#i merged his and fang's names!! they are now one (as they would want it to be)

[lazzarella]

Perfect 10 Liners Ep 23 // We Are Ep 16

[itsnesss]

𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 | a cobra kai one shot

summary | you say goodbye to cobra kai, reflecting on everything you've been through

warnings | nostalgia, emotional reflections, bittersweet ending

word count | 1. 4 k

author's note | afew hours away from finishing cobra kai and I can't believe how it's affecting me, I honestly don't want to say goodbye so... long live cobra kai ᡣ𐭩

The Cobra Kai dojo was quieter than usual, as if the air itself was holding its breath. The shouting, the laughter, and the intense training had now become distant echoes, and only the soft murmur of the wind remained between the walls.

You were there, looking at the space you had called "home" for so long. Everything had changed. The last fight, the last tournament, the last lesson. You had been involved in every stage of this journey, from the beginning to the end.

Since Johnny reopened the dojo, since Miguel was bullied, since Miguel and Sam's first date, since Robby worked with LaRusso, since Miguel won the All Valley tournament, since Kreese came back, since Sam and Robby were a couple, since Tory and Miguel were a couple, since the school fight, since Miguel got injured and couldn’t walk, since Kreese took Johnny’s dojo, since Johnny opened another dojo called Eagle Fang, since Eagle Fang and Miyagi-Do merged, since Silver came back, since they went to the school dance, since the next tournament, since Miguel got injured again, since Eli won, and Tory won too by cheating, since Silver took over Cobra Kai, since Miguel went to search for his dad, since Miguel and Robby reconciled, since they found out they'd be brothers, since they exposed Silver, since they trained for the Sekai Taikai return, since Tory’s mother passed away, to the Sekai Taikai tournament.

You had been part of something that, although at first seemed like an endless battle, now gave you the feeling of having been more than just physical fights.

With one hand on the doorframe, you stood there, soaking in the stillness of the place. You had given it all, you had learned, and although the future wasn’t clear, you knew that everything you’d lived here would stay with you.

Remember this moment, in the back of my mind, the time we stood with our shaking hands.

The last time everyone gathered in this dojo, emotions ran high. Reconciliations, farewells, the endings that, in some way, were just the beginning of something new. The sun was setting, the sky tinged with oranges and pinks as the last rays fell over the place.

Johnny Lawrence was the first to appear. With his characteristic defiant look, but something softer in his eyes, he approached you. He had been part of this journey, and although he didn’t say it, his presence spoke volumes.

“I guess this is it, huh?” he said with a crooked smile, his voice resonating in the empty space. “Did we do it?”

“Yes, Johnny. We did,” you replied, looking toward the horizon, as if expecting everything to have some kind of closure.

We were the kings and the queens, and they read off our names.

"We did it."

Beside him, Daniel LaRusso approached, walking with a firm step, but the look he gave you was one of understanding. There was no more rivalry between them, nor between you and the others. Everything had come to an end, but the connection they now shared was stronger than ever.

“It’s been a long road,” Daniel said, his tone calmer, wiser than before.

It was the end of a decade, but the start of an age.

“But now we’re ready for what comes next.”

Both men, in one way or another, had witnessed everything you’d lived. And although the battles between them seemed the most important at the time, now they knew that what really mattered was what had been forged between all of them, the lessons, the moments that united them.

But Johnny and Daniel’s words weren’t the only ones echoing in your mind. The memories of the others, the faces of the kids who had been part of this journey, began to fill your mind. Robby, Hawk, Sam, Miguel, Tori, each one of them had left a mark. And although the goodbyes felt like a distant echo, you knew that somehow, they would all move forward, carrying with them what they had lived here.

With a nostalgic smile, you turned, and just as you thought the day was coming to an end, there they were. The dojo kids, the ones who had fought, the ones who had gotten lost, the ones who had found each other. They were all part of the same story, that story that had been forged in every fall, in every victory.

Miguel was the first to approach. The kid who had started so full of rage, so full of confusion, now stood before you with a calm look. You knew that, in some way, he had changed as much as you had. Everyone’s fight had been his too.

“Thanks,” Miguel said, his words sincere. “For everything you did for us. Cobra Kai wouldn’t be the same without you.”

“We did it together, Miguel,” you replied, smiling wistfully. “Never forget what we learned here. And most of all, never forget what we did to get here.”

Long live the walls we crashed through, how the kingdom lights shined just for me and you.

“I promise,” he said, clenching his fists, as if trying to absorb that lesson into his bones.

Sam and Robby joined the conversation shortly after, and although the tension between them was still palpable, there was something else in their eyes. There was forgiveness, there was understanding. After everything that had happened, after everything they had lived, now they saw beyond the mistakes of the past.

“You know?” Sam said with a soft smile. “I didn’t think this day would ever come. But... here we are.”

“Yeah,” Robby replied, looking around, reflecting.

“Maybe it was always meant to be. Cobra Kai, Miyagi-Do... in the end, we were just kids looking for a purpose.”

“What matters is that we found it,” Sam added, as she took Robby’s hand. “Each of us.”

Hawk and Tori, although quieter, also joined. The reconciliation between them hadn’t been instant, but now, it seemed like they both understood what united them beyond the differences. Hawk, who had fought so many times against his own demons, now seemed more centered. Tori, who had always been the rebel, now showed a peace that wasn’t there before.

“The truth is, I never imagined this moment would come,” Hawk said, looking at everyone. “But... here we are, as friends, not as rivals.”

And the cynics were outraged, screaming: this is absurd.

Tory nodded. “Life was never about Cobra Kai or Miyagi-Do. It was about us, about what we learned.”

Everyone, at that moment, seemed to have arrived at the same point: the end of one cycle, but the beginning of another. They had left behind rivalry, wounds, resentments. Now, looking around, there were only friends. Or, at least, life companions, who had shared something deep and transformative.

“All we did here, all we fought to be, now it’s a part of us,” you said softly, looking at everyone with a smile.

Long live all the magic we made.

"The victories, the defeats, the lessons… that’s what really matters."

Hours passed quickly, and the Cobra Kai dojo, which had been the setting for so many emotions, was finally ready to close its doors. The lights went out, and the sense of completion was felt in the air.

Finally, the guys began to leave, one by one. Johnny, Daniel, Miguel, Sam, Robby, Hawk, Tory. Each one took their own path, but they all knew that what they had shared here would never be erased.

And you, standing there, with the memories of everything you’d lived, smiled as you made your way toward the dojo door.

Before leaving, you stopped for a moment, looking at the Cobra Kai sign on the wall, that sign that, for so long, had represented everything you’d known. With a nostalgic smile and a certainty in your heart, you whispered the words that, in the end, summed it all up.

"Cobra Kai never dies".

The road they had traveled wasn’t easy, but it was theirs. Each one of them, even those who didn’t know it at the time, would carry that story with them forever.

[shpen779]

I saw this picture and it freaked me out. a little-little demon with wings, it's so easy to forget he had human flesh for dinner. So I wrote a short fanfic from Will's perspective to let me go

He sits there. In the corner. Like a spider in a web of old books and candle wax. His wings—cardboard, drawn—but I can see them twitch. Funny. Scary. A mix of both. He writes. Scribbling in a notebook with gilded edges, like a schoolboy who has just discovered that words can kill.

“He eats people,” I remind myself. “He has killed, dismembered, prepared. He is a monster.”

But now… now he looks like a child. The child he never was. His fingers carefully turn the pages, his lips moving soundlessly. Is he composing poetry? Or a menu?

I stand in the doorway. He knows I’m here. Always knows. But he doesn’t turn around. He keeps writing. His back straight, like a pianist before a concert.

“Why does this feel… endearing?”

The thought burns. It’s treacherous.

He has consumed more than sixty people. Sixty. Sixty lives, sixty names, sixty stories turned to pulp and served with a sauce of Nietzsche quotes. But when he sits like this—hunched, absorbed, pencil in hand—he seems… fragile. Like a porcelain doll that someone is bound to break.

“You are the one who will break him,”

I whisper to myself. But I don’t move.

He licks the tip of his pencil. Just like back then, in Jack’s office.

“Eye contact is violence, Will.”

And now he himself creates that violence—on paper. Writing, writing, writing. About what? My dreams? How I tossed and turned last night? How my hand trembled when I cut the meat at dinner?

“He knows. Always knows.”

His temple isn’t a room. It’s him. Walls made of ribs, an altar of skulls, stained glass windows of memories of the sister he devoured to keep her with him forever. But now… now he is neither god nor devil. He is a boy. A boy afraid of the dark and so he created his own—from blood and poetry.

“Why can’t I hate him?”

Because his hatred is perfect. Because his love is a knife that cuts just enough for you to feel alive. Because when he looks at me, I see that child in him. The one who cried when Mischa disappeared. The one who decided that if the world took everything from him, he would take the world.

He turns around. His eyes are two embers in ash. He smiles—not with the grin of a cannibal, but with the smile of that very boy.

“Are you going to stand there long?”

He asks. His voice soft as silk on a blade. I don’t answer. He knows the answer.

He extends the notebook toward me. On the page—a drawing. Me and him. We stand back to back, but our shadows merge into one being with wings and fangs. We are a Rorschach test, one entity, whole, indistinguishable.

“Beautiful,”

I think. And immediately want to rip out my tongue.

He has killed. He kills. He will kill again. But as he draws our shadows, I… I want to sit beside him. To take the pencil. To add details.

It’s so easy to fall when you’ve been in the abyss for so long.

[cyberdragoninfinity]

Hm, I see you like yuri and aporia quite a bit.. :3 how do you think they'd react to each other? (It can be in your au too if you want :33)

The boy has eyes like a greedy dragon and a smile like a maddened cannibal as he examines Aporia's claws with delighted fascination. "So this is what it looks like to become one." The smile grows wider, hungrier. "We really are the same."

"I fail to see the similarity." Aporia huffs, recoiling his hand. The child simply snickers in reply, disappearing into the tangled curtain of wires and cables plugged into his back and arm ports. He reemerges a moment later on the other side, having to crane his neck to meet Aporia's gaze, even with the great and powerful Embodiment of Despair sitting ever so gingerly on the ground.

"Then maybe you should look harder, Aporia. We may as well be twins!" says the boy, leaning against Aporia's knee and giving him a fiendish little grin. "Metaphorically speaking, of course. We've both been parts of a whole, haven't we? Well, I suppose I still am, unfortunately I'm still trying to collect all of my pieces, but you… you did it. You reunited as one and unlocked your true power. I have to admire the efficiency! You make it look so easy." His smile twitches, sliding into a grimace as he glances at the cables and cords around them. "I would admire the rejection of humanity too, if you weren't so dedicated to being a machine." A disgusted sniff. "Why on earth would you want to become some cold metal Thing when you could just embrace your divine flesh and become a creature of true organic destruction instead?"

Aporia narrows his eyes. "You cannot fathom the divine touch that's had its hand in making me," he rumbles, a warning tone. "A holy machine is an existence beyond your very comprehension, little one. I exist unbound by useless, distracting emotions; I have no need to be a slave to things like your juvenile yearning for chaos and destruction!"

That earns him a nasty little glare. "Come now. My name is Yuri."

Something flickers in the corner of Aporia's mind. He pushes it back, hastily. Leans down as much as he can to bare his ever-sharp fangs at the boy. "Hmph. Another thing then, Yuri--you and I are nothing alike. Our goals and situations are night and day." He speaks slowly, syllables taking a particularly prickly edge. "The Three Emperors of Iliaster were made to become me. They're androids. They were built from my despair, built with reunification intended… and I stand as the sum of their parts. They merged into one by their own accord, for the good of completing the Circuit and saving the future. It was their decision. They wanted it."

Yuri matches his bared teeth with the lazy glint of his own devilish fangs. "And you think we don't?" he purrs. "Please. I know how badly the others are yearning to be one. They're desperate for it! I'm just the only piece ambitious enough to make it happen."

"Ambitious." Aporia snorts. Ambitious the way a vampire sinks its teeth into your neck, sure. "Perhaps that's the crux of how we differ, Yuri. My pieces weren't hunting each other."

"My, my. That's an awfully accusatory tone you're taking."

Aporia has had enough feelings for ten lifetimes. A hundred, even. His Z-one crafted mechanical makeup dutifully seals every distracting, useless emotion away, at his own insistence. And yet he's all too aware of something very close to frustration digging its barbs into his brain. Dancing around with that flickering something that's refusing to stay out of sight out of mind. "The Emperors are… were… a unit. A shared existence. Allow me to point out that you and all of your pieces have your own separate lives. Had, I should say. And it seems you won't rest until you've ensured the complete and utter ego death of every last one of them." He sits back, letting cables slacken. Hums. "My pieces weren't so eager to annihilate one another."

"Oh? Then why don't they come out to play?" Yuri quirks the second most ridiculous eyebrow in the room. "Ah, that's right, they can't! They don't exist anymore! Not in a way that matters, anyway. It's just you now, isn't it?" He purses his lips, smirks. "So presumptuous of you, old man. Acting like I'm the only one here annihilating people. Though I suppose "people" is hardly an applicable term, in your case."

Aporia clenches his jaw. "That's completely different."

"So you agree then? That your little--what did you call them? Emperors? How adorable--you agree that they aren't people." That increasingly irritating smile splits into a vividly vicious grin. "Just spare parts necessary to becoming whole. They may as well be gears and screws." A giggle, starting small then blooming into a full blown cackle. "Though I guess they already are!"

"Enough!" Aporia bellows, snaps forward to swat Yuri away like a meddlesome housefly. He ducks out of reach, though, nimbly grabbing hold of a particularly thick braid of wires and shimmying up it like a climbing rope. With a pounce he lands on one of Aporia's pauldrons, still laughing as he settles into a precarious crouch.

"Awfully cranky for a so-called emotionless machine, aren't you?" Yuri snickers. "Admit it, we're far more alike than different! All I've done is just accelerate the same process you went through. You wiped your Emperors from existence to become yourself again, and when I absorb my last two stray fragments, well, then it will be my turn." His turn to hum now, as he admires his nails with a thoughtful frown. "Honestly, why bother dying on such a morally righteous hill over something that's such a simple matter, anyway? It's just mutual exclusivity! Our pieces weren't born--ahah, created, to be separate forever, don't kid yourself. We've always been the ultimate end goal."

His gaze snaps up, meets Aporia's scowl with snake-split pupils. "And the only way our lives get to truly flourish is if theirs reach an end." Something wicked sparks in those violet, inhuman eyes. "But I think you know that. Don't you, Aporia?"

What a truly… aggravating little insect. So adamant, so filled to the brim with blistering venom and malicious glee. Clinging to arrogance a little too tight, like a shaky hand grips a rapier. This boy with a truly nasty smile and an even nastier laugh.

It would be clawing its way through Aporia's emotionless walls, lighting a flame of exasperated fury inside him right now, if it wasn't so familiar.

Isn't this precisely what you would do, if you were that age again? Postured, plotted, picked at sore spots, just to see a reaction? Fought feverishly with any adult who'd dare try to argue with you? Defended your choices, one of the few things left still well and truly your own?

For a moment as Aporia stares Yuri down he can almost see a flicker of long red hair, a wild, gleaming green eye. It's all certainly what Lucciano would do, isn't it? Right down to the hysterical madman cackle. If he focuses, Aporia can access every inch of his components' memories within his circuits and systems, see all of the child Emperor's schemes and outbursts and chaotic leanings. And while Lucciano was a despair-driven, exaggerated facsimile of his childhood, Aporia needs only glance at those memories for mere seconds to see the true shades of himself within them, the lonely child from a future he now hopes will never come to pass. The lonely child who screamed and sobbed and lost the ones who loved him most. The lonely child who never truly stopped being afraid.

It's like gazing at a painting and all at once understanding it, suddenly seeing the 'how' and 'why' in every brushstroke. The despair of losing those who love you… maybe Yuri was spared such grief. Maybe he wasn't. Either way, Aporia can't fight the pang of sympathy that awakens and pushes through the cracks in his "emotionless" walls.

He's just a kid.

With a sigh, Aporia shifts, an uneven motion that almost-but-not-quite shakes Yuri off his shoulder. "I do admit," he says finally, slowly, "If I was the more foolish sort, I would almost believe your vicious resolve about all of this was quite the display of compensation."

That rattles Yuri out of his self-satisfied staredown. "What--!" he spits, bristling like a particularly ornery purple cat. "What are you getting at? I'm not compensating for anything, you miserable bag of bolts!"

Aporia doesn't flinch. Just sits, watches him.

An uncharacteristic redness creeps onto Yuri's face. He crinkles his nose, bares his teeth, before the thickening silence can grow too great. "Answer me!"

"Mm. It's nothing important. You simply remind me of someone." Aporia looks away, diverts his attention to the thick braids of wires plugged into his arm. Runs the back of his claws along their dull sheen. "He spent a very long time being scared and alone, too."

"Hah!" The laugh is high and loud and knifepoint dangerous. "And just what is that supposed to mean? Do you think I'm some sniveling little scared-of-the-dark toddler? Shaking in my boots, trying to hide behind my other pieces, so the big bad monsters don't get me? Please! I am the monster, Aporia. And I am not scared."

Aporia slowly turns his head to look back at Yuri. He can almost feel a pitiful smile playing at his lips. "You admit to the loneliness, then."

The glower he receives in response could burn a wheat field to cinders, but Aporia's mechanical senses are too fine-tuned to miss what comes before: a single split second of eyes going wide, mouth twitching into a mortified wince. A child caught with a thieving hand deep in the cookie jar. Aporia's turn to prod at a nerve, it seems.

It still comes so naturally to him after all.

"Hmph. Perhaps placing my admiration in you was a very stupid mistake." Yuri hisses finally. He tears his sour gaze away and, quick as a viper's strike, leaps from Aporia's shoulder back to the ground, cape fluttering behind him. "Fine! Stay on your high horse. I don't care." He turns, flashes a mean, toothy smile. "Just remember which of us obliterated more souls to be here." The smile quivers, coils once more into a grin just short of diabolical. "If we want to count machines as having souls, anyway. But, ah! That's a moral quandary for another time. Either way, hopefully I'll be matching your record soon!"

