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that-one-weeb-buts-its-the-main · 2 years ago

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Icon Duo| Ronin

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Reader: female | Ronin & Reader (platonic | siblings)

Warnings: death :), some cursing, weapons, fighting, arguing, all that good stuff, nothing too detailed in the fighting.

Notes: This is because of two edits I saw on Instagram; am I ashamed? Maybe- But it's my hyper fixation and I get to choose it

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"Get up!"

"Five more minutes!"

Ronin rolled his eyes, "Come on."

He pulled the blanket off Y/n as she groaned.

"We'll be late." He argued, causing her to groan and sit up and look out the window.

"It's not even light out."

"Leaf Men rise early."

"Good thing I'm not a Leaf Men." Y/n argued, reaching to grab her blanket, which he only pulled out of reach.

"You are as long as you live with me," Ronin ordered.

"Last time I checked, I don't have a choice in that." Y/n defended.

"Then you don't have a choice in this either." He argued causing Y/n to groan and stand up; "I promised our parents you'd be a Leaf Man, a good one at that-"

"That's a real annoying excuse- stop taking orphans in when you don't know how to care for them," Y/n defended, she only received a glare from her brother; "Can you go so I can get dressed now?"

He left, and with her blanket. Y/n sighed and got ready for the day; trousers, and a long sleeve that went just past her elbows before dressing in her armor. On her way out she grabbed her belt with her sheathed sword, quiver, and small pack, securing it to her belt she closed the door behind her with her foot and a yawn.

"We're late."

"No, everyone's just early."

Y/n earned another stern glare and eyebrow raise from Ronin, and once again she waved and rolled her eyes at it.

"Forgetting something?" He argued holding out her bow which she grabbed.

"no,"

"You're helmet."

"oh in your dreams Ronin," Y/n snapped kicking open the door with her foot where the chilly air of morning greeted her.

"It's uniform."

"Is it?" Y/n gasped; "Oh if it's that, then it can get a fat drink of poison and die too."

Ronin walked out following her, closing the door behind him; "What are you gonna do when you get shot in the head and die?"

Y/n whistled as two hummingbirds flew their way; "Just that Ronin, I'll roll over and die."

Y/n climbed onto her hummingbird, Ronin grabbing the reins of her bird; "When are you going to grow up."

"When you do." Y/n told, grabbing the reins back; "Good hunting."

She clicked her tonnage as the bird took off, Ronin sighing. What was he to do with her? She was sixteen; most Leaf Men started training early; though she was younger than most...all, she was younger than all Leaf men currently in training; and she was already on the field with real work, not just basic escorts; boggin fighting; killing the dreaded dark forest that ventured too far into the light. Y/n was good at that too; most summed it up to his work, Ronin leader of the Leaf man militia. It was really her; her restlessness to defy him, to be who she wanted to be.

What she needed to be was safe; Ronin had drilled that much into his own head; she needed to be safe, and he was the only one that could do that even with how well-trained she was.

"He just doesn't get it!" Y/n argued, "I don't want to be a Leaf Man!

She kicked up water as she stood on the lily pad.

"Being a Leaf Man is a high honor!" Grub defended, "I've always wanted to be a Leaf Man! Flying high with my brothers and sisters in arms!"

"Trust me it's a lot less glorious than it sounds." She argued flopping back onto the lily pad; water splashing up.

"Could you not splash around! Being around pods is a delicate operation." Mub argued.

"Right sorry." Y/n apologized, "I just don't get it! Grow up!? Grow up? I would love to grow up before I got shot off my damn bird! I want to be something! Do something!"

"Well, why not tell your brother that?" Grub asked.

"oh please, the only time I'm even allowed out of the house is if I'm 'being a Leaf Man.' Whatever the boysenberries and carp that means! He's...He's just so!-"

"-frustrating!" Ronin complained, "She's as bad as Nod! Worse, even! Runs off to do whatever and whatever she pleases! She'll get herself killed!"

The hummingbird was silent as Ronin sighed, lifting up a hollowed-out acorn filled with flower sap for the bird to eat, both at the Leaf Men headquarters stables. Y/n is nowhere to be seen; nowhere to be heard, and not even checked in for the day.

"She'll be the death of me," Ronin grumbled, pulling away the empty acorn to refill it for the bird.

Y/n came flying in quickly, hopping off her bird before it even touched the ground.

"Where were you?" Ronin argued.

"Not kissing your ass." Y/n told, "trust me when I tell you a lot of people do it."

"You were due an hour ago!"

Y/n didn't say anything and led her bird to her stall; already fed from some flowers on the way there.

"Y/n I'm talking to you," Ronin ordered, Y/n only continuing on her way, wet footsteps following her.

It was best not to ask as she vanished into headquarters halls.

"You're late again!" Ronin's second hand called, standing by the check-in cards.

"Oh no, I'm so scared." Y/n quivered, the act soon dropping as she went straight-faced, "Bite me."

He only laughed, "I got you anyway, and on time, well; on Ronin's on time."

He held out Y/n's check-in card, and she sighed; "thanks."

Placing it in the small slot for safe keeping she was thrown a piece of fruit wrapped in a leaf by him.

"What are you two fighting about now?" He asked, the two starting down the hall for daily assignments.

"The same thing, again."

"Hate to say it, but if you're going to leave; might as well leave. What good are you doing us if you don't want to be here?"

"That's brutally honest. Thanks."

They laughed; eating breakfast together. They made their way to the assignment hall, finding their names quickly. He was in Ronin's squad as usual, and Y/n...Y/n was joining him, causing her to groan.

"Think it's early enough to leave now?" Y/n asked.

"Ronin knows your here?"

Y/n nodded.

"He'll track you in a heartbeat."

"Damn..." Y/n mumbled.

"Scouting Partners then?" He questioned.

"Yeah. Before I have to hear Ronin lecture me for the whole day."

With it set: the two were scouting partners for the day, they made their way to the stables to grab their birds, and then meet up with the rest of the group. Then their daily debrief started; what was happening: how Boggin activity has been; increasing, as it always had been of late.

Y/n mimicked him behind the group: two other soldiers were trying not to laugh, yet it was increasingly getting harder.

"y/n." Ronin snapped.

She stopped, "You have something to add to the group?"

"If I say no can I go home?" Y/n asked, snickering coming from others.

Ronin's forever glared hardened, but it was soon let go, she'd probably get chewed out for it later.

"The queen chooses a new heir within the upcoming days, I need everyone at their best, and I mean everyone."

It was in the next few minutes that they took off. The sun was rising, it was one thing that was the real kicker of the job; seeing it every morning never got old. It brought back old memories.

"Can I!? Can I go with you!" A young Y/n begged, "please! Oh please!"

"And what are you wearing?" Ronin laughed, his helmet he couldn't find on her head, and her own hand-carved bow and hand-sewed quiver on her back.

"Please!" Y/n pleaded with her "I've been practicing my archery! I could beat you!"

"is that so?" Ronin smiled watching his sister nod excitingly, "You have to stay close, but alright-"

"Yes! Alright!" Y/n cheered, jumping happily into the air, a little too high as she hit her head, the helmet too big for her and hitting her head hard, "Ow.."

Ronin chuckled, "Come on."

He held out an arm as she jumped into his grasp, hugging her brother tightly.

Y/n smiled at the thought of it, she use to be so excited to go out with Ronin and sat in front of him on his bird, he hanging onto her tightly; her excitement usually got the better of her and she'd usually jump off at the bird before it fully landed, excited to explore the scouting area.

The times he did take her out when she was young, she had only been involved in one head-on Boggin fight. There was always a hiding place for Y/n if there was an attack.

Ronin and his group thought they had gotten the small scouting squad of Boggins until Ronin heard Y/n's scream, he rushed for the hiding spot just to see her gone. Ronin shouted for her, worry painting his face, another shout coming from her. He found not her but a Boggin; on the ground, dead. It was the rustled leaves that caused him to draw his sword and be ready to take the attack when Y/n ran out, face cut, and full of dirt.

