#protect scythe head guy at all costs

[enes-tight-ass]

@prilosecthegreat

was suddenly moved to draw a toony sort of character design .. but this is a bit too close to 2013 tumblr sexyman for my own comfort

[jellimac-sims-stories]

The Reluctant Painter

Jellimac

Summary | You find a bag of money and a little black book with a scythe on it. What would you do?

I don’t particularly like my job but at least I have one. My brother is super protective and made me move to the desert across the street from him. I can’t blame him. It’s not like I was doing much with my life bumming around with my friends getting high. His only condition was that I get a job so I took the first job that came my way. The Artist Agency calls my position a “Hungry Artist” which is a fancy way of saying this is a shit job.

Even with this job and the freeish housing things aren’t exactly going my way. Yeah, I'm grateful to have a steady income, to live in the trailer my brother owns, and for the money that he and his wife send me to help keep up with bills. Things keep seeming to go downhill day after day lately. My smoking hot girlfriend broke up with me. Then my dog Shep got sick. And then when my best friend Eden took me out to try to cheer me up I ended up trying to makeout with her. I got a black eye for it. She hasn’t spoken to me since. Things really couldn’t be worse for me right now.

Thankfully the Artist Agency called the other day to hire me to finish up the new mural at the gym in Uptown. I can’t say that I am the best artist but work is work and it will help take my mind off of things for a little while. It's just painting anyway. I took the day job begrudgingly and made my way to head to Uptown. It takes two buses and one train to get to Uptown from Bedrock Strait where I live. That costs me $23 just to get to the job site and back. The agency only has me scheduled for four hours to finalize the mural. I only make $23 an hour. I’m about to make less than $100 for four hours of work. This job fucking sucks.

Unfortunately, the job site was downstairs in the men's locker room. This part of Uptown is elevated over the rest of the city. Think of the sort of place where you’d say ‘I can see my house from here’. That's the type of view I'm talking about. Which I almost can say but my house is just too far off to make out. From up here, you can see from the mountains and out to sea. I’m landlocked in a desert so I like coming here when I can. A creek runs behind my trailer but this is so much nicer. I had been hoping that maybe at least I’d have a good view all day even if it was just some housewives doing yoga badly. Realizing that I had gotten the shit end of the stick I plugged in my earbuds and got to work. 

After a few hours, one guy with bad diarrhea (probably one too many protein shakes) and several smelly dudes later the job was done. It was pretty nice; an optical illusion of the wall broken down showing the earth and the moon from above. Even though I can’t afford the membership at this gym you can see that this mural pulls the space together nicely (no pun intended). I hadn’t taken a break so I decided to spend the last 30 minutes of my time having lunch. I grabbed what I thought was all of my bags of paint supplies (that I would now have to lug back with me since the job was done) and headed outside. 

Finding a bench outside, I chowed down on leftover pizza that my SIL sent to my place last night. I noticed a bag with the painting supplies that didn’t look familiar. It was plain black with a thick gray zipper and felt kind of expensive in my hand. I opened it up expecting that maybe I had picked up someone's gym bag by mistake. To my surprise, it was full of cash! Thick bundled stacks of cash with $1000 markers on the bands. Holy shit! It looked like there was a couple of grand in this bag alone. I’ve never seen this much money ever in my life! I don't even have this much money.

Quickly but trying not to look suspicious, I zipped the bag back up, grabbed all the other bags, and threw what was left of the pizza slice to the pigeons that were hungrily watching me eat. I hurried down to the subway level to catch a train back to Oasis Springs. This time the cost of the tickets and bus fare didn't matter to me that much considering I had a few thousand bucks in one of my bags I was lugging back home. 

I don't usually pay any mind to how long it takes to get around on public transportation. It's almost a full half-hour to reach the outskirts of Oasis Springs to even get anywhere else. That and the fact that I am a habitually late person (something my ex used to complain about) but this time I was buzzing in my seat with anticipation. When the bus finally got to the corner of my street I practically ran all the way home. I headed straight for my shed where I usually keep all of my painting supplies. My dog followed me in as he's keen to do when I arrive home. He's expecting that we will go for a run or a swim in the river like we tend to do every evening but not today. 

After I stowed the supplies away I unzipped the mysterious bag and dumped everything on the ground. Inspecting everything that tumbled out of the bag, I can make out a mix of both new and used stacks of bills all with $1000 marked bands on them. Stacks of $20’s, $100's, and $10's all mixed together. I quickly counted everything out and totaled it up. There was $20,000 in that bag! I've only got like $2,700 to my name and that's only because my brother gave me $1,500 last Christmas. Shit, this is a lot of money.

While I gaped over my luck at finding this bag o’cash I noticed a notebook where I had originally dumped everything out. It's a regular hardcover black notebook except for the scythe debossed on the cover. Opening it, I flipped through the pages. Most are oddly blank until I get to almost the end. In very neat handwriting there are what looks like the details of a contract. It was a few pages long and not written in English. It could possibly be Latin or some other dead language but I could only make out the few words in English; Jack-of-all-Trades, billionaire, beach house, global superstar, and the name Charles Andrei signed at the end. That name sounded familiar, something to do with my ex but I couldn’t put my finger on it. (He's probably some guy she was sleeping with for money so I stopped thinking about it.) There is another signature next to it that I couldn't decipher. The letters kept playing tricks on my eyes. The first time I looked at it I thought it said Hel. The next time I read Ankou, then Thanatos, and finally Magere Hein.  That's not possible , I thought and closed the book. 

Suddenly it was very cold in the shed. The window panes started to frost up and I could see my breath before me. The sun had been setting when I got home but it doesn't get this cold in the desert ever. Shep started barking and growling at something behind me. I hadn't heard the door to the shed open but I had a feeling that I wasn't alone....

Are you scared yet? Read the set on my AO3

[h0rr0rsaxo]

I think you know what I'm here for. Viper vs. Zalgo proxies.

[ Viper vs. Zalgo proxies || Simp party. ]

A/N: Viper is a crazy badass mf. She has soft spot for Fang lol, love that. Also Anni>>>

WARNINGS: Gore, immense violence and Ace being absolutely violated.

TAGS: @cheesefanboy2 @grey-like-the-color @insane-horror-movie-addict

WORD COUNT: 4,094

"So what's it gonna be?" Viper asks. "Are we just gonna depart peacefully and be on our own merry ways, or am I gonna have to kick your ass too?" Viper's eyes narrowed at the thought of leaving Fang here with these revolting human men, together, alone. A slight wince of jealousy struck at Viper's heart, causing her to look back forward and lock with Anni's stare, "Because I could do this all fucking day." Viper only kept her eyes focused on Anni, concern and irritation washed over her face with her breathing slightly unsteady. Anni watched as her jaw muscles tightened and she gritted her teeth, now staring at Anni with her eyes ready to kill. One of the Giggler's dismantled arms attempted to reach for Viper, but her boot slammed onto it — creating an audible 'CRACK!' noise. 

The two only stared at each other in the moments of silence. 

"Why are you even trying to take her?" Anni's eyes narrowed, taking an intimidating step forward with a slight eyebrow raise. 

"It's none of your business. I don't expect a mere human to understand," She stopped and placed a hand on her hip, staring down at Anne with an anger ridden face. She looked down at her, narrowing her eyes, "Just like how you don't seem to understand that if you don't let me take what's rightfully mine, then I'm going to have to wipe all of you bitches out." Right before Anni had the chance to interject— more proxies arrived with their weapons at the ready. Evan grew weary of those Zalgo proxies, he said a cautious hand onto Anni's shoulder — signaling to her it might be their time to leave. This situation was getting out of hand, but at the very least, the Gigglers were currently dismantled. For now.

"Ace? Kyler? The hell are you guys doing here?" Anni stepped aside from Viper, and still kept a sharp eye on the violet-capped who seemed to be infatuated with Fang. The other Zalgo proxies narrowed their eyes at how Anni only seemed to acknowledge the two.

"Reports of a disturbance. It was interfering with Zalgo's work, so we were told to take the threat down." The atmosphere suddenly got incredibly tense, while the proxies stared at the singular woman who protectively stood near Fang.  

The branches began to sway and creak in warning at the women that stood in a clearing among the tall pines. She stood still, eyes closed, waiting for a noise to cross her ears and waiting for her prey to descend from the shadows. Her dark purple hair bounced against her face as the wind grew stronger and howled louder, her cloak flapping violently. All hell was beginning to break loose and the wind beat against everything it came into contact with. Weak and old trees broke and fell to the ground in a loud, thunderous crash, and not once did the pale skinned woman flinch, her concentration focused on the specific task at hand. 

Hunt these bitches. Protect Fang at all costs.

Her eyebrows knitted when the air suddenly went stale and all noise seized to exist around her as if time were standing still. Her eyes flickered into mere slits— as the began to grow luminous while staring back at the proxies. She pulled her hood of her cloak onto her head, sheathing her scythe.

"Is it just me or did it get really tense?" Kyler's british accent temporarily broke the silence— he awkwardly attempted to crack a joke, but everyone continued to glare at the threat at hand. 

Her eyes opened to the voice that broke the barrier of silence, seeing a tall, lean man standing in front of her with a smug smile. His white teeth radiated from the moonlight and his light brown eyes flickered with red, signaling his demonic nature, "I mean..c'mon guys—" His eyes flickered back as he studied her features amusingly, softly laughing to himself. He took the silence as a cue to shut up, "Tough crowd.." 

"Who are you pathetic freaks supposed to be?" Viper began to walk forward, her glowing eyes staring through them as she approached, the blade of her scythe gleaming. 

"How do you not know?! We serve Zalgo—!" Amber barely got to whine, before the purple-haired figure interrupted her. 

"Never heard of him. Am I supposed to care?" Viper smirked to herself, and Amber narrowed her rage induced eyes. Who the fuck did this 'threat' think she was? 

"Oh now I get it…! You're supposed to be proxies. How cute. It's nice to play pretend, isn’t it?" Viper mocked.

Royce's eyes shifted at the scene in front of him— horror struck his eyes as he recognized the body parts littering and how the pink-liquids terrifyingly stained the ground below him— his stunned orbs holding a torturing stare-contest with their eyeballs that were bulged out of their sockets and stuck to the darkened brown mud that possessed tinges of vivid pink.

The very same eyes that were once brimmed with eccentric emotions such as Insanity and blood-lust were now nearly left spiritless and dull from all existence. Their button noses now twisted to an irregular shape and their ears were dangling from their heavily bruised faces, like a bloated and poisonous spider hanging on a thread of web. Their layer of coat ripped out, triggering a thick, pink fluid to spurt out like a bloody fountain. A sickening stench of cotton-candy lingered in the air as the scarlet liquid constantly poured out of their torn skins. His eyes shaking lying drifted up, to the woman with pink staining her black cloak. They were still alive— but it was impossible for the to reassemble themselves because of how closely she monitored them. 

This was no ordinary threat. She just single-handedly tore apart the Gigglers without a single scratch on her body. Kyler seemed to pick up on this as well— as he dryly swallowed and scrambled to hide his old Giggler-proxy-symbol. 

They all instantly went on defense as soon as Viper took a step forward. The group's leader barked at his fellow proxies over the howling wind. They braced their hand held weapons tightly in their fingers and moved into formation, sticking to each other like glue. Giving a quick glace to Fang, she smiled warmly and gave her a quick nod— as if to tell her this would all be over soon. Viper shifted her head to the Zalgo proxies, and smirked. "Here we go again. Oh well, this is light work. Time to show you what a real proxy can do." 

And they were off. The Slenderman proxies shielded back as Viper, all youth and lean muscle, leapt catlike from the ground, waving the hooked blade in figure eights multiple times before touching down on the ground again— managing to strike Ace before he even realized he was being attacked. The blade just barely sliced at his flesh— and managed to knock the weapon from his hand. A cold sweat broke out across his brow and pained heat formed under his clothing. He gritted his teeth so hard that he swore they could break and ignored the pain the best he could, reaching into his boot and sliding out a hidden knife. Her foot finally lands on Ace's face to get even higher and launches into a jump, as it knocks him down.

Viper cracked a smile. This time, she made sure to make eye contact. For a brief moment, she could see uncertainty in her opponent’s eyes. She felt grateful for the advantage. She hadn't even touched the ground yet, and she was already implementing fear into her enemies. 

Up she goes again— just as fast. Her other leg pumps, high knee gaining altitude. Her jumping leg tucks. Her body rolls midair, momentum carrying her straight down. The top of her boot slams into Amber's face, burying in her forehead. She finally lands onto the ground— she slid to the ground and Amber pointed a gun at her, smiling to herself in a wide grin, "This will put you in your fucking place, you cocky piece of shit!" She pulled the hammer back on the pistol, and Viper smirked whilst barely just dodging the other attacks thrown at her by the Zalgo proxies.

The pistol went off with blunt force— and to Amber's surprise as Viper kicked it right as she pulled the trigger, the bullet barely managed to graze her cloak. She jumped up, slamming her fist into her cheek and sending her sliding into the pink-liquid stained grass below them. 

The man charged at Viper with his long-winded blade upheld, going to his foreswing and following it with a backswing. Viper dodged the first and met the second with her scythe. The weight of the thing sent Royce's blade back…but not far enough to knock the blade free of his hands. Striking. This arcing shot sliced the fabric of Royce's suit at the midsection. It missed the flesh behind it by perhaps a centimeter. Royce staggered, trying to get a hit on her, but she was incredibly fast— it seemed nearly impossible. Just who the fuck was she? 

Royce swung. His broadsword missed, though not close enough to eat fabric. Viper managed another smirk, this time at the spryness of her own dodge. Royce had to admit it was impressive, but this time, the sight only made him angrier. Right as she dodged his attack— Kyler managed to get ahold of her, tightly wrapping his arms around her and locking her against him— giving his fellow proxies a chance to get a hit at her. 

"De mortuis nil nisi bonum." Kyler hissed and gripped his head and Viper's lips continued to move, "Deo gratias, deus vobiscum, gloria in excelsis deo!"

"What is s-she doing to m--m-me!?" Both Kyler's demon and human voices meshed together as he flung out his hand in unimaginable force, thrusting her small frame up against a tree. Kyler gasped out in pain and attempted to arch his burning back, but the force of her power kept him completely still as she continued to mutter out the curse— specially made for demonics. 

"Are you new to being a demon or something? Every demon has a weakness." She taunted. Viper body reacted on its on, her right arm reaching up and wrapping around the hand that grabbed her clothes and pushed down hard to

loosen Kyler's grip. Viper then quickly shifted her weight completely to her right leg, pivoting her weight and turning her back to him so that his arm was now over her shoulder. The sudden movement threw Kyler off balance, which gave her enough room to flip him over her shoulder and directly at Ace— Ace quickly stumbled back when his friend was literally thrown at him.

One of Amber's hands releases her hold on the trigger while she still recovered from the injury already given to her. Viper leaps away at just the last second she would have been shot. sHe lands not too far away, that same glare on her face. She chortles to himself as she stands tall, her hands in her pockets. "Much too slow, my friend." She taunts.

The demon takes this opportunity to attempt her escape. She scurries at breakneck speed and tries going as high as it can away from the stranger. She was like a racehorse being released from their gates and she rushed around the forest with her legs pumping back and forth to maximize her speed. 

"I said you're too slow and you still think you can outrun me? You're hilarious."

In the blink of an eye, Viper appears running along the side of the forest alongside her. Before the Zalgo proxy could react, Viper pushes herself off the surface to give a swift roundhouse kick right in the middle of her face — a mountain of blood begins cascading from her nose after the swift break to her face. With one sharp swing, Viper took down Amber, her head sliding clean off her body and rolling across the ground. With the stained handle in her palms, she marched through the snow and kicked up the powder as she went about. 

A strong force knocked Royce off his feet and snow powdered onto his face, instantly turning to liquid upon kissing his warm skin. Royce shoved back across the ground with his feet, his eyes glancing up to see the dangerous woman in front of him. She grabbed his boot and jumped down on him, slamming her fist into Royce's face and jarring him briefly. Rouce gritted his teeth and wrapped her hand around her neck, pushing her up and ramming her knee into Viper's stomach— but alas, no effect. He coughed and Viper shoved him aside, reaching his pistol hand up and aiming at the woman standing above him. Viper instantly kicked the pistol from his hand just as Royce pulled the trigger, Royce feeling an intense pain in his wrist. 

"Get the hell up you pussy!" Keiran called to his partner as he struggled to get back to his feet, "We need to kill this asshole and get this over with!" Royce reached his fist back and shoved it into Viper's stomach, causing her to nearly fall to her knees from the imbalance. She quickly recovered as she took in the real reality of the situation, knowing that if she didn't fight back she wouldn't be able to get Fang.

Viper shoved her shoulder into Royce's stomach and knocked him to the ground. Royce grabbed Viper's arms as he tried to pry her off, but she shoved all her weight down on him. Her fist broke the skin on the man's lips, watching as he spit out blood before his fist could make more contact with the man's face. Viper glared down at him, gritting her teeth, "You're not gonna be the one leaving alive."

In the rage, Viper obliviously forgot about the man's partner and found herself nearly face first into the snow once — before catching herself. The sharp tip of a boot rammed into her ribs, causing her to cough out and grab at her side instinctively. As Viper gained her composure, she took out her entire wrath upon the two men, not realizing that they weren't such an easy target at first. Never did they expect Viper to be able to fight alone when they first laid their eyes on her.

Keiran finally managed to take a breath of fresh air as the onslaught of boots to his torso halted, his blue eyes opening and taking a look. His fingers grew numb against the influence of the cold snow, Keiran leaning up as he stared down the barrel of his own silver Python. A sly smirk brewed on the lips of Viper as she watched Keiran look through the barrel of his own gun, seeing a spark of fear in his eyes. Keiran choked down whatever was in his throat, his jaw tightened and he gritted his teeth, closing his eyes and just waiting for it all to be over. The russian man's sharp cries echoed through the air and Anni's eyes popped open, seeing him fall to the ground and blood seeping out of a back wound. Viper then threw the gun to his head, successfully knocking him unconscious.

Ace's eyes watched in slight concentration, and a realization hit him. The person Viper was protecting heavily— it was Fang. He didn't care much for the girl, it would be easier to just kill her and have this fight be over. He quickly turned and moved to another, raising his rifle and aiming it out at Fang— nearly shooting the girl.

Viper felt rage course through her body, her eyes now blazing like a thousand suns she jumped and kicked Ace in the jaw, his head cocking as he fell back to the floor.

Ace rolled back over to his side and Viper kicked him sharply in the ribs with the tip of her boot. Anni pulled her pistol from its holster and held it out in front of her, hearing Ace's painful groans as he tried to fight back. Ace slammed his metal stump against Viper's leg, but it had no effect. The woman shoved her foot down on Ace's chest, making the man choke out air. Anni stuck the end of her pistol and aimed her sights at Viper, her hand beginning to shake uncontrollably. Fear washed over her quickly as she watched Ace get to his feet and slam up against Viper, the two intertwining with each other and disabling her from getting a good shot. Viper punched Ace in his face and rammed him up against a tree, Ace putting his hand against her face to try and keep her at bay.

Viper's mouth latched onto his pinky and ring finger, biting down on them with brutal force. Ace let out a desperate shout and Viper tore her mouth from Ace's hand, his two fingers along with it.

Anni squeezed her eyes shut upon watching Viper spit out his fingers and head-butt him with nothing but blunt force and ruthlessness. She held her breath and pressed her hand against her mouth to muffle the whimpers that tried to escape her lips. A grotesque snap of bones breaking echoed through the forest and Anni managed to tear her eyes open to gather what was going on. Viper stood with her hand on Ace's neck, Ace choking out for some type of refuge from the pain. Anni's legs shook in anticipation. Ace was caught and she needed to move, she needed to do something to help him but her body wouldn't have any of it. Her brain didn't want to listen to Ace's voice in her head telling her to stay and her body locked her into place, making sure she didn't move a muscle as things went silent.

"You are just never satisfied, are you?!" Red bullets of blood dripped from her mouth, spitting his own blood at him mockingly, "You already killed my brother, and now you want to kill the love of my life? You disgust me, Ace."

"T—the hell are y—you talking about!?" Ace choked out with a crack in his voice, but he stayed strong. "I don't even know you!" His venomous voice growled and Viper shook her head.

Anni's ears rang and her eyes widened, watching Ace's body fall to the ground with a loud thump. She stopped breathing, nothing on her body moved, and all she could do was stare at the unfolded event in front of her. She saw Viper move over Ace's body and stare down at him, his pistol down at his side. Viper tilted her head, "Now you can rot where you lie, dirty brother killer..."

Viper stepped over Ace's body and disappeared to fight Royce. Anni  waited a few moments in silence and heard his calm footsteps disappear from her ears. She kept her body low as she rushed towards Ace's side, falling to her knees as she crouched down next to him. Her hand yanked out a black handkerchief from his pocket and she pressed it down on the gunshot wound in his chest.

"I'm gonna get you outta here, Ace. I can help you—" Anni's voice wavered as her mind scrambled on what to do. His breathing was labored and with each breath Anni heard him gargle in his blood. Her heart pounded,

"Get your ass outta here!" He breathed and moaned from an abrupt pain in his chest. Anni shook her head,

"I can't leave you!"

"She s-shot me in my lung— but, I'll be fine." Ace grabbed Anni's shoulder and she stared into his magenta eyes, seeing his pupils beginning to dilate. "Now you get the hell outta here... before she kills you. I can't have that happen…not to you."

Anni closed her eyes and brought her now bloody hand to her face, shaking her head and holding her breath. Warmth crawled up her throat and she felt her eyes watering, knowing that there was not one more thing she could do. Anni took a deep breath and put her hand down, seeing Ace gritting his teeth and a soft nod come from his head.

"Ace?" Anni watched as Ace's eyes glazed over and felt his damaged hand slide off her shoulder and thump onto the floor. He didn't blink, he didn't twitch, and he didn't spit off one last sarcastic remark. Ace was dead— for now. 

Anni huffed and the control on her eyes broke, tears rolling off her cheeks and onto his body. She swiped her hand across her face, wiping away the tears on her cheeks and leaning down. Anni's hand rested over Ace's eyes and her fingers pulled his eyelids down for his final rest. She pressed her lips against his forehead and leaned back up, sliding her knife from its sheath. She didn't know why she was so emotional. Yes, Ace could come back— but at the chance that Zalgo would decide that he didn't need Ace as a proxy anymore, then he would be dead.

Royce spat out his blood, gritting his katana with fury and stumbling to his feet. The first two missed badly, but the third, a backswing off the one before it, found flesh. The heavy broadsword nearly ate through Viper as easily as air, but she turned, deflecting the sword with her scythe. Royce dropped to a knee, tried to stand, and dropped again— splattering his hybrid blood onto the grass. 

The last one standing. Kyler. Viper reaches a hand back to rub the area between her neck and her shoulder. He glances at him over her shoulder. Viper smirked, "Ah, yes. My dear friend here." 

Viper began reciting a Latin exorcism in her head, she lets go of his neck and raised her hand above his chest. The demon let out a shrieking wail as gray smoke began to disperse from his open mouth and eyes as if his impurities were being scared away by an intense heat. Kyler's breathing seized as he concentrated harder, his pupils blurring when he felt a warm liquid trickling from the corners of his eyes. 

"Stop it!" Before Viper could finish the proper exorcism, Fang grabbed at her hand and tugged her forward, "It's me you want, right? Just fucking take me! I don't care! Just leave them alone—" Fang brows furrowed with uncertainty, as she pursed her lip. 

"The hell are you doing?!" Anni reached for Fang, before Evan pulled her back, shaking his head,

"Anni, just forget about it. Let's just go. It's not worth it, just for some girl."

Viper's face softened with soft warm emotions, her face slowly melting from its rage-induced expression before— a slight blush forming onto her face when Fang's fingertips brushed against her. Her cloak glided with the wind, the pictures of her and her universe's version of Fang escaping into the wind. Anni quickly caught them before they could slip from her grasp, her brows furrowing. Viper lowered to her level with a small smile, her hand softly grazing against Fang's face. "You're as beautiful as I remember."

Momentarily, she pulled away— and whistled loudly, disregarding every proxy in the area. Immediately after, her large beast came charging through the area— Milky-white fur glided with the soft whisking winds, as tiny drops of crimson dived into the ground; forming a miniature splash. The hell-hound came charging into the area, and Viper quickly grabbed Fang, and took off on the large creature— leaving everyone else behind.

"Oh hell no!" Anni stuffed the picture that Viper lost into her pocket. She yanked Varrick's hand— pulling him alongside her as she ran towards his motorcycle, conveniently parked extremely near them. He managed to fumble for his keys when they both hopped onto the motorcycle, the others taking this as a cue to follow suit of their 'leader.'

Varrick felt the bike swerve to the side, scaring him out of his wits as he lurched sideways, seeing the concrete taunting him below them. Anni latched onto his torso and gripped it tightly, her face directed towards the horizon, and the large creature that ran off with the both of them. With her eyes sparking with determination, she felt her heart throb against her chest and her arms shaking from the sudden adrenaline. 

Varrick looked back briefly, then down to his chest, seeing her hands gripping on him in pure rage. He looked back to the, his flicking hair blowing away from his face. 

Anni was pissed off.

[rubywithin]

Scrolls of Mudorius 18

(Gene) "You two I want you to guard this room at all costs!" (Guards) "Yes Sir". -Thump....Thump- (???) "Now it's your turn Gene" (Gene) "How did you take them out so easily?" (???) "Phantom Dagger it's like your victim has an imaginary knife in them till the user decides to bring it into reality. You could say the Daggers were inserted when I accidently bumped into them on the streets!". (Gene) "So you have been pretending to be a civilian this whole time? (???) "Of course you never cared about our people Gene so I will be doing them a favour by getting rid of you! Inferno...." (Kiyen) "Scythe Hurricane...." (???) "I see that feeling when I entered the room was you?" (Kiyen) "Scythe Dance" (Gene) "Darn it be careful....this place is too small for you to recklessly be swing that thing!". (???) "And you want to save this selfish scumbag, why? I thought you were one of those..." (Violet) "Knife Edge Wheel!"

(Kiyen) "Violet why are you here....this guy is too dangerous!" I gave him an angry look and he back down. (Violet) "I am here because I could tell you planned on fighting this guy even if it meant dying and I can't allow you to throw way your life Commander...no Kiyen". We both turned to look at the guy but he just stood there so we both charged at him, (???) "Piercing Knife" he launched the attack and we dodged....no his target was Gene. (Violet) "Inferno Dagger" I launched my attack hoping to stop the previous attack....phew my shot was on point. (Kiyen) "HYAAAAH" Kiyen caught him with an attack...that should be enough to kill him right? (???) "So after everything this man has done Violet you chose to save him". (Violet) "Who do you think you are talking to me...wait" no way it can't be. (???) "I guess I was right to join the Disowned....the one person who matters most to me has betrayed me!". (Hooded Girl) "Come forth the anger of the cloud's Lightning Blast".

(???) "Faye you didn't need to step in!" (Faye) "Gray I got the records we were after. Plus we will be hosting a meeting when Cres returns from her mission!". (Gray) "I will leave for now but in the future I will fight I will fight the three of you to death". The two of them ran off but Kiyen went after them....I had to stay behind and protect Gene. I hated him....but Kiyen was willing to protect him even if it meant losing his own life! -On the rooftops- (Faye) "That guy is chasing us and I wasted a lot of energy on that spell and I'm exhausted from looking through all those boring records!" (Gray) "That guy dealt me a death blow Faye....I probably would of been captured if it wasn't for you!" -The chase continued- (Faye) "Maybe a quick fireball with solve our problems". (Kiyen) "I won't let you guy's escape Scythe..." -as the three jumped off the roof!- (Crimson) "Inferno Lance Shot, this is my new and improved style" (Kiyen) "UUUUUUGH".

-As the three gathered Faye cast a spell to warp them away from Phanzom-. (Kiyen) "N....no I failed to stop them again.....ugh" -after a few days Kiyen woke up to see Violet waiting by his bedside-. I felt relived that he was able to wake up, (Violet) "Commander I am sorry I wasn't able to help you". (Kiyen) "It's fine you prioritised protecting a target of their attack....which unfortunately was a distraction this whole time". He told me all about what he had heard as he was chasing the two of them. I can't believe that three of them were here alongside of us and we didn't even realize. "Violet I want you to return to base and tell them the two names we heard and a fourth one which is Cres!". (Violet) "Wouldn't it be best if I stayed here with you and we send a letter?". He shook his head, (Kiyen) "You are still in fighting condition so I want you to return in case you are needed by another Commander!". I then made my way back to our base.....I had my suspicions on who he was. But when he took a deadly blow I was convinced it was Don....he told me he had a book of forbidden techniques! And one could cheat death but I assumed he died before he could learn more....I have a feeling Don is behind Crimson knowing that Nullify technique!

[wastedr00k]

montagne x reader ; limit - photosynthesis -

just like a plant, Giles grew. 

as his heart and body changed, so did his feelings towards everyone and he soon grew a ‘hero complex’ , thinking he has to protect everyone in the face of danger, everyone except you. as he grew, you shrank. the more the shined the duller you become. and yet, the more he took from you, the deeper your love for him.

as the scythe he carried grew heavier and larger, the smaller your wings span shrunk, the more feathers you lose.

but you didn’t mind, you were here to support him in the spotlight, not steal it from him. you didn’t mind that the feathers on your wings has long fallen off from the arguments and from his growth. it was almost comical, the way you used your own shine to nurture him at the cost of yourself, they’ll grow back anyway. it was what you owed him after all.

but it’s worth it right?

it was worth it watching him fall in love with someone else, to watch him go crawling back to him every time, to watch him turn away whenever she kissed another guy, to watch him destroy himself while you, oh foolish you, kept giving all that you have left. 

because he’ll come to his senses one day, right?

“you know what she’s doing, stop turning away from it Giles.” you yelled as he continued to run with all his might, in hopes that he’ll forget.

struggling to keep up with him, your hands always seem to be mere inches away from him. “Giles! please stop, you know that it isn’t worth it, she isn’t worth it!” 

halting in his steps, he turned around to face you with nothing but anger in his eyes, “she isn’t worth it? how dare you say that?” he thundered towards you, “you know who isn’t worth it? you!”

you stopped as your hands went up to clutch your chest in shock, tears already welling up in your eyes as your feathers started to sting again. but it didn’t matter to Giles, he was taking his anger out on you, ruthlessly.

“you did nothing for me my whole life!”

did he forget when you held him in your arms and wings as he cried for the whole night after finding out she slept with someone else for months behind his back?

it’s okay, he’s just stressed out

“you were never there for me in any way!”

did he forget when you watched with pride as he collected his graduation certificate, or that time when you pushed him out of the way of an on coming car, or when you took notes for him while he slept during his classes?

it’s okay, a little more and it’ll be over

“you were nothing but a burden to me in my whole damn life!”

were you a burden when you lend him a shoulder to cry on, when you gave him advice, when you told him that it was all going to be okay?

it’s okay, this will help him feel better

and finally, silence.

Giles’s chest heaved as he kept his brows knotted, fist clenched and teeth gritted and feet firmly planted into the ground. 

it was such a contrast to you, you who were floating above the ground, hands clutching each other, eyes widened with tears. your wings are now nothing but ashes, blackened from the venom that Giles spat at you.

as the both of you continued this silent stand off, you decided to back down, like you always do. with his scythe as your neck, you bowed in defeat, “i’m sorry, my dear.”

still fuming from his rage, still too prideful to lower his scythe and apologize, he turned away from you and continued to run, knowing he’ll have to make it up to you later with sweet lies, but for now, his own pride is still latching onto him. there’s no way he’ll bow to you now.

as you slowly recollected yourself, lifting your head to see him running further and further away from you, down a path of nothing but misery.

it was worth it watching him work himself half to death for a sliver of recognition, to patch him up whenever he came back bruised as the cuts dried on his skin, to watch as he hung more medals up on his walls. to watch him use himself as a human shield.

because that’s what makes him happy right?  

as you floated above his bed, you watched quietly as Giles opened up his acceptance letter to the **** , his smile couldn’t be wider as he turned to you and brought the letter up to your face.

“I made it! they’re accepting me!” he beamed at you and continued texting everyone he knows about the news.

“why must you chase this?”

“why shouldn’t I? I’ve been dreaming of this for my whole life! since i was a kid and when i had my first toy tank, I knew that this is something I’m willing to chase.” he quipped back to you, “can you just support me for once? this is me doing what I love like you’ve always told me to.”

as your brows furrowed, you floated down to keep your eyes level with his, “i only told you to love yourself, my dear Giles.” reaching out to hold his hands in yours, as another feather starts getting corrupted with ashes. 

“isn’t doing something I love a way of loving myself?” he shooed you away, like he always had, as his phone screen lit up with yet another person calling him to congratulate him.