Yuri crows and cackles like it's the funniest joke in the world, and the wires and hardware that were once Lucciano thrum with a wave of kinship so strong it nearly re-acquaints Aporia with nausea.

"Ahh, well, anyway. This has been oh so… fun," Yuri's lip curls with disdain. "But I really must be going. I am terribly busy, after all. Do think of me when the world's in ruins soon, won't you?" His eyes cut one last noxious pink inspection over Aporia's hulking form, and he smiles almost sweetly. "Enjoy your rust. Ta ta!"

Then, with a flick of his wrist and a flourish of his cape, the boy is gone, turning on his heel and marching off to God-knows-where to do God-knows-what. Aporia sits in the silence of his cord and cable jungle for a moment, letting their charge course through his inner mechanisms, his beautiful heaven-touched form. He sighs again. Of course it's a fool's errand to get Yuri to see their differences, to understand the merits of shedding the human for the powerful and perfect machine. He knows the adamancy in one's opinion only a child can hold with such vicious gusto. Sometimes it's truly the only thing you have, at that age.

Somewhere inside him a child who will never exist again yearns for a friendship that will never be, and Aporia can't help but wish Yuri a safer, better future than he himself will ever know.

((WOW I AM SO SORRY THAT THIS TOOK LITERALLY LIKE 3 MONTHS TO GET TO, ANON i got so inspired by this i ran off into the woods and had to write a fic about it. :,)

I loooved loved loved thinking about the way these two Certified Danaguys would react to each other... the fact that theyre honestly kind of similar is making me a little sick in the head i must say. something something reuniting into one, embracing a divine individual identity (in organic and mechanical flavors,) plant vines vs power cables... never mind the fact lesterlucciano and yuri are definitely the same breed of sadistic cackling 12-14 year old little fucker and would probably get along like a house on fire.

there's a bit in tag force 6 on Aporia's route, where he comments on how he never got to have a normal childhood/play with other kids growing up, and how lucciano has that same desperate aching for connection with other people. i just definitely think he'd be able to see a similar loneliness in Yuri too, past the nasty venom. traumatized child recognizing traumatized child Big and a Lot. wahhh

tysm for this ask! got me writing again which is a big deal for me :3

(meanwhile in kansas au i think they would lock eyes at the beauty supply store when yuri is shoplifting mascara. aporia wont snitch tho <3)))

[punks-never-die205]

Souled Out

Fem Reader x Demon!Eustass Kid

CW: Blood, religious tones, original creation myth, ritual, violence, dubious consent, 18+

tags: @keiva1000

Chapter 7: Empty Soul

Kid looks at you and you can hear his tail smacking the floor in quick succession before he growls. “The easy way is-.”

“Contracts.” You interrupt flatly. “I remember that. What are the non-contract ways.”

“… Before contracts it was a ritual. Someone would agree to give over their soul to someone else, in part or whole, and as long as the other person agreed to accept it, they’d sit in an array, and do the transfer.” He snaps the words out curtly, irritation dripping from his fangs. “Souls are important though, right? Who wants to give theirs up, so that didn’t happen much. Before the whole contracts and guidelines there were other ways too.”

“Like theft.”

“Yeah.” Kid clears his throat. “We think one of the reasons they want to fill you back up with pieces of other souls is so that they can complete the theft.”

Your brows furrow and you stop eating. “Complete it?”

“Taking a soul against someone’s will doesn’t let you do anything with that soul.” He explains. “Another reason the whole contract process became popular.”

“… Giving me a different soul will let them use mine?”

Kid shakes his head. “It’s… when the doc stabilized you, he did it by basically merging the scrap from Gilda with your soul. You have more soul now, and it’s, technically your soul.”

“… How did he-.”

“It’s my gift.” An irritated voice interrupts you as the doctor from earlier sits down with the two of you.

“Do all demons have a gift?” You question, looking from one to the other.

“Some.” Law answers flatly. “Our current assumption is that whoever stole yours doesn’t want you to die. They didn’t send you any pieces of soul until you’d summoned someone who could help you if things went wrong.”

One glyphed finger draws a circle in the air around you and the question on your lips comes out as nothing. Law smirks and then continues talking. “We can only make assumptions, but the theory is that once you have a full, and stable soul, the one who stole yours will make contact. After all, humans don’t know one soul from another, so why should you be overly attached to yours? Once you agree, the deal would be done, they could leave with their prize.”

He takes a sip of coffee, rotating his finger in the other direction and you’re certain your ability to speak, or at least be heard, has been restored.

“They are in for a rude awakening then.” You answer simply, finishing up the last of your food. “I want my soul back specifically. If this patched soul becomes, technically, my soul, then they can have it and give me mine back.”

Law looks from you to Eustass. “Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure!” Eustass barks.

“Sure about?” You prompt.

“This creepy shit thinks you’re a demon, or an angel.” Eustass grumbles, jerking his thumb toward Law.

“…Why?” You question, looking over at Law.

Law returns your look for a moment before sighing. “If humans truly had a strong attachment to their souls, they wouldn’t sign so many contracts.” He says flatly. “They’ll all talk about how important and valuable it is, and in some ways they aren’t wrong, but then they’ll sign their names and hand it over for something as impermanent as money, or as useless as revenge.

“But you,” he continues, taking another drink of coffee. “Despite having other avenues available, want your soul back. You’re effectively immortal as you are, there’s not enough soul to wear down your vessel, without degradation of the vessel there’s no chance of illness, the amount of sustenance you need is reduced as well.”

He sets the cup down, pointing at you lazily. “You’ve more than anyone could hope to get in exchange for their soul already, and yet you want your soul back. Only demons and angels covet their souls fiercely enough to spend decades trying to recover them.”

“I… don’t want immortality.” You say flatly. “I want my soul back.”

Law’s brows raise a little, the slightest shrug of his shoulders as he finishes the coffee. “Maybe you’re a-.”

Kid’s hands slam down onto the table, his tail snapping heavily against the floor as he glares at Law. The two glare at each other for a long moment, before Law sighs and gets up.

“You’re free to go home. You’re welcome to a pair of scrubs since your clothes were ruined. I left them in your room.” He says, turning away and walking off.

There’s a long silence between you and Kid before he sinks back into his chair, the angry twitching of his tail calming down.

“Was he going to call me a slur?” You question, eyes on him. You catch a furrow in his brow, but it doesn’t last, and he growls before sighing.

“Remember the lecture about souls?” He prompts, and you nod. “Heaven and Hell have their conflict.”

“You said that was the only thing people here had correct.”

He nods. “Yeah, Heaven’s not perfect, Hell’s not fire and damnation, but the two places are at odds. Clean souls are basically drafted, I mean, you choose where you go, but if someone important to you picked Hell, and then met you at the gates and asked you to come be on their team, chances are you pick Hell, and not Heaven when you’re deciding.”

“I imagine -.”

“There’s a lot more to it than that, yeah.” He sighs, and you can hear his tail ticking against the hard floor. “The only way to leave the conflict, is to voluntarily go back to take a Turn. You forget everything. Fresh start shit. No memories, just like any other time someone goes through the Turn.”

He runs a hand through his hair and grimaces before continuing. “We call ‘em Deserters. Angels or Demons who basically just… walk out on their,” he falters, letting the word hang, trying to sort out what to say next when he waves it off. “… whatever.” He leans back in the chair, staring up at the ceiling for a moment.

“Someone-.” You say the word and stop, getting up and walking back to the room you’d been recovering in. It’s obvious someone left the conflict, and he knew them, there was no need to ask about it.

“I’m going to change so we can go home.”

You pause after the word leaves your lips and turn back toward Kid. “Do I still have a home?”

He looks at you funny for a moment before laughing. “Yeah, you do. It needs a little remodeling, but the explosion didn’t take out the unit.”

You knew, even as you continued back to the room to change, that you should’ve asked for more details, but as you stood in your apartment an hour later you were honestly glad you hadn’t.

Kid stood quietly by the entrance as you walked through the relatively small apartment. Standing in the kitchen you looked in one direction to see the hole in the wall, straight through the oven and into the bathroom. You didn’t smell gas, so you weren’t really concerned. Looking in the other direction you could see scorch marks and a radial series of cracks in the wall.

There wasn’t really any other word for it, it was an impact crater in the wall. Right up against a four by four that had cracked nearly through. One sturdy piece of lumber was the only reason the explosion hadn’t blown a new door in your home.

“Where’s,” you pause, unsure if you want to know before you decide to ask after all. “The body?”

Golden eyes regard you for a moment. “My forge.”

You return his gaze, and give a small nod before stepping further into your home. “Her soul’s at the Turn then?”

“Unless she signed it away, yeah.” He answers, stepping in and away from the front door.

“Well, at least the other bathroom is still functional.” You sniff the air a few times. “The oven’s gone but is there really not a gas leak in here?”

Kid peered around the hole where the oven had been. “Looks like the line got crimped shut from the impact.” He looks over at you. “I can fix all this.”

You tilt your head. “Is that your gift?”

Eustass Kid grins, and you can feel the small hairs on your body stand on end. “Fixing something like this? Nah, lots of demons can do something like this.”

You consider things for a moment. “Your forge is your gift.”

The sly grin turns devious. “It is. I don’t need it for this.” There’s a glint in his eyes and the feeling that set your hair on edge sinks into your thighs.

“… I’m in recovery.” You say it suddenly enough that you put a hand over your mouth.

“Heh, I knew I could get you to react.” He says, tongue slipping across his lips as he stalks closer to you. The glint in his eyes is the same glow he’s had before. “You’ve got more soul than just those few tattered scraps, and you made sweet sounds even with that lil’ bit.

“Besides, the doc wouldn’t have sent you home if you couldn’t survive an orgasm or two.” He insists, tail slicing through the air and cracking against it like a whip. “To answer why,” Kid continues, closing the distance between you both and looking down as he pulls you close. “I don’t want to work on an empty stomach. Used up all my energy flying you to the doc.”

He leans down, fingers slipping up your spine, his breath tickling your ear. “I don’t mind begging for my meal when it’s such a sweet snack.”

[colekinnie-4life]

Alright, the poll has been up long enough!

List of AUs time!

Main Ninjago AU- It’s literally just Ninjago but with my headcanons, the characters actually act traumatized, and it takes place in between Crystallized and the Merge. Random shenanigans I come up with happen here (like if I ever make comics). Dragon’s Rising is the future and the designs are different.

Golden Hope AU- There was this video on YouTube I saw called “alternate ninjago timelines” and one of them was if Kai took the fang blade instead of Lloyd during episode 10. Lloyd dies and Kai somehow doesn’t explode in the volcano, and for some reason he’s the green ninja now. Don’t ask why.

Eventually he defeats Garmadon (he kinda sorta 💀’d him-) and Misako tells him “erm actually the ‘dark lord’ from the prophecy was the Overlord ☝🏼🤓” so now he tries to defeat the Overlord but gets tricked and possessed by him, and takes over Ninjago. Womp womp.

Except not because a girl named Jenny from Imperium falls into Ninjago like 4 years later due to one of her classmates accidentally creating a portal to Ninjago and she has a magic flashlight that the First Spinjitzu Master gave her somehow. Just like Kai surviving the volcano don’t question it 👍🏼. She finds the other ninja and they set out to defeat the Overlord. Yes this is a fanfic that has 13 chapters and no I am not done with it yet so I ain’t posting it here or on Wattpad any time soon.

Raging Fire AU- Saw some fanart that had Kai with the Samadhi Fire from LMK so I thought “ooo AU idea!”

Basically Ignatius (first fire master) was a hothead and didn’t like it so he made a fire purely out of his anger to get rid of it but whoops it turns out this gets passed on with the fire powers so if one of the fire elemental masters gets too mad they summon the fire and turn into an angry fire monster.

The au is based on Kai unlocking the fire after a shitty day fighting off The Mechanic and Jay stealing the last cookie. Cole’s the only one strong enough to stop him so if he goes apeshit he’s the one to help him out.

(This was totally not an excuse for me to write a Lava fanfic… *cough*)

Cole Jr. AU- AU where baby Wu was actually just a random baby and Cole adopts him (actual Wu was found by Misako and the resistance during Hunted). Yes he is officially named Cole Jr (he goes by CJ).

CJ just hangs out with his dad or gets babysat by other characters during the rest of the show and during DR he’s like 8 or 9. He fell in TLOLT with Cole and was raised with the finders, Bonzle, and Geo. The end.

Earthbound AU- Pretty self explanatory. Heard the idea from someone’s tumblr post (I forgot whose, sorry!) and thought “I wanna do this, but make it another Lava fanfic!”

It’s Seabound but Nya = Cole and Jay = Kai. The end.

Movie Actor AU- Really, really self explanatory. It’s the movie, but everyone is an actor.

This au gives an excuse for a reason for why everyone’s personality is different. It’s because the director of the movie wanted the characters to be a bit more like their actors. Speaking of which, here are their names:

Lloyd- Eric Davis

Kai- Ethan Daniels

Cole- Nicholas Richards

Jay- Jacob Wilson

Zane- Cole Harris

Nya- Emma Hansen

I thought of this really funny gag where the actor for Zane is named Cole, and during the first couple of times they were recording, whenever someone would say “Cole” (as in the character), both Cole and Nick would react.

I think I’m funny.

Anyways, that’s it.

Man, I seriously need help.

EDIT I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT MY MASTERS OF FIRE AU

Basically Kai ends up in the past instead of the nether space and fucks up the timeline. The end

[sonicasura]

My somewhat sleep ass decided to torture Kaiju No. 8's Hoshina Soshiro a bit.

What if there was a different reason why he joined the Defense Force and seems so defensive of Mina Ashiro? Hoshina was similar to Kafka in that he had a childhood best friend growing up. This person being his light in the darkness and took every chance to brighten even his worst days.

Both aimed towards their own positions in the Defense Force with a vow to support each other the best they can. Hoshina and his cherished friend strived to improve themselves each day. They were at the top of the world. Well until Hoshina's dear friend vanished without a trace.

Unlike him, they wanted to become a weapon smith for the Defense Force. A task that requires different qualifications to join than the normal entrance exam. One such way was being recognized by a popular tech company.

Luckily their chance came as an expo where top 5 kaiju tech companies in Japan will host a competition with the prize being a free internship. Hoshina's friend gone in hopes of being recognized and become the person who would one day make his gear. Sadly a Kaiju will attack the expo that very night as the future vice captain becomes devastated by loss.

Although his friend didn't truly die that day. When they tried to escape the frenzied civilians, the panic would accidentally trigger one of the contestants' prototypes. A data manipulator made from a unique Kaiju core that could materialize, deconstruct, and store physical constructs.

Hoshina's friend found themselves pulled by the machine unseen by any of the survivors. Their life been spared but would forever change inside. His friend's data will unfortunately merge with the machine's storage and eventually the Kaiju core.

The Data Manipulator is left untouched as years past by until current day when one new intern turns it on. What comes out of the machine was no longer human but not exactly a Kaiju either. The scared intern would tell the Defense Force about the creature they saw.

A four armed 7 ft tall monstrosity that looked like a horrific red caricature of cartoon hedgehog. Their robotic voice constantly muttering 'Fatal Error' as the perpetually open fanged smile never left. Or that they said 'Hoshina Soshiro' before vanishing into the cable lines.

Yep. I got bored and gave Hoshina a friend who practically turned into a kaijuesque version of Fatal Error. They don't have a name at the moment so Fer will be their temporary moniker.

Considering how high tech the kaiju fiber suits are, it makes you wonder how ugly a potential malfunction would be. Fer is essentially a walking data version of said item with their 'core' hosted inside a pocket dimension inside their stomach. They have all their current memories alongside the unfortunate urge to feed on data and other kaiju.

Also Hoshina now has a spooky stalker to worry about. It'll definitely take some time before he realizes that this horror show is his lost best friend. Plus the irony of him trying to keep Fer a secret from his troops like Reno is doing for Kafka.

[lildevyl]

Whumptober Day 17: Nowhere Else To Go

DSMP Confronting the Past Eggpire AU   Inspired by Paved with Good Intentions by Grimmijaggers, World Burn by RufiaAthena8384

TW: Gaslighting, Possession, Character Death

Summary:  The Egg has officially taken over Foolish and now he has all but one person to capture, Tommy.  Once he captures Tommy erases all of his memories and makes Tommy his Prince of Chaos, then the two of them can truly take over the SMP and other Servers.

Tommy stood there back against the wall, unable to breathe, as that thing came towards him.  The Egg had completely taken over Foolish, ruby red eyes, inhuman shark-like fangs, blood fines wrapping and merging with his legs and arms, blood-red veins that looked similar to the vines creeping up his neck and face. This wasn’t Foolsih!

Foolish, whom Tommy began to see as a friend.  Foolish who had no problem with Tommy helping out with the farms and animals.  Foolish who only lightly scolds him for taking things out of the chests without asking.  To be fair, Tommy has gotten better about replacing things when he does “borrow” them.  Foolish who had no problem in letting Tommy build his Cobblestone Towers without any jabs.  Foolish, who only makes Tommy rebuild and restore the materials if he accidentally destroys something.  Foolish who always smiled at him when Tommy spent too long with the Cows naming each one of them.

This wasn’t Foolish.  Tommy didn’t know what the was but it wasn’t Foolish.  It wasn’t someone that Tommy began to care for.  It wasn’t Foolish who Tommy started to see as a friend.  This was a Monster and somehow came to life from the deepest darkest pages of some horror novel.  That Tommy had somehow gotten teleported into.

“Let Foolish go!”  Tommy yelled.  Ignoring how his voice cracked.  “What do you want?”

“It’s simple really,” the Monster said with a shrug.  “I was imprisoned during the God War.  XD killed me and imprisoned my soul, my essense, so I couldn’t come back.  But he’s a fucking idiot if you ask me.”

