yet. So let’s just do what we came here to do and bring about change as…well, you know.”

“Right,” Lena said.

“So, what’s the trial about anyway?” Sumire asked.

“I believe it’s for a government official who has been embezzling funds,” Makoto said.

“Gah! What a piece of shit,” Ryuji noted. “Hoarding our money like that?”

“I know how you feel,” Ann said, “but maybe we should remain calm. We don’t want to get kicked out before it starts.”

“I know…” Ryuji said.

“I think it’s about to begin!” Haru said.

Sae walked in the room. “Um, will she notice us?” Jose said.

“Yeah, we do need to make sure we are seen,” Sumire said.

“Don’t worry,” Makoto said. “I told her I was coming. I’m sure she’ll notice you all too.”

“Even me?” Morgana said.

“Probably,” Makoto said.

Sae glanced over at the audience. She did a double-take when she saw Makoto. “Oh, that’s right. She said she was watching. Hmmm. Who’s she sitting by?” She glanced over the rest of the troupe. “Hmmm.”

“All rise,” the bailiff called out. Sae didn’t have time to ponder any further. She had a job to do. But once she was done, she could focus her full attention on The Phantom Thieves.

The trial didn’t take too long. It was a fairly open and shut case, and Sae was on top of her game. The thieves watched the whole trial, and still had enough time to slip into Sae’s palace. Once they were back in, Ren said “Alright everyone, are you ready?” They all nodded. “Good. Let’s go.” They headed in.

On the elevator ride up, Ryuji noted. “Wow Queen. Your sis was UNRELENTING! I think we need to prepare ourselves even more if we’re going to fight her.”

“What makes you think we’ll fight her?” Makoto asked. “Remember, the director’s presence here will probably make their move as well. We might spend more time focusing on him.”

“Besides,” Futaba added, “it’s not like you fought me when I was both the Palace Ruler and the Crusader.”

“I guess that’s true,” Ryuji said.

“I think we still need to be careful,” Sumire said. “Yours and her circumstances are a bit different.”

“I agree,” Yusuke said. “It wouldn’t surprise me if we had to fight her, at least for a bit.”

Makoto frowned. “Hey,” Ren said. Makoto looked up. “She’ll end up for the better because of this. We’re here to make sure of that.”

Makoto smiled. “Right.”

They arrived at the Exclusive Member’s Suit, nary a blockade in sight. “Let’s go,” Ren instructed. Everyone stepped off, and headed out.

Morgana glanced around. “Hmmmmmmm.”

“Something on your mind, Mona-chan?” Haru asked.

“I think I sense the last Will Seed,” Morgana replied.

“Already?” Yusuke asked.

“The signal is weak though,” Morgana explained. “I think we ought to get our bearings first before we explore.”

“Well, there appears to be a kiosk straight ahead,” Jose said. “Let’s see what they have.” They walked over.

Ren went up to talk to the manager behind the desk. “Hello, good sir.”

“Hello,” the manager replied. “By the way, as a welcoming gift to the Exclusive Member’s Suit, I hereby offer you an extra 1,000 Fashion Points.”

“Oh. Sweet!” Ren said. “I don’t suppose we could meet with Miss Niijima as well, could we?” she asked.

“Well, her office is just beyond the door above me,” the manager said. “But she doesn’t meet with just anyone.”

“Well, we aren’t just anyone,” Ren said.

“Oh my,” the manager said. “You talk a big game, but talk is cheap. I suggest you see what’s beyond the door and then come back>.

“Very well,” Ren said. She instructed her team to follow her, and they made their way up to the door.

On the other side, they saw a set of scales. “What is that?!” Makoto yelped.

“Are those scales?” Yusuke wondered.

“Or is it a bridge?” Jose wondered.

“I think it’s both scales and a bridge!” Ann exclaimed.

“So, how do we access the bridge part of it?” Ryuji asked.

“I think I see something over here,” Sumire said, pointing to a vanity.

Everyone closed in on it. “Hmmm,” Ren said. “It seems like we need 100,000 Fashion Points to make it through.”

“That’s CRAZY!” Morgana shouted. “We spent all of that time and effort to get half as much!”

“Is there a way for you to hack it, Oracle?” Lena asked.

“Ummm, I don’t think so?” Futaba said.

"Oh yeah," Lena said. "It's a vanity, not a computer."

“Well, we just have to get more Fashion Points,” Yusuke relented.

“Right,” Haru said. “And we are in the Exclusive Member’s Suit. I think we might have an opportunity to get more points quicker.”

“Couldn’t we just do the things we already rigged?” Ryuji asked.

“I think they’ll catch on to that quickly,” Makoto said.

“Besides, we should always be on the move,” Jose said.

“Also, I imagine it’d be faster to get more points on this floor, as opposed to keeping going,” Ann said.

Ryuji sighed. “Fine.”

Ren smirked. “Let’s head back to the desk and see what we have here.” They left, and headed back to the kiosk.

“I take it you understand now?” the manager asked upon their return.

“Correct,” Ren said. “Now, what are the attractions on this floor?”

“Of course,” the manager said. “Over there is our Heels Training Room, and over there is the Battle Arena.”

“The Battle Arena?” Ren wondered.

The manager nodded. “That is the most difficult part of this Fashion Show. I would suggest doing Heels Training first.”

Ren nodded. “Very well.” She regrouped with the others. “Did you catch that?”

“Yeah…” Ryuji said. “And I don’t care what he says, I think a Battle Arena is WAY less difficult than Heels Training.”

“I concur!” Futaba said. “And I’m not even a fighter!”

“Well, as much as you might think that,” Makoto said, “I don’t think they would lie to us.”

“Besides, if you need any help, I’m an old hand,” Ann said.

“Me too,” Haru said.

“Is it too late to go back and stack the money in the games we already rigged?” Ryuji asked.

“I’d say so,” Lena said, reluctantly.

“Figures,” Ryuji said.

“Hold it!” Morgana said. “Before we do anything, there’s still the matter of the Will Seed.”

“Oh right,” Jose said.

“The signal disappeared when we went out to the bridge,” Morgana explained. “So it HAS to be in here. But it’s still faint.

“Well, what if it’s up?” Sumire suggested.

“Up?” Morgana wondered.

“That’s right,” Sumire said. “I mean, last time it was faint, the Will Seed was up.”

“Huh. I guess that’s possible,” Morgana said.

“So, now all we need is a way to get up,” Yusuke said.

“Shouldn’t be too hard,” Ren said. “Let’s look around.” The Thieves looked around for a bit, before climbing on some pillars, and then finding a spot to grapple up to. Once there, they took to the rafters, eventually finding a vent to crawl through.

On the other side, they saw the last Will Seed Door, as well as a powerful shadow guarding it. “So, this is it, huh,” Makoto remarked.

“We’ll finally see what cultivated this palace in the first place,” Futaba noted.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Haru asked.

“Positive,” Makoto said. “I don’t want any regrets.”

“I understand,” Haru said.

“Well, now that our resolve is steeled,” Ren said, “all we have to do is get past this guy. You ready?”

“HELL YEAH!” Ryuji cheered.

“Let’s do this!” Makoto said.

They approached the powerful-looking shadow. “Oh dear. This place is off limits.”

“We’re thieves!” Futaba said. “We don’t care about your rules!”

“Hm. Well then, I suppose it’s my job to MAKE you care!” the shadow said. The Phantom Thieves and the Shadow battled. While this was their first encounter in the palace for today, the shadow came out swinging. Still, the thieves managed to eke out a victory.

“Now that that’s taken care of…” Ren said. She cut the vines and opened the door.

Everyone pooled in, as Ren grabbed the last Will Seed. The voices started playing. “NO!” shouted Nobuyuki.

“Why not?!” Sae shouted back.

“That escalated quickly,” Ann noted.

“I don’t trust the man!” Nobuyuki said.

“You think I do?!” Sae said.

“You trust him enough to betray your ideals,” Nobuyuki said.

“I’m not betraying my ideals!” Sae said. “I believe there is good in the world, and that our justice system needs reform. I can do that from the inside!”

Nobuyuki sighed. “I know being a prosecutor is more lucrative than being a defense attorney. But like I said, I don’t trust him!”

“Do you trust me?” Sae asked, snidely.

“Yeowch!” Lena said.

“It’s not a matter of trusting you,” Nobuyuki said. “A parent’s job is to make sure their child doesn’t get hurt.”

“Well guess what?!” Sae snapped. “I’m not a child anymore!”

“Then why are you acting like one?” Nobuyuki shot back.

“Hooooooo boy,” Ryuji said.

“That’s rich, coming from you,” Sae said. “How many times have you said the words ‘Night Raider’ this week?”

“Hey!” Futaba protested. “Night Raider is for all ages!”

“That’s different,” Nobuyuki said.

“I’m taking the job!” Sae insisted.

Nouyuki sighed once again. “Alright, fine. If you won’t listen to reason… I won’t even say ‘Told you so’ when he inevitably undermines you.”

“You don’t trust me,” Sae said.

“I never said that,” Nobuyuki said.

“You just did!” Sae insisted. “You think he’ll get the drop on me. You don’t have faith that I’ll be the one to get the drop on him.”

“That’s not me disparaging you,” Nobuyuki said. “The man is a crafty, remorseless, cur! He’d shoot a kid in the face if it meant saving his own skin.”

“Hm,” Sae grunted. “If this is the mind of a brilliant detective, then I pray for the safety of our citizens.”

“You know I’m right,” Nobuyuki said. Silence. “Like I said, I’m not going to stop you. But just think carefully, you know? I don’t want you in over your head.”

Sae sighed. “I’m sorry.” That’s where the voices ended.

“That…was a lot,” Sumire said.

“Were you aware of this conversation beforehand?” Yusuke asked.

“No,” Makoto said. “I mean, I knew my dad wasn’t enthusiastic when my sister said she was going to work for the SIU. But I didn’t know it got to this point.”

“It sounds like your father really hated the SIU director,” Jose pointed out.

“Has that always been the case?” Lena asked.

“I don’t know,” Makoto said. “I know he didn’t like him, but I don’t know if that was always the case, or if that was a later development.”

“Well,” Ren said, “whatever the case, I think I can hazard a guess as to what’s coming next. Are you ready?”

Makoto sighed. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” Makoto said.

Ren nodded. She fused all the Will Seeds together, forming The Crystal of Envy. It began projecting a video. The video showed Sae looking at a memorial shrine for her father. The only light was the moon shining through the windows. Sae had a sad look on her face. “Well, it looks like you won’t even get a chance to say ‘told you so’ to not take.” Tears fell from her face. “Why?! Why did this have to happen?! I’m sorry! I know I can’t be you! But I will do my best! I will protect Makoto! I will protect the innocent! I will try harder than ever to bring about a better world for all!”

She sniffled. “But in order for me to do so, I will have to go to Hell and back. The people who killed you…they aren’t going to be caught by conventional methods. So I need to bide my time and make sure I can take every opportunity to seize power. I know it’s not like you, or mom, but I can’t let what happened to you happen again.” She smirked. “And when I’m in control, I won’t let it.”

The video ended. “Well…” Makoto said. “I can’t say I’m familiar with that moment either.”

“It was night,” Sumire said. “Perhaps you were sleeping.”

“Most likely,” Makoto said. “Sis isn’t one to show weakness like that in front of others.”

“Well, in any case,” Yusuke said, “it seems very apparent what caused your sister to follow this trajectory.”

“I mean…” Lena said. “I can’t say her ideals aren’t good, but…”

Makoto nodded. “You’re right. She even said herself, she was going through Hell. So let’s work on dragging her out of it!”

“Well said,” Ren said. “But first, we need more fashion points!”

“Why couldn’t this give us any?” Ryuji said.

“Be grateful,” Morgana said. “That Will Seed replenished our power, and we needed that after taking on that powerful shadow.”

“I guess you’re right,” Ryuji said. “Let’s roll!” The thieves left the Will Seed area, and headed back to the main area in the Exclusive Member’s Suite.

They headed towards the Heels Training Room. Futaba read the placard once more. “‘Heels Training Room Rules: Participants will be made to wear heels and traverse a darkened maze. It costs 1,000 Fashion Points to begin, but if you make it out, you get 10,000 Fashion Points.”

“Woah!” Ryuji said. “That’s a lot.”

“I agree,” Haru said. “I suppose the floor is high risk, high reward.”

“So, we just do this a few times?” Jose asked.

“I think once is more than enough,” Futaba said.

“Well, we still have to investigate the battle arena,” Sumire pointed out. “Why don’t we keep this as a back up?”

“Fair enough,” Yusuke said.

“Are you ready to strut your stuff?” Ren said.

“I guess…” Morgana said.

“Then let’s head in,” Ren instructed. They headed into the Heels Training room.

Upon entry, they saw a manager at the gate. “I take it you’re here to participate?”

“Of course!” Ren said.

“That’ll be 1,000 Fashion Points,” the manager said.

“Here you go!” Ren said.

“Very good,” the manager said. “Now, step through the gate. Once you enter the door, you’ll be in the maze. Once you reach the other side, you’ll receive your prize.”

“Thank you,” Ren siad. The Phantom Thieves nervously stepped through the gate. Once they got on the other side, they felt a strange sensation. Pairs of metallic 3-inch heels magically manifested themselves on their feet. “Oh my!”

“This feels weird,” Ann said.

“Is this not normal?” Ryuji said.

“I think it’s about the right height for a normal set of heels,” Haru said. “I think the shoes are just heavy.”

Sumire clicked her heels. “Not only that, but they’re kind of loud as well.”

“And we’ll be in the dark,” Morgana said.

“Welp, it’s too late now!” Ren said. “We already paid.”

“I guess the only way out is through, huh,” Lena said. The thieves entered the maze.

They were greeted by total darkness. “Why am I not surprised?” Ryuji said.

