#it slays less without their fur colors but what can you do | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

monstersdownthepath · 5 years ago

Text

Deity: The Shard Barber

Lawful Neutral Great Old One of Blades, Surgery, and Cleanliness

Domains: Earth, Healing, Law, Strength Subdomains: Metal, Restoration, Loyalty, Self-Realization Favored Weapon: War razor Symbol: A shaving razor set on clean white cloth. Sacred Animal: N/A Sacred Color: Silver, blue, and red

Among the many servants of the Indomitable Radiance, the Shard Barber stands above them for being one of the very few that have both seen the Radiance and made physical contact with it while retaining its mental faculties and free will. This is because its own mind and senses are entirely alien in a way that prevent it from seeing the beauty of the Radiance, and also partially because its alien mind is devoted to things it finds much more enjoyable than mindless worship.

To the average onlooker, the activities of the Shard Barber seem simple-minded, almost animalistic. The creature appears content with rubbing its jagged, bladed body and limbs against various surfaces, shaving them down piece by piece in a way that suggests it may be attempting to sharpen itself. However, it cannot sharpen itself in this way because it cannot become any sharper than it already is; its actions instead are careful ‘art,’ the fine blades scraping away at imperfections and contamination only it can see to create areas of true purity, while the thinnest tips of its smallest limbs allow it to construct microscopic sculptures from various materials that only it can appreciate. Its blades can even adjust how they interact with certain substances, allowing them to perform feats such as harmlessly passing through flesh to cut the bone beneath.

It’s fine eye for detail and expert craftsmanship made it the most useful servant the Radiance ever possessed, capable of combing through the Outer Gods’ fur, aura, flesh, protoplasm, and bone for contaminants and parasites without disturbing or harming the tissue itself. Nowadays since the Indomitable Radiance has become perfect, the services of the Shard Barber are limited to trimming its fur and nails when they become too imperfect, so its many other talents are put to use elsewhere.

The consorts and servants of the Radiance, known as the Beautiful Elite, are often riddled with imperfections that must be tended to on their journey to true beauty, and the Barber enjoys doing so, shaving them away and slicing them out with precision that none can match. The inhuman perfection of the Beautiful Elite is often owed in equal parts to their own occult beauty regimes and the machinations of the Barber and its own elite, whose surgical prowess allows them to restructure mortal beings from the ground up if need be. So incredible is its work, it can create a body flawless enough that Death will not willingly touch it, though such a blessing is reserved only for the Radiance’s most proven cultists and the Barber’s own most prestigious enforcers... though there are the rare stories of the Barber gifting this perfection upon apparently ‘undeserving’ mortals, for reasons it refuses to communicate.

The Barber has an extensive knowledge of anatomy and an encyclopedic understanding of surgical procedures for more or less any corporeal creature. Its wisdom concerning medicines and actual disease lore is practically nonexistent as it needs no tools beyond its own blades to remove any infection, but its understanding of living creatures and how they function is nearly incomparable. It must be if it wishes to be careful and not actually harm its patients/projects, and to keep them alive as it turns them into ‘art.’ It is no mad scientist grafting flesh from one creature to another or crafting some horrible mishmash abomination, no, but many former patients of the Barber possess elaborate and impossibly intricate designs carved directly into their bones or along each muscle fiber.

While living tissue is its preferred medium (to the point it will sometimes seek out “patients” rather than waiting for them to come to it), the Barber will work with whatever materials it has access to, creating microscopic art projects. It can spend years, decades, or even centuries working on particularly elaborate piece, and in one instance it spent almost 300 years carving an entire miniature world (with a perfectly detailed population, down to the insect) out of a dragon’s vertebrae. Once it completes a project, the tiny works are often so fragile that they cannot be moved and so sensitive to changes in the environment that they can collapse with singular puffs of air, and as such the Barber will swiftly and violently defend the area around its favorite works to shield them from harm. Many unfortunates have experienced the Barber’s rage upon doing things as innocent as opening a door, oblivious to the consequences as the gust ruins a fractal it carved into the floor.

In the rare instances it is not tending to its own projects or working with patients, the Barber is sent out by the Radiance to dispatch of creature that prove an inconvenience or danger to its lifestyle, a relationship that extends downwards between the Beautiful Elite and the Barber’s own servants: the Clean-Shaven.

———-

Obedience & Boons

———-

The Clean-Shaven are the Barber’s largest cult, an assembly of individuals who’ve sworn create a world worth looking at. The Beautiful Elite are inhumanely gorgeous to the point that it becomes unnerving, and the Clean-Shaven are immediately recognizable even among groups of the Elite for their entirely bald bodies--their name isn’t just for show--and their propensity for wearing largely undecorated, function-over-form clothing. They tend to possess the demeanor of a watchful and stern bodyguard, an attitude beaten into them by the training regimen set by the first of their numbers, and work as the muscle for the Elite and the assassins for threats against both member and regime.

Many of the Clean-Shaven are not truly clean yet, and become adventurers to hone themselves and their skills until they are. Others who have properly cleaned themselves up can become (or remain) adventurers as a way of actively cleaning the world, either literally (maintaining structures or equipment, treating disease, bathing themselves or others) or figuratively (eliminating criminals, purging corruption, bettering civilization, stopping destruction). Some dutifully serve the Beautiful Elite themselves, while others may never even see the Elite and instead work independently towards their own ideals of perfection.

In addition, they are also responsible for maintaining practical medical knowledge, such as how to cure sickness, cleanse poison, scrub the body of mundane and magical contamination, remove growths, and rid ones self of parasites, all of which are still common afflictions among the Elite. The Barber may not need medicines or curative magic to do its work, but its mortal flocks must rely on both, thus the Clean-Shaven are responsible for being the beauticians, doctors, and surgeons both among the faith and beyond it, earning them good standing in both the cult and the public eye... provided that public eye doesn’t see the darker aspects of their practices.

For example, the final mission of each of the Clean-Shaven before they officially become a member of the organization is to slay an enemy of the cult using one of their sacred razors, without getting even a single drop of blood on themselves. Any who pass this test will be invited in officially, but those who fail are often made to start from step one. In addition, at random times, a member may find themselves visited by their superiors as their body, mind, and equipment are all inspected for signs of imperfection to assure that they maintain the standards of cleanliness and professionalism that the organization demands. More than once the Clean-Shaven have been asked to dispose of former members, or even members of the Beautiful Elite, who no longer qualify.

As Great Old Ones do not possess a dedicated Prestige Class for accelerating the power of their faithful, one can only enter the actual Evangelist, Sentinel, and Exalted Prestige Classes to obtain Boons at a much faster pace. Otherwise, they are gained at levels 12, 16, and 20. One must have the Deific Obedience feat to enter into the mentioned Prestige Classes, and entering the classes as soon as possible allows one to obtain the Boons at levels 8, 11, and 14.

Obedience: Spend at least one hour ridding yourself of as much body hair as possible by way of shaving as closely as you can without drawing blood. If you do not possess body hair, spend one hour meticulously sharpening, polishing, or cleaning any bladed instrument you can. Benefit: You gain DR 2/bludgeoning and a +4 sacred or profane bonus to Profession (Barber) checks.

------

EVANGELIST

------

Boon 1: Medicine Cabinet (Sp): Gain Polypurpose Panacea 3/day, Status 2/day, or Cure Serious Wounds 1/day.

Boon 2: Shave And A Haircut (Su): You’re no two-bit, one-note barber, no mere stylist! Your work is immaculate to the point of being supernatural! You can spend ten minutes providing a creature with a good trim and some quality care, fixing up minor injuries and perform whatever actions necessary to alleviate their physical and mental fatigue, in addition to cleaning them up and making them look fantastic. Any creature you work on in this way regains hitpoints equal to 10+your Charisma modifier and gains a +4 sacred or profane bonus to either their Constitution or Charisma scores (their choice) for a number of hours equal to half your Hit Dice. You cannot use this ability on the same creature until you complete your Obedience again.

Boon 3: Surgical Savant (Sp): A few swings of the scalpel, a bit of elbow grease, and some creative interpretations of what a functioning organ looks like, there’s little you cannot do. You may cast both Restoration and Heal as spell-like abilities once per day. In addition, with 8 hours of work and the expenditure of 1,000gp worth of raw materials, you can imitate the effects of Resurrection.

------

EXALTED

------

Boon 1: Clean Living (Sp): Gain Rite of Bodily Purity 3/day, Lesser Restoration 2/day, or Protection From Energy 1/day.

Boon 2: Cutting Edge (Ex/Sp): You are gifted by your patron with a piece of its own body, its namesake shards. Each time you complete your Obedience, a +2 Keen Impervious War Razor appears in your possession. If you have 15 or more Hit Dice, it is instead a +3 Keen Speed Impervious War Razor. As a swift action, you can call it to your hand from across any distance and flourish the blade out in a single move to draw it. This blade retracts and refuses to open for any creature outside of the Barber’s faith and cannot be used to harm you, even by your own hand. As a standard action while holding the razor, you can will the blade to detonate into thousands of shards, casting Blade Barrier as a spell-like ability but destroying the blade. Finally, the razor grants you a +10 sacred or profane bonus to Profession (Barber) checks. The razor vanishes 24 hours after it’s summoned, or if you perform your Obedience again.

Boon 3: Beyond Flaw (Ex): Your extreme devotion to the Barber and the lifestyle it enforces has removed many mortal flaws from your body. You no longer age, nor can you die of old age (and are thus immune to aging effects), and your body is transformed into a perfect version of you in the prime of your life; you no longer suffer age-related penalties but keep any increase to your mental ability scores. You maintain this ageless body even if you fail to perform your Obedience, though you lose it if you renounce your faith. In addition, you become immune to poison, disease, and ability score damage and drain.

------

SENTINEL

------

Boon 1: Sharp Standard (Sp): Gain Protection From Chaos 3/day, Sense Vitals 2/day, or Channel Vigor 1/day.

Boon 2: Not A Drop (Su): You cannot afford to get your suit dirty. You and clothes you wear are exceedingly resistant to staining and filth, with such contaminants crumbling off your body and flaking off your clothes within a minute of contact. In addition to the aesthetic effect, this grants you a +5 sacred or profane bonus to saving throws poison, disease, and any effect which would cause bleed damage. Three times per day as an immediate action, you may instantly end a single bleed effect on yourself or an adjacent creature.

Boon 3: Living Whetstone (Ex): You remember your first days in the faith, trying to hold your hand steady as you shave as close as possible without injuring yourself. Now? You’d struggle to actually draw blood. You reduce all slashing and piercing damage you take by 10; this is not Damage Reduction and cannot be bypassed. Once per day as a standard action, you may scrape the edge of a slashing weapon along your body like a strop or run it between your fingers as though they were a sharpener, granting it the Vorpal ability for 1 minute.

------

Supplemental material.

#original concepts #Pathfinder #pathfinder homebrew #this has been in my drafts for MONTHS

97 notes · View notes

skaryskylar · 4 years ago

Text

Toss A Coin To Your Witcher

Pairing: BakuDeku, DekuBaku Switch

Type: One-Shot

Prompt: Twin Stars Week/Day 1-Fantasy

Rating: Explicit (18+)

Warnings: All the smut, Minor KiriKami, Dubious Consent, improper Use of Magic

Read on AO3

His stomach growled as he settled into the darkest corner of the inn. The ale in his cup had already gone warm, but he didn't dare waste a drop. It was bitter on his tongue, dry and heavy on the hops. Swishing through his jaws with difficulty, it seeped rather than flowed down his parched throat.

But it was all he could afford.

The pouch at his waist was depressingly empty, silent without the jingle of coin. He needed to sit and wait. See if something cropped up. But the inn didn't seem to be overflowing with those in need. No, it was fool's night. The bard atop a table strummed his lute, singing a tale of a honeyed, fair maiden chased down by a horrible beast of a bear. It was a lewd little ditty. If he could, he'd scrunch his face in disgust.

But that would mean he wouldn't look 'approachable'. In this line of work, and with a pocket as barren as his own, he needed to keep an easy going appearance at all times.

He tried to direct his ears elsewhere. Some of those gathered at the bar-common townsmen and farmers out for an evening drink-were whispering amongst themselves. It wasn't hard for him to pick up on the murmured sounds.

"-'s him. I'm sure of it."

"That's not him! He's short! They say that this Witcher is ten feet tall, wide as a bear and twice as fierce!"

"I heard he's got a hound's gnashing canines for teeth and blackened claws on his hands."

"He walks with a peach-colored wolf. It used to be white, but blood stained the damn thing's fur red so many times it started to grow out a strange, rosy color."

Ochako whined at his feet. Her dark eyes peeked up from under the table, ears downcast. Those assholes. Didn't they know she had a sensitive soul? Smiling at her comfortingly, he scratched behind her ears, a silent apology.

"Fool! He doesn't walk with a wolf! He is a wolf! When the full moon hangs low beneath the clouds, they say he transforms into a monster neither man nor beast."

"Shh! He can hear us! Don't you know he has ears large enough to hear for miles? See how they peek out from that head of dark curls!"

"I keep telling you that's not him! What would the Symbol of Strength, the Slaughterer of Shigaland, the Devil's Wicked Right Hand, Izuku of Yuuei be doing here of all places?"

"Perhaps he's come to slay the dragon."

Izuku perked up at that. His stomach groaned in protest but he had long ago learned to pay hunger no mind in the face of work. A dragon's head huh? That would fetch him a pretty penny. Perhaps enough for him to make it to the next town over with a sackful of dried meats, bread, berry...

And a horse. By the gods, how he needed a new horse. He lost the last one in a nasty encounter with some graveirs a while back. Travelling was a royal pain in the arse without a horse.

He stood to his full height, pushing his day-old ale aside as he made to go stand by the bar, leaning some of his hefty weight against the creaking wood of the counter. It was warmer there. Whether it was the heat of their fearful gazes or the warmth of human touch, he didn't care to find out.

He had something better to focus on.

"What's this I hear of a dragon wreaking havoc on innocent citizens?"

He went for a charming smile. The same that had maidens fall over him all the way from Shiketsu to Aldera. It didn't work. Men were less susceptible to his charm. They took one look into his eyes-saw how unnatural the green was with its sheen and flecks of gold, and knew he was not of their same blood and bone.

(No, he was stronger. Faster. More cunning and full of tricks. Without the folly of their emotions to weigh him down. A symbol of strength just as his master had been a symbol of peace.)

Sure enough, the one closest to him with the greasy black hair and gaunt face took one look into his gaze, and immediately blanched, tugging his mug of ale closer to his chest.

"M-M-Mind yours Witcher! Yer not welcome here!"

"It's not the Witcher." One of his friends snorted into the foam of his drink. "Don't mind a fake trying to trick his way into some coin."

Rather than speak to defend himself, Izuku drew his sword from its scabbard. The inn went silent in the wake of its gleam, watching how the silver glinted and shone even in the dim light. It was a beautiful piece of work, made from the finest goblin ore and elven wood, forged by dwarves in the deepest fires of Mount Rocklock.

It had passed from worthy hand to worthy hand till it found its way into his own calloused grip. The feats performed with it granted it a name fitting for its prestige.

"One for All." One of the men breathed. He reached out as if to touch iy, but Izuku was quick to slide the blade back into its sheath.

"Now," He grinned cheekily. "About that dragon."

The dragon, he learned, was terrorizing the farm lands towards the edge of town. It hadn't done much in terms of fire damage, just a few burnt stables here and there. A rabbit hutch for one man.

But it was surely taking its fill. A shepherd had lost half his flock while they were grazing in the hills, and that was just the beginning of it. Chickens, goats and cows had all fallen under the things clutches. There was no blood spilled so it naturally ate them whole.

But to spite the farmers, the thing had even stolen barrels of cheese and crates of milk, just throwing salt into the festering wounds. Slowly but surely, the little bastard was creeping closer and closer to the main villages. It wouldn't be long before it ran out of animals to eat.

Maybe then it'd decide it fancied human thigh instead of lamb.

"Listen, us farmers, we have a pact," The most reasonable out of the bunch, Inasa the dairyman, approached him with a fresh drink and a hot plate of roasted chicken. He was about to descend upon it with vigor, when a paw reached up to settle on his knee.

Ochako stared at him from under the table, brown eyes wide. Sighing, he split the meat in half, offering her the larger share.

"We'd be willing to pay if you can get the damn thing out of our hair. It won't be much in the way of coin, but you'd be guaranteed food for the next month at least. My wife and I can offer our place for you to rest your head for a night upon your return to sweeten the deal."

Izuku's stomach growled in response, the meager meal having not been enough. He willed an embarrassed blush to fly up to his cheeks, painting the backdrop of his multitudes of freckles a rosy red.

"Sounds like we've got a deal." He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

(If the farmer and his wife renegaded on their part, he would leave them out during the upcoming full moon and have Ochako rip them limb from limb.)

Promise of food stuck fast in his mind, he collected his things and began to walk out. The wolf was quick on his heels, gnawing at an abandoned chicken bone as Izuku adjusted his sword at his hip. He was only a few paces from the door when a voice called out,

"Wait! Witcher! Mister Slaughterer Sir! Wait!"

He nearly didn't stop. If Ochako hadn't spat out her bone to growl, he wouldn't have.

Certainly not for the bard. He was young. Mature in human years but his jaw was still smooth with youth. Neither hair nor scar marred his features, boyish grin bright with a fool's bliss as he clumsily stumbled his way over, golden eyes taking the setting sun's last rays into their depths to shine bright as day in the encroaching darkness.

"Let me come with you."

Izuku smiled.

"No."

Turning right on around, he once again set off on his journey. Ochacko huffed at his side as the bard continued to follow them. He maintained a distance just outside of his sword's reach so if Izuku fell prey to the building desire to turn and gut the man where he stood, he'd have to put some effort in.

And that was energy he did not have.

His stomach rumbled. The wolf at his side gave a keen whine.

"-can sing songs about our travels! Of who we meet and what we dare to do! I heard you're setting out to kill a dragon. Imagine what limericks I could reap from that!"

He pulled out his lute, cleared his throat and sang,

'The dragon with tongue of fire and death

Nearly killed us all with one sniff of its breath'

Izuku stopped in his tracks. He gave the other man a long, soul-searching look. The bard scrambled to get back, saying some nonsense about how he'd work on those horrible lyrics. In his haste, his hat ripped from his head, exposing long locks of flaxen hair, a single stray jagged line of black towards the side. But that anomaly wasn't what caught Izuku's attention: it was the pointed nubs of batlike ears that pointed through the matted fray, of a paler complexion from the rest of the man's skin due to the lack of exposure to sunlight. Immediately, his hands left the lute to cover them up, pulling his green flouncy hat low beyond their tips once more.

"You're an elf."

"Half-elf!" The man protested. "My mum's about as human as they come." After a beat of silence, he picked his lute from the ground, inspecting the wood for damage.

Izuku's smile widened.

A half elf. This was perfect. The only thing dragons enjoyed more than sheep was a roasted, honey-eyed elf. The bard would be a useful trap.

"What's your name stranger?"

"Denki Kaminari."

"You may come along. Don't get distracted, nor can you distract me. Dragons are dangerous after all."

It would've been an easy trip if the fool didn't talk so much. He had an easy voice; it chimed like bells. All the masculine grit stuck to the back of his throat, leaving only light melody to flow from his lips. It made him sound naturally friendly and open. Izuku wished for that. Every tone of his own words had to be thoughtfully considered before he spoke, lest he fall into the same gruff, monotone of his kinsmen.

That wouldn't do. He had to be personable to get jobs. Strong to make results come to fruition and cunning to ensure he always had his way.

His master was not lazy with his tutelage. One could not become the Symbol of Peace without accumulating centuries of wisdom, and that same wisdom was bestowed upon him with each lesson; each fletching of an arrow, crushing of yarrow root in mortar with a pestle, and adjustment of his manner of speech came with some kind of warning. It was the warning that made him careful. It was his care that made him great.

But the bard, Denki, wasn't taught. He wasn't raised as he was. He was just...human. Well, half-human.

And fully annoying. So, so annoying.

Like a pest he flew around Izuku as they walked, commenting on his height, how his arms were twice as thick as his own. He was writing songs as they made their way up the hills to the farmlands.

If he had to hear another comparison of his 'wild, curly locks' to a 'dewy clearing on the first morn of spring', he would cut off his ears and throw them to Ochako to eat. At least then one of them wouldn't be starving.

"And your eyes! Cut from the finest jade no doubt! They say Witchers can see in the dark like a cat. They say your kind prowl the forests at night searching for prey from a young age, and that's how they find you, bloody babes wrapped in wolf skins. Is it true?"

"You are not born a witcher," Izuku said idly, coming to a stop. They had arrived at the appointed farm. He could see the burnt rabbit hatch; how meager the gathering of cows was in the field.

But this story didn't add up.

"Witchers are made. It is not a path suited for every man. Be happy you're a bard."

"I'm terribly fond of my profession good sir. There's nothing the fairer sex fancies more than a man who can sing their troubles away."

"Is that so?"

The scent. The scent was wrong. He knew what dragon smelled like and this wasn't it. There was smoke yes. The anger, of course. The acrid scent of soot and all-consuming fire, but there was a sweetness that betrayed its magical origin.

Dragons did not smell sweet. They smelled like a viper pit after a night of rain, like the petrichor seeping off the ground before lightning struck true. They stank of death and doom with the smoky after notes of all-consuming rage.

At least, that's what he knew from his own experiences. Perhaps this one was a runt.

