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linksthoughtbrambles · 2 years ago

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A blanket of shifting shadows.

Part 9 of Adventure Log+ (Sequel to Link’s Thought Brambles. I highly recommend reading in order!) WARNING: This chapter is rated mature for disturbing imagery and violence.

It’s the eyes.

Now we know.

Their shrieks, like they’re the ones horrified of us. Like glass shards in my ears, but they’re not what paralyze.

Daile, stock-still, caught in its gaze.

Zelda’s arrow through its ear.

We know now. We flank them.

…Still standing. Arrows aren’t so effective against them.

I guess… putting a stick in something that’s already dead doesn’t matter much.

They don’t even bleed.

The neck again, Link. Just… do it. Don’t think about it.

Sever it.

“Mm-“ My Goddess, the sound it makes- like- like-

I don’t know- boots- sucking out of thick mud-

Stop, Link.

I’m so sorry. Whoever you were. Please, be at peace.

I guess I know, now, what I’d kill for.

Zelda? Yes. But it’s not just her.

I’d never let one of these things kill anyone else, either.

Not that I ever had a problem killing monsters.

But this…

“I’ll check inside.” Oh. I guess I can talk. “Window, Daile.”

“Yes, sir.”

I don’t even sound like I’m shaking.

I just sound… as dead as these things.

That’s a new voice on you, Link.

Straw.

Goats.

They don’t sound happy.

Bet they haven’t had new food or water in a while.

Sorry… not yet. Have to finish the check. We can… we can help you out afterward.

Empty stalls. The horses would’ve been here.

Piles of fresh straw.

No sounds or shadows from the loft.

And THAT is a very uncomfortable-looking-and-sounding cow. “You didn’t get milked this morning, did you, girl?” And not last night, either.

“Link?”

“All clear, Princess.”

“What is it?”

“The cow. It’s… been about a day, I’d guess, since whatever happened happened. She’s swollen.”

“O-oh, yes. Now you point it out, I see it.”

“Daile, let the goats out, would you?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Link…what are you-“

“We’re going to talk about what to do next, right?”

“We ought to.”

“Great. I’ll milk her. You don’t want to know what happens if you stop suddenly.”

More hand-alcohol, Link. Don’t milk the cow with contaminated hands.

I can feel Zelda’s eyes on me. Is this disturbing to her? Maybe. She didn’t grow up with farm animals, though. You really do have to do this, and if you’re going to stop milking a cow for some reason you don’t do it cold-turkey. You wean them off it slow so they don’t end up bursting. This one’s already well overdue- damn. That’s a lot of milk. She’s staying still for me even though I’m a stranger. It must’ve been bothering her a lot.

Maybe this is the one kindness I can do in this place.

Maybe I should stop saving foxes.

This isn’t the same, though.

We have a few minutes while we figure our next step.

That is… if we do that. Zelda’s just watching me.

And… now she’s getting me a second bucket.

“Here.”

“…Thanks.”

“The goats seem thirsty, sir—Princess. They’re going at a pretty dry trough.”

“Yeah, they would be.”

“I think there was a pump, but- but-“

…Damn. “It’s near the malice.”

“…Yeah.”

“We ought not risk approaching it, I think. Do you agree, Link?”

“I do.” Goddess knows if that stuff’s seeping into the ground. What happens if you drink contaminated-

Contaminated- “Zelda?”

“Yes, my love?”

Woah! Yeah, she whispered, but Daile’s- oh. No, he walked outside. Probably peering around for a watering hole.

She's smiling at me. It’s a small one, but still.

Contaminated. “I just killed two people.”

Did I say that?

Smile gone. Just like that.

You know, Link, you thought if you ever did something like this, you’d be miserable. Crying with guilt. That’s not what it’s like at all.

I don’t feel much of anything, do I? Even my hands are kind of numb, just going through these plain old motions. Guess I can make those difficult decisions after all. As long as there’s enough incentive.

No tears.

Father would approve.

Bucket’s almost half-full already.

Contamination. “We don't know what happens if that stuff gets in the ground water... or the crops. This is a farm.”

“...Indeed. I’m torn whether to make haste to other nearby farms or to hurry toward the tech lab at once. They ought to study this malice.”

“Real carefully if they do. We don’t know how those… corpses were made to walk. Or how they died in the first place.”

…Quiet…

“I did not see any obvious wounds on them. Not- not when they first appeared. …Did you, Link?”

“There weren’t any.”

“I’m concerned this may be what happens if malice is touched. Fi?”

Malice can kill, Princess. It burns. A single touch would not cause what you observed today—it would require prolonged contact. Malice can, however, animate a body once its life functions have ceased.

“Do you have any idea where this substance may have come from?”

No, Princess. However, I estimate a 97.8% probability it was placed in this location intentionally.

“I concur. It's suspiciously close to our usual route to the lab.”

I bet she’s expecting me to be freaking out on the slate.

I’m not.

“I was, yes.”

“Yeah.”

“…What can I do to help?”

“Nothing, Zelda. I’m fine.”

This poor cow. Bucket number two. “Are we going to discuss where to go?”

“…I’m rather leaning toward sending Daile to ride hard south. I must imagine Purah will have sent a team our way hours ago at this point. He can guide them.”

“Yeah. Yeah, okay. We… hph. Seven horses.”

“Yes. I was wondering about that, too.”

“There aren’t enough stalls here for them.”

“And, it would seem, only three people.”

“…Unless more escaped.”

“Or… wandered once- once walking again.”

More of them. We could check- “Beds. In the house.”

“Indeed.”

“Then, we circle wide. Check all the neighboring farms.”

“It shall take most of the night, most likely.”

“Yeah.”

Almost done. “Good girl. Sorry you were hurting like that.”

“We shall miss our appointment with Zuho tomorrow morning.”

Definitely. Mom’ll be worried…

“Purah will send word to the castle… and to the logging village, if she’s any sense.”

”She has sense.” I think.

“…I also hope she sent more than a handful of people in our direction. We shall need watches.”

“Double-watches. No way anyone should be awake alone with things out here that can paralyze you with a glance. Or… whatever made that muck appear.”

“Jeralt would suggest triple-watches.”

“Yeah. He would.” If it were just us three, no one’d sleep- “three- Zelda, Zelda, did Daile-“

“No, not yet!”

Okay, cow, milk aside, sorry-

It’s not just me, Zelda’s hurrying, too-

“SIR DAILE!”

“DAILE? DAILE!! F@#$, Zelda, did you see which way he went?”

“East, I think!”

S#@$, s@#$, s@#$, it’s only been a few minutes only a few, he can’t be far, he can’t be far, Link, but he didn’t answer he didn’t answer, I’m a goddess-damned idiot and a s@#$ty captain, that’s what I am! “DAILE! DAILE! …DAAAILE!!”

“SIR DAILE!”

“DAILE, COME ON MAN-“

“I’M- HERE!”

“Oh- oh, thank-“

“Goddess-” Toward a downslope. Looking for water. Lower elevations.

There was something odd about his voice.

There- coming out of that grove. He doesn’t look hurt…

?! “Daile, are you alright?!” Why’s he have his hand against his nose like that? Foul smell?

He’s not even nodding. Won’t look up.

“Sir Daile. Please report.”

She managed to say that kindly, somehow.

“Hhh. Hhhhh. There was another one.”

“Was?”

“Yes, sir. I- took care of it.”

“We didn’t hear it shriek.”

“It didn’t. I was quiet. Knew I might not be alone out here. I saw it… I…I ended it quietly. Sir.”

“…Back there?”

“Yes, sir.”

Zelda’s moving—I should go, too, just in case-

“Princess?”

“Yes, Sir Daile?”

“It’s- not easy to look at.”

A tiny nod and fraction of a smile and off she goes.

You too, Link. Quietly.

Three guesses, Link, why Daile would be even more upset about this one.

Please don’t let it be a kid.

Please.

Please?

Hylia. Zelda must see it… she stopped.

A bunched hand to her mouth.

It’s a kid, isn’t it?

…It’s going to be a kid.

You have to look at some point, Link.

Just step beside her and look up. It’s that easy.

So small.

At a tiny watering hole.

Maybe catching frogs.

“Hh-hhh.”

“Zelda?”

“Hh-hh-hhhhoh.”

Oh no, no no no- “Zelda- it’s-“ no, it’s not okay, Link, don’t be like that. It’s not at all okay. “Come here.”

“Hh-hh-hhh-hhh-hhhhhhh hhhh hh.”

She’s whisper-crying. Trying so hard to be quiet.

“Hhhh. Hhhhhhph.”

I’d’ve thought it would be me.

“Hhh h.”

Wet shirt. Dry face.

“Hh-hhh-“

Hold her tighter.

“Hhh.”

“We’ll stop this. We will.”

“Hhh- What if they’re all like this?”

“Then we. Will. End. Whatever caused it.”

“We must go. We must go. Now, Link.”

“Yes.”

“Sir Daile!”

“Yes, Princess!”

“Ride south immediately. Ride hard and scour the plain as well as possible so as not to miss our allies.”

“Yes, Princess.”

“Do NOT engage anything suspicious. If you encounter no one, make for the lab. Link and I shall check the house briefly, then ride to the nearest farm east first. Then we shall circle northwest, then southwest, until we have reached due west of here. Then we shall follow the opposite path but one farm outward. With luck we shall stop whatever did this from progressing further. It would be wise for you to guide the others northwest to meet us at the other end of the semi-circle if possible. Link and I shan’t rest until we find… what did this.”

“Yes. YES, Princess!”

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anyone run so hard.

“Oh- SIR DAILE!”

“YES, PRINCESS!”

“BE WARY OF ALL WATER SOURCES! THE PUMP AND THE WATERING HOLE—PERHAPS BOTH TARGETED!”

“YES, PRINCESS!”

Smart.

Water.

It could be a coincidence. The… the kid might’ve been there already when… whatever found them…

I’m breathing hard.

Getting ready to run, I think. To find whatever sprang from the unknown demonic depths of darkness to do this. Maybe I’m just unbelievably angry. The red might be from sunset but it could also be the blood rushing through me.

“Link.”

“Yes.”

Running. Barn first. Just… make sure the animals’ pens are open. Animals are smart… they won’t drink contaminated water.

If we had more time, I might try and drive them south a bit, but we don’t. It’s up to them.

“Do you have bottles?”

“Wh-what?”

“In your pouch. Do you have any empty bottles?”

“I- well yeah, I do, but-“

“The cow’s milk.”

“You’re worried about the milk going bad?!”

“Link, if the water in this entire area is contaminated, milk is frankly better than nothing.”

“Oh.” Once again, your Princess is way smarter than you are.

Okay, get the bottles out get them out get them out, hand them over-

“Yes- thanks-“

“I have more.”

“Truly?!”

“Heh. Yeah.” Dear Goddess, Link, how can you huff-laugh at a time like this?

Canteens. Am I insane? Do I collect things for no reason? Maybe I collect things because I have a magic pouch and I can stick anything in there I want. (Almost).

Either way, she’s now holding four bottles and an empty canteen. “That’s it.”

“Excellent.”

She fills. I tie gates open. Hope the animals don’t decide to stay here. Who knows what ‘malice’ does if it’s around for a long time. The surface moves. Maybe it can slither or-

I don’t even want to know.

I have to know, though, don’t I?

This is it.

This is what I’m supposed to be doing.

Not hanging around in a castle playing guardsman.

And… the Princess was meant to do this with me, too.

I am also meant to be with you, master.

“Heh. Yes. Thanks, Fi. I… I’m sorry our plan is in tatters already.”

I have never known your plans to be otherwise, master.

“…Thanks.”

Any time, master.

“Hph.” You twinkled.

Oh?

With amusement.

You are entertaining, master.

You don’t seem as upset by what we just saw as Zelda and I.

…The dead of long past are as innumerable as the silent stars keeping dark watch on ages long lost from our world.

“Wh- what does that even mean?”

“Link, I apologize in advance. I’m making quite the mess of your bottles.“

“…Don’t worry about it.” Bottle mess. Not important. “I’m almost done.”

Easy to talk about, though.

“As am I.”

Easy. A lot easier than other things.

Don’t- just don’t. “Done.”

“Yes. Here. Beds.”

“Right.” Bottles in pouch while walking no no “No, Zelda, don’t run, wait for me. Not alone. Never alone. Okay?”

“Y-yes.”

Just one sec, last one in- “Okay, run. You flank.”

“I can-“

“I got bitten already. Let me take the risk. Besides—sword.”

…She’s nodding. Good, good. Not the front door, malice there, around back. Back door? No. Windows, though. Darker now. Can’t see through the window well. No movement.

Low window… easy—no malice on the floor. The stuff… glows. I’d see it. I can see some of it out front through another window.

Glowing red-purple mud. Fluorescent flowers gone fluid.

That’s it.�� That’s the smell, isn’t it?

Bile.

Stomach fluid.

Mixed with…

With ash.

And more-

“Link?”

“Hh- sorry. Thinking.”

“It’s alright.”

Table’s set.

For four.

…No more kids, then.

Or anyone else.

Un-unless-

Upstairs?

“Clear here, Zelda.”

“Yes.”

She’s in.

“Stay to my side if at all possible.”

“Yes.”

“Hh-hhhh.” Stairs. “Hhh- hhhhh.” Get a hold of yourself.

Keep. Hold.

Hard to flank on these. She’ll just have to stay well behind me. She can watch me go up… follow after…

Bedrooms.

One double bed. Empty.

Nothing else. “Hhhhhhhh- hh.”

Keep hold.

Zelda stairs creaking.

Next door. Still no sounds. None.

Two small beds.

That’s all.

Floorboards. So loud. No sneaking in this place, not really.

I hear everywhere she is.

One more small- no. It’s a water-closet.

...No crib.

“Hhhhhhh- hhh- hhhhhh.” No crib.

Praise Hylia. Praise praise for that. For that. Yes. Thank you.

I don’t know if I could-

I just don’t know.

Closets.

Just in case.

Clothes.

Not a lot.

One nice set. For special occasions.

No.

Don’t.

Just go.

“Zelda.”

“Clear?”

“Yeah. We ride.”

“Yes.”

Out. Out of here as fast as possible. Her, too. I can see it in the flurry of her movements. Not just urgency. She- she doesn’t want to be in here.

The lives here.

They were fine.

They were fine not at all long ago.

What if we’d left a day earlier?

What if-

Just.

Don’t.

So much darker now already.

Didn’t seem like we were in there very long.

Maybe it’s not the Sun and sky that changed a lot in the last few minutes. Maybe it’s me.

What’s wrong with me?

I don’t feel right.

The horses hear the whistle. Rionee knows this drill. She probably doesn’t realize I’ll wait for Zelda, though.

UP, girl. Good. Zelda…?

Wow. She’s up fast.

And we fly as fast as we can. “GO girl!”

“On, Tass!”

This morning, the plain was beautiful. An ocean of swaying gold.

What is it now?

A blanket of slinking shadows over the earth.

An endless sea swallowing remote islands, specklings of life at each one. Just as vulnerable as any sea-level hut near shore.

If there’s any life left.

The cow. Full udders.

It’s been a day.

A day.

Hylia, please have mercy on us. On them. Please.

Please, let this not happen fast, whatever it is.

Tass is like the wind.

Rionee’s fast, but… she can’t keep up this pace forever.

We can’t move faster than this.

It is how fast it is and we’re how fast we are and there’s nothing we can do, nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing if it’s happened already.

Nothing.

“Link!”

“Zelda?”

“I love you!”

“I- love you, too. Wh- why now?” When we have to half-shout over the horses!

“I shall remind you whenever I see that look on your face!”

“E- eh. Hhhh.”

“We shall prevail!”

That’s what I said earlier. That’s not the issue, is it? Not really. Whatever did this, we’re going to kill it. I know it already. I don’t have any doubt about that.

The issue… is how many people are already dead.

How many USED.

…By what?

Will we recognize it when we find it?

What made that sludge?

Look at her.

The look on her face.

Those guardian-laser eyes.