"Big Brother!"

"Y/n!"

She had run into his arms, holding onto him tight, and he held on to her tighter before he pulled away to look at her.

"You're okay?" He asked, she nodded, she had a look of fear in her eyes, as she looked past him.

"Did...Did I do that?"

"Hey, it was you or him- look at me." He told holding her face, "You did nothing wrong."

"Promise?"

"With my only good eye." He promised, and he closed his right eye, "Wait it's the other one."

Y/n giggled as he smiled and picked her up, "Come on, I think that's enough adventure for you today."

Y/n's train of thought was broken when Ronin ordered birds to be perched.

"I want two in a group, keep tight and have each other's back." Ronin ordered, "Y/n your with me."

"I have a partner."

"That wasn't a recommendation," he ordered.

Y/n sighed looking at Ronin's usual second in command, "Good luck." he muttered.

"Thanks." Y/n sighed getting off her bird to follow her brother.

She lagged behind him slightly; mind other places.

"You're quiet." He commented.

"What?" Y/n asked.

"You, quiet," Ronin repeated, "What did you do now?"

"I didn't do anything." Y/n argued, "But being myself seems to really tick you off nowadays."

"Don't be dramatic," Ronin told.

"Easy to be dramatic when your brother hates you." Y/n defended.

"I don't hate you." He told hopping down from the branch.

"I feel like you do even if you say you don't," Y/n answered.

Ronin looked back at her, she wasn't lying, "Now why would you think that?"

"Honest?" Y/n asked.

Ronin nodded, "Honest."

"Promise not to get mad?"

"Promise."

Y/n sighed, setting down her bow against a stone as she sat down on it; "I think you just don't like me."

"That's your reason? I just don't like you?" Ronin questioned.

"Resentment." Y/n continued, "I think you resent me."

Ronin was quiet, "Well I don't so get your head in the game-"

"That's it." Y/n argued, "You're doing it-"

"Doing what exactly?"

"Not talking things out with me 'Well I don't so get your head in the game?' that's all I get?"

"What do you want me to do? treat you like a kid?"

"I want my big brother back! Not some! Some! Some stupid ass general!" Y/n argued.

"I am your commanding officer-"

"No!" Y/n stopped him standing up, "You're my brother! I don't love my commanding officer! I love my brother!-"

"I am your brother!"

"no! You're my commanding officer- you're never my brother not anymore!"

"You're being dramatic!-"

"It's how I feel!" Y/n defended, "You never talk about how you feel! Maybe we could actually fix things instead of arguing!"

"How I feel!?" Ronin argued. "You wanna know how I feel!?"

"Yes!"

"I do hate you! Does that make you happy?!" He argued; seemingly just trying to end the conversation by making her right, yet his words weighed heavy, "You won't take responsibility, you won't grow up, Our Mother-"

"News Flash Ronin our Mother has been dead for sixteen years! So don't drag her into this!-"

"And who's fault is that?!"

It wasn't meant to come out like that, yet it did. The silence grew thick, Y/n trying to hold herself still even though her body wanted to shake. Ronin opened his mouth to speak but retracted. Y/n made the first move in silence, grabbing her bow.

"Y/n I-"

Y/n was silent as she walked his way; running her shoulder into his without a care as she pushed on. Ronin sighed and followed her, lagging behind her he watched her tight shoulders push forward. The rest of their time was set in silence, painful silence when they regrouped with the others; there was only silence, and the few words spoken were necessary and bleak.

The silence went from hours to days. The days that led up to the queen's pod choosing the new heir were silent. Get up; get dressed, and leave. For most of those few days Ronin stood at her doorframe, the bed a mess, and her armor gone, her bird gone too. Up and out of there before Ronin could even wake himself up fully. The only time he really saw her was at the bird stables, or within scouting. She was quick to run off with another team member before he could comment.

"What's got you in a worse mood than usual?" Queen Tara chuckled, tending to a small little purple tulip, "Now I know your quiet, but never this quiet. It's scary almost."

"It's my sister, your majesty," Ronin answered.

"Y/n?" Tara smiled, "How's she doing?"

"Fine..." Ronin lied, as she looked at him cocking a brow up; "I don't know. I don't see her."

Tara frowned, "Don't see her? She's a little young to be living on her own don't you think?"

"She's sixteen." Ronin answered, "She's grown, and still lives with me, not that that's the problem,"

"Sixteen and Grown?" Tara chuckled, "When she was eight you were telling me she's not grown until she's one-hundred and one. What happened?"

"Nothing I can't handle."

Tara hummed, "Doesn't sound like a boy; you're hiding it, and If I know you and Y/n, you did something you regret; you both do that silent treatment to the whole world when that happens."

"We had an argument is all," Ronin informed tensing, "I said some things, I shouldn't have."

"Ronin, talk to her." Tara started, " There's one thing I know, and that's that she loves her big brother. She looks up to you, Ronin."

Ronin was silent, Y/n loving Ronin? Surely not after that argument. Big brother Ronin fails once again.

"Thank you for your time your Queen Tara." Ronin bid farewell with the bow of his head.

Tara only nodded as she watched Ronin walk off. He was deep in thought; conflict really, he messed up, he knew that. Yet explaining his feelings never came any easier than admitting he even had feelings. Ronin didn't, not in his eyes; he kept his emotions in some little box that he threw away the key to. His job was more important; keeping the people safe was more important, and that's what he did. That's what he tried. The parade showed how much of a failure he was. It made him feel that way again. It was meant to go smoothly; grab a pod, get out. Easy and simple. Easily and Simple is just saying things are black and white when nothing truly is. Y/n again; avoided him; someone that would usually calm his nerves, he only saw her once or twice, dressed in uniform, standing at her post; she was still, nothing but seemingly a hard glare, she looked like him; unfortunately.

The parade? A disaster-filled mess with a Boggin ambush at the center of it all, ending with a dead queen. Ending with a dead friend. Ronin was supposed to be there; Not Y/n.

"You'll be okay." Y/n told Tara, "You'll be okay, you'll be okay."

The Queen looked up at her half dead in Y/n's arms, "Do me a solid, stick with you, brother - can't imagine one of you without the other. The worlds lost with that duo."

Y/n couldn't help but smile sadly as tears fell down her face, it was like Tara to make jest in her final moments. She let out a cry as she fell limp in Y/n's arms.

Ronin had gotten there too late, he watching the queen fade away in his sister's arms. Y/n stood up trying to cover up her face from the girl in front of her.

"I'm...sorry-"

"Y/n!"

Ronin ran over, "Are you hurt?"

Y/n kept her body turned away, "Y/n please."

With a careful hand, her face was grabbed, and soon, he had her face between both his hands. He looked her over for injury, a few cuts here and there, a bruise would form alongside her lip, before she rushed into his chest, holding onto her tightly.

"The queen...I.I," She cried, holding onto him tight, "I. I didn't - It's. It's my fault."

"It's...it's not your fault. Look at me." He told her, she looked up at him with glossy eyes and a tear-stained face," it's not your fault, listen to me."

Y/n looked up at him, holding onto his forearms gauntlet, "Go back to Moonhaven, I need you to stay safe-"

Y/n shook her head, "Go back to Moonhaven-"

"No way," Y/n argued, "I can help- Ronin please."

"Y/n. Go back to Moonhaven. Please."

"Ronin-"

"Please."

Y/n looked up at him and nodded in silence, wiping her face of mostly dry tears with her gloved hands she started to back up, finally turning to make it to her bird, only to turn back and rush into his arms again hugging him one last time, he hugging her back, before returning to her bird. As she climbed up onto her bird, she looked at Ronin one last time before flicking the reins and she was off and into the air.

She couldn't help but keep looking back; she shouldn't be helping him in the first place, not after their argument, not after what he said. She couldn't help it at the end of the day; Ronin was the last thing Y/n had, and it went both ways. Or maybe it was the guilt, maybe Y/n agreed with her brother, maybe she did feel responsible for what happened to their Mother, now she had let the queen die, and her brother seemed next in line for the chopping block; he'd die fixing her mistake. It'd be her fault. She perched her bird on a branch, Moonhaven just below. She could continue forward, and then again, she could turn back; go and help her brother.