“Who - who are you?”  Tommy asked reaching behind him for the potion bottle.

“Isfet,” the Monster answered and smirked at Tommy.  “The God of Chaos, Maham, and Destruction.  And you Tommy are going to be my Prince of Chaos!”

“You- you can’t!  You - you wanted me gone!  Why would I fucking agree to be your Prince?!”  Tommy demanded.  He couldn’t believe what he was hearing and shook his head.  Desperately trying to keep the fear and tears from spilling out.

“Hehehehe.  Because Tommy,” Isfet said walking further into the underground room where Tommy tried to escape too.  “I finally understand.  After seeing everyone’s memories, seeing your’s after you interacted with my prison briefly, I finally understood.  I wanted you gone because I couldn’t affect you, I couldn’t control you.  And for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t.  But now, I finally understand.”

Isfet smiled at Tommy and walked further into the room, vines blocking the entrance and the sound of the vines stretching and digging their way on the other sides of the room.  Trapping Tommy in with the Monster with nowhere to go.  Prime he really hoped that Sam’s plan worked!

“Seeing Foolish’s, Philza’s, Techno’s, and Eret’s memories of the God Wars and then seeing Dream’s and everyone else’s memories of the L’Manburg Wars and of Doomsday.  I finally understand.  You miscalculated the jump in exile and I couldn’t have been so happy that you did!  You ran to Techno because who in their right mind would mess with Techno?  But then Techno revealed that he owed Dream a favor and had no problem handing you over if he cashed it in.”

Tommy flinched at that.  He hated the fact that that was probably true.  It was why he originally joined Tubbo.  He wanted his best friend back and he just hated what he was becoming.  But he also knew that deep down, Techno would just hand Tommy over to Dream without a second thought.

“Oh, Tommy, Techno can’t hurt you now.  I know why you betrayed him.  If Techno had no problem in handing you over to Dream without a second thought thanks to that favor, then why not betray him first?  They can’t hurt you if you push them and break the friendship first, right?”  Isfet said stepping closer to Tommy.

“Oh, Tommy,” Isfet said gently taking Tommy’s face into his hand.  “I finally understand.”  It smiled down at Tommy, with a possessive smile.  “No one's going to hurt you ever again.  I finally get it.  Why I could never affect you, it was so simple, and yet I overlooked it.”  Isfet chuckled a bit and softly spoke.  “It’s because you're me.”

Tommy’s world came to a screeching halt.  What the fuck?!  Tommy couldn’t be affected because he’s this thing?!  No! No, no, no, no, no,!  That can’t be true!  The Monster had some kind of look in his eyes when it looked at Tommy, and Tommy didn’t know what it could be.  Fondness?  But that didn’t make sense!

“No!  You- you hurt me!  You wanted me dead!”  Tommy snapped and shoved the Monster’s hand away from him, backing up as much as he could. Trying to create as much distance as possible.  Tommy slowly reached for the potion bottle that was in his pocket.

“I did,” Isfet said giving a small nod of agreement.  “But that was before.  Before I took over Foolish and saw his memories.  Saw, Foolish’s, Philza’s, and Techno’s memories of the God War.  They were the ones fighting me, Techno tried to kill me but he allowed XD to give the final blow.  Stabbed me in the back literally and figuratively.” Isfet snarled at that.  Oh, he can’t wait to fully come back alive and kill XD!

“But you see Tommy all of us Gods can’t die, not really.  Our souls, our essense still linger, and we can take over others.  Some by fully possessing them but if we truly want to be reborn again, we must take over our “Human” counterparts.  Ever God has one.  Dream is XD’s human counterpart.  Sapnap is PVP’s, the God of Blood, War, and Insanity,  human counterpart.  Techno was the Champion for PVP.   George is HD’s, the God of Memory and Dreams, human counterpart.  Puffy is Prime’s human counterpart.  And you, Tommy, you’re my human counterpart.  It all makes sense, everything you went through, why I can’t affect you, why when I’m looking at you it’s like looking in a mirror of my younger self.”

Isfet smiles at Tommy.  Finally, he can be reborn and have his little Prince with him as they spread the Chaos and Carnage on this Server.  The other Gods be damned!

“Oh don’t worry Tommy.  You’ll only be trapped in the vines for a short amount of time when all of your memories are completely gone.  You’ll be my Prince!  We’ll rule this and any other server dares to defy us!”

“No!  No, Tubbo!  Ranboo!  They didn’t do anything!  Foolish!  Puffy!  They’re - they’re innocent.  Puffy was going to help me!”  Tommy sputtered.

“No, they’re not.  Foolish was in the God War and sided with XD and HD.  He watched as I was murdered!  Puffy?  Oh, you poor naive child!  She led her crew and nearly killed them all!  Why do you think she “retired” the Pirate Life?  And Tubbo?  He sided with Schlatt, didn’t he?  Escorted you out of the Country and the Home you helped build and gave up your disks for.  He exiled you!  Granted you did need to be punished but there were always other ways to go about it!  Tubbo ran L’Manburg, you might as well say that Dream was the real President and not Tubbo!  Ranboo stopped visiting you!  He will never stand up for himself!  Tubbo looked you in the eyes and he never would have protested!”

That was all that it took for Tommy.  He turned and ran to the corner of the room, quickly down the potion that was in his pocket.  He couldn’t hear another word of this.  He couldn’t stand to hear any more lies!  But as Tommy reached out and put his hands on the lever, he couldn’t help but look back at Isfet, at the possessed Foolish.  Was he telling the truth?  Did Ranboo actually stop visiting him because they decided that they had enough of Tommy?  Ghostbur left and never came back.  Techno only came and laughed at him.  Phil never once attempted to visit.  Tubbo only finally came after the disaster of the failed execution.  All of that and he never visited or tried to go against Dream?

Tommy now noticed that his hands were shaking, but couldn’t tell if it was because of fear, adrenaline, or something else.  Was what this Monster said true?

“Oh, Tommy, you’re not going anywhere.  The vines have this entire place surrounded.  Even if you have an escape plan, where do you think you're going to go?  I’ll trap you the minute you leave this place.  It’s finally time my son!”  Isfet said stretching out his hand and the vines began to come in and launch at Tommy.

Tommy pulled the lever and everything happened all at once.  The doors slammed shut cutting the vines off.  The room began to flood with Holy Water from the Church of Prime.  An ear-piercing painful screech came from Isfet.  Smoke was coming from him as he screamed from the burning water.  Trying hard to get out but it was no use.  The door was made of solid netherite and they were a room that was made out of obsidian.

Isfet looked at time, and he knew what he had to do!  The only way for him to survive was if he possessed Tommy!  His human counterpart!  It was the only way he could survive and be able to come back, without using so much energy to manipulate the weak-minded fools!  The water was about waist high and Isfet in his state of depression lunged at Tommy.

“I will come back!”  Isfet screamed.

But he couldn’t reach Tommy.  He looked down his other hand gripping his hand and in the back of his mind he felt it.  Foolish was breaking away, and back control of his body.

“No!”  Foolish called out.  “I won’t let you hurt him!”

“If I die so will you!” Isfet tried.  “If I take control of Tommy then both can live!”

“No!  I won’t let you hurt him!  I won’t let you hurt my friend!”  Foolish said.

The eyes of the possessed Foolish went from blood red to emerald green, his skin was taking on the golden totem skin tone again.  The room was nearly filled to the brim with the Holy Water.  Tommy drank the Potion of Water Breathing, so he knew he be fine, this was Sam’s contraption after all.

“Foolish?”  Tommy whispered.  He couldn’t tell what was his tears and what was the water.

“I’m sorry Tommy,” Foolish said.  “Don’t worry, I’ll still have another life.”

Isfet was killed by drowning in holy water.

*******

Tagging: @whumptober, @tracobuttons, @a-humble-narcissus, @isa-ghost

[a-skrub]

Dust and Flower Prequel

Part 2 of 2

“May I ask you something?”

“When I fall asleep later.”

“Will you promise to live happily without me?”

“In that moment, the Dragonborn witnessed something profound. Was it the past, present, or the future? Or perhaps, a convergence of them all? Honestly, I have no idea. The Dragonborn's mind flashed with the vivid recollection of the promise made to the Snow Dreamer. In that instance, the dagger seemed to resonate with his heart, unlocking the concealed realms of time. He could now tap into the long-forgotten names he once possessed and would possess. And with this newfound connection, he could bear the Black and Snow Dragon wings upon himself with a resonance that echoed through the cosmic expanse.”

"You're the one they call Sap-Licker, right? I didn't notice it at first, but it's been ages since you packed up and left Akavir," the Dragon uttered, invoking Nerevar-Husk's long-forgotten name. The husk displayed a hint of confusion, unsure of what the dragon was referring to.”

“Now adorned with the gaze, claws, and fangs of the World-Eater, the Dragonborn's name resounded through the cosmic void, a name that would no longer be forgotten. The Nerevar-Husk, sensing the immense power emanating from the Dragonborn, attempted to retaliate, eager to face this new revelation. However, before the husk could muster a response, his body suddenly chopped and disintegrated into numerous pieces, dispersing like cosmic stardust.”

(Sap-Licker? that his name?) (In my world, he's called like uhh, Herman, i think.) (Idk, some Nerevarines are different people okay, and i was busy with other stuff when the Red Mountain erupted.) “As the Dragonborn walked amidst the ethereal aftermath, he expressed a silent gratitude to the Nerevar-Husk for bestowing upon him a gift that would not be easily forgotten. The remnants of the husk, now mere particles in the cosmic wind, drifted away, leaving behind a lingering echo of the confrontation. The Dragon then shifted his gaze back to the Commander, but an unfortunate event unfolded.”

“Harmonic fractures threatened space-time and the Jills. This chaos resulted from Milk-Logger's actions as he attempted to open a gateway and infiltrate "Snow Dreamer" to fulfill his final mission. The Dragon tried to intercept him as his Voidship entered the torn gateway, but he failed. The event had the potential for disaster, yet the Dragon saw a risky solution.”

“Wait, why would you do it?” questioned one of the surviving Renaldmer soldiers who had somehow endured the relentless barrages from the Argo-Voidships.

“You tell me. If I don’t do this, all of us will be ripped from reality,” replied the Dragon, acknowledging the surprising survival of a Renaldmer soldier. Quite an impressive feat, really.

“But it will break... you. It’s too risky!” pleaded the wary Renaldmer, clearly concerned about the potential aftermath for the Dragon.

“I know, and I’m sorry that I had to leave his side once again,” said the Dragon. As he merged and split the gateway with him, it was at that moment that the Dragon broke.

(So you Actually saw that happened right? And you Did talk to him.) (Cool, cool, How..) (You were taking cover... behind bucket?)

"You see, the Jills have always been busybodies, diligently maintaining the delicate balance of space-time and such. They took great care to ensure the dreamer wouldn't shatter again. The Hist Rebels, being stubborn and ambitious, wanted their share of the pie. They dreamed within themselves, attempting to create a new reality and challenge the very fabric of existence. But, well, that plan crashed harder than a Cliff racer dive-bombing an unsuspecting traveler's skull, even for us, all of us."

“When the Dragon split, so did every conceivable aspect of the Last Dragonborn. We were plucked from our respective places and conglomerated in this land—millions, or perhaps an infinite number of us, now sharing this space that became our home.”

I had a migraine after that by the way.

[empressofthesunwriter]

Yin and Yang: Book 1.08

Balance is a key aspect in the world, so why shouldn’t the Avatar have an opposite?

In a world where Raava and Vaatu merge with humans, the Avatar and the Daimon try to keep the peace between the four nations.

Aang and Hua are the current incarnations, but wake up 100 years in the future.

How will these two learn all four elements in one year and defeat the Fire Lord?

I couldn’t wait to post Part 2 of Winter Solstice so here you go!

Enjoy and please comment, please, please, please!

Book 1.08: Winter Solstice, Part 2

Water. 

Earth. 

Fire. 

Air. 

Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. 

Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. 

Only the Avatar and Daimon, masters of all four elements, could stop them, but when the world needed them most, they vanished. 

A hundred years passed, and my brother and I discovered the new Avatar and Daimon, an airbender named Aang and an earthbender named Hua. 

And although his airbending and her earthbending skills are great they have a lot to learn before they’re ready to save anyone. 

But I believe Aang and Hua can save the world.

In the early morning hours in Senlin Village, you could see four figures trying to leave the village.

Well, it was two humans, Aang and Hua with Appa, the flying bison and Jaiyi, the kyuubi, trying their best to get their animal companions moving.

“Let's go, Appa! Come on, boy!”, whisper-shouted Aang, pulling the reins.

“Jaiyi, be a good girl, shrink!”, begged Hua, trying to get her ninetails to turn into her fox cub form and not stay in her big fighting form. Like this, she couldn’t fit on Appa’s saddle.

Nonetheless, none of the two animals listen to their masters. 

They refused to obey since they didn’t like to leave people behind.

This realized the two children at the same time.

“Look, I'm sorry, but Katara and Sokka aren't coming to the Fire Nation with us.”, told Aang sadly.

Hua frowned, giving Appa and Jaiyi a pet.

“We don’t like it either, but if anything happened to them, we would never forgive ourselves.”

“So get your big butt off the ground, Appa!”

“And you Jaiyi shrink!”

“And then let’s go!”, chorused the Avatar and Daimon together.

This earned them unimpressed looks from Appa and Jaiyi. Both sit down on their butts, refusing to move.

“Thanks for nothing your useless fluff balls.”, groaned Hua.

Why did they have to be so stubborn?!

Suddenly Sokka called out to them, his voice full of sass: “I think the useless fluff balls are trying to tell ya something.”

Surprised and startled Hua and Aang turned towards the right to reveal a collection of Senlin villagers, with Katara and Sokka standing in the front.

“Please don't go, Hua and Aang. The world can't afford to lose you two to the Fire Nation. Neither can I.”, plead Katara desperate to them.

These two were her rays of hope. 

Hope was the only thing which had kept Katara going on for years in the cold lonely nights when she missed her mother and worried for her father.

Now the world had a chance for peace if Hua and Aang ended the war and the waterbender would be damned if she let anything happen to them!

Guilty Hua and Aang look at Katara before they look at each other. 

They see the vision of the comet Fang and Qinyan showed them clearly before their eyes.

Neither of them wanted to hurt their precious people, especially Katara, however…

“But we have to talk to Avatar Roku and Daimon Lixue to find out what our vision means!”, argued Aang back.

“We need to get to the Fire Temple before the sun sets on the solstice. That's today!”, added Hua.

Aang airbends himself atop Appa's head, while Hua earthbend herself on the saddle.

If Jaiyi wouldn’t come, she wouldn’t force her anymore, but she needed to go.

As Appa stands up, Jaiyi, Katara and Sokka run to stand before the bison, preventing him from moving any further.

“We're not letting you two go into the Fire Nation, Hua and Aang.”, scolded Katara.

“At least, not without your friends.”, told them Sokka grinning. “We got your back.”

Jaiyi yips in agreement.

Aang and Hua can clearly see how their friends won’t take no for an answer, that’s why they tried to leave in secret in the first place.

“This will probably be the most dangerous thing we ever did!”, reminded them Hua.

However, the water tribe siblings just grinned, saying danger was their second name.

This made the Avatar and Daimon laugh.

Well, if their friends were so stubborn, they would probably follow them somehow.

Better they stayed together then.

So Hua earthbended the water tribe siblings and Jaiyi, who finally was in her fox cub form, to Appa's saddle, while Momo made himself cosy on Aang's shoulder.

The Senlin Village leader hands Aang some supplies reminding them how long their trip to Crescent Island was and wishes them good luck in their quest.

Aang wants to thank him for their hospitality and help, but the man just yells for them to go, go, go!

And that’s what they do.

Appa soars up into the sky, next destination: Crescent Island!

***

Daylight has come. 

The flying bison flies over the ocean, while his passengers all watch the ocean fearfully.

“Come on, boy, we've got a long way to go. Faster!”, encourages Aang his bison.

Appa lets out a growl and does as Aang said.

Katara, Hua and Jaiyi huddle together, to comfort each other, but Hua can’t stop herself from letting out her thoughts: “Oh spirits, this is so bad. If a Fire Nations ship sees us we will get roasted nicely!”

“Hey, I’m the pessimist here.”, says Sokka, petting her head to calm her down. “Don’t steal my job.”

A nervous laugh escapes Hua.

Katara kisses her cheek, normally Hua would blush up a storm, but her nerves prevent her from doing so.

“It will be okay. We will manage.”, reassured Katara.

It’s like the universe wants to prove her wrong since Hua sees how a Fire Nation ship is now on their tail.

“What about that?!”, she shouts.

“Aang. We've got trouble!”, calls Katara back to him.

She tried her hardest not to freak out since Hua needed her, yet it was difficult.

“Yeah! And it's gaining, fast!”, adds Sokka.

The next minutes in their lifes were nerve-wracking for Team Avatar-Daimon.

Not only did Prince Zuko shoot stinky fireballs at them, also a barricade was before them and attacking them too.

Aang had trouble manoeuvre Appa around all the flying fireballs.

At one point the passengers had to put out small embers from Appa fur.

It was pure and utter chaos!

Their wild ride ends finally when Aang airbends forward off of Appa's head. He uses a powerful airbending kick, and the flaming boulder, which was coming towards them, explodes in a large smoky blast. 

The Avatar falls back to Appa's head, Katara, Hua and Sokka grabbing him. 

Now Appa soars safely over the blockade, passing them.

“We made it!”, celebrates Aang.

Meanwhile, the Daimon and water tribe siblings look onward in horror.

They were really in the Fire Nation.

Oh Spirits!

At least the rest of their flight was calm.

And boring.

For hours and hours, they flow over the ocean.

Hua was sure if people could die of boredom, they all would be dead right now.

She lays like a starfish on the saddle, Sokka and Katara copy her, while Jaiyi has fallen asleep on her stomach.