“loving yourself? you call this loving yourself? you call sending yourself to war loving yourself? you’re not loving yourself, you’re loving the recognition, it’s not the same thing.” you muttered, hands softly touching the new scars on your wings, “i want to keep you safe, with me.”

just like a plant, he grew and just like a light source that couldn’t be keep powered forever, you became dimmer and dimmer.

“i don’t mind becoming dimmer, if it makes you shine brighter, my darling.”

[youtuberswithalex]

PRVL, Vol 3, Ch 3: It’s Brawl in the Family

Summary: Riad’s risky move comes to play as Roman and their friends watch and worry in the stands. Will it pay off, or will it cost Team AMBR the match?

Word Count: 3,291

Warnings: Fighting (in a tournament), mentions of alcohol

Tag List: @haikyuupaladin @an0therrand0 @isabel3710 @ilia-a-isms (Let me know if you want to be added or removed!)

Masterpost – Volume 1 – Previous - Next 

---

Anole kept his head under the shallow water and swam as fast as he could, eyes glued to the blurs fighting at the top of the bird’s nest. Each kick of his feet sent sand up to cloud the water further; by the time he made it to the other end of the pool, he could hardly see a thing.

He pressed his hands on the rising bank and scrambled onto dry land, frantically pushing his now-soaked bangs out of his face.

The ground jolted beneath his feet.

Letting out a yelp, Anole stumbled and crashed face-first into the sand as the stage began to tremble.

Ash and Mauve gasped and threw themselves onto the edges of the bird’s nest, gripping with white knuckles while Bora and Marjani grabbed each other’s hands and beamed.

Myrtille toppled backwards and fell to her knees. She slammed her ice saw into the floor before slamming her metal leg down next to it, cleats shooting out from the bottom.

The sound of cracking rock sounded across the arena, and as Sakiz lost her hold, the loose boulder toppled over. It splashed into the lava pit, sending bubbles flying everywhere.

Sakiz landed right on top with a heavy oof!, and only a drop of lava hit her armor.

The earthquake slowed to a stop.

Riad sat up and let out a sigh of relief before Myrtille let out a cry and tackled him back to the ground.

Looping his bow around the quiver on his back, Anole leapt onto the mast, the scaly grooves on his palms sticking easily to the wood. He swung his feet far behind him as he used his upper body strength to scale his way up. When he reached the bottom of the bird’s nest, he braced his heels below him; he walked his hands across the bottom as quickly as he could before gripping the boards on the side and swinging out.

Through the cracks, he watched as Ash threw an uppercut into Marjani’s chin; in return, she kicked her back, sending her struggling to keep her balance on the edge.

Anole grinned.

He gripped the top of the nest and hoisted himself up as he threw out a leg to knock Ash to the ground. Mauve whipped around and aimed an arrow at him, but he somersaulted onto the floor just as it whizzed past his hair. Yanking his own weapon out, he shot an arrow through her dress, pinning her to the side of the compartment.

“Four square, huh?” Bora huffed.

Growling, Anole scrambled over and started to unwrap the chain. “Shut up, not my best plan.”

The chain dropped to the ground, and Marjani shoved one of her swords into Bora’s hands. “Don’t blame, fight,” she said.

There was a laugh behind them.

“Oh, don’t worry,” Mauve replied.

The three whipped around to see her balancing on the side of the bird’s nest, her taut bow aiming at their feet. Ash crouched on the floor next to her, her chain in one hand and Anole’s arrow in the other.

“This fight’s over.”

She fired a red arrow and dropped; Ash leapt out after her, grasping her by the wrist. The arrow wedged itself into the wood in front of Anole’s feet and started to flash.

“Great,” he grumbled.

Ka-BOOM!

Nila gasped as they watched three bodies go sailing across the field. “They’re not gonna land it!”

Thamir grimaced. “So that means…”

The buzzer sounded.

“Ooh, what an upset!” Professor Port’s voice echoed around the arena. “Three out of the four members of Team AMBR have been eliminated by knock-out!”

“Truly, what an unfortunate circumstance! It is now up to Mr. Airtafae to win this match, with his worryingly-low Aura levels after that astonishing demonstration of his semblance!”

“Four against one,” Lloyd finished. “This isn’t going to end well.”

Roman whirled around to glare at him. “How dare you assume that my boyfriend can’t hold his own!” he exclaimed. “Riad can and will take these fine ladies single-handedly and destroy them!”

“I have reason to believe you are highly overestimating him,” Logan stated.

“Roman’s definitely got one hell of a pair of rose-tinted glasses,” Thamir laughed.

Logan raised an eyebrow. “Roman doesn’t wear glasses…”

Riad kicked Myrtille off of him and dove for his mace; as soon as it was in his hands, he slammed it into the ground, setting off an explosion that had both him and Myrtille flying in opposite directions. He skidded to a stop, one hand on the ground for balance, as she tumbled towards the water.

Just before she fell in, Mauve leapt over the water and shoved her down to the stage. Ash landed next to them and launched her chain into the lava field, snatching Sakiz and bringing her to safety in a second.

They slowly stalked around him; he watched carefully, gripping his weapon tight.

“You might as well give up now, kid,” Ash said. “There’s no winning this match for your precious team.”

He shot her a confident smirk. “I don’t stop fighting until the end.”

Myrtille let out a hum. “That’s respectable. You seem like a cool guy. I kinda wish we didn’t have to do this to you.”

“Let’s get dinner sometime after this,” Sakiz offered.

“Sorry, girls. I’m already taken.”

Behind him, he heard the creaking of a bow.

“Who said any of us were interested?” Mauve asked.

Riad whirled around and swung his mace, the spikes crashing into the arrow just before it hit him; he ducked just as a machete flew above his head and swung his leg to knock Sakiz’s feet out from under her. As she fell forward, he leapt up and landed an uppercut on her jaw. He snatched the chain as it flew towards him, yanking Ash into a kick in the stomach. The ice saw flew down out of the corner of his eye, and he threw his mace up just in time to block.

Myrtille spun and twirled her saw, wrapping the chain of his mace around the handle before yanking him over and putting him in a headlock. He threw his elbow into her stomach, but she held her ground.

“Now!”

With wide eyes, Riad watched the other three come sprinting towards him.

A punch to the stomach.

A kick to the shin.

A headbutt to the face.

A buzzer.

“Oh, and with that brutal elimination, Team SAMM proceeds to the Doubles Round!”

As the girls dropped their stances to cheer, Riad slumped to the floor, panting heavily. He squeezed his eyes shut and hissed through his teeth.

“Riad!” a voice screamed.

Roman shot into the air and towards the stage, ignoring his friends’ cries in favor of keeping his focus on his fallen love. It was hardly a split second later when, not unlike a bird to a well-cleaned window, he crashed into the shield protecting the stands from harm.

He fell to the floor with a groan; when he sat up and looked over to Riad, he was slowly making his way towards the locker rooms, shoulders low and his mace dragging behind.

-----

 “That was awful.”

Virtus offered a soft, sympathetic smile and put his hand on Roman’s shoulder as they stepped off the airship. “Yeah, that’s tournaments, kid. It’s always the people you want to win that lose.”

“But it’s so not fair!” Roman exclaimed, throwing his hands up. “How did we pass onto Round Two and not AMBR?!”

“We were against different teams, Roman,” Logan pointed out. “There is no evidence to suggest that we would have won against SAMM, nor that Team AMBR would have lost to Team JTTT.”

Roman looked away. “I know, but… still. Seeing Riad like that…” He sighed. “I’d at least have felt a little better if Anole had actually let me talk to them.”

Esther adjusted her hijab. “Give them time to lick their wounds. They need it.”

Giving his shoulder one final pat, Virtus put his hands on his hips and stopped to look at the group. “Well, I don’t know about you three, but watching all that fighting made me hungry. Whaddya say we meet up with the other two and head into Vale to get something to eat?”

“Why not go to the fairgrounds?” Roman asked.

“Can’t exactly eat in public without pulling that down, now, can we?” Esther said, pointing to Virtus’s mask.

“Oh. Right.”

Logan opened his scroll. “I’ll send Virgil a message to have them meet us—”

“Guys! Guys!”

They spun around to see Virgil already sprinting towards them, Patton hot on his heels. The Lyceums each reached for their weapons; as soon as they saw the huge grin on Virgil��s face, they relaxed.

The two skidded to a stop, and Virgil frantically pointed behind him towards the courtyard. “Did you guys see that?! Please tell me you saw that!”

“See what?” Roman asked.

Virgil let out a cry and dug his hands into his hair. “You just missed this incredible fight!”

“In the courtyard?”

“Yes!”

“There was this Huntsman with a big sword,” Patton explained, “And he was fighting with an Atlas Military woman!”

“Not just any woman—a specialist!” Virgil added. “They were so fast and strong—dude would’ve beaten her clean if General Ironwood hadn’t stepped in!”

Logan raised an eyebrow. “Who would be foolish enough to attack an Atlas Military Specialist?”

Patton shrugged. “I think his name was Crow, or something.”

Roman froze. “Wait—wait—you said he had a big sword? Was he drunk?!”

“Um… Maybe?”

His face turned a deep red. “Was… Was it Qrow Branwen…?”

“The one from Team STRQ?” Virtus asked. “Is he still picking fights?”

Roman buried his face in his hands, wings curling around himself. “Gods…! That was one of my teachers at Signal!”

“What?!”

“The drunk dude?!”

“He’s a teacher?!”

“Not anymore,” Roman replied as he dropped his hands. “Yang said that he left to go on some mission that was going to last a really long time or something. Didn’t think he’d be returning at all, let alone like that…”

Logan crossed his arms. “And where would Yang have acquired that information?”

“Um… Her and Ruby’s dad?” Roman shot. “He’s their uncle.”

Virtus smacked the heel of his hand against his forehead. “Gah, of course she is! Should’ve known from the moment Ruby pulled out her scythe!”

“Oh, come on! You couldn’t have guessed it just by that!” Esther exclaimed as she swatted his shoulder. “That girl in Team AMBR had one, too! It’s the hair that should’ve given it away!”

“Her hair doesn’t look anything like his!”

“Oh, what are you—?!”

“Okay, okay—” Logan put his hands between the two and shook his head. “If we want to eat in Vale, we cannot start this conversation. Patton, Virgil, would you like to join us?”

Virgil put his hands in his pockets. “Sure, I could go for some food. Where are we going?”

“I’ve got a few places in mind we can pick from,” Virtus said. “We can decide when we get closer.”

“Trust us when we say the food is great,” Esther added. “One of the places has a pumpkin bread that is absolutely to die for.”

Roman perked up. “Oh? Riad loves pumpkin bread! You must tell me where I can find this!”

Logan looked to Patton; he frowned when he saw his arms wrapped around himself, looking away.

“Patton?”

His head snapped up. “Huh?”

“Are you going to be joining us for dinner?” he asked again.

Shifting his weight between his feet, Patton looked away hesitantly and shrugged. “I… don’t think I can,” he whispered. “I don’t really have any Lien…”

“Who said you were paying?” Virtus cut in.

Patton blinked at him, eyes wide. “U-Uh… I thought…”

Virtus cut him off with a wave of his hand. “Hey, c’mon. We’ve got the money, and you kids definitely earned it today!”

“No, it’s—it’s okay, you don’t have to—”

“We want to,” he replied. “We wanna get to know you kids better, anyway. What better way to do it than over some grub?”

“I…”

Mouth still half open, his eyes flicked between Virtus’ and Logan’s shoes; when they lifted to look at Logan’s face, he did his best to offer an encouraging smile. Patton shrunk in on himself further before turning to Virtus.

“Are you sure…?”

Virtus beamed. “Absolutely! C’mon, now. This restaurant isn’t going to pick itself!”

He turned and started to lead the group back towards the airships while Logan waited in place for Patton to catch up. As soon as he was near, he held out his hand; Patton glanced at it, softly shook his head, and scurried along.

Logan frowned before trailing after them.

----

 The setting sun shone a soft, warm glow through the windows of the quiet diner. Though it was rather packed compared to a normal day, most of the tables kept their conversations soft and to themselves. Servers wandered between their tables, and the radio playing in the background left a calm atmosphere.

At a table near the back, one of the patrons slammed his fist down.

“Tallahassee couldn’t hold a flame to Pyrrha Nikos!” Virgil exclaimed.

“Are you kidding me?! She doesn’t even use her Semblance in battles!” Virtus shot back. “Tallahassee has two AI in her armor! Two!”

“Yeah, exactly! Pyrrha doesn’t need any help! She can kick anyone’s butt with just her raw strength alone!”

Logan scooped up some pasta. “Virgil does have a point, Father. She would also surely allow the rest of Team JNPR to help her, whereas Tallahassee refuses to accept any help, be it from the Pinks, the Purples, or the Mercenaries.”

“Of course she wouldn’t, they’re all idiots!” Virtus laughed, nudging Logan hard enough that his food fell back to the plate. “That’s the whole point of the show!”

Patton frowned, looking to Virgil. “I thought it was about capture the flag in a canyon?”

Roman let out a groan and dropped his fork to run his hands through his hair. “Is there nothing else we can talk about other than a theoretical fight between a cartoon character and a real person?!”

“PvP isn’t a cartoon,” Virgil huffed. “It’s made in a video game.”

“Whatever.”

“I don’t know, Roman. Pink Versus Purple seems to be a show you would enjoy,” Logan said.

Virgil raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Yes. You don’t agree?”

“Uh… Not really,” he replied. “It’s, like, all dialogue. No singing or dancing or any of that Volt Tawny crap.”

Roman gasped. “Did you just call Volt Tawny—?!”

“Alright, alright, alright,” Esther interrupted. “Roman had a point earlier. We can debate fictional characters against each other any time, but we’ve got a whole tournament right in front of us that we’ll never get a second chance to speculate on! Why aren’t we pitting two real people against each other?!”

“Like who?” Logan asked.

Patton poked at his small plate of fries. “What about that Penny girl that Ruby’s been hanging out with?”

Virtus slapped his hands together and pointed at him, ignoring the way he flinched. “Now she’s a real fighter!” he exclaimed. “I would not be surprised at all if she were to win this year! That kid’s got some real power behind those swords!”

“No, way! Coco Adel’s got it in the bag!” Esther said.

“Ohh, you’re just saying that because you like her weapon!”

Logan cleared his throat, rendering his parents silent. “I believe we do, in fact, still have a matter we need to discuss about the tournament.”

Roman sunk into the booth with a sigh; Virgil looked between the two with a raised eyebrow. “And that would be…?”

“Who will be proceeding from our team to the Doubles round.” He reached up to fiddle with his necklace as he began to inspect his suddenly very interesting pasta. “I… would very much appreciate it if you would allow me to be one. I’ll admit that my reasons are more… sentimental, than anything, but I’m sure you know that I would fight to my full potential in the name of our team, regardless of the emotions behind it.”

Virtus gently put his hand on his shoulder; Logan swallowed thickly and placed his hand over top of his. He took a deep breath and looked at each of his three teammates in turn.

“That being said,” he continued, voice cracking and steadying within a syllable, “It would mean a great deal to me if you were to choose me to proceed forward in the tournament.”

“Oh, Logan!” Patton cooed. “Of course you can!”

“You are the strongest member of our team,” Roman added. “I don’t think there was any chance we’d tell you not to.”

Virgil smiled and gave him a soft kick under the table. “Yeah, dude, if anyone can win this for us, it’s you. You’re gonna destroy whoever we go up against, no matter who it is.” Then, with a thumbs up, he added, “You’ve got our support.”

If there was an extra sheen to Logan’s eyes, no one said a word.

“Thank you,” he thickly responded. “I promise I will not disappoint you.”

Virtus frowned, brow furrowing as he turned to look at Logan. “What?”

Logan cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses. “Um— I believe we still need to choose one more of us to join me in the next round.”

“Uh… Yeah,” Virgil carefully replied, watching as Virtus and Esther shot each other a glance over Logan’s head. “Yeah, um… I think Patton should be the one to go.”

Patton startled, dropping a fry back onto his plate. “M-Me?!”

“That is an excellent suggestion,” Logan replied.

With wide eyes, Patton leaned forward in the booth to watch as Roman nodded along with them. His mouth opened and closed a few times as his gaze darted between the three.

“Why… Why me?” he asked, voice about an octave higher than normal.

“Well, I sure as hell don’t want to be out on stage again,” Virgil said. He took a deep breath and leaned back. “Not in front of that many people, at least.”

“And, Roman was the only one of us to get knocked out in our fight,” Logan added. “Not to mention how wonderful an opportunity it would be to help you train yourself in fighting with your semblance.”

Patton spluttered. “But—But you know I can’t! If—”

His eyes flicked to Virtus for just a split second. He shrunk in on himself.

“…You know why I can’t use it in the tournament,” he quietly finished.

“With all due respect, Pat, I don’t think it matters much at this point,” Roman piped in. “They’ve probably already seen the match.”

Gaze falling to the floor, Patton reached up to fiddle with the edges of his collar. “That’s what I’m afraid of…”

“What does it even matter?” Virgil questioned, gently nudging his arm. “You haven’t talked to them in months, and it’s not like you’re going to any time soon. If they try to come fight you, the three of us would get rid of them in a second. You know that, don’t you?”

“I… do, I guess…”

“Then there should be nothing to fear,” Logan stated. Then, with a soft smile, he added, “Please, Patton. I truly believe you are the best person to participate in the next round with me.”

Patton looked up at him, still hunching in on himself. “…You’re sure?”

Logan held out a hand. “I’m positive.”

There was a long moment where he stared at it and chewed on his lip. The others watched with baited breath.

Finally, Patton let out a breath, swallowed thickly, and took Logan’s hand.

“I’ll do my best.”

[bssaz97]

Post RWBY AU: Training Pains Part 1

* I decided to make another post in this AU as I’m captivated by it at the moment. Hope you guys will like more of Rowan.*

There was a time in everyone’s life where all their hard work was rewarded with either victory, accomplishment, or satisfaction.

...Today wasn’t one of those days.

- Signal Academy, Training Room -

Rowan: Aaaahh! Oof!

Rowan was thrown across the stage and landed on the ring’s wall. A buzzer goes off signaling the end of a sparring match. A match Rowan lost.....again. With a grunt the young red head got up off the floor and picked up his practice scythe. The instructor, a older woman in her mid 60s with graying black hair. She walks to the center stage with a clip board and a smile on her face.

Mrs. Hutchison: Very good. Another excellent match for you Peri, you saw your opponent’s openings and you made swift advantage of them.

Peri: Thank you mam.

The young boy named Peri, who welded dual swords sheathed his weapon with a smile. When he looks at Rowan his friendly smile was replaced with a smug grin. This was his third match with Peri and boy did his fellow classmate loved holding that over his head. Like it was an accomplishment for him.

In front of instructors, Peri was an obedient and excelling student, but when they weren’t watching his personality changed and he had the tendency to act like a...what was that word Mr. Whitley would call people who are arrogant and rude...‘duckhead?’ Yeah something like that. Anyway, Peri was one of the top students in the class and had won five fights in the first month of his first year, three of which were against him. Peri made it a point to hold that over his head and call him a ‘second rate’ fighter and a huntsman wannabe. Well he wasn’t wrong about his fighting ability.

Rowan was not a bad student academically or physically during his first month at Signal, but he was ashamed to admit that he was...‘trash’ with a scythe. Rowan only wanted to be like his mom and started to train with a scythe but while training with her was good, it became apparent that he was not as making any progress with her teachings. What made today worse was that his aunt was overseeing the match from the back of the class. Something about being there for moral support but he had the suspicion that she had an alternative motive. Especially since she’s been eyeing Peri after he did a certain maneuver that flips him on his back.

Mrs. Hutchison: Rowan, Mr. Rowan!

Rowan: Huh?

Class:(Starts uproariously laughing)

Mrs. Hutchison: Well Rowan, have you been paying attention to what I was saying you would have heard that while you are an a quick to your feet against your opponent, you are lack skill in landing a hit on your opponent. Also your scythe technique is...less to be desired. I would suggest that you either spend time after school in the training room or change to another weapon choice.

Rowan: Thank you mam.

*Riiiiinnnnggg*

Mrs. Hutchison: Alright children remember that your other classes will begin their first exams in two weeks so it’s advisable to study for them. You’re all dismissed. Well, except you Mr. Rowan I need to have a brief word with you and your aunt in my office, if you would please. Your mother will also be here shortly.

Rowan: ....Yes mam.

- Mrs. Hutchison’s Office -

Ruby walks into the office of the older teacher and sees her sister and son there waiting for her to arrive.

Mrs. Hutchison: Ah Miss Rose thank you for coming it is a pleasure for you to join us today.

Ruby: Thank you Mrs. Hutchison, it’s good to see you too. Wish it was during different circumstances though. You said you had something to speak to me about Rowan’s performance in combat class?

Mrs. Hutchison: Yes, I’m afraid it’s not good news. You see Rowan here has lost three matches in the first month of the class since he started. While he is academically excelling in the lecture side of this class, I’m afraid that if he loses another match, he could be at risk of failing my class.

Ruby/Yang: What?!

Ruby: But I thought the total number of lost matches for a student to fail was five. There must be a mistake.

Mrs. Hutchison: I wish there was, and you are correct that the original number was five while you two were students was five. But the school changed that rule when the council amended new regulations to the combat school curriculum. Unfortunately, the changes that came saw fit to create more effective hunters by lessening the number of loss matches from five to three.

Yang: Create more eff-they want to make better hunters by increasing the chances of failing. That’s stupid!

Mrs. Hutchison: I agree, I tried to have Signal request a appeal for the amendment to be revoked or at least changed but I was out voted. I’ll be honest with you ladies, I don’t want to do this to your son, he is a very sweet boy, very honest and hardworking. However, if Rowan does not improve in his combat class it could cost him his grade for the first year.

Both Ruby and Yang look at each other, showing much concern about the situation. They would have to think of something if they wanted to help Rowan get through the first year.

Yang: When will his next match be?

Mrs. Hutchison: ...two weeks.

Ruby/Yang: *thinking* ‘Shit...’

- Rose Household -

Yang had given her scroll to Ruby to look at the footage she took from the fight and both watched how the fight went down. Ruby wanted to be supportive of her son in all things that he did, but this was particularly difficult to watch. Her maternal instincts were telling her that she should have prepared Rowan better from his training with her and Yang. However, her huntress side was critiquing on how her son had missed many of his attempted strikes and was lugging his practice scythe all over the arena. Eventually she reaches the end of the video, Ruby gives Yang back her scroll and presses her finger tips together to gather her thoughts.

Ruby: ......I didn’t want to believe it but she’s right. Rowan’s fighting skills are not up to par.

Yang: Yeah, I don’t even think you had it this bad when you first started.

Ruby: Yeah....Hey!

Yang: Ruby if anything that was a compliment. I’m looking at this and I can already tell that Rowan’s getting his ass whooped every match. Especially with that Peri kid. He’s not great, but with Rowan’s fighting it makes him look good.

Ruby: Oh my poor baby, he’s probably feels so discouraged right now. But I don’t know how to help him, I’m doing everything that Qrow taught me when I was doing badly but it doesn’t seem the training is transferring as smoothly to him as it did me. What could I be doing wrong?~ (Places head in her arms on the table)

Yang: Look I know this might not be something you want to hear but, maybe we should get an outside opinion.

Ruby: What? What do you mean?

Yang: Well, what I’m saying is that maybe the reason he’s struggling so hard is because ...we’re going soft on him.

Ruby: Wait, are you saying that the reason Rowan is losing his fights is because we’re too soft in training? That’s ridiculous!

Yang: Look Sis, I don’t want to admit it, but I have seen how you’ve been training him. I can assure you that you are not going as tough as you should be.

Ruby: That’s.....ok maybe I have been taking it easy on him but it’s only his first month. I didn’t know I’d be setting him back this much. Oh, maybe you’re right, we should get a outside opinion.

Yang: And I know just who to call!

*3 hours later*

Whitley: ....Yeah the kid sucks. (Gives Yang back her Scroll)

Ruby: You could have sugarcoat it a little.

Whitley: I was sugarcoating it.

Ruby: Oh...

Whitley: Look I’m just going to provide my honest opinion. I think you’re not pushing him as hard as I think you should be. It doesn’t mean that Rowan is a lost cause or that you are entirely at fault. It’s still early in his training so he can get caught up still. Speaking of Rowan where’s he now?

Yang: Oh he’s doing his training exceeises.

Whitley: Show me.

Yang: Ok, follow me Shrimp boy.

Whitley: I’m over 30 and you’re still calling me that.

Yang:(Singsong) And I’m not planning to stop.~

Whitley: Sometimes I think she’s doing that on purpose to rile me up.

Ruby: Why don’t you tell her to stop if it bothers you so much?

Whitley: You and I both know that by doing that it would acknowledge she is winning, I refuse to give her the satisfaction.

Ruby:(Places hand on his shoulder) Truly you are a brave soul.

Whitley: Don’t patronize me. Now come on let’s fix the mess you made.

Ruby: Hey! I’ll have you know that my training is not that bad. It ensures that Rowan gets the training he needs and he’s safe while doing so.

Whitley: Oh this’ll be good to see.

*Five Minutes Later. Outside of Rose House*

Whitley: I was wrong. This is so much worse than I thought.

Yang: It’s not... that bad.

Whitley: Yang please don’t try to sugarcoat this....mess. I mean come on, what is he even wearing?!

Before the three of them was Rowan who was wearing his ‘training armor’. Said training armor consists of a football helmet, a chest protector, shin guards, hockey gloves, and finally multiple pillows for extra protection. His practice scythe being made of wood with styrofoam on the edge. The only way one could tell it was Rowan wearing the gear was the silver eyes peeking out of the protective visor.

Ruby: I personally don’t see what’s wrong with anything here.

Whitley: You-You can’t be serious Ruby. How can you not see what’s wrong here. I can see now why he’s having such a hard time with combat class, it’s because your training the poor kid like this!

Yang: Whitley...

Whitley: Alright look, sorry for the blunt criticism, but there will need to be serious changes to the boy’s training routine. That means no more ‘training armor’.

Ruby: What?! But he’ll be vulnerable without the armor.

Whitley: He’s vulnerable with the armor on! Look, Rowan do a turn around for me.

Rowan: Ok...just give me a minute...eh! (Rowan waddles around but he eventually gets to turning in the span of 20 seconds)

Ruby: ...Ok I think I see what you mean. (Looks down dejected)

Whitley: ‘Sigh’ Look Ruby, you want your son to pass right.

Ruby: Of course I do.

Whitley: Then the first thing you do is to stop treating him as a child and as a young hunter who needs training to survive.

Ruby: Ok, that’s a start. Any other advice.

Whitley: Yeah, maybe change his weapon. I get the feeling a scythe is not the best weapon choice for him.

Ruby:(Dead Stare)...Excuse me.

Whitley: Ok hear me out first, I think some of the problems that we’re having here is not just due to having poor training......What I’m saying is that he sucks at using a scythe in general. I mean.....like a lot.

Ruby: ... I’m giving you a five second head start. (Cocks Crescent Rose)

Whitley: Oh fuck me. (Starts to run like mad)

Rowan: Mr. Whitley where you-?

Whitley: CAN’T TALK GOTTA RUN! (Running past him)

Ruby: RRRAAAAAAHHHHH!!! (Chasing after Whitley)

Rowan: ...Are they gonna be ok?

Yang:(Walks up to her nephew and rubs his helmet) Don’t worry kiddo they’ll be fine. Your mom just needs to let out some steam on Shrimp Boy.

Rowan: Oh... you mean like how you say you’re gonna go let out some steam when you and Mr. Whitley go to town and don’t come back until the next night?

Yang:(Blushes) Um... No that’s, uh, that’s different. What I mean is your Mom and Whitley just need to fight it out.

Rowan: Oh... what’s the diff-?

Yang: When you’re older, Rowan.

Whitley: WHY ARE YOU BITING ME!!!

Ruby: TAKE IT BACK!!!

Whitley: GET OFF ME!!!

Ruby: NOT UNTIL YOU SUFFER!!!

-End of Part 1-

A/N: Made a few edits.

[milimaaa]

@dany-quartz-pardini​ I was your Noragami Secret Santa! ∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿

One of the things you wished for was something with the main trio.

I decided to try and write a fanfic which is almost the first time for me. It’s pretty much based on what is happening in the manga at the moment. 

You told me what type of feel you wanted your gift to have and I’ve tried to fulfill that. I’ll talk more about that at the end of the post.

“So Yato… what do you think of my new shinki?”, Father said with an easy-going smile while swinging his scythe before himself

Yato looked at his dad with a grim look.

Yukine…

“Now now Yato, don’t give me that look. You brought this upon yourself.

Yato snorted

“If you think I wasn’t serious about killing you before, I am wholeheartedly about it now”, Yato said.

“Hmm, I guess you are”, Father said fake pondering.

“Well, then”, his dad said placing himself in a fighting stand.

“Come at me son”

Yato didn’t even blink before hurling himself at him.

———————————–

Hiyori was running over the roof tops as best as she could while coughing painfully. She had had finally succeeded to jump out of her body again, but it wasn’t without a cost. But she didn’t really care that much. What mattered now was to find Yato. She had picked up his smell 15 minutes ago and it continued to become stronger.

Please, she begged.

Please let everything be alright

————————————

Yato aimed with Kazuma’s sword form at Father’s shoulder, but at the last seconds Father pulled the scythe between them defending himself. Yato withdrew as fast as he could, millimeters before clashing with Yukine, making himself tumble to the ground.

“Yato, what are you doing?!”, Kazuma said.

“You can’t jump back like that!”

“Shut up!”, Yato said getting up on his feet.

“There’s no way I can hurt Yukine!”

“Well, how do you expect us to defeat your dad then?”, Kazuma said frustrated.

Yato steadied himself

“We just have to find an opening and strike”

Father was rocking back and forth on his feet, but Yato could see that he was a little bit out of breath.

“What is it son? Having second thoughts?”

“There’s no way that could happen”, Yato said, his eyes burning with hatred.

“Very well then”, Father said.

“Show me what you actually go for!”

————————————

This wasn’t how he had expected things to go…

Yato had hurt him, but he still wanted to protect him and if that meant becoming his dad’s shinki and fighting him, so be it, Yukine thought.

He didn’t want to hurt Yato but seeing him being so determined to kill his dad, he couldn’t see any other way than making him immobilized at most.

————————————–

The fight was dragging out as nobody seemed to get a real advantage.

“Seems like you really are prepared to die by killing me”, Father said.

“To disappear forever…”

“No”, Yato said.

His expression suddenly became warm.

“Because I have Hiyori…my number one believer”.

“I believe in her faith”.

“Oh dear, his dad said shaking his head.

“Should you really be doing that?”

Yato gave his dad a confused look.

“What do you mean?”

“Well you see…,” Father said starting to walk aimlessly back and forth.

“I run into the her a while ago. She was being her usual annoying feisty self so I decided to teach her a lesson”.

“It struck a nerve at her… no, wrong… it struck a cord”.

Yato’s eyes widened in fear.

“What do you-”

Suddenly his dad was had closed up on him, the scythe in the beginning of its swing.

“Don’t loose your concentration”, he said.

Yato had no time to protect himself. He prepared himself for the impact.

Before his eyes he saw a back figure showing up from nowhere and tumbling through them to the ground.

The figure whimpered.

“H-Hiyori”, Yato screamed running towards where she was laying on the ground. He pulled her up in his embrace. Her body was flickering in and out. He searched all over her looking for where she had been hit. His heart immediately in his throat.

Her cord.

Sliced.

“Wow, speak of the devil”, Father said surprised.

“… and such bad luck”.

Yato could barely register what his dad said. Frantically sweeping his hands around her face.

“Hiyori, hang in there!”

Another figure was suddenly kneeling beside them.

Hiyori, nononononono, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I-I didn’t mean to!, Yukine said panicking and crying.

Hiyori opened her eyes, looking up on them.

“I’m sorry guys, I-”

“Shut up”, Yato said though his teeth.

“This is not the time to be talking, you’re hurt”.

Tears was welling up in Hiyori’s eyes.

“I love you guys, so so much. I’ve been so lucky to have meet you two”.

I told you to be quiet, Yato said tears welling up in his eyes too.

“Take care of each other and don’t fight too much, Hiyori said, her voice weak.

“Don’t you dare!”, Yato exclaimed.

Hiyori’s body were flickering out again and just like that… Yato’s arms were empty.

Yukine went into a crying fit beside him. Grotesque wings started showing up on his back.

Yukine was turning into an ayakashi.

Yato embraced him without notice.

“Yukine, please no. I’m here, don’t turn into an ayakashi!”.

Yukine growled and threw Yato of him.

Yato watched in fear Yukine fulfilling his transformation into an ayakashi.

He turned to his dad.

“Can’t you do something?!, Yato shouted.

“You have the brush right?!”

Father watched Yukine with a pensive look.