"Come on!" Y/n shouted, pulling her reins to turn the bird around and she was off in the direction she came from.

When she returned to the spot, her brother was gone, she looked around for tracks, but only found a slime trail that ended pretty shortly where some hummingbird tracks sat facing North.

She hopped on her bird, quickly flying in the direction of North. Luckily her ego wasn't so large that she stopped and asked for directions from multiple people who lived in the forest.

"Leaf Man? You're the first Leaf Man I've seen here." One told

"Oh no sorry dearie." Another answered.

"Nope sorry." The next apologized.

"Oh yeah, I seen a leaf man! with two slugs on his bird weird." A stickman answered.

"Can we be Leaf Men!?" A kid asked.

"yeah, can we miss!" A second kid asked.

Y/n backtracked; "Wait you saw a Leaf Man with two slugs on his bird?"

The stickman nodded, "Yeah, poor bird looks like it was struggling, they were going towards the races."

"Thank you so much, sir."

"no problem."

Y/n took off quickly towards the racing tree. Docking her bird just outside the game stables she walked in, she heard people talking she quickly took behind a wall.

"Kid thinks he can double cross me- he'll wish he never was born. We get rid of Ronin and the kid's easy pickings,"

Y/n unsheathed her sword quietly as she crept forward, quick to press the tip of her sword against the fancily dressed toad. His goons getting ready to fight at the sight of her.

"You wanna run that by me one more time?" Y/n argued.

"Well, if it isn't the dog that lives in Ronin's shadow-"

"Cut the crap before I cut your non-existent cock off." Y/n snapped, "Where's Ronin?"

"And why would I tell you-"

Y/n pushed the tip of her sword farther into his clothed back; not enough to pierce skin, but until his coat was cut, he croaked in fear.

"The good thing about being in the shadows is that no one realizes you till it's too late." Y/n threatened, "Now where's my brother?"

"He took the kid and that damn pod to Nim Galuu's !" He answered quickly.

"Who's the kid!" Y/n argued the sword was easily able to cut threw him right then and there.

"Nod! yeah! Nod he took Nod with 'em, and his gear! Had a chick with 'em and slugs"

"Go." Y/n ordered pushing the toad forward, "Before I have toad for dinner."

He growled at her, the gang members following. The toad looked around to look glare at her, but she was gone, on her bird, and already off to Nim's place. They had two birds, two slugs, and three people. They couldn't be far ahead now, and they weren't.

Screaming caught her ear as she quickly followed the sound through the forest. She had no idea she was flying into a large group of Boggin bats.

"Shit!" She cursed flying into the tree quickly for cover. No one luckily spotting her.

When the bats subsided, she took flight once again and to the ground where she heard the shouting.

"Did you see that!? I didn't think I could jump that high!"

"Jump out!"

Y/n jumped off her bird before it even landed and fell into the hole. The mouse stood on its hind legs, Y/n looking up at it as she snarled and growled at it, lurching at it even to scare it off, and with success she did, it ran it off back into its hole.

She sighed in relief and turned around.

"Hey! Y/n!" Nod cheered jumping down.

Y/n looked his way: "you're an idiot."

"Get it from you." He laughed, Y/n shaking her head.

"You're older than me. Remember?"

"Oh. I am aren't I?" He chuckled nervously, "Guess you do get it from me."

There was a thud, Ronin landing besides the two.

"I told you to go back to Moonhaven," Ronin argued.

"And I decided not to listen. With the most respect as possible, that is." Y/n answered.

"Woah. Wait, respect? Are you two actually cool for once?" Nod laughed, "Seriously?"

"Are you alright?" Y/n asked walking over to the knocked-out girl.

"Mhm. Dad- you'll never guess the dream I had. There were tiny men in the woods and talking slugs-"

Y/n stood above her with cross arms, Ronin and Nod coming up beside her.

"Aw, come on." She complained, "Did one of you split in half?"

"Do I really look like Ronin that much?" Y/n asked.

"Will you take that as an insult or a compliment?" Nod asked, causing Y/n to punch him in the arm, "Uh! Ow!"

"Should I punch you harder?"

"No! No, I'm good!"

Y/n helped the girl up.

"New seating arrangement, she's with me. You're with the slugs." Ronin commented whistling to call his bird.

"What! No fair!" Nod argued, "Have Y/n take one of the slugs!"

"Alright. Grub you're with me." Y/n told, whistling for her own bird.

"yes!" Grub cheered.

"No, Y/n's returning to Moonhaven."

"She didn't go back the first time, what makes you think she's gonna go back this time?" Nod questioned, the three looking Y/n's way, she tossing Grub on the back of her bird.

"Can I wear your helmet?" Grub asked.

"Yeah, to be honest, I don't like wearing it even," Y/n answered pulling it out from her satchel attached to her saddle and putting it on his head without care.

Ronin sighed; Nod was right about this.; "If she gets hurt that's on you."

"Come on its Y/n we're talking about." Nod laughed, "She'll bust Boggins up easily."

"Come on," Ronin told M.K. who followed him to his bird.

With weight distributed more even, travel was a lot easier. They were flying in silence for a while.

"So." M.K. spoke up, "Who is she? one of your soldiers?"

Ronin glanced back at M.K. and then toward Y/n; "Her names Y/n."

"Pretty name."

"It was our Mother's name," Ronin told.

"You're siblings?" M.K. asked, Ronin nodding; "You guys seem to have a good relationship"

"Looks can be deceiving."

"you're serious?" M.K. asked in disbelief, "She's a mini you."

"So, you've said." Ronin commented looking over at Y/n who was keeping idle chatter with the snail behind her, "She's got a lot of things I don't."

"Like?" M.K. asked as Ronin perched his bird, Nod and Y/n following as Ronin scouted the area out.

"Clear." Ronin told the bird taking off again, "She's got a heart, and compassion for everyone, even if you're her worse enemy,"

"Well, how bad is her worse enemy?" M.K. asked Ronin stopping the group one more time, before pushing forward.

"You're looking at him," Ronin answered.

"You? Her worst enemy? But you're her brother." M.K. defended.

"The ones that know us the best hurt us the worse," Ronin informed, "and I've hurt her pretty bad."

Y/n whistled to catch Ronin's attention, "Nim's place on happy hour?" Y/n called out to Ronin, perching their birds for a final time to overlook the overflow of people.

"I thought this was a secret Leaf Man Mission; how many people did the Queen tell about this?" Grub asked, "hey! How did you learn about us?"

Y/n looked back at her friend, "Oh I threatened to cut off that toad's-"

"that's enough." Ronin stopped her Y/n shrugged, and he sighed, rubbing over his face; that was his sister alright.

"Anyways he ended up croaking and telling me he saw you guys leave together."

"Wow." Nod spoke, "You know you should threaten people more often, I'd love to see that fight."

"I would too, but it's not a fight if I just beat people up." Y/n commented, "I'll see you down there."

"Hey! Wait up!" Nod called.

Ronin quickly followed the two, Y/n hopping off her bird and helping Grub off it after her, the others following close behind.

"He'll be able to help us right?" M.K. asked.

Y/n watched as Ronin nodded, "If that's what the queen said, then this is the best option we have."

"Can't we just stab Mandrake?" Y/n asked.

"If it was that easy I would have done it myself," Ronin commented Y/n shrugged.

"He has to be able to help us," M.K. reassured the group; "He's like the wise old man of the forest, right?"

"Oh please," Y/n mumbled.

"He's more of like the crazy uncle," Nod told, "He's real... what's the word."

"Theatrical?" Y/n answered, "Showy? Spotlight lover?

"Yeah, that." Nod smiled, "He can put on a good show."

