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blancheludis · 6 months ago

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Whumptober 2024 Day 7: Magic With A Cost

Fandom: Batman Characters: Tim Drake, Bruce Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth, Jason Todd Tags: Grief, Magic, Tim is a Witch, Self-Sacrifice

Summary:

Tim offers to bring Jason back from the dead. He knows magic always comes with a price and he is willing to pay it. A life for a life. It is not like anybody will miss him anyway.

All magic comes with a cost. Tim likes to think for him to have magic at all, he had to give up his parents' love.

When he was five and they just returned from a dig, he snuck into his father's study, just to get a glimpse at all the wonders from forgotten times they brought home with them. A small earthen vase called out to him and the stopper moved barely without any effort under his small hands. Wind rose and the echo of laughter rang in his ears although there was no one else around. Something came out of the vessel - cold and insistent and powerful - and dove right into Tim. The rest, as they say, is history.

Well, first, he spent weeks too sick to tell reality from the countless, visceral nightmares suddenly filling his head, feverish and fighting the force suddenly sharing his body with him.

His parents thought it was a curse. Tim never corrected them.

---

The death of a child is never a good thing, but something about Jason Todd dying pushes Tim's entire world off balance. He cannot sleep, he cannot eat, he cannot work. The magic inside him, always present, humming right beneath his skin and in his blood, grows demanding, pushing him towards something inevitable. Tim is unsettled by it, feeling for once more like a tool than a partner. And then, one night in the library, he finds out why.

---

The sky is a dark grey, as welcoming as the forbidding monument that is Wayne Manor as Tim walks up to the front door. This place holds a different kind of loneliness than his own home, a different kind of grief. His parents, Tim is sure, would not mind overly much, if he died. They definitely would not fall down a dark spiral of desperation bad enough to draw in all of the surrounding magic and subsequently call a witch with a handy solution directly to their doorstep.

Mere moments after knocking on the door, it opens to reveal Mr. Pennyworth, the Wayne family's butler. Tim has done his research. According to the servants' gossip in town, Mr. Pennyworth is the only person in the whole wide world who can make Mr. Wayne do something he does not want. In order to even get into the house, this is where Tim has to be most convincing.

"Good evening," he greets brightly and does not show any sign of irritation at the way the butler is subtly but disapprovingly looking him over.

Tim knows he is young and looks younger. He is small for thirteen years, too thin. Pale skin and dark bags under his eyes, thanks to the unsettled magic letting him get little rest, just make things worse. Otherwise, however, he does look like a normal boy from a respectable family and Mr. Pennyworth's scepticism is not appreciated.

"Master Wayne is not seeing visitors at this time," Mr. Pennyworth says, crisp and final, already moving to turn away.

Tim takes a small step forward. "He will want to see me."

Heat crackles under his skin, urging him forward. His magic has not been this insistent on anything in years. It has never led him astray, before, so he does not let the manor or its butler intimidate him.

"Young sir," Mr. Pennyworth says, too formal to be condescending. "Do your parents know you're here?"

Laughter breaks over Tim's lips, high and childish, along with something else, something darker that makes the hairs on the butler's arm stand up. It is not a trick, really, Tim does not have to pay anything for that effect. Magic loves him. He still has not made up his mind if he loves it.

Mr. Pennyworth stands up straighter, filling out his shoulders with a presence not befitting a mere butler. Gone are the last traces of the genial old man, replaced by something harder, something determined.

"Are you possessed?" No politeness is left in his tone. It rather sounds like he is one wrong move away from performing an exorcism himself, right here on the doorstep to his Master's home. Tim decides he likes him.

"Do possessed people usually give you an honest answer?" he asks, smiling just a tad too widely.

They stare at each other for a long moment, butler and child, duty and magic. Tim is not worried. Magic wants him here and it usually gets what it wants. It is also usually not too unkind about it.

"I will not allow any harm to come to Master Wayne," Mr. Pennyworth says slowly, not quite making it a threat.

Tim still nods briefly to show he has heard it. "It's a good thing, then, I'm not here for that. I'm here to give him something back that he lost."

Once again, there is laughter, but this time it is not Tim's. He does not move his mouth at all. These halls have seen many generations of Waynes and they just beg to be heard. Out of the corner of his eye, Tim thinks he sees a boy running, the shadow of a shadow, skidding through the foyer with a wide grin. Alfie, look. An exhale. A blink and they are alone again.

The butler has gone pale. He does not look at Tim anymore with even the distant kindness reserved for children. All he sees is a monster. "How dare you come here and wield our grief against us?"

Tim cannot help the small, bitter smile, but he inclines his head in an attempt to hide it. "What if I can bring him back?"

---

Mister Wayne's office, just like most of the halls of Wayne Manor, is dark and forbidding. Lack of light, dark wood and, most of all, their master sitting in the midst of it with grief clinging to every sharp angle, every small movement speaking of destruction, decay.

His eyes are piercing as he stares Tim down, who stands in front of the desk and repeats his proposal: returning the lost child back to life. A ritual he is sure he can do, even though the few books he found where not as instructional as he might have wanted. In fact, they all preached caution. But this is not Tim's idea.

Ever since stepping into the Manor proper, the magic inside him has expanded, pressing against the confines of Tim's mortal body, reaching a bit farther out with every breath. So, no, Tim does not know the how, yet, and he is still not clear on the why, but he is right where he is supposed to be.

"Bringing someone back from the dead is not straightforward," he explains, not losing any of his confidence. "Magic does not happen with a simple snap of fingers."

That, of course, depends. If he coated his fingers in something potent, if he were pointing at a source - but they are not talking about parlour tricks, here. They do not want to break but to mend. Building something always takes more than pulling it all down.

"How?" Mr. Wayne demands, flat and dark. Apart from a brief flash of rage, he has not shown any emotion since Mr. Pennyworth herded Tim into the office.

Beyond ritual circles and power sources and intent, the most important thing about every piece of magic is the cost. The one thing all the texts agreed on is that the cost of curing death is enormous, painful. There are options, of course, but Tim has already decided. He has never liked to depend on third-party sources. No, his magic wants him here for a reason and Tim thinks that is the simple part.

"Do you really want me to bore you with technical details?" Tim asks, tired without growing impertinent. The less he has to explain the better for everybody involved. "Every ritual is different and -"

Mr. Wayne cuts him off with a glare. "I want to know why you are here and what you intend to gain from it."

The honest answer is actually very simple. This house is calling for him, ghosts reach out for him whenever he turns his back, something is haunting his every step. As things are, he does not have anything to gain from this but rest, which is not the worst bargain he could get in a situation like this.

"Do you believe in ghosts, Mr. Wayne? he asks, softly. "In fate?"

Unsurprisingly, Mr. Wayne scoffs. "I don't deal with such nonsense."

He would not call it nonsense if he could see Jason's memory flitting through the house, as real and fleeting as any of them who are still alive.

"I am here because of both," Tim says, having long since learned to ignore scepticism. Eventually, they all learn. "Your son is calling for help. I'm not sure whether he is asking for me specifically or if I'm just the first who heard him, but I know that I can bring him back."

Tim does not know any such thing, but he has come to trust in magic, to follow its lead. It is quite impossible not to when it never lets him forget its existence.

"Don't -" Mr. Wayne snaps, then swallows audibly, schools his expression into something neutral. "You can really bring him back?"

"Yes." This is not the time to show doubt. Things will fall into place at the right time, he has to trust in that.

Mr. Wayne breathes, never once looking away from Tim. "When?"

The house sighs in sudden relief, releasing some of the tension in the air. That is how Tim knows he has won the argument.

He cocks his head to the side. "I could bring him back right now, but I think you would want him to come back right." The last thing he needs is impatience or someone looking over his shoulder the entire time.

"Is there a wrong way?" Mr. Wayne asks, his shoulders tensing further.

Tim allows himself a small smile. "You want him to bring all of his soul back with him. All of his memories. All that made him who he was." He shrugs, making himself look more confident than he feels. "Simply animating a corpse would be easy. Giving back life is not." Easy is, perhaps, too strong a word but nobody needs to know that.

"How long?"

These things cannot be rushed, otherwise they will end up with even more grief. And possibly more bodies than intended. Dead ones. "I need to understand who Jason is. I think he will tell me what he needs."

Immediately, Tim knows that this answer was too bold, too outlandish for Mr. Wayne, who is very much a nonbeliever in all things he cannot personally touch. Leaning forward, hands not quite curled into fists, he says, "If you're lying to us, if you're using our grief -"

"I won't ask anything of you, Mr. Wayne, other than that you will let me live here until the job is done." Before Mr. Wayne's expression can darken further, he adds, "I have my own home, my own money. I don't need anything from you other than the freedom to do what I have come here for."

The manor creaks as they look at each other in silence. The sound of the running steps of a child waft in from somewhere.

"Yes," Mr. Wayne finally allows through clenched teeth. "But you will share all your research with me and if I get even a hint of you doing something untoward, you will leave."

"Is that -"

Mr. Wayne stands, effectively cutting Tim off. "I already said yes. Now, get out."

---

Tim moves in without fanfare. He barely brings anything in terms of clothes or personal items. He does, however, ask for a place in the gardens to put up a greenhouse.

Magic always comes with a cost. It could be body heat or a drop of blood, life force in terms of years, willing or unwilling sacrifices. Life is in all things, though, and Tim has learned a careful balance of taking without killing, growing without culling. Plants, after all, do grow stronger if cut regularly, in the right way.

The gardens of Drake Manor are rows and rows of lush green and colours of all kind, ripe fruits and fragrant smells. When he walks his home, magic is all around him.

Of course, he does not have time to plant an entire garden in Wayne Manor, but he has this: a greenhouse full of his most potent plants and windowsills filled to bursting. Green is life much more than crimson is. Here, he can breathe.

---

The theory is easy. Build a summoning circle in which he has to pour enough understanding of Jason's essence to make it stick. A binding circle to make sure he will have enough time for the exchange. The usual physical offerings, both potent in magic and specific to Jason. And then, payment.

All magic has a cost, and great deeds of magic demand great sacrifice. This will not be done with a cup full of blood, no matter the origin. Tim could bleed an entire dragon dry and the fates would not be moved. No, the payment always has to match the demand.

To create life, he has to offer something equivalent. A life for a life.

There are a number of rituals and spells that are powered by human sacrifice. Tim has never dabbled in those, has never even read up on them beyond the basics.

His magic has led him here, has pulled him in with more insistence than ever before. He knows what that means.

A life for a life.

---

Tim keeps to himself and Mister Wayne is more than happy to ignore him. The house, however, is not. Long gone laughter rings out around every corner. Phantom flames flicker in empty fireplaces. Books fall from shelves in the library only to reveal dozens of handwritten notes in the margins. For once, Tim is not the only ghost that haunts a manor.

"I need to know more about Jason's life." Tim ambushes Alfred in the kitchen. "What did he do all day?"