“I’m afraid not. I could tame him last time by giving him a name, but if they turn into an ayakashi after that I have no means to control them. It’s not like with my usual ayakashi”.

Father turned to Yato.

“The only thing you can do is to kill him off”.

“There’s no way I could do that”, Yato screamed.

“Do you want him to be in pain for eternity?”, Father asked.

Yato shut his eyes, clamping down on the sword.

Why did this need to happen?

He opened his eyes again, steadying himself and lifting up the sword before him.

He plunged forward slicing the head of Yukine’s ayakashi form.

A black explosion and Yukine was gone.

...

It felt like the world had become silent.

Yato lost all his power, falling down on his knees. The sword scattered beside him when lifting his hands to his face.

Yato bawled his eyes out. He had lost the two people most important to him, within minutes.

Kazuma tried to get his attention, but he couldn’t hear him.

Yato didn’t know how long he had cried there on the ground when it finally ceased.

Yato looked around.

His dad was gone.

Yato was alone.

Truly alone…

So yeah! You wanted something as angsty as possible and I hope this will do. Personally, I’m gonna go cry under a blanket.

I hope you’ll have a good holiday!

[xenoredux]

The Legend of Silver Fang - Episode 5: The Beasts

If you haven’t read episode 4 yet, you can do so here.

As mentioned before, the major story beats and overarching plot are the same. This is written under the supposition that, in fantasy land, this is a mini series with episodes that run about 2 hours in length each.

Some things to be aware of going in:

This story is violent as shit!!! CONTENT WARNING FOR: Animal injuries, animal death, sickness via poisoning, eye trauma, weaponry, cannibalism, fire damage to property and animals, wacky cult antics, child abuse and endangerment, suicide, starvation, dogfighting, bullying, and idk probably something else terrible. Seriously don’t read if you don’t like this kind fuckery

I was trying to achieve a decent adaptation that combines the strongest elements of the anime and manga. It will not be precisely like either and will occasionally totally deviate from both

This isn’t meant to be “better” then the canon. It’s just the way I’d go about rewriting the Akakabuto arc if I had that level of ungodly power lol

Character designs made to represent several mentioned characters can be found here, here, here, here, and here. Others will be left up to the reader’s interpretation. A link to the next episode will also be provided at the end. If a link isn’t available, the next episode just hasn’t been posted yet!

I KEEP POSTING THESE SO LATE IN THE DAY AAAAAHHH

The Igas and Gin are frozen where they float. Kurojaki's teeth clack against the scythe's handle as he sadistically taunts them. This day marks the end of the Iga clan he says (though it sounds more like "Ish ey marsh he and ufh eh Uhguh clun.") Akame barks back someone along the lines of "OH YEAH?" before turning to the others.

The albino levels with them: four against, what, 40? Not good odds. But maybe if there was a diversion some of them could get away. Akame passes his share of herbs to Jinnai and says that no matter what happens the Ohu soldiers must receive these herbs. Even if it costs the remaining Igas their lives and their legacy, no innocents will die just because some mottled dickhead bamboozled them all.

With a final command for them to get moving, Akame vertical leaps outta the lake and busts Koga heads the minute he lands. The other three good guys exit stage right while the gettin's still good. Gin looks back, almost certain someone's gonna come after them, but the Kogas are all too concerned with chasing Akame in circles to care about anything else.

Shinobi slaying is easier said then done, turns out. Akame didn't become Chief Ninja Daddy without some skills to back the title up. He is eventually pinned down by several heftier dogs, but it takes a few minutes of him humiliating his opponents first. As payback one of the cannibals chomps down hard on Akame's hind leg and jerks it back at a nasty angle. Akame lets out a manly scream of pain.

Jinnai, Kirikaze, and that silver guy are still running back home unimpeded when they hear Akame's hollering. Kirikaze is especially affected by his old man's tortured yowls and he begins crying big fat tears of sorrow.

So overwhelmed is he by his progenitor's wails that he tries to double back, but Jinnai tackles him and tries to smack some sense into him. Kirikaze's gotta nut up for Akame's sake. This scolding almost works, but another scream from the chief threatens to break the rest of Kirikaze's resolve.

They have reason to be concerned. Kurojaki's started wiping the forest floor with Akame's pale ass, bruising the Kishu heavily and giving him a nice big slash across the throat. The cut on his neck isn't enough to kill Akame, but combined with his other injuries it's enough to sap his remaining strength from him. As Akame tries to gather his bearings and defend himself the scythe comes down across his neck a second time.

Another scream of agony reaches the trio. Jinnai and Kirikaze are still fighting over whether to save the army of strangers or their dad when Gin decides he can't stand moral dilemas involving family. He spits out his share of herbs and shoves them towards Kirikaze.

Gin tells the bros that he's willing to double back and help Akame so long as they can pull themselves together long enough to cure the Ohu dogs. As the Akita moves towards the marsh, Jinnai asks him if he's so insolent as to disobey the chief's orders.

"Akame isn't my chief," Gin states matter of factly, "so I can do whatever I want." And so he turns and leaves the two Kishus to collect their herbs and continue their journey. Before they go the two decide to come back and help the moment they deliver the plants.

Akame coughs up blood and falls limply to the ground. He's hurting something fierce. He tries to go all Mind Over Matter with his body, but he's having too much trouble standing up to fight anymore. Kurojaki cackles triumphantly. Maya is grinning in a nasty way while their son yips excitedly, too young to understand that Daddy's committing an atrocity.

Emboldened by the support, Kurojaki decides it's time to deliver the killing blow. He leaps towards the incapacitated albino all ready to shreddy, too busy to notice the other Kogas trying to stop a silver striped blur from slamming into him. Gin lunges through the air, grabs Kurojaki by the hind leg, and does an anti-gravity version of the worm that sends both of them flying to the ground. Gin lands elegantly on all fours, but Kurojaki is slammed face first into the dirt. The moment he makes contact with Mother Earth, the cannibal lets out an unholy screech.

Everyone is taken aback - even Akame is frightened by the noise - as Kurojaki continues vicerally screaming for a moment more. It's at this moment that Gin realizes he hadn't seen where the scythe's blade had landed. Kurojaki lifts his trembling head and turns to face Gin.

The blade has been buried deep into the black devil's right eye. Icky red squidge oozes from the wound and down his cheek as he heaves a shallow, rattled breath.

"You little motherfucker," he pants, his remaining eye bulging and rolling around wildly in his head.

The other Kogas are now a terrifying mix of horrified and pissed the fuck off, and Kurojaki's ready to take advantage of that. As Gin gapes in horror at the live demonstration of why running with sharp things is a bad idea Kurojaki commands his crew to tear the invaders limb from limb. He especially wants that little stripey shit's head on a pike.

Obedient as ever, Kurojaki's mohawked mooks spring into action. Gin leaps to Akame's side to protect him. A couple of especially speedy Kogas advance on them before the others, but Gin's entire bloodstream is full of adrenaline right now and he manages to pick them off easily.

Before the rest of the hoard can descend upon them, Gin snags Akame up by the scruff and leaps into the trees with him. The Kogas watch as the two make their getaway. This only serves to frustrate Kurojaki. As Maya is fussing over his sliced up face he screams for the cult to follow the two.

Unaware of what's gone down, Jinnai and Kirikaze continue their jog home. They've been making good time but are stopped suddenly when another dog they've yet to meet jumps out of the bushes before them. He's just as surprised to see them as they are to see him, and they all trip over each other.

The dog, a tempermental German Shepherd, barks that the two dipshits need to watch where they're going next time. The Kishus apologize before scampering off with their herbs.

To the surprise of no one this rude dog is John. The upstart has finally left the village to pursue more heroic avenues. This is nice, but he realizes it's not quite going according to plan when he notices several dogs of intederminate breed running up to him.

These three dogs have the decency to stop and ask if John's seen a couple of white guys with plants in their gobs passing by. John pulls an "I know something that you don't know" face and tells them to fuck off because he's not going to enable them to chase down a couple of geeks with weeds.

This pisses the mohawked mutts off, as does the fact that John stinks of human civilization. They go to give him a taste of Whoopass Stew (1992) before John recites the navy seal copypasta from memory and teaches them some humility via a few well aimed bites and mean names regarding their haircuts. As soon as they realize he's a capable fighter the trio runs off with their tails tucked both metaphorically and literally between their legs.

This is getting bizzare. John's just arrived in this forest and already he's seen two groups of oddballs he can't begin to understand.

Back at the Iga House Gin has brought Akame home. He sets the ninja chief down gently as the other Kishus come to greet them. The Ohu soldiers, most of who are feeling much better now, are also glad to see Gin is still kicking.

Gin's happy to see them as well. He runs over to where they're gathered to more properly say hello. Most dogs are back on their feet, but he can't see the tallest one of them all. He asks where Ben is before realizing by the look on everyone's faces that this isn't a question they want to answer.

The crowd parts to reveal Jinnai has finally gotten Ben to eat his share of antidote. Ben's a hotass mess, though; his eyes are bloodshot, his mouth is foamy with excess saliva, and his muscles are all twitching involuntarily. He looks miserable as he stares aimlessly into the woods.

Akatora comes over to him and offers a friendly nudge and a whispered, "Hey, you okay?" Ben simply responds by snapping at him. Akatora tumbles backwards, stunned that his old friend and mentor would react to him so aggresively.

Akame pads over to Akatora and tells him not to take Ben's bizarre behavior to heart. Ben's had bad shit in his blood longer then everyone else. It's gonna take him a second to come out of this haze.

Luckily the dane seems to be regaining his composure, for he has managed to stand up and steady his limbs. The soldiers seem mostly relieved at the sight, but Gin notices Akame is still staring at Ben in concern. Is there something he's not telling them?

While alla this was going down, Hyena had wandered off by himself and ended up being taken prisoner by the Kogas. Worse still, he's been trafficking the corpses of dead Igas into their slapshod fridge (i.e. a dank, chilly cave).

As he drags the icky, ewwy canine cadavers along, his captures taunt and jeer at him for being both a wuss and their munchie packmule. One particularly nasty looking sucker with no tail tells him to move his ass before they decide to add him to the every-growing pile of carcasses. Hyena just whines miserably and goes back into the body storage. He's just flopped down another lifeless Kishu when he hears a sudden commotion outside. He cowers far back in the cave.

"MORE of these assholes?" says a newcomer. "Jesus, these woods are full of lunatics."

The Kogas have turned to look at their visitor. Three of them point him out as being a direct threat. They'd run into this dickhead in the woods, and though he stinks of men he's more powerful then any housepet they've chomped on before. While the cannibals encircle John, Hyena pokes his head out of the cave just long enough to recognize the GSD as one of the dogs he'd seen at Ohu. What on Earth is HE doing here?

Back at the Iga house the Kishus have organized to face off with the Kogas. Enough is enough. They can't allow any more innocents to get swept up in this stupid war.

Ben is feeling more lucid now and he insists that the Ohu dogs aid the raid against the Kogas. They outnumber the mohawked mongrels together and lbr this has become personal for the troops. Akame worriedly tries to convince Ben not to subject himself or his bros to this, but the dane refuses to leave it alone. Akame reluctantly agrees to let them help and begins leading the way back to the marsh.

Ben is just behind the shinobi, but he's doing a shit job at keeping with the pack. Despite having scolded Gin for running off course, Ben keeps drifting farther and farther off trail. In fact, he's essentially in the treeline now, and a concerned Gin and Cross follow to ask him where he's going.

Ben freezes up. He takes a deep sniff and realizes he's not with the others. Everyone stops running, concerned. Akame attempts to be stoic, but his brow twitches intently.

Ben tells everyone it's nbd bruh, he's just gotta take a piss, it's fine it's fine it's cool it's fine. Akame grunts and tells Kirikaze to continue leading the pack while he checks up on the big guy. Kirikaze nods and directs the others to follow him.

The only stragglers are Gin and Cross. They're both too concerned about Ben to follow orders. The two of them sneak closer to where Akame and Ben are huddled and strain to listen to what they're saying.

Akame looks sadly at Ben as the dane stares blankly ahead.

"Ben," Akame says in a low voice, "look at me."

Ben pauses for a second as if focusing hard, then turns his head. He's not looking at Akame. He's not even close to meeting eyes with him.

"Akame?" he says with a tinge of fear in his voice. "What's happening to me? I can barely see."

Akame sighs and apologizes to Ben for all this. It's a side effect of the poisoning. Ben was doped up on the bad shit long enough that there was potential for it to do some damage to his senses. The eyes and ears are most suseptible to the poison's effects, and it seems like Ben's eyes are feeling the hurt.

Ben's shoulders slump as he softly shakes his head. He figured his sudden astigmatism and fading peripheral vision had been brought on by Akame's bioweapon. He just hadn't wanted to admit it.

Gin is shaken to hear this, but he's not as upset as Cross. The Saluki is trying and failing to contain her tears.

"He'll never see--" she says before running off, unable to stand it anymore. Gin only lets her go when he hears the conversation continue.

Ben asks if he'll become totally blind. Akame says yes. Ben asks if he'll be blind forever. Akame says yes again. Ben asks if he'll be able to keep up his duties as commander. Akame doesn't respond directly but instead tries to soothe the dane by saying that he owes Ben a great debt and will pay it forward by being his eyes.

Ben takes a moment to think before thanking the Kishu, but he has a request. Cross is ready to take his place as commander when he becomes totally incapacitated, but as she was his successor she'll need a right hand dog of her own. Akame figures that all Ben's soldiers are so jacked that any of them would do nicely, but Ben has his eyes (no pun intended) set on one guy in particular.

That kid Gin... he's a good fighter, sure, but he's also young and eager and empathetic. He's got a good head on his shoulders, boundless potential, and clearly has had some training before. Within a few months he'll be fully grown, and by then he'll make a great lieutenant. Gin only now realizes he's been holding his breath.

Meanwhile, John has made quick work of the lingering Kogas, adding those who didn't flee to the abnormally high count of dog bodies in the area. When he's sure it's safe to come out of hiding, Hyena slinks out of the cave to meet John.

John recognizes the little twerp from Ohu mountain, but he's still in Fight or Fight mode so instead of saying hi he just gears up to cream him. Hyena whimpers and begs for mercy, insisting that the Kogas took him as a POW and that he's still loyal to the Ohu army. John rolls his eyes and takes Hyena's word for it before turning to leave.

Hyena dares not be alone in this above-ground graveyard, so he follows John. The shepherd either doesn't realize or doesn't care that Hyena's his new little tagalong. They wander for a bit, Hyena taking every chance he can to suck up to John, before John tells him to shut the fuck up and listen.

The dogs fall quiet. The sound is faint, but they can distinctly hear a low mumbling, or, more accurately, the muffled sound of a crowd speaking amongst themselves. Someone literally barks a command and all the voices fall silent. John nudges Hyena to follow his lead and the two sneak closer to find out what's going on.

As they advance on the group they realize that it's more of the Kogas. The cannibals are having a meeting.

Kurojaki's eye socket has stopped bleeding and instead has collapsed in on itself, the tattered lids laying concave in his skull. He's sitting atop a boulder looking down at his cult as he gently strokes the babyhawk atop his infant heir's head.

As his son mouths absentmindedly at his father's paws, Kurojaki informs his people that now is the time to strike. They've killed several of the remaining Igas and they still have enough people to take on both the ninjas and any allies they bring with them. It's time to take the Iga homestead as their own and secure a glorious future for their breed. And as an added bonus, he thinks to himself, we can fuck up that guy who took my eye.

Hyena and John take a moment to spy on the hoard from afar. Hyena points out the big guy on the rock as Kurojaki, and it's clear as day that he's the leader of this band of hoodlums. John nods and, having learned nothing from his previous ass whooping at the hands of a pack leader, puffs out his chest and readies himself to attack.

John says he's gonna tear the whole lot to smitherines and singlehandedly lower the cannibal population in the area to 0%. Hyena tries to convince him that attacking a warlord in front of his entire legion of followers is a bad idea, but John's ego demands stroking. He's already taken off in a sprint.

The shepherd tears through several of the Kogas before they even realize what's happening. He rips the throat out of one particularly unfortunate bystander who proceeds to tumble to the ground. The miserable cur seizes wildly as he dies.

Everyone is caught so off guard by this development that they don't stop John when he walks up to the bottom of Kurojaki's perch and tells the merle cyclops that his reign of terror is over. Kurojaki has literally no idea what the fuck is going on, but he rolls with the punches and tells John that he'll be crushed like a bug before the group departs on their actual mission. Before any crushing can commence, a rumbling can be heard coming closer.

It's (predictably) the Iga and Ohu dogs. The Kogas have an Oh Shit moment before scrambling into battle position. They're a little wary of the fight given there's an absolute shittonne of dogs running towards them, but Kurojaki tells them not to be a buncha bedwetting babies and fight anyway. He passes his literal bedwetter baby son off to the boy's mother so he can join the brawl. John just shrugs and goes to attack the guy nearest to him.

As army meets army, the blood begins to flow. Despite how much larger the Ohu pack is, it's really anyone's game, for the cannibals' desperation to keep their cause alive pushes them forward. Still, the Ohu dogs are holding their own. Even Ben is managing to fight off his enemies. Unfortunately for Smith, the dane's poor vision throws a spanner in the works, and the Spaniel gets a couple of chomps on the ass. Don't worry about it, Ben, he's young. He'll heal.

As the battle grows more and more out of control, Kurojaki slinks past his men and into the woods in the hopes of baiting one particular target into following him. To his delight, that target falls into his trap; Gin notices him leaving and gives chase.

Gin's too caught up in the task at hand to notice Kurojaki's leading him on purpose, but lucky for him Kurojaki is too caught up in his own plan to notice he himself is being ambushed. Akame saw Gin following the cultist, and he's bolted out of the woods to save Gin's silver hide.

Akame smacks Kurojaki face first into the dirt and is about to give him an atomic noogie when Gin's all like WAIT. Gin lets the cat out of the bag and tells Akame he knows that Ben wants to scootch Gin up the platoon's pecking order. Gin wants to use this chance to wipe the forest floor with Kurojaki to prove that Ben's right to think that.

Akame is a touch offended that Gin's a filthy eavesdropper, but he understands his motivation. He just sorta shrugs and lets Gin face off with the warlord. Gin puts up his doggy dukes and gets the ball rolling with some fighting words.

Meanwhile, everyone else is fighting a Koga of their own and they're doing a good job of it. Even Hyena is making an honest, if hopeless, attempt at mauling one of the smaller guys. He's failing miserably when he's aided by Smith, who follows up his generously saving Hyena's life by mocking him for being a wussypants and asking him why he hasn't fucked off yet.

Hyena wants Smith and the others to appeal the No Hyenas Allowed rule of their club because he's decided to be a good guy now. Smith isn't sure if he believes him, but whatever, the traitor can serve as a canine shield if nothing else. The two continue snapping at their enemies.

As the fight rages on, John makes his presence known to the platoon by leaping beside a bloodied Ben. John manages to choke out a sincere word of praise for the other dogs' fighting abilities before more graciously humbling himself to Ben by proclaiming he's ready to fall in line with his commander's orders. Ben's newly-beshitted eyes are having a hard time recognizing John, but he'd know that stuck-up, twatty voice anywhere. He instantly welcomes the shepherd back into the fold.

Gin and Kurojaki are standing off in earnest now, but they're still not really getting anywhere. They're surprisingly well matched, Gin always managing to strike and Kurojaki always managing to either dodge or deflect. They've only faced off for a few minutes more when the rumble of a bazillion dog feet advances towards them.

The Ohu and Iga dogs have managed to subdue the Kogas and now they're bumbling towards the fighters. To make matters more dramatic, a storm has been brewing. As if called in as reinforcements a bolt of lightening strikes a nearby tree and catches it on fire. With a terrified, "Shit!" Kurojaki turns tail and runs, a frustrated Gin following behind.

But before Kurojaki can run very far, someone calls down to him from above. He breaks stride and looks up. It's Wilson, finally appearing onscreen again for the first time in a while. His long, white muzzle is rippled in a snarl, and he calls Kurojaki a gutless coward for abandoning his men. And it's not just his men he's abandoned. Has he really forgotten about...

...his own son? Wilson suddenly lifts a small, mottled bundle of fur into view. It's Kurojaki's infant child, and he's crying with fright. Though Kurojaki cannot see it, Maya's body is lying beside Wilson as well, her neck broken and twisted at an ugly angle.

Gin freezes and looks on in horror, as do the other soldiers who come to a stop beside him. Everyone wants to stop this but they're too stunned to speak. The sky rumbles as if angry, lightening flashing and illuminating Wilson's spiteful white face.

"T-tesshin!" Kurojaki cries in recognition. "My boy! What are you doing with my boy?!"

"Can a fucking demon like you truly feel love for a child?" Wilson wonders aloud. "You certainly didn't show any mercy towards mine. You've never understood the horror of what you did, but now you will. I'll make you see. I'll make you pay."

Wilson begins to shake Tesshin back and forth by his tiny grey scruff. A sickening chorus of wails and squeals comes from the baby. The other soldiers are appaled by Wilson's vengeance, as is a now very desperate Kurojaki. The Koga master begins climbing uphill after Wilson, his paws splayed far out in front of him as if trying to grasp for his son.

"Stop!" Kurojaki wails desperately. "Please, please stop!"

For the first (and last) time ever both the Ohu and Iga soldiers are in agreement with Kurojaki. They also call out for Wilson to put the child down. Gin feels helpless to stop this injustice. It's cut him to the quick more then any adult dog's endangerment has yet to. Ben tries to reason with Wilson to stop, but he's distracted by Cross. She's quaking with some overpowering emotion that's not exactly anger and not exactly fear.

Kurojaki nears the hilltop as Wilson's swinging quickens and he jostles Tesshin around like a ragdoll. The Koga leaps with an enraged roar at the Collie when suddenly the two of them are joined by Cross. Before any of them can acknowledge her, Kurojaki collides with Wilson without thinking to stop and sends both the collie and his son tumbling off the hill's edge.

Kuroj screams in horror as he sees both Wilson and the baby descend into the dark gorge below, and the army dogs join his yelling as Cross mounts the hill and descends down into the dark behind them.

The wind blows mournfully as Kurojaki stands mouth agape on the hill, staring into the black pit with his remaining eye. So busy was he with his child that he has only now noticed his wife's bloody corpse sprawled beside him. His eye fills with tears.

But the tears evaporate quickly as he's taken by an overpowering fury. He turns to the stunned soliders and swears at them, damns each and every one of them for bringing his wife and child into this. He will singlehandedly kill them all.

In a (half) blind rage, Kurojaki flings himself headlong into the gaping crowd. First he tears into the massive Moss. Then he slashes Akatora up the shoulder, gives John a concussion, brings Ben to his knees, bam, bam, bam.

So powerful is his rage that one would think he's about to make good on his promise of Ohu decimation, and for the first time the soldiers and their newfound allies start backing away from their foe. All except Gin, ofc, whose protagonist moral code is preventing him from faltering.

Kurojaki's all too willing to beat Gin's ass for causing just about every bad thing in his life lately, so he runs at Gin with reckless abandon. Both he and the Akita leap at each other. A shooting star's comet trail follows Gin's arch in the sky.

The symbolism of it is enough to trigger a convenient, empowering flashback in Gin's mind of his maybe-probably-mostly-confirmed-not-dead father defending baby Gin from Akakabuto. He remembers Riki's signature bear-hunting move, a hard bite to the top of the animal's muzzle. Thinking fast, Gin performs this move on the murderous merle mongrel flying towards him.

This catches Kurojaki by surprise just long enough for Gin to rabbit kick the shinobi bastard into the dirt, bloodying both it and his foe's face in the process. Gin lands back on Earth with an equally small amount of grace by spraining every ankle he's got upon landing. He plops down onto his stomach and quivers as his muscles relax, and Kurojaki has been knocked down hard enough that he's not yet making an effort to get up.

The other dogs run forward, panting congrats to Gin for being so awesome and stuff before they move to descend on their enemy.

John makes himself known to Gin a second later when he's like whoa hold up everyone lmao chill, this is Gin's battle and he should be allowed to finish the dude off himself. Gin's just now realized John's returned, but before he can say HUH WHAT John tells him to handle business before he's offered an explanation. Already feeling a bit overwhelmed by the gravity of the situation, Gin turns at a familiar female voice telling everyone to hold their horses.

It's Cross! She's holding a fussy but living Tesshin in her jaws. Beside her is a battered, humiliated looking Wilson. The Collie sways unsurely, totally unwilling to hold anyone's gaze.

While Wilson wallows in his post-attempted infanticide guilt, Cross sets the child down. Kurojaki is a total sack of shit, she says, but he's still this little guy's dad and only remaining parent. This decision can't be made lightly because it will always come back around to affect the kid.

Gin takes this as a chance to stall on his decision and runs over to Cross, overjoyed to see she's still alive. Cross, looking even more tired then you'd expect, gives him a coy wink. She's told him before she has a soft spot for kids, yeah? After all, she's always believed they have the potential to be better then their parents. As she says this she allows Tesshin to toddle up to his daddy and lick his bloody nose.

But it's still ultimately up to Gin whether or not Kurojaki lives or dies. The decision weighs heavily on the kid. Yeah, Kuro is a violent murderer, a cult leader, an advocate of genocide, and an all around assclown, but watching Tesshin lick his deadly dad's face with unconditional affection awakens something in Gin.

He can't shake the memories of his own puppyhood. He was taken too early from his mother and only ever got to be held by his father once before he was forever stripped of the chance to have a peaceful childhood. He's steadfast in his decision to be with these soldiers, but can he truly say he's comfortable subjecting another child to the loss of their innocence?

"Kurojaki," Gin starts. The cannibal king meets Gin's gaze with his single eye. "Get out of here. Take your people with you. Don't ever come back."

Kurojaki understands this is the only chance he's got to leave, so he picks his sorry ass up and leaps with a noticable decrease in elegance into the trees. All he leaves behind him is a puddle of nose blood... and his infant son. Tesshin simply sits beside his papa's nose goo and yips pitifully, too small to understand he's been ditched but having enough cognition to know neither mommy or daddy are with him and he's frightened.

"Miserable piece of shit didn't want the kid as bad as we though," Kurotora grumbles.

The others in the crowd can't help but agree. Some of them believe it's time to kill Kurojaki after all, but Gin tells them to lay off. This whole debacle has been a real fuck of a shit and more unnecessary casualties are only going to make things worse. So long as Kurojaki actually fucks off once and for all, that's all that needs to happen.

A new discussion begins about what's to be done with the baby when the Kai Bros finally take notice of Hyena. Akame thoughtfully dashes off elsewhere as the tiger-striped trio start telling the grey-haired square to get the hell outta here. John breaks up the bloodthirsty posse by explaining that Hyena's lowkey alright actually. John's elaboration on his experience in these woods and his opinion about the Weimaraner doesn't mean much to the Kais given they've never met him before, but Gin helpfully explains that John's an old friend of his who's come to join their ranks.

He gives John a warm, appreciative smile. For a moment he looks very much like the boss smiling proudly at all his troops. John's brow is furrowed as per ush, but he can't help but smile softly back.

But John quickly wipes the smile off his face and gets back to business. Yeah, sorry about leaving the pack initially and all, but he had a bit of self discovery to do. Ya see, John went and battled with the boss. Surprised at his insolence, he's now got the attention of everybody there.

Anyway, John tried to beat the leader into submission, but he failed spectacularly and for the first time he can remember. The experience taught him something he's still too proud to state clearly, but the important thing is that it motivated him to come back. Oh, btw, the big guy himself has a message to share, generously saving the audience from further elaboration on events they've seen take place:

Akakabuto's stronghold is expanding further, and, though on a forgivingly smaller scale then the Ohu dogs, he is also attempting to grow an army of followers. The sonuvabitch may be a horrifying monster, but he ain't fuckin' stupid. He is aware that a massive hoard of dogs are coming to get him, so he's setting up counter measures to stay one step ahead of them. The troops have to hurry and expand their numbers fast, for the battle is rapidly approaching. It's only a matter of time before Akakabuto and his bears begin overtaking human settlements.

This is all well and good, like thanks for the update and all, but everyone becomes distracted by the unmistakable smell of shit burnin' down. Cross is the first to notice the orange-gold light and incredible heat illuminating the woods beyond. The dogs rush over to see what exactly is happening.

It's the Iga manor. The ancient house is quickly going up in flames, much to everyone's surprise. Even more Nani? inducing is the culprit of the mansion toasting himself, Akame.

The Kishu is standing unwavering in front of the burning building. He's grasping a burning tree branch in his mouth, no doubt having gotten it from the tree that had previously been smoldering. The night sky is alight with storm and flame alike as Akame's children run up to him and ask him what the fuck he's done.

Turns out Akame's just tired of the bullshit. He's tired of constantly having to hold off the violent cannibals they have as neighbors. He's tired of living separate from those who could serve as close allies and true friends. He's tired of leading his sons and daughters into battles they cannot win.

Fuck the house, Akame's turning a new leaf. From now on he'll be dedicating his power to the Ohu army's cause and he encourages the remaining Igas to come with. At least then their ability to whoop ass will be useful beyond gang wars.

"Akame!" a ragged voice hollers from somewhere in the woods. "You little coward!"

Everyone looks. It's Kurojaki, his mottled fur caked in dry blood, his single eye bulging. He runs over to the Igas but he doesn't make as if to attack them. Instead, he just keeps yelling, his thoughts spilling like vomit from his mouth.

Akame just HAS to be this extra, doesn't he? First Kurojaki loses his wife. Then his own child is used to humiliate him. And now Akame is burning down the one solace he had left, swiftly destroying his life's mission of overtaking the manor. With one last gibbered out swear Kurojaki leaps into the burning house.

The smell of roasted kindling is quickly laced with, then overpowered by, the stench of burning hair and melting flesh. Kurojaki screams bloody murder as the flames engulf him. Gin gazes into the abyss of Kurojaki's one eye before it pops, bubbles, and oozes down his cheek, its gooey remains soon joined by his eyebrows and the last fringes of his white mohawk. Despite his agony the mongrel makes no effort to escape the flames, instead collapsing without struggle on the immolated wooden floor.

If this whole sight wasn't fucked enough, a whole chorus of desperate cries also approach the house. It's several of the remaining Kogas all hollering out to their leader. Loyalty may be a virtue, but the outpouring of devotion from the cult leads each and every one of the mohawked dogs to leap into the flames alongside their master.

Upon realizing the hoard won't stop making like they're campfire marshmallows, Gin tries to stop them. He's just shoved out of the way. The only Koga who neither leaps into the flames or runs away is baby Tesshin. Instead the child begins nestling into, oddly enough, Wilson's ankle as he watches his family burn to death.

Akame squints into the flames as the Kogas' agonized screams fade away. The cloudy night sky finally starts drip dropping rain down on the scene and working quickly to extinguish the house. Once the flames have subsided everyone gathers to stare into the wreckage.

Gin takes the first step into the charred remains of the manor. The blackened, crumbling corpses of so many canines litter the floor. Gin hasn't felt like crying this much since his first beating from Gohei, but something physically holds him back. He lip trembles as he looks from the bodies to Akame.

Despite everything the shithead put him through, Akame, with poise unmatched by anyone on Earth, respectfully wishes that Kurojaki and his people could have dedicated themselves to a cause that wasn't so heinous. He also wishes that they may now rest in peace. Many years of anguish and war have lead up to this point, but if nothing else it served to prove that Kurojaki had a lotta resolve.

Now that nobody's gonna come in the middle of the night and kill them dead the group allows themselves to settle in and get some shut eye. Everyone is curling up beside each other when Wilson awkwardly walks up to the hoard. Tiny little Tesshin follows behind him.

Wilson seems especially interested in speaking with Gin, who is nestled in between Ben and Cross. While the Collie coyly bows respectfully to Gin, Tesshin recognizes Cross and runs to her so he can tug on her ears.

Wilson apologizes for the whole almost-committing-infantacide thing. He's deeply ashamed of how low he stooped to strike back against his Kurojaki. Now that he's gotten to see him die in literally the most painful way possible, Wilson hasn't got any ill will towards any Kogas anymore, least of all the only truly innocent one. He accepts that what he did was super shitty even if he'd been blinded by immense grief. He wants to do right and contribute to something that matters, so he'd like to know if everyone - Ben, Cross, Gin - would allow him to stay with the pack.

Nobody responds for a moment, though Gin makes as if he wants to say something. Instead the first to speak is Cross. She tells Wilson that despite the immorality of his behavior she understands his pain. She takes a deep breath and places her paw over Ben's, which seems to have signaled him to lean soothingly against her. Cross begins explaining to Wilson - and Gin, just cause he's there - what her life was like before she joined the Ohu army.

Cross was, as most of the folks here were, a hunting dog. She met Akakabuto once or twice out in the wild, but it took her a while to stand off against him in earnest. Before then she had been bred to another Saluki (Ben politely doesn't say anything to this) and had a litter of puppies. She was blessed with the chance to raise and live with her children into their early adult years, but this is Ginga so her backstory wouldn't have been brought up if it'd stayed idyllic forever.