Y/n was silent as they made their way through; parties weren't her thing, too many people close together, no space to turn, it'd get hot and sticky too quick. Not to mention she didn't really know how to act at a party. She pulled at her collar, it was getting hot, rubbing the back of her neck as if something was bothering her. Her eyes darting around for what seemed to be an escape.

"Come on." Ronin spoke, hand on the mid of her back, "You're lagging."

"I don't like this."

"I know you don't, just stay close."

Ronin was quick to guide her through the crowd and to the side where the rest of the group waited. She looked back at him.

"Thanks..."

"It's what I'm here for."

Y/n nodded, "Yeah..."

Ronin was quiet, keeping his sigh to himself; they'd have to talk about it eventually. But with them actively with no task at hand but waiting today was the first time they talked in a week. They just, stared, at each other in awkward silence, who speaks first?

"Ronin!" Nim called, breaking his train of thought, "The queen, did you hear!? This is terrible! What's going to happen to us!"

Ronin explained, the queen's passing, how, and what were the next steps. Y/n stood quiet during the whole thing, she watching her brother. Nim finally guided them through the tree.

"Are you alright?" M.K. asked quietly walking beside Y/n.

"I'm fine." Y/n told her, "Thanks...uh..."

"I'm M.K." She introduced.

"Y/n." Y/n spoke a small smile coming to her lips, "Nice to finally be introduced,"

"Same here." M.K. smiled back; "Us girls gotta stick together you know."

"uh, yeah." Y/n responded unsure, "Like honey...?"

"That's one way to put it." M.K. laughed, the two girls starting to lag behind the group, "friends then?"

"Friends?" Y/n asked.

"Yeah." M.K. spoke, "You have friends here right? or is there another term for it-"

"No, I. Don't think I'd ever have a girlfriend though," Y/n responded rubbing the back of her neck embarrassingly.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah,"

"you have one now," M.K. spoke a smile in her voice, punching Y/n on her armored shoulder as Y/n chuckled.

"Catch up would you two!" Nod called, Y/n quick to make haste with M.K. following behind her as they all squeezed into a lift which was lowered down.

"Welcome to the scroll rooms!" Nim cheered passing layers and layers of scrolls, "Everything here, past and present."

"So this conversation is being recorded?" Grub asked.

"Yep," Nim told, enthusiasm lacing his voice.

"And this?" Mub asked, sucking his eyeballs into his head.

"Yes," Nim answered.

"What about this?" They both asked, using their eyeballs and knockers, the ones you'd get as a kid on a string.

"Yes," Nim told, a slight change in his tone was subtle but was soon replaced as the lift stopped and they filled out.

"Ah ha!" He smiled, "Should be right here!"

He grabbed it thanking the bug who was carrying it and ripped it up, uncaring about the cleanup.

"Aw, man," Mub complained.

"you've read all of these?" M.K. asked.

"Skimmed mostly," Nim answered, "Now, blooming a pod."

Y/n started to wander.

"Don't go too far," Ronin commented.

"Yeah, yeah." Y/n waved him off casually walking to one of the rows, "Don't worry about me."

Ronin only sighed.

"Here! it is," Nim spoke, "now, let's see... good thing is, once the Queen picks a pod, it will bloom no matter what, but the pod must bloom tonight, at moonlight's highest peak."

"And if it doesn't bloom in the moonlight?" Grub asked, Nim shrugging.

"To be honest termites have been a problem," Nim answered showing the ripped-up scroll end.

"We won't have to worry about that." Ronin spoke, "We'll make a plan to get some energy back."

Ronin walked off, and the others followed him.

"Y/n!" Ronin called for her.

"I'm coming," Y/n called back, making her way back to the lift.

"Hey, before we go back up." Nim stopped her Y/n turning her way.

"yes sir?" Y/n asked.

"Sir? Come on we're family!" He cheered, which Y/n could only raise a brow to, and his response was a laugh, "I knew your Mother very well, we were like two peas in a pod."

"Nice to know she made a lasting impression." Y/n answered, "Sorry to tell you-"

"She's gone I know; I should be the one sorry," Nim told, "You look just like her you know; she'd be proud, Leaf Man's a high honor, and at your age, you're one the first."

Y/n smiled small, "...thanks..."

"Anyway, she'd asked me to give you this, when you came, came with a note and everything that when you came by you'd be ready," Nim told, passing a scroll up his arms and to Y/n which she took with caution, a red string around it to keep it closed, with a little note tied to it, "She had sent it before she past away, I assume just before you were born."

"What is it?"

"I don't know, not my story to read," Nim answered, Y/n looking at the red string tied around it.

She started to untie it, but he stopped her, "It's yours to keep, don't feel pressured to read it here."

Y/n stopped, "Thank you."

The two made their way back to the lift, she took her previous spot and looked down at the scroll in her hand, quietly fiddling with the note on the string, finally, she opened it, Ronin and her name wrote nicely on the small folded paper, then made it to the main halls again.

"eat something, get something to drink, get your energy back," Ronin ordered the group, "Whatever you do stay with the pod."

Nim was kind enough to guide everyone to food and water. Ronin went a separate way from the group, Y/n following her brother.

He stopped by a window, which was really just a hole in the tree depending on how you looked at it.

"I'll take the first watch." Y/n told; "You should go eat first."

"I'll be fine." Ronin answered.

Y/n nodded, "here."

Ronin looked her way, she holding out the scroll for him to take, "It's from Mom... Apparently, her and Nim were good friends or something."

"She patrolled around here a lot with her people." Ronin told her, looking down at the scroll he looked back out the window, "Nim gave it to you, must mean Mother wanted you to have it."

"It has both our names on it," Y/n responded.

Ronin returned his gaze to her.

"I couldn't imagine what she'd want to tell me," Y/n spoke, her voice low and filled with a solemn chuckle, "I don't know her, and she doesn't know me, wouldn't be surprised if it's a big punch in the face- anyways- just take it?"

Y/n shook her hand, gesturing for him to take the scroll, he finally took it from her grasp and set the scroll against the wall. She took a step back and turned around, starting to walk away.

"It's not your fault." Ronin finally spoke up.

"The Queen?" Y/n asked not bothering to turn back to face him, "I know...but I'll do better."

"I don't see what you could have better." Ronin told, "you did what you could, you got her farther than I ever would of, you did good..."

"Thanks," Y/n responded.

"But that's...that's not what I'm talking about."

Y/n turned herself to look at him; "I don't get it."

"Mom."

There was silence between the two, the sound of chattering in the background from the group of people.

"It doesn't bother me-" Y/n was quick to speak up.

Ronin chuckled under his breath, "You're my sister, I know when your lying."

"It's fine," Y/n responded "Really."

"Y/n I'm being serious." Ronin defended.

"So I am." Y/n told him, "I. I'm fine-"

"Fine would be not freezing in a crowd-"

"Just anxiety-"

"Which you get worse when somethings bothering you," He defended, "Fine would be arguing with me -"

"I got tired of it is all-"

"Fine would be me waking you up, not you checking into headquarters hours before I'm even there, Fine would you and Nod talking each other up the trees. You haven't made fun of me this whole time-"

"You're mad because I'm not making fun of you and annoying you?" Y/n argued, "What type of thing is that to get mad at? You asked me to grow up- I did-"

"Well stop it!"

"Stop what!?"

"Being me! Stop being me!" He blurted out finally grabbing her shoulders, the heated air deflating as he sighed.

Y/n looked at him, "Isn't that what you wanted?"

"No." He told, "I don't, I want my sister, not a commanding officer. I want the little girl that was excited about being a Leaf Man! The little girl that used to beg me to go on scouting missions with me, I want the old you back, and your stupid jokes."

Y/n's couldn't help but laugh, trying to hold it in, "And your impressions are even worse. I don't sound like that one bit-"

Y/n held a smile on her face, "You do."

Ronin shook his head in disbelief with a chuckle, "And I'm sorry, Mom had a choice, and she chose you, I would do the same, no matter how many times I would have to. I'd do anything to keep my little sister safe."

Y/n looked up at him, it's been a while since she looked at him like that, with hope, and joy, proud that he was her big brother.