He needs to know, but he does not like seeing Alfred age right before him, hollowed out by grief and memories he has not yet laid to rest.

"Sit down," he offers Tim, smiling despite himself. "Do you want a cup of tea?"

---

"I want to train with you," Tim says one morning after breakfast.

Mr. Wayne tends to avoid him and offering nothing but terse nods whenever he cannot. He does not ask about Tim's progress, does not offer any help that is not pulled out of him with great effort. It is clear that he has let Tim into his home out of desperation, but that he does not believe success is possible. Worse, every time he sees Tim is a reminder of his loss.

"No," Mr. Wayne snaps, alit with sudden anger. He has half-risen out of his seat, towering over Tim.

"It's what Jason did, right?" Tim asks, not showing any outward reaction to Mr. Wayne's intimidation tactics.

His fingertips burn, ready to throw Mr. Wayne across the room if he comes any closer or begins to act on his unspoken threat. Tim is small and young, but he is anything but defenceless.

"You're not here to replace him." That is more a growl than a human voice, somehow befitting the sharp-cut jaw.

Tim leans back in his seat, taking a sip of his coffee. "No. I'm here to understand him so I can bring him back."

Without another word, Mr. Wayne storms out. He does not, however, deny Tim when he appears, a few hours later, in the gym, eager to learn.

---

Tim is not sure what to make of the prospect of dying. He is young. He has seen nothing of the world. His parents do not love him, but he always hoped that, someday, somewhere, he could find love for himself, family. He wonders, now, why whatever was in that vessel spared him, gave him the gift of magic. He wonders what is so special about Jason Todd that fate asks Tim to die for him.

He learns about Jason, learns that he can be jealous of a dead boy, learns that life can be really, unfathomably unfair. He does not find a satisfying answer to his question. With time, however, he thinks it will at least be a worthy exchange. Jason has so much to offer the world. He has people waiting for him. Tim has nobody but himself.

Magic buzzes restlessly inside Tim as he refuses to let it out. Without it, he is entirely human. Entirely breakable. Bruce does not seem to care. He never tires, he never makes mistakes.

Tim could still wipe the floor with him if only he would let go. He does not. Instead, he gets thrown down on the mats more often than he can count.

"Again," Bruce repeats a thousand times.

At night, Tim goes through an unholy amount of arnica and hamamelis and heat sucked right out of the flames in the fireplace so that he can move without too much pain the next morning. His magic purrs, glad he has not forgotten it completely.

---

"Was he often hurt?" Tim asks one night when he is sure that Bruce is nowhere nearby. He nurses his tea, appreciative of its warmth.

Alfred looks up alarmed. "Master Jason? Why do you ask? What happened?"

His immediate worry is just as soothing as the tea, careful attentiveness instead of dismissive ignorance. Tim is not used to so much positive human interaction, he has to take care not to let his guard down too much.

"It's just - he has training with Bruce and then they fight out in Gotham." He shrugs. His intention was never to accuse anyone of anything. It is just intense. "He was just a boy, right?"

With too perceptive eyes, Alfred looks at him. "Are you hurt, Master Tim?"

Tim flinches back, taken by surprise. "No," he lies.

Although, is it really a lie if he asked for it? Bruce seemed tolerant of his antics in the training room and never once hesitated when Tim got back to his feet to face him again.

His muscles are permanently sore, not used to the exertion. If he would not heal himself, his bruises would have bruises because he never before had to dodge a predator coming after him with intent. His skin spans painfully over his bones, barely containing his magic. It is constantly simmering right underneath his fingertips. He could make sure not a single hit ever finds his target again. But that is not what he is here for. He wants to learn. Magic is not infallible.

Bruce is not hurting him for the sake of pain, but Tim has never had much need for physical fitness. This is like learning to walk, all over again, like getting on a bike for the first time and greeting the gravel of their driveway with his knees.

Of course, at the end of this journey, it will not matter whether his body is trained, whether he learned anything that could be useful for a life he will never have. At the end of this, Tim will be dead and Jason will be back in his rightful place.

Tim does need to learn about Jason, but a small, not insignificant part of him, does this for his own gain. Where is the harm in experiencing this life? Where is the harm in tasting something that was never for him?

"If something is wrong -"

Tim shakes his head quickly. He does not need Alfred to do something rash. "Everything's good, Alfred," he reassures easily. "I'm just not used to so much physical exertion, and I wondered. It was not an accusation. I know Jason was happy here."

Slowly, Alfred settles back into a more comfortable position. For a few minutes, they sit in silence, drinking tea.

"Do you see him?" Alfred then asks, as hopeful as he is cautious.

There is not a step Tim can take in this house without Jason's essence pressing in on him.

"He is not the kind of ghost I could talk to," he says and is glad for it. Otherwise, his task could be done much quicker, and he finds himself reluctant to let go just yet. "But his essence is here nonetheless. I hear most of his laughter in the kitchen."

Alfred's eyes turn glassy and Tim offers a smile, unsure whether he overstepped. Grief is a fickle thing, able to cause both comfort and pain.

"You're a good kid, Master Tim."

Tim does not know about that, but something preens in him at the attention nonetheless.

---

Bruce's temper is a minefield on a good day and he tends not to have a lot of those.

"What is taking so long?" he growls after having summoned Tim to his office. Once again, Tim is not asked to sit. It is eerily reminiscent of his first visit here, having to plead his case as if he is desperate to die for these people, as if his life is worth nothing at all on its own.

Tim looks at Bruce as he takes a moment to swallow his temper. It must have been a bad night, one where Bruce is haunting the house just as much as Jason is, just with less of a positive energy.

"I told you I need to-"

Bruce brings his hand down on the table, making Tim flinch. He has never before felt seriously threatened in this house, but he has seen what these hands can do. He knows what grief can do.

"I think you just want to take something that's not yours," Bruce accuses with burning eyes. "You want to take his place."

Deep breaths, Tim reminds himself. "Bruce. I don't want to take anything from you." On the contrary, he wants to give something back, to the point of self-destruction, even. He knows better than to say that, though. Bruce would not mind much, probably, giving nothing but token protest. Alfred might be the real obstacle there, and Tim does not actually want to spend time and effort on convincing people to let him die. "I can't tell you why I was called. But I'm not yet ready."

"Do you ever plan on being ready?" Bruce asks, his lips pulling up into something that is more of a threat than a smile.

Planning has little to do with it. Tim is willing to do what has to be done. Life, magic, all of it was a gift. He has not yet paid for that, but something in him tells him that this might be it. This is the universe coming to collect. Why else push him into the home of a dead boy? Why else give him a task that will mean the cost of his life? He is already getting more out of the bargain than he could have hoped for, these glimpses of what it means to be a family.

"Do you want me to go?" Tim asks softly. The magic in him stirs, stings underneath his skin. He breathes to calm it. He will not abandon his task, but he wants to do this the right way.

Bruce is not quick enough to pull his face into impassiveness, to fully hide the fear. "Are you rescinding your offer?"

"No," he promises, gentler perhaps than Bruce deserves. "I mean, I have an entire house just down the road. I don't have to stay here. I don't have to eat here. You don't have to see me, if you don't want to. I can try to get ready otherwise."

It would be harder, of course, but Tim would also not be distracted by liking this life.

"No." Bruce's reply comes too fast, too hoarse. "No. Stay."

Immediately, the pressure that has been building inside Tim releases. His magic is mollified.

"Do you want to spar? Take your mind off things?" Tim then offers, deciding a change in topic is needed and Bruce always seems to do better when he can punch out his grief. It is not how he planned to spend his morning but he is not completely hopeless anymore and has even begun to enjoy the exertion of it.

Bruce, however, narrows his eyes at him. "Alfred tells me you've been limping yesterday."

Traitor, Tim thinks without heat. He grins, careless. "Nothing some good old magic can't fix."

He expects Bruce to nod and be done with the topic. Instead, he carefully looks Tim over as if he can spot any bruises through his clothes.

"I don't want to hurt you," he then says, gentle and honest. It does things to the part of Tim that is still a child waiting for his parents to come home and love him.

"You can't." That is a bold-faced lie, but Tim does not stumble over it. They are talking about different hurts anyway. Physical pain is fine. Getting to live a life never meant for him, to experience love if only from the outskirts of it - that hurts. At the same time, it might be the most precious thing of all. "And if I don't train, then I won't get better."

---

After that first, not very promising meeting on the Manor's doorsteps, Alfred's behaviour in regards to Tim has improved immensely. He was never rude, no, but he has a way of wielding his politeness in a way that cuts. Slowly but surely, the sharpness drained out of his words and expressions, and his service grew from perfunctory to warm. Alfred is the soul of this house and Tim feels honoured to have been welcomed in.

"What is your favourite dessert, Master Tim?" Alfred asks one morning, attentive in a way that would befit more serious questions.

Tim smiles at him over the rim of his coffee mug. "Wrong question, dear Alfred. What is Jason's favourite dessert?" He cannot let the lines blur too much.

But Alfred is not going to let himself be deterred. "I do think you can take an evening off. This is about you."

Nothing is ever about Tim. Even the magic. It pulls and pushes, insists and demands. He is but a vessel. He broke that sealed vase and whatever was inside that now lives in him is always hungry.

Still, there is something endearingly earnest about the way Alfred looks at him. It is hard to disappoint him.

"I don't know," Tim admits.

A pause. A frown. "Well," Alfred claps his hands with too much cheer. "It is time we found out, then."

---

Things are coming to an end; Tim feels it in his bones. He is not a stranger anymore in this house. At times, his own laughter rings along with Jason's, creating a harmony that leaves him breathless.

He knows the manor's inhabitants as well as its halls. Bruce's silences, less broody now but filled with warmth. Alfred's quiet strength and endless capacity for love. He knows where to put his feet to remain standing when Bruce charges at him, knows the thrill of fighting, an intricate choreography. He knows the pleasant ebb and flow of conversations, of stories shared to entertain. He knows the feel of family, of love. Underneath it all, he knows all the places Jason fit.

"I'm ready," he says when they are half-way through breakfast.

Bruce stills. Which is not the reaction Tim expected. "You are?" Hesitation, questions in every angle.

Tim nods, smiling. He has been ready for a week now, but an unwelcome, selfish part of him did not want to admit it, did not want to give this up, and the magic let him. Now it is time to face reality, however.

Bruce looks at him, still strangely hesitant. "What do you need?"

More time, Tim thinks, but that is not part of the deal. He will not hurt these people further, not after they have taken him in and given him the greatest gift of his life.

"Today is the new moon. I will do it then. Later, I'll unearth the coffin. If you want to come, do it soon." The body has to stay inside, so it will not be disturbed before it is time, but Tim does not want to leave Jason in his grave when he cannot help him out, afterwards. "You need to stay inside when I do the ritual. I cannot be distracted." More importantly, the magic cannot be distracted. There can only be two targets for the ritual. Better not add any temptations.