"They quickly find my tongue has many uses. Singing makes it nimble and quick. Easy to fit in, uh, tiny spaces if you get my meaning."

He did, but refused to give any indication that it was so. Humming good-naturedly, he moved towards the main cottage without a word, letting the bard talk him down the stone path.

If it was a dragon, then the bard would draw him out. If it wasn't, he could still use the man as a distraction as he created a better plan. Win-Win situation.

The woman that answered the door was thin. Her head of hair had already started turning gray, and there were dark circles beneath her fearful brown eyes. She spoke in whispers and murmurs, as though she thought speaking about the dragon itself would bring it back to harm her. Izuku ignored the usual talk about the terror the victim felt, how helpless they were in the face of such a mighty beast, and focused on the facts.

The attack happened two days ago, which meant the scent would still be fresh if he tracked it down. They were missing all their rabbits, half their cows, and a barrel of cheese. The first two was nothing out of the ordinary. Dragons weren't known for having a small appetite.But the barrel of cheese was strange. Even stranger yet was the missing cherry pie.

"I remember leaving it on the windowsill to cool that morning, but when I came back it was gone." She said, pressing a hand to her head.

He would've written it off as a common thief taking advantage of a disaster, if the last detail she uttered hadn't set off all his alarms.

"The worst part was its laughter."

"Laughter?" The bard spoke the question on his mind between bites of apple pie. "What kind of dragon laughs?"

She sighed, pressing her eyes to her hands as if she were about to weep.

(Izuku hoped she wouldn't. He didn't do well with females, nor their tears. They made him...unsettled.)

"It was horrible. My husband and I went out to put out the fire and we heard the thing just laugh and laugh and laugh. It sounded almost human, but there was a darkness to it. It was small, but if you heard it you'd notice. No one, not even the worst of the worst sinners, sounds that evil."

Izuku set off with suspicion in his heart and a bit of dried meats in his pouch. The bard kept trying to break into his head, see what plans he was making behind his 'jolly demeanor' but he remained silent, smile locked to his face as if it were an iron mask. Ochako had no such patience. When the bard got close enough to brush Izuku's shoulder with his hand, she barked and snapped her teeth, sending the man running several paces back.

"Control your dog Witcher!"

"She's a dire wolf." Izuku corrected cheerily. The good little pup snarled her agreement. He didn't need to look to see the man was terrified. The sharp scent of a little piss was one of the wafts in the air.

The trail was leading them into the mountains. It would be a day before they reached the end of it. Izuku would've walked through the night with his wolf at his side, but elves, half or not, were prissy about darkness.

They settled at the foot of the mountain. Izuku set a fire with ease, magic crackling electric green in his palm before shooting out to the bundle of sticks and tinder. Ochako took her place at his back, licking her fur for a quick clean before settling on her paws and falling asleep. Her snores rang out throughout the land, imposing and fearsome, letting all woodland creatures know that a direwolf was present and ready to rip out their throats if they strayed too close.

He could sleep easy so long as she kept snoring.

"Witcher,"

But not as long as the bard insisted on speaking.

"This dragon...I've got my reservations about it. Wouldn't we have seen its claw marks in the dirt?"

"Dragons fly bard." The Witcher answered, eyes shut as he lay against the direwolf's back. She was warm beneath him, fur tickling the skin of his neck as he shifted to get comfortable. There were a few moments of darkness and blessed, blissful silence.

Then:

"I can't get that laughter tidbit out of my mind. What kind of dragon laughs Witcher? Will we face a particularly fearsome one?"

"The fiercest." Izuku replied, because he couldn't resist. The bard's 'eep' of fright sparked a distant amusement in his chest.

"Perhaps if you tell it a funny tale or two, you'll distract it long enough for me to take its head."

He felt the vibrations of the bard laying out a bedroll. (Made of fine material no doubt. Ever the prissiest those elves) The ground gave a slight shake when the man threw himself upon it.

Izuku's eyes remained closed as Denki gave a long sigh.

"Hopefully I'll live to see another night."

Izuku did not hope. He had been told he inspired such a feeling in others but he himself was immune to such irrationality. He was a man of facts, of odds and probability, of notes scrawled on paper well into the night, of the smell of ink lingering on calloused hands.

He did not hope. He predicted, anticipated and prepared.

His odds of survival were high. There was an off-chance he would perish: burning to his demise or falling off the face of the mountain seemed to be the top two contenders for the 'final blow'. But the probability of him strutting out of there with a dragon head slung over his back and Ochako gnawing on rawhide at his side was greater by far.

The bard though?

...Hmm.

The man continued to talk to himself through the night, attempting to assuage his own fears. Groaning, Izuku turned his back on him, and tried to fall asleep to the anxious melody.

The first thing he noticed upon waking was the silence. Ochako's warmth was still at his back. He could feel her chest rise and fall with each breath, but the loud fearsome snores that should've been ringing out were muted. He could taste the magic of the silencing spell in the air before he could taste the bitterness of morning. Hand already at his scabbard, he leapt up, only to get slammed back down by a leather boot.

Crimson eyes cut from ruby and forged in flames leered down at him. The wicked, sharp grin of his attacker loomed inches above, teeth sharp and white blotted red with blood, so close he could taste the copper of it.

He thought of the bard. A quick sniff told him the man was still alive. Terrified, if the whimpers and more than subtle waft of piss meant anything, but still alive.

He quickly scanned the attacker. His chest was bare, golden skin not marred with scar nor birthmark, immaculate and smooth save for the rolling hills of his abs and pink peaks of his nipples, stiff in the mild morning frost. A cape the same color as his eyes gave a few flaps in the easy winds. It was clasped by a silver dragon around the neck, white fur lining the shoulders above his defined collarbone. Clearly a luxury, but not a symbol he could put a royal family name to.

His pants were dark, but made of fine material. He had only seen kikimore silk once before in his life: at the royal wedding of Prince Shoto of Endeavour and Princess Momo of Creati. Her dress had been made from two yards of it and a stunning, hand-sewn lace. It was a white so pure it glistened when the sun hit it, rivaling the shade of the snow as it fell upon the pair underneath their wedding arch.

This was that same material, but dyed a black so harsh it absorbed all color, cuffs tucked into his boots. Lined with that same white fur as the cape, they had spikes beneath their soles. Armor was strapped around the man's knees, sharp points tacked on so they could be used as a weapon if need be, Every inch of this man was a weapon. Sharp. Dangerous.

And he smelled nothing like a human. Izuku didn't recognize this scent. Sweet and sultry, like golden ambrosia presented before an altar, or the exotic perfumes of a passing noblewoman. He had to lean away to catch the fresh winds and clear his head from the hazy mist that threatened to settle over him at the smell of it.

But there was something else on that wind. The smell of a viper pit after a heavy rain. He looked to where the edge of the attacker’s cape billowed in the gentle breeze.

Hmm.

Izuku slipped on an easy smile. It was second-nature by that point, but it only seemed to make the man angry. His eyes narrowed into slits, confident smirk morphing into a bitter scowl.

"Don't play innocent with me Witcher. I've met others of your kind. You don't have the heart for kindness."

Smart one. Arrogant asshole. Izuku made a point to smile harder, quirking a brow in what he hoped would look like a playful jest, as if the man were an old friend rather than the next victim of his blade.

"Now, now. I'm sure we can talk about this-."

He saw the dagger coming down before it was even raised. Heaving, he got the man away from him by turning suddenly, rolling across the ground. Grabbing Ochako by her scruff, he tossed her to the screaming bard and went to face his rising opponent.

Izuku reached for his sword, only to find the scabbard empty.

The other man twirled it about in his hand, checking his reflection in the blade. The tip was already stained red. If the beheaded, mangled deer towards the edge of their camp signified anything, it was that his blade was stolen from him while he slept then used to hunt breakfast.

Which meant that this one who appeared in the image of a man, licking the last of the blood from his teeth, was definitely not mortal. Izuku could sense other life forms even while unconscious. No one touched anything so close to him without his fist closing around their neck. This one was...was...

"Who are you?" The bard yelled. He was bound in rope, hands behind his back and ankles together. His cap still covered his ears securely. Izuku angled himself so the stranger wouldn't see the elf's face, lest he catch the spark in his eyes and begin to suspect.

"I am Prince Kacchan."

"Prince of what?" Denki snorted. "Thieves?"

There was that rage from the farm, smelling of soot and ash. It was thick in the air, hot and violent. Sparks skittered up Izuku's skin as those eyes came to meet him again. They looked him over, slowly, with intention.

Then there was the glint of a smirk full of salacious promise and scandal.

"I think you look better beneath me Witcher."

"I think I'm going to need my sword back Prince Kacchan."

He didn't miss the shiver that racked through the man at the sound of the title. The air was heavy with their auras, challenge and intrigue passing between the two of them, neither willing to drop their masks.

Until a pained roar came down from mountain high, sending birds squawking away from shuddering treetops as the ground rumbled. Kacchan leapt up at once, landing on a branch in a show of nimbleness.

He tossed back a wink.

"Come find me Witcher. I have need for some company." He said before taking off. Leaping from tree to tree, he kept the sword still in his grip as he disappeared into the foliage.;

Izuku bit back a curse. Gathering his things, he used the blade he kept within his boot to cut the bard free. Ochako led the charge as they ran, kicking up dust and dirt in their haste. The bard was too slow to keep up so Izuku swung him onto his shoulders, matching Ochako's pace with ease.

"Where do you think he ran off too?"

If the scent that clung to the man's cape was right, then he had run off to meet their dragon. Izuku didn't reply with this, gritting his teeth as he set a faster pace, thoughts of his sword flashing through his mind along with the possible outcomes of the situation.

The higher up they went, the worse the options became.

The scent was thickest at the very top. There was a cave or rose quartz, large enough for a dragon, but decidedly empty of its large hulking mass. There was no camp set up for Prince Kacchan, only a couple large stones here and there.

Izuku knew better than to judge by first glance. He moved to enter the glistening cavern when the bard pounded his shoulder.

"There is no way I'm going into that cave without a battle plan Witcher! What if it drops from the skies and roasts us where we stand?"

"Then we die," Izuku said simply. Though the bard screamed and yowled his protest, he did not release him, edging his way into the dark cave overflowing with the sharp scent of dragon.

And blood. So much blood and death.

His eyes adjusted to the darkness quickly, narrowing on everything in his path. Kicking aside a cow's skeleton, bones white and licked clean, he brought his tiny party further to the back of the cave, where the smell was strongest and the warmth of fire began to trickle through.

"I'm not too sure about this Witcher."

"Just sit up there and smell pretty bard."

"What do you mean by-?"

A deafening roar cut them off. The ground shook beneath his boots, dust falling from the pale pink stalactite above. He leapt back as one of the spikes dropped, bursting into shards in the same spot he once stood. Deeper and deeper he went as the roar continued. The more he listened, the more pained the cry seemed. It was...off. This wasn't anger. It wasn't lashing out. He doubted it even knew they were in there at all.

He crept closer to the scent of fire, inching along the wall of the cave, straining his ears to hear beyond the wail.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. It hurts. Quit wailing you big baby. You're acting like you lost a ball sack."

That was Prince Kacchan. The jackass who stole his sword. Clutching the bard's ankles tight, he dared to creep in further, murmuring a spell to hide his and Ochako's scent.

Bracing himself, he peeked around the corner.

It was a dragon alright. Definitely not the runt of the litter though. It was huge, looming several feet above his own head even in a crouch. Its horns were long, thick as a tree trunk, curling around his head like that of a rams. Its scales were red so dark they were almost black, taking in the light of the fire, each as long as Izuku's hand.

But it wasn't its massive size that drew his attention.

It was its wounds.

A gaping hole tore through one wing, the other folded at an awkward angle behind him. Broken, no doubt. Its claws were long and sharp on all three limbs.

The fourth was missing. Its dark eyes were glued to the spot where it should of been, watering with unshed tears of pain as Prince Kacchan cleaned and wrapped the wound. At the blonde's side was Izuku's acclaimed sword, sitting still and idle, waiting for him to grasp it in his hand once more. The discarded bandage pile was where the stench of blood was strongest. Izuku sniffed, identifying the sour smell of infection in the cloth.

"Whoa," The bard breathed and, immediately, all eyes darted to their location.

Izuku could've killed the man himself, but it seemed like the dragon wanted to take a go first. He let Denki go, dropping him to the ground when the thing raised its head to strike, then rolled to snatch his sword before it was too late.

Two things happened then.

The dragon gave a keen whine, then began to collapse in on itself, shrinking in a blaze of red light till a man stood where the beast once sat. His spiky hair was the same shade of crimson as the scales, and his build more similar to Izuku's own bulk than Kacchan's lithe muscle. There was a bandaged stump where his left hand should've been, a clean cut slicing just above the wrist. His eyes were curious, a light reddish-brown as they fixated on the bard and the bard alone.

He was also completely nude.

The second was that Izuku reached for his sword, fingertips brushing the hilt when lava burst from the floor below, wrapping around his ankles and wrists, pinning him to the ground. He grunted when the familiar sensation of a spiked boot stepping on him came from his back.

"We meet again, Witcher."

His face in the dirt, Izuku dropped any mask, letting a cold fury envelope him as he struggled. He was close. So close. One inch more and One for All would be where it belonged.

But the Fates did not will it to be so. Kacchan gave a savage, mocking laugh as he plucked the sword up from the floor. He did some kind of magic to turn Izuku over so that he was facing the ceiling.

He couldn't see Kacchan, but he could feel his witchcraft. Powerful, it thrummed through the air, enveloping his limbs like a restraining caress till he was immobile.

At least the dragon found the bard. If he could enjoy nothing else, it would be the fact that he could hear the annoying little man being ripped limb from limb before he died.

...But the Fates didn't will that to be so either.

"You're an elf!"

"A-A-And your prick is out sir! I implore you to get a covering. Where are your trousers?"

"Oh! My apologies. I didn't mean to offend."

Izuku sniffed. Sweet and heady. Nervousness. Anticipation. Attraction. Arousal-.

Oh fuck.

"I've never met a real elf before. My mother says your kind are as sweet as honey and have eyes of starlight. If I may see your ears?"

"I-I don't really like letting people look."

"But they're beautiful!" The dragon insisted, as if scandalized. "Elves are the most beautiful creatures in all the land. I should know! I'm a dragon! My kind collect pretty things."

There's the sound of someone shifting. Probably the elf, blushing like a maiden at the flattery. Izuku fought the desire to throw them all off the mountain.

"I have a cousin, Mina. She courted an elf. At their celebration, there wasn't a dry eye on that mountain top. From envy of course. A good half of our family was ready to kill her to take her place."

Gritting his teeth, Izuku made a mental note to rewrite the segment on Elven-Dragon Relations in his journal.

"So I assume you're the one that's been harassing the farmers then," He said, trying to get Kacchan's attention. Maybe Ochako would be able to catch the man by surprise if he kept him distracted. "You need to feed your friend after all, and he's not fit to hunt."

"Hey!" The dragon-shifter's voice was stunned, and a little hurt. "I thought we agreed we'd live off the land."

"Those beasts were on land." The Prince said arrogantly. "Our land. Those hills belonged to my kind long before these filthy mortals claimed the earth as their own."

That shortened his list. Demi-god? That'd be a bitch to take down. He would have to go off of rumors for that. The last Witcher to take down a Demi-God was centuries ago. One of the Vampire Fathers maybe? They walked the world long before his own kinsmen did, but their weakness to silver was common knowledge. He just needed One for All back and he'd make it work. It wouldn't be easy, but it would be possible.

But that wouldn't explain the fire.

He'd never heard of a vampire capable of making molten lava out of rose quartz then cooling it quick enough to bind a Witcher.

"Those farmers are poor and scared. They've sent us here to kill the dragon ravaging their homes," The bard said because he had a big mouth and just couldn't shut up. Izuku tried to think, tried to run through all the information he'd gathered so far to find a way of this mess. He strained against his binds, but even with all his strength, they wouldn't budge. Fortified by a dark magic no doubt. He would need to wait and build his power to counter it.

That could take days. Months even.

He'd be dead by then if Prince Kacchan wished it so.

"That's horrible," The dragon was saying. "I'm terribly sorry this has happened. I had no idea where he was getting the food. We'll leave if that would please you...and, uh, the farmers of course!"

"Oi! Shitty hair! We're not leaving! Do you know what I went through to find this place-!"

"Splendid! Did you hear that Witcher? A bit of diplomacy and we've saved the townspeople!"

Izuku gave a long, tired sigh, smile straining as soon as he pasted it back up.

"Wonderful," he said through grit teeth, failing to keep the sarcasm from his tone. "Now if I could get my sword, we'll be on our way."

At the sheer implication, the dragon hissed. Izuku shut his eyes to the sound, already aware of the sharp claws that were undoubtedly reaching out for the bard to stuff him further back in the cave. Territorial little bastards, those dragons. And if his gut was right, he wouldn't be letting the bard go anytime soon.

"By the gods, what is it man?"

"Oh! Sorry! The claws, they, uh, do that sometimes. It's normal."

Izuku could taste the lie on the air, sweet as cherry wine and just as deceptive.

"But you all don't have to leave now," The dragon continued. "Let us feed you! We've got plenty of food to share! And that lute! You're a bard, aren't you elf? Tell me some of your tales!"

The bard, like a fool, agreed.

To his credit, Izuku did not resist as he was lifted roughly to a stand. Prince Kacchan's fist was wrapped in his tunic, pulling him away from the ground even as his other hand wove sigils into the air, completing the stone cuffs around his wrists and ankles into dark circlets. He pulled his aching arms down to his chest, bending his elbows as he was hopped over to a smooth raised stone by the fire.

He took the seat, lips pressed tight as Kacchan sat right next to him, avoiding eye contact with all lest they see the calculations in his eyes. The fire rose high, hot against his front, with pointed wooden spikes at its base. If he kicked out at the right angle, could he launch one into the Prince's chest? Once he was gone, Izuku could take a lame dragon with Ochako's help.

The direwolf sat at the edge of the light, watching the Prince with wary eyes as he went about roasting the cow. Ever a loyal girl. Izuku didn't deserve her.

"Let's share names then," The dragon-man said, now with a fresh pair of breeches covering his bits. "I'm Eijirou the Wild. I'm from the mountain range of Kirishima."

"I'm Denki, a bard. Half-elf." He emphasized. "And that's Izuku of Yuuei. The Slaughterer of Shigaland and the Devil's Wicked Right Hand. He's a Witcher."

"And I'm already bored of this conversation. Eat and then leave bard."

"Don't be rude Kats!" Eijirou the Wild smiled, a grin with sharp pointy teeth and fawning eyes for the bard alone. Kats. What was that short for? Was Kacchan not his 'true name'? What kind of creatures needed to hide their names?

"Don't mind him. He's been sour ever since his mother tossed him out for stealing her favorite plaything."

"She didn't kick me out," the Prince said sourly. "I left of my own accord."

But his words went ignored. The dragon and the bard were already well on their way to a rousing conversation, speaking to each other in fervent whispers, inching closer by the minute till they could pick the remnants of meat off each other's laps. No one asked the Witcher about his life, because they didn't care. Prince Kacchan was too caught up in his own annoyance. and the dragon just wanted to know more about the bard, looking at him as if he was the one who cast away the moon to hang the sun in the sky.

Honestly, how did he get 'Elven-Dragon relations' so wrong? Didn't they have a lesson about this at Kaer Morhen? His old master would be so ashamed.

The bard of course played right into their hands. He relished the attention, even got comfortable enough to take his hat from his head, shyly allowing a clawed hand to wondrously prod at the pale tips of ears.

When he pulled out the lute, the Witcher knew they were in for a long night. He played song after song, growing more loud as they opened a barrel of orc gin and passed it about. Izuku sat there, small smile beginning to ache, ears ready to bleed as they began a new ballad,

'A dragon there was, a dragon, a wild one

All red and fierce and ready for fun!

The dragon! The beast! The wild one!'

He was going to beg for the sweet release of death. There was no other choice. The bard was annoying the shit out of him.

"You're annoying the shit out of me bard." Prince Kacchan spoke for him. Tossing the last of his scraps into the fire, he stood and emptied the contents of his waterskin on his hands to clean them. Wicking them out to dry, he commanded, "Find yourself elsewhere."

"Don't talk to him like that-!"

"Leave!"

Eijirou frowned. Pointedly snatching up Denki's hand, he led the bard off towards the edge of the fire's light, in the direction of the cave's entrance, continuing their rapid fire conversation about some frivolity. Izuku didn't trust the bard with the dragon alone. Silently, he looked to Ochako. The direwolf rose to her feet. Huffing her displeasure, she heeded his wordless request and turned to follow the pair.

It left him and the Prince alone, only the crackling of the fire to fill the gap between them. He kept his eyes on the flames, watching the wood split and burn from their heat.

"You're a quiet man Witcher. What's in that head of yours?"

His smile froze.

"I'm trying to figure out what you are."

A partial lie that left his mouth dry. He chanced a glance at his unfortunate companion. Kacchan's expression betrayed nothing but a fox's cunning. There was trickery afoot. Izuku took pride in his ability to catch it

"How about I let you guess? Hmm. Three tries."

A game then. The Prince doubted the extensiveness of Izuku's bestiary. He could see a vision of victory already dancing in the man's eyes, and swore to keep it as was: a vision rather than a reality.

"If you win-,"

"Then I get your true name."

The man's eyes narrowed into slits. A tell if any. That narrowed his list once more. Vampires didn't give a damn about 'true names'. Maybe an elder member of the fae?