Like the first time I picked the slate up.

She’s focused. Determined.

Angry.

That’s what angry looks like on her.

That’s what it's always looked like on her.

She stays… calm.

Hardens.

That time she got so pissed at her father her lips twitched, too.

Too dark to see.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they are.

She doesn’t scream and shout. Doesn’t go into a rage.

She’s like-

Like an islander hawk.

Like Chee calls me.

We’re alike, aren’t we?

We’re alike, but she’s smarter. More willful.

What am I?

What are you, Link?

Why do you hold the sword and she doesn’t?

She should have a weapon far more powerful than that bow on her back.

No comment on that, Fi?

The Princess has access to magics which you do not, master.

Does she?

Yes. They… have not yet revealed themselves.

How can we reveal them?

They must appear in their own time and in their own way.

Cryptic. Very you.

I will take the opportunity of time afforded by traveling to remind you I will not be able to automatically strike at long range. You have injuries, master.

...Yes. I know.

You may, however, use me as you did the training sword during the melee.

I hadn’t thought about that. I was desperate, then.

Desperation is unnecessary, master. Focus is important—to will your energy into me.

So, you can do that, too?

YOU can do that, master. I am in tune with you. The effect through me will be amplified. You will find your spin attack to be most useful.

Will the- the- upward one work, too? Where I held the sword in the air?

The skyward strike will function under most circumstances.

… Like these circumstances?

It would function now if you tried it, yes. I cannot guarantee it will work when we meet the enemy which caused this.

Why not?

I do not know the properties of the enemy’s magics.

You think the enemy’s magical?

I’m certain of it, master. Malice and ReDeads do not appear via non-magical means.

R- re…

ReDeads. Yes. A name from times long past. Near the beginning.

The beginning…?

My Goddess. Fi, these things have been around since this whole… Calamity thing began?

Nearly.

Is there anything else you can tell me?

There are many things I can tell you, master.

About other things like these, particularly. Monsters that might… show up. That have something to do with this malice.

…Yes, master. I will describe all that I can. Then I will resume my analysis and reorganization of information if time allows.

Right. Ye- Wait! “Zelda?”

“Yes!”

“Watch the slate.”

“What? Hooves—too loud!”

“Fi- watch the slate for Fi! She’s going to tell us… about… about creatures of malice!”

Glittering green eyes in the darkness. Algae pools on moonless nights.

I’m… definitely thinking strangely.

“Very well! If I must read, you must watch, I’m afraid!”

“I would’ve anyway!”

“I know! Link?”

“Yes?”

“I love you!”

Oh. I must look like something. I don’t know what. Some kind of mess. “I love you, too! Zelda?”

“Yes?”

“I love you more than anything or anyone who’s ever lived! I’m… yours!” The answer to my question to myself earlier. That’s what I am. I’m hers. Anything she needs of me.

More glittering. Searching me. Wish I could see her expression well in this dark.

“And I am yours, my extraordinary knight! Link, my love, look me in the eye!”

I already was. I’ll look harder.

“We SHALL prevail! We shall end whatever did this, as you said!”

Yes.

But-

“Do not dwell on those who may not yet be dead!”

“That goes for you, too!”

“Ah- hhhh- I shall try, Link! FI!”

Yes, Princess.

“Begin!”

Yes, Princess.

-----

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#adventure log+#botw #zelda #zelink #loz #breath of the wild #legend of zelda #fanfic #adventure log+ au #rated mature for violence and disturbing imagery #fi #botw link #botw zelda #redeads

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ohraicodoll · 2 years ago

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Possession | Chapter 4

Chapters: 4/5 Fandom: The Sandman (Comics & TV 2022) Rating: Mature Relationships: Dream of the Endless | Morpheus/Original Female Character, Dream/Reader Characters: Dream of the Endless | Morpheus, Original Female Character, Matthew the Raven, Lucienne, Calliope, Mervyn Pumpkinhead Warnings: 18+ Minors DNI, Explicit Sexual Content, Past Abuse, Abusive Relationships, Possessive Behavior, Domestic Violence, Jealousy, Trauma Responses Tags: Complicated Relationships, General complicated feelings, Dream is an IDIOT, they both have baggage, Past Relationships, Angst, OFC: Dahlia, 1st POV

Summary: A farewell.

3rd in the Fragments Series | Read on AO3 Writing Masterlist Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 Previous in Series: Touch Starved Next in Series: Interwoven Chapter Warning: BIG TRIGGER WARNING! Please check if you are in a good place to read this sort of content and take breaks if you feel the need to. TW: Domestic abuse, Emotional Abuse, Violence, Disturbing imagery CHAPTER 4: You Ruined Everything Good

I wasn’t sure when I had finally succumbed to exhaustion, head pounding and body heavy. I’d cried myself swollen, dragged myself into the bed only to cry into my pillow more. The pain I felt was like ripping open an old wound, bleeding out all the comfort and progress I had made over the years. I knew when I would go to sleep that I wouldn’t see Morpheus, wouldn’t go to his palace, and all I could hope was a dreamless night and to be left alone. But one moment I was in bed and the next I was somewhere else, somewhere familiar. The dingy little apartment pressed in on me and anxiety instantly hit like walking into oncoming traffic. Because I knew this place, knew the stained ragged carpet, the cheap particle board furniture I’d managed to thrift with hardly any money, knew the second hand couch with its mismatched cushions and frayed edges. Twenty year old me had done her best when she moved into this apartment but times were hard and dreams of a better life were far off. Four years later, she never got a chance to change the furniture out for something better, had kept it for years past its prime. It was about survival, getting through one day then the next, trying not to be devoured by the beast that shared the home and not caring that it was decaying the walls around them. This wasn’t a dream or a nightmare, it was a memory. And that made it so much worse. I had a hard time breathing, feeling the aches of this younger body of mine and the bruises, old and new, that dotted my skin. My mind was stuck between being the twenty-four year old and the me I was now, older and free and aware that I was dreaming. I swallowed past the hard lump in my throat, hands clenching and unclenching at my side, and tried to focus. I could leave. The door was there and if I walked out of it, I would leave this memory behind and all that it would entail. I could go to the rest of the Dreaming, to the throne room, to Morp-

No. It was an effort to pick up my bare feet, to take that first slow step towards the apartment door and keep walking. I felt out of body and entirely cemented in, like a gravity well pulling me into this former self. The floor was quicksand, fighting against the pull of my muscles and desperately trying to keep me rooted in place. It whispered stay, stay, stay and crooned like an old lover, telling me that what was on the other side of the door was far worse than staying here. Being alone was worse, facing the world was worse, I couldn’t possibly face what was out there alone. The demon you knew was better than the demon you don’t. Halfway across the room. I could leave. I could leave, this wasn’t real and I didn’t have to stay. This was a memory, a nightmare. It wasn’t real and couldn’t hurt me, not anymore. I just had to get out. The carpet under my foot shifted and let out a loud creak and my blood chilled as I froze in place. It was always the same spot, the board underneath warped from age and water damage. I used to be so good at avoiding it, could do it instinctively when I needed to leave for work and didn’t want to risk waking the beast who didn’t like to be disturbed. But that was younger me and the me now had forgotten that instinctual fear that had guided her. “Lia, you wanna explain this?” Panic shot through my body, icy and sharp at that familiar voice, and I turned around to look at the man standing in the doorway to my bedroom- our bedroom. Aiden was leaning against the wall, flannel half opened and rolled up to his forearms to show the tattoos there. There was two days worth of stubble on his chin and even though he was giving off the look of being relaxed, nonchalant, there was an edge to his body. A snake coiled up, ready to strike. He looked the same as he always did in my memories, candy coated poison, a nice ruggedly handsome guy who drank beers with his buddies and would take you driving through the night in his pristine car. But his knuckles were calloused, slightly scabbed, and there was a tension to him that never fully dissipated. He had a chip on his shoulder and made it everyone’s problem. I’d loved this boy, this man, for so many years. Long enough for that love to turn into a shark’s cage, leaving me helpless and drowning in the depths alone while the monster circled. It had devoured me whole and I had barely survived. My eyes met his, those dark green irises with the pupils blown out from whatever he had taken that morning, and then looked down at his hand at the worn journal that dangled loosely in it. “I- I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I replied, arms instantly wrapping around myself like a shield. My foot shifted off the creaky board, sliding to move behind me at an attempt to take another step back while looking relaxed. But my heart was in my throat and I was squeezing myself so hard in an attempt to keep from shaking. Aiden raised a brow, tilting his head at me and waving the book lazily in his hands, “You don’t know anything about this shit? Your little story?” It was my writing notebook, filled with half scribbled ideas and plot points and characters that eventually I would try and flesh out later. He always said the writings were cute, like a dad placating their daughter so she’d leave him alone. It was a fun hobby, he would say after I would get the courage to share it, but I needed to get my head out my ass if I thought it’d amount to anything. And now, fully back in that time period, I couldn’t even remember what I wrote down that could have set him off. He’d obviously read it when I wasn’t around, hadn’t given him permission to. But this was our home and nothing was a secret from him, nothing could be kept from him. What was mine was his. He did whatever he liked. “Aiden, I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about,” my voice was light, easy, harmless. Nothing to rile him, nothing to escalate, “I write down stuff in that all the time but it’s not real-” But he already had that look in his eyes, the one he always got before things blew up. He sucked through his teeth, shaking his head like he was so disappointed in me. “You know, I get really tired of the way you always fucking lie,” he pursed his lips and pushed off the doorway, taking a few steps closer, “Every time you open your mouth shit just pours out.” I gulped, taking another step back and wrapped my arms tighter around my body. I’d make myself smaller, more submissive, not arguing back or defending myself. Trying to swallow the panic that was quickly rising, I gave a shaky smile, “Baby-” “Baby, baby, baby. Just shut the fuck up, Dahlia,” Aiden hissed and I flinched as the words bit at my skin, “Did you think I wouldn’t read your dumb little scribbles? Like I wouldn’t be able to tell how you made me the villain in this stupid shit?” My eyes flickered to the book, trying desperately to connect the dots and figure out what he was even talking about. I hadn’t written about him at all, had jotted down notes and ideas but nothing direct. I’d never risk it, would never do something like that and leave it here where I knew he would see it eventually. He was corralling me against the living room wall, my feet instinctively moving away from him to try and keep the space between us but it was a losing game. The apartment was so small and there was never any escaping. All I could ever do was wind him down, try to placate him until the anger left his body and he’d move on to something else. Kiss him, soothe him, make him feel better however I could, even if it meant using my own body. But that had started to work less and less. Now my body was only used in a different way, my skin and face an outlet for his anger. It hadn’t been that way, he hadn’t meant it, but a dam had been broken in him and he couldn’t stop. I was his to use and use and use until his favorite punching bag broke. “It’s just a story, I swear. It’s not about you at all. I jotted whatever idea I got while watching TV,” I placated, feeling my back hit the wall. There were still a few feet between us and the part of me that knew this was a memory, knew this wasn’t real, warred to run for it. Get to the door and get out and leave this behind. But I was locked in, unable to separate myself because what if this wasn’t a dream? What if this was real? What if I hadn’t escaped and this was life? Unending, unescapable, trapped in this apartment with the monster always prowling. Aiden paused, jaw clenching and unclenching, and waved the journal in the air, “You tell anyone about what happened?” What happened…I wouldn’t dare, could barely bring myself to remember it myself without losing control. My arm was barely healing from the fracture and the stitches pulled at my stomach. I wouldn’t have written that down. “N-no, of course not,” I stuttered out with a shiver. There was almost a smile on his lips, cruel and pleased, and I could hear the words he always whispered in the dark. That’s my girl. “You show this to anyone?” he flailed the book in my face, sharply tapping it on my forehead and making me jump, wincing. He was toying with me, wanted me to beg, tell him what he wanted to hear. That his actions hadn’t left this apartment, that he was in the clear, that I wouldn’t run from him and so he could do it over and over again. That small, dim spark of anger I had shoved down so long ago flared up the tiniest bit, like an ember in a doused fire. He used to say he loved that spark in me, that passion, but for how much he loved it, he loved smothering it even more. “No, I didn’t,” I replied icily, “Who would I show anyways, Aiden? It’s not like I have any friends anymore.” His lips pressed in a hard line and I could feel regret and fear coat my mouth because I knew I should have swallowed the words. Swallowed that anger because it only made things worse. He saw me as a wild horse to be broken and that spark was the sign that I wasn’t quite broken under him yet. But I was tired, so tired of living in hell and what were a couple more coals to the pile? Even when I was good, it didn’t stop him from hurting me. Eyes narrowed, those blown out pupils gave him the perception of an animal getting ready to strike. “You want to repeat that?” he hissed, fist balling at his side and muscle pulsing in his arm. I knew what came next, wanted to stop myself, but I couldn’t. The words poured out like pus from an infected wound, spilling out of me as the pressure built. “I have never told anyone anything bad about you,” my voice shook, anger and fear and frustration a storm in me, “For fucks sake, Aiden, you have been everything to me. You were the only one there for me when Mom and Dad died. I have loved you with every part of my being and have stuck with you through everything. There is no one but you, I’ve shoved everyone away for you because I love you.” The words were an echo, a repeat of things I’ve said in the past and of this moment. I had loved him. Loved him so much I self-destructed my life for him, gladly, and myself until I was only a crumpled wreckage. I handed over the reins of control to him, listened as he whispered that I was his and took that as love. But the sentiment had never been the same towards him. No one told him what to do, he belonged to no one. He gave himself to everyone because he was a gift, but no one could keep it.