Futaba had some trouble maintaining her balance. “Woah!”

“I gotcha!” Yusuke said, steadying her.

“Thanks Inari,” Futaba said. She cleared her throat. “As if walking around in these wasn’t bad enough, I sense a bunch of shadows in the area.”

“I think the reason they’re this loud is to attract said shadows,” Jose said.

“While that may be true,” Makoto pointed out, “there’s also the idea of women both needing to wear them to be more feminine, while at the same time getting discriminated against for it. You can hear heels walking down the hall, and you already know you’re going to be talking with a woman. I remember reading somewhere that even when applicants for an orchestra were going in for a blind audition, people could still pick out the women because of their heels.”

“Not to mention they aren’t the easiest things to walk in,” Haru added. “While I am used to them, it is something you need to get used to.”

“And I take it THAT’S the function of this room,” Ren said.

“Trial by fire,” Lena surmised.

“Welp!” Ryuji said. “Let’s just find the end of this maze and get this over with.”

“Um, try not to rush,” Haru said. “It’s possible to run in heels, but you need to walk before you can run.” Ryuji sighed.

They started making their way through the maze. The heels definitely proved difficult, even for those who were more used to them. Attracting and then fighting the shadows as much as they did didn’t help either. There was a point where they thought they found an exit, but the door was locked. After some more venturing, and with as much sneakiness as they could afford, they managed to find the exit.

Once they exited, Ryuji remarked. “I never want to do that again.”

“Ugh, me either,” Futaba said. “Is the room spinning, or is that just me?”

“I think that’s just you,” Yusuke said. “Although perhaps getting a taste of this spinning room would make for a good art piece.”

“I kind of liked it,” Jose said.

Ann chuckled. “Do you want to try on some heels back in the real world?”

“Maybe,” Jose said.

“YOU!” an ominous voice shouted. The thieves turned to see a shadow. “You weren’t supposed to actually make it!”

“Well tough,” Ren said. “We made it through your maze, and looked good doing it!”

“Well, it’ll be the last time you look good,” the shadow said. “Because I’m going to beat you black and blue!” He readied his stance.

“So, you never intended on giving us the Points, huh?” Makoto said.

“NOPE!” the shadow replied.

“Well, in that case, we’ll just have to take them!” Haru declared. The thieves fought the powerful shadow at the end of the maze. Surprisingly, they had an easy time, since they had been practicing how to fight in heels in the maze. Once the shadow was defeated, the heels magically shattered, and they gained their Fashion Points.

“So, I’m thinking that even if we wanted to,” Lena said, “I doubt they’d let us do the maze again.”

“Fine by me!” Futaba said.

“Hm hm,” Haru chuckled. “You were getting the hang of it by the end. Maybe you can come over to my place and practice sometime.”

“I’m not ready to go back,” Futaba said.

“Well then, let’s move forward,” Ren said. The group moved on to the Battle Arena.

They stopped, and Futaba once again read the plaque outside the facility. “‘Battle Arena: A series of fights to determine who is the best. The challenger only sends in one person, while the champion may send in as many combatants as they want. The cost of entry for the challenger is 10,000 Fashion Points, but if they win, they get 100,000 Fashion Points. Audience Members may also place bets on who will win. The champion’s rate is 1:1, while the challenger’s rate is 23:0. Current Champion: Sae Niijima.’”

“What?” Ryuji said. “This makes the least sense of all the attractions we’ve seen so far.”

“Actually…” Makoto interjected. “This is the most direct one yet.”

“How do you figure?” Yusuke asked.

“Well, my sister is always muttering stuff about how as a woman she has to work twice as hard to earn half the respect,” Makoto clarified. “I assume her being the champion represents the countless hours of blood, sweat, and tears she put in to get the position she has. Maybe even the position she foresees herself being in.”

Haru pouted. “I believe I overheard my father talking about something similar once. He was discussing the idea of arranging my marriage because he was afraid that the business world would be cruel to me.”

“Noir…” Morgana said.

“Gah, that sucks,” Ryuji said.

“Yeah…” Ann said. “But did you hear? We’ll get enough Fashion Points to cross the bridge!”

“Hm,” Makoto chuckled. “You’re right. The best we can do for now is keep our eye on the ball.”

“But, um, who will enter as the challenger?” Jose said.

“I think that’s obvious,” Morgana said.

Ren chuckled. “You know me too well.”

“Well, Joker is the leader,” Lena said.

“Not only that,” Futaba said, “but her combat skills are unique amongst our ranks.”

“Well then,” Morgana said, “let’s head inside.” Everyone nodded and went in.

Ren walked up to the desk. “Hey there.”

“Hello,” the manager said. “Are you here to challenge the area?”

Ren nodded. “That’s correct.”

“Hm,” the manager smirked. “A bold choice. You know this won’t be easy.”

“Nothing worth fighting for is,” Ren retorted.

“Very well,” the manager said. “I will require 10,000 Fashion Points.”

“Here you go,” Ren said.

The manager took the points. “Excellent. One more question: What do you want it to say on your tombstone?”

“Bold of you to assume I’m going to lose,” Ren shot back.

“Famous last words,” the manager said. They opened the gate. “Go on in.” Ren nodded, careful not to say a word. Instead, she gave a thumbs up to her crew.

The rest of the thieves went to the stands to watch the fight. Ren was standing in the middle of the arena. An announcer’s voice rang out over. “Good evening everyone! How are we doing tonight?!”

“Riko?” Makoto wondered.

The voice of this palace's version of Riko continued. “We have a special match for you tonight! This Phantom Thief thinks they can take on the trial of the champion to topple her!’ There was booing from the rest of the crowd.

“Hey, that’s not fair!” Morgana said.

“YOU GO JOKER!” Futaba shouted.

Riko chuckled. “But fret not! Miss Niijima is the champion for a reason! This kid has no idea what kind of Hell she’s been through! So, let’s start the festivities, shall we? I’m thinking three rounds, each tougher than the last!” Two Ganesha appeared. The crowd started booing again.

“KICK THEIR ASSES, JOKER!” Ann called out.

“YEAH! GIVE ‘EM ONE FOR ME!” Ryuji added. Ren nodded.

“And BEGIN!” Riko shouted. The battle commenced. It was a tough battle, especially since Ren was fighting alone, but she managed to make it through the first round.

“I don’t believe it!” Riko shouted. “The Phantom Thief actually made it past the first round! Well, that just shows that we’ve always underestimated them. Round two!” Three Rangda appeared.

“DON’T LET THEM WIN!” Yusuke shouted.

“YEAH, YOU’RE BETTER THAN ALL OF THEM!” Jose yelled. Ren cracked her neck.

“And BEGIN!” Riko shouted. The second round was off. Without much breathing room, things were getting hectic for Ren. However, she managed to overcome the odds and win the fight.

“The Phantom Thief actually SURVIVED round two?!” Riko said. “Hm. No matter. NOBODY but SAE has made it past round three. EVER!”

“Someone’s desperate,” Morgana noted. A single Thor appeared.

“How come only one enemy this time?” Jose wondered.

“It might only be one,” Futaba said, “but they are tougher than the first two combined!”

“YOU CAN DO IT JOKER!” Haru shouted.

“YOU’VE OVERCOME WORSE!” Lena assured. Ren took a deep breath.

“BEGIN!” Riko shouted. The match started. Just as Futaba noticed, the match was rough. Ren was getting some good hits in, but so was the Thor. Between that and Ren having to face the previous two rounds was a lot to bear. She was struggling to stay on her feet.

Sumire then shouted. “YOU CAN WIN!” Ren looked up. “I KNOW YOU CAN WIN! YOU SAVED ME! YOU CAN DO ANYTHING!”

“SHE’S RIGHT!” Makoto said. “YOU ARE STRONGER THAN MY SISTER! YOU CAN DO THIS!”

Ren smiled. She channeled all her energy into a swing of her dagger. Twirling through the air, she sliced the Thor. Just as she was at her limit, the Thor was at his. He bled out, and then fell to the ground in defeat!”

The audience was stunned silent. Meanwhile, The Phantom Thieves cheered immensely. “Hm,” Riko said, over the speakers. “As much as it pains me to say it, The Phantom Thief won the challenge!” The thieves in the stand cheered some more, while Ren let out a sigh of relief.

As everyone met with Ren after she left the area, the manager approached her and said “Well, it looks like I’ll be eating crow tonight. Here are your 100,000 Fashion Points.” He gave her the points.

“Thanks,” Ren said.

“Shall we lower the bridge now?” Futaba asked.

“Give me a minute,” Ren said. “That was exhausting. But your guys’ cheers got me through it.”

Sumire giggled. “Of course. We are a team after all.”

“Hm. Yeah,” Ren agreed. They took a quick break to let Ren catch her breath before heading to the bridge.

Once there, they looked at the bridge once more. “I believe that the treasure is on the other side,” Makoto said.

“So all we have to do is deposit our Fashion Points, and we’ll be set,” Yusuke said. The team nodded, and headed toward the vanity.

“Not so fast!” Sae’s twin voices rang out.

“What now?!” Morgana said.

“You’ve managed to gather a respectable amount of Fashion Points!” Sae said.

“However,” Shadow Sae interjected, “We cannot let you through.”

“WHAT?!” Ryuji said. “Why not?!”

“Because,” Sae said, “then you’d have a chance to win. And We can’t allow that!”

“Hence,” Shadow Sae said, “from here on, the toll to activate the bridge shall be 1,000,000 Fashion Points!”

“Hey!” Ann shouted. “That’s not fair!”

“You’ve been up and down this Fashion Show, have you not?” Shadow Sae said. “The whole point is that it’s unfair!”

“However,” Sae said, “once We capture you, We will bring about Our New World Order! The weak shall become the rulers, while the elite will be nothing but worms!”

“We have a similar goal!” Jose called out. “If you let us help you, we can-!”

“We’re sorry,” Shadow Sae said. “What makes you think We’d align ourselves with the people destroying the nation?!”

“A valiant effort Sunshine,” Yusuke said. “But alas, it’s futile.”

“Yes,” Sae said. “Resistance is futile!”

“Hm hm hm,” came a chuckle. The thieves looked behind them to see Eris. “Well this is quite a pickle.”

“Eris!” Makoto said.

“The one and only,” Eris replied. “It looks like you need help crossing the bridge.”

“Hey, what’s the big idea?!” Sae shouted. “I thought you were on Our side?!”

“Yeah, what gives?” Shadow Sae asked.

Eris chuckled. “Of course I’m on your side. But if you won’t fight fair, then I have to intervene. Unless you’re afraid that you’ll lose?”

There was a pause. Both Saes then called out. “We’re not afraid!”

“Very well,” Eris said. She started drawing her rapier.

“Hold it!” Haru said, pointing to Eris. “I’m afraid we don’t need your help.”

“I beg your pardon?” Eris said.

“We only need 1,000,000 Fashion Points, correct?” Haru said. “Well, it just so happens that we have them!”

“What do you mean?” Shadow Sae said.

“Hm,” Haru smirked, holding up a second card.

“Is that the Taro Tanaka card?!” Futaba yelped.

“That’s correct,” Haru said. “I know you told me to throw it out, but I decided to hang onto it. And then the kiosk manager on the floor told us about the program when they would lend us up to the total amount of Fashion Points we had, I decided to take advantage of that. After exiting the Heels Training room, I borrowed 10,000 to match the amount I had just received and then bet on Joker in the arena, netting me a total of 460,000.”

“Still not enough!” Sae barked.

“That may be true at that point, but while Joker was catching her breath, I returned the 10,000 I had borrowed, and then borrowed the total amount of the rest. Which puts me at a grand total of 910,000 Fashion Points. And combined with the Shinji Nakanomatsu card, we have over 1,000,000.” She transferred the amount to Ren’s card. “Joker, would you do the honors?!” Ren smiled, nodded, and deposited the Fashion Points, lowering the bridge.

“Alright!” Ann said.

“But, um, what about paying it back?” Ryuji said.

“Skull,” Jose answered. “We’re thieves.”

“Oh yeah,” Ryuji said.

“That was impressive Noir!” Lena said.

“Indeed,” Makoto said. “You have to get up pretty early to outsmart my sister.”

“Hm hm,” Haru chuckled. “Don’t underestimate the future of Okumura Foods!”

“Well damn,” Eris said. “I guess you don’t need me after all. Unless…?”

“Fuck off,” Joker said.

“Hm hm. As you command,” Eris said. She disappeared.

“So,” Sae interjected. “You’re going to stand against Us?”

“We don’t have to,” Ren answered.

“HA!” Shadow Sae replied. “Fat Chance!”

“I’m surprised you tried the same trick that Eris tried on you,” Sae said. “You should have known it would be just as fruitless.”

Ren smirked. “The dice are still in the air. I think our efforts will bear fruit. Maybe wait until the dice have stopped moving until rendering judgment.”

“Hm,” Sae pouted. “Well the only thing stopping you from here on is US! So don’t get too comfortable just yet!” The speaker shut off.

“That was something…” Sumire said. “But we’re here now.”

Ren nodded. “Now, let’s cross the bridge.” Everyone else nodded, and they crossed the bridge together.

On the other side, they passed through the door to see the treasure on a pedestal encased in glass. “So, this is the treasure, huh,” Morgana noted.

Sumire knocked on it. “It seems like ordinary glass to me.”

“And there’s nothing guarding it,” Yusuke noted. “How peculiar.”

“Well, she wasn’t expecting us to make it here,” Ann said.

“Still, we can never be too careful,” Noir said.

“Yeah,” Jose said. “It sounds like Sae isn’t going to go down without a fight.”

“There’s also the matter of the director,” Futaba said. “He’s probably going to make his move when we make ours.”

