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nozomijoestar · 6 months

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I WON THE WAR AGAINST THE WORD DOCUMENT; LA VIE EN ROSE...2!

FF.Net upload | Part 1 post

*I reccomend listening to Sade's 'The Sweetest Taboo' from the last mention of it raining in the story to the ending

READING LIST:

@tofucasserole @xo-mochi @headlessstar @gingeralesy @pierogi-z-czeresniami @dyke-a-saur @denizloves

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2 L'ESPRIT

Asuka wiped the last of the polish off her bike frame. She’d almost had a heart attack brushing the grime weeks ago to find newborn rust spots. Under this mid-July heat and rain showers she wasn’t in the mood for dumb gambles. For an entire day rust was the first thing she nipped in the bud. Be it at morning or afternoon into sunset she picked and picked then turned to maintenance and replacing all the bolts. Lately she couldn’t pick on Lili for wiping down every few minutes; the humidity stuffed Asuka’s mouth with cotton. Dad’s muscle flares needed more ice while he swallowed a whimper. The three of them practically wore fly paper for clothes, their sweat stuck everything the same.

She wiped her forehead with the clean end of her rag, huffing hot air. A cicada buzzed somewhere. She leaned back and tossed the rag onto a huge cardboard box beside her feet. The bottom bracket and chain had been beyond saving, so were the tires. She had no choice but to give the bike a new heart.

‘I’m gonna turn you into a twelve speed!’ she’d thought.

She’d placed the order for a cassette, bracket, and chain three weeks ago. And that was as far as she’d gotten. There were too many damn choices! Should she stick with parts she was used to for the important areas? Should she go completely new? How much was safe to modify before the bike would ride her and not the other way around?

Thinking hard made her head hurt. The bike had never been a question before beyond if it performed decent for as cheap as possible. But now, now there was a debit card tempting her to burn a hole in her wallet. She had never owned one in her life. The bank teller put it in her hand after she gave her name, and there it was raised on plastic. Several million yen in one place, converted from some of Lili’s ‘pocket money’ into an account she’d opened for Asuka. Holding the desk counter kept her from blacking out on the spot. She remembered Lili mentioning it while flying to Japan; Asuka just blinked at her, speechless. What was it supposed to be if not another trick?

Well, she couldn’t refuse. She stretched and felt her shoulders pop.

“How’s it coming along kid?”

“Still don’t know what I wanna do.”

Dad stopped beside where she had her bike resting on cinderblocks. The entire thing was stripped down to the frame and its dark blue paint shining in the sun. Today his face had color; he didn’t limp or freeze when walking over. He smiled at her. That gave her confidence.

“Whatever you decide on I know it’ll be something you’re proud of.”

He sat next to her on the parts crate after she cleared space. He put his chin in his hand.

“I remember buying you this one since I biked with my friends as a boy. I wish you could’ve had that yourself, but tinkering comes close I suppose.”

“Wish doing the work wasn’t such a headache. Thinking sucks.” She sighed, resting her chin on both hands.

Dad chuckled and clapped her on the back.

“That’s the freedom that comes with growing up! Get started shouldering it now before you’re too old.”

She pouted but let him ruffle her hair. All his cheer evaporated. A grimace brought out the rough lines of his face.

“I’m not gonna be around forever y’know.”

“…Don’t say that to me.” Her voice walked a tightrope.

“Heh! Your pissed off face has gotten better! I’d hate to be some punk’s made you mad now.”

She didn’t grin back and he dropped his act. They said nothing. She didn’t want to tempt this heaviness lurking inside. From a distance the front door slid open.

“Asuka? Quit playing with grease, I must show you something most wonderful.”

Her right eye twitched. Lili glided around the corner in her practice clothes sporting the cockiest smile Asuka had ever seen. She moved so pleased with herself that Asuka’s brow rose realizing she didn’t care about dirtying her bare feet. This was serious. When she saw Dad, Lili went cool and calm. She cleared her throat.

“Mr. Kazama, since you are here as well I’d appreciate your opinion.”

“Of course. Begin whenever you’re ready.”

She set herself into stance; legs shoulder width apart, back straight but not tense, hands open palmed with one low the other at chest height. It was the same way she’d always readied herself, but this time she looked relaxed. Patient, not loose.

Letting out a cry Lili threw herself forward launching her left leg toward an imaginary center. She flung up her arms, pivoting the moment her toes hit ground and twirled, right leg rising as she spun. In the time it took to blink Lili’s right leg snapped into the end of a roundhouse kick. There was no way Asuka could describe it, other than a ballerina imitating a kung-fu movie. And yet somehow, it looked like it would fucking hurt. With an exhale Lili reset her stance.

Then she went low twisting her torso right and thrusting an open palm toward chest height on her rise. She leaned into it until the motion stood her up again. Lili paused for breath. Then she turned around, eyes narrowing as she pictured an attacker. Now it was all striking; she rushed chopping with her left hand where a jaw would be. Asuka leaned forward. Lili turned and rammed her elbow backward, gritting her teeth. Crying out she lifted her arms in time with her left leg. It whipped backward cutting the air forcefully; Asuka’s bangs fluttered.

She winced feeling debris in her eye; when she rubbed it out Lili smirked at her. Finished, she gave a bow, awaiting their approval. Where to start, how to start? What the hell was Asuka supposed to say? Dad should know. She looked at him. His mouth hung open. Asuka felt her spirit bury its face in its hands. Lili’s stare started lingering; the corner of her mouth twitched.

“Well?”

“It’s uh…”

She looked at her father, but his face told her to take a shot at this.

‘Damnit old man!’

Just get it out already.

“It’s one of the crazier things you’ve come up with. But, your hits are strong. Your timing could be tighter but that’ll improve with practice. What’s important is you know your base. And you’ll need a stronger core to maintain enough balance from move to move.”

“Hmm…very good Asuka. I’d add that your kicks were a few centimeters too high. The strikes tapered off and got a little sloppy by the end. Don’t be afraid over leaning into your momentum. That hesitation from overcorrecting will cost you.”

Now Asuka gave him a wide eyed stare; her heart stopped. Those were too many negatives! Reflexively she glanced at Lili, she’d be pissed-

Lili stood unreadable, except for the deep thought in her eyes. Her mouth pursed not enough to be angry but instead contemplative. She started rubbing her chin absentmindedly.

‘Seriously?’

“I see. I shall take this into consideration.”

“When you feel you’ve fixed it come demonstrate again. Matter of fact Asuka should help you improve in no time! Ain’t that right girl?”

Lili smiled at her something wicked. She’d always be some kind of pain.

“Sure…”

“Then it’s settled, thanks for the showing.”

“The pleasure is mine sir.”

He got to his feet groaning into a stretch. A few cricks popped in his neck but he recovered before his wince turned into a grimace. The hairs on her nape rose, but he seemed alright after a once over. He checked his watch.

“Time for my walk today. You girls mind the house good while I’m out. Let me know right away if anything comes up. Be back in an hour or so.”

“Go slow and don’t forget your painkillers.” She called after him.

“Aye aye, already wearin’ ‘em.” He said patting his pocket.

Then they watched him hobble and turn past the gate then close it behind himself; he was gone. Her eyes narrowed at Lili, an annoyed groan rumbled in her throat.

“What?”

“He gets to advise ya however he wants but I gotta not step on your princess toes.”

Lili put a hand on her hip, tucking loose hairs behind her ear. She huffed.

“There’s respect for one’s elders; then there’s one’s peers. Quite simple a concept, Asuka Kazama.”

She shot up, hands balled, her nostrils flaring.

“Ya wanna fight?”

“Not particularly.” Lili threw back, teasing the hint of a smile.

Her stare traced different parts of Asuka’s face; hovering over…her lips? A tingle raced up her spine. She had to be reading into it too hard. But suddenly she felt a poke as Lili tapped her chest. It was just enough force that Asuka’s balance stumbled; she heard her giggle. So she pushed her. Not hard, but when it was Lili’s turn stumbling she smirked at her, as nasty as she could make it. There was only a pause for Lili’s rising brow. Back and forth they shoved each other until someone gave and they fell to the ground.

They rolled around, tussling, cursing, and tangling but Asuka wrestled on top of her with ease. Pinning Lili under her weight she seized her arms and pressed them above Lili’s head. She sucked her teeth.

“Fair’s fair! From now on I get to be honest about your technique the way I wanna talk about it!”

“…Fine. Since you insist, you pest.” Lili huffed.

She let her go and caught her breath.

“Stubborn moron.” She grumbled.

Asuka started feeling comfortable again when everything turned unbearably warm. She looked down. Her heart stopped. She was straddling Lili, who didn’t mind much at all. Instead she saw her little smile that managed to be either self-satisfied or a tease. Scowling, Asuka got off and pulled her up; she wasn’t giving Lili any ideas. Certainly not for free. They dusted themselves but being sticky with sweat barely mattered. What she wouldn’t give for a bath right now.

“Now that you’ve let that out your system this weather is far from my liking.”

She felt a chill watching Lili’s eyes; this girl wanted something.

‘Wait a minute…’

Already Lili was on the move striding toward the front door. Even if she stood taller than Asuka and had longer reach Asuka speed walked right behind her.

“Oh no you don’t, hey! Get back here!”

Immediately she saw her break into a run. The door rattled open. Lili’s blonde hair vanished inside just as the frame came within reach. In a split second Asuka had two choices; try outpacing her, or boost the air around her own legs. But if she did the easier thing she might tear through the floor boards. She sucked her teeth. There was no time! She threw her muscles alone into overdrive.

“Let me wash first you’re gonna take forever in there!”

“The early bird shall seize the worm!”

“Shaddup!”

Asuka slid into a stop, ashamed to feel herself stumble up the stairs. How the hell was this girl so unfazed? Their footsteps thundered, the only thing filling her ears. Suddenly Lili went right; Asuka threw herself reaching out her hand…then crashed onto the floor. The bathroom door shut. She scrambled, getting back up when she heard her voice muffled through the walls.

“I’m undressing as we speak. Don’t you dare step inside.”

Asuka huffed and sat leaning against the wall. What stupid luck. She crossed her arms over her knees, resting her eyes. Then after a moment the water rushed on; Lili began humming. She’d never listened before, because why the hell would she give her that? But it was either waiting here or trailing any dirt that shook off into her room sooner rather than later. And besides, if Lili came out and found her missing, Asuka would have given her the last word.

The humming grew louder bouncing into an upbeat melody. She couldn’t help listening, tapping her fingers on her knee without thinking. She didn’t catch herself smiling.

Scrolling the web on her phone numbed her mind. Classes crawled by on their last day; every teacher wanted to spin a lecture on behaving over summer break. Her bag sat bulging with homework at her feet under her lunch desk. She glanced around. Everyone looked like they were either talking themselves into a standstill or just hanging out. She turned back to her phone. G-Corp armies had crossed the border of another South American country. Asuka flipped her phone shut. She gripped it and her knuckles went white. There was nowhere she could put this feeling of uselessness.

Her eyes fell on the time. Where was Lili? They had forty minutes left. Sure that was the entire lunch period ahead but Lili would never skip.

‘Maybe her class ran late.’

That didn’t entirely make sense, classes here were strict blocks, but it was as good as she could guess.

‘Maybe they want everyone to stay with their year on the last day.’

She waited. Then she packed her empty bento box away. She waited. Should she go looking for her? Her mind mulled it over while her body grabbed her bag and left the classroom. Asuka would never leave her stuff around these idiots in a million years.

Going down a floor was easy enough. When she got to the lower hallway some second year friend circle hid their drinks and lowered their conversations as she passed. Of course people here would’ve heard too. She saw about an even split of people eating or sitting in class and people hanging around the hallways. But the longer she went the crowds started thinning, until there was only a girl holding a bucket of water. The girl stood outside her class door clenching it with both hands. A bead of sweat rolled down her chin when Asuka stopped to cringe. She didn’t even know this school still pulled that old punishment.

“Standin’ in tha’ hall for missin’ homework…Mogami River…” the girl murmured to herself, exhausted.

“Yo.”

“Uwagh! An upperclassman!”

“Sorry ta’ bother ya. Ya in this class with tha’ foreign transfer girl?”

“H-How’d ya know? I mean yeah.”

“I wanna talk with her.”

The girl sighed and the effort made her slouch.

“Tough luck, ya came at the worst time. Teach is keeping us in for lunch. Some lecture about current world events and feelin’ involved.”

“Seriously?”

They looked in through the window on the room’s rear door. Inside most second years had their food out and sat eyes forward. At the front a teacher paced up and down, pausing sometimes to write on the blackboard. She couldn’t make anything out clearly. But she found Lili by the beacon that was her blonde hair. She sat in a middle row not back enough that she’d see Asuka easily, but not so thick in everyone else. She wasn’t looking anywhere but the teacher’s face anyway. Her fork played with her food without Lili giving how rude that was any mind.

The teachers voice Asuka could make out in muffled sections. She heard phrases like ‘remain vigilant’ and ‘remain in touch with family’ or ‘cherish your loved ones’. He told people to not panic but remain cautious. Every topic bent Lili more and more out of shape. Asuka could tell; her shoulders began slouching, her body seemed rigid. Her head tilted the way it did when she knew she’d been called out but was pretending otherwise. She seemed…sad.

Asuka felt chills; what the hell would steal that girl’s confidence?

“So ya see, everybody’s stuck ‘ere, probably ‘till school’s out.”

“S’alright. Thanks fer tha’ help.”

“Yeah! Any time.”

She looked down. The girl’s hands were a flaming red.

“…Why not put tha’ bucket down when no one’s watchin’.”

“Ah. I said I’d hold it, so I’m holdin’ it!”

Asuka shrugged.

“Guess I can respect that.”

School finally ended a bit later, and this time they would meet. She went straight to Lili’s classroom the moment the bell rang. Everyone but those on cleaning duty crowded as they left; she didn’t spot her. Then she felt eyes at the back of her head and knew.

“How polite of you to meet me first for once.”

“Yeah yeah. Ya went missing earlier so I’m here to collect.”

“No need in feeling shy; your gesture is appreciated. My teacher most unfortunately prevented our lunch appointment.”

Asuka gripped her bag strap. Her eyes narrowed.

“Walk and talk with me.”

They tailed the thinning crowds heading for the shoe lockers. From the corner of her eye she watched Lili top to bottom. Her mood seemed normal. There had to be a weakness if Asuka studied hard enough. A cold, gross, off feeling still sank her stomach. Why had Lili been so tense?

“Yer not hidin’ more from me are you? No big stuff?”

“I don’t know where this inquisitiveness is coming from but there is nothing you need concern yourself with. I’m sure there’s nothing more to get worked up over since you visited me. I’m in one piece as you can see.”

Shit! That underclassman had squealed! Well, of course she would, she was just being a good person. No helping that.

‘Better than I’m actin’ now I guess.’

“You…you’d lemme know if there was somethin’ bothering you.”

Lili looked at her with the closest Asuka had seen to concern since she’d got that black eye.

“If it’s relevant I will. You’re being oddly persistent on this.”

Asuka thrust a finger at her.

“’Cuz yer carrying yerself weird! Like, more than how weird you always are.”

Lili’s brow rose.

“You like me that much do you?”

“Ugh! Why do you turn what I say into something else...”

She heard a sincere gentle sound, light and airy, that just as before made her chest jump. Lili giggled without teasing her. Asuka’s face flushed, out of embarrassment or some other thing she wouldn’t dwell on. She shrugged it off. Lili looked prettiest like this.

The shoe lockers were coming into view when they saw a shape rush toward them. In seconds their hands were raised, bags hitting the floor. A boy jumped and yelped, but he got himself together as if he’d been waiting all along. Slowly, Asuka lowered her guard. Lili followed suit throwing Asuka a worried look before she pinned the boy in her gaze. He stuttered finding his words, pointing at them.

“I knew it! You two fought at the seventh Iron Fist; you must be friends with the Mishima Zaibatsu, wanting their prize money!”

“Repeat that again you pathetic weasel and I shall-“

“You watched it live didn’t you? So what?”

“Everyone else can pretend things are fine and hide from the truth, but I know better. Both of you are willing to play with the Mishimas. They must have made you agents. Two more recruits for the Tekken Force!”

His chest puffed, his nostrils flared, his eyes were huge, red, and furious. Neither of them moved hell she swore she didn’t even see Lili blink. Her heart thudded fast and thick shooting pins and needles. He took the stunned silence as an opportunity. The people still on their way out started peeping at what would be the final gossip of the semester.

“Especially you. You’re the heiress to Rochefort Enterprises aren’t you? I’m not stupid. They got bought out by the Zaibatsu for their oil supply. Then they blew up the world. It’s your fault! You’re a fuckin plant!”

Lili went pale, a milky see through white as if her blood gushed out all at once. Asuka saw him strike before his own body knew. She moved. Her hand closed over his fist; it barely stung. What a scrawny little shit. He tried squirming free but her grip was steel. Then he remembered he had another fist. She caught that too. Asuka squeezed, watching him go limp and wheeze, his forehead got sweaty.

“That’s no way to talk to girls. One more word out of you and I’ll stop being so nice.”

He gasped in breathless pain the more muscle she used. He nodded fast, then faster. She grabbed him by the collar.

“Get the fuck outta here. Now!”

Releasing him almost brought him to his knees. He clutched his bag as he turned, tripping over his feet as he ran. She watched until the squeaking of his school slippers faded. Asuka dusted off her hands and slung her bag over her shoulder.

“Let’s go, Lili.”

That snapped her back to life. Lili picked up her bag in a trance. She never left her side or said a word going home, until the front door was shut behind them.

Asuka crossed her arms over her gi. Gathering herself, Lili launched into a handspring, thrusting her legs as one during the arc. Asuka hummed thoughtfully. It looked cleaner and this time she didn’t collapse on the landing. She took another pause for breath, and then switched to the weird ballet routine she’d demonstrated before. In just a few days the movements were snappier, some gaps were closed. Asuka tightened her fist. Some random, spoiled girl could fine tune herself in ways that took months or years for others. Lili wasn’t a prodigy, but that didn’t make it less ridiculous.

Lili wasn’t into screwing around. Even if something she did looked screwy, the execution was a viper’s bite coming from five steps ahead. Asuka felt her face harden for how many times she’d taken bites.

‘No wonder she felt confident jumping into tournaments.’

Still, she kept over relying on aggression and footwork as her biggest defenses. And for both as defense, there were gaps to be filled.

“No more exhibition. Lemme show ya a few techniques.”

Huffing, Lili wiped her sweat away and stepped back. The exhausted flush darkening her face stood against her alert eyes. There was always a hunger there. It never stopped making Asuka’s skin crawl as much as whipping her heart; there was a mirror there. The part of Lili’s lips when she panted yanked her train of thought. She yanked it right back before her body got too warm. The corner of her mouth twitched when she composed her face. She stood apart from Lili by a few paces and cleared her throat.

“Since you’re tall you’re sorta harder to toss around, but it’s not impossible. Plus there’s another use fer your long legs. Fer example,”

The narrow of her eyes was Lili’s only warning. Asuka took a running start then flung sideways arcing through the air. Her waist shifted until she flipped head down and legs up on her descent; shin and foot together fell stronger than a hammer.

Lili gave up on dodging. Asuka saw the blur of her arms rising into a guard shifting weight into her stance. At the last second before gravity took control, she moved herself off center. Anything at full force and she’d break her wrist. A tailwind burst when Asuka hit bone, almost shaking Lili’s hair undone. Her eyes widened. Instead of sinking to her knees Lili yelled and bent low then sprung pushing Asuka backwards. Quickly Asuka spun into a landing.

“That was good.” She gasped.

“Good? You could have knocked me out!”

She smirked.

“Exactly. That’s what your opponent will think before everything goes dark. You countered pretty well.”

“I see.” Lili said shaking her reddening right wrist.

“We call it Thunder Fall Kick. All I’m doing is a cartwheel with the momentum of my body behind me as I fall. Give it a try.”

For a second Lili gave her a look to be sure. Asuka nodded. She let her stretch, then came the run. It was too fast and she soared into the cartwheel just to tumble out of it. Lili barely managed rolling for safety when she landed.

Lili huffed, glaring at her to not laugh or say a word. Her second try sailed through the air; she saw Lili’s lean muscle flex pulling strength from her core. It looked like something from an Olympic routine than martial arts, but it was a start. With nothing to hit but the floor she ended it in a split. Panting she rolled into sitting cross legged. Asuka walked over clapping her hands slowly.

“Alright alright that’s better. This way lets you either get them on the first hit or scare them into taking the second one. Hold onto that. I’ve got another one for you.”

“I would think nearly flipping myself into a concussion was enough.”

“Well smartass you need more reversals, since you can’t bother bruising your pretty skin.”

Her chest did a leap watching her go pink and stammer; Lili pouted, stomping herself up.

“For this you use the momentum of the attacker against them. It’s different from the others I showed off because this uses more force. Try striking me.”

This time Lili glared but her eyes promised to obey. Her left fist moved fast but not fast enough. Asuka caught it by the wrist yanking it down then stepped behind her in the same motion. With gentle force she locked her free arm around Lili’s neck, bringing her sideways. All at once she fell, tipped off balance, Asuka her guide. They spun letting her right hand cup Lili’s chin before she could yell. In the time it took to blink Lili fell on her back.

“That’s Aiki Nage.” Asuka said coolly.

Groaning Lili tried sitting up, just to slide back down.

“My body is jelly.”

“C’mon I wasn’t so rough.”

“We have very different definitions for that word.”

Asuka snorted and smiled.

“Yeah, I guess we do.”

She pulled her up so she could sit. She tossed her towel into Lili’s lap and sipped some water.

“When yer ready we’ll practice Thunder Fall Kick and Aiki Nage fer today.”

Steady, steady, their forms grew in sync.

‘Hey. Is what that guy said at school true?’

‘I see you insist on inviting yourself in.’

‘Shaddup. What the hell do you call what you’ve done to me?’

A pause.

‘My family, Father is...nothing cures his broken heart. Jin Kazama took everything. There were phone calls and camera footage; hundreds of Tekken Force soldiers had raided the oil fields. We kept our personal assets, he granted us that mercy, but Rochefort Enterprises folded into the Mishima Zaibatsu. You’ve seen the global news since. World War Three.’

Asuka’s concentration slipped; wind rippled off her punch. Part of the draft clipped her right ear and she winced. The wound was thin, she didn’t feel much blood. But, alone, it took nothing for her memory to dunk her head again. She centered herself. The air tamed behind her punches.

‘Yer fuckin’ kiddin’ me. What’re you wasting time here for? You oughta be home with him.’

‘Don’t talk as if I hadn’t tried! I hunted Jin, bastard he is. The sixth Iron Fist was supposed to be my revenge. I meant to take it all back, but a man called Lars bested me in combat the moment I arrived. Clearly he has broken his promise to kill that scum.’

‘…Yer dad’s still got ya though.’

Lili’s eyes had been so far away.

‘That walking corpse is not my Father. It only pretends.’

She hadn’t known what to say. And when she awkwardly patted her shoulder Lili had spoken like she might break,

‘I couldn’t even see you.’

‘…I coulda kicked his ass if I found ‘im. But he got away on his murder spree. An’ I guess we never got matched in tha’ brackets. Since, y’know.’

She’d crossed her arms and an idea made her brain go tingly.

‘Wait. Did ya find me at school back then cuz ya really, really, really wanted ta’ see me?!’

‘You. Are unbelievable.’

‘Ya scared me and I dropped my lunch on tha’ ground!’

‘It was not my fault you hadn’t secured it to your bike!’

‘Like it’s normal fer limos ta’ cut people off in tha’ road!’

In the here and now Asuka let another punch loose; sweat flew off her brow. The breeze whistled just for her. Good! She should try legwork next. Standing, she kicked high, hopping into another with her other leg. But the moment her second leg started rising she lurched sideways like someone tugged her ankle from underneath. She collapsed in a heap.

“Shit! That hurt.”

She got to her feet. On the next try she full body flipped and splat facedown. Groaning, Asuka gripped her hair. It’d been like splashing waves at the beach, where you’d kick the water one way but it got everywhere else. Not using her legs for stability felt the same as climbing stairs by sliding up the handrail.

Hold on.

She readied again and closed her eyes. Imagine stairs…

Asuka ran, the sound pounding her ears, hopping, snapping into one kick then another. Her feet climbed as if there were steps for less than three seconds. Keeping herself from flying into the ceiling she pictured falling, gravity touched her again. Asuka let herself sink on a knee, her chest heaving, and every cord of muscle she had burned. Rest first. She sat and slicked back her hair.

The good:

She was able to concentrate air into pinpoint areas and shapes. Visualization worked best.

She could keep herself from spinning out if she paced it.

The force behind her momentum was at least twice stronger than normal.

The bad:

For now there was no way she’d last very long without hurting herself.

If she didn’t maintain focus she couldn’t power up fast enough; opening her to attacks.

Even while focused, the set up took long enough she still risked being vulnerable. But she had a better chance of canceling it if she kept some awareness.

She wiped her brow on her crop top. Going up meant with enough practice she could go down just the same. That had to be true. What if there were stairs that dropped into nothing? She stood and stretched, gathering her courage.

‘One more time.’

Asuka took another running start, not a sprint but almost, climbing the air. At the highest point she looked down. Now! She flipped and threw out her left leg; the ground raced closer and closer, her kick a speeding bullet. Suddenly her stomach sank, fear wanted to save her life. Shit! At the last moment she managed a roll, breaking the fall. Asuka gnashed her teeth.

It’d been the flip; the stupid flip! Instead of conserving power she wasted part of it on extra movement. Dad shook his head and grunted in her thoughts. Even Lili wouldn’t try something so dumb. This was about timing. She flopped on her back, scowling. Patience was so damn hard! Something…there had to be something here. What if she jumped higher straight into the dropkick? No, switching up so suddenly and adding another rising step would stop her dead. The enemy would fill in the gap more effort created with less chance for an escape. So if she closed distance before they could while staying on the offense…

‘I should kick off them first!’

One set of climbing hop kicks should carry the momentum to bounce off someone’s head. Then she’d wind another kick as she fell! And while she was open they’d be too stunned to do anything back.

She got to her feet. There was more work ahead.

“What happened with your ear?”

Dad’s eyes locked on her band aid; dinner went quiet. Lili started pretending she was moving food around to pick it up. The tension in her jaw was too obvious. Asuka did her best not to miss a beat.

“Scratched it while workin’ on tha’ bike. I had to unscrew a bolt and tha’ damn thing was wound tight. Went flyin’ by my head. S’not tha’ bad, just stings.”

She felt him searching her face as she kept eating. In reality she hadn’t done any work past polishing for a week. With a mouth full of rice it’d be rude for him to make her talk.

“Yer not lookin’ great around the eyes either. And ya keep asking fer seconds. I don’t want ya spending all yer free time on that bike, ya hear?”

She swallowed a gulp of food big enough for Lili to throw her a funny look.

“Yeah alright I won’t.”

“I’m serious Asuka.”

“I said I won’t Dad. Don’t worry.”

He glared and she played it cool, raising a brow ‘There more ya wanna say?’ Finally he sighed and started digging into dinner again. She took another bite; Lili was staring, holding a question so bad her face went red. ‘What the hell are you doing?’ her eyes shouted. Asuka sipped her Pocari Sweat, glancing away.

She lay belly down on her bed flipping through the newest Cycle Sports while Lili sat at the desk. There were pages and pages of new bikes made for any use a person could think up. Scattered in between were reviews and interviews, bike route guides, until she landed on the parts ads. Her jaw dropped. Clincher tire prices had hiked to almost five hundred thousand yen a piece. Even the mid-range speed cassettes sat close to a million. In a red and yellow font the magazine gave a paragraph next to a cartoon drawing of a cyclist apologizing.

Customers, we ask your patience regarding price point and shipping at this time. Due to global shortage our sponsors are experiencing significant delays in resource procurement and assembly. Prices will now reflect-

Asuka’s eyes glazed over the page. She set the magazine down and sighed.

“What’s the matter?”

“Fixin’ my bike’s gonna be the same as buyin’ a house. Everything’s gettin’ too damn expensive.”

She flipped through Cycle Sports again covering her face.

“For regular people y’know not you.”

Lili stopped applying her makeup, glaring at her, and then kept brushing her cheeks.

“Ah yes more biting wit from a comedic genius. No matter, money won’t be a concern. Get whatever you like.”

“Yer being weirdly cool about this.”

“Take me with you on your ‘Gang Mediation’ hunts.”

“A- wha- Are you crazy?! No!”

Lili uncapped a thin dusty pink pencil and started outlining her eyes.

“We’ve been training over a month and I refuse to continue being locked away without real world practice. There’s no point in learning anything if it isn’t applied.”

“No.”

“Oh why not?! I traveled the world getting into battles long before I met you.”

“Fighting for yourself doesn’t mean you can follow someone else’s rhythm. Teamwork is coordination! If you get hurt…I gotta think about you and keeping creeps away. We’d be screwed.”

She heard the pencil clatter on the desk. Lili leaned in the chair arms crossed; the irritation could’ve rolled into steam off her face. Asuka shuddered.

“I see. You’d rather keep me imprisoned in this bird cage so I’ll be under your thumb. It’s enough to control how much I know and how I use it; never mind a day coming where I would need teamwork yet find myself vulnerable. Or perhaps you doubt yourself.”

Asuka stammered, a pit opening in her stomach swallowing all her thoughts. She put her chin in her hand, covering her mouth, her eyes shifting.

“That’s not guaranteed…and no shit I can handle anythin’! It’s got nothin’ to do with doubt!” She cried, her voice wavering at the ends.

“What I know for certain is whatever cut your ear wasn’t as ridiculous as a bike bolt. Really, you call that lying to your father?”

She shot upright on the bed.

“Don’t assume I did that for fun!”

“I never said as much. But you’ve got quite the nerve to lecture me when you’re the one hurting yourself.”

Asuka sank sitting cross legged and sighing as she stared her down.

“Fine. You can come. But yer still listening to me out there; if I say ‘get out’ then go home.”

“I knew you’d understand. That settles it. Now, which of these colors is prettier?”

Lili picked through the makeup kit replacing Asuka’s PC keyboard and held up a little tube bottle in each hand. On the left was something rose pink; pale enough to look almost natural but still wasn’t. The other was dusty lavender with a matte texture noticeable without opening it.

“What’s that gotta do with- oh, the pink.”

“Excellent.”

She smiled at Asuka with her perfect teeth and turned back to her mirror, uncapping the bottle. Asuka absentmindedly flipped through the glossy pages showing new bikes. Between each she snuck a glance, watching the care with which Lili painted her lips. If it seemed like she’d get caught she darted her eyes to a random spot on a page. But as time passed, the longer she watched anyway. Until, of course, it’d be safer to just read.

Not long after she heard her throat clear and looked up slowly. Asuka’s eyes widened; she gasped softly.

“So? What do you think?”

Lili pulled any chance of forming a sentence from Asuka’s throat. She was more or less the same, but now with a soft definition to her cheeks. Thin pale orange eyeshadow dusted her lower eyelids making her pink eyeliner wings pop. Her eyes were the blue of a sky against those dusky colors. Her lips were glistening and vibrant without overpowering the natural curve and shade. Really she was,

“Beautiful.”

Lili put her chin on her hands so they framed her face like a ‘V’. She grinned. Asuka’s entire body throbbed, the air blazed like every drop of blood rushed to her head.

“I mean no, ya look like those models on beauty mags or whatever. Nothin’ that special. It’s just…good.” She stammered out.

Her brow rose when she saw her pick up a blank index card of blotting paper for her fountain pens. Lili pressed it to her mouth, giving it a hard kiss. Then she took a sheet of laminate and carefully sealed it. Asuka stared, the spell of the entire thing demanding she watch. When she saw the paper handed to her she accepted, afraid to use any force.

“Since you enjoyed this shade keep it.”

“…Thanks.”

She got a smile and a wink; and at once she became shy yet lighter than air.

That night in bed Asuka strained her eyes tracing and retracing the card. The pink was still visible against white paper, as moist and bow shaped as the mouth it’d been on hours ago. She ran her finger along the outline afraid it’d smudge anyway.

Closing her eyes brought Lili’s face clear as day. Here she could touch her or stare without any nagging worries. She could run fingers through her hair knowing it would be silky smooth. This time she cupped her cheek, tracing her thumb along Lili’s mouth. Lili gave her one of those inviting stares; the kind where she was both reading and listening. Their eyes fluttered half shut as Asuka brought her closer. But of course, she could only hover over her pink lips. Lili turned away.

Asuka opened her eyes. Night stayed. Her hand not holding the card gripped her sheets. She tucked it under her pillow, furthest from where her head might crush it. She rolled over finding Lili’s shape on the futon. Asuka watched until her eyes grew heavy. Then she fell asleep.