Her master brought her and her 2 year old children along on a hunt one day when the group was met with the pants-shittingly horrifying sight that is Akakabuto. The bear struck one of Cross's sons across the face, snapping his neck and killing him instantly. Cross and her other children tried to defend themselves and their owner, but one by one her kids were brutally murdered.

The only reason Cross herself survived was because when Akakabuto struck her across the back - the thing that left the scars she bears to this day - she took a fall so hard that she couldn't get up and he believed her to be dead.

All throughout this battle Cross and her kids had been looking desperately to their master for help, but he never given it. While they'd tried to defend the man with their lives, he had been running away and leaving them for dead.

Akakabuto eventually grew bored of the dead dogs and left them behind. When she felt some degree of safe, Cross had crawled over to each of her children's corpses and wept into them.

For a while Cross had nothing much to live for. She didn't care about her owner anymore - in fact, she hated just about the whole of humanity at this point sans one human child who had once fed her while she was wandering aimlessly - and her children were all dead. The only thing that kept her going was her hatred for Akakabuto, her burning desire to see him pay for what he'd done to her.

But she had never been a stray before, and despite her strength it was hard to make ends meet. She barely ate enough to fill a cavity most days and she was quickly growing weak, emaciated, and depressed. She'd felt like giving up.

It was around this point when a red and white Akita Inu had found her. At first she had been afraid of him given he was a wild-looking, battlescarred character with an unreadable face, but he'd shown her a kindness she hadn't felt for a long time. He'd lead her back to his pack, an impressively large collective of other former hunting dogs, and told them that she was their guest. They were to treat her with kindness and feed her back to health before letting her go.

The soldiers were mostly nice to her, if a bit awkward regarding her emotional state. Most of them were dudes and the chicks in the bunch were more about biting and killing then offering any TLC. There was one dog who was especially kind to her, though. His name was Ben (Ben smiles and twitches his ears at the mention of his name), and he was an extremely noble, involved dog who lead the first platoon. She and him instantly clicked, and so they became fast friends.

Cross quickly regained her lost weight and, with Ben's help, regained her lost muscle mass... and then some! So grateful was she for both Ben's kindness and the boss's generosity that she insisted she stay with the pack. She humbly requested membership to the first platoon, promising that she could keep up with the others. She even offered to train under Ben's supervision if need be.

The leader had smiled at her and responded with a gentle nod and a twinkle in his eye. The rest, as they say, is history.

So engrossed in Cross's story was Gin that he'd barely noticed when Wilson laid down beside them. He also didn't really notice when Ben told Wilson that he was welcome so long as he used violence as a means of achieving peace, not as a means of releasing his anger. Nor did he notice when Tesshin wobbled over to Moss and his son and was happily invited to spend the night tucked between the pudgy Mastiff's enormous paws.

But he does notice when Cross winks at him and tucks herself tightly against her doghusband, and he takes this as a sign that storytime is over.

Gin settles in beside his friends to sleep, now better understanding the depth of their devotion. As he dozes he imagines Riki (or, at least, the dog who looks a shittonne like Riki) offering shelter to a boney Cross, training up gentle giant Ben, and lovingly smiling down from his perch at his ever-growing pack.

He imagines the Riki Dog smiling down at him, too, and reaching out a paw to him. Before he can imagine himself touching paws with the boss he fades into a deep, dreamless sleep.

At the buttcrack of dawn the troops head out. They're now joined by John, Wilson, the remaining Igas, and even Kurojaki's little son (who Moss has begun happily carrying around in between the folds on his back). The mission to find more soldiers continues on, and all the dogs begin the journey southward to scope out more canine meatheads for their cause.

Bust out the water wings, folks, because the troops are headed to the seaside. Gin's never seen the ocean before, so he's super weirded out by so much water in one place. John considerably refrains from mocking him for not  knowing what the sea is and explains that crossing the ocean is necessary to reach different countries. Given that John once lived in some mysterious land called Your Up, Gin takes his word for it.

The gang boards an abandoned ship half submerged in the ocean. Gin takes a chance to gaze over the edge and into the water below. His eyes sparkle with curiosity as the waves wash to and fro before the boat.

His gaze follow the waves as they go out and out and out further and further away, the expanse of water stretching out miles ahead. Also miles ahead is a mass of land that looks no larger then a grain of rice. Gin excitedly calls out that he's found a foreign country.

Wilson politely tells Gin that he's got a good eye, but that's not a foreign country. It's just Shikoku. Ole Willy used to travel there frequently during his circus days, and it's also where he met nomadic Mortal Enemy #2.

Before Wilson has a chance to elaborate, Ben interrupts. He closes his foggy eyes and takes in the sounds of the waves before saying that yeah, Shikoku's pretty lit. Lotsa bodybuilder types over there, dogs specifically bred and raised for battle. This fills Gin with the sort of glee that'd seem excessive in a hyperactive schoolgirl. Gin begs the dane to let him go on a field trip to Battle Dog Island.

Everything is a blurry mass of God-knows-what in Ben's eyes, but even he can tell Shikoku is a long ways away. He asks how exactly Gin plans on getting there, to which Gin responds with, "Swimming, of course." This is foolish, obviously, as doggy paddling that far through these waters would be impossible. Ben kindly but firmly tells Gin that he'll be just as much help in gathering troops here.

Ben turns with a degree of finality back into the captain's quarters, his face turning redder then normal as he bonks his muzzle into the doorframe. Despite his upset at being denied permission to abandon ship Gin follows after him in concern when Wilson calls him back.

He tells Gin that he's sorry the kid can't come, but Ben knows best. Gin disagrees - he HAS to go. It's his duty to take Ben's place on the trip, for the newly disabled dog won't make it very far in these conditions.

Several of the dogs seem confused about what this means before Gin passes around volume 3 of the manga and catches them up to speed on how Ben's poisoning has started sapping away his sight. As some of them "ohhhhhhhh" in realization, Smith chimes in with a haven't you people ever heard of not leaving the commander of a platoon behind.

John insists that Gin's a tough cookie, perfect to take Ben's place. So long as he has his immaculate bestie beside him, ofc. He'll be going with Gin, too. Not wanting to be left out, Smith also insists on going. So do the Kai Bros. So does Wilson.

Cross looks as if she wants to say something, but she restrains herself. Gin notices and asks her if she'd like to Come Along by Cosmo Sheldrake. She unconvincingly says she'd love to but she can't leave Ben alone in his condition. It's pretty obvious she's keeping something from everyone, but before they can pry she trots off to join Ben in his quarters.

Smith mutters about how he thinks Cross has been looking a little differently lately but he can't quite put his paw on how. Gin doesn't say anything. Instead he just watches her leave.

Nighttime comes right on schedule. The Ohu dogs are sprawled across the poopdeck, pooped from their travels. Most of them are asleep, but some are only pretending to snooze.

Gin is one of those fakers. He slowly and quietly gathers the other pretenders to join him towards the front of the ship. He has a moment of hesitation before leaping into the water when he sees how aggressive the waves are tonight, but he tries not to show any doubt. This has to be done.

Just before he's about to go, the ever-so-gentle scrapping of claws on wood directs his attention behind him. The gathered gang looks back and sees the Igas are also awake and eager to join them.

Akame feels it's his responsibility to lighten Ben's load in this regard. He'll be leaving the near-sighted dog in the care of Papa Moss. Besides, God only knows what the dogs in Shikoku are like, so why not bring a ninja along just in case? Finally satisfied with the group's size, everyone gathers their courage and jumps into the ocean.

Huge black and blue waves toss the dogs around as they struggle to stay afloat. Smith hesitates at the boat's edge upon realizing what sorta Jackass stunt they're pulling here, but he can't back out now. He gives a loud squeak as he cannonballs into the water.

John's rolling his eyes and mocking Smith's masculinity from the boat when he realizes that he can see a pair of eyes glimmer from nearby. Someone is awake and moving towards them! "Oh shit," John manages as he leaps gracefully in after the others.

Turns out that the nosy parker was just Cross. Upon seeing everyone abandon ship she comes trotting, then running, to the deck's edge. She can just make out the shining wet fur of the dogs in the ocean. She hopes aloud that they'll make it.

A confused, groggy voice from behind her catches her attention. She turns to see that Ben has woken up. Moss is trailing behind, a still snoozing Tesshin draped across his broad forehead. Ben asks Cross what she's doing awake. All is still. The silence speaks volumes, and Ben realizes that Gin has taken off in one of his hare-brained schemes again. Cross is about to defend the kid's decision when Ben sorta just shrugs and sighs.

Ben figures that when someone like Gin gets an idea in his head, he won't abandon it. He'll either learn his lesson the hard way or live to do them all a great service, and Gin's proven time and time again he's not likely to up and die on them. Besides, the dane admits, he kinda wanted to ask Gin to ride (swim?) shotgun anyway, but he couldn't justify asking the youngest troop to do it. Though Ben can't see the dogs swim away he still looks out towards the sea.

The dogs swim for a longass time, paddling in their namesakeway as the waves threaten to toss them into space. Shikoku both is and isn't as far away as they imagined, and this eats away at their patience while they grow more and more tired. Gin is capable of leading the charge given his childhood waterboardings but he's also losing steam.

The only thing keeping him moving is the sliver of moonlight above. When the partial moon is intercepted by the clouds, the shape it forms bears resemblance to Riki's silhouette atop his Throne Hill. Gin can't let the big man down.

After a while the dogs come across a reprieve from their struggle: a tiny island, little more then a small hunk of muddy, sandy land sticking up out the water. Shikoku isn't much further now, but the whole lot is swung out. There's just enough room on the puny isle to allow everyone refuge for the night.

The dogs all adorably snuggle up beside each other to keep warm against the cold ocean winds. As Gin rests his head across John's shoulders he takes one last peek at the moon. The Riki Clouds have vanished. He just sighs and closes his eyes.

Night turns to day and things are getting interesting in Shikoku. A nationwide dog fighting tournament is in full swing, making everyone reading this instantly a little less comfortable. In this particular fight, two Tosa dogs named Niouryu ("Nio dragon") and Musashi ("master warrior") are duking it out to a screaming crowd of weirdos who like watching dogs sumo wrestle.

Musashi's gotten the drop on Niouryu and is clearly winning via attempted strangulation. For the sake of saving Niouryu's life and so as I never have to write that name again, the fight is broken up and Musashi is declared winner.

This is very exciting news for the Musashi fans in the crowd because it means that the dude has won the Dog Wrastling championship for the 2nd year in a row. True, he's working his way up from middleweight to heavyweight, but this ain't no small potatoes. Musashi's unmatched prowess is celebrated as he is donned in traditional championship garb. The dog proudly holds his scarred head high as he gazes wistfully into the distance. His nose twitches as he detects something strange on the wind.

Musashi's trainer takes him back to his kennel alongside several other competitors. All of the dogs, Mushie Boy included, begin barking, seemingly alerted to something nearby. Musashi's trainer doesn't know what to make of this so he leaves the kennel to go snooping around in the hopes of finding the source of the dogs' intruige.

Unseen to all but the fighters' noses, the Ohu dogs reveal that they've made it to Shikoku by posing mysteriously atop the high stone wall surrounding the kennels. Gin gazes down at Musashi. They GOTTA get this guy to join the army.

The Ohu dogs climb down from the wall and disappear into the nearby woods until the sun begins to set and all the humans are gone. The kennel dogs have just settled in when the same smell from before recaptures their interest. Musashi growls but refrains from barking when he sees three synchronized silhouettes approach his cage.

"Who is it? Who's there?" Musashi says with all the confidence of a lion who's punched God to death.

The shadows whisper in low voices that that's not important right now. What is important is that Musashi agrees to come with.

Musashi doesn't feel like missing bedtime so he tells them to fuck off. One of the silhouettes, the one missing an ear, tells him that if he doesn't willingly join their canine convoy they're gonna force him to. Musashi demonstrates that this is an incredibly stupid thing to say to a fighting champion in a way that surprises the trio. He knows how to open his kennel and he's feeling cranky. He grabs the one eared dog as the stripey group tries to scatter.

Luckily for the Kai Kens the other kennel dogs are barking up a storm, all jerring and yelling FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT. This noise would serve only as an irritant if it didn't cause someone, a human, to call out in confusion. A light inside a nearby building turns on.

Moments later the circular beam of a flashlight can be seen from the other side of the yard. Musashi has an Oh Shit moment and releases the dog he's holding. He tells the three that he's impressed by their ballsiness, but if they wanna live to see another day they need to pound pavement.

The dogs seem less afraid of Musashi's threats then they do of the man with the light. As the man calls out to the dogs the three brindles scramble out of the yard, each making a beeline for the treeline. Once he's certain they've left, Musashi meekly sits down and waits for his master to come find him. The man joins him within a moment and scoffs, scolds Musashi for breaking out again, and finally leads the dog back to his kennel.

The Kai Bros (btw it was so obviously the Kai Bros who came aknocking on Musashi's door) start heading back into the forest, kicking pebbles in their path and muttering about how it sucks ass that they didn't successfully kidnap someone to fight a war with them. As Chutora and Kurotora begin detailing just how much ass the situation sucks, Akatora tells them to shut their yapholes and hide. Someone - a LOT of someones, it smells like - are following them. The brothers dive into the bushes.

An asstonne of quadrapedal silhouettes dot the hills nearby. The strangers smell unfamiliar and are poised as if they mean business so Akatora tells everyone to head back to Gin. His littermates start whining about how running away isn't very cash money of them but Akatora nips them on the backsides to move them along. By this point he wouldn't have needed to put tooth to butt. The pack has descended from their vantage point and is headed straight for them.

The trio takes off in a gallop as tens of angry looking dogs, all barking and yelling for the intruders to stop, give chase. Kurotora's got a terrible Napoleon complex going on so he gives up running and instead tries to fight some of the dogs away. This backfires phenominally badly because the pack swiftly overpowers him, then overpowers his bros when they come running to his defense. Manly, agonized screams ring out in the night.

Somewhere insultingly close by Gin and his coterie have noticed the commotion. John proposes that sending the most overzealous and tactless of them to convince a champion fighter to leave his home wasn't a great decision. Though Gin realizes he fucked up by doing this, he's too proud to show the embarassment he feels for his idea. Instead he just tells everyone they oughta go see what the screaming's for so as to make sure they're not down three soldiers.

The troops head deeper into the forest, each keeping their eyes peeled and ears open to see if they can find the disappeared brothers. The Igas try to contribute to the search by leaping through the trees and ahead of the pack. The thick smell of an unfamiliar group lingers in the air, but no one can be seen.

No, wait, there is someone there. A sliver of moon shine casts a dim spotlight over a muscular dog carrying something red and black and striped all over. It's Musashi! He's got a concerned look on his face and a busted up Akatora stretched across his back.

"I'm guessing the Kai brothers didn't convince you to come peacefully?" Smith asks, the urge to alleviate the situational tension clouding his manners.

Musashi shrugs and allows Akatora to slip from his shoulders and onto the ground. Gin quickly looks over the Kai Ken as John snaps at Musashi for doing this to their friend. Musashi's eyes grow wide and spiteful. He tells the dogs to lay off for chrissakes. Believe it or don't, he's here to help. Akatora agrees in a choked voice; Musashi rescued him when he was too injured to save his brothers.

Gin asks Musashi to explain what the shit's happening so the Fite Club veteran lays it all out. The triplets were attacked by a pack that lives in these here parts, a pack that's lead by a dastardly bastard whos exploits encourage gossip even among the most seasoned of fighting dogs. This aforementioned bastard goes by Bandit Bill, and he's a notoriously brutal brown doberman who lives in an abandoned Buddhist shrine. He's a territorial sort and was probably upset that a buncha insolent strays came piddlefarting around his domain.

Before Musashi goes on about Billy the Kid he gives a broken smile and says he'd gone to follow the obnoxious brothers upon realizing that they might have ties to the giant army of dogs that's been growing and moving across Japan. Gin gapes, somehowhaving been oblivious to how a nomadic collective of dedicated troops might catch the populace's attention.

Musashi states that he's glad the army seems real because it means he can be flattered at how they've come to recruit him. Bee tee dubbya, he's totally down to join them. He's been a fighting dog long enough for it to get dull. The old man is ready to live out the rest of his life as one big adventure.

A second later a white dog drops down from the trees. It's Akame here to say that he and the other fair furred folk have managed to locate Chutora and Kurotora. The good news is that they're still alive. The bad news is that they're in front of a weird, ancient looking monument swarming with buff-looking dogs. Musashi confirms that that's Bill's pad, though he doesn't understand why Bill would keep trespassers around instead of just killing them.

Gin immediately announces a rescue mission. Musashi tells everyone to hold their horses. He's gonna go home and bring back his posse to help sort this out. Bill isn't a bloodthirsty idiot - standing in front of him isn't a death sentence - but he needs to know these guys have backup. It'd also be easier for locals to get information outta him  as opposed to new guys from across the sea. Better to talk then fight, yeah?

Musashi departs while warning the troops that it'll be a hot minute before he busts open all the kennels at home, but he swears he'll be back by morning. Given there's not much they can do til Musashi gets back, the dogs set up camp for the night. The night seemingly passes without incident, and the crowing of a rooster can be heard as the sun rises.

Wait, did I say rooster? Oopsie! I meant Smith starts shrieking to the other soldiers that OH SHIT, GIN IS MISSING. John wakes with a start at his friend's name, and as soon as he's truly concious there's no doubt in his mind as to where Gin is.

Predictably Gin has run off to solve this problem by himself. Only this time he has a moment of self reflection. He realizes aloud that he very often ends up helping, yes, but he also has the habit of tying situations in big, complicated knots by making decisions on the fly... just like he's doing right now.

And yet he can't say he feels remorse for it. He doesn't have the time to. He needs to save his friends. He needs to prove himself to Ben. He needs to do this to protect the village, the people, his family, his Daisuke.

The ancient monument, Bill's Bandit Bed-n-Breakfast, is lookin' pretty eerie in the shady woods. The only thing that makes the dark, imposing forest more intimidating is the two dog heads sticking out of the dirt smack dab in the middle of the monument's front yard. It's Chutora and Kurotora, and both are exhausted from struggling to escape their halfassed graves. A deep, slimy voice cackles triumphantly as something lithe, black, and endlessly shitty exits the building.

It's General Sniper! The bastard merrily licks his lips as he watches the Kais struggle to free themselves from the Earth's unwelcome hug. Mr. S is just about to go on about how great he is or some shit when a dog from Bill's pack, one who had totalled the Kai Bros, runs into view and tells him there's an issue. They have a visitor, someone none of Bill's crew has ever seen before. Sniper runs to the arch out front.

Gin's parked his little silver ass just in front of the arch and is refusing to explain to any of Bill's soldiers why he's here until he has council with Billiam The Bad Guy himself.

"I am a representative of the leader of Ohu," he says in the deepest voice he can muster, "and I shall tell you no more. Please allow me to speak to your boss."

"Oh, no, I don't think that's going to happen," Sniper says snidely.

Gin is surprised to see the hoodlum here, but Sniper doesn't explain himself. Instead, his brow crinkles cruelly as he repeats what Gin said: so, he's here to rep for Ohu, huh? Got himself a promotion, ey? How charming.

Sniper turns to Bill's men and explains that this stupid kid's boss is a tyrant trying to take over Shikoku's prime real estate, ignoring Gin's protests and cries of What The Hell Dude. Bill's men approach Gin to tackle him, but Gin leaps past them before they can.

Gin continues to frog-hop his way onto the front lawn where he's shocked to find two of his compadres buried alive. Little Chu and Kuro, Too yell at him to get out, it's a trap! But Gin's too stubborn to listen. He ignores their pleading begins trying to dig them out instead.

While Gin is distracted, Sniper launches himself into the Akita and sends him flying. Gin quickly rights himself, his nose bleeding, and swears aloud while telling Sniper it's unsportsmanlike to strike from behind. The little German chickenshit better be ready to fight because his treason will not go unpunished.

Sniper yells a barrage of death threats at Gin as if all of Twitter is rushing through his veins when he hears one of Bill's men call for everyone to retreat. Sniper looks up and dumbly utters a confused "Huh?". The Ohu dogs have caught up to Gin, and they're here to stop this madness!

Sniper tells Bill's troops not to puss out of a fight. They've got enough dogs to rival these suckers. The troops comply and the fur starts to fly. For a moment it seems like the Ohu dogs will be able to swiftly end this battle. Unfortunately, they lose the upper hand just as swiftly.

Sniper has made his way over to Kurotora and he's got his fangs pressed up against the black brindle's jugular. He mumbles through a mouthful of dog neck that the Ohu folks must surrender to The Bill Brigade or else he'll start killing the helpless hostages. Gin blurts out for the Ohu dogs to stop fighting without a second thought. Sniper responds by telling his ex-army not to move or else the stripey guy gets it.

Bill's fighters take this as a chance to start beating the shit outta the now motionlss soldiers. Gin's eyes fill with tears of frustration and realization at the severity of the impossible situation before them. Before anyone can die, however, someone else comes in and smacks Sniper so hard he flies back a few feet.

It's another Doberman, a brown and tan one with sunken eyes. This other pinscher says in a deep, silken voice that Sniper can kindly fuck off with this sadism. Bandit Bill can handle his own intruders, thank you very much. Besides, he doesn't believe in killing for the fun of it. If Sniper wants to be his right-hand man he needs to respect the rules of Bill's domain.

Sniper half-snarls, half-whines to Bill about how all is fair in love and war. Gin tells his cliche ass to shut up because the Ohu lads aren't here to fight. They're here to ask for help.

Before any more nonsense can go down someone calls ahoy from the arch. It's Musashi! The big man has kept true to his word and has brought tens of his fighting buds with him, many more dogs then the Ohu guys knew lived in his kennel. Indeed a small army of Tosas trail behind Musashi-sama as he steps up to greet Bill.

Mushmush asks in the voice of a gossiping old biddy if Billy has heard of these guys. They're bear hunters with good intentions, ya know. Bill says that yeah, he's heard about the bear stuff, but their former general here has a different story to tell.

Gin insists Sniper is a big fat stupid ugly liar. They're not here to steal land or dominate Shikoku or whatever, they deadass just need soldiers for their cause. Musashi interjects by saying he's not one to get involved in work place drama. To him it seems the real issue is that Gin and Sniper need to settle a beef they've been fostering. Bill appreciates the sentiment (as well as any chance he gets to watch a good fight), so he agrees. Let these two handle this shit the old fashioned way: with tooth and nail.

Gin licks the tacky, drying blood from his nose and dives at Sniper so as to get this party started. Sniper catches him off guard and sends him flying into a tree's trunk. Gin starts scrambling to his feet but he's not quick enough to dodge Sniper snagging him by the scruff of the neck. John almost rushes forward to intervene when Akame restrains him and assures him that they can save Gin if it comes to it, but they'd better hang back in case they upset Bill.

Sniper wildly moves his jaw around and leaves big bloody slashes across Gin's neck, his teeth fumbling around the kid's collar. Realizing he can't tear Gin's throat out with the big leather slab in the way, Sniper has another idea. He tells everyone to watch what happens when you fuck with Mr. S as he gives Gin's neck a hard squeeze and an even harder twist. All the dogs gape in horror as they hear a bizarre, powerful snap. Sniper releases his grip on Gin's neck and the Akita tumbles to the dirt.

John swears loudly. He wastes no time in detailing how he's gonna shove Sniper's ass down his throat when a weak cough makes everyone aware that Gin is still moving. Even Sniper is surprised as the dogs watch Gin hobble to his feet.

Blood is oozing from Gin's clearly not-broken neck. Just before one can say "wait so like what happened", Gin's leather collar slips off his shoulders and hits the ground with a small thump. A white tear in the leather ring explains the strange breaking noise.

For just a second Gin is lost in the memory of when he was given the collar. It wasn't Gohei who'd bestowed it upon him. It had been Diasuke. The boy had said that it had once been worn by Gin's dad, which may or may not have just been a cover for a convenient purchase from Pet Smart. Regardless, Gin silently thanks Daisuke for giving him protection he didn't even know he had, and he thanks God himself for giving him the massive muscles he needs to tear Sniper a new one.

And tear he does, for he begins giving this asslancing all he's got. He runs rings around Sniper, leaps down upon him from the trees, and finishes off his display of hypermasculinity by swinging the Doberman from a hind leg until the pitiful would-be dictator cries out for him to stop.

Gin does indeed stop, but not without placing a humilation cherry on this assbeating sundae. He swings the pinscher into a branch of a tree. When he lets go all can see that Sniper's dangling from the branch by his spiked collar.

"Shit! Damnit!" Sniper howls, defeated. "Let me down! Someone let me down!" But nobody comes to his aid. Either they're too stunned or, like Smith, are laughing at the ridiculous sight. Bill takes Sniper's dangling very seriously, though, and he calls up to Sniper that he's ashamed to be the same breed as him. Then he turns to Musashi with a smile. He would be giving a slow, polite clap if he had hands.

Gin relishes the moment by boldly telling Sniper to never show his ugly mug again because he's the one dog alive, the one dog in the whole world, who Gin will never forgive. The youngin gives the stuck up commander one last chance to fuck off and live peacefully elsewhere. Sniper only responds with more swearing and even more desperate pleas for help.

Gin thanks Musashi for his backup. He's about to thank Bill too when the Doberman takes a step back. Oh no, he's not getting buddy-buddy with anyone yet.

Musashi looks like he's about to roll up his non-existant sleeves and convince Bill otherwise when the dobie explains: Bill would like to meet this Ohu Boss guy himself before deciding if he's gonna join anyone else's army. He's willing to go with, but no promises on whether or not he'll be killing any bears.

Gin figures this is as good as it's gonna get, so he nods and welcomes Bill into the fold. John playfully elbows Gin in the side. This is all well and good, but it's about time to get back to Ben, yeah?

Before everyone can start planning the cruise back, Musashi stops them and gives them a tip. There's an even stronger dog who lives out here, some dude who's rumored to be the strongest in the world. The Ohu troops look intrigued. Some of them excitedly ask Gin if he'd like to meet this superdog. Of course Gin's like HELL YEAH. The dogs all depart, leaving Sniper cursing and swaying from the tree.

And so all three of the packs (the Ohu soldiers, Musashi's crew, and Bill's cronies) join together and start their trek to meet the world's strongest dog. Next stop: the city of Uwajima. Gin allows Musashi to show them the way, but he can tell by how his men fall in behind him that they're really taking his lead.

Gin can't help but feel a warm sense of pride well up inside him. He hopes he can be as good a commander as Ben. He hopes he can do right by the Ohu leader.

After another day long road trip the dogs emerge panting from the forest onto a cliff overhanging a seaside city. Seemingly having remembered all the times Ben refused to speak up about his own prospective recruits, everyone quickly asks Musashi to describe the dog they're after. Musashi's less reserved then Benny is so he settles on his haunches and launches into a story for the ages.

Benizakura ("crimson cherry blossom") is his name, and dog fighting is his game. The dude is an astoundingly tall and muscular Tosa Inu mix as well as an honored veteran in the fighting world. Legend has it he was born 10 years ago in Japan's snowiest mountain region. He was born to two village mutts of unknown ancestory and for a while he was a simple housepet. That was before he turned 2, at which point his master realized there was money to be made off of him after having seen him tear a cheeky village dog he hated he limb from limb.

By the age of 3 Benizakura had effectively dominated the dog fighting championships. He'd body slamming his way through medium, then large, then heavyweight dogs one by one. He traveled all over Japan and had made his mark on history by never losing a single fight. It came as a surprise to nobody when he finally entered the running for the nation's top canine yokozuna (highest rank in sumo wrestling.)

When he'd clawed his way to the big leagues, his greatest opponent was Japan's then-current champion yokozuna. This dog was an equally imposing purebred Tosa named Tsuna Arashi ("rope storm"). Tsuna was no spring chicken - by this point he'd been about 8 or 9 years old - but he'd spent the last 6 years of his life claiming and reclaiming his championship title. Though it was apparent upon their first meeting that Tsuna respected Benizakura's perserverance, the champ had no intention of letting the younger dog take his glory.

Musashi says that this fight was one for the books which I guess makes it highly unfortunate that dogs can't read. Hell, even the wet-behind-the-biceps kids Musashi used to train would recount it with awe.

See, the two dogs' gameness had been admirably strong. They'd never once relented in their assault of each other. Not when their muscles began to quake, not when they drooling bloody spittle, not when Benizakura's ears had been torn to ribbons. Kick, bite, snarl, tear, claw, throw, strike.

Their faces wet with blood and their muscles failing, neither dog refused to give in. And because of that the match's thirty minute time limit came to an end. No decided victor could be decided between them.

Tsuna Arashi was carted away by his master and Benizakura was left in an exhausted rage. He hadn't won. He hadn't even lost. He'd gotten nothing. Nothing at all but a face full of scars and two ragged stumps where his ears used to be.

Time passed without much incident for Benizakura as he continued his training at home. He still had the respect of his peers, and the dude was as strong as ever. His ears couldn't be saved, but they could be cropped, and so his master gave him a battle crop so low his stumpy little ear nubs were almost flush with his skull.

After a few more months of training Benizakura's owner suggested a rematch against Tsuna, but the dog's owner declined. Tsuna was an old fart by now. His eyes were riddled with cataracts, he had developed diabetes, and he was ready to retire. And so Benizakura was blue balled cruelly by fate, never managing to win himself that championship from his greatest foe.

Musashi pauses for a moment before Gin asks what happened after that. Musashi continues his tale of whoopass woe by detailing that, being a dog and not having the context to these conversations, Benizakura never stopped itching for a chance to beat Tsuna Arashi for real. He'd continued his training, continued his hoping.

Three years later just before his 6th birthday, Benizakura finally felt ready to try again. When he came to realize Tsuna would never return on his own accord, Benizakura had busted out of his kennel and gone to find Tsuna himself.

Benizakura crossed water and shore and forest to find Tsuna Arashi, and eventually he did. What he found horrified him. The blind, elderly dog was locked in a pen and being chewed up and spat out piece by piece by the next generation of fighting dogs.

Tsuna Arashi had become a miserable bait animal biding his time til one of his master's newest pupils got too overzealous and handled him just a little too roughly. The sight stopped Benizakura's blood cold. It was then that he'd realized that if he stayed in the fighting game this would be his future, too.

Enraged at the injustice of it all, Benizakura leapt into Tsuna's pen and killed the other dogs, their humans looking while the beast of an animal ripped their livelihoods apart. And this is what they would call him from now on: The Beast. A fitting name given his mauled appearance and massive stature.

But Benizakura either didn't notice the humans screaming or he didn't care. Covered in blood, he'd merely leapt out of the pen just as swiftly as he'd leapt into it, this time leaving a dazed and confused Tsuna Arashi behind.

Since then Benizakura hasn't returned to his OG master. Hell, the only evidence that he may still be alive at all is the fact that Uwajima locals catch a glimpse at him now and again. The Beast has become a sort of Japanese Bigfoot. Though the muscleman lives as a cryptid nowadays, Musashi swears by his belief that The World's Strongest Dog is still alive. The hard part will be finding him.

Meanwhile, back at the ship the Ohu dogs have claimed as a temporary home base, Cross has been left in charge because both Moss and Ben have had to take off due to pressing circumstances. Cross is pretty miffed at being left behind, but Ben had just assured her that her service is appreciated and he'd be back in a jiffy.

Problem is that several jiffies end up passing by as Cross waits and she's getting tired of leading troops on simple hunting missions. These dogs can take care of themselves without someone telling them how to hold down the fort. But what about Gin?

Gin's nearing 2 years now, but he's still so young and has so little experience. Dogs don't have cell phones or group chats so there's really no way to tell how he's doing. And so Cross nudges a subordinate named Luke, a speckled pointer mix, and tells him to take care of business while she gets the scoop on the wayward pooches.

Luke seems bashful in accepting, trying to murmur out something about how Cross might not be in the best way to brave the sea, but Cross won't be having it. She says her goodbyes and then dives into the waves. The tide has settled exponentially but the ocean still does a good job at knocking her around.

While Cross is boogie boarding, Wilson and Gin are poking around the peaceful streets of Uwajima. Most of what they see is quiet, amiable people going about their business, but there is one especially loud something happening nearby. Gin says it sounds like a lotta hooplah for boring city stuff, but Wilson disagrees.

Willy had once traveled here when his circus made its rounds in Shikoku and, if memory serves correctly, bull baiting is a common sport in the region. That's probably what they're hearing now. He assures Gin it's not worth getting involved - bulls don't fight bears - but Gin ignores him and goes to see anyway.

The two make like everyone in this damn story does and stand atop a hill overlooking the bullfight. It's a big runny-aroundy event taking place inside a wooden pen surrounded by hooting, hollering humans. Several of them are cheering for someone called "Don", and in the pen with a very pissed-off bovine stands an absolute unit of a dog.