A fragment of myself surfaced then. Me, the person I was now, bubbled forward like lava rising to the top of a volcano. All the pent up rage and pain and self-loathing he had caused forced me up. The words spilled out before I could stop them, “You never deserved that love, never deserved an ounce of what I gave you. All those years giving you everything and you have only ever made me feel like shit.” The silence ballooned around us, deafened me, and I was locked back in the memory and the fear. The rage turned in those green eyes and his knuckles whitened as he gripped the book harder. “The fuck you just say to me?” he growled, taking a step forward again, the room darkening with his anger. My eyes were wide with fear, but I couldn’t control myself. The two opposing sides of me fought and tore myself apart, struggling to be the one at the surface. I tried to sidestep him, headed for the door, towards life away from him or the Dreaming or just darkness. Anything a welcome relief against this. But he stepped in my way, cutting me off and eating the ground between us until my back was against the wall again, “What did you just fucking say, Lia?” It was such a familiar position, backed up against a wall with nowhere to run. My breaths were rasps, fast and frantic like a trapped rabbit in a snare. I could remember the grainy texture of the wall, the way the surface was a mess from different patch jobs we had to do. The rough friction of the carpet under my bare feet and the pulsing of my heartbeat as it tried to decide fight or flight. Aiden lashed out there and fists struck the wall next to my head, the plaster caving in. I flinched hard into myself, turning my head away from the impact and a startled gasp leaving me. I was shivering, quaking, body locked tight. It’s a dream, it’s a dream, it’s a dream. He can’t hurt you here, can’t hurt you anymore. I was staring forward, unseeing even and ears full of white static as he invaded the space and barricaded me in. In the distance, I thought I could hear the distant thundering of clouds and the rapid pattering of rain. A storm rolling in. A thought drifted through, small and inconsequential, how the roof always leaked when it rained. I thought I could feel the moisture build on the walls, the faint scent of water wafting in. I was struggling, trying to break out of this. Wake up, wake up, fucking wake up. But my mind wasn’t calm enough to force myself awake, the safe words useless in the vividness of what was happening. Lightning crackled and the windows shook from the following clap of thunder. I fought to break out of the memory, to shove my younger self down and break whatever this was. But now with him staring me down, all my rage was on my tongue and I couldn’t stop myself. He’d been the boogieman of my life, had taken years and years from me and had never been punished for it. I’d run and never looked back, not even thinking justice could touch him. I whispered unfiltered and unregistering, “Everything you touched you ruined.” Wide unblinking eyes glazed over as the overwhelming scent of him filled my nostrils. Cigarette ash and dust, bitter in my nose, “You ruined everything good about me and…I let you. Let you make me believe I was worthless. But I wasn’t. You were.” Aiden’s answer was fast and brutal, palm crushing over my mouth as he slammed my head back into the wall. The pain rippled through me like a hammer blow to the skull, teeth chattering together. Nightmare or not, the pain was real and sharp. His fingers dug tightly into my cheeks, palm smashing my lips into my teeth, and tears instantly sprung to my eyes at the pain. A previous bruise on my cheek stung to life and my body ached like an old house. “You shut your fucking mouth, you hear me? I ruined everything? What was there to ruin, Dahlia? Huh?” he shouted and spit hit my skin, only a few inches from my face now with his body pressing into mine hard. He was putting so much weight on the hand over my mouth that I felt like my skull was going to shatter under the pressure, “Nobody wants your ass around. You haven’t accomplished anything but be a sniveling brat. All you do is strut around like a fucking queen, back talk, and run your fucking mouth!” Water began to trickle down the apartment wall and caress my hair, soaking in as the rain picked up outside the window and clambered against the glass. Thunder roared and shook the entire place as my tears fell, pooling onto Aiden’s hand. He sneered, breath hot on my face, “You’ve always been pathetic and instead of being grateful I stuck with you, this is how you act? Ungrateful little bitch.” Wakeupwakeupwakeup. Wake up! I struggled and tried to push off his chest, push him away from me but I’d always been so much weaker than him and this body was malnourished and small. My hands reached and pulled, grabbing at his wrists and trying to tug his hand off me but it was like moving stone. He’d kill me if I stayed, was killing me slowly but surely. It would never get better, he would never get better. He didn’t want a girl, he wanted a dog to sit at his feet and do his every wish. And when one dog died, he’d get a new one. He easily batted my hands away with one hand, practically smiling while pressing in closer until I was crushed under his weight. Desperately, I breathed air in through my nose, trying not to hyperventilate and avoid the rage that flooded his eyes. Water was pooling in, worse than I’d ever seen before, almost large streams coming in through the light fixtures but he didn’t seem to notice even as it started to cover the carpet. “You think those guys that hover around you at work are actually interested in you?” Aiden mocked, a sneer to his lips as he squeezed my cheeks harder and rattled my skull, “You’re just a piece of ass, easy bait. You belong to me and you need to realize how lucky you are. All those lessons and you still haven’t figured that out.” That had been the last fight, the last time I’d left the house. All because I’d been friendly to one of the new guys, had given him directions to where new hire training was on my way out the door to meet Aiden for lunch. He’d seen it and I’d paid for it. But why? Why had I paid for it? I hadn’t done anything. Had never done anything wrong, except maybe chosen Aiden. Only…I was a kid, young and thrilled and so easily warped into believing he loved me. I’d stayed for so long, believed him every time he said he was sorry or that it wouldn’t happen again or when I told myself he was all I had so I couldn’t leave. Because being alone was worse than this? My clothes were beginning to soak, water sloshing around my ankles while a storm, a hurricane, raged on outside and inside the walls. I had trusted this man that was now hurting me, had trusted that since he was older of course he had my best interest at heart and could take care of me. But that careful, charming mask had slid away over the years until I was only left with this brutal, uncaring person. I wasn’t a kid anymore. I didn’t need him to take care of me, didn’t want him, and had escaped. I’d escaped. Had escaped and made a life for myself, made more dumb choices but also made good ones. I’d experienced things no one else had, could walk through dreams and see other worlds, had met so many people. I’d met the King of Dreams, had managed to get his attention, his affection. Had fought with him, stood up to him. And even at his worst, he didn’t do anything to me. I wasn’t Aiden’s, not anymore and not ever. I belonged only to myself. Bringing my hand up, I opened my mouth and pushed the hand over it deeper, latching onto the skin as hard as I could and biting. Blood coated my tongue, poured into my mouth, and he shouted. Ripping his hand away and pulling back with a sharp curse, I spit out a chunk of his flesh. The memory was broken and I was fully aware, sharp and current, filled with a rage so blinding it burned away any fear I had. The taste of copper filled my mouth and I bared my bloody teeth at him, the rain flooding inside the apartment now a full downpour. “It was you that was pathetic,” I growled at him, hands balled in shaking fists as I took a step towards him, “You preyed on me when I was hurt and vulnerable, used my parents’ deaths to make yourself the center of my world, for what? Because I was too young and naïve and the only one that didn’t see what a fucking loser you were for wanting to be with a teenager?” “Shut up!” Aiden shouted and backed up, holding his bleeding hand to his chest. “No,” I snarled, the world like a whip crack, “You don’t get to tell me anything ever again. You’re gone. You are a memory, old and forgotten, a bare mention in the story of my life. You were right though. You were the villain. In that chapter of my life, you were the monster and you lost.” Lightning crackled, hard and blinding. The water was around our knees, a rushing river that rose and rose, loud and flooding the space. The furniture rocked and floated along the current, bumping into the both of us as the storm tore through this previous life of mine. My clothes clung to my skin and my hair was matted against my neck and face, but I didn’t care. Even as the water caressed me, pulled at me and clung to me, I wouldn’t be deterred. Because Aiden looked afraid. For the first time I had ever known him, he looked afraid and I felt a sick satisfaction that it was because of me. I wasn’t a scared little girl and he wasn’t a monster. He was a sad, pathetic man who abused women to make himself feel powerful and controlled others to make himself feel better. But not me. Not anymore. “Dahlia, please-” “Be quiet,” I yelled, white hot rage coursing through my blood, “I trusted you and you abused that because you are a disgusting, pathetic worm. You didn’t deserve an ounce of any love I gave you and you never will. You get nothing from me anymore. Not a thought, or a feeling, nothing. You don’t get to exist in my life now.” It was his back against the wall now and I could have smiled, laughed at the way he shook and quaked. Tears were spilling my face though, mixing with the rain, salt mixing with the blood still in my mouth. I had let him stay in my head for far too long, fester there like an abscess and erode something deep in my core. I had escaped physically, but stayed trapped there. What Morpheus had done was wrong. Confused claiming with control. I wouldn’t let it happen again. No more. It was time to let monsters lie. “Get the fuck out of my head, you don’t get to stay here anymore,” I shouted, a half sob and half release as the walls of the apartment came crashing down like a ruined cardboard box. The rain poured in and everything inside flooded out, sinking into the water. I was caught in the waves, feeling it rush all around me and pulling me under the water. Remnants of my old life floated by and swirled before disappearing into the abyss. Aiden was nowhere to be seen, vanished amongst the waves and leaving me alone finally. Nothing could be seen anymore. There was only darkness, a black void that swallowed everything whole. I wasn’t drowning, could still breathe, but I let the water take me further and further under. I sank until I was weightless, letting the darkness envelope me. And then my knees met sand and I bent over, kneeling on a dark shore. The void was still all around but I was finally grounded, fingers digging into the soft grains beneath me. My clothes clung to me, soaking and heavy as gravity pulled me back into myself. I was in the Dreaming and I was me. Not twenty four year old me, but the one that had freed herself and lived on. Slowly, like the doors of a cage being cracked open, I let out a hard sob and collapsed into myself. My nails scraped at the sand underneath me, desperate to hang onto anything as I curled tightly around my knees and a desperate cry ripped from my throat. I cried for that girl I had been, the one that had survived so much and had managed to get free on her own. I cried for all I could have done if I’d gotten away sooner, for the love I didn’t give myself for a long time. She had her whole world taken away only to find herself with a monster and no one came to save her. I’d learned to save myself. I had survived and even if I stumbled, I was here. But even then, I couldn’t stop the hoarse scream from coming from me as I was laid bare and vulnerable. And I cried because now, coherent and free, I knew what replaying that memory meant…and that he had seen it all. Long fingers stroked my wet hair, gentle and soothing as I screamed into the sand. Morpheus made no sound, said no words, but I could feel his warmth and knew that scent of night stars and unbound dreams. I knew this was his own form of comfort. To be there, to let me feel it all, and know that I was safe to do so. The anger between us faded to small embers, feeling like so long ago in the face of what I’d just re-lived. He was there for me even now, coaxing me through my pain like a wounded animal. I could only keep crying and screaming my pain and he sat with me through it without judgment. Slowly, I looked up and blinked at him, strands stuck to my cheek and the ghost of digging fingers fading away. I was raw and unsteady, an absolute mess. Black eyes with twin stars met mine in understanding and he caressed my face, chasing away the ghosts that lingered, replacing them with his soft touch and letting his heat soak through my skin. He knelt beside me in the sand, cloak a pool of ink and flames around him, pale skin glowing in the darkness. Dream didn’t move with caution, didn’t treat me like a skittish thing, just met me at my level and bent his forehead to touch mine. His hands never left me, never stopped keeping me anchored to the now and to him. “I am sorry,” the dreamlord whispered and I almost started crying again, lips wobbling. He didn’t have to explain, the echoes were there. Sorry to see the memory, sorry it happened, sorry he couldn’t fix it. I could feel it all in his touch, in the way his fingers clung to my skin like I would fall through them like the sand beneath us. My hands shakily reached up and found his shoulder, dug into the velvet night sky cloak there and I closed my eyes sadly, “What do you have to be sorry for? You didn’t do that to me.” Dream reached out and gently pulled me into his lap, letting me wrap my arms around his waist and pulling his cloak around us. His lips pressed to my temple while he ran his fingers through the wet mess of hair at my neck, soothing me, reassuring himself that I was there and safe and whole. “I think someone should say it to you,” Morpheus whispered in the stillness of the void, echoing the same words I had told him once back to me, “You did not deserve what was done to you by that man. You did not deserve how I have treated you. It was wrong, I was wrong, and could not know the damage it would cause you. I fear my actions triggered the memory and even then, I could not release you from it. For that, forgive me. Forgive me of everything. Please.” Tears came at his words, fresh and new, running down my cheeks as I hugged him hard and buried my face into his chest. Because I knew how hard it was to apologize, especially from him. A being set in his ways for thousands and millions of years. He held me even tighter, almost clinging to me and kissing my hair, “I cannot be human for you but I can try-” “I don’t want you to be human,” I cut him off, nails digging into his cloak, “I want you as you are. But I need understanding and compassion and patience. I am not like you, I see things differently and you reacting like that…it scared me.” His body tensed, almost jerking at the words, but he didn’t let go. I don’t know how many humans he had been with or even been around in his long life. He was the collective conscious of all things that dreamed but when you see humanity as a whole, you lose the small details. And I was one of them. Our daily lives were beyond him, something he wasn’t a part of but now had to deal with through me. “I will do better. I promise you,” Dream whispered into my hair and it was like the words were pledged to the universe, “ I never wish for you to fear me, Dahlia .” I knew how difficult that was to admit, to apologize for. He was rarely wrong, never admitted his faults, was without flaws and errors. But he understood now why I had been upset, why I had flinched at his touch or freaked out from his words. And he was sorry. He admitted he was wrong. Possession without trust was just control and I never would allow myself to be controlled again. When I said I was his, it wasn’t with the intention of us owning the other, it was a pledge of dedication and trust and care. Anything else was toxic and bound to collapse because you can’t own a person truly. “I told you once before that I am trying to be better. I ask now that you help me in that,” he confided in the darkness, “If I overstep…” “I’ll tell you,” I raised my head and kissed the underside of his chin, “You don’t have to be human for me but I can help you figure out how to deal with humans. With me. The first step is actually talking to me before you do something stupid.” I remember that day at the café. He had confided that he wasn’t good at relationships and neither was I. Now I had an idea of what he meant, the scope of what I was dealing with, but he wasn’t a lost cause. Morpheus’ touch was soothing as he continued to hold me, an easy reassurance and acceptance of my words, and only then did I realize my clothes and hair were dry, the stormwater gone, and I was warm in his embrace. The void had vanished around us, replaced with the stone walls of his chambers and the familiar bed with black sheets we both sat on. The room had been changed to a different décor and I was glad for it, not wanting to see the same room we had argued in about Calliope. I was still fully wrapped up in him, but blinked at the warmth and comfort I found there. Even if every time he changed the room, the feeling was the same. In this room, I could be myself with him completely, away from both worlds. I had a feeling he felt the same. “You kept me out, little dreamer,” Dream murmured into my hair, a slight hint of wonder and confusion lining the words, “Of the nightmare. I could not reach you no matter how I tried.” I frowned, blinking up at him before realization set in. The storm. He had known what was happening, had known I was hurt and distressed, and couldn’t get to me. He’d tried to pry in but had only managed to flood the memory when it was too far along. He had tried to get me out. My fingers tightened on his back, nose half buried in his chest. The pleasant, steady rhythm of his heart thumped against my ear. “How is that possible?” I whispered, brow furrowed. He was quiet for a second, continuing to rub my back and smooth my hair from my face, “I am unsure. It should not have been possible, yet every time I tried to enter your dream it pushed me out.” There was only quiet confusion, a puzzle, and I wasn’t sure how I felt that I had somehow managed to keep the Lord of Dreams himself out of part of his domain. I may be a Dream Walker, but I was still human. I didn’t have any power. But that was beyond my comprehension and I chose to focus on what I could. It was reassuring that he had tried to get to me. Even after we had screamed at each other, he hadn’t left me to deal with a nightmare of my own making out of vindictiveness. He tried. “I didn’t mean to keep you out. I didn’t…I was reliving it and got stuck. I couldn’t even get out of it myself,” my eyes watered but I hastily blinked it away, breathing him in, “I hadn’t wanted you to see that…to know that. Aiden has been my personal nightmare for too long, it wasn’t something I wanted to share.” Morpheus paused and pulled away, tipping my chin up to meet his gaze, “Did you believe I would think ill of you for having suffered as you did?” His jaw was clenched with buried rage and I knew it wasn’t towards me. It was towards Aiden and he was doing his best to hide it, hide his reaction because anger was unwanted at the moment. Even in my defense. It was comforting to see even in this small way, he was trying. But I’d become better at reading the subtle changes of his face, the way the stars in his eyes burned different colors to different reactions, the furrow of his brow, and the pursing of his lips. The King of Dreams wasn’t nearly as emotionless as most believed. If anything, he felt too much and didn’t know what to do with it all. “No,” I answered and raised a hand to move some of the strands of his hair out of his burning black eyes, “But people always look at me differently when they find out and I didn’t want that from you. You never look at me like I’m broken or with pity.” The rage faded from view completely, jaw relaxing, and he leaned down, pressing his lips to mine. It was different from previous kisses. They’d always been hungry, frantic, seductive. Part of the game between us, nothing but sexual tension and attraction as we tried to devour each other completely. There was no room for feelings, nothing but satiating a need and enjoying each other. Fun. But this was so gentle, comforting, almost loving… “You are neither broken nor pitiful,” he whispered against my lips, “Little dreamer, Dahlia, you are stronger than you know. Potentially even far stronger than I myself knew.” My heart tightened at his words and I swallowed hard, feeling my pulse quicken. So I kissed him again, more demanding, putting all the words I couldn’t voice into it as I held the dreamlord tightly to me. He held me, returning my kisses but never asking for more, letting me take the reins. Maybe one day we would talk more about the mess we had made, the fights, boundaries, and all the damage Aiden had left behind in his wake. But I was tired and so was Morpheus. Somewhere along the game, we had gotten attached to one another and that meant learning more beyond our bodies. That would come and for now, I was happy to be held by him and to feel his lips on mine. We laid together on his bed. Legs intertwined, fingers clasped together, and my head on his chest. In the warm darkness, we traded kisses and relaxed in each other’s presence, not feeling the need to go farther. It was starting to become a routine, these hours together. It reminded me of the other night after the fight about Calliope when he’d been desperate to calm me and I’d been too stuck in my head. Of our first actual night together after our little game when he had whispered stories of the world, but it felt different from both. The Lord of Dreams opened up. He told me of his time being trapped, watching Roderick Burgess grow old and die, watching his son take over and continue his imprisonment. Of Jessamy, his former raven before Matthew, and watching her die trying to save him. He told me of his siblings, of the Endless. Of how he used to be close to his sibling Desire but after their interference with Killala millennia ago, the relationship had soured and had never gotten better.