Shinsekai was bright and sunny ignoring them as they walked. She scanned around finding the usual. Families, friends, people by themselves, a foreigner here and there- all present. The world was in order.

“Quit scowling like that. It’s such beautiful weather today; really one would be an idiot to want to cause trouble. And look-! There’s a giant octopus on that building!”

“This isn’t a date! We’re hunting morons. Takotsuba’s ain’t a bad spot for later though.”

“I shall hold you to that. Don’t forget.”

“Yeah yeah.”

“Oh! And that tower beyond it, what a fascinating industrial shape.”

“Tsutenkaku? Sure sure that too but are you gonna help or not?”

“Ugh. I dislike this side of you. Why not pay a few people and have them stir up some thug looking types? We’d net more off the street.”

Asuka groaned pulling her aside; she poked her chest.

“I don’t start fights. I break them up. I end them, got it? No schemes.”

Sucking her teeth Lili brushed her bangs from her face.

“Since you insist.”

Asuka sighed and scratched her head.

“Let’s check the alleys or around convenience stores an’ parks. Anywhere it’s easier for people ta’ gather.”

“Lead the way.” Lili said behind a wolfish grin.

And it made her heart skip finding the same hunger Asuka knew in her eyes.

They got lucky; several boys were shouting as they passed Naniwa Nishi Park. She stopped, pressing herself against the wall; Lili followed suit. She peered over the gate and counted ten standing around an abandoned dohyō. The rope boundary was frayed, dirty, but they split themselves even down the ring. The shouts turned to yelling when someone threw a punch, opening himself to get tackled. A few boys at the edge cheered the fight on. A closer look, they all had bruises. Asuka took a breath.

“Alright. It’s ten of them and they’re already kicking the shit out of each other. This should be easy if they’ve tired themselves out.”

“What are we waiting for then? Let’s pummel them.”

She put her arm in front of Lili.

“Don’t get cocky. I can’t protect you from everything.”

Lili huffed, rolling her eyes.

“Your repeated warnings have been noted.”

“It helps making sure you take them one at a time too.”

Pushing past Lili growled teeth flashing as she stomped in their direction. Asuka groaned running after her. One by one the boys turned their heads and tapped their buddies.

“Idiot I’m supposed to go first! Come back!”

The two boys wrestling in the dohyō stopped hitting each other over the head. Immediately the jeering went silent. Lili stood in front of them, hands on her hips. The closer her legs carried her the better Asuka saw their faces. Her hairs went up. It wasn’t the hunger she knew in her reflection, the kind making boys piss themselves when she knocked out teeth. These guys wore something darker checking Lili up and down. She'd heard about this; guys who'd want her on her back while they took turns. Guys saw you as meat and knew exactly the cut they wanted, what type of hungry they were as they took their time before passing you off for their friend's fun in your body. Her stomach sank. She quit running; now she sprinted across the open field.

“Halt sirs! Cease behaving like ruffians this instant! How shameful doing this in a public place. There must be a better way to get along.”

“Oh yeah? We’re all ears princess. Maybe we can help ya think of some.”

Asuka’s vision narrowed to the center of a boy’s head. She climbed. Her hop kicks slammed him one two, the first step his waist the next knocking his head back; an explosive sound rocked her senses. Around her she thought she heard someone yell ‘was that a fucking gun?!’ She gritted her teeth. Now! She brought her left leg down riding gravity. He flipped ass up still spinning from her force; Asuka’s kick hammered him. The ground cracked swallowing him head first. A burst of wind whipped her hair biting her skin.

She landed. The boy’s legs went limp above ground, the rest of him nail straight in dirt; he looked like a tacky art piece. Everyone froze staring with bulging eyes. In the split second between getting up and resetting her stance she saw the boy closest to Lili move for her.

“No more talkin’! Knock ‘em out!” Asuka shouted.

A boy threw a right hook, she grabbed his wrist and flung him forward, his body flipped bouncing his head on the landing with a crunch. The next charged wanting to spear her. Asuka side stepped, roaring, and stepped into her weight. She thrust an open left palm slamming him in his solar plexus. He flung backwards, bouncing, crashing against three boys who collapsed easier than bowling pins.

Lili shoved another boy off then crushed his toes under her square boot heel. He yelped opening him up for her kick striking his shin. As he crumpled Asuka saw her half cartwheel with her hands behind her back. The first kick crushing him gave her ground enough to slam her next one square on his dick. He howled, screaming as if someone wouldn’t stop stabbing him again and again. Jumping off him Lili kicked the closest boy Asuka had knocked down in the head before he could stand. Beside him his two friends screamed. Then Asuka was on them.

They lay pinned under the bodies, squirming but only sinking themselves deeper. She slammed her boot under the chin of the boy screaming loudest. His teeth scattered across the dirt, blood flying from his mouth. His friend gave up struggling. As she wound back her fist she twisted off balance; another one had tackled her. Quickly Asuka grabbed his forearms as he grabbed hers. Their feet shuffled trying to steady themselves. His sweaty, growling face sat a hair away from her nose. He pressed down his weight but she rocked herself shifting the balance. Her heel gripped on the dirt in the struggle. She grinned. She kicked his shin knocking him sideways.

His hands lost grip; Asuka spun him around, booting his back like kicking in a door.

“Lili! Behind ya!”

Lili dodged an attack turning just in time to step in. She thrust both palms hitting his middle and spinning him on his face. Asuka ran toward her, past her, throwing herself behind a kick that folded a boy flinging him several meters. Quickly she glanced back and found her dodging the last one to free himself from under his friend. He went down easy.

The last boy standing whimpered shaking like a shitting dog; sweat dripped down his face, his clothes soaked. Asuka put a hand on her hip. Lili rejoined her, huffing as they glared at him. He glanced back and forth between them. A word started stuttering out his quivering mouth but Asuka’s brow narrowed and he swallowed it. Dust swirled as a breeze passed.

He swallowed again; she read fear overpowering the shock in his eyes. He twitched, panting so hard he could pass out any second. Asuka slid back her foot. The boy let out a ferocious scream and charged raising a fist. Lili jolted but Asuka stepped in front of her. He ran wobbly as if coated in honey. Everything was slow. The rustling leaves and grass, the wind through her hair, the clouds as they drift in the sky. She raised her fist. One punch; he dropped instantly.

She sucked her teeth rolling him over with her foot. Out cold he could only be peaceful.

“Moron.”

“Well then, I must say, what a hell of a- AAH!”

Asuka whipped around. The boy she’d sent flying into his friends rushed Lili from the side. She didn’t think. The world fell away. Her body moved. Wind curled along her forearm down to the fist; everything became a single point. Asuka let it fly.

His jaw gave way butter smooth under her knuckles. She felt the teeth dance across her skin scattering into shards. Then all at once the air exploded. A storm swirling in its burst blew at the impact. Her ears grew full; a droning whine cut any sound. She couldn’t see him, only a hazy shape speeding down a wind tunnel. That something skipped along the ground with a stone’s weight a long, long time. Barely, just barely, it stopped before the park fence.

She took a breath. Suddenly the ground grew closer.

‘Ah shit. I’m fallin’.’

Lili caught her arm pulling her back on her feet. She felt herself be pat down, but her vision was such a blur things returned to focus one by one. The newest thing she felt was Lili’s warm hands on hers. She focused on her making herself feel real again.

“My god, that looked as if it should have killed you both. How are you bleeding so little?”

Lili held Asuka’s hand at her chest; pricks of blood oozed on her knuckles. She tried asking her for a bandage. Instead Lili took the hand to her mouth and started sucking each spot gently. Her lips were soft, careful. There was nothing she could say, nothing she wanted to say. It was pure instinct when she let out a shaky gasp. Her eyes fluttered fixed on her. Warmth from her tongue melted the barely there pain. Then all too soon Lili finished and Asuka had never been more disappointed at air on her skin. The bleeding stopped. Lili wiped her mouth.

“Hardly worth a handkerchief.”

“Thank…you…”

She huffed out still heavy to the bone. Lili smiled, giggling quietly and pleased with herself. Asuka took a step; she may as well be wearing cement bricks. Her chest dipped. Again Lili grabbed her, plucking her really with how tall she was. Asuka groaned.

“What a pain in the ass. Dad’s not gonna believe we were just hangin’ out. And now I feel like I’m gonna fuckin’ drop.”

Lili scoffed.

“I should be insulted with how often you disregard my many talents.”

“Huh?”

Lili put two fingers to her ear. A short beep followed- since when had she been wearing an earpiece?

“Hello, Sebastian? No I only require the limo. Yes.”

She heard her give him the address. Was Sebastian the same as the old man she saw when Lili arrived? He’d been driving when Lili showed up at her school just for a fight. They had to be the same guy. Whatever, everything was so heavy. He could come bringing a stretcher and it’d be better than standing here. The fantasy of lying in bed letting her muscle aches melt made her smile. She almost didn’t hear the rasping cough at their feet. Asuka jolted, stepping back as Lili ended her call.

One of the boys crawled toward them bloody and lumpier than potatoes. Breathing seemed to take the life from his lungs with each drag. He stopped at Asuka’s boot. He craned up his neck and she found the strength to glare.

“You…it’s gotta be you. Word got around. I thought those wind moves were bullshit. Yer tha’ demon who put Takeshi in tha’ hospital. He needed a full body cast y’know? He might not walk again.”

Her eyes were cold.

“Am I supposed to care? If he wasn’t such an idiot attacking me he’d be fine. He did it to himself. He shoulda been stronger.”

“Yer fucking crazy!”

Lili crushed her heel over his head; that finally made him go limp. Asuka’s eyes widened turning and finding satisfaction as much as hatred. She opened her mouth. She wanted to correct her, wanted to get upset. But she remembered his face at the start. Her eyes narrowed, mouth twisting. Asuka kicked him for good measure. Then she kicked him again, again, and again letting his bruises bloom blood. Lili joined in one last time letting out a yell. Asuka spat beside his head. They looked over the bodies.

“Good riddance. Is this what you’ve been doing? Leaving a trail of carnage?”

“I ain’t kill anyone!”

Lili turned staring at the boy lying limp near the park gate. She started walking not waiting for Asuka or rushing in the slightest. Her heart jumped up her throat. She followed half running while his body came closer and closer. All her thoughts vomited out.

“I didn’t hit him like that on purpose. That much force, tha’ wind curlin’ like that I had no idea I could hit that hard. There’s no way he’s dead. I didn’t wanna kill him!”

“Will you cease your incessant prattle? Look at him, he’s breathing.”

Barely. If he didn’t get treatment soon it’d be game over. Lili hummed thoughtfully and stroked her chin. She leaned over him.

“Though I’m very certain the human jaw should not bend this way. Nor appear so, floppy. And not a single tooth left either. Impressive.”

Asuka made herself look at him. The length of his jaw sagged clearly broken, but the way it twisted sent shivers through her. It curled the same as the tailwinds she left behind. But, at least she hadn’t killed him. No one could blame her for that.

“Thanks ya damn weirdo.”

Lili looked at her, annoyed. Asuka put her hands on her hips.

“I presume then this is what cut you. That sort of power, you became a living hurricane.”

“H-How’d you figure? I’m not some amateur when I train and this doesn’t mean I can cut-“

Sighing Lili slowly fanned out her dress skirt. Dozens of tiny tears split the fabric to the seams. Several sections of lace looked like they’d been put through a shredder. The one saving grace was that her skin stayed covered. Somehow.

“Yer kiddin’ me…”

“This is couture costing over a hundred thousand euros. However, in this instance, I shall forgive you.”

“Ya better, cuz no way I could pay that fuckin’ bill.”

“Do not insist I should change my mind.”

Asuka swallowed and looked away scratching her head. Her eyes wandered over the boy on the ground again. She reached into her shorts pocket flipping open her phone. Quickly she dialed.

“Hey you guys need to send an ambulance over by Naniwa Nishi Park. There’s ten boys here unconscious. No I found them; they beat the crap out of each other. Please hurry. Thanks.”

As she flipped it closed Lili watched, and when their eyes met she read approval. Or was it curiosity? This was Lili so the answer had to be both. Then the crunch of tires broke their concentration. A white limo pulled beside the sidewalk; with it came Sebastian springing from the driver’s seat. He rushed to Lili’s side clutching a first aid kit. How far had Lili thought ahead?

“Mademoiselle Lili! Are you and Mademoiselle Asuka hurt? Goodness my lady, what has become of your dress?!”

“I am unscathed Sebastian. See to Asuka’s left hand. Her right ear requires attention also.”

“Yes Mademoiselle.”

“I’m fine. My hand stopped bleeding rememb- urgh!”

Right as she instinctively flexed it her left hand seized up into an angry throbbing patch of tendons. She winced, hissing out a breath. Her adrenaline finally ran on empty.

“Pardon me. If I may treat your lacerations and apply a compress, the pain will certainly ease.”

“Sure. Just make it stop.” Asuka panted.

Asuka was tough, always had been. But each step disinfecting, spreading ointment, to wrapping a bandage shot floating starbursts through her vision. She stared into the sky hoping for birds or clouds. Anything she could count. A flock flew by in V-formation; she sighed, relieved.

“There. The bandage itself doubles as the cold compress. This should eliminate the need for a cumbersome ice bag, Mademoiselle Asuka. As for your ear-”

“That doesn’t hurt your princess over there’s just working herself up. But, thanks.”

“I see. Understood.”

He shuffled to the trunk to stash the supplies; she felt Lili’s stare meeting it without hesitation. She caught her dazed, brows knit with concern. Then in the most Lili fashion she noticed and cleared her throat. Just like that her expression turned cool again. Asuka let out a dry chuckle.

“After you Mademoiselle Lili.”

Sebastian opened the passenger door bowing as he waited. Tilting her head Lili beckoned for her as she got in. Asuka made sure she was seated first; she couldn’t fight a grin anymore.

“Welcome to my most wonderful lounge. I trust it is to your liking, no?”

“Like I drive in one of these enough to know any difference.”

Dad never even owned a car. Not that she could remember anyway. Asuka stared out the window fixed on the city rolling past them. Her ears perked when Lili cleared her throat hard. She looked at her and slunk into the plush seat ears red with embarrassment.

“It’s real nice. Never been in a seat this comfy. If I pass out it’s yer fault y’know.”

“Feel free. I shall take it as a compliment.”

“I’m holdin’ ya ta’ that. Don’t mind if I do.”

Lili smiled. Now Asuka found she couldn’t stop talking.

“That was somethin’ back there too y’know. We beat the crap outta ‘em! You were flyin’ everywhere I almost couldn’t catch tha’ action. I bet they didn’t know what tha’ hell hit ‘em.”

“As I remember you turned several into mincemeat. I should thank you for providing me such opportune openings for attack.”

“Hell yeah! That’s the kind of teamwork I had in mind! Great, right?”

Lili brushed back her hair and turned up her nose. She could hear the smirk when she spoke.

“Of course. When I fight with absolute concentration, there is nothing I can’t handle.”

Asuka’s face pinched.

‘That took everythin’ outta ya?’

She saw Lili marching in front of those boys over and over in her mind. If Asuka hadn’t been there making it easier on her to fight; suddenly she thought she might vomit.

“...The way they were starin’ at ya felt off ta’ me. When ya talked at them an’ stuff.”

There’d been way too many of them; blame stung on her shoulders.

“How so?”

“Ya were a piece ‘o meat. An’ they seemed real hungry, if ya catch my drift. They were those kinda guys. Yer pretty an’ all remember.”

Her chest panged watching Lili go pale.

“That…will not discourage my combative pursuits.”

“I ain’t sayin’ forget martial arts. People use ta’ warn me all tha’ time. It…it scared me fer a second. That’s all.”

Silence muffled everything. Asuka let herself breathe; her eyes lit up.

“But still, I looked cool saving ya at the end didn’t I?”

“…And if I say yes?”

Fire ripped through Asuka like striking a match. She leaned forward.

“Yeah?”

“You terrified me. I demand you repeat it at the earliest convenience.”

She blinked at her; Lili sat straight faced. Without thinking she burst out giggling.

“What? What now? How rude you are.”

“It’s just, it’s just you love saying weird things!”

Lili’s mouth twitched. Asuka stared right back, bracing for an insult. Instead she smiled. The limo stopped at a red light.

“Can you guess why I began fighting?”

“Huh? Cuz ya wanna right? Yer family doesn’t teach nothin’ about it like mine. Ya can be good at protectin’ yer money or somethin’.”

“Nothing as silly as that I assure you. Money is Father’s concern not mine. Though one could say money was the reason I discovered it.”

Lili rested her arm on the window sill. She shifted crossing her legs.

“Four years ago I was kidnapped for ransom, you see.”

Asuka’s jaw dropped on reflex.

“Of course back then I was utterly helpless. I was but twelve. Making a proper fist was beyond me. I was bound in a chair inside a room for I’m unsure how long. I remember best the dark, the panic dreaming of home and my stuffed animals. When I would wake fear reminded me exactly where I was. But the more I grew afraid, the deeper anger hardened inside me.”

Her eyes were a razor.

“I don’t remember much of him. I bit my guard doing everything my body could to thrash him out cold. Then I slipped my bindings and ran. And ran and ran until I collapsed beside a road.”

“…What…happened then?”

“What do you think? A passing car found me in France. Father was on his jet the moment he heard the news. He thought I would be crying and huddling on my bed at the hospital. But I sat ready to meet him.”

“No way! Yer lyin’!”

Lili cocked her head, not amused.

“Come now Asuka I’ve never had reason to lie to you. Certainly not over a personal memory either.”

Sucking her teeth she folded her arms out of habit but stopped. She winced at the dull ache shooting from her hand. She could feel her expression soften and didn’t fight it. There came nothing to say that felt right enough, except for maybe,

“…What about yer mother? How was she?”

Lili cut her off, sharp, but strangely wavering.

“My mother isn’t worth discussing.”

A slight movement caught her eye. Asuka looked down; Lili’s hand was trembling. All of Lili was trembling. She didn’t think as she held her hand. She heard her breath hitch and Asuka’s heart raced faster.

“I ain’t got a mom either.”

Lili’s expression shifted around struggling for the right reply, the right anything. Asuka felt her fingers squeezed. That was enough. At least she’d stopped shaking. Sebastian glanced at them in the rearview mirror, his stare warm. They sat there not moving, light through the windows dancing across their faces. Soon their stomachs growled. She started laughing thinking nothing of it and she heard Lili join in the melody. Their hands let go, but that was alright.

“I believe you promised me octopus. Unless you’ve forgotten.”

“Yeah yeah I know. I’m soooo hungry. If I don’t eat somethin’ I think my arm’s gonna start lookin’ tasty.” She groaned.

“Well that won’t do. Sebastian!”

“Yes Mademoiselle?”

“Return us to Shinsekai then you may retire at the hotel.”

“At once my lady.”

Lili turned to her concerned.

“You’re up for walking are you?”

“Of course I’ll be fine. I’m made of tougher stuff.”

Getting out and standing in the middle of a proper street again left her disoriented. They must’ve been driving only twenty minutes; it may as well have been another world. The moment for people to gawk at them seeing the limo had passed. Until now Asuka never considered such casual attention annoying. Then again, for a long while she’d always been alone.

“Hmm…I believe it was a building with a giant octopus climbing the side.”

“Yeah that’s Takotsuba’s alright. C’mon we might still beat the rush hour.”

They did not in fact beat the rush hour. While it wasn’t a full house either it came pretty damn close. Getting a booth to themselves was another of the day’s small victories. She looked over the menu as a formality; her heart had already decided to keep eating anything until she’d be crawling outta here. Her stomach wrung out a gurgle.

“What would you suggest? I’ve never seen it prepared in quite so many ways.”

“Well ya know the staples like okonomiyaki and takoyaki so that’s nothin’ new. There’s octopus salad, octopus rice, sushi, and karaage too. Karaage’s got more fry to it than takoyaki. I heard once it’s chewier if you don’t boil the octopus first.”

“My! Then I must try them all it seems.”

“What’d ya ask me for?”

Lili giggled.

“Why not?”

Ah, of course it’d been another one of her weird teases. Oh well. Asuka shrugged smiling to herself.

Maybe she should blame her hunger, but everything tasted divine. There wasn’t a bite she could get down fast enough before she went for the next. The texture felt as smooth as if she’d caught it from the sea. Each seasoning burst together yet she could name them all. And the sauces, she never imagined sauces so sharp they might ruin the dish. How had she eaten anything before today?

“Try this it’s amazin’!”

She scooped a huge chunk of crispy karaage and held it up between her chopsticks. Lili stared from her face to the octopus, thinking. She smiled easy playing along. Asuka grinned watching her bite it. Her face exploded.

“My god what a powerful flavor…I’m unsure where I should begin. Give me another.”

She picked up an even bigger chunk inching toward Lili’s parted mouth; then at the last second just as Lili’s eyes focused Asuka ate it.

“You scoundrel!”

“I’m hungry.” She hummed, smiling and content.

Under the table their feet nudged together back and forth and back without force.

By the time they stumbled out of Takotsuba’s the sky burned dusty orange. Beside her Lili gripped a wall hunching over into one big sigh. Asuka stretched and yawned with a bursting stomach feeling her eyes droop.

“I believe… I should have stopped… at dish five… “

“Ya didn’t have ta’ try everythin’ off my plate.” Asuka huffed half-heartedly.

“You have the luxury of living here. I must take the experience when I can get it.”

“Hey. Wasn’t there another place you wanted ta’ go?” She asked, nudging her.

“Where could that possibly be in this state-“

Asuka stared above them saying nothing as Lili followed her line of sight. She smiled. Towering like a lone pillar propping up the heavens, Tsutenkaku stood, the sunset dressing it in gold.

To her surprise there was little fuss from Lili as they climbed the access stairs. A ten minute rest had her back to swiveling her head trying not to miss anything she saw. Some gawked at the jagged tears on her dress; but if Lili didn’t care then neither did Asuka. They held hands climbing the tight crowded stairwells and through narrow doorways. At the first observation deck she felt Lili start letting go to wander inside; Asuka squeezed her fingers.

“That’s the boring part. Lemme show ya some real excitement.”

A second staircase so narrow you had to climb single file squeezed them up the second deck. It was a tight caged circle, full of people crammed between the tower and tall mesh wire paneling. Everyone could barely make space for others passing and so she made sure they followed the flow without getting crushed. Despite this no one pushed or shoved; she lifted her head letting the wind cool against her face.

They got lucky. Another couple left passing them by while everyone else was busy going either up or down, creating an empty pocket where no one would bother them. Asuka seized the chance.

“Mon dieu…”

They stood at the entrance of an open roofed tunnel made of more mesh wire and a grated ramp. It jutted out several meters, pointing its finger through the sky. Yellow font on a white sign shouted the rule of allowing two standing people at a time. Asuka grinned and pointed.

“After ya, ladies first.”

“You can’t be serious. No matter! I am not afraid.”

“I’ll be right behind ya, duh.”

Slowly Lili stepped out one long stride after another until she soon let go of gripping the mesh for safety. True to her word Asuka followed casually at ease like they were still on a sidewalk. She stopped beside her at the end, the floor now a single piece of reinforced glass. One glance down and they could feel the plummet to their deaths. She was alive, wired, a living drum. The air filled fresh through her lungs. Lili’s tight face softened. She smiled hearing her gasp.

The city went on and on and on, framed in golden fire. The clouds became infinite vanishing into a thick blanket on the horizon. High rises, highways, and all the packed in streets bunched together or winded around each other like a spread fan. Most were grey, but dots of color boxed in the edges of green parks. Trains snaked along the outdoor rail lines in the gaps between. Even floating from up here the sounds of life came through in pieces.

“It’s really pretty.”

“…Yes. It is.”

She watched the city, and she watched her watch the city. Then all she could see was her. Lili seemed to glow; tearing down the calculating look she knew so well. Instead she was smiling; she outdid the sun. Their bodies touched. They were all but one in such tiny space.

“Do you know what I’m thinking when I see you now?”

Lili spoke softly tapering the syllables like a melody. Asuka decided then and there her eyes were the gentlest blue.

“Knowing you? Could be anythin’ I guess.”

Lili cleared her throat. Her words came in a rhythm.

“There’s a poem we were taught back home for literature studies. A line went, ‘Now let us sport us while we may, And now, like amorous birds of prey, Rather at once our time devour Than languish in his slow-chapt power.’ ”

She stared at her waiting, patient despite going bright as a tomato. Asuka didn’t have words for the funny feeling turning her into a tingling fool.

“Sounds nice, but what’s it mean?”

“…I-I thought, I thought it sounded pleasing.”

“Ya don’t know do ya?”

“Sometimes it’s perfectly acceptable not to.” Lili stammered, glancing down.

They stood there on thin air. Lili held her hand. Asuka brushed her thumb over her skin.

The walk home went all too fast and just as slow. Between a few curious silences they chatted about anything that from outside was absolutely nothing. Together they walked through the front door, laughing over a joke Asuka told easy. And there stood Dad drawn by their noise; on his face reality.

“What were you two doing?”

His eyes were staring straight at the cuts on Lili’s dress. At once Asuka knew she had lost.

“We found boys all beating each other to death at the park; course we had to do something.”

“Yes and I’m sure that something didn’t involve calling police.”

Her wound throbbed under his stare. She saw his brow narrow and her heart ran laps.

“Let me see your hand.”

“I’m fine-“

“Now.”

She looked at Lili, who by the hard swallow in her throat could only watch. All the clever poetry and snappy remarks dried at their source; as much a blade now as a blade of grass. Asuka raised her left hand bringing her bandage in full view. Her body held itself while he undid the wrapping. A hiss squeezed out her lungs when he examined the newborn scabs.

“I knew it.”

He checked over her ear then looked again at Lili’s dress; the cuts matched.

“Explain everything. And I mean everything, Asuka.”

Quickly she stuffed her left hand behind her back, eyes downcast. Her fingers clenched with her pride bearing the pain. Beside her she heard the slight step of Lili shifting closer. She found her voice.

“The fighting went fine, we won. It almost felt too easy. When I thought the last boy went down, one got back up out of nowhere. He started charging at Lili I, I couldn’t think anymore. I knew I had to do something I had to protect her. (At hearing the word ‘Protect’ his eye twitched.) These guys seemed more dangerous than my usual. So my body just moved on its own. I hit him. I hit him harder than I’ve hit anything in my life; he went flying like cars in a tsunami.”

“I must add, when we checked his body I believe only by a miracle did she not pulverize his skull, sir.”

“Your wind, what did it look like. How did it shape? Do you remember?”

“Not much. I know it became all I could see, like a tunnel curling around and from me.”

“Worse than that; I’m amazed you saw so little. Had you done any more it would have meant his life.” Lili said, very small with Dad here, but Asuka sensed a lingering fascination.

A heavy look on his face made her stomach drop. She heard the day’s joy shatter.

“No more fighting. Defending yourself I will allow, but nothing else. You will not provoke anyone nor give in to verbal insults. You will not go getting yourself involved in other people’s battles. You are to get away then call the police if you see such nonsense. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes… sir.” She forced through her teeth meeting his eyes.

His mouth made a line and that was final.

The hair on her nape still bristled sitting on her bed. Her left hand dulled throbbing quietly as she gripped her homework. Her leg started bouncing while her eyes glazed over the equations.

“You worry too much. At least he hasn’t confined you here. And so what, in a few days I’m sure his temper will calm.”

Lili stopped writing. Sitting at the desk she reminded Asuka of a perched eagle with lanky limbs. Her voice soothed if nothing else. She let herself breathe. Asuka swallowed, face tight.

“He’s never said anythin’ like that before. Never. Even if sometimes he’d give me a look the older I got.”

She stared at an equation passing it through her muscle memory. Her pencil underlined her answer over and over.

“I don’t get a damn thing anymore.” She said to herself.

Then she perked up snapping her head toward Lili.

“I ain’t say anythin’ about worryin’! Don’t go assumin’.”

“Please. The way you’re acting says quite enough.”

Asuka searched her brain for a biting one liner, anything she could throw would do. She sighed, sucking her teeth softly. She flipped the page and tackled another equation with a mind like stilled dark water. It was autopilot; it had to be after Lili drilled the rules into her piece by piece dozens of times. But the steps came sluggish, the numbers vague, and a feeling of wrongness trailed everything. This, she realized, felt something like doubt gnawing its way into birth. And she held it quiet so quiet in her chest; between her bared teeth. Dad was tough but fair. He was strong. She pictured his smile.

Days kept coming one after another. Each morning she shuffled out of bed (closer to noon now thank god), trained, washed, then a big breakfast, homework, bike work, training, another wash, bed. Dinner would come and go giving a bit of color in filling her belly beside more Lili. It took longer than she liked meeting Dad’s eyes again for longer than a second. He wouldn’t say anything more on why he’d been angry though to her credit Asuka didn’t dare push. Time trickled slowly by the minute to the hour. Her body woke up between the seconds; how many years had passed, since she knew lasting stillness?

The little things made her angry now. Tea took too long to boil and food too long to cook. Cars driving by the house had eyes in their lights and off the tint of their windows. Internet scrolling threw itself up telling her nothing. Silent moments picked and picked letting thinking seep through cracks in her stone. She spent time sitting. She paced around. She stared at the ceiling. She didn’t dare go outside the first few days. When she did, her legs made trips around the yard.

She held on to the sparks found in sparring Lili up and down the dojo. It’d always been the first place her mind became a blank slate, her original place. She gave orders knowing they’d be understood. She took fun in the blows of their words saying less and less now, letting truths spill behind their tangled limbs and measured hits. There everything else turned to steam.

And it was bad for her now, it was bad for her. The solid landing of a strike, the smacking of bone colliding against skin, the racing heart during a back and forth marrying technique with gut instinct- all of it meals without ever filling. Then just like that with the clap of her hands it too ended. Sometimes, they stopped thinking anything at all pushing their strength further and further into force. If one bruised the other grinned; if both bruised they laughed.

It came simple. Act. React. Counteract. She hardly noticed now whether Lili grew slower in the thick of it, or if those moments made Asuka move faster. It was as pointless as trying to decide if you tasted your sweat in your mouth or having it flood your nose. They blended the same.

It was life and she savored it greedily whenever she drank. It reminded. She tasted it in her dreams.

“Will you quit sulking outside our practices? I may as well find better conversation with a tree of late.”

Asuka shot up from lying on her side tossing her pillow aside, furious red, face all hard angles. She roughed up her hair as if shaking the frustration.

“Things are too normal!”

“Isn’t that what you’ve been fighting thugs for? To uphold normal?” Lili said, stopping filing her nails.

Asuka hopped from her bed in one motion balling her fists. Her room blurred past and she slammed her hands on the desk. The muscle in her neck twitched as she leaned over her. Asuka’s broad shoulders shaded her from the light. A hollow burned in her chest. She growled out,

“I need it Lili. I need it.”

Setting her file aside the grin on Lili’s face, the one Asuka of a different time would’ve called unreadable, read hungry delight. She saw her perfect teeth widen across her lips. Her canines glinted.

“Now, did you think I’d stop you in this endeavor?”

They used the limo. Dad still allowed Asuka errands and hanging out, so long as Lili swore to keep an eye on her. And, of course, Asuka had to show her hands when coming home. They’d walk several blocks without looking back or stopping save for Asuka’s new habit of fiddling with her sparring gloves hidden in her pocket.

By the first busy intersection Sebastian would park. He never skipped out or let himself be late. Not once did she hear him complain or caution them; save for politely praying they be safe and that Lili understood what they were doing. At that last point Lili had given him a look. Asuka never heard it again. If the old man wore any frustrations they found a home in his caring eyes instead.

Her first time back made the boys drop fists and run hoping to not get crushed in the stampede. Their hollering bounced off the alley full of apartment blocks where no one stuck their head out the window. Asuka stood hand on hip sucking her teeth.

“Hey! None of that now; we’ll find a catch next.”

“…We fuckin’ better.” Asuka said, pouting.

“If nothing else you’ve certainly grown your fame.”

She whipped around glaring in protest but Lili laughed watching her ears go red. She sighed running a hand though her hair. A tiny smile brought some light.

And it was true. The next drive and the next gave her a handful of boys who found the fire in their fear to stand their ground. And there were an even smaller few who still hadn’t heard her name. Her knuckles grew slick with sweat, bones vibrating under the aftershocks linking blow after blow. She stamped it into her skin, her muscle, her bright grin. Thinking faded into the waters of a dark, dark place. She went blank again. To herself she smiled like a child.

Lili was spared repeating the dangers of their first time; boys barely got a word out before Asuka crashed upon them, a furious living storm. In fact their teamwork lasted a day or two before she complained Asuka was having all the fun. She taunted her over not being capable of pulling in a share. But from then on Asuka beat up a few less as they slid through the rainy season into early August.