Aang and Momo were slouched on Appa's head and the poor bison seemed to get more tired every second.

“Aang, are we there yet?”, calls Hua out to him.

“No, not now.”

A few seconds pass.

“How about now?”

“No, still no Crescent Island in sight.”

Again a few seconds pass.

“Now?”

“No, Hua.”

She lets out a huff and dramatically drapes an arm over her eyes.

“That’s how I’m going to die….from utter boredom. What a way to go.”, mumbled Hua, but everyone heard her. Agreeing groans from all around. That’s when she realizes something important. “Wait if I die now I get reincarnated into the Fire Nation!”

“Yeah, don’t do that.”, deadpans Sokka at her.

“You got it boss.”, she answered jokily back.

At least it made Katara and Aang snort.

Silence again comes over the group.

Somehow she must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew it was sunset and Aang shouted: “There it is! The island where Roku's dragon took me.”

Finally!

Appa lands at the base of a stone bridge leading up to the island's mountain. 

The bridge ends at an elegant, multi-story Fire Temple mixed with Water Tribe decorations. 

Lava is flowing beneath the bridge and the air is thick with steam. 

Aang stands by Appa's head, and Katara and Hua stand at the bison's side. 

Sokka is stretching further away.

Aang praises Appa for getting them all safely there, while Katara and Hua rub his belly.

Katara cooes at Appa how he must be tired, strangely Sokka thinks she was talking to him and tells her he was ready to beat up some firebenders.

When her realizes with whom his sister was talking, Sokka lies and says he was talking to Momo.

The lemur critters in confusion.

Since the temple was way too small for Appa, he would wait for them and Team Avatar-Daimon with Momo and Jaiyi made their way over to it.

Soon they stand before the temple and hide behind a wall. You could never be too careful.

Better look for hostile firebenders.

“I don't see any guards.”, whispered Sokka.

“The Fire Nation must have abandoned the temple when Avatar Roku and Daimon Lixue died.”, was Katara's guess.

“Let’s get inside, it’s almost sundown.”, murmured Hua.

Aang nodded.

“Yes, we better hurry!”

The group leaps over the wall and charges for the front door. After they are inside the temple they tip-toed through an enormous chamber with fire and water-decor columns.

“Wait.”, stops Sokka the group. “I think I heard something.”

Turning around, they see five men standing in the hallway dressed in red, with a blue sash around their waists and tall hats.

“We are the Fire Sages.”, announced the Sage in the middle, the Great Fire Sage. “Guardians of the temple of the Avatar and Daimon.”

“Great! I am the Avatar and she here is the Daimon!”

“We know.”

Without a warning, the sages attack them with fire blasts!

What?!

What was going on?!

Thankful Aang can reflect the fiery attack with his airbending. He yells at his friends to run, he would hold them off.

They didn’t need to be told twice.

So they run around the temple hallways in the hope of losing the Fire Sages, Aang joins back up with them and then they reach a dead-end.

Awesome!

A Fire Sage was coming towards them.

Even better.

“I don't want to fight you! I am a friend.”, promised the Fire Sage.

Angry Sokka tells him that firebenders aren’t their friends.

Jaiyi jumps forward to protect them, growing into an adult fox. Her hackles are raised and her nine tails wander around aggressively.

Aang and Hua stand beside her, getting into bending stances.

The Fire Sages wanted them, not Katara and Sokka, they would protect their friends!

This Fire Sage steps toward the Avatar and Daimon, before dropping to his knees and pressing his palms to the floor in submission. 

This startles the children and Jaiyi.

“I know why you're here, Avatar and Daimon.”

“You do?”, chorus Aang and Hua together in disbelief.

“Yes.” The Fire Sage rises from the floor to stand again. “You wish to speak to Avatar Roku and Daimon Lixue. I can take you to them.”

Sceptically Aang asks how.

In answer, the Fire Sage slides back a lamplight on the wall. He places his palm on the wall and focuses firebending into this location to open a secret passage.

“This way.”

That’s when they hear the Great Fire Sage hollering to the others to find them and their ally Fire Sage begs them to hurry inside the secret passage.

Hua and Aang exchange a look with one another, asserting each other's belief to trust this firebender.

Well, they don’t have really a choice, do they?

They enter first, Jaiyi and Momo right behind them, then Katara and Sokka and lastly the Fire Sage who closes the secret passage.

They are now in a cave, lava flowing down under them and follow the Fire Sage who tells him his name, Shyu.

“Avatar Roku and Daimon Lixue once called this temple their home. Together they formed these secret passages out of the magma.”, explained Shyu to the group as they made their way through the caverns.

“Did you know them?”, asks Aang curious.

“No. But my grandfather knew them. Many generations of Fire Sages guarded this temple long before me. We all have a strong spiritual connection to this place.”

“Is that how you knew we were coming?”

“A few weeks ago, an amazing thing occurred. The statue of Avatar Roku; its eyes began to glow! Then moments later the eyes of Daimon Lixue.”

Katara reminds them how Roku's eyes had glowed too, when they were in the Southern Air Temple as Aang had entered Avatar State. Then Hua got into Daimon State to calm him down, it was only logical that the Daimon Statues light up just like the Avatar’s.

Shyu agreed and said that’s how they knew how Aang and Hua had returned.

“I just don’t get it.”, began Hua. “If you Sages are devoted to this temple and to the Avatar and Daimon, then why did the others attack us?”

“Things have changed. In the past, the sages were loyal only to the Avatar and Daimon. When Roku and Lixue died, the sages eagerly awaited for the next Avatar and Daimon to return. But they never came.”

Immediately the old feelings of guilt arose in Aang and Hua.

They had let down people again.

Sokka mocked them humorously that they only were 100 years too late.

For that, he got twin scowls and Jaiyi who growled at him.

Shyu continues to explain how the Sage lost hope that the Avatar and Daimon would return. Then when Fire Lord Sozin began the war, they were forced to follow him.

“I never wanted to serve the Fire Lord.”, confessed Shyu. “When I learned you two were coming, I knew I would have to betray the other sages.”

“Thank you for helping us.”, chirps Aang happily, while Hua bows in gratitude. “We won’t forget this.”

The Fire Sage smiles at them, leading the group to a set of stairs. Following them they would reach the sanctuary and when the light reached the statues of Roku and Lixue they could talk to them.

Shyu slides back a secret tile and they climb into the outer sanctuary. 

Massive columns with dragon and phoenix statues atop them line the room. 

An immense door is before them with a device holding five open-mouthed dragons, over them a phoenix with spread wings and waves artfully encircled them.

“No!”, gasped Shyu.

“Shyu, what's wrong?”, asks Aang.

“The sanctuary doors, they're closed!”

“Can't you just open them with firebending?”, wonders Katara. “Like you opened that other door?”

“No. Only a fully realized Avatar or Daimon is powerful enough to open this door alone. Otherwise, the sages must open this door together, with five simultaneous fire blasts.”

Unsure what to do now, they all looked around.

There had to be another way!

That’s when Sokka had an idea.

It’s a trick he had learned from his dad.

They need to seal the lamp oil inside five animal skin casings, Shyu lights the oil-soaked twine and ta-da! 

Fake firebending!

Katara and Hua are impressed with Sokka and Shyu agrees that it might actually work.

The children, Sokka with Jaiyi and Katara with Momo, hide behind the columns, as Shyu gets ready to light the twine.

He reminds the Avatar and Daimon how the other Sage would hear the explosion, so they had to hurry and enter the sanctuary.

“It's almost sunset.”, notes Katara. “Are you two ready?”

“Definitely.”, reassured Aang.

“Ready as I ever will be!”, vowed Hua.

Shyu thrusts his finger forward, sending a small flare racing across the door to light all five bags at once. 

He hurries to take cover. 

There is an intense explosion, producing a lot of smoke. Aang and Hua burst forward and ran for the door. 

The Avatar and Daimon strain to open the door, which has not budged by an inch.

“They're still locked!”, they shout disappointed.

The water tribe teen was right with them, as all stepped from their columns.

Pissed off Aang airbends currents at the door, hollering: “Why, won't, it, open?!”

“Aang, calm down!”, demanded Hua, holding his shoulders. “Airbending at it won’t work. Seems like we came here for nothing.”

A groan leaves the Avatar’s mouth.

“I don't get it. That firebending looked as strong as any firebending I've seen.”, thought Sokka aloud.

Suddenly Katara declared him a genius.

All were more than confused.

Smiling Katara told them it didn’t work but it looked like it!

Now she had a plan.

A few minutes later the other Fire Sages reached the sanctuary where Shyu was waiting for them.

He tells them that somehow the Avatar and Daimon entered it, pointing even at two shadows you can see from the crack in the door.

Immediately the Great Fire Sage commands his fellow Sages to open the door, they couldn’t risk the current Avatar and Daimon contacting Roku and Lixue.

Hua and Aang slide into position behind nearby columns as the five sages firebend the door locks open. 

As the door opens, a sooty Momo and Jaiyi are revealed sitting on the floor. 

Jaiyi shakes herself free from the soot, while Momo sneezes, blowing the soot off himself.

“It's the Avatar's lemur and the Daimon’s Kyuubi. They must have crawled through the pipes! We've been tricked!”, shouts the Great Fire Sage, but too late.

The kyuubi turns big enough to sit on him and Momo leaps atop the Great Fire Sage's head and clings to his hat. Katara charged forward, pulling a nearby sage's tunic over his head to blind him. 

Sokka grabs the lower skirt of a sage's outfit, lifting it completely over his body to cover his face.

Shyu grabs the last free sage and hauls him into his grip, pinning him.

“Now, Aang! Hua!”, shouted Shyu.

A moment of silence.

Now Katara calls for them to hurry.

But to the shook of Aang and Hua's friends and allies, Prince Zuko comes forth from behind a column.

He somehow manages to pin with one arm each of Hua and Aang's arms behind their backs.

“The Avatar and Daimon are coming with me!”

More he can’t say, because Jaiyi turns into her fighting Kyuubi form and knocks with all her tails the enemy sages down.

Then she tackles Zuko to the ground, growling in his face.

So she freed Hua and Aang, who didn’t waste time and raced into the sanctuary.

Everyone looks away as the door seals with a blinding flash of white and orange light. 

Inside, Aang and Hua stand around and look up at the tall statues of Avatar Roku and Daimon Lixue. 

A beam of red sunlight enters the room and strikes a glistening red jewel held by the statues.

Both children look confused around.

“And now?”, asked Hua.

“I don’t know.”, admins Aang. “The light hits the statues and we talk to Roku and Lixue.”

“But nothing is happening!”

“Please Avatar Roku and Diamon Lixue talk to us!”, beg Aang and Hua together.

Roku's statue turns red and Lixue’s blue as sunlight engulfs them. 

His eyes glow white and hers orange.

Smoke fills the room. 

When the white smoke dissipated Avatar Roku and Daimon Lixue walked up to them arm in arm.

They aren’t any more in the sanctuary but on a mountaintop with clouds around them.

“Welcome Hua and Aang.”, greets them Lixue with a kind smile. “It’s wonderful to meet you finally.”

She is a beautiful aged lady and looks younger than Roku, even if they are the same age. Her clothes are in the classic blue of the Water Tribe with some red accents for the Fire Nation.

“What took you so long?”, adds Roku also with a smile.

He wears typical Fire Nation clothes, but a necklace made out of a shark tooth, clearly Water Tribe, hangs from his throat.

It was nice to see how this married couple integrated the nation of their spouse in their clothing.

Respectfully the current Avatar and Daimon place a fist into a palm, bowing their head to the Avatar and Daimon before them.

“We have something very important to tell you, Aang and Hua.”, begins Roku. “That is why, when you were in the Spirit World, we sent my dragon and Lixue phoenix to find you.”

“Is it about that vision we had? The one of the comet?”, guesses Aang.

“Yes indeed, young Avatar.”, confirmed Lixue.

“What does it mean?”, wanted Hua to know.

Roku explains to the young ones: “One hundred years ago, Fire Lord Sozin used that comet to begin the War. He and his firebending army harnessed its incredible power and dealt a deadly first strike against the other nations.”

“The Air Nomads.”, mumbled Hua and Daimon Lixue nodded.

“So the comet made them stronger?”, summarized Aang.

Avatar Roku confirmed it, even saying it made them stronger than they could imagine.

“But that happened a hundred years ago. What does the comet have to do with the War now?”

Now Lixue took over to explain: “Listen carefully, young ones. Sozin's Comet will return by the end of this summer, and Fire Lord Ozai will use its power to finish the War, once and for all. If he succeeds, even the Avatar and Daimon won't be able to restore balance to the world. Hua and Aang. You must defeat the Fire Lord before the comet arrives.”

That they were shocked was the understatement of the century.

They panic!

“But, but, Lixue I may have started learning airbending, but I don’t make the progress I should, because I should learn fire first! How should I get down water too like this?!”

“Yeah, and I haven't even started learning waterbending! Not to mention earth and fire!”

“Mastering the elements takes years of discipline and practice.”, told them Roku calmly. “But if the world is to survive, you two must do it by summer's end.”

“What if we can't master all the elements in time? What if we fail?”, argues Aang back with Hua rapidly nodding along.

“We have faith in you Hua and Aang because you two mastered it already once and you can do it again.”, reassured Lixue.

This makes the children smile.

“The solstice is ending.”, declares Roku. “We must go our separate ways, for now.”

“But we won't be able to come back to the temple. What if we have questions? How will we talk to you two?”, asked Aang and Hua as one.

Roku and Lixue answer them together: “We are a part of you. When you need to talk to us again, you will find a way.”

The late Avatar and Daimon closed their eyes, showing the current ones what was going on outside the sanctuary.

Firebender, ready to burn them to crisp.

“A great danger awaits you two at the temple. We can help you face the threat. But only if you are ready.”

Hua and Aang who had also closed their eyes open them together.

His a brightly white and his arrows in the same light and hers in a burning orange.

“We are ready!”

The people outside saw how the door glowed bright white-orange once again. 

Smoke streams come through into the room. 

The door unlocks itself, beginning to open. 

As it opens, a blinding white and orange light forces all present to look away.

Admiral Zhao commands his man to attack, while Katara cries out to her friends terrified.

The wall of fire amasses, circling its new hosts as Avatar Roku and Daimon Lixue, eyes aglow, are revealed behind the flames, untouched.

In perfect harmony, Avatar Roku and Daimon Lixue draw the circling fire together in one motion. 

They send it forward in one powerful wave that sears the room, blasting the offenders off their feet and melting the chains binding Katara, Sokka, Shyu, Jaiyi and Zuko with precision. 

Daimon Lixue and Avatar Roku, turn their glowing glare upon the offending sages. 

The sages panic, all turning to run from their wrath.

“Avatar Roku and Daimon Lixue are going to destroy the temple! We have to get out of here!”, implores Shyu the water tribe siblings.

“Not without Hua and Aang!”, countered Katara.

Never would she leave her friends!

Roku and Lixue kneel into a forward strike, melting the floor with a molten firebending trail. 

They steadily lift a hand each, causing the stream of lava below to erupt into maddened explosions. 

The lava soars through the temple, tearing it apart. 

Katara and Sokka huddle together, arm-in-arm, behind a column. 

The destruction ceases momentarily as Roku and Lixue lower their hands, exhaling soundly. 

The solstice's beam of sunlight leaves their statues; their eyes no longer glow. 

As this happens all smoke in the room draws in upon Avatar Roku and Daimon Lixue, their forms disappearing to leaving behind a weary Aang and Hua.

Both fall to their knee, however, Katara catches Aang and Sokka catches Hua before their faces meet the floor.

“We got your backs.”, tells them Sokka.

“Thanks. Where's Shyu?”, wonder the Avatar and Daimon together.

“I don't know.”, admins Katara.

Jaiyi licks Hua's cheek and then Aang’’s before she yips urgently.

They need to leave!

Hua, Aang, Katara and Sokka stare in horror upon seeing the stairwell leading to the exit filled with lava. 

They quickly turn to the only exit; the hole in the wall Roku and Lixue had created. 

There is no escaping, as they are on the top level of the temple.

All four humans gasp and the Kyuubi yips in surprise as they notice Appa and Momo swiftly closing in. 

They run out of the temple, leaping into Appa's saddle.

Time to leave the Fire Nation!

***

The full moon shines down on them, as Aang and Hua, who are sitting side by side on Appa's saddle, look both in desperation at nothing in particular.

What Roku and Lixue told them…

How could they do it?

They were just two dumb kids. 

Two dumb kids who had to save the world before the end of the summer.

At least…they wouldn’t have to do it alone.

Like if they agreed on, their hands find the one of the other and they squeeze.

They needed some reassurance.

That they really weren’t alone in this whole mess.

That their other half would walk the same path as them.

For the first time, both were thankful that they had each other.

How the burden of saving the world in less than a year could change your perspective on things.

Katara and Sokka looked at each other worried for their young friends.

They kneel down behind them and Katara puts a hand on a shoulder each.

Whatever the young Avatar and Daimon had learned, which troubled them so much, the water tribe siblings would support and help them.

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[live-moonzie-reaction]

More!

-BONZLE ASVXBXBCJCBFNF SHE SAYS THIS SO CASUALLY

-THEY *ARE* SORTED BY FANG STATUS AAAAA

-Oh. Sora. Girlie. Sorry.

-Bonzle: LONG BEFORE TIME HAD A NAME-

-I can’t be the only one wondering what the forbidden five’s elements were can I?

-Kinda weird that the dragon master color schemes are like Wu and Garmadon hm weird /j

-ZANE HUGGING THE PLUSHIE SHCBDKXBFKGNG HE’S SO PRECIOUS

-ITS WU

-Stop Ryu’s so sad about this

-Sora no Sora no Sora NO

-A dragon LIKE HIM. Emphasis on LIKE HIM.

-Wyldfire, metaphorically: I’m basically half dragon!

Lloyd, literally: um so funny story.