It was the most he had talked at once and part of it felt like it was a penance, an olive branch for seeing such an intimate moment in my life and his behavior the past couple of days. Pieces of him that I had wanted, in exchange for the piece he had unwittingly received. I didn’t interrupt, tried not to pester him with questions, and let his melodic voice wash over me. I was finally getting to know him, the real him and not just Lord Morpheus, monarch to the Dreaming. And when the waking world called for me, I felt sad that the moment was over and kissed him rather than say goodbye. Morpheus only kissed me back, fingers tightening in my hair. The Dreaming faded.

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meetthetank · 4 years ago

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Beast Code Chapter 1: The Twilit City

Rating: Mature Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Category: F/M Fandom: NieR: Automata (Video Game) Relationship: 2B/9S (NieR: Automata) Characters: 2B (NieR: Automata), 9S (NieR: Automata), Original YoRHa Characters (NieR: Automata) Additional Tags: Transformation, gothic horror, Android Lycanthropy...sort of, Inspired by Bloodborne (Video Game), Everyday i get closer to just writing a Bloodborne AU

Summary: Break the vicious cycle with tooth and claw. Unleash the beast within and destroy your chains. But the strength to defy fate comes at a grave cost. Will it be enough, little doll? Or will you succumb to despair once more?

Ao3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/31546982

The assignment to the Twilight Belt comes as a shock to 2B and 9S. Rarely, if ever, are YorHa units sent to this border of perpetual daylight and eternal night. Conditions are always reported as unstable by the infrequent scans by one of the other satellite bases that orbit earth, too dangerous to deploy scanners by themselves, and too depleted of resources for the Council to care about. The mystery surrounding the strip of permanent twilight goads curious operators and scanners alike to comb through files searching for nuggets of data, image or video files, anything they can get their hands on. All but a few pieces of data reveal tantalizing scraps and clues to the puzzle of the Sunset Belt. Photographs of dead machines with toothy, gaping maws that split their spherical heads in two and minerals warped in peculiar shapes. According to one of the situation reports from a scanner that had been sent there, there was an eerie, foreboding feeling about the place; that strange and frightening sounds would echo across the landscape and that he felt close to a forbidden barrier that separated this world from another. Though the file and its contents are now treated as a human “ghost story”, many androids, including 2B and 9S, believe at least some portion of the tale.

9S relays this story to 2B as they descend to Earth’s surface, his chattering easing some of 2B’s trepidation. The pair had fallen into an easy rhythm over the course of several assignments to Earth, most of which involved retrieving data from lost servers buried in rubble or clearing out an area of machine lifeforms. Despite her outwardly cold demeanor, 9S wormed his way past all of her defenses, forming a strong, solid relationship with the battler android. His voice is a centering point for her and assists in ignoring the gut churning possibilities of what could be waiting for them below.

“...What do you think, 2B?” his voice crackles from the comms system inside her flight unit.

“Hm?” she shifts her head to the side, glancing at his jet black flight unit cruising beside hers.

“What do you think made the target go rogue?”

She bites her lower lip. There are a thousand possible answers as to why a normally punctual, efficient YorHa Battle unit would suddenly stop responding to command and not checking in at required times. Only a few of those options were machine lifeform related complications.

“We’ll find out when we arrive, 9S.” she says curtly, eager to shut down the conversation, “Focus on landing protocol.”

He sighs, a sound of annoyance and frustration, “Yeah, yeah.”

“One affirmation will-”

“Fiiiiiiiine.”

The final phase of their descent is spent in silence. They pass through the Earth’s atmosphere in streaks of fire and light towards the border of day and night, and a continent that humans called Europe. Even as they descend, the outlines of ancient, massive structures come into view. Both androids are used to the thick vegetation eating away at the remains of human structures, but here the trees are gnarled, twisted, and void of leaves or blossoms. Their branches reach to the crimson sky and permanently setting sun like bony hands in prayer or a stag’s antlers. As 2B and 9S set their flight units down a few miles away from the outskirts of a sprawling, ancient city. It amazes 9S, as he exits his own unit, that the buildings are in such good condition considering the millenia that have passed it by. Great spires of countless cathedrals pierce the heavens, casting an ominous, looming shadow over the otherwise barren landscape. A well worn cobblestone road, lined with rusted iron lighting fixtures long since burnt out, leads into the city proper.

2B and 9S stand at the precipice of this ancient beast of stone and metal in awe of its size, and terrified of what might lurk within. A hoarse bird’s caw, jolts the androids back into awareness, 2B drawing her katana and prepares for battle.

“Heh,” 9S laughs, trying to calm them both down, “Just a raven, 2B.”

“What?”

“A large black bird. Harmless to us.” He doesn’t tell her about the chill he gets down his spine as he watches the corvid gaze down at them with beady black eyes, or how humans saw these birds as ill omens or prophets of death.

They begin the trek into the forgotten city. 2B doesn’t put Virtuous Contract away.

Pod 042 alerts 2B to the presence of an unidentifiable android signal, marking the location on both hers and 9S’ map. Since the area has yet to be properly mapped out by satellite imagery (as inaccurate as that process is) only a vague street layout is available through a very low power scan. They have no way of judging what might block their path to the target beyond featureless grey masses depicting buildings, rubble, large trees, or whatever else may lie in wait. Their target, represented by a small orange dot on the map, appears to be near the city’s main gate and inside one of the larger buildings. 2B refuses to admit it to herself, but she’s relieved to not have to delve too far into this labyrinthine city.

“I’ve never seen the sky this color…” 9S muses as he stares up, transfixed by the blood red sky and orange sun hanging low.

Though hauntingly beautiful, she won’t deny, 2B keeps her gaze fixed on the wrought iron gate ahead of them. The heavens disturb her; they are the color of death. Of war. And the sun is… wrong.

She snaps at 9S to keep focused as they approach the gate to the city. Though scans indicate there are no machine lifeforms, or any lifeforms beyond their target, she’s learned from countless combat assignments to not rely totally on what the support unit reports. She’s encountered and seen machines that mask themselves from scans or camouflage themselves in the environment, and in a place like this anything could be hiding in the shadows just outside of view.

The iron gate lies ajar, worn from millennia of neglect. Clouds of rust particles burst from the hinges as 2B shoves it open further, the metal grinding against itself with a horrible grating shriek. The sound makes them both wince, and they slip through the partially opened gate as soon as they can.

Standing inside the city gates, 9S can’t shake the uneasy feeling that claws at the back of his mind. The great ancient human structures loom above them, and though he knows that the buildings themselves aren’t alive, he can’t shake the notion that he’s being watched by them. The windows are dark, but when he passes by the light of the setting sun reflects off of them, giving them the illusion of intelligence. Suddenly, 9S feels as if he’s inside a cave, or locked in a room with no exit. Suddenly… He finds it hard to breathe. 9S tugs at the collar of his jacket as if it's tightening around his throat. His synthetic lungs fill with air as much as he can take, then he releases it moments later. It calms him, if only a little.

2B’s gaze is fixed ahead on the building Pod 042 marked as the rogue android’s hiding place. It’s a much smaller structure than the others that choke the sky, but its reach stretches across the streets like a tree’s roots. Judging by the well preserved signs that hang from crumbled doors it looked to have multiple uses. 9S commands his own Pod to run scans on the words and symbols for later analysis.

“The target’s in here…” 2B murmurs, holding her free hand up in a tight fist, signaling 9S to stop behind her.

This portion of the sprawling building is similar in structure to the massive spires above. It has the same pointed section on the roof, but much smaller in scale, and similar symbols decorate the exterior. A cross, winged humans, various flowering plants, and a number of human figures bowing their heads or supplicating themselves to the winged humans.

“This must have been a place of worship,” 9S muses aloud.

“Focus.”

He nods. Typically 9S argues with his partner about the necessity for recording data like this, or excuse his wandering attention to his designation as a scanner, but he knows the danger within the house of worship, or rather, he doesn’t know. Neither one of them knows what this rouge android is capable of.

2B presses her hand against the wooden doors to the chapel and pushes it open as slowly as possible. It groans in protest, dust falls from its hinges and frame, but it swings inward. A rush of warm air washes over them carrying the scent of stale incense and dead machines. Clouds of smoke billow out of the doorway, rising into the red sky like twisted fingers. 2B enters first, sliding in sword arm first. She motions for 9S to wait for a moment, then commands Pod 042 to switch on its flashlight.

9S peeks his head around the door, keeping a few paces behind his partner. He switches on his own Pod’s flashlight to illuminate more of the pitch black interior. Long wooden benches are pushed up against the walls, opening up the center space. Ornate candle holders, rotting books, charred incense burners, and pieces of artwork among other things 9S has no name for are scattered across the ground, each one a priceless human artifact that could fuel hours of study. Yet it’s not these that hold 9S’ attention, but the statue at the far back of the chapel, and the figure kneeling in front of it.

It looks to be made of some kind of marble, a pristine white stone that has been sheltered from time and the elements. The subject is another winged human, this one wearing splendid armor and wielding a great spear. Beneath them, a grotesque, writhing beast bares its teeth and claws at the warrior as the blade pierces its throat. 9S has never seen anything like it in person, and very few records of these kinds of sculptures remain at all. It’s both horrific and beautiful at once. He wonders what the human who made this saw that inspired it. Did creatures like these roam the world during their time?

2B steps in front of him, Virtuous Contract at the ready. The figure in front of the statue rises to their feet as the Pod’s flashlights center on them. A cloak made of feathers conceals most of their form but they appear to be a female android, perhaps a YorHa model. Though, if that were the case it would have been in the mission briefing. That is, unless...

The android turns her head to the side, glaring at the pair over her shoulder.

“So, Command sent the wolves, did they?” She asks, a distinct rumble in her voice.

2B raises her blade and keeps her gaze steady. She hears 9S also ready his weapon, the golden katana Cruel Oath.

Lazily, the android turns her body to face them. Her clothes confirm her origins; there’s no mistaking the sharp white embellishments and black velvet of a YorHa uniform; however each piece is ripped, tattered, and stitched together with other scraps of clothing or… animal hide.

The rouge android drags the blade of a bloodied top heavy sword between her fingers, cleaning the gore from it. “It doesn’t matter, dog.” Her eyes shine with a strange, purplish light that refracts around her collapsed, twisted pupils. “You will fall like the rest.”

It isn’t until the rogue android rushes forward, sword raised, that 2B sees the corpses of YorHa units piled in front of the statue, and the blood that soaks it.

She dashes backward and shoves the bewildered 9S out of harm's way. The android’s bloodied sword crashes into the stonework floor, sending thousands of years of dust into the air. 2B lunges, her katana poised to take advantage of the enemy’s opening, but she sidesteps much quicker than anticipated. The rogue’s fist slams into 2B’s chest, distorting her internal sensors and throwing her off balance. 2B watches in horror as the rogue drives her sword towards her, but a golden flash knocks the blade away.

“2B!” 9S shouts, brandishing Cruel Oath. “Are you okay?!”

She shakes her head as if it would clear the internal errors from her vision, but she assumes her battle stance next to her partner. “Fine.”

Both androids launch into an assault on the rogue, attacking in tandem. Despite 2B’s scrambled sensors, she and 9S have an undeniable synergy that comes with countless missions. 2B forces the rogue back with singular, powerful blows, while 9S jabs at any opening he can reach from the sides. However, even with their combined might the rogue deflects and maneuvers out of the way of each attack as casually as one would flick away an insect or step around a puddle. She looks to be expending no effort at all as she dances around the two YorHa. Anger and frustration rises in 2B, culminating in a harsh growl. She mimics the rogue’s tactic from earlier, rushing forward and feinting with a crushing overhead strike that is easily dodged but allows no time for recovery. She slams her fist into the rogue android’s face, sending her stumbling backwards. Before 9S can dive in with a horizontal slash the rogue dashes backward, putting crucial distance between her and her hunters.

The rogue android lowers her gaze at the pair, sizing them up, taking stock of their abilities and assessing their weaknesses. 2B watches her eyes dart back and forth between her and 9S, then linger on 9S. Sensing the rogue’s motive and deciding at that moment that the outcome is unacceptable, 2B dives in front of the strike meant for 9S. The rogue’s sword slices cleanly through her chest, coating the rogue’s clothes in splatters of fresh blood. The battler falls to her knees, clutching the wound with one hand while supporting herself on her sword.

“No!!” 9S screams and lunges at their target. “2B!!”

“Hm. Interesting.” The rogue murmurs, easily deflecting the scanner’s wild strikes.

2B watches through blurred, error obscured vision as 9S drives the rogue back. If she didn’t know any better it’d seem that he has the upper hand, but the rogue’s eyes glint in a way 2B recognizes all too well. She’s baiting him.

9S slams his blade against the rogue’s, pressing all of his power and weight into the strike. It’s the moment she had been waiting for. Suddenly she pulls back, letting 9S’ weight fall forward and forcing him off balance. She kicks his legs out from under him then shoves him into the floor. 9S lets out a startled, choked gasp as his weight and the force of the rogue’s attack cracks the stone floor, sending up more clouds of dust into the air.

Clutching her chest, 2B roars and charges at the target with blinding speed. When she sees the smirk twisting the rogue’s lips and the pointed iron rod in her grip, it’s too late. With a flash of her crowfeather cape, the android meets 2B’s charge with her own, the skewer aimed at her wounded chest. 2B tries to divert her body away, but the momentum is too strong. It’s just enough to roll her body to the side so that the spike pierces clean through her shoulder, clear of critical systems.

The pain, however, is agonizing.

It’s different from the injuries 2B has suffered in the past. Countless machine swords, spears, and axes have torn through her body and of course all of those injuries hurt, but they were manageable. When the iron bar rips through layers of cloth, skin, carbon plating and frame, and synthetic muscle fibers it's as if her shoulder has been set on fire. She clenches her teeth, muffling a scream to a low growl. Her hand wraps around the skewer, close to the wound itself. Instinct tells her to tear it out immediately, but she knows that without treatment doing so would only worsen her condition. 2B doesn’t get to make that decision, unfortunately. The rogue grabs hold of the end of the iron rod and twists it side to side, driving it further into 2B’s shoulder.

2B sinks to her knees and tries to hold back the cries of agony. Her injured arm stops responding to commands and lies limp and useless against her side. She swats at the rogue android with her weakening other arm, desperate to escape from this torment. Her strength fades along with her vision; it becomes impossible to even hold herself upright.

She must not fall, she must not… she must stay strong, she must stay alive.

She will not allow him to die…

Not for the sake of a monster like her….

9S leaps into the fight as the rogue android prepares a killing blow. A flurry of Pod fire, sword strikes, and furious movement all blur together into a white, gold, and black haze. She fights to stay awake, she fights to stand, but her body begins to shut down non-vital systems and conserve as much energy as she can. First her tactile sensors switch off, leaving her in a numbing cold. Then her hearing, quickly followed by sight. A warning flashes across the last vestiges of her vision that she is entering a forced shutdown state, and despite her audio sensors being deactivated, she swears she hears 9S cry out for her.

….

…….

………

……….

……..

….

2B opens her eyes to the blinding, sterile white of hacking space. This itself is not shocking. Oftentimes she would run diagnostics on her critical systems when in a forced shutdown, both to manage critical systems and to keep herself busy.

But now, in the distance, there is an anomaly.

A single figure, black as night, approaches her. It’s shape is human up till its head, which sports pointed ears and a long snout like that of a dog or wolf. It looms over her and leaves a black, fragmented mist in its wake. But most troubling of all in this world of stark monochrome is its eye…. or what 2B believes is an eye. In the center of its lupine face is a strange geometric sigil that emits a highly saturated purple light. It feels… malicious. The thought itself is insane to 2B. Light cannot possess intent or emotions, and yet…

“This is an unacceptable outcome.” A voice booms in her head. Somehow she knows it is the entity speaking.

