#is our sapphire orb too big?

[pair-of-ragged-quarks]

EXCELLENT NEWS: the next part of my research is looking at the thermal conductivity of spherical sapphire fasteners in our neutrino detector…

which means my Official Job Description is now

~Pondering the Orbs🔮~

[howlingday]

My idea for a potential DB! #11

2024 jun 26, 27, jul 4, aug 22, 24

PREVIOUS POST

Tenya Iida vs. A-Train

MASTER LIST

Chaos VS Kyogre (Sonic the Hedgehog VS Pokémon) | DEATH BATTLE!

Their rains of destruction will flood and drown the world!

THUMBNAIL

FIGHTER 1: Chaos, the mutated God of Destruction of alien descent from Sonic Adventure.

FIGHTER 2: Kyogre, Pokémon’s legendary sea expander of primordial origin.

Wiz: Water is the substance that fuels all life, the sea is where life originated, and rain brings crop growth and rejuvenation.

*insert clips of the sea, flooding, and torrential downpours*

Boomstick: But too much H2O will leave you drowning or flooded, especially when it comes to these two ancient gods of rain and sea. He’s Wiz and I’m Boomstick.

Wiz: And it's our job to analyze their weapons, armor, and skills to find out who would win... a Death Battle.

PREFACE (What to know): 

For Chaos, I’ll primarily be looking at Sonic Adventure and Generations for references to power, and I’ll look at Sonic Battle for moveset. For Kyogre, the games are the primary source of Pokémon canon, so I won’t look for any anime or manga adaptation. The games I’ll be looking at for Kyogre are Pokémon Sapphire and Alpha Sapphire.

This MU also has some popularity. Brandon Yates gave us Primal Chaos (both an instrumental and vocal version), Sky / TehGM gave us Chaos Primal, and we even had a DEATH BATTLE cast episode related to this MU. You can find other MUs for these two (I noticed Chaos vs. Zygarde a few times), but this is perhaps the best MU for both due to their icons and surface-level similarities.

I will not be treating this as a Pokémon battle, so we don’t just get damage that correspond to “It’s not very effective…” attacks, and Kyogre will be using the moveset from when you encounter it during the climax of Alpha Sapphire as Primal Kyogre: Body Slam, Aqua Ring, Ice Beam, and Origin Pulse, as seen here, but I’ll still make reference to other moves because Kyogre’s thing is manipulation over rain and water.

I also looked at the VS. Battle Wiki pages for both characters, but I decided not to use their stats, only their abilities.

WHY:

Connections (What do they have in common):

1. Both are ancient water beings who were reawakened by the main antagonist of their debut games (Dr. Eggman and Archie of Team Aqua) for their big plan to change the world (Dr. Eggman wanted to conquer the world by making Chaos subservient to him and Team Aqua wanted to expand the oceans to make more room for aquatic Pokémon)

2. Both have reputations for being destructive god-like creatures with potentially world-ending power. Chaos is known for wiping out the Echidna tribe, flooding Station Square, and being one of Infinite’s “4 Horsemen”. Kyogre is known to have expanded the oceans via torrential downpour and tidal waves. At their most powerful, Perfect Chaos and Primal Kyogre both had big potential to, again, destroy the world. Perfect Chaos handedly flooded Station Square and Primal Kyogre could have drowned not just the Hoenn Region, but the entire world via rain. Their final forms even look like giant Leviathans from the Bible.

3. Both draw power from ancient stones that allow them to transform into their strongest states. Chaos becomes Perfect Chaos with the Chaos Emeralds and Kyogre becomes Primal Kyogre with the Blue Orb. Said rocks were used by the aforementioned main antagonists, but our rain gods only ended up turning against the villains.

4. Both also have connections to ancient peoples, Chaos being the descendant of the extraterrestrial Ancients that brought the Chaos Emeralds with them and Kyogre is connected to the Draconid people that prayed for Raquaza to stop the fight between the Primordials. 

5. There is a possible thematic element of peace vs chaos. Ironically, Chaos could represent peace as Chaos is the first known guardian of the Chaos Emeralds and watched over a Chao colony in ancient times. However, 3,000 years before the events of Sonic Adventure, an attack from the Knuckles Clan led to Chaos being consumed by a fury that threatened to destroy the world, but was sealed in the Master Emerald. After the events of Sonic Adventure, Chaos has only re-emerged in times of great crisis. Kyogre would represent chaos and destruction to all of its lore regarding its legendary fight for dominance against Groudon. 

Personal reasons (Why I want this battle/like this MU):

We could use a good Sonic vs Pokémon MU. Mewtwo vs. Shadow deserves to be redone with love, so in the meantime, here’s my idea.

Kyogre is also one of my all-time favorite Pokémon ever since I first played Alpha Sapphire in 2014. Chaos, while not one of my favorite Sonic characters, is intriguing to me, mainly because of its reputation from Sonic Adventure and its lore from Frontiers. Also, I liked the idea of being able to play as Chaos in Sonic Battle and I liked how Chaos looks in the Sonic Smackdown videos.

Imagine Chaos as a Pokémon. I imagine it starting as a Chaos Chao, but its first evolution would be a lot like iconic Chaos 0 and the Ancient Warrior. The limbs and body are now water and fluid. The cutesy features of the Chao start to disappear, with some scales and the brain starting to protrude from the body, but there is also a core in the chest of the beast. The eyes become a mix between the yellow of Chaos Chao and the emerald green of Perfect Chaos. The final stage would be a giant kaiju-based monster like Tyranitar, Archaludon, Groudon, etc. Scales, the monster-like eyes, the brain now exposed, and scary power with a busted ability that lets it set up beneficial weather and boost its own attacking power or speed, almost like a two-in-one Drizzle and Swift Swim. The line would have a pure Water typing until the final evolution, which would be either part Psychic or Dragon due to using the power of the Chaos Emeralds, which their abilities to affect space and time and even powerful god-like beings (Solaris, Dark Gaia, Time Eater, Nega Mother Wisp, THE END), are affected by the thoughts and emotions of the wielder, can be recharged by the planet, and are artifacts of alien origin. Either that, or Chaos would be tapping into its alien ancestry. The line would have poor speed, but its HP, Attack, and Defenses are great. Maybe it would have a stat total between 400 and 500. Maybe it could even be a pseudo legendary/member of the 600 club for a new region.

Maybe I’ll actually draw this Fakemon someday.

August 22, 2024

King Bowser VS Dr. Eggman is confirmed and is currently a work in progress. I want this to be a celebration of not only DB!’s return, but also of the eventual release of future Hard-Boiled Fury.

Art:

THE FIGHT:

Art and animation:

It’ll be in 2D sprites. Let’s count: Sonic has had 12 fights with 11 of them being done with sprites, and Pokémon has had 6 fights with 4 of them being done in sprites. Sonic’s only none-sprite fight was the show’s 100th episode, done with hand-drawn animation, and the none-sprite Pokémon fights were done in 3D, which were the season 2 finale and the “milestone episode” 125. The fight will most likely be in 2D unless it's a season finale or milestone episode like 250 and not a pseudo milestone episode like 125 or 175.

You can find Chaos sprites, though there may be some struggling with some Kyogre sprites, so it’s likely that some custom sprites will need to be made.

Or maybe it’ll be in 3D for ease of movement for Kyogre, but I don’t know where you can find the models for it. There already is a model for Chaos if Sonic Smackdown is any indication.

Possible setup:

Groudon and Kyogre have emerged from the Seafloor Cavern and Cave of Origin. They have once again engaged in their eternal endeavor. There may be rain, but the sun is still shining.

Groudon uses Precipice Blades, but before Groudon can fully execute the attack, the land on which it stood falls and Groudon is seemingly pulled down into the water by an invisible force. The rain clouds start to quickly block out the sun. Kyogre is also struggling to control the waves as they are going against its command, until a fist made of water deals an uppercut to Kyogre’s jaw, staggering Kyogre a bit. The fist of water lands meters in front of the Sea Basin Pokémon, and it morphs into Chaos 0.

It is a time of crisis, and so Chaos has re-emerged.

Kyogre lets out its battle cry as if it were a Pokémon battle.

FIGHT!

1. Chaos enlarges a fist and strikes Kyogre and starts to unleash a combo, ending it with slamming both arms and fists into Kyogre, submerging it. Kyogre responds by spins around and strikes Chaos, like if it used Aqua Tail. Chaos retaliates by plunging his arm into the ground, causing a fountain to spring up and knock back his opponent (Upper Chaos).

2. A  Chaos Emerald quickly descends from the sky, and Chaos turns into Chaos 1. Before Kyogre could move, Chaos repeatedly starts lobbing water at Kyogre (Chaos Shot). Kyogre gets hit, but then uses a Body Slam, crashing into Chaos.Chaos then uses Chaos Strike, a ripple of Chaos Energy hitting and dazing Kyogre long enough for Chaos to dive into the water, shoot out of it like a crazed angel fish, and stretch his arms down and lands a powerful Air Chaos Strike. Kyogre, while hurt, simply launches water under immense pressure a la Hydro Pump and damages Chaos.

3. Yet another Chaos Emerald descends, and Chaos 1 becomes Chaos 2. Kyogre charges at Chaos like if it used Double Edge, but Chaos simply becomes a puddle, emerges by Kyogre’s tail, grabs it, and swings Kyogre away with a lot of effort. Kyogre enters the water again but with little trouble. Kyogre then cools the air around Chaos in a poor attempt at using Sheer Cold, momentarily freezing and greatly damaging Chaos, but then another Emerald descends. 

4. Chaos 2 becomes Chaos 3 when another Chaos Emerald descends and breaks free from the ice. Chaos jumps into the air and then strikes the Sea Basin Pokémon with a punch on the way down, inflicting a large shock that triggers an earthquake, damaging and dazing Kyogre (Chaos Impact). As Chaos then starts striking Kyogre up close again with powerful aquatic arms, Kyogre charges at Kyogre again, but as Chaos starts to hold Kyogre off, Kyogre uses Ice Beam and starts to freeze and break off Chaos’ limbs.

5. Chaos 3 becomes Chaos 4. With greater speed, Chaos starts to emerge out of the water in an arc and splash down around Kyogre, and before Kyogre could use Ice Beam again, water in the shape of tendrils suddenly forms upwards and starts bashing Kyogre. Chaos is using Chaos Splash, but Kyogre makes the water around it launch upward like if it used Water Spout, launching Chaos 4 skyward and Kygroe bounces Chaos once like a dolphin or sea lion bouncing a beach ball and then bounces Chaos away.

6. Chaos 4 absorbs two more Chaos Emeralds and turns into Chaos 6 who then turns into a giant puddle, escaping another Ice Beam and charges at Kyogre with a giant version of Chaos Dolphin, but Kyogre uses Aqua ring, and Chaos then merges with the Aqua Ring and is launched out towards whence he came, and Kyogre then launches origin pulse to launch Chaos 6 further away. Chaos then escapes back into the water and uses Chaos Heal. Kyogre continues healing with Aqua Ring.

7. The rain is pouring down, but neither beast is dead. They have their ancient stones in possession, and so draw power from them and from nature itself. With the final Chaos Emerald descending into the ocean, Chaos becomes Perfect Chaos, erupting out of the water, and with the Blue Orb, Kyogre becomes Primal Kyogre. We see the world now almost fully flooded. The rain is now pouring down furiously, and the two gods roared at each other.

8. P. Chaos launches an energy projectile, but P. Kyogre moves out of the way and strikes with an Ice Beam, severely damaging P. Chaos. As Kyogre moves around the battlefield, Chaos then lifts up water tornadoes, preventing Kyogre from moving. Chaos then bites down on Kyogre, and with one swift motion of the neck, throws Kyogre across from him.

9. Chaos wins by using power and terrain control. Perfect Chaos causes a whirlpool and then a water spout to launch Primal Kyogre skyward. As Kyogre reorients itself, it starts to use Origin Pulse. However, Perfect Chaos unleashes a faster Breath Attack and Tentacle Attack. Effectively juggling the Sea Basin Pokémon until Chaos can use Chaos Bind, freezing the air and Kyogre. Perfect Chaos then catches Kyogre in its open jaws and splits the legendary leviathan in two, the giant bloody body falling into the water. Victorious, Perfect Chaos releases a perfect roar of triumph as the rain clouds start dissipating, and rays of light start piercing down.

10. Kyogre wins by exploiting Chaos’ weaknesses. Primal Kyogre uses Ice Beam on Perfect Chaos, reducing its mobility. Chaos opens its mouth to launch a super charged laser, but Ice Beam has frozen it, and by using Ice Beam once more, but this time, on the exposed brain, Chaos is effectively done. Kyogre charges one more Origin Pulse and shatters the frozen leviathan. The clouds are now pouring waterfalls, and the sky is fully dark save for the lightning. Kyogre then gives a primal scream of victory.

11. The victor doesn’t celebrate for long because a giant green snake with ephemeral, golden, and glowing tendrils as long as its body protruding from its lower jaw descends from the sky and unleashes its own war cry. The aquatic adversary responds in kind, and another battle for the Hoenn region and the world begins. 

12. KO!

RESULT:

Strengths and weaknesses:

Chaos:

+ Perfect Chaos is powered by all 7 Chaos Emeralds, which could move pieces of Sonic’s world and power planet-destroying weapons. Perfect Chaos is more powerful.

+ The better fighter up close.

+ Several Chaos forms have hydrokinesis. Perfect Chaos can even create and control water tornadoes and entire floods, thus having terrain control in the ocean, lakes or sea in which Chaos fights.

+ Chaos 0 can cause status effects. Chaos 0 can use Chaos Bind and freeze his opponent, and so has the faster freezing option and can also use Chaos Strike, which can disorient the opponent (basically casting confusion). 

+ Chaos, at least Perfect Chaos, can change his shape into liquid, “and if dissipated, can reconstitute himself again.”

= Comparable healing. Chaos needs to stand still when using Chaos Heal while Aqua Ring is passive, but Aqua Ring doesn’t heal as fast or as effectively as Chaos Heal and will eventually wear off.

= At their strongest, both have similar flooding power. Tikal said that Chaos could eventually destroy the world and Steven said that if Kyogre’s rain/reign doesn’t stop, then the whole world will drown, not just Hoenn. Chaos may have an advantage as Tikal said that Chaos has destroyed the world before.

- The brain on Perfect Chaos is a highly exposed weak point.

- Cannot take advantage of Kyogre’s weaknesses of electricity or sapping plants.

- Slower regardless of form

- Lacks a meaningfully powerful moveset

- It is told to us that Perfect Chaos is powered by the negative energy of the Chaos Emeralds, and it is implied that this negative energy is not as powerful as positive energy, which is what is used by the Super Forms. If this is true, then it’s a matter of how much more weaker negative chaos energy is compared to its positive form. If it’s a lot, then Chaos runs the risk of being weaker than Kyogre. If it’s minimal, then Chaos remains the stronger combatant.

Kyogre:

+ Kyogre produces rain that powers up its own attacks.

+ Ironically the more agile combatant.

+ Origin Pulse and Ice Beam offer better ranged attacks.

+ Ice Beam can freeze Chaos, and Chaos has been damaged in lesser forms by being frozen.

+ If given access to moves like Thunder and Sheer Cold, then Kyogre has instant win attacks. Sheer Cold is stated to attack “with a blast of absolute-zero cold”. Thunder (which is more appropriately named as “かみなり / Lightning” in Japanese) never misses in the rain, and is described as “A wicked thunderbolt is dropped on the target to inflict damage. This may also leave the target with paralysis.” Again, this is a conditional advantage that isn’t fully common.

+ Moves like Calm Mind increase Kyogre’s resistance to energy attacks and projectiles (Special Defense) while augmenting its own energy attacks/projectile attacks (Special Attack)

= Comparable healing. Chaos needs to stand still when using Chaos Heal while Aqua Ring is passive, but Aqua Ring doesn’t heal as fast or as effectively as Chaos Heal and will eventually wear off.

= At their strongest, both have similar flooding power. Tikal said that Chaos could eventually destroy the world and Steven said that if Kyogre’s rain/reign doesn’t stop, then the whole world will drown, not just Hoenn. Chaos may have an advantage as Tikal said that Chaos has destroyed the world before.

- Limited moveset that doesn’t always take advantage of Chaos’ weakness and can be exhausted. (Power Points, aka PP)

- Kyogre doesn’t learn Thunder naturally and doesn’t always have access to Sheer Cold.

- Ice Beam only has a chance to freeze, compared to Chaos Bind which always freezes.

Ending puns:

"Kyogre couldn’t handle all this destruction and Chaos."

"Kyogre truly did rain on Chaos' parade."

MUSIC:

Art by me. (:

Name: Raining Chaos

The name makes reference to Kyogre’s rain abilities and to Chaos directly by name. I wanted to include “Alpha” in the name to make reference to “Alpha Sapphire”, but I couldn’t think of anything. I also did not want to include “Primordial”, “Primal”, or “Origin” because most VS scores for this fight have titles referring to the ancient nature of both fighters. It will seem hypocritical considering what I’m going to do with the sound, though.

Art: The cover shows a Chaos Emerald with both the beautiful sapphire shade and alpha symbol of the Blue Orb. From it Perfect Chaos’ tentacles are emerging from under, and from above, there is a blast of Origin Pulse. If there is a background to the image like in Hearts of Light, Chaos Unraveled, and Thunder Shroud, then it will be the flooded Station Square or the flooded world

Sound: There’s really only two songs that need to be referenced: Open Your Heart and the Vs. Groudon and Kyogre music. Just use Open Your Heart’s guitars and the Kyogre and Groudon battle music’s bells and horns. I specifically think Yates should be the one to make the battle track since, as previously mentioned, gave us “Primal Chaos”.

The song starts with the iconic bells of the fight from Groudon and Kyogre with the sounds of distortion of the Primal Reversion like this mashup here. As the bells fade out, we get the starting guitars from Open Your Heart. While the sound is primarily Open Your Heart, every now and then, the guitar fades for a bit and the bells play again with Hoenn’s iconic horns in the GBA sound like Vs. Primal Kyogre & Groudon, foreshadowing the eventual primal reversion.

FINAL THOUGHTS AND WORDS:

I like the idea of Chaos winning only to have to take Kyogre’s place in the fight against Groudon and Rayquaza. By embracing the wish to destroy, Chaos only perpetuates ancient conflict and becomes a monster. Rayquaza then becomes almost a reflection of who Chaos was: a figure considered divine with legendary power that reappears when there is great conflict that threatens the world, but will become aggressive when a threat comes near.

I had to do a lot of research into Chaos’ abilities, so I hope I did a good job of portraying them alongside Kyogre’s fearsome power. I wanted to give them both respect since both are more or less gods of water, rain, and sea.

August 22, 2024:

I wanted this to be my release for June and have the next episode be for July. Obviously, that didn’t happen. DB! has since announced their return with their next episode airing October of this year. During the summer, I was struggling with my life and career choice and then my classes resumed, which is why I haven’t continued with this for almost two months.

I also had an idea of drawing the cover art for the music. After I drew my “Raining Chaos”, I decided to resume writing this for a little bit, but then I started writing more, and I thought to myself that I can get this done before my next class. Maybe I’ll make a more well done version of my drawing, but it won’t be donde digitally like all DB! track art since I have neither the tools or knowledge to draw digitally.

When the two beasts fully transform into their Leviathan forms and roar, we get an epic Crush 40-style solo like what Yates did in Primal Chaos. It’s just pure glorious guitar from there on out. The song ends similarly to Open Your Heart but with the bells from the start of the song fading out.

IDEAS THAT I HAD:

1. Kyogre vs Chaos 0 - 6, Perfect Chaos vs Primal Kyogre.

2. We see the world drowning and being flooded. Maybe the Draconids pray for Rayquaza and Tikal is praying for Chaos to find peace

3. When reaching the final transformation, they let out a titanic roar.

4. Chaos trying to attack Kyogre with Aqua Ring active, causing Chaos to be molded into the Aqua Ring and launched away.

5. Include references to Noah’s Ark and the Leviathan of Biblical fame in the analysis.

6. Chaos hearing Tikal’s prayer, remembering the Chao, and winning by embracing positive chaos energy

THANK YOU AND I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS!

NEXT TIME…!

After the A-Train/Ingenium fiasco, Vought has come under intense scrutiny and UA is losing popularity for endangering one of their students and for associating with a company that employed a Nazi like Stormfront and a questionable character in A-Train. Homelander has taken it upon himself to “fix” the problem, and while UA may have given a press conference to address the issue, Homelander, the charismatic devil that he is, started a slander campaign against the threat of “Quirkies”.

In UA, the students have left as the school day just ended. All Might is in his normal form, taking down anti-UA propaganda that people have stuck to the school protective wall as well as some anti-Vought propaganda after a long day of teaching and trying to calm down protestors outside the school making noise that were shouting that word spouted by that fellow hero, a blonde American whom All Might initially thought well of. His press conference called to action the… More unpleasant elements of society. All Might hasn’t even changed out of his costume. and as he enters his office to grade papers, he hears a voice coming from within it. 

“Ah, Toshinori. Just the man I’m looking for.” 

That voice… All Might was hoping not to have to face the man in front of him. Toshinor turns on the light and behind his desk with his legs on the table sits a middle-aged man wearing a navy blue suit, red boots, and an American flag for a cape. Homelander had snuck past UA’s defenses and gotten in. He must have been waiting for him. He was… Looking at a picture of young Midoriya and Class 1-A. 

“Homelander. Why are you here?” Toshinori was hoping that the other teachers, and especially the students, weren’t here.

After a chuckle, John replies: “That f*cking little UA goody two shoes and that moron A-Train ruined everything at Vought and are making Supes look bad, and then that red birdbrain Hawks tried to leak some confidential info. So, I decided to come here and fix the problem at its core. Step 1? Remove Quirkies, and that starts with UA and you.” Homelander puts down the picture.

“Young Ingenium is a great hero! He may have faltered, but he lifts those around him and encourages them to be their best selves! I’m sorry to hear about A-Train, but he murdered an innocent civilian, and then you decided to make Heroes with Quirks look like villains.”

“See, here’s the thing, Toshi.” Homelander sighs and he stands up, approaching the skeletal figure. “We’re heroes, right? We gotta look for the public. I. Gotta look good.”

“After that press conference you did, I can’t consider you a hero. Your words are putting my students and colleagues at risk.”

“To the people, I am a hero, the GREATEST hero. I’m saving them from this plague, your genetic diseases of superpowers that make the majority of you Japanese not even Supes. A-Train and Ingenium may have brought bad press, but it’s nothing uncontrollable, and Hawks wasn’t able to get anything. So don’t stand in my way, Toshinori. I’m a real hero, and I will save everyone from you Quirkies, and if you don’t…”

Homelander’s eyes start to glow red and he smiles evilly.

“Well, let’s just say that you’ll have a hard time being either a hero or a teacher.”

Toshinori’s cheeks then stretch downward with his lips, steam exiting his lean body that is now starting to fill in his costume. The lanky man who was more bone than skin now stood almost two feet above Homelander, with his costume now stretched by his amazingly dense muscles, and his two long strands of hair, droopy and miserable now stand proud and curved like rabbit ears. Where there was Toshinori Yagi now stands All Might, a sharp blue gleam in his eyes.

Class 1-A may be able to handle Homelander, they certainly could handle almost everything, but in front of All Might stood a villain masquerading as a hero, and it was his duty to stop villains. “As the Symbol of Hope and as their teacher, I’m warning you: Don’t you dare hurt my students.” 

FIGHT!

All Might VS Homelander (My Hero Academia VS The Boys)

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

Whale, whale, whale,

Look what washed up on our shore. Another Death Battle idea? Holy mackerel! As fishy as it may seem, I smell blood in the water and we're gonna need a bigger post.

...Tuna.

Anyway, great work on another awesome idea! I can't say I've played Sonic Adventure, though 2 was definitely the best Sonic game ever. I did watch Sonic X, which briefly touched on the story of Sonic Adventure, though. I've played A LOT of Pokémon Sapphire, too, so I am very aware of Kyogre and their legendary status.

To be honest, the Chaos Emeralds do feel a bit deus ex machina, but it's not like it'd be the first time Death Battle pulled this kind of thing. The battle also feels very strange, since it's a physical fighter VS what's basically a whale ocean wizard, and Kyogre's only response to being punch in the face is either "flipper whack" or water/ice beam. Still, it was a fun fight to read, especially with Primal Chaos playing (Non-Vocal, because the lyrics can be very distracting).

Overall, great work!

As for this next fight, I'm feeling a little bit antsy. See, based on the dialogue, this is post-injury All Might, which means Homelander is going to be fighting against someone not in his prime. Also, that line about him purging the world of "Quirkies" got my blood boiling, so awesome work on that! Then again, maybe using this All Might is giving Homelander the Handicap~?

If I were to give this next battle track a name, I'd say...

PLUS BETTER

[ashrillvenheim]

Awakening Past

Chapter 8 (part I) (divided in 2 because it was too long for Tumblr XD)

Quick note: The songs I use on this chapter and will use in future ones might not be set chronologically with the Fic's story date, but don't mind it, please

pairing: Ashley Graham x Leon S Kennedy.

Content: (+18) romance, angst, gore, erotic/suggestive themes at some point, slow burn, violence, action, self-harm, death talk,

If you're a MINOR or feel uncomfortable with any of these genres or ships, please DON'T keep reading, thank you.

Archive of our own / WORK LIST / Awakening Past Masterlist

prev/next (Part 2)

The young man changed his position on the couch for the fifth time. The man in front of him was staring at him, so much so, that he felt like he was going to die from tachycardia. Those blue eyes looked like cutting edges trying to look under his skin. The ashen brown-haired man subtly tilted his head to one side.

“Is something wrong?”  he asked suddenly.

The boy on the couch was startled and with his pulse racing he answered as best he could.

“N-nothing”

“You look nervous.”

“You've been staring at him without blinking.”

The sapphire orbs rotated to the girl next to the accused.

“But you're so calm.”

“Should I be nervous?”

“I don't know, should you? I could arrest you.”

The woman looked at him and began to feel uncomfortable. Suddenly her heartbeat quickened and when those blue eyes turned to her, as if he could hear them, she felt the cold sweat run down her back.

It looked like he was going to subject them to an intense interrogation.

The second boy, who had not yet spoken, glanced at the door nervously.

“Don't even try.”  That deep menacing voice made him startle. He lowered his brown eyes to the small table in front of the sofa, where their ID cards rested.

Then he heard a click, causing him to raise his head toward the sapphire-eyed man. 

The world fell on top of him. His heart stopped when he saw the gun. His breathing became even faster and he looked pleadingly at the impassive man, whose orbs darkened menacingly.

“Where should I start?”

***

2 hours earlier ...

He took a quick shower after his morning workout and left the coffee brewing while he got dressed.

He organized the living room a bit and sat down to keep an eye on the emails. Looking at the calendar he stared at the date.

It had been two more weeks, almost a month since he'd been there. Since his first interaction at the university, everything had gone on more or less the same.

With more or less referring to those times when they were unlucky enough to cross paths with Carla and when he had to restrain himself from giving that spoiled brat a hard time.

On the days when they had peace, Ashley used to go to the library to study. Leon used to stay with the janitor and curiously he had told him a lot about the bad tongues that existed in the university, after all, no one paid attention to the man who prowled the corridors, but he was not deaf.

Unfortunately it seemed he had become a recurring theme as well, but he didn't want to make a big deal out of it, he didn't want to be an inconvenience to Ashley.

And so the third week went by as well, between the running with the dogs before class, the study sessions to prepare for finals and the work Narsson was doing with Ashley, it had been fun to be honest. The dogs, Ashley, Patrick, Maria...everything felt calmer and Graham made him feel at home, as if everything was as normal as it could be. 

He answered his scheduled call, his voice echoing through the walls, calm and serious.

“ Is he still suffering from amnesia?” the agent asked over the phone as he peered through the curtains.

“He's starting to recover some memories, but nothing is clear yet as to who hired them. By the way Leon, how's it going over there?”

Leon let out a chuckle.

“ With all due respect Mr. Graham, you are shameless.”

A chuckle was heard on the other side and the agent smiled subtly.

“ I wanted to surprise you both.”

“ Sir, you lied to me.”

“ I told you half the truth, that's not lying, is it?”

Leon sighed heavily seeing now where Ashley got the ability to twist his words. He decided to let it go if he didn't want to argue with a stone wall.

“ All good, I have to admit I never expected to meet her like this. You cut me a lot of slack when you told me that she had improved.”

The soft chuckle he heard this time was not humorous.

“ Maybe, after all, there are times when even I find it hard to know if she is telling the truth. In the environment we move in there are a lot of snakes and some see weaknesses very well.”

“ I wouldn't say Ashley looks weak.”

“ And she isn't, but she has had to learn to hide some of her fears. I don't... I don’t know what your mind must be like after living through something like this, but I know there are wounds that leave very deep scars and some people have to adapt before those wounds finish closing.” he paused with a sigh. “ When you asked me to separate you from her I thought it was a bad decision, but I have seen the good it has done her, that is why I have assigned her to you, because I know that whatever decision you make will be for Ashley's sake, even if it is hard. I trust your judgment.”

Leon stared at the floor, his blue eyes lost in a distant point as his lips parted.

“ Don't you have too much confidence in me sir? There are agents more experienced in social relations than I am.”

“ But no one but you knows what she's been through and that's why I know you'll help her.”

Leon gave a faint smile, somewhat embarrassed by the flattery.

“ Bring me up to date on the situation at the university, come on.” the president changed the subject. Leon raised his eyes to the window.

“ So far so normal.  Narsson's old workshop is still closed and some students are continuing their classes remotely.” He paused to add the results of his latest research. “ I checked the profile of Carla Hoffman.”

A grunt sounded on the other end followed by a heavy sigh.

“ Ah yes, Hoffman. Honestly, I never expected the daughter of one of my opposers to be on that campus.”  explained the man, exasperated.

“ I can understand then that you will be familiar with her...courtesy.”

“ I am very familiar, yes, how is Ashley doing?”

“ Honestly?”

The president hesitated for a second.

��� Yes,” he finally replied.

“ I think I have to worry more about what she might do to Hoffman than her to Ashley.”

A chuckle echoed on the other end, drawing a smile from the agent.

“ Something like that was mentioned to me by Maria and James a while back. I hope it's not inconvenient.”

This time it was Leon who laughed.

“ Don't worry, she's keeping me entertained for a change. I haven't been around students since high school.”

“ Ah what time those were, I remember…”

A clattering sound reached Leon's ears, still, with the president talking, he turned to the window and saw a figure. His heart skipped a beat and he violently pulled back the curtain to find Ashley hanging from a harness.

“ Ashley? What the fu-”

“ Is something wrong Leon?” the man's concerned voice rang through the phone.

Leon looked at Ashley who simply replied with a big smile.

“ Uh, no, nothing, Ashley... called me to help her with some boxes.”

“ Oh, well, I won't keep you then. I'll wait for your end-of-the-month report.”

“ Yes, sir.”

“ I'll see you soon.”

“ Goodbye.”

He hung up and threw the phone on the sofa to open the window in a hurry.

“ What the hell are you doing?!”

 Ashley turned to him holding the window cleaner and a sponge with a spray bottle.

“ The glazier is down with low back pain, so I've offered to go upstairs and clean the floors while he does the downstairs.”

Leon looked down the street to see a man in uniform cleaning the doorway and then turned to her. He saw the climbing harness strapped tightly to her body. The safety ropes were tied to various places on the building in case of a fall and he could see in the looseness of Ashley's body that it wasn't the first time she'd done it.

“ It's dangerous.” Leon worried, staring at her.

“ Crossing the street is dangerous and you don't tell me anything.”

Leon rolled his eyes, how could he discuss it all? He stuck his blue orbs into her amber ones, who gave him a simple smile. 

A gesture that made him sigh in defeat. He promised her he wouldn't be so paranoid after all.

“ Be careful, okay?”

She nodded and proceeded to clean the windows. Leon went back to his chores but with one eye on her.

He may have been too suffocating so far, he had to learn to respect her and give her more credit. She could defend herself now, but the protective part of him couldn't help but worry.

Bit by bit.

He sat down at the table to go over the paperwork, but in his head, the president's words were still echoing.

In part he was relieved. That the decision he'd made two and a half years ago, to walk away from her, had helped her get better, he was glad.

But...he hadn't done it just for her. 

It may have been selfish, but a part of him didn't know what to do, didn't understand how he felt. Having the plaga inside his body had triggered so many conflicting emotions, that when they came back... he still felt like he was lost.

Every time he saw Ashley when they were in quarantine, something stirred inside him, a tingling that he didn't know if it was transient from the plaga... or not.

He needed to clear his head or... run away.

That little voice in the back of his mind told him he had run away. He was afraid that this confusion would hurt Ashley, that it might fuel a need for him, which would have caused neither of them to move forward.

The question was...had he managed to find himself these past two years as Ashley had?

His pen stopped writing and he looked at the unfinished line on the sheet of paper.

His mind traveled back a year and a half when he was asked to accompany the BSAA unit they had deployed to Spain. All he had to do was lead them on a reconnaissance, and make sure the area was secure.

It was pretty simple.

And he almost didn't make it.

Chris Redfield managed to save him and get him to a nearby hospital.

Forty-degree fever, a broken leg, several cracked ribs, a dislocated shoulder, and infected wounds all over his body.

He was still wondering how Chris had managed to get through those narrow tunnels. Sometimes he asked him, but Redfield would only reply "with a lot of effort" and change the subject.

One thing Leon had learned since meeting Chris was that he couldn't lie.

Mind you, he may not have been good at lying, but that didn't mean he was going to tell him the truth.

Trying to convince him was like trying to blow down a wall.

It just wasn't possible.

Cries brought him out of his thoughts...Mint?

He grabbed the keys off the counter and passed Ashley's house. Mint turned to look at him sitting in front of the window, crying because he couldn't see Ashley.  Pepper was lying on the side of the couch, staring at the agent without looking up.

“ Hey Mint, don't cry, come on.”  he reached over to pet the dog. Pepper jumped up and put his muzzle in Leon's other hand. The agent laughed and nodded to them.

“Come with me.” The big puppies looked at him doubtfully and Leon added, "I have meatballs.”

They started running around him and barked as they went to the other apartment. He opened the door for them and they entered without question. He had them sit in the living room and wait while Leon prepared their food. He had definitely butchered the meat and it was unchewable.

When he finished he set their plates on the floor and watched them eat for a while.

It was funny how familiar they were with him, even from the first day. It almost seemed as if they had known him before.

Maybe it was simply their nature, but there was something in the back of his mind, that just like with Chris, didn't fit.

He pushed those thoughts aside and sat down on the couch with the laptop to continue with the emails.

He was reading silently, taking deep breaths and occasionally paying attention to the clacking of the rings on Ashley's harness. He still couldn't believe he'd found her hanging outside.

Really, one of these days she'd scare the hell out of him.

He sipped his coffee and felt the dogs approach him, watching them quietly climb up and lay down on either side. Mint curled into a ball and Pepper subtly rested his head on his thigh. He stood still for a few seconds before lowering his hands on each dog and sinking his fingers into their fur. He couldn't help but smile. He wouldn't deny that he liked being asked for attention, it didn't come any better for him to be affectionate with them.