So, then, Asuka made herself blink raindrops from her eyes and cocked her head when she found it blooming under her bloodied sparring gloves. A chain of bruises spotted her skin with sickly flowers.

“No…no no no no. No! Why?!”

“Why…are you, fussing?” Lili huffed as she wheeled a boy down using Aiki Nage. One stomp of her heel against his chest (Lili called it the Root of Evil; Asuka had long since given up rolling her eyes).

“Look!”

Panting Lili leaned over her suddenly stone still.

“Dearest me. I suppose we must retire early today.”

“I’m not finished!”

“With that you most certainly are.” She hissed without anger.

Asuka grunted. Lili touched her earpiece and barked,

“Sebastian!”

Like clockwork the limo rounded the corner.

Lili dragged her waving off Sebastian to stay put before he could step out as she opened the door. Another white sheet of rain beat against the roof. Their bodies scrambled sliding onto, around the leather seats. Somehow they struggled upright. Lili slammed the door shut. Asuka barely knew she was sitting when she saw Lili picking through a container islanded between them and the driver seat. She set a white box on her lap.

“Hold still, let me see it.”

Asuka came into focus; she offered her hand. The cold pack sent shuddering chills racing down her body. She hissed gritting her teeth. Thinking fast Lili tied it atop her hand by wrapping gauze. Gently she pressed it in deeper, sinking against her seat. Throbbing violently her skin screamed at her; the clench of her jaw yelled ‘Shut Up!’ right back.

“Here.”

She blinked letting her head roll toward Lili’s voice. A long oval pill sat pinched between Lili’s fingers; she heard the rattle of the bottle as she held it up.

“Acetaminophen should serve nicely.”

Asuka’s eyes grew half lidded, the pain second worst besides the ache coursing up her arm. Without thinking she closed the pill between her teeth no more gently than taking a kitten by the scruff. She heard Lili’s gasp but didn’t care, and swallowed as she leaned back.

“Ya got any water fer this?”

“What a ridiculous question ma chère.”

At the press of a button a side compartment slid away a lid revealing a cooler inside the island. Lili passed her bottled water. Asuka gulped it down.

“You know you’re very lucky you don’t break your skin open completely; or that you’ve not broken a knuckle bone. With how often you prefer punching lately.”

“What tha’ hell ya know about medicine?” Asuka asked, surprised, staring at her out the corner of her eye.

“Sebastian has had…several…experiences tending me. It felt proper I should learn some along the way.”

The old man glanced at them in the rearview mirror. Asuka thought she saw the edges of a smile.

“Doesn’t sound like you at all.”

“Yes, well. I am of many talents. And I believe you are due to finally sing of them.” She chirped, grinning as she flipped her still drying hair. When damp it turned into slippery spaghetti sliding over her face and Asuka snorted a laugh.

They sat letting the engine’s low rumble pass between them; staring out the windows. Now the city disappeared, buried under pouring rain. It drummed a pounding rhythm against the limo; stomping its footsteps every which way. The slight sway as the limo moved started rocking her; her head nodded off. But of course, Lili wanted to say more. It would have irked her just a bit, if the adrenaline wasn’t leaving her body. Her knuckles hurt less. The muscles had grown cold and heavy. Tight.

“It’s been about fifteen minutes wouldn’t you say? Let me see it one more time; we can’t possibly leave it as is.”

“How the hell are ya keepin’ Dad from spottin’ this? There’s a buncha ‘em all over.”

Lili held up her makeup bag in both hands, her face suddenly more smile than face. She giggled fidgeting giddily; shock kept Asuka’s stomach from dropping but not her jaw. Her eyes bulged though she should’ve known better. She buried her face in her good hand. Of course that would be the solution.

“What about when it wipes off if I have’ta wash my hands?!”

“Then you will refrain from doing so until he is either sleeping, preoccupied enough he leaves us alone, or is out of the house. Or in cases like the bathroom, you may message my cellular after your business and I shall distract him or excuse myself buying us time.”

“…I hope yer right.”

“Relax. There are several waterproof brands in my collection for the choosing. At least one should complement your skin tone and be of use, so long as you avoid soap.”

Giving her a cautious look Asuka sighed then offered her hand. The liquid stuff gave her chills she never got over while the powders reminded her of flour. The makeup brush tickled. Lili explained each new layer, how everything must go with the mixed green and yellow foundation. Those colors were best at hiding redness. Each layer stacked like a cake. At times Lili muttered to herself checking, double checking, triple checking her work. Sometimes Asuka tingled feeling the tip of her nose graze her. Never had Asuka seen her hunch over or have any posture than a straight back. But here she didn’t care at all. Eventually Lili stopped talking altogether. Unease crept with the silence. But, little by little Asuka let herself watch. Her mind went blank, lost in the rhythm watching an art be practiced.

And it was an art; her skin may as well have stitched itself whole. She could only tell the skin tone was slightly off if she stared too long. But she couldn’t be upset with using what they had. It would probably be enough. It had to be. Her face pinched for an instant; she smoothed it out.

“Thanks.”

“You are welcome. Continue using the ice; concealer has its limitations.”

Asuka obeyed, shivering, unable to ignore the damp soaking her clothes any longer. They fell silent again; the engine purred. She drew closer against her touching their knees. She sighed in relief feeling warmth. Lili did the same, since she was taller her body heat radiated over the top of Asuka’s head.

“This damned rain has made me dreadfully chill.”

Sebastian turned a knob beside the steering wheel; more warm air flooded from the vents. Asuka let the ice bag slide into her lap. Her brow narrowed. Her brain spilled words for her; that racing anxious ball in her chest reminding her too much of everything she’d seen on prey animals being torn apart.

“…What if Dad figures this out anyway? What the hell am I supposed ta’ do when I’ve never seen ‘im so pissed…”

“My father shut me inside our house.”

“He what?!” Asuka looked at her.

“Yes. When he discovered I participated at the fifth Iron Fist Tournament he yelled at me, for the first time in my life, for our entire argument. He is a soft spoken man you see. Even when serious or giving a command he finds raising one’s voice distasteful. The idea one of his family could seek battle made him sick enough to collapse when he’d heard. He is too much a pacifist for his own good. That I kept my involvement a secret worsened my punishment.” Lili said bitingly soft and eyes far away again; drowned. Asuka could feel the scolding hearing Dad’s voice instead; she winced.

“So then, ya got grounded so bad that he…”

“I couldn’t take one step out the front door. Leaving my room was itself treated with suspicion. Our help staff reported all my movements and escorted me to and from family meetings or dinner and so on. He refused looking me in the eye. We could hardly hold conversation. Mother took great care stressing those points. I believe it amused her.”

“…That’s horrible. But ya got out fighting in the sixth tournament right? How’d ya manage that? Did ya stuff a doll under yer blanket and climb out the window?”

Asuka imitated shimmying down a rope like in movies; Lili giggled.

“Something rather like that, yes. Jin Kazama visited his barbarism upon us shortly after leaving Father bedridden. I feared for him. I told myself I had no use feeling such a way; he must hate me as it stands. Yet I couldn’t help sharing his sickness seeing him in that state, a walking corpse. Mother was hysterical over the security of our funds after our forced merger. On all other subjects she went deaf. I…I had to do something for him myself.”

“An’ that was winnin’ the tournament.”

“Taking Jin Kazama’s resources as he begged for my mercy would have been payment enough.”

Asuka sat straight crossing her arms. She hummed in thought.

“If ya got ‘im that way yer dad woulda gotten angrier. Probably.”

“Perhaps. I can’t deny the chance. But at least he can complain safe in knowing what rightfully belongs to him has returned.”

Asuka huffed. She stared at the floor, the seats, out the window. Her words dragged each other searching for the strength she gathered piece by piece. The hurt cracked her throat. It felt strange, hearing herself from someone else’s mouth.

“I know ya… ya were lookin’ fer me back then. Doesn’t matter what ya did, I don’t think ya coulda found me. And it was better ya didn’t.”

“Why would that possibly be?”

“I…got real angry. I didn’t care who I hurt long as it got me close to the people that pissed me off. I fought ya at the tournament sure, but the one after wasn’t about just Dad or havin’ fun.”

She watched the veins flex in her hand as she clenched it. It pulsed her heartbeat, solid and rough worn after a lifetime together.

“I woulda done ya in real bad. And I don’t think I’d be able ta’ stop no matter who was under me.”

She breathed out hard; her fist began trembling. Her heart drummed.

“I remember hearin’ about Jin, the anger, not findin’ ‘im…not even carin’ along tha’ way. I got ta’ fight lots of people; every single one of ‘em just like ‘im. An’ when I came home Dad kept layin’ in that hospital bed, blacked out. He never opened his eyes. So when more of those people like Jin fer some reason came stumblin’ around the dojo from tha’ tournament, I couldn’t think of nothin’ else. I had ta’ turn ‘em into pulp. Anyone I saw. That made me feel somethin’, ya understand?”

Her grit teeth glinted under the lights.

“Fightin’ let me feel somethin’ so I didn’t have ta’ feel nothin’ else anymore. It just makes sense ta’ me. An’…it’s people like Jin an’ that Kempo bastard who can turn people like me this way.”

She searched Lili for signs of approval, for some base understanding. The logic held up itself, it didn’t need anything more. But instead Lili’s face pinched; this time not with anger or insult. This time Asuka’s stomach dropped far worse; she found disappointment. Lili looked directly at her. Firm yet gentle came her reply,

“I don’t think that’s true about you at all. Fighting because they made you want it.”

“An’ what’s that mean?”

Lili scoffed and crossed her arms.

“You should bother with a bit of reflection. Perhaps I shall give you yet another example to ease you along.”

Asuka glared, grumbling, starting to speak with a curse or two on her tongue, but kept her mouth shut. Maybe there would be a point.

“I made my escape for Father…but I hoped to see you.”

Lili tapped her chest with a finger putting just enough force to start tipping her.

“Fer your stupid rematch.” Asuka said jabbing her right back.

“Yes and no.”

“Ugh, again with tha’ stupid riddles!” Her head began throbbing.

“I… did something for someone else, and for myself. I fought so I could achieve what I wanted and found joy in fighting to do so. Nothing forced; nothing coerced.”

“Fighting cuz ya want it is no different from a thug! Everybody loses when ya resort ta’ that and any kinda violence.” Or so Dad had told her over and over.

“Is that so? Then what are you calling everything we’ve done these last few weeks? Or how about why you decided continuing to fight would be the best way of achieving the goals on your journeys?”

“That…that’s not tha’ same.” Asuka grumbled a chill ripping through her no longer able to meet Lili’s eyes. She rubbed her head.

“I suppose you may call it whatever you like. Clearly so far such a method has suited you.”

“…I wanted ta’ go home too ya know.”

‘Sometimes. Sometimes I did.’

She yawned. The air had gone from warm to heated, like when she was seven and visited the neighbor’s puppies all piled together in a box. Beside her she felt Lili wait a moment before starting up again on their field performance today. Her clothes were dried, stiff from the rainwater that’d soaked through in the first place. She let her eyes go heavy. This time her aching body got its way. Her head rolled against her shoulder. Curling against her felt easy; she was so warm. Asuka’s voice dragged.

“Lili. I need ya ta’ be quiet right now. Can ya do that fer me?”

“…Yes.”

“I’m gettin’ sleepy.”

She heard her give Sebastian an order and was out like a light.

Her dream took her back home and sat her in the living room. She looked down finding her favorite floor pillow; the TV flickered casting its light over the tatami mats. The room was bright, burning into her eyes and hurting even when she shielded them. On screen a movie played without sound. She held her breath. The entire house had fallen quiet. Nothing filtered in from outside either. She started breathing in shallow strokes. She made herself look at the TV. There played out her life- from Dad encouraging her first steps, to beating down elementary school bullies, into her second year of middle school when Dad let her teach her first class. Each new slide overtook the old one after barely a few seconds. Her heart hammered but she watched.

Next she saw high school, biking to her entrance ceremony, everyone wanting to share lunch with her, then the splintered floor and walls with their pieces buried under those who’d gotten in the way. Dad’s body long wheeled away in an ambulance. She saw the surviving students, the fear stamped on their faces clear even in this place. Somewhere she heard someone vomit again. Jin was a hazy thing, a memory of a memory of a concept. All she remembered best were her fists, battle, shadowy figures one by one marching upon the house or crumpling with no answers for where he could be. A whirlwind she recognized by the scent of blood filling her mouth and old friend adrenaline coursing through her.

Everything, there played everything, until finally there sat her body sleeping in the back of Lili’s limo.

Wait a minute. Lili…and Dad…and-

“Hey!! Anyone?! I’m over here!”

She stood looking around and met only with more silence. The hairs on her neck rose. She stomped through the halls from door to door; all were locked. Asuka licked her lips, chest heaving up and down. She ran up the stairs; every sign of Lili had been scrubbed from her room. Her entire existence erased. She ran to Dad’s room but the lock had bolted shut from the other side. Looking down she glanced at her hands. Bruises blossomed on her skin.

“WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?”

A chill froze her to her spot. She stared into the ceiling; the voice rattled her bones forcing from her a whimper. This was Dad. Sweat dripped slicking her palms. Her breaths were a machine gun shooting clouds into the air.

“DISOBEYING AGAIN? ABANDONING ME AGAIN? DOES HURTING ME PLEASE YOU?”

Her throat let out a pathetic cry. She tore herself from that spot and raced downstairs. The front door wouldn’t give. The side doors to the outside wouldn’t give. Frantically she kept forcing it until she swallowed hard and threw herself against it. She kicked. Still it didn’t budge. From the kitchen window she spotted her bike, smashed to pieces in a pile. Asuka ran to the kitchen; all the knives were gone. The air choked, it burned to breathe.

“AFTER EVERYTHING I’VE DONE AND SACRIFICED FOR YOU. ALL MY WORDS HAVE FALLEN ON DEAF EARS; YOU DISAPPOINTMENT OF A CHILD.”

Her back pressed against a wall.

“Somebody…hey, somebody…”

A crash from the other side of the house shook everything. A grating sound flooded her ears; the voices of two men wrecking their way closer and closer. Her jaw tensed, everything tensed. She raised her fists with half a heart in it.

“FOOL GIRL OF MINE; CARRY THE WEIGHT OF WHAT YOU HAVE WROUGHT.”

Her blood buzzed, brain pounding as the world started spinning. The ground grew closer.

Somebody.

Hey somebody-

Asuka woke up. She lurched forward but remembered she was sitting just in time to not tumble out the seat. Something heavy bound her in place keeping her from getting very far. She turned her head. Lili leaned against her right shoulder, fast asleep. Her breaths tickled Asuka’s neck. She glanced to her stomach; Lili hugged her tight. The calm on her face slowed her racing heart. Even as Lili’s hair spilled everywhere, a few strands tickling her mouth. With a bit of work she managed wrapping an arm around her. That stupid dream couldn’t disappear fast enough.

‘I guess yer cute too, sometimes.’

“Hey. Gramps.” She called softly.

“Yes?”

“Take us home, please.”

His smile glinted off the rearview mirror.

“As you wish.”

If an obstacle stood in her way she would face it.

Dad gave her hands another once over, humming in thought. She kept her face as straight as possible. Their eyes met. He let her go. He crossed his huge arms over the slimmed remains of his barrel chest. He’d always been a big tall guy; now he had the posture of an oni guarding one of the hells.

“Dinner’s on the table for ya both. Gotta be ice cold by now though.”

“S’alright we can heat it up. Right, Lili?”

She scratched her head still playing cool and turned to her. Lili’s mouth twitched a bit in disgust at the thought, but she fixed herself. She smiled politely and gave a nod; Asuka figured that counted as good enough.

“But of course Mr. Kazama! Why, your cooking is so superb I know it shall be as delicious as when new.”

Asuka’s face fell into a dry ‘Really?’ with just her eyes.

‘Ok now yer overdoing it.’

“Wow. That’s the biggest compliment anyone’s ever paid my cooking! Asuka your friend has some taste you could learn from.” He said ruffling her hair.

She balled her fists and pouted; she wasn’t a little kid! From the corner of her eye Lili was fighting a giggle staring at them. Asuka’s blush grew.

“We’re not friends.”

“Well ya coulda fooled me with how much time you two spend together these days. Quit being so stubborn; just think about how poor Lili feels hearing you say that.”

Gah! He knew how to play on her embarrassment.

‘Damnit old man…!’

She turned facing Lili who made a show of twirling a lock of hair, genuinely waiting for what she felt owed. Asuka scratched her head.

“I guess…you are…almost my friend. We’re…partners.”

Lili blushed. Her doe-eyed stare made Asuka feel funny.

“Well that coulda been better but if the lady isn’t complaining all must be forgiven! C’mon an’ eat before it gets any later. I’ve already finished mine but I don’t mind listening to you girls talk about yer day.” He said slapping her on the back before heading off.

When they had room for themselves again she sighed in relief.

“You consider me your partner?” Lili said each word like she was catching them and putting them in jars.

“Yeah. Don’t think too hard on it.”

Instead Lili clasped her hands over her chest, squealing and giggling. She twirled then started skipping lighter than air toward the kitchen. Asuka huffed, but a grin upturned her mouth.

“Moron.”

The pain sucker punched her until her eyes widened half keeling over. With her nerves out the way she finally felt her bladder bursting. She had to fuckin’ pee! But why? Why now so close to the finish line? She studied her knuckles; the makeup was holding up fine. Her breath hitched.

‘The water from when I took that painkiller!’

And then after she’d had the bright idea to fall asleep. When they’d stepped out the limo her mind had been scrambled eggs thinking about fooling Dad. She clutched her head running in place folding her lips in to not make a sound.

‘Short end of the stick, short end of the stick- how do I always get the short end of the stick?!’

No. She stopped herself and straightened her shirt. All she had to do was not pee. The day was practically over. She checked the time on her phone. Dad would head to bed in about an hour or less since he already ate. If she didn’t go to dinner he’d know she wasn’t feeling right. They always talked over dinner. Just hold it! How hard could it be to hold taking a piss?

Pretty damn hard.

She got through four minutes struggling down karaage before she started shifting in her seat. She chatted and smiled and did her best to not space out into her food. Lili was keeping eyes on her but only whenever he glanced away. Asuka didn’t stand out, right until the second Dad’s brow wrinkled. Her heart jumped. She stayed cool.

“You alright girl? Ya keep wiggling around.”

“It ain’t nothin’.”

“Well ya keep doing it, figured I’d ask.”

Shit! The worry on his face turned flips in her stomach. She swallowed. The more you deny the more suspicious you appear. Her phone weighed down her shorts pocket.

“I gotta pee.” She said in a small voice, glancing away.

“Seriously? Go ahead! Ah sorry for her language Lili. It’s been just us two before you moved in.”

“I find her bluntness can be rather endearing.”

Lili laughed but the smile didn’t reach her ears. The look in her eyes chided ‘Already? Already?!’ and Asuka grit her teeth.

‘I don’t like it either!’

It hurt standing up but she did then speed walked to the stairs before running. She rushed inside the water closet beside the bathroom, closing the door as normally as she could, sighing hard.

There were ten seconds of relief as she turned on the faucet. Then the soap landed in her palm. Her heart was thudding in her wrists, up her throat, through her veins.

‘Stupid, stupid, stupid!’

She got to her knuckles and scrubbed gently as if feather dusting. Asuka squeezed her eyes shut working centimeter by terrible centimeter. She opened her eyes. The red of her bruises ringed a border where the makeup peeled. Asuka stared at the ceiling absorbing silence. Then she kept washing.

[To: Dumbass]

[I’m done. Get up here, hurry!]

She flipped her phone closed; her leg bounced up and down sitting on the toilet lid, head bowed, breathing between the seconds. How would she explain everything to Dad? Could she? Her open hands were trembling giving her one resignation. He wouldn’t understand. She let her mind wander, feeling the impact of bone on fist ripple through her arms. No, he wouldn’t know. Better to stop thinking about it.

Her head snapped up hearing the doorknob turn; Lili came barging in gripping her makeup bag. Quickly she shut the door and knelt beside Asuka; it made her think of the doctor at her last physical.

“How bad is it? Let me see.”

Asuka put her hands up. Lili gasped. Immediately she set to work. The entire disguise hadn’t disappeared but it was close enough. She kept herself stone still this time. Her eyes glanced from her hand to the door and back again until Lili gently swatted her arm.

“Will you stop that, I can fix this.”

“Could ya do it faster he’s gonna get suspicious.” She whispered, annoyed.

Lili’s head snapped up at her not hiding the irritation.

“Yes, please allow me to simply wave my magic brush thereby dispersing your bruised blood back into your body. There’s fast and then there’s doing a convincing job ma chère.”

“I’m sorry.” She murmured.

“As your partner I’m inclined toward forgiving you.”

Asuka’s face widened stammering and pretending to fish for a comeback; she huffed not fighting a blush. Lili giggled. She worked a little faster but no less thorough, until Asuka started forgetting why they were stuck here.

Then her reminder knocked. Lili jolted clinging suddenly against her knees; she steadied her.

“Asuka? It’s been an hour ya alright in there?”

“I’m fine! Just, uh, doin’ the other one.”

Lili gave her the most dead-eyed, embarrassed, disgusted face she’d ever seen on a human being. She mouthed, ‘What am I supposed ta’ say?’ and slumped, humiliation throbbing under her skin.

“That’s still bad! Don’t force yerself ya hear? Anyway I can’t find Lili so when yer done see if ya can make sure she’s alright. Yer leftovers are in tha’ fridge. I’m headin’ ta’ bed.”

As his footsteps started turning Lili’s makeup cases crashed to the floor. She’d leaned in just enough, shrinking at the calls of his gruff voice. Asuka threw a hand over her own mouth and the other over Lili’s. She recoiled struck through with fear and bumped the wall behind her. He stopped.

“What was that? Somethin’ breakin’? Did ya trip?”

Lili scurried picking up her things but only made more noise; Asuka helped, her fingers trembling.

“N-Nothin’! It ain’t nothin’.”

“Oh no ya don’t- I’m not fallin fer the ‘I’m fine Dad!’ but ya hurt yerself and get stubborn as a mule sayin’ anythin’. Like tha’ time ya slipped in the tub. I’m comin’ in, prepare yerself!”

Her heart dropped. They’d lost. She froze watching the door open in slow motion.

Instantly his worry fell, rising again with rage like sparked fire. She followed the path of his sight. Her bruises peeked through their half-finished cover; her hands clenched on Lili’s shoulders. Dad’s eyes hardened.

“Ya wanna hurt people that bad, huh? Or do ya just not care about hurtin’ yerself? Which is it Asuka?”

She could taste her heartbeat.

“I’m sorry.”

“Yer sorrys are countin’ fer little lately. And you, yer helpin’ her too; I can’t believe it.”

Lili went pale. Asuka saw her swallow hard, feeling it in her own throat. She didn’t think; she stood in front of her. Her eyes narrowed never tearing off him. He raised a brow.

“Tell me why.”

“I couldn’t not! People count on me to feel safe; police never solve a thing. Every second I was stuck here I was eating myself from the inside. I’m not gonna sit and take that.”

Every deeper word holding each other from tumbling formed a dam in her.

“…I’m disappointed.” His voice went rigid.

“Eh?” Her hands shook so she balled them.

“Lili, how many people did you two help recently?”

“…One…sir.”

“Lili!”

“And I suppose the two others were yourselves. And I suppose, Asuka, you felt stronger and stronger.”

That wasn’t untrue. She sucked her teeth quietly. Static crackled her brain.

“Not by much...”

Lili’s face pinched blurting out her thought; she felt the slightest tremble from her.

“Had you done as now during the tournament it may have meant my life.”

The instant the words became more than spit on Lili’s tongue Asuka put a hand over her mouth. She was too late. A vein popped on Dad’s forehead. His fists balled and his teeth glinted on every syllable. They shrank at the fury in his eyes.

“During the what?! Asuka what is she talking about?”

“…When you sold the dojo to Lili…we were fighting at the recent Iron Fist Tournament. And it was her fault I was there in the first place! She signed me up and called me after.”

“Yes but I had nothing to do with your being in the sixth tournament.” Lili’s voice cracked rushing, her words bleeding together.

Asuka’s eyes widened. She nudged her.

“The sixth too?! What were ya doing there? How did ya even-“

“Jin! That stupid Jin invaded and destroyed any country he set his sights on-“

“How do you know about him?”

The look in his eye made her shrink back.

“I, I saw his last name and his face shares some stuff with ours so…and he was in the news. Back when he started his mess.”

“That would’ve been when I was unconscious at the hospital…then you weren’t looking after me. You abandoned me?”

“I FOUGHT FOR YOU! Just like I did hunting the bastard who hurt you!”

Her voice boomed, split, cracked down the middle. The air stilled; she’d never yelled at him. Something changed about him, her body told her to run.

“Lili, why did you force my daughter into the last Iron Fist?”

Asuka’s head turned stiffly; Lili was gripping part of her shirt. Somehow she kept her face level, her eyes sincere despite the waver as she spoke.

“I wished to fight her again. I hoped of finally claiming revenge for losing my honor after she defeated me at our first meeting.”

“And where did you first meet?”

“The fifth Iron Fist, where she was seeking your attacker.”

“Did you find him, Asuka?”

“…No.”

Dad rubbed his chin. He wore no emotion. Or it was more like the rage stretched so tight it slid into blank nothingness.

“I want you out of my house. Leave my house, now. Asuka, you’re not taking one step outside the front gate.”

“But-?!” Asuka cried with her, both bent in terror.

“You brought my daughter directly under the Mishima’s notice and only by divine luck did they do nothing to her. You kept that from me.”

“I-“

“GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE!”

He roared the command letting it bounce off the walls so that it crashed over them in a wave. And that was that. They lost. Lili slumped against her, eyes dead. With a gentle grip Asuka guided her past his glare into their room. She never once felt herself breathe; not even as Lili cried. She saw herself from the outside and collapsed onto her bed, motionless in static.

An hour was needed before everything Lili owned was crammed into the same old duffle and suitcase. They looked around the room. Seeing the bare walls, the flutter of her curtains, the open signs of herself pulled a scab from Asuka as it formed. She winced. Beside her Lili started wheeling her things, then looked back and took her hand. It ached. Her eyes were still red, makeup ruined, and Asuka crushed the start of tears. Her voice pleaded under a soft command.

“Don’t let it drive you mad Asuka Kazama.”

Then she was down the stairs and out the front door and climbing into her limo, then Asuka stood alone in the night.

She didn’t wake up until the sun was flooding her window. Her throat burned and she went into a coughing fit rolling lazily on her side. Her rug lay on the floor. She blinked. It was still there. She squeezed her eyes shut really, really hard. Rug. Outside the trees were dead still. The birds were quiet today.

She didn’t look him in the eyes at breakfast. Really, she didn’t look at him at all. When he spoke he spoke to a wall. When he tried lecturing her to not act so down she dumped her food in the trash, tossed the plate in the sink, and locked herself in her room. She’d tasted nothing anyway. If she went somewhere and saw his shadow ahead she ducked and hid herself or took a longer route. When she bathed or used the bathroom she did it fast, trying to go after whenever she knew he did. Her day she marked by the shadows along her ceiling, but even when the sunlight changed colors or fell away she wouldn’t leave bed. He learned, after a lot of grumbling on deaf ears and a dozen silences, to knock and leave her meals outside. He argued, shouted, pleaded to see her but she wouldn’t give him a thing. Eventually there was only the quiet.

She couldn’t leave, that first week which became two weeks. Or maybe it was shorter than that, or longer. She had no mind for counting. She had no mind. Lead had moved into her body and decided it liked having a space of its own. When it decided to set up furniture, only then did she feel the bites it’d chewed out her insides. The pitted scars it left were jagged and merciless.

On that afternoon after waking she clenched herself really, really tight, until her heart hammered up her mouth. She sat up and made it to the computer. Dragging herself became a struggle stepping around a few plates. At first she’d done her dishes whenever he went to bed, but one day she lay down without doing it. She learned she could sleep that way. If you could sleep through it you could accept anything. That old lesson reared its head again without any fight from her.

Asuka slid into her chair and booted the old thing up rubbing the sleep from her eyes. The scent of Lili’s perfume still hung around but had grown stale; this place was due for airing out. She looked through her browser bookmarks and opened every bike store in a new tab. Her bank account still had money. Dad never said anything about not spending it. If the magazine catalog was gonna take forever she may as well give online a shot.

On a notepad she wrote her list:

Hubs

Brake Levers

Chainring & Chainstays

Brake & Cabling

Tires (mountain grip type) & Wheels

Saddle

Front & Rear Derailleur

The paper grew cramped; she buried a hand in her hair. The words blended together, lead fog rolling over her, but she gritted her teeth and started typing. One by one she went down comparing the most reliable against those adding speed and reducing weight from each type. Lili would want everything pretty over function, covered in decal art roses as much as real ones. She smiled to herself. Asuka chewed her lip and checked off her list. Then she crawled back under the covers into a ball. The hum of the computer filled her ears, its glowing screen her nightlight as she slept.

Lili giggled walking along a water swirled beach in her dream. The sea pooled around their ankles. Asuka said nothing holding her hand, catching up. She didn’t care where she might follow.

When she woke a few birds sang announcing her yawn as she scratched her head. Her hand fumbled around finding her phone. The time read eleven. At least this time she beat the lunch hour. She stood sluggishly, forcing herself into doing stretches. They were hell on her stiff muscles but got the blood flowing; she moved easier again. Then she stopped by the kitchen tucking a slice of bread in her mouth, grabbed her water bottle, and went outside. The front gate was locked. Where Dad was she didn’t care.

She sat on the crate facing her bike, chewing thoughtfully. While she waited on parts now was the time for another check-in. At least, that’s all she did for the first half hour. She wrote down every fix, replacement, and what could stay divided by colored pencils. Then she stared at the frame, and stared at it. She never marked the sky passing by or moved save for if she remembered her water bottle. All the streets, lanes, avenues she’d ever ride down played their routes in her mind. She thought of where she’d been, where she could go in a different future- maybe even outside the city. She thought of finally testing the forest trails and saw herself racing through flying colors over rocks or cliffs or streams. Lili could come with her, but only in the city lanes, watching the sunset down by the ports.

She did this every day. Dad crossed paths with her, his face dropping in shock but saying nothing. She took more food gradually; then one day a meal was left out for her and the day after that and so on. Finally the parts came within days of each other. She got to work. Her skin, hair, and clothes grew black streaked and sweat matted under the August sun day in, day out. Wire the brakes, tighten the hubs, replace the saddle, tighten the cassette, grease the chain before threading it, and screw in the handlebars and bolt in the wheels after sliding on the tires. Routine keeps you sane. She thought of all the places she would go. Of how many more people she could fight. The hunger lurched inside her, fists aching. She held it in her mouth.

Her eighteenth birthday came and went with Dad’s cake the reminder that snapped her from her work. It was a big layered thing where each section represented a different flavor. Covered in frostings of birds and waves and fruit as it leaned under its weight, she swore she saw it in a textbook once. The Leaning Tower of…someplace. He smiled ear to ear hopeful as he clapped her on the shoulder, asking her if she liked it. She tried the strawberry part- her face lit up; eyes almost popping out her skull. She took more stacking them together before devouring them.

“It’s fuckin’ good!”

He’d ordered it special since he still had money from selling the dojo. Her heart warmed. For a moment the wind whistles outside; the trees dance. Using short bursts they made conversation. Everything felt a little easier. By evening storm clouds gathered. When she crawled into bed lying under the covers brought reality in darkness. One good thing reminded her of every other good thing she didn’t have. Plugging one hole made the others leak faster; the hunger gnawed her. She gritted her aching teeth and held her smallness. Tears warmed her face, her humiliation.

‘Am I still strong?’

A choked cry.

‘I’m scared.’

Howling winds beating at her window pelting water like a battering ram scared her awake. She shivered; cold slipped through the glass. Her phone beeped twice; she froze.

[From: Dumbass]

[Come outside. Please.]

Asuka threw off the covers and ran.

The rain poured fast and ugly driving swirling rivers into the earth. Lili’s wiry body climbed spiderlike over the gate, almost tumbling when her heels hit the mud. Their eyes met and Asuka’s heart stopped. Lili ran to her. At times she stumbled but never stopped. Then there she was, standing breathless at the door.

Lili stared at her, shaken, tired, yet bursting with a racing mind behind her eyes. What little makeup she’d applied drizzled away. She looked like she had a million things to say, but couldn’t remember any of them at the final hour. So instead she moved closer until Asuka felt her warmth. She let her put her hands on her shoulders; Lili hesitated, weighing what came next. Asuka felt her fear, could all but taste it. Knowing something made her afraid and dealt impossible odds yet meeting the challenge to spite it-

‘That’s what I like about ya.’