Gin's eyes widen as he examines the pooch: massive Ginga pecs, Tosa Inu mix, ears cropped almost flat against his head. It's him. It must be him. Benizakura. Wilson tries to explain that Musashi said Benizakura is more like a sasquatch then a regular sports enthusiast, but Gin just excitedly grasps at Wilson's fluffy white chest and tells him to look, look! As the two watch, the dog, presumably the aforementioned Don, uses all his chunk to snag the immature bull by the neck and flip it over using its center of gravity against it. The crowd goes fucking nuts, and too Gin is beside himself with delight. Wilson concedes that maybe, just maybe, this dog IS the strongest in the world.

Someone in the pin comes and separates Don from the bull. As he does so a young boy comes running up to grab Don by the neck and shower him with praise. The old dog seems pretty pleased with himself, holding his head high as the onlookers cheer.

Wilson's not entirely convinced this dude is Benizakura, but he does believe that the army could use this veritable canine tank in their ranks. He asks Gin how he proposes they get the Hulk Hogan of animals to come with. Gin deadass just takes off in a run.

Wilson calls out to Gin to slow his roll, but this roll ain't stoppin' anytime soon. Gin leaps over several gawking onlookers, each one alarmed and confused. Then the Akita aims right for Don while yelling, "Forgive my rudeness, Benizakura!"

The old dog falters, confused. He poses as if ready to take a blow from Gin, but no blow comes. Instead Gin pulls the canine equivilent of a pantsing and yoinks Don's collar from around his neck.

Don's boychild seems insulted that Gin dare makey his dog nakey and demands he drop it, bad dog, spit it out. Don stands growling at the Akita and Gin stands growling back in return. Gin's worried for a split second that this dude might really just be some random guy, but his fears fade when the old dog snarls through a face full of scars, "Who are you? How do you know my real name?"

Gin smiles around the collar in his mouth as he's overcome with relief. But he doesn't get more then a moment to enjoy having found the living legend because the big guy is running towards him, scolding him for his unorthidox greeting and offering him a similar one in kind. A huge white paw lashes out at Gin's face, smacks him silly, and throws him off his feet.

Wilson watches in a panic on the hill. He wishes he had either backup or a unicycle so he could fix this mess. Benizakura Confirmed lashes a paw out at Gin's face once more, only this time Gin has the foresight to brace himself against it.

The crowd seems stunned that a dog only 2/3rds "Don's" size could stop his strike. Wilson is equally surprised. So is Benizakura.

Upon remembering that they paid to be here, several people in the crowd encourage the new Little Guy to give his all against "Don" while others encourage the sumo vet to snap the youngster over his knee. But Benizakura doesn't do anything escept look intently into Gin's eyes, staring like he means to find something.

Gin smiles his soft, goofy smile once more and tells Benizakura this is what the lawbooks call a case of Pinch, Poke, You Owe Me A Coke. He only struck Benizakura once. Benizakura has struck him twice. Big Man owes him a free hit, and he'll be coming back for it later.

Benizakura seems first confused, then insulted, then confused again by Gin's forwardness. And with nothing more then a wink and a duck, Gin leaves Benizakura behind, foot raised and jaw slack.

Gin leaps back out of the pen and joins Wilson. The crowd goes nuts once again, this time because they're all wondering what the shit they just saw. Wilson and Gin quickly depart.

The Collie scolds Gin for putting so many human eyes on them. Gin says he'll explain why he did what he did later, but for now they need to let everyone know that The Beast lives. Not only that, but he'll be expecting to see Gin again.

On a familiar shoreline, a white mass of hair is lawling miserably around the sand. The fuzzy mop turns out to be a dog, and the dog turns out to be Cross. She didn't stop and take a break like the other dogs but instead swam until she'd reached Shikoku. Her unusually wide sides heave as she coughs up sea water. She tries to settles down for a second, but her ears don't follow her lead. They perk up when she hears a commotion nearby.

Her legs are killing her, but she hobbles to her feet and sways tiredly as she follows the sound of someone - no, several someones - speaking. One of the voices is high and desperate while the other two are deeper and more threatening. As Cross slinks into a hunting crouch, she sees who's doing all the yapping.

A long dog of very small stature is being encircled by two much, much larger dogs. The short king is a Dachshund. It seems like he's trying to look tough while being harassed by the two taller bullies. The big dogs are peeved that weenie boy wandered into their territory, and now they're making like they're going to eat him.

Though she's tired enough to sleep for a week straight, Cross's unyeilding sense of justice refuses to let her rest. She leaps towards one of the dogs and cracks him upside the head. She stands over the living hotdog and snarls at the two, telling them to beat it, beat it. But neither of them wants to be defeated, so they ready themselves to fight.

That is, they ready themselves to fight until realizing that Cross is a bedraggled woman. They pause to laugh at the absurdity of what they believe is some homeless chick saving a manlet from assault before Cross sinks her teeth into one's neck and begins shaking.

These dogs are little more then overgrown puppies, maybe 2 years old at most, and though they're nasty little things they're not very good in a fight. "Hey, lady, stop! Let Beth go!" says the one Cross isn't ripping holes in. The dog in her grasp, presumably Beth, begins whining and crying, obviously not used to real fights.

"Okay, okay! We'll go, we'll go! Please stop!" Beth whimpers submissvely. Cross lets him go with a loud grunt and swears at the unruly teenagers as they make a break for it.

Cross pants as she watches them go, and suddenly she's back to feeling weak. The adrenaline has all but left her system and her righteous power has been turned to a mushy lightheaded feeling. She turns to the little dog to see he's smiling gratefully at her.

He thanks her for her help, though he assures her he definitely could've handled the delinquents himself. She smiles back at him. She asks him what he's doing out here and he responds in a way that surprises her.

The Dachshund explains that he's heard about a roaming pack of dogs playing military, running their own corps and organizing men to battle a man-eating bear. He hopes to join those dogs and prove himself just as capable as any warrior, but his training hasn't been going so well.

He sighs dreamily as he imagines aloud how wicked it'd be to be one of the cool kids. All the cool kids, they seem to get it. It being fame and glory, of course.

Cross's smile grows encouragingly as she tells the little dude to keep at it, for he's bound to contribute to a good cause someday if he keeps that attitude up. He thanks her, then tells her that it's time for him to get back to training. Maybe this time he'll stick to killing squirrels instead of chasing down bigger dogs.

She asks him for his name, and he grins a broken smile. Oliver is his name, and he's pleased to make her aquaintence. After Cross shares her own name Oliver enthusiastically lets her know that if there's ever anything he can do to repay her for her good deed, all she needs to do is give a howl.

As Oliver waddles off, Cross's smile quickly fades. She's not feeling too hot. She's been put under an unusually large amount of strain lately and hasn't allowed herself a moment of rest. Something in her stomach cramps up. She's been puking a lot lately and it looks like what little she has in her gut is coming back up. She tosses her cookies all over the forest floor as the lightheadedness comes back.

She tries to stumble away but her head is too foggy. Her legs give out under her and she rolls to her side upon realizing just how long she'd been at sea. She allows her eyes to close as she breathes in deeply. So distracted by her tiredness is she that she doesn't notice when a long, dark shadow falls over her.

Back in Ohu, the boss is facing off with not one but two oversized red-backed bears. The unusually beefy animals don't intimidate the boss, but their origin does cause some concern. These two are beary obviously assassins sent - and fathered - by Akakabuto himself, the types of visitors the Akita has gotten very used to in the past couple of months. Clearly Redhead isn't happy with an especially jacked dog keeping his troops from more human BBQs. Whatever dude, it'll take more then a couple of homicidal teddies to down this masterful bear killer.

Actually, check that: it takes a couple teddies doing something unexpected to down him. The two big-boned barbarians combine their powers to knock a goddamn tree over and roll it the boss's way. Captain Canine is able to dodge the attack, but he can't do so without leaping over a lump of debris that's blocking his path. Turns out that bear ninjas and dog ninjas have something in common, as the poor dog learns first hand that bears understand the concept of pit traps.

There's no skewers this time, but as the leader tumbles into pit the uprooted tree trunk comes rolling in after him. He gasps and tries to get out of its way, but it's too late. The trunk hits the bottom of the pit with a loud WHAM. The sound of splintering wood and a yelping dog meets the twin terrors' ears.

The assassins grin between themselves. Yes. Finally. The Ohu leader has been defeated. The army will soon crumble, and Akakabuto's reign will be unstoppable.

But enough of alla that, I know what you people really came here to see: John yelling at Gin for making a rash decision! Yes, ole Johnny Boy is annoyed that Gin plans on not only finding Benizakura alone, but wants to leave the rest of the troops hanging back while he does so. Like, Gin, dude, you have an army of walking powerhouses and you don't want their backup against The Strongest Dog In The World Trademark All Rights Reserved?? Especially after the bastard hit you in the face twice???

Various dogs begin barking their suggestions. Gin should beat the shit out of the old fart for disrespecting him (so says the Kai Bros), and Benizakura would be outnumbered and thus forced to comply if everyone ganged up on him (so says Bill.) Gin politely speaks up with a deliberate, "Be quiet," which gets everyone to settle down. Akame clears his throat and nods to Gin, clearly having something he's gotta say. Gin bows and gives the Kishu the floor.

Akame explains that given neither Ben or Cross are here, the next commander in line is Gin. He admits that Gin is young and his decisions are brash, but he can't recall any time Gin's pigheaded determination didn't end with the Ohu dogs getting what they wanted. Besides, it's probably for best that the kid doesn't wanna face this with violence. You don't convince people like Benizakura to join you through ass kicking alone, and if there's one thing Gin's proven he can do it's convince people to be cool.

Gin's face is flush with relief as he quietly thanks Akame for his support. Musashi also agrees with the white guy's elaboration. He tries explaining things from a fighting dog's perspective.

If they all go in to kick Benizakura's ass, he'll just fight them off til he can't fight anymore. They'd just be another challenger, nothing more. But no matter how good a dog is at fighting, he's still just a dog. There is always a side to him that's soft and doughy and vulnerable to what he feels is important. Suddenly becoming aware of himself, Moss peers up at the top of his head where a tiny Tesshin is curled in a ball.

Gin allows Musashi to finish what he's saying before going on to explain himself: it's childhood rules, guys. He hit Benizakura once, Benizakura hit him twice. Ergo, Gin gets one free punchy. Smith laughs and elbows Gin in the chest, guffawing about how the baby of the team would find a way to skew such simple, immature logistics to work on a hardass like Benizakura. This plan is crazy... so crazy........ that it just might work!!!

A while later Cross finds herself on the wooden floor of an old barn. She rubs her face to clear her eyes of grit. Once her vision is clear she sees that she's not alone in the room. A dark shadow of what seems to be a massive dog is sitting before her, its eyes shining as they catch the room's sparse light. The stranger asks her in a crumpled, kind voice if she's doing alright.

Cross's brain finally reactivates and she's all like OH SHIT. The dog before her is an aged Tosa mix, his jowls greying and his face smattered with scars. But that's not nearly the worst of it, she realizes, because it turns out she's been chained to the wall.

She scrambles to her feet and demands to know who this random senior citizen is and why she's stuck in her own private Hotel California. Oldie barely reacts. He just gently informs her that his owner is willing to care for her. She'll be safe here.

As Cross pries desperately at the metal stake chaining her up - no dice - the mutt explains that she's lucky to have been rescued. She'd been delirious, mumbling strange things in her sleep about bears and wars. She also mentioned something about Shikoku, which, spoiler alert, is where she is right now.

Cross finally stops fidgeting and lets this sink in. So she made it after all. She's so glad at the prospect of finding the others that she stops struggling and smiles to herself, then to the other dog.

She gingerly thanks him for saving her, like really she's super grateful and all, but would he mind letting her off this chain? She's on a mission. The dog does not offer to set her free, but he doesn't not offer it either. Instead, he just says that she needs more rest.

Besides that, he's become very curious about her circumstances. What in God's name is she doing out here? So gentle is the old dog's gaze that she heaves a sigh, sits on her haunches, and begins describing Akakabuto to him in livid detail. And then she continues to tell him about the boss, and Ben, and Gin, and the sea, and then something much more recent.

Everyone who didn't leave with Gin was just chilling out in the woods one day hunting some food and determining where they'd go next when a scout they'd sent off, a black lab named Kurobe, had returned with some pretty shitty news: all of the platoons sent up north had been killed, wiped out in one fell swoop. Speaking of being wiped out, Kurobe was also bleeding heavily from deep lacerations. She'd collapsed in a heap before Ben before her breathing had ceased. Kurobe had died soon after.

Livid over the gruesome sight, Moss told Ben that it was time to get serious about his fucky eyesight and get to either an optomitrist or a veterinarian in a nearby human village. Ben wanted to argue, but Moss pushed that there wasn't much time left before the final full moon. Something had to be done about the slain soldiers.

Besides, how was Ben to lead his platoon if he couldn't see? Cross had looked at Ben, part of her hoping he'd stay, part of her hoping he'd leave and return with his vision intact. Ben had decided to leave.

Moss and Cross had discussed what to do. They'd want a small base camp for Gin and the others to come back to, but someone would need to head north to sort out the whole mass murder thing. They decided that the dogs should be split between the two platoon commanders available, those being Great and the newly promoted Cross.

Cross had then elected to hang around the dock to regroup with Gin and welcome back Ben when he returned. Better yet, she'd take a day or two to lead Ben to a village herself. Moss had buckled at the suggestion, asking warily if she wouldn't prefer to stay with Ben at the doctor's.

Oblivious, Cross had said that'd be excessive. She could stand on her own four feet without her man, and the hubby would want someone watching over his troops. Then her face fell, her cheeks stinging with embarrassment. She'd noticed Moss looking at her distended belly.

"You should resign when you can," Moss had said sympathetically. "Take it easy til then, but resign when you can. For your family's sake."

And with that he had departed, had followed behind Great as the dane had directed half the dogs away. Cross had stood shaking from both frustration and anguish before Ben trotted up and reminded her that he had a hot date with an eye surgeon. She'd just gritted her teeth, licked his face, and led him through the woods.

The old dog had been listening very intently to Cross this whole time, and even now she could tell he was paying her mind despite his focus being outside the shed. The dog remarks that this has all accumulated in her coming to find some scruffy punk kid with tiger stripes, huh? Well, he doesn't believe in guarantees, but he can promise her that she'll be seeing that kid soon. Cross cocks an eyebrow high enough to count as a Dreamworks audition before realizing what he means.

Not 50 feet from the hut is Gin, his nose to the dirt. Cross notices him as he gets closer. She wants to call out to him, but the old dog cuts her off. He says that he understands why Gin's doing this - he'd done similar rash things when he was young - but he won't be going easy on him. If the kid wants a fight, then a fight is what he'll get.

Cross is concerned about a heavyweight champ punching the shit outta a teenager so she tells the dog to fuck off with that idea. But of course he doesn't. Instead he says that if the Akita wants to die for his cause, then he will.

As Cross struggles to free herself Gin pads lackidasically into view. He calls out to Benizakura and lets the old meathead know he's here for that second hit. Cross gives up trying to loosen her chain and tells Gin to make himself scarce before his head gets lumped in.

Gin's surprised to see her and asks what she's doing here, but she just continues to tell him to get away. By it's too late. The old dog, Benizakura, has climbed onto the roof of the shed, and now he's plummeting down towards Gin. He lands inches in front of Gin. Gin boldly tells Benizakura that he wants him to join the Ohu army. Benizakura's like dude, we've had plenty of exposition for the day. He already knows what Gin's here to do.

That said, The Beast isn't going to abandon his cushy life as a bullbaiter because someone asks him nicely. If Gin wants him as an ally, he'll have to convince him. Gin says he agrees to a fight, but on one condition: if Benizakura pummels him into an early grave, he has to promise to take Gin's place in the army.

Benizakura accepts this offer without hesitation. He shows the exact same amount of hesitation when he grabs Gin by the neck and throws him like a football. This surpises Gin so much that he can't do anything but take the L.

Cross tries to escape the shack by pawing at a wall covered in loose boards, but she can't quite seem to make them break. She looks out at the two brawlers in a panic. Benizakura continues his assault on Gin by headbutting, kicking, biting, and finally throwing him into the side of the hut.

Cross doubles back from the wall as Gin smashes through it, splintered wood flying in all directions. When the dust settles Cross can see that Gin might have met his match. He's bleeding from the face and ribcage, and his eyes are rolling around without focus.

Cross commands Gin as his superior to leave immediately. Dying like a showoff isn't going to help anybody. Gin stubbornly picks himself up, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, while Benizakura looks in through the new window he just installed.

"Get back out here!" the Tosa demands. "You think you're tough? You call yourself a man while you're in there cowering behind a pregnant woman?"

Gin never received a birds and the bees talk during his younger days so it never occured to him that Cross's rapidly growing ponch was the result of her and Ben's alone time instead of her taking seconds during meals. Cross pulls away from him as if ashamed. She says she didn't tell anyone because she was worried they'd think lesser of her for being with child. None of the other chicks in Ohu's ranks have let this happen.

Feeling awkward but sympathetic, Gin tells her that she managed to get here fulla babies so clearly she's not as weak as she's worried everyone would think she is. Before he can further reassure her, though, he remembers what he's here to do.

Gin climbs out of the wall his spine obliterated and tells Benizakura that he refuses to leave until The Beast joins him. As he nears Benizakura, Cross climbs out of the wallhole and chases after him before she's clotheslined by the chain. As Cross flops around in desperate rage, Benizakura takes a moment to look at Gin's bloodied forehead.

One of several massive scars he hadn't noticed before has split open on the kid's forehead. And yet Gin's still here, still standing before a muscleman who has broken dogs' legs like toothpicks. The kid snarls in determination as his forehead blood runs into his face.

Benizakura is distracted for only a moment before snapping out of his stupor and lunging at Gin again, but that pause was all Gin needed to plan his next attack. It should be familiar to Benizakura given he invented it. Making like he's Benizakura and Benny is a bull, Gin snags the Tosa by the flabby skin of his neck and uses his massive weight against him to fling him off his center of gravity.

The two leave the Earth behind for a nanosecond before Gin slams the dog, a monster 3 times his own size, face first into the Earth. Blood gushes from Benizakura's nose as he falls into a heap.

Cross has ceased using her words and is barking like a maniac, but nobody but the three of them is listening. Benizakura wriggles on the ground as Gin looks over his shoulder at Cross. His face says "hell yeah" but then his body goes "oh no" as Benizakura rights himself and slams as hard as he can into Gin's side. The Beast pins Gin to the ground with one massive paw on his neck and the other on his rib cage. Gin squirms violently and Benizakura stands over him panting and swaying. He seems to be... smiling?

Yes indeed, the bull of a dog is smiling ear to ear. And then he begins to laugh. His laugh grows into a bellyfull of guffaws and snorts, his eyes squeezed shut in hysterics. His laugh is as coarse as the rest of his voice, but there's no malice in it. He genuinely sounds like he's heard the funniest joke of his life.

Beizakura sits back on his haunches, still laughing, and allows Gin to get up. Gin doesn't understand if this is an insult or a mental break. Cross is so confused she quits yapping. Benizakura finally stops his chortling and wipes his eyes dry of tears.

The old dog proclaims that this was great. It's been a long time since he'd felt so alive. To think he'd almost forgotten what fighting other dogs was like! He thanks Gin for the fun and says that he'd intitially thought Gin was just some punkass kid who'd grown too big for his britches. But he understands that Gin's got real dedication.

And if he's the youngest in his army's ranks - woof! The other troops must be just as amazing. So sure, he'd be happy to live out his winter years fighting alongside the Ohu dogs. Why not?

Gin's jaw falls open in a dopey looking smile of its own. He's kinda amazed that this whole thing actually worked. While he catches his breath, Benizakura pads over to Cross.

"Benizakura, thank--" she begins, but he politely cuts her off.

"So formal, you people," he says. "Just call me Zak." And with that, he uses his powerful jaws to yank the chain from Cross's collar. The thin but sturdy metal loops snap in half.

The three are just about to head out when the door of the nearby house opens. Everyone stands surprised as the boy who was with Benizakura at the ring steps out with a large bowl of dog kibble. He seems confused and asks his dog Don what's going on. He watches as the Akita and Saluki run away, and then panickedly follows when the Tosa joins them.

"Don!" the child cries out. "Where are you going? Don't leave!"

Gin notices this mildly underwhelming goodbye become a melodramatic one as the boy trips and spills the food he was carrying. Benizakura pauses and looks back for one last time. His gaze meets the boy's, and the child begins to cry tears of confusion and hurt.

Gin's own eyes glaze over as the sight fills him with a sense of familiarity. The child's desperate face reminds him so much of Daisuke's. Is this how Diasuke felt when Gin left? Was it worse given Gin took off without saying goodbye? Gin doesn't know. All he knows is that it hurts to watch the dog give the boy a solemn smile before turning away forever.

Cross lopes up beside Gin and they wait as Zak catches up to them. The boy is still calling out and blubbers desperately. Gin's wet cheeks match Zak's. The old dog isn't so proud that he hides his pain, and he simply chokes out his desire to leave. The others nod and lead him away.

Gin lags a few feet behind as his thoughts jumble with memories of Daisuke. Gin had forgotten how much he missed his boy. He'd forgotten the last time he'd felt like a dog instead of a soldier.

The dogs slow their pace. This allows them some time to share their thoughts with each other. Zak is pretty broken up about leaving his boy. He's not so steadfast in his decision to fly the coop anymore.

Gin pauses thoughtfully before sharing his own experience with the Tosa. Gin had to leave his boy behind when he joined the army too, and it was one of the toughest decisions he'd ever had to make. Even though it hurt him in a way he's never been hurt before, he did it because...

Gin pauses as his eyes well up. The other dogs wait for him to finish his thought. Gin chokes on his words as he says them, but he still manages to spit them out.

"But I had to leave him because I knew it was the only way I could keep him safe. Because if we succeed, he'll never have to face that kind of danger again."

Everyone falls silent. Cross's eyes are wide as she takes in Gin's words, and Zak's face is stony before he nudges Gin's side encouragingly.

"Okay," is all the big guy manages to say. "I understand."

But the waterworks gradually subside and Gin's focus shifts back to the mission at hand. After running for a shorter time then you'd expect, the trio meet up with the Ohu dogs in the area.

Everyone is very impressed to see The Beast in The Flesh. He's impressed by them, too, and he quickly takes on the role of everyone's surrogate grandpa by telling them stories from the good ole days and calling them variations of "whippersnapper." The strongest dog in the world easily finds comraderie among his fellow punchy people. While he worms his way into everyone's hearts, Cross meets up with Musashi, Bill, and their comrades.

This vacay has come to an end, so everyone goes to cross the sea once more. Benizakura chauvinistically offers to help Cross carry her pregnant self across the waves, but she blows a raspberry at him and jumps in before she has to answer any questions about what he old dude said regarding pregnancy.

This will be the last bit of goofing before the journey back because oh my god there's a lot to do when they get to shore. Ben has to be retrieved, John is set to lead some of this gang to find more soldiers, Moss's crew up North needs to be checked on, and, most importantly, everything must be organized before the end of the month. That's when the war will truly begin, and everyone will have to contribute.

----------

AND SO THE SERIES CONTINUES. Just two more episodes after this one, get ready for ‘em. They should both be up before the end of the month. Also keep your eyes peeled for something else, visual stuff this time, that’ll be coming shortly too.

Episode 6: The Battle

[chickenscript]

or rottmnt venting & comfort headcannons

A/N: *i think i’m better when i’m with you.

i kept reading tmnt fics the other day and they were all angsty and inspiring- so yeah uwu and i won't lie, kind of had the 2k12 turts in mind because let's be honest, they were way more angsty than this bunch

Donnie:

- everyone’s bound to make mistakes.

- donnie just takes them really harshly.

- you think it's because he's not good at expressing and dealing with emotions. he's told you before that feeling was hard for him. repressing that though, he was good at, especially the ones he didn't understand. (him not understanding something would never not be strange to you)

- you insist he swing by after mike tells you the project he was intensely working on for the past three weeks, went up in flames. you know exactly what state of mind don must be in from the blow. you’ve had a year to learn that he really doesn’t like failure on his part.

- he’s more inward and brisk when he climbs through your apartment window. it's unlike him to just come in without a casual greeting you like he usually did. ("Hello there, milday." was an example.)

- you bring him to the kitchen and brew some tea. a flavor your uncle got you for Christmas because you were a fanatic of the hot drink ever since Splinter introduced you to the vast and colorful world of flavorful tea leaves.

- he doesn’t say anything the whole time and doesn’t drink the cup you pour for him. just clutches the hot mug and stares into its dark contents.

- sitting next to him, shoulder to shoulder, you could practically feel his welled up anger buffering off of him like radiation.

- you shudder.

- you're cautious as you broach the topic of his project.

- he huffs and puffs about how he messed up so stupidly, dumbly. he should have been able to avoid the mistake he made, but all he did was score himself a botched product and wreck some of the sensitive machinery that took him months to find and reconfigure for proper use.

- salvaging scrap he could use to recreate sophisticated lab tech from junkyards was ridiculously hard. so he threw himself back by months when his project went boom.

- he’s so angry at himself and angry about how he feels. and by the end of his venting, he’s white knuckled.

- you’re afraid the mug in his hands might shatter.

- you tap the handle of yours and remind him that everyone makes mistakes.

- he hisses and snaps that he wasn’t allowed to. his eyes looking more red than brown.

- he was supposed to be the guy everyone could look to for a job properly done, or just the right advice or the right gadget to fix their problems. instead, he was a walking disaster zone who was barely capable of making something that didn’t explode the first time around.

- you know he just held high standards for himself and feared messing something up one day could cost someone their life. it was why he was so reluctant to let you have that mystic scythe he found in the underground city (the only reason he nabbed it was to see if he could extract its magical properties, but you swayed him into forking it over). 

- but, he was more than that.

- sure he was the brains out of the bunch, but he was entitled to doing something wrong every now and again. it was how new discoveries and triumphs were made.

- you tell him his mind is beautiful, and that he needed to calm down and remember who he was at the end of the day. he could figure this out. he could rebuild what he lost, but he can’t do anything if he doesn’t let this anger at himself wash away. 

- he needed to get past this.

- “I apologize.” he says quietly and finally sips his tea. he’s trembling, but his normal demeanor is back. just a little shaken up.

- he really didn’t mean to act the way he did.

- he rests his head on your shoulder, humming lowly, and you take one of his shaky hands. 

- you drink some tea too.

- it was okay. you could take whatever was thrown at you; whether it was really meant or not. 

- you had thick skin.

Leo:

- he is livid.

- raph had acted bullheaded and rash at tonight's mission- all the things that didn’t make a leader.

- he put his team, his brothers, in jeopardy. he didn't fully comprehend how their well being was in his hands. leo lists all the unsavory traits he kept cooped up before arriving at your house - he started ranting the moment he set foot through your window - as he paces your living room and you watch from the couch.

- worried at how his every word seemed to wrack his chest and whole body like a roar.

- he lets it all out. all the rage and fury, and it makes him literally sick. he dashes into the kitchen and throws up whatever's in him into the empty sink.

- you’re by his side in a split second, patting his shell and offering soothing words. you both clean up the mess that’s left behind and by the end of his episode, he’s clinging to you on the couch, broken down. he’s shaking and whimpers that he just wants all his brothers to be safe. he wanted them to do their best. be their best. especially raph. 

- he hoarsely admits that he could never tell raph that splinter wanted him to be the leader. it would break his brother’s heart. the older turtle always dreamed of being the one they could all look up to for anything. leo couldn’t be the one to ruin that for his older brother.

- you nod along and rub the back of his neck.

- he feels so guilty, so horrible for keeping such a horrible secret. it made his heart so heavy.

- you remind him that he’s just trying to protect his brother.

- he hiccups and touches your hair. his red stripes look dull from all his duress and his navy eyes are exhausted. so is his body that was still in pain from earlier.

- his eyelids shutter.

- he felt like he was just protecting himself, he speaks much softer than you've ever heard him.

- no, you chide, you were pretty sure you were right. who else would let their brother lead a kickass ninja team if they were chosen to?

- he laughs hoarsely and it’s all you need to know you were doing something right here.

Mikey:

- he’s crying.

- like, the floodgates are wide open and you have to hold up most of his weight when he runs into your arms.

- he met you just outside the lair at the end of a pipeline that backed into an abandoned lot in the rain that was coming down so hard, you’re pretty sure it’s in your galoshes and seeping under your rain coat. you could barely make out the shape of him in the downpour until he’s about a foot in front of your face.

- he’s sobbing about how he can’t keep everyone together, or happy or do anything right. 

- he was ignorant. too oblivious and busy day dreaming. useless. unneeded and unwanted. just the younger sibling everyone’s got to protect and scold, and correct with no real place among his brothers except as a burden.

- you squeeze him at the very admission, feeling like you might cry too.

- he wasn’t. he. never. would. be.

- he was mikey; he was sunshine. he was wholesome laughs, and warm hugs and kind eyes, and understanding, and fun, and how much it was okay to be a fuck up sometimes. how much it was okay to celebrate little victories and break tension with goofs- he was mikey. he was a work of art like all the ones he’s ever made.

- he’s crying for a whole new reason now.

- how were you so nice? he wasn’t even human- he was some sewer freak!

- you shake your head and ask him right back. you were just a normal, nothing-special human.

- you stand in the rain, holding each other and he pulls back after long enough that your fingertips are starting to prune and you’re half sure you’ll have a cold later. 

- still holding your hands, he looks at you and you look back from under your hood. he’s got tears and rain dripping down his face. you can’t make sense of the two, but his eyes are so beautifully milky blue in the foggy sunlight.

- he thinks everything will be okay.

- he wipes a tear from your eye with a warm tenderness and you chuckle.

- you were supposed to be saying that to him.

Raph:

- he blew it.

- he was no leader. just some idiot who thought he could pull the title off with some bravado and beginner’s luck. and he knew it, and his brothers did, everyone did. they just didn’t say it to his face.

- he’s quaking under all the pressure inside his chest and snorting out breaths through his snout.

- you touch his hulking forearm.

- you only knew that he was great at listening to his brothers. great at taking opinions, advice and acknowledging them and their emotions. and never once ignoring someone or how they feel- he did the opposite; he encouraged them. he may be a body with boulders for shoulders, but he had a core of something entirely different.

- he cares. he cares so much that it hurts him and could one day kill him. wasn’t that part of being a leader?

- he looks at your so very small hand with tender brown eyes much lighter than don’s, and sniffles, tears running down his face.

- you really think so? you think he’s all that? his lower lip quivers.

- you nod and smile at your wonderful friend. the one with a heart as big and open as his youngest brother.

- you wouldn’t have said it otherwise.

- he sweeps you off your feet and into a hug that has you sitting on one of his forearms.

- how’d he get a friend like you?

- how’d you get a friend like him?

- you share a laugh and you perch on his shoulder, petting his head as he wipes his eyes.

- yeah...how did you?

*you nothing-special human, you

[ur-mom-kayn]

Loyalty Chapter 33: Understanding

Kayn Pov

The next morning, thank God, still no Rhaast insight. He really did not want to imagine his reaction. The Darkin will be everything, just not pleased. His teasing was already pretty much on his sack anyway. But now he also gave him a real reason to tease. Kayn did not regret what he did, but that could change quickly.

Carefully, Kayn turned to test whether his body was in good shape. And in fact, his butt did not hurt the next day. Zed was still asleep. His Master looked just as stunning as sleeping. Based on Zed's last statement, he was able to conclude that he was still interested in having sex with him. Of course, he was very happy, but ... What will be the next time? Again, shadow sex was not possible.

Seeing your partner face to face was a completely different number. Kayn did not want to show weakness in front of his master. A wrong move by Zed would lead to a pain-distorted face. However, it was too early to worry about such things. He still did not know when their next time will be. Before Kayn broke his head again, he got up and tried to clear his head. Just when he had finished, there was a knock on the door. He quickly drew the curtains to Zed's bed and opened the door for his guest.

As expected, Varus was at the door. "Morning Kayn. Here you have your nuisance again. But tell me, why did you argue with Rhaast? He was silent all evening long. May I be enlightened?" Annoyed he accepted Rhaast and threw him aside. "This is none of your business." "Hey! No matter how annoying, you do not mess with my brother. Get your fight going. I know how hard it is to share a body. I know what it means to argue. I'll never get along with the two, but you two are partners. You harmonize well. At least in fights. Get your privacy on the line. I will not always play babysitter." Varus turned and made a departure. Maybe he was right and he should talk to him.

The moment he tried to pick up Rhaast from the floor, there was another knock on the door. Could not he even have his peace? When he opened the door again, an employee stood at the door. "Shieda Kayn, your room is ready. You can move in now. Here are the keys." Great ... now he was allowed to move out and spend more time with Rhaast. Kayn slammed the door in the guy's face and picked Rhaast off the floor. He turned his scythe against the wall and looked at his eye. Rhaast looked very annoyed, just like himself. Later. He finally answered. Later sounded good.