**

She let go of the ropes and loosened the leg loops of her harness. She ran the back of her hand across her sweaty forehead and smiled.

“ You are an angel from heaven Ashley.” the man said, immensely grateful.

“ Don't worry, you know I like to do it, take your time to recover from your back.”

The man nodded and began to pick up the cleaning supplies and put them in the van.

“ By the way.”  the blonde turned to him. “ That guy you were talking to at the window, is he your boyfriend?”

Ashley choked on her water and coughed loudly at the sudden question.

“ No, no.” she waved her hands vigorously. “ He's a friend.”

“ Oh.”  a mischievous smile tugged at the man's lips. “ Is he that kind of friend? He's so handsome, you had him well hidden from us.”

Ashley froze. What did he mean by that kind of fri…?

Blood suddenly covered her face.

“ Eric! Please! What part of "friend" didn't you understand?!”

“ You young people wear that  thing a lot now, friend... with benefits you call?”

Her heart was about to burst.

“ I should have let you go upstairs. And no, he's just a friend who came by after the campus incident.”

Eric's smirk vanished.

“ I heard about that, how are you doing about it?”

Ashley patted her chest theatrically.

“ I'm tougher than you think.”

They both laughed as they put the material away and Eric headed for the driver's seat.

“ And Ashley, the thing about your friend wasn't to make you uncomfortable, but you're gorgeous and with a heart of gold, I'm just surprised you don't have suitors lining up.”

Ashley smiled at him.

“ Believe me, I prefer it that way, before I came here... it wasn't very nice to feel persecuted.”

Eric nodded, noticing the look on her face and patted her shoulder.

“ Cheer up and thank you very much for the help.” He got into the car and rolled down the window with that teasing smile again “ well, be careful with your friend, there are already rumors going around, don't let them steal him.”

“ What rum-”

He said goodbye starting the car and waving his hand out the window, leaving Ashley with words in her mouth.

She let out a long sigh and walked into the building. She walked up the stairs and into her house to realize the dogs were gone.

“ Pepper? Mint?”

She left the harness on the hanger and took off her dungarees as she sniffed the air. He followed the trail into the hallway where she saw Leon's door ajar. She tapped a few times with her knuckles and shyly stepped through.

Blue eyes turned to look at her. Ashley's golden orbs watched her bodyguard between his two dogs, totally surrendered to him.

She rolled her eyes.

“ Even the dogs.”

Leon looked at her, confused.

“ Is something wrong?”

“ Can you turn it off?”

He looked at her, puzzled.

“ Sorry? Turn what off?”

Ashley waved her hands at him, pointing at him in general.

“ You, whatever you do to make people chase you, turn off your sex appeal please.”

And there was the man's lopsided grin. 

God, how she wanted to hit him.

“ Oh, you think I have sex appeal?”

Ashley wrinkled her nose looking at him in disbelief. She growled in exasperation and lay down on the carpet in front of Leon and the dogs.

“ Oh shut up, you know damn well you do, don't play dumb. I've got half the neighborhood wondering if you're my boyfriend.”

“ Or friend with benefits.”

She turned violently, watching him take another drink looking at the screen.

She knew he wasn't doing anything.

“ When-how much did you hear?”

“ Something.”  his blue eyes lifted for a second from the computer.

Ashley's face began to turn red, her mouth hanging open, and unable to retort. Embarrassment raced her heart violently and she knew Leon could hear her perfectly.

Why was he getting on her nerves so much? She put her hands to her face and stifled a frustrated scream that elicited a chuckle from the agent. He had to admit he liked that angry side of Ashley. It was very entertaining.

“ I'm going to put up a sign to get you adopted.”

“ Are you tired of me already?”

“ Not of you, of people who are interested in you.”

Leon felt a prickle and tingle run through his stomach, causing him to close the computer and subtly lean forward.

“ Are you jealous?” 

The look Ashley gave him clearly was one of “ are you kidding me?"

“ Leon, 6 people at the university have asked me for your number in two weeks.” she sighed heavily. “If they're interested, let them ask for your number directly, I don't want to be in there.”  he watched her close her eyes.

“ Not everyone is as direct as you.”

She arched her eyebrows without peeling back her eyelids.

“ You taught me well.”

She heard a chuckle that made her smile too.

“ You've learned a lot from me in the short time we've been together.”

“ I'm a quick learner.”

“ Or I'm a splendid teacher.”

Ashley scoffed starting to feel her body heavy with sleep.

“ Take those moods down, it seems that having suitors has raised them.”

“ It's not my fault to be so irresistible.”

A moment of silence reigned between the two. Leon looked at Ashley who still had her eyes closed, had she fallen asleep?

“ I swear, if you ever brag about your irresistibility again, I'll beat you.” Her voice sounded huskier and sleepier.

“ For that you'd have to catch me first.”

Ashley's breathing was starting to deepen, causing her to take twice as long to respond this time.

“ I... can find... you... even if you're... underground.” her voice was barely a whisper, words clouded by sleep.

Leon smiled at the far-fetched idea.

“ Come on, you’re exaggerating.”

“ It wouldn't... be the... first... time....”

Her words died as she finally surrendered to sleep. Leon watched her and sensed her slowed heartbeat, her paused breathing and her relaxed body.

He pondered her words. Was her sense of smell so good as to find someone underground?

There were things he still didn't know. He hadn't told her anything until they went to the appointment with Petrov. Had he thought of telling her at some point? although... Who was he to reproach her? He hadn't told her anything about his hearing either, let alone Spain. I guess even if they felt close there were still things that were hard to say. 

He looked at her thoughtfully for a while.

Maybe... maybe they could sit down and talk about them and these last two and a half years.

But the whole exposing himself thing...it was something he didn't handle well. And seeing how quickly Ashley had had to adjust, he didn't think just opening up would be the easiest thing for her either.

Maybe they needed more time. To get to know each other as two simple people.

He didn't know if it was the familiarity with which Ashley treated him or the fact that he no longer saw her as the scared girl from Spain that he felt more like a companion than her guard.

He sighed rising gently from the couch and grabbed a thin blanket. He knelt down beside the blonde and covered her. He watched her relaxed features for a few seconds.

How tired should she be to fall asleep on the floor so easily?

Although now that he thought about it, she might not have told him, but he knew she prowled around the house at night. For the past two weeks he used to hear her wandering in the early hours of the morning, only to repeat her long daily routine the next day.

This was the last weekend before exam week, so she would have to be exhausted.

He, on the other hand, had been sleeping much better, hardly having any nightmares. Since he arrived his mind felt calmer.

He got up to go back to work when he heard footsteps and rustling at the bottom of the stairs.

"Do you have the key?" he perceived someone say.

Leon approached the door.

"Didn't you have it?" replied another.

" I have it, let me." the footsteps approached their entrances and stopped in front of Ashley's. He heard the sound of the key going into the lock and a soft click open it. They turned the handlebars silently as if they didn't want to be heard.

As if they were thieves.

Leon reached out to the small table at the entrance, where his gun rested.

Like a shadow he looked through the peephole in the door and saw three people in front of Ashley's dwelling.

" Hurry up."

"When is she coming back?"

" On Saturdays she goes to the mountain, she should be back by noon."

Did they know Ashley's schedule? Leon frowned tightening his grip on the gun. He rested his free hand on his doorknob and waited.

He heard the final click and saw them enter the room. his pulse became steady and he held back a few seconds before opening his door.

How he would enjoy catching those little thieves red-handed.

Like a shadow, he quietly opened his door and slipped through the front door. He took a deep breath and listened.

"Do you know where she leaves the cups?"

" Fuck, look around,  I'm just as lost as you are."

He turned the knob and stepped inside.

The three faces stared at him puzzled and felt a shiver run down their spines as they met those knife-like blue eyes.

The two boys looked at the woman with them, questioning, as if their expressions were asking "Wasn't there supposed to be no one there?" and the grimace on her face simply answering " How should I know!"

“ Sit down.”

The gravelly voice startled them and they turned to the agent with closed throats.

“ Who are you?” the woman managed to articulate with all the courage she could muster.

The agent did not blink. His brow furrowed slightly and without taking his steely gaze from her, he locked the door behind him.

“ I said, sit down.” He emphasized the order and as if he had condemned them, the three of them sat down on the couch.

“ T-this is a misunderstanding. We are Ashley's friends. W-”

The thump of the chair in front of him silenced him abruptly. The man spread his legs apart on the seat backward, resting his forearms on the wooden backrest.

“ I ask the questions.”

Silence reigned between them and Leon didn't open his mouth. He just stared at them, watching their every gesture and movement, sensing their accelerated breathing and racing hearts.

“ IDs, on the table.”

They hesitated for a second but then pulled out their wallets and set them on the small table in Leon's direction. He watched them from his position and silently looked back at them. He just fixed his eyes on them. 

The woman, with copper-blond hair, looked away, the boy in the middle, with short black hair and brown eyes, was shaking like a pudding, and the one on the other side of the sofa, a brunette with a clear gaze, just stared at his feet, unable to raise his eyes.

We would see who would give in first.

**

A thump woke her up. She looked up at the ceiling, realizing she was not in her room. She inhaled deeply and that delicious cologne filled her lungs. She had fallen asleep in Leon's living room, but... he was nowhere to be found. She got up with a groan and saw the dogs on the couch. Where had he gone? She got up to look over the seat in the kitchen. He wasn't. 

She took off the blanket she was sure she hadn't put on and put her shoes back on. She yawned loudly and cleared her nose.

Then her body froze.

Wait a minute. She knew those smells.

Her brain began to spin at full speed. With his heart in a fist, he grabbed his keys startling the dogs.

"Where should I start?" she heard in the distance.

Violently she stormed out Leon's door kicking hers open.

She saw him, then the gun, then the three victims on the couch, the IDs, back again to the boys, the gun, and those blue eyes.

She exploded.

“ ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!”

“ Ashley!”  cried the poor guy.

“ You stay there.” Leon threatened him, turning around violently.

Ashley looked at the agent in bewilderment.

“ Leon, they're my friends!”

“ Are friends the ones who sneak into your house?”

The blonde gave him a stunned look and then turned back to the group who looked away in embarrassment.

“ You have wha-” she shook her head at Leon” I'll talk to them about that, you don't have to threaten them with a gun.”

The agent shrugged his shoulders.

“ I didn't threaten them.”

Ashley took a stride toward Leon who calmly stood up, stowing the gun in his lower back.

“ You're enough of a threat as you are.”

The two stared at each other. He knew she wasn't angry, but annoyed. Ashley held out her hand and Leon didn't understand at first, only to realize she was asking for the gun. He hesitated.

He had never given Ashley a gun before, so, her asking him for it surprised him. Wasn't she afraid to hold it? He held her amber gaze for several seconds until his curiosity won out.

He drew the gun without taking his eyes away and held it out over his palm. Ashley felt the weight of the cold metal, but something Leon didn't know yet was that it wasn't the first time she had experienced that sensation. To the agent's surprise, Ashley closed the safety and pulled the magazine out with great ease.

One that can only be acquired by repeating it over and over again.

What the hell had Dana taught her?

“ I thought you hated guns.” he whispered to her with a faint tinge of concern.

Ashley noticed and softened her gaze.

“ No, I don't.” she said calmly.

She broke eye contact and went to put the gun down on her study table as Leon turned back to the intruders.

“ Well, it looks like you weren't lying when you said you were Ashley's friends.”

The boy in the middle looked at him in despair.

“ We were telling you, why would we lie to you?”

“ Are we done with the interrogation?” asked the woman next to him.

A sly smile formed at the corner of the agent's lips.

“ Oh I just star-”

A book hit his head.

“ You're not going to interrogate anyone else.” Ashley sentenced.

Leon grunted looking at her.

The three smiled at being released, but the blonde turned to them with the eyes of the devil.

“ He is not going to continue with his interrogation.” She paused, crossing her arms over her chest, intimidating, earning the approval of the agent who smiled inwardly “ What the hell were you thinking?”

“ We wanted to leave you a surprise invitation to meet us at the club.” confessed the boy in the middle.

“ Sergio! you just told her the fucking surprise!”  exclaimed the woman.

The brown-eyed boy mouthed quickly, but the woman next to him sighed in exasperation.

“ You know text messages exist, right?”  Ashley asked, cocking her head to one side.

She looked at the three of them until she stopped at the woman next to Sergio.

“ Casey, tell me this wasn't Emily's idea.”

The copper blonde turned to look at her with her cinnamon eyes.

“ It wasn't Emily's idea.”

Ashley pinched the bridge of her nose.

“ It was one hundred percent her.” She sighed, "John, you usually stop Emily's bad ideas, what happened?”

John closed his eyes, sinking his fingers into his brown hair.

“ I fell into her trap.”

“ She brought you Dorothy's sweets, didn't she?”

The man growled reddening with embarrassment, feeling weak for falling into temptation. Ashley sighed and then started laughing helplessly.

The three on the couch looked at her in confusion for a few seconds, only to see her open her arms to them. They threw themselves at her like children frightened by Leon. Ashley laughed, hugging them tightly.

“ I missed you guys.” she whispered warmly.

“ We've been planning this trip for a month.”  Casey smiled, pulling away from her. Ashley looked at her mischievously.

“ What about sneaking into my house?”

The three of them were speechless until John managed to get something to appeal in their defense.

“ Emily told us that on Saturdays you usually go to the mountains so you wouldn't be home.”

“ But we didn't realize that you're still with the finals and…” Sergio turned shyly to Leon, who was looking at them like a wolf while drinking a glass of water. “ We didn't think about him.”

Ashley turned to Kennedy and Casey frowned in her direction.

“ Who is he, your boyfriend?”

Leon held back muffled laughter to keep from choking and watched as Ashley rolled her eyes.

“ I swear I'm going to put a sign on my forehead.” She looked at Leon who was hiding his smile behind the glass. “ He's not my boyfriend, he's my bodyguard, Leon.”

The three were surprised and turned to him as if they had just met a legend.

“ Are you Leon Kennedy?”

He arched his eyebrows at Ashley, who blushed subtly.

“ I still go by that name, yes.”

“ Did you teach her to do that suplex move?” Sergio was so excited he looked like someone else.

Leon blinked and looked at the blonde who had frozen.

“ Did you learn how to do it?” he asked. She scratched the back of her neck.

“ After seeing you do it so many times I felt the urge to try it when I recovered from my back.”

“ Well, well, so you decided to ignore my advice.”  the agent scoffed, remembering that he told her, two and a half years ago, that he wouldn't teach her that move because of how dangerous it was for her.

“ Maybe, but I'm pretty good at it.”

Leon leaned against the counter with a grin and cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the other three.

“ And you guys, I think you owe an explanation.”

Ashley brought the dogs from Leon's house and offered them coffee and then the five of them sat down at the dining room table. 

Casey was the one who decided to explain the situation. She glanced sideways at Leon still intimidated and then turned to her friend.

“ We want to take you out tonight. Emily told us about a little pub in Springfield to celebrate your graduation.”

“ But I have exams next week.”  laughed Ashley, to which Casey waved her hands dismissively.

“ Well as a celebration for making it to finals, God knows how hard you worked for this.”

Ashley smiled taking a sip, watching Casey turn to Leon.

“ So you're the famous Leon Kennedy. The fact is, you're actually nailed to Ashley's description.”

“ I seem to be a pretty recurring topic of conversation from what I can see.”

Graham sighed.

“ Casey, please, you're going to inflate his ego even more than it already is.”

“ Excuse me? It's not my fault.”

Ashley gave him a sideways glance.

“ It's totally and utterly your fault.”

Casey laughed.

“ She told us that you were with her during her treatment in Europe. I have to give you my condolences for having to put up with her.”

“ Oh please!”  Ashley threw her hands in the air and then pointed to the man next to her. “Give me condolences for having him as a guard.”

Leon gave her a gentle nudge.

“ Hey I got you out of a few ones.”

“ Yeah, and I would have given them back to you until you decided to help me during rehab.” she turned to Casey. “ I swear I thought he'd kill me.”

“ You're overreacting.” Leon replied, taking another sip of his coffee, clearly amused by the situation, and added. “ But I guess for someone who's never done squats in her life, it was agony.”

The one who laughed this time was Sergio.

“ Well, it's hard to believe, seeing what she trains now.”

Ashley smiled a little embarrassed by the compliment, but happy that they appreciated her effort.

“ What I do see you have trained is your nerve.” Kennedy grinned mischievously. 

“ So says the calmest, most polite, and least cheeky man on the planet.”

Leon snapped his fingers.

“ You hit the nail on the head.”

She sighed, took another drink, and decided to change the subject.

“ When did you want to meet?”

Casey looked at the clock.

“ They open at eight for dinners, is that okay with you guys?”

Ashley turned to Leon.

“ Is that okay with you?”

The agent looked at her puzzled.

“ Why are you asking me? I go where you go.”

“ You're not a dog Leon, I don't want you to go with me if you don't want to.”

Leon appreciated Ashley's kindness, for not thinking of him as a mere tool. He still remembered some escort mission he had to do in the last year, where he felt like nothing more than a disposable rag. He was precious, after all, his experience was something not everyone had, but they saw him as a weapon, not a person. Maybe that's why he felt so calm around Ashley and his father. They treated him as someone, not something.

“ Fine by me, princess.”

Sergio gave John a glancing glance with a smile on his lips at that "princess."  John nodded with a teasing twinkle in his eye. They would have entertainment at the club.

“ It's settled then. I want you to come in something other than that tracksuit.”  she pointed at Ashley. “ Do you still have that lipstick I gave you?”

“ I haven't worn it in a while but I do have it.”

“ I want you to look ravishing, I could let y-”

“ I'm not wearing heels.”

Casey was speechless.

“ I'll leave you one of seven centimeters.”

“ Casey, if I can't run in them, no, I almost broke your old ones by kicking the door.”

“ You almost made a hole in it.”  laughed Sergio.

Ashley looked away.

“ It was a very soft wood.” she mumbled.

Leon watched the three of them laugh as Ashley's cheeks reddened hopelessly.

He had to admit that picturing Ashley in heels kicking in a door was a pretty funny scene.

Now that he thought about it, he had never seen her in heels. Not that she'd had moments to be able to wear them, but in the few days she'd been at the White House he hadn't seen her in ones either. He was so self-absorbed, he didn't notice that Ashley had turned to him, while the other three were debating among themselves.

“ Is something wrong?” she whispered so low that only he could hear it.

A malevolent smile tugged at the man's lips and his sapphire eyes glinted mischievously. Ashley blushed, knowing what was in his head.

“ I’m not wearing heels.”

The smile widened with one of the arched eyebrows "are you sure?" expressed his gesture.

“ Leon” Casey's voice caught the attention of the agent, who turned to look at her. “ Please try to convince Ashley.”

It took him a few moments to look at the blonde, whose pleading gaze got the better of him. He couldn't when she did that to him with those eyes.

Really, when had he ever gotten so soft?

“ I guess in case I needed to get her out of there for an emergency, it wouldn't be too efficient to run in heels.” He heard the sigh of relief beside him and Casey grunted at his thwarted plans.

“ At least you'll wear the lipstick, that's good enough for me.”  she muttered in defeat. Sergio patted her on the back and then turned to the two of them.

“ We're sorry for trespassing. Emily only gave us the idea, we're the idiots who did it," he looked at Leon fearfully. “ We're sorry.”

The agent stared at them, then leaned back in his seat, finishing his coffee.

“ I've been too soft. You should be begging for forgiveness on your knees.”

A slap almost made him spit and he gave Ashley a puzzled look. She stared her golden orbs into his oceans, defiantly.

“ Am I supposed to remind you that you threatened them with a gun in my house?

Leon held those glowing eyes as long as he could, until he ended up snarling.

One day, one day he would make her back down, but today was not that day.

They gathered up the traces and decided it was time to leave if they wanted to prepare for the night.

“ Do you want a ride home?”  Ashley asked them in the doorway. The three turned to see Leon behind her staring at them.

"Don't even think about it" they understood his wordless expression and refused their friend's offer.

“ See you tonight.” Casey whispered, giving her one last hug and hurrying down the stairs. Ashley closed the door and stared at the doorknob for a few seconds, then turned to her bodyguard.

“ Don't do that again.” The woman's voice was blunt.

She wasn't furious, but her sentence was serious, enough to make Leon unable to answer her.

He understood why she was telling him. To have left her out when someone was coming into her house.

Leon sighed.

“ I'm sorry. I know you've been studying at night for quite a few days and for something that I could fix without a problem I didn't want to bother you, but I've done wrong, I'm sorry.”

Ashley received the most sincere look of regret she could have hoped for. Leon's eyes weren't lying, he wasn't happy about what he had done, not after the talk they had. And those eyes broke down all her defenses. 

She sighed resting her hands on her hips.

“ I appreciate you worrying about me, but just as you want me to warn you, tell me too, okay?”

Leon nodded and watched Ashley return to the table to reassemble his gun and hold it out to him. This time Leon couldn't help but ask.

“ I guess Dana told you to learn how to disassemble weapons?”

Ashley denied.

“ I asked her.”

The answer surprised the agent.

“ I thought you never wanted to know anything about guns again.”

“ I may not like them, but I wanted to be able to have some chance of escape even if they put a gun to my head.” she paused, remembering. “ They won't catch me off guard again, not like Krauser did.” her gaze wandered for a few moments as Leon approached her to gently caress her arm.

“ This time I'm here to help you.” he gave her a squeeze to comfort her. “Between the two of us I'm sure we'll break their faces if it happens again.”

Ashley smiled and looked at the time to change the subject.

“ It's still early, I'm going to make the food for the week.”

Leon left the gun on the table and approached the kitchen.

“ I'll help you.”

Ashley gave him a smirk.

“ So you can burn the food like your meatballs and then feed it to my dogs?”

“ Hey, don't be so hard on my culinary skills, they've been more grateful than their owner.”

Ashley slapped him on the shoulder gently laughing and got down to business. Maybe this was a good time to talk about her friends, after all she hadn't told him much. 

The blonde started chopping the vegetables while Leon cleaned up the rice. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, his short-sleeved shirt showing off his strong arms marked with some scars. Water slipped through his fingers and the muscles in his forearms flared every time he turned his wrists.

How could they not ask him for his number? He himself was a sin created for people to desire without remedy.

“ What did you think of my friends?” she had to stop thinking about it if she didn't want Leon to hear her heartbeat. 

“ They definitely have no future as thieves or swindlers, Sergio is incapable of lying.”

“ Come on, don't be like that, you almost gave the poor guy a heart attack.”

“ And how much fun I had?”  his mocking smile made the woman tingle.

“ You're a government agent, not a detective.”

“ Do I remind you that I joined the police department?”

Ashley waved the wooden spoon.

“ You're right.”

She remembered the nights they spent in quarantine when Ashley told him about her mother's accident and Leon...told her about his family.

That day she woke him up from a nightmare. She'd knocked on the glass with her knuckles until she managed to wake him up. 

She still remembered those frightened blue eyes, with dilated pupils and agitated breathing. The sweaty locks stuck to his face and the pale skin. She recalled his expression of uncertainty, which made her realize that it hadn't been a nightmare like the previous ones.

"Do you want to talk?" was all she asked him in the darkness. He looked at her uncertainly, as his heartbeat calmed down and his eyes regained their blue. She knew Leon didn't like to show his vulnerability in front of others, but for some reason, in front of her, he was able to open up more easily.

That's why she was the first person he told about that nightmare.

The first time he told her about his family.

The night he first felt terror.

“ Ash?”

She blinked several times, finding those blue jewels.

“ Yes?”

“ Finally, you answer, is something wrong?” his words tinged with concern. She smiled at him to calm him down.

“ No, I was just thinking.” she paused, smiling a faint, shy smile. “ It's... been a while since you called me that.”

“ I'm sorry, I never asked if it bothered you.”

She denied, feeling her face heat up at his words.

“ I like it, I don't mind.”

Leon looked at her now with rosy cheeks not knowing what to say. He dried his hands with the cloth.

He was confused by those moments when he was at a loss for words, he, who always had an answer or a comment, but sometimes, Ashley managed to make his mental list go blank.

He heard a giggle.

“ How about I call you Lele?”

“ No fucking way.”

***

He plunged his body into the warm water letting out a deep grunt.  

He couldn't remember the last time he had taken a bath.

He leaned his head on the edge and looked up at the ceiling.

This situation was a little... strange. 

He didn't dislike it at all, it was just that after Raccoon... he had only been training and going on missions. Ever since he joined the DSO that was his life and for him to be taking a bath to get ready to go out to a club was... surreal.

You could call him crazy, what part of going out partying on a Saturday was abnormal? 

For him, everything.

Used to being away from home for weeks at a time and then coming back with a broken body on the verge of collapse... going into a routine of sleeping, reading emails, working out, and chatting... It was weird.

But he had longed for some normalcy.

How long would it last? an amber gaze made its way into his thoughts.

 Leon sighed with a smile.

Ashley was the one who managed to make everything feel so normal. Even if she had been attacked, she was still joking around, not hiding behind him or looking terrified around every corner. She walked beside him.

He liked their arguments, no matter how stupid they were or the moments of silence when they were simply grateful for each other's company.

And that smile.

He hadn't realized how much he had missed her smile until he saw her laugh for the first time that day, in the middle of the street, almost a month ago. 

He sat up to reach for the conditioner and spread it all over his hair, taking in the delicious coconut scent.

He had been more aware of his body odor lately, to tell the truth, he felt somewhat embarrassed when he discovered Ashley's fine sense of smell. He wasn't dirty, but if it was as fine as she claimed...he didn't want her to smell him when he had those moments. 

She already told him that smelling her dogs' pheromones when there was a female dog in heat was horrible. He didn't know if by horrible she meant the headache it gave her or that literally the smell was unpleasant.

Whatever it was, he didn't want her to sense his weaker...moments. 

He was an agent, but also a person who needed to get his carnal needs met from time to time.

He sighed getting up as the tub began to empty to rinse his hair.

Companionship, yes, sometimes he missed it.

He had dated, but nothing serious since Racoon, what did he expect in that line of work?

There were times when he envied Patrick for having a crush on Hunnigan. He didn't have to lie to her or hide information from her, just like he did at his dinners.

He threw the towel over himself and looked at the sink where a silver bracelet with a red jewel rested.

She was so easy to be around...no lies. And that's why he wanted to keep that friendship without compromising it with uncomfortable situations.

He treasured her and didn't want to lose the few people who were able to see him as he was.

He opened the closet and ran his eyes over different options. There weren't many, he was a simple man, but hey, no one would take his jackets from him.

He pulled out some black jeans he hadn't worn in a while and a dark brown short-sleeved t-shirt. He spotted the jacket Claire had given him three years ago, a beautiful navy blue denim with gold thread embroidery. He hadn't had many opportunities to wear it, after all, when he was at the White House he usually wore a suit and when he was sent somewhere else he preferred to take the more worn leather ones, for fear of ruining the new ones. He had two other gifts also from Hunnigan and Chris, which he hadn't used much since he lost the one Patrick gave him when he went to Spain for the second time... he didn't want to lose any more.

He calmly got ready and took advantage of the little time he had to tidy up the living room before stowing his gun under his jacket and grabbing his house keys. He closed the door behind him and rapped his knuckles on Ashley's door.

“ It's open.” he heard in the distance. Leon turned the knob and walked in being greeted by the dogs. He petted them looking around and down the hall, he saw the light from Ashley's room door.

“ What are you going to do with the dogs?”  asked the agent as he scratched Pepper's chin.

“ I'm going to leave them with Daisy from the second. She's usually home alone, so she's looking forward to some company.”

Leon smiled, now petting Mint.

“ I see you've made good relations in the neighborhood.”

He heard footsteps and drawers close.

“ They are nice people. It was a little more complicated at first, but they let me be part of the community when they saw I had no problem getting my hands dirty.”

They were both silent. Leon caught the smell of shampoo wafting from the bathroom, a pleasant scent of lavender and pine. He heard the lights click off and looked up when the door opened.

His heart punched him in the chest and knocked the air out of him for several seconds.

He ran his eyes down those long legs, wearing black side-laced jeans that rode up from her ankles to her hips, subtly showing off her tan skin between the strings. Her athletic torso was left in the air, with the top giving her a sleek figure with a semi-transparent V across her chest. She raised her strong arms and saw on her right bicep the bracelet with the stone. His eyes ended on her face, simply made-up with mascara for her long eyelashes and deep, full maroon lips.

Leon stood puzzled for a few seconds, unable to look away from her figure.  His heart pounded and he was glad he hadn't forgotten about the cologne.

“ My eyes are up here, Leon.

The voice brought him out of his surprise and he raised his irises to her amber ones. He saw a faint blush on her cheeks from the deep look he had given her. Leon smiled trying to hide his nerves.

“ Sorry, it's just that…” he paused, encompassing Ashley's whole figure with a gesture of his arm- wow, princess, you caught me by surprise.

"Calm down Kennedy." he had to keep his manners, it wasn't like it was the first time he'd seen a woman. 

Ashley sketched a smile putting her arms on her hips.

“ I have to tell you too, you look very handsome.”

Leon looked at himself and smiled adjusting his jacket.

“ I guess it's okay to change once in a while.” He smirked "although, compared to you princess, I've come up short.”

Ashley's heart skipped a beat and she prayed Leon wouldn't notice. It was so hard not to feel altered by that sapphire stare....

She thanked him for his compliments trying to calm herself and turned toward the walk-in closet. It was then that Leon could see both ends of the scar on her back. The top came up to her waist and left her arms in the air allowing him to see part of the marks. Maybe she still didn't feel confident enough to show all her scars, after all, it wasn't a small mark and it showed a part of her that not everyone could accept. Just as it had happened to her in college.

He saw her pull out a nice tight leather jacket, which flattered her silhouette and grabbed her car keys.

“ Oh, you won't need them.” he hurried. Ashley looked at him blankly and saw him pull other keys out of his pocket.

“ They lent you a car?”

Leon's devilish lopsided grin appeared again, making the woman tingle.

“ Something much better.”

[novaalexanderwrites]

Blood and Thorns - Chapter 15 (Part Three)

Chapter 15 (Part 3): Plans and Prayers (Read Chapter 1 (part one) here) - (See here for a complete list of chapters)

She finished grabbing the items for Frigga’s attendant and then hung the apron she was wearing to follow Stephan to Sapphire’s study. Not a room Razi liked being in much, and she hadn’t visited it since Frigga’s big breakdown. She’d been avoiding it like it was contagious, quite frankly. Razi entered the study, announced by the manservant who promptly left, closing the door behind him. Razi stood up straight and kept her expression as neutral as possible, eyes trained on the floor in front of her. “You called for me, ma’am?” Sapphire was standing at her window, and Razi felt something was off. The light orbs were darkened, the room was cold, the fireplace vacant, and Sapphire’s hands were clasped together in front of her so tightly her knuckles were white. She was usually an intimidating presence, that was for sure, but the energy coming off the woman as she turned to look at Razi was… Violent.

“Miss Wood,” Sapphire took a few steps towards Razi but stopped to stand at her desk instead. Her voice was sharp, sharper than Razi had ever heard before. “My niece seems to be ill. She claims heat exhaustion. You had her outside for quite a while today, I was informed.” “Yes ma’am. She requested I accompany her on her nature walk, as usual.” Sapphire flipped through one of the pages on her desk briefly, and silence filled the room. She let it flood the room until it threatened to suffocate them, though every so often Razi could swear she heard a buzz of electricity or see an electrical charge flash around the lady’s feet. Finally she spoke, her tone cold, severe, and heavy. “As you are aware, the Magnus-Monroes are dear friends of ours. It was important to Frigga she be there this evening. And now… she’s suddenly too ill to go.” “I’m sure she’s upset, ma’am. How can I help?” Sapphire scowled, her icy blue eyes filled with hate and her anger radiated through the air like a hail storm. “You can help by ceasing your actions towards Frigga, Miss Wood.” Razi’s blood ran cold as Sapphire began slowly approaching Razi. “I’ve tried to be tolerant, I see Frigga loves you dearly. I have done everything for her, Miss Wood, so you’ll understand this delusion you’ve ensnared her in must stop immediately. I asked you nicely last time, but this is your last chance.” Razi took a deep breath. She needed to worm her way out of this gently. This could end badly and Frigga was relying on her to be there tonight. “Ma’am, I meant no harm,” she responded slowly. “I care deeply for your niece.” Sapphire snorted with derision. “Of course you do,” she chided. “And I’m sure it would set you up for life, leeching off our family like a parasite. It’s clear to me she will not end this stupidity.” She took a few steps closer to Razi who kept her sight solidly on the floor ahead of her, keeping her face as blank as possible despite the pounding of her pulse. Sapphire continued. “I have nothing against you personally, Razi, and out of respect for your father I have been patient. He was a wonderful man and an excellent worker. You have also been a good worker until now. I’ve done my best to salvage this situation, tried to pull you away from her tactfully, gave you the opportunity to do the right thing.” Her voice lowered into a hiss, the promise of pain saturating every word. “But my patience is gone. I am so close to, not only firing you, but also having you banished from this city completely.” She stood a mere step away from Razi, who dared not look her in the eye. The air was full of electric static, jolts were peeling off Sapphire like a quiet lightning storm. “This is your last chance to do right by Frigga and our family. If I see this continue, trust me when I say you won’t have to worry about your future employment options ever again. Am I clear?” Razi clenched and unclenched her jaw. The threat hang heavily in the air. She needed out of this room in one piece and she needed to do it in a way that would ensure Sapphire still left for the evening. Razi was intimidated, but she kept calm. “Understood, ma’am.”

Sapphire glared with an intensity Razi had never personally experienced before. She just wanted out, she wanted to leave desperately. Every second alone with this woman Razi was in danger. “Get out of my sight,” Sapphire spat, abruptly turning back to her desk. “And stay in the kitchen tonight.” “Yes ma’am,” Razi replied, bowing slightly before backing up and leaving the study. She had done it, somehow. When she left, closing the door behind her, she let out a sigh of relief, she was lucky to have gotten out in one piece. She did as she was told and headed back to the kitchen, waiting out Sapphire. At 5:00 on the dot, she finally left the house. Once the carriage was out of the driveway, Razi made her way up to Frigga’s room. When she entered, she saw her in bed with Doris gathering up the dishes from the tea and ice they’d retrieved earlier. The attendant saw her and frowned, she’d been made aware of the situation, clearly, but Razi didn’t care. With luck this would be the last night she’d have to take orders from anyone. “Wood! You’re not supposed to-.” “Thank you, Doris,” Frigga interrupted sternly, accessing an authority Razi didn’t hear from her often. “But you’re excused for the evening.” “But Miss!” “Now, Doris." Doris hesitated before curtseying politely and exiting the room, closing the door behind her. Frigga shot up from the bed and ran to pull Razi in for a hug and kiss, full and warm and passionate. Determination suited her well, Razi thought vaguely. “I heard my aunt summoned you to her office.” “Yup,” Razi chuckled. “I’m definitely gettin’ fired tonight.” Frigga rushed to change into something more suitable for working magic. As comfortable as bedclothes were, she was going to need her ritual clothes. Razi had seen them once or twice from a distance, never up close, but they were just gorgeous and she gorgeous in them. A sleeveless, dark navy-blue dress with a full skirt and decorated with gold stars, tied at the waist with a gold sash. She also had black stockings underneath and some practical but elegant flats. Razi helped pull her hair back to get it out of her face as well. When it was back in a braid and tucked into a low bun, it was 5:15 and they needed to get moving. The ritual room needed to be absolutely ready for Rosalind. They had warned Frigga the circle they’d be using was complex and required the whole space, not to mention plenty of time to do the actual drawing of it. The room needed to be completely clear before Rosalind arrived at the house. The two women rushed to the room, relieved to find it void of people completely. It was a bit messy with preparations for Rosalind’s succession so they set to getting everything out into the hallway, careful to not block the doors. By the time the room was empty it was 5:50 and Rosalind would be here shortly. Frigga’s stomach flipped, suddenly acutely aware she might not make it through this. Breaking a contract like this was never a walk in the park, and her aunt had been incredibly thorough. If it went wrong, the consequences could be astronomical, her nightmares the last few nights had made that crystal clear. However, she was prepared, whatever happened, and she looked forward to her life after this. She and Razi could go anywhere, do anything they wanted. She had even made sure her things were ready to go in case they needed to leave in a hurry. And if she didn’t make it, she would still be free. She took a deep breath, looking up at the ceiling. Golden constellations slowly drifted across it, reminding her of what she was leaving, the protection of her family. She looked around the room nervously, her fingers brushing over her mother’s necklace on her neck. Would this be the last time she was going to be doing magic in this house?