Well then,

‘Come and take it, if ya can.’

Asuka closed her eyes and lifted her chin. She felt Lili’s trembling fingers slip into her hair.

The kiss pressed nervously but exploded her sense of being. There was no Asuka or Lili; there stood the thing the rain would not have. They held each other hard and when they separated Lili breathed out,

“Je t'aime.”

Asuka stared at her lips, catching a breath. She could do better. She gripped Lili’s collar, kissing her and never giving a chance for air. Hungry. Finally gorging.

“Come in before ya get sick.” She said hoarsely.

The door shut.

#tekken #asulili #asuka kazama #lili de rochefort #my writing

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sunnyie-eve · 10 months

Text

14 | Birthday Girl

Series: Significant

Paring: Colby Brock x Original female character

Warnings: None

Word Count: 1.1k

| MASTERLIST |

"Rain or shine, we have made it to Cathedral Cove. And today is Penelope's birthday." Elton starts the video so the guys cheer them and sing happy birthday to her.

"Thank you, thank you." She blushes.

"Are we ready to get this hike done?" Elton asks the four.

The hike there was pretty easy and Penelope just enjoyed looking at the nature that she hardly paid attention to the guys playing around.

"I don't think any other birthday will outdo this." Penelope says standing with Colby and Sam alone looking out at the ocean.

"We still have many birthdays to try to outdo this." Sam puts an arm around her so Colby does the same.

"You got a better birthday compared to us this year." Colby pats her back so they go back to Elton and Corey.

The guys play around more so Penelope takes pictures with her phone of everything and a few selfies of the ocean behind her so Colby photobombs her.

"Must you?" She gives him a look.

"Duh!" He runs off.

Colby ends up in a tree so Penelope takes a picture of him and he gives her a big smile making her giggle, "Okay, now get down without hurting yourself more. I can take care of cuts and scraps but not broken bones." She points her finger up at him.

"Okay, mommy." He gets down the way he got up.

Once he was down, Elton suggested a photo shoot for them all to do, "Penelope, you're a model so give us some tips." He tells her.

"Be confident and don't be shy. Act like you own the world. It's all about you." She tells him what her first photographer told her when she started.

"You heard her boys." Elton claps his hands.

During their little photo shoot, they had a good time making Penelope crack up at how they were acting. When it started to rain they waited in the cave before heading back down for the day. After taking a few minutes to eat a snack, Elton drives wanting to go to the hot water beach.

Getting there Sam and Corey play around while the other three try working on making a hole but luckily someone gives them theirs when they leave.

"Guys we just spent an hour and a half making this." Sam says making Penelope and Colby look at him.

"You spent an hour and a half or we spent an hour and a half." Colby tells him.

"You two played around while we worked." She laughs at him.

"At what point did you touch this and put it in there?" Elton asks Corey holding the shovel.

"I did like..." Corey starts.

"The entire time did you not see him?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, the entire time." Corey agrees.

"So much footage of him with the..." Sam starts but Penelope cuts in.

"Oh, we must have been in an alternate universe for a bit then." She tells him, taking a seat in the water and it was warm like a hot tub.

"Hi." Colby smiles lying down while everyone sits in the hole. "Am I in your space?" He smiles up at Penelope.

"You tell me. You're halfway lying on my lap." She moves hair out of his face.

"I'm trying to stay warm so ignore me while I try to get all of me in this little pond."

"Well, I can tell you that my legs are warm with you on top of them." She laughs.

"Corey, are you cold?" Sam asks as Elton points at Corey's nipples.

"I'm freezing!" He covers himself, "Freaking Penelope has a Colby blanket." Corey nods his head at them.

"My upper half is still freezing." She says holding herself.

"Oh, is the birthday girl cold?" Elton baby talks to her.

"Yes!"

"We should head back to the RV soon. It's cold and looks stormy." He tells the group.

"I'm gonna go early so get off me." She rolls Colby off her legs.

"Bubba is coming too!" Corey jumps up getting his shirt and they rush back to the RV leaving the three. "How is your birthday so far?" He asks as they get in the RV.

"Great thanks to you guys, of course for bringing me along." She hugs him.

"Of course. You can rinse off first. Not only because ladies first but also birthday girl." He moves for her to pass him.

By the time the three joined them, they were already clean and dressed comfortably sitting at the table chatting about random things.

"You sissies." Elton tells them.

"For being cold?" Corey asks confused.

"Yes."

"Then I'm a sissy." Penelope smiles.

"We still love you though." Sam pats the top of her head.

"That's nice to still know." She nods her head, "What do I have to do to not still be loved?" She asks him.

"Break our hearts." Colby gives her a look.

"How would I do that?"

"You move out and leave us." Sam laughs.

"So I'm stuck with your two till we die?" She laughs at him.

"Honey, even when we die you're still stuck with us." Colby messes up her hair.

Her eyes widen thinking about her entire future till death, "I'm fucked." She gets up and goes to the bed to get on her phone.

The three clean up then Elton drives to a place for them to stop and sleep for the night. "Why are you laying up here alone? It's your birthday, Missy." Colby leans against the bunk.

"I'm tired because of the little hike to the cove. And since I'm the birthday girl, I'd love to get some alone time to rest." She rolls to face him.

"You still have to share a bed with us so technically you're not alone..." He says being a smart ass with her.

"I hate you." She turns away from him so he crawls up there to tickle her and she begs him to stop but he doesn't. "Help me!" She cries out to Sam and Corey.

The two look at each other and ignore Penelope begging them to help her. Corey plus out his phone to text Sam so no one would hear what he

Corey: He seems even more playful lately with her.

Sam: Trust me, I've noticed since the lunch thing, lol

Corey: Did something happened I'm missing out on?

Sam: Yep! To pisses Darwin off he kissed her twice but the second kiss made him realize something...

"No fucking way!" Corey shouts out loud making Colby and Penelope loom at him confused, "Oh, nothing. Just something on Twitter." He laughs.

"Well, you got him to stop." Penelope laughs as Colby sits back with the two.

"I'll get you back when you least expect it." Colby narrows his eyes on her.

When it was time to get some rest everyone sang Happy Birthday one more time for Penelope. Laying in the bunk, Colby watches Penelope on her phone going through her snaps. She often went through her saved snaps whenever she was bored.

"Oh, send me that one." Colby whispers to her.

"Are you just watching me?" She giggles.

"Maybe... Send me that please."

"Dude, you're not even in the picture. It's just me on a shoot." She looks at him.

"So? If you won't do it I will." He snatches her phone out of her hand sending the picture to himself.

"You're so odd." She takes her phone back from him.

"For wanting to support you?" She just looks at him before locking her phone to go to bed.

#sam and colby #colby brock #sam golbach #katrina stuart #jake webber #corey scherer #elton castee #tara yummy #colby brock imagine #colby brock ff #colby brock fanfic #best friend #friends to lovers #tfil

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wintersky94 · 2 years

Text

Revolutionary Girl Utena: After the Revolution Review Part 2. "Beautiful Thorns" (⚠SPOILERS!!)

I am back with another review on the manga Revolutionary Girl Utena: After the Revolution! Yaaay!! Previously, I did a review on the first short story with Touga and Saionji. If you haven't already, go check it out. This second short story focuses on Juri Arisugawa, the hot-blooded fencing queen and former student council member of Ohtori Academy.

This one's gonna be a doozie because of the whole Straight Juri and Lesbian Juri situation that happened some years ago. Who remembers that besides me? And correct me if I'm wrong but Didn't they hate each other? Shiori was just straight-up toxic in the anime.

So the story begins with Juri having a nightmare about drowning in a lake or something. And a hand was grabbing her trying to pull her out of the water. Juri jerks awake hinting that she's had that dream before. There's a scar on her chest but there was no mention of where that scar came from. So the next scene shows her competing in a fencing world cup tournament. Everybody, Miki included, is cheering her on as she is in her final match. It seems that she had the upper hand until lightning struck, causing a blackout. The tournament was postponed and the announcer said that the finals will be rescheduled. Her opponent took off the helmet to reveal a man. But not just ANY man, someone Juri used to know. He shows Juri his Rose Seal ring saying that she got lucky and he will win next time. Juri was stunned as she was trying to process the familiar face she saw to which Miki replied that her opponent was a woman. Hmm? Something tells me that Juri might be a little...out of it. 🤔But I could be wrong.

At Ohtori Private Academy, Juri is posing elegantly in different outfits for a photoshoot. Shiori was among those photographers and fashion designers. Juri turns down a certain outfit to wear and Shiori informs the designer that such outfits that show too much skin will damage her image as the Queen of Fencing. Juri could not stop thinking about the man she saw earlier at the Tournament and it began to rain causing the photographers to end the shoot. After the photoshoot, Juri and Shiori were having a conversation about what happened at the finals match. She tells Shiori that she's going to retire fencing to avoid embarrassing herself much to Shiori's concern. In response to this, Shiori drops a bomb on Juri saying that she will become an agent for another person. And the man that she saw before had appeared before her. Juri was not having it so she pulls Shiori away from him and yells at him for showing his face again. Shiori, however, yanks free from her grasp and tells Juri that if she's going to behave that way, it only hardens her resolve and she leaves with the man. Juri tearfully begs her not to go as they leave her a sobbing mess.

Now alone, Juri begins to reflect on her memories of Ohtori when she first saw Shiori and fell in love. She saw Shiori as a princess from another dimension while Juri on the other hand was unattractive and unpopular. Juri overheard Shiori and the other girls talking about fencing and Shiori said the best fencers glitter and shine like elegant princes. That gave Juri an idea and she decided that she'll become a prince just for her. So she trained and trained until her victories in the fencing matches had finally caught Shiori's attention and she called her a "Prince" for the first time. Then a man appears and introduces himself as Ruka Tsuchiya, Shiori's fiance. The next scene shows Juri frantically looking for her locket and Ruka appears holding the very thing she was looking for. Juri asks for the locket back because it was very important to her but Ruka challenges her saying if she wants her locket back, she'd have to beat him in a race. And he began to run off. Juri yells for him to give it back and she tried to catch up with him but she wasn't fast enough, prompting Ruka to tease her saying she has impeccable sword technique but she was "deplorably lacking in speed". Juri falls facefirst on the ground and watches as Ruka made off with her prized possession. Angry and humiliated, She wished that Ruka would disappear from Shiori's life completely.

(end of flashback)

It's the day of the rematch and Juri is preparing for one more round to settle the score once and for all. Miki wishes her luck and Juri swears that she will not be outdone even by the likes of him (Ruka) even though Miki keeps reminding her that her opponent is a woman. So this led me to believe that Juri is blinded by the memories of Ruka and her feelings for Shiori to the point that every opponent she fights, she can only see Ruka as an obstacle between her and Shiori. Maybe that's why she was unable to move on and her victories in her duels weren't all that satisfying to her. This is just my guess. You don't have to agree with me. And so the match begins and Juri's got her game face on determined to win the match. Juri and her opponent were clashing swords, seemingly equally matched, and once again, lightning strikes twice! (get it? No? I'll show myself out) The power in the arena goes ka-put and Juri finds herself in a different kind of limbo. Ruka appears and tells her that he was the one that brought her here. Then The all-too-familiar castle in the sky appears with the dueling arena below it. Juri sees Ruka in his dueling uniform, telling Juri to continue the duel and she also is in her uniform as a callback to her Ohtori days. She even realized that they are holding real swords as Rose Bride Shiori holds a rose saying her type of person is strong and honorable like a prince. She then explains the familiar rules of the duel saying whoever knocks the person's rose off their bosom, is the victor. Juri accepts the challenge and the two begin duking it out once again. During the final duel, Ruka had Juri on the ropes and his sword emitted a surge of power, missing Juri by an inch. Despite the odds, Juri's determined to make sure Ruka can't have Shiori. Oh no! She's gonna lose her rose...and Shiori! Now that Ruka has her at his mercy, a vulnerable Juri prays for the strength of a prince. Then rose petals begin to surround the dueling arena and a familiar face descends from the castle in the sky. None other than Prince Utena Tenjou herself! Juri doesn't even remember who Utena was. Utena gives her a ring of the rose seal and points her to a memory of that fateful day at Ohtori Private Academy.

It was raining that day and Juri saw that Shiori was drowning in the river. So she jumps in the water and attempts to rescue her. She refuses to give up and she'll become a prince and save Shiori. Juri was able to get Shiori to safety, however, Juri was exhausted from swimming and began to drown but a hand caught her and a voice told her she couldn't give up. She noticed the rose ring and wondered if he was a prince before she faded into unconsciousness. Juri wakes up in the hospital and overhears Shiori screaming and crying over Ruka's body. Juri finds out that Ruka was the one that saved her from drowning but it cost him his life. She wondered why Ruka risked his life to save her and Kid Utena appeared and told her he was a Prince. Kid Utena also explained that she and Ruka met and he told her all about Juri. He'd go on about how she would train tirelessly at the riverbank and he admired her for her talent and he wanted to help her, Which explained why she gave him that Rose Ring. Then Ruka appeared and told her she was beautiful like Lily, the goddess of battle who cut off her right breast to draw the most powerful bow. Juri thanked him for the compliment and Kid Utena said that she had to leave because there was a girl she had to meet (possibly Anthy).

So Juri is brought back to the reality of the fencing tournament. She believed she was still fighting Ruka and swore to herself she would give it her all. And she did! Juri finally won the tournament and the crowd goes wild! Juri finally realized that her opponent was a woman the whole time and not Ruka. The pendant that she was looking for had suddenly reappeared in her hands. Later after the tournament, Shiori congratulated Juri and said she shone just like a prince. Juri recalled those times when she'd get stronger every time Shiori said those words to her. When Shiori asked if Juri's quitting for real, she responded by saying she will no longer fight for her. Shiori told her she had a dream that Ruka walked up to them and thanked them for watching over him and walked away. Juri opened her locket and saw the words "Fight, Juri" on the inside of the top lid just above Shiori's picture. She smiled as she remembered Ruka.

Whew! Now THAT one was a wild ride! Okay, now that we've gotten that outta the way, let's review. We have Juri, who can't seem to forget about her past with Ruka and Shiori, Shiori, Juri's manager and close friend, who was engaged to Ruka and has an affinity for Princes, and we have Ruka, a fencing sports idol that Juri looked up to because she wanted to become a prince. Now this one's a bit confusing for me because last time I checked, Juri and Shiori had a toxic relationship in the anime. In the Black Rose Saga, Juri had a crush on Shiori but she hated her guts for some odd reason (possibly over Ruka) and tried to manipulate her. , Shiori became a Black Rose Duelist because she was jealous of Juri and she was willing to do anything to hurt her. She had the personality of Antifreeze. Sweet and poisonous. Beautiful thorns indeed. While in the Original Manga, Juri had feelings for Ruka because he reminded her of Touga, whom she also had a crush on. And didn't she (Shiori) try to kill Anthy when she was in car form on Adolescence of Utena? Man, this Love triangle is gettin' a bit weird to me. Especially in the manga, anime, and After The Revolution. What do you guys think of this confusing pair?

And this concludes our review of the second story Beautiful Thorns Revolutionary Girl Utena: After the Revolution. Stay tuned for the third and final story, "The Eve of the Revolution" with the Kaoru Twins!

Until Next Time, My Friends!! *★,°*:.☆(￣▽￣)/$:*.°★* 。

#after the revolution #revolutionary girl utena #juri arisugawa #shiori takatsuki #toxic frienship #toxic lesbian pair #chiho saito #be papas #shojo beat #shojou kakumei utena

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jasmariswonderland · 2 years

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Shining Hearts Chapter 16 ~ The True Fairest One

Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15

Chapter Summary: The Vocal and Dance Championship finally comes to a conclusion and the winners are announced. With plenty of heartache along with triumph. Be sure to read the A/N at the end of the chapter.

A/N: Thank you all for your patience with me as I originally posted this chapter last week but decided to delete it and rework several passages. I am SO MUCH HAPPIER with how this chapter is now, even if the content is still hella angsty. 😭

⚠General Warning For Chapters 12-17⚠: First off, thank you for sticking around with this fic for this long. As we inch closer to the moment of the overblot and it’s aftermath, be forewarned, the final chapters of this fic are gonna get…kind of intense. And may or may not include the following: Vil being mean, Rook being tactless, canon typical violence, language, sex*al harassment, misogyny, near de*th experiences, suic*dal thoughts and very, VERY HEAVY angst.

Warnings Specific To This Chapter: IMSORRYIMSORRYIMSORRY

~~~

“Winning the girls’ division of this year’s Vocal and Dance Championship, by a RECORD BREAKING landslide is…”

A loud and suspenseful drumroll held everyone’s breath, followed by a few seconds of silence before the announcer declared the winners. Danica briefly closed her eyes and held onto Taima and Ione’s hands. Across from them, Lilianne and Minette held onto each other, hearts racing as they all silently prayed for the same outcome.

Please let them win. That’s all I want! Let Dani win!

Please, please, pleeeeaaassee! Let us be victorious.

“…NIGHT RAVEN COLLEGE!!!”

A thunderous roar of applause followed that was momentarily deafening. Danica was still holding her breath. When she finally opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was their school emblem along with her face, and those of her teammates, illuminating the jumbo screens of the coliseum. She still hadn’t comprehended what was happening and it was only when Taima and Iman threw their arms around her that it all began to sink in.

I…we…we won? We really won?!

“WE DID IT!!!” Taima cried. “YES! WE DID IT! WE REALLY DID IT!!!”

More golden confetti rained down upon them and Danica watched their reflections on the jumbo screens, tears streaming down their eyes as they were all seized with excitement and joy. Jumping up and down, confetti in their hair, and holding each other as the audience cheered and shared in their euphoria.

“Night Raven Colleges girls unit, the Black Swan Quintet, is led by the phenomenal Miss Danica Ledelle,” the announcer continued. “Their powerful vocals and incredible dancing made for an amazing performance! They left the entire audience spellbound, myself included!”

“YAYYYYY!!!!” Kalim smiled and clapped his hands wildly. “Go Black Swans! You brought home the gold for NRC!”

“C'est beaute!” Rook smiled as well. “Félicitations, mesdemoiselles!”

“If the Black Swans won, that makes me confident for us too!” Deuce grinned.

“It’s so awesome. They really deserve it!” Epel added. “Especially you, Danica! You’re extra-awesome! A badass black swan!”

“Thank you, Epel! Ohhh…it’s…unreal…we really won!” Danica cried happily. “I can’t believe it!”

“Believe it, Missy!” Iman smiled through joyful tears. “And don’t look so shocked. We won by a landslide!”

“The first real victory over RSA in decades,” Taima grinned. “And we did this!”

“It’s like a dream!” Vidaria added.

“The most wonderful, beautiful dream!” Ione wept happily. “One I never want to wake from!”

“Black Swan Quintet, please step forward to claim your prize!!”

Two shimmering silver trophies stood at the center podium; the announcer picked one up and handed it to Danica graciously. Several blinding camera clicks went off as she accepted the award, and her teammates each took turns holding up the trophy for the eager press photographers. Danica held it a little longer than the rest of them, looking reverently at the full fruit of all of her labor. And not just hers. In her hand, she held the result of all their determination and drive. This trophy represented Ione’s blossoming confidence, Taima’s unwavering loyalty, Iman and Vidaria’s softening personalities, and most of all, Danica’s leadership.

Through the ups and downs, successes and setbacks, the Black Swan Quintet had conquered all that was thrown their way. And now, together, each of them would be a stronger person because of it.

“This trophy is as much yours as it is mine,” said Danica, holding it up to her teammates, tears falling down her face. “We all earned this. Thank you, you guys, for helping make this dream a reality!”

“Yes, and thank you, Danica,” Vidaria smiled. “Thank you for putting up with us and leading us to this amazing victory.”

The girls turned their heads to the NRC Tribe, who were clapping with genuine joy for their female counterparts. For a brief moment, Vil and Danica locked glances. His smile, proud and knowing, conveyed a world of unspoken congratulations, and she mirrored his expression with a heartfelt grin.

Well done, my little potato. You’ve earned this moment; I hope you are proud of yourself.

I finally kept my promise, Vil-san! I know this wasn’t what you had in mind, but I hope you’re still pleased.

From the other side of the stage, Lilianne watched the Black Swan Quintet with not even the smallest measurement of sadness at her defeat. For her, Danica’s victory was as much hers as a much-needed relief after weeks of distress. She never wanted to compete against her friends in the first place, and finally, it was all over. With the victory of the NRC girls came half of her bet with Neige settled. She would not have to kiss him after all and very soon, he would leave her alone completely.

“Thank you, girls,” Lilianne smiled at her teammates. “We put on the best show we could, and thanks to Dani’s help, it wasn’t a complete mess. You should all be proud.”

“But also, thank you for voting for the Black Swan Quintet,” Minette added. “I’m sure that was difficult, but it was needed for Lili’s sake.”

“It wasn’t difficult at all!” exclaimed Ivy. “Their performance was amazing. My eyes were glued to them every moment they were on stage! I still would have voted for them if I were in the audience!”

“Same here! Those girls got skill,” Nadia added. “The boys too. They earned our votes, each and every one of them.”

“And it was the least we could do after Danica helped us with our routine!” Ayse smiled.

“Now, the NRC Tribe needs to win, and everything will finally be right with the world!” Isabel said. “And then we can celebrate with the NRC ladies!”

The RSA Divas accepted their defeat with all the grace and nobility befitting their school’s mission statement, clapping and feeling a genuine sense of happiness for their rivals only in name. Meanwhile, not too far from them, Neige and his dwarf friends clapped for the Black Swan Quintet as well. Grum, one of the dwarves, softly complained about how they weren’t as good as the RSA Diva’s but Neige secretly disagreed. He smiled, but inside, a sharpness seized his stomach.

As disappointing as it was that he now wouldn’t be able to kiss Lilianne, he had to admit that the NRC ladies had an incredible stage presence. Considering that Danica was Vil’s protégé, it only made sense as he was another that Neige felt was a performer above all others. He grudgingly accepted that their victory was well-earned, yet it reignited his fears about how he and his friends would fare.

And with his decision to cast votes for both NRC teams, Neige wouldn't be shocked if RSA found themselves in an unprecedented second place for the first time in decades. He watched Lilianne and the other RSA Divas approach the Black Swan Quintet, Lilianne shook Danica’s hand and then threw her arms around her in a public display of goodwill and friendship. It warmed his heart but also sank it at the same time.

She looks so happy, and she’ll probably be happier when Vil wins. I wonder, if we win, will she be happy too? Will she…

“Hey, Neige!” Grum snapped at him, roughly yanking on his sleeve. “Get your head out the clouds, will ya?! They’re about to announce the boy winners!”

Neige quickly shook himself out of his thoughts as the announcer took the mic again to continue announcing the other winners.

“Let’s hear it one more time for the Black Swan Quintet!” he said to the continued applause of the audience. “And now, it’s the moment of truth for the boys! First place in the boy’s division of this year's Vocal and Dance Championship is…”

Neige, the dwarves, and the NRC Tribe all held their breaths, hearts racing as the announcer unfolded and opened another envelope with the winners of the boys’ division folded inside. Another suspenseful drumroll preceded the fateful announcement.

“…ROYAL SWORD ACADEMY!!!”

W…WHAT?!

“The entire audience was captivated by their fairy tale performance! They warmed the hearts of everyone in the coliseum!”

The calm, kind look Vil wore as Danica and her team accepted their victory immediately melted into horror. At first, he thought he might have misheard, but as the seconds passed, he felt his hands tremble, and his eyes began to burn at the realization of his worst nightmare. A nightmare years in the making, tormenting him throughout his professional life and wreaking havoc all throughout the VDC training camp. A nightmare and a curse that Vil now understood he would never be free of.

No…no…and after all we…I’ve done, and it still wasn’t…no…

He had failed. Once again second best to Neige Leblanche. And worst of all, he had brought this defeat upon himself. In his unsightly display of ugliness, he nearly cursed Neige and doomed his teammates. And his paranoia and cruelty to Danica forced her to become a black swan, destroying the one hope they had for victory even if everything else went up in smoke. Now once again, the world was enamored by the infantile charms of Vil’s rival, leaving him with no place except as the clear villain in this story.

And in the end, villains never won, and they certainly never stood upon the stage until the end. It didn’t matter how hard he worked, how determined he was, or even that he refused to ever take the easy way out. It never would. Villains were never rewarded in real life, so why should this be any different?

At that moment, Vil wanted so badly to retreat back into the coliseum, lock himself in his dressing room, and cry and lament all that was lost. But though this was the most recent in a string of losses to his adorable rival, it was one brought upon by his own actions. For that reason alone, Vil knew he had no right to feel anything but anger at himself. He had done this, and he had no one else but himself to blame. And yet…

Even if I momentarily contemplated the unthinkable. Even if we weren’t at our best. We were outdone by a children's song! How could we be outdone by a children's song, coupled with such lackluster stage presence? What did we do wrong? What did I do…no…no…

Neige Leblanche was the true fairest one. He always was, and he always would be, regardless of whatever Vil did. This was a reality Vil accepted a long time ago. And yet…and yet…

It's always been this way! Why can’t they see?! Why won’t anyone ever acknowledge how hard I work?! I’m not resting on laurels or familial ties. So why can’t they see for once everything I do to…no…no…

“Night Raven College comes in second place. They lost out to first place by only a single vote, but their vocals and moves were a tour de force! Let’s give them a round of applause as well!”

A…SINGLE VOTE?! Really?!

Danica and her teammates immediately went over to their defeated boys. Each trying to fix her face in one befitting sympathy, but their mutual shock betrayed them. That their boys, their talented and determined boys, could really be upstaged by a performance so childish it would barely be suitable for kindergarteners. That Vil, with all of his incredible talent and drive, was still considered second best to Neige after it was clear as day how much work he put into his performance. That Neige would be rewarded for something so clearly inferior without even putting in half the work if Lilianne’s words were to be believed. And all by a single vote no less, to their mind, it should have easily been another landslide victory.

And in Vil’s eyes, Danica once again saw all the anguish and loss she had seen when she was confronted by his overblotted form. It was beyond heartbreaking, so much so that for a few frantic moments, she honestly worried that he might suffer the same affliction a second time right there on the stage. She began to open her arms, looking as if she were about to embrace him, but Vil sharply shook his head. His eyes, though brimming with a silent plea for tenderness, conveyed a clear message—don’t even think about it, not here, not now. Even in his deepest despair, he would not allow his vulnerabilities to be laid bare before the world.

“Oh…oh my gosh! We really got the top spot? Really?!”

“No…no…NONONONONONO!!! It can’t be!”

From the leaders of both RSA teams, came two vastly different responses to Neige’s victory. Lilianne’s heart sank and she suddenly found herself short of breath as her teammates consoled her. She had been so close, so very close, all they needed was one more vote and she would finally be free. But even if she no longer had to kiss Neige, a promise was still a promise and she would be compelled to go out with him immediately after the VDC was over.

Neige was unlikely to waste any time after pressuring her for this for weeks and so it also went unsaid that her team’s plans with the Black Swan Quintet were now canceled. And Neige was unlikely to end his pursuit of Lilianne now that they were about to spend more time together.

Why?! Why did I make this bargain with him?! I was so sure Vil would win but…it’s all over now!

The one who gave Neige the winning vote, whoever they were, would never know the devastation their decision would cause Lilianne. On the other hand, they would also never realize that their decision allowed for Neige’s greatest wish to finally come true. He almost didn’t care about the prize money or even the acclaim his victory would bring to his career. For Neige, the greatest thing was that now, Lilianne would keep her end of their bargain and go out with him. Whatever fears he previously had about losing, were now nonexistent. He had wished, dreamed, hoped, and now his hopes were answered.

And surely, in time, Lilianne would come around and he would see her smile once again, at him. After all, just like the fairytales and storybooks he read as a child, Neige and Lilianne were brought together by song. Surely that meant she was destined to be his one true love. All he had to do now was be a little more patient and true love’s kiss was sure to follow.

She…looks kind of sad, maybe because Vi-kun lost. But it’s okay, we’ll have ice cream together and soon her smile will return—this time, for me.

“We won!” Neige beamed. “We really won!”

“Oh, pick your jaw up off the floor, Neige!” Grum snapped, but he was smiling. “Let’s go get that trophy!”

He, Neige, and the six other dwarves scurried over to the podium as the announcer handed them a glittering trophy identical to the one given to Danica. Neige graciously accepted this holding the trophy in much the same way Danica held hers, with reverence and disbelief. He smiled as several photographers took pictures of Neige with his prize but Grum soon snatched it from him, wanting to hold it for himself. Another of the dwarves snatched it from Grum and soon enough they were all loudly squabbling among themselves over who could hold the trophy next. Neige tried to calm them down but they wouldn’t listen and ended up dropping the trophy in the process.

The audience seemed enamored by their antics but the NRC performers watched with equal parts astoundment and disgust. They couldn’t even accept their victory with integrity.

The winning teams were then called to give an encore performance of their songs, Danica and her teammates began to step forward but in their excitement, the dwarves all began singing over them. The audience’s response to this was once again endearing and the cheerful melody of their song began to play. Neige took the mic and began singing with them—completely ignoring that Danica had also won and was called to sing as well.

But his obliviousness was just as well as in truth, neither Danica nor any of the Black Swans were up to singing after watching their boys get robbed, as they felt it to be. As Neige and his friends continued to sing, the RSA Divas approached the NRC performers, with Danica wrapping her arms around Lilianne again as the latter tried her best to hold back her tears.

“It’s not fair!” Lilianne whimpered, her voice breaking. “Their song sucked! I don’t want to date him!”

“I know, I know, Lili. It’s alright,” Danica tried to comfort her, despite feeling quite the opposite. “I know you’re disappointed, so am I, but keep your head up,”

“PLEASE tell me we’re being trolled!” Taima shook her head. “Someone say sike! Please say sike right now 'cause this ain’t funny!”

“How the hell could this happen?!” Vidaria snapped. “This is an outrage!”

“I would be inclined to agree with you, Your Highness,” Ayse sighed. “This is pretty cruddy.”

“Maaaaaaan, just one vote!” Ace sulked. “We were so close!”

“RIGHT?!” Iman fumed, gritting her teeth. “To think! Some idiot really saw Jamil’s moves and thought ‘no, lemme give it to Neige and his seven little clowns, I trust them!’ I demand a recount!”

“Yeah a recount might be in order, methinks,” replied Taima.

“No, guys. Rule 445 of the Queen of Hearts states that all votes are final once the people have spoken,” Ione sighed. “Regardless of how idiotic their opinions are.”

“If it’s any consolation, we all voted for you guys,” said Isabel, trying to offer comfort.

“And after we worked so hard,” Epel murmured, a few tears running down his face.

“Nooooooo,” tears formed in Kalim’s eyes that he tried to repress, but his intense disappointment was too much for him and he loudly began weeping. “I’m trying to hold back but… it buuurrrnsss…it burns so baaaadddd…”

“Oh, Kalim…” Seeing her normally jovial clubmate so forlorn was enough for Danica to temporarily forget herself as she was also betrayed to tears. “I know it burns…it…you guys were so good, I’m so sorry!”

“ENOUGH OF THIS!” Vil barked. “You’re all still on stage, cease with this pitiful display at once! Especially you, Danica! Your team was victorious so act accordingly!”

“Vil-san…but…”

“No buts! As for you boys, stand tall, and don’t forget to give our rivals a sporting round of applause.”

“Y…yes, Sir…”

Danica had to commend Vil for his ability to remain calm and poised in such a painful moment. She realized at once that she had underestimated him to think he might overblot again and managed to smile at him in spite of what they were both surely feeling at that moment. Yet he appeared as he always did, not giving even the slightest hint at his anguish or anger. Though she was certain she saw tears in the corner of his eyes—a testament to the struggle he concealed.

“It’s not fair, but he’s so calm,” Lilianne whispered to her. “He’s so admirable.”

“He is pretty calm, almost too calm,” Danica replied, and then said to Vil, “It couldn’t be me, but I guess you’re used to this by now. Right, Vil-san?”

“Heh, heh. Calm? Used to it?” Vil chuckled, but there was no humor in his tone nor gaze. More tears formed at the corner of his eyes that he quickly blinked away. Replaced with fiery rage. “OF COURSE I’M NOT!”

“Vil-san!”

“I want to walk over there and kick all those boys right off the stage!”

At this, Vil’s fellow NRC performers stared at him and he took a deep breath as he felt the tears burn past his eyes. His sorrow was as shocking to him as it was for them. Villains had no right to cry, he knew this, knew it all too well. But he couldn’t help it, regardless of everything else, their performance was still so poor. How could this happen?

“Someone knock me out before I unleash a tirade of verbal abuse that will mince them to shreds!”

Danica bit back a small giggle. As unprofessional as such would be, at that moment, she couldn’t help but want to see something like that more than anything in the world.

“Ah Roi du Poison, I hope you can forgive me,” Rook sighed. “But I’m afraid the one more deserving of your ire is me.”

“What?” Vil momentarily forgot his anger long enough to look curiously at Rook. “What do you mean? You’re the one most deserving of my ire?”

“Rook…” Danica looked at him as well. “What do you…you didn’t, did you…surely…”

Sadly for her, Rook then held up his phone to them—confirming the worst. On the screen was his VDC vote for the best boys’ team, a vote for Royal Sword Academy. Rook had given the deciding vote and in doing so, had betrayed not only Vil and his teammates, but all of NRC.

Rook gave a wistful smile but Vil was speechless and whatever resolve he had to remain calm quickly vanished.

“N…no…Rook…”

Vil’s tears now flowed freely down his face, coupled with very visible shaking in his hands. A whirlwind of emotions all seized him at once but, interestingly enough, none of them was rage. Rather than feeling angry at his faithless dorm leader, Vil felt devastated.

“How…how could you?!”

“Whoa! Vil, hold it together!” Kalim and Jamil quickly went to hold Vil up as he appeared close to collapsing. Both of them were as baffled as he.

“ROOK ARE YOU NUTS?!” shouted Ace. “Why would you vote for RSA?!”

“NRC Tribe could have won if you had voted for them!” Danica cried. “Why, Rook?! WHY?!”

“Wh…what?!”

Ace and Danica’s voices were loud enough to be within the hearing range of the RSA Divas. Minette and Isabel, already tense, saw as Vil’s face crumbled and then looked at the source of that anguish. The very same who physically accosted Minette earlier. And the reason why none of them felt safe in the coliseum.

It wasn’t enough for him to make unwelcome advances on them. Rook had now doomed their team leader to a date she didn’t want to go on and probably months of continued advances she would be hard-pressed to refuse. They both glared at him with poison that could rival any crafted by Vil.

“WHAT?!” Ayse shouted. “Vil-san lost because of him?! And now Lili has to go on that date with Neige because of HIM?!”

“Why?! WHY?! What could possibly be his reasoning?!” added Athena.

Rook then went into an impassioned speech regarding his vote. Despite all that he and his teammates had gone through, he felt that Neige and his friends sang with all their hearts and believed in themselves. For that reason alone, he found their performance superior to Vil’s. Rook believed Vil lacked the confidence to give a truly beautiful performance, and his lack of confidence made Neige superior by comparison.

He said this, but would never know how Neige’s heart raced with insecurity as he beheld theirs, prompting him to give NRC Tribe his own vote.

“Rook, you honestly felt they outperformed you and the rest of NRC Tribe?!” Danica asked, biting back more tears. “You really think that?!”

“Oui!” Rook smiled. “Seeing them together on stage, they struck me as powerful. The fairest of all in that moment!”

“Powerful…” Danica quickly found herself becoming dizzy, so much so that Taima and Ione went to her in case she also needed to be kept upright. “Powerful…but…we were powerful too. Why…what power could you see when…”

“Rook…” Vil sniffed, looking more defeated than ever. “Rook…”

“Vil, nobody should believe in your beauty more than yourself,” said Rook. “It is most becoming, the way you maintain such self-restraint while polishing yourself over your rival. But no amount of validation from the rest of the world will ever leave you fulfilled.” He smiled again. “At this moment you are truly the fairest one of all.”

“But…no…I’m…not…”

“Roi du Poison, fairest Vil, I implore you to believe in yourself more. The strength and pride to believe in yourself is what marks the true fairest one of all.”

“No…”

For once, Vil was at a loss for words, his head hung with sorrow as tried to comprehend what Rook was saying to him. But he couldn’t for the life of him. He was confident in his performance, he had believed in himself and they had all done their best. But it still wasn’t enough in the end, even for Rook. Why should Vil feel any confidence when it would always be this way? When he would always be seen as something he wasn’t? When he couldn’t even convince the one closest to him of his beauty?

Any confidence, in that case, would only be considered arrogance. It was easier for Vil to concede that he would never be the fairest one of all. He knew it, Danica knew it, the entire world knew it, and it was now clear Rook knew it as well. His struggle to reconcile his self-perception with the apparent perception of others left him isolated, even in the midst of his those around him.

“Poor Vil,”

The RSA Divas were still watching this exchange but the longer they stood there listening, the more incensed they all became. Minette in particular couldn’t believe what she was hearing and before she knew it, a tight fist was forming in her hand.

“But Vil…his team…they were so…UGHHH WHAT IS HIS DEAL?!”

“Hell no, I ain’t going for this,” Isabel began walking over to Rook with Minette following behind her. “Screw being nice, retribution is called for!”

“Stop it, you guys!” Lilianne placed herself in front of her teammates before they could do anything unwise, though her eyes remained on Rook. “I won’t have either of you starting something you can’t finish!”

“I don’t start fights Lili, I finish them!” Minette sharply replied. “You know that!”

“I won’t have you finishing anything either!” Lilianne pushed a little harder upon her teammates. “Neither of you is getting in trouble because of him! Calm down, you and Isabel are both better than this!”

“But Lili…”

“You both are better than this…but…” she pushed her friends back, rage burning in her eyes. “BUT I’M NOT! LET ME DO IT!”

“No! You stop too!" Despite all the feelings crushing upon Danica’s heart, she could see her friend was close to doing something she would regret. She hugged Lilianne even as Lilianne began to cry and struggled against her.“Lili, I know you’re hurt, but please think! You don’t want to do this!”

“YES I DO!” She continued pushing violently against Danica, thrashing and crying and wanting nothing more than to tear Rook apart. “Let me go, Dani! It’s not right and you know it!”

“I know it’s not fair, trust me I know!” Danica gently pushed her back once she stopped struggling and she was sure she wouldn’t go after Rook. “None of this is fair, but life often isn’t fair…” She squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her teeth through more tears. “Life isn’t fair, that’s…something Vil-san has always said to me.

“Dani…”

“Everyone is still watching us so you’ve gotta calm down, Lili. And you’ve gotta smile. We all have to.”

Danica said this, and she did indeed smile for good measure, even if it galled her to do so. The other Black Swans smiled as well to be sure. It was all too much for Lilianne and she returned Danica’s embrace, burying her face in her neck as she continued crying. Danica gently rubbed her back, soothing her and managing to forget her own devastation long enough to be a comfort to her friend. Giving her the comfort she couldn’t give to Vil. Taima soon joined in on the hug and Minette did as well.

Meanwhile, Vil and the rest of NRC Tribe continued to stare at their traitorous, detached teammate, who in turn continued watching Neige and his friends sing without a care in the world. Completely oblivious to the turmoil he had caused.

When the song was over, Neige waved to the enchanted audience and then went over to the other side of the stage where the other performers were standing. It was his intention to congratulate the Black Swan Quintet and show his trophy to Lilianne, a symbol of their developing romance in his mind. But he was immediately caught off guard at the sight of Vil.

“Vi!” he gasped. “I’ve…never seen you cry outside of an acting role before…”

“Well, you caught me at a bad time,” Vil replied amiably. “Heh, I’m…always second best to you…”

Even with tears in his eyes, Vil managed to smile at Neige. His rival and the catalyst for everything wrong and cruel in his world, a symbol of everything he wasn’t and never would be. He smiled as though his heart wasn’t shattered in the slightest. A testament to his professionalism, Danica thought.

“Maybe that’s what the numbers said,” Neige smiled. “But your group is number one in the hearts of everybody who voted for you.”

And mine…you were number one in my heart too…

“Roi des Neiges is right,” Rook chuckled. “Your smile is far more becoming than your tears, Vil.”

“Yeah! So smile, Vi-kun! You still gave a performance no one else could pull off!”

That’s easy for you to say, you’ll always be number one!

Danica bit down on her tongue, hard enough to taste the salty tinge of her own blood. She glared at Neige and Taima took her hand in case she were to do something impulsive. But just when they thought things were terrible enough, things were about to take another turn in the worst way imaginable.

“Hey, you’re the one who hailed me down earlier!” Neige said to Rook, a large smile blooming on his face. “You’re ‘R’ aren’t you? The one who comes to all of my fan meets and writes all me all of those letters?”

“Ah…pardon?!”

“What?!” Danica and Vil looked at Rook with sudden shock and Danica added, “Rook! Do you…know Neige Leblanche?”

Before Rook could say anything further, Neige continued, exposing his devoted fan to his bewildered, betrayed teammates.

“There’s only one fan of mine who writes me letters addressing me as Roi des Neiges. And I knew R buys each of my photos at fan events and composes poems to share their impression of each picture…”

“FAN EVENTS?!” Ace gasped.

“And…PHOTOS?!” added Epel. “Rook is a fan of Neige Leblanche?!”

“OHHH SO THAT’S WHY YOUR ASS WENT ROGUE!” Iman scoffed.

“Wait a minute, what about that heavy photo album you brought with you to the training camp,” Jamil thought aloud before his face was also betrayed into shock. “Wait…was that ENTIRE album nothing but photos of Neige Leblanche?!”

“The photo album he didn’t want any of us looking at?! So…that means…

Taima’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped, not just with surprise but also guilt. She was so convinced that the album was full of photos of Danica, a thought she had led Danica to believe. But just like her belief of Rook’s feelings for her, turned out not to be the case.

The other boys suggested Rook approach Neige for an autograph, which he did with some surprising hesitation before he actually began weeping, to the further bewilderment of his teammates.

“Heh, feeling awkward aren’t we, Rook?” Vil smirked, allowing himself to take back a small amount of power in this situation.

Rook did not hear him, he was too busy addressing Neige in the way he wished he could earlier when he stopped him from coming under Vil’s poisoned curse. A vision of tender perfection set against Vil’s intense regality. Not only was Rook a fan of Neige Leblanche, he was apparently also a member of his fan club and had a membership number in the single digits—meaning he had been following Neige’s work for a very long time. Long before coming to NRC and long before meeting Vil.

But for Danica, none of this mattered. What was most heartbreaking to her wasn’t that Rook had betrayed Vil or even that he was a fan of Neige. It was the way Rook looked at Neige as he was shaking his hand. And the words Rook spoke to him that hit a little too close to home for her.

“Roi des Neiges, Neige Leblanche, your work has shone a light upon my life and allowed me to live with hope in my heart,” Rook smiled through his tears. “You truly are an angel walking among mortals and your work holds a very special place in my heart, stirring it in ways I cannot describe.”

She saw in Rook’s eyes the very same he often had when gazing at her, whenever they were alone. It was a look he gave her when he expressed his desire they become lovers. But she had seen him give to Athena earlier that day, to Minette when he cornered her and Isabel in the hallway, and now a look he was giving to Vil’s the source of all Vil’s anguish.

Did Rook even realize what he was saying? How he had used these exact words with Danica and how much they meant to her? She doubted it more than ever.

You stir my heart in a way I cannot describe…you are an angel walking among mortals, cherie…you are very special to me…

Rook…why…this is a nightmare…I thought…no… THIS IS A NIGHTMARE AND I CAN’T WAKE UP!!!

“To add to everything else, he’s also a Neige-stan!” Now it was Lilianne’s turn to comfort Danica as she and the other RSA Divas crowded around her, shielding her from view so none could see her cry. “Are you SURE I can’t beat his ass?!”

“No, Lili!” Athena firmly shook her head. “You know you can’t, regardless of how deserving he is of such.”

“That horrid beast!” Vidaria murmured, taking Danica’s hand while Taima held the other. “Danica, I’m so sorry.”

“I’m sorry too,” Taima whispered. “I was so sure…so sure that…”

“So was I…” Danica replied, lowering her head with sadness. “So was I, but that goes to show what an idiot I was to believe he really liked me. After all,” she sighed. “A black swan can never stand by the side of a prince.”

“That might make sense,” Ione interjected. “IF Rook was ACTUALLY a prince!”

“Both he and Vil hurt you,” Iman added sharply. “But at least we won in the end despite Vil’s bitching! Rook on the other hand…ugh!!!”

The girls from both teams stood together in mutual comfort of the heartbroken Danica and somehow, Danica managed to dry her eyes. Long enough to remember that the world was still watching and she had to put on a fitting face. And it was just as well because a member of the press soon approached them, looking to take a picture of both winning team leaders with their trophies. Danica quickly fixed her face with help from her teammates and reluctantly stood beside Neige as they were both photographed.

“You were so great, Dani-chan!” Neige smiled at her. “Congratulations!”

“I told you to call me Danica!” Danica sharply replied, though the smile she wore gave no indication of her contempt. Her smile was such that it even fooled Vil and Rook gently nudged his arm.

“Lovely, aren’t they?” he smiled. “Roi de Neiges and our parfait petit cygne. A storybook prince and his très élégant princesse. Such a beautiful image they make together. Don’t you think so, Vil?”

Vil didn’t respond with words, but nodded sadly. He was trying both to dissociate and remain alert at the same time, but seeing Danica at Neige’s side wasn’t helping. Rook was right—they did look lovely together. From the commercial they shot for Danica’s family to this moment, they presented the image of fairy tale perfection—far more an ideal than any farce Vil had attempted to create with her.

And such a beautiful jewel was worthy only of the fairest one of all, the complete opposite of all that Vil was.

But as soon as the photos were taken, Danica made a point of turning her back on Neige and running back to her teammates. Unfortunately for her, this nightmare wasn’t yet over as Neige then suggested that they all sing together. Of course, they wouldn’t be singing Guilty Heart . He and his dwarf friends began singing and Vil gave them all a look that told them that they should join in.

And from the way Vil sang, one would never guess how much he was dying inside. Clearly, Rook didn’t either as he loudly mused about how beautiful it was to see Vil and Neige together. Further twisting the knife. Neige then grabbed Lilianne’s arm and encouraged her to sing along with them. For the sake of peace, she did so, but she made a point of yanking her arm away from Neige to sing at Epel’s side instead.

Ace, Deuce, and Jamil contributed their voices too, albeit awkwardly, and even Kalim struggled to mask his discomfort. Rook on the other hand was enjoying every moment of this. Danica and her teammates sang along as well, with joyful smiles on their faces that gave not a single inkling to how they were truly feeling.

They had won, after all, the first victory against RSA in decades and the beginning of what would surely be a bright future for them. Danica and Taima had often thought about reviving their idol club at NRC, bringing on new talent, and developing their talent to better fit this new stage in their lives. And considering this victory, and the fact that each of the girls was likely to give their portion of the prize money back to the school as charity, Crowley was sure to grant them this.

All things considered, they had every reason to be happy. And yet all Danica could think of as she sang this childish song was the haunting look in her dorm leader’s eyes. The tears in the corner of his eyes were juxtaposed with his cheerful smile. Vil truly was an incredible actor, more than ready to be a hero. Rook would never realize how much his actions that day had hurt not just Vil but her as well. Making everything sting all the more.