2B opens her mouth to respond, but instead of words, thick crimson fluid leaks from her throat.

“You will die. He will die. You cannot abide by this.”

She shakes her head. Droplets of blood fall to the pristine floor. The entity is right. If she has any strength left, 9S will live.

“Stand, little doll,” the entity commands, “Stand and unleash y-...Be——…..d.”

The entity’s voice becomes warped and distorted with audio glitches, yet 2B understands its words with frightening clarity.

“Take-......l-...s within.”

It holds a hand out to her, offering her something she can’t quite make out. The shape in its palm is amorphous, colorless, and flickers with lines of jumbled code. Somehow, she knows this piece of herself in intimate detail, yet cannot remember what this does or what its relation to the entity is.

But it promises strength enough to save 9S.

2B reaches out and takes the code in her hand…

….

………….

…………………………

………………………………………………………..

Her eyes snap open. A current of raw energy runs through her body, electrifying every nerve and sensor within her. She shakes with each pulse of her circulatory apparatus as a new, terrifying strength takes hold. 2B rises to her feet, flexing her hands, legs, arms. One arm’s movement is restricted by the iron bar still stuck in her shoulder. She tears it out with little effort, casting it to the floor. The rattling, hollow sound echoes against the stone chapel.

The rogue’s head snaps up from her combat with 9S, who is barely able to hold his sword. Something in her expression changes. She kicks 9S and points her sword at 2B, her arms shaking in a way they had not before.

2B lunges forward, her sword raised high. The rogue raises her own sword to deflect, but 2B’s newfound strength breaks her guard with one mighty strike. With blinding speed 2B slices through the rogue android’s body. Her crowfeather cape flutters to the floor, soon followed by her arm. The rouge android staggers back, an expression of shock and horror twisting her face. 2B drives her sword through the rogue’s chest, forcing her back further. Instead of drawing her sword back for another strike, a terrifying feeling takes over 2B. She leaves the sword inside the rogue’s chest and tackles her to the ground. With her bare hands and horrible strength, 2B delivers blow after blow to the android’s chest, shoulder, arms, head, and abdomen. Each piece is reduced to a pulp of flesh and metal one after the next until nothing remains but scrap.

2B throws her head back as she straddles her victim, a horrible, twisted grin plastered across her face and arms outstretched. Her body feels wrong… horribly wrong, yet for the first time since she can remember, her chest is light. She gazes up at the morbid sculpture with an emotion she can’t quite describe. It isn’t the same as a combat high, she is intimately familiar with that heady rush. This is something akin to… euphoria. A laugh begins to bubble up in her throat-

“2B?”

She’s forced back to reality by the 9S’ voice, right beside her ear. Suddenly, the terrible strength from moments before fades from her body. Her arms go limp by her sides, and it becomes hard to sit upright. Even breathing is laborious. 9S wraps his arms around her shoulders and tugs her gently, laying her head and shoulders against his chest.

“I’ve got you. We… I think we’re safe.” His breathing is uneven and ragged, much like 2B’s. He swivels his head back and forth, searching for any lingering threats as quickly as possible. “Pod, run a scan for machine lifeform or android signals in the immediate area,” he commands.

Pod 153 is silent for a moment, then emits a grating, hideous garbled noise. Words try to break through the audio distortions but neither 2B or 9S is confident it isn’t simply what they wish to hear.

“Alert:” Pod 042 begins, “Interference from unknown source is preventing accurate scans of the surrounding area. Proposal: Relocate to an elevated aaaaaaa…..a-r-....rrr……”

The same audio distortions come from 042, mingling with 153’s until they both cut off, leaving the androids in silence. “Pod?” 9S calls to the floating support unit. “Pod, respond. ... Pod?”

2B mutters weakly to her own Pod, but it's the same as 9S’. No response at all.

9S pulls up a small data screen, map data, from what 2B can tell. Or… where map data would be. Instead, there’s a blank, grey screen and a little message box that reads No Data.

“What the-...” 9S whispers, flipping through different screens at a frantic pace. “Where-... There’s… all the data is gone!” he shouts, “No map, no signal scans… I can’t even connect to the Bunker…”

“We’re stranded…” 2B muses aloud.

Silence passes between them. Only the ominous wind passing through ancient wood and stone reminds them that the world hasn’t stopped moving around them.

“We should move to a higher area, like your Pod said.” 9S suggests, rising to his feet. “Can you stand?”

When 9S offers a hand out to her, 2B takes it without thinking. His touch, even through his thick gloves, calms the beast pacing inside her.

Beast?

…..What does that mean?

2B rises to her feet, her hands lingering in 9S’ for a moment longer than she normally would. There’s a fog in her head that distorts her equilibrium. She leans on 9S for support, to which he wraps his arm around her waist and positions himself under her shoulder.

“I got you.” He says with a small smile.

2B feels just a bit lighter.

They exit the chapel and make for higher ground. 9S rationalizes that if they simply continue up stairs or inclines they would find a space clear of whatever is interfering with the Pod’s satellite connections. Perhaps it’s the fog that creeps across the cobblestone streets or the odd angle of the sun (not that it makes sense to 9S or 2B but they have to consider all possibilities), or perhaps it’s something beyond that. There’s a strange, eerie feeling about this city that neither can explain, and neither want to talk about. As if there’s a presence constantly watching over them.

They climb the stairs of one of the massive sprawling religious buildings. From what 9S assesses, it seems to have one of the tallest spires in the city. Only a larger time-keeping building looming in the distance is larger. If he could reach the top he should be far enough above whatever is interfering with the Pods. When he relays his plan to 2B who only nods, her eyes unfocused and breathing shallow, worry starts to lace its icy fingers through his chest. Something is wrong with her.

9S’ first instinct is to prepare a data backup with the bunker, but the Pods are both out of commission for the time being. His next is to contact command and ask how they should proceed, to the same conclusion. Climbing the spire is the only course of action he can take, but first, he has to make sure 2B is safe.

He leads her through the castle of worship, now supporting most of her weight. That… frightening show of strength must have exhausted her power supply. There are plenty of well preserved wooden benches that stretch across half of the main worship chambers, at least it would be more comfortable than the stone floors. Under watch by the countless grotesque statues that sit in the rafters, 9S helps 2B onto a long bench, laying her on her back. She hisses and grinds her teeth as she moves. She must have sustained internal damage from that fight…

“I’ll be right back,” he promises, “I’m going to go to the roof to get a clear signal.”

All 2B gives in response is a slow nod. He lingers by her side before leaving, a moment longer than needed.

Now alone in this spacious, hollow, human structure, 2B takes stock of her condition. There’s pain in her shoulders, particularly her right arm. Her legs are tight, most locking up from the strain of the previous battle and trekking up to her current location. Her back, as well, is tense beyond discomfort. It spasms and jolts if she breathes too hard. At least these are injury related, explainable. The black wolfman with purple eyes lingering in the corners of her vision, is not.

She sees the entity in the shadows, lurking just out of view. 9S walks right past it, not even sparing a glance at the tall, gangly creature. It doesn’t respond to 9S either, instead focusing on 2B and only 2B.

The sight of it makes her stomach turn. She tries to close her eyes, but the glowing, purple sigil is burned into her vision. With a groan she digs her knuckles into her eyelids as if she could carve the hallucination out of the air. Defeated, 2B lets her arms down once more. One hand touches the cool stone floor, decorated with elegant mosaics, and she suddenly realizes how warm she is. According to the warning messages displayed in her vision her body temperature is ten degrees above normal levels.

“Pod,” she groans, forcing herself to sit up, “retrieve water from storage-”

“Report: Mail notification received from Command.”

The monotone voice of her support unit shocks her. Pod 042 had been silent up until now due to whatever interference was in the area, and now it’s getting messages from Command? 9S must have established a connection from the roof.

Her heart sinks. If that’s the case he would contact her. The first thing she’d hear would be his voice.

She opens the message, dreading its contents.

Subject has accessed confidential records. Eliminate the Target.

At the top of the spire 9S takes in the view of the entire city, the wind rushing through his hair. It’s breathtaking. It’s unlike anything he’s ever seen. The sky dyes the entire urban sprawl red, as well as the mountains on the horizon. His pulse races as he drinks in the terrifying awe of what the ancient humans were capable of, hoping to remember every last detail of the buildings, the streets, and the magnificent sculptures that litter the city. It’s all so well preserved that he feels as though a human might appear, walking down the cobblestone streets as if nothing were wrong. As if they didn’t go extinct.

Reluctantly he draws his attention away from the splendor of humanity’s ruins, and shakes away the creeping emptiness that comes with that line of thought. He can’t think about that now. He and 2B are stranded. 9S produces a holographic terminal that mirrors Pod 153’s settings menu. Pod’s diagnostics on his end show buildup of foreign material in and around certain receivers, something that 9S expects, but that is only part of the problem. It seems that the atmosphere in this place is clogged with various chemicals and particles that make satellite transmissions more difficult. Considering all of the decaying metal and stone it’s no wonder that there’s so much particulate in the air. Once Pod’s receivers are clear 9S has Pod 153 hover just above the spire’s tip. It stays suspended in the air, the small light on the top of its body turning on and off at regular intervals.

“Connection established.” Pod 153 announces moments later. “Proposal: Contact the Bunker for support.”

“Great! Set up a relay connection for Pod 042 as well.”

“Affirmative.”

9S opens a data screen laden with information and begins composing his message to Operator 21O. With an unreliable connection a live call would be too risky, a simple text based message won’t be distorted or cut out. He records a brief message, attaches a transcription of his words, and sends it to the Bunker. Hopefully 21O would send something quickly-

A flash of movement in the streets below catches his eye. Something running on all fours... “Pod… run a scan for machine lifeforms…” He says, a chill creeping up his spine.

Pod 153 floats down to his side. “Alert: Multiple machine lifeforms detected. Proposal: Regroup with Unit 2B.”

“But-”

That thing didn’t look like a machine…

“Alert: Anomalous signal detect-”

Pod 153’s words are drowned by a horrific, mournful howl that reverberates through the entire building. 9S clings to the ornate decorations on the spire and covers his ears with his free hand. His body runs cold. He’s never heard a sound like that before. Nothing the machines make comes close to that. The pain and sorrow in that noise is something that no animal could produce either. That left only one possibility…

Another roar wracks the building from within…

2B clutches the sides of her head, the data screen long dismissed.

No…

Her chest strains under her panicked breaths.

No.

She hadn’t been watching him. She hadn’t been keeping track of his questions and behavior…

No… No.

And now she…

No no no no no .

She has to…

no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no.

NO.

She will not do this. Not again.

Her skin feels… tight.

She will fight off every single goddamn android Command sends until there are none left but her and him. She will not be a part of this cycle again. Her hands curl into fists as a surge rushes through her body, alighting her nerves with energy. With power.

A shadow moves across the stone floor of the castle of worship. The entity, its form inky black, its sigil emitting a baleful purple light, glides towards her. It bathes her in the highly saturated light, a light not even shielding her eyes can diffuse. It bores into her core, it peers into her mind. It speaks into her mind.

“You will not allow this to happen.” Its voice echoes off the hollow shell of where humans once sought God. “But strength comes at a price, little doll.”

The entity plunges its claws into her chest. Heat explodes throughout her body to the point where she fears she might self-destruct. The boiling tendrils of this ethereal monster sink into her artificial heart and her Black Box. Something activates, or… unlocks, and suddenly she feels… confined. Her body… it’s too small….

“Time to pay the toll…”

It rips its claws, now writhing shadow-like whips, out of her chest, then vanishes. 2B’s vision is obscured, but not by warnings and error messages, by blood. Red veins pulse on the edges of her sight in time with her heart. Each beat sends waves of heat, electricity, and agony through her body.

“Stand, little doll. Stand, and unleash your beasthood.”

A scream forms in 2B’s throat, but it cannot break through her swelling throat and gritted teeth. She takes frantic, shallow breaths. Her limbs shake, her fingernails dig into the stonework floor. It’s so hot…

2B rolls onto the floor and rips away her tight uniform. Far too tight. Parts of her dress were already beginning to tear as her muscles swell. Blood trickles from various wounds where her skin has split, revealing the thick, synthetic muscle cords that lie beneath. Her blindfold is next, but removing it does not help her vision. One eye is unfocused, blurring all of her vision.

She drags her fingernails across her body and lets out a deep, animal snarl when she tears into her own flesh. Looking down at her hands, she recoils at the sight of long, black claws that split her fingers down the center. Skin falls from them in long strips to the point where the mechanical joints of her hands are exposed.

Something snaps inside her, somewhere in her upper back. She howls in agony, in sorrow, as her spine lengthens, twists, and grows too fast for her body to maintain. Her insides are compacted and grind against each other, sending sickening vibrations throughout her. Her throat finally opens up, allowing her to breathe. She watches as puffs of steam escape her mouth into the warm twilight air.

Another crack and something explodes out of her lower back. Her balance is thrown off and she falls forward, smashing her face into stone. Another snarl, this one combined with the gnashing of fangs. Her mouth warps, splitting out of her face into a muzzle. Eyes follow, one swelling to fit its now spacious socket while the other stunts and refuses to change. She claws at the peeling skin of whatever she can reach, spilling more of her blood in the process. Everything hurts, everything itches, but oh god the power feels so good.

A growth springs from above her unchanged eye, weighing her head down and hunching her body over. She supports herself with one enormous hand, the other scooping the wires and tubing that spills out of her torn stomach and forcing them back inside her abdominal cavity. The twisting extension of her spine, a tail, thuds against the floor and counters the weight of her head.

2B shakes the mane of bloodied, white hair from her functioning eye, turns her head to the sky, and roars.

#nier automata #2B #9S #2B9S #fanfiction #nier fanfiction #Tanks fics

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delayedcritique · 5 years ago

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JOKER REVIEW

“Outlets declaring this as controversial clearly missed the whole message of it all.”

BY COLLIN DELADE

You can’t review the latest DC Comics adaptation, JOKER, without addressing the controversy. This R rated drama about the origins of the most psychotic comic book villains has been dogpiled with so much controversy and criticism for its criminally inspiring behavior. Having actually seen the movie and understanding the whole point of the character, all this controversy is incredible misguided.

JOKER is a character study of the socially unaccepted Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) as he tries to cope with life’s hardships. All Arthur wants to do with his life is to bring laughter to others. Unfortunately, his mental condition and society’s neglect of the mentally ill is causing him to struggle. At the root of it all, JOKER is a cautionary tragedy on the result of reduced funding and support to the mentally disturbed. Where the controversy comes in is how the film successfully makes you sympathize with the mass murderer.

More than any other film in the sub-genre, JOKER is the definitive representation of an origin story. From beginning to end, this movie is a character study of Arthur’s descent into madness and chaos. Every second of the runtime is focused on Arthur. His aches to be seen and heard in this society that abandons people like him. Describing an actual plot that the film follows takes away from the overall point and suspense of this dark tragedy.

Many comparisons will be made between Phoenix’s portray of the character and the late Heath Ledger’s performance eleven years ago. Ironically, with all the finger-pointing at Phoenix’s interpretation as encouraging mass shootings and violence, Ledger’s Joker is way more controversial and dangerous.

Without giving any spoilers away for JOKER, Phoenix’s Joker is shown to have a bit of logic and focus as to who he is going after. Ledger, on the other hand, is a mysterious evil with zero humanity that can’t be figured out. If any Joker portrays were to inspire mass shooters, it would be the critically praised and adored Ledger version.

Based on the actor’s performance, though, Phoenix is right up there with Ledger as giving the best interpretation of the character. I adored Phoenix and his performance in the film as he balances an incredible amount of sympathy with an uncomfortable level of disturbing moments. For the vast majority of the film, I really felt terrible for Arthur and aches to see his life turn around for the better.