"If I win then I get to lay claim to what's yours."

Tricky wording. Fae then. He'd seen a good share of their cunning.

But when he spoke his guess aloud, the man only smirked.

"You could break a fairy with one sweep of your hand couldn't you Witcher? Just snap them in two."

Red eyes traced the length of his biceps, something unreadable in their gaze. Izuku gave a sniff but he couldn't smell anything past that heady perfume. It clouded his head, made his mind lazy even as he resisted. He used his eyes instead, studying the curve of his collarbone, the path of a bead of sweat down his pecs, past the taut skin of his stomach to the low hanging hem of his trousers. There was a coil tightening in his gut, the pressure of a low flame.

"Vampire." He said hoarsely, throat suddenly parched. The scent got closer as Kacchan slid even closer. Every inch of skin pressed to his side burned hotter than any fire ever could. Crimson eyes dancing, the man dropped his chin to the butt of his hand, pouty lips forming an arrogant smirk at the end of a short, "Nope."

His last guess. Izuku was silent, eyes searching to see what his nose couldn't smell. He looked like a human. A dangerous human but a human nonetheless. What creatures could adopt this form, especially one as easy on the eyes as this? He wished he had his notebook in hand rather than down at the inn. He would have taken his time going through old pages of lessons till he found the right one.

Now he had only his intellect and his gut to guide him, and the former was fading fast, lost to a rosy haze of heat and need.

Wait...wait...wait...There was magic at work here.

"You're human. A sorcerer that's filled with trickery and cunning."

Kacchan gripped him by the arm, fingers digging into his skin like little daggers before swinging his other leg over. He nestled himself into Izuku's lap, firm thighs on either side of his waist as a hot breath caressed the shell of his ear.

"Wrong. Honestly Witcher," He shifted. Izuku felt his arousal twitch once through the fabric. "Have you never met an incubus before?"

"...Ah."

"Yeah."

"You said you were a Prince."

"Prince of Corrupted Virtue."

"Is that what they're calling it this age?"

"Fuck if I know," The Prince's voice lowered into a growl as he pounced. Again, Izuku was one his back, hands and legs pinned to the ground as the incubus nuzzled its nose to the junction where his jaw met his neck.

"You smell good Witcher. Of magic and strength, pine, firewood and all those-Mmm," He fidgeted as a breathy moan got caught in the air. "All those other manly things. You owe me a prize, don't you?"

"How about a pat on the back?" He asked sardonically. With each twitch he made, the other just tightened around him, hot hands locked on his raised biceps as an armor-less knee kept his legs apart. Kacchan pressed a gentle kiss on the lobe of his ear, then changed his mind, switching for a long, slow swipe of his rough tongue against the shell.

(He shivered reflexively, a heat beginning to spread in his loins.)

"Come now, Witcher," He said the title with a voice promising sin. "A demon's gotta eat."

"I don't suppose we could negotiate terms?" He tried squirming out from his grip, but the Prince only laughed, low and raspy, descending upon his neck to bite down on every bit of bared skin.

His hands ventured under the hem of his tunic, hot against the cool skin, ripping the fabric apart to leave his chest bare. Izuku made a keen sound of annoyance. The old forgotten sensation of self-consciousness tried making itself known, but he beat it back with a fierce refusal. He had scars. It came with the job. There were many. They were gnarly. They were hideous.

He had a lengthy kill record to match.

Kacchan was not afraid. He took his time with each one, pressing his lips to the scarred skin as he were a lover rather than a parasite. Izuku squirmed with each caress, grinding against a firm thigh in search of any friction.

"You're a fighter," he crooned. Izuku hissed when teeth grazed his nipple. Kacchan licked a long stripe up the area in apology, flicking the tip back and forth till the nub was a pert peak of pink. "Why do they call you the Devil's Wicked Right Hand?"

The question was meant to distract him from the fingers inching toward his belt. Did he have anything under there that could help him? He sold his dagger months ago. His potions stock was low but there were some salves.

Nothing magic. Nothing useful.

He bit back a curse when the fingers met their target, one hand ripping the belt away while the other palmed at him through the rough cloth.

"Answer me," Kacchan demanded. Izuku groaned when his slick tongue dipped into his navel, pressing kisses down the curly trail of green leading past his trousers.

"They say I do his work for him," He gave a stuttered gasp as the Prince squeezed. "I've sent both man and monster to fill his domain. More than he could ever ask for."

"She's got more space down there than you think."

"Your mother I-ah-I'm guessing?"

Kacchan rose. A thin string of spit connected his rosy lips to Izuku's abs, snapping in sync with red eyes gone to look him in the face.

"Do you always talk about your partner's mothers before you fuck? I know your kind are socially inept, but really?"

"Let's get this over with then. Eat your fill and let me go."

The Prince smirked, yanking at the loose band of his trousers till his cock sprang free, already at thick with his arousal, tight against his stomach. He watched as Kacchan fondled it in his rough palm, shame and anticipation at war in the back of his mind. He bit down on a gasp when the demon finally descended upon his cock like a man starved. His warm, slick mouth wrapped around the length, cheeks hollowing out to deliver a firm pressure as his tongue swept at the bead of pre-cum, slow and careful on the slit.

Izuku watched, breath heavy with lust, as the tufts of flaxen blonde bounced with each suck, straining against his stone cuffs to be able to reach out and tug at it, to retain some sense of dignity and control.

But he had no intention of letting him free. As if sensing his efforts, he laughed, a deep vibration in his throat that made the witcher try and lock his legs with a pained grunt, beating back a tidal wave of pleasure with sheer spite alone.

"You're going to have to come eventually Witcher." Kacchan huffed as he let his prick loose, a pop sounding out when the tip left his lips. "Don't make this more difficult than it needs to be."

Tin and canisters of salves had rolled out from his pockets when his trousers were tugged. The demon selected one at random, removing the cork with a careful sniff, then emptied some the contents on his palm, rubbing the oil between his fingers then turning to look at his prey with mischievous eyes.

Izuku took one whiff and was overrun with the scent of mint. He recoiled as much as he could, knowing the other's intention before he could even act.

"That's for muscle pain."

The Prince's smirk was wicked. Wild.

"Then it's perfect."

"Not that kind of muscle pain. It's a salve from the Isles of Chiyo. It's meant to-,"

A low scoff was the only warning before a discarded shred of his tunic was stuffed into his mouth, the salt of sweat heavy on his tongue.

"You talk too much."

The demon stood. Casting his cape to the side, he took off his boots, then his own trousers, standing bare and golden in the wake of the fire. Izuku tried not to stare at the taut muscle, the shadows cast by the dim glow, and the arrogant grin on the man's face as he returned to his place above him.

(He failed. Miserably.)

"Stay still Witcher. This won't hurt." Izuku glanced at the salve again, wincing at the sharp scent of fresh mint. "I hope."

Izuku knocked his knees as soon as the man approached, eying the slick between his fingers with wary eyes. Kacchan tried to pry his thighs open, but Izuku was stalwart, shaking his head like a virgin bride on her wedding night.

The demon huffed.

"You have to consent. It'll taste bitter if you don't come willingly."

'You're the worst seductress I've ever met,' Izuku said through the cloth. 'I've met common prostitutes that're better.'

The demon's gaze flickered from his prick, still standing at full attention, to the sheen between his fingers. A blush filled his face, redness darkening the sharp planes of his cheeks.

"Would it be easier if I..?" He glanced away, stubbornly glaring to the ceiling.

And wasn't that a tale to be told? A shy incubus? Where was the bard when you needed him? Izuku almost pitied the little Prince. Almost. He gave a grunt, shifting back and forth. His knees relaxed slightly in the process and red eyes locked on the movement.

The demon must have taken this for a 'yes'. Leaning on his haunches, he gave Izuku a full view as he prepped himself, two fingers scissoring back and forth, in and out with sinful, slick squelches and low, halted groans filling the space between the crackling of the fire. \The heat pooling in his stomach began to simmer. He wanted to touch- to be touched- but his hands remained atop his head, He was painfully unable to do anything but watch as the demon rocked onto his own fingers, the other hand wrapped around his cock, pumping steadily till it was a pretty, flushed rouge.

When he decided he was ready, he crawled forward, pulling himself atop Izuku till he was lined up properly.

When he finally sank down, he could only hold onto his hands, biting down on his teeth to distract himself when the simmer in his gut turned into a raging boil.

The Prince was a tease. There was nothing shy about the way he lifted himself till the tip was barely brushing the tight ring of muscle, then rocking down to the hilt, one hand braced against Izuku's chest and chest fondling his balls-coaxing him to come with a masseuse's touch and sultry whispers. But he refused to be the first. He met every buck with one of his own, eyes never straying from that of his partner. Every twitch and spasm had the demon tightening around his length.

"Be a good boy, Izuku." Even his name came out in a hiss, arousal evident in every vowel, so thick he could practically taste it in the air.

Red eyes flinched a little when Kacchan's hand reached to touch himself, shutting completely as he alternated between spat compliments and insults.

"You're taking too long. Do all Witchers have this kind of restraint?"

"God you're so thick and-Ah! Oh, oh fuck."

"How many people have seen you like this? At their mercy? Lain out beneath them like a common whore?"

Izuku spat the cloth from his mouth, fire in his lungs and tears in his eyes.

"Faster," He demanded in a low groan. The demon smirked, slowing his pace to something torturous. He snapped his hips up, silently making his plea known, but the demon only pressed down against his chest, peppering kisses up his clavicle as his cock slid against his navel. The smell of mint was ever-present, but not as strong as that of fire. Ash and soot clung to the air as the crackling of the flames became a roar. The wood split in deafening claps, flames climbing higher as the demon's breaths quickened.

He gave up on the slow rolls, bouncing up and down on Izuku's cock desperately, cleaning around him as keening into his jaw with a low whine till finally, the incubus found his release. And with it, he lost control of his powers. Izuku's wrists and ankles sprang free. He sat up just as the flames hit the ceiling, licking at the stalagmites as his hands went to grasp the demon's hips, holding him down as he fucked into his tight, wet hole, chasing after the tide that was once so keen to swallow him whole.

Soft fingers ran through the hair at the nape of his neck. A quiet, murmur was in his ear, begging him to "go, go, go" till he came with a shudder that racked through his spine. He blinked back red and green stars. Collapsing on the warm, lithe body beneath him, he took a moment to steady his breathing, enjoying the post-coital bliss.

He cleaned them off with the remains of his tunic then cast the scrap into the fire pit to sit with the soot. The smell of mint and ash was strong. The salve was particularly potent. He couldn't feel any part of his groin, numbness spread to even parts of his backside which was concerning, but not as much the one lying next to him. The fire had snuffed out, plunging them into a darkness so deep, even his vision was blurred. A voice spoke into it, raspy from use, gentle with its curiosity.

"...What is your name Witcher? Your true name?"

He was at ease, but he was no fool.

"They called me Deku as a child. Some in Kaer Morhen came from a place where such a name meant 'uselessness'. Weakness. They taunted me for it, so I cast it away."

He turned to the side, where he knew ruby eyes shone upon him.

"And you, Kacchan? Any childhood nicknames you didn't favor."

"They wouldn't dare," He said, puffing out his chest. "I would've ripped out their tongues if they had tried. Disrespecting me is disrespecting the devil herself."

Izuku made a sound of disbelief. Crimson eyes narrowed. "You doubt me?"

"I just...I'm sure there was something. Everyone has a nickname."

"Except for me."

The tunic that was tossed burst into flame, small and timid but still hot enough to destroy the fibers. He was getting somewhere.

"And we can't forget that you're royalty. They had to have called you something when you turned your back. Sparky?"

"No."

"Smoky?"

"They called me Prince Katsuki or nothing at all." The demon snarled.

Then he froze.

Izuku smirked.

"Katsuki," he tried. The name was fire on his tongue. Every syllable screamed of power "Prince Katsuki."

"Don't do this Witcher."

Izuku saw him moving before he even thought of it. He stopped the blackened claws from plunging through his heart at the last second, strong grip on the wrist. He looked straight into crimson eyes as the pupil swallowed the irises whole, engulfing the red in black with the force of his rage. The tension in the air was strong enough to become a physical weight bearing down on his shoulders. His grin never faltered.

"Katsuki," he said sweetly. "I forbid you from harming any member of my party."

Those eyes narrowed into slits. The fire roared once more to life, lighting the cave into a brilliant scarlet.

"How dare you command me-?"

"Katsuki, I forbid you from harming farmer, common man, shepherd, and from stealing any of their property."

"You're making the worst mistake of your life! My mother will find you and rip you limb from limb-."

"Katsuki, I order you to hand me my sword."

The demon stiffened. Gritting his teeth the entire while, he rose as if he were a marionette pulled by invisible strings. His movements were blocky as he made his way through the dark to the discarded blade. One for All glinted in the light, a startling green sheen to the metal as Katsuki laid it flat against his palm, kneeling before him like a knight did his king.

Izuku accepted the offering with grace, not bothering to resist the urge to ruffle soft blonde tufts after the blade was safe in the scabbard.

"That wasn't so hard was it?"

"DAMN YOU WITCHER!"

"What is going on here?"

The bard and the dragon stood at the edge of the shadows, eyes wide as they took in Izuku's state of undress. Shameless, he took his time in collecting what was left of his clothes, watching the demon screaming insults and threats all the while. The demon never moved to harm him, but a good Witcher was always careful.

"Nothing," he answered the question terribly late, so much so that Denki jumped when he answered. "We'll be taking our leave now. The problem's solved."

He saw the way the bard and the dragon looked at each other, then held back a groan.

"-WILL SLAUGHTER YOU AND EACH OF YOUR BASTARD CHILDREN YOU GREEN SOD-!"

"Where's Ochako?" he asked wearily. At the sound of her name, the wolf gave a short howl from the direction of the cave's entrance.

As long as she was safe, he could go. If the bard wanted to stay, marry a dragon, and live forever as a prissy hoarder in bliss, he couldn't care less. The demon wouldn't pose a threat. The dragon wouldn't dare harm an elf. He could tell the townspeople the bard died gruesomely during his battle, and his absence would serve as the proof he needed for payment.

Everyone would leave this encounter happy.

"-FAIR-FACED FRECKLED FUCK! I'VE MET STABLEBOYS WHO WERE A BETTER ROMP THAN YOU! YOU SMILING SIMPLE LIMP-DICKED-!"

Everyone that mattered would leave this encounter happy. Without even a backwards wave, he left the trio behind. Ochako fell into his pace with ease, and together they went down the path into the night, bare-chested with his trusted blade at his side. Screamed curses rang out into the dark, carried by the smooth glide of the wind. Izuku smiled, small but true.

The sounds were greater than any song the bard could write.

The pouch of coins slammed against the counter, a few gold coins spilling out onto the wood. The attendant behind the wood stared at him with blank violet eyes, hair of a similar shade a messy mop atop his head. A pipe hung from his lips, steady stream of smoke billowing through the air.

"A horse," Izuku said with a tired smile. The man stared back with dead eyes. "Please."

Groaning, the attendant set his pipe aside. Ten minutes later, Izuku walked away from the stables with a mare of his own choosing. It was an easy day in a new town. The whispers followed him as they always did, curious eyes following him as he walked his horse through the town.

Only one was brave enough to break through them all. A little girl with hair of silver and eyes a familiar scarlet.

"Witcher," She began with the familiar tones of a plea, pale hands clutching at the edge of her frumpy gown as tears swan in her gaze. "My-My cat! It's been taken by a d-d-dragon! Please help me get it back before it's too late!"

Izuku took one long look to the mountain range. As if sensing a possible repeat scenario, his prick began to burn uncomfortably. His hesitation must've shown on his face because she dropped to her knees, hands clasped in a plea.

"P-Please! I would've gone myself, but his laugh was so scary I couldn't move!"

Ah, then there was no doubt. Swinging onto his horse, he offered the girl a small comforting acceptance, then set off to the mountains, Ochako running at his side.

At least, this time, he had a salve more...suitable for salacious cause.

#KatsuDeku #bkdk au #bkdk fic #bkdk fanfic #bkdk fantasy au #bkdk smut

27 notes · View notes

ren-c-leyn · 5 years ago

Text

To Avenge the Sun

It’s been a long time since I’ve done a fusion story, so, here we go. This one is done using this prompt by @clean-prompts, this prompt by @oopsprompts, these 1,2 prompts by @scandy-prompts, this prompt by @givethispromptatry, this prompt by @inspiring-prompts, and this prompt by @promptsforthestrugglingauthor.

It’s a comedic fantasy adventure about slaying a vampire... when you aren’t really a competent hunter. That being said, there is a death, some injuries mentioned, one of the heroes gets captured, but there’s nothing really gory or detailed.

I still remember that day. I was sitting on the porch, relaxing after our latest adventure. The clouds drifted lazily past, forming shapes as they went. And then... it happened.

Without warning, the sun broke- shattered into a hundred pieces. And all I could do was watch in horror, as the pieces drift over the horizon. The light dimmed instantly, and faded away as the little pieces vanished. I was left sitting in the dark, trying to piece together what had happened when the echoes of footsteps came up beside me.

“Well, it looks like I’m killing a vampire today.”

I nearly choked on my coffee.

“What do you mean, kill a vampire today?! And how would you kill a vampire anyways?”

“Never heard of a knife?”

I just stared at where I figured my partner’s face was. Though, I quickly realized it was pointless. In this darkness, they couldn’t see my shocked and disappointed expression.

“The sun just exploded... and you want to kill a vampire?”

“To avenge the sun, duh.”

“What makes you think a vampire destroyed the sun?��

“Who else would have means and motive?”

I sighed.

“I don’t know... maybe a dark wizard who hated mornings or something.”

“Well... sure, maybe. But I’m betting it’s that vamp we heard about, Lord... whatshisface.”

“I sincerely doubt that’s his name.”

“Whatever, point still remains. He was into weird magic, killing worshippers of the sun goddess, and generally bad stuff. So, even if he isn’t the guy who killed the sun, it’s probably a good idea to deal with him before he deals with us.”

That... was a point I couldn’t argue with.

“I suppose you have a point... but we’re not equipped to deal with vampires.”

“Don’t be so negative! We’re equipped for battle, we’ve handled tough monsters.”

“Ones that we more brute force and less magic and weirdness!”

I heard them shrug.

“Things could always get worse.”

“Which is why we’re going to do something very stupid....”

“Better to die a fool than a coward! Now let’s get started. Where do you keep the torches?”

We fumbled around for a while, gathering supplies and gearing up. I had a bad feeling about this, taking a vampire in eternal darkness, but I couldn’t let my friend go alone, either. The story of how I became an adventurer....

We stopped by the local temple, picked up holy water, and made our way into the twisted forest where the vampire lord... whatever his name was, was supposed to live. It felt kind of rude, barging into someone else’s house to kill them. But then again, destroying the sun was pretty rude too, if my companion was correct about who did it.

We wandered through the forest for what felt like forever. My torch was beginning to burn low and they had finally lit their own.

“Are we lost?”

“No! I know exactly where we are… I think.”

“So we are lost. Wonderful.”

“Hey, if navigating without the sun is so easy, why don’t you come up here and lead the way!”

“Navigating without the sun isn’t easy, which is why I wanted to stay home and leave vampire hunting to an expert.”

“Yeah, but....”

A flapping sound silenced our argument. We both stopped and held our breathes, listening. Whatever was flying around us was big. Really big. Every once in a while I could catch some glimpse of movement, but never could focus on the creature.

“Get ready, it’s coming,” they whispered.

I nodded and readied my spear. My muscles tensed as I held the torch higher and sunk into a battle stance, preparing to lash out at whatever beast came forth. The flapping sound filled our ears, making it hard to tell where the creature was. I swallowed and swept my gaze around our small circle of light, searching for it.

But none of it mattered in the end.

The claws sunk in from behind me. Something between a yelp and a scream escaped me as the impact sent my torch hurdling towards the ground. Dead shrubs and leafless trees fed the hungry flames, casting horrifying shadows across my friend’s face as they shouted.

“You let go of my adventuring buddy right now, you stupid bat!”

Bat?

I looked up, but all I could see was a deep darkness above me. Occasionally a patch of dark fur would gain an orange sheen from the fire. Using those patches to guide me, I thrust up with the spear. I knew it punctured something, I felt it, but the creature didn’t so much as flinch. It just picked up speed. Before I could blink, the growing fire was a mere speck behind us.

Desperate, I ripped the spear back out and stabbed it again. And again. And again. Nothing happened. There wasn’t even blood. Just those sickening sounds. The fifth, or maybe sixth, time I stabbed, it gave me an annoyed sigh.

When I began to pull the spear out, there was a set of glowing red eyes staring at me. The upside down bat face was ugly, and creepy, and maybe a little scary.... It squinted, or maybe glared at me. I glared back. Out of defiance, or maybe annoyance at the way this entire day was going, I pulled on the spear more. It glared harder, but I finished pulling the spear out. There was a moment where I was sure it was basically saying ‘don’t you dare,’ but my friend’s rebellious nature had rubbed off on me. I stabbed up again.

But this time, it went terribly.... The bat began spinning, doing barrel rolls, flying up really steeply before dropping down towards the earth. I would have been screaming loud enough for the entire forest to bear witness to my terror, except I couldn’t force the air out of my lungs. Before long, I felt terribly sick. Dizzy, disoriented, if I could see anything it probably would have been spinning. My spear was long since abandoned, probably sitting somewhere in a dead tree. And eventually, I just passed out.