~~~

Before leaving the coliseum and the training camp for the last time, Vil made it clear to the girls that he didn’t want them spreading any gossip about the VDC results. To his mind, he was wholly responsible for Rook’s decision and his lack of beauty was the reason Rook chose to do what he did. Vil did not want to see his vice dorm leader come under fire for something that was his fault, despite having no hand in Rook’s misleading behavior towards Danica.

And as expected, Neige wasted no time asking Lilianne out on their ice cream date. She had no choice but to accept this but that also meant that she wouldn’t be hanging out with Taima and their family after all, nor would there be any celebration at Ramshackle. Instead, all of the NRC performers returned to their own dorm that evening, each with varying emotions.

Despite Vil ordering the Black Swan Quintet to keep quiet about the VDC results, Danica considered Rook’s betrayal a Pomefiore affair and saw no issue in telling others in their dorm. She took it upon herself to release all of her pinned-up frustrations and rage in a magicam group chat which was reserved only for Pomefiore students sans the dorm leaders. By the time she, Vil, Epel and Rook returned to the dorm that evening, nearly every Pomefiore student already aware of why NRC was once again second best to RSA, resulting in some rather awkward tension as those sitting in the lounge both applauded Danica’s victory but stared at Vil and Rook with great uneasiness.

Vil went off down the hallway by himself, Epel decided he needed time alone and went to his room. But Danica and Rook stayed behind for a few moments. Sidonie was actually sitting in the lounge and was the first to greet Danica when she walked in. This was the first time either girl had seen each other since the older one left the training camp and despite all that happened, Danica was glad to see her.

“You were wonderful, my dear!” Sidonie smiled, hugging her tight. “Farron, Savvy, Maxim, and I were watching from the front and we loved every minute of it!”

“Thank you, Sidonie,” Danica returned her hug. “And we won too! I just wish…” hesitantly, “I wish you could have stayed with us until the end.”

“I know, I know, but I’m so proud of you, Danica. You stuck to your beliefs even when it meant defying our dorm leader,” Sidonie pulled back from the embrace to smile at her. “I hope you’re proud of yourself too because you were amazing.”

“Yes, she was,” Rook came up behind them. He smiled, though his voice lacked its usual jovial tone. “Even as a black swan, our petit cygne is indeed amazing.”

Danica turned to glare at him, not at all taken with his flattery if that was even what it was. Sidonie found his statement somewhat uncalled for but she didn’t say anything just yet. She realized that Danica’s eyes were puffy and red.

“Did…something happen?”

This was a question not exactly directed at either of them as she already was aware of most that had transpired in the coliseum, minus Vil’s overblot. Sidonie was hoping that Danica would confide more to her now that the VDC was over as her messages in their group chat contained more anger than actual information. She was even half hoping Rook might admit to more of what happened. But he remained behind them with a silence that was strangely out of character for him.

“Dani, what’s wrong?” Sidonie asked again. “You won. Shouldn’t you be…”

“I’m sorry…” Danica pulled away from Sidonie before her tears could overtake her again in front of others. “I…it’s just been a long day. And I…I need some time to decompress. I’m going to my room, excuse me, Sidonie-san…”

~~~

Danica ran down the hallway, not realizing that Rook and Sidonie both took it upon themselves to follow behind her. Initially, it was her intention to go back to her room for some much-needed rest and to think about the events of that day in a quiet place. But as she made her way down the hall, she saw Vil, standing outside the entrance to the ballroom.

He quietly opened the door and slipped inside without noticing her watching. Immediately she thought about following behind him. There were so many things she needed to talk to him about, and now back in their dorm, without the rest of the world watching, she could finally do so.

“Danica, Mademoiselle Chanteuse, please wait up!”

She clenched her teeth at the sound of Rook’s voice behind her, the last person in all Twisted Wonderland that she wanted to see at that moment. Vil disappeared into the ballroom, shutting the door and leaving Danica alone in the hallway with Rook approaching her and Sidonie following behind him. His smile told her that he was still completely oblivious to the hurt he had caused everyone, especially to her.

In fact, he seemed somewhat confused by her dejected expression, expecting her to still be on cloud nine after winning the VDC despite going against what both he and Vil thought was best for her. She should have been happy, and with that thought, Rook felt it was time to finally get an answer to something he had been wondering for several hours now.

“What is it, Rook-san?” Danica asked blankly. “I’m very tired, I want to rest.”

“I understand your exhaustion, cherie,” he replied. “But before you retire…”

“Do you really understand?!” She turned around, letting him see her angry face. “If you understood, you’d leave me alone! I don’t want to talk now!”

“Very well, but please, will you allow me one question before you return to your room?”

She turned herself fully around to face him, giving an exasperated sigh. “Fine! Just one question! What do you want to ask me.”

Rook hesitated before allowing himself to take a few steps closer to Danica, not noticing at all how she took one step back for every step he made toward her. He reached his hand out to her but she recoiled, a gesture that made a mockery of tenderness and a reminder of how terribly he had deceived her.

“Do you recall what we were discussing?” he asked. “Right before everything happened?”

“Hmm?”

Danica thought for a moment. In truth, everything, before she lost consciousness, was something of a blur to her. She closed her eyes but for a while all she could recall was confronting Vil before his overblot. Danica tried searching her mind for anything beyond that, and that’s when it hit her. She and Rook were indeed discussing something, and the recollection of that conversation was the last thing she needed at that moment for her state of mind.

She scoffed, feeling the weight of those memories pressing down on her. She turned to walk away, but Rook stepped closer, his presence too close for comfort.

“I remember!” she snapped. “I remember everything! And to answer your question, well, you’ve answered it yourself already!”

“What do you mean?”

“I asked what it would mean if we became lovers, and you answered me the entire fucking day with your behavior!” Her heart ached with every painful memory of that day, returning to her in swift succession as she spoke. “The way you were flirting with Athena, the way you assaulted Minette, and the way you put Neige above both me and Vil!”

She lowered her head as she felt her face becoming hot with her rage, fists formed in both of her hands and she had to turn her back to Rook again, biting on them. “HOW CAN I STILL WANT SUCH A PERSON AS MY LOVER?!”

“What?”

Sidonie had caught up to them just in time to hear the last part of Danica’s brief tirade. Her thoughts flashed back to the training camp, to the discovery of Rook’s secret album, and the subsequent message from Danica detailing the events that led to NRC Tribe’s loss. Even if she was aware of the album for weeks prior, something in Sidonie still wanted to believe that Rook wouldn’t be so careless to go against their school, their dorm, and her friend in such a way. But the heartbroken look in Danica’s eyes told her all she needed to know.

“Rook! How…could you?!”

“I do not understand, mademoiselle,” Rook shook her head. “I put no one above you or Vil! My adoration for Neige is something different entirely! And even if I did, why should it matter?”

“Why should it matter? WHY SHOULD IT MATTER?!” Danica banged her fists against the wall. “Rook! For all you claim to know about Vil-san, for all you pay attention to regarding him, you really have no idea how much winning the VDC would have meant to him, do you?! How much it would have meant to all of us! And for all your adoration of me, do you honestly think I’d want to kiss a man who grabbed my best friends’ tail?! How can you be so dense?!”

“I’m sorry, WHAT?!” Sidonie’s eyes widened. “What the hell happened after I dropped out of the training camp?!”

“Oh, I could write a book about it all, Sidonie-san!” Danica sharply replied, her sarcasm barely masking her hurt.

“What is there to be dense about?” Rook asked in an infuriatingly calm manner. “I chose to vote for Neige and his team not because of some prior preference I have for him over Vil, but because I felt his performance was far more beautiful than ours!”

“That doesn’t make any sense! Make it make sense to me, Rook! Cause I really do want to understand your logic!” Danica bit back more tears. “After…all you’ve told me about beauty, what makes someone beautiful…I want to understand. I don’t want to believe you were just…just…”

Were you being insincere to me the entire time? Do I really mean so little to you?

“Mademoiselle, even with their errors, their song, their movements, came from a place of purity and not caring about anything but making the audience happy,” Rook smiled. “That is where their power lay. That is why I gave them my vote.”

“Power…”

Danica glanced down at the sleek black stage costume she was still wearing, a symbol of her own form of power. Though clearly what she felt was different from what Rook was describing. The power she felt indeed came from her desire to captivate her audience, but there was always something deeper, more passionate to the power she desired. She knew it and Rook knew it too. In that moment, she began to wrap her arms around herself, shielding herself from the shame she could feel brewing in her chest.

“And…what about…us? What about the other boys? Do you honestly think we lacked the power to win?”

Rook sighed. “I’m afraid so, cherie. In my humble opinion, neither NRC team could match the pure wholesomeness of Neige Leblanche or the RSA Divas. And because of that, Vil couldn’t possibly have the confidence to…”

“WELL HOW THE HELL COULD HE BE WHEN HE DOESN'T EVEN HAVE THE CONFIDENCE OF HIS RIGHT-HAND MAN?! HOW CAN ANY OF US HAVE CONFIDENCE WHEN YOU'RE SO FUCKING FICKLE THAT…”

“Danica!” Sidonie gasped, having never seen her friend like this. “I know you’re upset, but could you please…”

“NO! NO I WON’T I WON’T LOWER MY VOICE!” Danica cried. “I’VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR TOO LONG AND FOR WHAT?! IF SHOUTING IS THE ONLY WAY TO BE HEARD THEN SO BE IT!”

Sidonie sighed, she was certainly right about not feeling heard. Perhaps Danica’s rage was as much her frustration at all Vil had subjected her to over the last month as it was heartbreak where Rook was concerned. And perhaps after she allowed herself to fully give herself over to her anger, could she finally know peace.

“Maybe approval from the rest of the world won’t give long-lasting validation,” Danica went on. “But sometimes, when people are confused and hurt, they need to be told that they are enough. They need to know they are loved and that they are beautiful!” Tears now streamed freely down her eyes. “We all saw firsthand how deep Vil’s sadness lies and you had the perfect moment to validate him and what did you do?! You humiliated him and then want to wonder why he isn’t more confident!”

“Enough, mademoiselle!” Rook had taken all of this with calm understanding for the most part. But the longer Danica spoke, the more he felt himself being given over to emotions he neither wanted nor felt he could handle.

“Vil’s turmoil is his alone and it’s not my place to believe I could help pull him out of it. I chose to vote for Neige as my way of showing Vil the direction he needs to be upon if he wishes to succeed in the future.”

“That may be so, but it also wasn’t your place to teach him that lesson, Rook,’ replied Danica. “You can’t say it’s not your place to step in to help Vil but then decide it is your place to teach him a lesson!”

“That…does seem a tad hypocritical,” Sidonie admitted.

“Well, who is to say we would have still lost had Vil not…”

“ROOK!”

Sidonie was still standing with them and Danica did not yet want her to know about Vil’s overblot. Rook seemed to understand this at least, even if he still did not understand everything else. He sighed, perhaps a more personal approach would help her understand his perspective and why he felt it to be the right one.

“In the end, mademoiselle, Vil’s pursuit of beauty led him down the path of madness and his inability to be confident in his performance is why I voted for Neige,” Rook said. “It is a lesson you yourself could stand to learn as well, Danica.”

“What do you mean by that?!”

“If you had more confidence in yourself, it wouldn’t matter if your family continues to compare you to your sister. And your anguish at trying to live up to her legacy would not be so severe. After all, do you think a dancer as radiant as Fiona Ledelle had any care about what the world thought of her?”

“You…you…”

“Rook…what the…why would you say…”

Even Sidonie was taken aback by this and placed a comforting hand on Danica’s shoulder. But Danica did not feel it or take notice of anything after Rook’s words. And the mention of Fiona was enough to have Danica seeing red. Without even realizing it, Rook had turned a knife in a wound that was never fully healed. No, he didn’t understand, and he never would.

That he could even make such a careless comment spoke volumes of how little he understood about the girl he claimed to adore. And how little he cared about how deeply such a comment would hurt her. Even as Danica closed her eyes, the entire room was spinning with an array of dark thoughts and emotions assaulting her mind at once.

And when she opened them, there she saw the source of them all. The one she had foolishly given her heart to. Only to have it thrown back into her face with his apathy. Sidonie tried to get her attention one more time but she was blind to her, and blind to everything else besides her anger at Rook. Everything else went black.

“You…you know nothing…” she muttered. “And don’t you dare…”

“Pardon?”

“DON’T YOU DARE BRING UP FIONA!!!”

From his place in the ballroom, Vil had heard everything that led up to that moment. Despite finding Danica’s volume grating, he did not have it in him at that moment to go out to the hallway to stop her. He knew she was upset and unlike him, Danica was allowed to be upset at Rook. Vil was tired, he was frustrated, and he knew she was likely frustrated as well as he had been anything but easy on her. A part of him was still upset with Rook himself even if he knew it wasn’t his right. For those reasons alone he was willing to allow Danica to release her anger while he sat alone in the ballroom, his own dark thoughts barely managing to drown out all the screaming.

But the proceeding loud cracking sound followed by a high pitched shriek from Sidonie was enough to fully catch Vil’s attention. Both sounds loudly echoed throughout the hallways and half out of curiosity and half out of annoyance, he finally, very reluctantly, left his solitude. And what Vil came upon when he found Rook, Danica and Sidonie together shocked him even more than the initial argument. He actually gasped out and stopped short of making himself known.

Did…she…just…?

Sidonie’s response immediately brought Danica back to reality. The first thing she saw was the large red wilt she had harshly imprinted on Rook’s face. He stared blankly at her, so completely baffled that there was no room in his heart to be angry or even to feel hurt as his cheek stung from the force of her hand.

Rook only stared at Danica, heavily breathing with a fire in her eyes he never expected to see in one normally so docile and serene. It was as though the girl in front of him now wasn’t Danica at all, not the Danica he was enraptured with, but someone else entirely. Someone vicious, someone intense, with passion beyond her years. He found it strangely enchanting but, more than anything, he found it terrifying.

“Danica…what…what has happened to you?” was all he could ask, and even then, Rook was unsure what else to say to her, or even if anything he could say could possibly get through to her. “This isn’t you. What happened to our parfait petit cygne? What happened to the sweet girl that we all…”

“Sweet girl?! SWEET GIRL?!” Danica began laughing frantically. “First of all, keep my sister’s name out of this! Second of all, nothing has happened! That sweet girl? SHE’S GONE! She’s never coming back and it’s all your fault! And lastly, for all your talk about beauty, you really don’t seem to understand it as well as you think!”

She stepped forward and for the first time since knowing her, Rook found himself stepping back from her. Retreating from the black swan whose passion consumed the girl he adored. Vil on the other hand continued to watch from a corner in the hallway, intrigued by this new side of Danica previously unknown to him. Another facet of her character hidden from him until now.

He certainly felt her anger was uncalled for, and far from befitting a Pomefiore student. But at the same time, Vil felt that Rook had no business bringing up Fiona and therefore deserved rebuke. Beyond that, there was something almost riveting in the way Danica expressed her rage. And all in defense of him no less.

Besides his father, he had never once known someone to advocate so fiercely for him and it made Vil reconsider his initial impression of her reaction; perhaps there was a validity in her anger. And it was enough for Vil to find himself strangely taken with her at that moment and, stranger still, curious as to what she would say next.

“Lastly, you think Vil’s performance wasn’t as beautiful as Neige’s, well do you want to know what I think is beautiful? In spite of all he has gone through, despite going through the darkest moment of his life, Vil was still able to stand upon the stage until the end and give the best performance he could! Perseverance against all odds, against a world that seems to hate him!”

“Oh, Danica,” Sidonie went over to Danica, trying to comfort her but she wouldn’t have it. She actually pushed Sidonie away as she continued her tirade.

“THAT is what truly makes Vil the fairest one of all! THAT IS WHAT MAKES HIM MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN NEIGE!”

No…oh no…she’s…right…no…

Vil was afraid of something like this and soon felt a pang of validation mixed with unease, quickening his heart. Danica had made a perfectly valid point that was both soothing and stinging. It was enough to make Vil briefly resent his vice dorm leader if a freshman could see what he clearly couldn’t.

He quickly pinched himself, reminding himself that what he was feeling was objectively wrong. And yet…and yet…

“Even if he wasn’t feeling confident, he was still able to set all of that aside for the good of his team!” Danica went on. “It’s easy to be beautiful when everything is going right in your world, but if you ask me, being able to present yourself to the world with a smile on your face even when it's not easy, even when you're struggling and your heart is breaking, is the most beautiful thing someone can do!”

No…no…SHE’S RIGHT! Vil gritted his teeth. I worked so hard on Absolutely Beautiful, even composing the music myself as well as the lyrics! We all worked hard and stood on the stage together, and for what?! To be outplayed by such childish tactics!

Vil was wrong for briefly giving himself over to his frustration, and he was wrong for wanting to use Danica to manipulate the audience. But in the end, Vil remained true to his principles and for the most part, never once considered taking the easy way out. Despite the temptations.

Neige would never know the depth of Vil’s struggles. He could never understand what it was like to have the world have preconceived notions of him before ever knowing him. He would never know the anguish of being a villain and knowing people hated him for no other reason besides being beautiful and remarkable. And Neige would certainly never know the lewd objectification Danica had been subjected to.

It’s always been this way! Since we were children! I was never adored! Never given a chance! WHEN WILL MY CHANCE COME?!

These thoughts, while driving him to the brink, made something alarmingly clear. Even if the world was an unfair place, it didn’t mean Vil had to accept it. He was swiftly beginning to see Rook—and perhaps even Danica herself—in a new light. Vil stood conflicted, not knowing whether to respect Danica for her insight or hate her for it.

“I see now that ideas of beauty are based upon nothing but fantasies! You were so caught up in how wholesome Neige was on stage you couldn't see how much they sucked! And for what?! What struggles has Neige ever had, huh?!”

“Neige HAS had his own struggles!” Rook responded, rather sharply. “Vil knows that as well as anyone who pays attention to him on a deeper level! You are clouded by your resentment of him that YOU can’t see all the hard work he put in and the obstacles he had to overcome! Both you and Vil were born with many blessings Neige was not afforded so…”

“So Neige deserved to win because he came from a less fortunate background?” asked Danica. “Not because he’s more talented than Vil, but because…”

“And yet despite all his struggles, Neige continues to strive to be the best version of himself, greeting everyone he encounters with a smile.” Rook folded his arms and, still unaware of Vil’s presence, continued, “That is why he is able to move others in a way Vil will never achieve. After all, Vil couldn’t even handle that there might be one fairer than he, and you see what happened…”

You see what happened…

This statement hit Vil like a truck because of course, it was true. After seeing how well-received Neige was, he couldn’t handle that NRC Tribe was likely to lose. He couldn’t handle it and in a moment of blind rage, acted out in a way that could have been disastrous, nearly costing Danica her life.

A poison derived from an obsession with beauty bordering on madness…

YOU’LL NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH SHE CARED ABOUT YOU! SHE LOVED YOU AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY HER?!

“Vil obsession with defeating Neige drove him to madness. He couldn’t handle the madness and that’s why I chose to vote against him.”

Once again, Rook was holding up a mirror, revealing the monster Vil truly was. No. It didn’t matter how hard he worked, it didn’t matter if Neige’s performance was objectively worse. At least Neige’s heart was pure, and it remained pure in spite of all of his aforementioned hardships. He would never think to poison a rival performer and he would never behave in such an undignified manner when things weren’t going his way.

“How can anyone be so mean? He must be pretty messed up.”

“He’s probably just as twisted in his private life.”

“He can never pull off being a hero.”

No. Danica was wrong, she was naive and couldn’t see Vil for the monster he truly was. He had heard enough, he could no longer stand by and listen to how she wrongfully berated his vice dorm leader. When all Rook was ever guilty of was seeing beauty in everything, almost to a fault, and being the only person in Vil’s life willing to be honest with him. He left his corner, walking over to the three as Danica began crying again.

“I don’t know why I’m wasting my breath!” she said. “You know nothing about beauty and nothing about..”

“THAT’S ENOUGH DANICA!”

Vil intervened with a forceful tone, appearing as if he had just walked in on this terrible scene and hadn’t been watching for several minutes. He took one look at Rook’s red face and roughly grabbed Danica’s arm, regarding her coldly.

“I saw everything and I know you know better!” he said. “Putting your hands on your own vice dorm leader, I could have you sent to Crowley for expulsion right now!”

“But Vil-san!” Danica cried. “It’s not right and…”

“No buts! You should be ashamed!” He released her arm with equal roughness. “Such crass behavior is something I wouldn’t even expect from Epel! What has gotten into you?!”

Danica took several steps back from Vil, catching her breath as the realization of what she had done came to her. She didn’t know what had come over to her yet at the same time, a part of her really didn’t care either. Rook was in the wrong here and the mention of her sister was the final straw. But it was Vil’s response that was really confusing her.

“Rook has every right to vote for who he wants to and it’s NOT your place to question it!” Vil to Rook, locking eyes with him as they both shared a silent, hurtful understanding. “Rook is not bound to loyalty, even if his actions hurt, they come from a good place. You’re just too naive to understand that!”

“Naive?!” Sidonie pulled Danica away from both Rook and Vil. “You’re both naive if you think…”

“Stop this!” Rook shouted. He was willing to accept Danica’s rejection, accept her rage, and even accept her hands. But he would not accept his devotion to beauty coming into question. He addressed Danica.

“I do not regret my decision and nothing you say will change that! I only regret that my decision has clearly caused you pain.”

“Do not apologize, Rook,” said Vil, glaring at Danica. “Danica, you apologize to Rook for smacking him. You had no right and you ought to be happy in any case. After all, you won the VDC with your seductive wiles and became the black swan you always wanted to be!”

“I…I…”

“What? Do you honestly think people voted for you because of your talent and skill? Spare me!”

Vil turned his back to Danica, meant as a sign of contempt but in truth so he wouldn’t have to confront her eyes as he tore into her. On his own tears as he said things that sounded almost foreign to his ears.

“You seduced the crowd like the black swan seduced the prince! Seducing the audience and dooming the RSA Divas to defeat! Whatever tactics Neige used to get the crowd’s attention, you’re just as guilty! Hell, you’re even worse!”

“No…no…you don’t…” for the briefest moment, Danica noticed Vil’s hand trembling behind him, clenching into a fist. She cried out, “YOU DON’T REALLY BELIEVE THAT! I refuse to believe that! Not after you said…”

“You’re just jealous you didn’t win!” snapped Sidonie, holding Danica close, as if to protect her from their dorm leaders. “Don’t take it out on Danica, she did nothing wrong and you know it!”

“Believe whatever you want, Little Potato! The truth still remains regardless!” Vil didn’t even bother acknowledging Sidonie’s statement, as this all was painful enough. “Now, I won’t ask you again, apologize to Rook!”

Danica couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She stared at both her dorm leaders, feeling short of breath as she struggled to find her words. Far be it from her to apologize to Rook but at the same time, there was one thing she still wished to know.

“Rook-san…” she began, “Will you at least answer me this: which girls’ team did you vote for? Did you at least…”

Rook wasted no words, once again confirming the worst. “Your performance was quite intense, just as you’re acting right now. You and your black swans were incredibly stunning but also frightening. The performance you gave came from a place of anger, just as you are right now,” he shook his head. “Indeed, you are not the same person you once were, and I couldn’t vote for you in good conscience, Danica. I am sorry.”

At this, Danica couldn’t take it anymore. She wouldn’t dare apologize to someone who clearly knew so little about her and thought so little of what he did know.

“NEVER SPEAK TO ME AGAIN!!!”

Wholly overwhelmed, she pressed her hands in her face, screaming loudly as she ran past her dorm leaders and didn’t look back. In the distance, the loud sound of a slamming door echoed down the hallway and the three upperclassmen knew Danica was back in her room. They stared down the hallway in silence for several moments before Sidonie finally spoke.

“Swans are beautiful, but they are not fragile,” she murmured. “Do you remember when I said that to you, Rook?”

Rook turned to her, slowly nodding but not saying anything else. Vil scoffed.

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Swans are beautiful, but when they’re provoked, when they’re hurt, they fight back…” she glared at both of her dorm leaders, raising her voice. “All Danica wanted was support but both of you only saw her as an object! A pretty white swan to love and adore and not the actual fucking human that she is!”

“Your language!” Vil snapped. “And what do you mean by that?!”

“Just what I said! You and Rook only saw Danica as a pure white swan and your mistake was thinking she would just be that way forever! But now our swan is realizing her power and because neither of you could value her as she is, she’s biting back! So don’t you dare, either of you, look down on her now when she’s only responding to how badly you’ve both treated her!”

Sidonie ran off to her own room and neither Vil nor Rook tried to stop her. Both of them were rendered speechless by every emotion they were feeling. And both of them were too overwhelmed to even try to comprehend them. They stood in mutual silence for several moments before it was Vil that finally broke it, leaning against the wall as the after-effects of his overblot began to overtake him. A painful whimper escaped him but when Rook reached out to him, he surprised him by fiercely swatting his hand away.

"Why, Rook..." he murmured. "Do you really believe that? That we...I couldn't..."

"Ah, Roi du Poison," Rook sighed. "I understand your ire at Danica, but the way you spoke to her, that was quite harsh."

"Harsh? Harsh?! And you don't believe what you said to her wasn't harsh as well?! You don’t think it was harsh evoking her sister’s memory?! Knowing what a sore spot it is for her?!”

Vil turned to his vice dorm leader with a rage burning in his eyes that the latter was not used to seeing.

"I can understand you not wanting to vote for our team but that was tactless and low, period. After everything Danica has been through, everything she endured, don't you think she at least deserved..."

"Everything Danica has gone through, that you put her through yourself. And everything…”

“This isn’t about ME!”

“But it is,” Rook calmly replied. “Whatever Danica has endured, you were the one to subject her to it. Period.”

Vil hesitated, his steely gaze faltering as he took in Rook’s words. He felt a twinge of guilt, knowing he had no right to judge his vice dorm leader when his own actions were just as egregious, maybe even worse.

“Perhaps we both should focus on reflecting on our own actions rather than casting stones from glass houses.”

Despite Vil's body language indicating for him to stay away, Rook boldly placed his hand on his shoulder. Vil tensed up, but he didn't react further. Only silently gritting his teeth as Rook continued telling him things he really didn't want to hear, even if it was all true.

"Sadly, we were not the only ones to fall short of perfection today. But I suppose I should not be surprised, your harshness towards her was very in character for you."

The anger immediately melted from Vil's face. He was correct after all, as much as Vil didn't want to admit it. However much Rook had hurt her, or even hurt him, Vil's lack of beauty was still the catalyst for it all. His vice dorm leader had no reason to lie to him and his overblot only confirmed all of this anyway.

Attempting to shift blame is the height of childishness. It’s not like my own choices have been fully honorable.

After all, Neige Leblanche would surely never be reduced to such a hideous state, such was his pure nature as different from Vil as night was different than day. He shook his head, shaking away all of the negative feelings against Rook as well.

"You’re right, I was incredibly cruel to her," he said. "It seems to be all that I am capable of."

Indeed, stew in your own reflections, Roi du Poison. Do not look too closely at mine.

"After all, every rose has thorns," Rook smiled a little. "Even the fairest ones of all.”