Arthur doesn’t start off as a violent psychopath that clearly belongs in an insane asylum. Instead, he begins as a simple struggling comedian who’s harmless enough to attempt to make a kid smile on the bus. All the praises you have heard about Phoenix is absolutely right, as he deserves to be nominated, if not win, the Oscar for Best Actor.

While I walked in expecting to be blown away by Phoenix, I was really surprised by the fantastic direction and filmmaking with Todd Phillips and his creative team. Just a simple sweeping shot of the gritty Gotham streets look like a work of art. This is a perfect showcase of how a great director and cinematographer can make any setting look beautiful.

With the fantastic cinematography comes my favorite element about the film; just how disturbing it is without the need for an uncomfortable amount of violence. Right from the very first frame, everything about the psychological mindset of Arthur is established. As the film continues, Phillps perfectly captures Phoenix’s chilling performance with long, drawn-out shots that appropriately makes the audience uneasy. Aside from a violent moment on the subway, all of the violent imagery is saved for the film’s climax, where the Joker comes out to play.

Until then, you get sucked into Arthur’s journey for acceptance that beautifully sets up for the main event of Joker revealed to the public. The element that makes JOKER such an incredible film is how it doesn’t portray anyone as completely good or bad. Everyone is a mixture of sinister intentions and human beings that deserve a chance to live. You will sympathize and root against all the characters as they truly reflect the flawed human nature.

Even though I absolutely love JOKER, I can completely understand why some people will not enjoy it. Take away audiences that would reject it merely due to the controversy, JOKER really is an unconventional character study that isn’t much of a crowd-pleaser. If you can’t see yourself enjoying a two-hour movie where you need to get sucked into the mindset of a twisted character, then this is not the film for you.

JOKER is definitely one of the best movies of the year that takes so many risks and deep turns that will leave you on the edge of your seat. While it has it’s problems that involve its revealing information, it still is worth checking out in theaters for adults only. Please, do not take your kids to see this movie; it is very much a mature and deep movie that they don’t need to see.

9/10

youtube

#joker #joker movie #batman #dc #movie #review #dark #distrubing #joaquin phoenix #robert deniro

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buckybarnesbingo · 3 years ago

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BBB Week 13 Roundup!

Title: he tastes like you, only sweeter Collaborator(s): cyanica Link: AO3 Square: Y2 - bath/shower sex Rating: Mature Ship(s): steve/bucky Major tags/warnings: rape/non-con elements, mind rape, psychological torture, mind manipulation, hallucinations Summary: Maybe it was the desperation between them both that made them want to drown themselves in once-beautiful artistry and deranged fantastical realities of insanity, to escape what otherwise would be real; or maybe this was all just a dream-turned-nightmare that he hadn't yet learned was one or the other – but, whichever way, Bucky liked it better here. or it's not really Steve who the Soldier dreams of. He doesn't mind much. Word count: 1941

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Title: cause I've got the love Collaborator(s): plutosrose Link: AO3 Square: Y4 - Outsider POV Rating: Explicit Ship(s): Steve/Bucky Major tags/warnings: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Sexual Harassment, Mpreg, Doctor Visit, Mention of Surgery, Mention of Injury Summary: Three months after breaking up with him to pursue his photography career, Bucky shows up on Steve's doorstep with an unexpected announcement - he thinks he's pregnant. Word count: 1049

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Title: cause I've got the love Collaborator(s): plutosrose Link: AO3 Square: U1 - Vulnerability Rating: Explicit Ship(s): Steve/Bucky Major tags/warnings: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Doctor Visit, Mention of Surgery, Sexual Harassment, Mention of Injury, Implied PTSD, Implied Eating Issues Summary: Three months after breaking up with him to pursue his photography career, Bucky shows up on Steve's doorstep with an unexpected announcement - he thinks he's pregnant. Word count: 2569

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Title: 5 Times Steve Received Plums from Natasha or Sam and the 1 Time Steve Realized the Plums weren’t from Them Collaborator(s): Girl_Back_There Link: AO3 Square: K5 - Bucky/Steve Rating: Teen Ship(s): Bucky/Steve Major tags/warnings: Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Angst & Feels, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug Summary: Steve keeps finding plums in his hotel rooms or his bag. He thinks it is Natasha or Sam trying to be a good friend by making sure he is eating and keeping up his energy in the search for Bucky. Each plum he finds reminds him of Bucky growing up in pre-WWII New York. The times they would give each other a plum as a way of saying “I’m sorry” or “I love you.” Word count: 2998

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Title: Love Has Left a Printed Trace Collaborator(s): Girl_Back_There Link: AO3 Square: C5 - Bucky being beaten Rating: Explicit Ship(s): Steve/Bucky Major tags/warnings: Non-Con/Dub-Con, Character Death, Alternate Universe-Vampires, Violence, Blood Play, Blood Kink Summary: Steve has been obsessed with the legend of Winter, an immortal being that can be found in many paintings over the centuries. The investigation into the Winter legend has made Steve an expert in the romantic era of art as well as garnered him a friendship with a semi-famous artist, Jacques Dernier, in New Orleans. But the murder of Jac and the disturbing imagery in Jac’s final painting has Steve frantically searching for more information surrounding the mystery of Winter. James is a vampire. He is usually known to most as Winter. His coven is the ever violent Hydra and James is their number one assassin and enforcer. He is the reason why vampires remain a fairytale legend among humans. James’ work has shaped history for both humans and vampires. His current assignment is to keep them off the radar of the new breed of hunters known as SHIELD. An assignment that is proving difficult after meeting Steve Rogers. Word count: 1571

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Title: cause I've got the love Collaborator(s): plutosrose Link: AO3 Square: C5 - Adulting Rating: Explicit Ship(s): Steve/Bucky Major tags/warnings: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Sexual Harassment, Mpreg, Doctor Visit, Mention of Surgery, Mention of Injury, Implied PTSD, Implied Eating Issues Summary: Three months after breaking up with him to pursue his photography career, Bucky shows up on Steve's doorstep with an unexpected announcement - he thinks he's pregnant. Word count: 3104

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Title: Six Seeds Collaborator(s): docharleythegeekqueen Link: Tumblr Square: C5 - Kink - Making Love Rating: Mature Ship(s): Bucky x Reader Major tags/warnings: Fluff, Angst, Smut Summary: Someone has taken the Queen of the Underworld and Hades searches the world over. But he can always find his love amongst the flowers. Word count: 15020

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Title: Winter's Men Collaborator(s): Girl_Back_There Link: AO3 Square: B2 - Tension Rating: Mature Ship(s): Steve/Bucky Major tags/warnings: Mob AU, Mob Boss Bucky, Dog Walker Steve, Threats of Rape Summary: Steve woke disoriented and in the dark, lying on his side on the floorboards or trunk of a vehicle, with his hands and feet bound. Steve tries to think back as to how in the hell he ended up here. Word count: 3549

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Title: Winter's Men Collaborator(s): Girl_Back_There Link: AO3 Square: C1 - Sticks and Stones May Break You Bones Rating: Mature Ship(s): Steve/Bucky Major tags/warnings: Mob AU, Mob Boss Bucky, Dog Walker Steve, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Violence Summary: Being the head of the Russian Mafia in New York is a heady job. While there are many pleasures it can afford, James Barnes (Bucky to his closest friends) rarely indulges in them. Succumbing to too many vices is not good for one’s health. Especially in a cutthroat (literally and figuratively) business such as his. But his daily instances of getting to see Steve, even just for a moment or two to say hello and quote nerdy movies at one another to make each other laugh, became one of Bucky’s rare indulgences. Word count: 5039

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Title: Winter's Men Collaborator(s): Girl_Back_There Link: AO3 Square: Y4 - Confession Rating: Mature Ship(s): Steve/Bucky Major tags/warnings: Mob AU, Mob Boss Bucky, Dog Walker Steve, Violence, Mild Smut Summary: The adrenaline from the day is wearing off and the bone aching exhaustion from being on overload sets into Steve. His head is threatening to develop a pounding headache and his stomach feels queasy. The man he had been developing a massive crush on was quite possibly involved with the mob. His best friend is some sort of ninja badass. And they both just killed a bunch of people. Bucky’s heart jumps to his throat as he looks in the peephole. There is Steve, looking like a man on a mission. He opens the door, and gestures for Steve to come in. Steve storms past Bucky, through the front hall, and into the living room before he turns to address Bucky. “They thought I was your boyfriend,” Steve says, accusingly. “The guys who took me. Why?” Word count: 4117

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Title: Reputation Collaborator(s): startrekkingaroundasgard Link: Tumblr Square: B5 - asexuality Rating: Mature Ship(s): Bucky & Reader Major tags/warnings: greysexual!bucky barnes, gender neutral reader, bed sharing, mentions of unwanted sexual attention, friendship Summary: There’s only one bed but they’re both asexual so they just talk about their experiences instead. Word count: 1978

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Title: The Asset & The Lover Collaborator(s): redsixred Link: Tumblr Square: Y3 - Good Guys Gone Bad Rating: Teen Ship(s): Stucky Major tags/warnings: Guns, Angst, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes Summary: For the first time in his life, Steven G. Rogers backs down from a fight. Word count: N/A

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Title: Keeping The Monsters At Bay Collaborator(s): StevesOnAPlane Link: Tumblr Square: U5 - Bucky Serum Injection Rating: Gen Ship(s): Bucky Barnes x Reader Major tags/warnings: Anxiety Attacks, Mentions of nightmares & Broken Bones Summary: Reader forgot to replenish the medical supplies after a previous mission and it’s almost time for the team to leave for the next one. The pressure triggers an anxiety attack for Reader, which is when Bucky comes upon them. With Bucky’s help, Reader is able to manage the attack. The next night Reader is able to return the favor when they’re awoken by screaming. Bucky is having nightmares again so Reader helps him get through the night. Word count: 2137

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Title: A Little Calm Collaborator(s): Raz Link: Tumblr Square: C4 - Wakanda Rating: Gen Ship(s): N/A Major tags/warnings: Bucky, Bucky Barnes, Wakanda, Bucky in Wakanda, Lakeside, Chill, Summary: Local goat herding beef chunk has some lakeside quiet time. Word count: N/A

#buckybarnesbingo2021 #bbb2021 #bbb weekly roundup #bbb week 13 #bbb round 3

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ao3feed-izuku-midoriya · 4 years ago

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Willing Transfer

Willing Transfer by TheDeadGirlRisen

Izuku gets kidnapped for being quirkless, but was not as planned as the other victims. Will this lead be enough for the investigators to put a stop to these kidnappings?

Words: 2066, Chapters: 1/10, Language: English

Fandoms: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Categories: F/M, Gen, M/M

Characters: Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Midoriya Izuku, Midoriya Inko, Midoriya Hisashi, Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic

Relationships: Midoriya Hisashi/Midoriya Inko, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead/Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead & Midoriya Izuku, Midoriya Izuku & Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic

Additional Tags: Experimentation, Quirk Transfering, A few chapters have warnings for potentially disturbing imagery, Kidnapping

Read Here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26021692

#AO3 Feed #FanFiction #AO3 Izuku #♢#Erasermic·#Izuku Midoriya #Hisashi Midoriya #Inko Midoriya #R:M #A:Dead

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linksthoughtbrambles · 2 years ago

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Hands

Part 10 of Adventure Log+ (Sequel to Link’s Thought Brambles. I highly recommend reading in order! Edited 9/30/23 to tighten language.) WARNING: This chapter is rated mature for disturbing imagery and violence.

“Link—house!”

“I see it!”

“Light!”

“Yes!” Normal light, not purple. Please, please, please, please-

“OY!”

WOAH, Rionee!

“WHO GOES THERE? WATCH WHERE YOU’RE RIDING! IF YOU TRAMPLE MY CABBAGES, I’LL TRAMPLE YOU!”

“Oh!”

YEEEEESSSS!!! OH, THANK YOU! “Hello, there! We’ll slow down!”

“YOU’D BETTER!”

“Shh, Rionee, you’re good… slow down… good girl.”

“Easy, Tass. Hello! May we speak with you?”

“You already are!”

“She has a point.”

“Uph- hehe, Link-“

“Sorry.” Just relieved, SO relieved, thank Hylia! Zelda is, too. Her voice bright.

There’s the woman—was tough to see her in the dark! She’s out of breath. Probably ran toward us to stop us running over her stuff. Without the Moon, I can’t even see where those cabbages might be. Maybe if the house light hit them at the right angle, but-

“What brings you riding at speed at this hour?! You scared me half to death with all that pounding!”

Ohh, s@#$. How much do we-

“Forgive us, madam- ah, is that what we ought to call you?”

“I’m Laysha, but you owe me an answer. I have to check those fields behind you in the morning to see what you might’ve wrecked. There’s paths for a reason, you know!”

Oops. Wheat farm. Um…

“O- oh. I apologize, Laysha. We—my knight and I’d worried you might have come to harm.”

To be fair, they could’ve put a fence up…

“Your- I beg your pardon- knight? And how could you be worried about me? We just met!”

“We came from the farm west of here. It had been attacked.”

Uh oh. That’s a pause, right there.

“Attacked, you say?”

“Yes.”

“By who? Bandits?”

“I’m afraid not.”

OH no, she’s reaching for something- “Wait!” Her hand, dagger hilt! “We don’t mean you harm, we really don’t. It was monsters. I swear, it-“ She can’t see you clearly, Link. Too dark. Can’t see the tunic, can’t see-

Better help her see, Link.

Be slow, do NOT be threatening while you dismount, Link. Hands way up in the air. “Um. I- I bet you can’t see too well, but-“

“You bet right. Keep those hands up.”

Yes, ma’am…

Her satchel- ?

Luminous stone! Smart if you’re working outside at night.

“Well, you don’t look like a bandit. Then again, who does?”

Fair point.

…She’s looking at my tunic.

…And my face.

…And my tunic again.

…Aaaand I guess she’ll be doing that for a bit…

“What’s your name?”

“Link.”

“Pff. Ha! Is it?”

“Yeaaah.”

“Your knight, huh? That make you the Princess?”

“It does indeed.”

“Ph. Princess Zelda and the Chid, riding through my field all alone in the dead of night?”

…The what?

Zelda doesn’t seem to know what to make of it, either, but she’s also dismounting with her hands up.

“I- I’m afraid I quite understand how unbelievable it must be.”

She’s stepping into the light.

Laysha’s eyeing the crown of braids. Zelda’s famous for that. But… it’s not like someone else couldn’t braid her hair that way. It’s not enough. Her new tunic does have that altered royal crest on it… and it sure looks fancy. The material’s extremely high-quality, which hopefully she can tell?

Zelda’s turning. Showing her the royal bow. That… sure made Laysha bat her eyelids-

The sword, dumbass. Turn around, Link! Keep an eye out over your shoulder just in case, though.

Her jaw dropped.

“Y- you… draw that sword, but DON’T YOU DARE hold it by its hilt. Nice and slow. Hold it choked… under the hilt.”

That’s fair.

Never tried to hold you like this, Fi… hope I don’t cut myself…

You won’t, master. I am incapable of harming you.

Really? Cool...

Please, be convinced? Please? Nothing, nothing, looks like this sword. Even in the pale luminous stone-light it gleams bright white in a way it shouldn’t. You’d think the reflection would be green…

“Huh. I’ll be a pig in s@#$.”

“Does that mean you believe us?”

“It means I’m closer to believing you than I was a minute ago. If you’re not here to mess with my farm, what are you doing? And why would you be doing it and not a bunch of knights?”

“I’m a knight.”

“Shush.”

Wow.

…She doesn’t believe us. She wouldn’t talk to the Princess that way if she did.

Would she?!

“The real Princess and her knight ought to be holed up in the castle ‘til the Calamity comes after what they’re saying happened at that festival.”

“We’re not.”

“YOU’RE not.”

Zelda please think of a way to prove this, please-

“Oh!”

“What?”

“The device on my hip. It’s called a Sheikah Slate.”

Oh no.

“So what?”

“It- it contains pictures. Memories of places we’ve been.”

Ohhhh!

“Would you allow me to show you?”

Please say yes. Please say yes.