When I came to, I was in a strange, candle-lit room. I still felt off. Tired, still kind of sick, mostly dizzy. And there was a weird, pale, greyish, dead-looking guy sitting in a fancy chair, staring at me with red eyes. He grinned, showing his fangs.

“Have fun on your flight over the forest?”

“No, but I bet you had a good time watching it, Lord... Whateveryournameis.”

He gave me that same glare that the ugly bat did.

“My name is Silvan.”

“Sil, then.”

“Silvan.”

“Yes, Sil for short.”

He groaned.

“Humans are impossible, adventuring ones more so.”

“Can’t argue with that,” I replied. “So, what’s the deal, Sil? Why’d you blow up the sun?”

“Because mornings are annoying.”

It was my turn to frown. I hated it when they were right... but he did do it because he hated mornings, so I was partly right to.

“Just when I’m finally waking up, or finally have everything in place for my plans, morning comes and ruins it all. All of that color and sunlight. Bleh, night is better. Night is superior, and yet we must suffer through daylight.”

I couldn’t help it. The giggles had started before I could stop them.

“Is this a joke to you?”

“I am laughing, aren’t I?”

He frowned at me.

“You can’t possibly be one of them....”

“Them who?”

He paused, leaning forward in the purple chair as his eyes went wide. In a hoarse whisper, he said two words.

“Morning people.”

I stared at him for a second and then laughed so hard I thought I was going to pass out again.

“You are!” he shouted as he jumped to his feet. “No, no! I can’t have a morning person as a minion! You’ll be awake at those holy hours, singing and banging things around!”

It went on passed that, but my laughter drowned most of it out. I wished he’d stop talking so I could catch my breath, but the longer he complained the harder I wheezed.

“I will end you, sun lover!” he finished, drawing a sword from the back of his chair.

My laughter stopped and I jumped to my feet, searching for a way out. But he was right in front of me before I could find one. The sword raised above his head but he paused and coughed up some blackished goop.

“Ew!” I shoved him back. “Don’t cough that gunk up on me. Use the stupid sword if you’re going to kill me!”

“I told you a knife would work!”

The vampire turned on the new voice coming from the doorway.

“You will pay for that!”

Another knife knocked the sword out of the vampire’s hand, but didn’t stop Sil from punching my friend in the face. I heard a sickening crack as I searched for a weapon. Seeing only one, I grabbed the sword and rushed forward as fast as I could. My friend was stabbing the vampire with about as much luck as I had stabbing the bat, but I drove the sword through where I thought a heart should be and there was a horrible hacking sound before he turned to dust.

Without the vampire there, I realized I was just pointing a sword at my friend... who was covered in black gunk. I tossed the sword aside and looked back at them.

“Are you ok?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“You’re bleeding though!”

“You think my nose has never been broken before? I’m fine. Besides, we need to figure out how he broke the sun so we can get some mage to fix it.”

“Fine, but at least let me set it... it’s really crooked.”

They yelped as I set it straight before grinning.

“I guess we’re vampire hunters now!”

“No, we’re just lucky idiots.”

“Fair,” they replied before heading off to find out what Silv... whatever his name was, did to the sun.

Taglist, feel free to ask to be added or removed:

@silvertalonwriteblr, @inspiring-prompts, @greenwood-writes, @wemitodd, @elkatheinkstained, @n1ghtcrwler, @writingiswilde, @say-no-to-negativity, @wordshavings, @nemowritesstuff, @likelyfantasywriterspsychic, @dawnoftheagez, @orphicodysseywrites, @hannahs-creations, @writer-candy, @kaylewiswrites, @ravenpuffwriter, @tenacious-scripturient, @ofinkblotsandscript, @mischiefiswritten, @kespada, @asterannie

#short story #original story #fiction #fantasy #comedy #My writing #a story by Ren

35 notes · View notes

deliciousscaloppine · 5 years ago

Text

16. A cruel king asks to marry you. Which three impossible dresses do you ask for in exchange for your hand? (Wen Chao, Wen Xu & Nie Huaisang)

Meng Yao entered the room with small coquettish steps, looking down bashfully.

“You are wanted in the main hall.” he said and shuffling all the way to the closet, he opened it wide and started throwing out in the room his finest evening wear.

“Ah! These are delicate, Meng Yao! Don't toss them like that.” Huaisang said wrestling an outfit out of his hands.

“You have to dress nice, there are two gentlemen to see you tonight.” Meng Yao effortlessly said while grabbing a comb and taking it to Huaisang's hair with all the rancor of a former street urchin who had to use twenty four different products to make his own hair less frizzy.

“Two? What do they want from me?” he said trying to get out of Meng Yao's vindictive ministrations.

“To marry you, silly. What else?”

“Does Da-ge know?”

“He is the one who sent me to fetch you. You see the two gentlemen happen to be lord Wen Ruohan's sons.”

“The Twin Dipshits of Qishan are here to ask my hand in marriage!? And there are still alive!?”

“Well.” Meng Yao said as he brought over the box with his exquisite selection of jade pendants. “As guests, your brother has to honor their request to state their intentions before you, but after that I am pretty sure he is going to behead them both. So don't wear white.”

“Eugh!” Huaisang said as he rummaged for something equally appropriate for both a marriage proposal and a public execution.

“Oh, tell me about it! I tried advising your brother to just slip a little something in their tea, but he grrrrrrr'ed at me. And it was not even a sexy grrrrrrr. It was more like a stop talking now grrrrrr” Meng Yao said with an air of terse exasperation.

“How am I not going to wear white? White is my color.” Huaisang said as he exchanged his little flat coronet, for a bigger one – to look taller of course, life was meaningless without its little vanities after all.

Finally decked in his finest crescent moon, hazy river in the mist pattern robes, and his fringe tastefully brushed with a touch of unkemptness, he and Meng Yao made their way to the main hall, after agreeing that Meng Yao would enter with his head bowed and at least three steps behind him so that Huaisang could appear taller.

The twin dipshits, er, the twin esteemed young lords of Qishan were sitting at a small distance from each other emanating some really cursed vibes, sporting what seemed to be last seasons' red under the falling maple leaves fashions, while Huaisang's own big brother in all of his I grew a moustache when I was fifteen lordly dignity was silently qi deviating on his throne, his knuckles turned completely white as he clutched the armrests of his seat.

When the two lords, Wen Xu and Wen Chao saw him, they elbowed each other for who would sit closer to him. Meng Yao intercepted them both in full bodyguard mode.

“Gentlemen, please. Allow my lord to display his many talents first, then tea. At any given moment, you are not allowed to come within ten paces of him. People's respiration hazes up my lord's complexion.”

Huaisang settled before an elegant study set before the princes, and right below his own brother's dais. He straightened his fringe, did a full profile, three quarters, full face, face posing twice, so the two princes could admire his looks. Having his sleeves arranged elegantly around him on the floor by his beloved manservant Meng Yao, the latter vanished to prepare tea.

Huaisang took out his brush and gave it a lick. Today he was going to do a scroll with a depiction of pines in soft snowfall under the glow of the midwinter moon. And while at it, he would get a good look at those two princes of the Wen, whose eyebrows were doing some weird interpretive dance right now at being told off.

That Wen Chao was serving evil prince who plans to kill his own father looks, while Wen Xu had that aura of I slay children, but if I had a little sister I would dote on her lovingly.

“So, I heard the two of you, gentlemen, came to ask my hand in marriage.”

“Marry me, lord Huaisang!” Wen Chao said passionately. “My brother Wen Xu barely leaves the house! He is totally under my father's thumb. You'll be locked in every weekend for family dinner.”

“Eugh!” Wen Xu said disgustedly. “Don't marry him, lord Huaisang! He has lost count of his girlfriends. Also he is already married, you wouldn't even be his first!”

“Are you bragging about being a virgin!” Wen Chao yelled.

“At least I don't have twelve different stds. Nor do I trash innocent people's homes and then fall unconscious from doing drugs!”*

Huaisang heard wood splinter. It was his brother's hand slowly digging into the armrest.

“You don't even have a bodyguard. I have Wen Zhuliu. All chicks love Wen Zhuliu. You listen here closely, lord Huaisang, Wen Zhuliu can do benchpresses with you sitting on the bar.” Wen Chao bragged.

“You don't even love him! The only reason you came was because you found out I was interested first. I am going to tell dad!” Wen Xu said shoving his brother. Soon they were locked in what seemed to be a sequence of wrestling headlocks, while Baxia behind him was rattling madly in its stand.

Thankfully right at this moment Meng Yao came in with the tea.

“Stop clenching your jaw.” Huaisang heard Meng Yao whisper to his brother. Mingjue's jaw immediately popped. Since when did the two of them were on such fond terms that his brother did everything Meng Yao said? This was too suspicious.

Meng Yao served him next. “For the love of my mother's bones, please stop licking the brush. It is both gross and unhygienic. Use this cup right over here. I can't believe how anyone would want to marry you!”

“Jealous because you are pressing thirty and no one has ever asked you to marry them?”

Meng Yao silently scoffed and moved on.

“Gentlemen” Huaisang addressed the two evil princes. “Please, settle down. I would love to marry either of you, but Qishan is notorious for its yesterday fashions. So to my great disapointment I can't choose any of you, unless you pledge to do something about the pitiable condition of your clan's fashion state.”

“What are you talking about? Have you seen my designer belt? This is bespoke!” Wen Xu said lifting himself.

“Yes, and it would have greatly impressed me, hadn't it been a KNOCKOFF! Check the decorative hoops at the sides for holding jade pendants. This designer is known for their uniquely constructed ridged hoops. These are plain, not ridged. So do not insult my intelligence. Do you think we are some backwater village up in the mountains we the Qinghe Nie?”

The two princes remained with mouths agape.

“I could be persuaded to choose one of you, if only you abandon your wannabe fashionista who only shops in a bazaar sale ways, and both of you go on a quest to bring me three of the most exclusive, the most discontinued, the most bespoke items in existence!”

“We accept!” Wen Chao said forcefully. “There is no thing Wen money can't buy.”

Huaisang squinted evily. “Oh! Well then, I want each to bring me a semi-cloak cut on a circular pattern, with pleats, made of the finest fur of Gusu Cold Pond bunnies! And I don't want it in white. I want it in black!”

Wen Chao made a choked sound in his throat. “This is a suicide mission!” he said. “The Lan will skin anyone who tries to skin their bunnies.”

“Only for someone as cowardly as yourself!” Wen Xu said elbowing him.

“Secondly, you must bring me the elegant two fiber fishbone weave stripe pattern sari that Madam Yu Ziyuan head of the Yunmeng Jiang produces and distributes exclusively to her most trusted handmaidens once every season. And I want it to be in the colors of the last fall season! A most tasteful contrast of purple, yellow, red ochra and beige, hemmed with the finest muslin silk money can buy, and a tasteful silver bead trim.”

“Than can be done! I am really close buddies with old Yu.” Wen Chao said.

“You mean after you trashed her place last summer at the pink lotus gala!” Wen Xu said.

“And third! I want a penannular pendant made exclusively from the shell of the Turle of Slaughter, Xuanwu, with its accompanying beads, five of them on each tassel and a sixth in the shape of a buddha sitting on lotus flower design. And I want them to be so finely carved that light passes through them!”

“These things are impossible to make and you know it!” Wen Xu said, chugging some of his tea. “You are just stalling because you can't make a decision. You know what? My father will hear of this. See what he has to say. Come on, brother, we will not be ridiculed in here anymore” Wen Xu continued and lifted his brother, who was also finishing his tea.

The two princes glared at everyone in the hall swearing retribution with their eyes, before sauntering towards the door. But before exiting the hall, they both collapsed on the ground out cold.

“Ooops. I couldn't help myself.” Meng Yao smiled naughtily.

“Meng Yao! These were foreign dignitaries! Brother, tell him something, he killed our esteemed guests. I was going to marry one of them!” Huaisang pouted.

“Meng Yao!” Nie Mingjue finally said after he recovered from his tenth consecutive mini stroke.

“Oh, relax, they are not dead. I just gave them Chifeng-zun’s special relaxing bedtime herbal tea blend.” Meng Yao said, shuffling towards the snoring suitors to sweep them out of the room.

#meng yao #nie huaisang #wen xu #wen chao #wensang #nie mingjue #the untamed #the untamed prompts #the untamed fic #qinghe harem stories

37 notes · View notes

keichanz · 5 years ago

Text

it’s been over a year since i’ve worked on this last and for some fucking reason i got the random inspiration to dig it out of my wip folder and finish it up and well *shrug* have some drama, i guess.

majorly unedited. literally haven’t touched this in over a year so who the hell knows what you’re gonna find rofl

“Wait—what?” Kagome blinked as she set her giant yellow bag on the floor and eyed her friend dubiously, almost positive she had heard that wrong. “Say again?”

She settled down by the fire and accepted the cup of tea Kaede handed her with a smile of thanks, not at all surprised when a warm weight reclined against her side and she used her free hand to run her fingers through Shippou’s hair in an absentminded gesture of motherly affection.

Sango smiled in understanding at the girl’s reaction because she had had a similar one upon hearing the news as well.

“No, your ears aren’t deceiving you, Kagome,” she said with a hint of amusement, idly stroking Kirara’s fur where the cat demon snoozed contentedly in her lap.

“It’s completely true; Inuyasha really did accompany Miroku to the neighboring village to slay a low level demon, even though Miroku could have easily handled it himself.”

A puzzled frown wrinkled Kagome’s brow, but before she could question the hanyou’s uncharacteristic behavior, someone else beat her to it.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Shippou piped up, unwrapping a lollipop he’d pilfered from Kagome’s bag. “Inuyasha misses you, Kagome, so he went with Miroku to distract himself from thinking about you.”

He paused to take a few licks of his treat. “He knew you would be back in this world by the time he and Miroku returned so it was a good excuse as any to think about something else and let off some steam at the same time.”

The fox tyke shrugged his tiny shoulders and stuck the sweet into his mouth, closing his eyes and putting his hands behind his head, nodding to himself.

Kagome and Sango blinked and as the former blushed and ducked her head, Sango’s brows rose and she grinned at the kitsune.

“You know, I think you may be right, Shippou,” she said and glanced at the girl in question, who was trying unsuccessfully to hide her red face behind her yunomi.*

Kaede chuckled as Shippou puffed out his chest in obvious pride, a wide grin spreading across his young features, and Sango smothered her giggles behind a hand. Without her permission, Kagome’s lips twitched up into a small half-smile and a quiet laugh escaped her too as her embarrassment faded. Truthfully, in all likelihood, the young fox demon probably hit the nail right on the head with his observation, and Kagome would be lying if she said that didn’t please her at all because she missed him, too.

The three adults lapsed into idle conversation then about shard rumors, the demon the two males of their group had gone to destroy and what have you as Shippou contentedly lapped at his lollipop, leaning against the closest thing he’d ever had to a mother and more or less tuning out the grown up talk. It was a good thing he was around to explain to his human friends the stubborn half-demon’s thought patterns, otherwise they would all be lost and Kagome and Inuyasha would never get around to telling each other how they feel.

Someday they’ll realize what I do for them, he mused and popped the cherry-flavored sweet into his mouth again with a happy sigh.

Another half an hour went by with no sign of the monk or half-demon and Kagome was just about to suggest a game of cards to pass the time when suddenly a scream of absolute terror pierced the air and the three adults exchanged startled glances before hurriedly getting to their feet and rushing outside.

The sight that met their eyes elicited twin gasps of horror from the two younger women while Kaede pressed a hand to her chest, her good eye going wide in disbelief.

“Oh…my,” she breathed, stumbling back, and had it not been for Sango wrapping a supporting arm around her shoulders, she would have fallen to the ground in her shock.

Kagome felt the color drain from her face and she threw out a hand to grasp Sango’s shoulder to steady her suddenly wobbly knees. The village was in utter chaos. Buildings and homes had been set aflame, the villagers were screaming, running for their lives from the ruthless bandits that invaded their home. They were everywhere, some on horses, laughing mercilessly as they struck down men and woman alike. Others ransacked homes wielding swords, striking down anyone who got in their way. Some of the braver village men attempted to fight back, grabbing anything they could get their hands on for a weapon and providing a distraction for their wives and children to escape.

It was the terrified screaming of a child that jolted Kagome into action and jumped started her heart to beating in her chest again. Why was she just standing there?!

“Sango!” she yelled, spinning around to her friend only to have her bow and arrows suddenly being thrust into her arms.

“Help Kaede round up anyone not fighting and lead them to safety,” she demanded, clutching her rarely used sword in one hand and Hiraikotsu slung over her shoulder, ready to be released if necessary. “I’ll try and divert their attention for as long as I can.”

Sango’s face was grim and Kagome knew, though she’d do her best to avoid it, some of those bandits were not going to survive the evening.

Clutching her bow, Kagome nodded once and simultaneously the two women reached out and clasped hands, squeezing once; a silent bidding to stay safe. Then Kagome spun around and headed into the smoky fray while Sango charged forward, sword raised and the sound of steel clashing together pierced the air.

Gritting her teeth and trying very hard to ignore the bodies already littering the ground at an alarming rate, Kagome dove into the massacre, dodging swords, pitchforks, and flaming wood alike as she did as he was bade, tracking down those too old, young, or frightened to fight back. Through the smoke she could see Kaede, her own bow in her hands, urging a group of women and children toward the forest and Kagome ran after them, arrow knocked, ready to fire and protect from behind.

The smell of blood and smoke was making her simultaneously lightheaded and nauseous but she forced herself to ignore it, her breathing labored as she hollered for the villagers to keep moving, don’t look back! They were terrified, children sobbing, women screaming for their husbands and she tried hard not to think about how some of those screams were abruptly cut off with harsh, maniacal laughter.

Hoof beats thundering towards them had Kagome whirling around and raising her bow toward the bandit on horseback charging toward them, sword raised, face bloody and the most twisted smile on a scarred face. She braced herself but a familiar bone boomerang knocked him clean off the horse and Kagome didn’t stay to thank the slayer, turning back around and hurrying after those she needed to protect.

Kaede was at the forest’s edge, ushering everybody within the safety of the trees and their eyes connected for a split second before Kagome’s vision was abruptly obscured by a snarling face and bloody battle-axe. She cried out in alarm and instinctively thrust out her bow, hoping to catch him off guard, but the bandit thwarted her attempt with a vicious backhand across the face.

Kagome hit the ground hard, her bow landed some five feet away from her and pain throbbed her through head as her vision went blurry. She tasted blood, her stomach heaved, and before she could even think to scamper away, something tangled in her hair and roughly jerked her head up, eliciting a pained cry from her mouth and she opened her eyes to find the bandit inches form her face, his rancid breath making her gag and the sight of his rotted teeth as he smiled nastily something Kagome was sure she’d see in her nightmares if she survived.

Screwing her face up in the nastiest scowl she could manage, Kagome spit in his face and tried to escape by any means possible kicking, punching, squirming and even trying to bite, but to no avail. The bandit growled and tightened his hold on her hair before slamming her head into the ground and Kagome’s cry of pain was drowned out by the sudden agonized screaming of the bandit who’d been about to kill her. The hold on her hair vanished as he stumbled back, swatting at the blue fames that had engulfed him, and in his haste to extinguish the illusion, he tripped over a dead body, fell back, and impaled himself on his own weapon.

Kagome groaned, her stomach heaved, and with a mighty shove that caused pain to ricochet throughout her skull, she managed to turn over onto her side before emptying the contents of her stomach on the ground. She sputtered, grimacing as she spit and wiped her mouth with a dirty hand.

“Kagome!”

“Shippou,” Kagome rasped, gritting her teeth as she leveraged herself onto her hands and knees, shaking, sore, head spinning. “Are you—”

“I’m fine!” the kitsune hollered, his pale, dirt-smudged face desperate as he grabbed her hand and tugged. “You gotta get up, Kagome! C’mon, we need to get to Kae—”

Shippou was cut off by a booted foot landing roughly into his small body and Kagome watched in horror as the fox tyke flew through the air from the harsh kick, landing in a pile of burning rubble. Kagome screamed and scrambled to her feet, dizziness making her sway as another bout of nausea assaulted her, but before she could take even a single step an armor clad arm snagged her around the waist and hauled her back against the sweaty, bloody body. She shrieked, kicking against the hold, clawing at the hand but the sharp blade of a sword pressed against her neck stalled any further movement.

“One more move and I’ll slit your throat, whore,” a hoarse voice growled in her ear and Kagome shivered, closing her eyes as her captor started dragging her backward, through the smoke and remains of what once was Kaede’s village. She tripped and stumbled but the bandit didn’t seem to care, his breathing harsh as she swiftly turned around and led her away, keeping the blade pressed to her throat.

Inuyasha, Kagome mentally called for her hanyou, tears pricking the back of her eyes as the noise of the destruction and pillaging grew distant. Where are you?

Inuyasha...!

“Aaaarrgghh...!”

With a mighty heave, Sango let Hiraikotsu fly, successfully knocking the trio of bandits on horseback off their mounts and landing on the blood-soaked ground with a chorus of curses and groans. She wasted no time, unsheathing her katana in one smooth movement and darting forward to end their miserable, murdering lives with a flick of her wrist. Hiraikotsu curved back toward her and without missing a beat she caught her weapon just in time to swing it behind her and do some major brain damage to the bandit that had been sneaking up behind her.