-MOTION THAT’S ONE OF THE SOURCE DRAGONS

-oh wait so is strength actually

-Kai, moving his mouth: I am perfectly still! :D

-LLOYYYD NOT YOU TOOO

-I saw this coming tbh

-“LiTtLe FiRe MaN”

-Huh weird that the oddly Wu-looking dragon ALSO said “there are more important things than strength” /j I’m gonna be keeping this bit up lol

-WYLDFIRE BRITISH ACCENT IS EVERYTHING

-THAT HIGH FIVE WAS C L E A N

-Man I freakin hate that Egalt guy-

-Cole you’re forgetting something it’s been CENTURIES.

-Euphrasia time?????

-LEVITATING RAS??? NEW MEME???

-OH WE’RE DOING SACRIFICES NOW

-I swear if one of em’s Euphrasia I will CRY.

-Egalt: LOSE YOURSELF IN THE MUSIC-

-Spitz Fritz nO-

-Arin listen to me and listen closely Egalt’s a butthole.

-Why is EVERYONE just REALLY GOOD AT WU IMPRESSIONS.

-Ayo Lloyd Moonwatcher arc real???

-Man this “Egalt is Master Wu”bit is giving me so much material “I wish master Wu was here” (cut to Egalt)

-Egalt no they’re SIBLINGS they’re gonna MURDER EACH OTHER

-Egalt this was a terrible idea as someone with MANY siblings those two are just gonna murder each other

-“YOU’RE A ROCK!”

-WE’VE GOT THE NOIR DETECTIVE ZANE OUTFIT AGAIN

-Tag yourself: Authentic toothbrush of the ancients, Disco toaster, or fake map of the merged lands that came out of some random antique owner’s mouth? I’ll start I’m disco toaster

-AYO??? TOX MASTER OF POISON THAT YOU???

-Why is Zane coughing why does he suddenly have a respiratory system

-Wyldfire agxbxjfnfkbw

-Wyldfire girlie that’s not gonna help

-Arin. Arin buddy. ARIN NO.

-“Your attacks are probably just cool and refreshing.”

-None of the dragons are okay this season. And yes I’m including Llo- (gets mugged by half the fandom)

-AWWW NOT THIS GUY AGAAAAIN

-Dorama and Aspheera would hit it off I think

-Not every actor wants to be a stunt double??? Ever think of that???

-LETS GO ZAAANE

_______

-eh you’ve seen one monastery you’ve seen em all

-Bonzle’s so snarky I love it

-Me, laying eyes on Gandalaria: Well. Here we go.

-Wyldfire you’re playing a dangerous game

-Wyldfire: protecting everyone who couldn’t protect themselves

Me, immediately: ZANE?

-Holy cow Wyldfire with the social skills okay I see you

-Ough Wyldfire baby he’s just gonna be mean

-“but that could also just be your personality” BAHAHA

-No but why does Galandria sound like a weird cross between Mystaké and Gene

-“possible futures” CLEARSIGHT LLOYD REAL???

-Cole just completely giving up on trying to pronounce her name is so real

- “have I mentioned that I was briefly kidnapped by a society of bureaucrats from the realm of madness who forced me to work in their mailroom where I introduced efficiencies that raised delivery accuracy by nearly 9%?” -Zane, happy as a clam about this

-KAI DID IT!!!

-OH NOW THEY’RE TURNING TO STONE!!! GREAAAAAT!!!

-Okay first of all that’s freakin’ mean Zane’s more person that anyone working in that corporate nightmare you call a job

-JAAAAAAAAY!!!!!

-Wyldfire babyyyy 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

-hey wouldn’t it be funny if Lloyd did rising dragon technique SO WRONGLY that- (gets mugged by anyone not in the Oni Lloyd sector of the fandom)

-Every time I hear the phrase “the equipment known as Zane” five years are subtracted from my life

-YOOOO IT MAKES SULFUR GAS ONIONS???

-Jay is so silly goofy I love him :D

-ARE YOU SERIOUS. ZANE DIED AGAIN.

-Okay and he’s back again

-WHY CANT JAY COME???

-Lloyd: This wind is unnatural! (Everyone looks at Euphrasia, who’s still wearing Vengestone)

-Arin: (falls off Bounty)

Me, an idiot who’s read way too many fics: Hey hey Lloyd you know what would be REALLY funny right about now?

-Lloyd you should know this by now you’re NEVER safe

-Arin: (screaming)

Subtitles: (Lloyd screaming)

-Okay the subtitles have officially accepted Arin as Lloyd

-SORA YOU IMBECILE YOU HAVE TECH POWERS

-K A I

-and once again the bounty crashes

-“Hold this” (passes Zane an onion)

-“no one will be able to open it!” “You’ll be able to get me out, right?” “…” “right???”

-“I hope random probability outcomes align to your benefit” Thank you Zane Love you Zane

-Zane whistling with the voice filter is the funniest thing

-Nya and Lloyd: (land on ground)

Lloyd: Okay, now we’re safe!

Nya and Lloyd: (fall into Tartarus but like. Platonically)

-I never noticed Ras has little legs xbcnckcbfmfb

-okay so the moon… is his master?

-NOOO EUPRHASIA!!!

-Okay it’s Nya and Lloyd hey wouldn’t it be funny if he just. Had another vision at the worst possible time?

-holy cow I called it

-NOOO RAS HAS EUPHRASIA

-NOT EUPRHASIAAA

-NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

-Who is this Janet??? I gotta know now???

-INFINITY DOOR CURSE

-AYYYY THE DISCO TOASTER!!!

-RIYU CAN FLY NOW!!!

-“Please don’t tell Lloyd I said that” unfortunately he’s too busy being plagued by visions to do much about it

-Arin: Elemental Master of Imperviousness to Sarcasm

-Take the mask off the wolf to reveal Harumi I DARE YOU

-SORA. NO. DON’T WEAR THE MASKS.

-“I’M ALWAYS ADORABLE!” -Cole 2024

-Oh great now Zane’s even TALLER

-NOOO EUPHRASIA IS ONE OF THEM

-NOT EUPHRASIA

-WHY HER

-NOOOOOO

-THIS IS WHY LLOYD SHOULD’VE ADOPTED HER SMH

-WHY HAVENT KAI SORA AND WYLDFIRE NOTICED EUPHRASIA

-EUPHRASIA. IS RIGHT THERE. NOTICE HER.

-Man Arin’s spine’s gone THROUGH it

-ITS NYA AND LLOYD THEY FOUND ARIN

-Well hey on the bright side he called Lloyd “Dad”

-I KNEW WEARING THE MASKS WOULD BACKFIRE GOSH DANGIT

-Love how Euphrasia asked no questions and immediately decided she wanted to help 🩵 the bean ever

-Euphrasia- EUPHRASIA NO. EUPHRASIA NO YOU’RE GOING TO DIE.

-Cinder: Fine. That’s not the only mask.

My brain, immediately: Not ONLY, Cinder. ONI.

-Yes Kai do dragon things >:D

-Lloyd go brrrr :D

-Kai. R u n.

-OH SNAP KAI GOT SUCKED IN

-Also I feel like it should be known that my first thought was “hey Lloyd you know what’d be funny??? 👀”

-RUN EUPHRASIA RUN

-EUPHRASIA I SAID RUN

-THATS EUPHRASIA SHES HELPING

-NO WAY SHE’S THAT GOOD???

-Oop Looks like Lloyd’s plagued by visions again. That’s rough buddy.

-Lloyd Kung Fu Panda 2 arc real

-YEEESSSSS LLOYD GOOD JOB YES WOOOOO

-Kai noooo 🥺🥺🥺

-No. NO. DOES THAT MEAN IT WAS SORA DOINF THE OBJECT SPINJITZU THE WHOLE TIME???

-Awww Sora wants to keep it secret I caaan’t 😭😭😭

-NOOO KAI😭😭😭😭

-KAI’S GONE ARE YOU SERIOUS 😭😭😭😭😭😭

-OH DANG RAS IS ACTUALLY CINTROLLING HIM NOW???

-The frick’s up with Jordana???

-Kaiiii 😭😭😭😭

-THAT’S IT??? ARE YOU SERIOUS???

DR LIVEREACT

-he’s not lying babies do sleep TERRIBLY

-okay Morgana next

-Dang if being a ninja doesn’t work out Arin should go for comedian who does voice impressions

-I know there’s no way it’s Morro but how freakin’ funny would it be if he’s just kinda here to cause some good-natured chaos lol

-it’s just Morro committing to a bit

-(chanting) MORRO!!! MORRO!!! MORRO!!!

-“people throwing out perfectly good dragons” shiscbeichwibcuwd

-awwww it’s not Morro :(

-Idk man somehow you don’t seem like a band kid

-OOp there goes ur spine Arin

-YESSS LLOYD AND THE ONE-LINERS

-aaaand he’s back to being plagued by visions

-shut up it DOES sound like “butt moon”

_______

-Cloud kingdom??? IS IT FINALLY TIME TO ADOPT EUPHRASIA???

-Nooo, keep writing, it’s your only job, just… also pay attention

-“Our dear Euphrasia” indeed

-We can. Do things.

-“uh I dunno, bagels?”

-Seriously, all anyone wants is bagels.

-Wooow suuuure make a teenager do ALL THE WORK OF SAVING THE CLOUD KINGDOM BY HERSELF.

-“Euphrasia crashing”

-Nooo baby her bones are gone :(

-Arin: yey I get to interrogate someone :D (plays the role)

Lloyd in the background: (no thoughts head empty)

-Holy cow he’s so gullible

-IS THAT THE FRICKIN’ TEAPOT OF TYRAHN???

-ZANE NO ZANE NO Z A N E N O

-Oh heeeey callback to the movie :D

-EUPHRASIAAAAA MY BELOOOVEEEEDDD

-YEA GIRLY DO THE WIND THINGS WOOOO

-NO THE BABY

-I mean really what else did you expect she’s sixteenish and has no fighting training

-Also loving Lloyd taking every opportunity to remind everyone that he’s plagued by visions

-okay kinda hoping this mysterious force from the east ties into Lloyd’s inhuman heritage somehow

-Ohhh Lloyd buddy nuuuu

-“We are with you Lloyd. Together.” 😭😭😭😭🥺🥺🥺🥺😭😭🥺😭🥺🥺😭😭

-“Then just use Spinjitz- oh.” Kai braincell gone moment

-Lloyd plagued by visions counter: 3

-so help me if they somehow decide to make Lloyd do this shatterspin thing

-(Narrator voice) He could, in fact, stop all of us.

-LOOK AT WYLDFIRE SO UPSET AT LLOYD GETTING KNOCKED DOWN SHES JUST LIKE ME FR

-How can it hurt yo leg IF YO LEG IS GONE???

-Gosh dangit Zane’s dying again

______

-Cinder: WHOAAAA THIS IS SO COOL

Ras: so anyway

-NOOOO THEY GOT EUPHRASIA

-Lloyd plagued by visions count: 4

-Haha YESSS get angry I wanna see something (if you know me you probably know what even though I know it’s probably not happening lol)

-glowy babies :D

-here we gooo

-THEY ALL HAVE NAMES IN THE SUBTITLES THIS IS SO COOL

-oh lovely they’re hiding from danger

-Okay Lloyd you know what would be REALLY funny was if you turned into a golden oni right about now zhxbskcnakgng

-Lloyd’s got another source dragon conduiting him lol imagine

-oh hey he levitating

-honestly I wasn’t expecting much from Lloyd plagued by visions but I’m loving it

-Wyldfire being Peril-coded count: 1

-For a solid second theee I thought Jordana had an elemental power lol

-the rivalry is everything shxbdksnckgn

-he’s eepy

-Lloyd plagued by visions count: 5

-HAHA YESSSS GB DUO

-Of freakin course Wyldfire snuck on

-Wyldfire being Peril-coded count: 2

-“Every place is a place” -Wyldfire 2024

-Lloyd plagued by visions count: 6

-Sora what have you done Arin’s sad now

-Kai babysitter mech??? KAI BABYSITTER MECH!!!

-HECK YEAH LLOYD BEING COOL AND POWERFUL

-oh hey it’s like the one tunnel in KOTLC Legacy where all the light just goes away and you face your greatest fears lol

-OH WOW IT REALLY IS LIKE THAT

-WAIT HOLY COW WAS IT INSPIRED BY THAT BECAUSE W O W

-OH IM EXCITED FOR LLOYD’S FEAR

-OH THIS MIGHT ACTUALLY BE EVEN BETTER THAN I HAD IN MIND

-oh holy cow help I’m going to die of feels

-RAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

-OKAY WU AND RAS???

-WAIT ARE ALL THESE GONNA HAPPEN??????

-Oh Nya honey you have NO IDEA.

-no trust me the source dragons would

-NYAAAAAA 😭😭😭😭😭😭🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

-…Kai no braincell moment

-I’ve given up on the counters at this point lol

________

-Cole’s boyfriend and kiiids!!!

-the entire cloud kingdom is lost.

-THOSE ARE NOT THE CLOUD MONKS

-Wyldfire shxnfkgnsnfn

-okay now would be a great time to reveal that LLOYD intrinsically speaks dragon 👀

-the teacher is the dragon the teacher is the dragon the teacher is the dragon

-BASKETBALL

-Arin’s so baby

-DOUBLE DRAGON!!!

-I freakin’ love this new dragon

-THE DRAGONS WERE THE TEACHERS I KNEW IT

-BAHAHAHAAA BRO IMMEDIATELY GOES FOR LLOYD’S THROAT

-Arin shxbsjxbfnfb

-Geo’s so cool svxbsjxbfn

-COOOOOOLE!!!!!

-Arin asking if dragons can be ninja just confirms the retconning of dragoni Lloyd and I’m SAD ABOUT THIS

-WAIT NEVERMIND IS THIS LLOYD’S CHANCE TO SAY THINGS????

-Awww he got retconned :(

-COLE I SWEAR IF YOU’RE SOMEHOW DUMB ENOUGH TO PUT THAT ON

-Oh THAT’S why it’s called dragons rising! Fun! :D

-Not JOKING, Sora.

-“We cannot fight alongside you” calling it now that’s gonna be a lie

-Okay Lloyd you know what would be REALLY FUNNY is if- (gets mugged by half the fandom)

-Lloyd. You have a chance to say something really funny . TAKE IT FOR THE LOVE OF PETE TAKE IT.

-He didn’t take it :(

-Watch as they land with the other ninja

-ZANE HAS A FROHICKY PLUSHIEEEEE

__________

[itsclydebitches]

Angsty fic idea that I might write myself someday, but is also totally free if someone wants to snag it.

(WARNING for mentions of self-harm.)

I’ve read a bunch of “Izzy the Spewer” fics where Izzy gets sick for whatever reason—rough seas, migraines, the terrifying ordeal of being known—and Stede swoops in with some good old-fashioned TLC that makes Izzy’s angry little brain short-circuit. Fantastically done, keep it up. HOWEVER, I have yet to come across a fic that really plays with the thought I have every time I read that scenario. Namely: “Izzy is learning to correlate kindness with illness, right?”

Right?

Izzy hails from Black Sails land where kindness is in short supply and desiring it—or worse, needing it—is basically a social death sentence. Or a literal one. So, after Stede offers some of that rare, quality grade H/C, Izzy is primed to explain half of that with, “Bonnet is a fucking bonkers man who doesn’t know how to pirate properly” and the other half with, “When someone as crazy as Bonnet does comfort you it’s only because you’re pathetic enough to warrant it. He’d never just do that on the regular, because who the hell would? The only time you get kindness is when you find a magical unicorn man who doesn’t know better and the only time he’d give it, especially to someone like me, is when you’re basically at death’s door.”

Izzy comes to the simple but highly problematic conclusion that Being Gravely Ill = Receiving Comfort He Can’t Get Anywhere Else.

Soooo… why not just be sick more often ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Which is far from ideal, obviously, but not for reasons Izzy is equipped to understand yet. The only thing he’s grappling with is the indignity of being sick in the first place, but significantly that ship has already sailed. Fang already told the whole crew about his nickname, Lucius made it a staple insult, and they all watched him losing his lunch over the side while Stede kept him from going overboard. There’s no coming back from that. But asking for more of that attention? He’s gonna—what? Just fucking walk up to Stede and request that he rub his back, or stroke his hair, or—heaven forbid—hug him? Absolutely-fucking-not. Izzy would rather die. Even if he DID make an attempt the words would literally not come out of his mouth. Being sick is the lesser of the two evils and since he’s already a weak, pathetic, needy excuse for a First Mate, might as well do whatever is necessary to deal with those failings.

Izzy might have the emotional intelligence of a rock, but he’s a damn good planner and can keep things subtle when it matters. At first no one notices that he only gives into the urge to heave when Stede is on deck and can see him do it. Everyone knows that Izzy eats dinner alone, long after the others have finished, but not that he’s restricting himself to the portions that have started going bad, resulting in many late-night bouts of suffering. He stops the breathing exercises he developed years ago to keep his nausea under control, stops self-medicating whenever a storm is on the horizon, even starts putting himself in situations that he knows will make his stomach churn, all with the intent of crafting a situation where, oh no, his stubborn Captain is insisting he’s taken care of? Well, who’s he to disobey an order?

And it works! Until it doesn’t, of course. Because I’m a fan of the crew continuing to develop their found family, they’ve been approaching the “Spewer” business as a kind of heavy-handed teasing. They know it’s not nice, but Izzy is such an asshole, and besides, they kinda thought it was a past thing? Not something he’s still struggling with and certainly not to this extent—like teasing your brother for falling down the stairs that one time except, huh, he’s falling down the stairs weekly now. That’s not funny anymore.

Their concern merges with Ed’s because really, he’s been sailing with Izzy for most of his life and it’s never been this bad. If anything, he should be doing better on The Revenge where there’s always fresh food and blue skies appear with an almost supernatural frequency. Stede too has started to grow suspicious, especially after that one time where Izzy didn’t really seem sick anymore, but kept claiming he was (because the idiot was so close—SO CLOSE—to just asking for comfort without this whole charade, but of course he didn’t).