"Trouble in paradise?" Zed also spoke up. "I do not want to move out. It's just going so well between us. I do not want to part with you." Zed got up and walked over to Kayn. "There are only a few walls that separate us. And we know, walls are airy for you, so come on down. It was not different in the temple. Why is it so hard for you to let go now?" Zed hugged his student and kissed him on the lips. Kayn returned the kiss for a moment. "That's why. Zed I love you more than ever before. I do not want to experience a morning where I do not wake up next to you. I need you." "No, you do not. You are grown up now. You can manage to share a room with a darkin weapon. Besides, who said that we will never sleep together again. We should not just do it for a start so that nobody comes up with wrong ideas. And if you can not fall asleep, you know where to find me. Now, pack your things together. I have a match in half an hour and have to leave anyway. Then you can just as well set yourself up in time." Zed addressed something true, but Kayn did not want to obey. Why would he pack his things if he had planned to stay here anyway?

Zed released the hug and put on the green suit of Shockblade Zed. Kayn, however, did not budge. Even though his room should look exactly like Zed's, he would not feel at home there without Zed. "Kayn, I'm serious. When I come back, I do not want to see your stuff here anymore. As a reward, I sleep with you today. Agreed?" That was only a small consolation. But he had no choice but to follow his instructions.

After Zed left the room, the big boxing began. Never had him packing so hard. He hesitated, especially with the hairdryer. Zed had gotten it extra for him on the first day. It was wrong to take everything with him. Kayn left a few things of him here and took only the bare necessities. It was certainly no art to get another hair dryer. Now that he was getting a salary, he could get whatever he needed anyway. Yet everything felt so incredibly wrong. The last half year did him so well and now everything changed again. The first thing he will do in his new room would be not to unpack his things, but to take a nap.

Involuntarily he left the room with his luggage and Rhaast. On the key was the room number to which he had to go. As he could already imagine, he will live one floor above Zed. Unfortunately not even directly above him, but a good deal offset. Once there, Kayn just ran through the door. His hands were already overloaded anyway. First, he turned on the light to find that his room was an exact copy of Zed's room. The only difference was the model of his bed and that everywhere stands were positioned for Rhaast. Kayn set his scythe on the stand next to his bed and let the rest of the luggage fall to the floor. He himself took off his boots and then went to bed.

Tired, he pressed his face into the odorless pillow. He needed Zed's scent in his room at all costs. Now stop it! What happened to you after you got fucked in the ass? Are you really Kayn or just Zeds slut? "Shut up!" He yelled into the pillow. "You have no idea how I feel. I hate changes. I am a habit animal. I would react in the same way, even if I had not been fucked yesterday. It's shitty not to live with his partner. But who am I telling this to? You have no idea what it means to love. So any discussion with you is futile."

Of course, I know how it feels. Your feelings are mine too. "And why do not you understand me? I have the feeling that you have not understood me for some time. At first, you could endure everything and were also on my side, but since I've played with the idea to be fucked, it was suddenly over with understanding. But why?" Because I do not want you to submit to someone. I mean, you're Shieda Kayn the Shadow Reaper, the first mortal to rule a Darkin weapon. It does not suit you to be subdued. Your greatest weakness is the love of your Master. I just want to save you from the pain. Do not you understand that I'm trying to be your friend, but you just block. "Are you trying to be my friend? Then you can express yourself in a different way." Kayn had been lifting his face from cushions for a long time and looked directly at Rhaast.

"If you want to be my friend, then I'm glad. I also want to get along with you, but that's bad if you call me Zeds slut. It's my thing if I want sex with him or not. And besides, that did me incredibly well. I enjoyed the sex to the fullest. As I thought, Zed is a fantastic lover and if you want to be my friend, you have to live with it." For a while, neither spoke anymore. There was nothing more to say. At least not from Kayn's side.

Kayn ... I do not want to hurt your body. It is my duty to protect you. Even if my choice of words is not always appropriate. Try to understand me. I failed to protect my last master. I do not want that to happen again. It may be said a lot when I say that you are important to me. But the fact is that I do not want another owner anymore. Even if we often shred, I am convinced of your strength. Please be the Kayn again, who fights for his beliefs and try Zed at least a little to stand up.

"What should I do in your opinion? I can not fuck him. He will not let me do that." Not that. But next time you could be a bit more dominant and be on top, instead of letting yourself be lumped like a bitch. Or, instead of letting go of his room, defying him and saying that it's your territory and that you're not leaving until you feel like it. You're far more powerful than Zed, show him that. If only that were so easy. Kayn could not ask his master to subordinate himself. That would not be right. He was also afraid that he would break up with him. He still had not heard from him 'I love you'.

Kayn I do not give you infinite power to hide behind your master. Go out there and show the world who you really are. I know that there is more in you. According to me, meditate all day, but get your feelings on the line. If you show me that you are not a whiner, I will be kinder to you again. Is it an offer? Rhaast was right somewhere. Kayn has lately been guided by his emotions too often. Maybe he should train harder again to clear his head.

"I'm sorry Rhaast, that I threw you away. I was just a little bit over it with my feelings. I also do not know what's wrong with me." It was finally time for Kayn to pull himself together a bit more. Is okay. Did not hurt anyway. "Physically maybe not, but possibly mental." Hahahaha. Nice that you found your sense of humor again. "I'm serious, Rhaast. You have feelings too. Or have you never loved in your life?" There followed a brief respite before Rhaast finally spoke. No idea. If anything, that's even more than a thousand years ago. You should know something that I have not told you. Sunborns are not created through sexual intercourse. One is called to it. If you were a strong and noble person, you will rise to a sunborn after your death. At least that's how it was when Azir was alive. Anyway, I have hardly any memories of my old self. Maybe I loved, but maybe not. Who knows?

Kayn was more than shocked when he learned that Rhaast was a human being. He could not imagine that. "First, were you really human? And second, Azir is alive. He is a Midlaner in the league." You're kidding me ?! Master Azir is alive? As the? Does that mean that all the gods slaughtered each other in vain? "Always calm partner. I have no idea about Shurima. All I had to do was study the skills of all the champions and I was sure I heard that name. He is also referred to as Emperor of Shurima." Yes, because he was. Emphasis is on ‘was’. What the fuck happened in my absence?

Unfortunately, he did not know anymore. "Can you please meet Azir another day? I'm tired now. Now, tell me what you did as a human so that you went up to God." I already said that I hardly remember. I do not even know what I looked like or what my name was. The only memory left to me is that I was once a soldier for the Shurima Empire. I do not know more. That's why I'm having a hard time understanding such puny people as you. For me, love is just a word, not a feeling. Of course, I get a certain impression through you, but I do not feel that it is the same thing that you feel. I do not understand your obsession with Zed.

"Then learn. No idea. Just try to behave like a human. Maybe you'll understand it then." Stupid idea. How am I supposed to do that? Hello? I'm stuck in a scythe. I can not pretend that I am human. "Then I'll just lend you my body on occasion. Maybe you'll understand sooner then. Meet other Champs and try to be charming, unlike your brothers. Meet a lady or a man. I do not know what you're standing for or have confessed." And you're really ready to lend me your body for private purposes? So without consideration? "As long as you do not make a mess and leave me alone, I do not care about anything. Please just stay out of my private life with Zed. Then I would be very grateful to you. And I really want to sleep now. Wake me up when Zed is here." Kayn closed his eyes and fell asleep.

[cutelittlekittykorner]

Suptober days 1-31

Suptober Stanzas by cutelittlekitty

I haven’t been able to draw since I took a drawing class in college >.< but watching all the great art everyone’ s done for Winchester-reload’s suptober made me want to join in the fun.  Words are my chosen artistic medium so i’ve written a poem.  I just decided to do it last week, and chose to have all the stanzas flow chronologically to summarize the first 5 seasons :D

Day 1:  Weapons

They never played at hide and seek,

And rarely toyed with toys.

Raised as weapons, revenge to wreak,

They never were just boys.

Day 2:  Wardrobe

They never had a uniform,

Though oft in tees and plaid.

The Jeans they wore faded and worn,

They lived with what they had.

 Day 3:  Monsters

They learned what lies beneath the bed,

That weres and vamps are real.

Djinn grant wishes inside your head.

They learned monsters don’t feel.

 Day 4:  Scars

They changed their school every few weeks,

So battle scars weren’t seen,

And hid the tears upon their cheeks,

Their mother’s loss was keen.

 Day 5:  Feathers

They saw the fire, like feathers spread,

Upon the ceiling high.

The flaming wings above Sam’s bed,

They watched flame quills fall nigh.

 Day 6:  Lips

They didn’t know the cost back then,

“Take your brother and go,”

The last they saw their mom was when,

They ran for the front door.

 Day 7:  Blue

Dean soon would learn what they had lost,

What made their dad so blue,

A life is much too high a cost,

Sam will pay that price too.

 Day 8:  Hands

Dean cooked for Sam, tucked him in bed,

Crossed the street hand in hand.

Always keeping him safe and fed,

Sam hurried to be a man.

 Day 9:  Bedhead

Dean curled with Sam in the back seat,

Too big now for the space,

Tousled hair that wouldn’t stay neat,

Sam’s rare smile on his face.

 Day 10:  Research

“Dean, lore says it’s a ‘kitsune’,

You stab it in the heart.”

Pretty girl in a library,

Sam sad when they must part.

 Day 11:  Premiere

Dean went to Sam one Halloween,

A Stanford undergrad,

And begged he come away with Dean,

Sam had to help find Dad.

 Day 12:  Graves

Dean found the case their dad was on,

Love scorched Woman in White,

Her house a grave, she can’t go back,

Sam took her home that night.

 Day 13:  Blood

Back to college, Dean said goodbye,

Sam lay down on his bed.

A drop of blood beside his eye,

A flame-burst overhead.

 Day 14:  Fights

Back Sam goes, to their hunting work,

Kill monsters, not a twitch.

“Dean, I don’t need a towel, jerk.”

“No blood on the seats, bitch.”

 Day 15: Love

Back with their dad, he lets them hunt,

Yellow-eyed demon guy,

They lose, they crash, doctors are blunt,

Dad trades life for Dean, why?

 Day 16:  Falling

Back to the pattern, when Sam dies,

Dean trades his life for Sam's.

Hellhounds coming, Dean hears the cries,

Falls to land of the damned.

 Day 17:  Night

Back here on Earth, just three months pass,

In hell it's thirty years.

Endless night in torturer's grasp,

'Til Dean has no more tears.

 Day 18:  Harvest

Back to war, kill demons in Hell,

Rescue the righteous man.

Dean growing from the firm earth's swell,

Somehow alive again.

 Day 19:  Sleep

Angel must talk, but Dean can't hear,

A vessel Cas must find.

Jimmy Novak leaves family dear,

Sleeps as Cas fills his mind.

 Day 20:  Nightmare

Demons don't know who brought Dean back,

Not a clue can they find.

Visions of hell, chained to the rack,

Nightmares that fill Dean's mind.

 Day 21:  Shadow

Angels are good, so Dean was told,

But something isn't right.

Shadow of End Days on the world,

Dicks with wings want the fight.

 Day 22:  Sigils

Demons, Angels, warded against,

Hiding inside a barn.

Girl who hears the angel’s intents,

Fell from Heaven, now gone.

 Day 23:  Wings

Archangel protects author shmuck,

Gospel of Sam and Dean.

Lilith smokes out when Dean brings Chuck,

Once archangel’s wings seen.

 Day 24:  Touching

Demon ‘turned good’ helps Sam ‘succeed’,

Lips on skin drink blood-wine.

Touched by God, though Lucifer’s freed,

Apocalypse, it’s time.

 Day 25:  Vehicles

Baby don’t be jealous; you know,

For Dean, there’s only you.

Little Bastard was just in one show,

Her history not true.

 Day 26:  Favorite Episode

Trickster returns, maybe he'll help,

Boys trapped in TV land.

Twist? He’s secretly Gabriel,

But he won’t lend a hand.

 Day 27:  Villains

Lucifer later kills his bro,

Along with pagan gods.

Gabe’s last words spoke from a porn show,

Four rings will even odds.

 Day 28:  Ladies

Ellen and Jo sign on to fight,

Meg shows up with hellhounds.

Harvelles kill hounds, light up the night,

Team fails to take Luc down.

 Day 29:  Gents

Death waits for Dean, eating some ‘za,

Takes back from Dean his scythe.

He’ll help the human amoeba,

If Dean will make Luc writhe.

 Day 30:  Curses

Meg traps Cas, ringed by holy fire;

Pipe drops, knocks her inside.

Caught by Cas, eyed with desire,

Meg bridge lets him outside.

  Day 31:  Halloween

Archangels meet in graveyard scene,

Vessels Dean knows too well.

Luc dressed as Sam almost kills Dean,

Sam drags Mike and Luc to Hell.

 Day of the Dead: Epilogue

Starts are easy; endings are hard,

Lisa will dry Dean’s tears.

One year later, Sam’s in their yard,

Chuck smiles and disappears.

October 2018

For Winchester-reload’s Suptober,  #SupToberArt2018

[midorichikara-blog]

How she survived (Headcanon)

Fu was a person known for her fearlessness and throughout her life, that rung true. She would always be the first to jump into danger. Always the first to take on new threats with a grin. But now, for the first time, she felt fear. 

She found herself against a wall, injured and unable to call forth any chakra. These two Akatsuki members proved to be too much for her. To think that a former member of her own village would be the one who led to her demise. How fitting for someone loathed like her.

Despite her fear, she closed her eyes and quietly awaited her fate. There was nothing else she could do. Even her tailed beast seemed to ignore her plight as it refused to offer her any aid. Was it because she proved to be weak? Or because it too knew it was all over? Whatever the case was, she didn’t bank on anyone to come save her. They’d probably be happy if she never came back.

There was one though. One who cared for her more than the others. 

“I’m sorry, Shibuki.” She muttered under her breath. “You were right about me ending up in danger.” 

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she imagined the pain he would go through when he learned of her fate. 

“So.” She asked her two assailants. “Are you going to kill me now?” 

“Kill you? Ha! I wish. No. You’re still needed alive.” The one known as Hidan said as he lay his scythe on his shoulder. “Well. Not you. But the beast inside you. See, if you die. It’ll be set free. And that’d honestly be a real hassle to deal with. So we gotta do this whole ritual thing and jump through five hoops to finally be able to kill you. Talk about an annoyance, right?” 

“Silence.” His partner Kakuzu shot at him. “We can’t be giving away too much information. It’ll cost us money to keep any potential eavesdroppers quiet.” 

“I wonder about that.” A voice suddenly spoke up from behind them. “Because to me, such information is priceless.” 

They both whipped around to find out who the source of the voice was and were surprised when they realized who it was. 

“Orochimaru?” Kakuzu asked incredulously. “What are you doing here?” 

“I was passing through the area when I heard a ruckus. And what do I find? Akatsuki up to no good.” He said with a grin as he leveled his gaze with them. “I figured I might as well intervened. Because while I may not have interest in studying Jinchuriki at the moment, I certainly wouldn’t like Akatsuki to have their way.” He cackled. “I may lack the ability to use my full power currently. But I’m more than powerful enough to face you two.” 

He dashed toward them and as he did so, his eyes met Fu’s. 

“Go on, child. Flee. Lest I change my mind and decide to use you as a lab rat!” 

Fu didn’t need to be told twice. She mustered what little strength she had left and took off running with all her might. She didn’t dare look back. 

She ran for what seemed like hours before eventually succumbing to exhaustion and collapsing in a forest quite a distance away from where she had been attacked. She felt her vision going dark and prayed that the Akatsuki members hadn’t been able to track her. Even so, she may just end up dying out here. All alone, injured and without food. She wondered what would be a worse way to go? Being taken by them or dying out here. Whichever it was, she didn’t have time to think anymore as her consciousness faded away and she passed out.

It was about 12 hours later when she awoke with a start and practically sat up ready for a fight. She half expected to be in the clutches of those Akatsuki guys but was surprised when her fist met the face of someone she had never met before. 

“Gwah!” A man’s voice sounded as there was a giant thud as his back hit the floor. “Naruto! I’m dying! Go on without me!” 

“It was only a punch. You’ll live.” Naruto said as he helped his master off the ground. “And it’s your fault for standing over her bed like a creep.” 

Fu tilted her head in confusion. Who were these people? 

“Ah. You’re probably wondering where you are. This is kind of our base camp of sorts. We found you yesterday when we were out searching for food. To be honest, I thought you were dead at first and freaked out.” Naruto said while scratching the back of his head. “But then Pervy Sensei told me you were alive. So we brought you back here and patched up your wounds. Well, I say we, but I was the one who bandaged you. I didn’t trust him for a minute around you.” 

“I’m hurt, Naruto. Do you really not trust your Master that much?” Jiraiya said as he rubbed the newly formed bump on his forehead.

“Not around girls I don’t.” 

And it was those two bickered that Fu caught a glimpse of Naruto’s headband. It was a leaf one! 

“Ah!” She exclaimed as she pointed at his forehead protector. “You’re a shinobi from Konoha!” 

“That’s right!” He said with a grin as he adjusted it. “I’m Uzumaki Naruto. And this here is Pervy Sensei.” 

“I have a name you know. It’s Jiraiya.” He replied flatly, getting somewhat annoyed at the ease in which Naruto called him such an unlikable nickname.

Fu’s jaw dropped when the older man’s name reached her ears. He was one of the Legendary Sannin! Wait. Come to think of it, so was Orochimaru! What were the odds of meeting two of the Legendary Sannin within a day and them both happening to save your life?! 

“I’m Fu! I’m from.” She trailed off as she gazed downwards. “Well. I was from Takigakure. But that’s not really the case anymore. I’m kinda on my own now.” 

“You’re a rogue shinobi?” Jiraiya asked, becoming suspicious of her.

“No. Not that. It’s just. My village kind of wants nothing to do with me anymore. I’m sure of it.” She kept her eyes downward. She knew Shibuki would likely be looking for her. But she no longer wanted to return to that village. The place that saw her as nothing but trash. She may as well have been cast out. And perhaps, if she stayed away. Shibuki would be safe. That’s all she could ask for really. “You guys shouldn’t hang around with me either. Some pretty mean guys are after me.”

“I can’t just leave you to fend for yourself.” Naruto said as he stepped forward. “I can tell from your eyes that you aren’t a bad person. I can also tell that you know a similar pain to the one I felt. The stinging pain of solitude.” 

It had been a year since he started training with Jiraiya, but he had already grown so much.

“You’re welcome to stay with us.” Jiraiya said as he crossed his arms. “I can’t say I’d feel good about leaving you alone. Especially not after the state we found you in. Plus.” He smiled. “If my student thinks you’re a good person, then who am I to doubt him?” 

“I’m going to be training with Pervy Sensei for another year. You’re free to join in! I could always use a sparring partner!” Naruto said as he slammed his fists together. “What do you say, Fu?” 

Fu couldn’t help but laugh at his eagerness. It was the first time she had met someone so honest and straightforward. Sides herself anyway! “Sure thing. Don’t blame me if I get you in trouble though. I’m a magnet for that.” 

Naruto grinned. “Don’t worry. I am too.” 

Fu smiled at him. Truth was. She felt a warm sensation inside her. She didn’t think these two strangers would go out of their way to be kind to her. Yet here they were, treating her like she was one of them already. She’d have to thank that Orochimaru guy later. Because if it wasn’t for him, she wouldn’t even be breathing right now.

And so a month passed by with Fu steadily regained her strength and after fully recovering from her injuries, managing to learn the Shadow Clone Jutsu from Naruto. He told her she was a natural and she couldn’t help but be flustered at the praise. She still wasn’t used to people being kind to her. 

Though everything turned upside down about six months later when she revealed her Jinchuriki powers to them when she was attempting to destroy a boulder that had trapped some children inside a cave. 

Naruto was completely dumbfounded, but also in complete and utter awe. He had never seen another Jinchuriki apart from Gaara. To think that he was training alongside one this entire time!

Upon seeing her partial transformation, everything made sense to Jiraiya. The fact that her village didn’t like her. The mysterious men who attacked her. “Fu. The men who attacked you. They were members of Akatsuki, weren’t they?” 

Fu stiffened as he spoke their name. Memories of the attack came rushing back to her and she ended up having to use a tree to steady herself as a wave of dizziness rushed over her. “Y-Yes.” She replied. “They were the ones who nearly killed me.”

And that was when Naruto put his hand on her shoulder. “Then you don’t need to shoulder that burden alone. Akatsuki also went after me a year and a half ago.” 

“What do you mean by that-” Her eyes went wide as she realized what he meant. “Naruto . . . are you?” 

“Yeah. I’m a Jinchuriki. The Jinchuriki of The Nine-Tails to be exact.” He pointed his thumb at himself. “So you can count on me fighting these Akatsuki guys right by your side. I won’t let them get you or me.” 

“Naruto’s right.” Jiraiya said. “Akatsuki is the enemy of the leaf. And you’re a friend of ours. And we protect our comrades. And anyone else who is need of protection.” He then grinned. “Now then! Since I know about your true nature, the training is going to get three times as tough! You better be prepared!” 

Fu laughed nervously at Jiraiya’s sudden excitement. It was like he was holding back before because he thought she wouldn’t be able to handle a Jinchuriki’s training. She glanced sideways at Naruto and his expression confirmed her fears.

The training was about to get a whole lot more hellish.

---

Time passed and eventually they all returned to Konoha. Jiraiya asked Tsunade to allow Fu to become a member of the Leaf Village, something she finally agreed on doing after hearing her story. Should her old village ever coming looking for her, well, that was something they’d all cross when they got there.

Later that day, Fu found herself in her own little apartment and with a brand new forehead protector. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. For the first time, she had a home. And friends. A place she belonged. The feeling made her heart flutter. What a feeling it was! To be alive! To be happy! To be loved!

---

“Jiraiya-sensei . . . “ She muttered as she stood at his grave, rain falling from the sky above. “Why did you have to die?” 

She had only recently heard the news, having spent most of the last few months in Konoha’s academy. She had to re-earn her Genin status after all. 

And in that time, she learned about the various adventures Naruto had been on. From saving Gaara from the Akatsuki to fighting against the very members that tried to kill her. Each time he returned stronger and more confident.

And yet. He had never seen him as broken as he was when he heard their sensei had died. 

She knew her sadness couldn’t hope to compare to his. To Naruto, Jiraiya was like a father. Someone who raised him and taught him so many things. He always talked so much about the great Sannin and in turn, Jiraiya talked so much about him. 

Even so, she knew she couldn’t leave him alone. And so she approached him. But no matter what she said, he refused to acknowledge her. It was like he was off in his own little world.

It was only when his friend Shikamaru spoke with him that he began to recover. And for the first time in weeks, she saw him smile once more.

That was when she knew she had to get stronger herself. That she couldn’t let Naruto handle this burden all alone. She was a Genin once more, which meant she had the freedom to leave the village and help Naruto! 

Unfortunately for her, this newfound resolve led to her almost dying at the hands of Pain who attacked Konoha in search of not only Naruto but her as well. 

If it wasn’t for Kakashi intervening at the right time, she would have been overwhelmed by the Deva Path of Pain. And when Kakashi died and the village was destroyed, her will to fight was all but gone. She felt the same despair she did back then. But this time worse. Because it wasn’t only her. It was her new home. Her new friends. Her new family! 

She felt a burning sensation inside her as she began to lose control to her tailed beast. Her consciousness blacked out as she unleashed a mighty roar and charged Pain with defiance. The battle was intense but eventually she was subdued. 

She felt her power leaving her as she fell to her knees, her chakra absorbed by the Preta Path of Pain. Her eyes glazed over as she stared her fate in the eyes. 

Why? Why was she so useless? Why had she failed to protect that which she loved? 

“I’m just . . . a failure.” She said softly. “I deserve to die.” Someone who talked such a big game and yet couldn’t back it up was pathetic. 

“You didn’t fail.” Came a voice. “You protected the village the best you could. To me, that isn’t a failure!” 

And with a giant explosion, Naruto appeared before her. He stood atop a toad, his now golden eyes gazing back at her. “It’s not over yet, Fu. We can win this.” 

Fu’s formally lifeless eyes watered up as she fully processed what was going on. Naruto was trusting her to have his back. He was expecting her to help. She couldn’t let him down! “Alright.” She said as she forced herself to her feet despite the pain shooting throughout her entire body. “I’ll fight!” 

And fought they did, with the same events as usual coming to take place. Hinata nearly gets killed and Naruto explodes with rage. The main difference here is Fu getting involved. She begged Naruto to get a hold of himself and even pursued both him and the Deva Path of Pain as they left the village. She witnessed the entire thing, including the part where Naruto regained control of himself. She dared not get close, knowing that she’d just become another target for Pain. Only when the Deva Path was defeated did she approach. Naruto told her he was going to face the real Pain and that she should stay behind. She argued with him, but was stopped cold by his glare. He was serious. He was determined to do this alone. 

She merely let her arms fall limply to her sides and nodded before watching him head off. Yet again, she had proved to be useless. 

After everything was over, Fu was sitting in the ruins of her apartment, staring at her headband. It was because of her that Pain did so much damage. If she had only been stronger, she could have- 

A hand on her shoulder. “Don’t beat yourself up. I got beat up quite a bit too.” Naruto said as he sat down next to her. “We were both pretty overconfident.” 

She shifted her gaze toward him. “But you at least were able to defeat them. I-I just got in the way.” 

“And here I was gonna ask you to train with me. Aw well. If you’re too depressed, I guess I’ll go ask someone else.” He stood up and pretended to leave.

“I-I’m not depressed!” She shouted as she stood up. “I’m just confused! I don’t know why I can’t get stronger! I try and I try. But I always end up losing!” 

“It’s trying that counts.” He said as he turned around to face her. “It’s not about winning or losing. It’s about never giving up until the very end. To always give it your all, even if you’re outmatched. That’s my Ninja way.” He made a fist and extended it outward. “And it can be your ninja way too. You just have to be willing to walk it with me.” 

“You’ve always been that way.” She said softly as she slowly raised her right arm. “Maybe if I get lucky, some of that determination will rub off on me.” 

Her fist met his. 

“So.” He said with a grin. “What do you say we both get stronger?” 

“Sounds like a plan.” She replied while having a grin of her own. 

And that is where the past ends and the present begins.

This blog takes place somewhere between Nagato’s death and the Fourth Shinobi World War. 

Only roleplays and headcanons will tell which direction Fu’s life will take from here.

[thefrostfalgar]

Retreat (Kilguin)

Special thanks to @stitchesandstockings and @mudmanworld for betaing the story, and also, @ninjantome for keeping Killer's character in check (and keeping me from deleting the story altogether out of frustration). Also, this is my first longer, fluffier story about Kilguin so I hope you enjoy it :3

People say, that there is nothing as destructive and as foolish as anger. Killer agreed with this very much, for he had seen hot blinding anger from the other side most of the time. Not from the receiving end, but from the side where he had to prevent it from being too catastrophic. From the side where he had to yell as loud as he could to get heard by deaf angry ears. He had seen a lot of it, and had taken a personal oath that he wouldn't be consumed by such an ugly thing as anger.

He never thought there would come a day where he would be the one consumed by fury.

The blond dragged himself across the freezing shore covered in thick snow. He was sore, he should take a rest, but he just couldn't make himself to do it. There was still a tiny spark of energy within him, crawling up into his chest like melting lava in a volcano. Every passing minute, he was getting angrier while at the same time, fear consumed the depth of his heart.

A fear for the well-being of his Captain.

Killer gritted his teeth, tasting the tang of blood thick in his mouth. He wouldn't hope for Kid to be fine. No, fine is a bit too much. He had learnt that keeping his hopes high in this ocean is a foolish thing to do. He had just hoped that Kid is alive.

The bitter thought got Killer even angrier, as he gripped his scythes with all his remaining might. He knew anger to be a destructive thing but now, it was the only thing that he could rely on to keep him going─to make him move, and take another step closer to Kaido's lair. Killer knew that in his current, sorry shape, he couldn't fight Kaido's commanders- Let alone the Beast himself- But he needed to locate Kid's whereabouts. He needed to know where Kid was being imprisoned. If he knew, he could then retreat in peace and make a plan to rescue him.

However, rage alone couldn't bring him far in his journey. Eventually, exhaustion and a seemingly invisible stone tumbled Killer from his limping steps, causing him to fall face first to the cold snow. Some of the ice touched the skin of his face through his mask, making him groan. The snow cooled burning, unhealed injuries, a feeling that was not comfortable, but was welcomed. Killer tried to get back up, he'd finish this mission crawling if he had to.

"Stupid… Kid…" he panted as he tried to get up. Again. His body was so close to giving up on him, but he knew that passing out in the middle of the snow wasn't the brightest idea. He had visited enough winter islands to know that hypothermia is one among many causes of death, and he willed himself on, refusing to stop now. He refused to die, at least until Kid was free and setting sail once again, even if it meant that he had to take his captain's place.

The cold didn't help him to make any movement. His joints were all frozen, and the fact that he only wore his usual southern style short sleeved thin shirt and pants caused his body temperature to drop rapidly and it wasn't long before rage and willpower were no longer enough and his body refused to move. Killer laid his head on the snow, blood starting to freeze and frustration and fear took hold of his heart. He didn't dare to close his eyes, for he would see the horrible fate in the darkness of his those images refused to be pushed to the back of his mind. In fact, he could see them perfectly clear on the white snow he was stuck staring at. The defeat of Captain Kid. No, it should be The Defeat of Massacre Soldier. If only he wasn't so focused on hurting Kaido, he would have seen the attack that was aimed at Kid. If only he knew just a second earlier, he would have the time to jump and take Kid's place, but the giant's reach was out of Killer's. So there was Kid, taking the blow that Killer should protect him from. Wasn't it a First Mate's duty to protect their captain at all costs?

To make it worse, there was not even time to make up for his mistake. Once Kid took the blow, Kaido snatched him, and that was about the end of their short resistance. That Apoo bastard quickly surrendered, while Kid, being the stupid, persistent bastard he is, spat blood in Kaido's direction and simply laughed at the idea, and that was when he knew that they had to retreat. That to be able to free his captain, they had to leave him behind. A smart, but cowardly decision that he regretted now, as he fear for his captain's life grew with each passing minute.

Killer groaned, using the power from his guilt to try and get up once again, but this time, exhaustion had beaten his willpower. He couldn't even lift a limb, no matter how much he put his strength into it.

For the first time since the horrible fate he shared with Kid in their childhood, Killer felt helpless and afraid. He knew he couldn't hope for miracle─it was a concept made by weaklings that couldn't move their asses to look destiny dead in the eyes and take what they want, but right now, in a place near freezing point where he couldn't even move a muscle, Killer wished for one. Just one. Free Eustass Kid. Let him see Kid set sail once again.

The blond could feel his exhaustion quickly overcome him as he used the last of his strength to dig the snow with the tips of his fingers, hoping for a secret passage or something - anything- to appear in front of him. However, as he was dragged deeper to the deepest darkness of unconsciousness, Killer knew that Miracles didn't happen to the likes of them.

-ccc-

"He's still alive!" Killer could hear someone declare loudly, in an urgent tone that could usually only be heard in the midst of the battle. That, along with the cold fingertips that were pressing hard to feel his pulse, dragged him halfway to consciousness. Killer kept what remained of his focus to the touch and the voice, like he would to the surface of the ocean if he was drowning.

The fingertips continued to press against his freezing skin, in the strategic places where the pulse could be located. Killer had given up on trying to open his eyes, or to make any attempt to move. He just focused on the guy's action, interpreting it with his weak mind. Doctor, he concluded in his mind. This guy's a doctor.

"His wounds have been treated poorly, Captain. He's not dead yet but he's close."

"Good. Bring him to infirmary," someone else replied, with a calmer, more authoritative tone. "Every last one of them."

"Why?" someone asked.

"Because that's Captain Kid's crew," the calm voice replied. His voice sounds closer and clearer now, jolting Killer's attention to full alert. "If they're scattered here, in Kaido's lair, we have to know why. They can give us some valuable information."

"Assuming they want to give information."

Yeah, Trafalgar, Killer thought. What makes you think we would want to give information voluntarily?

"Oh they would," that familiar voice said in a tone full of confidence. "If not, we can always throw them back to the snow."

Snarky bastard, Killer thought. He could then hear some more footsteps approaching him, a series of boots sloshing against the snow. He wanted to move, he wanted to put up some resistance to save the Kid Pirates' some dignity.

If only he could move. Just a muscle.

-ccc-

"… with a serious case of hypothermia. The cold was his enemy and his ally at the same time," Killer could hear Trafalgar's voice enter his weak ears. He still couldn't move, even after his brain gave so many orders to his every muscle and every nerve. He wanted to open his eyes, to see whether it's really Trafalgar Law, and what the fuck that bastard was doing here. "If it were not snowing out there, he would die due to infection."