He fell to the ground, either dead or unconscious but she didn’t care enough to check, hardly taking the time to catch her breath before she was running again. She was glad to see that most of the villagers had escaped with their lives and the majority of the bodies littering the ground were the bandits that had stormed the village. That didn’t mean there were no casualties, however; as she darted through the destruction, she came upon bodies she recognized, both women and men, and Sango had to fight against the urge to weep for their loss.

Now wasn’t the time for that; she had to find Kagome and Shippou and make sure Kaede had managed to make it to the first safely with the women and children.

“Dammit, Inuyasha, Miroku, where are you?” she hissed, grunting as she ducked and swerved through the burning remains. The fires were nearly out and while some of the huts had been spared, most of them lie in ruins, smoking rising into the air, a home lost.

Swallowing thickly, hoping her dear friends were alright and trying not to panic, Sango forced down the hysteria that rose, tightening her throat and making her stomach roll. Frantically she searched the ground, praying to anyone that would listen that she wouldn’t find them amongst the dead, looking for a flash of green or orange amid the rubble and blood.

A noise to her right had to her skidding to a stop and Sango braced herself, whipping her head around and tensing in preparation to throw her weapon, but she paused when nothing jumped at her. Breathing hard, heart racing in her chest, Sango frowned and listened carefully, filtering out the sounds of crackling flames, pained groans of survivors, the wind—

There! Eyes zeroing in on a pile of burning rubble, Sango narrowed her eyes and cautiously edged forward, hand tightening on both of her weapons, prepared to launch into another attack. Her gaze narrowed as she surveyed the scorched earth; nothing moved and the noise had stopped.

Sango paused and tensed. She waited; tightened her grip on her katana. Braced her knees.

With a cry, she whirled around, ready to decapitate the bandit that sought to surprise her with a blow to her back, but before she could deliver her own attack, another blade entered the fray and blood splattered as the bandit was suddenly skewered right through the stomach.

Dead before he hit the ground, Sango didn’t spare him a glance and instead focused on her savior, the relief the swamped her so strong she had to jam Hiraikotsu into the ground to remain standing.

Furious amber eyes regarded her steadily and he didn’t bother with pleasantries.

“Where is she?” he growled and it was obvious he was trying very hard to leash his fury.

Covered in a grotesque combination of mud and blood, both his firerat and kosode had been ripped to reveal the deep slashes across his chest, suggesting he’d ran into a bit of trouble on his way here, but he hardly seemed aware of his current state, the growl thundering in his chest steadily increasing in volume the longer she didn’t answer him.

Sango had to swallow several times before she could answer. “Don’t know,” she rasped, her eyes holding her regret, the deep-seeded worry that reflected in his own eyes. “I—haven’t seen—”

The snarl that erupted from his throat was low, dark, positively lethal, and had Sango been anything less than what she was – or had she not known him as well as she did – she probably would have fled in terror. She remained where she was, however, her weary body screaming at her to rest, but she forced herself to remain standing.

The fury in those golden eyes faded somewhat as he took her in and a lurid cruse fell from his lips.

“Miroku’s with Kaede,” he said and jerked his head toward the forest. “Go. I’ll take care of the rest.”

There were a few stragglers rifling through the remains, but they wouldn’t be standing for long; Tetsusaiga would make sure of that.

Sango hesitated, but knew she wouldn’t be able to stay on her feet for much longer, so in the end she didn’t argue and gave a curt nod.

“Find her, Inuyasha,” she rasped and watched his stare harden, jaw clenching in determination before the half-demon returned her nod with a jerk of his head.

Despite himself, Inuyasha waited until he knew she would make it to the others before turning around but before he leapt off, his ear flicked and he whipped his head around to the right. He stared hard at the same pile of rubble Sango had been advancing on early before some of the murdering fuckers had crept up on her and he strained his ears, listening, golden eyes narrowing—

The sound came again and with a fervent curse Inuyasha leapt into action, hastily dropping the fang into its scabbard so he could heave and shove and toss away scorched wood. His hands burned form the flames but he ignored it, his breathing hard as he kept an eye out for a flash of orange amid the burned wood and—

“Shippou,” Inuyasha hissed and with a grunt, he lifted the last of the heavy wood that was pinning the kit in place and carefully scooped him up into his arms. Pale and bloody, the fox demon’s breath rattled in his lungs and his small body was limp.

Cursing again, Inuyasha hopped out of the hut’s ruins and cradled him in his arm, knowing he had to take him to Kaede, but before he could move his name uttered on a groan had him freeze in his tracks and he snapped his gaze down to the child in his arms.

Shippou’s green eyes were cracked open and his mouth was parted as he dragged in stuttered breaths of air, but his grip as he clutched the firerat in his small hand was surprisingly strong.

Shippou winced and his little face screwed up in pain as he wheezed, “Kagome...taken...”

He coughed weakly but his eyes remained open, his emerald stare zeroed in on the half-demon’s face and Inuyasha was surprised at the amount of clarity in them.

“Where was she taken, Shippou?” Inuyasha growled, resisting the urge to shake the kitsune as a savage sense of urgency rocked through him. “Dammit, runt, tell me!”

“Forest,” he croaked, recalling the glimpse he’d caught through a crack in the rubble before falling unconscious. “G-Goshin—”

A coughing fit prevented the rest of the word from passing his lips and he gave a pained whimper, but Inuyasha knew what he’d been trying to say.

Ears flattening against his head, Inuyasha swore as indecision tore at him, his desire to heed the kit’s request to leave him and find Kagome warring with his need to make sure Shippou was safe with the others before he didn’t anything else. Kagome would never forgive him if something happened to her kit, and Inuyasha would never forgive himself if he left him here by himself in such bad shape and something happened to him.

Dammit—“ I can’t leave you here,” Inuyasha gritted out and turned towards the forest where he’d left Miroku and Kaede, his body screaming at him to turn in the other direction toward the God Tree that loomed above everything else.

Wood snapping to his left had Inuyasha whirling around with a snarl on his face, claws raised to protect himself at the kit, but the snarl abruptly died at the sight of the pale and limping village woman that approached him, arms out.

“I’ll take him,” she said and Inuyasha didn’t think twice.

With a nod, Inuyasha carefully deposited the now unconscious kit into her arms, murmuring a quiet “thank you” before turning and sprinting toward the woods, pushing himself harder, faster than ever before. He was a crimson blur as he leapt over the carnage of Kaede’s village, not even daring to spare the few seconds it would take to dispatch the few bandits still standing despite what he’d told Sango. Every second counted; he had no idea what sort of condition his Kagome was in, what he would find when he found her – and he would– and with every instant that prevented him from getting to her, the more danger she could be in.

There was no way in hell Inuyasha was risking that and with a savage growl borne from his desperation, the urgency racing through his veins and his frantic desire to destroy anything that dared harm his woman, he increased his pace, hardly caring when his lungs protested and his legs grew tired. He couldn’t stop, refused to stop; Kagome needed him and he would not fail her.

Hang on, Kagome, Inuyasha thought, features twisted into fearsome scowl as he launched himself through the trees even faster, I’m coming for you. Just hang on!

With a careless shove, Kagome’s back hit the unyielding force of the God Tree behind her and she didn’t even have the time to cry out or attempt to scramble away before he was on her, hands grabbing her wrists and pinning them above her head with freakish strength. Hot, rancid breath fanned over her mouth seconds before it was taken in a hard, punishing kiss and Kagome’s stomach churned.

Already weakened from numerous blows to the head and a hard punch to the stomach, Kagome struggled to escape but the bandit laughed at her attempts, easily pinning her legs between his own and shoving his pelvis into hers. With one hand caging her wrists the other used a knife to slice clean through her dirtied shirt, revealing soft breasts encased in some weird fabric but that hardly deterred him. With a dark chuckle and malicious grin he roughly grabbed her, squeezing and relishing in her cry of pain.

��You can’t fool me, slut,” the bandit laughed as she squirmed and tired to jerk away from his greedy hand, “your nipples hard, I know you like—fuck!”

Stumbling back and releasing his hold, the bandit groaned as he cupped himself, lifting his head to glare murderously at the bitch that had just fucking kneed him in the balls. She glared right back at him as she shrunk back against the tree, body tensing as she prepared to dart off into the trees, and her attacked reacted swiftly before she could escape.

“Fucking whore,” he spat and drove forward, cranking back his fist and punching her hard in the jaw. Her head smacked against the tree and her sound of pain was sweet as she slumped down, her body losing what little strength she had left.

Head swimming, black dots dancing in her vision as pain exploded throughout her skull and down her neck, Kagome could do nothing but whimper and feebly try to push him off her as a heavy weight settled on her thighs and yanked at her skirt, trying to tear it off. A sob caught in her throat and tears leaked from her eyes when she realized what was happening, what was going to happen if she didn’t do something.

“No-o-o-o,” she moaned, trying to buck him off of her, but her body wouldn’t obey, her mind hazy. Rough hands jerked and clawed at her clothes and she tried to shove them away, heart pounding, fear and pain making her movements slow and uncoordinated. Every move she made hurt, head throbbing, every breath like pins and needles stabbing into her chest and stomach.

Another sob welled in her throat. She couldn’t let this happen, she couldn’t— “I-Inu—”

“Shut up,” her attacker hissed, easily evading her hands and managing to shove her bra down enough to reveal her breasts. His prey released a sweet sound of torture and his excitement throbbed in response.

He eyed her perfect breasts greedily, licking his lips as saliva pooled on his tongue and dribbled down his chin. He cackled and while one hand continued to pull at her skirt, the other reached for her chest, fingers inches away form the delectable soft flesh just begging for his touch—

The bandit suddenly froze and the change was abrupt enough to grab Kagome’s attention. Sucking in a stuttering breath, she managed to crack her eyes open enough to catch the look of wide-eyed shock on his face. She blinked in confusion but before she could even think to escape during his strange and sudden distraction, her salivation came in the form of a deadly threat that had Kagome releasing a sob of pure and utter relief.

“If you value your pathetic, sorry excuse for a life at all,” a deep, pissed-off growl reverberated behind him and the positively lethal edge to it had her attacker paling slightly even as Kagome went limp beneath him, “then I suggest you get the fuck outta my sight. Quickly.”

There was a pause as the fool deliberated on what to do. And unfortunately, instead of her tormenter hastily scrambling away as he was strongly bid to do, the bandit seemed to scoff in the face of the threat, regathering some of his lost bravado and not even bothering to look behind him at what was probably just some village man playing hero, unwilling to tear his greedy gaze from the delectable sight before him for even a second.

“Oh yeah, and what’ll happen if I don’t?” He snorted dismissively, resuming his earlier task of ridding the bitch of her wonderfully short kimono. She’d gone completely limp, apparently accepting her fate, and he grinned. Good, this would make it easier. Dumb bitch actually had da brain in that pretty head of hers. Too bad, really; he liked them stupid and weak.

She tried to stop him again, apparently still having some fight left in her, and he roughly swatted away her hands with an annoyed scowl. A subsonic growl filled with lethal warning rumbled behind him again the bandit rolled his eyes. What, did he think he was scared of some mutt? He’d slain demons that sounded ten times more lethal, not to mention bigger!

Impatient and annoyed at the interruption, he waved a hand, dismissing the villager like a common pest.

“Get lost, boy,” he grunted and grinned in victory when the green fabric finally tore under his hands; the girl’s whimper was music to his ears. His black eyes leered at the smooth flesh revealed to him. “I’m busy and I don’t share my playthi—guurrkk.”

Kagome didn’t even flinch as flecks of crimson landed on her pale face, could only watch with wide chocolate eyes as blood welled in the bandit’s mouth and thickly dribbled down his chin, coating the already blood-soaked tip of Tetsusaiga protruding from his throat. Then her would-be rapist was abruptly flung to the side like so much rubbish and the tears spilled from her eyes, blurring her vision, streaking down her bruised cheeks, his name falling from her abused lips in so soft a whisper he almost didn’t hear it.

Covered in copious amounts of both mud and blood, silver hair streaked with red and suikan torn asunder to reveal the muddy and bloody mess that was his chest, Inuyasha looked every bit the warrior to her right then.

He’d found her. Inuyasha had found her, saved her as she knew he would, and as he gazed down at her with intense amber eyes, chest heaving as he dragged in ragged breaths of air, Kagome released a choked sound that sounded suspiciously like his name and reached for him.

Not even bothering to spare a glance at the piece of shit he’d just skewered for daring to touch his Kagome, Inuyasha was still breathing heavily from a combination of his mad dash from the village to get to her in time and the cold panic that had seized his lungs. His golden eyes frantically assessed her form, growling at the dirtied and torn state of her clothes, and though the bruises darkening the perfect skin of her face pissed him the fuck off and made him want to stab the fucker responsible a couple hundred times despite his deceased status, he was glad that that seemed to be the worst of the damage from what his eyes and nose were telling him.

His heart stuttered in his chest when he finally looked into those wide, liquid brown eyes and suddenly overcome with an overwhelming urge that he didn’t even want to resist, Inuyasha let his sword fall unceremoniously to the ground before surging forward, dropping to his knees and taking her hand to haul her into his arms.

Kagome sobbed and clung to him tightly, her body shaking from relief or pain he couldn’t tell but he only held her tighter, crushing her to him as her name fell from his lips in a rough whisper. She curled into him and Inuyasha fell back, cradling her in his lap and letting her cry into his chest, gritting his teeth as emotion welled in his throat and pricked at his eyes.

His hold was desperate, his limbs shaking as he buried his nose in her hair and inhaled her sweet scent, tinged with blood, dirt, and the acrid stench of the fucker who dared lay a hand on her. The odor elicited a thunderous growl to reverberate in his chest, but it vanished just as quickly when Kagome whispered his name again, leaning back to catch his gaze.

“I knew you’d come,” she breathed, lifting a shaking hand to touch his dirty cheek, chocolate eyes bright and glistening with unshed tears.

Inuyasha wordlessly shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut tight as he cupped the back of her head and pressed he face back into his healing chest, burying his nose into her hair. Kagome sighed and slipped her arms around his waist, finally allowing herself to relax, safe in the arms of her protector, her beloved half-demon.

Allowing himself another selfish moment of relishing in her nearness, the relief that she was okay, a little banged up and shaken but alive, swamping his entire body and it making hard to concentrate on anything else, Inuyasha sucked a shaky breath and released it slowly before dropping a reverent kiss to her forehead, lingering, reluctant to pull away. Kagome squeezed him around the waist, a wordless reassurance, and finally he was able to relax.

He removed his arms from her briefly to shrug out of his already repairing suikan and wrap it around her before taking a moment to drop his sword back into the scabbard and getting to his feet with a soft grunt.

“Shippou,” Kagome murmured, her worry for her kit apparent even through her exhaustion and Inuyasha put her mind at ease.

“He’s fine,” he assured her, pausing to kiss her forehead one more time. “I found him before I went to look for you. Villager took him to the others. He’s a little banged up, but safe.”

She sighed. “Mir...San...” It was a struggle, but she managed to lift her head and gaze up at him, brow wrinkled with her concern even as she struggled to keep her eyes open.

She was starting to drift off, and Inuyasha had to smile. Even as exhausted as she was, it as no surprise that his Kagome was fighting it in order to make sure her friends were all right.

Swallowing thickly, Inuyasha gently cradled the back of her head and leaned down to press his forehead against her own and his sigh was shaky as it ghosted over her lips.

“Safe,” he said thickly, closing his eyes and hearing her soft sigh of relief. “Everyone’s safe. You’re safe, Kagome. I’ve got you. I’ve got you.”

Kagome smiled, closed her eyes, and resting her head on his shoulder, she finally let herself drift off, knowing she was safe in the arms of her beloved as he carried her back to their friends.

*Yunomi: those little clay tea cups they drink out of.

does kagome have a concussion from all those blows to her head? lakdfklafd let’s pretend she doesn’t lel

#idk wtf to call this so untitled for now #inukag #inuyasha #kagome #oneshot #keizfanfiction #fanfiction #will there be a second part?#who the hell knows lmao

173 notes · View notes

digimonadventuretimelines · 5 years ago

Text

[13 - A cat and a Bagworm duo! The Ichijouji siblings Join The Party]

“Ah it was delicious, ma’am” the cat and the seal were satisfied with the meal, very much to be honest.

“You said you wanted to talk with me?” Kiyoko blinked, she was at the kitchen after hearing her mother’s call “So, what it is?”

“Is Daichi here?” Taisuke whispered “I do not want him to butt on our business.”

“... ‘Our’ ?” Kiyoko and Eiji frowned.

“Y’know, young kids business. The oldies must not know. That’s why I didn’t let Hoshi learn of that as well” he shrugged “After all, we’re like our own secret club.”

“Taisuke what are you talking about?”

“Don’t let Daichi know, please. He’s too boring.”

“... He’s not at home” Kiyoko said, but with an pouty face “He didn’t tell me where did he go. But fine, I won’t tell him whatever you’re planning to do.”

“Okay so… Can we go to your room?”

“Seriously, why don’t you just say it here!?”

“We’re a secret club. Older kids and Adults cannot be in!”

“Sigh… Sure, let’s go hear what you have to tell us.”

“So, first of all… You will prevent the Chosen Children from realizing our moves.“

“Yes, sir Lupinmon”

Two shadows were discussing, one of them was sitting on a throne. The other was standing in front of Lupinmon. That digimon was some kind of a werewolf, just like WereGarurumon, but different color scheme. It had white fur and blue marks, his nails were a deep purple and eyes were purple-ish.

“Wait no, maybe you should put one of those scouts to go to the human world and damage their devices.”

“But that means they would’ve been stuck in the human world, sir.”

“We can open a gate.”

“Are you kidding!? We can’t open gates by ourselves, only digimon with such powers can!!”

“Then let’s ditch that plan, just keep an eye on the Chosen because they might come--”

“Sir!! A Guilmon scout hadn’t returned.” a silver Renamon appeared, they seemed quite desperate.

“What??”

“It got caught by the Chosen Children” they responded “The fugitive baby II got partnered with a new Chosen Child.”

Lupinmon clenched his fist, “How dare you say that there’s a new one!!”

“Master,” Magnamon was there on his side all this time “I suggest sending a new scout.”

“... Fine” he snorted, “Send one. Send… Him” and then the lead pointed at WereGururumon.

“M-me!?”

“Your new mission is to find out the rest of the fugitive digimon and bring them back. And destroy any human or digimon partner who crosses your way.”

“Don’t forget it, it’s our secret!” Taisuke gave Kiyoko a wink, when he and Eiji were leaving.

“Okay… A secret” Kiyoko sighed, but waved back at the boys.

“Kiyoko doesn’t like to hide stuff from her brother…” Eiji frowned “I wonder if we shouldn’t tell at least to him…”

“You kiddin’ right? Daichi’s a pain in the neck.”

“Master Taisuke, master Eiji, where should we go now?” the digimon duo were following them as well. But why? No clue…

“You will stay with Eiji while I need to do some stuff” he smiled, putting his hands on the back of his head “He’s nicest and wouldn’t mind to.”

“Wait a minute I--”

“Is it okay, master Eiji?” Black Tailmon used puppy eyes. How could Eiji say no?

“F-fine… I guess.”

“Then cya, my favorite cousin~” and he left running til disappear in the streets.

“Favorite cousin…??” Eiji blinked “I’m not sure what he’s up to… But I hope he doesn’t get into trouble…”

Eiji and the two digimon kept walking, going to his home. He wasn’t sure what to do but maybe he could take care of those digimon for a while. His mother wouldn’t mind at all, he hoped for. He could care less of Hoshi, since she likes the digimon around or the ones linked to their parent’s jobs.

But...

“Eiji!! Eiji, help me!” she came running into his direction, with a Wormmon on her shoulder.

“Hoshi, what’s wrong??” He frowned “Isn’t that a Wormmon on your back??”

“He told me something is happening near the Digital World’s gates!” She said “ Where’s dad, I need to warn him…!” She looked then to the digimon with him “Huh? Why are you with those little guys?”

“It’s… It’s a long story. Dad is not at Motomiya’s residence anymore, he left” he answered “Have you tried to call him?”

“He’s not answering the phone,” Hoshi frowned “What are we going to do!? Tell mr. Yagami!?”

“We can help!” Gomamon said “We might not be strong, but we can fight! Your brains and our strength might help til the authorities arrive!”

“It’s more complicated” the Wormmon said “It’s a perfect level… WereGururumon.”

“WereGarurumon?” Eiji blinked.

“No, WereGururumon!”

“Whatever!” Black Tailmon pouted “Show us where they are! Kid, tell the cops. We can deal with them.”

A lot of digimon were running away from WereGururumon’s rampage. Enough to call the attention of the local kindergarten staff. Lots of digimon and children started to evacuate, with Hikari and Tailmon aiding their workmates to save the children. Hikari knew it would’ve been easier if she could evolve Tailmon, but at this point… Revealing her identity was risky.

“Everyone, go this way please!” Tailmon was pointing to the exit, “Stay close to the human and digimon adults, please! Hikari, did you call for Ken’s help?”

She was a bit of nervous when replied “I did, but I think he’s already out of town… Is everyone out already?”

“There’s still a few digimon baby II level around, Just a few more… OK, I think everyone’s out.”

“Then, let’s do this by ourselves…!”

Hikari was about to leave when she heard a cry. one of the kids was still inside and petrified by the explosions outside. But wait, explosions? Tailmon jumped to the window and saw a blue Greymon facing the enemy. But… Was it one of the Digimon Special Case Unit’s digimon? She and Hikari weren’t sure.