It all comes to a head when Stede and Ed confront Izzy about it… which goes about as well as you would expect. Izzy goes into the meeting terrified that Ed noticed him playing this game with his boyfriend and is probably going to anchor him for it. Ed thinks it’s great that Stede and Izzy are bonding—the fact that he’s finally acknowledging his own crush on Izzy doesn’t help, given how overprotective he’s feeling— but otherwise he’s just confused? Especially since he’s such a tactile person and threw himself headfirst into touching Stede the second he realized that was allowed. Stede has the best handle on what’s really going on, but doesn’t know how acknowledge all that without making things worse. So he just, uh, makes things worse? Realizing that Izzy has the self-preservation instincts of a teaspoon, they try to go the “Making yourself sick means you’re not in a position to act as a functional First Mate” route because Izzy is all about being useful right? Except great, now he’s feeling guilty about how sick he can get, guilty about using that to get something he thinks he shouldn’t have, AND guilty about how that’s making him a liability. He and Ed get into a huge fight about it. Stede dithers. Punches are probably thrown.

They think things have cooled down a few days later, except then Izzy gets legitimately sick—no fuckery involved—and Ed just… doesn’t believe him? He’s suspicious now, understandably. Not because he thinks Izzy is always lying about when he’s ill, or always sets out to make it worse, and he certainly doesn’t have a problem with him getting comfort from Stede—or him!—for any reason, but he’s terrified that Izzy is still hurting himself and that shit needs to stop. But being accused of that when he’s actually ill is the fucking tipping point and Izzy… crumbles. Just fucking looses it. No more filters, or barriers, or excuses. The man’s a sobbing, exhausted mess and this is it, they’ll both be disgusted by him now.

They’re not, of course. This time Ed and Stede comfort Izzy together and, more importantly, insist that he stays with them even after he’s calmed down/is feeling better. Lots of talking it out where they insist that yes, he can have this. No, he doesn’t need to be ill enough to “deserve” it. Izzy, there’s two of us and we’re both overflowing with affection 24/7, we guarantee it’s not an imposition to ask for things. But he can’t. He just literally can’t. There’s no version of Izzy (yet) that can ask for comfort when he needs it, or simply take it with the understanding that it’s always freely offered. So they devise some strategies to help Izzy ask without feeling like he’s asking; simple actions that will cue them into his mood without anyone else being wiser. The most successful is having a designated spot in the Captains’ cabin that is his and his alone. For a long time, Izzy will only accept their attentions in complete privacy anyway, so sitting on this particular part of the couch always means… well, the whole point is that Izzy doesn’t have to say what it means. He’ll get there, but right now he just has to sit down—that’s it, just sit, even he can fucking sit—and his Captains understand precisely what he needs.

And with their relationship and Izzy’s coping skills developing, everyone lives happily ever after ^_^

(Bonus cathartic comedy moment: Someone unknowingly sits in Izzy’s spot and he reacts precisely like a pissed-off cat would. Glaring from across the room, coiled tight as a spring, hand ominously on the pommel of his sword. This means nothing to me, don’t fucking think otherwise, but you WILL move and you will move NOW.)

[raydenduh]

"𝙃𝙮𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙙 𝘼𝙐": I need to come up with a better name than this, it'll do for now.

So this AU mainly revolves around MK, Wukong, and Macaque but Mei and Red Son are somewhat essential... As in the name of the AU Mk, Mei, and Red Son are what we would call "Hybrids".

Mei has dragon horns, fangs, tail, some scales on her face- looking half dragon even though it's just her "Normal" form. She can actually turn into a full on green dragon.

Red Son has bull ears, tail, and small little horns on his head. Since he's a demon he of course also has his fangs.

MK is..ya guess it, monkey- he's like Macaque and Wukong. MK has dark brown fur, and has a pale orange/red marking similar to Wukong's.

So, this is where the main part comes in. MK was raised by Wukong and Macaque since he was about three. During one of Wukong and Macaque's battles, both of them simultaneously unleashed a great amount of equal power. The two powers collided, and instead of one engulfing the other- they merged into one power source.. a floating bright ball of light mixed with dark (don't ask how this works yet.) which cracked open years later into a small little monkey. When Wukong and Macaque discovered this, they originally wanted to leave it or seal it away, but then Wukong thought better and decided it would be safer if he watched over it since such a power being would be a.. inconvenience. Wukong tried to shoo away Macaque- but failed. The darker monkey wanted to stay for his own type of benefit. So, they made due. Now the three live together on Flower Fruit Mountain.

Of course, it's not the healthiest family relationship. Wukong and Macaque tend to fight a lot, which MK doesn't like at all. Most mornings when he wakes up, it's to the sound of yelling from the two monkey's- sometimes about the smallest of things. Over the years MK has gotten used to it, and no longer has a good relationship with the two. Sadly, Wukong doesn't see this and Macaque refuses to believe it- actually, if anything they'll just blame one another.

MK isn't allowed to leave Flower Fruit Mountain, and sometimes won't be allowed past the water fall. It was Wukong who came up with the rule. It's not very bad, because the mountain is pretty big- but after all the years you spend on it gets smaller.

This is where Red Son comes in. Wukong and DBK did battle- but it didn't end up with DBK being sealed under a mountain. This AU, a truce was made- in favor that DBK's upcoming Son and his Wife wouldn't have to go through the years of tragedy. Since both are now allies, (and to keep MK from going half-insane on the mountain) Red Son is able to visit from time to time to hang out with MK- and both become close since all they had at the time was each other..and a couple of bull clones.

Red Son once had the idea of sneaking MK into the city- so MK could at least a taste of what the outside world was like. This is where the two meet Mei when they decide to stop sight seeing for lunch at Pigsy's restaurant. This is where a runaway girl worked- Mei! She delivers. Mei had completed her shift, and was eating her one bowl of free noodles when she and MK started talking. Red Son was annoyed at first- well, jealous is a better word...towards Mei since she and MK hit it off really well. Then, he started warming up to her. They talked for hours to the point where Red and MK forgot they had to get back to the mountain- and so here come the worried/angry parents.

So, Yeah that's basically the AU for now lol. I'll definitely add more stuff later- and open to any sort of additions/questions. There's a lot more ideas I have that I want to turn into AU's- but of course I need time..

@alaysthings

[izaswritings]

Title: who we are in the aftermath

Fandom: The Owl House

Synopsis: Belos falls and the Golden Guard survives. It’s a new world and a new day, and sooner or later Hunter has to figure out where he fits in it. 

Or: in which Hunter stays at the Owl House, becomes a (very, very reluctant) apprentice, continues to have accidental sibling shenanigans with the annoying human, and finally finds a place where he belongs. Probably.  

AO3 link is here.

[Next chapter is here!]

.

chapter one: battling birds

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They give him a room near the east side of the house, stuffed full of broken things and a miscellaneous number of random items. It’s not the human’s old room, and not Lilith’s, either—there’s too much dust and too much stuff for either option. Hunter can’t tell if he’s grateful for this or not. He’s still deciding on whether he’s grateful for the room at all.

There’s no time to set up a bed. He spends his first night here on a blanket, restless and half-awake and lying so still he’s half-convinced he’s shaking from the strain of not moving at all, not making a single sound. He can practically taste the dust on every inhale—does the Owl Lady ever clean, Titan help him—and by some godawful midnight hour Hunter gives up on sleep entirely and sits up, carefully, to whisper to his palisman. 

Nothing important. None of the real questions that are swirling around in his head, like what am I even doing here and why am I still here and what am I supposed to do now, do you know? Instead he just says nonsense things, useless things, like “If I shine a flashlight in that little demon’s face do you think I could get him to chase the dot?”

The palisman coos and chirps and sings nonsense back. Red is a pretty color. I like tulips. If we iced over the Boiling Sea could we make human rain? 

“None of those answers make sense,” Hunter tells it, and then writes a small note about the sea and rain connection on the dusty floor, if only because that’s actually kind of interesting and he wants to check it out again later. 

Red tulips are tasty, replies the palisman, and nuzzles his fingers when he goes to pet it. Its feathers are soft and its eyes are luminous in the moonlight. Nonsense, all of it, but the nonsense helps—familiar as a friend, safe and easy. Better than thinking of Belos. Better than wondering what he’s doing here, sleeping on the floor in the Owl Lady’s house.

The human has left. He could walk out right now and she’d never know, not that her disappointment has any bearing on if he chooses to stay or go. She’s vanished back to the human world, probably gone forever. This house means nothing to Hunter—the Owl Lady is annoying and dislikes him about as much as Hunter dislikes her, and as endearing as the weird little demon is, that isn’t enough to make Hunter want to stay. 

He could leave easily. He could go anywhere. He has nowhere to go.

“I don’t know what to do,” Hunter tells the palisman, at last, hours later. It is almost morning. The sunrise has only just begun, the peace of this dusty attic room wavering thin and fragile in the light of early dawn. It is a quiet admission. He says it very soft. “I don’t know if I know anything.”

I love you, says the palisman.

“That’s not an answer either.” 

Oh, well.

Twenty minutes later, the Owl Lady’s weird bird-worm security creature bursts through the window and sings good morning loud enough to shatter eardrums. Hunter grabs his staff, throws a blast at the thing on instinct, teleports to the kitchen in a panic, and smacks the Owl Lady in the face with his palisman first thing in the morning.

.

The easy explanation is this: the castle falls and Belos dies and the Golden Guard somehow survives it all: portal collapse and half-realm merge and everything, which means when the dust settles, ultimately Hunter is left with absolutely no idea of what to do with himself. 

“You should work with Eda!” says the human, in the aftermath. Given she says this in the ruin of what was once the Emperor’s castle, barely a half hour after—everything—Hunter feels pretty justified in his response. Which is to say he strangles his broken mechanical staff in his hands, takes a deep breath, and says in a very tight voice: “No.”

“But—!”

“No. No, no, no. I can’t even believe I did this, I don’t… it’s not happening. No.”

The human—he does actually know her name by now, after all they’ve been through, but also given all of This Nonsense she has lost name privileges—does not take that well. Of course she doesn’t. She’s so fourteen it makes Hunter want to die inside.  

“Why not?” the human says, petulant. She has her hands on her hips and everything. 

Hunter is kneeling in the rubble of a castle he’s called home for almost all his life. Somewhere down there is the throne where Belos used to sit; somewhere down there is a body. It’s not a surprise, really. It’s not a shock. From the moment the palisman fluttered into his life and Hunter let it stay, he always knew, deep down, that one day he was going to have to choose. 

It does not make breathing any easier. “I don’t want to,” he says. 

“You can learn wild magic! And, and glyphs! Eda knows a lot—”

“Does the Owl Lady know you’re offering up her house to an old enemy?” 

“Eda won’t mind. Well, okay, maybe she’ll mind a little, but— she’ll let you stay if I ask her!” Yeah. The Owl Lady probably would. The human has that witch wrapped around her little finger; Hunter almost snorts. “Please, just hear me out. I’m sure we can—”

“No.”

“Hunter…”

“Don’t talk like we’re friends,” Hunter hisses. He drops the broken remains of the mechanical staff and stands, his hands curled to fists. “Don’t talk like you know me. You don’t know anything. You don’t—” He can’t breathe. He drops back to his knees in the rubble and rubs a hand over his eyes. “Just stop. Please.”

The human doesn’t say anything for a long time. On his shoulder, the palisman, thus far staying silent, flutters its wings and hops down to his knee, nudging his hand with its beak. It sings nothing. Just stays there.

After a moment, the human kneels next to him. There is blood on her face and dirt staining her leggings. “I know,” she says, and she suddenly sounds very tired. “I’m sorry.” 

Hunter doesn’t say anything.

“I just—” the human starts, and then she stops. “I don’t know how else to help you.”

She looks small and weirdly sad, which makes no sense at all, because she hated Belos and never really understood why Hunter did not. (Hunter is not sure why either. If that is still something he can say. If you can betray your uncle and fight against your uncle and—and— and do these things, do everything Hunter has done, and still say that this feeling isn’t hatred.)

They aren’t friends, Hunter and the human. They have barely been allies. He doesn’t need her help, and she probably knows that as well as he does. But Hunter looks at her then, and despite the rubble and the ash and the blood on his tongue, for some reason instead of digging himself a makeshift grave he says—

“…Okay.”

Which still doesn’t really explain anything, but then, that’s just how it goes.

.

“Okay!” says the Owl Lady, smacking down her second cup of apple blood on the table. She does it too hard—a good splash of blood escapes the confines of the cup and adds yet another stain to her already-stained dining table. Hunter raises an eyebrow. The Owl Lady glares back. “House rules.”

There’s a red mark on her cheek, still, from where Hunter had hit her with his staff, and a stain all down her side from when, upon being hit with the staff, the Owl Lady spluttered and cursed and accidentally spilt the first cup of apple blood all over herself and the floor. She looks… barely awake. 

“House rules,” Hunter echoes, dryly.

“Your scorn is noted and not appreciated.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” His palisman pecks his hand lightly. “Ow.”

“Luz, you owe me one,” mutters the Owl Lady, and takes a really deep drink of her apple blood. Hunter rubs at his hand, peeved, and eyes the palisman in case it gets any more hand-pecking ideas. The palisman blinks innocently back. Hmm.

“So. First of all.” The Owl Lady raises a finger. “Break any of my stuff and I end you.”

So just like the castle, then. Hunter sees where this is going. He settles gingerly back against the chair—why, why is all of her furniture stained—and rests his cheek against one fist, already bored. “Noted.”

The Owl Lady puts up a second finger. There’s a long silence.

“…Seriously?” says Hunter.

“Quiet, you.” She snaps her fingers. “Hah! Got one! Hurt King or Luz or Hooty or anyone I like in any way and I’ll destroy you. Yeah, that works.”

Hunter gets the sneaking suspicion these house rules are being made up on the spot, and are also only for him. He knows better than to say that aloud. “Fine.” Wait. “How am I supposed to know which random people you like or dislike?”

The Owl Lady grins. Her gold fang glints. “That sounds like a you problem, don’t you think?” She cackles a little. “Guess you’ll just have to find out! Or, you know. Maybe don’t attack anyone? That’s a start.” 

Her owl palisman coos a little. Her nose wrinkles. “What? What do you mean that’s hypocritical? Stay out of this, Owlbert, I’m teaching life lessons or something.” Her eyes turn to him. “Anyway. You get the gist.”

Hunter’s hand is curled white-knuckled around his knee. His palisman flutters from the table to his shoulder, singing nonsense again. Red tulips, so tasty. Its feathers brush against his cheek. 

He pries his grip off his knee one finger at a time. “…Understood.”

“Good.” The Owl Lady stands and stretches, yawning wide into one hand. “Anyway, I’ll give you a pass for this morning, because Hooty can be…” She trails off. Outside, muffled by the front door, the bird-worm creature shouts “HOOT” at full volume and then smacks into a tree.

“…a lot,” decides the Owl Lady. “But seriously, keep the windows locked. I don’t want you trying to blast him and burning my house down. I just got it back.”

Hunter says nothing. The Owl Lady squints at him and then picks her mug back up. “Riiiight… well, good talk, I guess. Get some more sleep, kid, you look worse than Luz after an all-nighter.” She waits. Hunter raises an eyebrow at her. “Ugh. I don’t know why I agreed to this.”

At least Hunter isn’t the only one second-guessing everything. Still, that reminds him. “The human.”

“Luz,” says the Owl Lady, unimpressed. 

“Yeah, whatever.” He links his fingers. The palisman flies down from his shoulder to his cupped hands, and hops a determined circle in his palm for no apparent reason. Hunter watches it play. “…Is she coming back?”

“What, tired of our company already?” 

“Yes,” Hunter says, because obviously.

“Rude. Well, can’t say the feeling isn’t mutual.” There’s a long silence. The Owl Lady sighs. “Luz… she promised she’d come back. You were there, weren’t you?”

Yeah, he had been. Standing in the back of the group, on the fringes of the goodbye. Two hours after the end, and the human had already roped the Owl Lady into letting Hunter live in her stupid owl house, and also somehow run around hugging pretty much everyone. And then she’d stepped through the mirrors that were all that remained of the realm-merge between her world and theirs, and not come back since. 

She had, indeed, promised to return. But that was hours ago; that was yesterday. The mirrors are gone and no doors remain. And Hunter does not put much faith in promises. 

“And when,” he asks the Owl Lady, a little lofty, a little snide. “When, exactly, do you think she’s coming back?”

The Owl Lady’s eyes narrow. Her lips press thin. For a moment he thinks she might snap at him, but then her shoulders slump, and in the end she just looks away.

“I don’t know,” the Owl Lady admits. 

Useless, Hunter thinks. But he doesn’t say it. Just nods and turns away to head back upstairs and make that stupid dusty storage room somewhat presentable, because if he’s going to be staying here for—for—for whatever amount of time he ends up staying here, he’s going to breathe actual air instead of dust, thanks.

“Remember, kid! House rules!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Hunter says, and teleports back up the stairs without a single glance back.

.

Hunter manages to shove all the junk into one corner and make the start of a fairly presentable bed in the other corner by the time the human re-arrives in the Boiling Isles and throws open his door hard enough to smack it against the wall.

“You took my advice!” shouts the human, at the top of her lungs.

“Hiiiiii,” says Hunter, hands over his ears. The human takes a deep breath. Hunter closes the door in her face. “Byeeee.”

“Hey!”

“Why are you yelling.”

“I can’t believe you’re here!”

It’s just nonsensical enough to get him to open the door. Why does this always happen to him? Why is the human like this? “You said I should come here! You said—”

“Psh,” says the human and flaps a hand in his face. Hunter stops mid-word, gritting his teeth, practically feeling his whole face turn bright red with rage. “I didn’t mean it in a bad way! I just— I didn’t think you would actually listen! But you’re here!” She’s beaming. Hunter looks away. Her smile fades. “…Are you okay?”