A knock at the front door resounded faintly and the women looked at each other. Razi nodded and set off to collect Rosalind, returning with them shortly. They were also in their ritual attire, fitted black slacks and a sleeveless tunic with folds forming a ribcage down the back, though they were also wearing their usual jacket on top. Frigga ran and embraced them, and, to her surprise, they embraced her warmly back. “Thank you, Rosalind. This means everything to me.” They released Frigga from their embrace. “Are you absolutely certain?” Frigga noticed Rosalind was tense, trembling softly, but she did not remark on it. She was sure, without the slightest shadow of doubt. “Let’s get started.” Rosalind stripped their jacket, which Razi took out of the room, and began their prep-work. They had brought a bag with them and pulled out their blueprints for the ritual’s circle out, giving a copy to Frigga. “Clear?” Frigga looked it over. It looked deceivingly simple, but one small mis-mark could spell certain failure, and she knew this design hadn’t been easy to manufacture. But she nodded because, yes, it was clear. They set off, marking the dark wood flooring with chalk Rosalind had made special for the purpose. The circle was 15 feet in diameter and within held nine sigils. Most of the individual elements were familiar to Frigga, but never had precision been more important. They discussed the final details of their plans and when their work was done, it was 6:30. They stood back from the markings on the floor, inspecting it critically. While Rosalind silently walked the perimeter to look it over one last time, Frigga’s nerves began to sing. She went through the order of events one last time to ground herself: before the actual ritual they would need to cleanse the space and bring up a circle of protection. Then Frigga would formally renounce the contract, cut through the brand on her arm, and then the hard part would begin. They would be making a cursed item, essentially, using the broken contract’s energy as fuel. “Sorry for the unfortunate soul that thing comes across,” Rosalind had half-joked. They would be taking the item back to their place for safe keeping, but it was true, in unsuspecting hands, this energy within the item would spell disaster. Rosalind would channel that energy themself and one misstep would mean failure and potential permanent harm to both of them. No mistakes were allowed.

When Rosalind made it back to Frigga, completing their inspection, they motioned for Razi to come near to speak with them both. “It shouldn’t take long,” they began. “But once Frigga triggers the penalty and I start funnelling energy, we cannot be interrupted under any circumstance.” Razi nodded. “Gotcha. I’ve sent the staff to other wings of the house, and nobody should be coming up here anyway.” Rosalind nodded. “It’s best if you stood in the hallway so you can see anyone that’s coming. I understand you want to be in here but, practically, it would keep us safer.” Razi’s brow furrowed. Frigga knew they were right and she saw Razi was still not convinced of their intentions. But Rosalind did have a point, she would be more effective just outside the door. Razi’s eyes met Frigga’s and they were filled with apprehension. Frigga softly placed a hand on her cheek. “I’ll be fine, sweetie.” Razi’s untrusting gaze flickered up to Rosalind, pained and doubtful. Rosalind met her gaze, and Frigga saw they weren’t as uncomfortable under the scrutiny as she would have been. Instead, they were looking at the women with visible sympathy. “I swear to you,” they said seriously, offering a hand to Razi, “I will do my best to ensure she stays safe. I know you have no reason to trust me and plenty of reasons to be suspicious, but on my honour as the head of my family, I swear to you I will do everything in my power to help her.” Razi squared Rosalind up and down. They showed no irony and Frigga knew Razi had no choice. She had done everything possible to get them here and now she had to trust Rosalind. She shook their hand solidly. “Please just make sure you both make it,” she asked. Satisfied for the time being, Razi held Frigga tightly and they shared one last kiss, begging one another to be safe. Finally, when they parted, Razi took up her spot on guard in the hallway. “Shall we?” Rosalind offered an arm to Frigga and walked her to the north-side of the circle where she knelt down, hands just outside the chalk circle they had drawn together. Rosalind took up their spot opposite her, mirroring her stance. It was 6:40. It was time to begin.

[mxstball]

[Scorching Sandgems] Distorted Expectations: Daiyu

Daiyu sighed and slowly started to sink into a shadow, but she never got the chance to sink fully before being found out.

"..where do you think you're going, bitch? Lauren may not be in trouble now that I understand what's going on, but you definitely are."

Daiyu was still slowly sinking.

"You go in the Distortion World and I will personally find you myself and kick your ass so bad that not even Mona will save you. You hear?"

Daiyu immediately got out of her portal and sat on the sofa properly.

"Good. Good. Actually, hang on. Sapphire's going to kill me for this, but--" Heidi pulled out her move gun and shot beside her before reaching in and taking something out of there. It was a plush doll -- Sapphire's Gardevoir plush doll.

"H--hey! Don't just yank her like that! Gardevoir's sensitive to swift motions!" Daiyu  was rapidly waving her hands back and forth to tell Heidi to stop.

"Oh? Is she now?" Heidi politely placed Gardevoir down on the table. "That's strange, because, last I checked, inanimate objects like Pokédolls don't normally have feelings… that is, unless there's a soul inside."

"H--huh? What do you mean?" Daiyu started sweating.

"Don't play dumb with me, Daiyu. I've been meaning to ask you about Sapphire's Pokédolls for a while now, and after our little encounter today, I've learned a lot more than what I was expecting." Heidi turned to Lauren. "Big sis. Please, can you tell me if there's anything… odd about this Gardevoir?"

"Sure." Lauren picked up the plush toy and rotated it in her hands. "Just looks like a regular plushy to m--"

Lauren didn't get to finish her sentence before she felt something coming from the plush toy. It felt… alive-- no-- as if something was harmlessly residing in the small object. It reminded her of a Bannette in a way, but… it wasn't quite that. The spirit still had a strong Psychic energy around it and she could tell that it still had a sense of emotion. Lauren lightly grabbed one of the arms of the Gardevoir and lifted it before letting it go. The arm fell to its side of course, but the falling arm motion was enough for her to know that the spirit was tied directly to the doll.

Now that she thinks about it, this did remind her of something.

Lauren summoned the Soul Dew again. She compared the two… then turned to Daiyu.

"Daiyu. There's a Gardevoir in this plush doll, isn't there?"

"!!!"

Heidi glared at Daiyu. ".... tell the truth, Daiyu. We're waiting."

"Okay! Okay! I'll tell you. Just… give me Gardevoir first. She's very sensitive in certain places and I don't want you to accidentally scare her."

Lauren handed the plush to Daiyu, who hugged and petted it. She then kept it in her hands.

"...When a Pokémon dies, there is a time period between the moment that the body stops moving and when they either pass on or become a spirit where the Pokémon's soul is in a state of limbo. They're not alive, but they still retain the full properties of themselves from when they were still living. Under normal circumstances, this time period doesn't matter, but without intervention, there are a few that utilize this period in certain ways." Daiyu looked at the Soul Dew. "It's normally this limbo where a Laitos and a Latias transforms into a Soul Dew for example, transforming themselves into an orb that keeps their minds and souls protected inside. Their soul stays relatively intact, allowing other Latias and Latios like yourselves to benefit from the orb."

Heidi and Lauren looked at each other, but it was Lauren that spoke. "Well, like me. Little sis has this problem where a Soul Dew hurts her."

Heidi glared at Lauren. "That's besides the point, Lauren. No need to talk about my shortcomings here."

Daiyu nodded. "Right. So… I am able to see when a Pokémon is in that state, and I can preserve them… by placing them in special inanimate objects, not too dissimilar to how a Shuppet and Banette work. If you were to die and I didn't want you to go, I can… well…" Daiyu looked down at the plush toy. "Place you in a Pokédoll that looks like you for example. So, as long as that toy isn't destroyed, you can live on, and you maintain everything about yourself so that, maybe, you can fulfill your final wishes before you finally wish to pass on…."

"...." Heidi was able to understand where this was going. "...and so you did this to Sapphire's fallen friends during the war."

Daiyu nodded. "P--please, please don't tell her. I… I don't normally do this and it was their wish to be with Sapphire for as long as they could, so this was the only way that I could help them after they died. She'd be heartbroken if she learned that her Pokémon never passed on… and they don't want her to know, either."

Lauren blinked. "How do you know what they want? Little sis and I can get a sense of their presence and feeling, but not that much else."

Daiyu placed Gardevoir down on the table lightly. Heidi spawned a small toy chair that was just large enough for the doll. Daiyu smiled and placed Gardevoir there, turning her as if she was a part of the conversation. "I… can still talk to them. I can still understand them directly. I can even project into the doll and check in on them. Sapphire and I cuddled a lot in part so I could have an excuse to check on them, to see how they're doing and how they're feeling. Even on my birthday, Gardevoir told me how she was happy to finally get to see Sapphire move on and make new Pokémon friends, and that she was confident that her trainer would be a good trainer to more Pokémon…."

Daiyu stopped talking momentarily as she looked at Gardevoir for a bit.

"Gardevoir appreciates the fact that she seems included in the conversation, though she's a bit upset at me for being so protective of her." Daiyu looked back at the rest of the group. "Honestly, because of the fact that it disrupts the natural life cycle of a Pokémon, I'm usually extremely selective of who I do this to, but Sapphire meant a lot to me at the time so I thought that it was worth it."

Jeanne smiled. "You did what you thought was right, and that's all that we can ask."

Heidi crossed her arms. "Still doesn't mean that you should have been hiding this from Sapphire for so long. I think that it would have been nice for her to know that her friends were still with her in some form, rather than to use the dolls as mementos."

Lauren turned to Heidi. "Well, it's also in part the Pokémon's decisions, and they didn't want her to know, either. I don't think that it's right for her to disregard their wishes."

"Fair enough, I guess. I still don't like it, though."

Daiyu shook her head. "I get that you don't like it, and Gardevoir understands your feelings. We… will talk with the others to see their stance. If they're comfortable, I think I'll tell her."

Lauren blinked. "Here's what I don't get, though. How did Morrigan get a hold of this ability, and why was she able to project Lati the way that she can?"

"I don't know the first answer, but the second is because I can do that, too." Daiyu grabbed the Gardevoir plush and channeled some of her magic into it…

…revealing what seemed to be a Gardevoir beside them!

"[...]" Gardevoir swayed back and forth, but didn't do much else.

Daiyu started her explanation. "I can project her soul into the world of the living like this, but there are two downsides. First, this isn't a true body of Gardevoir. She seems real and attacking and damaging her does occur, but killing her will simply bring her back into  the plush. Secondly, Gardevoir has no will or self-determination. She still controls how she moves and speaks, but it's me who gives the commands and ultimately controls her. I don't like doing it because it feels like disrespecting the spirit."

Gardevoir spun around. It didn't seem to have anything to say.

"She still will remember everything from this conversation… remember her environment and everything that she was forced to do, too. So, why would I force her to come out to have her appear 'alive' when she can live life through her doll?" Daiyu recalled the spirit and placed the doll back on the chair. "Anyway, this is what Morrigan used on us since Lati is perpetually in that limbo state. Considering how much he dislikes her, it's utterly abhorrent and disrespectful what she did. I'll never forgive her."

Heidi and Lauren both nodded. Heidi reached for the doll and grabbed it. She petted the Gardevoir, making sure that she knows that she cares. Finally, Heidi opened the portal and placed Gardevoir back in Sapphire's bed where she was. To think that Daiyu had such a connection with the dead and to other people warmed her heart. Even though Heidi still didn't agree with the fact that she was keeping such a big secret from Sapphire, she understood that it came from a good place, and that's what mattered the most.

"Thank you for telling us, Daiyu." Heidi nodded. "You're still a little grounded for your actions, but… I understand that you're just trying to do the right thing."

"I understand. Just… don't be mad at them, please. The little spirits are just doing their best with what they can do with their friend."

"I'm not. If anything… I understand them. I'd wish to do the same thing if I died protecting Zinnia. I just hope that they eventually find peace."

"Yeah. Me too."

[vemuabhi]

Disney Romance - Mermaid Mullan! - 200 followers special

Thankyou for requesting Bas!!! ( @basilisa-scorpii​ ) I was a bit nervous writing this! As you are one of my favorites and are so talented. Actually i too didn’t watch many movies. Only those 10 that I mentioned. My friend was in disbelief when I told her that I didn’t watch frozen. Apparently it was a big deal for her as he almost watched every Disney princess movie.

So, its my first fic writing for the 200 followers! Please read it without having any high expectations. I may not reach them.

Pairing : Zoro X Mermaid! Reader

Word count : 3.6K (Sorry, the concept was so interesting and I couldn’t stop)

Warnings : A long ass fic written by me, read at your own risk. CRINGE ALERT!, has magic, bad action scenes, happy ending or else I’ll cry, a lost marimo.

“Tsk… Lucky mermaids. They just get to go and play while I have to learn these stupid spells”, you opened the new book of spells, which had a brown cover and was very heavy. The cover had a design of a mermaid.

You started to read the spells. Being born in the clan of spells mermaid, you always thought that you were one of those unlucky mermaids who can’t just play with the fishes. You were a very young mermaid and didn’t understand the importance of them.

Growing up, these spells always helped to escape from so many troubles. You could even go to the land using these spells. Hiding your scales and turing your tail into legs.

One fine day in the ocean, while you were making preparations to go to the land, a white-haired half – octopus approached you. ‘Not again’, you sighed.

“What now Ursula? I need to leave”, Without hiding your irritation, you asked her.

“Y/N going to the land again? Why won’t you use my help? I’ll turn you into a human then you don’t have to rely on your powers and get weak every time”, she said as she twirled around you.

There are many powers that can be mastered in the spell book and your main power being in Teleporting but you did learn many other spells, including turning your tail into legs. But every thing has a counter action. The more demanding the spell, the more of a toll it pays on your body by making you weak, leading to even death. Taking your real mermaid form and taking rest in the ocean can help you regain your power.

“The princess asked me for legs and I gave her what she needed”

“The princess? Why did she ask you for legs?”

“Love, she was in love with a man, are you also in love?”

“No and I’d never do that for a silly thing as Love”

“But, you are going to Land using your powers. Aren’t you tired of it dear”

You sighed at how she never gave up on you. “Why? So that you can take my spell book or my family sapphire stone?”, your eyebrow raised with annoyance. She gulped and tried to open her mouth to say something but too late. You weren’t interested in listening to her so you snapped your fingers and Teleported to land.

You didn’t like to teleport when people were talking but you didn’t want to listen to her toxic convincing again. Like hell you needed her powers. You’d rather lose your powers then to give her your spell book or the sapphire stone, which was now, in the necklace you were wearing. It was also called as the second chance.

You went to the small house mostly made of stones. It was just had 2 rooms. You opened the box which you found in the ruined ship and wore the male clothes which were in it. After coming to the land you observed that, most of the men would be creepy when you were wearing women clothing, which lead you to throw those men away. When you wore men clothing, no one glanced at you. And you didn’t get the chance to waste your powers. So you preferred to be dressed as a man.

You took the gold coin which was actually the last one you had in the box. ‘I need to find a way to stock these’, you thought as you started to make your way into the town. Apparently, these people got super mad at you when you ate and tried to leave. They called this… money? If you remember correctly.

At first it was pure curiosity what the Land was of. But after being addicted to the food here, you couldn’t help but to come back regularly. While in the sea all it was available was sea weed and raw food. It was good but it wasn’t even comparable with the food on land. The humans had some tasty food called fruits. And they were of different varieties like mango, orange, apple, berries etc. Oh, how delicious the meat was, when it was cooked. So, you kept coming here using your powers. The food was worth it!

You headed towards the place where the old humans make food, you were their favorite customer as you always gave them a gold coin every time you visited. They were poor and the gold you gave them, helped them to even get out of the debts. You reached the place and started to eat while some people quarreled. But you didn’t care. All you looked at was the food before you. You were always given a small size powerless trident and a small sword with it. You didn’t know why they were used.

“HEY IDIOT! ARE YOU THE ONE WHO ALWAYS GIVES GOLD COINS? GIVE THEM TO ME”, someone shouted but you were too busy in eating.

“Sir please, leave our customer. That man is being very kind to us old people”, pleaded the old man but he didn’t care.

“You jerk! Why the hell are you ignoring me?”, some one slammed their hand on your table making your apple almost fall down. ‘Unforgiveable’

You glared at the man beside you as he grabbed you by the collar and pulled you up, just before he punched you, you snapped your fingers and he froze in his place. He couldn’t move. You clenched your fist and punched him in the face making him fly across the room.

Everyone stopped doing what they were doing and looked at you in disbelief. The person you punched was a strong guy who always took peoples valuables. A green haired soldier was totally stunned. ‘A person this strong was in a small town like this’, he thought. He went towards the person who was trashed by you and noticed that he was knocked out. ‘It seemed a bit different but, that guy can help a lot’, he thought. The soldier turned around to look at you but you were already leaving.

Placing the money which was required to pay on the desk, the green haired man ran in your direction. “Hey dude!! Wait a minute!”, he called to you. But you were busily eating the apple which had the pretty red colour.

‘I need to get more of these golden coins. Maybe the ship which crashed in the western side has some of these’, making plans on how to get more of these, you walked towards the shore.

You then felt a hand on your shoulder which made you to stop. Looking over your shoulder, your eyes met with black orb. The man had green hair and a scar on one of his eyes. He was muscular and well built. He had three golden coloured earrings on one of his ears.

“Hey dude! I wanna talk to you”, he said removing his hand from your shoulder. You took a bite of your apple and turned towards him. You raised one of your eye brow at him as you folded your arms.

“I am so amazed that a powerful man like you is in this small town. Actually, seeing you fight that rogue, I wanted to ask you if you’d come to the war and be a soldier, like me”, he said with a proud smile.

After listening to the weird man, You turned around and started to walk towards the shore. His smile curved into an awkward one as you walked away. “HEY!! I’m NOT DONE! LISTEN TO ME ONCE”, trying to stop you he shouted again. But as his attempts failed, he ran again and stood before you blocking your way. You glared at him because of it.

“Listen to me. I mean no harm. I’m Zoro, a solider of the Straw Hat army”, he introduced himself as he took your hand and shook it. ‘What… What a weird man’, you thought looking at him.

“You see, we want to use all the help needed to destroy the beard Kingdom. So, come with us and be a soldier of the Straw hat army”, he said.

“Why do I need to fight for your army. I don’t wanna involve in these fights”, you said sternly, speaking for the first time to the man.

“Why not? Just join us. We are fighting on the good side. We wanna give freedom to the people of beard Kingdom”, he inhaled and continued, “If you join I’ll make sure you get good food and 500 pure gold coins”. He was really determined to win the war and also claimed that he wanted to free some people.

You could get the gold coins from many ruined ships, but the way he looked at you with determination to win in eyes you couldn’t help but to sigh. “Let’s meet here tomorrow at exactly at dawn”, with that you continued to walk towards the shore.

“I never caught your name”

“Its Y/N”, you say without turning around but smirked. He was the first human you ever told your name to.

His eye clearly lit up and he grinned as he said, “I’ll waiting, Y/N”. He didn’t notice that his heart definitely did skip a beat then.

Swimming deep into the ocean, you reached your house with in 10 minutes. Before sleeping, you took the spell book and started to refer it again even though you’ve read it multiple times. You still had 12 hours till dawn and it’s be sufficient amount of time till you regain your energy.

As the first rays of sun hit the country, Zoro looked at how beautiful the sea looked. He was mesmerized by its beauty.

“Hey”, you almost startled him. 

“What the… when did you come here? How did I not notice?”, he said with confusion in his eyes.

“Lets go now”

“Ye…Yeah. Let’s go”, he said leading you forward. ‘This person is hiding something’, he thought

“Hey”, you call him as he turned to look at you.

“Why are you going towards the sea?”, as soon as you said that, his cheeks turned red with embarrassment.

“Don’t tell me you don’t even know the rout-”

“I know!”, he said interrupting you and opening the map. You peaked at the map and then looked at him. He was sweating.

“Give, just give it to me”, you took the map and continued, “So where is the location”

“Here”, he pointed towards a white surface on the map. “If we go quickly-”, you tooe his hand in yours and closed your eyes, “We can reach in maybe 5 days”, he ended as you snapped your fingers. He just looks at the place before him. Your eyes open wide upon seeing the white substance in front of you. Your hands hug you as the place was very cool but you were truly in awe by the view.

But Zoro was actually speechless. “What? How? Why? When? Its not even been 5 seconds”, he screamed and continued, “What are you actually? Are you using some sort of Magic?”, he then sneezed.

“I used a spell. Now don’t make a fuss about it. Anyone can do it”, you replied

“NO ONE CAN DO IT!”, he screamed again only for you to ignore.

“What is this white substance”, you asked him as you slowly crouch down and touch it. It was soft and very cold, Making your hand numb. But you were amazed by it.

“Its snow. Don’t do that, your hands will become numb”, he said and took your hands in his and started to rub them. You heart skipped a beat and you didn’t know why.

“Lets go. I think, I know the way from here”, he said and pulled you up with him. With your hands still in his he walked forward. Even though your knees felt weak, you kept walking. He talked about the prince and how great he was.

After 10 minutes, you both saw some men with weapons in the area. With one swift motion, Zoro attacked them and knocked them out. You were actually surprised. You didn’t even notice when he left your side and attacked them. He held three swords at a time. You never saw a person so perfectly using three swords. Oh god, he looked like a demon. He pulled the clothes from those men and handed you one. “Wear this sweater. I don’t want you to get sick”

You wore it and it felt really warm all of a sudden.

“Woah!! Its so warm, fells like Magic”, you smile pulling the sweater even closer to you.

“Tsk… you call this magic and call your spell normal. I cant understand you”, he again took your hand in his. “Don’t… Don’t get it wrong. Its only because I brought you here so its my responsibility to keep you safe”. You place your thumb on his wrist and observe that his heart beat was increasing.

“Your heart beat is increasing”, you said making him glare at you.

After walking for a while, you notice a building ahead of you. It was black in colour and had black smoke coming out from it. Suddenly Zoro stops in his tracks.

“Is it the secret base of straw-hat kingdom, you were talking about”, you asked him.

“It’s the secret base of Beard Kingdom that we are searching for past 1 month. Oh my! We found it Y/N”, he said with a smirk on his face. You snapped your fingers and made the black smoke red hoping someone from the straw hat base see it.

“No, you found it. I just waked with you. What type of shit directions you have”

“Hey! That’s not true. I… I actually was planning to search this with you. But whatever we found it!”, he grinned looking at the building.

“Don’t tell me you wanna take them on all by yourse-”

“What are you saying? I have you now! Let’s kill them Y/N”, he said taking his swords and positioning them. He was a demon. But your heart started to race. It was because of this jerk.

“Ok! Lets go”, you said and silently you both infiltrated the base. Knocking out who ever came across your way.

‘Damn it. There are a lot of people here’, you thought as your breathing became heavy and your legs gave out.

“Y/N, you okay?”, Zoro whispered getting close to you.

“I’m fine”, you said. This wasn’t the time to wine and you knew it.

“Thankyou. Its dawn and everyone are mostly sleeping. So lets just finish this off and leave”, he said as he placed his hand behind your waist and in one swift motion he pulled you up. Your heart skipped a beat. AGAIN. ‘This is just like the useless romance novels I read’, you thought. ‘Do I like him by any chance?’

“Lets go”, he said facing the opposite direction that you actually should go.

“We need to go this way”, you said to him as he blushed and walked in the correct direction. ‘Definitely not’, you concluded and continued to trash the soldiers in the way. You were late once and a bullet hit your shoulder. Still you didn’t give up.

“Y/N! I’m sorry, I’ll make sure to get you treated by our doctor”, Zoro shouted as he slashed another person, who was twice as big as him.

After a while, you knew, you really needed the ocean. Your body was getting weaker. Teleporting to a really far place with another person, being hit by a bullet and continuously knocking out these strong ass soldiers is really getting hectic.

“You did great Y/N, its okay. Leave now, ill take care of the rest!”, Zoro said but you got determined even more to fight.

“What? I don’t take orders, especially from humans. Lets see who gets more knockouts”, you said. Zoro didn’t know if he should be happy that you didn’t give up or be concerned that you called him a human? So were you not one?

Snapping fingers, you teleported Zoro from one enemy to another and sometimes yourself to win over the enemies. Your shoulder was turning into a shade of purple, but you were too busy to notice. He soon got used to your help. “You make one hell of a partner!”, Zoro said looking at you as he stood on a pipe which was approximately 10 feet above you. You smirked as a big sound made you to look at the strong wooden door.

“WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING HERE!”, A man with a big beard shouted. You snapped your fingers and Zoro was beside you in a second.

“That’s Beard. We need to destroy him”, Zoro mumbled as he proceeded to run further. You were ready to go with him but your vision completely became black and you fell to the ground.

“Y/N!”, Zoro called out to you but you didn’t wake up. You could hear him. You wanted tell him to escape. Then you heard an explosion.

“BEARD!!! I’LL KICK YOUR ASS!!”, an unfamiliar voice was heard.

“Jeez Luffy! Could you hold your horses?”

“NAMI!!!! I’m Scared!”

“Shut up Ussop! We need to protect the peopl- Ladies! *ahem*”

That was too late. Luffy was already fighting with Beard at this point. With the prince fighting, all Straw hat soldiers started to fight with Beard Army.

“Y/N! Y/N Wake up!! Please wake up!”, Zoro took your body in his arms and shook you trying to wake you up.

‘I want to see you one last time’, you thought before your hearing also faded away.

“Please wake up. Don’t die”, he shook you like crazy.

“Don’t do that Zoro! Let me take a look at the wound”

Handing you over, Zoro clenched his jaw. “Please don’t let him die”, he said and positioned himself.

“ASHURA”, he said and went full demon mode on the Beard Soldiers.

After winning over the Beard army everyone was really relieved. But they didn’t celebrate. Knowing one of their soldier was in a critical position.

The doctor checked your pulse and you weren’t alive. He sighed and got up. Covering you with a blanket, he walked out.

“How is he?”, Zoro asked as soon as the doctor stepped out.

“That was a girl and sadly her pulse stopped”, the doctor replied only for Zoro to grab his collar and ask again. “What did you say? It cant be happening. He i mean She cant die, do something”

“I’ve tried everything, I’m sorry”, the doctor said and Zoro let go of him.

He went inside the room to find you covered with a blanket. He pulled the blanket down to see your face again. He sat beside you and took your hand in his.

“I’m sorry. I made you come here even when you clearly didn’t want to. I am sorry”, he apologized holding your hand tightly. “Is there any spell to bring you back. If there is, I wish you to come back, please get a second chance”

Then he saw the sapphire necklace glow. He was shocked at this. If anyone would’ve told him that magic existed a few days earlier, he’d have brushed it off. But after seeing you, he believes in it.

Just when you felt that you were surrounded with nothing but light, your ocean coloured necklace glowed, as if it was calling you back. You opened your eyes and could see light and also a person with green hair. His face lit with happiness and he hugged you.

“Zo...ro”, you called as he pulled back to look at you.

“Y/N! You are alive!”, he said as he took your hand and kissed it.

“You!! You Human! How could you!”, your cheeks turned pink at his actions.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you were a girl?”

“I never said that I were a boy”

“You are alive again so I’ll let it slide for now, also that stone and those scales on your cheek”, he said and you snapped your fingers to hide the scales.

“Whatever… I saw that you cried when I died”, you blabbered but it turned out to be true as his cheeks turned red.

“I did not”, he tried to hide his embarrassment but failed. You chuckled at his reaction and he smiled at you.

“EHHH!!!! YOU ARE ALIVE!!!!”, the doctor screamed looking at you then suddenly a weird guy with a straw hat came in beaming with energy.

“SUGOI!!! You are alive! then we all can celebrate on the occasion of you being alive and also winning the war!”, he said coming towards you.

“I guess… Thanks”

“Show me your powers when you get well okay!”, he said as he gave you a wide smile and left.

“Was he the prince Luffy that you are so fond of”, Zoro nodded

“He is the man worthy to become a King. But tell me this, are you a fish?”

“Actually, that’s not totally wrong. I’ll tell you what you need to know. Let’s teleport again after some time.”

The next day.

“Its… Its actually pretty cool. I never thought I’d see a half fish and half human”, Zoro said as he tugged on your tail.

“Ouch! Be careful. The tail can be strong but it is also very sensitive, and can you please start using the word mermaid”, you said splashing water on him.

“So, tell me. How strong are the mermaids? Are they all as strong as you?”, he curiously asked not hiding the intent to fight. You chuckled and started to tell him about the creatures of the ocean. But its just been 3 days since you met him, but you two already had a.... weird connection.

Zoro tucked a strand of hair behind your ear and looked into your eyes. The timing was so perfect. Maybe it was because he was there. You moved closer to kiss him and he also returned it. Maybe the mermaid princess wasn’t totally wrong to choose love…

XOXOXOXO

Thankyou for reading. I warned you with cringe alert in the beginning but if you made it through the end, congratulations!

Comment your feelings down in the comments!

Follow for more sappy content!

[cognacdelights]

steamboat springs

my outer banks masterlist

add yourself to my taglist

summary: after coming into a large sum of money, two teens in the midst of riding the wave of young love decide to blow their fortune on a once in a lifetime trip to the mountain winter resort of steamboat springs, colorado. 

warnings: swearing. angst. fluff. slight indication of sexual content. 

The tips of her scarlet-painted toes skimmed the lukewarm bubbles of the hot tub as her petite, bikini-clad frame perched on the varnished, wooden edge. Her rose gold, star charm anklet glistened under the dimmed, romantic fairy lights that encompassed the tall, pine wood canopy as her contemplating, chartreuse eyes observed the picturesque scenery before her; the towering, snow-topped peaks that entrapped the quaint, expensive mountain resort were breath-taking. Lined with an army of ancient, snow-sprinkled evergreens and littered with miles of meandering, frozen streams, the Colorado Mountains were truly a sight to behold. Yet, there was a relentless, incessant niggle that plagued her pensive mind - refusing to allow her peace and tranquility in possibly the most calming and serene of locations.

“What you thinking ‘bout, pretty girl?” the low, husky voice of her sandy-locked, indigo-eyed boyfriend drew her out of her pondering, wistful daze. His toned, half-naked body waded through the tepid, jet-powered waves as he demanded the attention of his long-term girlfriend. His warm, paw-like palms settled on the tops of her droplet-covered thighs - his slightly calloused thumbs tracing delicate, tender circles against the sensitive skin of her inner thighs - as he came to rest between her parted legs. He left a gentle, adoration-filled kiss against the hickey-marked skin of her inner thigh, ensuring that he had captured her whole, undivided attention.

“Maybe you should have paid off your restitution with that money, instead of blowing it all on this,” a heavily weighted exhale escaped her plump, rose-tinted lips - her glimmering, beryl eyes concentrating on his concern-laced features. Instinctively, she ran her dainty fingers through the damp, tousled tangles of his blonde, straw-like locks, pushing the unkempt waves from obstructing his chiselled face.

“What?” his anxious, sapphire orbs peered upwards through his fair, sparse eyelashes - his apprehensive heart anticipating the sickening plunge of disappointment into the deep, dark caverns of his stomach as he urged her to elaborate, “you don’t like it here?” All the fair-haired, cobalt-eyed boy yearned for was to see the beautiful, content smile - which he so very much adored - plastered across her sun-kissed features; everything he did was for the sake of her happiness - in all it’s purity, so the thought of her holding regrets towards their once-in-a-lifetime, never-be-able-to-afford-again trip pained him dearly.

“No, I do. I love it. It’s beautiful and I would give anything to leave the Outer Banks behind and stay here, forever, with you,” her voice softened at the heart-wrenching sight of anguish laced within the pearly, silver speckles of his eyes, “but I want you to be a free man more.” There was a negligible, minuscule sliver of her that resented him for taking the blame for the sinking of Topper’s boat; it had changed the course of their relationship entirely, and not particularly for the better. Not only had her strict, over-bearing parents proclaimed their disapproval of their relationship upon hearing tattling whispers of his arrest, but his selfless, fictitious confession meant that he would more than likely be sentenced to a stay in a juvenile corrections facility.

“It’s just a bit of debt, it doesn’t matter in the long run,” he half-heartedly attempted to dismiss her concerns - nonchalantly shrugging his broad, muscular shoulders as a disheartened breath escaped his nicotine-laced lungs.

“It’s a permanent charge on your record, JJ, and you could still face time in juvy for this,” she responded solemnly, “what am I supposed to do if you get locked up? Juvenile’s don’t get conjugal visits, you know?” The shaggy-haired blonde had neglected to think of the consequences of his actions upon declaring that he was the individual responsible for the Thornton’s boat shenanigans. However, the reality was, JJ Maybank had just checked off his third strike on his long, delinquency-filled wrap sheet - and the metaphorical book of justice was poised and ready to be launched in his direction as they spoke.

“And you’d rather that have been on Pope’s record, huh?” he countered opposingly - his usually loving, tender voice raised several decibels as he defended himself against his girlfriend’s disapproving tone, “it would ruin his life. Not to mention, we all know he would never survive inside. They’d fucking eat him alive.” The pleasant, endearing warmth she once felt where his wandering hands caressed the cellulite-plagued plains of her thighs dissipated into the brisk nipping of the bitter, wintry mountain breeze as he retreated from their intimate embrace.

“Pope’s the one who did it,” she mumbled in response, uncomfortable with the tone of their heated conversation. Unfortunately, this was just going to be one of those things that they would never agree on. She platonically adored Pope - truly, she did - but, of course, she loved her boyfriend more. It was inevitable that the selfish, pining sliver of her that believed Pope should take responsibility for his actions would rear it’s ill-timed head eventually. JJ didn’t deserve to be punished for a crime he, for once, had not committed - and neither did their already suffering relationship.