“Regardless,” Makoto said, “we have our route secured. All we need to do now is prepare ourselves. We can’t walk out of this empty-handed.”

“Hm,” Ren smirked. “Couldn’t have said it better myself. The thieves turned, and headed out, leaving the palace for the night.

[dot-cant-write]

A Different Chord - Sammy Lawrence x Reader (Part Eight)

I apologize. I know. I’m sorry, this chapter is Not Good but the next one is a little better. It’s already mostly written I just didn’t know how to write to get there.

“Wally?” You asked, peeking your head into the Art Department. You’d been searching for the janitor all afternoon after your talk with Sammy. It was nearly closing time and you still hadn’t seen him.

Finally, you made your way to Story. Lo and behold, Wally Franks was cleaning up in the middle of the room. Two employees- both around your age -walked past you and down the hall. You heard them discussing something about ink and a machine in hushed voices. “Keep asking questions, Buddy,” the girl with cat-eye glasses told the other.

You moved forward into Storyboarding. “Wally, I’ve been looking for you everywhere. The weirdest thing happened-“

Wally immediately perked up. “Oh yeah? Spill the beans, (Y/N).”

You explained what happened in Sammy’s office. Wally let out a low whistle.

“Did ya consider that he likes you? What have I been sayin’ this whole time?”

“Wally! This isn’t something he does. He’s been giving me lessons for almost a year now, and I have never seen him act this way.”

Wally tapped his chin thoughtfully. He the shrugged. “Dunno, but we should find out.”

You rolled your eyes. “Duh, Wally, that’s what I was getting at.”

Your best friend grinned innocently. “Of course it was, heh. So… Go find him an ask what’s going on!”

“You just want me to walk up and ask? After what happened?”

“Yeah?”

“…Fine. But I’m waiting until Monday.”

Wally shrugged. “Fair enough I guess.”

You gave Wally a strained smile, but had a dreadful feeling that your talk with Sammy wasn’t going to go very well.

————————————————————————

Sammy’s POV:

Sammy Lawrence wasn’t feeling very good. It might’ve been the ink he drank, but, y’know, it happens.

But he was feeling so sick, he had to cancel the last recording session of the afternoon.

Now, he was locked in his sanctuary- every artist needs one, after all. But right now, he wasn’t using it to get work done in some peace and quiet. Instead, he was hoping that no one could hear the sounds of him retching through the walls.

His wastebasket hugged close to his chest, the composer puked again. Black ink.

Sammy wiped his mouth with his sleeve, feeling nauseous. But a longing feeling inside him grew. Maybe- maybe he just needed more. Maybe then he’d feel better.

He hastily reached for the ink well sitting on his desk, praying to anyone that would listen that this would make him feel better.

…

It didn’t. His body was rejecting the toxic substance, and yet something kept making him drink the ink. It wasn’t a good weekend for him.

On Monday morning, he looked awful and felt worse. He got to Joey Drew Studios early, hoping he could get some sleep. He did not.

[valeriefauxnom]

Phares: How Possessed Was He?

Ah, Phares. He's admittedly something of a bias of mine in the royal family despite his overall very small screen presence. I just like the science man, I guess! But the big revelation in the later chapters had me wondering for a long time the title of this post: how much agency did Phares have with the Progenitor? This probably won't lead to much of a definite conclusion or smoking gun answer, but hey, I'll try to observe things as I go and let you judge my words' quality.

As always with me it seems, very long post ahead...There's, uh, lot to cover and moments to cite in this one for me to properly build my case here!

Phares is first mentioned in chapter 2, where he is remarked by Euden indirectly to be 'good' and an 'incredible person' who works as Court Alchemist in the castle, researching all kinds of things. Now, Euden is something of a biased narrator when it comes to his siblings, but when it comes to describing basic traits of Phares, this is what he has to say in chapter 7, even after some of the 'perfect sibling' worship magic has worn off:

"He's a gentle man, and a lover of science." I personally feel this is a fair assessment that isn't too stained by bias. This is how Euden knows Phares in his limited encounters: kind, loves science. Heck, this seems to be corroborated by Gala Leif when he reminisces on serving the royal family and recalls Phares apologizing for turning Leif into a servant boy when fetching things for him.

And he largely lives up to this in chapter 7. He's the only one of the elder siblings to really try to step in and shield Emile from consequences out of affection, as Leo and Chelle have pretty much given up on him, but he does so because of familial fondness, 'because he's my brother.' (Emile almost seems to latch onto him through chapter 10 and even into the Blood that Binds as a sibling that would protect him without immediate mockery, as an aside) He largely is also very polite and...kind?

-He immediately notes he's pleased Euden is well

-Immediately clarifies that he is technically aligned with Dyrenell as a general instead of stringing along Euden's initial belief that he wouldn't join forces with it to gain something/manipulate

-"Heh heh. Dauntless in the face of unknown danger, eh? That's the little brother I know and love."

In general, his actions, -while wrong, -he converses with fond, polite speech to everyone, complimenting Mym's wisdom before eventually praying that 'next time they would not meet as foes'. It's at odds with his overall demeanor that suggests he previously wouldn't be one to endanger others, but not to the extent it's immediately strikingly out of character seeing as it is his introduction. It more reads that Euden might have overestimated his bro's kindness level and underestimated the 'mad scientist' level.

But then comes chapter 13. Largely, he's still the same, 'polite even when attempting murder' Phares, greeting them warmly and introducing Beren. Then comes this exchange, where Euden confronts Phares on this sudden change in willingness to attempt harm to him and other bystanders in the path to science:

There's...a lot to say here, and this is a big part of the larger claim I'll be making. Again, he leads with his kindness, "I am grateful". Then a claim Phares makes no distinguishment between good and evil and finds moralizing inherently useless. Keep that in mind.

I'll also note that about this point, Phares is doing a lot in the background, and knows quite a bit more. He releases Beren, holds meetings with his similarly-aged siblings...he also establishes that he does know Euden is fake, and is aware Nedrick is head of the Agito and is the 'real' 7th Scion. When exactly he learned this, I dunno. But still interesting if he has known it for some time.

Then comes chapters 21-23, where the Progenitor makes their official debut as Phares. First, the Progenitor seems to be in complete control of Phares, painting him as dead and gone in soul and mocking Audric with it all the while. Notably, to me, it almost reads like there's a bit of a 'dropping of the mask' in the Progenitor's wording in the scene "Father and Child". He starts polite, even addressing Nedrick as 'sir', and complimenting Audric's blow, but suddenly shifts into cold mockery of what used to be there, who he used to be. This continues to the next scene, wherein he makes remarks like, "And here I thought simpering over ideals was part of the Euden special" that would be very out of place for Phares, who, even when sending things to possibly kill him, more took on a cheerleader 'yaaay bro, you can do it, don't let my monsters kill you!' encouragement style.

But Beren has been noticing this, too. Beren actually seemed to be developing something of actual brotherly love for Phares, and Phares seemed to return it all the while. So after the Progenitor dropped the mask, he notes it.

Also notable is the sudden confusion into Phares' reference of self, as evidenced by the ? in his name. He starts interchangeably referring to himself as both from Phares' perspective and the Progenitor (ex: 'I will free the Progenitor vs. 'I am almost freed'), sometimes even confused in the same sentence!

(Honestly please go read "The puppet and the door", "Vessels of the Mark", and "Family" again to play a game of 'who's speaking that?' with Phares...) Ahem. Anyways, Phares is quite a bit colder to Beren as well, expressing that he needs only move according to his will and is effectively a tool even as he serves as Phares' right hand. This seems to cause some hesitation in Beren.

But then, as we know, Phares reasserts control for a moment, stating that 'it's been some time' to Euden, and otherwise imploring the family to kill him. Of course, we also now know Phares survives and lives past the chapter, now completely free of the Progenitor. And oh boy, more material here yet to uncover. First, a return to his kind sibling behavior, immediately trying to stop Euden from pushing himself, to promising to see Alberia and its people safe before exiting the main campaign, stage left.

But there's more, as evidenced by The Blood that Binds and Phares' own adventurer story. Again, he acts more consistently with his chapter 7 self than not, yadda yadda, but there's this interesting tidbit in his lines...

Hm. Here's where I get to the actual thesis of this post. This is a subtle but big shift from even his chapter 13 thoughts. Previously he held that 'there is no good or evil. period', but now he's almost making a more morally demanding (philosophically, anyways) 'there is good and evil, but they are dependent on the situation' claim. It's not exactly a unique stance to acknowledge the gray areas in morality, but to nonetheless have a moral sense with this claim means a great deal of thinking and consideration when trying to determine whether something is 'good' or 'bad' if one guides one's self not through moral absolutes but by the situation.

Now, we know the Progenitor's big talent when it comes to possessions is taking the same person, and warping them. Corrupting them, not so they make a huge shift in personality, but one two steps to the left, then one more, and another...Take Au!Euden, who seemed to possess the same drives of saving everyone and stopping suffering, but the Progenitor exploited and turned into 'when there is no free will, there will be no more suffering'. He's acting on the same principles Euden did, but in a darker way.

This is what I think Phares is going through in the campaign, through time: a slow corruption of himself. Xenos expresses it himself, that his chosen tools are more under his influence the closer he is to actually returning. And I think, after looking at a truckload of Phares material we got (well, relative to Phares' presence), I can finally say I agree and can add the extra 'and when Phares is still Phares, in control, his personality is still shifted' tack-on to the end there.

I'd also like to harken back to his statements when freeing Beren and the fam: "I, however, believe he is not a secret, but a POSSIBILITY", "Revolution. Progress. Perhaps you might even call it 'creation'."

Hm. The Progenitor isn't exactly much for 'possibility' in any sense, nor is he one for 'creation' of new things or progress. This leads me to think Phares is still mostly in control at that stage, working for his own aims (and trying to shuck the Progenitor entirely, if this is about the time when he starts messing with an Alberius REPLICAAA- ahem, to offset his burden). But then comes Chapter 13, where the Progenitor, now emboldened by Beren's return, starts asserting more control.

I'm going to reinterpret this exchange under this idea, despite the fact the writers 99% likely were not setting up the Phares possession line this soon given the scattered writing in Dragalia (ex: I think I recall reading there were 3 writers that each did entirely different arcs on their own, then piecemealed dragalia's story together, explaining a lot of its randomness and shifts). Phares starts warm, thankful Euden is enduring. Then, when Euden calls Phares' personality shift, Phares pauses abruptly and awkwardly, then starts speaking in colder, more distant tones.

Could this have been the Progenitor going 'oh, darn, I guess this isn't what this body would do normally, huh? Gotta step in and start asserting my personality more, then, to start establishing a new character trend so this doesn't look too odd'. It may not be intended, but if it was, it's brilliant foreshadowing something's increasingly not right with the dude. I'm expressing myself poorly, but I think you get what I mean. Phares starts this conversation, Xenos ends it (or otherwise heavily influences Phares' point of view here). After all, Xenos doesn't seem to particularly care about 'good, evil' or any other philosophical concept like free will and all that, so it also would align with his personality. From there, it's a slow creep to the Sacred Tree, when the Progenitor's playing most of the time even though he's trying to keep up some of the Phares act, incorporating niceties and maintaining some fondness for Beren. Or maybe that's just shreds of Phares peeking through, I don't know.

I also look to Phares' adventurer story and quotes, wherein he seems very tied and strongly devoted to keeping his family alive and happy. He wants to be a good big brother, and it shows, in yet another reversal of his previous claim 'he' cares not for the well-being of the royal family.

Whatever the case, I think you're starting to get the overall idea I'm suggesting. Phares remarks that 'it's been a while' to Euden when he reasserts control. A while, not the years and years that it would have been if Phares truly was not himself for about a decade and a half as the Progenitor pretended. He could be referring to chapter 13, or even chapter 7, but either way, I think those are the last times we can largely pinpoint Phares moving on Phares' will, even if it is a corrupted one. After that, I think it starts shifting more and more to the Progenitor. In short: Chapters 7-13 are a 'Phares, but to the left' shift of himself as Au!Euden is in chapter 25, and largely after that increasingly the Progenitor.

I should cut it off here, though, since this is waaaaay too long to begin with, even though I could talk about it for ages.

What do you make of this entire essay, though? This all could just be some bias of my own peeking out, or do you think I might be onto something here? Please let me know, and thank you for reading this whopper of a post!

Fun fact, if you made it this far: Phares taught Chelle archeology (and also is skilled in ancient languages), and thus indirectly contributed to her rapid development bringing back manacasters! I just find the idea of Phares teaching Chelle how to dig about gravesites of ancient battle zones on a fun sibling trip while the rest of the guards just kinda stand there and shuffling nervously kinda funny!

[dialovers-translations]

Diabolik Lovers LOST EDEN ー Subaru Dark [06]

CHAPTER MASTERLIST

ー The scene starts on the balcony of the Sakamaki manor

Yui: ...He’s not here either.

( I wonder where Subaru-kun went...? )

( The only place I haven’t looked yet would be... )

ー The scene shifts to the night sky

Yui: ( He sometimes likes to spend time on the rooftop, doesn’t he...? )

Ah...

Subaru: You...Did you chase me all the way up here?

Yui: Sorry...But I was worried about you...

...Can I sit next to you?

Subaru: ...Do as you please.

Yui: Fufu, thanks.

ー Yui sits down next to him

Yui: It’s nice you got advice from Laito-kun earlier, isn’t it?

Subaru: Hah, as if.

It’s easy for him to say all those things ‘cause he isn’t in this position...

Yui: But I do believe that learning to make those powers yours will yield the best results.

I’ll also be there to help you learn to stabilize them...

So you can ask me anything, okay?

Subaru: ...Yui...

...Listen...

Whether it’s you or Laito...I kind of feel bad for...causin’ you guys trouble...

Yui: Subaru-kun...