"I love you." Y/n smiled.

"I love you too," Ronin spoke Y/n hugged him tight, and he hugged back kissing her forehead, they pulled away after "now, go eat something, I have a message to send to the other Leaf Men."

"I'll bring you something too." Y/n spoke a smile still on her face, backing out of his grip and running off to find something to eat.

"Woah! Where are you going?" Nod asked with a laugh, grabbing Y/n's wrist, "Not to mention your glowing like the sun- who'd you kill."

"I'm going for food," Y/n said.

"I'd be excited too- but you'll be here?" Nod asked.

Y/n nodded, "Yeah."

"Good," he spoke rushing off quickly, leaving her confused.

"Nod! Where are you- Where's the pod!" She called for him but he left too quick, she sighed and went on the search for food.

Grabbing enough for herself and her brother she went to find the pod, finding Grub and Mub standing in front of a dead fruit fly. She sighed when Mub had the pod.

"Oh did he just die?" Y/n asked.

"We were just talking to him, and then-" Grub started, as the ground shook, "The forest shakes at the passing of the humble fruit fly-"

The ground shook again as Y/n dropped her food, "Get behind me." She ordered the two, hand on the handle of her sword.

There was screaming as a mole came from the floor, and people scattered in fear; looking to hide, to keep themselves safe, all from the person who rode it; Mandrake.

"Well if this isn't a surprise!" Mandrake announced, "I wasn't expecting a party to crash!"

"get out of here!" Y/n ordered drawing her sword quickly.

"Y/n! Wow I haven't seen you since you were a baby!" Mandrake cheered, "Leaf Man! Your Parents must be proud!"

Y/n glared at him, "How is your Mother doing? Her and I, we were good friends after all -"

"Fuck off!" Y/n snapped.

Mandrake chuckled, as his steed circled around the group, "So rude to your guest, tsk, business is business I suppose, a good friend of ours left something very dear to me with your people, and I was told it was here with you."

"yeah! well, you can't have it!" Mub argued.

"Yeah! There's no way we're letting you hurt this pod!" Grub agreed.

"Hurt it?" Mandrake asked, almost as if he was offended, "No, I don't want to hurt it! I need it to live!"

"Well, we're the only ones that know how to take keep it alive!" Mub snapped.

"Thanks for the tip boys!" Mandrake smirked, his staff swinging quick to hit Y/n who luckily blocked it, pushing the strike back at him, he quickly jumped off the mole.

She swung at him, but he blocked, a sound of disapproval coming from his mouth.

"I thought you Leaf Men were better than this-"

"Oh shut up and fight me-"

"Y/n behind you!"

Y/n turned her head quickly to see the Mole's tale whipping her way, smacking her in the back and across the room into a pillar, where she let out a cry at impact and hit the ground hard.

"Thanks for the party, everyone!" Mandrake bowed, grabbing the two slugs with the pod.

Ronin was there too late, jumping from the upper balcony into the hole, a cave-in stopping him from chasing Mandrake any further. Jumping back out of the hole he looked around; looking for someone to yell at; Nod especially, he and M.K. had been glued at this hip; so he should have been there- then he spotted her; Y/n laying on the ground, her sword thrown across the room.

"Y/n!" He called, running her way, tossing his sword aside as he dropped to his knees, rolling her over into his arms, "Y/n, come on. Y/n!"

Her nose was bleeding, and a fresh cut above her brow and her eyes closed, and her chest plate armor cracked.

"Y/n!" Ronin shouted, "Y/n get up!"

He sighed in relief when she made a sound of pain, holding her close, she only pushed herself out of his grasp, her head hurt, and she felt hot, rolling onto her stomach she growled in pain, trying to get herself up to her knees.

"Y/n-"

She slipped, he quickly caught her, "I. I'm okay."

"Y/n please."

Getting to her knees her breath was heavy, and she leaned on Ronin to help herself up. He wrapped her arm around his neck and put an arm across her back, she finally opened her eyes the light blinding her.

"I'm okay," Y/n told him again holding her stomach.

"Ronin!" Nod ran in, M.K. behind him.

He ignored the two, "Is anyone here a healer!? Please! My sister needs a healer!"

A few people stepped up to the plate as healers, they being taken to a side room, Y/n holding onto her brother as tight as she could. She sat down and ripped off her chest plate as quick as she could, sighing in relief as she took in deep breaths. Healers getting to work on her quickly.

"Ronin I-" Nod started.

"You had one job stay with the pod!" Ronin argued grabbing onto Nod's shirt, pinning him against the wall, "That's the last part of the queen I- That anybody had! And I just almost lost the only other thing I ever had!"

"It's my fault!" M.K. defend Nod, as Ronin backed up, "The Queen gave me the pod, I should have been here with it."

"And you, I expected this from him, but from you?" Ronin told voice full of disappointment, "I expected more."

"I was here with it, I should have protected it-"Y/n spoke up.

Ronin snapped his head towards her, "Don't you start."

Y/n groaned instead of arguing back, as one of the healers applied a salve to the cut on her side, wrapping the cut up. Another applying the same salve to her cut brow bone.

"She'll be fine. Armor really helped you there, Miss." One the healers informed, "You'll be sore."

There was a sigh of relief all around, Y/n thanking the healers before they left. Y/n stood up, wincing as she started putting herself back together.

"And what are you doing?" Ronin asked.

"Well, we have to get the pod back." Y/n spoke, pulling the chest plate on and lacing it up, "you really think you were benching me?"

"And how do we do that?" Ronin asked.

"Easy." Y/n spoke, "we'll sneak in with disguises."

"Oh great. I'll go as a rat, and Nod can be my cricket lady friend. You can be a shrew."

"Hey." Nod complained.

"Not to mention I don't have any Boggin armor on hand." Ronin spoke, Y/n grabbing her sword which had been leaning against the wall.

"I know where we could get some." M.K. chimed in, climbing onto Nod's bird.

"I'm down," Y/n spoke walking towards hers.

"You're not going anywhere. Not like that." Ronin stopped Y/n, stepping in front of her.

"He took my only friends. I'm fucking his face up, not that it isn't already," Y/n defended pushing past Ronin and climbing onto her bird looking towards M.K. "I'll follow you."

M.K. nodded and looked towards the last two, "well?"

Ronin sighed.

"In my experience, six hands are better than two." Nim answered, "and you'll have eight."

"Come on," M.K. told Nod, his only response a shrug, hopping on the bird behind her as she took off faster than light, Nod's shout of surprise being left behind.

The siblings were quick to follow M.K.'s path. They made it to the edge of the forest. Y/n perched her bird beside M.K.

"Woah where are we?" Nod asked.

"We're not supposed to go out this far," Y/n told.

"No, you aren't supposed to go out this far," Nod commented Y/n rolling her eyes.

"Rules apply to both of us you know?"

"Right, Right," Nod nodded, "And guess who comes out here anyways?"

Y/n glared at him, "Oh, you!" He cheered.

"You come out here?" Ronin asked, clearly mad; "You'll get hurt out here- you know-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm not allowed out here because it's dangerous, yadda, yadda, ya." Y/n mimicked, "I go places I'm not supposed to go, and you don't share your feelings, seems like a fair deal to me."

"You'll be the death of me."

"You'll get a cool death at least."

"Come on," M.K. told, flying the bird off as Y/n shrugged following her.

They made it to the window seal, hopping off their birds Y/n looked through the glass.

"How'd you know about this place?" Nod asked.

M.K. didn't bother answering as they slipped in through a small crack in the open window.

"It's over there." M.K. pointed across the room.

"Let's make this quick," Ronin ordered, taking the lead and jumping down with ease, just to jump back up onto the high desk.

"See you on the other side." Y/n playfully saluted to the two, "Oh- and don't die Nod?"

He shook his head, Y/n easily made her way down, using a stapler on the floor to help her jump higher and onto the desk with ease.

"Can't jump as far as you use to?" Ronin joked.