“Pope’s the one with the future. He’s got his scholarship, he’s got his whole life planned out, he has dreams that are actually within his reach. I couldn’t let that be taken away from him because of something I pushed him to do,” he continued to argue, his tone defensive and abrupt. As her crestfallen, veridian eyes attempted to meet with his, she recognised an unfamiliar emotion that had etched itself into the foundations of his chiselled, stubble-lined features: guilt. A conscience-eating tidal wave of remorse had overwhelmed his entire being, convincing his impressionable mind that the entirety of the situation was down to the shaggy-haired blonde. Perhaps he was right; perhaps Pope wouldn’t have acted so wildly out of character and pulled the plug from the extravagant 2019 Malibu without the misguided encouragement of his trouble-making best friend - but, simultaneously, she was right. At the end of the day, Pope was the one who ultimately committed the delinquent act, and Pope did that off his own culpable accord.

“What about your future?” she challenged him, the desperation evident within the subtle inflections of her almost pleading tone. Her tanned, petite shoulders slouched from their structured, upright position - as her head tilted ever so slightly to the side, her malachite doe eyes searching for his torment-filled pools of teal. Despite her best, relenting efforts, he refused the intimacy of eye contact.

“I don’t have a future,” his voice was quiet - almost weak - and barely audible above the ceaseless, mechanical humming of the hot tub jets, “not one like that.”

“Yes you do,” she told him tenaciously - adamant in her words as her tender, dainty palms embraced the defined contours of his pronounced cheek bones, her gentle thumbs affectionately grazing over the brittle stubble, “you have a future with me. I don’t know what that entails; whether it’s opening our own surf shop down in Yucatán, or having a log cabin in the Colorado Mountains, or living on a freaking boat in the harbour back in Kildare. Whatever it is, I don’t care as long as it’s me and you. It’s me and you, forever, J. It always has been and it always will be.”

“I’m gonna pay it all off, I promise, even if I have to get a third job,” his calloused, bear-like hands encaptured hers, giving her petite fingers a gentle, adoring squeeze, “then I’m gonna give you the life you fucking deserve. A ring, a big ass wedding at one of those fancy, country estates, a whole bunch of kids, even that damned pink Volkswagen Beetle with the flowers painted on the doors - whatever you want, I’m gonna make sure that you get it all.”

“To me and you,” he toasted meaningfully - his words exuding promise and assurance as his meaty, ring-clad fingers grasped the condensation-laced neck of the lavish, half-empty champagne bottle. Expectantly, he tilted the punt of the onyx-tinted, glass bottle towards the breath-taking, brunette beauty before him.

“To me and you,” she recited his endearing words fondly, an enamored, cordial smile curving the corners of her full, luscious lips upwards. She too grasped the neck of a chilled, vintage bottle of champagne - hers significantly fuller than his - before clinking the two aged bottled together in celebration of their future together. The two, slightly tipsy, teens each took a generous swig of the fruit-fragranced beverage, concluding the ritual.

A giddy, infatuated squeal surpassed her plump, champagne-drenched lips as his soaked, paw-like palms gripped her dainty ankles, proceeding to gently tug her scantily-clad silhouette into the depths of the heated, bubbling water. His brawny, exposed back pressed against the varnished pine wood of the hot tub bench - her already bruised knees falling either side of his swimsuit-clad lower half, straddling his tamed, semi-erect length. His loving, yet ravenous, lips found hers, molding together in a beautiful, melodic synchrony as his audacious, meandering fingers fumbled to untie the loose strings of her Aztec-printed bikini bottoms.

[lokislittlesigyn]

A Day’s Work - Pt.1

Hi everyone!! This is an older fic I started a while ago and was pretty happy with. It seemed a good opportunity to get started with posting things. Basically, this is a random au (may simply classify silly/nonsense fics into a separate au category of their own) based around Marvel, focusing on Loki and my own interpretation/characterization of his wife Sigyn. hence... you know, my blog name and pfp and. yeah, you get the picture.

Pairing: Loki / Sigyn (basically an oc based off the marvel/myth namesake)

Warnings: The Collector being creepy (as usual), some capture but don’t fret! It’s short-lived.

Summary: The Guardians of The Galaxy have been, well, guarding the galaxy on their own time. But when a handsome reward for the safe return of an Asgardian princess is released, they may get more adventure than they bargained for.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Peter, you're an idiot." Gamora took a seat in the Milano’s cockpit, releasing a loud sigh.

"Yeah, yeah, I know..." Peter turned the ship, and within seconds the were on their way to Xandar. "It's not my fault that guy had literally the ugliest mug in the galaxy."

"He was not carrying a mug," Drax piped up from behind them, furrowing his brow at Peter.

"Face, then! Ugliest face."

"I disagree." Drax settled back into his seat. "You have the ugliest face."

"I am Groot."

Peter glared over his shoulder. "If you don't cut it out, I swear I will turn this spaceship around." Soon, the bunch of misfits reached Xandar. Landed, and took the opportunity to roam the city - partly in search for unclaimed bounties.

"Okay, since we haven't had the best luck under Quill's leadership lately, I’m electing myself as new leader of the group," Rocket smirked, holding a tiny baby Groot on his shoulder.

"Hey!" Peter huffed, "That Sakaarian was just one guy. One dude out of the whole universe. Every one of us has had a - a slight disagreement, over a keg of beer."

"I am Groot."

"Okay, except you. But you don't count."

"I am Groot!"

"All right fine, you count!"

Gamora rolled her eyes, walking over to a large, white wall, containing a screen that was shifting between advertisements. "Hey, come look at this." She put her hand up, stilling the screen.

Peter furrowed his brow, his hands on his hips. "Reward for the safe capture and return of an.. Asgardian? Asgardian princess?"

Rocket whistled. "Gorgeous."

"Yeah, I guess she's pretty-"

"I was talkin' about the money."

Peter's eyes settled on the bounty price, then widened. He grinned. "How do you guys feel about a rescue mission?" ~~~~ Sigyn awoke with a pounding headache. She blinked. Looked down at her bound hands. Great...

It was dark, but in the further reaches of the shadows she could make out the edges of rusty metal walls. In front of her stood an equally-rusted cell door.  Past it, another cell stood, identical if not for the fact it was empty. She stood, steadying herself against the wall. Voices came from down the hall.

"...won't remember anything. I gave her a double dose."

"Dunno, Asgardians are tough..."

"Not this one."

Two men stepped in front of her cell. Each wore patchy, well-worn clothes. One looked tanned and scruffy, the other had blue skin marred with scars.

"Oh look, she's awake," The blue one chuckled.

Sigyn stepped back, eyeing both of them. "Where am I?"

"That's not much'a your business, is it?" The man glared at her.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Knowhere." He smirked.

She blinked. "What... You must be taking me somewhere."

He nodded. "Knowhere. Hang tight, princess." Both men walked off, leaving her alone. She huffed, eyeing the door... Then noticed the clothing she had on. Interwoven leather and cloth, bits of metal, armored bracers on her forearms... Nothing like what those men wore.

What was going on?

She sat back down, defeated. Her headache became overwhelming, throbbing... She placed her head in her hands. ~~~~ Meanwhile, onboard the Milano, Rocket stepped over to a table in the center of the common area. "Now, behold." Rocket set a metal object that looked haphazardly thrown-together on the table. "A genuine Asgardian tracking device. Call it an A-T-D."

"You found a way to track Asgardians?" Peter raised his brows, arms crossed.

"Well yeah, why'd you think I called it an Asgardian tracking device?"

"I am Groot."

"Exactly! The nerve of some people!"

Peter rolled his eyes. Gamora spoke up. "How does it track them?"

"Now that is a good question." Rocket pressed a button on the side of the device. It started beeping slowly. "I won't reveal all my secrets, but it basically traces Asgardian DNA."

"Where did you get Asgardian DNA?"

Rocket grinned. "I have my ways."

"So we'll follow your tracker until we find the princess, grab her, maybe shoot some guys, and take her back to Asgard safe and sound?" Peter shifted his weight.

"That's the plan."

"..I love it. Good work, Rocket."

"Well, I am the resident genius." ~~~~ Soon, the Guardians reached Knowhere to the tune of Drax’s snoring, the tracker’s continuous beeping, and Suspicious Minds playing softly.

The tracking device released another loud, long bloop before returning to its rhythmic beeping - unfortunately, out of sync with the music.

"That toaster of yours better work," Peter huffed.

"I told you, Quill, it's already working. It's brought us this far, hasn't it?"

"We'll see. Asgardians are usually easy to spot anyway," Gamora stood, walking to the front of the cockpit. "They're loud and overbearing. Proud."

"Yeah but they've got a full medieval look, right? Armor and everything?"

"Yes, usually."

"So we're looking for a ren faire princess. Got it."

Rocket and Gamora exchanged a confused look. She shrugged.

The Milano landed, and the Guardians - after waking up Drax - began their search. Peter lead the way.

"All right, we should stick together. Remember what happened last time we came here."

"You ruined our chance at selling the Orb?" Rocket smirked.

"Okay, first of all, that wasn't entirely my fault." Peter huffed, glancing at Gamora. "Where should we start..?"

"I think we should follow the tracker," Gamora glanced around, "And keep an eye out for anything sapphire. Asgardians like wearing distinct colors - from her picture, it looks like sapphire is hers."

"Right."

"Hey, I got something!" Rocket held up the tracker, which had begun beeping faster. "This way!" He scampered off, the team in tow.

They reached the same bar they'd visited before,when waiting to meet the Collector.

"Geez, this thing is going crazy..."

"Rocket." Gamora said.

"I mean it's really losing its mind. Maybe I should've-"

"Rocket!" Gamora pointed to the betting table.

There, on the other side, the princess was being lead to the Collector's back room.