Eiji and Hoshi arrived with the digimon trio, looking at the digimon battle. Deep down Eiji wanted to go home, but… His body moved without his command. He and Hoshi were there right now, and the little digimon ones were fueled by determination.

“What’s that thing??” Hoshi exclaimed “A blue Greymon? And oh, WereGururumon is just like… A WereGarurumon with white fur...”

“No time for talking!” Gomamon said, “The blue guy needs help!” then she jumped into the action, summoning a fish squad “Marching Fishes!” The fishes went like bullets into WereGururumon’s direction, biting the werewolf.

“Argh, Not more pests!” the wolf yelled “ OH IT’S YOU! THE FUGITIVE DIGIMON I’VE LOOKING FOR!”

“What?!” Eiji and Hoshi glanced at Gomamon “You were running away!?”

“It’s a long story” Gomamon responded “Wormmon, BlackTailmon help me here!”

“What are you doing here!?” a voice was heard and the Ichijouji siblings saw the same kid Daichi had chased last night.

“Who are you?” Hoshi asked “What do you mean--”

“WATCH OUT!” Wormmon yelled, seeing WereGururumon throwing an outdoor at the group. Hoshi, Eiji and BlackTailmon dodged by throwing themselves to the floor.

“You don’t have a digimon!” the unknown kid yelled “Get out, and take the refugee digimon with you!”

“Stop bossing around!” BlackTailmon shouted “We’re here… To help! Even without a tamer, we can still keep them here while the authorities don’t come!”

“It’s dangerous…!” Eiji babbled.

“No, we can do something…!” the feline insisted “I gonna fight too!” and she ran towards WereGururumon “CAT PUNCH!”

The opponent stopped her attack. Greymon then tried to punch it but the enemy used BlackTailmon to hit the blue dinosaur-like digimon by dodging and letting the punches hit each of his opponents. He then kicked the kitten at the Gomamon. Eiji threw himself in front of the seal-like digimon and caught the feline with his hands. He almost fell, but regained balance.

“Ouch… He’s stronger…” she hissed.

“What are you doing!? Get out of here with those refugees!” the mysterious kid shouted again “We can take care of him by ourselves!”

“No!” BlackTailmon got up again “I won’t give up! That monster captured MY FRIENDS!”

Eiji and Hoshi were surprised. WereGururumon threw Greymon to the ground, and dashed to the trio’s direction. Hoshi clenched her fist, grabbed a broken pipe from the destroyed battlefield and ran towards the werewolf, with Wormmon still on her back.

“LEAVE THEM ALONE, YOU JERK!” she yelled and then hit the evil digimon on his head “BACK OFF!”

“Are you crazy!?” The unknown boy gasped “You will be killed for doing that!!”

WereGururumon growled and tried to slay the audacious Hoshi, but… Wormmon jumped on his face, making the girl get enough time to grab Gomamon from the ground. BlackTailmon took the opportunity to try a quick Cat Kick in the wolf’s stomach. He stepped back, caught Wormmon from his face and shot it against BlackTailmon. The poor digi duo were now terribly hurt, even BlackTailmon returned to her lesser form, Plotmon.

“Enough, you two will come back with me!” WereGururumon approached from the bagworm and puppy, ready to capture them.

“No!” Hoshi yelled, and then from the mysterious kid’s digivice came two lights. A black and pink D-TimeRune stood in front of Hoshi, while a faded purple and white one appeared in front of Eiji.

“W-what is this??” Eiji babbled.

“Use those digivices and evolve those two!” the mysterious boy pointed at the digivices “Scan the back of your hands by saying ‘Scan DigiRune’ and point at the digimon to evolve them by saying ‘Load Evolution’ hurry, you two!”

Hoshi and Eiji looked at each other, then to the boy. Gomamon jumped from Hoshi’s arms to the ground. With a nod, the siblings grabbed the digivices and scanned the back of their hands.

“Scan… DigiRune!” [ Scan Completed ]

A cherry blossom-shaped crest appeared on Hoshi’s digivice, and the crest of Kindness appeared on Eiji’s.

“Load… Evolution!!”

They pointed the devices to Wormmon and BlackTailmon, sending two light beams at the digimon. Said beams healed the digimon’s wounds, and they were covered by a blinding light.

Wormmon evolve! Stingmon! Plotmon evolve! BlackTailmon!

“What is this!?” WereGururumon backed off when Stingmon tried to hit him with a punch “You… You two evolved!? How!? You can’t do this to me, Lupinmon will kill me!!”

“Lupinmon?” Eiji frowned “Who is? And why would…”

“No time for that, guys!” the mysterious child interrupted Eiji “Greymon, team up with them!” and he gave an order to his partner.

“Team up? Haha, like a bunch of weakings could beat a general!” the wolf laughed loudly.

Stingmon flew in WereGururmon’s direction, executing Spiking Finish technique on him. BlackTailmon used Cat’s Eye, but accidentally stunted Greymon.

“He-hey!!” the mysterious boy shouted angrily.

“S-sorry!!” the kitten cried, but that was enough to have her kicked against Stingmon “ACK!”

“You need to give them COMMANDS!” he looked at the siblings again “You can’t just sit and watch!”

“Oh shut up we’re thinking here!” Hoshi argued in their defense. Then turned to Eiji “What should we do…?”

“...” her brother closed his eyes for a few seconds and then… “I got it!” he opened his eyes quickly “Stingmon, grab WereGururumon and lift him! BlackTailmon and Greymon, combine your long-ranged attacks once Stingmon’s releases him in midair!”

“W-what!? Wa-wait!” the wolf gasped “We… We can ne-negotiate…! Please no--”

The three heroic digimon nodded in agreement and started the plan. BlackTailmon started to attack WereGururumon with punches and kicks, making him very much focused on dodging her attacks, enough to be caught off guard by Stingmon. The humanoid insect grabbed the wolf and jumped to the sky, flying high and them releasing the enemy in midair.

Greymon shot a bigger fireball from his mouth -- Mega Flame technique -- while BlackTailmon shot a laser beam from her eyes -- Cat Laser. Stingmon, still in the midair, shot spiking darts from his arms at WereGururumon -- the Moon Shooter.

All three attacks were combined, and hit the opponent at the same time. WereGururumon cried and then fell on the floor. The digimon trio got together again. However…

“Ugh… I… Won’t… Be… Beaten!!” the werewolf got from the ground, with some difficulty. It was by the power of rage that he was still moving. He roared very loud, making the Gomamon hide behind Hoshi’s leg.

“It didn’t work!?” BlackTailmon blinked, “B-But--”

“HOLY ARROW!!”

A very quick attack of light crossed the battlefield and hit the enemy, who now was growling of pain. When Eiji looked behind, he saw Angewomon and…

“M-Mom!?”

Hikari was there, and she has a strange device in hands. Was it a digivice!? What could that mean!? Her kids didn’t care, and she hugged both kids.

“A-are you okay!?” Hikari asked, then looked at her digimon partner “Angewomon please finish this fight. And heal everyone else.”

“Right” the angelical humanoid digimon said, then flew in WereGururumon’s direction, executing the beautiful but powerful techique…

“Heaven’s Charm!!”

WereGururumon fainted, devolving back to Psychemon. Angewomon used her healing technique -- Saint Air -- to heal everyone’s wounds, including Psychemon’s.

“Mom, did you call an Angewomon to help?” Hoshi asked, “But what’s this… thing?”

“It’s a digivice” Hikari explained “And I guess we need to talk, now that you have digivices and digimon partners.”

“Huh?”

“So, let’s go big guy” the mysterious boy said, but Hikari stared at him.

“Who are you, and why were you fighting a digimon?”

“Me?” he looked back, then… “I’m Brave Tamer, and this digimon was attempting to hurt the digimon who escaped from Lupinmon’s troops. That’s all thanks bye!” and he ran away, with Greymon following him.

“Brave… Tamer?” Eiji and Hoshi repeated.

“So, that kid knows about something” Angewomon stated, she landed and returned to her lesser form, Tailmon. Stingmon also returned to Wormmon form.

“Meow?” BlackTailmon tilted her head “You can stay in this form too? How cool~”

“Yes I can,” Tailmon answered then went back and stood in front of Hikari and the children, “Hikari, should we tell Ken and Taichi about this?”

“Ken’s on a important mission,” she mused “Maybe we could tell Taichi first. Let’s go home kids. It’s a long story to be told.”

#datl text chapter #daichi arc phase 1

1 note · View note

pyropsychiccollector · 6 years ago

Text

Invel sighed exasperatedly as he trudged through the city of Hargeon, subzero winds and temperatures trailing in his wake. A flurry of snow and ice coated the people and buildings, practically turning them into ice sculptures. He had not expected to reach his destination so soon, but apparently Irene had disregarded His Majesty’s orders and employed her experimental Magic to tip the scales in their favor… Not that it mattered to her, since she had to have realized by now Emperor Spriggan had perished.

“I-Invel…?”

The ice mage raised an eyebrow as he halted and stared at the once proud Spriggan Shield crawling on the ground, arms still tied behind her back and cuffed with Anti-Magic restraints.

“Dimaria. Seems this operation was too much for you to handle.” Hands clasped behind his back, and looking every bit like a teacher scolding a student, Invel shook his head in disappointment. Dimaria hissed furiously at him.

“Don’t look down your nose at me, bastard…! What have you contributed?!”

Invel sighed theatrically.

“More than you. I’ve immobilized the enemy forces that have shuffled here as a result of Irene’s mischief.” He cut the ropes that bound Dimaria’s arms. The blonde looked up at him with an awed expression, not moving from her spot.

“Universe One…? Lady Irene really used it?!”

Invel’s gaze turned skyward.

“Indeed. You should have realized it yourself, after the intense Magic built up in the atmosphere. It was most certainly Irene’s Magic…”

Dimaria winced as she rose to her feet, glaring at Invel half-heartedly as she did so.

“You’re not going to get into a big shpeal about how she went out of line…?”

The ice mage scoffed at the notion.

“Drastic times call for drastic measures. Though our victory is a foregone conclusion, we have suffered… setbacks.” He muttered distastefully, turning to the side, away from Dimaria.

“You don’t say…” Dimaria rolled her eyes.

“Four Spriggan Shields have perished. Four.” Invel waspishly shot back, surprising Dimaria. “What’s more, we have lost our Emperor to this scum. We have no other recourse but to reunite the twelve and capture Fairy Heart. After that, we’ll exterminate Ishgar and Acnologia together, just as His Majesty commanded us to do.”

Dimaria went rigid as Invel revealed the worst news. It just wasn’t possible.

“The Emperor died?! Don’t fuck with me…! He’s immortal…!”

Invel coldly glared back at her.

“You can reject reality like an obnoxious child if that’s what you’d prefer, but the rest of us will be living in the real world. I saw it myself. His Majesty’s most vile creation came to end his life – wiped out nearly 100,000 of the men in the Western flank – and mortally wounded the Emperor with a Hellfire that I have never seen before. It was the most shameful sin of my life to follow His Majesty’s will and allow END to endanger him. But I will carry the burden of that blight on my soul… so long as I am able to fulfill His Majesty’s will for this wretched world. Ishgar and Acnologia will fall, that I have promised.”

Dimaria’s body trembled as her hands curled into fists. So the Emperor was truly dead… It would feel amazing to slaughter these Ishgar mages for that insult alone… But it did trouble her that Acnologia was still, in fact, a threat. Who was supposed to wield the Fairy Heart, now that His Majesty was no longer an option?

“Seems like events have been unfolding into a most fascinating tale…” A figure dropped down in a crouch from a nearby roof, but neither Dimaria nor Invel tensed at feeling his familiar presence.

“Neinhart.” Invel tersely acknowledged the man. “You look in better shape than Dimaria.”

Dimaria’s hackles rose at the insult to her honor, but she stayed her tongue. The fact it was a teenage girl that put her in such an embarrassing state was humiliating enough.

“Oh, the bastard landed a solid hit on me, I’ll give him that…” Neinhart bitterly admitted. “Still, they should have killed me when they had the chance, rather than show mercy… A coward’s attempt at ‘honor in combat.’”

“The Emperor did suggest this was a weakness of theirs… We will have to educate them just how fatal their naiveté is. Neinhart, when we reach Magnolia, you will summon the deceased Spriggan members. The full might of the Spriggan 12 will be put on full display!”

With this declaration, the three of them began their trek, which would most assuredly be short, given Irene’s meddling with the geography.

“You think she will have arranged the troops for us?” Dimaria questioned. Invel nodded sternly.

“Irene is a shrewd tactician. The best strategy for us would be to arrange all of our forces throughout and around Magnolia, while we harvest the Fairy Heart.”

“Thousands upon thousands of soldiers… All gathered in one place.” Neinhart grinned. “They were having a tough time as it was holding us back. No way they’ll be able to break through to save their precious weapon!”

Invel pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

“This will be the final decisive battle… After we’re done with Ishgar, we’ll slay Acnologia, as planned.”

~*~

- Not even an hour ago… -

Cobra sighed with his arms and legs crossed as he sat on top of Happy’s enlarged head. The three of them were flying on this furball to the East to confront the toughest guy in Alvarez, and he had elected to come along because he caught wind of Mest’s less-than-honorable plans. He didn’t like knocking out a member of Fairy Tail, but Mest’s idiocy would’ve resulted in death, for sure… At least, if Brandish’s boasts of August were true.

“Oi, would you stop flippin’ out, blondie? Yeesh. You’re probably the last person I would’ve picked to represent Fairy Tail…” He rolled his eye as the Celestial Wizard squawked at him indignantly.

“STOP READING MY MIND, JERK!”

Brandish lazily eyed Lucy even as she nuzzled contentedly in Happy’s fur.

“He’s got a point. If you act nervous around August, he’s not going to take my request very seriously. And it’s going to be hard enough explaining His Majesty’s demise without your jitters make you seem suspicious…”

Lucy visibly deflated at Brandish’s words of wisdom.

“I know…” She sighed, head hanging low. “I just wish Erza, Gray, or even Mira could have come along instead of me… They’d be totally more level-headed about this, and would definitely know what to say to this guy.”

Brandish squished her cheek against the pleasurably soft fur.

“Just be yourself. Show him respect, but don’t try to sugarcoat it. If we want a chance of convincing him, he needs to get a good read on you as a person. He’s easier to negotiate with compared to Irene, but that doesn’t mean he lacks pride as a warrior for the Alvarez kingdom. Be ready to answer some tough questions.”

Lucy shrank in on herself even more.

“Just great…” She cried exaggeratedly.

Cobra frowned slightly as he eyed the green-haired buxom woman shrewdly. Before he could voice his next questions, however, a giant wave of magical presence overwhelmed their senses, and they knew just what that indicated. Staring down below, they locked eyes with the elder mage, who did not miss a giant flying cat in the sky. Lucy was frozen in absolute terror, unable to speak.

“August, the King of Magic…” Brandish murmured, conveying many emotions while maintaining eye contact with her comrade.

Cobra bit back a small grimace, marginally more composed than Lucy.

‘Definitely bad news… If we can’t make an ally out of this guy, we are screwed.’ The maroon-haired Dragon Slayer thought to himself grimly.

Soon enough, Happy touched down, and Brandish shrank him so they could disembark. The Dragon Slayer and the Celestial Wizard stood to the right and left behind Brandish, respectively. Lucy felt jittery as she poked her fingers together, while Cobra elected to stuff his hands in his pockets. For the Dragon Slayer, they were already in the lion’s den when they sensed this man’s presence; if they were going to die, there was nothing they could do about it.

As for Brandish, she kept a completely neutral expression on her face as she faced her comrade without hesitation.

“What are you playing at, Brandish?” August finally asked, ending the tense silence that pervaded the air.

“I have come to negotiate with you, August.” Brandish answered freely. The elder mage arched an eyebrow at her candor.

“Has Jacob been killed?”

Cobra pondered whether to answer that one, but Brandish cut him off before he could open his mouth.

“He was defeated at the hands of this man here.” She lightly nudged her head back at Cobra. “He isn’t dead, but he’s been taken prisoner. What of God Serena? He should have been with you.”

August clasped a hand over his heart solemnly.

“He’s here with me.” He answered simply. His gaze intensified, making Lucy shiver. Cobra would have joined her, but he was using every ounce of self-control to not let August’s presence overwhelm him. August continued, “Now then, do you mind clarifying what you meant by ‘negotiate’?”

Brandish took a deep breath before getting into the meat of it.

“I would like you to halt your advance.” Brandish made her plea. August, too, breathed heavily through his nose as he tried deciphering Brandish’s motivations.

“From what I can gather, it doesn’t appear you’ve been tortured… Am I to interpret this as betrayal?”

Brandish shook her head solemnly.

“That couldn’t be further from the truth. I am and always will be a loyal citizen of Alvarez, through and through. It’s just… I cannot find any meaning in this war.” She voiced her doubts as clearly as possible.

August’s face became grave as he glared at Brandish.

“Those very words are in direct betrayal of His Majesty’s will. Need I remind you we Spriggan 12 have dedicated our minds, bodies, and souls to His Majesty? If, in spite of that, you still cannot comprehend why you must fight for his cause… Then you are nothing more than an enemy who must be eliminated.”

Lucy grew ghastly pale with how oppressive the atmosphere had become. Even Brandish had lost color in her cheeks, but she stood her ground. Cobra clenched a fist in his pocket, gritted his teeth to steel himself, and looked August in the eye.

“… About that.” He breathed steadily to take control of his nerves as all eyes were on him now. “Your ‘Emperor’ was killed not too long ago… Apparently by his brother, a Dragon Slayer in this country by the name of Natsu Dragneel.”

August’s eyes widened at this bit of news. Brandish knew that was quite the feat to accomplish; and she too braced herself for August’s potential rage at this bit of news. She hadn’t known how to approach that topic… and perhaps that was why Cobra had taken one for the team in relaying that information.

“His Majesty… is no more?” August’s voice was eerily quiet, his expression now indecipherable.

“A-Aye…” Happy spoke up for the first time since arriving. “I heard Zeref say that if Natsu killed him, Natsu would die, too… And Natsu definitely died!! I tried to stop him, but Natsu killed Zeref anyway!”

Tears streamed down Happy’s face as he sniffed, looking up at August. It didn’t matter to him if August killed him out of spite… He’d already lost Natsu, and that was painful enough.

August’s face hardened, which was exactly what they had all dreaded.

“If His Majesty has passed on, then there is even less reason to spare these people, Brandish. You know this.”

Finally locating some more resolve within her, Brandish shook her head swiftly as she stared right back at August unflinchingly.

“On the contrary. You know as well as I… that His Majesty had a secret desire kept hidden from most of his subjects… The very reason he went away for all those years was because he was struggling with himself, whether he should live or die!” Her voice was raw with emotion. It was difficult for her, too. Zeref had taken her in and shown her how to use Magic after her mother passed away… But even she could not deny that he harbored a suicidal nature. Because he had been forced to endure centuries of immortality…

“…” August didn’t say a word as Brandish became more sure of herself. Again, it was impossible to see or feel what he might be thinking… Not even Cobra could hear his thoughts.

“Please, August… list to me. What His Majesty attempted to achieve is absolute genocide, and nothing less. The Dragon King Festival… Ragnarok… Call it whatever you like, but in the end, it amounts to nothing but a one-sided massacre! This war is nothing but murder. It’s not a clash of noble ideals between our two countries… Surely you can tell that much?”

August stared down at the ground, deep in rumination. Lucy and Happy looked on hopefully, while Cobra was a little more guarded in his expectations. Brandish pressed on with her pleas.

“I know that among the twelve, none are wiser than you. That is why you must realize at the end of the fight, there will be no future! All that awaits us… is an empty abyss…”

August looked back up at Brandish with another unreadable expression.

“Where we are headed at the conclusion of this battle was to be decided by His Majesty. With him now deceased, it falls to us to finish what he started – whether you like it or not, he decided to…” His mouth became a thin, grim line as Brandish cut him off shrilly.

“Think for yourself!!!”

“M…Maybe you shouldn’t have laid it on so thick… Just a thought…” Lucy winced, hiding behind Brandish. But the Spriggan Shield ignored her.

“That is what I have decided to do…” She turned to the side so there was nothing between Lucy and August as the elder mage stared her down. “I have reached the conclusion that these people are not evil… far from it.”

“Th-Thanks…!” Lucy sweatdropped as she tried not to wilt under August’s intense gaze.

August turned his attention to Cobra first, however.

“You were the one that defeated Jacob… Tell me. Did you take him alive to use as a hostage? Or were you perhaps too weak of heart to end his life?”

Cobra kept his expression firm and made sure to look August directly in the eye. He knew that this was a crucial query.

“Listen, I’m no seraphic saint. Blondie here can tell you that I used to be a scumbag of a criminal… And maybe I still am. Who can honestly say whether I’ve atoned for all the shit I committed as a member of Oracion Seis? I’m the Poison Dragon Slayer, for fuck’s sake. That should tell you how many lives I’ve taken.” He shook his head somewhat exasperatedly as Lucy wordlessly begged him to shut his trap. Even Brandish was looking at him in shock because of his frankness. “But… As for that Jacob guy… Kami knows I didn’t take him down just to hold him over your head. You wanna take him back? I won’t stop you. That said, the rest of those Fairies? They’ll probably try, but only if you aggress them. They could probably understand how you feel about camaraderie – that whole Guild is about friendship, harmony, and all that crap. But it’s because they’re so honorable that they hold that Jacob guy prisoner. ‘Cause he basically held the Guild hostage to get what you guys wanted.”

“…” August fell silent again as he pondered Cobra’s words. Brandish took this opportunity to press her advantage in the negotiations.