"Oh please, I'm saving my best moves for the end." Y/n spoke, "plus- oo! ow ow!-"

Ronin went from joking to worried in a matter of minutes, Y/n holding her side as she hunched over, "y/n-"

She laughed, he glaring at her as she stood back up, "had to get you back."

Y/n pushed past him to go back to the edge with a smile, looking down, "Guys come on!" She called.

Turning back around Y/n looked around: "What is all this stuff?"

"Beats me," Ronin told.

"Hey, what's that?" Y/n asked happily wandering off, Ronin grabbing her arm before she could go.

"We're not touching anything, we're getting the boggin armor and getting out." Ronin told.

"Fine, I choose the forbidden place we go next time then," Y/n spoke, Nod and M.K. finally made their way up.

They carefully made there way across the desk, to the Boggin armor.

"You know some of this stuff I've seen-" Nod told.

"It's boggin armor, you see one you saw 'em all," Y/n told, stopped by one of the boards with pinned-up armor, she reached out for some.

"No, touching," Ronin told her.

"Seriously? how do you expect me to grab the armor then?" Y/n asked.

"hey this is my saddle!" Nod argued grabbing the saddle from the pin-up board, "Where are we-"

The ground-shaking cut him off, Ronin grabbing onto Y/n to steady the both of themselves.

"oh no." M.K. shook, the group turning there heads towards the giant that walked across the room.

"Oh!" Nod laughed.

"It's where this guy lives," Ronin spoke, the group rushing to higher ground.

"Wait you know him?" M.K. asked.

"yeah, he's a stomper," Nod answered.

"Stomper?" M.K. asked.

"Most come and go," Y/n informed, "This one's been here for years."

"why are they called stompers?" M.K. asked.

"Well there, like me and you, but, bigger, stupid, and stomp on everything," Nod told.

"And he's been obsessed with proving our existence," Ronin commented, "That'll never happen. Can't have his big feet stepping on Moonhaven, so we've been throwing him off our trail."

"Seriously?" M.K. aspirated her arms out gesturing to all the stuff, "But he's found all of this stuff."

"He only finds what Ronin 'wants' him to find." Y/n told, "I think the stompers could be helpful. I heard that there's a spray that could kill easily, easy for them to get and everything; it could just cover Mandrake's area in it and we'd be home free."

"bug spray," M.K. answered.

"I don't know, but if it kills Mandrake i could care less." Y/n told.

"But come on!" Nod jumped in, "You know how funny this guy is? Parading around the forest? Look. at. this. acorn."

M.K. clearly wasn't impressed with the impression.

"come on it's not funny-"

Y/n was surprised when Ronin jumped in faking holding his elbow in pain; "I.hurt.my.elbow."

"it's his life's work!" M.K. argued.

"Come on Y/n! You've run into him before!-" Nod tried to get Y/n to join in on the fun Y/n shaking her head with crossed arms, "Remember when he fell!"

"he's my dad!"

The laughter stopped

"Seriously?" Nod asked in disbelief, "So what? You shrunk down?"

"Yes!" M.K. shouted, "Which they know!"

Nod looked at Y/n and Ronin, "Seriously?"

"it's been a weird day for all of us," Ronin answered a smirk still on his face.

"Y/n?" Nod asked.

"learn how to read a room maybe dingleberry-brain," Y/n answered.

"You got a problem with stompers?" M.K. asked.

"A stomper stepped on my uncle," Nod answered.

"Oh, my god? seriously?" M.K.'s face full of concern.

"No." Nod laughed, M.K. groaning in annoyance, and pushing Nod hard in the chest.

"Too far?" Nod asked.

"Don't as me about too far, me and my brother joke about death," Y/n answered.

"But do it again, maybe she'll hit you harder," Ronin answered as Y/n covered her mouth in an attempt to hide her laugh. Ronin elbowed her playfully she pushing him back as they went their own way to get what they came for.

It was with ease that they pulled armor from the pinned display array.

"Hey!" Ronin called, Y/n looking back, Ronin hunched over hand out like they were claws, "How do I look?"

"Sad and depressing." Y/n answered honestly, "it suits you."

"Haha." He laughed sarcastically as Y/n laughed pulling on her own mask, covering her face fully

"Hey, you look better than you did before." He spoke Y/n pushing him as he laughed.

M.K.'s scream that came next broke their jokes, Y/n turning towards Nod: "It wasn't me!"

The continued screaming came as the three watched stuff come crashing down and the slow sound of a dog barking. Y/n rushed to the edge, M.K. being chased around. If that wasn't bad enough, the stomper was getting up.

"Go!" Ronin ordered.

Y/n jumped down with whatever she grabbed in hand, hoping to help M.K. and get the dog to stop chasing her.

"Come on!" Y/n shouted, grabbing M.K.'s hand to speed her up.

"I can't keep up!" M.K. shouted, tripping over her own feet, grip lost as her hand slipped from Y/n's hand, hitting the wooden floor.

Y/n stopped her running, sliding across the floor to a halt. She ran back towards her, quickly helping M.K. up to her feet.

"Go!" Y/n shouted, making sure to stay behind M.K. to keep her safe.

Ronin drew an arrow, aiming it at the oncoming Stomper.

"No don't hurt him!" M.K. shouted, pushing him off target, the arrow hit still, just unsure of where.

"Hey!" Y/n snapped at M.K., "watch it!"

"That's my dad!" She reminded.

"And that's my brother!" Y/n complained.

There was a crash, glass breaking, and the Stomper ran into its desk.

"Ow! I. Hurt. My. Elbow!"

Nod laughed, looking the way he pointed up at the Stomper: "Did you hear him!? He said it! Aw that never gets old!"

"Move!" Ronin ordered the group.

Y/n was quick alongside her brother to make it up back to the window seal. Nod and M.K. not too far behind.

The vacuum of wind caught everyone off guard, Y/n almost slipping from the sudden pull as Ronin grabbed onto her. M.K. wasn't so lucky and ended up being sucked into the vacuum. Nod made it up to the window seal.

"What do we do?!" Nod asked.

"You want us to go against that thing?" Y/n argued.

"No-Yes! I don't know!" Nod defended, "come on help me!"

Nod jumped back down, Y/n groaning and following.

"Y/n!-" Ronin called after her, she rushing after Nod.

Tipsy was one way to put the stumbling man, he slowly starting to fall.

"Nod!" Y/n shouted, pulling him from jumping across and onto the desk.

The stomper hit the desk, and M.K. was free with the break of glass. This guy sure did have a lot of glass in his house. Nod broke from Y/n's grip to rush after M.K. and Y/n made her way back up to the window seal.

"No ones dead." Y/n spoke.

"Surpisngly."

"Hey, I can't make everything perfect." Y/n told slipping outside and whistling for the birds.

Ronin joined her short after ordering the two to hurry, strapping the gear to the side of his saddle.

"You know after this." Y/n commented, "We should eat dinner."

Ronin raised an eyebrow, "Saving the forest? And your thinking about food?"

"Yeah," y/n told, "me and you, we should eat dinner like we use to. Whens the last time we did that? Sat down? And ate dinner that we made together? I liked when we did that."

Ronin was silent for a moment, they hadnt sat down for dinner since before Y/n started trainning to become a leaf man, it had to be atleast two? Two and a half years?

"Time goes by fast." Ronin commented, then looked her way, "I don't see why we couldn't do it again."

Y/n looked at him and smiled: "Yeah. It would be nice."

He watched as she looked back at her bird, smile faultering, she looked anxious.

"Hey," Ronin spoke up, She looking his way once again, his hand cupping her cheek, "we're gonna do it again."

Y/n was silent, "I....know..."

"You dont sound so sure that you know." Ronin pointed out; his next words ment to come out jokingly;"Dont tell me your scared."

Y/n's eyes casted down: "uh...no...No-"

"Y/n its okay to be scared-"

"Im not scared." y/n reassured, "I...I'm just..."

Ronin's thumb rubbed over her cheek in a soothing matter, he remembers when there Mother use to do it to him when he was young.