"...Oh."

~~~~

The two men from before lead Sigyn through a strange, crowded room, past droves of cheering spectators. What was going on? She tried bumping into people to get their attention, tried catching someone’s eye, but the blaster pressed to her back kept her lips sealed.

They reached a back room. Walked through a maze-like trail of glass cages, lead by a pink woman whose smile looked far too forced.

Sigyn looked inside the glass cages, gasping when one of the beings inside moved. What is this place? she thought, swallowing hard when they stopped walking. Sigyn stood between the rugged aliens who lead her, staring forward at the strange man before her. He lowered a contraption that looked much like a mix between binoculars and glasses, setting them and the precious stone he was examining on the table before him.

"May I present, Taneleer Tivan, The Collector." The pink woman nodded to him, then disappeared behind more glass cages.

"As promised," The blue man smirked, "An Asgardian. The princess herself. Safe and sound. Not a scratch on her."

"Oh," the Collector leaned over the table, studying Sigyn much like he had the stone. She tensed. Felt a chill go down her spine. "How you managed a feat such as this, I cannot grasp.." He walked around the table, reaching out to Sigyn. When she didn't move, the men forced her hands toward him. He took one, kissing it, gaze never leaving her face. "It is an honor, fair princess."

Sigyn was frozen in fear. She clenched her jaw, pulling away from him as soon as he'd let her. "I-I.. What do you want with me?"

The Collector only chuckled. "She looks reasonably healthy.." He grabbed her jaw, turning her face back and forth. She gritted her teeth, staring at him.

"About that..” The blue man smirked. “We want two million additional units. Seeing as she's a healthy, young princess, seems fair.."

"Yes.. Yes, that would be fair. Stellina," He called. The pink woman returned. "Transfer the units to these gentlemen."

"Wait- I'm not for sale!" Sigyn struggled against her captors. "I am not a princess! I don't know who you think I am, but-"

"Quiet," the blue man snarled. "We hit her with a big dose of Amnesiac Gas."

The Collector glanced at her with an amused expression. "How long until it wears off?"

The man shrugged.

"Well, never mind, then..." He sent Stellina to open one of the glass cages. "I trust the Asgardians have no idea you are here?"

"Not a clue," The other one snickered, "We made out in the dead of night. Didn't even know it was us takin' her."

The men started moving toward the cage. Sigyn's heart leapt from her chest.

"Wait- Wait, no, no no no, please don't! Please!" She kicked, managing to rip her arm away from one of the men, only to be firmly grabbed by the Collector himself, who kept one hand around her wrist, the other on her throat. "Now, little beauty, don't struggle so. I do not intend to hurt you." He brushed a finger across her cheek - gentle. Too gentle. Tears welled up in her eyes. "You will be a prize addition to my collection." In a swift movement, he pushed her into the cage, and before she could jump out, Stellina closed the door. It locked with a snap.

Sigyn slammed against the glass, tears flowing out steadily. "No! Let me out! Please, I beg you, I'll do ANYTHING!" She hit the glass with her fists.

"Pleasure doing business with you as always, gentlemen." The Collector shooed the two men off, then turned to Stellina. "Do something about that noise. But do not hurt her, or you will take her place."

Stellina bowed her head, then turned to Sigyn, who was still pounding on the glass.

[saintheartwing]

Breaking Dawn, Part Five: The Sapphire Serpents

Breaking Dawn, Part Five THE SAPPHIRE SERPENTS

The feminine Vortian nervously rubbed the back of her neck as Feyr handed her a cup of coffee, giving her a gentle pat on the hand as he did so. She was used to his "there-there" treatment...it was commonplace. All the prisoners had referred to him as a touchy-feely kind of being.

How odd that Irken society would produce one so tender and sweet. He enjoyed talking to them about their families, their friends. Personal stories, usually.

"So where were we last?" Feyr the Consular inquired, one invisible eyebrow arched up as he fingered the necklace as it hung over his chest, a glittering orb almost pulsing with life. "I think you were telling me about the time that your garage caught on fire."

"Oh, right, right." Halle nodded, leaning back in her chair, looking away from her interrogator and up at the ceiling. "I can remember the smell of smoke...that was what we first noticed. It made us turn our heads, glance out the window...somehow, under the burning hot Vortian sun, our garage had caught aflame. And then it EXPLODED."

She chuckled slightly. "It was quite the sight, lemme tell you. Smoky haze hung around for days, and grandma's ears were ringin'." She hesitated then, looking over in his direction as he smiled down at the orb on his necklace before glancing back to her. "But why do you always like talking about our family life? You never ask us about any secret sabotage plans, no plots to bring down your vile empire..."

"Frankly, I sympathize. The only thing the Irken Empire loves is itself, and that's quite unacceptable to us Consulars." Feyr told her, his fern-like antennae sweeping over his head as he sighed. "Absolutely unacceptable. But they'll never know our true goals. We have ruled their lives since they first looked upon us, but they'll never know. All it takes is one touch and we have control over the minds of others."

Halle giggled slightly, a bubbly, tingly feeling rising off her. Was...was the room spinning? She couldn't concentrate. It all seemed so...funny, she...she was shrinking. Getting smaller and smaller. Wow. Like...wow.

"You're probably asking why I'm telling you this...no, no." He stroked his chin. "You're asking if you're really shrinking, I think. And the answer is I put a special venom secreted from our all-powerful Entity into your coffee..."

"V-Venom? Like a snake's? Wh-what's...what's going on?" Halle giggled again, hiccupping slightly.

"I have been "setting you up" for quite some time. Sometimes it takes longer on others who have stronger wills, but in the end, you all shrink."

Feyr calmly waltzed over to her form, carefully plucking up her tiny, shrunken body, giving her a gentle pat on the head with a careful claw. "You see, little one...the minute you let me touch you all those days ago, your mind became an open book and I learned all I needed and reported it. You're not the first, and you won't be the last. You're in my coils now...and you're going on a trip."

Carefully, he held the tiny figure over his mouth, zipper-toothed maw opening wide. The inside of his mouth was a strange color, grayish-green, a sharp contrast against the pinkish teeth, though his gums were slightly greenish/pink. He tilted his head back, placing the shrunken Vortian on his tongue.

Halle had given up on resisting...it felt so natural...she trusted this gentle giant, and allowed herself to relax as he began to swallow, her feet being the first to enter. She slid into his throat, a a slight pull on her body as she straightened herself out, looking behind her at the world outside his mouth as her waist and chest entered his throat. The throat finally slurped her up, sliding down and depositing her squarely in his stomach.

She could feel a gentle hand rubbing the outside, and hear his psychic voice within her head, still quite tender and sweet. "Don't worry, there's no acids in there, and the saliva your body is coated with now will put you into a state of suspended animation until you're ready to come out." Feyr intoned as Halle looked down at her feet, seeing shimmering pink crystals rise, covering her, aiming to engulf her body.

"It'll all be over soon, little Vortian. Just wait...soon you'll be in your new home..." Feyr purred in pleasure, the little one crystallizing in his belly's pit as he licked his claws free of her taste. Quite good, yes. Not quite as good as Irken flesh, admittedly, but it had a distinct flavor to it...and to think, he had three more prisoners to interrogate today...

The Consulars took a sense of pride in giving new meaning to the term "I want you inside me"...

The city...of Philadelphia! Located fifteen miles from anything non life-threatening.

Ahhh, the quiet state of Pennsylvania...and a demon is on the loose.

The people...are terrified!

The police...BAFFLED!

This FIENDISH being strikes without warning! Without mercy!

With diabolical cleverness...

He draws mustaches on people's faces.

It could be you...it could be ME...

"But it happens to be ME!" GIR the robot said cheerily as he waved his marker in the air, calmly stepping away from a movie theater, every single poster now desecrated by black mustaches drawn on every living being within. Monster movie? Godzilla looks great with a handlebar. Cameron Diaz has a fine and thick brushy mustache.

GIR WOULD have drawn one on Michael Jordan's underwear AD located by the snack machine, but he thought the Hitler moustache he was rocking was embarrassing enough.

You see, ladies and gentlemen, GIR...could see as GODS DO. He knew things, understood things, that nobody else did. Didn'tcha, GIR?

"You're darn tootin' right!" GIR cheerfully exclaimed, nodding in agreement as he strode from the theater, putting one robotic hand over his chest, over the big red watch that constituted for his heart. "We all have our missions in life. We get into different ruts. Some are the cogs on the wheels..."

He then burst out giggling, bouncing back and forth. "And others are just plain NUTS!" He put a finger over his lip and bounced it over and over, going "Hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo" as he bounded back home.

He was momentarily distracted though, by seeing Dib peeking out at him from HIS house, via the window. Dib was looking through binoculars straight at GIR, one eyebrow raised.

"Nope. No ring on him yet." Dib murmured, seeing GIR wave and grin at him as he made his way down the sidewalk. He scratched his head, turning it to see a large billboard showing Poop Dawg, the head spokesdog-person-thing for Poop Cola, drinking a can of his signature drink and now sporting a "Robin Hood" style mustache. "GIR has WAAAAY too much free time." He mumbled, turning back to shake his head at Gaz as she played away on her GameSlaveX, the latest in the video game system series.

He poked his head back out the window to try and focus in on ZIM'S house this time, but before he could get out his binoculars, GIR promptly swung down on a pulley system he'd somehow erected atop of Dib's house, marker in hand, drawing a very large Bowler moustache on the kid's face.

"Oh she was an acrobat's daughter...she swung by her teeth from a noose! Then one matinee, her bridgework gave way and she flew through the air like a goose!" GIR sang out, promptly grabbing bounding through the window, jumping off Dib's head to land in his room and reach into his chest compartment, pulling out fifty bucks to Gaz and giving them to her.

"Thaaaanks." She said with a smile as she leapt back out through the window, heading for his home as Dib wiped his face off.

"Did GIR PAY you for the permission to draw on my face?" Dib reasoned.

"Whiner." Gaz muttered, rolling her eyes and heading downstairs, off to go make a "special stop". Dib raised his hand up.

"Gaz?"

"Just...don't." She insisted. She didn't want him to come. Didn't want him to talk about it. Didn't want him to even THINK about it. She calmly headed down the stairs, the ring around her finger pulsing slightly as she walked out the door.

Dib sighed and headed to his computer, which had booted up to the Intergalactic Net. He was pirating galactic web from Zim's house thanks to an upgrade his dad had so generously installed and was trying to check on the latest auctions for interstellar items. Mainly, technology he could use to help make Zim's life as difficult as possible.

Plus, he was waiting for a pair of special see-through goggles. X-Ray, Infrared, Radar...

Wait. What was this? Somebody was auctioning off an "Onslaught-Class" starship...and not just ANY Onslaught-Class starship...

Somebody was selling The Massive itself!

...

...

...

... "...they're gonna make this my fault." Senior told his charges as he slapped his gloved hand to his face, looking at the place where the Massive HAD been parked as Feyr examined the people chained to the nearby railing of the parking garage, Red and Purple shaking with anger, turning very, VERY pale with rage, antannae and lips a-quiver. "I just KNOW it."

"What kinda sick being steals a ship but doesn't even bother to let it's prisoners go free?" Jayd wished to know, his black eyes shimmering with concern as he glanced over at the prisoners Feyr was standing by.

"That's actually kind of amusing." Peech spoke up, chuckling slightly as her enormously thick orange jetpack jingled with her laughter. "My kind of thief!"

Sude, still QUITE untouchable or audible to any of the others save for Senior, carefully tiptoed behind Red and Purple as they turned around to glare at Senior, the draconic entity of Life raising his hands up and imitating a puppeteer, with the Tallests as his puppets.

"Funny or not...our SHIP is GONE! OUR ship! All because of your day off!" Red growled at them, pointing an accusing claw as Sude raised his "arm" rope, making a mocking frowny face. "You're going to pay DEARLY for this!"

"We'd make you do "The Electric Chair" but there's no stinkin' chairs around!" Purple added. "And who had access to the ship anyway? Huh?" He asked, putting his hands on his hips, Sude imitating him as Senior began to giggle. "Huh? Huh? Huh?"

"N-n-no-nobody-hee-hee-hee..." Senior giggled, bursting into laughter as he held his sides, the others looking at him like he was insane.

"What're YOU thinking about?" Red snapped.

"Oh just...puppets." Senior wheezed out, wiping a tear from his eye as Red's eyes glittered.

"Good idea. PUT ON A PUPPET SHOW FOR US." He demanded, slamming his fist into his palm as Senior gulped.

"Uh...puppet...show? Er...okay..." He gulped. "But I've not got any puppets."

"A PAK with no PUPPETS in it! SHAME!" Purple insisted, shaking his fist at Senior. "You get a PUMMELING!"

An instant later, tiny hammers popped up on springs from the communication officer's PAK, bonking him over the head as Senior fell to the ground, "ow-ing" and "ooh-ing" over and over.

"Wow, voice-activated pummeling system in every PAK, regulated only to the Tallest's voices? Nice." Sude admitted as Peech reached into a compartment in her jetpack, pulling out some studly-looking puppets as Jayd got out some of his own from his considerably large belt, joining Senior in the puppet show.

"Say, Zimma-diah, ya think there's any big ol' space worms in this cave?" Senior said in a country-hick-style voice, holding up two puppets of, ironically, Zim. One in a bad shirt, the other in a dress for some strange, strange reason. What sort of lunatic would take the time to make TWO kinds of Zim puppets, let alone one with a dress?

"I dunno, Zim-thro!" Senior squeaked out in a falsetto. "Let's take a look-OHMYGODASPACEWORM!" He cried out, Jayd going "nom-nom-nom" as he "ate" the puppets a few moments later, Red and Purple whooping it up. Anything involving anyone looking remotely like Zim getting hurt was funny to them.

Plus...puppets.

"I guess we'll have to move to the palace." Red supposed as Jayd and his boss then did a puppet rendition of "Tallest Grapa's Electrocution Incident". "It HAS been a while since we were able to just sit back and relax there."

"But we'd have to sleep in separate rooms!" Purple whined. "You KNOW I don't do well alone." He clung to Red then, purple eyes brimming with tears as he whined like a puppy.

"I've gotten you your favorite night liiiight..." Red said in a sing-song voice, patting Purple's head as he pulled out a big smiley face'd version of himself, which lit up and glowed with gentle light when you plugged it into the wall.

"Aww, you always know what I like." Purple cheerily remarked as Jayd struggled not to say it, but couldn't keep it in.

Don't do it, Jayd. Don't-

"The Ambiguously Gay Duoooo!" Jayd laughed out loud.

KRAKA-THROOOOOM! Lightning promptly zapped him from out of the clear sky above and he coughed slightly, wiping the soot off his body as Feyr unchained the last of the prisoners.

"Does that...happen often?" May Nar inquired as she looked over at Senior.

"...I wish I could say "no"." The communications officer admitted to her, frowning slightly. He was CERTAIN he'd seen her somewhere before, and not just on the news. It was like...he knew her. REALLY knew her. But how?

Jayd noticed a considerable scrape on the Vortian's leg, frowning slightly as he approached, gently kneeling by it. "Here, let me heal this." He insisted politely, placing one hand over it as the Vortian looked on in surprise. It was so strange...the tubes connected from his PAK to his gloves were now filling with a strange, multicolored cloud of tiny particles that passed from his glove over the wound, like a shimmering, gentle mist.

"Nanogenes." Jayd explained to the mystified Vortian. "Be it near-death or just a scratch, as long as I've gotten a template for a living organism integrated into my PAK's matrices, I can cure any being. Plus, everybody likes the tingle."

"It's true. They do." Purple said, rubbing the back of his neck and turning visibly red as he thought up a way for him to injure himself later in the day. Hey, he could stop ANYTIME he wanted!

"Might I be allowed to make an inspirational speech, sirs?" Senior requested politely as Red and Purple looked him over.

"...why not? This could be good for a laugh." Red mused, rubbing his chin as he raised an invisible eyebrow. Senior was ALWAYS making inspirational speeches to the workers on the massive: they were often grade-A cheesecake. So much so that they'd come up with a drinking game: take one shot every time he uses a tired, worn-out cliché. Purple whistled for several assistants to bring them alcohol and they sat down on the backs of several unfortunates who were being forced to be used as stools for the Tallest.

Senior cleared his throat, Dite rolling her eyes as he began. "I know all of you expect me to say I'll always be a brave and courageous and noble leader. That I'll be the perfect inspirational figure for you and the right sort of person to emulate. That I can protect you from anything that'll befall you here. That I can save everyone."

"DRINK!" Purple giggled, downing one beer.

Senior ignored them and his antennae lowered, drooping slightly as he held one hand over his chest, sighing slightly as the others looked on in surprise. "Well, that isn't going to happen, because your Senior is a weak, WEAK being. But...but I'm good enough to promise this."

He gestured at all of them, his kindly eyes looking out across the empty garage. "I will be there. I'll be afraid. Confused, even. But I WILL be here with all of you, experiencing everything you go through. If NOTHING else...I will try to be by your side, even if I can't protect you from everything that'll attempted to be stuck into yours."

None of them spoke, all of them quietly looking at him before Jayd quietly clapped his hands together, nodding at Senior. "I liked it, sir." He said.

"It was honest...if nothing else." Xeil admitted, pulling down her communication's garb face mask to smile slightly at her boss.

"Thanks for keeping the clichés low, sir." Dite grumbled.

"Your kind words are always helpful." Feyr agreed, a look of sympathy flashing across his face.

Peech nervously tugged around an imaginary necklace as she flashed a slight, fake grin. "Yeah, yeah, uh...real nice...real nice..." She trailed off, a guilty expression flickering across her face, orange eyes slowly gazing down to stop at the ground.

"Yeah, yeah, let's save sittin' around singing campfires and all that crap for some time when OUR SHIP ISN'T STOLEN. Come on!" Tallest Red yelled out, clapping his hands together. "We're headed to the palace!"

"Uh, yay?" The many workers on the Massive mumbled, Purple sighing as well. Evidently he LIKED sitting on communication assistant's backs.

"...there's an "Orange Julius" on the waaaaay!" Red mumbled, folding his arms and rolling his eyes.

"YAAAAAY!"

Sude's frown, however, made Senior lose his happy grin. "What is it?" He whispered as they headed down the street towards the palace of the Tallest.

"The Entity of Love, Jourmungdr, is...dangerous." The draconic being whispered back as they kept walking. "And I've been sensing his presence growing stronger and stronger every minute I've been on this planet. I think he's been here longest out of all the others!"

"But he's the Entity of LOVE. What's scary about that?" Senior inquired, looking skeptical as he tilted his perfectly-round head to the side, Feyr happily introducing May to the other prisoners from the Massive, chatting it up with them all.

"He/She's not simply motivated by love, but by the absence of love."

"But he's not Chulainn, right? He wouldn't KILL us or anything because we're not shiny-happy-people, right?" Senior inquired, becoming slightly pale.

"Oh, no...NO!" Sude laughed nervously, pausing for a few moments. "...yes."

"...okay, uh...er..." Senior gulped. "I'll think of something!"

...

...

...

...GIR was slightly confused that his master wasn't at home, but he didn't mind it TOO much. Plopping down in front of the television with a bag of chocolate-covered popcorn, he decided to waste the rest of the afternoon with his favorite television program, the "Scary Monkey Show".

There's really not much else to say about the show. Seriously.

"I LOVE this show." GIR decided for the eighteenth millionth time as he munched away at his popcorn bag, momentarily turning his head to in the kitchen: Torque Smacky was tied to the table and there was a bucket filled with some kind of hypnotic soup that Zim had been testing. He wanted to introduce it to the school's cafeteria, to get everyone to do his will, but unfortunately there was going to be nothing but hot dogs and corn chips for the next week. And then the week after it would be hot dogs and potato chips.

Zim would simply have to wait three weeks until he could disguise his new, evidently VERY successful stew as creamed corn, because apparently Torque thought he was Clodah Rogers, and kept singing.

"I'm...just...a...jack-in-the-box! I go wherever love knocks! I'm gonna jump up and down on my spring!" He kept singing out as GIR frowned slightly, eyes turning red.

"I'M A-TRYIN' TO WATCH MY SHOW!" He yelled. "Stupidhead!" He snapped, grabbing ahold of the nearby lamp and tossing it through the air. It sailed across the room and into the kitchen, whacking Torque on the head and making him realize exactly where he was.

"Wh-what the...GET ME OUTTA HERE!" He yelled out. "What have you done to me? What have you done?"

GIR frowned darkly and walked into the kitchen, getting out a hammer from the nearby drawer near the sink and hopping onto the table, holding it high.

"AAAAAA!"

THWUCKA-THRONK!

"Thanks, I needed that..." Torque grumbled out, slipping into unconsciousness as GIR, satisfied, ripped Torque off the table and tossed him out the window to land in the rose bushes, heading back for his TV show to see-

A robotic being standing there, holding a ring with a yellow glow to it.

"INTRUDER!" GIR growled out, eyes transforming back to red, his forehead popping open as several large cannons suspended on mechanical wires shot up from within, aiming squarely at the feminine being.

"Don't you want this ring? This...SHINY ring?"

"...yes, it SURE is shiny..." GIR mumbled, his eyes becoming a cheery blue once again as the guns retracted and he inched closer...closer...

"Does GIR WANT the shiny ring?"

"GIR wants shiny very much." GIR whispered as Miyu smiled, sweet like darkest poison, handing him the ring as he slipped it onto one of his tiny fingers.

"GIR...you have the ability to inspire great fear. Welcome to my corps." Miyu laughed coldly, golden-yellow light shooting up around GIR's body as he was transfigured before her eyes, golden plates sliding onto his arms, yellow "boots" appearing on his feet and his chest and arms changing from blue to shades of yellow as well as his eyes, which now were alit with keen artificial intelligence.

"Amazing...AMAZING." He whispered, looking over his body. "The power...UNLIMITED POWEEEERRRR!" He roared out, rising into the air on flashy yellow lightning, cackling madly. "I'm gonna blow stuff up now!" He added cheerily, popping out through the window and waving goodbye as Miyu chuckled darkly. Sure, he might be seen.

But if he was seen...he'd just kill. Problem solved. What she didn't know, though, was that another thought was popping inside of GIR's head...a desire to go visit Gazzy and show off, since she was such a favorite of the robots. He wanted to hold onto her, GIR decided. After he'd killed her brother and father, he'd make sure to keep her alive, and when she died, he'd put her beautiful eyes in a mason jar...

But meanwhile, not far away, a quiet, careful figure concentrated, whispering quietly as he too thought of that same purple-haired girl formed in his head. This sort of spell took careful concentration...

"Come on...I call you forth...I call you forth...I call you forth...I call you forth..." He murmured and murmured, carving into his body the necessary runes, dark blood dribbling down his arms and chest as he held his hands up high. "I call you forth...I CALL YOU FORTH..."

...

...

...

... "I couldn't think of anything!" Senior moaned, tugging down on his antennae as they made their way towards the palace. Indeed, it was a beautiful structure, shimmering silver in the middle of a beautiful sea of purplish ground. There were dozens of columns lining the front entrance with images of famous Irkens inscribed on the columns, the pillars of the past being the pillars that held the palace's high roof up.

Most noticeable of all, though, were the flags that flung from the top, high banners of varying colors by several spires. One was green, another white, the other blue...symbols of the grand philosophy of the Irken race: Sacrifice for the Empire, Faith in it's Leaders and the Ambitious Will to Survive and Succeed.

"I can FEEL him. He's IN here." Sude murmured into Senior's lack of ear, eyes widening. "Hiding...waiting...waiting to KILL!"

"Kill?" Senior gulped inside his head.

"Just bein' overly dramatic. Sounds better than "do nasty things"." Sude commented calmly as they strode inside the set of double doors, the Tallest snapping their "fingers" as a red carpet was rolled out for them, a white-labcoat-wearing scientist with blue eyes bowing as he knelt before the Tallest as they ascended to the stairs.

"It is ALWAYS a pleasure to have you come back, my all-powerful Tallest." Trivvik, aka Trik, Head Scientist of the Research and Development Department for the Irken Military insisted ashe gestured at the many other ornately-decorated scientists, cooks, servants and guards in the palace. "We're ready for whatever order you have to give."

"We wanna eat food. We just stopped at an Orange Julius but we want something very cheesy. I'm talkin' three heart attacks in one serving." Purple insisted.

"You heard the man!" Red snapped, clapping his hands. "THREE heart attacks!"

"One, two...five?" Trik inquired.

"THREE."

'Three." Trik whistled sharply and the chefs quickly zipped to the kitchens as Trik clasped his clawed hands together. "Anything else, sir?"

"We need our feet rubbed." Red added, he and Purple walking off as the many former inhabitants of the Massive looked at each other, Senior sighing.

"I suggest we all find rooms and get some rest." He told them all, stretching his arms wide as he watched Feyr sneak off with the prisoners in tow, eyes narrowing. "...follow him, right?"

"Hell to the yeah, I believe is the term." Sude murmured, Senior slinking after Feyr and the prisoners, down a hallway to see-

Gone. He'd just...vanished.

"Where the...?" Senior glanced left and right in the labyrinthine hallway. "Where is he?"

"Count the doors." Sude ordered immediately.

"...six, there's six-"

"SEVEN. Look in the corner...of...your...eye." Sude murmured as green eyes slowly turned...more...more...

There. A perception filter had kept it hidden, but there it was...a slight pinkish glow emanating from underneath, light curling it's claws beneath the door. Senior grit his teeth as he opened it up, and his eyes and mouth widened in shock.

"WHAT...THE...HELL?" He screamed out.

The room was an enormous structure with hundreds upon hundreds of crystallized coffins of some kind, containing various alien beings. Some were Irken, others Vortian, some Meekrob, or Screw-Head and some even humanoid in appearance. Real Earthlings? Here? On Irk?

And standing in the middle of the room, suspended in the air by a pinkish energy construct formed around it like a giant artist's drawing rigging, was an enormous cobra-esque being. It was looking around the top ring of crystallized prisoners, removing something glittering from it's mouth time and time again and popping them across the wall, the glittering gems expanding into crystal prisons as they embedded deep in the walls. It turned it's head, noticing their presence and nodded over in the direction of-

Feyr. He was there, with the prisoners...all of whom were crystallized. He removed one such tiny gem from his own mouth, putting it to the wall as it expanded to reveal a Vortian female. May was the only one not yet crystallized, she was clinging behind an enormous sapphire pillar, one of many that held the room up, her own pink eyes widening as Feyr turned, smiling at Senior.

"It appears the secret's out." Feyr mused, shrugging as his appearance began to shift and shimmer, changing into a vaguely dress-like outfit, complete with a tiara and gloves, all shades of pink and white. And, for some reason, a slate of chest armor that allowed his...BELLY BUTTON to be shown?

What in...HOW? Unless...he was a NATURAL Irken? What ELSE had he been hiding? As Senior looked upon Feyr, Sude shimmering into full visibility by him, the communications officer shivered. Why had he never seen the dark intensity lurking behind Feyr's eyes? This snake in the grass had been hiding for so long in his garden...why had he not known?

"Because you didn't want to." His inner voice whispered.

"Jourmungdr...it's been a long time." Sude spoke loudly as May inched over to Senior, instinctively preferring the Irken that WASN'T trying to turn her into a piece of wall art.

"Time has been kind to you, as it has to me. Too bad you didn't emerge sooner. I've been here on Irk for centuries with my children the Consulars." Jourmungdr said, in a voice half feminine, half masculine. It bowed it's hooded head, stars sparkling within the hood as the insignia of Love shone brightly atop the cloth hanging over his...her...forehead. "I am Jourmungdr, little host. Don't be astonished by my appearance or my ways. Once all of these beings have seen the light, they shall be found."

"What "light" is that?" Senior demanded to know, clenching his fist tightly and shaking it at the snake. "You're keeping them prisoner and...and what have you done to Feyr?"

"All of them are having he embers of Love reignited within them. Just like Will and Rage and Fear and the others, everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE...is capable of feeling love to a degree." Jourmungdr intoned, pulling one crystal off the wall as it grew in size, gently stroking an Irken cheek. "In the case of the Irkens, who threw away their ability to spread love with others, I am bringing back their body's ability to freely love."

"You're MUTATING Irkens..." Senior murmured, eyes widening as he stepped back in horror. "Forcing them to gain sexual organs for your needs?"

"Your definition of "mutation" is incorrect. Think of it as bringing back what once was. REPAIRING, if you will." Feyr explained. "At one point, we Irkens were hermaphroditic, we bred freely with any beings we wanted. Survival was all that mattered, and we didn't care who bore our children. We must return to the flesh, my Senior." Feyr told him, suddenly striding to his boss's face and caressing his cheek, sweetly smiling, every syllable dripping with tender poison. "Return to our old ways. Jourmungdr wants all beings to embrace love. You have it in you. I can see it."

For a brief moment, Senior felt a terrible, harsh pain in his chest. It was as if his heart literally had been punched. He found himself momentarily glancing over in the direction of Lard Nar's sister as she glanced at him, as if seeing something else in him. "I...I..."

"Within you is a great amount of love and compassion for your kind...and for other species. You come from a time when we were allies with others...your tolerance towards them allowed the seeds of love to spread. You would make a fine mate for HER, I'd imagine." Feyr mused, glancing back at May.

"I want you to leave her alone and let these people GO." Sude insisted. "You cannot FORCE love on others."

"Sude..." Jourmungdr sighed and shook his/her head. "If a being is in a crisis and refuses to acknowledge it...you know only outside intervention shall save them. I will be that intervention. Please...don't stand in my way."

"I don't have a choice." Sude growled, putting one clawed hand on Senior's chest. "Senior...time for you to say my Oath! It is time for you to accept my blessing fully, and rise in light with the power of the White Rose!"

...

...

...

...GIR had been in the middle of a snacking spree at the nearby Pet Store when he'd noticed Gaz sneaking through a nearby alley. Putting his face up to the window, he watched her scuttle across the street, heading into the nearby cemetery.

Wait. The cemetery? GIR frowned slightly, yellow eyes narrowing. "What is she...?"

He moved smoothly out of the pet store, following after her, intent on figuring out what she was up to, wiping his mouth free of blood and fur, eyes widening at the sight of her pulling her coat away. She was now fully in her armor, all red and black and concentrating.

"Come on...come ON!" She snarled as she stood before a gravestone, pointing her red ring at the grave as it shimmered brightly. "Bring her BACK!" She yelled. "BRING HER BACK!"

With that...it WORKED. A burning red fire shot forth as blood dribbled down from her mouth, and her eyes widened as the fire seeped into the ground...and her mother's skeletal form rose, holding a hand to her cheek. "Wh-what's...what's going on?" She murmured out. "GUAAAAHH!" She hit the ground, panting and heaving, dry-vomiting as she struggled to stand.

No skin...no muscles...no eyes, a faint red glow around her body, but...some hair left...and her voice. Her mother's voice.

"Amazing. A rotting sack of bones and tumors and all she can feel is love..." GIR whispered, hiding behind a tree some distance away, eyes widening in surprise as Gaz's ring began to form the flesh and hair for Gaz, her mother nervously looking around, one hand holding her head.

"Mom? Mom?" Gaz whispered, clinging to her mother and looking deep into her eyes. "Do you know where you are? Do you know who I am?"

"G-Gaz...Gazlene? Is...that you?" Peggy Membrane inquired, eyes widening at her daughter.

"Yes...YES." Gaz felt the tears come, but did nothing to halt them. Screw the laws of life and death. Fuck anybody who would dare to laugh at her weeping like a little girl. Gaz felt just fine. BETTER than fine. And more importantly...so was her mother.

"I...feel so...strange." Peggy murmured as GIR approached nervously, Gaz glancing over at him, pnot really caring about his new outfit. "I...I can't remember much." She mumbled.

"It's okay, take your time. This is a friend of mine. He came here to see you, RIGHT?" Gaz asked, glaring slightly over at GIR, who eagerly nodded.

"Your daughter's a FINE young lady." GIR said quickly, nodding enthusiastically as Peggy felt her daughter's cheek. "You were sick but she made you aaaaalll better."

"I...I don't think..." Peggy mumbled as she clutched her head. "This...I'm sorry, this..." Her eyes grew wide. "This isn't RIGHT." She gasped out. "What did you DO, Gazzy? I'M NOT RIGHT. What did you DO?" She demanded.

"I brought you back." Gaz said, confusion flickering in her eyes. "Mom, I SAVED you."

"You saved a SHELL of me, baby." Peggy whispered, taking Gaz's cheek, a mournful expression coming over her face. "This isn't the way things were meant to be. I'm so sorry...the truest part of me is already gone. And..." She shook her head slowly back and forth, her voice dropping in tone. "...and you know that...don't you?"

Gaz stared for a long time at her mother before she finally covered her face with her hands, closing her eyes. "I..." She whispered. "...I..."

With that...she was gone. GIR helped Gaz lower her mother's body back into the coffin as the Earth returned to normal and Gaz placed a single, tear-stained hand over the cold ground, GIR sitting nearby on his knees, a deep, mournful expression on his usually-jovial face.

"...your rage is subsiding over the form of the one who caused it."

"...I kept blaming Dad...I kept blaming Dib...and I kept blaming Mom. But...it was MY fault." Gaz whispered out. "...because I wasn't strong enough to just...let go. I..."

She gritted her teeth, the tears trickling down her cheeks as she sobbed. "I can't do this anymore. I...I just...I just wanna start over."

"Gazzy..." A familiar voice whispered. GIR and Gaz's head whipped in the direction of a fully-clothed, and VERY much alive form. There, purple hair flowing gently in the breeze was Peggy Membrane standing proud, hands clasped, a look of love on her maternal face. "Oh, Gazzy...you CAN start over."

[themsource]

Fransweek 2020 Day 6

Theme: Fairytale Rating: M TW: Parental Abuse Pairing: (Faerytale) FT Sans/Frisk Word Count: 8,165

This wanted to be more than a one shot so I apologize if it reads funny at all ^^; @fransweek​

Frisk was crying, her hands shaking and body numb.

A new purple bruise forming already on her arm, just above her elbow. Deep down she knew she’d probably deserved it, but it didn’t make the shock or sting any less.

She sniffled as she walked, her eyes staring at nothing as her thoughts roamed. Frisk didn’t have a destination in mind nor a goal, she just let her feet carry her aimlessly further and further from her house. She only wanted a break, a place to gather herself.

That’s when she saw it.

The trees parted ahead, a small trail of shorter grass among chest high fauna that led away into what looked like a brightly lit alcove.

Frisk stilled as she stared at it.

Had it always been there? How far had she wandered from the village?

She glanced back behind her and contemplated returning but loud shouting still echoed in her head. How seething rage made her ears ring had Frisk swallowing nervously.

Exploring a little longer wouldn’t hurt her.

What could go wrong?

Steeling her racing heart Frisk turned curiously to the path and pushed ahead, her eyes wide and observing as the fauna gradually grew contrasted and vibrant the longer she walked. Dulled greens shifted into brighter almost yellow shades and purples turned nearly cyan, the coloring giving an almost glass like effect that glimmered in the shaded light.

She stopped next to a plant that looked suspiciously like a sunflower, the petals giving a slight tingle to her fingertips as she lightly grazed the almost translucent edges.

She sucked in a breath as tiny tendrils wisped out and curled, almost latched onto her in a feather light caress. Blinking as she realized how bizarre that was she leapt back, hissing through her teeth as the tendrils seemingly dissolved at the loss of contact.

Frisk stood there dumbly staring at the seemingly innocent plant.

Shaking her head she decided to continue forward, her feet pressing into soft icy blue moss until she entered a wide open space.

Right away her eyes panned the perimeter.

There were tightly packed and thick trees forming a perfect circle that even a sheet of parchment would struggle to slip through, the only entrance or exit she could perceive being the path she’d taken, and not a single blade of grass appeared uneven in length.

It was calming.

Taking a hesitant step forward her eyes slipped down to a small pond perfectly situated towards the center but fading off into the treeline. Its crystal clear water, so pure that she could see the bottom swarming with plentiful fish and ivy, shimmered hypnotically beneath the small rays of light that pierced the trees canopy overhead.

But that wasn’t what had her attention..

It was a ring of mushrooms.

Pure gold and in perfect formation it sat precisely center and in front of the water’s edge, no other plants or weeds to be seen in the clearing aside from it.

As if entranced Frisk walked slowly closer, pausing as she noticed the grass at its center glimmered with a rainbow tinted light, refracted colors both alluring and mesmerizing dancing across the space big enough that she could lay in it with no problem.

It did look inviting, the perfect circle comforting to gaze at as if it was a golden wall against anyone that would try to harm her.

The thought of stepping in for a nap briefly flitted across her mind.

Her brows furrowed at how quickly she’d contemplated such a thing.

She...didn’t feel too safe suddenly looking at it.

The circle was so otherworldly and strange it gave her a sense of cautious foreboding.

She glanced around the beautiful expanse one last time before deciding she’d seen enough. If her gut was telling her this area was a red flag she wasn’t about to ignore it.

Frisk was about to turn and leave when—

“H u m a n,” Frisk froze in place, her heart starting to hammer like it wanted to burst from her chest.

She had been alone she was sure of it...human?

The voice spoke again, it’s cadence slow and almost amused sounding. “don’t you know how to greet a new pal?”

Pal?

“turn around and shake my hand.” Slowly Frisk turned, ringing in her ears as her eyes locked on who had called out to her in a baritone so low she could feel it’s vibration practically in her chest.

She had to bite her tongue to keep from gasping in shock.

It was a skeleton, wearing a sapphire blue cloak with a skeletal hand outstretched, thick phalanges gently curled and, somehow, palm cupped welcomingly. Where eyes would be floated two orbs of white light, faintly bobbing as they locked on her, with a benign grin of wide and pure white teeth.

Despite how friendly and inviting his demeanor looked Frisk noticed his expression seemed disturbingly detached.

Another red flag.

Frisk’s eyes drifted down to the hand he held out.

His hand wasn’t reaching out pass the ring of mushrooms he stood in.

Her expression shifted. Hadn’t she heard a legend about mushrooms before? Magic circles given form through nature as a way to warn mortals?

She swallowed.

“I uh…don’t want to be rude but…I don’t want to?” Her words hung in the air between them, his expression slowly changing as his grin stretched and his hand dropped by his side.

He let out a lighthearted chuckle.

“smart kid, the handshake routine rarely works but it’s <em>always</em> funny when it does.” Frisk felt the tension leave the air and couldn’t help how she instantly relaxed. The skeleton’s whole persona had flipped like a coin at her rejection, he appeared so casual and easy going.

Like he’d just tried to play a joke on an old friend.

She let out a hesitant smile.

“I’m Frisk…nice to meet you.” The monster raised a skeletal brow, his smile remaining on his face as he observed her silently. The time he took to look at her seemed to stretch to the point Frisk squirmed in place and the intensity he’d been directing at her softened.

He let out a snort. “i’m sans. sans the skeleton.”

Frisk and Sans continued to watch each other, the lights in his skeletal sockets brightening curiously as he tilted his skull. She was an odd child to him. He’d never seen a human with eyes the color of sunlight before.

It was such a unique feature.

“never seen a human with yellow eyes before.” He commented.

“Never seen a talking skeleton before.” Frisk responded absently.

Sans snorted as he contemplated her, Frisk taking in the situation with a puzzled glance. He wasn’t advancing, making any kind of move to get closer to her from where he sat cross legged and slouching.

He was at least a good inch from the ring’s edge closest to her and that allowed her to conclude that so long as she didn’t cross into the ring of mushrooms she was safe, from what she still questioned.

No one in the village ever elaborated as to why they warned about the rings. No matter how hard she thought about it she couldn’t recall much in the way of conversation about the whole thing.

Was it Sans?

She supposed he looked intimidating, being a skeleton.

She took a sharp breath as she pulled her knees into her chest. Noticing the way his orbs of light followed the movement.

He certainly was fixated on her though.

“What are you?” Her voice came out slightly raspy.

Her question hung in the air as Sans flickered his gaze up to her eyes, his sockets lidding as his grin stretched.

Frisk couldn’t see the humor behind it.

Something about the way he looked at her was guarded, shaped to give a sense of security and shrewdness like a mask. “i’m a seelie.”

Frisk blinked. “A what?”

Sans’s skull flexed, both of his eyebrows raising at her humorously but his carefully constructed expression remained firmly in place. When he spoke his tone was light, curious.

“you don’t know who the seelie are?” How she shook her head had Sans eyeing her suspiciously. Frisk looked at least sixteen, well past the age that she should’ve been told the legends of his race.

Had humanity fallen that out of touch with them already?

“well,” He started as he looked away briefly before looking back at her with a sneaky grin. “i’m a fairy you could say. a fae.” Frisk raised a brow this time.

“I don’t see any wings on your back, and you’re a bit big. Thought you said you were a skeleton.” Sans’s sockets creased along the bottoms as he responded in a lackadaisical tone.

“i’m a special type, i’m winging it honestly.” Her expression went closed at first before slowly slipping into measured amusement. It didn’t escape his notice that she almost looked afraid of laughing, cautious of offending him.

Smart girl.

“W-was that a pun?” Frisk asked as she tried to cover her mouth. Sans closed both his sockets full of smug brevity. “dunno, did you find it punny?”

Frisk broke into laughter, unable to hold it back and Sans found himself grinning widely.

He liked this human.

“seelies are beings responsible for the magic in your world, the unexplained.” Frisk’s laughter petered out and she looked at him in confusion.

“The unexplained?” Sans lazily gestured around them and all it took was a quick trace of her eyes along the grove for her to understand. Her cheeks turned red as she faced him again.

“Wow, I didn’t know Fae made such beautiful things.” His smile strained, and Frisk tensed at the slight growl in his words. “not all fae do.”

“All?” She questioned.

Sans’s face was dark, and his tone dropped. “we’re not the same as the unseelie, the dark fae…not exactly.”

How did she not know this?

Frisk felt her heart race as she swallowed thickly.

“What do you mean dark Fae?” Sans’s eyelights? shrunk slightly and his tone was carefully schooled as he looked at her neutrally.

He hadn’t meant to venture onto this topic but it was too late now.

“we seelie seek out humans to bring to our realm to help with our queens longevity, to strengthen our magical ties to the veil between our realms by unlocking the latent magic of your souls.” Frisk’s eyes widened.

“You turn us into Seelie?” Sans’s eyelights pulsed with something akin to humor.

“do you know what mages are?” She nodded her head and Sans was relieved he didn’t have to explain that to her. Why he was doing this in the first place he didn’t question.

“well that’s what you become. in turn for gaining magical abilities the cost is the world from which you come and your mortal lifespans. our world enables you to live as long as a seelie, and that gives the queen more life herself due to the increase in the potent magic. we have a fair give and take.”

Sans decided not to mention the cloisters.

“the unseelie…like to consume souls and steal bodies.”