*Rustle rustle*

On certain CGs, little black roses will appear on the screen. If you click on them, you get an extra line of dialogue.

“I’ve been thinking things over by myself...About which path to take...or what to do...”

“But I was kind of gettin’ stuck by myself...So I’m glad you came to talk to me...Only a lil’ though...!”

Subaru: ...

Yui: Look, you don’t have to apologize. 

You are loved by all of us, so we would never think of it as trouble. 

So don’t worry, okay?

Subaru: ...The fuck? Are you tryin’ to seduce me or somethin’?

Yui: Eh!? That wasn’t my intention...

Subaru: Too late for excuses now.

...Come on, close your eyes.

Yui: ( ... )

Selection

→ Close your eyes (❦)

ー Yui closes her eyes

Subaru: Heh. You’re bein’ surprisingly docile. 

Since you chose to close them willingly...I guess you were trying to entice me after all.

Yui: I-I wasn’t...!

( But I’d never say no to a kiss from him... )

Subaru: Oh come on, just shut up...

→ Move away

Yui: ( H-His face is so close...! )

Subaru: ...Oi, why are you tryin’ to step back?

ー Subaru grabs hold of her

*Thud* 

Subaru: You’re the one who brought this upon yourself, remember? Come on, close your eyes already.

Yui: O-Okay...

ー Yui closes her eyes

Subaru: ...Nn...

Yui: ...

???: Sorry to interrupt, but I believe you’ll have to continue some other time.

*Rustle rustle*

Subaru: ...Aah!?

Laito: My bad for ruining your moment~ But we’ve got ourselves somewhat of a sticky situation on our hands, you see.

Yui: What happened...?

Laito: ーー You see, it seems like the Vibora Clan has launched an attack on Eden.

Reiji will explain the situation to everyone, so he’s asking all of us to gather in the living room at once.

Subaru: ...!

Yui: ( Eden has been attacked...!? )

Monologue

ーー Eden has been attacked by the Vibora Clan

We were unable to hide our surprise,

at this abrupt news. 

The light of hope (光明) we saw for a split second,

once again extinguished as a result. 

I wonder what exactly,

waits ahead of us...?

While I could feel an indescribable sense of anxiety (不安),

well up from the very bottom of my heart,

both Subaru-kun and I decided to follow after Laito-kun.

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー

[mermaid--bride]

Diabolik Lovers || Dark Waters - Kazemi Vampire Ending

Warning: This chapter contains death.

Monologue

I thought I would forever be alone

I thought there was no future for me

That I was cursed to walk around the Earth causing pain to those around me

But in the end I actually found a family

People who will fight for me

People who will stand up for me through every situation...

And then there is him...

--Scene starts at the lake

*SWOOSH*

Goki: Tch!

*Trigger click, SHOOT*

*SWOOSH*

Kou: Kazemi!

*Trigger click, SHOOT*

*SWOOSH*

Kazemi: Ugh!

Ruki: Kazemi! Move to your right!

Kazemi: Eh? Ok!

*Trigger click, SHOOT*

*SWOOSH*

Goki: FUCK! GO DOWN ALREADY!!

Ruki: Kou! Yuma! Azusa! Move that way!

Kou: Yesh!

Yuma: Roger!

Azusa: Got it...!

*SHOOT*

*SWOOSH*

Kazemi: Haah... hah...

Ruki: Now! Get him!!

Goki: !!

*PHEW*

Kou: Stop waving that thing around!!

--Kou throws the gun away

Goki: NO!!

*Clink*

Kazemi: Kou!!

*Slash*

Kazemi: ARG!!

Kou: !!

Ruki: Tch!

*Slash*

Goki: GAH!!

Ruki: This will teach you to never mess with vampires again.

*Slash slash*

Goki: ...!

*Thud*

Ruki: Hah... It is finally over...

Kou: Kazemi...

Azusa: That is... a deep wound...

Ruki: It will take a while to heal. For now let us take her to the demon world with us.

Hopefully it will not take too long before she wakes up.

*Timeskip*

--Scene changes to a guest bedroom in the demon world

Kazemi: ... ... Nn...

Kou: Kazemi?

Kazemi: ... Kou... Where am I...?

Kou: In the demon world.

Kazemi: The demon world? Does that mean... we made it...?

Kou: Mhm! We made it!

Kazemi: And Goki...?

Kou: Dead as he should be.

Kazemi: ... I see...

(I’m glad... Everything is fine now...)

Kou... where are the others?

Kou: How rude... you wake up and first thing you ask about is the others?

Am I not enough for you?

Kazemi: That’s not what I meant! Of course you’re enough!

Kou: Ehh~? Fufufu

Now that is a nice answer, isn’t it?

Kazemi: (Geez! He’s impossible!!)

*Knock*

--Ruki comes in

Ruki: So she is finally awake.

Kazemi: Ruki?

Kou: Hey Ruki! Don’t just get in like that! We were in the middle of something, you know?

Ruki: Oh? My apologies. However it would probably wise to let her eat something before you start nagging her with your needs.

Kou: Eeeh!? That’s rude! I’m not nagging her!

Ruki: Kazemi, can you stand?

Kazemi: I’m not sure... I think so.

Ruki: Then quickly get up and come downstairs. The others are waiting for you.

I made mushroom stew to help you regain your strength.

Kazemi: Thank you.

*Timeskip*

--Scene changes to the balcony

Kazemi: (Everyone seem relieved that I woke up.)

(This is nice... It’s been a while since I’ve had anyone care about me like that.)

--Kou appears

Kou: Ah, there you are! I was wondering where you ran off to.

Kazemi: Kou... What is it?

Kou: Nothing~.

But you disappeared after dinner and I couldn't help but wonder if you finally decided to run away.

Kazemi: Why would I run away?

Kou: Who knows? We're not exactly the best people to be around are we?

Kazemi: Well I'm pretty happy being here with you guys. I have no intentions to leave any time soon.

Kou: Is that so? So you don't mind Azusa's obsession with pain? Or Yuma's loudness or Ruki being bossy?

Kazemi: Fufu not really. Honestly, I feel like the hardest thing to deal with around here is your nagging.

Kou: Eeeh? I'm not nagging!

Kazemi: Nagging, annoying and irritating.

Oh and superficial too.

Kou: So cruel, Kujira-chan!

Kazemi: Fufufu

--CG appears

Kou: Hey hey, come on now... I'm not that bad, am I?

Kazemi: Why are you coming so close all of sudden?

Kou: Hmm... Who knows... I guess I just like being close to Kujira-chan...

What about you... Kujira-chan?

Do you like being close to me?

Kazemi: Oh shut up! Stop messing with me...

Kou: Nah... Instead I think I’ll just do this.

--CG appears

Kazemi: ... Nn...

Kou: Nn... n...

... Heh... You seemed to like that...

Kazemi: Tch... You have to ruin it, don’t you?

Kou: Fufu I just love seeing you all worked up.

... Nn... *smooch* nn...

Kazemi: Nn...

(This is nice... Even if he’s annoying and full of himself... I guess I don’t mind being like this with Kou...)

Kazemi: ... Kou...

Kou: Yes?

Kazemi: ... I think... I love you...

Kou: Oh? ... Now that’s irritating.

Kazemi: Hm?

Kou: You see, when I saw that idiot stab you, it actually scared the hell out of me.

And when you wouldn’t wake up... I thought I had actually lost you...

So... I guess that means I might love you too?

Kazemi: Ah... You think so?

Kou: Yeah... I’m not sure.

I don’t really understand what I’m feeling right now.

But I know one thing... I’m really happy that you woke up. I’m... happy you’re here with me...

Just the thought that you might have died there... I don’t know what I might have done.

Kazemi: Eeh? So you don’t mind me annoying you all the time?

Kou: Haha Well you do drive me crazy sometimes. Most times.

But... I think I can handle that...

Kazemi: Fufu Are you sure? I might never leave you alone if you say that.

Kou: You better not. I will hunt you down to the end of the world if you try.

Kou: Nn...

Kazemi: Nn... Fufu

Monologue

I finally have a family.

It may not be like the one I used to have... and I certainly still miss my parents.

But now that I have the Mukami with me it doesn’t hurt as much as it used to.

And Kou... as long as he’s with me, I know I can face almost anything.

For the first time I can look foward to a future.

It may not be as bright as one might expect. We’re creatures of the night after all.

Still, there’s no doubt in my heart. I can hope again.

I can live again... with them.

--End of Vampire ending

[despair-to-future-arcs]

Onto to Chapter 2!

So... what's happen next? Given my death happen, I suppose the killing game continue...

Sadly so... given you remember Hatomi Sato, I suppose you remember she was murder, correct?

I did... I know the school try to push the whole thing under the rug but why bring it up...

Well it was a motive, involving a select few people...

Wait... it was? How so and who were they?

Myself, Mahiru, Ibuki, Mikan, Hiyoko, Hatomi and my sister, Natsumi.

Pretty much we were all involved and it lead to the death of Mahiru and...Peko...

I'm... still not sure how to confront Mahiru about all this, I really don't but I know I do want to apologize for what happen...

Well... hopefully you can do that when she wakes up...

Indeed, will be sure to address this when Mahiru, Peko, Ibuki, Hiyoko and Mikan are all up but right now... let's focus on the killing game footage.

...

...

...

DAYS LEFT: 18

*A new motive was presented, a video game - Twilight Syndrome Murder Case as everyone was leaving to ignore this motive seems someone went back*

...Getting prepared for murder, huh?

Well... I better make sure I'm prepared before the others so let's see what we got...

???: So your going to play it after all?

What the fuck?! *he turns to see someone had follow him...*

*It was Peko...* So... you decided to play this game after all, hm?

Fucking shit, I thought it was one of the others...

But fucking hell Peko, don't sneak up on me! I thought I told you to not be around me!

I apologize for that, young master but I did notice you were hiding so I figure I follow you and I see your playing that game.

So... are you going to play it? Given Monokuma say that this could get us prepared for any attacks.

Yeah I may have to just in case... so I figure I play it first...

*Fuyuhiko and Peko both walk over to the game which Fuyuhiko starts playing it...*

...

...

...

Well... I'm done it, still it was really damn short and it seems some girl died but not sure why...

And the fuck does 'down 5' mean? Well not sure what it's for - there's no way I'm asking the gamer girl; she say she'll never allow murder.

...Press the down button 5 times.

Huh?

On the first day on the island, me and Chiaki did speak for a bit and play video games; she spoke about cheat codes and even certain commands like 'Up 3' means pressing the up button 3 times, same with other buttons too.

Heh, so that's it, huh? Well thanks Peko, I guess you hanging around the others does have it's perks...

*presses the down button 5 times...*

[raxistaicho]

Are we not Engaged? Part 11.

Eirika paralogue!

Spoilers under the cut.

Looks like this one is based on the SS Endgame. Eirika remembering Lyon is sad :(

Eirika’s paralogue took forever and it’s mostly just fighting because holy shit there were tons of enemies. Guess that’s all you can do with a Sacred Stones inspired map.

Heh, Celine gives Byleth a flower at her A rank bond with him. Nice callback to gifting in Three Houses.

Celine Alcryst A: Alcryst provided Celine special tea leaves from Brodia said to be a sleep aid. She admits her nightmares have only gotten worse due to the war, but Alcryst vows not to let anything happen to Alfred or Diamant. He tries to pull his usual self-deprecating move, but Celine reassures him it’s good to know someone as skilled as him will protect her brother. Both agree to work together to protect their older brothers.

Celine Louis A: She apologizes for leaving the B support so abruptly. She stresses that he doesn’t need to endanger himself for special things for her and that simple gestures are enough to make her happy.

Ivy Hortensia C: Ivy’s happy to have Hortensia back since they’re the only family they have left. It turns out Hortensia and Ivy actually has different mothers. It seems something happened between their respective mothers that Hortensia finds awkward to talk about.

Seadall Alcryst B: Alcryst is a little envious and awe-struck of the experiences Seadall had in the caravan, but Seadall explains that he joined the caravan because his parents died when he was young and he had nowhere else to go. He had difficulty speaking, so the man who taught him how to dance did so so he could express himself, a gesture Seadall remains forever grateful for.

Seadall Rosado C: Seadall asks how Rosado remains so good-looking, and is skeptical when Rosado says he has no particular beauty technique XD

Fogado Yunaka B: He apologizes for dragging Yunaka to a party. She evidently ran off, and she admits she’s uncomfortable being in a crowd for fear that someone might want to kill her. Fogado catches on but doesn’t pry, but he says Yunaka would be able to enjoy life more if she was more trusting. She promises to take it to heart.

Fogado Rosado C: Fogado upsets Rosado when he says that while Rosado is very cute, he’s not the cutest he’s ever seen XD

Fogado Alcryst C: Alcryst wonders how they can be so different, but Fogado says he likes Alcryst just fine, which just upsets him.

Alcryst Saphir C: Alcryst helped Saphir hunt, so Saphir offers to teach Alcryst how to fish. His outlook improves when she offers to teach him how to cook fish as well.

On to chapter 20!

Zephia and Griss are furious that Mauvier and Marni lost two more rings. Zephia even hits Marni when Marni insists Sombron won’t punish them. Anyways, Mauvier’s upset that Zephia already did her magic on Veyle, then she blasts Marni and Mauvier with magic.

Seems I’m fighting Griss next. Fork over Celica’s ring, you feral wretch!

Unlike the cathedral, Alear’s more adamant that they should retreat at the first sign of trouble. There’s no guards. They probably got turned into Corrupted.

Griss flashes Celica’s ring and tries to bait Alear into a fight. It’s a pretty obvious trap but it’s not like we can just run from this.

Holy shit, Griss actually attacks THEN warps in this map rather than the other way around, that’s great! Evil, but great, lol. Issue is he’s on a +avo tile so I probably wanna get him to warp away anyways. Hmm.