"You -" Bruce's eyes are piercing, but Tim meets them calmly. "It will work?"

The magic purrs inside Tim, which he takes as an affirmative. Bruce still does not believe in it, though.

"I have not done this before, but I've done my research," Tim says, as confidently as he can. "Something called me here. I'm sure." Failure is not an option, anyway. He will not get a second try.

"Thank you, Tim." Bruce sounds breathless, at once anticipatory and afraid.

"Thank me tomorrow," Tim says, even while the words taste like ash in his mouth.

It is funny, really. The cost has been clear from the very beginning. He will not sacrifice any other human being, so the only viable alternative is himself. He has known that all along. So, why does he feel reluctant now? Why are his limbs heavy and his heart rate too fast? He is a willing sacrifice, a life freely given. Why make it hard on himself now?

He knows why, of course. For the first time in his short life, he actually has something to give up. Before, it was him in his parents' empty house, learning, doing magic feats no one would congratulate him for. Now, he has gotten a taste of what it feels like to be wanted, even if they want Jason, not him. The lines have blurred enough for him to feel the connection, the love.

But it is all right. He can do this. Today, he will say his goodbyes, he will thank magic and fate. He will be ready.

---

Tim makes a last round through the house, wanders in Jason's footsteps and, now, also in his own. He sits on his bed, runs a hand across his desk. In the greenhouse, he says goodbye to each of his plants. Alfred will take care of them, surely, so something of his will remain. In the kitchen, he steals a cookie and laughs when Alfred offers to make his favourites for dinner. He cleans himself thoroughly, body and soul, the last ritual he will do for himself. It is a good day, a good life. Tim is glad he got to taste it.

---

Magic makes it easy to unearth the coffin. It looks a bit damaged, but Tim does not know anything about the natural progression of coffin decomposition to think anything about it. He does not look in. Neither do Alfred or Bruce when they come by, briefly, before letting him do his work.

Calm settles over Tim as he prepares. He has brought his best supplies for this. No need to save them for later when there will never be a later. This is his masterpiece. He draws the runic circles with utmost care, going over each three times to make sure everything is perfect. He begins burning the incense as he places the physical anchors.

He watches the sun set, speaking a prayer of thanks.

---

Night falls and he is ready.

This is it. This is the culmination of months of work.

Tim's blood seeps into the runes, his bones creak in anticipation. His soul, at once ready and balking, hangs by nothing but a thread. With a deep inhale, feeling his body for the last time, Tim snaps it.

#whumptober2024 #no.7 #magic with a cost #batman #fic #tim drake #bruce wayne #jason todd #alfred pennyworth #magic #self-sacrifice #ghosts #my writing

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dangraccoon · 5 months ago

Text

Let's Live

Day 31 ~ survivor's guilt ~ (alt. prompt)

Crosshair

Word Count: 1008 Content: references to The Outpost and Plan 99, self-sacrifice, guilt, survivor's guilt

He wasn’t sure if it was the violent shivers that rolled endlessly through his body or the sharp cry of the ice vultures but Crosshair found himself awake and sitting upright in the early morning hours.

A soft, warm breeze fluttered the curtains of his open window. He could hear the sound of the tide coming in, splashing against the rocks near their cozy home. The sun was far enough from rising that the moonyos weren’t even starting to chitter yet.

Crosshair groaned, using his remaining hand to pull the blanket up over him as he flopped back down onto the too-comfortable mattress.

He knew about phantom limbs, of course–Echo had grumbled about it enough to pique his curiosity–but it didn’t stop the frustration that rose in his chest as his body insisted that his right hand was shaking again. He shoved the end of his arm under his pillow, praying for the “out of sight, out of mind” mindset Wrecker had long used as an excuse for his forgetfulness.

It never came. Groaning once more–as though acting like a petulant child might make him feel better–he shoved the blanket away, swinging his legs over the side of his bed.

Their house was an older one on the island; one of the elder residents had expressed that they wanted the batch to have it as she moved in with her daughter and son-in-law. “It was good enough to raise five kids in, so I’m sure Miss Omega can handle you lot in it.”

He walked through the house, idly thinking he should visit Mrs. Neawick soon–she was one of the only residents that could match his snark and she made sour hard candies that she pretended not to realize Crosshair loved–while stepping around the occasional creaking boards. He knew Hunter could hear him, but the least he could do was not make the disturbance worse.

He made it to the kitchen, noticing the caf maker’s timer starting the machine up. He scowled at the flimsi tooka calendar attached to the fridge. Omega had insisted on picking out different colored markers for each of them to write their various activities. “This way we can plan things together, too!”

He followed the sloppy orange scrawl that indicated Wrecker’s schedule and it made sense. Although Wrecker hated caf with a fiery passion, he’d come to rely upon it–mixed with an ungodly amount of cream, sugar, and whatever syrupy flavoring Omega had picked out, of course–for his early morning fishing trips with a fisherman he’d befriended.

Crosshair felt a little guilty that he couldn’t recall the man’s name, especially when he found their symbiotic relationship so amusing; the short and skinny fisherman had someone who could pull the lines up easily and carry their haul, and Wrecker had someone that never tired of his boisterous retellings of their missions and misadventures.

While he waited for the pot to finish brewing, he moved to the window, looking out over one of the lower sections of the island. Dawn was still an hour or so out, but the sky was just beginning to glow with the idea of first light. The various light-sensitive lamps still lit lined the walkways and outsides. He had to admit the view was… nice.

“Cross?” Wrecker hummed. “You’re up early.”

Crosshair glanced over his shoulder at his brother, who was wiping the sleep from his eyes. He shrugged.

“You okay?” Wrecker asked, joining him next to the window.

“Fine,” he murmured, though he could barely even convince himself of it. Wrecker would see right through him.

“Thinking about Tantiss?”

Crosshair winced. “No.”

“If you don’t tell me, ’m gonna go wake up Omega,” Wrecker shrugged, nudging Crosshair’s shoulder. “She’ll make you talk.”

Crosshair eyed his brother, almost trying to call his bluff with a glare.

“Alright,” Wrecker said, his tone shifting from sleepy concern to somewhat irritable. “That’s fine, Cross. Don’t talk about it. You’ll feel great keepin’ it all to yourself.”

Wrecker went about preparing his caf, pointedly ignoring Crosshair as he wrestled his unruly pride.

“Fine,” he growled, stalking over to the kitchen counter next to his brother to lean against it. “I had another nightmare. That’s why I’m awake.”

Wrecker’s facade of indifference fell almost immediately. He nodded, prodding him to continue.

“Not about T-Tantiss this time,” he continued, face twisting into a scowl at the way he struggled to push the words out. “Barton IV and… Mayday.”

Wrecker’s eyes lifted to look at Crosshair. He didn’t let a single noise slip, terrified that if he did Crosshair would retreat. Where Wrecker had always been open, Crosshair was the opposite. He’d been skittish around emotions since they were barely out of the tube.

“Mayday was the commander at the Outpost,” he elaborated. He’d only mentioned Mayday to Omega before, and that was only because she asked. “There was only him and two others left from his squad. They’d been there over a year guarding… stormtrooper equipment. Getting picked off by raiders. The lieutenant I– I killed sent us off to track the raiders. After we found and… eliminated them, there was an avalanche. I would’ve been killed if he hadn’t pushed me out of the way.”

Wrecker couldn’t help but notice the way Crosshair shivered.

“I carried him back to the Outpost. He was hurt a-and by the time we got there, that lieutenant… h-he wouldn’t get a medic. Mayday…”

A shaking sob crawled up his body and he was quickly encircled by Wrecker’s arms. He was powerless to stop the tears rolling down his cheek.

“He should’ve lived– it-it should’ve been me th-that–”

Wrecked shushed him. “Don’t talk like that. He gave his life for you to live, Cross.”

His hand clung to Wrecker’s shirt helplessly. “I… I owe him everything.”

“I know, vod. But we can’t get stuck in all the shouldas,” Wrecker whispered. “We owe it to them to live our lives ‘nd be as happy as we can, right?”

Wrecker didn’t say who he was thinking of. He didn’t need to. Crosshair nodded.

“Then let’s live. For them.”

« Previous Day

Thanks for reading! - River

Whumptober 2024 Masterlist DangRaccoon Masterlist Taglist Form Read on AO3

Tags: @writing-positivelyexisting @nekotaetae @lokigirlszendaya @get-wr3ckered @jediknightjana @idoubleswearimawriter @lucyysthings @unstable-kiwi @6oceansofmoons @l3xi3luv @winter-phoenix1995 @serenityselene @nomercyforthewarrior @ravenclawbitch426 @luna-the-lone-red-wolf @padawancat97 @flowered-bicycles @error6gendernotfound @techs-goggles9902

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whumpsmith-participates · 6 months ago

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AI-less Whumptober 2024

Day 13 - "Take me instead."

Tags/CW: self-sacrifice circle, kidnapping, held hostage, team whump (including ladies!)

Ever since the pilot of the sidekick programme, it became commonplace to have a clear hierarchy among each cohort of sidekicks, modelled after those first seven teens: March Hare, Magnetic Girl, Phoenix, Verdigris, Wavesinger, Blaze and Stormchaser.

The roles were clear for anyone who ever had the pleasure of working with the entire group. March Hare took charge. He was always quick to come up with a plan and knew exactly where to put everyone, keeping their strengths and weaknesses in mind. Magnetic Girl was his right hand. She had the same ability to make hard decisions under the worst of circumstances, not to mention the raw power. Opposite of her, Phoenix had the emotional maturity and intelligence to pull everyone, including himself, through the toughest situations. Whether that was through a well-spoken speech or by leading by example. What he lacked in speed and decision-making he more than made up for in motivation and emotional support.

The other four followed orders, but were able to pull their own plan if necessary, so long as no one got in the way. They were also the first to go their own way after they graduated from the programme and became recognised superheroes, passing the torch to the next cohort of sidekicks, appointing a leader and their commandants and beginning the hierarchical tradition.

Kinetica was given the proverbial torch directly by March Hare himself. One of the first times she and her fellow sidekicks had to deal with a real situation he bombarded her with questions about her friends' strength and weaknesses, telling her that she should know these things, or she would never be a good leader.

Despite his harsh words, Kinetica still sought March Hare's advice when she struggled to find her way in the role that was thrust upon her, and after a much better talk, she chose her commandants. Eclipse, who was much better at making tough decisions than she was, and Copy Cat, who was much better at keeping everyone together and motivated.

She didn't dish out orders the same way March Hare used to do. Instead she listened to her team and they came up with plans together. Eventually she got a better grasp of her friends' strengths and weaknesses and she learned to be a bit more decisive when the others were unsure.

She still had her insecurity, but at least she could always count on her mentor, Frostbringer, for guidance...until she couldn't.