Frisk felt her skin go clammy.That was something she hadn’t been aware of, something that could happen and no one would be the wiser. It terrified her, but she wanted to know. It didn’t escape her how Sans’s tone lowered though, became almost gentle.

“unseelie at their best just like some fun usually at the expense of others, however that’s rare. they believe that by increasing their own magic themselves they can support the balance of our worlds on their own merits. instead of drawing magic from it’s natural place they make it to where they can unnaturally produce and draw it from themselves. consuming a human soul makes that possible.”

They consumed human souls?

“How?” Sans’s expression didn’t shift but his eyelights dimmed as he took in her reaction.

“your spirit and wills are strong enough to rival our magic when on equal footing. fusing the two together, a human soul with a monster makes…a freak of nature.” Sans’s smile went tired.

“our method, giving humans our magic is more of an evolution for your species not a senseless genocide where one has to sacrifice for the other. plus ours can be…reversed. if ever a mage were to leave our realm for too long their ties to magic would fade, and gradually they’d begin to age again.”

Frisk was silent and Sans wondered if she would be able to take everything he’d told her. It was a lot to tell a child, and it was more than possible that she was now scared of him.

But all Frisk did was smile at him.

“I’m glad you’re a seelie.” Sans, confused, lowered his mask back into place. If she were an adult, an educated one, he doubted she’d be saying that. But still he had to know what her reasoning was.

It was unexpected, even unnerving, how relieved she sounded.

“why do you say that?”

“Because I wouldn’t want to be scared of my new friend.”

Sans was speechless.

He’d explained the nature of his race and it’s counterpart, told her how his basically kidnaps and steals away their mortal rights, and yet she was still saying something so pure and honest that it hit him right where his soul rested.

She didn’t even know him.

They had just met.

But Frisk so quickly trusted him. Considered him a friend, even when that was a dangerous decision she perhaps shouldn’t make.

Seelie and Unseelie were different yes, but it was still a fine line between them that could blur. One easily crossed often on accident.

It made him wonder if she considered them friends so quickly from ignorance, though she looked old enough to know better,...or loneliness.

Was that what had lured her to his grove?

Her honey colored eyes were glowing as she looked at him, and he couldn’t help how his soul thrummed under its gaze. However his eyelights quickly locked on an ugly purple mark on her arm the moment she shifted in place.

His sockets widened.

It was then that Sans realized it was loneliness, that this little girl had never been loved before.

And that woke, unsettled, something in him.

“...i’m glad you’re not scared of me either frisk.” How radiant her joyful laugh lit up her face and echoed around the clearing left him mute.

The surrounding light dimmed and faint darkness fell like a blanket over them and he peered up to see the budding horizon of the night sky fading in through the groves canopy.

Sans looked back to Frisk who had followed his gaze and he was speaking before he could think about it too hard.

“it’s late, you should get home. don’t want to get lost do you?” The slight wince on her face nearly made him inwardly frown but he remained outwardly expressionless.

“I don’t really want to.” He forced a smirk.

“sorry kid, but a growing human needs rest.” He held his hand out from where he sat. “going to say goodbye?”

Frisk looked ready to reach forward, automatic politeness guiding her but pulled back at the last second, her eyes narrowing and nose wiggling in a look of incredulousness. “Hey!”

Sans chuckled and gave a lazy shrug.

“seelie i did there did you?” Frisk let out a scoff as she stood and wiped the grass from her clothes. Shyly she looked up at him and Sans cocked another brow inquisitively.

“Can I come visit again?” He didn’t know how to respond so he said, “sure kid.”

His eyelights didn’t leave her until she vanished back through the concealment barrier to the grove, his mind wondering just what he’d gotten himself into, and his thoughts drawn to the golden eyed girl with fascination.

Oh well, maybe she wouldn’t come back after she let what he’d told her register.

Sans was proven wrong the moment he felt a disturbance in his magic the next day.

“hey kid. back so soon?” he held his hand out habitually and her deadpan nearly had him chuckling.

“So I passed my classes.” He tilted his skull as his hand lowered back into the confines of his cloak.

“that’s good, which ones?” It shocked him how easily he fell into the conversation. Such a mundane topic when compared to his Seelie knowledge but engaging in how Frisk so eagerly spoke about her rather boring day.

She looked so happy to have someone listening.

It made his soul shiver unpleasantly, in a way he wasn’t familiar with and caused his skeletal brows to furrow. He pushed it down and focused instead on how Frisk’s hands moved so quickly in her excitement, the small limbs emphasizing her words.

“Math and English are my favorite subjects.” Frisk exclaimed with a toothy smile as her hands wrung.

“english huh? my brother likes that subject.” Right away he saw the silent question in her eyes and Frisk perked up as he started to go on a long and drawn out spiel.

He looked so animated and expressive as he playfully joked and told her embarrassing stories.

She’d always wanted a sibling.

And she wondered what that would’ve been like.

“Wow Papyrus sounds like so much fun.” Frisk’s voice came out hushed.

Sans’s sockets crinkled with genuine happiness through his mask, and his voice was brimming with affection that it made Frisk blush.

“ya, he’s the coolest.” She smiled at the clear love in the skeleton fae’s sockets but then she noticed the moment his eyelights brightened, his smile turning mischievous.

“you could meet him y’know.” Her chest warmed at the prospect.

“I could?” Sans closed one socket and held his hand out.

It made Frisk deadpan. “Let me guess I’d only have to take your hand?”

He closed both sockets and didn’t reply. His smug silence was answer enough.

Frisk tried not to let her disappointment show, instead she blew out her cheeks and rested her chin on her knees in a pout, earning a silent snicker from the skeleton.

The kid was cute.

~~

Her visits became a daily thing, three days turned into a week, a week into four, and soon Sans started coming to the gate ahead of her. Waiting patiently but not long until her brunette hair peaked from the path with excited strides.

Sans didn’t know why he kept interacting with her just as Frisk didn’t know why the grove called to her each morning like a siren song.

And each time he’d offer a hand, each time she’d turn him down.

Frisk’s eyes though never failed to glow with her joy at his presence and his eyelights always expanded happily in his sockets.

It was as if he gave her the moon each time he showed up to greet her. And he felt his soul start to give a pitiful flutter of platonic affection each time she went right into telling him how her day went.

There were times however where Frisk wouldn’t begin talking right away and Sans, deeply perturbed, a tiny spark of rage boiling in his chest he didn’t want to look too hard at, would grant them both mercy and talk to her about his realm and the magic there.

Entertain her with fanciful tales and stories.

A lot he made up, but Frisk always stared at him with admiration nonetheless, latched onto the tales like a plant craving the smallest drop of water. She loved how he took her awe in stride, made his stories more exaggerated or wild just to see what he could get away with.

But as with all beings who started to care for each other…

The questions came.

“hey frisk?” He tried.

“Yes?”

“where did you get that mark today?”

She didn’t answer him, only pulled her sleeve or pant leg a little lower to hide whichever one he could be referring to. And she, scared that if he knew how bad she often was to deserve such things, worried that he’d abandon her, and so changed the subject to a question he’d often answered before about magic.

He grudgingly let her, silently wondered when she’d break.

And one night it happened.

Frisk had never gone to the grove at night before, she’d never had a reason to.

But that night had been…bad.

She usually sought out Sans’s company after such episodes, a few jokes and his usual attempts to lure her away to his world somehow always made her feel better, but tonight she just wanted to be alone.

But not.

Honestly she didn’t know if Seelie needed sleep but if they did she was willing to at least be in the same place as where her friend always met her. Frisk knew the grove wasn’t his actual home, but to her it’s all she knew him to have.

And that was enough.

It wasn’t a surprise when she found the ring of mushrooms he usually occupied empty. A group of fireflies tracing along the back of it and into the far off trees.

The sight of it though relaxed her and she fell into her habitual spot with a muted crunching of grass. Her honey colored eyes locking onto the Seelie gate with fondness.

She was a bit let down even though she’d known better.

Frisk let out a dejected sigh and slowly fell sideways, her knees pulling up to her chest as she let out a shiver in the slightly chilled air. It was a cool night, fall wasn’t that far off.

Would Sans still be able to visit once winter hit?

His explanation on the summer and winter courts hadn’t really informed her of that.

Her eyes had started to drift closed in her musings.

“frisk?”

She jolted awake and sat up, her eyes automatically honing in on the ring before frowning.

It was still empty.

She blinked the tiredness from her eyes, when had she fallen asleep? And carefully looked around before pulling up short in surprise.

Sans was a few feet from her, looking at her curiously.

He was outside the circle?

“Sans?” In disbelief she pushed to her feet and froze.

He was tiny, came up to about the top of her hip.

Her brows furrowed.

Frisk was certain he was taller than this, he gave the impression that he was a good five foot at least. Though she’d never seen him standing before the way he typically sat gave her the impression.

His skull tilted in question. “what are you doing out so late?”

“Why are you small?” She couldn’t help asking. Sans let out a snort.

“i’m in your realm, not enough active magic here for me to be at full height.” Oddly she understood what he meant by that. Then it occurred to her…could Sans take her now that he wasn’t bound by the gate?

Was that a bad thing?

The impulsive thought scared her.

She took a cautious step back, tried to be subtle so as not to be rude but Sans caught it. His eyelights snapped to her feet before going back up to her face.

It was so weird to see him craning his vertebra to look up at her but strangely adorable.

“easy kiddo, i can’t take you anywhere right now. it’s only possible during the day, and i can’t just pick you up and go.” His smile was patient and reassuring.

“Why not?” Sans’s smile only turned even friendlier as he heard the uncertainty in her tone.

“remember the veil i mentioned? it’s like a magic curtain between our worlds. during the day it’s weakest on this side of it; meaning no seelie from the seelie realm can roam or exit through the gates but yet others can enter from this side. at night, it’s reversed. you as a human can’t pass through but any other seelie can leave if they choose.” Sans looked thoughtful for a moment before shrugging.

“as for why i can’t just pick you up and go, even if the sun were to rise well…that’s one of the rules of intent with magic. if you were to unwillingly pass through, my realm wouldn’t be able to…lock….you into place there. unless you consumed our food or something.” As a side thought he held his arms out and shrugged. “plus obvious height differences heh.”

Frisk looked confused as she ruminated on his words.

Sans was slightly worried she wouldn’t understand, but there wasn’t a simpler way to explain it without having an inherent touch with magic.

Still she surprised him as she so often did.

“Magic needs an anchor basically?” His socket’s widened and crinkled at the corners. He looked so proud Frisk couldn’t keep the blush from her face as he nodded. “more or less.”

Then something Sans would call realization flashed in her eyes and his expression went wide with shock as she suddenly bent down and pulled him up into an unexpected hug, her thicker arms wrapping him in a vice that made him let out a strained grunt as a blue blush flared across his skull.

“f-frisk!”

“You’re so cute all tiny Sans!” She gushed as she spun with him on the spot. Sans went to protest, not really one for casual physical contact but went still as a statue as he felt something wet fall onto the crown of his head.

Frisk didn’t give him room to pull back, her soft cheek pressed into the side of his jaw and left socket as something dangerously close to a sniffle vibrated from her chest.

His tone was abnormally soft. “what are you doing out so late kiddo?”

Of course she didn’t answer him but he let her hold him for as long as she needed. When she finally gave him room and let him back down her tears were gone but her eyes were bloodshot, smile as bright as usual and eyes happy.

“Want to see my village?”

He’d seen it countless times already.

“sure.”

~~

Sans and Frisk both grew closer; his nightly roaming visits spent strolling beside her through the quiet of her village, her free hours in the day put towards visiting him within the grove where he was forcibly bound to stay.

They made each other’s lives more interesting, exchanging puns and jokes while steadily learning the cultures and life of the other.

It was something Sans knew wasn’t supposed to happen.

Humans and Seelie weren’t meant to be friends like they had become. But every time he contemplated leaving for good, abandoning her, he found himself unable to. There was something about the honey colored eyed girl that drew him to her.

Only made him more insistent on trying to kidnap her back to his world.

It left a bitter taste in his mouth that she stubbornly never took the delicate step he needed from her. Even on the worst of days when she’d show up exhausted and on the verge of what his kind called falling down.

The day he finally called her out on it, had addressed it directly Frisk had simply responded as if they’d talked about it countless times before.

“you don’t have to put up with that you know. all you have to do is take my hand and you’d never have to worry about them hurting you again.” His soul twisted as she gave him a weak smile.

“You say your brother thinks of you as lazy but you really do work hard at your job.” Sans bit his tongue. Prevented the unspoken words in his head from slipping out and showing a vulnerability he didn’t wish the kid to see as he simultaneously discovered it himself.

you’re not a job to me.

The topic didn’t come back up.

~~

The day came when he had to go on an assignment the queen had given him; it was to take no more than a week, a quick in and out of the Unseelie realm to monitor the dark fae for signs of treasonous activity.

But he worried.

Sans was good at being undetectable, it was going to be an all-around easy task.

Still it didn’t prevent the regret he felt at the withdrawal in Frisk’s eyes, the ache he felt in his chest at the sight of her smile falling into a frown when he told her.

Frisk didn’t want him to go, just the idea of him not being there made her feel hollow.

And he’d honestly thought she’d protest, ask him to stay. But instead she’d merely whispered, “Only a week right?”

He…was proud of her. How in stride she took the news. It was going to be the longest they’d gone without seeing each other since they’d first met but she held her head up and kept her heart hopeful.

His masked smile turned genuine in the way only she so often could make it.

“that’s right, i’ll even come straight here when i’m finished.”

Frisk’s eyes lit up and it made his soul swell.

She could manage seven days, she was sure of it.

All it took was her nod of acceptance before he vanished, the urge to end this task quickly burning in his skull.

Sans managed the job in three days.

A Seelie of his word the first thing he did was return to the grove once he left the Unseelie realm, his intentions to reassure his little human before dropping his report back to the Queen.

When he rose from the gate however the sight that greeted him made his soul freeze in his ribs.

The grove…was wilder, more tangled and unkempt. A blatant passage of time and his absence scarred across it.

And instead of the anticipated human child he’d grown fond of to meet him sat a woman, humming as she twisted some flowers she had gathered beside her into a delicate crown in her callused hands.

Sans’s eyelights nearly went out.

He hadn’t intended on having to deal with a human to collect, in fact it irritated him.

Sans had wanted to see Frisk.

With resolve he took a deep steadying breath and put on his practiced grin. He’d simply capture them and then return quickly before he had the chance to be missed.

“H u m a n,” The female predictably jolted. “don’t you know how to greet a new pal?”

She whipped around and timed slowed as his sockets shot wide, honey colored eyes landing on him and sending an almost crippling pulse of recognition through his magical leylines.

Only one human he’d ever known had that unique distortion.

Sans’s voice was shaky as he spoke.

“…frisk?”

Tears immediately ran down her cheeks as she smiled at him.

He didn’t know what to think or say, all he could do was pan her form, take in old scars he recognized on her knees and wrists. Silently acknowledged that she had matured in ways typical to a young human adult in her prime.

The little girl he knew was gone, and in her place was a kind and startlingly attractive woman.

His soul withered even as it heated up violently in his chest.

“One more day, I can wait one more day I said.” Sans was frozen as she turned to fully face him, pulled her now long and elegant legs up into the familiar bend as she rested her chin atop them just as she had in her youth. “Welcome back Sans, I missed you.”

He felt his magic curl, caused a shiver through his bones as he swallowed and rasped thickly, “how long?”

“Three years.” Sans came to learn a day in the Unseelie realm wasn’t so liner as the human world and his realm were. He couldn’t think of what to say to her. Frisk though only continued to smile and did what she so often did, had only done a few days ago to him, and went on about how her day had gone.

How the last three years of her life had gone.

It made Sans acknowledge a harsh reality, and in his panic he interrupted her.

“come back with me.”

Frisk startled, her eyes wide but mouth closed in a firm line.

They both appraised each other like it was the first time they’d met all over again. Sans taking in how exactly she’d changed, Frisk noticing how he was exactly the same.

He didn’t want to risk losing her, never seeing her again if he was called to serve once more. She didn’t want to miss out on what life could offer her now that she was free from what she’d gone through as a child.

Frisk’s answer was like a blow straight to his soul.

“No.”

Sans kept his gaze unreadable as she explained her reasonings, all perfectly understandable and valid for a mortal he acknowledged bitterly, and for the first time he couldn’t bring himself to stay near the human he’d grown so attached to.

To not feel so unreasonably angry at her rejection.

He left.

Frisk stared in shock at the empty ring, more tears now full of hurt and pain poured out, and she felt so awful at what she’d told him.

But she waited just as she had done before.

And when Sans returned, unable to stay away for long, they’d both continued as if nothing had happened.

~~

His attempts became more ridiculous and endearing the more he tried and failed to lure her back with him as time passed. Frisk found it cute how much he wanted so badly to pull the wool over her eyes, almost hilarious how he worked so hard at it sometimes.

“Are you going to get promoted or something if you ever succeed at this?” She teased.

“nah, better.” Sans winked playfully. “i’ll get to keep you.”

Her cheeks flushed crimson just as his lit up brilliant cyan at the accidental flirt. They purposefully ignored it, not realizing how both their souls had given a firm thrum in tandem.

It wasn’t hard to quietly admit to themselves that they had fallen for each other the more their blushes grew, the more awkward their chuckling became, and how a certain mood lit up the grove each time they met.

But then--their happiness was threatened.

“Sans!”

His soul shook, somehow heard the echo of Frisk’s pained cry and sent a bolt of panic through his ribs as he shortcut to the gate from where he’d been with barely a thought. Just managed to peer into her realm as Frisk came running frantically into the grove, and witnessed her feet, bare and cut, giving out and forcing her to fall but a few feet from him.

He didn’t get time to question what was happening.

Sans’s soul was pounding like a drum in his chest, sweat beading on his forehead as he heard the cries of what was unmistakably an Unseelie making their way to her, the bloodcurdling screeching and demented laughter causing nausea to take hold of him as it passed the grove’s barrier.

Frisk was weak as she tried to push to her feet, her muscles strained beyond exhaustion.

Sans tried to phase outside the ring, struggled to concentrate his magic to break out into her realm but was forcefully refused as he let out a snarl of contempt.

He knew deep down that there would be consequences for their relationship. What decent Unseelie wouldn’t be able to smell the magic of his grove on her being? This had been what he’d feared from the get go other than the imposing laws of his people.

Attachment.

He was more shocked that it had taken this long for the inevitable to happen than the fact it was happening now of all times, with the sun high in the sky and the veil strong and resistant.

Sans could see the Unseelie coming for Frisk, the sick fae having taken her form in a demented play of mental torture. Naturally curled auburn locks turned stringy and greased threads that covered a face born of disgust and hatred. Leaking black socks with crimson eyes and manic grin stretched grotesquely in glee.

His sockets were wide as he fell to his knees.

If he was outside, if it was night he’d be small and limited but he’d still have enough magic to repel the creature. But he wasn’t and it was coming in fast.

Sans couldn’t let it take Frisk, if it did she…there were worse fates than death for humans in the Unseelie realm.

Time turned to an agonizing crawl as he locked his pained gaze on the woman he cared about.

Frisk had said she wanted to die in the human world among her kind.

...Never wanted to give up her mortality...

Sans was at a crossroads.

Down one path was honoring her wishes…but he’d lose her sooner than they both deserved or worse. The other path…was to risk her becoming bitter towards him for the blatant manipulation he’d be forced to use.

The chance she’d never forgive him for taking away her choice on how she wished to live and die.

His sockets flickered up to the blood stained grin of the corrupted fae, it’s eyes full of malicious intent and all he could think about was how she wouldn’t have a life at all if he didn’t act.

Sans made a choice as he offered out his hand to her.

Frisk glanced up and he could see the realization in her eyes as she reached the same conclusions he had a moment before only there was a silent debate in her golden depths, a struggling to find another way.

And that was what killed him the most.

Down to his bones Sans was a Seelie, full of the potential for corruption and cruel disregard that their dark counter parts thrived in. Sans was willing to use whatever method it took to convince Frisk to give into his selfishness, to alleviate his own fear without thought to any alternatives.

And that part of him burned with a smoldering fury as he embraced the anguish he’d have to cause her.

“frisk take my hand! please!”

He watched her hesitate, witnessed the Unseelie draw closer, and finally said the one thing he knew would break her, the image of her for barely a second overlapped by the young girl he’d met almost a lifetime ago that had opened his soul to emotions and concepts outside of what his race had taught him.

The little girl that had once so foolishly and easily trusted him.

“i love you…”

It came out barely a whisper so low it shouldn’t even have been heard under the thundering steps and screeching of the beast encroaching. But the sheer amount of honest emotion behind it and the way his face crumbled was enough for Frisk to catch it, feel the declaration innately down to her core.

The kind and ultimately selfless woman he knew her to be overrode the selfish side of her that wanted more than anything to live a normal life, one that had been so cruelly denied her by the ones that should have loved and cherished her above everything.

The way Sans had when she’d been nothing but alone and neglected.

He watched as the love he knew she had for him won out and without a thought her hand slid into his. Victorious and thrilled, desperate and terrified Sans managed to pull her in just as the Unseelie lunged for her and missed.

Sans cradled Frisk close to him as she passed out, his eyelight flaring threateningly as the Unseelie froze before the gate with a look so condemning and enraged he couldn’t help but to chuckle darkly at it.

“sup buddy? something slip through your fingers?” The Unseelie roared but Sans was gone before it could finish.

~~

Sans was dutiful and patient as he brushed the hair from Frisk’s forehead, her shut eyes fluttering as she subconsciously leaned into his touch.

Her hair was softer than he’d imagined, finer. And the way her skin felt beneath his phalanges nearly made a rumble form in his chest. He didn’t want to stop touching her, it was almost unreal that she was here with him now.

In his home, his bed.

With a sigh he brought the cup of water to her lips and lifted her head slightly as he fed it to her.

It made a confusing mixture of smugness and sorrow coil in his proverbial gut to watch her drink it. To know he was essentially taking another decision from her by offering her Seelie nourishment as she slept.

The only loophole that allowed humans to leave sealed to her.

But she needed the energy to recover and he allowed the weak reasoning to act as a foundation to his justification.

Frisk looked so dehydrated and tired.

How long had that Unseelie chased her before she made it to him?

“Brother.” Papyrus’s quiet tone drew his attention and right away he knew something was up with how his younger brother’s sockets creased along the bottoms, a hesitance that wasn’t normal resting in them. “Undyne’s here.”

Sans looked down at Frisk a moment before pushing to his feet. “i’ll be back bro.”

~~

“She’s a human Sans! You can’t just keep her!” Undyne shouted incredulously. “She belongs in the cloister with the others! A free roaming mage could be dangerous!”

Sans ignored her as he looked to their Queen, the King beside her scowling disapprovingly. Undyne had a point but that didn’t mean Sans had to acknowledge it. It was nothing but a possibility, a what if, and he knew Frisk.

She wasn’t like that. Maybe once he would’ve agreed but not now.

Toriel’s ethereal moon speckled eyes locked with his midnight dark sockets.

He was not going to let Frisk be squirreled away to an isolated place of stone and cold shouldered mages.

Forced to repeat her trauma in an entirely new light.

This fiercely determined woman who had remained kind and trusting despite her circumstances, who he’d just stolen everything from deserved so much more than that.

His soul wouldn’t allow it.

“every seelie is granted the right to a condition free wish from birth.” The silence was long before their queen spoke, the stares of all other Seelie present in the court boring into his spine with resentment and confusion.

“Are you sure Sans? A Seelie may only request this once.”

Sans didn’t answer, he didn’t have to.

Toriel simply nodded.

“Very well then, the human known as Frisk is yours. Just remember, she is still bound to the same rules as the others, she can never leave and any fallout from this wish is yours to bear alone.”

Sans had never felt so satisfied as he did shooting a smug glance to the passing guard before shortcuting.

The satisfaction didn’t last long.

He hadn’t expected Frisk to be awake when he got back.

~~

Frisk was so happy she’d finally met Papyrus, he was everything Sans had ever told her and more. His smile did light up a room, made you want to cheer up even when you felt like the world was on your back.

But she wasn’t so thrilled to see where she was, numbly accepted Papyrus’s reassurances and allowed him to seat her and place a plate of food in front of her.

Frisk didn’t want to be rude but...

Sans watched Frisk hesitate, her hands shaking nervously. It made him feel low, so low because he knew what she was thinking about, what she was trying to do.

“frisk.” She looked up shyly and stilled as she took in Sans’s downcast glaze, the look was enough to fill her growing dread with dark confirmation.

The guilt radiated off of him and she felt her throat go dry as his normally deep baritone came out even deeper.

“i had to feed you…while you were unconscious.”

She didn’t respond and it was enough to make Sans look up to see her golden eyes focused on the spaghetti in front of her. Papyrus even looked sad as he ate but he didn’t say anything. Tried to offer them a meek privacy as he downed a glass of milk.

Slowly and numbly Frisk picked up her fork, and the resignation in her expression as she twirled the noodles and slipped them into her mouth killed Sans a little inside. He couldn’t bring himself to look anywhere but his plate.

A faint touch made him tremble.

His eyelights snapped up and looked over to see her free hand gripping his across the table. He glanced at her cautiously but she kept her vision steadily locked on the food.

Frisk gave his hand a soft but firm squeeze.

His soul wanted to break as he returned it and hesitantly laced his fingers with hers.

A blush just as vibrant as the first one she’d ever given him broke across her face and that was enough to reassure him. Sans had begun to eat again when Frisk finally spared him a glance. Her smile weak but there.

Frisk’s love for him hadn’t changed.

And Frisk...

She supposed…at least she had him and that was enough.

~~

It was later, a few nights after she’d been told everything that Sans found her sitting on the front steps of their home. The glow from the red moon turning her golden eyes rosy as she stared up at it with a hard to gauge expression.

He hadn’t taken but a few steps when she spoke up, her words halting him and coming out shy.

“Did you mean it?”

Sans narrowed his sockets and looked down at his feet. “yeah.”

Frisk didn’t say anything so Sans took the initiative and walked forward to sit next to her, his cloak falling and engulfing his form as he looked up at the moon next to her. He felt a pit of anxiety in his ribs, a sorrow at how everything had gone down for her to end up here but not an ounce of regret.

He jolted but quickly stilled at the feeling of Frisk leaning against him.

She felt melancholic. A bit disappointed but still she let out a weak chuckle.

“You couldn’t have said you loved me before I almost ended up kidnapped?” Despite himself Sans smiled.

“nah, that would’ve been what normal people do.” Frisk tilted her head over to him curiously.

“I’m not normal?” She sounded so vulnerable and fragile that Sans sucked in a harsh breath. Gently he raised a hand and ran his phalanges through her hair, the feeling so much more satisfying than it’d been when he was small in her world and did it the first time.

“you’re special frisk. at least to me, i wouldn’t trade you for anything.” Frisk looked down and closed her eyes, enjoyed the soothing petting of her head as she let out a thoughtful hum. Slowly she pulled back and stared at him in a way that left Sans’s soul beating furiously into his bones.

“Kiss me?”

His sockets went wide, his eyelights swelling in size that they nearly took up the dark voids they rested in. He swallowed around nothing and cupped her face, his hands exceedingly gentle as he smiled with all the affection he had for her.

“i love you.” He repeated, this time long and low with his passion. Frisk’s cheeks turned scarlet and her pale lips curved into a heartfelt smile as her hands came up to cover his.

“I love you too.” Slowly Sans leaned in, gave her time to pull back if she wanted and hesitated only a moment more before pressing his mouth to hers, The bony ridges that lined his teeth folding down like lips to lock with her soft and supple ones.

Frisk’s eyes slid closed as a burst of heat shot down to her toes and suddenly she yelped into the kiss as gravity left her. Still holding contact her eyes widened as she glanced down to see they were floating, a beguiling bright glow coming from beneath Sans’s cloak that fluttered around them from the night air.

Sans chuckled from the surprise he felt rolling off of her and pulled her more securely against him before letting the kiss break, his forehead touching hers as his bright eyelights hazed and wobbled precariously.

“sorry, could say you really swept me off my feet.” Frisk snorted with a playful roll of her eyes.

“An eternity of puns, oh no, whatever will I do?” He pressed his teeth in a chaste kiss to her forehead.

“just go with the float.” Frisk chuckled and the both of them looked up at the moon. Perfect contentment and healing already settling in their souls as they held each other.

[peculiaridealist]

Trouble In Paradise (Literally)

Chapter 3: Reign

“Maggie!” She all but exclaimed when she saw the shorter woman.

“Kara!” Maggie exclaimed as well and made her way towards Kara. “Have you found your necklace?”

Kara nodded far too quickly that she felt a bit dizzy but she paid no mind to it. She focused on the task at hand itself. “I did but, nevermind that. I need to tell you something important.”

“Shoot.” Maggie said and focused her attention towards the blonde as the latter laid the key points of their plan.

After Kara’s explanation, there was a glint of excitement within Maggie’s eyes as she grinned. “Let’s do this.”

Kara grinned at the short woman before an attendant arrived and whisked her away for her scheduled therapy.

After Kara had her conversation with Maggie, the three of them didn’t get the chance to spend some time together anymore that day. They were assigned to some individual activities- which was odd for the blonde because it was the first time they did it- that took their time and made them busy. The hours passed in a blur and before they knew it, it was already dinner. They then regrouped at their usual table. They all shared a knowing look and gave each other a subtle nod before they start to dig in their dinner.

“May I have everyone’s attention, please?” The head of the attendants spoke and all attention were turned towards him, even the trio’s. When he was satisfied that he got everyone’s attention, he continued.

“Once in a blue moon, one of our residents have been so receptive to what we offer that she’s ready to rejoin her loved ones sooner… than expected.” He announced. “Let us all congratulate our very own… Lena Luthor. She would be brought back to her family tonight after dinner.”

The claps of their fellow residents were dulled as Kara felt like she was plunged deep underwater. Her blood ran cold and the color was drained on her face at what she had just heard. She looked at her friends and they both mirrored her expression.

No. Kara thought. This is far too much to be a coincidence.

“A toast, everyone. To Lena.” The head attendant raised his champagne flute and nodded at their direction- or more precisely, toward Lena’s direction.

A chorus of “to Lena” was heard all over the garden as they all took a sip of their drink- though it wasn’t champagne like the attendants have, of course. Lena gave them a smile but Kara saw how one of her eyes twitch as she stood up and made her way towards the comfort room, nodding politely at those who congratulated her.

“Mags…” Kara quietly called out to the shorter woman as she looked at her. Maggie turned towards the blonde and she looked as baffled as Kara herself.

“Go.” Maggie whispered and it was all Kara needed to drink the contents of her cup without actually swallowing it and followed Lena.

When she got inside the comfort room, she immediately spat the drink that was in her mouth on the sink and Lena was immediately at her side, tucking her hair so that it doesn’t get wet with the drink and her spit. After she got rid of it all, she engulfed Lena in a tight hug which the brunette returned without missing a beat.

“Kara… Kara, listen to me, okay?” The brunette partially detached herself from the blonde as she cupped Kara’s face and looked directly at Kara’s sapphire orbs. “You and Maggie are going to take that boat. It’s yours now, you hear me?”

“But how will I find you?” Kara asked as she stared back at Lena’s emerald ones.

Lena pondered for a moment before taking something out of her pocket. The brunette then grabbed Kara’s hand and placed a dark purple that was bordering black glittering rock at her palm.

Kara gasped at how beautiful the rock looked though she couldn’t help but stare at the rock with confusion. “What is this?”

“It’s something that I made myself. Show this to my secretary and tell her that I sent you.” Lena answered softly, a small smile gracing her lips. “You promise we’ll all be together again, right?”

I promise I’ll find you. “I promise.”

Lena rested her forehead on Kara’s for a second before leaning in close to give a soft and delicate kiss on Kara’s lips. Kara closed her eyes as she savored the feel of Lena’s soft lips and before Kara knew it, Lena already pulled away. It was too short for Kara’s liking but at the same time, it was sweet and it made her heart flutter and it made her breath fast. She knew right then and there that she was feeling something for Lena that definitely isn’t platonic. It was something more and she found it quite unfair that it was only short lived. Just when she had figured things out, Lena was already being snatched away from her and it broke her heart to millions of pieces.

“I’ll see you there, okay?” Lena asked while she caressed Kara’s hair down to her cheek, sounding hopeful and Kara found herself nodding almost automatically. There was then a loud knock- or a banging, rather- which startled both women and making them jump and look at the door’s direction.

“Lena, it’s time to go.” An attendant announced.

“Yeah, uh… I’m coming. Just a sec.” Lena informed the attendant and turned her gaze back towards the blonde. Kara did the same. She could see the longing in the brunette’s eyes and she can’t help but to pull Lena again for one last hug.

“Be safe.” Lena whispered and Kara let herself cry. Let herself to show weakness in front of the brunette. She realized that this could probably be the last time she could ever get to hold Lena like this. She could promise to find the brunette, but there wasn’t any certainty that she would even be able to reach Lena with a ten foot pole given who Lena’s family actually were and who Lena actually is. Lena was- is a CEO of a multi-billionaire company while she was just a journalist who’s slightly obsessed with art. The outside world is far different from the ones that they currently have in this small island.

The hug lasted for a few more seconds before Lena reluctantly pulled away, wiping Kara’s tears as she gave the blonde one last kiss on the forehead and made her way towards the door. The brunette casted one last melancholic glance at the blonde before finally exiting the premises and Kara slowly slumped on the floor, biting her lower lip to prevent ant noise coming from her as she cried.

It wasn’t long then when someone entered the room in a hurry and a retching sound could be heard but Kara couldn’t find herself to care as she stared blankly at the floor, letting her tears fall freely. All she could think of was Lena and how stupid she was not to realize that she was already falling for the brunette. Kara cursed herself internally for being too focused with James that she didn’t even bother to check her other emotions. It’s not like she and James were still even together anymore.

She knew she had been spacing out, or more likely that she was too engrossed with her own thoughts, because the next thing she knew was that there were arms that were wrapped around her and she could hear a sniff coming from beside her. She turned her head and she wasn’t surprised to find Maggie on her side.

Though Maggie’s expression was more schooled than hers was, Kara could still see the devastation dancing in her glossy eyes.

“We’ll find her. I know we will. Everything will be fine.” Maggie whispered softly, trying to reassure the blonde.

Kara just nodded silently as she held onto Maggie like the shorter woman was her last lifeline. Like she was afraid that if she let go, Maggie would also be taken away from her and Kara was beyond terrified at the thought.

**

Bed time came and she found herself wide awake. No grogginess. No lulling her to sleep. Nothing.

“So, Lena was right about them drugging us every night.” Kara uttered softly, knowing fully well that, if the retching sound and the spitting back at the comfort room was any indication, her roommate was just as awake as she was even though she was facing the other side.

Maggie huffed an air of what seemed to be amusement. “Lena’s a genius. Of course, she was right.”

Kara smiled sadly at the thought of Lena but she decided not to wallow in sorrow and focus on how to get out of the facility or the island itself to be precise. The sooner she gets out of here, the sooner she will be able to find Lena.

“You think we can really escape this place?” Kara asked with uncertainty as she turned to face Maggie.

The shorter woman gave her a reassuring smile as she nodded solemnly. “Of course, we can. All you need to have is faith, Kara. Now… are you ready?”

“Alright.” The blonde breathed out a sigh as she returned Maggie’s smile. “I guess I’m ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Let’s go.”

They both sprung up from their mattresses quietly and started to sneak out of their room. When they saw that the hallway was clear, they moved swiftly towards the direction of the main entrance. They treaded carefully because it was quite dark. There were lights but they were dimmed and only little of the moon’s light entered the facility through its glass doors and windows.

Just when they were about to turn in a corner, someone grabbed them which made them scream but only muffled sounds came when someone clamped a hand on their mouth.

“Shh! Hey, hey. It’s me!” A familiar voice tried to shush their screams and when Kara adjusted her focus on the person in question, her eyes widened in recognition when she saw that it was Winslow, the attendant. He then slowly took his hand away from their mouth when they have seemed to calm down.

“Winslow… what are you- I mean, a-are you here to turn us in?” Kara stammered in fear and she pleaded. “Please don’t.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t and I’m not here to turn you two in.” He reassured her. “And you can just call me Winn.”

“Alright, Winn.” Maggie eyed the attendant warily. “Why did you stop us?”

“Because if I didn’t, you two would be in a big trouble. There’s a camera right around the corner.” Winn explained. “If security catches you, then that’s it. You’re done.”

“Why are you helping us?” Kara couldn’t help but ask the young attendant.

Winn just then gave her an apologetic smile before answering. “I told you. I don’t trust the way they run this facility.”

“And how exactly do they run this facility?” It was Maggie’s turn to ask and the answer Winn gave them made Kara feel sick.

“A bit of drugging and lots of brainwashing.”

“Fucking hell…” Maggie cursed under her breath. “I knew it.”

“You should go back to your rooms for now. It’s too late to do something about the cameras.” Winn uttered. “Also, my partner’s about to patrol this area and there would also be another pair on your rooms so you should really hurry back to your rooms. I’ll do something about those cameras tomorrow and then both of you will be good to go.”

“How can we know that we can trust you?” Maggie asked again, still skeptic.

“If I wanted you to be caught, you both wouldn’t be standing here anymore. You just have to have faith, Miss Sawyer.” Winn answered, his smile never faltering and Kara remembered that Maggie just told her the exact same thing earlier. “Now go.”

As if on cue, they heard footsteps coming their way and Maggie immediately sprinted back to their rooms with the blonde following behind. As she was about to reach the entrance of their designated room, Kara knew that the attendants were already about to round the corner of their hallway and she tripped and fell. Of all the instances for her to be a klutz, she really picked the very wrong time. Maggie on the other hand had already opened their door and was beckoning for her to hurry up.

For someone so short, she could definitely run so fast. Kara managed to joke on her head despite the situation she was in.

Maggie ran back towards her and tried to help her but Kara stopped her.

“Drop.” Kara whispered urgently as she slumped on the ground and Maggie followed suit without hesitation just in time before the attendants had fully rounded on their hallway.

“What are they doing here?” One of them asked in suspicion.

Kara’s palms went clammy and her heart was pounding loudly as the two attendants approached. It was so loud she feared that the pair that was approaching them could hear her heart.

“The sedative’s sometimes slow.” The second one informed the first. “It must’ve hit them when they were on their way to the bathroom.”

“Should we take them to the processing room?”

“No. It’s not their time, yet.”

Kara felt arms behind her knees and across her shoulders and she was slowly lifted up. She could feel the attendant moving- walking- towards somewhere that she could only assume to be their room and after an agonizing minute, she felt the soft material of her mattress on her back and the sound of a closing door. She risked a peek at the said door and let out a sigh of relief when they were indeed left alone to themselves again.

“Well that was eventful.” Maggie commented.

“It was totally my fault.” Kara said, taking the blame. “If I had just been very careful-“

“Hey.” Maggie cut her off. “Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

“Just let me feel bad about it, Mags.”

Maggie huffed. “Fine. But, you know what? I’m betting everything I have that the processing room is where they do the brainwashing.”

“Your guess is just as good as mine.” The blonde muttered then she covered her face with her pillow to muffle her groan. “I’m really getting out of here.”

Maggie then chuckled softly. “I’ll be right behind you, Zor-El.”

**

“Do I really have to watch that crappy video again?” Kara couldn’t help but to roll her eyes at the attendants that were escorting her to a room which she frequented and had called it “the room of disgust” by now. All they played was Mike’s video every other day and on loop so, yeah. What’s not to disgust?

The attendants ignored Kara’s question (as usual) as the fumbled on the projector and busied themselves in preparing the video.

“Ugh.” Kara made a sound of disgust and rolled her eyes again. “Rude much?”

When they were done, Kara prepared herself for another half an hour Mike consisting video loop.

If you all think that what you’re doing is ingraining in my mind, well you all are wrong. Joke’s on you idiots.

Kara was ready but what they played wasn’t the one she expected. This one she can say was an extremely low blow and a look of shock painted her face. Then her shock slowly turned into sorrow and, eventually, anger.

Tears threatened to escape her eyes as she glared menacingly at the attendants. “Are you fucking with me right now?! Turn it off!”