"Bile took...mom that day." y/n finally muttered out, "what if it takes you."

"Life can't stop because I go." He answered.

"Im being serious, Ronin." Y/n argued, pulling away from him and crossing her arms in matter comforting to her, "What happens if you die? What happens to...to the forest. To the leaf men..."

"The Leaf Men, the forest, it was here before both our times." He answered, "it'll be here long after,"

Y/n looked at him and nodded, arms stay crossed for a moment as she thought, "Yeah... okay."

They returned to there birds, "oh an Y/n."

Y/n turned her head, "yeah?"

"I'd never leave you alone. Even if I hated you, I'd never leave you alone."

"Promise?" Y/n asked.

Ronin gave a curt nod, "With my last good eye."

A smile was brought to Y/n's as she shook her head with a chuckle, Nod finally making his way outside with M.K. It was back to stern faces and hidden emotions, minds only focused on the task at hand; sneaking in sucessfully across enemy lines.

They hid their birds in the dead tree tops. Down below the boggin army marched. Dressing themselves in the armor - the stolen armor - they quickly joined the walking army, keeping close together.

"Smells like something died in here." M.K. complained.

"That's because something did," Y/n answered.

"Keep it down. We dont want to be noticed." Ronin ordered.

The group went quiet, Mandrake's half downed caslte of a tree came into view, Y/n found herself wearing a hard glare and walking faster than the rest of the group.

"Y/n!" Nod whisper-shouted after her, "Y/n!"

Ronin was careful to catch up, he grabbing Y/n's arm.

"You'll give us away." He argued quietly there pace slowing back down to normal.

"My friends are in there." Y/n defended.

"Rushing in will get them and all of us killed." Ronin told, "have patience."

"Im out of patience."

"Well make some more."

Y/n pulled away from his grip with a growl under her breath and kept pace beside him. Later, rather than sooner, they made it inside Mandrake's base, safe, together and still under the cover of surpise.

"You three go and find the slugs." Ronin directed, "keep the pod safe."

"What are you going to do?" Nod asked.

"I'll be the distraction." Ronin told.

"By yourself? No way." Y/n argued, "I'm coming with you. There's four of us, we split in half; no one goes alone."

"I need you to protect the pod." Ronin defended, "I don't trust anyone more than you for this."

"Ronin-" y/n argued.

"That's an order." He cut her off, Y/n's eyebrows knitted in anger.

"Fine." Y/n complained, defeated, "then you promise me, you're not going to do anything stupid."

He let out a laugh,pulling off the Boggin mask, "Stupid? Please it's me."

Y/n rolled her eyes as he tossed the coat to the floor. "Follow the trail."

Ronin pointed out the slime trail left behind by the slugs: "You'll find them easy."

Y/n nodded, "Now. Excuse me while I go have fun."

Ronin jumped off whistling loudly, Boggins turning his way, "I'm goin' to make this real simple! I run! And you try to catch me!"

"Come on, on me." Y/n ordered, leading the two to follow the trail of slug slime.

With every Boggin after Ronin, the trip was easy: the slime trail led to a cell in the ground. Y/n pushed the cover off.

Nod reaching inside to grab the first slug.

"This woman has got a grip!-" Mub cheered slurly, Nod pulling him up by his eyes.

"Oh, come on!" He complained seeing it was Nod; "You got to work on your grip dude its a bit womanly."

Y/n pulled Grub up while M.K. was handed the pod.

"You came for us!" Grub cheeded, hugging Y/n's legs.

"You're my friends. Why wouldn't I come for you?" Y/n asked.

"Well man after Mandrake whipped you into that pillar we thought you were dead!" Mub laughed.

"We did not!"

"Ub huh!"

"No!"

"Uh huh!"

"No!"

"Hey! Dead or not. Im alive." Y/n argued with the two, "we need to go!"

"The gaurds! There coming back!" M.K. told the group seeing the shadows getting closer.

"I have a plan! Everyone hide in there shells!" Grub told, he hiding in his shell, in the moment it sounded like a good idea sure; "oh...right! I have another plan!"

"Do it quick! Im going after Ronin from another angle-"

"He said your in charge!" M.K. argued.

"Right. I'm in charge. Get out of here with the pod, now!" Y/n ordered quickly running off, discarding the Boggin armor as she ran into a hall across from where they had come in.

Y/n was quick to find an opening, drawing the bow from across her body and pulling an arrow from her quiver to knock. Mandrake was boasting to her brother, pratically standing still, handing her the jackpot. Greed often spoils the jackpot, and it would again. She took the shot, a direct hit into his shoulder.

Y/n smirked, even that was to big of a celebration.

"Wow! Brought your dear sister to watch you die!" Mandrake smirked breaking the arrow at the entry point, he hissing in pain, "Kill her! Leave her bones for me: I want a new bow."

Ronin was quick to charge at him, sword unseathed, and quick to clash with Mandrake's staff, each pushing against each other with all there anger.

"You threatened my sister, so I'll have your fucking head." Ronin snapped.

"Oh, family!" Mandrake smirked, "can't live with them. Can't live without them. You know how that is: all alone!."

"I don't know I'll ask your son." Ronin argued, "Oh. Wait."

Mandrake's smirk went dark, anger, painting his face as his slashing became more furious, a frenzy of them full of anger, hard to keep up with; hard to block.

Y/n was on the run with what seemed half the boggin existence on her, she jumping from walkway to walkway leading them away. The doorway in front of her she'd figure she'd go through come out through another hall' loop around, yet Boggins came from the opening, she skidding to a stop to turn back around, her way blocked by the enemy. She trapped herself.

"Nowhere to run."

"and nowhere to hide."

Y/n backed up, almost slipping over the platform's edge, bringing her fingers to her mouth, she whistled loudly, and let herself fall off the platform, her hummingbird following in a dive after her. Grabbing onto the reins, she managed to catch her feet in the loops and pull herself into the saddle, she pulled the reins to level out the bird and guide it to a deep incline.

"Thank you!" Y/n aspirated, patting the bird on the side, they had been practicing that for a while, "Let's go get Ronin!"

The bird was quick to fly up despite the deep incline, the bird whizzed past the two fighting, past Nod and M.K. hanging from the ceiling holding onto the slugs, they where playing footsies with two guards chasing them, trying to make each other fall. Turning the bird around to make its way back down, Y/n pulled an arrow from her quiver, knocking it the bird flew back toward her brother and Mandrake. She was quick to take the shot, missing terribly as he dodged one of Ronin's attacks, he kicking Ronin back. She cursed to herself, pulling another arrow to knock, a Boggin coming up from behind Ronin, which Y/n quickly shot. Defending Ronin of extra oncoming attackers seemed the better route to go. Nod's whistle caught her ears.

"Come on! Hurry!" Nod shouted toward Ronin

"I got him! Go!" Y/n shouted the order, shooting a boggin grabbing onto M.K.'s legs, "get out of here!"

Nod looked her way on nodded, Y/n nodding back as she focused back on defending her brother.

"You know what to do girl," Y/n told to bird, they dived back towards her brother as Y/n jumped off her bird, her brother's bruises already forming.

She stood with him fighting Boggins back, "She's gonna loop back around! And then we jump!" Y/n ordered.

"Did you think of this specific situation when training her!?" Ronin laughed, back to hers.

Y/n laughed back, "Hey, who doesn't love fighting to the death! It's a great family outing!"

There was chirping; Y/n's hummingbird coming back around.

"Ready!?" Y/n asked, punching a Boggin hard across the face, ducking as another came after her with a punch, Ronin punching it instead.

"On you!" Ronin told, Y/n grabbing Ronin's arm as she ran off the edge, they landed on the bird, but not evenly, as it rocked and chirped in fear.

Ronin took lead, Y/n behind him.

"Hold on!"

The bird took off with speed, another steep incline Y/n held onto Ronin tight, and they made it out into the open air.

Ronin laughed, "Not bad at all!"