Frostbringer disappeared yesterday. With his partner, Circuit, away at a conference, it was up to Kinetica and the other sidekicks to get him back safe. She only had Eclipse and Copy Cat to fall back on, as well as Freeze Frame and their latest additions Borealis and Buzzkill.

A telekinetic, a gravity manipulator, a shapeshifter, a kinetic energy manipulator, a life energy manipulator and a fledgling vampire walked into an abandoned office building to retrieve their captured mentor. And of course they walked straight into a trap.

It sounds like a bad joke, and it felt like one too. Despite their best efforts, none of their training had prepared them for the use of a power-suppressing field. They were familiar with the cuffs and the collars that would prevent them from using their powers, but to have them stolen from them without being put into any accessoires was just unfair.

They didn't even know it was possible, and now there they were, handcuffed and lined up on their knees. Their mentor was in the same position, his hands tightly cuffed behind his back, and kneeling across from them, the only difference being the tightly strapped leather panel covering his mouth, which had kept him from warning the sidekicks for the trap. The leader of the bad guys was circling him ominously, stroking the cattle prod in his hands.

"Well, well, well," he said sinisterly, "I knew we'd be able to use you to grab a couple of extra subjects, but to grab almost all the sidekicks~? We don't even have that much room in our van..."

"Let him go!" Kinetica almost immediately said, earning her a smack in the face from one of the other guards.

"Don't touch her!" Eclipse snapped, earning him a smack as well.

"E-Eclipse!" Copy Cat gasped, to which she was next.

"J-jeez dude, do you get off on smacking people or something?" Borealis asked, earning them a smack too.

"Oh! Do me next!" Buzzkill said.

Smack!

"Harder daddy~"

Bzzzt!

Buzzkill let out a pained yelp as they tased him with the cattle prod.

"You did that to yourself," Freeze Frame said, before being the last one to receive a smack.

Honestly she only spoke up so her friends wouldn't have to stand alone after all that, but she much preferred to not antagonise the people holding the key to their handcuffs.

"Uh boss..." one of the guards by the door said.

"What?" the man with the cattle prod said.

"We only have one cage, boss."

"Goddamn regulations," the boss grumbled, "fine. We'll take one of them now, and send a larger truck for the rest. The question just is, who do we take~?"

Frostbringer would've immediately volunteered if he hadn't been gagged. He tried though, but his muffled attempt at communication was easily drowned out by Kinetica.

"Take me!" she said, "t-take me...you guys already have a file on me. R-returning me will be worth more."

"Fuck that!" Eclipse said, "take me instead!"

"Don't be an idiot," Freeze Frame said, "take me. I'm not worth much to these guys anyway..."

"That is not true!" Copy Cat said, "Take me! None of them deserve this..."

"And you do?" Borealis said, "I should go. My file is older than Kinetica's..."

"Everyone shut up!" Buzzkill said, "I'll go. I'll be fine. I'm immortal now."

"You're all going, morons," the boss said, "the question just is who will go first."

The sidekicks exchanged glances, before bursting out into a cacophony of 'Take me!'s, much to both the boss and Frostbringer's chagrin. He would've facepalmed if his hands hadn't been locked behind his back. He looked up at the boss in an attempt to communicate to just take him instead, but the boss seemed to be too busy trying to decide which of the sidekicks to electrocute next as punishment for the racket.

Fortunately he never got the chance to pick his next victim, as at that moment something black and green crashed through the ceiling and landed in such a cool pose, Frostbringer wasn't sure whether to be jealous or aroused.

Circuit looked up at the bad guys, the visor of his helmet covering his entire face, making him look about as dangerous as he was.

"Take this." he said, before going loose.

With a mix of trained movements and mean little gadgets that allowed him to shock, stun and otherwise injure any opponent, he began wiping out the guards. Aided by the panic and confusion on why their power-suppressing field wasn't working on Circuit, not realising that he didn't even seem to be using any powers.

However, there was one huge disadvantage that no amount of gadgets or training could resolve...actually it was about seven disadvantages, and they were all unable to defend themselves. When the bad guys were unable to subdue Circuit by brute force, they switched to threatening the sidekicks and Frostbringer. Grabbing anything sharp they could find, or their firearms, and pressing them directly to the nearest hostage's throat.

Circuit pulled out his own firearm, catching his breath as he assessed the situation. There was no way he could fire a bullet without risking anyone's life. So with the most bitter regret...he dropped his gun, and surrendered.

They quickly handcuffed him, and stripped him of any weapon they could find, having to pat him down multiple times, before forcing him to kneel next to Kinetica.

"Ow..."

"Are you okay, Circuit?" Kinetica quietly asked.

"My pride is hurt, but I think I'll live," Circuit said, before getting smacked for talking...and then punched in revenge, followed by a kick for good measure.

"MMGH!"

Frostbringer tried to get up as he cried in protest, but he was swiftly yanked back by his hair, forced to stay in his spot, while his partner was kicked around a bit more by some of the guards that got hurt at his hand.

"Take that!" one of the guards spat, finally delivering the last kick.

"Anyone else got anything to say?" the boss asked, still holding onto Frostbringer's hair. The sidekicks glared at him, but stayed quiet, not wanting to give him a reason to hurt their mentor, nor did they want to be treated the same way Circuit had been.

"Excellent," the boss said, "now, where were we?"

"We were trying to decide who you were gonna kidnap first," Borealis said, "and they say my memory is bad..."

Whack!

"Woah, don't concuss them, their memory is bad enough as it is," Eclipse said, receiving a punch next.

"E-enough!" Kinetica said, "j-just take me. Stop hurting them every time they speak up!"

Frostbringer tried to shake his head at her, but Kinetica ignored him.

"And they won't speak up anymore," she continued, "because I'm going and you'll stop arguing. That's an order."

"Well, well, well, look at you taking charge, missy," the boss said, looking her over a bit, before glancing at the other sidekicks. He could tell they disagreed, but none of them spoke up.

"Such obedient little dogs," he said.

"Not all of us..."

He almost didn't hear the voice behind him. He wouldn't have if Kinetica hadn't finally managed to silence her friends. He let go of Frostbringer and whipped around, finding another hero in their midst. How did he get in? He hadn't seen him try and slip through the door, and there wasn't a rope running down from the hole in the roof he could've used. If he had jumped down, surely they would've heard him, right?

"Hoo boy, you're gonna get it now," Buzzkill said.

"Yeah, right," the boss said, "activate the field."

"Good...cough! Good luck..." Circuit wheezed, "I took down...the pylons before I...busted in..."

"Hoo boy!" Buzzkill repeated, sounding even more excited.

"It's just one, kid. Take him down the old-school way, boys!" the boss ordered.

The remaining guards eagerly stepped forward, only slightly unnerved as the newly arrived super didn't react much. He just stood there, staring at them with the expressionless white mask staring at them. And then Kinetica started laughing too, letting out an unnerving cackle.

"Don't tell me you haven't heard..." she said, "about the Ghost of Coral City?"

"Ghosts aren't real!" the boss snapped, "get him!"

Yet, the boy didn't move as the four remaining guards descended on him. One of them reached out to grab his arms, while another readied a set of cuffs...until his partner seemed to go right through the boy, losing his balance and falling over.

"W-what the—"

"You were looking for someone to take, right?" Ghost asked, "why don't you try to take me?"

The guard on the ground could only groan as he was suddenly overcome with a wave of crippling nausea. The other guard bravely approached with the handcuffs, trying to capture him without having to touch him, but even the power-suppressing cuffs slid right through him. As if he really was just a ghost.

"N-no way..."

"Stay sharp!" the boss snapped, "maybe it's just a hologram."

Ghost responded by sticking out his arm, his hand sinking right into the second guard's chest, to which he abruptly started choking.

"I'm just putting some light pressure directly on your lung," he explained, "it hurts like hell, but it won't kill you. The nausea might, though. Sorry."

He pulled his hand back, to which the guard collapsed, desperately gasping for air as his lung was allowed to inflate again, before the nausea hit him, and he wanted nothing more but to just lay down and sleep it off.

That just left two more guards and their boss, all three of them now proverbially looking as if they had seen a ghost. The Ghost in question slowly turned to look at them, as if trying to decide who was next. One of the guards bolted for the door. Ghost decided to let him go. His main mission was to free the hostages, and the guard running away just made that easier. Two more targets to go.

He decided to start with the boss. He posed the biggest threat right now, after all, the way he held onto Frostbringer and that cattle prod. He set a step in their direction, and he anxiously activated it, holding it threateningly close to Frostbringer.

"D-don't come any closer!"

Frostbringer braced himself for any pain. Whatever it was, he was willing to endure it until Ghost could do his thing and take that bastard down. Meanwhile the last remaining guard shakily held up his gun, but he was trembling so hard his aim was entirely off. Ghost didn't even have to use his powers to avoid getting shot, so he kept walking, to which the boss pressed the cattle prod into Frostbringer's side.

"MMMMMMGH!!"

He yelled into the leather muzzle, stubbornly holding on until the pain finally stopped as Ghost grabbed the cattle prod and pulled it from the boss' hand, phasing it through his grip without any effort.

"W-who are you?" he asked breathlessly.

"...just Ghost."

Suddenly he stuck out his arm, poking his fingers into the man's eyes, but also not really. He phased through them, blinding him temporarily. The remaining guard shot at him again, but the bullet just passed through his arm as if it wasn't even there.

Ghost pushed the boss and Frostbringer away from each other, before turning towards the last guard, who backed away, terrified, continuing to fire his gun at him.

BANG!

Click!

Click click click click click click!

"P-PLEASE!" he finally shrieked as he dropped his empty gun and raised his hands, "Please don't hurt me!"

Ghost stopped his approach, and held up his hand.

"Keys."

The guard feverishly pulled out all the keys he had and gave them to him, before fleeing as soon as Ghost had his back turned to free the hostages from their handcuffs.

"We really owe you one, Ghost," Kinetica said relieved as she was finally freed from her handcuffs. Granted, she did volunteer to be freed last.

"It's nothing," Ghost said, tossing the discarded cuffs onto a pile, and removing his mask so he could breathe a bit easier, "I didn't even know they had a power-suppressing field. I couldn't have pulled it off if Circuit hadn't sabotaged it!"

"You're welcome," Circuit said with a groan as Frostbringer gently iced his injuries.

"How'd you even get here so fast?" Frostbringer asked.

"Death gave me a ride."

"...I don't like the sound of that sentence."

"I wore a helmet," Ghost said.

"That's not the point— You shouldn't be here regardless!" Frostbringer lectured, "You were booted from the sidekick programme, you're not allowed to get involved in cases like this until you're at least eighteen!"

"I'm sorry...but the city's only active heroes and sidekicks were all taken hostage, I think I was entirely within my right to act," Ghost said.

"Oh my god, this is going to be so much paperwork," Frostbringer said.

"Sorry..."

"Stop apologising, you had a point," Frostbringer said, "also, thank you for stopping these idiots from trying to sacrifice themselves for my sake. Which they shouldn't have done."