~~~

Pomefiore Dorm ~ Danica’s Room

Finally alone in her own room—her sanctuary from the chaos—Danica collapsed face-first onto her bed. Taking in the familiar scent and soaking the pillows with her tears. Her throat was hoarse from screaming and her limbs were sore, but even then, that wasn’t even the worst of her pain.

Whatever Vil had done, at the very least, Danica could understand his motives even if she did not agree with them. Rook’s actions on the other hand left Danica completely confused and hurt. Her mind returned to winter break and the time they spent together the day before the masquerade.

At that time, Danica was convinced by Rook’s actions that he only had eyes for her, which made her feelings for Vil all the more conflicting. Those moments stayed with her all throughout the training camp and was why she still wished to believe his feelings were true in spite of all she had seen today.

But unlike Vil, who only wished for her to perform the role of a pure white swan, Rook on the other hand expected Danica to be a pure white swan. And when she could not maintain that role in good conscience, he turned his back on her. It was inexcusable, and the more she thought about it, the more she realized how cruel Rook had been to treat her so kindly when he was still capable of such things. This betrayal cut deeper than any critique Vil could have offered.

There was nothing kind about what Rook had done to her or Vil. And Danica knew that if she continued caring for him, she would always only ever be second in his eyes. She would always be second to girls prettier or more charming or to the intriguing beastmen that always caught his attention,

And she would always be second to Neige Leblanche. A person Rook didn’t even really know.But Neige Leblanche was the exact kind of perfect swan that Rook desired and as she had been reminded of for weeks, a black swan couldn’t stand by the side of a prince.

I’m such an idiot! I’m an idiot! I’M AN IDIOT!

Outside the door, Sidonie could hear the loud, hoarse sobbing coming from within. She didn’t even bother to knock and thankfully, the door was still unlocked. Sidonie entered Danica’s room, gently closing the door and locking it before going over to her heartbroken friend. Sidonie watched her for several moments with a heavy heart, before noticing the music box on the nightstand. She took it and wound it up, the soft melody finally catching Danica’s attention and momentarily putting a stop to her tears.

“It’s a wonder you still have tears left to cry, my dear,” Sidonie sighed, tenderly stroking the younger girls’ hair. “After all that you’ve endured.”

“It hurts, it hurts so bad…” Danica replied, her voice muffled by the pillows. “I can’t stop crying, I try but I can’t, everything hurts but crying hurts too…”

“I know, I know, it’s okay,” Sidonie softly shushed her, coaxing Danica to turn around to face her. She smiled. “I don’t know what has happened between you, Vil and Rook, but I know they hurt you and I cannot forgive that. Especially when you've done nothing wrong.”

“B…but I have…” Danica whimpered, turning her face back to the pillows. “Even if we won, I still became a black swan! Vil is right! And now Rook no longer cares about me! It’s all my fault!”

“Hush!” Sidonie gave the pillow a firm tap. “None of this is your fault! If Rook’s love for you was dependent on you remaining innocent and sweet forever, then he never loved you to begin with! He only loved an idea of you that was never real!”

“But Neige Leblanche is real! He’s innocent and sweet and exactly what Vil and Rook wanted me to be,” she sighed. “And because I couldn’t…”

“No, stop right there. We’ve talked about this once already,” said Sidonie. “At the time I didn’t really understand it but I do now. Danica, do you want to know what innocence really is?”

Danica glanced up at her, nodding as she wiped her face with her hand.

“Innocence isn’t about never changing or staying sweet forever. It’s about being true to yourself, about having the courage to face the world as you are, not as others want you to be,” Sidonie explained, her voice warm and reassuring. “True innocence, my dear, is about retaining the purity of your intentions and your heart, even in the face of adversity and change.”

“Sidonie-san…” Danica listened, her eyes reflecting a mix of sorrow and understanding.

“Neige might embody the innocence Rook idolizes, but your journey—your transformation into the black swan—has its own beauty and strength. It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s powerful. Even swans must ruffle their feathers sometimes to truly fly.”

Sidonie pulled Danica into a tender embrace, holding her and allowing her to cry into her chest. She gave her hand a gentle squeeze. Softly rocking back and forth in a way very similar to how she would comfort her when she was still alive.

“I know it hurts, but you aren’t to blame. Fuck Vil for trying to repress you. Fuck Rook for his unwillingness to accept you, and fuck the rest of the world for how they resent people as incredible as you. But you never did anything wrong, and the fact that you won as a black swan is proof of it!”

With teary eyes, Danica gazed up at Sidonie and for the first time in weeks, saw the kindness and support she felt herself lacking for so long. She couldn’t describe it, but something about Sidonie’s gentle manner always reminded her of Fiona. She had been Danica’s greatest support when she was alive and her death left Danica all the more lonely and unsure of herself. But in Sidonie, she felt the same unconditional love and support she could always rely on from her sister and, for the briefest moments, it was enough for her to soothe her.

As the music box continued to play softly in the background, Danica felt a gentle easing of the sadness she had carried. Maybe, just maybe, she could begin to see herself not as a failed attempt at perfection, but as someone beautiful and defiant in her own right.

“You’re the only one who understands,” she sniffed.

“I only want what's best for you, Danica,” replied Sidonie. “Even if they mean well, our dorm leaders really dropped the ball regarding how they’ve treated you.”

And that is why I want to replace Vil. This is why I want to be Pomefiore’s dorm leader.

“You will always be enough, if you continue to strive to be the best performer you can be and compromise yourself for no one.”

“Thank you, Onee…I mean, Sidonie-san…”

“Try to get some rest. Everything will look better and brighter with fresh eyes unsullied by tears.” Sidonie smiled. “I will stay here with you for as long as you need,”

Soon enough, the weight of all Danica was feeling finally became too much for her and mercifully allowed her to finally drift off to sleep. True to her word, Sidonie remained by her side and did not leave for a long time.

As Danica slept, Sionie sat on the bed beside her. On the nightstand next to the music box sat the Pomefiore rosette Farron had crafted for Danica, a commission from a secret admirer. Though Farron was sworn to secrecy, Sidonie was already aware of which of their dorm leaders had requested the gift, as he had let the secret casually drop during a Science Club meeting some weeks prior.

She shook her head, even though she knew, it really was a beautiful accessory and Farron had done a beautiful job crafting it. For that reason, along with how lovely Danica was when she wore it with her dorm uniform, she resolved that she would never tell her that Rook was the one who commissioned it. If she could help it, it would remain a mystery to her forever.

~~~

Sometime During Winter Break…

How did I end up in this predicament?

Danica silently asked herself this as she tried to focus her mind on remaining silent and still and away from the pervasive itch crawling up her back. She was doing so well remaining hidden and her pride wouldn’t allow her to give up now. He would surely hear the movement and she would be found faster than the time it would take to soothe the itch and reposition herself in her hiding place.

Yet, paradoxically, a part of her harbored a secret desire to be found. This was an odd twist in her day—playing hide and seek, a game from her childhood, which she hadn’t thought she’d play again until perhaps someday with her own children. And certainly not with Rook Hunt, of all people, and not in his family villa. But that was exactly what she was doing.

To distract herself from her increasing desire to move around, Danica thought about the events that led up to this and how she found herself here in the first place. Soon after Christmas, her parents had allowed her to take a solo trip to Sunset Savanna to visit Taima, Lilianne and their family. They spent the final days of the year working on music Danica would present to Vil when she returned to school and on the last day of her stay, visited the marketplace together.

While exploring on her own, Danica was surprised to run into Rook and was even more surprised when he told her he was spending his winter break there with his family, she had always figured he was from Shaftlands like her and Vil. After chatting for a bit, Rook invited Danica to spend some time with him and Taima and Lilianne convinced her that she should. She required little convincing though she began to feel nervous when they arrived at his home and she realized they were completely alone.

Cut to a few hours later and somehow he had convinced her to play this impromptu game with him, tempting her with the idea that the many empty rooms would provide ample places to hide.

“No corner of this house is off limits to you, not that you will be able to elude me for very long, ma cherie,” he told her with a teasing little grin. “It’s not a matter of if I will find you, but when.”

The closet of an empty bedroom was where she decided to hide from Rook. She even made a point of not turning on any lights and closing the closet door so this room would appear completely untouched. But as the minutes ticked away, her heart began to race at the idea that she could be discovered at any moment. Rook was strangely very good at finding things, especially people, something Danica knew firsthand.

The outcome of this was inevitable, and as she felt the need to move grow stronger by the second, she wondered if preserving her pride was really worth this discomfort. Especially when she secretly was looking forward to what would happen when Pomefiore’s dashing hunter discovered her.

Through the closet keyhole, Danica could see the faintest sliver of light from the hallway, trickling into the room. Her heart stopped and the itch on her back was temporarily replaced with a strangely pleasant tingling sensation as the light became brighter. Rook walked in and turned on the light, and the fact that he didn’t left right away could only mean one thing. But she remained as silent as the grave, maybe Rook wouldn’t notice anything out of the ordinary and move on to another room. If such happened, she would finally leave her hiding spot, having bested him.

Looking through the keyhole, Danica eagerly watched as Rook quietly walked around and, strangely enough, placed the photo frames on the nightstand face down. His head turned to the closet and she held her breath, even closing her eyes so as to not catch even the smallest glint of light. A minute passed, followed by a few, and Rook’s movements went silent.

“It appears mon petit cygne is nowhere to be found in this room,” he mused aloud, turning his head from the closet. “I must search another room, it seems.”

The way he sounded, Danica couldn’t decipher if he was truly talking to himself or trying to lure her out. Either way, she resolved to remain silent. Completely forgetting her discomfort as she listened to his footsteps approach the door, before stopping once again.

“Ah, what a lovely fragrance. Soft and sweet, like mon petit cygne.”

Rook’s footsteps were picking up again and Danica pressed her hands to her lips. Her cheeks burned with the realization that he likely smelled the perfume she wore—a scent she had crafted herself and frequently wore at school. She silently damned herself for wearing it but at the same time, how was she to know that she would be playing this game today?

He continued to muse about the scent, deliberately stopping right at the door of the closet as Danica tried to quietly move back further into her hiding place. She felt her back hit the wall, making a soft thump that she was certain that if she heard, Rook did as well. A soft chuckle all but stopped her heart.

“I wonder, were I to follow this lovely scent…” The doorknob turned and on instinct, Danica squeezed her eyes shut even as light poured in and Rook entered the closet, his quarry within his grasp. “…will it lead me to mon petit cygne?”

“Rook-san!”

His name spoken in a high-pitched gasp was all she could muster before she found herself cornered by her charming vice dorm leader. Rook wasted no time wrapping his arms around her waist as he pulled her out of the closet with him. Danica put up a half-hearted struggle against him but his embrace tightened and quickly conceded defeat, both of them laughing the entire time.

“To think, twice now I’ve had the privilege to hunt such an enchanting creature,” he whispered against her hair.

“Oh…Rook…” Against his chest, Danica felt the heat rising in her chest and undoubtedly showing on her face. She took in his scent and with it, a powerful desire for Rook to never let her go. Without realizing it, she nuzzled against him. “You knew I was there the entire time, didn’t you?”

“Oui,” he confirmed. “And not just by your perfume, the way you shifted in the closet, your footsteps that I heard from downstairs, and the subtle way your breath hitched as I came to this room and turned on the light. All pointed to me discovering you here.”

“Hmmm, I guess I should have known better to think I could hide from you for long,” a soft chuckle rumbled against her chest followed by a gentle hand running down her back. She gazed up at him before quickly lowering her head. His smile made her blush. “But what do you mean by twice? We’ve…never done anything like this before at school.”

“Ah but we have, cherie,” he gently pulled away just enough to lift her chin, ensuring her eyes met his. “Even if you do not realize, from the moment we met, I have always had my hunter’s gaze upon you.”

Danica closed her eyes as she pondered his words. She recalled their first meeting, how Rook came across her trying to hurry back to Pomefiore after sneaking off after orientation. She couldn’t help but wonder how long he was watching her walk down the dark empty halls of the school before finally making himself known to her. At the time, her primary concern was returning to her dorm as fast as she could before she could incur Vil’s wrath, but did Rook also consider this a part of their game?

“How could a hunter like myself not desire to chase something so beautiful?” he asked, pressing her closer and bringing his lips to her ear before continuing with, “and how could I ever allow her to escape me now that she is finally in my arms?”

“Rook-san…what do you mean by…haaaaaa…!!”

In a quick and sudden gesture, Rook swept Danica off the ground. A loud shriek escaped her lips before she could finish her question, surprised by his ability to lift her so easily and thrilled by his strength in doing so. She giggled, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck as he spun her around, kicking her feet in the air like an excited child.

“I don’t think I could ever escape you, Rook-san,” she blushed. “Even if I wanted to. But could you at least put me down?”

Rook laughed, carrying her over to the bed and placing her back on her feet before taking a seat on the edge of the bed and beckoning her to join him there. She sat beside him, lowering her gaze as he moved closer and placed an arm around her. He was so warm, and she felt a strangely tender sensation being so close to him. It was the same feeling she got whenever she and Vil were alone; tender, comforting, oddly addictive but extremely confusing. Why did her heart have to be so indecisive?

“You were kind enough to indulge one of my deepest whims, ma cherie,” Rook smiled warmly at her. “And for that, merci. May I now have the honor of fulfilling one of your desires?”

“I…really?” She felt the heat return to her face. “If…all you wanted was to play this game with me, I think we could have arranged it sooner. I wouldn’t have minded, maybe not in the dorm though so Vil-san wouldn’t scold us.”

He laughed again, lifting her gaze to his. He murmured something to her in French that Danica only partially understood, but the words “adorable” and “my precious heart” made her heart flutter. Rook was often flirtatious with her, but never like this.

The words he was using, how close he was now, the fact they were alone, everything about their dynamic was quickly taking on a whole new meaning the longer she spent in his presence. There was a strong sense of intimacy in the way he regarded her though they were barely touching. Her heart was confused but he continued in this manner, she wondered if she might finally find the answer she was looking for.

“You…want to grant me one of my desires…?” she softly asked. “I’m afraid I have many, and I’m not sure where to begin.”

“Ahhh, and I would grant every last one if given the opportunity,” he replied, slightly narrowing his gaze towards her face, and leaning into her lips. “But for now, allow me to give you this…”

For the last few hours, Danica sat with Rook and felt as his words slowly began to take on a more intimate feel. She looked into his eyes and felt her heart pounding every time he would smile or compliment her. She agreed to play hide and seek with him and while she tried to make an effort to find a decent hiding place, secretly looked forward to having him find her.

Looking around her, she had the feeling that they were now in his room as the bed she sat upon had a comforting scent that was strangely familiar. And now, he was closer than ever. She watched how his face leaned into hers. And felt how his fingertips softly brushed against her cheek and pulled her face closer to his. But somehow, Danica could not believe that such a thing could happen. Something out of a fairy tale or like the saccharine sweet song lyrics she wrote in middle school. Something so perfectly in alignment with her deepest, most secret desires. This had to be a dream.

But it wasn’t. And as Danica continued pondering such, Rook finally closed the distance between their lips. A soft, hesitant kiss, as if testing the waters, seeking a response before going deeper. A thousand jolts of electricity went off in her body at once but the warmth of his lips against hers quickly melted away any anxiety in her heart, replaced with glowing realization and a burning desire for more. She responded eagerly at first, kissing him back, but when she felt a hand run down her leg, she pulled away.

“Rook-san!” Danica gasped, her face a bright, hot apple red. “Why…you…”

“What’s wrong, cherie?” Rook asked, “I haven’t made you uncomfortable, have I?”

“N…no…” she took several deep breaths, working up the courage to look up and meet his gaze. “I’m not uncomfortable, just…surprised. I never thought…I never imagined that you…that you actually wanted…”

“As I’ve said before, cherie, it is not in my nature to ignore something so beautiful when it is right in front of me.” he gently framed her face with his hands . “It is my greatest desire that you will allow me to pay tribute to your radiance.”

“Rook…”

She placed her hands on top of his and wanted to move them away, but found she couldn’t. But soon enough, he removed them himself, replaced with his arms fully enfolding her as he pushed them back onto the bed.

“Rook…please…”

“You are an angel walking amongst mortals, cherie, and I see in your eyes what your lips hesitate to say.” Rook kissed her again, and again, and again, not leaving a single inch of her face untouched by his lips. “You want this don’t you? So why do you deny your heart what it so earnestly desires?”

Danica didn’t realize that her eyes were closed and when she finally opened them again, she felt her face go ablaze at the way Rook was looking at her. Kindness and desire illuminated in his emerald gaze. She was at a loss for words but knew she had to find them soon before her silence allowed him to do something she feared she might regret.

After all, it would be so much easier if Rook was the only person preoccupying her heart. But he wasn’t. And until she could finally make a decision and cease being so fickle, Rook did not deserve to give his heart to someone who was only half-sure of him. With all the strength she possessed, she forced her body forward, removing herself from his warmth, a very difficult task indeed.

“You’re…right, I do want this,” she sighed. “I want this more than anything in the world right now.”

“Ah, then allow me to grant you your desire, mon petit cygne."

Rook held her again against his chest, peppering her cheek with soft little kisses as she trembled in his embrace. He tried pushing her back on the bed, but she resisted.

"There’s no need to be nervous," he whispered. "I will cherish every inch of you. In the way that lovers do.”

“But that’s just it,” Danica summoned further courage to further pull away. “I…this is a lot…I’ve never felt this way before. No one has ever made me feel so…” she blushed. “…special…I…I need time to think about this…I don’t…ahhh…” He appeared as though he were about to kiss her again and she moved further away. “You want us to be lovers, but, will you allow me some time to think about this?”

“You are very special to me, Danica.” Rook smiled. “You stir my heart in ways I cannot describe.” He reached out to her and pulled away a lock of her dark hair, placing a tender kiss on her forehead. “But I understand what I ask is not to be taken lightly and far be it from me to make you uncomfortable.”

“I’m sorry,” Danica sighed as she rose to her feet. “I’m sorry I’m like this, but…”

“Please don’t apologize, cherie. I will give you all the time you need to consider my proposal. And when you are ready to give me your answer, let me know."

He stood up as well, pulling her into one final embrace. It didn’t occur to him at all to feel disappointed by her answer. Rather, he saw her response merely as extending the game between them. There was nothing wrong with a little resistance, it made the hunt all the more intriguing, and all the more delightful when Danica finally surrendered.

“I am looking forward to the day you will allow me to shower you with all my adoration. Just like the prince who adored the white swan.”

~~~

With the sound of her music box playing in the darkness, Danica began to rise from her sleep. Bitter memories of sweeter times long gone haunting her dreams, reminding her of the cruelty of her reality and not allowing her to rest. And when she finally opened her eyes again she realized it was already night time.

Sidonie was long gone, but it didn’t bother her much as she looked at her phone and saw it was past midnight. And she also saw a single text from Iman.