Lol this chapter is something else. Thank god I had Corrin on Alcryst and Alcryst had a longbow.

The devs definitely knew how annoying a map like this could be so there’s plenty of terrain to use and though there’s thieves who try to nab treasure and run away, you don’t have to chase them since they have to return to their spawn point to escape.

Griss kinda... loses it when Alear summons Celica. Ah, it seems Alear somehow confirmed they’re Sombron’s kid by purifying Celica. Aaaaaand yeah, this is something people guessed before the game even came out, lol. Like from the moment we saw Red!Alear in promo stuff.

Oh hey Vander, nice to see you still exist.

Ooohhh, I DID notice that Lumera didn’t say the invocation to summon Sigurd way back in chapter 2, but I didn’t really make much of it at the time. I also noticed Sombron said the chants for each ring back in chapter 10 but I thought that was more an ironic echo kinda situation.

More importantly I got Celica back, so who’s the real loser here, Griss? That’s right, it’s you.

Evidently Griss was buying time for Sombron and Veyle to go somewhere.

Despite what Griss said, the party doesn’t just take his word as true. Poor Alear though :(

Evidently Alear dreams in third person lol. Seems Sigurd’s the leader of the Emblems in Marth’s absence.

I guess now that’s the real reason why Lumera pumped Alear full of her Divine Dragon juice: Alear’s not naturally half-blue. Ah. Emblems summoned by the Fell Dragon power can’t talk. So Alear uses the Fell Dragon method but she has the power of a Divine Dragon.

Ah, yeah, Lumera gave Alear her power so she could have the powers of a Divine Dragon.

Again, Alear’s voice actress is top notch. This was actually a pretty sweet scene, I really hope for a flashback or two between Lumera and Red!Alear? We’ll see i guess.

Oh hey it’s Mauvier. Seems he thinks Alear can save Veyle now that he knows she’s Alear’s sister. Sombron’s going to Lythos.

Back to paralogues for a little bit.

Alear calls Byleth “Professor!” in their B Bond, which is hella cute XD

Chloe Louis A: Pretty sweet and simple support, mostly it’s just them being nice one another and giving each other snacks, showing they pay attention to one another’s preferences.

Yunaka Citrinne A: Yunaka talks about how her master fell ill. On his deathbed, he explained he trained her to be his successor and “hired her” to put him out of his misery. Though she had conflicting feelings for the man, she killed him, but then immediately discarded her old life as an assassin. What made Citrinne suspicious of Yunaka was that Yunaka was nosing around in the Brodian assembly, but it turns out she was trying to propose a fund for underprivileged children so nobody had to experience what she did. Citrinne apologizes profusely, but Yunaka reassures her she understands the suspicion. Citrinne still feel terrible and offers to do everything she can to support Yunaka’s attempts with the assembly.

Holy shit, I did not expect Yunaka to turn out to be such a great character!

Alear Ivy A: Ivy had a hard time growing up - Elusia castle was a den of treachery, especially because of her mother. Only her worship of the Divine Dragon kept her sane. She chose to worship Alear initially out of defiance against Elusia, which worshiped the Fell Dragon. Really cute support.

Alear Yunaka A: Yunaka wants to tell Alear about her past. Alear reassures her she doesn’t have to after seeing her struggle. Yunaka thanks Alear, and says she believes she’s found her place in the world at Alear’s side <3

[usaigi]

Chapter 2 - Deal With The Devil

Read on Ao3 | ⇜previous chapter | next chapter⇝

Summary (T) Earth 65 AU where Elektra is Daredevil and was hell-bent on killing her ex Matt Murd(er)ock but she’s in therapy now and is channeling her energy into helping Spider-Women defeat him instead. Semi-comics/Marvel movies crossover. Elektra and Matt are mostly based on the Netflix version and Gwen is based on Into the Spiderverse.

“Can I ask why Murdock specifically? I know he’s related to Fisk but I thought you took care of Fisk. And surely there are other people high up in the crime syndicate pyramid scheme.”

“Cut off the head another takes its place. Murdock is just picking up where Fisk left off.”

“So ah. Ok this is going to sound like super ableist but Murdock is blind, right? I totally get how he can still be a leader of the mob with like accommodation and stuff but. Can’t we just,” Gwen punches the air a couple of times. 

Gwen never had the fortune of fighting Fisk herself but hearing from her dad, that man is built like an unmovable wall. Even if he hadn’t been legally untouchable for the last decade until Daredevil swopped in, he’s strength was borderline superhuman. And apparently, he has the temper of a child, with tantrums loud enough to flip cars. And they say girls are emotional. 

So what exactly is Elektra so concerned about? Murdock is just a dude. Kinda look like a Chad but in a rich kid I-went-to-Columbia-and-played-polo way. Probably owns a pair of pastel-colored shorts. 

“You’ve never fought him?” Elektra asks, eyes squinting slightly. 

“No? I don’t make it a habit in fighting people with disabilities,” Gwen says, causing Elektra to break out into a wry laugh, turning away to hide her face from Gwen. Guess she finds ableism funny. Canceled. 

“The chemicals that blinded him also enhanced his remaining sense, his earring, smell, touch, and taste. They all like work together to create a sort of radar. You know, like the blind girl from Avatar. Combine that with his years of martial arts training with the Hand, he’s a deadly opponent.” 

“The what?”

“The Hand. Yeah I know, stupid name. Cults always have dumb names,” heh true. What kind of dumb name is Scientology? What’s scientific about paying a buttload of money to reach enlightenment? Just smoke a blunt and look at the city lights like everyone else. “We’re called the Chaste so it’s not like it’s any better,”

“Who is we?” Gwen asks, tilting her head ever so slightly. Wait, is Elektra also in a cult? 

“You want a role call or what?” Elektra says dryly. 

“I mean, I’d like to know who’s on my team. Like what if someone joins us and I think they’re with Murdock and I accidentally punch them,” Gwen asks. 

“Then you apologize..?”

“Well yeah but–”

“You don’t have to worry about that now, tonight's thing is just us.” Tonight? Don’t worry about it? Gwen was under the impression that Elektra was going to train on something, not jump straight into a mission. And for someone who scolded her yesterday for being reckless, the ‘plan’ is as vague as a punk show poster. Band: Spider-Women and Daredevil. Time: sometime after ten and before we’re all corporate slaves to The Man …The Hand? BYOW (Bring Your Own Weapons). 

“Ok so. Murdock took Fisk's spot at the Kingpin?”

“Sorta. I think he’s still taking some orders from Fisk but Murdock has his own agenda. Fisk is just a capitalist, Murdock is connected with the Hand.”

“And what does the Hand want?”

“What does any secret ninja want? World control or immortality or something.”

“And what does your cult want?”

“You’ve seen Midsommar, right?” Blink blink, sorry what? “Kidding, duh. You’re so serious. The Chast isn’t a cult. It’s a thousand-year-old organization aiming to stop the Hand,” Elektra ‘clarifies,’ heavy on the air quotes. No one in a cult ever admits to being in a cult.   

“Quacks like a cult, walks like a cult,” Gwen says shrugging, throwing her hands up. “Hey, no judgment! I know you Hollywood people are into some weird crap.” Is anyone else in it? It would be kinda cool if Elliphant is in the cult. Maybe Gwen would be down to join the cult if there are cool people in it. 

“Bestie, if you wanna join, you’re in,” Elektra gives her a playful wink. “Ok, today’s mission should be easy enough, my sources say Murdock’s at a party on the Upper East side so we don’t have to worry about him. The Hand is expecting an important delivery, some sort of weapon. Murdock paid the tracksuit mafia to meet his guys at the docks. Plan is I’m going to fight the Hand and you’re going to swing in a couple of minutes later and help with the tracksuits. I want Murdock to think there’s a mole working with the tracksuits and to turn against them. Or at least think they’re incompetent. Since this is our first team-up, he’ll have no suspicion that we coordinated the attack–” 

“Wait, last question,” Gwen interrupts.

“Yeah?”

“How do you know so much about Murdock?” Elektra really seems to know Murdock, his location, his thought patterns. Not to accuse her of being a mole but… Elektra is a stranger who found her in a dumpster. 

“It’s ugh whatever,” Elektra stutters. Pull her scarf up to hide her face in a hurry.

Oh!

“No way,” Gwen gasps. “No. Fucking. Way.”

“I don’t like how much you curse.” Gwen can see Elektra's transparent attempt to change the subject. 

“You slept with Murdock!?” 

“No no, it’s worse. I dated him.”

“You what!? How long? Why? When? WHY!?”

“Long time. You do dumb stuff when you’re young and in love. Wait, how old are you?”

“Seventeen.”

“Brutal.” Yeah, that's fair. “If the mission goes well we can have brunch and gossip tomorrow but, let’s go Spider-Women.” 

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

“Ok, plan. You’re going down there and you’re going to fight those dudes in black and my dudes are the ones in the tracksuits, right? But like when I swing in, you’re gonna start fighting all the dudes right? And that must be the container with the weapon, right DD?” Elektra’s gone? Gwen looks around, confused. “Daredevil?”

Oh. 

There is she. 

Slicing through one guy and kicking another guy in the face. Thanks for the heads up. They didn’t even get to say, “Go team!”  

The tracksuits are hiding out being some containers, shooting chaotically at Murdock’s guys– oh they really are ninjas, with masks and swords and everything. Not just some Naruto cosplayers, they seem legit. 

Although, if anyone care to consult Gwen, the Hand ninjas and the Russian Tracksuit guys should totally switch uniforms so the ninjas can look like the lady from Kill Bill. 

Gwen keeps a close eye on Elektra, observing her fight style. Like herself, Elektra increments a lot of acrobatics, varying from flips to jump kicks. But where Gwen has a background in dance, Elektra looks like she has a background in Taekwondo or Capoeira. Every move is deliberate, every move is dripped with confidence and power. Quick and efficient punches to major pressure points. Elektra fights like a tiger–hiding behind obstacles and blending into the shadows before prancing on her victim, and kneeing them right in the neck.  

Ouch. 

Surely it’s been enough time? Has it? Maybe Gwen would know if Elektra actually went over the plan but it’s fine . It’s fine!

Gwen, you came in too soon, MJ’s voice echoes. 

Never too early for a badass dumb solo. 

One-two-three, Spider-Women swings in. Kick one guy and push him into another, causing them to trip over a pile of trash as she lands gracefully on the top of a shipping container. Guitar lick, the crowd cheers, and, “hey guys.” It’s Spider-Women, woosh. “Love the tracksuits, so Y2K. Are they Juicy Coutier?”

Gwenhe thwaps one gun out of one tracksuit's hand and throws it at another dude's face, hitting him right in the noise. She webs one dude and webs this other guy and bop.

“Come on, guys! At least make the fight juicy!”   

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

The fight doesn’t make long, despite being outmatched, the Hand and the tracksuits are severally outskilled. Gwen is careful not to get too close to Elektra, hoping that none of the goons think they’re coordinating this. Still, she does web one guy's sword out of the way, giving Elektra a perfect opening. 

“Thanks,” she just says. 

Soon enough, someone shouts something in Japanese and someone else says something in Russian and they all skirt away. Gwen tries to run after them before Elektra stops her.

“Help me open the container instead,” Elektra says, prying the door. Gwen helps before peeking her head in, anxiously anticipating a legendary sword or spear or bomb. 

Not this. Anything but this. 

“It’s just a kid…” Gwen says apprehensively, “Elektra, he’s just a kid.”

“...Fuck. I ah–I ahh I have a friend on the police force. I’ll call him and the paramedics. Can you stay with him?” She nods, putting her hands up before carefully approaching the boy. Poor kid couldn’t be more than ten years old, fear painting his face. 

“Hi,” Gwen says softly, “hi, don’t be scared, I’m not going to hurt you. Here–” she crouches down. “What’s your name?”

“Peter…” 

“Oh ah that’s so cool. That’s my best friends name…” her voice drops, fear creeping up her throat. “And he’s one of the most amazing people I’ve ever met. He taught me something important, do you want to learn what is it?” She waits until Peter gives a nervous nod. “Everyone is capable of being special. Just like you. You’re special and that’s why we rescued you.”  

“I want my parents…”

“I know, I know. We’re going to help you find them. We’re going to help you. Do you trust us?”

He nods shakily. 

“Good.”

Gwen holds the little boy close til the ambulance sirens creep in, helping the paramedic transfer him on the stretcher. She uses a bit of webbing to pull the shock blanket up, earning her the tiniest smile from Peter. Totally worth it. 

The assisting cops scatter around the crime scene, and Elektra stands off in the corner to talk to her friend? Oh crap, Castle. Ahh. Seriously Elektra, of all the people you could be friends with why him? Though maybe she shouldn’t be too surprised in her poor judgment, Elektra did date and probably make lots kisses and smoochies and yuck to Murdock. 

Peter’s safe now, surely Elektra will understand why she’s webbing away. She sends Elektra a quick text asking her to meet her on the same roof top.

Gwen climbs up the side of a building before launching her web, swinging off like the badass she is. 

—

“Wow! That was so cool! I can’t believe it! Sorry I dipped, Castle totally terrifies me, hold thing that we don’t need to get into but that was so cool! The way you used your pitchfork things–” Gwen blathers as soon as Elektra shows up. 

“My sais?”

“Is that what they’re called? Cool! But yeah! Thank you!”

“No problem.”

“Do you think we can visit the kid tomorrow in the hospital? I mean as civilians, totally weird if Daredevil and Spider-Women showed up for visitation–”

“I’m sure we can,” Elektra smiles. 

“I guess I should introduce myself then. Properly,” Gwen pulls her mask off, revealing her million-dollar smile, and extends her hand. “I’m Gwen Stacy.”