“…Move slow. Hands away from that bow.”

As if she’d have time to draw it and nock an arrow before you could swipe her with that dagger.

…Well, Zelda might, actually, because she’s weird like me, but anyone else? No.

“I’m taking it off my hip. You see, here’s the screen—the part which shows the pictures.”

…I think I’m allowed to turn around slowly, now…

Zelda’s swiping past the screens. It must look like magic to Laysha. A magic book. A magic writing slate. A magic picture-frame? Something.

There are the pictures… And wow, she’s actually letting this woman hold it?

“You simply touch it and move your finger left or right. Yes!”

“Wh- what-? This is the castle, isn’t it?”

“Yes. Sir Link and I are in many of the pictures. Our friend Purah held the slate for much of the day of the festival, taking these.”

That day I’d been miffed thinking the pictures didn’t prove useful. Now, Link? Good thing she took those! It’s obvious. Isn’t it? There we are in all those shots, surrounded by guards. There’s Mipha with us. No one could mistake it. Could they?

Too- too bad. The slate was on my hip the whole time we were dancing. It… would have been nice to have a picture of that.

Aww. Myrri… sleeping on Chee.

Right before

Before

No- no- no, don’t do that, Link. You can’t be touching your arrow-spot right now. Laysha’ll think you’re going for a weapon.

Resist.

Damn.

It’s almost like an itch.

Ohhhh she’s looking at my face, now. Squinting real hard.

“You’re actually Sir Link?”

“Yeah.”

“… And… and Princess Zelda?”

“Yes.”

I can’t tell in the green light but I bet she’s going allllll pale.

OH and there she goes down on a knee!

“Please, forgive me, Princess! I thought-“

“No need! Truly, Laysha, please be at ease. I entirely understand your reaction.”

“I- I- Sir Link, please forgive me for what I said- I- I- I-“

“Is… this about that chid thing?”

“Y- yes!”

“Yeah, so… uh… what does that even mean?”

“Before you answer, please, Laysha, stand. You’ve nothing to fear from us.”

She’s… shaking. “Here. Take my hand. It’s really fine.”

Aw. Like a leaf.

“It- um. It means… chosen kid.”

“Huh. That’s not as bad as I was expecting.” It’s not even all that far off. I’m only 18… Doesn’t seem like something you’d call someone you had confidence in, though…

“Laysha… I am sorry to say your neighbors directly to the west were attacked.”

“B- by monsters?”

“Yes. We… know for certain there were at least seven bokoblins, each apparently riding a stolen horse-“

“That can’t be right, Princess.”

“Oh?”

“Marc and Challa only had three horses.”

S@#$.

It’s what we already thought, though.

That eyebrow-crease on Zelda. A slightly pushed-up lower lip. She feels bad.

“I… am sorry to tell you, your neighbors… four people were dead. Three adults, perhaps. One… child.”

Tears.

And shock.

“A- all of them?”

And that confirms it. The number’s right.

Those things… those were them. The people who lived there.

…They were once, master. They were dead when we arrived.

It still feels like murder.

I am… sorry, master. You merely laid soulless bodies to rest.

Zelda must've nodded. I- wasn't seeing properly. Tears on Laysha’s face reflecting green.

“Do you know which way the bokoblins went? P- princess?”

“Sirs Link and Daile dispatched them.”

“O-oh! But- then why-“

“We think there was someone or something else with them.” Wish I could tell her what. “Something… that made these… odd, glowing patches of something that looks like mud. It lays on top of the ground. It’s called malice.”

“I haven’t seen anything like that.”

Oh good.

“I- I have to…“

The house. There must be others. “Of course. Can we go with you? We’ll check around, make sure things are okay.”

“Yes- please do, Sir Link. Princess. Ah- i-if you don’t mind, please… doesn’t seem so important now, but...”

“Watch for the cabbages?”

“Eh- yes, S-sir Link.”

“Certainly, Laysha.”

Would be helpful to have moonlight. Zelda's looking, too. We’d see malice if it was around... it makes its own light. I just wish it was easier to see anything else prowling around out here in the dark. No black outlines against the stars except normal-looking things. Some trees. A pretty large copse at the rear of the house. Baby trees. Some not too far—maybe still in the wheat field? They should probably cut those soon. Lots of baby trees we passed, which is fine, you just don’t want them right in the middle of your crop. I see the well-pump to the south of the house, too. And another copse southeast of that.

The horses seem okay. They… need a rest and some water.

Damn, I need water, too. Canteen. “Gmpg-gmpg-gmpg-gmpg-gmpg-ghhh. Water, Z- Princess?”

“I still have some of my own. Thank you, though.”

Guess she’s not that thirsty.

…Speaking of thirsty, “Have you been having any trouble with your drinking water lately?”

“No, not at all. Why do you ask, Sir?”

“Good. Just… making sure. That malice muck was practically on top of the other farm’s water.”

“Indeed. It may be wise for you to pump some and store it in traveling containers just in case.”

“O-oh. Oh. You think… you think something’s coming this way?”

“We don’t know. We chose a direction to investigate.”

“I see, Princess. Reeb? REEB!”

“YEAH?”

“WE HAVE… IMPORTANT VISITORS!”

“YEAH I HEARD YOU YELLING ABOUT YOUR CABBAGES! WHO IS IT? IT’S NOT FRIPP, IS IT?”

“OF COURSE NOT, DIDN’T I JUST SAY THEY WERE IMPORTANT?”

“WELL, HOW DO I KNOW?!”

“YOU SHOULD KNOW I DON’T MEAN FRIPP!”

“I DON’T KNOW, YOU’VE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THOSE DAMN LOOPER MOTHS, MAYBE THAT’S WHY YOU WERE YELLING ABOUT CABBAGES!”

“WOULD FRIPP REALLY BE DRIVING HIS HORSE RIGHT THROUGH MY CABBAGES IF HE CAME TO NIX THE RUDDY CATTERPILLARS?!”

“HE’S DULL ENOUGH FOR IT!”

“I’m sorry, Princess, he does like to argue with me.”

Yeah, well…

“It’s no matter, Laysha.”

…you weren’t exactly discouraging him.

“THEY HAVE BAD BEWS!”

“MORE BAD NEWS?”

“Ruddy… he’ll be thinking I’m on about the harvests again.”

“We’d heard some of that at the castle. Has it affected your farm?”

Oooh, Zelda, this is NOT the best time for-

“It was…um… unseasonably cold in spring, Princess—more than I ever remember, at least.”

Never mind. Seems like a welcome distraction…

“So, we, Reeb and I… we waited to plant like many others did, though it wasn’t so bad here.”

Makes sense. Southernmost edge of wheat country.

“Those who didn’t plant late had a good deal of their crops ruined.”

“Frost?”

“Frost. I hear they’re biting their nails up near Tabantha village. Their wheat may not harden in time.”

That’s not a comfortable silence.

I hear her breath shaking a little.

Small cabin. Probably just Laysha and Reeb. He’s crossing his arms at us. He’s… short like me.

What- oh. A dog. Walking funny- heh. Old dog. Stretching doggie-arthritis legs. Boris used to do that. He only lasted about a year and a half after that started. Dogs don’t live long enough.

“Who’re you?”

“Reeb, for Hylia’s sake, don’t be rude! These’re Princess Zelda and Sir Link!”

“…You’re having me on.”

“I’m not.”

“Yes, you are.”

“I’m NOT, Reeb, just look at them! Look at- Princess, would you mind showing him?”

“Not at all.”

Slate again.

I’ll do a 360 while he looks.

“H-hot damn, how does this work!?”

“Heh. We’re not entirely sure. I understand light passes through this lens and falls onto a flat plane. I do not yet understand how the light is kept.”

“Damn. DAMN.”

Still nothing unusual-looking.

The horses are a little shuffly.

They’re thirsty. I’ll ask about drinking water for them before we go.

“Wow…”

Crickets are real loud. It’s almost too cold for them. Last hurrah of the fall, I guess. It feels like it’ll frost any night now.

“Alright- Princess- what can we do for you?”

“You need do nothing for us, sir. We’re here to check on your well-being. Have you seen anything unusual tonight, or earlier today perhaps?”

“No, Princess. It’s been a day like any other.”

“I see. Well, then- Sir Link and I would like to circle your farm once to ensure nothing seems amiss, then head northwest to check your neighbors in that direction. Perhaps—now I think on it, perhaps you could tell us about them?”

“Eh- sure, Princess. Northwest you’ll find Erl and Mizral. They farm wheat like most of us do around here, some vegetables… and then east of them and a little east of here there’s a big family, Cawlin, Gorsdadd—they’re brothers—and Rana and Hallen, and all their kids.”

“How many?”

“Eh- nine, Princess.”

Nine kids…

“And there’s Geenra, too, she’s getting mighty old at this point—still kicking, though.”

“Princess, Reeb!”

“Oh! Yes, Princess, so sorry about that-“

“It’s alright, truly.”

Oh- heh! Hi there, boy.

“Princess?”

Hand licks.

“Yes, Laysha?”

Always nice. You like behind-ear-scratches?

“After what you told me… why don’t I make you a quick map?”

Yesss, of course you do.

“I can… write the names down, too.”

Classic dog.

“What they… told?”

You don’t seem bothered by anything, do you?

“Thank you, Laysha.”

Nothing but wind in the grass out here.

“Eh- wait, what happened to your neck Sir- Sir Link?”

“Hm?” Oh! How… do I explain this? “…Monster-bite.”

“MONSTER-bite?”

“Yeah.”

“Deep?”

“Kind of.”

“Well… if Laysha’s writing something out for you, I can take a look at that.”

Zelda’s nodding. She cleaned it but…

She’s so smart, but I guess she doesn’t really have much experience with wound care. It just seems like she does because she’s been there whenever I was hurt this month. Might be a good idea. “Sure—thanks. I’d appreciate that.”

“Come on in – sit in that seat—hehe—that’s Laysh’s got-hurt seat.”

Guess Laysha hurts herself a lot.

“That’s not true.”

Maybe she tries to fight off all those cabbage moths.

“Sure is, hehehe.”

Hehehe with that dagger. “Phh.”

“Reeb, come on, this isn’t the time!”

…Wow, she’s right. What’s wrong with you, Link?

“Alright, I’ll unbind it. If it looks fine I can at least get you a clean bandage.”

“Thanks.”

“I shall stand watch.”

“Z- but-“

“No buts, Link. I’ll be right here in the doorway. I shan’t be out of sight.”

“…Alright, here we…”

…It must look real bad.

…Real… bad?

He went so quiet. Wh- why is he looking at me like that?

“…Laysha?”

“Mm hm.”

“Stop.”

“What do you-“

“That’s no monster bite, Sir Link.”

Oh. Oh-F@#$-

I just heard her dagger come out.

“Reeb?!”

“NO, Laysha, just run!”

“REEB?!”

“Wh- there’s no need- we won’t hurt you!” Link you IDIOT-

“Then explain your damn self!”

Yes, I should’ve done that FIRST-

“A person did that, not some bokoblin! You think we’re idiots?!”

“NO, of course-“

“Please!”

Z- Zelda-

“Please—Link told you the truth!”

“Like hell he did, LOOK at that! It’s obvious what did it-“

“I understand, but- please. Please, look at this last picture.”

Last- last-? Right… she’d been taking pictures of the malice. She must have gotten the… ReDead. In the last one.

I hear her moving. Circling slowly behind me. Be careful- careful- if Laysha’s really scared-

Reeb doesn’t want to take his eyes off me.

He thinks I killed them.

…Well. I did.

Two of them, anyway.

“Please, look.”

He is. Over me.

And he’s losing absolutely all the blood in his face.

“What… what in Hylia’s green hills is that?”

…Laysha’s moving, too. To see, right? Not to… stab me… or her. Right?

Stop shaking, Link. You- you won’t have to fight them. You won’t. You won’t. Won’t have to- to put a sword a sword through anyone’s

Neck

Windpipe

F@#$.

F#@$, Link get a hold of yourself.

Even if they did attack, you wouldn’t have to-

“Reeb? Reeb, that’s Marc.”

…I wish she hadn’t said that.

“Skies, Laysha, I can see that. I can… what… what happened?”

I know his name, now.

“…You can, perhaps, see why we made such haste.”

…Laysha… won’t stab me…

“I- you- you think this’ll happen here?”

Can move- scrub my face.

“We don’t know. We feared so.”

Scrub it clean, I guess. Something.

“This is the first farm we saw.”

“Reeb, sew him up.”

“Huh?”

“Sew Sir Link up while I finish the damn map! It’s obvious why they need it, isn’t it?!”

“Y- yeah. Right. Right. Damn. Uh. Yeah, so… that’s… awful torn. Stitches. Hang on.”

Stitches.

Never needed those.

Always was good at not getting hurt.

Your weakness, Link?

Hesitation.

You can’t hesitate.

Why the hell didn’t I listen to Fi?

Do not blame yourself, master.

Who should I blame, then?

I have never known… any of my wielders not to hesitate where people’s lives were concerned.

I guess, at least, I’m no weaker than them, then.

No more hesitating, Link.

Threat?

Take it out.

And… oh! “They can shock you still.”

“What?”

“These things. They- if they look at you, they can shock you still.”

“I can see why they would.”

“No, I mean with magic. They paralyze you. That’s how this one got close enough to bite me.”

Guess I shocked him still, too.

Oh? The dog. Licking my hand again. Thanks, boy. You’re so old, aren’t you? Your snout’s gone all grey. Even around your cute little doggie eyeballs.

Needle and thread. Soaking in alcohol.

“I, uh—here. You ever been stitched?”

“No.”

“It hurts and feels funny at the same time. Try not to move.”

“Okay.”

Oh-oh-ohhhh that is strange. Like some unrealistically-skinny fish is swimming through me. Not exactly unbearable considering what it felt like to have my heart muscle burst by an arrowhead.

”Just a few more. It ripped you but… well… people don’t have teeth meant for, uh…”

“Hunting.” Right?

“Uh-huh.”

“I… I shall return to watch. But also… Sir Link and I must leave soon. We don’t know where… whatever caused this went or what it even is.”

HIS breath is trembling too, now.

“It’s just you two living here?”

“Just us, Sir Link.”

“I’d… recommend only one of you sleep at any given time for the moment.”

“Hohhh. Hully here used to be a good watchdog. Afraid she’s not as spry as she used to be.”

Oh. She! Oops. Sorry, girl. Not that I said ‘boy’ out loud, anyway…

One awake isn’t enough if something can shock you totally still and silent. They need… “You have other animals?”

“Yeah, there’s a little barn. Round the trees that way.”

“I’d recommend sleeping in there. Animals, they-“

“Damn fine idea. Yeah, they notice things.”

Good. Good. Can’t protect everyone, but… maybe it’ll help if something heads this way. And… “Um. Arrows don’t… don’t work that well. You have to—well, you don’t have to, but it seems like… severing the head… is… best.” Dear Goddess. I can’t believe I said that.

Seems like no one else can, either.

Dead silence.

Dead.

…

The dog’s ears. Up. Oh no- quiet, quiet, Link- “Do you hear-“

“The crickets!”

He hears it too, STAND, LINK! Quietly quietly quietly shhh- shhh- good, yes, no sound, stay down, you two, stay down-

What shut the crickets up what did it? Doesn’t have to be one of those things, could be a fricking deer, but have to look, have to, and Zelda’s on point automatically because she was already in the door but I’ll take it from her as soon as I get out there even with this stupid thread hanging out of my neck because I’ll be damned if I let her get bitten!

So quiet.

I’m not sure it’s wise for them to stay in the house. If I were something nasty, I’d figure they were in there.

Beckon them out?

…Not quite yet.

Look around first…

Sword… it’s so reflective… It’ll be okay away from the firelight, though. Keep it drawn.

…It’s quieter to the north-northwest.

No, Zelda, stay… stay there… watch me…

That way…

Quietest…

Stay crouched…

Wish the tall wheat was here. I could hide in it. As it is, I’m just low.

Inch forward, Link.