"The snow prevented his injuries from getting worse, but at the same time, it almost froze him to death," another voice was heard; a more delicate, and soft voice that it could only be interpreted as defeated. Killer's heart sunk when he heard that voice. He tried to swim to the surface of his consciousness, to where the voice come from, but how could he swim, if he couldn't feel his body? Was that Peng? He needed to see the bird. He had to. He also needed to know what the hell they were doing here, and if they were talking about him.

"Precisely. He was this close death."

Then, there was an uncomfortable silence. Killer tried to open his eyes once more, only to know that by being unable to do so, they were indeed talking about him. But what happened to him? What happened to the crew? What about Kid? Is he alive? Killer felt like something was punching his gut repeatedly when he thought of Kid. A bad feeling that he couldn't shake. Just why couldn't he move? Then, a series of approaching footsteps derailed his train of thought. Killer focused what he had left of his energy to listen, to keep his mind afloat in the darkness that was so eager to pull him back to its embrace.

"Kil," the delicate voice whispered, sounding so defeated. Killer felt like his heart stopped in an instant. For a moment, the thought of Kid, the guilt and his duty as first mate was forgotten, pushed back to the abyss of his mind while the remaining of his consciousness revolved around that voice. Around the puff of breath that touched his cold cheek. "Killer… Goddamn it man. What happened to you?"

Then there were touches. First a soft, light touch on the tip of his nose, followed by the touch of someone's lips; dry, chapped, cold, and desperate, ghosting over his shoulder, cheek, and eventually, his temple. Killer wanted to laugh, wanted to catch that hand and kiss every knuckle, denying his vulnerability with wild affection. If only he could move.

-ccc-

"… Fighting really well. Good sign, man," that was a louder, more laid back tone. It took Killer a few moments to realize that 1) he was drugged. Hard and 2) he's in the Heart Pirates' care. That must the sound of the happy whale of the Heart Pirates. "Cheer up a little bit, Pen. Have you even taken a bath these past few days?"

Pen. Penguin. Penguin of the Heart Pirates. Killer could feel his heart jump from its nearly static state, to spikes in the beat that made him tired. They must have put a heart monitor on him, because he could hear the repetitive beep sound grow louder, faster, and the sound of someone jump from their seat.

"Kil? You good?"

Killer tried to do something, anything, to prove to the little bird that he was fine, but he was choked, he was strangled, and it didn't help him that Penguin was yelling to the happy whale about something. The emergency seemed to be temporary, because as Killer felt a pointed needle injected to him, and he was dragged back to the darkness that he was trying so hard to raise himself from. He tried to call Penguin's name, but the darkness swallowed him.

When Killer managed to finally open his eyes, he squinted only to see the dimmed room. It was made of metal, all grey and dull but strangely familiar. After his eyes adjusted to the light, he could feel all of his senses struggling to steal his attention with enormous amount of stimulus; the smell of medicine and ammonia that pierced his nose, he didn't like that. Then, there were confusing signals that made him realize he must be in shit shape right now, considering that he received over stimulus that he could only perceive as pain in several parts of his body, and the lack of stimulus in the others that he could only perceive as disfigurement. Like his left hand. He remembered that he broke a scythe so bad, his arm must be crushed in the process─it was probably already rotting and half functioning right now.

He sighed, thinking that grave must be better than early retirement. What retirement is like for pirates, anyway?

Wait. Pirates. Yeah, he's a pirate. He's the first mate of Kid Pirates. With Kid.

Kid.

The thought of that name alone brought him back to full consciousness. He could now feel additional stimulus that he couldn't recognize before. Like the abnormal weight on his chest, or the calloused fingers between his stiff ones. Killer shifted himself, trying to look down at his chest to see what the hell was on it.

"Whoa, easy, easy," he suddenly saw a face of a handsome man, framed by messy, short platinum hair with streaks of black. The man looked worried and tired at the same time. His ice blue eyes were decorated with dark bags beneath, his lips chapped, and he looked… tired. Even so, it was still a familiar face that Killer thought he would never see again. The man that he thought he couldn't embrace again. He remembered that face in another dimly lit room, in a humid area with the faint sound of random bubbles bursting outside. Memories flooded his mind like senses flooded his brain, recalling the light, happy feeling he felt when seeing that face.

You look like your scary captain, was what Killer was trying to say but his voice just wouldn't come out. Instead, there was a low, broken sound that made him wince in pain.

"Hey, go easy on yourself," the man said, with softer tone that sounded less stressed and shocked than the first time. He was pushing himself away, only to come back with a glass of water. Up until Penguin brought it to his range of vision, Killer didn't realize that he was thirsty as hell. Penguin helped him by tilting his head until it was in a safe position to drink without spilling or choking. The smaller man smiled slightly, looking even more exhausted and if Killer's guess was on point, for the most stupid reason.

"There you go," he smiled when Killer finally managed to finish the drink.

"You look like shit," Killer croaked, his voice hoarse. Whoa. How long had he been out again?

Penguin let out a laugh, a sort of relieved one. "You ought to look in the mirror."

Killer shook his head in exaggerated confidence, and Penguin laughed at that.

"Beauty is really in the eye of beholder," he ruffled Killer's hair and massaged his scalp. "Goddamn it Kil," he whispered, looking pained. "I thought I lost you."

Lost… Killer suddenly thought of the blackout… Kid… The war… Who was it they were fighting? Was it Bartholomew Kuma? That's why the little bird was here, right? So why was he here, in the infirmary of the Heart Pirates? Why were Penguin's features are so different? Where is Kid? They beat weird robot Kuma. So where the fuck is that bastard?

At the same time, Killer could remember Kid being smashed. The blood… the bitter taste of betrayal… The huge shadow looming over him…

Kaido.

Killer shifted again, trying to force memories to come back as he tried to get up. Only to be knocked back by a painful headache. "Kid…!" he groaned. "Gotta… Get… Kid"

"Kil, I don't think…"

"Pen!" he hissed. "Something is happening to Kid. I need to get him. I need to get Kid. Now!"

"Kil," Penguin tried to keep him from getting up, but Killer just wouldn't listen and tried to get up from his hospital bed. He ripped at his IVs, trying to detach all of the medical support just so that he could go. Penguin asked, commanded, begged, and ultimately, straddled Killer to make him stay on the bed. Yet he, even in a stronger state than Killer, still was not a match for the Kid Pirates' first mate. So he decided to take the sedative and inject it into Killer.

The blond was still rambling about saving Kid when finally, unconsciousness claimed him back.

-ccc-

It must have been a long time since he was awake. Killer couldn't remember. When he finally came round, he tried once again to piece together his memories of recent events. However, they were scrambled in his mind, stirring up in a mess, so Killer decided that it's better to stay passive and not try to remember anything for now. He focused on his senses, to breathe, to smell, to focus on his surroundings so that he could clear his mind, and once he had his mind straight enough to be aware, the first thing that Killer felt was a head resting against the lower left part of his chest, almost right on top of his heart. An arm flung across Killer's body, fingers ghosting over his. Killer could feel a smile rise up on his face. He knew full well who that might be. In his short life, he never let many people touch him. This guy was one among his short list of exceptions.

He was about to pull the body laid half on him closer, when he heard a metal door swing open, and a series of fast paced footsteps approaching him.

"Oh," the man chuckled. "Awake, Killer-ya?"

Killer shot his eyes open, trying to get up only to see Trafalgar Law approaching him.

"Traf… Trafalgar," Killer murmured, as he tried to get up, but Law only shook his head.

"Hush, you wouldn't want to wake little Peng now, would you? He's been awake for the last few days, looking out for you," he said as he checked Killer's IV drip, and all of the medical paraphernalia that Killer couldn't quite understand. "See? All changed and done perfectly. But again, Peng had been refusing to handle anything besides you, especially when it wasn't a direct order from me. So I expect nothing less than perfection."

Killer couldn't quite understand what Trafalgar meant, as he held Penguin's hand which rested over his, stroking it absentmindedly while he tried to understand the whole situation.

"How long have I been out?"

"One week," Trafalgar replied, leaning on Killer's bedside table. The Heart Pirate's captain looked… different somehow. Even more than the bounty poster showed. He still looked like a slender panda with lean muscles, but he looked a bit… laid back, free… Killer's mind changed one word with another, and he concluded that the right word had yet to be invented for Law's body language. He just looked like he finally dropped the weight of the world from his shoulders.

"Do you know what year it is? What is the last thing you remember?"

Killer answered Trafalgar's doctoral questions properly, a bit annoyed because there were more important things than how he felt and what the fucking year was.

"I understand your frustration, Killer-ya. But I have to make sure that you have complete recollection of the events before I continue with my questions" Trafalgar must have sensed his annoyance, because he looked more serious now. His expression tightened as he looked at Killer with his sharp eyes. Killer was not a coward or a lowlife that could be intimidated with such a look, but moments like this made him understand why he's not a captain. "Killer-ya, are you sure that you are in shape for interrogation?"

Killer squinted, trying to assess his own mind, trying to see if he could properly recall the events that led to this moment. He decided to start with Trafalgar. The last time he saw his face was when Trafalgar got captured by the Clown or whatever… Then the alliance… Then the giant…

He could feel his heart jump as memories flooded back.

"Yeah," he whispered, almost pained but he refused to believe that things could get worse. "I'm still trying to clear my mind, but please ask me what you need to know. That'll help me sort my memories faster."

For a moment, Trafalgar looked a bit hesitant but curious regardless. Knowing his history with Kid, Killer was a bit surprised that he could still have such a calm manner. "Very well," the surgeon nodded. "About the alliance… Why did you do it?"

"To take down a yonko, just like we discussed some time ago."

"I don't recall any of you saying anything about taking down Kaido."

"That's because that wasn't out plan. We were aiming for Red Haired Shanks."

"Then, what were you doing in Kaido's lair?"

Despite Trafalgar's eager curiosity, his questions were quick, sharp, and precise─just like the movement of his scalpel in the operating theatre. Killer could salute him for that.

"That day after you defeated Doflamingo, Kaido fell from the sky onto our safe house. We were all surprised that of all islands, he landed on ours. However, when he realized who were, he was furious at us. I assumed it was for being in the same generation as you and Straw Hat. He attacked us, beat the shit out of us to set an example… show that you… we can't hope to defeat him."

At that, Killer clenched his fist, grabbing Penguin's hand as an attempt to hold on to his patience, to his calmness. His heart rate spiked all of a sudden, resulting in a faster, louder beep on the heart monitor. Killer could feel fear and desperation take hold again, and somehow it affected Penguin. The man that laid on top of him was now frozen in place, his breath on hold for a moment. Killer focused on the rhythm of the smaller man's breathing, trying not to do something impulsive.

"I see," Law nodded. "However, it doesn't explain why my crew can't find your captain nor anyone from your allied crews."

"Scratchmen is under Kaido now. He surrendered and begged to be taken under his wing. I don't know where Hawkins went..." Killer paused for a moment, trying to get his voice to work. "As for Kid… he got captured…"

"… For refusing to surrender," Law continued, nodding as his expression changed. He looked once again like the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. "That sounds like what that stupid, stubborn, and prideful Eustass would do."

"He has his own principles."

"I know," Trafalgar Law said. "It's part of his charm, isn't it?"

"Trafalgar," Killer exclaimed, his voice low and dangerous. He might still feel weak from his injuries, but he wouldn't let that get in the way of protecting his captain's name. "Just because you got in his pants, doesn't mean I will let you get away with talking shit about Kid…"

"I know," Trafalgar cut Killer off before he could say anything else. "I admire you for that, and I would not waste my time with Eustass-ya if he was a lesser man than he is. But this time… With what happened to Whitebeard two years ago, with what Mad Monk-ya did to Big Mom's commander, with what Straw hat-ya and I did with Doflamingo, Yonkos will start to get the memo. They will start to destroy us the moment they see us. You should have run the moment Kaido showed himself in front of you. You, Killer-ya, of all people, should have known that it would end like this. It could have ended worse than this. You should have just knocked him unconscious and dragged his arrogant ass away until you developed a proper plan!" Trafalgar gripped the side of the table tightly, his finger tips turning white. Killer swore he could hear the doctor's teeth gritting loudly. "You, of all people, should remind him to retreat."

"I could, but I wouldn't," Killer barked back. "I might have known that it will end like this. I might have known that it could be worse. But what I think never mattered. Kid is my captain. When he orders us to attack, we attack."

"You could have died by Kaido's hands."

"But we didn't," Killer exclaimed. "He didn't. I know you may think you have Kid all figured out just because you shared his bed. But no, you don't know shit about my captain. He might not the strongest man in this ocean yet, but Kid is persistent. He won't die just because he got his ass handed to him."

"You're pretty optimistic. It's Kaido we're talking about. Straw hat-ya and I could barely fight Doflamingo."

"Well we aren't you. If you give a single shit about Kid, then you better get your ass moving!" Killer growled.

For a few moments, the two glared at each other, before Trafalgar Law finally sighed, and let out a tiny laugh that could easily be mistaken as bitter. "You're right. We need to focus on the future. Get some rest, Killer-ya. We will discuss a plan to rescue your captain tomorrow. After all, we need all hands on deck to beat Kaido and his commanders." The captain of The Heart Pirates turned on his heel and started to walk towards the door, but before he could walk halfway across the room, Killer stopped him.

"Trafalgar."

The lean man stopped in place, and tilted his head to glance at Killer.

"When the time comes Kid is in prominent danger, would you switch me in his place?" Killer asked, ending his request by swallowing his saliva, and his pride with it.

Trafalgar didn't respond. He continued to stare at him questioningly. "How should I know whether the time has come, Killer-ya?"

"When something horrible is about to happen. When your calculation or your judgment says that the event will result either in his death, or that Kid will be unable to continue his journey. Kid needs to continue to sail, no matter what. He has to. He's the future pirate king, after all. So I'm begging you, will you do that when the time comes?"

For a moment, silence claimed the room, then Trafalgar let out a tiny laugh. "Why do I get the impression that you will fight to make sure I agree on this," he paused. "Very well, when the time comes."

Trafalgar stepped out of the infirmary. Before closing the door, he spoke back into the room, "Also, Penguin, I need you at the hull first thing in the morning. No more excuses. And you're welcome to bring Killer-ya along should you deem necessary."

The door clicked shut and Killer heard the way Penguin's breath hitched. Penguin lifted his head from Killer's chest and grinned with the mischievous of a child. His pale cheek blushed light pink, which earned a smile from Killer.

Now that Killer felt assured he would be able to count on Trafalgar's scheme to steal Kid back from the beast, a weight had been lifted. Or perhaps the happiness that settled over him was the effect of the little bird's presence. That was Penguin's charm, after all.

"I knew you were awake this whole time, you sly little bird," Killer said as he pulled Penguin closer. His joints made popping noises when he moved his arms. "But how did Trafalgar know?"

Penguin shrugged. "Well, he has practiced his observation haki by surveying one hundred heartbeats at the same time."

"Huh?" Killer blinked in disbelief. "Kid has had his violent moments, but your captain sure is scary."

"You're one to talk, Massacre soldier."

They shared a laugh, before Penguin slowly stopped and stared at Killer's happy face. He touched Killer's cheek, silencing the blond before sealing their dry lips together. Their kiss grew hungrier and more urgent with each passing second. Killer was surprised by this new demanding side of Penguin. He was more than happy to let Penguin have his way, though, and followed along with the pace set by the smaller man. Eventually they ran out of breath and broke away for much needed air.

"Whoa," Killer smirked. "What happened to you these past two years?"

"Not the past two years," Penguin chuckled, almost sounding bitter but somehow also finding humour in it. "The past week, Kil. Something happened inside me when I saw you there, lying unconscious. And when you did wake, you mumbled incoherent things like you'd lost your mind. It gave me a thought I can't seem to shake."

Killer scowled, but pulled Penguin in to place soft peaks across his skin. "That sounds serious," he mumbled, lips resting against the smaller man's cheek. All thoughts about his Captain were pushed to the back of his mind. "Mind sharing?"

"I will," Penguin whispered, pressing his now wet lips on Killer's cold skin. The blond's fever had long gone, and his skin was now covered in cold sweat and Penguin's kisses. "Gotta… show… First."

They continued to shower one another with kisses, pressing their lips everywhere they could reach and savouring the other's touch. Eventually Penguin sat up from his awkward position, and Killer pulled him closer. Their hands cupped one another's faces as they locked eyes, unwilling to blink in case somehow the other would disappear.

"Take off your shoes," Killer breathed.

"And why should I do that?"

"Because you need to be here with me," Killer replied, kissing the tip of Penguin's nose, before touching their foreheads together. "So we can relive our moment on Sabaody from two years ago. Or have you forgotten?"

Penguin's lips widened into a grin as he huffed warm breath against Killer's skin. Killer liked the feeling; Penguin's presence never failed to comfort him. He was grateful, because of all the things that could have happened, the Heart Pirates had found him, and he was reunited with Penguin, the man who emitted warmth like the sun.

Whenever he was around Penguin, Killer could feel the desperation and fear leave his body. He got the feeling that things would be alright. An alliance with the Heart Pirates could only make them stronger, unlike the past alliance with Apoo and Hawkins. Plus Trafalgar needed Kid, in more ways than one, and would fight just as hard as Killer to save him. There was great comfort in that thought.

Penguin's chuckle distracted Killer from his thoughts. "You were the one diagnosed with a concussion, Kil," Penguin finally answered.

"It would take more than a concussion to make me forget," Killer retorted. His hands lowered to Penguin's back and hugged him closer. "Now, take off your shoes."

"I don't want to relive the moment," Penguin whispered, but he took off his shoes anyway, and positioned himself over Killer. However, Penguin's weight remained on his knees instead of resting on the larger man. Killer was strong, but Penguin didn't want to risk agitating any of Killer's already aching injuries.

Killer's eyebrows disappeared under his bangs when he raised them. "What, you found someone better these past two years?"

"No!" Penguin exclaimed. "God, Kil, no. I don't want to relive the moment because… after watching you motionless for the past week, something got to me. And after I heard what you asked my Captain…"

Penguin's icy blue eyes stared deep into Killer, showing something that resembled pain, anger, and desperation. Killer knew that look. He had seen it many times when he had looked at his own reflection in the mirror. He had seen it on Heat's face when they first recruited him. It was bitter, and dark. And yet, simultaneously it resembled hope in its rawest and most untameable form.

"What are you thinking, little bird?"

"I thought… that this, what we have right now, is something that shouldn't be marked by time. We shouldn't think about anything else aside from what we have here. Now. You. Me. Before this week, I would kiss you goodbye, and hope to kiss you again sometime in the future. Before this week, I would hug you long enough to make it last until we would meet again."

Penguin took a breath to think about how best to phrase his next words. "But that's not how pirates should be. Pirates don't cling to the concept of happily ever after. We don't love someone forever. We're not supposed to reflect on the past or look to the future with hope. Pirates are meant to live by instinct, and think only about the present time."

Penguin's voice was growing shaky with emotion as he continued. "But you and I don't do those things. That is our problem. Because the sweet memories of the past, the dreadful promises of the future, they will harm us and leave us distraught. You can't do this to Kid. And I won't second my captain for this, either."

Killer remained silent as he waited patiently for Penguin to finish.

"Besides, dwelling on what we had in the past will only hurt you, the same way the thought of the future does to me… When I saw you unconscious–," Penguin whispered, but was unable to finish that thought. His voice was traumatized from speaking these words.

Killer stared at the beautiful young man, headache and pain momentarily forgotten as he blurted out his loyalty and love in a single breath. For some, Penguin's speech could have been interpreted as a rejection, or an attempt to put an end to things. But Killer knew Penguin. He also knew that all those things he said were true. And for once, Killer could only imagine what it would feel like to watch someone he cared about in immense pain, with their soul ebbing between life and death.

Killer could feel that Penguin generally cared about him. He was the first person outside of the Kid Pirates to do so, and Killer's heart couldn't help but let him in.

"I mean… You understand, right?" Penguin questioned. "Your presence. That's all that matters to me right now. Bringing up the past will only make things more painful. The past is a reminder that dreadful things can and will happen again in the future, whether it be to you or to me."

"Fair enough," Killer said, his voice low. "Fine. No more talk of the past. Or the future."

Penguin nodded in agreement.

Killer smiled, feeling a strange sense of pride creep into his heart. He didn't overthink it, and instead pulled Penguin in for a kiss. It was drawn out and gentle, a way of displaying his pure admiration for his little bird. Upon breaking away, Penguin blushed again.

"There, a promise sealed with a kiss," Killer whispered. "Now don't look like that again, and love me for today."

"Ugh, why does it sound weird when you say it?" Penguin hissed, clearly embarrassed.

But Killer wasn't having any of that. He rolled them in the small infirmary bed so that he could straddle Penguin, making it creak and shake in a dangerous way as he did so. All the while Penguin was yelling in protest, worried that Killer would injure himself or damage his medical aid, or that they would break the bed and then Law would slice them into tiny pieces. The protests turned to embarrassed whines now that they had successfully switched positions with minimal trouble. Penguin was on his back now, and Killer rested his head on his chest, with his large arm sprawled out to hug the body beneath him.

"You should be resting," Penguin hissed.

"I've had enough rest," Killer replied. "I don't need any more beauty sleep. Unlike some stupid nurse who has stayed awake the entire week."

Penguin tried to frown, but his lips were betraying him. "I'm an anaesthesia specialist," he protested. "Not some stupid nurse."

"Yeah, well, you were nursing me, instead of anaesthesia-ing me. So go to sleep now. Or I will make you."

"Yeah? How you gonna do that?"

Killer raised his head from Penguin's chest to give him a look, making the smaller man chuckle before pulling the blond's head back down. "Don't even think about it, you pervert," he laughed. "Go to sleep."

"I was gonna love you for today."

"I'm already sleeping."

"How about when you wake up?"

"Don't think about the future."

Killer laughed, snuggling against Penguin while the smaller man wrapped both arms around the blond, smiling softly.

Penguin had cried nearly every night while Killer was unconscious and heavily injured– praying; hoping; being tortured by the sweet memories of the past, and the fear of the future. His thoughts had reflected on what a cruel world it is that they live in. A world where strong men fight one another, and where someone like Penguin wasn't likely to last long. He feared for the day when he might lose his own life in battle, or sacrifice it for the sake of his captain, or perhaps be made to beg for it as Killer had done.

A life where they could settle down and be together forever seemed like an impossible dream.

In this cruel world moments would come and go, as would people just as fast. Everyone would rise and die; be remembered, and eventually forgotten. Life would always be an unpredictable game. And that was exactly why cherishing the people he had right now, without the weight of forever, would have to be enough.

[ruffsficstuffplace]

The Keeper of the Grove (Part 77)

Note: Incoming Drama.

“I’ll tell you in a Honey Dream,” Qrow said. “It’s a lot better if we have visual references, so you see the full effect of it.”

So, after setting up a dreamcatcher, and some convincing Winter that dreamer’s honey was safe, they were off into the blank, white space that was the dreamscape’s “lobby.” After a few moments to help Winter get her bearings, Qrow started narrating.

The world changed all around them, flashes and scenes of the First Settlers’ societies, and Fae settlements 1,000 years ago, the wilderness of Avalon steadily disappearing as the former expanded rapidly and makeshift settlements and towns turned into the gigantic city states they were now, while the latter made their cities and settlements one and the same with the giant trees, the massive caves, and the underground caverns.

“In a big, convenient coincidence for me that all three of your questions can actually be answered with the one story, because they all connect to one thing:

“The Viridian Valley.

“Our two species aren’t strangers to working together for a common goal.

“However, it’s usually with the Fae manipulating things from the sidelines to keep you guys from wrecking Avalon with your industry or scientific endeavours you don’t know the consequences of just yet, but we know all too well; sneaking in and posing as humans to combat politicians, movements, and organizations that’d make life hard for all of us; and sometimes even spreading rumours and legends to keep people out of places we’d rather they not be poking their noses in, such as the Valley as it is now.

“In short, we Fae have been using you humans as pawns. But before you go complaining about us being evil puppet masters, know that all we’ve ever truly wanted is one thing:

“To be left the fuck alone.

“Your First Settlers arrived and threw the entire realm for a loop—widespread ecological damage, the permanent disruption of the flow of magic, and not to mention there were all those times you made in to where we Fae were hiding out, looking for more resources and land.

“And even though our weapons were no joke even then, your guns and giant-ass industrial equipment weren’t, either.

“This is why we’ve been so secretive about everything, primarily with making you humans believe that we Fae are just fairy tales, people’s personifications of all the wildlife that is waiting to fuck your shit up out in the Country:

“Because we were and are still terrified that if you knew of the things we have, what we could do, what we are capable of, we’d have an alien force spreading out throughout our territories like wildfire, using our own magitech against us as you improve it at a pace we can’t even begin match, take over Avalon as the new dominant race and build your cities over the ruins of ours and the corpses of our kind.

“Don’t get us wrong: we know that not all of you humans are greedy assholes who just want to take everything they could possibly get from the world, damned the costs to everyone else.

“But seeing examples of people like Valentino and his ilk, the damage they could do in such a short time with the full blessing of most of your people… it was enough to make the Council and most of the Fae—Celestian or Eldan—agree its best if we just keep to our side, we corral you humans in yours, and we both keep on living.

“Then all of that changed with the Viridian Valley, the first and so far the only openly joint Fae/Human settlement in Avalon’s existence.”

They were now in the familiar layout of the Tree of Life, except with humans walking around with the Fae, both species deploying a combination of their technology as they changed the muddy swamp they were standing in, planted and hyper-accelerated the growth of trees, and raised the skeletons of both their architectural styles all around.

“The conditions couldn’t have been better for it:

“There have always been Fae that have been against how things are being run, but never really had the chance to do much of anything, because they lacked the numbers, the magitech, or the support, wondering if there was any sort of game changer they could use to their benefit.

“The humans were just going into their Neo-Rennaissance all because of the tech we Fae had been seeding and slipping into your society to encourage you to stay in Heartland and minimize the damage you were causing to Avalon, and they were wondering what more they could do with all this fantastic new magitech popping up everywhere.

“All that was needed was someone to bridge the gap, to lead the breakaway, to hold these two rebels, anarchists, and radical visionaries long enough to start to build something new.”

They were underground in the Valley’s main wellspring, a mix of Fae weavers and human scientists trying to harness its power with a mix of their magitechnology and elemental weaving techniques.  At the head of it all was a leopard Fae, her hair and skin white as snow, hands glowing with purple magic.

“And that someone was Salem.

“This is the only time you’re going to hear her name from me, by the way, as the one time it’s not going to jinx you to hell and back if you say it is if you’re just learning that, or teaching it to some poor sap before they doom themselves.

“The Valley was supposed to be a Libertarian Paradise: ‘No Shepherds nor Council. Only Progress.’

“No regulations, no governments, no traditions, no laws, no limits to what they could do, no guides on what they should do, how they would use the Valley’s titanic wellspring—your Old World Ayn Rand’s Objectivist wet dream where it was every one for themselves as they strived to push the boundaries of magitechnology and what you could do.

“And they didn’t just push, they fucking annihilated it, and we’re still trying to figure out where exactly to draw the new line, if we even can anymore.”

The scenes flashed and changed, showing images of all the achievements of the original residents of the Valley:

The incredible speed and size that they could make the plants, animals, and minerals grow, the new and exotic combinations and creations that they could birth. Strange and alien fusions of their technology that they used to sculpt the landscape however they pleased. Both species with fantastic prostheses, their augmented bodies radiant with magic and vigour, even the dead rising up from the mortician's slabs to the joy of their loved ones, and the delight of the makers and scientists on the side.

“For less than a decade, it worked.

“Unfortunately, it turns out that a philosophy saying ‘the Strongest, Smartest, and Most Successful deserve everything, everyone else gets jack shit’ philosophy is great if you’re one or all of those, but not so much if you’re not.

“Pretty soon, the majority of the settlers were discovering that they really liked having protections against people robbing them blind or stealing their ideas and profiting from them without giving them a dime, taking care of them when they got sick or injured and couldn’t work let alone haul themselves to the hospital, and just generally keeping things safe and sane so they wouldn’t have to constantly watch their backs.

“And those at the top like Her found they really wanted to keep the power they had ‘rightfully earned.’”

Now, mass protests, chaos out in the streets and the wilds. Decrepit slums far off in the wilderness with shining, luxurious cities in the distance. Genetic experiments escaped from laboratories rampaging throughout the streets, marauders and looters taking advantage of the panic, humans and Fae forced to fend for themselves with whatever they had.

“So, among other measures to keep the masses from trying to leave, rising up, or calling the rest of the realm and telling your Holy Shepherd and/or the Council to ‘GET US THE FUCK OUT OF THIS HELLHOLE!’, She got her makers and scientists to make her the perfect attack dogs:

“Soul Eaters.”

This time, they found themselves standing in a laboratory, fluid-filled vats with the prototypes for the monsters all around.

“They worked perfectly. Aside from being really hard to kill, incredibly lethal, and way faster than anything that big should be able to move, they were also very smart, and were capable of completely absorbing the magic from everything they killed to grow stronger, smarter, and better.

“And unfortunately for all of us, they evolved to the point where they realized they really didn’t like working for Her and her flunkies.”

The scene changed. Death and destruction everywhere as humans and Fae ran or futilely tried to fight against the swarms of Soul Eaters pouring in everywhere, wherever or whoever you were in the Valley, the corpses of their victims dissolving into magic as they consumed and absorbed their entire being, each death only making them even stronger.

“We don’t know exactly how Gabija and her friends defeated her, overthrew Her kingdom and survived long enough for the Council to find a way to cross the Endless Sea and help clean up the mess. Hell, maybe She just got eaten by her own Soul Eaters, seeing as She was one of the most powerful weavers to have ever lived, and by now we all know just how much those motherfuckers love magic.

“But what we do know was Gabija was really good at killing them, and all the other horrors in the Valley, whatever they were.

Gabija rushed into the scene with her scythe, the weapon glowing its iconic, ethereal silver as she slaughtered the Soul Eaters, saved the survivors with the help of an elite team of humans and Fae armed with weapons, magics, and magitechnology, all alien, slapdash hybrids that seemed to have been cobbled up on the spot and held together by duct-tape, multi-paste, and prayers.

“The Keepers were never meant to be a permanent position. The Council figured, we’d have just Gabija, maybe a second after she retired or got killed, then phase it out entirely once we shut the Pandora’s Box that was the Valley.

“Then we discovered just what kind of shit the Fae and humans could achieve working together, how many of them were almost impossible to contain and/or kill, and that the Soul Eaters had gotten smart enough to know how to hide, gather their strength, and only ever attack when they were pretty sure they could stand a chance of killing us all.

“And most importantly, Gabija and her descendants seemed to be our best shot of keeping them inside the Valley, prevent them from escaping, or getting into the wrong hands—Human or Fae.”

“So what’s Weiss got to do with all this?!” Winter snapped. “Why, if you’re so scared of us humans yet fond of manipulating us for when it benefits you, are you suddenly so fine with your Keepers having relationships with our species?”

“Because,” Qrow said, “like Ruby said, you humans and half-human hybrids are the key to keeping the bloodline alive.”

Images flashed in front of them, images of all the Keepers and their mates, starting from Summer and Taiyang, stretching all the way back to Gabija next to a silhouette with a question mark.

The Keepers were all more-or-less the same, younger, slightly different clones of what was in essence the same Fae. Their mates varied greatly—male, female, gender ambiguous, tall, short, heavyset, thin, and of no shortage of combinations of Old World ancestry—all unified by one key detail:

“Human...” Winter whispered. “… They were all human.”

“Or like you and Weiss, they were hybrids that were more that than Fae, to the point where sometimes they never even had the slightest clue until we got them here.” Qrow added. “But whichever of the those they were, they also had one other consistent trait:

“Power.”

They returned to Maharlika Avenue, Taiyang blocking and reflecting Cinder’s laser beam with his ironbark arms, standing tall despite the rapidly disintegrating buildings around them, holding them off till Ruby could fire Weiss’ supercharged ice beam.

They came to the wilds of the Valley, where Samaria and Myala were fighting a giant snake larger than the trees they were fighting around, dashing and ducking through the branches and trunks as they slashed and shot at her opponent, siphoning its life essence and steadily poisoning it to death as it struggled to bite them even once.

They were in the middle of a raging storm at the peak of the Flood, watching as a giant named Reynault stood on the deck of a boat with the Keeper, other watchers, and weavers, aiming his massive cannon at an even larger sea dragon surging towards him with its gaping maw open wide, the both of them letting out earth-shaking roars.

More and more scenes flashed before their eyes, the Keeper’s mates, all human or mostly human hybrids, all utterly decimating the worst the Valley had to offer, by themselves or alongside the Keepers and their companions.