“I know. I googled your phone number. Remind me to get you a burner phone. But it’s nice to meet you, Gwen Stacy, I’m Elektra,” taking her hand with an equally sincere smile. 

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

So yay, they saved the day. Go Team Spider-Woman and Daredevil. A cooler-and-more-stylish Batman and Robin (Gwen being Batman of course). Girl Power! Yippee. 

Can two girls share the cover for Forbes thirty under thirty? Meh, she’ll email Mr. Forbes himself tomorrow morning. Will Elektra let her borrow a fancy dress for their press interview? Maybe something aqua. With sparkles. And biker shorts because ya never know. 

Changing into her old band shirt and pair of shorts, Gwen flops–not lays gracefully, not awkwardly climbs in– flops onto her bed. Ahh her back felt so crunchy she should really stretch before sleep but she’s so exhausted. She hugs one of her Squishmellows and opens up youtube, queues up a video of Watcher, and waits for her eyelids to feel too heavy. 

Brrrring. 

Huh? 

Elektra?

“Hello,” Gwen grumbles.  

“Oh thank God, are you ok? Where are you?” Elektra sounds like she’s out of breath like she’s in the middle of a fight. But no, the fight just ended. They won. 

“I’m home. Why, what’s going on?”

“Someone got the kid. Gwen, I’m so sorry…”

What…?

[wolfverse-stories]

Our Broken Justice

(An X-men/Young Justice/Gifted crossover)

Chapter 1

     "So how are you feeling about going to the hall?" Hal asked, "Excited?"

     "To be honest a little nervous," Lorna said turning to her mentor "After all I've only been your sidekick for a year the others have been training so much longer than me"

     "And you've trained harder than any of them" he smiled "Believe me you've earned this" They walked over to the entrance of the hall where the others were waiting.

     "Welcome to the Hall of Justice" Green Arrow smiled.

    "Headquarters of the Justice League" Aquaman added. Two speedsters suddenly joined them.

     "I knew we’d be the last ones here," Wally said crossing his arms.

     "Ready to see the inner sanctum?" Green Arrow turned to Speedy.

     "Born that way" Speedy smirked.

     "I’m glad we’re all here" Aqualad smiled.

     "Have all five sidekicks ever been at the same place At the same time?" Wally asked.

     "To be fair I am still new at this whole sidekick thing" Lorna pointed out.

     "Don’t call us sidekicks" Speedy pushed past them "Not after today"

     "Sorry" Wally apologized"First time at the Hall, I’m a little overwhelmed"

     "You’re overwhelmed, Freeze was underwhelmed" Robin scoffed "Why isn’t anybody ever just whelmed,"

     "Why can't you ever be just normal?" Lorna rolled her eyes.

     "Robin, Speedy, Aqualad, Polaris, Kid Flash, welcome you-" After the first few words Lorna kind of tuned Red out.

     "Make yourselves at home" Flash offered. Robin and Wally jumped into their chairs, while Aqualad and Lorna calmly sat down.

     "Quick debrief to discuss the coincidence of four Ice Villains attacking," Batman said before turning to the teens  "We shouldn’t be long"

     "That’s it?" Speedy demanded "You promised us a real look inside, not a glorified backstage pass"

     "Roy, you just need to be patient" Greenarrow tried to calm him down.

     "What I need is respect?" Roy turned to the others "They're treating us like kids, worse-like sidekicks! We deserve better than this" The others just sat there quietly "You're kidding, right? Today was supposed to be the day, step one in becoming full-fledged members of the league" The teens stared at each other.

     "Well, sure" Wally spoke up "but I thought step one was the tour of the HQ" 

     "The Hall isn't the League's real HQ," Roy said waving his hands  "It's just a false front for tourists, a pit stop for catching Zeta-beams to the real thing, an orbiting satellite called the watchtower" All the mentors stared disapprovingly at GreenArrow.

     "I know," he said "but I thought we could make an exception"

     "You're not helping your case stand down or-" Aquaman demanded but was cut off.

     "Or what? You'll send me to my room?" Speedy threw his hat on the ground "Guess they were right about you four, you’re not ready" Suddenly an alarm came from the computer.

     "Superman to Justice League" Sups called "There has been an explosion at Project Cadmus"

     "I’ve had my suspicions about Cadmus," Batman said thoughtfully "This may present the perfect opportunity to in--"

     "Zatara to Justice League Wotan is using the amulet of attain to blot out the sun" Zatara flashed on the screen.

     "Cadmus can wait," Batman said "All Leaguers rendezvous at Zatara’s coordinates" he then turned to the teens "Stay put"

     "Don't worry you'll get to go on missions when you're ready" Hal assured them before joining the rest of the league quickly.

     "How are we ever supposed to be ready when they treat us like...like sidekicks" Wally grunted.

     "My mentor, my king, I thought he trusted me," Aqualad said sadly.

     "Trust?" Lorna snapped "They don’t even trust us with the basics!"

     "What is Project Cadmus?" Aqualad asked.

     "Don’t know but I can find out" Robin smirked jumping on the computer" The screen said Access denied "Heh, Wanna bet?" He typed something getting in "Same system as the Batcave, Project Cadmus is a Genetics lab here in D.C. That’s all there is, but if Batman's suspicious, maybe we should investigate"

     "Solve their case before they do," Aqualad said thoughtfully "It would be poetic justice"

     "Hey" Robin laughed "They’re all about justice"

     "Uh guys I'm all for showing our mentors but this is a terrible idea" Lorna jumped in only to be ignored.

     "Just like that, we're a team on a mission?"Aqualad asked.

     "Stop pretending you don't hear me!" Lorna shouted

     "We didn't come for a play date," Robin said still ignoring her.

     "Then let's go," Wally said picking up Lorna.

     "You do know kidnapping is illegal," she said as they rushed to Cadmus.

Timeskip      Wally zoomed up the wall grabbing two falling scientists. He tosses them on the roof before slipping. He manages to catch himself on a window ledge.

     "It’s what’s his name-flash boy" one of the firemen yelled.

     "Kid Flash! Why is that so hard?" Wally mumbled to himself.

     "Oh, I am so using that" Lorna laughed helping another one down. Robin landed on the roof next to Wally helping him up. They all snuck inside turning around a corner to see some guy getting on an elevator.

     "Who uses an elevator during a fire?" Lorna asked.

     "This is wrong" Robin pulled up a HoloScreen "This is a high-speed express elevator, it doesn’t belong in a two-story building"

     "Neither does what I saw" Aqualad added before forcing the doors open.

     "And that’s why they need an express elevator" Robin ducked under his arm, then shot his grappling hook letting himself fall. The others quickly followed "I’m at the end of my rope" he said as the others jumped onto the narrow platform. Robin bypassed the security and Aqualad pried open the doors.

     “Welcome to Project Cadmus,” Robin announced before Wally bolted off.

     “Kid, wait!” Aqualad shouted, but the speedster didn’t stop. He falls in front of some massive creatures standing barely dodging them. He quickly ran back to the others.

     “No, Nothing odd going on here,” Aqualad said sarcastically looking over the corner.

     "This place is guarded better than Fort Knox" Lorna commented as they reached another locked door. Robin quickly started hacking causing the door to open.

     "This is how they hid this massive underground facility," Wally said pointing to a weird-looking generator "The real Cadmus isn’t on the grid, It generates its own power with those creatures"

     "I don't like this, we should go" Lorna looked around warily.

     "You seem on edge, even for you" Wally joked.

     "It's just, my brother was taken here before I was born" She looked at the floor "he died before I ever got the chance to meet him"

     "I'm sorry" Wally's eyes softened putting a hand on her shoulders.

     "Whoa! Look at the stats on these things- super-strength, telepathy, razor claws, these are living weapons" Robin's eyes widened.

     "They’re engineering an army, but for who?" Wally asked crossing his arms.

     "Wait, there are two more files," Robin said looking at his screen. "Project Kr. and Mercury, they're both triple-encrypted, I- I can’t-"

     "Don’t move!" They turn around to see Guardian with Genomorph on him "Wait, Robin, Polaris, Aqualad, Kid Flash?"

     "At least he got your name right" Robin teased working on the Kr file behind Aqualad so Guardian can’t see him.

     "I know you" Aqualad spoke up "Guardian, a hero"

     "I do my best" Guardian smiled standing up tall.

     "Then what are you doing here?" Wally asked confused.

     "I’m Chief of Security" he responds. "You’re trespassing, but we can call the League, figure this out"

     "You think the League’s gonna approve of you breeding weapons?" Wally demanded.

     "Weapons?" Guardian looked at them confused "What are you-" the G-gnome’s horns begin to glow. The hero's head fell forward "Ugh my head" He looked back up "Take them down hard! No mercy"

     "Must you always piss everyone off?" Lorna asked turning to Wally.

     "I can't help it, it's part of my charm" he smiled. Robin threw a smoke bomb in front of them then shot his grappling hook at one of the support beams. Wally dodged a Genomorph but just barely. Guardian charged at Aqualad but missed knocking off a Genomorph. Lorna waved her hand and slammed his helmet against the wall knocking him out. Wally grabbed Lorna and ran through the smoke over to Robin "Way to be a team player, Rob!"

   “Weren’t you right behind me?” Robin asked hacking into the elevator. They all jumped in the elevator before the creatures could.

     "I knew I shouldn't have followed you idiots" Lorna groaned after the door closed.

     "Come on you know you love us" Robin smirked.

     "We’re headed down?" Aqualad asked.

     "Dude out is up" Wally pointed to the roof.

     "Excuse me?" Robin asked offended "Project Kr, it’s down on Sub-Level 52"

     "This is out of control" Aqualad rubs the back of his neck "Perhaps we should contact the League"

     "Project Mercury is there too" Robin interjected turning to Lorna "I managed to decode one of the files I think Project Mercury is your brother" 

     "My brother's alive" She put her hand over her mouth. Robin nodded "Then I'm not leaving without him," she said determinedly as the elevator came to a stop.

     "Which way?" Aqualad asked looking down the hallway.

     "Halt!" a Creature yelled, horns glowing red as he lifted two waste bins telekinetically, throwing them at the teens. They dodged as Robin threw a disk at him. Wally darted around the corner, knocking a scientist to the ground. The doors behind him started to close "Hurry!" the others joined him. Robin started hacking the door 

     “I disabled the door" he let out a sigh of relief "We’re safe"

     "We’re trapped" Lorna corrected him.

     "Uh, guys" Wally called "You’ll want to see this" In the center of the room was a pod.

     "Whoa!" Robin gasped. Inside is a raven-haired boy with a white suit that has Superman’s symbol. 

     "Robin, hack" Aqualad commanded as the other two just stood in shock.

     "Weapon Designation Superboy, a clone force-grown in sixteen weeks?" his eyes widened in shock "From DNA acquired from Superman"

     "Stolen from Superman," Aqualad said crossing his arms.

     "No way the big guy knows about this" Wally agreed.

     "Solar Suit allows him to absorb yellow-sun radiation 24/7" Robin continued to read.

     "And these creatures?" Lora pointed to one on the projection.

     "Genomorph Gnomes, telepathic, force-feeding him an education" Robin relays sourly.

     "And we can guess what else," Wally said sorely "They’re making a slave out of Superman’s son"

     "Now we contact the League" Aqualad demanded but there was no signal.

     "This is wrong" Wally frowned looking at the trapped clone. Lorna gaves a short nod.

     "We can’t leave him like this" Robin agreed.

     "Set him free, "Aqualad said turning to the boy wonder "Do it" Robin hacked the pod and it fell away. Superboy's hand clenched, as the G-gnomes begin to hiss again. His eyes snapped open and he launched himself at Aqualad. Superboy was on top of Aqualad his fist coming back to hit him square in the face.

     "Whoa! Hang on, Supey" Wally tried to hold the Kryptonian back.

     “We’re on your side!” Robin yelled. Superboy gives Wally an uppercut knocking him into a display cylinder. He flopped to the ground unconscious.

     "Get away from him" Lorna jumped in between Wally and Superboy her eyes glowing

     "I don’t want to do this" Robin threw a smoke blaster on Sup's chest unleashing gas right into his face.

     "Enough!" Aqualad yelled as he punched him knocking him back into his pod "We're trying to help you" Superboy broke the pod and threw both boys against the wall. Robin slammed against Lorna knocking her out.

More stories / Next

[pancake-breakfast]

Alright, time to finish Volume 1 and Week 1 of Trigun Book Club! Let's goooooooo!

Stream-of-consciousness thoughts for Trigun Vol. 1, Chapters 11-12 below.

Chapter 11: Son

Nightow killing it with these title page illustrations. I just want to colorize them all with my vast quantities of free time between this and the other book club I'm in and putting together a cosplay for early next month and literally the busiest part of the year at work. Maybe I'll get a chance in July. Heh. July....

I love how, despite traveling around with the Humanoid Typhoon himself, Meryl and Milly are hardly useless. They're both sharp and tough, which is probably part of why Vash hasn't made good and sure they can't follow him. The other part is probably because he's lonely.

I feel like Milly would get along incredibly well with Sasha from Attack on Titan, what with how much these two girls think about food.

The contrast between Milly's big-ass gatling stun gun and Meryl's tiny-ass derringer is too much. I love it.

This guy is so emo-looking.

Who names their poor child Badwick?! No wonder they had a falling out.

Yyyyeeeaaaahhhh, one REALLY should ask why someone would point a gun at their own parents. Like, there are legitimate reasons to do so, but it's a situation that should be the exception rather than the rule.

Milly does NOT take apparently casual disrespect of one's parents kindly, I see.

The part of me that loves biology is pleased that Nightow kept in mind that, when you have a considerable size difference between a mated pair, you want the female to be the larger of the two so she doesn't die giving birth to Gosef I mean in childbirth.