Kara wasn’t a huge fan of cursing but she couldn’t care any less as to what vile words were spilling out of her mouth. She tried to stand but a firm hand was planted on her shoulders, keeping her on her seat. Now, even though she was already practically screaming in anger, the attendants kept ignoring her as the compiled video played again and again and again, constantly going on loop.

Kara was still glaring daggers at the attendants but she couldn’t help but hear her family’s voice, their laughter accompanied by hers on screen and when she casted her gaze upon the projected video, she saw her mother’s smile as her thirteen year-old version was skipping across their living room. Her father was nowhere to be found on the screen but he was there. He was the one filming the video. They were really happy. Kara remembered that specific day… because that was the day before the death of her parents. The facility also got ahold of the news clip where its headline was the tragedy where a drunken truck driver had rammed a car which consisted of a family. A mother, a father, and their only daughter who turned out to be the only sole survivor of the crash… and that was her and her family.

When the video of the funeral came, Kara can’t keep the tears from falling anymore as she remembered the pain of losing them. The pain of knowing that she won’t be able to see, touch or hold them again. And the pain of knowing that she would be left alone. Every emotion was stirred inside of her and this was too much for her.

After one more loop, the attendants stopped playing the video and as soon as it stopped, Kara stood and shoved them.

“What the fuck is wrong with you people?!” She bellowed. “Isn’t it enough that you’re keeping us here and imprisoned?!”

“Miss Zor-El, we suggest that you calm down.” One of the attendants calmly stated.

“Calm?” Kara let out a humorless laugh. “You expect me to be calm after that? Well guess what? Fuck you and your facility! This place is a lie and I’m not gonna let myself stay here any longer!”

Before the attendants could even stop her, Kara already rushed out of the room as she wiped her tears furiously. She didn’t need to look behind her to know that the attendants were trailing behind her so she started to sprint.

“Miss Zor-El, stop!” An attendant demanded but the blonde didn’t bother to turn around and had just blatantly ignored him.

Kara did successfully got out of the building but was immediately cornered by half a dozen of attendants as soon as she had stepped a few feet away from the entrance. She tried to run past them but she found it impossible. She could dodge one but then another blocks her path. The attendants flanking Kara had grabbed both of her arms and Kara thrashed with all her might and screamed in protest when they started to drag her somewhere.

“Please stop resisting, Miss Zor-El.” One of the attendants pleaded halfheartedly. “We don’t want to hurt you.”

Kara, being a stubborn one, unheeded the attendant’s plea and continued thrashing. When they passed the gardens, she heard a scream.

“Kara! What are you going to do to her?!” Maggie screamed at the attendants as she made her way towards the blonde, only for her way to be blocked by a pair of attendants that was stopping her from getting closer to Kara. “Let her go!”

“Maggie!” Kara called out in desperation as she was dragged away from Maggie when she caught sight of another familiar face.

“Winn! Please help me!” She called out to the young attendant who was looking at her with regret and he slowly averted his gaze away from the blonde.

Kara’s rage was even more intensified as she saw that there was nothing she could do and no one would be able to help her but her rage wasn’t enough to escape the grasp of the attendants that were flanking her. Even though she knew by now that she had no chance of escaping them, she still continued to thrash wildly just to make it hard for them. She was eventually led to the room where she had woken up to on her first day on the island. The blonde was pushed towards the bed and was forced to sit on it then they left her there all alone and locked from the outside. Again, she was in the very same room feeling lost… and now, hopeless.

There she uttered a silent apology to Maggie. If she hadn’t been so brash a while ago, this would never have happened... or that’s what she would like to think. She blamed herself for acting so irrational. Yes, her act was and could be justified but still, it was totally uncalled for especially when they have a plan that she could’ve jeopardized because of her acts. More importantly, she apologized silently to Lena. It might take her a bit longer to find the brunette. Long enough for her to think that Kara might have forgotten about her and her promise… and that was part of what Kara was afraid of.

A few minutes- or possibly hours, she couldn’t really tell- later, the door opened and there were a pair of attendants who entered the room. They strode across the room, wordlessly placing a plate and a cup, which Kara assumed was her meal, on the side table and left. The blonde glared at the door where they just entered and exited a few seconds ago then averted her glare towards the meal they served. She kicked the table, causing for the drink o spill a bit then there was a screech from the speaker which made her cover her ears, wincing at the pain where the sound made.

“Why won’t you touch your meal, little one?” Reign’s voice, much to her surprise, filled the room. “Don’t make this anymore harder for you.”

“To hell with you all.” Kara was seething in anger but she was restraining herself. She won’t give them the satisfaction that they were already getting on her last nerve.

“My, my. Such temper. You know, Kara, the more you resist, the longer you stay here.” Reign stated. “You wouldn’t want that, would you? Do as you are told and we will let you join your loved ones sooner.”

There was another painful screech, which made her wince again, and Kara knew that her conversation with Reign was over. She then sighed as she downed the contents of the cup and just lay on the bed. The blonde thought that she might as well just sleep on this whole ordeal. It’s not like she had been given much of a choice anyway.

Kara stared at the ceiling for a couple of minutes, waiting for the drug to kick in and when it did, her eyelids drooped slowly and she had let herself succumb to sleep.

**

“Kara dearest.” A tall and beautiful woman with brown eyes - which could definitely rival Lena’s beauty, much as she hates to admit it- who was sitting near at the edge of the pond while reading a book stood and greeted the blonde with a warm smile as soon as she arrived at a part of the garden near the pond. Kara would definitely bet a hundred bucks that the pond was artificial no matter how “natural” it looked like. And why was there a mirror situated between two chairs?

“How are you adjusting?” The woman asked with genuine curiosity.

“Great. I’ve always wanted to go to a place where you can just relax and meditate so this is kinda like a dream come true.” Kara answered, tone dripping with sarcasm.

Though it didn’t go unnoticed, the woman just sat back and looked at Kara with what seems to be concern. “Well, I certainly hope we can change that for you.”

“Please sit and face the mirror.” Her attendant spoke behind her.

She was confused as to why she needed to face the mirror. Was it really necessary? Maybe it was. This was a therapy session after all.

“Please sit down.” The attendant repeated again, stepping forward as if he was about to force her to but the woman, though she still had a smile plastered on her face, gave him a cold glare which made him stop in his tracks. Even Kara had the chills when she saw the woman’s expression and this reminded her of a wolf. Just absolutely terrifying but beautiful.

The woman jerked her head, a signal which he immediately understood. He gave her a nod and stepped back at a respectable distance from Kara and the latter just stared at the woman. She can’t seem to tear her gaze away from those brown eyes. In truth, she was in awe how one second those eyes were full of warmth then voided and cold the next and she decided that she didn’t want to be the receiving end of it.

“Kara, I know that you think that this isn’t the place for you and you may be right.” The woman said when she turned her attention back towards the blonde. “But I’m asking you to please cooperate with-“

“With you and your ridiculously weird attendants?” Kara interjected, cutting off whatever it was that the woman was about to say. “Reign, you know that there is nothing wrong with me!”

The woman’s mouth slightly hanged open in surprise at Kara’s raised voice but not too long when a smile was formed on her lips and huffed out of amusement. Reign then patted the seat in front of her which this time Kara obliged and sat on it without any protest.

“We are our best when we are truly ourselves. Can we agree on that?” Reign asked.

“I suppose.” Kara answered.

“Mirror therapy is about owning your story. It’s about remembering what makes you, well… you. Only the things that you would know.” There was a long pause and when Reign was sure that Kara wasn’t going to give her input, she continued. “Tell yourself a story of who you really truly are.”

“Wait… You want me to talk to myself?” Kara asked in disbelief.

Reign shrugged. “Well, you don’t seem to enjoy talking to me.”

“Touché.” Kara muttered though if this was a different circumstance, she might enjoy Reign’s company and how the way the woman speaks. Not to mention that she is also gorgeous and- Kara assumes- smart, say in the business and medical field. But sadly, this wasn’t a different circumstance.

“How about this…” The woman gave her a pat on the knee. “I’ll ask you a question and answer only if you want to, okay?”

Kara thought about it and this option was definitely much better than being forced to answer and talk about anything and everything private or not so she just gave Reign a shrug and the woman gave her another smile, obviously satisfied.

Kara jolted awake when she heard the door open abruptly and her gaze landed on a pair of attendants entering the room which made her sit immediately.

“Good morning, Miss Zor-El.” One of them greeted her.

She was about to ask when will she be able to get out of this godforsaken room when the two grabbed both of her arms and dragged her out.

“What are you doing? Where are you taking me?!” She alarmingly asked as she thrashed violently in hopes of escaping their grasps which was, of course, futile.

“Ow!” She yelped in pain when the attendants tightened their grip on her arms. “Let me go!”

As always- and Kara had already been expecting it- the attendants ignored her and just dragged her to wherever the hell they were dragging her. The path they were taking her was actually familiar to the blonde and it was enough for her to stop struggling as her heart pounded really hard.

They have reached a double door made of glass with some sort of, what Kara could only assume (because to assume is what she could only do best here) to be, gold on its edges and shoved Kara inside the room and left her alone.

Then when she looked around, it hit her. The room was what Kara had remembered. It was still the same since the first time- and what she had hoped to be the last which apparently isn’t- that she had been there and she couldn’t be mistaken. Where is now is, indeed, Reign’s office.

Inside was spacious and a really good view of the sea could be seen in its wide glass window. A couch was situated at the center of the room and a mini table in front of it. Though there was a bookshelf at one corner, there were still stacks of books found on one of the tables as well as documents and papers but what captured her attention the most was the video, which seemed to be a live footage that was playing on the wide screen TV on the wall near the office table.

Kara’s eyes widened in surprise and her breath hitched when she saw Lena on the screen standing on a podium and giving some sort of speech about her company’s recent development and there was a man standing beside her but Kara couldn’t care any less about the man. Her focus was solely on Lena and how fascinating the brunette still was even on screen.

When Lena’s speech ended, there was a close-up shot of her. This made Kara smile a bit as she unconsciously lifted an arm to reach out for the brunette’s face, only to find out by the time that her hand had landed on the screen, much to her shock, the brunette kissed the man beside her. Everything was like a slow motion as Kara saw how happy Lena looked and all Kara could do was to look down and let out a silent sob. She couldn’t let herself watch any longer without hurting herself.

To say that she was hurt might have probably been an understatement. She was feeling a whole lot of it. She couldn’t believe what she had just seen. Kara felt like her insides were turned upside down and her heart was being clenched tightly, making it hard to breathe.

Hurt… Jealousy… Envy… Remorse… These pretty much sums up everything that Kara was feeling right now.

She was hurt by how fast Lena had gotten over her when the brunette just left a couple of days ago. She felt jealous and envy of the man that made Lena happy when it should be her who makes the brunette happy. Remorse because she should have never taken Lena for granted.

She cursed herself internally. Of course, Lena would find someone new or, if not new, someone who has been waiting for her all along. It’s not like she had shown any interest towards the brunette before and Lena probably thought that the kiss meant nothing but a parting gesture from her.

Just when she had turned her focus back on the screen, someone grabbed her by the shoulder and though it was just gentle, she was still taken by surprise which made her jump and whirl around as she accidentally backhanded the one who had just grabbed her, making the person crash on a desk. When she had realized whom she had just hit, her shock was doubled.

She had just hit Reign.

Kara was rooted on her spot when she saw spots of blood on the broken mirror that was on the desk. Apparently that was where the woman had landed.

Reign stood up and slowly turned to face Kara properly, and Kara swore that there was a flash of anger that dawned on Reign’s face before it had quickly disappeared. “Well, that was an interesting way to welcome someone.”

“I- I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.” Kara stuttered as her heart was beating wildly.

“I’m sure you didn’t.” Reign said in her all soothing voice as she grabbed her handkerchief and dabbed on her bleeding temple that was probably cut by the mirror’s broken shards. Reign then took a stride behind the desk and sat on her chair as she started to stack some papers.

“Now, I’d like to know, Kara. Do you still think this place is a lie? That we can’t, let’s just say, cure you? Look at your friend.” Reign turned to look at the screen where the brunette was being featured. “The treatment seems to be rather effective. What do you think?”

Kara silently stared at Reign, seemingly unable to find the proper words to say. It was like she was placed under a spell that made her rambling persona disappear or made her lose her voice.

When Reign hadn’t pulled a response out of the blonde, she nodded thoughtfully.

“I think her family will be very, very pleased with themselves and, of course, with us- oh!” Reign then raised a finger and had the expression like she had just remembered something and she briefly pointed at Kara. “I almost forgot. I think you’ve got to see this…” She then grabbed a pen and a piece of paper and started to scribble something down. “This… is what Mike and your aunt paid to make sure that you, my dear, would be reformed. Not to mention that they want it to happen as soon as possible, say… two months.”

Kara was still silent as her gaze never left the founder of the facility and she was growing more and more anxious the longer she was standing there, wondering just how much did Mike had really spent. And would a treatment really work within just two months?

When Reign was done writing, which only took her just a few seconds, she ripped the paper and showed it to Kara which made the blonde gasp. The zeroes made Kara’s head spin.

Looking like she was satisfied by Kara’s reaction, she proceeded to query the blonde. “Do you think they would pay this much for a treatment that doesn’t work?”

Kara still couldn’t wrap her head around the information that she was currently getting out of the facility’s founder herself. More importantly, was her aunt really that desperate to get her to marry that sociopath?

“Understand this, Kara. The treatment that we give here is real. You’re just a…” Reign closed her eyes for a moment and shook her head as she crumpled the paper that she held. “… prickly little pear… and now, you’re done.”

Kara’s brows furrowed in confusion and she had somehow found her voice to speak again. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, we’re nearly finished with you, Kara.” Reign informed the blonde as she properly stacked some papers and picked a pen, she then had gestured on the surroundings. “By tomorrow, you’ll be able to leave here forever.”

“Tomorrow?” Kara asked in disbelief as she walked in front of the desk, placing her hands on its edge and looked at Reign in bewilderment.

Reign’s brow shot up as she looked at Kara in what seemed like incredulous and amused. “Frankly, I thought you’d be happier. I was under the impression you couldn’t wait to go.”

And she was. But this didn’t make any sense to her and it made her gears turn. Yes, Kara was really itching to leave this place but, she had only been here for a month and a half and she was sure of it for she had been counting the days since she had been sent here.

Unless…

“How long have I been asleep?” Kara asked as she waited for Reign’s answer in bated breath.

“How long have you been asleep…” Reign’s voice dropped as she muttered to herself and started to count. It didn’t take her long to finish counting when she snapped her fingers. “Oh! Two weeks.”

Kara’s breath hitched and she was stunned by this information and her knees had gone weak that she ended up sitting on the chair that was propped to be for the guests or inquirers. How they managed to keep her asleep that long, she didn’t dare to ask for she already knew what the answer was. Just thinking about the dose of sedative drug they gave her already made her shiver.

Reign was humming to herself as she was writing something down and when she noticed that Kara was still there, she stopped and turned her attention again on the blonde. She looked at Kara for a brief moment before she spoke. “Run along now, little bug.” Reign slowly leaned towards Kara and whispered as if conspiratorially. “Your friend already misses you.”

Giving the blonde a sweet smile- Kara could feel the sarcasm emanating from it though, which was a first- she went back to writing and Kara didn’t need to be told twice and bolted right out of the room to find Maggie.

**

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Maggie asked the blonde.

“Yes!” Kara answered almost immediately.

“They said that you went nuts. That you broke their projector that’s why they quarantined you for the sake of our fellow residents.” Maggie frowned and her brows were furrowed. “Was it true?”

“What?! That’s not-“ Kara groaned in frustration as she ran her fingers to her hair. “You know what? Forget about that. Can we go back to Lena? Look… Maggie, the Lena that I saw on TV wasn’t the Lena that said goodbye to us. I know that they did something to her and I’m not gonna sit here and wait for them to do the same to me.”

Maggie slowly shook her head as if unable to comprehend what Kara was trying to say. “I’m getting confused, Kara. I understand the whole Lena thing but, what do you mean that they’ll do the same to you?”

“Their shipping me back to the mainland tomorrow.” Kara answered and she heard Maggie gasp. “It’s obvious that their treatment isn’t working on me. Not yet, at least, given that I’m just been here for two months. I’m sure that whatever they did to Lena would work on me, as well.

“My talk with Reign has let me realize how this facility really runs and Lena, for once, was wrong about them sending you back to the mainland either they were successful or not. That if they saw that you’re a lost cause and that their treatment isn’t gonna work, they’re still gonna send you back. No, Mags. There’s no room for failure here.”

Maggie was silent as she looked down and this had caused Kara to be alarmed. “Maggie? Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Maggie answered softly. “I just… I just thought that, after all these months, I could rebel against them. That maybe there was a possibility that I could still return to the mainland being still me as a whole and not a reformed one.”

“And you still can.” Kara planted her hands firmly on Maggie’s shoulders. “I’m leaving. Tonight. Just like what we have always planned.”

“But the cameras-“

“Won’t be a problem. They will be rigged.” Kara immediately said, cutting Maggie’s concern short. “Winn said he would help, right? Then let’s go get him.”

Maggie let out a shaky breath before nodding as she looked at Kara with determination. “Okay… Let’s do this.”

[silverhearted-robin-hood]

(viviskull) "your fight is now my fight."

The atmosphere was heavy. The sky was a pitch black; funny, as it began to rain just as Silverland was shedding tears as well. A figure stood up high, protected by a spiraling swirl of mystical energy: Duralumin’s former henchmen, Nylon. The man had a maddening look in his eye, directed at Sapphire and then at Vivi, who was an “accomplice” with the boy who’d made sure his partner would rot in prison until the end of his days. 

“A new challenger whose come to play, Prince Knight? This will be fun! Oh! Oh! Should I kill you both together or one after the other? I’m thinking option # 2 might do. That way, you can watch me dismember the other and get a little taste of what your death will be like before you experience it.”

Sapphire, defensively, backed himself next to Vivi after Nylon had announced his intention to relinquish his his new found magic onto her too. Black and red electricity surged in one of Nylon’s palms, morphing into an orb shape that would grow larger and larger.

“Thank you, 姉様へ. Honestly. I was about to lose faith back there. So, thank you for reminding me. But as long as you’re here? It’s my duty to look after you too, Vivi. I swore by the oath of my blade, to see to it that all my comrades, by my side, see tomorrow too. Did you hear that?  We’re not going anywhere until we see you gone! What do you say to that? Vous cochon avec un nez de ballon! My sister and I are going to destroy your arse.”

Transforming into Phantom Knight, a stronger form than the one he’d used in his thieving escapades as a teenager, Sapphire channels a heart shaped holy light from his rapier. He side-eyes Vivi, grasping her hand, in a gesture of love and faith. The aura around Sapphire’s sword, transitioned into a big heart. 

“Let’s do this together, Vivi. Let’s show him why you’re the ice queen. Combine our attacks!”

“Shining Amouria Burst!”

[ximaginedreamsx]

Unbound

A/N: Life ran a hard interference, but at last, I’ve finally made it back into my happy writing space...and I’ll do my best to stay here for as long as I can. Let’s pick up where we left off...and make it an extra long chapter to boot!

Chapter 7: The High School Experience

Monday rolled around a lot quicker than expected, or at least it did in Takuya's opinion. Today would be her first day attending Karakura High School...and she was nervous. A million thoughts buzzed through her mind at light speed as she stood at her dresser mirror, brushing her ebony locks.

What would the students be like? What would the instructors be like? What would the school as a whole be like?

With a slight sigh, she placed her brush back down on the dresser and opened a small drawer on the top left hand side. There sat the small rectangular black box that Orihime had given her. She slowly withdrew the box from the drawer and removed its top. The silver jewelry gleamed in the faint morning light that filtered through her window, and the sapphire eyes of the little tigers seemed to twinkle up at her as she gently ran a finger over each pendant. After pushing her back behind her ears, she carefully removed the hair pins and slid them into her hair just above her ears. She then freed the necklace from the box and fastened it around her neck. A small smile graced her lips as she examined herself with the addition of her new accessories.

"These really are beautiful..." she said quietly to herself.

A light knock on her room door drew her attention away from the mirror. "Come in."

The door slid open and Orihime entered the room. Her face lit up in a bright smile when she saw the necklace and hair pins.

"Yay, you're wearing them!" she exclaimed happily. "They look really pretty on you! And best of all...now we're both wearing hair pins! See?"

Takuya's smile grew as the auburn-haired girl pointed to the hair pins on either side of her head. "Thanks again, Orihime." she said as she reached up to gently touch her own.

"You're welcome again." Orihime replied, giggling slightly. "So, are you ready for your first day?"

Takuya's smile faltered a little. "I...I'm actually kind of nervous." she admitted. "This is all fairly new to me."

"Yeah, it's natural to be nervous at first when you're starting at a new school; it happens to everyone, for sure." Orihime said with a gentle smile. "But don't worry...that nervousness will pass before you know it. Karakura High is probably just like the schools you attended before coming here - only this time, you've already made friends before your first day's even started."

It was at that moment that something in Takuya's mind clicked...or perhaps, didn't click. She turned slightly and leaned back against her dresser, her brow furrowed in thought.

"...Actually...I-I don't remember...ever attending a school..." she said quietly.

Orihime's smile immediately dropped, and she looked confusedly at the ebony-haired girl. "...You don't remember?" she asked after a moment's pause.

Takuya slowly shook her head, and Orihime's confusion slowly changed into concern.

"Well...what do you remember?" she asked.

Takuya's brow furrowed a little more as she closed her eyes and brought her hands up to the sides of her face, her fingers pressing lightly against her temples. "...I remember moving here from...somewhere...several months ago. And I lived by myself for a long while..."

"Where did you live before you came here?"

"...I don't know." Takuya replied, the sudden sadness in her voice reflecting on her face as she wrapped her arms around herself. "I can't seem to remember anything about my life before coming here to Karakura. I-I'm not sure why...but I can't..."

For a long moment, the two girls just stood there in the silence of the room until Orihime spoke up again.

"Well, let's not think about too much, or we'll end up giving ourselves headaches." she said, trying to sound as lighthearted as she could. "It's your first day at a brand new school! We should make sure that you're completely ready to go."

Much to her relief, a smile slowly returned to Takuya's face as she pushed her self off of her dresser.

"Ok then." she said as she walked over to her new school bag that sat in a corner of her room. "We could look over my class schedule."

"Yeah, that would be great." Orihime chimed, walking over to Takuya as she set the bag on her bed. "Maybe we'll even have some classes together."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

An irritable expression decorated Grimmjow's features as his glare shifted from the two men now standing in front of his bed to his new gigai, and then back again. He was barely able to suppress the low growl rumbling in his chest at the sight of the goofy smile on the shopkeeper's face.

"Well, what do you think? Do you like it?" Urahara asked.

"It's fucking weird." was Grimmjow's only answer as his attention was drawn back to the gigai sitting against the wall by the door.

"Huh? Weird?" Urahara asked, a hint of laughter in his voice. "Now what would make you say that?"

"Well what the hell were you expecting me to fucking think, when the first thing I see when I wake up is another...another me sitting at the damn door?!" Grimmjow snapped venomously. "I almost lost control of my spiritual pressure, and this damn shop almost got ceroed to fucking oblivion!"

"Now, now, I apologize." Urahara said, snapping his fan shut. "I suppose I should properly introduce you to your gigai now. However, I should ask first...have you ever used a gigai before?"

"I'm a hollow." Grimmjow said flatly. "That shit's for shinigami. What the hell would I ever use one of those for, and why the hell should I start using one now?"

"Well, guarding Takuya requires you to be with her all day...and for part of the day, she will be in school."

Grimmjow narrowed his eyes at the man. "...Who the hell said I was gonna be inside the school with her?"

"It'll be a good experience for you, trust me on that." Urahara said, a hint of laughter in his voice yet again. "I've already had both of you registered."

Grimmjow glared murderously at the shopkeeper, this time not bothering to suppress the growl rumbling in his chest. Without missing a beat, Tessai reached into his pocket and pulled out a small blue orb and held it up for the Espada to see.

Said Espada rolled his eyes and released an exasperated sigh. "And what the hell is that supposed to be?" he asked.

"This is a gikongan, more commonly know as a "soul candy," designed especially for you." Urahara explained. "This is what you will use to exit your gigai. It's a pre-programmed artificial soul that, when ingested, separates you from your gigai, and then animates the gigai until you remove it. And to remove it, you will need this..."

Tessai reached into his pocket once again and pulled out a black glove with a skull symbol on it, also holding it up to be seen.

"This is a Gokon Tekkö, a glove that can force the soul candy out of the gigai whenever you're ready to inhabit it again."

Grimmjow looked at the two men as if they'd each grown another head. "You people are fucking insane." he muttered.

"Well, we don't have too much time to spare so…how about trying it out?" Urahara suggested, reacquiring his goofy smile as he motioned to the gigai. "All you do is hold it up to your body and you will automatically merge with it."

Releasing another exasperated sigh, Grimmjow stood up from his bed and stalked up to the gigai, grumbling all the while. He lifted it up to his body and merged with it almost instantly. With a slight frown, Grimmjow looked himself over, scrutinizing his "new appearance." The only obvious changes were the disappearance of the jawbone mask that had been on the right side of his face, and the "filling in" of the hollow hole in his abdomen. Aside from that he looked the same, save for the exchange of his white hakama for a button-down white shirt, gray slacks, and dark brown shoes.

"What the hell am I wearing?"

"That would be the school uniform." Tessai replied. "All students are required to wear it."

"Here, take this." Urahara said, handing the Espada a small metal box. "That has your glove and your soul candy stored in it. Keep it with you at all times. You never know when you may need it."

Grimmjow took the box from the man and forcibly stuffed it in his pocket.

"Oh yeah...just one more thing..." Urahara said, glancing back at Grimmjow over his shoulder before he and Tessai exited the room completely. "Since you are going to be among normal human beings whilst at this school, you're going to have to do a little...conforming...if you know what I mean..."

"Tch, no shit..." the Espada muttered sarcastically, moving to follow the two men as they exited his room.

He really wanted to destroy something now...

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The walk to Karakura High School was alight with the nigh-overwhelming excitement that exuded from Orihime's bubbly voice. The auburn-haired girl had somehow become even more thrilled upon learning that Grimmjow would be attending school as well, much to the Espada's own surprise...and, subsequently, his annoyance. He walked a couple steps behind the girls, a borderline irritated scowl etched into his expression.

"It's absolutely AWESOME that we all get to be in the same class together!" Orihime chirped happily. "You'll definitely love our teachers. There's Ochi-sensei, who's really nice but also a little outrageous sometimes. And then there's Kagine-sensei; he's kinda strict, but deep down on the inside he's really just a big softy. Oh, and I'll also have to introduce you to my best friend, Tatsuki. She's just the coolest..."

"Hey! Over here, guys!" Ichigo's voice rang out through the air, drawing the three's attention over to the orange-haired boy who was presently standing at the school's entrance with the rest of the group.

"Oh, good morning everyone!" Orihime greeted cheerfully as she jogged over to join them.

Takuya, however, paused momentarily to look up at the building. There were students everywhere she looked. Most moved about the campus grounds, heading this way and that, while some were gathered in various different places throughout, carrying on conversations with one another. The nervousness pit in her stomach grew slightly, and she clutched the strap of her school bag a little tighter.

...Ok, Takuya, you can –

"What's wrong with you?" Grimmjow's voice startled her slightly as it pulled her out of her thoughts, suddenly making her aware that he'd stopped alongside her.

"...I'm just a little nervous is all." she replied quietly. "This is going to be an entirely new experience for me, because I've never...I-I've never actually been to a school before."

Grimmjow looked at the girl then, confusion replacing the irritation in his expression. "The hell do you mean you've "never been" to a school before? I thought all humans went through this shit."

Takuya shook her head slightly. "I've never gone...or at least, I don't remember ever going..."

The Espada's confusion grew even more then; he opened his mouth to question the girl further but was cut off when Ichigo suddenly called out to them again.

"Takuya, Grimmjow! Let's get going or we're gonna be late!"

"Ok, c-coming!" Takuya responded; she took a deep breath before finally moving to catch up to Ichigo and the others.

Grimmjow followed behind her, his confusion growing steadily as his eyes remained trained on her. What the hell is with this girl's weird-ass life...?

"Welcome to Karakura High!" Ichigo declared, drawing the Espada out of his thoughts as the boy made a sweeping motion with his right hand as if to showcase the school. "Not too much to say about it, except that it's a school, and you learn here."

Takuya giggled at this, while Grimmjow just rolled his eyes and proceeded to mentally curse the shopkeeper for making him come here. Ichigo noticed the Espada's peeved expression and willed himself not to laugh.

"Wow, Grimmjow, you sure look ready for the day." he remarked, some of the contained laughter escaping into his voice.

Grimmjow leveled the orange-haired boy with a bored glare. "Of course, shinigami." he replied sarcastically. "Can't you tell? I can barely contain my excitement."

"Hmph...well for your sake, you had better." Rukia said snidely.

"Tch, you're never without anything totally smart-assed to say, are you...midget bitch?" Grimmjow shot back nonchalantly.

At that, Rukia whirled around, halting the group's trek towards the building. "What was that?!" she shrieked.

Grimmjow merely laughed at the female shinigami's reaction, while Ichigo shot glares at both of them.

"We don't have time for this! Let's just hurry and get to class!" he barked as he spun Rukia back around and pushed her forward as everyone started walking again. "And Rukia, will you stop trying to provoke him?!"

Rukia shot the boy an utterly appalled glare. "Oh so you're defending him now?!"

"I'm just saying that you've been the one picking all the fights lately. You could probably do without always trying to say stuff to get him riled up...especially now that we're around all these people."

Clearly offended, Rukia yanked herself out of Ichigo's grasp and stormed ahead of the group, grumbling all the way into the building. Ichigo shook his head at this, he and others reaching the building only a few seconds later.

"Wow, you must've really set Rukia off this time." Renji's voice drew everyone's attention to him as he fell into step with the group as they entered the building.

"Yeah well, she'll get over it." Ichigo muttered before shifting his gaze over to the red-haired shinigami. "So, what the hell are you doing here?"

"Urahara's orders." Renji replied. "He said I could better help in keeping in eye on Orihime this way."

"Did he now? You sure he wasn't just trying to get you out of the shop?" Ichigo teased.

"Lay off." Renji grumbled. "It's actually a good idea, despite whatever the nature of his true intentions was...especially given your less-than-average ability to sense spiritual pressures."

"Tch...shut the hell up." Ichigo snapped. "Like I'd need your help..."

"Here we are~!" Orihime sang as the group stopped in front of their designated classroom.

Before they could set a single foot in the door, their teacher stepped out. Misato Ochi’s eyes sifted purposefully through the group, immediately picking out Takuya and Grimmjow. A bright smile lit up her face as she moved to stand directly in front of them.

“The two of you must be my new students, how wonderful!” she proclaimed cheerfully. “I’m Misato Ochi, and I have the lovely honor of being your teacher. Now if you would kindly wait right here for just a minute, I’ll go in and get the other students settled and then have you come in and introduce yourselves, ok?”

With that, she promptly turned and hurried the rest of the group into the classroom, leaving Takuya and Grimmjow standing silently in the hallway.

As they awaited the impending call for introductions, Takuya attempted to calm herself down. Her grip on the strap of her school bag had become almost vice-like, but she could still feel her palms beginning to sweat as the nervous pit in her stomach grew even more.

A chanced glance at Grimmjow, however, had her temporarily ignoring her own state of being.

Next to her the Espada visibly seethed, the very notion of having to spend even a single moment trapped within the human-infested school building causing the blood to boil in his veins. A poorly contained growl rippled through his chest as his hands clenched into white-knuckled fists. Ugh, damn that fucking stupid ass shopkeeper to the bottom of the deepest hole in darkest corner of ten hells...!

“Grimmjow...please calm down.”

The gears of Grimmjow’s mounting rage ground to a halt at the sound of Takuya’s quiet voice, his cerulean eyes immediately shifting to land pointedly upon the ebony-haired girl. Her own gaze never lifted to meet his, however; instead, she moved a small hand to loosely grasp the wrist of his left arm before speaking again.

“This is going to be a new experience for both of us...new, and challenging. But, I-I believe that if we try hard enough...and if we’re patient enough...we can get through it. So please...”

The Espada stared at the side of the girl’s face for a moment before his gaze flicked down to where her hand held on to his wrist. Even as she spoke, he felt that hand of hers was trembling slightly out of her own nervousness. Grunting slightly, he pulled his wrist free of her loose grasp and shoved his hands into his pockets.

“Whatever.” he mumbled, shifting his gaze to the wall directly across the hallway.

“The two of you can step inside now.” Ochi-sensei called from inside the classroom.

Taking a deep breath, Takuya turned to walk into the classroom with Grimmjow right behind her. “Here we go...” she whispered.

The two entered the room and stopped next to the teacher’s desk, drawing a wave of little gasps from their soon-to-be classmates; quieted comments immediately began to surface in the air.

“Class, these are our two lovely new students!” Ochi-sensei declared before turning to look at the two. “Alright, go ahead and introduce yourselves.”

“Hello, I’m Takuya Hokkaido.” Takuya said, bowing slightly.

“Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez.” Grimmjow stated flatly.

“Wonderful!” Ochi-sensei chimed. “Ok, there are two seats over there by the window...right behind Mr. Kurosaki. You may take those.”

Not wasting any time, Takuya and Grimmjow moved to take their seats. As they did so, the little quiet comments began surfacing again, this time not escaping either of their ears.

“- lovely, indeed. Man I could get lost those gorgeous eyes of hers...”

“Wow, he’s so totally dreamy! I wonder if he’s single...”

“She’s a total hottie. I call dibs on her number.”

“Blue is my new favorite color.” (Girly giggles)

Takuya took the seat directly behind Ichigo, and Grimmjow sat behind her. Ichigo turned around to face them as they situated themselves.

“You did a good job.” he whispered; he then peered over Takuya’s shoulder. “Both of you...surprisingly...”

Grimmjow’s bored glare lingered on the boy for a second or so before shifting to look out the window. “Don’t push your luck, Kurosaki.” he grumbled.

Ichigo smirked, shaking his head slightly as he turned to face forward in his seat once more.

“Alright, let’s begin class, shall we?” Ochi-sensei said, flipping open a book on her desk. “We’ll start with the reading assignment you had over the weekend...”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Takuya breathed an inaudible sigh of relief as she and the others sat around on the school’s roof eating their lunch. She stood leaning against the bars of the tall steel barrier that enclosed the entire rooftop, gazing down at the other students moving here and there throughout the courtyard as she nibbled on a sandwich. The first half of her school day had gone by without a hitch, which served to dispel the greater part of the nervousness she’d felt since the start of the day. A small smile curved her lips as a feeling of accomplishment washed over her.

This isn’t so bad after all. I think I could get used to this school-going thing...

“Takuya!” the ebony-haired girl turned toward Orihime’s voice, the auburn-haired girl approaching her alongside a girl with short raven-colored hair. “I’d like to introduce you to my best friend, Tatsuki Arisawa.”

Said girl, Tatsuki, stepped forward and extended her hand. “Nice to meet you, Takuya.” she greeted with a smile.

Takuya smiled in return, reaching out and shaking Tatsuki’s extended hand. “It’s nice to meet you as well.” she replied.

“ICHIGOOOO!” Everyone looked around just in time to see the owner of the overly-excited voice barging through the roof entrance and making a beeline straight for said orange-haired boy.

“Keigo...” Ichigo half-growled as his hyperactive friend skidded to a stop in front of him.

“Ichigo, where is she?! Everyone told me they saw her walking with you guys, WHERE IS SHE?!” Keigo practically shrieked, grabbing Ichigo by the collar of his shirt.

“Get the hell off me!” Ichigo snapped, shoving the boy away from him. “And who the hell are you even talking about?!”

“Oh c’mon, Ichigo, you know exactly who I’m talking about! I mean the new girl from -”

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Keigo immediately bit off the remainder of his sentence as he and Ichigo looked up to see Mizuiro standing in front of Takuya and taking one of her hands into his own. “My name is Mizuiro Kojima. It’s an honor to finally meet such a lovely girl in person.”

Orihime giggled, while Tatsuki just rolled her eyes. Takuya blinked at the boy. “Oh, u-um...nice to meet you as well...?” she managed, unsure of what else to say.

No sooner had the words left her lips than Keigo popped up in front of her, his oversized grin causing her to shrink back slightly.

“Wow, you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen!” he chirped. “Those eyes, that hair, everything so perfectly proportioned! Oh it’s even better close up - ARGH!”

Two fists roughly collided with either side of Keigo’s face, abrubtly cutting the boy off and startling Takuya.

“CAN IT, YA PERVERT!” Ichigo and Tatsuki yelled in unison as Keigo slumped to the ground, groaning.

Mizuiro looked down at Keigo. “Wow...you certainly are punishment prone, Mr. Asano.” he remarked.

“You people...are heartless...” Keigo forced out as he lay on the ground, clutching his face.

“Well, well, well...now what do we have here?”

Once more, everyone’s attention was drawn to the roof entrance, where three more boys now stood. Ichigo rolled his eyes and grumbled as he ran a frustrated hand over his face.

“Tch, great...not these assholes again...” he muttered.

“Who are they?” Renji asked, finally looking up from his lunch.

“A trio of purebred scumbags.” Ichigo answered scathingly. “The one in the middle is Kazuki, “the ring leader;” to his left is Hitoshi, and to his right is Ryo. They’re nothing but womanizing pigs...”

As if on cue, the trio sauntered past the rest of the group and stopped directly in front of Takuya.

“Well hello there.” Kazuki spoke, leering at the ebony-haired girl as his eyes overtly traveled the length of her body. “When I heard the rumors about the beautiful new girl in class 1-3, I just had to see it for myself. And now that I see you...wow...I am quite literally blown away.”

Growling in disgust, Tatsuki stormed forward, intent on throttling the boy; her advance was stopped, however, when she was immobilized and held back by Hitoshi and Ryo. “Kazuki!!! You has better get away from her you filthy lowlife scum!!!” she yelled, struggling to get out of his flunkies’ grasps.

Kazuki glanced back at Tatsuki, smirking snobbishly at the angry girl before turning back to Takuya, who had taken a couple cautious steps back. In one swift movement, he quickly closed the short distance between them, wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him, preventing her from moving away again.

“A girl like you shouldn’t be reduced to hanging around such garbage.” he crooned, his face mere inches away from hers. “Why don’t you come away with me to somewhere...a little less crowded?”

“No thank you.” Takuya said firmly, attempting to pry herself away from the boy. “Now let me go, please.”

“Oh come now, don’t be like that.” Kazuki whined almost mockingly, his grip tightening slightly; he then reached up and gently stroked her face. “You know you want to...”

“Alright, that’s it! Get the hell away from her, asshole!” Ichigo blurted out. “She obviously doesn’t wanna be anywhere near your creepy ass!”

Kazuki leveled an arrogant glare at the orange-haired boy. “Why don’t you shut the hell up, noisy bastard.” he sneered. “As if you could possibly even begin to imagine what she wants! Anyone can see that she’s almost completely enthralled with my boyish charm and - UMPH!”

A large hand suddenly clamped over Kazuki’s mouth, effectively silencing him. He, and everyone else, looked up to see none other than Grimmjow standing there, his bored scowl unflinchingly cemented into his expression. The instant he noticed Kazuki loosening his grip on Takuya he acted once again, ripping the boy away from the ebony-haired girl and forcefully slamming him into the roof’s barrier. The boy hollered in pain as he collided with the steel bars face-first, and almost immediately began to feel warm blood flowing out from a newly acquired wound created by the harsh contact. Hitoshi’s and Ryo’s jaws dropped, their own hold on the squirming Tatsuki loosening in their shock; taking the opportunity, Tatsuki yanked herself free, spun around, and bodily shoved both boys backwards to the ground.

“Ugh...what...w-what the hell is your deal, man...?” Kazuki whimpered as he tried in vain to free himself from Grimmjow’s vice grip. “And...where the hell...d-did you even come from?”

“Look here, idiot...,” Grimmjow began to speak, not yet bothering to his way. “I don’t know who you are, or who you think you are, but let’s make one thing abundantly clear. This girl is not to be toyed with, and shitheads like you who get bold enough to try might just find themselves waking up in hell.”

Kazuki’s eyes widened. “W-what do you mean?”