“You see? Even a former criminal was able to come this far, thanks to Fairy Tail. If you would just talk with these mages of Ishgar, I am certain you would see they mean us no ill will. They fight because we struck first. They invaded our land because we had their Guildmaster as our effective prisoner. August, I beg you… at least try talking with them.”

August took one final deep breath, once he had mulled over Brandish’s plea for negotiation.

“Well… I suppose… I would sooner listen to what they have to say than make a fool out of you, Brandish.” August nodded his head slowly, stiffly. “As leader of the twelve, it falls to me to decide how we proceed from here.”

Lucy heaved a sigh of relief as Happy cheered, and even Cobra’s mouth twitched up a little the tiniest bit. But even so, from what August could discern from them, it was all genuine; they knew by his reputation that fighting him would be suicide, so he was used to such reactions. It was Brandish’s reaction that perplexed him the most.

“You’re the best, Grandpa~!” Brandish cutely mewled as she looked up at him gleefully. August frowned at the title.

“I have no recollection of you ever being my granddaughter…” He remarked dryly.

“But to me, you’ve always been my Grandpa~!” Brandish chirped adorably. Lucy sweatdropped as she hoped and prayed to all deities out there that Brandish’s eccentricity wouldn’t ruin their chances of negotiation… Cobra just sighed as he raked fingers through his hair.

“As touching as this is… Makarov is gonna want in on these negotiations. Is it acceptable to move this meeting to Fairy Tail…?”

Lucy stared gobsmacked at Cobra speaking for all three of them. But she dared not speak contradictory to him, after he’d made that offer. August raised his eyebrow at the Dragon Slayer.

“You would invite me, even though that was my destination to begin with…?”

Cobra shrugged nonchalantly.

“Call it a token of goodwill and trust. I’m not exactly fit to speak for a Guild I’m not even a part of… And blondie there is just a plain ol’ member, not even S-Class. I don’t think it’s proper for us to make promises that Makarov might decide we aren’t able to keep…”

August nodded indulgently.

“I see your point… Lead the way, then.”

They hadn’t even made it a few feet before something was obviously wrong. Something strange was in the air… Like some Magic was taking hold of all the land in Fiore.

“Wh-What is this…?!” Lucy yelped, looking around in bewilderment.

Brandish and August appeared they were in the know, and it was August who was the most severe…

“Irene, you wouldn’t dare cast that Magic…!”

“Universe One…” Brandish murmured.

Before Cobra could even ask what ‘Universe One’ was, there was a bright light that blinded them and eclipsed everything around them, even the landscape. And then they knew no more…

~*~

- Present –

Laxus massaged his head as he sat up. The last thing he remembered was taking down Wahl, and then he needed to lay down for a while, since he was recently cured of those Barrier Particles in that same battle. Looking around the forest he was suddenly now in, he sighed tiredly and wondered just how the hell he ended up here. He stood up and donned his coat, which wasn’t far out of reach.

“It seems you’ve made a full recovery…”

Laxus craned his head around at the source of the voice. The figure approached casually, and the Dragon Slayer knew there was no need to fight once he registered the hair and face.

“Ahh, Mystogan. Or… Jellal, I suppose I should say. You have any idea what’s going on?”

Jellal shook his head, regrettably.

“I would wager that the enemy somehow changed the landscape to fit their advantage. We aren’t near Hargeon anymore; instead, I believe Magnolia is close at hand.”

Laxus’s mouth gaped slightly.

“Magnolia…? That’s one hell of a Spell for them to just whip out… If they could do that, why not do so in the beginning?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know any of the details,” Jellal remarked. “It’s a very new type of Magic, since I had never even heard of something of this scale in legends… But my senses don’t lie. We’ve definitely been moved around, geographically. And I imagine it’s not just us – there’s no point in setting just the two of us back in Magnolia; Alvarez doesn’t want anything from Hargeon, and Kagura and many others are still powerful enough to deal with the threat in Hargeon.”

Laxus crossed his arms patiently.

“You’re right… None of it adds up, unless their purpose was to move their own forces into Magnolia and take our First Master… Or more accurately, the ‘Fairy Heart’, which houses our First Master’s body… it’s got infinite Magical power.”

Jellal’s eyes widened a bit in realization before he inclined his head.

“I see… So that is one of their goals in this war. I had not heard that bit of information yet…”

“Yeah, well, we weren’t going to drag anyone into this struggle in the first place, but it kind of got too big for one little Guild to handle, when Alvarez threw everything our way. In order to survive, getting help from the other Guilds was necessary. Having Crime Sorciere’s power backing us up will also be appreciated.”

“Since Natsu did the difficult part and killed Zeref, the least we can do is help crush Zeref’s forces.” Jellal affirmed. “Meldy and I were helping out in Hargeon, while the former Oracion Seis were headed for the battlefield in the North.”

Laxus grimaced slightly and dipped his head respectfully, shutting his eyes.

“I see, you heard about that Pyro as well…”

“The enemy brought him back to fight Erza,” Jellal revealed, causing Laxus to growl in rage.

“Bastards… Alvarez has a lot to answer for!”

Their discussion was broken up as a few more joined their party.

“Heeey! Laxus!” Wendy called out to her fellow Dragon Slayer as Charle carried Chelia over her shoulder, and Gray, Juvia, and Lyon walked beside them.

“Jellal, too?” Gray mumbled, hands stuffed in his pockets. “You guys know where we are?”

“Close to Magnolia.” Jellal answered. “We’re going to need to head straight there; I have a feeling that Alvarez has rearranged the board in their favor, so now we will have to take back Fairy Tail.”

“You really think Alvarez has that much power to cast such a Spell?” Lyon wondered, skeptically.

“It’d have to be someone from their side…” Charle mused. “No one we know has a kind of Magic that can move us from Hargeon to Magnolia…”

“It must be one of the Spriggan 12.” Juvia stated, frowning.

Lightning crackled around Laxus’s fist as he clenched it at chest level.

“It doesn’t matter what they did… They messed with our friends, our Guilds, so they’re not gonna get any mercy from me. Let’s head home… to Fairy Tail.”

~*~

“Wh…What is this…?! Everyone’s gone again?!” Mavis asked in horror as she once again stood in a Guildhall bereft of anyone. She could feel some bizarre Spell had been cast… But it was on such a wide scale that Mavis couldn’t believe such a Spell existed.

And she’d been so happy when Cana had managed to free her body from that crystal, too… But now, she was alone again…

“My, my… That’s very rude. I’m here, you know.”

Mavis gasped as a scarlet-haired woman, dressed like a witch, casually strode into the Guildhall. The strange woman’s Magic power was incredible… obscene… It was on an entirely different scale from that assassin’s strength, and he’d been more powerful than Makarov!

“Y-You…!” Mavis choked out, but the redhead wagged her finger.

“I wouldn’t get any ideas about trying to escape… Why don’t you come outside, and see for yourself?” Turning on her heel, the woman exited the doors to the Guildhall. Reluctantly, Mavis found herself slowly following after her. The sight she saw next… chilled her to the bone.

The landscape in Magnolia had been shifted greatly. The Guild was now on top of a hill, and at least one million soldiers were arrayed in an overwhelming formation at the base of the hill, easily encircling it. What’s more, there were some others just outside the Guildhall… a couple of them had even been locked up, in the Guild’s prison.

“Your comrades are currently making their way here, in order to take back the Guild.” The woman told Mavis, placing a hand on the blonde’s shoulder. “I do wonder, will they be able to break through our defenses? I cannot wait to find out~…”

Ajeel cackled.

“Not a chance in Hell!!! Not as long as Ajeel the Great is here, standing in their way!”

Jacob snorted beside him.

“That so, bigshot? I seem to recall you losing quite pathetically…”

“Look who’s talking, asshole!!” Ajeel fired back. He then donned a terrifying grin. “That fluke ain’t gonna happen again.”

“Naturally…” Jacob darkly agreed.

August strode up to Irene and slammed his staff on the ground. Brandish trailed behind him.

“Irene… you are out of line! His Majesty forbade you from using Universe One… and you know why.” The elder mage glowered at her, which Irene met with an even stare.

“His Majesty was killed, thus leaving the leadership of Alvarez in the hands of the Spriggan 12… And I have captured our target. You have no room to criticize me, O Mighty King~…” The redhead demurely responded. August’s face darkened.

“I am the General of the Spriggan 12, Irene, not you… And I gave my word to the mages of Fairy Tail that I would be open to negotiations. This war has taken a toll on both sides.”

“Truly?” Irene’s grip tightened on Mavis’s shoulder. “You, of all people, would forgive the fact they murdered our Emperor in cold blood…? And what’s more, you would abandon your pledge to make his will for this world a reality?”

The air between the two strongest mages of Alvarez grew frigid and heavy as they glared at each other. Mavis, Brandish, Jacob, and Ajeel were frozen in place with how much tension there was. But then, as if to break the stalemate, Invel’s voice cut in like a knife.

“I am afraid you are the one out of line, Magic King…” He stopped a short distance from the two, hands clasped behind his back. Dimaria and Neinhart were both behind him. “With His Majesty’s demise, it falls to us to avenge him, as well as kill Acnologia and humanity, such as his will dictated. There is absolutely no reason to even entertain ‘negotiations’…”

August slammed his staff on the ground once more, asserting his authority.

“I, too, followed His Majesty’s will unconditionally… But we must also remember: His Majesty wished to die. For centuries as he traveled the world and built Alakitasia from the ground up… his one and only wish was to have his immortal life extinguished. This desire to eradicate humanity and Acnologia together… was borne from the bitter despair of being unable to perish. We have no reason to carry out genocide, when his true dream was finally realized!”

Invel sighed airily, inclining his head slightly as his eyes closed.

“Such hubris, from our so-called mightiest mage…The circumstances for His Majesty’s desire for genocide are immaterial. It was his will that we would rise up and defeat Acnologia. And it was also his will that we would crush Ishgar under our heel…” Invel’s eyes snapped open as he coldly glared at August. “You are unfit to lead the Spriggan 12, if you can no longer recognize that much. You are relieved of your position as ‘General’…”

August’s eyes narrowed.

“You would dare to presume to have such authority, Invel? Only His Majesty wielded that right…”

“Zeref is dead, and so the leadership falls to you, me, and Irene.” Invel spoke matter-of-factly. He eyed the scarlet-haired woman. “Tell me, Irene, what is your opinion on this subject? Do you believe August is fit to lead?”

Irene grinned darkly as she did a small curtsy.

“Oh, I certainly agree, Invel… The Magic King does speak some bizarre things. I have sent Acnologia far away with Universe One, and Fairy Heart is within our grasp.” She placed her hand on top of Mavis’s head and gripped harshly. “We should begin the harvest of Fairy Heart immediately.”

Invel nodded sternly.

“Agreed. I will leave that task to you, and oversee our defenses personally.” Invel then regarded August once more. “You have this one chance to help us willingly, August… If you will not cooperate, I will find ways to persuade you.”

August’s face darkened once more, and he raised his staff to cast a Spell, but he was distracted when Brandish cried out in pain from behind him. He turned, alarmed, and witnessed one of Invel’s slave collars around her neck.

“Invel…!” August’s voice boomed with authority, but the ice mage wasn’t having any of it.

“It is no secret to us that, no matter how trivial that intimacy may be, you are close enough with Brandish that you would not see her harmed in any way…” Invel replied frostily. August knew he was not bluffing; he could make Brandish kill herself, so long as she had that collar on. “Now do as I say, and crush Fairy Tail alongside us!”

August shook with unbridled rage, but for the moment, he did keep himself in check… With a ferocious snarl, the Magic King stormed off. Only once August had gone did Invel release Brandish.

“The same will apply to you, Brandish… We will need every member of the twelve for this operation to succeed. I would rather not have to force my hand…” He spoke with a clinical coolness before striding off, himself. Brandish glared holes in the back of his head, but did not pursue him. Dimaria was the next one to approach her.

“Randi…” Dimaria greeted.

“Mari.” Brandish greeted back.

“I had heard you were captured. They didn’t treat you horribly, did they?”

“No…” Brandish responded tersely, and widened her eyes when Dimaria abruptly wrapped her in a hug.

“I won’t say any of those awful and cruel things to you ever again!” Dimaria sobbed. “I’m gonna pay those fiends back tenfold for laying their hands on you…!”

Brandish could say nothing in response to Dimaria’s emotional display. She was still so shocked by how quickly things were spiraling out of control, and she was still so angry with Invel disrespecting August and threatening her life… Even if she was still a loyal citizen of Alvarez, she was not loyal to Invel anymore… No matter how much he asserted his authority as Chief of Staff.

A light glowed nearby, as Larcade Dragneel was summoned by Neinhart.

“Friendship is one of the world’s greatest beauties…” The strange man chuckled to himself.

Mavis whirled on the man as she got a feel for his power.

‘That person’s Magic… What on Earthland… just what nature of Magic is that?!’

Irene smirked, still gripping Mavis tightly.

“Larcade was supposed to be the proverbial secret weapon, in His Majesty’s initial designs… Sadly, now that he is but a Historia, that potential has diminished to being just a strong fighter for us… I very much doubt he could defeat Acnologia in his current condition.” The redhead mused.

Neinhart could feel some sweat drip down his face as he conjured the other three Historias.

“Conjuring four Spriggan 12 members’ worth of Historias certainly takes its toll on me, I must admit…”

Bloodman cackled.

“I see… So I hath returned from the depths of the underworld…”

“Well, well, would ya look at this… the twelve have all gathered together… Ahyahyahya!!” Wahl cackled as well.

God Serena did a little eccentric dance of his own.

“Hmm…! Ho, ho, ho!” The Dragon Slayer struck a pose. “God Serena of the Eight Dragons… has been resurrected!”

Neinhart growled as he glared at the four Historias.

“I would like to remind you four that you’re already long dead. I’d advise you to protect me diligently, lest you disappear from the living realm… permanently…”

“Just leave it to godly me!” Serena boasted arrogantly.

Irene made a grandiose gesture with her free hand.

“One million soldiers… the twelve all reunited… Truly a magnificent sight to behold!”

Invel walked to the edge of the hill, hands still behind him.

“We have assembled a perfect, impenetrable battle formation… Do you still dare to come here, Fairy Tail?” He asked rhetorically. His tone took on a frigid tone once more. “I shall not allow you to see tomorrow…”

14 notes · View notes

littlestartemis · 7 years ago

Photo

I have a new OC to introduce to you all! Her name’s Mallow, she’s a sphinx, and she’s even got a little introductory story for you all to enjoy! She was a ton of fun to write, and a ton of fun to come up with. Standing at ten feet tall, she’s not terribly fond of humans, but tinies are a different story altogether. Story under the break! (Sorry mobile followers)

A young man clad in dark colored armor looked to the skies. After a moment, his gaze shifted down to the ground miles below him. From his position on the side if the kingdom’s largest mountain, he had nowhere else to go but up. And he intended to. There had been stories and folklore for decades about a dragon living in a cavern carved into the highest peak, but none had ever had proof… until recently. A true, vivid sighting was finally confirmed, the king of the land offering a substantial reward and an official knighting into the royal guard for whoever could slay the beast and bring back whatever it had been hoarding. Everybody knew dragons were notorious hoarders, and most had an insatiable taste for treasure. Surely their kingdom would be the richest and most feared in the land with a dragon’s gold and a dragon slaying knight in their service. The young man, dressed in his dark, somewhat worn old armor, grinned at the prospect.

His fingers gripped the ledge he finally arrived at as he brought his climb to an end. The peak of the mountain, and sure enough there was the… positively colossal cave entrance. An entire house could fit in the mouth of the cave! Still, he was not dissuaded. Pulling his sword from his sheath, he readied himself, and took his first step forward.

He didn't make it far.

A large, heavy weight suddenly collided with his back, pinning him to the cold hard ground. His vision was hazy for a moment from the impact, but as it returned to him, an undignified sound escaped him as he saw a claw thicker than his waist dug into the stone just beside his head. Attached to the claw was a furry paw, larger than his body, sporting a glimmering black sheen to the fur with a subtle red glint to it. Further up, unsurprisingly, was a positively titanic beast. Powerful, imposing, cold red eyes with slit black pupils looked down at its catch with tired contempt. It's muzzle was short with a black nose hidden by the black colored fur, rows of razor sharp teeth big enough to shred through his armor and turn him into a red slurry in seconds hidden behind what could almost be described as an innocent cats face. Wings large enough to blot out the sun folded back onto the beast’s back as it adjusted itself midair. Previously it had been gliding silently on the edge of the cliff, but as it came down onto the ledge, it twisted its one paw on the ground to keep its prey from escaping, the motion grinding him between cold hard stone and tough leathery pads. The beast looked less like the stereotypical dragons of myth and more resembled a jungle cat with wings. Beyond that though, it also looked very unhappy.

Attempting to reach for his sword in a panic, his being knocked over causing him to lose his grip, the pressure that pinned him down worsened as the creature allowed gravity to set it on the ground rather than hang in the air. Before he could attempt to speak, a voice, loud and terrible yet cool and refined, bombarded his head and squashed his very thoughts. <Why have you decided to hazard entering my home, human?> It didn't seem to intended to lift its paw anytime soon.

He seemed too stunned to speak for a moment… then another… and another… and quite suddenly the pressure grew ten times worse. <Answer my question before I leave you as a stain on my doorstep.>

“K-King! The king!” He barely managed to squeak out an answer with the immense pressure. He could feel his armor cracking and breaking, and it was getting harder and harder to breathe. With his one free hand, he ripped his helmet off of his head to give himself more air. “The king saw you flying, a-and ordered your bounty! I… I didn't think you could talk, o-or think-”

<I see. And thinking me a dumb animal, that would have made it ok to slaughter me for your king.> The voice was female, yet more great and terrible than any warrior or royal he'd seen in his life. The coldness of the statement chilled him.

“... Well… a-an animal of your size and power… would be dangerous to let wander so near, but… but you can speak and think, and-”

She cut him off with another press. By this point he could feel his very bones straining to remain in one piece, eclipsed by the fluffy black paw. <I have lived in these mountains for ages and watched and allowed your puny civilization to grow and thrive. Yet you think yourselves important enough to hunt me down, just as you do with anything you feel you can overpower.> She scoffed, lowering her head down to him. <I'll be late because of you now.> Giving him no time to respond or act, she lifted her paw and scooped the man into her jaws. Only his legs and one arm stuck out from between her powerful teeth. Impossibly hot breath that hinted and threatened at the power to breathe fire would have made him pass out were adrenaline not keeping him very much awake.

Intruder in her clutches, she took to the skies once more, the kingdom as her destination…

…

The furry beast soon returned, minus one saliva covered whimpering fool left with a warning for his people on the edge of the kingdom. She briefly stuck her tongue out as she stepped into her cavern, looking forward to getting a drink to wash out that taste of meat, sweat, and fear. As she ventured into her home, the darkness gave way to glittering, glowing crystals that lined the ceiling. The stone was smooth and more spacious as she made her way deeper into the mountain cave, and soon she arrived at what was decidedly her home. An intricately made bed of foliage and flowers rested in one corner, a pit of strange black stones sat in the middle of the chamber, and a running waterfall poured into a pool that split off into a small river deeper into the cave. She was quick to duck her head down to begin lapping up gallons of the crisp, clean water. Eyes shut, she paused as she felt something solid pass by her tongue. She froze, eyes snapped open, muzzle full of water. Her giant tongue lifted and pressed against the roof of her mouth as she took a mighty gulp, before something strange began to happen. Black and red ethereal energy began to swirl and envelop the titanic beast until she was completely invisible within the magical storm. Whatever speck was pressed to her vast expanse of a tongue grew bigger with each passing second… or rather, she grew smaller. Smaller and smaller till the foreign object was finally too big to swallow even by accident. She dispelled the magic, revealing a new form.

Rather than standing on all fours, she now stood on two legs like a human. Her form was still impressively toned and muscular without being unsightly, showing off a powerful physique without a sacrifice of grace and majesty. While still covered in a well kept, luxurious coat of black and red tinted shining fur, her face had shifted to be more subtly cat like. She still sported fur over her face, a muzzle, a black nose, and whiskers, but her eyes were less cat like and her muzzle was noticeably shorter. Two fluffy black cat ears now stuck out atop her head from beneath an almost laughably long main of hair that stretched down to and dragged across the cave floor. While she still sported paws rather than hands and feet like a human, they had shifted to accommodate her new form, her feet paws growing a touch longer, and her hand paws gaining extra dexterity to function like a normal hand. They were also still markedly larger than any human hand, large enough even to nearly grip a man’s head in one hand like a ball. Despite her human like appearance and lack of size, she still stood at an impressive ten feet tall. Finally, in a show of modesty, she spotted a beautiful silky crimson dress that stopped just short of her paws and seemed mostly in place to cover her new assets in this human like form.

Taking a moment to get comfortable in her new body, she reached one paw up and stuck one claw into her mouth, retrieving a small human now dangling from their shirt on her claw. <Little one, we have discussed this, you must avoid playing out of your home while I'm in my proper form.>

The little human looking being, a child by the looks of it, crossed their arms in a huff. “You always say that, but nothing bad ever happens! You're too careful!”

She arched a brow in response, ever so gently tapping their little nose with one claw. <I am careful because you and your little friends like to play in my water and on my bed.>

The child giggled at the touch to their nose before smiling up at her. “I just miss you a bunch! I mean, we miss you a bunch. All of us.”