I don't trust this weirdo and his weird moustache.

Ah, I was right not to trust him. Creep. Creepy moustache creep. (I don't have anything against fancy moustaches in general. His is just very creepy on him specifically.)

This old couple is right to defend their land. And Badwick is right to be concerned for his parents' lives.

Oof, someone done overstepped their bounds there. And he knows it.

WTF is this mole person???

Oh, creepy moustache understands the value of trees, after all. Pity he probably just wants them as a freaking status symbol.

Marilyn Nebraska, dressing like Madonna and breaking the fourth wall....

I know I said that Milly and Meryl are pretty competent, but I think this whole gang plus the Nebraskas and Friends might be a bit more than they can handle on their own....

Aww, the old couple is concerned about their son's life, too.

And Vash is sneaking into the scene, sewer gremlin style.

Chapter 12: River of Life

Gah! The world is sideways!

Ok, I know I said I wanted to see them weave this story of the old couple into Stampede, but I have NO IDEA how they'd manage these pillbug guys. Not to mention it felt (feels?) like a weird cop-out to have MORE Nebraskas when we've already dealt with them once and I don't think they're actually an important group of villains? IDK. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Huh? Why does Meryl think she's as cold-blooded as Creepy Moustache? I mean, thus far she's been very pragmatic, but I don't know that she's cold-blooded.

Yeah! I love all her derringers!

Milly, coming in with the practicality and saving the day. She really is Vash without the trauma, isn't she?

Ohhhh, Meryl has some unresolved Daddy Issues, I see. But... ugh, I want to write a pop-out post, but it would be too personal. (I know this is Tumblr and we all share all sorts of too-personal things with all the strangers here, but... something something boundaries.) For now, let's just say this particular brand of trauma sounds like her dad isn't the type of person who's worth writing home to.

Heh, Meryl patting her face to get herself back in the present moment. Vash would be proud.

Ok, with my own take on Meryl's stuff, the next scenes with Badwick freaking out and the dad apologizing for all he's put Badwick through hits hard. This is a dad who would rather their child be safe than pull a gun, even in righteous anger.

The mom gently popping Badwick on the head with her ladle is just so cute. (Also, would it kill Nightow to make it more clear who's speaking in scenes like this??)

Again, this is it. This is the story. Because we all have our shadow days and the things we do out of desperation that seem right at the time, but in fact cause a world of pain... for us, for others, and for those closest to us. We need forgiveness, regardless of when it comes. It helps us to forgive ourselves.

The way Creepy Moustache phrases his business proposal is so incredibly tone-deaf. He just doesn't get it and maybe he never will.

Ahahahahaha, the old man shooting the check. Good for him.

Current favorite Meryl/Milly Dramatic Pose:

Meryl means business here. Good for her.

These isopod men and their tiny, tiny legs....

LOL, the Nebraska's faces when they miss are just *chef's kiss.*

For some reason I'm guessing Vash is involved in all this....

LOL, yeah, there he is. Living his best life in a barrel.

That shot kinda reminds me of Stampede when he shot Wolfwood's gun to keep him from offing Livio and, in the process, sent Wolfwood's shot straight into the observing Worm.

I love how Milly's leaning into the outcome as hard as she can while Meryl is just trying to figure out if her derringer somehow got an upgrade while she wasn't looking.

LOL, the Nebraskas hit one little setback and they're like, "Woe is us, for we have failed! We must now retreat in shame!"

The old couple is so worried for Badwick, but they also trust him because they love him and all. <3

I have a lot of thoughts on the old man's words to Meryl and I'm going to write down none of them.

Except that Stampede echoes these words by having Roberto give them to Meryl, and I think that's nice.

Aww, they left their most precious thing to their most precious person.

And Meryl writes a letter to her family after all. I wish it luck. I wish her luck.

End of Volume Bonus

LOL, Nightow's avatar being like, "Or as you say in English..." and then getting reprimanded by Kuroneko for saying something that's decidedly not English.

It's a good thing they clarified how the order of all this goes. When I was reading it back in the day, I remember being rather confused as to whether I should start with Maximum or "vanilla" Trigun. Although having these notes at the back of the volume likely wouldn't have helped me much.

"Lazy as a cat." Yeah, they live a good life. Naps, cozy places, and having a personal masseuse who will give them head-scratches practically on demand.

That's it for Volume 1! On to Volume 2 with the next week!

[beerecordings]

A Shadow Overcast

Part 19 of My Brother’s Keeper (Part 1 l Previous l Next)

This chapter is dedicated to a dear fren. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. hap birth my dear <333

ALSO @starlightxnightmare I have been waiting for MONTHS to tell you this but you noticed this discrepancy like FIVE CHAPTERS AGO OR SOMETHING LOL i saw your tags and i was like DAMN I’M TRANSPARENT. you asked the exact question that Chase asks in this chapter. love you you genius. enjoy.

My taglist is a separate post. You can ask to be added or removed. I am trying to make sure if it is up to date so seriously please tell me if you want to be taken off! and actually if you wouldn’t mind I would love to hear that you still want to be on the list if you are right now. I don’t know that everyone is still reading anymore and I don’t want to be bugging you!

Anyway. Chapter.

Marvin’s house is full of nightmares, and the magician himself is not there to enchant his brothers to safer sleep. Together, the four of them are shadowed and haunted, fighting and falling, losing grips to cling to with every day that passes.

Jameson Jackson has always dreamed vividly.

He is not the only one.

Blood and the silver gleam of a knife become chemicals at the nape of the brain stem, and Henrik dreams.

He's been taken out of his little prison cell. His handcuffs were removed, the blood was wiped from his cheeks, and careful hands made swaddling of white bandages around his torn flesh and tired ribs. The bone of his left wrist protrudes from his skin, broken in a single motion by Anti's hands not two days before, but it, like everything else in the world, has ceased to hurt him.

Warm is the darkness, gone the cold light.

“Isn't this easier?” asks Anti, not angry, or cold, or even condescending. His voice has the same tone as the night sky, when the stars have escaped from the light and stand singing in the shadow of infinity. “Don't you want to stay with me?”

Henrik is entranced.

Henrik is lost, is found, is lying, exhausted, on Anti's chest, his bruised eyes closed and his mouth, blue as heliotrope, still and silent. He manages a slow nod. Tears leave dark wet patches on Anti's soft black shirt. The demon strokes his hair.

“Yeah, this is better,” Anti hums, burrowing closer to him under the covers of the bed and letting his chin rest on top of Henrik's head.

The doctor's flayed hands reach out to wrap around him, clutching at his sides, at his back, at his thin sharp spine, at his warmth. He is dazed, exhausted, collapsing, in love; he is consumed and adoring, and yes, Anti is right – this is better, this is easier, so much better, so much easier! The warmth is becoming heat and he is shaking, panting, weeping, ill, and for a second something bright and painful explodes through his awareness and he whimpers, but Anti is here to soothe it away with the same hands that have tortured him, tortured him, tortured him –

He wakes up.

Tears cling to his dark eyelashes. The moon has slid in beneath the blinds of his window, coating his blue blankets in recycled sunlight. There's something very warm wrapped around his waist.

Check that. Someone.

Jameson shivers in his sleep, clinging tight to Henrik's shirt and breathing low and slow against his shoulder. For a second, Henrik is repulsed so strongly that he gags, but his disgust is not directed at his little brother.

So fucking pathetic, his brain tells itself. So fucking pathetic. Still craving Anti?

He'd been in recovery, before Anti took him again. He'd been doing alright. He'd forgotten it was possible to hate himself this much – to hate himself so much it makes his chest burn and his heart stutter and his fingers curl up with a desperation that he can't even express in words.

He's sobbing, sobbing like his heart is broken, but he'll be damned if he wakes up his little brother, his little brother who trusts him and only him, his little brother who comes to him weeping and curls up in his arms like he isn't afraid or disgusted by him, who loves him in the simplest and most pure way, a way he doesn't deserve; no, he won't wake Jameson up. He won't wake Jameson up. He'll get up and have something to calm him down, and then he'll come back to bed before the cold wakes jumpy JJ up.

Inch by inch, wiping furiously at the tears in his eyes, Henrik slips out of his bed and limps to his drawer, pulling out his medicine.

“Two tablets before sleep,” prescribes the bottle helpfully. “Do not take more than six tablets in twenty-four hours.”

Henrik pours two pills into his hand and pops them both in his mouth together, swallowing them dry and pausing to breathe afterwards. He turns, for a moment, to glance at his friend. The moon colors an old cut at the bottom of Jameson's throat white and makes his dark bruises, still stagnant after a week of recovery, seem to glow through the cold night light.

How am I supposed to convince the little one that Anti is dangerous when I can't even convince myself? How am I supposed to keep him with me when Anti has that kind of power to offer and I have nothing? How long will he be here with me before Anti steals us both away again? If only he had never been taken. If only I had never been taken. If only I had never been created. God, God! Do I have to live through this shame again?

Death feels close and tastes like a sleeping tablet.

He takes a third pill.

Crawling back into bed, Jameson shifts and curls, digging his chin into his shoulder, and Henrik, breathing in the sweet coconut smell his little brother has adopted, goes back to sleep.

Marvin's house is the only place in the world he and his family are safe. It is no longer a comforting thought. He is tired.

Henrik von Schneeplestein has long been haunted.

He is not the only one.

“Where are you?” whispers Jackie, clutching at the torn remnants of a red cape. “Where are you? Please come home.”

The wind whips loud around him, striking blows against his flesh and tearing at his hair. He grits his teeth against the cutting air and steps forward, forward, farther along the beam of the crane.

Brighton is beautiful 100 meters in the air.

“Where are you?” he screams. “Where, where, where? Don't tell me you're gone, I can't take it! Please, please, come home!”

His boots slip against the metal of the beam, but he gasps and sways and steadies again, inching closer, closer to the edge.

He can't fly.

His body is so fucking shattered, he's so fucking weak, and his little brother will not be there to catch him, will not douse him in blue light and grab his hand, laughing as they rise together, twins and friends and brothers, hallowed by the moon while Jackie fills up with his own homemade sunshine, a hero, a star –

“Focus!” shouts Marvin, and Jackie lets out a scream as he finds his brother all too suddenly before him, his long hair blown wildly about by the wind. He hovers above him like a specter, glorious and beautiful and angrier than Jackie's ever seen him, teeth gritted. “Focus, Astrifer!”

“On what?” he demands, bewildered and terrified, retreating away from this ghost in the air before him, but Marvin follows without hesitation, setting his feet down on the beam of the crane and reaching out a white hand.

“I love you!” he cries. “But I need you to stop crying out! I need you to watch over them!”

“What are you talking about?” gasps Jackie. The wind drags tears from his eyes. “Where are you, please, tell me you're alive, come home, I can't bear this – ”

“Bear it,” says Marvin.

A dream of Marvin, anyway. Jackie's Marvin was never so cold.

“Bear it, protect them. There is all of time and no time at all.”

His hand points back towards the body of the crane. Panting like his heart will give out, Jackie turns his eyes away from Marvin and back towards the darkness.

“S-Seán?” he stammers, catching sight of a silhouette in the darkness.

And there, holding his creator over the edge of a crane tall enough to build skyscrapers, sits Jameson Jackson, staring back at him, one eye blue and one eyes black.

“Enemy or brother?” cries Marvin, over the howling of the wind, terrible and oppressive and endless, a constant, constant, constant enemy cutting close on every side.

“I don't know!” shouts Jackie. “I'm scared!”

“Choose,” answers Marvin. “It is Anti who taught you fear and you must be courageous again, or what you have left will not be yours for much longer.”

Jackie screams, falling to his knees, clinging to the beam beneath his feet. Somewhere far away, he thinks he can hear Chase and Henrik crying out in answer, but in the darkness he can catch no glimpse of them.

“Go back to them,” says Marvin, stepping away.

“Wait,” cries Jackie. “Wait, please.”

“Please, stop begging for me.”

“Why can't I go with you?” he howls. “Why won't you come home?”

Marvin calls an answer, but Jackie is no longer listening. He staggers back to his feet and turns away from Seán and Jameson, moving towards the end of the beam again, trembling and elated, terrified and desperate.

“I want to go with you,” he shouts, and he sees Marvin's mouth move in the shape of his name, and then he has reached the end of the crane and his foot reaches out over nothingness and still he is stepping towards him.

The fire alarm erupts into shrieking and Jackie comes awake screaming and covered in tears, shaking with fever and bleeding from the mouth. Falling, he had bitten his tongue hard enough for the blood to come.

He scrambles out of bed, covering his ears against the crying of the fire alarm, and groans as his chest and back light up with fire. Pausing, he tumbles against the bulletin boards on his wall, strings and pushpins holding together theories and clues, only to find himself staring at his missing persons board, not yet up to date, where Marvin and Jameson's screenshot faces smile back at him from the days when they were both healthy and whole and his.

And he is just the coward who could not save them, coated in a hundred scars and deserving of every one of them, crying so hard he cannot breathe, while his brothers are fighting fire in the next room over.

“You're drunk.”

“Shhh,” pleads Chase, as if Jameson's signing were a shout. “Shhh, I'm not, I'm not, don't say that – ”

“I can tell from the way you move.” Jameson ducks away from his soothing hands, vaguely irritated. “And you would never burn the sausage sober.”

The fire alarm has shut up, but only because they took the batteries out. The whole room is full of smoke. The sausage is very burned. Chase is drunk.

“Cut me some slack, Jamie, I've been having bad dreams and I just needed a break from them. Lately I feel like – ”

“Are you drunk?”

Chase startles to see Henrik appeared halfway down the staircase, glaring across the room.

“N-no,” he answers, grinning flimsily. “Just, uh. Fucked up the sausage. Sorry for setting off the alarm.”

“Jamie,” says Henrik, frowning at him. “Is he drunk?”