He glared at Kinetica, but she just shrugged.

"You'd do the same for us," she said.

"How often do I have to tell you do as I say, not as I do!"

@ailesswhumptober

Phoenix, Verdigris, Wavesinger, Blaze, Kinetica, Copy Cat and Borealis belong to @dr-abitat-blog Frostbringer, Buzzkill & Circuit belong to @illustriousshadow

Masterlist Main account

Context: Ghost was pulled from the programme because one of his parents withdrew consent for his participation, but he'd rather miss out on the programme than to go back home and deal with all that.

#ailesswhumptober2024 #day 13 #“Take me instead.”#oc #fic #self-sacrifice #kidnapping whump #held hostage #team whump #ladywhump #whump writing #whump event #oc whump

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artist-issues · 2 years ago

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Have you ever seen Tangled? If so, do you like it? It has sacrifice in it, from both main characters.

I DO! I do love Tangled. I think it’s interesting that they’re both so intensely self-sacrificial by the end of the story, specifically for each other. I just want to list them because of how nice that is:

Flynn sacrifices his financial gain, his pride, and his life, three times, for Rapunzel.

Rapunzel sacrifices her safety, which used to be important to her thanks to Gothel’s indoctrination, and her freedom, which was her new dream, to save Flynn.

And they’re both willing to sacrifice their ability to be with one another, which was their shared “new dream,” in the climax. Rapunzel promises to stop fighting and never see Flynn again if she’s allowed to heal him, sacrificing her ability to ever be with him. Then he turns right around and cuts her hair, which was his only chance at surviving the stab wound, and sacrifices his ability to ever be with her.

Lots of sacrifice. Very loving. Especially for characters who started out focused on their own self-dreams, however nice or not nice those dreams were. I could talk more about Tangled, definitely

#Tangled #flynn rider #eugene fitzherbert #rapunzel #mother got her #Disney #self-sacrifice

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hero-of-the-wolf · 6 months ago

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#IT'S UP #whumptober 2024 #no. 7 #lu hyrule #lu time #lu fanfiction #linked universe fanfiction #lu #linked universe #magical exhaustion #self-sacrifice #all that good stuff

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harrycosmo · 2 years ago

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Fumito Ueda was inspired by… Galaxy Express 999 (1979).

Ueda has cited the Galaxy Express 999 manga series as one of his influences. Watching the film they made in the middle of its run, I could see a lot of Ico and also some Shadow of the Colossus.

It made me think of Gulliver’s Travels, Alice in Wonderland and Firefly as we follow the boy, Tetsuro, visiting different planets. On a planet called Titan, Tetsuro is given a gun by an old woman that turns out to be ‘the only cosmo gun capable of killing machine men’. Ueda's games feature special weapons that are uniquely effective against the antagonists.

Spoilers for the movie ahead!

It prefigures Ghost in the Shell. There's a character called Tochiro who, moments before his death, gets Tetsuro to activate a machine that vaporizes his body and transfers his consciousness into the supercomputer of his best friend's ship, 'Arcadia'. Maetel, one of two Yorda-like figures, explains to Tetsuro, "I am a copy of your mother in her youth. I am a shadow in the form of a human. When I grow old, I get a copy of a new body. That is how I survive through the ages and travel through time." Both Ico and Shadow of the Colossus feature characters whose bodies are vessels for other consciousnesses (Yorda for The Queen and Wander for Dormin). With the line ‘I had become a witch who controlled time’, it actually sounded more like a warning against plastic surgery.

The castle in the movie gets destroyed.

The other Yorda-like figure is Claire whose mother forced her to trade in her body for one made of glass. Her appearance is reminiscent of petrified Yorda and she has a power that makes her glow which she uses not to open Idol Gates but to save Tetsuro from Queen Promethium.

At the end, Maetel says to Tetsuro, ‘From now on, I will be a woman who lives on only in your memories. I will be nothing more than an illusion of your young boy’s heart, a phantom of your youth.’ The lyrics of 'You Were There' for me carry a similar feeling of nostalgia.

....................................................................................

The movie can be watched for free on YouTube.

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quietflorilegium · 7 months ago

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“I worry about you, October,” said Danny, passing two cars that were going too slow, at only fifteen miles over the speed limit, for his current tastes. “Sacrificing yourself isn’t the only answer to every problem you come across. It would be nice for the rest of us if you realized that someday. I don’t want to have to bury you.”

Seanan McGuire, "A Killing Frost"

#seanan mcguire #a killing frost #killing frost #october daye #toby daye #danny macready #self-sacrifice #self-preservation

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ghoul-toast · 26 days ago

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Sky;COTL made me write a snippet. Enjoy :]

Spoilers for Sky; Children of The Light , Eden realm.

---------------

The Eye of Eden is a dangerous place, Eyvor knew that. It was where all Sky Children ended their journey, transferring the fruits of their labors to those who need it most. Their light was a gift, and gifts are meant to be shared. No one returns from the Eye of Eden the way they came. That is the word of all who know those who venture into it. The Elders guide us here for a reason. Eyvor echoed that in her head like a mantra as she faced the whipping winds and dodged flyaway stones and crystals breaking free of the angry whirlpool among the clouds. "Share the gift of light."

Eyvor's footing slipped, the wind propelling her backwards–wings catching air and limbs scrambling for purchase. A startled honk tore from her. Her hand snagged a rock's edge and her hip slammed against the ground, wingcape curling around her like a shell as the next wave of shattered stone battered the pass. She tucked her legs in, pushing her back against the jut of the stone that'd saved her from the winds, and hoped for the best. Sharp, small crystals sliced into the cape, draining slivers of light with every pass. But, like every Eden storm, it moved on quickly. Eyvor wouldn't have time to breathe before the next. She shoved herself up and past the stone, pushing through the wind in attempts to reach the one further ahead. She had to make it in time. The winds grew harsher, whirling whistles against her mask and forcing her pace to slow. The next storm would be soon, she could already see the rocks on their way. She put her hands on the ground--gripping stone and hauling herself forward, pushing her shoulder firmly against the slanted pillar, holding her breath when the ruined pillar chipped, one of the larger stones ramming against it. ..You're okay. She didn't know who she was trying to convince. Her light was flickering, dim. The nearest torch was still a little ways ahead. She pushed ahead as soon as the storm thinned, stones skipping over her cape but otherwise harmless. A head start. It'd slowed her down just a little, limbs feeling waxen and heavy, but she'd gotten twice as far as last time. Last time? Her thoughts were lost to the wind, and her breath swept away with them as the gale harshened. She forced herself to keep moving, to not backtrack to find cover. So close. A stone slammed beside her and she just barely kept from jumping, hands snatching her wingcape before they could reflexively flap. She barreled into the cover of the stone arch and, blessed stars, the torch. The warmth invaded her, piercing the stark cold of darkness creeping the landscape. Familiarity blossomed in her chest, and she lay there a while recovering her light. But, Eyvor knew she had far more to go. She left once her light felt stronger, and she with it. • • • The light of the scarlet sky deepened, the familiar clicking of the Dark Dragons's call and the grinding of legs scraping stone and colliding with its own shell resonated within the area like a haunting rhythm. Eyvor found she preferred the sound of winds that mercilessly rammed against her ears to this. She suppressed a shudder, standing near the statuelight as she watched the overlarge krill fly along its path, blue light scouring the barren ruins of the Old Kingdom. She took a breath.

You know krill. They're easy to avoid. Just stay near cover.

The thought became mantra as she watched the Krill turn back around, hissing under winces underbreath as she pulled herself up the fallen pillars, and nearly yelped when the winds picked up with the usual scattered force, nearly taking her with it. The warbling of the Krill grew near, and it took everything in Eyvor not to take off right then and there. The blue light was on her barely moments after that, and even with Eyvor fighting her way up the pillar, so close to the tunnel, the light burned red over her, scorching her with a fierce dread. The Krill screeched-–a horrible, scraping sound that skipped and jutted into higher pitches. The Krill's clicking roared in her ears, rumbling taking the tunnel as it descended-–and Eyvor dived for the tunnel, feeling the wind trying to drag her backwards and forcing her wings to open and snap to propel herself those final feet forward. Its legs scraped harshly over stone, knocking over chunks of large, ruinous towers that joined the whirlpool in the yellowing rifts of the scarlet sky, like puss in a festered wound. It screeched again, red light flickering to blue as it hovered in the sky, a bright beacon of doom searching the grounds, the tower, the skies. Krill knew Sky Children could fly. Krill that knew Sky Children knew. This one had seen every Sky Child at the end of their journey. And yet, like all Krill, this one lost interest quickly when another Sky Child honked in the distance.

Eyvor breathed. The tunnel was.. safe. There was a torch at the end of it, although that would require being exposed to the noise of the world, and the tunnel, for the most part, was quiet. Quiet felt like a scarcity in the realm of Eden, and Eyvor cherished this moment of peace for as long as it lasted. But the inevitable thought returned to her as her heartbeat thrummed calmer. The Journey. She got to her feet, hand bracing on the tunnel wall, and walked to the lamp--feeling its warmth inhume into her clay and, renewed, climbed the last two fallen pillars between towers and marched onto the fields of storm.

----------------------------

Her footing was surer the more she adjusted to the quick pace of the storms, legs wading through the waters steadily instead of rushing. There was the oddest pattern to the stones--yes, randomly shattering into the ground, but the waves of wind sending them could be predicted with a careful eye. Areas were delivered wind, which made certain others at risk, and others safe. Eyvor used the knowledge to her advantage, especially so when she met the first Fallen. They were knelt, curled into themselves, clay crackled with blue light peering out of the ravaged sculpture - face void of mask and cape missing. It was not unlike the spirits she'd awakened before, but when surrounded with so much corruption and darkness, and the thought that she might've met them before.. She stepped closer, bringing a hand to its back, and jolting back as if burned. It felt irreversibly wrong to find a Sky Child so cold. ..Cold. The thought flickered through her mind, and she honked thoughtfully as she brought her hand to her heart, light melting into her hands like hot wax. She poured it into the splintering cracks of the Fallen, a cape slowly growing onto their shoulders. The light within their cracks melted into something warmer and flickering. Like a fed candle flame. She rested a hand on the Fallen's stone shoulder--warmer, although not enough to share, and she felt more secured when the abject wrongness faded, She stood from them, lighting the torch beside them and replenishing her warmth.

There were many Fallen in the storm. She had plenty winged light to spare. She could help them. She would help them all. No point in dawdling.