Call me or Taima when you get a chance, and don’t look at magicam until you do.

~~~

(A/N: I really hope you all like this chapter, because it really was a labor to complete it and everytime I came back to it, I was also coming back to some extremely painful memories that I’d rather bury in my past forever.

I’m not going to get into this again but for those who know me, know that I have very deep and personal feelings about all of Book 5 but especially the ending. It’s because of how Book 5 ended is why I ended up throwing out what I originally planned for this story and honestly while I think this fic is much better than what I originally planned, writing it has been quite an emotional journey and not always in a good way. It’s rather remarkable, but also frustrating, how many feelings this anime mickey mouse bishie mobile game can give me but maybe that’s just a testament to the writing.

But now we are almost to the end. The final chapter of this fic will come out a week from today and the remaining VDC dress vignettes will be uploaded within that time. Please look forward to it. And as always, thank you for reading and feedback is appreciated! ❤️)

#twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland oc #twst oc #oc: danica #twst vil #twst rook #vil x oc #rook x oc #twst fic #twst writing #things i write #shining hearts ~ melodies and melancholy

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thatsthewaythechrissycrumbles · 11 months

Text

No Scrub

JJ Maybank x OC (Ruby Routledge)

Warnings: swearing, fighting, overreaction, slight innuendo?

WC: 0.7k

So... a Halloween party for the Pogues is basically an every day party, except they put on costumes and eat a shit ton of candy. And maybe do karaoke.

John B, JJ, and Pope are matching skeletons. Ruby, Sage, and Kie are fairies.

So when Ruby, John B, JJ, Pope, and Kie were watching Sage sing That's What Makes You Beautiful by One Direction? Highlight of their year. Better than fucking Christmas.

"Okay, okay," Sage huffs, completely out of breath. "Who's next?"

"You are, baby," John B chuckles, offering Sage her beer. "You put yourself down for all night."

Sage raises her eyebrows, chugging the beer. "Fuck, seriously? Well, I don't wanna go anymore."

"Too bad, Sage," Ruby chimes in, her legs laying over JJ's lap. "Come on, we all know you love singing. Just one more!"

Sage waves her off, "Fine, fine. But this one's gotta be fucking good."

JJ and Ruby tapered off into their own conversation, lost in their own little world. John B nudged Pope, grinning. "10 bucks says she picks a song from 1990."

"Destiny's Child, for sure," Kie chimed in.

"Okay, okay," Sage said, shaking out her hands. "No Scrub, TLC."

"Oh my God," Ruby grinned, "I fucking love this song! Can I duet?"

"Hell yes!" Sage said, handing Ruby the other microphone. "Bless you, Pope, for sharing your karaoke machine with us."

"Gift of the year, my good sir," JJ raised his beer mockingly, putting on an accent.

"It's my moms!" Pope defended weakly, sipping at his beer again.

The opening notes of No Scrub started playing and the two girls danced around, absolutely care free as they sang.

"Oh my God," Ruby huffed, flopping down on the couch beside JJ again. "That song is literally my life. Innit, J?" She nudged her boyfriend playfully, reciting a few lines, "Hanging out the passenger side of his best friend's ride, trying to holler at me--"

JJ got up from the couch in a huff, his cheerful demeanor gone and replaced with an upset, angry vibe.

"JJ!" Ruby yelled, confused. "What the hell?" She got off the couch, rushing after JJ and grabbing his arm. "JJ, what--"

JJ whirled, anger written across his features. "What do you mean, 'what'? You're just gonna act like it's about someone who won't give any love to a poor guy? Fucking Christ, Ruby, even you aren't that dumb!"

Ruby flinched. "Hey, that's not fair. I didn't even think--"

"Yeah, no shit," JJ responded, pulling his arm away from her and shoving the door open.

"JJ, that's not fair!" Ruby yelled, tears shining in her eyes. "You can't just--"

"Oh, I can't? Ruby Routledge, everyone, who's tryin' to tell me what I can and can't do? Get off your high horse."

"I'm not on a goddamn high horse, JJ! What the fuck is up with you?!" Ruby yelled, the pair now standing in the yard and having a full-on screaming match right in front of the open living room window. "Why are you reacting so poorly to this song?"

"It's about a rich bitch, Ruby!" JJ yelled, getting in her face. "A rich bitch who won't give any love to a guy who lives with his mom, who doesn't have money, and doesn't have a goddamn car! And I don't have any of those things, so why the hell would you give me love? I'm just a fucking scrub!"

Ruby let out an incredulous laugh. "JJ! Come on! I meant--"

"It doesn't matter what you meant," JJ says as it starts to rain. "It matters what you said. And you said, and I quote, 'this song is literally my life.'" He wipes his face, black and white makeup smudging with the water.

"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, JJ, okay? I'm really sorry," Ruby said, taking a small step forward. "I just meant that it's funny, okay? That I have this gorgeous scrub all to myself, JJ, because I wouldn't have it any other way. Come back inside, okay? Please, for me? You can pick a terrible song about women and say it's about me."

JJ made a face, "Sure. Fine."

"I really am sorry, JJ," Ruby said, pushing JJ's hair back and leaning up to kiss his makeup-ruined face. "I love you..."

"Okay, okay," JJ said wish a small laugh, pushing Ruby away so he could properly kiss her lips, I love you, too. And I'm sorry I overreacted."

"It's okay. Hey, what song are you gonna pick?"

"Lights Down Low," JJ smirked, "By Bei Maejor."

"JJ!"

#juby week 2023 #jj maybank #juby #ruby routledge #john b routledge #sage medici #jage

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brendonloverurie · 1 year

Note

what's your favorite TS album, lyric, song?

Lover is definitely my forever favorite, with Midnights coming in at a close second. ME! Is definitely my favorite song, because I'm as much Sinner (Panic fan) as Swiftie. And for favorite lyrics, It's hard to choose so I chose a "few" highlights.

"And if you come around saying sorry to me, my Daddy's gonna show you how sorry you'll be!"

"So I drive home alone, as I turn out the light, I'll put his picture down and maybe get some sleep tonight."

"I'm alone. On my own. And that's all I know. I'll be strong. I'll be wrong. Oh but life goes on. Oh, I'm just a girl, tryna find a place in this world."

"You never did give a damn thing honey, but I cried, cried, for you. And I know you wouldn't have told nobody if I died, died for you."

"It's strange to think the songs we used to sing, the smiles, the flowers, everything is gone."

"Our mamas smiled, and rolled their eyes, and said oh, my my my."

"Everytime you smile, I smile. And everytime you shine, I'll shine for you."

"When all you wanted, was to be wanted. Wish you could go back and tell yourself what you know now."

"Romeo, save me. They're tryna tell me how to feel. this love is difficult, but it's real." And "I got tired of waiting, wondering if you were ever coming around. My faith in you was fading, when I met you on the outskirts of town"

"All those other girls, well they're beautiful, but would they write a song for you?"

"She wears short skirts, I wear T-shirts. She's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers."

"Hope you know this ain't easy, easy for me."

"I took a chance, I took a shot. And you might think I'm bulletproof, but I'm not." And "I take a step back, and let you go. I told you I'm not bulletproof, now you know."

"It rains in your bedroom, everything is wrong. It rains when you're here and it rains when you're gone."

"I know you were on my side, even when I was wrong."

"I watched from a distance as you made life your own. Every sky was your own kind of blue."

"You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter."

"I'd go back to December, turn around and change my own mind."

"My mother accused me of losing my mind, but I swore I was fine." And "the girl in the dress cried the whole way home."

"I walk with my head down, trying to block you out 'cause I'll never impress you."

"I don't know what to say, since the twist of fate."

"Please don't be in love with someone else, please don't have somebody waiting on you."

Every lyric on "Better Than Revenge" because I worship that song.

"He will try to take away my pain, and he just might make me smile, but the whole time I'm wishing he was you instead."

"So I'll watch your life in pictures like I used to watch you sleep. And I feel you forget me like I used to feel you breathe. And I'll keep up with our old friends, just to ask them how you are."

"Ghosts from your past gonna jump out at me, lurking in the shadows with their lip gloss smiles." And "any snide remarks from my father about your tattoos will be ignored."

"Maybe I've been going back too much lately, when time stood still, and I had you."

Every lyric on "Today Was A Fairytale" but especially, "fell in love when I saw you standing there." And "now it's getting so much clearer, nothing made sense till the time I saw your face." And "I can't put this down."

"I will follow you, follow you home."

"Flew me to places I've never been." And "and I realize, the joke is on me, hey!"

"Autumn leaves falling down like pieces into place." And "so casually cruel in the name of being honest."

Every lyric in WANEGBT because that was my first T Swift song.

"Before you I only dated self indulgent takers, who took all of their problems out on me. But you carry my groceries and now I'm always laughing."

"Cause darling, it was good. Never looking down. And right there where we stood, was holy ground."

"Good girls, hopeful they'll be, long they will wait."

"It was a few years later, I showed up here. And they still tell the legend of how you disappeared. You took the money and your dignity and got the hell out."

"So dust off your highest hopes"

"He said, "look at you, worrying so much about things you can't change. You'll spend your whole life singing the blues if you keep thinking that way."

"There you'll stand, ten feet tall. I will say, I knew it all along."

"Everybody here was someone else before."

Every lyric on "Blank Space" because before ME! came out, that was my favourite.

"So It Goes, he can't keep his wild eyes on the road."

Every lyric on "Out Of The Woods"

"Let me remind you, this was what you wanted, you ended it. you were all I wanted, but not like this."

"So if you're coming my way, just don't."

The entire bridge for "Wildest Dreams"

"That's how it works, that's how you got the girl."

"In silent screams, in wildest dreams."

"Rain came pouring down, when I was drowning that's when I could finally breathe. And by morning, gone was any trace of you, I think I am finally clean."

"You two are dancing in a snow globe round and round."

"Cause baby I could build a castle out of all the bricks they threw at me."

"I've been looking sad in all the nicest places."

"Knew I was a robber first time that he saw me. Stealing hearts and running off and never saying sorry, but if I'm a thief then he can join the heist and we'll move to an island."

The entire chorus for "I Did Something Bad"

"I get so high, oh!"

All of "Delicate"

"All I think about is karma." And the whole bridge.

"I'm so chill, but you make me jealous." And "come here, dressed in black now, so, so, so it goes! Scratches, down your back now, so, so, so it goes!

"If you've got a girlfriend, I'm jealous of her. But if you're single, that's honestly worse." And the bridge.

All of Getaway Car!

"King Of My Heart" bridge!

Every word of "New Year's Day" because it hurts to good to be real.

All of the album Lover. Every song, every lyric, every sound is magical and heavenly to me.

"Roaring 20s, tossing pennies in the pool."

All of "Cardigan"

The LGAD bridge.

All of "Seven"

The end chorus of "August."

"They told me all of my cages were mental, so I got wasted like all my potential."

"Illicit Affairs" bridge.

"Something wrapped all of my past mistakes in barbed wire. Chains around my demons."

All of "Hoax"

All of "Champagne Problems."

Every word of "Gold Rush" because. Because.

"So I'll go back to LA, and the so-called friends who'll write books about me if I ever make it."

"The stars in your eyes shine brighter in Tupelo."

"And the skeletons in both our closets plotted hard to f*ck this up."

All of "Long Story Short"

All of "Right Where You Left Me."

The extra lyrics in All Too Well (10 minute version.)

And all of Midnights, because I'm in my Midnights era now.

Sorry for the long reply, It was not supposed to get this long, but I'm glad it did. I like getting asks and I don't get nearly enough nice ones. Thank you. (You don't have to read all of this though. 🤭)

#Taylor Swift #asks #thank u!#long post #this got a bit out of hand #lol #thelasttime

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dreaminlittlenightmares · 2 years

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Halloween writing Prompt! The Pretender is convinced that the Nest is haunted and demands the 4 protags come and investigate it. Spooky times ensue!

Not sure if this is what you were expecting, but I hope you enjoy it!

Title: Play? Word Count: 805 Characters: the Four Protags, the Nest Staff

"It's in there!" the Pretender said, as she hid by the door frame.

Raine, Six, Seven, and Six all turned their attention to a wardrobe that stood on the opposite end of an unused empty room without windows. It was tall and closed, but nothing about radiated evil or spookiness. Raine looked back at the Pretender. "But sis, there's nothing there!"

"Don't call me 'sis'!" the Pretender snapped, "And I said it's inside, you stupid dolt!"

Raine frowned and crossed her arms. Seven took over. "But why do we have to deal with a ghost?"

The Pretender puffed out her cheeks. "Because I said so! You guys are friends, right? I bet you guys and your power of friendship, or whatever, can handle it." The four friends looked at each other with raised eyebrows. "Just get the ghost already! I don't want it in my house. Get it out, or I'll scream; and you'll be sorry!" The Pretender slammed the door and ran away.

Mono looked at Raine nervously. "The Nest isn't really h-haunted, is it?"

"The Nest isn't haunted," Raine answered, "If it was, Jeeves would have done something instead of us." She looked at her friends with reassurance. "It's probably just another trick by her to scare us, that's all."

"I dunno," Six hummed, "Seems a bit elaborate to get all four of us to come here for that?"

Seven walked up to the wardrobe and placed his hand on it. "I've seen ghosts before. If the Nest is haunted, or at least the wardrobe, the lights would flicker. Mono, did you bring your flashlight?" Mono nodded quickly and pulled out his flashlight from his coat pocket.

"Great," Seven continued, "Let's open this up and get this over with, then."

"Wait!" Six stepped up to the wardrobe doors. "I'll open it. You and Mono jump out from either side and flash the ghost."

"I'll help!" Rain scurried over to one of the doors. "You open one door and I'll open the other. Then, Mono and Sev and flash the ghost." Everyone agreed and got into position. "Ready? On the count of three. One...two... ... ...THREE!"

The girls pulled open the door, and the boys jumped in front and flashed their lights with a loud HI YAA! The flashlights fell on a plain looking, human-shaped doll, with black button eyes and a deep purple plaid dress. The kids stared at it in disbelief.

"It's just a doll," Seven mumbled, switching off his flashlight. He picked it up and inspected it.

"Don't do that!" Mono gasped, "What if the ghost is in the doll?"

"So?" Seven snorted, "What's it gonna do? Make the doll come to life?"

"Yeah," Six and Mono answered in unison.

Seven scrunched up his face. "You guys watch too many scary movies. When has a statue or doll every come to life on its own in real life?"

Before Mono could answer his doubting friend, the purple plaid dress doll let out a childish giggle. Seven dropped it immediately and rid behind Raine. All four friends stared at the doll, as it giggled again and turned its head around 180 degrees.

"Play?" the doll asked in a girlish voice.

"NO!" Mono aimed his flashlight directed at the doll.

"What is that suppose to do, Mono!?" Seven yelled at his friend.

"Mannequins can't move if you shine light on them!"

"Play?" the doll asked again. It stood up on its tiny, stubby legs, with its head lolled heavy to one side. "Play?"

"No! No play!" Mono ran to the door, followed by Raine, Seven, and Six. "Help, help! Get us out of here!!"

"PLAAAAAYYYYYY!!" The doll cheered and the lights in the empty room suddenly flickered and went out. The four friends managed to bust open the door and run out into a darkened corridor. When the reached the staircase, the portraits nearby started to glow. Instead of pictures of miserable children, each frame was replaced with a frightening image of an adult with red or purple glowing eyes, laughing at the children's fear. The group screamed and ran for it.

Meanwhile, in a higher tower in the Nest, the Butler set down a sandwich next to the Craftsman. The Craftsman took a bite out of his lunch, as he kept watching several tiny television screens, tracking the four Nest visitors.

"Your portrait project requested by the Young Mistress works," the Butler said with quiet awe.

The Craftsman answered giving his co-worker a thumbs up.

"Remind me to never actually anger you, sir," the Butler continued, "This is impressive, yet frightening. Please make sure to uninstall these when you're done. I don't want these to be around all year."

The Craftsman answered again with another thumbs up. He'll put away his installation project...after he's done following the Pretender's orders and scaring the kiddies...

#little nightmares #Six #Mono #the Runaway Kid #the nest staff #the Raincoat Girl #the Pretender #the Craftsman #the Butler #dream granted #short dapples

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dailybeastarsthings · 2 years

Text

Chapter 46 – For One To Show No Fear

The end of the year was rapidly growing near and thus animals were all looking for partners to kiss at midnight. This was also true for Pina, who was schmoozing with one of his many love interests.

‘Your horns smell really nice today’ he said to his girlfriend.

‘Thank you, I waxed them with honey to give them that extra shine’ she replied, smiling and blushing.

‘Well, I’m crazy about them’ Pina said smoothly.

‘You’re in the Drama Club, right? Do you like it there?’

‘Well, not to brag or anything, but I was given a huge role for the New Year’s performance. Are you gonna come see it?’ he tried to impress the girl, who was sitting on the edge of her seat in excitement.

‘Of course! Who are you gonna be?’

‘I’m gonna be the handsome youth who gets his soul stolen by the Grim Reaper. I’ll die at the end!’ Pina said cheerfully.

‘What, you’ll die?’ the girl asked in confusion. She expected something more exciting.

‘That’s right’ Pina said as he rested his head on his palm. ‘Tell me, Riona, if I died for real, would you mourn me?’ he asked as he leaned in for a kiss.

‘I think I’d laugh’ Riona replied coldly, blocking Pina’s lips with her palm, smiling sourly. ‘Who the hell is Riona!? I don’t think a guy who can’t even remember a girl’s name is even worth a funeral!’

With that, the girl jumped up, kicked Pina in the shin then stormed off. Pina looked after her in silence. He then sighed and shook his head before he headed to rehearsal in defeat.

‘Well, I did it again…’ he thought. After all, it was not the first time he messed up the names of his partners. ‘Girls really know how to hit you where it hurts. Now I’m too traumatized to remember names. Maybe I should just lay low until things get sorted out? Never! I just have to get it together then get back to action!’

Pina entered one of the restrooms on his way to the Drama Club. As he was walking inside, he thought about how the new casting for Adler was breaking the mold. A carnivore reaping an herbivore’s soul was way too realistic. Some might say its portrayal was taboo. Yet, all things considered, Pina was happy with his role. Suddenly, he heard a clank from behind then a shadow blocked all the light above him as he was about to relieve himself. He looked up, only to be greeted by the sight of Riz’s smiling face.

‘I’m looking forward for today’s rehearsal’ he said with his usual sugarcoated voice.

‘Oh, wow, you surprised me!’ Pina replied with forced cheerfulness. ‘But I think I’ll be leaving now. I’m not comfortable with peeing next to a murderer you know’ he said as he started to walk away.

‘I’m going to settle things with Legoshi at New Year’s’ Riz said, smiling.

‘I did figure out something was going on with him with the way he looked today… I was not expecting this, however…’

‘Oh, but that’s not all’ Riz continued with a shadow growing across his face. ‘You’re a part of this, too. You’re the only one other than Legoshi, who knows what I have done. So, when I’m done killing Legoshi, I’ll let all my emotions loose and devour you from head to toe.’

Pina was shocked by Riz’s words, he, however, didn’t want to let him rain over his parade and crush his mood.

‘From head to toe you say? I wouldn’t do that if I were you… These horns are clearly in the way and I really don’t think they taste very good’ he said with glee as he pointed towards his head.

Suddenly, Riz leaned in and sucked on Pina’s index finger. The Dall sheep was terrified as he felt the bear’s teeth and tongue playing around it. His leg’s trembled in horror until finally, what seemed to be a never ending moment, Riz let go of his finger with a slurping sound. Pina closed his eyes in fear, expecting a blood fountain emerging from the place of his late index finger, collapsing onto the floor.

‘Sorry about that’ Riz said, smiling, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. ‘I couldn’t help myself. Your fingers smelled like honey.’

With that, he left to partake in the rehearsal. Pina gasped as he sat up to check his hand and how bad the situation was.

‘They’re all still here! Thank goodness!’ he thought in relief before falling back to the tiles. ‘Who would’ve thought? I’m relieved to the point where I find myself lying on the filthy bathroom floor. I’m more desperate to live than I thought… I’m perfect for the guy who dies tragically at the end.’

After collecting his every ounce of energy and strength, Pina stood up and walked to the auditorium where the others have already been waiting for him. He quickly changed than joined the rest of the acting group. Sanu called for him shortly.

‘Okay, we’re going to start practice now’ he said. ‘Are the lights ready?’ Legoshi nodded. ‘Is the sound good?’ Fudge raised his thumb to show everything was fine.

‘Pina, you don’t look so good… Are you okay? Do you remember your lines?’ Juno asked in worry. She was not only worried for his club mate though. With this play, her reputation as an aspiring Beastar was at stake.

‘I’ll be fine’ Pina replied.

Juno was not the only one worrying about him though. He overheard others talking about him, how he only had the looks but never the talent Louis used to present on-stage. But Sanu signed for the pair to begin and so they did.

‘I’m Adler, the Grim Reaper. I have come here this evening to reap your soul’ Juno began her line. ‘If you have any last words, offer them to this scythe.’

‘If I begged for my life, would that satisfy you?’ Pina said his line while he lowered his head. He then sent a piercing look towards Juno. ‘Even if my life has been meaningless, my life is mine alone. My fear of dying is also mine alone. I won’t give you a testament… I’ll give you a heartfelt declaration instead.’ He clenched one of his fists and raised it up to his shoulder while turning towards the others. ‘You can take my life! But I won’t cower away from you!!!’

Pina panted after his line while the others were shocked at his powerful delivery of those words. Dom was so surprised, he even dropped a can full of red paint.

‘Are you alright, Pina? What’s gotten into you?’ Juno asked while the others rushed to Dom to help him clean up the spilled paint.

‘What do you mean?’ Pina chuckled. ‘I’ll go get some water. I’m parched.’

On his way to the locker room, he crossed paths with Riz, who was also amazed by his performance as well.

‘Did you see that?’ Pina asked while he patted Riz’s shoulder as he passed by him.

With that gesture, the bear’s suspicions became a reality. That powerful delivery was a declaration of war.

***

As per usual, Legoshi went straight to Gouhin after rehearsal to train for his fight at New Year’s. However, he also had the urge to see Louis to tell him about his resolution. That, however seemed easier said than done. He knew that after that incident back at the Shishigumi’s hideout, the lions would be on the lookout for him. After some thinking, Legoshi came up with the idea of crossdressing. To achieve the perfect look, Gouhin lent him one of his wife’s dresses and matching heels.

After Legoshi got dressed, Gouhin applied some makeup on him – some purple eyeshadow and peach blush to match the color of the dress. The final touch was a small floral headpiece to hide the scars above his eye.

‘I hope you don’t mind wearing this dress’ Gouhin said. ‘It must be shocking for you to learn that I don’t keep any dresses here. This one is only an exception because she was wearing this when we first met.’

‘Do I remind you of your wife?’ Legoshi asked almost absentmindedly. When he realized what he had just asked, he turned red in embarrassment. ‘Never mind, don’t answer that. I have to go now!’ And so he did, running out on the streets, looking for Louis.

***

Louis and Ibuki were sitting in their usual bar. They were almost regulars at that point. Ibuki was drinking some whisky, while Louis enjoyed a glass of plum wine.

‘What do you think would be more valuable stuffed… heads with manes or heads with antlers?’ Ibuki asked.

‘What?’ Louis turned his head towards the lion in surprise.

‘I suppose I should give you some context, huh?’ Louis blinked to indicate “yes” while he was taking a sip of his drink. ‘The clans here like to decorate their hideouts with stuffed animal heads, preferably the heads of the bosses of other clans.’

‘Do you think my small head would make for some fine interior design?’ Louis laughed.

‘I’m serious, boss! What will happen if some clan feels threatened by us and comes in with the sole purpose of claiming your head?’

‘Then you will die in my stead, Ibuki’ Louis said calmly. ‘I can’t die when things are looking so good for us. Besides, there’ll be rumors that my men ate me instead. I don’t want to sully the Shishigumi’s name.’

‘Of course. I’d gladly die for you, boss’ Ibuki said, and he meant every word. ‘Excuse me, I’ll have to use the bathroom.’

When Ibuki walked away, the bar’s entrance opened, letting in some fresh, crisp air, mixed with the scent of a floral perfume, making its way to Louis’ nostril. The clacking sound of heels soon joined the scent, too, which were headed straight to the seat next to the deer.

‘Huh, a female customer’ Louis thought. ‘Such a rare sight… But why is she sitting right next to me?’

He looked to the side to see, who he was sitting next to, only to realize that it was not a female customer, not even close. To his shock, it was Legoshi. He couldn’t help but stare, with his jaw dropping to the floor, literally.

‘Please don’t make this into a scene, Louis darling’ Legoshi said in a feminine tone. “Darling” was a word he didn’t know he would actually call him, but he liked it. It meant felt sweet for him to call Louis darling. His upperclassman on the other hand was a bit surprised. There was an awkward moment of silence between them before Legoshi continued. ‘I know I have a lot of explaining to do, but first let me tell you that, yes, I’m Legoshi. I’m sorry if my crossdressing is not the best. I came here through trial and error.’

Louis couldn’t decide which emotion he should choose in this situation. He was happy to see Legoshi, yet he was also on the verge of laughing at the poorly executed disguise on him. However, he was also quite angry at him, the memory of their latest encounter still a sour thought in him.

‘What the hell are you doing? Why are you wearing a dress? And why does it kind of look good on you? Do I seriously have to kill you to make you stop acting like a psycho!?’ he thought. ‘I love you, but I’ll do it!’

‘There’s something that I absolutely must tell you today’ Legoshi continued before they heard the restroom door opening. As Ibuki started walking back to the bar, he was shocked by the unfolding scene. Louis nervously grabbed his glass, taking a sip of plum wine, while Legoshi kept trying to make eye contact with him.

‘What can I serve you?’ the bartender asked Legoshi, snapping him out of his thoughts.

‘What would you recommend?’ he asked nervously.

‘Well, for a wolf, I’d say that the “Howling Lady” would be the best fit.’

‘I’ll have that then, thank you.’

Legoshi became increasingly worried as the lion slowly made its way back to the counter. He sure made it back faster than it would’ve been ideal, making him have to act fast while remaining calm, to avoid blowing his cover.

‘This isn’t good’ he thought. ‘Louis is getting angry with me, I can feel it. I know it looks like I’m screwing around but I’m dead serious! I want him to listen to what I have to say! What should I do?’

‘Damn it, Legoshi! Whenever I pour my soul into something, you always show up to stir up my feelings!’ Louis thought. ‘How should I use this stupid disguise to make this idiotic underclassman suffer!? What should I do?’ ‘

‘The boss is an 18-year-old male and I don’t intend on interfering with his private life, but that female is ugly as hell!’ Ibuki thought. ‘She’s twice as big as him, too. I could probably show him 10, way cuter partners for him than that female. Someone, who’s a perfect fit for the Shishigumi’s boss! What should I do?’

‘Ibuki, leave us a lone, please’ Louis instructed, breaking the cycle of thoughts, which were stirring violently around the bar.

‘Understood, boss. I’ll be waiting outside.’ Ibuki said, leaving the two behind.

Louis couldn’t believe himself. It was the first time for him to set duty aside because of his curiosity. He was interested in what Legoshi wanted to tell him, but he wanted to mess with him, too.

‘Thank you, darling’ Legoshi said when Ibuki closed the bar’s door behind him.

‘Anything for you, sugarplum’ Louis replied. Legoshi was surprised by his response, but he had to remain true to his disguise to maintain his character. ‘So, what is it that you want to tell me, sweety?’

Legoshi then proceeded to tell Louis about the results of his investigation from beginning to end, leaving no detail out. He even told him about how he French kissed Riz to gather information. They both rolled their eyes, hoping that the other would be their first kiss.

‘So Riz is the killer, which means that his stuffed-animal act was just a façade he used to get by at school…’ Louis said.

‘Exactly, he’s awful! Legoshi agreed. His voice cracked a little. Keeping up his high-pitched sound was getting harder for his throat.

‘Well, if you know he’s the killer, then hurry up and turn him in already.’

‘Why does everyone keep saying that? It’s not that simple!’

‘It literally is though.’

‘No, as a fellow carnivore, I’m going to show him justice by using force! And if I lose, then I’ll just have to let him kill me. I already got a taste from his strength. He left me with this scar. But only because I got my guard down!’ Legoshi said, trying to save face.

‘Okay, that’s not happening. I cannot let you fight him one-on-one!’ Louis said, worried.

‘I’m going to settle things with him at New Year’s Eve. I want you to be there to see our fight, Louis.’

‘Why should I?’ Louis said, trying to pull up a wall. He was simply too worried for Legoshi. He didn’t know how he would handle the fact that he was dead.

‘Louis, please…’

‘How many times do I have to tell you!? I belong to the Black Market! I have nothing to do with school anymore!’

‘I��m not telling you to return to the outside world!’ Legoshi argued while he grabbed Louis by the shoulders, turning him towards him. ‘There’s a chance that this is going to end with my death and if it does, I want you to be there to see it! Don’t you understand? I- I…’ Suddenly, he choked up. The words that almost left his mouth were the simplest, yet most difficult to say.

The two both looked at each other with eyes full of determination. On Legoshi’s side, he was determined to fight Riz either way and to make Louis turn up for the event, while Louis was determined to stay out of that completely. Finally, Louis broke the silence with a chuckle. He couldn’t take Legoshi’s serious expression with that hideous makeup.

‘What?’ Legoshi asked.

‘Oh, please, your face is just too much like this.’

‘You laughed, right?’

‘Are you serious, how could I not?’ Louis said, almost rolling off his chair.

‘I’ll take that as a yes! We’ll be under the Gazura Bridge at New Year’s Eve. It’s in front of the school! I’ll be waiting!’ With that, Legoshi stormed off, surprisingly quickly for someone who was wearing heels for the first time.

‘Wait, I’m not going!’ Louis yelled after him.

A moment of silence settled in the bar, Louis took another sip from his glass.

‘Where did that big female go?’ he heard Ibuki from behind.

‘I rejected her.’

‘Oh, that’s a relief’ Ibuki replied while took the seat next to Louis.

‘Did you really think, I’d give in? She was such a fool.’ Legoshi ran back to Gouhin to wash up before returning to school. He was hopeful that he would see Louis at his fight with Riz, giving him that extra motivation and power, he needed. He was not the only one busy training. Riz was also taking some extra time, working on his condition. After all, there were only three days left until New Year’s Eve. He, however, had another trick up his sleeve…

#beastars #beastars overhaul

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turtletaubwrites · 3 months

Text

Numbers Game ~ Part 26

I’ll Follow You

Pairings: Cross Guild x Fem!Reader x Shanks

Numbers Game Masterlist

Word Count: 7279

Ao3 Link

Ongoing Series Playlist: Youtube Music Link | Youtube Link

Extras: Author's Vision of the Party Attire ~ Reader ~ The Boys

Summary: Buggy and Shanks have one more talk before the show, and their memories haunt them both as the big finale stuns the crowd.

Author's Note: !!! EXTRA SPOILER WARNING !!! I'm so sorry! I'm not usually a manga reader, and haven't started to tackle One Piece yet, so I didn't realize that I've been working off of a manga spoiler that I got spoiled on last year while doing Buggy research. It's a very brief flashback from chapter 1082 that reveals the end the argument that Buggy and Shanks had after Roger's execution that we see just a glimpse of back when Shanks met with Whitebeard after Enies Lobby. I've written my own version of that flashback in the first scene. That's not the main thing that caused the rift between them in my story, so you are free to skip over it if you like, and there is plenty more Shuggy content for you in this chapter. I feel like this detail can be inferred from the anime event that I already warn for at the end of the Wano arc, but if you'd like to avoid that specific scene, please skip the first section! It's bracketed with these symbols: ~~~⏰🤡🔴⏰~~~

Alternate POV Symbols:

!!! SPOILER WARNING !!! Fic contains spoilers for the end of the Wano arc

Rating/Warnings: Author May Choose to Exclude some Warnings to Avoid Spoilers for Certain Chapters, Explicit Sexual Content, 18+ ONLY, MDNI, AFAB!Reader, She/Her Pronouns for Reader, Reader-Insert, Use of Y/N, Dark Content, Blood & Violence, PTSD, Panic Attacks, Dissociation, Grief, Swearing, Alcohol, Cigars, Smut, Fluff, Angst, Guilt, Drama, Jealousy, Manipulation, Pet Names, Power Imbalance, Cross Guild boys are VILLAINS, Possessive Behavior, Teasing, Threats, Death of a Minor Character, Flirting, Arguments, Blowjobs, Relationship Drama, Inappropriate Use of Akuma no Mi | Devil Fruit Powers, Shameless Shameless Smut, Other Additional Tags to Be Added

~~~⏰🔴🤡⏰~~~

Rain.

What a strange feeling.

How long has it been raining?

Has his blood been washed away already?

Buggy paced back and forth through the alley, waiting for his friend, his rival, to show up. Roger’s declaration had sent chaos through the city. Loguetown’s guards were circling, trying desperately to catch every witness before the new age could begin.

Nothing can stop Roger’s dream. Not even death.

Buggy choked on his almost optimistic thought. He couldn’t understand this new reality.

He needed to see Shanks.

~~~

Shanks couldn’t think in words, his tears too heavy for even the rain to wash away.

Roger.

The weight of grief and pressure would have paralyzed him, if not for his instincts to survive. The red haired boy flew through the town, his body running from the death of a man that meant family, searching for a blue haired boy that meant home.

~~~

“Shanks, you dumbass,” Buggy scolded, eyes scanning over his friend’s pale face. “What took you so long? It’s not safe–”

“I’m here,” he whispered, pulling Buggy in for a hug. Buggy shook him off to grab him by the shoulders, ignoring the rain that still poured over them both.

“Well, let’s hurry up,” the clown tried to sound positive, trying to push through the pain of losing the man that raised him. He needed to cheer Shanks up, to see his friend shining again. “You made Roger a promise, remember? You’re gonna get a ship, and we’ll go find the One Piece on our own. So let’s go!”

I can’t do it.

“I’ve changed my mind,” Shanks grimaced, trying to stay steady. Trying not to fall apart. “I don’t feel like trying to get there now. But I’ll still be a pirate.”

Buggy stared. He couldn’t be hearing this. Not from Shanks.

I thought he was gonna be the next king. That’s what Roger wanted, wasn't it? Shanks wouldn’t say this.

The boy in the straw hat couldn’t take the look on his friend's face.

I can’t, Buggy. Please, just…

“Come with me, Buggy!”

Everything cracked. Every vision of the future that Buggy had decided he wanted. Every shining image of Shanks that made him believe, made him trust.

You’re not who I thought you were, Shanks.

“I’m not gonna work under you, idiot!! You– you COWARD!!”

Shanks broke, yet again. He couldn’t take it. Couldn’t lose everything all at once. He couldn’t speak while Buggy used an old accident against him, leaving him with shame and loneliness that he didn’t know what to do with.

I believed in you, Shanks.

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten that you lost my treasure map? And I can’t swim because of you! It’s your fault I can’t…” Buggy croaked out, covering his true pain with the only thing he could think of that would get him away from this liar. This false idol. This person that he’d poured all of his own dreams into. “Well, I haven’t forgiven you, Shanks! So until the next time we meet…”

The rain fell harder, as though nature were trying to drown out this moment before it could ruin their lives.

But it was too late.

“We’re enemies!!”

~~~⏰🔴🤡⏰~~~

~~~~~~

~~~🔴🤡🔴🤡~~~

Fuck. Just breathe.

Buggy paced in his dressing room after he finished the intro, his hands floating around him so his fingers could walk and tap along his whole body. It wasn’t enough to calm him down.

I can do this. I won’t fuck it up. They won’t take her again.

That worry was still present, although it was shrinking a bit more each day.

Nope. Can’t think about that.

There wasn’t enough time to unpack why his “executives” were less scary now. They could still hurt them. They could still take her from him.

Showtimeshowtimeshowtime.

Buggy blew a few raspberries while he shook his arms out, about to run through some more vocal warmups when someone knocked on the door.

“Bugs, I’m sorry, but I need to tell you something. Now.”

~~~

“What the fuck, Sha—“

The red haired pirate pushed his way in, losing every word he’d struggled to come up with while he snuck back here again.

“Get out, dumbass,” Buggy ordered, almost grateful to have someone to yell at. Or he would have been grateful if this new, pathetic version of Shanks wasn’t hurting his brain.

“It’s about Y/N,” Shanks pleaded. He’d never seen Buggy’s face change the way it did at those words, at the urgency in them.

“Tell me,” Buggy growled, not sure what to do with the tension that had just shot through him. He couldn’t think yet.

“Her uncle crashed the party. I’m— hold on,” Shanks groaned when Buggy tried to shove past him. The red haired pirate pressed his back against the door, struggling to calm his old friend down. “Crocodile is seating him with me, okay? I told you I’ll look out for her out there. I won’t let you down. I just wanted you to know what’s going on.”

“How is she,” Buggy demanded. His breathing was ragged when he finally stopped trying to tear his way through the other man to get to the door. “Is she okay, did he… Is she okay?”

The urge to run out and find her was overwhelming, but he forced himself to listen.

“She’s still with Crocodile and Mihawk. I didn’t before, but… I think she’s safe with them, Buggy. At least for tonight.”

The clown gaped at him, mind still churning from all of those promises to take her away from danger.

Shanks felt himself losing his hold, losing his hope for the future he wanted, and it fucking stung.

She’s more important. I can’t use her for my own goals. Not again.

Y/N’s sick laughter, and her rage filled demands echoed within him.