Jameson glances between the two of them, considering. Survival is a game and even small decisions like this should be carefully weighed out.

He doesn't want to stress Schneep out, he decides. It's upsetting for the whole house, himself included.

“Don't think so,” he tells Henrik, relaxing against the kitchen counter and grinning. “Just a klutz.”

Henrik stares down at them for a long moment.

“I'm going back to bed,” he grumbles, retreating back up the stairs.

“Thanks, Jay,”  sighs Chase, only feeling a little guilty. Better than getting caught, right?

“Why do you get drunk?”

“Shit, I don't know, cause I'm a fucking moron?” He sighs deep and rubs at his face, opening the door to air out some of the smoke he's created. “It helps me sleep, I guess. Been having bad dreams. And I just – I don't know, kind of anxious lately. You and Schneep are back but... no one else.”

Jameson blinks. Maybe he's just talking about Jack being asleep, but some part of him understands that that's not who he means.

A sixth brother.

Anti only ever spoke about him when he was in what Jameson considered a gentle mood. While the mask might be discussed over a good beating or a pool of blood, the cat was a bedtime horror story, a being whispered of when Anti's arms were around his stomach, his warnings more genuine than his affection.

“Why do they call him a magician?” asked Jameson once, his mouth trembling. “What can he do?”

“Everything,” Anti answered in a whisper. “I don't know the full extent of it.”

“I don't know” was no common phrase in their house.

“I don't know enough to be sure. And so you must assume, my little heart, that the answer is 'everything.'”

Anti leaned in close and kissed his cheek, and when he drew away, there was no one in the world who would have said the softness in his gaze was false.

“Be careful,” murmured Anti, touching his cheek. “If he ever finds a way past me, he will kill you, Dapper. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Anti.”

He buried his face in his brother's shoulder, stroking the hair at the back of his neck, trying to offer comfort.

“I understand.”

“Good boy.”

“C-H?” he asks now, turning up his gaze, still not sure what to name his brother. “I want to ask you something.”

“Okay, shoot.”

“Where's the cat?”

Down the hall, there is an empty room that still smells of incense and flowers.

“Oh!” Chase grins, turning to him with bright eyes. “You saw him wandering around, huh?”

So he is here! Jameson has been wondering all week where he lives, why he isn't with the others, what happened to him. He sits up straight in his seat, calculating quickly about the danger he might be in. Chase wouldn't let him get hurt, right? Anti warned him about Jackie, too, but Chase and Henrik have kept him safe so far.

“You want to meet him?”

“Is he... friendly?”

“Yeah, super friendly! That one is, anyway. Come on, let's go try to find him.”

“What – outside?”

“Yeah, he spends most of his time outside.”

Jameson's eyes widen. “You'll come outside with me?”

Chase laughs. “I swear you're like a dog when it comes to going on walks. You're a wild man, Jays. Yeah, let's go outside! Fresh air'll probably do my dumb ass some good.”

Jameson's face splits in a wide grin. For a second, he is little different from the man in the video last Halloween, bright and delighted, energetic and expressive, and it makes Chase laugh aloud, instantly cheered. Bolstered by his delight, Jameson jumps down from the kitchen stool and darts to the back door, yanking it open, finding it unlocked, and leaping into the snow.

“Dude!” Chase protests, but he's only laughing harder. “Shoes, you complete pantaloon! Shit, and a coat – can you wait two goddamn seconds?”

Jameson grins and steps down from a wood porch as Chase runs off to get him something to wear. Beneath the slushy spring-touched snow he can feel soft dead grass, and the air cuts like something cleaner and more beautiful than even the blade of a fresh knife across his skin and through his downy hair. Breathing in deep, he propels himself forward and leaps, cartwheeling across the white landscape, picking up snow and tossing it in the air, freed as Anti used to free him.

Days when he was allowed outside were his favorite days. They lived far from civilization – the closest highway was some miles away, not that he knew which direction – and what had once been farmland had become mires of old wheat fields and copses of heavy peaceful trees. The cold rarely stopped him, but then again there were days where he had feared it, like the day the door to the house had accidentally locked and he was stuck outside for hours, weeping as he froze, knocking and pounding for Anti to come save him, his fingers turning white, and then red, and then purple...

He still loved going outside, though. He just never thought anybody would want to come with him. He's not really worth spending time around.

“Here you go,” Chase says, coming up beside him and taking his hands in his own, shoving a pair of soft mittens over his fingers. Jameson blinks up at him, warmed.

“And the coat,” Chase adds, helping him stick his arms into it. Jameson pulls it tight around him and drags the fabric up to his nose, shivering and sighing contentedly into the warmth.

“Here, put my boots on too. We'll have to get you some clothes of your own soon! Maybe next week we can go, if Schneep's feeling safe about it.”

“New clothes for me?”

“Yeah, of course. And anything else you need. I think we could start making that spare room your room, you know? We'll get some decorations or books or something.”

Jameson stares up at him, tugging the second boot onto his foot.

“Everything okay?” asks Chase, frowning. He's wrapped up in a coat and a beanie, wet snow soaking into his sneakers.

Jameson swallows hard, a tsunami of guilt and shame, love and gratitude, uncertainty and caution welling up in his throat.

He wants to keep you, says something in the back of his head. He doesn't plan to throw you out at all. And you're just planning to leave.

Well, answers a darker, angrier part of him, the part of him that wants to tell Chase to fuck off and to run away into the forest and finds his way back to – to what? What's waiting for him? Anti told me the same, that he meant to keep me. That's why we're here. People lie, Jameson.

Chase slings an arm around him and JJ jumps. “Sorry,” Chase chuckles. “I'll warn you next time. Is this okay?”

Jameson reaches up to touch the hand set on his shoulder, turning his head to look into Chase's eyes. The weight of Chase's arm is the best kind of heaviness. He isn't afraid to touch him at all, and only a week ago Jameson had him at gunpoint, glaring down at him with hatred in his eyes.

He always loved Anti, but he would never have called him “good.” Even in his earliest days, he was cognizant of the reality that there was a great cruelty in his brother, and he saw very little goodness in Anti, in the house, in the world around him.

He thinks Chase is probably what goodness looks like.

“Yes,” he knocks. “It's okay.”

For a second, Chase smiles at him so soft that Jameson thinks he's probably what happiness looks like too.

“Sweet!” he says, squeezing his shoulder. “Let's go find that cat, man!”

Chase shoots Henrik a text to tell him they'll be out for a while and they set off into the forest, Jameson still hugged under his brother's arm. Chase can tell he's enjoying himself from the brightness of his eyes and the energy of his step as he wanders beside him, his gaze following the swift brown birds through the sky and the dripping of water from the the dark branches of the trees.

And Athanasius doesn't make himself hard to find. They've only been walking for about twenty minutes when he appears.

“Meow!” he greets them, sprinting up to Chase's side, pressing his head up against his calves, yowling noisily. He's a loud-mouthed cat and always has been. Chase always loved that. He laughs and scoops the little grey cat into his arms, scratching enthusiastically at his ears.

“Hey there, good boy,” he grins, pushing their foreheads together. “How you living, buddy? Ate the last of my fish yesterday, you know. I'll get you more, don't worry.”

He turns around with the cat in his arms, expecting a smile or maybe some tentative attempts to pet him from his little brother, but Jameson just looks confused.

Bewildered, really.

“Um, you good?” he asks, laughing uncertainly.

Jameson stares at Athanasius. “That's... the cat?”

“Yeah?” frowns Chase, double-checking the sign for cat in his head. “Oh! Maybe you were expecting Queenie, huh? You've seen her around, have you? This is Athanasius. Don't ask me why Marvin named him that. He told me once, but it was something about immortality and magic and names he found funny – anyway, this is the cat.”

Jameson bursts into laughter.

“What?” stammers Chase, taking his turn at complete confusion. “What's so funny? Jameson?”

“Holy shit,” says Jameson. He never takes the time to sign curse words, but this – holy fuck. “Anti used to tell me all these stories about how dangerous he is and what a threat and a monster and then you tell me we're going to meet him and you turn around holding – ”

He doubles in on himself, his chest shaking hard. Chase can't help but join him in laughter, setting Athanasius down. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“The cat,” Jameson repeats, as if it's obvious, and very funny to boot. “The cat – what was that name you just said? I didn't know his name, the three of you don't talk about him. The magician.”

Chase stills, staring. Athanasius sits down beside him, his head tilted up at Jameson. In the trees, the birds have fallen into respectful silence.

Like a vigil.

“Marvin?” whispers Chase.

His voice breaks down the middle of the word. Jameson stops laughing.

“Yes,” he says softly. “That name. Are you okay?”

“I,” says Chase.

Marvin. Marvin. Marvin.

“I'm fine,” he whispers.

Anti used to tell him stories.

Used to tell him he was dangerous.

Used to call him a threat.

“Anti warned you about him?”

Chase can taste his heart in his mouth. It is difficult to breathe. A euphoria is beginning in his chest.

“Anti warned you about Marvin?”

Jameson stares at him. Looks down at his hands.

Knocks “yes,” gently.

“Yes, he warned me.”

Chase wonders that the whole forest does not sing. His heart does.

“Alive!” he screams, so loudly even Athanasius goes scrambling away from him, and then he takes off at a sprint back the way they came, towards Jackie and Henrik and the house their brother gave him, their Marvin, the cat, the magician. “Alive, alive, alive!”

He's been wondering so long.

“Jackie!” he cries, bursting into the house through the back door, panting hard. Is he really so out of shape? Fuck it, it doesn't matter. Nothing matters but this. He darts down the hallway, showing up in Jackie's open doorway looking like a wild thing, bright-eyed with tears.

He’s been wondering where his big brother is for so, so long.

“What the hell?” demands Jackie weakly, trying to sit up straight in his chair. “Chase, chill.”

He couldn't go back to sleep after the fire alarm. He's just been sitting here, thinking.

Are you really gone? reads a sticky note on one of his bulletin boards, stuck next to a polaroid of Marvin's face, smiling as he holds up a shut-eyed silver kitten, healthy and safe, happy, unharmed...

“Jackie.” Chase draws his attention back. “Jackie, Marvin's alive.”

He feels so many things at once he feels nothing at all.

“Chase,” he whispers, turning away again.

“I mean it! Jameson said so!”

“Jameson – no, he didn't. Or if he did... Look – just – come on, man, don't do this to me, I'm exhausted.”

“He told me Anti warned him about Marvin. That he told him he was dangerous. He wanted to meet him! Look, Jackie, I know how long we've searched. I know how long you tried to find him. And I know it doesn't look good, with all that blood that was on the floor where he was – and his broken mask – and the hand Anti cut off – and I know it's weird that Jameson and Schneep have never seen Marvin in captivity with them, like it seems like Anti would have kept them all together or at least nearby, but – ”

Jackie buries his face in his hands, trying to breathe. He can't handle this right now. He can't handle this ever.

“But Jameson said so and why would he lie?”

“I can think of a lot of reasons, actually,” gripes out Jackie. “Upsetting us, for one. Or Anti told him to. What if he's trying to lead us out of the house? Bet he'll tell you a location next. 'You can find Marvin here!' And then we all get caught by Anti.”

“You don't mean that.”

“Pretty sure I do. Let's not do this now, Chase.”

“Jackie, listen!” Chase moves to his side, gripping the back of his chair and spinning him around so that they stand side by side, but his brother still fails to meet his eyes. “Jameson asked me where he was. He doesn't think Marvin's dead. Don't you think Anti would have told him if he had killed Marv? Why would Anti warn him about him if he was gone? I bet he would be crowing it from the rooftops if he had managed to kill our Marvin. He would have told Jameson.”

“Chase,” says Jackie, just quietly, his nails digging into the end of his arm rests. “Jameson also didn't know that Jack was in a coma. I heard Henrik explaining it to him two days ago.”

“He knew Jack was in hospital. And asleep. I think that counts.”

“Didn't know my name or Marvin's, never once used the word coma – and there's a sign for it, one he knows, I checked – doesn't even know that Anti's had two attempts on Jack's life. Or that I've been fucking crippled since the day Anti beat me. How's that for something Anti should have been crowing from the rooftops?”

Chase pauses and licks his lips, rocking back on his heels. “Okay, fine,” he concedes. “That's weird, but it still doesn't make sense for Anti to not have told... well, yeah, I would think he would have told him that Jack was in a coma and Marvin was dead, but...”

Jackie runs his hands over his face. “Anti didn't tell the little man much, okay? It doesn't mean anything. I'm sorry, I wish it did – trust me, I fucking wish it meant anything. But it just... doesn't.”

There's a lump somewhere low in Chase's throat. “Why are you so determined to say it isn't true? Don't you want Marvin to be alive? You've given up on him.”

Jackie's on his feet so fast Chase nearly tumbles backwards, but his brother grabs him by the collar of his shirt and yanks him close, so Chase can't miss the fury in his eyes. The lights are brighter than they were a moment ago. For a second, Chase stares right back at Jackie, his mouth drawn in a snarl, but then his will breaks and tears spark in his blue eyes.

Jackie softens, regret replacing rage. He lets Chase go and sinks back down, slowly, into his chair. He curls in on himself, his chest aching and his heart beating too fast. He looks old. He looks small. The lights have gone dark again and everything is still.

“Chaser,” Jackie croaks. “Will you please go get Henrik? Anti told me something and I think it's time you both heard.”

“What?”

“Please go get Henrik.”

“Where's Marvin?”

“Go get Henrik. Go get Henrik.”

Chase obeys. Henrik comes. And Jackie, in a voice as small as a star-speck and as shaky as a knife-wound, tells them what Anti said.

Jameson has heard screaming many times – screams of anger, of pain, of fury, of fear. Screams of grief, as he finds out that day, are the most horrible of them all.