Every step risked a rocketing crystal pelting her, every splintering crash sliced into rock and cape and the dark, murky water that seemed to drain her every moment she spent submerged. If Eden had one thing going for it, there were a lot of extinguished lights. But that just meant they were waiting for Eyvor to light them, and she did it every time she found one. Hopefully they'd last long enough to guide the next Sky Child on their journey. Hopefully they could guide the Fallen if they break their petrified state. Every time she shared her winged light, she felt.. weaker. By a flicker, only. But after the fifth.. the tenth.. the twentieth fallen, she could barely muster the strength in her cape to flap against the breeze without risking a fall. So she'd have to pull herself forward instead, big whoop. Easier said than done, when all of you can grip is submerged in malignant floodwater that seemed inclined to sap your light to embers. She forced her hand into the inky sap, gripping stones and pulling herself forward. Finding cover in the barest of ledges to bide storms to pass, pouring winged light into the cracks of furled statues. This close to The Eye, the storms were getting harsher, and the gales determined to sweep her off her feet.

Thirty-four. How many Fallen were in Eden?.. Her thoughts were sliced when a stone burrowed into her chest, flinging her backwards with the force and knocking all the wind from her lungs. It broke away from her when she hit the ground, taking a familiar waxen light with it. No. She reached out for it, feebly, but it fell into the inky water and extinguished. She'd be next, if she didn't get out of this viscous pool and near light. And soon. She rolled herself onto her stomach, curling into herself and clutching her chest as another storm pelted right ontop of her. Impacts seized the waters, rumbling and coursing and sending shattered splinters through the static liquid. But she didn't get hit. Yet. She felt freshly run over, though. She moved as soon as the storm passed, and pulled herself to the lit Lady of Light - or, that's what she'd called these points of light-holders, beacons of life in this dark hellscape, even if she had to light most of them herself. She sat huddled against one for a moment, her feeble light melding to something steadier under its warmth.

This was so much worse than the golden wasteland. The Dark Dragons were pleasant neighbors compared to these ceaseless storms.

The further she went, the more furious storms seemed. It was obvious after the storms hardly stopped for more than a second. More Fallen scattered the area, but it was impossible to get to them. There was more cover, but there was so much danger between them. Shards hammered the ground every moment, there were scarcely any openings, and Eyvor was already feeling weak. She had little winged light left, the viscous waters made her feel sick every moment her feet were left anywhere near the water, nevermind submerged.

It made sense, among all the statues and the storm. The purpose. Why every Sky Child would end their journey here. No Sky Child was meant to leave this place once they entered. One just manages to make it a little farther than others. Over, and over. It struck dread and determination in Eyvor all at once. Some part of her knew the fear would only carry her further. Some part of her knew the terror was in failing to reach the Fallen, not falling herself. That part of her moved her feet even if her eyes saw nothing but shards crashing down. Forced her to get back up and keep moving, because stopping wasn't an option. There was no turning back. Not this far ahead. Not with so much left to do and so little time.

#sky cotl #short story #apocalypse #but also kinda hopeful #self-sacrifice #but in a 'its my purpose' kind of way #imagine making sky ocs couldn't be me #Sky Children are made of wax btw #bunch of candle eaters

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trashyswitch · 2 years ago

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The Sacrificial Lamb's True Identity

Michael and Vanessa finally find out the truth about the ball pit. But when a new version of the Daycare Attendant shows himself to him, Michael turns himself into the sacrificial lamb to save his old and new friends.

Part 9 of "Michael Meets the Daycare Attendant". Part 8

This fanfic was suggested by an anonymous user. Whoever you are, I hope you enjoy this fanfic!

Michael was unsure what to do. This guy was staring at him with shock and…almost an emotional look on his face. The phone guy touched Michael’s hair with his fingertips and dragged his thumb down Michael’s more exaggerated jawline. “Oh my gosh…you’ve grown to really resemble your da-”

“Mr. Afton?” Michael asked with a dry chuckle. “I prefer calling him Mr. Afton.” Michael added. “Plus, I’ve heard that way too much for one lifetime.” Michael admitted.

Scott bit his lip and let go of Michael. “Telling by your name choice, Mr. Afton still has a long way to go to earn that father title.” Scott said.

Michael softened his expression. “You knew what he was like?” Michael asked.

“Knew? God, more than just knew. I experienced every single mannerism from that man over the years. When I found out what he did, I…I regret saying that I saw something like that coming.” Scott admitted.

Michael tsked and crossed his arms as he looked down. “You’d think he would’ve chosen not to commit child murder after losing two of his own kids from his death machines.” Michael told him.

Vanessa cleared her throat and put her index finger up. “Telling by what you’re saying, You knew the infamous man?” Vanessa asked.

Scott chuckled. “Again, ‘knew’ doesn’t even begin to describe how well acquainted we became.” Scott admitted.

“Yes…I know him. He’s…a blood relative.” Michael admitted.

Jeremy slowly walked up to Vanessa. “Hi…I’m Jeremy.” He said softly.

Vanessa softened her rigid expression upon seeing how nervous and timid Jeremy was being. “Hi Jeremy. I’m Vanessa.” She told him. “And…You’re about Michael’s age?” She asked.

Jeremy widened his eyes and looked at Michael. “Oh no. No no no, I’m older- much older than him. I’m in my 30’s.” Jeremy admitted.

Vanessa raised an eyebrow and looked at Michael. “What’s he talking about?” Vanessa asked.

Michael looked down and bit his lip. “Well…”

Jeremy looked at Michael. “Did you wake up in the ballpit too?” Jeremy asked.

Michael looked at Jeremy. “I…” He blinked and tried to look away from the scar on his face. “Yeah…sorry, yeah. I did. Did you?” Michael asked.

“We both did.” Jeremy replied.

“Huh…So you’re supposed to be in the old pizzeria.” Michael added.

“That’s where we were before. How do we get back?” Scott asked.

Michael shrugged his shoulders. “I have no idea.” Michael admitted.

“Wait wait wait…” Vanessa interrupted. “You all woke up in the ballpit…how did you guys end up in the daycare in the first place?!” She asked.

“I was searching the burnt down building that the animatronics, and my uncle Henry had burned and died in. I escaped before experiencing the brunt of the fire.” Michael said, uncovering his upper arm and showing them the burn mark. “I…wanted to find Henry’s cassette player and hear what his last words were, but…I fell through a weird, deep hole in the middle of the floor.” Michael told her.

“I was…wait, burnt down building?!” Scott reacted. “What burnt down building?” Scott asked.

“The building that the pizzeria used to be in.” Michael replied.

Scott squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his nose. “When was the pizzeria burnt down?” Scott asked.

Michael raised an eyebrow. “The night before. And I know who did it.” Michael told him. “It hadn’t been taken down yet.” Michael added.

Scott widened his eyes as he remembered the hole in the stage. “Oh god…The hole was a teleportation device…” Scott muttered.

Jeremy looked at Scott. “Are you talking about that hole on the stage that was never fixed?” Jeremy asked. “The one you fell into during our shift?” Jeremy asked next.

Scott nodded. “But how did you get in? Did you fall in too!?” Scott asked.

“You had mysteriously disappeared mid-shift. I tried to find you, but all I could find was this hole and your hat. With the hat just there and your body nowhere to be found…I jumped in after you.” Jeremy told him, taking off the hat on his head and handing it to Scott. “Speaking of the hat, here.” Jeremy said.

Scott narrowed his eyes at Jeremy. “You are the most anxious person I have ever met. There is no way you actually walked around looking for me.” Scott told him. “Especially with those ‘death machines’, as Michael described them, walking around that night.”

Jeremy shrugged his shoulders. “Adrenaline can make you do crazy things.” Jeremy told him. Scott stared at Jeremy…then, he stared at the hat…before looking at Jeremy again. “...And you couldn’t bother to carry this down?” Scott asked, deadpanning at him.

“No.” Jeremy replied. Then, he slowly lowered his chin. “...And I wanted to see if we had the same head size…” Jeremy slowly admitted.

Scott responded by hitting Jeremy with his hat. “You dumbass.” Scott spat. Jeremy yelped and cowered back, not wanting to get hit again.

“Hoo hoo HOO! What’s a dumbass?” someone said behind them.

Michael widened his eyes and slowly looked at Vanessa. “Uh oh…” Michael muttered.

Vanessa closed her eyes and groaned. “Great…” She muttered. Scott covered his mouth and squeaked with horror.

Jeremy widened his eyes as well, before grunting and flicking Scott in the forehead. “Good job, Phoney. Now the ‘Daycare Attendant’ knows swear words.” Jeremy told him.

“Not if we reset him.” Vanessa said as she tackled the Daycare Attendant to the ground. In no time at all, she opened up the back plate and placed it aside. She attempted to power Sun down but he was shaking around so much that her finger slipped off the power button and onto the blue button beside it, that had a white moon shape on it. “Uh oh-” Vanessa’s finger retreated, but it was too late. “Dammit! I pressed the wrong button!” Vanessa yelled.

Michael growled and walked up to intervene. “Let me do-” Michael yelped as a white and blue hand slapped Michael down to the ground. The Daycare Attendant was no longer sun-themed. It now had the face of a moon, with new blue and white clothes. The pants and the hat both had stars on them. The Daycare Attendant jumped away from the humans, and flicked the light off. “Naughty naughty boys…” The animatronic teased.

Michael widened his eyes. “Who’s that?” He asked, fear in his eyes.

“The Daycare Attendant.” Vanessa replied.

“Well-” Michael facepalmed his own forehead. “I mean, he looks different.” Michael told her.

“He’s Moon now. Why they thought it would be a good idea to put the ‘Moon’ button beside the power button, is beyond me.” Vanessa told him.

Moon jumped towards Michael. “It’s past your bedtime. You must be punished!” Moon declared.

Creating a plan in his head, Michael put on a confident face. “What’s my punishment for being up past my bedtime, Moon?” Michael asked.

Moon’s smile widened almost to a Jim Carrey-like smile before his wiggling fingers slowly rose up. “I think you already know the answer to that question, Mikey.” Moon teased.

Michael smirked back. “Everyone else, run. I can take it from here.” Michael told them.

“But you don’t know how to power him down!” Vanessa reacted.

Michael chuckled. “You partly did already…and I think the rest is blatantly obvious.” He added before taking off running. “Ring the Walkie-talkie when you get out!” Michael yelled.

“MICHAEL-” Scott yelled.

“IGNORE ME! GO! SAVE YOURSELVES!” Michael shouted.

“Ooooh! A tickle CHASE! I’m gonna getcha, Mikey-Wikey!” Moon declared as he started jumping and chasing Michael around the daycare.

As Michael climbed the play equipment, he watched as Vanessa brought Jeremy and Scott up the slide and out of the daycare. Then, he smiled as he heard the walkie-talkie alarm go off in his pocket.

BEE-EE-EE-EE-EEP!

Michael smiled. That was his cue to go apeshit. “I’ll NEVER SURRENDER! HAHAHAHA!” Michael laughed before letting go of the equipment. Quickly, Michael started to drop towards the colorful ballpit below.

But right as he’s about to dive in, he feels a hand grab his ankle. Michael stopped dropping rather abruptly, and stayed hanging in the air for a moment or two. Michael was momentarily stunned by the sudden drop.