Maybe you’ll just look like one of the cabbages.

No. Don’t laugh, idiot.

Whatever’s wrong with you, get it out later. Maybe you just need a real long half-crazed maniacal laugh, but you can’t have it right now. Wait.

Zelda’s circling quietly behind me. Sounds like she’s trying to stay low, too.

We… haven’t even actually trained her, yet.

She’ strong. Fast. Great shot. Her instincts seem really good. She stopped Vayden taking my head off.

But… that’s the only close-combat she’s ever been in.

Was this the plan? Were they trying to draw us north? Take her out before she gets too good at what she’s supposed to do?

Or is it something else?

I don’t see anything that doesn’t just look like the wind in the grass. In the leaves. Not even many leaves on trees at this point… except the evergreens. Swaying branches.

Like those drawings of creepy forests in mom’s old storybooks. Long, tendrilled branch-ends like way too many spindly fingers.

At least the pine branches don’t look like that.

Eyes adjusting out of the firelight. Good.

Still a very dark night.

Into the copse, or around it?

In. I’ll be hidden better. And if I was a nasty critter trying to hide, that’s where I’d go.

Zelda.

I hear her following.

She’s smart. Do I direct her, or…?

Let’s at least share a plan.

Come here?

Yep.

She’s good at sneaking.

Hi.

Your back to the cabin wall?

Yeah.

Watch me.

No, no no, don’t come in after me if I disappear.

Oh, come on.

She’s not going to listen to me.

I think. We're... talking with our hands. Hard to tell and OH we’re both dumb, slate?

Huh? Why not?

If we use the slate you’ll know what I-

Oh. No, I’M just dumb.

The light.

Pointless sneaking around with that screen blaring out into the darkness, right Link?

Yeah.

Your Princess is smarter than you.

Don’t you dare forget it.

Which means…

She’s probably right about following me if she loses sight of me.

Which… she will. Quickly in so little light.

I really wish there were still three of us.

It’s likely Daile hasn’t even met anyone else, yet. He’s probably still riding south.

And even if he does, they’re supposed to start at the farm two west.

We’re on our own. Just have to do our best.

Trust her.

In I go.

Thick brush. Some evergreens. Hides me.

A few feet. Still.

Again. Be still.

Still.

Nothing.

Keep going.

More.

Nothing.

Hear Zelda. Her feet. Soft.

Further in.

Even darker.

Shapes and shadows.

FF-

RRrrg. Rabbit.

You scared it, Link.

Stay the hell still for a bit.

Wonder if it scared Zelda.

A few more steps.

It got even quieter after the rabbit stopped.

Now I’M what everything’s afraid of.

I screwed it up.

To be fair, I couldn’t see the rabbit.

No avoiding it.

Have to wait.

See what comes back.

Breathe.

Breeze. Getting so cold.

She’s still as a statue behind me, too.

I used to do this hunting bokoblins…

I bet she never has.

She’s patient, though.

Some sounds returning.

Lots, actually.

Louder than before.

…Did it go?

It could’ve just been a deer.

Won’t assume… but could be.

Move, Link.

Just the crickets right near me going quiet.

Whatever it was definitely moved.

I can’t tell which way.

Can’t tell if there’s another quiet patch somewhere.

Just have to keep inching along in the dark.

-----

Nothing.

Zelda?

Yeah. She’s coming up to crouch beside me.

“What do you think it was?”

Supreme quiet, those whispers in my ear.

Causing urges.

Can’t really do urges right now.

Calm down, self. “Deer?”

“Did you hear hoofsteps?”

“No.”

“It was so quiet. You’d think…”

“Yeah.”

The crickets have been back full-force for a while, though. I still can barely see in front of my face, just silhouettes. More so in the direction of the house, but still…

It could be that… “What if we missed it?”

“How?”

“If it stayed still?”

“I’d have thought we would have spooked any hiding animals. It would’ve run off.”

“Yeah… that’s… kind of what I mean.”

“…Not an animal?”

“I don’t know. I-“

What-?

Didn’t mean to grab you so hard, Zelda, sorry, but holy s@#$- holy s@#$-

No! No talking…

Dammit… quiet behind us, behind us again, whatever it is!

Back through the copse?

…No.

Up, Zelda. Up! Whatever it was knew we were there anyway, up, crouched but up, hurry along the copse, on the outside, back toward the house-

Look. Look everywhere, Link, all around you. Did anything change? Is anything moving?

This would be easier with no breeze. Everything’s moving a little. Can’t tell. Just… not enough light.

My Goddess I’d been worried maybe we were wasting time here creeping around in the dark, but not if there really is something nasty slinking around…

Anything?

Any-

Wait.

What?

North-northwest.

Something doesn’t look right. What-

What is it?

Zelda’s tapping me, wondering why I stopped.

Look- something’s different.

She’s probably not sure what I mean. She was looking more south while we walked toward the cabin.

What is it? What is it?

…Baby trees?

Weren’t there more of those?

Dammit, Link, that’s a stupid thing to be different.

I’m just… I must just not be remembering right.

Back to moving. Still weird quiet. Still-

!!!!!!! The horses!

“Link!”

“I know!”

RUN LINK, RUN THE HORSES ARE SCARED I know that sound, Rionee reared, she reared, she’s not so easy to scare, whatever it is it’s bad and S@#$ there she goes she just BOLTED, I’ve never seen her do that ever ever not even once THERE GOES TASS WITH AN ABSOLUTE SCREAM and the dog the dog’s barking barking growling whimpering!

“AAAAAAAAH!”

“LAYSHA?!” MOVE, Link!!!!!!!!!!

“REEB!”

“WHAT IS IT?!”

“WHO CARES, JUST RUN, RUN!”

“AAH- NO, NO NOT THAT WAY! THE HOUSE THE HOUSE-“

What the hell IS it I don’t even SEE anything, I don’t see ANYTHING and neither does Zelda, she’s running, not shooting!

I hear the dog running- WHAT?!

“LINK!”

WHAT?!!

WHAT THE HELL IS IT WHY’D THE DOG STOP?

CLOSER CLOSER CLOSER CLOSER WHAT IS IT WHAT IS IT WHAT- WHAT-

T- tree?

Did it run into one? It’s dark, maybe-

But-

No, there were no trees here- no-

Baby-

Trees?

Straight for it Link straight for it whatever it is the dog’s stuck in just slice it right off the ground just slice it-

There! “Wh- what?!” IT BLEEDS! “ZELDA, THE TREES! SOMETHING’S WRONG!”

“TREES?!”

Poor girl, I’m sorry, we’ll check you out after, more of them, more? Use the house-light, shadows- there’s one! Cut it- “MMPHGHAAAA!”

“LINK!!!”

WHATTHEF@#$ ITHASMYSWORDHAND ITHASMYHEAD TWOTHERESTWO KICK IT KICK IT KICK IT KICK IT COME ON!

YES ZELDA ARROW THROUGH- DIDN’T- DIDN’T HELP! PRYPRYPRY-

WHAAAAT- THE F@#$- IS THAT?! “MMM-MGH-RRRRH-AH!” MOVING PILLAR? IT’S WRITHING!

ANOTHER ARROW IT STILL HAS ME- SO STRONG SO STRONG BREAK FREE, COME ON, LINK!

NOT MALICE NO GLOW, WHAT-

ARROWTHREE HOW HOW IT DIDN’T EVEN CHANGE IT’S SO STRONG HOW IS IT SO STRONG?! I CAN’T-

“HH!” Oh- my- “NG!” wh- Hylia’s- Light- “RRRH-“ that- thing- has- a- FACE- couldn’t- see- it was straight up-

Master! I may know-

-toward the stars! IT’S HANDS!

This is a Dead Hand master!! It’s imperative you break free!

THESEAREN’TTREES THEY’REHANDS IT’SHANDS HOLYS@#$ PUUUUUUUUUUSH LINK GET YOUR SWORD FREE!!!!!!

“RRRRAAAAAH!”

NO, ZELDA!

AH! HEADFREENO!!!!!!!!!

“AAAAAH- HHHAH!”

GET OFF HER! MOVE LINK DAMMIT YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T LET HER GET BITTEN MOVE PULL THIS HAND WITH YOU SCREWTHESWORD-

PUNCHPUNCHPUNCHPUNCHPUNCHPUNCHPUNCH MY GODDESS THE UNHOLY SOUND IT JUST-

WHAT’S THAT S@#$ IT JUST SPRAYED?!?!?!- NONONONONONONONONO ANOTHERHAND

“MPHHHH- NNGNNNGG!!”

“ZELDA!”

“AAAAAAAAGH DEMONSPAAAAAAAAAAAAAWN!”

SHOVEL! YES BOOOOM YES REEB! THEARM’SOFFZELDA IT’S OFF-

“AAC-KH-“

ON REEB!

ZELDA SHOVEL YEESSSS FREE!

ITS HEAD, MASTER!

“AAAAAAAAAAH!” FACE-STAB!

Undead are resilient, master! They live not through biological means but magical animation. You must tear it apart to break the spell!

“AAAAAH!”

“LAYSHA!”

“S@#$!” There must be more hands there must one must have her, can’t see!

Your spin attack master!

I’ll hurt the others!

It will not harm those aligned with you, master! USE IT!

C- concentrate, Link! EVERYTHING you have, everything into the blade into the blade, IN, arm straight right! “AHHHHHHHHHHH!”

“SWEET HYLIA, WHAT WAS THAT?!”

“OH- hh! REEB!”

S@#$, got him AGAIN-

“NO YOU DON’T!”

JOIN LAYSHA, LINK! Slice this fricking thing to RIBBONS! Her dagger might not matter much, but maybe with both of us it’ll be confused-

ZELDA with the shovel. YES. YOU’RE DEAD SOON, WHATEVER YOU ARE!

Damn, that’s a shovel right through its gut or whatever WOULD be its gut if it were alive and slicing this thing is easy as long as the hands don’t have you, the hands are so strong-

More more more hands I see them coming SLICE THIS THING, COME ON, DIE, D-

“OH!”

“BACK OFF, BACK OFF!” I don’t want any more of that foul stuff getting on Zelda, my Goddess, she’s injured- Zelda… Zelda’s injured, what does that stuff do if it gets in a wound?!

“Link…”

“It’s alright. It’s ALRIGHT. Look at it. It’s… it’s… disintegrating. Like the… bokoblins…”

“Not precisely- hhhh-hh… hhhh-hh-“

It’s… more like it’s melting. As it… twitches. Disappearing into the ground… the hands-? Them, too…

“Link-“

“It’s okay-“

“Link, there are MORE.”

“…Wh-?” Where- she sees-?

“There. Just there. Do you see it?”

…Like skinny, leafless trees against the sky. Dear… Holy… “…I see them.”

….How many hands does each one have?

And… why don’t I see any of the face-pillars? …I didn’t before, either. It’s like this one just appeared out of the…

Ground…

The ground.

“Zelda?”

“Hh-yes?”

“Underground?”

“Likely.”

“W- we have to- have to run-“

“No, Reeb. Don’t run. Laysha?”

“Y-yes, S-sir Lin-k?”

“Luminous stones. How many do you have?”

“U-uhm… mmhm…a good few. In a bucket.”

“Inside?”

“Yh-hes.”

“I’ll walk with you, slowly. Let’s get them.”

“A-a- hh- al-r-right.”

She’s brave. Shaking, but her jaw’s set.

They’re both brave.

The hands ARE moving. They’re so slow. Hard to tell unless you’re paying a lot of attention. They sway, too. Like branches in breeze…

They were already on their way here. We passed them.

Were there more underground behind us?

…Bucket. Good. “Out there. Yeah. Zelda!”

“Yes!”

“Think you can throw as well as you shoot?”

“YES.”

Damned if I don’t love the look on her face.

Damn.

Damn this.

Plenty of tall grass around. This is NOT the time to take advantage of it.

I’ll just have to save it for later.

“Scatter them even, please, so I can see the hands.”

“Wh- that’s all?!”

“Yes.”

“Then what?!”

“Then I’ll slice every single one of their Goddess-damned hands off. Let’s see if that makes them come up for air.”

“But if they catch-“

“They won’t. Not this time.” I know what you are, now. No baby trees, here…

Well. There are, actually, but I know which are which.

There she goes with the stones.

They’re not that bright, but with how dark it is tonight they make a big difference.

Concentrate, Link.

You’re going to do the Thing.

Run.

RUN.

SLIDE

SLICED

Damn things bleed like a hinox headwound. Bleed…. It’s not blood. Green. Unless the stone light’s playing tricks on me.

Next.

Come on.

I’m right here. Just try it-

DODGE STRIKE- good, only takes one good swipe with you, Fi.

I am not your sword, master. I am within your sword.

Details.

You next, hand.

I’m right here.

That’s right…

DODGE STRIKE

YOU NEXT

Just slide for this one, Link, they strike like snakes but they seem to hesitate to start-

SLICE

RUN

SLIDE

SLICE- OOOH YOU ALMOST GOT ME YOU SNEAKY OTHER HAND BUT….

DODGE SLICE

Bye bye.

No more right here, eh? Maybe-

YES, THERE YOU ARE, YOU WON’T LAST LONG NOW, SLICE-

Ohhh you’re going to try and bite me?

Bad idea.

DODGE STRIKESTRIKESTRIKESTRIKESTRIKESTRIKE

“Hylia’s mercy!”

…You dead?

“Yes. Link is… he’s special.”

You dead.

"Bloody magic at that speed..."

Next.

RUN.

SLIDE “HAAAAH!”

Sliced.

NEXT.

Sliced

You-

SLICED

Jerks aren’t-

SLICED

So tough if-

SLICED

We know you’re there.

And I knew you were there, you. My sword? Your face.

Just keep hacking, Link… and moving to the side. This thing’s so slow it can’t even catch you without those hands to help it out.

…Done.

No more. Right?

…I don’t think so.

“YOU SEE MORE?!”

“NOT AT PRESENT, LINK!”

“WE’D BETTER CHECK!”

“YES!”

“Not before we… we see to that wound on you, Princess.”

“Oh. Hh. Yes, it’s… surprising. I’d have thought it would... bother me more… H-here comes Link.”

“Alcohol-“

“No, NO you don’t, Sir Link. We have supplies and we’re not… hunting these things. You’ll accept our hospitality right now or may Hylia strike me dead. We’d BE dead if you hadn’t come.”

W-wow. “…Thanks, Laysha.”

“Thank YOU.”

“I, ah- h- hang on. Hully.”

O- oh, no. Did she-

She didn’t get bitten, right? Just grabbed. Their grip is extremely strong, though.

That was a tiny dog-whine.

Better than dead.

He has her.

“Poor old girl. Had the fright of your life, you did. Did you… see where it got her?”

“Neck.”

“…Must hurt. We’ll get her in.”

“Let’s get you in, too.”

“…We still ought to have a watch-“

“Let us clean your wounds first, Princess. That part won’t take long.”

“I’ll finish up your stitching, Sir, and pardon me for saying this, Princess, but you can’t leave that tunic on after this. It’s befouled.”

“Yes… I do have changes.”

“Damn- the horses-“

“They’ll come back. They will.” Rionee will, and Tass’ll follow her. “We’ll finish here as fast as possible, and we’ll do a circuit around your farm before we go. Can I… trouble you for a few of those luminous stones?”

“Of course. Anything you need.”

We… got here just in time?

Or maybe not. The Sun hadn’t quite gone all the way down by the time we left the first farm. Maybe… maybe darkness is part of the equation, here?

I’ve never known Dead Hands to exist in anywhere but deep in the earth, master. It’s why I didn’t relay them along with my knowledge of the stal-creatures. Darkness may be of importance as it is with stals.

Okay.

If that’s the case…

We really do have to move.

Fast.

Because it’ll be night for another… what, eleven hours or so? Twelve?

A lot can happen in twelve hours.

These things move so slowly. Could they have made it here from that other farm in a day?

“Link?”

“Coming—sorry.”

Hurry, Link.

Then hunt hands in the dark.

-----