He can’t sleep. His eyes are hot and burning like he wants to cry and he has no idea why. His uncle is dead. 

“No,” he tells her. “No one in this house dusts. I’ve forgotten what air tastes like.”

“Psh-haw! I’m sure it's not that…” The human steps inside, inhales, and chokes. “Oh. Ay Dios mío. Wow, this room has not been dusted.”

“I noticed!”

“Oh, man.” She hides her nose in her elbow and sidles outside again. She’s wearing her weird human clothes and her palisman staff strapped to her back. She looks tired, and a little like she has no idea what she’s doing here either. She lingers in the door almost awkwardly, rolling back and forth from her heels to her toes. 

Hunter watches her for a long moment. “You came back.”

“Haha. What gave it away?” But the smile she gives is small and blinding, brighter than the sun. “Watch this.”

“Watch wha—” The human lifts her hand and trails it through the air, dragging her fingers down in a straight line. Golden light follows her fingers. It breaks the air like a fractured mirror, a rift sparking to life in the hallway, the dark greens and blues of a galaxy intertwined with a burning glow. Hunter’s voice dies in his throat. 

“If I push at it, it opens. Like a door. It leads me right home.” She’s smiling so wide it must hurt. The portal almost seems to whisper; the golden glow of the rift shines in her eyes and catches on her face, still tear-streaked. The human’s cried over this. She’s right to. The human world and the Boiling Isles—she has found a way to keep both.

Presumably he thinks he should be jealous. Instead he finds himself smiling too. “I’m glad,” Hunter tells her. “That’s… pretty cool.”

“Right!?” She bounces on her heels and waves a hand through the rift, dismissing it into nothing. “I can’t wait to show Amity. And Eda. And King. And you! The human world is—it’s amazing. The rain doesn’t kill you even a little bit!”

It takes sudden effort to keep up the smile. “…I’ve heard.” 

“Anyway, I just came by to say hi. Eda said you were here, and—” She stops, visibly hesitating. Her head lowers. “I know… I know this must be hard. And that we aren’t really friends. But… if you need anyone to talk to… I’m here.” She peeks up her head a little, grinning. “After all, we’re house buddies now!”

“Human,” Hunter says. Her nose wrinkles. He sighs. “Luz.”

“Yeah?” 

There’s so much he could say that for a moment he has no idea where to start. Why did you think this was a good idea. Please stop talking. Why are you so insistent that we could be friends. I didn’t say I was staying here for long. I’m very tired. You’re bizarrely forgiving. My uncle is dead because of you. 

“…Thanks,” he says. “And— I’m sorry.”

Luz blinks at him. Then she grins. “Noooo problem, ol’ buddy ol’ pal!”

Hunter shoves her stupid smiling face away and closes the door on her toes. Luz yelps and swears and kicks at the door, and yells rude things in that other human language of hers. “Byeeeee,” Hunter says, and behind the closed door, Luz makes a muffled noise of rage and shouts, “Would you stop saying that!?”

And it doesn’t make things better but it doesn’t make things any worse, either, and when Hunter turns away he is almost smiling—so maybe it’s okay. 

.

The sun sets. The dusty room has been aired out to its best ability, and Hunter has made a somewhat functional and comfy-looking bed in the corner. A sticky note with the boiling sea + ice = human rain idea has been ceremoniously pinned to the empty wall space. In addition to the sticky notes, Luz has donated his “sad, bad boy room” what looks to be a dying houseplant. Hunter suspects she gave it to him purely because she has despaired of trying to keep it alive herself.  

He puts the plant on the windowsill. The palisman apparently loves it. Maybe he should find red tulips for it to eat. Whatever a red tulip is.

He settles next to the palisman on the windowsill, and strokes its head with his finger. He feels strangled and small and the sunset looks alien to him. Everything has changed. Everything is over. He is a powerless witch with a wild magic staff, and he will never be the Golden Guard again.

His eyes burn. He blinks fast. Far down below, he can hear the Owl Lady and Luz arguing over dinner.

“I still don’t know what I’m doing here,” Hunter tells the palisman. The sunset makes all the trees look shadow-like and sharp, outlined in red. It reminds him of his palisman, a little bit. “I don’t even like these people. What do you think? Is it too late to head back and dig myself a grave in the rubble?”

I’m happy I know you, chirps the palisman. It hops from the dying houseplant to the top of his head.  I love you, I love you.

His throat feels tight. “…That still isn’t a real answer.”

I want apple blood for breakfast tomorrow. The palisman nibbles at his hair. It looks tasty.

He’s quiet for a long moment. Then he closes his eyes. “Okay. If— if you say so.” 

The sun is setting, and the light is warm on his face. The Boiling Isles feels, for once, almost something like peaceful. It probably won’t last.

“We’ll stay.” 

[comm-caribou]

Chapter Sixteen: Wonderful

Word Count: 3.8k

Warnings: Battle trauma, PTSD, panic attacks, major death, dismemberment, angst (let me know if I missed any!)

————

It had been awhile since Fang took a shower. He didn’t like the vulnerability of it, nor the way his body looked now.

Still, he felt the water would clear his head.

He had removed his arm. Even though the doctor and nurses all promised it was waterproof, he didn’t want to risk breaking it.

Juliette would end up buying him a new one without questioning it. He knew this fact all too well.

Everyone else was in bed, so he was all alone.

He always found it weird that the showers were in stalls rather than an open floor plan.

We all look the same. Why waste money putting up these walls?

He turned on the water, getting off the rest of his clothes before testing the water, making sure it was lukewarm.

He stepped under the water, letting it run over his face and scarred body.

Maybe it was so troopers like me could disappear.

****

Juliette held Cooper’s helmet in her hands, looking at the splotchy designs closer.

“I never realized they were hands,” Juliette said tracing tiny fingers on the side of his helmet. “You painted them for the little girl who named you.”

Cooper sat at her desk, flipping though her sketchbooks, “she wanted me to pick her up, so I did. Her mother told her I’m a clone trooper, but she just keep merging the two words.”

She placed her hand over a hand, “they’re so small. How old was she?”

“Three.” Cooper paused on a page, “is that Fang?”

Juliette looked over, “yeah, I doodled a bunch of you.”

“Why did you draw him so small and cu-“ Cooper did a double take, “is that grumpy one suppose to be me?”

“It’s not suppose to look realistic,” Juliette giggled, “they’re just little doodles.”

Cooper chuckled a little, “hmm, that must be Keks then.”

She drew the Corporal hugging a cookie bigger than him.

“And that’s Mirage.”

She drew the ARC standing proud showing off his hair, adding sparkles around his head for emphasis.

“Boomerang.”

The medic was wrapped in bandages, arms extended out like a mummy.

“Coyote.”

The blue eyed trooper was wrapped in his blanket happily eating noodles like at dinner that night.

“That’s Tracks and Goose.”

The silver haired pilot was holding something over Goose’s head just out of his mustached, shorter brother’s reach.

“And that must be Hardwire.”

The Commander was simply just standing hands folded behind his back, looking all authoritative, but she gave him a little smile.

“That’s what I got so far,” Juliette said, “I got some ideas for the rest of pilots.”

Cooper set her sketchbook down on the desk, “you’re very talented.”

“Thank you,” she said, but something was still bothering her.

The Sergeant lazily spun in her chair, staring up at her ceiling.

“Cooper, not that I’m not grateful you’re here,” Juliette treaded carefully, “why didn’t you just shut the door and keep walking?”

Cooper’s dark eyes shifted to her, “because you were crying. I couldn’t just walk away knowing you were in here crying over something my brother probably said. No offense, but Fang is kind of impulsive, so whatever he said you shouldn’t take to heart.”

“He was mad I went off to find those missing troops and took on a Wampa,” Juliette hugged her knees. “I thought that’s what I’m suppose to do. Keep you all safe, I mean.”

“I guess that is part of your job,” Cooper agreed, “but I guess we’re just not use to a General who treats us like you do. Our last one certainly didn’t.”

Juliette only heard mentions and whispers of her predecessor, and it was nothing nice.

The Jedi who cost Fang his arm, Coyote his squad, Tracks his voice, and Hardwire his face, Juliette studied Cooper’s relaxed face. I wonder… would Cooper tell me?

“Cooper, what exactly did the Jedi do to you all?” Juliette asked.

Cooper turned to her, “has no one told you?”

“I didn’t think it was something Hardwire would want to talk about,” Juliette admitted, “and I tried asking Fang once, but he turned it to talking about a rock cave he once saw.”

Cooper nodded thoughtfully, “I guess, the best I can say is, this Jedi didn’t like clones. Specifically, individualized clones. He wanted us to be exactly alike.”

“That’s so stupid,” Juliette shook her head disgusted.

“I know,” Cooper agreed, “he claims he was weeding out imperfects, to make the army stronger.”

“I think your individuality makes you stronger,” Juliette said, “I like that none of you are alike.”

“I appreciate that,” Cooper smiled. “I need to get to bed, and as do you. Who knows what our next mission will be.”

“Thank you, Sergeant,” Juliette said, “I appreciate you visiting me.”

“I know,” he said smugly. “Goodnight, General.”

He left her.

She was alone again.

She got up, and went to her desk.

Looking at the open sketchbook, her eyes were drawn to her little doodle of Fang.

It was just a cute little version of him in a heart.

She flipped to the next page, and sat down as she began sketching out Cosmos.

****

While the men were use to waking up suddenly, it had been awhile since it was an alarm.

The noise dragged Keks and his brothers out of their restless sleep, and they all went scrambling in organized chaos to prepare for the new trouble that plagued their lives.

“What’s going on?” Mirage turned to Cooper, already on his holo pad.

“We’ve been requested for immediate aid,” Cooper stated. “Hopefully everyone including the General got some sleep.”

“She had a big day,” Keks laughed, “I’m sure she fell asleep right in Fang’s arms.”

Cooper gave him a look.

Keks chocked it up to Cooper just being grumpy, and carried on to get his weapons.

When he saw Fang heading to the hanger alone without Juliette or Coyote, that raised more questions in his mind.

****

She checked her gauntlets, making sure the safety was activated as she stood next to Hardwire.

The last of the men scrambled onto the gunships, and they boarded.

“You know who General Grievous is, correct?” Hardwire quietly asked her.

“He’s a Jedi Hunter,” she stated, “basically Count Dooku’s most feared lackey.”

“And he should never be faced alone,” Hardwire said it like an order. “He killed our first General.”

Juliette understood, but still felt annoyed.

I was trained to fight since I could walk, she thought. A Jedi hunter doesn’t scare me.

Hardwire put on a holo projection, and began explaining the plan of how they were going to be aiding the 41st Elite Corps until General Luminara returned.

Their mission wasn’t suppose to involve danger, which is why the Jedi Master let them go alone.

The idea of ever leaving her men alone—even with minimal risks—was something Juliette couldn’t fathom. Not only because she wanted to protect them from the cruel galaxy, because she couldn’t picture living her life without them in it.

Even if it meant having Mirage tailing her.

She could feel the presence of his hand, already hovering behind her back ready to catch her if she fell.

She turned her head slightly, catching Fang in the corner of her visor. The usually sweet trooper was stiff, rigid, like he was ready to snap at any second.

Maybe when they got back to base, she’d find a moment alone with just him. She’d hold Fang close and assure him he’s enough, that she’s still right here, and she wasn’t going to disappear on him despite how much he hurt her when he left earlier that night.

The booming of explosives brought her back to reality, reminding her she’s in a battle zone as they touched down.

Hardwire turned to her, “stay with me, we have to get to Commander Gree.”

She looked for Fang again, but he was gone.

Mirage’s hand pressed on her lower back, “one foot in front of the other, General.”

She stepped off, and followed Hardwire despite the pull of the men’s cries of anguish as they were shot down by countless droids.

****

Wherever Coyote went, Fang went.

It seemed his former squad leader was following Keks, Mick, and Buck.

He would ask what the Corporal’s plan was, but the comm channel was being flooded with his brothers crying out for aid.

“Man down!”

“Man down!”

“We need a medic!”

“Medic!”

“There’s too many of them!”

“Medic!”

“Keep firing!”

He heard Commander Gree was safe at some temporary base, which meant Juliette was safe.

Last thing he needed to hear was she engaged that monstrous Separatist General.

Keks slid down a hill, and they all followed.

“Corporal?” Buck finally spoke, “what’s our current objective?”

“Retrieving one of our down scouts.” Keks stated, “reports say one of our ARFs is still alive, and ve are going to get him home.”

“So a rescue then?” Mick confirmed.

“Affirmative.” Keks fired on a couple droids, then moved forward.

“Sounds like a plan the General would be all over,” Buck laughed, “she loves rescue missions!”

Coyote sighed, “stay focused, Buck.”

“Yes, sir,” Buck responded as if talking to an officer.

Fang turned to him, “sir?”

“I do outrank them by experience,” Coyote shrugged, “although he’s not wrong, Juliette is always jumping on these types of missions.”

“It’s risky.” Fang mumbled.

“You okay?” Coyote asked, “you seem… off.”

“I’m fine.” Fang barked.

“No you’re not.” Coyote sighed, “you better not let it get in the way of the mission. It will get you killed if you’re not focused, and we can’t have that.”

Fang sighed, “I just don’t like her risking herself like she did on Hoth. She could’ve died.”

“Fang,” Coyote softened his voice, “she was a skilled fighter before she found us. She is still a skilled fighter now, and there’s so much we don’t know yet.”

Fang had to agree.

As always, Coyote was right. Coyote always was the wisest out of all of Pack Squad, and the most in tune to their individual problems.

“Look,” Coyote sighed, “let’s focus on getting that ARF, then we can talk this out. Okay?”

Fang nodded, and hurried ahead blasting two droids as they slipped into the tree-line.

****

It was driving her crazy.

She felt like a caged animal in this makeshift base, going over battle plans on screens instead of executing them.

Juliette wanted to be with her men.

Fighting by their side.

Hardwire must’ve known this. His arm was looped into her’s, keeping her in place at the table as Gree and other officers argued.

“Let me go,” she whispered to Hardwire.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered back, “but I won’t.”

“We just got to keep holding this position,” one officer stated.

“Well obviously!” Cooper exclaimed, “that’s all we’re doing, and we’re getting slaughtered.”

The word felt like knife in her gut being twisted.

She tugged on Hardwire’s arm, but he stood firm like a mountain.

She hissed, “let me go.”

“Just wait.” Hardwire’s hand gripped her’s, “not until we have a plan.”

“Do you have a plan, General Trix?” Gree turned to her, “or is your plan just to run into danger, guns blazing, and no regard to anyone’s safety?”

Cooper placed his hand to his helmet, as if pinching the bridge of nose, “why did you say that?”

“No regard to anyone’s safety?” Juliette repeated. “Seriously, Commander Gree? Are you really asking me if my plan is to put any one of you in danger?”

“I doubt you have any plan in facing a lightsaber manic like Grievous,” Gree’s sergeant stated. “Just because you held your own in a few battles doesn’t mean you can fight real threats.”

Juliette clenched her fists, “better out there fighting with the men, than talking in circles in here.”

“We’re not talking in circles.” Gree waved his hand dismissively.

“I’ve heard the phrase ‘we need a plan’ eleven times already,” Juliette turned to Hardwire, “let me go out there.”

“And do what exactly?” Gree demanded, “if you think you’re so smart, what’s your plan?“

Juliette sighed, dragging Hardwire, “we’re going to go push back. Cooper, stay here and keep radio contact with me.”

“Yes, General,” Cooper acknowledged.

“Wait!” Gree chased them out of the tent.

“Juliette,” Hardwire warned, “this is technically Gree’s mission.”

“Exactly, General, and I-“

“You said you want those ships down, correct? Rocket launchers will do that.”

“Juliette, I understand you’re frustrated but we don’t have rocket launchers.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, Hardwire. Trust me, my Commander. I can do this.”

Juliette released his hand, and he let her go.

****

It was quiet now.

Buck and Mick were up ahead, keeping a lookout for both droids and the wounded ARF they got reports about.

Keks knew he didn’t have to worry about them. While Buck had a tendency to get shot, he always managed to push though the pain until danger was gone. Mick was alert, it was like the trooper had sixth sense for when someone took aim on him.

What Keks had to worry about was Coyote and Fang.

The unbreakable pair bonded by both training and the events that took place in the cave.

Coyote was an excellent soldier, a fine leader, but once Fang was present his ability to focus would dissipate. Fang was impulsive, almost always getting stuck on a thought and having to follow it though.

“You two hanging in back there?” Keks called over his shoulder.

“Yes, sir,” Coyote answered.

Fang didn’t say a word.

That’s not promising, Keks waited for them to catch up, “talk to me, Fang. Vhat’s on your mind?”

“It’s nothing,” Fang grumbled.

“Seems like something,” Keks stated. “Is it about vhy you aren’t speaking vith the General?”

“You two aren’t talking?” Coyote turned to Fang.

“It’s nothing,” Fang assured, “I just don’t like how she always risks herself for us. Yes, I love that she cares so much she’d do anything to protect us, however not at the cost of her life. We are suppose to fight and die for the Republic.”

“Just because ve are meant to die, that doesn’t mean I vant to die,” Keks said, “I vould love to live to see the end of this var, go drinking vith my brothers every leave, and just have a real life.”

Fang stayed quiet, then said lowly, “what about her life?”

“She chose to be a General,” Coyote cut in, “this is her choice.”

“I feel like it’s in her training,” Fang argued, “she told me her father use to train everyday for hours on end to protect others.”

“I don’t really see vhat’s vrong vith that,” Keks admitted.

“She could…” Fang trailed off, shaking his head.

Keks knew what he meant, “she could die.”

Fang made a broken noise, and pushed past them to get out of this confrontation.

“Did you have to make him cry?” Coyote sighed.

“I think he vas going to anyways,” Keks said quietly. “It’d be easier if he just told her.”