“Wh-Wait-” Michael looked up (by looking down) and widened his eyes when he saw the familiar white face with the blue hat.

“P e e k a b o o.” Moon said somewhat quietly.

Michael yelped and tried kicking Moon’s hand to get him to let go. But Moon only lifted Michael up and flipped him, before grabbing Michael under the armpits and dropping into the ballpit the rest of the way.

Michael hit the ballpit like a surfboard slapping the water, and quickly yelped. “aaAAH! Wait- WAHAIT!” Michael doubled over and struggled to get out of the animatronic’s grip. But it was like getting out of handcuffs…Literally impossible without a key.

…Not…that…Michael would know about that, or anything…

NO, IT IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK.

Michael held his breath and kicked his feet all over the place while Moon just casually targeted his ribs, his belly and his armpits. Michael struggled and wiggled all over the place.

“Funny…This naughty boy is wiggling around like a fish out of water!” Moon reacted. “But how ticklish is this helpless little fish?” Moon asked.

Michael looked up, almost hoping and praying there was a hand reaching down into the ballpit to come and save him. But no such luck. There was no one but himself.

But wait…Why is he fighting this? Why is he hoping for a rescue? He knowingly sacrificed himself for his coworkers and former family. He should be letting Moon destroy him right now. Logically, he knew this. He knew he was supposed to let Moon tickle him to bits. But his body was fighting and struggling to get out. He could guess that the tickles were more overwhelming than he was expecting. But he decided enough was enough. Time to let Moon have what he wants!

Michael’s lips grew into a wide smile as he finally bursted out in fluffy, euphoric giggles. “Bwahahahehehehehe! HEHehehehehehe!! Yohohohou- Yohohou’re rihihight. Ihihihi’m toohohohoo ticklihihihish!” Michael admitted.

“YES! The dam has finally broken! Out comes the giggles! Let them flow out of you like an open tap!” Moon declared.

“Whahahat ahahahare yohohou? aha wrihihiter or sohomethihihihing?” Michael asked.

“Not exactly.” Moon admitted. “Though…” Moon brought his voice box closer to Michael’s ear and started to whisper. “I heard I do have a special way with words~” Moon admitted before wrapping his arms around Michael.

Michael looked at Moon, confused and still giggly. “Whahahat ahahare yohohou dohoing?” Michael asked.

Moon widened his eyes and looked away as he quickly started clawing his nimble fingers into his sides. “N-Nothing, just coming up with another way to tickle you!” Moon said next, trying to cover up his first initial idea.

“Ohohou lihiHIHIAR! LIHIHIAHAHAR!” Michael yelled.

“Liar?! Are you calling me a liar?!” Moon asked with a smirk.

“YEHEHES! YOHOHOU AHARE A TEHEHERRIBLE LIHIHIAR.” Michael yelled back.

“Ooooh, says the one with a wallet from the 1980’s.” Moon dangled the man’s wallet in front of its owner. Before Michael could reach up and grab it with his free hand, Moon pulled it away from him and put it in his shoe. “I’ll keep that for later.” Moon told him.

“GIVE IT BA-” Michael reached his arm behind him, accidentally leaving his right armpit vulnerable. And within a couple seconds, Moon had dug his fingers into the secret spot. “aaAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA! OH GOD! OHOHO NOHOHO- HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Michael shouted, shaking his head back and forth as he cackled and laughed.

“Ooooh! Looks like I found a SUPER ticklish little armpit!” Moon reacted. “And I wonder…Is this little lefty armpit ticklish tooo?” Moon asked as he wiggled his fingers literal millimeters away from Michael’s other armpit.

“WAHAHAIT-” Michael clamped his arm down, trying his damndest to cover up his armpit. But it was almost like Moon had a backup plan in case this happened:

Cause the moment Michael did this, Moon moved his fingers up and tickled the back of his neck. “Coochy coochy coo~” Moon teased.

Michael let out a glass-breaking squeal and leaned his head back more to cover up his neck. But he wasn’t able to cover up his neck quite enough to halt his progress. “EEEHEHEHEHEEEE! NO! NOOOHOHOHOHO!” Michael yelled, unable to properly think straight.

“What’s it gonna be, Michael? Cover up your armpit and let me tickle you silly on your sensitive little spiiine?” Moon asked as he gently drew one single finger up and down the spine area from his skull to his shoulders. “Or cover up your neck and let me skitter, skitter, skitter my precious little fingers…” Moon started tickling with 4 fingers, 2 fingers on either side of his spine. “-right on your deep widdle armpit?” Moon finished.

Michael was struggling to think. Which tickle spot was worse to take?! Which spot could he handle better?! The neck made him squeal like a puppy, while the armpit made him laugh till he started snorting. And in his own opinion, both outcomes were equally as embarrassing. “IHIHIHI DOHOHON’T KNOHOHOHOW.” Michael replied.

“Pick your poison, Snow White~” Moon teased. “And make a wish~ Because only one of the poisons you pick will make your wish come true~!” Moon decided.

Michael tried to think of what to do with himself. His own laughter was enough to distract him from trying to make a good choice he wouldn’t eventually regret. Should he choose the armpit? Or stay with the neck? Choose the armpit? Or choose the neck?

Armpit? Or neck?

Armpit… ?

Or Neck…?

As Moon slowly dragged his finger up and up his neck, he felt tickly shivers move down his spine and as his smile grew larger and larger…his squeals went higher and higher. With Moon’s single finger driving him insane as it was, Michael finally threw his left hand back to cover up his neck.

“Oooooh! So I see you’ve chosen the armpit!” Moon declared as he wiggled his nimble fingers closer and closer to his left armpit. “However, I have changed my mind a small bit…” Moon swiftly moved his fingers over to the belly. “GIGGLE BUTTON TICKLE TIME!” Moon declared as he started swiftly swirling his finger in the boy’s outie belly button. “Coochy coochy coooooo~”

Michael wheezed almost immediately and instinctively sucked in his belly to get his finger as far away from his belly button as possible. But the finger only followed his belly and swirled into his belly button once more. He would suck his belly in more, and the finger would only follow alongside it and tickle him again. Soon, he had sucked his belly in so much that he couldn’t properly breathe anymore. So he was forced to unsuck his belly to breathe. But this in turn, brought Moon’s evil finger even close to his belly button.

This almost perfectly reminded him of that time he was handcuffed. His friend of 3 years had stolen a pair of police handcuffs from his policeman father of 24 years, going on 25. And his friend had handcuffed Michael’s hands together behind his back in an attempt to arrest him for ‘being a goddamn nuisance’. And after doing a ‘roleplay’ of a court scene, his friend had ‘sentenced him’ to ‘20 minutes of tickles and 25 years in jail’. Michael remembered pulling on his cuffed hands and rolling around wildly while his friend tickled his belly button almost mercilessly.

But in the end, they both had to admit what he had done, because the policeman had the only key to get out of the handcuffs. And with Michael free and the handcuffs only being used for platonic fun, the father let Michael go without any repercussions.

Even though his hands were free at the moment, this was exactly what Michael was reminded of when Moon tickled every inch of his belly button. “Hey, Mikie~” Moon asked.

“HEHEHEHEHE- WHAHAHAT?” Michael replies.

“You haven’t said anything besides the usual ‘HAHAHA!’, ‘AAAHAHA’, ‘HEHEHEHE’, and the occasional loud ‘SQUEAL!’.” Moon told him, using his voice speaker to perfectly imitate Michael’s previous laughing fits within the last few minutes.

Michael quickly looked down to cover up his deepening blush of pure embarrassment. He groaned and went mostly quiet.

“...What’s wrong? Did I hurt you?” Moon asked.

“.........You’re embarrassing me.” Michael mumbled.

“Embarrassing you…” Moon thought for a moment. “Is that a good thing?” Moon asked.

Michael’s blush deepened even more at that question. He had no idea, honestly.

“Anyway…” Moon pulled a wallet out of his shoe. “Why do you have a wallet that looks to be made from the 1970’s?” Moon asked, showing him.

“Wha- HEY!” Michael yelled, attempting to grab it. But Moon pulled it away. “Nope. Too late. You want it?” Moon asked with another growing smirk.

“Yes!” Michael yelled. “Then COME AND GET IT!” Moon shouted as he jumped out of the ballpit, using Michael’s stomach as leverage. Michael felt himself get pushed further down into the ballpit. When he came to his senses again, Michael pushed himself through the bright colored balls and swam himself out of the ballpit. He managed to reach high ground before taking off running after Moon. “GET BACK HERE!” Michael yelled.

“NOT A CHANCE! HAHAHAHA!” Moon shouted back. And while Michael was chasing him around the Daycare, Moon had opened up his wallet and started snooping. He quickly found his debit card and his health card, and started reading his drivers license.

[3 DOB: 03/19/1971]

But as he kept reading, the animatronic slowed himself down.

[Michael R. Afton]

Moon slowed to a stop and looked at Michael. “You’re related to Mr. Afton?” Moon asked, visibly shocked.

Michael widened his eyes and froze for a moment…then, he quickly tried to get his wallet back. “Give it back!” Michael ordered. He soon grabbed Moon’s arm and held it back, looking deeply into Moon’s eyes with a frown on his face. “You’ve seen enough.”

“And…and I see you were born in the 1970’s?” Moon asked.

Michael ripped the wallet, and his driver's license out of the animatronic’s hand. “Yes. What’s it to you?” Michael asked as he reached and grabbed Moon’s back.

“Mr. Afton didn’t die until 1989.” Moon told him.

Michael stopped moving and softened his expression with slight shock.

“That would mean you…were around when Mr. Afton was alive and running the old pizzerias.” Moon added.

Michael bit his lip and gently started to pick up the animatronic. “Let’s just…get you fixed, alright?” Michael told him.

“Are you Mr. Afton’s son?” Moon asked.

Michael sighed and closed his eyes. He took in a breath and clicked the power off button on Moon’s back. “Shutting down in 3…”

“2…”

“1…”

#identity reveal #resetting moon #soft moon #self-sacrifice #ticklefic #ler!moon #lee!michael #funny childhood memories

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hurtmyfavsthanks · 2 years ago

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Whumptember day 2

“Let me do this for you.” Sacrifice | Guilt | Caretaker turned whumpee

Whumpee was finally safe.

They weren't uninjured, of course. Their body looked small in their hospital bed, and what little of their skin that wasn't bandaged was either a sickly pale hue or dark with bruising. They were hurt and frail, but they were healing. They were finally safe.

It had only cost Caretaker everything.

Whumper had given them 72 hours. Three days to handle their affairs, three days to say goodbye, three days of freedom before they had to fulfill their end of the deal. Today was their last day before becoming Whumpee’s replacement.

Caretaker had decided to spend that final day with Whumpee. They couldn’t think of anything they wanted more.