“We don’t understand why the hell it is that Keepers only ever seem to be able to produce more of them with humans or hybrids. Whatever we’ve tried, it just doesn’t work—parent Fae of equal or greater power, hybrids that were more Fae instead, and/or donating their cells to other parents.

“Don’t get me wrong: the kids from those unions and experiments generally grow up to be incredibly powerful watchers and weavers themselves. Just look at Yang and the shit she’s capable of, even if she only ever could rely on the Fae and hybrids hiding out in the human settlements.

“But they’re just no Keepers of the Grove.”

“We’ve studied the shit out of them and their mates, tried to find that Something, that gene or specific configuration of traits that let them kill Soul Eaters and other nightmares with ease, absorb the ridiculous amounts of power without going crazy or dying from the surge, and all with a complete and utter lack of any sort of selfish or evil intentions whatsoever.

“But 1,000 years later, we still have no idea what makes them best friends to all and slayers of giant monsters and threats to all of Avalon, which is why we need them so badly, why we take such great pains to take good care of them...”

The returned to the blank space of the dreamscape.

“… And why we are so damned eager to do everything in our power to make Weiss want to stay, to be with Ruby.”

Winter and Weiss were stunned silent.

“If it helps, we were making plans to get you back into the human territories,” Qrow added. “The Council was supposed to tell you about them and everything I just told you after you got back from the Eve of the Ether fair, because we could tell you two were getting serious...

“… Though with the all the heat and attention everything the Valley’s getting now, your fake death being exposed, and the Heralds running around, those plans have all shot to shit, if not utterly vaporized.”

Weiss turned to Ruby, her whole body shaking with anger, her eyes blurry with tears, her expression changing, from shock, to betrayal, anger, to confusion, to fear, and finally, sorrow.

Ruby frowned. “Weiss…?”

“That’s why you just took out my guards that night, didn’t you...?” Weiss asked, her voice trembling. “Why you spared me, saved me for last and offered me that fucking deal, kept breaking into my room to terrorize me until I got so sick of it I’d want to go with you just to get away from the hell you’ve made of my life...”

She was crying now, her words broken up by sobs. “Why you were so nice to me… why you did your damndest to make as much of my life here as comfortable as possible… why you gave me that stupid plushie of your mother...”

She tried to blink the tears out of her eyes, struggled to speak. “You didn’t really mean it when you said you loved me, di you…?! All those times you kissed me, my first night in the Valley when we slept together, that fucking massage when I was so sore-stiff I couldn’t move—you probably didn’t even need to strip me naked, did you?!”

Winter blinked. “Wait, what...?”

Weiss ignored her, unable to see anything through her tears but Ruby standing in front of her those big, doe eyes of hers confused and terrified.

“Ruby…” Weiss whispered, “do you really love me...? Or am I just a part of your fucked up legacy...?!”

“I do!” Ruby cried, her voice trembling. “I meant every single word I said! I’d never lie about that, because I hate lying, and more than I hate lying, I love you!”  

“Prove it, then!”

“Okay! I will! Just… could you tell me how…?”

Weiss groaned as she grabbed the sides of Ruby’s face. “How else, you dolt?!” she screamed, before she kissed her.

Her lips were hard and unmoving like a rock, like the first time. Weiss kept on pressing, waited to see what she���d do, until she felt hands grab her shoulders and pull them apart.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” Weiss cried.

“PROVING IT!” Ruby shouted back. “Because if you really love someone, you don’t kiss them back when you can just tell they don’t want you to, you stop!”

Weiss wrenched her hands back, her expression changing, from anger, to self-disgust, to horror, until finally, regret.

Ruby sniffed, tears pouring down her cheeks, voice trembling as she whispered, “I love you, Weiss…! Please, believe me…!”

The dreamscape faded around them, and they returned to the real world.

Note: I spent a full 30-minutes refining the ending for this. I hope it ruined you as much as it ruined me.

[nezzfiction]

ENMY Chapter 26 - No Lords, No Kings, Nor Queens

Chapter Synopsis: With the Second Great War setting the Kingdoms of Mistral, Atlas, and Vale against each other, eyes and ears turn to Vacuo. The country whose voice remains silent and its stance still. But it may very well be this nation without Lords, Kings, or Queens, that may decide who rules Remnant's next age...

Series Synopsis : Team RWBY is disbanded, and Yang must find herself new allies. For her, yesterday’s enemies are today’s friends(?). Joining up with the likes of Emerald, Mercury, and Neo, the four comprise Team Enemy.

Links to read the series: Ao3 or FF.net

Or hit the jump below

No Lords, No Kings, Nor Queens

.

Blades fall

Lives taken

In the name of the many

Who only wished for peace.

.

.

(Narrated by Blake Belladonna)

In the world of Remnant, since the dawn of recorded age, Humans and Faunus have struggled to find suitable places of prosper.

Lands both safe and plentiful was hard to come by. And where they were found, they were hastily populated, leaving others to seek homes elsewhere. A recurring problem that persists to this very day.

Even now, people strive desperately for the right to claim a home of their own. Whether it took fighting the Grimm, adapting to the elements, or in some cases, fighting other settlers, mankind sought their place in the world—often times, by paying a cost too heavy to bear.

Still, people are anything, if not resilient.

In all of Remnant, no example of survivability through sheer strength held truer than it did for the Kingdom of Vacuo.

Its land consists mostly of plains and desert. Greenery and wildlife exist in small pockets, like hidden jewels. The climate is harsh and hot, with rain sparse all year round.

But the greatest adversary to any living soul there—are the Grimm.

Adapted to live under the continent’s harsh conditions, the creatures of Grimm are far more tenacious in Vacuo than anywhere else. Their population is high, owed to their freer reign of the land. In time, their species grew varied and evolved to frightening degree.

No, Vacuo is far from ideal. But eventually, people found ways to populate the continent. If anything, a testament to the soul of the survivor. So much so, that an idiom developed among the citizens of this nation.

Only the Strongest Survive Vacuo.

.

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

.

“WE’RE NEVER GONNA SURVIVE THIS!!!”

“Behind you, Neptune!”

As the hyena-like Grimm was about snap its teeth around Neptune’s head, the young man ducked just in time to miss the creatures gnashing maw. Instead, the monster’s fangs met with something else.

Yatsuhashi’s glaive slipped right into the gap of the hyena’s mouth, and gutted its body from cheek to tail. The two halves plopped into the dirt with the sound of slopping flesh.

Another Grimm from the pack dashed up and tried its own bite attack. Too close to swing his weapon around, Yatsuhashi brought his arm bracer up just as the teeth clamped down. The creature snarled and frothed.

“Got him!”

Neptune jumped in to repay his debt by stabbing his lance into the hyena gnawing at Yatsuhashi’s arm.

“Hey! If you two are done playing with the doggies over there, we could use some help!! You know! With the ACTUAL bounty!!!” someone shouted.

Not too far from Neptune and Yatsuhashi, were Sun and Fox. The pair were busy fighting their own Grimm threat in a giant-sized mantis called a Preyer.

With forelegs shaped like sickles, the insect darted its blades with devastating speed. Fox only able to respond because of his exceptionally acute blind-sense. Sun on the other hand, was forced to conjure duplicates to take the hits meant for him.

“WHERE’S BLAKE?!”

“Calm down, Sun…You’re embarrassing us.”

A Goliath type Grimm that was trampling its way towards the group suddenly tripped into the dirt. Its tusks dug into the ground as it dragged to a stop before them. They could see a figure appear above the elephant’s evaporating corpse, her black desert cowl whipped in the wind.

“”YOU’RE ALIVE!!!” Sun and Neptune yelled.

“Of course, I am. Now reform positions and protect the transports,” Blake ordered.

The five disengaged from their foes and drew back, heading towards the caravan where the others were fighting.

Originally, Blake, Sun, Neptune, Yatsuhashi, and Fox had taken on a Grimm Extermination mission for the Preyer mantis. The creature had been attacking settlements and hunters for the last few weeks. When the group found it, it was in the middle of wreaking havoc on a traveling caravan—which was also being raided by a pack of hyena Grimm called Jesters—while trespassing on the territory of a Goliath herd.

It was a triple threat of three different groups of Grimm. Luckily, the creatures were as hostile towards each other as anyone else.

In the middle of the chaos, the caravan’s soldiers, along with Blake’s team, protected the transports. A supply unit so large, held life or death essentials for whatever settlement they were ferrying to. As such, Blake and the others knew how important it was to safeguard them.

On their approach, a Faunus soldier came to meet them. “Thank you fo—Humans?“

“Hey!” Neptune took offense. “We humans are saving your butts! What was that code thing again…?”

“Respect is Earned,” Sun answered. “And Strength in Numbers.”

“Right! That!”

After his initial mistrust, the Faunus soldier’s demeanor changed. “Yes. Respect is Earned. Strength in Numbers,” he echoed. “Thank you for your help. I know how this may sound, but we can’t move the caravan if the front isn’t cleared.”

“Understood,” Blake answered. “Sun, Neptune, Yatsuhashi, clear the Jesters from the lead vehicles, so the transport can start moving again. The Goliaths are down, but more are coming. If we leave their territory, they’ll stop their aggression.”

“What about the Preyer?!” Sun asked.

“Fox and I will handle it.”

“By yourselves? ARE YOU CRAZY?! IT’S A B-CLASS GRIMM!!!”

“Go!”

Blake and Fox rushed out.

“ARRRGGHHH!!! You heard her! Let’s get this payload moving!”

As the Preyer made its way towards the caravan, it was deflected by two assailants.

“Fox, distract it. If I can take out one of its legs, I can set it off-balance.”

The boy nodded and unleashed a flurry of slashes from the front. In return, the Grimm used its raptor-like claws to parry the strikes. The exchanging of blades traded faster than the naked eye could see.

Meanwhile, Blake flanked around the Preyer with stealthy steps. Once she found a good angle, she prepared her attack. The slash would have to be quick and instantaneous. Because of the mantis’ anatomy, it could see near 360 degrees around itself. She needed to operate without the creature’s notice and faster than it could react.

At that time, Fox took a heavy jab that made his Aura stutter. The mantis noticed and charged on its wounded prey. With its focus completely on the front, the Grimm provided Blake the exact moment she had been waiting for.

Drawing from the sheathe for maximized effect, Blake blurred from her crouched position and flickered to a spot across the Preyer’s back. A stream of purple light cut through one of the Grimm’s legs, causing it to lash out in pain. Unfortunately, one of the creature’s haphazard swings caught Fox, knocking him unconscious.

“Fox!” Blake’s figure blinked beside him.

He seemed only unconscious. But now it would be Blake fighting alone. She thought momentarily of retreating, but quickly erased the notion.

I can win.

I have to advance.

I can’t keep falling behind.

Blake turned to face the Preyer, which had stabilized, albeit a bit off-tilt. She observed the Grimm’s scythe-like arms. A soft smile crept over lips.

When the mantis launched a flurrying combo, Blake found herself able to strafe between the blows. Her shadows phased in and out of existence, causing four or five of her to appear at once. Perhaps, due to the speed and shape of the Grimm’s “weapons” reminding her so much of a certain former teammate’s, she was able to predict the trajectory with ease.

“Whew…”

Blake paced her breath as her Aura manifested in her body. A dark violet glow played about her, before her cowl split into nine separate portions.

The fledgling shadows surrounded the Preyer, and then attacked in concert. A prism of purple lights, trailing after Blake’s swords, formed around the mantis’ head.

The Grimm’s skull shred to pieces, and its body fell limp.

Feeling a bit lightheaded, Blake dropped to one knee. She checked on Fox’s injuries again to make sure he was in no serious danger.

The sound of the caravan moving caught her attention.

She then, pulled Fox over her shoulder and flicker jumped to the roof of the last retreating vehicle.

.

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

.

After their harrowing fight and escorting the caravan to their destination, the group of five made their way back to the capital city of Vacuo.

The city was large in its own right, but not as grand or complex as the other Kingdom capitals of Mistral, Vale, or Atlas. Most of its buildings were simple and practical. The stone was rough, and only the main streets were paved. Advance technology was a rare presence, and the ones that did exist could be considered outdated. But any demerits the city faced in comparison to its rivals, could be made up in its vitality.

There was a liveliness in Vacuo scarce places could match. A fire stoked within its people. The men, women, and children shouted and conversed without reserve. They argued and they sung. People worked by the sweat of their brow with a sense of fulfillment in their faces. The air smelled of different herbs and foods cooked. Nothing of the city could be considered docile or tame.

The people of Vacuo lived every moment of their lives.

Fitting given how much it took simply to live.

…

“Alright. I gotta go see my parents and let them know I’m still alive. Catch you guys later!” Sun bid farewell to the rest of the group.

“Not going with him?” Blake asked Neptune.

“Nah. I mean sure, Sun’s folks are cool and everything, but his mom keeps trying to shove food down my throat ‘cause she thinks I’m too skinny. And his dad keeps trying to make me work out with him ‘cause he thinks I need to bulk up. It can get a little much.”

“That’s good. It shows they care.”

“If you say so.”

“I know so. Out of your team, you were the only one to transfer over with Sun. His parents know that.” Blake let out a small laugh. “You even sailed on a boat for him.”

“Guh…Let’s not talk about that anymore, okay? It’s so uncool.”

“Really? I think it’s sweet.”

“Yeah? Well, I’m sure his parents are sweet on you. Now that I think about it, you don’t really come over to his place for dinner.”

“Haha,” she chuckled bitterly. “I’m not exactly welcome in the Wukong household.”

“What? Why is that?”

“Because I’m part of the White Fang.”

“Oh…I, uh.”

“Don’t worry about it—it’s nothing I’m unfamiliar with. By the way, are you getting used to things here now?”

“Getting there. Still wish people didn’t give me the stink eye all the time just for being human. Is this what it’s like to be Faunus in the other Kingdoms?”

“Not really. The people here have a long-standing grudge against humanity, but they don’t discriminate—at least most don’t. If I had to say, they’re more wary than hateful. There are humans, who live here and are widely accepted, after all.”

“Yeah. I notice Fox and Yatsu don’t get any dirty looks.”

“They grew up here, and the people can tell. You…just need more time to prove yourself.”

“It’s the lack of scars and abs, isn’t it? Seriously.” Neptune started pointing at the people walking around. “Scars. Abs. Scars AND abs. Everybody here has abs! Why is everyone just…jacked? I mean, I thought Sun was joking when he said he was the norm, but…”

“This is Vacuo. If you aren’t strong and you aren’t tested, you die.”

“So, I should take up Sun’s dad’s offer?”

Blake shrugged. “It couldn’t hurt.”

“And I can’t help but notice you guys don’t sweat. Like it’s a million degrees out here, and you’re still wearing black…”

“Because of our Faunus heritage, a lot of us can regulate our body temperature. Just another edge that makes us more adaptable here, I guess.”

“No wonder so few humans are around.”

“Survival of the Fittest,” Blake shrugged.

“Oh, right. The Code. That needs getting used to too.”

“Still having trouble remembering them?”

Neptune started counting them off his fingers. “Survival of the Fittest. Strength in Numbers. Respect is Earned. Honor Rewards and Service...”

“Eye for an Eye.”

“Right. The Code of Vacuo. The rules that aren’t rules. Still can’t wrap my head around the idea that there aren’t actual laws around here, and there’s no punishment against breaking the Code.”

“It’s just how it is. The people here have experienced the law used unfairly against them for centuries. It may seem uncivilized to have no official rules or enforcement, but that just means it depends on the decency of people.”

“That’s where the Code comes in?”

“Yes. The Code is more of a guide that emphasizes survivability and the moral good of others.”

“Even Eye for an Eye?”

“Vacuo has its share of problems, but…”

“But what?”

“Can you honestly say it’s worse here than anywhere else?”

Neptune had to think on it for a second. “In place of society’s rules, it depends on the people’s moral consciousness… It’d be nice if it keeps working.”

“It has for the last five years. We’ll see if it lasts another.”

“Now, if only you guys could do something about all the insane Grimm outside the walls.”

“Then more people would be willing to live here and the Faunus would have a real home.”

“If only.”

“If only.”

The four reached a large intersection and stopped.

“You guys can go ahead back to Shade and turn in the bounty,” Blake said to them.

“What are you going to do?”

“I…need to see the White Fang about something. I’ll catch up with all of you later.”

Before hearing their response, Blake left the group, making her own way in the other direction.

For some time, she walked the streets alone—Well, not completely alone. Figures hidden and unhidden trailed her footsteps, keeping a close eye on her. More of them gathered by the second, as Blake reached her destination.

The Hanging Gardens.

Once, the palace of Vacuo’s government, now turned home base of the White Fang. It was a grand structure, built with floors upon floors of green terraces. The walls and supporting pillars were constructed with stone, as well as metal. A strange sight on first appearance, but possessing of a certain charm to its design.

As Blake entered the premises, she was flanked by members of the White Fang.

Unlike the ones seen outside the Kingdom, these members did not wear Grimm masks. It was advocated that they only do so when warring with humans as a fear tactic. But since they were not on hostile terms with the humans of Vacuo, many of the White Fang never wore their masks. Also, the ones present were much older into adulthood, whereas the ones outside the Kingdom were mostly youths.

As they walked, the members showed no open animosity towards Blake, at least on the surface. Distrust, and even malice, made the air thick with tension. But the young Faunus pressed on with impressive composure.

Eventually, she arrived at the highest floor of the Hanging Gardens, which used to serve as the throne room. A vast hall that had vibrant trees normally seen in forests, lining its walls. Each stone pillar was wrapped in elegant vines and leaves. Shallow waters circulated between the tiles built into the floors. It was like an oasis brought indoors.

And sitting on a throne twisted in wood was Temujin—Leader of the White Fang.

.

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

.

(Months Ago)

“To understand Vacuo, you have to understand its history and how it ties with the Faunus people…and your people.”

“Alright. I’m listening, Blake.”

“Are you sure about this, Weiss? I know it’s a sensitive subject.”

“I’m sure. If this is going to work, I need to know the truth—not what’s been written or perpetuated by Atlas. Not the lies my father or our Kingdom has taught us. We need both sides of the story.”

“…Alright. Unfortunately, this means I have to share some things about myself as well.”

“Oh, yes. How terrible that must be for you.”

*Sigh*

The Kingdom of Vacuo.

It’s said that its earliest founding came from the first frontiersmen that set out from Mistral. Other than that, not much else is known. What is known; however, is that the time leading up to the previous century, Faunus were used as heavy labor.

Because of the physical advantages afforded to us by our heritage, our people were “employed” by the Kingdom’s ruling body, who—of course—were human. Despite the difficulties of the environment, the nation was established, if for one reason only.

The largest concentration of Dust laid beneath the grounds of Vacuo. Although, newly discovered veins in Atlas may someday prove otherwise. At that point in time, Vacuo was host to the largest source of Dust(and Bane). It was thought that this was another contributing factor to the Grimm’s overwhelming presence.

In any case, living in Vacuo proved incredibly difficult. The Faunus were barely surviving. Much less contend with the environment and the Grimm, they were also forced to work in terrible conditions for pitiful compensation.

So, they did what anyone would do.

They asked for what they deserved. The Faunus people wanted fair pay, better treatment, and representation in the governing body. They wanted to be treated like equals, instead of slaves.

Something that should have been a given.

But as you would expect, our ancestors were ignored and suppressed instead.

And when they wouldn’t blindly submit, the rulers of Vacuo used violence, which only fanned the flames. Uprisings and revolts spread across the country. Few humans lived there, and fewer still would have the actual power to stop the rebellion. It only seemed like a matter of time before the Faunus took over Vacuo for themselves.

The Kingdom faced pressure from the other nations to refine more Dust, because mining had stopped.

That was when the human rulers of Vacuo reached out for help…

And the First Crusade happened.

…

The details of it have been covered up or burned from the history books for obvious reasons. Our people were almost wiped out under the might of the other three Kingdoms. The rebellion of the Faunus was extinguished…

Until the next time.

And then, there was the Second Crusade.

Not much is known about that time either. All that is known, is that it occurred during the First Great War of Remnant.

…

In the next sixty years, Vacuo would rebuild and expand.

Besides a few cities, most of its citizens lived in nomadic tribes, which some still do now. The people that lived outside the Kingdom had to migrate constantly to stay away from roaming herds of Grimm and settle in temporary oases. They also had to mine Dust in cycled locations, and return to the capital in scheduled intervals.

It was a difficult life. One that claimed many lives frequently and mercilessly…

…

My parents included.

I was three, when I lost them.

But that isn’t relevant now.

What is relevant, is who raised me afterwards.

His name was Shepherd, and he was the founder of the original White Fang.

Unlike, what it is now, the organization embodied a pacifist ideology at its conception. Shepherd preached nonviolence. He sought equality for our people through peaceful protest and negotiation.

I idolized him. I think all of us did.

And after four years of relentless campaign, it looked like Shepherd stood on the verge of making real change.

…

…

I’ll never forget that day.

When I was seven years old, agents from the other Kingdoms began the Third Crusade.

The first attack came during a major peace talk involving the higher ups of Vacuo’s government, parties involved in Dust trade, and of course, the White Fang. Shepherd, along with a number of pro-peace representatives were killed at the summit.

The Crusaders thought after dealing such a blow to the Faunus rebellion, any remaining resistances would quickly fold…

How wrong they were.

In place of Shepherd, his twin sister rose to take his place as leader of the White Fang—that leader was Temujin.

Unlike her brother, she believed violence was the answer. That we would have to shed blood for our right to live and survive.

Temujin was a charismatic leader and a ruthless general. She united the White Fang, the nomadic tribes, and any willing citizens, and organized them into a revolutionary army. A force for the Faunus people and the survival of our race.

Her tactics combined unorthodox warfare with our people’s physical advantages. She used Vacuo’s environments against incoming Crusader armies. Temujin deployed covert cells outside the continent to sabotage and assassinate key targets on the enemy side.

From a young age, Adam, myself, and many other orphans were involved in such work.

We took on missions in Mistral, then in Vale, while Temujin and the others fought on the forefronts of Vacuo. We vowed on Shepherd’s grave that we would win our people’s rights, no matter what the cost.

…

And after six years of war, the revolutionary army overthrew the government, and routed the invading forces.

The Third Crusade was ended.

The Faunus of Vacuo were no longer oppressed.

Corruption in the government was obliterated.

The Kingdom underwent a number of dramatic changes. For one thing, the revolutionary army became Vacuo’s official military, though many soldiers chose normal civilian life afterwards.

And in a strange twist of fate, Temujin, leader of the White Fang, became the Crownless Queen of the Kingdom.

In the years that followed, the people were told to govern themselves. Temujin never officially took on the role of ruler, nor did she want it. Actually, she did everything in her power to refuse any sort of appointment. She barely functioned any further as leader of the White Fang after that.

Temujin did however, “decree” one thing.

A Code.

They weren’t laws, or punishable by any means. They were meant to serve as guiding principles, followed at one’s own discretion.

1.       Survival of the Fittest - Survival was the imperative.

2.       Strength in Numbers - Working together, functioning as one, towards a united purpose increased survivability.

3.       Respect is Earned - Any person must prove their worth, as any person should show recognition in return.

4.       Honor Rewards and Service – The encouragement of deserved pay for service rendered.

5.       Eye for an Eye – Instead of a warning to the victim, it was more meant for the perpetrator thinking to commit a crime. That they should know if they wrong someone, there would be consequences for what came after. Taking another’s eye meant your own was forfeit.

The Code wasn’t perfect, but it was enough.

The citizens of Vacuo lived free, and for the most part, never took it for granted. Possibly due to the simple matter of trying to stay alive day-to-day, they were too preoccupied and reliant on each other to think about deviating from the moral good.

As time passed, some individuals in the White Fang voiced concerns over the oppression of Faunus in other Kingdoms. Most of which, belonged to the younger generation.

I regret to say now that Adam and I were some of the loudest among them.

But Temujin refused the idea.

That was the moment the White Fang began to split into different factions. Many of our organization’s members traveled to the other Kingdoms. Others, who were eternally loyal to Temujin, stayed in Vacuo.

To this day, she remains the “leader” of the White Fang, which makes her the unofficial ruler of Vacuo in a sense. Though, she does nothing resembling a ruler or leader. Even as the group continues to disintegrate or divide itself between Adam and Raven, who either of them can become successors to the White Fang, Temujin refuses to take action.

Which brings us to present day.

…

…

“Are you sure this Temujin is the one we should be speaking to? From what you’ve just told me, she doesn’t seem to care what happens at this point—not about the war, not about the other Faunus. Nothing.”

“I know her, Weiss. She raised me with Shepherd and after he died. Even if she acts aloof, we shouldn’t take it as just that. She cares. I just—don’t know what her intentions are right now…”

“Well. I trust your judgment. Either way, even if Vacuo advocates its neutrality and excuses itself from the war by saying it has no governing body…It’s Temujin’s word, then?”

“Yes. As it stands now, Temujin is the voice of Vacuo. What action she takes is the reflection of the Kingdom as a whole. She could be the deciding factor in this war.”

And if so, Temujin is the one we need.

.

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

.

In the Hanging Gardens’ top floor, an old woman sat on her throne. She rested her hands and chin on a cane, as she leaned forward. Her left leg was missing, and her right eye had a black patch that hid the empty socket underneath.

The wolf ears on her head were frayed and damaged. Her hair was a dark grey mane that draped down her back, more like fur rather than hair. Her skin was cracked and scarred from old age and countless battles. Rather than a wolf, the woman more resembled a wily old fox, who lorded over a forest.

Temujin continued to hold Blake in her stare for a moment, before giving a small huff.

“Welcome back, Blake. The mission went well?”

“It did. We were able to save the caravan.”

“Good, good. Those supplies were vital to a new expansion.”

“How...did you know the Preyer was going to attack the caravan?”

“Oh, I have a nose for these things. Or maybe, it’s because I think that’s what I would have done.”

“Right. Uh…”

“Hm?”

“The prisoner,” Blake tried to change the subject.

“You want to see him. Make sure we haven’t eaten him up? Hehehe!”

“Yes. If I could please.”

“Right. To think, there would be a day I’d see you put your life on the line for a human. Odd thing.”

The surrounding members of the White Fang grew tense at the words.

Last week, they had captured a man from Vale sneaking into the city. When he was presented before Temujin as a spy, Blake immediately leapt to his defense, vouching for him with her own life. An act that did not bode well with her comrades.

Murmurs spread among the audience. Words of “traitor” and “conspirator” and the like, began making its rounds.

The voices were instantly pierced silent by a sudden crack of Temujin’s cane.

“If anyone wishes to express their concerns over Blake’s fidelity to our people, please—come forth. I’ll make sure to commit it to memory, before I carve out your tongue.” She looked about the room with a challenging glare. “No? No one? Make no mistake, Blake has always done what she thought was right by our people and would never knowingly endanger us. Of that I have never doubted.”

“Thank you, Temujin.”

“You were raised by Shepherd. I know you wouldn’t dishonor his memory—not on purpose anyway.”

“Right…”

In the eyes of many here, Blake didn’t earn mistrust by just shielding a human. There was also the fact that she was one of the main advocators for Adam Taurus in the past. The man who explicitly defied Temujin and currently works to take over the White Fang.

“Leave us.”

Under their leader’s words, everyone except Blake filtered out of the hall.

Once, they were all gone, Temujin’s expression laxed.

“Honestly, these idiots. Why they listen to every bark of a crippled old woman is beyond me! At least your generation has some spine. You’re also just as foolish, but at least you stand up for yourselves.”

“You don’t exactly encourage defiance sitting on a throne, at the top of a palace.”

“I just happen to like living here, and this chair is rather comfy. Are you going to start listening to me just because I sit in a fancy chair, in my fancy house?”

“Depends on what you have to say.”

“Hmph!” Temujin cracked a toothy grin. “You’re starting to remind me of my brother—especially these days. I remember when you used to be a shivering little kitten under the angry gazes of your peers, always hiding in Adam’s shadow. Now, look at you— hardly even a blink. Did something at Beacon knock your teeth out, so you could grow some sharper fangs, I wonder?”

“More like a few people.”

“Hoh! Well, you’ll have to bring them here, then.”

“…When I can, I’d like very much to introduce you to each other.”

“I’ll look forward to the day—But enough pleasantries. There’s something on your mind, I can smell it. Something that doesn’t have to do with the prisoner, I imagine.”

“No, he can wait. I need to speak to you about the war and the White Fang.”

Temujin let out a long and tired sigh. “You and everyone else, Little Blake. When are you all going to get it through your thick skulls that I’m retired? Bah! Go and ask your questions. I’m listening—but only because you’re my favorite.”

Blake took a deep breath. She had rehearsed the words and waited for an opportune time for serious discussion. Also, she was able to get Temujin in a good mood, which was an important plus.

“I want to know what you’re planning to do with the White Fang. Adam and Raven are fighting for Mistral and earning the Faunus rights in the Kingdom. I know there are plans to start an uprising in Atlas. This war presents our people with an opportunity for equality we’ve never dreamed of. But it all depends on what actions you take, Temujin. Who you choose to side with, who you choose to go against. You can decide who wins this war. So, I want to ask. How is the Kingdom of Vacuo going to move? Who are you going to fight?”

“…Fight?” Temujin folded her remaining leg under her. “Blake, do I look like I’m in any condition to fight anyone?”

“You know what I mean. You’re still the leader of the White Fang, to the members here and to a lot of the ones overseas. Even if the citizens despise us, Vacuo’s military will follow you in whatever campaign you take. Do you really plan on doing nothing?”

“And if I do?”

“Then, you’re going to hand over power to Raven? I can’t imagine you naming Adam as your successor.”

“Naming anyone a successor sounds just as ridiculous.”

“Then, how is Vacuo going to enter this war?”

“It is not.”

Blake had to stop herself from smiling. Hearing Temujin refuse to enter the war was what she was aiming for. Goading her was a way to make the woman open up and discern her intentions.

“Then, how about I tell you a way to avoid all your problems altogether?”

Temujin drummed her fingers on her cane for a time.

“Okay, I’m listening.”

“You create an alliance with Atlas.”

“Atlas…Now that’s an idea I haven’t heard yet. Why would I get in bed with Atlas? If anything, they’re the last people I’d entrust with the fate of our people and Vacuo.”

“When I studied at Beacon, one of my teammates was Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. We became close friends, and I trust her with my life. She’s sympathetic to our people and wants to give the Faunus equal rights. She also holds a position at the top echelons of her Kingdom.”

“Hoh…Another change from your time at Beacon, hm?”

“I know what you might be thinking. She’s a Schnee, but I promise she’s worth believing in! If you, who represent the intent of Vacuo and the Faunus population, enter an alliance with her, you could push her to the top, and end the war in one move. Mistral’s parliament is motivated in favor of Faunus rights at present. A large portion of their army is made of the White Fang. They would lose all support for war if you win equality in Atlas. Striking an alliance with Mistral afterwards would take next to nothing. And Vale won’t risk a fight against three united Kingdoms.”

“That is an interesting proposal…but I still have doubts about this Weiss Schnee.”

Blake swallowed and prepared herself for what she would say next.

“Her mother—was Olea Schnee. She was the representative ambassador of the Schnee Dust Company eleven years ago. At the summit hearing, she was with Shepherd trying to broker a peace between our people…And died during the Third Crusade.”

“Ah…I thought the name sounded familiar. But remind me, Blake. Didn’t Shepherd die because Olea Schnee lowered our guard? She created an opening for the Crusaders to drive a dagger through, did she not?”

“Lies. All of it. On Atlas’s side, they were taught the White Fang was responsible for the failed summit and that they purposely caused her death.”

“Huh.”

“We can redo history as it was supposed to have been, Temujin! We can accomplish what Shepherd always wanted! Peace without bloodshed! Equality through unity!”

“And all I woud need to do is support this Weiss Schnee. What would it take to do that? Give her rights to some of our Dust mines perhaps?”

“If you did, Weiss would make sure to give more than fair wages to any workers. It wouldn’t be the same as it was in the past. She also promises to share Atlas technology. I’ve received blue prints and concept designs to present you in good faith. Once the embargo on trading is lifted, Weiss will send whole shipments of it, free of charge.”

Blake stepped forward, pulled up emails on her scroll, and showed it to Temujin.

“Hm hm. These new vehicle models would make the supply runs much smoother.”

“We would also be able to construct our own airships.”

“Indeed, we would.”

“So, you’ll sign a treaty?”

Temujin graciously handed back the scroll to Blake. A warm smile on her face, like a grandmother’s.

“Hahaha! No. An alliance with Atlas is impossible.”

Blake stared at her for a moment. Her brow wrinkled and her jaw tightened.

“Why not?” she asked.

“Because, Blake,” Temujin leaned back in her chair. “No one has the authority to sign an alliance agreement.”

“You do.”

“I do not rule Vacuo. Vacuo rules itself.

There are no lords, no kings, nor queens here.

So, no one can make a representative decision.

That includes myself…”

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