It was then that Grimmjow turned to look at the boy, who almost immediately began trembling like a dry leaf in the wind. His bored scowl had remained intact, but behind the glint of his cerulean eyes lurked an unfathomable murderous intent that caused the blood to freeze in his veins.

“Fuck off...or die.” the Espada replied flatly. “That clear enough for ya?”

Kazuki did his best to nod. “Yeah...crystal...” he squeaked.

At that, Grimmjow released his hold on the boy, letting him fall to the ground. Not a second after his feet made contact with the cement, Kazuki hurriedly clambered away, Hitoshi and Ryo following close behind. After watching the trio disappear from the roof, everyone turned their attention back to the Espada, shocked to absolute silence. Grimmjow’s brow furrowed when he felt all their gazes pinned on him.

“The hell’re you idiots staring at?” he grumbled.

“That was AWESOME!!!” Keigo suddenly cheered. “I’ve never seen those guys run away so fast in my life!!! An now, my beautiful Takuya can breath easy again-OWW!!!”

A fist has once again made contact with the side of his face. Ichigo glared at the boy as he slumped to the ground once more, groaning. Mizuiro tutted as he looked down at him.

“You should really learn when to put a lid on it, Mr. Asano.” he said.

“...Ugh, the pain...” Keigo moaned.

Ignoring the two’s exchange, Ichigo looked over at Grimmjow again. His actions had thrown him for a complete loop, so much so that he’d momentarily forgotten that the Espada had actually agreed to be Takuya’s bodyguard, much to their great surprise. With an exasperated sigh, he folded his arms across his chest and turned his attention back to Keigo, who was still writhing on the ground.

Well, I guess hollows aren’t the only things she’ll need protection from...

A minute later, the bell sounded, marking the end of the lunch break.

“Alright, guys, let’s get the rest of this day over with.” Ichigo said as he and the rest of the group packed up the remnants of their lunches and began heading toward the roof’s entrance. As they filed into the buidling, Takuya, who’d been silent since the “incident” with Kazuki, finally spoke up, but only loud enough for one person to hear her.

“Grimmjow...”

The Espada looked over his shoulder at the girl.

“Thank you...”

Mild surprise flashed over Grimmjow’s scowling expression; after a second or so, he turned to face forward again.

“Don’t mention it.” he finally said, the phrase feeling incredibly foreign on his tongue.

Takuya smiled at his retreating form, and for the first time that day, she felt her nervousness completely ebb away.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Urahara looked up as Orhime, Takuya, and Grimmjow entered the dining area.

“Ah, welcome back.” he greeted them. “So, the first day of school has been completed successfully, I presume?”

“Yes it has.” Takuya replied with a smile.

“Excellent.” Urahara said before turning his attention to Grimmjow. “So...how was it?”

Grimmjow glared at the man for a moment or two. “I spent the whole damn day surrounded by humans, nobody died, and I’m still sane. Joy.”

“That’s excellent! Hehe, what’d I tell ya? I knew it’d be a good experience for ya. It’s gonna really help build that tolerance level of yours.”

The Espada grumbled as he disappeared down the hallway. With a slight smile, Urahara redirected his gaze toward Takuya and Orihime.

“So, did everything go on without incident today?” he asked.

Both girls nodded.

“Oh...well, everything except for this one situation we had during lunch...” Takuya said, tapping her chin in thought. “This perverted guy attempted to force himself on me.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, but Grimmjow saved her.” Orhime chimed in cheerily. “He got the boy away from her and basically told him not to come bothering her again. It was really nice of him.”

“Yes, that was very nice indeed.” Urahara echoed with a honest grin. “Well, I’m glad that you enjoyed your first day, Takuya.”

“So am I.” Takuya agreed with a smile of her own as she and Orihime disappeared down the hallway as well.

Urahara released a contented sigh, taking a sip of the tea in front of him. Everything seems to be going smoothly thus far. I guess the real question now is...how long will it last...?

“Kisuke.”

A smile almost instinctively stretched across his face at the sound that all-too-familiar voice. He then turned to see a black cat trotting into the dining area.

“Yoruichi! Great to see you!” he greeted as the cat jumped lithely onto the table and sat down directly in front of him. “How long have you been back?”

“Long enough to know that there has been a hollow of incredibly destructive power among you for close to four whole days now and none of you seem too worried about it.”

Urahara chuckled, bringing a hand up to adjust his hat. “Heh, always the observant one; I’d have been quite surprised if you didn’t notice.”

“You can save the flattering compliments.” Yoruichi remarked flatly. “You’ve got some serious explaining to do, starting now.”

“Well, to be completely honest, there isn’t a whole lot to explain.” Urahara said. “Takuya - a young lady currently residing here that you’ve not had the pleasure of meeting yet - stumbled upon Mr. Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez three days ago as she was returning from the market. At the time she’d found him, he was injured substantially after being attacked by Aizen. He’s now repaying his debt to Takuya for saving his life.”

The cat shook its head in utter disbelief. “Kisuke, do you even realize what it is that you’re doing?! You’re not only willingly harboring a vasto lorde, but you’re allowing him to roam freely among humans! Do you realize how insanely dangerous that is, and the indescribable amount of trouble you could get into if Soul Society gets wind of it?! Oh, and let’s not forget the ever-looming threat of Hueco Mundo. Did you even consider what you’ll do if...no, when Aizen decides to come looking for his lost soldier?!”

The shopkeeper took a slow sip of his tea, taking that time to mull over his answer. “Yes, I’ve taken it all into thorough consideration. I’m well aware of everything that could possibly happen...rather, everything that will happen...if Grimmjow is discovered. Aizen, we suspect, will eventually send his forces here to do a physical search once he realizes that he can’t track Grimmjow’s spiritual pressure. And once that happens, Soul Society will automatically become involved. All of us - not just Grimmjow - will be in imminent danger of either being wiped out by Aizen’s forces, or being automatically sentenced to execution by Head Captain for what’ll undoubtedly be seen as highly treasonous acts against the living world AND Soul Society...or, in Grimmjow’s case, merely being a hollow. Either way, when this is all over, we all may very well be dead.”

He then looked up to meet the cat’s golden-eyed gaze.

“But...we’re prepared for that. We’re more than ready...more than willing...to face that inescapable truth when and if it should come to that. Well...actually Rukia’s not too thrilled about it, and for good reason...but the rest of us are. I mean, think about it, Yoruichi. This Espada is a wealth of information! We now have the capability to thwart any of Aizen’s plans before they get underway. Opportunities like this don’t just occur for no reason at all.”

Yoruichi’s whiskers twitched in slight frustration. “Kisuke, we’re not talking about some random low rank. This guy’s one of Aizen’s strongest soldiers -”

“Did I mention that Grimmjow isn’t loyal to Aizen?” Urahara cut in. “Or the fact that Aizen’s attack on him was provoked by the discovery of his plot to defy his direct orders?”

The cat’s eyes widened slightly. “...That alone doesn’t prove disloyalty...”

“He’s also made it absolutely clear that he has zero respect for Aizen’s leadership, and that he would readily kill himself before willingly carrying out any of his orders, AND that he plans to kill all three ex-captains himself once he gains the proper strength...”

Yoruichi’s eyes widened even more as she was rendered momentarily speechless. Her golden eyes searched his gray ones for any sort of doubt or uncertainty, but she only succeeded finding raw determination.

“Are you certain of this?” she finally asked. “Are you absolutely sure this isn’t just a ruse to get you to even partially drop your guard?”

“I’m positive.” Urahara replied. “He’s only been here for a couple days, but he’s already shown that he isn’t one for smoke screens.”

“...And there’s absolutely no swaying you, is there?”

“I’m afraid not.”

With a small sigh, the cat leapt off the table. “Well, I suppose there’s no helping it...I do hate when you get like this.” she muttered. “However, if this is the path you are choosing to take, then you have my full support.”

“Thank you, Yoruichi.” Urahara said, smiling almost triumphantly.

Yoruichi smiled slightly in return before rolling her eyes at the man and heading toward the shop’s exit.

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6

[shamans-of-reeds]

Vault of Lies [RP]

(( Rating: PG-13 ))

(( Trigger Warning: Depictions of graphic violence, death, and use of foul language. ))

(( Genre: Adventure, drama, thriller ))

(( Cast: @vaelir-alatori​ , @the-firetouched​ , @lavenderlarksong​ , and Ilakha ))

Vael'ir Alatori: | The plan was pulled off without a hitch, and the small force found themselves in the interior of the Alatori Family vault. The growling of beasts and the barking of orders emanates from within, put a scowl on Vael’ir’s face.

Vael'ir Alatori: | “That’s not right. We got in quiet; why does he have standing guards on the inside?” Vael asks quietly. Softly he pulled his gunblade off of his back and held it close. “Well, if they know we’re here, then leaving isn’t an option. Chances are our faces will be on posters up and down Sapphire Avenue.”

Vael'ir Alatori: | Vael loads his gunblade with a glowing purple cylinder and looks at the others. “I’ll take the lead. Stay close and don’t lose sight of one another.” He says, his eyes darting to the other three and resting on Vivisha for a moment longer. “If Rorotori wants hell, let’s go and raise it.”

Vivisha Visha holds tight to her staff and once again readjusts the mask covering her eyes. Not that it would likely do much good if Rorotori got a good look at her, but it makes her feel strong and mysterious even so. The sound ofbarking, however, clearly unnerves her. "W-well...Enqu hasn't said anything happened outside yet. We're in it now. Unfortunately for him, I'm in the mood to burn something."

Ilakha Moks 's steps slowed as went to the center of the room down the stairs. "Oh, gods. . ." She turned to Vivisha slowly. "Well, I do hope this will not take so long. . ." Her burning wildfire staff is grasped in both of her hands. "No matter how far we go, I will keep you all safe and standing."

Vael'ir Alatori smiles down at her softly. For a moment, the stress and tension of the situation disappears from his face. "Remember everything I told you. Like a bonfire, not a forest fire." He nods to Ilakha in turn. "Just make sure you keep yourself safe too, kiddo. Four go in, four come out, got it?"

Ilakha Moks bobbed her head intently. Briefly, she thought of her family waiting for her. "I will. Do not worry, friend."

Vivisha Visha: "Dear Ilakha will just have to remind me of the many times I fell off reindeer to ground me back in the cold..." A dry attempt at a semi-joke.

Q'lin LarksongBalmung snorts, pulling the circular blades off of her hips. "Well, let us just be quick about it, yes?" she twirls the blades on her wrists.

Vivisha Visha: "Watch for traps!"

Vael'ir Alatori: "Damn... basilisks and automated traps. Really. uncle?"

Vivisha Visha: "This....is a bit...much!" Strained from focus on her spells. "The drama!"

Vael'ir Alatori: "I knew he was planning bloodsands shows, but this is a bit much."

Vael'ir Alatori: "More than I was expecting."

Ilakha Moks: "Ooh. . . I was not expecting giant crushing traps. . . not good."

Vivisha Visha looks warily to the distance. "What triggers those roof traps I wonder..."

Vael'ir Alatori: "We may be under watch. Stay on your toes."

Vael'ir Alatori: "C'mon, ugly! Your mother was born from Bahamut dung!"

Vael'ir Alatori dispenses with the contents of the chamber, releasing hot steam into the air as he prepares another round. "Good work keeping your cool there, kiddo. Everyone alright?"

Vivisha Visha wipes sweat from her brow, under her bangs, and then walks over to the fallen thing and whaps it with her stick. "I am now!"

Ilakha Moks: "See? We is not dead. I am good luck! Heehee!"

Vael'ir Alatori: "I haven't seen any records. There has to be more. Don't play into overconfidence quite yet."

Ilakha Moks: "Oh. . . well, we will find them, I think. But it seems we are having to go a bit deeper for it. . ."

Vivisha Visha breathes heavily but nods at Ila, smiling a little. "Gods, I am clearly out of shape! I'm ready..."

Q'lin LarksongBalmung stretches her arms over her head, sighing. "Onwards we go."

Ilakha Moks: "Baby coeurls? This is cruel!"

Vael'ir Alatori: "I feel conflicted! They're like cousins!"

Vivisha Visha: "AAAAHHH it's coming right at me!!"

Q'lin LarksongBalmung: "Well at least we put them down quickly."

Ilakha Moks: "Not vultures! They are sacred!"

Vivisha Visha: "...this is a truly horrible way to learn about the bloodsands fight, my dear..."

Vael'ir Alatori: "They need to store the beasts somewhere."

Vivisha Visha: "...OH GODS A BEAR"

Ilakha Moks: " A BEAR!?"

Vivisha Visha: "WHERE DID HE GET ALL THESE BEARS FROM?"

Vael'ir Alatori: "They're large and they're loud.

Vael'ir Alatori: Perfect promotional material!"

Q'lin LarksongBalmung: "Perhaps Dravania? They're quite plentiful near Tailfeather..."

Vivisha Visha: "...more expense."

Vivisha Visha: "He clearly has too much money in his pocket."

Ilakha Moks: "Sorry naughty vultures. . . it is stun time."

Vael'ir Alatori sneers as the next arena comes into view. “This is over the top, even for Rorotori. Where are all the documents, all the gil piles and promissory notes?”

Vivisha Visha: "...I don't even know what that is..."

Ilakha Moks: "Ooh, I need to record this beast in my codex. . ."

Vivisha Visha: "But unfortunately for this poor creature, I'm not in the mood to talk!"

Q'lin LarksongBalmung: "Well that's a beast you don't see every day..."

Vael'ir Alatori: "My bet is some voidspawn. We can wring the answers out of Rorotori after this. Keep an eye on those pedestals."

Vael'ir Alatori eyes the pedestals, suspecting an aetheric bent to the fight setup."

Vivisha Visha: "Oh, watch its eyes! I feel something awful."

Vael'ir Alatori: "The orbs! Quickly!"

Vael'ir Alatori: "Those aether explosions. Definitely voidsent. My guess is an experiment from some less than scrupulous thaumaturges." Ilakha Moks 's trembling hands gripped onto her staff tighter. She was visibly on edge.

Vael'ir Alatori dislodges another spent cylinder, which sizzles as it hits the ground. "This serves a double purpose then. I realize the Bloodsands have been reigned in as of late; my uncle may have a hand in attempting to roll those restrictions back."

Vivisha Visha kneels down before the foul thing's body. Her expression is unreadable thanks to the mask, but the air around her spikes warm for a moment. "...but for what?" she asks darkly. "For good gil? We're skilled but...or you all are...but the deaths that could cause. You don't bring voidsent into something already violent and blood-laden!"

Q'lin LarksongBalmung scowls, swinging one of the chakrams around on her wrist, her head tilted to the side. "Reminds me of the ahriman. With the one big eye? So I would not be surprised if it was voidsent."

Vael'ir Alatori scowls and grumbles audibly. "Gone are the days of Raubahn tearing down hunts fit for marks on the sands. This can't continue."

Vivisha Visha: "Has your uncle always been this flush with liquid gold, Vael?" She looks around the room suspiciously. Ilakha Moks | "I hope not. . ." Her voice is small, but recovering.

Q'lin LarksongBalmung: "My partner is ex-bloodsands. I'm certain he's experienced some... fucked up shit there." Vivisha Visha: "I can't imagine that creature came cheap..."

Vael'ir Alatori: "Rorotori's not exactly a miser, but this is new."

Vael'ir Alatori: "I intend to ask him that myself. I'd wager plenty on him being here. This is too well planned of a roadblock to be mere coincidence." Q'lin LarksongBalmung turns to look at Vivisha. "If not purchasing it outright, a hand in developing it. Easier to get your hands on something you make yourself."

Vivisha Visha steps over to Ila to give her a comforting pat on the wrist. "Hopefully that is...the last of the voidsent." Though Lin's words make her visibly frown. "Another reason for us to keep going, I suppose."

Vael'ir Alatori: "Agreed. Is everyone alright to continue? There's no shame in saying no." Ilakha Moks: "You think your uncle is here? He is not a black mage, is he? He did not. . . summon the creature himself, did he?"

Vivisha Visha looks between Ila and Vael curiously at that. Vael'ir Alatori looks at Ilakha and sighs. "He's a thaumaturge of no small skill. I don't take him as the voidsent calling type, regardless of how I feel about the man... but again, this is new."

Ilakha Moks glanced down to Vivisha and offered a small smile in return, trying to regain her cheerful composure. "Well. . . let us keep being careful, I guess. I am ready to go!" Conquering Bardam's Mettle was no small feat for her when she was sixteen, but this was a horse of a different color.

Vael'ir Alatori: "We're going to make it through this, kiddo. Steel yourself and stay behind me, alright?"

Vivisha Visha: "I look forward to challenging him," she says, with perhaps unearned bravado. But thus far she has felt /good/...it felt /right/ to be using her magic like this, like she was delving into something necessary.

Vivisha Visha: "....or not."

Vael'ir Alatori: "Live guards. They had to be somewhere."

Vael'ir Alatori: | The lancer in the center of the dais raises a lance haughtily. "Master Alatori sends his regards!"

Vivisha Visha: "Stand down, you fool! We've come this far!" Not quite the diplomatic approach, but she puts as much of her Duchess voice into it as she can. Still, she readies for a fight.

Ilakha Moks called back, uncharacteristically, "Eat dzo crap!!" Her brows are twisted in fear and hurt.

Vivisha Visha breathes heavily. She'd have to digest that later.

Vael'ir Alatori: "Let... go...! Bugger!"

Vael'ir Alatori: | As the party clears the threshold to the large, open arena, Vael’s eyes shoot up to a ledge overlooking the arena, where an aging lalafellin man in an orange silk robe stands with his arms crossed and his teeth bared in a mocking grin.

Vael'ir Alatori: | “Ah, and the stray makes his appearance at last. I must say that I’m quite disappointed that my next few offerings to the Bloodsands have been ruined, but the money I would have made pales in comparison to the reward the Iris will give me for the return of their darling princess.”

Vael'ir Alatori: | Vael immediately moves over with Glanzender drawn to stand in front of Vivisha and points his blade up at Rorotori. “You won’t be touching her, or anyone else. I’m here for your records, Uncle. Don’t make me go through you to get them. Go quietly, and the only thing you’ll have to worry about is the Sultansworn.”

Vivisha Visha follows Vael's gaze and immediately readies herself to fling a fireball at him -- and that's before he mentions her nearly by name! "....they don't want me for anything but their good name! Sod that!"

Vael'ir Alatori: | “My boy, you are operating off of the assumption that I confront you unprepared. You are sorely mistaken.” Rorotori calls back down. “Much like your mother, you underestimate the monetarists. Not all of us laze about and eat grapes all day. You’ll find I am quite capable of defending myself; as are my associates here.”

Vael'ir Alatori: | The portcullis on the other end of the arena screeches as it opens, letting in a squad of gladiators. Vael’s brow narrows; he recognizes the muscle that had assaulted him in Alatori Manor weeks before.

Vael'ir Alatori: | Again Rorotori speaks as the gladiators bring their weapons to bear. “Last chance, boy. Give me the heiress and you will walk free. We can even speak of forgiving your debt. The debt your mother so carelessly passed on to you.”

Vael'ir Alatori: | As Vael’s anger reaches a boiling point, the air around him tenses. Small sparks of electricity dance across his blade and around his arms. “This was a set-up. You knew I was going to come for your vault. You planned it all well, but you made a fatal mistake, Rorotori Alaltori.”

Vael'ir Alatori: | Vael reaffirms the direction of his gunblade, pointing it instead at the gladiators gathered. “You underestimated Tatamo, and she taught me everything I know. I’m willing to bet that your error outweighs mine; and I’m a gambling man.”

Q'lin LarksongBalmung tightens her grip on the chakrams. Her silver eyes burn beneath the brim of her hat, sizing up the squad of gladiators in the arena.

Vivisha Visha sets her staff aloft, pointing it at Rorotori, and lets flame fill her palm. A threat. A show of power. "I'm not who you think I am, Rorotori Alatori. You'll regret crossing me and hurting my friends." Lady Snapdragon comes to life!

Ilakha Moks 's brows knitted together, sharp teeth clenching. "You. . ." Just then, she inhaled through her nose and exhaled out of her mouth; her breath was steam as her body temperature rose. "It is up to the gods to forgive you. Because I cannot."

Q'lin LarksongBalmung grins, the sound of ringing bells as she takes a step out to the side. "Go on then. Let us show him how wrong he is."

Vael'ir Alatori smirks. "My thoughts exactly." He charges with his gunblade held aloft.

Vael'ir Alatori: "Idiots! Bloody fools! I trained in the Flames! The sands are nothing!"

Vael'ir Alatori: | Rorotori enters the arena with a massive beast in tow; the pride and joy of his collection. “I should have never taken you and your vagrant mother in! Ala Mhigan refuse, the lot of you, but idealists the worst of all! There is only one force in this world that matters; opportunity, and drive it takes to take advantage of it!”

Vael'ir Alatori: | Vael reloads his gunblade and assumes his battle stance, unperturbed. “This is for my mother.”

Vael'ir Alatori: "Let... go!"

Vael'ir Alatori: | Just as the red manticore seems to be reaching its limit, it swings its arm wide in an unexpected desperate lash-out; Ilakha is squarely hit by a grievous blow and is sent flying away, rolling a few times in the dirt before coming to a stop.

Vael'ir Alatori: | Vael turns about and then back to the beast. “Vivisha, take care of her!” He shouts as he charges the manticore. The gambler drags his blade’s tip against the ground and brings it up as an explosion of electricity bursts from the ground, ending the beast’s rampage for good. Rorotori remains dazed on the ground, silently awaiting his nephew’s judgment.

Ilakha Moks screamed just before going sailing, rolling to a stop as her entire left horn goes flying with her, clattering to the ground pathetically. Her staff is snuffed out as it lands.

Vivisha Visha | In the next moment, she sees Ila fly, and without thinking, channels her ongoing aetheric power to literally shift her entire body across the room toward her friend. "ILAKHA!!"

Vael'ir Alatori keeps his blade pointed at Rorotori to keep him from moving, and watches Ilakha and Vivisha for news. Sweat beads down face and stings his eyes, pried open by worry and adrenaline both.

Vivisha Visha: "Ilakha!! Are you....are you okay!?" She tries to look for injury or what have you...

Ilakha Moks is breathing heavily, but she is unconscious. Blood seeped from the back of her head and stained her white overcoat as it pooled on the floor.

Vael'ir Alatori: "Vivi. Focus. She needs us. Think about how you create fire and ice."

Vael'ir Alatori: "Turn it to positivity. Think warmth. Think sunlight, hugs, and refreshing dips in the lake. Give her that."

Vael'ir Alatori uses his free hand to conjure a basic healing spell, but with his offense-oriented focus in hand it is not quite to the power that Ilakha likely needs.

Q'lin LarksongBalmung laughs, catching the flying chakrams as she comes to a stop, breathing heavily. Though her gaze snaps to Ilakha, it goes back to Rorotori and Vael'ir. The chakrams get hooked to her belt, though she stands back, hands wringing. Nothing she could do...

Vivisha Visha: "Oh gods...she needs a healer...." she whispers, despite Vael's pleas, but...yes. And the stars, like Enqu had shown her. She doesn't have the right tools for this, but... "Shouldn't..shouldn't we call Enqu..." But the blood...no, she has to act now. She carefully places her hands on Ila's shoulders and presses in. She closes her eyes and thinks of the tide-fixing nature of a benefic and the warmth of a night by the fire with her love. It wouldn't fix any real damage but... She would do everything she could to ensure Ila would at least survive to see a medic.

Ilakha Moks 's horn had yet to grow back, but the blood that poured from her head at least stopped. She groaned, rolling in her spot, her hair damp and red. "Vivisha!" Abruptly, Enqu's voice came over the linkshell. "The escape route is prepared. Is anybody hurt?"

Vivisha Visha blinks a few times, as if coming out of a trance. Her hands fumble for the linkshell. "Enqu! We're...we're alive. Ilakha got hurt...one of her horns...and she's unconscious..." She looks over to the situation with Rorotori. "We'll...we'll be out soon..." There were some scores to settle here. Icy panic and hot fury battled in her blood, so all she could do at the moment was sit by Ila.

Vael'ir Alatori: | With the adrenaline of battle still fresh in his veins, Vael moves over to his uncle and places a boot on the lalafell’s chest, the tip of Glanzender resting just above its target’s face. “What do you have to say for yourself?” Vael barks angrily as his index finger traces the trigger guard.

Vael'ir Alatori: | Rorotori coughs and spits up at the gunblade. “What injustice that Bahamut’s fire would claim my precious Mimiru and not unruly the scamp my niece took pity on. The gods are truly cruel.”

Vael'ir Alatori: | Vael’s boot presses harder on his uncle’s chest. “Twenty years! Twenty years of wondering where our next meal would come from, of fearing debt collectors at our door coming to take our home from us! My mother deserved better. All of your debtors deserved better.”

Vael'ir Alatori: | His trigger finger now rests within the guard, ready to pull at the slightest provocation. “The refugees had their homes taken from the Garleans, only to fall into the pit of monetarist vipers. Cruelty beyond belief to those who needed help the most. Eorzea will be better off without you.”

Vael'ir Alatori: | Contrary to his words, Vael’s trigger finger remains still as he stares at his uncle’s face; as if he is waiting for the others to speak their piece.

Ilakha Moks | "I'm on my way!" Enqu clicked off the linkshell, Ilakha not seeming to notice it. The horn with her linkpearl was laying on the ground. That aside, she didn't respond to much else other than the pain in her head and the fact she's still alive to be in agony.

Q'lin LarksongBalmung takes a breath, closing her eyes and biting her bottom lip. Those eyes open again and she steps back, to pace as she thinks.

Vivisha Visha holds onto the sound of Enqu's voice as a new fury rises inside of her. She rises -- she would be a danger healing Ila in this small moment -- and yanks off her mask to gaze upon Rorotori with her true face. "How dare you! Is that what all of this is? Trying to fill a void that Vael and his mother didn't even have fault for!? Spend money on dark magicks to make a point? You and the Iris are /everything/ that is wrong with this world. You are the true arbiters of cruelty, not the Gods!"

Vael'ir Alatori | Rorotori coughs up a bit of blood and looks to Vivisha, his wounds not masking his vivisible lack of amusement. "Foolish girl. The Garleans will come again, and they will not be fought with kind words and sentiments. They will be fought with..." Another cough, this one dry, and Vael tightens his foothold.

Vael'ir Alatori: | "They will be fought with money. Cold, heartless gil. The sooner you learn this, the better."

Vivisha Visha: "Oh, how very high and mighty of you," she spits back. "Another of my family's underlings was caught sending money TO the Garleans. Is that what you call fighting? Paying them as much as you can so they'll kill everyone but you?" She clenches her fist, thinking of when Enqu had been under Garlean capture. She hears something like ice snap in her head. And then, before she can stop herself...before her diplomat training and good heart can take over, she says: "Kill him. Make a point."

Q'lin LarksongBalmung: "A me before would tell you to kill him and be done with it." Lin speaks softly, pausing in her pacing. "...But there is plenty at stake here, if you end his life. If you do it, it is because it needs to be done, not because of your feelings. If you kill him because of the emotions at play, there will only be regret." She reaches up for her hat. "Or, we can simply hand him over to the Sultansworn and let them deal with him. There is plenty of evidence against him to keep him in the gaol for many, many years."

Q'lin LarksongBalmung: "You will kill him, or you will not. But you will not let your emotions decide."

Vael'ir Alatori grits his fangs and his gunblade begins to shake. "What justice waits him? He's got the gil to live out in a cushy excuse for a 'cell' for the rest of his days. The sultansworn protect self defense, and I've been defending myself for twenty years. No. I'm not giving him; not giving you the option." Silence follows for but a moment, soon replaced by Vael yelling at the top of his lungs and he pulls the trigger and swings his blade down. In but a moment, only one Alatori remains.

Vael'ir Alatori lets the final spent cylinder drop to the ground, steam rising as the aether disperses from it. "We need to get Ilakha out of here. I'm going to stay and take care of what I came here to do. There are records to be looked over, evidence to be acquired..." He pauses and returns Glanzender to his back. "...and I've got a company to run."

[leviathanlazarus]

Blue

Pairing: Jake Kiszka x (F) Reader

Word Count: 1299

Warnings: none; pure fluff, because we stan soft Jake.

Requested by my dear @sweet-dreams-on-butterfly-wings <3 Hope I delivered. I also realize a bunch of my oneshots take place in winter; that’s prime yearning time for me, so. 

---

Winter was, all in all, okay for you--not great by any means, since the cold and the snow eventually wore you down and by mid-February, you would ache to feel spring’s sun and to finally see the ice begin to melt, to see the first few buds start to blossom on the trees. This particular winter was hitting you hard though. It was only the third week of December and you were over it. Over the frigid temperatures that assaulted you when you walked outside; sick of having to clear your car off every morning and after every shift at work; sick of the blues it was giving you.

It was a Saturday and you knew you should get out of bed, so you managed to do that. But then what? Looking out the window, the world struck you as a monochromatic grey wasteland. You sighed as you surveyed it, taking your mug of tea back into your bedroom and climbing under the covers again, listening to nothing except your own agonizing thoughts. Three--well, really four--more months. You weren’t sure how you’d get through all that, but you’d have to.

“Y/N?” came Jake’s voice from outside your room, and you heard the front door close. “You know, you left the door unlocked. You’re lucky it’s just me.”

You sat up in bed, running your hand through your hair. You felt like shit, so you figured you probably looked like shit. 

Jake looked a little taken aback when he saw you, pausing in the doorway. “Hey.”

You gave him a forced half-smile. “Hey, Jake.”

He sat down on the end of your bed. “I hadn’t heard from you in a couple days, I wanted to see if you were okay.”

That right there was enough to make you start to tear up. “Oh,” you said, turning your cheek. “I’m sorry.”

He reached his hand out and stroked your cheek, gently turning you back to him. “Are you okay?”

“I just didn’t want to bother you--I’m fine, really,” you started to say, pulling up the covers and sheathing your shoulders. “I just get really sad sometimes. Like, really sad.”

Jake just looked at you, his eyes soft and focused on yours.

“Winter’s the worst of it,” you explained. “It really brings me down. I just feel so tired.” 

He scooched so he was sitting next to you and wrapped his arms around you. “I’m sorry, Y/N,” he said softly, and you rested the side of your face against his chest. “I’m here for you, though. I’ll do anything I can to make it better.”

“Thanks, Jake,” you said, closing your eyes and letting his body warmth envelop you. 

He rubbed your back and sighed. “Hey, just don’t leave the door unlocked, you know?”

You laughed a little. “Good advice. I’ve just been so out of it lately.”

“I think it’d be good for you to get out of the house a little bit,” he said. “Are you up for it?”

You pulled the covers back and swung your legs out of bed. “What do you wanna do?”

“What do you wanna do?” Jake replied, swinging himself around so he was facing you as you stood.

“I’d like to see some really good lights,” you mused, taking off your t-shirt and going into your dresser drawers to find a sweater, something fuzzy and warm. Before you could put it over your head, Jake’s arms were wrapped around you from behind.

“You are so beautiful,” he uttered with his face pressed against your neck.

“I look like trash right now,” you replied quickly.

He held you tighter, running his hands over your waist. “I don’t want you to feel that way,” he said, reaching up to brush your hair back. “I think you’re amazing. And I missed you.”

You smiled, resting your hands over his arm that was still around your waist. “I missed you too. I just didn’t want you to have to deal with me like this.”

Jake turned you so you were facing each other. “Hey--we’re together. I’m going to be with you no matter what’s going on, right?”

You nodded. “Okay.”

He took the sweater from you and you raised your arms, him placing it over you. He eased it over your head, your hair a mess within the confines of the collar before he brushed it away from you and tugged the sleeves down, situating the sweater over your body.

“We’ll have fun today,” Jake said, kissing you. 

With Jake’s arm in yours, a hot coffee in your hand, and delicate white snowflakes circling around the streetlamps spun with strands of gold Christmas lights, you were having fun. The most fun you’d had in a long time, really. You looked up at the glowing orbs, blinking past the snow, and smiled; when you averted your gaze from them, Jake caught your eye and smiled at you.

“How do you feel?” he asked as the two of you left imprints of your boots in the snow.

“So much better,” you told him, surveying the rest of the street. It was just you two walking in the village--shops were closing down for the night and, especially with the cover of snow, everything was quiet and still. 

He paused for a second to kiss your cheek, his lips warm. “Good, baby, I’m glad.”

You resumed walking, careful not to slip on the slick concrete you felt glide under you for a moment, a sturdy grip on your coffee. “So it doesn’t bother you that I--that I get depressed sometimes?”

“No way, Y/N,” Jake replied, shaking his head, and you noticed all the little snowflakes lingering on his hat. “I really care about you. And you can talk to me, you know?”

You nodded. “Yeah, I know. Thank you.”

Jake smiled and glanced down at the sidewalk. “You don’t have to thank me. That’s what boyfriends do.” He chuckled. “Well--good boyfriends.”

You laughed too. “You’re a really good boyfriend, Jake.”

“I know what would make this even better, though,” he said, turning you both down a little side street. “You’re gonna go crazy.”

Crazy was an overstatement but, when you did see the big, lone pine tree haphazardly adorned with multicolored lights, a giddy smile instantly sparked on your face and you had to let go of Jake’s arm in all your excitement. You shuffled over to it and tinkered with the lights in your gloved hand, the warmth permeating through the fabric, a dotted rainbow splashed against the snow beneath it.

“This is amazing,” you said as Jake joined you. “How’d you find this?”

“Just, you know, wandering,” he said. “I guess since there’s no nice big pine on the main street, some very festive person decided to decorate this guy.”

“So pretty,” you said. “I haven’t been around a real Christmas tree in a long time.”

Jake held a blue bulb in between his fingers, then moved over to a green one. “Come to our family party, we always have a tree.”

You smiled. “Really?”

“Yeah, what better way to get out of a slump than by drinking buckets of eggnog with me and my brothers?” he asked, wrapping his arm around your shoulders.

You laughed. “I think that would really help.”

Jake turned to you, caressing your face in his hands. “In the meantime, anything you need, you just let me know, okay?”

You kissed his nose. “Okay. I will.”

Jake smiled, instantly warming your heart. “I don’t want you to have a blue Christmas, alright, Y/N?” 

You smiled back. The blues had gone away since Jake took you prancing through the snow, the only blues left the shining sapphire lights reflecting on his skin.  “I won’t have a blue Christmas if you’re with me.”

---

Tagging: @jeordinevankiszka @mountainofthesunn @bigthighsandstupidguys @camomillacatalina @saywecanart @dreams-madeof-strawberrylemonade

[useless12sstuff]

Short stories #3

. 3 Above and Beyond

Trudging through the woods, I try to place the majority of my weight on my makeshift cane. Squinting my eyes, I try to keep sight of my path. The moon is of barely any help. If I had known it would be dark I would've snuck out a torch. Pulling my coat tighter around myself and wishing, not for the first time, that I should've worn something warmer above my hospital gown. I buried my nose in my scarf and yet, the crisp air still burned down my lungs. If my cigarettes don't kill me first, the cold certainly will. 'You shouldn't be here', the guilty part of my brain whispered. I squashed that thought down just like the leaves under my feet. Silly Linda, I scoff. She thought she could keep me in the ward by locking the door. Well look now, I jumped out the window. Well the pangs in my leg are almost making me regret. Almost. Oh whatever. To hell with Linda and her false pretenses. She can act sweet and coy all she likes but I know she wants me dead. Not more than I do but it is a mutual sentiment that is reciprocated. She's far too young anyway. A bit naive and very gullible. Very overconfident too but she is under the assumption that she's being 'smart' and 'sharp' and that an old, miserable midget like me won't be able to see right through her. An absolute fool. I despise it here.

I hobble my way to my usual spot, a clearing somewhere in the middle of the woods. The crescent moon stares down at me, as if judging. Sitting down on a tree stump while catching my breath, I pull out a pack of cigarettes that Linda missed and a lighter from my coat pocket. A cold draft rushed and rustled the trees and I held my coat tighter, shivering badly. With numb hands I light a cigarette and hold the lighter close, the tiny flame giving me a semblance of warmth. Sigh. I wouldn't want the fluid to run out. I pocketed it, closed my eyes and enjoyed my cigarette. Deep inhale and then exhale. Inhale and exhale. Finally, some peace and quiet….

…. Which did not last longer than twenty minutes. A sharp, whip like crack sobered me up and I opened my eyes to a terrifying sight. A creature with four faces, more than a hundred wings, taller than the trees, so huge that I can't distinguish the sky from its body. The moon is nowhere in sight. His whole body consists of uncountable eyes and tongues. What on God's green earth is this!? I can't move. Why am I not moving? Its hellish eyes stared me down. The cigarette I was holding had long fallen. I am a stone, glued to one place. I can't tear my eyes off this- this creature. All too soon, it descends and shifts into a shape more recognizable. A man. Dressed in a pure white robe, inky hair curled in every direction, skin the color of rich soil and piercing charcoal eyes, this man would stand out among any crowd. I must be hallucinating. Are cigarettes supposed to make you hallucinate?

"What kind of alien are you?" I asked in a quivering voice.

The man blinked. Then blinked again. Then stared at me long enough to make me wish I hadn't spoken.

"What kind do you think I am?" he smoothly replies, evading my question.

"A shape-shifting one."

He folds his hands neatly behind his back and doesn't reply.

"And who would you introduce yourself as?" he asks. I have a distinct feeling that he's humouring me. Like a cat who caught a canary.

"I, well, I-uhm-I fancy myself a student." I stuttered out. He doesn't need to know where I am from.

"A student of?"

"Life."

The alien smirked. An uncomfortable silence surrounds us, uncomfortable for me atleast. I feel weaker. Sweat beads at my eyebrows. This alien's presence has a weight that is taking a toll on me.

With nothing to do, I whip out another cigarette. I finished smoking it. Then I pull out a second, then a third, then a fourth.

"How long have you been smoking?" the alien asks suddenly.

"A few decades." I say, lighting another cigarette. A hush falls again.

"How do you speak our language?" I inquired, anything to keep the oppressive silence at bay.

"I've been here before."

"Oh?" I ask, hoping for an elaboration.

"Yes."

None came.

"What is it like?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"Your planet. What is it like?"

"It is a human's dream come true. You can have whatever your heart desires. Food, clothing, land, companions. It is eternal peace-"

"Sounds like heaven." I interrupted.

The alien's lips quirked.

"Something of that sort. It can be very beautiful or very terrible depending on the person."

"Why so?"

"Would you wish for good things to happen to evil people?"

"No. Not at all."

"My point exactly."

"What is evil anyway? Is evil caused by a difficult life?You know, I've always wondered."

The alien calmly looks back at me.

"Have you had a sorrowful life?" he asks, a curious gleam in his eyes.

"Sorrowful?" I scoff. "I can barely recognize myself in the mirror anymore. A saying goes 'Let a man walk the halls of sorrow. Whatever comes out, can it be called a man anymore?' " I asked.

"Sorrow is either growth or wasted potential if you have not learned. Power on the other hand, man cannot be trusted with power. It is too corrupting." the alien argues.

"I'll have to politely disagree. Power in itself is not corrupt. Power attracts those who are corruptible. Those who took the wrong lessons from their sorrows."

"And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"You have become a cynic only because you felt your life was difficult. Your cigarette is proof enough. It kills you, yet, you stick to it. Doesn't that make you just like them?"

"You are not a human. You don't, and maybe, will never, understand the delicate intricacy of addiction. I am not defending myself. I am ashamed but leaving it is no easy task."

The alien hummed," If you believe so. You are quite a melancholic person." he says, matter of fact.

"So I've been told." I smiled self deprecatingly, "Look at me, debating about ideologies with an alien."

The alien smirked, as if he was in on a joke I wasn't. Strange.

I cleared my throat. It felt itchy. Must've been the cigarettes.

"Anyway,how does your planet deal with 'evil' people."

"You need not worry your head over it. Our, ah, justice system is very fair."

"Oh. Where is it located? Your planet that is."

"Not here. It is somewhere above all the galaxies."

That most certainly piqued my interest. I have wished for death on my worst days but on my best days, I've always been a curious bug, too curious for my own good. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"Why are you here?" I finally cave in to my curiosity.

The alien side eyes me and replies, "I'm here to take one person home with me. Forever."

A thrill raced up my spine and anticipation settled in my bones. I licked my frozen, chapped lips. Perhaps I am being selfish. I spent my entire life looking for an escape, an escape from everything, my depression, my poverty, my disease, that hospital and its disinfectant smelling wards, Linda, this wretched world. That is an artist's curse. Escapism, they say, is an art too and I am anything but unacquainted to art. I always wondered about what was beyond, a place where no man had stepped. The golden threads of time, weaved into the fine fabric of the universe, permitted this opportunity to occur in front of me. I will take it even if my hands bleed.

I have no family that left, nobody who loves me. I'm bitter and alone. I deserve to be selfish for once in my life. To take a big leap, a risk. Yes, I will.

"Take me with you." I begged. "Please."

"Why should I?" the alien replied, staring right in my soul.

"You came for me. I know. If you didn't you wouldn't have landed here." I say, hopefully.

"And if I say that is false? What else would you offer?“

"I can offer you beauty and art. I can create for you."

"We have many of those."

"There will ever only be one like me. Just like there is only one artist like them. Themselves only."

Silence enveloped us again while rejection stung my chest again.

"Allow me to prove myself." I plead.

The alien looked at me, questioning.

"Look in my mind, see all that there is." I say determinedly. And I let him in my mind, let him see the world through my eyes and feel what I felt. I let him see my arts, my music, my poetry, my paintings that I crafted lovingly with my aged hands. I let him see what a human sees, something I know that he had never witnessed. Then I revealed my sorrows. Hopefully humanity would appeal to it.

With a pull he left my head. My eyes burned and I felt a blood vessel burst. I dry heaved on the dead ground but the nausea still lingered. I am glad I was seated or my knees would've buckled and I would've been an undignified heap on the floor. All the while the alien just stared and stared. I am getting sick of his staring too.

Once again, I broke the silence.

"I will paint your skies," I continue, hesitantly, "and your buildings and walls. I will write for the children and even for the old. Just please, take me. I'm exhausted ."

My eyes burned again, unshed tears waiting for release. I avert my eyes and let out a sigh. I feel heavy and my shoulders slump. Unexplainable exhaustion overcomes me and my temperature keeps rising, beads of sweat rolling down my face.

"If," he began,then stopped. It was the first time in our entire conversation that I saw him hesitate.

"If," he continued, "if I were to ask you to scream your wish at me, what would you fear more; your echo or my answer? “

"My echo", I reply instantaneously.

"Why?"

"Because it would mean you have declined."

"Hmm. Recite a poem for me."

I gave a shaky, hopeful smiled and offered him my words:

My river by the oak tree

has turned molten gold again,

as the glowing orb of light and life surrenders to the sapphire sky.

The cotton clouds float in shy, pink circles

While the rush of the river awakens a memory I had long forgotten,

When this same tree once bore luscious flowers,

Their scent wafting lazily into the cool breeze,

While I sat and reminisced about the possibility of other lives in the universe,

Under the wrinkled, silver moon.

Silence hugged us again while the impact of my weakened voice lingered in the air.

"Do you believe in other lives? Aliens and such?" he questioned.

"Yes I do, I mean you are here so that confirms it too."

"You are a funny one. No one has ever mistaken me for an alien." it grinned, crooked, as if a gesture it wasn't familiar with.

My body went cold and tremors shook it to its feeble core, my breath coming out in shallow pants. My eyes shut down of their own accord. The entity then spoke with a voice that might have held the weight of a thousand suns,

"Beyond the stars we go."