Y/n's grip started to slip from him, he looked back at her; their incline not helping at all as she was falling backward with a look of shock on her face. Shot in the back with an arrow.

"Y/n!" He called out for her, reaching his hand out, hoping to catch her, to no avail.

"Go!" Ronin ordered the bird, grabbing its reins to turn it back around, but it didn't listen and leveled out, flying quickly away; "Go back! Go back for her!"

The hummingbird continued at a face pace flying to catch up with the rest of the group that had escaped.

"Ronin!" Nod cheered, "You're alright!"

The broken look on Ronin's face told otherwise; he look away from the group.

"Where's Y/n?" Grub asked.

"Y/n..." Ronin started, "Didn't make it..."

"Oh," Mub answered.

It grew silent, Ronin's sister gone, Mub and Grub's best friend, their only friend really; gone. The idiot squad of Nod and Y/n dismembered.

"I'm sorry," M.K. offered her condolences, arm securely around Nod.

The trip back to Moonhaven was quiet, filled with saddening silence, the moon would be at its highest soon and the new Queen would be crowned. Almost to Moonhaven; a defense squad stopped them all lead by Ronin's second in command.

"It's glad to have you back sir." He told he wasn't the only one excited to have their commanding officer back.

Ronin nodded, "Have any Boggin's tried to attack Moonhaven?"

"No sir-"

He stopped himself, realizing the bird he was riding on; "Y/n is with you, sir?"

Ronin looked his way, a look that was all that was needed; "No,"

"Oh."

"Double defenses." Ronin changed the subject, "Mandrake will be coming for the pod."

His second-in-command nodded as they made it to the outskirts of Moonhaven. The pod would be safe inside the castle, guarded and taken care of. Nim was there, he knew about blooming a pod more than anyone else. It was the chaos before the storm; the last stand to save the forest and everyone within it. Everybody running around: armoring up, restocking arrows, and quickly sharpening their swords, Ronin ordered people around with haste: this had to happen, formations had to be tight and precise.

"Sir!" A leaf man shouted to grab his attention, "They're here!"

It grew silent as everyone looked at someone; it would be people's last days.

"You heard her! Out now!" He ordered, "Moonhaven does not fall!"

There were battle cries all around; soldiers rushing to their birds ready to take to the sky.

"You ready for this?" Ronin asked Nod.

"No!"

"Good!"

The fight was brutal; Boggins dropped like flies, and did Leaf Men, but it ensued, arrows flew through the air and swords clashed with clubs.

M.K. who was left to sit and wait; needed to help; she felt obligated; after all, if this pod didn't bloom, she'd be stuck here forever. So she rushed off with a bright idea, to get her dad involved, bat noises to draw away the Boggin's steeds.

Sure it worked, but Mandrake was already there; ready to claim his dark heir to the throne. Even with Nim and Mub trying to distract him, and pull him away he advanced, yet he was stabbed in the back, an arrow lodged deep inside his skin as he let out a cry and turned his head in anger.

"You miss me bitch!?" Y/n shouted, battered, bruised, bleeding, armor broken and missing; she pulled out her sheathed sword in the ready position.

"Y/n!" Mub cheered.

"You just don't die!" Mandrake shouted in anger pulling the full arrow from his back.

"Yeah well maybe don't shoot a soldier with her own arrow," Y/n smirked, "Plus imagine Ronin without me? He'd die, let's be honest."

His only response was to growl and run at her, she lifted her sword in defense as they clashed.

"not bad for a boggin." Y/n teased, Mandrake growling, if she got him mad enough- his hits became filled with fury, they were uncoordinated and spasm-like.

Finding the first wide opening she dodged to the side slashing his side and ending up on the side of the pod, she quick to take the offensive side and slashed, hit, and fought; he was tired from his anger, she pushed him hard enough to where he slid across the floor, even with his planted feet.

"Retreat while you have the chance," Y/n ordered; "Or I will kill you."

Mandrake came at her again; compassion was defeated by passion, he cursed her as he attacked with newly found energy and strength, her grip lost on her sword as it went flying across the room, landing and sliding across the floor. She glared up at him, just to be punched across the face and hard, knocking her to the ground, along with the wind out of her, before she could even try and get up she was kicked in the gut.

"You know what I love about leaves?" Mandrake asked, "They all fall to the ground and die! And you're dying all alone!"

Y/n tried to get up, as he raised his staff into the air, ready to end her life, by his hand. Two swords blocked the heavy hit that Y/n was expecting. Ronin and Nod holding their ground in defense, leaf men standing behind them defending the pod with shields.

"Alone is not the word I would use for it-" Ronin answered, "She's annoying, but never alone; not as long as I live!"

Y/n reached her hand forward grabbing the arrow that had been discarded beginning of the battle,.

"Then you'll all die!" He shouted, Ronin and Nod struggling against Mandrake's pressure.

Y/n looked back, moonlight soon to be encasing the pod she forced herself up as Ronin's and Nod's defense was broken, Y/n shouting as she drove herself into Mandrake's chest. Panting heavily as she pushed the arrow farther into his chest.

She pushed herself off him, breath still not caught as she walked him to take a step back, hand phantomly cupping in the arrow, unsure if he was to even touch it.

"I told you to leave." Y/n told holding her side, "and you didn't."

He turned to retreat, but he wouldn't get very far, not with death creeping up the steps of the palace to meet her newest addition. He made it to the stairs, but that was it, he fell to his knees, and soon his side followed as he died on the steps of Moonhaven's castle.

Y/n's body gave out after, exhausted, and tired. Ronin caught her, putting her arm around his shoulder.

"Did you know-" Y/n interrupted herself with her own coughing; it hurt and sounded deep, yet she managed to clear her throat, "Did you know...that...oh jeez...it's, give me a minute would you?"

Ronin only smiled at her exhausted state; she was beaten to hell and back, but alive.

"I don't know what you're going to say, but I know that I'm the luckiest brother out there," Ronin told causing Y/n to laugh in exhaustion.

Before she could reply, the room was filling with soldiers and civilians, and the pod was blooming. It was a happy moment laced with sadness; Queen Tara would be gone forever after this.

A warm yet phantom hand was placed on her shoulder, she smiled at the impression of the queen in front of her.

"You did good, hard to split up the icon duo isn't it?" Tara jested as they both smile, Y/n looking at Ronin and he looks back at her as they chuckled, then turned back at the queen, "You'll be amazing Y/n, I know it."

Y/n nodded, bowing her head in a final goodbye her eyes closed, Tara's last goodbye to her was a kiss to the head, motherly even. She was let go by Ronin, and luckily she could balance herself, joy filled her; her people were alright, her friends; her brother.

She raised her head, eyes opening as she looked towards Ronin who smiled proudly at her. Everyone was looking at her she chuckled awkwardly as she looked down at her feet- her armor white, with gold detailing; looking at her hands they were adorned with white gloves and golden leaf details.

"Wait! Did I just-" She asked looking at Ronin, who couldn't help but laugh at her expression.

Nim walked in front of her, "You're majesty." he bowed.

Y/n bowed back, and everyone followed quickly with a smile on their face.

"Never thought Y/n would be queen, the get-up looks good on her though," Nod murmured, Ronin hit him on the arm, "What it's a compliment- I'm jealous of the new armor."

Everyone rose to their feet, "okay I can't balance any longer-"

Ronin was quick to hold his sister up once again, they laughed as she leaned on him; "Moonhaven's lucky to have you."

Y/n smiled yet winced, "And I'm lucky to have the best brother, I wouldn't trade him for anything in the world,"

"how about a healer?" Ronin asked.

"Yeah I might trade you for that," Y/n answered both laughing, "But besides that- I'm one lucky sister, even if we do fight, and we say things we don't mean, and we hate each other. I know you'll always be there for me."

#epic 2013 x reader #epic 2013 #ronin epic #Epic 2013 x sibling! reader #sibling reader #Ronin x sibling reder #x reader #x female reader #female reader #Ronin x reader #I love it when my own work makes me cry #fanfc #Epic 2013 fanfic

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