Caretaker reached for Whumpee’s limp hands. Whumpee didn’t react. Caretaker wanted to see their eyes one more time, but knew it was for the best that Whumpee wasn’t awake. They would ask Caretaker to stay.

“I’m sorry,” Caretaker whispered into the silent room, thumb rubbing against Whumpee’s knuckles. “I know you wouldn’t want this.” It’d been the only way to save Whumpee. The only reason they were safe now was because Caretaker had agreed to take their place, and Caretaker knew that trying to avoid their end of the bargain would only jeopardize that. They wouldn’t take that risk.

They lifted Whumpee's hand to their lips, pressing a feather-soft kiss into their fingers. "Let me do this for you."

#whumptember 2023 #whumptember day 2 #day 2: let me do this for you/sacrifice/caretaker turned whumpee #caretaker turned whumpee #self-sacrifice #whumpee #caretaker #bedside vigil #unconscious whumpee #tw: hospital #my stuff

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whumpsmith-participates · 6 months ago

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AI-less Whumptober 2024

Day 6 - Self-sacrifice

Tags/CW: superhero whump, losing control, passing out

If you've ever followed a course in relation to helping or even saving people, you've probably learned that the first step of helping people is to make sure that you don't endanger yourself by doing so.

Don't jump into the water to save someone from drowning when you don't even know how to swim. Don't run blindly into a burning building. And don't attempt to treat a bullet wound when shots are still being fired.

Even superheroes, who can famously take a bit more damage than a mundane human, have to know their limits. Not every super's powers work as proficiently in the water as they do on land. Not every super is flame-resistant. And not every super is bullet proof.

And yet, despite having the above drilled into them during many lectures as sidekicks, some heroes risk it all anyway.

Kinetica and Eclipse had already had a really long day. Without wasting too much time on details; they'd been dealing with the same two villains for weeks now. Recently they had kidnapped one of their friends, planning to use their powers to fuel their final plan: To destroy everything.

One of the villains they were dealing with called himself Prometheus. His powers were highly radioactive. His partner, Somnum, could hypnotise and control people with a mere touch and a whispered suggestion. And Borealis, the sidekick they kidnapped, had the power to either drain people of all their energy or fuel them.

They were under Somnum's control, and they were being used to fuel Prometheus so he could deal a devastating blow that would destroy everything, putting millions of lives at risk.

After a failed attempt to save Borealis, everyone had been ordered to evacuate the immediate area as the radiation levels were getting too high, but after sending the rest of the team off to safety, Kinetica and Eclipse stayed behind with a hail-mary plan.

When things seemed the most dire, Eclipse revealed that he was able to conjure up a black hole, and he planned to use it to absorb Prometheus' destructive powers before he could claim any lives. He wanted to go back alone. He was the only one who could do this, after all, but Kinetica refused to abandon him, and went with him instead.

The two of them creeped past abandoned buildings, using deserted cars in the middle of the streets to hide as they snuck back towards the epicentre of this week's calamity. Crouching behind a car, they could see three familiar figures standing atop a hill just at the edge of Central Park, a fence separating them, though that shouldn't be a problem. Prometheus was stretching a bit, while Somnum knelt in the grass, keeping Borealis docile. They had their backs turned.

Kinetica nudged Eclipse and gestured towards the fence. Eclipse nodded and held out his hand. Kinetica took it and they snuck closer together. As expected the fence was no trouble with Eclipse's power. He quietly and gently lowered them into the grass, holding out his arm when Kinetica tried to move further forward. He looked at her, then pointed at Borealis. Kinetica bit her lip, hesitating.

"Are you ready, my dear?" Prometheus suddenly said, thankfully not turning around.

"I'm ready," Somnum replied, "I've always been ready. I want to build a paradise with you! We'll build it from the ground up!"

Eclipse gave Kinetica a nudge. It was now or never. She nodded, and lowered herself further against the ground to stay out of sight for now, while Eclipse got up, approaching the couple on top of the hill.

"Hey!" he called, "This has gone on long enough!"

"Well, if it isn't Eclipse," Prometheus said as he turned around, "you just keep coming back for more, don't you?"

"This'll be the last time," Eclipse said.

"You couldn't stop me with your little friends at your side, what makes you think you can do it on your own?" Prometheus asked.

"Because now I don't have to worry about them getting caught up," Eclipse said.

Just like that he threw an arm back, pushing Somnum and Borealis away from them. Prometheus tried to retaliate, a yellow fire-like energy being thrown his way. Eclipse deflected it without issue, not having to look over his shoulder as he did so this time. He increased the gravitational pull on Prometheus, while decreasing the pull on his own, making it much harder for the villain to move around, and a lot easier for himself. He just had to stall for time until Kinetica had gotten the chance to get Borealis to a safe distance. He was sure she'd be fine.

And he was right to trust her. After Somnum and Borealis were pushed back by Eclipse, she quickly rushed in to pull their friend away from the villain’s partner, before swiftly taking him down and handcuffing him.

"Gotcha!" she huffed, before turning to her friend, "Borealis? Are you okay? Wake up!"

She had to shake them quite roughly, before they finally responded.

"C-Cas— I-I mean, Kinetica? What's happening?" they asked, rubbing their eyes a bit.

"There's no time!" Kinetica said, "We need to get as far away from here as possible!"

She pulled Somnum to his feet, forcing him to walk along as they headed back to the fence, looking over her shoulder as Eclipse continued to fight Prometheus.

"W-wait," Borealis said, "w-we can't just leave. He wants to destroy everything!"

"Eclipse can handle him," Kinetica lied, "now come on, I'll help you scale the fence— HEY!"

She cursed as Somnum suddenly pulled free from her grip, running back towards Prometheus. She chased him, and Borealis wasn't sure what else to do, so they followed her. Kinetica caught up with Somnum about halfway up the hill, trying to pull him back as he desperately called out for his partner.

"Prom! PROMETHEUS! LET HIM GO! STOP! STOP IT!"

Eclipse had Prometheus on his knees, the yellow fire-like energy swirling around him. He desperately tried to lash out in an attempt to stop Eclipse, to which he just increased the gravitational pull around him, beginning to compress Prometheus' powers into a spherical shape.

"Do you really think you can hold this?!" Prometheus yelled, "I got more where that came from!"

He released more energy, a bright flash nearly blinding them all. Kinetica, Somnum and Borealis were all knocked back. They could feel the heat, when suddenly it all retreated.

They could hear a distorted, guttural scream, before the sound seemed to numb. A pressure on their ears, as if they'd suddenly changed elevation and the air pressure inside their heads was very different from that outside.

Disoriented, Kinetica looked around to see what happened, but everything was warped. She could just about make out Eclipse, standing before an orb of yellow flames that licked around the surface of...nothingness.

The grass and dirt of the hill they stood on raised up higher, and while they should be rolling down the steeper hill, they found themselves being pulled up as well instead. Kinetica dug her heels in, grabbing a hold of both Borealis and Somnum.

"Eclipse! ECLIPSE! ECLIPSE STOP!" she screamed, but it was as if he couldn't hear her.

Granted, she could barely hear herself over the pressure in her ears. She tried to make sense of what she saw, peering at her friend. He also had his heels dug in, trying to pull away from the orb, but seeming to be stuck. Then it clicked, and she sobbed, looking at Borealis.

"H-he's lost control!" she yelled, "He can't stop! H-he's going to get sucked in! W-we all are!"

Borealis grit their teeth, peering back at Eclipse as well.

"NO!" they yelled, "It can't end now!"

They pulled themselves from Kinetica's grip, carefully trying to approach Eclipse. Kinetica screamed at them to stop, but the sound of her voice didn’t reach them. She watched as their movements slowed down as they got closer to Eclipse, until it seemed like they weren't moving at all anymore.

Meanwhile to Borealis, it was as if things got both less as well as more warped as they got closer to Eclipse, but they tried not to let that distract them.

"Eclipse!" they cried, "Eclipse hold on!"

"Stay back!" Eclipse shouted, sounding both loud yet barely audible, "I can't hold it!"

"I know!" Borealis shouted, "I have an idea!"

They managed to reach Eclipse, wrapping their arms around him, both in an attempt to comfort, and to stop themselves from getting pulled in any further. Then, they just let themselves go. They’d been struggling since Kinetica woke them up, but now they let their powers run free. They could feel themselves getting stronger, more alert, while in front of them and Eclipse, the black hole began to shrink, before eventually dissipating as Eclipse slumped against Borealis.

Everything returned to normal in a snap. The hill collapsed, nearly burying all of them. Debris rained down on them, and when things finally calmed down, Kinetica glanced around to see the collapsed fence, the water in the nearby lake sloshed violently onto the other shore, cars were piled near the fence now, rather than in the middle of the road, trees were bent, broken and uprooted, and there wasn’t any sign of Prometheus.

Even more disorienting, however, was the sun. It had been nighttime when they snuck back towards the park, and now the sun gently warmed her clammy skin. She could hear sirens in the distance, and the distinctive sound of a helicopter approaching. But never mind all that. She scrambled to her feet, slipping on the loose dirt, but she kept moving forward, crawling on hands and feet to the top of the hill.

"ECLIPSE! BOREALIS!"

At the top of the hill, a crater had formed, and Kinetica fell down. She spat out a mouthful of dirt and grass, wildly looking around until she spotted Borealis. They were hard to miss, green energy swirling around them as they slowly sat up and checked themselves over…but they felt fine. Not a single bruise or scratch. But right next to them…Eclipse wasn't moving. They reached over to check on him, but they pulled their hand back. What if they drained him too much? W-what if he…

"ECLIPSE!?"

Kinetica dropped back to her knees next to Eclipse, rolling him onto his back and quickly swiping the dirt off of his face before checking his breathing.

"K-Kinetica..." Borealis said with a sob, "d-did I—"

They got cut off when Eclipse suddenly started coughing, blinking his eyes open as he gasped for air, before coughing some more. Then he promptly sat up and spat out some dirt, before nearly falling back over. Kinetica sobbed in relieve as she steadied him, before hugging him. Eclipse...somewhat sheepishly hugged back, looking around at the carnage over her shoulder.

"C-Cass...cough! W-what did I do?"

"Y-you did it!" Kinetica said, "You saved us!"

Eclipse blinked, before gently dislodging from her embrace.

"No..." he quietly said, "N-no, I fucked up...I...I had no control....I...I-I could've killed us all."

He turned towards Borealis, swaying a bit.

"Thank you," he said, just before Kinetica had to catch him again as he passed out.

@ailesswhumptober

Kinetica🏳️‍⚧️, Borealis (they/them) & Somnum belong to @dr-abitat-blog

Masterlist Main account

Excerpt from a thing from an RP...doesn't really matter. I love Abbie's kiddos so much, they're so diverse UwU

#AIlesswhumptober2024 #day 4 #self-sacrifice #oc #fic #superhero whump #losing control #passing out #trans oc #nb oc #whump writing #whump event #oc whump

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