“Told her what?” Coyote stepped over some down tree trunks.

Keks ran his hands over the scorch marks of a lightsaber, already dreading what they were going to find soon.

“That he loves her,” Keks stated.

****

The missile hit one vulture droid, and it crashed into the other. They collided into the ground, explosively wiping out a chunk of the droids while illuminating the unscathed to be slotted.

“Why didn’t you just say you had a missile launcher?” Gree asked Juliette as the men cheered.

“You wouldn’t let me get a word in,” Juliette stated, “not to mention, it’s attached to my back.”

“I thought that was your jet pack.” Hardwire admitted.

“It’s both.” Juliette corrected.

Mirage chuckled, carrying another wounded to the medical tent they were guarding.

“Just throwing it out there,” Boomerang said, “please never give Mirage a jet pack.”

“I’m sure I’d be a good flyer,” Mirage set his injured brother down, ruffling his hair.

“You can barely walk,” Boomerang argued.

“Looks like you pushed them back some.” Gree said, looking through his binoculars. “They’re either regrouping or preparing to cover Grievous’s escape.”

“I’m thinking the second option,” Hardwire stated.

“Should we go hunt him down then?” Juliette asked. After seeing so many men come back clinging to life die from lightsaber sustained injuries, she’d happily attempt to take that heartless monster down.

“I’d advise against it,” Gree pat her shoulder, “not until the Jedi arrives through that blockade.”

Juliette turned to Hardwire, “how’s Captain Stickler?”

“Last I heard he said the shields are still up,” Hardwire said, “just focus on the ground assault for now.”

But what about Cosmos? My pilots? It’s the most dangerous job in the Republic. I’ve seen the casualty numbers…

She had to shake it off.

Somewhere out there on the ground was Fang.

As upset with him she was, she wanted her boyfriend to be okay too.

****

That explosion was caused by Juliette.

Fang knew it in his heart that that was the doing of his girl.

So full of surprises, he thought as they came to last reported sighting of the ARF.

“The report said that they found the General here,” Keks explained, “he engaged the squad and they had to retreat.”

“So, we’re here why?“ Buck asked.

“Because one vas hurt,” Keks stood on top of the mess of broken trees. “He’s here.”

“Not to sound like a downer, but…” Mick trailed off, “you know?”

What if he’s dead?

Fang turned to Coyote.

His brother who ran back into the cave because he had to be sure he wasn’t leaving his Pack behind.

We’re here to be sure.

Keks knelt down, surveying the mess, “Hound? Are you in there, vod?”

Nothing.

“Hound?” Keks carefully moved though the mess, “Hound?”

Fang looked around, but nothing caught his eye.

“Hound?” Coyote called, “where are you?”

“Hound?” Buck moved some wood with his boot.

Mick was off ahead when he jumped back, falling on his back and scrambling away.

“What?” Buck ran to him.

“I found a leg…”

Fang stopped, feeling a tingling in his arm.

Burning, crushing, excruciating tingling in his whole right side like his body was being lit on fire again.

Coyote came over to him, softly whispering, “hey, you okay?”

Fang focused on his breathing, sinking down to the ground.

Coyote knelt down, lifting off his helmet, “it’s okay. I’m right here, look at me. Focus on me.”

He didn’t fight Coyote when he removed Fang’s helmet, and he tried to focus on his brother’s ice blue eyes.

Coyote took his hands, “you’re not in danger. I’m right here, Fang, I’m not going anywhere.”

Fang’s gaze shifted to behind him, to a white mass.

“Hound.” Fang refocused.

Coyote turned, “Keks! Over here!”

Fang crawled over, moving the branches and taking his brother’s arm.

He felt limp, but he dragged him out.

The scout had wrapped his leg and tied it off at his knee.

Like Fang, his missing limb was on his right side.

Coyote leaned down, listening closely.

Keks approached, “is he…?”

Coyote let out a sigh of relief, “he’s alive.”

****

Keks knelt down, lifting off the ARF trooper’s helmet.

The young scout must’ve passed out he concluded, and he lightly tapped his filthy cheek.

Hound stirred, whimpering as he cracked his eyes open.

“Sergeant Digger reported you missing,” Keks smiled under his helmet, “ready to go home, kid?”

“Corporal?” Hound weakly smiled, “hi, brother.”

Mick stepped around them, “I’m going to throw you over my shoulder, okay?”

Hound nodded, sitting up very vaguely looking over his missing limb.

Keks helped steady him, “you seem a little loopy, Hound. Did you take a sedative?”

“Uh huh,” Hound blinked lazily. “Mutt gave it to me for emergencies.”

“That’s good then,” Keks placed Hound’s helmet back on, “come on, lads. Ve need to get back to safety.”

Mick began walking with Buck beside him, and Hound just hung off without a care in the universe.

Keks wondered if it was the pain killers, their training, or just Hound’s attitude that was leaving him so at eased.

“I still don’t quite understand why we came out here, sir,” Fang admitted, “but I’m glad we found him.”

“You’ll understand,” Keks said, as they began moving again. “Soon ve vill be home, eating dinner, and you’ll be back to your old self. That is, once you make up vith Juliette.”

Fang sighed, “I doubt it. After what I did, she’s probably still mad at me for walking out like that.”

“Just talk to her.” Coyote sighed, “get that through your thick skull, will you?”

Keks chuckled, then went up ahead to catch up with Buck and Mick.

He pat Hound’s helmet, and went off ahead with his gun ready.

“Keep alert,” Keks reminded them, “that explosion probably pushed them back towards us.”

“Yes, sir,” they all answered, except Fang.

He’s stuck in his head. Keks switched to his private comm frequency with Coyote, “keep an eye on Fang. He’s not himself today.”

“I agree,” Coyote answered.

Fang finally spoke up, “droids. Up ahead.”

“Wonderful.” Keks said, “get into the trees, before they see us.”

Buck and Mick ducked down, letting Hound down easy. Coyote pulled Fang to behind a tree trunk. Keks lowered down behind a shrub.

The droids came running by, bickering and yelling about retreating.

“Run for it!” One of the battle droids bellowed.

Typical of them, they all began repeating, “roger roger.”

There’s too many, Keks looked around.

He carefully moved, staying close to the ground.

“Men,” he said in the private comm, “there’s a path that vay. You need to follow it back to the base.”

“What about you?” Coyote asked.

“I’ll be right behind you.” Keks said, “after I cover you.”

Mick noticed the twist of trees, and took a quick dive down the pathway.

Buck double-checked, then followed him.

“Wait,” a droid called. “I heard something.”

Several droids stopped, approaching the tree Coyote and Fang were hidden behind.

The droids clicked their blasters, prepared to take aim.

Not on my watch, Keks stood up.

He fired on the droids, blasting a few heads off.

“Come and get me.” Keks taunted, running the opposite way.

“Keks! What are you doing?” Coyote’s voice filled his helmet.

“Get out of here,” Keks ordered, “I’ll lead them away!”

“Keks, you can’t face them alone!“ Fang argued, “let-“

“Coyote, there’s a file in my bunk,” Keks heard a bolt of plasma whoosh by his head, “give it to Cooper. He’ll know what to do with it.”

Keks ducked behind a tree, firing on the perusing droids.

“Yes, sir,” Coyote said, “goodbye, Keks.”

A bolt pierced his shoulder, and knocked his blaster from his hand.

Another through his chest.

Keks felt his body giving up, as he pulled himself behind the tree, taking out his thermal detonator.

They surrounded him, blasters aimed right at him.

Keks squeezed his eyes shut, I didn’t want to die.

“Goodbye.”

[judyhopps934-mt-zd]

Thoughts on Lies

Warning: Spoilers! And possibly having your heart torn into pieces. Other than that, have fun!

We open up with Marinette figuring out the recipes for the power ups as the new guardian.

I am disappointed that she still has not stopped oogooling over Adrien when he appeared on the news. Especially since she was allegedly with Luka by then. (I'll explain what I mean in just a minute)

Adrien was tired after the day he had as Adrien, which is a contrast of what Marinette believes his life is like. But being Chat Noir is the highlight of his day...

...only to not see Ladybug show up for patrols. And we see that it was all due to her figuring out the powerups.

Also, the patrols are a thing in cannon and I am still not over it after "Truth".

Chat Noir hoping for an akumatization so he can escape his civilian life radiated the same energy as Alya asking for akumatizations to interview the temporary heroes on her IG post. I get it, but still! We do not have people in danger for our needs.

Plagg being the one who announces any voice messages for Chat and asking for cheese through the feature on the Chat Phone brings me a whole other level of life.

Also, the whole milk thing at Le Grand Paris bar counter. It was hilarious, but also very sad. He really missed his m'lady

He ends the patrol after he saw Kagami training with her mom. And the smiles on his face! *Cries in Marichat and Ladynoir*

Plagg is the one that encourages Adrien to move on from Adrien, just like he applauded him from doing so in Loveater.

Kagami apparently said that fencing lessons are scheduled an hour in advance and Adrien (with that goofy grin on his face) knew what was up!

Both Ms. Tsurugi and Gabriel are very pissed at one another for the schedule change. That's hilarious, although everything comes at a price.

The parallels! Kagami is apparently learning Russian at her mother's request. Truly is a reflection of Adrien, civilian life wise.

Kagami? Lying???? The hell???? Who are you and what have you done to Kagami????? (Why am I surprised, y'all did this in Desperada)

She lies to their parents and the teacher to be in the art room with Adrien. I get it, teenage rebellion after being under an uninvolved parent, but still!

I like how the writers gave Kagami another dimension by saying she loves art, but her mom does not like her passion for drawing.

To Kagami's mom: WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOUR DAUGHTER IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH???!!! HER DRAWINGS BELONG IN A MUSEUM!

Also, art reflecting the truth? Hmmm.....

Since people like mentioning that Marinette has a thing for people with absent parents after "Truth", I will now say that Adrien has a thing for people who are great at drawing. I do not take criticism.

Kagami is hinting that Adrien's civilian life is not his true self (thank you for understanding him!)...

...but also says that being a "clown" (it was the Chat pose) is also not who he really is. The fandom would disagree with you. Although that brings up the question of whether both personalities merge to form who he really is and cannot be seen completely by anyone in any part of his life. But he is more like Chat Noir regardless.

Also, I want to see Adrien and Kagami spend more time together prior to this episode to see why she was not pleased with him being a clown if that's who he truly is, because her repositioning him against the wall made me feel like she is trying to place Adrien into a mold that reflects the image she might have created in her mind. (I don't know, this was just the first thought that came in my mind.)

They almost kiss, with Adrien being taken into shock (not terrified as we thought) until the alarm saying they have fencing lessons starting interrupts them and Adrien runs out, not before BLUSHING LIKE HELLO?!?!?

This is what I referred to in my second point and confirms what everyone was saying about this episode: this is "Truth", but through Adrien's perspective. Finally, an Adrien-centered episode!!!

To continue, every time Adrien and Kagami are together or were about to kiss, a sentimonster appears, with Ladybug trying to do something about it. Just like Lukanette, just like Adrigami: being a superhero affects your love life as a civilian.

Chat being thrown off the roof by accident and being rescued will never get old or less funny lol.

Montages continues up until the boat scene, where Adrien missed the intro to the performance, but I will never get over the fact as to how Adrien made it there before Marinette. It is beyond me.

Kagami not letting Adrien stay for 5 more minutes. Hmm...

Their cute moment together was what will lead to the demise of Adrigami as Kagami noticed he dropped the infamous lucky charm bracelet. *le gasp!

Why *le gasp*? Because 1) I fear it symbolizes that something will happen to Adrienette or that Adrien has forgotten about her, and 2) Wait until later.

Kagami revealed she lied so she can spend more time with Adrien alone, lying about leaving rehearsal earlier, lying about the fencing lessons rescheduling, and who else knows what else so she can be with him.

She tells him she loves him. But Adrien notices Ladybug and an Akuma. Oh boy, he wasn't able to give her any attention.

Because he left towards the direction of the boat (and said he left something there), Kagami used that to conclude it had something to do with Marinette. Oh boy.

Either I missed an entire scene about Ladybug knowing ShadowMoth's name, or we were not supposed to know how they know until this episode. It feels out of place to me, but oh well.

"I..am...AN INCREDIBLE SWIMMER!" still cracks me up even when I know how important it was in protecting her secret identity.

Happy Birthday Prince Ali!

Apparently, Kagami lied that her mom was in charge of watching over Adrien (or maybe not? I can't tell at this point.)

Yep, Kagami believes that Adrien is going after Marinette and probably resents them both if her facial expression says anything

We get to see that Ladynoir moment from "Truth"!! I love these two and their banter.

Adrienette stans, not much has changed. Adrien was concerned that he lost the Lucky Charm bracelet, for real. But said again because he though he would be clear of the lie since he thought he had it on him.

Kagami confronts him with it. AND THIS IS HIS SHOCKED FACE SCENE FROM THE TRAILER!!!

Thinking that she lies to get out of being with her, she leaves. With the bracelet. The leaving part is understandable, especially because she does not know about him being Chat Noir or what entails him to do. But why take the bracelet???

Adrien is also saddened by what happened. He also liked her.

We've never seen that part of city hall. Well designed in my opinion.

She was the akuma in City Hall with the glowing sphere! We were right!!!

Adrien feels guilty, though it is not really his fault. He has a duty to Paris!

Why is the music sounding different in French.

Jagged Stone. How do I feel about you after learning you purposefully abandoned Luka and apparently Juleka? Also, what's with the song??? (Rhetorical question. Do not answer)

We were wrong about Kagami's power: it paralyzes people who lie, not kill everything in its path.

Jagged, you abandoned your children. And you apparently lied about your age?!?!?! Both episodes show something about Jagged Stone that make him seem like an awful person on the inside.

Ladybug, how do you know about Lies's powers?!?!? There is a hole in the plot here! Unless there were other paralyzed civilians that gave her power a dead giveaway.

Chat Noir, if you lie as a civilian for whatever reason, of course Ladybug will too, since as a civilian, you need to lie to keep your secret identity a secret. Same rules apply to Ladybug, especially as the guardian.

The Lucky Charm is a drone, not a camera like I thought. How the hell did I get into an ivy if I can't tell the difference?!?!

Chat Noir pretending to lie is funny. It might also be his peppy attitude to lying. Also, his funnier version of ShadowMoth's name.

Ladybug finds the akumatized object and gasps. I wonder if its only a eureka moment or also the fact that she recognizes the bracelet, especially if its custom made.

Brutally honest people does not exist (we have all lied at some point, even Kagami who is usually brutally honest with people), but animals can't lie.

Fang being involved in destroying the akuma is cool.

This is the moment that we dreaded so much, yet knew was coming: CHAT NOIR DIES!

JK! He actually is paralyzed by truth because he jumped into the glowing orb. We were right that this is an anguishing scene to watch, but we're wrong about the part that he's killed. Yet, he still unnecessarily sacrificed himself and caused Ladybug to be angst about it.

WHAT IS UP WITH CHAT NOIR BEING HAPPY ABOUT SACRIFICING HIMSELF?!?!? AND DO NOT SAY ITS BECAUSE HE TRUSTS LADYBUG!

Yes Ladybug. Chat is crazy. And also crazy for you. And you are right about the crazy unconscious part. My Ladynoir heart!

ShadowMoth almost won until Fang bit off the charm bracelet. Thanks Fang!

Chat backing away from Fang licking him is a mood.

My favorite Ladynoir moment of the evening: Ladybug telling Chat to stop sacrificing himself and Chat saying she likes her adorable angry face. Her smirk afterwards.. And then their pound it.

But no seriously Chat. You need to stop doing that to Ladybug. She cannot take it anymore

Plagg said that even if Adrien loves someone else, he is likely to go back to Ladybug. Just like he goes back to Camembert. Seriously, despite his cheese analogies, he gives great wisdom.

Not Kagami almost beating up Adrien during his fencing lessons. And Mr. D'Angercourt notices this too as he stopped Kagami's final blow.

Also, isn't it illegal in fencing to push people? Oh boy.

And there's the Adrigami breakup scene: Adrien telling Kagami that he enjoys their time together and Kagami knowing their is sincerity in him. It is sort of unclear who actually ended things when Adrien asks if they could still be friends, but Kagami ends it all by saying that she will let him know once she can face him again. Ouch.

Adrien is hurt and stares at the lucky charm bracelet with what looks like sadness. Once again ouch.

Like Lukanette, I want to see Adrien and Kagami be happy together at least until halfway through this season. The issue is that it will hurt them more in the end.

Also, I noticed the difference between Luka and Kagami when ending their respective relationships. It hurt them both, but Kagami was more forward about it and Luka was somewhat passive. It could be based on what they know about their now exes (Luka knew that Marinette had feelings for Adrien and was not secretive about it even when they were together if the truths her friends said and the opening scene to this episode reflect this, whereas Kagami only has a suspicion and Adrien does not say anything regarding to it.

Also, I really did not like how the breakup on this end resulted in. While more realistic for a lot of people, it did not help that it involved Kagami as there are people who will go after Kagami after watching this episode, and I believe that the writers know this. Kagami is a good person who has a different response to the trust issues and lack of communication, as well as lies in their relationship. Not saying its a perfect one, but an understandable one. In conclusion, don't trash Kagami, especially if you saw this coming.

I take back what I said before; this is my favorite Ladynoir scene. I want to hug them both because they have to lie and keep secrets from everyone, even have some secrets between themselves! But at least they can trust each other! Excuse me while I cry over how much we are being fed. Also, the fact that they broke up with their respective partners makes this both heartwarming and heart breaking.

Overall, this episode is just as good as Lies! It is the first fully Adrien-centered episode, which makes this a first and already exciting. While I did not like how their breakup was handled, it was realistic and showed that honesty and communication are important. Also, can my children be happy together for longer than an episode??? I swear, their pain hurts me.

But at least Ladybug and Chat Noir have each other's company to get them through. May us Ladynoir stans continue to be fed!