“I’m gonna sit with him, Bugs. I'll do everything I can to protect her. I promise.”

“… He doesn’t know you’re our friend, right? Just a guest?”

“I’m just an honored guest,” Shanks laughed, that bitter taste still fresh on his tongue.

“Don’t let him know,” Buggy ordered, grabbing Shanks by the chin as he glared into his eyes from inches away, “just in case. It’d be good to have someone with an in that he doesn’t think we’re connected to, at least not closely.”

“Got it, so I—“

“Do that fucking thing you do,” Buggy continued as he started to pace, his fingers snapping, then tapping again.

Shanks started to question, but the clown talked over him until all he could do was listen.

“Do that smile everyone loves. Not this weird one,” he scoffed as he gestured toward Shanks’ face. “Do the cheesy one that makes everyone wanna lick your fucking sandals.”

“Excuse me,” Shanks laughed, forgetting. Buggy made him forget it all again, for just a moment.

“I said stop being this miserable, idiot person, and go flirt with that asshole until you get something we can use against him! You could charm a fucking sea beast, Shanks, I know you can—“

Shanks had enough restraint to keep from smearing Buggy’s makeup with a kiss, but he bellowed with laughter as he pulled his friend into a hug.

“I won’t let you down,” he promised, “I won’t let her down. I’m here for you, Bugs.”

Always.

~~~🔴🤡🔴🤡~~~

~~~~~~

~~~⏰🔴🤡⏰~~~

“Buggy?”

No.

“Gods, Buggy! What’s it been, four, five years now? You look great!”

Buggy wished he could have looked away, wished he could have pretended he was someone else.

But no one in the world looked like him.

Shanks gave him no time to process, no space. He just sat beside him at the bar, wrapping an arm around his shoulders before looking back while he called out.

“Guys, this is Buggy! My friend that I’ve—“

“We know, captain,” chuckled a man with warm brown skin, and dark blonde dreads. Buggy had turned to find the source of the voice, spotting a small, eclectic group at a large booth with him.

“Fuck, it’s good to see you,” Shanks beamed, his cheeks already starting to hurt. It had been so long. He couldn’t believe Buggy was right here beside him. He held his breath as he pulled his old friend into a darkened, corner booth.

Buggy could breathe a bit easier once they were out of everyone’s line of sight, shaking his head slightly at how out of character that was for him.

“Shanks…”

“Buggy!”

The red haired pirate scooted close before wrapping his arms around the quiet clown, letting out soft, gasping laughs. He giggled more when Buggy disconnected his hand so he could grab his mug to take a large swig.

“I missed you, old friend,” Shanks pulled back, his wide eyes darting too fast while he tried to take in every detail. “I love your hair.”

Buggy shivered when Shanks tugged on his blue hair, grown so much longer since they last saw each other.

Memories of that painful day hit his mind, and he jolted when Shanks touched his hand.

“Sorry, Bugs, I’m just so happy to see you.”

“You’ve got a crew already,” Buggy noted, embarrassment kicking in at how far behind he was, yet again.

“It’s not a lot, but we’re growing,” the red haired pirate grinned toward his small crew that was becoming his new family. His new world.

And here was his old world, frowning into his mug.

“We’re staying here tonight, but I can show you my ship tomorrow if you…”

“Sounds good,” Buggy coughed, downing the rest of his bitter drink. He couldn’t afford the sweeter things he liked, but he wanted to seem more impressive anyway.

“Have you been in this town long,” Shanks asked, gaining control of his excitement enough to notice Buggy’s mood, so he tried to shift his tone. “I bet you know the best lookout spots already. What about the market? You have a con or two going yet?”

“Of course I do,” Buggy grumbled, stealing Shanks’ mug for a sip. His face went hot when his friend’s hand rested on his wrist instead of taking the drink back. Old, strange feelings started flooding through him, and he didn’t know what to do with it all.

“I’ll follow you, then,” Shanks teased, nudging Buggy out of the booth.

~~~

Sunset in this shitty town wasn’t too bad when you had a good roof, a decent bottle of booze, and an old friend that reminded you of better days.

The young pirates laughed, drank, and shared stories, finally having their own to share instead of their versions of the same tale.

Stars filled the sky, like a million tiny spotlights reaching out just to shine on them.

Buggy let out a soft gasp, his body tingling when Shanks moved beside him, pulling him down until they laid on their backs with their shoulders and arms pressed against each other.

And the backs of their hands. Their fingers every time they moved.

Right. This feels right.

What am I doing? I should leave.

“You know, I think about you, Buggy,” Shanks confessed, tilting his head to gaze at the real star beside him. “I’ve thought about you so many times.”

Fingers flexed, warm and cool skin, barely connecting. Knuckles touched, rubbing together, so very lightly.

Buggy clenched his eyes shut, trying to remember why he thought he shouldn’t be here with Shanks. What was the point?

He’d been alone for so long.

His breath went strange. The tingling feeling grew. Dizziness hit.

Why are his fingers touching mine like this? Why are my fingers reaching back?

Shanks felt compelled, his body aching for Buggy’s touch in a way they’d never shared before. He’d known that he missed his friend, but he didn’t realize how desperately until now. Seeing him again made him high, made him reach out.

Made him hold Buggy’s hand under the stars.

“I missed you too, Shanks.”

~~~

“Fuck off, Shanks.”

“Okay, okay,” he soothed, holding out his hands to block Buggy’s path when he tried to shove past him, and out of the captain’s cabin. “Why not just stay for a little while then? You don’t need to be a crew member to sail with us to the next island, right? It’ll save you some berry.”

Those soft, brown eyes seemed to be poisonous. The longer Buggy spent falling into them, the weaker he became.

“Fine, but just until the next island,” Buggy grumbled, gasping when Shanks tackled him in a hug. They breathed each other in, the air vibrating around them by the time they separated. Their hands seemed drawn together like magnets. Shanks trailed his fingers down Buggy’s arms, wrists, hands, holding for just a moment.

“I’m not sleeping in one of those crappy bunks. You really need to get a better ship soon, this one–”

“Sleep with me,” Shanks blurted, his face not going nearly as red as his friend’s. “I mean sleep in here with me, my bed’s pretty big. It’ll be just like old times!”

He skirted around the clown, plopping onto the edge of the mediocre bed before patting the mattress beside him.

Buggy gaped, not sure why every new conversation with Shanks made him feel like he was falling off the edge of the world.

“I don’t…”

“It’s alright,” Shanks breathed, his heart racing faster than he knew it could. “I can sleep in a cot if you want.”

I’ve never wanted anyone like this. He’s right here, so close to my bed. I need to touch him, need to feel him.

“Don’t be an idiot,” Buggy scolded, plopping down beside his red haired friend. “I won’t have your crew coming after me for making their captain…”

Shanks laid his hand on Buggy’s thigh, and a high pitched ringing seemed to take all the sounds from the world.

“Buggy, I– mmn,” Shanks moaned at the firm press of lips against his. Buggy grabbed his face, and the taste of grease paint was deliciously bitter as their first kiss deepened. His clown crawled over him, straddling his lap while Shanks lost himself.

What am I doing…

Buggy stopped listening to his doubts, stopped caring. Shanks’ warmth, the hungry sounds he was making, and his strong hands gripping his back, his thighs, pulling him even closer, took over every thought, every sensation. He’d never felt anything like this. Couldn’t believe he was doing this.

He couldn’t believe his beautiful friend was letting him.

“You’re perfect, Bugs,” Shanks hummed, kissing down his friend's throat. “You feel so good.”

The clown made a frustrated noise, kissing that mouth again before it could say anything else.

“Shut up,” he whispered against smiling lips.

“No,” Shanks declared as he stood, making Buggy yelp when he flipped them around, tossing them both onto the bed. Buggy’s blue hair shined around him like a halo while his teeth scraped over his messy, lower lip. Shanks had caged him in, but kept that aching part of his body from connecting yet, though he wasn’t sure how long he could stand it.

“I won’t shut up ‘til you believe it,” Shanks teased, leaning down for a soft kiss. “You’re amazing, Buggy! You’re beautiful, and funny, and soo fucking sexy.”

“Sexy,” he whispered, gasping underneath the red haired pirate. It was too much. Too good.

“Can I prove it to you,” Shanks rasped, low and dangerous while he lost his strength to hold back.

“Go ahead and try, but I don’t– fuck…”

Shanks had grabbed Buggy’s hand, throwing his head back when he wrapped those gloved fingers around his own throbbing cock. He guided Buggy’s hand as he stroked up and down his length through his pants before finding the clown just as painfully needy as he was.

“Gods, Buggy... You want me too, don’t you, baby?”

Buggy’s body answered for him, his back arching at those tempting words. He couldn’t stop shaking from that incredible touch, but nothing could pry his hand loose, Shanks’ cock twitching in his palm through that thin fabric.

“Shanks, please.”

“Please, what,” Shanks half teased, half begged. “Tell me what you want, and I just might give it to you.”

Buggy almost sobbed when Shanks moved their hands away, blocking his weak attempts to reach for him again.

“I know you hate listening to me,” Shanks purred, his body pulsing at Buggy’s little sounds when he whispered those words into his ear. He pulled back enough to meet those crystal eyes, almost forgetting his goal. Almost.

“But I wanna make you feel good, Buggy,” he promised. “I want you to—“

“Just do it already,” Buggy groaned as he pulled Shanks onto him, and they both let out desperate noises when their bodies connected. The red haired pirate rolled away, shaking his head while he scolded him.

“Don’t be impatient, Bugs. I wanna take my time with— hey, you okay? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Buggy choked out. He clenched his eyes shut, wanting to jump through the little, round window into the fucking ocean. “I’m fine, sorry.”

“Bugs,” Shanks whispered, wanting to reach out, but not sure if he should. “I’m sorry, we can take things slow, okay? I’m just excited you’re here with me.”

“Ugh,” the clown groaned while he rolled over, his frustrated noise continuing as he breathed it into a pillow.

“Can I get you anything,” Shanks offered, sitting cross legged while he stared down at that pretty hair. He held his own fingers in his lap to resist trailing them through all of that lovely blue. His friend made an incomprehensible sound that brought the hint of a smile to his lips. “Sorry, I didn’t catch tha—“

“Just kill me,” Buggy grumbled, tilting to squint at Shanks with one eye, hoping that he’d disappeared.

There he was. Perfect. Saying such wonderful things. The way he’d touched him...

It was too much. Too good to be true.

Buggy had tried to find someone. Most of the time people wouldn’t take him seriously, but there were some that didn’t mind him being a clown.

Until they asked him to take off his nose.

Even those that were open to kissing, to touching such a freak, couldn’t hold it in. There was always a moment. An awkward giggle. A brief look of disgust when they thought he wasn’t paying attention. He should have just gone through with it, just accepted that was how it would always be.

No one wanted to touch him.

Buggy rolled onto his back to find Shanks waiting, a tiny smile on those lips that were smeared with his paint. The sight tore a bittersweet laugh from the clown’s throat.

“I don’t want your pity,” he confessed and demanded, struggling to keep his voice steady. “You don’t need to touch me. I’m sorry I kissed you.”

“What are you talking about?”

After all these years, those soft brown eyes had looked at him like that. Just the thought of those eyes turning sour hurt more than all of the others that had. He pushed himself up, moving toward the door, needing to escape before that moment could arrive.

“Buggy!”

Their hearts seemed to clash against each other with heavy, frantic beats when Shanks wrapped himself around his friend’s back.

Please, don’t leave again.

“There’s no pity,” he implored, his breath warming the back of Buggy’s neck through all that lovely hair. “I’m glad you kissed me, Bugs. I’d really like it if you did it again, but only if you want to.”

The clown lost all momentum, his painful doubts and fears struggling to stay front of mind with Shanks all around him.

“Just tell me what you need. I’m here for you, Bugs. Always.”

“Shut up, you sap,” Buggy rasped, grabbing onto the hands that gripped his chest. He melted at the hum of relief Shanks let out, and at the breath that moved to the side of his neck, touching his skin.

“Just tell me if you wanna stop.”

“I don’t wanna stop. Just— gods.”

The clown’s gasping moan brought a low growl from Shanks’ throat when he kissed and sucked his neck, pressing his swollen cock against Buggy’s ass. He freed one of his hands to travel down, reaching down, until he dipped his fingers into those teal pants.

“Can’t believe you were about to walk out that door,” he teased, licking and nibbling at Buggy’s ear. “Not when you’re this fucking hard for me. Mm, you’re shaking, Bugs. Want me to—“

“Shut up,” Buggy laughed this time, pulling away from that wicked hold.

Just right now. It’s okay if it’s only for right now. We can be…

“Oh, fuuck,” Shanks moaned, his own legs shaking as he stared down. Buggy had gone to his knees, turning to face him before tugging at his pants. It didn’t take long before Buggy wrapped gloved fingers around his shaft, frowning at his own accessories while he paused his task.

Shanks held in a laugh at that adorable face, grabbing one of the clown’s hands to kiss those gloved fingers.

“You don’t need to hide from me, Bugs,” he promised, smiling as he bit down on the fabric. He laughed through his teeth now at Buggy’s new expression while he tore the glove free.

A soft, little smirk touched Buggy’s lips before he copied his friend, growling when he pulled the other glove off with his teeth.

“You know, I can… I want… Fuck, that feels so good, Buggy. Just like that.”

Part of Buggy was still waiting for the look on Shanks’ face to twist, but all it did was go desperate, a sight he hadn’t known he needed to see. His perfect friend, falling to pieces for him. His taste, his voice, his thick, veiny cock that Buggy was learning how to breathe around. Every word of praise that fell from his friend's lips felt like a standing ovation, and the fingers that twisted into his hair made his eyes roll back in his head.

Shanks was shocked that he was still on his feet with the way his friend's eyes burned into him like that.

He’s so beautiful. So fucking good.

The way Buggy had wasted no time in taking him down his throat sent so much pleasure through him, as though his clown was just as desperate for him as he was.

Buggy’s hands shifted, one stroking along his base, the other massaging his balls until Shanks’ head fell back, almost whimpering.

“You’re so fucking— sooo good, Bugs. Fuck, you’re gonna make me come, baby. I want— wanna make you feel good too…”

Buggy let out a choked laugh, muffled through that throbbing cock, but he couldn’t help it. He had a moment of fear that Shanks would be disgusted, but the needy look on his friend's face pushed him through.

“Buggy,” Shanks laughed, then moaned at the sight of Buggy’s cock floating up in front of his face, achingly hard, and dripping with precum.

“Such a good boy for me. Come on, Buggy. Fuck my throat ‘til we both come,” Shanks ordered, fisting that pretty, blue hair, and giving his friend a wicked smirk. “Think you can— mmnf”

Holy shit. This is real. This is Shanks.

Buggy’s here. He’s mine.

Nothing else existed.

These two long lost friends created their own perfect world made up of their strangled moans, their tingling bodies, and the overwhelming pleasure they drank from each other.

There was something powerful, almost too real, in the way they looked at each other while they came, until that blissful heat pouring down their throats sent both sets of eyes rolling back.

The way they looked at each other afterwards stunned them both into silence. Time stood still, until Shanks couldn’t stand anymore.

He joined Buggy on his knees, awe showing in that crooked smile of his while he brought his hands up to cradle Buggy’s face.

“I missed you, Bugs,” Shanks breathed against his friend’s lips.

“Of course you did.”

~~~⏰🔴🤡⏰~~~

~~~~~~

~~~🔴🤡🔴🤡~~~

“Get off of me, shithead,” Buggy growled while he pushed Shanks away, frustrated with how much he wanted to let him take over his world again. “Go figure out how to get rid of that asshole. Thinks he can just come in here, and… Why is he here?”

“I don’t know yet.”

The red haired man’s momentary relief from guilt was withering away, as though his body could feel where the next few words would take them.

“Well, he’s a fucking moron if he thinks he can just walk in here and take her. Like the fucking Cross Guild is just gonna let someone take our girl? Our— What?”

Y/N’s voice filled Shanks’ mind, her empty eyes branded onto his guilty heart.

‘I can’t go with you. Please make him happy.’

That’s what she said. She’s gonna leave. Y/N’s gonna leave because I pushed her away. I tore them apart.

“Why the fuck are you making that face?”

‘Don’t tell anyone.’

Shanks froze. The right thing to do would be to tell, wouldn’t it? He’d hurt her, and he needed to fix it. He had to make sure Buggy didn’t lose his star.

But she’d begged him not to tell. After what he did, the thought of going against his promise made him choke.

Fuck.

“Shanks?“

“Y/N hasn’t seemed okay since I’ve…” Shanks tried. The near violence in those crystal eyes made him want to beg, to take any punishment, anything to get rid of this fucking guilt.

“What are you saying?”

“I know you know her better than I do,” he continued softly. Weakly. “But I think she’s hurting. I think what we— what I’ve been doing has made her feel…”

He watched helplessly as Buggy’s face changed, his muscles twitching while flashes of anger, horror, and guilt fought for control.

“Are you saying she’s gonna leave with him,” the clown whispered, desperate to snatch the words back from the air, as if they alone would make it true.

Yet the memory of Y/N’s tears dragged the clown too deep, drowning him in fear and shame.

“Are you saying my star's gonna leave because I hurt her,” Buggy breathed, every memory of Shanks touching him in front of her turning to acid now.

Y/N had kept smiling for him.

Until Mihawk had taken her away.

I didn’t care. I just kept thinking about Shanks. I used her for him. I ignored her, even when we…

He felt sick.

“I treated her like she was just a joke!”

“Buggy, I—“

Shanks had expected violence, almost craved it, when Buggy grabbed his cloak. Instead, his tortured friend pulled him close, gloved hands trembling against him.

“Help me!"

“Of course,” Shanks promised, hating his greedy urge to kiss that look of pain off of the clown’s face. “I’ll fix this. I’ll make sure she—“

“I can’t lose her,” Buggy murmured, releasing the red haired pirate from his grasp. “Please—“

“I swear. I will do everything in my power to fix what I… I’m so sorry, Buggy.”

The clown stepped back, aching to scream, to rage against the man in front of him, but his own fear and guilt held him back. He needed Shanks. He tried not to think about how much.

I need Y/N. I need my star.

“It wasn’t just you,” Buggy admitted, opening the dressing room door for his old friend. His old world.

He’s not my only world anymore.

“I’ll fix this,” Shanks breathed, squeezing Buggy’s hand. There were so many more words he wanted to say, but they were running out of time. Selfish words that he had always meant to say, but he knew he didn’t deserve them now.

Energy flooded his veins as he left Buggy backstage again, this time with his vow holding him steady.

I’ll fix this.

~~~

Please don’t go, star. I’ll do anything.

Buggy panicked, every moment of pain on her face replaying in his mind like his own perfect torture.

“I’m a fucking IDIOT! Such a piece of shit! I knew it! I knew I was hurting her, and now she’s gonna…”

Buggy didn’t wait for his feet to catch up while he flew toward the vanity. He dumped out the drawers, tossing everything behind him. All of the colorful contents were scattered across the plush carpet, glitter and greasepaint like fresh wounds left to fester and scar.

“I can’t let you leave. You’re everything, star. Just talk to me, baby. I’ll listen. You’re not a joke to me, never a joke.”

Buggy tore his dressing room apart, vowing to keep tears from touching her beautiful eyes ever again.

~~~🔴🤡🔴🤡~~~

~~~~~~

~~~⏰🤡🤡🤡⏰~~~

Buggy was whistling and skipping back to the docks, carrying a smug smile, and very full pockets. The citizens of this island were friendly to street performers, and he’d spent the day being showered with berry and praise instead of scouting for good pickpocketing spots.

Although he had snagged a rather nice watch during one of his sleight of hand tricks.

He’d even heard stories about another performer that had just left town to head up the coast, and he was hoping they could stay here long enough for him to go see for himself.

Buggy had always wanted to see a lion tamer’s act up close.

The tavern was fancier than their usual spots, and Buggy had to stop himself from floating when he spotted it down the road. He didn’t want to spook the friendly locals.

I’ve got enough berry for some good drinks tonight.

The memory of Shanks grimacing at the taste of all the sweet cocktails he’d forced him to try had Buggy chewing on the inside of his lip, fighting a cheesy smile when he stepped into the pleasantly dim tavern. The booths had high, decorated partitions between them, each lit with their own small lanterns. Most of the crew had been taking up the tables in the middle during their stay, but the place was nearly empty besides a couple of residents.

Buggy caught a glimpse of a sandled foot poking out from one of the booths, and couldn’t resist the urge to sneak up on his red haired friend.

Not friend. Boyfriend.

Still not used to that word, Buggy moved closer, silent as he could be.

“Captain, we need to talk about the clown.”

“Buggy’s good, Benn! There’s nothing to talk about.”

The clown froze for a moment before ducking into the booth behind the captain and his first mate.

It felt wrong. He knew it was wrong, but his heart was stuck in his throat, anxiety rippling under his skin. He clenched his fists, listening.

“You’re not kids anymore. It’s been two years.”

“I know how aging works, old man,” Shanks teased, taking a large swig of his drink, the mug sounding too light when he set it down.

“You’re a captain, Shanks,” Benn sighed, the pressure in his voice turning Buggy’s stomach. “You need to command respect. Buggy isn’t a member of the crew. He argues with you in front of everyone, even enemies—“

“We’re just playing arou—“

“You’re not children,” Benn scolded, his voice going soft quickly after that harsh tone. “A captain needs to be taken seriously. He has to show you respect, Shanks. You need to stop pretending that he’s not a member of the crew just to protect your boyfriend’s feelings.”

Nausea tore through Buggy, humiliation flooding in along with every memory he had with Shanks’ crew.

They all think I’m pathetic. Just a joke. Just Shanks’—

“Okay, Benn. I hear you, alright,” Shanks conceded, releasing a heavy breath. Buggy felt a gentle thud against the thin wall between them, as though Shanks had tilted his head back to rest against the wood.

“I’ll talk to him about it. I just don’t wanna force him,” Shanks paused, and Buggy’s heart paused along with him. “I know it seems silly to pretend for so long, but I want him to be happy.”

“It’s alright, Captain,” Benn soothed, huffing a laugh. “I guess it’s hard not to act silly around a silly clown.”

Buggy was going to be sick.

“Hey now, Buggy’s not just a silly clown,” Shanks chuckled, his voice piercing right through Buggy’s unpierceable heart. “He’s my silly clown.”

~~~⏰🤡🤡🤡⏰~~~

~~~~~~

~~~⏰🔴🤡⏰~~~

Just a joke. I’m always just a fucking joke.

Buggy didn’t know what he was packing. He didn’t seem to be packing at all, since everything in their cabin carried stupid memories.

Not our cabin. It’s the captain’s cabin. Just the Captain, and his silly clown.

“Fuck!”

The clown berated himself silently, hating the thought of the crew hearing his pathetic cries, and judging him even more. He swallowed the lump in his throat while he tried to focus on packing, but he got too focused, letting out a yelp when the door opened, and his least favorite red head stepped in with worry on his face.

“Hey, Bugs,” Shanks started, icy fear pouring through his veins at the sight of that half full bag of clothes on the bed. “What’s going on, baby?”

“Baby,” Buggy seethed, unable to hold it in. “Don’t you mean, ‘your silly clown?’ That’s what everyone thinks I am, right?”

Shanks felt his stomach drop, like he was standing at the edge of a cliff. Buggy hadn’t looked this angry since…

“Buggy, please,” he reached out, his boyfriend’s body floating away too fast for him to touch. “It was just a joke.”

Fuck. Why did I say that?

“Just a joke, just like me, huh,” Buggy laughed, sharp and wrong. “Buggy’s just a clown, so silly, so useless! All I’m good for is being YOURS, and I can’t even do that right!”

“No, Bugs,” Shanks begged, his body glued to the spot while he tried to wake up. “It’s nothing, okay? You know Benn, he can be so serious. Don’t let it—“

“Don’t tell me what to do,” the clown spat, stuffing more random items into his bag. “I’m not a member of your crew. I wasn’t pretending about that. What else were you pretending, baby? Was everything a fucking joke to you?”

“Fuck, no! Buggy, please stop,” Shanks pleaded with stinging eyes as he tried to pull the bag away, floating hands dragging it to the corner of the ceiling. “It’s not a big deal, okay? I promise, it doesn’t matter to me. I don’t care what anyone else thinks!”

Buggy felt too many things at once. His body ached to collapse to the floor, to weep, to apologize for being such a stupid piece of shit. He wanted to beg Shanks to forgive him, to let him stay forever.

He wanted to scream, and rage, and tear this whole fucking ship down. To make everyone that thought he was a joke burn, to show them how fucking silly he could be.

Anything to kill the suffocating humiliation that crushed him more with every memory, every moment he stayed on this ugly boat.

Since he couldn’t do any of those things, Buggy kept packing, trying to close the bag while he ignored the worthless tears ruining his makeup.

Soft brown eyes trapped him then. Shanks finally caught him by the shoulders, his face blotchy with panic while he begged.

“Bugs, please! Baby, just listen.”

“I will,” Buggy threatened, pulling the rest of his body back together while he shook off Shanks’ hold. “Seems like captains only listen to their first mates, so I’m gonna go find mine.”

“Please, don’t leave me again.”

The clown shouldered past the red haired pirate, but his gloved hand hesitated on the doorknob. He almost stopped. He almost stayed.

Until it all slammed into him again.

“You think I’m a fucking joke—“

“Buggy, I never—“

“Don’t underestimate me, Red Hair. Next time we meet, we’re enemies.”

Buggy didn’t turn back, didn’t wait, didn’t think. He just left that boat, setting off to find his first mate.

He fought every memory, every thought, every burning ache in his chest while he floated along, his feet running behind him in the sand.

All he could think about was his future.

Fuck all of them! It’s my time to shine.

Shanks watched his clown leave again. He wanted to scream his name, to run after him, but he couldn’t move.

Couldn’t feel anything but the weight of unsaid words.

None of those other words matter, Buggy. Why didn’t you listen to me?

Why did you leave over a few stupid words? You have to know…

As that blue hair finally floated out of sight, fear won out over everything else at the thought of Buggy all alone out there, yet it planted a disgusting hope inside his heart.

Shanks let himself look at that twisted hope for just a moment before shoving it down, along with as much of this pain as he could manage.

You’ll come back. I’m here for you, Bugs. Always. You’ll be back.

I’ll protect you from this cruel world.

~~~⏰🔴🤡⏰~~~

~~~~~~

~~~🔴🤡🔴🤡~~~

Buggy was glowing on that stage, and Shanks had to bring himself back. Remember his mission.

It’ll be my fault if she leaves, and has to suffer out there all alone. I should have been careful. I should have listened.

If I’d listened back then, Buggy would have stayed with me. He wouldn’t have gone off all alone, and ended up with these monsters. It’s my fault he’s…

Buggy couldn’t let Y/N leave. Little pieces of her were shining behind her eyes again tonight, spurring him on. He needed to listen to her, to make sure she knew he loved her.

Guilt and worry tried to take over, but the spotlight always healed all wounds. Even the fears he had about his “executives” seemed like nothing now, and their strange, small smiles felt almost soothing whenever they caught eyes.

“Care to lend me a hand with the party favors, Mr. President?”

Buggy didn’t look at Shanks when he dropped the papers on his table, grinning at Cedrick Sylvad instead. The red haired emperor snatched up one of the mock posters to have something to think about besides his own guilt, only to be reminded of the ugliness that was happening here.

Distaste and disgust were followed quickly by shame. He’d known what his lovers were up to.

I’m being a hypocrite again, aren’t I?

Buggy felt on fire on stage with Crocodile, the feeling of playing the crowd like this had him high, even with everything else going on. Yet he still had to fight to keep his eyes away from that red haired pirate, pretending his old friend was just a guest, even though he was dying to see the look on Shanks' face while he performed. It had always been one of his favorite sights.

For a split second after Crocodile called for the real party favor, Buggy worried about what Y/N would think, but he shook it off with ease.

My girl’s so smart. She knows who I am, and she loves me anyway. I’ll show her I love her too.

The bound and gagged marine was dripping blood onto the stage. Shanks couldn’t stop himself from glancing back toward his golden eyed lover, still seated at the head table. “The Marine Hunter” scowled down at the stage over his glass of wine, and Shanks looked away quickly before Cedrick could catch him looking toward his niece.

They're gonna execute an unarmed man. This is wrong. I can’t let Buggy…

He hated every piece of himself that felt like he was right.

Red Haired Shanks’ beliefs had crashed down around him, and his mind was scrambling to build things back up, to figure out what he truly valued, and what had only fed his ego.

How many marines have I killed? Can I really judge them? Am I just trying to feel superior?

Even if it’s wrong, I’m the one that hurt Buggy. He wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t pushed him away.

Or maybe this cursed island has turned me into a monster too...

Questions, justifications, and doubts stormed within him, leaving nothing but acceptance, since he didn’t have enough time for this existential crisis.

Nothing else matters. I can’t let Buggy lose her.

“Guess it's time for the finale,” Crocodile smirked, holding his hook to the marine’s throat.

Shanks looked away from the unarmed man, selfishly choosing to enjoy the sight of his beautiful clown for as long as he could.

~~~🔴🤡🔴🤡~~~

~~~~~~

Pride warmed your chest when you saw the way your little smile affected the villain on the stage. Crocodile was about to kill someone in front of you, and it should have felt horrible, terrifying. You weren’t reveling in it, so that was something, but your lack of reaction proved that you were either a monster, or you were crazy.

Probably both.

You managed to turn your sick laugh into a polite cough, although Mihawk still turned to you with something almost like fear in those deadly eyes. Shaking your head, you held your breath at the sound of vultures hissing for their next meal.

“Let’s hear what he has to say for himself!”

“Think he’ll apologize for being such a nuisance?”

“Ooh, I’ve always wanted to hear someone’s last words!”

“Why not,” Crocodile shrugged, using his hook to tear the gag from the marine’s mouth.

Buggy stepped closer to the wheel to squeeze the man’s cheeks, blood and drool dripping down from snarling lips.

“Time for your fifteen minutes of fame,” Buggy announced, leaving his hands to hold the struggling man’s face toward the crowd while he stepped away to show him off. He smirked at the leeches, winking while he gave a mock whisper. “If he lasts that long, anyway.”

The disgust you felt for the guests' bloodlust didn’t carry over to you or your lovers. You loved watching Buggy play them so well.

Even if the unlucky man had to die.

“Captain Tront, Mr. Extra Special Party Favor! Got any last words for us,” Buggy called out, nodding toward the band for a drum roll to start while the marine spit more blood onto the floor.

“You think you’ll get away with this,” he choked out, eyeing the esteemed guests. “You’re risking all your wealth, your reputations, on these freaks?”

Buggy and Crocodile chuckled, and the laughter spread through the hall as the vultures watched the desperate man fall apart.

“You’ll regret this! You’ll all regret throwing yourselves in with these pirate scum! The Cross Guild, and their overpriced whore–”

Little gasps and screams filled the air, just like when the performers had shown off their dangerous acts. Some nervous laughter bubbled up, until applause built, quiet at first, but soon there were leeches on their feet, cheering for your deadly lovers.

Captain Tront’s lifeless body slumped in his restraints, bright red blood spilling like a fresh coat of paint for the wheel. Buggy had gotten the man first, his floating hands snapping the marine’s neck just before Crocodile’s hook tore out his throat.

You’d known that they were going to kill this man, but this was different.

They had killed this man for you.

Crocodile nodded toward you, and you realized that you weren’t at all surprised by his swift violence.

Yet, your sweet, lovely clown had snapped that man’s neck in an instant, just for insulting you. That sweet, lovely clown should have been lost in the applause, the spotlight, the praise, but he didn’t seem to notice any of it.

Buggy beamed at you as though you were his standing ovation, his spotlight, his thunderous applause. This wicked, dangerous clown that just murdered a man was smiling at you while the blood was still warm and spreading across the stage.

You smiled back.

~~~~~~

Likes, comments, and reblogs bring me much ✨dopamine✨ thank you!!

Author's Note: Writing this one was extra special to me. I hope that I did Shuggy justice, and that you enjoyed this chapter! I'm including a little Shuggy flashback age timeline below:

Shuggy Flashback Timeline: (Shanks and Buggy are adorably the same age) - Roger's Execution ~ (age 15) - First time meeting after the execution, and Buggy starts sailing with the Red Hair Pirates ~ (age 19) - Flashback smut from Chapter 23 ~ (between 19-21) - Breakup, and Buggy leaving the Red Hair Pirates to start his own crew ~ (age 21) - Present Day ~ (age 39)

Part 27

Operation Olive Branch has compiled a working spreadsheet of ways to help families fleeing from the genocide in Palestine. If you enjoyed this fic, and are able, please click the link to find a list of GoFundMe's, as well as other ways to help.

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