The majestic furred being ventured into a small cave entrance that split off from her chamber, revealing quite the sight. What could only be described as a city formed of stone and plants stood before her, though it stood no taller than she was. A small hole above lead to the surface outside the mountain, allowing sunlight to shine on the fantastical city. Flowery vines that grew around rock spires had been carved out and chopped up to create stairways and entrances within the stone. Small trees had been hollowed out, while others were still solid and sported branches that stretched to meet one another in a curved and surprisingly solid walkway. Venturing to and fro in the small city were other tinies going about their business. They all took notice of the furry giantess, many offering a hello or a friendly wave.

She smiled and returned the greeting as she ventured between the makeshift magical buildings that housed her “hoard”. Some dragons liked gold, others, precious stones, and others even something as simple as plant life. While she herself was not a dragon like the fearful humans thought, but rather a sphinx, she still held a near and dear treasure in her home that she would defend with her life. At a young age, she was abandoned, a lost little kitten with no family or help. But the first generation of these people, they had found her, and they had cared for her. She was raised with them in the forests, and when things became too dangerous for them and she had grown old enough to use her inherent magic, she returned the favor and took them someplace safe. While the tinies that had taken it upon themselves to be her parents had long since passed away, she still cared for their people, and took it upon herself to collect any other lost, hurt, or alone tinies in the world with no place to call a safe home. That included the young child that had shifted from hanging on her claw to sitting on the back of her hand, legs crossed and a beaming grin on their face. The child had no parents to speak of, so she decided to follow in her own parents footsteps, caring for this little one herself.

Arriving in a sort of park clearing in the center of the city, she sat down, and placed the child on the tarp her dress created that stretched between her legs. Other children were not far behind, their parents and guardians watching close by as their kids either sat near the sphinx or climbed about onto her lap or onto her tail or up her hair. She clearly didn't mind as she took a breath. <Now, for today’s story…> She blew a puff of bright red flame that hung in the air, soon twisting and changing color to go along with the yarn she weaved to the young ones.

#gt #g/t #giant tiny #giant #furry #sphinx #tiny #writing #my pencil's too big #mallow (sphinx)#just gonna tag it like that so I don't accidentally encroach into the pokemon tags by mistake

17 notes · View notes

grimmtaless · 8 years ago

Text

The Soldier & The Spartan

OK here it is, chapter 2. Sorry for the wait, I hope it wasn't too long. Again if y'all see any mistakes of any kind please inform me, I don’t really have proof reader so mistakes are bound to get through. more commentary at the bottom

Chapter 2

The Spartan

The rhythmic thumping of hooves could be heard for miles, as a monstrously large boar ran through a grape plantation. It was running from its predator; a woman clad in blood red robes, and well polished bronze armor. A Corinthian helmet covered her face. Only her piercing green eyes could be seen through the helm. The red plume that was connected to the hunter's helmet waved sided to side as she chased her prey.

She had been hunting the monster for weeks now. It had attacked several villages that surrounded the City state of Mystral. She was ordered to hunt it down and prevent it from ever harming another citizen of Mystral. Pyrrha has always been asked to do such tasks; shew was the hero of Mystral, the daughter of Athena. It was her duty to keep her city safe from its enemies and the monsters created by Salem.

No one knows how Salem became a god. It was rumored she was the daughter of Hades and some ungodly monster. Others say she was a daughter of a titan who crawled her way out of the pits of Tartarus to join her siblings on Mnt. Olympus. No matter which story was true, one fact remained. It was that Salem was evil. She loved to create beasts that could kill any normal man with ease.she had created entire armies of beasts that lay waste to any city it came across. This boar is one such monster.

It was the size of 4 men. It's fur was a glossy black, with large bony protrusions around it's body. It's tusks were razor sharp. A white froth surrounded its mouth from running for so long. His eyes were the color of blood. As Pyrrha chased the beast she could see his massive muscles flex and stretch. Blood coated several areas of black fur where her spear had pierced it's hide.

When she first attacked the beast she was unprepared for how fast it was and she missed its heart; hitting one of the bone plates instead. A furious fight followed where she was able to do considerable damage to the monster. Before she was able to deal a killing blow the giant boar turned and ran from her, knowing it would die if it stayed and faced the red huntress.

That fight was 4 days ago. The beast had run without pause or rest. Pyrrha kept up, but she was growing tired. She knew she had to end the chaise soon or she would become the hunted. To her surprise the boar started to slow down and soon came to a stop. Pyrrha was relieved to see it had finally ran out of stamina, but was not sure what this beast was thinking so she held back to ensure she was not caught in some trap.

The boar turned and faced Pyrrha, it stamped its hooves and gave a deep and rumbling squeal and charged. Pyrrha accepting the dual charged as well. When the beast was just feet away she jumped and grabbed her glistening bronze shield off her back. She landed on the beast's spine and stabbed her spear into boar's back making it squeal. The monster shock furiously trying desperately to free itself of the pain it felt. Pyrrha tried desperately to hold on but was flung off. The spear stayed embedded in its back.

Pyrrha got up and drew her xiphos(short sword). She crouched low and started to circle the large boar. If this fight had happened early that week she would have already had won, but after running for days on end; her strength and stamina was pushed to its limits. She had to rely on her superior wits to vanquish her foe.

“Think Pyrrha… this thing can't beat you. Remember what mother has taught you. Use my wits and even a titan will bow to me.” she thought trying to reassure herself that this child of Salem would not devour her. She darted her eyes around her to get a feel for the land. Looking for any way she could use the land to her advantages.

“There's grape vines. I could tangle his tusks in the vines. No that won't work he's too big it would rip the grapevines right out of the ground. There's a few rocks, but their too small to hurt it. Lastly there's a river a little ways down. I could try and get it swept away by the current but this beast is too heavy to be swept away by such a small stream”. She started to curse the god of luck for giving her no advantages over the beast. Then an idea formed in her head.

She adjusted her stance and prepared for a charge. Swinging her sword in the air and shouted Pyrrha bounded forward towards the monster. The boar who had been cautiously waiting for Pyrrha to make the 2nd move responded with another squeal and galloped forward. He barred his tusks out ready to gut his scarlet huntress.

As she charged forward she placed her shield between herself and the boar. The beast being dull believed Pyrrha would attempt the same jumping action to retrieve the spear embedded in his back, but As the beat grew closer Pyrrha dove. She through her shield and landed on it. Using the shield as an impromptu to slay She slid under the beast's tusks, and head. Once her body was directly under its soft underbelly she lifted her sword, burying it into stomach. Using the monster's own momentum gut itself. The boar swiftly past over her and slowed to a limp. Once stopped the beast fell to its side and slowly started to disintegrate into ash.

Pyrrha dropped her sword and removed her shield as she fell to her knees. She panted as she struggled to catch her breath. As she knelt there she removed her helm and dropped it to the ground, revealing a long locks of scarlet. Her hair glistened with the sweat that had drenched her over the last few days. She was exhausted and she knew she needed rest. She lay on the ground and drank in the cloudless sky. She was alone with her thoughts and for her that was never good.

“Out here I'm alone...in the city I'm alone” she whispered to the gods

“Mother why did you create me. There are already many capable heros in Mystral. Why must I be one of them, every human looks at me and is too afraid to speak, or wishes to battle me. I'm alone and it's because of you Athena. You created me and guided me to where I am today. I trusted that you would lead me to happiness but how can I be happy when I'm alone.” She pleaded to the sky not knowing if her mother, the god of reason and war was even listening. With her conscious clear, and her body exhausted she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

***

When she awoke there were 2 young boys staring down at her. One was about 15 his dark curly hair clung to his head. The other much younger child was probably 9, he bobbed excitedly while his brother tried to keep him calm.

She sat up, her fatigue was gone but she was still sore for the fight. After stretching her arms to relive the stiff sore feeling she let her eyes wander. She saw that she had been moved from the field to a nicely lighted room that had a beautiful purple wall peace. When she had her feel for the room she turned to the young boys and asked “Where am I” to the older looking child.

“Your at our estate. We found you lying in one of our grape fields and took you here.”

After the boy finished talking the younger child blurted out.

“Are you a hero. Where are you from. What happened to you” Pyrrha smiled at the constant stream of questions but the older boy was not amused

“Aetes shut your mouth. I apologize for my younger brother he’s vary excitable. He thinks you're a hero.” before Pyrrha could respond the older boy seemed to catch himself “oh where are my manners my name is Tenes. Aetes and I are the sons of the plantation owner.

“My Name is Pyrrha Nikos nice to meet both of you. Do you mind telling me where this plantation is located I’ve traveled quite a distance and I'm at a loss to where I'm at.”

“You're only about 2 schoinos (9 miles) away from Athens. My I ask how you ended up in our field” Tenes tied to be respectful but Pyrrha could tell he wanted some questions answered.

When Pyrrha heard how far she ran she was shocked. The distance between Athens and Mystral was at least 30 schoinos away and she had ran it in 4 days. This meant, even at a brisk hiking pace she had good week and half march back home. After recovering from her shock she graciously explained who she was, how she had been hunting a child of Salem, and how she had ended up dealing the final blow in their field.

“ WOW I KNEW IT I KNEW IT” Shouted Aetes “the armor gave it away” he started to jump up and down vary excitedly. It was his first time ever seeing a Hero up close before and he couldn't wait to ask her thousands upon thousands of questions.

“Aetes calm yourself, can't you see we must act on our best behavior with your new guest” Tenes’s behavior had changed from one of a curious concern to one of high class and manners in the matter of seconds.

“Pyrrha would you do my family the honor of staying at our estate to regain your strength” Tenes ask with this new air of manners. Pyrrha hated when someone did this. Her title always made people act different around her. She couldn't stand it so she decided to decline the boys offer. Aetes was every sad to hear this, he begged and begged for her to stay the night so he could ask her all the questions he had. Tenes was sad to her it to even though he acted like an adult he still wished to ask the same questions as his younger brother. If he only knew that if he had acted less like an adult and more like a kid Pyrrha would have gladly stayed the night.

Before Pyrrha left Tenes replenished her food supply and gave her a flask of his family's finest wine as a way of showing tribute to the scarlet hero. As she walked away from the plantation she waved at the boys.

***

It had been 6 days since she had left the plantation and headed north towards her home of Mystral. It had been a leisurely walk home. The countryside was calm and there was no one to bother her with fake manners or altered attitudes. She had kept a steady pace throughout the whole trek. She would wake in the morning just as the sun peeked over the earth, eat a light breakfast, she’d then hike well into the night and find a small tree to sleep under.

On her sixth day however she woke well past the rising sun. Her dreams were plagued with images of monsters, loud cracks of lightning, and the god of death, Hades. These dreams had woken her several times during the night. She knew they had to be visions but was not sure of what might be predicted. When she finally was free of these dreams, she fell into a deep sleep causing her to miss her early morning rising.

When she woke she realized immediately that she had been asleep far too long. Deciding to skip her meal of bread a water she elected to catch up on lost ground instead. She sprinted like she had before when chasing the boar. She flows through the open terrain. The trees and hill sides swiftly passed by her. She grew focused on her destination only looking for the path of the least resistance. If she had taken her time instead of rushing she would have noticed the paw prints of a wolf of unusual size.

As she traveled through the forest she came to a clearing. A hill rested in the middle. It's pick overlooked the surrounding area. She slowed to a stop and looked around. She decided to climb the hill to see if she could not spot her city. As she climbed she realized there was no sound of birds or any animal. It was deathly quiet.when no animal speaks a monster layers near. She readied herself for anything. She fit her helmet over her face. She drew her sword and clutched her shield. She would not be taken by surprise if she could help it.

She grew closer to the summit of the hill. She noticed a clump of dusty white fur. It was surrounded by bones and half eaten carcasses on animals. As approached it her eyes grew wide. Laying in front of her was a child of Salem. This particular beast was an Alpha Beowolf. Instead of it's fur being black it was a dirty white. It's size was much larger than the average wolf it stood at least 3 men tall.

Unlike most children of Salem beowolf’s traveled in packs. They hunted together, killed together, and eat together, However There was one exception to this rule. They were called Alphas, these beasts would kill their entire pack, with each brethren they killed their strength would increase. Soon after their fur would turn white. These monsters would hunt anything, men, animals, and even their own kind. These beasts were rare and extremely deadly.

She crept closer to the sleeping Alpha. She knew that she needed to strike first if she wanted to have an easy fight. She sheathed her sword as quietly as she could and drew her spear. Lifting it she aimed at the center of the beasts sleeping body. She tossed the spear. It soared straight and true and found its target. The tip embedded itself into the ribs of the enormous wolf. The large beowulf let out a deathly howl. With blistering speed the wolf was up on its hind legs and looking for whoever dared to attack it. Soon his eyes fell on the charging spartan.

Pyrrha lunged at the wolf with her sword. Swinging it at its stomach. The beast jumped back dodging the slashes. He counted by swiping his massive claws at the aggressor. Pyrrha used her shield to block the incoming blows. The shear force from the claws forced Pyrrha to step back. Pyrrha was amazed by the strength of her opponent. She had faced Alphas before but this particular one was much stronger than her previous kills. She shuddered at how many of its own kin it had to had killed to reach this frightening level.

Soon the wolf was pressing the assault. Each time he swung his claws Pyrrha was pushed back a little more, however this did not bother her. She calmly studied the beast from behind her shield. She observed every strike the beast delivered. She noticed that the spear she had thrown was still stuck in his ribs. Every time the wolf raised his paws to strike he flinched out of pain as the spear would be disturbed by the wolf's movements.

She waited for one of these flinches. Giving as much ground as she needed before she could strike out. The opportunity presented itself while the wolf raised his paws again. Has he raised his paws to deliver another massive hit Pyrrha dashed forward. She grabbed the spear and drove it deeper into the wolf. The beast let loose a bloodcurdling howl. He began to claw at Pyrrha and managed to strike her helmet. The hit sent her soaring to the other side of the summit.

As she lifted herself off the ground she saw the extent of her actions. The spear had gone clean through the wolf. The wound was a grievous one for the monster as it found it hard to keep itself upright. Pyrrha began to walk over to the wolf and began to swing her sword at it vigorously. The wolf attempted to dodge the new onslaught, but the spear that was stuck through him prevented any fast and agile movements. Each swipe would cut the beast.

Soon the beast lay on it's back. It's body was covered in gashes and stab wounds. There was no escape for it. Pyrrha walked up to its head she lifted her sword. The monster let out one final snarl and Pyrrha drove her sword threw the wolf's mouth.

As the Alpha slowly disintegrated Pyrrha pulled her spear out of the wolf's chest. She was glad with the outcome she had won with only minor injuries. The Alpha had fought hard but was still no match for her. Just like the boar the Alpha only relied on its strength to win a fight.

As Pyrrha reached the bottom of the hill an owl landed on a tree and she stopped. The owl was a dark brown with two little tufts of feathers that gave it the illusion of horns. It stared at her with its dark all knowing eyes, then flow up to the summit. Pyrrha knew at once that the owl was a messenger of Athena, and that it was directing her back to the spot of where she killed the Alpha. She dashed back up the hill following the owl as it flew in front of her.

As she reached the summit once more she was greeted by the owl; who was sitting atop the still dissolving corps of the Alpha. Pyrrha walked up to the perched bird and asked

“Why did you bring me back her mother?” the owl just kept looking at her.

“Well?” Pyrrha raised her hands and started looking around the hilltop. Then as she turned back to the owl the earth began to shake. As the hilltop shook the owl spread its massive wings and soared away. A blinding light appeared in front of her. The heat she felt was immense like Apollo himself was standing in front of her.

She backed away covering her masked face from the light. She feared that some ancient beast was appearing in front of her so she drew her spear off her back and crouched behind her shield waiting for the brightness to die down.

Once the heat dissipate and the light vanished she peered over her shield to see what had just aspired before her. She expected to see some monster or a gift from her mother. Instead, an oddly dressed figure lay on the ground in front of her. She slowly crept closer to inspect the motionless body.

The man was her age, 19 maybe 20. He wore very odd attire. Instead of the usual white robes he wore a thick green cloth that covered each individual leg and arm. His chest had 2 belts running down it each had several pouches attached to it. She could see the glint of what she thought was bronze poking out of a few of pouches. His helmet she found especially weird, it only covered the top half of his head it gave no protection to his face; she could not conceive why someone would wear such a useless piece of armor. His sandals were weird as well, instead of leather straps his foot was covered in one large piece of leather and was cinched tight using rope. A piece of wood laid near him hit had a strap to carry it but she could think of no reason why he should lug such an odd piece of wood with him.

As the man began to stir she quickly pressed her spear to his throat. If he was a monster or servant of some foul god she would dispel him.

______________________________________________________________

oh crap another cliff hanger its like LOST all over again, but seriously i will try and cut back on cliffhangers from now on. i hope ya’ll liked the new chapter. more is most definitely on its way. it my take some time due to school being hard and annoying, BUT it will come!

i feel like the pacing of this chapter was off, like all the scenes happened too fast what do y’all think? well I really love this version of pyrrha she just so cool real bad ass even in Greek time shes invincible.

#rwby #rwby fanfiction #fanfiction #fanfic #jaune arc #pyrrha nikos #arkos #rwby arkos #jaune x pyrrha #pyrrha x jaune #rwby jaune #rwby pyrrha #the soldier & the spartan #this story is crap #im crap #dont read

19 notes · View notes

jeffreyrwelch · 7 years ago

Text

Dug Up at Dogster: 8 Mother’s Day Gifts for Dog Moms

Not sure what to do for your favorite dog mama this Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 13)? These cute Mother’s Day gifts might be what you’re looking for.

1. Bodie on the Road

Bodie on the Road.

Books always make great gifts for the readers in your life. Out June 5 from Skyhorse Publishing, BODIE ON THE ROAD: Travels with a Rescue Pup in the Dogged Pursuit of Happiness, takes you on a West Coat road trip with Belinda Jones and her rescue dog Bodie. Their 2,000-mile journey includes doggie spas, pup-themed wineries, cavernous dog emporiums and “Yappy Hour” drink specials. You’ll also find dog-friendly travel tips from celebrities like Crusoe the Celebrity Dachshund, @WTFrenchie and Underwater Dogs photographer Seth Casteel. Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble online and at major bookstores. $24.99

2. Woofie

Woofie.

What’s a holiday without a great selfie? Dog moms can take tons of photos of their bestie using the new Woolfie, which clips onto a selfie stick or your phone to help you capture professional-level photos while holding your pet’s attention with a favorite treat. Comes in three colors: Glamour Green, Posh Pink and Slay Grey. Available on modelcitizenpet.com. $9.95

3. Naked Décor Indoor/Outdoor Pillows

Naked Décor Indoor/Outdoor Pillows.

For the dog mom who is into home décor, these pillows from Naked Décor are sure to thrill. Pillows are a polyblend with a zipper enclosure and measure 18 by 18 inches. A wide variety of dog breeds are available. Shop nakeddecor.com. $49.95

4. Bissell BarkBath QT

Bissell BarkBath QT.

Some dog moms love nothing better than a clean pup. Turn dog baths from a chore into a good time with this portable bath. The specially designed nozzles help shampoo and water get beneath the fur to the skin and then softly suction dirt and water away into a dirty-water tank. Uses less water than bathing dogs in a traditional tub. No-rinse shampoo products sold separately. Go to Bissell.com for more info. $149.99.

5. Up Country Spring-and Summer-Themed Key Rings

Up Country Spring-and Summer-Themed Key Rings.

Brighten up a dog mom’s life with these brightly colored key rings from Up Country that make finding keys in a pocket or purse easy. Made with durable zinc and iron hardware and high tensile nylon webbing, there’s sure to be a pattern you’ll love. Made in the USA. Patterns at upcountryinc.com. $11.

6. Up Country Dog-Themed Accent Pillows

Up Country Dog-Themed Accent Pillows.

The perfect pillow for the dog mom’s sofa makes a great gift. Just some of the cute sayings from Up Country — You Had Me at Woof, All You Need is Love and a Dog, and Everything is Better at the Beach. See all pillows at upcountryinc.com. $42-$45.

7. Aura Frames

Aura Frames.

What dog mom doesn’t have just about a billion photos of her pups? That’s why this handcrafted digital frame makes a perfect gift. With unlimited storage, it has an ultra-high-resolution LCD screen, plus it’s energy conscious and automatically adjusts screen brightness according to room lighting. Comes in four colors: Ivory/Rose Gold, Charcoal/Black, Quartz and Seaglass. Available at Aura (auraframes.com), Amazon and Bloomingdales. $399.

8. Super-Star Pet Tote

Super-Star Pet Tote.

Looking for something for the dog mama on the go? Try this runway-inspired tote created for dogs under 10 pounds. Fashionable and breathable mesh panels grace the sides along with two sturdy handles, a moveable shoulder strap and a collar-to-leash attachment inside. There’s even an outside pocket for any little travel accessories. Made out of faux/vegan leather, mesh and mixed metal. Available at lazybonezz.com. $99.

Treat Your Dog Too: Blue Dog Bakery Spring Flavors

Blue Dog Bakery Treats.

If you’re looking to give your pup a special treat on Mother’s Day, because let’s face it, we always love to give our dogs a special treat, try these limited-time flavors from Blue Dog Bakery. Available now through June 17 at Target, find out which your dog loves best — Maple Bacon Flavor, Blueberry Flavored Softies or Grilled Chicken Star Bites. $4.49

Tell us: What mother’s day gifts are you getting for the dog mamas in your life? Are you treating your dogs to anything?